16 16 Challenging The Hōzōin Temple (2), And A Talk With Ice Princess

"I am Otto Apocalypse, the Raksha." Otto introduced himself arrogantly.

"I am Houzouin Inshun, the current grandmaster of the Houzouin Spear Technique." He replied.

"Jumonji Yari." Inshun summoned his spear as it released strong winds.

"It seems like you need someone to humble you, kid."

"Maybe." He leaped directly at Inshun, because he had a range disadvantage from his spear.

"What a reckless action. You don't even know your enemy and yet you threw yourself in, knowing that you would die." He blocked the katana before thrusting his spear into Otto's face which grazed his cheek.

*Ashina Cross*

Otto sheathed the Blade of Tathagata, before drawing it at a high speed as it blazed wildly, clashing with the spear.

"Those techniques don't suit you, kid. You're merely copying someone else's art without knowing its true intention." He sounded disappointed.

"Northern Winds." Inshun thrusted his spear upwards followed by a gust of wind as it slightly missed Otto's head.

*Shadow Rush*

Otto bent down as he prepared a powerful thrust to pierce Inshun's chest.

"Southern Winds." But Inshun then dropped his spear on Otto's head which was inches away from getting beheaded as he blocked the the spear.

"Where have you even learned these amateur movements of yours? They are all unfinished styles, and your way of fighting its-"

Otto's katana burst out of flames and Inshun had to release his wind magic to neutralize the heat.

*Purgatory*

Otto then pushed Inshun away before dashing at him at an extreme speed, trying to deliver a slash to Inshun's chest. But was easily parried instead as he skewered Otto with his spear, dragging his body in a circular motion before throwing him to the wall.

"Hope you learned your lesson on this bout, and never com-" Just before he could finish his sentence, Otto leaped out from the rubble almost stabbing Inshun in the stomach as he protected himself with an armor made up of razor winds.

"..." The master was silent before he quickly pinned Otto to the ground with his spear.

"Arggh."

"I do have to say. Your physical prowess and magic ability are certainly exceptional, and it had already surpassed your peers... But even if you have all of that, you always throw yourself right in front of your enemy. It's as if you're putting your life behind each one of your attacks." Inshun kneeled and said those words menacingly to him, as Otto tried to stand up.

"I'm... Going... To. Be. Invincible! HAAA!!!" With Otto's abnormal strength, he manages to shake off Inshun above him.

"ONE DAY MY NAME WILL BE KNOWN THROUGHOUT HEAVEN AND EARTH!" Otto shouted as flames wrapped around his body like Inshun's protective razor wind armor.

"You're right about me copying techniques without their unique art, and how reckless the way I'm fighting. But so what? I only need enough strength to break through any defense."

*Sun Fang Heaven's Path*

"I'll become invincible under the sun," Otto said as his blade blazed like when he fought with Ryouma.

As he slashed horizontally, as it released an arching flames that seared even the ground.

"It still doesn't have it..." Inshun sighed at his skill before he disappeared from his spot, confusing Otto for a moment.

"Where are you even looking?" He appeared behind him as he pierced Otto's right leg, before trying to knock him out cold.

Otto's head spun after the strike behind the head as he staggered from the shock.

"This is the difference between us Otto. I may not be as strong as Ryouma in his prime but I'm certainly stronger than the current him. Ryouma merely let you win... Well, if you did fight against him that is." Inshun said in confidence before tapping Otto's head, as he lost consciousness.

"You've had the privilege, of being defeated by Inshun of Houzouin."

.

...

.

"Huh?" Otto jolted up as soon as he had regained consciousness.

"Wow, that's impressive. You woke up faster than we had anticipated, despite having those nasty wounds on you."

"It's you!" Otto recognized her back from the onsen, it was Lavinia Reni.

"Why are you here? And where am I now?" He looked around finding himself in a hospital.

"Ara? Not even a 'thank you' from you? That saddens me you know." She said while wiping her fake tears.

Seeing that Otto didn't change his expression, she decided to stop trying to tease him.

"*cough* Well, we're nearby at the Houzouin Temple. The monks carried your bloody body away to patch you up. Oh and just to let you know, you've been sleeping for 3 days now."

"And how did you come in here exactly?"

"Well, I coincidentally ran into several monks and found a blonde hair that looked familiar. So I took a look and found out that it was you who they carried, so I figured I'd help a little since you were about to die from severe bleeding." She said

"Is that so?" Otto looked down at his hand as he had been defeated easily by Inshun, but he had thought that it would be over for him.

He had the confidence to challenge masters because he had Code: Unknown. Because of this gift that he had made before his reincarnation. He became so reliant on it that he thought he could take on anyone who would come his way with just pure strength. And believed that he was the protagonist who always won the fights no matter what the struggle in battle was.

"You look sad." Lavinia sat at the corner of the bed while peeling fruits.

"By the way, why are you still here? I'm perfectly fine you see, and we just met a few days ago, you didn't have to go this far for me. And don't you have better things to do than nursing someone you barely knew?" Otto said as he wouldn't even bat an eye to help other people that he recently just met.

"Why can't I help people?" Lavinia looked confused when Otto asked her that question.

"Huh?" Otto doesn't seem to understand why she's wasting her precious time with someone like him.

"Is it wrong to show someone kindness if you want to give?" She looked at him.

"No?"

"Then why are you complaining when someone is showing kindness to you?" He was taken aback for a moment as he didn't know what to reply.

"I... Don't know." He avoided her gaze.

"Your proper response would be a 'thank you' to the person that shared their kindness." She lectured.

"Look at me." She said as she forced Otto's gaze off her cold face, while his eyes kept looking away.

"You're weak Otto." She stated. "You're just acting tough to look strong."

"WHAT?" He finally looked at her with a glare, mad at the fact she called him weak after probably knowing that he had been defeated by Inshun.

"I said you're weak, get it?" She said before forcefully feeding him a fruit she sliced earlier.

"mmfff-!!?"

"So give it up, grow up, and enjoy your life before throwing your life into death." She stated, earning a glare from Otto.

"But other than fighting... I found things that ordinary people do, more boring." Because after he had killed the succubus that came up to him back then, he felt a rushing feeling inside him when he killed someone. That was also followed by when the time he had killed Budo, where he experienced it too.

"Why do you say that?" She asked in concern.

"They're boring because all they're doing are repetitive things. Work, School, routine, etc. And fighting on the other hand gets exciting as every fight has different kinds of situations." He replied before he subconsciously pictured an Asura in his mind.

"Hmmm? Are you trying to be a serial killer or something? Because what you had just said sounds like a making of one."

"What? I don't lower myself with someone who just kills for fun..." Otto had felt that he had contradicted himself.

"You are though. Didn't you want to kill the Houzouin master in the first place?"

"..."

"Tell me, how do you plan on getting stronger?" Reni asked curiously.

"By challenging the strong ones in a fight."

"Then kill them right?" She added to his reply.

"..." He initially wanted to say that but intentionally excluded it.

"Why. Do you even want to take a life that easily? Did you lose someone in the past?" Reni couldn't understand how can someone as young as Otto could become like this. Even Vali, who was someone who she now considers as a little brother that was the same age as him, wasn't as this bloodthirsty when lost his father at the hands of his grandfather.

"It's not like I lost someone dear to me in the past, but rather I have nothing. That's the reason I'm willing to fight without worry." That's precisely why he didn't want to get attached to other people along the way because he was afraid about how it would feel to lose someone dearest to him.

"That's also why I don't mind getting killed in a duel." He thought that no one would care if you died like a nobody. Because they would just gradually be forgotten eventually. Otto wanted his name to leave a mark on this world, by becoming the strongest person.

This is what he wanted the most, even in his previous life. He gave up that dream back then because he was just an ordinary man that you could just see everywhere in society, he had no talent in anything.

But now... He is now in a world where magic and powers exist, so he wants his previous dream to bloom in this world instead of climbing to the top and becoming immortalized. Failing at the bottom meant that his story would never be told. After all, history as they say is only written by the winners.

"Then what would happen if there is someone who became dear to you?" Reni asked curiously and thought she had got the answer to fix Otto.

"Then naturally I'd protect them..." He said before he immediately thought, that could he even truly protect them. in a world like this? That is full of dangerous beings that could accidentally kill you with just a sneeze?

"Then I'll become that person for you, so you will have a purpose to stay alive by then." She gave him a warm smile.

"No, you can't. And you will never be." Otto didn't get why she was being kind to him and was willing to go as for a total stranger.

'Even if you're hot, I have no reason to...' He still doesn't know, what's her full story in the High School DxD.

"You want to become strong, don't you? Then I'm going to teach you how to be one."

"No. I don't need anyone's help on becoming stronger..." Otto believed that he only needed the experience to become strong.

"You need someone to guide you. The reason you lost to the Houzouin Inshun, is because you didn't have a proper purpose."

"Why do you care so much?" He said before she came up and pulled him into a hug, catching him off guard at her sudden bizarre action.

"Love." She whispered.

"Huh!? That sound cheesy..."

...

-Chapter End-