Silver W. King
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Returning Welsh Dragon Hero - Chapter 24
🕑 Added 2024-07-29 14:42:00 +0000 UTC"Cheers one more time for Hyoudou Gorou, the craziest human to join the Happy Fish Contest!" Shouted Torashiki, the tiger youkai who was standing besides Issei's father on the cliff of the fishing competition. Yes, he knows his name is on the nose.
The large feast table was usually held after the competition to celebrate the participants of the fishing contest, as well as to remove any ill feelings of losing, and bask in the cheery atmosphere. The day had given into night, and was lit up by all the lanterns and people's joyous laughter.
Gorou and his family were given a seat of honor, there was notably no Happy Fish served on the table, but the table was filled with all kinds of food.
"And may him and his wife have a lot of children!" Torashiki shouted with a beer mug raised up. Those present cheered as well, much to the embarrassment of the blushing Gorou and Miki, though they were still smiling a bit.
After Gorou was assured that pushing the Happy Fish off the cliff, it won't be injured by the rocks at the bottom as it would glide itself away to the water, and if it fails, there were ningyo who would float it to the water.
So after a grulling struggle to push it by himself, with some help from the massive fish itself, it finally fell off the cliff and went into the water. the Happy Fish then rose above the water, smiling and making something resembling dolphin sounds at Gorou. He got the feeling that it wished to thank him, and so it was time for him to tell his wish.
"PLEASE LET MY WIFE GIVE A SAFE BIRTH TO HEALTHY CHILDREN!"
Gorou, as he learned later on, wasn't actually meant to shout that for all present to hear, and even for his voice to echo out to many of those along the cove. The wish would have been hear if he just voice it to himself, since well, it was a magical fish.
Thus the humans and youkai present cheered for them and sent them well wishes. A ningyo who took on a more human form with legs, came to congratulate the husband and wife and was talking to them.
Issei did not want to know what the three were talking about, given his parents red face, yet interest looks. Looking at his family again, he saw Asia sitting next to his father, with Vali next to her. Giving Vali a look, Vali nodded back, and Issei smiled and nodded in thanks, so he could go talk to a certain deity.
At the moment standing away from the celebrations, sitting at the cliff the contest was once held was Jin, with a ochoko, a small sake cup with, well, sake in it. The bottle was next to him. There was a small cup next to the bottom.
"Yo, Issei-san. Why are you away from the celebrations?" Jin asked.
"I figured I'd keep you company, Suijin-sama." Issei nodded and sat next to the god.
"Ah," Suijin gave a bashful smile. "You figured it out. Well, I wasn't really hiding it."
"You weren't also trying to show it, so I figured I shouldn't mention it." Issei said back.
"Ah, haha, thank you for your consideration." Suijin chuckled. "And no need for 'sama'. I wouldn't dare to lord over the Red Dragon Emperor who can casually destroy the Underwater Dragon Palace if he aimed at it." His demeanor changed to a more serious look, while still holding an underline of the real nervousness he felt. "Also I can't act big, especially when your dad just beat me in finishing, hahahahaha!" His expression changed once more as he joked and laughed, trying to make himself appear relaxed.
Issei's eyes widened for a moment, before he looked down in understanding.
"Ah," Issei rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "I thought we were away from anything that could end up as collateral damage. I didn't take into account that we could end up hitting a mythical place underwater." He quickly turned where he was seated and bow. "I'm sorry for any damages. I'll take full responsibility for any destruction I caused."
"Oh, no, no, no! There was no damage." Suijin said quickly as he placed his cup down, to wave both hands in front of his face in panic. "Besides, the Ryūgū-jō is at Okinawa prefecture anyways, so it's not like it could have been hit anyways!"
"Eh?" Issei looked up.
"Ah." Suijin looked away, sucking his lips in as his eyes bugged out. He couldn't believe just failed in trying to keep the blame game going. "This is why I told Susanoo-sama, I'm not cut out for this negotiation stuff. Aaaaah~." The water god held his head in shame.
Issei blinked at few times, finding himself involuntary smiling. His eyes teared up for a moment, before he quickly pushed himself to calm down.
This guy... Issei thought, as the image of a certain fluffy orange haired doctor came to mind. He's way too honest.
Issei laughed into his fist which stopped the water god's panic for the moment, as Sujin looked back.
"I'm sorry for any stress or trouble I caused." Issei ended up saying. "Honestly I was more worried if my dad winning that contest might have been more trouble."
"Ah, no, no that's fine." Suijin sat back more relaxed as he waved him off. "It's not like I was using my Divine Aspect for that, just my skill. Even then, I tend to play around for that competition. Usually catching the Happy Fish once, then letting it go to drive up tension." He grinned at Issei. "Most people aren't as quick to capitalize on that opportunity or act that swiftly or insanely as your dad. Honestly it took me by surprise that he went that far immediately. Most people don't even notice that the Happy Fish likes to eat the isonades. Even those who do have a much more difficult time since they are intentionally targeting the aquatic monsters then."
"I see." Issei said, letting the god talk.
"As for why I approached you, well, when the two Dragon Emperors fight, that's cause for everyone supernatural to worry, gods or magicals." Suijin said, as he picked up his sake cup again, and bottle about to pour himself another drink. "Do you want some?"
Issei thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure." He picked up the second ochoko and held it up.
"Ah!" Suijin's eyebrows rose up in delight. "Most kids your age are sticklers for the rules." He said as he poured the Red Dragon Emperor a drink.
"Well, it would have been rude not to." Issei said as he pulled the cup back once it was filled. "Also you're only a kid once. Doing some rule breaking every once in a while should be okay, and something every guy should try out as long as it was harmless. That way you have stories to tell later on."
"Yes! Finally! Well spoken, hahahaha!" Suijin laughed and raised his cup high to the moon. "To youthful memories worth being remembered!" He shouted, and Issei raised his cup up, and took a sip as Suijin did so.
The sake looked like clear water. It had a sharp taste, almost spicy, but the after taste, once Issei could taste it was fruity like... watermelon? He thought it was suppose to taste ricey or melon-like.
He could see traces of magic within the drink. Not added, but part of it. It seemed to make the taste stronger. It did open's one's thrist for more. Surprisingly not as bad, but then its not like he didn't drink alcohol before at Chaldea.
Mash, bless her heart, tried to make everyone responsible, but Ritsuka was a bad influence. Issei snorted at the thought.
Although this would be his first time drinking sake in his own body. And the alcohol felt extremely light.
He let out a breath, feeling more relaxed, magic energy gathered ready to clear his system once he was done here.
"So," Suijin spoke. "The reason I was originally asked to come investigate you—besides being the one closest in the area." He muttered bitterly under his mouth. "Was to see the cause of your battle with the White Dragon Emperor and if it was possible try to recruit you or at least to mitigate the fight from happening again. Or at least take it elsewhere." He explained. "However you two seem to be on good terms. That's'.. surprising for the Dragon Emperor hosts." He said, looking genuinely intrigued.
"Well, me and Vali met up before, and we didn't have much of a reason to be hostile to one another. So I just set up a time and place for us to have a spar match without causing a lot of trouble, here were are now." Issei explained before looking sheepish. "Or at least that was the plan." He took a bigger gulp of his sake.
"Well... that's actually a pretty good plan." Suijin said. "Can I recommend a place for you two, if you do this again?"
"You know a place?" Issei politely asked.
"Yeah, there's an island about 20 miles from here. Hakuten island. Literally a wide area with nothing but white sand. Pretty sturdy though. Tends to be used by any aquatic youkai that have disputes to be settled by combat." Suijin said.
"Yes., that would be great. Thank you!" Issei said back with a smile.
"Great!" Suijin said, as he drained his cup and poured himself another, before his eyes lit up, as he remembered something. "Ah! By the way, want to join the Shinto Faction under Susanoo-sama?" He said before hissing to himself. "Wait. Damn, I should have been more subtle about this."
"Hahahaha, thanks but no." Issei laughed, before forcing himself to stop at Suijin's dejected look. "The thing is, I've only recently entered the supernatural world. I'm still finding my footing in all of this. I don't mind becoming acquaintances. Maybe friend or allies in the future."
"Acquaintances? Yeah, that works! Great!" Suijin had a wide smile that seemed to light up the night.
Issei smiled and looked up at the moon as he took a big gulp finishing his cup in one go.
Hmm, is it me, or did the moon seem disappointed and exasperated at the water god?
Issei didn't have long to think on this as he saw the first line of fireworks rise up into the sky and light up the night in beautiful fiery images.
[Boost]
With a flare of his own magical energy Issei burned the alcohol in his body, and got up.
"I'll have to get going. It was good to talk to you properly, Suijin-san." Issei said with a bow.
"Yeah, you too, Issei-kun." Suijin smiled with a warm flush on his face, as he was a bit buzzed. His eyes lit up after a moment as he remembered something. "Oh, and please tell Gorou not to keep Ame-chan—the ningyo—too occupied in his threesome with your mom, since she has her shift at the isonade farm the day after tomorrow."
Issei stumbled and almost fell on his face.
"What?" Why was he telling him that!?
"Hahahahaha!" The drunken water god just laugh in great amusement.
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AN: Sorry, small chapter today. Next chapters should be more, well, more. Next one should be the last down time with Issei retelling Chaldea moments and Okeanos moments to Vali, before we move to the rematch with Vali and his new techniques.
Comments
Edison Castelan
LOL Someone got lucky
