He chuckled to himself and continued walking. He blamed Shuri for stocking the chamber full of very questionable novels.
"Are you enjoying your sweet, little chick?"
"Mn~!"
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|DxD|- Chapter 94- Encouraging Issei
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The park was as picturesque as the day he left it. The grass was covered in a smooth white carpet, free of the children who would soon tarnish it with their playing.
Igor glanced upon a few people as he neared the entrance. Akeno happily chewed sweets atop his shoulders. The parking lot was empty, but a small four-door slowly pulled in and parked. Igor stopped in place and smiled when the rear door was slammed open.
A tiny brunette gawked at him with dark eyes. There was confusion, realisation, and excitement.
"Big bro!"
Issei ran as fast as his legs could carry him. His schoolbag lay forgotten by the side of the car. His mother yelled his name from behind, but he was too far gone.
"Oof!"
He crashed into Igor's leg and hugged it. His forehead pressed against his thigh, until he looked up with sparkling eyes.
"When did you come back, big bro? Was it yesterday? Was it today? Where were you?"
Issei stepped back and clenched his fists eagerly to his side.
"You were doing some epic training, right? Did you get super strong? Can you go super saiyan? Can you do the Kamehameha now? Are you stronger than dragons? Can you make ME super strong as well?"
"Hehehe~."
Igor put his plastic bags down and rubbed Issei's head.
"One at a time, Issei."
"Yerh, Issei. One ah a time."
"Don't speak with your mouth full, Akeno."
Igor gently chastised. He glanced at little Irina jogging towards him and meekly greeted.
"H-hello, big bro."
"Come here, Irina."
"..."
Irina tentatively took a few steps forward and came under Igor's palm. Slowly, he rubbed her scalp and it sent tingles across her back.
"There. I'm not so scary any more, am I? Be careful when you wear those glasses, Irina."
Igor recognised the reading glasses Irina wore. They appeared normal, but could glimpse the power of those it gazed upon, at least from his inference.
Igor was circled by three children. The car door closed and a young woman approached with Issei's bag on her shoulder. She had a kind smile and stopped before him.
"Hello, Igor. Back from your vacation?"
"Vacation?"
Issei interjected suddenly.
"Big bro wasn't doing some boring vacation, mom. Big bro was training super hard. Tell her, big bro."
"Oh hush, Issei. Let's go and sit down, Igor. I still have to thank you for getting this little troublemaker of mine in line."
"Mooommmm…"
Issei moaned from the side and Igor chuckled in response.
"It would be my pleasure."
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|DxD|
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A year ago, Miki Hyoudou had very little to say about Igor. She'd assumed he was some sort of delinquent when Issei told her he got injured fighting. Irina's mother was the one who calmed her worries and stopped her from making a rash decision. Today, she was happy she had not acted on instinct.
"You know, Igor…"
Miki slowly began. She took a sweet from a jar and unwrapped it.
"Issei has changed greatly since you last spoke with him."
The leaves rustled above them. The wind was cold, but the sun made it bearable.
"He's become obsessed with training. Even his father can't handle it."
"Really? I only said a few words."
Miki did not reply and ate her sweet. The children were playing with others without a worry in the world. Their joyful laughter in the snow was a beautiful sight.
"Issei has always been an impressionable child. A little nudge and he'll run full speed ahead. I don't know what you told him, but whatever you said has done wonders for my son. Did you know he can do fifty pushups?"
"Fifty? He must've been working hard."
"Very."
Miki beamed with pride. How could she not be when her son was setting himself for greatness? He could be a famous sports player in the future and have a life free of worry.
"And he gets so happy when you ask him to show you. Watch."
Miki sat up and called out.
"Issei? Come here, honey."
"Hm?"
Issei dropped his snowball and came over. Little footprints were left with each trot until he reached the bench his mother and Igor sat on.
"Mom?"
"Issei. I told big brother you can do fifty pushups. Do you want to show him?"
Issei's eyes brightened like stadium lights.
"Really?! I'll show you, big bro. I'll show you right now!"
He pulled off his scarf and threw it on the ground. Miki leaned over and grabbed it with a reprimand.
"Don't dirty your scarf, Issei. I won't buy you another one."
"Sorry, mum."
Issei chuckled nervously. Still, he got into position and glinted at Igor.
"Watch this, big bro."
He moved quickly. In seconds, he'd done ten without breaking a sweat. Miki encouragingly counted from the side while Igor was absorbed in reminiscence. Issei reminded him of himself when he was seven. He was once just like this, training for the stray devil Jonathan. So much time had passed since then.
"Come on, Issei. Forty-seven, forty-eight, forty-nine, aannndd…fifty! That's my good boy—huh? F-fifty-one."
Miki was quite shocked to see Issei continuing. Her son was already visibly strained and she wanted him to stop, but a hand on her shoulder silenced her.
"Fifty-two, fifty-three. Come on, Issei. Fifty-four. Come on, come on. Fifty-five. Get to fifty-seven, Issei. You can do it."
Igor calmly encouraged. Issei gritted his teeth and continued despite his protesting arms. Igor came over and crouched next to him. He snapped his fingers repeatedly and urged Issei to continue beyond fifty-seven.
"Three more, Issei. Round it to sixty. You can do it. Keep pushing. That's fifty-eight. Two more. Two more. Just two more."
Igor kept snapping his fingers and Issei finally pushed up again.
"Nnngh…"
"Yes, Issei. Good. That's fifty-nine. One more. Get to sixty, Issei. Get to sixty. You can't leave it at fifty-nine."
"I…can't…"
"You can. Forget the pain and focus on my fingers. Lower yourself and push to sixty, Issei. You're a strong boy. I know you can do it."
Issei hesitantly lowered himself. Once his chest almost touched the snow, he pushed himself up with all his might.
"That's it, Issei. That's it. Don't waver. Don't rest. Keep pushing. You're almost there. Sixty is almost there."
Issei was sweating. His uniform was unbearably hot. But even more, his arms and core were screaming at him. But he pushed on, inspired by Igor's words, and finally straightened his arms. At the last juncture, they weakened in relief, but a large palm suddenly held him up.
"Last one, Issei. I promise. Just one. Make it sixty-one and I'll give you a whole jar of candy."
Igor supported Issei with his hand. The boy was just about ready to give up, but he wouldn't let him.
"Lower yourself, Issei. I'll help you."
Issei barely had the breath to retort. He could only groan with unwillingness. But the jar…it was right before him.
"Don't give up here, Issei. You've done sixty. What's one to a hero like you? Heroes never give up and neither should you, Issei. Now do it."
Igor was pleased when Issei slowly lowered himself.
"That's it. Just like that. Now…push!"
He spoke with force and subtly lifted Issei. He struggled heavily and forced his arms to push up. Igor's palm held steady against his chest, for he might've fallen without it.
"Push with everything you have, Issei. Pull every feeling inside you. You want your mother to be proud, right? You want to be a hero? You want to be strong? Then push! Push with all your might."
Igor declared and Issei roared with fervour. He forced every ounce of will into his arms and pushed himself up, finally reaching the dreaded sixty-first repetition.
"Well done, Issei. Take a rest."
Igor gently laid Issei on the snow for a well-deserved rest. His heavy breaths were the only noise present, for many eyes had fallen upon them.
Miki watched with rapt surprise and awe. Igor had guided her son to breaking his limits, and she couldn't be more lost in wonder.
[No wonder Shuri spoke so fondly of him.]
If Igor was like this, then she truly had no qualms leaving Issei with him. He was perfectly suited to be the big brother to their group of children.
Chapter 94
END