The Cultivator
These are individuals who study the mystical arts, which many ignorant people wrongly call magic.
Yet this discipline rests on a supernatural system that is fundamentally different, in its very essence, from that of magic.
Still, both share a common goal: to transcend the state of mortality.
'Whether it's Kim Young Hoon's world or mine… humans try to defy nature,' he thought, referring to the desperate pursuit of human mages for "truth" — to the point of becoming dangerous undead… liches.
Kirito understood the situation of human mages, because the very concept of death naturally pushes a short-lived race to consider the lich option.
After all, who would want to entrust the work of an entire lifetime to a potentially idiotic successor?
Magic is everything to these mages, just as cultivation is everything to a cultivator.
It is therefore logical that practitioners of both mystical arts defy nature in order to pursue truth — the Dao for the cultivator.
[Extreme Heaven Demon: You will have to complete this quest without me, but…]
[Extreme Heaven Demon has sent an item to the group chat]
[Extreme Heaven Demon: Whoever is able to assist young Issei may use this item if they feel in danger. I borrowed it from the arrogant cultivators who came to challenge my palace.]
Even though Kim Young Hoon was not physically present, Kirito could still feel the fresh "intent" recently imprinted into the object he had offered.
[Name: Spatial Pouch]
[Rank: B-]
[Description: A leather pouch containing a small internal dimension, apparently filled with defensive pills and talismans.]
[Warning: Outside of the administrator, it is impossible to retrieve this item without participating in the quest.]
[The pseudo-scientist (administrator): Is this a real spatial pouch?]
Kirito immediately rushed to ask about the artifact, his eyes gleaming with greed as he gazed at this legendary object worthy of isekai protagonists.
"If I can fully analyze this thing, then walking around with my house in a suitcase won't be a ridiculous idea anymore," he muttered, already imagining the possibilities.
The idea wasn't far-fetched, according to his understanding of Kim Young Hoon's universe.
Kirito had read about the Sea Dragon King, who carried an entire sealed sect inside an ordinary-looking gourd.
So the young elf wasn't being foolish by trying to reproduce the principle on a far more modest scale than a city-sized sect.
The boy first thought of trying with the size of a small warehouse before considering the storage space of an entire city.
[Extreme Heaven Demon: As expected from the leader chosen by this artifact.]
Kim Young Hoon briefly complimented the young man before continuing in a serious tone that was easily perceptible even through text.
[Extreme Heaven Demon: Indeed, it is a spatial pouch containing cultivation items that the Palace of Heavenly Demons has no use for.]
[Just Peter Parker without powers: Wait a second! You literally have a vault full of supernatural items and you never thought of sharing even a little?]
[Daughter of the Cosmic Abomination: Peter's right. From what I know of you, you have almost no interest in "sorcery" or any other magical "distractions" outside of martial arts… why not just offer a trade or—]
Raven didn't have time to finish her sentence before being cut off by the most powerful martial artist the Yugaou Empire had ever known.
[Extreme Heaven Demon: You would just give it away? Just like that? Hahaha… sometimes Loken is right. You really are far too ignorant of reality.]
An awkward silence settled over the chat, before the second message from the man who defied the natural order of his world loudly proclaimed his convictions.
[Extreme Heaven Demon: You must have forgotten who I am, after chatting so casually with me all this time. Allow me to reintroduce myself.]
[Extreme Heaven Demon: My name is Kim Young-hoon, the strongest martial artist to ever walk the soil of my world! The man who unified the orthodox and unorthodox martial factions that many considered irreconcilable. I am the Sovereign of the Palace of Heavenly Demons! The Extreme Heavenly Demon, and the leader of the rebellion against the cultivators!]
[Extreme Heaven Demon: So tell me, little half-demon… why the hell would I give you something I earned with my blood and sweat?]
[Daughter of the Cosmic Abomination: …]
[Extreme Heaven Demon: If you want it, then simply go help your comrade.]
[Extreme Heaven Demon has left the chat]
A heavy silence lingered in the chat for a moment after Kim Young-hoon's declaration.
Yet it didn't take long to be broken by Kirito. Unlike the other three kids, he knew just how arrogant this version of Kim Young-hoon truly was.
"Even if I hate to admit it, he has real reasons to be," he told himself while typing his next orders.
[The Pseudo-Scientist (administrator): You heard him, right? You're coming to help Issei with me?]
[Useless Valkyrie: I'm just a weapon without a proper wielder… so I'll pass—]
[The Pseudo-Scientist (administrator): A weapon? Funny, I just happen to need one. You can come without worry.]
[Useless Valkyrie: Aren't you a scientist, like Nikola Tesla?]
Hearing the name of the revolutionary scientist from his past life, Kirito confirmed the identity of another group-chat member.
Göll.
She was the only valkyrie Kirito considered useless in the Valkyrie Apocalypse universe.
As for why Kirito suspected she was an anime version of the Norse mythological valkyrie Göll, the reason was simple: her username and her ability to transform into a weapon.
[The Pseudo-Scientist (administrator): So? No one ever carved in stone that scientists have to suck at fighting.]
[The Pseudo-Scientist (administrator): Are you the type to have prejudices?]
[Useless Valkyrie: Sorry… and I accept the mission, if you're my partner.]
Reading the young valkyrie's words, Kirito looked at the holographic screen with a satisfied smile.
"If I can keep her with me, I won't have to worry about weapons anymore… and in the worst case, I can just steal a bit of her DNA," he thought cheerfully.
As for whether valkyries were spiritual beings like the fighters in the Valkyrie Apocalypse manga tournament, Kirito didn't care.
As a wise man from his past life once said: "If there's a hole, then there's a goal."
Translation: if Göll had a physical form, then he would try to get some of her DNA.
[Daughter of the Cosmic Abomination: … sorry, but I can't come for this mission. Robin mentioned an important mission today.]
[Daughter of the Cosmic Abomination has left the chat]
[Just Peter Parker without powers: I can't come, I'm just an ordinary guy.]
[The Pseudo-Scientist (administrator): No problem. Focus on your studies, and one day you'll be able to create your own powers, trust me.]
Somewhere in the Marvel universe, an ordinary version of Peter Parker gave a genuine smile despite his exhausted face.
"You're right… I'll have powers soon," he muttered while staring at a potion vial labeled with a lizard image.
Kirito didn't know which version of Peter Parker was in the chat, but if he had known, he would never have said such words.
After all, the young man was extremely complexed about that aspect of himself.
So the boy left the group chat and plunged his mind back into the work he had "borrowed" from Dr. Connors.
From time to time he glanced at a photo of Gwen with a hesitant look, before continuing his slow descent into hell.
…
"Yoooooooooooooooooshaaaaaaaa! I'm gonna turn you into mush so I can suck Buchou's nipples, Kokabiel!!" shouted an Asian-featured teenager.
A burst of light flooded the area, which Kirito quickly identified as a soccer field inside Kuoh Academy.
In the middle of the blinding light, a crimson armor slowly materialized.
"… This… this is the first time I've seen a Sekiryuutei release his power just at the thought of sucking a woman's nipples… W-who the hell are you?"
Kokabiel spoke in disbelief toward the enormous source of magical energy that was producing this powerful light in the night.
Kirito's black eyes narrowed. He had only just arrived in the High School DxD world, yet he already sensed a raw magical energy source not inferior to his own.
"I am the pawn of Rias Gremory's peerage! Hyoudou Issei! Remember that name well, Kokabiel! I am the possessor of the Boosted Gear, the one who lives at the rhythm of my erotic thoughts and my boiling blood!!"