Walking down the halls of Salvatore many noticed something different about the strange loner Gil. Firstly he had stopped wearing the face mask (though he still kept his eyes covered). His personality had to started becoming far more irritable. He had much less regard for the weaker classmates and those who tried him were ignored completely and those who insisted farther couldn't even tell you what happened afterword. At this point Hope was the only person he'd be bothered with.
He had been brooding on new training methods until Ilpyo found him and sat him down to talk. "Hey Gil, I've been thinking…you're looking for more power right? So why not try to strike a deal with that thing sealed inside of you?"
"Why would I do that? That stupid monster cost me my grandfather…" Gil glared sharply.
"I'm sure he likes you too Gil…"
"What's your point Ilpyo? I don't really have time for your smartass remarks."
"Just try talking to him, maybe you two can come up with something where you'd both end up benefitting. Why do you think my chakra reserves, senses and recovery speed are so much better than yours? Plus who knows what some old monster could teach you. I work together with the fox spirits to keep us all alive. Just keeping him locked away will only build more hatred between you two and also it's not like they wanted to get sealed up in the first place."
"Fair point…Alright Ilpyo I'll give it a try. How do I go 'there'?"
"Oh it's easy block out all distractions and try to visualize your happy place. He'll be there in your mindscape taking up space. Come meditate with me sometime, it'll help you get more in tune with yourself. You try it too Hope, even if no magic beast is sealed inside you, meditation is good for mind, body and soul."
Hope thought it couldn't hurt to try. "Sure. I'm game."
Outside next to a large shady tree Gil and Hope met Ilpyo to begin their meditation. Sitting next to Ilpyo they closed their eyes, focusing hard to block all outside noise out. After what felt like an eternity Gil opened his eyes to loud clamoring sounds banging against giant bars. He opened his eyes to see a vast lush, beautiful, world around him, dragons and phoenixes flew through the clear skies, monkeys roamed the earth and many other mythic creatures added to the breathtaking scenery. Most startling was the massive monkey wearing a tiger skin pelt, with a silver crown about his head in a cage banging his giant staff against the bars "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!" It screamed continually without any sign of tiring.
Gil wouldn't dare present himself as a weak student to the subject of his nightmares, so he approached the cage donning the solid gold armor of a great king "HEY! CHIMP!" Gil cut him off.
"Chimp?" Do you know who I am? I am the mighty Sun Wukong, the great sage equal to the heavens! You have some nerve locking me in this cage brat. I should destroy you here and now!"
"I don't want to hear it, your rampage cost me the most important person in my life. I have no pity for you, and killing me is killing yourself since we're linked like this. Getting out of that cage is impossible without my consent."
"Gaaaaaaah damn humans and their stupid tricks!... That was my thing! Why are you even here? To mock me?" The giant monkey sat down in frustration.
"Quite the contrary. Teach me your techniques, so I can be stronger. Simple as that."
"And what do I get in return?"
"Well you'd be ensuring your survival for one."
"You talk about me fearing death as if my name wasn't so cleverly erased from the book of life and death. You dying doesn't mean much to me…" The monkey looked at Gil with contempt but there was something he did want. "I'll tell you what, reunite my fellow kings under your banner and I'll have no problem helping you. I do miss my brothers, and I can feel some of them resurfacing in this era. So, If you can find the rest of them I'll gift you with power that could oppose the heavens themselves. Of course, you could rebuild your own seven kings, as long as they possess the bloodline of at least a monster god, no humans."
Hope and Gil awoke from their respective trances at the same time.
"So how'd it go?" Ilpyo asked.
"We made a deal, so I guess it's a start…" Gil shrugged.
"I met someone too," Hope was the most surprised something like that actually happened to her. "She said she was the last owner of that briefcase you gave me Gil, the actual Pandora's box, and she's going to teach me how to use it."
"Nice!" Ilpyo gave her a thumbs up. "Was she hot though?"
Hope ignored him "Anyways Gil, I won't be practicing renewal with you anymore."
"What why not?" Gil enjoyed their time spent training together.
"I'll be learning 'the style that put the monkey in his place back then' she said."
......
"Hmmm. I still don't understand, I have fought everyone at school with a moniker of strength and yet there is still someone stronger than me? The fox said someone was stronger than himself so that excludes him…." Hercules sat in front of a blackboard in an empty classroom, ranking all of the students power he knew. However, he fought most of them already and none of them could possibly be this mystery rival. So many faces had been crossed off.
"At this point you should try looking through the people you haven't fought" Landon joked. He never had many issues with Hercules challenges because Hercules saw the awakening of his powers, there's no point in suspecting him. Landon had been helping with the investigation if it would bring some peace to the school grounds a bit faster.
"I would but no one outside the list really evokes any fear from the others, hardly a sense of precaution."
"I can think of a few witches I wouldn't want to try."
"I can too, but I doubt they are who I'm looking for."
"Well your list is getting pretty short, it can't be much longer now" Landon said.
"True…the sooner I find them the better." What's worse was some people around him knew the answer. "If only I had passed Josie's test I wouldn't have to go through all this….I would say Hope or Ilpyo but they both dismissed it so casually…Who could it be? Gil?" The thought of Gil's bad nerves and reluctance to fight clearly gave Hercules the vibes of a defenseless spoiled rich kid… "By the stars! Who is it!!?" It was tearing him apart trying to come up with an answer. "All this thinking is tiresome. I am going hit the weights to clear my mind. Thank you for your help Landon" he said covering his research before leaving for the weight room for bigger weights.
"Uh sure don't mention it." Landon says but from the energy he felt earlier he knew who it was and his blood boiled. "I'm gonna go check up on the packs training."
Walking down the halls everyone usually steered clear of Hercules, but he had an oddly calm air about him. He wasn't loud at all (actually eerily quiet), he had no interest in challenging any of his peers, he ignored the people who mustered up the courage to ask for a rematch, and he didn't even bother to see what was going on in the gym. He just walked slow and broodingly down the halls. The idea of him being so simple he couldn't spot a diamond among coal was incredibly irritating. His senses were never wrong about these things…He was so wrapped up in thought he didn't notice Gil walking right towards him.
On the other end of the hall Gil was also lost in thought. How will he know who these other kings are? What will it take to recruit them? The first rewards for reawakening the phoenix king and finding the fox were incredible. The ability to summon the great storm cloud 'Geundoowun' and the virtually indestructible dragon armor suits were more than generous gifts. Gil couldn't let the chance for more divine treasures slip away. However, that mission would clearly take time, so he should focus on the more pressing matters like the threats coming for he and his associates first. Tartarus had subjugated an untold number of deities and mythical creatures so suddenly. What could possibly make a few kids the world's best bet? Well at their current levels not a damn thing. He had to find some way to get the others much stronger too or they'll repeat their loss and then be devoured by Tartarus. What should he do?
Both Gil and Herc were in their own worlds, so much so they didn't pay attention to their surroundings. Most knew to stay out of either of their way because there would likely be a painful encounter with either Hercules or Hope coming right after. Watching for the inevitable clash, many students gathered on the sidelines murmuring about what would happen. The hall was deathly silent and the two of them were in their own worlds, thinking heavily and completely unaware of one another. As they walked past each other and they bumped shoulders, and simple as that they both mumbled excuse me and kept walking.
Hercules stopped first. Tiny little Gil hardly budged when they bumped shoulders. Suddenly everything clicked. The reason only Gil and Hope were needed for the stronger dragon? The ability to maneuver and operate so deftly around the school without any vision at all. Josie's irrational fear of him when she only feared the strong, and he even lasted the longest against the six! Hope says, 'she protects Gil's attackers not Gil.' How could he be so stupid! The mystery rival really was Gil! Hercules turned around with a big grin finally having brought his search to an end.
"Oh man Hercules is going to do something."
"Hope would kick his ass though."
"I don't know about all that…"
Everyone was anticipating how the showdown between Hope and Hercules fighting seriously would go. Even a few of the teachers were wary to get involved. Hercules walked up and reached out for Gil's shoulder, but Hope grabbed his arm.
"Leave him alone Herc, he has a lot on his mind right now."
"I won't do anything excessive, I merely wanted to ask him a question."
"This really isn't a good time." Hope didn't let go.
"Please move aside" Hercules pushed her off of him sending Hope flying through a wall. "My apologies I didn't mean to-" Before Hercules could finish his apology he blacked out, and when he opened his eyes he found himself outside one the far side of campus lying in a crater. "I- what just happened?" A sharp pain in his jaw brought the last moments back to him, he'd been kicked. HARD. "HAAHAHAHAHA FINALLY! I remember that kick!" Hercules thunderous laugh made the entire school grounds tremble.
Gil quickly went to remove the debris from Hope and check if she was ok after his senses returned to him. "Are you hurt Hope?"
"I'm fine, he just surprised me a little" she got up and dusted herself off. "You know that kick just blew your cover right? There's no way anyone is going to think you're defenseless after this."
"I was thinking it was about time to drop the act anyways. I'll get more done taking things into my own hands" Gil said making his way across the academy.
"So it was you from all those years ago?!" Hercules stood up to see Gil in the hole in the wall glaring maliciously with red eyes. "I've been waiting for this" Hercules cracked his knuckles. "Our rematch is long overdue."
"Oh you finally remembered? Let me remind you what happens when you overstep your bounds then. It's about time someone beat some sense into that thick skull of yours." Gil jumped down and took his stance. "I guarantee you won't forget it this time."
"I don't intend to lose twice."
"Who goes into a fight intending to lose?"
Elsewhere across the school everyone gathered to see the fight.
"HERCULES IS FIGHTING GIL IN THE BACK!"
"No way that's going to be a massacre! No one can stop Hercules!"
"Apparently Gil's been hiding some crazy power of his own. Did you see that kick!?"
However, it played out the school would be talking about this one for a long time.