The gains will be far greater than what I wasted in the end.
I pop a Sky Blue Pill in my mouth as I put my Pill Furnace away with a thought, then smile at the rather delicious taste.
It instantly melts on my tongue, and my body feels refreshed and light, and each breath is fresh, as if I just had some strong mint.
Waves of Qi poured into me with each breath, and I put everything away and stood, then place the new Pills inside my pouch before sighing softly.
Now, Orario should be a few hours away, so…
I think I should be able to reach it in just one hour, if I push it.
Sky Blue Pills last around half an hour, if not more, and if I alternate each breath between powering my body and creating Qi Strands, then it should be fine.
Maybe less.
I need around five breaths to create a single Qi Strand with a Sky Blue Pill, so perhaps one breath to power my body, then a Qi Strand, then another to power my body. So to not push my body too far.
I hum and stretch my back again, then turn around and walk down the small hill I sat on to take a break during the night.
I tie my sack on my back, and keep a tight grip on my sword with my left hand before jogging up to the beaten road that leads towards Orario.
I can't see it yet, but I heard from a passing caravan that I can't miss it since it has a big ass tower in the middle.
So I take a deep breath once on the road, then start running in my designed direction, the wind whistling past my ears as the surroundings turn into a blur.
I've been traveling for a while now, and it's incredibly lonely, so I hope to find some kind of excitement inside the city of Orario.
I just hope there's no damned Cultivators around…
XxxX
"New to Orario?" The guard by the gates ask me, a relaxed and almost bored expression on his face.
"Yep." I reply, popping the 'P' as I follow the enormous walls with my eyes, noticing the many scars of past attacks onto them.
Slashes, craters, holes, stabs… Jesus, this place gets attacked frequently, huh?
The guard hums as he fishes out a slip of paper from the folders on the table beside him. "Left home to be a Hero?" He asks, an amused smile now tugging at his lips.
"Nah, too much trouble." He snorts at that.
"Gotta agree with that." He muses with a nod. "The Zeus and Hera Familias can hog all the danger and glory for all I care." Zeus? Hera? Those are Gods from Greek Mythology…
What kind of loopy land did I reincarnate into?!
"Well, here you go." I blink and take the offered slip of paper, then raise a brow at it. "Take it to the Guild, fill out the form there and register yourself as a resident of Orario. Then you can see about doing what you want." I nod and walk past him with a soft thanks, then hum softly as I read through the paper contents.
It's kind of like an ID, asking name, surname, age, where I come from and some useless stuff.
I hum, then lift my head to stare around the street, finally seeing people after quite a long time.
And yet, as I spread my Spiritual Sense around, I became quite confused.
There are no Cultivators.
Everyone around me is but a normal mortal, not even a slight trace of Qi inside their bodies, unlike me.
And there are Beast People too… Is that a Cat Girl?
No, seriously… where the fuck did I reincarnate?
Also, the guard didn't tell me where this Guild is, so…
I'll just walk towards the enormous tower I see ahead of me. It's either there, or I'll find clues on where it is.
But the closer I get to it, the more I frown.
There's… Something twisted, dark and heavy beneath the city.
The Qi is heavy and corrupted, and it also feels… sentient?
Is this the Dungeon?
I scrunch up my nose, then take notice of a few people around me.
It seems that the closer I get to the massive tower, the more people with very strong bodies I run into.
Though I can't really put a level to them. Plus, they still don't have any Qi. Weird.
The few then became many right at the large square surrounding the tower. Ninety percent of the people around have very strong bodies.
But yet again, no one with Qi.
Fuck yeah, no Cultivators!
Now, to find the Guild…
"Excuse me-" The group of people I waved to walks past me.
I blink.
Did I just get ignored?
I try again, but this time with another group.
I get a side glance, then get ignored again.
I frown at that.
If I was a Young Master, I'd have already started hollering and throwing threats and clumsy attacks around.
Good thing I ain't…
What's up with these people anyways?
I sigh deeply and take a seat on a nearby bench. "How annoying…"
"What's annoying?" A soft asks from right beside me.
And I totally did not scream.
Totally did not.
"Oh, sorry…" The owner of the voice giggles softly, a sound that is just so pleasant to hear, and I take a deep breath to calm my rampaging hearth from the sudden scare.
I turn my head to stare at the speaker, then blink when I see that she is wearing a thick cape and hood to cover her appearance. Though I can still make out a slightly pale face and bright silver hair, close to a bright white.
"It's alright, I should have paid attention…" I wave off her apology with an amused smile of my own.
Thank God I was careful enough not to sit on her… I'd have died of shame right then and there.
Another soft giggle escapes the girl, who at a glance looks to be around my age, if not a bit older. "Do you need help?" She asks gently, her voice so kind and soft that it gives me pause.
I feel like I've been incredibly tense and on constant guard since I've entered the city, expecting Cultivators to pop up left and right and just ruin everything, like they always do.
In fact, just the fact that those people merely ignored me instead of hollering at me for even daring to breathe their air was… surprising.
I guess I am safe from Cultivators bullshit then?
"I'm kind of lost?" I reveal, making the girl's head tilt cutely to the side, revealing long and flowing pearly white hair. "I need to register myself at the Guild, but I don't know where it is."
The girl makes a noise of understanding, which admittedly sounds insanely adorable.
One of her hands comes up to pull back at her hood and cloak, and I am left absolutely floored at how insanely beautiful she is.
She's breathtaking…
Spoiler
...Wait! She a jade beauty?!
Where's the Young Master that stalks her?!
Pale skin, insanely clear and bright sky-blue eyes, long and flowing silver-white hair… And, well… She sports some rather enormous assets.
Deus mios…
"It's actually not far from here." The girl reveals, then slowly stands with a gentle smile on her face. "I can take you there, if you want?" I must refuse, before we are both approached by the lurking Young Master.
"It's alright, really!" I wave her off with a smile as I stand too. "Just point me down the street, I'd rather not bother you!" Kuh! She's pouting at me! Fuck!
What power…
"I want to stretch my legs, so it's no biggie!" The girl insists, so I can only give in.
I swear to any God above and below, the first Young Master that blocks my way is getting a kick in the fucking nuts.
And then his family Elder will receive the same treatment.
I want a peaceful life!
"Oh, right." The girl jumps, seemingly remembering something as she leads the way at a rather slow pace. "I am Meteria!" She introduces herself with a big smile on her face, which is rather infectious.
"My name's Riley. Thank you again for your help." Her smile brightens up at my words.
She's such a sweet girl, ain't she?
"Did you come to Orario to become an adventurer?" Meteria asks, glancing at the sword in my hand as she does so, but I swiftly shake my head.
That sounds like an annoyance, to be honest. "I just want to live a peaceful life, but if need to make a living then I won't mind going down there for a bit." Her eyes sparkle with interest at my words, a low and cute hum flowing out of her lips.
"Not many are like you." She muses softly, glancing up ahead, the road being filled with pedestrians and small stalls selling all kinds of things.
Still no Cultivators. Still no Qi in anyone. How… weird, but comforting.
Are my senses just failing me? Is the insanely dense Qi all around me making it hard for me to detect others Cultivators?
Am I just too paranoid?
"Let me guess; The majority come here with dreams of grandeur?" She giggles softly at my words, though I don't fail to notice a slight pained winch when she does so.
Pale, slow walker, breathing is slow and heavy, heartbeat is… very slow, too.
"That they do. And many don't get to live long due to being far too prideful and underestimating the Dungeon." She sighs out softly, yet there's a faint longing look in her eyes. "My sister is an Adventurer. Among the strongest too…"
No jealousy, just pure longing and desire. She wants to experience excitement, perhaps a change to her life. Something. "Do you want to be an Adventurer?" I couldn't help but ask softly, and her sweet smile does fall a little bit.
Now I feel bad. "Just a bit." She giggles faintly, perfectly hiding yet another small wince of pain from that. "But you see, I'm very sickly – Nothing contagious, of course!–" She swiftly waves her hands in a panic, making me chuckle.
Like I'd be worried about some sicknesses and plagues with the Pills I have on me.
"-So I can't really do heavy physical activities or… well, I shouldn't even be out here in the first place!" I deadpan at her as she giggles nervously while rubbing the back of her neck. "If Lady Hera and Bis Sis find out, they'll scold me~!" Yep, very adorable.
Still, she's sick, huh? And is connected to Hera? How's she not healed yet then?
Is her sickness that horrendous, or what?
But maybe if I heal her I can get some sort of boon from Hera, but at the same time, I'd hate myself for using such a sweet girl just to boost the business that hasn't even started yet.
"Well, I am kind off a doctor too, but I presume you already visited many?" Her nervous smile is all the answer I need-
"Lady Hera even bought me to some Gods, and when even they failed to heal me, well… They kinda disappeared overnight." Ah, very interesting information right there, sweet little lady.
So yeah, Hera isn't one to be fucking around and finding out with.
Disappoint her, and I might just find myself ten thousand feet below the ground, or end up like Heracles.
"I do not wish to look down on your abilities!" Meteria squeaks out in worry, probably due to me falling silent to think after her chilling words. "It's just… No potion ever managed to help me."
Potions, eh? I couldn't help but smirk at that. "Good thing that what I make aren't potions!" Her confused face is also very adorable. This girl is just beyond dangerous.
I swiftly fish out a Healing Pill, a simple Tier One, yet one capable of even healing the worst type of Cancer or tumors in a flash, then give it to Meteria. "This is something of my creation-" Hopefully there are no Alchemists here! "-that I call 'Pills'. Quick and easy to make, and far more efficient than Potions."
And I know that for sure, even without knowing how potions work. Because Xianxia Pills are just that busted and powerful.
Meteria's eyes sparkle as she examines the small round pill pinched between her fingers, then takes a quick sniff at it. "Oh! It smells like mint!" Then, without warning, she just throws it in her mouth and chews happily.
I blink and come to a stop, then watch as she takes a few more steps before stopping herself.
Then, almost like a robot, she slowly turns to stare at me with wide, teary and apologetic eyes. "I didn't mean to eat it~!" I couldn't help it.
I burst out laughing at her face, making her teary pout deepen- Only for her to suddenly freeze.
"Eh?" My chuckles slow down as Meteria reaches up to rest a hand above her cleavage, some color returning to her cheeks as she takes a very long and deep breath. "Eh!?"
I tilt my head when she just… starts shadow-boxing, jumping around, then even runs around me like a cute little rabbit for a few seconds before skidding to a stop with wide sparkling eyes.
"Riley!" She shouts right into my face, her excitement being so great that the very air around her is sparkling too. Or I'm just seeing things. "I feel amazing! And so full of energy!"
"I feel like I can throw down with a Minotaur and win!" She giggles, then pauses with a haunted look on her face. "Well, I'll actually die a horrible death, but…" How do you switch up so damn fast, lady?!
Either be cute or be macabre! Pick only one!
"I'm glad to see you healthier and full of energy, then." I smile, and Meteria giggles and cups her flushes cheeks while wiggling around.
"You're like a cool Hero that swooped in to save the poor, unable to be healed princess!" Now you are just fantasizing too much.
With a snort, I couldn't help but pat her head, earning a very adorable puff of her cheeks and pout from her.
Guess I got lucky that she is the first person I met here. I could have ran into all sorts of weird and horrible people – like the infamous Young Masters – but instead I ran into a very adorable and friendly girl.
So what's the catch?
No good thing comes without some weird shit happening right after when it comes to me.
"Oh, right!" Jumping high, Meteria turns around and points at the building at the end of the street, a fairly large and different one from those around us. "There's the Guild, let's go!"
Huh, it didn't really meet the expectations I had for it, but that's alright too.
It's kinda fancy, and so is the inside, but it's nothing that grand.
"There, that's the receptionist you should talk to!" I nod as Meteria points me towards one of the ladies further away from the large lines of people.
So without wasting time, I approach the bored looking woman and drop the slip of paper the guard gave me before her. "I'm here to sign in as a citizen of Orario." Bored eyes flick up to me, and then she sighs deeply and drags the paper towards me. Very professional welcome, eh?
She hammers a red stamp on the paper, then picks her pen up. "Are you here to be an Adventurer and join a Familia?" The hell is a Familia? Also, is being an adventurer a requirement to go into the Dungeon?
Hn… Something to find out later. "Nope to both. Albeit I don't know what a Familia even is." Bored eyes once more flick up to me with a raised brow.
Meteria is the one that steps up to answer my unasked question. "It's where a God or Goddess gift the Falna, a Blessing that helps people grow stronger, to mortals. It's a mark on our back that identifies which Familia we are part off." A Blessing that helps people grow stronger?
Is that how people acquire Qi here? Or is something else?
Ah, whatever. "Yeah, then not at the moment." I'll probably just dive into the Dungeon a few times, see how good the profit is, and decide from there how much I want to do it.
I wouldn't mind going day to day in such a way, wouldn't really be boring, especially if it'll help me perfect my techniques and stuff like that.
I'll just need to find a plot of land to place my ingredients and let them grow, and I'll be set.
Also find a good blacksmith, but that's for when I have some money.
"There you go. Welcome to Orario." Add some excitement to your voice lady, damn. Even if it's fake, it'll at least be better that way.
First I get ignored, then the receptionist is just… depressing.
Is this really how my first day in this city is going to be?
It can't get any worse…
"Riley?" Meteria cutely tilts her head to the side as I pat her shoulder.
"I am thankful I met you today." Her face lights up with an intense blush, eyes going so wide that they might as well have turned into dinner plates.
"Awawawawawa~!" Huh, now that's an adorable reaction.
Meteria swiftly recovers from her embarrassment, though faint dusting of red lingers on her cheeks and ears as she grasps my hand and starts dragging me outside the Guild. "I'll introduce you to my Big Sis! She has the same sickness as me – much weaker, though – so maybe you can fully heal her!" Fully?
Does that mean that the Pill I gave her hasn't completely purged her sickness?
That's… worrying. Very much so.
It seems that it just alleviated the effects of it on her, perhaps even fixed some of the damage it has done to her health over the time it has afflicted her.
Pills have an immense healing power, so the mere fact that the Healing Pill I gave her wasn't enough means that it's a really horrid disease.
In how much was she in before I gave it to her? It had to be immense, yet she was used to it and was able to hide it, with just a few minor winces getting past her mask.
Will a Tier Two Pill be enough? A Tier Three is far too strong for any normal mortal to take. The medicinal energy will just make their organs collapse on themselves instead of healing any damage there is.
I'll have to check on her later, see how she feels after the Pills effects have died down, which should take a whole day.
"I'll have to refuse that invitation, unfortunately." I speak up once I notice that the sun is setting. I'd rather quickly find a place to stay for the night, and a cheap one at that. "I need to find a place to stay at, so…"
Meteria pouts lightly, but she nods in understanding and lets go of my hand.
Which also makes me notice that she somehow swiftly dragged me back beneath the massive tower in the middle of Orario while I was stuck in my thoughts about her disease.
How fast was she running? Damn…
Pretty sure the Pill I gave her should have only healed her, not given her such an enormous amount of energy, like a rabbit high on caffeine powered by a Nuclear Reactor…
"There are some cheap but nice inns down that way." Meteria speaks up, turning to point down a street to our right.
The more I look around, the more this feels like the center of a clock with how the city is shaped and the streets are placed.
I go to answer, but then the sight of large carriages being pulled out from the entrance to the tower catches my eye.
Is that a fucking albino gorilla inside one of them? Man, that fucker's huge! What do they feed him- Wait, that's supposed to be one of the monsters of the Dungeon?
The hell- And that's a big and fat Orc. Huh.
Again, what sort of loopy-land did I reincarnate into?
"Oh, I didn't realize Mosterphilia is close…" Meteria muses softly, and I give her a confused look. "It's a festival where the Ganesha Familia tames some monsters from the Dungeon and uses them to entertain the people on the surface." Ah, I see…
Sounds very fucking dangerous, but who am I to say that?
"Either way…" I fish out three Healing Pills from my pouch, then give them to the wide-eyed Meteria. "Take one each time you start feeling bad, preferably once a day." Pill induced stomach-aches are the worst pain in existence.
And the one to suffer the most will be the bathroom.
"But-But-!" Her big adorable eyes switch between looking at me and at the Pills in her hands, clear hesitation in them together with excitement and hope.
"Give one to your sister too and let me know how effective it was next time we meet, alright?" I give her a gentle smile, and she finally relents with yet another adorable pout and nod.
So she puts away the Pills very carefully and goes to speak-
Crash!
"It got out! Get away!" Hn?
I turn my head towards the ruckus just in time to see a Minotaur – which just burst out of it's cage – turn a man with a spear to a mangled corpse with a single swing of it's large muscular arm.
Huh, they shoulda been more careful handling those monsters- And now it's charging at us.
Seriously, the world really fucking hates me sometimes.
First a big ass dragon, then a goddamn Minotaur.
"R-Riley! We gotta run!" Meteria squeaks in fear, but I sigh and step in front of her as the Minotaur lunges forward.
If we outrun it, it'll just kill other innocent people, so…
My left arm comes up swiftly as the monster's hand reaches for my face, and I swat it's arm out of the way as a Qi Strand is ignited, filling my whole body with immense energy and power.
Which is swiftly moved into my right outstretched right arm, the tips of my fingers resting against the muscular chest of the Minotaur.
All of the energy is then amassed into my hand, which I swiftly clench into a fist so to deliver a one-inch punch, releasing all the energy in the process.
Booom!
The stone bricks below my feet are pulverized while the Minotaur's chest warps inward before it is promptly sent flying like a missile straight back where it came from.
The left-over wave of force further destroys the surrounding bricks as the Minotaur's now mangled corpse smashes right through it's already broken cage, splattering it's blood every where as it proceeds to skip on the ground a total of three times before coming to a stop.
Holy shit, I murdered the absolute fuck outta that guy!
I didn't know it was so weak! If I did I wouldn't have used a Qi Strand!
What a damn waste! I want a damn refund!
"Tch, damn animals…" I click my tongue and wave my sore hand a few times, then pause when I catch the gaping look on Meteria's face.
Well, actually… On everyone's face. They are all staring at me.
The hell do they want? Bah, weird people.
I blink again at Meteria, then slowly reach forward to grab her chin, then lift it up to close her gaping mouth. Then pat her cheek gently. "You'll catch flies like that-"
"That was amazing!" She all but screams in my face, scaring the absolute shit out of me with her sudden outburst. "That was a Level 2 Monster, you know!? And among the strongest Level 2 too!"
Ah, so that's why it was so weak then… Wasted a Qi Strands just for being overly-cautious, tch…
Still, that's a monster from the Second Level of the Dungeon? And it's that physically strong?
People here must be quite powerful to be able to deal with something like that on just the Second Level of the Dungeon.
I turn back to Meteria, whose eyes have now become literal glowing Suns due to how excited she is, which is rather amusing. "That was a bit overkill on my part though, but at least you are safe…" I shrug without a care.
I should have used my sword to take care of it, so that I wouldn't have wasted a Qi Strand for something that weak.
But oh well, you win and you lose some.
"That was so cool…" Meteria whispers quietly, still glancing between me and the mangled corpse of the Minotaur in the distance.
I kinda feel bad for that guy. I couldn't have killed him any harder.
With a sniff, I shrug again. "It was nothing that impressive." She gives me a look as if I am underestimating what I have done, but I truly am not. "But either way, I must go and find an inn now, so…" Leaning down, I grab her hand and kiss her knuckles, making her squeak and flush up quite a bit.
I grin and give her a wink. "Hope to see you again soon!" And with that, I depart with one last wave over my shoulder, and Meteria doesn't waste time in running away, probably towards her own home.
Hopefully she doesn't push herself too much, as it'd be a shame for such a sweet girl like her to end up far too sickly.
I toss a Qi Gathering Pill in my mouth so to recover the lost Qi Strand I wasted on that damnable beast before pausing as I check my Qi Palace.
Huh, I have one-hundred Qi Strands. I didn't even realize I accumulated that many.
Oh well, might as well go ahead and upgrade my Qi Palace. Hopefully the improvement is very good, else I'd be mad.
With a thought, all the Qi Strands inside my Qi Palace ignite, their energy seeping around my abdomen-
Rumble!
Hn?
I stop and lift my gaze to the sky, where pitch-black clouds swiftly gather.
Now, wait a fucking second…
Purple lighting flashes and rumbles across the black clouds, making my stomach drop and my face grow pale.
The Heaven's don't exist here my fucking ass!
How would you explain that bullshit then!?
That's when a purple lightning bolt the size of a truck shoots towards me.
Son of a bitch-
Boom!
…
Ow.
I peek an eye open, finding myself in a rather medium-sized and smoking crater, with the clouds above me swiftly dissipating.
And the inside of my body is filled with a tremendous amount of energy, and I can all but feel my body growing stronger and stronger as the thunderforce purifies every inch of it while strengthening my Qi Palace.
I sigh and drop my head onto the ground.
And that's when I have a very 'Eureka!' moment.
It hits me like a truck, and I suddenly know what to do so to bring further profit into my pockets.
"I should sell Drugs!" Why did I say that shit out loud!? Now everyone's looking at me like I am a weirdo!
Fuck!
This day really can't get any worse now.
XxxXXXxxx
"Nyoooooooommmm~!"
Alfia… didn't know how to process the sight before her.
Her brain just kept short-circuiting, and the Vice-Captain of her Familia was in a similar state as they both watched Meteria-
"Nyyyooooooooooommmmmmm~!" Run around at full speed, for no reason whatsoever.
Her little sister- Her very sickly little sister, who could barely even get out of bed on her worst days, is running around.
Her usually pale skin is now healthy looking, and the massive grin on Meteria's flushed face wasn't faked at all.
Alfia… felt things she didn't know how to process.
Fear. She feared that this was but a last burst of energy before Meteria's light fades away.
Hope. She hoped that her sickness was just whisked away overnight, as crazy as that might be.
And finally, Happiness. To see her wonderful little sister grin so brightly and all but glow with excitement warmed Alfia's stone-cold heart like no other thing ever could.
And then Hera walked through the nearby door and promptly spat out her wine all over the nearby wall.
Her Goddess's golden eyes track the running Meteria back and forth five times before she slowly looks down at the fancy glass of wine in her hands.
"What the fuck is in this wine…?" Alfia starts pondering if she herself took some weird drug by accident today.
Kirin is the first one to recover her wits, her fuchsia eyes sparkling with wonder at the sight before her. "Meteria dear." The taller, purple haired woman calls out with a sweet smile on her face.
And Meteria swiftly skids to a halt right before said woman and salutes her with a big adorable grin on her face. "Yes, Miss Kirin?" The Vice Captain uses every last drop of her willpower to not swoon and pinch those adorable cheeks.
Alfia simply closes her eyes, but she too was dealt a devastating blow, proven by her slightly red ears.
Hera meanwhile was busy having a nosebleed at the adorableness before her.
Taking a low breath, Kirin presses forward. "Mind telling me what happened that gave you… such energy?" The sweet younger girl blinks, then her eyes all but light up.
"It was Riley!" She declares with an even bigger grin, thinking that answers everything.
"And who might this Riley be?" Kirin presses forward with a kind smile, racking her brain for anyone she might have heard having such a name in Orario.
Yet she came short.
It did sound female at least- "He's a nice guy!" And Hera is already sharpening a sword. Fantastic. "He's new to Orario, and I met him when I snuck out to go-"
"Excuse me?" This time, Kirin cuts her off and all but looms over the now terrified girl with Alfia in tow. "Did you just say you left the Hera Compound? With your condition?"
"Awawawawawawa~!" Meteria's cute noises prove to be a fatal weapon against Alfia, who reels back with a grunt and slightly flushed cheeks.
Kirin too forces the butterflies in her belly to go down – by swiftly murdering them – and decides to focus on the more important topic instead. "So, what did this… Riley, do?"
Instead of answering, Meteria perks up and fishes out three… round marbles?
They were small, maybe the size of an eyeball, and also a light blue color. Nearly see-through even.
"He gave me these Pills!" Meteria answers, then nervously scratches the back of her head. "He just showed one to me, but I instinctively ate it… Then Bam! I was feeling good and full of energy!"
And now she's shadow-boxing the air. Why does that look so adorable?
"So he is new to Orario, and he brings these… medicines?" Kirin presses forward, eyes sparkling with interest as she stares at the round Pills she took from Meteria's hand.
If they were so marvelous to improve Meteria's condition so much, then how much better than potions and elixirs were these things?
And he handed them away like they were nothing, too…
"Did he know what Familia you are part of?" Kirin questions, drawing Meteria's attention and unfortunately stopping her from her adorable shadow-boxing session.
If Riley knows of Meteria's connection, the Kirin has to praise his smarts in using her in such a way to gain this connection to them-
"Nope!" Eh? "He didn't even know what Familia's and Falna's were in the first place! I had to tell him! I only told him about Big Sis being super strong, cool and super beautiful!" Then, these Pills…
They must be truly nothing to him!
Kirin could already see the immense profit these could bring, and the lives they could save if used in the Dungeon.
Potions will be rendered obsolete if these Pills were truly as fantastical as Kirin is starting to hope they are.
The Vice Captain also ignores the way Meteria's words are a critical hit against Alfia, who is nearly bought to her knees by that vicious sudden attack from her younger twin.
"I think he made them himself, too." Meteria muses lightly while cupping her chin cutely, ignoring the way her Goddess was now sharpening a giant hammer for some reason. "He did say he was a doctor, of sorts…"
Kirin's eyes widen. Then this Riley must be an Elder who has spent his whole lifetime – maybe even centuries, if he is of Elven lineage – pursuing and discovering this new wondrous art.
"How old is he?" Kirin's asks in trepidation and excitement.
And Meteria smiles with a slight flush on her cheeks. "He's even younger than me!" WHAT?! "I think he is in his late teens now?"
Then… he either has someone behind him… Or this boy is a genius like no other!
"Can you describe me?" They needed to find him as soon as possible!
And then Kirin, Alfia and Hera freeze when Meteria shyly cups her flushed cheeks and wiggles around in place, a dreamy look in her eyes. "He is very beautiful!"
Eh?
Beautiful?
Spoiler
"Eyes like the setting sun, a warm and friendly face, long brown hair with red tips, and around Big Sis's height…" Meteria sighs out dreamily, not knowing the effect her words were having.
Alfia was about to go on a murder spree, not wishing for anyone to steal her perfect little sister's heart.
Kirin didn't even know what to think. Her brain was just short-circuiting over and over.
Hera instead was packing even more weapons in the bag she grabbed from somewhere. Just like the weapons, too.
"Did…" Kirin starts, wetting her lips nervously. "Did something happen between you two?" She asks out of curiosity.
And that makes Meteria's eyes sparkle with pure excitement. "He was so cool! The Ganesha Familia were bringing the monsters out from the Dungeon for that new Monsterphilia Festival, when a Minotaur broke out of it's cage!"
"It charged at us, and Riley just went 'BAM!'!" Meteria punches the air with her little fist to prove her point. "Sending it flying and killing it in one blow to protect me! And he said it was nothing too!"
That's when Hera straightens herself. "Alright, I heard enough." The goddess grunts, tossing the heavy bag of weapons over her shoulders, her light brown hair covered by a heavy golden helmet.
"First, we go shove a burning torch up Ganesha's asshole for putting my precious Meteria in danger-" Kirin sent a short and quick prayer to Ganesha at that.
"Then we hunt down this Riley and lock him in a basement, where he will spend the rest of his life preparing more medicine for Meteria. And Alfia too, I guess…" Alfia just snorts at her Goddess.
"Eh?" While Meteria blinks owlishly once she processes what her Goddess plans to do on her new sudden crush. "Eh!?"
"Wait, Lady Hera! You can't!" And the little girl instantly lunges forward, trying to stop her Goddess from committing any crimes against Mankind and Godkind alike.
But Kirin doesn't join in, far too deep in thought.
This Riley… He was new to Orario, didn't know what a Familia and Falna was – unless he lied, for some reason – and yet… He was able to one-shot a Minotaur like it was nothing?
What the hell is even going on?
"Meteria, lemme go! I ain't gon' kill him! He is needed to make the medicines!"
"I won't let you lock Riley in a basement!"
"Fool! You are too weak to stop me-"
"Big Sis! Attack!"
"Gospel."
"Pugyaaaah!"
Sighing deeply, Kirin moves to stop Alfia from further butchering her Goddess, then to drag said Goddess out of the hole in the wall she was blasted into.
And Meteria looked far too proud of using her older, stronger sister to attack her own Goddess like that.
No one's going to believe this…
A.N. And yep, it's back. Took a while cause of… Well, stuff.
I'm glad to be writing this again, and I feel like this will be far better than the original.
So I hope you all enjoy this too! Leave a like and review of course, and if you wish to swiftly see more chapters quickly, then consider commissioning them!
Lots of love and hugs to all of those that supported the old fic, and are going to support the Rewrite, and to all those that expressed their desires for it to come back.
It's back now, so enjoy it!
If you wish to support me, then consider donating on my Patron! Any amount is fine and will be highly appreciated!
Thank you so much to all of my old and new supporters, y'all truly have made so many things easier!
Finding this 'Riley' wasn't hard for Hera.
What was hard was listening to the swooning of all the girls that she sent to track him down.
Fucking pretty boy creating even more chaos for her to handle.
One of the scouts she sent out and laid eyes on Riley had swiftly started howling on how she wanted to bear his children.
Then Meteria bodied the living shit out of her. A Level 4.
Needless to say that now the majority of her Familia is beyond terrified about little Meteria.
Hera couldn't be more proud about her sweet little darling girl!
Now she just needs to chain this Riley into her basement and make him pump out more Pills for her sweetheart.
And Alfia too, maybe.
So Hera confidently strides within the low-class Inn/Tavern before her in her regal attire.
Her long brown hair held in a bun by a golden circlet, her glowing white dress sparkling with gold and Adamantium, same as her necklaces and rings.
Yes, she pulled up with her riches to show off to that puny mortal that has Meteria swooning over him.
The uproar at her sight is instantaneous, and all the tenants all but squeal, piss themselves, and rush out of the building as one.
Some even throw themselves out of the windows just to be faster.
Good boys.
Yet, only one remains, calmly sitting at a table in the middle of the tavern dining hall, a cup of steaming tea sat before him together with rice and fried fish.
And when Hera sets her gaze on him, she understands why all the girls swoon over him.
"Ah, so you're a fucking Trap." She mutters aloud, and the teen swiftly spits out the tea in his mouth in sheer shock at her words.
"Excuse me?" He coughs out.
Hera snorts haughtily. "You're excused." He gives her a very flat look in turn.
"Can I help you?" He sighs out, dabbing at his lips and then at the table with a napkin to clean up the tea she made him spit out.
Hera couldn't help but notice the refined way he did things.
He sat straight, moved with gentle grace, and did the same when he ate too.
Yet, he looked nothing like a noble.
No, nobles wouldn't even come to such a low-class tavern to eat, so… Who the hell is this guy?
"Yes, you can." She takes a seat before him, not waiting for Kirin to pull the chair out for her. Mostly because she hated such customs.
And she wouldn't force one of her girls to do something so simple.
"First, I am Hera." He blinks at her, then nods and keeps eating, much to her shock.
This little cunt…
So tales of her still haven't reached his ears, it seems.
Setting down his chopsticks, Riley crosses his hands together with a thin smile on his face, looking completely relaxed and at ease. "Then, what can I help you with, Hera?" No 'Goddess' or 'Lady'…
Meteria has a crush on a brute!
And Kirin is enjoying this far too much.
"Kirin, open the door." So Hera decides to get straight to the point and crosses her arms, not even turning her head to stare at the door she just came from.
But soon, she hears it open as Riley glances behind her curiously, and soon, she hears- "Nyooooooooooooo-" Riley blinks while Hera suppressed a warm smile on her face.
Damn Meteria and her adorableness.
"-ooooooooooommmm~-Riley!" The door is promptly slammed shut before the over-energized bunny hops on Riley's lap and proceeds to do obscene things.
Wait, has Meteria even received 'The Talk' yet?
Or has Alfia murdered anyone that tried to do exactly that?
"That's Meteria, one of my girls." Riley nods lowly, an amused smile on his face as he throws glances behind her. "Who, since birth and since I've found her, has been insanely sickly."
"An incurable sickness that I couldn't heal no matter what I did." The teen listens quietly, and Hera forces down the anger from her constant failures. "A sickness that left Meteria unable to even walk on her worst days."
"But then you come in." Her hand rises up, and she jabs her thumb towards the door that is being held shut by Kirin, with Meteria pounding on the wood from outside. "And now she's running around full of energy."
Riley blinks, then slowly raises a finger. "To be fair, I didn't even give her an medical examination. She just ate the Pill when I showed it to her." Kirin snorts from her spot
"Kirin, kindly open the door." Only to feel a chill going down her back when Meteria not so kind voice comes from outside.
She, a Level 8, was afraid of a Level 1…
But to be fair, that Level 1 is Meteria, so…
"And I'm actually surprised the Pill didn't heal her fully. The sickness must be worse than I initially thought." Truth. Hera narrows her eyes.
Was it pride that made him say that, or just pure confidence in his medicines?
No, wait- "Are you the one that made these 'Pills'?" Riley doesn't so much as answer, but instead makes a so-so gesture with his hand.
"I had to circumvent some things and experiment, but I was able to create these Pills anew." Truth. "So I wouldn't say I'm the one that created them. I just discovered a new way to make them." Truth.
So then, these Pills are an Ancient Art of sorts? Is it from before the Gods descended? From before the Dungeon was sealed? When Humanity was slightly at it's strongest?
Her fingers lazily tap on the rough table before her while Riley eats without a care, his gaze and composure completely relaxed.
Yet, she could see it. He was studying both her and Kirin.
He wasn't even gawking at Kirin, who is known for turning heads with her beauty, but just… analyzing her. Observing her.
And that's when he speaks. "May I ask for a favor?" Hera raises a brow at his audacity, which she actually quite likes.
So, she turns up her chin at him. "Depends on the favor."
Riley merely smiles, sets his utensils aside, then meets her eyes with his own. Were it any other girl, their panties would already be drenched. "I'd like to give Meteria, and her sister, an medical examination."
"The mere fact that the simplest and weakest of my Pills was incapable of fully healing her kind of… irks me, and hurts my pride a little bit." Hera's fingers come to a pause. "So with your permission, – and the permission of both Meteria and her sister – I'd like to try and fully heal them."
Hera grits her teeth and grips the edges of the table.
She hated this already.
She always hated seeking help, but she always threw away her pride for Meteria and Alfia.
She'd even nearly used her Arcanum once to try and heal them both during one of Meteria's worst days, but Meteria's knowing gaze made the Goddess snap out of it.
She requested aid from all Gods that have Domains in medicine, and even requested aid from that annoying Zeus… Yet nothing worked. Never.
And now, a man, was the one requesting her permission to try and heal them both.
When everyone in the whole of Orario knows how deeply she despises men, even though through history there have been very few ones that have gained her respect and even admiration.
And from just a meeting, Hera found herself disliking Riley a lot less than she usually should have.
Was it because of his feminine looks? Or was it because of how daring he was before her?
No, his courage might as well be because he is new to Orario.
So, for the first time in her life, Hera actually gives in to a man. "Fine." But that's when a very stupid idea appears in her mind.
"I want you to be part of my Familia, in name only."
"Eh?!" Kirin perks up with wide eyes, which gives Meteria an opening to shoulder tackle the door open and topple the older and stronger woman with ease.
"W-Wait! L-Lady Hera, our Familia only allows-"
"Silence!" Hera snorts with a growing smirk, the desire to spark bullshit and misunderstanding coming to life within her chest. "So, what say you, Riley?"
Said teen blinks lightly, then rubs his chin in thought. "As long as I can make my own money and pay for everything I want to do, even healing Meteria." Ah, so he hates being handed things?
Gods, he's going to make her entire Familia horny for him…
Wait, he bodied a Minotaur without a Falna, right? So that might be a good thing!
His eyes flick up to look behind her. "Oh dear…" Hera blinks-
Then suddenly finds herself in a headlock. "Gllrck!"
"You're not gonna lock Riley in a basement, Lady Hera!" Meteria screams in fury as her Goddess's face goes purple while Riley blinks in confusion at her words.
Then, he slowly turns to Kirin, who wisely decided to be just a bystander sitting at the table next to them. "She wanted to lock me in a basement?"
The woman's lips twitch upward, yet she refuses to answer.
Riley gives her a flat look, then narrows his eyes. "Actually, I wanted to ask…" He starts, drawing a curious gaze from the older and slightly taller woman. "Have we met before?"
Who swiftly gives him a confused look. "I don't believe so?"
Riley narrows his eyes in thought and hums lowly while Meteria keeps chocking out her struggling Goddess right beside them.
His gaze then lowers down to Kirin's exposed cleavage, making the woman's cheeks grow hot, and a confident grin spread across her lips-
"I have another question. A weird one, this time." Meteria and Hera finally stop their struggle to listen in, and Kirin allows the teen to go forward and ask his question.
"Can you summon a katana from your cleavage?"
How the fuck does he know that!?
xxxXXXxxx
I feel like I said something wrong…
Kirin, if I remember right, has been giving me stealthy glances this whole time. Eyes narrowed, and a sort of pout on her face.
Hera instead just walks in front of us, but I can tell she has an enormous smirk on her face. For whatever reason.
Though, they both feel weird to my senses. Hera more so than Kirin, with Kirin feeling like she's… suppressing, that weird thing I can feel.
I can't quite place my finger on this strange aura around them, and we've just met so I obviously won't pry.
Maybe for Hera it's because she is a Goddess, but why does Kirin have such a familiar aura as her? And why is suppressed so much?
Ah, whatever.
I give the beautiful woman a smile, making her puff up her cheeks and turn away from me, then stomp far ahead of us in a huff.
Pale skin, purple eyes with light blue pupils and a beauty mark below her right eye. Long, dark violet hair that become lighter at the ends are braided and pour down her back, while a hairpin resembling a violet morning glory-like flower resides on the right side of her head.
Her outfit is very… Japanese too. Yet so far it all feels mostly Medieval, not Warring States Era and stuff like that.
So, still no Cultivator. I might cry tears of joy.
Kirin's lavender kimono covers the purple skintight bodysuit – which is probably some kind of armor – that I can see resting on her bare shoulders and going as far down as her hands, ending with an attachment to her middle fingers.
Also, I've never seen heeled sandals, and those dark purple leggings of her just hug those long legs very well.
Teenage hormones, chill out.
Yet, the more I look at her… The more she feels familiar. Like I've seen her somewhere and stuff like that.
But I can't, for the life of me, remember where I saw her.
It's like a big, mean sense of Deja-Vu that kinda ticks me off.
A burning stare from my right makes me turn my head and meet Meteria's incredibly bright eyes, a massive smile on her face.
I raise an amused brow at her. "What?"
"Heheheheheh~!" And she turns away while giggling to herself.
Stop being so friggin' adorable… My heart can't take it.
"How are you feeling?" I ask her, making her grin bloom and somehow become even bigger as she throws her hands in the air, making her massive… assets, bounce wildly.
"I'm feeling alrighty!" She cheers happily, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly at her.
She's so full of energy, even though Pills shouldn't do that.
"But what about you?" She suddenly asks, and I tilt my head in confusion at that.
Did she hear about me getting struck by lightning in the middle of the street?
Nah, I doubt that. She's probably referring to Hera hiring me, I presume.
So I grin and raise an arm, flexing it in the process. "I'm alrighty too!" And here comes the adorable pout!
"I meant about the current situation!" She whines lowly, throwing a stealthy and hateful glance towards Hera.
Who twitches and stumbles, as if Meteria's gaze somehow physically hit her.
"Is this arrangement really fine with you?" I hum lowly at her question.
I'm not really fully fine with it, mostly because I feel like Hera wouldn't have taken a 'No' from me and would have likely found a way to force me to do this, but in the end I can't really leave Meteria like this.
It irks me that I was unable to fully heal her with the weakest Pill, so I want to see what I need to fully heal her.
Would I need to research a new type of Pill? A special combination and composition of certain ingredients that will have far greater effects that the simple and poor quality Pills that I currently make?
Or do I need to go for higher Tier Pills? Meaning that I'll need a higher Tier Pill Furnace too.
"I still have my own freedom, and she only hired me, so…" I shrug, and Meteria relax lightly at my words. "Plus, I really want to heal you."
"Heheheheheh~!" And now she's giggling and blushing profusely again.
Being so adorable should be a crime.
Also, I just noticed, but why is everyone staring at us?
Well, they are actually staring at Hera.
They cower, whimper and crawl away in fear. Hell, some even pissed themselves at her sight…
Jesus, what has she done- Ah wait, the real question should be what did she not do?
With Zeus as a husband and with his constant cheating habits, I presume Hera is the same psychotic woman that I remember from Mythology.
Though my memory is spotty after all these years.
"Here we are." The woman announces, and I blink at the enormous mansion that is beyond the large golden gates before us.
Why is it so white? And why is it glowing?
It's very… Greek. And it's surrounded by a massive garden with dozens of beautiful flowers, artificial ponds, and all sorts of things.
While the mansion kind of resembles a Greek temple, the garden has a mix of several cultures.
I can see an artificial pond styled like the ones I remember from Japan.
And much to my horror, a very Chinese looking temple also resides in the garden.
There's other types of cultures too, but I can't really recognize them at a glance.
"These are the Elysian Gardens." Hera announces with no small amount of pride, turning her very nose up towards the Heavens above. "Where only women can enter, and where men wish they could sneak in with their disgusting and revolting presence." Eh?
First of all, I'm a man too, excuse you.
Don't insult me to my face.
Second of all… The fuck you mean by 'Where only women can enter-'!?
Hera smirks at me, clearly somehow guessing my inner thoughts. "From now on, only the women of the Elysian Garden will know you are a man." Okay? "So when you go outside, you must hide your gender!"
"Not that it'll be hard, with you being such a perfect Trap and all…" I swear to fucking God…
Then, Hera pauses and cups her chin. "And feel free to knock up any of my girls while you stay here." What?
"Lady Hera!" Both Kirin and Meteria scream with burning red faces and ears, while I just stare flatly at the now cackling Goddess.
"He fucked up a Minotaur without a Falna, girls! Let's make sure his good genes pass on!"
I don't even know what to say… Should I even say something?
I mean… Isn't this every man's dream?
I'll be surrounded by women, and if they are all even half as attractive as Kirin and Meteria, that'll really be Heaven.
But still…
Hera cackles, ignoring the complaints of Kirin and Meteria as she turns around to push the golden gates open with ease.
And she keeps cackling as she leads the way to the mansion and inside it, where… Are those whispers?
"Look! It's him! The cutie Lady Hera had us search!"
"Tch! Meteria's near him! She'll kill us if we try anything!"
I blink, then very slowly turn to stare down the long hallway on the left of the entrance, my eyes landing on the several heads peeking out of the nearest door.
"Kyaah~! He looked at me!"
"No, he looked at me!"
"I think I'm pregnant…"
"That's not how it works!"
"I will be after tonight."
"Oh no you won't! I call dibs!"
"Shit! Meteria's looking this way!"
"Ladies, disperse!"
I blink again, then turn to stare at the glaring and fuming Meteria by my side.
I'm just… going to act like I didn't hear any of that.
I'll also have to make sure to lock and reinforce my room tonight…
"Let's make haste to the infirmary before the girls decide to hop on Riley in the middle of the entrance hall." Hera snorts, having clearly heard and witnessed what those girls said.
Kirin just sighs and palms her face with a faint flush on her face. She must be quite embarrassed- "Amateurs." Wait, what?
Her eyes meet mine, and a smirk slowly forms on her face.
'I'm biding my time.' She mouths towards me, then gives me a wink and starts happily humming and skipping after her Goddess.
At least Meteria is normal…
Why is this even happening to me- Ah, wait.
I might actually be the only Cultivator in this city, which might be in a remote part of the world, so maybe they don't even know how to Cultivate directly!
Maybe this Falna thing is what helps them Cultivate, but it's clearly far weaker than the real thing since defeating a weak Level 2 monster without it is very impressive and shocking to them.
So what's currently happening is basically what happens in all Cultivation Novels!
Women throwing themselves at the strong guy!
Heh, I'm in danger…
I shake away those thoughts and swiftly follow after Hera down the hallway on the right of the main entrance hall.
The walls are filled with painting of women I don't recognize, though their names are written above their painting, with a sort of expensive looking urn being sat on a column right below it.
Perhaps they hold their ashes.
It seems that this… Dungeon thing has been plaguing their city for a long time, huh?
"Agnodice!" I perk up with a hum, turning my head to stare at Hera just kick open a pair of doors with lady-like grace, somehow. "You in, you big breasted Milf?!" What's with this woman…
"L-Lady Hera!" An indignant mature voice squeaks from beyond the doors as Hera and Kirin waltz in, followed closely by the cheerful Meteria. "Please don't say such vulgar stuff!"
I follow in right after, then nearly lock up in place as my eyes land on said Milf.
Very tall blonde haired Milf with breasts that rival Meteria, aquamarine eyes… And she's an Elf.
I am very glad that I reincarnated now.
"Hush!" Hera shushes the Milf without a care, making the mature woman in a sundress sigh deeply and sag her shoulders. "Agnodice, meet Riley! He's a new hire!"
I give the woman a friendly wave and smile, which she eagerly returns before she freezes. "Wait… He?"
"Yep, he's got a dick."
"Eh?"
"And he's here to heal Meteria, because he probably can."
"Eh!?"
"And you have permission to get knocked up by him, if ya want. He bodied a Minotaur without a Falna, after all."
"Eeeeh?!"
I sigh deeply. "Can we just get on with the medical examination for Meteria?" I all but beg even as Agnodice cups her flaming cheeks and wiggles in place shyly.
If she makes a pass at me, I'm totally giving in instantly. I don't give a damn.
Even I have limits.
And Milfs can easily breach them.
Hera shrugs. "Meteria, go grab your sister real quick, will ya?" And Meteria's gone, a shout of 'Big sis~!' trailing after her as she 'Nyooms!' down the hallway.
I swiftly take in the infirmary, with the scent of medicinal herbs and alcohol being strong in the air as dozens of beds fill in the massive pristine white room.
It's all perfectly sterilized too, which surprises me quite a bit.
I didn't expect such a level of cleanliness from medieval era people, especially since the majority of the city I've seen is beyond filthy.
"Just ask Agnodice if you need anything." Hera drawls out as she lazily plops down on a nearby bed while I set my sword aside, together with my bag.
I nod, then breathe in. "Can you first tell me what Meteria's sickness exactly does to her?" I question the older woman, who swiftly straightens herself and assumes a far more serious look on her face.
"It mostly affects her breathing and health. She generally has fatigue breathing, and on her worst days she might even suffer from heart attacks."
"She often has intense headaches-" Probably from asphyxiation. "-together with near constant arrhythmia."
"We've tried everything; From healing magic to the most potent Elixir, but nothing ever worked permanently, only alleviated the symptoms." Then that makes no sense.
She must have something that just keeps on clinging on, and it's so strong that it can't be erased with the weak stuff.
"And her sister?" I can't remember her name for the life of me, if she even mentioned it in the first place.
"Same as Meteria, just far weaker. She is able to work as an Adventurer, but Meteria has been stuck in bed the majority of her life." And the one time she snuck out, she ran into me.
"What do you think?" I perk up with a hum, turning my head to stare at Hera, who raises a brow at me.
So I lower my gaze and remove my gloves. "It makes no sense." The Goddess's eyes widen at my words. "Everything you've done to try and heal them both should have worked. And if that didn't, then my Pill should have… Yet, it's potent effect can only stave off the sickness?"
I scrunch up my nose and shake my head. "So yeah, it makes no sense." I sigh out before Meteria finally rushes back into the infirmary.
"We're here!" She announces, and I flick my gaze to the taller figure behind her.
She's like a more mature and refined version of Meteria.
Meteria's beauty screams Adorable, but her sisters screams Mature and Refined.
Long silver hair, half-lidded heterochromatic eyes, with one being green and the other being a steely gray. The gothic-style black and dark grey outfit she was wearing even fit her pale skin.
"Riley, meet my awesome big sister, Alfia!" Alfia's lips twitching upward at Meteria's cheerful introduction. "Alfia, meet the awesome doctor, Riley!" This time, my lips twitch upward.
She's really adorable.
I give Alfia and friendly smile and nod before grabbing two nearby chairs and schooling my expression. "Please, take a seat."
Alfia keeps her gaze on me for a few quiet and seemingly tense seconds before taking hers, while Meteria swiftly took her own.
Guess Meteria took all the cheerfulness between the two, eh?
"What do we need to do?" Meteria asks while she fidgets in place.
"Stop moving around." I chide flatly, and she swiftly does so. Not without throwing a big pout towards me.
But it doesn't even faze me.
I swiftly step behind her and move her long hair away from her back, with the dress she was wearing luckily having left most of her upper back open.
I place my bare hand against her back, smiling softly when her ears go dark red, but then just close my eyes and breathe in.
After I got hit by Heavenly Lighting and fully upgraded my Qi Palace to the Second Grade, gathering Qi has become oh so much easier.
Breathing it in is ten times more effective, rivaling even the effects of when I used to take the Qi Gathering Pills.
Now if I take one, the effects are enhanced further, and I can create Qi Strands with nearly every single breath.
I have a feeling Qi shouldn't be so abundant, and should be far more sparse, but with it being so dense and rich, I'll pretty much be able to upgrade my Qi Palace every day. Maybe.
I'm not looking forward to getting hit by lightning again.
I swiftly move the Qi I breathed in to the hand touching Meteria's back, then drive it into her body carefully.
Usually this is very dangerous, but that danger isn't there due to her not having Qi, which would have acted defensively to the unknown Qi breaching into her body.
I spread it through her, making it like a scan… And what is transmitted to my senses isn't something I like.
"Riley?" Meteria questions lightly when I pull back, but I quietly move to Alfia and place my other hand on her back.
She doesn't react anything like Meteria, but I can tell that she's embarrassed.
Her ears are just a bit red, after all.
Soon, I complete my check on Alfia too, and I pull back to put my gloves back on while Hera leans forward. "So?"
"I have some good news, and some bad ones." I reveal as Alfia stands, scrolling her shoulders with a shiver and fixing her hair so they cover her red ears.
Then she throws a quick glare at Kirin for having noticed that and for smirking at her.
"Good news first." Hera all but demands in a rush, eyes sparkling with hope and hands clenched into tight fists.
"I can heal them." I say with a shrug, drawing wide eyes to me as I grin. "But the bad news is that I require time to heal Meteria." Hera takes a massive relieved breath, and I know that if she was standing, she'd have crumbled on her knees at this moment.
"Then, what's the difference between her and me?" Alfia asks, hands clenched into tight fists at her side.
I shrug. "Nothing." My answer floors all of them.
Agnodice is the first to speak. "But then, why is Meteria's condition much worse than Alfia's?"
Ah, I think that's what Alfia meant. "Their sickness is the exact same. Some sort of twisted clump of… something, that is sticking around their lungs and heart."
"Meteria is more worse off because the sickness forced her heart to enlarge, and that could have happened to Alfia too, but it didn't."
Agnodice's eyes widen. "So because Meteria's heart enlarged due to the sickness, said sicknesses ended up pressing on it even more than usual."
I nod with a smile. "And the enlarged heart led to her breathing issues, and her…" I cough into my fist. "Gaining weight in a certain area."
All eyes all but flick towards Meteria's large bust. Even Alfia's.
"That's some bullshit!" Hera screams in indignation, jabbing her fingers towards those massive melons.
Meteria squeaks shyly and swiftly covers her chest, but with little success.
"But why would you need more time to heal Meteria?" Agnodice asks, a curious glint in her eyes.
"Because her body isn't strong enough to handle the Pill needed to heal her. Alfia can." I feel like I am delivering devastating blows to Alfia, as if I am shattering her worldview or toppling her knowledge, as she keeps twitching and flinching the more I speak.
"My Pills are divided into Tiers, and the ones I gave to Meteria are barely even Tier One. The one I need to possibly fully cleanse that weird mass around her heart is a Tier Three, and Meteria's organs will collapse if I gave it to her as she is now."
The sheer horror on their faces is expected.
"Plus, I lack the ingredients and equipment needed to make the Pills." I'll have to draw down the ingredients and see if I can find them for sale in Orario.
"I can pay for everything." Hera declares, but I give her flat look that makes her wince. "This is very important for me." She presses further, but I don't back down.
"Meteria isn't at risk. With my Pills, she can now live until old age even if I don't fully heal her." The Goddess's eyes widen at my words, and so do Meteria's and Alfia's.
"So simply let me handle this. I'll make money, gain the things I need, and seek help when and if, I need it." It's a learning experience for me too, and I hate being handed down things.
I hold Hera's strong gaze with my flat one, not backing down one bit, which shocks the other ladies in the room.
"Fine." Hera spits to the side, giving in to my request. "I'm only giving in because Meteria is healthy and fine." Heh, so this psycho Goddess can be a sweetheart.
"I'll help out in finding the ingredients that you require." Agnodice offers, and I give her a thankful smile.
"I'll draw down how they look like tonight." Then do the same for blueprints for my new Pill Furnace.
As for the sword… Well, that can wait. Albeit a simple iron sword that fits me shouldn't cost a lot.
As a Sword Cultivator, going after powerful and grand swords goes against the creed that I kind-off follow.
All we need is just a simple sword, the rest must come from ourselves.
Our sharpness mustn't rely on the sword's quality.
And I should really start turning some Qi Strands into Sword Qi… Which isn't difficult, luckily.
"One last thing." Hera starts, regaining my attention. "Will Meteria need to visit the Dungeon in order for her body to grow stronger?" Ah, I didn't think of that.
And Hera clearly doesn't like such an option.
Shall I teach her how to use Qi? Something to think about, I guess…
"I can just make Pills for that." I shrug, though those won't take her that far since the ones I can currently make aren't insanely good.
And now everyone's staring at me with gaping mouths. "What?"
Kirin is the first to recover, and she gulps heavily before speaking. "You can make Pills that strengthen the body?"
I raise an amused brow. "Healing Pills aren't the only thing I can make. Antidotes, elemental resistance, body strengthening, even limb regrowth Pills." I drawl out with a shrug, faintly noticing Agnodice jumping slightly at the last Pill I revealed.
"Though the body strengthening Pills shouldn't take Meteria too far." She can only take one of each, after all, and they are generally used for the later stages of the Qi Gathering Realm, when the gathered Qi Strands reach a terrifying density level.
And are about to go from a Gaseous State to a Liquid State.
There's the Bone Tempering Pill, Bone and Marrow Cleansing Pill, Tendon Transformation Pill, Blood Purification Pill, Organ Tempering Pill and Seven Orifices Divine Pill, which is something that I myself want and need.
"But she should be able to twist weak monsters like Minotaurs with her bare hands at least." I shrug as they all choke on air. "Maybe even stronger ones, but I do not know how strong Dungeon monsters get."
Hera just stares at me flatly for a few, yet long, quiet seconds.
Then finally, she speaks, her gaze landing on Meteria as she does so. "Meteria, bear his kids." Said girls face instantly catches on fire at that.
"Awawawawawawawa~!" And another adorable noise from Meteria. I should start putting them down by now.
"Leave my beautiful little sister out of your vile plans!" Alfia growls out, hugging the twitching and flushed up Meteria close to her own chest, eyes alight with fury.
Hera merely scoffs. "Bah! He's the Hero you always wanted, so shouldn't you join your sister?" Hera cackles as her shameless words evoke an indignant squeak even from Alfia, her ears turning just a bit red.
"Is that how you are so strong?" Agnodice questions me quietly, making me regard her with a very restrained gaze.
I mean, her huge Milf tits are basically face level. And I want to just… suffocate between them.
Though, I refrain and simply shake my head. "Nah, I just trained." I swear that Kirin is currently stripping me with her eyes right now.
"See?" Hera waves her hand at me. "You twin sisters should really pass down those genes." Wait, Meteria and Alfia are twins?
They are nothing alike...
"Never!" Alfia huffs out while hugging her sister closer, and I hum softly at the sight. Could she be…?
"Hey, Meteria." Said adorable girl instantly perks up, banishing her flushed face to the shadow realm and turning her bright eyes towards me. "Come here for a second."
Alfia is left flabbergasted when her younger twin escapes from her hug to rush by my side with sparkling eyes and a big grin on her face.
Meanwhile, I merely lean down and whisper something in her ear before swiftly straightening myself and giving her a serious nod.
So, Meteria gives me an adorable blink, then slowly turns towards her older twin, who stares at her with worry and confusion in her heterochromatic eyes.
"Onee-" The sparkle in Meteria's eyes intensifies as she cups her hands before her chest, and finally, she speaks the final words. "-Chan?"
The effect is instantaneous.
"Buhuaaa!" The heads of both Hera and Alfia recoil back as if struck by a powerful physical blow, and when straightened, everyone could see the massive blushes on their faces while blood pours down their nostrils.
Jesus, that worked even better than I expected…
A siscon indeed.
"So cute…" Agnodice whispers from beside me, eyes sparkling with delight.
Kirin meanwhile had turned her burning face away, clearly having been caught in the vicious attack that came from Meteria's adorableness weaponized.
Alfia staggers forward and shakily brings her younger twin back in her embrace, narrowed eyes flicking towards me the next second. "R-Riley…"
"You are a dangerous man…" Those were her last words before she passes out in Meteria's arms.
"Eh? Big sis?" Meteria just looks absolutely clueless on what the hell happened even though she is the cause of it.
And I just enjoy the chaos.
Now, this is nice.
XxxXXXxxx
The Hera Mansion, or Elysian Mansion, is quite enormous.
From what I managed to catch, there's basically nearly two hundred members in Hera's Familia, all women. And all live here.
And the majority have tailed me around as I explored and acquainted me with the new place.
Luckily, now I have been left alone since it's 'Bath Time'.
And I did receive nearly five dozen requests of joining the women in the baths, with Hera once again telling me I have her permission to knock up any girl that is willing.
I thought women in Cultivation Worlds went after strength but didn't instantly want to make you pump full of children…
But looks like I'm wrong!
And there's so many beautiful girls around, plus an old man sneaking down the hallway and towards the baths-
Wait, what?
I blink and stare at the chuckling old man that just entered through the open window, then started crawling on the ground and down the hallway like a rat.
His perverse chuckles kept on coming in a ceaseless stream that swiftly started ticking me off, and the fact that he was drawing closer and closer towards the massive doors that allowed entry to the baths just told me everything I needed to know.
So I sigh and swiftly move forward just as the perverted old man in rugged clothing reaches for the large doors before him.
And yank him back by the back of his shirt's collar. "Gah!" He chokes, then turns to me with red and furious eyes as I easily lift him off the ground. "Unhand me, woman! I must witness Heaven!"
Who is this homeless man?
"I'm a guy." I sigh out, and the old man freezes.
"Eh?" He blinks at me. "Ah, so you are a fellow brother that snuck in! Quick, Heaven and big fantastic breasts are beyond those doors-"
"Nope." I cut him off with a flat stare. "I didn't sneak in."
"Eh?" Once again, he blinks at me. "Then, how are you in here?"
I shrug. "Hera allowed me." His face pales considerably. "I live here now."
And then, he does something I've only read about in Cultivation Novels.
The old man in my grip… coughs up blood!
I fucking knew it! I was starting to have doubts that this wasn't a Cultivation World, but it is!
This is the proof!
I push ahead for further proof. "She even gave me permission to enter the baths with the girl." The old man coughs up blood two more times, his face burning red now.
"And granted me permission to knock up any of the girls that are willing and interested in me." And now, he coughs up blood three more times and slumps weakly.
"Y-You dare lie to this God…" He wheezes out, and I pause slightly.
Huh, he does feel like Hera.
So… He's a God?
What a sad excuse of a God…
The door to the baths smash open, and I swiftly turn the God in my grip around so to avoid him staring through the mist and towards the Heaven beyond.
Hera stands before the doors in her full naked glory, having been the one that smashed them open.
Behind her lay the bathing and naked forms of dozens of women of all types. From short and flat, from tall and busty, to glorious Milfs.
I just smile and wave at them all. "Hello ladies."
The effect, needless to say, is instant.
"Kyaaaah~!"
"It's Riley!"
"Hi there handsome~!"
"Come in with us! The water's nice and warm~!"
"So is my womb~!"
"I'm getting nice and clean for our wild night~!"
"Dream on, bitch! I'm getting knocked up tonight!"
"No, me!"
"Have at thee, harlot!"
I just… turn away from the chaos, the whistles, and the horny requests of copulation and impregnation.
Which make the God in my grip cough up blood over and over again.
Hera just smirks in pure delight at the sight. "Thank you for stopping this vile creature, Riley." I nod at the naked Goddess with a relaxed smile, keeping my eyes closed even though I really want to drink in the sight beyond the doors even more.
But I do feel Hera kick the God I am holding straight in the nuts. Quite violently at that, too.
"You never learn your lesson do you, Zeus?" Hera flares her nostrils while I just… This guys is Zeus?
I… honestly should have expected it.
"Leave him to me, Riley." Hera reassures while cracking her knuckles. "And feel free to go and enjoy the ladies in the baths." Her words make Zeus cough up blood yet again.
But this time, he finally passes out, pale as paper.
I don't even feel sorry for him.
"I'll just go to my room…" I chuckle out softly before dropping the unconscious perverted God into the puddle of blood he coughed out.
Then swiftly depart away from those hungry gazes.
"No! I didn't reach my climax yet! Come back!"
"My womb yearns for thee, Riley!"
"You shameless shanks made him run away!"
These ladies are beyond thirsty, I swear.
Luckily, I swiftly reach the safety of my own room, which is very large and fancy.
It's got a large desk, a massive bed for two, a wardrobe built into the wall, and a balcony that faces down into the gardens below.
…
I need to lock that too.
But just as I think about that, a knock comes from the door behind me, sending chills down my spine.
They are already here!?
I must hide-
"Riley?" The cute and adorable voice of Meteria comes from beyond the door, and I allow a sigh of relief to leave me. "Can I come in?" Well, it's just sweet Meteria.
What could go wrong?
"Yeah, it's open." I call out as I set my sword aside, and remove my pouch just as the door opens.
I place the item on the desk and turn to look at Meteria, and find myself at a loss for words.
She's always been beautiful, but right now… Right now she's just breathtaking.
She's clearly fresh out of the bath, her brilliant white hair cascading down her bare shoulders, and her curves barely contained in a nearly see-through nightgown.
"I'm sorry about my fellow sisters… Excitement." She giggles softly, a faint flush on her beautiful face as she shuts the door.
Why did she lock it?
Ah, maybe to block the other girls from charging in.
"Why are they even so… hungry?" She giggles at my warning, her steps slow and careful as she nears me.
A low hum escapes her soon after. "It's because they do not wish to die without fulfilling their desires." Her reply is… slightly chilling. "Or without leaving a legacy behind. Something to remember them by."
"They can die at any moment inside the Dungeon, after all." Ah, now I understand.
"I can understand that sentiment." Meteria muses, and I tilt my head in confusion at her words, so she smiles softly at me. "Before, I desperately wanted to live everyday of my life like it was going to be my last, no matter how hard it was…"
"But all I could do was just listen to their stories. To how they braved the Dungeon, fought it's monsters, survived adversity and maybe even found love." She giggles cutely at the last bit.
"That last part is possibly my favorite of all." Her bright eyes meet mine as her cheeks flush. "I always wanted a Hero to come and save me like the damsels in the stories Lady Hera used to tell me when I was little."
"And now…" Her flush deepens as her hands come up to grab at the straps of her nightgown on her shoulders. "...My Hero came out of nowhere."
Her nightgown drops to the ground, and I do everything in my power not to gape at the absolutely perfect sight before me.
A look of desire and longing flashes in Meteria's eyes as she pushes me back with ease, making me step back and drop on the bed.
"And I'm not letting him get away." Her soft lips, her thin arms wrap around my neck, and her supple body falls on top of me.
Well, a man has his limits.
And this is mine.