Ritsuka then srugged. "Anyway, the next Singularty is London right, so with Goetia gong, there is not that much of a problem there, just what ever demon god he has left, which is not problem for me".
Dr. Romani nodded, but his expression was cautious. "True, Goetia's gone, but that doesn't mean the London Singularity will be simple. There are still remnants of his power and whatever he set in motion before he was dealt with. Plus, the Demon God Pillars have their own autonomy to a degree—they might have plans we haven't accounted for."
Ritsuka chuckled confidently, crossing his arms. "Trust me, Doc, I've dealt with bigger threats than a few leftovers. London's got some wild magic and a few notable enemies, but with Goetia out of the picture, it's nothing I can't handle."
Kadoc raised an eyebrow, a hint of scepticism in his gaze. "You make it sound like it'll be a walk in the park. Don't underestimate the chaos that could be waiting for us there."
Ritsuka shrugged. "I've seen enough chaos to know the difference between real threats and... distractions. Besides, London's a city of mages and mysteries. Worst-case scenario, we deal with some demon gods, clean up whatever's left behind, and have tea afterward."
Mash gave him a soft smile, though she looked a bit nervous. "Even so, we should be careful. There might be new surprises in the Singularity now that Goetia's influence has changed."
Ritsuka nodded, ruffling Mash's hair reassuringly. "Yeah, yeah, we'll be careful. But if anything does go wrong, we've got a team that can handle it. Right, guys?"
Dr. Romani sighed, the weight of their mission still heavy on his shoulders. "Just... don't get too overconfident, Ritsuka. Things have a way of becoming complicated in these Singularities, especially when remnants of the past are involved."
Ritsuka flashed him a reassuring grin. "Relax, Doc. London's got nothing I haven't seen before. Let's just get in, take care of business, and move on to the next Singularity. We're already halfway there."
With that, the team steeled themselves for what awaited in London, each of them knowing that while the threat seemed lesser without Goetia, the Singularity still held its mysteries—and anything could happen.
Kadoc then looked around. "Hey where is Kama"
Ritsuka then spoke as he looked at Kadoc with a smirk. "She is sleeping, has is tired".
Kadoc blinked. "Wait why I she asleep, should she be u-... Oh for the love of everything".
Ritsuka laughed as he spoke. "Be happy my room was sound proof she moans like crazy"
Kadoc just looked at him. "Stop you Pervert Dragon god, I don't need that mental image"
Dr. Romani pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly trying to keep his composure. "Ritsuka... some details really don't need to be shared with the rest of us." He muttered, half-amused, half-exasperated.
Ritsuka just chuckled, enjoying Kadoc's flustered reaction. "Hey, I'm just being honest. Besides, you guys know by now that dragons don't exactly hold back."
Kukulkan snickered, nudging Kadoc with a grin. "Welcome to life with the Light Dragon God of Chaos. Might as well get used to it."
Kadoc sighed dramatically. "I think I'd rather face a Demon God Pillar than endure any more of your 'honesty,' Ritsuka."
Ritsuka shrugged, unfazed. "Hey, at least I warned you."
Mash, trying to change the topic with a faint blush, glanced at Ritsuka. "So... um, about our preparations for the London Singularity. Are we all set?"
Ritsuka, catching her hint, grinned and shifted gears. "Yeah, we're set. Just need to grab the right gear and stay sharp. With all of you by my side, there's no way anything in London can catch us off guard."
Later that day, as Ritsuka looked at Da Vinci as she was looking at some metrial from many of the worlds he has visited.
Da Vinci looked at a particular stone from The World Of Overlord. "Wait this thing actually exists"
Ritsuka looked at her. "What shocked that some words have thing like teleportation magic and it is not unlocked behind the 2nd True Magic".
Da Vinci just looked at him. "Mages will go to war for this shit, and we are already a morally shity group".
Ritsuka chuckled, crossing his arms. "Yeah, trust me, Da Vinci. If mages from the Mage's Association found out teleportation magic was commonplace in other worlds, they'd go ballistic. No need to hide it behind the Second True Magic when some worlds practically hand it out."
Da Vinci held up the stone, examining it closely with a glint of fascination in her eyes. "This... if the Association knew even half of what you brought back, it would turn the Clock Tower upside down. They'd probably launch a crusade just to get their hands on this kind of tech and magic."
Ritsuka shrugged, smirking. "That's why I only share this stuff with you guys. I don't need a full-scale mage war breaking out just because someone found out there's easier access to what they consider 'sacred' magic."
Da Vinci raised an eyebrow, amused. "Lucky us, then. I can't wait to experiment with some of these items—safely, of course. Imagine the advancements we could make in Chaldea if we harness these abilities without the, ah, less ethical extremes."
Ritsuka nodded. "Exactly. But for now, let's keep it low-key. If word gets out about this, we'll have a lot more to worry about than the Singularities."
Da Vinci grinned. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed. But… you wouldn't happen to have anything else from the Overlord world lying around, would you? Maybe something to tinker with?"
Ritsuka laughed, pulling a small pouch from his side. "Let's just say I have a few more 'souvenirs' that might pique your interest."
As he revealed a few more items, Da Vinci's eyes lit up with a mix of awe and mischievous curiosity.
Da Vinci just looked at Ritsuka. "What are you trying to do".
Ritsuka looked at her and spoke. "I don't know, maybe make Chaldea the forth branch of Mage's world".
She then looked at him and spoke. "Will the Mages in the Wondering sea will give no shit, the Atlas institute is already existent, but what about the clocks tower".
Ritsuka looked at her and smirked. "I don't think they would want to mess with me".
Da Vinci chuckled, shaking her head. "Of course they wouldn't. The Clock Tower is full of proud mages, but they're not foolish enough to take on someone like you, especially with all the... resources you've gathered."
Ritsuka shrugged, his smirk unwavering. "Exactly. Besides, if Chaldea became a proper branch, they'd have to acknowledge our discoveries—and the fact that we've been the ones saving humanity, time and time again. Maybe they'll learn some humility."
Da Vinci raised an eyebrow. "That's ambitious, even for you. The Clock Tower prides itself on tradition; they'd rather keep magic exclusive, hidden, and under strict control. You know they don't like what they can't understand or regulate."
Ritsuka leaned back, arms crossed. "True, but if they want to remain relevant, they'll have to adapt. We've already gone places and seen things they can barely dream of. And if they're stubborn, well… they'll just miss out."
Da Vinci sighed, a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Well, just remember—when you start shaking the foundation of mage society, you'll be stepping on a few powerful toes. And we both know that never ends quietly."
Ritsuka shrugged. "Let them come. Chaldea isn't just some backwater lab anymore. With allies like you, Mash, and even Kadoc, we're more than capable of standing on our own."
Da Vinci gave him a thoughtful smile. "You know, you might just be the force of change the mage world needs, whether they like it or not."
Ritsuka's smirk grew. "Good. Someone has to drag them into the future."
Da Vinci laughed, shaking her head. "Alright, Dragon God of Chaos. Just make sure you're ready for the storm you're about to unleash."
As the conversation between Ritsuka and Da Vinci continued, the door to the lab swung open, and Mash entered, holding a stack of reports.
"Senpai, I've compiled all the data from our recent Singularity trips," Mash said, her expression serious but with a touch of excitement. "Da Vinci, you'll want to see this too—there are some anomalies with the magical energies we've encountered."
Ritsuka raised an eyebrow. "Anomalies? How so?"
Mash handed the reports to Da Vinci, who quickly skimmed through them. "These readings... they're beyond what we've seen in typical Singularities," she murmured, her eyes narrowing. "And look at this pattern—it's almost as if something else is influencing these places, something beyond just Goetia's interference."
Ritsuka crossed his arms, his curiosity piqued. "Could it be another group? Or maybe even a new entity trying to destabilise the timelines?"
Da Vinci looked up, her face unreadable. "It's possible. These readings feel similar to disruptions caused by powerful, ancient entities... like Beasts or something even older. But I can't be sure until I analyse it further."
"Another Beast?" Ritsuka's eyes narrowed. "I thought we'd dealt with most of them."
Da Vinci shook her head. "Not necessarily. You know how these things go—new threats emerge when you least expect them. But if there's something else pulling the strings, then we need to be ready. The last thing we need is another layer of enemies complicating our mission."
Mash's face turned pale as she listened. "If something more dangerous than Goetia is lurking out there…"
Ritsuka put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Mash. Whatever it is, we'll handle it. Besides, we've gotten through plenty worse."
Kadoc walked in just then, overhearing the tail end of the conversation. "You know, I hate to say it, but Ritsuka has a point. We've come a long way, and between all of us, we've got some serious firepower. If there's something else lurking out there, maybe it's time we got proactive about finding it."
Da Vinci nodded thoughtfully. "Agreed. The more prepared we are, the better. We should get ahead of whatever is waiting. I'll start looking into these readings in more detail. Maybe we can pinpoint a pattern or even locate where these disruptions are originating."
Ritsuka smirked, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Perfect. Looks like it's time for us to go on the offensive for once."
Mash nodded, a renewed sense of purpose in her eyes. "Let's protect humanity, Senpai. No matter what comes our way."
Da Vinci smiled, looking at the team around her. "Chaldea was built for moments like these. It's time to prove that once again, we're ready to save the world—even if it means facing things no one else can understand."
With a shared sense of resolve, they prepared to confront whatever new mystery awaited them, ready to face the unknown head-on as the protectors of humanity's future.
They Rayshift in London, as they did Ritsuka noticed the mist
Ritsuka looked around. "This is not normal... Nah, let's see which spell I should use to clear this".
Kadoc just looked at him. "Your a leaving chit code".
Ritsuka smirked at Kadoc's comment, clearly unfazed. "I'm just adapting to the situation, Kadoc. If you don't want me to use my spells, you can always come up with a better plan."
He then glanced around, noting the eerie mist that surrounded them in London. The usual hustle and bustle of the city had been replaced with an oppressive, thick fog that distorted the surroundings. This wasn't the typical fog of London, it was something darker, something unnatural.
"Alright, let's start with this." Ritsuka muttered to himself as he raised his hand, channeling a mix of draconic energy and magical power. He whispered an incantation, and his hand began to glow with a faint, fiery light.
"Flame of the Dragon King!" he commanded, releasing a wave of heat from his palm. The mist around them started to dissipate as the fire spread outward in a controlled, swirling arc. The thick fog seemed to recoil from the heat, but something was odd—the mist didn't clear entirely.
"This is strange," Ritsuka murmured. "Normally, a blast like that would burn away the mist in no time."
Kadoc raised an eyebrow, looking out at the semi-cleared area. "Seems like the mist is resisting your magic."
"That's not the only thing..." Ritsuka's eyes narrowed as he could feel something watching them. The atmosphere felt charged, like they were being observed from a distance. "We're being watched. Keep your guard up."
Mash, ever vigilant, had her shield at the ready. "I'm sensing an unusually high concentration of magical energy coming from ahead. It might be tied to the mist."
Ritsuka nodded, his dragon instincts kicking in. "Good catch, Mash. Let's move forward. Whatever is causing this, it's ahead of us."
As they proceeded deeper into the foggy streets of London, the mist seemed to grow thicker and darker, almost as if it was alive. Ritsuka was about to raise his hand to clear more of it when a voice suddenly echoed through the air, sending a chill down everyone's spine.
"Foolish humans..."
The voice, deep and foreboding, seemed to come from every direction at once.
Ritsuka's eyes narrowed. "Not what I wanted to hear. Who's there?"
A figure materialized in front of them, emerging from the mist like a ghost from the past. Tall, cloaked in shadows, and radiating dark energy, it was clear this wasn't a simple apparition. The figure stood motionless, its eyes glowing faintly.
"I am the keeper of this domain," the figure intoned, its voice heavy with authority. "And you have trespassed into my territory. None shall leave unscathed."
Ritsuka stepped forward, his expression resolute. "Well, looks like we're dealing with something a little more serious than a mist. I'm not one to back down easily, though."
Kadoc crossed his arms, already preparing himself for a fight. "This might be more than we can handle with just a few spells. You sure we're not in over our heads, Ritsuka?"
"Not yet," Ritsuka replied, glancing back at Kadoc. "But I have a feeling we're about to find out just how much trouble this thing can cause. Everyone, get ready!"
With that, the mist thickened again, and the figure in front of them began to move, its shadowy form shifting and rippling like smoke in the air.
Ritsuka raised his hand once again, ready to unleash another spell, but something stopped him. The figure's eyes flashed, and the temperature around them dropped suddenly.
"You will not leave, Dragon God," the figure hissed. "Not without paying the price."
And with that, the air around them seemed to freeze as the mist roiled and grew, the ground beneath their feet trembling as if the very world was responding to the figure's command.
Ritsuka took a deep breath, feeling the energy in the air surge around him. "Let's see what you've got."
To be continued