The Wandering Devil
Chapter: 38
Disclaimer: I don't own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
(The Aftermath)
-{Freya}-
Freya stood beside Otto, her expression carefully neutral despite the excitement thrumming through her veins.
This hadn't been the most subtle of plans, but the results were beyond her expectations. She had learned so much.
She admitted it was quite obvious and she suspected her new obsession and knew that someone was behind this. It hadn't been executed in a perfect manner, but that didn't matter.
Otto shifted beside her and she could barely contain the tremor of anticipation that ran through her body.
Her senses which were still active beyond what most gods bothered to keep up, picked up something extraordinary happening.
A mere few rooms away, Apollo's domain was being torn away from him. She could feel it happening in real-time, the divine authority being stripped and redistributed.
An act she didn't even know could be performed.
It didn't feel willing.
So it was Zephyrion's doing.
Around them, the other gods were either filing out of the assembly or clustered in animated conversation. The battle had been incredibly impressive and had already made Zephyrion considered one of the strongest adventures in Orario.
Not the strongest, but he was definitely in that one percent that managed to even come close to that level.
Most of the discussion was casual, though she did pick up a few gods that seemed a little too interested in him. It was fair. Zephyrion was a supposed level three and yet that had shown level four or even five power. Along with a clever tactical mind that was always welcome, especially when most adventurers were rather brash.
Some were even laughing about the new upstart's absurd demands.
Fools.
They had no idea what they'd just witnessed.
But she knew. She always knew.
She had known when she had seen that beautiful aura that was special. And as she learned more about him that strange obsessiveness she felt merely grew deeper. To the point, it could almost be considered love at this point.
A pillar of golden light suddenly erupted skyward, causing every head to turn. The divine pillar was unmistakable, Apollo was being returned to Tenkai.
And his domain...
Freya's eyes tracked the flow of power with an intensity that bordered on obsession.
The sun domain, with its vast reservoir of Arcanum, was being transferred. To Hestia of all people. Her unknowing rival had just become exponentially more powerful. Not that the power she had gained could be used in any meaningful way.
How wonderful.
Freya's smile was small but genuine. Today was a complete success.
She'd learned so much about her obsession and the capacities he possessed.
Freya wasn't too worried about this apparent ability to transfer or steal domains. She knew it had something to do with that contract of his and it was obviously something that couldn't be forced outside of an agreements
She watched, as did the rest, as Zephyrion Gremory exited in hand with Hestia. A fact that made her smile dull slightly, something Otto noticed and frowned at.
Curiously, the elf within the Loki Familia had the same reaction. Something Freya was able to note with a tight-lipped smile.
It was natural that others would take notice of Zephyrion's uniqueness.
However, that fact didn't make Freya any less annoyed.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
There was a momentary silence.
The golden pillar of light that illuminated the entirety of the room dimmed, leaving a stunned group in its wake.
Hestia looked at her hands, her eyes seemingly distant as she observed something that wasn't visible to my eyes.
Lili looked genuinely shocked, while Bell beamed.
Welf on the other hand looked lost.
The contract had worked.
Barely in any case.
I'm sure it wouldn't have worked if I tried it on anyone but Hestia. I think the fact it had even worked was unheard of in devil culture. It was well-known that divine power was a strange and fickle power.
Most of the stuff I was doing with contracts was mostly unheard of in fact, I wasn't sure if that was due to laws or abilities of my own. But it was clear that my demonic contracts were probably one of my most powerful abilities.
I was feeling rather proud of myself.
I couldn't deny I was excited, despite the relatively large battle my demonic power was at a good level. It was crazy to think that battle would have once put me out of commission for a day.
I snuck a glance towards Hestia.
Hestia's divine form took that moment to die down, her eyes blinking rapidly. She turned towards me with a complicated look on her face.
"Welp, I guess that's settled," I commented, breaking the silence. "How do you feel?"
"I feel strange… the domain of the sun is a rather powerful domain and feeling it transferred is certainly a unique feeling," Hestia replied, completely serious. "I didn't think that would work, truly your contract creation is powerful."
I smiled faintly.
"It only worked because you were already a god," I replied. "Without your hair and the freely given blood, I doubted even that would have worked. I still have a long way to go to research the subject of contracts."
"Either way, this will draw some attention," Hestia commented worriedly, her eyes flickering towards the guild official.
I turned towards her.
She took a step back.
"If the matter of the guild's retaliation worries you, I assure you nothing was done out of bounds. The God Apollo technically agreed and even signed a contract that allowed for this action to be made. While we can't speak for the divine, there will be no law broken with the guild." The guild officially quickly said.
"Yeah, but you're still going to tell them." I pointed out.
"Uh-I don't have to?"
I beamed.
"Okay."
The next five minutes were spent completing a demonic contract.
The guild official gulped.
"Sign this," I urged gently. "it'll make sure I can trust you."
A signing later and the situation was fixed.
"You know, some Gods are still going to be able to sense this," Hestia said worriedly.
"We will deal with that if it comes to it." I comforted.
That did remind me of my testing demonic contracts revolving around souls. I had kept myself from absorbing too many purely due to the memories that came with it.
I could technically absorb thousands of weak souls but beyond that being downright tedious, it would make me get lost to it all if I did it too quickly. I was going to absorb more, perfectly back in the wizarding world.
Hestia took my hand in hers, coming to stand close to me.
Bell frowned. "Would it be bad if the other gods found out?"
"It could cause complications," Lili spoke. "If gods realised that their source of power could be manipulated by a mortal…"
Welf merely shook his head.
"I see."
"I suspect Ouranos will come to find out. It wouldn't be a big problem but it could cause certain gods to feel threatened." Hestia sighed, her demeanour deathly serious.
A small frown graced my lips.
Not out of fear or anything, more so Hestia's current demeanour. I couldn't say I liked seeing her so worried.
In truth, it didn't matter to me. I had plans, and I wasn't as rash as I acted.
"Ah great," Welf commented with a chuckle. "I knew you were a unique Captain but seriously, those contracts can affect gods?"
"Depowered Gods." I corrected it.
I held no delusion my demonic craft was at that level.
Though maybe one day…
"Either way, I guess I'll just have to make Bell a weapon good enough to match yours." Welf grinned.
I smiled at that.
The guild official said, regaining her bearings with a cough. Once more breaking the silence.
"If you'll come this way," she said with professional efficiency, "we need to finalize the transfer of assets."
She led us out of the private room. We briefly passed some of the former Apollo members who were being treated. Instead of the looks of confidence and disdain, they genuinely looked scared.
Which I thought was a bit overdramatic.
I wasn't even the strongest adventurer in Orario, yet. Well, depending on if I used my power of destruction. That was a different story and if I resorted to that length that would be the least of their worries.
We walked through the large area outside of the coliseum and into the main area, which had a steady flow of people exiting, only pausing to stare at our arrival. Some even give cheers.
The guild official began rattling off items from a seemingly endless list. "The Apollo Familia forfeits ownership of their mansion in the upper district, along with all furnishings, the attached workshop facilities, three residential buildings for Familia members, stored weapons and equipment, approximately six hundred million valis in liquid assets..."
I stopped listening after 'Mansion.' My mind was already racing ahead to the possibilities.
It was about time.
I snuck an excited glance towards Hestia, who merely leaned into me.
"Can we see the mansion now?" I questioned.
"Unfortunately, no. We need to clear out all its members first." The guild official said politely. "You'll have to come to the guild tomorrow to finish the transfer."
I nodded, understanding the logistics involved. As we continued through the guild hall.
The War Game had taken place in Ganesha Familia's colosseum, which had been almost expertly made to look like a real war zone with two castles.
"After we clear our and finalise the assets you may come to the guild tomorrow to claim them officially, congratulations Lady Hestia. Captain Gremory." The guild official said, before quickly walking away.
There was a brief moment.
"Alright, I guess it's back to the house," I said, clapping my hands. "We've all worked hard."
Welf raised his hand bashfully. "I technically didn't do much."
"Eh? Nonsense, if Lili was attacked you would have been a good defence."
We left the hall, not before receiving many greetings from Gods and Goddesses, along with other Familia Captains.
I couldn't help but smirk at the overwhelmed look on Hestia's face.
-{Welf Crozzo}-
Welf couldn't say this had been what he had envisioned when Zephyrion had made him the offer to join.
When he had first joined, it had been beyond merely the unique ingot he had yet to be able to smelt. His portable forge wasn't enough, though, with this burst of fortune, he imagined that would be changing.
He thought back to his time with the Hephaestus Familia. They'd been good to him, sure, but there had always been that underlying tension.
The moment anyone learned his last name was Crozzo, there had been an expectation for the one thing his family was known for, Magic swords.
That's all anyone ever wanted from him. The cursed legacy of his family, weapons that could level city blocks but broke after a single use.
He'd refused to make them, and while Hephaestus herself had been understanding, he could feel the disappointment from others.
The wasted potential, they'd call it.
Then Zephyrion had walked into his workshop that day.
The guy had looked at his regular weapons and nodded approvingly, and when that convening old shop owner had tried to dissuade him from buying any of his wares, something he sure was a byproduct of his refusal to make magical items, Zephyrion had merely ignored him.
He felt that there was no pressure, no expectations about his bloodline. Just a simple request for quality craftsmanship.
Since then, Welf had come to one conclusion about his captain.
Zephyrion Gremory was either insane or his perception of reality was completely skewed. Not insane in a dangerous way he was surprisingly comforting.
Even when things looked bad, he had this weird confidence that he could handle whatever came up.
Welf had been pretty quiet since joining this chaotic mess they called the Hestia Familia.
Hestia was kind to a fault, the type who would go to extreme lengths to help you out. Lili was mostly exasperated with everyone but nice enough once you got past her snarky facade.
Bell was this weird mix of innocent and insane that reminded him of Zephyrion sometimes, just with more social awkwardness. The kid was incredibly likeable but some of the things that came out of his mouth showed Zephyrion's influence.
And Zephyrion? The guy had zero social anxiety and just bulldozed through everything with complete confidence. Welf could also sense there was more to him, perhaps a darker side but it didn't affect him so why would he care?
He looked around the cosy room.
They were back from the war game and Zephyrion had decided to call it a day. So now everyone was mostly enjoying each other's presence.
It had been rather uneventful after the war Game.
After the Guild Official had departed, they had all been left with a staring crowd outside of the coliseum. The War Game that had just transpired had been broadcasted to thousands in Orario. Which left them all in the limelight.
Something Welf wasn't accustomed to.
Zephyrion had merely clapped his hands and asked if anyone was hungry, which led to a celebratory lunch and had led up to now, late in the evening, simply chilling out in the places that had served as his home since joining the Hestia Familia.
Zephyrion was doing something with his strange powerful magic, while his goddess was snuggled into him. Bell was inspecting his knife and mostly looked happy to exist. While Lili was deep in thought, briefly sending him a questioning glance as his gaze fell on her.
He merely took this time to relax, allowing the tension to melt out of his body and the sleepiness from having a bad night's sleep begin to encroach.
Despite all the chaos, he found himself enjoying it.
He'd been genuinely worried when Apollo Familia had started this war game. He'd thought they were screwed. While he hadn't seen the full extent of what his new familia could do, going against an entire familia with their numbers seemed impossible.
But Bell had been completely calm while Lili was only slightly nervous.
Then he'd been told to just defend Lili, who turned out to be surprisingly good with a crossbow. And he'd watched as a medium-sized familia got systematically and tactically destroyed.
Now he'd just watched his captain literally tear out a god's domain and send him back to wherever gods came from.
Despite everything he'd just witnessed, Welf only felt one thing, excitement.
Perhaps he was starting to join the madness that was the Hestia Familia but it was certainly better than what he had been doing before.
Turns out the Hestia Familia was way more than he'd expected.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
I moved through the street casually, watching everyone's reactions curiously.
It had been a day since Apollo was banished back up to Tenkai. We still had yet to go to the guild and collect our rewards. After the War Game, it had been rather uneventful. I could tell there was shock among the general populace at our victory.
We had gone for a celebratory dinner, which I felt was rather deserved. Quality over quantity was a very real thing. Bell's progress was insane. To my knowledge, he didn't even have any of the perks he had gotten in the original timeline of this world.
Lili also surprised me. She normally played a passive role in the dungeon, but she was incredibly talented at shooting with a crossbow. It made me wonder if trying my hand at enchantment magic.
Primarily I had been focused on combat types of magic but I had managed to secure a book on wizarding runes. It was only basic, perhaps even below novice level. Since Clint had said runes were strictly forbidden outside limited teaching in magical schools.
It had something to do with rituals. Either way, it had been on the back foot for now. Surely with my imagination magic, I would be able to do something with them.
That was a thought process for another time.
I had decided yesterday and today would be a resting day. Despite the relative smoothness that had been our victory in the War Game, I could tell that everyone had been worried.
It wasn't without merit.
An entire Familia with four members wasn't exactly a fair fight.
That was if you discounted my magic.
My imagination magic was seriously overpowered.
Though Hestia had been more worried than I had suspected.
-FlashBack-
As we entered the house, I sent a subtle look to an abnormally silent Hestia.
"Zephyrion," Hestia says softly. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
My eyes caught something.
"Yeah of course." I accepted it easily.
She pulled me into our room.
Her expression shifted from passive to something much more serious.
"Don't you ever," she hissed, her voice low but intense, "EVER do something that reckless again! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Watching you fight against an entire Familia with over a hundred adventurers, risking everything..."
My eyes widened, having never heard that particular tone from Hestia.
"A-at least not for me." Her tone shrank slightly. Her hands were shaking as they gripped my sleeve. "I thought I was going to lose you!"
I felt a pang of guilt at the genuine fear in her voice. "Hestia, I-"
I knew what this was about, we had agreed on doing the war games before but not on the terms that would be set.
"You could have become a slave!" she continued, her voice cracking slightly. "And for what? A mansion? I don't care about any of this if it's going to affect what we have. Do you think I would have even let that happen?"
I mean, maybe I had been a bit confident.
I wrapped her into a comfortable hug. "I'm sorry. I'll talk it over with you next time."
As someone who considered themselves very defiant to most things, I couldn't help but genuinely feel terrible. Hestia was probably the most caring person I had met, as someone previously subjected to a rough life. Not counting my devil life, I often forgot other people cared.
Not for the first time I thanked myself for looking for Hestia when I first got here.
It had been done out of a desire to see if she was real but now she had become an important person to me.
I'd honestly go the length that would earn me my dark lord title for her. Easily, in fact.
"I didn't lose. And now we have a real base of operations. Room to grow. Apollo was confident and I knew we could win, I just needed to bait him far enough so he accepted."
She took a shaky breath, her anger deflating into exhaustion. "Just... promise me you'll be more careful. Not without any warning or knowledge of your plan. I was so scared."
"I promise," I said firmly.
Hestia nodded, seeming to accept my reassurance, though I could tell this conversation wasn't completely over.
I raised her chin and stared into her loving sapphire eyes.
Leaning in we found ourselves taking the next ten minutes together alone before we joined the others.
-Flashback End-
It was safe to say I was going to key Hestia in on my plans a bit more.
Walking into the guild building I immediately noticed Rose. Who gave me a subtle signal, a slight tilt of her head toward a quieter area away from the crowd.
"Hey, Rose." I greeted them, coming to stand by her.
Rose was waiting by a pillar, looking as composed as ever despite the chaos that had just unfolded.
She gave me a small smile.
"Zephyrion, I tried to speak to you yesterday but you made a rather abrupt exit," Rose replied.
"Yeah. I was kinda surprised at how many people showed up. Especially gods." I responded, running a hand through my hair.
"Really?" She questioned. "It's well known that God's love drama. War Games are quite rare." Rose replied.
I suppose that made sense, I didn't focus on other Gods much.
"In any case, you did it," she said simply. "Well done."
I raised an eyebrow. "Your information certainly helped. Those artillery weapons could have hurt."
She gave me a beautiful look, her red hair catching the guild's lighting. "I'm sure you would have found a way around it."
"Maybe," I replied.
"Don't act so humble, it's weird," Rose replied. "You know, knowing you are an anomaly among adventurers and seeing you in action are two different things."
"Oh? Did I manage to impress you?" I asked teasingly.
"Certainly… I had known that you were strong, stronger than what your level would suggest. But such a display of magic. You never told me you specialised in magic." Rose replied, crossing her arms.
"I didn't think I needed to. You've seen displays of it." I responded thoughtfully.
It wasn't something I broadcasted.
"Small displays." She corrected me. "And I do need to know, I'm your advisor."
"True, maybe you should come over and I'll show you a few tricks," I replied thoughtfully.
I paused, realising how that sounded.
"Perhaps." She muttered. "In any case, I do hope you know this would have changed a lot. Magic is rare amongst adventurers."
"Oh? It is?"
I hadn't looked into the subject too much beyond magical weapons.
"Yes, finding magical books that transfer magical spells is beyond rare and costs a major amount of money. In the hundreds of millions of Vali." Rose informed me.
Which meant they were a few million dollars.
That left me a little shocked and excited that magical skills could be bought.
"Otherwise it's normally due to a racial or bloodline advantage. So I'm assuming you've got a rather interesting heritage." Rose said a slight hint of prompting in her voice.
"You could say that."
She let the matter drop with a knowing glint in her eyes. "Tell me whenever or if you wish to in that case."
"I'm assuming you have come here to collect everything Apollo owns?" she asked. "As per the war game stipulated."
"It would seem that way," I replied, crossing my arms. "It turns out they were quite rich."
"I can imagine so, they've been around for a while and they were a mid-class Familia, one with a lot of members at that." Rose nodded.
"They looked pretty rich, the guild official said six hundred million in pure Vali."
Rose looked impressed.
By yen standards, which I'm sure it was based on, that was about four million dollars in pure liquid Vali.
"On the subject of impressive, how did getting his domain go?" she asked amusedly, obviously not thinking it worked.
"Eh, better than you might think," I replied mysteriously.
She laughed at that. "Only you would ask for something so absurd, seriously Zephyrion. Though, I guess you and your Goddess are rather close."
I grinned and shrugged. "He was annoying me, and he looked down on Hestia. I can't allow that to go unpunished."
I would have taken his soul if I could.
"You know you're going to have to be careful? You were a record-breaking case of an adventurer levelling up so fast but now you're considered a powerhouse. People will be looking out for you." Rose said.
"Yeah, I figured as much. It was going to happen eventually anyway," I replied, shrugging. "Better to rip the bandage off now than pretend I could stay under the radar forever."
I just wasn't the type to hide.
"You could have gotten out of it," she pointed out.
"Yeah, probably. But then it would lead to more stupid attempts and why should I hide? That along with the benefit of taking everything he has seemed like the best option."
Rose nodded. "I imagine so, with your level of magic you're probably on the level of the likes of the Nine Hell Riviera."
"You know, I remember a time when you refused to help me," I said with an exaggerated smile.
Instantly she frowned, looking away. "I'm not apologising! It's hardly like you're a normal case," she huffed. "And you didn't tell me you had magic, I feel like I would have given more due consideration."
"Yeah, but you should have tried to like... give me a chance."
Rose huffed again. "I've given chances to dozens of adventurers. I was merely using the data I had found to try to keep you alive."
I took her hand, which surprised her. "Thank you," I replied sincerely.
Her cheeks gained a red hue of embarrassment.
I couldn't help but think how much our relationship had progressed since those early days when she'd dismissed me as just another reckless adventurer.
"Well," Rose said, clearing her throat and gently pulling her hand back, "we should get the paperwork sorted. This kind of asset transfer requires quite a bit of documentation." She gestured toward a corridor I hadn't noticed before. "There's a specialized official who handles these matters."
I groaned.
Which earned me a smirk.
I followed her through the guild building, past the usual counters where adventurers reported their dungeon activities, into a quieter section with heavier wooden doors and a more formal atmosphere.
Rose knocked on one of them.
"Come in," came a voice from inside.
The office was cramped with filing cabinets and stacks of papers. Behind a massive desk sat a middle-aged man with greying hair and wire-rimmed glasses. He looked up as we entered, his eyes immediately focusing on me with obvious interest.
"Ah, Mr. Gremory, I presume?" He stood, extending his hand. "I'm Guild Administrator Hendrick. I'll be handling your... rather unique situation."
"Pleasure," I replied, shaking his hand.
"Please, sit." He gestured to chairs across from his desk while Rose remained standing by the door. "Now, the transfer of Apollo Familia's assets is quite straightforward, but given the circumstances..." He pulled out a thick folder. "There are several documents requiring your signature."
"…"
He began laying out papers systematically. "First, the monetary transfer, which is precisely six hundred and forty-seven million Vali as agreed upon. Second, the property deed for the Apollo Familia compound. Third, inventory lists for weapons, armour, and miscellaneous items." His eyes flickered up to meet mine. "And fourth, documentation regarding any... magical artefacts or grimoires in their possession."
I raised an eyebrow at that last part.
"Magical artefacts?"
"Indeed, I doubt they have many but it is standard procedure," Hendrick said smoothly, though I caught the way his gaze lingered on me. "Any familia of Apollo's size typically accumulates such items. We need to ensure proper registration and... assessment of their new owner's qualifications."
So they were fishing for information about my magical abilities. I picked up the first document and read through it carefully, word by word. Hendrick watched me intently, probably expecting me to skim through as most adventurers would.
Interesting.
Did the guild take an interest in all the stronger players in Orario?
"Take your time," he said when I spent several minutes on each page. "Though I must say, it's refreshing to see someone read the fine print."
I continued, occasionally asking for clarification on specific clauses.
After about ten minutes, I'd signed everything except the magical artefacts documentation.
"Well, that should handle everything."
"Excellent." Hendrick gathered the papers. "The keys to the property and access to the funds are ready for transfer today."
"I want to see the mansion first."
It was about time we got a mansion.
-Scene Break-
The mansion was... incredible.
Standing before the gates, I couldn't help but grin.
The building was massive, a large estate that looked like it belonged to European nobility.
Multiple stories of pristine white stone rose before us, with elegant arched windows and decorative columns. Manicured gardens stretched around the property, complete with fountains and perfectly trimmed hedges.
Most of all it was properly gated…
"This is insane," Welf breathed beside me, his eyes wide. "Look at the size of that workshop building!" He pointed to a substantial structure off to the side.
"The old house can be your forge," I said with a grin, thinking about how my Familia would finally have space to truly grow.
It was going to require a lot of defences.
"This is really ours now?" Hestia mumbled, her eyes foggy.
"All ours," I confirmed, unable to keep the satisfaction out of my voice.
She looked up at me, her blue eyes shining. "At least this entire debacle was worth it."
As my Familia continued exploring the mansion, I had more pressing concerns.
"I'll get to setting up some defences first," I announced. "This place is too exposed without proper protection. It's best if I get it done immediately."
Hestia nodded. "I'll wait for you."
"You don't have to," I replied.
"Fine, I'll watch." She smiled sweetly.
I chuckled.
We walked the perimeter of the property, and I pulled my wand from its concealed holster.
It was slightly easier to control my demonic power with this and it saved power. Not that I needed to, but I didn't see the harm.
I first walked along the four-sided gate that protected the state, they were large undoubtedly but any level two adventurer could jump over them easily.
Starting at the main gate, I cast a series of protective charms. I didn't want to spread one spell over the entirety of the estate since that would make it easier to break into. So I was casting spells on dedicated areas.
My knowledge of warding was limited. But I still had a decently powerful knowledge of protection magic from the wizarding world.
"Protego Totalum," I murmured, weaving a general shield around the grounds. The wave shimmered from the sheer amount of demonic power I put into it as the estate was covered.
That particular spell was best used over the entirety of an area.
I watched as a wave of magic rose to circle the property. It was strong, but if the amount of demonic power I had put inside of it was overwhelming then it would be destroyed.
Which was why I wasn't purely using this as a defence. My eyes closed and I shifted the dome to become invisible, then further keying everyone I knew into its boundaries.
Hestia watched interestingly.
Moving clockwise around the property, I layered additional protections. "Salvio Hexia" to deflect magical attempts for forced entry.
"Cave Inimicum" to warn of approaching enemies. "Muffliato" around the walls to prevent eavesdropping.
Anyone with ill intent would find themselves suddenly remembering urgent business elsewhere.
It took nearly an hour to complete the full circuit, but when I finished, the mansion was protected by overlapping defensive magic.
Satisfied with my work, I decided I should probably go get my Familia.
Vermisynth.
Due to the short amount of room in our previous home, he had been forced to mostly sleep all day and occasionally eat magic stones I fed him. This would be a nice upgrade for my Familia guard.
Hestia quickly came to grab my hand, sending me a pout. "Where are you going?"
I blinked.
"I need to get Vermisynth, it's about time he got a bit more room to explore. He's used to the dungeons after all." I replied confusedly.
"Without me?" She grouched playfully.
Ah.
I see.
Hestia was feeling clingy.
My finger entwined with her own.
"I thought you would want to explore the new mansion that was rightfully acquired," I responded.
"I do wish to explore it with you." She sighed and snuggled against me. "I've done nothing Zeph, I've just watched helplessly as you destroyed an entire Familia. I can't take credit for anything. Not your magic, not your strength. Your heritage is amazing and I can sense you would have reached this level without me."
By now we were walking slowly.
I sent her a bewildered look.
Levelling up my Falna had given me a considerable boost in all my stats.
"Don't be silly, you've helped me grow a lot. Even if I would have reached this level, the Falna will give me an extra boost. It's certainly sped up my growth." I replied calmly.
She looked doubtful.
"You said there's a lot of powerful beings in your old world." She pointed out.
I put a silencing spell around us just in case.
"That doesn't mean I was guaranteed that." I smiled and pulled her closer. "Most supposed high-class devils are barely guaranteed to be high-class in magical power and that's with some of them reaching into the hundreds. The more talented devils find themselves reaching the high class a few years above me."
That was what I knew of it anyway. Being a high-class devil didn't mean high-class strength, that only stood for reincarnated Devils who wanted to ascend.
Honestly, my sealed power of destruction and my overbearing elder sister's insistence that the seal would make it harder for me. Which was just a shitty excuse to try to keep me coddled.
At least the seal had come undone now, and I was still finding my way around the chaotic power of destruction.
She hummed, a small smile blossoming on her face.
"Does that mean you're a prodigy?" She teased.
"Well, of course. Only a prodigy would somehow manage to get a hot goddess to be his girlfriend." I replied in the same tone.
She was silent for a moment.
"Are you sure I can't do anything else?"
"No, are you forgetting you got me a weapon?" I questioned.
"With your money." She replied.
"But you used your connection to get me a weapon personally made by a goddess." I pointed out. "And besides that, who really cares? You're kind and you belong to me."
She beamed. "If you say so."
-Scene Break-
A monster charged at me from the left.
I sidestepped and drove my elbow into its
flank, the impact sending it crashing into the stone wall with enough force to leave a crater.
Without missing a beat, I spun and caught a leaping Hellhound by the throat, my grip burning through its hide as I slammed it into the ground.
I had decided to go to the dungeon alone for today.
It had been a few days since the relocation of my Familia into the large mansion. And things had gone smoothly which was… concerning.
Three more monsters rushed me simultaneously, two Cadmus and a Spartoi. I ducked under the first dragon's snapping jaws, grabbed its neck, and used it as a club to smash the second Cadmus into the wall.
The force that had set up the Apollo encounter hadn't made any more moves, which was making me consider what I was going to do as a retaliation.
The Spartoi's bone sword slashed at my head, but I deflected its attack and drove my fist through the skeleton's ribcage.
A pack of Valgang Dragons emerged from the deeper passages, their red scales gleaming in the dungeon's dim light.
It seemed the dungeon was lively tonight.
I lashed out with precise strikes, each hit shattering their scaled hides and reducing them to magic stones.
The floor trembled as a massive Cadmus charged into view, easily twice the size of the others, its draconic roar echoing through the corridors. I didn't bother with strategy.
I met its charge head-on, my fist colliding with its skull in a thunderclap that sent cracks spider-webbing across the stone walls.
The oversized dragon crumpled instantly.
More monsters poured from every direction.
I had planned on going lower but it seemed that the dungeon was lively enough on this floor to train at the rate I wanted to train at.
The monsters kept coming in endless waves. More Spartoi rattled forward while Cadmus breathed fire from multiple directions, trying to corner me with coordinated attacks.
I spun in place, my arms extended, creating a whirlwind of destruction that cleared everything within a ten-foot radius.
A few hours later all of the monsters were dead, leaving a pile of bodies.
I spent a while collecting the many crystals.
As I went to leave I paused. My eyes caught sight of something in my peripheral vision.
A large Minotaur stood in the hallway ahead, but this one was different. It wasn't charging. It wasn't even moving aggressively.
Just watching me with eyes that held something that looked like... intelligence?
I tilted my head, confused. "Hey there bulky, you're not supposed to be on this floor."
"Bulky?" It repeated my word.
Its voice was deep and rough.
I stared…
What?
The Minotaur was absurdly large and it took two steps forward, causing thumps that gave me an idea of just how heavy the monster was.
"Strong."
The Minotaur shifted into a fighting stance, its movements too fluid.
Most Minotaur were smaller and much less controlled, normally simply charging in stiff moments or swinging their fists wildly in an attempt to punch.
This one was different.
The Minotaur sniffed the air.
Then, his legs went low and he charged in a surprising show of strength.
-END-
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