Celestial Ascendancy
Chapter 41: Grinding and looting.
Hogwarts.
Elias Black.
Feeling the Grimoire stir inside my soul, I grinned.
Seekvaira disconnected from the call some minutes ago, and the girls were busy reading the Devil's Ancestry book Arcturus loaned us to learn about the Gremorys and Baels and decide whether we should summon them. I was obviously already excited, but I had no way to explain why, so I let them be.
Feeling the familiar weight of the Grimoire on my hands, I opened it softly.
600 CP available.
Orbs of energy- God of War. 200 CP.
When your enemies lie dead, especially an entire horse of them, it is not uncommon for one to find themselves tired and exhausted. No longer, as upon your enemies' death, multicolored orbs will spring forth from their corpses, flowing into you. These will replenish both your physical health and stamina , as well as your stores of magical energy. Some will give you more of one than the other, but you certainly won't be complaining, only going forth to kill even more.
400 CP left.
Stitched Lips- Magic the awakening. 200 CP
An ever-present danger in the world of espionage is that should an agent be captured, they will be tortured, interrogated, and coerced, likely divulging sensitive information in the process. You have been trained in anti-interrogation techniques as well as meditations that will prevent your thoughts from being detected by outside interference. It is likely that you will be able to shrug off just about any torture, drug, mind probe, mystical lasso of truth, or any other technique that would make you divulge information against your will. This does not mean, however, that you will be able to escape the consequences of resisting (they may still try to kill or torture you more if you don't divulge information).
200 CP left.
Gorgon Eyes- God of War. 50 CP
Ripped straight out of the heads of the snake women, many know to fear the gaze of the gorgons lest they be turned to stone. But what many don't know is that they are highly valuable when used as an ingredient. When properly ground up and mixed into an elixir, which you will receive a recipe for, you will have a drink that will permanently increase your vitality. These ten eyes will replenish weekly.
Bought.
Failed to buy Eternal Priestess, 600 CP.
Grinning excitedly, I nearly jumped out of my seat as I read through the elixir recipe for the Gorgon Eyes. This was incredible, especially since it would help the girls more than it helped me. The other two rewards were great, but nothing got me going like this one.
With the other rolls, I could shrug off any kind of magical probing even better than before, and the energy-replenishing orbs would definitely come in handy down the line. I wasn't sure exactly how much energy those orbs would give me, but considering the enemies I had… yeah, it'd be helpful either way.
Death eaters and monsters will only become batteries for me.
The girls watched me with knowing smiles, clearly waiting for me to explain why I was so worked up.
After a quick breakdown, I handed the recipe to Hermione. She was by far the best potion-maker among us. And since the eyes regenerated weekly, she could afford to use however many she needed for her experiments.
Knowing her brilliance, she will probably find other uses for the supernatural eyes pretty soon. I couldn't help but get excited about it.
"That's awesome," Iris grinned. "But I wonder how much vitality that actually gives. What you said it's kind of vague."
Hermione nodded but didn't respond. Her eyes were glued to the parchment, wholly absorbed in it already.
"I guess we'll have to find out," I said, shrugging. "Worst case, it just makes us healthier. In the best case, it lets us tank spells without falling over. Either way, I'm not complaining. Anything that protects you, too, is a plus for me."
"Fair enough," Iris said, tapping her chin. "By the way, why were you so excited when Seekvaira mentioned those names?"
"Ah." I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly sheepish. "Was it that obvious?"
"Yes, mister," Hermione drawled without looking up.
I chuckled. "My bad. I just… might've looked into some devil social media stuff. Turns out, those three are kind of a big deal."
Iris gave me a flat look. "Out with it, Eli."
Still grinning, I pulled up the Devilnet's Facebook knockoff and searched for Rias's profile. I'd already looked through it more than once—not proud of that—but that didn't stop me from rechecking it.
Her profile picture was still the same. She was breathtaking; there was no way around it. Akeno stood beside her in the photo, which made it even better. I suspected they were in the human world since I didn't think there were beaches in hell, but they looked amazing in those bikinis.
Yeah... both of them were dangerously beautiful.
I didn't even need to say anything. The moment the screen loaded, Iris leaned over my shoulder for a better look—and froze.
Her mouth actually dropped open.
"The red-haired one is Rias Gremory. The black-haired one next to her is Akeno, her Queen, from what I found out," I said with a chuckle at her reaction.
"No way," Iris whispered. "Those tits have to be fake."
Snorting, I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before replying, "That was my first thought, too, when I saw the picture. I know devils don't really do modesty, but... those bikinis aren't leaving anything to the imagination."
Hermione, who had only glanced up from the recipe sheet, peeked at the screen and immediately leaned in.
She didn't say anything at first. Just blinked. Twice.
Then, finally, "Bloody hell. I feel bad for their backs."
Iris pointed at the screen again, still wide-eyed. "That one. Rias. She's like... inhumanly sexy."
"And Akeno," Hermione added softly, "that smirk should be illegal."
"I thought Fleur was the ceiling," Iris said slowly. "You know, with the Veela magic and all that. But these two? I don't even know what I'm looking at."
I nodded seriously. "Yeah. That was exactly my reaction the first time, too."
Hermione blinked again. "They look like they stepped out of a fantasy novel."
"And just decided to stay hot forever," Iris muttered.
"Exactly," I said with a grin. "So yeah, that's why I reacted the way I did. Hopefully, we all get along... but honestly, just the fact they're offering to help is a good sign."
"After seeing her, I really hope we do," Iris grinned.
Hermione huffed and smacked her shoulder. "You're such a gremlin, Iris."
Rolling her eyes, she asked, "What about the other two?"
I took the phone back and searched for Sairaorg. His profile picture popped up—just him, shirtless, working out with a massive grin.
"I don't know too much about him," I said, holding the phone. "All I found was that he's more of a hand-to-hand fighter. Doesn't have his clan's Power of Destruction, so people looked down on him for a while. But he's powerful. Stronger than Seekvaira, at least at the start."
The girls leaned in to get a look.
"He looks like a barbarian," Iris deadpanned. "Like he'd fold you in half without trying."
"Your faith in me warms my heart," I muttered, giving her a flat look before shaking my head. "He's probably stronger than Alivian, and considering Seekvaira's Queen is a dragon, that's damn impressive."
"I guess so," Hermione said with a thoughtful nod. "The more prepared we are, the better I'll feel."
"Exactly," I said, grinning again. "And for Sona, here she is."
I did a quick search and handed them the phone. They both studied the screen for a moment.
"I guess devils really do come in all flavors," Iris said, sounding almost relieved. "She's cute, though. Looks pretty serious."
"And guess what?" I grinned.
"It turns out that Rias and Sona are very well connected," I continued seriously. "Rias's older brother is the current Lucifer, while Sona's older sister is the Leviathan. We could have an in with them if we earn their friendship."
"Not that we'll only do that for that reason," I continued firmly, "But it's definitively a plus, I guess."
"Trying to be their friends for that reason alone leaves a bad taste in my mouth," Iris nodded thoughtfully. "We won't push anything. If something happens, cool, but if not, whatever."
Hermione nodded firmly, and I believed she was the one who felt the worst about those kinds of friendships.
Before we could continue, the room lit up with the Agares magic circle, and three pamphlets appeared there.
Smiling, I typed a thanks and sent it to Seekvaira while promising to prepare for the gift to her father. I had a good idea for it, which was something I should have done before, but this gave me a nice excuse.
Iris grabbed the summoning circles and observed them carefully, "Should we summon them simultaneously or one by one? And when, for that matter."
"I know you girls, and you will probably want to investigate more about them before doing anything," I chuckled. "So, why don't you take the phone and the book for today? We can decide tomorrow. The third task will be in three months, but the faster we start, the more prepared we'll be."
Hermione nodded firmly, "I think that's for the best. While I trust Seekvaira, I feel that we should make some digging before anything."
Iris grinned, "It's a plan, then. But what will you do, Eli? It sounded like you have plans for today."
"Yeah," I sighed. "I think it's time I used my sword for real. I plan to go to the Forbidden Forest for the rest of the day."
Thinking about Seekvaira's request made me realize that I had a way to make the most luxurious chess set in Wizarding Britain for her father. Flitwick kept me using wooden swords for our training. Still, considering all of my enhancements since I started, I doubt there was something truly dangerous for me in the forest.
Hermione eyes brightened, "Ah, the gems?"
"What gems?" Iris asked confusedly.
"The sword I got from the Grimoire can create gems out of my fallen foes. They can increase the sword's strength, but I think making a solid gold with encrusted gems for Duke Agares will endear him to us," I explained, "Think about it. They are devils, and everyone loves shiny things. Even if he decides to stay away from our contract with Seekvaira, getting his approval will smooth out some of her actions."
Iris nodded excitedly, "That's a nice idea, Babe. If you have some extras at the end of the day, I want a ring."
I smiled softly, and she blushed when she realized what she had said.
"I'll make one especially for you, love," I replied softly, taking her hand in mine, "For both of you."
Hermione reddened but only nodded slowly with a small smile, "Thank you, Eli. We'll wait for you in the common room."
Later.
"Are you ready, baby?" I cooed at Ash, who was perched on my shoulders while looking around in wonder.
It made me feel bad since she spent most of her time inside my hollow. Yes, it was big and all, but there weren't any animals besides her in my trunk.
An idea for later. I loved animals; having more would never be a problem, and I had magic to care for them. It wasn't as if having ten or so more would trouble me.
Ash thrilled and I felt her excitement inside my mind. The only reason I took her with me was that she was big enough to defend herself if something happened, and having somewhere else to set on fire will hopefully calm her down and avoid problems inside my trunk.
"Then let's go," I softly caressed her beak before cloaking us with my magic. While I did want to say hello to Hagrid, I wasn't sure the gentle half-giant wouldn't try to stop me from doing something dangerous.
I didn't wish to sour our relationship. We all liked him a lot.
Running at my fastest speed across the courtyard, I smiled, feeling the wind across my face as Ash flew above me. With my enhanced reserves, cloaking us while apart was surprisingly manageable and didn't strain them.
The air cracked as I ran, boots thudding silently across the stone paths of Hogwarts. My magic held tight over me like a second skin, but that didn't mean the effects went unnoticed.
Bushes bent and leaves with the displaced air I created with sheer speed. Curtains fluttered against the windows despite the lack of wind in the location.
A pair of third-years jumped when a gust of force knocked their scarves loose, sending parchment flying out of their bags.
Damn… I should have felt bad, but I only grinned.
One of them spun in a circle, wide-eyed. "Did you feel that?!"
"The hell was that?" the other muttered with his eyes darting around.
Ash thrilled above, her wings flaring in excitement as she tried to match my speed, her golden feathers blazing in the sky. The flickers of flames trailing from her tail left faint glimmers in the air before dissipating. Still, they were noticeable enough for other birds to avoid her flight path.
I grinned, heart pounding with the rush of speed.
I don't remember when I felt as free as I do now. Running at these speeds without anyone noticing was something else. I wonder if Iris feels this way in her broom. If she does… I didn't blame her for loving it as much as she did.
The Forbidden Forest loomed ahead, dark and ancient. What would have scared me before only fueled my excitement. I couldn't wait to see what the forest had to offer. I didn't plan to kill indiscriminately, but I was sure a lot of things would attack me, thinking I was foolish food.
Everything changed the moment I entered. The air grew cooler and thicker. The magic of the place pulsed beneath my feet like a second heartbeat. The trees groaned under the wind, making it feel ethereal and dangerous.
Ash landed softly on a branch ahead, her eyes locked on mine, glowing with excitement.
I dropped my cloak with a thought and grinned.
Ash flew toward my shoulder and perched herself there, her eyes tracking the movement from everything in sight.
Before I could take a single step forward, a flash of fire burst into the air just a few feet ahead. I tensed instantly, conjuring an ice dagger in my hand by instinct.
Then Fawkes squeaked, wings flaring wide as he dropped a rolled parchment directly into my palm.
The phoenix released a warble that sounded way too much like a scolding parent before flapping lazily to the nearest tree branch. He puffed up his feathers, watching me with narrowed eyes like he was the one inconvenienced.
Palming my face, I sighed. Of course.
I should've known Dumbledore would feel the moment I slipped past the ward line. Probably had a dozen enchantments pinging in his office by now.
I unrolled the parchment and chuckled as I read it.
My dear Elias,
Given the lack of explosions and screaming, I trust there is no emergency . Still, a student leaving school grounds unannounced always raises a few concerns, especially one like you. May I ask what you're doing beyond the forest's edge?
With warm regards,
Albus Dumbledore.
No lectures at all. Just that quiet curiosity of his, and it was mostly for my wellbeing. Honestly, it was harder to deal with than him punishing my rule-breaking. What I thought my relationship with Dumbledore would be in this life wasn't like this. I was not complaining; I was growing fond of the older man.
He was surprisingly understanding and didn't push me to be what he wanted, which was something I genuinely feared at the start. No… he was trying, and that deserved respect.
Reaching into my coat, I pulled out a sleek black pen. A Muggle one, obviously. It wrote smoother than the quills for schoolwork. Tradition could bite my perfectly sculpted arse.
Flipping the parchment over, I wrote my reply in quick strokes:
Training. I'll be back for dinner.
—Elias
I flicked the letter once and handed it to Fawkes, who looked at me like he was seriously debating burning it just to make a point.
"Go on, you drama queen," I muttered while rolling my eyes.
With a final judgmental chirp, he took off in a burst of flame.
I shook my head, sliding the pen back into my coat and letting the ice dagger dissolve into mist.
"Alright, Ash," I said, finally turning toward the dense shadows ahead. "Time to see what we can do here."
I took a deep breath before summoning my Gem-Encrusted Blade and marveling at its weight. I remembered that it felt good before, but now it was incomparable. It felt like it belonged in my hand.
Grinning, I started walking inside with Ash. My steps were careful but loud intentionally. I wanted to be noticed, after all.
The first ten minutes passed in silence, not a single being in sight, but I could feel eyes watching me the deeper into the forest I went. Grinning, I continued with my walk unimpeded.
A sharp sound from above alerted me that it was starting. Lifting my eyes, a group of small Acromantula threw themselves from the trees toward me, landing with a thud and scuttling fast to encircle me. They weren't nearly as big as the ones from the movies, meaning they were likely young.
Still ugly though.
Without waiting for a single moment, I prepared myself.
My blade was in my hand before the first lunged, the metal gleaming under the sun. I didn't plan to use magic today, as much as it would make this faster; I was here mainly for training.
The first spider came in from the left, legs clacking against the forest floor. I ducked low and sidestepped, dragging my blade in a clean arc that severed two legs and part of its abdomen. It shrieked loud enough to hurt my ears before it crumpled into the floor.
Another charged straight at me.
I stepped past it, let its momentum carry it forward, and sliced across the back of its head with a clean stroke. One more down. The rest of the group hesitated momentarily, clicking their mandibles before one Spat something in my direction.
My feet moved before I could think, letting my instincts guide me. I spun into the attack, dodging a strike from above and sliding under another. My blade danced across the spiders in a beautiful massacre.
Ash shrieked overhead, wings flapping excitedly as she watched the fight unfold. I could feel her eagerness to join, but I didn't need her help. I was about to say something to her before she spat a glob of fire at the side of her tree. A shriek sounded, a spider falling into the ground in pain as the phoenix fire consumed it until nothing was left behind.
Each spider that came close fell in a heartbeat. No wasted effort. No hesitation, just like Flitwick taught me. I was fast enough that the Acromantula couldn't even follow my movements properly. They struck at my previous positions only to fail.
And then they were all dead.
Fifteen in total, a nice warmup if I say so myself.
I let out a breath and flicked the blood from my blade the same way I had seen it done in movies in my past life before I finished cleaning it up in a "clean" piece of spider.
Ash landed beside one of the corpses, tilting her head and examining it like a cat. I reached down and gently patted her head.
"Don't eat that," I said. "Venom's probably still fresh."
She chirped in mock offense but hopped away obediently.
I didn't know why she acted offended... she ate everything she could.
I waited for a minute and was only slightly surprised when the bodies were covered by light before they disappeared, leaving behind tiny pieces of Quartz. I didn't know the price of gems… but honestly, I didn't think they were that precious.
It didn't matter, though; I was only starting.
Over the next six hours, I carved a path through the forest like a possessed man. It ended with me being caked in blood and having to wash it up multiple times over my stay.
The first real challenge came in the form of a nest of adult Acromantulas. They weren't quite like Aragog. They were a bit smaller but still large enough to tower over me if I let them. They swarmed fast, clicking and hissing like the beast they were.
I didn't let them get close. My sword danced between them fast, and when the last one crumpled to the mossy floor, their bodies crumbled into dozens of glowing shards. The blade was getting sharper each time I won.
Ten low-tier gems clattered to the ground around me. Not impressive, but still useful.
Near a crumbling riverbank, a Forest Troll burst through the underbrush with a roar that shook the leaves loose. I blocked its club with one arm, feeling its weight tingle in my skin. The troll was a durable bastard, but I was sure he felt the same about me. My blade bit into its side, but it barely flinched.
So, I stopped holding back.
Without controlling my strength, I shattered its tusks with a well-placed punch and carved through its chest. It fell, groaning, and melted into the ground.
The troll gave me more gems than the spiders, ten more minor gems, and ten medium-tier crystals followed, sparkling with a brighter glow than before. The quality was much, much better to my untrained eyes.
Further in, I stumbled across a Graphorn grazing near a ravine. Its thick skin and armor-plated massive horns looked majestic. We stared at one another for a long moment. It didn't charge, and I didn't reach for my blade.
Instead, I bowed low. A show of respect.
It snorted, lowered its head in return, then turned and disappeared into the trees.
I smiled. Not everything had to end in blood. It was a beautiful creature… and I wanted one for my hollow. A pair of them, probably, just so that it had company.
Vowing myself to return in the future, I grinned.
But the forest wasn't done testing me.
The chimera hit me like a freight train. A bundle of fur, scales, and fire all in one. It came from above, pouncing from a cliff with claws and teeth bared. I hit the ground and rolled, barely dodging its snake-headed tail as it lashed at my throat.
Ash screamed from above and lit the trees with fire, giving me an opening. I lunged. Steel pierced hide, then bone. A roar, a crack, and then silence.
I didn't notice it before it reached me, and thanks to my surprise, I didn't hold back at all. My blade imitated Excalibur well, with how deep inside the stone it was, and half of my arm was inside the floor as well. The serpentine head of the grown chimera was a pulp of gore and venom.
The venom was potent. My body was exceptional, and it stung minutely, but it did. My arm was a bit red, but with a flick of my wand, the venom disappeared into a small flask for later, which could be helpful. Focusing on my arm, I felt the small head lessen as I sent healing energy toward it.
Ten lesser gems, ten medium, and five rare ones rolled from its corpse, each singing with power. The rarest glowed like frozen starlight. It was probably worth a fortune and the perfect addition to the king piece. It was big enough to cut it in pieces and use it for all of them, but that would be unoriginal… so I continued my hunt.
At the end of the day, I wasn't tired physically, but mentally. I'd fought enough to level a small army, and even if I didn't feel it in my limbs, my brain was starting to slow down from constant alertness.
Still… worth it.
Three rare ores sat safely tucked in my pouch. None of them looked the same. One was a deep green chunk that shifted colors under the light. Another had a nice effect under the light. It was dark as coal, but when light shined through it, a bunch of different colors appeared. The third was almost clear with a hint of green. They were all beautiful and big enough for what I needed.
The medium gems were decent, too, about twenty-five or so. Good enough quality to sell if I needed the cash or find something to make with them. Gems were usually good magic conductors; maybe Mione would be interested in learning that. She was always up to learn new things.
While the lower-tiered gems… I stopped counting after fifty. I didn't know how useful they would be, but whatever. I got what I wanted, so it wasn't a wasted effort.
Ash flew beside me, lazy now. She was full of torching more than her fair share of threats, and I could feel her satisfaction humming in my mind.
My beautiful, little but deadly pyromaniac.
Good day overall.
Night.
The girl's eyes were bright when they saw the gems for the first time, with Iris clutching the green one to her chest like a mama bear to her cub. She was smitten with it, and I didn't fault her. They looked like her eyes, after all.
"I want a ring with a piece of this one," Iris pouted, her bright green eyes almost moistening.
"Ugh," I patted my chest, "Why must you be so adorable."
"You know that you'll get whatever you ask when you are like that," I whined playfully, "I'm glad you like it, love."
"It's a Topaz," Hermione mumbled after looking at it carefully and comparing it to an image on the phone. "I have no idea how to determine the quality, but I'm sure it's a topaz."
"And the other ones?" I asked.
Mione bit her lip. "I may be wrong. " She started by grabbing the other two stones with care, almost afraid of them. Her voice cracked as she examined them closely. "This might be a Black Opal and this one an Alexandrite."
"Why are you acting like that, Mione?" Iris asked with a lifted eyebrow.
"If I am right?" she almost whispered, "These ones could be up to a million pounds each."
Iris's eyes widened as she sat on the bed; she looked almost ready to faint.
"But I could be wrong," Mione continued, "Here it says that they haven't found a single one as big as this one… but you know… magic sword."
I felt the same way as Iris. This was… shocking, to say the least.
"We should leave them here until we can find an expert," I said thoughtfully, "Not a single word of this to anyone."
Iris nodded rapidly, and Hermione looked at the gems with wonder and nervousness.
Sighing, I pulled them toward me. "So, did you decide about the summons?"
Iris pressed toward my chest, inhaling deeply, "Yeah, from what we could find out, they look good."
I could feel my excitement rising; I just hoped Iris thought like I did.
"Who will we summon first, then?" I asked, acting as if I didn't have a preference.
"We decided on Rias if that's alright with you," Iris grinned, already knowing my answer.
"Oh, I don't care," I replied neutrally, but Hermione laughed out loud, smacking my chest softly.
"You are such an idiot, Eli," Mione continued laughing, "But you are our idiot."
I grinned and kissed her brow, "I love you both."
"Let's sleep to be ready for tomorrow, yeah?" I asked softly, closing my eyes.
"Uhu," Iris nodded.
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