Chapter 139

Delly, Ryuu, Kunou and I looked at the empty spots where the last dungeon segment I owned, and my second last 'package' used to be. After Ganesha did his usual Happy Dance OF THE PEOPLE, we closed the connection, and I sighed.

Then, I picked up Kunou, hugging her tightly and spinning in place exactly once, "Thank you so much!" My antics made Delly laugh, since I almost never let myself do silly things.

I then put her down where I'd gotten her, knelt, and gave her my best ears scratches, "We accept your thanks graciously." She smiled, though she looked very tired, "If you wished to further show your appreciation..."

"Name it, Kunou-sama." I said seriously, "Let no one tell you that you are too young to be helpful. To me especially."

She smiled, then covered her mouth with a hand to yawn, "We would like lunch. And afterwards, to commission from you a special item."

"I will do this for you." I nodded.

"Should we..." Delly started, motioning to Ryuu.

"Please, do not let my indulgence rob you of Kodori-sama's skill at cooking."


After a meal of fried tofu, fish, mushrooms and vegetables, I was then commissioned to make Kunou a Brush. A nice one. Something she could show off without commenting on it, like flashing a nice ring or something with a hand gesture, like Rias had been doing every chance she got.

So, with me holding a chisel (adamant tipped) with both hands, and Ryuu tapping the end of it when ever I nodded my head, I worked on the left over bit of Yu Long's emerald scale. No longer did it burn when I touched it, the glass smooth surface instead tingled pleasantly. Thankfully, it didn't chip like glass when my chisel bit into it, and after a few minutes of Ryuu and I working on it, I got a small slab of it free, about as long as my hand.

After that, there was sanding. Putting a super shallow dish into one side, making the overall shape into an oval, getting Ryuu to work with a bit of wood for a frame and handle, getting Delly to work with the mini crucible to melt some silver...

After all that, the main part was set aside, and I got a bit of leather (Fenrir's), made some silver wire (really fine), and stitched it into the leather, making neat rows. Rows in place, I applied resin to the back to hold the wire in place on the leather, and the leather in place on the brush. Then, I cut the loops of silver on the outside, making each 'loop' into two 'prongs'. A soft wire brush, safe for anyone but a corrupt being or maybe a ghost.

After all that, I carefully etched in a picture of the sakura tree Shinkage was so fond of from Kyoto onto the back of the brush, and filled it with gold. A thin coat of lacquer to keep it all in place and protected from the environment...

Afternoon well spent. I even put it in a nice box, leaving it on the work table after we'd cleaned everything up and turning out the lights.


I skipped dinner, and instead helped get Hagane-ni and Shinkage a little more 'combat worthy'. It seemed that without a heart, Shinkage had a very limited range for supplying power to Hagane-ni. That was okay, they were a pair, and had put in a good amount of effort being a team. Even if it was 'one mind two bodies'. Then again... I did that myself. I was just fluffier.

"Hm, seems going without dinner is catching up with me." I said, getting back to my feet after Hagane-ni hit me with a nearly two ton body check, while Shinkage coated the ground with ice. A silly mistake, but also a staged one. "You guys keep it up, but don't wear yourselves out!"

Rias and her peerage replied with a "Yes Sensei!"

"I'll be back at the apartment a little later." I told Ryuu, dusting off my Fenrir coat and shaking off my tails.

No fooling her, I could see she knew I was up to something. But she didn't ask.

Which was good. Since if I told anyone, it wouldn't work.


More fried tofu, some pasta, a little cheese that I'd tried making (months ago, but now it was aged well enough to taste), sauce, quail, fresh bread... A simple meal with a wide array of textures. Except I was setting it up at the shrine, in the main prayer hall. To my left was a blue cushion, thin but edged with a fine white tassel. To my right, a green one, thicker, and edged with a blond tassel. And across from me, a round white cushion, the edge framed by a thick black rope. I myself had no cushion, and would kneel on the bare wood of the floor.

I closed all the doors save the one behind me leading to the Honden, the 'inner shrine', and sat down, taking the lids off the pots I had used, letting the aroma fill the air around me. Lastly, I opened a stone bottle, slightly warmed, that was filled with that really nice cherry sake from Kyoto.

I felt them arrive as soon as I finished filling the little sake cups, their sudden presence almost ruining my mood. Susanoo sat first, setting his sword down next to him, his 'well loved' gi and hakama hardly ruffling with his motions. Inari was next, sitting to my right, her big fox companion absent this time, she wore an 'extra fancy' Miko robe, white and red, her hair done up in a simple pony tail, almost like she'd been cleaning a shrine before coming. Then across from me, in her absolutely perfectly average way, Amaterasu sat, her expertly arranged kimono not quite 'rich' not quite 'modest', in all the colours of the morning, the sun on one sleeve, the moon on the other.

I said nothing until I filled my own cup, raised it, and said quietly, "You honour me with your presence and time. Will you dine with this humble Kitsune, and listen to her selfish request?"

"With respect for a fellow warrior, I will hear your request." Susanoo said, raising his cup.

"With respect for a fellow mother, I will hear your request." Inari said, raising her cup.

"With respect for a fellow scholar, I will hear your request." Amaterasu said, raising her cup.

And we drank. Susanoo downing it in a single go, Inari and Amaterasu using both hands to raise it to their mouths and sip, and me using a single hand to take a sip of my own. Formality observed, obeisance given, audience granted, Susanoo was the first to speak 'normally'.

"Takemikazuchi was REALLY upset with you, for tossing him off the mountain." He laughed, taking a little of everything provided to his plate, then holding up platters and pots in turn for Amaterasu, filling her plate at her direction.

I started serving things to Inari in much the same way, "He has since recovered and gone back to grumbling in his forest." Inari added with a small smile.

"I have discouraged him from a second encounter with you." Amaterasu said, that single word sending a little chill over my tails.

I served myself last, then bowed my head respectfully to them all, "Thank you, for the news encouragement and deflection of a potential problem in the upcoming days." The three of them smiled with Susanoo adding a quiet 'don't mention it'. "I know Sun Wukong has said the East stands with us for this matter. And I do not question that support..."

"Before you make your plea." Amaterasu started, "I believe your food is best when hot, is that not right, Inari-chan?"

Inari, the only one of the three to have tasted my food, nodded, "Yes, Amaterasu-sama."


So, firmly told in a formal and polite way that food came first... I shut up and ate. To be fair, there was still conversation. Mostly directed by Susanoo, asking 'how the hell I made mushrooms so tasty' or 'what demon pepper is this, to taste so good yet burn my throat like fine shochu'. Other topics included my new tail (no you may not explore Inari-sama! Bad tail! Inari-sama don't encourage it!), local events (Issei made the engagement ring, not I), and the 'war effort' (it's going to plan, but that worries me).


"That was quite delicious." Inari said, her smile feeling like she was patting my ears.

"I would love to get the recipe for some of this!" Susanoo laughed, "And negotiate a little trade for these 'dead peppers' you put in some of it!"

"A wondrous offering." Amaterasu said, dabbing her mouth with a napkin, "I too would like the recipe."

"I have already compiled a small book, with all the cuisine I've come up with while I've been here." I said, "Including where to get the more... non-earthly ingredients." The Rising Phoenix Company, of course. "And will see a copy to your hands as soon as I make them."

They nodded thanks to me as I filled stone cups with tea (from Jiru's special stock). Again, we all raised our drinks, but made no toast, simply taking a sip to signify the end of the meal.

"We will now hear your plea." They said together.

"As you know, in less than four days now, I am leaving. However, the plan requires the use of both places, up here, and the one Ajuka Sensei has made in the underworld. The two Oni, Okakai the Crimson, and Fukawa the Cobalt, will be here defending this place, as well as providing muscle to move the dungeon fragment I hope to recover."

"Ah, those two." Susanoo rubbed his chin, "Is it true? They want to leave with you?"

"It is. My home is a place of constant fighting. And while the fighters are basically volunteers, without them the dungeon would spill onto the surface and destroy the world. The Oni would fit right in."

"And you fear these two would not be enough to defend this place?" Amaterasu asked.

"With the greatest respect, Amaterasu-sama. The incident at the hotel was about half a day's work back home. Because of timing, planning, and necessity, our enemy has had much longer to make ready, and isn't driven by blind revenge." I said calmly, though I didn't feel calm at all.

"I see." She replied, sipping her tea again, "We will protect this place, Kodori-san, until the moment you leave the city of Kuoh will have our full attention."

The other two nodded as well, and I felt a little warmth creep back into my body. I didn't want to seem paranoid, but after asking myself 'what would I do, if I wanted to really screw things up'. The answer, aside from what was already happening, was 'attack the backup plan too'.

It must have shown on my face, but the three of them laughed quietly, "While you aren't part of this world, you have made yourself a part of it while you've been a guest here." Amaterasu said.

"Thank you." I replied, backing up a little and touching my forehead to the floor. "If I might show my further gratitude with dessert?"

I raised my head, and held a hand out to the side. A moment later, forming like a cloud of mist, Sachiko appeared, the handle of a clay pot in her mouth.


December 11

Even my apartment was feeling more empty. I mean, it still had all the furniture in it, but the clutter was gone, the computer and TV was gone, my alchemy set was back in the box it came from... I think it was Jiru I missed the most in the room. Mostly silent provider of flowers and Delly's bed/home.

But soon, hopefully, we'd all be together again, and Delly could stop drooling on my tail while she slept.


"What about the basement?" I asked Rias and Sona as they helped me sort out the workshop one last time. One was there to help sort 'dangerous things', the other to help set it up into a proper classroom for after I left.

"The ORC building will be the devil headquarters until there are no devils in Kuoh." Rias said with a smile, "As it is, I won't quite finish my year here unless I vanish from eyesight..."

"Your own planning aside," Sona said, making Rias stick her tongue out at her, "she is correct. It is likely Rossweisse will teach here a while yet, and take over your role as 'adult supervisor' here. We also have first years in our peerages already, and this will guarantee at least two more years of 'proper' ORC activities."

"Proper as in 'legitimate' as far as the 'normal' school goes?" I asked.

"Yes. Thus, the 'basement' facilities will remain until there is no longer a devil presence here." Sona nodded. "It will also serve as a convenient place to store materials for next semester's workshop classes."

"As for the 'special' safe..." Rias started, handing me tools one at a time so I could wipe them with a cloth and hook them onto a rack, "Lord Ajuka will oversee that after you have returned home. To be honest, I would rather you take everything from in there..."

"I'm not sure where I'd put a thousand litres of Fenrir blood." I shrugged, "But I've packed as much as I could to send home. And while I don't feel bad about it, since it will serve my Familia and Family, some of the stuff I've sent back already is basically like cheating."

"Use every tool to survive." Sona said, "Isn't that what you teach us?"

"It is." I nodded, "Though, some of it won't just be 'to survive'. Some of what I've set in motion could even be seen as traitorous to Orario. But the only 'harm' I'd be inflicting is to some people's wallets."

"Planning ahead, as always." Rias smiled.

"Speaking of." I gave the room one last look, all traces of anything 'magical' or 'strange' gone from the place I'd spent most of my time for the past seven months... "You aren't planning on stepping into direct combat, are you?"

She blushed a little, but shook her head, "I did say I wanted to fight with my peerage, but I am still quite capable of ranged support."

"Good." Both Sona and I nodded at her, "If the worst happened, you'd have to wait for Issei to agree with someone else, for another bit of 'marital aid'." I grinned, watching her blush as red as her hair, "And no, it's not where I hid the rings."

She blinked at me, "You made rings?"

"I did. Since I don't have to be neutral on 'who gets Issei' like I do with Bell at home, I've made wedding rings for all of you." I looked to Sona, "Thank you for those gems, by the way."

"I'd wondered what they were for..."

"Sensei! That's..."

I put a finger over Rias's upper lip, "Only yours and Issei's have the blessing from my Goddess. But remember, he'll stop being Issei if you lock him in a room like some kind of object." I let her go, then reached into a pocket, "For you, and you. Courtesy of Welf."

Welf had sent back almost all the Tarot of me he made. There wasn't much need for them there now after all. Welf being Welf however, meant he hadn't made a single one of them the same. To Rias, I gave one with me, standing, arms crossed, and giving the 'rasied eyebrow' to the viewer. Very much a 'I know what you did' look.

To Sona, the picture was of me in the workshop back home, leaning over something very small and wearing a Friench Maid outfit, a look of extreme concentration on my face.

"I might be absent, but I won't be gone. Not for my friends at least. Just don't be surprised if I don't answer right away, since I will be very busy when I get there."

"Speaking of, you should check up on the girls. I'm sure they'd love one last visit from 'aunty Kodori'." Rias put her card away, "Though, I'm guessing at least one of those is for them?"

"They've gotten theirs already," One with me dancing for the orphans back home, "Your parents too." Sitting at the dinner table, eyeing one of Weine's early attempts at a bread roll critically. "And your brother..." In the workshop, hammer raised as if I were about to destroy the anvil under the metal plate I was working. "And Ajuka Sensei." Looking surprised that something from my alchemy kit exploded.

Welf really had a good memory for silly things.

"Good." Sona smiled, "I will likely ask for advice when I open my school, after I graduate."

"I will want advice too..." Rias nodded, "But also to make sure you get home safe."

"It's nice to have a boss that cares." I smiled, "Looks like the work in here is done. Except moving HIDA."

"I'll miss you too Boss." HIDA said over the speakers in the room, "Just powering things down and locking into safe mode until Gasper turns me back on again."

"I'll hand out more of these after I bring HIDA downstairs. Otherwise... well, I dunno?" I sighed, "I hate waiting for something bad to happen."


After powering HIDA up again (after four minutes of down time) letting the two of them share a hug (since it felt like forever since she lost power) I gave Gasper a card as well. This one of me going over the Familia's ledgers, nibbling on the end of a pen and looking frustrated. I also gave Gasper the biggest hug ever, and HIDA the biggest hug I could (without disrupting her fragile outer 'shell').

I then went to the Hyoudou house afterwards, leaving a new 'Number One Mom' shirt for Mrs. Hyoudou, a 'Number One Dad' shirt for Mr. Hyoudou...

And hiding something for Christmas. I wouldn't be here, but after I had the 'key' to the house, when I built Ophis's bedroom, I knew the best place to hide something. It was mostly little things, a great deal of it picked up months ago when I'd visited the Underworld, but since I hadn't thought of a good time to give it to any of them, I figured I'd default it to Christmas.

More directly, I gave Asia a hug, some cookies, a card (with me reading a book on my favourite chair), another hug, and a copy of my recipe book. Asia's little dragon familiar, who'd I'd never really made friends with, got a nose boop, then a second one when he tried to bite my finger.

Xenovia and Kiba didn't get a card, but they did get a fist bump, a hair ruffle, and one last sparring match.

Rossewiesse got a small bottle of my hangover cure.

Koneko got me a hug before I could give her one, then submitted to a full five minutes of me petting her ears, reducing her to a cuddly purring bundle. She got a copy of the 'dessert' section of my recipe book, though she admitted that would be going to her sister.

Then there was Issei. I surprised him by not just giving him a hug, but I'd made sure to trap his arm between my breasts and wrap him up with my arms and tails. Of course, I made sure to do this when he was the only one in the room with me, just so he wouldn't get in trouble. I let him go before I started coughing on pink fog, ruffled his hair, and shared a fist bump.

Akeno... Well she'd gotten a card of her own already (me looking across the room at someone with a smile), so I only gave her one last hug, and told her to look forward to 'that day devils can't say'.

Then there was Ophis...


"We are surprised you are visiting." She said, "While you are not a 'stranger' to us, we haven't been keeping you close either."

"I know." I nodded, "But still, you're part of the group here, and I figured I'd at least say goodbye. There's just over two days left before I leave, and I have this feeling..."

"The others also speak of 'this feeling' before a dire event. Though, sometimes it is for something minor, like mid-terms."

"Mid-terms aren't a dangerous thing, but they will cause no end of stress to a student." I smiled, "I just wanted to say goodbye, is all. And thank you, since you've been quite helpful in your own way."

"We think this is what Kuroka means by 'having fun'. We would like to continue our stay here." She smiled ever so slightly, her cold black eyes taking on a hint of that smile as well.

"Then please, continue to be a good guest, as well as teach and learn from them." I held up a small clay pot, kept cold by a small application of my own Senjitsu, "As a parting gift, I bring ice cream, just for you. From myself, Delly and Jiru."

"We thank you for your gift... But... we believe we would enjoy it more if it were shared with the others." She slid off her chair, set her book down, and accepted the clay pot.

"In that case, you should join them for dinner and add that to the larger pot I brought over." I smiled, seeing this 'infinite' being not just 'learning' how to share, but 'wanting' to do it.


"Said your goodbyes?" Ryuu asked when I'd returned to the apartment. Like me, she looked to be one step from being ready for combat. Her bed was made, her equipment was in place and her sword was across her knees as she sat on Shinkage's bed. Delly was on her shoulder, looking nervous, but ready.

"While we still have a moment. Yes." I sat on my bed, my hands and eyes going over my equipment, "The only thing we can do is wait now. Everything else is in place. This is like waiting for an irregular monster to spawn... Worse than that actually..."

"Brr, all this tension..." Delly shivered, "Are you guys like this at home?"

"Only when we need to be." Ryuu said, "Potions? Tools?"

I ran my hands under my coat, checking the potion loops, then ran my hand over my belt, feeling for the things I usually hung there. All in place. "Weapons, armour?"

Ryuu checked her forearms and tapped her heels against the floor. Then she took a deep breath, and looked at her wooden sword, the Yggdrasil Branch, making sure the handle was smooth and dry, and the blade free of debris. "Spells?" She looked at Delly.

One by one, Delly summoned and unsummoned the tungsten 'cards' I'd made for her, each with a different element 'mathmagic' spell on it, capable of using as much power as she wanted through them, so long as I had the power to lend to her. "Giant metal cat?" Delly looked to Shinkage as she walked into the apartment.

"Hmm? It's in the shop." the 'goth loli' dragon girl blinked in confusion, "The floors here would certainly not support it."

Serious mood broken, I asked, "No problems at all with it?"

"Aside from risking the floors? No. It's even the right colour now."

Then my phone went nuts. Ringing and vibrating with the same urgency it would if the Japanese Government had sent out an emergency broadcast.

It was a little less than two days before schedule, but the siege had begun.


My 'Team' arrived in the ORC first, partially by proximity, partially since we were at full combat readiness. Sona and her peerage arrived a few minutes later, each of them wearing the equipment I'd made them and looking ready for action.

"As per our agreement, we are staying behind to guard the school." Sona said, "I am sending you four-"

Hagane-ni (literally) walked through the nice wood door of the ORC, "Sorry, stairs were tricky. And they are broken as well."

"Five," Sona went on without batting an eye, "to the Gremory Estate, specifically the field base they have set up at the top of the mountain near the castle."

"The highest point on property." I nodded, "Sona, everyone, remember what you've learned, trust in the skill you've gained, and do not be afraid to back away. To win is to survive."

They all nodded to me, and Sona continued, "If need be, we will be ready to assist. Good luck, Sensei." Sona gave Delly a look as she landed on her shoulder, but made no comment.

"Good luck Boss. See you when you get home." She waved to me.


The 'blue tunnel' effect was much longer than usual, about two full minutes instead of the average ten seconds of a more local transit. As we slipped between realms, I could feel the magical density around me reaching 'dungeon' levels, until finally we rose out of the ground, and into the 'dark' of the underworld night. Around the circle were a half dozen soldiers (yes, wearing that silly angular 'transformer' armour of the Gremory house guard), and a respectable fortification, made mostly of solid stone walls. A hilltop fort by the look of it.

"Ma'am Greyfia! They've arrived!" One of the soldiers called out, "Quickly, off the circle Ma'am Kodori." The guard urged.

We stepped off the circle, Greyfia walking down a flight of stone steps, a pair of old fashioned binoculars in her hand. "Good. The others should be right behind you."

"What's the situation like so far?" I asked.

"I will explain in a moment." She said, the teleport circle lighting up again, "Excellent."

Rias and the others lifted out of the ground a moment later, all of them looking a little breathless, but otherwise ready for battle. "Greyfia, Sensei." Rias nodded to us, the others quickly lining up behind her.

"I will report what we know." Greyfia wasted no time in starting, "Roughly fifteen minutes ago, all of the sites our collective intelligence network had found, and more besides, started to spawn monsters. All major cities, nearly every owned territory, as well as less populated areas that were not part of our findings."

Ryuu and I looked at each other. She was probably feeling what I was, that sudden 'it's about to go sideways' feeling that you got just before the dungeon did something sneaky.

"Thanks to our preparations, a great deal of the initial assault, in populated areas for the most part, was blunted or delayed outright." She nodded to me, "As soon as the first wave hit, we 'flipped' those areas into a barrier space. Due to no small effort from 'Vali's team', the initial interception went well." She frowned.

Then we all heard something... A wave of furious sound that shook the very mountain we were on. I knew that sound!

Ryuu did as well, and before Greyfia could say anything else, my sister and I were on top of the sturdy stone wall of the fort. We were indeed on top of the mountain Issei and Tannin had used to train, and from here, we could see a huge portion of the Gremory lands. The castle, the outlying city near it, and all the nice forests and lakes...

And no less than six Black Goliath.

Even as my blood started to freeze and boil at the same time, the others got to the top of the wall as well. "As you can see," Greyfia said, "The threat we missed might be far bigger than what we delayed in the cities." She handed me her binoculars.

Yes, they were indeed the Irregular, Black Goliath. Roaring, dripping with water, they seemed to have emerged from one of the lakes. Around their feet were other monsters, mostly those weird Rhinoceros Men, or what ever they were called. But others too.

But how...? Was the dungeon segment Rizevim had bigger than the one Ajuka was sending back?

"As you can see, we will have quite the task defending the castle and the outlying area." Greyfia continued.

"Sensei... you've fought those before?" Issei asked, his armour forming around him without him calling for it, "Those are bigger than Tannin!"

The one in the lead, opened its mouth, a beam of energy erupting from its huge maw, pointed at the Gremory castle. It hit a barrier however, the energy splashing against a massive magic circle with the familiar animal cracker in the middle. The town and castle were unharmed, but the area in front of the circle was now on fire.

"We have, yes." I said, "What about the other territories? Lucifaad? Phoenix? Sitri?"

"Lady Serafall is holding the Sitri lands. While the Phoenix territories are being defended by Lord Phoenix and his sons. Lucifaad however is simply being protected by Lord Falbium Asmodeus." She looked to Rias, "Your cousin, Young Lord Sairaorg, is holding the territory near his original home, though I suspect it is because his current home was hit by one of the secondary spawns." She looked back to me, and I handed the binoculars to Rias, "The House of Agares has already sent their deepest thanks for the advanced warning. Their territory was untouched, and has been designated the last line of defence, should it come to that."

"What of my Brother?" Rias asked.

"He, as well as Lord and Lady Gremory are holding the line here."

In the background, there was another roar, and this time three of them fired that insane blue beam of energy. They were still kilometres away from the castle, and once again a barrier flashed and blocked the beams from harming anything. This time however the barrier took a little longer to 'wash' the energy off itself and fade from sight again.

"We will help clear the lands here as quickly as possible, and then move on to who ever needs our help most." Rias said, "Gasper?"

"YES!" Gasper's spine went rigid, but he didn't vanish into a box or hide behind anyone.

"Work with Greyfia, and start to coordinate communications. Lady Ryuu? I know you aren't employed by the Gremory house, but, once Gasper has connected to the other outposts, would you help answer questions on how to defeat these monsters?"

Ryuu looked at me, "You do have more experience." I said to her, "And me?" I asked.

"Help us clear the riff raff from my home." She smiled, "You know, the other thing I'm paying you for."


The first thing I did was summon my black armour. It wasn't just for the wings, but also for the layers of enchantment I'd laid into it. Yes, my Fenrir fur coat was even stronger than my old scale coat, but it still left bits of me exposed, and getting caught by a stray energy blast was a real risk.

We didn't fly there though. Greyfia set up a more local teleport circle and sent us directly to the castle itself, saving a five minute or so flight (if me getting thrown by Tannin was any way to estimate travel time). Once we arrived on the wall facing the lake, and the now eight Black Goliath, along with the hoards of other high powered monsters of more 'human' size, Rias started handing out those little communication beads.

Sticking it to the ear of my fox helmet, I heard Ryuu talking.

"- monsters do not care about pain or loss of life. They will fight until dead. Only when it turns to dust should you turn your back on it if you can help it." Basic monster fighting rules. I tuned it out while Rias looked at the oncoming disaster.

"I'm going to fight the smaller ones until I meet up with a big one." I said, "Those of you with ranged magic should focus down the big ones, one at a time. They are exceptionally magic resistant, and only the most determined blades can get through its skin." There was a reason we made Goliath skin robes for Lilly and Haruhime after all...

"Do they have a magic stone? Doesn't breaking that kill them?" Issei asked.

We all covered our eyes as all eight of them spat forth another beam towards the castle. The barrier held still, but the town near the bottom edge was starting to burn, and monsters were starting to push through the barrier.

"Yes. When I fought one, it was lower than usual." I put a hand near my solar plexus, "These, I have no idea. Though, if any of you can cast a good magic detection spell, maybe you can find it." My sunglasses from Gasper were in 'hammer space' while I was wearing my armour, so I couldn't.

"Gasper?" Rias started giving him instructions over the communication device.

"Sensei." Kiba started, "What about the other ones?"

"Rule of thumb is next to the heart. Though, they have organs like any other living thing. But like Ryuu said, 'if it's dust, it's dead'. They will fight until they die, even if all they have is teeth to bite with."

"Gasper will work on it, as well as the other coordinators from other territories." Rias said, "Do your best and return alive!" She said, her gauntlets lighting up.

"We will remain as artillery as well." Shinkage said from the back of Hagane-ni, "And keep watch for flying things."

"Watch each other's backs." I said, stepping onto the wall and spreading my black angel wings.

"Go!"

And with a flap of wings, we all hopped off the castle wall.


It was a mess. A HUGE mess. The wide area barrier that was protecting the town from the roaring energy blasts and massive fists was less useful against the smaller (though, three metres tall isn't exactly small) rhinoceros monsters. I'd never fought them before, but they were in the deep floors, around and past level thirty or so if I remembered right. There were already soldiers fighting them, or at least, holding them back. They seemed to be resistant to magic, and tough enough that swords and spears were just holding them back a little.

So, I did what I normally did when fighting a 'new' monster in the dungeon. I landed, Xenovia and Koneko landing next to me, singled one out, and hit it with full power.

Not compromising my footing, and being half its height, I ducked under a wildly swing fist the size of a rocking chair and backed by an arm as thick as a couch, and punched it in the knee as hard as I could. Flesh as tough as hardened leather, bones as strong as granite, my punch basically took its leg off at the knee and kept going. As it roared in pain, kicking its one remaining leg and flailing its arms, I brushed a tail over my communication bead and said, "Rhinoceros monsters are as solid as a high powered Rook and resistant to fire and lightning."

A moment later, as I turned, hopped over a flailing arm, and put my armoured boot through the eye socket of the wounded beast and turning it to ash, I heard Gasper reply, "Noted and passed on."

Xenovia had her silly plank of sword out, and was working with Koneko, the smaller girl blocking a titanic fist, giving the other an opening to cut its head off. One of the nearby groups of soldiers cheered at our success, before a commander (or at least, someone in slightly fancier silly looking armour) yelled out, "Switch to ice magic! Immobilize and shatter with blunt weapons!"

"More coming!" Xenovia yelled, "Let's push them back!"

So we did. From my first strike, I had gauged just how much effort I needed to break this monster's defence, letting me get more creative with how I dispatched them. They were slow, but hit harder than a charging Minotaur. I was just pulling myself out of a house after blocking one of those punches, when I saw the sky light up with a beam of crimson fire. Looking back along that beam, I spotted Rias, and in the other direction, a staggering Goliath. The beam had put a hole the size of a car thought its shoulder, nearly taking off the arm, but true to the one I fought, it was regenerating the damage VERY fast.

Not fast enough however. As it started to get itself upright again, roaring in pain and rage, a second red streak hit it, this one trailing green fire from its back. Issei, Ascalon sticking out of his gauntlet, slammed into the monster's forehead, while Kiba followed close behind, driving a long sword of brightly glowing metal into its gut, just below the V of its ribs.

The goliath lost its footing and fell onto its back, and suddenly its entire chest burst into swords. Kiba had used 'Sword Birth' inside the Goliath!

And with a 'fwump' the monster turned to dust.

I was proud, and incredibly jealous, even as I stopped watching like an idiot and got back into the fight. But, that was how Bell and I killed the first one. From the inside. Finding my next targets, I took two running steps towards them, but put on the breaks suddenly when I heard, "Wide area ice effect incoming. Withdraw from combat. Repeat, wide area ice effect incoming. Three... two... one!"

I jumped back away from the two I'd zeroed in on, and as the count hit 'one', a Norse spell circle of cold blue light appeared under them. All around, I saw more of those circles, and yes, it was Rossweisse in the air, hands out, dozens of circles around her as she worked her magic.

"Prioritize rescue of the fallen. Those not tending wounded, attack partially frozen enemies first. Commanders, send wounded to triage A."

"Sensei!" Koneko pointed towards the other Goliath, all of them looking towards Rias even as she let out another focused beam of power at the lead monster.

"Oh crap!" I flicked an tail over my ear bead, "They are focusing fire on Rias!"

I'd seen the solo one do this to Bell, even missing the top of its head, it knew exactly who had hurt it. Rias hadn't moved, her hands still out as the beam of her Power of Destruction ALMOST hit the lead monster.

They all roared in unison, those massive 'mouth beams' converging into one, and pushing back against the destructive magic. "Xenovia, Koneko! Pick a kneecap!"

"Yes Sensei!" And we were flying at top speed at the nearest one.

Overhead, fire rained down on the town, the magic barrier needing to go down to let out Rias's magic. As strong as she was, she was losing ground quickly.

Koneko, lightest and fastest hit the one behind the lead Goliath first, right in the kneecap. Her little fist sounding like a wrecking ball hitting stone. Right behind, as the Goliath's leg started to fold up, Xenovia's massive sword let out a wave of energy cutting into the leg just above the shattered joint, then followed up by cutting into that gap with the blade itself.

Even as that Goliath's beam diverged from the focused point, I saw a chance to cause a little collateral damage. Instead of the knee, I pulled up driving my fist into the side of its head, the super hot air around the magic blast making me sweat, even as its neck broke, and the beam splashed off the back of the first one's head.

The beam's focus ruined, Rias's blast of power took the head of the beast clean off, though, not before it, and the other beams, ravaged the town under us, and burned furrows into the castle wall. The barrier went back up a moment later, but the damage had been done.

"DURANDAL!" Xenovia shouted, driving the point of her blade into the monster's gut.

It wasn't quite enough, the point of the blade going maybe a quarter of its length in, but Koneko was already winding up for a punch, hitting the pommel of the silly giant sword with a dispassionate "Eh." and driving the blade into the Goliath right to the crosspiece like a giant nail.

With a familiar 'snap' I heard the crystal shatter inside of it, and the second Goliath went down. The one we had downed however was moving to get up again. Its ravaged knee was almost whole again, and its neck had already 'pop-crack'ed into place again. But, it was still on the ground still. Seeing my chance, I got a little more height, pointed myself down, flapped once for a little speed, then did a nose dive towards its exposed chest.

I didn't need help this time. No magic sword from Welf, or Argonaut Firebolt from Bell. I was level five, with the full power of my magic behind my fist. I just had to time it just right... An instant before impact, I 'slapped the wave', my palm just over it's skin. As the sonic explosion of my right hand ripped open a beach ball sized hole in its chest, my left shot forward, a second 'slap' joining the first. Its magic resistance didn't help it as a wave of plasma burrowed into the hole I started, its magic stone cracking as it was suddenly hit with an instant of heat that was roughly 6000 degrees Celsius.

Even as the stone cracked and the third Goliath started to turn to dust, I was sent backwards by the sudden blast of heat that was hotter than the surface of the sun. Thankfully protected by my armour and own resistance, I didn't burn myself, or hurt myself when I slammed into the ground and rolled to a stop inside someone's empty living room. Note to self, never use that 'down' or in enclosed spaces... Shaking my hands to try and stop the metal gauntlets from heating up, I heard over the communication bead...

"The forth Goliath is down. The source of the monsters has been found and isolated."

I got back outside, shedding bits of someone's poor couch, just in time to be nearly knocked off my feet by a shock wave ripping through the ground under me. This was followed by what seemed like an entire lake worth of water falling from the sky.

Then I spotted a familiar suit of armour with a little splash of red hair hovering over the lake the monsters were coming out of. Except now the lake was empty, since Sirzechs had just blown it up, along with what ever might have been spawning the monsters. It was not a small lake by any means, and emptying it out like that would have taken destructive power on par with a nuclear bomb...

My eyes widened, and I was just about to say something, but Gasper chimed in, "Lord Ajuka says the dungeon fragment wasn't down there."

"Does he know where it is?" I asked.

This time it was Greyfia who replied, "Lord Ajuka's report was more in line of 'where it is not'. He has not located it, but the first places he has searched are where the monsters are thickest."

"Thank you." I replied, "Back to work, keep an ear out."


Rias, from her place on the castle wall, managed two more of those highly focused beams, giving us, her peerage (and retainer) opportunity to down two more of the Black Goliath. Sirzechs, now that he wasn't busy blowing up the lake, took care of three all by himself, though, even with his insane power, the Black Goliath still managed to resist his magic. To be fair, back home, they were basically immune to it.

It took about two hours to clear the town out of all the 'smaller' monsters. With Asia keeping people on their feet, expert coordination, well placed magic, and a team of people who were getting used to what to expect, casualties were fairly light. But reports were still coming in from other parts of the underworld, even from the Fallen angel lands, of more monsters spawning. Since Sirzechs had annihilated what ever was generating the monsters, we had no idea how they were appearing, and since the placed being attacks lacked his insane power, they were still working on it.

"We are almost done here." Greyfia said over the communication bead, "The free roaming monsters are all but gone. Once they are, we will start releasing the monsters trapped inside the barrier spaces one pocket at a time."

Rias responded, "Can the house guards handle that?"

"If we are careful, yes. I will stay and give magic support. Lord Sirzechs will be moving to the Sitri territories shortly, and from there, both Satan will move on to the next point of resistance."

"What of his peerage?" Rias continued.

"They are clearing the Pagoda, and will move on when it is."

"Rias." I said, "I'd like to move to the Phoenix lands. Greyfia? Do you require Ryuu's advice still?"

Ryuu answered this time, "I have told them what I can."

"Sensei, return to the castle wall, I will send you to the base camp, and from there you can travel to the Phoenix lands." Rias explained, "You're still on the clock, so you do not have permission to fall."

"My boss is so demanding." I said, my wings spreading out and pushing me off the ground.


NOTES

And so things go sideways, and we see how the 'high powered' people of DxD handle the monsters of the dungeon.

It was said by someone (way way back) that Danmachi was 'weaker' than DxD. That's true. It is. In DxD, you have people who can toss about city leveling magic, or punch holes in mountains. But, DxD is also written in a much different style, and magic is FAR more available.

So yes, it's no wonder one of the scariest monsters in Danmachi was taken down with relative ease by the DxD cast.

But on the other side, Danmachi has more... finesse than DxD. And Kodori has proven time and time again, 'Skill' counts for an awful lot. Throwing around beams of magic is fine and all... Until you miss. Or have someone figure out a way to defend against it. Or turn your power off. Much of the story so far has been Kodori, and the rest of her friends, figuring out ways to outsmart their enemies, before trying to over power them.

Anyhow, rant over. :)

Two more updates left...

Daeore on Ko-fi, if you want to toss a coin to your writer.

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