Chapter III

I could sit here and waffle on about why it's been so long since I last updated, three months last I checked, but I do not want to waste any more of your time. So, I apologize for the delay and have returned with new material. I am glad that the previous chapter has received the reception it has, and hope this one receives more of the same. Thanks to Bakuto Masaki for always supporting me in all my insanity, and on with the reviewer responses.

Fortitude501: That sums it up acceptably well, though there's also much more that has yet to be shown.

duskrider: Some were.

OberonHK96: Who he is in real life is a big part of that, though I won't say more than that.

Skull Flame: No, he is not. I can't really think of a purpose for the skeleton form, but I'll see if I can come up with something.

That she is.

She's headed for a huge wall made of fail. The wreckage that follows remains to be seen.

It most certainly is.

correnhimself316: Gap Moe is still there for certain. As for Albedo, yes and no. You'll just have to wait and see.

Oh Diablo is in for quite the series of headaches, that is undeniable. And yes, a sea of pussy awaits.

DreamWeaverGod: I don't know if I'd personally go that far, but I certainly appreciate the praise.

superpierce: :) It's a secret.

In canon he specialized in Water and Ice-Type magic. He's more well-rounded here.

KRKing: Long Love Moedred!

DragonKing0117: I have the first two volumes, and after re-reading, you're right that canonically it is resistant to all forms of magic, but I decided to nerf it ever-so-slightly for my own purposes.

Xanxux: Stinking Goblins!

Eher: Her design and overall personality is based on Maou from MaoYuu, specifically the manga adaptation "Hero, Become Mine". Just calling her Maou doesn't sit well with me, so Bakuto and I came up with a name for her. One that has some... unintentional deeper meaning as will become apparent later.

Phew! Long one this time, to be expected with how long I have been away, though. Anyway, on with the main event!

Sylvie snickered as she sat at her desk, opposite Diablo and his group. "Word on the road is that a man named Ainz Ooal Gown saved the town."

"Oh?" Diablo asked, feigning intrigue.

Shrugging with a smirk, Sylvie responded, "It was supposed to be you, but oh well."

Diablo twitched an eyebrow. "Right…"

Pulling out a small pouch, she motioned towards him with a knowing smile. "I'll give you the payment. Make sure Mr. Gown gets it, hehe."

"Sure… alright, let's head home," he urged to the others, feeling an undesirable prying from the Grasswalker's gaze.

Shortly, the group returned to their room in the inn, and Diablo sat down with the bag of Vals. "Okay, now to divide it up."

As he counted out the amounts into several equally sized piles, Nanana confusedly commented, "Huh? But we didn't really do anything."

"And?" he remarked blandly as he continued counting.

Nanana frowned slightly as she stared at him. "… Right…"

Diablo glanced up and noticed Aqua staring at him, puzzled. "Something wrong?"

"N – Nothing at all!" Aqua responded cheerily, though clearly forcing her smile into an uncomfortable shape.

Diablo frowned at this before sighing. 'Bullshit… guess I'll just leave it there for now.' After handing out the coin to everyone, he pulled the crystals and the staff obtained during the battle. "Now… what to do with these?"

Aqua looked like she wanted to say something but kept silent.

"Hmm… Definitely keeping the Dominion's Crystal," he remarked as he put the large blue crystal into the back of his cape where it proceeded to disappear.

"What about the rest?" Shera asked, tilting her head curiously.

After a moment of thought, Diablo turned to his cat-eared compatriot. "Rem, you're a Summoner, are you not?"

Her ears pulled back slightly in confusion, Rem nodded silently.

Holding up one of the larger of the white crystals, Principality Observation, and the summoning staff, he questioned, "Want the staff or the Principality Observation?"

Rem looked at him slightly confused before taking Principality's crystal. "Are you really fine with me having this?"

Diablo nodded in return. "I won't be around all the time. A strong Summon to protect you will make things easier."

"R – Right…" she stammered lightly, her cheeks tinted.

Aqua remained quiet still, as if waiting for something.

Holding up the staff, Diablo turned his attention to his fellow dimensional traveler. "You want the Staff, Nanana?"

Nanana shook her head with a smirk before putting a hand on her other bicep. "Nah I'm good. I'm more focused on my specialty."

Diablo blinked curiously before raising an eyebrow. "Which is?"

Without saying a word, Nanana reared back an arm before slamming it into Diablo's face, sending him flying hard enough to embed in the wall.

Shera and Rem gaped in disbelief.

Diablo twitched an eyebrow before looking at the girl as he pulled himself from the wall. "Ow." Wiping off some wood chips, he retorted, "You could've just said punching."

Nanana just grinned before flexing her arms, causing her orbs to shift in her loose-fitting top. "This was more fun."

Diablo felt his eyes glued to the sight. "Ah." After tearing his attention from the globes, he formed a thought. "Hm… come to think of it, I suppose you lot could all use a quest to train your skills a little, no? In fact, we can get one perfect for weak cannon fodder next."

The purple-haired girl twitched an eyebrow as she stared at him. "… I think I just got dissed…"

Diablo returned bluntly, "If you want, we can go after a monster like a Hydra instead."

"Nope, cannon fodder will do!" Nanana replied happily.

With their goal in mind, the group made their way to the Guild building and looked for a suitable quest.

After spending a few moments looking, Diablo saw one that seemed simple. "Hm… giant toads. This should be easy enough."

Nanana just sent him a sideways glance. "… You just want to see us covered in slime."

He was completely befuddled by her accusation. "Slime?"

"You know, saliva."

Diablo just shrugged. "They're just giant toads. I doubt they're as bad as you think."

Diablo stood on a hill with Shera and Nanana, watching as Aqua and Rem fled from a gargantuan, truck-sized toad with bright pink skin, hopping after them and making the ground shake, knocking Aqua to the ground. "… I stand corrected."

"Hheellpp!" Aqua shrieked as she shambled to her feet and tried to catch up with Rem.

"Nanana, Shera," he urged.

Shera lurched back, her ears drooping. "But it's all slimy…!"

Diablo returned, "… Have you forgotten your bow?"

"Oh right," Shera remarked simply before drawing her bow.

Nanana just slapped a hand over her face in exasperation.

Watching the toad, Shera nocked an arrow and pulled the string, focusing her sight on its head before releasing the shot, the arrow flying at near supersonic speeds and jamming into the toad's left eye, the force of the impact causing it to burst with blood like a water balloon.

Diablo still found himself surprised by her accuracy. "… Great shot."

Shera just smiled happily as her ears wiggled.

The toad, having stopped its pursuit and half-blinded, looked around frantically for the source of its pain, and saw the trio on the hill. Almost instantly it launched out its mucus-coated tongue.

Diablo reflexively grabbed Shera and pulled her close, jumping back, causing the appendage to slam into Nanana's abdomen, sticking to her. "Blagh!" she groaned as the impact knocked the wind out of her before she was instantly dragged to the beast.

"Nanana!" he exclaimed as she disappeared into its mouth. Putting his hand towards the back of his cape, a purple light shone as his staff appeared before he sighed and put it back. 'No… I need to let them handle this…'

Almost as if on cue, Nanana managed to force her upper half out of the creature's maw, snarling as she raised her right arm high in the air. "Fuck. You! And your race!" she cursed as she slammed her arm down with all her might, caving in the beast's skull, making it drop like a sack of potatoes and spraying yet more blood from its empty eye socket.

Diablo sighed in mild relief as Nanana pulled herself from the dead monster's maw. "Good to see at least two competent fighters."

Rem just huffed derisively as she folded her arms.

Pointing to her, he remarked bluntly, "Toad behind you."

She mumbled in confusion before turning, only for a second giant toad to grab her. "UNYA!"

Diablo just sighed as Nanana rushed towards the beast.

Rem, Nanana, and Aqua all sat in a pile, dripping with slime, the second giant toad lying on the ground with a flattened skull.

Shera, completely untouched by the beasts, stood next to Diablo, terrified.

The horned man sighed in exasperation. "That… could have gone better."

Nanana shot a glare at Diablo that said everything she thought without opening her mouth. "I told you so".

Diablo raised an eyebrow in thought. "Hmm? You want to go hunt an Elder Dragon?"

The girl twitched an eyebrow before folding her arms under her bust in frustration.

"Good," he noted before putting a hand on his chin. "We're going to need to hire someone with better ranged abilities."

"Why can't you help!?" Aqua demanded desperately.

"The whole point of taking this quest is to give you four some combat experience. If I helped you there'd be no benefit," he answered bluntly.

Aqua frowned in confusion at his answer. "… Why…?"

"Because, I won't always be there, and I don't want you getting hurt just because I'm not around, got it?"

The blue-haired woman stared in bewilderment. '… He… he's lying… right?'

"You alright?" Shera questioned, seeing the befuddled expression on Aqua's face.

"O – Of course, I'm just fine!" she responded instantly.

Diablo frowned suspiciously but chose to drop the matter. "Let's return to the city. You three need a bath and we need to collect the money for those two frogs."

Later, after collecting the paltry reward and dividing it up, and giving Rem and the others time to get cleaned, Diablo sat on the bed in thought. "Geez… So that's still four frogs to go… Well… I'm going to go look for a new recruit. You four rest."

Shera's ears drooped as he stood up. "Okay…"

Seeing this, Diablo looked at her, confused. "What's wrong?"

Nanana snickered and retorted, "Me thinks she wants to go with you."

Diablo frowned slightly and turned back to the elf, seeing her shyly fidgeting her fingers. Sighing, he called out her name.

"Y – Yes?!" she answered almost before he finished speaking.

"Come with me," he ordered as he made for the door.

"Sure!" Shera chirped as she hopped to her feet and followed him.

The dark-skinned man let out a quiet sigh through his nose as he walked. 'And I was hoping to get some time alone to think… Oh well…'

Diablo walked through the streets with an uncomfortable frown on his lips, Shera humming happily as she hugged his arm into the seemingly endless crevice between her melons. 'Why is she doing this...? I'm going to break character if she doesn't let up with those melons! Calm down! This is like walking with Sinoula! …' His eyes traveled down to the obliviously cheery elf. 'No it's not! At least with Sinoula I could release the tension when we got home to the guildhall!'

After a moment, Shera glanced up at him, seeming to sense his discomfort. "Is something wrong, Diablo?"

"N – No, nothing at all. I am simply trying to spot the best candidate," he remarked as he looked around the area near the Guild building.

"Oh," she answered simply before going back to her humming. After a short silence she spoke up once more. "… Hey, Diablo…"

He responded with only a hum as he walked around the city, Shera holding tightly to his arm the entire time.

"Do you… do you really think I did well against that monster?"

Taking his attention from his search, Diablo took his free hand and gently patted her head. "Your aim was exceptional."

Shera looked at him with surprise before smiling brightly as her ears wiggled happily.

Diablo forced a light smile, hoping the wheat-color of his skin would prevent his blush from being seen.

"You know, you may be a Demon Lord, but you're really nice…"

"Oh?"

"Everyone says the Demon Lords are all bad people, but if they're like you, I think they're lying."

Diablo frowned slightly before arguing, "I am not nice."

Shera looked at up at him, visibly confused in a way he found adorable.

"What…?"

"But you are."

"No, I am not. I merely act on my own self-interest."

"But you're helping me, Rem, and everyone else get stronger."

"As I said."

Shera furrowed her brow further. "I don't get it…"

Diablo twitched an eyebrow as he thought. 'Right… think… what's the right answer for a Demon Lord…?' After thinking for a while, he came to a seemingly suitable answer. "The stronger you become, the more useful you are to me."

"Right… Diablo, you're a Draph, aren't you?"

"I am."

"And a Demon Lord?"

"Yes."

"So… a Demon Lord who used to be a Draph?"

"Used to be?"

"I heard that when something becomes a Demon Lord, it stops being what it was before."

Diablo tried to hide his deepfelt confusion. 'Is that… really a thing?' "I see. I suppose if I tried to explain it in mortal terms, I am both and neither at the same time." 'God that was stupid!'

Shera stared at him in awe.

'But… I think she bought it…?' "G – Good that you understand."

"I – I don't quite get it, but it sounds cool."

"R – Right. Now, let's keep searching, I'll get you a treat on the way home."

"Yippee!"

After searching for more time around the Guild building and nearby blocks, to the point the sun was falling over the horizon, Diablo grumbled in annoyance. "Geez… Is there even a single mage here?"

"There's Rem," Shera noted obliviously.

Diablo waved a hand in response. "I meant besides her." He then raised an eyebrow in thought. 'Oh wait, the Mage Guild. But… that's where that smartass is from… and I'd rather not deal with that ignorant ass.' As they continued walking, a commotion nearby caught his attention. Looking towards a small gathering place across the way, he saw Galluk and a few other mages, drunkenly shouting and talking with each other. "Ah, just some insects."

Galluk looked up from his drunken stupor and saw Diablo and Shera, causing the man to snarl. "Hah…? Oh look, it's the Draph who thinks he's a bigshot…"

"Did the insect just say something?" Diablo shot back, giving only a side glance to the petulant man.

Galluk growled before shouting, "Tch… don't act tough… You're just a lowly Demihuman!"

"I'm sorry what did you say? I don't speak vermin."

"Why you…" the increasingly enraged man hissed.

Pulling his arm from Shera's lovely chasm and wrapping it around her shoulder, though feeling mild trepidation in doing so, Diablo urged, "Come, Shera. Let's head for the Guild and see if we can find someone worth our time."

"Right!" Shera nodded cheerily, oblivious to the tension in the air.

"Don't ignore me you piece of shit!" Galluk cursed as he threw the ale bottle in his grasp.

"Owie!"

Diablo stopped as he heard the bottle impact something before bouncing to the ground and shattering. He turned to his side and saw Shera clutching the back of her head with a small trail of blood in her golden blonde hair.

"That hurt…"

He turned his full attention to Galluk, his crimson red eyes boiling. "You have my undivided attention, worm," Diablo warned with venom in his voice.

Galluk stumbled back, sweating with fear. "I – I'm not scared of you…!"

"An error in judgment I shall soon correct."

Galluk's knees nearly gave out before he pulled a moderately sized red crystal from his robe. "I – I'll put you in your place, you stupid Demihuman! You're all just trash!"

"Says the vermin," Diablo snorted back, standing in front of Shera.

One of Galluk's cohorts stared in disbelief. "G – Galluk, you're going to use a Summon in the city?!"

The horned man huffed dismissively. "Let him summon whatever weakling he has. It will do him no good."

"I'll make you regret those words, you damned monster!" Galluk howled as he smashed the crystal on the floor, flames swirling up in a gust in front of him, condensing into the shape of a massive, quadrupedal reptile with fire flickering on its edges. "Meet my most powerful Summon, a Level Thirty Salamander!" Galluk declared with insane pride.

Diablo glanced aside at the beast for a moment. "Level Thirty you say…?" he remarked before sighing."

Galluk, cackling loudly, taunted, "Are you scared yet?! Bow down and I'll consider having pity!"

"That is… so weak. Too weak for me to waste my time with." Reaching into his cloak, he pulled the massive crystal that held Dominion Authority. "Here, play with this weakling." He dropped the stone which shattered and flashed to life, the massive mechanical angel whirring to life as it hovered over the town square.

Galluk finally lost his composure and fell to the ground at the sight of the monster. "Wh – What is that…?!"

"Dominion Authority. A Level One Hundred-Fifty Summon."

The conceited mage almost passed out. "O – One-Fifty!? That's impossible!"

"No. What's impossible is an idiot like you believing he had a chance." Diablo raised a hand high in the sky. "Dominion Authority," he ordered as he swung his arm down. "Javelin Rain."

Dominion Authority spread its arms out wide, causing numerous orbs of light to appear in the sky that fluttered and flickered before forming long spears that shot down in a shower, turning the Salamander into a mere memory, sending explosions and debris in all directions.

After a few seconds Diablo waved a hand, returning Dominion Authority to its crystal, ending the bombardment.

The completely terrified Galluk slowly pulled himself up from behind a piece of the road, shaking like a leaf as he looked at the glowing crater where his Summon had once stood. "Wh – What the hell…?"

Diablo, an expression of disinterested anger in his eyes, stowed the crystal away as he looked at the cowering mage. "Maybe now you'll understand what the difference between us is." Turning to his injured comrade, he pulled her to her feet. "Come on Shera. Let's get you healed up."

"R – Right," she stammered as he guided her.

Galluk collapsed to the ground as they walked away. "You damned Demihuman… I'll make you pay…"

"First Aid," he chanted as he put a hand to the back of her head, a soft green glow flowing out before fading, her injury gone.

"It's gone…" she commented before smiling. "It's all better now."

"Good."

"What's with that jerk?" she asked, puffing her cheeks.

"He's a racial supremacist. They're everywhere. Any city, in any nation, on any continent, in any world will have them. And they aren't limited by race either."

"Even your world?" she asked with surprise.

"Oh big time. The whole world once got into a war because of one. So just try to ignore them, unless they get violent like that fool. Then smash them down with every ounce of force necessary. That will shut them up."

Bleu, trembling slightly as Diablo walked into the Guild building so late at night, listened to his request. "P – Party recruitment…?" she asked tremulously.

Diablo nodded, sweating slightly at her fear. 'I guess I can't blame her… I did nearly blow the place to pieces last time…' "Yes," he answered in a tone he hoped was both firm but not imposing to the dog-eared girl. "There is no need to be scared my dear…"

Bleu's ears relaxed slightly, though she still kept herself somewhat turned away from him. "J – Just don't make anything else blow up…"

Diablo frowned slightly, upset with himself for terrifying the girl. 'I want to be seen as a Demon Lord for sure, but the girl being that scared just… makes me feel like a bad person.' Seeing only one option, he slowly reached a hand out to the quivering girl, who winced in terror.

However, she stopped when she felt his palm gently on her head, softly patting her hair.

'Okay… reassuring but imposing… such a hard dichotomy!' "I quite like this place, so I assure you I won't do anything to endanger it."

Bleu stared up silently at him, her cheeks slowly filling with color as her stubby tail began swishing back and forth gently.

'… Success?'

Bleu then pointed to a large board across the room from her desk where he had originally taken the quest for the toad killing. "Just post your invitation there… and any passing Adventurers will see it…"

Putting his hand down, not noticing the girl's slight disappointment, he nodded. "Thank you, Bleu."

Bleu nodded slowly with a small, blushing smile, her sisters nearby staring silently.

Heading to the request board, Diablo looked it over in thought. "Hm… I need to make a flier…" After a moment he raised a hand, a sheet of paper appearing in a flutter of lights.

Shera stared in awe.

"This should do," he noted to himself as he used one of the tacks lying on a sheet below the board to attach the flier.

"How did you do that?!" she questioned in disbelief.

Raising an eyebrow, he answered the best he could. "It is a simple skill, Create Lesser Item."

"Ooh…" she cooed before turning to the flier, reading it curiously. "Adventuring party of novice Cleric, adept Brawler, adept Summoner, and novice Rogue looking for new member. Wait… who's who?"

"Aqua the Cleric, Nanana the Brawler, Rem the Summoner and you're the Rogue."

Shera nodded in understanding before turning to him in confusion. "What about you?"

"I'm not truly part of this mission, remember?"

"Oh, right."

"Now we wait," he explained as he began returning to the inn for the night, Shera obliviously hanging onto him the entire time.

The following morning, Diablo and the others sat at one of the booths in the Guild's main hall, which had an attached bar, waiting for anyone wanting to join.

"Nobody seems interested…" Diablo lamented quietly.

"To be fair, you didn't make it sound very inviting," Nanana retorted bluntly, also quiet.

Diablo hissed silently. "I wasn't really part of PR in AOG…"

"Probably for the best," she chided.

Rem's ears suddenly popped up, catching the others' attention. She pointed to the flier. "Someone's looking."

Everyone turned and saw a petite figure with an overly large staff looking at the board, specifically at their flier. After a moment, the girl looked around the area in thought.

Shera waved happily, catching the girl's attention, who made her way over.

As she approached, Diablo managed to get a better look at her. A petite frame, almost malnourished. Her large staff had a faint green orb clutched in the center, the staff itself made of very rough wood. She wore an extremely tall, pointed brown hat with red accents on her head, one that was, as with her weapon, comically large for her size, so much so it slumped to one side. Her main attire consisted of a simple red and yellow dress, one that could almost be considered a shirt on a taller frame, along with a brown mantle and light brown boots, a black stocking rising up her left leg, and white bandages on the opposite. Her most striking feature was her vibrantly red eyes, though one was hidden beneath a red eyepatch.

'… It's like she's too small for her outfit…' Diablo kept this comment to himself.

"She's cute," Nanana commented, almost lecherously.

"You are the ones in search of my power?" the girl questioned with a haughty smirk.

Diablo found the expression oddly adorable on her. "I suppose," he responded plainly, trying to maintain an aura of superiority.

The girl put a hand over her uncovered eye with a small chuckle that turned into a wildly dramatic cackle. "It is fated that we meet this day! I will offer you my power in return –!"

Nanana put up a hand and interrupted her. "We've already got a Chuunibyo, thanks."

Megumin almost winced at the interruption, her dramatic composure completely dropped. "E – Eh?"

"Nanana," Diablo retorted, causing her to hum curiously. "Quiet."

The busty purplette nearly face-faulted at his sudden order.

Turning his attention back to the petite girl, he decided to get her name.

"Kukuku…" the girl resumed snickering, likely in a way she intended to be diabolical. It was not. "I am the great Crimson Tribe Mage, Megumin!"

Diablo stared at her plainly for a moment. "Crimson Tribe?"

Megumin almost fell to the ground in disbelief. "How do you not know of my people!?"

Diablo winced subtly. 'Crap, have I broken my act? Wait, no, I can recover.' "I – I don't concern myself with the ins and outs of mortal society."

The red-eyed girl stared at him for a moment. "Mortal society? Are you not one? You look like a Draph to me."

"No, I am a Demon Lord."

Shera tilted her head in confusion. "But… didn't you tell me yo –?"

"D – Demon Lord!?" Megumin exclaimed in awe. "For real?!"

Diablo nodded firmly. "Yes. I am one." 'I suppose Demon Lords are held in high regard in this world? Meaning I will as well.'

"What's a Demon Lord doing in a tiny town like this?"

"Are you questioning my motives? What if I merely fancy some entertainment?"

Megumin stared blankly and deadpanned, "If I had the money I'd move to Orario for that."

Diablo was rather confused by the accusation, but did not think it would do him any favors to ask.

Thankfully, Nanana noticed his confusion and did it for him. "What's one thing got to do with the other?"

"It's full of deities, gods and goddesses. Granted, none of them are Demon Lords, but they're all there for the same reason. Amuse themselves with the plights of mortals."

"Really?"

"Yes," Rem interjected. "I'm sure there's maybe a handful that aren't brutal or cruel about it, but that's why they're all there. Entry is free, but getting back out is costly."

"We are getting off track," Diablo interrupted before the conversation could continue. "What I am is irrelevant, I am here now and I am offering work. What else matters?"

Megumin frowned slightly but did not argue in the contrary.

"So, what abilities do you have?"

"Explosion," she answered very curtly.

Diablo remained silent for a moment, waiting. "… And?"

"That's it."

"Just one spell?"

"Not just a spell, the most powerful, most beautiful, most amazing spell in all the universe! Explosion magic, the one TRUE magic!"

Diablo stared silently for a moment before sighing. "Useless."

Megumin winced before her resolute posture broke immediately into desperation. "… Please! Let me join your Party! I'll do anything!" As if to punctuate her plea, her stomach growled loudly.

Diablo twitched an eyebrow, as he felt sympathy for the helpless girl. "… Fine."

Megumin smirked and reared back her posture with a maniacal laughter.

"No," Diablo interrupted coldly.

"… Okay…" she agreed, disappointed.

Shortly, the documents showing who was in their Party were amended to include the Explosion mage's name.

"There, now you're part of the group," Nanana remarked as she handed the paper to the Guild representative.

"Yes!" Megumin cheered.

"Our first goal is a mission to finish up," Diablo explained.

"Right!" she answered with excitement.

Diablo stared at the girl, mildly concerned. "You're not even going to ask?"

"No. Why?"

"… No reason. Let's head out."

Just past noon, the group reached the plains outside of Faltra and were shortly from another of the giant toads.

Megumin nodded in understanding as she looked at it. "Ah, frogs legs."

Motioning to the outwardly docile beast, Diablo urged, "Alright, show us what you can do."

Nanana frowned curiously as Megumin prepared to fight. 'Why does that thing seem so familiar…? Wait, could it be…?'

Megumin presented an almost manic grin as she raised her staff high. "Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark, I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson. The time of awakening cometh. Justice, fallen upon the infallible boundary, appear now as an intangible distortions! I desire for my torrent of power a destructive force: a destructive force without equal! Return all creation to cinders, and come from the abyss! Eeexplosiooon!"

'Waaay to long and unneeded…' Diablo mumbled in annoyance within his mind.

A large, swirling magic circle of black and bright orange appeared in front of her before shooting a large ball of swirling energy out at the monster.

Almost reflexively Diablo grabbed Shera and Rem, pulling them tight to his sides.

"TACTICAL NUKE! GET DOWN!" Nanana bellowed at the top of her lungs.

The ball of energy hit the toad, knocking it over slightly, before it burst. Creating a massive conflagration, a towering explosion that lit the sky in red and shook the ground, uprooting several trees within the vicinity and sending shock waves through the area.

Aqua shrieked as the pressure wave sent her flying.

Shera screamed in terror as Diablo clung the ground, holding on to the duo.

'Excessive!' Diablo exclaimed in disbelief as the flames finally died down, the explosion becoming a large cloud of smoke and dust. As he waited for the cloud to disperse, he saw the rippling, shimmering, molten rock left over in the crater. 'There's not even a body left!'

"Perfect…" Megumin muttered with a shiver of ecstasy through her body before collapsing motionless to the ground.

'EEEHHH!?'

"I forgot to mention…" Megumin mumbled slowly with a complete lack of energy, "my problem with Explosion is that it drains all my mana…"

'Useless!' Sighing as he stood up, he looked around. "Well, that's three down." Turning to his side, he saw a terrified Shera trembling. After taking a moment to admire the adorable display, he decided it best to comfort her, patting her on the head gently. "I – It's okay, it's over now."

As if the universe were mocking him, yet another toad emerged from the ground, woken by the proverbial bomb.

Nanana twitched an eyebrow and decided to take action, charging at the new target.

'Guess she's got that handled,' he noted to himself.

"Die stupid frog!" Nanana demanded as she ducked under its tongue lash, ran up its back, and began repeatedly slamming her fists into its head, rumbling its body with each impact. Raising both arms up high, clutching her hands together, she slammed down with the full force of both arms, caving the creature's skull, inadvertently causing some of its organs to spill out.

Diablo sighed in relief before he heard a familiar scream for help and turned to see Aqua being swallowed by another toad. He then looked at the others for a moment. "… Is anyone going to do something about that?"

In response, Shera readied another arrow and began speaking quietly before the arrow was imbued with fluctuating white light. "Piercing Arrow!" she shouted before releasing it, the arrow flying at intense speed, flying in through one side of the toad's skull, flying out through the other, and soaring off into the nearby forest.

The toad remained still where it stood for a moment before collapsing to the ground, dead.

Rem stared in disbelief. "… Did that just happen?"

"She did hit one in the eye last time," Diablo argued.

"Right…" Rem grumbled, as if she did not want to be reminded.

Aqua crawled out of the dead creature, whimpering and covered in spit.

Diablo sighed as he folded his arms. "Well I suppose that is all of them. Come, let us return home."

"Right!" Shera cheered with a fist pump, making her globes jiggle pleasingly.

Shera stared in awe at the pile of gold coins on the table in their inn room. "Wow! So much money!"

Rem huffed slightly. "Twenty-five thousand Vals isn't that much. Split six ways it won't even last a few days."

"Five," Diablo interjected.

Rem looked at him curiously, her ears twitching.

"You're splitting it five ways, not six. I do higher jobs after all."

Rem frowned in confusion. "You don't need money?"

"I'm a Demon Lord. I take what I need," he answered with a smirk.

Nanana stared intensely at him, almost to the point Diablo could hear her jeering.

"Why are you calling yourself that when you're obviously a high-ranking deity?" Aqua asked, annoyed and confused.

He just looked at her confused.

"You're a god. I can tell."

Megumin stood up, indignant. "Wait, this is a Familia? Then why didn't I get a Falna?!"

Diablo was again lost.

"You should've asked," Aqua shot back.

"Is it true that you're actually a god?!" Shera asked with fascination.

He just stared silently.

"He obviously is considering he took control of an army of angels!" Aqua argued vehemently.

"You mean those Archangel Flames?" Nanana questioned, Diablo still looking like a deer in the headlights.

"And a Principality Observation and definitely a fricking Dominion Authority! And only a god could do that!"

Nanana sighed in annoyance before she heard a beep that seemed to come from inside her own head.

'Is the Private Chat spell working?'

Nanana blinked curiously and saw Diablo looking at her expectantly. 'Yeah, it is. What's up?'

'Do you have any idea what a Familia is or why me being some kind of God is so important?'

'Nope. Want me to ask since you need to look omnipotent?'

Diablo stiffened slightly before casting his gaze down, his cheeks turning red. '… Yes… please…'

Nanana just smirked smugly before turning her attention to the cat-eared girl. "What's a Familia?"

"A group of people who serve under one of the gods that's here on Ente Isla. They give some of the money they earn and their loyalty to the god, and in return the god grants them a Falna, a brand that grants them enhanced power. In theory, anyway."

Nanana raised an eyebrow curiously. "In theory?"

"Yes. The Falna is beneficial for the extremely weak. But it constrains and, in some cases, weakens those who are already strong. In addition, the only way any improvements gained from training or combat can be added to your body and mind are when your deity updates your Falna. If he simply chooses not to then you will never get stronger, no matter how much you train. Many gods use it as a form of ransom to their Familia members, whom the gods have chosen to call Children."

Diablo frowned at the explanation, Nanana waving a hand dismissively.

"Plus, there's a limit to how strong a Child can get before reaching the limits of their Falna. At which point they have two choices. Accept their lot in life and do what they can with what they have. Or they can try and do something the gods consider amazing to raise their Level and start getting stronger again."

"… And why do people do this?" Nanana questioned, her suspicions growing stronger.

Rem just shrugged. "Because the vast majority of people aren't powerful enough to go Adventuring on their own, and the Falna gives them a boost."

"Ah… no thanks," Nanana shot back bluntly.

Diablo put a hand on his chin in thought. 'I wonder if I can make a variant that doesn't have those drawbacks. Or maybe if done by a Demon Lord it wouldn't be default? Hm…' "I'll give you one," he introduced firmly.

Everyone in the room seem to get excited for one reason or another at the declaration.

"Really?!" Shera asked with excitement.

"Yes," he answered with a firm nod.

"… How do we get it on?" Rem questioned.

Diablo felt the urge to slap a hand on his face. 'Consider your wording please…'

Aqua offered, "I think it requires some of the deity's blood along with the user to be naked.

"O – Oh…" Shera stuttered slightly in concern. "Okay…" she noted in acceptance.

Diablo's face nearly burnt red. 'No, not okay! Not okay at all!'

"… I think I'll pass," Nanana responded after a short moment to think.

Diablo nodded in acceptance, trying to push the image of Shera's bare twins out of his mind. "R – Right. Megumin? Aqua?"

Megumin gave a quick affirmation, Aqua denying the offer with a blunt, "I'm a goddess."

"So?" Nanana taunted.

She looked at the girl, annoyed.

"No one believes that you are."

Aqua twitched an eyebrow further before groaning. "… Fine…"

Diablo nodded before addressing the whole group. "So, when shall we start?"

"Immediately would be good!" Megumin interjected excitedly.

"Let us get some sleep first," he argued. 'That and I need to figure out how to do all this to begin with…'

The next morning, Diablo, after finishing his breakfast, left the inn.

"Where are you going?" Aqua wondered.

"To find a library."

"What for?" Rem questioned, walking up to the others near the door.

"Need I tell you what a library is for?"

The girl folded her ears against her head with an embarrassed flush.

"Planning on going alone?" Nanana interjected.

"I am," he replied, resulting in Shera pouting in disappointment. "It is fine, Shera. Nothing is going to happen."

"Right…"

As he made his way around the town, Diablo let his thoughts run. 'Hm… with the reputation I have gained as Diablo, it could be hard to get what I need. Now how should I…? Hm… a disguise, maybe? Yes that will work. A name… I need a name… Ah, perfect!' Looking around curiously for a moment, he ducked into an alleyway.

A few moments later, a man with log grey hair in a ponytail, a single tuft hanging over his face, clad in elaborate red and silver armor with a long shield, a sword sheathed within, emerged from the alleyway. Smirking slightly, he thought to himself, 'Heathcliff is perfect. No one here will know him, and I don't have to think too hard for a disguise.' "Now to ask around for one."

Several hours passed as "Heathcliff" wandered around Faltra.

He stood in front of a large building after his search. 'To think the word library isn't common parlance in this world… Archive, such a circuitous naming convention. Well at least I found what I was looking for.'

Making his way inside, he saw a young woman standing at a desk near the entrance.

"How may I help you?" she asked with a pleasant smile.

"I am looking for encyclopedias on gods and Familias," Heathcliff answered firmly, trying to maintain a plain smile. "To get more specific, on Falna."

The woman nodded in returned and motioned elsewhere in the archive. "Right this way."

"This series of books has the broadest surface level knowledge on Falna and their history. I hope it helps you."

"I believe it shall, thank you," he replied as he pulled out one of the wooden chairs, which did not in any way look sturdy, and looked at the pile around him. 'This is… a lot of books. Well, time to start scouring them for what I need. Let's dig in!'

Diablo, still looking like Heathcliff, did his best to avoid an annoyed groan as he put yet another book in a pile to his right.

'This is far more reading than I like doing… It's like I'm back in university again. Right, if I'm understanding this right, the Falna are basically contracts written onto the person's body in the language of the gods. It contains descriptors of the god's abilities, habits, and realm to help determine what kind of power that person will be oriented towards. And how to form one… It looks like they write the forms of stats on the person's back as well, and then infuse an incantation with their blood to mark the seal and make it. Hm… I wonder if there are examples of that incantations…'

"Having trouble?" a voice caught the "old" man's attention.

Turning to his side, he saw the source, a young woman with long, bright red hair and sharp amber eyes wearing white armor with gold accents, a short, pleated, brown miniskirt, and a long blue cape, a sword with intricate engravings on the hilt sheathed at her side. '… Well she's cute.' Taking a moment to catch up to her question, he nodded. "Yes, some. And you are…?"

"Emilia Justina, one Re-Estize's Heroes."

Heathcliff frowned slightly at the answer.

Emilia laughed in slight embarrassment before waving a hand. "Don't let the name confuse you. It's just what the king calls Adventurers that work directly for the throne."

"Oh? You are an Adventurer?"

The redhead nodded in reply. "Yes. Or, I was. Why?"

"No major reason, only curious."

"Okay…" she replied, somewhat confused. "What's your name, by the way?"

"Heathcliff. Heathcliff Valonus."

"Heathcliff Valonus? Odd name."

Heathcliff chuckled lightly. "Humorous, but it does little to help my search."

"Sorry…" Emilia remarked with a light chuckle. "So, what are you doing?"

"I am doing what I can to understand the Falna better." 'Right… doing okay so far.'

Emilia raised an eyebrow in thought. "Oh? What for?"

He had not thought about that part. "I… met a god that is trying to form his own Familia. However, he doesn't know how to form a Falna."

That caught the redhead off guard. "Don't all gods know how to do that?"

With a shrug, Heathcliff chuckled lightly. "I suppose not." 'If she's an Adventurer, she must have a Falna as well, right? Maybe she'd let me see it.' "May I see yours?"

The redhead stared silently at him for a moment. "… Eh?"

"What?"

"Y – You want to see it…?"

"Your Falna."

"… No," she answered, almost coldly.

Heathcliff's external appearance was as placid as always, though Diablo was worried. 'Crap! I think I pissed her off! Why? What'd I do?!'

"Do you know that little about it? The Falna is printed directly on the skin of the bearer. On their back."

"… Ah." 'Meaning… she'd have to get undressed!? Great, now I sound like a pervert!' "My apologies, I was unaware."

"Not only that, the Falna contains very private information, a contract between the god and mortal written in the deity's blood, their ichor. It's unusual for fellow Familia members to see each other's Falna. It's almost considered illegal for those outside the Familia to see it."

"Ah. I was not aware it was such a sacred contract."

"It's alright. I guess people who aren't Adventurers wouldn't know." She then began looking over the pile of books in thought. "Ah, here." Without explanation she reached towards one of the books he had yet to read, flipped open the pages and placed it sideways in front of him.

Before him sat two pages with a large rune inscribed on it filled with hundreds of various symbols. "This is?"

"A basic Falna. It uses the language of the gods, meaning most people can't really tell what it says, aside from elves and Spirits, that is."

"Oh?" 'Language of the gods? I can tell it's a form of hieroglyphics, though it doesn't resemble any language I know. Though I suppose that isn't a surprise.'

"It talks about what the god's realm is. Oh, in case you don't know, a realm is the properties they have. Such as a war god having a realm in combat and defense, or a smithing god having the realm of crafting and weaponry. It seems simple at first but it gets complicated depending on what the god presides over."

"Intriguing." 'I appreciate the explanations, though I do wonder why she's providing to me. Well, as they say, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.'

"Then there's this part, the Stats. It's pretty simple, it shows a series of somewhat metaphorical qualities, and how much skill, or I suppose ability, the Adventurer has in each area."

"Ah. I appreciate the explanation."

Emilia smiled and laughed uncomfortably. "I have to admit, it feels a little awkward explaining this stuff to someone so much older than me. Especially when you've got such elaborate armor. Are you not from a Familia of any kind?"

"Far to the west. We haven't had much interaction with deities that walk amongst mortals, and I eventually got curious enough from listening to traveling merchants from the east and decided to learn about them. Then I heard about these Falna and thought I'd learn more. During my travels I met a god who was equally uncertain how to make them for his Familia."

"And why are you the one looking into it?"

With a hearty laugh, Heathcliff answered, "To spare the poor boy his pride."

Emilia smiled and nodded in return. "That was rather kind of you. Well, I've enjoyed this little aside, but I have duties to attend to. I hope we cross paths again."

"As do I." Watching her as she left, Heathcliff sighed in thought. 'I wonder why a Hero was here… Oh well. At the very least I have the basic idea of how a Falna works. Hm… I wonder. If the way it works is with the language of the gods, what if I make mine with Japanese? Wait, there are probable Japanese gods here too… But maybe they all use that same language… Wait, how different would a Falna be if a Demon Lord was the caster? I believe Aqua is the best test subject for this.'

Diablo swiftly made his way back to the inn, being sure to duck into an alley to drop his Heathcliff disguise. He found keeping up the persona of the man difficult.

Returning to the room, without sparing a moment, he announced, "Aqua, strip down."

The goddess instantly lurched to a corner of the room with a shriek.

Diablo stared at her, confused.

"Wh – What are you trying to do?!"

"Put a Falna on you."

"… O – Oh… right…"

'You could have worded that much better,' Nanana teased with their private communication.

'Quiet…' Diablo shot back.

Aqua, lying on the large bed with her back exposed, blushing, an expression Diablo found rather pleasant as opposed to her usual boastful look, gulped as Diablo got on top of her, straddling her.

'This feels extremely dirty!' Diablo shouted in his mind, fully aware of the compromising position required for the procedure.

'Just focus on the runes or whatever it is you need to do, weirdo,' Nanana grumbled. 'Besides, it's just Aqua.'

'That's easy for you to say…' Sighing, Diablo shook his head. 'Okay, just remember how it's organized. Should be easy. Okay… let's hope I don't turn into a fountain when I prick my finger this time.' Holding a needle in his hand, he lightly pricked the end of his finger, causing blood to slowly pour from his finger, annoying him greatly. 'Seriously? Am I some kind of Blood G – oh, right. I know Blood Magic, duh.'

Diablo focused his attention fully onto Aqua's back, treating it as a canvas as he drew and wrote various shapes and runes with his blood, doing his best to create a complex map for magic to attach to.

Aqua snickered and laughed as he wrote. "Th – That tickles!"

"Keep still or I might accidently put a bomb rune on you."

The blue-haired girl instantly went as stiff as a board, Diablo was not even certain she was breathing.

"Alright… there… Almost… done." Sighing, he put his hand in the center of the complex web of symbols and shapes before pumping mana into it, the same he had done with the mirror at the Guild hall. The emblems glowed brightly before squirming and wiggling, condensing and raveling up into a compact shape, showing a basic symbol of a goblet with flames pouring out, a Roman numerical one below it, and a series of letters and numbers below that.

Aqua blinked in surprise as the process occurred. "I feel kind of… warm."

Looking over the statistics displayed on her back, Diablo's face went completely flat. "… You've got to be kidding me."

"Huh? What is it?" Aqua asked, sitting up, excited. "I'm great, aren't I? My Stats are all super high, right?" she questioned, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Diablo sighed heavily. "Your Stats… every single Stat you have except Luck is awful."

Aqua remained silent, staring at him for several moments, seemingly waiting for something. Finally realizing it, she shouted out, "WWHHAATT!?"

Nanana, meanwhile, was rolling around on the floor with raucous fits of laughter.

Grumbling, Diablo listed off each of her Stats and their related values.

Strength I-7, Endurance I-4, Dexterity I-1, Agility I-14, Magic I-32, Luck H-127.

Aqua's entire body went white as paper before she seemed to crumple to the floor.

"Ooh, me next!" Shera shouted with glee, throwing her mantle and top off expediently, leaving only the thin green bra to hide her rolling hills as she ran up to Diablo.

'BOOBS!' he exclaimed in his head, earning him a strike from Nanana. 'PAIN!'

'Get to work,' she hissed.

'Right,' he replied stoically, despite the blood pouring from his nose, though he managed to use it to create the Falna on the elven girl's back. Condensing the seal into a simple shape, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Hoh? Impressive."

"Really, really?" the elf asked with excitement.

Strength G-238, Endurance H-142, Dexterity I-97, Agility G-256, Magic H-134, Luck I-72.

Shera smiled gleefully as she sat up, still evidently unaware of her barely hidden peaks.

Diablo gulped as he ushered her off the bed, mostly to keep himself from bleeding to death. "R – Rem…" he stammered somewhat.

Frowning, the Pantherian removed her jacket, leaving only her top that conveniently exposed her back. "H – Hopefully this will suffice."

"Not like you've got much to show," Aqua spat, seemingly trying to desperately reclaim any form of superiority.

Rem scowled at the woman with twitching ears, her tail stiffening angrily.

"Lie down please," Diablo urged, the girl sighing and complying, though keeping an irritated scowl aimed at Aqua the whole time.

Rem sighed as Diablo began inscribing.

Pressing a finger to her thin back, Diablo was surprised when the small girl let out a moan at his touch, though she almost instantly slapped a hand over her mouth to ensure it did not happen again. '… Cute…'

'Focus,' Nanana warned.

Finishing up faster than he had with either Shera or Aqua, he condensed the seal. "Done. Now, let's see what you've got."

Rem stood up curiously, putting her coat back on as she listened to her Stats.

Strength F-312, Endurance G-294, Dexterity G289, Agility G-276, Magic G-234.

The last one caught his attention rather negatively. "Luck… I-14…"

Rem frowned somberly in response. "I suppose… that makes sense…"

Shera's ears wiggled curiously as the Pantherian's solemn comment.

"Okay, I suppose that's everyone."

Annoyed, Megumin pulled on his cape. "Ahem, did you forget about me?"

"Yes," he replied bluntly.

"At least try and make something up!" the girl hissed. Growling, she pulled the back of her robe down, doing her best to keep her front covered, and laid down.

Diablo just sighed and prepared to start inscribing. After a few moments, he finished and rattled off her Stats. "Now, let's see… Strength I-14, Endurance I-4, Dexterity H-124, Agility I-12, Luck H-101, and Magic G-228."

Rem grumbled in annoyance, before Megumin spoke up. "About that…"

"Yes?"

"I've heard that when Adventurers first get their Falna, all of their Stats start at I-0 and go up from there."

And finito! Thus ends the third chapter. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it, be sure to review it if you did. If you were confused, uncertain, or just have questions on anything, let me know with a review and I will address your queries in the next reviewer responses. If you do not know where certain characters are from, ask and I will be more than happy to let you know their origins, as listing every new character in each chapter would get too time consuming, so I will just do the ones not everyone knows. As for those who disliked the chapter, review if you must, though I do ask you have something to say and to please have a proper grasp of English, it is the only language I read.

Anyway! Enough faffing about, see you next time!