Chapter VI

Greetings and salutations my beautiful people! ... Yes, I stole that. Ahem, moving on. I have returned with more Demon Lord's Adventurers, hopefully I have not kept you waiting too long. It seems at least some of you enjoyed the previous chapter, which is always nice. I hope for the same, or better, outcome for this chapter as well. That said, I need to give Bakuto Masaki my thanks as usual, though I admittedly have fallen off in terms of actually doing that. So, I will stop waffling and get to the reviewer responses, okay? Okay.

Meow: And you found it.

N2: Thanks. I try to keep the banter on a certain level, though admittedly sometimes it slips.

World of Dan: I haven't ruled out the possibility, but if I did it would be with a different protagonist, not an OC. But I wouldn't hold my breath on the possibility.

NotScott: So, does this count as biscuit worthy?

Yes.

I agree, Freya is a babe.

DreamWeaverGod: That's generally what I aim for, though I don't always succeed, I am only human after all. As wrong as it sounded, it is one hundred percent accurate.

Skull Flame: Cool. I may include more, but no promises.

It's not exactly an aspect of canon, but I thought it would be an amusing gag.

Understandable.

Join the exclusive club of the most of us.

You did. He is not related to her, it's just that someone he is related to is close to her.

superpierce: Because she has spent hundreds, if not thousands, of years watching over a single section of a single planet, sending those from there who die to their next destination. Plus she's lazy and likely doesn't do much reading outside of comics. Later in the series, I believe, it's explained, or maybe just hinted, that an amount of mana equal to thousands of souls being consumed will also suffice, though that may only be due to Rimuru's unique... everything.

Zaraki6: Just about all of his Skills are maxed out, the hurdle is learning how to use them without the benefit of a GUI. And he may do some, or all, of that.

I can't quite reveal that yet, as it's plot important. But he won't waste it, I promise.

ObsidianUnknown66: Me too. I enjoy going over the nitty gritties of things like that. She's trying to get in Diablo's good graces, so acting out like that wouldn't help.

freeforall546: Perhaps. And perhaps in more ways than one. :)

correnhimself316: I can promise you plenty of those.

Edwardanthony Aparecio: I'm sorry you feel that way, but I hope you find other stories that meet your liking.

Kian Xki: Yeah, she knows with pretty good certainty it was just him under a different name, even if she doesn't know why he did it.

How so? Ainz did the same thing in canon. He chose that name specifically so, if any other members of the guild were on that planet, they would seek him out. Same thing here. Just without Diablo being a malevolent cockbag.

There's a later narrative reason for him to have given that potion.

Partly because I like big harems, and because if I did restrict myself to a small number of characters that were more manageable, I'd get lots of people bitching up a hurricane that I didn't include this girl or that girl in the story.

Thanks. I will admit combat is one area I still struggle writing to a degree.

I appreciate the encouragement, I certainly hope my stories keep improving.

If you can't guess the reason for her weakness just yet, I'll leave it for later to be revealed, since it is a plot-relevant detail.

You're just about spot-on for the whole gods thing.

As for the toads, it actually isn't their blunt resistance for why Aqua couldn't damage the toads, but rather them being immune to water based attacks. And due to her nature, every single attack of hers, even physical ones, have the water attribute.

Phew! That was a lot to get through! Though I do not mind at all. I love seeing all the responses from people, well, most of them. I also appreciate the constructive criticism rather than the bog-standard "it's shit" a lot of people spout, in varying levels of verbosity. That said, enough of my incessant jabbering, on with the show!

Diablo stared up at Gorgon quietly for a few moments. "There is something you may be able to help me with."

"Oh?" Gorgon returned, folding her arms under her impressive bust.

Diablo did his best to stay focused, gulping. "I would like to test some of my powers."

"I see. On… who?"

"Someone powerful. Preferably someone with the power and durability to withstand some of my more intense abilities."

"I see… Honestly, the only one I can trust to be able to survive attacks of that magnitude is myself. One death among them is more than enough for me."

"R – Right…" Diablo answered somewhat shakily.

"Now, let us begin."

Nodding, Diablo followed Gorgon to the entrance of the cave and out into the large field nearby.

Folding her arms under her bust curiously, Gorgon asked, "So, what kind of attacks are you planning on testing?"

"My main goal is to ascertain my level of magical prowess."

"You don't know it?"

"I was brought here by force, and I have since learned that deities in this world have many of their stronger abilities kept from them. I wish to see the limit of what I am able to do."

"I see," she answered with a nod. "Very well." She then raised both of her hands and a large dome of energy appeared around her.

Diablo stared at it slightly, his expression remaining unchanged. 'So, uh… what's the significance of that?'

"Hey, what is that thing?" Nanana asked suddenly.

"A barrier made of highly condensed mana," Gorgon explained. "It is capable of withstanding magical attacks up to Seventh Tier magic, which is the highest tier obtainable by any living being. Anything higher requires the use of Arcanum."

Diablo remained silent for a moment. 'SHIT!'

Nanana looked at him, confused and concerned. 'What's wrong?'

'I mostly have Eighth Tier and up!'

Nanana stumbled where she stood, almost faceplanting. Managing to collect herself momentarily, she retorted, 'A – Ah… well start with the weaker stuff and let's see if you get roadblocked at anything higher.'

"Is something the matter?" Gorgon asked, taking note of the two's silence.

"No," Diablo answered frankly.

"I see. Then let us begin."

'Now… which one to begin with…' After a moment of thought, Diablo raised a hand towards Gorgon. "Freeze Lancer!" Moments later, numerous large magic circles appeared behind him that then fired huge spikes of ice that raced towards Gorgon, though ultimately shattered harmlessly against her barrier. 'Right… so Fourth Tier spells aren't a problem it seems. That's good. Now to go a little higher.'

"I hope that's not your best," Gorgon taunted.

"Of course not, I'm merely stretching. Starting with something weaker before building up to the powerful stuff."

"Good," she answered simply as she waited.

'Now for something with a little extra power.' "Aqua Laser!" he called out before a single circle appeared in front of him and shot a powerful stream of water at intense pressures that slammed into Gorgon's shield, causing it to momentarily warp but not breaking it.

"I do believe I am clean already."

"Funny." 'So, even Sixth Tier isn't restricted. Now Seventh.' "Glacial Core!" Suddenly a large chunk of ice formed in the air before slamming into Gorgon's barrier and exploding into a massive tower of spikes.

"Chilly," Gorgon commented. "That one was actually quite good. Sixth Tier, if I had to guess."

"Seventh, actually."

"Oh… rather weak then…"

Diablo twitched an eyebrow as a blood vessel pulsed on his forehead. 'Alright… let's go straight to the top then.' Reaching a hand out, energy began swirling around him.

Gorgon watched curiously as light began collecting and forming in front of Diablo's palm before compressing and condensing down to barely the size of a snowflake. She watched as it slowly descended to the ground before something suddenly clicked in her mind.

Nanana seemed to know what was coming and ducked down near a large rock.

"White Nova!" Diablo called out as the small dot hit the ground and exploded violently, resulting in a massive blast of energy and light, bathing the entire area in blinding white.

After the smoke cleared, Diablo looked around at the massive crater left behind by the blast. "… Well Ninth Tier clearly still works…"

Gorgon, who floated back down gently, looked at him, perplexed. "… Ninth?"

"Yes. It doesn't have quite the destructive power of Tenth Tier or Super Tier magic, but it certainly has a kick."

She stared silently at him as her mind churned. "I was not aware magic was capable of going beyond the Eighth Tier."

"It most certainly does. It's just that such spells are nearly unobtainable to most. Anything beyond the Ninth causes severe devastation and changes to the world around it."

Looking at the crater behind her, Gorgon wondered aloud, "And this doesn't?"

"Regardless," Diablo remarked, stowing his staff, "it seems the majority of my abilities have not been limited."

"That is good."

"I have powers beyond that spell, but I would be concerned of testing anything stronger." Bowing slightly, he added, "I appreciate your assistance. I have ascertained what I needed."

"Good," Gorgon responded with a nod.

"I'll take my leave then."

Gorgon smiled and nodded. "Right, be sure to return if you need anything."

"I will do that," he answered before leaving with a bag filled with the ore.

Upon returning to the others, Diablo dropped a large bag of metal on the table in the center of the room. "Here's the new load along with a new metal to work with."

"New metal?" Rem asked curiously as she sipped some water.

Diablo proceeded to pull the one chunk of Ebony out of the bag, causing Rem to nearly choke on her drink.

Shera's ears wiggled with interest. "Ooooh… pretty…"

Diablo nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I know. Apparently there are ebony veins in that mine too. Best set up some defenses at the entrance to ensure no unwelcome guests go in."

"R – Right," Rem answered, still in disbelief.

Shera, seeing this, addressed the befuddled Pantherian. "Um… what's wrong, Rem?"

"I forgot you were this stupid. That's ebony, and it is one of the most sought-after metals around."

"Really?" Shera wondered.

"Yes! The fact that he just found it is unbelievable!"

"Apparently there is a large vein of it in that cave," Diablo reiterated.

Rem sighed in exasperation. "Right… so what are you going to do with this stuff? It's not enough for much more than a dagger."

Diablo hummed in thought as he looked at the chunk of ore. After a moment he put his hand over it. "Create Greater Item."

The girls watched curiously as the piece of metal began to glow brightly before reshaping itself into a new form. Their expressions all changed in different ways as the new form appeared in the light, a very skimpy, jet black, metal bikini.

"Wow…" Shera cooed at the outfit.

Rem stared flatly at the item, her ears lying flat.

After a moment of silence Nanana asked, "So, um… who gets this thing?"

"Ooh, can I try it?!" Shera asked excitedly.

Diablo looked at her silently for a moment before gulping. "Sure."

"Yay!" Shera exclaimed before taking the metal bikini and running off.

Nanana just stared at him. '… Pervert.'

Coming out of the nearby closet wearing the bikini, which left very, very little to the imagination of her voluptuous body, Shera stepped towards Diablo with a smile. "Hey, hey, how does it look Diablo?"

"Beautiful…" Diablo mumbled unwittingly before blood began falling from his nose. 'Crap!' he cursed as he slapped a hand over his nose.

Nanana sighed in disbelief. "Cool. Now we turned Shera in to a bikini model," Nanana deadpanned.

Shera looked at the purple-haired girl curiously. "Bikini? What's a bikini?"

"Similar to underwear, but worn when you go swimming," she explained.

"Oh…"

"That armor's useless," Rem criticized.

Shera pouted as she looked at the cat-eared girl. "Eehh? But Diablo made it, so it has to be amazing!"

Deciding to put the situation to rest, Diablo spoke up. "Rem, why don't you try punching Shera? As hard as you can."

Shera's ears dropped in disbelief. "E – Eh!?"

With an almost malicious grin, Rem raised her fists and took a swing at Shera. Her hand stopped sharply and abruptly as it hit Shera's stomach, or rather, hitting something impossibly hard, like a brick wall. A chill went up Rem's back as she trembled where she stood. "Gah! Ow!"

Shera, however, blinked in confusion.

Rem, her bruised knuckles pulsing in pain, looked at Diablo in bewilderment. "I hit her, so why am I the one who's hurt?!"

Nodding, Diablo explained, "Simple. It's a full body enchantment. It provides her entire body with the protection of ebony armor, but with the weight and size of undergarments."

Shera looked down at her barely clothed form with excitement. "This is amazing!"

Frowning in confusion, Rem flicked her hands, causing large, metal, clawed gauntlets to appear over her hands as she took a swipe at Shera, sparks flying off as her claws did nothing to the elf. "Not a scratch…" she grumbled as she stowed her gauntlets.

"You're amazing, Diablo!" Shera cheered extatically.

'More like your luck is,' Nanana chastised.

'And people think that stat is useless,' Diablo retorted proudly.

Nanana sighed and rolled her eyes.

Ignoring her, Diablo noted, "Now then, I'd best get to work making more while we advertise the armor as well."

Nanana noted, "Advertising means we need a mannequin or a model for them."

Diablo replied, "You did say we made Shera one."

Nanana gave him a deadpan expression. 'You really feel comfortable sticking her out in the open to model something like that for hundreds of people?'

Diablo remained quiet for a few seconds. "… Let's get this on Aqua."

"E – Eh!?" Aqua shrieked in disbelief.

"Aw…" Shera pouted, not really understanding the situation.

Rem just watched the proceedings in confusion.

Shortly later, Aqua, now wearing the metal bikini, mildly irritated at the poor-fitting chest area, looked at Diablo. "You promise?"

Diablo nodded. "Of course, three thousand Vals."

Folding her arms, Aqua retorted, "Alright, fine. I'll be your model."

"Good."

"This is the only way she'll be useful," Nanana chided.

"Shut it!" the blue-haired goddess growled.

Nanana smiled smugly and argued, "Now, now," get to work.

"Tch… you'd better pay me!"

"I don't lie. We'll get the podium set up, you just stand on it and show off the armor."

Shortly after, the group stood outside of Wiz's shop with a small podium set up that Aqua quickly made her way on top of.

"This is humiliating for a goddess…"

"Just get on the podium," Diablo urged. Turning to Shera, he asked, "Got your bow ready?"

Shera looked at him, confused. "I can, why?"

"We need to demonstrate the armor's effectiveness."

"Oohh, okay," Shera remarked in understanding as she ran back inside.

"I'll get some snacks," Nanana interjected as she went into Wiz's shop.

Shortly after, Aqua stood on the podium, striking several poses, trying to ignore the stares of the people that had gathered to see.

Diablo twitched an eyebrow as he noticed the men in the audience staring at Aqua, practically drooling. "Ahem! The wearer is not for sale. Her armor is."

One of the women in the crowd spoke up, "Armor? That's lingerie!"

Darkness watched the events before her and pouted slightly. "Aqua up there… with all those lewd eyes on her… sh – she really shouldn't have to do it, it should be me getting all those beastly stares…"

Diablo merely tried to ignore the blonde as he addressed the woman in the crowd, "That is where you're wrong, ma'am. Shera?"

Nodding with a smile, Shera nocked an arrow and aimed at Aqua.

"Wh – What do you think you're…!?" Aqua gasped, as did several of the onlookers, before Shera released the arrow that hit Aqua in the back, snapped under its own force, and fell harmlessly to the ground without leaving a scratch on her.

"O – Oh my…" the woman wondered in disbelief.

Diablo then raised a hand at Aqua. "Fireball!" he shouted before a blast of fire shot out at the blue-haired girl and seemingly engulfed her in an explosion, only to die down seconds later, leaving her unscathed.

"Amazing…!" another woman gasped.

Rem looked around at the crowd curiously as they began stirring and murmuring. Looking to Diablo, she remarked, "It seems they really like them."

"Indeed," he noted plainly.

One of the men in the crowd timidly raised his hand. "I – I'll take one! F – For my wife!"

A third woman in the crowd quietly raised her hand as well.

Diablo smirked slightly at the response as more people requested their own. "That will be thirty thousand each, and it will take a day or two to make more. You can also wear it under normal clothes."

"It'll protect them?" a woman asked.

"Yes," Diablo replied with a nod. 'I think. Or maybe they'll just get torn to pieces. Oh well.'

Nanana just rolled her eyes. 'This isn't some ero-anime.'

'So?'

As the others raised their hands and called out for their own sets of armor, one person in the crowd stood silently, watching Diablo closely.

As the sun hung low in the sky, the air painted a dark orange, Diablo looked over the many coins left from the day, from all the people who bought the armor he had made. "They certainly sold fast."

"So much money!" Aqua, back in her normal clothes, cheered as she made to dive forward and grab it all.

Diablo, however, smacked her hand away forcefully. "Wait until I divide it up."

Aqua pouted as he began dividing up the Vals into even amounts and placing them in small sacks, handing each one to one of the girls. "But my pay…"

"You will get your equal share plus the three thousand I promised," Diablo reiterated before handing her a bag of coins.

Aqua took it and looked at the bag curiously before looking at the man himself.

"What?" he asked, confused and slightly annoyed at her vexation.

"N – Nothing."

"Right… now to finish dividing the rest."

"You're going to mine again?" Rem asked the next morning as Diablo prepared to leave.

"I am. We need more ore, not only for the armor but for potions as well. I also need a few other items as well."

"Ooh, ooh, can I go this time!?" Shera asked excitedly.

Raising an eyebrow, Diablo replied, "Okay, I don't mind. But why would you want to go to the mine with me?"

"Yay!" Shera cheered as she ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

Rem and Megumin stared at her silently as Diablo's arm disappeared into her cleavage.

After finishing breakfast and leaving the city, the two made their way to the mine, Shera humming happily the whole way.

"So, you didn't say why you wanted to go with me," Diablo noted, breaking the silence.

Shera smiled softly before looking down bashfully. "I just… wanted to spend time with you."

Diablo raised an eyebrow curiously but just shrugged. "So be it."

As the two continued walking, Shera turned to Diablo curiously. "Hey, Diablo, can I ask you something…?"

"Of course."

"What's your world like?"

"… Much different to yours. The buildings there are made of metal and glass, instead of rock and wood. They reach up into the clouds, beyond the mountains."

"Whoa…"

"It's also inhabited by only humans, no Pantherians, elves, Grasswalkers, or beyond."

Shera looked at him quietly for a moment. "You're not a human though, are you?"

'Crap,' he cursed in his head. "I – I don't consider myself to be with them, they are not my people."

"Oh… Are there monsters?"

"N –" he began to say, stopping himself short. "… Yes. Terrible ones. Massive creatures that hunt and eat the people. The humans call them Novas."

Shera stared at him in surprise. "Is there anyone who can fight them?"

Diablo nodded in return. "There are a select few humans with the power to fight them, called Pandoras. They are all female."

"Do you help them?"

"… In my own way. I have concerns of my own."

"I see…" Shera remarked quietly in worry.

Diablo winced at seeing her downcast expression. 'Crap… does she think I don't care…' "W – Well, it's not like I don't try to help them. After all, an empire is nothing without subjects. I can't have those things killing all my people."

"What do they look like?" Shera asked, seemingly engaged in the conversation again.

Sighing subtly in relief, Diablo answered, "They have various appearances. But most look like giant, mutated women."

Shera seemed to pick up on something in his words and asked uneasily, "… Are they that scary to fight…?"

Diablo remained silent for a moment with mild surprise before nodding slowly. "… Yes. Even for me."

Shera's ears drooped as her expression fell to the ground, walking silently next to Diablo for several minutes. Eventually, she spoke up again, timidly. "I see… Do you… want to stay in our world then…?"

His brain completely stopped for several long moments at her question as he pawed over it. '… I… never really thought about that… I just assumed that… I'd always find a way back…'

Before their discussion could continue, they were interrupted by Gorgon as they approached the cave. "Back again so soon?"

"Huh?" Diablo mumbled, coming back to attention. "Er, yes. I am."

"Back for more ore, I'm assuming?"

"That's correct. Plus Shera wanted to see some of your friends working."

"It's fine, you can call them Monsters. It won't offend me or them."

Diablo nodded quietly.

"This way," Gorgon urged before entering the cave.

Shera cooed with excitement as she saw the various types of Monsters, Harpies, Wyverns, Needlerabbits, and more all digging and clawing at the ground for chunks of metal and gemstones.

However, Diablo took note of the Harpies having trouble using their clawed feet to dig. "Why are the Harpies in here instead of outside?"

"It would draw too much attention to us," Gorgon argued.

"With all the thick tree cover outside?" Sighing, Diablo nodded to himself. "This is good, actually. I was thinking of finding a way to keep some form of security on the mine to ensure no one else came here and caused problems. So, I would like the flying… Monsters… to be outside as sentinels. If they see anyone they are to return and inform you and the others immediately."

Gorgon folded her arms in thought for several moments before nodding. "Very well. I can abide by that." She suddenly turned to several of the monsters and let out multiple guttural growls and hisses before several bat-like creatures and Harpies dashed out of the cavern.

Diablo nodded in appreciation before one of the Killer Ants approached the group and dropped a large variety of multi-colored rocks and gems.

Shera looked over the items with enthusiasm. "Oooohh… so pretty…"

Diablo just stared in disbelief. 'How many types of ore are in this cave?! It's like a gear farmer's wet dream!'

"Diablo?" Shera questioned, pulling him out of his stupor.

"Y – Yes?"

"Are you okay? You're drooling?"

"Perfectly," he commented, wiping his chin.

"Right…"

"Let's return with what we have. Thank you, Gorgon."

The snake-tailed woman responded with a bow as Diablo and Shera gathered up the materials.

Aqua looked at the pile of ores and gems with an almost lustful excitement. "At this rate, we'll be rich!"

"Y – Yeah…" Megumin commented in disbelief.

Diablo just smiled quietly as he watched the girls. Though Nanana got his attention.

'Not that I'm too worried, but don't you think we should try and keep our skills sharp and not just rest on our laurels with this potion stuff?'

Diablo frowned slightly in thought. "… For the time being, our supply of coin is satisfactory. However, your strength leaves much to be desired."

Shera just tilted her head curiously as she looked at him. "Okay…?"

"It is time to take on more quests. As usual, I will be following as back up, but will not be actively participating."

Rem nodded in agreement. "Right."

"I assume you can handle selling the potions, Wiz?"

"Y – Yes!" she answered hurriedly, put on the spot.

Diablo nodded in acceptance. "Good. Let's head out."

Shera hummed musically as the group walked to the Guild Building.

Aqua, confused and mildly annoyed, questioned, "Why are you so happy…?"

"It's another mission with everyone!" she cheered.

Nanana just chuckled lightly as she watched the girls.

"We still need to decide what to take though," Megumin urged.

Once they got inside and looked around, Darkness saw a posting that caught her attention and pointed to it. "Ooh, this one!"

Diablo looked the mission over, requesting a party to deal with a cave filled with Orcs, and proceeded to smack Darkness on the head. "No."

"Aw…"

Rem pointed to a different posting in thought. "How about this one? A lake is infested with Killer Alligators due to the water becoming polluted."

Diablo nodded in approval. "Sounds good. I presume the water goddess will make herself useful."

"Of course!" Aqua retorted confidently.

"This I've got to see," Nanana commented in amusement before thinking for a moment and smirking. "No wait, this is something I have got to help you with."

Aqua just looked at her in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean? Purifying a lake will be easy!"

Nanana nodded in response. "I know. But I have the perfect idea that will let you do it even easier and 'one hundred percent safe'."

Aqua blinked in curiousity. "Really? Let's do it!"

Aqua sat quietly in a large steel cage suspended by a rope over the deep brown lake.

Diablo trembled where he stood, attempting to maintain his façade. '… Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh…'

Nanana, grinning cruelly, chided, "How's it hangin' Aqua?"

Megumin stumbled where she stood, holding a hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter.

"You're all evil…" Aqua hissed coldly.

"Darkness, dunk her," Nanana commanded.

"I wish it was me in there," the blonde pouted before letting go of the rope, resulting in a hefty splash as the cage hit the water and ground just beneath it.

"Hey! That hurt dammit!" Aqua cursed. "Stop it!"

Nanana put up a hand commandingly. "Nope! Now get to work, gator chow!"

"Bitch!"

"So? Unless you want to become a walking prune, I recommend you start purifying, o great water goddess."

Aqua just hissed and began clearing the lake. "… Tch… Purification… Purification… Purification…"

After a few more repetitions, Nanana asked, "So how long do you think it'll take?"

Aqua just ignored her and kept chanting.

Diablo looked at the water next to the cage as it began bubbling. "In about three. Two. One."

Moments later, a pair of scaly, purple eyes popped up from the murky water.

Aqua's chanting stopped as she took note of the creature, seeing its massive shape shadowed in the water. "… Eh?"

Less than a moment later the beast charged forward, revealing its three meter, scaled body as it charged and rammed the cage.

Aqua shrieked in horror as Diablo watched silently. Nanana then ordered, "Get to work faster, gator chow!"

"Eeeekk!" Aqua shrieked as a second Killer Gator emerged and began slamming into another side of the cage.

Nanana just watched as she laughed almost maniacally.

"Sh – Shouldn't we do something?" Shera asked as she looked to Diablo, who just stood next to her sighing.

Nanana just turned to her with a smirk, "Yeah. We need to make popcorn."

One of the gators charged and grabbed onto a bar of the cage and pulled, bending and straining the metal.

Sighing to himself, Diablo started talking to himself. "Monsters that large tend to be weak in their eyes."

Shera pulled her bow from her back and readied an arrow, quickly releasing it, nailing one of the massive reptiles right in its eyes with only one shot.

The monster released the bar of the cage and lurched back in pain.

"Rem, if they start coming towards us, aim for their muzzles," Diablo ordered before Rem equipped her gauntlets with a flick.

"Right," the Pantherian replied, Nanana and the others staring at Diablo silently.

"What about me…?" Megumin asked nervously.

Diablo answered coldly, "Your magic is too destructive and your body too weak to be of any use."

"Geh…" she lurched, almost physically pained from his words.

Darkness, with a flushed, excited smile, asked anxiously, "A – And me…?"

Diablo retorted bluntly, "I'm not going to risk you getting yourself killed for a thrill."

Nanana stared at him flatly as Darkness silently looked at the man in shock.

Seeing they didn't like, or didn't expect, his response, Diablo added, "A – Ahem, I mean, after all, you wouldn't be any use to me dead."

Darkness' eyes widened in anticipation. "So you wish for me to give my body to you right now?!"

"No!" he snapped.

"Aw… but my body is fertile…" Darkness pouted.

Diablo just stared at her, hoping she simply was not aware of what she was saying.

"Or… am I ugly…?"

Diablo, blushing furiously and growing increasingly uncomfortable finally snapped back, "No! Now I'm trying to focus so shut up!"

Darkness just hung her head as she pouted.

'Dammit, why are women so complicated…?'

Nanana shot back, 'We aren't. You're just stupid.'

'That may be true, but that one certainly is a pile of snakes!'

Nanana just shrugged. 'She is probably some noble's daughter that wants to choose her own husband, and decided on it being her new god.'

'That's absurd,' Diablo huffed.

Nanana looked to the blonde and brought her into the argument. "Hey Darkness, what's your family like?"

Darkness looked at her curiously before her brain seemed to jump to the usual insanity. "Huh? Why, do you plan on ransoming me to them?! Doing unspeakable things until they pay you?!"

Nanana just smirked playfully. "Maaaybe? If you don't tell me what your family's like, I'll get Diablo to whip you."

'The hell you will!' Diablo snarled in his mind to her.

"Really!?" Darkness shouted energetically.

"Why does that excite you?!"

Nanana's smirk widened mischievously. "Or maybe I should have him lock you in a basement and turn you into his personal broodmare?"

The blonde began drooling in response. "Shall I strip down now!?"

Diablo just stared in disbelief before the group were distracted when they heard Aqua shouting desperately as the Gators kept clawing at the cage.

"PURIFICATION, PURIFICATION, PURIFICATION!"

Diablo looked at her as the Gators kept pulling at the cage, the blue-haired girl trying to work faster.

Aqua, panting and exhausted, sat in the heavily battered cage, the lake around her perfectly clear and the monsters gone.

Diablo nodded in affirmation to her work. "Four hours. Good work."

Aqua looked up desperately, wiped. "… Is it… Is it over…?"

"Yes, you did good girl."

"Right…" she mumbled, slumping against one side of the cage.

Diablo then reached behind his back before pulling out a large bottle of wine and tossing it through the bars at Aqua, whose lethargy vanished instantly as she leapt up and caught it in midair. "Let's head back," he urged, the girls all agreeing.

Diablo walked next to the cart holding the cage as they approached back to Faltra. Twitching an eyebrow, he looked at Aqua, who still remained sitting in the box. "There's no reason for you to stay in there."

"It's safe in here though…" Aqua mumbled quietly.

He sighed heavily before shrugging. "Fine. But once we return it you need to come out."

"Okay…" she answered despondently.

"We rented it, not bought it," he shot back.

She remained silent for a moment before looking at him. "… Can we buy it?"

"You will not be living in the cage you halfwit."

"… But –"

"The answer is no," Diablo snapped back. "If you keep arguing, I'll pull you out of it immediately."

"Okay…"

Diablo nodded with a small smile. "Good. Now let's get this cashed in and return the cage."

Shera raised a fist in the air with excitement, almost causing her twins to fall out. "Yahoo!"

Rem and Megumin stared at her with silent anger.

'Incoming idiot,' Nanana warned Diablo.

'Where?' he asked.

"Halt!" a new voice howled.

'Oh.'

"I said halt!" the same voice hollered.

"Did someone say something?" Diablo said plainly before a man approached the group and swung a massive sword, severing the chain connecting the cart to Darkness.

"Hey!" the blonde shouted as the sudden release caused her to hit the ground.

"Just wait, Lady Aqua!" the man called out.

"Lady?" Nanana and Diablo asked in confusion before getting a better look at the man. He was tall and plain looking, with elaborate purple armor and short brown hair, the most striking aspect about him being the massive, dark red sword he wielded which, rather than ending in a sharp point, ended in a flat blade like the head of an ax.

The man, without addressing Diablo or the others, stowed his blade and then grabbed two of the bars to the cage and nearly ripped them off the box.

Aqua, seeing this, finally came out of her stupor, enraged. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

The man, smiling proudly, explained, "I'm freeing you Lady – bagh!" he grunted as Aqua nailed him in the gut with a punch, knocking him back and folding him over like a lawn chair.

"Do you have any idea how much money that is going to cost us!?"

"B – But… you were…" he stammered weakly as he stood up, surprised and aching.

"S – Sir Kyouya!" two pretty girls exclaimed as they came out from a nearby alley.

"Now that will come out of my pay!" Aqua continued shouting at the man.

"Lady Aqua, what is going on?" the brown-haired man stammered in bewilderment.

Aqua just stared at the man in annoyance. "You keep calling me that, who the hell are you?!"

Kyouya's face trembled in confusion. "H – Huh…? But, Milady, it is I, your chosen hero, Kyouya Mitsurugi."

Aqua just obstinately folded her arms with a huff. "Don't remember."

Kyouya proceeded to brandish the massive sword on his back proudly. "You sent me to this world with the Demon Sword, Gram, and instructed me to slay the Demon King."

Diablo twitched an eyebrow and looked at Aqua, irritated. "You stole my sword!?"

Kyouya glared at the horned man. "Your sword? This sword was gifted to me by the great goddess Aqua for my quest!"

"And she stole it from my armory!"

Kyouya aimed Gram at Diablo angrily. "Liar! And besides that, you had Lady Aqua in a cage like some animal!"

Diablo just folded his arms. "We had a job and this cage kept my subordinate safe."

Kyouya scowled indignantly at the cloaked man. "Subordinate?! Lady Aqua is a goddess you worthless –!"

Aqua finally let her temper get the best of her and swung a fist at the sword-wielding fanatic, sending him flying.

Nanana blinked in surprise. "Huh. Well that happened."

Kyouya, undeterred from being launched in a vegetable stall, stood up and directed his rage at Diablo rather than the woman who sent him there. "What have you done to her, you bastard?!"

"Nothing, fool," Diablo retorted bluntly.

"Liar!" Kyouya shouted back, predictably.

Megumin just stared at him in disbelief. "… He did not just call a god a liar…"

Diablo frowned slightly at her remark before Kyouya's stupidity regained his attention. "The image of Lady Aqua is seared into my brain, I know you did something to her you vagabond!"

"Again, I didn't do anything, moron," Diablo repeated, realizing that he would only be ignored.

Readying his sword, Kyouya primed himself to charge Diablo. "I won't allow a bastard like you to just throw her in a cage!"

Diablo just sighed. 'This idiot isn't even listening to a word I say.'

Darkness just stared silently at Kyouya, her hands twitching angrily. "… I want to kill him."

Megumin gripped her staff tightly, trembling. "Yeah… I really want to set off an Explosion in his face."

Diablo, his patience with the man running its limit, sternly shot him down. "Now listen carefully you moronic mortal. You will give back what Aqua stole and leave, or I will beat your ass down and then take my sword back and blacklist you from the Guild."

Kyouya lurched back before seeming to find some level of confidence momentarily. "M – More lies!" His eyes then darted behind Diablo where he saw Rem and Shera, or more accurately, their collars. "You bastard, you even have slaves with you?!"

Diablo twitched an eyebrow as his patience finally lapsed.

"Draw your blade! I will fight you for their free –" Kyouya began to rant before receiving a powerful blow to the face from Diablo's fist, sending him crashing through a wall.

Diablo just sighed in exasperation. "You've become too annoying." He then picked up the massive sword Kyouya had dropped and slung it over his shoulder.

"Wh – What!?" one of the girls in Kyouya's party gasped.

The other spoke up and shouted, "Only Master Kyouya should be able to use Gram!"

Diablo just huffed dismissively. "He's barely qualified to wield my sword."

Kyouya came to weakly and stood up with a growl.

"Uwah!" Aqua suddenly shouted.

"Aqua?" Diablo questioned, worried slightly.

Pointing at Kyouya, Aqua exclaimed, "I remember now! You're the loser who got hit by a tractor!"

Kyouya winced in despair before slumping onto the pile of rubble he inadvertently made.

Diablo just sighed, ignoring him, before looking at the cage. "Now to get this cage fixed and returned."

"N – Not so fast!" Kyouya interjected, trying to distract himself from his shame.

Diablo just ignored him as he grabbed the chain to the cart and pulled it.

"I said –!" Kyouya shouted before Darkness suddenly bitchslapped him and sent him further into the wall.

"Stop demanding things of our god, trash!" Darkness suddenly, and unexpectedly, exclaimed.

Megumin and Aqua both gasped in shock before Nanana remarked, "Huh. He actually pissed off Darkness."

Diablo stared at the blonde, almost in shock. "… Let's go."

The two girls with Kyouya just watched the group silently before running over to him.

Back near the inn, Diablo and the others stood just outside with the cage.

"How do we fix it…?" Shera wondered nervously.

"Magic," Diablo answered without even thinking.

She looked at him in disbelief. "Magic can do that?!"

Diablo merely nodded as he looked over it. "It can do many things." He continued examining it for several seconds. 'I say that, but I don't know of a spell that can simply repair this thing…'

Nanana furrowed her brow in thought.

Diablo did the same in consideration. 'If I remember right… most of the spells in the game, their flavor text talked about things like how Fireball ignites the oxygen in the air, or how Blizzard slows down the molecules of everything around the user. So… maybe it'll work the same.' After a moment Diablo put his hand on the cage and focused. 'Okay… I need to imagine the molecules of the steel rearranging themselves back into their original shape…'

Shera watched the cage in thought before it began glowing and twitching. It suddenly jumped and the broken bars stitched themselves together. "Amazing!"

Diablo looked at the repaired cage in surprise. 'Huh. It actually worked.'

Rem stared silently at Diablo for a few moments.

"Rem?" he questioned.

"… Can magic work on physical anatomy…?"

"… Maybe?" 'The hell…?'

'No idea…' Nanana mumbled silently in her mind to him.

"Ah…" Rem just mumbled in defeat.

"Why?" Nanana questioned.

"To shrink Boob Elf's."

Diablo just stared as he connected the dots.

Shera however, looked at Rem very confused. "… Why? Diablo likes them."

Rem's left ear began twitching violently.

Diablo saw a spark beginning to light and decided it best to intervene. "… Let's just get this returned."

Aqua drooled over the pile of reward money they received from the job. "So much money…"

"You sure you're not a goddess of greed?" Diablo chided coldly.

"I am not!" Aqua snapped back almost instantly.

Nanana responded by pulling a large gold bracelet with jewels on it.

Aqua instantly switched gears and drooled over the bracelet. "Ooh, what's that?!"

"Bait," Nanana answered bluntly.

"Gimme!"

"Nope. Not giving it to you, Greed Goddess."

"I'm not a greed goddess!" Aqua weakly argued as she pawed at it. "Now give it!"

"Then why do you want the jewelry so badly?"

"More money means more booze!"

"So you're a goddess of gluttony?"

"No, a goddess of water!"

"Riiight…"

"Give it to me dammit!"

"Nope," Nanana retorted coldly.

Aqua just pouted angrily.

"Just admit you're a goddess of gluttony and you get it."

"I'm not!"

Nanana proceeded to slip the bracelet on her wrist with a smile. "Then this is mine."

Aqua just stared as her eyes began welling up.

Diablo sighed before looking at the purple-haired girl. "You truly enjoy tormenting her, don't you?"

"She took away my afterlife of pudding and video games, I will never forgive her!"

After a few silent seconds, Diablo sighed once more before talking to Nanana privately as something caught his attention. '… Hey, Nanana?'

'Yes, Momo?'

Glancing at the bracelet on her hand, he added, 'That bracelet. It's one of the items you made in Nazarick.'

She just shrugged slightly. '… In a way… Why?'

That seemed to confuse the man even more. 'How do you have it?'

'It was one of my Treasures I managed to keep on me in death.'

'Ah. Wait, what?' he responded as one question was answered, only for many more to take its place.

'One of my Treasures,' she repeated.

'Yeah, I heard that, but how'd you manage to bring it with you?'

'It was on me, duh.'

'How? You weren't brought into this world as your character like me.'

She could only tilt her head, trying to grasp where his confusion was coming from. 'Your point?'

'How did you bring something from the game with you?'

She folded her arms in thought, trying to comprehend his bewilderment, before something seemed to click. 'Oh, I see. You've got it backwards. I based the Item on this thing.'

The proverbial gears of Diablo's mind ground to a sudden and frozen halt. '… What?'

'What? The one in the game is based on the real one I own. Actually, all the items I've made are.'

His locked gears were now rusted in place. '… Hah?'

Shrugging, Nanana continued, 'Heck, even the Staff is based on one of my Treasures. The Staff of the Seven Chaos Gods.'

Diablo's brain just about caught fire at that revelation. '… Hah?!'

'What?' Nanana retorted, nonplussed about the whole situation.

"Diablo?" Shera asked, as even she noticed the vacant expression on his face.

Snapping himself back to reality, Diablo coughed into his hand and tried to hide it. "A – Ahem, it is nothing."

Nanana smirked playfully. 'Wow, you really spaced out there. Didn't I tell you?'

'No you fucking didn't!'

"What do we do now?" Shera asked, confused.

Raising a hand, Rem suggested, "I have an idea. Head to Orario?"

Frowning slightly, Nanana looked over her outfit. "Well before that, I'd like to get some proper clothes."

Shera swiftly held up Diablo's bikini armor.

"Not that! I mean, maybe under it, but not just that!" she stammered.

"Oh…" the elf remarked, disappointed.

Nanana just groaned.

Later on, Diablo and the others made their way around the city, Diablo looking through the windows in many of the shops there.

"What are we looking for?" Shera questioned.

Looking at a few dresses inside a fancy boutique, Diablo explained blithely, "I need to get an idea on what types of clothing to make."

"Really?"

"I only made it that way because I had few materials."

"So?" Shera asked, perplexed by the answer.

"It is not how I plan to make them, going forward."

"Why not?"

Diablo stiffened as he was not anticipating such in-depth questioning.

"Because it's creepy," Rem answered instead, seemingly for him.

"Because you lack boobs?" Nanana jabbed coldly, earning a violent hiss from the Pantherian.

Diablo did his best to ignore their quibbling when a noise down a nearby alley caught his attention. Frowning in thought, he followed the sound and saw a portly man glowering at a young woman with long, dark blonde hair and bright green eyes wearing a red and white dress with an apron and black gloves, her frilled dress accentuating her curvy figure.

"Please, I'm begging you!" she pleaded with the man, who just folded his arms obstinately.

"Listen Miss Lilietta, if you can't make enough money to pay the rent, I'm just losing money letting you in this space. I'll have someone who'll actually pay me take over."

"B – But…!" she stammered before Diablo approached the scene.

"Is something wrong?" Diablo announced as he walked up to them.

The man winced slightly at the sight of the horned man but plainly answered him. "No, it's nothing. This girl here just won't pay her rent."

"It's not that I won't, I can't!" Lilietta desperately argued.

He merely huffed in derision. "Same difference. Whether you can't or won't, the end result is I'm not getting paid and you're still living here and keeping your crap on the shelves I own."

Diablo narrowed his eyes before turning his attention to the pretty girl in hot water. "… Do you need a job Miss?"

She stumbled over her words in response to his question, though the portly man interrupted. "You can give her a job if you want, but what I've got here is store space. So unless there's something inside that's making money, it doesn't do me any good."

Diablo stared at the man, rather annoyed, as Lilietta looked at him in worry. After a few seconds of thought, Diablo turned his attention to the concerned girl. "Hmm… what do you sell, human?"

Tensing at the question, she answered shyly, "U – Umm… tools… My grandmother used to make and sell tools here, and I tested them. But…" she trailed off somberly. "Grandma's not here anymore, and I'm no good with the forge…"

"… There is a forge there?"

"There is, so?" the man questioned.

"Aqua, go get changed," Diablo ordered.

The blue-haired woman raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Eh? Into what?"

"The outfit, dummy," Nanana chided.

"Which outfit?"

The portly man watched the exchange in growing aggravation before Nanana, irritated by Aqua's stupidity, acted or real, dragged her away from public view for a few moments.

Diablo and the man stared silently as grunting and struggling was heard around the corner.

Nanana came back around the corner, dragging Aqua, now clad in the ebony bikini armor.

The portly man let out a gasp that almost swallowed his tongue at the sight of her.

Taking the appropriate opportunity, Rem picked up a nearby stone and threw it, causing it to hit bounce off Aqua harmlessly.

The man's jaw nearly hit the floor in shock.

Seeing the expression he was hoping for, Diablo got his attention. "A forge would be helpful, so think we can set up business here?"

"Of course! I would love to have someone of your caliber on my property!"

"Good. Under two conditions under my end. The rent stays the same, and she remains the owner of the building."

The man was less than thrilled with that arrangement, but his avarice overpowered whatever reasons he had for such misgivings. "Fine."

"Good to hear."

"Hopefully you'll turn me an actual profit," the man rebuked snidely.

A small smirk on his face, Diablo hit back, "I am sure my Familia will do well."

His face went almost as white as paper. "… Wh – What?"

"Yes?"

"F – Familia…?"

"Yes Familia. I am a god after all."

Lilietta's eyes almost burst in shock. "Y – You are…?"

"That I am. Now, let's get everything finalized."

"R – Right," Lilietta stammered, the man smiling greedily as he made to fetch some documents.

After dealing with all the necessaries, Diablo sighed as he shook his hand in discomfort. 'Geez… it's like signing all the patents for the Cardinal System…'

"I don't know if this place will serve a Familia well enough," Lilietta piped up nervously, "but you're welcome to anything you think you can use."

"Thank you," Diablo answered in as official a tone as he could muster.

Rem, meanwhile, looked around the shop inside curiously, examining nearly every nook and cranny.

"Looking for mice?" Shera teased as she walked up to the curious cat.

Turning to her with a hiss, Rem snapped, "No!"

"Then what are you looking for?"

"I'm just looking, stupid fatty."

Shera puffed her cheeks in anger, but before she could retaliate Diablo cut off their argument.

"Oy, enough fighting. I will not have members of my Familia be at each other's throats."

"Right…" Rem and Shera answered in agreement.

Diablo noticed Megumin staring at him silently but decided to let it go and turn his attention to Nanana, who had just finished surveying the building. "Well?"

"The place has this front area to sell items, a small kitchen, a forge, a large storage area, a small kiln, and five bedrooms."

"Right. It will do nicely then."

Lilietta sighed in immense relief.

"Now to get to work."

Lilietta nodded assuredly before gaping as he placed a large bag of ebony ore in front of everyone.

"Something wrong?" he asked, seeing her gob smacked expression.

"There's so much!" she exclaimed.

"Of course. We have a mine full of this and various other metals."

"E – Eh?! You have a mine!?" Lilietta continued shouting, as more and more surprises hit her.

"Yes. Along with a willing work force."

She could only stared intermittently at each of the group before Nanana put a hand on her shoulder. "There's a lot that's happened, so don't worry."

"R – Right…" she stuttered out weakly.

As the two continued talking, Megumin tugged on Diablo's cape, finally getting his attention. "Yes, Megumin?"

"I'm bored," the petite girl moaned. "Can we go practice my Explosion spell?"

Raising an eyebrow slightly, he questioned, "Hm? That's fine, but why do I need to be involved?"

Her face tinting almost as red as her eyes, she answered with embarrassment, "B – Because… I can't move after using it."

"Ah." After a moment of thought, he sighed and agreed. "Fine. I don't like being used as a horse, so at some point we need to get a transport for the task."

"Like what?" Nanana asked, overhearing the conversation.

Diablo put a hand on his chin to think, only to be interrupted as Shera shouted out, "A Filolial!"

"A what?" he asked, surprised by her sudden shout.

"We can buy a Filolial!" Shera yelled with excitement.

He blinked a few times in consideration before nodding in agreement. "Ah… but that would require a lot of money… and it would be best to get one as an egg…"

Rem interjected, "That's going to be difficult."

Diablo nodded in understanding. "I know. But the best things in life are never easy."

Shrugging, Rem added, "It would still be expensive to purchase a Filolial egg, but not as much as buying an adult."

"Then if anything we would have to find one."

"That would be even more difficult."

A small smirk crossed Diablo's lips as he replied, "That just means it'll be that much more fun."

Voila! And like that another chapter closes. Wait, does it count as closing the chapter if it is an electronic book? I have confused myself now... Ahem! If you enjoyed the chapter, please do let me know with a review, I like being able to see what aspects people enjoy and what aspects they do not so much. If you were confused, unsure, or simply have questions on anything, such as the original source of certain characters, leave your queries as a review and I will do what I can to address them in the next reviewer response. If you did not enjoy the chapter, so be it, sorry you did not enjoy yourself. If you could be so kind as to provide suggestions for improvement instead of just telling me it is rubbish, it would be greatly appreciated, but I know some people have the general mental acuity of a deck chair.

Regardless, enough from me, until next time, bye-bye!