"Whoa…" they said standing inside of a floor that was a mix of a library and a lab at the exact same time.
"This looks like a place an Alchemist or Mage would use." Miriam said.
"You're thinking too old fashioned. This is definitely a mad scientist type lair." Eddy said.
"Maybe a mix of both…? Who can say, really?" Scott asked.
"That's true. And it hardly looks like it's been abandoned." Ginseng said.
"Considering who originally was living out of this tower, it's no surprise." Hope said as he looked to a photo. "Hey...check this out." he said, showing younger versions of their fathers as kids in front of some building.
"Childhood friends, huh? Must be nice." Francisca said.
"Guess so." Stahn said.
"Wonder what this…" Gemini said as the picture began to shimmer a bit before all of them were seeing a glimpse of the past.
"And with that...world travel is indeed possible given the right ship and engine." a teacher spoke.
"However, if the calculations are not right up to scale, it can very well easily lead to your deaths." said the younger Cretaceous. "Such is the nature of travelling to other worlds and universes because of the barriers." he said.
"Uh...yes." the teacher said, completely stunned by the boy as the bell rang. "That's...all for today."
Cretaceous was soon walking down the halls as a figure was following him.
"No...I will not do any work for you, Ginova." Cretaceous said.
"I wasn't going to ask that." Ginova said as Cretaceous took a book.
"Looking into magic again? I don't see why you should. Magic seems like it's such a waste." Cretaceous said.
"But it's incredible! It can make miracles happen." Ginova said.
"So can science. I mean, it's already explained so much of how the worlds and universes function." Cretaceous said. "Thinking about it now...it gets me so...worked up."
"Geez, all I was going to ask was…" Ginova said as they looked out to see a younger Chikasu surrounded by a couple of kids. "Huh...never seen him before."
"He's likely a Visitor. This world we live on usually does tend to attract those from random worlds." Cretaceous said. "Either way, he's made his bed. He'll have to lie in it...Ginova?" he asked before seeing him rush at the group. "Ugh...so impulsive." he said, following after the boy.
"Okay...we'll make it easy for you, Visitor. Just give us all you got and we'll let you go." the thug leader said.
"I do not take demands from people like you. Preying on the weak sure makes you feel tough, doesn't it?" Chikasu asked.
"Huh?" the thug leader said, slugging him. "Maybe you still don't understand. You are the weak in this scenario." he said.
"Maybe so, but at least I still have my dignity. Can you say the same yourself?" Chikasu asked.
"You son of a…" the thug leader said.
"Hey! Cut it out right now!" Ginova called out.
"Huh? Who is that?" the thug wondered.
"Ginova...he's from that rich family from up the hill." one of his henchmen said.
"That so? We'll….guess we'll have to hold him…" the leader spoke before feeling something sharp poking at his neck. He looked down to see Cretaceous standing there with a scalpel pointed at the thug's neck.
"You know...it would be so easy just to cut your throat open. It would almost be like doing this town a pleasure by eliminating a piece of filth like you." Cretaceous said.
"Whoa, whoa! Please calm down. There's no need for any of that." Chikasu said.
"Wasn't he just trying to rob you? You're being way too soft on this loathsome ignoramus." Cretaceous said.
"Soft? I wouldn't say that…" Chikasu said, cracking his knuckles. "I usually don't prefer fighting, but… I guess I can make an exception."
"So you're one of…" Cretaceous said as the ground started to shake. "What in the? We're not even close to a fault line."
"Oh god...I thought we buried that kid." the thug leader said looking back as a golden streak came running down the road before jumping and landing a jump kick to his face, knocking him down in an instant.
"Oh heck yeah. That felt good. Aw...but he didn't stand the kick. That sucks. I was holding back too." said a younger Gold as he got up. "So who wants…" he asked before the other thugs ran. "Come on! You don't know you're gonna lose unless you take it!" he whined.
"I think you managed to scare them off." Chikasu said. "Still… Thanks."
"Huh? Why? I wasn't doing it for you. I just wanted to fight this guy. He was showing me this fun training thing where you put your feet in cement and get tossed into a lake." Gold said.
"Uh… I think he was trying to bury you alive…" Chikasu said.
"Technically, he was trying to drown him." Ginova said. "Having your feet weighed down by dried cement and then sinking to the bottom of the lake would result in death by drowning for a normal human."
"Regardless of the explanation… He was playing you for a fool." Chikasu said.
"Hmm...nah. Don't think so. I mean, it was pretty easy to punch the concrete apart and go over here for a fight." Gold said.
"He punched apart solid concrete? That's impossible for a human being." Cretaceous said, looking at the trail left by Gold. "And he charged all the way here from the lake across town. He's nothing if not an outlier of a normal human. Why are you even here?"
"Hmm...honestly, just passing through as part of my Color Fighting training." Gold said. "I'm supposed to go to each of the 12 universes and loop back to the start."
"A color fighter? So they do exist…" Cretaceous said, surprised by what he just heard. "I must ask that you let me dissect you."
"Hmm...is that a form of training?" Gold asked.
"Don't you dare. This guy gets nuts when he wants to understand something. And his dissections don't always go right." Ginova said.
"Come on. I put everything back after I removed that piece of metal from your stomach." Cretaceous said.
"Wait, how did it end up there in the first place?" Chikasu sweatdropped.
"It's better off not being said." Ginova said.
"Huh...you guys are strange. But I kinda like it. So…" Gold said grabbing each of them. "Let's go on this adventure together!" he said running with them.
"What?!" all three said in shock.
"W-wait! Someone please tell me what the heck is going on and who you guys even are!" Chikasu said.
"In order...you are someone who ended up whisked away to our world. I am Cretaceous Flux and this Ginova. We're students at Golden Maple Academy." Cretaceous said.
"Ishihara… Chikasu Ishihara. Pleased to meet you all." Chikasu said with a bow, at least, as good a bow as he could.
"Oh...we're doing introductions? Okay. I'm Gold and I'm the next Golden God!" Gold proclaimed.
"It was through this simple event that the four of us even met and became friends." Cretaceous's voice said as the group returned to the present.
"Whoa...so that's how they actually met." Jexi said.
"Uh, Jexi, was everyone in your family like this when you were all kids? Just sensing a bit of a trait here." David said.
"Heck if I knew. Before I met Blazer and Umbra, I never even knew my actual family." Jexi said.
"It's different, seeing dad like this. Now I know why he was so studious." Hope said.
"Kinda reminds me of all three of you, seeing them like this." Ace smiled softly.
"You really think so?" Hope asked.
"Yeah, makes me wonder what it would be like if my dad met yours back then." Ace said. "Then again, I guess it would be like how we all are now." he smiled, fiddling with his pendant.
"I don't know about that… I mean, throw in a royal in the mix, that could get even crazier." David said.
"Yeah...I think we should continue onward." Jexi said as they headed down the next flight of stairs. They soon arrived to a demonic looking arena with a number of skulls and demonic symbols across the room.
"The heck?" Hope asked.
"Oh yeah. Arthur once told me that Cretaceous was looking into occult beings for a short while, mostly demons and devils." Lan said.
"Man, even after doing occult investigations for several years, this scenery is still hard to get used to." David said.
"Trust us. It's a grizzly sight for anyone." Cheetah said.
"Uh...maybe the skulls are just decorative and fake?" Glimmer asked.
"Okay… Then what about the arena and the rest of the markings?" Rayleigh asked. "Are those fake too?"
"Hmm...these symbols. Normally used to summoning devils and demons...but the way these are arranged...it almost seems like…" Ainz said.
"Whoa...this is way too freaky." Asta said, looking at the arena as it glowed under his feet.
"The hell is going on?" Captain Cold said.
"How should I know?" Asta asked as his grimoire floated up as a dark mass formed behind it.
"Finally...it's been about time I got my own freedom." a voice called out as a figure formed. Forming there was a devil with short silver hair and pointed horns.
"What the, am I seeing double?" Ajna asked in surprise.
"No...it's like back in that place. It's a devil." Jexi said.
"And it came from Asta's Grimoire." Hope said. "Has Asta seriously been housing it the whole time?"
"Ugh...now I can finally stop having to listen to that guy." the devil said attempting to leave but hitting an invisible barrier. "The hell?"
"Don't you get it?" Tanya asked. "You and Asta are inside a combat arena. That means neither of you can leave until one of you defeats the other."
"That can't be it...can it?" Petra asked.
"Afraid so. The symbols are not for demon summoning...but devil subjugation." Ainz said. "Meaning if the boy wins, he'll be able to force it into a contract and have it share its power with him."
"But…. what happens if Asta loses?" Adora asked.
"The devil will then try and possess Asta and claim his body as his own." Ainz said.
"Wait...so if I win, I can actually get a real body? Well...isn't that nice." the devil said. "I'll need one for what I have planned."
"Asta! You can't lose to this guy, or else he'll take your body!" Hope called.
"I already get the message. I just need…" Asta said before the devil drew out the black sword. "What the?"
"Did you forget...who actually owns this grimoire?" the devil said, swinging the sword.
"Wait, so he's the source of Asta's Anti-Magic?" Simon asked.
"Asta will need a weapon if he wants any shot of fighting back." Jexi said.
"Asta, please take this!" Miriam said, tossing the Zangetsuto to him.
"Thanks." Asta said as the blade became rusted and black. "Whoa…"
"The energy from the grimoire...it turned the blade into an anti magic weapon." Ainz said.
"Like that'll make a difference!" the devil called out as he attempted to impale the boy.
"Haaa!" Asta called out as he countered the attack.
"Those movements...aren't those yours Ishihara?" Cheetah asked.
"They're similar but...yes." David said.
The devil continued to attack Asta as the boy continued to use sword skills mimicked from the other members of the groups.
"Whoa...this is intense...those two are neck and neck." Ethox said.
"So it appears. But...have you noticed it yet?" Seiya asked. "While the devil guy has all the fighting power...it doesn't even seem like he's even trying to kill shorty."
"I dunno if this is crazy or not, but…. Maybe he's holding back because he's been with Asta for so long?" Ethox asked.
"Shut up…" the devil growled. "Devils and demons...they're all nothing but scumbags, you got it? That's why I need his body...so I can slay every last one of them!"
"And yet, you're a devil yourself." David countered. "Believe me, I used to have that mindset until quite some time ago. But… Things changed."
"You have no idea what they took from me. That's why I have to do this." the devil said as Asta jumped behind him as he intended to block only for the blade to get close to his neck. "Ugh...fine...I surrender. Like I actually had a chance against you." he said.
The weapons soon vanished as they went back into a grimoire as a black collar appeared around the devil.
"So...what happens now?" Sectonia asked.
"Now he simply needs to set up a contract where the devil is at the user's mercy." Ainz said.
"Hmm...that would be the best but...no. I wanna do this on equal terms...where we're both equals in this." Asta said. "In short...one where we're friends."
"You sure you wanna do that? In a contract like that, it's always possible for the devil to try and betray you." Rista said.
"No...I could tell when we were fighting. He's not a bad guy. He even purposely missed to avoid killing me." Asta said as the collar around the devil vanished as Asta held out a hand. "So...let's do this right. I'm Asta."
The devil was in a stunned shock looking at this boy. "You really are her kid…" he said before smiling as he got up. "I'm Liebe." he said as they shook hands as markings appeared on their wrists.
"The binding is complete. Not sure about his choice but...perhaps it was the right way to do this." Ainz said.
"Honestly...that was...kinda surprising to see happen." Theo said. "Just...kinda glad it's over."
"Almost makes you think what other creepy stuff Cretaceous has in this place." Jexi said.
"I have a feeling we've only just hit the tip of the metaphorical iceberg." Valfor said.
"We're gonna dig even further. Let's see what other secrets are hidden within." Leon said.