I would like to start with an apology, though certainly you, readers, aren't exactly entitled to chapter releases I do however feel an obligation to fulfill my promises and those requests. Unfortunately, I have failed to do so, due to several circumstances of which I will not go into detail (One of them is, I don't want to make my chapters too over bloated) the chapter Fibonacci has been split into two parts labeled under his sequence which is a line of numbers that adds the two previous to make up the new number. So it counts in this manner 0,1,1,2,3,5,8 and so on and so forth.

Although I can fulfill this promise, the next part and the next chapter will feature the Heavenly Knights associated with them.


Sounds of morning were what awoke Luther from his slumber. The sweet daybreak bird-song pleasantly ringing in his ears, the smell of fresh grass and mourning dew that hit his nose, and his eyes being forced to adjust to the sudden light made his head spin. It was safe for him to say in his short time frame in this world – he would never get used to waking up in the wilds like this. Too many years spent in the city, that was his problem, breathing that polluted urban air, hiding away from the light behind curtains like he was some blood-starved vampire, and waking up to the faint buzzing of his air conditioning.

Another day…more problems to deal with. With a groan, gathering what remained of his frankly still exhausted willpower, the man forced himself out the sleeping bag in army-like fashion and speed, though movements still being somewhat dazed from the sudden culture shock. He was ultimately glad that there were no disturbances this day, no lust-driven Monster to attack and try to rape him, no nightmare shaking him awake, just him and…

"Well look who decided to wake up, resident King Sleeper. Give a round of applause for the second winner of our race who outpaced this group's little purple bundle of energy, such an unexpected twist!" Slow clapping interjected into the early day ambiance, it served to further drive the older man mad. While it was no attempted rape, it was still nonetheless frustrating to wake up to his monstrous companion's theatrics.

"Alice…" Luther greeted exhaling, his eyes darting across the camp to meet the Monster Lord, who was comfortably sitting across him, casually leaning against a tree with her usual smirk. "I see you're completely fine."

She nodded. "Do you know how boring it is to sit here and wait for you two idiots to finish sleeping? I was half tempted to just repeat one of our wake-up sessions." To demonstrate her point, she swung her open palm like a guillotine in blinding speed that far exceeded Luka's. "By the looks of your tired stance, you might need it."

"No, thank you. Already have enough of a morning headache to deal with." Luther shook his head, another groan escaping his mouth, vision, scent, and hearing finally beginning to adjust to his beautiful environment if only his wary soul could savor it some more.

"Suit yourself." Alice shrugged, slightly disturbing her current company at her readiness to use rather excessive violence to entertain herself. "But our friend here seems to have his own troubles, how the tables have turned…"

Chambers affixed a fierce gaze at Alice, stepping forward slightly as if challenging her, what he was doing might have been suicidal, but it would have been evil for him to let Alice wake his young companion up in the same violent manner ."Now, Alice, let's not get too hasty here, I would prefer to not see Luka suffer major head injuries just for the sake of your entertainment, you already tortured him enough as it is." He pointed to the boy's sleeping form. "This is the consequence of that, deal with it, your majesty."

"And what are you going to do? Stop me?" The Monster chuckled, slithering and closing the distance between them, she started chopping with her palm in an automatic fashion toward the small boy as she approached. "I'd like to see you try."

Their minuscule feud was put to a halt by the sound of comfortable yawning coming from the fake hero who slowly but surely got up from a prone position. Blankly staring at them both and worryingly eyeing Alice's arm that was swinging at him. Luka coughed and rubbed his eyes to check if the peculiar sight before him wasn't just some hallucination his brain thought off.

"See, none of that was necessary." Luther backed off and crouched nearby the boy, cautiously observing his state. Curiously, he found no signs of damage or exhaustion other than the usual daze one might experience during the morning.

"How disappointing." She drawled on, yet couldn't hide the satisfied and relieved expression on her face seeing that little part of energy she sent at night doing wonders to the boy's recovery. The transformation overnight was amazing – from a walking corpse back to the lively boy the hero usually was.

"You feeling alright? Alice sort of turned you into a zombie last night through training." Luther ignored Alice's complaints, putting a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder, he reacted a lot faster than expected, flashing a small smile at the older man before returning to a confused frown.

"I'm completely fine…" Luka trailed off, glancing around his body, finding little to no wounding there, a stark contrast to his previous pained state caused by his teacher's given torment that was peddled as "training". A small shiver went down his spine as he wondered idly. The boy was completely convinced he would have been out for a couple of days, but as his physical state refuted that conviction was far from the truth, another thought occupied his mind at the same time as well.

"See, I was right, nothing too bad." The Monster Lord kept her faux innocent expression, if Luther doesn't get suspicious she can claim this one small victory over him, trickery is always a valid option so as long as one doesn't get caught. Yet much to her disappointment, he didn't react at all, not even sparing a single crumb of attention to her and that innocent smile dropped, a large part of that satisfaction slipping away from her fingers.

"Just had a strange dream…that's all…" Luka continued, running his fingers through his hair as he recalled whatever he could for his own sake, it was like a mist he couldn't quite reach into, a burning memory whose parts he didn't grab turned to ash with no hint of it being ever recreated.

"A strange dream…?" Luther was the first to inquire, whether it was out of genuine concern and curiosity or just some small attempt at gaining favor, he couldn't find in himself to tell, nonetheless, he didn't mind more subjects distracting him from the stressful matter of this world.

"Yeah, I couldn't see or hear, but..." The fake hero paused, trying to truly piece together the sensation and properly define them. In the end, he came to a rather odd conclusion – just a sign of affection that lingered with him. There was nothing wrong about it, it was pure yet the unshakable feeling of melancholy resting in his soul was undeniable as well. "It felt like I was being hugged, by someone familiar like they were family, can't quite put my finger on it."

"Hugged by someone familiar?" Alice raised an eyebrow and then shook her head. "Certainly a peculiar dream, but that's just it, a dream. There is no deeper meaning behind it if you're wondering unless you want to tell me that you're that touched starved that your brain conjured up some hallucination for you to revel in. That problem could be easily dealt with, you know?"

"No, I have enough of that, thank you very much!" Luka rejected her offer immediately, cheeks flushed red. He immediately understood his monstrous companion's implication. "It was just strangely sad for some reason, that's all."

Now that is interesting, if memory serves me right this is a point in time where Ilias started to tell him to defeat the Monster Lord, but that obviously didn't happen, instead, he got hugged…by someone familiar. Just what are you doing, Ilias? Luther's eyes narrowed momentarily, the man immediately tied the pieces of information together, a single albeit perturbing conclusion came up – emotional manipulation. He had to give some credit to the Goddess. It was a much better plan than what she had originally done, yet it was still something that had to be undone, eventually... Better than him getting raped or violated in some other manner, though this has been dealt with soon.

If it somehow gets worse, then…He took his time to glance at both of his allies First, Alice who was still lazing around counting the clouds above, and Luka packing the last of the camp equipment. All of the pieces fell into place. I'll guess I'll have to nudge certain things along however I can, not exactly manipulation if it does happen regardless, whatever the case two can play at that game, Goddess.

Unbeknownst to the man's shut senses, Luka finished and moved onto pray, kneeling down comfortably unto some the green grass, quietly muttering the start of a prayer none of them besides the boy could quite hear, however, his actions didn't go unnoticed by his monstrous companion who was looking for something to preoccupy her boredom.

"Praying to your Goddess and barely at the break of day. It seems Luther is not the only old man in this group." Alice dryly remarked, which immediately caught the attention of Luther and Luka and snapped them back into reality, the older man seeming slightly more distressed than usual

"Pray to Ilias in the morning is an important tradition, even young people give their gratitude, do you want to pray with me?" The question was directed at both idle parts of the group, Alice simply sneered in response while his older companion stiffened ever so slightly more.

"I'm a Monster…why in the hell should I pray to your god who hates my kind?" She let out a mean-spirited laugh in the fake hero's face, which easily resounded throughout their camp, the boy opted to turn to his other more reasonable friend who expected to fulfill his duties, as most humans did, to take the chance of shared commune with her Goddess but a found frozen even hesitant expression on Luther's face.

"Aren't you going to pray with me?"

Oh, well, great…he wants me to pray with him and expects me to worship the same Goddess, who couldn't be farther from the truth I'm afraid. The older man stared back at the innocent smile given to him that did its best to pierce its way into his heart. How do I approach this exactly with what I have planned? I could lie and kneel down beside him, mutter some incoherent phrases and that's that, yet I know nothing about the other dogmatic teachings or customs his religion might have. To keep a lie steady one must have some grounds backing it up, besides, I don't need more cards on my card house. Could go the other route and tell him outright, considering most Humans worship Ilias to some extent admitting it to just about anyone would be problematic, but a sign of trust…

Trust rooted in deceit is bound to fall apart, this is not the way. Perhaps it was his guilt speaking to him, he didn't care much, there was a proper argument that some part of him made that couldn't quite throw away so carelessly. Two of his closest allies for the entire journey not holding the same beliefs as he does, which should give more incentive to doubt those teachings, hopefully getting rid of her influence sooner.

"I'll pass on the prayer, not something I really do." After much consideration, he decided to answer truthfully, though the man didn't enjoy seeing the disappointment in the boy's expression, he knew it was better for the long term. Better some painful truth than having your entire identity surrounded by smoke and mirrors.

"Do you not believe in Ilias?" Luka frantically asked, a spiteful Monster like Alice, and her lack of faith was easy to understand and accept, but a traveler, someone who was a human-like him openly stating his disbelief was hard to grasp. With the massive influx of pilgrims traveling to this continent, he was sure the rest of the world was filled with Ilias' followers, maybe he was wrong.

"Oh, no, I believe Ilias definitely exists given the recorded cases of blessings of varying quality being handed to heroes and if you look a little further into the past there is also the presence of Angels." Luther spotted how the boy's face lit up slightly, it was a shame he had to bring down the hammer. "But I'll be completely honest with you here - I don't worship her at all."

"Alright, but why? She is the creator and guardian of humanity, how could you not give praise to that?" Luka asked, hoping for a genuine reason that his friend could give for his lack of faith in the Goddess that has shaped the world that they're standing, shaped their very being

Most certainly not my creator or anywhere near a guardian of humanity as she claims herself to be. Thoughts leaked out into his conscious part of the mind, but bit his tongue and kept to himself. He was an inter-universal alien in this world and that will be a secret he will keep to his grave, no matter what.

"That's just it, humanity in general, a group," Luther replied, confusing his company of what the general idea of his argument was, he spoke with absolute truth, his own thoughts on the matter. "Beings like her care little for the individual pieces, their suffering, pleas and begging for help mean nothing amidst the sea of thousands of prayers she receives daily, in my life she has given very little reason for why I should worship and bother her with my pointless complaints. If you can't fix your life or find something to guide you without divine intervention, then maybe you don't deserve it in the first place."

"Huh, at least some of your kind possess critical thinking, something to be praised, if it wasn't such a low bar of quality for a person, clearly there is some much nonsensical drive written in those damn 'holy' books," Alice commented, making Luka give her a long hard stare before returning to the more pressing matter of his friend's casual blasphemy.

How many people, how many followers of her were drained to death thinking she saved them somehow, but in the end, she barely spared a single glance at them?

"And…I wasn't really brought into the faith. Practically know nothing about its worship rituals." Luther finished, in a way nothing he said to the boy was a lie, given his origin, he wasn't brought into the religion and his own beliefs concerning the matter of gods weren't that far off. If ascended beings existed, they certainly didn't care for mortals, so why should he care for them? "I hope it doesn't drive a wedge between us, you're one of the few people that actually know this now."

Luka processed what information was given, appearing satisfied with the answer if a bit disheartened, however, that disheartenment was nothing compared to the slight giddiness he felt, after all, another part of his enigmatic friend's past was entrusted to him, something as private as belief. "Thank you for telling me this, though if you ever want to start I can teach, although I might not be the best at it..."

"Appreciate the offer, might consider it someday." Luther wagered some lies were required and left the boy to his prayers, although if he was really going to stay here for a long time, a venture in this world's religion, cataloging its doctrines, principle, and development compared to his own world's beliefs would certainly be an interesting pastime, even if it did ultimately belong to a Goddess with genocidal tendencies.

"Certainly an enlightening conversation." The Monster Lord carefully noted grabbing Angel Halo along with its scabbard, her fingers handling it with great finesse, practically being able to spin the unwieldy prison around with little to no effort on her part. She then whistled over to the fake hero catching his attention and proceeded to throw the blade in a predictable arc much to the dismay of the praying boy.

"Hey, don't just throw it around like that!" Luka objected to her careless treatment of the weapon, his body rushed from his kneeling position, arms rocketing forward to grab the falling statue as he ended up falling to the ground to treasure Angel Halo deeply in his arms. "It was a weapon Heinrich himself used, isn't it supposed to be important?"

"What are you so angry about? It would have been a failure on your part if you weren't able to catch it after so much training, 'heroes' like you can't afford to have such sluggish reaction speed." Like always, she kept her deceitfully innocent smile while she watched the boy gather himself. "Come on, we can't exactly stay here until you finish praying to that damned goddess. This continent's city port isn't that far away from here and time waits for no one. I'm not going to lie here and stare into the same old clouds hoping for them to change. If it's bothering you just pray on the way there."

The purple-haired hero grumbled, strapping his weapons scabbard onto his belt and camping bag on his back, where it all belonged for a traveler like him. He reckoned his new on the road lifestyle might take a while to get used to especially with his current company who decide to indirectly make his life living hell in whatever possible, mostly being capable of doing so through the sheer power of words alone and the other was a brick wall in terms of emotions who just happened to not hold the same beliefs, it didn't mean much. Luther's a good person by himself, who rushes at one of the most powerful Monsters just to save a stranger they barely met? A hero, regardless of what makes them they will do what's right, that is someone who I want to be. And Alice…

The boy sighed. In the end, Luka hesitantly admitted to himself that he might suffer a couple of mental breaks if her behavior continued. I pray to you Ilias, please don't let her get any worse.


Luther absentmindedly stared at the road in front of him, expecting some random Monster to halt their travels for whatever personal reasons they may have, he didn't exactly care for them. If he could move along without having to fight then it would be sublime, yet their previous interruptions indicated the possibility of that occurring was close to none, it was all the same – food or mate, nothing he was willing to provide. Regrettably, most of his senses were dulled down, he had to keep himself sane by zoning out from his allies' conversation which inevitably approached faith and religion in no small part due to Alice's provocations, a puddle he had neither the desire nor willpower to dip his toes in.

And so he put his mind to whatever else he could hyper-focus into, either submerging himself into an entirely different spring that was his own mind or use whatever was left over to admire the scenery and its subtleties if he was even capable of it. One can't shut off their brainpower and suddenly expect to miraculously continue working.

The sun shining brightly was down on them, groves and forest were filled evergreen trees, some had even begun strangely blooming and their work was evident based on the headache he was feeling from breathing that pure sweet air in, it was as if nature itself was promising everyone a nice day. Unfortunately, he just had to see through the illusion, no matter how pretty the scenery it didn't change the events in the present or the future, but he couldn't think about that now. Not when there were other issues to deal with. There is a time and place for everything and pondering what will happen was relegated to rest time, when he can think properly.

In a way, he saw himself in this world. Physically he felt fine, better than he was in years, though mentally there was an altogether different matter entirely, it felt like a war in there. Different ideas, possibilities, predictions contradictions - all fighting against one another to reach a conclusion, to reach the very top and finally present themselves to his consciousness. He only hoped it took a while, let him enjoy the time he had now until later. Physically, huh?

Luther sneakily stretched his muscles, he noted their relatively fast development, analyzing the sensation and attempting to observe any sign of fatigue within him, but he found none. Alright, the first night of Hamon training passed, I feel no unexplained hunger or exhaustion, that's good news, but I doubt it will last, maybe give a couple of more nights before some small side-effects start popping up or when the training gets more intense so I could strain my body at that point if this progress keeps up. Should I start preparing if it becomes the case, maybe I gorge down on some extra meat.

"What do you believe in Luther?"

His fellow traveler's juvenile voice broke him out of his focused trance and anchored him back to reality, as plainly evident as it was he wasn't alone, yet he could remember so many moments where he ventures so deep into his thoughts he just forgot about them even being near, almost like they were a distant memory.

"It is always the same with you, being stuck inside your own world and thinking of things that nobody knows what." Luka's question was quickly followed by Alice's voice, which seemed to bring whatever remained of his pondering brain back into the environment. The disturbance was like being pulled from drowning in an ocean, every time. "Either me or Luka, we both catch you off guard with nothing but simple questions, are we that boring you zone both of us out? Truly your callousness knows no bounds."

"I'm sure he just has a lot on his mind, come on, he is already listening to us, right?" Luka assuredly patted the man on the back or at least tried with his height difference. The reaction he got in response – Luther's posture stiffening ever so slightly at his

"Sorry, I have a lot to think over recently, what was the question?" Luther did his best to quickly acclimatize to the conversation, his inner cogs slowly shifting back to their usual speed, leaving him dazed as he had been in the mourning.

"I asked 'what do you believe in?'" The young hero repeated back and struck a small pause in him. He was left walking aimlessly alongside his fellow adventurers and grasping for a decent answer, perhaps thinking a lie or looking deep into his soul, but in both avenues, he got nothing in response, just white noise with a faint whisper he could barely bring himself to hear.

"Well…" Luther paused once more much to his own dismay, he couldn't afford to keep the silence up without saying anything, every second just made the conversation more awkward. "I believe in a lot of things: we fall downward, the sun always rises in the morning, Alice is an interesting conversationalist, or that you will reach the Monster Lord's castle."

"Really?" Luka perked up.

"With how fast your training pace is, there is no doubt. If it's not the case then you have my aid to rely on as well." Chambers forced out a casual grin, ultimately deciding to dodge his way out of the topic. The genuinely happy smile he got from his young companion that was capable of melting the hardest of hearts, was a personal victory in two regards – it was satisfying to behold no matter how many times he witness it, and knowing he caused was all the better

"Spare us the pathetic flattery; we all know what he meant." Alice however remained unconvinced. "And you." She bluntly pointed to Luka, her finger just about touching his nose. He shivered slightly from the sudden contact. "Don't let him off so easily just because he said a few pretty words about you. That is how fools get tricked." The purple lamia then turned back to the older man, their gazes met, suspicion and curiosity meeting apathy. "Everyone holds faith for something, whether it would be people, ideas, and concepts. It gives them hope in the darkest moments in their life, regardless if they're Monster or Human…that much even I can understand. So what do you put your faith into? Either say it or refuse to answer, but don't avoid the question."

The only hope I have here is that I'll get out of this damned place and reunite with my friends after reconsidering my choices in life, if they're still there that is. The Stand user responded but kept it to himself, he knew he couldn't just decide to return, the process was likely more complicated and less incidental than his arrival. Not to mention I have to survive whatever this world throws at me, and most likely make sure it doesn't end before I can even start finding a solution.

Minutes or perhaps even more passed by before his next answer. "I don't know, don't get me wrong here, I do believe in someone like Luka going across his continent, he has the potential to do so. " Luther blabbed on, his mouth kept on running even when he ran out of things to say to them. "I don't know…"

Luka grimaced, but soon enough his optimism sprung back into action. "Don't know what to put your faith in? Is that why you are wandering in the first place, to find a proper hope to believe in."

"Maybe…" Chambers glanced down, avoiding their inquisitive gaze, the man had no desire to think over it too deeply, not now, not for a long time, until he gets his bearings straight in this world and finds some decent peace to rest in.

"In the end, you succumb to the world around you, letting life drag you around wherever it desires," Alice concluded their conversation, shaking her head in disappointment, though that ever-present curiosity didn't vanish. He didn't fail to notice it, how she still saw him as a puzzle to piece together, all to be finally unlocked. She may have not even believed in his answer or her conviction.

"Just because I'm wandering doesn't exactly mean life has control over me. I'd still prefer to be in an advantageous position and I will take it, regardless if I'm searching 'for hope' or not." Luther couldn't help but grimace. No matter how much he would have tried to argue against it. Life had dragged wherever it pleased and in such an over-the-top and strange fashion as well, just to establish dominance, show how helpless he was in the grand scheme of things as just a human.

"And look how it has turned out for you, stranded on a continent with barely any belongings to your name, surviving by drifting from place to place, asking and accepting any scrap of charity the people here can spare you." Alice was quick like always to provide a cutting observation. It was a statement of the most obvious but to have been spelled out by another person so clearly was discomforting, to say the least.

"I'm working on it." He coughed, his monstrous companion scoffed. They continued onward with their trip, dour silence dawning on the group as enthusiasm started to fizzle out, both of the men already frowned while Alice's grin had also begun to fade away leaving only a composed and calculative expression fitting for a ruler such as her. Their only enjoyment now could have been admiring the peaceful nature around them, the familiarity and relative safety of each other's presence, anything to make the second go by faster and the distance shorter.

Luther's sixth sense flared with a new sensation, another signature of dark energy just up ahead in the path they were taking as far as he could gather. Compared to Alice's storm flare of dark it was nothing but a dark cloud, barely a blip on his radar. It sat still, remaining unmoving as they got closer, he wagered it was either incapable of movement or hadn't managed to smell him and Luka yet from this far away. Chambers glanced at Alice carefully as to not attract her perceptive attention, it was easy enough to notice her eyes being affixed directly onto what he was sensing, there was no debate – she had smelled the Monster as well.

Soon enough as he made a little conclusion, a smell gently flooded into his nose and the gears in his head quickly turned to determine who their interruption will most likely be. It was floral and sickly, almost unnaturally sweet that made his cheeks heat up, brought an undeniable pull toward it to bask in its embrace, and beheld whoever it belonged to. But it was still weak enough that his mind could easily recognize and purge the temptation.

"Does anybody else smell something sweet, like… extremely sweet?" Luther asked away, figuring it would be best to bring the issue up so they could deal with it without any complications, he saw Alice turn a curious gaze toward him appearing as if she was mentally noting a detail down meanwhile Luka skeptically sniffed the air to check if his friend had

"You're right, there is something sweet, it's coming from a little further up, I think…" The fake hero breathed in another whiff of the scent and subsequently bit his lip, blushing slightly.

"Of course I smelled it, I was wondering when you two fools would finally notice it, practically all around us. I'm surprised it hasn't affected you by now" Alice said huffing in fake disappointment, she knew full well that their senses were extremely lacking compared to her own

"Hasn't it affected us by now?', is this a bad thing?" Luka blinked, moving his main hand onto the hilt of Angel Halo, by this time he had slowed down, his fellow travelers doing the same.

"It's most likely a plant Monster," Luther interjected, pulling up a finger before the Monster Lord said another word or clarified. They were waiting for him to explain. One was brimming with childlike attention, the other with astute almost sinister interest. Both were easy to read for the older man. "Many veteran heroes and longtime adventurers can attest to this, that a lot of plant-type Monsters have this inconvenient habit of releasing sweet scent to draw in or flat out disarm travelers."

"The predator leads the prey into a trap, either to mate or to feed." She clicked with her tongue as her gaze turned predatory for a moment. Luther only nodded along with her statement while Luka paused his brow furrowing.

"Then we can't be breathing it in!" Everything quickly clicked for the fake hero, he already felt some of its effects, the desire it was supposed to instill in him however subtle it was, undoubtedly they were or could be the prey of this Monster they were about to face. One of his free hands grabbed the scarf resting on his neck and pulled it up to make a makeshift face mask hopefully protecting from its influence. The Spin user did so as well with whatever piece of thick fabric he could find closest. "Aren't you going to cover your nose too, Alice? It is more sensitive after all."

"Hah, if something such as this could ever break me. I have dealt with worse artificial temptations, this one is pathetically weak in comparison, get used to it." The purple lamia coldly advised them, breathing in the contaminated air in pure confidence. It was just another chance to prove her superiority and rub in their faces, those two still had much before they began to reach the barest of her powers. Luka had at least rapidly climbed in ability under her guidance, motivation was required for him to continue doing so. "Yes, while you may have figured out who is responsible, another question still remains, what are you going to do about it? Will you be reckless idiots and still press forward or maybe something else?

"Now that we know there is someone there, they could be waiting for us or just resting, we can go around them, there would be no need for a potential conflict. She wouldn't get hurt or sealed. We remain unscathed and are able to continue forward into Iliasport. Simple." Luther Chambers was quick to put forward an idea, as much as he wanted for a little friend to gain practical fighting knowledge he would rather prefer to avoid a needless fight. Previous encounters proved that for now Luka's stamina was limited, exhaustion piled on regardless if they chose to acknowledge it.

Whatever experience he loses in avoiding battles we can make up for with intense training, my input probably wouldn't be needed given how hard Alice went on him last time. Remembering how dead Luka appeared last time his tormentor tutored him he winced, but he did pull off the Thunder Thrust technique even in that state rather effortlessly, so the pain he went through had to be worth the training. It had to be, right?

"No, we can't just sneak around." Luka's sudden reply flabbergasted both his allies, the shreds of tension scattering away and giving form to confusion.

"Heh? So you do go marching off like a reckless idiot, I don't know what I expected more from you?" Alice asked herself, disappointment and frustration dripping down her tone as she palmed and messaged her face in an attempt to calm herself. "It'd be preferable if you didn't go seal one of my dearest kind when you don't have to, you barbarian. Mind explaining your reasoning so I don't completely lose all faith in your cognitive abilities?"

"I mean…" Luka sheepishly started, their scrutiny making it hard to correctly form a cohesive sentence that explained his intention, his uncertain inner self debating if it was even worth considering such an option. For his ideal, avoiding conflict with Monsters would be a priority, but…" What if the Monster is bad? Wai-, hey, hey!" Luka saw Alice's anger at his mere question, how she was almost immediately going to argue against his question so he raised both his palms in defense and pleaded for her patience. "Hear me out please."

"Just do it, Alice, you got nothing to lose in letting him explain, it might not be as bad as you think." Luther came to his friend's aid in convincing Alice from sparing him from her verbal judgment and potential execution. She gave a small barely noticeable signal for him to continue, a small wave of a hand.

"We go on ahead and meet the Plant Monster and if she lets us without any trouble, then all of it is fine, but if she attacks us then she would have done the same with a less equipped traveler or perhaps someone more dangerous. If we were to go around I would risk letting go of a Monster that attacks the innocent." Sensing her patience wasn't long-lasting he hastily explained to them, as he guessed Luther was understanding and receptive to his suggestion, yet Alice seemed skeptical.

"She would just be trying to feed herself or reproduce, the barest essentials of any living being, leave her be." The Monster Lord spoke, true to her name it nearly sounded like a full-on command directed at the boy, yet it failed to shake either of the men in her group.

Luka placed his hand on his chest and steeled himself against his monstrous mentor's piercing glare, returning in his own determined one, he was half-minded to stand on his toes to try to match her towering height. "I have once said this before, as a hero I can't let Monsters just go around attacking innocents minding their own business on these roads, they're better off sealed for their own and others' safety. It's not like I'm killing them." Much to his surprise, Alice shrugged and casually broke eye contact, any amount of threatening presence she manifested dissipated.

"Fine. Deal with it however you please." She turned away, appearing deep in thought to both of them, her tail swaying back and forth in a rhythmic pattern unnerving the fake hero nearby her, yet her acceptance gave him pause.

"Eh?"

"What's with that confused face?" Alice suddenly leaned forward to him, her proximity to him and bone-chilling frown sending small shivers down Luka's spine while he awkwardly stared back, unsure on how to put his feeling into words, yet before he could even start her glower turned into a simple teasing grin that only puzzled the boy even more. "Go ahead, I'm not stopping you."

"Pretty sure he only expected a bit more pushback before you accepted his solution, I did as well, that seems a little too easy to convince the likes of you." Luther decided to act as his friend's mouthpiece seeing him unable to properly formulate his question. He guessed this behavior was just another one of her eccentricities – to make them uncomfortable however she pleased, it appeared as though the more subtle effort she put into it the more satisfying it was.

"I'm flattered you think so highly of me." The dishonesty in her voice was so unmistakable even Luka could plainly hear it and it ultimately reaffirmed his belief she was too tired to talk to them most of the time, how unfortunate he was forced to deal with her to progress onward on his adventure. "He didn't convince me of anything, I'm only an observer, that was the very first thing I told you. Whatever your choices are, they're yours to make. I will only be watching, noting everything you do, and deeming whether or not you're worthy of my continued interest. "

"Then, is my choice worthy of your interest?" The purple-haired hero sighed and asked, feeling both relieved at the gone tension and melancholy for having his mentor display such callousness toward, though in the end, he could understand, he just hoped she would sugarcoat and filter a bit of her brutal honesty.

"Your choice is…acceptable for someone like you, go on, see the consequences of your actions." With that, she vanished before their very eyes without so much as a hint that she was going to do so or as to where she went. Of course, Luther felt she was not far from him and Luka, how could he not when she was like the sun compared to any other signature around, moving from a place to place, sometimes stopping to observe until something else caught her eye.


No words were spoken afterward, yet both of the men unanimously agreed to move on with one shared glance, eerie silence surrounded them as though anyone could pop out and take them by surprise, and perhaps that assumption wasn't so far off the truth. Luka fixed an uneasy smile, anticipation mixed with hope for a peaceful resolution, however, as much as he wanted to deny it his hand continued to hover over the hilt of his weapon.

Unlike his smaller companion, Luther remained relatively calm knowing that this Monster didn't stand a chance against either of them and if that proved true they'd just retreat where she couldn't reach them. That plant Monster doesn't have any legs and is attached to the earth by roots, there is absolutely no possible way she'd be able to move. The man hoped with all of his heart that she couldn't uproot herself and start walking when she ever decided just so that this world could prove him wrong out of some form of spite.

"How do you want to do this exactly if it ever comes fighting her, like always, you'll handle it alone?" Luther asked, wanting at least the barest minimum of preparation or plan before facing another potential opponent, they would do well to remain coordinated." I can just hide somewhere nearby and wait for you to be done, we'd meet up later far away from her."

"She'd probably smell you even if her nose isn't half as powerful as Alice's. All the other Monsters have done so as well." Luka argued, cautiously observing his surroundings, waiting for anyone, anything to either appear or worse, jump at them without warning. It was the truth, without fail every Monster had managed to smell them both and describe their scent, unfortunately only comparing it to food.

"That doesn't change much of anything, you'd still be the center of her attention, and in fact, she might just be distracted enough that defeating her would be easier." The older man tried to convince the boy as they made the barest essential of preparation, admittedly it wasn't much different from what usually happened. We have done this before, I'm not just going to leave you, if help is needed then I'll ambush her and it should be over pretty quickly, consider a further test of your growing skills." He lightly rested his hand on his shoulder to reassure his young friend, something he found to be doing quite often, not that he was complaining.

Intimidating her with numbers and a couple of nasty scowls isn't going to work at all, our previous encounter can attest to that. She is a Monster and we're Human, she is "naturally more powerful" only to be in shock when the unique-looking boy with a fucked up sword turns out to be a threat. The wary outsider groaned, he just knew the general haughty attitude was going to get on his nerves. These people are way too arrogant for their own good.

"Hmm…" The fake hero hummed in what appeared to be agreement, anxiety within Luka faded quickly at the assurance, his positive demeanor became stronger by the moment. "Okay let's do it." Slightly hesitant humming turned into enthused nodding

The stand user's face scrunched up as he felt it, they were getting very close to the foreign source of Dark energy. He saw a vague large silhouette of what looked to be a giant flower that had planted itself just by the makeshift road they were taking. "There she is, let's hope we haven't been noticed by her yet beyond scent, I'll be going, just call for help if you need to and she'll find her face colliding with my steel balls." Luther took a sharp turn to the left of the route and into the denser woods to hide away from most of their interruption's senses leaving Luka to pace down the road where he was met with the Monster who had just noticed him.

Okay, Luka, you can do this, you're a hero and it's just one Monster, if anything happens Luther's nearby Luka's fingers popped and cracked as he clenched them into fists and he tightened the makeshift mask on his face. He carefully peered at the flower Monster curiously analyzing. After so many encounters the boy knew better than to immediately expect to be left untouched.

"Oh, a human? I thought I smelt something good." The Monster spoke in a monotone voice yet their expressions held much desire and curiosity. From what Luka could tell two voices were speaking at the same time most likely coming from the humanoid part of the Monster's body. Two identical green-haired women that were in delicate entrancing dance with one another emerged from the plant-based center the only parts that resembled a human ended at their lower chest area where their breast laid open for all to see, her scent was at full strength at this point and if it wasn't for the mask he was wearing he might have been tempted to closer to the sight before him. They were both connected to a massive flowerbed that had five fat red white-dotted petals heavily contrasting clashing with the mostly green environment around them, their form resembling a rafflesia flower. Along with the large petals, a myriad of stamen joined the feminine bodies, some still resting deep within the flower's opening, others freely extended, their swinging and pulling motions were made with the clear purpose to invite him closer and grab him.

"Perfect…it's time for me to be pollinated, will you mate with me?" She…they asked, he didn't quite know, but their own words were telling enough of their intentions and it made him swallow a large lump in his throat. One of the figures sensibly eyed his scarf while the other one licked her own lips, it was clear from him he wouldn't be getting out of this without any negotiation, evasion, or flat-out fighting her.

"Take off that scarf. " One figure said. "Come here." The other added. "And spread your seed all over my pistil" Both finally spoke in unison, their different expressions added to the confusion on the autonomy of both women, did they have separate minds, shared one, or was there some other possibility he could not come up with? Regardless of how much his observations boggled his mind he did have to at the very least try to avoid a confrontation.

"Eh…sorry but I can't..." Mustering all of his wisdom he figured it would be best to try to let them off gently while he slowly moved to the side keeping distance, giving them a reason they, as Monsters, could accept. "Again, terribly sorry, but time is running short and I have to get to Iliasport as fast as possible. Really important matters to attend to, can I just go?"

"That won't be a problem here, just let me do all the work and it'll all be over quickly, all you have to do is ejaculate and you'll feel good. A boy like you deserves a break, no? We both get something out of this. " Much to their credit Luka could admit that they at least made an offer to him instead of attacking him first, it meant he did have some however small chance at getting out here unscathed and without needlessly sealing a Monster.

The fake hero took another step trying to circle the Rafflesia Girl, despite the chance to avoid confrontation he still had a bad feeling about them, the determination and pure desire he saw in them was too telling that mere word, yet still held on to some hope. They can't move as far as I can tell, and those tendrils can only extend so far without creating an opening to strike, where I am now is a safe zone from whatever she could pull off, most likely, I hope.

"Again apologizes, but I really can't help you even if I could, Goddess Ilias forbids Humans from mating with Monsters." Luka immediately regret uttering those words, the mere mention of his Goddess name, her rules, and teachings brought a scowl of exasperation to one of the women's faces, while the other one pouted in disappointment making it hard to discern what she was primarily feeling but the boy knew all the same that his chances plummeted

Monster, really, really don't like Ilias, huh? Good to know…Luka made sure to make a mental note to make sure other negotiations went smoother if it was possible to do any with the more powerful ones living in the Sentora continent. Power brought arrogance after all, and arrogance made it all the more to speak to people.

"Then I guess I'll have to force you." She stated and he didn't fail to catch on to how her appendages had begun to reach forward and stretch even before her frustration and quickly took

"Force…me, huh? Tell me before you do anything, would you have done the same to any other traveler that refused you." Luka's eyes narrowed, his fingers comfortably wrapping around Angel's Halo hilt to draw it out at a moment's notice.

The plant Monster's flexible stamen halted its approach and she raised a puzzled eyebrow at this question, the answer was obvious enough that anybody would have answered it without thinking, and here was this boy defying that expectation. "I need to pollinate and reproduce, of course, I would have." Perhaps her sense of scent was tricking and the boy really was young and naïve as he looked, it didn't matter, she needed whatever seed she could get especially with high quality such as his.

Great, welp…no use in talking things through if I'm not the one she attacks then it would have been someone else. Luka glowered behind his makeshift bandana, as he paced back and forth around her, observing how far she can exactly reach. He had begun to pull the sword out its sheath, finally stopping and dragging his right foot behind him as he subtly prepped himself into a stance. Not that her range really matters, since I'll have to get in close to actually hit, there is always a risk to that. Still, good to know I'm safe here. I'll start with that new technique Alice taught me, she did say it's used best as suddenly as possible.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that then, as I'll stop you right here, right now." With his piece said the boy immediately drew out Angel Halo, his new opponent's reactions were mixed, one of the figures scoffed at his resistance while the other eyed his statue of a sword with incredulity and curiosity. However strange his weapon appeared to her it didn't change the fact that he had to close distance to hit her with it, the Rafflesia Girl was in the very least relieved he didn't possess a ranged weapon with him. Combined with the lack of effect her smell had on him, to draw him closer, that would have been the end of her.

"Then come closer, hero, stop me." She haughtily dared him despite knowing she couldn't quite entrance him, which ultimately forced her to rely on the sole capabilities, he obliged and she soon found her actions to be a mistake.

Luka without so much of a hint lunged forward with his blade and all the strength he could muster up in speeds not seen before from the fake hero, his body turning into a blur much like his teacher did many times when training him. Much to the Monster credit, her reaction speed was fast enough to spot and process this yet her large frame was unable to keep up as her statement struck mere seconds of where he was, a single jump was all it took for him to get to her something she couldn't match.

The Plant Monster did her best to lean her large form out of the way in what minuscule time she had. Luka's Thunder Thrust still connected, slicing at one of the plant's stems holding one of the women, he landed right behind them, stumbling forward from the gathered momentum.

She froze, expecting pain and for her lifeblood to start spilling out of the wound, yet it was much worse than she expected. A sudden feeling of cold numbness and dread came over her, she felt more tired than before, more tired than she has ever been in her life. Both parts of her being shivered yet powered through the sensation and snapped out of it using what willpower and anger she possessed in her being.

"Preparation for pollination." Her appendages swung around as she turned back to the boy, soul flaming with vindication and lustful desire. With the speed he displayed, surely he had some good genes.

She was right, this technique is fast, way faster than Demon Decapitation, though I don't think I'll have it in me or the opportunity to be able to reach the same speed as before. The pint-sized hero quickly found his footing, correcting his stature a bit more, and he knew that his use of the technique needed much polishing before it could be used to its fullest effect, for now, it served its purpose well. But he didn't have time to ponder over such matters; there was a fight that needed finishing.

Luka turned to strike once more. Unfortunately, he was met with the sight of her only defense against him, her stamen, reaching forward. He stepped back to outmaneuver them, yet before his frame fully escaped their range he felt his sword arm be gripped and the rest of his body pulled forward to her, his leg was grabbed next. Damn it! I should have kept my eyes on her, remember what Alice said: "one second is enough to decide a battle". Now was not the time to get distracted. Move! Break out!

"Come, pollinate me now." Desires had finally broken out through her outward blandness. Already she sent her appendages to do foreplay, beginning to roughly squeeze and massage his crotch while trying to take off his pants and his scarf to let him bask in her sweet scent and pleasure. One of her stamens managed to stretch and force its way into his underwear, its soft cellulose brushing against his penis, earning a few moans of pleasure which were satisfying to her ears as she felt it go erect.

"hrrrh!" Luka growled, returning her lustful gaze with a fierce stare that both amused and unsettled her pulling on the plant parts that held him. With one last yank, he freed his hand that still held onto Angel Halo and swung it right at one of her heads without any hesitation.

Again, the cold and sudden lack of energy overpowered the Rafflesia girl enough for her to drop the boy and let him escape, attempting to stabilize him and reach the safe zone he so desperately coveted.

"A persistent one and strong as well." His flower adversary huffed out, both of her figures were breathing raggedly, fighting off the deep sense of weakness his prison sword instilled onto them. "I think I'll keep you, we'll produce many offspring together." She clicked with her lips and Luka could only sigh in response.

Luka took his time to re-tighten his bandana to face and pull his pants up fighting and showing the erection that unabashedly stood. The fake hero took his time fully, knowing she wasn't able to reach him and neither could he without any risk, yet he could recover she couldn't from her drained energy, at least not at the pace that would make a difference.

I won't have enough speed to make the distance without getting grabbed and I'm not close enough to hit her with Demon Decapitation. Luka heaved a sigh, deciding that a careful, more methodical approach was needed. If he couldn't attack in one go without having his body grabbed again then the distance had to be closed gradually avoiding whatever the Monster threw at him.

"Don't think it'll be that easy even if you do catch me, surely you have noticed that I'm not alone and he." Luka revealed, and he saw some nervousness in his opponent's eyes after she sniffed the air, both of heads turning to where Luther was hiding yet her other senses failed to. The boy succeeded, he had managed to shatter her focus on him if only a little, before making his decision he took a look at Angel Halo, his weapon, whose eyes blinked directly under his gaze. What previously caused him much discomfort had now given him some sense of safety, to know that there was always someone, something fighting beside him.

While the Monster's attention was averted for a minuscule he wordlessly took one quiet step forward, then another, those few steps turned into a dash to reach her. His opponents' heads immediately swung back at him, her sensitive hearing picking up the sudden movement. She commanded the previously lax stamen to apprehend the fake hero, some targeting his limbs other his center point. He ducked underneath the two that came straight at him, while narrowly sidestepping to the left three more coming for his arms and legs, then there were the ones coming for his legs.

Luka's eyes winded, his reaction was fast enough that he just had the time to do something about his opponent's vine-like appendages heading to him. He knew he couldn't realistically counter without resorting to aggressive maneuvering or acrobatics that didn't put him at deeper risk and so he did the only thing that came to mind instead, a simple solution. The fake hero slashed at both of the extra limbs at the same time, and the cursed blade did its work, instead of being cut the stamen fell flat on the ground, completely out of energy they refused to listen to any nerve impulse being sent at them.

Luka continued his sprint forward, stared back at his opponent who despite his attack on her limbs remained unfazed. His vision did its best to catch any other approaching attack. Distance decreased as he was getting closer and closer, hope that this battle would end quickly burned within him. The boy was ready, jumping along on the balms of his feet, gauging the Monster's attack's speed and power, how much energy she had left. He jumped through an opening clumsily made by her appendages.

Another group of stamen came at him and he looked around, noticing that they were all positioned so that they could capture him in one fell moment and closing off any potential exits from, she was drawing him to a spontaneous trap. A couple of long seconds more if he continued and he will undoubtedly be caught. Yet there was little planning there on her part, he could see it clearly through some of the empty holes in her attack.

The fake hero did what the Rafflesia Girl didn't anticipate, in what seemed to counterintuitively run headfirst into a mass of green appendages. Smirking, she moved to entrap him into a cocoon-like shape of plant mass; it shouldn't take long for a small boy like him to be overwhelmed even with his impressive speed.

Much to her shock and surprise the boy used his small body to his advantage, performing a graceful acrobatic maneuver, managing to jump and squeeze right through a small hole that her stamen didn't cover with his weapon. From cautiousness to aggressive recklessness, tactics switched in instant and he couldn't do much. No place was left for him to retreat given the number of vines behind him currently heading to capture him and so he pushed forward. Luka was left preparing himself to strike at their necks with Demon Decapitation, he wasn't going to miss this one or graze her, she was left right open now, just a little more and it would be enough. Come on, one more good hit and this will be over, I'm not that far!

h-huh!? The boy found himself falling forward. His left leg going at a blinding pace had slammed into a tough piece of plant appendage which appeared to be laid under his feet in a rush. Eyes were left wide open and as his head approached the ground he couldn't close neither could he move fast enough to recover, how can he when he was so close to winning and managed to screw up? No matter how close he got the dirt no matter how much he exerted his eyes didn't close, not even a little blink of reflex. However unlike the predicted his frame didn't slam hard into the ground, no, a much worse fate befell him.

Luka felt his potential space decrease, his limbs were constricted as fat long stamen wrapped around his body, first taking his arms, then his legs, and finally his chest as he heard soft seductive chuckling. He stopped a mere few inches of the grass below with more wrapping around him. Luckily his weapon was still with him, just pressed roughly against his body and its prisoners were unwilling to instill its effect of what should have been a cut, however, there was little to no room to move it, to cause actual damage to his appendage.

"No!" It was clear as day he wouldn't be able to do anything so long as he remained in her hold and so with that conclusion, he began struggling against the Monster's grasp, much to his credit he did manage to loosen her hold almost immediately but it only encouraged her to bring more effort into restraining him. "Let me go!"

"Tough, even in defeat you still struggle, you'll be perfect." One of her heads said to him, she had a lustful grin that grew wider as she brought him over closer, letting her inner more sensitive, fragile and precise parts. "Stop resisting, all will be fine soon.' The other reassured him with a more genuinely happy expression, she had finally found someone worthwhile to keep judging by his scent and capabilities, she couldn't quite wait to get started

No, damn it! He was fully pulled into her center pistil as the other vines forced Angel Halo out of his hand, leaving it to drop freely to the ground. His only defense left from the Monster was a flimsy piece of pants and soon she took care of that too. Most of his clothing was carelessly thrown away, leaving his erection to fly freely in the wind and for him to shudder at the sudden chill.

"Gah!" Luka's free nakedness didn't last long, the rafflesia girl going forward with her attention and so the cold he felt in his lower half was replaced with a hot and wet sensation as he was pulled further into the flower's center. Dozens if not a hundred of her much smaller stamen pressed against him and messaged every crevasse they could reach making him moan and groan in pleasure to their command. He went in further, eventually hitting against a large bulb deep inside her pistil.

They stopped for the moment giving the boy some respite which proved itself to be minuscule when he was squished by both of the Monster's figures' bodies. Much to his discomfort they rubbed against and squeezed him, smothering his chest and head in their breasts, though leaving his mouth was left uncovered, likely to savor in the noises they forced him to make. This is bad! Body move, get me out of here!

"Let us begin~," Both of the voices said and the bulb he felt below him opened up sucking up to his cock into its sweet hole, it began to methodically pump the lower half of his body. Luka bit his lips to stifle his cries of enjoyment, even its slow pace he knew couldn't last long. The unwinnable wetness and heat of the plant Monster's insides thrust him further in like a machine, her sweet scent that began to penetrate through the fabric of his scarf. Their gasping breath softly brushing against his cheeks didn't help keep his composure in check.

Come on, hold yourself together, this is nothing! Alice is better at this…All of the pleasure, heat and, enticing smell of the Rafflesia Girl mixed into a euphoric bliss that any lesser men would have already fallen prey to, yet he was a hero, he was someone who was meant to march through the continents to the Monster's Lord castle and face her not be defeat without even stepping foot in Sentora. However he couldn't deny his willpower was breaking down and his only current weapon and companion was gone, it was better to admit it than to deny it and so he turned attention to muster enough strength for greater resistance, perhaps he cou-.

No! I can't, not yet, I have not been defeated yet, I don't need help, there has to be something I can do. Luka with shaking breaths halted on calling on his last resort, the aid of his ever-loyal friend. His mental fortitude may have been failing but he wasn't close on the verge of defeat, there was still endurance to resist the immensity of her sucking pistil. His eyes quickly darted toward the ground where his weapon laid unattended. Its center eye stared back at him, glowing ominously, promising to aid in cutting down his enemy if he just broke out. "You…you'll return to my hand, right? Just like you did before, please…I need your help."

Yes, ah!~ MHm…Crap…have to fight. He stifled more exclamations of pleasure as he continued to stare at the prison blade, hope burning brightly in his soul. There it was, Angel Halo, at the sight of it the gears in his mind began to turn. The boy realized that all he needed to do was only free a small part of his body, the main sword arm, which was easier to accomplish. Fighting off the slowly rising desire to submit he sneakily wiggled his arm out of the hold of some stamen, his assailant too busy pleasuring to notice such movement. Here goes nothing, hope this works…

"Get off, now!" With a holler, he both demanded the Monster to let go of him, causing much-expected amusement and some annoyance, and verbally encouraged his body to move, resist his assailant's hold, and grab Angel Halo so he could strike his enemy down. In a shout his arm sprang forth from the cocoon of vines, it stretched out into the unoccupied space.

"Stop whining, doesn't it feel good?" The mocking part of the Monster inquired, of course, it was completely rhetorical. She already knew the answer and neither did she really care much at his point. Yet her careless questions had only served to fuel his drive to escape further.

Angel Halo immediately jumped to his free hand, everything felt right again, his surrounding circumstances didn't bother him in the slightest, who cares that he is naked and inside of a Monster? That didn't matter at all to the boy, he had all he needed to win right in his hand. And as he clutched the hilt tightly he took control back of whatever part of him that had succumbed to the Monster's allure and pleasure, those small embers of resistance turning into the roaring flame of rebellion ready to incinerate all that stood in its wake, something his captor had failed to notice. My answer here is meaningless, I've already won.

"Haven't given up y- '' The Rafflesia Girl began to say but she cut herself off upon noticing the sword in his main hand pointed right at her prepared to thrust into her neck in an instant. No matter how much she tightened her hold to halt him, his body resisted fiercely and pushed back whatever progress she made, even loosening her stamen a bit, the sword was already approaching one of her figures' necks. "Wha- wait, no '' But before she could fully protest, Luka plunged Angel Halo into Rafflesia's neck, passing through the main stem that held her human visage, and reaching her head. Angel Halo phased through her body as if there was nothing there and he was just attacking the air. Once it reached her head the eyes of the accursed weapon open wide, glowing out a pale holy light the angels did their best to consume as much energy as they could from their target, actively dining on it.

Luka's captor didn't even have time to show fatigue, it took barely even a moment for her to disappear in a bright flash, her form being torn apart and reduced into something more basic, devoid of most of its dark energy. With nothing to hold him, leaving only remnants of the pleasure inflicted on him and a lower half entirely drenched in the Monster's juices, the boy fell to the ground. It might have been painful, but this pain was a welcoming sensation, it meant he had won, he was free.

The fake hero let himself lie down, not moving a single muscle to get back up, cold surrounding his naked frame but it didn't bother him. He only wanted to rest, feel the dirt beneath, if only a little before his friends returned. Sparks of rebellion had faded away with no one left to assault him. That was a close one, but I still won, without anyone's help…well…maybe some help… At the very least he managed to lift Angel Halo up to his face and as he expected it responded by blinking at him. But I don't think I'll mind you, whatever you are.

His newest encounter had just practically confirmed the assumption in his head. Angel Halo was alive or at the very least sentient, no possible way it couldn't have been with the massive jump it made to his arm, the amount of blinking its eyes did under his direct gaze. Whatever skeptical part of Luka that was left couldn't deny that what he was holding was alive. "I'm sure you've served Heinrich well, please do the same for me if I'm worthy enough for your aid."

Recognizable sounds of footsteps got closer to him, echoing with each passing second, it was somewhat familiar with its certain pace and rhythm. It belonged to no one else but Luther who rushed over to his side, gently nudging him over.

"Damn, you alright? She did quite a number on" The older man's eyes hesitantly glanced over the filth on the boy's body. "Why didn't you call for help?" Luka knew that would be the very first thing he would ask, of course, he did, Luther wouldn't be the caring companion that he is if he didn't ask about his wellbeing. "That would have ended much sooner if you did and wouldn't be covered in this."

Luka hesitated in answering as he watched Chambers run by him to gather the clothing that was thrown aside. He turned his gaze upward, watching him holding the small pile of clean clothing, well, cleaner than his own body. "Trust me it wasn't as bad as it looked, everything was under control. " The boy replied, yet skepticism on Luther's expression was evident.

"Ha! 'Everything under control'…" Luka let his head fall back on the ground, sighing at the presence of Alice, who had only just appeared. "If you can call nearly falling flat on your face and then getting your semen squeezed out of you 'under control'." She slithered close, leaning directly over, casting a shadow and letting her neutral almost judging expression become the center of his attention.

Here we go. With minor exhaustion and some small traces of apathy, he braced himself for the verdict of his performance.

"Everything else was decent for someone like you, the first time using that technique practically was mediocre, you leaned in too much into a direction and the landing was horrible," Alice said her observations, pausing a bit. Luka could already tell the next sentence was where criticism will lie in. "I've said this before- that footwork and balancing are absolutely atrocious, all it took was a single sweep and you were made a prey to a Monster much weaker than what you've previously fought. There are too many unnecessary movements in your feet that only serve to expose you."

"She tripped me, I couldn't even begin to see it coming." Luka defended himself shaking his head, maybe it was a relief, apathy, laziness, or some amount of carelessness, or perhaps all of it mixed, nonetheless, he was unbothered by the fact he was lying naked right in front of his companions.

"That's the entire point of good footwork, you shouldn't constantly have to stare at your own feet to not be tripped. It just takes your eyes away from the enemy, the last thing any good combatant should do." Alice's neutral expression turned into a frown at the boy's pointless attempt at refuting her; she quickly wrapped around his body and pushed him to the ground. "Why are you excusing this fault? It's not going to change anything because it's a simple reality. Refuse to learn and all it would take is a single sweep of my tail or a leg and you would fall as you have now." The purple lamia leaned in closer all the way to his face. "Tell me, is this a favorable position to be in a fight? Against a Monster no less."

Luka's straight expression remained unwavering, seemingly without emotion as he turned Angel Halo over and pointed its end at Alice's chest, making her raise an eyebrow at his as she carefully eyed. "It is now." With that his façade broke, a cheeky smile and a few chuckles emerged from the boy.

"Yes, it might be the case…" The Monster Lord sighed and shook her head at the childishness, ripping the sword right out of his hand before he could even react, leaving nothing but empty air until it caught up to him what she had done. "But now the very last line of defense you always had is gone, and you're completely at my mercy, doesn't this seem familiar? Except for this time…it won't be jumping to your hand, not in my hands."

"Fine, you're right." Luka's smile faded away as her lesson fully cemented and he conceded, his mentor unwrapped from him and slithered away, she closely examined the blade with a curious look. Its features like it always did in her position remained the same, motionless, yet strangely completely eerily silent, there were no moans and groans of suffering which usually emanated from it.

That's certainly a creative way of doing it, direct example, though it beats flat-out brutal training and endless berating if he decides to actually listen and quickly work on it. Luther warily watched the amusing conversation unfold, he was more concerned with what he witnessed in the battle and the rest of his group observed the phenomena as well. He didn't mind Angel Halo supporting his friend, truly it was a great deal of help and eased his burden, yet such a blatant display of aid didn't sit well with him. Welp, there is absolutely no doubt they both suspect the blade is alive, it can't be questioned. Now, what does that mean for me and them? For Luka, I'm not exactly worried per say, it's bound to happen that he'll find out given the fact that he is wielding it and that the Angels show an interest in the boy. It's merely a time and interaction-sensitive matter, not much else to change there...

And Alice, not sure about her finding out, judging from her own it likely she's not even aware they're conscious, definitely that they're alive but not conscious…at the very least it's easy to determine what it means for me. Those sessions are going to have to be shorter and more discreet if I want them not to interrogate me again, as if I need any more questions to lie my ass off now.

"Correct, I'm right, like always. The only reason you won here is because of Angel Halo, anything else and you might have actually had to struggle or call on geezer here to help you." Alice finally turned back not letting her eyes of the prison sword, her wonder and curiosity were not hidden from the two males. "How interesting, Angel Halo jumped into your hands. It has never even moved a single inch in all the years it has spent in my possession, what's more, it seemed you counted on that to happen." She observed.

"Because it happened before - that fight with the Bee girl," Luka explained, lifting himself off the ground, if only a little. It was clear for him to see that Alice expected something more from him, but unfortunately for her, that's all he could gather. "I don't know why, all I understand is that the sword can move and that it sometimes blinks, just assuming it all came down to its uniqueness."

The Monster Lord stared at him down, attempting to read through any lie that the boy could be spouting or sniff out any information he might be withholding through his body language, she found nothing to suspect. Luka was still practically limp. "Ah, you know nothing more?" Luka shook his head. "What about you Luther, have you found such strange happenings in your 'studies'?"

"Yeah, it blinked occasionally when I studied it, but I thought you already knew that, it's very obvious, hell, reckon most of the people he fought saw it happen." Luther pointed it out, hoping that was all she would inquire about and fully accepting that he'll have to alter his session even further, wanting for it to remain hidden. He wagered another proper discussion with the Angel was in order.

"Then there is one thing that still remains." Alice turned her gaze to the boy lying on the ground. "All of this only started happening after I passed Angel Halo to you."

"What does that mean for me?" The fake hero sheepishly asked

"Means you're more interesting than I originally thought." The single smack of her lips and inquisitive stare that the lamia gave him sent shivers down his spine as if he was about to be played and tested with for all for his monstrous companion's amusement and curiosity. "To think that this weapon would react in such a positive manner to a regular village boy like you… for your own sake, I suggest you take advantage of this bizarre development, it'd be disappointing if you don't."

"Got it, sure will," Luka promised, which wasn't hard to do, he was already fully intending on using Heinrich's weapons to fullest capabilities, the fact that it, whatever it was, was able to move back into his hands made things a lot easier.

"Now that we're through with that, let's go. Although Luka, you might want to uh…dress up." Chambers suggested, pointing down to the boy's naked frame and holding out his clothes for Luka to plainly see. A couple of empty seconds passed, the glass broke inside his brain, Luka's eyes widened and his cheeks flared as he frantically glanced around, stumbling back a couple of times as he attempted to get up

"Oh, ri-right!" Luka exclaimed, being completely flustered, his arms working to do their best to cover his features, lightly sinking in and sliding on the syrupy liquid he was covered in. He removed his palm from his leg, a strong trail of nectar still connected them. The realization that he was covered in all sorts of gunk hit his head like a bat, making him wonder why he was unbothered by such filth before. He wondered maybe it was all because he all observed in the moment of victory, regardless he had important matters to attend to. "Ugh… I should wash myself first, before putting on anything."

"Hold on, I'll go get some of the water rations." The older man dropped his clothes just by him and casually went to the backpack propped up back a little farther away, unbeknownst to him, Alice started to approach closer to the boy, a gleeful smile that promised torment.

"Eh…Alice, what are y-blurhgghgghh!" Luther's idle thoughts, whatever they may have been, were interrupted by what sounded to be a massive stream of water slamming against something, by the juvenile 'cries for mercy' he already dreaded to see who was the victim of this sudden aqua attack. He turned to watch in horror at Luka struggling to hold his own against a tidal wave of water summoned by Alice, that would have probably killed any normal human blasting and cleaning out all the filth-covered crevasses of his body.

That's one way to get the job done, efficient and horribly inhumane, sounds like Alice alright... The stand user couldn't do anything but stare, gawking at Alice doing a wonderful job at drowning one of his only other friends in this world.

"Seriously?" Luther questioned and the only Monster Lord's response was a playful shrug.

"A-Ali Alice..." In absolute shock, the fake hero's breathing was rapid, shaky, as he glanced at his miraculously still alive and admittedly clean body. Luka's arms shook, he wrapped them around his chest to stabilize his form, water dripping from his hair and face, no part of him remained dry. He looked at his water-conjuring assailant in complete fury. "Alice, WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"Oh, quit your whining, you want to be clean and I provided that request, it wasn't even cold water." Try as she might, Alice had an extremely hard time attempting to contain her laughter from escaping that stoic exterior. "Besides, be glad you're not using your only drinkable water on something worthless in comparison." Like that her stifled giggling turned into full-on cackling as Luka flew into a blind fury of chastisement and mild obscenities, surprising both of his companions.

Luther remained ever frozen, unsure of what to say or do in this peculiar situation. Strange as it seemed he had mentally prepared himself for the worst or at least tried to, yet this was completely unexpected and perhaps even shocked him more than anything else the world threw at him, and he knew what was the problem – He was thinking a little too negatively so much so that the hope of any casual situations happening out of the blue was a pipe-dream, however, there was some hope, some light within this world to bask in. Undeniably, this was a much-needed break from the tension and paranoia that plagued him.

Perhaps he could enjoy himself, just for this once. And so a smile and a couple of chuckles came to him, he hid them of course, even the gods know not to encroach upon the wrath of a brother.


Luka marched along with ever flushed face, the embarrassment and pain he had just been through still recent on his mind, it gnawed at him so much that not even observing the peaceful nature soothed his soul one bit neither did consolation, so they walked in silence, amusement and anger lingering in the air.

"Hey, Alice, what was that technique called, the one you taught me, I don't really remember its name." Luka inquired, despite how intense he could set aside his anger, after all in hindsight Alice's action was just a simple prank meant to rile him up. If he gave in and sat quietly it would have been his loss.

"Really? How much of a forgetful idiot are you? I just told you about to you yesterday, there must be some on and off switch in that head of yours" Alice fired at him, truth be told he expected it and the best he could do now is to imitate his older friend and give her the cold treatment, although if this continued he didn't know if it could last longer.

"To be fair, you did work him half to death, I'd doubt anything got through to him in that zombie state he was in." Luther chimed, saving the fake hero some trouble of having to argue with the vile snake demon. "Consider it as compensation, surely saying a couple of words is much easier than flooding him with a water cannon, or does you poor cruel heart finds no strength in it to remind him.

I know you don't hate or even feel neutral about him…it's clear you have some connection, while it is funny a couple of times I fear it may grow old. Chamber quietly recalled the moment where the Harpy Queen told that saucy bit of information and clicked with his tongue. Alice certainly wouldn't like Luka finding out about that, then she wouldn't be able to shut him down no matter what she does, short of killing him. Maybe I can make her lay off a little if she doesn't flat-out obliterate me.

"Fine." She scoffed, eyeing with some small annoyance them both for a moment. "I was just messing with him. The technique's name is Blood Fissure Thunder Thrust, remember it well so I don't have to repeat myself."

"That's a bit gruesome sounding and a complete mouthful to say, why not just call it Thunder Thrust. The main point of the technique is still there" The purple-haired pointed out, his face scrunching up as he remembered the story Alice had told him from scraps of his memory. While he had no desire in using such ominous and bloody skill as a hero he couldn't deny its effectiveness, circumstance led to compromise.

"Why does it matter, not like you're going to shout it out, are you? We've been over this before, it's a horrible tactic." Alice put into question, changing the name of something you barely even utter seemed nonsensical and pointless

"It's the principle of not giving techniques awful names." Names that make you sound like some villain, he wanted to say but decided to not add more fuel to fire realizing it might have opened up more to argue about and that was something he didn't want at all.

"Awful? For your information, there is a very good reason it's named that." Alice reminded the boy as she heaved a sigh, likely suspecting he had forgotten even the story she had told him much to her annoyance.

"I know, but I'm not exactly going to be making lakes of blood with Angel Halo here." The fake hero raised the scabbard which held his sword up, so as long as he possessed Heinrich's weapon no one will be harmed by him despite how much some would say they deserve it.

"Then just use the term Thunder Thrust, as if that'll change anything, nobody is stopping you." Alice dramatically threw her arms in the air as she rolled her eyes. Luka's subtle façade couldn't fool her, she knew it wasn't exactly comforting for someone that's supposed to be heroic and pure to be using a Monster's technique quite infamous in its bloody legacy. "But don't stop me from saying its rightful name instead of that bastardization."

She didn't blame him per se, however, it was ignorant to deny its name, to do so would be the same as denying its brutal effectiveness and like that sullying its very existence and creator. By her own pride, that pride that was forged when she was a little girl learning the same skills, she couldn't just allow it to slip by her easily, even if he did have some point.

Alice wanted to say more, but the scent of one of her people hit her powerful nose, the one she smelled was still quite a ways away

"What's the point of arg-…and she is gone." Luka blankly stared as Alice vanished right as he was about to give his rhetorical question, shaking his head and playing with his weapons while he turned back to Luther who was all too welcomed to stay quiet amid their arguing. "Well, honestly that might be for the best, she is not someone to retreat from an argument

"That leaves only one reason why she left so abruptly." Luther finished his friend's trail of thought, he already recalled the other Monster they will be facing back when Luka was still fighting the Rafflesia girl, it was a type of species he held in no positive regard.

"Yep, someone is up ahead, think they let us through?" Luka asked in vain, looking for any sense of hope that might end up being peaceful, though that was already starting to diminish, disillusionment set in. Most of his encounters ended with violence, either because they ignored his attempt at diplomacy or flat out gave a request he couldn't quite fulfill. It wasn't likely he'd reason with a hungry Monster and the non-vocal response he got – Luther's flat stare only cemented this idea. "Never mind, a bit of stupid question."

"I'm sure we'll come across someone that might leave us alone, these are the ones worth sparing from the Angel Halo treatment. The others that take a long time to make them lay off if we scare them are probably not, and might just find their meal elsewhere, sometimes in a lethal manner." Despite how coldly pragmatic Luther's reassurance and advice sounded to the boy, he didn't deny the logic in the man's reasoning. It had merit, some people were too dangerous to be kept in their powerful state. Better to accidentally seal an innocent than mess up and let people die.

"Yes, but I just don't want to keep fighting Monsters constantly," Luka admitted, it wasn't out of any selfishness or laziness that caused such a desire, but out of pure principle. Here he was, a hero determined to unite both species fighting and attack the very species he wants humans to unite with, however, circumstance seemed to want to force his hand and he could do no more than obey or fall.

"Don't give up hope, remember, there are those of them out there that are more civil compared to the bandits roaming the roads," Luther replied, perhaps even pleading a little, regardless it earned a strong nod from his younger companion.

They continued forward marching at a faster pace than before, with Luka readying himself for anything to come and Luther dealing with the unease within that came with the thoughts of facing the very species that he first met when crossing over to here, kicking and screaming. The one that wanted to snuff out his life not only to sate her hunger but to also fulfill her twisted desire of making him helpless and to suffer.

Luka stopped, lurched his back forward, and squinted, spotting another rooted figure somewhere in the winding road ahead of them. "That is…"

"A roper, usually cruel, their primary method of feeding is to dissolve their prey alive - that means us. And this one looks especially hungry." Luther listed off, ending the fake hero's sentence, not bothering to hide his coldness and disgust, which softened upon witnessing his friend's dejected reaction. "I'm sorry Luka, but it's unlikely we'll get out of this one without you having to draw that sword out

"It's fine, it's fine, don't think I can let myself let her be if she does attack us." Luka solemnly accepted his older companion's opinion. He knew about some of the species of Monsters either from the tales of travelers, pilgrims or from the scraps of knowledge that the people could spare him. Particularly some unpleasant journals one grumpy priest gave him. Mercy was not much of an option when sealing cruel beings, yet he held no desire to make the first move, it would be distasteful for him.

"I'm not leaving your side this time." Chambers confidently exclaimed within the passing silence, his fingers twitching ever so slightly, the fingernails starting to spin while he hid them in his coat pockets.

"Is this about the fight, I can handle myself just fine, only tripping once, won't happen again." Luka shot back, frowning at what he perceived was pity. While he wasn't ungrateful for the aid his friend offered neither was he that prideful to deny, it felt disheartening to see Luther go back on his agreement simply because of a screw up that wasn't supposed to happen as if somehow he failed to prove his worth to himself and his allies.

"No, I don't exactly want you to fight this one alone, besides, best we deal with any distractions quickly else we might lose a ship that can get us to Sentora, and waiting isn't exactly" Chambers reassured his friend, though he knew none of the ships in the port would be going anywhere anytime soon he still held a desire to see the port with his own eyes. Perhaps it was

"Right then, let's get this over with." Luka nodded along, finding in himself to smile and look on the bright side – another chance given and being able to fight once more alongside travelers in arms. Even though he couldn't have gone as far as he had without Alice's wicked training (read: torture), her mentoring wasn't as appreciated as Luther's direct and more personal aid, although he'd certainly wouldn't let the purple lamia hear about it unless he had clear a death wish.

Luka and Luther braced themselves as they marched along the road eventually crossing paths with the aforementioned Roper, unease matched their marching feet and stance, the thought of facing a being quite known for dissolving their human put some amount of in both of them.

Here we go, focus, and everything will be over quickly, she'll be sealed and you can go on your way not having to worry about her snatching some other poor soul up, at least for a while. It wasn't long before they met face to face, the Monster's unshaking haughty grin was unmistakable. Both of the men glanced at her features, like most of her general kind, noteworthy lack of clothing was present. Her body consisted of a large stem directly emerging from the ground which was a mad combination of plant and animal organics tissue, its core bubbling and pulsing with digestive acid and leaking out that promised them ultimate pleasure at the cost of their life, from the base emerged large quantity of purple tentacles though much shorter than the ones Chamber faced. And at the top and most present part of their future assailant's composition was the top part of her female body covered in mucus, it bore an uncanny resemblance to the first one he had ever met.

Looks…very familiar. Can't be a coincidence, can't it? The Stand user sighed and bit his lip, while many Monsters had similar traits they didn't all look the same, his visit to Harpy Village and Enrika completely refuted that little misconception, there were many differences there between the same species. Not that he minded to check it all down on the list but the general idea was there, yet he found to be staring at nearly a carbon copy of the one he slew with some minor unique traits if he squinted hard enough. Obviously, related, how could she not be? His hands quivered a little more. And now she is staring at both of us, not knowing that one of her "preys" is the one that murdered her relative.

How would she react if she knew? Anger and contempt, fear? Or apathy and some small disgust, depending on their relationship. He took one large breath to calm and steel his nerves, to keep from doing something rash once more. Doesn't matter, so as long as I keep my mouth shut everything will be fine, she doesn't need to know anything.

"What do we have here? Two travelers coming into my territory." The animal and plant creature carefully eyed them, assessing their strength to the best of her perceptive abilities, she took in their scent and licked her lips. "With such a delicious smell, grouped like a small gift all for me to devour." As she playfully uttered her last words the large group of tentacles began to approach the pair of travelers.

"Look, you're not eating us, and we're going through, so please excuse us if you can." Hopelessly the pint-sized boy requested, it was foolish, negotiations were doomed from the very start as her intent was clear-cut. It was either them or her, but as his duties obliged him, he held onto any chance, to see if this Monster wasn't as bad as they thought. "There are two of us and one of you, spare yourself the trouble and leave us be."

"Listen to him and either leave us be or suffer the consequences," Luther added coldly.

"I don't think so, what can a little boy and some man do to me? You might smell nice, but as far as it goes that's it. "She arrogantly replied, finishing her observations while one was small and adorable, the other was tall and stoic. Once more the Monsters beamed, she'd have blast breaking both of them, such a varying experience she could gain out of both of them, a lucky day for her indeed.

Little boy…some man? Ugh, wasn't planning on leaving her be regardless, this just makes the job easier. The fake hero lightly poked Luther to catch his attention and break him out of needless pondering, they shared a look that told them, a myriad of non-verbal messages and signals being exchanged told them all they needed to know – as expected, they won't be getting through without a battle, both for the sake of survival and a more important principle.

Luther broke eye contact first and then stared the Roper down, sending a chilling gaze at her which made her shiver slightly, making her swear the temperature dropped by a few degrees suddenly. "if that's that case." He spoke. No pity, mercy, or any amount of sympathy was found in his tone but still polite somehow, unnaturally so drawing most of her focus in its eeriness. "We'll deal with this the old fashion manner then. Luka, go ahead, have the first strike." Luther motioned and she jumped up in surprise, her senses finally catching to the surroundings.

Unknown to her, as the stoic man spoke his smaller partner had already drawn his peculiar sword and taken a stance befitting more of a nimble Monster than a purple-haired midget. The Roper saw him move and lunge right at her with impressive haste that shouldn't belong to a human from his starting position, all while his ally calmly waited for his move. Slight upward curvature on his thin lips was present. Her tentacles snapped in place, trying to intercept the speeding blur, but it was far too late.

He dashed right through, his odd blade slicing at her main center. She held her breath, waiting for the pain to come, and for her blood to spill, but nothing came, just cold emptiness taking the place of where he hit, stunning her a small bit of time for another strike. The sensation came from her back now, two hits and she felt weak. Her mind was left a small daze, all of her regrets pooling into her consciousness and it drew a single conclusion – this was a mistake and she should have ignored it when she had the chance, no wonder their scent was strong, they themselves were strong. Either you were born with that or you developed it, and the latter of people was a complete nightmare to fight.

No… Yet the tentacle Monster held on to the scraps of determination, life returning to her eyes. The fight had broken out and there was no going back, no point in musing about your mistakes and stewing in misery. There was prey that needed to be devoured, all that changed is that it needed to be done quickly, this was not an act she could afford to take great pleasure in.

Luka circled, ending up standing on his opponent's left side and struck once more, but his attack was halted. Her appendages were faster than it seemed after she wore off her surprise and daze, entering into the full combat mindset. She followed through her first steps of victory – disarming the target, pulling on his arms, and tugging on his hands, while enveloping the rest of his form.

However, the boy was much stronger than she expected for his small frame, his grip on the weapon unrelenting as if even the weapon itself simply refused to leave him. He pulled his body back and it was enough for him that they were trapped in a stalemate of power. A stalemate not favoring his side as more and more purple tentacles wrapped around him, at this rate he would be in her powerful grasp in no time. And so preferring not another drawn-out struggle he turned his gaze back to his friend who had promised to stay by his side, they crossed eyes.

Suddenly a steel ball rocketed toward the many outstretched tentacles before slamming into them, drilling into their hard flesh and pulling some appendages out with spinning force. Luka winced from the sudden shriek of pain from the Roper and watched in awe as it all happened, eventually, his head swung for his sight to catch the admittedly delayed bounce back into the man's arms.

Luther's simple attack worked, her strength took a large hit. Luka didn't even need any effort to break out now and he was left free to strike true once more, he kept his glance on his friend trying to mind his assailant's suffering, the older companion winked and motioned for him to finish it.

He hesitated, sounds of suffering filling his ears. He could afford to hesitate after the relief period that was given him, part of him felt that pain being thrown around like a rag doll, used as a punching bag for Alice and some well-intentioned target for Luther, if he had his regular sword he would have to inflict such suffering onto other, perhaps even killing them in the process. At times like these, I'm glad Alice gave me you, couldn't quite imagine my journey without Angel Halo. The fake hero admired the sword for a very short moment.

Luka's stance regained its ferocity and fierceness, his expression gaining both gratitude and determination, if the boy used his sword he could seal into simpler shape, would make her lack a need of those torn appendages and ultimately numbing all that suffering along with defeating her and thus securing the road for innocent travelers. Such is a hero's work. He sliced at her neck, no need for momentum in this one, she was weak enough as it is.

The Roper erupted into light, she shrunk in size, her excess energy splitting off into pixels and flying away into unreachable lands and plains. All that was left? A small simple tentacle wildly swinging around in its new unexpected form.

"Well, now you can't hurt anyone." Luka breathed a sigh of relief, leaning down at the miniature mass of flesh and plant. "We did warn you to let us through, next time think a little before attacking innocent adventurers, please…"

"Finally, it's all over, I told you I had your back." Luther strolled by him, taking his side once more. "A little hard to aim first though, nobody would want those balls slamming into her face now, do we?" he asked to which Luka shook his head. "Besides, it looked like you handled it by yourself just fine."

"That was a breeze compared to the last fight, barely broke a sweat." The purple-haired boy remarked, sheathing his weapon and stretching his limbs. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind more fights ending as quickly."

"Sorry for the screaming part, can't quite make it a painless process, you were right in front of her as well." Luther expression hardened, returning into a melancholic frown

"No, there is nothing to forgive, this was a battle and anything goes as Alice says, still, you did free me." Much to contrast Luther's countenance there was Luka's signature smile, it never failed to help reassure the troubled man. Luka understood it, it was a given, he was using weaponry that wasn't anything like Angel Halo, the pain was bound to be the result of it, at the very least his friend hadn't managed to kill her by accident.

Loud slow clapping that resonated across the entire forest interjected, its rhythm recognizable by both of the males, anything they wanted to say was thrown out as they patiently waited for their benefactor to appear and brutally run her mouth on their failures. The Monster Lord popped out of a corner behind a tree, much to their dismay the clapping got closer until it stopped as she finished approaching them leaving behind an eerie silence.

"Finally, a satisfactory performance, it only took you an extra person to pull it off, even then the one you were fighting couldn't move much," Alice stated, her carefully analytical presence always proved to discomfort Luka or unnerve him, as she was able to list everything he was, his flaws, his strengths, what made him who he is from just a single glance. "Not much I could add to what hasn't been said before, besides general swordsmanship, footwork and evasion need to be improved at your level. That speed for this continent is good enough, it is just that your body needs to be quite flexible to slip by certain attacks. "She smacked her lips causing Luka to shudder at what it had promised. "There is much work to be done, looking forward to grinding out those issues~"

"Go easy on me please, I don't want to die…" Luka quietly groaned out and his monstrous companion chuckled.

"You're going to need to be a bit more convincing than that, I want results."

She then directed her gaze at Luther who matched her neutral expression with his own. "Takes too long for you to aim, can't say much about the throwing strength and speed, I haven't gotten too much of idea of how it works, but it's clear you rely too much on that technique to propel any projectile forward. I can offer you target practice if you so desire, more so if you tell me the inner workings of that 'Spin'."

"Thanks for the offer, I'll think about it later, but I believe we have a boat to catch." Unanimous agreement was met with his reminder and they began moving on restarting whatever discussion was lost with the interruption. But he paid no mind to it and stayed back a bit, thinking about her offer. Target practice with her…? Now that wouldn't be quite bad, given her capabilities, but that would simply lead to more questions I have no desire in answering.

Welp, not like she isn't going to ask them later, if I don't, she'll just find some other method, probably…but that offer is tempting, it's getting boring hitting these damned spheres against the trees. Luther breathed out a sight, lastly glancing at the tentacle rooted nearby him which had long since calmed itself, a sealed Monster. One that spent her life capturing and digesting humans, people like alive and her likely siblings took great pleasure out of their end. Who will stop next once she returns fully?

He scowled, he stood his right foot on his heel, letting the end hover over the minuscule appendage, with his weight all he would need to do is press down and she would be left a stain on the dirt path. After everything she has and will likely do, she can't live, too much of a risk for the people here, how easy it would be to… It immediately noticed, and frantically shook in terror, body language begging him not to kill her. Luther's fingers twitched, the foot slowly went down before completely freezing. He strongly shook his head and lifted it off the tentacle.

"No, I refuse. However, I may think you deserve to die for your sadism. I'm no judge and neither is there a jury to sentence you, go on, leave." What remained of the Monster's form complied with his command, forcing itself underground with all of its might, anything to leave his presence.

You have no right to take a life.


"We finally made it!" Luka happily exclaimed, earning the eye of the very few people present around them, there was a relaxed skip in his walk, enthusiasm oozing out of his cheerful presence. Another step closer to the Monster Lord's castle.

"Quiet down, not everyone is willing to listen to some brat squeal at the top of his lungs at this hour, people already have enough annoyances to deal with in their lives." Alice groaned, her ears ringing from the volume of his victory yell. "Don't attract more attention than we need to, let's do what we need to and find ourselves a ship, no need to delay it any further than necessary."

"Ah, right, we need some more supplies, there should be some markets somewhere here, come on let's go!" The fake hero marched forward, aiming to be led in directing his little adventurous group around the streets. Curiosity and excitement were his guides today.

Luther wordlessly followed them and walked along the cobbled streets of the continent's only major port – Ilias Port following the general naming scheme of most landmarks in the landmass. The sun still shone brightly bringing down intense heat and light, clouds split open to reveal the bright blue sky above, it wouldn't last long. That scent of fresh seawater as waves flowed and slammed into the beaches and many stone ridges, reminded him of old good memories when he was vacationing with his old friends. Oh, how he wished to go back to those days when nothing mattered, it could make him weep in sadness

Anyplace is better than this world, though if it weren't for the circumstances this would be one nice port to explore or even live in. Though the port cities size was lacking in comparison of Iliasburg, what it lacked in quantity it made up with the quality of its architecture, many of its buildings and streets were built out of high-quality materials, paved and made properly with stone, while Iliasburg still had some poorer districts this port had none, just increasing in density as they head further in. Houses began to be replaced by massive marketplaces and proper shops selling goods of all kinds, supplies that might be needed.

The older man mindlessly affixed his gaze to the skies, letting his little friend deal with the buying and price haggling with the old man at the market stall. Stomach growled ever so slightly and the man's focus snapped back to reality when parts of his plan reemerged into his active thoughts. Ah, I probably need to get some protein, should I ask him to buy me some meat or would that be extending my favors a bit too far? Could always just go hunting, with the amount of undisturbed wilds in the world I'm bound to run into some critter worth eating. Well, it is worth asking about just for the sake, never quite knowing what could happen, besides, Luka's been kind to me on this journey.

Luther stood over the boy, tapping him on the shoulder. Luka turned his head, his happy expression ever-present on his face. "Thinking of buying some eggs or meat, sorry if this is all too sudden but would you be able to do so, I might be lacking some well-needed nutrients, though it's fine if you don't. You'd help me enough as it is, the food you make is fine enough as it is, don't want to be a drain on your gold" He took him aside and whispered, trying to keep his volume low so that neither Alice nor the stallholder could hear them. "We could also go hunting, I don't mind either."

Much to his relief Luka continued beaming. "Oh, if you really needed it then we do have some spare coins left, I think I could squeeze some more food out of this guy, just wait a moment." The fake hero took out a small storage box attached to his bag and spoke to the clerk once more, whose mood was starting to go sour as the boy ruthlessly and efficiently bargained without ever letting go of his happy-go-lucky persona until he came back feeling even brighter than before.

"Damn, next time when you buy something try not to drive the merchant out of business. Persistent bastard..." The stallholder complained, counting carefully over the coins he had earned through this transaction and hesitantly letting him off the hook, that was all they heard from it.

"What an excellent idea, could sample a bit more of your cooking, what else could you make?" Alice jumped to the occasion to inquire and much to Luther's chagrin. He immediately knew he hadn't managed to keep his voice quiet enough, the Monster's hearing more powerful than first expected. "Is that all you're buying?" She judged the quantity. A grumpy pout reached her countenance.

"Alice, I can't possibly buy even more, at least not from that merchant again, I have a feeling I'm no longer welcome to do business with him," Luka told her, snapping the storage box back into place. "Besides we shouldn't stop every time to buy food, it's meant to be rationed, but you're just eating me out of all of my gold."

"Oh, yet here you are buying more for Luther." The Monster Lord, amused by his resistance, pointed out, regardless of whether she made up for her cost by training him. The very least he could do is give her the common courtesy of making her food a fair deal.

"That's because he eats the least compared to us and doesn't have an endless void for a stomach." Luka fiercely snapped back, his eyebrows narrowing, he had witnessed the amount of time she ate, ravenously devouring the endless meals he cooked up to attempt to satisfy even a small part of hunger. If he was going to continue doing so it couldn't come from his pocket.

"Haven't I done enough for me to help myself to your cooking, you should be proud of that skill." Alice flashed her signature smirk as moved near to his ear, her hot breath brushing against his cheek. "You know, there are other ways you can feed me if you don't want to cook, it would take a long time, I assure you." She whispered over to his ear and Luka flushed red as a tomato

"Look, Alice." Luther broke his silence, cutting off Luka before he could make the argument grow more heated, a more reasonable and neutral voice was needed. "I don't exactly understand how your hunger works, and we all know that you gave this fake hero a fighting chance with Angel Halo and all of that training, just because you're curious to see how far he can go. My point is, he is not going very far if he runs out of money."

"Fine then." To their surprise Alice conceded, they saw her reaching behind her back and pulling a leather bag out of seemingly thin air, the sound of coins jiggling inside could be heard from within. "This is my deal, I'll give some of my own funds and you'll buy whatever food I may ask since you're so well-versed in verbally extorting merchants." The purple lamia seized his arm and dropped the bag into his palm. "This better be spent well, you hear me, or you will face unforeseen consequences."

Luther and Luka stared in awe glancing back and forth toward the admittedly sizable amount of coins contained within and Alice stared back with an indignant look. "What, speak up if you have something to say?" She damned and her commanding presence was decent upon them.

What do you know, she can be fair. Chambers hadn't submitted to her command, instead casually nodding off while staring at the direction of the actual port.

"Um, uh...I…" The ever so cheerful fake hero was left in a clumsy stupor both by her actions and presence. He was left undecided whether or not to speak or shut his mouth before said something stupid and unthinkable, his head dropped and soon the rest of his body followed into a proper bow. "I…thank you, for your help, truly, you've done so much for me I don't how else I could thank you." That was all he could from his heart, which was all he needed to say. Alice might be an absolute thorn, he thought in the amateur poet's words if Alice was a flower, then she would unquestionably be a rose, beautiful yet prickly. It was undeniable that she had helped him beyond what anyone else had offered – Angel Halo was an absolute blessing and so was her cruel yet efficient training, now her only caused deficit was repaid, he was now in her debt.

And I don't know how to feel about that…

"Oh, don't get chummy with me, remember, this is still my money." She brushed him aside, but both of the males in the group didn't fail to notice the slight genuine smile on her lips completely lacking any wickedness or promise of teasing. "I'm going to find that damned port before Luka's goes all lovey-dovey, see you."


They had eventually crossed into the port, idly observing their surroundings and noting down several oddities. All of the few ships that were left were closely docked gathering dust and salt, their crew waiting for another ship to reach them. Many of the shops nearby were left closed, some even boarded up, perhaps forever remaining closed. What was once a bustling city with streets filled by masses of humans – traveler, merchant, or citizen, was now devoid of most life, empty for its wide territory, few souls braved the streets here.

A little fewer people and this port would be a ghost town. Luther remarked at the unsettling view, he may have been a man who preferred peace and quiet but bear witness to such emptiness where there should be none, it drew feelings of discomfort. Where did they all go? Coped up in their homes, travelers, and merchants scattered across the continent? Perhaps many found some shelter or housing in Iliasburg and then…what about the very first ones that tried to return? His free hand clenched into a fist as he stoically stared into the far sea, its peacefulness a deceiving one.

"Is it just me or is everything so empty here?" Luka noted, glancing more to confirm the sight before them, his face twisted into uncertainty and confusion. "In fact, the entire town is rather vacant, this port especially so, do you think something could have happened?"

"Quite likely, one would expect a major port to be bustling in business, but this just takes it away from the atmosphere. Part of me is quite disappointed in all honesty." Alice admitted, the Monster Lord's goal was to have an adventure, sightseeing was very much part of that. Adventuring through dead town after dead town with nothing to see, no food she could sample was painful to even conceive.

"Wait, I'll go ask, there is someone nearby already." Luka avoided the urge to point and walked over to a stranger minding their own business. He was a man, sickly thin and quite dangly yet at the same time seemed healthy in complexion, a lost and troubled gaze was obvious to any onlooker that merely even crossed eyes with for a single moment.

"Excuse me, sir, is there something happening in this port? The entire city is…well looks empty, even the stores are closed." Luka sheepishly inquired, careful not to offend the possible city dweller who lazily shifted his brown eyes toward him.

"Oh, a newcomer huh? Either you've been living under a rock or news must travel quite slowly in this continent." The skinny man oddly remarked, glancing around the city again with an empty gaze, he then glanced back to see the fake hero's worried if not slightly frustrated expression which told him to go on. "Right, sorry for dozing off, anyway what's been happening is this strange weather pattern. A lot of storms in the sea between this port and port Natalia, the thing is, these powerful storms only appear once the ships start sailing, nothing at all-natural, ruining any chance of getting through. Now because of that I and many others have been stuck on this damned rock for the past year." His explanation was ended by a bitter laugh before his face turned serious.

"To put it simply you're not going anywhere. So, I don't know, go around, and see the sights." The man apologetically shrugged. "Unless you can control nature or the storms somehow decide to pass you're staying. We need anything here really, perhaps some sort of a miracle, something like out of those old crazy stories about some spirit and all that stuff. The point is you're staying for a long time. "

"That's horrible, how can something like this even happen?" Luka's happy countenance fell into a disappointed frown. All of this time preparing, training for five years, and then more torment from Alice, fighting his way through his homeland ended up for nothing, another unfortunate dead end. But he couldn't just give up, like him missing his official ascent to heroism, he will just have to carve his own way, surely a storm wasn't that bad to handle. The boy heard footsteps echo behind him, Luther was steadfast on approaching.

It hit him, the way his friend had ended up there, the strange storms almost purposely raging through the sea. "Luther those storms! The-"

"It hit my ship, yes…" He coldly answered, sounding almost unnatural, but it was easy enough for the boy to tell he wasn't comfortable discussing this.

"Ah…so you found that out the hard way, shame many have done as well, only, but…they weren't so lucky to live." The city dweller turned his gaze towards the sea once more. "They never returned, from what I heard only very few managed bravely through it somehow."

"Depends on what you mean is lucky, I have nothing left, at this point maybe I should have died." Chambers somberly responded, though meaning something quite different, his thoughts lingered on the admittedly violent entry into this world. It already tormented him enough, the fact he was in this world, yet to have him almost be pressurized into a paste was an insult to injury, the freshly squeezed lemon juices on his last shreds of mental stability.

"Luther…" Luka frowned, he had a sliver of feeling that his older friend was quite unwell in his mood yet he had never imagined it was to such an extent. To truly desire death only meant that you were in the lowest of lows.

"Don't be so down, stranger." Surprisingly the skinny denizen of the port was quick to reassure Luther. "I thought much of the same when the storms hit, separated from my home and barely living in my business partner's house and I'm fine. Mostly, I mean it is slowly being pieced together, with the way it's going I'm sure it will all turn out well with you. Life moves on and finds a way."

It's not that simple, it never is. Many years can attest to that. Chamber kept his thoughts to himself and absentmindedly nodded along, as melancholy stirred within his soul bringing him into a state he would rather avoid as much as possible, steeling himself with apathy for the meanwhile till he could find a way to express them in some controlled manner. That man may have been a continent away from his homeland, but Luther was an entire universe away, whatever he could, he wanted to piece back together was far out of reach.

"Now excuse me, I have some business to attend to, hope my words serve you well." He walked off at a now steady and confident pace, being reminded of how far he went from being stranded on this continent.

"I'm alright Luka." He glanced at the young hero who looked up to him with great concern, this was the last thing he wanted – for the boy to be worried about his well-being, it was his responsibility, his burden alone to bear, Luka had enough on his plate already. "It's more of how unlikely my chances of survival were, somewhat ironically cruel of it turned out to be." Luther held on to his bag tightened, tapping along its leathery material with his fingers. "Nothing I truly feel, you helped see some light in this tunnel. " His lie had managed to relax his hero companion for the moment.

Alice met up with them, prowling behind both of the men like the predator she was. "Storms come whenever ships sail…so it's like that then, huh?" She quietly mused but made purposely loud enough for her fellow travelers to hear.

"Like what Alice?" Luka inquired; admittedly the circumstances were too suspicious to not be considered such weather patterns were made on purpose, yet such purpose demanded there be an individual behind it and a reason to create a blockade of storms, to stop trade, traveling pilgrims, and potential heroes. Who could possibly be responsible for such a thing? Imagining the amount of power it took to maintain sent some shivers down his spine.

"There is no possible way of mistaking it, these storms are made by a strong youma, and an oddly dedicated one at that. Their goal is to likely block pilgrims from traveling to the Ilias temple." The Monster Lord answered with disgust rolling off her tongue at the end and it immediately clicked with the boy. A youma – powerful Monster that specialized in magic, there is no one else that could have such goals and power.

Alma Elma…The name of the Heavenly Knight of wind resounded in Chambers' mind making him scowl as he turned his eyes toward the skies above where she likely resided. She was the one responsible for the storms and for the destruction it had caused, likely unintended but he cared not. The lingering feeling of disgust pooled into his soul, Luther couldn't quite shake it away, it remained burned albeit dimly inside of him. Out of all the Heavenly Knight that one will be…trouble…

"That means, in other words, we're going to have to beat them if we want to cross." His hero's duty called on him to do so not only for selfish reasons of advancing his journey but to aid in lifting the hardships of the people. Who knows what they were possibly facing, being separated from families, dying at the hands of summoned nature, food shortages? A Monster was responsible, causing suffering and he had to defeat them as his self-proclaimed duty commanded, like it always was, like it always will be.

"You wouldn't be a match idiot." Alice declared flatly face-palming at his suicidal rashness, but at this point could she be surprised? "From what we just heard this one managed to maintain storms in a sea between two continents for an entire year, how could you possibly match that?"

"Do we have a choice?" Luka murmured and threw his arms up in the air in response. "We can't pass through if they aren't defeated, like that man who said the storms aren't going anywhere and it's already caused enough suffering for the people here, Luther is even one of the victims." They both glanced toward the man still staring at the sky, his scowl was unmistakable along with the rage being emanated.

"So, what do you say Luther?" Alice questioned, although she could already guess the answer as foolish as it was, emotion got the best of all and his anger was understandable if a bit pitiful. If she were to lose most of her belongings, get stranded on some random landmass forced to drift from town to town just to survive, and then find out that his suffering was caused by a single person she too would be immensely angry.

After some time he answered. "Personally, I'd like to kick in the teeth of whoever is responsible, but setting aside my grievance I'd still go.

"You think you can defeat a youma?" Alice raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, maybe, but there is no other possible decision we can take."

Alice heaved a sigh, inwardly admitting that they were correct, such circumstances kept her from dining on fine food, it had to be taken care of. Whatever impeded their progress also impeded her. "Unfortunately for you, you don't have a choice as irritating as it is. At this rate I'll never be able to taste the foreign delicacies…" She grumbled, wordlessly considering her options.

"Then what should we do? We can't swim at such a distance." Luka huffed and turned toward the sea, glaring at it as if the body of water would split just for them to cross, a miracle of epic proportions if that were to happen. But alas the world was set in place, there was nothing he could do to command nature itself.

"Maybe you can't, but it would be a breeze for me." Alice boasted much to her companions' frustrations.

Dark energy, nearby…not large but not too small either. Luther noted, making a conscious effort to not just turn around to its source. Many possibilities were thrown at him regarding who it belonged to, but through his knowledge, he easily narrowed it down to a single individual. The cold reached itself into his heart, it was someone who he would rather not meet. Oh dear heavens above, please let this be quick.

"Oh right, then can you do it while carrying us as well?" Luka inquired with absolutely no hint of irony in his tone though his sly smile betrayed everything to his Monster mentor who scoffed at such notion, somewhat tempted to even laugh along with it. "Still, this is troublesome." The boy remarked, his light expression disappearing into a more serious one.

"Ohh ho ho~." Their peace was disturbed by a sudden another stranger deciding to intrude into the conversation and a collective sigh was heard, its feminine albeit slightly raspy voice was familiar to all of them. How could it not be, when it had seared itself into their brains regardless of how much they resisted, forcibly making space for itself in their memories. "There is a way, dearest heroes." The voice said and they restrained themselves from reacting.

"Amira." Luther was the first one to greet her, whether it was out of courage and desire to move along or out of simple courtesy he didn't know, neither did he cared to know really.

"Yes, it is I Amira, the unfortunate lamia, a snake swaying in the breeze." She introduced herself, her serpentines affixed onto the fake hero filled to the brim with affection. "Unwanted by everyone."

"The people here don't seem to mind you crawling around nearly naked, really rejected here, huh?" Luther casually voiced his doubts, but the reverse lamia ignored, only appearing to flinch for a single moment before resuming.

"Don't you live in Iliasburg? What the hell are you doing here?" Frustrated, Luka quickly interjected with a question.

"I am Amira, a snake that travels. In short, a snavel." To her dismay the pun was met by pure silence and an awkward cough, most in the port could swear they heard crickets chirping faintly in the near distance for a couple of minutes before fading away, yet she took in strides unaffected by their cold reaction to her very presence. "I follow my darling and sometimes go ahead of him to give a warm welcome."

"Ah…" Luka took it in, perfectly aware of what it meant and half tempted to turn away. It was painful to even think about it, that wasn't free from this snake obsessive Monster's presence, perhaps even for a long time. Yet the boy quickly remembered how this unfortunate woman was offering him a way to leave for Sentora. While he doubted her given methods it was worth simply hearing her out, whatever unreasonable methods she might suggest. "You said you have a way to travel to Sentora, yes?"

"Mhm, of course, I can be useful. Trading and collecting information of the "illegal" sort is my specialty, all for you my darling." She proudly proclaimed, and it had managed to earn some interest in the group who gazed at her now with curiosity.

"Very well, we will listen only to that." Alice chimed in, directly commanding the Monster before her to spill it.

"Quiet you!" Amira spat back at her rival for what sounded like pure hatred.

"You dare?!" Alice sneered at the audacity of this particular subordinate, her magic crackling on her body, hands twitching ready to strangle Amira's neck or tear her head from the body. But decided against it, she had an identity to hide, and succumbing to the annoyance of one of her minions would be unfitting for the ruler along with allowing herself to be dragged down to the same level as her, to pure childishness.

"Information, please give us the information," Luka demanded, begging for it to end quickly, wanting nothing to do with Amira and for a fight not to break out between the two lamias. Knowing his teacher might go overboard and end up destroying a couple of buildings, that certainly wouldn't be very helpful to his cause.

"For my darling, anything, my three sizes from above are 275, 78, and 93." She unabashedly stated, it may have taken some time for Luka to have the information click but when it did his face lit up bright red.

"You know damn well what I meant! I don't care about any of that." The fake hero exclaimed, subtly fiddling around the hilt of Angel Halo, all he desired was for Amira to get the point if she even had one." How do we get to Sentora?" He repeated his question, hopefully getting through to her.

Amira nodded, finally complying with his request. "From what I gathered, there is a treasure cave not far, just east ways from here. In there lies what you're looking for, an item that once belonged to the legendary pirate Captain Selene."

"Captain Selene…" Luka idly repeated, musing on the figure mentioned. He knew of her, everyone from the largest cities to the lowest of slums knew of the pirate and her escapades that resounded across the world.

"That item is called the Poseidon's Bell, carrying that bell, no matter how the sea or the skies rage, the ship your on won't sink." She finished, now only trying to recall if she forgot to mention anything to her darling.

"I see…" He was forced to admit, at least inwardly, that she had given him useful information. "If that's true then we'd be able to cross without worry."

"Fair warning, the cave is also a Monster's den. Many adventurers have attempted to claim the treasure for themselves, all failed to return. "She morbidly warned without any hesitation, though they could sense some small amount of pity in her.

"Thus concludes my information session, was I able to help you?"

"You made me slightly angry, but it was helpful, this better be true," Luka said and found that he now possessed some amount of common courtesy and will. "Thank…you…" He forced out and it left a nasty aftertaste in his taste buds, which intensified even further when he heard her squeak and moan in excitement.

"Hmm, you're welcome my hero~." She wasn't ashamed to take the enjoyment out of her aid and the thanks she got from it. "I shall leave with the breeze. Until we meet again. "Amira said her farewells crawling away in impressive speed. Luther, Luka, and Alice all wished it wouldn't come to be the case.

"That was certainly something." Luther tiredly remarked and his friends could do nothing but agree, yet they couldn't quite shake the feeling that this will not be the last they see of her unluckily. "I swear she has this presence about her, can't exactly put my finger on what it is."

"Why did I thank her? Felt like hell itself opened up to devour my soul just from that." Luka lamented.

"You made the bed, now lie in it. Nothing to change there." Alice bitterly stated. "Enough clowning around, there is already someone to do it for us, we have our location and a clear goal all that's left is to cross the distance."

"Don't think I can spend another second knowing she is around," Luka spoke before his voice became nearly silent as a whisper. "Around and watching…"

Having checked their supplies and equipment and knowing they have no other real alternative, they hastily departed, with a simple hope that it will be a quick matter to deal with so they can finally reach their second destination. Luka paced forward with renewed hope and vigor, those storms weren't the end of his journey, but a proper beginning, another hurdle to overcome, nothing he hadn't done before. Alice recomposed herself, it might have been another detour but this one held purpose and use, she knew Monster den's often were filled with many of her kind yet in this continent she doubted that they posed much of a threat.

And… Luther was left conflicted, while his outside demeanor remained natural his inner spirit waged war on itself. Progress was being made, yes, however that also meant it had a stronger opponent, diving deeper into the world and witnessing the horrors it may offer. Part of him was glad to get it over with and another was hesitant to face such new threats. The Heavenly Knights…meeting Granberia was bad enough once, but crossing paths with her again is something I have no desire in doing, even now she is still plausibly way ahead of me in terms of power. No way will I reach her anytime soon. And the others? Tamamo- I can mostly rest easy with, she didn't seem willing to pose a threat until much later, still, they're all trouble. Erubetie – we'll have to deal with her much later.

Alma…He clenched his teeth, the second Heavenly Knight he and Luka likely will have to fight, nothing he was looking forward to saying the least without much foresight to know what will occur. No use in thinking over it here, I'll cross that line when it happens.


Luther's Notes: Iliasport

In the most northern point of the Ilias continent lies its main port, aptly named Iliasport following the general scheme of the continent which is being slowly if surely changed via simple suggestions and voting. No one desires the Light Goddess' name and legacy to stain their homeland, understandably after everything said deity has done. After the storms summoned by Alma cleared up and more importantly rebellion against Heaven succeeded its development increased exceptionally further cementing its position as a trade center in the continent and supplier of many resources for the villages and towns of the continent.

The port has expanded its land farther, making it more than a simple port, however the quality of architecture it's mostly known for as the city is quite capable of keeping up with the upkeep of construction with high-grade materials. Stone, wood, and even metal reach far, settled into the lands and sea accommodating anyone that wanted permanent residence. Ships of increasing sizes being capable of stopping by it delivering whatever cargo it may hold, because of that much of the port purpose remain to be commerce despite its rapid expansion.

Many sea Monsters have taken a liking to the port city, it is no surprise that this has occurred with the massive influx of Humans. Where there is prey there will be predators, and along with that it's a convenient place for a home near the waters, and the original inhabitants became more accepting of Monsters. It's practically another port Natalia, just a bit more diverse given its history, in fact, these ports have developed a sort of official partnership, traffic between these two is very common given that is one of the fastest methods of crossing over to the other continent on the sea. I'm not as concerned about this particular port in regards to its Human and Monster population, compared to the others the difference in population between these two species it's still rather large, though through time it's bound to change. This simply gives me more time to finish my projects before humanity ends up being assimilated.

In conclusion, its fast development I'd say is impressive, even when compared to its rivaling settlements. Truly I have been given a wondrous opportunity to observe its growth, in my own world the only way to experience something similar is reading history, yet there is a major difference between blazing through books and seeing it happen in reality.


AN: And so we're finished, I've said before the next part will feature what I promised.


Dinosaurchicken: It's an interrogation scene, bound to draw some similarities here and there. Though I must say she really is attached to the X button.

Guest: Great, just tell me there is an error without saying what it actually is...really?

undefinedforever: Characters are characters, they always exist and can be written in different ways and serve a different purpose. It just happens that certain roles in a story don't really offer much space for development or depth when compared to others. I'm planning some non-canon to Spin of Destiny side stories, one of them includes Ilias and Luther practically getting therapy.

Somedude469: Sorry to break your hopes like that. Regarding that "Jesus" moment, I do have several ideas of where to put it in, but the more I write the less it would make sense since this story doesn't include the Holy Corpse parts. But I assure you that will happen eventually, most likely in an Omake.

doomqwer: And this only the start of it, we are just about finished with act 1, act 2 will be the longest and feature the most development with act 3 showing the results of that.

Mico host of the bad fanfics: Thank you for the compliment, I will be sure to continue this story and improve it to the point where it can become somebody's favorite. To answer the question: perhaps...

yo(Guest): Thanks, I'm always trying to improve my writing in some small ways. Sometimes it gets annoying, I get stuck on some sentences and have to keep rewriting them until it suits my standards or give up if it's too much of a hassle. Currently, in this period of my life, I find that my writing hobby is one of the few things that keep me sane and satisfied, have to give my past self on the back for deciding to take it up.

Thank you for the support and I'll see you next Chapter.