He Who Hunts Monsters

By: Bubbajack

Beta/Co-Authors: IcySnowSage, First Hassan/Darklord133

Special Consultant: Heliosion

Special thanks go out to my Super Donors: Apostle_of_Darkness, Ben wanless, CrazymanDK, Jareth Norris, kenni nielsen, Scott Marchant, and Selmephren

Ch.1: Welcome to a New World.

"Good Morning, Hajime-kun!" Kaori Shirasaka, the cute and popular school idol who was also his nemesis' childhood friend, greeted him like she did every morning.

"Morning," Nagumo Hajime, an average looking boy in all respects, replied nervously. He didn't dislike Shirasaka, she was kind to him, it's just her kindness brought all kinds of negative attention to him. Attention he would like to avoid if at all possible. He was lazy, with his motto being "Hobbies First". In truth, he didn't see much point in trying too hard in school after all, he already knew he had a place in his fathers video game company after graduating. Suppressing a yawn from a long night of gaming he trudged with her towards homeroom. Passing the new janitor on the way. He was an American who was in his early twenties. He spoke slightly broken but understandable Japanese and towered over pretty much everyone. He wore an eyepatch over his left eye and for some reason always insisted on wearing a garish Hawaiian shirt over his uniform.

"Mornin' Nagumo-kun. Pull another all nighter kid?" He asked kindly, giving him a smile that crinkled his one remaining hazel eye.

Smiling, the boy replied, "Yep! Morning Harris-san."

"Harris-san!" Aiko-sensei called frantically, "Come quick! I spilled my tea!"

The cyclops sighed, "That's my cue. Seeya kids. That woman, I hope she didn't get it all over her like yesterday, I could practically see her bra through her shirt," He muttered to himself.

Kaori giggled to herself, as the janitor walked away. "Harris-san is quite clueless isn't he Nagumo-san?"

Nagumo gave her a look, "What do you mean?"

Kaori rolled her eyes, "I see Harris-san isn't the only one who is clueless. Aiko-sensei likes Harris-san," She said slowly as if speaking to a small child, "That's why she's become so clumsy and messy all of a sudden."

"Ohh, so he has to keep showing up," Nagumo realized, "That's clever, but why doesn't she just, you know, tell him?"

Kaori shook her head, "That's not how it works silly Nagumo-kun, the boy is supposed to ask the girl out, surely you know that much right?"

"Well, yeah but… Why must girls be so obtuse about it, Kaori-san?" Nagumo pondered aloud. "Like, why can't they just say what they want? It'd be a lot easier for everyone in the long run wouldn't it?"

She poked him in the cheek, saying, "Life isn't an eroge, you know that right?"

"My dad doesn't work on those types of games!" Nagumo said defensively as they entered the classroom together like usual. Only to be interrupted by Yaegashi Shizuku, Kaori's best friend and the other of our school's Two Beauties, known as the Beautiful Kendoka. The cool and popular Amanogawa Kouki, and the class meathead, Sakagami Ryutarou.

Smiling at him indulgently, Shizuku said, "Almost late again huh Nagumo?"

"Honestly," Kouki said, "You really are kind Kaori,"

"I don't know why she keeps hanging around this gutless prick," Sakagami said, not caring that he insulted Nagumo at all.

"While I don't like how he said it," Kouki continued, "I must agree that it is kind of pathetic how you fawn over Kaori Nagumo. You know she can't keep giving you attention forever right?"

'Who says I wanted her attention in the first place?!' Nagumo thought to himself as he felt the rest of his classmates glare at him for 'daring' to take the attention of one of their classes, Two Beauties for himself.

"Huh, but I'm talking to Nagumo-kun because I want to though?" Kaori said, inadvertently digging his hole deeper as the glares intensified along with the hatred emitted by his classmates.

Feeling their hostile intent, Nagumo gulped. He backed up a step, only for the blur of a mop handle to shoot past him and smack both Sakagami and Kouki on their heads. "Alright break it up ya lil shits!" Harris-san said as he marched into the room with Hatayama-sensei behind him.

"You don't need to be so harsh with them Xander-san," Hatayama-sensei said even though it was half-hearted because it looked like he had stopped a fight from starting.

"Aiko-san, I'll tell you something my principal told me once… Harris, someone like you only exists to be placed on a sacrificial stone for the sake of your betters…" He rubbed his chin as Hatayama-sensei and the class looked horrified that an educator would say such a thing to a student. "Then again, my principal was an asshole who had a bad run in with a boa constrictor and no one really cared when he died… The point is, I don't want these kids to end up like me," He looked down at himself, and looking up, gave a goofy grin, "And in order for that to happen they need proper discipline… Sometimes discipline means punishment," He smiled unnervingly at Kouki and Sakagami, "I find the best punishment to be corporal since pain and time really are the best teachers. Wouldn't you boys agree?" Looking at Nagumo he asked, "You okay kid?"

"Yeah, thanks Harris-san," Nagumo said, relieved.

"No problem kid, cleaning up messes is in my job description after all," Just as he made towards the door, the room was suddenly consumed in a crimson light as a magic circle etched itself on the floor.

"Oh fuck me! You have got to be kidding me!" Xander said before the entire classroom was consumed by a blinding flash of light.

(...)

Alexander Lavelle Harris was supposed to go on a simple undercover mission for the new Slayer Organization. Go to Japan, and make contact with any new possible Slayers there. Well, he needed to go undercover and the easiest way to do that was as a janitorial staff member. No one paid attention to those guys,, and it was already a skillset he had plenty of experience in much to his chagrin. Being the normal one of the Scoobies, he was usually the one cleaning up messes after fights that was part of the reason he was such a good construction worker. He'd been doing pseudo construction work since seventeen. He's been dealing with magical bullshit for far longer however, and so by the time the light cleared, his sole eye had focused on the old man with a long snow white beard in an outfit befitting the pope. Before he could get so much as a word out in an attempt to cast a spell, Xander was upon him like a wolf on the hunt. His fist lashed out, grabbing the old man by his beard and wrapping it around his mouth. At the same time, he put the old man in an arm lock and pushed him face down on a nearby table as he whispered harshly in his ear. "I'm going to allow you to speak old man, if I sense even the slightest hint of a spell, I'll snap your neck understood?"

The old man's eyes widened before he calmed and nodded. Without another word, Xander unbound his mouth. "Warrior of a distant land, I mean you no harm,"

"This may come as a shock to you old man, but I've heard that one many times before, try again," Xander growled dangerously.

"I am the high priest of Ehit, my name is Ishtar Langbard. My god has summoned you to our world of Tortus to save us from destruction," The Head Priest said swiftly.

"And let me guess, since your god summoned us, only he can send us back?"

"Have you perhaps gone through a similar experience before, Sir Warrior?" Langbard inquired from his facedown position on the table.

The eyepatch wearing janitor shook his head in annoyance, "No but I've been through enough similar experiences to know how this usually goes," He pulled the old man up, reached behind his back, and pulled out a concealed bowie knife. Pressing the tip of cold steel to the man's neck he said, "If anything happens to those kids behind me, pontiff or not, you'll be suffering in place of your god, understand me?"

"Indeed," Ishtar replied with a nod.

"Langbard-sama?" the voice of a young girl called, "Was the summoning of the Heroes a success?"

"Who?" Xander asked.

"My apprentice," Langbard said quickly and quietly, "Her name is Asia Argento, she is as innocent in your summoning here as I am, do not harm her please," The High Priest begged.

"Harris-san," Aiko said putting her hand on his arm, "I know you're worried about all of us but… you don't need to go this far, ok?" She smiled at him, "It'll be alright," The diminutive social studies teacher assured him, "So let's just talk this over calmly alright?"

"Fine, have her come in old man, but no tricks." Xander warned, and he switched from wearing his knife hidden to wearing it openly before sheathing it at his side. Ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

"Come in Asia my dear, and have the others bring some refreshments for our guests," Langbard said as he breathed a sigh of relief. 'That Warrior, he has fought many enemies,' Langbard thought, rubbing his throat, 'He pinned me down and stopped me from reciting a single spell, knowing it was a component of magic. He bares watching. I shall have to make him known to his Highness,'

A little slip of a girl in a nuns habit entered the room, she stood barely over five feet, her flaxen hair trailed down to the small of her back, her bust making a small tent in the front of her nuns habit, and she smiled at everyone with warm glass green eyes. "Hello heroes from another world, I'm Aisa, nice to meet you," she motioned to the table, "Please, have a seat, and we will happily serve you some drinks. Is wine okay?"

"I'll have plain water," Xander said pulling out a chair for Aiko, "The others can have whatever they want as long as it's just wine and nothing else,"

"We do not seek to poison you nor the others Sir Hero," Langbard said quickly, "As I stated previously, we need your help,"

Xander slowly nodded, "Which is why I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt Langbard, but you should know that trust with me is hard earned and next to impossible to regain once lost."

Sensing the tension, once the drinks arrived, Asia poured half a cup full of water, then the other half full of wine before she drained it, "There, see Sir Hero? No poison."

Xander nodded slowly, "Fair, but you could have two different poisons that each nullify the other in each drink."

"Enough already Harris-san," Kouki said, "You've been acting all high and mighty since we got here. Pretty arrogant for someone who's just a janitor, don't you think?"

Said janitor fixed the boy with his sole remaining eye, and he wilted under his silent gaze. After a moment, he spoke. "And you're nothing more than a lowly student while I'm an adult," Xander shot back. "So watch yourself,"

Shizuku, who sat on his left spoke up, "Kaoki, Harris-san is merely looking out for us," She turned and smiled at him, "It is admirable in its own way,"

"Yeah, sure no problem Yaegashi-chan," Xander didn't know what to make of her sudden defense of his person, but he wasn't gonna turn it down either. He listened silently as the old pontiff gave a longer explanation of why they had been summoned. It didn't matter to him, he had all the basic facts, and that's all he needed.

Once he was finished Xander said, "Tell your king I would like to meet with him as soon as possible,"

"I will let him know," Langbard promised, "Perhaps Sir Hero would prefer some fresh air and to see our world of Tortus with his own eyes?"

Xander stood up, prompting everyone else to do the same, "Sure why not?"

"Excellent, please follow me," Langbard said as he made his way towards a massive set of doors.

As they walked Asia fell in step beside Xander and whispered, "Forgive my impertinence Sir Hero, but did an altercation happen between you and High Priest Langbard?"

"Let's just say I don't take too kindly to being randomly summoned, and I've been around enough magic users in my time to know you have to prevent them from talking, Miss Argento."

"Ah, I see, Sir Harris is experienced then, this is good Lord Ehit chose his champions well then," Asia said knowingly.

Xander scratched the back of his head, "Uhuh, considering my track record for deities, chances are your god is secretly evil or something."

Asia looked at him with big golden eyes. "Surely you jest Sir Harris!" Seeing the severe look on his face she said, "You aren't jesting are you?"

"I wish," Xander replied as the doors slowly opened revealing a crack of blinding white light.

When it cleared they found themselves out on a grassy knoll facing some mountains that jutted towards the sky like the fangs of some long dead dragon. "Well," the demon hunter said upon seeing the sight, "I guess we aren't in Kansas anymore Toto,"

"Kansas, Toto?" Asia questioned.

"We… we really are in another world," Aiko said, falling to her knees as she stared at the mountains in shock. It didn't last long, "Send us home immediately!"

"I can't as I said, the Heiligh Kingdom needs your help," Langbard replied.

"Do it yourselves! Don't involve my students!" She roared. "Send us back right now!"

"Save your breath Aiko-san," Xander said, picking her up and putting her back on her feet. "Langbard didn't transport us here, his god did, meaning even if he wanted to, and he doesn't, he couldn't send us back. Isn't that right, priest?"

"Unfortunately so," Langbard replied, "What is the power of a mortal compared to a god?"

"I'm really gonna need to talk to your king, as soon as possible," Xander sighed.

"Actually," Kouki said, "I've been talking it over with the others, and we've decided to help these people."

"Yeah!"

"We're with you Kouki!"

"We can do it if we work together!"

Xander just walked up to the boy and laughed, "See that's the thing, you seem to think you suddenly have some form of autonomy, Amanogawa-kun," Kouki never suspected the suckerpunch to the gut, As he lay on the ground gasping, Xander continued, "You don't," He then spoke to the entire class, "This is not a democracy, this is a dictatorship, and you can call me Kim Jong Un."

"Why should we listen to you?!" Ryutarou Sakagami sneered, "You're just a janitor."

"Xander-san!" Aiko grabbed him before he could likely do worse to Sakagami than he did to Amanogawa, "Please stop attacking the students…" She then told her class, "Regardless of his position at the school Harris-san is still an adult and will be treated with respect, understood?" When only Shiori and Nagumo answered she tried again, "Am I understood?!"

"Yes Hatayama-sensei!" The students intoned.

"Thank you Aiko-san," He turned to Langbard, "Now, take me to your leader,"

(...)

"Presenting his majesty, Eliheid S.B. Heiligh," a manservant said as Xander walked into the room, his sole hazel eye fixed onto the king seated on his throne. Seated next to him was a demure looking woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. Next to her was likely their daughter and crown princess whom he had a decade on in years, yet he noted she watched him keenly with her peridot green eyes.

Nodding respectfully to the king, Xander spoke, "Your Highness, I am Alexander Lavelle Harris, monster slayer."

Aiko, who had followed a step behind him along with her students, looked at him in surprise.

The king ran a hand through his dirty blonde beard. "A monster slayer you say? This is most fortuitous indeed then for one such as you to be summoned. Tell me Alexander Lavelle Harris, what have you hunted? You look not to be more than twenty and five summers."

"Yes your highness, I am. As for what I've hunted. Demons, vampires, ghouls, ghosts, even demonic gods. I have on multiple occasions stopped apocalypses from taking place in the dimension I come from."

The king looked to a mage not far from his throne, holding a bowl of water in his hands and gazing into it intently. "Well?" The king asked after a moment, "Does he tell the truth?"

"The water doesn't m-move sire, he is telling n-no falsehoods," The mage said with a tremble in his voice.

Xander glanced at the man briefly, "Some sort of lie detection magic? I can't say I blame you."

The king gave a brisk nod, "Quite, so tell me monster hunter bane of even demon gods. What would you have of us in the Heilig Kingdom?"

Hearing the king confirm he'd just used lie detecting magic, the class began muttering to themselves about their 'janitor'. Aiko just stared at him in surprise.

"Is there really no way to send these kids home?" Xander jabbed his thumb behind him. "This isn't their fight, and they aren't like me. I'm used to getting attacked by monsters at this point. You send them into the field, and they'll all freeze up and die. I can't have that on my conscience."

The king lowered his head, "I am sorry Sir Alexander, but it was by the will of our god, Ehit, that they have been summoned, they cannot be sent back to your world, even by myself."

"Fuck!" Xander swore. "I was hoping to send the kids home at least. Chaperoning is not in my job description."

"We're not weak and we don't need your protection!" Kouki yelled at him.

"Idiot," Xander said, not looking back. "Can't you see I'm trying to keep you kids from becoming like me?"

He saw the princess' eyes soften as she looked at him and he gave her a warm smile, or at least hoped it was perceived that way. He focused his gaze back on the king and couldn't tell what effect his smile had, as she was in his blindspot then. "So you can't send them back… what are the conditions for victory in this campaign?"

"I'm sorry?" The king asked.

Spreading his legs a bit and crossing his arms behind his back as he straightened from his usually relaxed, slightly stooped and nonthreatening posture, it was as if a fool in motley had just cast off his disguise and become a commanding general. "What needs to be done to end this war in the most quick and efficient way possible? Who needs to die on your enemy's side to consider the conflict resolved?"

"The Demon King and his Generals," King Eliheid replied. "The beasts that come from the labyrinths too are numerous and the demons are taming them as war fodder."

Xander nodded stiffly once, "And how many Generals does this Demon King have?"

King Eliheid looked at a man standing not too far away in a gleaming platemail. "Sir Loggins?"

The knight Sir Loggins stepped forwards, he had swept back dark hair, a matching beard, and he seemed impressed with what the demon hunter had said so far. "From what intel we have, there are at least eight."

"So eight Generals, and one Demon King which might as well be a Demon God…" Xander muttered to himself for a moment before he nodded, "Okay, I'll make you a deal, Your Highness."

"Oh? I'm listening, Monster Slayer Harris," Eliheid said intrigued.

Clearing his throat, Xander said, "I'll take care of the Demon Armies top brass. Cut the head off the snake so to speak. In return, all you have to do is keep these kids safe."

The king stared at the young man incredulously for a moment, before asking, "Do you truly think you can take on the Demon Generals, much less the Demon King single-handedly?"

"In a direct confrontation? Hell no," Xander replied, "But I don't intend to fight any of them head on."

One nameless knight spat to the side in disgust, "An assassin,"

The cyclops just smiled at the arrogant knight, "Yes, and I bet I've taken out more demons with guile and subterfuge than you have fought them head on," Xander shot back cheekily.

"Enough!" The king said before a fight could break out. "Sir Dantion, I'll have you lashed five times for speaking out of turn, much less for speaking that way to an honored guest! Get him out of my sight!" As the knight was dragged away by his fellows, the King addressed the hunter, "I accept your proposal Sir Alexander, you shall have the backing of the crown, and should you succeed, I promise you the hand of my daughter Lilianna in marriage."

Xander looked at the princess who was staring back at him, her cheeks turning a nice shade of pink. "Uhh, thank you Your Highness… you honor me, but I really would like to head back home, as I have unfinished business to attend to."

The king nodded in understanding, "I'm sure, I'm sure the priests will be praying for success in your mission. Perhaps Lord Ehit will be kind should you succeed and deign to send you home."

"I sure hope so, if that is all your majesty?" Xander asked, "My companions and I would like to find a place to rest and recuperate… as you can imagine, it's been a long day."

"Of course Sir Alexander, but before you go, I have something for you and the rest of the other-worlders."

A group came forward passing out white slates the size of an index card. "These are known as Status Plates—ancient technology that can reveal a person's Job and through that, skills and stats. If you prick your finger with the needle provided, and spill a drop of blood, it will attune itself to you," Sir Loggins explained.

Poking a finger and spilling a drop of blood, Xander read the following that showed up on his status slate:

Job: Hunter Level: 15

Strength: 300

Vitality: 350

Defense: 400

Agility: 450

Magic: 100

Magic Defense: 100

Skills:

Atropos Shears: Defy Fate, Prophecy, and Destiny.

Butcher: Allows for the butchering of killed prey down to processed parts.

Master Craftsman: Allows for the crafting of items both using scavenged and processed materials. The work of a Master Craftsman is one rank higher than normal.

Hunter's Tools: Bows, spears, knives, axes, swords, traps, poisons, oils, bombs, and guns. All these weapons do more damage in the hands of a capable hunter like yourself.

Marksman: Skill with ranged weapons. You are able to craft and forge weapons of range that you mastered in life. You are limited to only weapons you know.

Stealth: The ability to go undetected.

Spirit of the Wendigo: Consumption of slaughtered prey may yield new skills.

Tracker: Ability to identify and track various prey through your senses. When you locate your prey, you are better able to detect and sense similar prey.

Weak Spot Detection: The ability to detect weak spots in foes, or the environment, dealing critical damage if struck.

'Okay so I've been a hunter in WoW since when?' Xander asked himself. "I have a general idea of what these stats mean, but what's the baseline?"

"A normal human in this world has base stats of ten Sir Alexander, and the highest they can get their stats are two-hundred. Those with a Job have max stats of around four hundred with a max level of a hundred." Sir Loggins replied before adding, "That is for the people of this world however, those of your world are considered much stronger than an average person of this world,"

'I sure hope so, otherwise my stats right now wouldn't make any sense. A Slayer I am not,' Xander thought as he stared at his status plate in confusion.

"Oi Loggins-san, what's a Synergist?" One student called out in a teasing tone.

"It's a fairly common blacksmithing class," The knight replied before he added, "Still since we're currently at war, we can't have enough of them," Loggins said with a hearty laugh. "Who's the lucky student?"

Hajime was pushed forward and he looked nervous. Xander clapped him on the back. "Congrats Hajime, you can learn all kinds of things from the smiths here I bet. I'll bring back things I find on my hunts and you can do whatever you'd like with them okay? Who knows, maybe you'll make something really cool one day and be hailed as the next Inari-no-Okami or something eh?"

"You'd be willing to use something I made?" Hajime asked, smiling a bit. He heard the others scoffing at how they'd be too afraid to use anything he made thinking it'd be cursed.

"You bet," Xander said, giving him a thumbs up. "It'll be just like an RPG, I'll bring back the rare materials and you turn them into badass weapons and armor for me, m'kay?"

"You got it!" Hajime said, sounding enthusiastic about his role now.

Kouki then called out, "Loggins-san, I have the Job of Hero and it has… a lot of skills."

"For a Hero to be one of the students, how unfortunate," The king said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Praytell, what Job do you have Sir Alexander?" The question came not from the king but a voice right in front of Xander. Looking down, he found the princess looking up at him curiously having absconded from her throne as quiet as a church mouse.

"Princess," Xander said politely. "I'm a Hunter, it makes a lot of sense if you think about it, I've hunted a lot of things in my life."

She nodded, "It does," She offered him her hand palm down, "Lilianna S.B. Heiligh nice to meet you,"

He took her hand, moving to kiss it, only to playfully dart forwards and kiss her on her cheek instead, "Nice to meet you, little lady," He said playfully as he pulled away, chuckling as her cheeks were now the same shade of pink as the lace-hemmed dress she was wearing.

"Oh my," The queen whispered to her husband, "Sir Harris is quite bold isn't he? I suppose it is a good thing you betrothed her to such a man from another world, who she will likely have to leave with should he succeed in his foolhardy task,"

"Do not fret my queen, the chances of his success are so slim they might as well be nonexistent. That said, to offer him anything less than Lilianna's hand should he succeed would be nothing less than insulting," The King reassured his wife as he wilted under her gaze on his throne.

"I remember when a certain someone was just as bold as he is now," The queen mused idly.

The king looked at his wife in askance, "What do you mean my queen?"

The matriarch just shook her head, "Nevermind dear, I can only hope, should he succeed, that Sir Harris will treat our daughter well,"

"Sir Harris I have some more questions for you, if you don't mind?" The King said, calling him away from his daughter whom he had engaged in quiet conversation.

"Yes, Your Highness?" He asked, shrugging off the trappings of the Fool, and once again becoming the straight backed Warrior.

"How did you happen to lose your eye? I ask simply to know if it will be a detriment to you on your crusade," The King said hurriedly when he saw his daughter glaring at him from behind the Hunter's back.

"An priest possessed by evil gouged it out with his thumb sire,"

"A demon, a ghost, some unsightly apparition?" Sir Loggins asked.

Xander shook his head, "No when I say he was possessed by Evil I mean he was literally possessed by the very concept of Evil in my universe," Seeing their disturbed faces he nodded, "Yeah I know right?"

The king looked to his soothsayer, "He… H-He speaks aught but truth milord! For the first time in all my years sire, I wish someone would in fact be caught lying,"

"How does one go about killing evil milord Harris?" asked the king, shaking slightly at the mere thought of a concept gaining sentience.

"You don't. Evil or his proper name the First Evil. Could not be killed. He is everywhere in everything, as long as there is evil in people's hearts he could still exist. His head priest was thwarted and his servants culled but sadly. Evil still lives. That is the life I don't want you kids to live. Heroes are not what you see on tv. They are tragic…. Lost…. And broken. I lost the love of my life due to cowardice and supposed heroism. What was my reward? A gouged out eye and ridicule for running away. Your highness I will stain my hands with blood and cover myself in the muck of this world if you honor my demand. Keep the kids out of it. Train them. Aid them. Hell, teach them to fight back but please don't send them to their deaths. I buried enough innocents in my life don't make me bury more," spoke Xander in a wistful tone. If he turned to look he would see many women with a tear in their eyes while a lot of the soldiers stood more resolute in the presence of what they could only describe as a hero.

The king could only give a small smile knowing that even if Xander succeeded at least his daughter would be in good hands, "I cannot promise the impossible when the enemies are at our gates and threatening my people. I will request your students to act but I am not cruel. They will be trained, armed, and taught. As my royal decree I will make sure your students see no harm within reason."

Xander could only nod and properly bow to an authority figure who deserved respect. "That's all I ask… well that, lodging, and three square meals a day."

"You shall have all that and more Sir Harris, you and the others will be housed in the inn in town called Muldred." The king told him,

"Great!" Xander said, the Fool having taken the place of the Warrior once again, "Are we gonna have to walk there or?"

"I shall have a carriage arranged," the king promised.

Xander, happy to get that much felt someone pulling on her sleeve, "Uhm Harris-san there is a strange ability on my stat card and it has me worried," spoke up one of two Idol's Shizuka Yaegashi.

"What would that be Shizuku-san?"

"My class says Slayer which isn't that strange since you have Hunter but the first skill is a passive called Blessing of the Shadow Demon. Harris-san, does that mean I am going to be your enemy?"

Xander thought to himself, "Huh guess a Slayer really was in the school."

Seeing the nervous and almost frantic look on Shizuka's face Xander gently put his hand on her shoulder, "No actually that is one of the reasons why I was at your school considering my profession. Let me tell you a story from my highschool years about a new girl and how she rocked my world when my brother was abducted by vampires."

Shizuku nodded, happy he had an explanation for her and thankful she wasn't going to have to fight him. She wasn't sure if that was a fight could win even if she had all of her classmates backing her up.

(...)

Xander rose early the next morning. He had a mental checklist of things he wanted to do today. One, get some arms and armor. Two, get a map. Three begin an expedition into Beastman Territory and see what kind of allies he can scrounge up. Finally, he wanted to learn what he could about enemy movements.

After he got dressed he opened his door to find both Aiko and Shizuku standing there, the taller student about to knock on his door. "Ladies, can I help you?"

"Ah, Xander-san," Aiko said, going first, Shuzuku-chan and I wanted a moment of your time if that's okay with you? Afterwards we can go down to breakfast together?" She offered.

The eyepatch wearing janitor shrugged, "Sure," He stepped back letting them into his room. The ladies looked impressed. Instead of the hay stuffed mattresses they slept on, his room looked to be overly filled with down feathers, and was set in a frame of solid oak; the fourposter was draped with purple cloth. There was a nice dresser and writing table with an unlit candle on one side as well.

"Xander-san's room is so much nicer than ours," Shuzuku commented.

"It is?" He asked, "I thought the bed was a bit fancy for an inn," He scratched his head in confusion. "I wonder what's going on here."

"It probably has something to do with you being promised the hand of the princess Xander-san," Aiko said, almost hostile.

The Hunter held up his hands and said, "Hey, that wasn't my idea, and you just expect me to tell the country's king we're in no and insult him and his daughter in front of his court?"

Aiko sighed, seeming to deflate as she did so, "No of course not, that would've likely gotten you, and possibly all of us killed," Aiko then said with a bit of returned vigor, "But isn't she too young?!"

"Not by the virtues of her society, in medieval times nobility married young. With women marrying as young as twelve and men as young as fourteen… I was forced to read a lot of olde English tomes," He explained to the two of them, "Demon Hunting research."

"So that really was true, what you said yesterday then… you've hunted monsters back home?" Aiko asked, looking up into his one remaining eye.

"Yeah. Vampires mostly but I've killed other things too. My friends did most of the heavy lifting though, believe it or not, I'm the normal one of the Scoobie Gang. Everyone else are the real heavy hitters."

"You call yourself the Scooby Gang?" Shizuku asked bemused.

Xander shrugged, "Well, not so much anymore, not since the "Big Bang" as I call it," Seeing he was losing his audience again, he elaborated, "My friend Willow, a witch cast a super spell to turn every Potential Slayer into an Active Slayer at once. As for what the Slayer is, it's a magic ritual that basically randomly empowers one girl in all the world with superpowers from a primordial shadow demon to fight all the supernatural yuckiness that goes chomp in the night. That's how it went for centuries before the First Evil came along and released an army of Turok-Han, primordial vampires on steroids, in my hometown. Did I mention my hometown was based on top of an only partially closed portal to near infinite hell dimensions?"

""I think I need to sit down!"" Both Shizuku and Aiko said at the same time.

Leading them over to the bed, Xander gently set the two down while muttering to himself, "Maybe I should've used Giles whole, the world is far older than you know, approach,"

After a couple minutes of silence, Shizuku asked, "So I'm connected to a shadow demon?"

"Yaegashi-chan?" Aiko asked, looking at her student.

Putting a hand on her shoulder Xander comforted her saying, "It's not nearly as bad as you think it is. It can't control you or anything. You've got enhanced senses, speed, strength, reaction time, and an innate knowhow when it comes to martial arts. Plus the occasional prophetic dream."

"Is that all," Shizuku sighed in relief, "So I'm not suddenly half-demon or something?"

Xander laughed and shook his head, "No nothing of the sort but, even if it was, you're still you Yaegashi-chan, and I'm not gonna kill you. Do you remember when I brought up my wife last night?" Seeing the two nod, Xander confined in them, "Her name was Anyanka and before she met me she was a demoness named Anyanka, Patron Saintess of Scorned Women," He told them, "Her job was to grant wishes to women who hand been scorned by men."

"You married a demon?" Aiko asked.

"Almost… I left her at the alter because another demon decided to fuck with my head on my wedding day," Xander said, sounding bitter about that. "When the final battle against the First Evil happened, the Hellmouth collapsed… Anya didn't make it,"

Both teacher and student covered their mouths in shock but could do nothing about the unshed tears in their eyes. Aiko jumped up and hugged him while standing on the bed. "I'm so sorry that happened, Xander-kun!"

"I uh… thanks Aiko-chan… I'm sorry I don't mean to burden you with all this, it's just I haven't really been able to talk to anyone about Anya since she passed so,"

"But what about your friends?" Shizuku asked as she too stood and placed a hand on his shoulder in a show of comfort.

Xander gave a wan smile. "They… put up with Anya for my sake, but never really approved of her nor liked her. I disappeared to Africa for a while to clear my head, got brainwashed by Dracula to be his Renfiled again," Xander began.

"Dracula? Renfield?... Brainwashed again?" The girls parrotted.

Rubbing the back of his head and giving an awkward laugh he replied, "Yeah, when I say it like that without context I guess it does seem weird huh? Draq is cool though, he's really just lonely." He said in slight defense of the old man, "Anyway, neither one of you came in here to hear my life's story, did you need anything else?"

Aiko shook her head, "No, I learned what I need to… Xander-kun is single."

"Wait, what?" He said looking at her confused.

"I learned what I needed as well… and am also pleased to learn Harris-san is single," Shizuku replied with a coy smile on her face.

"Ne ne, Yeagaeshi-chan, isn't he a little old for you?" Aiko, challenged.

"Don't you know older men tend to favor younger women, sensei?" Shizuku shot back, "Besides I didn't hear him complaining too much about possibly having to marry a fourteen year old,"

"Oh… So Xander-kun has tastes like that does he? Well, I look the part, don't I onii-chan?" Aiko said playfully.

"Nope, nope, no uh uh, no, hell no!" Xander said. "I am not having this kind of conversation! It doesn't happen to a side character like me in the first place!" He pulled his door open and two cloaked women fell into his doorway.

Pulling their hoods up revealed it was Asia and the princess. Running a hand down his face Xander asked, "How much did you hear?"

"Um, all of it?" Asia said embarrassedly. "We were coming to see Sir Harris ourselves when your companions arrived before us,"

"Asia!" Lily hissed, "Don't tell him… that," her face was crimson red.

Hefting the two of them up by the scruff of their cloaks, Xander said, "Just… don't worry about it, okay? Sorry if I embarrassed you Lilianna… Do you mind if I just call you Lily?"

Looking at him with her cheeks still tinted red, the princess replied, "That's… I'd like that, Sir Alexander."

"My friends call me Xander Lily," Xander told her, "Now, I can't speak for everyone but I'm half starved. Anyone up for breakfast?"

"I snuck away from morning prayers to accompany the princess so I will likely be denied food all day upon my return as punishment." Asia said, "It would be best for me to eat now while I can,"

Xander grimaced, he knew what it was like to go without food. "Yeah I got an idea on how to handle that. Asia, since you're part of the church do you also handle record keeping?"

The blonde girl nodded, "Oh yes, part of our job also entails repairing, binding, and replacing manuscripts as well as keeping the royal library."

"Great, after we eat, I have a job for you in an official capacity. If anyone asks when you get back, the princess and I need your help preparing for my crusade." The cyclopean hunter told her.

The blonde nodded exuberantly, "Of course Sir Alexander, I'd be happy to assist you in any way I can."

"Just call me Xander Asia, now c'mon it's time for mess." He said holding the door open for the ladies.

As she walked out, Aiko wondered how Xander knew military jargon.

(...)

Once the owner of the inn stopped bowing and scraping to the crown princess, the group was seated at a quiet corner table and dining on some soup, sausages, and bread. Xander frowned, noticing the table they'd been seated at was slightly rickety. 'I could fix it, hell I could build a better table one eye or no but it's not my place,' He thought to himself. As they ate, Xander told Asia what he needed from her, "I need a map, biggest one of all of Tortus you can find. Can you do that for me Asia?"

"No problem!" She assured him. "I know just where to look," She sighed, "I often dreamed of going on missions outside of the Heilig Kingdom and spreading the word of Lord Ehit… could I perhaps come with you on your crusade Sir Xander?" She asked him all of a sudden, "I promise not to get in the way, and I know many beneficial healing spells and can even use a bow somewhat," She said, trying to plead her case. "I also have a… summoning skill," She said embarrassingly.

"Ok, I'll think about it alright?" He told her. "This is a pinpoint elimination mission meaning it's probably best if I go it alone, to be honest… How good are you at stealth?"

"I know the basic Hide skill," the blonde nun admitted, "I got it from being Lilianna's playmate when we were small." She said with fondness while even Lily smiled in reminiscence.

"Well, work on getting it up as high as you can, heck make a game of hiding and sneaking around the other monks if you have to," Xander told her. "If we get caught because we suck at stealth the moment we're outside of the kingdom's borders then this whole thing is kinda pointless isn't it?"

Asia nodded, "I'll work on being stealthy Sir Xander," the nun promised.

"That is a good response. Honestly stealth has saved my life multiple times. If I am correct you are weaker, slower, and less inclined in magic then all of the respective species. However in my world mankind is still considered the dominant species even though there are vampires, ghosts, ghouls, demons, and all sorts of other nasty things that go bump in the night."

The others at the table along with students at other tables were mesmerized by the hunter's speaking.

"By any chance could you tell us more about your exploits. I would love to hear some," spoke Aiko with Shizuka nodding along. Even Hajime in the back looked eager to hear more about Xander's work.

"Alright alright I think I could spare one or two. Just curious, do any of you know of the god Janus?"

"There are other gods in your world to Sir Xander? By chance would they be infuriated we took your class? Divine punishment is considered terrifying to all of the faithful," muttered Asia.

"I personally don't think Janus would smite anyone. He is a god of chaos, doorways, and even beginnings and ends. He is dualistic. Honestly if I was remotely good at magic myself I would invoke Janus to try and get us home," mused Xander.

A look of remembrance dawned on Xander's face as he looked at the crowd and told them seriously, "Just a warning, do not invoke a God's power to do something they are diametrically opposed to. I messed up real bad by invoking a virgin goddess to force a girl to fall in love with me. It… Didn't work so well. Everything in town that was female fell madly in love with me."

"That doesn't sound so bad janitor-san. In fact I would love such a scenario," Daisuke Hiyama, who and his friends, daydreamed a little about having all the lovely ladies in their school fawning over them.

The Janitor shook his head, "No you really don't. They were cursed to love me no matter what. It got to levels where if they couldn't have me no one could so they tried to murder me. Hell, a vampire tried to turn me so I could be her 'pet' forever. I shiver to think about what would've happened if I didn't break that spell. Anyways back to Janus. For halloween a chaos sorcerer invoked Janus's name to turn everyone into their costumes who bought them from his shop. I decided to dress as the boss from Metal Gear Solid."

"You became THE BIG BOSS!" exclaimed Hajime who knew how popular that game was inside and outside of the country. All the classmates looked at him kind of funny at his outburst while Hajime quieted himself down.

"Yes I did. I have to say the skills I gained from that night were helpful and led to me solving problems that my colleagues and superpowered allies couldn't dream of confronting. Let it be known that no matter how strong something seems you can still defeat them with enough elbow grease and sharp wit. Anyways, that was one of the more funny things I did. There are others but I don't want to depress anyone while they are eating breakfast. Gotta keep you fed afterall."

With that said the kitchen staff and waiting staff shook out of their stupor and grabbed the plates and food for all the otherworlders that were in their humble inn, while Xander and co excused themselves.

(...)

The group relocated to the Royal Library and had a map of all of Tortus spread out between them on a table. Asia pointed at certain points on the map. "We're here, in the Heilig Kingdom," She said, pointing to a dot on the northern side of the map. "Humans hold the north, but it is broken up into several kingdoms. The Kingdom of Heilig, the Kingdom of Analeit, and the Rexandt Empire," She took a breath before she continued, "In this world are several labyrinths built by Traitors to Ehit in times past. The one closest to Heilig is known as the Orcus Labyrinth. Another Labyrinth that acts as a border between the Analeit and Rexandt Empire is known as the Great Elroe Labyrinth."

"These Labyrinths," Xander asked, "Are they dangerous?"

"Extremely so," Asia confirmed, "The Traitors to Ehit, filled them with all manner of traps, puzzles, and monsters. However, many rare resources can also be gained from them too…"

"So it's a double edged sword. The Labyrinths are dangerous but good for gathering materials," Xander nodded to himself. Are there any other places of interest I should know about in the North?"

"No, that should be about it," The young nun said honestly, "What else would you like to know?"

Tapping the southern section of the map, the Hunter said, "Tell me about the Beastmen,"

"Why would you want to know about them?" Asia asked, "They're little more than savage animals Lord Ehit has stripped the divine right of magic from, oww," Aisa said when Xander flicked her in the forehead, "What was that for Sir Xander?"

"Asia, if you're going to win this war, you're going to need all the allies you can get, so it's best to stow the bigotry now. You aren't going to make any friends acting like that."

"You intend to recruit the Beastfolk to our side?" Lily asked surprised, "I don't know if that will work, unfortunately, humans and the Beastkin have a sordid history. One that usually involves us attempting to enslave them,"

"Well, you're not still doing that right… Right?" He asked when she didn't answer. He ran a hand down his face when she still couldn't look him in the face and reply. "Okay, I've got my work cut out for me it seems."

"It's considered a Divine Providance given by Ehit Himself," Asia said, "Since they,"

"Since they can't use magic, yeah I get it," Xander said, cutting her off, "It needs to stop. If you want them to come sit at the table they can't think the food is poisoned."

"I shall have a Royal Decree written. That the Demi-Humans may join us in our fight against the Demons and should they choose to do so, we shall enter an alliance with them. Henceforth, Beastman enslavement is banned throughout the kingdom of Heilg."

"Lilianna! Your father, the king, will never approve of this! Nevermind High Priest Langbard." Asia said fretfully worried about her friend's safety.

The princess just beamed at her fellow blonde, "That's what I have you for Asia, I'll handle my father, and you handle yours."

"Langbard is your dad Asia?" Xander asked surprised. Now he almost felt bad about threatening the guy… almost.

"N-Not exactly," She babbled embarrassed, "I was left an orphan on the monastery's front steps. Growing up Langbard looked after me since I had a knack for healing arts. This was before he became the High Priest, mind you!" She said, her cheeks becoming redder with every word she spoke, "I was ten when he was nominated to the position of High Priest and even before then, he would often accompany the previous High Priest, Andros to the castle and take me with him so the adults could talk about important matters without the princess overhearing. That's how we became friends."

"Ah the oldest trick in the book, distract a child with another child," Xander said.

"I wasn't complaining, I enjoyed our playdates," Lily said smiling happily. "But back on topic, will you help me Asia?"

The girl looked nervous but she nodded, "Yes, I don't know if this will turn out well, but I've grown up my entire life being told Beastmen are lesser than humans."

"Have you ever actually met and talked to one though, like actually just sat down and talked to one of them?" Xander asked her, when he saw her shake her head, he said, "Then how about you reserved judgment until you do? You might just change your mind."

There was a moment of hesitation before she nodded, "A-Alright Sir Alexander, it might not be easy and I might mess up sometimes, but I'll try my best to do as you ask. Umm, should I try to do the same with the D-Demons too?"

Even Lilianna looked at him expectantly for this answer. "Maybe," He said at last. "Until I know for certain what's driving them to kill you, I won't rule anything out. Could be a famine, plague, overpopulation, or any number of things leading to the invasion of your lands. As my story from earlier should show, not even all Demons are evil. However that doesn't mean let your guard down. Centuries of bigotry and hatred towards one another can lead to some roadblocks to peace and understanding. There are demons I have fought that would do the world a just reward by dying and never coming back. Then there are some demons that I couldn't hate no matter how much I fought them. I really only felt pity."

The two blondes nodded their eyes, turning hard at his warning, "We understand Sir Xander," Lily told him, "We shall remain vigilant. Do you need anything else?"

"A copy of this map would be great, but that's probably asking for too much," the Hunter replied.

Asia shook her head, "Not at all, just a moment," She turned around, grabbed a piece of vellum out of a cubby hole behind her before getting a quill and inkwell out. Placing the blank sheet next to the map, her eyes glowed briefly for a moment before she dipped the quill in the inkwell and speed copied the map on the blank sheet in real time. Xander's jaw dropped, as in under a minute he was looking at a perfect replica of the map.

"What the hell was that?" Xander asked.

"It's a special skill I have, I can copy documents I've seen," Asia replied, "I mainly use it for document and note taking as it's rather useless."

"Useless… Asia, have you ever tried copying spell scrolls with that skill?" Xander asked her.

She cocked her head to the side in confusion, "No why? Spell Scrolls are valuable single use I… Oh! OH!" Her eyes lit up as comprehension lit up in her eyes. "You don't think I could?"

"Oh yeah I'll bet my remaining eye on it… Lily get this girl some spell scrolls, will you? Useless skill my ass. This girls gonna be a terrifying powerhouse."

The Princess just looked at her would-be beau, "Your way of thinking is terrifying Sir Xander, you know that, right?"

He just shrugged, "I'm used to thinking outside the box, I had to if I wanted to survive in Sunnydale… that was the name of my hometown that built on top of said unclosed hell portal by the way,"

Aiko, who had been silent up till now, asked, "Are there any more of these hell portals we need to worry about when we get back home Xander-kun?"

"Uhh, besides the one in Sunnydale, there was one in Cleveland Ohio, and another on Easter Island. That said vamps exist everywhere even in Japan so it doesn't really matter."

"WHAT?!" The teacher shouted, getting a glare from the librarian. Giving a sheepish bow in apology, she hissed, "What do you mean they're in Japan too?!"

"Umm Aiko, you have tales of all kinds of Yokai in your history… what did you think those were exactly?"

Her face turning a sickly pale, Aiko leaned against the table, "I-I don't feel too good all of the sudden,"

"Take a couple of deep breaths sensei," Shizuku advised. "I mean if worse comes to worst, I'll protect you," She promised, "I'm a Slayer after all,"

"Yeah first rule of being a Slayer is to not let being a Slayer go to your head," Xander told her seriously, "Most Slayers before my friend Buffy only lasted a year before dying,"

Eyes widening in shock, Shizuku asked, "How did she last so long then?"

"She had friends, and a particularly stubborn one refused to give up on her even when a prophecy said she was supposed to die," He finished a bit smugly.

"What did you do," Shizuku asked, smirking.

"Forced an asshole vamp to take me down to a vampire lair at cross point and revived her from drowning via CPR," He replied with a sigh, "Got no credit for it mind you, since Buff had googly eyes for said vamp that was perfectly fine with leaving her to die."

All the girls made a disgusted face, and gave a collective "Eww!"

"B-But he's an undead… She's fallen for a corpse!"

"Fallen for him, slept with him, broke the curse that made him lose his soul, Buffy is… she has odd tastes in men," Xander said nodding, "But it's nice to know I'm not the only one who thinks it's weird, I was starting to think I was weird for thinking it was weird."

"No," Lily said, shaking her head in a shell shocked manner, "It's not just you… she actually slept with a corpse?" She shuddered in revulsion.

"And did you say it was cursed with its soul? And her sleeping with it removed the soul? The vampires of your world are certainly more monstrous than the ones in ours. They are extinct as far as I know. They declared war against Ehit a long time ago and were wiped out. Of course they were not corpses mind you. That thing you mentioned sounds more like the dilapidated experiment of necromancy from the magic academy," Asia stated.

Personally Xander liked how Asia referred to Angel as an it rather than a he but that was just him. He also made a note of the differences of vampires in this world. Vamps in his could never reproduce by sex as far as he knew. "Yep he was cursed a hundred years prior by a band of gypsies with his soul and to loose it if he ever experiences a moment of true happiness, which he did,"

Aiko finished for him, "By sleeping with your friend,"

"On her seventeenth birthday, yes," He confirmed.

"And he was how old?" Shizuku asked for clarification.

"Physically in his thirties, chronically he's about four-hundred."

Even Lilianna was weirded out by that, medieval society or not, being with someone several centuries your senior was off-putting. Of course that is sleeping with a corpse. She heard rumors that some demons could live centuries not to mention the elves of the beastmen who supposedly can live centuries to a millennium.

"But enough storytime with Uncle Xander, I think it's about time to get this show on the road. I need armor, weapons, and a good horse,"

"Can we change Uncle Xander to Hubby Xander?" Shizuku requested.

"Can I get you a cup of water Yaegashi-chan?" Xander asked, "Cause you're sounding kinda thirsty there."

She just smirked at him and replied, "You look like a tall drink of water, you'll do just fine,"

Xander shook his head, "Aren't I too old for… pretty much everyone at this table sans Aiko?"

"I like strong men," Shizuku replied, "Age isn't a factor,"

"I don't really get what you're talking about, or what the big deal is," Lilianna replied confused.

"Same. Sir Alexander could not be even in his late twenties. Truly you would be a catch for any girl in our nation except maybe the hero Kouki but you are more …. Mature then him," Asia said, nodding along.

"Right medieval society, um where we come from, it's considered… taboo for someone of my age to date someone of your age. Hell if back home someone learned I was dating someone Lily's age, I'd be thrown in jail as a pedophile. Then I'd be beaten to death, as even in jail, pedophiles are looked down on by other inmates as less than human."

"I mean in a safer society or moderately safer as you mentioned vampires, demons, and other monsters run rampant wearing human skin. I must inform you Xander that most people are lucky to reach their forties here. That is with healing magic, medicine, and proper trade. The average person cannot risk taking chances when it comes to continuing their family line and legacy that goes double for the king and royalty. Marrying someone twice your age Xander would be seen in bad taste but you are a solid warrior in a profession that is measured in months not years. You are respectable, and polite, but also well trained. I would even question if you are human but as far as Langbard and Father know the spell to summon the hero restricted other races from being summoned," commented Liliana explaining the politics and viewpoints of her world.

"I see, thanks Lily." He said taking a minute to absorb all of that. "I mean don't get me wrong it's nice to know you all are… interested on various levels, but I'm kinda cursed." He quickly reworded that, "Not actually cursed or I hope not anyway, what I mean is, whenever I try to date anyone, they always seem to end up dead." Seeing he had their attention, he continued, "My first crush turned out to be a praying mantis demon who tried to bite my head off during sex… we killed her, my first girlfriend ended up dying… twice, and then there's Faith… but I don't like talking about her… and you already know about Anya… I don't exactly have the best track record for keeping women who like me alive so maybe it would be best if you don't get too… oof, attached?" He said in confusion as Aiko and Lilianna threw themselves at him with Shizuku and Asia quickly following behind.

"It's not your fault, you do know that right Xander?" Aiko said as she tried and failed to wrap her arms around his waist.

"You… how are you even still sane Sir Harris, it's just one terrible story after the next? I…" Lily looked up into his eye, her own full of wonder, fear, and unshed tears. "How do you do it?"

"Should you even be heading out?" Asia questioned, "Haven't you done enough already?"

"I want to come with you too if you're going to leave," Shizuku told him. "You shouldn't have to do this all by yourself."

"I do it because somebody has to ladies," He said gripping them all in a brief but tight bear hug, "Back home, my friend got turned into a vamp, and I killed him, and a piece of me died with him. Ever since, I swore to myself that I wouldn't stop fighting until every last one of those bastards were deader than dead. While I appreciate the concern, I think we should move on to the next thing on the agenda. Arms armor, and a mount."

"I'll get you the best the Haelig Kingdom has to offer on one condition," Lily said, holding up a finger.

"What is it?" Xander sighed, "Do you want to come with me too?"

She looked down, "As much as I would like that, I don't think Father would ever allow it, even under the guise of a diplomatic mission," She looked back up and all but glared into his eye as she continued, "You have to promise me you'll come back alive! Promise me okay?!"

Xander smiled, 'I guess I made a good first impression on her after all,' He thought as he held up a pinky, "Fine it's a promise,"

"What's this?" she asked as she mimicked his movement and he wrapped his finger around hers.

"It's a pinky promise, very important, very serious stuff pinky promises, just ask Shizuku or Aiko, if you break a pinky promise, you have to swallow a thousand needles. Right ladies?" He said while looking at the two Japanese natives.

Doing their best not to giggle, Shizuku and Aiko nodded, "Oh yes, it is." Shuzuku assured the princess.

"Lives and friendships have been lost over pinky promises." Aiko told her, smiling.

Lily nodded seriously, "Okay then, you'd better come back alive or else!"

"You got it… but how're you gonna have me eat a thousand needles if I'm already dead?" Xander asked with a teasing smirk.

"I…I uh… just don't die okay?!" She said flustered causing them all to chuckle a bit.

Xander, noticing the head librarian approaching, said, "I think we've worn out our welcome, we'd best be going,"

The group hastily made their exit to parts of the castle where peace, quiet, and silence was less mandatory and conversation could be had more freely.

(...)

The armory was full of magical items, each meant for summoned heroes as told by Asia and Lily. "Each one of these is at least of Unique Grade, and if sold could buy you a kingdom," The princess told him with certainty.

"What are the other grades?" Xander asked as he ran his thumb over a wickedly curved looking head of an axe.

"It goes from Inferior, Normal, Rare, Unique, Ancient, Legendary, and Phantasmal Sir Xander," Asia helpfully informed him adding, "Items can also be divided into two classes, common items that can be crafted, and Artifacts which can only be gained from completing dungeons and are more powerful than their more common variants."

"Interesting, how is a dungeon formed exactly? Not a Labyrinth, but a dungeon," He inquired as he found a set of leather and chainmail that he thought would suit him. The Cuirass had the face of a wolf etched into it and the chainmail links looked to be made of…'Is that mithril?' he wondered.

"A dungeon is formed either by a group of powerful monsters or a wizard making a location their home," Asia explained, "They usually make enough of a nuisance of themselves over the years that they amass a hoard of treasure, level up, and become a sufficient threat to the area around them, then a dungeon is formed."

"I see," He said, 'Sounds like a typical vampire nest,' He thought. "Right, so is there some way of telling when a dungeon is nearby?"

"The bones and bodies are usually a pretty good indication Sir Xander, but even if they are the smart type they usually can't hide their aura or bloodlust which is another way to tell when a dungeon is nearby. That's why most parties include priests. Besides healing and protection, even their most rudimentary spells can detect such things," Asia said with a hint of pride in her tone. She added, "You know you've come across a truly dangerous foe like a Lich when you can detect neither bloodlust nor malevolent aura at the entrance to their dungeon," Asia said with a shiver.

"Duly noted," Xander replied as he picked up a long black bow and a long quiver. Seeing a pair of knee high leather boots he picked them up too. "Anything else you think I could use ladies?"

Looking over the items the Princess nodded, "Sir Xander has a good eye for items. Thus far, he's picked up The Elven Boots of Blinding Speed, The Leviathan Axe, the Pharis Black Bow, an Efficient Quiver, and Hircine's Hide. I didn't even know the armor of the Hunt God was here?!" Lilianna said surprised. "This is a Legendary Class Artifact belonging to a minor god."

"I don't believe in coincidence," Xander said looking at the armor, "If an artifact belonging to a god, no matter how minor just so happens to show up here where I just so happened to find it, it likely means he wanted me to find it."

"Do you honestly think-" Asia began only for Xander to hold up a hand.

He then spoke to the room at large. "Okay, I'll bite, what do you want?" He paused for a moment, as if waiting for an answer. When none was forthcoming, he tried to be more direct, "Not willing to talk? Okay let me rephrase, either you pipe up or I'm gonna leave all this stuff here and go out in some common gear and leathers. I can make my own stuff, you know?"

Again nothing happened for a moment, then, the wolf head embossed in iron on Hircine's Hide warped and spasmed before seeming to retch itself up from the tanned leather and gave Xander a wolfish grin as its eyes gleamed like hot coals. His voice came out in a snarling timbre "Truly your arrogance knows no bounds Night Haunter. To call out a god."

Xander just shrugged grinning cockily, "What can I say, its a gift,"

"You would make fine prey for my hunting grounds indeed," The minor god said, speaking through his artifact.

"If you thought that, you wouldn't have tried to butter me up by giving me your token, so what do you want? Or to be more on the nose, what's going on?" The Cyclopian Hunter asked.

The effigy shook its head, "We can not speak of The Game to mere mortals, it is forbidden."

"I'm not surprised we're all just pieces on a chess board to you sick fucks, but that's fine, I've never played by the rules anyway."

The effigy grinned wolfishly. "Exactly."

The light of comprehension dawned in Xander's remaining eye, "Ah, so that's your game in the game, is it? You're backing me because you want me to flip the chessboard so to speak,"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that," the Effigy replied, "To speak of the Game to mortals is-"

"To speak of the Game to mortals is forbidden, yeah I get it," Xander said cutting him off, "So if hypothetically a bunch of minor gods were backing me just to fuck with the bigger ones… you couldn't confirm nor deny that could you?"

"No, certainly not," The effigy said, grinning a bit wider.

Xander nodded, "Thought so, thanks."

The effigy stared at him shrewdly for a moment, "You're still going to use these granted arms aren't you?"

"Sure why not, I'm always for sticking it to the big man and helping out the little guy, even if the little guy in this instance is a god."

"You are a strange one Atroposion, but such things should be expected from your ilk I suppose… Good Will Hunting," the minor god told him before the effigy sank into the armor and became still again.

Rubbing at his temples, Xander asked himself, "Why does there always have to be some divine intervention type shit going on in the background? It get's so annoying after a while, know what I mean?" He called over his shoulder to the girls only to see them looking white as paper and staring at him in abject shock. "Umm, you ladies okay?" He asked worriedly.

"Y-You just called o-out, and told off a g-g-god?!" Asia said, her legs wobbling before giving out on her entirely. Xander managed to catch her before she hit the stone floor. "Sir Xander, are you insane?!" She yelled at him. "He could've smited you!"

The eyepatch wearing man scoffed, "Not likely, from what I've seen so far the deities in this world can only enact so much power. They, just like in my world, need Champions to act in their stead."

"You really aren't afraid of divine retribution…" Lilianna said in hushed tones. Even she was impressed by his brashness.

"No, like I said gods can only do so much, even with their vast power, Champions are needed. From the sounds of it, a coalition of minor gods are getting together and are looking to back me, these," He motioned to the items he'd picked up, "Are their gifts to me, should I choose to accept anyway,"

"What will you do Xander-kun?" Aiko asked, awed at how he interacted with an actual deity.

He just laughed, "Like I already said, I have no problem helping the little guy, god or no, but before we go, better have another look around and see if we can find anything else out of place,"

Asia and Lily nodded and they combed through the armory again, coming up with several more trinkets and bits of armor that weren't on the official registry but were things of myth and legend that had mysteriously shown up in the armory. Then they headed to the stables to find Xander a worthy mount.

(...)

The musty smell of hay hit Xander's nose as he entered the stables, the shade provided by the thatched roof was offset by the heat given off by so many equestrian bodies packed so close together. The stablemaster, a slightly portly and slightly balding man that walked with the help of a cane, approached as quickly as he could when he saw the princess and her party approach.

"Princess, how may I help you? Were you looking to take Silvine out for a ride?" He asked motioning to a silver coated mare in a stall on the left who neighed happily when she noticed the princess.

"Perhaps in a little bit Gerard, at the moment, Sir Alexander Lavelle Harris requires a mount." She replied motioning to the muscular young man standing next to her wearing a mix of iron, leather and chainmail, a quiver, bow, and axe on his back along with a long green cloak.

"Sir," he said, offering his hand for a shake.

'He didn't go for the usual gleaming plate but is actually wearing something functional,' The horse master thought as he clasped his arm and gave a firm shake, and the man noted the eyepatch wearer gave as good if not better than he got. "Sir Harris was it? What kind of mount are you looking for?" He expected the young knight to immediately say a charger or stallion but he surprised him.

"Something inconspicuous, but can still go for long hours with only a few hours rest, like a Shetland or Dale Pony if you have anything like that, sir,"

Gerard looked at him shrewdly for a moment, before nodding, "You got a keeper here Princess, he knows his horses."

"I'm rapidly becoming fond of his company as well, Gerard," Lilianna said beaming at her would-be beau.

"My friend Willow went through a horse phase when she was younger so I know a thing or two… yeah. Anyway, got anything like that in here?"

"Aye, I do." Gerard said, pivoting with his cane before calling, "Will, go get the Lowland Trotters!"

"Yes sir, right away!" a wiry stableboy said before he ran off.

Gerard called over his shoulder, "You, Sir Alexander, meet me out back and we'll see which one of these Trotter's suits you eh?"

"Right behind you!" Xander called.

"Oh my," Lily said, giggling a little.

Looking at her, Aiko asked, "What is it?"

"Gerard seems to have become a bit fond of Sir Alexander," Lilianna said, "And he's known for teasing people he likes."

"Teasing how?" the Social Studies teacher asked.

"You'll see," She said as she led the way to the corral out back.

(...)

Three ponies were lined up by the stable boy, one with black eyes, a gold coat black mane tail and withers, a chestnut with green eyes and white mane, tail and withers, and a gray eyed white and black dapple with gray mane, tail, and withers.

"So do I just pick one?" Xander asked.

"Aye go ahead," Gerard said, smiling a bit.

The hunter picked the chestnut as it stood out the least, and mounted it. The second he did, it bucked wildly and threw him off. "Okay, I don't think he likes me," He tried with the gold, and then the dapple and got the same results each time. "Are these horses even broken?" he asked after he was bucked the third consecutive time in a row.

"Of course," The stablemaster replied, "You just got to know the password,"

"Password, to ride a horse? You aren't kidding me are you." He said as he looked at the man.

Walking up to the chestnut Gerard whispered into its ear, "May I?" before he clambered up into the saddle, and the horse stood there calmly and let him mount.

"You trained them to buck anyone who didn't know the password… Heh, that's pretty cool actually." Xander said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Two reasons… Cause I thought it'd be funny… an' I was right, and you didn't ask." The man replied as he got back down from the horse.

Xander just shook his head grinning. "Okay, you got me, I'm assuming these guys are usually reserved for the kingdom's spying corps?" Seeing a flicker of surprise in the stablemaster's eyes that vanished just as quickly Xander just shrugged, "I mean c'mon guys why else would I need a password on my horse unless I was doing something clandestine in another country."

"I can't confirm that such a group exists, but if it did, you may just be right Sir Alexander," Gerard said. "Now you want the chestnut?"

The janitor turned Hunter nodded, "Yes please."

"You ever ridden or cared for a horse before?" The Stablemaster asked, his free hand on his hip.

"Nope never," He replied. "What do I need to know?"

"Every'thin, and I ain't got forever to teach it I expect. So we best get started."

(...)

Gerard spent the better part of the rest of the week teaching Xander how to ride and care for Jessie. That is what he had named his chestnut Lowland Trotter. He learned all kinds of things such as how to clean him, what kinds of herbs to give him if he was sick, what was poisonous for him, how to know if he was sick, and how to actually ride him. As it turns out he wasn't terrible at riding a horse, the swaying took some getting used to but other than that, it wasn't so bad.

He would often go for rides with Lily so he could get used to it, and if he happened to pack a picnic well then that happened. He didn't think of it as romantic… he also didn't know what was considered romantic or what may or may not be seen as courting in a medieval society. So he was confused when he'd come back from one such recent venture with the princess and found a contingent of guards waiting for them.

"Umm, hi fellas, can we help you?" Xander said, dismounting from Jessie and handing the reins to a nervous looking Will, the stableboy.

"The king demands your presence at once, Alexander Harris," One of the foot soldiers said.

"Okay? Lead on," He sent Lily a puzzled look but she looked just as confused as he was as she followed just behind him.

As they walked, she asked, "Sir, what does my father wish to see Sir Alexander for?"

"I didn't ask Princess, I apologize," The man replied.

She shook her head, "No it's fine, I'll ask him myself when we arrive in the throne room," She said,

The throne room was just as exuberant as the last time Xander saw it. The King was sitting up on his throne along with his wife. Bowing politely, Xander asked, "Your Highness… Highneses? You asked to see me?"

King Eliheid spoke briskly, "Yes, Sir Harris, I do not wish to cast your name into doubt, but it has been noted that you and my daughter have been spending a lot of time alone as of late so I felt it prudent to ask…"

"Father!" Lilianna screamed indignantly, stamping a foot as she blushed tomato red, "Sir Xander is an absolute gentleman and has never even hinted at anything of the sort!"

Xander blinks in confusion for a moment before he said, "Sir, are you asking me if I deflowered your daughter, the crown princess, in a kingdom where that is likely to ensure the death sentence?"

"I… yes?" the king said sheepishly, "It's just you've been going out on rides alone, and servants have noted you had picnic baskets! You can see how this could be seen in a certain light, yes?"

"I'm sorry I got you so worried sir, but I assure you I haven't touched Lily in any such way. I enjoy living, and am well aware that despite my deeds, I am a man of common birth," He then looked at the princess and said, "No offense meant Lily,"

"None taken," the princess said, shaking her head, causing her flaxen locks to flail about, "As for being of common birth," She looked at her father defiantly, chin raised as she said, "Sir Alexander Lavelle Harris, if you would please take a knee?"

"Lily, what're you doing?" He asked warily even as he took a knee.

"Sir Loggins your sword," Lillanna said, her voice full of regal authority. The Knight Captain looked at the king who looked confused, but got an approving nod from the queen, and moved forward and handed the princess his sword. Raising it with a bit of difficulty, she rested the flat on one of Xander's shoulders then the other as she said, "In addition to your reward should you succeed in your mission, I hereby grant you the title of Archduke Alexander Lavelle Harris, and will grant you a fitting territory as soon as I find one suitable to your stature and station."

'Did… did she just friggin make me her fiancee officially? In front of her dad no less?' Xander thought to himself, he glanced at the king who looked dumbfounded, while the queen looked pleased.

"Now, for the exchanging of rings as is customary," Lilianna removed a gold and ruby ring from her finger, and slipped it over his left ring finger.

Xander deciding he was already probably fucked once the kings brain rebooted took one of the magical rings he'd found in the armory off his finger, a fragile golden band that looked like it was etched with swirls of fire around its length. He had no clue what it actually did, but he felt it was appropriate to give to her. The moment he slipped the ring on her finger, Lilianna was subsumed in a warm golden glow like that of a bonfire. When it passed, she held her hands clasped together and smiled warmly.

"Lily? You okay?"

She nodded, "I'm just fine Xander, I was… I've just received a revelation by god."

"By Lord Ehit?" Langbard asked.

"Hmm," Lily said in response, "I was told to go with Sir Alexander on his expedition to the Beastman Lands, along with others, and make allies with them. That we will need all the allies we can in the times to come,"

"Is that so?" Her father said blinking, "The times must be dire indeed if we are allying with the Beastmen," He looked to the High Priest, "What say you Langbard?"

"I cannot deny I felt a divine presence just now," the pontiff said, "So it could've very well been a divine edict given by Lord Ehit," He asked the princess, "Were you told who should accompany you Princess?"

The Princess was quick to respond, "Two of Sir Xanders companions, and Asia, High Priest Langbard," She continued, "We are to leave in two days time,"

The High Priest closed his eyes, "I see, Asia has been acting strange of late, perhaps she received a divine vision as well and has been preparing for this day ever since?" He wondered. Opening his eyes, he declared, "Very well, gather the others shown in the vision and prepare to travel forth by the will of Ehit."

The princess bowed, "Of course, come Sir Xander, we have work to do."

(...)

Once they were outside the throne room Xander asked, "Okay what did that deity really tell you?"

"That she is one of the ones who are a part of the coalition backing you and has designated me as her champion. Also, our marriage is blessed by her," She said grinning.

"Well that's cool I guess." Xander said with a sigh, "I sure hope your dad doesn't try to kill me for that little stunt you pulled,"

She waved his concerns off, "It's fine, it's fine, don't worry, Father wouldn't do anything when I went and made you an Archduke in front of the entire court."

Xander ran a hand down his face, "I sure hope your right," He clasped his hand in hers "C'mon troublemaker, let's go tell the others that we're heading out soon, and they need to gear up,"

(...)

They found Aiko first, and she was toting around a giant scythe that was bigger than she was. Its blade was scalloped like a batwing and the back edge was edged in gold, while the haft of the weapon looked like a human spine. "Okay, I'll ask, Aiko, where did you get something so… metal?"

"I don't know!" She said waving her arms around, with the scythe in one hand. "I took a nap, and when I woke up, it was in my room! When I tried to leave it there, it started following me! It floated after me like a lost puppy!"

Xander blinked, "Huh, that's… unusual." He then asked, "Have you tried looking at your Status Slate? Maybe something happened that will show you why you suddenly have a badass scythe?"

"Oh good idea! I didn't even think of that!" Aiko said, reaching into her dress pocket and pulling out her status slate, looking at it she asked, "What does Nergal's Chosen mean?"

Xander sighed, "Well, you've been chosen by a god, likely a fertility deity as its champion," He nodded towards the weapon, "That is likely the symbol of its authority."

"We're getting chosen by other gods now, like it wasn't bad enough that one of them teleported us here against our will?!" She shouted at the heavens, "Why should I be your champion?"

The scythe carved a message into the cobblestones "I offer you the strength to protect your students… strength you currently lack. Be my Champion, and become the authoritative figure they have no choice but to respect and obey… or don't and continue to let them push you around like they have been doing,"

'Ouch that's harsh,' Xander thought. Even before coming here, he knew that most of her students, the boys especially, didn't respect Aiko, but since coming to Tortus, it got even worse. Even some of the girls had been a bit snippy to the 'Farmer' as of late. Xander set them straight when he caught it of course, but he couldn't be around twenty-four seven.

Aiko sniffled a bit, but no tears fell from her eyes, instead, she glared at the scythe before gripping it by the skeletal handle. "Fine, if that's what you're offering, and if it'll let me get my students home quicker, where their parents can discipline them properly, then I accept!"

Placing a hand on her head, Xander asked, "You gonna be okay, Aiko?"

She nodded, "I'll be fine, I can't expect Xander-kun to look out for me forever, after all I'm an adult too. It's about time I demand just as much respect as you get!" She said, smiling up into his face. "It might take a little bit, but can you look out for me a little longer?"

"Sure no problem," Xander promised her. "Now to go find Shizuku and Asia,"

(...)

Asia found them as they were looking for Shizuku. She was carrying around a long black and red streaked bow, and had a black boar pelt hanging from its skull from one shoulder like some kind of morbid cape. "Sir Alexander! Sir Alexander! Something has happened!"

"I see that Asia, you've got a bow, and a pelt now," Xander said.

"Yes… but they're from a heretical goddess!" Asia whined piteously. "Not gifts bestowed from Ehit!"

"Word of advice Asia, don't insult deities, or they'll kill you," Xander told her.

"Hypocrite," All three girls said at the same time.

"I can get away with that, my reputation precedes me, clearly," Xander fired back, "I've stopped two apocalypses myself and had a hand in stopping another five, I've got some cred built up." Clearing his throat he asked, "What're those things?"

"The bow is called Tauropolos, and this skin is from something called the Calydonian Boar,"

"Oh no…" Xander muttered his eye widening in realization, "Of all the goddesses it had to be, it's her?"

"Hello to you too muffin," The boar's head said, speaking in the annoyed feminine tone of a child.

"Diana," Xander greeted tiredly. "How're you doing? Also, please don't call me muffin,"

"I can call you swamp gas and you'll like it!" The moon goddess snapped.

"Yes ma'am… still mad at me huh?"

"You invoked my name in a love spell, you idiot! What do you think?!" Diana snapped back.

Xander raised a finger, "To be fair, that wasn't me, that was Amy,"

"You pushed her into it, it was for 'your' benefit, thus 'you' are to blame!" The Goddess of Childbirth said heatedly.

Xander threw his hands up. "Oh c'mon! I offered you a sacrifice in penance and everything!"

"You grilled a piece of chicken on a flat iron grille, Xander," The goddess deadpanned, "That 'hardly' counts as a proper sacrifice."

"Well, I can't exactly go out, purchase a steer, lead it to your temple in Greece and kill it without looking crazy now can I?" He rebutted, "I mean I did my best with what I could in modern times. Gimme a break here, Plus I was seventeen at the time, I couldn't exactly purchase a steer even if I wanted to. Too poor."

After a moment, Diana sighed and said, "I suppose I can see your point," She continued, "In that case, I want you to hunt and kill something here instead. Something dangerous. Find it, and slay it. Then burn its corpse in my name, only then will I forgive your transgression against me all that time ago."

"Ok, sure, fine yeah, if it'll get you to stop messing in my love life, anything you want," Xander promised her immediately.

"Alexander, I haven't done anything to your previous lovers. I'm not that petty. I am neither Aphrodite nor Hera. No, the ones you can blame for that is-" The Boar head suddenly went limp.

"That was weird right?" Xander asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes," Lily agreed.

"Yeah," Asia said,

"Yep," Aiko nodded.

"Definitely," Shizuku replied.

Xander turned upon hearing the girls' voice, "When did you get here?"

"Around the time the boar head started talking, it seemed important so I didn't want to interrupt," She replied, with an odachi strapped across her back.

"What's the story with the odachi?"

"Much like with Asia-chan, I am now the "Chosen of Susanoo," Shizuku replied before she whipped out the sword, revealing its crimson hued metal blade.

"Nice," Xander said appreciatively. "Well for those of you that don't know, we will be leaving in three days time on a diplomatic mission into Beastmen territory. So armor up, pack some food, and go see Gerard in the stable about a horse, and be ready to meet at the main gate two days from now at, let's say nine?" Seeing them all nod, Xander finished with, "Alright then let's go our separate ways and say goodbye to who we need to say goodbye to for now kay?" He smiled at the girls. He didn't really have anyone to say goodbye to. Except maybe Hajime and Shiori, they were alright. Everyone else he was close with was coming with him.

Shizuku sighed, "Kouki is going to whine and complain with me gone, you might need to convince him to leave Hajime-san alone without me there to run interference he's bound to become overbearing Xander-san."

"I'll take care of it, see you girls in a couple of days," He turned and began to walk away only to do a quick about face and ask, "Hey Asia, can you heal amputations by chance?"

"Like can I reattach severed limbs and such? Before now, no, but now with the blessing of a goddess, perhaps?"

Xander grinned, "Good enough for me, thanks!" He walked off whistling a tune.

Aiko narrowed her eyes, "He's up to something…"

Shizuku just laughed, "Obviously, but it's Xander-kun, when is he not up to something?"

"That's kind of concerning isn't it?" Aiko asked.

"I for one can appreciate his cunning nature," Lilianna said, "It's a very useful trait for royalty to have,"

"And the clergy… unfortunately," Aisa said sadly. Sometimes she thought that it was only bickering, doublespeak, and fickle words were all that got people into certain positions.

"I'll see you in a few days," Lilianna said, "I must acquire a proper wardrobe befitting a princess for a time on the road. No doubt my mother will at least insist upon that much."

Shizuku nodded, "Since you're going up to the castle we'll come with you, we need to find some armor anyway," The gaggle of women took off.

(...)

The next few days went by in a flurry of activity. The girls got armor, a quick breakdown on horses, and on the final night they pretty much raided the royal larder for all manner of non-perishable food they could get their hands on. The entire class came early the next morning to see them off, along with the King, Queen, and High Priest Langbard.

"Go now with Lord Ehit's blessing." Langbard said.

"Alexander, do take good care of my daughter won't you?" King Eliheid said with a strained smile on his face.

'What he means to say is she better not come back pregnant,' Xander thought to himself. "Of course your highness."

"Make sure to look after and protect each other," The queen said.

'Is she basically giving her blessing and just telling us to use protection!' Xander blinked at that. "Yes Ma'am."

"Father, Mother everything will go exactly as planned, don't worry," Lilianna told them.

'What do you mean by that?' Both the king and Xander thought at the same time. One feared for his daughter's chastity, while the other wondered if he would get any sleep on this trip.

Looking at Kouki and Ryutaro he grinned maliciously and said, "Remember what we talked about boys! Either you behave yourselves while I'm gone or…" Xander ran a thumb across his groin, causing the two to cover their privates with both hands, and nod in fear. Looking at Shiori he said, "Mizushima-chan, you'll let me know when I get back if those two were good won't you?"

"Yes Xander-san," Shiori said, smiling at him standing as close as she could next to Hajime who he addressed next.

"And Hajime, you'd better be ready to make something cool when I come back with a small hoard of stuff alright?"

The boy nodded eagerly, "You got it! I've been spending my time working with the royal smith figuring out how my Synergist Job works. I'll show you what I can really do by the time you get back!"

"I'm looking forward to it," Xander said as he mounted his horse but not before using the passphrase "May I?"

Aiko was on a short legged mule of all things because that was the only thing small enough for her to saddle up and get on. Not that she cared, she doted on the thing the moment it was presented to her and soon had "Doki-kun" as she had named him, eating out of the palm of her hand. Xander was sure the copious amounts of carrots she fed him helped too.

Lily was currently sitting side saddle wearing an armored version of her usual pink dress, her hair tied behind her in a ponytail with a black bow, and the royal sword, a Legendary Artifact known as "Cleft" at her side. She looked like a very cutise paladin all things considered.

Shizuku was currently trying to untangle herself from Mitsuki Amagonawa, the wanna-be Hero's little sister. "Don't go with that useless Eyepatch Shizuku-nee! Stay here with us!"

"I can hear you, you little shit." Xander sing-songed under his breath, only for Aiko to reach up and grab his hand.

"Allow me," Aiko said, "Amagonawa-chan! That is enough. This is an important mission that could determine whether or not we can get home sooner. We need to get going now, so please let go of Yaegashi-chan."

"Y-yes sensei," Mitsuki mumbled. "Be safe Shizuku-nee?"

Patting her head, Shizuku replied, "Of course, and if you help Shiori keep your brother in line, I'll bring you back a present," she promised as she mounted her black stallion she named Kage.

"Okay!" Mitsuki said, "I promise!"

"Et tu Shizuku, imotou?" Kouki lamented, hanging his head in shame.

"Okay everyone it's about time we got going,"

Asia hugged Langbard one last time, now wearing chainmail over a blessed tabard, her bow on her back, a mace hanging from a belt loop on her left and the boar pelt hanging from the same shoulder. She then mounted a tawny charger she'd named Ark.

The group then set out at the main gate, the sun shining down on them, and the farewells of the displaced students and royalty at their backs, and the call to adventure leading them ever onward.

At the head of the group, Xander briefly noticed something pop up in front of his face. [Begun Epic: Fateless Fool's Shuffling. Verse I: Stacking the Deck.]

'Fuck me, that's probably not good,' Xander thought to himself. As he rode on into the unknown wide world.

(...)

Word Count: 16,060 Number of pages: 37 Date Completed: 6/21/2023

(...)

AN: Hello everyone and welcome to a BtVS gamer fic the the fewest amount of Game elements that I could think of. Hence why I chose the elements for this story I did. As all these fandoms only deal in gaining and/or combining skills. I hope you all enjoyed the read. Now, a word from Snowy and First Hassan:

Snowy: Now this story is not in the idea vault for obvious reasons. We needed a Xander gaming story that the audience won't kill us with the work. So here is the compromise we came to that everyone wins. Now there are some hints here that this world is bigger then it should be. Can our audience guess from the clues given what worlds are mixed together in this story? Read, Review, and give constructive criticism we need encouragement and feed off the love our fans give us. Thanks alot everyone for all the love and affection you give us.

Hassan: My goodness, Bubba made another Gamer story?! Look out everyone the mad author is on a roll!...Hello everyone First Hassan here and today we are bringing you guys another gamer fic story! The reason why Bubba made another gamer story is because he needs to get familiar with the gamer system and concept idea as cause his other story, a game called life is such a pain in the ass to right cause of a lot of gaming concept he and the Inkblot bros production has to do and that is before I came to offer my help to him. So we went on through some story idea before he proposed this. I think this would be a good idea for our beloved writer to adapt into writing a gamer story. Thank you guys for reading our story, if you want more or want to be a chapter ahead, head to Bubba' account where it hasn't been edited by yours truly. I'll see you guys later! (Turning around while blue flames surround Hassan before disappearing)

Thanks for reading! Till next time everyone, this has been an Inkblot Bros Production! Peace!