I do not own Danmachi/Jujutsu Kaisen or any other referenced franchise, only my own OCs.
{Thoughts}
"Speech"
Character Sheet / System Text
"Tvs, Radios, Texts, and newspapers…"
(Disclaimers)
*Onomatopoeia*
"Cursed Speech"
…
…
[3 Day Timeskip, Michael POV]
I hum discontentedly while stabbing an Infant Dragon's head for what feels like the thousandth time this week.
I feel the Cursed Energy flow from its body to me as I absorb it and grow my Cursed Energy reserves.
I look at the walls of the 11th floor of the dungeon with a smile as Edias happily shifts with a feeling of freedom and excitement.
That's the 12th floor overall that I have cleared. I cleared the 12th one before returning to do the ones I missed so that I don't upset Edias too much.
I realized I could just ask Edias to spawn as many strong monsters as possible that would waste her reserves before exploding them and repeating the process.
At least for the higher floors. I don't want my magic stat to completely outpace everything else even more than it already is… though that's probably a lost cause now that I think about it.
"Awww are you happy, Edias?" I ask as I pat the dungeon walls, feeling her shift in affirmation and some sort of grateful feeling.
"Anything for my girl." I wink at Edias and feel her fluctuate in an 'eye-rolling' way alongside embarrassment.
Her response is also several concentrations of Cursed Energy gathering in the walls, having enough quantity to each create an Infant Dragon.
"Woah Woah. Let's calm down, shall we? I just finished clearing another floor for you, at least let me rest for a second." I raise my hands in surrender as she does the equivalent of a 'snort' and moves the energy away.
"So, do you think I'm ready for the 13th floor and lower? I mean, I know I am, if it was you normally. But our style of spawning million-something monsters at the same time may be dangerous at 13 and lower, no?" I ask Edias curiously, she's the fucking dungeon so she'd know better than anyone else.
She emits a feeling of exasperation and… some sort of mockery? Maybe like a 'you're stupid' feeling?
"Is that a no?" I tilt my head while hiding my amusement as she releases more feelings of exasperation alongside denial.
"So I am ready?" She doesn't shift again for a second before eventually letting out 'affirmation' through the link.
"Hm Hm. Yes. That makes sense. I am the strongest level 1 in existence." I nod with smugness as Edias emits a wry feeling.
She's just jealous she doesn't have my JJK swagger!
"It's time for me to head back up, Edias. The Monsterfelia or whatever it was should be happening today and I think something something Violas or something spawns." Edias starts emitting extreme feelings of sadness until I mention the Violas where her feelings explode into an extreme rage and scathing hatred.
I also notice her presence near me becomes heavily focused.
"... Edias? Do you not like those… Violas or whatever?"
She lets out more hatred through the link before sending a very heavy questioning feeling.
"... How do I know about them?" I ask as I try to decipher what she's trying to ask.
It sends a feeling of affirmation through the link and 'focuses' more on me.
Jesus, her presence is suffocating… and sexy.
Ehe~
"I know a lot of stuff I shouldn't. There is also a race of monster people, correct? Zenos I believe." She pauses her rage and hatred momentarily before producing a sheepish feeling.
"Oho~ Whatever could this be?~" I ask with a teasing tone as she starts getting embarrassed and gathers tons of Cursed Energy everywhere on the floor.
"WOAH! Calm down Edias! I'm sorry I teased you please have mercy on my poor ass!" She stops collecting the Cursed Energy but continues fluctuating feelings of embarrassment.
"Okay, I'm just gonna go now before you decide that a few thousand Infant Dragons slain was not enough for this lifetime." I quickly begin running to the exit as Edias lets out a feeling of amusement and gathers Cursed Energy everywhere I go to scare me.
This is why tsunderes scare me.
…
…
…
[On the surface, Freya POV…]
After meeting Loki to have a little chat in a cafe and then spotting a certain bunny boy hiding in the crowd, my mind stumbled upon a brilliant idea.
What if I released some monsters into the city with instructions to look and chase after the rabbit-looking boy? Wouldn't that be the perfect way to test him without interfering personally?
Why yes, it is.
I encountered Hestia, who is little Bell's goddess, while making my way through the streets and pointed her to where Bell is before making my way to where I knew the monsters are kept.
Once I arrived, I broke into the monster-holding cells and released several monsters into the city before quickly making my escape into an alleyway to make sure the monsters don't chase after me and go after little Bell & Hestia instead.
Too bad Michael isn't there… Perhaps they'll have encountered him by now if I'm lucky.
As I am walking through the alleyway and preparing to switch into my Syr form, I encounter him…
Michael…
He seems to be heading somewhere with urgency but stops at the sight of me with widened eyes before narrowing them tensely.
Does he somehow recognize me despite my hood? I've never met him personally except when I'm acting as Syr…
"... So. We finally meet, miss voyeur." He eventually speaks while tensing and looking around.
… He knows? I knew that he could sense when I look at him and Bell, but to discern my identity as well from a single glance? What is he searching for, though?
Perhaps he believes I have one of my familia members acting like a bodyguard right now? That would be a fair assumption to make, but I do not like having them breathing down my neck while I'm doing my… activities.
"Oh? You know me?" I ask with surprise. I don't want to give it away too easily after all…
I also begin releasing a little bit of my charm. Not enough to be noticeable, but enough to keep him here as he seems to be preparing to leave at any time.
His eyes unfocus for a second and I smirk as he does not seem to notice.
"... Yes, Freya. I know you. Or perhaps I should say… Syr?" My eyes widen in shock as his eyes become cold and half-lidded while glaring at me.
He knows… He knows even that much? Impossible. How?
"... Let me guess. You're thinking something like 'Impossible!' and 'How does he know?', correct? Allow me to inform you that I knew from the very first day we met. I knew you would set your eyes on Bell the second you looked at him." He slowly admits while continuing to glare at me as my eyes widen once again.
… He isn't lying? How is he aware of all of that? … Wait…
"You do not think that I'm interested in you?" I ask in curiosity as his eyes narrow.
"I do not think my soul is pure like Bell's. Why would it interest you?"
Silence filled the alleyway for a few seconds as I register his words.
… Impossible. My soul sight should be known by a few, and those who know should not be spreading that information to just anyone. How could he, from such a small familia, know of it? Did Loki begin running her mouth so that even mortals get to have this information so easily?
But… he does not believe that his soul is special? Despite being the most special soul I've ever seen other than little Bell's, which at least resembles a normal soul somewhat?
Wait… he is aware of Bell's transparent soul?
"You… can you see souls as well?" I eventually ask as his eyebrows raise and his eyes seem to convey amusement at my question.
"No. I simply know things that I should not." He answers and returns his expression to a glare, losing all of the amusement he got from the question.
He is not lying.
My lips curve into a smile as I stare at him, watching narrow his eyes slightly at my smile.
"... Are you not afraid of telling me these things? I may have a guard watching me right now that I could command to kill you." His eyebrows raise momentarily before he looks at me as if I was an idiot.
"I am able to sense you while you're peeking at me and Bell. What makes you think I can't sense if someone is around here or not?" I blink twice before losing my smile.
… I did not think of that. What is his sensory power? How does he know all of these things…?
His mystery is only adding to the desire I have for him… I cannot resist anymore!
"Michael… Join my familia!" I order with desire as I take a step forward with a lustful smile, unleashing my charm at full blast as his eyes suddenly glaze over and begin roaming my body.
I've gotten him…
As I watch him slowly take a step forward, I gasp in horror as his soul suddenly changes drastically.
The pool of disgusting energy being gathered inside of it begins seeping into the rest of the soul… corrupting it. Filling it with wrath, grief, despair… It's disgusting. It's horrible!
His eyes slowly unglaze and fill with wrath as he steps forward angrily, this time of his own free will.
"Stop." He orders and my eyes widen as my entire body freezes up and my charm deactivates against my will.
It works on gods? Impossible…
"You bitch… If I didn't channel Cursed Energy into my brain in time… You would've gotten me." He mutters under his breath in rage as he takes another step forward to where I am while glaring at me with enough heat that I almost felt scared for my life.
Though I quickly remembered that no sane mortal would dare kill or harm a god. Not with the threat of eternal damnation over their head.
"Try that again and it's off with your head. I'm not taking any more chances with you." His words make my brain pause as I register them and the fact that he… was not lying.
He'd kill me?
He would actually kill me?
I take a step back with widened eyes as he narrows his own while speaking again.
"Fall." He commands and my knees give up under me, not responding to me as he steps right in front of me, glaring down at me.
He looks into my eyes before quickly looking away and I watch as he unleashes more of his 'Cursed Energy' into his soul, desecrating it even further as I feel something inside of me cry out in despair.
"Please… stop." I plead as his soul becomes uglier and uglier…
His eyes widen at my plead before his brows furrow in confusion and ridicule.
"I haven't even done anything to you yet…" He states with puzzlement as I feel my eyes become prickly.
"Your soul… you're ruining it…" His eyebrows furrow in concentration for a second before seemingly coming to a realization.
"I see… the brain has some sort of connection to the soul. Yeah, I refuse. I'm not stopping my only protection against your charm." His half-lidded eyes bore into me like I'm an idiot again and I quickly speak.
"I will not charm you as long as you stop whatever it is you are doing!" He stares at me wryly after I declare that.
"You really expect me to believe that? Goddess of War?" My eyes widen for the hundredth time today.
How does he know that war is one of my domains? It is barely known by even the gods due to me never advertising it publically…
Nevermind that…
"I swear on my name, Goddess Freya, that I will not charm you so long as you cease your corruption of your own soul!" I quickly exclaim and I watch him stare at me for a few seconds before his soul suddenly begins gathering all of the 'Cursed Energy' into its original storing area.
"I doubt a goddess would swear on her name so easily and then break her word. If you do anyways, well… I've already told you what the consequences would be." The disgusting energy is kept at the edge of its… container, as if ready to be unleashed at any moment.
"You really would kill a goddess? Do you not understand the consequences of such an action?" I inquire with shock as he (seemingly) smirks.
"What's the big deal? Being tortured once I die? I've already died. Where am I going to feel the pain if my body is gone?" I am rendered speechless at his admission as I simply stare at his face.
Is… Is he serious?
That… is so… stupid! Idiotic even…
Where will you feel the pain if your body is gone? In your soul!
The most agonizing pain there is!
"It's time for me to begin asking questions. What does my soul look like? Uncorrupted, of course. I don't care what it looks like when I'm on crack cocaine energy." He grabs my chin and roughly forces me to look him in the eyes.
To treat me so roughly… Is he truly not afraid of the consequences?
"It's… beautiful. Your soul is a shade of beautiful purple… surrounded by a shell of platinum that encases it but does not block its insides… But… the most attractive part of it is its sheer difference in… everything! The shell surrounding the outer part of the soul is somewhat similar to normal souls but still very different… It alone would make your soul unlike anything I've ever seen before but… the inside, the violet… It's nothing like any other soul I've ever seen… No. It is a disgrace to compare it with a mere soul with how different it is from any other soul there is." I explain with excitement while gazing into his soul once again while focusing on his face, watching it grow wry, surprised, and then… understanding.
"... Do you know why your soul is like that?" I ask in excitement as he narrows his eyes at me.
"I'm the one asking questions now." He responds with a glare, but that is an answer in of itself.
What could he know…? How does he know so much? His mystery only grows with every second…
It's too enticing! But I cannot charm him…
No… Charming him would be the easy way to do this. I want to uncover all of his secrets, I wish to unravel his mystery on my own without cheating!
Michael… Oh, Michael~
"Did you already unleash the monsters into the city?" What? How does he know I was going to do that…? How…
"I asked you a question." He roughly brings my face up to face him once again after I lowered it to think, making me stare into his beautiful violet eyes once again.
They are glaring at me though…
Is this heartache…? I do not like it…
"Y-yes… I've already unleashed them… How do you know?" He rolls his eyes at me, not answering while narrowing his eyes in thought.
"... I'm gonna tell you this once, and only once. Stay away from Bell. Pretty sure canon is gone and ruined now that you're apparently interested in my soul or whatever… I'm not taking any chances with you. You're probably going to go apeshit if you don't get your fix of attractive soul or whatever, so play your little games with me and you get to keep your life for now." His eyes look at me warningly as I feel my stomach fill with butterflies and my throat run dry.
He wishes to keep me for himself? Does he perhaps not wish to share me with Bell?
It is a shame that I have to leave such a beautiful soul with so much potential… but… for Michael…?
Yes… it's a worthy sacrifice.
What is a cannon though…?
"Yes… I will stay away from him." I respond to him with a bright smile as he furrows his brows once again.
"I don't know why you're smiling, but I'm not joking when I say you'll regret messing with him." He continues to glare at me while saying that.
Oh, Michael~ I won't mess with him, I promise~
"... Now… Forget the last 5 minutes." My eyes widen in fear before I realize that nothing happened. I still remember everything.
"... Tch. Didn't work. I knew it wouldn't, but it didn't hurt to try." He mutters under his breath, and I almost didn't hear him.
"Oh well… There are other ways I can try doing this. Cum." My eyes widen.
As soon as he says his command, my body explodes in euphoria as I orgasm harder than I ever have before, pleasure filling every single cell in my body as my eyes roll to the back of my skull.
"Oh… That worked? Interesting. Cum."
Before my first high can even wear off, I feel myself explode in euphoria once again, adding to the already mind-blowing pleasure I was experiencing.
My thoughts begin blanking as my breath hitches, my nether regions implode, and every inch of me stiffens at the same moment.
"Prepare for this, bitch. Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum."
My consciousness simply evaporates as I drown in pleasure. I vaguely feel a hand holding my head in place but otherwise am unable to make out anything else from the pleasure.
After what felt like years of me suffocating in this euphoria, I feel something suddenly gets forced into my throat and I regain enough clarity to look at Michael again.
He… has his middle and ring finger jammed into my mouth… I vaguely taste something slimy on his fingers.
"Do you have no shame? Letting out such lewd juices in a random alleyway like this? Taste your own shame." I hear his amused voice and begin sucking on reflex as he lets out a choking noise and quickly takes his fingers out of my mouth.
"Oh god… really? No gag reflex?" He mutters in a tone I can't decipher.
{Which god though…?} My brain is able to manage that one thought before…
"Oh hell no. Begone… THOT! Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum. Cum."
My body is overwhelmed with mind-numbing pleasure and euphoria once again as I collapse on my back after he lets go of my head. I vaguely feel his footsteps move away from me with the last amount of sanity remaining within me.
"... hope she forgets after that." I barely manage to make out those words as he walks away.
… Forget? Hehehehe… My Michael~ I'll never forget this…
I lay in the spot he left me in with a dreamy smile and a lewd expression on my face before I eventually gather enough brain power to move.
[A/N: Are you happy, Gawain?]
…
[POV Switch]
… I fucked up.
Okay! It's really not my fault though!
I planned to just get the hell out of there after stating that I know she was peeking at me and Bell. I didn't even wanna tell her I knew she was Freya! Let alone the fact that I knew she was Syr!
The words just kept slipping out of my mouth before I knew what I was doing, and then I had to just go with it.
Then she tried to charm me and things went to shit!
I was acting too irrationally, probably from the residue of wrath inside of me since I remember feeling unnaturally angry at her for trying to charm me. I mean, I'm pissed, yeah, but threatening to kill her? That's just asking for trouble…
… Also I think her charm had some sort of lasting effect because the way I decided to try and make her forget was way too horny for my liking. I didn't wanna touch the thot or her juices!
So… there I was, drugged up on all sorts of negative bullshit drugs alongside a healthy serving of horny…
I could not control half of the shit I was doing!
IT REALLY IS NOT MY FAULT!
I look down in exhaustion and exasperation as I continue walking to where I remember the Monsterfelia event was being held. I should be able to find the Violas from there.
They had encountered them after Ais sicked a dozen monsters, they mistook it for a new species even though it was some sort of lovechild of a spirit and Edias.
Or… something? I read at some point that it was Soma who was the guy who did the thing.
Wait… Not Soma. Soma's too busy being a shitty god to be the one who did this.
It was… uh… someone. Probably. Fuck.
Zoinks, Scoob. I can't remember!
I make my way through one last alleyway before I find myself faced with a giant Colosseum, easily towering over the other buildings in the area.
I spot Eina talking with Loki with the two Amazon sisters and the elf one.
Leafiya. Lefia. Lefiya, Yes. I am smart.
"No, she hasn't gone yet." I hear Loki say to her familia members as I approach.
"Miss Eina, Loki Familia." I announce my presence and greet the people there as they turn and look at me.
Eina lights up at seeing me while the Loki Familia looks at me with recognition. The younger amazon, Tiona I think, gasps with excitement at the sight of me for some reason.
"Michael! I'm glad you're here, there's an emergency and some monsters captured by the Ganesha familia have accidentally escaped." She quickly explains and I nod blankly.
"I'm aware. I was coming to ask about their most recent positions to go after them." I reply to her as her eyes widen before she looks thoughtful.
"Normally I'd be against an adventurer as ne-" I quickly put a hand to block her mouth while facepalming with the other one as Loki smirks at me.
She probably already researched me after the time I yeeted Bete. Oh wow, that rhymes. Yeet the Bete.
Anyways, she probably knows I'm supposedly a level 1 that just entered a familia not even a month ago.
The elf and amazon sisters on the other hand look at me curiously while Eina's eyes widen and she pushed my hand away and facepalms.
"Sorry, Michael." She whispers to me and I facepalm gain.
"They're first-class adventurers. They can hear you." I inform her without even lowering my voice as the aforementioned adventurers quickly look away and act like they aren't listening in.
"Ah." Eina says simply before clearing her throat.
"Yes, er… The Sword Princess is already on the case. If you look up…" I tilt my head in confusion before looking up and-
HOLY SHIT AIS IS AT THE TOP OF A LARGE ASS PILLAR IN THE SKY!
How the hell did she get up there? Can she vertically jump that fucking high?
Level 5s man. Jesus.
"... I see. Once she moves, I'll follow through the rooftops." I look down just in time to see Tiona (I think, again) get all the way up into my face, completely disregarding my private space.
"Hi! You're the one that blasted Bete away a couple of days ago, right?!" She excitedly asks while grabbing my arm as her sister (Tione. Probably.) sighs and shakes her head.
"... Shake (Salmon). I apologize if I ruined your evening, I acted out of instinct to defend my familia member." I respond evenly with a nod as she grins.
"No way! That was awesome! Sorry about your familia member, by the way. Bete didn't mean- well… he didn't mean to say most of the things he said!" She pauses for a second before continuing without stopping. "By the way, how did you do it? Bete said that he faintly heard you say 'Blast Away!' but surely there's an actual chant you did without us hearing, right? Right?"
… Wow. She's energetic.
Also, I love how she switched 'didn't mean most of the things he said' to 'didn't mean to SAY most of the things he said'. How sneaky.
"T-tiona!" I was right! "Y-you can't just ask about another familia's secrets!" Lefiya, the elf, chastises Tiona as the amazon cutely puts her tongue out at the elf.
Huh, I never got the time to actually look at her. She's cute. Isn't she like, the protagonist of the sword something side-story for the Loki people? Or was it Ais and she's like an important side character? I don't fucking know man…
"It's fineeee~ Right?" She quickly turns to me with a pleading expression and I can't help but smile at the small back and forth.
"I do not mind if you ask, but I sadly cannot tell you." Tiona cheers up at the first part but then pouts once I continue speaking.
"Why notttt~ I promise I won't tell anyone!" She stares very seriously at me while gripping my arm.
I stare at her in the eyes with narrowed eyes.
"I can tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." I say with as much seriousness as I can muster as her eyes widen and she grins while letting out a silent 'Woah' of excitement.
Lefiya behind her looks at me in a panic while Tione facepalms with a smirk while looking at Loki, who's smirking as well while staring at me and Tiona.
"Ohh~ It's that big of a secret? Okay! Tell me it and I'll stop you from killing me." She stares at me fiercely as I nod with faux-seriousness, slowly lowering my collar under everyone's curious and attentive gaze-
Only for Ais to suddenly blast out of her tower outpost in a seemingly random direction. Probably where the monsters are, though.
I quickly look back to Tiona as she also looks up at where Ais just went.
"Sorry, seems like you'll have to wait for another time." I nod to her in apology with a smirk (that she can't see) before beginning to run after Ais.
"Aww, no fair!" She catches up to me in no time at all, even when I boost my physical stats with CE, and simply runs next to me at the same speed while pouting.
{Fucking level 5s man.} I think with exasperation while jumping to the top of a building so I can begin following Ais from the air, Tiona following closely.
"So, are you really a new adventurer? You've got speed that belongs to at least a second-class adventurer!" Tiona speaks curiously while still moving at what seems like a jogging pace.
What a show-off. Hmph. Just give me a few months you loser!
"... I am incapable of neither confirming nor denying this information." I respond blankly and watch her pout at the edge of my vision.
"That's unfair! I wanna knowww~" She whines while crossing her arms, emphasizing… nothing, really.
Damn… that was a bit rude of me. I apologize mentally, Tiona!
"... You could… you know, ask my name and introduce yours." I comment with slight amusement as she gains a look of realization before blushing.
"O-oh, sorry! I'm Tiona Hiryute, level 5 of the Loki Familia! What about you?" She grins like a cat as I sigh for dramatic effect despite actually being amused.
"I am Inumaki Michael. Captain of the Hestia Familia. You can call me Michael." If I want to give an image that I'm not a random nobody that appeared out of nowhere, I should try using some Far Eastern mannerisms, like saying my last name first.
… It's making me cringe so hard though... I swear, my consciousness, I'm not a weeb kid with 8th-grade syndrome! I actually have powers! I possess the body of a Japanese person! PLEASE!
"Hmph. You didn't say what your level is!" She pouts next to me and I ignore her in favor of looking at Ais as she decimates all of the monsters in her way.
Damn, she's really going for style points at a time like this? Respect.
Or… Does she actually believe that doing all of that acrobatic bullshit somehow improves her combat effectiveness?
Or am I just unable to comprehend how level 5s fight? Are they too many parallel universes ahead of me, so much so that I cannot even fathom the necessity of style in combat?
No. I'm just being ridiculous.
Eventually, Ais finishes the last monster in this area as I stop on top of a roof and begin searching around for the Violas thing that should show up.
I'm not aware of most of the events that happen with the Loki familia, but that doesn't mean that I want that to remain that way. Knowing is half the battle, after all.
Also, I think Bell probably had to be involved with all of the shit that happened with the Loki familia eventually, so I need to know as much as I can now to prepare.
Also, Edias seems to not like the Violas, so… Best girl gets what best girl wants.
Breaking me out of my thoughts is an earthquake suddenly affecting the surrounding areas as well as the sound of an explosion of some kind to my left.
"What is that!? Another new species?" Tiona asks from next to me, which really shows how good her eyesight must be since I can't see shit.
"Where did the Ganesha familia get a monster like this!?" Lefiya speaks from behind me with surprise, having arrived here with Tione moments ago.
"Takana." (Mustard Leaf) I don't waste any more time and dash forward, else they destroy this thing with their first-class bullshit before I can find out anything about it.
I blast forward to where the explosion happened and hear Tione order something out to her sister and Lefiya while running after me- and she's now next to me.
Great.
We approach the wrecked area and find a snake-looking monster floating out of the ground while slamming its body into everything around it and screeching.
It… It's brimming with Cursed Energy. The most I've ever seen in any monster, yet. It's… frightening.
Tiona and Tione run ahead and punch at the thing, making me despair for a moment, but jump back and hold their hands in pain after they hit it.
"Oww! It's too hard!" Tiona complains and I furrow my brows.
They don't completely wreck this thing? Am I out of my league right now? I thought this thing was level 3, max.
I infuse my spear with as much Cursed Energy that it can handle as a beautiful purple aura envelops it and I idly hear Tiona gasp from behind me but ignore it in favor of jumping forward to where the Viola is and piercing forward-
And watch my spear snap in half while only barely denting its skin…
My eyes blank as it screeches and rebounds its body off the surface it had been slammed into by the Amazon sisters and moves to slam me at ridiculous speeds.
"Stop!" I yell while jumping away with all of my strength.
The Viola freezes in place and I feel my Cursed Energy wane slightly, significantly less than I expected it to.
'Stop' is a very light command that doesn't take much CE, but it should have taken I'd daresay half of my reserves with how strong this Viola seems, yet… it barely took a tenth?
Perhaps… These things are more prone to my commands?
"I apologize, Miss Hiryute and Loki Familia. It seems this monster has particularly tough skin-" Before I could finish my sentence, the Viola twitches weirdly, and I suddenly remember that this thing is a full-on plant, not a snake.
Oh yeah, these things also go after magic I think.
The ground under Lefiya cracks and-
"Don't Move!" I command and run to where Lefiya is while she stares at me in confusion. I ignore her look and quickly pick her up and dash to the side just as another vine of the Viola shoots out of the ground where Lefiya was standing, surprising everyone there.
'Don't move' is similar to stop in the way that it makes the target freeze, but unlike stop, it has a longer effect with the price of more Cursed Energy usage. Stop also deactivates any active abilities the target has, while Don't Move only freezes them in place, which could possibly deactivate an ability if it required movement but would not affect something like Freya's charm ability.
"Is that its tail!?" Tione yells out in confusion before the Viola finally reveals its true form, appearing out of the ground to reveal itself in all of its ugly glory.
It really is fucking ugly. It's like one of those flytrap plants or whatever, but instead of just spikes, it also has actual teeth that give it an invitation to the SCP community and the look of an Eldritch abomination. It's also fucking massive, at least as big as an infant dragon.
"Are you guys okay!?" Tiona yells to where we're at as I dodge another vine and jump on top of the buildings, setting the elf down and looking down at the Viola. I turn to look at Lefiya only to see her staring at me with a complicated and conflicted expression, her gaze almost glaring.
Why is she mad? The fuck?
"We're fine! These things seem to be attracted to magic!" I raise my voice so they can hear me despite the chaos happening around here, which they do as their faces gain a look of understanding. "Are you fine to cast spells?" I turn to Lefiya and ask as her head snaps to me and slowly nods.
"Y-yes. Thank you for… saving me." She sounds sad as she says this and I almost facepalm.
Why depresso during a fight? Get your head in the game!
"Of course. It's our fault for letting the-" I grab her again and jump to a different roof just as the one we're at gets tentacle raped by several vines. "-monster near you despite you being a mage." I continue without pausing for a second as she almost glares at me again.
Jesus. The heck's wrong with you?
Ais seems to have finally caught up with us as she bulldozes forward and demolishes the Viola, slashing it in half as it screeches and falls to the ground, bisected.
I suddenly sense three more signatures rising from the ground to where the trio down there are and my eyes widen.
There's more!?
"Three more incoming!" I scream out as they all look at me in shock before the trio on the ground jump to higher ground just in time to dodge the three more Violas that break out of the ground while screeching bloody murder.
"Be careful, I'm going in." I instruct Lefiya with one last glance before infusing myself with CE and jumping into the fold.
Ais seems to be using her wind stuff as the Violas are chasing after her with unnatural fervor. She runs away from where Lefiya is, probably to give her time to chant, but finds a child in her way.
She turns around and jumps in the middle of the Violas as they ignore the child in favor of trying to take a bite out of Ais.
"Crumble Away!" I yell to the Violas as they all slam into the ground and are almost flattened completely to the surprise of literally everyone there.
MY RESERVES! WHERE THE FUCK DID MY CURSED ENERGY RESERVES GO!? I'VE BEEN SUCKED DRY!
The Violas slowly rise out of the ground with anger as they turn to me and begin moving to me in a way that only fits their image as an Eldritch Abomination.
Tiona and Tione move in front of me and punch two of the Violas away, but the last lunges at me with all of its vines, wrapping around me and gripping me in a vice grip that almost makes me pop like a balloon.
Too bad… This was all part of my plan.
Keikaku intensifies!
[POV Switch]
As I watch the human who grabbed me be wrapped in vines and crushed, I despair at my own weakness.
He's a level 1 according to the guild. A level one that has contributed a million times more than I have in this battle. He saved me, he figured out a characteristic of the monster, he saved Ais from a tough situation…
What have I done?
Nothing…
I watch Tiona and Tione quickly jump to where the monster is to punch it, only to pause as its skin slowly turns brown and it screams in anguish and pain while staring at the vines it is gripping the human with.
Wait! The vines? They… are hollowed? They've turned completely brown and lost all of their volume, almost as if they have not been watered in months.
The human slowly rises out of the vine pile while gripping one of them in his hand, seemingly unphased by his near death.
I watch the human grip the last somewhat green vine and slowly decay it while staring at the creature's main body.
What did he do? How did he do that?
Is it related to the magic he is capable of casting? Did he yell out 'decay'? No… That does not make sense!
"... for you Edias. Hope you're happy…" I hear him speak quietly while throwing the vine in his hand away and lunging at the main body of the Viola.
Impossible…
There is no possible way that he's a level 1. He's physically faster than even I, and while I admit that I do not focus on my physical stats as much as I do my magic, I am a level 3!
It is not physically possible! It's impossible…
Yet here he is… fighting alongside them. While I stand here, having done nothing but be saved since the start of this fight.
I am holding them back…
I slowly remember Ais's words from earlier while my eyes slowly water.
"We'll protect Lefiya, no matter how many times."
"So…"
"So next time that we're in trouble…"
"It's Lefiya's turn to save us."
[POV Switch]
I cannot believe that worked.
Well actually, I can. There's no reason I can see it wouldn't other than 'holy shit this worked? No way!'.
Which really isn't a reason more than it is doubt that it would work.
I absorbed the Cursed Energy from the vines of the Viola as it seemed to be unstable and not exactly…
Hooked up? Hooked up to the magical core well.
And HOOOOOOOOOLY SHIT that's a lotta Cursed Energy. I got like a 5% increase in capacity from just the vines! The VINES!
I'd suck this thing's dick if it gave me that much Cursed Energy!
Well…
Ehh…
Not- not in a sexual way.
I'd grab it and like- Suck the energy out of it…
Okay, never mind.
I jump at the Viola's head and place my palm on it before closing my eyes and slowly moving the Cursed Energy inside of the Viola into me.
Why do I keep making sexual innuendos?
The Viola angrily screeches at me but doesn't have enough time (or available Cursed Energy, since I'm sucking it away right now) to regenerate its vines, so it really isn't doing anything other than screaming and crying about its decaying body.
As it slowly becomes browner and browner, its skin becomes softer and less durable and I infuse my hand with Cursed Energy before digging it deep into where I sense the Magic Stone is and rip it out.
The body of the Viola slowly dissipates as Ais stares at me while tilting her head before we all turn to the sound of someone chanting.
"-respond to my voice and travel towards the grassland." Her voice sounds out across the entire clearing as dense magic is concentrated in her position.
"The connecting bonds, the heavenly vow, turn the circle in a whirling dance…" The remaining two Violas screech and quickly run to the platform Lefiya is standing on.
"Don't Move!" I command, and they both freeze in place before being blasted away by Tione and Tiona.
"Arise, fairy wheel."
"Please... Lend me power."
"Elf Ring…" A brilliant light envelops the surroundings as a magical circle surrounds Lefiya and circles around her beautifully.
"Come forth twilight, envelop me, wind." The Violas rise from their fallen positions and ignore the Amazons that attacked them in favor of attacking Lefiya in any way they physically can.
A vine extends from each of them to where Lefiya is but they are quickly slashed into pieces by Ais as the Tio sisters punch the Violas away again.
"Close the light, chill the earth."
"Let loose your blizzard, third true winter, my name is Alfar!" The magic surrounding Lefiya intensifies as the magic circle begins turning and another one appears at Lefiya's foot as it enlarges and compresses every other second.
"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
The atmosphere turns freezing as the legendary Absolute Zero magic is released onto the clearing, and the bright white light that could freeze even time itself chills everything in its path.
The cold quickly extends at an alarming rate until it reaches the Violas and begins frosting their bodies and vines.
The Violas let out one last screech as they flail helplessly before they eventually become frozen solid as ice sculptures, unable to move or emote in any way.
Tiona and Tione jump into the air together and raise their legs high into the air before letting gravity do its thing as they fall together and kick the Viola with added momentum, shattering it into a thousand pieces of ice.
Ais jumps to the last Viola with a new blade she got somewhere and slashes it in half before bisecting those halves again and repeating that process until there was nothing left but small pieces of ice and a Magic Stone.
They all land into their victory stances as they emit their smug victorious aura. Probably unintentionally.
Superhero landing!
I dust myself off and look around at the ruined street while discreetly hiding the Magic Stone I took from one of the Violas.
Kinda disappointed I didn't get to kill any of the other ones. That boost in Cursed Energy capacity would've been great.
Oh well. I'll take what I can get.
"That was quite the attack, Miss Thousand Elf." I approach Lefiya and speak as she looks up at me while breathing heavily.
"T-thank you, Mr. Inumaki." She blushes slightly but is hit by a missile that is Tiona as she's violently hugged.
"You did amazing Lefiya! That was so awesome!" Tiona's happiness infects Lefiya as she smiles brightly while blushing deeply.
"I-It wasn't anything special…" Lefiya 'humbly' states as I deadpan.
"You just offended thousands of adventurers out there who are incapable of doing half of what you just did." I comment blankly as her face grows aghast and she looks panicked.
"That's not what I meant! I-I apologize-" "It was a joke, Thousand Elf."
She looks up at me as I stare down with amusement, watching her face twitch before she gets up and looks away with embarrassment at being teased.
"You did great, Lefiya." Ais comments to Lefiya as the latter grows even more embarrassed.
Ais then turns to me and tilts her head.
"It's nice to see you again, Sword Princess." I nod to her in greeting and she nods back.
"Yes. It's good to see you as well, Mikey." Everyone freezes in place at the nickname as I facepalm.
Of course a misunderstanding like this would happen in an ero anime like this one.
"... My name is Inumaki Michael, Miss Wallenstein. Not Mikey." I quickly point out as Ais tilts her head again.
"But… that boy called you Mikey?" She asks in confusion as the other three here facepalm.
"Yes, that is a nickname my Familia calls me." I stop to think about how to go about this before just giving up. "... You're free to call me it if that's what you wish to do."
She nods seriously before stopping and realizing something.
"Um… Please call me Ais." Well… okay.
"Very well, Miss Ais." She frowns when I call her miss but doesn't say anything.
I hear Lefiya breathe out a sigh of relief from behind me. Oh yeah, she's totally into Ais I think right? Or was it just deep admiration?
"Oh yeah! You called me Miss Hiryute back then, just call me Tiona!" Tiona lets go of Lefiya and jumps at me as I fail to dodge the incoming missile.
"Very well, Miss Tiona." I dryly reply as she pouts.
"Stop it with the 'Miss' thing! It makes me feel old!" She 'lightly' punches me as I feel my ribs shatter.
"Ah… As you say, Miss Tiona." I smirk at her as she narrows her eyes at me.
"Hmph. I'll get you for that. Now…" She suddenly lunges with her hand and lowers my collar from my face, revealing the seal on my face as she gasps in excitement.
"What is that?!" She asks me with wonder as the others there and- Loki, who apparently joined us at some point- stare at me curiously.
"Please do not touch my clothing without permission, Miss Tiona." I deadpan at her as she looks slightly sheepish before returning to expectant. "This is my Snake and Fangs Seal. That will be all you will be getting from me today."
She lets out another 'Woah!' before groaning in disappointment.
"Awww… how mean." She pokes my cheek 'angrily' and I push her hand away and raise my collar back to hide my face.
I turn to look at Loki who's just been staring at me with her eyes closed like normal while smirking.
"It's an honor meeting you, Goddess Loki." I bow my head slightly to her.
"Oh-ho~? Well, I'm glad to see that you actually recognize me considerin' how long it took ya to say somethin' to me." She grins at me, probably aiming to fluster me or something.
"I apologize, other things took precedence at the time." I reply unapologetically as her smirk falls and she looks at me wryly.
"Uh-huh… So, how's being in Itty-Bitty's familia doin' for ya?" What a weird question. Totally not a gateway to ask me to join your familia, I'm guessing?
"I enjoy my time in my familia. Please do be careful how you refer to my goddess. I did pick her over everyone else in Orario for a reason." Loki physically recoils at my words as Tiona next to me giggles.
"Dang… Straight for the jugular, huh? Did Hestia teach ya that?" She grimaces while smiling now as I smirk.
"No. I taught her." She raises her eyebrows at me before bursting out laughing, probably because her lie detector didn't go off.
"Ha~ You're a fun one, eh?" I know this is a rhetorical question but…
"You're the second person to tell me that this week." I comment with a wry deadpan as she laughs.
"Well, it is the truth." She retorts and I simply shrug without responding.
"Well, anyways… how about joining my familia, Michael?" Loki finally asks the question she's been edging this entire time.
"No." I respond immediately as she falls to the ground from the blunt rejection.
"Ehhhhhhhh!? Why not?" She gets up and pouts at me.
"Are you sure you wish to go after 'her' target?" I ask her with raised eyebrows as she looks confused for a second before her eyes open in realization and she looks at me in shock.
"Oh… I'm gonna have to take that invite back." The other four that are here look at Loki in confusion for giving up so fast.
"Understandable." She looks at me with one eye open for a few seconds.
"Shouldn't you be… scared or somethin'?" She eventually asks and I continue to smirk.
"I have my own ways of ensuring my safety. You need not worry." She snorts and shakes her head, dismissing the conversation much to the curious four's chagrin.
"Hey hey! Why are you guys talking so mysteriously? I wanna know too!" Tiona grabs my arms and begins shaking me.
She has no regard for personal space at all.
"Ask your goddess." I deadpan at her while being shaken as she lets go of me and grabs Loki's shoulders.
"Tell me!" She starts shaking Loki but is grabbed by the scruff of her neck by Tione.
"That's enough, Tiona. We probably are not supposed to know what they're talking about, or else Loki would've already told us everything while bragging." Loki looks offended at Tione but is ignored as Tiona makes a thinking face before eventually nodding.
"That makes sense." She decides with a cute nod of finality.
I decide that I've wasted enough time and that I should go check on Bell and Hestia, so I interject.
"As lovely as it is having this conversation with you all, I must go check on my goddess and Familia member. I bid you all farewell." I bow my head slightly and see Ais waving at me before I turn around and begin heading to Daedalus street, which is where they were I think.
"How do you know where they are?" I hear from next to me and see Tiona running next to me non-committedly.
… Bruh.
"Do you not have something to do with your own Familia?" I answer with a question of my own as she sticks her tongue out cutely.
"Nahhhh~ The event is probably canceled after all of these monsters escaped so we can't even go do that. You don't mind if I stick with you, right?" She looks at me pleadingly as I smile wryly and look away.
"Do as you please, Miss Tiona." "Stop calling me 'Miss' damn it!"
This is gonna be a while…
[Bell POV]
As I run into Daedalus street, I look behind me to see the Silverback still scouring for us from across the rooftops of the surrounding buildings.
I hold my goddess on my back and dash into an unfamiliar alleyway, hoping to gain even one more second of time.
I hear her say something in my ear but I'm unable to catch what it is as my 'adrenaline', as Michael calls it, blocks my senses in favor of trying to run even a little bit faster.
I turn into another alleyway only to see that it's a dead-end.
"Oh no…" I gasp out as I turn around just in time to hear a loud roar belonging to the silverback.
"Bell! You need to kill that monster! Take your shirt off right now. I'm going to update your status so you can fight it!" My Goddess orders in my ear and I gape.
Me? Take down a Silverback? Impossible… Only someone like Michael could do that while being only an adventurer for a few weeks.
"Goddess… I can't-" I stop my words before I can say them as I realize what I was about to say, and whose words I was just to ignore and disregard.
Michael…
I begin to remember his words…
[Flashback] [Oh wow. This is happening again?]
I sit there thinking about which piece on the 'chessboard' to move next as Mikey sits patiently in front of me with his eyes closed, giving me as much time as I need to decide as he 'meditates' on the truths of life. [A/N: Ass, Boobs, or Thighs, ladies and gentlemen?]
It's because he knows that no matter what I do, I won't be able to beat him. He's too experienced in chess to lose.
But, I won't give up! I'll eventually become a chess grandmaster! G-gotta catch 'em all!
I-I think that was the right time to say that… Right?
"Bell." He suddenly speaks and opens his eyes as I jump in my seat, slightly startled.
"Y-yes?" I squeak and immediately wince at my voice.
"... I want you to promise me something." He eventually says, confusing me.
What does he need me to promise? Well, I'll promise it anyway but still…
"Uhm… Yes, what is it?" I ask hesitantly as he slowly grabs a fallen pawn of his that I had taken at the price of one of my knights.
"... If you are ever in a hopeless situation while fighting for the protection of our goddess or one of our future Familia members…" He pauses for a second to look at my face seriously.
"Promise me that you'll never give up before at least trying your hardest. Promise me that you'll fight till you've ensured their security, and then fight until you can ensure yours,-"
[Flashback End]
"-Can you do that for me, Bell?" My Goddess speaks, breaking me out of my memories as my eyes widen and I quickly take my shirt off.
"Yes. I'll defeat that Silverback, no matter what." I stare at the outside of the alleyway with determination as my goddess quickly begins updating my status.
A painful minute passes as the roaring of the Silverback comes closer and closer to our location and I suddenly hear my goddess gasp from behind me.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Name: Bell Cranel
Race: Human
Level: 1
Ability Scores:
STR: H- 198 — E- 411
END: H- 171 — E- 497
DEX: G- 239 — D- 589
AGI: G- 252 — C- 609
MAG: I- 0 —
Magic:
[]
[]
[]
Skills:
Kinēshon Kikuro:
Denial of Reality. The user experiences extreme growth as long as they are working towards the reality they desire. The more they struggle to attain their desired reality and the more they reject their undesired one, the higher the effect.
…
"Is everything alright, goddess?" I ask in concern as I feel her aggressively shake her head.
"Nothing! Nothing at all!" She announces with finality and I sweatdrop.
What could have happened since the last time I updated my status a couple days ago?
"Okay… Thank you for the update, Lady Goddess." I take out the hidden Tanto in my shirt that Mikey tells me to keep on me at all times just in case, silently thanking him for his great advice even if this weapon should not be good for anything above the 9th floor.
I'll make do though-
"Here, Bell. Take this weapon. It should allow you to effectively kill the monster, Bell. I believe in you." My goddess suddenly pushes a beautiful flat blade into my arms before giving me a hug from behind and pushing me forward.
This… this blade. It's beautiful. It was almost completely black with a silver Hamon, but when I grabbed it, the Hamon slowly turned into a breathtaking crimson that entranced me for a few moments before I remembered what I still had to do.
I hold my new Tanto in front of me and run forward into what looks like a plaza on Daedalus street, one that is occupied by a large silver bipedal ape creature roaming around and searching for something with its back to me.
I take a deep breath before swiftly running to where the Silverback is standing and jumping on its back while digging my newly acquired weapon into its back as deep as I can push it.
The monster produced a pained roar as I stabbed into it. It began flailing around, trying to pry me off of it while I twisted my blade inside of it, hoping to cause as much damage as I can.
It slams its side into a building and I almost lose my footing, so I unsheath my blade from its body with one strong pull and jump into the air.
Just in time, too, as it slams its back into the same building it impacted its side into. I feel myself sweat slightly at the force of its attacks.
I do not think I could have survived those attacks before coming to Orario… I would've been flattened for sure. But… now?
I'm stronger.
I quickly push myself off of the roof of a building and lunge at the Silverback's neck, slashing a deep gash into it as it roars once again and swats me away.
I am knocked back several meters away but quickly roll and land on my feet while raising my blade, keeping my eyes on the enemy.
"C-come at me you D-donkey Kong wannabe!" I scream out to the Silverback as it angrily screams and charges at me with its entire body.
Did the reference Michael taught me anger it?
I quickly jump back onto a small elevated platform on the side of a building before hopping forward at the silverback.
It punches at me while I'm in the air and I twist myself to dodge before lodging my blade into the side of its wrist, using the grip of my blade to land on its arm and quickly begin running up its arm to attack.
I stab my blade into its neck cleanly before being forced to jump away as it punches at me with its other free fist.
I notice too late that it was preparing its first arm to punch at me once I was in the air, and as I close my eyes and prepare arms in front of me to absorb as much of the damage as I can, I quickly prepare for the pain-
"-p."
I slowly open my eyes to see the Silverback angrily punch the air before roaring at me and lunging with the intent to crush me under its body.
I jump to the side and roll away just in time to hear a loud slam behind me, but before I can look behind me I feel myself being punched and am blasted into a wall.
"Ow… U-um… T-tis but a scratch." I don't forget to say what Michael taught me as I mutter that in pain before getting up and preparing myself for the rising Silverback's incoming assault.
The aforementioned monkey rises from its fall and runs at me once again as I prepare myself to finally end this.
I enter an idle stance as I position myself to strike right when it gets into the right position.
Wait…
Wait..
Wait.
NOW!
Once it comes close enough and punches at me I lunge under its incoming attack and hide from its sight while jumping to its chest aiming for its one weak point…
The Magic Stone in its chest!
I feel my blade slowly dig into its torso as I hold my breath until I feel my blade impact something unnaturally rigid in its torso.
The Silverback only has time to take a single step back before its body slowly dissipates.
… I did it. Michael, Goddess...
Are you proud of me?
…
…
[POV Switch]
"Why did you not kill it right away?" Tiona asks curiously from next to me as we look at the victorious Bell from a nearby roof.
"... It was his adventure, not mine. I helped when I thought that he'd suffer too strong of a hit to continue, but otherwise left him to prove himself." I answer her idly while smiling at Bell with satisfaction.
I've seen enough. I'm satisfied.
Tiona lets out a noise of understanding next to me while cutely nodding.
"I wouldn't like it if Tione interfered in one of my fights either! I get it." She beams at me and I simply nod.
We watch as Hestia runs to where Bell is and lunges at him to envelop him in a massive hug as they both let out tears of happiness.
"That's your goddess?" She curiously asks while staring at the duo down there.
"Yes. Is something wrong with her?" I turn to look at her with a raised eyebrow as she blushes and shakes her head.
"No no! That's not what I meant at all! I was just expecting… someone serious like you! Since, like… you seem like the only one that's… uhm…" She gestures to me with her hands as if that explains everything.
I let the silence drag on between us as she begins getting shifty from my blank stare.
"... Someone has to be the capable one in the familia if we want to get anywhere." I eventually say as she pipes up and happily nods.
"We wouldn't be able to get anywhere without Finn and Riveria!" She agrees while beaming, referencing the two serious familia members in the Loki Familia.
"... Indeed." Hestia suddenly collapses onto Bell as he panics and quickly picks her up, ignoring the cheering crowd that was around him in favor of running as fast as he can.
"Are you not going to show yourself to him?" Tiona curiously asks again as Bell begins running out of our sight.
I shake my head.
"Showing myself now might make him think that I was there helping him during his fight, which may have been true but he doesn't need to know that." She opens her mouth in understanding before nodding with an adorable 'serious' face.
"I understand!"
"That means that you're gonna have to keep the fact that I was there and helping him a secret, okay?" I turn to look at her with amusement as she grins and nods.
"Yes! It'll be our little secret! I won't even tell anyone else in my familia." She proudly puffs her chest out as I nod with satisfaction.
"Good. I'm glad we're in agreement."
[At the Hostess of Fertility]
After running through the crowd with Hestia, Bell encountered the tho- Syr and she offered him to take Hestia to the hostess since it was closer than our manor and she can rest faster there.
He agreed and they quickly made their way there with me following closely behind.
Tiona had to go since she'd been away for too long without telling anyone what she was going to do with me, but she promised that she'd come to visit sometime (even though I didn't even ask her to).
So what'd I do? I slowly integrated myself next to Syr and Bell silently so that they don't notice my presence.
We enter the Hostess to the sight of Ryuu and the catgirl maids cleaning around. They look up and notice Hestia's unconscious body in Bell's arms before quickly looking to Syr for an explanation.
"I encountered Bell in the crowd and he told me that his goddess fell unconscious after they were attacked by one of the escaped monsters, I offered to let her rest in the hostess since their house is too far." She quickly explained and they all nodded.
"Come with me, Mr. Cranel, Mr. Michael." Ryuu speaks as Syr and Bell look at her in confusion when my name is mentioned. They look to their side to find me looking back at them with amusement.
"M-Mikey!? When did you get here?!" Bell yells out in surprise as I struggle to keep my expression together.
"I was walking with you for a couple minutes now. I just didn't say anything." Kinda true, I was keeping myself hidden on purpose though because I wanted to be a troll.
Syr stares at me with a smile as I narrow my eyes at her slightly before looking back to Bell.
I don't like that... Did my poorly made horny plan not work? Impossible!
"Ah- Sorry I didn't notice you sooner!" He quickly apologizes but I chop him on the head.
"Take our goddess to a bed first before you start your apology parade." I admonish as he blushes and follows after Ryuu.
I send one last look towards Syr before following Ryuu upstairs and into a room where Bell sets Hestia down gently before covering her with a blanket and stepping out of the room.
I follow him outside and catch Ryuu before she can leave.
"Thank you for allowing our goddess to rest here, Miss Lion." I incline my head to her in thanks as she nods with her eyes closed.
"You should thank Syr. She was the one who offered Bell to let your goddess rest here." I nod to her, not at all planning to thank the person who unleashed the monsters.
"Understood. I will not keep you away from your work anymore. Thank you." I turn around and look at Syr who's talking to Bell as I narrow my eyes.
She said something about falling for him in the anime to mess with him. If she tries that shit I'm going sicko mode on her ass.
"-very brave." She smiles happily at Bell before taking a step back.
"I was asked to help at the bar, so I will excuse myself now. See you later, Bell!" She turns around and spots me. A bright smile makes its way to her face as she winks while passing me before going down the stairs.
Shiver me timbers. The fuck is going on with her? Shouldn't she be angry or something?
Bell seems to not be blushing (more than usual) after their talk, so I don't think she messed with him this time. Good.
I look away from the stairs and turn to Bell who's staring at the ground with a smile.
"Bell." I call out to him as I walk to him.
His head snaps up to see me as his smile becomes a tad brighter and he looks at me expectantly.
"Did you run?" I ask him, already knowing the answer.
"No. I did not." He answers me firmly with a serious face as I allow my expression to visibly lighten and smile.
"I'm proud of you." I take him into a one-armed bro hug as he beams happily at my words.
What a good boi.
I let go of him and stare at his new weapon, a black and red Tanto-style weapon with a familiar insignia that lets me know what this weapon exactly is.
"Ah! Yes, goddess gave me this weapon to fight the Silverback with! It was amazing… It felt so… right!" He happily exclaims while pushing the blade into my hands.
"I'm glad it does, Bell. Take great care of it-" Before I can finish the sentence, the blade in my hand loses its crimson color as it's replaced with a violet purple, surprising both Bell and me.
"Oh wow… It changes color based on the wielder? That's amazing!" Bell gushes over the color of the blade while it's in my hand before I hand it back to him as the color turns back into crimson red.
"Indeed." Before the conversation can continue, we hear a thump inside the room Hestia is in and we quickly head inside to check on her, only to find Hestia on the ground.
"Goddess!" Bell yells in alarm as he runs next to her and helps her up and back onto the bed.
She grimaces as she's put back into bed and smiles apologetically at Bell and me.
"What happened? Why were you on the floor?!" Bell asks in alarm as I move to sit on the other side of Hestia's bed.
"Ah… It's nothing… I was trying to get off of the bed, but… I wasn't strong enough." She tries to give a reassuring smile but is unable to hide the wince in her eyes.
"You look exhausted. What have you been doing the past few days?" She moves to speak but is interrupted as I continue. "The past few days where you completely disappeared without any warning." Bell turns to me with widened eyes.
"She didn't tell you where she was?" Hestia winces again at his worried tone as I glare at her.
"S-sorry… I was doing Dogeza for the past couple of days…" She explains as Bell furrows his brows and I facepalm.
"What is a Dogeza?" Bell mutters in confusion.
"It's a position where you place your forehead on the ground and prostrate yourself, usually used when asking for forgiveness or when requesting something." I explain to Bell as Hestia looks at me weirdly.
"How do you know that?" I raise my eyebrows at her and she groans.
She already knows I'm about to say something obvious and make her look stupid.
"That word originates from the Far East, Hestia. I feel like I should be the one asking how you know it." Bell wryly smiles as Hestia faceplants into her bed.
Technically, I never said that I was from the Far East so her lie detection should not go off. That word is also Japanese which I know and technically originate from so… me feeling like I'm the one that should ask that is fair.
"But… why was Goddess doing the Dogeza for so long?" Bell asks Hestia as she reaches for his new weapon in his hands.
"It was for this…" She shows the underside of the hilt, showing the Hephaestus symbol that can only be placed by members of the Hephaestus familia (that are level 2 and up, I think).
"This symbol… Goddess…" Bell looks up at Hestia with widened eyes as she smiles.
"Sorry to make you both worry but… I couldn't stay on the sidelines anymore… Being taken care of… Being supported… I couldn't put up with it anymore…" Hestia smiles sadly at her sheets as Bell's face softens while looking at Hestia.
Sigh~
I pat Hestia on the head as she glares up at me.
"But… Aren't the weapons of the Hephaestus Familia very expensive…?" Bell asks with trepidation as Hestia smiles.
"It's alright. I've taken care of everything." She confidently answers as Bell tilts his head but nods happily.
"Bell, I need you to step out of the room for a second. Me and Hestia are about to have a little 'talk'." Bell doesn't need another word and practically teleports out of the room as soon as I say the last word.
Damn, he really does not want to be here while I'm 'talking' with someone.
I see Hestia stare at the door with betrayal before nervously turning to face me.
"I would like to point out that I am currently contemplating which of the several idiotic mistakes you've done I should begin admonishing you for first." Her face pales significantly at my words as I put a hand to my chin in a 'thinking' pose.
"H-hey… I don't know what I did wrong but I apologize sincerely! H-have mercy!" She pleads desperately as I raise my eyebrows and stare at her while scoffing.
"You think that saying 'I don't know what I did wrong' is going to help your case?" She grimaces and stays silent as I sigh.
"First of all, saying you're gonna go to a party for one night and then not coming home for several days without any notice? If it wasn't already obvious that you planned to not come home for a few days, I would've been razing Orario down while searching for you, all because you were too stupid to tell us that you may be gone for a few days." Hestia ashamedly looks down as I speak, but I don't pause.
"Next, you very clearly did not 'handle everything' with that weapon. A weapon that changes to match its wielder and with that quality? The price is in the hundreds of millions, isn't it?" Hestia blushes but stares up at me fiercely.
"T-that may be true, but you don't need to worry about it! That price is between both me and Hephaestus! Neither of us is involving our children with this debt." I facepalm at her words.
"A new potential familia member comes. 'Ah hello there. Our Goddess is several hundred million Valis in debt. But don't worry, it totally has nothing to do with you!'" I stare at her blankly while speaking every word as she winces and looks down again.
"Your status reflects our familia as a whole, no matter what you try to say about it being 'between you and Hephaestus'. Do you really think Bell and I would allow you to deal with that debt without our help? That would take you actual lifetimes!" She dug herself deeper into her blankets, but I was still not done.
"If you stopped for a second to think, this would not have happened. Now, my last point. Do you not realize how blatant your favoritism for Bell appears right now? Really, Hestia? A weapon worth several hundred million Valis bought for the weaker familia member? Any God worth their salt would immediately give a weapon like this to their stronger familia member to boost them further and ensure that they can take care of their other familia members. Instead, you give a downright scary weapon to the weaker familia member without giving anything else to your other familia members." Hestia's eyes widen and she looks at me apologetically, which makes me quickly speak.
"Do not get me wrong. I am not jealous of the weapon nor am I particularly angry with you for not getting me anything. I am upset, yes, but not because I did not get a weapon, but for your lack of foresight." I stop for a second and facepalm dramatically while sighing.
"When we eventually get more Familia members, will you keep that favoritism for Bell so obvious? Oh, better yet. If we get a girl, would you ostracize her in fear of her getting close to Bell?" She looks up at me indignantly but is cowed by my glare.
"Do not answer that, I already know the answer. You WOULD do that." She flinches as her lie detection doesn't go off. "You would break apart our familia's dynamic because of your favoritism for Bell. You would make some jealous, others hurt, and ruin Bell's chances at having actual comrades he can befriend and laugh with." It says a lot that the last point is the one that makes her shift uncomfortably.
I will change things eventually though.
I just need time.
"Our familia will be climbing to the top soon enough. With me at the front and Bell right behind me. Many will come, hoping to join our familia. Few will, but those few will be my responsibility. Their lives will be in my hands. Do you believe that I will allow you to sabotage your own familia after you installed me as Captain?" She stays silent throughout my entire speech and only after I am done does she begin sniffling slightly.
"I-I… I'm so sorry M-Mikey… I-... I'm not-..." She sobs as she speaks and I sigh and engulf her in a hug as she grips my clothes.
"I d-don't know what I'm doing… I-I wasn't the most social goddess back in Tenkai… W-when I came down here, I was expecting to find a small f-familia to slowly grow together with. N-not anything big, but… something that would make me happy… b-but then, no one wanted to join my familia for months… I was s-so sad…" She sobs more as I pat her on the back.
"But then… B-bell came! I was so happy that I finally got a familia member, and it seemed like my dream was within reach… and then… you came the next day and flipped my entire world upside down… My dream of a small familia now looked impossible…" She grimaces at her words and quickly looks up at me with tearful eyes.
"D-don't take it the wrong way! I am thankful for everything you've done for Bell and I! I don't know what I would've done if it wasn't for you…" She hugs me tightly as I rub her back and she continues sobbing.
"N-now Bell is growing at a scary rate too..." She cries out and coughs lightly as I pat her on the back.
"I-I really feel like I'm way over my head here…" She stops talking after this and simply sobs for a while I let the room fall into silence.
After a few minutes of nothing but her sobbing filling the room, she eventually quiets down and I begin speaking.
"I know it may seem scary, Hestia… but you need to remember that I'm always here for you. Bell too. You don't need to do this on your own. A Familia's Captain is there to assist the God or Goddess in managing the familia and everything else that entails. I will be with you every step of the way. I was with you since the beginning, no? You can count on me to be with you till my last breath." Hestia nods slowly in our hug as I smile.
"I want you to know that I don't enjoy lecturing you like this. In fact, I'd say that It hurts me more than it hurts you." Hestia looks up at me tearfully with a small smile and a light glare, her lie detection had activated. I smile and roll my eyes. "Okay, maybe it hurts you more than it does me, but I still do not enjoy doing it regardless."
"I have big plans for the future, Hestia. Our Familia will reach heights no other familia ever reached. Not even the Zeus and Hera familias who had their level 8s and 9s will be on the same level as ours. For that to happen, I need you to work with me. Just as you can't do this by yourself, I can't do this alone either." Hestia's eyes widen at my words as I shake my head with a smile.
"Who else do I have to help me right now? Bell? As lovable as that idiot is, he's still too naive and bright to properly stand by my side anywhere outside of the dungeon. I need you to help me, and that's why I'm so tough on you." Hestia's eyes tear up a bit as she hugs me tightly again.
"Did you know? I was very nervous after you first made my falna and saw my skills and magic. I thought that you might see me as too troublesome and ask me to leave. But no, you welcomed me with open arms despite knowing how troublesome it would be to have me." I pat Hestia on the head as I speak, feeling her shift at my words.
"I would never do that!" She looks up at me seriously and says this while staring me in the eyes.
"I know. That's why I picked you." She blushes and looks away at my words, a dopey smile on her face.
"Now, will you work on your favoritism with Bell from now on?" I ask her with half-lidded eyes as she slaps her face with her two palms.
"I can't believe that my behavior is so much of a problem that I actually have to promise to work on something like this…" She groans while pushing her face deeper and I chuckle.
"It is what it is." IT IIIIIIIIIIS WHAT IT IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS.
"Yes… I'll work on my favoritism and I won't ostracize our future familia members by being an idiot." She promises me once she takes her hands away and stares at me seriously.
"Good. Now, I hate to break this wholesome moment but I haven't gotten a Status Update in days and I'm getting a little antsy." I nod seriously to her before sheepishly requesting a status update as she facepalms.
"Right… Take your shirt off." I shrug and do as she says as she pushes me onto the bed with a smirk.
I go to say something but am interrupted before I could even speak.
"Yes, I won't yell anything out. I'm not an idiot." Her tone sounds exasperated and I grin.
"That's debatable." She smacks the back of my head.
"Here we go…" She mutters with exhaustion.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Name: Michael Inumaki
Race: Human (Jujutsu Sorcerer)
Level: 1
Ability Scores:
STR: A-820 — SS- 1059
END: S- 955 — SSS- 1399
DEX: A- 862 — SS- 1070
AGI: A- 899 — SS- 1108
MAG: SS- 1001 — EX- 1500 (MAX)
Magic:
Cursed Speech:
This magic allows the user to infuse their words with cursed energy to improve the spirit of their commands, forcing all those who hear it to obey.
[]
[]
[]
Skills:
Cursed Energy Manipulation:
The ability to gather, channel, and release Cursed Energy. The greater the Negative energy present, the more energy can be channeled and gathered.
Privative Gathering:
Increased Excelia gained from the gathering of Cursed Energy.
…
"Are you actually kidding me right now…?" Hestia smacks the back of my head repeatedly as I smirk.
I don't even know what I have but I definitely should have nothing under a thousand, with magic at 1300 at least.
"Lay it on me, doc. How bad is my condition?" I ask with 'trepidation' and 'fear' as Hestia huffs.
"At least 1000 in all stats, and 1500 in Magic… What the hell is EX?" Oh…
"Oh damn…" Hestia gets off of me and looks at me with horror.
"... You're actually surprised for once? Impossible. The world is ending." I flip her the finger.
"It's not every day that I see the stat EX in something." Hestia tilts her head at me at my words.
"You know what EX means?" I smirk at her as she looks at me curiously.
I do, from Fate at least.
"I've heard of it. Usually means 'immeasurable' or 'near-infinite'." Hestia freezes and then lets out another sob as she pushes her face into her hands and cries.
"Why are you not lying? Can you please be lying for once?" I burst out laughing as she glares at me through her hands.
"Sorry, Hestia. I'll make sure to lie to you more from now on." I sarcastically promise as her face lights up.
"Really?" She asks with excitement.
"No."
She pushes a pillow into her face and screams.
"I'll go ask Bell to watch over you now." She pushes the pillow away from her face and fixes her hair while smiling at me brightly.
"You know, Michael, you're my second favorite child!" I deadpan at her.
"I'm your only other child. Also, did we literally not just have a talk about favoritism a second ago?" She looks away from me and whistles poorly as I shake my head and sigh with a smile.
She's joking. Probably.
Maybe.
"I trust you can sit there for a few minutes without doing stupid, yes?" Hestia huffs and gives me the middle finger back as I open the door-
To see a Ryuu standing in front of the door with a bowl of cold soup on a tray in her hands, staring at me incomprehensibly.
"... Hello, Mr. Michael. I brought some soup for your goddess to help in her recovery, but it seems that it must have cooled off without me noticing. Please excuse me as I go prepare a new one." She speaks while staring me in the eye.
Oh shit.
…
…
…
[Room of Prayer]
Inside a poorly lit room with a gloomy atmosphere and an indescribable aura sits a giant man with white hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a white robe with a black cloak and sandals, an otherwise unnotable choice of clothing that contradicts the majestic and mighty presence this giant of a man exudes by simply sitting upon his throne.
From the darkness, a hooded figure with no other notable features approaches the gigantic man and begins speaking.
"Ouranos, the boy knows." The hooded figure had a raspy voice that sounded like chalk against a blackboard, the giant man, now identified as Ouranos, opened his eyes and stared down at the hooded figure.
"Speak clearly, Fels. What does the boy know?" The voice of Ouranos on the other hand was powerful, rumbling through the isolated chamber with ease.
"He knows of the Xenos, though he speaks the name incorrectly and does not seem to be very knowledgeable about them. He mentioned them while speaking… to the dungeon. Alongside 'Violas'." The hooded figure named 'Fels' elaborates as Ouranos's eyes widen very slightly.
"I see… and what else have you learned?"
"The Dungeon apparently uses a certain energy that the boy is capable of manipulating and stealing for himself. It seems that the dungeon wishes to dispose of the excess energy, but is incapable of doing that without the boy's help. He seems to be removing a certain amount of energy in each floor before moving to the next to… cleanse it, as well. He has 'cleared' 12 floors so far, according to his words. He also seems to have named the Dungeon 'Edias', being a play on words by taking the first three letters of 'Elevated Dungeon Superior' and spelling them out."
Ouranos sits quietly while mulling over the words of his subordinate and absorbing them silently.
"I see… EDS, E-De-eS. Edias. I understand." He eventually speaks again as the Hooded figure takes out a handful of Drop Items from their robes and drops them on the ground.
"The boy spoke of using 'Cursed Energy' and 'Jujutsu Sorcerers', which leads me to believe that he uses a form of sorcery that deals with the negative emotions of the dungeon. No… Perhaps negative emotions as a whole. He seems to be able to sense the locations of anything living within a certain radius and has almost caught me multiple times if I had not disguised myself and kept a certain distance away from him. He is also somehow capable of guaranteeing drop items from monsters." The giant god nods and gestures for Fels to continue.
"The boy himself is usually silent and snarky when with others, but is playful and talkative when alone with the dungeon, often teasing it to the point where it retaliates by spawning monsters on him. He apparently can sense the embarrassment of the dungeon alongside other emotions and uses that as a medium to communicate with it." The Hooded Figure pauses for a second, as if hesitant to say something, before continuing.
"I also believe that he may have some form of precognition. He predicted that the 'Violas', which is a form of monsters never seen before that appeared today in the Monsterphillia, would appear today and exited the dungeon earlier than usual to have a chance to see them." Ouranos's eyebrows rose significantly at those words as his face finally changed into an emotion, namely shock.
"Are you certain of that? This is not something to joke about lightly." The tone of the giant god was deadly serious as the hooded figure shuffled in place.
"I have no real way to confirm this without asking him in the presence of a god, but I believe it to be a very real possibility. He has repeatedly shown to have information that he should not have and has predicted many things easily as if he already knew that they would happen." The hooded figure's voice turned grave as it spoke, giving no sign of joking.
"For example, he brought his younger familia member to the fifth floor the same day that the Minotaur Outbreak by the Loki Familia happened, and ever since that event… his younger familia member has been growing at an unnatural pace in strength. In the last couple of days, his stats have probably risen from an I to at least an E in some stats. I believe that the chance of this being a mere coincidence is extremely unlikely."
"Yes… I believe that you are correct, Fels." The god stops speaking for a second, seemingly in contemplation of something.
"What are your commands?" The hooded figure questions.
"... You will continue watching the boy. If a good time ever arises, approach him and request his aid in helping the Xenos… and offer him assistance in cleansing the dungeon of its… Cursed Energy. I have not seen the dungeon this calm in centuries… No, it never was this calm." Fels bowed their head to the god before floating and disappearing into the darkness.
"... What are you exactly…"
…
"... Inumaki Michael?"
…
…
Today is my birthday, have this early chapter!
You know, I originally had an Omake planned after this little extra of Ouranos, but then I realized that I already hit you guys with a cliffhanger + Ouranos POV. I think I'm spoiling you guys a bit too much…
Oh well. You horny fucks finally got what you want. Probably. That Freya part was wild.
Michael is stupid and doesn't know much about Fels so he's speaking freely in the dungeon since he can't sense 'anyone' around.
Anyways, time for reviews losers!
Obrigado pelo seu apoio Pedro52! Fico feliz que você goste do relacionamento deles e levarei seu voto em consideração... :D
Naruutard, thank you for your review! Glad you're enjoying the story so far and I'm happy to see that you appreciate the 10k chapters! I will do my best to not get burnt out. Oh and… sleep with one eye open Mr. Iusehonorifics…
Are you satisfied, GoTeam? :)
Issei Uzumaki, amazing name btw, thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
HarryHD, thank you and I'm glad you're finding this story better and better.
Slamkam12, glad to see you liked it and hope you have fun rewatching JJK. I'm unsure what you mean by taking shit from peeps if you can elaborate? Just want to know what's wrong broski. Oh, I saw your other review and yes it's supposed to be fixed after the talk they have this chapter with Hestia.
ShoturoF: Perhaps...
SommersCave: Interesting takes and I'm glad to see you enjoying the story so far.
Thank you son of wind! Glad you enjoyed the last chapter.
Thereaderofall: Thank you and I will do my best to give more!
Wolfeborn: Glad to hear that! Thank you for your review.
Era-romance: Sir yes sir. More incoming!
Guest: Thank you. Glad to see you're enjoying the story.
That should be all. Thank you all for your support and I'll see you next time! Review, Follow, or Favorite or something idk.
…
See you all later!
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