'Thought'

"Speech"

System text

"Book, note, or projected speech"

So I'm sorry this chapter took a little longer than expected to get out, I've been busy planning out this story a little further than normal.

Guest: I am trying to be careful of grammar mistakes, but I write on my phone so I can only do so well.

TheBigBrotherWTPD: It's explained in this chapter, but keep in mind no matter how many spells he has right now they're all mostly low damage. To really fight something from the middle floors and below effectively he'll need to reach higher levels.

GhostlyDrew: Thank you for catching that mistake.

Nikkless: Here it is and in intend to have at least one chapter out every month.

Now before we get to the chapter, this is a harem story, but it won't be huge. The absolute most I will have for Dante are 9-10 and that's a stretch.

The sounds of everyone pattering around the building we're staying in is all that I can hear right now and it's...frustrating. Why, because I'm currently working on a side project that if I complete could be a big money maker.

My hand is still bandaged partially despite the fight with the wendigo taking place a few days ago. Not to mention my armor chest piece is shredded, so I'm in nothing more than a simple tshirt now. I'm not even a member of her familia and my warden has forced myself and Jasmine to stay out of commission for the time being.

Who may I be referring to? Helen Shard, the leader of the Dia Familia's party here. She is more of a mother than one would suspect as she's constantly been checking up on the two of us. Though, considering our...arrangement it's not unexpected.

Looking behind me I see Jasmine napping away in my bed. No, we did not screw. I wouldn't mind if we did, but we're both still too beat up to enjoy that.

No, apparently my new roommate hates being forced to stay away from going after monsters like myself, so she's taken solace in the fact I'm here to suffer with her.

Anyway I'm getting back on to what I was doing, trying to create a grimoire. A single grimoire can go for tens of millions of valis and would make my goals that much easier. As of right now I've had exactly twenty-two failures and zero successes.

Normally a sorcerer wouldn't be able to do something like this, but since I'm in Danmachi where Mind is the basis for magic that doesn't apply here. I've discovered that magic in general is more complex than I once thought. For instance if I pour enough mind into a spell it's output is increased, or at least it's intensity. For instance I can turn gust, a cantrip meant to only move objects or up to medium sized creatures, and double its strength enough to rip the beaches of A tree. Of course the mind drain is substantial, requiring one sixth of my mind, when the normal strength is nearly nonexistent in comparison.

I however digress to my original point. As long as my arcana skill is high enough I can create any magic item that a normal mage could, including lesser grimoires that can only contain cantrips. Unfortunately all I've managed to create are...well.

Ruined book:

A book that has been burned from the inside out with no use whatsoever, it is completely irreparable.

Yeah, those are the fruits of my labor and I've basically tried every attack and defense spell I have in my arsenal. Another fun discovery of my experimenting, I can actually swap out my spells after the equivalent of a long rest passes.

'Arrgghh why can't I make a single freaking grimoire?! Is it my origin? I mean it shouldn't be the origin of my magic is...is...holy shit I don't know.'

Quest received

Huh a quest why did I receive a quest?

Discovery of Magical Origin:

Oh, so you finally realized you don't know the origin of your magic power? Did you really think your hand would be held the entire way? Discover the source of your magic or else you'll never be able to fully utilize the arcane arts.

Objectives:

Discover your Magic Origin: ]

Debuffs applied by quest: All arcane abilities aside from spell casting are locked (includes feats provided by origin).

Rewards: 600 Xp, 500 GP, sorcerous origin, 4 stat points, one random item from the store of rare quality or above

"Fuck"

I feel like a complete idiot, I've been here well over a week now and I'm just realizing I don't know my sorcerous origin.

'I just wasted two days create a fucking grimoire while my ability to do so was locked!'

"Fuck it, I'm going to bed."

I lay down so that my back is facing Jasmine's and close my eyes. I'll start trying to figure out my Origin when I wake up, right now...now I'm just too mentally exhausted.

As my eyes are closed I can feel the bed shift and Jasmine snuggle into my back.

'Huh, am I that warm?'

That was my last thought before I fell asleep.

POV: Elsewhere

"And then his sword exploded! It was like booommm! It cut up his hand real bad and I was sad, but it blew up the big monster!! It was soooo awesome!"

An eager feminine voice filled the dark chamber as it shouted in wonder and excitement.

The old god that sat on the throne, center of the room, was confused as to what his child was rambling about. Ouranos, the god in charge of the guild of Orario and the city as a whole was confused. What had his child witnessed to make her so excited, granted it wasn't difficult to do so.

She had burst through the door to his chamber door rambling a mile a minute about an angel, a monster, and an epic battle. He hadn't the faintest idea of what she meant.

"Lint."

His booming voice seemed to do the trick as the girl stopped talking and listened.

"What happened? I haven't the faintest since you've rambled on for so long and so fast."

"Wah~ you're so mean pops! I was flying back from that thing in Athens when I flew over Mt. Wethrin. I felt something really holy and went looking, that's when I saw him. The angel, He had short black hair and pure gold eyes, he was working with Jazzy and they were fighting a Wendigo! They killed it and I was so excited I flew all the way back here in record time!"

So that was it, an angel hmmm...no not possible angels were the attendants of the gods in heaven. Never had one been allowed to the lower world.

Though that does beg the question, how is it this boy his child witnessed could have such a holy aura that she believes him an angel?

"What makes you believe he was an angel? Perhaps it was just holy magic he used."

"No, nope, he used fire and some weird shard shooting spell. His aura was pure and warm like holy fire so there's no way he couldn't be one."

Ouranos was at a loss, he was the second of his kind to descend from the heavens and while he may have spent all his time in his chamber he knew no such breach of heaven had occurred. There were other possibilities that could explain the boys aura, though he would need to see for himself...or perhaps better yet.

"Lint, I have a task for you."

"Another one?"

He chose to only sigh at her playful whining.

"Yes, go find this person you saw and journey with him the rest of the way to Orario, I assume that is his destination as the Dia familia took a quest to act as guards. Observe him and determine just who and what he is as well as how strong he is. Explain that I wish to speak with him and perhaps extend an offer."

"You thinking about recruiting him pops?"

"I am unsure at this juncture if I wish to recruit him. For now do as I've asked and Fels will meet you in Melen. I have a feeling something about this person will be very interesting."

Lint threw her hand up in a mock salute as she started out the chamber.

"Right 'O pops I'll see you in a bit!"

Ouranos could only sigh once again at his child's antics and hope he hadn't just sent that young man his doom.

POV: Dante

"Mmm.."

Groaning I open my eyes to see the sun leaking through the blinds, it must be midday by now. Trying to sit up I'm stopped by a weight on my chest. Looking down I see Jasmine had an arm around my midsection holding me firmly so that she could snuggle into me.

'Dammit why does she have to be so cute?'

Just then the door opens and I'm met with a smirking half elf with short black hair.

"Oh so you finally decide to wake up? I do hope nothing inappropriate happened."

The dangerous tone accompanying that last statement makes me think twice about a sarcastic retort.

"Nothing happened Ms. Shard, I was exhausted and climbed into bed away from her. Jasmine must have gotten closer to me in her sleep."

She laughs a little making it all too clear she was screwing with me.

"Oh lighten up your both seventeen and eighteen it's not like it's a crime. Besides I don't blame her it's cold as hell right now."

She shivers and I raise an eyebrow, I'm not wearing my ring of warmth right now and I feel perfectly fine. Maybe I have some form of resistance to cold?

Looking more closely I can tell Helen must have been on guard duty recently, her fingertips are practically blue and her skin paler. I get up and rummage through my bag and find my ring of warmth. I quickly turn back to Helen and toss it to her, she catches it effortlessly and shoots me an inquisitive look.

"It's an enchanted ring, it keeps you warm and protects you from extreme cold. I actually feel perfectly fine so keep it until you're all warmed up."

I gesture towards her obvious signs of frostbite. She nods with a twitch of her lips the only sign she's holding in a smile.

"Thanks, I'll get it back to you in a bit. Oh and before I forget, we're running low on Meat again. Think you can hunt some down? I'd do it myself but right now I can barely draw my bow."

Looking at my hand I nod, I currently have cure wounds as one of my equipped spells and I haven't actually tried it before.

"Yeah hang on, 'Cure Wounds'." A faint green hue envelopes my hands as I cast the spell on my bandaged hand. It doesn't last long and the usage of mind is minimal, most likely because it was already mostly healed.

As I unwrap my hand and inspect it by flexing it several times Helen looks bewildered.

"Since when do you know healing magic?"

"I've always known that spell, I just wasn't entirely sure if it would heal my hand or Jasmines injuries." I reply as I retrieve my bag and what remains of my weapons. "I'll heal her when I get back, I don't know exactly how much mind it'll take and I don't want to be on the verge of mind down if I run into some trouble."

Turning around to face Helen she's still bewildered. "Just how many spells do you know? I know for a fact I saw you use at least four when you fought those bandits."

I shoot her a smirk, "Sorry trade secret, maybe I'll tell you over dinner sometime."

She returns my smirk in kind, "Trust me, I'm far too much woman for you to handle."

Neither of us can take it anymore and we both start laughing. Helen may have her motherly moments, but she's more of a sister figure than anything.

A half hour later and I'm moving slowly through the surrounding forest. A few days ago Jasmine and I found shrubbery preferred by Moose in a nearby clearing. That's my first stop in hope of finding sign of animal activity.

Just as I come into the clearing it's clear that...something happened. Walking towards the middle of the clearing slowly I can see a small amount of blood and drag marks. They only go on for a few feet before the marks stop, almost as if whatever was being dragged was lifted away suddenly. There are no other signs of activity besides hoof prints belonging to a moose, the likely victim of a Griffin.

I grin at that, the only monster left for me to complete my quest and it's in the area. I just need to quickly change out some spells and...oh...oh no, no, no, no, fuck!

Spells may no longer be interchanged until sorcerous origin is discovered.

"Fuck you, just fuck you D.I.C.E., this is some grade A bullshit!"

Because of my experimenting I'm left with cure wounds, hunters mark, true strike, prestidigitation, create bonfire, and shocking grasp. That leaves me with only my bow, knife, and a single touch range attack spell.

"Ah fuck it! Im pissed and need to kill something."

With that I look around carefully and find what I'm looking for, a small trail of broken branches and disheveled snow on the trees. The Griffin must have carried its prey too it's nest.

I follow the trail as best as I can, moving in its general direction when I lose it shortly. I soon find myself going further up the mountain as the terrain becomes more rocky and cliff like.

After about two or so hours of searching I find a decent sized cave. Standing just outside I can hear what sounds like something large moving around. Then there's the smell, dear god, it reeks of rot and decay inside.

Slowly and quietly I make my way into the cave, it's just bright enough inside that I can see the griffin sleeping in its nest. Taking a quick look around I see bones and carcass's everywhere.

"Hunters mark."

I whisper the spell and just like that the griffin is marked as my quarry. I slowly make my way towards the griffin being extra careful not to make any sudden noise and just as I'm about two feet from it I leap onto the griffin grappling into its head. "Shocking Grasp!!"

As the griffin comes to it starts to thrash around in an attempt to throw me off. As it does so lightning dances from my fingertip's coursing directly into its head.

The griffin let's out an ear shattering screech as it flys out of the cave and begins to crash through the tree tops.

Hanging on for dear life I feel my mind depleting at an exponential rate. Finally I manage to get a good grip just near its eyes and push as much mind as possible into my spell "Shocking grasp!!!!".

It lets out another screech and begins to plummet to the ground smashing directly into one of the abandoned buildings in town. I lay there groaning as dust and debris settles from our impact.

I manage to start standing up just enough to jump off the griffin's body, it's dead, I poured enough mind into that spell to fry its brain. Not to mention I got the notification for the quest.

flap*

A sudden wing spasm causes me to jump, only for the wing to go slack once again. It's nerves are still acting, like how when you cut the head off a snake if continues to move around.

"That. Was. Awesome!!!"

The sudden shout from the unfamiliar voice causes me to jump and turn towards it. I'm met with most of the camp guards and an unfamiliar girl around my age.

She has a mix of black and white hair held up in a bun, it almost looks checkered. Her attire consists of a back overcoat that covers a skintight battle dress, short black shorts, fingerless gloves, and armored leggings that only cover about mid thigh and below. Her red eyes are absolutely lit up with excitement and awe.

Over to the side I can see Helen shaking her head as she walks up. "I sent you hunting for meat, what happened!?"

I at least have the decency to be somewhat sheepish, she is right after all, in my excitement to finish my quest I forgot about my original task.

"I wasn't the only one hunting, this thing was after animals too so I decided to...eliminate the competition." I point towards the new girl who now seems somewhat oddly familiar. "So anyone want to introduce me to our guest?"

Helen just smirks and a few members of her party give me looks of pity. "Oh, I'll let here introduce herself."

The grin she has as she says that does little for the growing sense of trepidation I feel. Looking at the girl she grins herself.

"My name is Lint Sellezen, Ouranos sent me for you!!"