AN: This chapter was a massive pain in my ass to edit. Hope you all enjoy. I really appreciate the kind words and support.
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Disclaimer: I own no source material.
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Chapter 3: Training Year One – Greed Island.
"Hey, Old Man, what would you have done If I rejected you at the end?"
"Dead men tell no tales."
"I'm four!"
"Oh, right. Hm, dropped you on a farm with a big field somewhere with a nice family I suppose."
"I'm not a dog!"
"Would you prefer a wolf's environment?"
"….a farm would have been nice."
"Mn."
0000
December, 1992. One year later.
"Again!"
Hei pushed hard off the elevated log posts he was doing pushups on to dodge the sweep of a straw stick, threatening to knock his arms away before coming down into another pushup.
His hands had barely touched the wooden posts before his ears twitched at the sound of splitting wind, forcing him to push back up on trembling limbs and just narrowly avoiding the straw stick's return blow.
"Good. Use more than your eyes. Keep your sense alert at all times. Again!"
Up, down, push off.
The same movement repeated dozens of times as he pushed through the late afternoon exercise.
Sweat poured off his young frame as the cool winter air fought against the harsh rays of the sun beating down on his body. Although, cool was subjective as winter in Barcelona never dropped below 40F at the lowest, creating the optimal training environment for physical conditioning.
The days began early. Hei was out of bed and running laps, sprints, and suicides before the sun was even up.
And if he wasn't up on time, well, the old wolf had installed a hose directly above his bed so he didn't have to move a bucket around, and Hei adjusted quickly after a few unpleasant wake-up calls.
He would complain more, but his teacher was always up before him, ready to torture..…train him. Even during his morning exercise, where he was mostly left alone, small pebbles would be launched his way whenever he let his mind wander, forcing him to stay alert for extended periods.
At sunrise, they stopped for breakfast. The old man wasn't a Michelin-star chef, but he made decent food packed with everything Hei needed to keep going strong. Hei likewise only knew a little about cooking besides how to dress wild game and make simple fair, so he accepted his meals without complaint.
After they ate, his teacher took him to a side room converted into a small classroom where he instructed him on various theoretical topics from Stealth, Infiltration, Interrogation, Information Gathering, Politics, and other world information he needed to know. As it was his first year as a student, and being so physically young, such areas were being slowly introduced to him from a theoretical standpoint.
Mr. Lupa had, at first, given him basic coursework for mundane subjects to see where he placed, and the results were….varied.
Hei winced under the raised brow of his teacher as the old man went off. "Geography and History is acceptable. At least the mundane sides. Science isn't bad; I'll make sure to correct you before we get into poison chemistry. Math….well, it seems you won't be a natural magician talent."
"I can't cast magic?"
The older man scoffed. "I didn't say that. To be a talented magician as a base human, you need a great deal of theoretical talent and intelligence, especially in math. Human magic is purely based on logic. You follow specific calculations to achieve a specific result. Unless you can process those calculations in seconds, it's useless in combat. Better to stick a blade in your foe than sit there trying to do the math. You'll soon learn the average magicians are just pompous roosters asking for a good stabbing." Mr. Lupa grumbled something fierce to the side, and Hei suddenly wondered what his teacher had seen to have that reaction.
But the old man went on before he could ask. "All I care about is basic geometry, and you need to work on that."
"Why geometry?"
"Angles, boy! Angles. If I tell you to throw or move at 45 degrees, I mean 45 degrees. Geometry will help you understand how to move your body at what precise points for maximum efficiency, don't look down on it."
Hei considered that and nodded. "But no magic?"
"Bah, study math on your own time. I'll be twelve feet under by the time you get your head out of books for me to teach you to make a fireball."
Hei couldn't argue against that but still didn't feel he should give up just based on one test. 'I'll grab some textbooks and try for a few months.'
Safe to say, six months passed before those textbooks were viciously burned in a pyre while Mr. Lupa sipped a cup of tea from the balcony with a knowing look.
After a few hours of theoretical studies, they had lunch and moved on to further physical training. The first year's focus was building a base for Hei's body with a focus on balance and flexibility.
This led to exercises such as carrying urns in each extended arm while walking along an elevated piece of wood that got thinner every week. Or having to remain in splits with weights on his shoulder for hours on end while the old man sat next to him with his trusty cane, ready to correct him if he tried to cheat through the pain. Or having to hold handstands on a timer without being able to stop until he passed his previous score, all while an occasional blunted butter knife would fly by his body and try to make him flinch. Or what he was doing at the current moment, trying to perform pushups on elevated logs while his teacher would randomly swing a straw stick to attempt and knock him down with only a bare warning before its arrival.
"No wandering thoughts!" The stick came swinging back and forced him to push off rapidly with a grunt, barely avoiding losing his balance. It wouldn't do more than sting for a few seconds, but it would reset his progress back to zero if he fell, making him start over.
'I'm really starting to have more respect for Kenichi from that anime. I take back all the wimpy comments I made about him.'
Mr. Lupa nodded his head in satisfaction and eyed the distant setting sun. "Good. We are done for today. You have made steady progress, child."
Hei groaned internally and dropped to the ground with his arms feeling like lead. "Doesn't feel that way."
The old man chuckled and extended a hand. "Are you doubting your teacher, boy?"
"Just a bit." Hei accepted the hand with a smirk and got hauled to his feet.
The old man wasn't a stickler for titles and didn't mind being called Mr. Lupa, Teacher, Sir, Old Wolf, or Old Man. Only the title Sensei was off-limits for reasons unsaid.
Mr. Lupa shook his head in amusement. "Go get cleaned up. We're having your favorite tonight."
"Really?!" Hei's eyes lit up at the promise of steak. "I'll be there in five minutes!" A rush of energy filled his tired limbs as he moved to rush to the bathroom, only for a straw stick to hit his shin and trip him into landing face first into the dust with his legs flying over his head.
The older man calmly walked past his scorpion-shaped student with an idle comment. "Don't doubt your teacher until you're faster than him, child."
Hei's body plopped back down as he pushed himself up with a grumble. "I know where you sleep, Old Man!"
"As do I. Do you wish for another lesson on the reliability of luck verse skill?" He stopped at the edge of the balcony and asked without turning around.
"…." Hei didn't enjoy the first half a dozen lessons about trying to jump into things without thinking, so he kept his mouth shut, and his teacher gently chuckled as he continued walking.
"Dinner is in fifteen minutes. Take your time."
A huff left Hei's lips as he picked himself up and walked over to the well to wash his face. 'He can be a dick sometimes, but I know he means well.' It wasn't easy to pick up at first, but Hei came to realize that Mr. Lupa considered everything training. How one acts, speaks, moves, when one eats, showers, and sleeps, everything can be incorporated into training. 'During lessons, he's strict as all hell, but in our downtime, he's pretty cool.'
The old man was a wellspring of experience and stories, and Hei enjoyed just sitting around and listening to him tell tales of past challenges and exploits he got up to as a Lupa. And those stories often got turned around on Hei, challenging him with theoretical scenarios with limited knowledge and having him try to solve them on the spot.
'Critical and tactical thinking, my ass. The guy just likes to annoy me.' The old man was old, and he had a few quirks that old people tended to have. But he knew those stories and questions were helping him develop his mind to think before acting.
And despite his internal complaints, Hei didn't verbally complain or whine, no matter how hard things got. The more time he spent with the old man, the more he came to truly appreciate what was being done for him. Mr. Lupa wanted a successor. Not only that, but he wanted a successor who could surpass the heights he had reached in life, to make a Lupa stronger than he ever was. What those heights were, were a mystery to Hei, but by how hard the old man pushed him, he figured it had to be pretty high.
There were many areas Mr. Lupa promised to teach him in, and aside from all the theoretical and physical training, they began early in a few other areas.
Etiquette, weapon maintenance, poison resistance, pain resistance, and hand-to-hand combat.
Hei learned to stand tall, talk properly, eat right, and would eventually learn dance etiquette when he was older. When he asked why it was necessary, his teacher explained it simply. "Etiquette is discipline. When we live with discipline, it keeps the mind sharp and the body alert. Body language, manners, a poker face, these are all tools to the right mind." The old man's emphasis on a poker face was unnecessary, but Hei got the point.
Weapon Maintenance was strictly for cold weapons at the start. Mr. Lupa showed him how to properly care for, sharpen, and store metal. "An assassin's tools are part of their body. Without them, we would be mere warriors and brutes. Care for them, and they will care for you."
Poison Resistance was kept light at the start. Food had small traces of poison added to them, causing no more than an upset stomach at first, but the dosage increased as time went on, forcing his body to adapt and build immunity. Hei was thankful he had his teacher to plan things out as if he wanted to do poison resistance training on his own; he didn't know the first place to start or what to avoid.
Pain resistance was kept to physical training methods only. "You are physically too young for some of my methods, so you shall learn to push through the pain of simply training your body." Hei didn't think that was so bad at first. Until he realized there were no days off, and he would be moving his body for at least six, to at most twelve, hours a day.
And the days spent mastering proper beginner martial forms were even more challenging. The old man took the concept of 'I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times' to a literal extent.
It was difficult, demanding, and back-breaking work, but with his teacher by his side through it all, he pushed through out of sheer stubbornness to match the man's will, and as a result, his young physique was moving toward the required flexibility, durability, dexterity, and strength necessary for future training at a rapid pace.
And a significant part of that speedy progress was thanks to his Sacred Gear.
Greed Island was a host to a variety of cards with unique abilities, some of which even made Mr. Lupa pause and marvel. Hei didn't show his teacher everything, and the old man only complimented him for that. "A secret is best kept when only you know it. However, if you intend to use your ability to affect your body, I expect you to tell me what you plan to do. I cannot help you grow properly if you attempt to cheat behind my back."
Hei thought that was fair. The older man was dedicating his time and energy to forming a mental and physical training schedule tailored to Hei down to the hour. Even meal and sleep schedules were created and followed to the letter.
But with the old man's help in brainstorming, they agreed on using a few cards to speed things along.
Designated Card #15: Mad Scientist's Steroids – Reinforce a muscle group. You must drink a liter daily for a week while only working out the muscle group you wish to enhance. The stronger the burn, the better the results. Comes with 7 one-liter bottles. It can be used to break physical limits.
Despite the worrying name, the liquid was not precisely a steroid.
Mr. Lupa had him focus on his legs while using it. "When building a tower, we must begin at the base. The legs are fundamental to everything that follows. Balance, Flexibility, Mobility. They are considered the second heart of the body, as the stronger they become, the better able they are to circulate blood back up to the rest of the body. Adductors, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Calves, and Glutes will build a strong foundation to support the joints and ligaments before we begin putting pressure on them in advanced training."
Leg week was pure torture without breaks, and Hei could barely walk halfway through, but the results spoke for themselves as a week later, his legs felt better than ever before.
He was able to run farther, jump higher, react faster, and recover quicker, thanks to whatever had been done to his legs. And on further study, the two were interested to note he had gained pink muscles in his legs.
Hei had read about them when he first watched Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple in his youth and knew it was a fictional concept. On modern Earth, there were only three types of muscle fibers. Red and two types of White, better known as Type 1, Type 2a, and Type 2x.
Red, or Type 1, are Slow-Twitch muscle fibers. They are essential for fine motor control and simply keeping the body upright while standing without burning through stamina. This fiber is red in color, owing to the higher oxygen content. It is slow to contract, smaller in size, and produces less force. However, it also allows you to exert yourself for extended periods, such as during distance running or swimming.
White, or Type 2a, are Fast-Twitch muscle fibers. These are intermediary muscles. They are useful for shorter durations of more intensive exercise, such as lifting weights or sprinting, outputting as much as double the force of Type 1. Although, they are less energy efficient than Type 1 and lead to exhaustion much faster.
White, or Type 2x, are Super-Fast-Twitch muscle fibers. These are anaerobic (without oxygen) and rely on ATP stored in the muscle. This allows for more explosive force and speed, but also fatigues rapidly. Type 2x is used when sprinting at top speed off the starting block, or when performing a single rep maximum weight exercise. And the fascinating thing about type 2x muscle fibers is that they have ten times the strength of type 1 and 2a muscles. However, type 2x exists in very minor amounts throughout the body.
Depending on what type of training a human did, throughout an entire lifespan, they could do no more than convert 10% of their muscle fibers from one type to another.
Pink muscles, as introduced in Kenichi, were muscles that combined Type 1 and 2a. They gained the endurance of Type 1 and the explosiveness of Type 2a. But in reality, a body couldn't be made of pink muscle, for without Type 1 muscle fibers, a human couldn't stand up without exhausting their stamina from contracting their muscles rapidly.
So that left Hei questioning what exactly happened to his leg muscles, and thanks to the help of a specific Designated Card, he was able to find out.
Designated Card #34: Medical Check-Up – A full-body medical scan. It only scans and does not heal. The surface area chosen can be decreased to empower the details given on a particular body part.
The card was placed in the activation card slot in his grimoire, and after a brief red light hovering over his legs, the in-built screen showed him the results of his inquiry.
Hei's legs were optimized to contain a mixture of red, white, and pink muscles in the specific areas he worked out in throughout the week. It didn't bulk him up or make him look grotesque but simply optimized his muscle fibers to the best combination for what he had been trying to do.
Mr. Lupa stared at the results with shining eyes. "Fascinating. Usually, humans are born with a preference for Slow or Fast movements depending on their muscle fibers, and since an average of 10% could be altered in a lifetime, two people who do the same workout can have vastly different results. But with this…."
Hei shivered at the demonic light shining in the old man's eyes as he was studied like a prized mule.
The card had its uses, but as it only targeted a single muscle group, and he only had a single card a year, it would be years before Hei could enhance the main twelve muscle groups of his body. However, with time, he hoped to surpass the human exorcist who was said to be the strongest human in the world. The man's name and face were hard to recall, but Hei knew the man existed, making ultimate class devils rate him seriously.
Although, that little goal was kept to himself to avoid encouraging his demonic teacher, who was already a little too eager seeing the results of the steroid card.
The second card Hei convinced the old man to allow was one they could both enjoy.
Designated Card #31: Volcanic Healing Springs – A hot spring that cures you of any skin condition. Bathing in it for half an hour daily gives you skin as soft and smooth as a baby's, washing away aches and pains. Heals minor wounds by speeding up natural recovery with no added strain to the body. Cannot be moved from designated space.
The old man hadn't even hesitated to allow this one. Rather, he pulled Hei along like a fish on a hook to pick out the perfect location for it behind the house. The hot spring fit perfectly into the home's ambiance, and as it was self-cleaning with the water going and coming from….somewhere, it became a stable feature of their daily schedule to soak in it at the start or end of the day.
For Hei, it helped speed up the healing of his torn muscles, allowing him to train his hardest every day. And for the old man, well, a life such as his had accumulated many injuries.
Mr. Lupa's bald head shined like never before as it gained a glow of vitality. And if the old man walked with less reliance on his cane after a few weeks of bathing in it, Hei didn't comment on it.
But there was so much more his cards could do, and Hei wanted to give back where he could to the old man who focused his all on his training. However, the old man was stubborn on a few topics, such as when he learned what Hei's strongest healing card could do. He absolutely denied Hei permission to use it on him, despite Hei's complaints to say otherwise.
Designated Card #8: Gabriel's Breath – Cures one person of all physical wounds and ills, restoring them to perfect health. The body can be restored as long as a drop of life remains, repairing limbs and organs. Does not revert aging, restore energy, or touch upon the soul. Curses may impact results.
Hei only had one card per year, and Mr. Lupa was adamant it be kept for emergencies, and only used on Hei himself on the last day of the year. "Child, you have no idea how much the buildup of micro-injuries inside the body can impact growth. Improper muscle tears, chemical imbalances, internal scar tissue, and more. They are tiny alone and unnoticeable under most circumstances, but they build up into significant obstacles over the years. Your hot springs do wonders to shrink those issues, but they only speed up natural recovery. They do not heal what the body doesn't realize needs to be healed. And that goes doubly so for that healing Spell Card of yours. No matter how much you speed up natural recovery, such things will remain. That is why that Designated Card of yours is so precious beyond its other capabilities. Use that Designated Card to clear your body of those obstacles."
Hei tried to argue that he could wait a year to use it, but the following response shut him up. "I'm old and retired, Hei. Leave me be. My focus is on you. Age is catching up to me, not sickness or injury, and with the time I have left, I wish to see you surpass me."
"But my cards can help you live long enough to see it happen!" Hei countered.
A dry chuckle left Mr. Lupa's lips as he ruffled Hei's hair. "You have a kind heart Hei. You must learn to harden it on this path, but never lose that part of yourself. When you walk this path, you do many things you might not be proud of. You see things you would wish you hadn't. You lose people you wish wouldn't leave." His eyes trailed off into distant memory as he spoke. "But, sometimes…. kindness….can lead to the most cherished moments in life." A deep sense of longing came with his words, but before Hei could ask, the old man returned and focused on him. "If you wish to repay me, dedicate everything you have toward your growth, and let me see how far you can go before my time is up."
Hei could do nothing but nod to that solemn request. And from that day on, he never gave in to the pain. Never complained or whined during active training hours. He gave it all he had and was met with a teacher who guided him every step of the way.
However, just because the old man wanted something didn't mean Hei couldn't be stubborn and crafty in his own way. Mr. Lupa was training him to be sneaky, so he decided to be sneaky. The old wolf would notice if anything drastic happened, so he acted indirectly.
During the year, Mr. Lupa and Hei would often switch off with meal prep, depending on how exhausted Hei got. He was trusted to add the daily poison to his meal to keep up the resistance training without supervision. And when it was the old man's turn to cook, if Hei had a violent reaction to the dosage, the old man would know Hei was skimping out.
So one day, while preparing the day's meal, Hei slipped something extra into the old man's food.
Designated Card #14: Witch's Rejuvenation Pill – Each pill makes you physically younger by one year. Effects are gradual. You will retain all abilities and memories.
The pill was small and easy to grind up into a powder. It was tasteless and without scent. And as its effects came in over the course of a week, the old man could only relate how he felt to bathing in the hot springs.
Or at least, that's what Hei hoped. The old man hadn't said a thing about it besides mentioning his back didn't hurt as much.
A few more cards came into play as the year went on.
Designated Card #13: VR Instant Foreign Language School – Spend time studying a language at this VR school. Study from among 40 preset courses for 24 hours straight, and you will become fluent in a single chosen language. Warning: Failure to focus for 24 hours will result in instant failure.
With a single use, Hei could learn to speak, read, and write a language fluently.
The old wolf took one look at the card and commanded him to learn Spanish first. "I didn't want to mention it earlier, but who taught you to speak Spanish? You speak like a foreigner. I was waiting until next year to correct you, but this is faster."
'I am a foreigner, you old bastard!' Hei didn't verbalize that comment as he could barely move at the time from having to drag a tire through the woods on a run while having small pebbles launched at his legs, but the little pride he had for managing to learn Spanish in his first four years of life died a painful death that day.
Once inserted into the activation slot, Hei chose Spanish from among the forty listed options and watched as a VR headset materialized in front of him. Upon putting it on, he found himself in a typical classroom setting with a single desk he was locked into and a teacher NPC. If Hei ever wondered if the Christian God had a sense of humor, the answer came through as he stared at his female teacher's tight, barely contained clothing.
There was even a sensual Spanish accent to accompany her words.
However, he would have been more interesting if the teacher wasn't a Bull. Not a bull humanoid, but just a flat-out bull that spoke with a feminine voice and wore a suit with a pair of tiny glasses.
She, for even if she might have been a cow, she put grown bulls to shame in the muscle department, gave clear and steady instructions while writing on a blackboard.
The amusing and surprisingly helpful teacher aside, the learning process wasn't smooth sailing. No matter who you are, staying awake and focused for twenty-four hours studying a single thing is mind-numbing. On that note, the novelty of a talking bull actually helped keep him awake.
On the upside, the results paid off. When Hei woke up the next day after suffering a semi-traumatizing headache and passing out, he truly realized how poorly he had been speaking Spanish before and felt a bit embarrassed at his past self. 'No wonder Ms. Ana was the only one who would talk to me. At least I was young enough to play it off.'
Hei had another reason to be thankful for starting so young.
Designated Card #20: Memory Helmet – You will never forget things you see or hear while wearing this helmet. Unfortunately, it's extremely large and heavy. One minute duration.
Using it materialized a bulky-looking helmet with a switch to turn it on or off, allowing Hei the chance to try and put it on before the sixty-second timer started.
But when it specified 'large and heavy,' it really meant, 'Can you feel it on your head? Can you feel anything else but the large helmet on your head?'
Wearing it and focusing on anything else was a significant challenge. Still, Mr. Lupa was quick to realize its true potential.
"Hei, what do you know of magic?"
"Do you mean casting spells and stuff? I thought we went over this half a year ago?"
"Among other things, yes. Just answer."
"Well-.."
"And if you intend to give me half answers, don't answer at all."
Hei huffed and crossed his arms. "Then don't ask, Old Man."
The old wolf chuckled and held up a palm as a magic formation grew in the air, glowing in a dull red light with complex symbols rotating around a circular shape.
Hei watched with wide eyes as a ball of fire burst into existence above the formation. "I thought you said magic was pointless!"
Mr. Lupa smiled at his mixed expression of awe and outrage before snuffing out the flame. "I never said it was pointless. I said without talent, there is no time for me to teach you. It would take you years to learn and commit the proper equations to memory enough to cast in seconds. And we both know how your attempts at math went, hm?"
Hei growled at the knowing look and raised his hands up in annoyance. "Grah! Stupid numbers! Why wouldn't it make sense?!"
The older man laughed honestly and tapped Hei's shoulder with his cane to get his attention. "And that is why human magicians are usually not a real threat to the greater world. By the time most of them make something useful of themselves, they are already old and looking to prolong their lifespans. Only the talented, the lucky, and the hard-working become something truly fierce." He hummed at a pleasant memory before waving his hand. "Nevertheless, Magic is available to all races. It is formed from many sources of energy, and there are dozens of branches that call on specific sources of energy to manifest, usually unique to their bloodlines or heritages. Some, like Devils, can call on it instinctively. Their demonic power fuels them, relying heavily on imagination and intent as a guide. The Norse Pantheon uses a system of magic halfway between logic and intent. And humans use a system based entirely on logic, developed by Merlin a millennia ago during the age of King Arthur."
Hei sat back and looked up at his teacher in interest. "Was Merlin really half-Incubus or something?"
Mr. Lupa blinked at the odd focus and shrugged. "Who can say? Better to ask someone who had met the man and still lives. I'm old, but not that old."
"I don't know; you trail dust sometimes."
Hei knew it was coming and still couldn't catch sight of the cane that tapped him on the head. "Respect your teacher, brat."
"Maybe if you stopped hitting me I would." Hei grumbled and rubbed his head. "But leave the history lesson for later. Why are you telling me all this? I thought we were talking about my Sacred Gear card, Memory Helmet."
"We are." The older man pointed his finger forward, where a magic circle once more lit up and rotated slowly. "Human magic is so difficult because we must memorize complicated math and be able to bring it up rapidly. With that card of yours, while you won't be able to use any of the truly impressive examples of magic without being able to calculate on the spot, you could memorize the standard spell formations that require little to no alteration."
The concept sunk into Hei's head as his eyes narrowed in thought. "What kind of magic could I learn? Wouldn't it be better to learn something practical in my one-minute time slot rather than something I wouldn't have much use for?"
"Good question." Mr. Lupa nodded proudly before going on. "Your time is better spent on other things, but there are a few examples of magic that can be useful to you. Long-Distance teleportation to get around, hypnosis for mundane issues, and even simple elemental projectiles in specific parameters, there are plenty of areas that require little additions to the existing formula. Although, I only ever bothered to learn magic that was worth the effort involved."
The idea of all three examples had Hei thinking of ways to use them, but his budding practical side pushed through before he could get lost in brainstorming. "And I wouldn't need to know advanced math for them once I memorize the formulas?"
"Not as much as you would think. The hardest part of simple human magic is memorization." He pointed to the side of his head. "Teleporting is not a fast process. It requires a buildup of a decent amount of mana, and it's both flashy and obvious from where you leave, to where you plan to arrive. I believe there is a devil family, Gremory or such, that weaponized teleportation, but other than them with their bloodline, no others have managed such a feat."
"Wait, Gremory? Don't they have that destruction bloodline?" Hei questioned in open curiosity. 'That's what Rias had, right?' His Canon knowledge truly was spotty at best.
His teacher raised a brow at the specific question but shook his head. "No, that would be the Bael bloodline. I can see why the confusion exists, what with the next generation being the current Lucifer, but the Gremory bloodline is famous for its teleportation prowess. It was used to lethal effect during first the Christian faction war and then further in the Devil civil war. They would sneak troops around battlefields and aid their side by moving injured allies back and fresh soldiers forward to key locations with barely a sound. A truly terrifying force to have during war times, but the last true user of the power hasn't been seen in the public eye for centuries."
"Did they die?"
"Doubtful. I told you before, some people age and mature in days, whereas others age and never mature. It is the difference between learning and experiencing to gain wisdom, and living to pass the time. That elder Gremory fought through the fiercest war known to the world as a key figure and came out the other side just fine. I doubt she could die quietly. No, she likely went to sleep."
"How do you know all this?"
"Do you think you're the first to hear about teleportation and get the mental gears moving about weaponizing it, boy?" Hei growled at his thoughts being clearly read, but his teacher only shot him an amused look. "Poker face child, we will focus more on it. As for teleporting for combat use, I studied up on the subject in my early years after becoming a Lupa. It's a dead end, trust me."
Hei's thoughts turned toward certain Spell Cards available to him in his gear, but he chose to keep that to himself at the moment, hearing the bitter tone in the old man's voice. "Ok, I'll forget it for now. But what did you mean about the devil sleeping?"
The old man huffed and tapped his cane down firmly. "A valuable lesson for you, Hei. That Christian Pantheon, hell, most pantheons, are filled with immortals. Those devils? They are more or less stuck in a specific body shape determined at birth, but their nature allows them to convert their bodies to their most ideal selves, within reason. When they age, they only look older because they mentally feel that way. In nine out of ten cases, unless they are using transformation magic, a devil will look as old as they mentally feel themselves to be, in their natural body, that is. But they don't have lifespans. They can be sealed, grow sick in body or mind, or get killed, but they will remain if they avoid all that. And when they get old enough in mind, they tend to enter deep sleep to pass the time until something interesting happens." Mr. Lupa pointed at his bad leg. "My worst injury came from accidentally disturbing the rest of one of those old bats. The creature didn't even acknowledge me before swatting me away and returning to rest."
Hei always wondered how his teacher got the injury that made him require a cane to move around, and now he knew why. "Understood, Teacher." He had little knowledge or firsthand experience with the wider world and its mechanics, so he would commit that lesson to heart.
The older man nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, back to the point here. Long Distance teleportation is a very stable formation. The same one is used in most factions. And the only real requirements are memorizing the formula, the time to cast it, the energy to fuel it, and the coordinates of where you are going. Most faction territories have defenses against it, so don't go where you're not supposed to through magic."
Hei sweatdropped at that. "I thought you were training me to be an assassin?"
"I am. I have a dozen ways to sneak into any supernatural faction, let alone a mundane one. No Lupa needs to rely on something like teleportation to get their kill. Surviving the trip is a different story. Now, come along. I'll draw out the formula for you. I want you to use that helmet and memorize it."
The task was not simple. Due to the nature of the helmet, Hei had a hard time focusing, but everything his eyes landed on in those sixty seconds was ingrained in his memory like a series of photographs. Not giving him any understanding of them, but simply pure memorization.
Mr. Lupa had even written down the coordinates to fifteen major cities worldwide for him to memorize as well. Still, due to having a low pool of mana, it would take time before he could go traveling. 'I'm only five, so that's alright. I got far enough into season one of the show to remember Issei, as a new devil with a Sacred Gear and eight pawns, didn't have enough energy to teleport at the start either. I just need time to grow.'
Toward the end of the year, Hei decided to try out a few cards he didn't think were immediately necessary before they expired. The Christian Gods message said his Designated Cards wouldn't stack, so while he kept up a supply of Spell Cards, it was better to use his Designated Cards than leave them to get wasted.
Some were moderately interesting.
Designated Card #12: Fledgling Musician – Write a musical instrument on the summoned egg and warm this magic egg in your hand for two hours a day for one to five years, and you will become an advanced musician of the chosen instrument when it hatches. Actively working toward the goal will decrease the time needed until the egg hatches.
'I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar.' Hei summoned the egg and followed the instructions. It was somewhat fragile, and he didn't want to know what would happen if he broke it by accident, so he held onto it every day at dinner time and the down period after that.
Designated Card #36: Oscar's Safehouse Realtor – Oscar, the real estate agent, will build a secret room just for you at a place of your choosing. Choose from among four models.
This was a card that both interested and confused Hei up until he used it. 'What agent? And how exactly will it form? Will it replace the space?'
He had only bothered trying it at the end of his first year, in December, but when he did, he was amazed.
Hei had just activated the card when a well-dressed real estate agent materialized before him.
With a form-fitting suit, shining white teeth, beady black eyes, and an intimidating height of twelve inches, Oscar the raccoon greeted him with a smile that Hei could only imagine Might Guy would have if he aged two hundred years.
"Welcome, welcome, dear customer. How may Oscar help you today, hm?"
Hei's eyes traveled from the floating book to the diminutive form of a trash panda talking to him. His brow reflexively twitched, realizing that the Christian God was up to his humor again. 'It's like he's the one true dad or something, king of dad jokes.'
"…I assumed I was getting a safehouse?"
"Yes, yes! Of course." Oscar rubbed his claws together with a look that honestly unnerved Hei. "Please direct your attention to the screen; we have a variety of models to choose from."
The grimoire's screen lit up with said model options, and Hei put the weird raccoon out of his mind to study them.
[Environmental] [Modern] [Cabin] [Storage]
He clicked on [Modern] curiously, and the screen changed to show a floor plan and a list of amenities with arrow keys to customize options such as color, shape, and style.
"Yes, yes, our Modern model is always top of the line. Using state-of-the-art technology of the age to create a most appropriate environment."
Hei blinked at the voice coming from his side and turned to see Oscar somehow standing on the back of the couch to look over his shoulder, having not seen or heard him move. "Personal space, dude."
Oscar didn't seem to acknowledge the request as he went on. "You may customize many of the options as you wish or leave things to a default setting. But I always advise customers to make sure they specify the size setting."
'What customers?' Hei rolled his eyes but went along with it and clicked on the size tab. Immediately, a bar appeared, allowing him to slide between 200 square feet at the smallest, and 8,000 at the largest. "Why point out this in particular?" While cool, the default setting was set to 2,000 square feet, so he didn't mind.
"The overall defense, you see." Oscar knocked on the wall behind the couch with a claw. "Walls like these are but paper. What you need is a safehouse that can protect your horde. Protect our treasures from the world and give us a safe space to live comfortably." The little raccoon spoke passionately, and Hei was starting to wonder if it wasn't an actual NPC but a real talking raccoon.
"Uhu, and size affects that?"
"Indeed it does, dear customer! All of our models come with standard security features that can be adjusted by preference, but the actual defensive properties of our models go down the larger the size. Choose 200 square feet, and you can sleep through a nuclear strike without a peep. Choose 8,000 square feet, and a troll with a club could be a real issue. Size matters, and the little guy always comes out on top."
There was a certain sense of glee in those final words that Hei chose not to call him out on; something told him that it was a failing argument. "Defense goes down the larger it gets, got it. What are the other features?"
"I'm glad you asked! All of our models exist in self-sustaining minor pocket dimensions. Air filtration, radiation resistance, sewage and water pumps, fully functioning amenities, generators, you name it, we got it. No matter the size, those features don't change." He waved his paws in the air for emphasis. "Furthermore, all units come with built-in camouflage effects, escape hatches, and monitoring systems in case you get a curious neighbor but don't wish to give yourself away to observe outside the safety of your walls."
Hei blinked as the little guy went off and held up a hand. "Wait, wait, if it's a pocket dimension, then why do defensive properties matter?"
Oscar stopped talking and gave Hei a brief look that he could only describe as condescending before it was washed away by professionalism. "Dear customer, although our models are top of the line in safety pocket dimensional building codes, the door must still exist in reality. The bigger the pocket, the weaker the door; that's pocket dimension 101, sir."
Hei's brow twitched at the tone of the NPC. 'Don't strangle the trash panda; it's not worth it.'
All he said was a simple 'I see' before turning back to the models and playing with the options. "I get [Modern] and [Cabin], with the latter being a log cabin style, but what are the other two options about?"
"I'm glad you asked! [Environmental] is my personal favorite. You can still choose options for amenities, but simply place down the entrance door at a place of your choosing, and the model will form to take on the environmental characteristics of wherever it's placed. Put it in a forest and gain a home made from natural materials. Place it in the ocean and enjoy an aquamarine experience. Try for the winter tundra and feel at one with an architecture built from ice. Wherever it goes is what you will get. No refunds."
The last two words were said at ten times the speed of the rest of his speech, and Hei increasingly felt like he was dealing with a sleazy car salesman. "Ok, pretty cool. And the last option?"
"Ah, the [Storage] unit! My personal favorite. A top seller among our merchant types or anyone looking to really hide these away, if you get what I mean." Oscar's wink did not give Hei joy. "Instead of rooms, amenities, furniture, and so on, you will receive a singular large open space with customization options for shelving and so on. You can even change the size of the door to a shutter door for larger items. And that's not all!" Oscar leaned in like he had to whisper a secret, and Hei ideally leaned back. "Choose the smallest size option and enjoy your own personal treasure vault. No other company can compare to the safety and security of our 200-square-foot Storage model. What goes in, will stay in. Until you die, of course."
Once more, the little shit managed to end on a note that disregarded the usefulness of the rest of the information. 'Not to mention, the guy says each option is his favorite.'
Controlling himself with difficulty, Hei simply nodded and chose not to comment on the clearly eager-looking trash panda, waiting for him to ask more about the vault option.
So he simply didn't and returned to playing with the options with a simple nod of thanks.
After getting a handle on everything, Hei chose to keep it simple. 'I'll set most of it to default. I don't actually know what it will really look like until then.'
He backed out to the original four model options and took some amusement in how Oscar's eyes lit up when he hovered his finger over the [Storage] option. He may or may not have taken pleasure in stretching out the minute of choosing before hitting [Environmental].
"Ah….a wise choice, dear customer…."
Hei snorted at the depressed look and threw the guy a bone by asking a question. "Besides the default settings, is there anything else I should pay attention to before finalizing?"
Oscar blinked and lit up again. "Of course! Of course. Please take a look at the extra rooms tab; you will find…."
The two talked for another few minutes as Hei made his final choice with slight excitement.
As soon as he did, a square outline appeared in midair and moved to stay in the center of Hei's line of sight. "And this is?"
"The door setting, of course!" Hei flinched at the close-up voice and found an added weight on his shoulder as Oscar hitched a ride. "Choose where you wish to set it down. The door will adapt to its placing, but beware, once placed, we are not liable if you are unhappy with your purchase."
Hei rolled his eyes and got up. "Yeah, yeah." He looked around the living room before deciding to move this elsewhere. 'I trust the old man and appreciate everything he's done for me, but like he said, some secrets are better kept when only one person knows them.' He moved out the backdoor and into the tree line, out of sight from the property, before addressing his rider. "So I just place it anywhere?"
Oscar looked around in joy at the forest setting and nodded. "Indeed. Choose the ground, and it becomes a trap door. Or choose a standalone object, and it will become a door based on the settings chosen. But a surface is required to anchor the door to reality."
"Mn." A nod of proper manly 'getting it, but not getting it' was performed as Hei set the door down into the hollow at the base of a tree and watched in fascination as a metallic trapdoor materialized in matching colors of the surrounding material. The sound of power tools and hammering rang out loudly for a full minute, making Hei glad he was alone out there before it finished with a soft chime.
"Is that normal?"
"Of course, of course. Just the installation process." Oscar hopped off his shoulder and landed upright, rubbing his paws together excitedly. "Good, goooood. The model has been installed. We at Oscar's Safehouse Realter office thank you for your purchase, dear customer. Simply place your hand on the door to open it. All doors will only open for you or anyone you designate as having access. Step away from the door, and it shall fold back into hiding. Please be sure to call on us again, and we shall respond, promptly." A deep chuckle that had no right belonging to a trash panda left his lungs as Oscar vanished in motes of light, leaving Hei standing alone in the clearing.
'….I still can't tell if that was an NPC or not.' He shook his head and tried to ignore it. After enough experiences with his cards, Hei was getting used to weird shit.
Placing his hand against the cold metal door had a reaction of feeling like something scanning his fingerprints before it opened with a hiss, showing a ladder going down.
Dropping down the ladder, the door shut automatically behind him, leaving him standing in a doorway like something from a Hobbit movie. 'I guess it's double sealed?'
He pushed open the interior door and came out into a space that had his eyes widening in awe.
Glowing moss lit up an interior, making the Hobbit movie look like a ripoff.
Having chosen a default 2,000 square foot [Environmental] model and placed it in a forest beneath a tree, the interior took on properties of nature to create a magical environment.
A kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom, all equipped with furniture and appliances made out of natural woods, roots, moss, crystals, and such, filled the space. Split into rooms with walls made of bark.
Hei curiously opened the fridge and felt the cold air drift out. Peering inside, he saw a magic formation spinning idly in the corner and shut it with a chuckle. 'They really made a natural house here.'
There were no lights or electronics, only the glowing moss with occasional multicolored crystals to light up the space.
"Not what I expected, but I can't complain." Hei dive-bombed onto the one hundred percent natural bed and groaned at the softness of the moss. "Can't complain at all. God, I want to take this bed back with me."
It took Hei a few minutes to pry himself from the temptation of nap time, but he managed to move away to check out the extra feature he had added to the safehouse.
The last option he chose, with Oscar helping him go through them, was an option that allowed for additional room features.
There were options such as a bowling alley, movie theater, armory, and so on, but he could only pick one. Depending on the size of the unit, the additional rooms were limited, and in the standard unit, only one fit into the floor plan.
And a particular option caught his eye.
A small door to the side of the kitchen led to a secondary ladder, going straight down another dozen or so feet, where another hatch door led into a well-lit long rectangular room going a good five hundred meters deep.
A booth separated the beginning portion of the space from the rest, where a line of crystalized buttons glowed in neon lights and awaited his actions.
Hei pressed a button with a target symbol, and two dozen targets popped out of the walls at random intervals. A wide grin split his lips at the sight. 'A shooting range. This is going to be awesome.'
In the year that passed, while Mr. Lupa didn't believe he was ready for weapons combat training yet, he had handed Hei over two dozen weapons to see where he naturally felt an attraction toward. With enough time and will, any weapon could be trained to a lethal extent, but as time was limited, his teacher wanted him to focus on what he was naturally most inclined toward.
Mr. Lupa was a swordsman. The art of the sword was his forte. But Hei was….well….
The old man took one look at him holding a blade, and snatched it away. "No. Not for you."
"What?! Why? You just gave it to me."
"And I feel embarrassed for doing so. The sword does not call to you."
"I held it for two seconds!"
"And I only needed one to realize the truth." The old man wiped the blade with a fond look. "I apologize for being so slow. Age does these things, you see."
Hei dryly stared at the old man's gentle tone as he put the sword back on its stand. 'He's speaking softer to that blade than he ever did to me…..did I just envy a blade…..' He shook his head. "Old man! Next weapon." He needed to forget the last minute of his life.
Safe to say, they tested plenty of options. Nun-chucks, Spears, Hook swords, Tonfas, the Bo-Staff, Swords, Chain Whip, Combat Knives, even throwing weapons and a bow and arrow.
None of them called out to him. But rather than be worried, the old wolf just hummed as he studied his student and went inside before coming back out with a Glock. "Here, try this."
"….You just had this lying around?"
"Hm? Yes, it gathered a bit of dust in the closet, but it should work fine."
Hei felt the old man missed his point but decided to avoid making child soldier jokes, considering he was literally being taught how to be a mercenary and assassin.
The handgun had to be gripped tightly in his two smaller hands, but thanks to hunting seasons back in his first life, he wasn't clueless about guns, so he knew how to properly shoot without injuring himself. And when he fired off the clip at the target, he was surprised at the result.
The shots were all close to the center, if not within the bullseye circle.
His teacher hummed and rubbed his chin. "Yes, I thought so. You had remarkable accuracy for most thrown weapons, but it wasn't the blades that focused you're talents. I figured this would work better. Although….this could be an issue."
Hei removed the magazine and cleared the chamber before handing it back. "How so?"
The old man carelessly tossed the pistol onto a table, making Hei flinch, even knowing it was empty. "I didn't bother much with hot weapons. I preferred my blade. At my peak, with only my base body and skill, I could slice faster than any bullet outside a high-powered sniper rifle round could. Guns are too noisy, make it hard to mask scents, and require proper equipment. Not to mention it's a pain in the ass using it in the supernatural side of the world as most species are built differently from humans, but that's not to say it's impossible." He hummed some more and looked down at his student. "I'll see what I can do, but we will need to find a dedicated space for this. I won't have you destroying my backyard, and those distant neighbors will start bothering me again."
He trailed off with a grumble, and Hei could only nod in sympathy. He had met one of those neighbors before, and it was a batty old woman who would chat your ear off on random topics without an ounce of shame. And while the idea of just using hypnosis to make her go away is a common trend, Mr. Lupa didn't like to harm people he didn't have to. An enemy or contracted target received no mercy, and he had no fear of using underhanded means to achieve a goal. Still, a neighborhood annoyance is just that, an annoyance. Using hypnosis too often on a single target can lead to long-term brain damage.
Ultimately, they didn't have a solution just yet and chose to table the firearm training to focus on handling throwing weapons. Mr. Lupa handed him the empty Glock and told him to get comfortable holding one, but otherwise, he would have to figure something out.
And now, staring out at the gun range available to him, Hei could only smile excitedly. "Now I need more ammunition. Which means I need to get to America and hypnotize a redneck. Which means I need mana. Which means I need to grow. Ugh, being small has its downsides."
Being a kid was great in some ways, and annoying in others. Hell, despite his older mentality, Hei sometimes found himself actually acting like a child. 'Or maybe that says something about my maturity? Adults are technically big babies pretty often.'
The addition of his secret safehouse was a blessing to Hei's weary mind, giving him the knowledge of a place he could go to disappear from the world. And that went doubly so since he had a few more cards to use to make it even more secure.
Designated Card #33: You Shall Not Pass – Blocks all forms of teleportation or divination in or out in a radius of up to 30 meters from the designated location.
Just like Mr. Lupa had said about factions having means to block teleportation. This card would create an invisible bubble that denied teleportation, divination, or signal tracking for anyone outside the bubble. And as the one who set it down, Hei could designate if anyone was allowed past automatically or not.
If someone else tried to teleport in, Hei would receive a notification like a doorbell, and if he rejected it and the other party tried to force their way in, they would be bounced back.
It wasn't impenetrable, as a strong enough force could power through it, but it was considered an insult to do such a thing in the supernatural community.
Although seeing as Hei wanted things to be kept hidden, he shrunk the bubble to a size just around the safehouse's trapdoor, increasing the likelihood of keeping his sanctuary secret.
Designated Card #32: Venomous Snake Golems – Summon a group of venomous golem snakes to defend a territory. Three teams of five snakes. Cannot leave the designated location. Base Venom inflicts Paralysis upon targets. Venom can be improved by feeding the snakes a source of more potent venom. Golems can be combined into larger forms.
Extra security never hurts. And seeing the seemingly innocent-looking garden snakes with unassuming little fangs, one wouldn't think much of them until they acted, making them the perfect guards to remove unwanted visitors.
Although, combining five into one turned that little innocent garden snake into an anaconda-sized predator.
Hei set them in their more diminutive form around the trapdoor and watched as they dug into the earth without a single sign of their presence. A squirrel ran through the space minutes later, and before Hei could blink, three snakes launched up like arrows and injected the poor critter with venom, dropping it to the ground, paralyzed but alive.
'Well, at least I'm not going to be piling up corpses here, but I doubt any animals will settle in this specific area of the forest. Meh, not a big deal.'
He put it out of his mind while telling the snakes not to attack him or his teacher, and watched them nod even though he had no way to specify who the old man was.
They dug back down, and he turned his mind to the rest of his cards. Hei had figured out a certain loophole that existed in the rules saying he could only have one card a year. He assumed that as long as he turned a card into an item and didn't use it, he could have both the item, and the new card at the turn of the year. And if he was wrong, he didn't lose out on much. So he wasn't afraid to use most of the cards that gave him items and stocked them inside the safehouse.
Five of the forty designated cards available to him went unused, twenty were turned into items and stored in the safehouse, and fifteen were used throughout the year.
There were only four notable ones that were of immediate use to him.
Designated card #25: Imp's Protection – The soul of a crafty Imp was used to enchant this earring. Automatically defends from any offensive mental effect when worn and will reflect damage back onto the caster. 3 Uses.
Hei would never say he was big on jewelry in his first life. But considering he now had a ring tied to his Sacred Gear, and an earring that protected him from mental intrusion, he wouldn't complain any time soon.
The earring was small, black, rectangular, and had a devilishly smiling imp's face imprinted on the surface. It would remain in effect as long as Hei wore it, or until it successfully blocked three attempts of mental magic against him.
The old man had simply raised a brow at his choice of wear but said nothing. As far as he was concerned, Hei was free to make his own choices outside of training.
The following two, however, were helpful for both of their pleasures.
Designated Card #37: Mystery Pond – Release one fish into this pond; there will be one more fish of that type the next day. You can keep any combination of fish in this pond, even saltwater and freshwater. The pond supplies food to all fish. The user must select a fish daily to produce, or nothing will happen.
Designated Card #38: Tree of Plenty – A tree that bears any fruit. The type and number of fruit are random. No matter how much you harvest, it will be full again the next day.
Hei placed both cards inside the safehouse, giving him an endless source of food and solving the one issue of living inside his safehouse.
The first, the fish pond, gave Hei plenty of ideas. Many types of fish in the world had crazy nutritional value, flavor, and market prices. He could have as many as he wanted, and as fresh as he wanted, every day.
The second, the fruit tree, supplied fresh fruit every day. Any fruit it grew would only begin aging once harvested, meaning they would remain fresh no matter how long they stayed on its branches.
And as for the final memorable card, it was possibly Hei's favorite. And he showed it to Mr. Lupa the second the old man returned home from a trip into the city.
The old man had just walked in the door when he came face to mug with a panda standing upright, wearing a maid outfit.
"…."
"…."
Hei's teacher silently stared at the intelligent eyes of the creature as he removed his jacket, idly handing it to the maid as she reached out a paw for it.
He casually nodded in thanks before moving past it into the living room, where he sat in his rocking chair and stared at the disappointed-looking expression on his student's face as the young boy held a camera. "I said no pets."
"I thought you would have a funnier reaction." Hei pouted.
"I will have you making many funny reactions if you don't explain."
Hei summoned his grimoire and brought up the card's information before floating over the book to his teacher. Even if he used a card, the grimoire kept a recording of each card's description, similar to a Pokedex in a way.
Designated Card #29: Panda Maid – An endangered species. Very neat and loves to cook, and each has a hobby such as sewing or gardening. One panda per card. It cannot leave its designated location. It does not speak.
"….is this some kind of joke?"
Hei went to answer when said panda appeared holding a tray with warm drinks. She set one down beside the old man, who inclined his head politely. "Thank you, dear."
The panda nodded back kindly and moved over to Hei, who likewise took his drink before she left with a bow. "Isn't she great?"
"I repeat, is this some kind of joke?"
Hei sighed and put down his tea. "It's not. We both know how much of a pain it is to do the cooking and cleaning every day. You're old, and I'm too small. Since she is part of my power, why not use it? Joy is fluffy, adorable, caring, and loves chores."
"Joy?" The old man raised a brow, and Hei flushed.
"I gave her a couple name options when I activated her card, and she chose Joy. She's very intelligent, although she doesn't speak. She reprimanded me for walking inside with my shoes on earlier."
Mr. Lupa nodded. "Mn, good manners on her. But I don't like it. Chores are part of discipline."
"But they take away from our training time." Hei countered. He didn't mind the extra bit of time for training if Joy could stay. He spent a few hours with the panda, and the cuddly bear basically adopted him and kept trying to feed him baked pastries it pulled out of its apron for some reason.
The older man paused in deep thought at that. "She can cook, you say?"
"That's what the card says."
"If she can cook better than us, she stays."
Needless to say, Joy the Panda was there for good.
0000
"Aw, hug my boy some more, Miss Joy; god knows he needs some affection." Hei's mother commented as she stared into the waters of a magical artifact, seeing her child interacting with the panda maid.
She couldn't hear what was said, but she could see him from an elevated angle. And seeing him at all was enough to fill her heart with joy and longing in equal measure.
"You really shouldn't do that, you know." The darkness of the chamber Ilayda sat in shook as the queen stepped out of them like a doorway. "Who knows who could catch the signal."
Ilayda rolled her eyes at her mother. "As if the other queens could actually penetrate your domain without your knowledge."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, my dear." The queen hummed in amusement and approached the viewing pool to look down at her grandson. "He is quite adorable."
"Of course he is; he's my son."
"I'll have you know you were not that cute at his age."
"Gee, thanks, Mom."
"Anytime, dear." She paused as she caught sight of something in the viewing. "Did that panda just feed my grandson a pastry it pulled out of its apron?" The queen asked casually.
"Mn, someone can finally spoil my baby." Ilayda replied happily.
The queen realized her daughter missed the point of her question and sighed while forming a chair out of the darkness to lounge on. "I assume it's part of that infernal gear of his again?"
"Probably. I still can't actually see whatever that book of his says. It's all blank from here." Ilayda shot her mother a look. "And are you still annoyed he has one?"
The queen waved a hand airily. "He's of my blood. Why should he need one of those toys made by an upstart god."
Ilayda raised a brow at her mother. "Upstart god? I didn't see you or any of the others eager to step on his toes when he rose to prominence. You all hid here and watched as the years went by."
The queen's expression soured. "I'm not so arrogant as to not acknowledge power when it's due, especially when it's done through war. That god siphoned his power from the divine he had slain in his conquests, rising to prominence with that annoying ability to purify faith, but then he died, having only lived for a brief time. It does not change what he was, but he fell, and that's all that matters in this world."
Ilayda said nothing for a moment, simply humming in acknowledgment before going on. "So why do the so-called Sacred Gears bother you so?"
A scoff left the queen's lips. "It gives children the power of gods. How long did we struggle to attain our current power? How much did we suffer and bleed? And they get toys handed to them and proceed to throw destructive tantrums, much like those red and white dragon users. Pathetic. I dislike weakness, but I loathe handouts. Power without a price only leads to suffering."
"Not all humans are incompetent, Mother." Ilayda commented while thinking of Hei's father. "Some can be extraordinary."
The queen rolled her eyes at her daughter's tone. "Yes, yes, so you have said many times. I do not understand your fascination with their kind." She paused as she looked down at her grandson, seeing him begin his daily training with a nod of pride. "However, I won't label the species entirely weak. As long as one understands the price of power and acts with a sense of discipline, I have no reason to dislike them. Such as that teacher the boy has found. There's a worthy example of discipline and wisdom."
Ilayda's eyes widened in surprise. "Did you….just compliment humans?"
"So what if I did?"
"You hate humans!"
"I never said that."
"You told me bedtime stories of torturing them as a child."
The queen clicked her tongue. "That was not torture. Simply playing little tricks."
"The human always died in those stories." Ilayda replied dryly.
"Semantics. That just says those specific humans were weak."
"….Do you really not care that my son is half-human, Mother?"
There was a slight sense of hope in those words that had the queen softening in a way she would never do before her subjects. "He is of my blood; I care not for the rest."
Ilayda went to speak further when the viewing screen went dark. "Damn it! He went back into that annoying place."
The queen's eyes locked onto the water in interest. "Hm? My viewing pool is being blocked?" The water began to roil under her power, but still, nothing showed. "How intriguing." She narrowed her eyes and truly flexed her power until she felt whatever was blocking her begin to tremble. Only then did she pull back. "Maybe that gear isn't so bad after all."
"You're ok with this?!"
The queen scoffed and stood from her chair haughtily. "If he can hide that much from me, he is capable of hiding from the others. That alone should please you, daughter dearest." The chair melted with a wave of her hand as she looked down at her daughter. "Besides, don't you have better things to do right now? I have yet to receive a single one of the three heads I was promised."
Ilayda groaned in annoyance and stood. "I've been tracking one for the last year! I took down two opposing forts for you just while searching. He is running from me."
"Then hunt swifter, dear. It is what we do."
Ilayda could say nothing in reply to that and stormed out of the chamber with the distant sound of destruction trailing after her, much to her mother's amusement. "Such a temperamental girl. I would have thought letting her go play on the front lines for a bit would do her some good. Rather, she has only become moodier. Although, I can't fault her reasons."
The queen's gaze traveled back to her pool as Hei reappeared, running back to his teacher, laughing at something or the other. She narrowed her eyes at the boy that shared her bloodline. "Grow strong dear, there is no room for weakness in this family."
Her gaze turned to the old man instructing him. "My daughter might have missed it, but you cannot fool these eyes. If you want one of mine to inherit that legacy, you better ante up when the time comes, you fanged bitch."
A wave of her hand cut the link as already, curious seekers were sensing the waves of divination magic and attempting to encroach on her domain through the weave of their world. 'As if I would lead you to my own. I can't protect the boy for long, but for now…' Her eyes shined with unholy power. "BEGONE!" The curious probes were shattered, sending backlashes along the weave back to their owners who would likely lash out once they recovered. 'Hmph, bring it, this queen could use a workout.'
There was no rest for the wicked.
Chapter End.
AN: I'm not 100% happy with how I ended it but fuck it. I've been staring at my screen for hours after how much time it took to edit this chapter. On one hand, I love Grammarly. On the other, stop making me realize how poor my grammar skills are :'). Give me a bit till the next chap, gotta take a trip to the city for a few days for work. Fml. I'll try and upload rough drafts to my pat when I get the chance.
Hope you enjoyed, let me know what you think. Reviews fuel me.
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Response to reviews:
/: Dragon Master 888 – Don't worry. I'm using the old one as a skeleton so you will still get the best parts of the old one, just revamped and with more content.
/: Noahbadoah – Always glad to see you drop by. Thanks, I'm really trying my best for a solid start this time.
/: Thomas MCF – I'm glad your enjoying! I had a lot of fun working out the family plot with my Beta's. There's a lot of interesting developments to be had.
/: – Thank you! I appreciate such words.
/: lhael – The name is indeed from that part of the world.
/: brandt128 – The name gave that one away. Give it a better guess than that lol.
/: Lunar of Shadows – I'm glad you stuck around. Enjoy the ride.
/: calderoneric758 – I agree with you. It was one of the things that bothered me with the old version as well. There is a set up for the dad this time, but its much smaller than what the mom brings to the table. And good guess for the mom. Stay tuned to find out, if you got it right, you get bragging rights, if you didn't, you get to enjoy the content anyway! Win-win.