Double chapter because Nishino part was already written 10 chapters before this one (I am not joking).
Also chapter's name is different… come to think of it, the only other chapter without "Obsession" is DoG's battle… hum…
'Not bad, not bad…'
Cid looked in satisfaction. Everything proceeded exactly as they envisioned: Nishimura went in another world and safely managed to reach the destination… Though at the start they suddenly picked up the Call. About damn time! So he sent his, so to say, representative. Judging by whatever the hell that world was 'saying', it needed Heroes. Well, here! Hero! Hams, don't forget to make a record out of all of this!
"Lord Shadow…" oh, right, Victoria.
He turned around to see the fanatical eyes of his worshipper… Yeah, the usual look girls give him when they catch a feeling for him: widened eyes, creepy smile, and a wish to jump on him. He wonders, if he ever summoned the whole Shadow Garden, would they participate all together?… What was that thought? Perish, perish! He has Shades to confess to!
"Let's go, Victoria. It is time we return to Mitsugoshi."
"So… you say we were summoned to save the world from so-called 'waves', right?" Akane played with her crowbar.
"That's correct, Hero of the Shield-"
"Crowbar," she interrupted the speaker, "I am Hero of Crowbar."
She looked over at her… status…
##Name: Akane Nishino
Class: Hero of ##Crowbar##
L#evel: 498&
EqUIPment: Crowbar (Crowbar-class weapon)&&, ######'s clothes
Skills?: ?
MAgiC: A-A-A-A-A! I CAN'T DO THIS NO MORE!
'Huh, it broke,' Nishino thought lazily as the screen in front of her glitched out and disappeared.
"Right, Hero of… Crowbar…" the speaker on the throne who identified himself as king of this country said with a doubt in his voice, "I assume you have found your Status, o' Heroes?" he spoke to the other three.
"Indeed, and I am level one…" the sword guy sighed.
"Can we even fight with something like that?…"
She also noticed how they slowly shifted away from her. Yeah, yeah, leave her alone. She will beat these 'waves', then come back and beat Kageno for everything he pulled on her! 'Divine Spirit', he says… 'Save the world', he says…
But at least he's alive, right? That's all that matters…
"…Correct, o' Heroes. You are unable to increase the prowess of your Weapon in presence of other Legendary Weapons," king spoke about something, but she honestly did not listen.
Huh, Status is poking?
Attention: the Legendary Weapons and their own#ers will ex#pe&ri-i-i-
Oh, shut the fuck up already!
…
There's no negative effects when travelling with other Weapons.
Akane Nishino stared at the crowbar in her hand. The crowbar's gem shone innocently.
'I knew you were not that simple…' she sighed.
Come to think of it, didn't this crowbar look quite similar to the ones Minoru-kun used back then to save her from gangsters?… Oh, it shone again. Huh, that's what he meant by 'sentimental'…
"Uh, guys, my Status glitched?…" she heard bow guy.
She looked at them in curiosity.
"Yeah, it says something about Crowbar not affecting other Weapons?" spear guy poked (pun unintentional).
"I mean, that's actually thoughtful. It was Shield before, right? And Shield cannot attack, but is very useful at early game for protecting the carries… Oh, so that's why!" bow guy 'realized'.
'No, I think it's because whatever Kageno did broke the fucking system.'
"Hmm… No, by the legends Shield was unable to travel with other Weapons…" the minister (?) spoke cautiously.
"Please, fair lady, travel with me!" spear guy posed, "I shall protect you from everything!"
"Fuck no," was her immediate answer.
"Ugh! A tsundere! I am melting!" what a bunch of weirdos…
Oh, Status is poking again… What? Beat other weapons and absorb their gems to power up? Hmm…
"Ahem!" king coughed, "I suggest the heroes go and rest for now. We shall prepare companions for everyone to travel with in the meantime, and tomorrow, you will go on adventure to increase your powers!"
"Seems good with me…"
"I will totally get girls…"
"Me, a hero…"
'Fuck you, Kageno. And by the time I come back, it will be literal. With this very crowbar…'
The gem shone menacingly.
Cid sneezed.
He had a feeling someone thought about him in a bad way. Probably his imagination.
Right, he sent Victoria out to fetch Seven Shades. It was twenty minutes already. He was nervous.
He didn't know why, but he was. Like, he prepared and triple-checked everything. Gifts, rings, his own speech… But he was still nervous, alright! These were the girls he genuinely cherished!
"I have brought them, Lord Shadow," Victoria brought him out of his thoughts.
"Thank you. Leave us. This is a confidential matter."
Zealous worshipper nodded and went out of the room. He had a feeling she was going to protect the door so hard no one would be able to enter… Let's hope she will think about the walls, too.
"Master Shadow, I am glad to see you again," Alpha smiled at him.
"Likewise, Alpha, likewise," he smiled back.
"Right, there are reports-"
"Not now, Alpha. I have brought you gifts and souvenirs."
Everyone perked up.
"What kind of souvenirs, Lord Shadow?" Beta inquired, "I have heard that you went away, but…"
"Oh, yeah, I was in another world."
Everyone went silent.
"…Didn't Victoria tell you?"
"No, Master…" Eta shook her head lazily, "Just said… to come here…"
"Well, I was in another world and managed to obtain precious knowledge and things! So yes, I am gifting them to you!"
"Ah!…" Gamma gasped.
"Gifts from Boss?! Yippie!" Delta jumped, making her… assets bounce.
"Right, we will go from the end… Eta, come here."
Researcher curiously took a step forward. After a moment of concentration, Cid took the gift out.
"T-That's…" her eyes widened.
"Yeah, this is the combination of otherworldly knowledge and Shadow Wisdom! An advanced set for everything researcher and crafter would want! Anvil from high-level materials, Forge with multiple settings and understandable controls, and an Artifact Station with built-in artifact molds, instruments for advanced users, and a deciphering tool! Everything an enthusiast would need-" his speech was interrupted by sudden flying object called Eta that just launched herself into his embrace.
She looked at him with girls' usual scary look: wide smile, wide eyes…
"Thank you, Master Shadow… I will cherish your gift… And find a good use for it… Hi-hi-hi…"
"Uh, Eta…"
"Yes…" she rubbed herself against him.
"Eta, think about the others, please," Alpha smiled darkly.
"Ugh… F-Fine…" she let him go.
Cid coughed.
"R-Right, Zeta…" he took the gift out as cat-kin silently stepped forward, ears twitching, "The espionage tools. Sound transmitters, stealth suit, survival package… In short, everything needed for a solo mission! Instructions included!"
"Hmm… Thank you, my Lord, I have already found the ways I can use your gifts…" Zeta squinted and grinned. Poor anyone who got on her bad side.
"Now, Epsilon."
"Yes, my Lord!"
"I know about your… magic enthusiasm…" she stared at him, "So, here. Magic books that I myself compiled and made easy to understand. You can learn from them, then distribute to everyone else…"
"My Lord, is that knowledge… here?" oh, yeah…
"Somewhat. The basics. Everyone is different, after all, and it's more a matter of experience, but the foundation is here, yes."
"Thank you, my Lord, I will make sure to surprise you in the future," Epsilon smiled brightly.
"Alright, Delta, come here."
"Bossman!" she jumped up to him.
"Hmm, what do I have here… Oh, but of course!" he took out the… collar, "This thing makes hunts easier. Smell, sounds… Everything will be way less potent on its wearer. If you ever want a challenge, you can turn it off. We can also… play with it…"
"Thank you, Bossman! Aww!" wolf-girl immediately started trying to wear the collar. He honestly didn't want to use it, but she seemed to be happy with it, so…
"Now, Gamma…" the mature woman gracefully came up to him, "Here, full-fledged economy books, with my own thoughts. Also take this," he took out the card from Serpent's scale, "Channel the magic into this symbol, and a free man… cough, cough… yeah, workers will appear. Contrary to whatever they say, they are already paid, so you don't need to give anything from your pocket. Understood?"
"Y-Yes, my Lord…" azure eyes scanned the gifts, "Hmm, that would certainly help in business…"
"Beta, for you I prepared… this!" he took the gifts out.
"Lord Shadow, is that?!…"
"Camera from another world, made and enchanted by me! Can take almost infinite number of pictures, and they are fully colored, in high resolution! And, knowing your writer passion, a notepad with built-in search and navigation features," don't ask him how much time they spent making it. The spirit they caught made it a lot easier…
"T-Thank you, my Lord!" her breasts squished against each other as she placed the gifts onto them.
"And, Alpha…"
"Master Shadow," she smiled slightly.
"I honestly didn't know what to gift you at first… But then I realized something. So, here."
He took out a large case. Alpha looked at it in curiosity and turned her gaze to him. He nodded at her and motioned to open it.
Once the lid was removed, elf gasped at the sight.
Inside a case, the dark sword lay sheathed. Even though she could only see the hilt and the sheath itself, it was clear that whatever the materials were used, they were exquisite.
"Take it," he was happy at her reaction.
Alpha reached out and slowly unsheathed the sword. Similarly dark blade slowly revealed itself, with occasional flashes of purple running on it. Once it felt her hand, the dark ruby flashed at her presence.
Yeah, the binding system. Hams and Todd spent some time making the recognition system that would only allow the weapon's owner to wield it, anyone else would get zapped… or burnt… or frozen… you get it.
"This sword…"
"Yeah, I made it," he declared proudly.
"You created all of that?…"
"Uh, yeah…" he blinked.
Shades stared at him with… oh, he knows that look. Eta just showed it not so long ago… and Victoria…
"Ah, my Lord…" Gamma raised her hands to her face, "To think you care about us so much."
"Speaking of it, I am not finished."
They tried to calm themselves down.
"Right, so…" he gulped and slowly took out seven boxes.
With his magic, they slowly flew towards the Shades.
"C-Cid?" Alpha broke the character.
"You have been with me since… since my childhood, basically… You went with everything I said, helped me build the world-wide organization that controlled everything from the shadows… You have taken my dream as your own, simply because you wished to be with me… And… And I appreciate that a lot… Nah, to hell with it!"
He decided to scrap his speech and just say it straightforward.
"Alpha. Beta. Gamma. Delta. Epsilon. Zeta. Eta. I love you. I love you all deeply. You are the best thing to ever happen with me in this world. If it was not for you, I… I would be so alone… So…"
Boxes opened per his will, revealing the exquisite rings, each in its unique style.
"My Seven Shades… Will you marry me?"
Girls' breath hitched. They looked over at their Master. Master, who had finally answered their feelings…
And in the next moment, Cid suddenly felt their soft embrace.
HE DID IT!
GUYS, HE DID IT!