Chapter: 37
Disclaimer: I don't own High School DxD or any other universe used in this story.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
(Where the Sun Don't Shine)
Smoke curled in the air gently, providing nothing more than a dense cover that slowly rolled over the outside of the large Fortress.
The Apollo Familia members looked down from the raised walls warily. The largest advantage of their sight being stolen from them. However, I didn't allow the mist to fully cover them, lest Lili find herself randomly shooting into the dark.
For a moment, I stood still. Simply observing the fortress.
Massive pillars shot up from the ground, supporting overhead walkways knotted into the rock face. Low arches and narrow corridors funnelled intruders into chokepoints.
Around the perimeter stood tall battlements with crenellated walls, and dark stone carved to resemble roaring suns, the Apollo's emblem.
Tall spikes reinforced with metal-tipped the parapets, perfect for impaling climbing intruders. Hidden arrow slits blended into the rock, and platforms for magic users were strategically placed above each main gate.
It was a Fortress most assuredly, one that held over one hundred Familia members. With a few of them being above the level of three.
They had the advantage. Defending was mostly easier than attacking. Depending on the circumstances in any case.
Everything about this situation pointed to the Apollo Familia winning, my Familia disbanding and my forcible recruitment into their ranks. It was just a shame that they probably picked the worst guy in Orario to try this on.
I analysed the armaments and the front gate.
Over two dozen of them alone stood, awaiting some sort of attack. Many held bows while others were seemingly ready to jump down and begin fighting.
My wand raised and a large flash of green light pierced the veil of the smoke.
One of the large towers found itself cut into a perfect line, the positioning threatening the building's structural integrity. The stone groaned and I sent another one at the connected spot to the castle bridge.
-{Hyakinthos Clio}-
Hyakinthos kept alert, his narrowed eyes surveying the smoke.
He knew the Captain of the Hestia Familia would be slippery. The information gathered on him had said he was an abnormally talented and powerful mage.
A green blade of magic shot out from the smoke and impacted the magically reinforced stone tower that held a few archers. A rumble shook the tower and a deep cut had somehow pierced through the magical stone.
It had been a bit of a low move, but the Apollo Familia had gotten someone to inscribe magic into the stone just before the War Game had started. It was a rushed job since it wasn't perfect but it should have been able to hold up.
The tower held, despite the large cut now piercing the stone.
"All artillery, target the smoke cloud!" Hyakinthos commanded, his voice carrying across the fortress walls.
The archers on the towers drew their bows while the operators of the two massive ballista machines began cranking their weapons into position.
The ballistas were impressive pieces of equipment, each one stood nearly ten feet tall with reinforced steel arms capable of launching massive arrows embedded with monster stones.
The projectiles alone were the size of spears, designed to punch through heavy armour and detonate on impact.
He'd thought the circumstances around bringing literal siege weapons to what was supposed to be a standard War Game were strange and very much overkill, even against someone with Zephyrion's reputation.
"Fire!"
The archers released their volleys first, dozens of arrows whistling through the air toward the dissipating smoke. The ballistas followed with deep, resonating twangs as their massive projectiles launched with enough force to crack the stone beneath the machines.
For a brief moment, silence settled over the battlefield.
He strained his eyes, attempting to see through the thick veil as there was no announcement of the man's knockout.
Then flashes of powerful red bolts lit up, and fizzling energy erupted from a different place within the massive cloud of fog. Instantly coming to strike every position the arrows had come from.
The explosions that followed were powerful, devastating eruptions that sent chunks of stone flying.
Hyakinthos was thrown backwards as one of the energy bolts struck near his position. His ears rang as he pushed himself up, blinking away dust and debris.
When his vision cleared, he stared in bewilderment.
The entire front line of the fortress's top level was crumpled. The ballistas were twisted wreckage, their operators unconscious and bleeding despite the Guild's safety enchantments.
Half the archer positions had simply ceased to exist.
He stumbled up, gripping his sword as if the Hestia Familia Captain was going to burst out and begin attacking him directly.
Shouts erupted from the other three defensive lines deeper in the fortress as his familia members scrambled to reposition, they immediately came to try to help and Hyakinthos had to shout back. Telling them not to move.
He looked over just in time to see one of those massive monster stone arrows, somehow redirected back at them, hit and explode directly into a group of his familia members.
The blast sent bodies flying, and even though he knew they wouldn't be killed thanks to the Guild's regulations, the sight of his unconscious and injured comrades made his stomach drop.
A man on the other side began firing indiscriminately into the mist, and arrows began to be knocked and fired in rapid succession. The arrows were fast, as expected of a level two archer but he could only shout in warning as an arrow impacted the back of his neck.
It didn't pierce through, the safety enchantment the Guid regulated for these types of battle was on all weapons except magic.
He was knocked out.
Hyakinthos took a deep breath. "Archers! Regroup, spearman, keep your positions. Don't let this volley distract you from their real mission. To capture the flag."
There was a large amount of affirmation. Even with over a dozen men already knocked out there were still many more.
His eyes drifted back to the devastated front row of the fortress, taking in the scope of destruction that had been unleashed in mere seconds. He gulped slightly. Maybe those siege weapons hadn't been an exaggeration after all.
"Right! You two try to use the remaining debris to reform a wall. Alto, Laon. Prepare to use your magical weapons." Hyakinthos rapidly ordered. "I want every archer paired with a shield man now, you five over there to join the group guarding the flag."
Another massive fireball impacted the already damaged tower and caused an explosion of debris that filled the castle.
"Shields!"
Every Familia member who had grabbed a shield to act as a shieldman raised their shields.
"I saw where that came from," Alto said, swiping his dagger and shooting a fireball of a much smaller size back.
Hyakinthos frowned.
Was one mage seriously doing all of this? It was insane. That left the question, what were the others doing? One of them was obviously playing archer judging by the way another arrow impacted one of the shields near the edge on the other side.
Hyakinthos composed himself, his mind racing through tactical options.
Sitting back and playing pure defence might be the safest strategy for protecting the flag during the hour they needed to hold out, but at this rate, they'd be whittled down to nothing before time ran out.
"Daedalus, Cassander!" He called the two of his level two lieutenants. "Take eighteen men and move out to engage the Hestia captain directly. I need to know his exact position so we can coordinate a proper counterattack."
The two lieutenants nodded grimly. Daedalus was their best close-combat fighter while Cassander specialised in battlefield coordination. If anyone could pin down Zephyrion's location, it would be them.
"Use the east wall to rappel down," Hyakinthos continued. "Don't open the gates. That's our weakest point and I'm not giving him an easy entrance."
He watched as his men prepared their ropes and began descending the outer wall.
The gate below was their most vulnerable spot, and he'd already ordered it reinforced with additional barriers and positioned their heaviest fighters there.
The twenty-man strike force quickly disappeared into the mist below, their forms swallowed by the thick fog that still clung to the battlefield.
Then... nothing.
No shouts, no clash of weapons, no magical explosions.
Just silence.
Hyakinthos felt a chill run down his spine. Twenty men, including two level twos, and not even a sound of combat.
Hyakinthos' jaw clenched.
When his Lord had said this would be an easy victory, especially with just how outnumbered and outclassed they were. He had taken it to heart. He hadn't been outright cocky, but even with the first few powerful attacks he hadn't been worried.
Now…
He had to wonder just who the hell this guy was.
This wasn't level three power.
They were strong, and sure the rare magical types were powerful. But this felt to a different degree.
He hadn't even seen the other three.
The supposed level three Bell Cranel whose name had been rising alongside his.
One of them was playing archer, probably the pallum with that magical crossbow he had seen but that remained speculation. Perhaps all three of the others were grouped up?
The Hestia Captain could be using large spells and the other two could be defending him.
"Can we get rid of this fucking smoke?" He growled.
There was silence and he sighed.
"Change of plans," he announced, his voice carrying across the remaining defenders. "Alcides, Theron, Marcus, Leonidas, all level three to the flag chamber now. Full defensive formation."
His four remaining powerhouses moved immediately. If Zephyrion could take out twenty men that quietly, Hyakinthos wasn't taking any chances with their primary objective.
"Everyone else, tighten the perimeter! Form ranks of three, shield, spear, and archer. No gaps in coverage!"
The remaining seventy-six familia members shifted into tighter formations.
They had fifty minutes left to hold out. Fifty minutes of this nightmare.
An arrow whistled out of the mist, striking one of his men in the shoulder. The safety enchantment prevented real damage, but the man collapsed unconscious. Another arrow followed seconds later, this one deflected by a well-timed shield raise.
Then another. And another.
The arrows came in steady intervals. Whoever was shooting was talented as about half found their mark despite the defenders' efforts. It was like being picked apart by an invisible sniper who never seemed to miss when it mattered.
Hyakinthos scowled as another man dropped.
From seemingly thin air, a blur of white hair and a shout got his attention, on the further north side which was the back of the fortress, a man was kicked off as someone jumped up.
White hair gave the identity away as Bell Cranel moved quickly, lashing out with a brutal kick that sent another level one closest to him flying away and off the fortress.
Where can he even come from?
He went to help only for a glow to catch his attention from behind.
Hyakinthos turned and took a step back.
What…
-{Bell Cranel}-
He deftly avoided a blade, lashing out with a punch before he jumped up.
Bell had waited for the right time to scale up the walls and quickly strike. With the invisibility cloak, his ascent had been unnoticed and easy, then once he was at the top, he had removed the cloak. Catching the guy he had snuck behind off-guard.
The fog had allowed him to escape the camera since Zephyrion didn't want anyone to realise they had the invisibility cloak. Even with this strange fog for some reason, he could see much better when in it than out of it.
Allowing him to watch.
Zephyrion was proving himself to be the strongest adventurer he knew as he laid waste to the front side of the fortress.
Bell had to admit, he had been worried for his leader.
Zephyrion was basically his older brother even if he was too embarrassed to admit it. He knew the power of the contracts and he knew Zephyrion would truly be lost if the Apollo Familia won.
Bell couldn't allow that to happen.
Lili was doing her job well, an arrow hitting an approaching swordsman as Bell jumped nimbly and brutally kicked another. He used his dagger to deflect another strike and ducked as an arrow slid overhead.
The Apollo familia members he was fighting were skilled, but they were level ones. Bell's speed and agility easily surpassed theirs by multiple folds as he weaved between their attacks, striking when openings appeared.
It was one of his first times fighting actual humans and he realised just how far he had come.
He had always wanted to be a strong adventurer and in honesty with Zephyrion's constant hard training, it was hard to tell how far he was growing in terms of strength. Besides his falna being updated by a happy Hestia.
He spun around a spear thrust and drove his elbow into the wielder's stomach, dropping him instantly. Another rushed him from the side, but Bell rolled under the swing and came up behind him, landing a precise strike to the back of his neck.
"There! The rabbit!" someone shouted from across the courtyard.
Bell grimaced. More were coming, and these looked better equipped than the others.
A level two Apollo familia member practically sprinted over the debris, landing heavily in front of Bell. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, carrying a curved sword that gleamed despite the dim light filtering through the mist.
The level two moved fast, Bell got his dagger up in time to block the first strike, the impact sending vibrations up his arm. The follow-up came immediately, forcing Bell to leap backwards.
He found himself easily dealing with the Level Two, a man who would have bullied him like the rest in the past.
Though, he quickly found himself forced to fight others as another Level Two and some Level Ones came to help. Bell found himself being pushed back, struggling to keep up with all of them.
A heavy kick caught him in the ribs, sending him stumbling.
The level two pressed his advantage, raining down strikes that Bell could only deflect.
Bell rolled, kicking his leg and sending another kick to his face that sent him flying back.
He glanced up as a glow covered the area and widened his eyes as four massive rods of flaming stone fell out of the sky.
Bell quickly moved, jumping off the fortress ledge and back into the fog. The invisibility cloak wrapped around him and once more he was cloaked from anyone's sight.
He had to briefly wonder just how Bell had gotten his hands on such a cloak, but shook his head as he decided to go through with his objective.
Checking the Flags' defences and possibly stealing it if possible, though he had put a heavy 'if' on that statement.
He scaled the walls once more, an archer pointing his bow down as if waiting for him to try to climb again.
Above was a mess.
Adventurers scrambled around as the last attack had truly pushed the top of the Fortress to its limits.
He slowly moved through all the chaos and to where the flag presumably was.
Moving carefully through the panicked defenders, he kept to the shadows cast by the damaged battlements. Smoke from the magical bombardment provided additional cover as he navigated around clusters of shouting Level Twos coordinating their defense.
The flag's location became obvious quickly enough, a central tower that rose above the main fortress structure.
But as he approached, he frowned. The entrance was blocked by no fewer than a few dozen adventurers with shields and spears.
They stood in a tight formation around the doorway, weapons drawn and eyes scanning constantly.
He studied the tower's walls, looking for alternate routes. Smooth stone offered no handholds, and the windows were too high and too well-watched.
Even with the invisibility cloak, getting past that many adventurers in such a confined space would be impossible.
He backed away from the tower, moving as quietly as possible through the ongoing chaos. Halfway to the wall, shouts erupted behind him.
Several guards came running down the narrow stone corridors. Bell pressed himself against the wall as heavy footsteps thundered past.
Three Level Twos rushed by, close enough that he could have reached out and touched them.
He waited for their footsteps to fade before continuing.
Another attack from Zephyrion was launched, this time a wave of water that slammed into the top of the fortress and froze a moment later.
Bell slipped out from there and jumped down the fortress' high walls.
-{Apollo}-
Apollo had to keep himself from sweating nervously.
He was watching the large screen provided by the special devices that used Arcanum to reflect a mirror-like broadcast.
If he had known the boy was such a beast he wouldn't have made such an offer… it had seemed so clear. He had one hundred and ten members in his Familia in total.
Five Level Three.
Elven level twos.
And the rest were level one.
The Hestia Familia had two Level threes, impressive no doubt. But only two compared to his five. Then two level ones.
On paper, it was clear-cut.
Oh, Apollo knew that some adventurers had special advantages that allowed them to hit above their weight class. If somehow Zephyrion and Bell had defeated the five-level three, he still had elven level two's, powerful ones at that. Along with an army worth of level one's.
There were advantages then there was whatever this little monster was.
Still…
It only made his desire to get him even stronger.
His thoughts trailed to what the boy had said. Apollo wanted to scoff outright at his words. The dissolution of his Familia and forcing him to hand everything to Hestia was a real threat. Even forcing him back to Tenkai was a real threat.
But stealing his main Domain of the sun was laughable.
Apollo almost smiled at the absurdity of it.
What did mortals truly understand about what Gods were? They saw the surface, which was just the bestowing of Falna. They didn't see anything beyond that. Hell, they didn't even get to witness their true divine forms and power.
A God's domain wasn't something that could be stolen like a magic sword or enchanted artefact.
It was woven into their very power.
The connection ran deeper than any mortal magic could reach. His authority over light, music, prophecy, and healing, weren't skills he had learned or powers he had acquired.
They were fundamental aspects of his divine nature, as inseparable from him as his consciousness itself.
The boy's threat was born from ignorance, no matter how impressive his magical abilities might be.
Apollo had existed for millennia, had seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations, and had witnessed magic that could reshape continents. None of it could touch what he truly was at his core.
Still, as another explosion echoed from the fortress below,
Apollo found his confidence wavering just slightly. After all,
He didn't want to leave Genkai and dissolve his Familia, most of all he didn't want to lose.
The God Of The Sun sent a glance towards Hestia, who was watching with a serious expression. More serious than he had seen his technical aunt. The admittedly beautiful woman had a look he hadn't seen on her.
Strange.
Zephyrion had kissed her.
A mortal had kissed one of three Virgin Goddess left among all the Gods.
Judging by the way some other Gods were glancing, it hadn't been missed.
The boy didn't know the importance of the action he had performed.
Hestia was a renowned beauty and many Gods in Tenkai had tried their hand. In fact, the only reason she had a rough time when coming down here was because the Gods were trying to pressure her to join them.
Apollo focused back on the battle, letting out a sigh as he watched his captain try to coordinate.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
I wasn't going to sugarcoat it.
I was showing off.
Despite how it sounded, I did have a valid reason for this.
The reason was quite simple, I wanted a bit of a deterrent and the image I was presenting was showing myself without really showing myself. I'm sure there were quite a few people watching.
So I wasn't giving away everything, but I was showing I was capable. Plus, there was a small chance I would lose if I just started summoning massive attacks.
I could probably only do two of the massive attacks akin the summoning that massive wave back in the wizarding world.
I looked at the smouldering Fortress.
It wasn't destroyed.
No… I knew I wasn't allowed to kill. That's why I had aimed my recent attack carefully.
I decided to get this show on the road and made my way to the door, stepping past all of the unconscious adventurers around me. Subduing them hadn't been hard.
A few stunners that I covered from the sight of everybody with even more fog.
Wizarding magic was a bit of a hack for this level of combat. I'm sure it could be resisted by stronger beings though. A level four could probably resist the spell.
I glanced around for a moment, listening to the distant shouts and the damage caused by my magic.
Time to speed this up.
I glanced over at Lili, who was focused on firing the few remaining arrows she had left. Her supply was running low after keeping up a steady cover fire.
Welf caught my eye and gave me a nod, his expression showing something close to awe. I could see him looking at me in a completely new light after witnessing what I'd just pulled off.
I hadn't shown him enough for him to realise that I wasn't a level three at all.
My eyes flickered back to the Fortress.
From what I could tell, Bell was causing chaos at the north end of the fortress while I'd been hitting the west front.
Even with all the magical fire I'd been throwing around, I could see protective enchantments glowing on the unconscious bodies, keeping them safe from serious harm.
Both towers had been completely knocked down by pure magical force.
Now it was time for the finale.
I channelled demonic power, feeling it flow through me as I performed a powerful spell. I didn't make a habit of using my wand but since I was putting on a show and the cost reduction was worth it.
My wand thrummed, warming to my touch and giving me a sense of comfort.
Silently, I cast a spell I had learnt.
Reducto.
Demonic power travelled through my wand and I poured power into it.
Without so much as a word, The spell erupted from my wand as a brilliant blue-white bolt, crackling with unstable magical energy that seemed to tear at the very air around it.
The spell struck the fortress door with tremendous force, but instead of a simple explosion, it began systematically dismantling the front gate's structural integrity.
An initial impact created a series of rapid-fire detonations that worked like magical-shaped charges, finding every weakness in the reinforced stone and iron.
The thick magically reinforced door buckled and warped for a split second as the magic calculated the exact stress points needed for maximum destruction.
Then it exploded outward in perfectly symmetrical fragments, sending chunks of stone and twisted metal flying in all directions.
The blast was so precise that it left the surrounding walls intact while completely obliterating the entrance, creating a gaping hole wreathed in dissipating magical energy.
Dust and debris settled to reveal the path forward, and I could see the shocked faces.
On the other side waited a formation of shield wielders and spear users, all positioned defensively.
They all took a step back.
I stowed my wand away, taking out my weapon which took the form of a knife. That changed as a sword came to shift out with a click, the long blade extending.
I started by sending a wave of magic to destabilise them before I exploded forward.
I went through them using mostly only physical combat strength, occasionally swiping my sword to block while lashing out with punches, kicks, and quick movements that were enough to handle level ones and twos when they couldn't coordinate properly in the confined space.
I popped my head up almost comically, scanning the inner courtyard.
It wasn't long until I was standing over multiple unconscious bodies.
When I got to the top where all of my spells had hit, I looked around.
Where was everyone?
Bell jumped down from an upper level, landing nearby in a crouch.
He looked around.
"Where did they all go?"
"They must have retreated after my latest attack," I said, gesturing at the smoking towers.
Bell nodded, looking around at the destruction with wide eyes. Chunks of stone and twisted metal were scattered everywhere.
"You really are an amazing Captain," Bell muttered.
I paused and then sent him a bright smile.
"You're an amazing lieutenant, Bell."
He looked at me in shock.
I gave Lili a casual wave from across the courtyard. She sent me a flat, unimpressed look in return.
I grinned. Even in the middle of a War Game, some things never changed.
"Let's go wrap up, shall we? I suspect they probably have the rest of their heavy hitters grouped up behind a wall of levels one and two adventures." I stated.
"Really? Then again, there should be quite a few of them" Bell replied curiously.
"It's a smart move." I conceded. "With my magic raining hell down on them, they've abandoned trying to protect a larger area and have moved into a more fortified area with only a few localised entry spots."
Bell smiled brightly. "Does that mean our win is all but secured? If we are forcing them back so much, or well. You are at least."
"Don't underestimate yourself, if they had stayed with my magical spells raining down and you picking them off. They wouldn't have lasted much longer." I replied.
Bell merely smiled at my comment.
"How are we going to go about this?" He asked. "They're all going to be grouped up right?"
"Most definitely."
"So how are we going to get through?" Bell asked.
I looked up at the recording device following us.
"Ah, my eager apprentice, that's exactly where the real fun begins."
-{Riveria Ljos}-
Her eyes were transfixed on the crimson-haired teenager, taking in every detail as her Familia muttered around her.
His athletic build was lean and defined, muscles carved from what was clearly rigorous training.
The crimson hair fell in waves that seemed to catch and hold the light, framing sharp, aristocratic features, high cheekbones, a straight nose and a strong jawline.
But it was his eyes that truly captivated her. Both were multi-coloured in a way that shouldn't be possible. It was his most distinct feature except for his crimson hair.
She had heard the rumours based on his strange eyes.
He's a demigod, those eyes prove he has divine blood.
The gods blessed him personally, that's why his eyes changed colours.
He's the reincarnation of an ancient hero from the Age of Gods.
A powerful curse backfired and gave him those eyes instead.
He made a deal with a spirit and that's the price he paid.
Those eyes let him see through illusions and lies.
All outlandish theories were amusing and yet she couldn't help but make some of her own.
Perhaps he had some noble lineage, Riveria mused in her mind. It would explain all the unique magic he was using, beyond the seeming control of elements he had.
He was undoubtedly the most powerful mage she had come across besides herself. He was level three yet his magic was far more powerful than a level three mage.
"My, my, Riveria," Tione's voice came from beside her, dripping with barely contained amusement. "I don't think I've ever seen you stare at someone quite so... intensely."
Riveria's pointed ears twitched slightly, though she maintained her composure. "I am merely observing his magical techniques. His spellwork is... unconventional and most undoubtedly intriguing."
"Unconventional, and I'm sure he's quite intriguing hmm?," Tione repeated, a grin spreading across her face. "Is that what we're calling it now? Because from where I'm standing, it looks more like you're cataloguing every detail of his face."
"Don't be ridiculous," Riveria replied coolly, though a faint blush threatened to colour her cheeks. "I am a senior member of this Familia. It's my responsibility to assess potential allies and threats, along with my academic interest in magic."
"Uh-huh." Tione's grin widened. "And which category does the handsome crimson-haired mage fall into exactly?"
Finn approached them and Riveria thanked his subtle move of saving her from this embarrassing line of questioning.
His expression was thoughtful as he watched Zephyrion's display of power. "Remarkable. His magical output rivals yours, Riveria, despite being two levels below you. He must have had pre-existing power to be boosted to such a level."
"Indeed, his spell reserve is quite vast," Riveria finished quietly, her analytical mind warring with something far more unsettling stirring in her chest.
Loki appeared beside them in a slouch, though her eyes were alight with interest. "Damn that little Hestia. How does she always manage to find the interesting ones? I should've gotten to him first."
"Loki, you have some of the most famous beings in Orario under you." Flinn pointed out exasperatedly.
"None of you have such hair and beautiful eyes," Loki replied flippantly.
The entirety of the Familia sent her a flat stare.
"Loki," Finn warned mildly.
"What? I'm just saying, that a mage of that calibre would've been perfect for our Familia. Look at those spells! And don't even get me started on those eyes..." Loki paused, noticing Riveria's expression. "Oh ho ho, what's this?"
"Nothing whatsoever," Riveria said firmly, though her voice carried just a hint of strain.
What was she giving away? She wondered.
Tione leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, Riveria, for someone who claims to be 'merely observing,' you haven't looked away from him once in the past ten minutes."
Riveria looked away.
"I am conducting a thorough tactical assessment."
"Of his jawline?"
"His magical capabilities require-"
"His shoulders?"
"Tione." Riveria's voice carried a warning, but it lacked its usual bite.
"Oh, this is rich," Loki cackled. "Our composed, unflappable vice-captain has a-"
"If you finish that sentence, Loki, I will demonstrate exactly why I'm considered one of the most powerful mages in Orario."
Riveria interrupted, her tone deadly calm.
Finn cleared his throat diplomatically. "Perhaps we should focus on the mission at hand. Though I will admit, his performance is... impressive. Hestia Familia has certainly found themselves a remarkable mage."
Remarkable," Tione echoed meaningfully, shooting Riveria a look. "That's certainly one word for it."
Riveria found herself unable to formulate a proper retort, mainly because she couldn't understand how this strange, powerful young man had somehow managed to slip past every defence she'd built around her heart over the centuries.
It was illogical, unprecedented and utterly baffling.
"I..." she began, then stopped, her usual eloquence failing her completely.
"Oh my," Tione said with obvious delight. "The great Riveria Ljos Alf, speechless. This is a day for the history books. Wait till the other elves hear this."
Despite her companions' teasing, Riveria found her gaze drawn back to Zephyrion, her typically cold emerald eyes softening almost imperceptibly as she watched him move
That was shattered when Tione giggled uncontrollably and she scowled.
-{Hyakinthos Clio}-
Hyakinthos watched the encroaching fog with dread. Actual dread.
Level three his sweaty ass.
Who even had this type of magic?
He was a walking siege weapon and when he says siege weapon he means the ones made to demolish castles twelve times this little fortress.
His mind raced, how was he meant to win this?
Surely he is out of magic now. Right?
He couldn't allow his Familia to lose like this! Not to the actions of less than four people. He would never find another Familia to take him and even then his captain position would forever be lost.
The smoke came to cover the area, strands softly curling out to lick at the air.
He should feel safe.
Dozens of men covered the door with shields, spearmen ready to stab out. Behind them were the level threes who watched the two doorways with trepidation.
Yet, he didn't. He watched the right corridors, something. But nothing was there, except dead silence.
Something was wrong.
The fog wasn't just covering the entrances, it was beginning to seep through the cracks in the stone walls, flowing like liquid mercury through spaces that shouldn't have been able to accommodate even air.
"Captain," one of his men whispered, voice tight with tension. "The fog... it's getting thicker."
'No shit.'
That was what Hyakinthos wanted to say.
Hyakinthos could barely see his own hand in front of his face now.
The torches that had illuminated their defensive positions were reduced to dim, useless glows swallowed by the magical mist.
"We are so fucked." One of the spearmen muttered. "Whose great idea was to piss off this guy."
"It was Jordy who pretended to be hit, man." Another one grouched.
Then the whispers started.
Soft at first, barely audible over the sound of nervous breathing and shifting armour.
But they grew louder, coming from every direction at once. Not words exactly, but something that made his skin crawl. The voices were in the dozens and slowly expanding.
Then all the voices cut off and his breath hitched.
Someone slammed into the shield wall.
It was a level of strength that suggested a specialisation in the strength stat and a higher level than the other Familia should be. Perhaps level four, or even the top of level four.
The spearmen began wildly thrusting their spears into the smoke.
There was a brief silence before a bolt of red flashed through the smoke, hitting the roof and making debris begin to fall down. The shield wall breaks as people dove out of the way.
"Form up! FORM UP!" Hyakinthos shouted, but his voice seemed muffled.
A few flashes crackled through the air and served to further disorient the group. A flash of white hair moved past him and began causing even more chaos in the confined space.
It was a one-sided slaughter.
Zephyrion's appearance became noticeable as he tore through everyone, occasionally stopping to help who the Captain guessed was Bell Cranel.
"Marcus! Theo! Gareth!" Hyakinthos called to his three remaining level threes. "With me!"
The four-level threes spread out in the courtyard as the fog finally began to clear. Marcus wielded twin daggers, Theo carried a heavy war hammer, and Gareth gripped a massive two-handed sword. They were experienced fighters and veterans who had trained together for years.
They finally found the Captain of the Hestia Familia.
The first true sighting of him since this accursed war Game had started.
If they could defeat him, then this would be salvageable.
Zephyrion stood in the centre, those multi-coloured eyes flickering over to their approaching forms, assessing each of them.
Marcus struck first, his daggers flashing in twin arcs aimed at Zephyrion's sides. The crimson-haired fighter shifted slightly, letting one blade pass harmlessly while catching Marcus's wrist.
A quick twist and Marcus was airborne, crashing into the stone wall with enough force to crack it.
His movements were a blur.
Once more the captain refused to believe that he was level three.
Perhaps a level four or five?
Theo's hammer came down where Zephyrion had been standing, but he was already moving.
The weapon hit the stone, sending chunks flying. Zephyrion's elbow caught Theo in the solar plexus, doubling him over.
A knee to the face finished it.
Gareth and Hyakinthos attacked together, their weapons coordinated from years of practice. Gareth's massive sword swept low while Hyakinthos thrust high with his sword. Both of them would have appeared incredibly fast to any level twos and a blur to any level ones.
Zephyrion jumped over the sword sweep and twisted around the spear thrust, landing behind Gareth. His pommel struck the back of the big man's neck and Gareth dropped like a stone.
Three level threes down in less than thirty seconds.
What…
The…
Fuck…
Hyakinthos backed up, sword extended.
Zephyrion hopped a few times, a large grin on his face.
"Tell me. How are you so strong? Was it due to the existing power before gaining the Falna or have you lied about your level?" Hyakinthos asked.
Pre-existing power wasn't unheard of.
It's why werewolves and elves were good for anyone wanting to find Familia members.
"Why would I tell you that?" Zephyrion asked confusedly.
Hyakinthos couldn't find a way to respond so he merely tried to catch him off guard, thrusting his sword forward with everything he had.
His sword was fast and aimed at Zephyrion's centre mass. Zephyrion sidestepped and grabbed the sword's blade, pulling Hyakinthos forward into a punch that sent him staggering.
The captain swung the butt of his sword around, but Zephyrion ducked under it and swept his legs. Hyakinthos hit the ground hard, rolling away as Zephyrion's boot stomped where his head had been.
Zephyrion merely raised an amused eyebrow and sent another punch, much faster that completely took the wind out of his sails. He was sent back into a wall with a crash, hissing as his back flared in pain.
He could only sit there in disbelief.
"Shall we go?" Zephyrion asked his companion as if they'd just finished a pleasant afternoon stroll rather than beating down a whole Familia methodically.
He looked around for the other boy but couldn't find him.
"I imagine Lili and Welf are waiting. Let's not keep them or Hestia worried!" The voice seemingly came from nowhere.
"No!"
He got up, standing in front of the flag with his weapon raised.
His determination made a few others stand up in a last defence, two of the level three's with him prepared to fight.
Zephyrion sent him an amused look.
"What are you doing?" Zephyrion questioned.
"What?" He sputtered.
"The flag is already gone." He pointed out.
He spun around and surely enough the flag had somehow vanished.
Zephyrion turned and walked toward the fortress corridor as if they owned the place. Just before they reached the exit, Zephyrion paused and looked back at Hyakinthos with something that might have been sympathy.
"Sucks your Familia had to try to mess with mine. You fought well honestly, this was never a fair fight between you… and me." He said. "Anyways, I'm going to go transfer your God's domain and send him back from whence he came now."
With that departing message and a flippant gesture, Hyakinthos stared at his retreating form, along with the the flag in Zephyrion's hand, then at his peacefully sleeping men,
He couldn't lose like this. He had fought tooth and nail to become the Captain of the Apollo Familia.
He charged towards the entrance. Only for a bolt to abruptly hit the stone above him and the last thing he saw was rocks falling on him.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
Predictable.
I wouldn't give up either
I let out a breath.
Packing spells full of demonic energy was always fun.
I had gotten stronger.
My demonic magic reserves were in the lower ends of the high class but slowly growing.
Say what you want, but Fumos was a seriously underrated spell. Well, assuming it wasn't often used in the wizarding world.
I looked over to a grinning Bell, then to a wide-eyed Lili and downright catatonic Welf.
It was going well.
I was feeling rather happy. I think I played that well.
I showed that I had powerful magic without just outright summoning massive displays of power as I had done in the wizarding world. I didn't want to give away too much after all.
Now comes the fun part.
Bell sneakily passed me my invisibility cloak and the flag.
After a brief journey, with our victory being announced.
I walked back toward where Apollo sat sweating on his makeshift throne, his usual arrogant demeanour completely shattered. The god who had been so confident about claiming me and adding him to his collection now looked like he was about to wet himself.
Time to show this particular sun god where the sun doesn't shine.
Before I could reach Apollo, arms wrapped around my back. I looked down to see Hestia's twin tails and felt her pressing her face against my back.
"You did it," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You actually did it."
I inhaled her soothing scent with a sigh, my body untensing.
I turned around, putting my hands on her shoulders. "Of course I did. I promised you I'd handle this, didn't I?"
Her blue eyes were bright with unshed tears of relief. "I was so scared. If I had lost you..." She threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "Thank you, Zeph. Thank you so much."
The fact she was thanking me for saving myself was kind of amusing, if not for the genuine worry in her voice.
I hugged her back.
"Ahem." Apollo's voice cut through the moment, though it lacked its usual confidence. "While this is all very touching, I believe we have other matters to discuss. The war game is over, yes, but surely we can come to some arrangement-"
"Oh, we absolutely can," I said, standing up and pulling out the contract. Apollo's face went even paler, if that was possible. "I do believe it's time to collect on your domain."
Apollo actually laughed, a sound edged with hysteria. "My domain? You can't be serious. Domains aren't something that can be traded, boy. They're fundamental aspects of Gods themselves."
I looked to a guild official.
"Can we settle this somewhere private?" I asked.
They nodded and abruptly led us to a private room away from the rather large crowd.
Hestia grasped my hand.
"Normally, you'd be right," I agreed pleasantly, turning to Apollo. "But you see, this isn't a normal contract."
I activated the magical binding and Apollo's laughter cut off abruptly as the parchment began to glow with a light.
The demonic contract rose into the air between us.
Apollo's scream tore through the air as massive amounts of power began ripping away from him, Arcanum streaming from his body toward the floating contract.
The very air shook with the force of it, reality-bending around the exchange of power that should have been impossible.
The contract itself was struggling, the magical framework I'd built straining under the sheer magnitude of what it was trying to contain and transfer.
I was suddenly very glad I hadn't gotten greedy and tried to take all his domains, just a single domain was nearly tearing the thing apart.
The Arcanum coalesced and shot toward Hestia like a lightning bolt. She gasped as the divine energy hit her, her small form suddenly blazing with power that made everyone in the vicinity take several steps back.
The guild official looks baffled.
Apollo looked terrified.
Bell looked… happy? I was going to come back to that later.
Lili watched with a frown and Welf was hiding behind me.
Her appearance began to change. Her childlike proportions shifted, her body growing taller and more mature, though she retained that essence that made her unmistakably Hestia.
A rainbow-like glow formed around her.
Her simple white dress transformed into flowing robes that seemed to be cut from starlight itself, and her hair became a cascade of flames that didn't burn.
The black hair tied in twin tails came down behind her, a reddish colour instead of black.
She was still recognizably Hestia, but now she looked like what she truly was, a goddess in her divine form.
I looked at her, entranced, while she looked down in genuine surprise.
She was powerful.
I didn't have a sense of magical power but I could feel it in my bones.
The devil part of me was trying to make me feel intimidated, as everyone else seemed to be in her divine form. Yet, all I could do was smile and step forward, holding her hand.
The slightly self-conscious look on her face faded in place of love.
Then, abruptly the transfer was completed and Hestia was back in her mortal form.
The silence stretched for several long moments as everyone processed what had just happened. Apollo lay on the ground, still twitching from the power drain, while Hestia examined her hands with wonder.
There was silence.
The contract turned into dust.
Apollo could only let out a 'Huh' as he vanished to whence he came.
Finally, I cleared my throat. "Well," I said, looking around at all the shocked faces. "I guess this means we don't have to worry about having a place worthy of our Familia."
-END-
Chapter: 38
Disclaimer: I don't own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
(The Aftermath)
-{Freya}-
Freya stood beside Otto, her expression carefully neutral despite the excitement thrumming through her veins.
This hadn't been the most subtle of plans, but the results were beyond her expectations. She had learned so much.
She admitted it was quite obvious and she suspected her new obsession and knew that someone was behind this. It hadn't been executed in a perfect manner, but that didn't matter.
Otto shifted beside her and she could barely contain the tremor of anticipation that ran through her body.
Her senses which were still active beyond what most gods bothered to keep up, picked up something extraordinary happening.
A mere few rooms away, Apollo's domain was being torn away from him. She could feel it happening in real-time, the divine authority being stripped and redistributed.
An act she didn't even know could be performed.
It didn't feel willing.
So it was Zephyrion's doing.
Around them, the other gods were either filing out of the assembly or clustered in animated conversation. The battle had been incredibly impressive and had already made Zephyrion considered one of the strongest adventures in Orario.
Not the strongest, but he was definitely in that one percent that managed to even come close to that level.
Most of the discussion was casual, though she did pick up a few gods that seemed a little too interested in him. It was fair. Zephyrion was a supposed level three and yet that had shown level four or even five power. Along with a clever tactical mind that was always welcome, especially when most adventurers were rather brash.
Some were even laughing about the new upstart's absurd demands.
Fools.
They had no idea what they'd just witnessed.
But she knew. She always knew.
She had known when she had seen that beautiful aura that was special. And as she learned more about him that strange obsessiveness she felt merely grew deeper. To the point, it could almost be considered love at this point.
A pillar of golden light suddenly erupted skyward, causing every head to turn. The divine pillar was unmistakable, Apollo was being returned to Tenkai.
And his domain...
Freya's eyes tracked the flow of power with an intensity that bordered on obsession.
The sun domain, with its vast reservoir of Arcanum, was being transferred. To Hestia of all people. Her unknowing rival had just become exponentially more powerful. Not that the power she had gained could be used in any meaningful way.
How wonderful.
Freya's smile was small but genuine. Today was a complete success.
She'd learned so much about her obsession and the capacities he possessed.
Freya wasn't too worried about this apparent ability to transfer or steal domains. She knew it had something to do with that contract of his and it was obviously something that couldn't be forced outside of an agreements
She watched, as did the rest, as Zephyrion Gremory exited in hand with Hestia. A fact that made her smile dull slightly, something Otto noticed and frowned at.
Curiously, the elf within the Loki Familia had the same reaction. Something Freya was able to note with a tight-lipped smile.
It was natural that others would take notice of Zephyrion's uniqueness.
However, that fact didn't make Freya any less annoyed.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
There was a momentary silence.
The golden pillar of light that illuminated the entirety of the room dimmed, leaving a stunned group in its wake.
Hestia looked at her hands, her eyes seemingly distant as she observed something that wasn't visible to my eyes.
Lili looked genuinely shocked, while Bell beamed.
Welf on the other hand looked lost.
The contract had worked.
Barely in any case.
I'm sure it wouldn't have worked if I tried it on anyone but Hestia. I think the fact it had even worked was unheard of in devil culture. It was well-known that divine power was a strange and fickle power.
Most of the stuff I was doing with contracts was mostly unheard of in fact, I wasn't sure if that was due to laws or abilities of my own. But it was clear that my demonic contracts were probably one of my most powerful abilities.
I was feeling rather proud of myself.
I couldn't deny I was excited, despite the relatively large battle my demonic power was at a good level. It was crazy to think that battle would have once put me out of commission for a day.
I snuck a glance towards Hestia.
Hestia's divine form took that moment to die down, her eyes blinking rapidly. She turned towards me with a complicated look on her face.
"Welp, I guess that's settled," I commented, breaking the silence. "How do you feel?"
"I feel strange… the domain of the sun is a rather powerful domain and feeling it transferred is certainly a unique feeling," Hestia replied, completely serious. "I didn't think that would work, truly your contract creation is powerful."
I smiled faintly.
"It only worked because you were already a god," I replied. "Without your hair and the freely given blood, I doubted even that would have worked. I still have a long way to go to research the subject of contracts."
"Either way, this will draw some attention," Hestia commented worriedly, her eyes flickering towards the guild official.
I turned towards her.
She took a step back.
"If the matter of the guild's retaliation worries you, I assure you nothing was done out of bounds. The God Apollo technically agreed and even signed a contract that allowed for this action to be made. While we can't speak for the divine, there will be no law broken with the guild." The guild officially quickly said.
"Yeah, but you're still going to tell them." I pointed out.
"Uh-I don't have to?"
I beamed.
"Okay."
The next five minutes were spent completing a demonic contract.
The guild official gulped.
"Sign this," I urged gently. "it'll make sure I can trust you."
A signing later and the situation was fixed.
"You know, some Gods are still going to be able to sense this," Hestia said worriedly.
"We will deal with that if it comes to it." I comforted.
That did remind me of my testing demonic contracts revolving around souls. I had kept myself from absorbing too many purely due to the memories that came with it.
I could technically absorb thousands of weak souls but beyond that being downright tedious, it would make me get lost to it all if I did it too quickly. I was going to absorb more, perfectly back in the wizarding world.
Hestia took my hand in hers, coming to stand close to me.
Bell frowned. "Would it be bad if the other gods found out?"
"It could cause complications," Lili spoke. "If gods realised that their source of power could be manipulated by a mortal…"
Welf merely shook his head.
"I see."
"I suspect Ouranos will come to find out. It wouldn't be a big problem but it could cause certain gods to feel threatened." Hestia sighed, her demeanour deathly serious.
A small frown graced my lips.
Not out of fear or anything, more so Hestia's current demeanour. I couldn't say I liked seeing her so worried.
In truth, it didn't matter to me. I had plans, and I wasn't as rash as I acted.
"Ah great," Welf commented with a chuckle. "I knew you were a unique Captain but seriously, those contracts can affect gods?"
"Depowered Gods." I corrected it.
I held no delusion my demonic craft was at that level.
Though maybe one day…
"Either way, I guess I'll just have to make Bell a weapon good enough to match yours." Welf grinned.
I smiled at that.
The guild official said, regaining her bearings with a cough. Once more breaking the silence.
"If you'll come this way," she said with professional efficiency, "we need to finalize the transfer of assets."
She led us out of the private room. We briefly passed some of the former Apollo members who were being treated. Instead of the looks of confidence and disdain, they genuinely looked scared.
Which I thought was a bit overdramatic.
I wasn't even the strongest adventurer in Orario, yet. Well, depending on if I used my power of destruction. That was a different story and if I resorted to that length that would be the least of their worries.
We walked through the large area outside of the coliseum and into the main area, which had a steady flow of people exiting, only pausing to stare at our arrival. Some even give cheers.
The guild official began rattling off items from a seemingly endless list. "The Apollo Familia forfeits ownership of their mansion in the upper district, along with all furnishings, the attached workshop facilities, three residential buildings for Familia members, stored weapons and equipment, approximately six hundred million valis in liquid assets..."
I stopped listening after 'Mansion.' My mind was already racing ahead to the possibilities.
It was about time.
I snuck an excited glance towards Hestia, who merely leaned into me.
"Can we see the mansion now?" I questioned.
"Unfortunately, no. We need to clear out all its members first." The guild official said politely. "You'll have to come to the guild tomorrow to finish the transfer."
I nodded, understanding the logistics involved. As we continued through the guild hall.
The War Game had taken place in Ganesha Familia's colosseum, which had been almost expertly made to look like a real war zone with two castles.
"After we clear our and finalise the assets you may come to the guild tomorrow to claim them officially, congratulations Lady Hestia. Captain Gremory." The guild official said, before quickly walking away.
There was a brief moment.
"Alright, I guess it's back to the house," I said, clapping my hands. "We've all worked hard."
Welf raised his hand bashfully. "I technically didn't do much."
"Eh? Nonsense, if Lili was attacked you would have been a good defence."
We left the hall, not before receiving many greetings from Gods and Goddesses, along with other Familia Captains.
I couldn't help but smirk at the overwhelmed look on Hestia's face.
-{Welf Crozzo}-
Welf couldn't say this had been what he had envisioned when Zephyrion had made him the offer to join.
When he had first joined, it had been beyond merely the unique ingot he had yet to be able to smelt. His portable forge wasn't enough, though, with this burst of fortune, he imagined that would be changing.
He thought back to his time with the Hephaestus Familia. They'd been good to him, sure, but there had always been that underlying tension.
The moment anyone learned his last name was Crozzo, there had been an expectation for the one thing his family was known for, Magic swords.
That's all anyone ever wanted from him. The cursed legacy of his family, weapons that could level city blocks but broke after a single use.
He'd refused to make them, and while Hephaestus herself had been understanding, he could feel the disappointment from others.
The wasted potential, they'd call it.
Then Zephyrion had walked into his workshop that day.
The guy had looked at his regular weapons and nodded approvingly, and when that convening old shop owner had tried to dissuade him from buying any of his wares, something he sure was a byproduct of his refusal to make magical items, Zephyrion had merely ignored him.
He felt that there was no pressure, no expectations about his bloodline. Just a simple request for quality craftsmanship.
Since then, Welf had come to one conclusion about his captain.
Zephyrion Gremory was either insane or his perception of reality was completely skewed. Not insane in a dangerous way he was surprisingly comforting.
Even when things looked bad, he had this weird confidence that he could handle whatever came up.
Welf had been pretty quiet since joining this chaotic mess they called the Hestia Familia.
Hestia was kind to a fault, the type who would go to extreme lengths to help you out. Lili was mostly exasperated with everyone but nice enough once you got past her snarky facade.
Bell was this weird mix of innocent and insane that reminded him of Zephyrion sometimes, just with more social awkwardness. The kid was incredibly likeable but some of the things that came out of his mouth showed Zephyrion's influence.
And Zephyrion? The guy had zero social anxiety and just bulldozed through everything with complete confidence. Welf could also sense there was more to him, perhaps a darker side but it didn't affect him so why would he care?
He looked around the cosy room.
They were back from the war game and Zephyrion had decided to call it a day. So now everyone was mostly enjoying each other's presence.
It had been rather uneventful after the war Game.
After the Guild Official had departed, they had all been left with a staring crowd outside of the coliseum. The War Game that had just transpired had been broadcasted to thousands in Orario. Which left them all in the limelight.
Something Welf wasn't accustomed to.
Zephyrion had merely clapped his hands and asked if anyone was hungry, which led to a celebratory lunch and had led up to now, late in the evening, simply chilling out in the places that had served as his home since joining the Hestia Familia.
Zephyrion was doing something with his strange powerful magic, while his goddess was snuggled into him. Bell was inspecting his knife and mostly looked happy to exist. While Lili was deep in thought, briefly sending him a questioning glance as his gaze fell on her.
He merely took this time to relax, allowing the tension to melt out of his body and the sleepiness from having a bad night's sleep begin to encroach.
Despite all the chaos, he found himself enjoying it.
He'd been genuinely worried when Apollo Familia had started this war game. He'd thought they were screwed. While he hadn't seen the full extent of what his new familia could do, going against an entire familia with their numbers seemed impossible.
But Bell had been completely calm while Lili was only slightly nervous.
Then he'd been told to just defend Lili, who turned out to be surprisingly good with a crossbow. And he'd watched as a medium-sized familia got systematically and tactically destroyed.
Now he'd just watched his captain literally tear out a god's domain and send him back to wherever gods came from.
Despite everything he'd just witnessed, Welf only felt one thing, excitement.
Perhaps he was starting to join the madness that was the Hestia Familia but it was certainly better than what he had been doing before.
Turns out the Hestia Familia was way more than he'd expected.
-{Zephyrion Gremory}-
I moved through the street casually, watching everyone's reactions curiously.
It had been a day since Apollo was banished back up to Tenkai. We still had yet to go to the guild and collect our rewards. After the War Game, it had been rather uneventful. I could tell there was shock among the general populace at our victory.
We had gone for a celebratory dinner, which I felt was rather deserved. Quality over quantity was a very real thing. Bell's progress was insane. To my knowledge, he didn't even have any of the perks he had gotten in the original timeline of this world.
Lili also surprised me. She normally played a passive role in the dungeon, but she was incredibly talented at shooting with a crossbow. It made me wonder if trying my hand at enchantment magic.
Primarily I had been focused on combat types of magic but I had managed to secure a book on wizarding runes. It was only basic, perhaps even below novice level. Since Clint had said runes were strictly forbidden outside limited teaching in magical schools.
It had something to do with rituals. Either way, it had been on the back foot for now. Surely with my imagination magic, I would be able to do something with them.
That was a thought process for another time.
I had decided yesterday and today would be a resting day. Despite the relative smoothness that had been our victory in the War Game, I could tell that everyone had been worried.
It wasn't without merit.
An entire Familia with four members wasn't exactly a fair fight.
That was if you discounted my magic.
My imagination magic was seriously overpowered.
Though Hestia had been more worried than I had suspected.
-FlashBack-
As we entered the house, I sent a subtle look to an abnormally silent Hestia.
"Zephyrion," Hestia says softly. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"
My eyes caught something.
"Yeah of course." I accepted it easily.
She pulled me into our room.
Her expression shifted from passive to something much more serious.
"Don't you ever," she hissed, her voice low but intense, "EVER do something that reckless again! Do you have any idea how worried I was? Watching you fight against an entire Familia with over a hundred adventurers, risking everything..."
My eyes widened, having never heard that particular tone from Hestia.
"A-at least not for me." Her tone shrank slightly. Her hands were shaking as they gripped my sleeve. "I thought I was going to lose you!"
I felt a pang of guilt at the genuine fear in her voice. "Hestia, I-"
I knew what this was about, we had agreed on doing the war games before but not on the terms that would be set.
"You could have become a slave!" she continued, her voice cracking slightly. "And for what? A mansion? I don't care about any of this if it's going to affect what we have. Do you think I would have even let that happen?"
I mean, maybe I had been a bit confident.
I wrapped her into a comfortable hug. "I'm sorry. I'll talk it over with you next time."
As someone who considered themselves very defiant to most things, I couldn't help but genuinely feel terrible. Hestia was probably the most caring person I had met, as someone previously subjected to a rough life. Not counting my devil life, I often forgot other people cared.
Not for the first time I thanked myself for looking for Hestia when I first got here.
It had been done out of a desire to see if she was real but now she had become an important person to me.
I'd honestly go the length that would earn me my dark lord title for her. Easily, in fact.
"I didn't lose. And now we have a real base of operations. Room to grow. Apollo was confident and I knew we could win, I just needed to bait him far enough so he accepted."
She took a shaky breath, her anger deflating into exhaustion. "Just... promise me you'll be more careful. Not without any warning or knowledge of your plan. I was so scared."
"I promise," I said firmly.
Hestia nodded, seeming to accept my reassurance, though I could tell this conversation wasn't completely over.
I raised her chin and stared into her loving sapphire eyes.
Leaning in we found ourselves taking the next ten minutes together alone before we joined the others.
-Flashback End-
It was safe to say I was going to key Hestia in on my plans a bit more.
Walking into the guild building I immediately noticed Rose. Who gave me a subtle signal, a slight tilt of her head toward a quieter area away from the crowd.
"Hey, Rose." I greeted them, coming to stand by her.
Rose was waiting by a pillar, looking as composed as ever despite the chaos that had just unfolded.
She gave me a small smile.
"Zephyrion, I tried to speak to you yesterday but you made a rather abrupt exit," Rose replied.
"Yeah. I was kinda surprised at how many people showed up. Especially gods." I responded, running a hand through my hair.
"Really?" She questioned. "It's well known that God's love drama. War Games are quite rare." Rose replied.
I suppose that made sense, I didn't focus on other Gods much.
"In any case, you did it," she said simply. "Well done."
I raised an eyebrow. "Your information certainly helped. Those artillery weapons could have hurt."
She gave me a beautiful look, her red hair catching the guild's lighting. "I'm sure you would have found a way around it."
"Maybe," I replied.
"Don't act so humble, it's weird," Rose replied. "You know, knowing you are an anomaly among adventurers and seeing you in action are two different things."
"Oh? Did I manage to impress you?" I asked teasingly.
"Certainly… I had known that you were strong, stronger than what your level would suggest. But such a display of magic. You never told me you specialised in magic." Rose replied, crossing her arms.
"I didn't think I needed to. You've seen displays of it." I responded thoughtfully.
It wasn't something I broadcasted.
"Small displays." She corrected me. "And I do need to know, I'm your advisor."
"True, maybe you should come over and I'll show you a few tricks," I replied thoughtfully.
I paused, realising how that sounded.
"Perhaps." She muttered. "In any case, I do hope you know this would have changed a lot. Magic is rare amongst adventurers."
"Oh? It is?"
I hadn't looked into the subject too much beyond magical weapons.
"Yes, finding magical books that transfer magical spells is beyond rare and costs a major amount of money. In the hundreds of millions of Vali." Rose informed me.
Which meant they were a few million dollars.
That left me a little shocked and excited that magical skills could be bought.
"Otherwise it's normally due to a racial or bloodline advantage. So I'm assuming you've got a rather interesting heritage." Rose said a slight hint of prompting in her voice.
"You could say that."
She let the matter drop with a knowing glint in her eyes. "Tell me whenever or if you wish to in that case."
"I'm assuming you have come here to collect everything Apollo owns?" she asked. "As per the war game stipulated."
"It would seem that way," I replied, crossing my arms. "It turns out they were quite rich."
"I can imagine so, they've been around for a while and they were a mid-class Familia, one with a lot of members at that." Rose nodded.
"They looked pretty rich, the guild official said six hundred million in pure Vali."
Rose looked impressed.
By yen standards, which I'm sure it was based on, that was about four million dollars in pure liquid Vali.
"On the subject of impressive, how did getting his domain go?" she asked amusedly, obviously not thinking it worked.
"Eh, better than you might think," I replied mysteriously.