《This is the Wrong World! (Beta Version)》 *Prologue - Demon King For the second time in his life, Demon Overlord Wrath felt a chill down his spine. The first time was when a lesser being called, the hero of mankind dared challenge him. A mere insignificant existence had dared fight against him and inevitably lost in the end, but still the human hero had been a worthy foe in the end. However, the human that stood before him filled him with dread. A healer, but no ordinary healer could use a blood-soaked blade to kill nor cast magic spells without a staff. His demon commanders lay strewn on the ground like mere broken toys. Their chest cut open with their skulls easily caved in. This human couldn¡¯t be called a human, but a monster. Grinning recklessly the Demon Overlord Wrath laughed maddingly, ¡°You will die!¡± Throwing his massive hammer at the priest, the Demon Overlord Wrath darted at the chanting healer. Boom! Clink! Slam! The healer tried to dodge, but the Demon Overlord Wrath easily struck the healer sending the human flying. The healer despite the considerable damage taken kept fighting back.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. With a loud crunch, the blade finally broke under the intense pressure. The blade clattered onto the floor as the healer lost her grip on the hilt and flew into the floor creating a crater. The healer let out a tired cough at seeing her broken blade laying out of her reach across the uneven destroyed floor. She raises her heavy gaze to meet the Demon Overlord Wrath¡¯s triumphant eyes. The Demon Overlord Wrath eagerly darts forward and plunges his hand through the healer¡¯s chest. The healer lips peel back to reveal a blood-stained smile as blood drips down the side of her mouth. Using the last bit of her strength she raises her hand and sticks her middle finger in the demon¡¯s face. The Demon Overlord Wrath did not know much of humans, but he did know that was considered an offensive sign. Before the Demon Overlord Wrath could remove his hand from the human¡¯s chest. Blades struck him from every angle as the Demon Overlord Wrath hissed, ¡°What treachery is this!¡± The torrent of blades did not cease to fall until every inch of Demon Overlord Wrath was covered in blades. The Demon Overlord Wrath curses the healer as he falls lifeless in a loud clatter onto the floor. The healer grunts in pain as she falls with the Demon Overlord Wrath. Coughing weakly, she breathes her last breath, ¡°Well fuck,¡± she grumbled as her eyes become vacant and stiff. The black choker on the healer¡¯s neck cracked open bathing the room in a torrent of light as everything vanishes into thin air. * Chapter 1 – News The police station is busy as officers drag in the already early miscreants of the day, mostly drunk individuals from the night before having been found in unsavory places. Most of the officers are still at their desk filling out the day¡¯s paperwork, while others soberly sip their piping hot coffee and take the occasional bite out of their donut. A scruffy detective with 5 o¡¯clock shadow pushes his glasses up to rub his bleary eyes. He twists his neck as his neck pops as a familiar figure wordlessly hands him a cup of coffee, the label on the mug holds an old police joke, ¡°I like big busts and I cannot lie.¡± The scruffy detective snorts and grumbles, ¡°Very funny, hardy, har, har.¡± ¡°I will take it back, Detective Locke,¡± Sergeant Judy Jensen cheekily replied. Detective Locke snorts under his breath but doesn¡¯t deem a worthy response. She was his commanding officer, nothing good would come of it. The older salt peppered woman leans over him and eyes the computer screen, the title of the news article reads, ¡°What happened to Classroom 13? Alien Abduction? Human Trafficking? Police Cover-Up?¡± Sergeant Judy Jensen sighs and says, ¡°It¡¯s been a year, but there never were any leads and I doubt there never will be. Whoever is responsible got away with it and they know it.¡± Patting him on the back, Sergeant Judy Jensen adds, ¡°C¡¯mon get back to work, we¡¯ve got to solve the murder of our fourteen-year-old jane doe. I¡¯ve got the higher up brass on my ass to resolve the case.¡± Detective Locke grunts, ¡°Got it, Sergeant,¡± and takes a sip of his coffee. Sergeant Judy Jensen sniffs pointedly as she heads back to her office. A balding detective sitting next to Locke turns revealing the beer gut belly hidden behind the desk. The balding detective grins and says, ¡°So, who do you think it was? My gut says it was an inside job.¡± A charming detective with golden hair and blue eyes stops and says, ¡°Oh, are we discussing Classroom 13?¡± At the mere mention, other loitering officers spring up and surround Locke. Locke sighs and points at the balding detective, ¡°I wasn¡¯t first on the scene, but Marlow here was.¡± The officers already know the story, but out of boredom or maybe to remember the missing on their anniversary, they expectantly wait for the tale to be recited. ¡°It was a warm spring day, April 1st when we got a call from Summerfield Conservatory, the best school in the nation. We all knew something freaky was going on, because why else would a rich preparatory like that ask for a dispatch? At most, we thought it was suicide or bullying, but we were mighty startled when Principal Worthington personally greeted us and escorted us through the halls. The rest of the brats were in class as Principal Worthington led us to an empty classroom. At first, we thought it was a joke until Principal Worthington rerated that was the exact problem,¡± Detective Marlow grumbled as the officer¡¯s shuffle in suspense. The charming officer a new transfer jumps in and says, ¡°So, who did you first suspect?¡± Detective Marlow eyes the young man as another officer chimes in, ¡°No one, proof was ever found tying anyone to the crime.¡± An experience female officer goes to the drawing board and draws a swift timeline. ¡°I was on duty at the time and I can tell you as much as Marlow can and that was that there never was a single shred of evidence found indicating that a violent incident had transpired. The only single clue found was the cell of one of the students,¡± she said as the officer turn their gazes towards the timeline. Detective Marlow climbs out of his seat and says, ¡°Patty is right, the desks and chairs were all in perfect order. Not a single chair was out of place except for that damn phone. Upon further investigation, every single cell phone was found accounted for within the student¡¯s desk. The student''s bags were still hanging on the back of their seats with their wallets still inside including cash and credit cards. In fact, upon further examination, revealed that every single coin and credit card were all accounted for,¡± Detective Marlow drily rerated. Patty points to the timeline and continues, ¡°This is the timeline that we managed to piece together. All of the school¡¯s classes including Classroom 13 start class at precisely 8 a.m. with all 23 students accounted for. At precisely 9:30 a.m., Misses Bianca gave the students an hour¡¯s time to write an essay on the treatise of Arthashastra in comparison to Machiavelli, that would later be debated in terms of current politics.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. An officer whispers, ¡°What the heck is Arthasha, whatever?¡± Another officer glares and motions for him to shut his trap. The officer swiftly does so and returns to listening. ¡°At 10:30 a.m., Misses Bianca rose to visit the ladies room leaving the class monitor, Tai Pakis in charge. Five minutes later at 10:35 a.m., Misses Bianca returns to find the entire class simply gone. Misses Bianca was furious believing it was an April Fool¡¯s prank. But upon further notice, she spotted the fallen cell phone of a notorious class texter. The miscreant would have preferred detention rather than having her phone taken away and much less would have dropped her precious phone onto the floor. At 10:40 a.m., Misses Bianca rushes to the office and alerts the school. The guards were contacted as each notified the office that none of the students had left through any of the school gates. Immediately, thereafter mages in the office activated the tracer inscription that is transcribed on every student¡¯s uniform. But the spell could not locate any of the students on the grounds or in any nearby area,¡± Patty flatly said as the officers nod their heads. ¡°They could have teleported out or jumped over the school walls?¡± The young charming officers with captivating dimples asked. Locke jumps in and replies, ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t have been possible. For one, the students of classroom 13 were never seen leaving their classroom. The cameras in the hallway were in perfect order and showed no signs of tampering. The surveillance video only shows the teacher leaving and returning, before leaving again in a hurry to inform the office of the situation.¡± ¡°Not to mention, none of the guard at their posts spotted the students sneaking out of the classroom window or sneaking around on the grounds. The surveillance cameras alone should have spotted such obvious movement. And even more importantly, every single inch of that school is warded with more spells than a CEO¡¯s office including the walls, the ground underneath and the very air above. As such one can only enter and leave via the gates,¡± a mustached officer interjected as the young officer opens his mouth and Detective Marlow pointedly glares at him, causing the young officer to shut his mouth with a snap. ¡°I know you¡¯re thinking it could have been a teleportation array, but there are wards set in place to prevent such a spell. But even if, a caster had somehow managed to get past the wards, the use of Teleportation spells and such spells leave behind mana residue. Not to mention, the school has contingencies for such an event, not only would an alarms sound, but a specific spell would be triggered to track the residue of the spell,¡± Patty solemnly added as the young officer eyes widen with another question. Detective Marlow jumps in guessing the next question. ¡°Once school starts the gates are closed, no one is permitted to enter and leave without first calling ahead and notifying the school. That day there were no visitors nor were the guards at any point in time left their posts nor were the school gates ever opened on that day prior to our arrival. We followed up with regular procedures, but we doubted we could or would find anything more than the staff of the Summerfield conservatory could. They¡¯re all arrogant pricks, but they know their stuff,¡± Detective Marlow grumbled. The officers are quiet as the young charming transfer asks, ¡°Okay, then who did it?¡± The officers all glance at each other until Locke quietly answers, ¡°That¡¯s the million-dollar question. Every single student in that class was a child of the rich and wealthy, but their parents were persona¡¯s even the major syndicates wouldn¡¯t cross. A syndicate never would make the mistake of making a room full of enemies and would only take the student they needed. Plus, some of the syndicate¡¯s children attend that very school, it would be foolish to make enemies in your own background. Besides, Summerfield is neutral ground. You don¡¯t want to know what happened to the last person who even tried.¡± Locke falls silent as Patty picks up from where he left off. ¡°We investigated, the background of every single employee of the Conservatory, but nothing alarming popped up. We even interviewed the enemies of the families and trust us the list was long. Yet every single enemy had an alibi including the denigrate low lives. The higher-ups were practically breathing down our necks all that summer, but not a single, real lead could be found. Rewards were posted everywhere and private detectives were hired, but not a single new clue was found. Even now, the masses still ask and seek answers, but we don¡¯t have one. To this day the disappearance of classroom 13 is still the perfect crime,¡± Patty flatly stated as she erases the timeline off the board. The officers rise in understanding as the discussion is over and resume their work. The young officer looks dejected as Detective Marlow clamps a hand over his shoulders. ¡°Kid, we can¡¯t always win them. But magic and technology are always improving, one day we might be able to solve the case,¡± Detective Marlow confidently declared. The young transfer nods and moves away. Locke smiles as he closes the document and opens the case files on the jane doe. So, young, a tragedy. * A jogger running in the woods hums to the music on his iPod. Suddenly, he spots a log up ahead. He slows down as his eyes widen in horror, a girl¡¯s body in a tattered uniform is strewn across the ground. Before he can move, the girl¡¯s body moves for a second. Without hesitation, he dials 911 as an operator answers with the familiar line, ¡°9-1-1, what¡¯s your emergency?¡± * Chapter 2 – Rise At Saint Clair¡¯s hospital, the doctors and healers finish attending the unconscious girl as the nurses make the girl comfortable. A nurse had taken a strand of the girl¡¯s hair and scans into the DM System, [DNA Mana system] for identification. A match pops up in seconds as the nurse rushes back into the room. The nurse points at the at the girl and makes noises, but nothing coherent emerges from her mouth. An exasperated head nurse takes the results from the younger nurse and begins to read the results. Her mouth flops open as the curious nurses all peek over her shoulder and have the same reaction. The head nurse, Mildred suddenly moves and rushes out the room. The nurses all study the unconscious girl as the doctor flies back in. The doctor orders another DM verification as a nurse flies off and just as swiftly returns with the same results. An older doctor removes his spectacles and says, ¡°The patient is to be isolated and be under constant watch. Nothing that was spoken about is to leave this room until we are permitted to speak on the subject. Chief Nurse Mildred, inform the appropriate personal and family.¡± The doctors disperse as do the nurses, buff looking guards stand at the patient¡¯s door regulating any entry. They verify the personnel¡¯s ID and confirm it twice, before permitting any medical personal to enter the patient¡¯s room. Over the phone, the doctor in charge, Doctor Wang speaks to an officer, ¡°No, there are no signs of sexual abuse. But there are signs of physical abuse border-lining torture. She is malnourished and is severely underweight given her stature. As for her mind, we won¡¯t know the extent of the damage until she awakens. But a medical team is on standby to reassure and treat her.¡± The officer mutters something else as Doctor Wang replies, ¡°As I¡¯ve already stated, sir, she can¡¯t be released to her family until she awakens and tests have been run on her. I understand that they can easily provide treatment for her, but I cannot on my own recognizance allow a patient to simply be thrust out back so roughly out into the world.¡± A faint reply is heard as the officer in charge hangs up the phone as Doctor Wang shakes his head in exasperation. Doctor Wang turns around as a young nurse approaches him and says, ¡°Doctor Wang, your wife called.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Doctor Wang murmurs in dismissal as he heads to his office to call back his wife and sort the paperwork of his other patients. * The sky is dark as the city light¡¯s fill the night sky more brightly than the faint stars glimmering in the far distance. The girl suddenly jolts awake gasping for air as she searches her body for bleeding, gaping sword wounds. Izo¡¯s heart pounds in her ears as a beaming grin spreads across her face as tears make their way down her face at the simple sight of modern amenities. One did not appreciate the wonders of a porcelain toilet and modern amenities until one was transported to a fantasy medieval setting. The class had been summoned by the goddess of that world to destroy the demon king. Everyone had been excited except for Izo and Alvis, but even they did as they were told. They were promised that if they defeated the demon king, they could return home. Alvis and Izo¡¯s stats were in the middle, but they did not give up hope as the years slowly went on as their stats grew until they grew strong. With time, they even became friends with more of their disillusioned classmates, who became a party with them. Ryo, a popular classmate was the destined hero of the world, but the goddess took him to her bed. Izo was disgusted with the goddess and in a fit of rage after her party of friends was wiped out by a demon general, she loudly declared, ¡°Maybe, if the goddess also spreads her legs for the demon king, everyone can go home.¡± The goddess did not take the statement very well and cursed Izo. Not only did Izo lose many of her previously hard-won stats, but her charisma and luck stats that were only +1 at the time dropped down to negative -999. Every human and most species avoided the hero cursed by the goddess. It wasn¡¯t until 10 years later that she was finally able to level up enough to finally defeat the demon king. The dark-haired teenage girl wipes the tears from her face as she climbs out of her bed and stares at the breathtaking city landscape seen from the window. Lights gleam and twinkle far brighter than any star ever could.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Izo reluctantly drags her gaze away to glance at the clock in the corner of the room. The glowing clock letters say, 12:01 a.m., April 2nd. Izo smiles somewhat happily at seeing that it¡¯s only been a year back on Earth. A white glowing message suddenly pops up in the corner of her eyes. She stiffens in recognition as she opens the message and her eyes widen in disbelief.
Congratulations! You¡¯ve defeated the Demon King! To view new stats, please open your status!
The girl mutters a couple of choice words under her breath as she opens her stats.
Name: Izo Age: 17 [27] Occupation: Demonical Blade Healer Titles: Otherworldly Traveler, Language Expert, Inquisitor, Hermit, Stomach of Steel, Iron Chef, Demon King Slayer, Former Cursed Hero [Stats: Permanently Locked at Current Level & Cannot be Increased via Eternal Item use.] Strength: 434 Dexterity: 512 Vitality/HP: 488 Magic Power/MP: 701 Intuition: 666 Magic/Physical Resist: 599 Charisma: 5 Luck: 5
Izo eyes gleam brightly despite the fact her stats are permanently locked away. The reason for her joy is that that blasted, wretched GODDESS¡¯S curse is gone! Her luck and charisma are once more positive in the single numerical digits and back to their rightful places. It hadn¡¯t been in her plans to retain her magic and abilities, but she wouldn¡¯t be picky, she was finally HOME. ¡°Enchanto Iemlo!¡± Izo softly whispers as an exact copy of herself appears on the bed. She mutters a couple more words and easily passes through the glass windows. Izo leisurely floats down onto the street completely invisible to the naked eye as she takes a midnight stroll through the city. People rush past Izo as she enjoys the wonderful sounds of laughter and late chatter. With glee, she halts at a stop and waits for a street sign to turn red, before obediently skipping across the street. The concrete against her bare feet doesn¡¯t even bother her a bit as she had walked across molten lava before. Izo suddenly halts in-between buildings as she glances up at the moon. Why does the moon have a giant rose printed on the surface? Confused or possibly seeing things, Izo decides to tactfully return to her hospital room. The billboards hung high above the plaza flashes with an urgent news bulletin. Izo stops to read the bulletin as a pretty female news anchor words are transcribed on the screen, ¡°A new dungeon had been found and cleared by the Sky Knights!¡± The people on the streets cheer as Izo stiffens in disbelief. Without hesitation, she soundlessly steals a phone from a caf¨¦ table and retreats with full haste to her hospital room. Once seated on her bed, Izo types into the search box, historic events. The search engine spits out the same events that she was familiar with until 1978, the discovery of magic/mana by Christopher Virgo. By 1988, strange magic structures were rediscovered as well as the existence of sapient magical species. Since then humans and non-humans have co-existed on Earth. Izo promptly curls up on her bed in a ball. This was Earth? Yes. However, magic didn¡¯t exist back on Earth, that she knew of. Could it be a time travel event, where a butterfly was crushed in the past, which affected the future? Possibly. Unless this wasn¡¯t the original Earth, she knew either. The blood suddenly rushes to her head as Izo¡¯s head pops up. That witch! That woman had sent her to the wrong world! %$#&*! &%$@! #$#@ ^^*! Izo finally stops cursing and flops back onto the bed tiredly. She glances up at the ceiling for an unknown amount of time, resigning herself to the reality. With a sigh, Izo tosses the phone into her inventory for safekeeping for now. With that in mind, she chants a spell, ¡°Incorpatus Memoritzo.¡± A sparkle of light washes over her as her chest rises up and down as she falls into a deep sleep. * Hours later, early morning, two detectives make their way to the entrance. At the guarded entrance, the two detectives are forced to show their badges to the guards before being allowed to enter the hospital. The two make their way up to the hospital ward, where they are directed to Doctor Wang¡¯s office. Doctor Wang¡¯s door is open as the doctor has heavy eyeshadows under his eyes. The scruffy looking detective allows the handsome young detective to take the lead. ¡°Doctor Wang, what can you tell us?¡± The young man asked. Doctor Wang sighs and says, ¡°Nothing that I haven¡¯t already told your commanding officers. The poor girl is still asleep. But the two of you can wait in the lounge until she awakens.¡± The two detectives murmur their thanks as they let themselves out. The two walked further down the hallway and find themselves in a lounge with tinted glass windows. The detectives take a seat to wait, the scruffy detective finds a magazine to read to pass the time, while the younger one checks his texts and feed on his phone. An hour later, a young nurse opens the door to find the girl wide awake staring at the ceiling. The girl only pauses to glance at the nurse before resuming her count of the dots on the hospital ceiling. The nurse drops her clipboard and rushes out of the room. Seconds later, doctors rush in to take her vitals as tests are done to test her eyesight, reflexes, etc. Elsewhere, a male nurse notifies the detectives that the patient is wide awake and is currently being tested on. It will be several hours before the detectives can view the patient, but once the tests are concluded, they will be able to do so. * Chapter 3 – And Shine A group of nurses loiter outside of the patient¡¯s room that is guarded by two buff hospital guards. The doctors finish making notes as the healers cast a light healing spell over her. An older nurse smoothly hooks the girl to an IV filled with healing serum, a combination of modern medicine and magic. A young nurse brings in a tray of soft foods for the girl to eat as cameras are set up to record the interview. The two detectives are finally permitted to enter the room as a team of therapists follows, whilst the rest of the medical team leaves, leaving behind only Doctor Wang and Chief Nurse Mildred. The detectives first impression of the missing girl is pitiful. Her green hospital gown makes her seem much younger than she should be. Her slim cheeks are gaunt as bruise like shadows hide under her brown eyes that are filled with abject, dull horror. Her damp dark hair barely reaches her chest. Her hair still wet is a clear sign of her physical weakness as the nurses had to help her bathe not to long ago. The girl softly mutters thanks as she hesitantly grabs a spoon and fills it to the brim with tapioca pudding. She hesitates for a moment as she takes a bite and her eyes grow wide as tears fill her eyes. Chief Nurse Mildred rushes forward as the girl shakes her head and says, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just-, I had forgotten how good pudding tastes like.¡± Everyone faces are filled with sympathy as the detectives seated themselves before her. The scruffy detective lets the charming detective perform their introductions. ¡°I¡¯m Detective Myers and this is Detective Locke. We¡¯re so sorry for disturbing you, but we need to speak to you regarding the events that transpired a year ago on April 1st.¡± The girl slowly puts down her metal spoon and softly murmurs, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you remember, the events that transpired on that day?¡± Detective Myers gravely asked. ¡°I don¡¯t remember, how we were taken. But when we all came too, we were all in a room.¡± ¡°Okay, then who took you?¡± ¡°SHE did.¡± ¡°Whose she?¡± ¡°She called herself, the goddess of life.¡± The therapists are frantically taking notes seeing a new paper being written before them. There would be fierce battles for writing rights, a bloodshed for credits and ambushes for the unwary. But in the end, only a few would remain supreme in the field of academics. Detective Locke interjects, ¡°What does SHE look like that?¡± The girl stiffens as hatred glimmers in the depths of her eyes. ¡°Blonde, blue eyes, an ethereal beauty,¡± the girl firmly answered. ¡°Are you sure it was a woman?¡± Detective Myers asked, but a gaze filled with hate clearly answers his question. ¡°And the rest of your classmates?¡± Detective Locke asked as everyone breaths are held in. ¡°Dead,¡± the girl matter-of-factly stated. ¡°But what about you?¡± Detective Locke firmly said as he studied the girl for any signs of lies or treachery. The girl raises her eyes that were deep enough to drown to a frigid death. ¡°I was the cursed one. I am the last,¡± she gravely said as the rest of the groups let out sighs of resignation. Their worst fears had just been confirmed. The phone rings as Detective Locke glances at the caller. He apologetically says, ¡°Sorry, I have to take this.¡± ¡°Hello, Sergeant?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s awake. We were just going to ask for the whereabouts of-.¡± ¡°I see. Alright, will do so.¡± Detective Locke turns off the phone and slides it into his pocket. ¡°My apologies, but Detective Myers and I are needed,¡± Detective Locke steadily said as the groups suspected the reason why. The bodies of classroom 13 must have been found. The two detectives rush away as Doctor Wang orders the immediate removal of the camera and the medical staff. The medical staff knows better than to protest as they collect their things and leave. Head Nurse Mildred pushes the food towards the poor poppet and says, ¡°Eat love, your mum and dad will be here later in the afternoon. You¡¯ll want your strength.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. The girl nods and begins to dutifully eat as she savors each bite slowly under Nurse¡¯s Mildred careful watch and care. Doctor Wang returns tiredly towards his office. Taking a seat at his desk from his office window, Doctor Wang has a view to the entrance of the hospital that is suddenly being flooded by white vans that circle the front entrance like sharks scenting fresh blood in the water. * Izo munches on the food that brings tears to her eyes. She still felt embarrassed how she almost cried from merely taking a bite of tapioca pudding! But sweets were rare and expensive in a medieval setting. Worst of all, even if she had the coin to pay, no chef would serve the hero cursed by the goddess. And thus, she was forced to survive by eating monster meat. Monster meat is generously poisonous to humans and often fatal but starvation was worse. The first several hundred meals gave her the runs as the meat poisoned her. What save her was chanting healing spells as she ate to ensure her survival. After some time, Izo gained two rudimentary titles, Stomach of Steel that allowed her to safely consume monster meat and coincidentally granted her poison immunity. Whereas Iron Chef allowed her to accurately cut up monsters and cook them into a semblance of an edible meal. Monster meat is generally foul tasting and no amount of culinary talent or cooking spices would ever change that. Thanks to the memory spell, Izo learned about the Izo of this world. The Mr. and Mrs. Lee of this Earth were rather wealthy and spoiled their daughter to death. Having been raised in the lap of luxury, it should come as no surprise that the Izo of this Earth¡¯s character was rather lacking in the moral department. But what bothered Izo the most is that she didn¡¯t feel any warm feelings towards the Mr. and Mrs. Lee of this Earth. Her parents are-, were teachers and earned enough money to be middle class. Despite being working parents, they spent plenty of time with their only child, Izo. However, the Izo of this world despite having it all upon closer examination her parents were rather absentee. Too often, Izo had been left in the care of her nannies. Izo was no doctor, but she was rather certain that children who lacked attention from parental figures are often attention seekers as they grow older. Although that wasn¡¯t the worst of the issues. The real problem lay in the physical appearances of Mr. and Miss Lee of this Earth. This couple looked like the best version of Izo¡¯s parents if they had undergone perfect plastic surgery. The Lee couple were gorgeous creatures, which honestly freaked the hell out of Izo. Perfection is a scary thing to behold and especially when it is a constant reminder of your hated foe. The door suddenly slides open interrupting Izo¡¯s thoughts as a woman with bright eyes in an expensive clothing enters the room being accompanied by a handsome man in a tailored suit. The elegantly, perfumed woman throws herself upon Izo and wails noisily. ¡°Hush my baby, mama¡¯s here. It¡¯ll be alright, mama promises,¡± the woman whispered in Izo¡¯s ears, while tears slide down the woman¡¯s attractive face. Izo stiffens and wrinkles her nose at the strong expensive perfume scent that causes her eyes to sting. The handsome man blinks back the moisture in his eyes and pats Izo on the head. Izo stiffens even further as her eyes are filled with disappointment. She couldn¡¯t find it in herself to even embrace the plastic carbon copies of her parents. Mrs. Lee dries her tears and says, ¡°Sorry, honey, I know you don¡¯t like to see me crying. Once, you¡¯re released, we¡¯ll go all your favorite stores and shop until our feet can¡¯t walk. Does that sound good, love?¡± Izo just blinks in silent response. ¡°Dear, you¡¯re overwhelming her,¡± Mr. Lee concernedly said. Mrs. Lee grasps Izo¡¯s hand and squeezes it tightly. Izo faintly squeezes back, before removing her hand from the bone breaking grasp. Before the mother can comment, Doctor Wang enters the room and saves Izo from their suffocating hold. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Lee, a word if I may?¡± Doctor Wang pointedly said. ¡°Of course, Doctor,¡± Mr. Lee replied as his wife reluctantly follows in their wake. Izo sighs in relief as she closes her eyes. She was certain the detectives had already found the bodies of classroom 13. Having learned as much as she could, at dawn, Izo sent a clone of herself to destroy the corpse of the former Izo. But she really had to destroy the original corpse of the original Izo of this Earth for her own safety. Feeling bad at doing so, Izo had made sure to promise the original Izo of this Earth to live a fulfilling life in her stead. The original killer of Classroom 13 had hung himself to death a long time ago. His identity was unknown as he never told the students his real name. He was only to be called, ¡°Jack.¡± From the fragmented memories of the original Izo of this world, Izo¡¯s understanding was that the killer had a nullification type ability. The killer had plotted and successfully kidnapped an entire classroom full of students/victims. His motive to leave a lasting legacy behind. Without any clues to his identity, Izo could only avenge the previous Izo and Classroom 13 in the best way she could. Izo would ensure that the murderous bastards legacy would remain nameless and unknown for all eternity. Izo first transfigured his body to match that wench¡¯s appearance and had taken way too much pleasure in shoving a pair of scissors through the neck of the look-a-like goddess. After making sure, she had left a trail leading back to the shack, Izo returned to her hospital room and dispersed her clone. Izo sighs to herself and casts another memory spell to learn more about the world. But she already knew the answer; she was not going to like it. * Chapter 4 – Wrap up Detective Locke and Detective Myers bounce roughly in their seats as their seat belts hold them in place and leave a trail of red welts across their chests. The police car kicks up dust and dirt as Detective Locke drives down the dirt road. A trail of cars is seen ahead as he pulls off to the side of the road a fair distance away. However, even from their current location, a well-kept cottage can be spotted in the distance. The two detectives emerge from their vehicle and shut the doors behind them. The sound echoes loudly in the woods and despite all the personnel present at the scene, there is an eerie atmosphere permeating from the very ground to the very air. The detective¡¯s footsteps crunch loudly as they make their way to the shack. Something about their own footsteps causes the hairs on the back of the detective¡¯s necks to stand on edge. A charming wood shack with a stone chimney sits directly in the middle of the woods. A pretty white stone path leads to the shack from the connecting dirt road. At the edge of the dirt road is a seemingly cute, painted mailbox in the shape of a barn house. Further inspection does not suggest that this seemly cute shack would be the den of a crazed killer. But even though the two detectives had worked as VICE and had seen plenty of gruesome crime scenes in their days, something about this one chilled them to their very bones. A masked officer emerges from within the cottage out carrying out a sealed box. With great care, the dark-skinned officer removes the mask from his face. In a horror-filled voice, the officer sickly says, ¡°You¡¯re going to want a mask.¡± The two detectives without hesitation each walk over to an officer holding out two masks. The two carefully secure the medical masks to their faces before entering the shack. The cottage itself smells of lilac and rosemary. A neat stone chimney stands in the corner alongside an iron wood burning stove that has a pile of neatly chopped wood stacked against the cabin wall. The small kitchen holds excellent crafted wooden cupboards filled with dishes and dry food items. There are tiny hooks on the kitchen hall that hold up pots and other kitchen utensils. There is a small table for two in the middle of the kitchen with two exquisitely carved wooden chairs. To the left of the kitchen is a dyed wooden closet filled with neatly hung clothing. To the right of that is a twin-size bed with embroidered pillows and covers. On either side of the bed are small nightstands that hold more folded clothing and feminine underwear. The final piece of furniture in the small shack is a bookshelf filled with romance and mystery novels. Nothing out of the ordinary for a young woman living out in the middle of the woods. It is so charming, that more than one officer would have found themselves smitten with the owner. However, directly in the middle of the shack is a large blue rug that has been rolled to the side to reveal an underground entrance with a metal door opening and lock. The metal door had been removed with pliers and had long since been removed from the scene. An iron ladder is bolted to the underground wall plunging 10 feet down below. A careless slip would lead to a nasty fall. With some hesitation, the detectives carefully climb down the metal ladder into the darkness below. Their eyes adjust to the dim light as generators have been carried down to light the basement with flashlights lightening the walking pathway. Eventually, mage lights will be conjured but the mage members of the police force are much too busy to do so now. Detective Locke and Detective Myers follow the flashlight pathway, a haunting trail in the dark, damp tunnel. The sound of rustling grows stronger as bright lights up ahead cause their eyes to sting. The two detectives blink the tears from their eyes as they emerge into a brightly lit concrete, cement room. In the midst, of the madness is Sergeant Judy Jensen. Officers and other personnel scurry around like ants collecting and processing evidence. Sergeant Jensen turns around to face them, carefully keeping her face devoid of emotion. ¡°So, what did the victim have to say?¡± Sergeant Jensen distantly asked. ¡°Nothing much, other than the freak responsible is a woman,¡± Detective Locke drily stated as his eyes come to rest upon a corpse. Even in death, the woman¡¯s corpse is breathtakingly beautiful. The cause of the woman¡¯s death is evident as a pair of scissors had been violently inserted into her throat. Sergeant Jensen bitterly grunts, ¡°That¡¯s what we figured too,¡± as she points to the corpse. ¡°The bitch really did a number on the kids before killing them.¡± Detective Myers swallows down the bile that the image recalled. ¡°From the description of the victim, the killer thought she was a goddess with the power over life and death,¡± Detective Myers queasily said. A handsome tan man with a nicely trimmed beard approaches from behind and adds, ¡°That fits with my preliminary evaluation as well. The killer enjoyed the feeling of power and control over every single action of her victims. Our surviving victim only survived as long as she did, because our killer needed a spectator, a witness to her power. Some of the most deranged serial killers are the most egotistical of beings. Everything at the scene suggests my initial assessment, but I won¡¯t be able to create a full psyche until we finish processing the scene.¡± ¡°Thank you, Doctor Amir,¡± Sergeant Jensen sincerely said as Doctor Amir briskly moves on to recollect more information. The detectives are quiet as Sergeant Jensen frowns and her phone starts ringing. Sergeant Jensen frowns in resignation but swiftly walks up the stairs to take the call. Her superiors weren¡¯t going to be happy with the news. * The citizens of Emerald City and the nation are in an uproar regarding the findings of Classroom 13. The citizens were shocked upon seeing the corpse of the killer that had committed such atrocities. Such a beautiful woman was the culprit behind the disappearance of class 13? It was impossible to believe, but all the incriminating evidence suggested otherwise. The identity of the Killer was never officially confirmed despite the police and the public citizen''s efforts. The police force and the masses would just have to be satisfied that the culprit had been caught and justice had been wrought. But even with the case being solved, it was still a mystery on how the killer had gotten into the Summerfield Conservatory? Without proof only, speculation could be given but it was widely believed that it was the killer¡¯s gift that allowed her to do so. With the closing of the case of Classroom 13, the students were officially declared dead. But there was an unconfirmed rumor suggesting that there was a survivor of the massacre. Despite the media¡¯s best efforts, nothing was ever confirmed. Conspiracies were still rampant as the mystery of Classroom 13 would never be entirely solved. These unanswered questions would always remain, who, how, and why?Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. * Months later, Izo sits in a comfy seat across from Doctor Wang who is overseeing the therapy session from a corner of the room. A large plump, pleasant man says, ¡°But how does that make you feel?¡± The still too slender girl raises an eyebrow at the question. ¡°It makes me grateful for the fact that I have food to eat. In fact, I will never cease to be grateful for the food put on the table before me. Does that answer your question, Dr. Berkeley?¡± Izo loudly replied. Dr. Berkeley stiffens indignantly causing his jowls to jiggle. Dr. Berkeley opens his mouth to retort back, but Dr. Wang interjects, ¡°I believe that is enough for tonight¡¯s session. Izo, you¡¯re excused.¡± Izo jumps to her feet with glee and flees out the door and slamming the door pointedly shut behind her. Dr. Berkeley opens his mouth to complain as Dr. Wang says, ¡°Dr. Berkeley, my suspicions have been confirmed from tonight¡¯s session. Miss Lee is to be immediately discharged and will be assigned a different therapist for her out of hospital transition.¡± ¡°But, she¡¯s an invaluable source of information and research!¡± Dr. Berkeley complained. ¡°Dr. Berkeley, I understand that she is a fascinating subject. But despite all odds, I find that she is in full control of her cognitive and emotional functions. Despite, the fact that she¡¯s been under severe physical and mental strain. Doctor Janice Anderson agree with me. We find that it would be best for Miss Lee to be discharged and to have her meet a therapist bi-weekly,¡± Dr. Wang firmly countered. Dr. Berkeley mutters a few choice words under his breath, before haughtily declaring, ¡°Dr. Wang, I will have you know that my father-in-law is on the border of directors. He will take it poorly that such a valuable patient has been removed from my care.¡± Dr. Wang sighs at his colleague¡¯s antics. ¡°Dr. Berkeley, I needn¡¯t remind you that Miss Lee is my patient and ultimately the decision for treatment or her release is in my hands. Nor should I remind you, that you shan¡¯t be making an enemy out of me, but out of the Lee family,¡± Dr. Wang firmly reprimanded. Dr. Berkeley pales upon remembering exactly whose daughter, Miss Lee is. He hastily coughs and covers his tracks by saying, ¡°Of course. I merely wanted to make certain your priorities were in their place. Excuse me, my next patient is waiting for me.¡± He swiftly heaves himself out of his seat and waddles away at full pace. Dr. Wang sighs with relief as he walks back to his office and is somewhat surprised to find the seated figures of Mr. and Mrs. Lee. He carefully shuts the door behind him, before sitting down and greeting them. ¡°Hello and Mr. and Mrs. Lee, how are you?¡± Mr. Lee smiles politely back and replies, ¡°Well thank you. How soon can my daughter finally be released?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact-,¡± Dr. Wang started to answer before being rudely cut off. ¡°What is wrong with my Izo? She doesn¡¯t like the clothes that I bring back from her favorite shops. She only wears those tasteless clothes that she calls comfortable! Her food tastes are utterly different. She hates her favorite snacks that are stuffed to the brim with caviar. She prefers tasteless foods such as pizza and burgers! And worst of all, when I embrace her, she coldly embraces me back! It¡¯s like someone switched my Izo with her doppelganger!¡± Mrs. Lee desperately said as she pleaded with the Doctor to give her a satisfying answer. That her daughter would eventually return to the daughter of her heart. Mr. Lee gives Dr. Wang a sympathetic smile as Dr. Wang answers, ¡°Just a moment, Mrs. Lee,¡± and he pulls out his phone to text. Mrs. Lee slumps weakly against her husband¡¯s chest in despair. A minute later, the door opens and shuts to reveal a mocha-skinned woman with brown eyes and dark hair in hundreds of tiny, long braids. Her white coat is stark against her skin as she introduces herself. ¡°Hello Mr. and Mrs. Lee, I¡¯m Dr. Janice Anderson. I will in charge of reintroducing your daughter to society and will be seeing her bi-weekly upon her release. I was also told that you had some questions regarding your daughter¡¯s change in personality?¡± Dr. Anderson firmly said as Mr. Lee smiles painfully in response, while Mrs. Lee nods her head vehemently in reply, before pointedly turning to glare at Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang already use to such actions from patients or patient¡¯s families merely smiles nonchalantly back. Dr. Anderson hides the mirth in her eyes at the actions of Mrs. Lee and promptly replies, ¡°Your worries are well founded, Mrs. Lee. I am certain that your daughter is vastly different from your memories. However, personality changes are quite common in traumatic situations such as these. I must emphasize the importance of not treating your daughter any differently. Traumatic victims like your daughter often go through abrupt personality changes to survive and adapt to their situation. To treat her differently could further damage your relationship. As of right now, I can clearly see there is tension between the two of you. Your daughter is dissociating with her past self''s pastimes such as shopping and even clothing styles are a constant reminder of her previous weak-self. Despite your well-intentioned actions Mrs. Lee, they are serving to push your daughter further away deepening the gap between the two of you. Your daughter is currently trying to stand on her two feet such triggers are only hurting her in a constant reminder of how powerless she was in her traumatic situation. She is doing her best to recreate herself, but mostly she is trying to feel safe in the new world around her. Please be more patient, Mrs. Lee. But please understand, that your daughter will never be the person she once was. However, that doesn¡¯t mean she is not your daughter. She is merely different than the daughter you once knew. You now have ample time and opportunity to get to know your current daughter. Without a doubt, you will come to love her as much you have in the past and will be able to reconnect once more.¡± Mrs. Lee¡¯s shoulders tremble with an unknown emotion as she keeps her gaze firmly fixed to the floor. Mr. Lee rubs his wife¡¯s back as he gravely glances at Dr. Anderson. ¡°Then what do you recommend, Doctor Anderson?¡± Mr. Lee finally asked. ¡°As of right now, I have several recommendations, but I will state the most pertinent ones for now. Firstly, do not reintroduce Izo to everyday society nor allow her existence to come to light. Under such limelight, the still-fragile psyche of Izo will surely be crushed. This may lead to a tragic outcome that we all wish to avoid. Secondly, her current return to the Lee manor or any other home is out of the question. These places are a trigger to her and could very well cause a relapse. Not to mention, that such a situation may cause worse mental issues to become present. I know this may sound strange, but a victim¡¯s mind is in a different state from the rest of us. Instead, may I suggest, that you give her own space and privacy. A small apartment, where she can feel independent, but safe. Izo needs to feel that she is still in control of her situation, but more importantly, that the two of you trust her enough to keep herself safe. However, I do realize she is still very much a minor. May I suggest a friend or relative or possibly a caretaker to watch and cohabit with her?¡± Dr. Anderson persuasively said as Mr. Lee nods in understanding. ¡°Thank you, Doctor Anderson, we will follow your counsel. How soon can she be released,¡± Mr. Lee firmly said. ¡°By the end of the week, if the proper arrangements have been made,¡± Dr. Wang truthfully answered. Mr. Lee nods in thanks as Mrs. Lee leans against him and they depart from the office. Dr. Anderson raises an eyebrow at Dr. Wang that says it all, ¡°Rich People.¡± Dr. Wang shrugs sheepishly as Dr. Anderson asks, ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± He shakes his head regretfully and says, ¡°No, but my wife is expecting me for dinner.¡± Dr. Anderson snorts, ¡°Salad again?¡± ¡°Salad again,¡± Dr. Wang tragically replied. ¡°Makes me glad, I¡¯m not married,¡± Dr. Anderson cheerfully replied as she strides out. She pauses at the door and adds over her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m having steak by the way,¡± before confidently marching away. Dr. Wang groans hungrily as he sits down and gloomily answering his wife¡¯s phone call. * Chapter 5 – Collision Little over a year later, the slumbering figure of a tall, slender pale girl is seen sleeping on the black leather couch. One of her legs hangs over of the edge of the couch revealing socks with skulls on them and a strip of boxers that have printed miniature golden cat-like figures with a bolt-like tail on them. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s time you got up,¡± the graying older woman named, Dolores firmly yelled as she removes the blankets off the slumbering figure. The sleeping figure turns around to reveal a logo on the black tee reading, ¡°There is magic in the air and it¡¯s called WIFI!¡± Izo sleepily murmurs, ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost noon,¡± Dolores snapped back. Izo groans and covers her head with her pillow. The pillow is forcibly yanked as her nose crashes painfully into the couch headrest. Izo lets out a pained grunt as she rolls to her side, before climbing to her feet. ¡°No more nonsense, Miss. You haven¡¯t left the house in three months other than for your bi-weekly sessions with Doctor Anderson. Some fresh air will do you good, Miss,¡± Dolores firmly growled as she folds the blankets and begins to clean the living room. Izo grumbles, ¡°I¡¯ve gone out a couple of times, I think that¡¯s more than okay. Besides I went shopping on all those previous outings. And I will have you know, I do socialize as I spend plenty of quality time with my friends.¡± ¡°Miss, you only went out to buy your games and comics. After that, you¡¯ve been ordering them online and having them delivered to the front door. As for your so-called friends, they¡¯re all virtual. In fact, most of them are middle schoolers to be precise. I do not consider them adequate friends for a woman your age. I would prefer to not have to call, Doctor Anderson or Doctor Wang,¡± Dolores threatened. Izo yawns and heads towards the shower. She acknowledges that she¡¯s been lazing about, but it¡¯s the first vacation she¡¯s had in ten long years. It had been long overdue. After being released from the hospital having faked her way through therapy, the doctors suggested she live separately from Mr. and Mrs. Lee in a guarded complex. Mr. and Mrs. Lee resultantly agreed and paid for a condo. Izo would have settled for something smaller and less grandiose, but she couldn¡¯t very well say, no. The parents of the original Izo were disturbed by the change in Izo. The only reason they had not denounced Izo as an imposter was because of the DM test and the medical doctors stating, it was perfectly normal for a personality to drastically change under such dramatic circumstances. It may have come as a relief to Mr. and Mrs. Lee when the subtle suggestion was made that Izo their daughter remain dead. Following that logic, Mr. and Mrs. Lee had officially declared their daughter, Izo Lee dead and mourned her publicly. Izo was given a new identity though she was permitted to retain her first name, she was now Izo Reed. To maintain plausible deniability, a trust fund had been established in her name and would be sufficient to see to her needs until the day she died. Plus, the police recommended the solution, as well as word, had yet to go out which of the students had been found alive. Currently, at present all the students of Classroom 13 are officially declared dead. To protect Izo¡¯s identity and fragile psyche, all files proving her existence have been destroyed or discarded. In the case, Izo¡¯s identity should be discovered, the police will claim that such information is an utterly false statement that the present Izo is merely an individual who unfortunately shares a similar appearance with the dead Izo Lee. Dolores, a maid of the family was assigned to clean and care for Izo. Izo didn¡¯t mind as she could spend most of her time reading comic books or playing video games. The games in this world had excellent graphics. But Dolores was right, it had been months since she had done anything outside. She needed to go out and do something. Izo finishes drying her hair as she emerges into her room. With a flourish, Izo opens her closet and grabs the essentials. A hoodie, a random tee, comfortable dark jeans and a pair of comfortable sneakers. Another wonderful thing about medieval times, they lack excellent clothing textiles or appropriate underwear. Silk is useless, when in battle. Instead, you¡¯re stuck with a tough scratchy cloth that causes rashes on the skin.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Dolores promptly accompanies Izo on her day¡¯s journey. The building¡¯s guard waves goodbye as they head in the direction of the bookstore. Another wonderful amenity of the modern world was that the masses were literate and had access to a wealth of literature. Izo browses through the bookshelves as Dolores remains nearby reading a steamy romance novel. Laughter like that of a songbird reaches Izo¡¯s ears as she disappears further into the shelves, unbeknownst to Dolores who is currently lost in the Caribbean, where a handsome pirate is about to tear open her chemise to cup her breasts in his silky, rough hands. * A young woman with warm golden hair, sun-kissed lips and rosy cheeks smiles brightly at a group of young men and women. She was like a cute animal that made others want to be protective of her. The group looks familiar as Izo recognizes the figures from the memory spell. The girl is Mary, a ¡°commoner¡± student, (a normal human being from a normal background), admitted into Summerfield Conservatory. The rest of the group members are former schoolmates or acquaintances. The Izo of this Earth was viciously jealous of Mary because Mary had gained the attention of Alexander. Though Alexander and Izo had grown up together, Alexander had never considered Izo more than an acquaintance. Izo turns to leave, when the sweet voice of Mary says, ¡°Miss Lee, is that you? I thought-.¡± Izo stiffens and turns around to face the startled crowd. ¡°You have the wrong person,¡± she solemnly replied. Alexander, though handsome with his golden hair and blue eyes, the icy look on his face utter ruined his looks in Izo¡¯s eyes. Alexander¡¯s dreamy looks would be of no use against Izo as he reminded her too much of Ryo and that cursed person. Handsome men were far more trouble than they were worth. She would much prefer a chubby guy who shared her love for food. The crowd looks confused as Mary tilts her face in confusion. That arrogant face was identical, but unlike Miss Lee¡¯s face, there was no emotion in those dark eyes. Rather there was a sense of detachment as though watching a bug crawl by. None of the group deems a response in time as the tall, all too slender woman disappears among the shelves and out of sight. The group erupts into whispers as Mary gapes in astonishment. If it had been Miss Lee, she would have haughtily insulted Mary, before raising her nose into the air and stomping away. The person before them was all too different. Yes, it surely must be someone else. After all, it is rumored that there is a doppelganger for every person in existence. Firm in their belief, they all forget the incident as they return to enjoying their afternoon in good company. * ¡°His hand tears her drawers away reaching for her inner thigh,¡± a woman¡¯s voice reads over her shoulder causing Dolores to hastily snap the book shut. Izo smirks and says, ¡°Now, now Dolores, one must always remain watchful.¡± Dolores fans the blush on her face and says, ¡°Miss, you gave me a fright!¡± Izo doesn¡¯t respond as she leads the way out. On the way back home, Izo points to the two massive buildings opposite of each other. Dolores says, ¡°Miss, do you need something done at the Adventure¡¯s Guild or the Hero¡¯s Formal Association?¡± ¡°Just curious, what¡¯s the difference?¡± Izo said rather absentmindedly asked. ¡°Miss, surely you¡¯re jesting. I find it hard to believe you don¡¯t remember,¡± Dolores disbelievingly said. ¡°Indulge me,¡± Izo pointedly said. ¡°Very well, Miss. The Hero¡¯s Formal Association are heroes protecting the cities from monsters and criminals. The Adventure¡¯s Guild can fill similar positions on a request basis and are always paid upfront. Their primary job is discovering new dungeons or raiding them,¡± Dolores swiftly said expecting more questions, but none ever came. The two women arrive at the condo as Dolores hangs her purse up, whilst Izo sprawls on the couch and reads a comic book. Her feet kick back and forth in the air as she reads. Dolores begins to cook as Izo from the couch says, ¡°Dolores, do I need anything to register at the Adventure¡¯s Guild?¡± Dolores chokes almost cutting off her hand as the knife missed her fingers by a hair length. Dolores takes a deep breath and mumbles a few choice words before coming for air. ¡°Miss, is this a joke? Are you just trying to pull this old lady¡¯s chain? Well, you have succeeded, I almost chopped my hand off just now!¡± Dolores crossly shrieked. Izo turns a page of her comic book and mumbles, ¡°Like I was saying, do I need anything?¡± Dolores looks at the ceiling as pleading for aid from the heavens. Taking a deep breath, she begins to most violently chop the vegetables to make potato stew. ¡°A form of identification, $175 guild registration fee and to pass a classification rank exam,¡± Dolores sternly said as she pauses for a moment, before hesitantly adding, ¡°But Miss, you can¡¯t use magic nor do you have any skills.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure something will come up,¡± Izo said confidently as she got to the good part and was about to discover how the locked door case is about to be solved. It was hilarious, how a brilliant detective had been turned into a little kid. At least the some of the same series of Earth existed in this world too. Dolores sighs in resignation and vents her frustration on the poor trembling vegetables meeting their doom. * Chapter 6 – Registration Early the next morning in front of the Adventure¡¯s Guild branch stands a tall slender woman in combat boots, jeans, and a dark zipped up hoodie that reads, ¡°Normal People Scare Me.¡± Izo taps her boots against the marble footsteps crossly, before grudgingly moving to climb up the stairs. She grumbles about architects lacking common sense as she labors up the steps to reach the entrance. Rather irritated, Izo waltzes into the elegant reception area. A large breasted receptionist wearing a slim fitting uniform stands behind a counter desk and smile¡¯s politely at the hooded figure. The receptionist name tag reads, Miss Carpenter. ¡°Hello and Welcome to the Adventure¡¯s Guild, how may I help you this fine morning?¡± The busty receptionist asked the slim, tall figure. ¡°I would like to register with the organization,¡± a woman¡¯s voice calmly replied. Miss Carpenter automatically answers, ¡°A form of identification must be presented upon registration and a non-returnable $100 fee is to be paid upfront. I will need you to fill out guild registration form before we can progress to testing your rank.¡± The tall, slim woman hands over a driver¡¯s license and a folded $100-dollar bill. Miss Carpenter swiftly takes both items and hands over a clipboard with the forms needed to be filled out. She also points to a chair for the hooded woman to have a seat and fill out her paperwork. Miss Carpenter swiftly processes the payment and fills out a preliminary record with the information on the driver¡¯s license. Miss Carpenter furrows her forehead as she dubiously studies the arrogant face displayed on the license of Izo Reed. It was no wonder the woman hadn¡¯t removed her hood. With some pity, Miss Carpenter says, ¡°I¡¯m all done. Miss Reed, are you finished filling out the rest of the forms?¡± The hooded figure of Miss Reed stands up and hands the receptionist the completed paperwork. Miss Carpenter happily accepts the clipboard and hands the license back to Miss Reed. Miss Carpenter turns to her side and hands the information filled out on the clipboard over to another receptionist to enter into their computer system. With a smile, she motions for the hooded woman to follow her over to a secure door. Miss Carpenter holds out a magic key card and types in a code into the door keypad before the door swings open. She leads the hooded woman further into the hallway to a door on the left. They enter a large dim white room with a single green light shining overhead. Miss Carpenter stops at the door entrance as Miss Reed enters the room. From behind her, Miss Carpenter says, ¡°When the light turns red, a monster will be released for you to fight. Depending on your speed at destroying the creature, the highest class that can be awarded is class C. However, should you feel yourself in danger, please raise your hand and the test will immediately end.¡± Miss Carpenter firmly steps out of the room as the door shuts pointedly behind her and waits patiently in the hallway. Izo twists her neck and begins to stretch her limbs. A minute later, the green light disappears as a red-light blink several times, before the lights blink on. A snarling low-class black wolf monster emerges from an opening in the floor. The opening closes as the black wolf hurls itself towards the two-legged animal, but halts in mid-leap. The two-legged animal doesn¡¯t smell like food but like death. The snarling wolf whimpers and curls up onto his belly showing his submission. Izo is a bit perplexed by the wolf¡¯s actions but wasn¡¯t about to complain. She walks back to the door and knocks rather loudly. ¡°Excuse me, but the test is done,¡± she said rather loudly. The receptionist hurriedly opens the door and steps in inside. In disbelief, Miss Carpenter sees a black wolf monster on the floor showing his soft underbelly. Snapping her gaping mouth shut, she swiftly taps a button on the side of the wall as the wolf creature drops back down through the floor. Turning on her heels Miss Carpenter briskly leads the way back to the front desk. With a flourish, she types in the test results as a white card appears on a small stand beside her. Miss Carpenter reaches over and carefully hands the cards over to Miss Reed. ¡°The white card is your adventurer¡¯s guild card, showing your identification and rank. To update your ID, please bring your card to any branch to have it done. And should the identification card be lost or stolen, the loss must be reported to a branch. To issue a replacement there is a $500 fee.¡± Miss Carpenter waits a moment as she allows Miss Reed to study the identification card. Izo reads the guild card with a wry smile. Her original class and starting stats had been registered, which defined all normal sense as her real stats were-.
Name: Izo Reed Age: 18 Guild Classification: D Class: Inquisitor Skills: Heal, Staff Expert, Aura, Illusion, Bloodthirst, Single Chant Magic Affinity: 100 Fire: 40 Wind: 10 Water: 10 Earth: 15 Light: 25
Izo¡¯s smile completely crumbles away as she remembers that WENCHES face. For the last eight months, Izo had been trying to find way to return to Earth with no solution in sight. Despite what Dolores thought, Izo, had not spent her entire time gaming or reading comics, that was only a cover for the harsh truth. Izo had been spending most of her time researching quantum physics of this Earth and mana theories. But no matter, how much she read or searched, all the researchers agreed on one thing. It would take an incredible amount of energy to create a transfer point to another world with the larger problem being the lack of precise landing coordinates.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it And that was the major problem. If Izo managed to somehow figure out a way to power up such a spell and survive the jump, Izo, didn¡¯t even know, where home was. Was home even in the same universe or perhaps even in an alternate plane of reality? Bitter and disillusioned, Izo had been forced to accept the unpleasant truth, that she would never be able to return to her original Earth nor fulfill her vengeance against that blasted BITCH! ¡°How interesting, healing classes tend to be priests or priestesses must be a rare derivative,¡± Miss Carpenter commented out loud. Izo is broken out of her reverie and tucks the card into her pocket, but actually, places the ID into her inventory. The receptionist doesn¡¯t notice as she opens a welcome folder filled with information for newly registered adventures. Miss Carpenter hands the packet over to Izo and explains the contents. ¡°To accept jobs, you can check the guild public job board or online on the guild website. To accept jobs online, an online account must be created. Please try to remember your account username and password. If it is forgotten, the guild must manually reset the account. As a member of the guild, you will have access to the guild teleportation ring located at every branch. If the teleportation ring is used to transfer to a dungeon, there is a fee. The fee can be paid prior to the transport or be placed on a tab to be taken out of the next earned deposit. Earnings will be transferred into the banking account(s) that were filled out on the form. Should a new dungeon be discovered there is a large reward paid by the guild. Any more information will be paid separately upon confirmation. That includes equipment values, (common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary.) If any items are found in a dungeon, they can either be sold to the guild, an auction house or via another intermediary. Selling items to private buyers is generally frowned upon but not forbidden. However, the guild does not permit that items of epic and higher value be sold to private buyers. If it is discovered that any guild member has done so, not only is that guild member banned for life, but there are other consequences that are not pleasant to behold. Do you have any questions, Miss Reed?¡± The big breasted receptionist asked failing to notice the packet handed over had already vanished into thin air. ¡°Just out of curiosity, what are the stats for guild members?¡± Izo curiously asked. Miss Carpenter smiles with humor and happily answers, ¡°Civilian stats on average range between 50 to 75 points. F-class members tend to be athletic civilians or those individuals that possess stats more than is the average norm. Their stats are 75 and higher with their stats always falling short of reaching 100. Of course, like any guild class, they can become stronger via items or consumables to increase their stats and reach a higher class. D-class member¡¯s stats range between 100 to 150, C-class members range between 150 to 250+ stats, B-class members are between 300 to 400+ stats, A-class members are around 500 to 600+, and the rare S-class members are 700 to 800+.¡± Izo sighs a bit at that. Her stats were all over the place, she could certainly take on a B-class member or an A-class member. But an S-class member was most likely at the level of a Demon King. The only reason she won in the first place was because she had used a couple of items to cheat. And sadly, she didn¡¯t have any such items with her presently, therefore should she meet an S-class member, she may lose or worse be killed. The only item that had transferred over was the World Tree Scythe. The World Tree Scythe had been Izo¡¯s primary weapon as an inquisitor used for offense and defense. If she wanted any defensive items she was going to have to gather them on her own. Too bad, she couldn¡¯t grind her stats up anymore as nothing including items would influence her locked stats. With a smile, Miss Carpenter waves goodbye to the hooded woman who heads in the direction of the job board. With a rueful smile, she turns around to greet the next person in line. ¡°Hello and Welcome to the Adventure¡¯s Guild, how may I help you this fine morning?¡± * Izo stands before the job board and scans for D rank missions. [Capture C class Villain, Bon Voyage, $15,000] [C class beast corpse, 100 gold coins] [Pick 25 Mad Mushrooms, 5 gold coins = $2500] [10 Black Wolf pelts, 15 gold coins] Izo removes the Black Wolf Mission from the board and hands it over to a young man at a desk. He carefully stamps the job as taken and registers into his system as the next person in line steps up. Following the signs, Izo arrives in a large open room with an intricate spell pentagram carved into the very stone. Several mage technicians in blue worker¡¯s jumpsuit and blue cap are on standby. A middle-aged worker glances up from his post and takes out a scanner from his pocket. looks up. He holds out his hand and automatically says, ¡°Registration card and location. And would you like to pay now or have the trip placed on a tab?¡± Izo pulls out her card from her inventory and firmly hands it over to the technician to be scanned. ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not familiar with specific dungeons yet. Could I please be recommended a dungeon that holds black wolves? And, please place the trip on my tab, I would greatly appreciate it,¡± Izo replied. The middle-aged mage technician halts his typing and turns towards the rest of the technicians, before yelling, ¡°What¡¯s a good dungeon teeming with black wolves?¡± The mage technicians think about it for a moment, before shouting their replies. ¡°Terror Copses.¡± ¡°Plasma Plains.¡± ¡°Slaughter Ridge.¡± ¡°Malevolent Mountain.¡± ¡°There you are. What will it be-,¡± the mage technician said as he pauses to read her name on the card, ¡°Miss Reed?¡± ¡°Any of them will be fine,¡± Izo answered as she takes the card back and puts into her inventory. ¡°Gotcha,¡± the mage technician said as he randomly picks one as the hooded woman steps into the ring. The mage technician typed in the precise coordinates as mages evacuate the near area and set up shields to contain the after-mana bursts. The ring begins to glow as the mage technicians put their shades on and in a flash the hooded woman is gone. The mages watch the remaining traces of mana violently sparkle and crackle in the air afterward. The minutes slowly pass by as they wait for the mana to finally dissipate. The last sparkles of mana disperse as the technicians remove their shades first, before releasing their shields. Out of curiosity, one of the technicians asks, ¡°Joe, where did you send the newbie?¡± ¡°I just picked a random one, since I wasn¡¯t sure about them. I think it was Slaughter Ridge,¡± the middle-aged technician replied. The technician nods in satisfaction at the reply as they resume their chat from before. Though if anyone had bothered to recheck the coordinates in the system, the destination coordinates would have read as, ¡°Ophidian Wilderness.¡± * Chapter 7 – Ophidian Wilderness A bright circle appears in the middle of the jungle leaving behind a dazed woman on the creepy crawly ground. Izo shrieks as she scrambles to her feet and shakes the hungry bugs off her red, damp face. The heat is oppressive as her lungs struggled to breathe, but drowning at the humidity in the air. Izo bitterly curses out loud as she swats the bugs away from her face and tries to walk through the jungle without tripping over any roots. She could have sworn that a jungle was not one of the mentioned coordinates by the mage technicians. In fact, if her topography didn¡¯t fail her, wolves are not native to the tropics or sub-tropics including wolf monsters. Whether it was a mistake or on purpose, she would swear that fate was laughing at her. Izo scrambles over a fallen rotting log before emerging into a clearing with ruins. She narrows her eyes and upon further inspection, she spots several large and red-lettered warning signs declaring that the ruins up ahead were a dungeon, Ophidian Wilderness. Izo sighs through her nose rather than with her mouth as that would lead to inhaling a swarm of nat-like insects. She doesn¡¯t dare push her hoodie back as she wipes her forehead with her sleeve, lest a creepy crawly from above gets any ideas and dares fall onto her uncovered head. She had already crushed a giant spider that had decided to land on her shoulder. With care, Izo moves to step into the clearing. Frowning, she can hear her own breath in the sudden silence. Even the swarm of insects of flown away or fallen silent. The hairs on her skin stick up as the tree branches creek in a non-existence breeze. Without hesitation, Izo bolts forward as the tree branches behind her are carelessly crushed. Darting towards the dungeon, the giant shadow on the grows impossibly fast, causing her to leap to her side. A giant greenish, slithery tail slams into the ground leaving a meter-deep dent into the ground. Too busy to glance at her attacker as a giant pink mouth engulfs the area that was just standing it even tearing into the ground just to swallow its prey. Too late a familiar message gleefully pops up before Izo as everything does slimy and dark.
Young Midgard Serpent (Rare) Legendary snake able to grow to impossible sizes.
The monster snake clamps its mouth shut with pleasure and swallows. It begins to slither away as it scents another creature nearby. The snake feels a tickling sensation in the back of its throat causing it to have the urge to gag. The snake for the first time in its life chokes and regurgitates a slimy, struggling figure. Izo lands in a wet plop as saliva just drips off her body. A shiny, almost bronze-like wood colored staff is held in her hand as the top half glints with an ebony, sharp blade. Izo almost slips on her slimy feet, but with the aid of her scythe, she manages to remain propped up straight. A rather cross expression is on her face as uses her slimy hand to wipe away the excess mucus off her face.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The giant snake is rather confused as the itchy feeling in its throat has yet to fully disappear. It stares at its feeble meal covered in wetness as the snake flicks its tongue in the air. Deciding, that it did not like the taste of that stick-like thing, it turns its massive head south towards the source of fine boar meat. ¡°Oi, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Izo crankily yelled as she spat out snake saliva from her mouth. The sharp ebony end of her scythe glistens menacingly in the light. The snake doesn¡¯t react as a cold light appears in Izo¡¯s eyes. She rolls her shoulders in a circle loosening them up and doing the same with her neck. Bending her knees forward, she gathers strength in her legs, before pushing off. Suddenly, air-borne, Izo twirls her scythe in the air, creating a shrill whistle in the air, before bringing it down with full force at her target, the giant snakes head. The snake manages to sense a sudden heat movement and reacts fast enough that it manages to dodge the scythe filled with an unusual amount of bloodthirst. The tip of the scythe slams into the ground causing the earth to crumble underneath it and create a well-sized crater. The slimy, impossibly sticklike creature darts in zig-zag pattern towards the snake as the snake hurriedly spits out bright globs of poison at the figure bounding through the air. The dark blobs evaporate in thin air as Izo chants something under her breath. In a louder voice, she hisses, ¡°Tiny snakes should stick to their rightful places!¡± Izo rams the glowing scythe into the monster snake with her full strength. The giant snake is still for a moment before it¡¯s body splits into pieces as lighting like energy races across its entire length. The snake has a confused expression as it¡¯s body implodes and splatters across the entire clearing. Bits and pieces of the giant snake rain down as Izo places the World Tree Scythe back into her inventory. A particularly large piece of snake meat hurls towards Izo as she catches it one-handed. Glancing at the piece of snake flesh, her stomach grumbles. Izo makes a disgusted expression, as she hadn¡¯t planned on eating and therefore hadn¡¯t packed a lunch. If she had known, she would have packed lunch and a change of clothes. Damn, she really was out of shape. She had even forgotten to pack the extra change of clothes and supplies. Well, she had taken little over a year off from hunting. It was to be expected that she had forgotten a couple of crucial details. Izo gathers some dry wood from nearby and starts a fire. She needn¡¯t fear that animals would be drawn the fire as the scent of the giant snake was literally strewn all around. Having placed the snake meat on a sturdy branch, Izo was calmly turning it until the snake meat was crisp. A dried black goo was present on the cooking meat signaling that the meat was poisonous. Thankfully¡­. Izo was impervious to such things. The meat releases a burnt-like smell signaling that the monster snake meat is ready. With a grimace, Izo bites into the snake¡¯s squishy flesh. She grimaces at the foul taste of dried fungus and rotting meat. Izo swallows loudly as her eyes glisten with moisture. Eating monster meat is not for the faint of heart. Sometime later, having managed to keep the snake meat down, Izo puts out the fire. It is only mid-day when she approaches the dungeon. To the side of the ruins is a carefully set up teleportation ring, that has a sign in very large letters stating, ¡°To return to a guild branch, STEP ON to the ring and speak out loud the branch destination. Warning: once activated, teleportation cannot be canceled.¡± Izo snorts at the second sign, before walking up the dungeon stairs into the looming darkness and vanishing within. * Chapter 7.2 – Breakfast is ready Bright sunlight unpleasantly streaks across an older woman¡¯s face as she groans awake. She blearily opens her eyes to glance at the clock on her bed-stand, the clock reads 12:10 p.m. The older woman blinks sleepily as the message of the time is slowly relayed to her brain. Her eyes suddenly fly wide open as she throws the covers off and grabs her pink morning robe hanging on the bedpost. She hurriedly slips into her slippers, while tying her robes closed in a proper, prim manner. With a loud flourish, the older woman opens her bedroom door and hurries into the kitchen. She swiftly pulls out a pan and some eggs to make breakfast. ¡°I am so sorry, Miss. I don¡¯t know what came over me, but my alarm didn¡¯t go off this morning,¡± Dolores sincerely said as she turns on the stove. The sound of sizzling food is soon heard as a delicious scent fills the air. With the ease of a trained professional, she smoothly serves the piping hot food onto plates. ¡°Alright, Miss breakfast is ready,¡± she hollered as she places the two plates onto the kitchen table. Only silence greets her ears rather than the usual complaining. Frowning, Dolores glances up to find the T.V. turned off. She strides over to the couch, but the noticeable sleeping figure is gone. Stumped Dolores places her hands on her hips and frowns. ¡°Miss, Breakfast is ready,¡± Dolores loudly repeated as she makes her way to the master bedroom. The bedroom is tidy as usual, but the figure that should be reading on the bed is noticeably missing. Dolores carefully peers into the private master bathroom, but the figure that would be soaking in a warm bubble bath and reading a book is missing.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Baffled and becoming increasingly worried, Dolores returns to the kitchen, when a piece of paper on the floor catches her attention. She quickly marches over and retrieves the note off the floor. The note in scribbled handwriting says, ¡°I went on a camping trip with friends. I¡¯ll be back in a couple of days. Enjoy your vacation, Dolores. You can even¡­. wink¡­. watch that movie with the tie-up scenes. Izo.¡± Dolores flushes with embarrassment, but more importantly with annoyance. She stomps over to a chair and sits down. She angrily stabs the warm food with a fork and mutters under breath, ¡°Ungrateful girl. Here I am rushing to cook for her and she leaves without saying a word. Hmph, see if I¡¯ll cook breakfast for her from now. That¡¯ll show her.¡± Chapter 8 – Sky Knights A group of men and women in shining white like armor proudly make their way through the lobby of the adventure¡¯s guild. The receptionist¡¯s, adventures, and guest¡¯s eyes are filled with awe and envy. The Sky Knights Order was a party formed from elite adventures. It was an honor to join their order. The elevator that was almost full suddenly becomes empty upon sighting the Sky Knight¡¯s Order. With ease, the Sky Knights enter the now empty elevator. The Sky Knights commander is a stern, handsome man with a scar across his chin nods his head in thanks. The men are filled with wonder as the woman flush prettily at the single head nod. The leader of the Sky Knight Order, Sir William was a legend among men for a variety of reasons. The elevator rises as swift as any valiant stead as the Ride of the Valkyries, ironically plays in the background. Despite wearing metal armor, not a single sound is made as they move silently towards the conference room. The various members seat themselves at the table as their leader, Sir William remains standing. The clock ticks by slowly as the members of the order begin to look impatient. Sir William looks as placid as ever as he calmly waits. A hurried man with glasses and dark eyeshadows under his eyes scurries inside the glass conference room. In his arms are various folders as he stretches his hand out for Sir William to shake. The papers suddenly become strewn onto the floor. The man anxiously crawls on all fours to gather the fallen documents. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for being late, but I was tied up cleaning up after Alpha Five. Trust me, you don¡¯t want to know,¡± the man jabbered as he finishes gathering the important documents. The man carefully holds them in place with a clip before climbing onto his feet. A loud painful thud is heard as the men and women wince as the man slams his head into the corner of the conference table. The poor man head drops back onto the floor as he cradles his aching head in his arms. Moments later, with tears in the corner of his eyes, his head carefully appears over the edge and places the gathered documents onto the smooth conference table. ¡°Sorry about that, allow me to introduce myself, I¡¯m Allen Wright. I¡¯m an administrator for safety regulations in the field. We¡¯ve had a complaint¡¯s and we need the Sky Knights to take care of it,¡± Mr. Wright steadily said. Sir William narrows his eyes and says, ¡°And why are we being called in for such a minor issue. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of other teams that can easily take care of the guild¡¯s needs. What¡¯s so special about this one?¡± Mr. Wright anxiously pushes his glasses up his nose and says, ¡°Well, we¡¯re not sure exactly what we¡¯re dealing with to be precise.¡± ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?¡± A curved female knight roared. Mr. Wright flinches as he removes his glasses and pretends to clean them with his shirt. ¡°To be more specific, we¡¯ve been too afraid to send a team after what happened last time. And since we¡¯re dealing with Ophidian Wilderness, the guild has decided to err on the side of caution,¡± Mr. Wright reluctantly said as he lamented at having been saddled with the job. It had sounded so easy, but no, he wanted the promotion for team lead over Kimmy Chang. ¡°Then we¡¯re being sent because the guild is afraid that this might a potential hazard of an A class level threat?¡± Sir William sternly asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Wright squeaked as he places his glasses back onto his nose. ¡°We¡¯ll take it,¡± Sir William said as Mr. Wright almost cries with relief. ¡°I¡¯ll let the head supervisor know immediately!¡± Mr. Wright squeaked as he hastily gathers his things and almost trips in his haste to flee. His figure quickly disappears into the distance becoming a dark running spot. The Sky Knight¡¯s order turns reflexively towards Sir William. ¡°Prepare yourselves, we leave in an hour for Ophidian Wilderness. Move out,¡± he said as the knight¡¯s salute and move out. The outspoken female knight remains behind as she unhappily pouts.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Sir William, this mission is clearly dangerous! Ophidian Wilderness is a B class dungeon,¡± she unhappily stated as she crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Hilde, I know that, but we can¡¯t permit for the innocents to perish because of our cowardice. We are the Sky Knights and shan¡¯t be so easily defeated!¡± Sir William harshly answered back. Hilde bites her lip as she turns her head away and stomps out of the conference room. Sir William smiles warily as he watches her snarl at a poor passing soul that got in her way. He chuckles ruefully as he too departs to prepare his mind and soul for the fight against evil. * Sudden light flashes as a group of knights appear off course and land amid the humid jungle. Sir William firmly declares, ¡°Michael, note down our current coordinates. We need to let the mage technicians know that the teleportation ring coordinates are off center.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir William!¡± The young brawny knight proudly replied as he scurried to calculate their present coordinates. Once Michael finished, Sir William led the march across the jungle. The knight¡¯s march through the jungle with an impeccable air and despite the heat not a single drop of sweat can be seen on their brows. Even the insects didn¡¯t darebother them as the knight¡¯s march towards the direction of the dungeon. Sir William halts and draws his sword at the edge of the jungle clearing. The group of knights does the same as they reach for their weapons and hold them ready for battle. The jungle is full of squeaking animals overhead, but not a single sound is heard out of the norm. Still wary and ready for battle Sir William leads the way into the clearing. With a frown, he studies the ground and notices signs of battle across the ground. There are plenty of animal tracks across the clearing that show signs of recent scavenging. Not even bones are left as larger animals no doubt took them away to chew on. The Sky Knights remain on alert for several hours but nothing appears. Sir William finally sheathes his sword as the rest of the knights follow in turn. ¡°We are returning back to headquarters, our mission is a success,¡± Sir William said as the Sky Knights look puzzled. A young knight hesitantly asks, ¡°But sir, what about the monster?¡± ¡°There is no monster, therefore our mission has been completed,¡± Sir William promptly replied as the young knight looks even more confused. Hilde looks down her nose and says, ¡°Thomas, there are signs of battle on the grounds and scavenging. If there was a monster it is either dead or gravely wounded and therefore won¡¯t be returning. In which case, neither is our problem. We were asked to kill the beast, not to capture it.¡± The other knights snicker as the young man looks embarrassed as they gather on the teleportation ring. Sir William speaks the words out loud to return to headquarters. The pentagraph formation begins to glow and releases a bright flash as their figures vanish into thin air. The mage technicians are impressed at the information that they brought back, whereas the guild branch head was impressed precision and swiftness that the Sky Knights completed their request. The entire branch is abuzz at the Sky Knights feat as the still green adventures stare with awe and envy at the men and women in shining armor passing through the branch. It was simply one more feat added to the Sky Knights ever-growing legend and popularity. * Council members sit at a long roundtable as illusionary figures fill the council seats except for the guild branch head. ¡°They should be praised for a job well done,¡± a brunette thirty-year-old woman argues. A dark-skinned member nods his head in agreement and adds, ¡°I concur with Miss Rime, the Sky Knights Order not only defeated the beast in a day but did so without incurring any injuries what so ever. That shows skill and talent.¡± ¡°I disagree. Sir William is the key for the entire operation. Should he fall amidst battle or a mission, the entire group will be in disarray,¡± a tiny Asian woman flatly stated as several other council members nod their head in agreement. The air is tense as a well-dressed woman interjects, ¡°Then shall we watch and wait?¡± A senior man with a charming smile responds. ¡°Why not do both? Reward them for now, but we shall watch them in future missions. Should they prove capable enough only then shall their status be elevated, does that suit all parties? The extreme sides of both arguments are mollified by the response. The council members mumble their agreement as the meeting is closed. The figures disperse quietly and unobtrusively as the guild branch leader physically marches out of the conference room. However, every single council members heart was filled with doubts against each other. Was it truly that simple or was someone testing out a new batch of heroes? * Chapter 9 – Egg Izo almost pushes her hood back with relief at the coolness of the dungeon, but the memory of the insects falling onto her causes her to halt. The air smells of moss and stone as she carefully takes a step, before placing her full weight onto that foot. Though the dungeon certainly had been well explored, there are always traps left for the unsuspecting. A stone under her right foot slightly pushes down as Izo swiftly retracts her foot. With baited breath, Izo waits in hope that the trap hadn¡¯t sprung. She didn¡¯t hear nor sense anything unusual, but after the snake incident, she wasn¡¯t trusting her senses. Izo knew she was a bit too out of shape for her own good. Had she been in top shape, she would have easily beaten the snake without the use of the World Tree Scythe. She was going to have to get in shape the old fashion way by EXERCISING! Time slowly passes by as Izo slowly makes her way through the dungeon floors. If it wasn¡¯t for her skill, nocturnal eyes, she would have had to conjure a mage light. Mage lights are infamous for attracting monsters and the like. That was the entire reason she had spent months in an underground cave to gain the hard sought out skill. But Izo had to admit, though the dungeon was densely booby-trapped, there weren¡¯t droves of monsters attacking her. It made sense as it must a low-level dungeon for newbies. Which was fine by her, she merely came to test out her current abilities and gain newbie equipment. Time is a difficult thing to tell inside a dungeon as time can pass more slowly or faster than the outside world. Izo felt that she had been walking for hours, but she had yet to stumble across a single monster. It was almost as if a massively large creature had eaten the monsters contained inside the dungeon and when that food supply was exhausted it had left in search of more food. However, it was more likely that newbies had cleared the dungeon and the monsters had yet to respawn. The air grows colder as Izo reaches the center of the dungeon and emerges into a massive open room. A large egg sits on the floor as no signs or traces of anything else being on the floor. Her mouth waters at the idea of making an omelet. Monster meat is terrible to eat, but the single exception was monster eggs. Almost impossible to steal, but they made for a good meal. Even now, she could still remember the distinct taste unlike anything ever eaten. Hungry and against her better judgment, Izo sucks in her breath and tiptoes her way to the egg. With an evil glint in her eyes, Izo grabs the egg and hefts it into her back. Seeing as there are no monsters for her to fight, she will just cheat for today. Izo takes a deep breath as she visualizes mana gathering around her feet. With ease, Izo bounds at full speed through the dungeon as the mana at her feet ensures, she glides a hair length over the stone floor. The exit soon appears in the distance as she exits the dungeon. Izo¡¯s eyes sting in the light as she realizes the sun is rising over the horizon. She glances at the watch on her hand and realizes it¡¯s been three days since she went inside. Izo sighs at the pointless endeavor but chokes mid-way as she stiffens in the realization that recent mana traces can still be felt in the air. Izo quickly searches for the source and locates it as the teleportation ring. Izo shrugs with relief and concludes newbies must have arrived and found that the dungeon was devoid of monsters. The newbies must have swiftly realized the situation and unlike her, wisely retreated home. Well, waste not. With that in mind, Izo carefully places the giant egg onto the ground before gathering some firewood to cook the egg. Without any cookery, Izo results to cooking the egg over an open fire. Once the fire is roaring high, Izo places the large egg into the roaring fire and waits. Monster egg shells are nefariously tough that more than one has given up on cracking a monster egg open. But boiling the egg or heating it up, works surprisingly well on them. It was like eating the world¡¯s most delicious boiled egg. The hours steadily creep by as Izo periodically checks on the egg, but the egg remains intact. Somewhat angry, she fans the fire and adds more wood to the fire. Yet, the egg appears just as cool as before. Tired of waiting for the egg to cook Izo chants a simple fire spell. The mana gathers together and a simple fireball slams into the ground. The branches strewn on the ground nearby turn to ash. But to her disbelief, the egg looks the same.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Rolling her sleeves up in a pointed manner, Izo furrows her brows crossly as she chants another spell. Mana gathers together to form a giant fire arrow that slams into the area, the ground explodes in an explosion. Satisfied at the result, Izo waits for the dust and smoky debris to settle. The air finally clears to reveal a smug egg sitting perfectly intact in the middle of the blast site. Izo¡¯s stomach roars with anger as Izo feels the same sentiment towards the smug egg. Without giving up, she chants a spell used to vanish a multitude of enemies, ¡°Fego Nish!¡± The sky turns dark as clouds gather together in an ominous circle. The clouds turn red as a pillar of fire descends from the sky and blasts into the earth. Despite the humidity in the air, suddenly the jungle catches fire at the oppressive heat. The ground, on the other hand, is hot enough to receive first degree burns from a mere touch. The fire dissipates after some time as the gathered clouds let out a torrent of pent-up water. The jungle fire is swiftly put out as steam hisses angrily from the burning hot ground. As the smoke clears, the wet figure of Izo expectantly sniffs for the scent of cooked egg to fill the air. Too impatient to wait for the smoke to clear Izo carefully walks over to the approximate location of the egg to find the egg intact in the middle of a crater. Izo¡¯s mouth flops open as she lets out a stream of curses. Tired and out of breath, she narrows her eyes darkly. The glint in her eyes reveals a hidden darkness that causes the egg to almost shake in fear. Murderously, Izo withdraws a familiar scythe from her inventory. Without mercy, she slams the scythe against the top of the egg until a large crack is heard. Using the scythe, Izo pries the broken top egg shell off to find a cute pinkish jelly, octopus staring at her with big midnight eyes full of tears. They both gaze at each other for a moment until the pink jelly thing says, ¡°Mama?¡± Without hesitation, Izo grabs the broken eggshell and slams it back onto the egg. Izo tactfully glances away and returns her scythe back into her inventory. Izo minding her own business strolls back towards the teleportation until a heartbreaking wail from behind her is heard crying out, ¡°Mama! Mama! Mama!¡± Izo flinches as soft baby cries can be heard across the clearing all the way from the inside of the cracked egg. Feeling guilty, Izo walks back towards the egg and removes the top of the eggshell. The crying ceases as the pink jelly thing waves its tiny arms in the air asking to be picked up. ¡°Mama,¡± the pink jelly happily crooned. Izo hesitantly glances around hoping that the parent of the thing will arrive. But the pink jelly thing becomes frustrated and cries out, ¡°Mama!¡± Izo sighs and reaches inside to pull out the ball sized pink jelly thing. The pink jelly purrs with happiness and snuggles in her arms at being picked up. The pink jelly gurgles happily as Izo shivers at the cool, weird thing in her hands. Suddenly a message pops up causing her face to pale and darken at the same time.
Young Cthulhu (Infant God) Child of the Old Ones. You have gained the affection of a God! New Title: Apostle of Cthulhu. Stats cannot be changed. New Skills have been granted. God¡¯s Blessings have been bestowed.
Izo¡¯s face twitches with a mix of violent emotions as the pink jelly in her hands begins to tremble. Suddenly feeling an executioner¡¯s blade hanging overhead, Izo says, ¡°I¡¯m not angry, I¡¯m just shocked!¡± The pink jelly just gurgles with pleasure and begins to shine brightly. Izo releases the pink jelly that waves its little arms happily in the air and waves goodbye. A bright flash that leaves Izo almost blind, but allows her to see the pink jelly disappear. With a sigh of relief, Izo carefully strolls back to the teleportation ring and clearly states out loud, ¡°Emerald City Branch,¡± lest anything else suddenly befall her. * The mage technicians having finished recalibrating the teleportation ring, after many hours finally pronounced that Ophidian Wilderness was once more open. A fan club of adventures hastily transports to Ophidian Wilderness. In a blinding flash, they suddenly find themselves in a sticky jungle. With awe, they gape at the destroyed scenery that revealed a massive battle. A fangirl excitedly says, ¡°The Sky Knights are the best!¡± ¡°Of course! They¡¯re not only handsome but super strong!¡± Another fangirl chimes in. The group takes commemoratory pictures in various heroic poses, before returning to the guild with proof. Their tale only grows wilder in the making as the reputation of the Sky Knights Order only grows. By the end of the day, there was no doubt in their minds that they were looking at the next A-class adventures party. And possibly even the top B-Class adventurer party of the year! * Chapter 10 - Ick The ring grows brightly as a sticky, dirty hooded figure reappears in the guild teleportation center. The mage technicians frown at the smelly, dirty adventurer that teleports before them. Expressions of disgust cross the faces of anyone the hooded figure passes by. The hooded figure stops by at the job reception area and waits in line. Either because of the smell or grossness of the adventure, the waiting lines suddenly became empty leaving only the hooded figure waiting in line. A female front desk agent wrinkles in her nose in revulsion. With hesitation and struggling not to gag on the smell, the female agent painfully says, ¡°How may I help you?¡± ¡°Sorry, but I wasn¡¯t able to fulfill the black wolf mission. I was wondering if I could get an extension,¡± the hooded figure coolly replied. The female agent hides her snicker at the newbie obviously out of their depth. She swiftly types the information in for open black wolf mission and finds it. She somewhat gleefully looks back up and coldly states, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the 3-day time limit was gone over per guild policy the job was reposted and has since has been taken by another guild member. However, should you have any complaints, please feel free to file a complaint with the public relations department to have the case reviewed by a guild policy case manager. Is there anything else I may help you with?¡± The hooded figure sighs but doesn¡¯t reply as the figure swiftly turns around and departs. The female agent is handed air freshener by a nearby college as she freshens the area around her desk and passes it dutifully to the next agent. The female agent whose tag reads Cindy Hoo leans over to a colleague as the there are no adventures to help. ¡°Can you believe it? Three days to fill a simple black wolf mission, but that newbie couldn¡¯t complete the mission. Talk about pathetic,¡± Cindy simpered. Another female agent nods in agreement as she cattily adds, ¡°And that smell? Did he fall down into a monster feces pit?¡± The women snigger as they wipe the tears from their eyes, before sitting up as a handsome adventure approaches. With disappointment, the adventurer did not line up in front of their desks, but heads towards their colleague a married man. The two-woman sigh and fix their make-up just in case, because one never knows when an unexpected romantic opportunity may come their way. * Izo frowns at the response given by the receptionist as she had been afraid of just that. She should have read the small print first before accepting the job. Well, at least she got some exercise and realized just how out of shape she was. It looks like she was going to have to complete a daily regime to get back into shape. But first, she was going to do so research. As Izo exits the guild headquarters, she finally notices the individuals covering their noses from an unpleasant smell. Confused, Izo turns her head and suddenly gains a whiff of herself. Izo snorts in disgust as she hastily pulls her head away from her shoulder as her eyes water from the stench of monster drool.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Embarrassed, Izo scurries across the stairs and darts into a nearby park and comes across an empty playground. The shadows of the swing set are long and thin as the playground shapes contort into strange shapes. Izo chants two spells in a single chant form, ¡°Ire ¡®t Isible.¡± Izo floats in the air only a few meters above the ground. Tired, she strides rapidly across the air as though walking on solid ground. The park exit soon looms overhead as Izo carefully ducks her head under the metal gate entrance. The street is full of walking persons on dates or other business. With interest, Izo halts just outside of the gate and glances down at her feet watching the people below her feet. Unnoticed she stands above them as they pass by busy with their daily lives. The crowd moves like the river surging at times and other times no more than a trickle. Izo resumes her unnoticed and more importantly undisturbed walk home. A hot shower and meal would be just perfect. With that in mind, Izo hurries her stride and crosses over a line of cars waiting at a red light. * A little boy in a car mouth gapes open as he spots a hooded figure walking unnoticed on top of the halted cars at the stoplight. He excitedly turns towards his mommy and daddy. ¡°Mommy! Daddy! There¡¯s a person walking on top of the cars!¡± He excitedly proclaims as his parents mumble vague replies, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Well, what do they look like?¡± The little boy scrunches his eyes and says, ¡°They¡¯re wearing pants and a coat that says,¡± the little boy pauses as he sounds out the words, ¡°Nu-rm-l Pee-pu-l Sss-c-air Me.¡± The parents stop chattering as they repeat the phrase until it is audible in their minds, ¡°Normal people Scare Me?¡± Their eyes widen as they whip their heads to the sides and glance out the car windows, such a specific phrase couldn¡¯t have been made up by their five-year-old son. They both turn around and exclaim, ¡°Please show mommy and daddy, where?¡± The little boy shrugs and says, ¡°He¡¯s gone now. He just crossed the street and went that way,¡± the little boy pointed to the left. The parents both study each other with concern as a driver honks at them reminding them that the light had turned green. The father hastily drove forward as the mom sat back down in her seat. The two swiftly forget the strange incident, while the little boy¡¯s eyes are full of wonder and hope for the future. The little boy stares at the window with excitement and promises to one day do the same. * A concierge at the front desk glances up as the front door opens and closes all on its own. Frowning he studies the door, but nothing happens. He concludes it must be a glitch as a loud ding causes him to flinch. The elevator door swings open and closes. But the most worrying part, the elevator rises all on its own to the 3rd floor. He blinks and shakes his head. He must be tired, maybe a vacation would do him good. After all, it had been over five years since his last. With that in mind, the concierge grabs a shiny white corded phone from the phone stand and dials his wife. The phone is picked up on the second ring as the concierge proposes a vacation to someplace warm. The wife squeals excitedly in delight as they begin to plan the wondrous and unexpected event. * Chapter 11 – Research Dolores was not at home as Izo softly closed the door behind her and made herself visible. She called out to Dolores without any response. She made her way to the kitchen and found a note that said, ¡°Should Miss have returned, I¡¯m out with some of the other working girls. Inside the fridge, there is bread and ingredients to make yourself a sandwich. If that is much too difficult, grab a takeout menu from the pile and order yourself a meal under $20. We¡¯re going to have a talk about vanishing without any word, Miss. So be prepared. With righteous fury, Your nanny, Dolores.¡± Too lazy to wait to order or make a sandwich, Izo grabs a bowl filled with fruit from the table and carries it off to her room. Though hungry, her current priority is to clean herself by taking a nice long shower. Household Magic was a common skill that Izo had never managed to master. No matter how her best friend, Alvis had tried to teach her even he had ended up giving up on Izo. He had flatly stated, that Izo had a better chance of becoming a heroine than mastering Household magic. Sadly, that was all true, an example was when trying to clean her clothes with Household magic. Izo had created a small inland tsunami; the good news was that the area was clean of monsters for years to come. The bad news was that several villages had been washed away along with the inhabitants. On the bright side, though severely peeved none of the villagers had perished in the tsunami. The same principle had applied in reverse when trying to dry her clothes via Household magic. The result was a swirling fire tornado of death. An unknown arsonist was responsible for several forests being accidentally burned down. It was still a mystery to Izo to this day and everyone else that despite her being a competent magician. One would think Household magic was complex to master, but that was wishful thinking on Izo¡¯s part. The truth of the matter is that Household magic is the simplest magic to master. Much like how some individuals are just bad at sports or math, Izo was really terrible at Household magic. Luckily, washer and dryers were much more her speed. But Izo didn¡¯t think modern-day appliances were equipped to remove monster drool. She dares not try lest she damages the modern-day appliances. Also, Dolores wouldn¡¯t forgive her anytime soon. With sadness and resolution, Izo incinerated her clothes including her comfy boots. Wearing warm pj¡¯s Izo grabs the fruit bowl and takes a seat at her desk waiting for her gaming PC to turn on. Once on, Izo opens a search engine and reaches into her inventory to pull out the packet given to her. She scans through the packet carefully before creating a profile to accept jobs on the Guild¡¯s website. Izo scans through the hundreds of jobs for her class level, but none attract her eyes. Bored, she skips to reading and learning about dungeons. The ones that were interesting were for higher classes or recommended being part of a party. Izo stops to rub her eyes as she leans back in her seat. Blinking her eyes for a moment, she reaches over for an orange and begins to peel it. She could party with a group, but she wasn¡¯t very good working as a team. The only people she had ever successfully worked was with Alvis and her classmates. And look, how that ended? But either way, she had never worked with anyone since then and besides being a loner was much her style. Izo contemplates other possible options to possibly gain connections or things to do in her meantime. Education wise was a bust, Izo had been a high schooler when summoned. Though smart, she wasn¡¯t at a geniuses¡¯ caliber. Realistically speaking she hadn¡¯t even finished high school on this Earth, (though she did have a GED having bluffed her way through the exam on this Earth.) She was still at a disadvantage despite having some general knowledge stolen from the previous Izo of this Earth as Izo hadn¡¯t technically studied the subjects. Without a doubt, Izo would fail any college exam. (Technically, she could study, but well-, another time, maybe.) Enrolling at a higher learning institute for magic wasn¡¯t out of the question. But she doubted they had anything to teach her that she didn¡¯t already know. Besides Izo was trying to pretend that she was a newbie to the world of magic, not an expert. It¡¯s not that she was trying to hide her abilities, but she didn¡¯t want to become a pariah nor especially be suspected of the murders of Classroom 13. The police officers weren¡¯t incompetent and could come up with evidence pointing to her being the mastermind of the incident. She had survived hell once, and she absolutely refused to be in jail for a crime she did not commit.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. And even if that didn¡¯t arise suspicion from the police, monthly therapy with Dr. Anderson was tough enough as it was. She didn¡¯t want to suddenly explain why she had strong abilities. And had only recently mentioned to Dr. Anderson that magic had recently awakened inside of herself. Dr. Anderson had stated, that abilities were known to awaken after traumatic incidents. Plenty of adults and children suddenly had abilities awaken within them under extreme duress. Dr. Anderson gave plenty of examples of such personas and even that of some who were famous heroes or adventures. In fact, Dr. Anderson was the one who encouraged Izo to go and register at the Adventure¡¯s guild. (Not the Hero Formal Association for obvious publicity reasons.) Dr. Anderson wanted Izo to feel confident in her own abilities to protect herself, but more importantly, connect with others. Her cellphone on her desk begins to ring causing Izo go glance down at the caller ID. She sighs out loud, before reaching down and accepting the call. Izo wearily says, ¡°Hello Mida.¡± A tired sigh is heard on the other end. ¡°Izo, I thought we agreed that you would call me, mom or mother,¡± a woman¡¯s voice said over the phone. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Izo automatically responded. ¡°Good. Now, your birthday is coming up in a month. Your father and I won¡¯t be in town. Is there anything you want?¡± Mrs. Lee sincerely asked and held a bated breath. There is silence on both ends as the silence stretches longer and longer. Mrs. Lee voice falters as she breaks the silence by saying, ¡°Alright sweetie, we¡¯ll just surprise you. But if you change your mind let papa and I know, what you would like.¡± ¡°Alright, I will¡± Izo replied. Mrs. Lee is silent for a moment, before wearily replying, ¡°I love you, Izo. And sweet dreams, my darling.¡± Izo sincerely replies, ¡°Goodnight Mother,¡± and hangs up the phone. Izo turns her mind away from the failed conversation and opens her stats to confirm her suspicions. Her eyes widen in confirmation as she reads the messages.
Locked stats remain the same. New Title: Apostle of Cthulhu New Skills: Aura Eater: By consuming other¡¯s aura¡¯s one may learn their secrets. [One must be in contact or less than 10 feet away from target to consume aura. Can only be used once per target.] Hibernation: Body functions will shut down to deathlike state inducing fake death state. [Limited to single-use per day.] Electronic Disruption: Disruption of electronic signals. [Limited to an area of 10 feet.] Self-Substance: Ability to go without physical needs including breathing, rest, to feel cold/hot or pain and hunger, etc. [Limited to single-use per day for 1 hour]. Blessings of Cthulhu: Psychic Shield: Apostle cannot be affected by outside mental abilities or illusions. Organ Modification: When under attack, internal organs will systematically move or change in size to avoid being destroyed or damaged. (Warning may cause severe pain and or discomfort.) Reformation: Limited use. [Will only systematically trigger if damage exceeds 50%.] Insanity Break: All limits are removed from the body, mind, and soul. [Can only be trigged under duress of circumstances.]
Izo tactfully remains silent as she firmly closes her stats and tucks herself into bed. She was exhausted and needed a good day¡¯s rest. Tomorrow, training would start at first light. * Mr. Lee approaches his packing wife and takes her into his arms. He places a kiss on her lips as she turns her head to greet him. Satisfied at making her blush he releases her as he takes a seat on their bed. ¡°What does Izo want for her birthday?¡± Mr. Lee quietly asked. Mrs. Lee¡¯s shoulders tighten as she continues to pack. ¡°Nothing,¡± she stiffly replied. ¡°Really? That¡¯s good that means she trusts enough to decide. It just as Dr. Anderson promised, Izo is starting to want to be part of the family again.¡± Mr. Lee happily said. Mrs. Lee frowns in displeasure as Mr. Lee tilts his head in confusion and says, ¡°What¡¯s wrong sweetheart? Aren¡¯t you excited, that she has shown interest in life again?¡± ¡°I am. But-, she calls me, Mida most of the time, when she answers the phone. Though she has been calling me, Mother more often as of late. She never calls me, mom or mommy like she used too,¡± Mrs. Lee crossly responded. ¡°Sweetheart, that¡¯s fine. She always calls me, George, whenever I call. I don¡¯t mind it, I just take it as a sign of her age. And when she does call me a fatherly term, it¡¯s always pops. I think it¡¯s quite endearing to be perfectly honest,¡± Mr. Lee truthfully said as he rises and wraps his arms around her in a warm hug. Mrs. Lee at first angrily tries to resist to no avail. The scent of her husband soothes her troubled soul as she finally becomes limp in his arms and rests her head against his chest. Mr. Lee rests his chin on top of his wife¡¯s head as they stand there quietly in solace. Feeling better, Mrs. Lee wiggles her way out of his arms and resumes packing. Content at seeing his wife feeling better, Mr. Lee flops onto his back onto the bed and contently watches his wife pack as he enjoys the sweet moment. * Chapter 11.2 – Out of Breath Izo wipes sweat from her face as she slows down to a walk. Her lungs are on fire as she takes gasping breaths. So, she was more out of shape than expected. To think that running 10 km at dawn and again at dusk could tire her out. For heaven¡¯s sake, she once outran a dragon! But in her current state, she probably would be eaten alive in the first couple seconds. Though Izo¡¯s lungs and muscles scream at her, she resumes a slow and steady jog. The street sounds sound loudly in her ears as she takes a detour towards a park. The sounds become more muffled as she passes a couple of bushes. Suddenly, a gasping teenage girl darts out and grabs onto Izo¡¯s clothes. ¡°Please help me!¡± The girl breathlessly said as she clings to Izo. Before Izo can reply, a nearby male jogger sprints towards them. ¡°How can I be of assistance?¡± The muscular attractive jogger professional said. The girl instantly releases Izo and throws herself at the man. The girl through frightened composes herself and says, ¡°Please help me! There¡¯s a man trying to hurt me!¡± While the girl pleads her case, Izo nonchalantly calls, 911 and explains the situation. The operator informs her that a dispatch has been sent. The operator asks, that she remain on the line, but that just seems like too much trouble. With a swipe of her finger, the call ends as Izo returns the cell to her pocket. Seeing that the girl was in good hands and a dispatch was on its way, Izo moves away to resume her jog. Suddenly, from the bushes, a beefy man wearing a Viking helmet tramples through the bushes. ¡°Oi, that¡¯s my girl,¡± the beefy man roars as spit flies from his mouth. The jogger takes a step forward as the girl hides behind him. ¡°Sir, keep away from the young lady. The young lady does not accept thine affections.¡± The beefy man throws his head back in laughter. He grins as he viscously cracks his knuckles and says, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to enjoy beating the hell out of you.¡± The jogger heroically says, ¡°Ladies please take a step back for your own safety.¡± Izo hadn¡¯t needed to be told as she was already several feet away. The girl hurriedly rushes over and hides behind Izo. Izo snickers as the girl eagerly peeked around her fingers to watch the upcoming fight. The jogger heroically brings his fists up in boxer style and says, ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I am a registered hero, sir. Please stand down for your own safety.¡± Izo gapes in disbelief at the idiot¡¯s words. With a sigh, she shakes her head as the beefy man ignores the comment and easily sends the little fool flying with a single swing of his arms. The beefy man spits on the ground disappointedly and stomps over to them. The girl trembled and squeals out, ¡°Take her! She¡¯ll make a better hostage than me!¡± Izo turns and glares at the wretched brat hiding behind her. The beefy man eyes Izo, but shakes his head. ¡°Women like her are to much trouble. You¡¯ll do just fine," the beefy man lustfully said as he eyes the timid girl. The girl lets out a despairing wail as she falls onto the ground. The beefy man extends his hand to grab the girl when Izo reaches over and easily grabs him by the hand. The beefy man tries to pull his arm away, but unexpectedly he finds he can¡¯t. It¡¯s though his arm is encased in cement. ¡°Now, I completely agree that this girl probably deserves such a fate, but she¡¯s still a minor. So how about you go down to some nice strip club or titty bar and have yourself a good time. I¡¯m sure the girls there are all above legal age for solicitation and won¡¯t be opposed to the attention of a fine man such as yourself,¡± Izo persuasively said.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The beefy man growls, ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m Viking Hand! I¡¯ll crush you!¡± Izo blinks in confusion as the beefy man roars again, ¡°I¡¯m Viking Hand!¡± His expression falters as Izo continues to gaze confusedly at him. A bit more defeated he says, ¡°Viking Hand, the C-class infamous criminal.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t ring a bell,¡± Izo honestly said. ¡°You know, the criminal who stole 10 celebrity panties,¡± Viking Hand triumphantly said, but still seeing no reaction he lists his crimes. ¡°I peed in a public fountain! I starred in a porn film in a public facility. I groped over 10,000 juicy women! I fornicated in public!¡± At that, Izo and the girl both make repugnant expressions. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re more of a pervert than a villain. A general nuisance to society, really,¡± Izo flatly said. Viking Hand roars indignantly and says, ¡°I¡¯ll show you right here and right now my prowess!¡± Viking Hand eagerly reaches for his zipper as Izo eyes widen with horror and the girl peeks through her fingers with curiosity. Before he can, a foot slams into his lower extremities. Viking hand lets out a high-pitched wail as he collapses whimpering onto the floor. ¡°You broke it!¡± Viking Hand said in a high-pitched voice. Izo shrugs as she turns towards the teenage girl. The girl lets out a shriek of despair as she angrily stomps her foot against the ground as the wail of sirens grows louder. ¡°I was supposed to be rescued by the hero, not by a girl!¡± Izo¡¯s face twitches at the ungrateful little minx. With some relish, she walks over to the yammering woman and flicks her on the forehead. The girl goes down like a sinking ship as a large purple lump grows on her forehead. Grumpily, Izo resumes her run through the city. As expected by the end of her 10km run, even her teeth ache as she reaches the condo. The front guard winces as he sees her jog inside. Rather than taking the elevator, she takes the stairs up. Tired and aching, she enters the condo and slumps onto the couch. Dolores had been watching the news, but she wordlessly gets up and hands Izo a cool bottle of water. Izo chugs half of the bottle down, before closing it shut and placing it on her forehead and neck. The coolness of the bottle feels great against her skin as she sighs with pleasure. Dolores sits back down at the other end of the couch and eagerly listens to the news. A rather exciting news story comes on, but Izo is too tired to pay attention as she drowsily leans her head on the edge of the couch armrest. Dolores comments out loud, ¡°Can you believe that? An ordinary girl was attacked by B-class villains. But luckily, a nearby hero saved her. I¡¯m so glad for the Hero Formal Association on days like this. Without them, society would already be overrun by criminals!¡± Izo could care less about that news. She just grunts in response as she tiredly dozes off into a restful sleep. Dolores continues chattering without realizing that Izo had long fallen sound asleep on the couch. It wasn¡¯t until the news was over did she realized that had been the case. Embarrassed, Dolores grabs a sharpie and darkly approaches Izo. Minutes later, vastly satisfied, Dolores trots off to bed. Too bad for Izo, she wouldn¡¯t realize that she had a mustache, a monocle, and freckles drawn on her face until she went running the next day. * At the Formal Hero Association, the handsome jogger on the news proudly puffs out his chest in front of the association. ¡°We¡¯re expecting great things from you, Night Falcon¡± a handsome older man, once known as Sky Hawk, confidently said. The jogger known as Night Falcon puffs out his chest and says, ¡°Sir¡¯s, I won¡¯t let you down!¡± ¡°Nonsense, you did superbly for a new member. In fact, as a reward, your rank will be moved one further rank. We also have an additional proposition, one of our members was rather impressed by your actions. Would you be willing to work with Faux?¡± An older heavy-set woman firmly said, formally known as the hero, Thunder Mountain. The jogger gasps and hastily says, ¡°Sirs, it would be my honor to be mentored by Faux himself! He¡¯s a legend in the field!¡± ¡°We thought you would be pleased,¡± another former hero commented. The meeting at that point dissolves as the heroes gather around the newbie and take him out for a celebratory drink. Though the association was more formal than the guild, when it came to time to take pride in their members, they more than out-matched the guild. And were even known to be even more wild during holiday parties. * Chapter 12 – Research Izo ferociously chews on a wad of gum, while typing away. She finally pauses to lean back in her chair and raises her eyes to the painted ceiling in deep thought. Other than exercising twice a day, the rest of the time was spent studying and researching ways to make money. Izo had a bad feeling having been made an apostle to an unknown God. And given her track record with Gods, she would rather err on the side of caution. After checking prices for items, she had been left speechless. A single D class item sold for $1,000! A single item! There was a high demand for any item of use. She wasn¡¯t about to spend more than half of her trust fund for sub-par items. Besides, with her trust fund depleted, she would have to make cuts. That meant that she couldn¡¯t afford to pay for Dolores salary and needs. However, that didn¡¯t leave Izo with a lot of options to make money. Teaching magic? She surprisingly knew of several spells that did not exist yet on this Earth such as an invisibility spell which was still non-existent. (On that note, invisibility items sell for millions of dollars for the rarity and high demand, which was something she would keep in mind for the future.) But once again, the issue of her newfound magic cropped up and a lack of further education. Even if someone believed she was capable of teaching, theoretically, no institution would hire her without a degree or proper work references. Alchemy was the same problem. Having the title and skills of a hermit had enabled Izo to be a decent alchemist. But once more the problem lay in that she lacked ingredients to create potions and even if she could, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sell them. Alchemists are required to pass a national exam before being allowed to sell their potions. She could do so, but that would require months of studying and she wanted to make money now. Her only other option at this point is to sell potions on the black market, but she lacked the proper connections to set-up shop for supply and demand for such clientele. In the end, as usual, Izo could only rely on herself. Therefore, she would open her own shop to sell items on a large scale as an auction house. But there is a small problem, Auction Houses are required to have legal selling licenses. Auction House Licenses are literally worth their weight in gold. Ignoring the cost, three guild council members must approve the new Auction House before a request can even be formally submitted. Then a final government board must make the final approval before the license is officially issued. Not only did she not have the necessary backing to do any of those things but she lacked the money to purchase such a license. An hour later, having wracked her brain an idea popped into Izo¡¯s mind. Technically, she did know two people who possessed such connections and the means to finance such a proposal, the original parents of this Earth¡¯s Izo. After careful consideration, Izo grabs the phone and dials the number. A woman¡¯s voice answers, ¡°Izo? What¡¯s wrong sweetheart?!¡± Izo innocently says, ¡°Mother, you asked, what I wanted for my birthday. Could I possibly be given a very large loan?¡± Mrs. Lee incredulously asks, ¡°A loan? Have you spent your entire trust fund?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s still there, but I want to make a sizeable investment. I promise to pay the amount back with a sizable interest rate.¡± ¡°No, no. That¡¯s still fine. How much are we talking about?¡± ¡°I mean it, mother, I don¡¯t want any handouts. As for the exact amount, I¡¯m not sure yet. I¡¯ll text you the exact amount, once I have the finer details ready.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Mrs. Lee is silent for a moment, before wearily replying, ¡°Alright Izo. We¡¯ll do it your way.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Izo sincerely said, before hanging up the phone. With some relief, she hurries online to research auction houses for sale. Hopefully, there would be an amount that she could afford with the loan she was going request. * Mrs. Lee glances at her phone strangely as her husband, Mr. Lee glances tenderly up at her. ¡°Who was that love?¡± Mr. Lee curiously asked. Mrs. Lee rather dazed replies, ¡°Izo, she wants a loan for her birthday.¡± ¡°Good. It¡¯s another sign that Izo is getting better. Did she tell you the amount?¡± Mr. Lee excitedly asked. ¡°No. She said, she would send the details over once everything was arranged on her end,¡± Mrs. Lee still rather stunned replied. Mr. Lee smiles as he helps his wife to her feet and they stroll into the exquisite restaurant overseeing the partisan landscape. The sunsets were particularly stunning to see over the Seine river. * A week later, Dolores impatiently waits in the kitchen. It had been several days, but the Miss only left her room to exercise. At first, Dolores thought it was the Miss protesting or being rebellious. But the Miss had murmured through the door, that she was busy researching an important project. Dolores taps her feet as she crossly eyes the cooling food on the table. The door suddenly swings open as Dolores gapes at the figure striding towards her in fitting dark trousers, a fitted waistcoat and a properly buttoned up shirt. Her anger is forgotten as tears glimmer in Dolores'' eyes, through the clothing was different from the old Miss, that confident stride was the same. It was as if the old Miss was starting to return. Izo halts in the kitchen and asks, ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± Dolores hastily wipes the moisture from her eyes and says, ¡°You look wonderful Miss. Have a seat, poppet, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re starving.¡± Izo shakes her head and says, ¡°I¡¯ll just grab a toast, I have an urgent appointment and I need to arrive promptly.¡± Dolores hastily moves to comply as she joyfully grabs some toast and makes a quick BLT sandwich with the eggs and bacon. She carefully wraps the sandwich and hands it to Izo. Izo affectionately leans over and places a grateful kiss on Dolores'' cheek. ¡°You¡¯re an angel, Dolores. I¡¯ll see you when I get home,¡± Izo says over her shoulder as Dolores grins like a little girl. It had been a long time since Dolores had seen the Miss excited. She would be sure to let Mr. and Mrs. Lee know of the good news. With glee, she hurriedly takes out her phone and dials to let them know of the good news. * Izo hails a taxi and gives the driver the directions. The taxi driver scurries off as she contemplates her decision. Given her lack of education, lack of affability, this would be one of her better options. And if all else fails, she will just have to become an adventurer full time. The taxi stops at a government registration office as Izo quickly climbs out and tells the taxi driver to wait. The office is still largely empty as she presents some documents to signed and sealed. The official at the desk reviews the application and stamps it. ¡°You¡¯ll receive the official document within 3 to 5 business days through the mail,¡± the official said, before motioning for the next person to come forward. Izo carefully folds the papers and marches out. The waiting taxi driver glances up in relief as the taxi driver dives into the moving traffic like a shark. For faster, than they should have, the taxi driver pulled in front of a large run-down adventurer¡¯s auction house. Before the taxi driver asks for the fare, Izo hands him a hundred-dollar bill. ¡°Keep the change,¡± she said and steps out of the car. The taxi driver gratefully nods after his passenger as the door closes. The taxi driver cheerfully sets off as Izo takes out her phone and confirms this is the appointed address as she reads the sign over the auction house, Frisky Business. Now, why hadn¡¯t this auction house been snatched up then? Because an auction house is only as reliable as its resources. Adventurers did not regularly sell their items to this auction house. The high-end items sold at this auction house were a few C-class items and the rest of the stock was D or F-class items. Raising her chin up and shoulders back, Izo confidently walks towards the front door. * Chapter 12.2 – Buyer A pot belly owner stands behind the counter checking out some scantily clad girls online. The doorbell twinkles as the door front door opened signaling a potential buyer. He hurriedly glances up with his face paling suddenly at the tall, suave woman with an iceberg expression that is rapidly approaching him. Nervously he wipes his sweating face and says, ¡°Um, how can I help you today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to speak to the owner about the purchase of this auction house,¡± the woman matter-of-factly states as the owner motions for her to have a seat on a suspiciously stained chair. The woman pointedly declines as she remains standing. The owner perks up and says, ¡°That would be me. Are you Miss Reed the potential Buyer of this pathetic-, I mean, this successful enterprise? Sorry, I must be tired, I say strange things at times,¡± he smiled nervously trying to seem sincere. ¡°Yes, but I must admit I am surprised that it is being sold,¡± The woman truthfully said as she narrows her eyes at the perverted little man openly eyeing her chest. The portly man shrugs, ¡°Nah, it was my old mans. I am merely keeping the shop going for old times sakes. Now then shall we get down to business?¡± The owner said as his he rubbed his hands eagerly together. ¡°Yes, I reviewed the list of items for sale and the property value. $5 million is my offer,¡± the woman firmly said as she crosses her arms over her chest. The owner shakes his head as his double chins shake unhappily. ¡°This property is prime placement even if it¡¯s worn down. Including the items and license, $20 million and not a dime less,¡± the portly owner said as he angrily furrowed his brows. Before the woman can retort with a reply, the front door rings as they both turn around to see to nicely dressed men carrying briefcases. The portly man smiles upon recognizing his lawyer in a white immaculate suit as the woman merely nods at her lawyer in a tailored black suit. ¡°We were just commencing negotiations,¡± the portly man said. His lawyer faintly smiles and extends his hand out to the buyer. The woman doesn¡¯t react as his hand remains outstretched awkwardly before he takes his hand back. Her lawyer hides his smile unsurprised by the action. Still smiling the portly man¡¯s lawyer says, ¡°I¡¯m Mr. White, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Miss. Reed. Mr. Noir and I are already familiar with each other.¡± ¡°Indeed, we are,¡± Mr. Noir replied. ¡°Now what was the proposed offer?¡± Mr. White asked. ¡°5 million and not a dollar more,¡± Mr. Noir confidently stated. ¡°And on what basis? The property value alone is worth more that amount not including the auction items and license,¡± Mr. White retorted back. Mr. Noir takes out a folder and hands it over. Mr. White swiftly takes it and glances at the contents. His brows furrow with annoyance and finally resignation. Mr. White nods back and hands the folder back. ¡°We¡¯ll accept the deal provided the payment is wired today.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Done,¡± Mr. Noir promptly says as the portly man is left bewildered. Before he can protest his lawyer pointedly whispers into his ear the contents of the folder. The portly man trembles and gulps as he eyes the evil woman before him. Mr. White takes out the documents and ownership from his briefcase. The portly man¡¯s phone rings with a notification as he and his lawyer glance at the phone. The owner smiles gleefully at seeing the amount deposited into his bank account. Mr. White promptly hands over the documents to Mr. Noir, who readily takes them to confirm the veracity. Satisfied, he hands over the deeds of the building, the land itself, and the auction house license to his employer. Miss Reed calmly accepts the documents as Mr. Noir turns towards his rival, Mr. White. ¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you again,¡± Mr. Noir confidently said. Mr. White snorts and competitively says, ¡°You won this round, you won¡¯t win the next.¡± Mr. Noir nods thoughtfully at his nemesis¡¯s words but closes his briefcase shut, before walking out of the store to file the final papers and prove that the transaction did occur. Mr. White trails slowly after as he follows in his employer¡¯s wake. A cold voice behind them causes them to halt, ¡°The keys.¡± The pudgy man guiltily takes out a ring of keys and drops them onto the floor. Mr. White smiles apologetically at the woman. The woman doesn¡¯t¡¯ move as the portly owner swiftly waddles away as Mr. White ruefully follows. The woman sighs as she picks up the keys and studies the building. ¡°Now, the hard part begins.¡± Locking the door and pulling down the window shades, Izo rolls up her sleeves and begins to chant. Being a hermit had not only taught her to use mana and gain mage skills but had taught her a trick or two. Using single chant, she combines two spells, ¡°Iemlo ¡®t terra om eni.¡± Five exact clones appear beside her as the floor in the store cracks as ten impossibly tall and smooth stone figures emerge from the broken floor. The stone golems immediately begin to move as the clones of herself give directions. The creatures grunt and move to comply as they expand into the ground down below. Hours later Izo wipes the sweat off her exhausted face. The large amount of mana she had used up had certainly tired her out. It had been a while since she had used so much mana at once. With a motion of her hand, the last of the golems turn to dust as her clones disperse soundlessly into thin air. The entire purpose of the golems was to create underground floors. The above grounds floors and first two underground levels remodeling would have to be paid for, seeing as she had no knowledge of plumbing and electric wiring. Golems are only as clever as their master and sadly, Izo only had the equivalent of a high school education. And even if she possessed even further academic knowledge, most university students know nothing about electric wiring or plumbing. The underground floors were to be called Floor Zero and would be restricted to employees only with said authority. Floor Zero would hold three official levels. The first level would house the training ground for security and a living area for overnight workers. The second level would house captured monsters and hold them until they were sold. With the third level being a vault holding currency such as gold, silver, jewels, and items to be sold. However, there was technically one more unofficial level. The 4th level would only be known to her as it housed intricate spell pentagrams and formations carved carefully into the stone floor. The real reason for the various other underground floors was to hide the pentagrams from curious eyes. Not only are there earthquake and fire protection spells, but offensive and defensive spells preventing attacks from above and down below. The auction house rivaled any guild headquarters security and possibly had a couple that they didn¡¯t even know about. Satisfied with her work, Izo staggers out of the red brick building as she firmly locks the doors behind her. The moon is high in the sky as the night breeze is cool against her skin. Worn out and too tired to flag a taxi, Izo just points at the ground in a complicated gesture. Her figure vanishes from in front of the shop and suddenly appears in her room. Exhausted and too tired to move, she collapses onto her bed. A few minutes later, she begins to snore. * Chapter 12.3 – Midnight Visit Much later that same night, a portly figure valiantly leads a group of thug-like men to a familiar worn-down building. The portly man intrepidly points at the building and confidently says, ¡°There are items inside that you can steal. Destroy the shop, go wild!¡± A buff man wearing loose jeans and a white tank that strains against his muscles, revealing a multitude of tattoos. ¡°Cool,¡± the thug said as he motions for the rest of his band to follow. The thugs carry bats and other tools in their arms to smash the store. A confident young thug still in is teens eagerly swaggers up to the door. He takes a swing at the door and suddenly lets a howl of pain as the bat falls out of his hands and cradles his hand to his chest. The other thugs look confused like big dogs at seeing something unusual. ¡°What¡¯s wrong kid?¡± The leader asks. The young thug whimpers, ¡°I think it¡¯s broken,¡± as he holds up his hand and some of the bones in his hand are slightly funny shaped.¡± ¡°Phsst, move aside kid,¡± a bald member of their ground said as he pushed aside the kid. The rest of the group snickers until the bald man lets out a high-pitched scream and collapses onto the ground. A burning smell fills the air as the group¡¯s eyes are looking a bit spooked. The young thug quivers and says, ¡°It¡¯s cursed I tell you! That door is evil!¡± The rest of the thugs look uneasy, but they¡¯ve never been one to turn down a fight. Two similar looking men step forward and cautiously approach the door. The two pause and glance at each other before running towards the door and slamming their bodies against the door. Their bodies a thud like sound as the door does not budge. The two let out muffled groans of pain as they rub their aching bodies. ¡°What the hell? It¡¯s like hitting bloody steel!¡± One of the said as the other brother nods in confirmation.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Must be enchanted,¡± the leader said and turns to eye the pale pudgy owner. ¡°You said nothing about an enchanted door. It¡¯s going to cost extra,¡± the leader pointedly said as he clenched his muscles. The pudgy man quivers and hastily replies, ¡°I¡¯ll pay!¡± The thug grunts in acceptance as his he barks a word. Instantly the air around him seems to shimmer as his muscles bulge even more and begin to slightly glow. His crew looks impressed at seeing their boss activate his ability, Iron Body. With that ability, he was strong enough to be classified as a D-class criminal. The crew cheers as the earth pounded beneath his feet as the boss charges at the door. Before the boss can reach the door, lightning suddenly strikes the charging figure. The crew leader halts for a second when another bolt suddenly hits him again. Like a sleeping giant, his body collapsed onto the ground in a daze. The crew gape with fear as they stare into the clear, cloudless night sky. Terrified, most of the crew flee as only a few members remember to drag away their boss and their fallen crew members. The pudgy man sputters indignantly, ¡°Wait, I paid you!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t pay us enough to mess with that place,¡± a crew member shouts over his shoulder as the pudgy man is left alone in the dead of night. The silence is eerie as the pudgy man trembling makes his way to the entrance. After studying the entrance for a bit, he finds nothing amiss. Wiping the sweat off his face, he is trembling reaches for the fallen bat. Just as he raises it overhead red eyes seem to gaze at him from the door¡¯s shadows. Letting out a piercing shriek he tosses the bat to the side and runs faster than he ever had before. But even though he waddles away, red eyes seem to follow him as he shrieks runs into a police station and begins to blubber about red eyes. The police officers couldn¡¯t find anything following the pudgy man. The chief officer thought the fat man must have been high on illegal substances. He gave the orders to lock up the pudgy man for the night and release him in the morning. Two officers drag away the shaking mess and toss the pudgy man into a cell with several drunks. The pudgy man whimpers as he curls up into a mound praying that morning would come soon. But every known and then, out of the corner of his eye he would spot red eyes. He would let out a panicked whimper, before calming down. Luckily for him, no one in his cell was in the mood for pork. * Chapter 12.4 – Construction A group of architects and group managers stand outside of a large building as they spread blueprints onto a table. One of the construction managers a grizzled man rubs his head and says, ¡°Let me get this straight, we¡¯re supposed to complete this all in three months?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan,¡± a calm older architect responded. The grizzled construction manager sighs and mutters, ¡°Well, at least we¡¯re being paid extra for our troubles.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go over the plan one more time,¡± a younger architect importantly said. The group ignores him as a veteran female architect says, ¡°Now I understand that the 1st floor will house a luxurious commerce and waiting area and the second floor will house to view items. However, as the floor below it is hollow, how can we construct a theater like auction hall on the third floor without putting too much stress on the floors below?¡± ¡°Not to mention the restaurant that will be held on the same level. But we have the same problem with the third level. As the auction hall will largely be an open area, the 4th floor above it will house a gym, a rest area, and eating areas for the employees. Plus, there is also the 5th and 6th floor and above them, their will be more floors housing a laboratory, greenhouse and other production craft classes,¡± the younger man importantly interjected.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. The group sighs at the young architect¡¯s comments. The older architect placidly says, ¡°The 4th floor is do-able since we can spread the center of stress and gravity. However, like Regina said, the 3rd floor will be a problem.¡± ¡°Do we have permission to reconstruct the entire building?¡± The grizzled construction manager asked. The group of architect¡¯s nod in apperception as they eye the experienced construction overseer. ¡°Seeing as we¡¯ve got permission to use mages to do so, why not make the building circular? We can spread the weight for the theater and other heavier floors. If need be, we can add more floors to fulfill the employer¡¯s demands,¡± the construction manager purposefully said.¡± The older architects nod with satisfied smiles as the leading architect says, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with that. I¡¯ll call the employer just to confirm that¡¯s all right.¡± The architects all applaud the construction manager as he embarrassedly shakes off their praises. The group chats as the youngest member sulked at being ignored and being out-smarted by a mere construction manager. Some minutes later, the lead architect returns with a smile and says, ¡°We have approval from the employer to do so and add more floors for the large items such as a greenery floor. After some discussion, the employer agreed that the greenhouse will be on the top floor.¡± The group sighs at one of their worries being removed. Creating an indoor watering system was hard enough, but fake sunlight only added to their burdens. At least this way, transportation and caring for the plants would be much simpler. Though mana barriers would have to be added to prevent theft and other accidents. With that in mind, the group throws out the original blueprint and begin to work on a new one, while the construction manager gives the thumbs up to demolish the old building. * Chapter 13 – Bingo A month later, Izo sits in front of the T.V. watching a famous thief and his crew, a swordsman, a gunslinger and his lover/rival steal fabulous items, all the while being chased by an Interpol inspector. Just as the thief is about to save the girl, the T.V. goes dark. The chip in her mouth suddenly falls out as Izo twists in horror. Dolores solemnly holds the remote control in her hand. ¡°Miss, I understand that construction is currently still under way, but I would appreciate it if you got out of the house,¡± Dolores pointedly said as Izo opens her mouth to protest. Dolores mercilessly cuts her off as she taps her foot impatiently against the floor. ¡°I appreciate the fact that you are studying and even going as far as exercising every day. However, Miss promised that you would begin the hiring process two weeks ago. The construction of the auction house will be finished in the next two months and there needs to be hired personnel. Not to mention, that Miss needs to gather more items to be held in the auction house,¡± Dolores pointedly said. ¡°Yes, Dolores,¡± Izo meekly said as she climbs off the couch and sullenly goes to change her clothing. Though Dolores had a point, couldn¡¯t she have waited until the episode was done? Presentable, Dolores shoos Izo out of the condo and towards the waiting taxi. She hands Izo a brown paper bag packed lunch and says, ¡°I packed you a sandwich, an apple juice, cookies and some sour gummy bears.¡± Izo takes the lunch through the open door as Dolores adds, ¡°I¡¯ll be playing bingo with some of my friends if you need anything, Miss.¡± Izo glares at the real reason for Dolores getting her out of the house. Dolores cheerfully slams the door shut as the taxi car sets off and waves goodbye at the disappearing yellow cab. With a cheerful spring in her step, Dolores hurries upstairs to get ready. According to Sally, there were going to be several handsome bachelors attending the bingo game. She couldn¡¯t allow such an opportunity to pass her by. Izo happily eats her lunch in the cab, after asking the cabby driver if she could. He agreed to her request if she handed over a cookie and half of her sandwich. Izo agreed to the terms of the trade and they both enjoyed an excellent lunch on the way to her destination. * Though tall, an all too thin woman in a dark blue, long sleeve shirt, black trousers, and pointed high heeled boots exits a yellow cab. The cabbie speeds off with his large tip in search of his next meal ticket. The woman doesn¡¯t gather much attention though the guards do take a second glance at her. Her face was chilling and made them unconsciously reach for the weapons at their waist. The woman glances at her watch for the time. The manager was supposed to meet her and show her current available employees for hire. A warm bell-like laugh causes her to halt and glance up. Lo and behold, an angel-like woman with golden hair, sun kissed lips and rosy cheeks prettily giggles as she flutters her long golden eyelashes majestically. In the woman¡¯s eyes resignation and annoyance flicker in their depths. The thin woman hastily moves to the counter and asks for the manager as she had an appointment. The employee hastily apologizes, that the manager is running late, but will arrive no later than five minutes. The woman lets out an exasperated sigh but accepts the answer. She turns to go and sit down in the lobby, where the attendant pointed too. Her heels click against the floor as she passes by a group loitering in the lobby and towards the waiting area. A suave man with dark red hair and bright green eyes moves away from the gorgeous damsel. He roughly reaches to grab the woman by the arm but is surprised to find his hand is easily slapped away. The woman coldly eyes the man and says, ¡°Sir, you are being all too familiar with an unknown stranger.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Don¡¯t act so indignant Izo Lee. I had heard you were dead, but seeing you here, you must have fled or paid off the killer to let you go. You always were an arrogant bitch getting everything your own way,¡± the suave man bitterly said. The woman narrows her eyes as the gorgeous damsel rushes forward and interjects herself between the two. ¡°Kellan, it¡¯s not her! This is not Izo Lee,¡± the lovely woman desperately said. Kellan makes a gentle expression and says, ¡°You can¡¯t dissuade me so easily, Mary. I¡¯ve known Izo Lee since we were small and I know this is Izo Lee. She needs to pay for everything that she did to you.¡± Before Mary can respond, Kellan moves around Mary and glares down his nose at the arrogant woman before him. ¡°You can¡¯t fool me, Izo Lee, I know it¡¯s you. We were all shocked when Classroom 13 disappeared even if I did think you deserved it, but the rest of your classmates didn¡¯t. I even felt pity, when I heard that the corpses of everyone in Classroom 13 had been found dead. Yet here you stand, so how did you do it?¡± Kellan harshly asked. Looks of contempt and scorn cross the faces of the group especially that of the females. The tall woman raises her eyebrow and frostily says, ¡°Sir, this is the second time, that I have been confused with someone else. I pointedly explained the last time that I was not who they thought I was. I greatly dislike the fact that there will be a third such incident. Therefore, allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Izo Reed. Now that you are aware of who I am, allow me to make something clear. Should you confuse me again, with this Izo Lee, I will react most poorly. Is that understood, Mr. Kendall?¡± Kendall¡¯s face contorts with anger as he takes a threatening step forward. ¡°I know it¡¯s you, Izo Lee. You still have that arrogant face and that will always give you away!¡± Kendall angrily hissed as a handsome solemn dark-haired man and a golden haired, blue eyes man move to stop him from acting even more rashly. The females of the group glare darkly at the woman in front of them. Before they can move, an excited manager with a neat mustache appears before them. The manager cheerfully says, ¡°My apologies, mon Cherie. But I was caught up, in a teensy fiasco. Now, Miss Reed, it is an honor to meet the latest auction owner. I¡¯m Mr. Debonair, but feel free to call me Pierre. Please allow me to escort you this way.¡± ¡°Yes, lets,¡± Miss Reed grumbled and follows the cheerful manager. Kendall¡¯s eyes widen in shock. The Izo that he knew would have yelled and screamed for an apology at being kept waiting. This Izo did not. She couldn¡¯t be, could she? But the two shared the same first name, that was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. The handsome young man with golden hair and blue eyes worriedly says, ¡°Are you alright, Mary?¡± Mary adoringly blinks up at him and says, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Alexander. But Kendall doesn¡¯t seem fine.¡± Alexander smiles warmly charming the female members of the group and replies, ¡°He¡¯s just shocked by the similarity as we were. Give him time, he¡¯ll be alright.¡± Kendal indignantly stutters as the solemn man at his side with gray eyes and dark hair says, ¡°They¡¯re right, Kendall. From everything, I¡¯ve seen today, that only approves that that Izo Lee and the woman before us are not the one and the same person. Izo Lee would have screamed for an array of apologies for having been made to wait. This woman comported herself calmly even when faced with your rude actions. Though Both women may share the same first name and similar appearances, but there is a doppelganger for everyone in the world. She is not to be confused with Izo Lee. You should apologize the next time you see her.¡± ¡°But Eric,¡± Kendall unhappily whined but became silent and sullen in acceptance. Mary shows her enchanting dimples to Kendall and says, ¡°I¡¯m certain that Miss Reed will forgive you, once you explain the situation.¡± Kendall nods sagely and says, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Mary.¡± With that, all grievances are forgotten as the group discusses lunch plans. But for a moment, Mary pointedly turns to glance behind her as her eyes darken for a mere instant, fading away so swiftly that one would one question if they ever saw it. Mary turns her face up and smiles at Alexander as she intertwines her arm around his. Alexander lovingly takes advantage of the movement and twines his hand around her. The two walked out hand in hand as the startled group follows in their wake. Love was certainly in the air as the two lead the group to a nearby restaurant. The group drew glances as they were all well to do, but especially their looks. No member of the group would be considered unattractive. But mostly the eyes were drawn to the perfect golden couple as hearts were full of sighs and envy. It¡¯s not every day a dreamboat and the dream girl ended up together. * Chapter 13.2 – Hiring Hall Mr. Debonair simply know as Pierre chatters about the facility as he points out various things on display or individuals of importance gracing the hiring hall. Izo mutes out his voice as she recalls the confrontation before. She had instantly recognized the golden-haired couple, but not the rude redhead and the solemn man. It takes Izo a minute to scan her memory for the uploaded memories of the other Izo. From her understanding, the redhead was called Kellan and the solemn man was Eric. Apparently, they were best friends with Alexander the point of interest of the previous Izo. Sadly, enough even though they had been on friendly terms as children, that had all changed as that Izo¡¯s ego only grew and eventually, any feelings of friendliness disappeared towards her. Izo didn¡¯t have any interest in those two, but what had caught her attention was the girl called Mary. Though subtle, that girl had rather seamlessly interjected herself into the situation. With every answer or movement, Mary¡¯s action¡¯s felt too perfect as if scripted. Izo hadn¡¯t sensed any charms, seduction magic or talismans on the girl. It was possibly an ability but based on how the girl was still at times, Izo was going to guess foreshadowing. Mary most likely couldn¡¯t see more than a couple seconds at a time but that would be more than sufficient to turn the tide in her favor. Which was very interesting to Izo as she considered the ramifications. The previous Izo of this Earth, though somewhat emotionally unstable had been partially right about the girl. Mary was manipulating events to her advantage. Too bad, the little idiot had not befriended her. Those words left a sour taste in her mouth as Izo reflexively took back those words. Even if the other Izo had befriended Mary the ending result would still not have a good one. That poor girl would have ended up just like Izo when she crossed paths with the cursed wench! Just thinking about that cursed wench made Izo unconsciously release a dark killing intent. A stammering voice caused her to suddenly come too. ¡°Are you displeased, Miss Reed? Please allow me to apologize if I have insulted you in any way or manner.¡± Pierre hastily said trying not show his fear at the cold killing intent emitting from the Izo smiles awkwardly and replies, ¡°My apologies, I was merely distracted. Please continue.¡± Pierre still confident though less cheerful than before clears his throat and says, ¡°Ah, yes. Well please lead me to the hiring hall. This hall has been open for over 45 years. Much like the olden days, individuals showcase their talents live before behind hired. The hall takes a percentage from their contract to pay for their use of the hall. The hiring hall is proud to house entertainers to warriors and everything in-between. You¡¯ll not find a more versatile hiring hall in the entire city!¡± Pierre leads his guest to a hallway that shows individuals sitting down in extravagant rooms on either side of the hall behind the dark glass window that only shows one way inside and not outside. Izo studies the individuals and is surprised to see the first non-human species on Earth. (Not that she hadn¡¯t seen them on T.V. or on the summoned world, but it was surprising to physically see them in a modern-day society.) ¡°I am looking to hire a manager and possibly some guards today. Are there any you can recommend?¡± Izo firmly said as she studies a harpy in a loose floral dress. Pierre nods sagely and says, ¡°Of course, please come this way.¡± He leads the way down the hallway passing a stream of rooms before stopping in a library type room. Several individuals are sitting or reading throughout the room. Pierre turns and takes a risk by winking at the haughty faced woman. But a customer was a customer and he would do his best to charm her. ¡°Our hiring hall is one of the few halls that incorporates modern day technology in the hiring process. Please watch closely,¡± Pierre said as he reaches over and points towards the figure right before him. The dark window faintly grows green as a screen pops up showing the figure¡¯s name and personal information. Pierre happily says, ¡°Just point to any figure and their details will appear on the screen. Should you have any questions, please ask. I will just stand here quietly and unobtrusively.¡± Izo does as instructed and reads their work experience details. Though obviously experienced none of them attract her eye. Izo frowns slightly and says, ¡°I apologize, but none of them fulfill my requirements are there any others for hire?¡± Pierre winces as he says, ¡°Yes, but none are as highly qualified or experienced as this group.¡± ¡°That¡¯s acceptable, please show me,¡± Izo replied as Pierre lead the way back down the hallway to previously passed rooms. The first room they stop at is filled with exceptional attractive individuals. Not that she had a problem with that as they were all rather pleasing to the eye. But all of them had a look in their eyes that anyone who got in their way would pay. Deciding that making enemies out of her own manager was a bad idea, she hastily asks for another room.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The second room was more acceptable, but not a single person caught her fancy. Somewhat frustrated, Pierre leads her to a third room. Instantly Izo¡¯s eyes were drawn to a petite woman. Her brown hair is pulled back in a neat bun. Just above her hairline two polished small goat horns sprout out of her head. She wore a buttoned shirt and a long dark flowy skirt that reached the floor. Upon closer examination, neatly polished hooves could be seen peeking out from underneath the skirt. Grinning, Izo quickly reads the detailed display of information for the woman and had already skimmed through her employment history.
Name: Flora Fauna Gender: Female Age: 26 Species: Fauness (relative of the Satyr Family) Class: Priestess of Athena Skills: Appraisal, Healing, Green Thumb, Master Reed Piper, Charge, Fists of Drunken Fury Magic Affinity: 100 Fire: - Wind: 10 Water: 10 Earth: 50 Light: 30
Satyr¡¯s were one of the few species that treated her kindly after being cursed. Satyr¡¯s despite being drunk, tree-loving drunks never dismissed her upon knowing her true identity. The satyrs worshiped the Earth Goddess and weren¡¯t afraid of pissing off that wretched goddess. And for a brief time, Izo was happy with the perverted satyrs until it was time for her to leave. If possible, Izo would like to return the favor now. Though, one arrogant pointed ear species was rather vehement in trying to kill her. Just thinking about them caused Izo to release a bit of killing intent. Those pointy-eared bastards had on countless occasions tried to stab her, drown her, poison her, burn her alive, feed her to a dragon, and sacrifice to that stupid WENCH! Breathing harshly, Izo remembers where she is at and hastily disperses her bloodthirst. But she couldn¡¯t help herself, she was severely biased towards those pointy-eared bastards! Izo turns towards Pierre who warily eyes her. Smiling politely, Izo says, ¡°I¡¯ll hire Flora Fauna as my manager. My lawyer will contact her with the contract details. I still have another business to conduct, I wish to hire some guards as well.¡± Pierre lets out a sigh of relief and somewhat anxiously leads her towards large gym-like rooms. Inside the rooms, opponents are lightly sparring against each other. Not only keeping fit but showcasing their skills to potential clients. Izo disregards humans for now as human guards were easier to employ even good ones. Currently, now, non-humans can be only hired via hiring halls with the exception being referrals through word of mouth. From studying history and reading articles off the web, after the violent riots of the 80¡¯s, species discrimination and acts of hatred were at an all-time high, NHD (Non-Homo-Sapiens Anti-Discrimination) government laws and policies are set into place. The policies were there to protect non-human rights and lifestyles. One of them was the use of hiring halls to permit non-humans to seek non-discriminatory employment. This action appeased both parties, human and non-human. Izo¡¯s eyes sudden freeze upon spotting an impossibly handsome man with sparkling eyes and distinctive pointed ears. * A handsome elf suddenly feels a chill as he swings his head towards the darkened viewing glass. He can¡¯t see anyone through the glass, but he most certainly can sense a killing intent directed at him. The killing intent suddenly vanishes just as suddenly as it appeared leaving him a bit dazed. Rather warily he takes a chance to spar, but too his relief nothing else happens. * Izo placidly turns towards Pierre who is doing his best not to squeak. ¡°I don¡¯t like these hires, please show me another room,¡± Izo pointedly said. Pierre is unable to reply as he hastily leads the woman who is becoming scarier by the minute. With caution, Pierre presents another room and quickly says, ¡°If you don¡¯t like these applicant¡¯s, I have more rooms ready.¡± Izo is silent as she observes the figures for a moment, before pulling their information on the glass screen. With interest, she reads what appears to be a very short bearded man¡¯s details.
Name: Aengus McLoughlin Gender: Male Age: 60 (30 in Leprechaun years) Species: Leprechaun Class: Brawler Skills: Master Cobbler, Steal, Berserk, Stealth, Iron Strength, Brawlers Fists Magic Affinity: 75 Fire: - Wind: 10 Water: 5 Earth: 60 Light: -
Izo grins to herself and turns towards Pierre. ¡°I¡¯ll take Mr. McLoughlin and the two dwarves. Please let them know that future details for their employment will be sent out in the next few days. Thank you, Mr. Pierre, it was a pleasure. Now if you lead me out, I would greatly appreciate it,¡± she sincerely said. Pierre a little too enthusiastically leads the way. He had long ago given up on charming Miss Reed. She was rather easy to deal with until she let out those bursts of killing intent. Just thinking about it left him shivering. He just hoped that next time, he wouldn¡¯t be the one charge of guiding her. His heart wouldn¡¯t be able to take another fearful assault. * Chapter 13.3 – Contract Flora Fauna nervously smoothed her skirt as she waits in a luxurious waiting area. The only sound heard is soft soothing music emerging from hidden speakers and the clacking of keys. The secretary looks up as Flora meets her gaze. ¡°Mr. Noir, will see you now, Miss Fauna,¡± the secretary dutifully said before returning to finish drafting a letter for Mr. Noir, her boss. Flora climbs to her feet and trots carefully across the floor not wanting to damage anything with her hooves. With care, she opens and shuts the door to only find herself in a large office with a wonderful view. Ignoring the neat shelves on the side filled with books in the center of the room is a large desk with two seats before it. Seated at the desk is a man neatly dressed all in black typing away. Before Flora can further approach, the man glances up at her and says, ¡°Aw, please do not mind me. My apologies but I was just finishing a bit of work, please have a seat, Miss Fauna, I shall only be a minute.¡± Flora complies as she tries not to gaze around the room, but rather stares at the nameplate on the desk that reads, ¡°Mr. Noir.¡± And as promised exactly a minute later, the typing comes to a halt. Mr. Noir opens a portfolio and says, ¡°Now, Miss Fauna, it is my understanding, that you have some questions before taking the position, is that correct?¡± Flora firmly says, ¡°Yes, Mr. Noir, I do. Mainly concerning my pay and regarding my being a satyr. Is the employer aware of my being part of the satyr family?¡± ¡°That is not a problem, Miss Fauna. The employer is aware and finds no issues with that. Regarding your wages and benefits, I have them right here. Please read them over carefully and check if they are to your liking,¡± Mr. Noir calmly said as he handed over the portfolio to her. Flora takes the portfolio and begins to read. Her eyes widen at the wages and benefits being offered. They sound too good to be true. She narrows her eyes and carefully says, ¡°Mr. Noir, it is my understanding this is a legal operation?¡± ¡°Of course, Miss Fauna.¡± ¡°The wages and benefits are outrageous Mr. Noir for the position. I am not certain I can accept under these terms and conditions. I would like to meet the employer in person before I make up my mind,¡± Flora retorted. Mr. Noir solemnly studies her as Flora firmly gazes back. ¡°Very well,¡± Mr. Noir said, before rising to his feet and walking out the door. Fauna gazes with confusion at being left alone when the door opens to reveal a too tall, thin woman closing the door behind her. The woman though neatly dressed her face conveys an air of arrogance that cannot be hidden. But surprisingly enough, the woman did not take a seat across the desk, but rather across from Flora. The woman calmly says, ¡°I was told you had questions. Very well, I¡¯m here to answer them.¡± Flora composes herself and pointedly says, ¡°Miss-, before we start, I want to make it clear, that I have no intention of being a sexualized object nor will I engage in such actions with humans who view me as an animal rather than a beast. I am strictly being hired to be a manager for an auction house. Which will be legal and law binding and will not have any trade with the black-market. As for my question, why me? Why not hire a human or denizen such as an elf? Without a doubt, they will bring in clients merely because of their looks,¡± Flora pointedly said noticing a small twitch on the woman¡¯s face at the mention of Elves. ¡°First most, allow me to introduce myself, I am Izo Reed. Regarding your comment, I completely agree with you. I have no interest in using for such things other than strictly your position and as for trading with the black market that will not happen. But will you be fine with handling an anonymous alchemist? The alchemist will be legally working for us but wishes to remain anonymous,¡± Miss Reed firmly answered as Flora moved to respond.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Miss Reed swiftly adds, ¡°Now before your answer, I wish to address your question about why I chose you over the other candidates. For one, I liked your presence and style. I thought you were vastly being underestimated and as a fellow woman, I enjoy giving other females an opportunity to grow. And why I didn¡¯t choose an Elf to be my manager as is common practice, I- am not speciesist my any means, but let us just say, I generally dislike them. I bear them no ill will, but I can¡¯t help but hold on to old lingering feelings. However, should you choose to hire an elf, I will not be opposed and will act accordingly at work,¡± Miss Reed honestly stated. Flora is quiet for a moment as she ponders the comment. ¡°Very well, I will accept the terms and conditions including that of the alchemist. Regarding hiring, do I have a free hand to hire those I deem suitable?¡± Flora firmly asked. ¡°That is correct and that is the precise reason for your hiring. I have already hired three guards from the hiring house, Mr. Noir has already sent them the information for hire and they have accepted. Everything else, Mr. Noir will promptly hand over for you to review. Are there any other questions before I leave?¡± Miss Reed calmly stated. Flora wracks her mind, but for the moment, she can¡¯t find a question that cannot be addressed from the contents of the portfolio. ¡°No, Miss Reed, that will be all,¡± Flora promptly said. ¡°Very well, I expect to have reports regularly sent to me and in the meantime, should an emergency arise, Mr. Noir will handle the situation unless it is deemed otherwise. It was nice to meet you,¡± Miss Reed said as she extends her hand to be shaken. Flora¡¯s eyes widen, but she firmly shakes the extended hand. ¡°It will be a pleasure working with you, Miss Reed,¡± Flora sincerely stated. The handshake over Miss Reed promptly leaves as Mr. Noir returns to the room. Mr. Noir carries a second portfolio containing documents that need to be signed. Before seating himself at his desk, he hands over the contents to be signed. With sparkles of interest in her eyes, Flora happily accepts, but carefully reads the outlined contract. She didn¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary as the contract requests that she is to be retained for two years. But any job fulfillment less than a year will carry a fee as a breach of contract. Should a situation arise, she must inform management a month in advance, vouch and hire the new manager. Everything else is about consequences of theft and so forth and the usual standards. Satisfied, Flora initials, signs and dates the documents. Flora returns the portfolio back to Mr. Noir, who promptly has his secretary take them, whilst Flora studies the contents of the portfolio. With interest, she notices that that not only is the auction house, but will also house crafting quarters and administrative offices as well. In fact, a company had already been legally set up as a sister business allowing for products made to be sold directly to the auction house. The company¡¯s name is Marchen Inc. With a pleased expression, she nods in approval. Flora would have suggested such a tactic, but it looks like her employer was quite intelligent after all. Satisfied, but worried Flora says, ¡°I am aware such valuable contents cannot be taken home. I am to leave them here, but-.¡± ¡°Not to worry, a temporary office has been set up on this floor. Promptly present yourself here and tomorrow, Marcella, my secretary will show you to your office. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me,¡± Mr. Noir said as he handed her his card. Flora sighs with relief as she takes the card and sees herself out of the room. The secretary doesn¡¯t even glance up as Flora takes the elevator down below. She contains her excitement until she exits out of the building and excitedly calls her mother. The phone rings a couple of times, before her mother answers. ¡°Yes, this Patty.¡± ¡°Momma, I got the job!¡± Flora excitedly shrieks. ¡°What! Congratulations pumpkin! Wait, it¡¯s not a pervert, right?¡± Her mother rather concerned asked. ¡°No, momma. I met with the employer and she is a woman. And I know what you¡¯re going to say, but she doesn¡¯t seem like a pervert. If anything, she is a bit speciesist. She doesn¡¯t like elves,¡± Flora whispered the last bit over the phone. ¡°Really? How strange, humans love those annoying pointy ears,¡± Her mother cheerfully mumbled. ¡°Momma, it is inappropriate to call them pointy ears, they have a name, Elves or Dryadales,¡± Flora reproachingly said. ¡°Yes, yes. But tell me, more about your job!¡± Her mother excitedly asked. With glee, Flora gives the details, she can share as she trots back to her apartment. It was a good day for her, that she even paused at a Flower Shop to buy a couple of snacks. It was a luxury she couldn¡¯t afford except for every now and then. And after all, a girl must watch her figure lest she loses it. * Chapter 13.4 – Opinion Mr. Noir waits for a familiar figure to return and reseat herself before him. The woman calmly crosses her legs and says, ¡°Well, what do you think of her?¡± Mr. Noir raises at his employer as he studies her. The woman had been referred to his firm by a well-known associate. Yet despite all this time, he had yet to fully learn how to read her. It wasn¡¯t that her face was expressionless, rather it was her eyes that disturbed him. Those dark eyes contained no warm in them other than a bitter coldness. ¡°Miss Reed, are you asking if she is acceptable or if I like her?¡± Mr. Noir said as he waits for a response. The pointed silence is his response to which he answers, ¡°She is acceptable and you could do far worse. However, Miss Reed, I fail to see the reason for the question. You are the one who selected her did you not or are you having second thoughts about her?¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Miss Reed shakes her head and says, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. But rather do you believe she will fulfill my objective.¡± ¡°Ah, it that case most certainly. Without out a doubt, you will gain the trust of many denizens that would normally be difficult to hire especially among the dwarven craftsmen. Their dislike with working with elven managers is rather legendary in business circles. Though I have heard relations have been improving,¡± Mr. Noir matter-of-factly stated. Miss Reed remains silent in contemplation, before rising to her feet and saying, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Noir for your candor.¡± Without another word, Miss Reed exits out of the office leaving a rather puzzled Mr. Noir behind. Rather than wasting his time pondering the riddle of Miss Reed, he had more important tasks to fulfill. After all, she was only one of his clients and he had a business to run. Without any other thought, he calmly puts Miss Reed out of mind and out of reach. * Chapter 14 – Shopping Rather than going home as previously planned, Izo takes a taxi to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Upon entering the building, Miss Carpenter excitedly waves her over. Izo politely smiles at the woman as she receives puzzled glances. ¡°Miss Reed, how are you?¡± Miss Carpenter excitedly asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you. Miss Carpenter, but how do I go about registering a request on the job board?¡± Izo promptly said. ¡°Is it a request for items? Personnel requests for items are always double checked before being processed. However, organization request is different. What is the request exactly for?¡± Miss Carpenter curiously asked as she adjusts her glasses. ¡°Curiosity sake. I was wondering where an alchemist friend of mine may purchase ingredients? He¡¯s will be moving to Emerald City and would like to purchase some herbs,¡± Izo matter-of-factly asked. ¡°Well, alchemists usually go to the pharmacies to purchase ingredients. However, newbie adventures can purchase a one-time herb bulk from the guild itself. It helps newbies trade ingredients for potions and so forth. If you are willing to spend a bit of money, you can purchase these items for your friend,¡± Miss Carpenter helpfully said. ¡°Yes, that would be much appreciated,¡± Izo cheerfully said as a rare smile appeared on her face. Miss Carpenter gawks at the smile that can transform that poor woman¡¯s face into that of normality. Miss Carpenter swiftly composes herself and turns to her colleague as she excuses herself. With grace, Miss Carpenter leads Miss Reed away to the grand dismay of much of the waiting in line adventurers. They glare with envy and sadness as they watch the lush figure of Miss Carpenter disappear beyond their sight. Miss Carpenter leads Miss Reed to an elevator and presses the floor 12. Before the elevator can go up, Miss Carpenter must scan her ID before the elevator begins to move. The elevator door closes and with a soft lurch, the elevator swiftly rises. The two women are silent as the soft music plays overhead. With a ding, the elevator doors fly open as Miss Carpenter leads the way. The floor is empty as a bright-eyed man wearing a red bow tie, belt fasters, a white-collar shirt sleeve shirt, beige knee shorts, colored socks, and tan toe steel boots sits at the counter. The man reveals a glistening white smile and says, ¡°My dear, Miss Carpenter, you honor with me your presence. I¡¯m so honored in fact, that how about you have dinner with me tonight? Let¡¯s say at nine?¡± Miss Carpenter hides her smile and says, ¡°Mr. Valentine, thank you but please keep your invites to yourself during working hours.¡± ¡°Aha, then should I invite you after hours?¡± Mr. Valentine swiftly interjects. Miss Carpenter opens her mouth and firmly snaps her mouth shut. Flushing Miss Carpenter says, ¡°Mr. Valentine, this is Miss Reed. Miss reed needs to purchase a couple of items to make a potion. I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes, I need to take care of something.¡± Without waiting for a response, Miss Carpenter flees to a nearby bathroom to compose herself. Izo grins and says, ¡°So, do you think you¡¯ll get her in the end?¡± Mr. Valentine grins back as he climbs to his feet. ¡°I won¡¯t give up that easy, she¡¯s the girl for me. Now then, Miss Reed, how can I help you today?¡± ¡°I need to purchase various herbs. I have a list,¡± Izo said as she pulled out carefully folded sheets of paper and handed them over to him. Upon opening the list, Mr. Valentine finds every inch of the paper was covered in neat handwriting. Mr. Valentine lets out a whistle as he reads out loud some of the ingredients. ¡°Resin, Ghost Incense, Carabe, New Moon Mandrake, Blue Sage-,¡± He stops and shakes his head impressively. ¡°My, my, Miss Carpenter sure has interesting friends,¡± Mr. Valentine murmured as he finishes scanning through the list.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Izo eyes widen in surprise and curiously asks, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Well because Miss Carpenter rarely ever accompanies people unless she has to. My guess is she¡¯s taken a liking to you, Miss Reed. Now before I dash into the jungle of shelves and items, are you sure you want all these> Some of these are rare and expensive items that most newbies do not know about nor would think to ask for at their one-time herb purchase,¡± Mr. Valentine flatly said. Izo smiles faintly and says, ¡°An alchemist needs the items to make potions for me.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, I know better than to pry. Excuse Miss Reed, I have to go and find these items for you,¡± Mr. Valentine said, before purposefully disappearing into the back room. The sound of clicking high heels against the floor is heard as a cool and collected Mrs. Carpenter appears. The glasses wearing beauty promptly approaches Izo and says, ¡°My apologies Miss Reed, I hope you weren¡¯t waiting for long.¡± ¡°No, Mr. Valentine just left,¡± Izo calmly said as she hesitates before adding, ¡°Mr. Valentine, said he thought you liked me, Miss Carpenter. Is that true?¡± Miss Carpenter looks indignant and says, ¡°Miss Reed, I can assure you, I only hold professional feelings towards you. If I have misled you in any way, I sincerely apologize, it was not my intention to do so.¡± Izo wryly laughs and says, ¡°You can be ease, Miss Carpenter, I didn¡¯t mean it in a physical or attraction sense. Rather he thought that you and I could be friends.¡± Miss Carpenter is silent for a moment before carefully saying, ¡°I cannot and will not be friends with any newbies during work hours. But should Miss Reed ever like to go shopping after hours or by coincidence meet during my days off, I would not be opposed to such actions.¡± For the first time in a long time, Izo smiles warmly at someone else. Once more Miss Carpenter is astonished by the smile. It wasn¡¯t that Miss Reed suddenly became a beauty. Rather Miss Reed¡¯s entire face suddenly changed and gave off an entirely different impression. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had an actual friend my age,¡± Izo wistfully said as Miss Carpenter eyes fill with pity. Without further thought, Izo grabs a sticky note and pen from the desk and writer her name, phone number, and email on the note. Izo carefully folds the note in half before handing it over to Miss Carpenter. Miss Carpenter hides a warm smile and carefully places the note in her shirt chest pocket. The two women begin to chat over everyday things and to their surprise they find that they have similar interest. Though Miss Carpenter didn¡¯t love comics or gaming, she had a passion for food and cooking shows. The two swiftly and rather excitedly began to discuss various food places. By the time, Mr. Valentine returned, the two had made plans to meet up for a girl¡¯s night out. Mr. Valentine returns with a giant stuffed yellow backpack. With a heaving grunt, he places the bag onto the counter and says, ¡°Miss Reed, will you need help carrying this downstairs? And will this be paid for upfront or be placed on your guild tab?¡± Without mercy, Izo answers, ¡°Please carry it downstairs for me. And please be a dear and put it on my tab, Mr. Valentine.¡± Mr. Valentine sighs as Izo wordlessly hands over her identification card before he can even ask. With ease, he adds the purchase to Izo¡¯s increasing debt and returns her identification card to her. Mr. Valentine, somewhat reluctantly hefts the bag over his shoulder and follows the two-chattering woman. He wasn¡¯t disappointed as he got to hear his beloved speak and secondly, he was attentively listening to her likes and dislikes. Too soon, the elevator reaches the floor as the two-women wave goodbye to each other. Miss Carpenter returns to her post as Mr. Valentine grunts, ¡°Do you want me to carry it outside for you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Izo pleasantly said and easily slung the large bag over her shoulder. Mr. Valentine gapes and then flushes with anger. Before he can give her a piece of his mind, Miss Reed says, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, Mr. Valentine. I was just helping you to get to know Miss Carpenter. Who knows, this time around you might just get lucky.¡± Mr. Valentine finds he can¡¯t say anything back as the tall, slender woman confidently strides out of the guild. With a rueful smile, he takes the elevator back up the 12th floor. At his desk, he finds a pink sticky note saying, ¡°I thought you might still be mad. So, let me give you a hint, we¡¯re having a girl¡¯s night out in a couple of days. If you happen to be at the plaza around seven or eight, I might just put in a good word in for you and invite you to join us. Izo Reed.¡± Mr. Valentine grins and almost kisses the note in gratitude. With a skip in his step, he rushes to finish his work for the week. He had a date for the weekend and he wasn¡¯t about to miss it. * Chapter 14.2 – Brew Dolores is surprised to suddenly receive a text while at Bingo. ¡°I¡¯ll be out until late, Dolores. Don¡¯t wait up, Izo.¡± Dolores grins impishly before turning to the handsome man flirting with her. ¡°Berry, do you want to come over to my place for an early nightcap?¡± Berry eyes twinkle with delight and happily replies, ¡°Why I would be delighted to Dolores.¡± With that, the two depart from the Bingo game to the amazement of some and the amusement of others. There were going to be wild rumors about them about them the next day, but for now, that was just fine by them. * Izo had texted Dolores she wasn¡¯t going to be home until very late. With ease, she makes her way to the construction point. There was plenty of construction still going on as Izo casts an illusion spell. She easily strides into the construction site and makes her way to the 5th level. The 5th level not only would be a good place to concoct her potion without attracting attention but a place without any distractions. Sure, enough despite the construction being done overhead, not even vibrations made their way down to the 5th level. From her inventory, Izo pulls out bowls and other items needed to concoct potions plus a couple cheap ingredients from an all-natural herb store. She even takes out a measuring cup to make things easier to pour. With care, Izo places the bag onto the floor and begins to take out brown paper parcels with the names of the herbs inside carefully written on crisp paper. She had to give Valentine credit, he had done a good job. She was going to have to hold up her end of the deal. Izo takes out her phone and scrolls her notes. She had written down potions that were rare. High-class healing potions were expensive due to ingredients needed. Well, that was easy, she had once discovered how to create a high-class healing potion using water and tea leaves. All she needed was to chant a spell over the water and it became holy. The reason she used water and tea leaves because potions taste terrible. Tea, on the other hand, doesn¡¯t taste like shit when you drink it even without sugar. However, for the sake of appearances, Izo was going to make the potion more complicated to make sure her secret wasn¡¯t so easily found out. She was just going to add a bunch of cheap herbs she had bought from the natural herb store until it tasted terrible, before casting a spell. The common sense of this Earth is that the worse it tastes the better it is. Humming Izo makes sure to toss in harmless ingredients together such as rosemary, lavender, chamomile in a stone mortar as she happily pounds away. A green mush emerges to which she adds random harmless seeds, pumpkin, sunflower and so forth. The green mush turns to a light green slime thing. Taking a spoonful, she grabs an empty potion vial and drops it in. Just add water and some flour to thicken the mix, presto a vile looking potion was ready. Carefully corking the potions until full, Izo does this until the mix is gone. She had about twenty vials, which was just enough to pay off her loan and pay the initial salaries of her people. She certainly could create more high-level healing potions, but she wanted to keep the high demand price for them by limiting the stock produced, since she was counting on the rest of the potions to pull her out of the red. Izo closes her eyes and begins to chant, ¡°Sanr ¡®l Qrpo ¡®Nuao.¡± The bottles begin to glow as the mix inside the potions glisten before turning into a dark blue glowing substance. Personally, she would never drink a glowing substance, but hey, whatever works. With that, done she places the potions into her inventory for now. Izo moves onto the next potion on her list invisibility. She was counting on this potion to be the real moneymaker. Invisibility potions did not naturally exist on this Earth yet and only existed in the form of dungeon items. Seeing as there was a lack of stock, Izo was going to create a supply for the demand. However, she was going to have to be careful. She didn¡¯t want some villain or evil organization to gain hold of them, leading to her being the responsible party and being liable for the evil organizations actions. She refused to be sued and wasn¡¯t about to pay out a settlement, that would not doubt involve giving up the actual recipe.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Rather than selling it in her auction house, Izo was going to sell the supply to a party, the guild. Not only would that pay off her guild tab, but push her guild class up as a sign of appreciation from the guild. She was going to dilute the potion lest any adventurer gets any funny. The potion would only mask individuals in front of monsters and not other humans. With a happy whistle, Izo dilutes the potions potency. ¡°Betony, Snow flower, spider web, toe of frog, wings of bat, Porto Spine, Devil¡¯s claw, etc.¡± With care, she mixes the items in a brewing cauldron and stirs. To create an invisible potion takes a lot of time and most importantly care. The final ingredient must be added just before it boils, eye of newt and it would ready. Time passes slowly until the brew turns pink signaling that it is about to boil. With care, Izo drops into a handful of eye of newt, before swiftly stirring. The pink brew froths for a moment, before turning a strawberry milk color. Satisfied, she carefully uses a measuring cup to pour the potion into the vials until the brew was gone. She had made 90 invisibility potions, a little less than she expected, but not bad at all. The corked potions went into her inventory, when Izo glanced at the last potion on her list. There were a couple of others she wanted to create, but she was missing sufficient materials to create more than one or two. She was just going to hold onto the rest of the herbs until she had enough supplies to create a batch of them. The last potion was going to be a beauty potion. This potion would surely pull in all types of clientele especially the wealthy kind. Of course, there were similar potions on the market but none that would have this kind of potency. Izo¡¯s beauty potion not only would ensure clear skin and a glowing face, but low-level healing such as acne scars, unwanted blemishes, and sunspots. Without out a doubt, this would become one of her staples in the business. Rather than cleaning out her cauldron, Izo pulled out a new one to keep from wasting her time. With care, she chopped or poured the ingredients needed into the cauldron. ¡°Wisteria, Tagriel, Venus teeth, toes of toad, Rose, a lock of succubus hair, etc.¡± As she stirs, Izo mysteriously grumbles, ¡°Double, double toil, and trouble.¡± A sweet scent begins to fill the air as the potion turns to a flamboyant glowing potion. It froths for a bit as Izo lets it boil one last time before pouring the brew into vials. Satisfied at having made a little over a 100, she begins to gather everything and put everything away. Satisfied the area is clean and everything has been gathered and placed into her inventory, Izo sneaks out. Despite the lateness of the hour, construction workers are still at work. A tinge of guilt suddenly hits her. Perhaps, she could have been patient and not requested the building be completed so swiftly. * Dolores in a bathrobe waves goodbye to Berry at the door. Berry cheerfully winks and strides out of the condo. Letting out some giggles, Dolores pauses in the kitchen to grab a snack as a voice from the couch drily says, ¡°Who was that, Dolores?¡± Dolores just about chokes and fearfully says, ¡°Miss, I had no idea you had come home.¡± Izo sits up and stares at Dolores with an impish grin. ¡°So, do we need to set up ground rules about bringing back home, one¡¯s date? Or should I give a talk about-,¡± before Izo can continue Dolores clamps her hands over Izo¡¯s mouth. Dolores embarrassingly says, ¡°My apologies, Miss, but I am a grown woman. From now on, I will make sure to go over to his place rather than bringing them back.¡± Dolores removes her hand from Izo¡¯s mouth, but Izo just smirks at her. Dolores lets out an indignant huff and grumbles under breath, ¡°You, young people, think you invented Sex.¡± Izo cheerfully climbs up to her feet and heads to her room. But over her shoulder, she says, ¡°Make sure to eat plenty of liquids and sugar, Dolores.¡± Dolores cheeks flush brightly but can¡¯t think up a single comeback by the time the door slams shut. With angry mutter, she grumbles about sleeping in tomorrow and not making breakfast or dinner. She was going to take a day¡¯s rest and enjoy it. And with that, she slams the fridge door returning to her room with a pack of cookies and juice. * Chapter 14.3 – Girl’s night out A guild alchemist excitedly reviews the potions from Marchen Inc. If the contents of the box were true, then the guild would happily pay and monopolize the entire supply. With that in mind, the alchemist hastily begins to work to try to verify the potion. * It had been three days since Izo had dropped off three invisibility potions at the guild headquarters. Yet the guild had yet to respond. She understood that the guild was verifying the potions for side effects and that the potion worked as stated. Either way, she was going out tonight to have some fun with friends her age. Most of her online friends were younger than herself by a large margin. Not that Izo minded, but it¡¯s hard to publicly hang out with middle schoolers without being labeled as a pedophile. Wearing a dark sweater, jeans, and comfortable shoes, she had left the empty Condo as Dolores was out on another date with her current man toy. Before Izo can find a seat at a plaza, a waving hand grabs her attention. Wearing a polo shirt, khakis with a sweater tied over his shoulders, Mr. Valentine waves at her. Izo grimaces about his fashion taste. Izo seats herself as Mr. Valentine jabbers, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for an hour. You wouldn¡¯t believe, what I saw.¡± Izo just nods as she opens the cafe menu for a light snack. She quickly closes the menu shut having found that even the water was ridiculously priced. $25 a bottle of water, what was it directly imported from Mount Everest? Izo cuts Mr. Valentine off, ¡°Mr. Valentine, what¡¯s your first name?¡± Mr. Valentine humbly replies, ¡°Jerry.¡± ¡°Is it fine, if I just call you Valentine?¡± Izo stoically said. ¡°Most of my family and colleagues call me that as well,¡± Valentine warmly answered. Izo is not surprised by that answer. The two chatted until a curved woman in a V-neck shirt and jeans appears. Valentine climbs to his feet in awe as Miss Carpenter smiles cheerfully at Izo, but glares pointedly at Valentine to leave. Izo swiftly jumps in to rescue the floundering Valentine. ¡°I invited him seeing as he didn¡¯t have any plans, I hope that you don¡¯t mind? By the way, can I call you by your first name?¡± Izo warmly asked. ¡°Fine, but if Valentine gets touchy, he¡¯s out. And how silly of me, I forgot to tell you my first name. It¡¯s Sara,¡± Miss Carpenter warmly said, before adding, ¡°Are we going to eat here?¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Hell no, even the water is overpriced,¡± Izo vehemently said. The trio head off to a local restaurant where they manage to order a bit of everything and pin the bill on Valentine. Despite the large bill, Valentine happily pays the bill. The trio laughed the night away. Izo even adds Valentine¡¯s contact information into her phone. By the end of the night, they are all tired but happy. Izo subtly allows Valentine to accompany Sara home. Valentine gives her the thumb ups even though Sara sends pleading eyes at her. Sadly, Izo would just have to let down her friend as she owed Valentine. Waving goodbye and promising to hang out soon, the group splits as Valentine accompanies Sara home and Izo goes her own way. On her way home, she spots a hero battling with a villain. Ignoring the situation, she happily walks around them, when a masked minion suddenly pops up at her side and holds a knife to her neck. ¡°Razor Claw, if you don¡¯t want the woman to get hurt, put down your weapon,¡± The masked minion importantly yelled. The hero growls and says, ¡°Your people are despicable, Domino!¡± The villain throws his head back and laughs maniacally, ¡°HAHAHAHA, of course, because I¡¯m a Villain!¡± Razor Claw moves to lay down his weapons when he freezes at the unexpected sight. A minion is stuffed headfirst into a trash can as his legs flail in the air. A second minion¡¯s body print is pressed onto a car, whilst the rest of the minions are sprawled in all directions groaning loudly in pain. Domino seeing the dazed look on his nemesis excitedly turns around. The villain lets out a groan of despair, ¡°But I just hired them!¡± Domino rushes away to check on his poor minions. With a terrible cry, he says, ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± before helping his minions hobble way and pulling the poor minion out of the trash bin. Razor Claw is frozen as he can¡¯t believe his eyes. The woman was gone, but she couldn¡¯t have done this, could she? Before he can ponder more on the situation, the wail of sirens begins to wail in the distance. He swiftly pales upon seeing the damage and flees. He was still a minor hero and didn¡¯t have enough money to pay for wrongful damage claims. With that in mind, the hero flees into the night. Within minutes the police officers arrive at the scene. They had received a call about a sound disturbance and had been dispatched. With a sigh, they see the recent struggles of a fight, but with no sign of a villain or the hero. ¡°Fledging heroes, I bloody hate them,¡± the senior officer commented. The younger officer nods, ¡°Yup. Always running away and leaving us to clean up the mess. Those guys are public nuisances costing the taxpayers money to fix their messes. They should be calling us heroes! We¡¯re the ones who do the day to day things and clean up after them!¡± The young cop firmly proclaimed. The senior officer grunts in agreement as he explains the situation over dispatch. The dispatcher requests that they remain at the scene until a member of the hero¡¯s association arrives. The senior officer snorts, no doubt the hero¡¯s union rep would explain the situation away. The hero¡¯s association couldn¡¯t be allowed to have a bad rep. * Chapter 15 – Hire A pretty human woman exits the office door as Flora rubs her head. She had begun the long arduous hiring process, but it appears she could only find idiots, both human and non-human. But she had been entrusted with a task and she wasn¡¯t about to fail. Grimacing, Flora grabs her cell phone and reluctantly clicks on a contact''s number. The phone starts ringing to immediately to her dismay and is answered on the first ring. A warm persuasive voice drawls, ¡°Flora, I¡¯ve simply missed you. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± Thomas Vladimir despite being a fuckboy was surprisingly rather good at his job. (He was a model vampire citizen registered with the government and only drank blood from consenting lovers or from medical blood bags. With the coming out of magical creatures back in the 80¡¯s many had been afraid of this particular species. One of the things that helped quell the fear among humans is how few vampires there are in existence. But more importantly, vampires are born not made and have a low birthrate. And despite having the some of the abilities out of fabled stories, vampires are quite a domesticated lot.) ¡°I need your help, would you consider coming to work for my employer as a talent scouter,¡± Flora reluctantly offered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have a prior engagement, but thank you,¡± Thomas insincerely said. Flora stops herself from grinding her teeth and calmly says, ¡°The pay is rather good and the employer wants a talent scouter, not a pretty face or lover. I am personally vouching for the employer¡¯s intentions.¡± Thomas is quiet for a moment before casually asking, ¡°How much is the pay?¡± ¡°Enough to even meet your ridiculous standards,¡± Flora firmly answered.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Well, let me see what I can do. Where can we meet?¡± Thomas cheerfully asked. ¡°The current employment site is still under construction. We are to do the hiring for the project site. I am currently working out of an office, but I¡¯ll text you the address. How soon can you be here?¡± Flora swiftly asked. Before Thomas can answer a woman¡¯s, sleepy mumble is heard. Thomas cheekily replies, ¡°About an hour.¡± The call ends as Flora stiffens with disdain, but does so as requested. Though a pain in the neck to deal with he was good at what he did. Which was a shame to say the least. * Flora is busy at her desk reviewing prospective employees when the door suddenly swings open. Wearing a tailored blue striped suit, a pale tall, dark-haired man smiles revealing long incisors. The heartbreaker, Thomas seats himself cheerfully in front of Flora and says, ¡°Well, let me see what I¡¯m working with.¡± Flora unhappily hands over the readied portfolio stating terms. Thomas nods with a pleased expression and swiftly signs the documents without any haggle. ¡°So, who has been hired yet?¡± Thomas businesslike said without any of usual demeanor. With some relief, Flora answers, ¡°So far, me and you, plus three guards, personally chosen by the employer. But we are still going to need guards, administrators and administrative staff, craftsman such as alchemists and the like, skilled chefs and cooking staff, serving staff members, beast-tamers, front desk operators, anything else we or the employer can think of.¡± Thomas let out a soft whistle. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in good hands Flora you did call the best.¡± Flora winces as Thomas carefully continues, ¡°Are there any restrictions?¡± ¡°No, the employer permits any hires, though if I may be blunt the employer holds a dislike for elves,¡± Flora honestly said. Thomas¡¯s eyes widen and rather bewildered says, ¡°Really? How strange. But despite that dislike, is the employer willing to hire elves?¡± ¡°Yes, why do you already have someone in mind?¡± Flora pointedly asked. ¡°Maybe. But for now, show me the prospective hires,¡± Thomas firmly said as Flora handed over some prospective files. Without another word the two get down to work and begin the arduous process of debating who was right for the job. * Chapter 15.2 – Report Mr. Noir is seated across from Mr. White the guild¡¯s lawyer and a large woman with feathered legs and wings. The woman has a raspy voice, ¡°Mr. Noir, Mr. White has already confirmed that Marchen Inc. has agreed to the guild¡¯s terms. However, the guild has a personal interest in meeting the owner.¡± ¡°I understand, Mrs. Partridge, but my employer wishes to currently remain anonymous. You will have ample opportunity to meet the head of Marchen Inc. once the first order is delivered. Are there any other questions before, our business concludes?¡± Mr. Noir quietly asked. The harpy coldly eyes Mr. Noir like prey for a moment. ¡°In that case, may we have an opportunity to meet the alchemist?¡± Mrs. Partridge frostily suggested. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. The alchemist has signed a confidential agreement with Marchen Inc. I¡¯m afraid the only person who knows the identity of the alchemist is the owner of Marchen Inc. I can certainly put in a request, but from my understanding, the alchemist is reclusive,¡± Mr. Noir honestly answered. Mrs. Partridge clicks her tongue unhappily but accepts the response. Mr. White rises to his feet and says, ¡°Until next time, Mr. Noir.¡± Mr. Noir nods back as the Mr. White sees Mrs. Partridge out. * With glee, Izo read the email from Mr. Noir. The guild had accepted the terms and conditions offered by Mr. Noir. Marchen Inc. would at least provide 100 invisibility potions monthly, if more were made, the guild would pay extra for the potions by five percent. On the other hand, the stock was only to be limited and sold to the guild. The first batch delivery was due in a month.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Izo swiftly remembers her reward and pulls up her guild account. Her rank was changed to that of C-class as a thank you from the guild for recommending Marchen Inc. (Though they did heavily hint that she should adventure with a party when entering the higher-level C-Class dungeons.) The guild had also covered all prior debts issued with the guild as a monetary reward. Which was fine by her as she had enough money from the guild¡¯s purchase to procure alchemy supplies to create other types of potions than the regular. With that in mind, Izo set up an order sheet for Marchen Inc. via an online seller. Since Marchen Inc. was a legal company, the seller had no problem selling the items to her. Finished ordering supplies, Izo pulls up the reports from Flora Fauna. With interest, she checks over the hiring process. A vampire by the name of Thomas Vladimir was hired as a talent scout. To Izo¡¯s surprise not only was the vampire a good talent scout but a rather good employee. Since his hire a week ago over half of the positions had been filled. Satisfied at having hired a good manager, Izo pulls up a list of dungeons in the guild search engine. Her auction house sorely needed items to sell, currently, there wasn¡¯t anything that was truly sellable. She wasn¡¯t about to discard the low-level items acquired as newbies or the curious may still purchase said items on a visit. Money was still money, no matter how little. Izo searches for dungeons with the high drop rates or rare drop rates. There were a couple that could work, but they wouldn¡¯t give her what she wanted. Scrolling down the list, she suddenly pauses and scrolls back up. Plasma Plains, a D-class dungeon. However, what interested her that was the geography. Across from the actual Plasma Plains was a mountain range. The mountain range held a B-Class Dungeon, Plasma Mountain. Izo taps her finger against her laptop and thinks of the pros and cons. Pro¡¯s, she could gain plenty of items and challenge herself. The con¡¯s, she could be discovered by other adventurers. In the end, the pro¡¯s outweighed the cons. With that in mind, Izo packs clothing into her inventory, before going out on a late-night shopping spree. She was not about to be ill-equipped like last time. But more importantly, she would bring food to eat and besides, Dolores was out with Berry. * Chapter 16 – Plasma Plains With a spring in Izo¡¯s step, the tall hooded figure strides into the guild headquarters as soon as it opens. The Izo strides into the teleportation ring facility as sleepy mages calibrate the ring for the day. Without a word, Izo takes out her identification card and hands it over to a mage technician. ¡°Plasma Plains and place it on my tab,¡± the Izo murmured. The sleepy mage technician scans the identification without paying attention. However, he does carefully type in the destination into the system before returning the card. With a yawn, he shouts for the teleportation circle to be cleared. The mage technicians become awake and alert as the teleportation ring begins to glow. In seconds the teleportation flashes and the hooded figure of Izo is gone. * Izo yawns and stretches as she appears in a red grassland. For a moment, she stretches her senses to ensure no one is nearby. Satisfied, she chants an invisibility and flying spell, ¡°Vwla ¡®t Isible.¡± Izo vanishes from the scene to appear floating high up in the air. It wasn¡¯t flying but more like bounding across an invisible floor except she was channeling mana to propel herself across the floor. With interest, Izo spots a flying monster bird in the air. The bird is rather big and has quite the vivid coloring. Izo quickly applies appraisal to the monster bird.
Adult Thunder Bird (Rare) Avian capable of controlling the weather and using sonic boom (thunder) to stun its enemies.
Taking a slight detour, Izo tackles the bird onto the invisible floor she is walking on. She wraps her arms around the bird and chokes it until it becomes limp. Satisfied, she carefully ties the bird up with a spell. Reaching into her inventory, she pulls something that looks like a red and white colored ball with a press-able button in the middle. (One of the convenient modern-day inventions of monster taming. Monster Compass, the portable monster carrier. Upon defeating a monster, rather than carrying it home, capture it in a portable ball. Warning: single one-time use. Holds only ONE pet at a time. NOT TO BE USED ON HUMANS.) Feeling embarrassed Izo grumbles, ¡°Monster Compass, go.¡± The ball opens and swallows the bird. Izo feels a flush of heat on her cheeks and curses the creator. Though convenient, it was so embarrassing to say the activation code for the Monster Compass. Seeing an opportunity to make money, Izo swiftly applies appraisal to the whole area. A bunch of screens pop up revealing monsters. She swiftly closes all of them as they are only common monsters except for one.
(Young) Spectral Wolf (Uncommon) Wolf capable of turning invisible and masking its own sound and scent.
Such a beast would be useful as a guard dog. Izo did need a guard dog for the Auction House and who better than an invisible guard dog. With that in mind, Izo darts towards the ground. The poor wolf didn¡¯t even know what hit him as an unseen enemy struck him from above. With a whimper, the poor wolf fell into Izo¡¯s clutches and was easily imprisoned inside a Monster Compass. Happily whistling, Izo resumes her flight keeping an eye for any capturable beasts. It was a shame she didn¡¯t encounter any more. With care, Izo descends from the sky not too far from Plasma Mountain. Hidden behind some shrubs, Izo observes her surroundings for any monsters or adventurer parties. She double checks the coast is clear, before making her way out into the open, and entering the dungeon carved into the mountain.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Izo¡¯s eyes adjust to the gloom as she carefully makes her way through the gloom. Immediately, she hears shuffling sounds ahead from monster hordes. With care, she stops and waits for the creatures to come at her. A familiar green mob of creature¡¯s rushes at her, goblins. Which frankly was a surprise to her, since goblins existed in modern day society. But Izo guessed this was a situation much like the Native Americans. Earth was reservation land and dungeons were permitted open warfare areas. Though the goblins here seemed a lot dumber than their brethren in modern day society. The goblins carry spears and wooden clubs as they shriek at the two-legged intruder. The human stands there dumbly causing them to shriek in encouragement. Tonight, they would be having human flesh! With courage, the first goblin hurtles forward to only meet a flying kick. The casual kick turns the poor goblin into splatter. The goblins become riled up at the loss of their comrade. With ease, the human merely kicks or slaps them with her hand to turn them into splatter. Sadly, in the end, the goblins are smashed to pieces. Izo wipes her hands with a handkerchief as the goblin corpses and splatter disappears. Items suddenly appear before her causing her to happily bend down to gather the fallen items.
50 goblin teeth 3 Small Healing potions Goblin Club ¨C common, 10+ Strength and 30+ Vitality 5 Gold coins
A bit miffed at the dungeons cheapness, Izo tosses the items into her inventory, before carefully moving on. One of the wonderful things about this particular dungeon is that booby traps are rare since there are droves of monsters. The next horde of flying bat creatures shriek towards her. Using illusions to confuse the bats, she easily tears the bat wings off before stomping them under her feet. Not wasting time studying the dropped items, Izo just tosses them into her inventory before moving. A pack of huge bloodthirsty wolves¡¯ snarl hungrily at her. The creatures jump her on all sides. Izo with great precision and speed grabs the creatures by their paws or tails and slams them into each other. The wolves took a bit more time to crush into a bloody smoosh. Wiping herself clean, Izo gathers said items before once more moving on. This vicious cycle continues for the next horde groups, Kolobs, Hobgoblins, Orc¡¯s, Ogres and Trolls. The last group left her a bit out of breath, but nothing terribly bad. Izo feels a bit strange as afterward she only passes small slime creatures and the likes instead of higher level creatures. Rather wary at this point, Izo moves to the next chamber. A giant, over-muscular figure in a loin cloth sits on a throne made of skulls as a bulky club rests in his lap. A familiar message pops up.
Adult Grendel [Epic] Impossible strength and toughness, the skin cannot be pierced by ordinary weapons. Natural Magic Resistance, magic has low to zero attacking effect on the creature. Nails are razor sharp able to easily cut a man in two. Cannibal, monster and man flesh eater. Magic and Spells cannot be used in his domain/dungeon level. All healing magic is neutralized including items.
Izo almost lets a curse slip, this is clearly an A-class dungeon, who was it that classified this dungeon incorrectly? She cursed the dungeon surveyor a thousand times and may more, but especially hoping that the surveyor may fall into a sewer and die a slow and painful death. An epic level creature is attributed to A-class dungeons. But worst of all, not only is this creature impervious to magic, but it¡¯s strength completely outranks hers. Izo almost turns around, but the creature pretending to be sleeping tightens his grip on its club. She can¡¯t run away nor back down at this point. With a grimace, Izo reaches into her inventory and pulls out her scythe. The fight looked like it was going to be a slugging fest and whoever lasted on their feet the longest would be the winner. However, despite the odds not being in her favor, she had one final card up her sleeve. Izo was the Apostle of Cthulhu. * Chapter 16.2 – Brawl Izo takes a deep breath and unhappily says, a series of words that enter into her mind, ¡°Cthulhu is displeased with your insolence towards his Apostle. You have been found guilty and are to be executed. Do you have any last words?¡± The creature grins revealing sharp, yellow, blood-stained teeth. ¡°I¡¯m a bit disappointed that you didn¡¯t run away. I do so love a chase, the thrill of the scent of fear and warm blood spilling onto the ground. But no matter, this will be fun as well,¡± Grendel gladly said. ¡°Well, I do so love to disappoint people. It¡¯s like a drug,¡± Izo drily said as she curses the reason for her being here. Of course, an A class monster would appear, it was the bloody pink jelly¡¯s fault! Suddenly, Izo feels uneasy and hastily apologizes, ¡°But I¡¯m sure it was done with the best of intentions.¡± A low chuckle emerges from Grendel¡¯s chest echoing throughout the room. Grendel opens his yellow eyes and shakes his blood coated, long rugged hair. ¡°A female, how interesting. Perhaps, I¡¯ll play with you a bit before I eat you. I am looking forward to hearing you scream,¡± Grendel said as he rose to his feet. Izo swiftly chants out loud, ¡°Activate Self-Substance.¡± The only skill that would of any use in this situation that would allow her to ignore any pain or injuries received including the need to breathe. Izo twirls her scythe in her hands for her a moment, before bringing it to a stop in a defensive position. Izo barely sees Grendel move and land right before her. Izo raises her scythe to block the attack as her muscles shake at the force of impact. The force causes her to slide back away from him as Izo digs her feet into the ground creating deep furrows in the earth. Grendel is already on the move as Izo slides to a stop. Izo uses ¡°Quick Flicker,¡± a skill that can instantly cut through anything up to a certain level, (except for living flesh). Blocks of the earth are perfectly cut as Izo slams the end of her scythe against them and slams them forward like hockey pucks. The earth blocks perfectly slam into Grendel¡¯s face and body causing him to halt and raise his hands to protect his face. Izo uses this opportunity to dart forward and brings her scythe with full force at his hand. Grendel lets out a roar as a cut appears on his hand, but not deep enough to slick his fingers off. Furious, Grendel kicks at her, barely allowing Izo to block the full brunt with her scythe as the blow sends her crashing into the wall. With a loud grunt, Izo smashed into the wall leaving a person shaped crater. In a huff, Izo leaps forward and slides to the side as the rock wall is pulverized by the giant club. Izo doesn¡¯t have time to chant a healing spell via single chant as she dodges the next body blow. A strange lurching inside of Izo warns her that her that organ modification is currently motion. For a moment, she gets the feeling that she just swallowed down her beating heart. A body slam breaks Izo thoughts as Grendel sends a spray of blows aimed at her vital spots, moving impossibly fast for a creature of his size. One would think that a club is slow, but on the contrary, a club in the right hand¡¯s is faster and deadlier than any blade. Another blow causes Izo¡¯s to fly and crash into the skull throne. Wiping the blood from her face, Izo leaps off the throne and dodges to the side. If she doesn¡¯t counter-attack, at this rate, she¡¯s going to lose. Steadying herself back on her feet, Izo ducks under his next swing and brings the end of her scythe onto his foot, before pivoting upward and ramming the scythe blade under his chin. The blade cuts into his neck, not deep enough to kill, but enough to impede breathing as Izo grunts at the unexpected weight and throws him forward. Grendel smashes headfirst into the wall allowing Izo some breathing room to think. Grendel climbs to his feet as he wipes the blood off his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been wounded by a human. I¡¯ll make sure to treasure your bones,¡± Grendel said with an evil yellow-toothed smile. The human woman doesn¡¯t react causing him to grin even more. It would be good to have a challenge. And maybe, this woman would even be worthy of bearing him a son. Grendel grins as he climbs to his feet and moves forward. To his surprise, the scythe flies toward him and he barely ducks to the side as the scythe becomes impaled into the wall. A kneecap slams into his face as the woman holds onto his grisly head and repeats the motion. Crying in pain, Grendel¡¯s nose splits open and before the woman can repeat, Grendel¡¯s flailing hands tear into her flesh almost to the bone. Izo goes flying onto a pile of skulls, causing her to skitter down a mound of bones. With her side bleeding heavily, Izo doesn¡¯t waste her time to heal herself as she doesn¡¯t even feel pain. Grendel roars with anger at his broken nose and surges forward in rage and bloodthirst. Raising his club up, with full strength Grendel brings onto the stupid woman.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Izo dives under the club and slides between his feet as her hands grab to his ankles and pulled forward. Grendel falls face first into the ground, strong enough to make the room quiver. Izo rolls to her feet and races for her scythe in the wall. Just barely pulling it out a whooshing sound behind her warns her as she throws her to the ground as Grendel¡¯s club slams straight through the wall. Izo barely able to bring her scythe up as Grendel slams her into the ground. Standing over her, Grendel kicks Izo¡¯s scythe out of her hands with ease. With relish, Grendel slams his heels into the woman¡¯s body as cracking sounds are made by her rib cage with every blow. Grendel¡¯s kicks pound into Izo causing blood to splatter out of her mouth. With each body blow, Izo hears cracks inside her body as the earth visibly cracks further under her with each blow. But nonetheless, Izo struggles to free herself to no avail as her arms and legs begin to break as she attempts to block the body blows only to have Grendel smash his fists into them. The beating only stops once the woman ceases to struggle. Grendel with resignation stops his enjoyment of the sport. He leans in close to see if the woman is still breathing. Before he can react, the woman bites him on the ear and tears it off. He lets out a loud shriek as he tosses the woman aside and holds the bleeding remnant of his ear. Furious, Grendel kicks the woman for several more minutes until he becomes bored. Grendel climbs to his feet barely glancing at the badly mushed body that yet lived. Grendel grins and climbs his feet to retrieve his club to end this farce of a match. Grendel reaches for his club when the back of his hair stands on end. Grendel¡¯s body trembles with an unknown emotion, one that he had never felt before. Grendel furrows his brows in confusion and anger. Roaring with fury, Grendel turns around to finally end this. Izo feels that most of her body is beyond salvation as she tries to chant a healing spell and fails. She had forgotten a vital detail; spells didn¡¯t work on this area of the dungeon. Izo rolls to her side and coughs out a mouthful of blood. Trying to crawl to her feet, Izo¡¯s conscious goes in and out, when a familiar box appears before her.
Requirements have been met: Reformation and Insanity Break will be initiated in 3,2,1.
A dark shadowy flash later, the figure of Izo is perfectly healed as sparks of black energy flicker off her body. A leering smile spreads onto Izo¡¯s face largely resembling the Cheshire¡¯s grin as Izo merely holds out her hand as if in calling, when the World Tree Scythe literally returns into her hand. Izo flexed her neck from side to side as if loosening up tight muscles. Izo giggles softly as Grendel turns around to face her. Grendel stiffens at the unholy sight. The woman is bathed in an eerie black light that pulses around her. A broken grin is on her face as she chuckles to herself out loud. Grendel narrows his eyes in fury at the woman who is clearly mocking him. Grendel roars with rage and dives forward at the woman who doesn¡¯t even move. Until the last second, suddenly Grendel has the urge to stop. Following his instincts in confusion, Grendel stops as a blur barely passes before him just nicking his nose. Grendel swallows as he recognizes the blur, a scythe, that would have taken his head with a single step more. Grendel brings his staff up to block the next blow that sends him flying backward. The cavern shakes as Grendel slams through one of the few remaining walls. Grendel doesn¡¯t have time to breathe when a scythe flips through the air towards him. Grendel rolls to his side as the scythe just misses him by scant inches and becomes impaled on the wall next to him. Grendel widely reaches for his club to only find that his club has disappeared. Glancing around, Grendel sees a wide grin on that woman¡¯s face, who says, ¡°Finders¡¯ keepers,¡± and shakes her finger at him with a tsk-tsk sound of disappointment and disapproval at his actions. The feeling of powerlessness vanishes as Grendel is filled with renewed fury. Grendel roars with such bloodlust that his eyes turn red. A whistle through the air warns him as a blur is suddenly behind him. Grendel turns around to attack when blood suddenly spurts from his mouth. Feeling a burning sensation, Grendel looks down with disbelief to see a scythe plunged into his chest that is steadily being pulled upward. Grendel chokes on his own blood as he is pushed further up into the air and is virtually cut open from the inside out. Izo pulls up with a final tug as her scythe cuts through the skull of Grendel in half. The corpse of Grendel flops to the ground before vanishing into thin air as items gently fall to the ground in his place. Izo is puzzled for a moment until she hears a voice in her ear that said, ¡°Effects of Insanity Break will cease in 3,2,1.¡± Izo dazedly blinks her eyes as her memories return to her. Izo chokes as she remembers the sheer madness of her actions. Izo sighs and mutters to herself, ¡°It¡¯s a bloody pink jelly, but it has scary as hell blessings. Just what kind of God is it?¡± Izo gets a queasy feeling and decides it¡¯s better to stop that train of thought. Izo¡¯s eyes brighten upon spotting the fallen items and dead man¡¯s treasure with glee. Izo happily puts her scythe away and she hurries to collect her precious money. Hours later, satisfied she had found every item reachable, Izo moves to leave until she spots something off-putting about the throne. During their fight, Izo had smashed through the throne and caused the heavy throne to move. A dark space was revealed to be peeking from underneath the throne. beneath. Curious, Izo pushes the throne completely off to reveal stone steps. After a moment of internal debate, Izo ventures into the depths of the dungeon. * Chapter 16.3 – Jackpot Izo cautiously takes a single step at a time until she reaches an earthy floor. A bit wary she stares into the dark tunnel that extends deeper into the ground. She was a bit suspicious of a tunnel that was guarded by a monster. However, she really wanted to know, what was at the end of the tunnel. After all, ¡®twas curiosity that killed the cat. Without further ado, Izo continues her slow trek across the tunnel before emerging into a garden. The garden was filled with incredibly rare herbs, which were surprisingly well-tended. Who knew that even monsters had hobbies? It was a good fact to know for the future. And with great care, Izo digs up every single plant in the garden. By taking empty bowls from her inventory, she is able to transplant them, before placing them inside her inventory. Izo had never carried live cargo before, she could only hope the plants would be okay for a few hours inside her inventory. And with her task complete, Izo tiredly makes her way out of the dungeon to find dawn rising over the horizon. Izo is reminded of the time and glances down at her watch. To her surprise, it¡¯s been an entire week since her entering the dungeon. Izo sighs and murmurs, ¡°Liner vs. chaotic time is always a headache to deal with.¡± Ignoring the time difference, Izo makes her way to a nearby stream. Her teeth clatter as she bathes in the icy waters, before scrambling out and putting on clean clothes from her inventory. Per usual, Izo burns her old items and waits for her hair to dry. The air begins to warm up as she waits and decides to make herself a simple breakfast sandwich. Ironically, Izo eats about a dozen before she feels satisfied. Despite her hair still being damp, Izo ties her hair up in a ponytail. With care, Izo chants her usual spells and vanishes into the air. On her way back, she spots two more capturable beasts.
Mimicry Lynx (uncommon) Lynx monster that can mimic the cries of others. Excellent stealth and fighting prowess.
Rosy Bear (uncommon)If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. A bear monster that can sniff out any herb rare or otherwise.
Overall, the two beasts captured would sell well, especially the Rosy Bear to an alchemist organization. Still, on schedule, Izo reappears a short distance away from the Plasma Plains Dungeon. A dungeon was still dungeon and she didn¡¯t see why she couldn¡¯t clear this one too since she was in the neighborhood. Without any warning, Izo enters the dungeon and clears it under a day. The scariest creature, she fought was a troll king, which only needed a few persuasive kicks to be put down. A few hours later, Izo appears back out to find that the sun is setting on the same day. ¡°Not bad,¡± Izo mumbles with a pleased expression as she makes her way to the teleportation ring just outside. Standing in the teleportation ring, Izo clearly says her destination, ¡°Emerald City.¡± The teleportation ring as usual glows in answer and sends her on her away. * A somewhat bloodied adventurer appears in the teleportation ring. The mage technicians look worried for a moment until they realize the dried blood isn¡¯t human. The adventurer doesn¡¯t say anything, before striding out of the teleportation center and out of the guild hall. * Having made a slight detour at the construction site to deposit the plants at the 5th level, Izo finally makes it home. After cleaning herself up, Izo reheats the leftovers in the fridge to eat. Izo she takes a bite of her lasagna and ponders the situation that had happened in the dungeon. Izo had only fought Grendel because the pink jelly deemed her necessary to do so. And if so, would that mean she would be fighting more individuals on the pink jelly¡¯s behalf? But more importantly, were their others like her, who were the Apostles of an immortal being? Izo¡¯s mind in circles until she was done eating. Too tired to continue to think, Izo places her plates into the dishwasher before heading off to bed. After careful consideration, Izo decides she had enough of exercising for the meantime and would be taking tomorrow morning off. Pleased with her decision, Izo pulls the covers her head and falls sound asleep. * Dolores worriedly returns from grocery shopping to find the Misses had not yet gotten home. It had been little over a week, but Dolores found that she constantly worried about the Misses. The Misses was off on her own, adventuring in a dungeon that could easily kill her. With a frown, Dolores opens the fridge to find that the leftover lasagna is gone. Dolores swiftly closes the fridge door and heads to the dish washer. Sure, enough there is a plate, fork, and knife waiting to be washed. With care, Dolores closes the dish washer shut and unpacks the groceries. Misses was finally home and resting up after trip. With that thought, Dolores cheerfully but quietly finishes cleaning up before going to bed. * Chapter 16.4– Guild Headquarters The guild council had been hastily gathered despite the late hour. The members a diversity of humans and other species sat at the table. Mr. Wright, despite being clumsy, for once in his life his equilibrium understood the severity of the situation and permitted him to maintain his balance. Mr. Wright swallows at being in front of some many important figures. But he had wanted the promotion and now that he had it, he was desperately wishing he could take it back. Nervously cleaning his glasses with his sweater vest, Mr. Wright takes the moment to breathe, before facing the expecting council. Mr. Wright¡¯s voice squeaks at the start as he says, ¡°To the guild members present, a matter of importance has been brought to the attention of the Policy Management. Our understanding is that Plasma Mountains is classified as a B-class dungeon. However, diverging reports have led us to speculate that it could have possibly evolved to an A-class dungeon,¡± Mr. Wright firmly said. A silver-haired elf coldly interrupted, ¡°Can these allegations be confirmed?¡± ¡°Yes, sir, various reports had confirmed that beyond the troll droves, a final layer exists. But no party had been able to pierce on through to the next level due to the heavy presence that existed beyond and the droves of monsters in their surroundings. However, the matter of concern is the occurrence that happened within the last 24 hours. The weekly surveying team of the dungeon reported signs of unusual stillness emitting from the dungeon. Upon further inspection, the team entered the dungeon rather easily without being attacked. A massive slaughter of creatures had occurred as the monster groups that were usually seen were so small, that they posed no problem for the team. The team was able to successfully pierce through even past the remaining troll droves. To their surprise, not only was the intense pressure gone but upon entering the final room. There were layers of bones on the floor and signs of an intense fight. The actual walls of the dungeon were damaged in the battle with no sign of either party. There were no traces found of the creature inhabiting that level nor of its opponent,¡± Mr. Wright steadily answered.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The council members gasp in shock. ¡°Impossible! It has been scientifically proven that dungeon walls cannot be damaged by any means,¡± an older human male exclaimed. ¡°I understand your disbelief and surprise, sir. We were puzzled as well and did not initially believe the surveying group, but the group returned back with confirming images via a memory crystal. Please allow me to present them to the council,¡± Mr. Wright rapidly said as the council unanimously agreed. The bright green crystal was placed on the table with Mr. Wright providing a trickle of mana to power the stone. The green crystal begins to glow and release images onto the white screen. The council member¡¯s faces become solemn as they view the images. ¡°Are there no signs of the creature contained within?¡± Mrs. Partridge pointedly asked. ¡°No, Ma¡¯am. As far as the surveyors and trackers can tell, is that the two parties fought. Either only one survived or both fled,¡± Mr. Wright nervously replied as Mrs. Partridge was notorious for smacking idiots with her wings. ¡°Then we have a large problem. Either two monsters are out in the open or one is a very present danger to innocent civilians,¡± Mrs. Partridge frostily said causing Mr. Wright¡¯s stomach to quiver with fright. ¡°Yes, but what if it was an adventurer? Could that not also be possible?¡± A tan skinned human male sharply said. ¡°It could be, but if so, that still poses a problem, Mr. Balthazar. Either we have an adventurer hiding their abilities or an unregistered adventurer. Though these two are the lesser of the two evils,¡± Mrs. Partridge icily conceded. The guild members are silent for a moment before a green haired dryad speaks up. ¡°Then we watch and wait. Sooner or later, there will be signs of rampant monsters. And if it¡¯s an adventurer, we have specialists to deal with those sorts of things. Instead, what must be done is declare the information regarding dungeon walls as classified. Are we not in agreement that such information may cause fear or lack of in the general populace?¡± The green haired dryad firmly said. The council members despite conflicting opinions, they all agree to do so. A council member takes custody of the memory crystal leaving Mr. Wright to pointedly depart. With relief, Mr. Wright happily heads home to feed his pet bird, Paco. Paco may only be a barn owl, but he is excellent company. With that in mind, Mr. Wright only pauses to pick up dead mice for Paco as a treat. It wouldn¡¯t do for Paco to starve. * Chapter 17– Therapy Session Around seven, Dolores shakes the Misses awake. The Miss throws her arm forward and halts scant inches away from Dolores'' throat. Izo sleepily says, ¡°Dolores, I just got home last night. I¡¯m taking a day off, today. Let me sleep in.¡± Izo firmly grabs her covers to pull them back up, but Dolores refuses to give up. ¡°Miss, you have an appointment with Dr. Anderson in an hour. Get up,¡± Dolores sternly said as she wretched the covers out of the Izo¡¯s grasp. Whilst Izo headed to the showers, Dolores makes the bed. Usually, Dolores didn¡¯t do so, but as an apology, she would do so today. The young Miss had said, that making her bed was a responsibility she could oversee herself. Dolores couldn¡¯t argue back, but on occasions like these, she was able to fulfill her proper duty herself. * Izo breathes in and out as she calmed herself in the shower. Izo had almost killed Dolores by chanting a spell from the past, ¡°Mrt d¡¯ Ison Spada,¡± that was the name of the spell. Killing Grendel had brought back unpleasant memories of the past. That spell had accidentally been taught by her friend, a Demon sorcerer. While in the drunken stupor, the Demon sorcerer had explained that it was a forbidden spell. Not because of what it did, but rather the price the spell demanded from the caster. One¡¯s life must be an inch from death before the spell can be cast. ¡°Mrt d¡¯ Ison Spada,¡± was poisonous miasma that concentrated into form via mana. The receiver of the spell died instantly from the wounds but from the poison. But Izo had been wrong about her friend. The demon sorcerer had attacked her and caught her by surprise. Having her eyes gouged out and about to be sacrificed, Izo had cast the spell and survived. That day only one of them left the sacrificial pyre alive. That was the last time, Izo ever made a friend and from then on, she remained a perpetual loner until she became strong enough to defeat the demon king. Blowing air forcefully through her nose, Izo relaxes her tense shoulders. And decides to pencil in a new rule for her own sanity and Dolores sake. It was to be added to the roommate covenant list.
  1. Thou shalt not steal, touch, nor covet thine roommate¡¯s items or labeled food except upon asking and receiving permission.
  2. Thou shalt not borrow money without paying promptly paying it back.
  3. Thou shall respect the roommate code, friendship over the D or P.
  4. Thou shall respect decent sleeping hours during work days.
  5. Thou shall clean up thine own junk, dishes or otherwise.
  6. And thou shalt not kill thine roommate!
Izo remains standing still under the water until it begins running cold. Feeling calmer, Izo steps out and dries herself. Pausing to only glance at her watch on the bathroom counter, she hastily begins to dress. It wouldn¡¯t do to be late with Dr. Anderson. Dr. Anderson believed that tardiness was a sign of emotional turmoil. * Dr. Anderson opens her folder on Izo Reed. The poor girl had shown remarkable signs of trauma, but mostly Izo did not like going into details about the trauma. Dr. Anderson would have preferred that be the case, but she was not going to force a patient into anything, they weren¡¯t ready for. But bitterness and pain always managed to slip into their conversations confirming Dr. Anderson¡¯s beliefs. From the tidbits disclosed and from the corpses autopsy, Dr. Anderson was aware of the kind of damage that been done. However, Izo was surprisingly healthy in other aspects. Though cautious and wary of others, Izo did not have many distrust issues as one would think. She had a healthy rather trusting relationship with her caretaker, whom Izo considered her friend and roommate, Dolores. Despite the differences in age, the two women got along surprisingly well. And even the relationship between Izo and her parents was improving by leaps and bounds.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Dr. Anderson had received two excited phone calls from Mr. Lee. One that, his daughter had begun to call them father and mother in her own endearing way. And that, Izo had finally asked them for help. Slowly, but surely Izo was making connections with her parents. Dr. Anderson¡¯s hope was that one day her patient would reach the point where Izo could communicate properly with them. A knock is heard at the door interrupting Dr. Anderson out of her thoughts. She swiftly closes the folder and says, ¡°Come in, please. The door is open.¡± A tall, but still too slender young woman softly enters and closes the door behind her. Dr. Anderson smiles and says, ¡°What will it be today, Izo, the couch or the arm-chair?¡± Izo pointedly seats herself in the arm-chair, Dr. Anderson, in turn, rose to her feet and seats herself across from the patient. Dr. Anderson takes the small notebook and pen from the lampstand at her chair¡¯s side. ¡°So how are you, today, Izo?¡± Dr. Anderson warmly asked. ¡°Tired,¡± Izo grumbled. Dr. Anderson smiles and says, ¡°Yes, it is rather early. I heard that you just came back from a dungeon, how was that?¡± ¡°Rather fun, it was a challenge,¡± Izo honestly said with traces of a smile on her face. ¡°How wonderful. Have you made any friends?¡± Dr. Anderson curiously asked. ¡°Actually, yes. Sara and Valentine. By the way, Valentine is a male. Anyway, they¡¯re my age and we even hung out for the first time not too long ago. We¡¯ve made plans to hang out in the next day or so,¡± Izo rather cheerfully said. ¡°How delightful, tell me more about them,¡± Dr. Anderson said as she patiently listened to Izo enthusiastically described them to her. With a smile, she watched as Izo¡¯s face became animated in describing her new-found friends. It always felt good to watch and see a patient take a big step in improving their lives for the better. After that topic is exhausted, Dr. Anderson moves on to ask, ¡°Anything else happening in your life, Izo?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting a business venture,¡± Izo firmly answers. ¡°Really?¡± Dr. Anderson said rather startled, before adding, ¡°Are you ready to step out in public and face the public eye and the possibility of failure?¡± ¡°Yes, I have carefully considered my options and decided the best course of action. I don¡¯t believe my business will fail, but either way, I want to try,¡± Izo firmly stated. Dr. Anderson kindly says, ¡°I just want to remind you to be aware of all the consequences that are associated with such a decision. But more importantly, I want to ask, do you think you are ready to face the public view? Let¡¯s say, you do become a success, the media will be after you. Can you face the press? And will you stand firm, when the inevitable questions are asked about whether you are Izo Lee? Izo, are you ready to face such a actions?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the reply came without hesitation causing Dr. Anderson¡¯s eyes to widen in amazement. Izo maintains her composure at the question and continues, ¡°I have already dwelt with that question twice before and to be honest I don¡¯t feel much of anything. Because I am Izo Reed, not Izo Lee.¡± Dr. Anderson quickly jolts that response in her notebook, before closing it shut. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all for today. Do you want to discuss something more or are you ready to go and eat breakfast?¡± Dr. Anderson asked as Izo¡¯s stomach growls loudly. They both stare at each other for a moment, before laughing. ¡°Well, I guess that answers, that. I¡¯ll see you again in a month, Izo,¡± Dr. Anderson said as she rose to her feet and opens the door for Izo to depart. She softly closes the door behind her and walks back to her desk. The last comment slightly perturbs, Dr. Anderson. It wasn¡¯t that Izo was dissociating herself, but rather it was if she was throwing the past, no, the identity of Izo Lee away. Rather Izo saw herself as Izo Reed, rather than Izo Lee. Mentally, speaking that wasn¡¯t necessarily a problem, but it may cause further issues to crop up between the parent and child relationship. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are expecting their child to one day retake her original name. But if the child in question, doesn¡¯t want to, will that further strain the relationship or bring them closer together in acceptance that their child is trying to be independent? With a sigh, Dr. Anderson quickly jots down her notes. Before too long, a knock is heard signaling her next patient. Closing the folder, she tucks the folder into her desk, before saying, ¡°The door is open, please come in.¡± * Chapter 17.2– Items After breakfast, Izo sneaks onto the construction site only momentarily stopping to admire the speediness of the construction workers, before heading down to the 5th level. With care, Izo watered the plants and checked them each individually before sitting down. Rather, than looking at each item one at a time, Izo dumps the entire loot onto the ground except for any coins found. She had only found 210 gold coins, not exactly a treasure trove. She quickly did the exchange value in her head, about 525,000. Probably a little less as taxes will be applied and the fee for processing upon exchange. The first item Izo reviews is that of Grendel¡¯s club.
Grendel¡¯s Bludgeon (Epic) The original club of Grendel. Strength S, Dexterity A, Resistance A Passive Skill: Bloodthirst- paralyzes the weak and stuns the strong. Active Skill: Mana Nullification, Magic spells/attacks only have 13% damage effect. All attacks have 50% chance of being critical hits.
Izo pales at seeing the damage effect of the item. It was a scary thought to behold, how close she had come to losing/dying. On the bright side, the club would create the reputation that she wanted. Notwithstanding, Izo wanted defense clothing items not another weapon, her scythe was the perfect weapons for herself. With a reluctant sigh, Izo careful jots down the item information, before returning it to her inventory. Izo then glances over the items dropped by Grendel and those found in Grendel¡¯s cave.
Grendel¡¯s Loincloth (Epic) The original loincloth of Grendel. Strength S Passive Skill: Prowess - Manliness boasted by 50%. Active Skill: Vital Protection, All attacks on one¡¯s manhood are nullified up to 90%.
Moonlight Staff (Rare) Made by the Elves of Kilmore Magic Power A & Vitality B Passive Skill: Nocturnal- power boasted by 10% at night and during full moons 20% added critical attack Active Skill: Lunar Barrage, All mana attacks have 5% added attack with allies having 10% added attack power.
Stallion Crossbow (Rare) Made by the Centaurs of Ixion Dexterity A & Luck B Passive Skill:A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Spiral ¨C arrows have 7% more accuracy. Active Skill: Venom, 5% poison effect, bonus stacking up to 30% added damage.
Blazing Katana (Rare) Made by an unknown human blacksmith Dexterity A & Strength B Passive Skill: Burn ¨C 6% added fire mana per attack. Active Skill: Slash, 25% added critical damage
Shield of Valeria (Uncommon) Made by the Dwarves of Valeria Strength C & Magical Resistance C
Helm of Valeria (Uncommon) Made by the Dwarves of Valeria Strength C & Resistance C
Armor of Valeria (Uncommon) Made by the Dwarves of Valeria Resistance C & Dexterity C
Spear of Valeria (Uncommon) Made by the Dwarves of Valeria Strength C & Dexterity C
Valeria Complete Armor Set! (Rare) All attributes are maxed out. Strength B, Magical Resistance B, Dexterity B, Resistance B Passive Skill: Meter Rock ¨C physical and magical attacks have 12% less damage. Active Skill: Valeria Aura, 16% added attacking power.
Izo had four rare items to sell since she counted the Valeria set as one. Having finished jotting the information down, Izo moves on to the next items. The rest of the items were uncommon or common with the exception being the troll king drops.
Troll King Crown (Rare) Made from previous Troll King Bones Magic Power A Passive Skill: Reign of Terror ¨C momentarily stuns an enemy every 6 seconds. Active Skill: Soulless Driver, Temporary random stats added to allies with up to +13 stats at once.
Troll King Necklace (Rare) Made from the skulls of enemies Resistance A Passive Skill: Arbitrary¨C up to 10% added attack power per attack. Active Skill: Commander, All allies¡¯ abilities are boosted by 20%.
Troll King Ring (Rare) Made from the bones of enemies. Vitality A Passive Skill: Steal¨C steal up to 6% of enemy lifeforce to heal. Active Skill: Roar, Allies abilities are randomly boosted up to 27%.
Though a bit gruesome, the Troll King items would be valuable to any party as they increased the parties overall power. Izo still hadn¡¯t gathered as many rare items as she would like, but nevertheless, they were good items. Though the Epic item, would be what would bring in the masses but most especially the big buyers. That was the entire point of opening an auction theatre to force the big buyers to compete in front of their peers. The rest of the items found could be used in crafting or alchemy. With care, Izo tucks the items she won¡¯t be using back into her inventory and pulls out a cauldron to begin crafting. Now that she had enough materials, Izo is going to make another large batch of the previous potions and a couple new ones as well. Izo pulls out her list of potions and compares them to the materials. After a moment, Izo decides to create two large batch potions. Doubleganger Invictirus, was a potion used for distractions. For one minute upon tossing the potion at the enemy, mana would condense to create an identical figure of the person or party, distracting the enemy and giving the person or party time to flee and escape danger. Since, this could possibly be used by criminals, Izo was going to dilute the potion again to only affect monsters. The guild would certainly be pleased if Marchen Inc. once more only supplied them with the potion. Vamoose Swirl, was another beauty potion. Izo had picked the recipe when she stole a secret manuscript from the elves. As it turned out it was merely a hair straightening, sleek and shiny hair potion. This would be popular with woman or men, who hated or did not have time to get their hair straightened nor the time for beauty treatments. The other potions, Izo would create limited stock for rare potions already in existence. Except for one potion, Lifesaver. (A potion designed to activate and be used as a onetime escape card.) A total of nine potions were to be created and split into three to be sent to three different organizations, the potion¡¯s codename was to be potion X. With that in mind, Izo summons clones of herself to work. With the aid of her clones, they finish the process by later that evening just in time for her meeting with Flora and the new talent scout manager. Izo¡¯s clones swiftly clean up the area, whilst Izo places the potions into her inventory and packs the Lifesaver potions into three separate boxes to be mailed. Finished her clones disperse, leaving Izo to sneak off the construction premise and catch a taxi for her meeting. Hopefully, her manager and talent scout had good news for her. * Chapter 17.3 – First Impressions Flora nervously tears off a shred of paper as a snack. Flora chews on the paper as Thomas pretends to text on his phone. However, his periodic glancing at the door gave him away. The sound of crisp high heeled boots is heard on the tile floor. Thomas and Flora straighten up in their seats, Thomas straightens his cuffs and Flora hastily swallows the shred of paper in her mouth and hides the shredded paper inside her bag. The door swings open as Thomas'' eyes flickered with surprise. Flora had explained that their employee was a woman. The woman carefully studies him causing Thomas to stiffen in his seat. But Thomas knew women, but this woman wasn''t any ordinary woman. Though tall and too slim, there is a cold, deadly presence surrounding her. He only knew of one person with that kind of aura and that was his clan¡¯s head, Ivan Vladimir, an ancient one of their kind. A vampire who had survived the worst that humanity had to offer. Whoever and whatever, she was, this woman was not one meant to be crossed. The woman politely extends her hand and says, ¡°I¡¯m Izo Reed. It is a pleasure to meet you, Thomas Vladimir.¡± Thomas hastily rises to his feet and takes the hand, despite every fiber of his body screaming at him to run. Despite his fear, the handshake was firm and swiftly ended to his massive relief. Miss Reed seats herself across from the table from them. ¡°First off, thank you both for your excellent work. I sincerely appreciate having good work done and acknowledge it¡¯s done. Upon the auction house officially open, a bonus shall be presented conveying my sincerities,¡± Miss Reed sincerely said. Thomas and Flora nod in response as Miss Reed studied the report in front of her. The silence stretches with the only sound being the sound of pages turning. The minutes slowly tick by until Miss Reed is finished. ¡°The employees meet my requirements. I have no problem with your selection, keep up the excellent work.¡± Flora calmly replies, ¡°Miss Reed, thank you for your vote of confidence. I can assure you, that Thomas and I will have your best interests at heart,¡± Flora steadily said as she pauses for a moment before hesitatingly continuing, ¡°However, there is a slight situation. The other auction houses have begun a preventive business strategy against us.¡± ¡°Oh? Please explain,¡± Miss Reed said as her eyes sparkled dangerously. Thomas eyes the human woman and preventively moves closer to Flora to protect her. Flora might be a nagging mama goat at times, but she was a sweet girl despite leaving hoof marks on the floor. And was one of the few persons, who he marginally trusted outside of his clan. Flora fails to notice the movement from Thomas and grimly answers, ¡°The auction house is a rather cutthroat business. Despite the fact, that the auction house has yet to open, that merely means that there is one more competitor for money to be lost. And since large construction is underway at the auction house, there is no doubt in anyone¡¯s mind that the auction house will be targeting their clients. Currently, there are rumors that-, that the owner of the auction house is a pervert.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Flora falls silent as Thomas remains wary of Miss Reed. Miss Reed is silent for a movement, before throwing her back and laughing. Wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes, Miss Reed breathlessly says, ¡°Oh my goodness, is that all? I thought it was more serious than that,¡± pausing to grab her breath, she composes herself before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t care for such trivializes. But I can understand your dilemma in hiring. Offer them, whatever you deem necessary. As for the auction houses, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been invited to meet with the auction informal society at their country club. However, I would hate for a spy to be among my craftsman. I understand that is impossible to entirely root them out. If so, place them in positions, where they won¡¯t be a hazard and will be easy to keep an eye on. Are there any further questions or comments?¡± ¡°No, Miss Reed,¡± Flora confidently reported as Thomas nods in agreement. Satisfied, Miss Reed nods at them and departs leaving the two of them alone. Thomas lets out a sigh of relief as Flora glares pointedly at the vampire. ¡°Thomas, that was rude of you! Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice, how you''re acting towards, Miss Reed. She is our employer and more importantly, she¡¯s not a pervert with fetishes,¡± Flora harshly said. ¡°Yes, but there is something off-putting about Miss Reed. I am not sure if it is her face, but she reminds me of the clan head,¡± Thomas unhappily replied. ¡°No matter, her appearance, she is our employer, who deserves our respect. I will only ask this once, Thomas. Are you capable of working for her? If not, now is the time to speak clearly,¡± Flora demanded to know. Thomas shakes his head and sighs. ¡°I can work for Miss Reed, but I won¡¯t deny my feelings. Miss Reed is dangerous, but I will concede that I acted irrationally and will properly in the future maintain my composure,¡± Thomas firmly promised. Flora nods with satisfaction, before grabbing her bag from under the desk. She sneaks a shred of paper into her mouth as Thomas winces. Flora glares at him and says, ¡°You don¡¯t see me reacting negatively about your dietary eating habits.¡± Thomas bows apologetically as the door opens revealing a muscular ogre. The greenish figure in jeans, a white tee-shirt, and leather jacket barely fits in the doorway. A gravel-like voice says, ¡°I came about the open beast tamer position. I am a certified tamer and I heard that the pay was good.¡± Without hesitation, Thomas jumps to feet and says, ¡°Please have a seat.¡± The ogre hesitatingly takes a seat in a chair that squeaks ominously for a moment. To all their relief, the chair holds firm despite the weight. Flora takes out a portfolio from the file cabinet and says, ¡°Sir, please fill out these forms with your most recent work experience.¡± Thomas takes the portfolio and hands it over to the ogre, who begins to carefully fill out the paper forms. With a pleased expression, Thomas chats with the ogre, whilst Flora readies the employment papers. If the ogre passed the background test, he would be employed. Which was great as ogres were known to be excellent tamers. * Chapter 17.4 – Country Club Aspen Country Club was an elite, exclusive club that was members invite only. The employees of the country club had seen every sight possible from fancy cars to jets or teleportation circles, but this was the first time they had ever seen a yellow taxi pulling up to the entrance. ¡°Please wait for me, I shan¡¯t be long,¡± a figure said from the open taxi door. Tall and thin, an all too slender woman emerges from the depths. The guards at the entrance instantly stiffen and reach for their weapons. That woman had the sort of face that awakened all of their fight or flight instincts. The concierge at the entrance gazes arrogantly down his nose at the woman. He has seen all sorts of types, drunks, drug dealers, monsters and the likes, a cold faced woman held no fear for him. ¡°Welcome to Aspen Country Club, can I help you with anything. If you are lost and looking for the Marina Spa, that is the next hill over,¡± the concierge arrogantly said, barely keeping a sneer from appearing on his face. ¡°I was invited for dinner,¡± the woman solemnly said. The concierge snorted and said, ¡°Aspen Country Club, does no such thing. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have you leave the premises immediately or I will have you forcibly removed.¡± The guards a bit too eagerly take a threating step forward. The woman¡¯s lips twitch into a thin frigid smile. The concierge¡¯s pulse sky rockets as the guards slowly ease their weapons out of their holsters. ¡°Please check again. I can assure you, I am on the list,¡± the woman coolly declared. ¡°As I was saying, Ma¡¯am, there is no such list!¡± The concierge firmly exclaimed. The guards take that as a signal to remove the woman off and from the private property. Before they can do so, Concierge Romano, the head of concierges hastily emerges from within. ¡°Miss Reed, my most sincere apologies, the staff was not informed of your eminent visit. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you to make amends,¡± the suave Concierge Romano firmly said, while the guards hastily removed their hands off their weapons. In turn, the front entrance concierge paled at having insulted an important guest. ¡°The cab driver has been told to wait,¡± Miss Reed stated, rather than asked. ¡°That will not be a problem, Miss Reed. Now please come this way, the signore¡¯s are expecting you,¡± Concierge Romano politely said as he paused only to give pointed glances that promised a frim reckoning later. The three men¡¯s faces turn ghastly as Concierge Romano leads the way inside. If the owner of the country club was informed, not only would be they be fired, but no other establishment would hire them for causing such an incident. The entrance of the Country Club is lavish from the carpets to ceiling with an exquisitely painted mural by a famous artist. The staff is impeccably dressed and appearance wise, pleasing to the eye as well. Concierge Romano nods to several important looking men, who nod back and gaze with curious eyes at the woman being led inside. There were only two female club members and any other women were free hospitality on behalf of the country club. Paying no further mind to the situation, the men return to their conversations easily forgetting the incident. With interest, they move on to discuss the current politics and socialites vying for power. The dining table is situated on the tallest point of the hill, overlooking the golfing acres, but most importantly giving a beautiful view of the sunset in the distance. The glowing array of pinks, orange, red, and purples could instantly take anyone¡¯s breath away. The dining room that was usually full had been especially been reserved for the members of the informal auction house association. The five owners of auction houses in Emerald City are all seated. Three of them are human males and the other two are non-humans. One is a male elf and the other is a female nymph, the only female member of the group. The five seated members glance up to see Concierge Romano leading a tall, too slender female. But what causes them all to pause are those eyes that are filled with murder and bloodlust. That brief glimmer disappears, but nonetheless, the members are left aghast. Concierge Romano na?vely says, ¡°Greetings everyone, dinner will be shortly served. And please, allow me to introduce, Miss Reed. Miss Reed, allow me to introduce everyone, the handsome fellow with cowboy boots is Mr. Moore. To his left in the tailored suit is Mr. Nazari and on Mr. Moore¡¯s right is Mr. Jones. The lovely nymph is Wistari and our ever-wise elven member, Tassarion.¡± The group rapidly reevaluates their opinion of Miss Reed after the unexpected release of bloodlust. The handsome, tan Arabic man in the tailored suit is the first recover. ¡°Please have a seat Miss Reed, we have been expecting you,¡± Mr. Nazari cordially said. The rest of the members murmur a similar answer as Concierge Romano pulls out a seat for Miss Reed to sit in, once Miss Reed is seated, Concierge Romano excuses himself to see if dinner is ready. The only sound is that of several members reaching for their glistening glasses, some water and other¡¯s something stronger. A server silently pours wine for Miss Reed before tactfully retreating. ¡°Thank you for inviting,¡± Miss Reed finally said breaking the silence. Taking their cues, the other auction house owners relax or pretend to at least. Chatter begins amongst themselves as they allow for those seated closest to Miss Reed, Tassarion, and Wistari to gain the confidence of Miss Reed. Handsome beyond any human capacity, Tassarion the elf charmingly smiles at the human woman. ¡°Miss Reed, have you been in our fair Emerald City for long?¡± Tassarion gracefully inquired. ¡°Yes.¡± Miss Reed simply stated. Noticing the lack of response, the elegant nymph, Wistari moves in. ¡°Miss Reed, in that case, you must accompany us to the annual Emerald City Masquerade Ball. It will be a wonderful time to be had by all,¡± Wistari persuasively said.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. There is an awkward silence as Miss Reed takes a sip of her water glass in response. Changing tactics, Tassarion smoothly asks, ¡°Miss Reed, I understand that you do not wish to be here, but try to make the best of it. Tonight¡¯s dinner may very well determine the success of your auction house.¡± A dark glint is seen in the depth of those shark-infested eyes. ¡°Is that a warning or is that a threat?¡± Miss Reed crisply asked. Wistari hastily jumps in to salvage the situation. ¡°No, no, please don¡¯t mistake poor Tassarion as a villain, he¡¯s quite the charmer, though a tad of a black-hearted rogue,¡± Wistari teasingly said expecting a reaction, yet, Miss Reed tactfully remains silent and does not make a comment. The conversation could not be forced any longer as Tassarion and Wisteria began to politely chat about nonsensical subjects. Concierge Romano appears leading a troop of servers. Proudly he declares, ¡°Signore¡¯s, dinner is served.¡± The first appetizer is placed before them a lobster tail elegantly prepared, still steaming hot. Mr. Moore, a salt peppered haired gentleman further down the table says, ¡°Thank you, Romano.¡± Concierge Romano beams and drifts off to see to the next course. The auction house owners elegantly dig in except for the three individuals seated at the end of the tables. Elves didn¡¯t eat meat if they could help it with that same logic being applied to nymphs as well. As for Miss Reed, it would appear she found the company distasteful putting off her appetite. The three plates remain untouched when the servers returned. The servers are dismayed, whilst Concierge Romano and the chef are appalled. Chef Lanzo almost leaves the kitchen in frustration. Concierge Romano forcefully detains him explaining that two of the plates were for vegetarians and the third, must be because the new member is too nervous to eat. Somewhat appeased, Chef Lanzo returns to his cooking with even more ferocity vowing to make those three taste his dishes. The second appetizer fish meat of sorts from a rare aquatic creature. The three usual plates remain untouched as the only sound heard is the sound of eating and that of silverware. Miss Reed glances at her watch, before saying, ¡°My condolences for interrupting the meal, but I feel this has gone long enough. I was invited for a reason, I would like to hear what it is.¡± The rest of the table stops or finishes eating before putting their silverware down. ¡°It is distasteful to discuss business over a meal, young lady. You would be wise to remember that,¡± Mr. Jones said a sharply dressed grandfather. Miss Reed doesn¡¯t react as the Mr. Nazari hides an amused smile. ¡°To business, very well,¡± Mr. Moore said the leader of the group. ¡°We would like to know what is that you will be selling. We each have our own domains and stay out of each others as much as we can. It makes things easier that way,¡± Mr. Moore firmly said. ¡°I see and if I choose to decline the offer?¡± Miss Reed lightly said. All pretense of courtesy disappear from the auction owners faces at those words. ¡°If you choose to decline, Miss Reed, you will find that making a living from the auction house will become quite difficult. Employees can be bought, secrets can be sold, and suppliers stolen. However, that is all up to you, Miss Reed,¡± Mr. Moore softly mused out loud, before taking a sip of his red wine. Miss Reed is still for a moment as a wolfish grin spreads across her face. The terrifying smile causes the hair on their necks to stand up. Her rising to her feet causes them to warily reach for their hidden weapons. ¡°Thank you for inviting me, but I¡¯m afraid I will have to decline your offer,¡± Miss Reed firmly said, before turning away. ¡°Are you certain that is wise, Miss Reed? You won¡¯t come to regret your decision, will you?¡± Mr. Moore said to the cold straight back of Miss Reed. Miss Reed halts and says over her shoulder, ¡°I won¡¯t. But a word of advice, Mr. Moore, I am not one to be trifled with.¡± Without further ado, Miss Reed walks out and disappears from their sight. Mr. Nazari snorts, ¡°That went well.¡± Mr. Jones wrinkles his nose and grumbles, ¡°What do you expect? Youth¡¯s these days have no respect for their elders.¡± Wistari takes a sip of her water glass in response, while Tassarion reaches for his own wine glass. ¡°We¡¯ll have to take care of her,¡± Wistari softly said. Tassarion wipes his mouth, before adding, ¡°She will be trouble if we let her grow any further. We must take care of her, before the auction house opening.¡± Mr. Nazari narrows his eyes and says, ¡°Do you mean killing Miss Reed or destroying her business, Tassarion? For worshipping a peace-loving goodness, you never cease to amaze me, Tassarion.¡± Tassarion immediately rises to his feet as Mr. Nazari does the same. Before the two men can fly at each other, Mr. Moore glares at both them. The two stiffly reseat themselves, smoothing their jackets or cuffs. ¡°Mr. Nazari, that was uncalled for and Tassarion, Mr. Nazari is right. We will give a first warning, before moving on to harsher disciplines. Contact the suppliers, politely inform them, if they choose to ally with the new auction house, all standing supply contracts will be dropped,¡± Mr. Moore confidently said. ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± Tassarion coldly asked. Mr. Moore smiles faintly and answers, ¡°Then we will do what we have always done.¡±The group¡¯s faces turn pensive until the next dish arrives. Remembering their location, the group resumes their chatter and meal. The next dish is a type of salad to cleanse the pallet is happily sampled by the elf and nymph. To the dismay of Chef Lanzo, an untouched dish was returned. Despite the server explaining that the sixth occupant had left, Chef Lanzo felt a loss at having failed to serve a chef. With clenched fists, Chef Lanzo vows to increase his culinary skills to the point where even an Elf couldn¡¯t help but taste his meat dish. With that in mind, Chef Lanzo prepares himself for the challenge of his lifetime. * The taxi driver glances periodically at the woman in the back. A chilling smile has been on the woman¡¯s face since she entered his taxi. Finally, at his wit¡¯s end, the cabbie hesitantly says, ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± The woman glances at him in the rearview mirror. ¡°Yes, I am. I was just surprised at how well tonight¡¯s evening went. A little too well, but suffice to say, I know what is in store,¡± The woman confidently answered. The cabbie doesn¡¯t dare reply, but rather turns on the radio, moving rapidly through the traffic. The female singer''s voice has a haunting quality with the chorus being the most poignant of all. ¡°Maybe we''ll meet again in another life, Maybe we''re better in another paradise, Maybe we will meet again.¡± If the cabbie driver had glanced back into his rearview mirror, he would have seen a startling sight. Glimpses of moisture and melancholy would be seen in the depths of the woman¡¯s eyes. With a tired expression, the woman blinks away the emotion in her eyes that remain as dry as ever. With some relief, the cabbie arrives at the given address a bar. Before he can ask for payment, the woman hands over a large bill and says, ¡°Keep the change.¡± The door slams shut behind her as the cabbie figure remains still. Wiping the light sweat off his brow, the cabbie driver shakily merges into the street. He had driven plenty of people including non-humans, but that woman was more frightening than the drug dealer, who had once hopped into the back of his cabbie. However, he is swiftly cheered up at seeing the large bonus he had been given. Quickly forgiving the woman, he cheerfully turns on the radio. A catchy song comes on the radio as he sings along to the chorus, ¡°This time I might just disappear, Ah yeah, (Uh) (Woah Oooh oh oh).¡± A honk causes him to glance up and swear at rude driver. Ignoring the driver, the cabbie steps on the gas and continues to sing despite being deaf tone. Because tonight was going to be a good night. * Chapter 17.5 – Dinner? Miss Carpenter happily exits the guild headquarters at the end of her shift eight and heads towards a nearby bar. A familiar figure sits at the bar nursing a lemonade, (since she is still under the legal drinking age). Lustful eyes follow the figure of Miss Carpenter as she grabs a seat the bars. The only reason the entire room wasn¡¯t filled with stomping figures for the barstool next to the glasses-wearing beauty in the tight uniform is that the bartender/owner gives them a warning look. It became a passive-aggressive showdown for the clients who would be the one to make the first move. ¡°Izo, I got your invite,¡± Sara warmly said as the smile fades from her face at the lack of response. ¡°Izo, is something wrong? ¡°Sara softly asked as she shooed away the bartender with her hand. Izo blinks rapidly as if coming too. ¡°No, I¡¯m just tired that¡¯s all,¡± Izo faintly said as she smiled at Sara. Izo alertly glances around and asks, ¡°Where¡¯s Valentine?¡± Sara snorts, ¡°He¡¯s stuck with a double shift today.¡± Izo notices the slight pouting look on Sara¡¯s face. Izo smothers the smile threating to appear on her face. In a solemn tone of voice, Izo asks, ¡°Has Valentine asked you out yet?¡± ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t,¡± Sara somewhat unhappily answered, before blushing at her blunt response. ¡°Hmm, I believe I detected a hint of disappointment,¡± Izo teasingly said as Sara in response grabs a handful of bar snacks and stuffs them into her mouth. Izo smirks, before pulling out a tip from her wallet and leaving it on the bar. Sara still ferociously chewing leaves first with Izo in tow. The hope in the men¡¯s eyes dies as the beauty leaves out of their reach. The disappointment figures suddenly order drinks, which results in a heavy night¡¯s drinking for all, and a good night¡¯s pay for the bar owner. * Izo and Sara wait to be seated at Le Saffron, one of the nicer restaurants in town. Dolores happened to know a certain chef named Berry working at Le Saffron. A quick call was all that it took for a table to be made available for them. The head server a charming young woman smiles at them and says, ¡°Please, right this way Miss Reed and guest.¡± The head server leads them over to a two-person table next to the window view. Sara subtly gives Izo, a thumbs¡¯ up, before taking a seat. The server hands them the menu and says, ¡°Thank you for coming to Le Saffron, may I take your drink order?¡± Izo just glances at the menu and says, ¡°One of the houses juice specialties, I will leave it to the server to decide.¡± The server turns towards Sara, who says, ¡°A glass of Dom Perigone for me, please.¡± The server nods, before rushing off to fulfill the order. Izo raises an eyebrow without glancing at Sara. ¡°Isn¡¯t tomorrow a workday?¡± Izo mused out loud. Sara sniffs while glancing down at the menu. ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s only one drink,¡± Sara murmured back.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Izo coughs lightly and says, ¡°Really? Because I recall an incident not too long ago, where a certain someone was carried back to her apartment rather sozzled.¡± ¡°That was only one time and it was an accident!¡± Sara grumbled. Izo snickers, before closing her menu shut as the server returns with their drinks. The server politely asks, ¡°Are the Misses ready to order?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have the Magret de Canard, Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Cheese Souffl¨¦, and for dessert, a Cr¨¨me Brule and Chocolate Eclairs,¡± Izo cheerfully said as the server¡¯s face contorted into surprise. The server turns towards the other woman. ¡°I¡¯ll have the Coquilles Saint-Jacques, Soupe a L¡¯oigion, Piperade, and for dessert, Tarte Tatin, and Canneles,¡± Sara most firmly declared. The server nods and says, ¡°Of course and would you like another wine for dinner?¡± Sara opens her mouth to say, yes, when Izo pointedly interjects, ¡°She¡¯ll just stick to the already opened bottle of Dom Perigone, thank you.¡± Sara crosses her arms over her chest pouting as the server retreats ignoring the warning look Izo gives her. Sara sighs after a while and says, ¡°You may be right, but I still hate you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine since I¡¯m paying,¡± Izo drily countered back. Sara can¡¯t help but grin and retort, ¡°In that case, I should have ordered more.¡± Izo winces knowing just how overpriced the meal was going to be. But she was the one who invited Sara out and Izo couldn¡¯t very well go back on her word now. Besides, it would do Izo well to be out of the house especially today. Sara and Izo soon begin to chat about various new foods and so forth. The server soon returns with their first dishes as the women¡¯s eyes go wide with delight. They sniff the air and slowly and carefully partake a bit of their first dish. They let out soft moans of pleasure before handing placing a bite of each other¡¯s meals on each other¡¯s plate. They taste the others meal and nod in approval of the others meal choice. They chat between bites as they savor their meal until the plates are almost licked clean. By this point in time, the server returns with their next dish as the experience is repeated over and over until dessert. With a content sigh, the woman leaned back in their seats having finished off their dessert. ¡°That was most excellent,¡± Sara proudly proclaimed. Too lazy to speak, Izo makes a sound of agreement. The two sit for a bit allowing their stomachs to digest the meal. The server comes by with the check and Izo hands over her card for payment. The server zips off and returns with the card. With a sigh, Izo leaves a tip, before the two women rise to their feet. The two women lurch out of the restaurant into the night sky. Sara sighs and says, ¡°I think I¡¯m too full to walk home.¡± Izo grins warmly, which no longer caused Sara to be shocked. Sara is just happy that her friend, Izo is confident enough to smile in front of her. Sara eagerly perks up and points. ¡°Izo, look over there in front of Silver Spoon. Do you see who I see?¡± Sara loudly exclaims. Izo knew that Sara had a passion for reading the glossies, about the Emerald City¡¯s socialites and celebrities. Izo glances across the street at one of the hottest clubs in Emerald City. Her eyes widen in recognition at spotting the familiar golden couple. Her mood sours a bit at spotting the golden-haired couple followed by their usual fleet of loyal retainers. Sara excitedly takes out her phone and snaps shots of them. Izo patiently waits until the group disappears into the nightclub. Sara with bright sparkles in her eyes turns towards Izo and excitedly utters ¡°This is the best night ever!¡± Izo is saved from replying as a yellow cab pulls up in front of them. Izo opens the door for Sara to climb in first, before following suit and closing the door shut. Izo is forced to give Sara¡¯s address as Sara is too excitedly chattering about the celebrity spotting that she forgets all about going home. The cab speeds off as Izo closes her eyes half listening and half dozing off. With a small smile, Izo drifts off in the luff of the comfortable chatter of Sara. Forgetting her day¡¯s troubles, basking in the light of Sara¡¯s general cheer. * Chapter 18 – Counter Attack A fox eared man with a fluffy red tail picks up the ringing store phone. ¡°Abbot¡¯s Alchemy and Components, how may we help you?¡± The fox eared man cheerfully said. A voice over the phone cause the fox-eared man¡¯s ears to flop down with every sentence. The occasional words of agreement can be heard from the fox-eared man. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°Of course, sir, I understand.¡± With a click, the fox-eared man hangs up the phone. His wife, a lamia, (the upper half a pretty red head woman with her bottom half from her lower thighs and below resembling that of large red snake¡¯s lower body.) Her fox-eared husband scratches his ears and says, ¡°It looks like the auction association is preparing for war. They¡¯ve made their first preventive strike against their opponent.¡± The lamia wife frowns and says, ¡°A pox on them! Who¡¯s the poor bugger that unknowingly crossed them?¡± ¡°The new auction house,¡± the fox-eared husband solemnly replied. ¡°The new auction house? But shouldn¡¯t they be protecting their new member¡¯s interests?¡± The lamia wife curiously asked. ¡°Most likely the new owner refused their offer. They¡¯re giving a light warning, either join them or else,¡± the fox-eared man warily answered. The lamia wife sighs dejectedly. She and her husband depended on their contract with the existing auction houses. They couldn¡¯t abandon the connections, that took them years of hard labor to make. Regardless of her feelings on the subject, she would not go out of her way to defy the auction association. A small business like theirs could very easily be bankrupted by legal means. The shop door opens as the bell rings signaling a prospective customer. Shoving her husband forward, the lamia retreats into the back to finish unpacking the latest produce. Some of those herbs were delicate and needed to be immediately stored properly lest they become rot. With that in mind, she hurriedly slithers away leaving her husband to greet their new customer. * Across the city across a variety of organizations similar situations can be seen. Within minutes or hours, any business owner was aware of the ongoing strife between the auction association and that of new auction house. Any organization that could afford to remain neutral choose to do so as sometimes an unexpected winner can crop up. However, the clear majority choose to cut off further association with new auction house. The business organizations swiftly filled standing orders, before terminating further business contact lest they be sued for failing to fail an existing contract.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. * Mr. Moore takes a sip of his cappuccino as a well-dressed man approaches him with a portfolio of documents to sign. Mr. Moore sets his cup down with a soft clink and takes the portfolio of documents to be signed. Mr. Moore takes his time reviewing the documents, before taking the pen enclosed and signing them. ¡°Grant, did you complete the errand?¡± Mr. Moore mused out loud as he scribbled his signature on the remaining documents. ¡°Yes, sir. Everything has been taken care of. However, there are a couple of parties that have chosen to remain neutral despite my efforts,¡± Grant solemnly answered. Mr. Moore pauses for a moment, before continuing to sign the documents. ¡°Are they parties that we can be dwelt with?¡± Mr. Moore lightly said. ¡°Unfortunately, no, sir. They are parties that should not be antagonized. I¡¯m sure that you, sir, are much familiar with them than I am,¡± Grant quietly said. ¡°Indeed, they are parties that should not be meddled with. Very well, Grant, you¡¯ve done excellent work. I will make sure to recommend you for the promotion,¡± Mr. Moore said, snapping shut the portfolio and handing it back. Grant carefully takes back the portfolio and says, ¡°Thank you, sir. Your recommendation will be much appreciated.¡± Without further ado, Grant quietly retreats and departs from Mr. Moore¡¯s presence. Mr. Moore frowns as he takes a sip of his cold cappuccino. He motions for a server to take the cup away and serve him a new. The server swiftly moves to do so and within seconds a piping hot cappuccino is in front of him. With a sigh of pleasure, Mr. Moore sniffs the coffee enjoying the scent while allowing the coffee to cool. The finer things in life must be slowly appreciated for one never knew when they might be taken away. * Mr. Noir upon receiving the disgruntling news solemnly dials a number and waits. The ringing stops as a familiar man¡¯s voice speaks, ¡°Hello, Mr. Noir to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°As instructed Mr. Lee, I am reporting that the auction association has begun to move,¡± Mr. Noir nonchalantly answered. A dangerous tint is heard in Mr. Lee¡¯s voice, when he says, ¡°If they dare touch her, Crush Them.¡± ¡°I am aware of that, sir. For the meantime, I will act according to Miss Reed¡¯s wishes. However, should Miss Lee be in any danger, I can assure you I will assign my personal security team for her protection. But in the meanwhile, Mr. Lee, I ask that you do not move against them. They may very well and rather easily connect Miss Reed to you, Mr. Lee,¡± Mr. Noir matter-of-factly stated. Mr. Lee is silent for a moment on the other end of the phone. ¡°Very well, Mr. Noir, I will wait. However, if they dare touch her, I will not withhold myself.¡± The phone is pointedly hung up as Mr. Noir sighs with annoyance at his client becoming emotionally involved. He knew better than to pry into Mr. Lee¡¯s affairs, but he was curious about Miss Reed after Mr. Lee¡¯s reaction. Exactly, who was Miss Reed? Shaking such dangerous thoughts away, Mr. Noir returns to work. Such simple questions were often the ones that got one killed. And Mr. Noir knew that better than anyone. * Chapter 18.2 – Offer Scarcely a week later, Mr. Noir calls Miss Reed. ¡°Miss Reed, as expected the auction house society has already begun to move. We¡¯ve lost more than half of our prospective suppliers and a 1/3rd of potential craftsmen, that were considering hiring on with us. However, despite our losses, Miss Fauna and Mr. Vladimir have managed to convince the rest to remain with the organization. I must admit, I had my concerns about those two, but they are quite talented individuals. Even now, they are still confidently contacting craftsmen and trying to form new contracts,¡± Mr. Noir calmly said pausing to gauge a reaction from Miss Reed. Awkward silence greets him until he is unable to bear it and goes on. ¡°Now I do have some good news. The three prizes have contacted me. They have agreed to meet immediately, this very afternoon at three. But in exchange, they wish to meet with the owner. They will not hold the meeting without your presence, Miss Reed,¡± Mr. Noir politely said. Miss Reed calmly replies, ¡°Very well, confirm the meeting. I¡¯ll shortly be there.¡± Mr. Noir relaxes with relief at his client making things simpler for him. ¡°Thank you, Miss Reed, everything will shortly be arranged,¡± Mr. Noir said, before promptly ending the call and urgently calling for his secretary. His secretary hastily rushes in as he gives her a list of things to do and ready the private conference room. In a flurry, she rushes off to complete the demands, whilst Mr. Noir prepares himself for what may very be an epic verbal battle. * Izo finishes up the last batch of potions that she had been working on for the entire week. This last batch would put her in the clear for the first month of sales. Her clones finish cleaning up, whilst Izo carefully stores the potions. Finished Izo sneaks out and pauses on the outskirts of the construction site. The building had been fully erected with walls, insulation, and glass window planes being put into place. The building would be finished on schedule just as planned. Rather than catching a taxi, Izo invisibly walks there. She reappears in a grocery parking lot and walks the last block there on the sidewalk. The guards wordlessly allow Izo to enter the building without even bothering to check her. Izo heels making clacking sounds across the floor as she makes her way to the elevator. The elevator is coincidentally empty as she pushes the button for the 12th floor. With a ding, the doors slide closed as the elevator smoothly rises without any sounds except for soft elevator music, coming to a soft halt at the destined floor. The doors soundlessly slide open as a soft ding is heard announcing her arrival. Izo scarcely takes a step out of the elevator, when the secretary is on her feet waiting for Izo. ¡°Miss Reed, this way please,¡± Mr. Noir¡¯s secretary politely said, before guiding her to the conference room. Inside several figures are seated and waiting for Izo. The secretary softly closes the door to the conference room as Izo takes a seat next to Mr. Noir. A man in a familiar white suit smiles at Izo. Mr. White says, ¡°Miss Reed, it is a pleasure to meet you again so soon. I am representing my client¡¯s interests, lest Mr. Noir try to take an advantage of them.¡± Mr. Noir without glancing up from his paperwork drily retorts, ¡°Mr. White, we¡¯re lawyers that¡¯s what we do, it would be a crime to say otherwise.¡± The three other seated figures snicker to various degrees as Mr. White glares at Mr. Noir from across the table. Closing his current paperwork, Mr. Noir opens another portfolio and says, ¡°Please allow me to formally thank you for coming on such short notice. Now please allow me to introduce the owner of Marchen Inc., Miss Reed.¡± Izo doesn¡¯t respond as she patiently waits for the three figures to be introduced. The silence stretches until Mr. White coldly states, ¡°Please allow me to introduce my three clients today. Mrs. Partridge representing the guild¡¯s interests, Mr. Hoover representing the Hero¡¯s Association, and Mr. X representing the government¡¯s. Now, that we have all been introduced I wish to make it clear, that we are all here to discuss the terms of sale for potion Z, any other business is to be conducted separately at another point in time.¡± Mr. Noir smiles thinly at his Mr. White in response. ¡°Indeed, it would be a grand oversight considering we''re all gathered here together,¡± Mr. Noir sarcastically said as Mr. White glares back. Sparks almost fly over the conference table, but the two men swiftly recompose themselves.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. A moment later, Mr. Noir calmly declares, ¡°Marchen Inc. is willing to sell the recipe to the private parties for a certain price and terms of conditions.¡± Mr. White leans back in the seat and aloofly says, ¡°Name the price.¡± ¡°Marchen Inc. is not interested in monetary payment, but rather in terms of services that can be rendered in exchange,¡± Mr. Noir coldly said studying the surprised faces of the three organization members. Mr. Hoover moves to speak, but Mr. White holds up his hand signaling him for silence. Mr. White¡¯s bargaining position would be severely affected otherwise. Mr. White carefully says, ¡°What are the services and terms requested?¡± Mr. Noir glances down for a moment at his portfolio before glancing up. ¡°Firstly, neither of the parties may resell the recipe to any other organization, group, or private buyer. The recipe must be strictly kept under wraps with neither of the parties to reveal the origin of the recipe. Should either of these terms be broken, my client will demand payment in clandestine form. For every dollar made by the creation or use of the potions, 1/3rd must be paid for including any past use, present, and future use,¡± Mr. Noir carefully enunciated, pausing a mere moment to allow the terms to sink in. Mr. White hides his pleasure at the terms, a fair agreement considering the value. The three representatives nod in agreement. The terms were practical and more importantly, exactly along the lines they were planning. ¡°The rest of the terms are regular standard business practices, which I am sure, Mr. White will agree to after reviewing them. Now for the services requested in lieu of payment. Please wait until I am finished, before asking any questions regarding the services to be rendered. From the Guild, Marchen Inc, requests that adventures may be permitted to buy or sell private items to Marchen Inc. without the need for public disclosure. In lieu, Marchen Inc. agrees to not buy no more than half of any guild collected items. In addition, Marchen Inc. agrees to pay an appropriate fee to the guild for any purchased or sold item that pertains to the guild. From the Heroes Association, Marchen Inc. requests to be allowed to hire and train D and C-class heroes. Permitting guards and employees the opportunity to branch out or hold legal standing in protecting the auction house and guests accordingly. Any trained employee or guard that wishes to leave must remain for a year¡¯s tenure period before the contract expires. With the exception being that of C-class Heroes, a requirement is that of two years and if in a position of supervision, a total of three years. And from the government, Marchen Inc. requests that the auction house associated with Marchen Inc. be registered as the first government-authorized auction house with access to the private government craftsmen and suppliers including permission to contact and purchase supplies directly from said suppliers. Marchen Inc. requests no legal authority merely an official security clearance to that information,¡± Mr. Noir quietly declared as the three parties look surprised but intrigued. None of the terms offered were outrageous and were quite reasonable given the circumstances. But why did it seem as they were getting the worse end of the deal? Mr. White also couldn¡¯t find a fault in the rather simple request of services. Still perturbed he expectantly turns towards his clients. The parties are quiet for a moment until Mrs. Partridge breaks the tension. ¡°The guild finds no fault in the request, but there is still a matter of an official response from the guild headquarters. We will have the documents ready by tomorrow,¡± Mrs. Partridge croaked. Mr. Hoover quietly chimes in, ¡°The Heroes¡¯ association is in the same position.¡± Mr. X is silent for a moment before saying, ¡°The government will require confirmation that Marchen Inc.¡¯s defenses are inaccessible. There are government suppliers who remain anonymous for certain reasons.¡± Mr. Noir hides a smile and says, ¡°Thank you, I can send the paperwork to write away and Mr. X to whom should I send the requested information too?¡± Mr. X points to Mr. White to which Mr. Noir grimly nods in acknowledgment. Before the meeting can continue, Izo interrupts, ¡°Is there any further need for my presence? I believe the three parties only wished to meet me and they have. I trust and am sure that Mr. Noir will be more than sufficient to fulfill any questions.¡± Without awaiting a response, Izo leaves the conference room as the door firmly closes behind her. The remaining members are left with a mix of expressions. Mr. Noir smiles apologetically and says, ¡°Miss Reed lacks patience in such situations. She prefers duress.¡± The three representatives ask for more information on the specific details. An hour goes by before the questions are satisfied and Mr. White is satisfied. Mr. Noir escorts the group to the elevator before returning to his office to file the needed paperwork. The group in the elevator is quiet until Mr. Hoover bluntly says, ¡°Miss Reed is a rather firm woman.¡± Mrs. Partridge wings flutter in response as she icily replies, ¡°Firm? I would hazard to say, that woman is a threat. The real question is how did she get her hands on such a recipe. And if you noticed, she only asked that we not sell the recipe, that does not mean she will not sell it herself.¡± ¡°No, Miss Reed does not strike me as that sort of individual. Rather I believe that today¡¯s surprise is merely one of many,¡± the mysterious, Mr. X gravely said to their surprise. Mr. White wisely says, ¡°Sir¡¯s and Ma¡¯am, I do not wish to remind you that this is a public elevator and we are discussing private information.¡± Mr. Hoover sheepishly shrugs while Mr. X does not react other than remaining usual silent. However, Mrs. Partridge wings flutter anxiously for a moment, while glaring darkly at Mr. White. Her sharp nails on her hands reflexively clench as if thinking of bloodier scene. With great relief, the elevator door opens allowing the group to separate and go their different ways. Still, each figure was left contemplating the deal, but most especially enigmatic woman known as Miss Reed. * Chapter 18.3 – Ripples It came as a shock to the masses of Emerald City when the government announced the first government-sanctioned auction house. The auction house would have the authority to train and employ D and C-class heroes. The new auction house had yet to open or be completed, but the auction house was already making waves in the city. The entire city was abuzz with the news. Mr. Jones throws the newspaper in front of Mr. Moore. ¡°Moore, I thought you said, you had it under control. At this rate, once that blasted auction house opens, it will be an utter success. How could you let this happen?!¡± Mr. Jones furiously hissed, before taking a seat in the chair across from Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore glances at the newspaper front page coverage and firmly says, ¡°It came as a quiet surprise to me too. However, Jones, I shall forgive the heated outbursts given the circumstances lest I remind you, who you¡¯re speaking to. Mr. Jones stiffens in understanding as Mr. Moore taps his fingers tighter in thought. ¡°We severally underestimated the girl. Undoubtedly, this has made things more complex, but nothing that can¡¯t be dealt with. City suppliers, despite government assurances, will not go out of their way to make a contract with the new auction house. After all, it is merely an official stamp stating, that auction house is permitted to use heroes for protection, not guarantying anything else. However, you are right, Jones. It¡¯s time, we stop underestimating that girl. Her movements prove that she holds an interesting deck of cards. In that case, let us assure the cities society, that a greedy social climber is trying to enter their select circles. Spread the word and let us see who will dare show up at the opening and much less dare take a footstep into the establishment. Mr. Jones much more calmly states, ¡°Very well. But Moore, if this fails, I won¡¯t stand idle.¡± Mr. Moore narrows his eyes but does not reply. Mr. Jones without a word departs as Mr. Moore is left rather thoughtfully watching his figure. Leaning over to the side, Mr. Moore says, ¡°Roberto, send word for Grant, I want to see him.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the server hastily says before running off. Mr. Moore grabs the newspaper from the table and turns towards the sports section. His team, the Bulls was doing rather well this season. He hoped that they would take the championship. Hurried footsteps are soon heard, that halt shortly before him. Without glancing up, Mr. Moore says, ¡°Grant, I want you to keep an eye on my associates, but most especially Mr. Jones. I would hate for another incident like the last one to happen again. It was far too crude and messy for my likening.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Moore,¡± Grant solemnly says, before rushing off to fulfill his task. Mr. Moore turns the paper and chuckles upon coming across the letters to Judy. He laughs at the seeker''s questions and advice. But despite his mockery, Mr. Moore reads the entire column. After all, everyone has a hidden vice. * Within days¡¯ rampant rumors flooded the city. There was not a single person in higher society gossiping about the new owner of the auction house. A conversation of young females at a local restaurant eating their salads conveyed the unruly gossip. A female in a tight dress says, ¡°Did you hear about the new auction house?¡± ¡°Who hasn¡¯t?¡± An elegant young woman in a white dress gracefully said. Not taking a hint, a perky young lass says, ¡°I heard that the owner has a fetish for non-humans. Apparently, quite the number of non-humans are being employed including-,¡± the girl pauses dramatically before whispering, giggling, ¡°Satyrs.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Ick, gross,¡± the other young women at the table commented. ¡°People have no morals these days,¡± the elegant young woman loftily commented. ¡°Yes, exactly. You¡¯re completely right,¡± the rest of the females chimed in agreement. The female in the tight dress adds fuel to the fire by saying, ¡°Well, what I heard is that auction house owner is a whistleblower. Apparently, the owner used to be part of a highly illegal operation and snitched upon being caught. Now, the government is using the owner as a cover.¡± Taking the hint, a buxom female says, ¡°I heard the owner is a social climber. Apparently, he or she was married to a filthy rich heir/heiress and inherited all the money upon the mysterious death of their spouse.¡± The conversation continues to be filled with rumors until the subject becomes dull. With ease, the women move onto topics of interest. The annual masquerade ball is to be held in a months¡¯ time, the who of society would be in attendance. Having discussed the prospective list of attendees, they move onto a more important subject the what to wear. Because their outfit would make all the difference in the world to society. * Mr. Noir rubs his forehead feeling an eminent headache at the situation. Miss Reed could release a press release stating otherwise, but many would not fail to have any kind of faith in such a statement especially given her age and gender. Very few women of her age had the kind of money Miss Reed had, which would only confirm the suspicions of the masses, that the rumors are true. The rumors thankfully had not affected the construction crew or hiring process. The money and benefits offered were excellent enough to persuade employees otherwise. However, the rumors had affected prospective relationships with other parties. Many were declining the previous offers made, but more importantly, the invites that had already been sent to various individuals and parties had been returned with most of them declining to attend the open house. The few that had said yes, had done so out of courtesy and most likely not be in attendance. Not to mention the added stress of Mr. Lee. A quick call had left Mr. Noir grabbing for stomach medicine for his heartburn. Ever since then, Mr. Lee had been behaving in a most childish fashion refusing to speak to Mr. Noir except for via an emissary. Mr. Lee would not be forgiving Mr. Noir for detaining him. One of the few silver linings that Mr. Noir found was that the government suppliers could not be bribed nor intimated. If not for the government suppliers, there would be no available ingredients to be used for production and crafting purposes. With a sigh, Mr. Noir rings his secretary and ask that Miss Fauna and Mr. Vladimir be sent to his office. Swiftly, the two arrive in his office and have a seat before him. In a composed manner, Mr. Noir says, ¡°Miss Fauna and Mr. Vladimir I am sure you have heard the rumors and I wish to congratulate on your efforts of ignoring them and still managing your own work. However, I have been asked for a report on the situation. Specifically, how is the recruitment for heroes moving along?¡± ¡°Rather well. Not surprising, many minor heroes find it difficult to maintain day jobs. With an official employment that recognizes their situation and pays well, there are sufficient applications to fulfill our needs,¡± Miss Fauna confidently reported. ¡°Thank you, Miss Fauna, you have my utmost confidence. Do you have anything to add, Mr. Vladimir,¡± Mr. Noir inquired. ¡°Would the owner be opposed to hiring villains?¡± Mr. Vladimir curiously asked. Mr. Noir narrows his eyes and stiffly declares, ¡°It would depend in what context. If they are active villains, I am afraid that is not impossible. However, Miss Reed is not opposed to hiring former or retired villains. Miss Reed finds them rather refreshing and would like another point of view.¡± Mr. Vladimir nods with satisfaction and curiously asks, ¡°If Miss Reed is fine with that situation, why were we not informed?¡± ¡°I cannot claim to understand Miss Reed¡¯s thoughts, but from my limited understanding is that Miss Reed trusts your competency in hiring. If the employee to be hired can be duly explained, she will not oppose the hiring,¡± Mr. Noir calmly stated. Miss Fauna fails to hide a snicker at the response given. Mr. Vladimir turns and narrows his eyes at the fauness. Mr. Noir clears his throat politely drawing their attention back. ¡°If that is all, then please feel free to return to your work,¡± Mr. Noir calmly said excusing them. The two politely depart and close the door behind them. With a sigh, Mr. Noir grabs the phone to report to Miss Reed. One could only hope that; Miss Reed would not issue another request during the call. He was currently overworked as he is. * Chapter 18.4 – Bet Mr. Moore is eating at his regular table at Mon Dieu. The four empty chairs are at his side as he elegantly cuts into his steak. With relish, he takes a bite from his meat and relishes the taste. Pausing he reaches over for his red wine and sips the wine. With a sigh of pleasure, he once reaches for his fork to grab another piece of steak. Four figures rapidly approach and seat themselves at the table. Only one of the figures orders a meal, Mr. Jones, whilst the rest decline the server¡¯s invitation to order. Mr. Jones smiles in a pleased expression and says, ¡°I must say, Moore, you outdid yourself this time. I thought you were being a tad too passive, but the results are simply wonderful.¡± Mr. Moore smiles cordially in response, Mr. Nazari rolls his eyes, before taking a sip from his water glass. Tassarion crosses his arms over his chest in annoyance, Wistari merely smiles faintly in response, before reaching over and patting Tassarion on his knee. Mr. Jones ignores the four faces and continues to boast. ¡°I¡¯m sure that will teach them. Newcomers the lot of them need to know their places. I¡¯m certain that the opening will be a failure and I dare bet the auction house will fail by the end of the mouth by the latest,¡± Mr. Nazari smiles winningly and says, ¡°I¡¯ll take that bet. How much is the wager?¡± He pauses and turns towards the other members of the table. ¡°Tassarion and Wistari care to join a wager?¡± Mr. Nazari impishly said, half hoping they would. Tassarion stiffly retorts, ¡°I don¡¯t wager.¡± Mr. Nazari and Mr. Jones smirk back at the scowling elf. Wistari sighs prettily and says, ¡°Now, now, I don¡¯t see the harm if he doesn¡¯t want to participate. There is wisdom to be said in not defying fate.¡± Mr. Nazari¡¯s eyes narrow at the candid response. ¡°Yes, but we¡¯re only humans. It is in our nature to attempt to defy fate,¡± Mr. Nazari coolly stated.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Wistari smiles sweetly but does not deem a worthy response. Tassarion, on the other hand, does very little to hide his condescending gaze of arrogance. Before another battle can erupt, Mr. Jones hastily interjects, ¡°Very well, let us wage money. Shall we say, $10 million? Chump change, but nothing that will hurt the pride of whoever loses, but most surely will be you, Mr. Nazari. It is already finalized¡± ¡°Yes, you may be right. But I do so enjoy betting on the underdog. Of course, a bet wouldn¡¯t be a bet without any heart wrenching loses. Let¡¯s add an extra bet, Jones. In the unlikelihood, that Miss Reed¡¯s auction house doesn¡¯t go out of business, but becomes a success, I want the dragon bone. And if I lose, I¡¯ll give you, sky phoenix,¡± Mr. Nazari confidently said, while Mr. Jones contemplated the offer. The rest of the group eyes Mr. Nazari with puzzled eyes, whereas Mr. Moore studies Mr. Nazari with calculating eyes. ¡°It¡¯s basically your win, Jones, what do you have to lose?¡± Mr. Nazari convincingly purred. Mr. Jones wrestles with himself before saying, ¡°Fine, but I want everyone to be witnesses for the bet. I don¡¯t want you to suddenly get cold feet over your inevitable loss.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, old man,¡± Mr. Nazari said with a twinkle in his eye, cheerfully slapping Mr. Jones on the back causing him to move forward. Mr. Jones glares at the Arabic man, who hastily removes his hand from Mr. Jones back. Mr. Nazari rapidly excuses himself for a moment upon spotting a lovely damsel at another table. With a roguish glint, Mr. Nazari strides over to the damsel¡¯s table. After all, Mr. Nazari was infamous for charming even the birds out of the sky. The poor maiden didn¡¯t stand a chance. A server carefully takes the plate from the table as Mr. Moore finishes wiping his mouth with the napkin in his lap. Folding his napkin, Mr. Moore aloofly says, ¡°Mr. Jones, I would not have recommended betting with Mr. Nazari.¡± Mr. Jones brows furrow and he says, ¡°Mr. Moore, I fail to see the problem. It¡¯s just a friendly bet between mutual acquaintances.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like Mr. Nazari stated, humans tend to attempt to defy fate it¡¯s human nature. No matter how certain an outcome is, there is always a chance that will change,¡± Mr. Moore murmured, before taking a sip of his red wine. Mr. Jones becomes still in thought as the other two merely wait in silence for the return of Mr. Nazari. After all, this was a business meeting and not a social gathering of friends. Because no one would dare treat each other as friends lest they are stabbed earlier in the back than expected. * Chapter 19 – Starting a Fire It had been nearly a month since the outrageous rumors had begun. Izo in the meantime had been too busy to quell the rumors. She was far too preoccupied capturing monsters and raiding lower class dungeons and clearing them out. Incidentally, Izo had realized that if she cleared a C-class dungeon, she could get some rather good items from the final boss item drops. (However, Izo was avoiding any higher-class dungeons, still a bit wary after the B-Class dungeon incident with Grendel.) Construction (including, lighting, plumbing and so forth,) had been completed a week earlier than anticipated, which was perfect for the designers and suppliers. They had hastily expedited the items needed to furnish the auction house. The auction house was set to open in less than five days and from the rsvp guest list, the turn out would be rather small. Despite Mr. Noir¡¯s best efforts, very few parties had agreed to attend. It was looking rather grim on the other end as well as many adventures or potential buyers would not be attending the opening function. Izo taps her fingers against her desk in frustration. A press release was out of the question as a press release wouldn¡¯t suddenly calm the fires, but instead would be a sudden gust of wind causing the flames to swarm even higher. If the rumors weren¡¯t bad already, they would only worsen with the added fuel of Classroom 13. And from Mr. Noir¡¯s aggravated expression, Mr. Lee was barely containing himself from not suppressing the rumors, which would only cause another round of rumors, that the owner of the auction house was indeed a whistleblower or using the auction house to launder money for an unsavory organization. Izo knew better than anyone, how easy rumors sprouted and how hard they were to dispel. She didn¡¯t even need to look at her own past but rather look at the past of the original Izo, one could see the lasting damage and consequences. Besides, the situation hadn¡¯t reached desperate measures yet. The phone suddenly rings as Izo picks up without glancing out her cellphone. ¡°Do you have good news for me, Mr. Noir?¡± Izo quietly asked.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°It would depend on what Miss Reed means. If it is a question of whether the situation has changed, then no. But if it is an answer, then yes. The suspicions that Miss Reed had are indeed correct. An attack is to be made on the auction house and the original source of the rumors is the auction association,¡± Mr. Noir calmly stated. Izo closes her eyes tiredly and leans back into her chair. ¡°I thought so. In either case, don¡¯t make a move,¡± Izo flatly said. Mr. Noir makes a startled chocking sound over the phone. ¡°Miss Reed as your lawyer, I strongly advise against that,¡± Mr. Noir grimly said. ¡°Mr. Noir have some faith in me. Don¡¯t worry about either situation¡¯s, I will see to it that both issues are resolved,¡± Izo firmly said, before hanging up the phone. With a sigh, Izo rubs her head. Everything that she had said was true for the most part. No intruder would stand a chance against the defenses set in place at the auction hall. In fact, they would be lucky if they survived at all. However, the root of the problem were the rumors. Anything Izo did at this point wouldn¡¯t be enough to change the tides of the masses in her favor. But that didn¡¯t mean she had lost the war far from it. They had started a fire and she would return the favor. Izo glances down at the invitation that had arrived in the mail today. It was an invitation to attend the annual Emerald City masquerade ball. A joke to see whether she would show up or not. Narrowing her eyes with interest, Izo reaches for her cell phone and presses a contact¡¯s number. The phone immediately clicks, a solemn male¡¯s voice answers, ¡°Miss Reed to what do I owe the pleasure of your call? Have you already run out of necessary supplies?¡± Izo glances down at the invitation in her hand and responds, ¡°I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°How fascinating, pray do tell, Miss Reed for I am all ears,¡± The man crisply said. After all, Miss Reed was a well-paying client. Commerce is a wonderful thing after all. * Chapter 19.2 - Tour All the new hires were expectantly waiting outside of the auction house. Today was the first day of work for them. The new hires had three days to make themselves familiar with the systems and floors. The only exceptions were management and security trained, who had been given a tour and started training since yesterday. And that of the cooking personnel who were let into the building very early that same morning. Management (supervisors or department heads), was already waiting inside to sort the new personnel and assign them to their positions. Chefs and all cooking personnel were finishing prepping the food to be served at the feast in celebration of their hiring. (Unfortunately, the cooking staff would not be participating as they were cooking. But the owner had hired out a nearby restaurant for the evening so that the cooking department could join in the celebration.) The security was already prepped and ready with some very cheerful heroes who were finally fully employed including great benefits such as an excellent insurance plan capable of covering newbie heroes¡¯ injuries. The hires gape at the magnificent building that gleams and rises into the sky. The gleaming wooden carved doors swing open as the workers flow into the building. The employees gasp at the large elegant lounge that includes expensive artwork to comfy chairs. Elegant desks and transaction posts are positioned carefully to create breathable space. A sharply dressed male vampire and a petite woman with goat horns stand before them. The vampire claps his hands gathering the employee¡¯s attention. With a nod of thanks, the petite woman moves forward. ¡°Welcome everyone to the Marchen Auction House. I am Miss Flora the guild manager and this is Mr. Vladimir, our current talent manager and my second in command. Should you have any questions in the future either direct them to us or the Human Resources department head, Mr. Slade. Now then, Mrs. Outlander, please raise your hand,¡± Miss Flora firmly said. From behind Miss Flora, there is a group of lined individuals representing the head of departments. A motherly middle-aged woman wearing a short sleeve white blouse. However, from her waist down is a well brushed, chocolate colored mare¡¯s body. A pretty black skirt circles her waist covering her lower body to her knees. The only exception is a small button-sized hold for her tail to emerge from. Mrs. Outlander smiles genuinely at the employees. ¡°Not to worry dearies, should you have any questions I¡¯ll be able to tackle them. And should things become to riled up, I can also manage that as well,¡± Mrs. Outlander firmly said as her four legs shuffled pointedly clicking against the floor. The employees eye the neatly polished, but sharp hooves that could easily trample anyone to death. The employees rather quietly nod and vow to not anger Human Resources. Because in this case, HR could literally trample one to death. ¡°Now then, as you are aware Marchen Auction House is in association and directly affiliated with Marchen Inc. Before we begin our tour and separate into groups. Everyone, please present your badges to be checked by our two heads of security, Mr. McLoughlin, and Mr. Smith.¡± Mr. McLoughlin, a short grim looking leprechaun takes a step forward with Mr. Smith, a pleasant looking man who also happened to be a retired villain of a certain C-class rank. The duo takes out two scanners that detect shapeshifting or identify forgeries. Swiftly everyone is checked and with relief, everyone¡¯s identity turns out to be true. Miss Flora glances down at her list and says, ¡°Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation. Now then, tech employees please head over to Mrs. Lyzee, our I.T. department head,¡± Miss Flora pointed to a curly-haired gremlin. The blue-skinned female gremlin marches away without even waiting for the new employees. Tech employees hastily rush after her making the group smaller. ¡°Finance department, head over to Miss Kora, the lovely bunny eared women,¡± Miss Flora said pointing to a medium sized woman with cute fluffy brown ears and tail matching her human hair. The employees happily gather in front of Miss Kora. ¡°I am a firm believer in the Code of Hammurabi, an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. I absolutely hate sly tanuki¡¯s and would hate for an act of violence to be enacted because of theft. But I¡¯m sure no one here will do, so right?¡± The sweet rabbit-eared women said in a cheerful voice that caused shivers of cold sweat to gather down the employee¡¯s backs. With a cheerful smile, Miss Kora leads her group away. ¡°Customer Service to Mr. Cutthroat, our lovely green goblin,¡± Miss Flora firmly stated pointing to a short bald goblin in a proper suit wearing round spectacles. The green figure of Mr. Cutthroat waits for the employees to line up before him. Sniffing and in a loud voice, he declares, ¡°Because I¡¯m a goblin, please do not assume that I am like my barbaric cousins. I can assure you, I have an excellent education and I am by no means a fool. Precisely because I am a goblin I wish for customers to be treated as guests nothing less and nothing more. I expect nothing but the best ladies and gentlemen.¡± Without further ado, Mr. Cutthroat leads the next group away. Flora continues to call out group leaders until none are left. Thomas stares with fascination at the mosaic ceiling and says, ¡°We¡¯re the only ones who haven¡¯t taken a tour, shall we take a peek?¡± Before Flora can answer a calm voice from behind him says, ¡°There is no need for that Mr. Vladimir, I will personally be giving the two of you a tour.¡± Thomas slowly turns his head to see the figure of that fearful all too thin woman, Miss Reed, their employer, and owner of Marchen Inc. and auction house. Who and when did she get there? But more importantly, why didn¡¯t he hear her approach?Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Flora excitedly says, ¡°Of course, it would be our honor and pleasure to have Miss Reed personally give us a tour. Miss Reed, Thomas also has something he wants to say.¡± A pointed glare from Flora, Thomas politely says, ¡°Thank you for your vote of confidence Miss Reed in my new promotion.¡± Miss Reed¡¯s cold fish eyes don¡¯t react to the sentence. ¡°Well, shall we start with upper levels?¡± Miss Reed asked over her shoulder making her way to the elevator. Flora and Thomas follow her with Flora answering, ¡°Yes, that will be fine, Miss Reed.¡± Thomas hides his grimace as he steps into the elevator and heads towards the second floor. The doors open to reveal the large showcase room on the second floor. The entire room was spotless giving a feeling of impeccable treasures held within. Hundreds of items were housed behind anti-theft magical glass on stands or against the walls in shelves. The rest of the items for sale such as potions or ingredients were stored in a storage room that is behind the checkout counters. On the upper walls of the floor, large glass plasma screens flashed items for sale and showcased their price. Quite a few caught Flora¡¯s eye especially the beauty potions. With interest, Flora asks, ¡°Miss Reed, do employees have a discount on items?¡± ¡°10% on items, but for potions, there is a 15% discount,¡± Miss Reed swiftly replied. Thomas sniffs but takes note of the beauty potions prices as well. It was in the lull of thinking about his women and not anything else. Most definitely not for his own personal use. The third floor is by the far the largest. Their shoes don¡¯t make sounds against the elegant carpeted floor. To their left is a large and expensively furnished restaurant. Glass windows leave the sunlight entering the 3rd floor and allowing for a view out below. Past the first-rate restaurant full of cooking smells are large golden doors that swing open. Upon closer review, a theater enfolds before them. The richly red cushioned seats are lined on the floor with private balcony seats hanging from above for a better view of the stage floor. Large auction buying would be done in these quarters with the ability to purchase a VIP balcony for an event or for personal privacy. Flora and Thomas look impressed and reluctantly turn away to see the next floor. The next floor holds several eating lounges and breaks rooms including a spa and gym for employees use. Thomas eyes the gym, while Flora reviews the spa treatments that the employees have access too. Swiftly hiding their eagerness to try out the facilities, they head off to the next floor. The next seven floors house administration departments: HR, Finance, and Logistics, Law Department, General Administration, Inventory, the Tech department with the last floor holding the mainframe computers for Marchen. Flora and Thomas were surprised to find that an entire floor was devoted to Marchen Inc. attorneys. Before they could ask, why, Miss Reed solemnly responded, ¡°We¡¯re going to need them.¡± Leaving Thomas and Flora utterly silent in thought until they reached the 10th floor. The 12th, 13th, and 14th floors housed laboratories for mages, alchemists, and so forth. They weren¡¯t allowed the past elevator as secure products were located within already. They only glimpsed that items were prepped and ready to be tested beyond the single window that allowed a tiny glimpse inside. The 15th floor to the 24th floor housed craftsmen, mages, blacksmiths including forges, alchemists, weavers, etc. With the roof being converted into a large greenhouse that housed an innumerable amount of rare plants that caused Flora¡¯s mouth to water with hunger and disbelief. Thomas works hard to hide his astonishment and fails when Floor Zero is revealed. The first level houses security along with training grounds and sleeping accommodations for any overnight working company employee. Flora and Thomas marveled at the size of the 1st underground level. Floor Zero easily housed the first three levels above ground. The second level of Floor Zero just as large as the 1st held captured beasts. Very few, creatures were currently held in fortified cages as such the floor was rather quiet. But there was a large and carefully recorded stock of monster compasses. Upon reading the tags, they were impressed to spot rare creatures within. A familiar ogre in a black uniform suddenly pops out followed by a giant, soundless monster wolf. The wolf whines and eagerly approaches them. Flora and Thomas stiffen with Thomas instinctively stepping in front of Flora to protect her. The wolf rushes past them and eagerly begins to lick Miss Reed¡¯s face. Miss Reed grimaces and pushes the happy wolf away. The ogre¡¯s identification tag reads, ¡°Crush.¡± ¡°Sorry, Miss Reed, but Wolfe thinks you¡¯re his boss. And please don¡¯t worry Mrs. Flora and Mr. Vladimir, Wolfe here is a bright boy, he knows not to harm employees. I¡¯ve properly trained him to recognize every employee''s scent,¡± Crush proudly said as Flora and Thomas marginally relax their guard. Miss Reed grumbles, ¡°Yes, but shouldn¡¯t he be doing his job?¡± Wolfe¡¯s ears and tail droop down low. Suddenly the wolf monster looks like a depressed dog. Crush hastily says in Wolfe''s defense, ¡°Yes, Miss Reed, but since it isn¡¯t nighttime and as there aren¡¯t any customers yet, Wolfe wanted to accompany on my rounds.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Miss Reed crisply muttered as Wolfe¡¯s ears perk back up. With a happy growl, he trots back to Crush the Beast Tamer. Miss Reed swiftly leads Flora and Thomas away lest the blasted Wolfe change his mind. When the trio arrives at the last floor, a giant metal door is before them. Taking out two enchanted black metal keys, Miss Reed turns and hands one key to them. ¡°These keys are strictly bounded to you and only you. Only your presence, DNA, and mana signature will open the vault. Any other attempts even forced ones will fail. The keys are not to leave your presence and must be returned to the vault located in each of your offices at the end of the day. And should anything ever be robbed, I am certain, you understand who I will hunt down first, are we clear?¡± Miss Reed coldly stated. Flora and Thomas nod in understanding as they carefully place the key on their person. Miss Reed glances at her watch and says, ¡°Well, it¡¯s time for lunch. What do you say, we get up there and have ourselves a good time?¡± Flora happily agrees as does Thomas, who is glad to get away from Miss Reed. The trio returns to the elevator that only moves if clearance is authorized. Steps had been taken so that unless one was authorized the elevator would not go up or down to the said floor. That might cause some minor problems but the janitorial service would be fine since the janitorial services were contracted magical beings, brownies, were very useful in that manner. * Chapter 19.3 – End of the day The employees happily have already begun to eat. Some sit with their department and others with friends and family. Miss Flora and Mr. Vladimir spot their friends who have a plate waiting for them. Miss Flora hesitates for a moment, however, Mr. Vladimir does not and darts away without a glance backward. Before Miss Flora can speak, Miss Reed says, ¡°It¡¯s fine, go and sit with your friends.¡± Miss Flora hesitatingly joins her friends all the while keeping an eye on Miss Reed. She wasn¡¯t the only one as many curious eyes were watching Miss Reed¡¯s actions. To the vast surprise of many of the employees, Miss Reed, the owner of Marchen Inc. patiently waits in line to order a meal, rather than darting to the front of the line. This action left many startled, Miss Reed as the owner and there was no need for her to wait in line with the employees. The nervous employees in line politely chat with Miss Reed, fearful of insulting the owner. Yet despite being intimidating, Miss Reed always responded to any question made by an employee. After taking a plate piled high with food, Miss Reed departed to the relief of the employees. Not that Miss Reed was terrible to be around with, but it¡¯s always awkward to eat with the boss around. Finished with their meals, the employees returned to their positions. The culinary department would finish cleanup and preparations for tomorrow, before departing to their own work party site. Finally, the first day of work of was over and employees swiftly made their way out of the doors. The last of the employees leave except for security. Mr. McLoughlin locks the doors and leads his assigned team to train in Floor Zero, while the rest of security remains at their posts. Mr. Smith, a former villain glances at the screens of cameras with mana detection capabilities. Terry and Sam, fledging heroes of the D-Rank shiver at Mr. Smith¡¯s firm gaze. It wasn¡¯t that they were bias or anything it¡¯s just that Mr. Smith was a former villain after all and it was a wonder to them, how he had even been hired to begin with given his previous occupation. However, the owner, Miss Reed had personally approved of his current position and no one would be stupid enough to argue with the boss.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Mr. Smith glances at his watch and says, ¡°Make sure to alternate shifts every hour,¡± before heading out the door. ¡°Wait, Mr. Smith, aren¡¯t you going to supervise us?¡± Terry chocked out. ¡°No, I am sure even a monkey could handle overseeing the camera¡¯s,¡± Mr. Smith pleasantly commented before departing. Terry and Sam flush with embarrassment but are unable to even complain. After all, who would even dare to, to a villain¡¯s own face? Mr. Smith lets out a soft whistle and soft whine can be heard as a large wolf monster appears out of nowhere before him. Mr. Smith leans down and says, ¡°Miss Reed said, we may be receiving an unexpected visitor or two, tonight. Keep an eye on the boys, but more importantly the doors.¡± Wolfe lets out a grunt in affirmative reply, before vanishing and soundlessly padding away. Mr. Smith nods in approval of his new boss¡¯s pet. A former right-hand villain¡¯s henchmen, Mr. Smith was accustomed to dealing with security problems. But he¡¯d never had a villain boss, who was willing to employ monsters as guards rather than lasers. It was quite nice to be working with an employer who did not lack common sense for a change. Whistling Mr. Smith strides into the elevator and puts on red goggle on his face. It had been a long time he had been able to use his babies and he had been losing his touch. It was a godsend when he learned that he had passed the background check to be employed as a security head. Not to mention that his wife and children were thrilled with the pay, hours and benefits being offered. It was still a mystery to him why Miss Reed hired him, but Mr. Smith wasn¡¯t in the habit of openly questioning his boss. Besides, Miss Reed gave the impression of being a ticking crocodile. Just because one can hear the tick, that doesn¡¯t mean one is able to escape the gaping, hungry jaws. * Chapter 19.4 – Laser Tag From the back of a cargo plane, a group of heavily armed men in armor nod at each other as their leader a burly man shouts, ¡°We have only one mission and that is to cause as much as damage we can to the new auction house.¡± ¡°Yes, sir, consider it done,¡± the men in chorus shouted back to the satisfaction of their leader. The troop leader nods in satisfaction as the cargo bay opens and the wind rushes in. Over the scream of the wind, the troop leader shouts, ¡°Get ready to deploy on my count! 3, 2, 1, Go!¡± The men rush out of the cargo plane bay as their magic items the troop splits into three groups. The first group dives for the roof of the building, another to land on the side of the building, and the last group to make contact on the grounds.¡± From inside the Marchen Auction house, Terry and Sam flinch as an automatic red-light flash in the guard room and throughout the auction house. A female robotic voice over the intercom speaks, ¡°All defense systems are a go. For safety measures, all employees please remain within the compound during this time. Counterattack measure will begin in less than one minute. Please, standby is advised.¡± Mr. McLoughlin hears the voice and says, ¡°You heard the lady! I want everyone to their posts on the double!¡± The men and women ride up the elevator crowed to the brim and take their positions at the front doors. The guards wait in tense silence for that first attack to begin. Many were unease given that the auction house had even yet to open and it was already under attack. Such an attack did not bode well for the auction house and their careers. On the roof, Mr. Smith smiles and says, ¡°I heard you the first-time sweetheart. But please don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯m just going to watch my handy work from behind the safety of this thick metal exit door.¡± A strange amount of energy begins to gather and surge around the entire building as the first group attempts to land on the ceiling. Suddenly from the floor, magic missiles fire in the rapid attack. The men let out groans as they lose unconsciousness to their surprise a net-like magic captures them and neatly leaves them bundled on the ceiling. Mr. Smith smiles at his babies and says, ¡°You did well babies, daddy''s proud of you.¡± If one were to look closely, they would see tiny robotic nanobots happily dancing around in the air, before darting into a brooch around Mr. Smith¡¯s neck. Mr. Smith reaches for his radio and says, ¡°The roof is secure, please send personnel to collect the intruders.¡± The cargo plane had taken damage from the magic missiles and had been unable to dodge all the attack. The plane suddenly finds itself circling as it rapidly plummets to the ground, while the pilot attempts to land the fiery pit of death. With a loud crash, the cargo plane smashes into the ground in a rain of sparks but thankfully the experienced pilot manages to land the cargo plane without killing those still on board. The men who had managed to evade the attack opted for landing on the ground or on the side of the building. The instant one of the men try to break the glass open suddenly a bolt of lightning flashes and strikes the group of men. The men plummet to the ground to only be caught by roots that stretch from the ground. The men on the ground suffer the same fate as roots with their own minds hold the men upside firmly grasped in their hold. The security inside gapes at the scene ongoing outside as the female automatic voice says, ¡°All intruders have been taken care of. All counterattack systems will be shut down in 3, 2, 1. Defense systems still remain active and in place and will only shut down once all intruders have been caught. It is advised, that ground security forces collect the intruders and extract proper information via legal means. It is strongly recommended Mr. Smith leads the interrogation prior to turning the intruders to proper authorities.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Mr. McLoughlin narrows his green eyes and roars in his Irish accented voice, ¡°What are you waiting around here?! You heard the machine, get to it!¡± The security personnel gaps at the roots that hold the struggling figures. The roots suddenly release their captives and drop them unceremoniously onto the ground with a painful thud. With the wind knocked out of them, the security guards are able to easily secure all the intruders. By the time, Mr. Smith descends the unconscious intruders on the room had been carefully gathered and brought to the main lobby. The guards flinch at the pleasant smile on Mr. Smith¡¯s face. The hero members in particular quake in fear with a complete understanding of what was to come. Mr. Smith hadn¡¯t been just any right-hand henchmen, but his former boss was Mr. Screams. Mr. Screams wasn¡¯t known for his shrill screams, but rather how all his victims died. They all died with horrified expressions on their faces. In fact, the one, who turned Mr. Screams into the authorities was Mr. Smith himself. Now, most villains will cross all normal lines, but there is a Villain Brethern Code called, ¡°Parlay," that all villains stick to. No one knows who or how, but Mr. Screams broke that sacred code. To a gentleman of villainy such as Mr. Smith, Mr. Smith was horrified by his bosses action. Having had enough, Mr. Smith carefully plotted Mr. Screams retirement. Given his aid in the capture of Mr. Screams, Mr. Smith was given immunity on all charges and allowed to resume daily life with the firm warning to longer return to a life villainy. Having been a henchmen all his life, Mr. Smith was at his wit''s end trying to find employment, when Miss Reed hired him. And for that, Mr. Smith would forever be grateful to Miss Reed and would remain a loyal henchman for the rest of his life except should Miss Reed break the code. Mr. Smith merely takes one look and with ease spots the leader, a burly man with a fearless look on his face despite being firmly tied and gagged/ ¡°Please carry him into the closet, I shan¡¯t take more than a minute,¡± Mr. Smith spookily said as the guards shiver at his words. Two fearless guards carry the burly leader into the closet as Mr. Smith closes the door behind him. The closet is silent until suddenly a deafening scream is heard a minute later. With a bright smile on his face, Mr. Smith emerges and says, ¡°Our young fellow is ready to talk. Please be sure to record the following conversations and remove the troop leader from the closet.¡± The two guards drag the shaking pale troop leader whose gag has been removed. ¡°I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll tell you anything you want! Just keep that monster away from me!¡± The terrified troop leader shouted. The guards swallow loudly as they try to understand and fail to guess who in less than a minute a defiant man could break in less than a minute. Mr. Smith innocently smiles and firmly repeats his orders, ¡°Come now, do as you are told.¡± The guards jump into action and do as they are told as Mr. McLoughlin nods in approval of his partner. ¡°Nice job, you did there,¡± Mr. McLoughlin said patting Mr. Smith on the back before Mr. McLoughlin roars, ¡°Get moving you, idiots!¡± The guards run around even more so by the time the police arrived the intruders were all neatly lined up on the outside grounds to be taken away. It was the smoothest pick up the police had ever seen in their lives. In fact, the only unusual thing had been a large burly guard who kept flinching at every single sound and muttering under his breath, ¡°They¡¯re always watching! The eyes, the eyes, they¡¯re everywhere!¡± The police disregard the man¡¯s ranting except, if one were to pay closer attention, one would be able to spot tiny sparks of light floating around the burly master. But that was probably just mere coincidence, right? * Chapter 19.5 – Report A group of five seated figures waits for news at Mon Dieu. The four figures sip quietly their wine to be more precise a 1967 vintage white wine. Mr. Jones impatiently taps his feet against the luxurious floor. ¡°What is taking them so long? We should have heard news by now?¡± Mr. Jones unhappily growled. ¡°Calm yourself, Mr. Jones, I am sure news will come soon,¡± Wistari softly chided. Mr. Nazari is unable to hide the rueful grin on his face as he comments, ¡°Maybe.¡± Mr. Jones glares at Mr. Nazari who innocently takes a sip from his wine glass. Suddenly the well-dressed figure of Grant appears and comes to a halt before them. ¡°I have urgent news to report,¡± Grant said as Mr. Moore motions for Grant to deliver his message. ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say, but the attack failed. The defenses of Marchen Inc. are vastly overwhelming that our initial estimate of Marchen Inc.¡¯s security defenses was not only gravely wrong, but we vastly underestimated them. Every single one of the men sent to attack has been captured alive and turned over to Emerald Cities¡¯ special police forces,¡± Grant regretfully declared. Mr. Jones sputters indignantly turning red and violet with rage. Before Mr. Jones can bellow his rage, Mr. Moore shoots a pointed look at Mr. Jones efficiently shutting him up. Mr. Moore narrows his eyes and says, ¡°Please continue and explain in more detail the current situation.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Thankfully, we arranged for a memory spell to be implanted via the signed contract. As soon as the men were turned over to the police the spell activated and erased their memories of the contract. Naturally, we have taken care to ensure no leads can be traced back to us. But I¡¯m afraid of receiving the initial rudimentary reports from our sources from within Marchen Inc., the defense systems of Marchen Inc. are now estimated to reach at least be at C-class levels or higher. I¡¯m afraid that after tonight, Marchen Inc. will increase their security defenses even more. Based on all of this new information and severe time constraints, it will be rather costly and dangerous to mount another attack in such short amount of time,¡± Grant cautiously stated. ¡°Thank you, Grant, for your candor it is much obliged. You are excused,¡± Mr. Moore firmly said. Grant politely departs and hurries away to finish cleaning up all loose ends. The air is heavy as Mr. Moore lets out a quiet sigh of resignation and says, ¡°We will not do anything more than we already have done. It¡¯s far too risky to act with more force than we already have.¡± Mr. Jones heatedly sputters, ¡°What!¡± Mr. Jones slams his hands on the table in a fury causing the glasses to tremble for a moment. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re taking the high road, but Moore, you can¡¯t leave us hanging out to dry. You¡¯re the only one who will be the least affected by this outcome and will still be in a perfectly good position. I refuse to accept that answer! Surely there is something more you can do!¡± Mr. Jones roared sending spit flying onto the table. Wistari and Tassarion frown at the unsightly display of emotions.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Mr. Nazari frowns and shakes his head at the idiotic actions of Jones. No one spoke like that to Mr. Moore and lived to see the end of their days. Mr. Nazari lets out a sigh at possibly losing another partner and downs his remaining wine in a single gulp. Mr. Jones let out an angry huff as Mr. Moore icily says, ¡°Are you finished, Jones?¡± Mr. Jones pales as he remembers exactly whom he was shouting at. Mr. Jones hastily stammers, ¡°Sorry about, that Moore. It¡¯s just that the blood sometimes rushes to my head, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Yes, that is a problem,¡± Mr. Moore mused out loud. Mr. Jones trembles and says, ¡°I¡¯ll back off. I will!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Moore matter-of-factly replied. Mr. Jones hurriedly grabs his coat off his seat and says, ¡°I¡¯ll see myself out,¡± before speedily rushing away. Mr. Nazari frowns distastefully and covers his ears as a single fatal gunshot is heard. Wincing slightly Mr. Nazari turns to the pale waiter and says, ¡°Another glass, please.¡± The waiter with trembling hands pours the wine, before taking a step back, all the while pretending to be part of the inanimate furniture. Mr. Nazari sips from his drink as Wistari sighs as Tassarion flatly says, ¡°Was that truly necessary?¡± Mr. Nazari snorts at the comment. As if those two would have done anything differently? Mr. Moore casually says, ¡°It would seem a fearful mishap has happened to our colleague. We should mourn Mr. Jones loss properly.¡± Wistari grabs her wine glass to make a toast, ¡°To Mr. Jones, may he rest in peace.¡± The remaining four members raise their glasses as well and murmur, ¡°To Mr. Jones,¡± before downing their glasses. ¡°Then how shall we divide Jones equity?¡± Tassarion callously commented as soon as the toast was finished. Mr. Moore wipes his lips with a linen napkin before replying, ¡°By his tragic death, Mr. Jones forfeited his bet and Mr. Nazari is the winner of that bet. The wealth and bet items now belong to Mr. Nazari. As for the auction house items, you, may each take your pick of equal items, while I shall merely retain the license and auction house itself.¡± The members nod in approval of the swift decision and each swiftly excuse themselves to make their plans. Mr. Moore quietly remains seated as a middle-aged man in a dark suit emerges from the shadows. ¡°Sir, what shall you have me do?¡± The left hand of Mr. Moore asked. ¡°I want you to dig deeper into Miss Reed. There is something that we¡¯re not seeing,¡± Mr. Moore flatly stated. ¡°Of course, sir. And how would you like for me to dispose of the body, sir?¡± The hitman asked. ¡°Solink, as always I leave that to your discretion,¡± Mr. Moore commented before departing from the restaurant. Another gunshot is heard as Solink takes care of the server of the evening meal. One couldn¡¯t afford to leave witnesses after all. It was better to clean up early on a small mess than take care of a large mess later. * Chapter 20 – Grand Opening The morning of the grand opening of Marchen Inc. Auction House was like any other morning. By dawn, the employees had arrived and were finishing putting up the finishing touches. However, had the employees taken the time to glance outside, they would have been shocked by the scene happening outside. Exactly at 7:30 a.m. during rush hour, the drivers on the highway and students on their way to school gape with awe at the amazing sight in the sky of Emerald City. Groups of pretty fairy¡¯s dance in the sky and sprinkle flower petals onto the people below. Each flower glimmers magically with a few well-written words printed onto the flower petal itself, ¡°Welcome to Marchen Inc.!¡± The fairies danced their way throughout the city as businessmen on their way to work and early shoppers smile in awe and amazement. Before many knew it, they found themselves intrigued by the lavish presentation being created by Marchen Inc. Very few people could afford such a display and even less could afford to hire the exclusive service of the famous troop called, ¡°Puck¡¯s Wings.¡± By 8 a.m. the news had spread throughout Emerald City as there not a single person unaware of the event. Those with influence and power in the city found themselves reviewing Marchen Inc.¡¯s potential power. And as such more than quite a few were convinced by the show and found themselves searching for their invitations to the grand opening of Marchen Inc. Auction House. After all, it couldn¡¯t possibly hurt to take a closer look. By 9 a.m. in the morning crowds of reporters are waiting eagerly at the door. Security only allows media members an early entrance into the lobby, whose newspapers or news networks had accepted Marchen Inc.¡¯s invitations. Every other media member was refused at the front door with the candid response, ¡°Please blame your Editor¡¯s for the situation. No other media groups shall be permitted inside,¡± before firmly shutting the doors into the dismayed faces of the reporters. While the news caster¡¯s crew sets up their cameras in the lobby and prepared themselves. The reporters for the papers take pictures with their cameras and marvel at the elegant lounge filled with expensive, original artworks and comfy chairs. Despite lacking any persons in line, the personnel of Marchen Inc. is already seated at their transaction and exchange posts. More than one media member suddenly finds themselves smitten with the most charming personnel of Marchen Inc. Auction House. By 9:15 a.m. the regular and rather curious citizens of Emerald City line up and wait for the grand opening. The event of this morning had been an utter success that the line of civilians was already stretched around the block. Those in line gape at the magnificent building that gleams and rises into the sky.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. By 9:30 the first of the guests begin to arrive and pull up to the front doors. The crowd and gapes in awe at the guests emerging from within. The media outside almost chokes with despair at seeing who was getting out of the car. It was the Patriarch and Matriarch of the Light and Shadows Elven Clan. It was almost impossible to gain ahold of them even the government had difficulty. It had been over 30 years since the leaders of this Elven Clan had been seen by the public! The reporters curse their editors as the front doors part and Miss Reed in an elegant gray suit personally welcomes the couple inside. The couple graciously takes a seat on a couch as Miss Reed apologizes and says, ¡°Sorry, but I cannot allow anyone to enter before 10 a.m.¡± Silver hair middle-aged with a pair of silver eyes and dashingly handsome elven features, the patriarch hides a smile and softly replies, ¡°Well, you did pay through the nose for our appearance. I was shocked when you called me, but business is business. But I must admit I was even more stunned by the gracious gift, you presented in accompaniment of the payment. Just how did you get your hands on such a lovely healing potion recipe?¡± ¡°Now, now, Orion, I paid quite the tidy sum in exchange for your presence. For me to answer that same question, I would require payment which would entail free supplies for the next five years at least,¡± Miss Reed retorted. Patriarch Orion chokes as his twin sister, a beauty with dark hair and equally dark eyes Matriarch Titania calmly pats her twin on the back to ease his coughing fit. ¡°You¡¯re a wily one. I can¡¯t manage what you exchanged, but it must have been something of great value to gain access to the list of the government¡¯s private suppliers. In retrospect, I understand, you made a daring, but wise move. Not only would this single move offer you flexibility and stability, but it would give you exactly what you wanted. And that is to have the backing of powers your enemies would never even dream of touching much less insulting. You¡¯re quite clever for a human, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Matriarch Titania remarked. Miss Reed nods in acceptance of the accurate statement. ¡°Excuse me, I have to see to the other guests,¡± Miss Reed said as politely extracted herself out of the sticky situation. The two Elven twins watch Miss Reed go with an interest in their eyes as they observe the guests arrive. Orion chokes again at spotting the new characters arriving as Titania once more pats her brother on the back. By 9:40, the reporters were drooling and going mad at all the juicy news unable to decide what to write or who to capture first. Excluding the Elven brother and sister duo, there were two other wonderful powerhouse individuals in attendance, Princess Aurora from the Isle of Women and the Dijin of Tabari. Rumors had spread at lightning speed anyone who had an invitation to the event was rushing to attend. Even those who were seen as enemies decided it would be in their interests to personally attend the event. And with all the major players in attendance, the chess board was set and board pieces set up in such a way that they unknowingly were already in Check. * Chapter 20.2 – Grand Opening â…¡ The car is deadly silent as the four passengers arrive at the front door of Marchen Inc. Auction House. The time was 9:58 a.m. and in scare few minutes the Auction House would open. Mr. Nazari emerges first and aides Wistari out of the car, while Tassarion exits the other side with Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore expertly narrows his eyes at the crowd outside and lets out a sigh. They had vastly underestimated the cunningness of their rival. The incident of this morning had only served to prove that. But even more worrying, Solink had yet to report anything. Mr. Moore nods at the media outside of the doors and leads the way inside. Mr. Moore stiffens at seeing all the front lobby filled with every individual of power in Emerald City. But what causes him to stiffen even more is upon spotting the four seated individuals: Patriarch Orion and Matriarch Titania of the Light and Shadows Elven Clan, Princess Aurora from the Isle of Women and lastly, the Dijin of Tabari. Mr. Nazari lets out a low whistle as Wistari openly gapes and Tassarion¡¯s eyes bulge in disbelief. Before they can make their way over to that group the figure of Miss Reed is seen emerging from the elevator. The room goes silent as Miss Reed politely smiles and says, ¡°Welcome to Marchen Inc. Auction House and thank you for joining us on opening day. All those with invitations have access to the 2nd floor and 3rd floor. Naturally, our facilities have a top of line restaurant on the 3rd floor and we invite all to enjoy a free meal on the house. Chef Julius Child has prepared a special menu for all of you to enjoy. We shall also be holding an auction in an hour within our auction hall on the 3rd floor. We invite for those that can to participate and for those that can¡¯t to simply enjoy the show.¡± Miss Reed calmly invites the four-person group to go up with her first. As soon as the elevators close, the group pushes forward to go up in the other five elevators. The elevator is packed to the brim as they go up to the 2nd floor. With the last of the invited guests going up the elevator the first of the lined-up civilians are permitted to enter in an orderly fashion. The civilians gawk at the elegance and wealth as the security at the elevator calmly explains, that all members without invitation are only permitted to enter the 2nd floor. The 3rd floor is currently restricted but shall be open to the public another day. The civilians are made to wait ten minutes in the lobby area giving those with invitation an opportunity to go up to the 3rd floor before the civilians are permitted inside. * Mr. Moore snorts unhappily, but nonetheless with relief emerges from the metal cattle cart with his three associates. The four frowned upon seeing the enormous showcase room on the second floor. The entire room was perfect giving a feeling of luxurious wealth. Hundreds of items were housed behind anti-theft magical glass on stands or against the walls in shelves. The rest of the items for sale such as potions or ingredients were stored in a storage room behind the checkout counters.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. On the upper walls of the floor, large glass plasma screens flashed items for sale and showcased their price. Wistari immediately steps forward and halts before a small case at the very front of the room that housed three vials. The 1st vial is a clear glowing white liquid in a regular square vial. The 2nd vial is a heart-shaped vial and is filled with a glowing pink liquid. And the 3rd vial is in the shape of a round container and is filled with a glowing blue liquid. Wistari lets out a breath as she reads the descriptions of the potions for sell below and their price. (High-Class Healing Potion, $150,000. Bellea, $100. Vamoose Swhirl, $100. To purchase please head to the front counter, thank you!) Her three associates join and let out low hisses of breath. Mr. Nazari tentatively asks, ¡°Are the descriptions stated for real? Are these potions really a healing potion, a beauty potion, and hair straightening potion?¡± Wistari dully nods her head in disbelief. ¡°Yes, the power emitted from them is real enough. And even uncertain as I am, I doubt the government would allow a government-affiliated auction house to sell potions that aren¡¯t true to their word,¡± Wistari faintly replied. Mr. Moore eyes the potions with an understanding that game had completely changed from underneath them. Many would scoff at the cheap price, but that was exactly the con. If they did exactly what they said, the amount of money that Marchen Inc. would rake in would be unimaginable. The group moves on and with cold hearts of relief finding rare advertised potions for sale at their regular prices. Finished studying the room, the group goes up just as the civilians are allowed into the showroom. And as soon as the potions Bellea and Vamoose Swhirl were spotted the masses of men and woman dived for the counter. No one wanted to find out the potions were sold out when they had a rare chance to impress friends, family, and lovers. The four associates into a large open area. On their left is an exquisitely decorated restaurant with the most delicious of smells being emitted from the diner¡¯s food at the table as the diners gaze out the glass windows at the view below. However, to their right is a large golden door that is wide open to allow a glimpse into the lavish red carpeted auction house inside. Mr. Nazari licks his lips as he eyes the restaurant with open interest. Mr. Moore coldly says, ¡°Not now. We must gain a proper seat in the auction hall. You can eat afterward.¡± Mr. Nazari visibly wilts at Mr. Moore¡¯s words but does as he is told and follows. The four associates glance into the theatre type hall that has rich red cushioned seats on the ground floor with private balcony seating available for privacy or VIP¡¯s. One of the balconies is occupied, no doubt with the four VIP¡¯s. The four associates take a seat in the middle and wait as the auction hall swiftly fills up. Soon, the auction would begin, and everything would be finally revealed. * Chapter 20.3 – Grand Opening â…¢ Izo¡¯s face hurts from smiling as she greets civilians and guests. Izo perks up as she finally spots Sarah and Valentine. Izo politely excuses herself and happily rushes over to them. ¡°What took you so long? I thought for a moment, that you weren¡¯t coming,¡± Izo breathlessly stated. Sarah frowns and points her head in Valentine¡¯s direction. ¡°Someone forgot their wallet at home, we had to go back to get it,¡± Sarah Carpenter unhappily stated. Izo giggles and says, ¡°I thought that would be the case.¡± Izo pauses and frowns, ¡°But, what why were you at his place this morning?¡± Sarah flushes and hastily says, ¡°Never mind that! Are these the potions you were telling us about?¡± Izo nods her heads in reply at Sarah, who happily heads to the counter to buy a bottle of each. As soon as Sarah leaves Izo whips her head around and narrows her eyes at Valentine. Valentine nervously stammers, ¡°Sarah stayed over last night, but nothing happened, I swear!¡± Izo continues to study Valentine, but seeing Valentine quivering in fear before her, convinces Izo that was the case. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll believe you this time. But you know it wouldn¡¯t have bothered me if you guys took your relationship to the next level. It¡¯s not any of my business anyway. I just don¡¯t like being blatantly lied to,¡± Izo commented. Valentine flushes as Sarah returns and stares with curiosity at those two. ¡°What did I miss?¡± Sarah asked. Izo smiles evilly and says, ¡°Oh, nothing, that matters. Now, why don¡¯t you enjoy the meal in the restaurant? It¡¯s a five-star meal and it¡¯s free.¡± Sarah beams and whispers, ¡°I love you, Izo. And if you were a guy, I would totally marry you.¡± Valentine lets out an indignant squawk at that comment as Sarah happily drags Valentine away in search of prey¡­. food. Izo glances across the crowd and smiles at spotting Dolores and her date, Berry. Dolores waves back and points at her invitation and motions that later she will go up. Izo nods and heads across the room towards the elevator. ¡°Oh, we meet again, Miss Reed,¡± a sweet young woman chimed. Izo halts in her tracks and turns to face the speaker, Mary. Mary beams at Izo as Izo politely replies, ¡°Yes, so we meet again, Miss? I am sorry, I cannot recall ever being properly introduced. Please remind me of your name again?¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Mary smile stiffens as she replies, ¡°I¡¯m Mary Sue, pleased to formally meet you, Miss Reed.¡± Before Izo can say anything else, a golden-haired young man darts from the crowd. ¡°Oh, there you are, Mary, we were worried you had gotten lost,¡± Alexander worriedly stated. From behind him, two other young men emerge, Eric with dark hair and gray eyes and Kendall with fiery red hair and green eyes. All the young men stiffen at spotting the woman who was also looked and was named, Izo. Mary smiles warmly up at them as Izo senses a faint mana presence in the air. Frowning, Izo decides to try out a skill, ¡°Aura Eater.¡± Wordlessly chanting under her breath, Izo feels her shadow grow and suddenly engulf Mary¡¯s shadow. A series of emotions and images rush through Izo¡¯s mind until only a single clear image is left. A younger Mary glares at Izo Lee and whispers under her breath, ¡°I will destroy her.¡± Izo blinks with surprise at the hidden revelation. So, it hadn¡¯t all been a coincidence after all? And if that was the case, Izo had promised to avenge the other Izo and Izo would keep her word. Curious, Izo casts Aura Eater on the three young men and almost chokes at the revelations. Eric frowns at seeing the frown on this other Izo¡¯s face. ¡°Excuse me, is there a problem?¡± Eric coldly asked. Izo swallows her surprise down and narrows her eyes at Eric¡¯s tone of voice. ¡°My apologies I was merely distracted. As I stated before Mary Sue, it was nice to meet you again. But I am late, and I must take my leave. Please have a good day,¡± Izo curtly said, before turning away in thought. ¡°How rude,¡± Kendall muttered at the retreating figure of that woman. Mary flashes Kendall and every one of them thankfully smiles in gratitude of their kind gestures. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry for my sake, she was most kind to me. But it does seem as though she is busy. How about we take a closer look at the beauty potions over there?¡± Mary Sue exclaimed as she pointed in that direction. The young men smile in agreement and do as they are told. Mary happily lets out a laugh of delight and moves towards the counter to purchase said items. Alexander sighs and says, ¡°Too bad, we don¡¯t¡¯ have an invitation or else, I would take Mary up to the 3rd floor. I heard there is a 5-Star restaurant on the 3rd floor. However, thankfully, the 3rd floor will be open soon to all.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your father get an invitation?¡± Kendall asked. ¡°Yes, but dad threw out the invitation the day he got it. Sadly, dad, now bitterly regrets that hasty decision, but there¡¯s nothing to be done now,¡± Alexander replied. Kendall nods in understanding as the same situation had happened in his own home. Eric quietly interjects, ¡°I think, maybe, Kendall, maybe right after all.¡± ¡°Wait, I am? About what?¡± Kendall asked. ¡°About this Izo being Izo Lee. The way she was frowning is much too similar to Izo Lee. It can¡¯t be just a coincidence,¡± Eric commented. ¡°I knew it! And you all thought I was crazy,¡± Kendall proudly stated. Alexander¡¯s blue eyes grow cold at Eric¡¯s words. ¡°If that is the case, we will make sure to reveal her true self,¡± Alexander firmly declared. Eric and Kendall nod their heads in solemn agreement and begin to plot on just how to do so. * Chapter 20.4 – Grand Opening â…£ Exactly on the hour, the auction begins, a short, thin young man with white cat ears and tail smiles innocently at the gathered group. Something about the young man¡¯s adorable looks that are like an innocent child¡¯s touches the hearts of all of the female members of the audience. ¡°Hello everyone, I¡¯m your auction host, Benjamin Button. Please take care of me,¡± Benjamin said as he bowed to the crowd. The female members let out a chorus of Aw¡¯s at the calculated gesture. Thomas, who is watching the scene snickers under his breath. Benjamin Button is half Neko-cat and half goblin. And as such, Benjamin was great with numbers. In fact, he was so good, he could make money out of nothing. The perfect con man in other words and which was the exact reason he had been selected for his current position to raise the price as much as possible for the auction hall. ¡°Mr. Vladimir, I believe Mrs. Fauna is looking for you,¡± a bone-chilling voice said in Thomas¡¯s ear. Thomas resists the urge to flinch as he slowly turns around with dread and spots Miss Reed, his boss. Thomas swallows and hastily apologizes, ¡°I was just on my way, Miss Reed,¡± before running away for his life. Izo blinks in surprise and hides a smile at the funny reaction of Thomas. Shaking her head, Izo leans against the wall to watch the show begin. Benjamin ear¡¯s twitch in excitement as he says, ¡°Thank you, everyone, for coming. Now, let¡¯s have our first item brought out!¡± A young woman in a ruby evening gown emerges holding out a simple club in her hands. Benjamin Button says, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, unlike most Auction Houses, we always present will start an auction with one of our best items first.¡± Some of the members of the audience let out breaths they were holding at recognizing the power level of the item. Others gape and others eagerly lean forward in impatience. ¡°Allow me to present, Grendel¡¯s Bludgeon an Epic level item,¡± Benjamin Button said and paused for the expected gasps to fill the air, before continuing, ¡°The stats are as follow: Strength S-Class Level, Dexterity A-Class Level, and Resistance A-Class Level.¡± Some of the seated members begin to salivate at the item¡¯s description, mostly the guild representatives in the audience. ¡°The skills are as follow, a single passive skill called Blood Thirst, that paralyzes the weak and stuns the strong. And an active skill, Mana Nullification, all magic spells including magic attacks only have a 13% damaging effect on the user. And that all attacks using said item, will have a 50% chance of being critical hits,¡± Benjamin Button slowly said causing some to lose the patience and others to swallow at the last skill. ¡°We will begin the starting bid at 1 million dollars,¡± Benjamin Button boldly declared. Immediately a man holds up his bidding number #10 and says, ¡°10 million.¡± ¡°10 million,¡± Benjamin said, before being interrupted. ¡°50 million,¡± a woman shirked. The number kept rising until finally, a guild representative shouted, ¡°250 million.¡± Izo pointedly glances at Benjamin Button who says, ¡°Going once, twice, sold to the Guild for 250 million dollars. All items will be delivered or available for pick up after the auction.¡± Despite the item not even selling at half of its overall value, Izo was pleased. She wanted the guild to owe her a favor and know it. The young woman walks off the stage as a pretty nymph walks on stage holding a magical staff in her hands. The crowd excitedly waits for Benjamin Button to describe the item for auction. ¡°A rare moonlight staff made by the Elves of Kilmore,¡± Benjamin Button stated causing the crowd to gasp. The Elves of Kilmore were a legend among Elves as an ancient power who had vanished without a trace. All that was left of the once mighty civilization were their ancient powerful relics. Izo hides her dark smile. She had to pay through the nose to get Orion and his sister, Titania to appear at the auction house. Now she would finally be able to get some of that money back.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°The stats are as follow Magic Power A-Class Level and Vitality B-Class Level. Skills are: one single passive skill, Nocturnal, all magic power is boosted by 10% during night time and during full moons, there is an added 20% added a magical critical attack. The active skill is, Lunar Barrage, all mana attacks have 5% added magic attack with allies receiving up to 10% added magic attacking power,¡± Benjamin Button carefully said causing the crowd to be in an impatient frenzy. ¡°Now, let us begin the bid at 1 million,¡± Benjamin Button said. The screams of bids come in despite the item being of less rarity value than Grendel¡¯s Bludgeon. Items of Kilmore were often rare, but even rarer were items that boosted magic power to that degree. A woman¡¯s bidding vote from the VIP lounge silences everyone, ¡°500 million dollars.¡± The room is silent as Benjamin Button gleefully says, ¡°Sold to the VIP in the lounge!¡± Izo quietly cackles to herself imaging the pale stricken face of Orion. But what could he do? Titania specialized in the magic of the shadows and this would be the perfect staff for her. Cheerfully smiling to herself, Izo makes her way down the rows towards the middle seats. Benjamin Button announces the next item, ¡°A rare crossbow made by the Centaurs of Ixion.¡± Once more gasps fill the auction hall as he continues, ¡°Dexterity A-Class Level and Luck B-Class Level. Skills are as follow: a passive skill, Spiral, all arrows have an added 7% more accuracy. And active skill, Venom, there is a 5% poison effect that can stack up to dealing 30% damage.¡± The bids once more start pouring in at not just finding a rare crossbow item with added luck stats but an item that can stack bonus damage attacks. The bids fill the air as Izo takes a seat next to Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore nods and says, ¡°Touche, Miss Reed, it would appear you have won this round.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve won the war, Mr. Moore. How long, do you think you will be able to hold onto your bases? I can assure you, I know more people than you would think and just as powerful as those that are here today. So, what shall you do?¡± Izo asked. Mr. Moore sighs and says, ¡°It would appear it¡¯s our loss. In that case, what would you have us do?¡± The other three associates frown uneasily at Mr. Moore¡¯s words. ¡°I have no interest in joining your organization, but I am also aware, that if I let you go like this, there will come a day when you will stab me in the back. That is exactly what people like you do,¡± Izo flatly stated. ¡°Also, true,¡± Mr. Moore calmly stated. ¡°In that case allow me to make a different kind of proposal,¡± Izo replied. ¡°Oh? Please go on, Miss Reed,¡± Mr. Moore murmured. Izo pauses as Benjamin Button declares the item sold and moves on to the next item for sale. ¡°I wish to enter into a partnership with your group regarding your information system. I wish to purchase and control information. And in exchange, I will allow for the high-level healing and beauty potions to be sold at your auction houses for a percentage of the profit of course,¡± Izo proposed. Mr. Moore ponders the proposal and asks, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad offer, but I am not entirely convinced. What do you gain out of such a partnership?¡± ¡°Plausible deniability,¡± Izo matter-of-factly answered. Mr. Moore chuckles at the firm reply. ¡°It would appear that you are a girl after my own heart, Miss Reed,¡± Mr. Moore replied. ¡°Very well, you have yourself a deal. I suppose I should have my lawyer get in contact with yours to sign the papers?¡± ¡°Let me guess, your lawyer is Mr. White?¡± Izo drily asked. ¡°That is indeed correct, Miss Reed,¡± Mr. Moore said. Izo nods and climbs to her feet, when Mr. Moore asks, ¡°Miss Reed, are any of the auction items to still be auctioned increase the vitality of a man?¡± His three-associated choke at the question being asked. Izo eyes Mr. Moore and carefully replies, ¡°There is one item called, Grendel¡¯s Loincloth. But I wouldn¡¯t recommend it given its origins. Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of gifting it to my son-in-law for his birthday, what do you think?¡± Mr. Moore asked. A lazy grin appears on Izo¡¯s face and says, ¡°I think it will be a fitting present.¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± Mr. Moore said with a great deal of satisfaction, before turning back to auction. Izo nods her three other new partners, before walking up the rows. ¡°I think that was a bad move,¡± Mr. Smith commented into Izo¡¯s ear. ¡°Yes, well, I didn¡¯t want to go to war over something like this. Besides, isn¡¯t it better to keep your enemies close?¡± Izo murmured back. ¡°Yes, but not when dealing with snakes. But don¡¯t worry Miss Reed, I shall keep them in line,¡± Mr. Smith confidently said, before going off line. Izo warily nods at that comment. Given Mr. Smith¡¯s previous profession, that would come as no surprise to her. Especially dealing with said gangsters wouldn¡¯t be a scary threat to a former villain¡¯s henchmen like Mr. Smith, because to be truthful Mr. Smith, was far scarier than any gangster. Which made Izo wonder, just how Thomas came to know him, since Thomas was the one who recommended Mr. Smith in the first place. Not that she was complaining, but villains aren¡¯t usually at the top of one¡¯s mind as potential candidates to fulfill security voids. Izo waves at Sarah and Valentine who have claimed a table for Izo, Dolores, and a rather nervous Berry. Izo grins and rushes towards her friends. It was going to be a good day after all. * Chapter 20.5 – Grand Opening â…¤ By closing time, the employees of Marchen Inc. were all exhausted but satisfied with a hard day¡¯s work. The grand opening had been an utter success. Throughout Emerald City, the media groups that had accepted the invitations were showing off exclusive interviews and exclusive articles. The media groups that had been missed out on such an opportunity were berated for their failures. But even more importantly, a sudden craze swept throughout out Emerald City at the results of the beauty potions. Every woman in Emerald City now had to get their hands on the exclusive beauty products sold at Marchen Inc. To those in power within Emerald City, they were suddenly shocked to learn that the association of auction houses had a new member, Izo Reed. The powerhouses assumed the success in part was due to the other owners aiding their new member. Even better all formal threats and opposition against Marchen Inc. simply vanished in a single day as if it had never happened in the first place. Unlike everyone else, who could go home for the night at Marchen Inc., Izo was in for a long night with her clones in the basement to create enough supply for the demand of beauty potions. Not to mention, Izo had to create added stock to place in the other auction houses. * Mr. Noir tiredly leaves his office for the day and heads home, when he receives a call from one of his patrons. ¡°Yes, Mr. Lee?¡± Mr. Noir asked. ¡°How was it?¡± Mr. Lee enquired. ¡°The grand opening went perfectly well as promised and is a smashing success. Miss Reed even solved the issue with the other auction houses on her own. Miss Reed is now an official member of the Auction House Association. I do believe everything has been taken care of to your satisfaction, sir,¡± Mr. Noir commented.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Mr. Lee lets out a pleased sigh and says, ¡°Unfortunately, my wife and I weren¡¯t able to attend due to that business deal in place. But as soon as we are in Emerald City, we shall stop their first.¡± ¡°I am sure, Miss Reed will be delighted to give you a tour once you arrive,¡± Mr. Noir dutifully stated. ¡°Yes, I am sure,¡± Mr. Lee happily said, before ending the call. Mr. Noir lets out a sigh of relief as he loosens his tie. It would nice to take a breather for a change without having Mr. Lee breathing down his neck. It was a hard job at times be a personal lawyer to such a powerful man. But with hard work, there always comes a reward. * Marchen Inc. was busy the following days as promised. The popularity of the beauty potions was so ridiculous that Izo had no choice that Izo resorted to using the ability Self-Substance but to no avail. Seeing no end to her work, Izo decided to pass recipe to her alchemists to work on in her stead and create the needed supply just to keep up with demand. By the end of that very first week, Marchen Inc. was supplying the potions overseas to the hungry masses. And thankfully thanks to the Auction House Association, Mr. Moore and associates took care of the retailers and shipping. Thankfully this allows Izo to be able to fully pay off her debt with ease and the promised interest. Mr. Noir swiftly took care of the entire affair to the relief of Izo. But despite being out of debt, there was a strange vibe in the air. Izo had a certain that something was about to happen. Maybe it was nothing but a gut feeling, but she wasn¡¯t able to shake off that uncertainty no matter what she did. It certainly didn¡¯t help matters when Izo dreamed about the pink jelly the night before. And nothing good ever comes from dreaming about a God, especially your own! * Chapter 21 – Emerald City Ball Emerald City was teeming with gossip on whether the mysterious owner of Marchen Inc. and Marchen Inc. Auction House, Miss Reed, would show up at the Emerald Ball that weekend. Despite the media coverage present at the grand opening not a single reporter or camera crew were able to capture a good image of Miss Reed. Any image taken was nothing but a blur. How was that even possible? But everyone waited with bated breaths for the enigmatic Miss Reed to appear. By 8 p.m. that evening of the Emerald Ball, the majority of the guests had arrived. The Emerald Ball officially began as the socialites mingled and climbed up the social status ladders. A group of young socialite¡¯s chat on the front hotel steps and giggle maliciously at seeing a taxi pull up in front of the steps of the hotel. The door opens, and a pointed black high heeled stiletto can be seen. A tall, thin woman with straight black hair emerges. Her military black uniform is perfectly tailored to her body. Her Italian black leather gloved hand shuts the taxi door having paid the driver. The taxi speeds off as the tall woman pauses to glance up at them. The girl¡¯s titters clamper off at the cold piercing gaze of the woman. The girls shiver violently with unease and swiftly scurry inside. The footman at the start of the steps opens his mouth to ask an invitation, but before he can the woman places the invitation into his hand. The footman glances at the invitation and his eyes widen at the name. The footman hastily says, ¡°Please allow me to accompany you inside, Miss Reed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Miss Reed flatly stated. The footman can only get out of Miss Reed¡¯s way as she climbs up the stairs and makes her way inside. Izo sighs to herself as she pauses at the entrance of the ballroom. Izo sees the teeming masses inside and lets out a tired sigh. Still sighing to herself, Izo strides into the ballroom and makes her way towards Mr. Moore and her associates. Izo comes to a halt as a figure bumps into her and spills a glass of punch all over her jacket. Izo frowns and glances at the young woman. A golden-haired young woman bites her lips and says, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Reed, I didn¡¯t see you standing there.¡± ¡°Do you need anything else, Mary Sue?¡± Izo asked as she removes her wet jacket and folds it into her arms to carry. Mary blinks her sky-blue eyes and tearfully says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Reed." ¡°I¡¯m not. Now excuse me, I am busy,¡± Izo replied without giving Mary a chance to react. Izo with great relief arrives next to Mr. Moore who is dressed in a full cowboy getup including a full-length leather coat with spurs on his cowboy boots. Izo raises an eyebrow and drily comments, ¡°Isn¡¯t that leather duster hot?¡± ¡°That exactly what I said,¡± Mr. Nazari murmured as he nursed a drink and was dressed as a Victorian-era rogue. Mr. Moore beams and says, ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± Izo and Mr. Nazari share the same look at Mr. Moore¡¯s cheerful reply. ¡°Ah, so you were able to make it? How charming, what are you even dressed as?¡± Wistari interrupted. Her revealing authentic nymph getup certainly turned more than one head in the crowd. ¡°A military officer,¡± Izo flatly replied. ¡°Let me guess, you came as a candy striper?¡± Mr. Nazari spits out his drink as Wistari glares hatefully at Izo. Mr. Moore ruefully grins and watches the show. To all their surprises, Tassarion intervenes. ¡°Now come dear, Miss Reed holds a point. That dress is much too revealing for a woman of your presence.¡± Wistari preens under Tassriona¡¯s coaxing words. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave you all to your petty officer,¡± Wistari said, before sashaying away in Tassarion¡¯s company. ¡°Do you think he likes her?¡± Izo asked no one in particular. ¡°Beats me what that arrogant elf thinks,¡± Mr. Nazari replied, before darting away upon spotting a beauty. Mr. Moore smiles and says, ¡°Ah, to be young again. Anyhow, my son-in-law just loved his gift. Please do let me know in advance if a similar item is to appear at your lovely auction, I can assure you I will buy it at full price value.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Will do,¡± Izo drily answered. Izo suddenly spots her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee in the crowd. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later then,¡± Izo mumbled, before moving towards her parents. Izo suddenly halts as Kendal steps in her way. ¡°Apologize!¡± Kendal growled. Izo frowns and says, ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I said, APOLOGIZE!¡± Kendal loudly demanded. It suddenly dawns on Izo as she glances behind her. Mary''s eyes are full of tears as she clings to Alexander¡¯s chest. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault really,¡± Mary pleaded. ¡°Of course, it is,¡± Eric coldly rerated. ¡°I believe there is a mistake here, I haven¡¯t done anything wrong to Mary Sue,¡± Izo truthfully declared. Kendal hisses, ¡°Enough of your lies, Izo! The very proof needed to prove your identity is your cruel actions towards Mary Sue! It is you, Izo, I know it is, and you¡¯re as hateful as ever!¡± Izo sighs and suddenly smiles evilly at Kendal causing him to take a step back. It was time for Izo to fulfill her promise to the other Izo. ¡°Please allow me to clarify the situation,¡± Izo cunningly said. Before Kendal can react Izo lets out a shrill whistle that pierces throughout the entire ballroom. The ballroom comes to a silence as everyone glances for the source of the whistle. ¡°Excuse me, may I have all of your attention,¡± Izo loudly exclaimed as the entire ballroom turns in their direction. By miraculous circumstances, Mary ceases to cry and innocently blinks around at the glances. A stern married couple in the balcony area frowns at the interruption and narrows their eyes at spotting their son and friends down below. ¡°My apologies, but I have an announcement to make. Please allow me to formally introduce myself, I am Izo Reed also known as Miss Reed,¡± Izo stated as the room is suddenly filled with whispers at her name. ¡°I am sure, some of you may recognize me as the owner of Marchen Inc. and Marchen Inc. Auction House,¡± Izo firmly added causing gasps to emerge from the crowd as Mary Sue pales in tragic understanding. The three young men stiffen as well as the knowledge of the identity of Izo Reed fully hits them. The couple in the balcony let out a hiss of air in fury understanding the reason for the current scene taking place before them. The couple¡¯s eyes narrow even further at spotting that girl who did not know her place hiding behind their son. The couple¡¯s nostrils flare at the travesty of the situation that was no doubt caused by that classless girl¡¯s actions. ¡°However, some of you may also recognize me, by my identical appearance to Izo Lee, the deceased daughter of the Lee couple. Please allow me to clarify the situation, I am indeed Izo¡¯s twin sister, Izo Reed. By coincidence of fate, I was stolen by a nurse from the hospital nursery, where we were born and by sheer coincidence named the exact same name as my twin sister. I was raised by that said nurse until I was ten years old. However, upon my parents, at last, finding me, they immediately reclaimed me. To protect my sister and me from the media, they hid my identity from the scrutiny of the media all of these years. Now that the truth is out in the open, everyone please enjoy the party and please continue to patronize Marchen Inc.¡± Izo loudly proclaimed. The ballroom is silent until a rain of applause fills the ballroom before a flood of hushed whispers fills the air. Turning back towards Kendall, Izo coldly declares, ¡°As I stated a prior time, young man, I do not take well to being confused for another. I should be demanding an apology from Mary Sue, who spilled a drink onto me. I am quite within my rights to ask reimbursements for this one of kind jacket. But I shall not as I do not wish to embarrass my business partners that are present. Do not take my actions of today as a kindness, I will remember today''s incident and will not be so kind next time we meet, I can assure you of that.¡± Izo doesn¡¯t wait for a reply and shoves Kendall out of her way. Izo makes her way to her happy parents as Mrs. Lee happily hugs her baby. Mr. Lee proudly says, ¡°Twins, huh?¡± Izo shrugs in reply as Mr. Lee nods in approval of his daughter¡¯s foresight. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you wanted to be Izo Reed? Well, I can live with that as long as you¡¯re my daughter again,¡± Mr. Lee firmly stated. Mrs. Lee releases Izo and with sparkly eyes asks, ¡°My dear, when will you gift your mother some of your beauty potions?¡± Izo begins to say, ¡°I don¡¯t-,¡± and stops mid-sentence at seeing the frantic gestures from Mr. Lee. ¡°I mean, I shall have the auction house ship out a crate of each beauty potion home for your personal use,¡± Izo swiftly said as Mr. Lee nods in relief at the crisis narrowly averted. ¡°Oh, good. Your mother could use a touch-up or two,¡± Mrs. Lee dramatically said. ¡°You¡¯re perfect the way you are, mom. You are by far the most beautiful woman in the ballroom,¡± Izo dutifully answered. Mrs. Lee happily flushes at the praise as Mr. Lee says, ¡°Now Mida, let our daughter enjoy herself, I¡¯m sure there are plenty of young men who wish to make your acquaintance.¡± Mrs. Lee smiles in excitement and shoos her daughter away with her hands. The couple watch Izo disappears into the crowd with pleasure. ¡°Do you think, our Izo will find someone tonight?¡± Mrs. Lee asked. ¡°Who knows, but if she does, I will ensure we know all there is to know about him,¡± Mr. Lee solemnly vowed. Mrs. Lee nods her head in approval and moves to greet friends. The guests and friends all congratulate the couple on having such a wonderful daughter. * Chapter 21.2 – Emerald City Ball â…¡ Mary is still in shock unable to comprehend how the situation had gotten out of control. Ever since she was a child, Mary had always had her promotions. They had always paved the way for her and aided her. However, ever since, Izo Reed had appeared, her premonitions began to go astray. The events that should have transpired upon contact with Izo did not unfold as they had been presented in her dreams. Why the punch bowl incident should have led Izo to create a huge public scene at the ball. But maybe the issue lay that the Izo before her was the wrong one, the twin sister of the original. And if so, for the first time in her life, Mary would be blind to the future. Mary feels a sense of dread come over her at the very thought and pales a bit. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mary, this is all my fault,¡± Kendall interjected. Mary glances up and sees the three young men glancing at her with worry. Mary composes herself and shakes her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s mine, I was the one who misunderstood Miss Reed,¡± Mary quietly replied. Alexander rushes in and says, ¡°Nonsense, you were not at fault. We¡¯re at fault for imposing our assumptions onto you and Miss Reed.¡± Before Mary can reply an older couple emerges from the crowd and halts. The man and woman are both handsome and cold faced. The couple coldly eyes Mary in dissatisfaction. ¡°Alexander, we are leaving for the evening,¡± Mrs. Brisbane flatly stated. Alexander opens his mouth to protest his mother¡¯s actions, when Mr. Brisbane coldly rerates, ¡°Do you think we missed your little show with the girl here? Do you know what your actions could have led to?! Not only is Miss Reed single-handedly one of the most powerful figures in Emerald City, but the missing twin daughter of the Lee Family! Do you have an idea the power the Lee family wields? We could be ruined with a single word from them!¡±Stolen novel; please report. Alexander wilts under his father¡¯s criticism and without care for embarrassment, Mrs. Brisbane grabs her son by the shoulder and drags him away. Mr. Brisbane snorts at Mary and icily says, ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of girls like you, innocent lilies who hide their teeth. If shall only warn you once, come near my son again, I will see you destroyed, young lady.¡± Without further reproach, Mr. Brisbane moves away rapidly planning to send his son far away the very next day. Mary trembles as Eric places his hand on her shoulder in comfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mary, we¡¯re still here for you,¡± Eric comfortingly said. Mary pales as a sense of fear begins to bloom in her very core as a vision of the future suddenly is forced onto herself. Mary blinks in confusion as she stares at the reflection of the woman in the mirror. The woman¡¯s long golden hair was long and messy cascading over her shoulders to cover her chest and lower body area. The young woman had delicate sky-blue eyes and sweet features. Her parted lips are rosebud pink as the young woman in an unconscious manner seductively wets her lips. The woman¡¯s slender, delicate body is naked and covered in hickeys and sexual bruising. There were soft leather chains around her wrists and ankles with a padded leather collar around her neck. The young woman feels her body tremble in wanton lust as she hears footsteps at the door. The mirror''s reflection shows the door behind her open to reveal two handsome young men, one with vibrant red hair and bright green eyes and the other dark haired with gray colored eyes. The young men in chorus chime, ¡°Honey, we¡¯re home.¡± One of the men begins to caress her body, while the other makes her moan with his kisses. Mary soundlessly opens her mouth to scream as the vision fades and everything darkens. Mary faints onto the floor as Kendall and Eric with worry and great carry her away to rest. Tragically that would be the last time the world ever saw poor Mary Sue. Some would go on to whisper she ran away and others would whisper darker things, that Mary Sue had become a kept pet. However, the general world would never know of Mary Sue¡¯s fate and it was better that way. * Chapter 21.3 – Emerald City Ball â…¢ Izo is unable to hide her dark smile at seeing Mary being carried away. It wasn¡¯t that she truly wished Mary Sue harm, but those two guys were clearly full-blown sociopaths. It had been so easy to figure out their hidden dark desires with her skill, Aura-Eater. It wasn¡¯t as if Mary was going to die, probably not in retrospect. Besides, that¡¯s what you get for leading a bunch of guys around by the nose. One of them always gets you in the end. Izo glances down at her military jacket that is mostly dry and puts it back on. A piercing gaze causes Izo¡¯s hackles to rise. Izo glances around to meet the gaze of a premature silver-haired, middle-aged man with his hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. There are dark circles under his grayish eyes and he has sunken cheekbones from his thin weight. His long beige coat is loose on his thin frame as a warm, red scarf is neatly tied around his neck despite the warm weather. The man leans against his cane, before turning around and limping away. Izo is about to turn away when she feels a strange pulse in her hand as if gesturing her to follow. Unease Izo heads towards the doorway as the eerie feeling increases. Izo halts in the doorway and searches for the forty-year-old man with spectacles, but only spots the middle-aged man¡¯s figure darting around the corner. Izo cautiously jogs after the figure to turn around the corner and find the hallway completely empty. The soft echo of a door closing further down the hallway can be heard. Izo¡¯s hand instinctively twitches and tries to summon the World Tree Scythe to her side. Izo forces her hand to relax as she stretches her senses to the limit, but is unable to sense anything. Which was odd in retrospect, because Izo hadn¡¯t been able to senses anything from that older man. With trepidation, Izo walks down the hallway until she reaches the only door in the middle of the hallway. With great care, she reaches for the doorknob and pulls the door open. The middle-aged man is waiting calmly inside leaning against his cane for aid. ¡°Why hello, Miss Reed it is a pleasure to meet you. Please allow me to clearly state the reason for my presence here today. I am here to discuss a very profitable proposal with you,¡± The man calmly said with a warm smile on his face. Every fiber of Izo screams to run as Izo realizes exactly what the familiar feeling she had been feeling was, it was fear. It was the same dangerous feeling felt emitted from the demon king that shook her to her very bones. Izo cautiously remains in the doorway and carefully replies, ¡°Thank you for your gracious visit, but what exactly is that you are proposing?¡± ¡°First, please allow me to introduce myself, I am known as Teir and I am a humble servant of Loki,¡± Teir calmly replied and paused to gauge her reaction. Izo maintains her usual poker face and does not react. Failing to gain a notable reaction, Teir continues, ¡°My master had heard of an ancient chaos god of old that has recently been reborn. But even as a newborn god, the chaos had already chosen an envoy. Naturally, I was sent here to meet and greet said chosen envoy that had merited such a wonderful turn of events.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Izo hides her frown and takes a step forward, but pauses to close the door firmly behind her. With her back against the door, Izo asks, ¡°How do you know I am a new envoy?¡± ¡°How wonderful, it would appear I was the first to properly greet you. Regarding your question simply glance down at your hand,¡± Teir exclaimed. Izo glances down at her leather gloved hand and is surprised to see a tiny glowing pink jelly shaped mark that is somehow shining through her leather glove. Izo subtly glances at Teir¡¯s hand to find a faint black-blue glowing mark of a snake eating its own tail. ¡°I assume only envoys can see the envoy mark, am I correct?¡± Izo drily remarked. ¡°That is indeed correct. Now, that I have answered your question, I am here with a proposal from my master for the chosen envoy of the old one. My master wishes for the new envoy to join our faction, the Chaos Faction,¡± Teir matter-of-factly stated. Izo narrows her eyes in understanding and flatly replies, ¡°Not with so little information, no. First, answer my questions.¡± ¡°Very well, go ahead and ask.¡± ¡°How many factions are there? And if so, what are they?¡± ¡°There are only two factions in existence, Chaos, and Harmony. Chaos is all that is disorder and Harmony is all that is order. The two factions are not limited to simple categories such as black or white or even that of good and evil. A fair example is a mortal organization known as the Nazi¡¯s. Adolf Hitler was a chosen envoy of the order of Harmony, who wished to create supreme order in the world. And naturally, the faction of Chaos interred and destroyed the envoy of Harmony.¡± Izo almost chokes at the revealed information and uneasily says, ¡°And what if I choose to join neither sides?¡± ¡°That is not possible, everyone always chooses a side,¡± Teir matter-of-factly stated. Izo is silent for a minute before giving tactfully answering, ¡°I must first consult with my god to be certain of which side he wishes to take. I apologize for my indecisiveness, but for now, I am unable to accept thy generous offer.¡± ¡°I see, what bad luck,¡± Teir regretfully murmured, before snapping his fingers. Izo instinctively mutters something under her breath as a sharp blade pierces through Izo¡¯s chest. Izo chokes on a mouthful of blood and falls to the floor in a pool of blood as her body ceases to breathe and grows still. A young man with tawny hair and dark eyes sighs as he removes his black spear from the corpse. ¡°That¡¯s why I hate newbies, they never listen for their own good,¡± Teir sadly muttered out loud. ¡°But did you have to be so heartless, Strife?¡± Teir pointedly added. The young man with the black spear shrugs innocently in reply. ¡°Now, now, Teir, this is for the best. Many of the old gods have begun to reawaken and be reborn. It won¡¯t be long before the lines of the factions are redrawn once more,¡± Strife cheerfully replied. Teir eyes the envoy of Ares who innocently twirls his black spear in his hand. Teir frowns and says, ¡°Are you certain she is dead?¡± ¡°Yes, the corpse has no pulse nor is it breathing, so she¡¯s definitely dead. But if you¡¯re worried,¡± Strife paused and stabs the corpse once more through the chest. ¡°There satisfied?¡± Strife innocently asked. Teir snorts and says, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two men disappear in a cloud of darkness leaving only a single corpse in the room that won¡¯t be discovered until tomorrow. They had done their job and it was time to go home. * Chapter 21.4 – Emerald City Ball â…£ Izo glances around as she finds herself in darkness. The last thing she remembered was activating the skill, Hibernation. Too bad, she didn¡¯t know how long the skill would last. Hopefully, no one discovered her dead-like body, before she came back to life. Izo suddenly finds herself standing in a room with a roaring fireplace. Izo warily glances around as an elegantly dressed gentlemen motions for Izo to take a seat. Izo hesitantly takes a seat in the armchair as blackbird feathers fall into her lap. Izo glances up and spots two ravens staring down at her from their perch above. Before Izo can react the pink jelly suddenly slams into Izo¡¯s chest and nestles happily there. Izo tries to remove the pink jelly, but the pink jelly eyes been to fill with tears as it cries out, ¡°Mama?¡± The old man visibly chokes out loud as Izo nervously says, ¡°It¡¯s just a nickname.¡± The pink jelly happily purrs in contentment as Izo gives up on prying it off her chest. ¡°So, where am I? I¡¯m not dead, am I?¡± Izo curiously asked. ¡°No, the blessings of your god ensured that you yet live and will continue to do so for now. However, you were rather lucky, considering your unfortunate luck in coming across those two envoys from the chaos faction. At present, you are in a dream world, limbo, if you will. And seeing as you were per say away from your body, I thought that we could have a chance to speak and your god- greatly wanted to see you again,¡± The older man drily commented. Izo avoids staring at the old man¡¯s face as the older gentlemen asked, ¡°Why does the ancient god, Cthulhu, call you mama?¡± Izo wryly replies, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but that¡¯s what he-. Wait, what gender is Cthulhu?¡± ¡°Male technically.¡± ¡°Right. As I was saying, I¡¯m not sure why, but that¡¯s what he¡¯s always called me ever since our first meeting.¡± The older gentlemen leaned back in his armchair and mused out loud, ¡°How interesting. Do you know who I am, child?¡± ¡°Your crows gave you away, you¡¯re Odin, God of War and Death, and the God of Wisdom and Poetry,¡± Izo carefully answered. ¡°Yes, that is correct, not many remember my second set of titles. So, you turned joining down the chaos factions, why?¡± Odin asked. Izo is silent for a moment, before carefully replying, ¡°Because both factions are evil. I am certain that Harmony is supposed to represent good, but the irony is that the Harmony is just as evil as Chaos. Both factions simply do whatever it is they want in the name of their faction¡¯s orders as mortal life is nothing but a giant board game for them.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Odin nods his head thoughtfully and asks, ¡°Interesting, then what would you do?¡± ¡°Create a new faction that represents neither Harmony nor Chaos. Instead, that faction strives to keep the balance between both factions to protect humanity from their twisted games,¡± Izo resolutely replied. Odin smiles and says, ¡°An excellent answer from the chosen envoy of Cthulhu and one that I expected no less. Cthulhu and I are also in agreement with that statement as are several others who will shortly be joining us.¡± With a snap of his fingers, eight more chairs appear at Odin¡¯s side with figures already seated. Izo studies the seated figures from right to left, the 1st figure is a green haired woman with antlers emerging from her head and is wearing a long dress. The 2nd is a fiery red-haired woman with stylish tattoos in style of the Dia de Los Muertos on her face. The 3rd is a handsome man with blue hair and eyes that glitter with a roughish glint to them. The 4th is a large muscled older man with long white hair and beard in a biker gang¡¯s style. The 5th is a fine-featured, tan-skinned man with dark circles under his eyes. The 6th is a blue-skinned beauty with dark hair and four arms. The 7th is a tanned teenage girl with cat hears on the top of her head. And the final 8th member is a gorgeous blue-skinned man with a bow and arrows in his lap.¡± ¡°Allow me to start from right to left, Rhiannon, the Goddess of Earth and Nature. Chantico, the Goddess of Fire and Mystical Creatures. Neptune, the God of Water and the Seas. Helios, the God of Light and Justice. Osiris, the God of Death and Rebirth. Kali, the Goddess of Battle and the Hunt. Bast, the Goddess of Darkness and Magic. And lastly, Kamadeva, the God of Love and Beauty,¡± Odin proudly declared. ¡°Including myself and Cthulhu that makes ten of us.¡± Izo glances around and asks, ¡°Not to be rude, but where are the other envoys?¡± ¡°The rest of the Gods including myself have yet to choose our own envoys as we didn¡¯t want to reveal our plans early on. But now, that Chaos Faction has made their first move, we shall, in turn, commence acting as well,¡± Odin flatly stated. The group of Gods nods to each other in faint greeting as they rise to their feet. The pink jelly gently pushes off from Izo¡¯s chest and darts towards the gods as thy form a circle. A giant, glowing circle of light appears beneath them as Odin in a booming voice says, ¡°We Gods of old asked the Universe to witness our vows. And now we once more ask, the Universe to witness our actions of today as we forevermore break our ties and sworn oaths to that of Harmony and Chaos!¡± ¡°So, mote be, let our oaths be unspoken,¡± murmured the Gods in unison. A blast of light spreads from the center the circle like a giant ripple and ripples across the very space of time and onward throughout the universe. The gods of the two factions faintly sense the disturbance in the universe with frowns or obvious interest in some cases. ¡°We establish a new faction, Fable,¡± Odin declared. ¡°We swear eternal allegiance to each other by the bonds of brotherhood. Let out our oaths be witnessed and be spoken throughout the Universe,¡± the Gods once more firmly declared. A second wave bursts out from the circle as the gods of the two factions are shocked by the emergence of a new faction. It was impossible given their vast network and yet the unexpected had exactly occurred. The ancient old gods that had been biding their time suddenly awaken from their ancient slumbers to join the new faction. Suddenly, alliance lines are redrawn in the space of seconds as new and old gods leave their old factions to join the newly created faction. It was the dawn of a new era. * Chapter 21.5 – Emerald City Ball â…¤ The light fades away from the circle as Izo nervously blinks trying to clear her blinded sight. After a while, Izo is able to marginally see with bright stars in her eyes. Glancing down at her hand, Izo notices that the jelly shaped mark on her hand is now glowing a deep crimson red. Glancing back up, Izo notices that the rest of the deities are gone except for Odin and the pink jelly. The pink jelly tiredly swims towards her and nestles into her lap to rest. Izo glances at Odin as he leans heavily on his cane, before falling into his seat. Odin notices Izo¡¯s perturbed stare and says, ¡°We used up a great deal of our stored power to declare our new faction. We will retire for a time to the god realm to recuperate. Do you have any last questions, for our time is short?¡± ¡°What color are Harmony¡¯s representative¡¯s marks? Secondly, are there are any other envoys in my current world? And most importantly, could I return to my original world and destroy the goddess, who cursed me?¡± Izo breathlessly asked. ¡°Your first two questions are easy to answer, Harmony¡¯s envoy¡¯s marks glow as a bright silver. And at the moment, you are the only current envoy present on your world. All envoys have been recalled back to the godly realm as the two factions decide their next move. You shall be safe for a time from those chosen envoys, but that does not mean that envoys shall not be chosen from your world. Many Gods who have yet to choose an envoy and they may very well come one from your world,¡± Odin gravely replied. ¡°However, I am afraid that your third question is not so easy to answer. For you see, it is impossible to return you to your original world. The minor God overseeing your original world was forced to rectify the loss by erasing your existence and replacing your loss with another child. Your parents or anyone for that matter have no memory of your existence. The same applies to your colleagues who were forcibly summoned as well, they will all be given the chance to be reborn once more. The minor Goddess in question, Elwyn, who performed the forced the summoning has since been recalled back to the godly realms to be dealt with. Her powers of administration over that world have since been revoked and she has returned to the Godly planes to serve her master, Aphrodite,¡± Odin said. Izo quietly clenches her teeth together in anger before trusting herself to speak, ¡°So, it is impossible for me to return, after all, well, that is expected. For my friends to be given a chance that is kind as well. But that witch gets off with a light slap? That I cannot forgive.¡± Izo¡¯s eyes glow with a cold darkness as she bitterly adds, ¡°So, what do I have to do have the limit removed off my stats to kill her?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Odin almost moves back at the fury contained in the envoy¡¯s eyes. Odin thoughtfully studies Cthulhu for a moment in deep thought. Anyone that the God of Madness chose as an envoy would certainly carry that same madness within themselves after all. After a moment, Odin carefully answers, ¡°There may be an opportunity to do so in the future, but first I need your solemn vow to stay your hand until it is time to do so? Can you solemnly vow to obey this command?¡± ¡°Yes, but I except for you to hold your end of the bargain,¡± Izo vehemently stated. Odin nods in approval and says, ¡°Thank you for your candor, but alas even a great God such as I cannot unbind which has been done to your very soul. However, I can give you two choices to choose from. First, you can choose to be reborn as were your colleagues and to grow up once more. But all the while you shall retain your previous life''s memories and your role as that of an envoy. With enough time, you can even challenge the Goddesses ¡®mortal form in the champion courts and slay her mortal form which will wound her divine soul. However, I do not believe that is what you desire. And that leads us to our second option, you may choose to become a minor god and challenge that minor Goddess in the minor God¡¯s court to a soulful death. Should you win her every existence shall be erased down to her soul. But a word of caution to this selection, should you choose to become a minor god, you will live forever should, should not be killed in the minor courts. Mortals transfigured into Minor God¡¯s cannot often deal with the aftermath of their selection. Many go mad with the pain and sorrow as their loved ones succumb to death one after another until their very existence is all but forgotten by the mortal world. Are you certain this is what your heart truly desires?¡± Izo is quiet in thought for a moment, before gravelly replying, ¡°I promised I would avenge them and a promise must be kept.¡± ¡°Let me warn you one last time. Should you become a minor god you shall retain your restricted mortal form in the champion courts and in the mortal realms. And secondly, your own, minor god form will only ever possess 1/3rd of Cthulhu¡¯s strength. Are you still certain of this choice?¡± Odin asked once more. ¡°Yes, I am certain,¡± Izo replied without a shred of doubt. Odin nods and glances at the pink jelly who darts up to rub Izo¡¯s cheek before darting away. Odin says, ¡°You may feel a small pressure-,¡± as the pink jelly begins to brightly glow. Izo lets out a scream as her very soul feels as if it¡¯s being ripped apart. Everything goes black as Izo falls into a blissful daze. * Chapter 21.6 – Emerald City Ball â…¥ The gods begin to gather in the godly courts as do their envoy¡¯s. A couple even stops on route to select a new envoy. From the Chaos Faction, a goddess with sleek black-hair darts through the stars. Her skin is pale as her dark violet dress flutters like wisps of smoke around her. The goddess pauses and sets her glowing amber gaze on the world below. Through her eyes, Eris, the Goddess of Strife sees a beautiful maiden with golden hair being carried away by two young men who are madly in love with her. Smiling Eris glances down at her hand as smoke forms to form a perfectly golden apple. With casual ease, she purposefully drops the golden apple into the mortal world belong. The two young men leave the young innocent beauty alone as a golden apple gently lands on the bed next to her. Mary feels something touch her face as she hastily awakens and sits up. Glancing around Mary remembers her dream of the future. Very rarely did her ability allow her to see more than a minute or two into the future at a time. But occasionally grand visions of the future would be bestowed upon her. However, this time around the vision of the future was very different to the previous visions she had seen before. Moving across the bed, Mary feels something roll across the bed to touch her hand. Mary glances down at a perfectly golden apple. The golden apple is smooth and cool with a wondrous scent. Unconsciously Mary¡¯s hand becomes wrapped around the golden apple as a soft voice hisses to her, ¡°Poor, poor child.¡± Mary flinches and glances around for the owner of the silky voice, but finds no one. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be alarmed, I¡¯m merely trying to help,¡± the owner of the voice crooned.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Who are you?¡± Mary timidly asked. ¡°A friend, if you will,¡± the voice murmured. ¡°Yes, but what do you want with me?¡± ¡°Nothing much my dear, but just a little thing. Please become my envoy and in exchange, I shall grant you, your hearts deepest desires?¡± ¡°You can grant all of my desires?¡± Mary incredulously asked. ¡°Yes, my dear. Everything you have ever wanted, why I can give you the man of your dreams, revenge on that foolish woman and all the power and riches your heart has ever crave. And if that is not enough, I can give you even more.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want my soul in exchange, do you?¡± Mary suspiciously asked. ¡°No, no, nothing so vile as that. No, in exchange for becoming my envoy in the Champion Courts you shall gain untold power.¡± Mary is quiet for a moment, before remembering her present future. Glancing at the golden apple with cold eyes, Mary flatly replies, ¡°What do I have to do?¡± ¡°Just take a bite of the apple, my dear, that¡¯s all.¡± Mary¡¯s hand tightens around the golden apple as she slowly brings the golden apple to her lips. Mary opens her rosebud pink lips and bites in the apple, before slowly swallowing. A bright glow surrounds Mary as she drops the apple onto the floor and falls back onto the bed. Chocking, Mary holds her throat and tries to breathe but is unable to as everything goes black. Eris grins with true joy at the sight below. Oh, what fun she would have with the girl that so largely resembled the golden apple of old. And look what that had started, not just a war for Troy, but the very gods! Yes, it was going to be so much fun. And with a large grin, Eris reaches over and takes her envoy from the mortal realm, before vanishing into wisps of smoke and returning to the Godly realms. The golden apple left behind innocently gleams as two young men return. The young men panickily call out to her and search for Mary Sue to no avail. The young men rush out and immediately call their personal guards and contacts to search for Mary Sue. In the dead of the night, a desperate search party was formed to search for Mary Sue. All the while, the bitten golden apple innocently waits on the bed for their return. * Chapter 22 –Felicitations! After an unknown amount of time, Izo opens her eyes and glances around with a curse on her breath. Patting her body down, Izo frowns at seeing the dried-on blood on her clothes but her wounds are at least healed. Izo warily climbs to her feet and murmurs a small fire spell to destroy her dried blood on the floor. Hastily putting it out, Izo uses a teleportation incantation to disappear, before anyone finds her in her present bloodied state. Izo finds herself outside of Emerald City, some 15 miles from the city limits in the middle of a forested area. Izo lets out a tired sigh as she gathers her thoughts in the peaceful quietness of nature. Before she can gather her thoughts, a familiar ding is heard in her ears as an irritating blue screen pops up in front of her.
Congratulations! You¡¯ve become a Minor God! The Minor God of Lunacy! [Chosen envoy of Cthulhu and the direct Minor God beneath him.] To view new stats, skills and functions please click on them to open.
Izo¡¯s face twitches for a moment before she takes a deep breath to calm herself and opens the stupid thing back up.
Name: Izo {Psykosis} Age: 17 [27] Occupation: Demonical Blade Healer {Minor God of Lunacy and Head Envoy of Cthulhu} Titles: Otherworldly Traveler, Language Expert, Inquisitor, Hermit, Stomach of Steel, Iron Chef, Demon King Slayer, Former Cursed Hero, {Minor God of Lunacy}, {Pope of Cthulhu} [Stats: Temporary locked to Mortal Form. Items can now be equipped in Mortal Form.] [All Stats will automatically switch over to Minor God Level when in God Form. M.G.L stats cannot be calculated. EXCEPTION: Charisma and Luck.] Strength: 434 {M.G.L} Dexterity: 512 {M.G.L} Vitality/HP: 488 {M.G.L} Magic Power/MP: 701 {M.G.L} Intuition: 666 {M.G.L} Magic/Physical Resist: 599 {M.G.L} Charisma: 5 {10} Luck: 5 {15}
Izo narrows her eyes pointedly at Charisma and Luck stats but forces her eyes away to view the new skills.
New Skills of M.G.L: Energy Renovation: Absorb energy in any form and convert into a useable form. [Limits: User must be in contact with said energy to assimilate. Warning: Energy Conversion Ratio cannot exceed one¡¯s own capacity.] Spiral Field Mastery: Seamless control over circular electron revolution. (Unlimited usage.) [Warning: Limited only by required energy usage.] [Please Note, all new skills can ONLY be used when in God Form!] [Please Note: That all previously received Blessing and Skills from Cthulhu as an Apostle are still available and active in God Form except for Self-Substance. As a God, you have no need nor are limited to or by mortal restrictions, Self-Substance is nullified, while in God Form. Restrictions on the following skill have been lifted or changed when in God Form, Electronic Disruption limited area is now 20 feet. ]
Izo furrows her brows but is somewhat relieved at having only gained two new skills to use in her God Form. Izo swiftly turns her attention to the new functions and reads the four new tabs: Mortal Market, God Market, Mail, and Administrative Functions. Izo clicks on the Mortal Market Function first when an array of items appeared before her. Herbs, equip-able items, potions, pets, etc., anything really. To purchase said items, real market cash could be exchanged for them.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Izo almost lets out a string of curses at the sight. If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have made the deal with the guild and the government. Oh well, at least, now she had a constant supply of items needed to sell. And once she sold enough potions she would purchase some much-needed equipment for herself. Izo clicks on the God¡¯s Market and doesn¡¯t even get past the first item when she sees the price for the glimmering bottle. [50 GC¡¯s (God Coin¡¯s)] How does one even go about earning God Coins? Not seeing a help sign, Izo decides it¡¯s best to ignore this tab for the moment and move on. Izo goes on to the next tab the Mail tab shows that she has a message inbox. Izo clicks on the message to open it.
Minor God¡¯s Beginner Bag 1 Summoning Guardian Egg ¨C the possibility to hatch a guardian from A-class rank to SS+ rank. (Can only be used to guard temples or in the Envoy courts and M.G. courts.) 1 Subordinate Summoning Card ¨C the possibility to summon a subordinate of S, SS+, or SSS+ rank. (Powers can only be used to guard temples or in the Envoy courts and the M.G. courts. This subordinate can accompany the M.G. in the mortal realm at a restricted, B-class rank.) 1 Summoning Temple Card with beginner accessories ¨C location may be subjective. 100 God Coins 100 Bottles of Ambrosia [Food of the Gods] (M.G.¡¯s even in mortal form must consume 1 bottle per month to maintain their powers.) 1 God Coin Lottery Ticket ¨C chance to earn a random amount of God coins up to 1 million. 1 Plea Card ¨C instantly sums thy god to thy aide. [Can only be used outside of Mortal Worlds.] To receive the Beginner Bag, please say out loud, ¡°Open.¡± And to use say out loud, ¡°Use.¡±
Izo almost says, receive, but chooses to check out the administration tab first. When she tries to click the administration tab a new message pops up.
Administration functions cannot be accessed yet. Zero temples or worlds to administer.
Izo sighs and loudly says, ¡°Open.¡± A batch of items suddenly appear before her and loudly clatter onto the ground. Izo sighs and sits down to gather the dropped items. Carefully cataloging the items, Izo puts everything away into her personal inventory except for the Lottery card and the summoning cards. Izo almost has the urge to cry as she remembers her blasted terrible luck. With trembling hands Izo does something she had never done before, she prays to the pink jelly, ¡°Pink jelly, if you¡¯re listening, please let mama win something good. And if you do, mama, will make you cookies and let you nestle in her chest as long as you want.¡± Hoping that the pink jelly heard her, Izo uses the temple summoning card first. The shiny blue card with the picture of a house vanishes from her hand and turns into dust. The ground shakes as the forest around Izo disappears and in its place, a large cottage like dungeon appears. Izo is suddenly transported inside to the 10th floor in front of a large shinning gem like core.
Congratulations, your new temple is the Dungeon of Paradox, a C-class rank dungeon located just outside of Emerald City. [As the God of Lunacy even your temple location doesn¡¯t make sense. As the mortal reflection of thy God, Pope Psykosis, please strive to gain more followers and spread the faith of your god, Cthulhu.] Administration functions can now be accessed to access please click on the tab.
Izo has the urge to throw up as she feels a violent pain in her stomach. She had the feeling she would have an ulcer before this was over. With trembling fingers, Izo clicks to open the Administrative functions for her temple/dungeon.
Your Temple currently only has ten floors. The 10th floor holds the holy temple stone/dungeon core, if stolen or destroyed, severe penalties shall be applied to both forms. The 10th-floor guardian is currently missing, please summon immediately for protection! Traps: currently consist of bobby traps and weight triggered traps across the first five floors. List of creatures held within: 1 Battle Golem 1 Troll King 10 Trolls 5 Orc¡¯s 30 Ogre¡¯s 10 Hobgoblins 2 Goblin Shaman¡¯s 50 Goblins 100 various lesser creatures: slimes, bats, flesh-eating worms, poisonous insects, etc. To purchase more Dungeon Creatures or floors, please go to the new Dungeon Market sub-tab.
Izo nervously clicks on the Dungeon Market sub-tab and shivers with dread as she reads the price for a single werewolf, 5 GC¡¯s. Swiftly scrolling down for the prices for insects or traps, Izo has the urge to choke. 1 GC for 100 insects or 1 GC¡¯s for a single fire spell trap. Taking a deep breath, Izo stops and closes the sub-tabs for now as she wills herself to gain the courage to continue. That was if she ever managed to gain the courage to do so. * Chapter 22.2 –Felicitations â…¡ Izo warily holds out the black shiny card with a snarling creature on the cover. Mumbling the word, ¡°Use,¡± Izo waits with bated breath for the summoned creature to appear. A black vortex appears before Izo as a ten-foot-tall, ebony lack lizard thing emerges from the vortex. A super long tail and limbs, glistening energy filled ebony skin, three long talons on each hand and foot, Izo suddenly had the urge to throw up. Around the creature¡¯s shoulders, the creature has black, smooth tentacle things emerging upwards like a strange animal mane of sorts. Up its long neck, the creature head, well, it¡¯s head is a giant gaping maw with no visible features including eyes.
Congratulations, you¡¯ve summoned a S+ Female Guardian, Carnxergy. [Carn-X-er-gee] This disgusting creature not only has the ability to use illusion and camouflage but the ability to eat mana/energy itself. Would you like to set this creature as your core guardian? To do so, ¡°Please name it.¡±
Izo swiftly says, ¡°Squishy,¡± a second later, the horrifying creature happily licks Izo¡¯s face to her gut retching horror. Keeping her bile down, Izo says, ¡°Squishy, go take a nap for now.¡± Squishy lets out a happy, terrifying growl as she licks Izo¡¯s face before trotting over to curl up before the dungeon core. Shuddering Izo wipes her face dry, before warily grabbing the next card, a golden card with a silver coin on the front of it. As soon as Izo says, ¡°Use,¡± the card disappears as a giant roulette appears before her and spins in circles. Izo covers her eyes as the wheel turns it finally comes to a stop. Peeking through her fingers Izo glances at the message before her that reads.
Congratulations, you¡¯ve won! 350,000 GC¡¯s!
Izo almost cries at having gained something that wasn¡¯t just 1 coin. Satisfied, Izo begins hurriedly heads over to the sub-tabs to beef up her dungeon. But before she can, the administrative tab pops back up.
Please set an inside time versus outside time ratio! Suggestion: 2:1 hour-ratio, 2 hours inside the dungeon is 1 hour in the outside world.
Izo decides to heed the suggestion and does as asked. Izo than returns to the market tab and decides on what to purchase. She knew that she needed more floors that is a given, but she didn¡¯t want to go crazy as she would still need to fill all those floors with creatures. Erring on the safe side, Izo purchases five more floors for 10,000 GC¡¯s. Taking a deep breath, Izo pulls up the reconstruction model of the dungeon and removes everything on the 1st floor. The items appear in a dungeon storage waiting to be used as Izo ponders what to fill the 1st floor with first. She wanted to make difficult to get inside, but not kill anyone. After a while, Izo decides to go the nasty, irritating route. Izo fills the 1st floor with hordes of poisonous insects, Giant King Slimes, various moss for the slimes and insects to eat. Rather than purchasing new traps, Izo uses all the old traps of old and moves them to the 1st floor. The total cost of the first level renovation is 1,500 GC¡¯s, which wasn¡¯t bad at all. Trying to ignore the sinking pit of money, Izo moves onto the 2nd floor. Izo adjusts her thinking to save some money, she clears the 2nd floor of everything to reuse on another floor. Izo only pauses to purchase a self-regenerating, giant mud/stone golem that blocks the passage to the next floor. The golem asks 10 very personal questions that must be answered truthfully or else the golem will start the painful question process all over. Sadly, the golem can¡¯t be destroyed as it regenerates endlessly. (Izo had the nagging feeling that this seemingly innocent golem would destroy the hearts and minds of many while destroying countless friendships and ruthlessly tear apart countless lovers. After all, Izo is merely applying modern psychology to dungeon warfare. If one defeats the mind, the battle is won. After having your deepest darkest secrets revealed to your party, how could that adventurer party continue to work together and continue to defeat the rest of the dungeon levels?)Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Izo decides to leave the 3rd level and 7th level dungeon floors the same as they had enough creatures to pose a threat to adventures. But just to be on the safe side, Izo added just a few more reinforcements to their groups by moving the battle golem to the 7th floor and the trolls to the 6th floor and rearranged the power structure that way. Upon reaching the 8th level Izo pauses to think. What she needed to earn is God coins, but how to do so? Besides, it would be even better if she could earn some real-world cash as well. Izo glances at the administrative tab for more details and reads carefully the fine print. ¡°God Coins can easily be earned by having enough followers. Their devotion will naturally give power to thy god and ensure a healthy revenue of GC¡¯s. So good luck on spreading your faith!¡± Izo narrows her eyes in thought. If that was the case, then she could kill two birds with one stone. Izo would exploit the adventures by constructing a large town on the 8th floor. Izo darts for the Market tab and glances through the available creatures for purchase before at last finding what she needed. With a grin, Izo purchases several scores of magical brownies and other cute woodland creatures to serve as tenants/employees. Izo proceeded to build a nice town filled with housing for her tenants and other useful buildings for the adventurers seeking refuge. Izo purchases several stores, several inns''s including a spa, and builds a large temple with a cute brownie priestess to spread the word. (Not forgetting guards, Izo fills the area with semi-intelligent plants to choke/disable unruly adventurers, before tossing the foolish adventures out of the dungeon.) Izo pauses at this point and glances at the administrative tab for more guidance on this part. ¡°Each God has his or her own laws. To check yours say, ¡°Oh, the great god, grant me thy word.¡± Izo sighs and embarrassedly murmurs those very words as a familiar screen pops up.
Congratulations on receiving thy God¡¯s Holy Writ! 1. Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart. 2. Thou shalt cuddle with thy God with all thy heart. 3. Thou shalt be sweet those that are sweet to you. 4. Revenge is a dish best served cold. 5. Thou shalt not rob nor covet that which is not yours. 6. Thou shalt not kill except in self-defense. 7. Madness is not a crime, it is a way of life.
Izo narrows her eyes at the simplicity of the 7 commandments. In fact, she strangely agrees with all of them to her great surprise. Musing, Izo places the commandments in the temple where her tenants are already worshiping before the pink jelly¡¯s statue. The cute furry priestess bows at Izo¡¯s entrance and says, ¡°Your holiness, what shall you have us do?¡± Izo hides a grin and importantly says, ¡°You have been gathered from the ends of the earth to spread the faith of our god. Soon there will be many who shall enter in search of answers and rest.¡± Izo majestically points to the wall where the 7 commandments appear. The tenants all bow and gape as they solemnly read the holy word. Izo conveniently takes the time to study the administrative rights. Finding the right option, Izo buys 10,000 pendants for 1 GC each. Izo places the pendants in the holy temple and turns towards the joyful priestess. ¡°A pendant may be given to those that convert or to those that pay a tithe to the temple for 10 gold coins. Each pendant can only be used once, but if in danger, the pendant can be broken to return anyone back to the 8th floor. And do not worry about their running out, Cthulhu will always provide with more for those that follow him.¡± ¡°It shall be as thy Excellency decrees,¡± the petite priestess solemnly said as she handed out the holy pendants to the devotees, before carefully taking one for herself as well. Izo keeps her face poker face lest she grins at the scam. Coughing, self-importantly, Izo darts away before she begins to grin evilly. Remembering the time, Izo swiftly returns to her work and heads to the 9th floor. Izo renovates the 9th dungeon floor into a forest filled with werewolves and so forth. The 10th floor is a sand level filled with giant insect monsters that tunnel under the sands. The 11th floor is a graveyard filled with zombies and vampires. The 12th floor is filled with a moving maze and ghosts and evil shades. The 13th floor is a lake filled with shark monsters and the like. The 14th floor is turned into a lava floor with lava salamanders and bats. The final floor, the 15th floor houses the guardian and dungeon core. To keep Squishy tame and happy, Izo fills the 15th floor with giant electric snakes that soar through the air and mana sunflowers that produce mana spores. However, not finished, Izo buys a fake core for Squishy to protect and hides the real dungeon/temple core within the 15th floor of the dungeon. Exhausted Izo glances wearily at the dungeon cost of the upkeep per month $20,000 GC¡¯s. The total GC¡¯s left after everything including the upkeep for the first month is $116,000 GC¡¯s. Izo had used slightly over half of her GC¡¯s coins investing in the dungeon. It hurt her very soul to see all that was left because her life and very future would know depend on those remaining GC¡¯s. Izo glances at the final card left and decided to give it a rest for a day. Putting the final summoning card away, Izo glances at the functions to make certain she can teleport out. Thankfully, only the proprietor of the property, the current administrator which is herself can teleport directly inside and out of the dungeon. Tired and exhausted, Izo teleports out of the dungeon and directly into her room. Kicking off her clothes, Izo falls into bed in a tired sleep. She knew she was forgetting something, but she was too tired to care. Within a minute Izo is sound asleep in her bed. * Chapter 22.3 –Felicitations â…¢ The Emerald City Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch went on high alert. The mages of the guild had sensed large mana fluctuations from the nearby forest just outside of the city limits. Not wanting to spook civilians, a B-Class-level team was hastily gathered to deploy with the highest urgency to the site of the mana fluctuations. The team chosen without hesitation was the Sky Knights Order. The Sky Knights were led by their fearless leader, Sir William. The Knights in shining armor carefully walk towards the source of the mana fluctuations. A guild mage follows them recording everything in sight and transmitting it back to guild headquarters. The Sky Knights quietly tromp through the forest just outside of the skirts of the city except for the clumsy guild mage. After a while, the Guild mage swallows loudly and whispers, ¡°It¡¯s just over this hill.¡± Sir Williams handsome face is rather valiant in the moonlight as the scar on his chin grows deeper in the shadows. Sir William valiantly charges into the clearing to only halt in shock as do the rest of his team with their blades raised in the air. In the middle of the clearing is a rather large cottage with the door swung wide open in invitation. Sir Williams glances at the mage who hastily says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Williams, but that would appear to be a new dungeon.¡± The mage lets out a sigh of relief and adds, ¡°We should go back and report it to the guild!¡± ¡°Michael, please escort the mage back to the guild to make a full detailed report to the guild councilmen,¡± Sir Williams ordered. ¡°But sir-!¡± Michael protested at being left out of the dungeon expedition. ¡°No, but¡¯s Michael do as you are told,¡± Hilde chided the newbie member of their group. Michael sighs and gruffly says, ¡°Follow me,¡± as the mage happily follows the knight back to the guild. Sir Williams carefully leads the way into the cottage as their figures disappear through the dungeon entrance. The team enters the cool area of the first floor and to their shock find hordes of poisonous insects coming towards them. ¡°Holy Shield,¡± Sir Williams cried out as a magical holy shield appears around them and protects him and the Sky Knights troop from the poisonous insect¡¯s attacks. Sensing traps nearby, Sir Williams and his team carefully make their way through the bobby-trapped floor before encountering Giant King Slimes. The woman Knights let out groans as the King Slimes tentacles rummage stealthy only towards them as the tentacles make their way into woman¡¯s armor. The male knights valiantly fight off the slimes, but not before the female members are left rather flushed in the faces from the slimes wretched clutches.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Sir Williams and the Sky Knights tiredly continue onward to find to their surprise that the next floor is completely desolate except for a giant golem sitting in front of the connecting passageway to the next floor. Worried that this was a trap, Sir Williams attacks one of the golem¡¯s limbs and to his and the Sky Knights utter shock the golem instantly regenerates back it¡¯s destroyed limb. Before Sir Williams can attack again, the golem in a booming voice says, ¡°10 questions must be asked, 10 questions must be spoken truthfully, 10 questions will open the door, but take heed my friends, a wrongful truth will lead you astray to begin anew. Are you sure you want to begin?¡± Sir Williams glances at his comrades as Hilde softly says, ¡°It¡¯s like the Sphinx, we must answer the 10 questions truthfully to pass.¡± Sir Williams nods his head in approval and turns towards the Stone Golem. ¡°We accept the challenge, oh stone one, please being.¡± The stone golem points at Sir Williams and says, ¡°How many women have you slept with?¡± The Sky Knights choke as Sir Williams pales at the question. Hilde and the female knights narrow their eyes at their leader as Sir William¡¯s nervously clears his throat. After a moment, Sir Williams quietly replies, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I lost count a long time ago.¡± The woman snorts in disgust while the male knights nod in approval of their hero. The stone golem nods its great large head and says, ¡°Correct.¡± Turning towards Hilde it ruthlessly asks, ¡°Did you enjoy the Slime King¡¯s tender caress?¡± Hilde turns red as the Sky Knights turn rather expectantly towards her. ¡°NO, I did not,¡± Hilde roared in fury. ¡°Incorrect, the challenger has failed!¡± The stone golem roared, before once more saying, ¡°10 questions must be asked, 10 questions must be spoken truthfully, 10 questions will open the door, but take heed my friends, a wrongful truth will lead you astray to begin anew. Are you sure you want to begin?¡± The Sky Knights guffaw with disbelief as Hilde red-faced turns away. Once more, Sir Williams accepted the challenge as the stone golem points to a male knight member. ¡°Are you still a virgin?¡± The stone golem asked. With tears of pain and of embarrassment the male knight truthfully replied, ¡°Yes.¡± The female knights glanced at the male knight with eyes of interest, while the male knights snorted in laughter at his confession. However, soon those men were quiet too as their turn came far too soon. One male knight was asked if he was cheating on his girlfriend, which just so happened to be another female knight in the troop. With pain in his heart, the male knight confessed that he was. Which subsequently caused his girlfriend to not only break up with him but to beat the hell out of him in front of the rest of the group. Finally, his girlfriend was pulled off by other female knights who took her in their arms as she cried. The following questions only grew harder and harder as they were forced to restart the horrifying challenge by those unwilling, to tell the truth. By the end of it all, there wasn¡¯t a troop member who had received emotional or mental damage from the golem¡¯s asked questions. With tears of joy in their eyes, the Sky Knights heard the golem say, ¡°Thy answers have been truthful, you may pass!¡± And with a large groan, the Stone Golem stood aside to allow the Sky Knights to pass. The Sky Knights gladly rushed past the 2nd-floor MONSTER vowing to never return again to this cursed dungeon again. However, little did they know, this would only be the cruel start of the dark things to come. For surely, they would return, whether they wished to or not. * Chapter 22.4 –Felicitations â…£ The Sky Knights with vast relief burst out onto the next 3rd floor to find the typical goblins. The Sky Knights vented their anger, frustration, humiliation, and all other emotions, as they crushed their way past the goblins all the way to the 7th floor to face the Battle Golem. Exhausted emotionally and mentally, the Sky Knights were able to come together to barely defeat the Battle Golem, which would have usually posed no trouble for them. By some miracle, the exhausted Sky Knights arrive at the 8th floor, where they receive the shock of their lives. On the 8th room, the Sky Knights gaped as they saw an entire town filled with brownies and other cute creatures. A tiny brownie in priestess clothing emerges from the townsmen and says, ¡°Greetings Adventures. You have come a long way to reach this haven. You may find rest here and rest easy in the inns or you may ask for peace from our great god, Cthulhu, in his holy temple. Please come this way,¡± the tiny priestess said as she led the way through the town and towards the temple. Sir Williams and his Sky Knights warily check the area for signs of traps, but to their amazement, they don¡¯t find anything amiss. It was clearly a town in the middle of a dungeon on the 8th floor! How was that even possible?!¡± Seeing Sir Williams and the Sky Knights troubled expression, the brownie priestess says, ¡°Our great God, Cthulhu, has placed us here to aid those who seek answers. Please follow me to his Holy temple.¡± The Sky Knights follow the tiny priestess to a large majestic temple filled with pink jelly statues. In the middle of the temple, many tiny woodland creatures kneel to the pink jelly statue. Sir Williams points to the pendant on the fervent believer¡¯s chests and asks, ¡°And what does ¡°Our gracious God and Her Excellency have granted this token as protection,¡± The priestess fervently declared and added, ¡°But thanks to Cthulhu¡¯s great mercy, the speaker of the God, Her Excellency, Pope Psykosis has declared that anyone may also purchase this holy pendant for their personal use. Pope Psykosis, in her majestic kindness, has decreed that any devotee may receive this token or any of humble heart may contribute 10 gold coins to Cthulhu¡¯s temple in exchange for obtaining a single holy relic.¡± Hilde snorts at the reply and mutters, ¡°And what does that trinket even do?¡± ¡°Once one advances beyond this place, there are many dangers. This trinket returns one safely to the 8th floor or casts on safely out of the dungeon,¡± the priestess calmly stated. Sir Williams eyes bulge in an understanding of the wonderful use of said item. Even if they failed or their very lives were in danger, they would return safely to this haven. It was a tool that was of untold value that could be bought for cheap. ¡°I would like to buy one for each of my troop,¡± Sir Williams firmly stated without hesitation. ¡°As Cthulhu wills it,¡± the brownie priestess said and led Sir Williams to lay the correct amount on the altar. Sir Williams swiftly places the correct amount as the coins vanish from the alar all on their own and the priestess emerges from behind the altar with the pendants in hand. Sir Williams swiftly hands out the pendants to his troop as one sky knights whispers, ¡°We should just take over this place and make it ours.¡± Some of the Sky Knights gleam with that same thought, but before they can react, giant plant tendrils reach into the temple and grab the screaming men. Before Sir Williams can react, the screaming men have been dragged into the ground and are gone.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. The brownie priestess quietly says, ¡°The great god, Cthulhu truly cares for his people. You would do well to remember that, before thinking to harm any of his followers. But don¡¯t worry about your men, they have been safely cast out of the dungeon, but they are prohibited from ever returning.¡± Turning on her heels, the brownie priestess says over her shoulders, ¡°Now come and at least have a bite to eat, before going on your way. You must be tired, and a warm meal will do your aching stomachs good.¡± Sir Williams and the rest of the Sky Knights meekly make their way to the inn and buy food to eat. Afterwards, they bravely continue to the next floor only to find a forest filled with werewolves and giant wolves. Unable to continue in their current mental state, the Sky Knights activate their pendants and exit the dungeon. In silence, the Sky Knights most meekly walk through the forest and back to the Emerald Guild Branch. Upon their return, the Sky Knights are immediately taken to see the council, who was already aware of the new dungeon¡¯s appearance just outside of the Emerald City. At the council table, Mrs. Partridge, a harpy narrows her eyes and impatiently hisses, ¡°Well, report already!¡± The other guild members sigh in exasperation but do not chide her about her frustration. They were all anxiously worried about the new dungeon. ¡°What is Sir Williams waiting for? Please tell us immediately, what level of a dungeon it is?!¡± A brunet woman of thirty years asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, I don¡¯t know if there is a classification for that dungeon, Sir William¡¯s hesitantly stated.¡± ¡°Please explain yourself, Sir Williams,¡± a dark-skinned member further inquired. ¡°The first floor though filled with poisonous insects only has traps and Giant King Slimes. The 2nd floor isn¡¯t even a problem, it just a stone golem asking 10 questions,¡± Sir Williams hastily said. ¡°And the next 3rd to 7th floors increase from goblins to troll kings to the 7th floor being that of a battle golem.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a simple C+-Class dungeon, which frankly is good news. I fail to see the issue, Sir Williams,¡± a tiny Asian woman flatly stated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t end there, the 8th floor houses a God¡¯s temple and is a haven for adventures to take rest in. One may even purchase a pendant to return one to the 8th floor or out of the dungeon from the holy temple of Cthulhu that has been built there. We were unable to feet the creatures that dwell in the 9th dungeon and to be truthful, honestly, I am afraid of what lays beyond the 9th floor for surely the dungeon will drastically increase in difficulty. This is a dungeon, where even newbies can enter, but beyond the 8th floor, only B+ or higher classes can enter. This is a dungeon unlike any other I¡¯ve ever seen for it is truly a dungeon that accommodates to most class levels,¡± Sir William¡¯s tiredly stated. The council is silent as the head councilmen spoke up, ¡°Thank you for your invaluable report, Sir Williams, you and your troop may return to rest for the night.¡± Sir Williams bows and departs with his troops as the guild doors close behind him. ¡°Can his words be taken at face value?¡± The brunet woman asked. ¡°We have too, besides, this dungeon isn¡¯t going to simply go away just because we wish it to,¡± Mrs. Partridge growled back. A senior member with a charming smile says, ¡°Then why don¡¯t we do just? We shall simply announce that the guild had been hiding the dungeons existence for the citizen''s safety of mind. But now after running intensive tests, we find that the dungeon is only a C+-class dungeon. But announce the truth to our guild member¡¯s and allow those of higher ranks to enter and test the dungeon for themselves.¡± The council members all give their agreement as they move to announce the new dungeon in the morning. Some council members plot on having their proteges be the first to enter the dungeon, while others plot on how to gain an advantage out of this. Come morning there would be many guild members jousting for a position and fighting to be the first to reach the 8th floor and confirm the report that was given by the Sky Knights. * Chapter 22.5 –Felicitations â…¤ Back at the Emerald Ball, Mr. and Mrs. Lee are being congratulated by both enemies and friends. They had long since noticed their daughter sneaking out of the ballroom. Sometime later, slightly worried, a careful message from Mr. Lee to Dolores had been sent, which was swiftly confirmed that Izo was sound asleep in bed. (As for Izo¡¯s associates, well, they weren¡¯t worried. Izo had become their associate in the business and surely could take care of herself. Besides, this was a party and they didn¡¯t have time to babysit each other around.) Mr. and Mrs. Lee at seeing the late hour finally decide to leave the ball to suddenly halt at seeing Mr. and Mrs. Duke, a handsome tawny haired couple. The two couples stare at each other rather frostily, the two families had been rivals for several generations in the business industry. ¡°How are you?¡± Mr. Duke asked. ¡°My wife and I are fine, thank you. And you?¡± Mr. Lee crisply asked. ¡°We¡¯re fine as well, but I was expecting to see your so-called daughter here,¡± Mr. Duke calmly replied. Mr. and Mrs. Lee narrow their eyes at the statement. ¡°My daughter chose to retire for the evening. But should you wish to see her, please, don¡¯t hesitate to stop and visit Marchen Inc. Auction House. That is her own business and she is usually there,¡± Mrs. Lee coolly declared. Mrs. Duke narrows her eyes and says, ¡°Yes, perhaps, we will. But dear, you are looking tad old, you should use some of that beauty serum being sold at your daughter¡¯s place. Wait, it didn¡¯t work, did it?¡± Mr. Lee places his arm on his wife¡¯s shoulder reminding her to bite her tongue. Despite being furious, Mrs. Lee holds herself back as Mr. Lee says, ¡°Well if you don¡¯t have anything else to say, we shall be on our way.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Wait,¡± Mr. Duke hastily said. Mr. Lee pauses and glances back at Mr. Duke, who holds out an old signed letter. Mr. Lee takes the note and frowns as he reads the signed notarized letter. ¡°This can¡¯t be true!¡± Mr. Lee flatly stated. ¡°I can assure you it is binding as our two fathers signed it. And as your daughter is now of age, I had no choice but to bring it out. As you can see, neither of us can avoid the written clauses,¡± Mr. Duke stiffly declared. ¡°I see, in that case, we shall speak more the subject tomorrow,¡± Mr. Lee coldly said as he handed the letter back. Mr. Duke gingerly took the letter back, before both couples marched away in opposite directions. On the ride home, Mrs. Lee says, ¡°We won¡¯t have to comply with that, will we?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice, it¡¯s a binding agreement, which we both signed an agreement to abide by our father''s wishes when we took over the family business. Our fathers were certainly clever like that,¡± Mr. Lee drily stated. ¡°I don¡¯t think, Izo¡¯s going to take it very well,¡± Mrs. Lee quietly said. ¡°What daughter ever likes her parent¡¯s deciding anything for her?¡± Mr. Lee grunted in reply. Mrs. Lee anxiously reaches over and grabs her husband¡¯s hand tightly and says, ¡°It will be alright, I¡¯m sure of it. It will all work out in the end.¡± Mr. Lee faintly smiles at his wife¡¯s attempts to comfort him and leans his head to rest against hers. The couple held their hands together the rest of the car ride home in deep thought of what to do about the situation. Because no matter, what their daughter decided, they would stand by her. This time around they would protect their child properly even if it meant losing everything. * Elsewhere in Emerald City, another scene was happening simultaneously. A rather angry beauty with glasses called, Sara Carpenter waited for a phone call that never came. Furious, the glasses beauty went to bed shortly before dawn without hearing any juicy details from Izo, her best friend about the Emerald City Ball. Vowing vengeance, Sara Carpenter went to bed carefully plotting on how to gain her revenge on Izo, who was currently sound asleep but shivered in bed. For the word¡¯s often spoken by men are true, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. * Chapter 23 – The Call The next morning Izo sleepily wakes up as her phone begins to ring. Groggily, Izo answers the phone and says, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°What happened last night!¡± Sara unhappily growled. ¡°It was just terrible. Some dumb girl spilled her drink on me and then I got food poisoning and had to come home,¡± Izo partially lied in reply. ¡°It was really that terrible?¡± Sara suspiciously asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Izo mumbled back. Sara feels guilty and says, ¡°Oh I so sorry Izo. On the bright note, a dungeon was discovered outside of Emerald City. I¡¯ll talk to later after Sara hangs up leaving Izo to blankly stare at her phone in a sleepy haze. Just like a terrible drunken night hangover, suddenly, the memories of last night come pouring back. Resisting the urge to swear, Izo sit¡¯s up in bed and hastily open¡¯s the menu tab. Izo almost chokes as she reads the number of visitors in the dungeon, but sighs a bit with relief at only seeing very few individuals in comparison making it past the 2nd-floor guardian. Resisting the urge to swear, Izo unhappily purchases more pendants just in case and has them delivered directly to the Temple Altar. Glancing at her inbox, Izo discovers a message and opens it up.
A God¡¯s item has been discovered nearby! Would you like to collect it? Please say, ¡°Yes or No?¡±
Izo uneasily says, ¡°Yes.¡± Suddenly a golden apple with a single bite appears out of nowhere and drops onto the bed. Izo eyes the golden apple as her sluggish mind tries to think. A golden apple, now where had she heard that before? The only word that came to mind was Troy. Izo almost chokes with horror as her face turns pale. The golden apple which had caused the entire Greek world to fight over a single woman, Helen of Troy. But even more deadly that single golden apple had even bought the God¡¯s into the mix of battle. Like Hell, she would hold onto that poisoned apple. It was basically a time ticking bomb in the works. And she wasn¡¯t about to end up like Paris with one¡¯s entire kingdom destroyed, and their body hung out to dry. Izo hurriedly goes to the god market tab and clicks on items for trade. Izo grabs the apple and puts the apple into the God Trading System and which to her vast relief Izo sees the apple disappear from her hand and into the system. Izo writes a careful disclosure statement that says, ¡°Trading an almost perfectly unblemished Apple of Discord for a useful item. Please make an offer.¡± Izo nods in satisfaction and almost closes the trading when an anonymous buyer replies, ¡°Amor of Eisenhardt for trade?¡± Izo rapidly types back, ¡°What are the stats?¡± A swift ding reply says, ¡°Just click on the item icon to view the stats. ¡°Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Izo does as she is told and clicks on the icon. Izo stares at the giant armor that looks bad ass and covers the users face making them appear to only have glowing eyes. If Izo wore it she would totally look like a badass, which wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing on the battlefield. Izo stops drooling over the armor and quickly checks the stats of the armor.
Armor of Eisenhardt (Legendary) Armor made by a God of Chaos for their envoy. Strength SS, Dexterity A, Resistance SS, Magic Power B, &Vitality SSS Passive Skills: Vine Devourer - when in battle every successful attack made by the wearer allows the wearer to heal up to 15% health by stealing health from their enemies. Thorn Slash ¨C when in battle the thorns on the armor activate and reflect up to 10% damage at their enemies. Armor Self-Repair: Armor cannot be fully destroyed beyond 75% physical status and will repair itself fully after 10 or more days. Repair time is dependent fully on the extent of the damages made to the armor.
Izo narrows her eyes suspiciously at the armor. Why would anyone be willing to trade such a good armor for a measly apple? Oh, right, said Apple can be used on the Gods. Izo ponders for a moment on whether to accept or not as she tries to not to drool over the amour. Because she really did need a good armor, but she didn¡¯t want to hand anyone the item that is equivalent to that of a bomb in the God world. After debating for some time, Izo decides that she was now the minor god of Lunacy. So, giving someone, a bomb wouldn¡¯t be out of the question or out of character with her image. Besides, what was the worst that could happen? Izo¡¯s fills in the blank of said image. Rethinking the situation, Izo reevaluates the value of the amour. Though priceless on a mortal world it was merely a mortal world item versus what she was trading was a god level item. And Izo hadn¡¯t been born yesterday, she knew when she was getting the shaft end of the deal. After a second, Izo carefully types the anonymous buyer a carefully worded message, ¡°This is a god level item so either add the difference in God Coins¡¯ or add another item of value to the trade.¡± The anonymous buyer types a carefully worded reply, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll throw in a million god coins to even the value.¡± Izo almost jumps for joy, but carefully controls herself and checks the value of God items in comparison. After a second, Izo replies, ¡°Throw in another 2 million god coins and you¡¯ve got yourself a deal. We both know this is worth a lot more than what I am asking for. But I¡¯m purposefully lowering the price for you as you are my first customer. I expect a raving review and to have my trade Id spread around.¡± The anonymous buyer replies, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you a total of four million god coins to have this as a done deal.¡± Izo unhesitatingly clicks on the accept trade icon as a message appears.
Trade has been confirmed! Please check your inbox for your item and all funds will appear shortly in your account. [Warning: all trades are final!}
Elsewhere in the universe, a God lets out a string of curses upon receiving said, Apple of Discord. The Apple of Discord though was in perfect condition had a small bite taken out of it! The God is about to complain the system when he rereads the notice for the item description, ¡°-an almost perfectly unblemished Apple of Discord.¡± The god couldn¡¯t complain given that the description did mention that the Apple of Discord was in good conditions and did disclose that the apple did have a blemish. Luckily, said God was fabulously wealthy and said the trade was only chump change for him. So, with a dejected sigh, the God puts the apple away carefully making a note to not purchase anything from said seller again. But more importantly next time he would remember to read the fine print before making the purchase. But that¡¯s one get¡¯s for playing with fire, one gets burned or in this case, cheated out of their money. * Chapter 23.2 – The Call â…¡ Izo happily checks her inbox to find a gorgeous skull crushing armor in her inbox and the delivery message that said that 4 million GC¡¯s had been deposited into her God account. Not salivating, Izo happily deposits said armor into her inventor, when she notices another message in her inbox. Izo reads the message that says, ¡°Please remember to summon your subordinate!¡± Izo¡¯s good mood instantly vanishes as she remembers her wretched luck. Of course, things had been going far too well. Now the real horror would begin, because knowing her luck she¡¯d get a real slave driver as her subordinate. And where would she be left then? Izo unhappily reaches for a gray shiny card with the picture of a person with a clipboard from her inventory. Shivering Izo mumbles, ¡°Use,¡± as she sickly waits for her subordinate to appear. A black swirling vortex appears and spits out a yellow cat-like creature with a fluffy tail and a bell tied around on its neck. Izo stares at the yellow blob that is so fuzzy that she can¡¯t tell if it has paws or legs for that matter. The blob has sleepy eyes that are closed and yawns at her, showing a tiny pink mouth with tiny razor-sharp teeth as its ears flicker at the noise. The yellow blob just says, ¡°Puah,¡± before darting on the bed and curling up to sleep. Izo blankly stares at the blob that could possibly be a cat as the familiar message appears to her vast relief.
Congratulations, you¡¯ve summoned an SSS+ Subordinate, ????? (Gender: ???) This mysterious creature is so mysterious that its¡¯s abilities cannot be accounted for. Would you like to assign this creature to be your main subordinate? To do so, ¡°Please name it.¡±
Izo almost chokes at the message from the system. Even the system didn¡¯t know what it was! What the heck was she supposed to do with the mysterious fluffy blob? Izo unhappily decides to name the blob on a complete whim, ¡°Pucca.¡± The yellow catlike blob merely lets out a soft snort in acceptance and remains there on the bed. Izo sighs and says, ¡°What the heck am I going to do with you?¡¯ The yellow catlike blob doesn¡¯t respond as Izo reaches over and touches the soft fur that makes her hands disappear.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Surprised, Izo pulls out her hands and does it again. Izo keeps playing this way with its fur until Pucca just lets out a strange chirp as if asking her to stop. Izo stops and decides to get ready as she was hungry. Besides, Izo needs time to figure out just how to introduce Dolores to Pucca. If all went well, Dolores would now be in charge of taking care of the mysterious catlike blob thing. Which frankly was a relief to Izo, it meant there was one less thing she was in charge of from now on. Izo emerges from her room holding Pucca in her hands as Dolores emerges from the kitchen and says, ¡°I made an omelet-.¡± Dolores stops speaking and stares at the yellow blob in Izo¡¯s hands. ¡°What is that?!¡± Dolores shrieked as she pointed her spatula in warning at the yellow furred cat thing. ¡°I found Pucca last night and I bought him-her, I just bought Pucca home,¡± Izo replied. Dolores sighs and says, ¡°I¡¯ll buy a litter box and cat supplies later, now come sit down and eat.¡± Izo sets Pucca on the couch to sleep, while Izo eats the delicious breakfast. While Izo is eating, Dolores says, ¡°By the way Miss, your father, and mother called and said they wish to see you at noon at the Treon Plaza.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Izo rather muffled replied with her mouth full. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t mention,¡± Dolores carefully answered not glancing at Izo. Had Izo been paying attention, she would have noticed Dolores shifty gaze and felt something was amiss. But as Izo was too busy eating, Izo failed to notice said reply. Dolores tactfully gets to her feet and inspects the fluffy cat. Seeing the cat so restfully sleeping, Dolores nods in approval of the cat¡¯s actions. Given that she was already taking care of the Miss such a lazy cat was only appropriate to have. Said thought caused Dolores to pause and eye the cat with awe. In fact, said the cat would be perfect for such a lazy master as the young miss. For surely the young Miss was quite lazy if left alone which made the master and pet only appear that much similar. Dolores let¡¯s out a sigh and gathers the plates as Izo says, ¡°Well, I¡¯m off. I need to stop at Marchen Inc. before heading over.¡± ¡°Of course, Miss. I¡¯ll let your parents know that you will be there,¡± Dolores dutifully replied as the door shuts on her before she can finish. Dolores clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, kids these days were just so impatient. Turning to see the cat on the couch, Dolores says, ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s just you and me Pucca.¡± The cat merely makes a strange chirp and doesn¡¯t even move. Dolores frowns but brightens up at hearing a cheerful ringtone. Maybe her day wouldn¡¯t be so bad! After all, Berry was calling and that was always good news. * Chapter 23.3 – The Call â…¢ Not even waiting to be out of the apartment, Izo directly teleports to the basement of Marchen Inc. Auction House. Taking a deep breath, Izo tries to not salivate over the new money in her bank account. Izo knew better than anyone that the money could be easily used up at just a moment¡¯s notice. Izo heads to the Market Tab and uses gold coins not GC¡¯s to purchase items from the Auction House. Though her gold coin reservoir would be low for a bit, Izo really needed to make as much as money as she could while the Auction house was a hot commodity. Sooner or later something new would be the latest fashion trend in Emerald City and Izo needed to cement the solidity of the Auction house into everyone¡¯s mind before then. Satisfied with her purchases, Izo heads up to the vault and dumps the items out of her inventory. With a smile, Izo texts Flora and Thomas that she¡¯d bought in new items into the vault that needed to be put into inventory and sold. Not waiting for a reply from either of them Izo waves to Mr. Smith on her way up to the alchemist¡¯s floor. Mr. Smith nods politely back to the owner as he plots on how to upgrade the auction house¡¯s defenses to incorporate flesh-eating robots. As soon as Izo arrives the alchemists perk up as Izo holds out a folder with some of her own alchemy recipes and quite a few she had bought in bulk from the God Market tab. As soon as Izo hands them over the alchemists fall onto the recipes like piranhas. ¡°Make sure to give out the useable recipes to my partners to sell at their auctions and the harder one¡¯s keep in store for us to make,¡± Izo ordered on their way out. The alchemists faintly nod their heads in reply as their minds are blown by the carefully jotted recipes they did not think were even a remote possibility in real life. More than one alchemist desperately wanted to meet the mysterious alchemist friend of the owner, but the owner was so secretive none dared ask. The alchemists could only hope that if they showed enough initiative and impressed the owner with their hard work that Miss Reed would allow them to meet the genius alchemist responsible for all these alchemy recipes. Izo heads back downstairs to find to find two breathless figures waiting for her in the lobby. Thomas gasps out of breath as Flora points her finger at Izo and accusingly says, ¡°Miss Reed, you can¡¯t drop something like this on us! Do you have any idea what you just added to the vault?!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Izo dead-panned replied. Thomas glares at the thin woman but flinches as Izo meets his gaze. Thomas glances at Flora and says, ¡°Well, we better get to work. I have the feeling we¡¯re going to be busy.¡± Flora nods her head crisply in reply and adds, ¡°Miss Reed please warn us beforehand before dropping such a delicate situation on us.¡± Turning away, Flora¡¯s hooves echo loudly in the lobby as Flora and Thomas head to the elevator to reach the vault down below and sort the items in the vault. Flora and Thomas wouldn¡¯t just be busy cataloging items in the vault but summoned creatures contained within Monster Compasses as well. The Monster Compasses would have to be carefully cataloged before given over to Crush to handle. But even worse, Miss Reed had dumped close to 1000 items into the vault of incredibly high value. It was enough to give anyone a headache, but for the two of them, it was a heart attack. They knew they would be working overtime to catalog everything in the vault. Which wasn¡¯t a bad thing, but just made them uneasy with the amount of wealth and item rarity they were dealing with. It sucked to be an employee at times with such a thoughtless boss.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. * With a spring in her step, Izo pretends to walk out of the Auction house but just teleports into the basement. Back in the basement Izo pulls up the dungeon interface and decides to add five more level¡¯s after the 14th floor to put between the former 15th dungeon floor and that of the now 20th and final floor that holds the dungeon/temple core. Izo knew she needs to buy serious firepower this time around to keep S-Class adventurers away from her dungeon core especially given that the dungeon had been made public. Izo sits down and ponders on just what she needs to buy. After a while, Izo decides to work backward. Well for certain the 19th floor will have a dragon. Izo purchases a massive mountain range with an enormous forest and lake filled with a vast food supply to feed the Bone Dragon. However, what made Izo almost cry was buying an equally large treasury and undead crypt filled with lesser minions including Skelton Knights plus a Liche for the Black Dragon to control. [In Izo¡¯s humble opinion, that Bone Dragon had better do its job or Izo was going to use the bone dragon to make magical bone accessories to sell and gain back some of the lost revenue.] The 18th floor is transformed into a haven for Chimera Ant¡¯s. The Queen of the ant hive was an evolved Chimera Ant with a humanoid form matching an S-class ranker. Her knights and royal workers were giant scorpion-like knights of sorts. A single Knight rivaled an A-class ranker and a single royal worker rivaled a B-Class ranker. While the worker ants, where giant C-Class level monsters with deadly poison capable of easily eating a man in half. The sheer amount of worker ants could easily overwhelm even a powerful S-class ranker and devour him or her alive. That was why Chimera Ant nests were destroyed the moment they were spotted not because of their evolving nature, but because of their spawning rate. The 17th dungeon level is transformed into a bitter Iceland filled with ice creatures and one single boss monster, the Frost Hydra. Not only is the Frost Hydra difficult to kill as it regenerates endlessly and has ice magic, but the very icy tundra made it difficult to defeat the Hydra. The 16th floor is filled with a creepy foggy forest filled with Beholder¡¯s, (a giant eye with tentacles attached to hundreds of eyes!) The hypnotic mind control creatures are easy to deal with in the sunlight, but in the darkness of a spook forest, the creature are difficult to deal with as as they vanish into the fog. Beholders can turn team members against each other or slowly suck the life out of someone. The 15th floor which used to be the final floor was transformed into a simple grassland filled with a peaceful giant creatures and one giant! Let¡¯s just say, the giant man was rather territorial about anyone touching his goats. The giant wasn¡¯t so much battle combat oriented but magic immune and with impossible giant strength. One single kick and an adventurer was turned into a bloody pancake. Izo tried to ignore that fact that just five new floors in the dungeon had sucked her dry of 1 million GC¡¯s. Izo was really hoping that her investments would pay off as she had also upped security on the 8th floor to protect the temple and the temple followers. Reminding herself that it was for a good cause, Izo adds the remaining amount to keep the dungeon function for the month. It would now cost 100,000 GC¡¯s per month to keep the dungeon a float. It doesn¡¯t sound that bad until one does the math and realizes that just 10 months is one million GC¡¯s invested into the dungeon. Izo glances at her watch and sighs to herself, time was up. Climbing to her feet, Izo teleports out of the basement and a block away from Treon Plaza. Hopefully, it was just them inviting her to lunch. Because after her productive morning, Izo was hungry again and was in the mood for something tasty. * Chapter 23.4 – The Call â…£ Izo makes her way inside of a fancy restaurant which has real trees growing inside of the glass dome restaurant. Izo asks the seater for the Lee table as the server rather elegantly leads Izo to a six-person table. Her parents were rather quiet as they drank their wine and an equally handsome tawny-haired couple sits across from them being rather tight-lipped. Izo furrows her brows and mutters to herself, ¡°Dolores didn¡¯t mention anyone joining us. Huh, well, no matter I¡¯m starving.¡± Izo wasn¡¯t one to be bothered by details when she was hungry. Izo smiles at her parents and nods to the couple. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late, Mom and Dad. And it is a pleasure to meet both of you,¡± Izo said. Mrs. Lee drily smiles and replies, ¡°Have a seat sweetheart, we have yet to order.¡± Izo happily takes a seat at the table, while Mr. Lee flatly says, ¡°Izo this is Mr. and Mrs. Duke. They have kindly joined us for lunch today.¡± Izo fails to pick up on her father¡¯s tone of voice as she intently studies the restaurant menu before her. After some minutes, Mr. Duke interrupts Izo¡¯s serious thoughts and says, ¡°Ah, James is finally here.¡± Izo turns to glance at the empty seat beside her and shrugs before glancing back at her lunch menu. A crisp male voice from behind Izo says, ¡°Pardon me for my lateness, I had to wash up after destroying an S-class dungeon,¡± before taking the empty seat next to Izo. Izo almost chokes at those words as she thinks about her own dungeon. Warily turning to glance at the man sitting next to her, Izo pales in recognition. Chocolate colored hair, hazel eyes, and fine features, the twenty-three-year-old man was utterly gorgeous. However, that wasn¡¯t what made Izo pale it was because Izo recognized the man from the guild member registry. James Duke was one of the more well renown S-Class adventurer¡¯s in the business. If the job was dangerous and no one else would dare do it, that when you called James Duke in. And there happened to be brand new dungeon just outside of Emerald city. It couldn¡¯t be a complete coincidence James Duke was in Emerald City! Izo suddenly reevaluates her decision, maybe she should add a couple more floors to her dungeon. Pale, Izo swiftly turns to glance at her forgotten restaurant menu with narrow eyes. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t feel very hungry at all. Mrs. Lee calmly says, ¡°Why don¡¯t we order now?¡± The Duke couple nods in reply as Izo wonder¡¯s just what she can say to run away as fast as possible. After a minute, Izo says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I just remembered I have a meeting with Mr. Moore and the rest of my associates. I hope that we can reschedule tomorrow, I¡¯ll be off now.¡± Izo climbs to her feet when Mr. Lee says, ¡°Alright, then just stay for a couple of more minutes and then you can leave. You need to be present for about what is to be discussed, it concerns you.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Izo sits back down as Mr. Lee glances at Mr. Duke who nods his head in reply. ¡°We might as well stop going about in circles. I¡¯m rather certain that both of you have never met, so allow me to introduce my family. I am Luther Duke, and this is my wife, Serena Duke. The seated young man at your side is James Duke, my son,¡± Mr. Duke said, before glancing at Mr. Lee that it was his turn. Mr. Lee then says, ¡°I am Warren Lee, and this is my wife, Juliet Lee. I used to have twin daughters, but one of my daughters is dead. This is the eldest of the two, my daughter Izo Reed.¡± Izo keeps a poker face as a trickle of understanding creeps in. Where had she seen this type of scene before? Enemies meeting each other at a table it was something like out of Romeo and Juliet. Izo shivers and suddenly has the uneasy feeling that she wasn¡¯t wrong in her guess. Luther Duke takes a sip of his wine before saying, ¡°The Lee and Duke family have been allies but mostly rivals in the business world. Both sides have won and lost with the passing of tides. Our father¡¯s a generation ago decided to change that and decided that a daughter and a son in the next generation were to marry to join the two powerhouses together. However, the both of them only had a single male child and so that promise was passed down to the next generation, which is you two.¡± Izo shivers at having guessed right. She shouldn¡¯t have ever left the house today. She should have stayed in bed with Pucca! James Duke flatly says, ¡°Are you telling me that we have to get married?!¡± Both parents glance at each other as Mr. Lee answers, ¡°Technically no. Though our fathers wanted a marriage merging the two families together, they realistically understood that may not be possible. Both of you just need to be engaged for the period of one year and seriously date each other. If at the end of that period, either of you is unhappy with the proposal, the engagement will be called off and the each of you may go your separate ways.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not so bad,¡± Izo thought to herself. For a moment, there she was thought she was going to have to get married for real, phew. Besides pretending to date, each other wasn¡¯t so bad. James Duke climbs to his feet and flatly replies, ¡°I refuse!¡± Luther Duke roars, ¡°Sit back down, we¡¯re not done yet.¡± Both men glare at each other across the table as Izo takes of her water glass. Times like this made her glad she was born a girl. Testosterone must be such a curse. James Duke unhappily sits back down as Luther Duke continues, ¡°If one of the children does not comply with the decision, the family of that child will lose half of everything to the other family.¡± James Duke calmly analyzes the situation in understanding and says, ¡°So we just need to date each other for one year, is that all?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the two couples nodded in reply. James snorts and coldly gazes at Izo. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later tonight, I¡¯ll be picking you up at ten till eight,¡± James matter-of-factly stated. Izo¡¯s face twitches at the callous voice tone that was ordering Izo around so easily without even asking her opinion on the subject. Now Izo, didn¡¯t think dating for one year was that bad as the two of them didn¡¯t have to get married in the end. But dating such a little brat, well, Izo just had to draw the line somewhere. Izo calmly climbs to her feet and flatly says, ¡°I don¡¯t date assholes.¡± Turning to her parents, Izo politely says, ¡°Please just let me know the entire amount of your business losses, I will recompose the entire losses by the end of tomorrow.¡± Izo storms away leaving the five-people seated behind. Even if Izo had to turn God Coin¡¯s into mortal money, she would do so to cover the debt. Because like hell, she was dating such a little brat for even a single second! * Chapter 23.5 – The Call â…¤ Mr. Lee and Mrs. Lee smile at each other calmly at the table. They had been prepared for such a statement from their daughter. And frankly, it was a surprise to them that Izo had been so agreeable to the suggestion until the very end. And though their daughter had offered to cover for their financial losses it would be no real loss to them as long as their daughter was happy, they were happy too. ¡°We¡¯ll transfer half of the business over as agreed by the end of the day,¡± Mr. Lee calmly stated, before rising to his feet and helping his wife to his feet. The couple happily strides away leaving three surprised individuals at the table. Luther Duke reflexively clenches his fists in surprise. Warren Lee had been his business rival all these years, but to suddenly win in this manner left Luther feeling like this was a rather hollow victory. Serina Duke pats her husband on the back in understanding. Despite being rivals, Luther Duke rather admired Warren Lee and enjoyed their business spars. It would be a loss to the both of them to suddenly be without their lifelong rivals. James Duke quietly says, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± James climbs to his feet and pauses to ask, ¡°What was her name again?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Serina Duke asked rather bemused. ¡°The Lee couple¡¯s daughter?¡± James replied. ¡°Izo Reed,¡± Serina Duke rather bewildered replied to her son¡¯s question. James seems to memorize the name, before departing to the couple¡¯s surprise. The Duke couple stared at each other in surprise and had the uneasy feeling that this topic had yet to be over. * Izo is sitting near the plaza having stopped to eat from a local vendor. Sitting on a park bench, Izo munches on comfort food: a hotdog, chips, and a lemonade. Izo silently fumes as she eats her meal and ponders, what her next step should be. Out of the corner of her vision, Izo notices someone approach her, but Izo fails to notice as she is too busy with her thoughts. Izo doesn¡¯t even pause to glance at the person who takes a seat next to her. A familiar male voice says, ¡°So, is this considered a first date?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Izo almost spits out the food in her mouth and hastily takes a sip of her lemonade lest she chocked. With watery eyes, Izo glares at the little brat sitting next to her. ¡°What do you want?¡± Izo growled. James Duke matter-of-factly replies, ¡°I know that we got on the wrong foot. But frankly, I don¡¯t want this as much as you do. However, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair that you parents lose half of everything they¡¯ve worked their entire life for a bet that wasn¡¯t even made by our parents, but by our grandfathers. So, why don¡¯t you reconsider?¡± Izo doesn¡¯t respond and instead sullenly takes another bit of her hot dog in reply. While Izo chews her food, she thinks about the suggestion. On one hand, it would save her parents, but on the other hand, she would be stuck with this brat for a year. However, Izo wouldn¡¯t put her parents in a bad spot because of her. She¡¯d survived much worse than this and she could do so again. Besides how could it be, it was just one year?¡± Izo swallows flatly says, ¡°So let¡¯s say, I agree to this, what will happen?¡± ¡°Well, the clauses are rather vague so as long as go on one date once per month we should be filling the clause conditions,¡± James replied. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to it, but first, let¡¯s set some ground rules,¡± Izo flatly stated. ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± James charmingly said. ¡°First, we keep away from each other¡¯s lives. Whether I am dating someone during this time it is not any of your business as long as I keep it low key, the same will apply to you. Secondly, I won¡¯t do the appearing at functions to accompany you, that¡¯s not my thing. Thirdly, we both have to agree on the date. And lastly, social media or texting will only be used for communication purposes. I¡¯m not going to send love emoji¡¯s to your phone to prove my fake devotion to you,¡± Izo drily stated. James ponders the statement and replies after a minute. ¡°Alright, I agree to the terms, but I have some conditions of my mine?¡± James retorted back as Izo waits uneasily. ¡°Firstly, I expect you to put some effort into your appearance. How you¡¯re dressed now is quite acceptable. Secondly, I am seeing someone I expect you to not make a scene should you see us in public. But you are correct, I will keep my personal affair low key. And lastly, don¡¯t fall in love with me,¡± James calmly stated. Izo snorts at the last condition and flatly says, ¡°I can guarantee there is no chance of that last condition ever coming to pass, you¡¯re not my type.¡± ¡°Really?¡± James playfully said. Izo doesn¡¯t reply as she climbs to her feet and says, ¡°Call your parents and let them know of the change, I¡¯ll do the same for mine,¡± before walking away. With a bemused smile, James Duke watches a tall, thin woman walk away. Shaking his head, James heads back towards his parents. Hopefully, this would put a spring back into his father knowing that the two families were business rivals again. * Chapter 24 – The Raid Izo had just gotten off the phone with her parents who were rather surprised that she had changed her mind. They tried to question her on the subject, but Izo replied that it was about time she did something to sacrifice herself for them. Her parents had been tear stricken by her heartfelt words. They made Izo promise that if at any time she felt this was too much for her to simply call it off and they would stand by her decision. Izo taps her fingers in the basement of Marchen Inc. in deep thought. Though she had a really had a nice amour now to equip, Izo had been laying off getting back into shape. And now that she was a Minor God, she needs to sharpen her skills. There was no telling when she would be summoned to the Godly planes of existence. However, her adventurer¡¯s guild class was only at C-Class level. And last time around, she¡¯d been rather lucky at finding the dungeon¡¯s empty. There was no telling if she would be lucky next time. With that in mind, Izo opens the market tab to purchase a disguise mask. Izo scans the items on sale and finally finds a mask with decent masking abilities.
Mask of the Dusk-Dawn [Uncommon] Durability: 100/100 This mask will hide the user¡¯s voice, scent, and even gender. Please note: There are no other added extra stats and mask may not look as advertised.
Though on the downside, Izo¡¯s voice and body shape would look like that of a man¡¯s. However, Izo shrugs in reply, that really wasn¡¯t that bad. Izo unhesitatingly clicks on the purchase icon.
The purchase has been confirmed! Please check your inbox for your item and all funds will appear shortly in your account. [Warning: all trades are final!}
Izo checks her inbox and finds a simple fox-like mask waiting for her. Izo raises her eyebrow at that, it was through the world was trying to tell her something. Unable to make the connection, Izo shrugs the feeling off. Climbing to her feet, Izo teleports directly to her room to find the fluff ball of Pucca curled up on her bed sound asleep. Pucca let¡¯s out a chirp at seeing Izo, before curling back up. Izo suddenly has the urge to grab Pucca and roll the fluff blob into a ball and see if she can make a basketball shot with it.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Pucca as if sensing the dark intent of its master lets out a firm chirp like sound. Izo sniffs innocently and presses her hands into the blob¡¯s fur. Izo keeps doing this until Pucca jumps off the bed and trots out of the bedroom in search of better company. Izo snorts and closes the door behind her as she changes into some exploring clothes. Izo wasn¡¯t worried as she still had her old travel packs in her inventory and an extra change of clothes. Done, Izo sits down at the computer to think as she tries to remember her guild login information. To Izo¡¯s rare luck, the password and username were saved on the computer. Izo searches for a C-Class dungeon nearby a B or higher-level dungeon. Well, Izo was in luck, there happened to be such dungeons, Rainbow Trails, and Rainbow Cliff. Rainbow Trails is a C-Class dungeon while Rainbow Cliff was an A-class dungeon. With a smile, Izo also searches for C-Class ranked missions for that dungeon. To her weird luck once more, there were three missions that paid rather well and all Izo had to do was collect 100 Rainbow bones, 100 Rainbow flowers, and 100 Rainbow herbs. At this point, Izo was filled with unease. Things were going far too well, it was almost as if her luck had changed. But that was impossible as Izo had warily checked her stats and nothing had changed as her Luck stat was still 5. Uneasey, Izo emerges from her room and goes in search of Pucca. Izo finds Pucca napping on the couch as Izo carefully pokes Pucca awake. Pucca lets out an unhappy chirp as Izo suspiciously says, ¡°So are you a lucky charm or what?¡± Pucca merely rolls over to hide its fluffy head under a pillow. Being ignored, in such a way made Izo narrow her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a bath if you don¡¯t answer,¡± Izo threatened. That doesn¡¯t even cause Pucca to flinch as Izo narrows her eyes in thought. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to a nursery, where little kids won¡¯t be able to keep their grimy paws off of you,¡± Izo evilly declared. Pucca let¡¯s out a chirp of dismay and pulls it¡¯ head out of it¡¯s hiding place. Izo says, ¡°For no, chirp twice, for yes, chirp once, and for maybe thrice. Got it?¡± Pucca chirps once as if saying, ¡°I agree, foolish master, now hurry up, I want to get back to my nap.¡± Izo says, ¡°Are you a lucky beast?¡± Pucca chirps thrice in reply. ¡°Okay, are you a battle beast?¡± Izo inquired, but Pucca chirps three more times once more. ¡°Fine, are you a magical beast?¡± Pucca chirps once in yes. ¡°Alright, then are you an item beast?¡± Pucca chirps twice in NO. ¡°Do you have a specialty?¡± Pucca chirps thrice again. ¡°Can you talk?¡± Pucca tactfully remains silent and sneezes instead. Izo narrows her eyes in annoyance and says, ¡°Start talking or I will shave all of you fur off.¡± ¡°Okay, okay!¡± A little boy¡¯s or little girls voice said. ¡°Sheesh, you¡¯re anxious much.¡± ¡°Now answer the asked questions,¡± Izo ominously grumbled. ¡°And tell me what you are.¡± Pucca rolls it¡¯s eyes and says, ¡°I suppose you could say, I¡¯m a fox god. But I¡¯m only half-deity and half-demon, so who knows what I really am. I have both offensive and defensive skills thanks to my parent¡¯s heritage.¡± ¡°So, if you¡¯re a god¡¯s child, how did I summon you?¡± Izo pointedly asked. ¡°Oh, that. I just wanted to scare mom and dad,¡± Pucca happily replied. Izo almost chokes as a terrible horror falls upon her. She had kidnapped a God and Demon¡¯s love child. She was so dead. * Chapter 24.2 – The Raid â…¡ Izo¡¯s mind swiftly calms down as she ponders the situation carefully. If she could summon Pucca, then his parents couldn¡¯t very well blame her. The pact had already been made between a god, herself, and pucca. Besides if things got scary, Izo would not hesitate to involve the pink jelly. Izo¡¯s gaze had become icy very fast causing Pucca to let out a chirp of fear. Izo¡¯s arrogant gaze moved onto Pucca making Pucca shiver with dread. What was his evil master planning? ¡°No matter the issue of your parents is only a minor setback,¡± Izo calmly said causing Pucca¡¯s fur to fluff out with fear. ¡°What was his master planning to do to his parents!?¡± Pucca fearfully thought. Izo reaches over and pats the fluff ball failing to utterly notice Pucca shivering under her hand. Izo just thought it was a pet service the nice vibration sensation or maybe, Pucca was purring. Therefore, Izo continued to pet Pucca to allow Pucca to enjoy itself. Just as Izo was relaxing a familiar ding is heard as a blue screen pops up in front of her.
Congratulations! The Temple of Cthulhu has achieved 1,000 Followers. Please open your inbox to receive your prize!
Izo opens her inbox and reads the prize notification.
Congratulations Pope Psykosis! The temple edifice on the 8th floor has automatically expanded to twice its size. Please assign the following 2 titles: Bishop ¨C Guides the people and spreads the word. [No class grade requirements]. Knight ¨C Protects the Church from threats must be B-class rank or higher.
Izo almost chokes, this wasn¡¯t a prize, but another assignment! Izo sighs, but rather easily assigns the position of Bishop to the brownie priestess. The brownie priestess was rather good at her job and Izo wasn¡¯t about to take that away from her.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. However, Izo was perplexed at finding a knight. Where is she going to find someone who can fulfill the requirements for that position? Izo pauses as her mind beings to connect dots rather sinisterly in her mind. Izo turns towards Pucca causing to shiver with dread. ¡°Pucca, let¡¯s go back to my unanswered questions, shall we?¡± Izo kindly mused out loud. Pucca lets an unhappy chirp as Izo pointedly adds, ¡°You do remember my questions, don¡¯t you? Pucca unhappily replies, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh good, so please start,¡± Izo chided Pucca. Pucca sniffs grumpily, but says, ¡°As I already started, I am half-deity and half-demon. I possess abilities that constitute offensive abilities and defensive abilities.¡± ¡°I see, but you haven¡¯t told me if you have any special abilities to aide me. You¡¯re supposed to be a helping subordinate,¡± Izo accusingly stated. Pucca sits up and curls its fluffy tail around its body. ¡°I¡¯m good at finding out people¡¯s secrets and recruiting subordinates,¡± Pucca grumpily replied with regret. Back at home, no one would ever demand anything out of Pucca. Pucca had thousands of subordinates serving under Pucca and now, Pucca was here! Pucca should have never left home. Izo¡¯s eyes brighten with glee as she says, ¡°I need to find a knight for the temple. Now go and find one.¡± Pucca lets out a displeased chirp, but climbs off the couch and disappears into a grey mist doing as instructed. Izo nods with satisfaction and decides to postpone heading towards the dungeon for a day or two until the knight issue was solved. With a happy smile, Izo spends a day on the couch watching her tv shows loafing around on the couch. * James Duke walks out of the Emerald City Branch of the Adventure¡¯s guild having been asked to investigate the new dungeon that had cropped up outside of the city outskirts. New dungeons were known to pop up every now and then, but rarely so near a city. But what made this one more unique was that beyond the 8th dungeon floor it drastically increased to rival B-class, than A-class dungeons. The furthest dungeon floor that had been reached was 13th floor by a team of A-class adventurer¡¯s. The 13th floor was a floor made up of an ever-changing maze filled with ghosts, specters and other such creatures. James had already been warned about the 2nd dungeon floor guardian which was posing a serious problem to adventurer party groups. The serious instruction that had been instructed to all B-class or higher groups is for the members of the party to pass the first 7th floors as solo members or limit their party to two members and regroup on the 8th floor as an entire group. The group that had made it to the 13th floor had been the ones who had passed the suggestion along. From now, on that would become the rule for all higher adventurer parties that wished to reach the higher-level floors. Given the change, many parties were being sent back into the dungeon including the first group the Sky Knight¡¯s order. James Duke suddenly stops and turns his head around and frowns. For a moment, he had sensed a pair of eyes on him, watching him. James carefully surveys the area around him but fails to notice anything else. James warily turns away but glances back several times on his way back. Taking extra turns and the long way to his destination, James even stops and uses spells to track his tracker. However, nothing ever shows up which leads to only two possibilities. Either he was imagining things, or his pursuer was of a higher level than himself. But if so who could it be? * Chapter 24.3 – The Raid â…¢ James shakes his head and mutters to himself, ¡°I must be tired.¡± After all, there weren¡¯t many who could match his skill and even less who would dare make an enemy out of him. Ignoring the sensation, James carefully finally makes his way to an apartment and lets himself in. A woman in a red dress sits in a chair calmly reading her book. Her black cat ears and tail flicker slightly at the sound of movement, but doesn¡¯t react. James smiles lovingly at the woman whom he loved, ¡°Jane Katz.¡± ¡°Are you hungry, where do you and the baby want to eat?¡± James asked. Jane was only three months pregnant and her belly had yet to show, but soon enough her stomach would begin to show. Jane Katz icily says, ¡°Then tell me, why you got engaged to Izo Reed, just yesterday?¡± James smiles warily and says, ¡°I did so to because of our parent¡¯s arrangement. Whichever family breaks the engagement would lose half of their businesses. I didn¡¯t think it¡¯s fair to either family to lose what they have worked so hard to create because of a promise or bet made by our grandfathers. Besides I can promise you this, I have no interest in her and neither does she I swear.¡± Jane narrows her eyes and says, ¡°You better be telling the truth, James Duke or you will never see me or the baby again.¡± James pales in understanding. He knew exactly what Jane was capable and that was exactly what made them fall in love with each other. Jane climbs to her feet and quietly says, ¡°Well then, in that case, I want to eat fish and shrimp. I¡¯ve been craving seafood as of late.¡± James happily says, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go out.¡± The couple goes out as a fluffy foxlike fur ball appears in the empty apartment. Making a tsk-tsk sound, Pucca disappears from the apartment now that its mission was done. Hopefully, Pucca¡¯s cruel master would be satisfied and leave Pucca alone from now on. * Izo is eating chips when Pucca appears in front of her and says, ¡°I found a suitable knight candidate.¡± ¡°Oh, who?¡± Izo curiously asked. Pucca warily says, ¡°Master already knows the individual, James Duke.¡± Izo sprays Pucca with chip fragments as Pucca blinks in disgust. Izo coughs and says, ¡°Please explain.¡± ¡°That man¡¯s cat-woman is pregnant, she¡¯s already three months along,¡± Pucca grumbled back, while removing the chip fragments from Pucca¡¯s fur.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Izo¡¯s eyes narrow with interest as she muses out loud, ¡°If I recall correctly the Duke family infamous for hating demi.¡¯s as a wolfman is responsible for the death of the previous head of the Duke family, Wilbert Duke. Yes, without a doubt, should the relationship be exposed, James Duke will be tossed out of his family.¡± Pucca lets out a chirp as if asking, ¡°Can I go now, you¡¯re wasting my time.¡± Izo says, ¡°You can go, but first, I have one more thing I need you to do.¡± Pucca sighs in exasperation as Izo whispers something into Pucca¡¯s ear. Pucca nods Pucca¡¯s head at the easy duty, before vanishing into a mist. Izo smiles happily to herself, before getting to her feet and heading out. It was going to be most interesting, to say the least. * James Duke is walking Jane back to their apartment, when a tiny foxlike creature appears before them with a note in its mouth. The fluffy fox kit jogs up to James and pointedly lays the letter at his feet. Jane smiles and reaches to pet the fluffy ball, but the kit runs away and disappears around the corner. James brows furrow as he reads the contents of the letter. Jane worriedly says, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± James smiles and says, ¡°It¡¯s just an invitation to a stag party from my friend. I have to go now, but I¡¯ll call you in a bit.¡± Jane nods in understanding as James places a kiss on her cheek and hastily hurries away. James Duke¡¯s eyes turn icy as he makes towards a caf¨¦ on the outskirts of Emerald City. The caf¨¦ is empty at this hour as James makes his way to a single table on the second floor. A thin woman with dark hair patiently waits as she sips a cup of spiced hot chocolate at the table. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± James Duke said as he furiously came to stand in front of Izo Reed. ¡°Please have a seat and stop making such a scene,¡± Izo calmly stated, before gently setting the white porcelain cup on its plate. James coldly studies Izo Reed, a woman with frosty eyes and an arrogant cold face. Angry, but wary, James takes a seat as instructed across from her. ¡°What do you want?¡± James coldly asked. Izo smiles her usual chilling smile unware how villainous her faced looked to James Duke. ¡°You must realize my surprise upon finding out that the man I am engaged not only has a woman on the side, but one that is pregnant. Should such a scandal get out, that certainly will not fit with the rules setup to keep our affairs low key,¡± Izo matter-of-factly stated. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± James Duke growled as he dangerously leaned forward across the table. ¡°No, it is merely an observation and a fact,¡± Izo flatly stated back. James leans back into his seat and flatly replies, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bite. What is that you want?¡± ¡°I want you to become my knight,¡± Izo calmly proposed. ¡°Oh, and what does that job position entail, if I may so pointedly ask?¡± James muttered back. ¡°Before I explain the details of the job, I want you to decide on whether you will accept my proposal,¡± Izo purposefully declared. ¡°The position sounds rather suspicious if you ask me, given that you are avoiding the question,¡± James pointedly inquired. ¡°Yes, will the nature of the job itself is rather unbelievable,¡± Izo retorted back. ¡°I won¡¯t accept so easily a job that could suddenly make me an assassin,¡± James growled back. ¡°Hmm, yes, I suppose so. In that case, I¡¯ll have to give you a reason, won¡¯t I?¡± Izo calmly said. James Duke narrows his eyes at the answer the air becomes tense and this time around it would not be so easily to dispel. * Chapter 24.4 – The Raid â…£ Izo gently says, ¡°What do you think your parents will do the moment, they find out that Jane Katz is pregnant with your child? Not to mention the added fact that she is a demi and that your parents would lose half of everything? You certainly would be fine even disowned as you have your own money. But Miss Katz has family in Emerald City, I wonder how they would far under your parent¡¯s persecution? However, an even better question is if your romantic relationship would survive such a strain? And the worst thing of all is that there would be a child caught up in the entire mess. No doubt, Katz would move away to protect your child, but still, we can¡¯t know if your parents will allow it. And we have not asked the most pertinent question of all, what will they do once they find out she is pregnant? They may act violently and accidentally cause her a miscarriage. And even worse, they may accidentally arrange for a subtle accident to take her life. Which wee both that is not an uncommon practice in the world of our parents.¡± James Duke trembles at Izo¡¯s words as he quietly says, ¡°You¡¯ve made your point.¡± ¡°I thought you would eventually see it may, but anyhow, here is my proposal. We will continue to pretend to date each other for a year providing ample cover for you and your woman. I will ensure that the two of you are legally married by the end of today, so when your child is born, it will not be born out of wedlock. Secondly, I will protect the both of you by hiding your marriage and only revealing that fact after the fake engagement period is over. And lastly, by having me as your employer, your parents won¡¯t be to touch the family members of Katz lest they invoke my wrath which includes the Lee Family,¡± Izo calmly stated as she paused to lean forward. ¡°So, James Duke will you become my knight?¡± Izo asked once more. James Duke is quiet for a long time as he asks, ¡°I will not be required become an assassin or kill anyone?¡± ¡°You will not become an assassin, but you must protect my sanctuary and that may involve killing off intruders,¡± Izo carefully answered the question. James Duke narrows his eyes and says, ¡°Very well, I accept to become your Knight in fulfilling the role as stated, nothing more and nothing less.¡± A familiar ding is heard as a blue screen pops up in front of Izo¡¯s face
Congratulations, you have gained a knight! For gaining an S-Class Rank Knight, an added title bonus has been acquired! Thy new Knight has been assigned as Captain of the Knights. A Captain of the Knights can automatically recruit more knights to protect thy God¡¯s temple!A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. [The Captain of the Knights has been automatically bestowed with an S-Class Weapon!] The Captain of the Knights has gained a new skill from Cthulhu, thy God. Self-Substance: Ability to go without physical needs including breathing, rest, to feel cold/hot or pain and hunger, etc. [Limited to a single use per day for 3 hours]. The Captain of the Knights has gained new blessings from Cthulhu, thy God. Psychic Shield: The Captain of the Knights cannot be affected by outside mental abilities or illusions. Reformation: Limited use. [Will only systematically trigger if damage exceeds 55%.]
Izo glances up from the pop-up message to find a rather disturbed James staring blankly at the space before him. With a sigh, Izo says, ¡°That¡¯s just a system message telling you¡¯ve become the Captain of my Knights. There should be an icon allowing you accept the Captain Knight ranked item.¡± James blankly does as he is told when a broadsword appears on the table.
Broadsword of Cthulhu (Epic) Armor made by Cthulhu for the Captain of the Knights. Strength S, Dexterity A, Resistance A, Magic Power B, &Vitality A Passive Skills: Madness Strike ¨C with every attack there is a 25% of causing the enemy to become stunned or fall under a spell of confusion. Darkness Shade ¨C will automatically hide the owner of the blade for a minute from their enemies¡¯ eyes, spells, items, etc. every fifteen minutes.
James seems to be dumb folded by the ridiculous stats of the broadsword in front of him. Izo quietly says, ¡°Put that damn thing away into your inventory before you call attention to us! You can be in awe of it later!¡± James blinks and rather confused asks, ¡°How do I do that?¡± Izo sighs and grumbles to herself, ¡°Newbies.¡± Taking a deep breath, Izo says, ¡°Just put it into your inventory and imagine yourself doing so.¡± James rather awkwardly grabs the broadsword and begins to imagine doing so. To his amazement, an inventory like space appears before him and the broadsword darts inside to be stored. James is still in shock and disbelief when Izo drags him out of the caf¨¦ and teleports directly into the temple. James'' eyes widen as he recognizes their current location as the 8th floor of the new dungeon. Mana images had been brought back by Guild Mages and this was one of the easily recognizable features. James opens his mouth and dumbly says, ¡°So, I¡¯m to guard the 8th floor of a dungeon?¡± Izo rolls her eyes and says, ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re only here to protect the temple of Cthulhu.¡± ¡°Whose Cthulhu?¡± James dumbly asked. Izo points at the pink jelly statues and drily says, ¡°That¡¯s Cthulhu.¡± Before they can continue their conversation, the Brownie Bishop approaches them and bows. ¡°Your excellence, Pope Psykosis it is an honor to have been bestowed the title of Bishop. I shall not fail you and have already called several others to fill in the positions of priestesses and priests. I hope that thy holy eminence does not mind my actions,¡± The Brownie Bishopess said. Izo nods her head in approval and says, ¡°No, Cthulhu and I are very pleased with thy worshipful actions. Please allow me to introduce the man at my side, this is Captain James Duke. He will oversee the protection of the temple from evil doers and recruit more knights to protect the temple.¡± The female brownie bishop bows and says, ¡°Thank your excellency and welcome, Captain James.¡± The brownie bishop heads on her way gracefully as the worshiper''s bow to her on her way out. James is left rather mute and unable to process what is going on. Because he still couldn¡¯t understand that a dungeon was a God¡¯s temple. But even more so, Gods really existed, to begin with?! * Chapter 24.5 – The Raid â…¤ Izo waits long enough for James to come to his senses, but finally becomes exasperated and says, ¡°James, the Gods do exist and always have. The God I serve is Cthulhu, but there are many others in the universe and many which you have heard from ancient tales of long ago. The gods of the fierce Norse, the Greek, and the Roman Gods, and many countless more. With time, you may even find yourself battling those who serve other gods. That is your duty to protect this Temple. You are allowed to continue being an adventurer and live your daily life, but should the temple ever be in danger you will be instantly summoned back from wherever you are. That is the only condition to this job. If you wish to delegate some of your duties you may and I strongly urge you to gather more knights. You are the Captain of the Knights and have the ability to recruit more knights to protect the temple.¡± After a moment, having finally wrapped his mind around the situation, James says, ¡°What¡¯s the pay for this job?¡± Izo smiles thinly at admiring James Duke¡¯s business-oriented mind. ¡°You will be paid in gold coins every month according to a set salary. And what is, I don¡¯t know yet since the system makes the payment automatically from the temple funds. But knowing the answer, it won¡¯t be small.¡± James nods his head thoughtfully and says, ¡°Good, but I would like to request armor.¡± ¡°You can buy armor and other needed items from my auction house,¡± Izo innocently replied back. James glares at Izo and says, ¡°Fine, I will. But I want a reimbursement.¡± ¡°Now can do, Cthulhu does not do reimbursements,¡± Izo gleefully chortled back. James snorts and mutters under his breath, ¡°Cheapskate.¡± Izo happily says, ¡°Anywho, let¡¯s go get you and your lovely girl married.¡± James snorts and says, ¡°And how do I explain to the love of my life that my pretend fianc¨¦ will be the one officiating the marriage?¡± ¡°Just leave that to me,¡± Izo cheerfully said, before grabbing James by the shoulder and appearing in the apartment of Jane Katz who is eating tiny sauces. Jane chokes as Izo releases her hold on James¡¯s shoulder and extends her hand out to be shaken. ¡°I¡¯m Izo Reed, your husband¡¯s fake fianc¨¦e for this year. Now ignoring that fact, I am here to marry you, so that your child will not be born out of wedlock and be protected by family name,¡± Izo confidently stated. Jane with incredulity stares at James as if asking if this was all a joke. James shrugs apologetically at Jane who calmly adjusts her glasses. Jane Katz was not one to panic and calmly takes Izo by the hand and firmly shakes it.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°I see, but I am a bit confused by the situation,¡± Jane quietly replied back. Izo quickly takes a seat at the table and says, ¡°Please let me explain Jane. Is it alright if I call you Jane?¡± Jane nods as she sits back down while James sits next to his beloved lover. Izo shamelessly takes a tasty mini sausage and munches on it. ¡°Ah, yes, the wonderful joys of meat. Anyhow, let me get back to the subject at hand. How much do you know about the Duke family?¡± Izo asked. Jane quietly says, ¡°I know who they are and the reason they hate demi.¡¯s such as myself.¡± ¡°Well, my parents are the head of the Lee family, the direct and only rivals to the Duke family. James and I have plotted since yesterday, but we had yet to finalize the details, that¡¯s why he had yet to say anything to you. However, this is the deal, James will work as a part-timer for me and guarding a certain place for me, while still being paid in gold for his working hours. In exchange, I will give my name and we will pretend to be fake fianc¨¦s for a year to comply with the wishes of our grandfathers. That being said I will officiate your marriage today to protect your child. Once the truth comes out, James without a doubt will be disowned, but James, you, your child and your family will be protected by my family, the Lee family,¡± Izo matter-of-factly stated. Jane perks up and carefully asked, ¡°That is an interesting proposal, but how do I know you won¡¯t go back on your word?¡± Izo drily replies, ¡°Trust me, James is not my type.¡± Jane relaxes at the reply another woman could always tell one a woman was into her man. This one wasn¡¯t the least bit interested in him. And was the exact answer she had been hoping to hear. Jane is rather quiet in thought and finally says, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, and I think it¡¯s a good idea. But I am a question, Miss Reed, are you still hiring for Marchen Inc.?¡± Izo¡¯s gaze brightens at the question as James¡¯s face darkens. ¡°I am always looking for talented workers, is there a job position you are interested in?¡± Izo asked. ¡°I heard that the Marchen Inc. was searching for herbalists to work with the alchemists, is that still true?¡± Jane asked. ¡°Of course, I am releasing a mass of new potions into the market and the alchemists are overwhelmed and currently overworked. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know anyone else interested in the position?¡± Izo asked with a gleam in her eyes. Jane¡¯s black cat ears perk up as her cat tail happily twitches behind her. ¡°Yes, I do, there are several women from my personal group of friends retiring from being adventurers due to the hectic schedule. Most are retiring because of their families and are searing for regular work hour positions. But most places aren¡¯t willing to hire adventurer¡¯s due to their lack of degrees,¡± Jane honestly replied. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem as you can vouch for their integrity and the alchemists can be confirmed their skills, they are hired. And Marchen Inc. offers excellent benefits including employee discounts and maternity leave,¡± Izo pointedly declared. Jane¡¯s cat tail waves happily in the air as James¡¯s face becomes sullen. Jane happily says, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll start Monday, if possible.¡± ¡°Not a problem, I¡¯ll give notice to my managers, Flora Fauna and Thomas Vladimir. They¡¯re both excellent people,¡± Izo commented as she texts her poor overworked managers that a new employee and several others would start on Monday. Back in the vault, Flora Fauna receives the text message and darkly mutters things under her breath. Thomas on the other hand, rather loudly curses the owner until Flora glares at him. In which case, Thomas switches over to cursing the boss in his mind. It wasn¡¯t like the boss could hear him, right? * Chapter 25 – The Dungeon After Izo was done with the simple marriage ceremony, Izo departs from the loving couple¡¯s apartment. As it would turn out, when Cthulhu¡¯s temple came into existence, the system automatically made Izo an officially licensed marriage officiator. As long as Izo married the couple, the marriage would automatically be registered and licensed in the place of the marriage. However, for this particular marriage, Izo asked the system, that the marriage is to be lost in the paperwork of the court for exactly a year, before magically being found in the court filing system, that said marriage had taken place a year ago and had tragically been misfiled. With a spring in her step, Izo teleports back to the dungeon and heads towards the 20th floor. Squishy happily slobbers all over Izo as Izo shudders but allows Squishy to do so. Having shown the owner her love, Squishy rolls onto her back to have her tummy petted. Izo shivers as she touches the strange moist, smooth skin of Squishy. Having lasted long enough, Izo withdraws her hand as Squishy lets out a happy yelp and trots back to the fake temple core to guard it. Izo checks the real temple core strategically hidden among the mana sunflowers. The core was safe as ever, when a message pops up before Izo.
Temple core minimum upgrade requirements have been met! Dungeon minimum of 20 Levels. Upgraded Temple to level 2. Captain Knight of S-Class level assigned. Bishop has been assigned. Would you like to start the upgrade? Warning: Upgrade will take 1 hour to be completed.
Izo clicks the yes option and her temple core begins to glow. The minutes trickle by as Izo lines down on the mana sunflowers to see the sky filled with energy snakes. Squishy will reach out to chase or eat an energy snake but mostly remains to guard her post. After an hour, a message pops up before Izo.
Temple Core has evolved to stage 2. The dungeon may now host a maximum of 45 dungeon levels. Captain of the Knights will have an automatic steed assigned for his use inside the dungeon. Captain of the Knights may test his skills against dungeon creatures and destroy them. [Said destruction is only temporary as monsters will automatically respawn once the Captain of the Knights has passed onto the next level. This extra feature will not cost the dungeon owner extra God Coins per month.] Boss Monsters such as the Bone Dragon have received added stats and new skills.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Lower level monsters have received bonus stats. The 8th dungeon floor has automatically gained the following buildings filled with necessary accommodations and workers: an inn with hot springs, a brothel filled with willing succubus¡¯s and incubuses, a city hall, a 3-star-hotel, a large grocery store, and now available for adventurers to rent is a new housing development area with its own apartment manager to manage and collect the rent.
Izo wasn¡¯t surprised about most of the added features except for the brothel. Why was a brothel added? Well, no matter, as long as she made money, she really didn¡¯t care. In fact, Izo quickly became a fan once she saw the pricing for the services provided. Seeing as the temple core had given her new building, Izo could tell the system was subtlety trying to tell her something. Taking a hint, Izo begins to purchase buildings for the rapidly growing town. A skyscraper filled with luxury apartments for rent, mana drones that delivered or carried purchases for an adventurer, R-snails that are actually quite fast and deliver a person promptly to their next location, and a few more things for the locals such as a theatre, a wine shop, etc. Finished, Izo yawns and glances at her watch, it was rather late, and it was too late to set out for a dungeon. With that in mind, Izo teleports back to her room to sleep. After all, she could always get to it tomorrow. * Elsewhere at Marchen Inc. Auction House, Flora Fauna and Thomas Vladimir sleepily emerge from the vault. Utterly exhausted, the two have somehow managed to register everything into the inventory and finally be done. Mr. Smith happily waves goodbye to the two managers as he locks up after them. Wolfe happily trots next to Mr. Smith before dashing away to patrol the auction house. Because at night, that was when Wolfe¡¯s true monster nature came alive and woe the person that came crossed him. Flora sleepily yawns as Thomas walks Flora to her car. Before Flora can get into her car, Thomas hastily says, ¡°So, do you want to go out for dinner?¡± Flora frowns and says, ¡°Dinner? Isn¡¯t it a little late for that?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. My bad,¡± Thomas instantly said, regretting having opened his mouth. ¡°But I guess it can¡¯t hurt,¡± Flora relented after a second. Thomas perks up and says, ¡°How about we go to Gia¡¯s?¡± Flora shrugs and says, ¡°That¡¯s fine, do you want to go in my car?¡± Thomas happily gets into the passenger seat as Thomas gets in and Flora starts the car. The two chat all the way there, before arriving at the still open late diner. In an uncharacteristic gesture, Thomas holds the restaurant door open for Flora as she politely thanks him for the kind gesture. After ordering, the two chat about work until Thomas awkwardly says, ¡°So do you want to do something this weekend?¡± Thomas curses himself at his stupid words. He¡¯d asked hundreds of women out before, but this was the first time he tripped over his tongue. He wasn¡¯t even this nervous the first time he asked a woman out! Flora blinks and disbelieving says, ¡°Like a date?¡± Thomas'' face reddens with embarrassment as he wished he could really be staked through the heart right now. ¡°Do you like me, Thomas?¡± Flora seriously asked. ¡°Oh god, please kill me,¡± Thomas silently pleaded with the heavens, before saying out loud, ¡°Yeah.¡± Then Thomas proceeds to berate himself for answering to stupidly! ¡°Oh,¡± Flora blinked in reply. To their relief, the waiter arrives with their meal and the two busily begin to eat. After a while, Flora says, ¡°You¡¯ve always been my friend, Thomas, but you¡¯re a bit of player. But nevertheless, I guess we can go on a date, but I choose what we do, okay?¡± Thomas eyes fill with hope at Flora¡¯s words as he smoothly replies, ¡°Of course.¡± The two smiled at each other rather awkwardly, because no matter what happened, this would change the nature of their very relationship forever. Either, they would continue to see each other, or they would be less than friends. Regardless, of tonight, time would only tell if that was a good thing or not. * Chapter 25.2 – The Dungeon â…¡ In pajama¡¯s Izo finds herself once more in limbo to appear before the seated figure of Odin. The pink jelly hurls itself at Izo, as usual, causing Izo¡¯s ribs to painfully crack. Wheezing, Izo manages to sit down in the chair as the Pink Jelly happily purrs and says, ¡°Mama.¡± Odin warily smiles at the scene as Izo asks, ¡°I thought the both of you returned to the Godly Planes?¡± ¡°We have, but Gods are permitted to visit their chosen¡¯s dreams,¡± Odin matter-of-factly declared. Izo nods her head as Odin gravely says, ¡°The gods have begun to gather their chosen champions and it is only a matter of time until the Champion Courts are open once more. We are here to give you ample warning to finish putting your mortal affairs in order as an envoy will soon be arriving on earth to bring you to the Godly planes.¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t the pink-,¡± Izo coughs and hastily rephrases her words, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Cthulhu bringing me directly to the Godly planes?¡± ¡°That was the plan, but we cannot afford to reveal that you are Cthulhu¡¯s chosen champion as of yet. There are many ways for our enemies to be rid of a chosen champion before their arrival to the Godly planes. And that is why an envoy from the god planes has been sent to collect you to ensure your arrival with the rest of the champions. We will hide you in plain sight among the rest of the champions for your own protection. And when your status as the champion of Cthulhu is revealed it will be too late for our enemies to act so openly once more. You almost died once by envoys of Chaos and we cannot allow that risk to occur again,¡± Odin solemnly declared. Odin pauses before carefully saying, ¡°But even more importantly, the original God¡¯s of the faction have been hiding your status of a minor god as well from the rest of the gods. We cannot afford to allow our enemies to know of your secondary status as they can send minor gods to challenge you in the Soul Courts. You are still only a budding minor god that has yet to grow into her full power,¡± Odin pointedly exclaimed. Izo nods her head in understanding and says, ¡°Yes, I understood very well, that the tallest tree in the forest is always the first to be cut down by the wind. However, I have one question, one that has been bothering me as of late.¡± Odin frowns and says, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I found an apple of discord in Emerald City and I am familiar with the Greek myths of old. Therefore, my question is if the goddess of chaos, Eris personally choose an envoy from Emerald City and if so, could she have sensed my presence?¡± Izo pointedly inquired.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Odin narrows his eyes and says, ¡°No, the binding spell that we placed on you would have protected you from passing god¡¯s eyes. But that does not mean that the goddess wouldn¡¯t be instinctively drawn to this world. For a god is still a god.¡± Cthulhu smuggles against Izo¡¯s chest in comfort as Odin quietly says, ¡°But I can tell you, who her chosen envoy is.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Izo asked with interest. Odin¡¯s eyes twinkle as he mischievously points upward to the two ravens perched above him, Huginn and Munnin. ¡°Those two have always been my eyes and they have been keeping an eye on you for your protection. The chosen envoy to my surprise was a young woman named, Mary Sue. Which is rather strange as Eris typically chooses homicidal maniacs as her champions,¡± Odin drily commented. Izo¡¯s eyes widen at the revitalization as she disbelievingly asks, ¡°Did you say, Mary Sue?¡± ¡°Yes, why?¡± Odin asked as he pauses and says, ¡°You know the girl.¡± Izo uneasily replies back, ¡°That girl is the natural heroine of this mortal world, charming the entire world at her fingertips. Mary Sue has strong premonitions and precognitions. I can only image that her abilities have grown and strengthened themselves now that she has become the champion of Eris.¡± Odin narrows his eyes as he leans back in his seat to ponder the startling discovery. ¡°It would seem, that we have been led astray,¡± Odin quietly stated. ¡°What has happened?¡± Izo curiously asked. ¡°That girl is quite the charmer and has made many friends on both sides of the factions. Luckily, our faction has kept our champions away from the godly planes, but if what you say is true, then that girl possesses an even greater threat,¡± Odin flatly hissed. Izo¡¯s eyes widen as she says, ¡°Could a champion attract the eye of a God, such as a well-known philander such as Zeus?¡± ¡°It has happened before,¡± Odin unhappily declared. Izo¡¯s eyes narrow at the revelation as she cautiously says, ¡°Then could Eris be aiming for a repeat of Paris and Troy? All it would take is for one god to be promised Mary Sue, and the rest of the factions and gods would be pulled into the likes of war the universe has never seen.¡± ¡°Yes, that is a strong possibility,¡± Odin quietly stated. ¡°And that is exactly what I am afraid of. However, if that is the case, there are those on both sides who I am still on friendly terms with. I will subtly pass the word along so that they may remain vigilant.¡± Izo nods her head as she says, ¡°On that note, I may have accidentally summoned a God¡¯s child as my subordinate.¡± Odin drily replies, ¡°I know. We¡¯ve already spoken to the parents of the wayward child and they understand exactly what transpired and know that the blame for the situation lays with their child. The parents only ask that while you are in the godly planes, that they may see and visit with their wayward child.¡± Izo sighs in relief and says, ¡°I thought they were going to eat me once they found out.¡± ¡°Oh, they were going to,¡± Odin matter-of-factly stated causing Izo to pale. Odin climbs to his feet and says, ¡°We have already spoken to you more than we should have, we must be going now.¡± The pink jelly rubs his little face affectionately against Izo¡¯s before bobbing away. The scene turns grey as Izo returns to her body in a deep slumber. But come morning, Izo would be rather busy. * Chapter 25.3 – The Dungeon â…¢ James Duke unhappily leaves the apartment of his beloved wife, Jane Katz, now Jane Duke. James hadn¡¯t missed the sneakiness of Izo Reed¡¯s actions yesterday. Though pleased that he was married, James knew that the employment offer had been made to tie Jane¡¯s loyalty to Izo Reed. And now, Jane would vehemently stand on Izo Reed¡¯s side and remind him as she did this morning to go and do his job. James with a sigh opens the system screen has described by his new employer, Izo Reed. It was rather amazing and baffling to him that God¡¯s truly existed. Although, an added bonus was that he now had an inventory function and wouldn¡¯t need to carry supplies in heavy bag packs. Everything could be easily stored in his inventory. James presses the temple icon as instructed and finds himself directly inside the temple. An inbox message from the system had stated that the dungeon/temple core had leveled up. The system pointedly requested that the Captain of the Knights add five more knights to the temple on the 8th dungeon level lest the Captain of the Knights suffers any backlash. James sighs as the brownie Bishop greets him and says, ¡°Greetings Captain James, how fares thy day?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you for asking,¡± James politely replied back. The brownie bishop nods her head in satisfaction, before heading on her way. James Duke sighs privately to himself, where was he going to find 5 knights for the temple? * The Sky Knights order had become rather fragmented since the revelation of the 2nd-floor golem. The order was now filled with unspoken tension and hurt feelings as various members were at odds with each other. At the rapid rate the situation was deteriorating, the Sky Knight¡¯s order would break apart. On orders from their patron, the Sky Knights were ordered to return to the cursed dungeon, but this time around to pass through as single adventurers or as duos. Naturally, this came as a vast relief to everyone, but everyone was filled with bitter feelings. If only they had done so the first time, they wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer through hell. Regardless of their personal emotions and current precarious state of the group, the Sky Knights returned to the dungeon. Sir Williams the leader naturally went alone as most of the group paired off into two. The weakest members of the Sky Knight¡¯s order paired up into two groups, one group is made up of four members and the other group the remaining five members. The Sky Knight¡¯s order managed to safely pass past the dreaded dungeon golem in 2nd floor without too much emotional or mental trauma. Though the golem did have a newly added ability, one¡¯s secrets were now carefully recorded and sold to a specialty shop on the 8th floor. Adventurers could buy their personal recording and naturally destroy it or else it would automatically be posted online after a 72-hour window period. Naturally, every adventurer complied and purchased their recording to destroy. Upon the arrival of the Sky Knights on the 8th floor, they were shocked by the changes on the 8th floor. Other than massive housing options including luxury options, there was a brothel, a new hot spring, and several other new services available. Sir William¡¯s, in particular, avoided staring at the brothel as the woman of his group automatically stared at them.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Sir William¡¯s quickly leads his party to the temple to purchases pendants, before heading up to the next floor. * James Duke suddenly receives a notification from the system.
A suitable organization has been found to fulfill current and most future requirements, the Sky Knights Order. New Mission: Please recruit the Sky Knights Order as Knights for Cthulhu thy god! Warning: Should the Captain of the Knights fail; thy God will not be pleased. [For the host¡¯s s continued survival and for the sake of his emotional and mental well-being, it is strongly recommended that the Captain of the Knights not fail in his current task.
James tries to not choke and diligently dismisses the message. With a sigh, James waits inside the temple as the Sky Knights order appears in his view. Sir Williams blinks in surprise at spotting a famous S-class adventurer, James Duke. The rest of the Sky Knights also blink in surprise as James walks purposefully with a smile. The female knights suddenly adjust their armor and hair, while the male members of the group proudly puff out their chests and try to look manly. James Duke comes to a halt before them and says, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Sir Williams, it¡¯s been a while hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, it has James,¡± Sir Williams happily said, pleased that James Duke still remembered him. ¡°I was wondering but would you like to join the Knights order of Cthulhu?¡± James quietly asked. Sir Williams frowns and says, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it that order.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just an unofficial order, but you¡¯ll gain plenty of benefits for doing so. It¡¯s really only a part-time gig that pays in gold coins,¡± James truthfully stated for the most part. Sir Williams frowns slightly as the Sky Knight¡¯s members perk up at the suggestion. Sir Williams and his knights whisper in argument, but after a while, think it¡¯s a good idea if they will associate with a man of James Duke¡¯s caliber. After some time, Sir Williams turns and says, ¡°We would be honored to join Cthulhu¡¯s order.¡± James Duke let¡¯s out a sigh of relief as Sir Williams and including the rest of the Knight¡¯s choke as a blue pop system screen appears before them.
Congratulations, you¡¯ve become a life-long knight of the temple of Cthulhu thy God! As knights of Cthulhu, ye have been with a Godly Blessing: Reformation: Limited use. [Will only systematically trigger if damage exceeds 55%.] * New Knight items have been automatically bestowed and equipped. [Please note, items can be removed and put into the inventory for storage.] Armor of Cthulhu (Rare) Armor made by Cthulhu thy God for his Knights. Strength B, Dexterity B, Resistance B, Magic Power C, &Vitality A Passive Skills: Rebound ¨C there is a 25% of the enemy attack rebounding back onto the enemy. * Please note: That the Captain of the Knights, James Duke will assign all new ranks.
Seeing the blank faces of the Sky Knight¡¯s order, James sighs and says, ¡°Look, we¡¯ll have a long conversation about this at the inn. We might as well enjoy ourselves while we do.¡± The Sky Knights order in their dazzling violet, black armor follow James out of the temple into a nearby inn. Though the Sky Knight¡¯s received plenty of stares not as much as James Duke. Because everyone knew James Duke, which was a bad thing for him, but not for Cthulhu¡¯s temple¡¯s reputation. In fact, popularity would soar in the following days as converting to Cthulhu was the new thing to do and the place to be. * Chapter 25.4 – The Dungeon â…£ In the following days that turn into weeks, Izo is busy delegating as she just prepares to be taken away at a moment¡¯s notice. Once more her dungeon exploration was canceled and Izo once more remained sadly out of shape. Though at least active in running and doing daily exercise, Izo knew she needed to just have a good battle. Finally, Izo thought of something. Didn¡¯t she know someone who just happened to be an S-Class adventurer around? With that in mind, Izo corners James and pointedly asks him to meet her in the dungeon the following day. James unhappily agreed as Jane, his lovely wife, promised Izo that James would show up for work tomorrow evening if it was going to be a Saturday. Jane was most displeased by the fact that James left most of his work to the Sky Temple Knights, (Aka the former Sky Knights order). And an angry wife made for a bad day as Jane wasn¡¯t marrying James for his money, but his dedication and hard work. And James was not about to let Jane¡¯s dreams down. Izo happily got off of the phone as she glances at the paperwork on her desk. Sighing, Izo glances up as Flora Fauna and Thomas Vladimir enter her office. Izo notices the pink subtle atmosphere surrounding them and sighs even more. Workplace romances are always frowned upon because if the romance ended badly, everyone always ends up being affected. Flora happily says, ¡°Sales are at an all-time high as is our cooperation with the government and the rest of the groups. The auction house association partners are quite pleased and commend you for your hard work. As usual potion sales are our largest product, and more than a few groups have approached as vendor outlets. Miss Reed¡¯s partners are currently handling the negotiations, but they are curious if Miss Reed is trying to avoid dealing with anyone?¡± Izo frowns and says, ¡°Like?¡± Flora delicately coughs and says, ¡°Such as the Brisbane Family.¡± ¡°I have no problem dealing with them as long as they produce results,¡± Izo calmly reiterated. Flora jots down Miss Reed¡¯s reply as Izo quietly adds, ¡°I do not mind the two of dating, but I will be promoting Miss Katz as a part-time manager to act as your intermediary should things end badly. I hope that two of you understand that I am not condoning your relationship, I simply wish to be prepared just in case.¡± Flora flushes in embarrassment as Thomas firmly says, ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem, Miss Reed.¡± ¡°I should hope so,¡± Izo drily replied as the two of them turn to go out. ¡°And Mr. Vladimir, should you hurt Miss Fauna in any way, I will take it most badly and I can be evil,¡± Izo coldly added for emphasis causing Thomas to shiver and hastily make his escape. Izo sighs as she is about to go to work, when her secretary, Mr. Roly-poly, a tree nymph calls on the office intercom and says, ¡°Miss Reed, there are two rather anxious young men here to see you without an appointment.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Izo frowns, but can¡¯t imagine, who could it be asking to see her? ¡°Just send them away,¡± Izo replied into the intercom, before getting back to work. ¡°Um, Miss, I¡¯ve turned them away for over a week now, they say, they won¡¯t go until they speak with you,¡± Mr. Roly-poly nervously stated. ¡°Fine, just send them in,¡± Izo tiredly said as she leaned back in her seat. Moment¡¯s later two men burst in as Izo frowns at their known appearances, the one with dark hair and gray eyes was Eric and the redhead with green eyes is the one and only Kendall. Rubbing her tired eyes, Izo sees her secretary a man with green skin, brown eyes and black hair nod apologetically at her. Izo smiles thinly at Mr. Roly-poly as her secretary closes the door to her office. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?¡± Izo drily stated. ¡°What did you do to Mary Sue?!¡± Kendall roared. Izo narrows her eyes and flatly says, ¡°Control yourself, Kendall or I¡¯ll see you thrown out. It would seem you have forgotten to whom you are speaking to and in whose office, you¡¯re currently in.¡± Eric grabs Kendall by the shoulder and says, ¡°My apologies Miss Reed, but we are just rather worried about Mary Sue. After the Emerald Ball, Mary Sue simply disappeared from the face of the earth. We¡¯ve contacted her parents, friends, and Alexander, but there has been no sighting of her.¡± Izo leans back and says, ¡°And what makes you think I had anything to do with her disappearance? Was Mary Sue annoying, yes, but I wouldn¡¯t kill her for that? I would just ignore her as is the common action. Besides, what makes you think that she isn¡¯t running away from you two?¡± The two well-dressed young men appear startled by Izo¡¯s declaration as Kendall narrows his eyes and growls, ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?¡± Izo smiles icily at them and says, ¡°Unlike most people, I grow up in a very different world from my twin sister, Izo Lee. I know exactly how dark the hearts of man can be. And the hearts of you two are quite dark after all.¡± Eric carefully asks, ¡°Please explain in detail, Miss Reed, we fail to understand your meaning.¡± Izo snorts and says, ¡°Oh, you know exactly what I mean. Wasn¡¯t it the plan of the two of you, now that know that Alexander Brisbane was out of the picture, that both of you would have Mary Sue all to yourselves?¡± The two young men stiffen as Izo continues, ¡°Oh, yes, I know all about your dirty little plot. But I¡¯m not the only one that knew of your intentions, there are others that were aware. And just maybe, they took pity upon Mary Sue at seeing such a terrible fate that was about to befall her and helped her escape before that horrible event transpired. But who knows and frankly, I don¡¯t care. And if that is all gentlemen, quietly eave my office and cease to pester me, before I have a chat with Mr. Noir, my personal attorney.¡± Eric quietly nods his head in assent as Kendall opens and closes his mouth unable to speak. ¡°Our apologies Miss Reed, we shan¡¯t trouble you again,¡± Eric muttered knowing that they would not get another word out of Izo Reed. Without a further word, Eric drags Kendall away and close the door behind them. Izo narrows her eyes and murmurs to herself, ¡°Mary Sue, that name just keeps cropping up. It would appear I will have to take care of that woman in the future again lest I break my promise to the other Izo, how annoying. But I suppose this time around I will have to take a more violent and perhaps, permanent approach.¡± And with that, Izo diligently gets back to work lest the devil comes a ¡¯calling. * Chapter 25.5 – The Dungeon â…¤ Dressed in appropriate clothing, Izo teleports directly into the temple to find James Duke already for her including the Sky Temple Knights. Sir Williams and rest of the Sky Temple Knights recognize Izo as Miss Reed the owner of Marchen Inc. and auction house. Before any of them can react, the brownie bishop bows and says, ¡°Greetings your excellency, why has Pope Psykosis joined us so early this morning?¡± ¡°I have come to test my Captain as I will be away for a time in the nearby future on Cthulhu¡¯s errands,¡± Izo solemnly replied. ¡°I see, then I wish Her Excellency victory today,¡± the brownie bishop sincerely said. Izo nods as the brownie bishop departs leaving everyone with their mouths open. James Duke sighs and grunts, ¡°Miss Izo Reed is the Pope of Cthulhu and speaker of the god. Please give her Excellency all thy respect and loyalty.¡± Sir Williams and the Sky Temple Knights instantly bow their heads and chorus says, ¡°Greetings your holy eminence.¡± Izo snorts and says, ¡°Thank you, but now, follow me.¡± James Dukes moves to follow but all the Sky Temple Knights stare at their captain with puppy dog eyes. ¡°Let them come, it can¡¯t hurt for them to watch. And who knows, maybe I¡¯ll even try myself against them,¡± Izo commented over her shoulder. The Sky Temple Knights immediately have a better impression of Her Excellency, Miss Izo Reed. Sadly, for them, they were unaware that the dungeon had been created by Izo and that she was the entire reason for their mental and emotional scars/traumas. But as stated before, some things are better left unknown. James Duke rolls his eyes and growls under his breath, ¡°The lot of you better behave yourself,¡± before striding after Izo. The Sky Temple Knights nod their heads in reply, before hastily following their captain. Izo leads them to a door on the side of the temple that hadn¡¯t been there the day before. Izo quietly says, ¡°I bought a sparring room to train in. So even if one dies while sparring, you will instantly revive back. So, you and the knights will have free use of it, whenever you need it.¡± Izo pauses and mutters under her breath, ¡°Especially given how much the damn thing cost me.¡± James nods his head sagely as he follows Izo into an endless plain as the eye can see and with cliffs surrounding either side of the doorway and a large open blue sky hanging overhead. James'' eyes widen in shock as the Sky Temple Knight¡¯s mouths flop open with disbelief. The door automatically closes behind the last person as the Sky Temple knights remain on the side while James walks out towards Izo who is further inland.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°So how do you want to do this?¡± James drily asked. He had double checked Izo¡¯s status at the adventurer¡¯s guild, but Izo Reed was only a C-class ranker. If he went all out, he would easily hurt her even if she couldn¡¯t die in this area she would instantly revive, he would rather very much not to kill her. Izo smiles thinly at James as she says, ¡°I expect you to go full out on me.¡± James winces and says, ¡°Is that an order?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Izo flatly replied as she reaches into her inventory for her trusty, World Tree Scythe. James sighs to himself and grabs the bestowed broadsword from his inventory. James is to busy turning towards the Sky Knights but had he glanced up at Izo he would have noticed her entire demeanor changed the moment the scythe was in her hand. A thing bloodthirst was released into the air as a chilly iciness aura surrounded her. James shouts, ¡°Sir Williams, please begin the countdown to start,¡± as he turns back and readjusts his grip on his sword. Sir Williams automatically says, ¡°3, 2, 1, Start!¡± James takes a step forward when he feels a breeze at his side barely giving him enough warning to bring up his blade. The force of the scythe shoves James back a step as a shrill screech is heard and sparks are caused by the ferocity of the clash. Izo suddenly appears underneath his right side and smashes the scythe at his side. James rolls away to suddenly find the scythe thrown after her him just missing him by an inch as it smashes into the ground as he scrambles to his feet. Seeing an opening, James rushes to attack as Izo dashes forward and uses the pole of her scythe flip in the air and slam her feet into James. James goes flying into the air as Izo pulls her scythe from the ground and rushes after him. James stabs his blade into the ground causing him to land and put his feet on the ground. Barely having time to parry the next blow, Izo uses the scythe to trip James on his back. In slow motion, James sees a chilling gaze in Izo¡¯s eyes a slight smirk can be seen on her face as the sharp scythe falls and smashes into his neck to remove his head cleanly off its perch. The Sky Temple Knights let out a gasp unable to believe what they had just witnessed! Swallowing Hilde comments, ¡°I don¡¯t think Miss Reed is just merely a lowly c-class ranker.¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s something else,¡± Sir Williams drily commented. The group returns their gazes to the enlightening battle as they wait in silence for their Captain to be revived. Izo lets out a sigh as she takes a step back and an instant later, James Duke is on his knees breathing loudly in and out as he touches his intact neck. Rolling her eyes, Izo grumbles, ¡°Don¡¯t be such a baby, I told you¡¯d be fine, didn¡¯t I?¡± James Duke accusingly roars, ¡°You¡¯re no c-class ranker!¡± Izo snorts, ¡°Of course not, I just never got around to doing missions to increase my rank. Whatever made you think I was in the first place when I specifically told you to give it your all?¡± James Duke is left mute for a moment before he narrows his eyes and says, ¡°Exactly how strong are you?¡± ¡°No idea, thus the point of this exercise as my stats are all over the place. But given that I beat the hell out of you, I would think S-class at least,¡± Izo mused out loud. James narrows his eyes and says, ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡± Izo smiles and says, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking too.¡± Without waiting the two dashed at each other once more. In fact, the two would lose complete track of time until forcefully separated by the Sky Knights. After that, it became an unspoken agreement that the two of them would battle the rest of the week and next week. Which was fine by Izo as she was finally getting back into shape. * Chapter 25.6 – The Dungeon â…¥ In the far reaches of the universe on an alternate plane, a crowd of God¡¯s gather to drink and eat in a caf¨¦, where the floor is a starry cosmos. There are many Godly buildings in the nearby area creating a wealthy and luxurious metropolitan area, where the middle class or low-level gods live in the suburbs or low-rent apartments. The powerful and rich Gods live in luxury sky-rise buildings or have their own private palaces or manors. In a high-class open restaurant in the middle of the universe, a sleek dark-haired goddess with pale skin arrives. Wearing a tight-fitting violet dress that flutters like smoke around her body, Eris, the Goddess of Strife nods at the seated figures before her. A handsome young man with a trickster smile is Loki, the God of Mischief, the red-headed man with an arrogant face is Ares, the God of War and many more members of the Chaos faction in attendance and seated nearby. Eris takes a seat the four-person table and orders, the blood of an innocent virgin to drink. Ares snorts but doesn¡¯t make a comment on Eris¡¯s choice. Well, one usually, didn¡¯t comment on another God¡¯s kinks as all God¡¯s had their own. Loki takes a sip of his chai-latte and says, ¡°Eris, dear your little champion is most unusual given your tastes.¡± ¡°Oh? I thought she was perfect for the job,¡± Eris explained as the server arrived with her drink. Eris¡¯s glowing amber eyes glisten as she delicately takes a sip of her drink and enjoys the taste of pain and misery on her tongue. Bored Ares removes a knife from his boot and twirls the razor-sharp blade between his fingers without slicing his hand open. Loki sighs and says, ¡°Just do not push things too far as we do not wish to attract unwelcome eyes quite yet.¡± Eris frowns but nods her head unhappily in agreement. Loki smiles in satisfaction and says, ¡°By the way, Ares has Cthulhu come to see you yet?¡± Ares raises his eyebrow and snorts, ¡°Why would that stupid pink jelly come to see me?¡¯ ¡°Really, how interesting?¡± Loki mused out loud. Ares narrows his eyes at Loki and stops playing with his blade. ¡°Why?¡± Ares pointedly inquired. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that my Teir and your Strife paid Cthulhu¡¯s champion a visit prior to their dissertation of the factions,¡± Loki commented. ¡°Oh, you mean, the weak champion that Strife killed?¡± Ares grunted out loud. ¡°I say good riddance, but even so, I complied with all the rules as created and dictated. There is nothing for Cthulhu or anyone to accuse me of.¡± Loki nods his head at the accurate statement, but carefully adds, ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t forget exactly who Cthulhu is, Ares. You may have forgotten given his new form, but I have not, and Cthulhu is not one to be trifled with.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Eris snorts into her drink and says, ¡°How bad could one pink jelly be?¡± Loki eyes grow distant as he faintly says, ¡°I fear we will know soon enough.¡± In the distance an elegant old man with a neat silver trimmed beard and a pink jelly move towards them. Loki smiles at his father, while Ares and Eris warily nod at the old man completely ignoring the bobbing pink jelly. Loki happily says, ¡°How¡¯s it going, dad? I heard you¡¯ve finally have picked a new champion, I hope they¡¯re a sport unlike the last one.¡± Odin smiles faintly and says, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s quite the sport if I do say so myself.¡± The server stops by to ask for an order, but Odin gestures the server away with a flick of his finger. Odin turns his one blazing eye onto Eris and quietly says, ¡°I would like for you to stop what you are doing?¡± ¡°I am sorry, Odin, but I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Eris exclaimed. Odin¡¯s grey eye glows for a moment, while the other blazing eye burns dangerously. ¡°I am not in a mood to play games, Eris. Decease your ploy or you will find yourself with one less champion,¡± Odin plainly stated. Eris snorts and says, ¡°Oh and what are you going to do? Are you going to break the accords to kill one measly champion?¡± Odin leans back in his seat as the pink jelly begins to glow and suddenly a massive Cephalopod with giant tentacles and limber body fills the sky. Before Eris can react a giant tentacle wraps around her figure and pulls her towards the giant mad filled eyes. Odin smiles icily and drily comments, ¡°I won¡¯t do anything, but Cthulhu will. After all, we all know one cannot be condemned if one is legally declared insane. And after all, Cthulhu is the God of Madness, who better to act against the rules?¡± Cthulhu squeezes threateningly for one second causing Eris to cough out golden godly blood before Cthulhu ungraciously throws her onto the floor. Stunned on the floor Eris coughs weakly and breathlessly says, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll back off. But I will see your champion dead, Cthulhu.¡± Cthulhu¡¯s eyes glitter dangerously and for the first time in a long time a voice that made one mad with a single word says, ¡°I will see you destroyed and scattered by the Godly planes.¡± Eris¡¯s eyes widen in shock as do the rest of the gods. A vow made by a God was no trifling matter. And especially from an ancient god who played by the rules of when they were once less civilized Loki rises to his feet to swiftly intervene by placing himself between Eris and Cthulhu. ¡°I¡¯m sure, Eris meant nothing by it. Come now, Cthulhu, no need to be so dramatic,¡± Loki persuasively said. Odin rises to his feet as Cthulhu does not respond and reverts to an adorable form of a cute pink jelly. Odin quietly says, ¡°As I said before, careful child. Though you are a god, never forget that Cthulhu and I come from a very different breed of gods. We¡¯re quite ruthless when needed,¡± Odin flashed Eris a wolfish smile causing her pale further. Without another word, the two figures stride away as Ares stares at the bobbing pink jelly away. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten he was an old one,¡± Ares quietly stated. ¡°Yes, most of the Gods have forgotten given his new form, but that does not change what he is, the God of Madness,¡± Loki replied as he aided Eris to her feet. ¡°And you my dear do as you are told, for now, there will be more than ample time to seek your revenge once the Champion Courts are open once more.¡± Eris dutifully nods her head as her eyes filled with hatred and vengeance. Because one day soon, the ball would be back in her court. And just like that, the restaurant in the Cosmos emptied as everyone left and began to spread the gossip of the incident. Some figures took note of the event, while others grew wary and some fearful. Because when the older gods began to move, that meant only one thing, blood. * Chapter 26 – The Venture Izo had finally finished hiring more people to fulfill much-needed support positions and finally appointed a CEO to manage Marchen Inc. in her absence. With free time finally, in her hands, Izo announces to Dolores that she would be taking a few days off to go on an adventure. Dolores naturally approved and informed Mr. and Mrs. Lee of the young Misses plans as Izo ventured into the guild at an early hour. As usual, the guild was empty at the early hour as Izo stops in front of the mage technicians in their usual blue worker jumpsuit and blue caps. A familiar middle-aged worker takes out a scanner from his pocket and automatically says, ¡°Please hand over the registration card and state your location. And would you like to pay now or have the trip placed on a tab?¡± Izo hands over her guild ID over to the technician to be scanned. ¡°I¡¯m heading to Rainbow Trails and I would like to pay for the teleportation round trip now.¡± Finished typing, the mage technician says, ¡°There you are,¡± and hands Izo the ID back. Izo steps onto the glowing ring as the mage technician finished inputting precise system coordinates into the teleportation system. The surrounding mages quickly evacuate the nearby area and set up shields to contain the after-mana bursts. The ring begins to glow as the mage technicians put their shades on and in a flash Izo is gone. Izo finds herself in an area filled with white puffy clouds and streams of rainbows in the sky. Before going forward, Izo pulls out the fox mask and puts it on. The mask would keep her identity a secret just in case. Wearing the fox mask, Izo floats in the air as she scans the area of any interesting monsters to collect. Izo spots two creatures of use.
Adult Rainbow Chicken(Uncommon) This magical chicken¡¯s eggs are a delicacy and highly valued by chefs.
Adult Winged Pegasus (Rare) Flying Magical horse that has strong charging ability and the added ability to release a gale of wind with its powerful wings.
Izo grabs two Monster Compasses from the inventory darts for her prizes. The chicken is kicked into the ground and then trapped. While the poor flying Pegasus is put to sleep via a brutal chop to the neck, before being captured. Izo continues to glide on the air via her magic as she heads towards the dungeon on top of the cliffs, Rainbow Cliff. With ease, Izo lands on the ground to see an enormous tower like dungeon stretching into the sky as rainbows burst from the clouds. Izo pauses as she scans the nearby, the teleportation ring hadn¡¯t been used long before arrival. Either a team had left or just arrived. Izo frowns, but shrugs, her mask would keep her identity secure. Besides, today, she would be raiding the dungeon as a battle mage using only magic to defeat her enemies and some physical combat. Izo would not be using her scythe or any other weapon item. But more importantly, Izo wanted to test out the skill Electron Disruption in battle. Beyond knocking out power and electronics for ten feet, Izo was kind of curious about what it would do to someone or a monster for that matter.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Izo activates the skill, Self-Substance the moment she enters the temple. Glancing around on the first floor Izo frowns with disappointment to find that the monsters had yet to respawn. Though to Izo¡¯s luck, the clueless adventurers had failed to collect the rainbow bones on the floor. With ease collected more than the 100 rainbow bones required for her mission. Satisfied, Izo mutters an invisibly spell and glides forward towards the next floor. Izo would only pause to collect items for her missions and any dropped items. By the fourth floor, Izo will have collected all the required items needed to complete her mission. Izo finally comes across the clumsy adventurer party on the 6th floor. A handsome man in knightly leads a fierce charge as he battles swarms of flying harpies. A large chested female mage releases a torrent of fireballs at the harpies turning them into crisp. A golden-haired beauty in tight-fitting leather armor releases magical arrows at her enemies causing harpies to fall dead to the ground by the dozen. And the last young woman a redhead with a perky behind uses her rogue daggers to cut down any harpy trying to attack the female mage and the female ranger. Izo nods in approval of the formation as it was rather logical. Rather than stopping to help, Izo dodges the monsters on the 7th and 8th floor to finally come to a halt. Thinking that she had put enough space between herself and the adventurer party, Izo comes to a halt on the 9th floor as a dark swirling fog surrounds her. Izo chant-less says, ¡°Ire De¡¯sapare.¡± The fog surrounding her instantly clears away leaving only a dark giant mountain in the distance with a large opening serving as a cave. Despite the fog being cleared away, the area is dark as if at dusk. Izo digs her feet into the ground and wordlessly chants, ¡°Revelo D¡¯ostro.¡± Suddenly Izo can see a mass of bat-like creatures in the mountains with a larger figure, the Bat King. Izo smiles thinly and begins to chant a light spell. A large amount of mana begins to grow around Izo, before a flying white beam smashes straight into the mountain cracking the mountain in half. Half of the monsters are destroyed, but the rest of the bat¡¯s swarm out in a fury including their leader. A swarm of giant bat monsters lets out soundwave attacks causing Izo to wince at the volume, but luckily thanks to Self-Substance, Izo was not affected by the attack. Izo darts into the sky and between the creatures as uses her flying magic to dodge between them as she releases a swarm of ice and fire attacks. The fire automatically burns the bat creatures to death while large ice chunks freeze the Bats wings causing them plummet to their death down below. The Bat King seeing his minions dying lets out a shriek calling the rest of the bats back to the colony. The massive bat monster the size of a wyvern roars and flaps its way forward. For a creature so large, the Bat King moved rather quickly. The Bat darts within 10 feet as Izo activates the skill Electronic Disruption. The monster Bat wobbles in the air confusion as if unsure of what it was doing.¡± Huh, so it¡¯s basically a stun skill,¡± Izo thought to herself. Which was rather convenient considering the people she would be facing in the future. Even if it was just one second, that would be enough to change the tides in battle. Not waiting for the Bat Monster to come reach her, Izo smiles and chants, ¡°Magma ¡®Istro.¡± A small glowing ball of red magma like color forms in Izo¡¯s palm, before carelessly be tossed at the creature. The bat king stares at the small ball in confusion until the small ball sudden increases in size and as a blast of molten volume of molten magma poured out. The Bat King didn¡¯t have time to dodge as it turned into ash. The rest of the bats flee in fear and dig deeper into their caves within the mountain. Not interested in the remaining bats, Izo scours the ground for the dropped Bat items and the Bat King¡¯s. Izo finds a cloak that dropped from the Bat King, but it wasn¡¯t in her style as it was too vampire-like in her opinion. Humming to herself, Izo continues onto the next floor to continue her shopping. * Chapter 26.2 – The Venture â…¡ The four-person adventurer party smiles happily as they reach the 9th floor. Their target for the dungeon was the Bat King and the item it would drop upon being slain. Miles, the brave handsome knight smiles at his three beautiful companions, the large chested female mage, Clara, the golden-haired ranger, Miriam, and the red-head rogue, Tiffany. The three women in turn smile back at Miles as each of the present women had unspoken feelings towards him. ¡°We can do this!¡± Tiffany exclaimed as Miriam silently nods her head quietly in agreement, while dark-haired Clara just remains simply smiling at Tiffany¡¯s enthusiasm. Miles leads them into the next floor but comes to a halt in shock. The hair still smelled of battle as mana traces could be felt. Half of the mountain had simply been blown apart with layers of molten lava still cooling on the dungeon floor. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Asked Clara worriedly from behind. Miles takes a step forward so that his party members can to see the view. Miriam let¡¯s out a soft whistle of appreciation while Tiffany gapes and says, ¡°What, how? We didn¡¯t see anyone pass us by?!¡± Miles frowns and says, ¡°It could have been a solo adventurer which would make sense. But let¡¯s continue forward and see if we can¡¯t gain something good from the next dungeon level.¡± The women nod their heads in agreement as Miles carefully leads the way to the next dungeon level door on the side of the dungeon floor. Miles and the three women once more receive another shock to find the 10th dungeon level filled with Fire Bird monsters turned into an icy wasteland. It was the same with the 11th floor filled with poisonous insects and so forth. Despite the danger, Miles was furious and wanted an apology from the adventurer or adventurer¡¯s responsible for their item loss. With wariness, the group arrived on the 15th dungeon floor the final floor. Miles carefully peeks through the doorway as they see a fox masked figure fighting a crystal dragon. The crystal dragon roars and releases a spray of ice like magic turning the landscape into frozen crystals. The masked figure chants something and unleashes a read beam that cut through the crystal dragon. The crystal dragon with a loud thump is turned into pieces and falls to the ground dead. The corpse immediately vaporizes leaving behind the dropped items.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. With ease, the fox masked figure collects the dropped items as the items magically disappear. Without fear, Miles trots out and says, ¡°Hey, you! You stole our item!¡± The three women rush forward too late to stop Miles as the Fox masked figure to their surprise says, ¡°Fine, which item is it?¡± Miles and the three women blink in surprise at the stranger¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s a bat cloak,¡± Clara nervously replied. The fox masked figure removes a black coat and says, ¡°Are you willing to trade or pay for it?¡± Miles opens his mouth to argue when Tiffany puts her hands on her hip to glare at him. Miriam also silently stares at Miles in disapproval as Miles relents at their gazes. Clara excitedly says, ¡°I have rare dropped jewels and some gold to trade.¡± The fox masked figure is silent in deep contemplation. ¡°Fine,¡± the figure retorted and walks over to Clara with the cloak in hand. Clara reaches into her pouch at the side of her waist and pulls out said items. The two exchange items as Clara happily puts on the black cloak that will drastically boost her magic and grant her stealth abilities to hide from monsters. The masked figure turns around when Tiffany says, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re pretty strong. Do you want to join our party?¡± Miles frowns at the sudden request but smirks to himself knowing that the solo adventurer would never join their group. The fox masked figure suddenly stops and says, ¡°Why I would be delighted too. But which dungeons are we hitting and how are the drops being shared?¡± The group blinks in surprise they didn¡¯t think an adventurer who could Solo a dungeon would agree to such a request. Miles unhappily says, ¡°It will be 50/50 given your abilities.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± the fox masked figure remarked. ¡°So where to next?¡± ¡°We did want to hit Atlantis an S-Class dungeon. You wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡± Clara asked. ¡°Not really, but since Miles is the party leader, he¡¯ll have to pay my fare,¡± the fox masked figure solemnly replied. ¡°Not a problem,¡± Clara happily exclaimed. Miriam nods her head as Tiffany happily puffs out her chest and says, ¡°It was all my idea.¡± Miles hides his annoyance at having another male around his ladies, but he hides his annoyance. ¡°No, we should be thanking you,¡± Miles said with a smile earning soft gazes from the three women. The fox masked figure smirks behind her mask as Miles charmingly leads the way out of the dungeon and back to the teleportation ring. Because after all, what could possibly go wrong? * Chapter 26.3 – The Venture â…¢ Izo had decided to trail after the happy go lucky group as the party would easily get her into an S-Class dungeon. Unlike A-class dungeons and the rest, S-class dungeons were guarded for the protection of overzealous adventurers. To enter an S-class dungeon, a solo adventurer would need to show their Id to the posted guild guards. However, since Izo had joined a party it would be the leader of the group how would have to show his ID verification. Besides, Miles, the party leader rubbed her the wrong way. It might be fun to mess around with the little bastard. At the party check-in point, Miles shows his Id before the guards allow them to head to the path that leads to Atlantis, the underwater dungeon. Though at the edge of the seashore, the dungeon wasn¡¯t underwater, but rather the floors inside of the dungeon were often mostly seas, lakes¡¯ and waterways as such the specialty of this dungeon is sea monsters and river creatures. The five-member party enters the dungeon to find the first floor to be a dirty pathway leading to the next floor. However, on either side of the path are large lake sized bodies of water. Without being asked Izo walks out first onto the path to the chagrin of Miles. Before Miles can snap at the annoying fox-masked figure, Izo says, ¡°Don¡¯t move a muscle.¡± The four of them grow still as Izo chants, ¡°Electro S¡¯ear.¡± An electric-like lance forms and shocks the water. A large shriek is heard as a swarm of fish-men monsters emerge shrieking and red-faced. Clara instantly releases a blaze of fire, while Miriam systematically takes the enemies down with her arrows. Tiffany and Miles protect the two women from attacks. However, all the while Miles grits his teeth unhappily having been delegated to ward off the fish-men attacks, while the fox-masked figure stole the entire show. Izo easily dashes across the surface of the water as she systematically burns the fish-men into pieces or freezes them for her allies to do the job. Sometime later, the entire hive of fish-men is dead, while Izo collects the dropped items from the surface of the water. Miles angrily says, ¡°You liar and cheater you¡¯re going back on your solemn word!¡± ¡°No, but I have a magic item to store all the items,¡± Izo stoutly replied. ¡°Or do you want to be weighed down by the items?¡± Clara comes to the fox-masked figure¡¯s rescue by saying, ¡°Nothing, he has done proves otherwise. He could have easily ignored us, but he willingly traded for it, so I could have my cloak.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Miranda nods her head in agreement as Tiffany pipes up in defense as well, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s just being nice.¡± Miles eyes flicker with anger, but he quickly hides his irritation. ¡°No, you¡¯re all right,¡± Miles nobly said causing the three woman¡¯s faces to soften. Turning towards the masked figure, Miles virtuously saying, ¡°You have my sincere apologies, I¡¯m just worried for the girl¡¯s sake, you understand that don¡¯t you?¡± That last bit was a rather barbed question as if suggesting that a loner could never understand. Izo says, ¡°I understand, now let¡¯s go.¡± Without waiting for a reply, Izo leads the way knowing full well, that Miles was seething behind her. The next floor is a wide tropical area with a rowboat to cross the ocean to the other island in the nearby distance that held the next dungeon door. Miles swiftly says, ¡°It would seem there is only remove for four.¡± ¡°No problem, I can walk on water,¡± Izo retorted back by walking into the ocean and standing there on the waves. Miles bites his teeth as the three women seem interested in the skill. Tiffany curiously asks, ¡°Can anyone learn to do that?¡± ¡°Yes, but you need to use up quite a bit of mana for the spell. If you would like I can refer you to a place to purchase said spell,¡± Izo magnanimously said. ¡°Really, where?¡± Tiffany eagerly asked thinking of the all the useful things she could do with such a skill. ¡°Marchen Inc. Auction house and ask the clerks for the air walk spelling. But I do warn you that the spell is quite costly and there is only a limited amount of that spell in stock,¡± Izo warned them. Miles privately seethes, but controls himself he would show his might by rowing the boat. With care, the woman seats themselves as Miles pushes the boat out to sea, before climbing onboard and steadily rowing the boat. Izo leisurely walks out across the water knowing full well that a batch of monsters would soon appear. On the other island beautiful woman suddenly appear and begin to sing rather hauntingly. Miles dumbly drops the oars and reaches for the island filled with beauties. Izo privately snorts, before reaching over and knocking Miles unconscious. The three-woman blink in surprise as Izo says, ¡°Row the boat, I¡¯ll take care of the sirens.¡± Darting across the water Izo creates an illusion of men falling asleep. The sirens happily continue to sing as Izo sneaks onto the island and easily chars the group of mermaids into flakey ashes and dust. Whistling, Izo collects the fallen items as the three women arrive at the island and unceremoniously drag the still sleeping Miles onto the sand. Izo approaches and says, ¡°He¡¯s knocked out cold. Do you want to wait for him to come to or leave me here? He should be safe given that we defeated the sirens, but it¡¯s your call.¡± The three women quietly discuss among themselves, before Clara turns and says, ¡°We¡¯ll just leave Miles here for now and put a protection ward on him just in case.¡± Izo nods her head in approval at the sensible suggestion as Clara casts a protection and hiding ward around the sleeping figure of Miles. And with that, the three girls and Izo head further into the dungeon. Which was too bad, because there happened to be blue crabs on the island. And though Miles didn¡¯t get eaten alive when he woke, he sure was painfully pinched. And crab pinches really hurt especially that of large crabs. * Chapter 26.4 – The Venture â…£ By the time Miles caught up to the party, Izo and the girls were on the 5th floor. Luckily for Miles, the rest of the monsters had been cleared on the floors before him. Or else, he would have been on his own. Miles had been worked himself into such a fury that the time he reaches the 5th floor he is about to explode. Izo had just finished destroying a sea turtle monster on the 5tj floor and was in the process of gathering the fallen items. Miles stomps towards the fox-masked figure and hatefully yells, ¡°What the hell are you thinking of leaving by leaving me behind you bastard!? These three sluts are my women and they won¡¯t fall for your petty antics. And if you think you can take them away from me, you have another thing coming, because they¡¯re MINE!¡± The three women¡¯s fond gazes instantly cool as Miles just realizes that he said his innermost thoughts out loud. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it that way, it¡¯s that the three of you are very important people to me,¡± Miles hastily backpedaled. The three women frostily gaze at Miles as Izo kindly says, ¡°Better luck next time pal.¡± Miles with the entire loathing in his heart glares at the fox-masked figure. ¡°I¡¯m the leader of the party and I say, we go back, or we kick that bastard out. I¡¯m not going to continue with him.¡± Miriam frostily says, ¡°You''re leaving, we¡¯re staying.¡± Miles gapes in disbelief and glances at the other two women. Clara is frowning angrily at him, while Tiffany glares with a chilly iciness as her razor-sharp knife glistens ominously in her hand. ¡°You, you, sluts are going to regret this!¡± Miles roared before angrily marching away. The three girls look aghast as Izo pointedly shouts at Miles retreating back, ¡°Just hold on a moment, does that mean you¡¯re giving up your share of the items?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Miles lying roared back. Once those sluts and that bastard returned, he would be waiting for them outside of the dungeon! Not only would he get a lawyer involved but the guild itself. By the end of it, those sluts would come begging back to him on their hands and knees. And as for that bastard, that would be the end of him!Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Izo smirks as she hides the recording orb in her hand. Knowing small-minded men like Miles, Izo knew that guy would turn around to try to stab her in the back the moment she turned around. That¡¯s why she recorded their little conversation since the start. Should that guy try anything the moment, they exited the dungeon, there would be a nasty surprise for him. The guild greatly frowned upon sexual harassment and was quite severe with its punishments for those accused of such things. The three women glanced apologetically at the fox-masked figure. ¡°No worries, now, let¡¯s keep going,¡± Izo calmly stated, before leading the three women onto the next floor. Their opponent for the 6th floor is a, Aqua Serpent. While Izo was battling with the creature and the three women lending support, Tiffany says with eyes filled with awe, ¡°Our mysterious man is quite cool!¡± Miranda nods her head in agreement as she continues to fire her blazing arrows. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s quite the gentlemen,¡± Clara said with an evident interest in her eyes. Izo feels a slight shiver run down her spine as she battles with the serpent and attributes it¡¯s to battle combat readiness. That surely must be it. And if not, she really didn¡¯t want to know. The 7th floor held a blue giant Sea Urchins. (Giant Urchins are giant blue ball-shaped monsters with sharp needles growing from their shells and body. The urchins spin at high speeds toward their target to slam their bodies into their enemy or destroy attack with their poisonous needles that shoot out from their spiked bodies.) Maneuvering around said Urchin and killing it took some effort as Izo was unable to use her scythe to crack the damn thing open. Instead, Izo and the girls resorted to trapping it into a pit to immobilize it and freeze/cook it alive. And so, the girls and Izo continued to work in harmony throughout the rest of the floor until they reached they reached the final dungeon floor with the final boss on the 20th floor. The moment, Izo stepped onto the 20th floor, she took a step back and signaled for the girls to be quiet. ¡°The three of you stay here, you¡¯ll only be a liability in my way otherwise,¡± Izo flatly stated before dashing out. A tidal like wave suddenly bursts from the sea as a Godzilla like creature emerges from the depths of the ocean. The roar it releases shakes the girls who are in the doorway to the floor to their very bones as they hastily cover their ears. Once the roar dies off Tiffany loudly exclaims, ¡°We have to help him!¡± Miranda firmly grabs onto Tiffany¡¯s shoulder as Clara bites her lips and says, ¡°We¡¯ll only get in the way. Stay here.¡± Tiffany unhappily does as she is told as she anxiously watches the fight.They could only stand watch and hope for the best. * Chapter 26.5 – The Venture â…¤ Izo knew she was no match for the creature physically without her scythe as the rest of the spells would be largely useless given the monster¡¯s gigantic size. Therefore, she resorted to more logical means of battle, however, said method required her to vocally chant out loud her spell. Izo dodges a blast of Ice and begins to chant the old-fashioned way, ¡°Elements, hear my call-.¡± Izo dives for the surface of the water and then dives back up in a zig-zag like pattern avoiding the attacks as a giant clawed hand heads for her. Izo is unable to fully dodge and is slightly grazed by the claw. Izo is sent hurtling through the air until she dizzily manages to come to a stop. Wincing at the damage received, Izo doesn¡¯t bother healing herself as Izo continues, ¡°Water that creeps through the air and sky, come to a place that dwells in darkness-.¡± Izo is forced to dive once more just avoid the claw attack. The Godzilla-like creature lets out a roar and dives forward to capture the maddening prey. ¡°Be my strength and my protection! Water, I summon thee!¡± Izo shouted as a giant water woman emerges from the sea to block the body blow. The giant Godzilla creature roars in fury as the two giants collide. For the first time in a long time, Izo feels her mana rapidly depleting to host the giant summoned water spirit element. Taking a deep breath, Izo begins to gather her strength to cast, ¡°Mrt D¡¯imsible Spada.¡± While the water element keeps the giant creature tied down, Izo finally finishes casting her spell. Suddenly the air is filled with thousands of impossibly large glowing crimson swords that appear out of the sky and hurtle towards the creature. The gigantic creature doesn¡¯t even notice the blades until they grow larger and larger the closer they get. By the time the blades pierced through into the creature, the magical blades had grown as large as the creature¡¯s claws turning the monster¡¯s body into a giant pincushion. The monster lets out a roar at the pain but is unable to move as the water element holds the creature still. The blades as if pushed by an invisible giant hand press dig deeper into the flesh of the creature until the creature succumbs from it¡¯s wound. With a final cry, the creature falls dead into the sea and evaporates.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Izo breathlessly says, ¡°I¡¯m done for now.¡± Unsummoning the elemental, Izo tiredly gathers the dropped items not even bothering to check them. Izo tiredly lands by the doorway and croaks, ¡°We should head back now.¡± To Izo¡¯s surprise, all three girls hug her fox masked figure in relief. Izo softly says, ¡°I¡¯m fine, now, let¡¯s get going, we¡¯re all tired.¡± With flushed faces, the girls quickly let go as Tiffany says, ¡°We should team up again.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Izo replied back. The girls look a bit disappointed at her response, but they don¡¯t complain. As they head back, Clara says, ¡°The 20th-floor dungeon floors are yours. We only stood by and didn¡¯t lift a finger, so please don¡¯t argue with our decision.¡± ¡°I should, but I won¡¯t,¡± Izo drily replied getting a chuckle out of the girls. Their trip back went much more smoothly as the monsters had yet to respawn. On the first floor, however, just outside of the Dungeon exit, Izo handed over half of their items to them. The girls split the items between the three of them and marvel and gape at the bounty they had found. The three women happily thank Izo as Izo waves their thanks off and head back outside. The moment, the four of them make it outside a group of lawyers and security are waiting for them. ¡°That¡¯s the man! Not only did he turn my party against me, but cheated me out of items!¡± Miles ruthlessly declared. Clara, Miranda, and Tiffany indignantly glare at Miles. Before any of them can shout back, Izo holds up her hand and pulls out a recording orb. Miles fails to recognize the orb, but the guild guards don¡¯t. Izo tosses it to one of the guards who checks the recording. After a moment, the guard says, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re going to have to come with us. These are serious allegations.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Miles protested as buff guards surround him and forcefully drag him back towards the office. Izo turns to face the girls and say, ¡°You girls should be fine. But next time, find a party leader that isn¡¯t such an asshole.¡± The three blinked with gratitude in their eyes as Izo turns away to leave. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± Tiffany called back. ¡°Home,¡± Izo called back as the teleportation ring grew bright and disappeared. The three women are left rather despondent as Tiffany whispers, ¡°We didn¡¯t even ask his name.¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯m sure if we get stronger, we¡¯ll meet again,¡± Miranda boldly declared to Clara and Tiffany¡¯s surprise. The three women return to their own Guild branch to sell and sort their items. The three of them had made a small fortune enough to retire if they wished and live comfortably the rest of their lives. * Izo had arrived at the guild branch and quickly headed to the counters to turn to turn her completed missions. Afterwards, Izo scurries away with her payment in hand and teleports into the Marchen Inc. Auction vault. Depositing all of the items onto the floor as usual, (which bothered Flora and Valentine to no end,) Izo went home to rest. Because the best thing after a hard day¡¯s work is a good night of sleep. * Chapter 27 – The Day With a groan, Izo comes awake to her phone ringing and with blurry eyes, Izo blindly searches for her phone. ¡°Hello?¡± Izo drowsily asked upon finding her phone. ¡°Miss Reed, what is the meaning of this?!¡± Flora Fauna unhappily exclaimed. ¡°What is?¡± Izo tiredly asked in confusion. ¡°The mess left on the vault. Did you know there are priceless items carelessly left on the floor?¡± Flora unhappily growled. ¡°Ah, yes, I got in late last night and left there for you to see this morning,¡± Izo grumbled back. ¡°Though I am pleased by Miss Reed¡¯s confidence in us, please, Miss Reed desist in surprising us in this manner. We just about had a heart attack this morning,¡± Flora unhappily exclaimed. ¡°Okay,¡± Izo mumbled back, ¡°Is that all?¡± Flora lets out a sigh and tiredly replies, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all Miss Reed.¡± ¡°Oh good,¡± Izo said as she yawned and laid back down. Before Izo can go to sleep a familiar alarm in a chirpy voice says, ¡°Get up, it¡¯s time for your match,¡± over and over again. With a groan, Izo climbs out of bed to go and exercise with James Duke. Though it was something good, Izo did not want to get out of bed. Once dressed Izo teleports back to the dungeon to find James Duke waiting for her in the training room. Izo wordlessly begins to stretch as James leans against his broadsword to wait. ¡°How did your dungeon raiding go?¡± James asked. ¡°It was productive, I hadn¡¯t realized how predictable my magic attack combos had gotten. It was enlightening, to say the least,¡± Izo remarked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m originally a dual-class user, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± Izo curiously asked. James chokes and says, ¡°Just how strong of a magic user are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty good, but I prefer to combine magic and physical attacks together. I¡¯ve actually been holding myself back all this time to focus solely on my physical aspect of attacks,¡± Izo truthfully answered. James suddenly feels tired and says, ¡°I give up. Is there nothing you can¡¯t do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m terrible at house magic,¡± Izo gravely replied with a serious face. James blinks in disbelief and slowly says, ¡°Yeah, I can see that.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Finished stretching, Izo¡¯s scythe appears in her hand and says, ¡°So, I¡¯ll be fighting with magic today too, do you think you can handle it?¡± James snorts and says, ¡°If not, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll die for real.¡± Izo nods her head and says, ¡°Alright, here I go,¡± and dashes for James. James brings up his blade to dodge the attack and throws dust at Izo to block her vision. The battle steadily progressed as the two sparred for several hours before satisfied. Afterwards, Izo and James head back for other engagements. Izo had lunch with her parents and later in the afternoon went to the movies with Valentine and Sara. Finally, her night ended by watching a movie with Dolores, before heading Dolores went off to bed. Pucca is sound asleep on the couch as Izo continues to watch some television. Pucca suddenly opens Pucca¡¯s eyes and stares up and behind the couch. Izo suddenly whirls around to find a young man in a messenger type clothing. Glancing at his docket the young man says, ¡°This is the home of Izo Reed correct?¡± Izo stands on her feet and says, ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± the young man muttered as he made a check on his list. Glancing up at Izo the young man says, ¡°Then champion of the Gods, are you ready to depart?¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Izo said with disbelief. ¡°Your God did warn you that a messenger would be picking you up, did the God do not?¡± The messenger asked. ¡°Well, yes, but I didn¡¯t think it would be quite so soon?¡± Izo quietly remarked. The messenger shrugs and pulls out a swab kit from his pouch and says, ¡°You need not worry, your affairs will be taken care of.¡± The messenger pauses and says, ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Izo does as she is told as the messenger scraps her mouth and tongue before pulling out the swab. Satisfied, the messenger pulls out a blue liquid and drops it onto the swab. From the swab, a single drop falls to the ground that grows to form an identical version of Izo. The figure is carried by the messenger into the bedroom, before returning back. Izo stares blankly and says, ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your clone. However, the memories of the clone have largely been altered except those deemed necessary. The clone will recall most of your memories and will be you as it lives out the rest of your mortal life. But even if it is a clone, that clone will never be yourself,¡± the messenger remarked. Izo for the first time is troubled by her decision as she hears Odin¡¯s voice echo in her ears, ¡°Are you certain this is truly what your heart desires?¡± Izo suddenly sees her parents, Dolores, Sara, Valentine and those others who she knew in mind getting farther and farther away. She would be losing everything once again. Izo¡¯s fists unconsciously clench as Izo knows there is no turning back now, it was much too late for regrets. ¡°Thank you, do I need to bring anything with me?¡± Izo quietly asked. ¡°Anything that you wish to take with you, but your guardian and subordinate can be summoned from the mortal realms,¡± the messenger explained. Izo nods and returns to her room. Izo stares at the room that had been hers before only packing a picture of her friends and family. Izo did pack some clothing, but food would not be a problem as everything she needs would already be there. Just pausing to grab Pucca off the couch, Izo says, ¡°I¡¯m ready to go.¡± The messenger nods and waves a wave-like item around them as Izo suddenly finds herself seated in an oval like flying shuttle. ¡°Please buckle your seat belts,¡± the messenger said from the driver¡¯s seat. Izo automatically complies with the said instructions as the white shuttle¡¯s engines begin to glow as the white shuttle blasts off from earth and into space. For the first and last time in Izo¡¯s life, Izo watches earth from the passenger windows. In a blur, the oval ship suddenly warps through space into an alternate plane leaving Earth behind. * Chapter 27.2 – The Day â…¡ Pucca senses Izo¡¯s quietness and lets out a soft chirp as Izo only replies by petting pucca¡¯s fur. For once, Pucca does not complain and allows Izo to do as she pleased. The messenger quietly hums as they warp through the cosmos at a speed faster than light. Finally, after a while, the messenger suddenly says, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the champion courts located on Mount Olympus,¡± as the vessel comes to a smooth but sudden landing. ¡°Please remember to bring all items with you upon arrival. Champion courts registration are right outside of these doors. Your god will contact you soon enough. Are there any questions?¡± The messenger asked as he turned around to check on his passenger. Izo having unbuckled her seatbelt says, ¡°Thank you for the ride.¡± ¡°My pleasure,¡± the messenger said tipping his hat towards her. Izo climbs out of the open door and gapes. It was a giant city floating on a cloud in the middle of space. Pucca lets out a chirp as Izo climbs out and the vessel¡¯s door behind her smoothly closes and blasts off silently into space. Glancing around Izo spots people, aliens, things out myths, and everything imaginable. Deciding that it was too much to take in at once, Izo makes her way forward to the giant sign that points towards a building that says, ¡°Champion¡¯s register here please!¡± Izo heads towards the building to find a pretty young woman with green snakes for hair smiling at her. Izo carefully eyes the name tag that says, ¡°MEDUSA.¡± The woman hastily says, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about me petrifying you dearie, that only happens when I¡¯m mad.¡± Izo quietly takes a step back as Medusa even more anxiously says, ¡°It¡¯s a joke! I was just kidding.¡± Pucca lets out a chirp as Izo says, ¡°Right,¡± but doesn¡¯t take a step closer towards Medusa. Medusa let¡¯s out a depressing sigh as Medusa sadly says, ¡°Please press your hand onto this stone.¡± Izo warily touches a green stone as a tablet suddenly forms on the table with a bracelet Identification. Medusa reads the bracelet and warily glances at Izo. ¡°So, you¡¯re HIS champion, huh? Never would have thought it,¡± Medusa muttered to herself. Izo waits as Medusa hands over the formed bracelet for Izo clip around her wrist. Izo does so as Medusa says, ¡°Your registration is now complete. Your God should send someone to pick you up soon, I believe that¡¯s him.¡± Izo glances around as Medusa points to a young man rapidly approaching her. Silky long hair, electric filled blue eyes, and fluffy pointed leopard ears and tail. Suddenly for the first time in a long time, Izo feels an unfamiliar and most uncomfortable feeling in her chest.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Izo furrows her brows and thinks to herself, ¡°What the hell?¡± Shaking the strange, tension feeling off, Izo takes a step forward as the cat-eared man stares at her. Frowning the man says, ¡°Are you, Izo Reed?¡± Before Izo answers, Izo notes the three integrated triangles on his hand that glow with the color of their faction. After a pause, Izo replies, ¡°Yes, and you are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Leo,¡± the man answered. Izo keeps her face straight at the very cat-like name as Pucca let¡¯s out a chirping like laughter. Leo narrows his eyes at Pucca as Pucca innocently licks Pucca¡¯s fur clean. Izo says, ¡°So, where do we go now?¡± Leo doesn¡¯t reply, before turning on his feet as his tail gestures at her to follow. Izo runs after him while Medusa quietly chews on her lips. ¡°Huh, things for sure are going to be interesting this Champion season,¡± Medusa remarked out loud to herself, before getting back to work as another new champion arrives. As usual, the new champions are rather wary of Medusa. One would think that perhaps the Gods could have chosen a better welcoming spokesman. But no one else wanted the job and so the job naturally fell into the hands of the only demi-god who wanted it, Medusa. * Leo leads Izo to a large house in a giant tree. Izo stares at the tree manor in silence, before asking, ¡°So, how do we get up there?¡± Leo snorts and points to an elevator on the side of the tree. The silence in the elevator is awkward as the to stand in silence as the elevator goes up. Leo¡¯s tail twitches as Pucca let¡¯s out a chirp and gangster-like says, ¡°Hoy, Cat-boy stop staring at my fur-.¡± Izo hastily cover¡¯s Pucca¡¯s mouth and says, ¡°I apologize for my stupid subordinate, I shall discipline Pucca better in the future.¡± Pucca let out a fearful shiver as Izo murderously glares at Pucca as she bows her head towards Leo in apology. Pucca fur fluffs out as Pucca turns into a fluffy ball of fear. Izo straightens out as the elevator reaches the manor in the tree. Waiting in the entrance is the pink jelly who squeals, ¡°Mama.¡± The pink jelly happily nestles on top of Izo¡¯s head as Leo stares at Izo with troubled eyes. Izo doesn¡¯t even bother smiling, because how did one explain this strange situation in the first place?¡± Odin descends smiles and says, ¡°I see you¡¯ve met my champion, Leo.¡± Izo drily says, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve met.¡± Hearing Izo¡¯s tone Odin glances at Leo who says, ¡°If Milord doesn¡¯t need me, I shall now depart.¡± Odin gestures that is fine as he watches Leo depart with interest as he glances at Izo. With a twinkle in his eyes, Odin says, ¡°So, did the two of you get into a fight?¡± Izo frowns and says, ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s just that Pucca insulted him and I had to apologize.¡± Odin nods hiding a smile as his eyes twinkle, twinkle. Turning toward Izo Odin says, ¡°Well, let¡¯s lead you to your rooms, my dear.¡± Izo nods and says, ¡°That¡¯d be nice. But aren¡¯t you too old to have a tree house?¡± Odin snorts and says, ¡°No man is ever too old for a tree house. And I have no tree house, I have a tree house manor!¡± Izo snorts in reply but wisely doesn¡¯t argue. Because hey not only he was a God, but he was the God who was housing her. Because frankly, Izo didn¡¯t want to know where the Pink Jelly lived, and frankly, it couldn¡¯t be anything good. * Chapter 27.3 – The Day â…¢ Izo¡¯s quarters was basically an apartment to herself. After Odin left, the pink Jelly remained happily on Izo¡¯s head as Izo kept a firm grip on Pucca by Pucca¡¯s neck. Pucca let¡¯s out heartbreaking cries as Izo shaved Pucca¡¯s fur off to make Pucca look like a puddle. Pucca lets out pitiful sad sound as Pucca shivers in shock and terror on Izo¡¯s bed. Satisfied with her stress relief activity, Izo dusts off her clothes before heading out. The pink jelly happily bobs in front of Izo leading the way back to Odin. Odin glances up at Izo and says, ¡°Some of the champions of our faction are practicing in the training room, why don¡¯t you go and greet them?¡± Izo lets out a huff but does as she is told. The pink jelly happily moves to follow Izo downstairs, but Odin keeps a firm grip on the pink jelly. The Pink Jelly miserably and rather gloomily lays down in a chair to wait for his mama. Odin snorts and says, ¡°Don¡¯t sulk, you know what she would be getting into. Instead, why not gift her with something once she returns?¡± The pink jelly brightens up and begins to fiercely work in concentration as it begins to form something out of thin air. Odin shakes his head and goes back to his work as his ravens show him what he wants to know. But more importantly, keeps an eye on a certain someone. * Izo makes her way to a training room after having been pointed by furry little brownie towards the training room. Izo¡¯s heart tightened in pain at the stinging remembrance. The time in the Godly planes was vastly different and what may be hours or even a day here, could easily be months and even a year in the mortal realms. Izo calms her emotions down, before venturing into the training room. Much like the temple training room, this one emerged on the edge of a cliff that oversaw a large plain, an ocean, and forest. And the ceiling is a never-ending blue sky that one could fly into and never reach the end. Izo calmly studies the four figures fighting down below. A male mage, a female knight, a male ninja-like figure and Leo. Izo¡¯s heart twinges at the appearance of Leo causing Izo to click her tongue in annoyance. It would appear that Leo and she were not going to get along given how her heartfelt about him. ¡°It would appear you don¡¯t like someone,¡± a female voice commented. Izo narrows her eyes to the side to see a young woman with chin-length violet hair and violet eyes. The young woman had a band of flowers on her head and had a green like a robe dress. Izo frowns at failing to have noticed the young woman¡¯s presence. Had she just arrived, or had she been here all along? Izo wasn¡¯t sure, but she didn¡¯t like not knowing and most especially having someone sneak up on her.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°So, are you a champion too?¡± Izo asked. The maiden smiles and ignores Izo¡¯s question for now. ¡°You¡¯ve already met Leo, he¡¯s Odin¡¯s chosen, but allow me to introduce the others. The golden-haired female knight is Olivia, the champion of Helios. The olive-haired mage is Harry Drake, the chosen of Bast. And the dark-haired mystical arts practitioner is Rin, the chosen of Kali,¡± the young woman said as she gazed over the valley and grounds below. ¡°Yes, but my question is who are you?¡± Izo pointedly said. The maiden smiles and says, ¡°Can you guess who I am?¡± Annoyed Izo widens her eyes and innocently says, ¡°Do you know who you are?¡± The maiden blinks in surprise and smiles, ¡°Huh, you certainly are the chosen of Cthulhu.¡± Izo snorts as the maiden replies, ¡°I am Fria, a Valkyrie.¡± Izo warily takes a step back at the response. A Valkyrie wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with as they were beings that collect slain warriors but more importantly are powerful warriors themselves. In other words, Fria was basically an angel. Fria smiles at Izo and says, ¡°You seem to lack a partner, would you like to spar with me? Izo politely says, ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you first change your clothes?¡± Fria let¡¯s out a giggle and suddenly Fria is wearing shining battle armor with a large spear at her side. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said anything,¡± Izo grumbled to herself. Smiling Fria says, ¡°After you.¡± Izo pulls out her World Tree Scythe from her inventory and takes a deep breath, before jumping down the cliff. Fria smiles with interest and says, ¡°Oh, now that¡¯s new,¡± before leaping after Izo. Izo leaps across the ground and wordlessly says, ¡°Inferno ¡®ilo!¡± Hearing a breeze next to her, Izo dives to the ground and releases the spell of fire and ice up at Fria. Fria brings up her shield to block the attack as Izo hurtles forward and brings her scythe down. Fria suddenly goes flying through the air and smashes between the four fighting figures. The four startled figures of Olivia, Leo, Harry Drake, and Rin all stare in recognition of their trainer. Before anyone can react, Fria yells, ¡°All of you move!¡± As a blast of magma erupts from the sky and falls onto the ground. The four hastily retreat as they stare with surprise at the figure floating in the air above them with a scythe in hand. Leo''s eyes widen in recognition of the thin, tall woman with a cold face. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Harry Drake curiously asked as he casts a floating spell over all them to carry them back to the cliff. ¡°That would be Izo Reed, Cthulhu¡¯s chosen,¡± Leo flatly replied. ¡°Oh?¡± Harry Drake commented noticing the flatness of Leo¡¯s voice. ¡°Did something happen between the two of you?¡± ¡°Nothing happened,¡± Leo unhappily replied. ¡°If you say so,¡± Harry Drake muttered with disbelief. He wasn¡¯t about to argue with Leo given Leo¡¯s temperamental attitude. Besides, he¡¯d much rather watch the battle. It was proving quite interesting to say the least. * Chapter 27.4 – The Day â…£ Izo watches the magma clear warily until a large crack is heard as a figure bursts out of the cooled lava without a problem. Fria smiles and says, ¡°My, my, you¡¯re certainly temperamental.¡± Izo instantly flies back as Fria leaps from the ground and says, ¡°Lighting Glory!¡± A blaze of light hurtles at Izo as Izo brings up her scythe to dodge and parry. Knowing that Fria is about to close in Izo activates Self-substance. Fria smashes her spear into Izo and sends Izo flying towards the lake. A large spray of water flies into the air as Izo crashes into the depths of the lake. Fria floats overhead as she watches the lake warily for a moment, before suddenly retreating backward to the astonishment of those on the cliff side. Suddenly the lake surges upward to form a giant spiraling water dragon that opens¡¯s its mouth to engulf Fria. Fria narrows her eyes and unleashes Piercing Slash! Fria expertly brings her spear downward and splits the water serpent in half causing the water to slash all over the valley. However, under the cover of the water, Izo emerges from behind Fria and places her scythe just under Fria¡¯s neck. ¡°I think I win,¡± Izo drily stated. Fria smiles as Izo eyes widen as Izo drops to the ground. Izo doesn¡¯t drop down fast enough as the fake image of Fria disappears, and Fria stabs her spear into Izo¡¯s shoulder. Fria smiles and says, ¡°Not bad, I thought you fell for it, but I guess you do have some battle experience after all.¡± Izo on the ground heals herself as she tunnels into the ground for some time to prepare her next attack. Fria waits but nothing happens causing her to frown. ¡°If you think to escape, it won¡¯t be that easy,¡± Fria happily commented. Darting at the ground Fria unleashes Earth strike causing the entire valley ground to crack open. But the moment the ground cracked a giant earth hand burst from the ground as an earth elemental rises. Fria instantly is smashed into the far-off mountain by the unexpected blow. Smiling Fria says, ¡°My, my, it would seem I underestimated you. You¡¯re quite the versatile mage as well. It would seem you possess a type of dual-class that allows you to wield both classes. Well, in that case, allow me to show you my own magic abilities.¡± Fria instantly casts Wind Seraph and a wind elemental appears in the sky. Both elementals smash towards each other destroying anything in their way or path. Harry Drake murmurs, ¡°What the hell, are you kidding me?! That¡¯s just not fair!¡± Olivia narrows her eyes and drily comments, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Instructor Fria use both of her abilities at the same time.¡± ¡°Maybe not for you,¡± Rin boldly declared causing Olivia to glare at him. The two of them glare at each other enough to cause sparks with their fierce gazes. Leo keeps quiet and his thoughts to himself as he continues to watch the ongoing battle.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Fria darts around trying to sense Izo since she had completely disappeared. Suddenly from the lake Ice hurtles at Fria who is overhead the lake. Unable to dodge for the first time in battle, Fria takes some damage as a scythe hurls out of the lake towards Fria. Fria parries the scythe with her spear, but too late notices the figure of Izo before her. With full force, Izo slams her fist into Fria¡¯s neck and twists. A large crack is heard as Fria¡¯s neck is at a weird angle, but just as swiftly begins to heal. Izo darts for her fallen scythe as Fria neck finishes healing and rather crossly darts for Izo. The moment Izo wraps her fingers around her scythe she uses ¡°Quick Flicker,¡± on the ground. The earth turns into blocks as Izo slams the end of her scythe against them and slams them forward like hockey pucks. Fria dodges some of them, while other¡¯s smash into her face and hands with great efficacy. By the time Fria is clear, Izo is already up in the air once more as she finishes chanting, her spell, ¡°Mrt D¡¯imsible Spada.¡± Fria halts as the air is suddenly filled with thousands of impossibly large glowing crimson swords that appear out of the sky and hurtle towards her as the blades grow larger and larger as they fall. Fria slams into the ground and chants as quickly as possible and unleashes, ¡°Shield of the Heavens,¡± the strongest of the Valkyrie magical shields. With a loud roaring clash, the blades smash into the glowing shield creating a large cloud of dust unable to reveal whether the attack had worked. Izo tiredly pants in the air as she fights to keep the smile on her face. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time she had fought someone with all of her strength. It had been quite fun and exhilarating. Suddenly the dust clears to reveal the slightly wounded figure of Fria. Fria smiles and says, ¡°It¡¯s your win for today as you did wound me,¡± and pointed at her bleeding arm. ¡°By the way what was that spell?¡± ¡°Mrt D¡¯imsible Spada,¡± Izo tiredly replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t win, I think it was more of a tie.¡± Fria snorts and says, ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time one of the kid¡¯s wounded me. No, at least for today, it¡¯s your win. But don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make the mistake of going easy of you next time.¡± ¡°I was afraid of that,¡± Izo ruefully replied. Fria then floats up and easily lands on the cliff. Smiling at the four, Fria says, ¡°Now that is how I expect you to fight. Of course, our lovely Izo here is a dual user, but you can tell, she¡¯s worked hard to combine both skills. All of you possess both magic and physical skills to some degree. Use them and combine like I¡¯ve been telling you.¡± Izo had put her scythe away during the lecture and landed on the cliff a short distance away. Fria turns towards Izo with a smile and says, ¡°Now let¡¯s have dinner. But first a bath in the hot springs.¡± ¡°Oh, but I¡¯m fine,¡± Izo politely declined but to her horror, Izo finds herself being dragged away by Fria. ¡°Nonsense, this is how warriors get to know each other,¡± Fria cheerfully said. Izo is unable to protest as Fria firmly drags her away and out of sight. The three men reflexively glance at Olivia who is blushing. ¡°Get your mind out of the gutter, she just wants to chat and relax! Perverts!¡± Olivia growled before stomping away. ¡°Aw, lucky,¡± Harry complained out loud. Rin snorts and says, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but I¡¯m hitting the showers.¡± Leo only snorts in reply and follows, while Harry sadly trails after them. In Harry¡¯s humble opinion, it¡¯s always the girls who had all the luck. * Chapter 27.5 – The Day â…¤ Izo had somehow survived the baths without drowning nor being talked to death. For such a fierce fighter, Fria was quite the chatterbox. Having made it back her room, Izo found Pucca hiding under the bed being glared at by the pink jelly. The moment, Izo appeared the pink jelly happily bobbed towards and spat something out onto the bed. The pink jelly proudly looks up at Izo as Izo stares at the item covered in invisible pink jelly spit and germs. Carefully keeping her face blank, Izo takes the bracelet and says, ¡°Why thank you, but is this for me?¡± The pink jelly happily bobs its head as Izo stares at the black bracelet that had skulls and crossbones on it with thorny vines twisting around it. ¡°How thoughtful,¡± Izo drily mused out loud as she puts the bracelet on her left hand. The bracelet suddenly moves down her hand and shrinks onto her finger all on its own. ¡°So, this is a ring?¡± Izo asked for further verification. The pink jelly merely coos at her and settles on her head in reply. ¡°Okay, but what does it do?¡± Izo asked the pink jelly. The pink jelly merely snuggles on her head and says, ¡°Cookies?¡± Izo suddenly remembers the promise that she made long ago if luck wasn¡¯t bad during the lottery. Sighing, Izo climbs to her feet and says, ¡°Fine, but no glaring at Pucca. Pucca¡¯s just my lackey.¡± The pink jelly lets out a happy chirp as Pucca from under the bed lets out a sound of relief. Pucca warily climbs out and says, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Izo allows Pucca to climb onto her shoulder as the pink jelly warningly eyes Pucca in warning. Pucca merely lays low as Izo heads back out towards the kitchen. The staff is aghast, but Izo states that she had vowed to make cookies to her god. As such the staff is in a flurry to help Izo create the greatest batch of cookies ever seen. Whether they were the greatest cookies the world had ever seen or not, Izo would never know, because the moment the cookies were done, the pink jelly ate the entire cookie tray with tray and all. The pink jelly let out a cute burp and then lands on Izo¡¯s hand. Izo sighs and turns to apologise''s to the kitchen staff. The kitchen staff is thrilled and certain that they were being blessed by the God. Giving up, Izo just leaves as the staff bows low to the pink jelly. To Izo¡¯s rescue emerges Odin who firmly drags the pink jelly off of Izo. The pink jelly lets out a throe of protests as Odin says, ¡°Did Cthulhu explain anything to you?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°What¡¯s with the ring?¡± Izo asked. Odin sighs and says, ¡°It¡¯s to keep your other abilities in check and to hide your existence from other God¡¯s eyes. Because sooner or later they will check you and in this manner, you will be safe.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bit of relief, but what¡¯s going to happen now?¡± Izo asked. ¡°You will train until it is time for the champion courts. However, feel free to enjoy yourself and see the rest of Mount Olympus. But I do caution you to not to get into any altercations with any opposing champions. Sooner or later, they will test the waters and accidents have been known to happen before the Champion courts open,¡± Odin warily stated. Izo nods her head in understanding and says, ¡°Will more champions be joining us here?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s too dangerous to keep so many champions under one room as we may attract trouble that way. No, it will be just you five that will reside here and other¡¯s in groups in different places spread out among our faction,¡± Odin grumbled. ¡°Now, go and have dinner,¡± Odin exclaimed, before forcefully dragging the struggling figure of the pink jelly away. Izo happily makes her way to the dinner table to see Fria there. With a smile, Fria says, ¡°You can sit next to me or Leo.¡± Without hesitation, Izo sits next to Fria as Fria pouts until Olivia arrives and sits next to her. The food is then served before them as Izo picks at her food unable to understand the reason for her unable to eat in peace. Did she dislike Leo that much? But he seemed quite nice and sweet even and just a tad cute. Izo almost chokes at her own thoughts. She didn¡¯t like him, did she?! Izo warily glances at Leo but doesn¡¯t feel the butterflies or anything like that in her stomach. Satisfied, that it all must all be in her head Izo reaches for a bread roll as does Leo. Izo pulls her hand away as if on fire while Leo just ignores her. Frowning Izo grabs a bread roll and pointedly ignores the sensitive sensation still felt on her arm. It was just in her head! Sitting across from Izo is the mage, Harry Drake, and the mystical arts practitioner, Rin. In an effort to distract herself, Izo says, ¡°So, how long have you been here?¡± Harry happily says, ¡°Just a week, while the rest of them arrived two weeks ago.¡± Rin suddenly interjects, ¡°Your techniques are a bit unorthodox, but there are mystical arts signatures in your combat style.¡± ¡°I meant an old man once, who taught me a few his skills,¡± Izo truthfully replied, which was the strange truth. Rin nods his head sagely and says, ¡°There are many mystical arts practitioners who travel the world in search of battles or enlightenment.¡± Izo shrugs as Leo says, ¡°But you are attacking far too wide apart and your magical attacks are easy to interrupt.¡± Izo drily says, ¡°Yes, thus hence the reason for training.¡± Harry watches the two of them staring rather violently at each other and leans over to whisper to Rin. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just me, but I think those two like each other and don¡¯t know how to deal with it,¡± Harry whispered. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be the first couple to do so,¡± Rin remarked, before digging into his food. It wasn¡¯t his problem as long as their emotions didn¡¯t affect him or his god. Love is for weirdos. * Chapter 28 – The Gods Loki sits quietly as he waits for members of the Chaos faction to arrive. Eris streams in as wisps of smoke as Ares arrives in his fiery chariot, while others begin to arrive as well: Apep, the Egyptian Snake God. Phobeter, God of Nightmares. Nox, Goddess of the Night. Crnobog, God of Misfortune. Coatlique, Goddess of Blood Sacrifice. The Morrigan, Goddess of Bloodshed, and many other more other gods and goddesses continue to arrive. When the last of the God¡¯s have gathered, Loki says, ¡°Welcome my brothers and sisters to Chaos!¡± The gods and goddesses nod at each other as Loki says, ¡°The Champion¡¯s court is at hand and this time, victory shall be ours!¡± The Gods and Goddesses cheer as Loki returns to his seat. The beautiful goddess, Nox in a slim fitting, dark dress climbs to her feet. Nox was not only a great beauty but a powerful goddess who even the great and mighty Zeus was wary of. ¡°My child, Hypnos, has told me that many of the God¡¯s have chosen champions even those of yore who have not participated in a millennium. Among those are Odin and Cthulhu, I cannot recall in recent championships that Odin has ever participated and Cthulhu, not since ancient times. For many eons, he has been slumbering away, but for some reason, he has suddenly awoken to participate. We must especially be wary of their two elected champions,¡± Nox stated, before sitting back down. Rhe gods and goddesses of the Chaos faction rumble with curiosity as Apep raises his large snakehead and hisses, ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that the envoy of Cthulhu was slain by the chosen of Loki and Ares. And yet, that envoy is still alive and well to have registered in the courts. It would seem your champions are a danger to all of us.¡± Loki narrows his eyes and says, ¡°I am aware that the envoy of Cthulhu should be dead. But do not forget, that the champion of Cthulhu cannot be anything but simple. My envoy and Ares assumed that the champions¡¯ powers had yet to awaken and that was their error in underestimating Cthulhu¡¯s champion, but make no mistake, they shall not commit that error again.¡± Apep merely flickers his snake tongue at Loki in reply. Crnobog, the old Slav God climbs to his feet and says, ¡°What I wish to know, why has Cthulhu the old one awakened after all this time?¡± And then Crnobog sits back down as the Gods and Goddesses of the chaos faction stare at each other in thought.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Phobeter, a God with messy dark hair, glowing yellow eyes and a cape made out of skulls and bones climbs to his feet. ¡°For many eons, Cthulhu has slept and dreamed many dreams. There are times when he had been about to awaken, but never more roused from his slumber. No, not even the madness of War could have awoken him since his great defeat at the hands of Harmony. Whatever has awoken Cthulhu, it is the siren call of Madness. However, what that could be? I can no more guess than any of you,¡± Phobeter stated, before once more sitting down. The Gods reflexively turn towards Coatlique, the Goddess of Blood Sacrifice and The Morrigan. If any god understood madness it would be those two Goddesses. The two Goddesses stare at each other for a time, before the Morrigan says, ¡°There are strange whisperings on the wind. The vultures and beasts of carnage whisper that a child of Madness has been born. And if so, who better to call out and awaken the God of Madness?¡± Ares narrows his eyes and says, ¡°But such a young mortal female to possess such madness is preposterous. Oh, we have all seen madness but that is in the madness of mortals, those who have hatred, desire lust or wealth, and those that seek power. But that female mortal child possesses no such qualities to be called a child of Madness.¡± Coatlique in a raspy, soft voice softly replies, ¡°Much Madness is divinest Sense - To a discerning Eye - Much Sense - the starkest Madness ¨C.¡± The gods and goddesses grow thoughtful as Nox climbs to her feet and says, ¡°Then so be it. Worry not my companions, though Cthulhu is awake, he was once defeated before. All the champions of Harmony to do so again, while we wait and bide our time.¡± The Gods and Goddesses smile and murmur with pleasure as they being to prepare and discuss who shall enter their champions. At the end only, half of the champions are to be entered to keep champions in reserve and to keep the weaker champions out. The Gods and Goddesses disperse leaving only Loki and Nox behind. Loki smiles at Nox and says, ¡°You are beautiful as the night sky, My Goddess.¡± ¡°You are still a tease, Loki,¡± Nox ruefully replies. ¡°Yes, but what shall we do about our problem?¡± Loki asked. ¡°That she has become too troublesome to continue to handle,¡± Nox mused out loud. ¡°So, shall we deliver her into our enemy¡¯s hands?¡± Loke commented. Nox smiles and says, ¡°I leave that to you, my dear, I for one, shall whisper into Zeus¡¯s ear.¡± Loki snorts and says, ¡°And you say, I¡¯m a tease.¡± ¡°You are my dear, but I am a woman and that is simply who I am,¡± Nox replied with a smile, before sashaying away. Loki narrows his eyes, before vanishing into the darkness. The God of Trickery is about, and all should be wary. For there is no telling, where or who he could be! Chapter 28.2 – The Gods â…¡ The Gods of Chaos were not the only ones holding a meeting but as the Gods of Harmony. The mighty figure of Zeus in an elegant silver suit sits on his throne as the majority of the Greek and Roman Gods were part of this faction with other righteous figures such as Freya, Thor, Frigga. ¡°Well speak?¡± Zeus coolly asked as he addressed the gathered assembly. A breathtaking woman with golden hair, sea-green eyes in a gorgeous white gown rises. With a coquettish smile, Aphrodite says, ¡°It would seem that my husband, Hephaestus has left us and joined Fable.¡± Zeus slams his arm in fury on his throne chair causing a loud echo to resonate through Mount Olympus. ¡°And what of Hades?¡± Zeus asked with little patience. A young man with curly brown hair wearing a tight-fitting mailman uniform that sticks to his muscular body rises to his feet. Hermes calmly replies, ¡°No, father, Hades still resides with the Chaos Faction.¡± Zeus grimaces in relief and looks around with a frown. ¡°And where is my wife, Hera?¡± Zeus asked with a frown. No doubt, Hera was throwing a jealousy tantrum, but regardless of her personal feelings, Hera should be present. The minor goddesses¡¯ glance at each other with apprehension until a timid pink haired lowly goddess quietly squeaks out, ¡°Milord, Lady Hera has left us-.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zeus roared in fury as lightning suddenly flashed all over Mount Olympus. The major Gods and Goddesses present stare at each other in surprise. It was a well common known fact that Hera loved Zeus with all her heart. Despite everything that had transpired, and the many women Zeus had, had. It was Hera who always remained at his side through thick and thin. ¡°Calm yourself, Milord. If Hera has left us, then nothing can be done for the moment,¡± the soft voice of Freya murmured. Freya, the Norse Goddess of Beauty and Love was no less beautiful than Aphrodite. However, whereas Aphrodite beauty leaned more to breathtaking seduction, Freya¡¯s wheat colored hair and golden eyes gave the impression of a calm, graceful goddess. Zeus sky-blue glowing eyes glimmer down as Zeus coldly asks, ¡°And what do you propose, Freya?¡± ¡°Milord, I am sure it is just a jealous tantrum on Hera¡¯s part. Go and reconcile and I am sure Hera will return to your loving arms with glee and even go as far as to renounce the Fable Faction that very minute,¡± Freya smoothly said causing Zeus to nod in understanding. ¡°I think not,¡± the sharp voice of Athena said. Tall and graceful with shoulder-length flaxen hair and sky-gray eyes, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War boldly stood before her father, Zeus, in a sharp shirt and skirt entourage. ¡°Why not daughter?¡± Zeus asked with a frown as his brows furrow in concentration. ¡°You have not seen, what I have, father. The birth of Fable was not by sheer coincidence, Father,¡± Athena explained as she took a step forward. ¡°Ancient and New Gods combined in an effort to break away from eons of tradition. No, Father, I fear that Hera¡¯s heart may be fully resolved already and has no intention of turning back.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°No, Love always finds a way,¡± Aphrodite confidently interrupted with pride. ¡°Love maybe. But it is also possible for love to die or be eroded away much like the stones in the river,¡± Athena flatly retorted back as her eyes flash with an unknown emotion. ¡°Who can say, but finally after all these eons, could it not be possible that Hera is, at last, tired and done with you, father? For surely, Father, you may love Hera, but that kind of love may no longer be what Hera desires.¡± Zeus carefully narrows his eyes and dangerously says, ¡°Are you suggesting, that Hera no longer loves me, Athena?¡± ¡°Do not ask me, father, for I am merely a goddess of Wisdom and War. I know nothing of the affairs of the heart,¡± Athena crisply replied. ¡°The one you should readdress that question is towards Aphrodite or Freya. All I am suggesting is that it may be a possibility and all logical possibilities should be considered in order to create countermeasures in the unlikely of scenarios should transpire to come to pass.¡± The golden figure of Apollo rises causing quite a few goddesses to become entranced by his golden boy looks and charm. ¡°Calm yourself, sister, and worry not father. I am sure that Hera, will return with a few simple words from our father,¡± Apollo smoothly said. Appeased by his son¡¯s words, Zeus carefully says, ¡°Hermes gather your winds and have them scour the cosmos for Hera. I want her found!¡± ¡°It shall be done, father,¡± Hermes said as he swiftly sent forth his wind messengers to scour the cosmos for Hera. Satisfied, Zeus confidently says, ¡°Good, now, let us go and see the champions.¡± Zeus rises proudly and leads the way to inspect the chosen champions of the Harmony faction. The rest of the gods and goddesses quickly follow lest they lose a rare opportunity to gain Zeus¡¯s attention and be promoted. However, Athena remains behind and frowns as she mumbles, ¡°I fear it will not be so easy, father. A scoured woman is quite a fearsome thing.¡± ¡°Are you speaking from experience, sister?¡± A soft, but steady female voice whispered into Athena¡¯s ear. Athena reflexively turns around as a faint smile appears on Athena¡¯s face at seeing the dark, long-haired Artemis in a jacket and jeans. ¡°I suppose even a Goddess like myself can even love once,¡± Athena truthfully replied. Artemis appears startled at the reply and quickly says, ¡°I truly was jesting, sister, I did not think my words were true.¡± Athena looks away and says, ¡°Love may burn brightly as the sun, but that does not mean that dark shadows cannot overtake it and obscure it.¡± Artemis eyes her solemn sister in surprise and worries at those words. ¡°Who was he?¡± Artemis softly asked. Athena stares up at the night sky above them and honestly answers, ¡°It was simply not meant to be.¡± Artemis narrows her eyes and asks anew, ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°No, sister. Do not ask me again for once spoken, there is no telling who may hear,¡± Athena pointedly replied as she gestures at their current location, Mount Olympus itself. Artemis frowns as she recalls the past and recalls potential candidates. All of a sudden, a figure comes to mind, one who was once very much a nemesis and possibly knew Athena as much as she did herself. Artemis eyes widen in surprise as she squawks in shock, ¡°Wait, is it him?¡± Athena remains silent as Artemis exclaims, ¡°But the both of you have always been enemies since the dawn of time!¡± Athena merely turns to stare at Artemis and ironically says, ¡°There is a thin line between love and hate.¡± Artemis closes her mouth with a snap as pity fills her eyes. ¡°I have never loved a man, sister, but I have loved too. I too understand what is to be unable to love in the open,¡± Artemis sadly whispered. For it was a well-known fact, Artemis loved women, but it would never be permitted by Zeus for his daughter, Artemis to make a woman her wife. ¡°Well, father may yet turn progressive with time,¡± Athena crisply murmured. ¡°But for me, it is impossible.¡± Artemis squeezes Athena gently on the shoulder and says, ¡°Come, let us go drink our sorrows away.¡± Athena protests that it was undignified for the Goddess of Wisdom to become drunk, but Artemis will not hear of it. For tonight, they would simply be two broken-hearted women drinking their sorrows away. * Chapter 28.3 – The Gods â…¢ Zeus waves his handmaidens away and retires early for the night in an unexpected gesture. Those watching whisper, ¡°Perhaps, Aphrodite¡¯s words will be proven true for it already seems that Zeus is seeking to make amends with Hera.¡± Zeus retires to his private chambers and stares out over sleeping Mount Olympus and sighs. A seductive voice whispers into his ear, ¡°What is it, my lover?¡± Zeus reflexively turns around to engulf the gorgeous goddess in a slim fitting dark dress, Nox in his arms. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing this right now,¡± Zeus warningly said. Nox laughs causing her silky black tresses to sway seductively over her bare shoulders. ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± Nox playfully said as she slipped out of Zeus¡¯s arms and slid onto the bed. Nox playfully points her sandaled toes at Zeus causing the dress to slide that much further to reveal her silky-smooth thighs. Zeus lustfully gulps and force himself to look away. ¡°With the Champions Court so near, we cannot be seen together,¡± Zeus argued. Nox leans back onto the soft pillows and says, ¡°We aren¡¯t being seen, we are merely frolicking in the sheets.¡± Zeus remains silent and firmly changes the subject, ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°Can I not visit you?¡± Nox playfully said. ¡°No, not when the faction¡¯s rule is at stake,¡± Zeus coolly stated. Nox sighs and says, ¡°You men, always thinking about politics when there is a perfectly willing woman in your bed waiting for you. What is it that you want to know?¡± ¡°I received your letter this evening. But what I don¡¯t understand is why would you willingly give us, Eris? Just what are you scheming?¡± Zeus pointedly inquired.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Nox lazily yawns and replies, ¡°Eris. Hmm, how shall I put it? She is like a wild dog with rabies who bites at everyone including the hand that feeds it.¡± Zeus narrows his eyes and says, ¡°And exactly what has she done?¡± ¡°She¡¯s thrown off our plans, of course, and for that, she must die,¡± Nox frankly stated. ¡°But the Chaos faction cannot be seen as divided and as such we cannot directly be rid of her.¡± ¡°And if we set this plan in motion, what is it that you want?¡± Zeus further inquired. ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busy as of late and haven¡¯t had time to choose a champion. As I am part of the Chaos faction it will be no heartache to take her champion for myself,¡± Nox murmured. Zeus furrows his brows in thought. The request was simple and even doable. With neither of them being implicated, but that was exactly the problem. The deal was much too sweet to be said and done. ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± Zeus thought to himself. ¡°Say I consider it, Eris is still my granddaughter,¡± Zeus curtly said. ¡°But what is death to a god?¡± Nox countered. ¡°Yes, she will die, but in an eon or two, the cosmos will reform her soul and she will be reborn once more.¡± ¡°Hmm, and how shall it be done?¡± Zeus truthfully inquired. ¡°Like always, you know the rules,¡± Nox said with a bored smile. ¡°So, will you do it?¡± ¡°Perhaps, but I need more than just your reassurances. I want something more,¡± Zeus further bargained. ¡°And what is that?¡± Nox quietly inquired with narrowed eyes. ¡°I want the trident of Poseidon returned,¡± Zeus countered. ¡°No, that item was fairly won in a wager,¡± Nox retorted. ¡°True, but I gain nothing out of this bargain but risks, while you take all the gains. Do not take me for a fool, Nox, you wouldn¡¯t Eris¡¯s champion if there wasn¡¯t something special about that girl,¡± Zeus coldly said. Nox thoughtfully purses her lips and says, ¡°Say, that the trident can be returned, how soon can it be done?¡± ¡°Within three days,¡± Zeus steadfastly answered. ¡°Very well, I shall negotiate the return of the trident, but upon my return, I expect to see it done,¡± Nox truthfully said as her eyes gleam. ¡°Excellent,¡± Zeus said in agreement. ¡°Shall we seal the deal with a kiss?¡± Nox breathlessly said as she climbed onto her knees. Zeus bends down to gently peck her lips, but Nox cleverly opens them and slips her tongue into his. Zeus lets out a groan, but before he knows it, his hands are sliding all over Nox¡¯s body. And just like that, the bargain was sealed with their bodies. * Chapter 28.4 – The Gods â…£ By the next day, Hermes wind messengers had located Hera¡¯s place of residence as she was residing with Rhiannon, the Goddess of Earth and Nature. With the idea of reconciliation in mind, Zeus dressed in an elegant sparkling suit, before descending down below to an enchanted like forest with a bouquet of red roses. Zeus knocks on the enchanted cottage door to see the door briefly opens before being directly slammed into his face. Zeus blinks in surprise and angry as he knocks again and says, ¡°Hera, I¡¯ve come to talk.¡± A fierce eruption of whispers can be heard inside as the door swings open and the tall figure of Rhiannon glares down at him. Rhiannon¡¯s antlers pointedly stare at him as if daring him to try anything. ¡°She¡¯s waiting for you in the gardens,¡± Rhiannon growled before slamming the door loudly in Zeus¡¯s face for the second time in his life. Zeus has the urge to summon lightning to strike the cottage home, but he very well knew that he was outside of his own domain and here, Rhiannon ruled. Zeus makes his way around the cottage to see the tall, hunched over muscular figure of Hephaestus carefully pruning the flowers with garden shears. Zeus awkwardly sidesteps the figure of his misshapen son. And though in everyone else¡¯s eyes, Hephaestus was not really considered as such, in Zeus¡¯s eyes as Hephaestus would forever be a cripple. But the sheer cold irony was whose fault was that? ¡°Father,¡± Hephaestus said causing Zeus to become still. Zeus uncomfortably pauses and replies, ¡°Yes, son.¡± ¡°Please tell, Aphrodite, I shan¡¯t ever be returning back. The political bond that was shared between us is no more and she is free to love and be with whose heart she desires,¡± Hephaestus quietly said. ¡°Yes, I shall tell her that,¡± Zeus quietly answered. ¡°Take care of yourself, father,¡± Hephaestus honestly said as he turned to stare his father in the eye. Zeus shamefaced turns away and swiftly walks away through the garden. Venturing on the garden path, Zeus turns the corner to see a breathtaking woman with loose walnut colored tresses hanging around her as her loose white spring dress twirls around her. Hera glances up as her warm chocolate eyes flash with a coolness that even left Zeus surprised. Hera motions for Zeus to approach as Zeus kneels down like a love-struck fool. Holding out the red roses, Zeus says, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my love, I was wrong. Please forgive me and come home.¡± Hera smiles bitterly and sighs, ¡°Oh, Zeus, you are just the same as ever.¡± ¡°Yes, I still am madly in love with you, Hera,¡± Zeus self-righteously proclaimed as he reached to take Hera¡¯s hand. Hera gently pulls away and says, ¡°You know, I once hoped to live like those mortal women in their happy homes surrounded by children and loving warmth. But I can see clearly my mistake now, I can see that I choose wrongly that day.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Zeus blinks in confusion as Hera says, ¡°Oh, Zeus, don¡¯t look so confused. Yes, I have loved you for eons, but all for what? But for pain and suffering that never ends. But even so, I would have stayed if I was still certain that your heart was me. And sadly, it hasn¡¯t been for some time now.¡± Zeus opens his mouth to protest, but Hera gracefully raises her hand to silence him. ¡°Zeus, do you know what my favorite flower is?¡± Hera asked. Zeus blinks in confusion and says, ¡°It¡¯s a rose, you¡¯ve always loved red and pink roses, they¡¯re your favorite.¡± Hera ruefully smiles and reaches to take hold of a small flowering like shrub that has small red fruits growing there on. ¡°Zeus, do you know what this plant, Arbtus means in the language of love?¡± Hera casually asked. Zeus narrows his eyes and says, ¡°I can¡¯t recall, but I remember always having seen them being grown in your garden.¡± Hera quietly looks up and says, ¡°It means, you are the only one I love.¡± Hera turns to gaze at Zeus and says, ¡°They were always my favorite flowers.¡± Zeus remains quiet for a moment and says, ¡°And I love you, Hera.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t love anyone but yourself, I can see that now,¡± Hera retorted. With a smile, Hera reaches into her pocket and takes out a dried flower. ¡°Do you recognize this?¡± Hera tiredly asked. Zeus shakes his head as Heras sadly replies, ¡°I thought not.¡± Hera ruthlessly crushes the dry flower in her hand and says, ¡°This is the end for you and me, Zeus.¡± Throwing her shoulders back, a power suddenly descends that of the powerful goddess that Hera was. ¡°By the ancient laws of the Cosmos, be my witnesses, from this day forth, I will no longer be known as Hera of Mount of Olympus, but only as Hera. Let the bonds that tied the Lord and Lady of Mount Olympus be torn asunder, this I proclaim to all and so mote be.¡± A giant ring of power spreads out and forth throughout the Cosmos as the vow of Hera could be heard to every corner. Many gods and goddesses were shocked, while a few even quietly cheered for Hera¡¯s audacity. Turning towards Zeus with a proud look in her eyes, Hera says, ¡°Now, there is nothing tying us together, Zeus of Mount Olympus. Begone!¡± Zeus remains in shock unable to believe that Hera not only had refused him but divorced him. Zeus narrows his eyes in anger humiliation and tosses the roses onto the ground. ¡°Mark my words, Hera, you will regret this,¡± Zeus hissed, before storming off as lightning flashes overhead in emphasis. ¡°Maybe, but not today,¡± Hera softly muttered under her breath. From the bushes, the tanned rugged figure of Hephaestus emerges with a smile filled with pride and joy. Hera¡¯s eyes fill in pain at seeing the limping gait of Hephaestus as tears begin to stream down her eyes. ¡°I should have left him the day he called you a monster and cast you from Mount Olympus,¡± Hera whispered. Hephaestus laughs warmly and takes his mother¡¯s hands. ¡°Then I would not have become the great god that I am today. Not all tragedy is the end, mother, but merely the start of another pathway. Who knows, if not for Zeus¡¯s cruel action, perhaps, I would have become some minor god on Mount Olympus,¡± Hephaestus sincerely said. Hera blinks back her tears and fondly touches Hephaestus neatly trimmed bearded face. ¡°Then, we shall start life anew, together,¡± Hera fondly said. ¡°Yes, it will be interesting to be out on the dating scene again,¡± Hephaestus teasingly said. Hera flushes in embarrassment and smacks Hephaestus on his arm. Hephaestus merely laughs and says, ¡°When you are ready, mother, we shall both try again. And this time, we¡¯ll choose someone who will see us far beneath the surface.¡± Hera gently reaches over and squeezes Hephaestus calloused hands in reply. Hand in hand, the two strolled back to the cottage, where the others are waiting inside to celebrate, and more importantly, get drunk. Because what is a good god, who can¡¯t get drunk? * Chapter 28.5 – The Gods â…£ The majority of the gods of Mount Olympus were in shock except for a few. Athena was one of them as Hera had not been a terrible stepmother to her, but a distant stepmother at times. Athena had clearly seen with her own two eyes at how each time her father¡¯s careless betrayal tore Hera apart. Perhaps, that is why Hera was cold at times but rarely cruel to Zeus¡¯s children. The expection''s were Zeus¡¯s mortal children at the time, but that was only when Hera was younger. After that, Hera did not even gather the strength to touch them. Maybe, it was selfish of Athena, but Hera truly was happy for Hera. If anyone deserved to be free of her father, Zeus, it was Hera. However, a tiny spark had been born as well. If Hera could go out and be finally brave and stand up for herself, couldn¡¯t Athena as well? That night for the first time in a very long time, Athena went forth and visited the lotus lake on the river that flows through the entire cosmos. Athena almost staggers to her knees at seeing the familiar figure waiting next to the lotus lake. Athena can suddenly hear the sweet, spicy voice say, ¡°I will wait for you by the lotus lake each night until you return to me.¡± Athena almost turns away in guilt as a well-toned man with milk chocolate skin, dark hair, and glowing golden eyes says, ¡°Have you finally returned to me, my Athena?¡±Stolen story; please report. Athena flushes and says, ¡°This was a mistake.¡± Anubis, the Egyptian god hastily grabs Athena by the hand and says, ¡°Then why come? Why give me hope to only so ruthlessly crush it?¡± Anubis carefully pulls her hands to his lips and gently kisses them. ¡°We can¡¯t be together, we both know that,¡± Athena said with tears in her eyes. ¡°Maybe once but leave with me. I have already spoken to Osiris and they will have us in Fable. We can finally be together,¡± Anubis pleaded. Athena whispers, ¡°I can¡¯t just leave and betray everyone.¡± ¡°You are not betraying anyone,¡± Anubis said. ¡°You are not joining the Chaos faction, but a neutral faction. Isn¡¯t this what we always pleaded for and fought for?¡± ¡°I-I,¡± Athena stammered in confusion. ¡°Please say, yes,¡± Anubis pleaded. With her heart pounding, Athena the Goddess of Wisdom for the once in her life tosses logic to the wind. ¡°Yes,¡± Athena whispered back. Anubis eagerly pulls Athena into his arms as Athena wraps her arms around his neck. For the very first time, the two lovers did not care who saw them as they passionately embraced. And just like that the two lovers renounced their respective factions and eloped to the Fable faction. And though both sides of the factions were furious, most especially Zeus, many gods found that they were charmed by the daring young lovers daring to elope for love. It would become the great, Romeo and Juliet tale of the century with the exception, of course, this time around the lovers were able to be together. * Chapter 29 – Inquiry Sometime later, Izo lazily yawns as Fria shakes her head and squeals with delight, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just romantic?¡± ¡°What is?¡± Izo sleepily asked. ¡°The romantic tale of two opposing faction gods running away together for love,¡± Frida happily chimed. ¡°Oh, you mean, Athena and Anubis?¡± ¡°Of course, who else eloped recently?¡± Izo shrugs and says, ¡°I don¡¯t know as I don¡¯t always read the gossip column, I couldn¡¯t be sure.¡± Frida ignores Izo¡¯s comment as she happily cheers for the eloping couple and Izo suddenly bolts at spotting Odin. Frida only blinks into confusion at seeing Izo dragging Odin into an empty room. Frida turns pale and says, ¡°Izo couldn¡¯t possibly into older men, could she?¡± Odin blinks in surprise and says, ¡°Slow down, girl! These old bones of mine aren¡¯t what they used to be!¡± Izo merely locks the door in emphasis and points at Odin to take a seat. Odin swiftly does so, detecting something off about Izo. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh,¡± Izo seriously said. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Odin replied with surprise. ¡°Lately, I have been having a weird feeling about Leo,¡± Izo said and motions to Odin to remain silent with one hand. ¡°Frida and the other¡¯s say, I have a crush on them or that I like him, but that¡¯s not it. I know what that love and like feel like and this isn¡¯t that! So, I want to ask, you. Is it possible that Leo is Alvin?¡± Odin sighs and leans back in his chair. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would figure it out, but I guess your instincts are quite something else. But yes, Leo is the reincarnated previously deceased Alvin. However, as promised, those that were forcefully summoned did not retain their memories of that past life and were given a clean slate,¡± Odin replied.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Izo slumps down in relief and says, ¡°I thought he felt so familiar and I even thought I was even going crazy. It¡¯s a relief to know that I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°I think that is rather redundant at this point given that you are the Minor Goddess of Lunacy,¡± Odin wickedly retorted. Izo glares at Odin and says, ¡°Says, you. But you¡¯re the one-eyed old man who talks to two crows, who¡¯s the crazy one now?¡± ¡°Touch¨¦,¡± Odin replied. ¡°Then are there others?¡± Izo curiously asked. ¡°Who?¡± Odin feigned to not understand. Izo rolls her eyes and instead says, ¡°Fine, then, don¡¯t answer. But I have been curious for a while and now that you¡¯ve confirmed my suspicions, I want to confirm them. Is Mary Sue, Ryo?¡± Odin sighs and says, ¡°Yes.¡± Izo¡¯s eyes begin to glow manically as a dark murderous aura begins to seep from around Izo¡¯s body. Suddenly the area around the tree house begins to rumble as Odin roars, ¡°Control yourself, IZO REED!¡± Like a lightbulb being turned off, everything suddenly ceases to shake as the violent aura instantly vanishes and the maddened gleam vanishes from Izo¡¯s eyes. Unable to trust herself to speak for the moment, Izo remains silent as Odin says, ¡°This is exactly why we are forbidden to reveal mortals past lives.¡± ¡°That bastard or should I say that b*tch!¡± Izo hissed. ¡°I should have known something was fishy from the start. That nasty character of them is still the same no matter what gender they are.¡± Odin frowns and says, ¡°Don¡¯t let revenge cloud your eyes Izo or else you will lose more than you can possibly imagine this time.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, but I sure as hell am going to kill that bastard now,¡± Izo vehemently said. A cautious knock at the door is heard as Odin answers, ¡°Come in.¡± The door is cautiously opened to see the figure of Fria suspiciously eying them both. ¡°I was told to come and get you as the gods have arrived for the meeting,¡± Fria pointedly said as she eyed them both. Even with her keen eye, Fria failed to spot wrinkled clothing or flushed indications of another type of activity. ¡°Thank you, Fria,¡± Odin said as he climbed onto his feet. ¡°We will continue this another time,¡± Odin said over his shoulder, before walking away. Frida eyes Izo and says, ¡°What was that all about?¡± ¡°What was what?¡± Izo innocently said. ¡°You know, dragging Odin into the room!¡± Fria excitedly asked. ¡°Oh, I just had a question, but Odin already answered it,¡± Izo truthfully replied. ¡°Then what was all that shaking?¡± Fria lecherously said. ¡°I just lost my temper,¡± Izo sighed in reply. Fria eyes Izo suspiciously clearing not believing a single thing that she said. ¡°Hmph, fine don¡¯t tell me,¡± Fria crossly said. ¡°Now hurry up, we have training next.¡± Izo lets out a groan but does as she is told. After all, Izo was at fault. * Chapter 29.2 – First Outing After training, Izo pulled Leo aside to the very interested eyes of the rest. ¡°Look, I want to apologize for my rude actions as of late, it¡¯s just that you reminded me of someone,¡± Izo truthfully said. Leo snorts and says, ¡°Oh and what does that mean?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just be regular teammates,¡± Izo said and extended out her hand in sign of peace. Leo eyes Izo and nods, before taking her hand and shaking it for a mere second before letting go. ¡°Fine,¡± Leo said, before stalking off. Izo lets out a sigh of relief as eyes filled with disappointment can be seen. Olivia, the golden-haired knight sniffs and says, ¡°Told you,¡± and holds out her hand. The olive haired mage, Harry Drake lets out a groan as does the dark-haired Rin. The two young men reach into their pockets for god coins, before placing them into Olivia¡¯s victorious hand. Fria, however, remains shocked and whispers to herself, ¡°Wait, does that mean there really is something going on between the two of them?!¡± Frida weakly takes a seat as her mind is unable to cope with the fact that Odin and Izo might be in a secret romantic relationship. However, had either Izo or Odin known Fria¡¯s wild delusions, they would have surely beaten Fria an inch from death. Izo sighs and says, ¡°I already told you guys that I didn¡¯t like him.¡± ¡°Yeah, but who could be certain,¡± Olivia gleefully chimed as she pocketed the god coins. ¡°Yeah, girls are notorious liars about their feelings,¡± Harry Drake lamely added as Rin grunts in affirmation of that statement. Izo rolls her eyes and turns towards Fria. ¡°So, we won today, does that mean we¡¯re finally allowed to explore Mount Olympus?¡± Izo asked. Fria weakly says, ¡°Yeah, sure, just come back before dark.¡± Olivia excited says, ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way, I¡¯ve been there before!¡± Harry Drake tragically pats his now empty pockets and says, ¡°I think I¡¯ll just stay here,¡± with Rin nodding in tragic agreement. Olivia happily leads the way as Pucca pops out of nowhere and climbs onto Izo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I want to come too,¡± Pucca huffed. Izo rolls her eyes at Pucca and says, ¡°Are you going to behave yourself?¡± Pucca snorts with disdain and haughtily says, ¡°When don¡¯t I ever?¡± Izo just rolls her eyes in reply and quietly says, ¡°You better.¡± Something about the finality of that last statement made Pucca shiver in understanding that should he not do so, there would be severe consequences to be had. And the shaving incident was still very much etched into Pucca¡¯s mind.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Outside Olivia steps onto a shimmering platform as a flying like board forms underneath and carries her away. Izo swiftly copies Olivia as the platform carries Izo away with Izo eyeing the ground warily. Should this thing fail and given her luck it just might, Izo should still be able to survive the fall. Izo¡¯s eyes widen in awe and curiosity at the enormous city that had the regular characteristics of the Greeks and yet included the modern day and even futuristic buildings. Olivia lands on a similar shimmering like platform as does Izo with a magical prompt. Olivia glances at her watch and says, ¡°So, we have about three hours to explore. So, let¡¯s meet back here then.¡± Izo nods and says, ¡°Okay, but where are you going?¡± Olivia¡¯s eyes gleam as she says, ¡°To triple this money.¡± Izo doesn¡¯t ask further given the strange gleam in Olivia¡¯s eyes. Izo had the distinct feeling that Olivia might have a penchant for gambling. While Olivia disappeared into the distance, Izo glances around as Pucca loftily says, ¡°I¡¯ve been here before!¡± ¡°Oh really, then where¡¯s the food market?¡± Izo asked with disbelief. Pucca flinches and hastily says, ¡°It was my servants who did all the driving! I have no need of knowing such things!¡± ¡°I thought so, you¡¯re just as useless as ever,¡± Izo coolly said causing Pucca to whine in protest. Instead, Izo stops a local and asks for directions. The local quickly points out the easiest route to take with Izo quickly thanking them and heading in that direction. As they walk alone, Izo admires the Greek columns and strategically placed gardens to make the city feel like the Mediterranean. Not long after, Izo and Pucca sniff the air until the scent of food can be smelled in the air. Izo quickly makes her way into the market and uses her nose to sniff out a tasty smelling stall. Izo picks out a smaller stall on the side with only one or two customers and quickly rushes up. Izo eyes the menu and careful deliberation with Pucca picked a green sandwich and a mica tower. Izo wasn¡¯t too sure what the items were, but Pucca said that they tasted good. Izo takes a seat at a table and suddenly blinks in surprise at seeing a gloomy looking man with long black hair in a white and black like robe with white gloves already sitting there. Izo hastily apologies, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I just didn¡¯t see you sitting here.¡± The gloomy man sadly smiles and says, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble it happens all the time.¡± Feeling rather bad, Izo extends out her hand and introduces herself, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Izo and his little guy on my shoulder is Pucca.¡± The gloomy man blinks in surprise and says, ¡°Luku,¡± and gently shakes Izo¡¯s hand. Izo grins and points to her face. ¡°Don¡¯t be frightened by this face of mine, but I was born with a perpetual, pardon my language, but b*tch face,¡± Izo ruefully said. Luku chuckles gently and says, ¡°Well, there are always worse things to have.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly true,¡± Izo said with a chuckle. The two quickly become on friendly terms as they chat while they wait for their food to arrive. To Izo¡¯s shock, the green sandwich is a towering like veggie pizza like thing, while the Mica Tower, is a cheesy, meat-like pasta that resembles lasagna. However, Izo is slightly more envious at seeing what Luku ordered in addition to his meal, a cake like a dessert. Izo almost smacks her head at forgetting to order dessert, but quietly reminds herself to do so next time. And so, with care, Izo carefully splits the food evenly between Pucca and herself lest Pucca eat all of the food by himself. Because frankly, that was exactly a characteristic of Pucca¡¯s selfish character.