《I Got Sent To Hell And Decided To Become A Demon Lord In Another World》


 Chapter 1: The Legion

    Three people are running in the dead of night. Neon lights decorate the city as sirens blur in the background on hot pursuit of the parkouring individuals.


    I finally understand the saying goodbye cruel world. Not a single person would be caught dead living in it if given the chance to go through what I¡¯ve been through. It¡¯s a cesspool filled with injustice, impurities, and unfairness. I only repaid such cruelty in kind. For there are way too many disgusting humans existing on this planet and I have a duty to reduce the imperfections to make a kinder world. Humans¡­humans are a blight on this planet.


    Humanity is despicable and disgusting¡­


    Taken back to a time where he and his gang once shadowed a politician who was taking an uncomfortable looking woman to a hotel. The man thought he was safe as he made sexual advances towards the woman and before she could scream they heard a doorbell. ¡°Room service¡± the feminine voice sang.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t order any room service¡± the politician said


    ¡°We have a specially selected wine just for you sir courtesy of the front desk¡± the feminine voice chippered ¡°Please may I come in and give it to you kind sir?¡±


    ¡°Fine fine but be quick I¡¯m in the middle of something rather important here¡± the man said disgruntled as he opened the door a hand grabbed at his face


    ¡°Oh we¡¯ll make sure to be quick for sure. Idiot, if you didn''t order room service then what kind of fool opens the door for those claiming to be room service are you stupid? It¡¯s the oldest trick in the book!¡± A man clad in a leather jacket and a toothy smiling mask towers over the politician. Three subordinates bleed into the room all sporting masks. Two girls and two guys all holding tactical razor sharp knives. The politician was pinned onto the floor as the man has his knife raised at the ready


    ¡°Gagged the girl before she screams I¡¯ll handle the piggy here¡± the masked man exclaims.


    ¡°WAIT!¡± the politician yells ¡°Who are you people, what do you want with me! Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°We? We¡¯re the boogeymen for people like you, see we got intel that you like to play around with trafficked women.¡±


    ¡°Disgusting pig¡± the masked girl in the fox mask wearing pastel shouts


    ¡°Man that¡¯s just foul yo!¡± the masked man in black techwear sporting a ski mask spoke


    ¡°Using your influence this way? You must be stupid? A moron?¡± the girl sporting punk fashion and a decorative mask said airheadily.


    ¡°The only thing a monster like you deserves is death!¡± the masked man in the leather jacket said as he brought his knife down on the man.


    ¡°No, NOO!¡± In a split moment the man pushed the masked individual off of him and began to crawl only to have a blade sink deep into his foot, pulling him closer to be stabbed into his chest repeatedly.


    The woman yells in the background and all four of them look at her..


    ¡°What now, Soda¡± the ski masked man said to the toothy grinned masked man


    ¡°Idiot don¡¯t say my name when we¡¯re operating!¡± He takes his blade out of the politician and points at the woman. ¡°Kill her too, no witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Now hang on, we came to save her, didn''t we?¡± The pastel girl with the fox mask said.


    ¡°Fuck no, we came to kill a rotten politician, she¡¯s just colatoral damage. Think of her as a martyr, the last victim to ever exist in this world.¡±


    ¡°You heard him yo¡±


    ¡°Sorry lady, I¡¯ll make it quick¡± the punk girl sighed as she raises her blade.


    The muffled screams of the woman swiftly falls silent


    Running down a dark alley, sirens getting louder as the group hops the gate in order to reach a cross-section of the street one of the members was hit by oncoming traffic


    ¡°Shit Sam, Soda!¡± the mask punk girl screamed


    ¡°Leave her, she¡¯s as good as caught, if not dead, damnit!¡± as they continue to sprint in a frenzy.


    Humans cheat to get ahead in life¡­


    Thinking about the time when a gangster was committing illegal dealings with the casino manager to cheat in the games in a dark alley. They showed up from the darkness and it immediately became an all out brawl.


    ¡°Damn hoodlums, pieces of shit!¡± was all one of the mobs could muster before getting his throat stabbed by the ski masked man.


    Soda backsteps a baseball bat swing from another gangster and stabs them in the jugularThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°What are you morons doing they¡¯re just a bunch of teens you¡¯re trained to handle shit like this just kill them already!¡± the casino manager barked.


    A casino guard pulls out a pistol ready to shoot and as Soda freezes in place the guard gets tripped by the punk girl in her decorative mask and she stomps the man''s face into the concrete. The gun gets kicked across the pavement. A guard comes up behind the girl and grabs her waist.


    ¡°Hana!¡± Soda cries out and in a fury frenzied he runs at both of them and tackles them onto the ground, freeing Hana but ending up wrestling with the guard on the ground, blade in hand. Hna picks up the gun readying her shot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot you idiot, you¡¯ll alert the police just get over here and stab this bastard!¡± Soda badgered .


    Sam appeared with an all powerful kick to the guards stomach knocking him off Soda leading the man with the ski mask to finish him off. Knowing they were outmatched the gangsters ran away.


    ¡°Sam, Hana after the rest of the goons, no witnesses got it! We¡¯ll have a little talk with Mr. Manager here¡± Soda quipped


    ¡°Got it¡±


    ¡°On it¡±


    As they ran off after the remaining gangsters the ski masked man and Soda slowly looked at the manager, raising their knives.


    ¡°What is it you want, money? I got tons of money, please I¡¯ll do anything, no, nooo GAAAAAAAH!¡±


    ¡°...we¡¯re still going to get the money right?¡± the ski masked man responded¡­


    Humans betray one another to secure their own safety¡­


    Taken back to a time when one of our sources sold us out to the authorities and put us on the most wanted list. They were at a closed drug store just out by the bridge.


    ¡°We were a team, how could you do this to us?!¡± Sam roared


    ¡°We made a pact to punish the wicked by any means necessary.¡± Hana chastised


    ¡°You¡¯re one of us, your hands are stained red just as well as ours for providing the intel we needed to go after these monsters, Yoshikuni.¡± Soda reprimanded


    ¡°But don¡¯t you see, in doing so, we¡¯ve become monsters. I can¡¯t do this shit any more.¡±. Yoshikuni sobbed. ¡°Listen I gave you a head start though, enough time to skip town, turn over a new leaf, live better lives.¡±


    ¡°Krieg!¡± Soda shouted, the man with the ski mask stood up and headed over to Soda. The gang surrounded Yoshikuni in sadness and anger.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How much or what did they offer you to betray us you bastard!¡± Soda yelled.


    ¡°I-I said I wasn¡¯t affiliated and that they would spare me if I sold you out¡­¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch, they lied to you¡± Soda punched Yoshikuni in the stomach and he fell over. ¡°That¡¯s what people do, they lie¡± Soda kicked him. ¡°And you fell for it you weak pile of shit!¡±


    ¡°Oh we¡¯ll get outta dodge alright but not before we deal with you, snitches get stitches. In your case you won¡¯t leave here alive. We thought you were our friend yo¡± Krieg pulled out his knife and stabbed Yoshikuni in the back and handed the knife to Soda.


    Sam started to cry as Soda stabbed Yoshikuni at the side, his screams ranged out to the night. Soda painted a bloody smile on his mask as he handed the knife to Hana. As she grew closer she growled.


    ¡°You screwed our whole operation¡± as she stabbed him under his chin. Yoshikuni has long since passed but it isn''t over yet. Hana walked up to the crying Sam and handed her the knife. ¡°Finish it,¡± she spoke.


    ¡°Sam walked to Yoshikuni¡¯s corpse and while she cried out of fear and desperation she stabbed Yoshikuni in the back multiple times.


    Soda walks over to Hana and paints herself a bloody smile to match. They all looked at their old friend lying dead on the ground for what seems like an age.


    But the worst part is the spite of man


    Loud booming rings of beeping echoed around Yoshikuni¡¯s lifeless corpse and the gang panicked.


    ¡°Shit he had an emergency EVO this whole time?!¡± Soda shouted.


    ¡°Those things are distress beacons for high class people in need when their vital signs are in danger, how did his ass get his hands on one, shit!¡± Krieg stated


    ¡°Does it matter, we got to move now before-¡± Hana was cut off when they all heard something they dreaded to hear in a long time.


    ¡°POLICE HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM¡±


    ¡°TARGET DEAD I REPEAT TARGET FOUND DEAD PERMISSION TO OPEN FIRE!¡±


    ¡°Shit run, I¡¯ll buy you guys some time¡± Krieg yelled, ¡°Fuck you come get soooome!!!¡± He took out a concealed gun.


    As Soda, Hana and Sam ran, bullets echoed from the store but they never looked back. Krieg was surely dead¡­


    And that¡¯s how we ended up in this mess!


    ¡°Where are we running Soda?!¡± Hana panicked


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know?!¡± Soda looked left and right and found his answer ¡°The bridge over by the river, we can hijack a car and get out of here¡±


    ¡°Good as planned as any-¡± before being abruptly cut off, Soda stood there in shock¡­a police dog had bit down on Hana and she let out a loud painful scream.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!¡± she cried and before she knew it two more dogs were unleashed upon her, biting down on her legs and arms. They were so caught up in their running and panicked that they failed to hear the dogs in hot pursuit. She looked at Soda desperation in her eyes but she knew better.


    ¡°Soda, don¡¯t worry about me, run, Soda, ruuuun, they won¡¯t kill me as long as one of us escapes!¡±


    Soda, stricken with fear, anger, and sadness, followed his friend¡¯s resolve to be left behind so her leader can escape. And so he ran as fast as he could in a feral frenzy. Making it to the bridge and running into oncoming traffic, flailing his hands for a car to stop. When one did he immediately ran over to the vehicle and broke the windshield.


    ¡°Hey what the fuck are you-¡± blade meeting the chest of the driver , he unlocked the door and threw the lifeless woman out of her vehicle and sped off.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAH,¡± he laughed in victory and defiance but it wasn¡¯t so simple, just ahead the cops knew the criminal would head to the bridge, it was a trap waiting for him. Caltrops laid on the road and a brigade was waiting for him. It was too late,as the tires were slashed he spun out of control and the car flipped over. Smoke poured out of the engine, fire began to engulf the vehicle..


    In pain, he groaned, ¡°Fucking shit, it¡¯s just one thing after a fucking nother¡­GAH?!r¡± looking down at his side he saw blood oozing out of his wounds, he was hurt really bad. Crawling out of the vehicle he made his way to the railing of the bridge.


    The police closed the distance, guns drawn, dogs ready, riot shields at arms, swats on standby.


    ¡°It¡¯s over Legion, or for you that¡¯d be Kiyoshi Soda wouldn¡¯t it.¡± A man in a trenchcoat, a mustache that twirls, straight out of the 90s. ¡°We¡¯ve captured all your friends, even the ones in hiding, your organization is as good as dead.¡±


    ¡°Caught?! More like killed, who shoots on sight motherfucker!¡±


    ¡°Honestly I¡¯m surprised that a gang of teenagers can cause so much mayhem in this fair city of ours. You¡¯ve killed a lot of people. Of course we would shoot on site. You¡¯re all high risk and on top of the wanted list. You¡¯ve killed civilians, officers, even government officials, we¡¯ve been tailing your lot for a long time. What drives a bunch of kids to commit such monstrosity I would love to know.¡±


    ¡°Up yours I¡¯ll never give you the satisfaction of knowing our ultimatum!¡± Soda climbs on top of the railing. The river below him, ¡°I highly doubt you caught us all, what a bunch of bullshit!¡±


    ¡°Step away from the railing and come quietly, you have nowhere else to go, this heinous game you play¡­it¡¯s over.¡±


    Soda raised his hands, clenched in unbridle fury. ¡°As long as the blight that stains this city remains alive to plague the world it will never be over, know that there will always be a legion!¡±


    ¡°STOOOOOP!!!¡±


    And so he plummets, a free fall into his death.


    Goodbye cruel world he thinks. Sorry guys, Krieg, Sam, Hana¡­it¡¯s game over¡­¡±heheh¡­hahah¡­HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!¡±


    In that single instance the river stained red with blood and hellish fire arised. A gateway has opened and what seems like eternity of falling has made a crashing impact on brimstone and ash.


    ¡°So¡­you have finally come, child¡±...

 Chapter 2: Welcome to Hell!

    Awaken, come to me, child


    Awaken, come to me, child


    AWAKEN


    I slowly open my eyes and what meets my gaze is a red sun in the sky followed by a sky stained crimson red. A splitting headache and an aching side I look down to see blood but no wounds and yet my side hurts as if a phantom pain was there. I remembered that I got into a car crash and fell into the river when I was cornered by the authorities.


    Come to me, child! A voice in my head beacons me forward but to where? I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know where I am but in the distance I find a town that looks gothic, unlike anything I have ever seen in my whole life and beyond that is a castle. No sky scraping buildings, no flying cars, no city caked in neon lights and billboard projections¡­brimstone covered the ground and everywhere I looked was tinted in red.


    Then I felt it, the scorching heat and it almost burned to breathe, there was no doubt about it. I¡¯m in Hell, shit! I grab my mask off the floor and put it on as I stand up and make my way to the town.


    Panting, I finally made it to the town and stopped at the entrance and met with an unsettling sight. Monsters, they were all over the place and yet they all seemed to be civilized. I gulped and took a step forward then another and another. As I made my way I was getting side eye¡¯d and glances all over. The monsters looked at me with curiosity but none approached me just stared into me from a distance.


    Sheesh, what¡¯s up with them?


    ¡°Well well well, a human has fallen come to the underworld and you still look definitely human, you must be new to Hell¡±


    I quickly turned around, knife at the ready but nobody was there¡­I backed away slowly till I bumped into something and spun around.


    GAAAH!


    I was startled and fell to the ground. What met my eyes was a monster, a beautiful monster woman with long dark hair, black sclera and red eyes. Ears pointed and with a seductive grin on her face. Fair blue skin and she was wearing what looked like skimpy armor with high boots. What caught my attention the most was her huge bat-like wings and pointed tail and her huge freaking breasts!


    I got up and raised my knife at her ready to strike.


    Who are you, what do you want- before I could finish she wrapped her tail around my arm, twisted it to the point of almost breaking and spinned around me but before she could do anything else I bent over and threw her off me. Knife ready for the next attack.


    WOW WOW! I didn¡¯t expect that from you human, I thought I had you there. Her eyes widened, at me, looking through me as though she was reading into me.


    Oh I didn¡¯t expect you to be that strong at all. Looks like you¡¯re not as pathetic as I thought you to be.


    Why¡¯d you attack me just now? Are all monsters going to do that?!


    To be fair it was in self defense you had me at knife point and I didn¡¯t even do anything wrong yet. How mean of you to greet a stranger. She smiles a devilish grin, but yes I did plan to kill you then and there just now.


    Yeah I could tell your killing intent was pretty much showing. I don¡¯t give my trust so easily, especially if I¡¯m facing a monster!


    I¡¯m a demon and my name is Belros


    And I should care who you are because?


    She eases up and puts her hands by her waist. Hehe, I like you human, you¡¯re a funny one and I¡¯m curious about you. What brings a human down here, haven¡¯t seen one here in¡­ages really, not at this town at least.


    Well I¡¯m in Hell so I¡¯m obviously not here for good reasons and I don¡¯t know why but¡­you see that castle over there?


    She looks at the castle in the distance.


    I¡¯m making my way there, something¡­something is just calling me to it. So that¡¯s where I¡¯m headed


    That¡¯s the Demon God Lucifer¡¯s domain, you must be a crazy one if you¡¯re making your way there you¡¯ll be dead before you even set foot out of town. She scoffsStolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Thanks for the warning, I say as I walk past her. A few blocks down I noticed that I was being followed so I turned around.


    Why are you following me Belros?


    I¡¯m bored and you amuse me. Besides I don¡¯t think you understand the peril you¡¯re about to subject yourself to darling. This is Hell, not Earth. Outside these walls are monsters who lost their way, their memories, their sanity, and they¡¯re waaaay stronger than you are. And that puny knife of yours isn¡¯t enough to take out the big monsters out there¡­


    I look at my weapon then at her and resign myself.


    Sigh¡­you¡¯re going to keep following me aren¡¯t you?


    Oh without a doubt darling. She flew closer to be at my side and we started walking together, reaching the town square. It was bustling with monsters and some took curious glances at me but when they saw a demon next to me they paid less mind.


    I keep staring at my weapon. I had it for as long as I can remember but if Belros says it¡¯s not enough it kind of worries me as to what I¡¯ll truly be facing outside this hellish gothic town.


    Yo Belros¡­


    Hmm?


    Is my combat knife really not enough to kill monsters here?


    Maybe if you were fighting lesser monsters like goblins but against minotaurs, giants, and the like, you¡¯ll need something more meaningful. If you want I can take you to a blacksmith shop?


    I really am in Hell¡­to think these creatures exist then she may have a point, my trusty knife that¡¯s been with me through thick and thin to take out scum won¡¯t do anymore, I¡¯m up against real life monsters


    Well? She looked at me in anticipation.


    Yeah, yeah alright I¡¯ll bite


    We headed to a place that looked like the blacksmith shop and I was greeted with weapons sprung and hung all over the place. A muscular goblin man welcomed us in and took one look at me with a curious expression then looked at the demon. Nonchalantly he said


    What can I get for you two?


    Just me, Soda, why don¡¯t you look around while I talk to this gentleman.


    I looked at her in a daze, how did she know my name? I never mentioned it to her. With suspicion I did as she asked.  Before me were all kinds of weapons I¡¯d expect to be in a fantasy. Swords, shields, daggers, swords. The whole woodworks. I am genuinely astonished that there were no guns¡­oh but then again this place is a blacksmith shop, guns must be sold somewhere else like an arms dealer shop. Belros approached me with my new weapon in hand.


    Are you kidding me, You must be fucking joking!


    She looked puzzled.


    It¡¯s a Scythe Belros! I never used a scythe before.


    That¡¯s rather strange, if not hilarious considering you seem to have a proficiency for this weapon, that¡¯s why I got it for you. You should be grateful, I spent a good amount of money to get this beauty for you


    Why would you do that for me?


    Consider it to be an investment on my part.


    An investment?


    On your future endeavors, I look forward to working with you partner, but if it truly concerns you, we can head to the training grounds so you can get some practice in.


    This town have training grounds?


    Why yes of course darling, it¡¯s where all the monsters go to practice their weapons skills before they venture out to the world outside this town like we will be doing soon. It¡¯s important to know how to use your weapons before fighting, don''t you think?


    You got a point there, I never used a scythe before. Looking at the blade I have to admit, it looked pretty cool and made me look like a badass reaper.


    It suits you, she said. You seem to be a reaper in the making that¡¯s why I got it for you..


    Great now it¡¯s like she¡¯s reading my mind or something, I thought to myself.


    We made our way to the training grounds and she gave me the basic rundown of how to properly hold the scythe and how to swing it consecutively. At first I didn¡¯t really get the hang of this shit. I tossed and tumbled, damn near impaled myself from the side and back a couple times. And each time Belros would laugh at me for nearly every mistake I made. But after a couple hours of swinging


    Hey I think I¡¯m getting the hang of this Belros, HAHAHA! What do you think, do I make a good reaper?


    She looked at me inquisitively, there¡¯s only one way to find out darling, care to have a sparring session.


    I looked at her, my mask representing the toothy grin I had on the inside, you know it girl!


    Let¡¯s see if that bravado of yours lasts when I put you on the ground. She took center and I positioned myself. Each of us is not making any sudden moves until¡­


    I try to close the gap and go in for a swing but she back flipped and casted purple flames at my direction


    No fucking fair, using magic! I deflected each blast with my scythe.


    There¡¯s no fairness in a fight darling, she snickered


    Then how about this?! My scythe¡¯s razor edge glowed a cerulean blue as a slashed upwards causing an air slash to come at her. It was a direct hit I thought, YAHOO YEAH BABY! I yelled but I later realized she raised her shield to negate my attack.


    Not bad, not bad at all. You managed to use a weapon skill despite not knowing anything about skills whatsoever, color me impressed. She licked her lips as I stood there frustrated.


    She flew down and came in with a strong roundhouse kick which I managed to parry but the force was so strong that it sent me flying a bit


    The pain sent me reeling but I got back up on my own two feet, my scythe supporting me as I stood.


    Ready to admit defeat? Ohohohoho~, she laughed.


    I slowly pointed at her, ooh I¡¯m not done with you yet! I got back into my stance, at the ready while she prepared more purple flames. We spared for what seemed like hours.


    You just don¡¯t know when to give up, do you, kid?  Belros wipes a bit of sweat from her forehead.


    I¡¯m battered, bleeding, and covered in bruises but I say to her, no not really. Giving up isn¡¯t my thing.


    Your tenacity is baffling if not completely reckless. I give up, at this point you¡¯d die again if I didn¡¯t yield.


    Bullshit pant pant


    No seriously, you would have, I kicked your butt all the way to red


    Red what, what are you talking about- before I knew it my vision was a blur and I knelt to the floor and I collapsed then and there


    Fatigue and the pain finally kicked in huh?


    Before I shut my eyes I could only utter two words.


    I¡¯m hungry


    My vision went black

 Chapter 3: Gods Blessings

    I woke up feeling groggy to an unfamiliar sight, I was laying on a bed in a room of some sort until I heard a familiar voice.


    You¡¯re finally awake darling?


    Belros was sitting on a chair, her hand at her face, staring at me.


    Where are we now, how long was I out for?


    She replied, we¡¯re at a tavern and you were sleeping for about a day and a half.


    You carried me here?


    I sure did all princess style


    That¡¯s seriously embarrassing


    Oh I¡¯m just messing with you, I used magic to carry you here and paid for a room!


    I don¡¯t get you, why are you being so nice to me, why are you even helping me.


    Because I like you, you amuse me Soda.


    How do you even know my name, I never told you it, that¡¯s freaking me out lady.


    By the power of God¡¯s blessing.


    God¡¯s blessing? So God still has sway in Hell?


    No no no, not THAT God, the Demon God Lucifer¡¯s blessing, it¡¯s an enchantment put upon all demons who enter Hell¡­I can explain more but why don¡¯t we go downstairs to eat something, you must be hungry aren¡¯t you?


    No thanks, I¡¯m not that- grumble grumble -hungry¡­.


    Ohohoho your growling stomach begs the differ, she teased.


    Sigh fine, I am a little hungry¡­that spar really wore me down


    C¡¯mon boy, I¡¯ll show you downstairs.


    I followed Belros and as we made our way downstairs I was surprised by the lively environment in front of me. A Tavern full of monsters are merry. Eating and drinking their hearts away, playing games and telling tales about their exploits about adventures they¡¯ve had outside town or in different lands. Music playing in the background and others drinking themselves into a stupor.


    Am I really in Hell¡­none of this is what I imagined.


    And what did you imagine, do tell?


    I don¡¯t know¡­pits of fire, brimstone and ash! Wailing screams of agony and sorrow! Misery beyond belief, death and destruction?!


    Would you like it to be that way?


    N-no, this is fine actually. I could get used to this actually.


    Well don¡¯t because where we¡¯re going you¡¯ll have plenty of WAILING SCREAMS OF AGONY AND SORROW! She taunts making a scary face, ohohoho!


    You¡¯re enjoying this too much Belros¡­


    Well of course I am, a human is here. I can¡¯t wait to hear you scream.


    Your jokes aren¡¯t funny, are you sane?


    Honey you¡¯re in hell, you won¡¯t find any monster sane here¡­civil but not sane.


    We took our seats in the middle of the tavern and I can start hearing the hush whispers of the monsters talking about me. In regards to if their eyes are playing tricks on them that a human is really in the tavern with them. I¡¯ve gotten used to the stares but I just got to wonder¡­


    Belros, why is everyone constantly staring at me. Is it because I¡¯m a human, how rare is it to see my kind down here¡­aren¡¯t I a monster in some regards too? I had these eyes following me ever since I came here in this gothic looking ass town.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    They¡¯re sizing you up with their appraisal ability, all monsters have it thanks to God¡¯s Blessing. I did the same thing when I first met you. And when it comes to you being a monster, it¡¯s not necessarily true. Humans are usually trapped in Limbo before finding their ways to any sort of town. By then they usually turned into monsters.


    Limbo? Like Dante¡¯s Inferno Limbo?


    No no, Limbo is a city of humans, it¡¯s where you should have woken up  when arriving at Hell but apparently you¡¯re here, so close to the Demon God Lucifer¡¯s castle of all places. You¡¯re in the presence of high level monsters who made it to the edge of Hell.


    So I¡¯m at the edge of Hell? That shit is too wild.


    It is, which is why everyone is so interested in you, including yours truly.


    It can¡¯t be a coincidence¡­I was definitely summoned here. I heard a voice in my head that kept saying ¡°come to me¡±. Even now it calls to me¡­


    It doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to put two and two together, you¡¯re special. No doubt it must be the Demon God calling to you.


    Yeah, that¡¯s what I figured.


    WOA WOA! A HUMAN! A little girl in a waitress outfit approaches me without warning. Out of reflex and perhaps really bad habit, I took my combat knife out and pointed it towards her face.


    Eheheh..heh~ sorry I got excited there, we don¡¯t see your kind too often if at all¡­um can you please put the blade¡­down now.


    Sorry about that, it¡¯s a bad habit of mine. I¡¯m not used to seeing¡­monsters yet¡­you are a monster right?


    Looking at the little girls it¡¯s easy to mistake her for being a human too. Short with blonde hair and huge beautifully blue azure eyes. A picture perfect lolita, smiling from ear to ear. I¡¯d believe her¡­if it wasn¡¯t for her pointed ears, bat wings and heart shaped tail¡­


    Who me? Noooo I couldn¡¯t be a monster, I¡¯m as human as they come. Anyway what would you two like to order?


    I¡¯ll take one of these and make it quick, we¡¯re going on an adventure soon, Belros ordered.


    OOOH an adventure, how exciting, and you, handsome?


    I look at the menu but I can¡¯t read a damn thing on this menu, all these signs look like gibberish! WHAT THE FUCK?!


    I¡¯ll just have what she¡¯s having, yeah¡­heheh


    Don¡¯t worry too much about it sweetie, I wouldn¡¯t expect a human to read the demon language but don¡¯t worry, you will soon enough, I believe in you! Shegave me a thumbs up and skipped away.


    What was that about, I whispered


    You should be careful around demons like her. She''s a succubus demon called an Alice. They lure people like you with their innocence and charm but they¡¯re just as dangerous as any other demon around here. She drinks her tea, explaining nonchalantly.


    An Alice you say, yeah she definitely looks the part of an innocent girl. Sigh


    If it¡¯s cute it¡¯s definitely evil, keep that in mind.


    Noted. Anyway you were talking about this ¡°God¡¯s Blessing¡± thing, what is that all about, stop keeping me in suspense already!


    Well to put it bluntly, if I haven¡¯t already stated, it¡¯s a worldwide enchantment spell casted upon all demons who arrive in Hell except for humans. Only demons can see it, not lowly humans such as yourself darling. It works as a countermeasure to keep demons from needlessly killing each other and avoid bloodshed. Before that this place used to be a literal hell and life was a constant battle. It separates our soul into different parts we call the stat system. It separates our health, magic, and stamina as well as shows us how far we¡¯ve come to grow as individuals.


    That being what exactly?


    Our attributes, skills, and titles we learn or pick up along the way. Every individual is different and is bound to have different attributes or skills learned as they stay in Hell. For example, that Alice you met was definitely using charm on you which is a skill but you were stupidly unaffected by it. Which means you must be resistant to charms or maybe you¡¯re just dense.


    The fuck you say-


    Which is a GOOD thing in Hell anyways. You don¡¯t want to be a slave to an Alice, trust me. That is just one example. Another being myself and you. When we fought I used multiple magic spells such as fire which is my strongest affinity in magic but you used an energy attack without knowing it. You have to wonder what was going through your head when you used such an attack didn¡¯t you?


    Hmmm¡­I just thought that if I swung my scythe hard enough it¡¯d cut through air and reach you¡­as ludicrous as that sounds it is what I thought at the time. I aid, with a hint of embarrassment.


    Humans normally can¡¯t use magic attacks but Hell is different from the world Earth. Humans can¡¯t know about God¡¯s blessing because, well, they¡¯re just too ignorant about the Gods and have no faith in their history nor their teachings. How else do you think Jesus walked on water?


    Jesus is real?


    Of course he¡¯s real


    Holy shit! so everything in the bible is true then?


    What are you, a little kid?


    I¡¯m 19!


    Sigh¡­no love, not everything in the bible is true it was written by humans after all. Anyway, Since humans can¡¯t perceive God¡¯s Blessing these extraordinary abilities are usually called talents or are earned through effort one puts into their self-growth. Why can one human run as theoretically fast as a cheetah while another runs just as fast through training. It¡¯s the difference between effort and talent alone but in reality one may have an affinity for running while the other has earned it. Why is one human good at painting while the other struggles. It¡¯s God¡¯s Blessing at work, you just can¡¯t see it.


    Even now I struggle to comprehend this information, Belros


    Don¡¯t worry too much about it Soda, you¡¯ll see it eventually. If you stay down here long enough you¡¯ll eventually turn into a monster yourself then you¡¯ll see your own Stats with God¡¯s Blessing.


    That¡¯s not going to happen, I¡¯m a man on a mission I have to get to the Lucifer¡¯s castle soon or this ringing in my head won¡¯t shut the fuck up. I don¡¯t know why, it¡¯s like I¡¯m not entirely myself, it feels wrong


    Here¡¯s your fooood you twoooo~ The Alice waitress comes back merrily humming as she hands out the two plates full of tacos and nachos


    You ordered Mexican food¡­hell has REAL food? I¡¯m honestly shocked!


    Yes, we were all humans too, once upon a time, why wouldn¡¯t we bring our cultures down here as well does that not make sense to you?  Would you prefer eyeball spaghetti or something more grotesque? She laughed.


    Eh no, I¡¯m good, this is fine. Thanks for the food!


    Why are you staring at me like that?


    Oh no, it¡¯s nothing¡­you¡¯re just eating with your mask on? How strange, won¡¯t you take it off so I can see your face?


    No


    Fine fine, how¡¯s the food by the way?


    What are you- before I could finish my sentence I felt a fiery sensation well up in my mouth. It was as if a dragon just puked magma into my mouth. Just from the look on Belros shit eating grin, I knew¡­I knew¡­I was going to have a bad time¡­


    AAAAAAAA my mouth is on fire!!!


    OHOHOHOHO OHOHO!!!


    Water, I need wateeeer! I grabbed Belros¡¯ drink trying to purge this burning cessation blazing within my very soul


    Oh no don¡¯t drink that it¡¯s not~ she cooed. Oh dear you drinked it¡­


    Blargh I through up all my innards all over the floor and all the demons around me started to laugh heartily


    What the fuck was in that drink?!


    Blood


    BLOOD? BLOOD! I start throwing up again.


    Ohohoho


    You crazy Bitch!


    We are still monsters after all~ she sticked her tongue out teasingly


    My gut wretched¡­I¡¯m SO mad right now!


    Well, enjoying the food~

 Chapter 4: Pillars of Flames

    Are you still mad at me darling? She smiled


    I¡¯m not mad


    Honestly?


    I wish you told me it was hot; I can¡¯t feel my mouth. I hate spicy food but that was just all spice. And blood, seriously blood?!


    I like the drink, it has a hint of strawberries.


    Yeah if strawberries taste like iron and battery acid, god damnit!


    After that little show in the tavern I left out of embarrassment, we made our way to the edge of town getting ready to leave and we came to a huge intricate wall. Engraved with magic sigils and white diamonds connecting the top with white rays of light connecting the top of the wall to the rest of town it would seem.


    What am I looking at here Belros?


    This wall is called the barrier of Mercy. Every town and city has a wall like this, it¡¯s built by Lucifer himself to separate the more civil monsters from the wild monsters from entering the city. It holds great significance for all netherworlders because we all know that without these walls any and all cities and towns would be plunged back into the old days of Hell when misery and sorrow would lay siege to the lands we call home now. It¡¯s a reminder on how benevolent our ruler is for his subjects. They who rule over all of Hell.


    Really now, that¡¯s actually pretty interesting¡­how do you know all this stuff?


    I may not look like it but I¡¯m a really really REALLY old lady, don¡¯t make fun of me. I was in Hell for a LONG LONG time. I¡¯ve seen it all.


    My companion is a walking encyclopedia , I chuckled.


    Knowledge is power as well you know. The more you¡¯ve experienced the more you have the upper hand in any situation, you¡¯d do well to remember that darling.


    So what happens after we pass the wall?


    Things get bad, darling, you can expect that everything that can go wrong will surely go wrong. Feral monsters, high end monsters, bandits. You know, the usual. Be ready for anything.


    Anything that gets in my way will die, I unsheathed my scythe and showed it to Belros.


    Oh you¡¯re so cute Soda, thinking you stand a chance against the Monsters of Hell. I admire your spunk but that only takes you so far.


    Do you expect me to not put up a fight?


    I expect you to know your place and run when I tell you that you don¡¯t stand a chance is all I¡¯m saying.


    I never run from a fight, it¡¯s not the Legion¡¯s way!


    You¡¯re not a one man army, darling, you¡¯re a welp who¡¯s biting more than they can chew. I¡¯m going to need you to trust me a little more here if we¡¯re going to make it to the Demon God¡¯s castle.


    Fine fine, whatever can we just get a move on already?! I sheathed my scythe and started heading through the barrier of mercy and Belros, rolling her eyes followed suit. As we made our journey we came across a broken long bridge. It had glowing gemstones which seemed to illuminate and fade periodically. I didn¡¯t know the significance of this but it puzzled me. I made my way to the edge of the hill next to the bridge and looked down and was taken by vertigo Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Holy shit!


    Below me was pits of lava and fire, now this looks like Hell, I looked a bit deeper and I feel as though I¡¯m about to fall.


    Careful now, Belros cautioned as she grabbed my leather jacket to pull me back. It¡¯s a long way down and reaching the end won¡¯t be the end. You¡¯ll burn for eternity, you don¡¯t want that to happen darling.


    Yeah, thanks Belros. I looked back at the bridge and said, "How are we supposed to get across the bridge then?"


    We¡¯ll need to be really careful here, see those gemstones? They used to be a force field to protect the bridge from pillars of flames. They¡¯re like geysers but on fire. I guess I¡¯ll just have to fly us across.


    What? No way am I doing that.


    Scared of heights are we?


    No way, I just don¡¯t want to be burned to a crisp!


    Well, I see no other alternative¡­


    A few moments pass as I think to myself. The thought of falling does kinda scare me. I psych myself up, okay okay, I can do this


    Alright Belros, let''s do this thing. I start running and take a leap of faith


    OH YOU CRAZY BOY! She flies and catches my hand and we start making our way across.


    No time for thinking, as we go pillars of flames start shooting up towards us. Each flame missed us by a hair. I¡¯m swinging back and forth just barely avoiding the pillars of flames.


    AAAAAAA Holy shit, holy shit!


    Stop- ugh! Moving Soda, you¡¯re making me lose my grip.


    Don¡¯t you even think of dropping me, lady!


    I know I know so stop struggling you miserable little human!


    AAAAAAAAA!!!


    A flame pillar shot up right in front of us with no time to evade. We ended up going straight through the fire and crash landed to the other side of the bridge.


    My jacket it¡¯s on fire! My awesome leather jacket is on fire! I stopped, dropped and rolled screaming out of my mind.


    Hold still will you! Splash splash there you go¡­are you okay Soda. Belros flew to me and flailed worriedly.


    I let out a sigh of relief. And laid flat on the floor. Soaking wet but the heat is making me feel like shit. Luckily my jacket wasn¡¯t burned too badly.


    Did you just use water magic on me, I didn¡¯t even know you could use that. I thought you only had dark flames.


    Well, I¡¯m not very good at water magic but it did the trick to put out the flames.


    Thank you Belros. You¡¯re a lifesaver.


    Don¡¯t mention it, but my goodness that was a close call.


    Going through fire was pretty crazy. I got off the floor and caught my bearings.


    This is the road that will lead to the Demon God¡¯s castle.All we have to do is follow it to the end.


    If only it was so simple aye?


    Yeah, we¡¯re going to run into a few problems so be ready for anything.


    Way ahead of you. I take out my scythe in preparation.


    Awe you¡¯re learning! She chuckled.


    Shut up!


    We started to follow the road.


    It wasn''t long before we came across a problem.


    There were two large ogres in our way. Both of them stood at 15 feet tall. One had a club and the other had a mace.


    Hey you! The one with the club spoke, I think you two have what we''re looking for!


    I can smell it on you! You have the human soul!


    Human souls are a delicacy, the ogre with the mace said with a laugh.


    Soda, don¡¯t get involved. Belros warned


    No way, I never back down from a fight.


    Awe you''re so cute, darling. But I''m afraid I must insist that you not do anything stupid.


    Sorry Belros, I''m already committed.


    The ogres were making their way towards us. I stood my ground, if they wanted a fight, they were gonna get it.


    I''m warning you again Soda, don''t do anything stupid!


    I smiled and gave her a thumbs up as she sighed in annoyance.


    The ogre with the club came charging at me with his weapon raised.


    I took out my scythe and slashed right through the ogre''s stomach.


    He cried out in agony as his intestines spilled out from his body. He fell to the floor and stopped moving.


    The ogre with the mace came after me next.


    He swung at me with all his might, but I evaded the attack easily.


    I ran towards him and jumped up to slash at his neck, cutting off his head.


    The ogre''s head rolled on the ground as his body dropped lifelessly to the ground.


    I looked over to Belros and she seemed impressed.


    Good job Soda, I''m surprised that you handled those two ogres so easily.


    I guess I''m just that awesome, I smirked.


    That was pretty cool! I''ve never seen anyone fight like that before! I guess that scythe training paid off in the end but your growth is exponential. If you could only see your stats. You accomplished a feat that shouldn¡¯t even be possible for a human!

 Chapter 5: The Road Paved In Blood

    We continued on our journey down the paved road which led us to a forest. It¡¯s rather eerie looking in nature. Thinking back to the ogres I still can¡¯t believe I took them down with a single slash.


    Hey Belros is it just me or were those ogres weak or am I just strong?


    I wouldn''t have an inflated ego over it, they were just grunts. Despite that you handled them with relative ease. I was worried about you. Souls usually regenerate into their physical form in Hell if left alone but if you¡¯re consumed by another you¡¯ll be lost forever. There won¡¯t be a next life.


    I dunno though, I feel powerful, like I can take on anything! I just fell two ogres with a single slash of my scythe!


    Sigh what am I to do with you. I¡¯m not your nanny, you know.


    Hahaha, you sure have been acting like one recently. You know, I had you all wrong Belros, you¡¯re alright. As far as I¡¯m concerned you¡¯re an official Legion member.


    What even is this ¡°Legion¡± you go on about?


    The Legion is an organization I run with other members. We deal with bad guys and send them to Hell.


    And yet you¡¯re her yourself¡­


    I figure God doesn¡¯t like other humans killing each other for mediocre causes. My hands aren¡¯t entirely stained with good intentions, I got a couple of innocent blood on my hands but it¡¯s no big deal to me. Me and my friends run the group, it was just nights of mayhem at first but it turned into a cause bigger than ourselves¡­it got a little out of hand I gotta admit.


    I stop moving, feeling this overwhelming sense of dread like I never felt before just crept over me. I don¡¯t understand why¡­I never get scared, it¡¯s as if I¡¯m paralyzed and I can¡¯t move. Something is wrong here¡­something is very wrong.


    Belros, I¡¯m not feeling too good right now, heheh¡­I think¡­I think somebody is following us. I can feel their bloodlust.


    Keep your voice down and just keep walking¡­we¡¯re being followed definitely. I¡¯ll try to casually look behind us.


    She side eyes her peripheral vision then casually looks behind her. And there spotted into the distance, a Minotaur, a high-end Monster camping behind a tree. Its piercing gaze fixated on the two of them with white glowing eye, drool salivating out the mouth and a huge axe on its back.


    Soda, we need to leave and we need to leave NOW.


    Why, I can handle myself, I can take on whatever it is.


    That isn¡¯t some monster you can easily handle, that is a minotaur. A high end monster, and it looks like it hasn¡¯t eaten in weeks. It must be desperate, you stand no chance against it!


    I psych myself out of the fear and dread. It is time for me to go to work.


    What are you even talking about?! Belros panicked


    I got this!


    Soda! Don¡¯t you dare go out there and fight that monster, you can¡¯t even see the stats, what makes you think you can handle that beast?


    I can handle anything, I am unstoppable! You saw me handle two ogres by myself. This will be a piece of pie.


    I¡¯m sorry Soda but I¡¯m not going to let you rush off to death¡­you¡¯re an investment I can¡¯t lose, not yet.


    What are you say-before I finished I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck and my vision became a blur.


    Sorry Soda. But we¡¯ll live another day thanks to me, you¡¯re welcome in advance. I picked Soda up with my magic and before then the Minataur knew that it¡¯s been spotted and we were preparing to escape so it charged at me with incredible speed. My heart sank as I took flight with such speed with Soda in tow. I made sure we were incredibly high to the point the minotaur was nothing more than a spec on the forest floor and took off. The minotaur let out an ear piercing roar and flailed his axe in the air. Or so I thought until I saw his axe heading towards me in mere seconds. I dodged the oncoming attack but not unscathed.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I let out an anguished howl as the axe practically buzzsaw the right side of my waist. How? How did it reach me from this distance?! I thought. Before I could assess the situation the minotaur raised his other axe again and flung it at me with impeccable strength and velocity. With no choice I kicked my wings into high gear which made me disappear with Soda momentarily escaping his grasp.


    After I reached a safe distance away from the minotaur my wings gave out and started to free fall. We hit some trees before crash landing back onto the paved road, none worse for wear. I¡¯m pretty sure I left a blood trail¡­but¡­but this should be a safe distance I¡¯m sure of it, we can rest here for a little while¡­I started a fire and laid traps for some game. Resting by the tree, gasping for breath, in so much pain right now; I ripped my stockings and fashioned bandages out of it, God I wish I knew healing magic!


    I let out groans and whimpers and I seem to have woken up Soda¡­putting on a brave face I spoke to him softly.


    Look who decided to wake up, sleepy head. Had a good rest darling? Heheh¡­heh¡­


    You son of a bitch, you knocked me out didn¡¯t you?! I woke up enraged. If you¡¯d just let me go at them I could have killed them with no sweat¡­at¡­all? After taking a look at Belros'' condition I quieted down. I was befuddled by her ragged appearance.


    Holy¡­Belros, you¡¯re hurt badly! What the Hell happened to you¡­did¡­did that¡­


    You fool¡­I told you didn¡¯t I, you¡¯re no match for a high end monster. I knew all along because I¡¯m no match for a minotaur myself¡­gasp. She let out a smile through her pained expression


    All I could do was stare at her, stupefied. Moments passed and I finally spoke.


    I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­


    An apology, from you? What happened to that spunky kid from earlier?


    I really am sorry, Belros¡­you warned me and I didn¡¯t listen. I just thought¡­sigh. If only I listened, if we ran¡­I hate to run away from fights. I should have listened to you more then none of this would have happened. As a leader I know it¡¯s important to keep a cool head but I¡¯m just not the type. I truly am deeply sorry.


    D-don''t worry too much about it alright? As you can see i''m in rough shape right now, are you hurt at all though? Soda?


    I guess I''m fine besides the headache you gave me earlier.


    Forgive me for that but I had to be cautious with you. You tend to act first and think last and that''s something you have to watch out for, we almost died.


    Are we going to be safe? Where did the minotaur go at least?


    I barely managed to lose it, judging on what I''ve experienced with the minotaur, the little bastard gained an attachment for the both of us, especially you with your delicious looking soul...


    Soda looked shocked, does every monster find human souls to be delicious or some crap.


    Yes, this is why humans stay in Limbo, it¡¯s for their own safety until they themselves turn into monsters¡­It sorta brings me back to the time when I was human¡­I don¡¯t remember my past at all but I can recall why I was sent to Hell in the first place¡­When you stay in Hell long enough you¡¯ll forget all about who you used to be but the reason you came to be in the Netherworld in the first place.


    I was a happy woman you know, I think I had a good life. Two kids, a little girl and a son just about your age¡­I think that¡¯s why I¡¯m so protective of you. You remind me of him, he was a troublesome little boy who always had to scold him and tell him what to do.


    But I''m not a trouble maker¡­for the most part I would believe, I just don''t like not getting my way.


    Humph, that''s what every troublesome child tells their mother.


    I''m not sure I told you this already but never knew anything about my family. I grew up in an orphanage and never knew my parents.


    That is terrible to hear dear. I know I have my quirks, I''m in Hell after all but even demons and evil of the human heart just have to have a little mercy. My husband and I were a happy couple¡­but then he decided to cheat on me with some vixen. I was absolutely distraught that I broke into little pieces. I killed my husband, you know but I didn¡¯t stop there. I lured that vixen into a trap, ready to kill her too and I did. She never knew I was coming for her.


    But¡­that is beside the point. I never believed I was in Hell for the murders I¡¯ve committed. I believe I¡¯m in Hell for abandoning my children in their precious time of need. To this day I regret what I¡¯ve done. I don¡¯t know who I am or used to be anymore but that one thing¡­that one memory haunts me. I made my children into orphans.


    Maybe¡­just maybe that¡¯s why I want to protect you¡­you¡¯re my little investment, my penance for leaving those two lost kids behind.


    I don''t know what to say to that Belros, I''m sorry.


    Don''t be sorry, it''s not your fault. I just needed to get that off my chest.


    I don''t know why but I feel the need to comfort her. I get up and walk over to her and give her a hug.


    I know it''s not much but I hope it helps.


    Thanks Soda, but I''m fine really.


    Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re fine with those tears in your eyes¡­


    I have to be strong, I have to be strong for you. I can''t be weak.


    Don''t be stupid, you can''t be strong all the time.


    I have to, I have to be strong for you. I need to be strong for you.


    The hell you''re talking about?


    I can''t lose you, she sobs. I can''t lose you too like I lost them. I can''t lose you too.


    Belros, you won''t lose me.


    If anything, I need you now more than ever. Without you I¡¯ll never reach Lucifer¡¯s castle. You¡¯re my nanny after all, right? Hahah!


    We both laughed.


    Well I guess you''re right.


    You''re the most troublesome child I''ve ever met.


    I''m not a child, I''m a man.


    Sure, you''re a man.


    I am!


    I''m just messing with you.


    I know, I know, I''m just saying.


    I''m glad to have met you Soda.


    I''m glad to have met you too, Belros. I think we should get a move on, the minotaur is still out there.


    Don¡¯t worry about the minotaur. I made great strides while you were asleep, it¡¯d take at least a day for it to catch up.


    We both heard rustling in the bushes and I tensed up about to bring my scythe out.


    Easy, Soda, that¡¯s just our dinner, must be the game I caught finally.we can eat. She got up painstakingly and got the food, a horned rabbit roasted by the fire and before long we decided to take this time to rest. Belros needed it to recover some of her HP, she said. I couldn¡¯t really catch a wink of sleep, thinking about that damn minotaur but soon enough I drifted off to sleep as the fire dimmed.


    And then vanished¡­

 Chapter 6: Exhausted Spirit

    Shuffle shuffle, the sound grows louder and louder as I sleep. Until I hear a guttural moaning and heavy breath in my direction. I toss and turn in my sleep but the noise gets louder and louder. I slowly opened my eyes feeling tired and my heart sank. Before me was the minotaur¡­he was right on top of me his white sclera glowing in the night, the drool from his mouth ever present but what frightened me most was his axe was raised ready to split my head in two! It came down with such speed I barely had time to move aside. A wet crunch sound filled the air as I rolled away from the executioner''s guillotine. I try to back away but to no avail as I keep flopping down my left side. Wondering why my balance was so off and I kept flailing I looked down to see the horror that assaulted my eyes. My left arm¡­it was gone, cut clean off¡­blood gushing out of my wound. I couldn¡¯t utter a single word until I finally found my voice. I let out a cry so loudly that it woke up my partner. I screamed.


    BELROOOS!!! As I flail on the floor clenching where my arm used to be, my hand is covered in my own fresh blood.


    A huge flameball hit the minotaur¡¯s back, startling the beast as Belros screamed, Don¡¯t you dare touch that boy any longer!


    A huge fireball hit the minotaur¡¯s back, startling the beast as Belros screamed, Don¡¯t you dare touch that boy any longer!


    The minotaur roared in defiance and charged at Belros.


    I can''t believe you followed us this far! I''m impressed, I can''t believe I''m saying this but I''m actually impressed. I didn''t think you''d be this desperate for a meal.


    Belros was in bad shape, she was bleeding profusely, her body was covered in cuts and bruises. She was in no shape to fight.


    Nor am I in any better condition, my arm just got chopped off, what am I supposed to do, Belros needs me now more than ever. I have to be strong, I have to be strong.


    I try to get up but I can''t, I can''t move my body. I''m useless, I''m fucking useless! Belros, I''m sorry.


    I know that look on your face, Soda...if you had a face, i can''t really tell with the mask and all but from my position, things aren''t looking so good. She dodges the minotaur''s blunt axe with grace, despite being so hurt.


    Belros, you can''t win this fight, not in your condition.


    I know that but I''m not going to go down without a fight. You''re not going to die, I won''t let that happen. Soda, you can''t do anything in your condition neither can you?


    During a spur of the moment she dodges another Minotuar attack and shoots flames into the minotaurs eyes which he shielded but provided her enough time to pick up Soda''s weapon and toss it to him.


    I''ll buy you some time to run, Soda.


    What are you saying? I''m not going to leave you to die.


    You''re no use to me dead, Soda. Now GO!


    I''m not leaving you behind, Belros.


    I''m not asking you, I''m telling you to run.


    I''m not going to leave you behind, you''re a Legion member now.


    Then as a member of your Legion, do this for me as a friend and a loyal companion. But you can''t die here. If you can reach Lucifer''s castle it''ll ward off all pursuers including the minotaur. I doubt he wants to eat me, but he WILL kill me...yes...he will kill me but as long as my soul is left alone I''ll regenerate in time. But you, you''ll die for sure.


    I''m not going to let you die, Belros.


    You''re so stubborn, you''re just like my son.


    The minotaur roars in anger and swings his axe. Belros dodged the attack and shot a barrage of fireballs at the minotaur. The minotaur was able to block most of the attacks but a few of them hit their mark.


    I have to do something, I can''t just sit here and watch her die.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Damnit...damnit damnit I can''t think straight, is running my only option? I feel so powerless


    Run you damnable fool!


    With that shout from Belros I start running and then pick up incredible speed, sprinting for my life


    Do you wish to have power? An ominous voice ringed out within my head


    I don¡¯t have time for this shit, got to keep running!


    H-hey wait wait wait?!?! That¡¯s the part where you say, yes I want more power, enough power to defeat my enemies!!!


    As I¡¯m still sprinting a little scythe with an eye appears before me. Either I¡¯m hallucinating due to blood loss or I¡¯m officially losing my sanity..


    Honestly it could be both but I¡¯m no hallucination, I¡¯m your weapon talking to you. I¡¯m a cursed weapon as a matter of fact and I¡¯m trying to become your avatar right now so stoooop runniiiing!!!


    I stop for a moment, panting heavily and while I¡¯m at it I hear the minotaur¡¯s roar in the background. That fucker is pissed.


    As I was saying I¡¯m your scythe making direct communication to your head via telepathy. If I level up enough I may even get my own body but that¡¯s besides the point. I can give you just enough borrowed power to save Belros and defeat that minotaur. All you have to do is trust me, trust in your weapon.


    Belros told me to run but I¡¯m sick and tired of being Hell¡¯s punching bag. I was shot at, made fun of, stabbed, and now my arm is gone, a piece of my own flesh. I want payback, now. Above all else, Belros has been there for me. I can¡¯t leave a Legion member behind, not again, never again¡­I never want to feel this hopeless ever again.


    That¡¯s good to hear, form a contract with me here and now in exchange for say a bit of your very delicious soul and you can have my powers.


    What other choice do i have. You better have a smoking hot body when you get your physical form you hear me. Here I thought giving you my power was enough, you¡¯re a greedy master


    Our souls became intertwined with each other as black fog formed around us and when it dissipated I was wearing a tattered cloak, my cut off arm was back but not entirely like my own. It was on fire, spiritually burning yet I can feel it as though it was skin and bones. If I had a mirror, I¡¯d say I really did look like the grim reaper right now. Yet I feel this surge of energy as if I¡¯m enshrouded in vigorous darkness made manifest into power. Just enough power for the minotaur.


    You relish this feeling don¡¯t you, the feeling of the power bestowed upon you coursing through your veins and-


    You talk too much, lets kill this fucking minotaur.


    Rude, can a spirit have some monologuing here, no?


    I rushed back to Belros as fast as I could and though she was beaten even more than I wanted to look at I¡¯m at least glad to see she¡¯s still putting up a great fight. I guess it is true, Belros is way out of my league.


    What are you doing back here you fool!


    It¡¯s okay Belros, I made a contract with my weapon, it¡¯s apparently cursed¡­am I cursed now? Nevermind not the point, I come to help you.


    Belros parried the axe swinging minotaur and flew back to my position in a protective manner. Are you sure you can handle yourself?


    Yes I can, I even got this awesome demonic arm now.


    With some tension finally leaving her face she spoke, alright¡­I trust you because I¡¯m exhausted right now, my SP is low, my MP is running out, and I¡¯m really on the verge of death here. SHe nearly collapsed into my arms but I held her steady.


    I told you I wouldn¡¯t leave you behind.


    She smiled. I guess you are just like my son after all¡­


    Go to sleep, I won''t let you down.


    Belros promptly passes out.


    I put her down behind a rock and face the minotaur who looks a little worse for wear with a smug smile.


    So how about it you overgrown cow, why don¡¯t you go eat this middle finger and take a dirt nap! I taunted.


    I called upon my weapon and took off my mask. My eyes glow red as I pull my hood over my head. I charge at the minotaur and attack.


    The minotaur raised his axe and blocked my attack. It wasn''t going to be that easy. We started exchanging blows. The minotaur got hit a few times, but it was nothing serious. It was clear that I was the superior fighter, but the minotaur was stronger. Soon enough an opening was made and I managed to slash the minotaur deep in its chest. That wasn''t enough to take down the minotaur, however. The minotaur swung its axe at me, narrowly missing. I quickly dodged out of the way, and then charged back at the minotaur. I slashed him again, deeper this time. The minotaur was still standing, but just barely. I charged at the minotaur one last time, and slashed him across the throat.


    The minotaur fell to the ground, and I watched as it slowly died. Not before long the borrowed power that belonged to me for a small period dissipated and I was given unbelievable phantom pains. My left arm was gone again and it was as if my soul was tearing itself to pieces.


    Oh that¡¯s because your soul quite literally is tearing itself to pieces and given it to meeeee~ your new official avatar.


    Why do I have an avatar?


    Well most Reapers have avatars. They¡¯re usually emotionless husks given form to do the master¡¯s bidding but not me. I¡¯m technically a cursed weapon given the title of avatar which lets me retain my individuality, yaaay~


    If you were sentient this entire time why didn¡¯t you help out when we needed you most.?!


    Hey don¡¯t get angry at me master, I couldn''t. I''m just a weapon, I have no body yet and I only just learned telepathy, it was completely out of my hands¡­um¡­hilt¡­whatever I have no hands!


    You picked such a shitty timing to introduce yourself, a weapon of mine. What do I call you? I said as I picked up Belros with my one arm and carried her. She at least had the kindness to wrap her legs around me to make the carrying easier.


    I don¡¯t have a name master but if you could, I would be honored to be named by you.


    After giving it some thought about her sudden appearance during a tight situation and her bubbly personality I spoke. How about Grimsley?


    Um¡­she scratched her nose and looked to the side.


    How about Grim


    Grim, GRIM I like it, I like it, Grim!


    Welcome to the Legion Grim, population 3 now.


    The Legion? What¡¯s that?


    It¡¯s my gang, kind of have to start it over again. Bummer, but with members like you two, it makes me happy.


    Belros stirs a bit after hearing that, as if to give her approval.


    Master, you''re really kind.


    Only to those deserving of my kindness.


    As we ventured closer to Lucifer¡¯s domain I started to realize that the trees began to dissipate. Yet the air was thicker and colder somehow. Until we finally reached our destination. The Demon God Lucifer¡¯s Castle. Feeling so relieved I put Belros down, I set aside Grim, my scythe and I collapsed onto the pavement.


    No longer having the strength to carry on and having lost an arm, I put back on my mask¡­and passed out.

 Chapter 7: Companions Part 1

    I woke up to the sound of my own ragged breathing. Opening my eyes, I saw that I was in a dark, cold room. There was a single torch flickering on the wall, casting eerie shadows around the space. I slowly sat up, realizing I was on some kind of stone slab. My head was pounding and my body ached all over. I looked down at my left arm, seeing that it still wasn''t there. I sighed heavily, running my right hand through my hair.


    Great, just great, I muttered to myself.


    Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps echoing from the hallway. They were heavy, like whoever was making them weighed a lot. I tensed up, my heart pounding in my chest. The footsteps got louder and closer, until finally a figure appeared in the doorway.


    It was Lucifer. The Demon God himself. He was huge, easily over nine feet tall. He had horns protruding from the sides of his goat skull, and his skin was a deep, fiery red, his fur was as dark as the midnight sky covering his upper half and lower body He was covered head to toe in battle armor, only his face was obscured partially with a hood. His eyes glowed like embers as he looked at me.


    Well, well, well, he said in a deep, rumbling voice. What do we have here?


    I glared up at him, trying to sound braver than I felt. None of your business, I spat.


    Lucifer let out a loud laugh. Oh, but it is my business, he said, his voice dripping with amusement. You see, you''re in my castle. And I always take care of my guests.


    I snorted. Some care. Leaving me to rot in a cold, dark room.


    Lucifer shrugged. I was waiting for you to wake up. I didn''t want to disturb you.


    I rolled my eyes. Sure you weren''t.


    Lucifer chuckled. Maybe a little. But I promise, you''ll be treated much better now that you''re awake.


    I raised an eyebrow. And why''s that?


    Lucifer smiled, showing pointed teeth. Because now, all the guests have arrived and the alignment is now in sync. This is going to be the most joy-est of days.


    Where¡¯s the rest of my gang? I asked.


    You shall see them soon and then some. You¡¯re in for one Hell of a surprise, child.


    We moved through the corridors as we spoke.


    You see, I''ve been waiting for you for quite some time. Many have answered my call but so very few make it as far as you have. They lose to the despair of the Netherworld you call Hell, succumbing to their agony. Others are tempted into abandoning my cause, too weak willed they are to be coarse into depravity. Worse case scenario is they are eaten by other monsters, their soul never to be revived again in the cycle of rebirth. As you know, a soul that perishes in Hell cannot ever come back.


    We made it to the throne room. The throne room was massive, with a high, vaulted ceiling that seemed to disappear into darkness. The walls were made of black stone, polished to a mirror-like finish that reflected the flickering torchlight. The floor was covered in a thick, red carpet that led up to the dais at the far end of the room.


    Seated on the throne was Lucifer, looking even more intimidating than before. His red skin seemed to glow in the torchlight, and his eyes burned with an inner fire. He was leaning back on his throne, steepling his fingers together as he watched me approach.


    To either side of the throne stood two massive demons, easily as big as Lucifer himself. They had scales as black as coal, and their eyes glowed like hot coals. They were armed with huge swords, and they watched me with a hungry gaze.


    In front of the throne stood Belros, looking pale and scared. She was flanked by two more demons similar to Belros, these ones smaller but looking no less deadly. They had tridents pointed at Belros, and she didn''t move a muscle, her hands raised in surrender. Grim was right beside Belros, no doubt if she had a body she would be in the same predicament.


    So nice of you to join us Soda, we had the pleasure of keeping these accommodating guards company. Trying our best not to be impaled, burned to a crisp, or skewed.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    What¡¯s hell is going on here Lucifer, release my friends. I shouted.


    Why yes of course, they are after all my guests as well. However, there is a ¡°No monster intrudes my home unannounced¡± policy of mine. She had your weapon are quite lucky to have you or I would have killed them on the spot. I just wanted to make sure they were truly with you. With a wave from his hand all the guards in the room became obedient docile soldiers and left to be at their stations near the throne.


    After the exchange, Belros got on one knee and spoke humbly. Thank you for your hospitality oh great and merciful Lucifer, Goddess of the Netherworld. To be in your presence today is nothing short of a dream upon nightmares in my life to see someone as all consuming and all seeing as you, your majesty.


    Kiss ass, I thought to myself.


    Wait, Goddess! You¡¯re-


    Yes I am a woman, were my charms not good enough for you? It¡¯s the raspy voice and muscles is it not. HAHAHA no matter, I am not offended. So few get to see me after all.


    I¡¯ll say sorry for that and nothing else. Your trial was a fucking living nightmare.


    Yes no doubt it was, you and your companions have been great amusement for me as well as the friends you haven¡¯t seen since your death.


    WHAT? I said in surprise.


    Oh yes, you¡¯re not the only one who has been given a trial to reach me. She summons a magical display showing each of my old crew. Though your deaths were all but moments apart from each other. Krieg, shot to death, Sam, hit by a car, Hana, mauled to death by semi-trained dogs, and you die on impact on a great river. You were all given the trial at the same time. But now that you¡¯ve reached me I grow tired of this farce. With my divine power I shall summon them all here post haste.


    With a wave of her arms stretched out, a dark aura enveloped her hands and a portal opened up to each of the Legion members locations


    Meanwhile¡­


    Sam¡¯s heart raced as she surveyed the dance floor, where ghouls and specters twirled in a macabre ballet, their laughter echoing like distant thunder. She felt like a fish out of water, a lone human among a throng of fantastical beings, each adorned in elaborate costumes that blended elegance with the eerie. As the lights flickered in hues of crimson and sapphire, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how she had ended up here, in the depths of the Netherworld, as the guest of honor.


    An Incubus stood beside her, his azure eyes sparkling with kindness.


    You see, m¡¯lady, the beauty of this place is that everyone is here to celebrate you. They¡¯re intrigued by your humanity. You¡¯re a fresh breeze in a land filled with smoke and mirrors. His voice was smooth, like honey dripping from a spoon, but Sam felt anything but sweet.


    Maybe,Garland, she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. But I feel like an awkward statue in a gallery of masterpieces. Look at them¡ªdancing like they own the night while I¡¯m stuck here, glued to this spot. She gestured to a tall specter, who spun effortlessly in a flowing gown made of shadows, her laughter ringing like wind chimes. I¡¯m envious of people like that. Who can do things I only wish I could.


    Garland chuckled softly, shaking his head. Why don¡¯t you give it a try? Just a little shimmy? You might even surprise yourself!


    Sam glanced at him, her brow furrowing under her mask in thought. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to dance; it was simply the fear of stepping into a spotlight that wasn¡¯t meant for her. In her mind, she was still the timid girl who had always shied away from social events, the one who preferred the safety of her books over the unpredictability of a party.


    Remember, Garland continued, as he gently nudged her toward the thrumming heart of the dance floor,


    this isn¡¯t about being perfect. It¡¯s about letting go of your worries. Besides, if you fall, I¡¯ll be right there to catch you. He extended his hand, a playful grin plastered on his face.


    Taking a deep breath, she reached for his hand. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down her spine, igniting a spark of courage. Okay, I¡¯ll try, she murmured


    A wise man once said that if you pretend to be somebody until that somebody turns into you. Then everything you hoped to achieve will eventually become a reality.


    So basically you¡¯re saying I should fake it till I make it. Ugh!


    It never hurts to try and be somebody that you like rather than be the somebody you dislike. It also wouldn¡¯t hurt you to take off the mask from time to time, m¡¯lady. He reaches out his hand to carelessly pull Sam to him as they perform a waltz. Until a dark portal shows up and whisks them away.


    In that instant, the ballroom faded, the elegant chandeliers dimmed, and the sound of the orchestra transformed into an eerie silence. The dark portal pulsated ominously, its edges swirling like smoke, beckoning them into the unknown. Sam''s heart raced, caught between the thrill of adventure and the fear of what lay beyond. "What is this?" she gasped, her voice barely more than a whisper.


    An opportunity, he replied, his eyes glinting with mischief. When the universe opens a door, you step through it. No questions asked.


    And just like that, they were gone, leaving behind the laughter and chatter of the ballroom that had once felt so confining. As they tumbled through the swirling darkness, Sam felt her identity shift and warp, a transformation that echoed the very essence of the wise man''s words. This was not merely about faking confidence or adopting a new persona; this was about shedding the layers of who she had been and embracing the adventure of becoming who she might be.


    Meanwhile¡­

 Chapter 8: Companions Part 2

    A man in urban clothes with a skull ski mask is chilling next to a statue depicting a god of some sort holding a lightning bolt. He¡¯s people-gazing with a stupid look on his face¡­ if you could see his face that is. This stark contrast between the mundane and the divine is a striking image, one that encapsulates the surreal environment he finds himself in. The urban setting is bizarrely juxtaposed with the mythical idea he had of the place he would have known as ¡°Hell¡±. The statue, an imposing figure with a weathered patina, stands as a sentinel over the scene, its expression frozen in a fierce majesty that seems to mock the casual demeanor of the masked man.


    The atmosphere is thick with an unsettling blend of familiarity and estrangement.


    You know¡­ if this is Hell then why are there so many humans here? He muses aloud, his voice a low rumble beneath the mask.


    I mean, I clearly see monsters too, but everyone is acting like this is Earth or something. The question hangs in the air, punctuated by the distant sounds of laughter and shouting that echo through the urban sprawl. The streets are alive, pulsing with an energy that feels both foreign and oddly comforting.


    Yet, the absurdity of the scene is profound. People stroll by, engaged in normal activities: a couple arguing over a coffee, a group of friends taking selfies, a vendor peddling brightly colored trinkets. They seem blissfully unaware of their surroundings, as if the very fabric of reality has shifted and they remain clueless in its wake. It¡¯s giving me uncanny valley vibes, man¡­ he says, shaking his head slightly, the mask hiding a frown etched with confusion.


    Must you always be spacing out? a voice interrupts his reverie. It¡¯s a sharp tone, filled with exasperation.


    Sigh, at a time like this you could take your situation a little more seriously, you know. The voice belongs to a companion, someone who stands out in this chaotic realm,


    Dressed in what looks to be a dark purple gown with fur meeting the edges of her dress and bridal gauntlet. Flowing blonde hair and eyes as red as rubies. The Wight Demon could easily be mistaken for human if it wasn¡¯t for her pale white skin or her phantom claws, she is and carries a sophisticated aura about her.


    Her name is Brannelle Virant, and she is far from your average companion in this tumultuous world. Known for her fierce independence and enigmatic past, Brannelle effortlessly commands attention. She embodies the essence of paradox; an enigma wrapped in chains, her attire a blend of holiness and rebellion.


    This is, as I guessed, a place where humans go when they enter hell. But Limbo, contrary to popular belief, isn¡¯t the fiery pit of despair often depicted in literature and films. Instead, it presents itself as a vast, gray expanse, shrouded in an eerie twilight that flickers between dusk and dawn. The air feels thick and heavy, almost like molasses, and the ground beneath our feet is a barren landscape of pebbles and shadowy silhouettes of what once might have been lush fields.


    As I stand here, my heart races with a mix of fear and curiosity. I can see others around me¡ªspirits adrift, their faces etched with confusion and sorrow. They wander aimlessly, caught in an endless loop of introspection, forever searching for a way out. It¡¯s a haunting sight, one that makes me wonder if this is truly a punishment or simply a purgatorial pause, a holding cell for the lost souls of humanity.


    We have been lazing about long enough Krieg, if we are to leave this place, we need a plan.


    He chuckles under the mask, the humor of the situation not lost on him. A plan? What, like we¡¯re going to start a revolution against the rulers of this domain? Or maybe just find a way back to Earth before we end up as lunch for one of those monsters? His sarcasm only serves to fuel her frustration, but he can¡¯t help himself. The absurdity is intoxicating. I got a sweet plan, it¡¯s called ¡°sit here and wait for the boss to do his thing¡±.


    Krieg''s irreverence cuts through the heavy air like a knife, and for a moment, I feel a flicker of hope. Maybe I need to lighten up. But as I glance around, I see the truth in the faces of the lost souls. It¡¯s not just fear that grips them; it¡¯s despair¡ªa deep-seated belief that they are trapped forever in this shadowy realm, separated from the warmth of the living world.


    Krieg, I say, my voice barely a whisper, what if we are meant to be here for a reason? What if this is our chance to confront our pasts, to reckon with the choices we''ve made?


    He turns to me, his mask shifting slightly as if he were considering my words. You really think they¡¯d put us in this hellhole to teach us something? Sounds more like a cosmic joke to me.


    As he speaks, I catch the glimmer of something in his eyes¡ªperhaps a hint of understanding, a sliver of doubt about his flippant attitude. But I shake my head, unwilling to let his cynicism drag me down.


    As if right on queue a large dark portal opens up pulsating with an eerie energy that seems to draw the eye and pull at the very fabric of reality. The air thickens with tension as the swirling vortex.


    Looks like our ride is here!


    Is this why you were lazing around for a while?


    Oh yeah pretty much. I knew if my boss was also in Hell and was also hearing this strange voice in my head, he¡¯d be the one to do all the work in no time. I just had to wait for the summons. C¡¯mon let¡¯s go already, I¡¯m dying to see where this leads us.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Meanwhile¡­


    On the battlefield were weapons scattered across the floor. A grave for dead warriors, the ground was covered in pools of blood. The sky was a burning red and the soil was muddy. This was not just a physical landscape; it was a testament to the tumultuous clash of ideals, a chronicle of sacrifice and valor etched into the very earth beneath.


    What lay before the onlooker was a haunting panorama of destruction and loss. The air, thick with the acrid scent of smoke and iron, hung heavily around the remnants of what was once a vibrant combat zone. Here, dreams of glory and honor had been extinguished, leaving behind only the memories of those who had fought with fervor. Each discarded sword and shield whispered tales of bravery, while the remnants of banners fluttered like ghosts amid the debris¡ªa stark reminder of the fleeting nature of life and legacy.


    Hana was in the midst of battle, for what seemed like an all out war with no sides. Just absolute carnage and chaos engulfed the landscape. She moved with a blend of instinct and desperation, her heart pounding in her chest as she ducked behind a crumbling wall. The echoes of clashing metal and anguished cries reverberated through the air, each sound punctuating the reality that this was a fight for survival rather than glory.


    Hana had never anticipated finding herself in such a dire situation. The needless war had not only claimed her peace and tranquility she was afforded when arriving in Hell but had also transformed her into a reluctant warrior. Her fingers trembled as she clutched a makeshift dagger, forged from the remains of a shattered sword. It was a far cry from the combat knife but right about now she would prefer a weapon with more reach and power. But desperation had a way of adapting the spirit. Each encounter with the enemy was a visceral reminder that the line between supporter and fighter had blurred irrevocably. With each strike, she felt a part of her soul tarnish, but survival left little room for moral dilemmas.


    As she peered over the wall, her eyes scanned the horizon¡ªa chaotic symphony of fire and fury. Shadows darted among the ruins, silhouettes of adversaries and allies alike. Hana spotted her friend and only companion through the battlefield and waved for her to come quickly. She was an Ochimusha, a dead samurai demon.


    Her arms and legs were covered in armor while her breasts were only wrapped with bandages exposing her midriff. She had long black hair tied up but was still extensive, deadlike fish eyes and pale skin. Covered in blood of the fallen, spotting the girl in the decorative mask she made her way towards Hana.


    I thought the path to the Demon God¡¯s Castle wouldn¡¯t be such a perilous journey, Nagai.


    If I must say though, it may be a bad time. I knew we shouldn¡¯t have strayed from the paved road but you just had to take the alternative route because it, and I quote, looked like a shorter path, Nagai retorted.


    I never really had a good sense of direction I¡¯ll admit but this is by far the worst situation I found myself in yet. Being mauled to death wasn¡¯t enough apparently. But this feeling between fear and adrenaline, I never felt more alive than I do now, what a rush, it¡¯s straight dopamine! Here I can choose how I die and come back from the dead. Unlike the weak pathetic me that died from being a fucking chew toy, I have the power to fight off monsters in Hell. YAHOO!


    How much I love your spirit brave one but we shouldn¡¯t waste our time in a war that will never end. We must continue onwards with ours, I mean, your mission. Which means we must reach the other side of this path.


    Then it¡¯s a simple plan, bulldoze our way to the end, let¡¯s go!


    Yes let us revel in the glory of combat, I mean to get past our adversaries to continue on with the mission!


    The duo plunged into the fray with a reckless abandon that only those who had tasted death and come back could truly understand. With each step, the ground trembled beneath them, as if Hell itself was aware of their defiant march. The sky above was a swirling vortex of reds and blacks, casting an eerie glow on their path.


    I can almost taste the victory, Hana shouted, her eyes alight with a fierce, otherworldly fire. These monsters won¡¯t know what hit them!


    From the smoky haze emerged the first wave of adversaries¡ªnightmarish beasts with gnarled limbs and eyes like burning coals. They lunged at the intruders with a howl that seemed to split the very air.


    With a battle cry, the Hana charged forward, slashing through the air with a weapon that glowed with an ethereal light, she managed to pick up a battleaxe. Each strike met its mark with a burst of dark essence, the monsters crumbling into smoldering heaps before they could even react.


    Her companion, Nagai, calm and focused, took a more measured approach. She moved through the battlefield with calculated precision, dodging and weaving with a grace that belied the chaos around them. With each enemy they struck down, the duo¡¯s synergy grew more apparent.


    Careful! the companion called out as a massive, horned creature reared up behind the brave one. Without hesitation, they unleashed an energy strike, cutting the beast before it could reach its target.


    Thanks! I was just about to give it a permanent vacation, Hana replied with a grin, never missing a beat in their relentless assault.


    As they pushed forward, the landscape seemed to shift, growing more treacherous with each step. Rivers of molten lava cut through the terrain, and the air grew hotter, almost unbearable. Yet, they pressed on, driven by their purpose and the raw exhilaration of the fight.


    Finally, they reached a narrow bridge of obsidian, stretching over a chasm of swirling darkness. On the other side, the path continued into what appeared to be a cavern, its entrance framed by jagged rock formations.


    We¡¯re almost there, Hana said, catching their breath. Just a little further and we¡¯ll be past this hellish gauntlet.


    Without missing the momentum they ready themselves for what lies ahead. A huge vortex opens up in front of them pulling them ever closer to the portal. Without missing the momentum, they ready themselves for what lies ahead. A huge vortex opens up in front of them, pulling them ever closer to the portal. The swirling maelstrom of energy and shadows beckons with an almost hypnotic force, its edges crackling with unspoken power.


    The brave one grips their weapon tightly, eyes gleaming with determination. ¡°This is it,¡± they shout over the roaring winds. ¡°We¡¯re not turning back now!¡±


    The companion nods, their face a mask of focused resolve. ¡°Hold tight and stay close. We¡¯ll face whatever¡¯s on the other side together.¡±


    As they approach the portal, the force of the vortex becomes almost unbearable. It tugs at their very souls, threatening to tear them apart. With a final burst of speed, they leap into the vortex together, feeling the world around them warp and twist.


    In an instant, they are engulfed by the swirling energies. The cacophony of sounds and colors is overwhelming, but amidst the chaos, they feel a powerful surge of exhilaration and anticipation. The sensations are intense, as though every nerve is alight with raw, unfiltered energy.


    Then, just as abruptly as it began, the whirlwind subsides¡­

 Chapter 9: Reunion

    They¡¯re hurled out of the vortex portal and into the castle interior. The sudden shift is disorienting, but they quickly regain their footing. All four important figures including their companions have finally gathered under one place. The Demon God Lucifer¡¯s throne room.


    Hana, Sam, Krieg, and Soda all looked at each other in bewilderment. Processing what short of a miracle to be reunited with each other so fast after death.


    You guys are here too?! Soda shouts.


    I didn¡¯t expect to see you guys here! Sam retorted.


    This brings new light to the saying ¡°To Hell and back¡± This is like super literal yo. Krieg said


    It¡¯s good to see you all in one piece ooooh my God Soda your arm!


    They all look at Soda¡¯s missing arm and with worry stricken faces they question what happened to him.


    Well I was attacked by a Minotaur, the scariest shit that ever happened in my life.


    Does it hurt? Sam asked.


    Hell yeah it hurts, it¡¯s freaking agonizing but there ain¡¯t jack shit I can do about it now.


    Did you take the Minotaur down? Krieg questioned.


    Of course I did, I had help though I wasn¡¯t alone. Guys meet Belros, my friend in Hell and my guardian I guess I could also say.


    Nice to meet Soda¡¯s friends, I hope we get along. As of now I¡¯m a new member of the Legion.


    They all looked at her with welcoming gestures, considering their faces are obscured with masks.


    If Soda says it¡¯s okay then it¡¯s fine by me yo, Krieg said.


    Welcome to the team! Hana smiled.


    H-hello nice to meet you, I¡¯m Sam¡­


    I see that Soda isn¡¯t the only one who wears masks, I guess this is a Legion thing huh? Belros asked.


    Yeah it¡¯s a Legion thing, we wear them to keep ourselves anonymous, Krieg answered.


    Now that I think about it, Sam said out loud, there¡¯s no reason to wear the masks anymore since there¡¯s no authorities to bust us anymore.


    They all looked at one another and they all unanimously agreed with a head nod. One by one they all took off their masks revealing their faces.


    So that¡¯s how you look under the mask Sam, as beautiful as I ever imagined. Garland retorted, making a heart shape with his hand and posing in such a ridiculous manner.


    Sam, a girl with long messy pink hair and blue eyes. She has earrings and a heart shaped tattoo above her chest. Wearing a black hoodie with one sleeve rolled up, exposing her other tattoo on her arm which was tribal looking A red skirt and black leggings with blue shoes. The most timid of the groupThis story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Thanks, Garland, I guess¡­she spoke


    Krieg, a rather tall boy, at least taller than Soda, when taking off his ski mask, has brown dreadlocks and golden yellow eyes. He is a darker skin toned friend of the group Sporting a black and yellow sweatshirt, black pants and is obviously the muscle of the group for his complexion was bulky,


    Oh well what a handsome face you were hiding Krieg, If I knew you were a stud, I would have been more lenient towards you. Brannelle spoke.


    Hana took off her decorative mask to reveal a spunky girl with short messy brown hair, blue eyes and large hooped earrings. She wore a small leather jacket and a crop top hoodie showing off her abs. Booty shorts, long black socks and black shoes


    I¡¯m not surprised by your looks considering how wild you were on the battlefield, Nagai remarked.


    Soda, the last to finally reveal his face. He had messy spiked jet black hair and red eyes. A perpetual frown across his face as if constantly angry. His leather hooded jacket, seeing worse for wear considering the missing arm, and a red sweater. Black leather pants and black shoes, assembled so that his appearance is unassuming when targeting victims. Because death is far scarier when it¡¯s faceless.


    Why are you mad? Belros asked.


    I¡¯m not mad, that¡¯s just my face, Soda retorted.


    It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Nagai bow in respect to the gatherers. I¡¯ve been accompanying Hana since she first woke up in Hell.


    What a huge pain in the ass it has been for me, I was trapped in some kind of place where there was blood and rusty swords all over the place! I was living out what could only be known as a war but for the purpose or reason I got no fucking clue. Hana told her recollection.


    At least you¡¯re still in one piece, Soda snided.


    Greetings to you all, my name is Brennelle, I was watching over Krieg this whole time¡­most of it was spent trying to make him do anything besides lazing around in Limbo. I myself still question how we became friends but it just¡­happened. I found his aloofness to be alluring, curiosity-wise.


    Yeah, I just sat on my ass waiting for this to happen. If the boss was down here too, I just knew I¡¯d get the golden ticket to this place. Way to go by the way, Soda, ya did good yo!


    Thanks bro, I appreciate the sentiment, Soda smiled sheepishly.


    Ohohoh ooooh~ is that embarrassment I¡¯m seeing across your face Soda? Belros teased


    Sh-shut up!


    I guess I¡¯m the last to introduce myself, my apologies, name¡¯s Garland. I was accompanying Sam on her safe journey here in Hell.


    We were at some kind of gala held in my honor, can you guys even believe that. I never gotten so much attention before. It¡¯s ironic how I had to die in order to get some recognition, that¡¯s so not fair. I¡¯m still a bit bummed out.


    You were at a party this whole time? Lucky, Krieg spoke frankly.


    I told you I didn¡¯t like the party¡­it made me feel even more lonely than I already am¡­It¡¯s good to see you all, truly. Sam said shakingly, tears starting to well up in her eyes.


    Seeing this, the three Legion members embrace in a reuniting hug, smiling and cheering that even in death they all met again despite their new circumstances. Their guardians just watched, a bit touched by the sentimentality these humans are showing each other. It was a breath of fresh air for the demons to witness in their lives usually riddled with pain, suffering, and hardships. This was a show of first hand human compassion and kindness. All laughing and giggling with each other. Despite it all they were still just a bunch of teenagers. A bunch of kids.


    They all let go of their warm embrace, Soda being a bit embarrassed for being mushy at a time like this. While Krieg just smiled contentedly. Hana was rubbing Sam¡¯s back while still coddling her.


    You alright Sam, Hana asked.


    Yeah, I think I¡¯m good now. Thank you guys, you¡¯re all the best.


    I didn''t expect to see something so heartwarming, I don¡¯t exactly know what to say or think. I wish I had someone who was as precious to me as they are to each other, Nagai said.


    If I had something like that, I would hold onto it and never let go, Brannelle smiled.


    Friendship is stronger than words, it''s the greatest thing there is. Garland spoke.


    Ahem, your attention please, the God of Monsters is still here you know. As much as I find it heartwarming to take in the sight of familial embrace. Let us proceed with why you are all here, Lucifer spoke.


    That being said, Nagai, Garland, Grennelle, and Belros kneeled before the mighty God Lucifer


    Following their companions'' gestures the gang all kneeled down as well showing their sign of respect, they didn¡¯t want to offend the very being who governs all of Hell.


    Apologies, Lucifer, I was getting caught up in the moment, Belros said.


    Yes, Hana apologized, sorry about that


    What do you mean sorry, get up you guys. Soda said.


    Actually, Soda, their current behavior is appropriate. You see, I am not just the god of monsters, but also the goddess of this world. Being the Demon God and all that. Lucifer chuckled.


    So if you are the supreme being of this land, can you transport us back to Earth? Krieg asked.


    There''s a lot of work to be done to make that possible, unfortunately. Your soul wouldn¡¯t be able to survive in the physical realm any longer. You are bound to the Netherworld as a consequence of entering Hell. You all are essentially on parole here, no going back unless you can find a way. Luckily, I know of a way, the only way for you all to come back from the dead. Let¡¯s make a deal¡­

 Chapter 10: Demon God Lucifer

    A deal you say, what kind of deal are we talking about here? Soda asked.


    If it wasn¡¯t made painfully obvious, you all died and are now stuck in Hell for all of eternity of course. There is no way I can send you back to the world you all know. You can¡¯t continue your ¡°crusade¡± of expunging evil with your puny knives and killing people. However I govern many worlds not unlike earth. However, if you agree to my deal I can reincarnate all of you into a new world.


    All the Legion members look at one another with skepticism, as Soda spoke, What¡¯s the catch?


    Well you see, Lucifer continued,  there is one world at my disposal that is teetering on the brink of destruction which could soon cause a calamity. This world has too much Light Energy thanks to a rival Goddess of mine who also governs said world. Her name is Hyperion. She may appear friendly but the truth of the matter is that she''s the laziest, most spiteful, and cunning Angel Goddess to ever live. She may be an Angel but vixen is more like it. Anyway, I need people to restore the balance of darkness within that world to bring back equilibrium and overt the fate of billions from the calamity that is poised to strike the world at any moment. That¡¯s where you four come in. Reading your records, you¡¯ve all been up to a lot of mischievous deeds that landed you in Hell. I can pardon you lot unless you accept my proposal.


    If you do this for me¡­well, you¡¯re most likely to come back to Hell regardless if you succeed or not, I mean let¡¯s not beat around the bush, you four are terrible human beings but you can at least make yourselves useful and help me in this endeavor, succeed and I¡¯ll treat you all as residents of Hell rather than beings who should be punished.


    And if we fail? Hana asked


    Fail and the Light of that world will probably consume you. It will engulf the world in everlasting light and tranquility, I mean that is of course if you aren''t destroyed by the enemies in that world.


    That doesn¡¯t sound so bad to me. Who wouldn¡¯t want to live peaceful lives? Sam spoke.


    Sure it sounds good on paper, but do you know what exactly tranquility entails? A flood of light will wash over the land annihilating every single living organism leaving nothing but a barren wasteland. Even as we speak the world in question has some areas that haven¡¯t seen the night sky in well over a decade. It¡¯s a crazy phenomenon that spells the end of the world.


    So basically, you want us to travel to another world and act as emissaries of darkness to restore the balance? Soda remarked.


    Yes, precisely. For you see as the Goddess of this world I would feel nothing but grief if one of our creations fell into corruption.


    If it¡¯s so bad why don¡¯t you just fix it yourself yo? Krieg bluntly asked Lucifer.


    Because as a God it is strictly forbidden to meddle in the affairs of our worlds. We have a strict set of rules for how we interact with the mortal realm. But nothing is stopping me from appointing others to do the work for me.


    So not only are we emissaries of Darkness but we¡¯ll also be janitors cleaning up the mess the Gods have created. Sam spoke.


    So it would seem, Lucifer clarified.


    Sounds fair enough, I can get behind this. Besides, Hana remarked, it beats being stuck in Hell for all eternity, at least for the time being. And who knows? Maybe we could even stop that apocalypse in the process.


    Yeah, I wanna try it, Soda replied. I like the privileges it comes with. Speaking of privileges if we¡¯re going to be displaced into a dangerous world you could at least, y¡¯know, give us powers or something.


    Sorry but you won¡¯t be getting any such thing from me. I just said we cannot meddle in the affairs of the world. Lucifer chastised.


    Ah, but you see, we¡¯re not in the world yet, nor are we mortals as far as I¡¯m concerned. Soda clarified.


    You may have a point, very well. By the power vested in me I¡¯ll create this new skill to  give you, Soda Kiyoshi, and only you the power of WISDOMThis tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Wisdom? That¡¯s it, what does that even mean? I was hoping for a cheat skill like they do in Isekai


    You¡¯ll know soon enough just how important the skill I created for you is. In fact you¡¯ll be thanking me later for bestowing you with such a boon. Nobody else has what I have just given to you.


    Besides I¡¯m already being lenient enough with you Soda. As part of your I¡¯m even inclined to let your friends tag along. Which is why I  brought them here in the first place. They are to aid you on your perilous journey. And they can never betray your trust.


    I¡¯ll even throw in the four subordinates you befriended. Belros, Garland, Brennelle, and Nagai, you are to aid our wouldbe saviors by any means necessary.


    Obviously, oh Goddess, Belros agreed


    At once without hesitation, m¡¯lady, Garland spoke


    If it is your will then my blade is yours, Nagai bowed


    Was there ever any doubt, your majesty, Brannelle ran her hand through her hair


    Wait so we¡¯re Soda¡¯s henchmen now, Hana questioned, why is that?


    Because unlike all of you, Soda is the only one who made it to my castle, while the rest of you were lollygagging. To me you¡¯re nothing short of an accessory to help Soda achieve my ultimate goal of restoring order to the world. I plan you all to venture forth.


    Ow, that¡¯s harsh, Sam uttered.


    Eh, I¡¯m fine with that yo, Krieg shrugged.


    So on top of wisdom, I get to keep around my friends and have four new subordinates. That¡¯s my ¡°cheat¡± for isekai life?


    Yes.


    No, op sword, or anything?


    No, like I already told you I¡¯ve been very lenient with what I¡¯ve given you already. Don¡¯t look a gift horse in its mouth. You greedy little mortal.


    Soda frowned.


    Now receive your gift of wisdom along with it I grant you the title of ¡°Ruler of Wisdom¡±


    With Lucifer gesture a blown kiss, particles of light flashes and engulfs Soda in radiance until the light dissipates from his body.


    Woa, everyone proclaimed. All were awestruck by the spectacle


    How do you feel Soda? Hana asked.


    I feel¡­smarter? Like a calmness just washed over me. I feel less¡­.frustrated? It¡¯s as though I¡¯ve unlocked a percentage of my brain that wasn¡¯t there before. Could this be the influence of Wisdom you told me about?


    Yes, Lucifer agreed, and so much more. I¡¯m honestly intrigued to see what you¡¯ll do with your newfound power. Of course that will have to wait, for now at least.


    I¡¯ll be sending you all into an environment where you won¡¯t be separated, so that you all can grow up together and achieve the most influence to support your cause.


    Wait, we¡¯re not going to just body swap, with someone. We¡¯re being born again.


    Yes, obviously you¡¯ll be reborn as a baby again, that¡¯s what reincarnation is, Lucifer rubs her temple in annoyance.


    So even in our rebirth we¡¯ll be united no matter? Hana asked.


    Yes, precisely.


    Um¡­how we supposed to know who is who, exactly, Krieg spoke frankly.


    That¡¯s for you to find out on your own, I¡¯m not your nanny holding your hands. You¡¯re all essentially pawns for Soda to use. He¡¯ll figure it out.


    I don¡¯t take kindly to being called a pawn, Sam whispered.


    They¡¯re not pawns Lucifer, they¡¯re my friends, I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a God or not, don''t say something like that again or you can find yourself a new emissary of Darkness.


    The two locked eyes for a while until Lucifer spoke. Fair enough¡­I cannot fathom why you are upset. Anyways the matter at hand. You¡¯ll- before she can finish her sentence Hana spoke up


    -Wait, what about us, don¡¯t we get any cheat skills?


    No, I think what you all will become will be enough of a boon for the rest of you.


    What do you mean?


    I mean, I have a feeling that you all will be able to unlock a power that will be useful to you.


    What kind of power?


    I can''t tell you that, it would ruin the surprise.


    So we have to figure that out on our own too, Sam sighed.


    Yes, now if you are all done with your questions, I have a world to send you all to. However, before that, I¡¯ll send off your companions first. You¡¯ll be meeting them as servants in your next life. They¡¯ll know right away when you¡¯re born and will protect you with their lives.


    Lucifer snaps her fingers and Belros, Garland, Brennelle, and Nagai start glowing. They looked at the four Legion members and waved goodbye.


    We¡¯ll be seeing you guys later in the next life they all said. And with that they disappeared leaving a sparkle trail.


    So let me get this straight, I get the power of ¡°Wisdom¡±, keep my friends, and have a loyal servant, is that clear? Soda asked


    Precisely, Lucifer agreed.


    Meanwhile the three of us get nothing but a surprise in our next life, Krieg stated.


    Guess that can¡¯t be helped, Hana said, I mean it is fair when you think about it. We never got to Lucifer¡¯s castle so by all rights we shouldn¡¯t really complain, Hana shrugged.


    That¡¯s what you think, Sam muttered under her breath.


    There is something you all must know if I hadn¡¯t already stated, you¡¯ll all be reincarnated as babies being born anew. Whatever skills you have now will be passed down to your reincarnations. And please watch out for the humans in your next life; they''re avid followers of Hyperion and you may cross paths one day. And remember to take full advantage of my blessings, you¡¯re not the only one who can use such a feature. Humans have their own blessing from Hyperion. I just thought to warn you now so you don¡¯t get overly startled


    Noted, Soda said


    Krieg nodded


    Hana pumped herself up


    And Sam sighed in annoyance.


    With that, Lucifer snapped her hands and we all began to glow just as our friends before us.


    One more thing to add, Lucifer interjected, DO NOT FAIL ME, or I¡¯ll make sure the next time you visit Hell it won¡¯t be so pretty, whatever you suffered i n your short time here will be amplified ten-fold. So due try to succeed, Lucifer smiled.


    The light was so blinding that I closed my eyes, Lucifer¡¯s warning sounded far away as we¡¯re whisked away¡­

 Chapter 11: Reincarnation

    Look Mistress Vazeth it¡¯s a beautiful baby boy¡­or girl?¡­I cannot really tell if I am to be honest.


    It matters not to me just so long as the baby becomes someone influential in the future. I have high hopes for you little one. She says as she holds her own child with indifference.


    I open my eyes and take note of my surroundings. The first thing I see is my mother who is a monster. A goat looking woman with black sclera and white pupils, horns, with markings all over her body and bat-like wings. The room is majestic as if it was of high class society. Right next to my mother is a shock before me. It was Belros, my friend and Legion member. She smiled at me with warmness.


    Strange that they aren''t crying. Babies usually cry. My daughter is strong just like her mother, Vazeth said with a smile crept on her face. My little Tsubasa


    Right next to my mom was a mirror and as I gaze at the reflection I realized something¡­I¡¯m a monster too! Staring back at me I¡¯ve seen what I am. A goat looking monster with horns, wings, black sclera and white pupil eyes with markings all over my body as well. I was so shocked that I let out nothing more than a baby noise with my stubby hands flailing.


    I looked back at Belros and with her was my weapon perched up by the door. So even my weapon made it to this world as well. I looked back at my mother who¡¯s name is Vazeth. She was really pretty if I had to say so.


    It¡¯s too bad the King couldn¡¯t be here to see his own child being born, Belros spoke.


    It¡¯s for the best he¡¯d probably ridicule the baby for appearing so weak and frail. He always had an eye for all things powerful, Vazeth said in melancholy. However, Baphomets are really powerful monsters and very rare. I feel he would be pleased to know that one of his heirs to the throne is a unique monster such as I.


    So that¡¯s what my mother and I are, Baphomet, I don¡¯t really feel powerful but then again I¡¯m still just a baby. This sucks.


    I looked at my mother again, why does she look so upset? Whatever it¡¯s not like the feeling of disappointment from others is new to me, as an orphan I never really understood familial love. A screen panel opened to me for the first time and I saw the status of my mother.


    Vazeth the Baphomet LV.100, high levels all over the place. My mother is overpowered. Just look at all these skills, look at all these titles. I wonder to myself, is this the power of God¡¯s Blessings and the Wisdom skill? I look around and I¡¯m overwhelmed, I can see stats, names, evolution, and even the minerals and peculiarities of all objects. This power really is a cheat. Thank you Lucifer! I can even figure out how to acquire new skills and magic! I let out a giggle.


    My mother saw this as being affectionate and for a moment I could have sworn she blushed and looked away. I just might be her weak spot.


    Do you think she¡¯ll get along with the other children? Belros questioned.


    God I hope so, Vazeth whispered.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Excuse me, mistress


    I mean, it matters not to me if she gets along with them or not. Vazeth spoke with indifference. Put her in the playpen with the rest.


    At once mistress.


    As Belros was taking me out of the room and started walking down a lavish looking hallway she spoke to me.


    Okay listen Soda I know you may have a lot of questions about your current circumstances. I''m going to have to say that you should wait until you''re old enough to actually process your words. You¡¯re Tsubasa now so get used to that name firstly. I¡¯m not the only one here too; Garland, Nagai, and Brannelle are here too. And since we don¡¯t have the wisdom skill we''ve been treating all the babies as equals. You¡¯re the last to be born so if you don¡¯t mind, when you get to the playpen please give us a sign that you know who is who. Since we cannot see the old names of the others. Can you do that for me?


    I shake my head in confirmation. Don¡¯t worry Belros, I thought to myself, I¡¯ll figure out who¡¯s in my gang in this new life.


    As she opened the door, before me stood a row of maids and butlers patiently waiting by the door. Belros put me down and scooted me into the playpen. There I saw as many as over twenty children of mixed races play indoors. Some older than others, at least up to age three give-or-take. Whoever my dad is, it''s clear that he¡¯s a character of polygamy. I already assume that he¡¯s a bastard and I must be a bastard¡¯s child. There is no way of telling if I¡¯m legit or not. But the guy must have concubines lined up at the ready. Scum is the word that my lips can¡¯t utter yet.


    Within the room I can see it all. Kobolds of both western and eastern, cat folk, gnolls, in fact there were too many babies of all kinds of race here in this playpen. I happened across blocks that had words on them. I know a sheer fire way to get the attention of all my Legion Members. With the blocks, it took me a while, but I spelled out L E G I O N.


    It took a while to see who would approach but what stood to be a one year old named Constantia the Owl Mage, a two year old named Solomon Azezel Gresley a Lich, and a few months older than me Kemo Morningpaw the Gnoll. Then there¡¯s me, the Baphomet named Tsubasa. We all look at each other with skepticism. I know they¡¯re probably thinking, there¡¯s no possible way that the person next to me is a Legion member. The three maids and one butler immediately took notice.


    It was Belros, Garland, Nagai, and Brannelle Virant. Noticing this they all looked at each other in agreement. Brought out word blocks to the four children and each of them immediately started spelling out their names¡­their REAL names. To which I already knew since I can see it already through my [Wisdom Skill].


    I spelt my name out first, Soda.


    The Lich was next, Krieg


    Then the Gnoll, Hana


    And lastly the Owl Mage, Sam


    It appears that I was the last to be reincarnated so some of my peers are already older than me. Ironic since in our previous lives, I was the oldest. Now I am the youngest member. The maids and butler look at each other. Then smiled finally knowing which of their young masters were which. Each all lifted their respected future caretaker and cuddled them.


    I didn¡¯t appreciate that not one bit. I folded my arms together and looked as upset I could possibly be..for a month old baby. Which only made Belros blush and rubbed my cheeks more with her cheek.


    You are so adorable, Belros said.


    It¡¯s good to finally know which of you is which, Nagai spoke as she picked up Hana, now known as Kemo Morningpaw.


    My oh my, little lady is it truly you?! Garland cried tears of joy.


    Sam, now known as Constantia, shook her head in affirmation, pleased to finally get Garland¡¯s attention.


    The fact that all the boys are reincarnated as girls, there must be some irony hidden in its meaning. Brannelle pondered as she looked at Krieg, now known as Solomon Azezel Gresley.


    Now that we all know who is who, let''s all agree to stick together until all of them are old enough to talk formally. This way when they utter their words in unison we can formulate a plan, Belros spoke. We all agreed.


    That means we have to wait until the leader turns five right. That means Constantia will be six, Garland said.


    Which means Solomon will be seven, Brannelle added.


    Both will be at the age where they can speak in full sentences. Nagai spoke.


    But our little boss here will have the final say. Belros spoke matter of factually.


    I agreed with her making baby noises.


    Well I am a baby I may as well have a little fun being this young again¡­


    I look at the other kids and they look at me with a bit of jealousy. I guess I have to share the spotlight with them.


    I can tell this is going to be a long five years.

 Chapter 12: The First Five Years Part 1

    In the first year, I was able to learn the language of the world. It was a bit difficult for me to understand the language at first. I had to learn the alphabet and the structure of the language. I was a fast learner thanks to the [Wisdom Skill] and was able to grasp the language within a few months.


    I was able to learn a lot of things about the world I was reborn in. The world was called Ethyres, a land of prosperity and peace since the slaying of the previous Demon Lord a thousand years ago. The king of humans was seen as a benevolent ruler and the people loved him for his Heroism coming from a long line of Heroes. Meanwhile what I''ve gathered about my father is that he is a ruthless Demon who treasures power and is without mercy. He is the Demon King and is feared by all.


    I was also able to learn about the other children in the playpen. They were all the children of the King. I was the only child of the Queen named Vazeth. I was the youngest of the bunch and the only one who was a Baphomet, a rare monster. The others were all of different species and races. So like I said, the King was busy. I still don''t know his name. Hell, in this one year I haven¡¯t even seen the man or what he looks like.


    Despite it all, I feel a connection with my siblings even though they look at me with jealous eyes. I swore to myself that once I¡¯m able to talk I plan to recruit as many of them as I can to the Legion. Nobody knows this, not even my friends know this about me¡­but I¡¯m actually a HUGE monster fanatic. So I feel really really excited about the prospect of welcoming monsters to my cause.


    There were over twenty monster children excluding the three legion members. That I happen to see the window pop up for all their races thanks to my trusty [Wisdom Skille]


    Two Goblin girls.


    One Owl Mage, most likely the older sister of Constantia.


    A Fallen Angel girl.


    A Fallen Valkyrie girl who seems to be close to each other at all times.


    One Western Kobold girl.


    One Eastern Kobold girl. Always arguing who¡¯s the better kobold


    One Mad Hatter girl who really enjoys tea time.


    One Yuki-Onna


    Two Imps who get along with the two Goblins


    One Glazer girl, content with just watching everyone play with her dozens of eyes


    One Hachishaku who seems to be really intrigued by me, always comes to play with me. For a kid she¡¯s really tall.


    One Kakuen girl.


    One Cheshire Cat girl.


    One Cait Sith girl.


    One Crow Tengu girl.


    One Aka-Oni.


    And one Ao-Oni who seems to get along together.


    One Orc girl.


    One Amazoness girl who seems to always be testing each other¡¯s strengthThis narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    And last but not least, one Kitsune.


    The pattern I¡¯ve noticed is that they¡¯re all girls. Not a single boy is found in the playpen. Which leads me to believe that this is no coincidence. Despite being a girl myself I happen to have one leg up above the rest. The fact that I have a banana as well. This may be a genetic fuck up or I just might be the only closes thing to a boy than the rest of the girls. I mean I¡¯m glad I still have my manhood but it¡¯s embarrassing to me that I even have one considering everyone is a girl. This is going to cause confusion down the line I¡¯m sure of it.


    Still being a baby is brutal. All I do all day is crawl. Sometimes I sneak away from the playpen to get a general layout of my surroundings.. Sometimes the other Legion members sneak out with me.


    Year two, for five hours a day we go through etiquette training. Elaborate manners, and the royal court. Being an infant, it isn''t easy to remember everything. We have tutors and teachers to help us out with our studies. Of course the other members who are a bit older than me take full advantage and try to catch up. I''m a little behind but thanks to my Wisdom skill I have a knowledge set that is on par with an adult so I¡¯m not so worried. And there''s more.


    Through the first year, the elders find themselves taking an interest in magic. Soon, they decided to teach us the basics of spell casting. Fire spells, water, wind, earth, and plants. Apparently, I have an affinity for Darkness, and fire. One is self explanatory.


    However, the amount of energy needed to cast these beginner level spells is beyond what an infant can muster. So, the teachers had the bright idea to limit the usage. During the study sessions, we''re given orbs that have the properties of the elements. These orbs are used to manifest these elements. Even then, an infant only has so much energy, and such an exercise quickly wears us out. However, due to the orbs the teachers can monitor how much energy is left and once expended, the session ends.


    This is the life of a young noble. Etiquette, magic, politics, and education. Somewhere in-between, you have to eat and sleep.


    Occasionally, the other would chide me for my lethargy, but seeing the state my body was in, they couldn''t really say anything.


    Constantia the Owl Mage, was the most concerned. She would constantly want to know how I was doing, and was curious about the state of my mana.


    What is your darkness and fire capacity like, Sod--, she would correct herself. I mean Tsubasa.


    The fact that I couldn¡¯t talk hasn¡¯t deterred me from communicating with my friends. So I usually carry an ink pen and some paper to chat with. It''s pretty low, sometimes the lowest among the group. But the problem is that during the sessions, my output is the strongest out of everyone. I''m not sure if it''s because I have the highest aptitude, or if the skill of wisdom is at work, but either way, the end result is that the orbs I use are broken, and the actual magical output is so massive that the area gets engulfed in darkness or flames¡­or both.


    Within the next two years, the adults became wary of me. They kept a close eye on me, and took note when the teacher would have us practice. Trying to display the results, the same thing happened. Each orb was shattered, and the room would be doused in a wave of dark or fire. After a number of attempts, and having had the various rooms burned to the point of needing a remodel, the king saw fit to stop my lessons entirely.


    For now, the focus is on getting the children to be able to talk properly before the fourth year. So here I am, at two-and-a-half-years-old, taking a nap. My lullaby being the sounds of the other kids playing, and a few grumbles emanating from my stomach. Something woke me, a feeling of discomfort. It felt like something was wrapping itself around me. Something soft and warm. Feeling a sense of security, I opened my eyes to see Sam, now known as Constantia the Owl Mage. She''s hugging me...she is hugging...me. I freeze stiff. What do I do in a situation like this?


    Hey, wake up sleepy head.


    Not knowing how to react, I fumble over my baby words. C-c-constantia w-what are you doing?


    Shut up, she whispered.


    Who does she think she is hugging the boss, Krieg the Lich, formerly known as Solomon Azezel Gresley chimed laughing.


    I can''t help it, the boss is so cute being a baby and all. Constantia interjected.


    Nagai, shrugged as Belros laughed with Solomon.


    Being the one in her arms, her voice was nothing more than a gentle coo. Her face was slightly flush and warm. I can feel her heartbeat accelerating.


    Boss, you should have seen the look on Constantia''s face when the maids wouldn''t let her hold you. Hana the Gnoll, chimed, she was literally clawing at the maids. Funniest thing I ever saw hahahah!


    It was a funny sight. Nagai smiled.


    It''s not funny, Constantia said.


    Oh yes, it is, the boss'' reactions are priceless.


    In her defense, the maids wouldn''t let anyone else pick her up. Constantia pouted.


    I guess I can''t complain. I thought to myself while being in her arms. I didn¡¯t expect tone of my friends to have such motherly instincts.

 Chapter 13: The First Five Years Part 2

    I''m now five. Five years old, and I can walk, run, and talk like a normal person. More importantly, I am now of age where I can start building the Legion again. For the past few months I''ve been trying to get the others to join the Legion. However, those little shits are still jealous of me and my awesome power so I haven''t really had the best of luck. Since the playpen is for little infants as well, we can no longer enter the room since we qualify as "big kids" now and need to act our age and-then-some. So I haven''t really seen the other kids as often as I used to...which kind of sucks.


    "Yo Tsubasa, congrats on turning five. You can now talk and everything. Honestly we''ve been waiting for you for ages dude". Solomon said.


    "I knooow, I was sick and tired of being a baby. I can actually voice my opinions now." I spoke.


    "So what now, are we going to hold a meeting or something?" Solomon asked.


    "Exactly, we need to gather our thoughts and our plans ahead of time. We need to properly access our situation. Get Constantia and Kemo okay? I''ll get the maids and Garland." I told.


    "Who''s who again?" Solomon asked.


    I looked at him dumbfounded, "You''re joking right Solomon..." I squinted my eyes.


    "No seriously bro" Solomon interjected.


    "Tch...sigh...Constantia is Sam and Kemo is Hana, okaaay Solomon?" I talked slowly.


    "Oh yeah, gotcha boss!" Then Solomon ran off.


    I shook my head. "Damnit he''s such an- ugh nevermind".


    -


    The castle is huge. It''s bigger than the orphanage and the facility in my past life combined. Whoever made the layout of the castle was a genius. Room after room, hallway after hallway. Honestly, I would get lost without a map but somehow, I managed.


    "Garland," I called, "Garlaaaand!" I go downstairs to the main entrance and spot Garland waiting there patiently.


    "Oh, Princess Tsubasa well it''s a pleasure to see you, is something wron-" Garldand talking ; in pain since I kicked his shin.


    "Don''t ever call me Princess again" I spoke embarrassed, "Tsubasa is just fine when we''re alone"


    "Duly noted." Garland squealed


    "I request a meeting room for a secret discussion. Can you do that for me Garland" I order.


    "Yes, very good, I''ll make the preparations right away Tsubasa" He bowed and walked away.


    -


    "Now to find Nagai, Belros, and Branelle...hmm..." I thought to myself, scratching my head ¡°I guess I could ask my mother if she saw Belros, hopefully Nagai and Branelle are with her.¡±


    I go back upstairs and down a hall reaching my room, which is to say it¡¯s also my mother¡¯s room. For some reason ever since I was a baby my mother has always been a bit overbearing and gave me no quarter. We even sleep together in the same bed. I don¡¯t mind it all too much since I never had a mom before until now. So it¡¯s actually a comforting feeling. Maybe this is just how moms behave. I open the large door.


    I saw my mother relaxing on the balcony looking over the Hellscape that is our domain. As per usual she was wearing her usual black silk dress exposing her big busty cleavage with gold accents, stirrup stocking fit with a garter strap and black heels. She looked back at me with her usual black mascara accentuating her black eyes with white pupils. She looked at me scornfully as if I ruined her moment of reflection. But I knew her for the past five years that this was a front. She¡¯s a bonafide tsundere. To me my mother was absolutely breath taken. To be born from her was nothing short of a miracle. Not only because I was born the strongest species of monster but also because, well, she¡¯s my mother. I am proud to call myself her daughter.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Mother!¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Tsubasa¡± She answered.


    ¡°Have you seen Belros by any chance mother¡±


    ¡°I do believe I have come to join me for tea and I¡¯ll tell you where she is.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the catch I was waiting for¡­¡± I scratch my head and sigh.


    ¡°What, too old to have tea time with your mother now are you? You used to enjoy our tea time. It¡¯s not like I get lonely when my daughter is away scheming things with her hooligan friends of lower branch¡­except for the Lich girl, she seems nice.¡±


    ¡°Mother I told you not to bad mouth my friends please, and it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to drink tea with my favorite mother but I have important business that requires Belros¡¯ attention¡± I spoke exasperated. With my stubby little legs I hopped onto a chair next to a coffee table and pursued the selection of tea packets. My mother is just staring at me as I make my selection.


    I picked up the peppermint tea packet and began to pour my cup full of hot water.


    ¡°Peppermint tea is it.¡± mother Vazeth judged my selection and let out a small giggle very unlike her. ¡°Your father likes peppermint too¡±.


    ¡°Really, I really wish I could meet father, why does he never have time for any of his kids¡­don¡¯t we mean anything to him?


    I watch her gaze drift off into space, her face gets a little sad, and then she composed herself.


    She sighs and says,


    "You are a Baphomet, princess Tsubasa, and a queen to be. Learn this lesson now, Tsubasa, nobles and royalty do not show emotion. Nobles especially. Emotion is a weakness. Remember the rule, hide and protect those weaknesses or else they''ll be exploited. The weak will not survive, so you must learn to power through and keep a straight face. And as the child of a king and his queen, you must learn to follow the rules set by society."


    "But that''s dumb. What about a loving parent?" I was irritated.


    "Loving parents exist. I''m lucky enough to have a husband who expresses love. There are exceptions. But a young noble should not expect much. Do not express your feelings. Keep a poker face and learn to deceive. Remember the saying "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."


    "That doesn''t sound healthy at all." I said plainly.


    "What did I just say...sigh" Vazeth narrowed her brow.


    "Mother, that''s stupid, and nonsensical. Why are emotions bad?" I asked.


    "Emotions lead us astray. All emotions. If one lets their anger take over, they''ll do rash and stupid things. If one lets love influence them, their judgment becomes impaired. If one lets depression consume them, they will stay in a depressive state. You are not immortal.  There is a lot that can kill you. So you can''t let your emotions or fear get to you. Conquering, domination, those are the emotions that every Demon should strive for. Learn the art of manipulation."


    A small pause between us two as we drink our tea and look into the twilight sky. The wind blew peacefully and warmth filled the air. "It''s a beautiful day today" I say somberly.


    "It truly is my little child." Vazeth spoke softly, which betrays her stern expression. At this point it''s logical to assume she has a resting bitch face.


    "Hey mother? You love me don''t you? I asked.


    "Of course, you''re my beloved child. My child, my pride and joy. I will always care for you.


    "And you are a good parent, correct?"


    "Well thank yo-"


    "That''s not what I mean, I''m not fishing for compliments here"


    "I understand the question, and yes, I would consider myself a good parent." She smiled. "Where are you taking this Tsubasa?"


    "Wouldn''t a good parent always love their kids no matter what?"


    "Of course! Otherwise, they wouldn''t be a good parent."


    "So why can''t the king be a good parent and spend time with his children even for a little bit. Don''t the King''s own feelings matter in regards to his children"


    "He''s a busy man"


    "But-


    "Enough"


    "Mother"


    "No more of this"


    "Mother I-


    "I will not discuss this any further, that is the end of the discussion, is that clear?!"


    Ooh I think I touched a nerve, let''s walk it back. "Of course mother. Loud and clear as day." I finish my tea. "Soooo...Belros?"


    "She may be in the royal garden with some of the other maids tending to the flowers.¡± Vazeth answered.


    "Oh, okay, thanks, mother" I said gladly


    "Anytime, make sure you take the right corridor and the first room on the left, if I''m not mistaken."


    "Will do." As soon as I finished that sentence I leaped off the chair and ran towards the exit.


    "Be careful, don''t fall again! Make sure you''re not running and reading a book at the same time!" she yelled.


    ¡°Oh come on it was one time!¡±


    Vazeth snickers.¡±And I¡¯ll never let it down. It was humorous.¡±


    I made my way down the right corridor and the first room to the left and as I walked I found the door leading to the royal garden. I opened the door and before me was a beautiful sight


    The Royal Gardens had a collection of flora and fauna. Plants from various places ranging from the elven country, beastmen lands, the human country, and many more. From the most mundane plant life to the rarest and deadliest of plants, the gardens are a cornucopia.


    In the garden I saw maids tending to the flowers...I even saw one maid get eaten by a huge venus fly trap and then got spat out. I saw a dryad use her plant-base magic to bloom beautiful spider lilies and there next to her I saw Belros, Nagai, and Branelle helping out.


    "Yo Belros!" I shouted.


    She looked back at me and smiled warmly¡­

 Chapter 14: Who We Are, What We Are?

    We¡¯ve all gathered into a private bedroom. The meeting would have been held in my room until I remembered that my mother also occupies that room and we can¡¯t let her know our big secret that we are reincarnates. Belros, Nagai, Branelle and  Garland stood at attention near the door. While Solomon the Lich layed on the bed, pillow in hand. Kemo rocking back and forth on a chair, and Constantia leaned next to the bedfreame¡¯s pole.


    ¡°Now I gathered you all Legion members for a very important reason, as you can already tell I can talk now. Which means that We¡¯re all old enough to plan our next moves accordingly. But before we do anything rash I¡¯d like us all to be up to date on our current situation¡± I spoke. ¡°Firstly let¡¯s start with what the actual fuck we are? Anyone want to go first?¡±


    Constantia raises her hand first. As I observed her she looked like a refined princess unlike the rest of us. She has red sclera eyes and white pupils. Her feather-like hair was tied up into twin tails with a green bow on each side while her long feathery bangs still covered her left eye. Despite being the usually shy one of the group I often felt like she has changed somehow. Like she¡¯s more assertive and angry. It also doesn¡¯t help the fact that she has a resting bitch face now. She wore a green princess dress and was decked out in jewelry.


    Constantia spoke, while revealing her God¡¯s Blessings system window to us all.


    Constantia        LV. 6        Skill Points: 500


    Owl Mage


    Status:


    HP (Green)


    MP (Blue)


    SP (Yellow)


    SP (Red)


    Average Offense Ability: Average


    Average Defense Ability: Average


    Average Magic Ability: Above Average


    Average Resistance Ability: Average


    Average Speed Ability: Average


    Skills:


    Stat & Ability Skills


    HP Auto-Recovery LV 1 - MP Recovery Speed LV 1 - MP Lessened Consumption LV 1 - Magic Mass LV 1 -  Technique User LV 1 - Protection LV 1 - Strength LV 1 ¨C Solidity LV 1 - Persistent LV 1 - Running LV 1


    Leadership Skills


    Egg Laying LV 1


    Perception Skills


    Magic Power Perception LV 5 - Memory LV 4 - Presence Perception LV 5 - Danger Perception LV 3 - Motion Perception LV 4- Reaction Perception LV 3 - Prediction LV 2 - Concentration LV  2


    Attack Skills


    Wind Attack LV 1 - Heavy Attack LV 1 - Heretic Attack LV 1


    Active Skills


    Magic Warfare LV 2 - Mental Warfare LV 2 - Magic Power Conferment LV 1 - Magic Conferment LV 1 - Naming LV 1


    Magic Skills


    Wind Magic LV 1 - Heavy Magic LV 1 - Jinx Magic LV 1


    Enchantment Skills


    Wind Enhancement LV 1 - Heavy Enhancement LV 1 - Cutting Enhancement LV 1


    Piercing Enhancement LV 1


    Resistance Skills


    Gale Nullification  - Heavy Resistance LV 1 - Cutting Resistance LV 3 - Piercing Resistance LV 3 - Status Condition Resistance LV 4 - Faint Resistance LV 4- Fear Resistance LV 4 - Heat Nullification - Gale Nullification - Terrain Nullification - Heresy Nullification


    Passive Skills


    Vision Enhancement LV 5 - Auditory Enhancement LV 5 - Night Vision LV 10 - Flight LV 4 - Hit LV 2 - Evasion LV 3 - Odorless LV 5 - Vision Expansion LV 5 - Auditory Expansion LV 5 - Martial Arts Mastery LV 2 - Throw LV 3 - Swimming LV 7


    Other Skills


    Revenge LV 2 - Envy - Root of Evil - Lust - Stupefaction - Book Lover LV 4


    Titles


    Ally Killer - Red Mage - Black Mage - Artist


    Affinity


    Wind / Love


    Curse


    Girl Boss (Perpetual bitch girl attitude. The words that come out of her mouth are sometimes the words she wasn¡¯t even thinking about saying.)


    I look into her stats with my wisdom skill to glean what evolutions she can possibly attain. And upon witnessing the different monsters she could possibly become I settled on one for her.


    ¡°Hey Constantia, I think since your magic affinity is wind you should focus on getting that stronger and possibly evolve into a Garuda when the time comes.¡± I suggested.


    ¡°A Garuda? What the fuck even is that?¡± She retorted.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a¡­Harpy? With more wings than you already have, they¡¯re a High-End Monster so you¡¯d practically be unstoppable¡± I answered


    ¡°Meanwhile what I am right now is nothing short of fabulous. I mean look at me, I¡¯m royalty and beautiful. Way better than when I was human¡± Constantia said cockily


    ¡°Um¡­we¡¯re all royalty technically" Solomon added


    ¡°Shut the fuck up Krie- Solomon, don¡¯t ruin my moment"


    ¡°Whoa easy there, no need to get all snappy¡± Solomon said.


    I interjected ¡°She can¡¯t help it dude, she¡¯s cursed with a perpetual bitchy attitude. I think Lucifer fucked with our girl¡¯s personality when he warped us remember? Her words are like 50% opposite day.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeeeah! she was acting a little strange back there.¡± Solomon agreed


    Constantia, feeling understood, started to weep, tears coming down her face as we came close to embrace our saddened friend.


    ¡°Thank you for understanding, it¡¯s really hard talking now, I¡¯m afraid I''ll say something completely wrong.¡± Constantia cried.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, why would Lucifer do something like that to m¡¯lady?¡± Garland questioned


    ¡°I have a rough idea but I¡¯ll be blunt with you all.¡± Kemo finally spoke, ¡°It¡¯s because Lucifer thinks Constantia is the weakest link in our little party so she gave her something to boost her overall capabilities without a doubt. In layman''s terms, Constantia is a big crybaby and the crybaby needs a boon.¡±


    ¡°Harsh, Kemo, harsh¡± I said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deny it.¡± She shrugged


    Constantia wipes away her tears. ¡°Well I still like what I¡¯ve become, I¡¯m beautiful now and that¡¯s all that matters to me¡­now I can stomach looking at myself¡­I didn¡¯t really like who I was.¡± She looks down, depressed.


    Kemo rolled her eyes and stood up to hug Constantia. ¡°Look girl, I¡¯m sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier, I just wanted to tell you what''s what. If it makes you feel any better I¡¯ll always understand your true intentions and so will we all. You don¡¯t have to worry if you come across as bitchy, we¡¯ll understand.¡± Kemo smiles warmly. And that act has calmed Constantia down and let out a somber smile.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°Thanks Kemo, that means a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    ¡°Ahem! Cough!¡± I let out. Since you are up, why don¡¯t we discuss what has become of the great athlete Hana hmm?!¡± I smiled teasingly.


    ¡°Oh please do, I mean look at me, a Gnoll?! I¡¯m a fucking foot soldier meanwhile you¡¯re all Boss Tier Monsters. Why was I the only one left out of the group?¡±


    ¡°Jealousy much?¡± Solomon snickered


    ¡°CAN IT! I¡¯ll bite you!¡± She snarled.


    ¡°Ooooh I¡¯m so scared of the mutt, heheh¡± Solomon snickered teasingly


    ¡°The only thing I like about this new body is how powerful I feel despite being a foot soldier. I think I have limitless potential.¡± Kemo said, making a fist.


    ¡°It suits your beastly nature, Princess Kemo¡± Nagai said in affirmation. ¡°You were like a beast on the battlefield in Hell. This look definitely suits you¡±


    ¡°That. Doesn¡¯t. Help. Me. Feel. ANY. BETTER!!!¡± Kemo clapped for each word spoken.


    ¡°Well let¡¯s just see about that dude¡± I say as I use my [Wisdom Skill] on her as she opens her God¡¯s Blessings system window


    Kemo Morningpaw        LV. 5       Skill Points: 500


    Gnoll


    Status:


    HP (Green)


    MP (Blue)


    SP (Yellow)


    SP (Red)


    Average Offense Ability: Above Average


    Average Defense Ability: Above Average


    Average Magic Ability: Below Average


    Average Resistance Ability: Average


    Average Speed Ability: Above Average


    Skills:


    Stat & Ability Skills


    HP Auto-Recovery LV 3 - SP Recovery Speed LV 2 - SP Minimized Consumption LV 2 - Life LV 2 - Instantaneous LV 2 - Persistent LV 2 - Herculean Strength LV 1 - Sturdy LV 1 - Acceleration LV 1


    Leadership Skills


    (None)


    Perception Skills


    Magic Power Perception LV 10 - Technique Perception LV 10 - Presence Perception LV 10 - Danger Perception LV 10 - Motion Perception LV 10 - Detection LV 10 - Concentration LV 10- Thought Super-Acceleration LV 10 - Prediction LV 10 - High-Speed Processing LV 10 - Record LV 10


    Attack Skills


    Energy Attack LV 1 - Magic Power Attack LV 1 - Earth Attack LV 1 - Terrain Attack LV 1


    Active Skills


    Poison Fang LV 1 - Energy Conferment V 1 - Ability Conferment LV 1 - Naming LV 1 - Cutting Thread LV 1 - Thread Control LV 1 - Iron Defense LV 1 - Clairvoyance LV 1


    Magic Skills


    Magic Power Operation LV 1 - Earth Magic LV 1 - Terrain Magic LV 1


    Enchantment Skills


    Destruction Enhancement LV 1 - Cutting Enhancement LV 3- Piercing Enhancement LV 3 - Impact Enhancement LV 3 - Shock Enhancement LV 1 - Paralysis Enhancement LV 2 - Poison Enhancement LV 1 - Exhaustion Enhancement LV 2 - Terrain Enhancement LV 3


    Resistance Skills


    Destruction Resistance LV 1 - Impact Resistance LV 2 - Cutting Resistance LV 2 - Piercing Resistance LV 2 - Shock Resistance LV 2 - Poison Resistance LV 1 - Paralysis Resistance LV 1 - Petrification Resistance LV 1 - Exhaustion Resistance LV 1


    Passive Skills


    Five Senses Super-Enhancement LV 10 - Throw LV 3 - Hit LV 2 - Evasion LV 10 - Probability Super-Correction LV 10 - Night Vision LV 10 - Vision Expansion LV 10 - Perception Expansion LV 10- Shell LV 2 - Ore Body LV 2 - Intimidation LV 5 - Swimming LV 8 - Swordsmanship LV 2 - Axemanship LV 2 - Great Swordsmanship LV 1- Threadsmanship LV 1 - Shieldsmanship LV 2 - Gunblade LV 1 - Cannon Wielder LV 1


    Other Skills


    Premature - Instant Response - Defiance - Lazy Efficiency


    Titles


    Poison Technique User - Thread User - Merciless - Commander - Fearbringer - Guardian - Paladin - Templar - Warrior - Berserker - Dark Knight - Gunsplicer -


    Affinity


    Earth / Weapons Mastery


    Curse


    (None)


    As I checked her evolutions, my face lit up. She actually has one evolution tree that makes her become a Boss monster too. Noticing my astonished face Kemo perked up.


    ¡°Well? Don¡¯t leave me in suspense dude what do I get?¡± She was practically jumping at me.


    ¡°Well, your abilities are painfully average, your affinity is earth and weapons mastery.¡± Her mood begins to sour ¡°BUT you do have an evolution that can turn you into a Boss monster as well. A High-End monster called the Gnoll Overlord, and honestly that sounds really cool¡± I say.


    ¡°I dig it, Gnoll Overlord! That sounds so awesome!¡± Kemo jumped happily, knowing she wouldn''t be left behind.


    ¡°WHAT IS THIS?! Your perception skills are all maxed out! How, what fuckery is this?!¡± I shout. And everyone looked at Kemo befuddled. ¡°Seriously, what is the cause of this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s my other skill¡­[Instant Response] it helps me do stuff really fast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the most half-ass response to our curiosity you could possibly muster?¡± Solomon chided


    ¡°Agreed, that doesn¡¯t help at all,¡± I roll my eyes¡± I¡¯m reading the flavor text. Gains the effects of max level Thought Acceleration, Focus, Evasion, Sight Boost, Speed-type skills¡­¡± I paused. We all stopped talking, time passed until someone said it.


    ¡°Cheat skill¡± Belros muttered


    ¡°That¡¯s a cheat skill¡± Solomon said, shocked


    ¡°You got a cheat skill Kemoooo!!!¡±


    ¡°I got a cheat skill guys?!¡± She shouted


    ¡°You got a cheat skill Kemo, I¡¯m so happy for you, you needed it anyways so you could catch up to us higher-end monsters.¡± Constantia said bitterly, but we know she was just congratulating her.


    ¡°Oh thank Lucifer that I¡¯m not the only one with cheats!¡± I say happily ¡°Now let me get a good look at you in general Kemo¡± I say to her and I begin to observe her.


    ¡°Uh¡­why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a fucking monster fanatic okay! Now hold still¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re weird man¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡±


    As I observed her I took notice of her eyes immediately, they were yellow sclera with brown pupils. She had sharp jagged teeth, a snaggle tooth, which I found to be adorable. Her hair was black, messy and unkempt covering a bit of her right eye. She was taller than the four of us for her age but I guess that¡¯s just how Gnolls are. She resembled a spotted hyena. Her hands and feet were dipstick black. She kinda looked like a hyena I once knew from a movie about a certain lion king. And she wore a toothy shit eating grin at least 90% of the time. She was bulky too, I guess being an athlete transferred to her new body as well. No doubt that she would later become a powerhouse!


    ¡°You done staring at me you monster pervert?¡± Kemo taunted.


    ¡°As a matter of fact I am¡± I looked at Solomon and she understood immediately.


    ¡°Alright, guess it¡¯s my turn to find out my potential. Let¡¯s get this over with, I want to go to bed.¡± She yawns while scratching her eye. She opens up her God¡¯s Blessing system window.


    Solomon Azezel Gresley        LV. 7       Skill Points: 700


    Lich


    Status:


    HP (Green)


    MP (Blue)


    SP (Yellow)


    SP (Red)


    Average Offense Ability: Above Average


    Average Defense Ability: Above Average


    Average Magic Ability: Greater


    Average Resistance Ability: Greater


    Average Speed Ability: Below Average


    Skills:


    Stat & Ability Skills


    HP Rapid Recovery LV 1 - MP Rapid Recovery LV 1 - MP Minimized Consumption LV 1 - Magic Mass LV 1 - Technique User LV 4 - Protection LV 2 - Instantaneous LV 1 - Persistent LV 2 - Running LV 6


    Leadership Skills


    Kin Control LV 1


    Perception Skills


    Magic Power Perception LV 4 - Presence Perception LV 5 - Danger Perception LV 5 - Motion Perception LV 4 - Reaction Perception LV 4 - Concentration LV 8 - Foresight LV 1 - Memory LV 5


    Attack Skills


    Energy Attack LV 2- Magic Power Attack LV 2 - Lightning Attack LV 1 - Paralysis Attack LV 1


    Active Skills


    Undying Body LV 10 - Telekinesis LV 3 - Reawaken LV 1 - Magic Warfare LV 2- Mental Warfare LV 1 - Magic Conferment LV 2 - Energy Conferment LV 2 - Ability Conferment LV 2 - Medicine Synthesis LV 1- Expel LV 1 - Naming LV 1


    Magic Skills


    Magic Power Operation LV 3 - Lightning Magic LV 1 - Shadow Magic LV 1 - Heretic Magic LV 1 Abyss Magic LV 1 - Recovery Magic LV 1


    Enchantment Skills


    Five Senses Enhancement LV 1 - Destruction Enhancement LV 3 - Cutting Enhancement LV 3 - Piercing Enhancement LV 3 - Impact Enhancement - Lightning Enhancement  LV 1 - Dark Enhancement LV 1


    Resistance Skills


    Physical Nullification - Status Condition Nullification - Faint Nullification - Fear Nullification - Heat Nullification - Freeze Nullification - Heresy Nullification


    Passive Skills


    Night Vision LV 10 - Dual Wield LV 1 - Gun Wielder LV 1 - Probability Correction LV 1 - Concealment LV 2- Stealth LV 2 - Silence LV 2- Odorless LV 10 - Heatless LV 10 - Perception Expansion LV 1 - Emperor LV 1 - Sniper LV 1


    Other Skills


    (None)


    Titles


    Ally Killer - Merciless - Fearbringer - Machinist - Bladedancer - Swashbuckler


    Affinity


    Darkness / Lightning / Necromancy


    Curse


    (None)


    ¡°There I showed you guys my Stats, can I go-¡± Solomon was immediately cut off as we looked at his resistance stats.


    ¡°Null to everything?!¡± We shouted.


    ¡°We really are  truly in an isekai world hehe..heeeh I¡¯m nearly losing my mind here. Everyone of us has something OP!¡± I sigh with a happy smile on my face. Knowing that my Legion members will be able to take care of themselves fills me with a sense of ease.


    ¡°You cannot go to sleep Princess Solomon,¡± Branele said, fixing her glasses, ¡° We¡¯re in a meeting remember


    ¡°Ah yes, I totally forgot about that considering we just spent the better half of an hour just checking out our bodies.


    Doesn¡¯t this spark your curiosity Solomon?¡± I asked Solomon with all smiles.


    ¡°Dude not going to lie, I¡¯m having trouble giving a fuck about things anymore. Like, I¡¯m undead now Yo I¡¯m literally dead inside and it¡¯s bumming me out. I got such low energy, very unlike me. Like everything is in a haze.¡±¡±  Before Solomon got all philosophical I asked her.


    ¡°You good dude?¡± I side-eye Solomon,


    ¡°Huh? Oh yeah I¡¯m good yo!¡± She waved me off. As I observe my closest friend there were some key things I liked about her


    She has pale white skin with silver hair, glowing green eyes and a huge cross that always seems to float behind her head. What I loved the most is that she was floating, it was so awesome. I want to float too. I asked her.


    Solomon, how are you able to float like that?


    ¡°Oh this? kinda second nature really I just telekeneticlally lift myself off the ground, it¡¯s way better than walking around


    ¡°Can I do that too!¡± I asked my friend.


    ¡°Of course, you do have wings y¡¯know¡± Solomon said


    ¡°Tsubasa what about you, what about you, huh?!¡± Kemo nudged me, which given her size, kinda hurt.


    ¡°I bet the boss is more OP than any of us combined


    I go and open my stats and let everyone see it.


    ¡°Well, how am I looking?


    Tsubasa       LV. 5      Skill Points: 700


    Baphomet


    Status:


    HP (Green)


    MP (Blue)


    SP (Yellow)


    SP (Red)


    Average Offense Ability: Greater


    Average Defense Ability: Greater


    Average Magic Ability: Greater


    Average Resistance Ability: Greater


    Average Speed Ability: Greater


    Skills:


    Stat & Ability Skills


    HP Rapid Recovery LV 2 - Height of Occultism LV 10 - SP Rapid Recovery LV 3 - SP Minimized Consumption LV 2 - Longevity LV 1 - Celestial Power LV 10 - Flash LV 3


    Leadership Skills


    Cooperation LV 7 - Leadership LV 8


    Perception Skills


    Wisdom LV 10 - Concentration LV 8 - Thought Acceleration LV 1 - Memory LV 2


    Attack Skills


    Energy Super-Attack LV 1 - Fire Attack LV 3 - Flame Attack LV 1 - Dark Attack LV 2 - Black Attack LV 1


    Active Skills


    Magic Conferment LV 1 - Energy Conferment LV 2 - Enshroud LV 1 - Magic Divinity LV 1 - Battle Divinity LV 1 - Naming LV 1 - Undying Body LV 1


    Magic Skills


    Fire Magic LV 2 - Flame Magic LV 1 - Dark Magic LV 2 - Black Magic LV 1 -


    Enchantment Skills


    Destruction Super-Enhancement LV 1 - Cutting Super-Enhancement LV 1 - Piercing Super-Enhancement LV 1 - Flame Enhancement LV 1 - Black Enhancement LV 1


    Resistance Skills


    Impact Resistance LV 1 - Cutting Resistance LV 1 - Piercing Resistance LV 1 - Fear Super-Resistance LV 1 - Heat Nullification - Heresy Nullification - Pain Resistance LV 2


    Passive Skills


    Five Senses Super-Enhancement LV 1  - Night Vision LV 10  - Evasion LV 2 - Odorless LV 1 - Perception Expansion LV 2 - Shell LV 3 - Ore Body LV 3 - Intimidation LV 4 - Tyrant LV 2 - Emperor LV 1 - Flight LV 1 - Dual Wield LV 1 - Reawaken LV 1 - Scythemanship LV 1


    Other Skills


    (None)


    Titles


    Ruler of Wisdom - Bladedancer - Reaper - Progenitor - Ally Killer


    Affinity


    Darkness / Fire / Scythe Mastery


    Curse


    (None)


    They all look at me with indifference.


    Yeah we expected you to be OP, but this is too much for just a toddler.¡± Kemo said


    Lucifer definitely pampered you¡± Belros said


    I examine myself for the first time since I''ve been born. I have black sclera eyes with white pupils. I''m covered head to toe in white fur and have markings all over my body . Nothing has changed, I just grew up a bit.

 Chapter 15: Steps Moving Forward

    "We''re going to do this two more times, when we''re teenagers and when we become full fledged adults, and next time we''ll do it in our underwear. No it''s not a kink, Kemo don''t even go there." I said


    "Whatever you say pervert." Kemo smiled a toothy grin. "You just want to see furry ass, I can show you furry ass right now."


    "Please don''t I''m not a lolicon" I flustered. "There''s nothing wrong with being interested with how our new bodies are being molded into killing weapons of mass destruction. I want to see it with my own two eyes." I clarified.


    "Boss is a furry" Kemo snickered


    "Boss is into my royal good charms" Constantia chimed in.


    "Creepy" Solomon chided


    "Alright whatever, did you get your giggles out? Are y''all good now?"


    "Mostly." Kemo said


    "Good, now onto the real reason why we''re all here and the plan moving forward. Lucifer gave ME the task of becoming the next Demon Lord. What are my cheats in this isekai? My friends, this [Wisdom Skill] and being a Baphomet, one of the strongest high-end monsters known to man. I''m a fucking deity in the making. Not only that but you three have cheat skills of your own. Constantia has insane wind magic affinity, Kemo has instant reflexes, and Solomon is nullified by practically everything that a person could throw at her."


    "I''m thinking with these skills we''ll be unstoppable with whatever is thrown at us, however, we''re going to pretend and act like we''re still one of the other children. Keep our powers to ourselves and don''t make a scene." I said.


    "I think that window has already passed for you, remember when you were two you blew up the classroom like five different times when they were just trying to gather how much affinity potential you have. Everybody already knows that you''re a powerhouse." Solomon said.


    "Damn you''re right" I agreed.


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if the King has taken interest in you, Tsubasa," Belros stated.


    "You think so? Maybe I''ll finally meet our father sooner than I thought. "I spoke.


    "Don''t get your hopes up, I hear some of the maids haven''t even met the man yet and they''ve been working here for years" Garland shrugged


    "That''s a little sad, if I have a father I''d want to meet him!" I got a little frustrated that I couldn''t meet the man who spawned me.


    "Why so hellbent out of shape about the King, Tsubasa" Constantia asked.


    "How can I not be, we all grew up as orphans and we all hated life for that but now we have parents now and you''re telling me that our father is too much of an asshole to not even see his kids?! Of course I''m frustrated. How do our mom''s even feel, being used and discarded like that? There''s no love there" I retorted.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "I do feel a little bad for my mother, and big sister. They seem really nice actually" Constantia said


    "My mom''s annoying so I don''t care," Solomon said with indifference.


    "I don''t feel too bad about it. I never had a soft spot for family. You''re all I have guys and I''m pretty content towards that. So what''s the plan boss?" Kemo asked.


    "The plan is simple, we''re going to train and grow stronger then. I want each of us to be at top form. It''s good that we''re so young right now, which means growth is two or three times more than usual. We''ll be powerful. I want all of us to be evolved before we even hit our teenage years. We''re going to smoke out that King and make him acknowledge us. I''ll drive that egotistical man out of his hiding place for sure.


    "Ahem, I do believe there are other matters to discuss other than our King" Branelle chimed in. "Like for example where we are in the first place." She brings out a map and sets it on the coffee table. We all gathered, except for Solomon who promptly fell asleep.


    "Here, this is where we are, the Demon Realm known as Porusha in the Kingdom of Kirine. The capital city is called Vasheen and the castle is located here. This is where we are." Branelle pointed.


    "And the humans are here, the human realm known as Earth, in the Kingdom of Eostia."


    "Eostia is the most powerful human nation in the world, of Ethyres" Branelle continued "As of this moment the humans have captured almost every single realm on the planet and the natives are being oppressed." Branelle finished


    Garland continued where Branelle left off,"


    "The reason why the humans are able to conquer the realms is because of the Hero Summoning. A ritual that summons a hero from another world. They''re always young and strong. Strong enough to take down a dragon. And the humans have summoned many heroes."


    "But the demons have a way to counteract the summoning now, us.And I mean that literally, we''re the only ones to counter this. There may be times where we encounter a Hero without even knowing it so be careful." Garland pointed out.


    "So we need to save each realm by subjugating it from its subjugators? Isn''t that just trading one tyrant to another?" Constantia said.


    "Not exactly because we''ll be restoring order to their lands and all we ask in return is that they become a vasssel state. This way we still have some control over the land." Nagai said


    "It''s not like it matters to us if one tyrant is traded for another just as long as the Tyrant knows how to treat their people right? I couldn''t care more. How many Realms are there?" I asked


    "Well there''s Earth, the realm of the humans all the way to the leftside''s middle of the map. Here is home to the Humanity, Havenborn, and Dwarvan; Porusha, realm of the demons at the rightside''s middle of the map. Here is home to Netherworlder, Spirits, and Necrophytes; and over here on top of Earth is Titania, realm of the fairies home to the Faelaydae; at the bottom of Earth we have Cacoon, realm of the Beastkins. Here there are the Beastkins, Zephyr, and Draco as well as the Insectoids making it the largest realm under human control. Nearing the water area is Roya, Realm of the Oceanids. Lastly, the realm next to ours is Arcadia, home of the Titans. So in total five realms make up the planet of Ethyres. " Branelle explained


    "So five continents in layman''s terms" Kemo added "And you''re telling me that all of them are occupied by humans except the demon realm? Oh fuck off!"


    "That''s a lot to deal with" I said


    "I''m not dealing with any of that" Solomon muttered, still half asleep.


    "We''ll have to eventually, we''re the only ones who can" I said.


    "I''m not doing anything, I''m just here to look pretty," Constantia said.


    "You''re not even pretty" Kemo taunted


    "Shut the fuck up, you''re not either"


    "At least I''m not a crybaby"


    "Quit arguing like a bunch of little kids!" I shouted. We all stopped and looked at each other.


    "We are a bunch of little kids, in fact we died as teens anyways"


    "Look, we''re going to have to deal with it whether we like it or not. We got too much riding on this. Facing damnation for all of eternity is something we can''t shrug off. If we''re going to do this, it''ll be the right way. We don''t have the liberty of choice." I exclaimed.


    "I''m not going to argue with you, I''m not a fan of the idea but I''ll follow your lead. I''m not a coward" Kemo said.


    "Me neither" Constantia said


    "Ditto" Solomon yawned


    "We will follow your lead. We trust you" Belros spoke


    "Then it''s settled, we''ll be the ones to liberate the realms and restore peace. But first things first, we have to get stronger. We''re going to have to work hard and not slack off. It''s time we start playing the roles we were given.

 Chapter 16: The Unexpected Visitor

    In the church we see an Angel praying to a statue of the Angel Goddess Hyperion. A young novice boy is approaching her from behind.


    "High priest, what are you praying for?" The novice asked.


    "Why I pray for the Divine Missions. For angels to come and fulfill their roles and then to leave, just like they always have. I pray for the next heroes to come soon and end the conflict between the demons and humanity." The High Priest turned around to face the novice.


    "Shouldn''t you also pray for victory instead, for your comrades on the battlefield?"


    "There are no victories and defeats in the war between the forces of light and darkness. At best, I could be considered one of the guardians of heaven. I would be better suited to pray for the safety of our brave heroes."


    "Is that so?" the Novice replied.


    And then the statue of Hyperion started to irradiate a blinding light. A Pillar of light sprung into the sky, into the very heavens themself as the Angel heard a voice in her head.


    "Magnificent, it''s been a while since the last hero summoning ritual. The time is almost upon us. The time of the prophesied one. The one who will bring about the end of the world. Soon I can finally rest and not have to deal with this insufferable world any longer. Hear me now my little Angel. The Demon Lord has been reincarnated. They''re in their infant stage but soon they will be the most powerful foe the heroes will have faced yet." Hyperion spoke.


    "My Lady, are you sure about this?" The Angel asked


    "Yes, now go and do as I command, my vessel, bring the heroes to this world and task them, eliminate the Demon Lord once more and bring about an everlasting piece."


    The Angel''s eyes glowed and then she fainted.


    The Novice noticing this, yelled out, "Remira, Remira are you okay? Guards GUARDS come quickly...


    ----


    Meanwhile at the training grounds Kemo and Constantia was training with Tsubasa to become more powerful and skilled warriors.


    "Come on Kemo, you gotta try harder!" Tsubasa shouted


    "I''m going as hard as I can!" Kemo yelled back


    "Don''t listen to her Kemo, you''re doing great!" Constantia shouted


    "You too Constantia! Keep up the good work!" Tsubasa shouted


    "Gahh!" Kemo grunted


    "Hehehe" Constantia giggledStolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Kemo swings her axe down with raw power causing a wave of earth to go towards Tsubasa. She dodge the blast by flying into the air. Meanwhile Constantia was hot on her heals causing a gust of wind to hit Tsubasa blasting her back down to earth crashing into a bunch of barrels full of practice weapons.


    "HAHAHAH" Tsubasa laughed "That was pretty good you guys, really good in fact, you totally got me there. Instead of being at each other''s throats you guys make a good team."


    "Yeah, it''s nice to have someone to watch my back." Kemo said


    "Yeah, I never knew how much I missed having friends until now." Constantia said


    "I miss video games." Solomon said, while laying on the ground, eating a lollipop.


    "You''re not even trying are you?" Tsubasa asked


    "Nope" Solomon said, "because my skills are solely necromancer based. I have to kill in order to use my power. As I said before I love animals, I''m not going to kill any creature I see just because it''d raise my level."


    "You got a point, maybe we can ask our moms for permission to head to a dungeon. There''s bound to be a lot of monsters to kill there Solomon, then you can raise your level and catch up to the rest of us." I said, skeptical if our moms would even let us go to a dungeon by ourselves. We cleaned up our mess and headed out separately to ask our moms.


    When we all gathered at the edge of the city gate. One of us was lagging behind though, Constantia has yet to make her appearance. Until she finally showed up with an unexpected chaperone.


    "Hey guys" She spoke embarrassed, "soooo I got permission to come as long as my sister here watches over us. Her name is Gwendoline. Say high to my friends, Gwen"


    "I can''t believe mom told me I have to watch over my little sister and a bunch of babies in a dungeon. Don''t expect me to do all the work clearing monsters for you fools. Why are you guys even going to a dungeon anyway?"


    Gwendoline is an owl mage with red sclera eyes and white pupils. Her feathers were a darker shade of midnight blue, while her face was as white as snow with a black beak. She had long feathery hair and bangs on one side of her face. She wore adventuring gear and had a shortsword sheathed ready for dungeon exploration.


    "Ooh you are quite the charmer aren''t you" I said


    "What was that?" Gwen asked.


    "I totally get your type. You¡¯re a rebel aren¡¯t you? Just like the rest of us¡± I said with a sly smile.


    She looked at me weirdly. Sizing me up.


    ¡°Anywho, we''re going to the Dungeon to help out our friend Solomon level up and acquire new monsters to necromance so her necromancy skill can level up.


    "So like what''s your arsenal?"


    "I''m a scythe user and I use dark and fire magic." I say proudly


    "I use wind magic, a really good big sister," Constantia said. "No doubt you''ll be amazed. I also take up using the rapier"


    "You use a rapier sword? Since when?" Gwendoline asked


    "Since Tsubasa told me I have an affinity to become a Red Mage with practice. It was a little tough at first but I got the hang of magic swordplay"


    "Necromancy and gunplay, although I don''t know where nor how I''m supposed to get my hands on firearms in a fantasy world" Solomon spoke.


    "Fantasy world?" Gwen asked.


    "AH Nevermind her Gwendoline, so you''re our cute Legion member''s big sister. I like you already, you know that? You''re pretty but are you pretty strong?" Kemo challenged.


    "Oh please, as if any of you could be stronger than me, you''re all just pipsqueaks. I have years of experience."


    We all looked at each other and smiled, shaking our heads.


    "Oh you poor soul, you have no idea what you''re getting into," Kemo said.


    "Yeah you''re all dead wrong" Gwen retorted.


    "If you say so, but I will say this. In a few years time you''ll be eating those words. You''ll be kissing our feet begging for forgiveness." I said.


    "Try me, little brat." Gwendoline taunted.


    "You want to make a wager then?" I asked


    "Try me" Gwen smiled


    "I bet that us pipsqueaks can kill more monsters than you"


    "And what do I get out of this if I win" Gwen spoke.


    "If you win we''ll do whatever you ask us to for a whole week" I say


    "A whole week of chores? Now that sounds fantastic, you got yourself a deal shorty!"


    With a firm handshake we made off to the dungeon to not only help a friend but to win a bet¡­

 Chapter 17: Dungeon Delvers

    "We''re here, Catacombs of the Mourning Warrior," Gwendoline continues "They say this is where a Hero''s lover died while protecting him. So stricken with grief he took his own life right here in this dungeon but his soul never found peace, now forced to watch over the dungeon as his lover''s body decays in front of him making the Hero go crazy with guilt and sadness. Of course that''s just a legend, all dungeons have different legends about them. Just so you know I''m not here to help you twerps. I''m here to win a bet!" She smiled as she tightened her gloves.


    Y''all ready good thing we ditched those princess dresses for more practical wear. I feel like myself again" Constantia said


    "Tell me about it, feels good to be wearing pants for once" Solomon agreed


    "And shorts," Kemo added.


    "What are you guys gossiping about?" Gwendoline looked at us skeptically.


    "Oh nothing" I said.


    As we stood right outside the dungeon entrance, I spoke. "Ready to lose the bet"


    "Pffft yeah as if I''m going to lose to a bunch of toddlers" she smirked.


    Then let''s begin


    -----


    A few hours later


    "This is unbelievable, how are you four so good at killing monsters, this is your first dungeon!"


    "Killing just comes naturally to us" I wave her off.


    "Hey remember why we''re really here guys, I need an army of undead, let me get the final strike" Solomon said frustratingly as she let out a surge of lightning based attacks, killing all the enemies before her.


    Final strike my ass, I''m having too much fun!" Kemo shouts


    "Geez you really turned into a battlesexual maniac bitch you know that, girl?!" Constantia says as she twirls around a skeleton and throws a gust of wind at it, destroying it.


    We all gather into the middle as we take a break and talley up..


    "So how many does that make, forty?" I said


    "I lost count," Kemo uttered.


    "Who gives a shit anyways look at my sister''s face" Constantia smiled.


    "You were saying? How can little twerps like us possibly fight? You wouldn''t believe it even if I told you, we have years of experience, way beyond you" I said


    Gwendoline looked flabbergasted, her face turning a shade of red. She then laughed. "heeheheh...you guys got me, you were all so amazing! How did you all possibly learn to fight like that! And you too little sister, I didn''t know you and your friends were so amazing. I take back everything I said about you guys...you''re alright with me. I''m going to tell all my friends what a cool little sis I have.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Easy easy there with the ass kissing one-eighty flip. We still have a bet, you bailing out now?" I asked


    "Honestly," she scratches her head, "yeah I think I am, after witnessing how you all fight first hand, there''s no way I could catch up to your already giant headcount. So yeah I concede defeat, I''ll do whatever you want me to do for an entire week"


    "Actually we have a better proposition" Constantia smiled and looked at Tsubasa for approval, she shook her head in affirmation, "why don''t you join our gang, The Legion?"


    "The Legion? What''s that"


    I step in "The Legion is my gang, we''re just a bunch of friends and family who get up to some mischief and killing sprees. However, we have bigger more grander goals in mind"


    Gwendoline kneels down to be eye level with me and took me seriously for once, "What kind of goals"


    "Gwendoline," I touch her cute face, "We''re going to liberate the world from human tyranny. I Tsubasa will become the next Demon Lord"


    She looks at me dead serious and looks at her sister, she shakes her head in affirmation. She then looks at the rest of my friends who give the same answer "You''re really serious...heh the next Demon Lord. I could just be talking to the next Demon Lord" She smiled and got up.


    "That''s the plan" I smile


    "Well then, I''m all in. So what''s the plan, oh mighty Demon Lord wannabe?"


    "We''re going to clear this dungeon and get Solomon a rare boss monster to necromance." I said


    "I can hardly wait, I''m beaming with anticipation!" Solomon deadpan as she fist pumps the air.


    "We''re seriously going to attack the boss of this place?" Gwendoline asked.


    "Yup, if that''s what the boss says then that''s what we''ll do." Constantia smiled at her sister.


    We made our way deeper into the dungeon, killing more monsters along the way. We eventually came to a fork in the road.


    "Left or right?" Kemo asked


    "Right, the boss will be at the end of the dungeon" I said


    "I don''t think so, the other way seems to be the path of least resistance, it''s probably the safer route." Gwendoline suggested.


    "I''m with the boss, we''re going to the right," Solomon said.


    "It''s settled then" I smiled as we headed to the right.


    "Are you sure about this, guys?" Gwendoline asked


    "Don''t worry, we''ll be fine" Constantia assured


    "I have faith in you, boss" Kemo said


    "Same" Solomon uttered


    "Just follow our lead, Gwendoline" I said


    As we continued, the dungeon began to grow darker and darker.


    "I have a bad feeling about this," Gwendoline said.


    "You''re probably right, I don''t see any monsters here" I said


    "Me neither, and the torches are starting to go out" Solomon said


    "I hope we don''t get lost down here" Kemo said


    "I''m sure we''ll be fine, it''s not like we''re in an isekai world that''s filled with traps and puzzles. Hahaha" Constantia laughed.


    "You''re right, we''ll be fine" I say.


    And then the floor collapsed beneath us.


    "AAAAAAHHHHHHHH" We all screamed as we fell.


    "HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, FUCK YOU CONSTANTIA!!! Kemo yelled.


    ------


    "Ugh...guys...everyone okay?" I asked


    "I''m alive, I''m okay" Constantia said


    "Me too" Gwendoline said


    "Me three, this is all your fault Constantia, you just had to jinx us" Kemo said and slapped the back of Constantia''s feathery head.


    "I floated down" Solomon said


    "Hey don''t slap my little sister" Gwendoline scowled


    "Shut up,  or I''ll slap you too bitch!" They both started growling at each other.


    "Good, I''m glad everyone is safe and none worse for wear. Let''s get out of here" I said.


    "Um...where is here exactly?" Solomon asked. Right on queue a bunch of torches lit up revealing a long corridor leading to a big door.


    "Seems like that trap was actually a hidden passage to the boss floor" I said as my eyes wander around the hall.


    "Sorry," Kemo said to the two sisters. Constantia bonks her on the head.


    We all head towards the big door prepared to face the boss and put his soul to work...

 Chapter 18: Clash of the Fallen Hero

    The large door opens revealing a warrior clad head to toe in shimmering white armor kneeling at an altar. Torches one by one light up in blue flames revealing the boss¡¯ domain. Resting next to him was a golden shimmering sword as he awaited his next challenger.


    ¡°Are you here to put an end to my misery?¡± The Hero speaks.


    ¡°We¡¯re here to kick your sorry ass!¡± Kemo said as she sticked up her middle finger. Brandishing her chain axes.


    ¡°Very well then you all will perish like so many before you.¡± He stands up, weapon in hand as he takes up his stance and his weapon starts to glow.


    ¡°Watch out, he¡¯s preparing an energy attack!¡± Gwendoline says as he swings his sword.


    We all dodge the barrage of consistent swings, taking cover behind pillars as the swinging subsides.


    ¡°Cover me, I¡¯ll try to paralyze him to give you guys an opening. It¡¯ll take some time, however,¡± Solomon said as she casted her spell.


    As Solomon began to chant the words of her spell, her fingers weaving through the air in a complex arcane pattern, Kemo tightened her grip on her chain axes. "Let¡¯s go, everyone!" she shouted, readying herself for the next phase of the battle. Gwendoline, took a deep breath and steadied her sword, watching the warrior intently.


    The Hero¡¯s glowing sword pulsed with energy, crackling with an almost unnatural force as he swung it in a series of wide arcs, the air itself vibrating from the raw power of each blow. His eyes locked onto the group, and a deep growl escaped his lips.


    ¡°You will not live to see the dawn!,¡± he growled, voice tinged with centuries of suffering. He took a step forward, the ground beneath his feet cracking with each movement.


    I signaled to the others to spread out. "We need to keep him distracted while Solomon works her magic!"


    Kemo grinned, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "You got it!" She lunged forward, her chain axes whirling in a blur of steel, striking at the Hero with blinding speed. Each swing was met with the sound of metal crashing against metal as the warrior parried with skill that only centuries of battle could refine. Gwendoline, right behind Kemo, her attacks were also parried with great speed.


    Solomon¡¯s chant grew louder, her voice gaining power as she focused all her energy into the spell. ¡°Just a little longer¡­¡±


    The Hero¡¯s expression twisted with fury. With a mighty roar, he slammed his sword into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling swords outward from the ground. The shockwave sent Kemo tumbling back, but she quickly regained her footing, ready to strike again.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± she hissed, her knuckles white around the axes. "Why won¡¯t he just die already?!"


    ¡°Focus on his movements!¡± Gwendoline called out.


    ¡°Keep him distracted!¡± I said as I threw fire attacks at him.


    Kemo grinned and darted back into the fray, each swing of her chain axes now more erratic, more unpredictable. The Hero blocked and countered with precision, but his movements were beginning to slow, the strain of the battle showing in his posture.


    "Now, Solomon!" I urged.


    With a final, explosive shout, ¡°BREAK¡±, Solomon thrust her hands forward, releasing a wave of purple energy that shot through the air toward the Hero. It slammed into his chest, a crackling barrier of arcane power shimmering as it made contact. The warrior staggered back, his sword faltering in his grip.


    ¡°Now¡¯s our chance!¡± I yelled, charging forward with a battle cry scythe in hand.


    With the Hero temporarily paralyzed by Solomon¡¯s magic, Kemo, Gwen and I launched ourselves at him while Constantia boosts our speed with her wind enhancements. Kemo¡¯s axes slicing through the air in a deadly arc. I poured all my energy into a vertical slash. Gwen also uses wind magic to perform a fury of fast attacks. The Hero attempted to bring his sword up to block, but it was too late. Kemo¡¯s chain axes slammed into his armor, the impact sending sparks flying.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The Hero groaned in pain, a flash of something like contemplation in his eyes for the first time. He was on the defensive, struggling to regain control of the fight.


    The Hero staggered, his once-pristine white armor now dented and scorched from our relentless assault. His sword, still glowing faintly, trembled in his hand as he fought to maintain his footing. The air around him pulsed with the weight of centuries of war and bitterness, but for the first time, the walls of his pride seemed to crack.


    Kemo, always quick to exploit a weakness, lunged again, her chain axes whipping around with a deadly precision. She smirked as one of her blades glanced off his armor, leaving a deep gash in the metal.


    "Gotcha!" she hissed, pulling the axes back for another strike.


    But the Hero was quick, his eyes burning with a fierce resolve. He shifted his stance, raising his sword just in time to parry Kemo¡¯s attack. The clash echoed through the chamber, and a shockwave of force erupted, knocking us all back several paces.


    Gwendoline, ever vigilant, reacted immediately. She cast a wind barrier around herself, shielding her from the blast, then charged in with a series of rapid thrusts aimed at his vulnerable spots. Each strike was met with the ringing of steel, but the Hero was beginning to slow, his movements not as fluid as before.


    "He''s weakening," Gwendoline shouted, her voice steady even as she dodged another counterattack. "Keep pressing!"


    I nodded, wiping the sweat from my brow. The battle was taking its toll on all of us, but we couldn''t afford to let up now. With a roar, I surged forward, my scythe glowing with renewed energy. The Hero tried to block, but I aimed low, using the momentum to swipe at his legs. The blade cut through the air like a blade through silk, and the Hero grunted as my strike found its mark.


    The warrior stumbled, and for a brief moment, I saw hesitation flicker in his eyes¡ªa crack in the once-impregnable wall of his stoic resolve. He took a step back, eyes flicking toward Solomon, who was gathering more energy for another spell.


    "Solomon!" I yelled, urging her on.


    With a deep breath, Solomon¡¯s eyes snapped open, her voice once again rising in power. The magic crackled around her as she called upon the arcane forces with an intensity that made the very air hum. "This is it! I just need a little more time!"


    The Hero¡¯s sword glowed brighter, but his movements were increasingly erratic. Sweat dripped down his brow, his breaths labored as he tried to focus. He swung his sword in another wide arc, but this time, it was slower¡ªmore calculated, yet tinged with desperation.


    "He''s not the invincible hero anymore," Kemo growled, her grin widening. "He¡¯s just a man... and we¡¯re gonna finish this!"


    With a final battle cry, Kemo launched herself at him, her axes flying in an intricate dance of destruction. The Hero raised his sword to block, but it was too late. Kemo¡¯s swing landed true, slicing through the enchanted metal of his armor, the blow sending a shockwave that echoed through the room.


    The Hero let out a strangled gasp, his grip loosening on the sword. He staggered backward, his knees buckling as the weight of his century-long battle began to collapse upon him. The sword flickered in his hand, its glow dimming as the magic that had sustained him for so long seemed to drain away.


    "Now, Solomon!" I called, sensing the opening.


    With a final, desperate cry, Solomon thrust her hands forward, her voice shaking with raw power. The spell erupted in a burst of violet lightning, hitting the Hero square in the chest. The force of the magic was overwhelming, knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling across the floor.


    The Hero gasped for breath, his body twitching as if the last remnants of his life force were being ripped from him. His once-mighty form was now crumpled on the ground, his sword lying useless by his side.


    I stood over him, scythe raised, ready to strike the final blow. But something in the air had changed. His eyes, once filled with rage and defiance, now seemed... empty. There was no fight left in him. Only a look of resignation.


    ¡°You have bested me and proved worthy of ending my centuries of suffering. You are all indeed strong, now do it¡­my Ovilia awaits me in the afterlife.¡± The fallen Hero spoke.


    ¡°Solomon¡­you¡¯re up¡± I said


    Solomon approaches the warrior and with a final cast of lightning, the warrior is defeated. She then knelt down and opened her God¡¯s Blessing.


    FALLEN HERO ZENOS DAN MARVEL


    PALADIN


    WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESURRECT THIS CORPSE?


    ¡ú<YES> / <NO>


    With that a shade enveloped the fallen Paladin who¡¯s name now revealed to be Zenos. ANd standing before us was a tall Paladin shadow of the former hero.


    We couldn¡¯t contain our excitement anymore and let out a cheer as some of us collapsed onto the ground utterly exhausted.


    "You did it, Solomon!" Kemo exclaimed, throwing her arms around her friend.


    "We did it," Solomon corrected, a smile spreading across her face. "We all did it."


    I felt a warm glow of pride in my chest. We had accomplished something truly incredible today. We had defeated a foe that had bested countless adventerers before us. And we had done it as a team.


    A massive treasure chest appeared right before us at the altar where the Paladin once waited.


    We¡¯ve all gathered by it eagerly wanting to look inside,


    "Well, what are we waiting for?" Kemo said, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Let''s open it!"


    We all took a deep breath as the chest creaked open.


    "Holy shit" I said, my eyes widening as the contents of the chest were revealed.


    "That''s a lot of gold," Gwendoline said, her voice tinged with awe.


    "And a lot of other stuff," Constantia added, her eyes darting around the chest.


    "Look there''s even new gear in here" I said as I picked up the awesome new outfit, a white jacket, shorts, and shoes with zippers all over it. Guess it''s not wanting in utilities. I put it on and asked my Legion members, "How do I look girls?"


    "You look amazing, boss" Kemo said


    "Wow you look so cool Tsubasa" Constantia said


    "You look good," Solomon said, her eyes roving over the outfit.


    "I think I look great, thanks" I smiled


    "Look there''s a new weapon for me too" Gwendoline said as she picked up a new sword, a single-edged blade with a golden hilt and a blue gem embedded in the pommel.


    "Ooh, that looks like a powerful sword," Constantia said, her eyes sparkling with admiration.


    "It''s beautiful," Gwendoline breathed, running her fingers along the blade.


    "It''s perfect," I said, my eyes gleaming with excitement.


    "Yes, it is," Gwendoline agreed, her voice filled with wonder.


    "Hey look there''s a new scythe for me too," I say as I pick it up and admire it, a large red scythe with a black blade. It even has a chain wrapped around the shaft. This is going to be so much fun.


    "Whoa, that''s a really cool scythe," Kemo said, her eyes wide with amazement.


    "Now onto the money...yeeeah I''m confiscating it all and we won''t be telling anybody about the gold lest it gets taken away.


    "What but why?" Kemo shouted.


    "Legion funds."


    Kemo let out a sigh, "That actually makes...sense.


    As we gathered all the loot we started to make our way towards the exit...

 Chapter 18.5: First Contact

    After leaving the large corridor, we made our way back to the trap that had served as a hidden passage to the boss room. Our steps were slow, each of us feeling the weight of the battle we''d just survived. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the exhaustion from the fight was setting in. Despite our victory, our bodies ached from the relentless combat, every muscle protesting with each movement.


    The echoes of the dungeon seemed louder now as we navigated the winding hallways. The tension had finally loosened, but we couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief mixed with the physical toll. We had taken down the boss, a formidable foe that had tested every ounce of our strength and strategy, but now we were paying the price.


    As we reached the familiar trapdoor that marked the passage back, a quiet cheer went up between us. Though we were tired, the feeling of triumph over our opponent helped ease the aches. With a final glance at the darkened hallway behind us, we stepped through the hidden passage, eager to get back to the surface and find rest, knowing we had conquered the dungeon at last.


    Until we started to hear footsteps coming our way.


    At first, it was faint¡ªa soft tapping echoing through the stone corridors. But it grew louder, unmistakable and deliberate. We all froze, exchanging wary glances. The dungeon, for all its secrets and traps, had seemed eerily quiet just moments ago, but now the sound of approaching footsteps cut through the silence like a blade.


    "Stop," Gwendoline whispered, her voice low but firm. Her sharp instincts had saved us more times than we could count, and we trusted her judgement implicitly.


    We froze in place, holding our breath as the footsteps drew nearer. They weren¡¯t the hurried, panicked steps of someone fleeing¡ªthey were slow, methodical, as though the person knew exactly where they were going. The air seemed to thicken with tension once more.


    Until they finally made their presence known. Before them were four adventurers. Five human adventurers. I used my appraisal skill on them to see what classes they are. A Paladin, Sage,  Monk, and a Bard.


    "Monsters!" The Paladin yells, "on your guard team!" As they got into formation, Gwendoline recoils


    "Monsters? Are you blind? We''re not monsters, we''re clearly people. My sister and I are Zephyrs", pointing to Solomon, "that''s a Necrophyte," Pointing to me, "that''s a Netherworlder," lastly pointing to Kemo, "And that''s a Beastkin, see no monsters"


    "Oh...I see" The Paladin spoke , "So just a bunch of Demons" they scoff.


    "I never met humans before but you''re definitely souring the mood" Gwendoline said.


    "What are a bunch of demons doing in the dungeon" the Bard spoke


    "None of your fucking business" Constantia replied.


    "Same goes back to you four" Gwen points, "What are a bunch of humans doing in Netherworlder territory."


    The atmosphere grew tense as Gwendoline''s sharp retort hung in the air. The Paladin, still in a defensive stance, clenched his sword tighter, eyes narrowing at the mix of surprise and suspicion that crossed his face. "Netherworlder territory?" he repeated, the word seemingly foreign to him, though it was clear that his warrior instincts kept him on edge.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Monk, a lithe figure with eyes like hawks, glanced back at their group, silently calculating their options. Her fingers twitched near her gauntlet weapons, and though she said nothing, her body language screamed readiness.


    The Bard, ever the talker, stepped forward slightly, his lute bow slung over his back. "We¡¯re not here for a fight, demons. We¡¯ve got no interest in bloodshed if we can avoid it," he said, his tone placating, though tinged with condescension. "We simply wanted to see what was causing the disturbance in this dungeon. It''s our job as adventurers."


    "Disturbance?" Solomon¡¯s voice cut through the conversation, dry and sharp. "You mean our victory? You¡¯re welcome, by the way. It¡¯s not easy taking down that boss."


    "Victory, huh, you kids took down the boss?" The Sage, who had been silent up until now, adjusted his glasses and leaned on his staff. "I¡¯d wager you weren¡¯t the only ones aiming for the real threat. But I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not here just for the treasure, are you?"


    The tension between both groups was palpable. Every one of the adventurers had a hand on their weapons or spellcasting implements, ready for any sudden movements, but no one made the first aggressive move.


    Constantia, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. "So, if you¡¯re just here for a fight, we can give you one," she said, her voice cold and threatening, though her posture was one of fatigue. "But if you¡¯re here to ask questions, I¡¯d suggest you make them quick."


    For a moment, there was silence, the only sound being the faint echoes of the dungeon. Finally, the Bard nodded, though his smile didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. "No need to escalate things. We were just curious. It¡¯s not every day you find a group like you in a place like this."


    "You''re in netherworlder territory, of course you''d find a party like ours" Gwen spoke irritably.


    The Monk¡¯s eyes flicked between the members of the opposing party, assessing their strength and resolve. She spoke quietly, her voice a low growl. "We came here for a reason. Just like you. Though our paths differ."


    "Yeah, well, that reason doesn¡¯t include fighting you," Gwendoline retorted, her hand now resting on the hilt of her sword, though it remained sheathed. "But don''t mistake our passiveness for weakness."


    The Paladin raised his sword, though it was more of a gesture than a direct threat. "We don¡¯t have time for your games. The dungeon is ours to clear. Get out of the way, or we¡¯ll make you."


    Gwen¡¯s eyes narrowed, her expression one of hard resolve. "This dungeon doesn¡¯t belong to you nor anyone," she replied coolly, her gaze locking onto the Paladin¡¯s. "You¡¯d do well to remember that. Now, unless you¡¯re here to make trouble, I suggest you leave us be. You might find things¡­ more difficult if you don¡¯t." She bluffed, clearly the dungeon put much strain on her body.


    The Sage sighed, shaking his head. "Enough. of this" He raised a hand, signaling for calm. "We can¡¯t afford to waste time with these demons. We¡¯ll leave you to your business, but be warned: this dungeon has a lot more than just a boss. There¡¯s something else, something dangerous, lurking deeper within. It¡¯s not something you want to deal with."


    Gwendoline raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous? If it''s not the boss, then you¡¯ve already failed, haven¡¯t you?"


    "We haven¡¯t failed," the Paladin interjected sharply. "We¡¯re just gathering information. But if you¡¯d rather ignore the warning¡­" His eyes flicked over his team. "Then be our guest."


    The Monk snorted, clearly unimpressed by the exchange.


    With that, the tension seemed to break. The adventurers hesitated for just a moment longer, and then, wordlessly, they turned and began walking away, their footsteps echoing down the winding corridor.


    Solomon shook her head, looking at the retreating figures. "Humans. Always so sure of themselves, even when they¡¯re out of their depth. Even in this world, humans are scum."


    Kemo, who had been quiet throughout the entire exchange, finally spoke, her voice low but thoughtful. "Do you think they¡¯re telling the truth?"


    Gwendoline gave a small shrug, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe. But whatever it is, we¡¯ve already fought through the worst of it. We¡¯ll deal with whatever else comes our way. Together."


    The dungeon felt eerily still again as the adventurers disappeared from sight. The lingering tension was still there, but it was easier to breathe now. Whatever the humans were up to, it didn¡¯t concern them for the moment.


    "As the eldest kid here, I''ll have to report this to my mom and she''ll report it to father. Something is definitely going down...and with that, they exit the dungeon and make their way home to Vasheen...

 Chapter 19: Morning After Party

    Tsubasa and her friends returned to the city of Vasheen, exhausted and battered from their battle with the fallen hero. They had won, but the fight had taken its toll.


    "Ugh, I''m beat," Kemo groaned, stretching her arms above her head.


    "Me too," Solomon agreed, her voice muffled by a yawn.


    "We did it, guys," Constantia said, her face lighting up with a smile. "We defeated the boss!"


    "Yup, we did," Tsubasa agreed, her chest swelling with pride.


    "It was a tough fight, but we pulled through," Gwendoline added, her expression tired but satisfied.


    "That was fun," Kemo grinned, her tail wagging behind her.


    "Now, let''s go home and rest," Tsubasa said, leading the group back towards the city gates.


    The walk back was a quiet one, the exhaustion and adrenaline of the fight finally catching up to them. The streets were mostly empty, the citizens of Vasheen having long since retired for the evening.


    "I can''t wait to take a bath," Constantia said, her feathers ruffling.


    "I''m gonna eat an entire feast," Kemo said, her stomach rumbling loudly.


    "I''m just gonna sleep," Solomon said, her eyes half-closed.


    "Same, well after the bath and reporting to our mother" Gwendoline agreed, stifling a yawn.


    "Yeah, I could use a good night''s sleep," I said, my feet aching.


    As we approached the gates, the guards greeted us warmly.


    "Welcome back, young masters," the guard said, his voice respectful.


    "Thank you," I said, giving him a tired smile.


    "Did you have a successful adventure?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.


    "Yes, we did," I replied, feeling a surge of pride.


    "Congratulations," the other guard said, her expression warm.


    "Thanks," I said, returning her smile.


    "Well, have a good night, young masters," the first guard said, waving us off.


    "You too," I said, bidding them farewell.


    As we walked through the gates, the exhaustion of the day finally hit me. In my bedroom I decided I would undress myself and take a small nap.


    Vazeth walks into the room and noticing her daughter''s sleeping face couldn''t help but let out a small sigh of relief knowing that her baby was safe from harm. She approaches her sleeping baby and strokes her head, parting the bangs covering Tsubasa''s eye.


    "Sleep well, my little angel" Vazeth whispered, her voice soft and loving.


    "Mmm...mom" Tsubasa mumbled, her face nuzzling against her mother''s hand.


    Vazeth smiled, her heart warming at the sight. She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter''s forehead.


    "Goodnight, sweetheart," she whispered, her voice barely audible.


    With that, she also undresses and puts on her nightgown and goes to bed with her little Tsubasa.


    ------


    The next morning, the sun shone brightly through the windows, its rays casting a warm glow over the room. Tsubasa stirred, blinking awake. The events of the previous day came rushing back to her, and she couldn''t help but smile.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "We did it," I murmured, my voice still thick with sleep.


    I stretched her arms, feeling the aches and pains of the battle. my muscles were sore, and my body was covered in bruises and scratches, but I didn''t care. I had survived, and my friends had too. Not to mention the loot we all got.


    "Mom, are you awake?" I called out.


    There was no response.


    I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My mother wasn''t in the room.


    "Hmm, I guess she''s already left," I muttered, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.


    I stood up and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. As I was about to leave the bathroom, I noticed my reflection in the mirror.


    "I look different somehow but I can''t really put my finger on it" I thought.


    "Oh, well," I shrugged, deciding not to worry about it.


    I exited the bathroom and started getting dressed, picking out an elegant outfit.


    "I wonder where everyone is," I mused, heading out of the room.


    The mansion was quiet, the servants going about their daily tasks.


    "Good morning, young mistress," one of the maids greeted, her voice polite.


    "Morning," I said, giving her a smile.


    "Would you like some breakfast?" she asked, her expression friendly.


    "No, thanks," I said, shaking my head.


    "Alright, then," she said, bowing her head.


    "Have a good day," I said, waving her off.


    "You as well," she replied, her tone warm.


    The maids murmur with each other if the young mistress somehow looked different.


    I headed towards the dining hall, hoping to find my friends.


    "Morning, guys," I said, spotting the familiar faces.


    "Hey, Tsubasa," Kemo said, her mouth full of food.


    "Good morning, yo..." Solomon said, her voice sleepy.


    "Morning," Gwendoline said, sipping her tea.


    "How are you feeling?" Constantia asked, her eyes filled with concern.


    "I feel a little different than usual, is something wrong with me?" I said, taking a seat at the table.


    "I think you grew an inch or two actually," Constantia said, her expression puzzled.


    Kemo took another look at me and spat out her food chunks at Solomon


    ¡°AW YUCK BITCH WHAT THE FUCK?!-¡± Solomon was cut off


    ¡°OH MY GOD YOUR HORNS ARE CURLING!¡± Kemo shouted


    ¡°What? No way!¡± I was flabbergasted


    ¡°Did you evolve overnight?¡± Constantia chimed in.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so maybe I just had an increase in stats which changed my appearance a bit¡± I said thinking.


    "What about you all?" I asked, looking at the others.


    "I''m fine, no changes here" Kemo said, her tail wagging.


    "Same, yo" Solomon said, her eyes half-closed.


    "I''m alright," Gwendoline said, her expression thoughtful.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Constantia said while looking at her sister.


    "That''s good," I said, feeling a wave of relief.


    "So, what''s the plan for today?" Kemo asked, her gaze curious.


    Gwendoline cleared her throat demanding our attention, "I spoke with our mother yesterday and she''s already informing father...don''t be surprised if we all get summoned to the throne room and give our report personally.


    I asked, "how much do you know about our shared father Gwendoline?"


    "Not much if I am to be honest with you" she shook her head, "I only ever met him once but from what I gathered at that young age is that he''s a powerful man but he seems kinda aloof. Like he''s always busy. I like to believe that he loves each and every one of us unconditionally...or he may be a tyrant I don''t know. At a certain age we all meet him at least once".


    "Let''s just agree to stick together until we are summoned. I think all our mothers will be attending as well. Today is going to be a big day for us all" Gwendoline said with a sigh as she rolled her eyes, "I just hope our mothers won''t stoop to petty jabs at each other."


    "Why do you say that sister?" Constantia asked Gwen.


    "Have you ever even seen our mothers together in one room? We may be friends but do you guys even realize that we''re all competitors of the title of Demon Lord. Every child born from the Kings of the three cities are Demon Lord candidates. We are Demon Lord candidates of Vasheen, then there¡¯s Enkidu and Gaelgamora. By all rights we should be at each other''s throats."


    "Oh, yeah, that makes sense," Kemo said, her expression thoughtful.


    "Well, we''re not," I said, my voice firm.


    "Yeah, we''re not," Constantia agreed, her gaze resolute.


    "We''re not," Solomon echoed, her eyes locking onto mine.


    "We''re not," Gwendoline repeated, her tone softening slightly.


    "We''ll stick together, no matter what," I said, my expression determined.


    "Yeah, we will," Kemo said, her voice filled with conviction.


    "We will," Solomon said, her eyes gleaming with resolve.


    "We will," Constantia said, her feathers ruffling.


    "...we will," Gwendoline said, her expression relaxing. Feeling the soft warmth of companionship for the first time ever.


    Look whatever happens we''ll show them all that we''re a team and we get things done as a team, nothing will ever break us apart, we are Legion first and foremost.


    The air in the dining hall shifted, the weight of their words settling in as they all silently acknowledged the challenge ahead. The thought of facing their parents, particularly the aloof and powerful demon king, sent a ripple of unease through the group. Yet, each of them held their ground, their bonds stronger than any potential rivalry.


    "We¡¯re ready for whatever comes," Tsubasa said, her voice unwavering, as she glanced around at her friends. "Let¡¯s show them what we''ve got."


    Kemo grinned, her fangs flashing in the light. "Hell yeah! No one''s taking us down."


    Solomon yawned, her sleepy demeanor betraying her inner determination. "As long as I get food afterward, I''m game."


    Constantia¡¯s eyes sparkled with a quiet intensity. "The trials may be tough, but we¡¯ve fought through worse. We''ll handle whatever they throw at us."


    Gwendoline¡¯s gaze softened as she looked at her friends, her usual guarded nature giving way to something more vulnerable. "Together, we''ll prove that we¡¯re more than just candidates. We¡¯re a family."


    Tsubasa smiled at Gwendoline''s words, her heart swelling with pride. It was true. They had faced countless challenges, fought battles, and grown stronger with each step. Their shared experiences had forged a bond far deeper than mere competition for a title.


    As the conversation settled, they all finished their breakfast in companionable silence, each of them preparing for what was to come. Despite the looming uncertainty, they knew that as long as they stood united, no force¡ªbe it from their parents or anyone else¡ªcould break them apart.


    The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall, and one of the maids entered, her face slightly more serious than usual. "Young mistress, your mother has requested your presence in the throne room immediately," she said.


    Tsubasa nodded, exchanging glances with her friends. "Looks like it¡¯s time."


    The group stood, their resolve firm as they made their way toward the throne room.

 Chapter 20: The King

    Tsubasa stepped into the throne room, her friends trailing closely behind her. The grandiosity of the space, with its high ceiling, marble floors, and soft golden light, only intensified the sense of gravity in the air. Every corner of the room seemed to echo with centuries of history and power¡ªan unspoken reminder of what awaited them.


    As the doors closed behind them, the group moved forward, their footsteps reverberating off the polished stone. At the far end of the room, seated on a throne of dark, gleaming stone, was Vazeth, Tsubasa¡¯s mother. She was as regal and formidable as ever, her eyes sharp and calculating as they fixed on her daughter. Beside her, three other women sat¡ªeach exuding the same imposing presence. Tsubasa couldn¡¯t help but notice the familiarity in the air, sensing that these were not strangers, but mothers of her closest friends.


    Standing next to them, on a raised platform, was the King of Vasheen¡ªthe man whose existence loomed over her entire life, yet whom she had never truly known. He was a figure of undeniable authority, his posture straight and his gaze piercing as he surveyed the room. His features were stern, yet there was something in his eyes that suggested a depth beyond what his regal exterior let on. It was clear that this was the first time they were truly meeting face-to-face.


    Tsubasa felt her heart race in her chest as her gaze met her father¡¯s. His presence, though silent, was overwhelming. She had heard much about him¡ªthe powerful, distant ruler who commanded respect with just a glance¡ªbut seeing him in person made it all the more real.


    "We¡¯ve been waiting," Vazeth¡¯s voice broke through the silence, smooth and commanding. She nodded towards the large, ornate chairs before them. "Take your seats, all of you."


    Tsubasa exchanged a glance with her friends, and they moved as one, sitting in the chairs before the throne. The room seemed to grow even more intimidating in their collective silence. The only sound was the distant rustle of the tapestries hanging on the walls, their stories of past kings and queens unfolding in the shadows.


    "Well then," the King¡¯s deep voice rumbled, breaking the silence. He surveyed the group, his eyes resting on Tsubasa for a moment longer than the others. "You¡¯ve proven yourselves in battle.therefore I see no reason to look at you all as just my children but true warriors of this house. You have proven worthy and thus won my audience. For you test of valor I award you anything within my power to share.


    The King''s words hung in the air, their weight sinking into the group as they processed the gravity of the offer. His piercing gaze swept over each of them, lingering on Tsubasa with an intensity that made her feel both honored and scrutinized.


    "Anything?" Kemo¡¯s ears perked up, her tail wagging slightly despite the tension in the room. "Like... anything?"


    The King¡¯s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Anything within my power," he clarified. "A weapon, knowledge, a boon of magic¡ªwhatever you choose, if it is within my reach, it shall be yours."


    Tsubasa exchanged glances with her friends, their expressions ranging from cautious optimism to wide-eyed curiosity. She could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her. This was no ordinary reward. The King was offering them something invaluable¡ªa gift that could shape their futures.


    ¡°A pair of spinning axes¡­with CHAINS on them¡± Kemo yelled happily, her tail wagging.


    ¡°HAHAAAH THAT¡¯SS MY DAUGHTER!¡± Yelled the peach colored Gnoll who seemed two bulky for her chair.


    ¡°You got guns? I want a pair of guns¡± Solomon said sleepily


    Her mom seemed to shake her head disappointedly


    ¡°I''d like something that helps soothe my anger tendencies¡± Constantia said


    ¡°Her mother was waving her head approvingly.


    "I..." Tsubasa hesitated, her mind racing. She glanced at her mother, Vazeth, who gave her a slight nod of encouragement. Straightening her back, Tsubasa spoke with confidence. "I request an audience with the King more often now¡±


    They all looked at each other with confusion


    ¡°Why act so surprised? You show up out of nowhere on the first meeting and then you offer us gifts like we¡¯re some pet that did a good trick, you reward us then fade back into obscurity?¡± My rage boiled up, ¡°Do you even know how to be a real father to your daughters?


    The room fell into a tense silence. Even the faint rustling of the tapestries seemed to stop as Tsubasa¡¯s words hung in the air, heavy and raw. Her friends exchanged wide-eyed glances, unsure whether to intervene or let her continue.


    Vazeth¡¯s expression remained composed, but her sharp eyes flicked between Tsubasa and the King, gauging his reaction. The other mothers were less restrained; Kemo¡¯s mother let out a low, impressed whistle, while Solomon¡¯s mother folded her arms, her face unreadable but clearly intrigued. Constantia¡¯s mother merely raised an eyebrow, her approval evident in the small smile playing on her lips.


    The King sat frozen for a moment, his imposing figure uncharacteristically still. His eyes locked onto Tsubasa¡¯s, and for a fleeting second, something¡ªshock, perhaps?¡ªflickered across his face. Then his expression hardened again, though not with anger.


    "You dare to question me?" His voice was low, carrying an edge of challenge, but it lacked the venom they all expected. Instead, there was something else in his tone¡ªcuriosity.


    "I do," Tsubasa replied, her voice unwavering. Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides, but her gaze remained steady. "Because this is not enough. These gifts, these trials¡ªthey don¡¯t make up for the years of silence, the years we¡¯ve spent wondering who you really are. If you want us to respect you, to fight for this family, then you need to be more than a distant figure on a throne."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The King leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the arms of his throne. His gaze bore into Tsubasa¡¯s, but she didn¡¯t flinch. "And what would you have me do?" he asked, his voice softer now, almost contemplative. "Abandon my duties as King to play house with my children?"


    "No," Tsubasa said firmly. "I would have you find a balance. You have power, influence¡ªuse it to guide us, to be present, even if it¡¯s not every day. Show us that we matter beyond our roles as candidates for the Demon Lord title."


    The room remained silent, every eye fixed on the King. He leaned back, his expression unreadable as he considered her words. Finally, he let out a deep sigh.


    "You are bold, Tsubasa," he said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Perhaps too bold for your own good. But you speak truth." He looked at the others, his gaze softer now. "I have been... distant. My duties demand much of me, and I have always believed that strength comes from independence. Perhaps I was wrong to expect that of my children without giving them the foundation to stand on their own."


    Tsubasa¡¯s heart skipped a beat at his admission. It wasn¡¯t a complete apology, but it was more than she¡¯d expected.


    "Very well," the King said, his voice firm once more. "I will make an effort to be more present, to know each of you as more than mere candidates. But understand this: my time is not limitless, and my duties as King must always come first."


    "That¡¯s all I ask," Tsubasa said, her voice steady but softer now.


    The King nodded, then turned his attention to the rest of the group. "And what of you? Do you share her sentiments?"


    Kemo, her spinning axes momentarily forgotten, shrugged. "I mean, yeah, it¡¯d be cool if you showed up more. But if you don¡¯t, we¡¯ve got each other, so..." She grinned, her tail wagging. "No biggie."


    Solomon yawned, stretching lazily. "Eh, I¡¯m with Tsubasa. Wouldn¡¯t hurt to see you more often."


    Constantia¡¯s feathers ruffled slightly as she nodded. "I agree with her. Presence matters, especially from someone with your influence."


    Gwendoline, who had remained silent until now, cleared her throat. "We are strong because we¡¯ve relied on each other, but she¡¯s right. It would mean a great deal to us if you were more involved, Father."


    The King studied them for a long moment before inclining his head. "Then it is settled. I will take your words to heart. You have my word that I will strive to be more than a distant ruler to you."


    The tension in the room began to ease as a collective sense of relief washed over the group. Tsubasa felt a weight lift from her shoulders, though she knew there was still much work to be done.


    Gwendoline stepped forward, her expression thoughtful yet composed. She nodded slowly, folding her hands in front of her as she addressed the King.


    "Yes, Father," she began, her voice steady. "As we exited the dungeon after our battle with the boss, we encountered a human adventuring party. It was clear they had been making their way toward the boss chamber. They seemed... surprised to see us, particularly since we had already claimed the victory."


    The King¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression unreadable. "And what was the nature of their reaction? Did they seem hostile, curious, or indifferent?"


    "They weren¡¯t hostile," Gwendoline clarified, glancing briefly at her companions. "At least, not outwardly. But their leader made it clear they were frustrated. He accused us of ¡®stealing their glory¡¯ and mentioned that they had been tracking that dungeon boss for months."


    Kemo rolled her eyes at the memory. "Yeah, like it was their dungeon or something. We were there first. Not our fault they¡¯re slow."


    "Exactly," Solomon muttered, rubbing her eyes. "They should¡¯ve gotten better intel if they wanted the prize so bad."


    The King raised a hand to silence the chatter, his gaze still fixed on Gwendoline. "Did you explain to them the dangers of attempting to re-enter the boss chamber after its defeat? The destabilization of the dungeon¡¯s core, and the risk it posed?"


    ¡°No father, we had no idea that dungeons destabilized after the boss¡¯ defeat. I assume they know such information.¡±


    ¡°Are you for certain, Gwendoline¡± The King urged.


    ¡°Well in fact, father, the dungeon didn¡¯t destabilize after we defeated the boss¡­you don¡¯t think that what they said was true do you?¡±


    ¡°Afraid so, and I have no doubt that if the dungeon didn¡¯t destabilize then there really was a more powerful foe lurking inwards. Perhaps the culprit for why the fallen hero turned into a monster.¡± The King sighed, rubbing his temple, ¡°No doubt it¡¯s already been cleared by the adventurers and the loot returning back to their kingdom.


    The group exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the King¡¯s words sinking in. Tsubasa was the first to speak, her voice hesitant yet determined. "If that''s true, Father, then we failed to fully secure the dungeon. We left behind a potential threat¡ªand worse, let the humans claim it without contest."


    The King looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Do not be too hard on yourselves. Your mission was to defeat the fallen hero, which you accomplished admirably. But this revelation highlights a critical lesson: a dungeon''s secrets often run deeper than they appear."


    "Still," Vazeth interjected, her sharp tone cutting through the room, "if the humans now possess something of great value or power from that dungeon, it could shift the balance between our realms. That cannot be ignored."


    "Agreed," the King said, his voice firm. He turned to his advisor, who stood ready by his side. "Double the efforts of our scouts. I want a detailed report on this human party, including what they might have extracted from the dungeon. If their prize is of significant power, we will need to plan accordingly."


    The advisor nodded sharply. "It will be done, Your Majesty."


    Constantia frowned, her feathers ruffling in frustration. "Father, should we just stand by and let them get away with this? What if they use what they found against us?"


    The King regarded her calmly. "Do not mistake caution for inaction, my child. We will act, but not without understanding the full scope of the situation. Rushing into conflict without knowledge is a fool¡¯s errand."


    Kemo, her tail still swishing in agitation, crossed her arms. "So what do we do in the meantime? Just wait?"


    "No," Vazeth said, her voice cool and commanding. "You prepare. Train harder, grow stronger, and deepen your understanding of the forces at play. If there is a greater foe lurking in the shadows, it will not wait idly. Neither should you."


    Tsubasa nodded, her resolve hardening. "We¡¯ll do whatever it takes. If there¡¯s a chance to reclaim what was lost¡ªor confront this greater threat¡ªwe¡¯ll be ready."


    The King¡¯s expression softened, and for a moment, the stern ruler was replaced by something almost paternal. "Good. That is the spirit I wish to see in all of you. You are not just my children; you are heirs to our legacy. Prove to me that you are worthy of it."


    Gwendoline bowed her head. "We won¡¯t let you down, Father."


    The King rose from his throne, his presence filling the room like a thunderstorm about to break. "Then go. Prepare yourselves for what is to come. And remember: vigilance is your greatest weapon. Trust each other, and trust your instincts."


    As the group left the throne room, their footsteps echoing through the grand hallways, a new sense of purpose burned in their hearts. They had proven themselves once, but the journey ahead promised challenges far greater than they had ever faced¡­

 Chapter 21: Shadows Stirring

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    The group emerged from the throne room, the heavy doors closing behind them with a resonant thud. The air outside felt lighter, though no less charged with purpose. Tsubasa led the way, her mind racing with the implications of their meeting. Her father¡¯s words had cut deep, both as a challenge and a reminder of the stakes.


    "We¡¯re going back to the training grounds, aren¡¯t we?" Kemo asked, her spinning axes clinking softly as she adjusted them on her back.


    "Not yet," Tsubasa replied, her tone firm. "First, we need to strategize. If there¡¯s a bigger threat out there, we need to be ready for it. That means understanding what we¡¯re up against."


    Solomon yawned, her steps lazy but her eyes sharper than usual. "You mean finding out what those adventurers took, right? ¡®Cause something tells me that¡¯s where this is heading."


    "Exactly." Tsubasa stopped in the middle of the corridor and turned to face them. "We don¡¯t have time to wait for scouts to return. The adventurers are already a step ahead, and if they¡¯ve uncovered something powerful, they won¡¯t keep it to themselves for long."


    Gwendoline frowned, her expression thoughtful. "How do you propose we track them? If they¡¯ve returned to their kingdom, we¡¯ll need more than determination to cross those borders unnoticed."


    "Leave that to me," Vazeth¡¯s voice rang out as she stepped into the hallway, her regal presence commanding immediate attention. She moved with the grace of a predator, her sharp gaze settling on Tsubasa. "You¡¯re right to act quickly. I¡¯ve already sent my spies to gather intelligence on the adventurers¡¯ movements. You¡¯ll have their report within the hour."


    Tsubasa nodded, her respect for her mother unwavering. "Thank you, Mother."


    "Don¡¯t thank me yet," Vazeth replied, her tone clipped but not unkind. "This mission will be dangerous, more so than anything you¡¯ve faced before. The humans won¡¯t hesitate to defend what they believe is theirs. And if they¡¯ve taken something cursed or unstable, you may be walking into a trap."


    "We¡¯re ready for it," Tsubasa said, glancing at her companions. Each of them nodded in turn, their resolve clear.


    "Good," Vazeth said, a small, approving smile playing on her lips. "Meet me in the war room when you¡¯re ready. I¡¯ll ensure you have the tools and information you need."


    With that, Vazeth turned and disappeared down the corridor, leaving the group to absorb her words.


    Constantia broke the silence, her talons clicking against the stone floor as she shifted uneasily. "Do you think the humans even realize what they¡¯ve taken? If it¡¯s tied to the dungeon boss¡¯s transformation, it could be more dangerous than they know."


    "Or they know exactly what it is," Solomon said darkly, her eyes narrowing. "And they¡¯re planning to use it against us."


    "Either way," Tsubasa said, her voice steady, "we can¡¯t let them keep it. Whatever that artifact is, it belongs to Vasheen."


    As they made their way to the war room, the group¡¯s mood grew increasingly somber. The weight of their mission settled over them like a heavy cloak, but none of them faltered. This was more than a test of their strength¡ªit was a test of their unity and resolve.


    When they entered the war room, Vazeth was already there, poring over a map with several advisors. She looked up as they approached and gestured for them to come closer.


    "The adventurers were last seen traveling south, toward the border of their kingdom," she said, pointing to a marked location on the map. "My scouts intercepted them briefly but couldn¡¯t engage without drawing attention. They believe the adventurers are heading for the capital, likely to deliver whatever they¡¯ve found to their leaders."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "How do we intercept them without causing an international incident?" Gwendoline asked, her brow furrowed.


    "You¡¯ll need to be swift and subtle," Vazeth replied. "I¡¯ve arranged for a transport team to get you across the border undetected. Once there, you¡¯ll be on your own. Your goal is to retrieve the artifact and return it to Vasheen¡ªpreferably without bloodshed."


    "Preferably," Kemo echoed with a mischievous grin, her axes gleaming in the light.


    "Control yourself," Vazeth said sharply, her gaze piercing. "This is a delicate mission, and recklessness will get you all killed¡ªor worse."


    Kemo¡¯s grin faltered, and she nodded.


    Tsubasa stepped forward, her voice firm. "We¡¯ll retrieve the artifact and uncover whatever secrets it holds. You have my word, Mother."


    Vazeth¡¯s expression softened slightly. "I know you will. Just remember: this isn¡¯t just about the artifact. It¡¯s about proving that Vasheen is stronger and smarter than those who would challenge us. Do not let me¡ªor yourselves¡ªdown."


    With their mission set and their path clear, the group left the war room, their determination burning brighter than ever. They would face whatever dangers lay ahead together, knowing that the fate of their kingdom¡ªand perhaps more¡ªrested on their shoulders.


    As the transport team prepared to take them to the border, Tsubasa glanced at her companions, her heart swelling with a mixture of pride and gratitude. They were more than her friends¡ªthey were her family. And together, they would face the shadows stirring on the horizon.


    The transport team led the group to a hidden alcove within the castle grounds, where a sleek, dark carriage awaited. Its surface shimmered faintly, a clear sign that it was cloaked in magic. A pair of powerful shadow-wolves stood harnessed to it, their glowing eyes scanning the area with sharp vigilance.


    "Impressive," Solomon murmured, running her fingers along the carriage¡¯s polished surface. "Vazeth doesn¡¯t play around."


    Tsubasa nodded, appreciating her mother¡¯s attention to detail. The driver, a stoic figure clad in black, gave them a silent nod as they approached. Without a word, the group climbed into the carriage, settling into the plush interior. The magical wards on the walls hummed softly, enveloping them in an almost tangible sense of security.


    Once they were inside, the driver cracked the reins, and the shadow-wolves took off at an astounding speed. The landscape blurred past the windows as the carriage navigated secret routes known only to Vasheen¡¯s elite. The silence inside was heavy, each of them lost in their thoughts.


    After several hours, the carriage slowed, the driver¡¯s voice breaking the quiet. "We¡¯re approaching the border. From here, you¡¯ll need to continue on foot. The enchantments will cloak your presence, but use caution. The humans patrol this area heavily."


    The group disembarked, their boots crunching softly against the forest floor. The air was cool and crisp, the dense trees around them casting long shadows. Tsubasa turned to the driver. "Thank you. We¡¯ll take it from here."


    The driver nodded once before guiding the shadow-wolves and the carriage back into the woods, disappearing as swiftly as they had come. The group stood in silence for a moment, listening to the sounds of the forest.


    "Alright," Tsubasa said, adjusting her weapons. "Let¡¯s move. Stay close and keep your eyes open."


    They moved as a unit, their steps silent as they navigated the dense underbrush. The magical wards surrounding them made their presence almost undetectable, but Tsubasa knew better than to rely solely on magic. The humans were cunning, and this close to their border, vigilance was their best ally.


    As they neared the edge of the forest, Gwendoline raised a hand, signaling for them to stop. She pointed ahead, where a group of human soldiers was stationed near a checkpoint. Their armor glinted faintly in the moonlight, and their voices carried through the still night.


    "We need to get past them," Gwendoline whispered, her voice barely audible. "But there¡¯s no way around without being spotted."


    "Leave it to me," Kemo said with a grin, her tail wagging slightly. Before anyone could stop her, she darted off into the shadows, her movements silent and fluid.


    "Kemo¡ª" Tsubasa hissed, but it was too late.


    The group watched as Kemo crept up behind the soldiers, her small frame practically invisible in the darkness. Moments later, a soft rustling noise came from the opposite direction, drawing the soldiers¡¯ attention.


    "What was that?" one of them muttered, gripping his weapon.


    "Check it out," another said, gesturing toward the noise.


    As the soldiers moved toward the sound, Kemo slipped back to the group, her grin wide. "Told you I got this."


    Tsubasa sighed, shaking her head but unable to suppress a small smile. "Let¡¯s go."


    They moved quickly and quietly, slipping past the distracted soldiers and into human territory. The air seemed to grow heavier as they crossed the border, the weight of their mission pressing down on them.

 UPDATE: Authors Note [THIS WILL BE DELETED]

    Hello everyone it''s your lovable possum hiding in the closet. I''m here to address a prevalent issue that my story has had for some time. The flaws I made in the beginning chapters have been a HUGE issue and a barrier for entry for new readers. New readers can''t seem to get pass my huge flaw of not adding quotations and proper dialogue. And it''s been turning people away from my story.


    I consider those who passed that point and noticed my work has had a huge bump in quality, THANK YOU! You truly are my stars, thank you for giving my story a chance.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As of now I will be reworking the few beginning chapters and update the quality to what I have now. So new readers can enjoy the beginning as much as the veterans enjoy the later chapters.


    In the meantime, I will postpone new chapters for the time being, but don''t worry, they''ll come back really really soon!


    HEY I KNOW!!! Why not read the NEW and IMPROVED update/beginning of the story to see the new changes and finer detail...just a thought.


    Okay, back in the closet I go!