Gaming Badly in DxD

-Zatren Fumigami-

‘’It doesn’t have to be this way,’’ I said, turning my head as the pair of red eyes circled me like a hungry predator. ‘’I can try to heal you, but not if you put a knife through my throat.’’

For a singular second, the small figure stopped, and I thought that maybe the mud wasn’t corrupting the little Servant as much as I thought, and that she would take the chance to have a clearer head.

Instead, it was a feint; the moment I let the barest hint of my guard down, the Assassin pounced.

The air was cut through like butter with a hot knife, letting out a high whistle. I swung my spear in an arc, only for the smaller figure to twist her body out of the swing’s way like she was made out of rubber. In the fog, I caught a smidge of silver hair before a hiss escaped past my lips.

Raising a hand to my face, a wet, warm liquid covered my fingers. Blood.

‘’Fine, I’ll put you to sleep first.’’ I sighed, resigned.

The next pounce from the attacker didn’t come in the form of a charge, but a total of six fish-gutting knives being thrown my way.

Spinning my spear in front of me like it was a spinning top, the flying tools were repelled and discarded across the room, only for a second volley to follow almost immediately.

Shadow Stepping out of the way, I let the knives uselessly pierce the ground I was previously standing on. The silver-haired midget dashed through the fog. If it wasn’t because I could feel her soul, then I wouldn’t even know where she was.

‘’Change Spear…. There!’’ I dashed, feeling my weapon change into the Soul Eater Spear as a pair of twin red knives intercepted my blow.

At this distance, I saw the expressionless face of my attacker, a girl around Koneko’s height, maybe a bit smaller, with a stitched face and two red eyes glowing like a Halloween lantern in the middle of the night.

It was like looking at a mindless puppet.

‘’Mother… mother… warmth…’’ Her lips didn’t even part as she spoke, like the intention was a mere echo, making it all the more heartbreaking.

However, the effect of my weapon struck true, as a golden and black energy was pulled out of the girl in the middle of our clash. Her eyes widened in realization, and even a bit of clarity, but I didn’t hesitate this time, I couldn’t afford to if I wanted to help her at all.

The little girl tried slipping past my guard, only for me to drop the force I was applying, destabilizing her footing. I took the opportunity to sweep her feet, but her superior flexibility proved itself once more, as she arched her back and did a backflip into one of the bookshelves, frowning from her position on top of it.

I pointed my weapon in her general direction. ‘’Give up, there’s a chance you may be free from this.’’

Again, hesitation. The soul of the girl was a mess filled with loneliness, a deep desire for belonging, and the awful mud corrupting all these desires and twisting them into the most horrible version of themselves.

No wonder that the Holy Grail was destroyed or retrieved if these were the effects they had on Servants.

‘’Sorry.’’ I apologized, because instead of hesitating again, to try and see if I could de-escalate the situation with words, I focused on something else.

With each clash and dodge, I let my Hydrokinesis create a puddle of water in the library. Each step was now a place where I could use my most debilitating spell.

And with two words, they came alive. ‘’Electrophorus: Discharge.’’

A hiss escaped the little girl as she managed to dodge to the side of an electrified eel made out of water. However, that was only the first one.

The Servant side-stepped, cut through, and dodged with her nimble, extraordinary flexibility, but the room was too small, and I had left behind too many puddles from where my Hydrokinesis could be used.

The fog didn’t impede my skill’s movements, and even the most agile of fighters would eventually slip up in such a closed space.

And so she did.

‘’…Mother—!’’ Red eyes shot wide after dodging out of the way of another discharge-packed eel, only for me to have Shadow Stepped near her range. What she thought may have been another of my constructs was my arm, which swiftly clamped on her shoulder at a speed much quicker than she could react.

‘’It’s going to hurt only for a little bit, alright?’’ I promised.

I felt something cut my palm, but it was too late for the girl. Without being able to slip past my grip, the eels attached themselves to her limbs and swiftly shocked her body into a spasming mess.

‘’Ah…ahhh!’’ The cry of pain was less acute and severe than I expected, but not any less heartbreaking.

The fog started dissipating as the Servant’s body twitched with the remaining electricity. She stood still, only for her body to tumble forward, forcing me to catch her lest she hit the ground.

As the blinding fog dissipated, I could take a proper look at her. She was wearing some sort of dirty, torn black cloak on top of skin-tight leather. Her frame was actually much smaller than I thought, being over a head shorter than Koneko, who was plenty short herself.

Her short white hair was slick and shiny, and her face held a vertical, stitched-shut scar covering her left eye, and had another smaller one on her right cheek.

Lastly, she was carrying… a fuck ton of knives. I didn’t even know how, but there were like thirty of those she threw at me, and another set of long red knives like the ones she used to clash against me, and then a dagger strapped to her left boot.

Even in her sleep, the Servant clung to my body like I was a pillow.

‘’Mother… warmth…’’ She whispered while asleep, nuzzling my neck and hugging my back like I was a particularly soft teddy bear.

‘’…Well, I had an idea of who you were before, but it’s kind of evident now.’’ I hummed, looking for a non-broken table where I could lay the girl on top of. ‘’I’ll try to heal you, but no promises, Jack the Ripper.’’

It was kind of sad, and even a little bit terrifying, just how much the grail fucked her over. Though if I remembered correctly, the little wraith was always a bit murder-happy.

‘’Parter… Do you take it upon yourself to get as many kids as you can?’’ Jinzui questioned, curious.

I paused, looking at the girl in my arms again, before shrugging. ‘’Hey, at least this one looks like Koneko, don’t you think?’’

‘’Uh-huh, sure.’’ Jinzui chuckled.

‘’Don’t test me, woman. I’m adopting as many kids as I want, you hear?’’ I huffed, much to her amused laughter.

-X-x-X-

‘’…That’s not working.’’ I clicked my tongue.

Just like I had done with Kiba, I tried to heal Jack by ‘cleansing’ the corruption of the mud. However, unlike the poison and Curse placed by the fragmented holy sword, the grail was much more potent.

‘’Huu…’’ The little girl whimpered, making me wince.

The orange-glowing palms I had placed on her head and stomach to try and purify the mud suddenly recoiled as I noticed her HP go down. The mud was too deep. It was like trying to take the rot off a piece of meat when that same rot made up more than half of its content.

Jack The Ripper.

HP: [-----79%---]

MP: [?]

Race: Heroic Spirit/Wraith.

Status: [Magic Dependency]. [Command Seal: Kill (Medium)]. [Mud Corruption (MAX)].

‘’…Then what can I do?’’ I huffed. ‘’If I take too long, she’ll just wake up and try to kill me again. Should I just… finish her off? Take her out of her misery, so to say?’’

I wasn’t an idiot, I knew that I couldn’t help and redeem every opponent, no matter their situation, but the fact that Jack was nothing but a ‘’sack’’ filled to the brim with the souls of dead kids that never got even a hug from their mother before being disposed of…

‘’Screw it. I’m doing something really dumb.’’ I decided.

I may not have been able to access my inventory, but that didn’t mean other functions were off.

‘’System. Am I still able to roll the Gacha inside the dungeon?’’ I asked, looking at the screen that appeared out of thin air.

You are.

[Current Gacha Tokens at disposal: 7]

However, if the results are any ‘’Items’’, then you would not be able to take them off your Inventory.

‘’I’ll take my chances.’’ Smiling, I side-glanced the girl, splayed on the wood. She was frowning, and she had been ever since I stopped hugging her to start healing her. ‘’Let’s get this over with.’’

Very well.

Just like last time, the image of a comet resurfacing from a lake filled my head. I paused, as during its path, the comet was only grey in color. On the last fourth until it reached the sky, it had suddenly turned green.

I heard a coin flip be made. The same sound of clinking metal against the ground. Yet, instinctively, I knew that it… landed on the opposite side.

‘…Shit.’ Yet, just when I thought that my luck had failed me this time…

The sound of androgynous laughter filled my head for a moment. The comet glitched, and a green feather fell from the sky, obscuring the sparkling green light for a second.

Then… Gold, brilliant, blinding. Appearing only in the last second of the comet’s travel into the stars.

‘’I’m so fucking bullshit.’’ I smiled.

[Four commons rolled. 20 Pity has been granted]

[Magic Spring (Uncommon Construct)]

Somewhere in your land, a lake filled with beautifully rich, magical vegetation has grown. The water inside this lake is charged with the purest form of mana, and it replenishes itself quickly.

[Chlorophyte Bar Batch. (Uncommon Metal)]

A powerful metal that is greatly attuned to nature and magic alike, while also being far more durable and flexible than any metal you’ll find.

It is also able to take energy from the sun or any natural source of light.

This batch re-stocks itself every week.

As always, the System seemed rigged on my part, giving me some incredible materials that should not have any right to stand in the ‘uncommon’ category.

But the next thing felt even more rigged, for it was exactly what I needed.

[Ichor (Legendary Perk)]

Inside your body now flows the golden blood, said to be the strongest magecraft material there is for rituals, potions, and enchantments, due to it being heavily packed with Divine Energy.

The regeneration of the one with this blood is simply off the charts, and while getting your head cut off would probably kill you, they will need to do much more than simply pierce your heart to finish you off.

HP Regeneration Upgraded.

…

In a field full of blue lilies, five Gods stared daggers at another one who looked with innocent green eyes, scratching his cheek bashfully, as if he had done a little misdeed.

‘’What did you do?’’ A long, raven-haired woman spoke, her kimono flowing among the flowers even without any breeze. Her glare wasn’t anything short of suspicious, yet she remained with an air of dignity and composure. ‘’No. How did you do that?’’

‘’Aww, come on!’’ The Messenger God exclaimed, giving an impish smile while twiddling his thumbs. ‘’It was going to be a fun one, but not nearly as fun! Besides, I didn’t really do anything! I just pushed a little bit of luck his way~!’’

The God of the Sun and his Sister, the Goddess of the Hunt, looked on with amusement at the scene, as Hermes kneeled with a kicked puppy expression while being scolded by a fuming Izanami.

‘’You were right, brother of mine.’’ The Goddess of the Hunt spoke.

She was dressed in a green, divine cloak that covered her entire body except for her face, dark like caramel and completely unmarred except for a scar that covered her left eye completely, and a set of deer antlers that couldn’t possibly be covered by a hood.

Her forest-green eyes glinted with amusement as her gaze turned from the androgynous Hermes to the screen where the Godling… Nay. Where the God was staring at his hands, with a thousand-volt smirk on his face that may rival hers on the day of a good hunt.

‘’Told you it would be fun.’’ The tightly-dressed God of the Sun chuckled, looking on as Thanatos tried mediating between the pouting Hermes and a huffing Izanami. ‘’But while they bicker, I’m much more interested in what this brethren from afar can do with his new Golden Blood, don’t you think?’’

A non-committal hum escaped the Huntress, as both focused back on the screen. Really, it was hard to come up with good entertainment in this day and age.

…

With the biggest shit-eating grin on my face, I… noticed that I didn’t really feel any different.

Sure, my mana felt… somewhat better? But my physical condition hasn’t changed much overall. To be fair, that was probably because I was a Deus before getting this Perk.

Just to check, I bit my thumb and saw the gold-like liquid drip down my palm instead of the usual crimson I was used to. Not only that, but this new blood seemed to be… thicker? In composition. It was packed to the brim with magic, to a degree much higher than my Mana Circuits had previously provided, and it also held divine energy, which now flowed through my veins, empowering my body further.

I need to reprogram this shit. Seriously. What the fuck are you?

‘’I’m just that guy, I guess.’’ I joked to the screen, which seemed to be having a stroke with the amount of glitching. ‘’Nothing personal, the system is just rigged.’’

Chuckling at my own joke, I stepped forward to the silver-haired girl, now completely ready to take that awful mud off her body.

The orange glow on my hands felt almost like warm flames. The Healing Magic had gotten all the stronger with the empowering of my reserves, but instinctively, I knew that wasn’t enough.

With my current Divinity, I could probably destroy the impurities of the mud riddling Jack’s body. Like throwing acid on a flea-riddled corpse.

But I didn’t want to destroy the mud. I wanted to save Jack.

And for that, I need not Destruction, but Harmony.

‘’With this blood as my focus, I riddle you of ail. May the Divine Blood persevere and take away your pain…’’ The words flowed out of my mouth almost like a prayer, but the way they rhymed together gave it more of a melodic tune, like a poem. ‘’Be reborn, Jack the Ripper, for you’re given another morn’, one not wasted with blood and scorn…!’’

The orange glow filled Jack’s entire body, making her twitch. Yet, instead of pain, her sleeping face smiled, as if she were being enveloped in a warm, toasty blanket.

To finish up the purification, I bit my lower lip and let the drop of golden blood fall on her body.

Jack The Ripper.

HP: [-----100%-----]

MP: [-----100%-----]

Status: [Healthy]. [Mana Independency]. [Mud Corruption (Lowest)].

Frowning, I saw as a black liquid started exiting the girl’s every pore, even her cavities. Nose, ears, mouth. Every nook and cranny was dripping with a black, oily substance that smelled not like a physical thing, but a concept.

Corruption.

Almost all of it was purged by my blood and hand. I couldn’t erase it permanently, or at least, I would need a higher amount of Divine Power that may actually harm the girl instead of helping her.

Maybe if I got my hands on the Corrupted Grail, I could—

‘’…Mommy?’’ I paused, focusing on Jack’s face.

Her eyes were devoid of any of the mud’s corruption, a complete white sclera, with sleepy green-yellow eyes that stared at me as if I was something worth of adoration.

The cloaked Servant lifted her hands, and I took them into mine, giving her an ample smile.

‘’Are you… our mommy?’’ She asked, and the way her eyes shone with happiness…

It was hard to say no, alright?!

‘’Sure am.’’ I nodded shamelessly, taking the girl into my arms, relishing in the happy squeal she let out as she hugged me tightly. ‘’…’Mommy’ here vanished that big bad mud making you feel bad. Mommy is the best now, isn’t he?’’

The girl shook, and I couldn’t help but clutch the warm feeling on my chest when Jack smiled a big, toothy grin. ‘’Yes! Thank you, mommy!’’

‘You know, it wasn’t a challenge, partner.’’ Jinzui held back her chuckles.

‘Silence, beloved, don’t you see I’m cradling my daughter?’ I scolded, trying my best not to laugh at my overly-serious response. Instead, I patted the girl's back and let her ride on my shoulder. ‘’Now, how about I take you to… er… your… aunties! Yes, that’s right! Want to meet Auntie Serafall and Auntie Ayuka?’’

Jack stilled, staring blankly at me as if she didn’t know what those words meant. However, a hiccup escaped past her lips just a moment later. Tears streamed down her face, and I would have been a lot more worried if it weren’t for the big, happy smile stretching her face.

‘’…Are they nice?’’ Jack whispered, clutching me like a teddy bear.

‘’They sure are! The nicest, even!’’ I claimed confidently. ’Gosh… Serafall will just eat you up, you’re adorable!’

Embracing my… motherhood? I only stopped to take an old bag I had found while setting up a table for Jack, and shoved any book that seemed relevant enough or wasn’t damaged to save for later.

‘’Right, now, let’s go find—‘’

[EMIYA (Archer) has been defeated!]

Rewards:

[One Gacha Token]

[10 Levels to ‘Domain Expansion’]

[Perk: Magic Circuits]

[Notice: ‘Magic Circuits’ has already been acquired]

[Notice: ‘Magic Circuits’ has become ‘Magus Superiority’]

[Magus Superiority]

The upgraded version of Magic Circuits. Able to take much more strain, and even fill to over-capacity for longer without risking permanent injury.

I mean, I’m not going to complain about free power-ups, but…

Could these women slow down a bit? Like, seriously, I didn’t even get to meet the guy!

Grumbling silently, much to my precious daughter’s confusion, I started making my way upstairs. It was time to group up and see how we should deal with the remaining two Servants.

Because I’m not the only one leaving this dungeon without a proper fight. The final boss is mine at least, you hear me?!

-X-x-X-

-An Hour Earlier-

-Ayuka Beelzebub-

‘’Splendid, please let me test this next.’’ I smiled politely. A singular magic circle, big as a round table, appeared on my hand. ‘’Starting experiment… twenty-seven: Forcibly induced Magic Overflow.’’

The red-robed man remained silent with a heavy frown as a pair of twin swords appeared again. However, unlike when our clash first started, his breathing was ragged, and his sharp gaze had lost some of its fire.

I clicked my tongue, shaking my head as if I was chiding a child. The Servant, of course, was incredibly reluctant to my constant experimentation. Especially since the last one almost tore his head off, but well, I had to try just how efficient a magic missile would be in evading attacks to reach their pre-defined target.

Silly experiments they may be, but this was a time for tomfoolery, I believed.

‘’It is futile to resist. Please hold still.’’ I mused as the man immediately charged forward.

His movements were agile and refined. Truly, few were the times when I found someone who had pushed the basics into proper lethal weapons. The man tried to dodge over the pulse of magic coming from the circle, and in mid-air, his sword changed into a bow. A heavy, powerful shot of magic tore the circle apart.

However, its effect was done, because the magic pulse wasn’t meant to kill, nor was it properly dodged by the Archer. Instead, what it did was emit a high frequency of Demonic Power that carried one singular task: Going inside of a host and overcharging their body full of ‘mana’.

That same, intriguing, but actually replicable, fountain of power my student used.

This servant in particular seemed to hold the same circuits inside his body that allowed for the creation of such magic. So…

‘What would happen if they were forcibly opened and made to hold more than they could?’ That was my line of thinking.

The red-robed Servant screamed as blue vein-like lines spread across his face, and probably the rest of his covered body. With my readings, I could see his spent reserves of mana filling up in seconds, only to start holding much more than they should.

Ten percent, then twenty, all the way to fifty, making the blue lines expand until they covered half his face and part of his neck, while his throat went raw from screaming.

‘’Jeez… You really are merciless, Ayu-chan…’’ I paused my observing, turning to the voice.

Serafall, with her magical-girl outfit torn to shreds. She had an uneasy smile on her face while looking at the Archer, but most critical of all, half of her body was marred with purple bruises representing lightning.

So engrossed was I with my experiments that I didn’t notice when the temperature had gone up, signaling the end of her clash with the armored man, nor did I notice when she managed to approach.

Truly, hyperfocus was a blessing and a curse.

‘’…Maybe,’’ I said, looking back at the Servant as golden particles and blue mana fought over his body. However, to still be conscious after a full seventy percent over capacity… it was quite commendable. ‘’You, too, have been in the war, Serafall. And while I do not believe there’s much merit to the bloodshed, it wasn’t like I didn’t fight either.’’

After all, one didn’t become the head of all scientific affairs by merely being an accomplished front-fighter.

Just like Serafall was the first to intervene if any outside faction tried to step foot in the middle of our civil war, I was the one who did… experiments, on anything and everything that would lead us to not only winning, but coming out stronger from the civil war as a result.

Sure, the rotten parts weren’t completely cut off, but the intent was there.

The point was that messing with souls, flesh, and blood. From enemy, ally, and even ‘family’… It certainly made me more jaded. That was a good reason to bury my face into research, too.

A form of atonement? Maybe so.

‘’As long as you’re conscious about it.’’ The petite woman sighed, pointing her unmarred finger at the Archer. ‘’I think he’s doing a super-duper attack now! The other Servant did one, too, and with all that magic that you gave him, I bet it's going to be super cool!’’

I chuckled, nodding.

That was the plan. After all, while the Archer may have been skilled to the point of perfection, he lacked… strength. It’s not a surprise that he could match Servants of similar or higher caliber and even beat them blind, considering the training he must have been through, but the reality was that, against a much stronger opponent, the Archer was simply… lacking.

So, giving him twice his usual magic capacity should fix that… or make him explode. Either way, it would bring some details to my research.

‘’Fiends indeed… You won’t last much longer, Archer.’’ A voice cut through the man’s screams, making him pause.

A violent, fiery red glow covered his body. ‘’…Not worry. The Grail will put it all back together, as it has done time and time again. Now, if you are to breathe your last, at least push yourself to the fullest while doing so. I need not pathetic displays like Rider’s.’’

‘’Here it comes!’’ Serafall squealed excitedly and winced right after, probably due to the sting of her injuries. ‘’Get ready, Ayu-chan, this one is all yours!’’

Indeed, the magical signature had risen exponentially. So much so that it reminded me of…

‘’Ah, so that’s how it is…’’ I nodded, seeing the man clutching his chest painfully. ‘’Go on then. Show me if you’re any better than that dear student of mine.’’

Serafall, frowning at my words, backed away with a beat of her wings and a jump. Just at the same time, the red-robed Servant started to chant.

‘’I am the bone of my sword…’’ For the first time since he spoke a word, I heard the man’s accent, thick, yet polished. ‘’…Steel is my body and fire is my blood.’’

Not only that, but his voice was calmer, and his shoulders were relaxed. I picked up resignation from him, and considering the words of that disembodied voice from before…

This was a suicidal attack. He would consume every bit of magic left in his body, plus what I forcibly injected inside, to release magic that would end him completely. If anything, it proved just how loyal he was to whoever commanded him.

‘’I have created over a Thousand Blades.’’ As he kept going, the scenery started to change.

The desolate crater became a deadman’s battlefield. The air was filled with blades of every kind. Sabers, Rapiers, Greatswords, Shortswords, Katana, Odachi, and many more I didn’t particularly recognize.

The pressure rose, too. The magical output was exponentially higher than that previously shown by the man, and even if part of it was due to my own influence, I was somewhat impressed.

Especially when a holy blade, much greater than the Fragments ofExcalibur, started forming on his left hand.

‘’Unknown to Death, Nor known to Life. Have withstood Pain to create many Weapons.’’ Blood dripped down the man’s mouth, nose, and eyes. Yet, not a second did he falter. ‘’Yet, those hands will never hold anything…’’

I frowned, bowing my head slightly at the man. Internally, I apologized. A mere… formality, for I did not regret using his life, or projection, as a guinea pig for my experiments.

Kind of like how I didn’t regret using my student’s blood for different studies. How I didn’t regret ‘’picking apart’’ his brain in search for answers, theories, and inspiration.

I was not dense, or at least, not as much as Serafall believed I was. I may have noticed the lingering stare here and there from the young man, but that did not explain how the attraction was borne outside of mere physical appeal, considering just how detached I was from most shows of appreciation.

So, as the blades in the sky threatened to fall on my form like an executioner’s axe, I apologized.

‘’Going this far without taking such a thing as a serious matter. Truly, I may not be any different than the devils of old at this point.’’ I spoke to myself before raising a single hand. ‘’Then, let this foolish teacher redeem herself in another way. Using your own technique to bring honorable defeat to this foe.’’

The archer did not show any outward reaction, but the intent behind his next words may have been answer enough.

‘’So, as I pray—Unlimited Blade Works!’’

The fake world stilled, as if drawing breath. And then, a rain of deadly metal made its shadow known on the battlefield. At the same time, a blade shining with golden holiness came down in a swing that, by energy alone, would have evaporated a battalion of Ultimate-class devils.

The world, so much like the one my student created, sang along like a choir as the Archer unleashed his full might.

Only for everything to stop—No. To fall silent. Like a bird losing its wings on the peak of its flight.

All, by a singular action.

‘’Domain Expansion…’’ I whispered, with steel so close, I may as well have looked at every nook and cranny of each sword. ‘’Alexandria’s Library.’’

The battlefield was completely swallowed. The ground was replaced by a hardwood floor. The swords, along with their power, vanished mid-course, barely an inch off from grazing my skin. Instead, massive bookshelves rose from the ground until they eclipsed the ‘’sky’’.

The books, of course, were not empty, as they flowed out of their shelves. As if lifted by a gust of wind, they spiraled high into the air, only to come down just as gracefully, surrounding the Red Archer, who stood frozen in place as his final burst of power died with the deployment of this space.

‘’Alexandria’s Library… It took me a while to think about it, but its effects are… acceptable.’’ I explained, walking forward with a relaxed step. ‘’Situational, yes, but it's merely a novelty. I’ll say, reverse engineering my Student’s Domain was an interesting task.’’

As I stood right in front of the man, I gave a polite smile, taking one book of the many surrounding him and opening it. Then, the ones that remained followed along, and from them, countless words and experiences spilled out.

‘’Its guaranteed effect is simple. It will compare our shared knowledge about a subject of my choosing. And whoever’s ‘answer’ answer is lacking… well.’’ I shrugged, patting the man’s shoulder as I started walking away. ‘’Do not worry, it’s an automatic thing, very convenient. And, the subject I chose is… Law.’’

The books stilled for a moment, as the sure-hit effect took place. The library was as it should always be: complete silence.

‘’I’m very sorry. Surely, your death is worth much to my dear student. For that, you have my deepest thanks.’’ I nodded, taking a single look at the book in my hand before closing it. ‘’Goodbye.’’

Every book in the library closed in unison. The echo filled the library completely.

The mute and paralyzed body of the Archer twitched.

And without even a blink. His entire body exploded into red mist. The blood didn’t even have time to turn liquid, as he was simply evaporated and turned into a mix of red and golden particles.

I stared at the spot the man had occupied. A long minute passed, then ten minutes, all the way to twenty.

The Archer may not have been the adversary I was looking for, but his actions alone were more than enough to satisfy my curiosity. So, even if I didn’t lament the way I picked him apart like one would dissect an animal to know how its body functioned, I did respect his decision to face a threat he couldn’t possibly overcome head-on, like a knight—No, a hero fighting evil.

Once the thirty-minute mark passed, I took a deep breath.

And The Library closed its doors.

…

‘’Aww! Look at this cutie! Gosh, she’s precious!’’

The smell of ash and the remaining coldness in the air gave me clarity, as I turned around and found a completely healed Serafall holding a white-haired girl with the biggest smile on her face as she was gushed over by the overbearing woman.

On the side, Zatren stared with his hands resting on his hips and a happy smile. Suddenly, he turned to me with a knowing look and a thumbs-up of approval.

It was a silent way to convey his approval of the copy. No doubt, he would have probably seen the similarities of my own Domain from the outside.

‘’What’s that long face for?’’ My dear student asked with that cheerful, friendly tone of his. For a moment, I just relished in the sound.

And I wondered, if he knew what kind of person his teacher really was, would he look and speak to me the same? Or would he condemn me like the jaded woman I was?

‘…It is no use to ask questions that you have all the answers to.’ I thought, shaking my head. ‘’Nothing, dear student. Just thinking about some trivialities.’’

The man blinked and then gestured for me to come closer while pointing his thumb back at the little girl getting ‘’crushed’’ in one of Serafall’s hugs. However, while the girl didn’t speak, she seemed more than content in hugging back with a tiny, happy smile.

‘’Well, if it's nothing, then come meet your, uh, niece! I promised her she would have two very nice aunties to meet!’’ He said, as if it was normal to take children from a battlefield like this and assign them a family without asking. ‘’Come on, Jack, want to meet Auntie Ayuka?’’

I chuckled, shaking my head in amusement, before stepping closer, making sure I was presentable so as not to scare the child.

‘Maybe it won’t be so bad to have someone like my student by my side.’ I thought, while side-glancing the long-haired man. ‘Haa… Well, nothing I could do about it.’

If that’s where the course of my millenia-old life was going, and the path that would lead to the most interesting and satisfying outcome, then it would be only foolish to decide not to string such factors together into the perfect equation, would it not?

-X-x-X

Bonus Scene: Striking Them Down.

-Sachi Genshirou-

‘Follow the plan, Sachi…’ I took a deep breath, Absorption Line at the ready.

The night was eerily quiet, except for the sound of a man sighing in relief, and another one grumbling as they stood alongside a wooden box inside an alley.

No civilians, clear work of some ward.

Honestly, it was a crazy thing to consider that we were collaborating with Fallen Angels to defeat other Fallen. My first experience with them felt like it was a long time ago, when it really wasn’t.

So, when the Boss Lady said that Asia and I were taking care of this entire base ourselves… I was slightly nervous.

However, getting inside was a piece of cake!

Being the most physically capable one of us two, I’m supposed to sneak in beforehand and leave a magic circle inside a room where Asia and reinforcements—If they were needed—could come, but it’s not like I could just strut through the front gate.

“You done? Come on now. That idiot scientist wants them there by right now.” A scuffed, black-haired Fallen said with crossed arms.

His companion, who was just lifting his zipper, rolled his eyes in annoyance, side-glancing the crates they were carrying a moment ago. “Yes, yes. I needed to take a leak, alright? That shit he is giving us to drink may be good to get strong, but it sure isn’t for my bladder.”

“Whatever. Just hurry.” With a sigh, the man made a magic circle made out of light. Slowly but surely, an entrance started to appear behind the dead end they were on.

The reason I could just strut by was all thanks to Kiba.

‘He may be a bit too passionate about those swords… but this is still so cool!’ The Unseen Blade in my hand was incredibly light, and it would shatter with almost any force, but in exchange, it completely concealed the one wielding it. ‘...Excuse me, then.’

Fidgeting side-by-side with the men, I blinked as we were whisked away inside the building. Immediately, I turned around and went in the opposite direction the Fallen were going.

‘Nice and easy!’ I laughed. ‘Now, I just have to set up some of my lines, and prepare the magic circle—’

Suddenly, the hallway started to shine with red light as a deafening alarm scraped against my ears like nails on a damn chalkboard!

‘’INTRUDER DETECTED ON MAIN ENTRANCE! ANY UNIT IS TO DEFEND THIS PLACE WITH THEIR LIVES! I REPEAT, INTRUDER DETECTED ON—‘’

‘’Well, so much for that.’’

I sighed, turning around as those two Fallen I snuck up behind came back with panicked looks. Immediately after spotting me, lances of light appeared on their hands, as did scowls on their faces.

‘’Hello there… I, uh… didn’t think a cool one-liner like Boss does.’’ I said sheepishly.

I’ll have to work on that later. For now, I just took a deep breath and felt the Touki fill my body to the brim with energy.

And, just to make sure this went as smoothly as possible.

‘’Vritra! It’s time to show off!’’ I shouted excitedly, hearing a groan of sleepiness and anger coming from the snake-headed gauntlet.

‘’Yes… yes… Just remember the time limit… And let me sleep.’’ The Sacred Gear actually answered this time.

Just like Boss and Boss Lady had once said, Vritra was divided into seven different pieces. So, even if not whole, a shard of the Evil Dragon’s soul rested deep inside my gauntlet. ‘’Do I have to do the sequence? Oh, I do… well then.’’

Getting him to wake up was a work and a half, but it pushed my capabilities well above the norm, though…

I would prefer it if he had at least half my enthusiasm!

Just as light spears coursed through the air, I allowed myself a smile as a draconic howl escaped my gauntlet. Shattering the volley of deadly weapons and making the earth rumble.

‘’Balance Breaker: Half-State!’’ As Vritra shouted, a hard carapace of plated armor made of dragon scales appeared on my torso and arms, along with a massive, segmented tail sprouting from my lower back and hitting the ground with a powerful strike that cracked concrete. ‘’…Or whatever.’’

‘Could you stop killing the mood, please?!’ I whined.

‘’Ugh.. Forget it.’’ I sighed, watching as more Fallen, some of them armed with rifles, no doubt charged with Holy or Light magic, filtered through the hallway. ‘’Let’s get this over with! Stepping Over The Line!’’

As shots and weapons rained down on my form, I blitzed past most attacks while sprouting dozens of lines from every part of my armor, even my tail.

Without the rest of the Vritra pieces, this was the maximum output of Absorption Line, but against this trash…

It was more than enough!

-X-x-X-

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Author's Note:

''Power Word: Kill'' ahh domain.

If anyone thinks the outcome is a bit exaggerated, I'll just point at the fact that Ayuka bends the laws of her own world to the point that she created her own magic formula whose power is ''Oh, I understand your magic through this equation.'' *literally turns your magic bolt into a rubber duckie*.

Yes, that is something that could 100% be done. Trust.

One Jackie obtained! And Zuzu keeps being as bullshit as ever with his pulls.

Fun fact: The Legendary pull wasn't for the plot's sake. It was a natural 100, but I felt that Hermes helping out would have been a bit funnier.

Still, someone stop this mf from rolling above an Epic. I'm begging here.

The next few chapters will focus a bit on what's happening on the outside, as the Bonus Scene alludes to. Here's hoping Zuzu doesn't take too long while finishing up his dungeon crawling, lol.

I have 13 more chapters of this fic on my if you wish to support me. Also, if you follow any of my other fics, they are also there.

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