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Is it wrong to Speak in a Dungeon? Chapter 12
🕑 Added 2023-03-05 21:54:07 +0000 UTCI do not own Danmachi/Jujutsu Kaisen or any other referenced franchise, only my own OCs.
{Thoughts}
“Speech”
Character Sheet / System Text
“Tvs, Radios, Texts, and newspapers…”
(Disclaimers)
*Onomatopoeia*
“Cursed Speech”
…
…
I casually walk to the middle of the field, ignoring the glaring gazes of the Soma fodder as I stand at the center and mutter a short chant before a small circle in the sand is drawn around me with only a 5 foot-diameter and centered on me.
I see Zanis raise an eyebrow at my earlier words and current actions before he chuckles knowingly. “You won’t need a weapon you say? If you planned to surrender from the start you shouldn’t have wasted everyone’s time dragging this out.”
… This dude is annoying.
“... You really must love the sound of your own voice.” I comment dryly while staring at him with half-lidded eyes as he physically recoils before frowning and glaring at me angrily.
“You’re going to regret this…” He promises with barely concealed fury in his eyes before snarling and turning around, slowly entering the crowd of Soma Familia members to probably hide in the back.
“MIKEYYYYYYYY!” I hear a familiar loud voice scream my name as I blink and turn to the viewing stands.
I blink again as I see Tiona waving at me from the stand with her sister barely holding her from jumping into the arena. Behind Tiona are the rest of the Loki Familia Executives (Minus Ais and Riveria, for some reason) alongside Lefiya and Loki herself, all staring at me with mixed feelings of curiosity, worry, and concern.
I flash Tiona a peace sign as she blinked and tilted her head before returning the gesture with a grin.
“O-oi! Y-you know the Loki Familia executive members?” Some random non from the opposing crowd asks me while sweatdropping as I simply smirk and smile at him with closed eyes.
Some murmurs echo through the opposing crowd as I catch Zanis staring at me with slight trepidation before shaking his head and barking out orders at the murmuring adventurers.
“Are the members of the Soma Familia and Hestia Familia both prepared to begin?” An announcer asks loudly over the murmurs of both the adventurers and the crowd.
“Just one second.” I raise my hand at the announcer as everyone stops and looks at me with varying confusion. “I have realized that this match is slightly unfair to one side, for obvious reasons, and thus, I ask for a slight change in rules.”
I watch Zanis stare at me with shock before turning smug, but before he could speak, I do.
“Around me is a circle in the sand, if anyone from the Soma Familia is able to push me out of this circle, I will admit defeat and declare my surrender.” I announce with boredom in my tone as the colosseum is immediately engulfed in silence.
A second later and the entirety of Orario explodes in noise as the people begin screaming in cheers, mockery, or a mix of both.
I spot Hestia and Bell staring at me from the stands with worry as I stare directly at them and tilt my head to signify my acknowledgement.
The announcer seems to be trying to speak, but is overshadowed by the sheer noise emitted from every corner of the colosseum.
After a few minutes of nothing but screaming, the crowd quiets down enough for the announcer to speak.
“Does the Soma Familia accept the new ruling?” He asks rhetorically, as it would be quite stupid not to take such an advantage.
Zanis nods from where he’s standing with furrowed brows, clearly trying to find a reason for me to do this.
It’s quite simple-
“Very well. This battle will now be commencing! Let the war game between the Soma Familia and Hestia Familia… begin!” The announcer screams as I immediately lower my collar and open my mouth to chant.
Wait… Showing my Gravity magic without having any long chant will only bring trouble in the long run. Fuck... I have to improvise.
… Fuck it, I’m about to cringe myself into unconsciousness, but it’s whatever.
“... Bankai: Katen Kyōkotsu Karamatsu Shinju… Jūryoku no Hakai.” Thank you Shunsui for having a sexy ass voice that came into my mind as soon as I needed something Japanese to say.
I summon a magical circle across the entire arena as the Soma Familia members immediately scream and rush at me, aiming to intercept my magic.
… How about you guys try the Dragon Ball Z experience?
I increase the entire field’s gravity tenfold as the ground crumbles under the intense gravity and dozens upon dozens of adventurers are immediately crushed into the ground with an audible crack as thousands of bones are obliterated at once.
Some of the crushed adventurers slowly stand up in the intense gravity, and the more powerful ones that hadn’t been crushed begin aiming their weapons at me while rushing forward.
I slowly change my application of gravity as the ground slowly breaks apart and large pieces of earth begin floating into the air, leaving no footing behind for those who were rushing forward and obstructing those who were aiming ranged weapons or throwing weapons.
The arena once again devolves into incessant screaming as I turn the entire battlefield into mere ruins and begin launching the flying pieces of earth as projectiles at nearby adventurers.
I see Zanis screaming at a group of adventurers barely standing as they raise staves into the air and begin chanting different words, with one of them having a magic circle appearing around them as they chant.
… Well, we can’t have that.
“Silence.” I order as my voice reverberates across the arena and the only sound that remains after my command is the falling debris and rubble as well as the explosions of magic from the mages that were chanting as they are afflicted with Ignis Fatuus and are imploded with magic due to unsuccessfully chanting their magic.
I see Zanis staring at me with horror as I gaze back at him coldly before resuming my destruction of the arena floor, giant fragments of the earth once again rising into the air.
A slight rumble in earth echoes across the battlefield as a particularly large boulder is pulled into the air and floats into the air for mere moments before impacting the area that a dozen Soma members are standing atop, creating a loud shockwave and sending dust across the entire battlefield as my vision is obstructed.
The arena is filled with silence for a few moments as I clearly cannot see well enough to aim, which is also the reason an adventurer is able to surprise me as they break out of the dust cloud right in front of me and scream with determination while kicking forward at my body.
Just kidding.
The adventurer’s eyes open wide with horror, their body suddenly locked up moments before they exited the dust cloud they tried to ambush me from as the dust around me slowly settled, revealing the horrified adventurer floating before me to the audience.
I slowly took my right hand out of my pocket before raising it to aim at his face with an utterly bored expression on my own.
“... Shinra Tensei…”
The adventurer is allowed a single gasp of panic before they are assaulted with a wave of force as the remaining landscape in my line of sight is completely obliterated by my gravity magic.
“... Jūryoku no Hakai.” I rechant under my breath, a precaution in case my magic wears off at the worst time.
I allow my eyes to slowly trace the remaining battlefield as I am allowed a short period of respite. Across the battlefield are dozens of bodies belonging to the adventurers that have already fallen unconscious or died.
The landscape is battered and destroyed, no longer the completely even patch of sand it was before our battle. Now, it was a rocky horror only seen in a hiker’s nightmares.
My eyes eventually land on the bleeding form of Zanis, now without the expensive weapon he was holding earlier as he grit his teeth and glared at me hatefully.
Despite that, he still could not hide his quivering or the fear in his eyes as my hand slowly rose into the air, aimed at him.
“... Banshō Ten'in.” I mutter as his eyes widen for a moment before his body violently flies forward towards my extended hand, stopping only a mere foot away from me as my eyes lazily stared up at his terrified face.
I then forced him to descend so my eyes looked down on him rather than up, his terror not wavering for even a moment as he flailed his legs around in hopes of finding anything to stand atop.
“... Excuse that, I do not like having to look up at my inferiors.” I disinterestedly comment as his eyes spark flash in rage for a second before returning to fear as mine narrow. “... Do you understand now how little of a chance you had? How foolish your actions were? …. Do you feel regret…?” I barrage him with questions as I slowly release my Cursed Energy into the world, surrounding myself with an aura of Wrath, Grief, and Anger.
His eyes begin streaming with tears as he tries to speak, but fails and can only mutter random letters before releasing choking noises while holding his neck in pain.
Ah, I’m holding him up by the throat.
It matters not. I never wanted to hear whatever it is he wanted to say anyway.
“... It’s time for you to go, but as a farewell gift… Shit Yourself.” I whisper in the lowest voice I can as his eyes widen in horror before his rectum explodes in noise and color, and his face grows a pale green.
The sound that erupted echoed past the viewing stands and across all of Orario. The audience all quieted down into silence as this man’s reputation plummeted to the lowest it could ever possibly get.
My mouth slowly morphed into a smirk as Zanis looked at the silent audience before slowly looking back at me. “... Let it be known that I am a merciful man, I will not kill you where you stand for your offense.” He pales even further, already realizing my plan of humiliating him for the rest of his life by not even allowing his death after that embarrassment.
“F-.. Fahwk yu…” He mutters through the chokehold with tearful eyes as my eyebrows twitch slightly.
“... You become uglier than you already are when you speak. Begone from my sight.” I move my hand forward with an open palm. “... Shinra Tensei.”
The ground in my path is once again razed as the screaming body of Zanis is shot away at high speeds, impacting the edge of the arena a second before the rest of the ground is impacted by the force attack and made uneven once again.
Shockwaves travel across the entire arena as I allow all of the earth I had been holding up to fall to the ground, uncaring of anyone that may be in the way.
“... Once more, for the last time… Jūryoku no Hakai.” I raise my arms into the air and close my eyes as I feel the location of the last conscious adventurers and ignore them in favor of focusing.
Increasing the gravity across the entire arena, the entire field is slowly flattened into a single ginormous crater with the bodies of the adventurers dragged into a single large pile in the middle.
At the center of the crater stands a pillar, barely a few inches wide, holding up a piece of land only 5 feet wide standing far above the remaining indented battlefield.
The remaining adventurers are crushed into the ground and transported into the corpse pile as I lower my hands and slowly place them back into my pockets, simply indulging in the complete silence that has enveloped the world as my cloak fluttered in the silent winds.
“... I win.”
…
…
[... A few hours ago, Lefiya POV]
I exhale in slight exhaustion as we slowly exit the dungeon’s entrance for good.
… This was the weirdest expedition we’ve ever had, and I can say that with complete confidence.
After the little accident with the Monster Rex, Lady Riveria was worried about continuing into the deeper floors, with Mr. Gareth agreeing with her about the possible dangers of going lower.
Captain Finn on the other hand assured them that they’d be fine, stating that ‘he had a gut feeling’, which seemed to appease both of them for some reason despite their still apparent skepticism.
Even Captain Finn himself seemed quite perplexed at his own ‘gut feeling’, and his thumb had not twitched again like it had been doing the entire first day.
After that, our entire expedition into the dungeon had gone suspiciously smoothly, with absolutely no casualties or even close calls.
I almost thought that the dungeon itself seemed apologetic, but that seemed too farfetched even for my particularly imaginative imagination, so I didn’t entertain the thought again after that lest I accidentally mutter something embarrassing out loud.
A-Ais and Lady Riveria stayed behind as Ais wished to fight one of the Monster Rex, Udaeus, and Lady Riveria refused to leave her alone.
I wished to stay behind as well, but I knew I’d have only held them back. P-plus, Ais wished to fight the Udaeus alone, so I wouldn’t have been able to do anything but watch her fight anyway.
… And maybe hinder her by needing to be sav- No! No bad thoughts!
I did as Shishou told me and held the blade he gave me every second of the expedition, only unequipping it when I had to sleep. I’m sure he’ll be very proud of me for bringing it back and following his instructions!
With that thought, I begin walking with a pep in my steps and a glow radiating from my face, completely lacking the exhaustion I had earlier as I thought of how proud M-mikey Shishou will be of me.
I fail to notice the weird stares directed at me from the others, not that I would’ve minded anyway.
… Okay, I definitely would’ve minded…
We eventually reach the Loki Familia mansion and slowly enter, only to find a rushing Loki running toward us hurriedly while sweating.
She smirks at the sight of us as she raises her hand to get all of our attention. “Heeeeey! Welcome back and everythin’, but we gotta rush to the colosseum before all the seats are taken! Mikey’s wargame with the Soma Familia is in only a few hours!” She announces loudly as our entire group widens our eyes in surprise.
“What!?” I blurt out with a scream before quickly wilting at the gazes now directed at me. Everyone still nods at my question though as Loki stops running and takes a few deep breaths.
“T-the Soma Familia assaulted Itty-Bitty’s Familia home and tried to kidnap her other child, but were stopped by Mikey before he rushed to THEIR Familia home and completely wrecked it while declaring war on the Soma Familia, stating that in 3 days, he’d take them ALL AT ONCE! ALONE!” She quickly spoke and dramatically yelled the last part before stopping to take a few deep breaths.
My face paled.
“Then what’re we still doing!? We need to go help him beat up those bastard Soma Familia people right now!” Tiona declared loudly while raising her fist into the air before being punched in the head by Tione as the older sister glared at the younger one chastisingly.
“You idiot! We can’t just go help him after he said he’d take them all on his own! Right, Captain~?” She turned to Captain Finn with an expectant expression as he slowly closed his mouth, which he had opened earlier to speak before Tione interrupted.
He wryly smiled and nodded. “Yes, while that is one thing, we also cannot interfere with the matters of smaller Familias so casually. Doing that may affect the image of our Familia, morphing our reputation to one of tyrants.” He adds regretfully as I stare at him with shock.
How could he let a clear injustice like that go, simply because the image of our Familia is at risk!? The Soma Familia is the one that attacked the Hestia Familia first! Aren’t we supposed to uphold order in Orario as one of the top Familias!?
I see Tiona frown slightly at his words before she’s punched on the head again by the rapidly nodding and brightly smiling Tione.
“Of course! How thoughtful of you, Captain~” She swoons slightly as the Captain’s smile turns slightly strained before he nods and turns away wryly.
“Let’s take a little rest and head out to the Colosseum to at least cheer him on from the stands.” Captain Finn decides and everyone lets out a collective sound of agreement before all heading out for their rooms and the shower rooms.
… I definitely need a shower myself…
After resting for an hour or so, the interested members all gathered and began heading out to get good seats for the war game before they were all taken. Our party was mostly just the remaining Executives as the others were either too exhausted or not interested.
Oh, and Loki.
I felt slightly pale throughout our entire walk, not able to remove the unending feeling of worry bubbling inside of me.
Shishou is strong. Stronger than myself. But… to fight an entire Familia?
… Is he that strong?
Our group enters the Colosseum after paying for our tickets, getting front-line tickets thanks to Captain Finn flashing a smile at the female attendant, much to Tione’s rage.
After finally being seated, we sit for a while before I decide to ask our Captain for his opinion regarding my internal strife.
“... U-um, Captain?” I call out hesitantly as he blinks and turns away from his talk with Gareth before looking at me with a smile. “What do you think are the chances of Sh- M-Mikey winning?”
His eyebrows raise slightly at my slip-up as I suppress a wince before he hums thoughtfully.
“Oh, I personally think he’ll win. After all, he fought side-by-side with us against those plant monsters. I’d take my chances against these Soma drunkards over one of those plant thingies anytime!” Tione gave her opinion confidently as Finn nodded for half a moment before shaking his head.
“... No, I think he’ll lose.” He announces as I feel a pit grow in my stomach at his words. “You must remember that he stated that his way of defeating the plant monster you all faced was that they had a lucky weakness he could exploit, something that normal adventurers do not as they are not monsters. From your description of the battle, he was not able to dent the monster with his physical strength, and was barely able to outspeed it to dodge.” As he spoke, the Soma Familia began pouring out of one side of the arena in droves, making my mouth drop as hundreds of adventurers slowly walked out while waving at the cheering crowds.
“... He cannot win against this many numbers. Even a level 4 would hesitate to face this amount of adventurers, let alone Michael, who is a level 2 facing off against hundreds of level 1s and several older level 2s… I simply cannot see a path for his victory.” Captain Finn continues as I continue blankly staring at the overwhelming numbers of the Soma Familia with a dry throat.
… Will he… truly lose here…?
Shishou…?
“I disagree!” Tiona’s voice cut through my panic as she declared defiantly while glaring at the Captain. “I’ve seen Mikey playing with Lefiya and Bell like they were toddlers during our training! He sometimes even closed his eyes when they rushed at him, yet still dodged their attacks masterfully in a graceful way similar to Ais! Not even mentioning his magic and Haki, Mikey’s got this in the bag!” She spoke with full confidence as I blinked and slowly digested her words.
… She’s right… Why was I ever doubting Mikey? He’s the same person that destroyed me- defeated a level 3 (even if it was me of all people) and another strong level 1 at the same time with visible ease. The person who went toe to toe with a monster that gave Tiona and Tione trouble, even if he had a trick up his sleeve against that particular monster.
He still dodged its attacks just the same, damaged it just as any other adventurer would, he still defeated a monster that gave level 5s trouble.
… Yes. From now on, I’ll have more faith in my teacher!
Captain Finn seemed to be quite surprised by Tiona’s declaration, and Tione quickly tried to punch Tiona only to be blocked by her sister as they began having a catfight.
“Tch. If you like him so much, why don’t you marry him?” Bete spoke up for the first time since we left the Loki Familia Manor while rolling his eyes as Tiona froze in the middle of her catfight with a giant blush before she was punched by the unfazed Tione who took advantage of her shock. “... Though I agree with her, as much as it annoys me. A battle between two sides of weaklings it may be, but one side has a much stronger weakling than the other. A group of ants is nothing in front of a single human, no matter how many of them there are.”
I blinked in shock at the werewolf as even Tiona and Tione paused their fighting to stare at him in surprise.
“... Wow.” I don’t know who said it, but we all felt it for sure.
“... What is wrong with all of you…? … Why are you staring at me like that?” Bete crosses his arms with twitching eyebrows at the stares he’s getting from all of us as Mr. Gareth lets out a deep, loud laugh, and Captain Finn smiles wryly in his usual way.
“Never thought I’d see the day, lad.” Mr. Gareth pats Bete on the back roughly as the werewolf’s eyebrows continue twitching and he’s knocked forward slightly.
“What the hell do you mean?? What day?!” Bete angrily asks as everyone simply ignores him as-
“Mikey’s here!” Tiona screams excitedly as the distant form of Shishou slowly exits the shadow of the colosseum gate and calmly walks forward to meet the Soma Familia.
He will probably keep his distance as getting too close would be-
Why… Why is he still walking!?
He’s in the middle of the field! What is he doing?
Why does he have no weapon!? Where’s his spear?
“... I won’t need it.” WHAT IS MIKEY DOING!?
Tiona screams his name out as he blinks and slowly turned to look at us, and I quickly composed myself while sitting down to hide my fluster from him.
He raised his hand into a weird hand signature at us as Tiona copied him with a grin a second after.
Is he truly not worried about this battle at all? Shishou is not one to lose to delusional arrogance, I saw him beat that lesson into Bell’s head, so he must honestly believe he has no chance of defeat!
He looks away from us and back to the Soma Familia as I let out a sigh of relief and sit comfortably in my chair, finally able to calm my nerves.
“-push me out of this circle, I will admit defeat and declare my surrender.” WHAT!?
I jump out of my chair to stare incredulously at the extremely small circle Shishou stands in as the crowd erupts in cheers and mockery (fools).
Shishou… You’re going to make my heart burst if you continue…
The crowd eventually settles, and the announcer announces the beginning of the match.
The Soma Familia slowly begins circling around Shishou unanimously, probably having made that strategy beforehand, but Mikey Shishou simply stands there for a second before sighing a single time.
“... Bankai… Katen Kyōkotsu Karamatsu Shinju… Jūryoku no Hakai.” His slightly deepened voice echoes across the battlefield as I shiver slightly before I gape at the giant magic circle that encompasses the entire arena.
… Something then happens, and the adventurers begin falling like flies, some of them immediately being crushed into the ground, others struggling to stand, and most simply falling face-first into the ground and struggling to move.
The ground then splits apart and I watch in fascination as countless pieces of earth float into the air before they suddenly begin bombarding the standing adventurers all around the arena.
The screams of the adventurers barely overshadow the rumbles of the earth from the dropping projectiles, which are overshadowed by the screams of the audience as I look away from the battle for a second to stare at my own Familia members who are all staring at the arena with varying degrees of shock.
A group of mages aims their staves at where Shishou is standing, and I almost stand from my seat in worry before a voice silences the entire battlefield.
“Silence.” Shishou commands coldly as the mages all fail to utter words and explode because of Ignis Fatuus, much to my increasing horror.
… He really was just being humble when he said he couldn’t beat me in a duel if I used my magic. I’d simply lose the second I started chanting something.
“... T-the silence…!” The gruff voice of Mr. Gareth suddenly stutters as I, Tione, Tiona, and Bete all stare at him in shock at the slight fear in his tone before we all look at the paling face of Captain Finn and the horrified widened eyes of Loki.
… Mr. Gareth… is afraid of something?
Wait… The Silence… I remember reading about someone with that title…
Before I could recall the knowledge I had read somewhere before, a giant boulder flew into the air for a few moments before being dropped onto a group of screaming adventurers. The entire arena is then covered with a dust cloud from the powerful impact that reverberated through the stadium, an earthquake echoing under our feet.
Suddenly, Shishou appears again with a floating adventurer mere meters away from him as Shishou finally takes a single hand out of his pocket and raises it towards the adventurer.
“... Shinra Tensei.” He utters and the adventurer is absolutely obliterated by… nothing…? The ground itself is wrecked by some form of invisible attack that rampages through everything in the path of Shishou’s open palm.
My throat becomes dry at the display.
… Was this Shishou’s true power…? This could not be the power of a level 2… That is a level 3 at the least, with only level 4 being even slightly sensible…
Suddenly, the captain of the Soma Familia flies at high speeds towards Shishou, scaring me for a moment before he’s roughly held up in the air by another invisible force as he painfully tries to grasp something on his neck.
A horrifying aura suddenly begins emitting from Shishou as I gasp in horror at the sheer negativity I feel clouding my thoughts.
My mind is overwhelmed with my usual self-deprecating thoughts for mere moments and I almost begin tearing up before I suddenly feel my mind mysteriously clear itself from all the negativity, as if it never existed.
… W-what was that?
… Was Shishou the one who removed those thoughts? I no longer feel anything from looking at Shishou, unlike everyone else from my Familia who’s paling while staring at him.
Shishou seems to be speaking to the Soma Familia Captain, but I cannot hear what is being said. My Familia members seem to be capable of listening to what they’re speaking about though as their faces are changing from shock to several other varying emotions.
Eventually, a loud sound erupts from the Soma Familia Captain as I put a hand around my mouth and recoil in disgust before my eyes widen and I begin to feel second-hand embarrassment on behalf of the now-ruined Soma Familia Captain.
… That’s too embarrassing. I would no doubt rather kill myself than show my face in public ever again if that were to happen to me.
… Is Shishou really so scary that he’d… defecate… that loudly?
Mr. Gareth lets out a couple of chuckles for some reason but seems to be too distraught to laugh as loudly as he usually does.
After another few moments, the man who def- Captain of Soma Familia is blasted away again with the same invisible force attack that Shishou used earlier.
Shishou then slowly removed his other hand from his pocket and raised both of them into the air while closing his eyes to mutter something.
Suddenly an intense wind pressure hits the viewing stands as deafening crushing sounds echo from the arena and a crater is flattened into the ground encompassing the entire battleground.
… Except for the pillar.
Shishou’s pillar.
Standing in the middle of the arena is an unnaturally thin pillar holding up a small flat piece of land. Atop that land stands Shishou with his hands hidden in his fluttering cloak.
… It was beautiful…
Without a single movement, without any use of martial skills, with mere magical might, he obliterated hundreds of enemies in his path… In a single minute…
My heart began pounding faster as I felt a flush creep up all the way from my neck to my ears and across my entire face… Inside of me, a heat began forming, unlike anything I’ve ever felt befor-
“You okay there, Lefiya?” The voice of my goddess, Loki, snaps me out of my trance as I quickly snap my head to her, only to see her smirking at me knowingly.
… Fuck.
I mentally chastise myself for swearing but remind myself to look away from Loki before she can see anything else embarrassing.
Why did I have to get caught in a trance like that in public!? Damn it brain… You’ve cursed me!
Wait… I forgot about the lie Loki caught from me a few days ago!
… I am ruined…
… I’d rather be the man who just defecated himself than be here right now…
“HAHAHA! I said he’d win! Look at him now! I was right!” Tiona declared happily while smugly pointing at Captain Finn as he blinked once to break himself out of his thoughts before staring at her wryly.
The crowd exploded in cheers at the declaration of victory from the announcer as Shishou suddenly raised his head into the air and opened his eyes.
“... You’re next.” His voice echoed louder than the screaming crowd as I felt a slight chill in my chest from the warning tone in his voice, something that was shared by most of the crowd as their cheers had quieted down abruptly.
“MIKEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYY! YOU DID IT!” Tiona used the momentary distraction to immediately turn around and jump out of the viewing stands, surprising Tione, who wasn’t ready to stop her, as she ran to where Shishou stood.
Oh! I should go too!
My mind flashes to the feeling I had a mere minute ago and I freeze for a second before I can stand up.
… Okay, I’ll sit here for a second to… Uh… Make sure Loki doesn’t tell anyone anything!
… Not that there is anything to be told… Yes…
Tiona jumps onto the pillar Shishou is standing on (and surprisingly doesn’t cause it to collapse, much to my relief and disbelief) before lunging at Shishou with one of her infamous running hugs.
… Hmph.
Shishou doesn’t react much to her hug other than taking a step back from the force of her momentum. He leans into her ear to say something before she seems to have a face of realization. She then grabs him into another hug before dragging him like a bag and running out of the arena at max speed.
I watch his expressionless yet somehow bored face slowly grow more and more distant before turning to my Familia to listen to what they’re talking about.
“-not impossible. They look similar enough. During her time away from Orario, she could’ve been in the Far East and… doing that.” Captain Finn seems to be reasoning with Mr. Gareth and Loki as they both shake their heads in response.
“No way! They’re nothin’ alike, even if the hair is slightly similar, there’s just about nothin’ else that could prove they’re related.” Loki immediately denies it as Mr. Gareth nods in agreement to her words.
Everyone else is staring at them with confusion, not having the needed context to understand what they’re speaking about.
I’m also one of them. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on!
…
…
I let out a shuddering breath as Tiona finally lets me go on top of an isolated rooftop I pointed to while she was dragging me.
“You must’ve been really tired after… all of that! That was amazing! You went… Bankai, kato cocoso caramel shongou! Then the bad guys started dropping to their knees or were crushed into the ground without you having to even move a single finger! It was SOOOOO cool!” She excitedly began narrating the fight I was just in as I chuckled and let her do her thing.
It’s a breath of fresh air having some excitement, anyway.
“Yes… I indeed did go ‘kato cocoso caramel shongou’, I am proud of you for remembering my chant word for word.” I smile in amusement as she took my words seriously and puffed her chest out proudly. “Thank you for taking me away. I was not sure if I could safely bring myself down that pillar while holding myself together long enough for me to get down unharmed.” I thank her genuinely as she grins with a slight blush on her cheeks.
“Hehe! It’s no problem at all! I thought I may have messed up on the first one, but it seems I was right.” She proudly declares, unknowing of the fact that the one she was actually closest to getting right was the first one. “Don’t worry about the other thing! It makes sense that you’d be tired after such a heroic feat! It’s my duty to help you now that you’re done fighting.” She elbows me with a grin as I flinched and smiled with a grimace at the force behind her ‘nudge’.
“Oh? Your duty? As what, the heroine?” I smile in amusement as she locks up for a second with a giant blush before swooning in place with her hands on her cheeks.
“Mmm… Maybe I am the heroine! After all, who’s going to stop me from beating up the bad guys alongside the hero?!” She clenched her fists and began shadowboxing the air while making exaggerated sounds of attacks.
… This would be a lot cuter if her punches weren’t releasing shockwaves in the air.
Ah, who am I kidding, it’s still adorable.
“By the way, didn’t you just come back from your expedition? Shouldn’t you be tired?” I curiously ask the still-lively girl while taking a seat on one of the edges of the roof.
“Hoo! Yah! Boom! Uhh, the latest expedition was really weird. We suddenly encountered an Enhanced Goliath on the 17th floor, which really spooked us, but then the rest of our expedition continued smoothly with no casualties at all or even any near-oopsies! I honestly think that the dungeon was on vacation, but don’t tell Tione I said that. She’ll hit me for ‘being stupid’.” She pouted and crossed her arms angrily as I froze at her words.
…
[... Am I forgiven…?]
{... You did well. Definitely working there.}
[Happiness. Gratitude. Determination.]
{... Don’t make it a habit though. While I’d rather they didn’t die in the dungeon since they’re the other group of good guys, taking it easy on them will only make them weaker in the long run. Challenge them, but don’t go out of your way to kill them. Hell, do that for most adventurers. Though I don’t really care if they die or not, if any of them are stupid or reckless in the dungeon, sick 'em for all I care.} I order her with a mental shrug before pausing with a blink.
… That’s awfully psychopathic of me.
…
Is there something I want to admit to myself?
I mean, I did choose Esdeath over Akame when I was young. I think that says a lot about my character.
… Holy shit, I’ve been on team yandere since young. No fucking wonder.
“Umm… Are you alright? You suddenly went silent after I said that. Wait! You don’t think I’m stupid for thinking that, right?” She narrowed her eyes at me with a bigger pout as I zone back in on the real world.
“No, nothing like that, I promise. In fact…” I smile with amusement and gesture for her to come closer as she dashes closer immediately and leans in next to my face. “... I think you’re right, the dungeon was on vacation. I even confirmed it myself with my sources!” I whisper in her ear in a hush-hush tone as her face grows shocked.
“... I KNEW IT!” She yelled in righteousness before quickly covering her own mouth and crouching back down while staring at me apologetically.
I nodded seriously to her as I put my hands together like a mastermind about to explain their world domination plan, and Tiona quickly sat on the ground and stared at me seriously, awaiting my explanation.
“... You see, the earthquake that happened a few days was the dungeon moving itself to its vacation spot, causing rumbles to echo across all of Orario from such a big entity moving.-” Edias sparked in outrage at the unintended ‘fat’ comment I just made, but I continued without showing anything except a single wince. “-The enhanced Goliath was the dungeon leaving something behind to protect its unguarded deeper floors from adventurers hoping to get deeper. By eliminating it, you were granted access to the less aggressive floors that the dungeon would usually be focusing on…” I trailed off silently as Tiona’s face slowly morphed into realization and enlightenment.
“But it was on vacation, so we were able to move through with barely any resistance! Mikey, you’re a genius!” She jumped from her spot on the ground and hopped around excitedly before lunging at me again into a hug as I barely held myself from being knocked off of the rooftop. “We need to go tell Captain Finn as soon as possible! We need to take advantage of the Dungeon being on vacation!”
Oh fuck.
“Now wait right there, Tiona.” I request seriously while firmly holding onto Tiona’s wrist as she stops herself from dragging me on her shoulder like a potato sack. “There are 2 problems with doing that.” I elaborate gravely while staring into her eyes mysteriously.
Tiona looks confused but gazes into my eyes with matching seriousness before quickly turning her head away with a flush. “W-what is it?”
“... First of all, the dungeon has already returned from its vacation.” I begin soberly as her face grows shocked. “It’s currently biding its time to lower your guards, making you think it’s still on vacation despite having already returned. Once you enter the dungeon again while underprepared and believing the dungeon is still on vacation, it will release its monsters en masse without allowing you a moment of rest!” I announce with a ‘worried’ tone as Tiona’s face grows more shocked and she covers her mouth with her hand in horror.
“I-I… I didn’t think of that! That… that could have been very bad! We need to warn them now even more!” She begins visibly panicking and I almost feel bad.
Almost.
“But wait, what’s the other problem with doing that?” She suddenly remembers that I said 2 problems and stares at me with worry as I shake my head.
“I cannot come with you. If the dungeon’s spies learn that I have already deciphered the dungeon’s moves, they’ll move to eliminate me.” I inform her solemnly as her face becomes more horrified than it ever was in this entire conversation. “Unlike you, I am incapable of both protecting my goddess and Bell and also continuing my investigations. Which means that revealing myself to them would allow them to pick my Familia off… and then me.” I dramatically stare at the ground with distress as she lets out a cry and quickly picks me up and begins flailing me around like I’m a yo-yo.
“NOOOOO! I promise I won’t tell anyone about your information! You can’t die Mikey!” … You’ll kill me first if you don’t stop flailing me around like that.
My neck’s going to snap from the movement any second now…
If I didn’t have experience with wacky gravity from my own magic, I’d probably be throwing up right now.
“Tiona, please…” I request with a blank face as Tiona sniffles once before letting me down, but not letting go.
… Damn. She’s actually distressed. I definitely feel bad now.
… I don’t know if I should tell her that I was joking or not. On one hand, she’s devastated by the possibility of me dying to Edias’s ‘spies’.
On the other hand, she may just snap my neck for lying, so… I don’t know about that…
[Amusement.]
You shut up.
“I’ll be fine, I promise.” I awkwardly pat her on the back, not really knowing what the fuck I’m doing. “Just make sure to be extra careful in the dungeon from now on so it doesn’t take you by surprise, okay?”
She nods in my chest, and I suddenly realize that she hasn’t sniffled or made any noise in a few seconds.
A quick look down shows that she seems to be rubbing her cheeks against me with a mischievous grin while closing her eyes.
… She was faking it.
…
This little trickster…
“... Enjoying yourself there? Would you like a few more minutes?” I ask dryly as she freezes for a second before continuing as if nothing happened.
“Yes, give me a couple more minutes please.” Where does she get off being such a little minx?
Though I really do need to get a move on so I can go deal with the huge consequences of my victory as well as meet up with Bell and Hestia.
I’ve been neglecting them in favor of training and preparing for the last couple of days, and I don’t want them to begin feeling abandoned considering their… abandonment issues.
If you need me to elaborate… Zeus & Hephaestus.
“Okay, I do need to actually go now, Tiona.” I gently push her off as she giggles and blushes slightly. “I’ve got strays to grab, money to claim, and debts to repay and claim.” My eyes are already lifeless as I begin imagining the amount of work I’ll have for the next day as I ensure the disbandment of Soma Familia, speak to Hephaestus for the first time so I can repay Hestia’s debt, and watch out for the Familias that don’t heed my warning and still try to come for me.
“Strays to grab? Like cats?” Tiona asks in confusion as I chuckle.
“Kind of like cats, yes. Though one of them is more like a bunny. Another is like a dog.” I nod ‘thoughtfully’ as Tiona wrinkles her nose.
“... I don’t like cats or dogs… Rabbits are okay though, I guess. They’re tasty when eaten though.” …
… ok.
“Interesting opinion… I will be going now. Send my greetings to the others and make sure to drop by sometime for some training.” I’ve recovered enough magic to not edge mind-down as long as I don’t use any magic or expensive commands.
Tiona waves at me with a grin as I wave back before jumping off the roof and making my way to my first order of business.
Money!
…
…
…
[??? POV]
I quickly dash into another alleyway with my bag held tightly against my chest, expecting to see one of them around the corner waiting for me like they always do.
I once again find no one, much to my disbelief. I continue running as fast as I can, not trusting the little spark of hope that blossomed in my chest.
… It’s impossible. He couldn’t have defeated them all. There is no possible way that a single newly leveled-up adventurer could take on the entire might of the damned Soma Familia!
… But… What if…?
I feel tears begin brimming in my eyes as I continue running, hoping to collect all of my valuables before either the Soma Familia finish their slaughter…
… Or that man somehow wins.
“Ah. There you are.” I feel my blood run cold as those words register in my ears, and I quickly tighten my hold on my bag as my body freezes in fear.
I slowly turn around to face my abusers with despair only to freeze once again.
Instead of the usual mocking faces of my disgusting Familia members, the sole expressionless face of the man who declared war on an entire Familia greets me, looking completely unharmed without a single drop of sweat smearing his face.
“Liliruca… Arde, correct? I was looking for you. I defeated the entirety of the Soma Familia about an hour ago- well, except you, I suppose...” My face becomes paler than it already was at those words as I gaze at his completely blank face staring down at me with an indescribable emotion.
“I-I had nothing to do with the attack on your Familia, I s-swear!” I quickly interrupt him with panic as he pauses and raises an eyebrow at me, making me grimace at my mistake of interrupting him while pushing my head down.
… Every time an adventurer is interrupted while they’re talking by me, I usually have to endure their ‘rightful punishment’ for ‘daring to interrupt my betters’. A level 2 such as him will no doubt punish me for my transgression without thinking a second thought…
“... I don’t know what fantasies you’re creating in your head, but you’re making a lot of assumptions right now.” His amused voice cuts through my thoughts as I quickly look back up with confusion. “I’m not here to enact some idiotic revenge against someone who had nothing to do with the people who attacked my Familia.” He waves my worries away as I relax the slightest amount possible.
“... I-I see… A-and how could this h-humble supporter help you S-sir Inumaki.” I lower my hood and make my fake Chienthrope ears droop to make myself seem pathetic in an attempt to garner even the slightest bit of pity I can from him.
“... Alright, enough of that. I already know all about how you hate adventurers to death and would like nothing more than to murder them all single-handedly, so none of that ‘pathetic’ acting for me, please.” My eyes open wide in surprise as he informs me of how he knows the one thing I hide from everyone I meet no matter what. “Oh and I already know about your transformation magic. You’re a pallum, not a… uh, dog person… That’s probably not racist.” I do not hear the last part as I’m too busy having an EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.
How does he know so much about me? How does he know MY MAGIC??
… W-what does he want with me…?
“... I-I apologize Sir… How can I… help you…?” I do my best to stay polite despite his order to speak normally, not wishing to step on his toes with my true thoughts.
He rolls his eyes. “Good enough for now. I want to recruit you into my Familia now that the Soma Familia has been disbanded. Or will be disbanded, I guess.” My heart soars at those words as I truly realize the connotations of what he’s saying.
… I’m free?
… I’M FREE!?
The Soma Familia is being disbanded?!? I can finally leave that accursed place for good!?
I feel tears begin streaming down my cheeks as I tighten my hold on my bag and begin sobbing quietly, unable to believe the fact that I’ve finally escaped my hell.
At some point, I feel a hand land on my head, making me flinch… but instead of pain, I only feel warm and comfortable, as if all of the negativity inside of me is being sapped away.
“... I’m sorry about everything that’s happened to you. I promise you that my Familia will never treat you the same way your old one did.” The voice of the man who singlehandedly freed me from my nightmare softly spoke to me as his hand continued messing with my hair gently.
… What is this… Why can’t I feel anything but happiness right now…? Why can’t I be angry at this… adventurer… for touching me!
… I’m… so happy…
I don’t know how long I stand there sobbing as the adv- hero- who saved me continues comforting me for gods knows why.
I eventually am able to speak again and I quickly bring my tear-filled eyes up to meet his blank but slightly soft ones.
“... W-why… w-why do you want me in your F-familia?” My throat feels dry as I ask this dreaded question, already imagining a thousand bad scenarios in my head.
He stays silent for a few seconds, unintentionally making my anxiety skyrocket, before sighing. “... The thing about heroes, is that they usually preach about saving everyone they can no matter the obstacles. But… in real life…? That’s basically impossible.” He suddenly explains, confusing me.
“... I mean, every time you save one person, there’s probably a thousand more in need of help on the other side of the world, no?” He begins patting my head again as he speaks, almost distracting me. “So… where does that leave a person trying to become a hero in the real world?” He rhetorically asks as I freeze at the unexpected question.
… Well… I guess I’d just… give up? If I can’t save everyone, then there’s no point in trying since I’m doomed to fail.
I don’t voice those thoughts though in fear of disappointing him, and he doesn’t look like he’s expecting an answer anyway.
“Usually, people would choose to give up. The cold, empty reality hits them hard and forces them to their knees.” My eyes widen in shock as he voices my exact thoughts, but he doesn’t seem to notice as he continues. “But I can’t do that. Or rather, I won’t. Instead, I’ll simply save everyone I can see in front of me that deserves saving. After all, if I can’t save everyone, then I’ll save everyone I can.”
He takes his hand away from my head (much to my annoying disappointment) and crouches down in front of me, reaching eye-level with me as his eyes seriously stare into mine.
“... I knew about you. I knew you needed help. I knew you deserved help, which is a lot more than I know about many others. That’s why I’m here, to save you and take you into my Familia.” He speaks seriously while staring into my eyes to convey his genuineness as I barely hold my tears from spilling forward again at his words, only managing to succeed because I barely have any more tears to shed.
“... I-I… understand…” I nodded slightly at his words, not really understanding what he meant fully, but still understanding his intention.
He wishes to save me. A part of me feels extremely joyful, finally having someone to save me from this hell like all of the fantasies I made in my head… but I could not stop the not-so-small part of me that felt distrustful, afraid, and a thousand more heart-wrenching feelings I hated myself for feeling.
Before I could berate myself for feeling the way I do, the hero speaks again.
“... I know you might be slightly suspicious of what I’m promising, but I have a way to reassure you of my good intentions.” His words grab my interest faster than they really should, but both parts of me immediately latch onto this possible chance of reassurance as I stare at him with hope.
“... If it’s fine with you, we can initiate a Binding Vow that would ensure that I could not hurt you without grave consequences, and in return, you’d never harm anyone in our Familia either. You will physically feel the vow take effect, so you’d know that it’s not just a sham.” My eyes widen at the knowledge of such a thing, hope rising inside me to the highest it can be as I stare at him expectantly while nodding until my neck started to hurt.
“Very well. I’ll speak the vow out loud, and if the conditions are acceptable, just state your acceptance of said conditions, okay?” I quickly nod again as he nods himself. “I, Inumaki Michael, promise to never hurt Liliruca Arde maliciously in any way, shape, or form and promise to protect her to the best of my abilities while training her to be capable of protecting herself. In return, Liliruca Arde will never betray or backstab the Hestia Familia and its allies while supporting it to the best of her abilities. Are these conditions acceptable?”
I quickly mull over every part of the vow as he nods in approval (making a slight feeling of pride bloom inside of me) before I eventually nod.
“... I-I accept these conditions.” As soon as these words come out of my mouth, a huge amount of weird energy bursts out of the hero and envelops me for a few moments, scaring the lights out of me.
After I realize that nothing’s happened and that the energy had disappeared, I look back to the hero as he stands up and dusts his clothes.
“Now that that’s been taken care of, are you prepared to head home? Our manor was quickly fixed after the Soma Familia’s attack once I threw a bunch of money at the faces of the workers.” He (presumably) smiles down at me with amusement while extending his hand forward I feel my eyes water in the remaining tears still left in me.
“... Y-Yes… I’d like to go… h-home…”
…
…
[Hestia Manor, Michael POV]
Well, that’s numero 3 Familia member gotten. I’m glad I was able to convince her that I was, indeed, not a shady man asking her to get into his van for candy in an alleyway.
Whew. Leave me alone FBI! I am not putting the loli in my basement, okay?
I know those mother fuckers are trans-dimensional for sure. Any other moves and I would’ve been in deep water. FBI OPEN UP!
[... Focus, idiot…]
Right right.
“Hey Hestia, look at this cute stray I picked up.” I gesture to Liliruca with a blank face as she turns to me with horror and embarrassment before turning back to Hestia with even more horror as Hestia begins giggling.
“It’s quite the cute one indeed. I’m guessing that she’s going to be our newest Familia member?” Hestia moves forward, leaving the gaping Bell behind as she pats Liliruca on the head.
Liliru- fuck it. Lily flinches slightly at the touch but doesn’t say anything at the physical contact.
“Yes. She’s… had a tough life, so I want you to be a bit gentle with her, alright?” I give Hestia a pointed look as her mouth turns into an ‘o’ and she quickly nods.
“Of course! I am your new goddess, Hestia. Goddess of Home, Hearth, and Familial Harmony. What’s your name cutie?” Hestia smiles motherly at Lily as the little pallum girl shifts in confusion at the unfamiliar atmosphere.
“U-um… Liliruca Arde… T-thank you for having me, Lady H-Hestia…” She answers hesitantly with a low voice as Hestia’s face softens and turns to me with a questioning look.
I simply shake my head with a small frown as Hestia frowns for a second before returning to her motherly smile and taking Lily’s hands into her own.
“It’s good to have you here, Lily. Now, have you had a Falna before or is this your first time?” Hestia gently asks as Lily stiffens and turns to look at me with panic.
Ah, she’s scared they may dislike her if she told them that she’s from the Soma Familia.
She’s got nothing to worry about. If she told them she was a literal demon of hell, these two idiots would still accept her with open arms as long as she promised not to do bad things.
“Lily was trapped in a bad Familia that I recently forced to disband. Now that she’s free, I decided to take her into our own Familia as I saw potential in her and she accepted my offer.” I subtly explain to both of them as Hestia’s face lits up in realization while Bell takes my words at face value and nods without picking up on my hints.
… An actual idiot. I swear…
“Oh, I’m so sorry…” Hestia grabbed the smaller girl into a hug. Lily’s breath stiffened at the unexpected physical contact and froze in Hestia’s arms. “You had no business being in such a despicable Familia… I promise that we’ll treat you a million times better than those Soma idiots ever could!”
Lily’s eyes began watering slightly at Hestia’s words as she opens her mouth to speak but fails to make any sound that isn’t a choked sob. She sniffles and hides her face in Hestia’s chest as Hestia began rubbing her back soothingly.
… That’s adorable. I’m glad Hestia’s so reliable when it comes to this type of stuff. Me and Bell could never.
Speaking of. “How about we celebrate our newest addition to the Familia? What’s your favorite food, Lily? We’ll order a ton of it for dinner.” I move next to the two girls and pat Lily on the head while asking my question as Lily stops sniffling for a second.
“I-I… don’t r-really have a favorite f-food… I-I usually just a-ate… anything I-I could get my h-hands on…”
… Hoo fuck. I really wanna go back and kill a bitch right now. Maybe two bitches. Maybe a couple more.
Looking at Hestia’s absolutely murderous face, I believe that she’s thinking the exact same thing as I am right now.
“... How about a certain type of ingredient, like chicken, meat, or fish?” I try again with a forced smile as Lily stays silent for a few seconds before muttering a low “C-chicken” under her breath. “Bell, you are to go out and grab one of every type of chicken-related menu item from the Hostess.” I throw a few bags of Valis at Bell as he grabs them out of the air and salutes me with a serious expression before grabbing a coat and dashing out of the living room.
Lily brought her face out of Hestia’s chest in shock as she stared at Bell’s exiting form before turning to me with more shock as I pat her on the head again.
“I did promise you that we’d treat you better than your old Familia ever could. When I make promises, I honor those promises to the best of my abilities. I don’t do things halfway.” I ruffle her hair as tears stream down her cheeks again before giving Hestia a smile and making my way out of the living room.
“I’ll prepare the table for Bell’s return. Help Lily get a shower and some new clothes please, Hestia.” I request from Hestia as she gives me a thumbs-up. “Call me if you need anything.”
I turn my head to Lily, catching her eyes and giving her another smile.
“Welcome to the Hestia Familia, Liliruca.”
…
…
Oh boy. Soma Familia has been decimated, and no problem to the dudes that asked for more Lefiya POV. More Tiona time for those enthusiasts too. Also, new Familia member GET! Are yall happy?
I tried my best on this chapter and sorry for the diabetic attack on Lily's part, but I personally think it's realistic and I'm not about to change something like that because people think it's cringe.
I did my best for this chapter, I sincerely hope you enjoyed it!
Also Hi Patreon boios. I finished this chapter up in the last couple of days because I wanted you boys to get another chapter this week. Please enjoy the new chapter on your weekends! Thank the bois who commissioned an extra chapter for this one!
Comments
Stephen
To respond to your comment, the naruto reference made me cringe a little but the bleach stuff made me cringe alot.
Dirk Gent Lee
People shit themselves when they die. In a field full of corpses, one early one isn’t especially noteworthy. Other than the poop humor, good chapter
Deathknight134
Speaking of those references, will you have the MC become a Manga author to spread all those stories? XD
Anxiety Overlord
Ohhh yeah the Bleach one made even me cringe but I honestly loved the Naruto ones though. Who doesn't love a little Almighty Push every now and then? I respect your opinions tho lmao.
Odis
Every chapter I read makes me wish there were 5 more chapters. This is rn my fav fanfic hands down so I hope you keep going.
Deathknight134
I think he's talking about the Bleach and Naruto references.
Deathknight134
Very good chapter. I loved it. Especially loved the part with Lili and glad she could get out of that hell. Ais and Riveria are gonna be super shocked when they get back, and Ryuu is no doubt shocked that Mikey defeated the Soma Familia so easily. Hehe. It's a shame we didn't see Planetary Devastation being used on the Soma Familia though.
Anxiety Overlord
Thanks! And what references if you don't mind me asking? I can't remember any references I did at the time in this chapter specifically. Unless you mean the reference to 'The Silence', but it sounds like you liked that?
Stephen
The references made me cringe a little but the interaction with mike and liliruca made this chapter great in my opinion,also the fight scenes was great and how the loki familia became scared just by hearing 'slience' was good.
Rhyalys
I loved it so much!! And the part with Lily was a nice surprise! Thank you for the chapter, as always, can’t wait for the next one 😁
Anxiety Overlord
No problem homie. You overestimate how much of a 'schemer' Zanis is. He's merely a man that was able to climb the ranks and then take the reigns from the already dissociative Soma to basically profit by making everyone addicted to his alcohol. This is basically just like Skidmark from Worm if you've read it. Just a dude who got lucky with his power and began profiting from selling drugs/alcohol. He's nothing but a filthy gang leader in Michael's eyes, who just lost all of his power, any reputation of his plummeted, and he's basically traumatized for life. Also, thank you and I'm happy you liked that little tidbit.
Angel
I found the artist for the the first Edias fanart it's nilsunna on rule34.
Boyo
Thanks for the chapter! I am a fan of almost everything you did with these scenes. Not killing Zanis, though, felt like a major fumble. You never let evil schemers and manipulators go, that’s just common sense. Maybe ask Edias to kill him next time he enters the dungeon. On another note , the MC’s similarities to the Silence was a clever idea.
Stanley Seymour
I happily enjoyed this chapter and it was well worth the wait! Got to see Mike give his all and we shall soon see the fallout for such a display. I especially enjoyed the other pov's, along with the fear Gareth had. No doubt many in Loki familia had ptsd of those rather, dark days. After all, they both left quite an impression. Also yay, new recruit and I like the way he recruited her, bonus points for that. No doubt with Mike's help Lily will be more than just a supporting side character like she is in canon which I always hated. Your writing is smooth and clear, keep it up. Well worth the money!
Anxiety Overlord
Enjoy losers!
