The long road back

Time Pause, as it turns out, did exactly as the name implied. Except ten times better. In exchange for a truly enormous amount of mana, I could interact with my surroundings with absolutely no restrictions whatsoever.

However, thanks to my Divine Core, whose function I quickly learned from my Kangeki, my mana pool was effectively increased by over a hundred times. (Around a hundred and three times, actually. My God's Eyes, being a mere scrying tool rather than an actual, scientific instrument, only rounded to the nearest hundred)

In contrast, Gáe Bolg needed 50 MP to use its basic attack. Before it leveled up, Time Pause demanded 50,000 per second. Before I activated Divine Core, I could only use it for six seconds before collapsing from exhaustion. But now? I could keep it up for eleven minutes. I had over thirty-two million mana points, giving me enough mana to easily use Balmung hundreds, if not thousands of times. And, thanks to my Galvanism letting me release all the required mana all at once rather than having to charge when activating an Ability or Noble Phantasm, I could easily fire any given weapon in less than a second. Which meant I could use Balmung together with Galvanism to great effect, activating it multiple times consecutively to beam-spam the hell out of whatever I was facing.

So… yeah. That was about it. My slowly increasing Clairvoyance radius revealed nothing new, much to my disappointment. After Time Pause reached level twenty and my other skills got high enough to survive nearly anything the world could throw at me, I headed out and began to search for civilization.

The first thing I looked for was magic. My Eyes could detect faint traces of it scattered about, even disregarding the slightly disturbing Curse of Hell still painting the sky red. Not enough to form a coherent trail, though, so that was a dead end. My Clairvoyance was less than helpful, telling me only of my immediate surroundings rather than pointing me in the direction of a living being.

Wait. Living beings.

I tripped, smashing my face against a tree as the thought hit me. 'Normal humans give off heat, moron. The Kangeki has thermal vision. Even if the extremes of temperature in Tartarus made it useless, up here in the snow any living being will shine like a beacon.'

I ignored the sensation of my regeneration repairing my face as I stood, focusing my magic on my Eyes. I shifted my perception through the polaroid and high-frequency settings, finally reaching thermal after a bit of a struggle. I never needed anything other than the standard Kangeki in the Pit, so I was a bit out of practice.

I scanned my surroundings slowly, getting used to the odd collage of color. Blue, blue, and yet more blue greeted me as I turned, straining my vision to see as far as possible. At maximum distance, I could easily see up to ten kilometers in a given direction, but that left me unable to see things close to me. Alone as I was, it wasn't an issue. I continued turning, hope dwindling as I still saw nothing but muted colors. Until, finally, there! A brilliant cluster of reds and yellows, travelling through the snow.

I grinned, moving my Clairvoyance in their direction to try and judge whether or not to approach them. I zeroed in my vision, getting a good look at them for the first time. My smile froze in its place. There were six of them, two to three feet tall and human-shaped, but with larger noses, ears, and fingers. Their smooth, grey skin glowed unnaturally under their cloaklike clothes. I saw hints of porcupine quills under the odd garments as they moved, hinting even further towards their supernatural origins.

I immediately recognized them from the descriptions I'd gotten from various monsters. Pukwudgies. They were from the same folklore as Wendigos, hence my extensive knowledge on them. Their primary weapons consisted of poisoned arrows, and they were able to appear and disappear at will, create fire, and morph into porcupines. And, more disturbingly, they were able to control the souls of the humans they'd killed.

My mind idly began drawing connections between them and Wendigos. After all, Wendigos absorbed souls, and how different was that from controlling them?

'Wait. Teleport. They can teleport,' I suddenly realized, my attention caught. 'Could they teleport me back to Naskapi?'

It was worth a try. The Cyclops who had told me of them had mentioned that they might help me if I found one, but there weren't many Native American monsters in the Greek underworld. All I really had to go on was the fact that creatures from the same Pantheon tended to help each other out whenever possible.

'But still… if they can help…'

I switched back to my normal vision, wincing slightly at the eye strain it caused. Then, focusing on where I had last seen the goblin-like creatures, I broke into a dead run. My bullshit Agility showed itself as the world around me blurred, and I couldn't help but bask in the sheer overpowered nature of my speed. Within seconds, I was slowing to subsonic speeds, skidding to a stop just in front of what seemed to be the leader, causing the entire company to halt.

I cleared my throat. "Excuse me, but—"

Before I even had the chance to finish, hysterical screams and cries rang out from the entire group as utter chaos seemed to break out.

"DON'T EATS US!" one wailed, trembling. "WE GIVE YOU MEATS!"

I blinked. "Er…"

"PLEASE!" the leader begged, falling to its' knees. "We is kind and helpful! But don't eats us, we needses our heads!"

'…All right, then. I guess their brains must be really tiny,'I mused, staring at the panicking Pukwudgies. I cleared my throat loudly once more, and all of them froze.

"I'm not going to eat you."

For a second, no one uttered a sound. Clearly, they hadn't been expecting this.

"It speekses!" one whispered.

"It must be strong!" another squeaked.

The leader stepped forward, trembling. "Er, our apologies your graciousness. We's just be walking through. We's sorry for intruding."

I sighed. "This isn't my land, as far as I know there's no one for miles. I just needed your help with something."

The leader bobbed his head furiously, eyes bugging out. "Y-yes sir!"

I rolled my eyes. 'Dumb as a sack of rocks.' "I have things to trade if you want, but I need to get somewhere, and I hear you can teleport."

Cha-ching!

All traces of fear vanished in an instant as I offered a trade. I snickered softly as the their eyes lit with greed, sharp teeth showing as they smiled. "We's can," the leader agreed smoothly. "But what cans you offers us?"

I tilted my head. "I offer an item of immense value, one that you'd never get anywhere else."

"OoOOOH," all six chorused in excitement. One started bouncing up and down, large ears flopping.

"What, what?" the leader chanted.

I couldn't hide my grin. They were so… simple. Almost adorable, really. I leaned down, reaching into my bag and pulling out a wrapped package. "What can you offer me?"

All eyes landed on the roundish package. One whimpered. The leader swallowed heavily. "Powerful," he murmured. Then, louder. "We's can offers you the knowledge of telseportinges."

"Teleporting," I corrected.

It waved me off. "Yes, yes. That. We's uses candleses, and we's can teaches you how to makes them."

That sounded promising. "Candles?"

It nodded seriously. "The fastest way to travel is by candlelight."

I sat down, my cool skin not even melting the snow beneath me. "All right, teach me."

It grinned. "Only if we gets the thingy."

"Of course." I put up a hand, stopping it as it reached out to snatch the bag away. "But only after you teach me."

"Good, good." It scuttled closer, and I set the package back in my bag. The leader pulled a grimy piece of paper from its cloak, then handed it to me. It looked up at the dreary sky, grumbling to itself as it pulled out an old beer bottle carved with runes. I memorized all the runes instantly, my Eyes startling the little men with their glow. The leader swallowed nervously, but continued. "See, we's set the bottle down…" He placed the bottle in the snow. "And wait for stars to give lights."

I glanced up at the sky. "Yeah, give me a sec." I pulled the mental muscle that lead to my weather manipulation, and the skies slowly cleared to reveal glimmering stars. "Right. Go on."

The Pukwudgie smiled hesitantly. It added the last glyph, a small activation and regulation lesser rune, and the glass became unnaturally clear – crystal clear. "Now. Watch."

The bottle began to glow. Pure silver light burst to life in tiny, tiny sparks in the air, dancing and swirling. A wisp of white smoke, silvery-white, drifted down from on high and flowed into the vases, bringing with it tiny silver dots of energy. Sparks that brightened and dimmed on the whim of passing time. The bottle filled quickly, glowing in the dim light of the moon.

"See?" the Pukwudgie whispered excitedly. "Now, gives me the paper!" I handed it the paper, and it bounced up and down. "Where does you want to be going?"

"Naskapi."

It blinked. "Er…"

I sighed. "It's near the Lucifer's mansion."

It scratched the quills that grew from its back. "Which Lucifer?"

"The… newest one. I doubt you'd get names," I grumbled. As adorable as these creatures might have been, they were exasperating to talk to.

It shrugged, scratching down odd glyphs that I had memorized and resolved to learn when I had the chance. "All right. Watch."

It curled the paper into a tube, carefully removing the cap of the bottle and quickly slipping the paper inside. Then it slammed the cap back on, backing away. The entire thing glowed brighter and brighter, and the little men shrieked in glee. Then the glow died down, revealing a shattered bottle and a misshapen silver candle.

I smiled to myself. 'That's probably why they didn't teleport away. They don't have the materials to give all of them a candle.' "All right. A deal's a deal." I tossed him the package, reaching out and taking the candle. "That's the skull of a Titan. It should be worth a fortune on the black market."

The Pukwudgies all oohed and aahed over it as I stepped back, a flicker of flame dancing on my fingertip. Then with a roar and a flash of light, my surroundings disappeared.

I opened my eyes to a dark room, one that looked almost like a cellar. I coughed and winced at the rancid stench that pervaded throughout the room. My night vision kicked in as I looked up.

**The Eyes of Misery have been damaged*

-The power 'Memento Mori' has been nullified.

-The power 'Memorial' has been nullified.

-The power 'Spider's Eyes' has been nullified.

*Regeneration time: 5d 6h 10m*

'Are you shitting me?' I grumbled to myself. 'I know my Eyes are sort of fragile now that I'm losing my vision, but are you freaking serious? A simple flash causing a week of damage is a bit over-the-top.'

I glanced around, hoping I wasn't anywhere too dangerous while I 'recovered.'

I was in a cramped space, all concrete and stone. The room seemed mostly empty on first glance, only holding a small bed in the corner. A large iron door covered the only entrance, which was rather troublesome. At least I was safe, though.

I rose to my feet, looking for an exit that didn't involve tearing the door off its hinges. If I really was in the Lucifer's dungeons, I'd rather not add property damage to my breaking-and-entering charge. Pissing off Sirzechs Lucifer without my Eyes was tantamount to suicide.

Something shifted in the corner of my vision, and I froze. What I had initially assumed to be a pile of rags on the bed turned out to be a little girl about my age. Her arms and legs were almost twigs, and her gaunt face hid a pair of exquisite hazel eyes.

I stepped back in surprise, cursing my blurry vision. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

She blinked, huddling even further against the wall.

I coughed, glancing down at my hands. They had a silvery sheen, likely an aftereffect of using the Candle. "Right. Don't talk much. Mind if I stay here for a bit? I'd like to talk to whoever's in charge here. Maybe find a map?"

Another blink.

I grimaced. 'Well, at least she's somewhat aware. Maybe I can get a response out of her if I just leave her alone for a bit? I've talked to shy people before, so I at least know the basics, but…' I eyed her rags and ratty hair, strikingly similar to my own. 'I don't think I should just leave her here.'

I walked slowly over, and she twitched violently at my approach, trying to scoot away. I sat on the bed, saying nothing. She stared at me with fearful eyes. I did my best to seem as harmless as possible, and we remained like that for what seemed like hours. Eventually, I could feel her relaxing as she realized that I bore her no ill will. Her trembling subsided, and I decided to try speaking with her. "My name is Dee," I began softly. "Do you know where we are?"

She started trembling uncontrollably once more, and I did my best restrain my impatience. I lapsed into silence once more until the trembling stopped, then began again. "I promise I'm not here to hurt you," I said soothingly, moving into a more relaxed position. Legs crossed, arms spread, palms open and facing her. Not that I couldn't kill her in a heartbeat if I wanted, but it was the thought that counted. "It's fine if you don't want to talk. I'll talk instead. How about I tell you about myself? Would you like that?"

She didn't move.

"All right, fine. Not me. How about my home town?"

Still nothing, save a small twitch of her mouth.

I cheered internally. Progress. "All right then." I took a deep breath. "My home town is called Naskapi, and it's the oddest place you'll ever see…"

"…And then Carn tripped over it," I finished with a grin. "Twice."

Soft giggles rewarded me as the small girl noticeably brightened. I had been telling her stories for quite a while, now. No one had come to visit, despite it being well over half a day. I would've offered the girl some food, but, well, I only had people jerky left.

Still, her mood had increased quite drastically. She seemed almost like a different person: instead of huddling miserably in the corner of the bed, she was now sitting up, legs crossed and leaning forward almost eagerly, her eyes filled with life. I felt rather proud of myself.

"So…" I began as her giggles died down. "Let's start over. Hi, my name's Dee. What's yours?"

She smiled slightly. "V-Valiant."

"Valiant," I repeated, savoring the name. "It's beautiful."

Valiant flushed, hiding behind the curtain of her hair. "M-my mother gave it to me," she admitted shyly.

I didn't press, knowing from experience that mentioning parents got complicated fast. Even if she was perfectly happy with her mother, she'd still ask about mine in return. And I doubted she wanted to hear of my mother's brutal murder and disfigurement. "How are you today, Valiant?" I asked instead, continuing to smile at her.

"I'm fine." Her stutter had almost vanished, and she seemed almost relaxed. "You're very nice, mister Dee."

I shrugged. "I'm better than most of the assholes I grew up around, that's for sure. I'm not nice by any stretch of the word, though. I'm just making conversation until Lord Lucifer gets here."

She flinched at the word 'Lucifer,' and I sighed internally. 'Back to square one…' "We don't have to talk about him if you don't want to, though," I continued without missing a beat. My Sight was gradually returning now that I was out of Chronos's castle, and I was more than happy to exploit it to dodge conversational pitfalls. "What do you want to talk about?"

The girl hesitated. "I… I want to hear more about the outside world." she whispered at last.

"Well, what would you like to hear about first?"

I mock groaned, rising to my feet and stretching. "Wow, it's been a long time. Maybe I should go get—"

"No!" Valiant's voice rang out, eyes panicked. "Please, don't go!"

I blinked. "…I was going to get food from my bag." Her outburst was rather unexpected; it was the first time she had raised her voice. "I have some water if you want it, but my food is probably deadly to you."

She shook her head. "Water, no food. He'll know I ate."

I shrugged. "All right, suit yourself." I pulled out my Storage Gem, an idea sparking. "Actually… have you ever tasted fire-water?"

She shook her head. "N-no… what is it?"

I poured some into my hand and let her see it. It lit the room, and both of us squinted against the light. I idly noted that her hair was an iridescent, pearl-like white that shone in the firelight.

The girl carefully touched it, jerking her hand back as it 'burned' her. No wound showed itself as she inspected it, however, and her eyes widened at the revelation. I laughed softly. "It's from the river Phlegathon in the Underworld. It's not filling, but it keeps you from starving to death."

The girl nodded, lifting my hand to her lips and sipping. I was startled for a few moments; my Sight had not warned me that this was going to happen. Apparently it had been a snap decision on the girl's part. She wrinkled her nose adorably, looking confused at the taste. "Ick."

I laughed, louder this time. "I know. It sucks. But it's all I've got." I glanced at the door once more. "You know, if you wanted out, I could get rid of the door—"

"No!" she cut in, shaking her head emphatically. "No. P-please. Don't go." Her cheeks reddened slightly. "I-I don't have anyone else…"

I wish I could say that my heart warmed at her words, but it really didn't. If anything, her affection made me feel even worse about myself. 'I'm really not a human anymore,' I thought, detached. 'Just an undead monstrosity tricking a little girl into helping him.'

"Well, okay." I shifted in my seat, a habit I had picked up from watching other monsters. I didn't need to move, but others found it creepy if I sat too still. "Why can't you leave?"

Fear warped the girl's innocent features, highlighting a thin scar beneath her eye. "B-because he wouldn't like it," she whispered.

I raised an eyebrow. "He who?"

"M-my father." Her voice dropped even lower. "H-he's really strong, a-and he throws things when he's upset."

'Must be where the scar is from,' I mused. 'Well, as fucked up as that is, her father might be the Crimson Lucifer for all I know. I might be good, but I doubt I could match the head of the Underworld.'

"I see." I scooted a bit closer to her. "Hey, I know some heat spells if you're cold… and I know how hard it is to sleep when you're cold."

Her eyes lit up, causing me to feel impossibly worse about myself. I reached out, wrapping my arms around her and cranking up the heat in the room. She snuggled into me without hesitation, ignoring the iciness of my skin.

I noticed faint patterns of white across her flesh. Scars marring her perfect form. 'They must be from abuse,' I thought clinically. But no matter how hard I tried to get angry about that, I just… couldn't. The girl was safe now, and that was enough for me. My Sight had warned me that she would've passed in her sleep if I hadn't offered to warm her, and she would've died of starvation within a day if I hadn't given her the water. I wasn't about to give her some of my people jerky and make the rest of her life hell, so I'd just have to make something up. I knew there was someone else nearby, I'd just have to draw them in.

I grinned deviously as a plan began to form. I snaked a single tendril of magic out of the cell and up, up, up into the sky above us. Then I began to pour mana into it, brewing a storm so fierce that it struggled in and out of my control like a raging bull. Then, I released it.

Thunder shook the world around us, the concrete cell vibrating at the impact. I could hear distant rain above us, pounding echoing beats onto a far-off roof. 'A mansion, then, or some large structure.' My smile died as the presence I saw failed to show up in my Sight. 'Well… it was a far-off plan, anyway.' I closed my eyes, trying to calm my thoughts. "Might as well try to sleep," I muttered to myself, deactivating my Eyes. My Sight would wake me if something changed.

'I'm beginning to figure out how the Curse of the Wendigo works,' I decided, stroking Valiant's hair. The action soothed me, though it was decidedly different from stroking Kuroka's hair. Less silky, for one. 'It only shuts down things that aren't about me. Valiant gets abused? I didn't give a shit. But now that she actually means something to me, I'm able to get angry about it. Curious how that works.'

The small girl stirred, blearily opening her eyes to look up at me. "M-morning." Her cheeks flushed softly.

I smiled down at her. "Morning," I greeted. "Care to get out of here today?"

She shook her head, shyly tugging on a small braid I had done for her. "N-no. I'm fine."

I shrugged. I was more than used to sitting and waiting from all the practice I'd had in the caves. This girl was obviously important; someone would check on her eventually. Even if it'd been half a week already, I didn't give up hope. "So what do you want to talk about?"

She hummed softly, still tugging on her braid. "W-what do you want to do when you get out of here?" she finally asked, eyes shifting to the side.

I blinked. "Um… well, I guess I'll go back to Naskapi and pick up my Book."

"And then?" she prodded.

I hid a smile. Half a week ago, she would never have pressed me to continue. Progress indeed. "And then I'll get a mansion," I decided dramatically. "It shall be glorious."

She giggled. "I'd visit you."

"Oh, no you wouldn't," I corrected. Her face twisted in alarm, and I continued. "Because you'd be living there too. Along with my friend Kuroka and my mentor Von. It'll be awesome."

"O-oh, no, I couldn't live there," she murmured, averting her face. I caught more than a hint of self-loathing in that sentence. "I could never…" She shook her head. "I'm not important enough to live at a mansion."

"All right. Have it your way. You don't have to be a guest." I was still feeling rather silly. "You could be the maid. Like Grayfia."

She looked confused. "G-Grayfia?"

I nodded. Since she hadn't recognized the name, I at least knew that this place didn't belong to Sirzechs Lucifer. "Grayfia Lucifage," I repeated, scouring my mind for more information. "She's the most badass maid in history. She would've been a Maou if she had beaten Lady Leviathan for it."

"Maid," Valiant murmured. "Powerful?"

"If you wanted to be." I grinned. "Like… a battle-maid or something. It'd be epic."

The little girl smiled, eyes suddenly glistening with unshed tears. I had a sudden panic moment as the tears dripped down her face, my awkwardness with crying girls not having gone away in my isolation. I hesitantly stroked her hair as she sobbed, uncertain what to do. Comfort was Kuroka's thing, not mine.

"I-I'd like that," she whispered through tears. "I'd like that a lot."

I opened and closed my mouth several times, not having the heart to tell her I had been joking. "Well that's great." I said instead, glancing at the door. "What do you want to do once you get out of here?"

She froze, slight tremors racking her thin frame. I sighed. 'Right. Abuse victim. Probably had all thoughts of escape beaten out of her.' "If you got out, that is," I added smoothly. "Hypothetically."

The girl slowly relaxed, but didn't stop trembling. "I-I…" She paused, uncertain. The future shifted rapidly at that moment, and I winced at the backlash. Whatever she was considering, it was incredibly important. "I…"

"Whatever you want," I encouraged. "Money, fame, power, revenge…"

She jerked at that last one. "Y-yes," she whispered. "Revenge. I want revenge."

"Great!" I chirped, giving her a sunny smile. "Then just keep that in mind. Need any tips? Some help polishing your skills? I can always—"

"N-no." Her voice was soft, but firm and determined. "I have to get stronger first." Her eyes flashed. "Strong enough to kill him."

"Okay," I agreed.

*Regeneration time: 2d 23h 43m*

"So…" I trailed off, raising an eyebrow. "What else do you want to talk about?"

She tilted her head, considering my words. Then she made a determined face, turning to look me in the eye. A first for her. "Tell me what a maid does."

'Hoo-boy.'

"Knight to C-6. Check."

I grimaced. Despite how hard it was to teach someone chess without a chessboard or even pieces, it was still possible if you treat it as a mental exercise. An 'exercise' she was currently kicking my ass in. Chess was a sport of free-will, so I could hardly cheat using my Sight. "Um, pawn to F-4."

"Bishop to G-5. Checkmate."

"Dammit," I cursed, making her giggle. Having me as a constant conversation partner had already done wonders for her self-confidence. "I swear you're cheating. Do you want to play agai—"

I held up a hand, cutting myself off and putting a finger to my lips. My Sight swam in and out of focus, but a decision was quickly made. We were about to have company.

"Stay quiet," I hissed, activating my Divine Core and steadily lowering the temperature in the room.

I closed my eyes, accelerating my thoughts and peering into the future.

A man burst into the small room, keys jingling in the keyhole. He was obviously drunk, staggering about as he squinted into the dark. "Girl!" he slurred, a mad gleam in his eye. "C'mere!"

He spotted me a moment later, stiffening. "You…" He stumbled forward, hand bunching the fabric of my ratty shirt. "Who're you?" he demanded, his scarred face disgustingly grimy and his breath reeking like a dead animal.

"No one special," I replied calmly. "And you?"

"I?" His face twisted in a sneer. "I'm the TRUE Lucifer!" he bellowed, raising a hand and bashing me across the face. "So kneel, you fucking—"

I grimaced, drawing back and letting the future dissolve. 'Shit. Well, what if I…?'

A man burst into the small room, keys jingling in the keyhole. He was obviously drunk, staggering about as he squinted into the dark. "Girl!" He slurred, a mad gleam in his eye. "C'mere!"

I threw up a Time Pause, stepping out of his field of vision before resuming. Valiant froze, a deer in the headlights. The man grinned, his hand going to his belt as a half-finished bottle of beer fell to the floor with a crash.

"I have a gift for you~!" he sing-songed. "Your mother loved it. She had to, or I woulda killed you. I wonder if you'll like it too?"

The white-haired girl just trembled, eyes wide as the man's pants dropped to the floor…

Nope. Not happening. Definitely nor.

The future shifted as I abruptly discarded that possibility.

I could deduce what had happened already, just from the past five minutes alone. This girl was likely a bastard child of the 'true Lucifer', hence why she was kept down here. Her mother was low-born, probably incredibly beautiful, and likely a servant of the man himself. She had been in no position to resist as he had his way with her, and after he had tried her once, he decided to use her as an outlet for all his twisted desires. Once Valiant was born, she tried to shield her from her father's rage, and probably would've succeeded if her daughter weren't just as beautiful as she was. The 'true Lucifer' thought of his mistress as expendable because her daughter could just as easily 'serve' him, and when she eventually pushed him too far…

I glanced ahead, not wanting to ask directly.

"Valiant? Has your father ever touched you?" I asked, tilting my head. "Below the waist, that is?"

She shook her head, looking confused. "N-no. Mommy told me that was only for people I loved. Why?"

So this was the first time, then. Good. That ruled out sexual abuse in addition to physical. Thank God for small miracles. I probably wouldn't have gotten a response out of her for another week if he had done that to her already.

"Valiant?" I asked calmly, memories of a certain gangster rising to the forefront of my mind. "If your father died… would you have anywhere else to go?"

Her eyes widened. "W-w-what?"

"You heard me."

She nodded hesitantly. "U-um… I have a grandfather that visits at times?"

"Great." I looked hard into her eyes. "Would you mind if I killed your father?"

She flinched, beginning to tremble. I sighed, reaching over and pulling her close. Apparently blunt wasn't the way to go, but I doubted I had enough time to explain or enough power to pull her into a Time Pause with me. Instead I just repeated the question, with more emphasis this time. "Would you mind if I killed your scumbag father?"

She continued to tremble. I grimaced, counting down the seconds before the man got here. A different tactic, then. "Valiant. He killed your mother, didn't he?"

She nodded, eyes wide with terror as she glanced at the door. As if even mentioning him would draw his attention.

"I see. Was she a good person?"

She nodded again, firmly this time.

"Would you like me to avenge her?"

Her eyes flashed, and I saw the slightest spark come to life within them. "Yes." There was no hesitation. Anger coated her tone for the first time since I met her.

"All right." I heard the key scrape against the lock.

The door swung open, a bright light flooding into the dark room. A man burst into the small room, keys jingling in the keyhole. He was obviously drunk, staggering about as he squinted into the dark. "Girl!" he slurred, a mad gleam in his eye. "C'mere!"

I stepped forward, power buzzing through my veins. "I'm sorry, who might you be?" I asked politely.

The man blinked, before bursting into laughter. "O-hoh, that is rich," he chortled. "The little whore's daughter has a boyfriend!" He leered down at me, crooked teeth yellowed and disgusting. "Daddy's going to have a little talk with him, all right?"

A white streak tackled him, causing him to stumble drunkenly back. "D-Dee, run!" Valiant screamed, eyes shut tightly.

I sighed. Apparently she really did have some courage in her. Misplaced, of course. "I'm not moving," I said calmly. "Now, would you like me to take him away to kill him, or kill him right here?"

Her face froze in shock. "W-what?"

"I asked—"

"I know what you asked!" she snapped. "Why aren't you running!"

I smirked. "Oh? Where was this fire while we were talking? And here I thought you were shy."

The man regained his balance, tightening his grip on his bottle until it shattered in his hand. "You little BI—"

I caught his arm with the ease of swatting a fly. Both father and daughter blinked in surprise. "Valiant?" I repeated. "Your decision."

To her credit, she grasped the situation in record time. "Here." Rage smoldered in her eyes. "I want you to kill him here."

"Great!" I chirped, tightening my grip. "Mercy, brutality, or plain torture?"

"U-um…" She hesitated, then clenched her teeth. All doubt vanished from her mind. "Make it hurt."

"I was planning on it," I deadpanned. "Hence the whole 'killing him' bit. But how much do you want it to hurt?"

She glanced at her father's face, stepping back from him. She took a deep breath. "H-he strangled my mother to death," she spat, raw hatred burning in her gaze. "Can you do the same?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What, no beating?"

She faltered, looking surprised. "I thought beatings were only for girls?"

I stared for a moment. '…The sad thing is, Naskapi would consider her practically untouched by its' standards. She hasn't been raped or molested yet, and she only has scars rather than festering wounds.'"Right…" I drawled. "No, beatings are for people who rape children, too. Isn't that right, you little asshole?"

The man spat at me. "Please. I'm gonna rip your head clean off and shit down your throat, you little—"

Crunch.

"AAAhaaaHHH!" he screamed, his arm snapping like a brittle twig beneath my strength. For the hell of it, I glanced at his level.

(Real Fake)

[Razevan Lucifer]

{Race: Pureblood Devil}

[Lv. 45]

{Status: Agony}

Oh my God, he was weak. Jesus, did he do nothing but sit around all day and drink? Fucking Ugnar could pwn this guy, and he was cannon fodder to the real monsters in the Pit. How strong was his daughter if he was this weak?

(Aspiring Maid)

-White Dragon Emperor-

[Valiant Lucifer]

{Race: Half-Devil}

[Lv. 166]

{Status: Hero Worship (Medium)}

'…That's odd. What's with the italics?' I wondered, casually catching the man's other arm as he tried to swing at me. "It must suck to have a daughter that's stronger than you," I commented, a theory brewing in the back of my mind.

Razevan's eyes flashed with rage, and he tried to kick me with a booted foot. I rolled my eyes. "Jesus, inferiority complex much? No wonder you're so insecure. Your untrained daughter is over three times your power level." I casually lifted him in the air, slamming him into the ground. He tried to form a magic circle, but I crushed his mangled fist with my foot, and he screamed. "You know… I actually feel slightly disgusted by you," I told him, ignoring his struggles. "Valiant, do you mind if I try something out on him?"

She shook her head wordlessly, eyes wide.

"Great!" I pulled a good-sized chunk of power out, channeling it through my arm. "Curse."

The man jerked, and his status shifted.

(Real Fake)

[Razevan Lucifer]

{Race: Pureblood Devil}

[Lv. 15]

{Status: Cursed (Weakness)}

"Okay, so that works." I mumbled. "Curse."

{Status: Cursed (Weakness, Fragility)}

"Makes me glad my life isn't an RPG. Most old RPGs can't handle multiple debuffs." I looked over at Valiant. "Hey, Vali, what if I made him live in this cell instead?"

Her eyes widened. "W-what?"

"I'm saying, how awesome would it be if he starved to death in the same cell he tried to starve you in?" I asked, a smile tugging at my lips.

Her eyes flashed as she considered it. "He'd just escape." She seemed rather disappointed.

I snorted. "Oh, please. This cell was made to hold something a lot stronger than him. Isn't that right?" I asked, returning my gaze to the pathetic man.

He glared defiantly at me, his hair stained with flecks of blood. "Fuck yo-MMGPF." He choked as my fist flew through his teeth and into his mouth. I pulled it out at the feeling of saliva, glancing over the ruined hole that had been a mouth. "There. Now he can't eat, either. Well? What'll it be?"

She nodded emphatically. "Let me get some rope." Her eyes flashed. "The bastard will have to sit here and imagine hanging himself until he starves."

I grinned. "Good girl."

She beamed. I didn't doubt that that had been the first positive reinforcement she'd had in a very long time. She rushed out, disappearing from sight. I grinned down at the ruined man. "It's nothing personal here, buddy, but you're a grade-A asshole and I need someone to test my powers on before I try taking anyone else on. Let's see how many of these I can stack at once. Curse."

{Status: Cursed (Weakness, Fragility, Rot, Starvation, Bad Luck, Fatigue, Nausea, Avulsion, Slowness, Wither, Mana Drain XV)}

"Quite a lot, it seems," I mused. "That'll be useful. If only I could use poison, that would complete the set."

I heard the pattering of feet, and I glanced back to see Valiant holding a thick belt. She wore a wicked grin, her eyes almost glowing as she handed it to me.

'A belt? I guess it'd work, but why—oh, likely for the irony.' I eyed her, seeing that some of the scars matched the size of the belt buckle. '…Okay, then. Maybe she's more sadistic than I gave her credit for.'

I wordlessly took it, tossing it into the room and hurling the man against the wall. He collided with a terrible crunch and didn't get back up. I stepped back, swinging the heavy door closed behind me and locking it tight. Valiant made no move to stop me, relieving me of my worry that she might try to use the belt on her father. I honestly wasn't sure what I would've done if she had started beating him.

"Now what?" the girl asked curiously.

I beamed at her. "Watch."

I placed a hand on the door, concentrating and bringing forth the alien, paradoxical feeling of Father Time. I used my Clairvoyance to map the room, bringing it into my Domain as easily as breathing. Then, concentrating as well as I could, I turned the mental dial forward. The door before me shimmered with golden power as I used Chronos's Authority to affect the space within.

"All right, done." My grin turned positively savage. "Care to see what's inside? Ten Gold on him cracking and strangling himself."

She flinched at my tone. "U-um… what do you mean?"

I gestured to the door. "The asshole. Do you think he starved or asphyxiated?"

"But… he's not dead yet," she pointed out.

I shrugged. "Well he wasn't ten seconds ago. Now he's been in there for over a year. I would've gone for half that, but my control isn't too good yet."

She blinked, and a very disturbing smile crossed her face. "Really?" she whispered, eyes gleaming. "He's dead?"

"Probably. Nothing can leave a Singularity unless it has the power to break out, and he didn't have the power for that." I shrugged. "But I suppose anything's possible. I managed to bypass one once- killed a Titan with it."

She reached for the door, unlocking it and pulling it open with a speed belying her malnourished form. The stench of a rotting corpse hit me like a bludgeon, and I gagged and stepped back. There's a reason I like my food fresh.

Valiant sank to her knees as she saw the emaciated bag of bones that had once been her father. "He's dead." she whispered. A deranged giggle tore from her throat. "He's DEAD!"

I blinked, taking a step back as she began to laugh madly.

{Status: Unhinged}

Ouch. Maaaybe I should do something about that. 'Uh… what if I…?' I hesitated, trying to make my power do as I wanted.

[Soul check: Passed. {4600/50,030}]

[Trait check: Passed. {Divinity Lv3/0}]

*Your Ascendance has granted you a new ability!*

[Blessing LvMAX]

[Blessing has been assimilated into the Ability 'Attack Magic (All)'.]

[Ability check: Passed. {Phantasmal-class Abilities: 9/1}]

{Assessing available Abilities…}

{Dominion reached!}

{You have claimed Dominion over Fate!}

[Due to your Authority over Fate, a new ability has formed!]

[Fate Plunder {Phantasmal} LvMAX]

[Fate Plunder: The fates of your subordinates are placed under your direct control.]

'…Okay, what the fuck just happened?' I stared at the spidery text, confused. 'So… my Dominion is over Fate? Like Chronos's was over Time? Huh. That's…' I scratched my head. 'I don't know what to think of that. It fits, I guess.'

I scryed Valiant, just to see if my plan had worked.

{Status: Blessed (Clear Mind)}

'Huh.' I blinked, watching as her laughter petered off as she seemed to regain control of herself. 'That's gonna be useful in the future.' I glanced at my mana, gauging how much the 'Blessing' had taken. 'All right, so that was much less than a Curse took. What was different? Was it because it aligned with my 'Dominion' or whatever? I guess if I'm the God of Fate, it would naturally be easier for me to alter fates. Unless…'

I nudged my power forward, sighing as my suspicion was confirmed.

{Status: Blessed (Increased Growth XV)}

'Yep. Only one blessing at a time. Curses stack, Blessings don't. Good to know.' I left the current blessing as it was, carefully approaching the possibly unstable girl.

She glanced up at my approach, wordlessly accepting the hand I offered and letting me help her up. "Thank you." Only gratitude and relief remained in her voice. "Thank you so very much."

"Not a problem," I assured her. "You said you wanted revenge, and I figured I might as well help. Revenge is a terrible path to be on, so it was best to nip it in the bud. What now?"

She blinked, wiping tears from her eyes. "U-um…"

I waited patiently for her to decide, my Sight not being too helpful. The whole 'free will' thing and all.

"I…" She looked up at me, visibly conflicted. "I-Is that offer from before still open?"

I tilted my head in confusion. 'What offer?' "O-of course," I agreed, still confused but not wanting to push my luck. "I always keep my promises when they're made to pretty girls."

[All conditions have been met. Would you like to accept [Valiant Lucifer] as your Priestess?]

(Aspiring Maid)

-White Dragon Emperor-

[Valiant Lucifer]

{Race: Half-Devil}

[Lv. 166]

{Status: Charmed (Severe)}

[Y/N]

'Er… yes?'

[Fate Plunder has been activated!]

[The fate of [Valiant Lucifer] is now under your control!]

(Priestess of Fate)

-White Dragon Emperor-

[Valiant]

{Race: Half-Devil}

[Lv. 166]

{Status: Charmed (Severe)}

"All right!" She smiled, looking almost… happy. "I'll wait for my grandfather, then. He can help me get started."

"Great." I was secretly relieved. If she had insisted on coming with me, I didn't know what I was going to tell Kuroka. Plus, I really just wanted to get out of this whole mess already. "Well… unless you need anything else…"

She nodded furiously, a look of panic crossing her face. "Yes! Please! I need to know how to find you!"

I blinked. '…Does this have to do with my 'offer'? 'Cause I'm still a bit foggy on what that is.' "Er… sure." I agreed awkwardly. "Give me a sec." I pulled a bit of power out of my Core, slightly confused. This whole 'god' thing was more than a bit weird. After a bit of fiddling, I eventually ended up tying a bit of power around her and calling it good. "Does that work?"

Her eyes widened. "O-oh!" She gasped, face flushing. "U-um, yes… I can feel you."

'Not touching that one,' I decided, my Sight only showing a future where she held herself and giggled creepily whenever I tried asking what she meant by that. "Great. Could you point me to, say, a map?"

She pointed up the stairs. "On the left." She hesitated, stepping forward. "Actually… I have one more question."

"Shoot."

"What are you?" She asked tentatively.

I blinked. "Oh. I'm a God of Fate. My name is…" 'Quick, think of a cool name!' "…Dominion." I cracked a charming grin. "But my precious people call me Dee."

Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of red, and her eyes fluttered back into her head as she fainted. It was inevitable, really, considering how tired she probably was. I felt kind of bad for her, considering how the day had gone.

I quickly caught her and lifted her in both arms. I headed up the stairs, exiting into a large sitting room with a map on the wall. I set her on a couch and looked over at the map, giving it a quick once-over. It helpfully marked my current location in red. Now all I had to do was figure out where I was going.

But first…

I glanced back at the white-haired girl, slumbering peacefully on the couch. I hesitantly probed the back of my mind, feeling around until I found the right power. Finally, I found my new Ability and 'tugged' on it.

[Fate Plunder has been activated!]

[Command?]

"I guess… just…" I hesitated. "Just be safe, all right?"

[Command accepted.]

My apparent Priestess moaned softly in her sleep, twitching oddly. I paid it little heed, having done what I could already.

[Would you like to impart a sigil?]

[Y/N]

'Nope. I am not dealing with this shit right now. I'm going to find Naskapi, get my Book back, and then figure out what the hell is going on.'

'…But first, I have got to take another training break. I swear to God that my powers are actively fucking with me.'

I blinked, staring in silence as I beheld my city for the first time in nearly a year.

'Good God, has it only been a year? I would think it another lifetime, for all that's changed. I'm no longer the same person who entered the mines all those months ago, not even close.'

Would Kuroka even recognize me? Would Von?

For the first time in a long time, I felt fear. Not the spike of terror that says get the fuck out of here, you moron!, but the creeping feeling that worsens the more you think about it. I was scared of returning, I realized. Scared that they would think me a monster. And who would blame them? How many beings had I Devoured, just to sate my hunger? How many more had been killed just for sport?

I sat down, still looking over the lights of Naskapi.

What was the point of all my struggles, then? If I wasn't going back, then what was I to do? What could I be? Naskapi was all I'd ever known.

'No. I'll go back. I'll talk to Von, at the very least. I owe him that much. And since Kuroka has the Book, I can't chicken out forever. I'll face them. First Von, then Kuroka. And if all else fails, if one of them calls me a monster and tries to kill me… I still have two uses of Memento Mori left.'

I sighed, scanning the future with my newly returned Sight. Since the decisions involved were entirely based on free will, I couldn't accurately predict how they would respond. For every future where they accepted me, there was another branch where they didn't. Divination was a tool, not a cure-all. I would have to finish this myself.

I rose, and in a blur of motion, I was on my way back home.

I arrived at the city limits in less than an instant, slowing to walking speeds and slipping back under the sound barrier. There was barely a breeze as I seamlessly transitioned between running at MACH 2 and walking at a normal pace. Practice had indeed paid off where my Agility was concerned.

I continued an even speed, taking the time to observe the new features of the city that had popped up while I was gone. A taxi cab rushed by me on the street, taking me by surprise. Apparently the industry had really picked up since I left, seeing as very few cars had ever passed by on the roads unless they were trucks carrying something. I could see the value in importing the industry from Lilith, especially knowing how huge Naskapi was. Speaking of which, I could see several dozen repainted or entirely new buildings where old lots had been, and I suspected that the city had grown significantly in my absence. Yet some things had stayed the same, such as the congested sidewalks and the general sense of apathy from the city's population.

My sensitive hearing picked up a whispered comment about the 'weird kid's shitty clothes' from a passerby, and I glanced down at my garb. I wore a short-sleeved shirt that looked like it had been through a wood chipper, grime covering the entire thing and dirt or ash staining multiple places. I suspected that several spots were actually dried blood. My pants were in a similar state, the once thick cloth now ratty and threadbare.

I smiled to myself, looking for the alley that led to the commercial district. It felt nice to have my biggest problem be my clothes. Much safer than an entire Pit full of monsters who were held back from their desire to kill me only by their own laws. Or a possible cave-in if I breathed too loudly. Or, hell, disturbing messages about my mysterious powers binding little girls into eternal servitude.

Let's see if my favorite shop is still open, shall we?

I ignored the thugs leaning on the sides of the alley, knowing that I could paste them in less than a second if I so chose. They probably just thought I was some homeless orphan, what with the remnants of a backpack and torn clothes. And technically, they were right. I just didn't give a shit.

A short walk later and I was pushing open the door to a familiar building, a bell ringing at my entry. The employee behind the counter wasn't anyone I recognized, so I ignored him. Instead, I glanced around the store for the clothing section. I found it in less than an instant, weaving around the other customers and displays of overpriced jewelry. I spent some time perusing the options, not really all that excited about anything. At least, not until I saw an entire rack of pitch black tracksuits.

I was on those things faster than Von onto a burrito. They seemed like genuine silk, something that God's eyes confirmed with little effort.

[Black Silk Tracksuit]

[55/55]

{Effects: +3 Physical Resistance}

…All right, so the stats on it sucked. But it was durable, reusable, simple, and comfortable. Plus, it was both black and made of silk. Black was not only the best color for blending in, but it also hid any bloodstains. Silk washed easily, and was an organic material to boot. Magic didn't pair too well with synthetic materials, as they had a dampening effect on all magical senses, so silk was one of the best options. The only reason that I didn't have a gazillion of these kinds of clothes in my Gem was because my Gem didn't store organic materials without dissolving them into ash.

To top it all off, the tracksuit was incredibly cheap, and there were enough of them stacked up to last me several years. I grabbed an armload and headed to the counter. The attendant glanced up, slightly surprised at my youthful features and short stature, but put on an air of professionalism. "Will that be all, sir?"

I shrugged. "Yep. Pretty much." A shelf of paddy caps caught my eye, and I grabbed a black one off the rack. "Actually, can I get this?" Even if it was a futile gesture, putting the cap on would at least prevent my electric blue hair from being visible from above. I didn't have my Revere cap anymore, so I needed something to conceal myself from casual observers.

He nodded, ringing up the suits and placing them inside a plastic bag. "That will be seventy-four dollars, please."

I blinked. "E-excuse me?"

"Seventy-four dollars," he repeated. "Seven ninety-nine for each of the eight tracksuits, and nine ninety-nine for the hat."

I frowned. "I know, but… dollars?"

Realization dawned on him as he glanced at my grey skin. "You're a winter spirit, aren't you? And I'd wager to guess that it's been a while since you've been here?"

I nodded. Both were technically true, but not as he probably thought. "My apologies, I'm used to Gold."

He chuckled. "Well, you're in luck, then. If you were a week later, we wouldn't have taken it. But, as it is, Gold is still taken as currency."

I sighed in silent relief. "Thanks, cousin." I reached into my pocket, concentrating on pulling my purse out of my personal Gem. It took some tugging due to all of the things piled on top of it, but it came. I opened the drawstring, and counted out seventy-four small golden coins and handed them to the man. "Here you go."

He took them, pressing several buttons on the cash register before handing me a few coins in return. "Since that kind of currency is no longer valid, our store is offering a service that converts the old currency into the new, at a five percent exchange rate."

I nodded in thanks, hoisting my bag off my shoulders and tucking the tracksuits alongside the various other knickknacks I had picked up over the course of my time away. I followed the man's pointing finger to a desk with an odd "S" with a strike through it, and spent the next five minutes exchanging currency. Then, with my brand-new wallet packed with cash and tucked in the back pocket of my new tracksuit (courtesy of the public bathroom), I left the store.

In order to fully get the feel for this new Naskapi (I wasn't stalling or trying to put off talking to Von and Kuroka, I swear!), I flagged down a taxi and had him take me the scenic route to The Iron Strike. Halfway through, a mild Ash storm kicked up, flakes falling like snow against the night sky. Curious, I rolled down the window and let the flakes settle on my hand. No burning whatsoever, just a simple pile of ash settling onto my hand and staining my fingers with their black taint. I wiped my hand on my old clothes, tossing them onto the seat next to me where my backpack rested.

And then, as we hit the residential district, I forgot about the window entirely as I lowered my tinted lenses in order to better see. What had once been a grungy neighborhood of tall buildings and shitty people, was now a well-lit area with bright, clean apartment complexes and a few grand hotels. I drank in the sight, my eyes spinning slightly as the Eyes of Deep Emotion absorbed any excess feelings.

"We're here." The driver's voice snapped me out of my reverie, and I slipped the Clearsight lenses back on. After paying the man generously, I slipped out of the car and began to walk the short distance to Von's smithy.

My nerves came back in full force as the door to The Iron Strike came into view. What if he refused to speak to me? What if he thought I was a monster? What if—

I felt my thoughts blow away like a cool winter wind as the Curse activated.

So what if he hated me? He was only a smith, and I had enough mana to level the city. If worse came to worst, I'd walk away unscathed. And if by some miracle he did manage to penetrate my defenses, my regeneration was good enough to regrow my entire head if need be. I'd be fine.

I took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

Inside, everything was exactly as I remembered it. The workbench full of half-complete projects, the old couch looking on the verge of collapse, and Von working tirelessly at his anvil. A painting hung on the wall, much to my surprise. Von has never been one for decoration, and he always thought that paintings were a waste of money. Yet there it hung, in defiance of everything I knew about the man. It depicted a vase of flowers in the light of a windowsill. Moon lilies. My favorite.

I was torn from my thoughts as Von shoved his blank blade into the water to cool it with a sharp hiss. He turned to look at me, irritation written over his features. "Oi, I'm workin' here! Either close the door or… go… away…" He trailed off as he noticed my blue hair and familiar lenses, red eyes spinning beneath them. "D-Dee?" He dropped his hammer in shock.

I chuckled, letting the door swing shut behind me and pulling off my Clearsight lenses to reveal my spinning irises. "Greetings, cousin."

He was in front of me in less than an instant, inspecting every inch of my emaciated form. "What the hell happened to you?" he exclaimed, seeing my grey skin and thin frame. "Last time I heard from you, you were going on a trip to the mines with Carn! Then you don't come back for a year, and we think you died in a cave-in! What the hell happened?"

I smiled uncomfortably. "There was a cave-in," I answered tightly. "I just got back up again after Carn couldn't."

I scanned him with God's Eye to calm my nerves as my stomach fluttered.

(The Smith of Ages)

[Creidhne ail Von]

{Race: Human}

[Lv. —]

{Status: Conceptually Immortal}

…Okay. One, I could see why he went by Von. Two, what the fuck?

Von sighed, taking a step back and eyeing me. "It sounds like you have quite the story to tell."

"I do, actually," I said wryly.

"Then let's take a seat. The forge can wait."

Von listened patiently as I explained my entire story, even as I stumbled over my words and rushed parts of it. As I reached the end, the only thing he had to say was, "So you created your own weapons?"

I began to laugh, shoulders shaking, as my worries dissolved. Of course it would be all about the weapons with Von. "Y-Yes," I managed, pulling out my Gem. "What do you want to see?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I want to see every. Goddamn. Weapon. You. Have."

This time, I couldn't stop the laughter from pouring out.

I woke the next morning to the strangely familiar feeling of Von's old couch. I just laid there for a while, staring at the cracked ceiling and using my Sight to explore the city's nightlife. While the city had opened a tourism industry and prettied up a bit, it was still the same scum hole I had grown up in. The Ash was still a threat, but it would seem that the citizens had somehow found a way around it. Aside from that, I had noticed one vital thing that had evaded me the night before.

No one in this city had a level higher than forty.

I glanced at my own level of over four hundred, sighing. On one hand, it meant I could relax. On the other, it meant that no one here would be a decent fight if I ever got bored.

…All right, so maybe I started enjoying the feeling of fighting once I got a feel for it. So sue me. My entire species was apparently built off the concept of becoming an apex predator. Hell, if the prerequisites weren't so harsh and the drawbacks so fierce, every human with a brain would be trying their damnedest to become a Wendigo, if only for the enormous potential the species had.

"You should tell her." Von's voice cut into my thoughts, jerking me from my self-induced trance.

I frowned. "Kuroka?"

"Yeah." I heard Von rustling around in the kitchen, probably fixing breakfast for himself. Of course, since the both of us had slept through the day, it was more like dinner, but whatever.

I sighed. "She's in the castle right now, and whenever I try to talk to her she immediately throws a ball of hellfire at me."

"…Ouch," Von muttered, though I probably wasn't meant to hear it. Then, louder, "She's not exactly in the best shape, these days. She used to visit me more often, but now she's lucky to get out for an hour a month with how hard that bastard is driving her. I'm afraid she'll do something drastic if she can't figure something out."

I rolled my eyes. "And what am I supposed to do about it? Eat his corpse?"

There was a moment of silence. "It wasn't your fault, Dee," Von rumbled, voice uncharacteristically soft. "You did what you had to so you could survive."

I laughed, sitting up and joining him at the workbench. "I know that, I stopped feeling guilty over it at the same time I stopped needing to sleep. But pardon me if I'm a bit leery about getting hellfire shot at me."

Von chuckled. "From what I hear, you could probably tank it with no problem."

I shook my head, taking a piece of bacon from the platter. "Senjutsu is… different. It's like having the planet itself back the attack. There's a reason that it's one of the few things gods fear." I chewed the strip of greasy meat, internally comparing it to the taste of Devil jerky. "Plus, because of Senjutsu's magic cancellation properties, it shatters my hold on the Path even if I can easily survive the hit."

We ate in silence, and I enjoyed the wonderful meal known as bacon for the first time in a year. It was glorious.

Finally, Von sighed and pushed the plate aside. "Fine, I won't push." He wiped his hands on a cloth, tossing it aside to be washed. "But don't think you'll be sitting on your ass all day, either. You're still my apprentice, you just took a year off. So why don't we find out how much you improved during your vacation?"

I activated God's Eyes, scanning the spidery text with amusement.

—Smithing {Phantasmal} Lv95

"You're on, old man."

The old smith burst into laughter.

It was good to be back.