Chapter 480: Hostile

Perseus POV

"Jerah, I mean...father-in-law!"

"Don't call me that." he scoffs

He's apparently even more pissed after hearing that I am married to Ruka legally.

"But I'm your son-in-law now."

"I don't have to acknowledge it." he countered 

"What? You no longer regard us as your kids then?" Ruka

"I do, but a marriage should be accompanied by a ceremony, a proper wedding."

"You and mom didn't have one."

"Such traditions didn't exist, anyway, I know that Tanner and that girl over there need to be restricted, but please release them soon, I hate seeing my son restricted, bye now. And... good luck with your defenses, the world is taking this invasion seriously."

"Shouldn't you be helping us chase away God?"

"I am, Ruka. But he, unfortunately, does not heed my words, I will continue to try for this world's sake, however, know that it's very unlikely that he'll back out."

*****

Right in front of me was the demon genera, the daughter of the previous demon lord. She had this dark, elegant vibe about her. She is about 179 cm tall with ebony skin that is etched with strange symbols with piercing red eyes. Her black hair framed a beautiful face but, at the same time, kinda scary. She was captivating, in a dangerous sort of way.

Her glare was scary as well, but that made sense.

"Bridget Amelia blah blah blah, let's make a deal, I'll help make you a demon lord, and you help me with my current mission AND side with me in the war, what do you say?"

"Hell no!"

"Oh please, just cuz I kidnap you and put you in restraints, doesn't mean that you have to be so hostile?"

"That is the exact reason why I'm hostile."

"We did this for your own good, you were about to start a rebellion and have yourself killed. It was the only way to keep you safe."

"You don't get to decide what's best for me!"

"I know, and I'm sorry for the forceful approach, but you're important. Your potential is immense, and I needed to ensure you stayed alive to realize it."

"Potential for what? To become some puppet ruler in your war?"

"No, to become a powerful ally. You have skills and abilities that could tip the scales in this conflict. But I need your willingness, not coercion...the orange rose can also help us tip the scale in the war as the roses are stronger than a normal 10 star, even if it's not by much."

"How will you make me a 10 star?"

"I'll rid of Lachlan and you can replace him, though the powers of all the previous demon lords will be dying with him, I don't want the world to continuously rely on the existence of the demon lord and heroes for what everyone calls 'peace'."

"I won't follow blindly," Bridget stated firmly. "I need assurances."

"I won't betray you," I assured her, "Besides, you got nothing to lose, it's not like I respect Jerah's decision so much that I'll actually let you go."

"What about this mission of yours?" Tanner asked, "What do we get out of it?"

"The yellow rose. I plan on having him transfer the power to your lovely Amelia over there."

"She's already spoken for."

"Not all lords and their roses end up with each other...of course, we're both bad examples...If you're willing to help me and not turn against us ever, say what."

"What?"

"Thank you, I hope that our cooperation goes smoothly."

"What the fuck just happened?" Bridget turned to Tanner who just had an expression that was questioning his existence.

"I sometimes wished that I never found you attractive." Ruka facepalmed, "How did we even get along all of these years."

*****

Silent currents guided me closer, the base's formidable silhouette coming into view. 

The krakens' new base was hidden beneath the ocean's depths, a feat defying expectations. Nestled within a region of immense pressure, it was positioned in a place where the ocean's immense pressure exerted its relentless force, the base seemed impervious to prying eyes. The crushing weight of the waters above served as an impenetrable shield, dissuading even the most courageous explorers from venturing into its depths.

Constructed with advanced technology, the base was built as a haven for the krakens. The facility was a sprawling complex, housing chambers and passageways designed to accommodate the formidable creatures and facilitate their operations.

Navigating through the murky depths, we encountered the first line of security measures, a series of magic sonar-sensitive sensors designed to detect intruders. With cautious movements, Ruka formed and deployed specialized equipment to neutralize the sensors, rendering them temporarily useless.

As I approached the outer layers of the base, the pressure intensified. We left Buddy and Ruka outside, with Ruka to continuously counter the magic sonar, while Buddy to handle the krakens if they escape.

We got in one of the vents and infiltrated through there. Crawling through the narrow vent, the metallic walls pressed against me as I navigated the intricate network of passages.

The vent twisted and turned, a maze-like pathway leading me toward the heart of their concealed base. The air grew thick with a strange smell that was a mixture of brine and fish, basically, imagine the smell of a localized fish market.

As I rounded a final bend, a dim light flickered ahead, an indication of the vent's proximity to a larger chamber. Slowing my movements, I cautiously peered through the vent's grating, revealing the room. 

The room was, of course, that of the krakens. Their colossal forms glided through this sort of indoor aquarium. The vent provided an inconspicuous vantage point, allowing me to observe their mysterious activities without alerting their attention.

"How many?" Bridget asked

"Um, I can sense 80 6-stars, about 120 7-stars, a similar amount of 8-stars, about 20 9-stars, and 3 10-stars."

"Just to guard some giant squid?"

"No, there are a lot of other creatures, that's a fucking dinosaur down there, sheesh, I want one." I chimed in

"Alright, so it's us 3 and this cute dog?" Bridget asked

"Duh."

"What good can this dog do?"

"He was created by your father-in-law...so, just an unrelated question, what do I call you? Seriously, you're married to Tanner, who's my brother-in-law, are you my brother-in-law's wife, or my sister-in-law?"

"I'd say sister-in-law, you also married most of my other sisters."

"Alright, thanks."