The Earth Shaker

This latest free release stars Barren the oldest of the Zeus survivors who had been in the familia far before Kuda and the rest!

 That's all. Enjoy!

Chapter 16

The Earth Shaker

 "We aren't necessary here, are we?" Sorin, a Level 4 bald former monk, asked dully. 

 "No, probably not," Lance, a Level Four war tiger, admitted as he saw men hurling through the air like toys. Lance was a crimson haired man built like a brick house. He had been in Zeus familia longer than most of the remnants, including Kuda, who was a legacy. He was respected by his Level 4 peers for his experience, wisdom, and a certain event that had happened a long time ago. "Barren-san can probably take care of everything by himself. Still, if he somehow lets one of them get past him, we need to be here to prevent them from getting into the town.

 "I think at this point, they just want to get away alive," Sally, a dark haired human woman, commented as she observed the looks of fear and desperation from the thieves. Most of them had given up trying to get past him to win a score and were now just attempting to escape. Unfortunately for them, Barren with his great strength and power was not allowing any runaways to escape. Those he didn't smash into the ground with his big meaty fists were thrown like rocks and any who tried to flee often taking dowthre or four bandits at a time. Being the most senior of them all, Barren was usually the most mature and level headed of them all, but right now he was as giddy as the energetic and rowdy kid on the playground. His only towards the pitiful bandits were that he had yet to use the giant warhammer strapped to his back on any of them yet. Had he done so, it would have been a much more grizzly scene. "Not that I blame them."

 "That guy doesn't look terrified," said Estelle, a petite human healer, as she pointed up towards the leader of this bandit party. The man at the head of the bandit party looked like the stereotypical image for a boss of thieves with his rough face and burly body. He was glaring at Barren, not simply out of anger that he was getting in their way, but a more personal rage. "He looks like he wants to rip Barren in half."

 "...MOUNTAIN SLASHER!" Lark Barood bellowed at the top of his lungs. He charged forward like a maniac, knocking down his fellow thieves and even trampling on some as he ran like a bull directly towards Barren. Barood ripped off the heavy battle ax strapped to his back and swung with all his might at Barren, who stopped his ax with one hand. A gust of wind blew from the force.

 "Hm?" Barren grunted, looking mildly curious at Barood, who was shaking from the effort of trying to pull his ax free out of Barren's grip. "Did you say Mountain Slasher?"

"I-I did," he grunted, looking ruefully at the dwarf. "You killed my old captain and my familia!"

 "Pretty sure you got the wrong guy. You shouted Mountain Slasher before, right? That ain't me. That was my big brother, Darren Trogger."

 "Brother…?" Barood recalled the day that happened over 20 years ago. It was after his familia did a particularly brutal job on a town and won a big score. He was just a lackey back then. They had been celebrating after having their way with the women and selling everyone else they hadn't murdered to the slavers. Admittedly, they could have been more careful after the raid. Could have made more of an effort to remain hidden, or moved farther away to avoid the response of the Empire. But how were they to know they'd call in people from Zeus Familia? The Empire is supposed to hate relying on Orario for anything, but not even a week after the raid, a lone dwarf saying he was from Zeus Familia barged into their hideout. He called himself Mountain Slasher. Even after all of these years, Barood could still recall the cold hateful look that man had when he looked at them. As if they were all the lowest form of garbage. He told them to get out, that they were to be arrested for their crimes. His captain didn't like that. He ordered his people to kill the dwarf threatening them.

 Barood would never forget what happened next. The Mountain Slasher had a battle ax. In a swift clean motion, he had cut the men in half. He couldn't quite recall what happened after that. It was bloody chaos. When it was all over, his captain was beheaded and only five of them, including himself and their deity, were left alive. He was covered in blood when they were turned over to the Empire's soldiers. He was in shock the entire time. He didn't remember when or how his whimsical deity got him free, leaving the other four behind to their fate. He remembered running as far as they could. He remembered regaining his senses. He remembered feeling indescribably angry and vowing to rebuild his familia to get revenge on the dwarf that destroyed his familia.

 Of course, things rarely work out as we want them to, especially for guys like him. More than a decade after the destruction of his familia, news reached him that the Zeus Familia, as well as the Hera Familia, were wiped out by the monster called the One Eyed Black Dragon.He had assumed everyone had been killed. For a while he laughed at the dwarf who ruined his life, as if he had anything to do with his demise. Of course once the initial feeling of glee went away, he was left feeling empty. With the death of the enemy he wanted revenge on, he lost his biggest motivation. He would spend the days since then going through the motions, the fire that fueled him dimmed to almost nothing.

 That is until he saw him. The one who massacred his familia. Or at least he thought it was him, but no. They certainly looked very much alike, but that man's hair was brown, not black like this person's. And his eyes… they were not the same eyes that had haunted his dreams for so long after the incident.

 "So, he had a brother…?" Barood said, still trying to free his ax to no avail.

 "That's right," Barren said casually. "Sadly, he perished in the battle against the One Eyed Black Dragon."

 "Oh, so he did die. Fine. As his brother, you will pay for his crimes." He looked a little empty as he said that, as if he was running on his last embers.

 "Uh huh. I see. Well, I don't necessarily mind taking responsibility for any problems Darren left behind, but.." Barren's expression became dark and stormy. Barood's ax started to shake. "What does your revenge have to do with these towns and villages you lot have targeted?"

 "...!" Barood started to tremble.

 "What does your vengeance have to do with these townsfolk you all were planning on slaughtering? You say Darren killed your whole rotten familia? Well, I'm sure all of you earned it but you did not deserve it! Those townspeople are the same. They don't deserve to be harmed by you people! I'll make sure all of you get what you deserve for trying!"

 With his great strength, he shattered the ax.

 "...N-No!" Barood cried out, dropping his weapon's remains. He finally realized the sort of monster he chose to challenge. H-How did he even get here? He wanted revenge? Was he an idiot? He tried to run, but Barren grabbed his arm before he could get away. "L-Let go!"

 "One of the people your friends hurt was a young boy," he started, gripping Barood's arm so tightly it hurt. "That boy is the memento of one of my fallen comrades! I've already lost my brother and my familia! I failed to die 11 years ago! But I still have these brats to look out for, so I won't let you go unpunished for trying to hurt them!"

 "R-Release the monster!" Barood shouted out loud before Barren struck him with his mighty fist, sending him flying.

 "Captain Barood!" The tamer shrieked. Immediately, he released the seal on the crate, letting the monster inside free. Multiply heads poked out. Three in total, each with a control collar around their respective necks. The monster that came out was Armarosaurus- a three headed reptilian monster with spikes all over its body and a powerful, club-like tail. It moved towards Barren slowly before rushing on the tamer's orders.

 "You know, you guys never did ask what my title was," Barren said, unconcerned at the large category, multi headed monster running at him to devour him with its three heads. He pulled out his large, heavy warhammer that he had yet to use since the fighting began. Barren Trogger was level 6, with all the power that came with such a status. "They call me Earth Shaker!"

 With all his might, Barren swung down his hammer onto all three heads, crushing them to a bloody pulp. The very force of the hammer hitting the ground generated an earthquake that made all the bandits remaining on their feet lose their footing. Even the Level Fours were unable to stay on their feet.

 Barren's strength was so great, that it even earned the respect of Level 7s. In fact, his power was so great that he was forbidden from swinging his hammer above Floor 20, lest he accidentally damage or destroy the upper floors.

 Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter! Part of me was worried I may have made Barren too overpowered for a Level 6, dwarf or not, but with the latest spoilers from Volume 20 of the Main Series, which reveal more information about Zeus and Hera, maybe not? Granted, my Zeus and Hera Familia is significantly different from the Zeus and Hera Familia Omari has developed. That's fanfiction for you, right? Especially for work that has not yet been completed. I've always been annoyed at myself for my slow updates, but at least it gives me opportunities to let my ideas stew in my head and also to consume more of Omori's writing when they release.

 Anyway, you can read my work on FFN.Net or Wattpad for free releases, or you can get ahead on my Patreon for just two dollars. Also, to help keep up with my updates, you can follow me on Twitter X @WorldForger1000.

 Please review, too! As always, I will release the next free chapter when I complete and publish the latest chapter. Until next time! I love you all.