Chapter 96: Plans for the Future

----

The early morning sun filtered through the window of Dabi's house, casting soft light across the room as Dabi and Loira met with the builders outside. The atmosphere felt lighter now that the battle against Zarek had ended, but there was still a lot to be done. The house—Dabi's home—was in ruins, and there was no way he could live with his siblings in such conditions. House need to be fixed as soon as possible. 

The lead builder, a middle-aged man with graying hair and a calm demeanor, stood before Dabi and Loira, nodding thoughtfully as they discussed the house's reconstruction.

"We'll build it exactly as you've described," the builder assured Dabi. "The modifications you requested—strengthened walls, hidden storage areas, and reinforced magic protection barriers—will make it more of a fortress than a house. It's going to be state-of-the-art, not just any ordinary structure. Magic will do most of the work, and we'll have it ready in just two days."

Dabi nodded, appreciative of the swift turnaround. "Two days is perfect," he said. "And how much will it cost?"

The builder scratched his chin, glancing at his notebook. "Considering the magical reinforcements and custom design features, it'll cost over 1 million gold."

Without hesitation, Dabi pulled out his system window and checked his balance. He still had over 400 million gold, a fortune he had acquired by his business idea to sell the system shop item Heart of Eternity for the injury headmaster. His thoughts briefly shifted to the artifact he had bought from the system shop,—the Heart of Eternity. He still hadn't handed it over to the headmaster. It's in his system storage. Dabi thinks in his mind- "I'll take care of that when the new semester starts," Dabi thought to himself. "The headmaster hasn't even asked for it yet. Strange."

Shaking off the thought, Dabi looked up and nodded. "That's fine. I can cover it." Dabi gives half of the as down payment. Tells the builder to finished the as soon as possible and don't compromise on defense. If needed he is willing to spend more money. 

The builder raised an eyebrow and thinks dabi must be some illegitimate child of a very rich Nobel, how can a commoner had that much money, but said nothing.

Commoners with that much money were unheard of. But Dabi wasn't your typical commoner. He had fought monsters, conquered dungeons, and discovered treasures most people could only dream of. He just made businesses with headmasters 1.5 billion Gold, he made 500 million profit. Gold was the least of his concerns.

After finalizing the details with the builder, Dabi and Loira thanked him and made their way toward Zen's house, where Dabi's siblings, Eli and Mira, had been staying during the chaos.

As they approached the house, Dabi couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. The battle with Zarek had been long and grueling, but his siblings were safe. That was all that mattered. Entering the house, Dabi was greeted by a peaceful sight. Eli and Mira were fast asleep, curled up with Fen and Whity, the two pets that had become their loyal protectors. The room was quiet, save for the soft sound of their breathing and the occasional snuffle from Fen, who shifted in his sleep.

"They're still asleep," Dabi whispered to Loira, smiling. "Let's not wake them yet."

Loira nodded, exhaustion evident in her eyes. "I'll go rest as well," she said. "It's been a long night."

"You should. There's no rush," Dabi agreed. Zen gestured and takes loira to the guest room. "Take as much time as you need."

With that, Loira quietly slipped away, leaving Dabi alone in the living room. He sat down on a chair, finally allowing himself to relax. But his mind was already racing, thinking about the future. He needed to get stronger, fast. The threat of the ancient ones, and whatever else lay beyond the dimensional gates, was too great to ignore. His family's safety depended on it.

Dabi's thoughts were interrupted as Zen entered the room. Zen, his best friend and confidant, had been a steadfast ally through thick and thin. Now, Dabi needed his help again, but not in battle—this time, it was for business.

"Zen," Dabi said, looking up as his friend approached. "The fight is over, and Elder Wanka is handling Zarek. But there's something I need to talk to you about."

Zen raised an eyebrow. "What's on your mind?"

Dabi leaned forward, his voice serious. "I need to get stronger, and for that, I need resources—lots of them. That means I need money. A lot of money."

Zen blinked in surprise. "Money? I can lead you some but if you need a big amount I need some time." 

"I do need a big sum of money," Dabi nodded. "But I don't want to borrow money from you, I'm thinking bigger. I have items—rare and legendary—that I can't sell on my own. If I do, I'll attract the attention of greedy nobles. I'm a commoner, and they'd see me as an easy target. That's why I need your help. Your family name has power and prestige. If we auction these items under your family's banner, we'll avoid the risks."

Zen's eyes widened in surprise. "Legendary items?" he repeated in awe. "Where did you even get something like that? Legendary items are the backbone of noble families' strength. Even the most powerful noble houses only have one or two at most. Are you sure you want to auction something so valuable?"

Dabi nodded confidently. "I don't need the items themselves as much as I need what they can bring me—gold, resources, and power. Besides, I trust your family to handle it with discretion. I'm willing to give your family 20% of the profits."

Zen sat back, considering Dabi's offer. "I'll have to talk to my father about it," he said. "He's the head of the family, and we'll need to take some precautions if we're going to auction a legendary item. But I can promise you this: we'll help you with the rare items for sure. As for the legendary one, give me some time. My father is visiting the capital soon, before the third semester starts. I'll talk to him then and let you know what he says."

"Thanks, Zen," Dabi said, grateful for his friend's support. "I appreciate it."

Zen smiled. "You're my best friend. Of course, I'll help you. Just make sure you're careful with those legendary items. Don't tell anyone about the legendary. You have to be careful. If the news you have legendary item get leaked it will be a disaster. Once we auction the rare items, the eyes of the powerful families will be on us." Just imagine what will happen when a legendary item get auction. Last time a legendary item was auction was 30 years ago when a Nobel familys fall from their power. It was like a battle zone I heard from my father. 

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of small footsteps. Eli and Mira had woken up, and hearing Dabi's voice, they ran out of their room, their faces lighting up with excitement when they saw their brother.

"Dabi!" they shouted in unison, rushing over to him and throwing their arms around him in a tight hug.

Dabi laughed, his heart swelling with affection. He knelt down to hug them back, feeling Fen and Whity nudge against him as well. His two pets were wagging their tails excitedly, and Fen even began licking Dabi's face.

"Did you finish your mission, Dabi?" Eli asked eagerly. "Did you defeat the monsters ?"

"Yeah, big brother, did you close the dimension gate?" Mira chimed in, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Dabi smiled, ruffling their hair. "Of course I did," he said, making up a story on the spot. "It was tough, but I managed to defeat the monsters and protect everyone. The gate is sealed, and the bad guys won't be bothering us anymore."

Eli and Mira beamed, their eyes shining with pride. "You're the best, Dabi!" they exclaimed.

For a while, the tension and stress of the last few days melted away as Dabi spent time with his siblings. They played together, laughing and joking as if the weight of the world didn't rest on Dabi's shoulders. For that brief moment, everything felt normal, and Dabi cherished it.

But even in the midst of this happy atmosphere, Dabi's mind remained focused. He knew that these moments of peace wouldn't last forever. There were greater battles ahead—enemies far more powerful than Zarek, enemies from ancient times who would stop at nothing to conquer the dimensions.

And Dabi knew that to protect his siblings, his friends, and his home, he had to get stronger. Much stronger.

As the chapter came to a close, Dabi stood by the window, watching the sun rise over the capital city. His heart was filled with determination. The next semester was coming, and with it, new challenges. But this time, Dabi would be ready.

With his family by his side and allies like Zen to support him, Dabi knew that no matter what lay ahead, he would face it head-on.