Chapter 97: The New Home

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Two days passed in the blink of an eye. The morning sunlight streamed through the curtains of Zen's house, where Dabi had been staying with his siblings, Loira, and their three spirit pets: Fen, Whity, and Nyx. Everything had settled after the battle with Zarek, and Dabi was beginning to feel a sense of normalcy creeping back into their lives. Today, though, was special for another reason. The house that had been in ruins, his home, was finally rebuilt.

As Dabi relaxed, he received a call from the builder. "It's all done," the builder's voice crackled through the system communicator. "The house is ready. You should come and take a look. If you need to change anything just tell us before we finish the final work." 

Dabi wasting no time. He got dressed quickly, thanking Zen and telling him that he would be back soon with news of the construction. Alone, he headed toward his newly rebuilt house, eager to see how everything had turned out.

The walk was familiar, yet filled with anticipation. Dabi's heart raced with each step, memories of his previous house flooding back. This wasn't just any house; this was his home—the place where he and his siblings had lived after coming to the capital. Dabi's first buying something after his parents death/disappearance. It was filled with memories. And now, after everything they had been through, it was whole again.

When Dabi arrived, he stood in awe for a moment. The house had been completely restored, but not just restored. It had been transformed into something new, something stronger. He ran his hand over the smooth stone wall that had been reinforced with magic. The walls were thicker than before, the foundation more solid. It was a fortress disguised as a home, just as he had asked.

The builder, a middle-aged man with graying hair and a kind smile, approached. "What do you think?"

"It's perfect," Dabi said, nodding in approval. He could see that everything he had requested had been included. The hidden storage spaces were cleverly placed, the magic barriers were already in place, and the reinforcements were obvious. It was more than just a house now; it was a place that could protect his siblings and serve as a base for his future missions.

After a quick inspection, Dabi handed over the rest of the money, grateful for the builder's swift and professional work. "Thanks for everything," he said, shaking the man's hand firmly.

"Glad to be of service," the builder replied with a smile. "Good luck with everything, Dabi."

With the business taken care of, Dabi hurried back to Zen's house to get his siblings and Loira. As soon as he entered, he was met with curious, excited faces.

"Is it done?" Mira asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"Can we go now, big brother?" Eli chimed in, practically bouncing with energy.

Dabi laughed at their enthusiasm. "Yes, it's done. Let's go see our new home."

With that, the group set off. Dabi led the way, with Eli and Mira skipping beside him, their excitement contagious. Loira followed behind, carrying Nyx in her arms, while Fen and Whity trotted ahead, their tails wagging furiously.

As they arrived at the house, Eli and Mira's eyes grew wide with wonder. The house looked grand, more like a noble's estate than the humble home they had grown up in. Dabi could see their amazement as they took in the reinforced walls, the new windows, and the solid wooden doors.

"Wow! Is this really our house?" Eli asked, his voice filled with awe.

"It looks like a castle!" Mira added, her eyes darting from the roof to the windows.

"Well, it's not exactly a castle, but it's close," Dabi said, smiling at their reactions. "Come on, let's go inside."

As they entered, the excitement only grew. The interior of the house was just as impressive as the exterior. The floors were made of polished stone, smooth and cool underfoot. The walls were decorated with paintings of their family, and the rooms were spacious, filled with new furniture that Dabi had ordered specifically for his siblings' comfort.

But what really caught Eli and Mira's attention was the special room Dabi had created for their spirit pets. Using a space stone, Dabi had constructed a room that was much larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. The moment they stepped into the room, they were greeted by an open, grassy expanse—a mini ground, complete with small trees and plants for the pets to explore. It was like a hidden garden inside their home.

"Whoa!" Eli gasped, running into the space with Fen at his heels. "This is amazing!"

Mira followed quickly, with Whity chasing after her. "Look at how much space there is! We can play here with Fen and Whity all day!"

Dabi stood at the doorway, watching his siblings run around with their pets. The smile on their faces made all the hard work and planning worth it. He chuckled as they started to play a game of chase, their laughter filling the room.

"You can play here whenever you want," Dabi said, stepping inside to join them. "But only after you finish your homework."

Eli and Mira groaned in unison, stopping in their tracks. "Homework?" Mira pouted. "But we just got the new house!"

Dabi laughed, ruffling their hair. "No excuses. You have to study hard if you want to be stronger."

The two siblings exchanged glances, then stuck their tongues out at Dabi, mocking him playfully. "You're such a tyrant, Dabi," Eli said, folding his arms.

Dabi raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Oh really? Well, we'll see who's a tyrant when you both need help with your study later."

At that, they burst into laughter, and the light-hearted teasing continued as they explored the rest of the house. Every room had been carefully designed with their needs in mind. There was a large kitchen fir mira, who had recently taken an interest in cooking, and a study room filled with books and magical resources for Eli, who loved to study new spells story.

Finally, they made their way to the training room. Loira, who had been quiet during the tour, immediately perked up when she saw it. The room was vast, with high ceilings and reinforced walls made from earth stones. The floor was covered in a special material that absorbed impact, perfect for intense training sessions.

"This is incredible," Loira said, walking around the room, testing the floor with a few light kicks. "It's bigger and better than before."

"I had the builder use an earth stone for extra strength," Dabi explained. "This room can handle even the most powerful spells and combat training."

Loira nodded, clearly impressed. "I can't wait to start training here. It's perfect."

After the house tour was over, Dabi's siblings and the spirit pets wasted no time running back to their special room to play, while Loira headed off to explore the training room more thoroughly. Dabi, however, retreated to his own room. He sat down on the edge of his bed, gazing out the window at the city beyond.

His thoughts drifted to the upcoming semester at Astral Haven Academy. Two weeks. That was all the time he had left before the new semester began. In two weeks, he would be back at the academy, facing new challenges and dangers. But he wasn't ready—not yet.

"I need to get stronger," Dabi muttered to himself. "I'm at level 80 now, but that's not enough. My goal is to reach level 90 before the semester starts."

There were dimensional gates he could clear, monsters to defeat, and treasures to find. He had two weeks to push himself, to grind through missions, and to level up as much as possible. It had been a while since he'd last leveled up, and the hunger for progress gnawed at him.

Dabi closed his eyes, visualizing his plan. He would take on the toughest dimensional gates he could find, challenge the most dangerous monsters, and use every ounce of strength and skill he had to reach his goal. Level 90. It wasn't just a number—it was a promise to himself and his family.

With that thought solidified in his mind, Dabi opened his eyes and stood up, a renewed sense of determination surging through him. He had two weeks, and he wasn't going to waste a single second.

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The chapter ends with Dabi looking out at the horizon, ready to take on the next challenge.