Chapter 7 - A headache before the Devil?

Ed: hello everyone it's me again Ed! Author said that he was still lazy to continue the Danmachi fanfic so to those people who are waiting for the new chaper please wait a little more so i can convince him if there was another opportunity!.

Also i might remind you all that the story is still building up with alot of information dumping at the start so the action will really have to wait! Anyways, I hope you guy's enjoy the chapter and have a good day! (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)

Note: new thoughts description, Ex.

_(thoughts)_

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After finishing their meal, Xian leaned back in his chair, watching W across the table. He had managed to convince her not to attack him-for now. A few reminders of her failed attempts due to her weakened state had been enough to keep her in check. Now, with her temper slightly cooled, they had finally discussed terms and settled on a contract they could both agree upon.

Standing up, he stretched slightly before gesturing toward the hallway. "Come on,

I'l show you to your room."

W, sitting with her arms crossed, eyed him with a smirk. "How generous of you.

But don't think this means I won't kill you later."

Xian let out a dry chuckle. "Wouldn't expect any less."

Leading her up the stairs, he stopped in front of a simple guest room and pushed the door open. "This is where you'll be staying. Don't break anything, don't make a mess, and" he shot her a pointed look, "-don't even think about trying anything funny while l'm asleep."

W sauntered inside, lazily dragging a finger along the wooden dresser before flopping onto the bed with a sigh. "Relax.

If I wanted to gut you, I would've done it already."

Xian rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. You definitely weren't in any condition to try that an hour ago."

She clicked her tongue but didn't argue.

Instead, she gave him a knowing grin. "You don't trust me, huh?"

Xian exhaled, leaning against the doorframe. "Should I?"

W merely laughed, waving him off.

Taking that as his cue to leave, he closed the door behind him and walked down the hall toward his own room. His footsteps were slow, his thoughts heavier than before.

_Trust_

A wry smile tugged at his lips. Who was he kidding? He was already on her hit list.

With a sigh, he stepped into his room and locked the door behind him. But after a brief pause, he frowned. _Not enough_

He grabbed the chair from his desk and wedged it under the doorknob. At least this way, if someone tried to force their way in, he'd know.

His gaze drifted toward the window, and as he latched it shut, he peered outside.

The streets were eerily empty, save for the dim, flickering glow of the streetlights. The storm hadn't let up-the wind howled, and the rain battered against the rooftops like it had no intention of stopping.

He shut the curtains and sighed before making his way to the bed, dropping onto it with a tired slump. Staring up at the ceiling, he let the day's events replay in his mind.

The market stall where the abusive owner, with that poor infected kid that forced into labor or even worse while his clueless parents probably remained oblivious.

Then there was W. Crashing through his window. Trying to kill him the moment she regained consciousness- repeatedly.

Xian exhaled, rubbing his face. "Interacting with her is so much different than just watching her from a screen...":

Still staring at the ceiling, Xian listened to the noises outside-raindrops drumming against the windows, wind howling through the empty streets, and the occasional crack of thunder that sent fleeting flashes of light across his room. The storm had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

His thoughts drifted back to his 'original' Home. His parents. His pets. His grandparents. And most of all, his friends.

He recalled a moment from years ago, back when he was an eighth grader, sitting in his classroom during break time. He had been playing a rhythm game on his phone, tapping along to the beat with practiced precision. Beside him, one of his friends was going on and on about a game he was playing, complaining about how difficult a particular stage was and how one of his characters needed an upgrade.

"Man, this level is insane," his friend muttered, furiously tapping his screen. "And my operators are under-leveled... Ugh, I really need to farm more materials."

Xian, half-listening, kept his focus on his own game. But the constant talking eventually got to him. With a sigh, he paused his game and turned to glance at his friend's screen.

"You've been talking about this game for a while now," Xian said. "Is it really that good?"

His friend's face lit up. "Oh, definitely! The story's great, and the strategy elements make it super engaging. Plus, the characters are Amazing!."

Curious, Xian leaned in closer. On the screen, he saw the game's menu-a lineup of characters, each with distinct appearances, some with weapons, others with strange outfits. But one particular character caught his eye.

A girl with animal-like features-dressed in a navy-blue coat with white trim, a matching skirt, and a blue scarf?. She had long brown hair, bright blue eyes, and-most notably-a pair of long ears.

Xian frowned. "...Why does she have donkey ears?"

His friend choked on a laugh. "Dude, she's not a donkey. She's a rabbit."

Xian raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "No way. Those ears are way too long. She looks like a donkey."

His friend was still laughing. "She's Amiya, the main character! She's a Cautus, a rabbit-like race. And she's the leader of Rhodes Island, a group fighting for the rights of the Infected people who's suffering from a disease called Oripathy."

Xian listened as his friend enthusiastically explained more about the game. The story, the worlds history, the different factions, and how the characters all played a role in the unfolding conflict.

As he watched the gameplay, he found himself genuinely impressed. The mechanics, the strategy, the way units were placed and defended against waves of enemies, it was unlike anything he'd played before.

"So, what kind of game is this?" Xian asked.

"It's a gacha game," his friend replied casually.

Xian blinked. "A what?"

"You know, gacha. You roll for characters kinda like a lottery system. You can get strong operators if you're lucky, but it takes resources."

Xian frowned. "Wait... so you have to pay for characters?"

His friend hesitated. "Well, you can play for free, but yeah, sometimes you need money to get the ones you want."

Xian stared at him, deadpan. "That's gambling."

His friend scoffed. "No, it's not!"

Xian folded his arms. "Sounds like gambling to me."

His friend groaned but didn't argue too hard. "...Okay, maybe a little, but it's not that bad."

Xian gave him a skeptical look. "You're not gonna end up as a gambling addict, are you?"

His friend rolled his eyes. "I am not a gambling addict."

Just as he was about to retort again, a sudden crack of thunder split the sky outside. The flash of lightning illuminated his dark room, yanking him back to the present.

His ceiling. His dimly lit room. The storm still raging outside.

Xian let out a long sigh and shifted his position, turning onto his side as he stared at the wall. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"I miss you guys..."

The words felt heavier than he expected. His parents, his friends, his home. It all felt so far away, like a dream slipping further from his grasp.

He clenched his fist. _I'll find a way back. I swear_

Even though he had somehow ended up inside his favorite game, he wasn't like those protagonists he read about in light novels and web novels. The ones who conveniently accepted their new reality, happily abandoning everything they had before. No matter how much he enjoyed reading those stories, he couldn't relate to that mindset.

This wasn't a fantasy adventure. This wasn't some wish-fulfillment story.

Everything he felt and experience was real.

And no matter how long it took, no matter what he had to do. He would find a way home.

Reaffirming that promise to himself, Xian exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. The storm continued to rage outside, but his mind had already begun to drift into uneasy sleep.

...

The next morning, Xian's room was quiet. The distant echoes of sirens- whether from police cars or ambulances- murmured against the walls, mixing with the gentle hum of a city that never truly slept. Lying on his left side, facing the door, Xian stirred awake. His eyelids fluttered as he adjusted to the dim lighting, the soft glow of the morning peeking through the curtains.

For a moment, his mind was sluggish, caught between sleep and wakefulness, but as soon as he fully came to, the events of last night resurfaced. His fingers tensed slightly against the bedsheet. _Right... W is still here._

The thought alone was enough to shake off whatever drowsiness remained. Xian sat up, rubbing the back of his neck before glancing toward the small alarm clock on his desk. The time was later than usual, not too surprising given how exhausting yesterday had been. He stretched, arms reaching above his head as his muscles groaned in protest.

A deep breath in. A slow exhale. He needed to get up.

As his feet touched the floor, his mind began running through possibilities. What are the chances that W was waiting for him outside that door? He didn't put it past her to play some kind of trick- or worse, to have regained enough strength to make a move to him. His muscles unconsciously tensed at the thought. His paranoia lingered, whispering warnings in the back of his mind.

_Maybe I'm overthinking it…_ He sighed, rubbing his temple. But then again, better safe than sorry.

Taking slow steps toward the door, he carefully removed the chair he had wedged under the handle the night before- a makeshift barricade, just in case. He hesitated before opening it, eyes immediately flickering downward to check for any shadows lurking beneath. Nothing.

Still, Xian didn't drop his guard. With measured patience, he pushed the door open just a little wider, peering out into the dimly lit hallway. Silence greeted him. No sudden movement, no threats, no signs of an ambush. He exhaled quietly.

The hallway was just as he had left it. Empty- except for the shattered window, its broken glass scattered across the wooden floor, the remnants glistening faintly under the morning light. A small puddle had formed from last night's rain, mixing with the fragments.

"Right… I forgot about that." He muttered to himself, staring at the mess. _I'll clean it up later._

_For now, W took priority._

He made his way toward the stairs, descending to the first floor. His movements were slow, controlled- his mind still running through every possible scenario. By the time he reached the guest room where W had been staying, he paused, taking a moment to regulate his breathing.

_She might still be asleep… or she could be waiting._

With that thought, he raised his knuckles to the door and knocked three times.

Silence.

His fingers curled slightly, tension creeping into his shoulders. _Is she ignoring me?_ He knocked again, this time with a bit more force- four times.

Still no response.

Xian narrowed his eyes. His mind quickly ran through three likely scenarios: _First was she's still asleep Highly unlikely-W was a trained mercenary, not the type to sleep in so deeply she wouldn't hear someone knocking._

_Second was she's preparing an ambush. Also possible. If she had regained enough strength, she could be waiting on the other side, holding her breath with a blade in hand that she have found, Or..._

_The third was she's already gone. If she already had the strength to move around, there was a chance she had left during the night- whether temporarily or permanently was the real question._

His gut told him to assume the worst. If she was indeed setting a trap, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. He had to approach this carefully.

Making his decision, Xian gripped the handle, steeled his nerves, and shoved the door open with force before quickly retracting his arm.

The door swung wide, revealing… nothing.

A cold breeze drifted past him, carrying the scent of morning dew. His gaze locked onto the open window across the room, the thin curtains swaying gently in the wind.

His brows furrowed. _She's not here._

A quick scan of the room revealed signs of activity. The bed was a mess, the desk drawers were left open-rummaged through, most likely. There were no immediate signs of a struggle, but the disarray suggested W had been moving.

His mind raced with some lingering wariness. _Did she slip out during the night?_

He stepped back into the hallway, glancing down both ends to make sure he wasn't walking into a trap. Nothing. The place was just as eerily silent as before.

Stepping into the room, he took in the disorder once more. His fingers ran along the edge of the desk, pausing at one of the open drawers. She must've been searching for something before she left.

Xian exhaled through his nose, a quiet scoff escaping his lips.

"So much for keeping an eye on her."

He ran a hand through his hair, staring at the open window with narrowed eyes. _The real question is… did she leave for good? Or is she coming back?_

After suddenly thinking about it. Xian suddenly turned on his heel, his body moving before his mind had fully caught up. His footsteps echoed softly against the wooden floor as he made his way toward the storage room- the very place where everything had started. The room where he had fought tooth and nail to keep W alive, despite knowing exactly what kind of person she was.

His fingers tightened around the doorknob for a brief moment before he pushed it open.

The air inside was still, carrying a faint metallic scent mixed with the lingering traces of medicine. The dim light filtering through the small, dust-covered window illuminated the space just enough for him to see of the equipment's left behind. His eyes swept across the room, his gaze sharp, scanning every corner for any sign of W's presence.

What he found instead was absence.

The gears and material devices at the hinded box's, the pills and other experimental liquids with its book manuals, the computer and the tablet at the top of the shelves are still there. Everything remained untouched since last night. But the space where W's belongings had been are now empty.

Her bag was gone. Her equipment was gone.

More importantly, the bombs were gone.

Xian felt a slow, creeping sensation crawl up his spine. His expression remained neutral, but internally, his thoughts churned like a raging storm. He had expected her to leave eventually, but the fact that she had taken everything with her, including the explosives was unsettling.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face.

"At least she didn't blow up my damn house on the way out…" he muttered, half in relief, half in exasperation.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, his heart skipped a beat.

Bombs.

His body tensed. His mind shifted gears, alarms blaring in his head. _If W had taken explosives with her then-_

His breath hitched. His stomach twisted.

What if she left something behind?

A tripwire. A timed charge. A nasty parting gift hidden somewhere in the house.

Xian didn't hesitate. His exhaustion was shoved aside as adrenaline surged through his veins. He immediately turned and began checking every inch of the house- room by room, floor by floor, his eyes sharp and methodical. He checked under furniture, behind doors, inside drawers- anywhere W could've possibly planted something.

His breathing was steady, but his pulse hammered in his ears.

Minutes passed. Then more.

Nothing...

By the time he had swept the entire house, Xian finally allowed himself to breathe. His shoulders sagged slightly, tension draining from his body as he let out a deep, relieved sigh.

No bombs. No traps. No surprise detonations waiting to turn him into a fine mist.

He closed his eyes for a brief second, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Damn it, W…"

She really was gone.