Chapter 65: Return

Lars looked troubled as he made a mistake, he had to straighten out the pavement again.

The duo kept on staring at him and Tiona looked at them suspiciously.

"You better not have bright ideas, get in line. We were first." Tiona hissed and they raised their arms.

He continued repairing Telskyura for now and it took a couple of days. The country of the amazons calmed down too.

Everybody gathered at the southern gates and Kali was in a bad mood.

"Tch, you even stole Belnas and Elnea from me. What's next? Argana and Bache?" Kali clicked her tongue.

Tione immediately put her hand on her mouth. "Take it back! Take your words back right now!"

"Mhhg! Pwah! What!? What's wrong?" Kali was confused and Tione did an orz.

"It's too late, it's a self fulfilling prophecy." Tione looked down in defeat.

"Please... I'm not seducing women left and right." Lars rolled his eyes.

"Uhhh, I don't think you have a good track record." Airmid deadpanned at him.

"Ugh, now that you said it." He realized that he was a piece of shit.

He then smacked his cheeks. 'You have to own it! Besides... They're not complaining.'

Lars convinced himself. Not that he was wrong, the ladies in his life are all super successful.

They're no 3rd rate girls that would settle for less. Even kings and the most powerful nobles have no sway against them. They're 1st class adventurers.

"T-that's right! How indecent you are, Lars." Ryuu glared at him with a cute pout.

"Aww, is little Ryuu jealous?" Lars patted her head and her ears went ruby red.

"Lars, please don't tease Ryuu too much. Not me though, I can take it." Kaguya winked at him.

"Oi! Lars obviously is a match for my wonderful self." Alise puffed her chest in pride.

But when she saw the people staring at her, she blushed immediately and hid her face in embarrassment.

"Hmph, tell me if you want to breed the next generation of amazons." Kali smirked at him.

Lars was sent reeling and he thought of her offer.

"Lars, you better not." Alfia squinted her eyes at him.

"You heard the lady, we don't accept casual relationships." Lars laughed and his hands were already full anyways.

"Minds can change." Kali smirked. Belnas and Elnea then bowed at her.

"Fine then, leave me. You will grow stronger under his guidance anyways." Kali shooed them off.

"Come on, let's go. There's still a ton of work left in Orario." Lars took out the 4x4's.

"Ahhh! I hope Hestia-sama is doing well." Asfi bit her nail in anxiety.

Meanwhile, at the traveler's inn. "Uwaaah! Where's Asfi!? I'm going to go insane!" Hestia was running around like a headless chicken.

Managing the taxes, the requests to the the Hermes familia, and all the paperwork that was needed to be done.

__Monstro__

The saved xenos were introduced to the city and its inhabitants.

"Let us celebrate." Gros who saw his brethren and sisters being safe and sound uncharacteristically started the party.

"Heh, you gonna cry big guy? Don't get emotional now." Tiona bumped the gargoyle with her elbow.

"W-what are you talking about, human!?" Gros would blush if he wasn't made of stone.

Gryuu roared and they celebrated the safe return of the xenos.

Lars checked the reports from the other xenos and Hermes has given them more information about others who are in other countries.

'I guess I'll let them handle this from here. There are no more large groups like in Telskyura.' Lars finished reading the reports.

He looked at the partying xenos and he smiled.

"Back to work I guess." He called Fels and he sent the new policies of Telskyura to them.

"We've received a lot of new inhabitants, I guess this is good. But those Ikelos fuckers are still roaming around." Lars squinted his eyes.

"I can't let the xenos roam around to try and find them... And they're most likely hiding carefully right now due to the previous incident." Lars sighed.

"Shhh, calm down. No need to be hasty." Alfia appeared and gave him some food.

"You're right, but I just can't let them go free." Lars furrowed his brows.

There might still be xenos in their hideout. And it was stressing him out.

"Correct, but if we make a wrong move. Everything will be much more difficult for us." Alfia advised and he nodded.

"Yeah, it just sucks you know? Think of what the captured xenos are experiencing right now. Imagine if Bell got kidnapped." Lars sighed.

Alfia suddenly froze and she got a murderous glint in her eyes.

"I see, it is quite stressful to think about." Alfia nodded at him.

"Right? I want to bring them here to Monstro as soon as possible. Stray xenos are all alone, against everything and everyone." He pitied them.

They do not have anything to call their own. Even their brethren will try to kill them like mindless beasts.

"Nothing can stay hidden forever. They'll slip up eventually. We will find them." Alfia assured him.

"Wow, are you consoling me? Are you sick or something?" He chuckled and she glared at him.

"Shut up, do not make fun of me. I was trying to make you feel better." Alfia huffed.

"Yeah, thanks. I feel much better now." Lars smiled and Alfia walked up to him.

She kissed him and then sat down on his lap to hug him.

"There, I feel pleasant when you kiss me. Is it the same for you?" Alfia looked into his eyes and he nodded slowly.

"Yes, I do." He smiled and she nodded with satisfaction.

"I like your presence, especially when you have no worries. It makes me feel, serene." Alfia put her head on his chest.

"Is that so? Then I have to try my hardest to not get worried then." Lars caressed her hair and she nodded.

"Good, do not fret. Retribution always comes to those who deserve it." Alfia said coldly.

"Yeah, those fuckers will get what's coming for them." He would find them, and they'll regret exploiting the xenos.

__51st floor__

Lars wanted to blow off some steam. Kali annoyed him to no end and they're walking on egg shells in order to find dead men walking.

"Tch, this is annoying as hell." Lars frowned heavily.

"Now, Ley-chan. How about we have a little sparring match? Wait... Did you grow smaller?" Lars raised a brow.

The cadmus dragon that he painstakingly raised got compressed, shrinking significantly.

Forming longer arms, a shorter neck, a more compact torso, and smaller wings.

"You're a chubby boi now!" Lars laughed and the dragon seemed to be offended, glaring daggers at him.

"Now, now, don't look at me like that. Did you eat too many magic stones? Then this is my fault." He shook his head wistfully.

'But a transformation huh? Is this how deviants work? Normally, they would grow larger or something.' Lars observed it carefully.

Ley then growled. "Alright, let's see what you can do now." Lars could feel that it wanted the fight to start.

'Is it developing intelligence too?' He couldn't quite believe it.

And they started the battle with a fierce breath attack.

Ley's chest and throat burned a bright orange as it sucked in air around them like a jet engine.

Lars' chest ballooned as he did the same. His throat and chest burning like a furnace.

A pulse of dense mana destroyed everything in its path like a shockwave.

Two beams met in the middle of the battlefield and refracted lasers hit the floor everywhere.

"Hah, that was as excellent as ever." Lars sighed as superheated steam escaped from his mouth.

Ley snorted hot air in the air and it spread its wings, fueling the embers around them.

They then charged at each other, making the whole 51st floor tremble.

Scaly arms hit each other. Rocks turned into dust around them and Lars flew away due to the strength difference.

Ley aimed its maw right at him and fired a pulse of its breath.

The dust cloud cleared and Lars swiped it to the side, coating his arm with pure mana.

"Come on then!" He made compressed air explode on his heels and sonic booms.

Appearing right above its head, he spun around to gain momentum and Lars released a devastating axe kick.

Earthquakes shook the dungeon floor as Ley's head crashed onto the ground.

But Ley's thick skull and neck protected it from the blow and its now longer and sleeker tail whipped him.

"Urgh!" Lars' body folded like paper and he was sent careening towards the walls.

Piercing through multiple thick ones before stopping. "Ugh, that was a splendid attack." He looked at his torso.

There was already a purple bruise forming and he could feel that his lung was punctured by his ribs.

Ley who was almost level 8 already surely packed a hefty punch. Or in this case, tail whip.

"Fuck, you're going to kill me one of these days." Lars stood up as he healed himself.

Ley snorted as it shook its head to get rid of the dizziness.

Skipping lightly on the floor, Lars smirked. They went into a standoff, but he started feeling something.

"Ahh, the dungeon is almost at its breaking point." Lars could estimate the limit of the dungeon before it spawned a juggernaut.

And he wasn't one to tempt fate. The dungeon is clearly alive and is out to fuck anyone up that it sets its nonexistent sight on.

Lars doesn't want to imagine a level 8 juggernaut appearing. Or multiple of them, the dungeon's malice was forming at the ceiling.

It felt similar to Hephaestus' divine curse. But much more sinister and wrathful.

"Ley, you know the drill. Ahh, I wish I could get you to the surface, but alas." Lars sighed and the dragon squinted its eyes.

With an annoyed snort, it went back to its cadmus spring and crystal that regrew.

"Don't be too bummed out, I've got monster rex magic crystals for you." Lars gave it the Udaeus and Balor magic crystal that Alfia hunted down.

That monster rex is a little too much for him right now. It was a level 8 raid boss.

Lars tossed the magic crystals at it and Ley crunched it like tic tacs.

He waved goodbye to it and he didn't see Ley stare at him.

It waved back, looking at its arm. "See... You. Later." Its once beady eyes began to show more intelligence, showing even emotions.

__Orario__

Lars talked with Fels and the sage informed him that Ouranos was definitely all in for Telskyura's reform.

It was a superpower only second to Orario. Of course he would love to be in an alliance with them, it's a no brainer.

Even Rakia which is a highly mitilaristic country can't hold a candle to the place.

The only other place besides Orario that can compare is Altena, the city of magic. Ruled by the goddess of wisdom, Athena.

Alongside the empire where Lunoire came from.

"Hngh, I guess that's good for now." Lars nodded in satisfaction at Ouranos' decision. Not that he doubted the god would refuse anyways.

What he doubted is what the guy knows. But he can't risk getting his secret outed.

After all, Ouranos is one of the very first gods that went down from tenkai.

And he for sure knows more about the dungeon than most.

"Lars?" Someone tapped him from behind and he craned his neck backwards.

"Artemis? Long time no see." Lars smiled at her and she also returned the gesture.

"Orion-sama! Hello!" Lante waved at him with a huge smile and Artemis blushed.

"How many times do I have to tell you Lante? I do not have an Orion. That's only a tale that humans made centuries ago." Artemis sighed.

"Eh? But you like him though? You even gave him a smile, I've never seen you smile towards a man before." Lante looked like she was genuinely confused.

"Lante, do not tease our goddess. Sorry about her Lars-san, Lante is the youngest you see?" Rethusa smiled wryly.

"It's fine, what brings you here?" Lars was curious, they were in a pilgrimage as monster hunters after all.

"We're gathering supplies, we're going on a journey that is a month's away from here." Artemis explained.

"Ohh, good luck then. You guys are well coordinated, but be careful still." Lars wished them luck.

"Thank you for your kind words, do not worry. We have done this plenty of times." Artemis appreciated it.

"Then, this is a good luck charm for you guys." Lars took out some ear pieces.

"Hmm? What is this, Orion-sama?" Lante received it curiously.

"You'll be able to talk with each other by using it. Even though you are away from each other, the range is a 100 meters. Ahem, meders I mean." Lars corrected himself.

'Why do they even say meders here? It's weird as hell.' Lars hoped they wouldn't ask any more questions.

"Wow... That's really valuable." Artemis blinked in shock at how useful that was.

"Right? You can launch efficient pincer attacks with it. This is my thanks for this." Lars patted Lante's head as he pointed at his earring.

She bowed alongside Rethusa at the valuable gift. Magic tools are extremely expensive after all.

There's a reason why Asfi is busy as all hell. "I'll get out of your hair then, godspeed." Lars waved goodbye and the trio waved back.

"See? He even gave you a gift back, Artemis-sama. Orion-sama is so romantic." Lante fidgeted around as she went kyah.

"Lante!" Artemis glared at her weakly, a blush present on her face.

'Orion, huh? I do wish to hear more of his stories.' Artemis remembered the tale of Orion and herself that humans made.

She smiled pleasantly. "Let's go, the Ersos ruin is quite far away." Artemis looked at his gift with a fond smile.

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Thanks for reading everyone. Read ahead 10 chapters on my Kofi if you want to support me. Anyways, ciao.

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