1 Chapter -1
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Chapter -1: The lion cub awakens!
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A soul materialized in a dimension beyond human comprehension, where countless particles of gold converged to form a radiant sphere of light. This ethereal power possessed a power that could erase everything it touched, leaving nothing behind, not even ashes.
The luminescent particles composing this radiant sphere pulsed with ceaseless activity, shimmering into existence only to fade into Chaos, while an equal number burst forth with fiery brilliance.
Radiating heat akin to the sun itself, the sphere seemed to intensify relentlessly, yet it could never reclaim its ancient glory, forever hinting at an unattainable splendor. This mesmerizing yet unsettling display, born of chaos and embodying the pinnacle of grace within the goddess clan, captivated and terrified in equal measure.
Guided by an unseen force, the luminous sphere danced around the lost soul, fulfilling a destiny ingrained since time immemorial, an immutable law of this enigmatic dimension.
The Grace, drifting through the eons with purposeless persistence, witnessed the improbable unfold before her. In the vast expanse of infinity, even the most improbable miracles find their moment.
As the radiant sphere, transcending the bounds of infinity, finally converged upon the wandering soul, it exuded a brilliance unmatched by its peers. Millions of particles dispersed tranquilly while an equal number ignited within, ranging from gentle glimmers to blinding flashes.
Upon collision, an irresistible attraction drew the two together, merging them in an incomparable union, as if fortifying the soul's essence was their sole purpose.
The fusion unleashed a dazzling light unseen in this realm, transforming the soul and setting it to quiver, rupturing the surrounding space like shattered glass, returning it to its physical vessel.
The reverberations of this cataclysmic event would soon reverberate throughout the dimension once more...
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..
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I snapped awake, feeling as though my windpipe had been crushed, a growling sound reverberating in my ears. Tiny, sharp-nailed hands seemed to be wrapped around my throat, squeezing relentlessly.
I couldn't draw breath!
As my eyes fluttered open, I was confronted with an appalling sight: an ugly, misshapen green face leering at me, rows of jagged teeth bared, glowing red eyes seething with malice fixed upon me.
Panic surged through me. Where was I? What in the world was happening!?
My arms thrashed about in a frenzy, and despite just having awoken, darkness encroached upon my vision.
...I'm dying! Why am I dying!? What is this madness!?
Clutching my fists tightly, I lashed out at the grotesque green head, pouring all my strength into the blows as if fighting for my very life. But he didn't even flinch; it was like striking an unyielding wall. My fingers throbbed with pain, but driven by adrenaline, I ignored the discomfort.
FUCK YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!
Like a madman I pounded my fists against the thing that was strangling me, it barely flinched, it just squeezed harder. Just as the darkness was about to engulf me and snuff out my life, my last desperate fist seemed to burst into flames.
He let out a gurgling, choking cough from the pain and pulled back, loosening his grip on my throat. Not giving him a chance to recover, I rose and headbutted him, knocking him onto his back and away from me.
As I knelt over my opponent, I made out his grotesque form: a green, chubby monstrosity. Despite the throbbing pain in my head, similar to the impact of solid metal, I pushed him away.
Leaping forward on my knees, I jumped on top of the little green bastard and began to slam my fists into his face, again and again! As the flames swirled around me, getting stronger every second, as if they were responding to my feelings.
"Why won't you die!" My every word was punctuated by a strike, leaving his once ugly green visage now mangled and singed. Yet, despite my relentless assault, he persisted, his clawed fingers lashing out in defiance.
My arms had swollen, thicker and more robust than I recalled, serving as the only barrier preventing the creature from rending me asunder. Curiously, I sensed a gradual surge of strength coursing through my body with each passing moment
I let go of his throat and together, instead of striking, I jammed my thumbs into his eyes and pierced them with my nails, digging in, tearing and burning his soft flesh.
He writhed, emitting a cacophony of snorting, squealing, and growling that resembled that of a dying pig. Despite my best efforts to subdue it by pinning it firmly to the ground beneath me, the green creature refused to yield. With my hands full, I resorted to my last option.
Filled with anger and determination, I used the weight of my upper body and my thumbs, pressed firmly into my eye sockets, to hold it in place. With a primal growl, I lowered my head and delivered a sharp blow directly to his repulsive face.
Bones snapped and flesh tore as I struck relentlessly, shattering numerous bones in his skull. Undaunted, I continued to pulverize every bone in his skull, unleashing a barrage of devastating blows with the full force of my head.
At least until I instinctively felt my strength peak at a certain point, and with one last headbutt, the ugly beast beneath me exploded in smoke, causing me to fall back onto my butt without leaning.
With my eyes wide open and my face dripping with thick purple blood, I gasped deeply, "What the ... fuck?" I whispered open-mouthed. All that was left of the ugly green thing was a long, razor-sharp bone lying on the ground where it used to be.
Shaking violently, I crawled forward and picked it up with one hand, noticing that it was about half the size of my palm and at least twice the size of any of my canines. Is that - that's a damn thing to let go of? I thought in disbelief as I finally began to lose my mind.
'How...what? What the fuck? Why? What the fuck is going on in my fucking life!?' The last time I remember, I had just helped two teenage schoolgirls who were being molested during the night, and after I helped them, they made me return the favor by offering to have a threesome with me.
And after I left them unconscious with ahegao expressions, I left my house to get something to drink, then the place was completely empty until I woke up here with this thing trying to choke me. A goblin maybe? I didn't remember that I had ended up in some kind of convulsive circle....
I looked around where I was sitting. I was in a small, dark passage. A cave? It was not pitch black, even without light sources, but cast in a very faint purple that I could only see a few dozen feet in front of me.
"Where am I?" I muttered to myself, trying to stop my frantic thoughts as I struggled to hold myself up on my jelly-like legs, shaking and nervous. I began to pat myself down and inspect my surroundings.
I was still wearing the same clothes I had left the house in: black sweatpants and a thick hoodie. I preferred to blend into the background and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to myself, especially considering the numerous modeling offers I had received throughout my life.
"I have to get out of here anyway!" I said to myself. Wherever the hell this place was. I looked around -- and well, there were only two directions I could really go now, weren't there? Forwards or backwards.
Before I could decide, though, the sound of a stone crashing against my side caught my attention, and adrenaline shot through me as I turned to see where it was coming from.
There, beside me, was the cave wall! It was cracking, green flesh revealing itself to my eyes as it opened more and more. A very familiar, deformed and ugly green skull with glaring, hateful red eyes appeared.
"This is...!" My eyes widened in recognition, but I didn't finish my thought. Instead, I lunged forward, striking the ugly little green creature square in the face before it could escape through the cracked wall.
*Boom!*
I stumbled back in astonishment, witnessing the goblin's sudden demise as it exploded into black smoke and vanished completely. All that remained was a small stone, a lone sign of its existence.
A tiny, shimmering purple stone fell from where I had struck the goblin in the throat and landed softly on the ground. Despite its significance, I paid it little mind.
My attention was focused on the shattered wall before me, which revealed an unexpected path forward that I hadn't intended to take.
""Have I always been this strong?" I pondered aloud, shaking my head in disbelief. It was clear the answer was no. Stooping down, I picked up the two crystals lying on the ground. "Magic stones?" I gasped in realization.
'..Absolutely not. That can't be possible!' I thought dazedly. But it was the only possibility I could think of, and it seemed strangely reasonable.
It couldn't be Danmachi or some kind of Isekai... could it? I hoped that one day something would happen in my life that would be much more fun and groovy for me...But certainly not like this.
"Fuck." I couldn't help but whisper as I tucked the two small purple stones next to the other goblin's tusk into my pocket. Those things were like currency here, right? At least if this was Danmachi.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't contain the rush of excitement that surged within me with just that single word. My thoughts danced in the darkness, reflecting on the prison, the monsters, the promise of fame, wealth, and power.
The incredible fantasy city, the demi-humans, the disdainful elves, and even the gods mingling with mortals—all of it stirred in my mind. Despite the lurking dangers at every turn, it was a realm where "power made good," and I couldn't help but acknowledge that things could have been far worse.
Danmachi—a realm of endless possibilities. "Hestia is Beast..." A smile tugged at my lips as I thought of the spirited, buxom goddess.
"What am I supposed to do?" I muttered to myself, feeling the pressure to make a quick decision. It was clear I couldn't linger in this place any longer. I began to backtrack, searching for an exit until I spotted a staircase leading upwards, a welcome sight indeed.
Emerging into the open, I tilted my head back, squinting against the sun's rays as they warmed my skin. It felt oddly comforting, though I couldn't be certain of the time—it seemed to be just past morning, but I lacked the expertise to confirm.
My concern grew evident—I had nowhere to go and nothing to eat. If I didn't find sustenance before nightfall, I'd be forced to sleep outside, a prospect I wasn't keen on.
There were options to remedy this predicament, but becoming an adventurer appealed to me the most. Joining a Familia would provide both shelter and purpose.
Yes, it was risky, and yes, I hadn't fully thought it through, but I had already made my decision. Becoming an adventurer felt like the natural course of action for me. "Hm. My mind is made up." With that, I got up and started walking up the main street, not asking anyone for directions, just following my instincts.
Eventually, I found myself in front of the Pantheon, the main building of the Guild. Due to its unique and unmistakable appearance, I was glad to know some basic things about this world.
So, without wasting any time, I entered the building, ignoring the people looking at me, but I was used to this treatment, and observed the various desks and people there.
My gaze drifted to a brown-haired, bespectacled woman seated at a desk behind the counter. Her jumpsuit didn't quite accentuate her figure, but it was evident she had an ample chest and a well-rounded ass.
Recognizing Eina, the protagonist's advisor, I made my way to another desk. I had to admit, at that moment, I wanted nothing to do with her. We wouldn't see eye to eye since I valued my personal freedom to make my own decisions, whether they were right or wrong.
Instead, I went to where a woman with long crimson hair stood out for her wild and mysterious beauty. Her hair swirled around her face like dancing flames, giving off an aura of power and charm.
Her ears, thin and pointed, resembled those of a wolf, adding an air of wild elegance to her appearance. And with an intense and penetrating gaze, her eyes shining with a golden iridescence, her bearing is proud and regal, confirming her dominant and untamed nature.
...I had to admit to myself that I truly wanted to reach out and gently stroke her adorable ears.
"Hi, I'm Rose Fannett. How can I assist you?" she said with an indifferent expression, which brought a smile to my face.
"I'd like to register as an adventurer," I replied.
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A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter.
First of all, I want to say a few things about this story.
First of all, the character Mc of this story is not Escanor, so don't expect him to have his own personality or to easily defeat all his enemies who are higher levels than him.
As for Sunshine, she will be completely different from how you know her, since she is obviously just a fragment of True Grace. So it won't be Op, but it will be a very strong ability that grows with him, unlike Escanor, who had to slowly destroy his body to use it.
In a way, he will be more like Gawain with "Dawn", but he will still have his own unique characteristics that will be explained in the next chapters, I can only tell you that a major weakness of his has been "eliminated".
One more thing: You want Bell to be a girl in this story? It doesn't change anything for me, honestly, but I'd like to know what you think about it, since it might change their dynamic.
The familia Mc will join is already set.
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