10 Familiars and A Dragon

Trekking through the forest we saw many creatures.

Sprites, some wolves, various birds, and even a couple of cats.

I also managed to catch a glimpse of a few Undines, and they were just as advertised in the anime.

But since I already knew that my mind didn't go hollow with absolute despair like Issei's did.

I mean, that was completely out of left field. Male Undines, the same with the Yuki-Onna. I'm certain Ishibumi just put that in the series to fuck with the minds of his readers.

There's no other explanation for that shit.

He has quite the devious mind, I will give him that.

Anyway, the four of us explored the forest for quite some time.

While I continued using my senses to try and find the Dryads Ryogun and Angelica looked for a familiar that interested them. But neither of them have found one they liked yet.

As for Darius he just kept watch and observed.

It went on like this for quite some time until all of a sudden a shadow rushed out of the trees and tackled Angelica right in her chest.

None of us moved to stop whatever it was though.

That's because the shadow didn't release any killing intent whatsoever. But if it had even the smallest inkling of harming Angelica, it would have been dead in an instant.

Moving on, Angelica wrapped the creature in her arms the moment it made contact with her chest.

She then adjusted her position so we could all get a better look at what is was.

The creature in Angelica's arms is a small rodent-like creature with blue-greenish fur and a dark-red gemstone at the center of its head.

It's a Carbuncle.

A creature featured heavily in South American mythology. It is said to bring good luck.

"Oh a Carbuncle, how rare." Darius mused. "They usually don't show themselves. But when they do its said that they will immediately partner with the fist person they approach and will bring them good luck for the rest of their lives." He explained.

"You heard your father Angelica. That's your partner." I said.

"Cute." Angelica spoke, looking at the Carbuncle in her arms with stars in her eyes.

"It's so adorable." Ryogun said, also looking at the Carbuncle with stars in her eyes.

Girls like cute things.

That's a universal law you can be escaped from.

The Carbuncle looked up at Angelica. It then leaned in closer to her chest and got comfortable before snuggling with her.

"Aww." Angelica and Ryogun gushed at the same time.

I put a wry smile on my face. "Not to interrupt this cute festival you all are having, but we're burning daylight. So can we please continue on?" I asked.

"Yes." Angelica said.

"Of course. I need to find myself a cute familiar as well." Ryogun spoke.

So after that Angelica preformed the contracting ceremony and named her Carbuncle Ruby of all things.

Once that was over we moved on.

We went deeper into the familiar forest where the stronger monsters live. None of us are push-overs in the slightest.

While Ryogun and Angelica aren't even close to my strength they have the power of high-class devils and are not afraid to use it.

Our group continued deeper into the forest, most of the monsters leaving us alone due to our groups combined power.

But then there is always one idiot who can't take the hint.

A hippogriff stepped into our path. It then started snapping its beak at us. Seeing that Ryogun put a smile on her face.

"Looks like my familiar came to use just like Angelica's." She mused. Ryogun then walked right up to the hippogriff.

It tried to attack her with its claw.

But the second it did Ryogun had already used her fist to slam its head into the ground. She then proceeded to beat it up with several punches all in under a minute.

"You are my familiar from now on, got it?" She asked the hippogriff. But everyone knew she wasn't really asking but telling.

The hippogriff getting the messaged bowed its head to her without hesitation.

Allowing Ryogun to acquire her familiar which she named Chopper of all things.

I seriously wondered where the girls got their names from.

But I had bigger fish to fry.

Namely the fact that we haven't found a single Dryad or any trace of them whatsoever yet.

It's irking me quite a bit.

In part because I want the Dryads to help me revitalize the soil of the Belial territory.

My mother and I have been using our clan trait to do so, but we're not specialist on the matter. The process is going well, but I want to speed it along. That's why I want to meet a couple of Dryads and discuss the matter with them.

Yet for some reason their whereabouts keep alluding me.

Clicking my tongue I continued moving deeper into the forest with the others.

We spent at least another hour walking, until we found ourselves surrounded by deformed trees.

Then as soon as we did we stopped in the middle of them.

Because the trees surrounding us aren't trees at all.

"Hey, can I ask you guys a question, where can I find some Dryads?" I said.

The moment I did the trees around us started moving. All of them opened one eye in the center of their trunks, and then grew arms. They also picked their roots up out of the ground and they became legs.

These trees are actually Treants.

And Treants and Dyrads are highly interconnected. That's why I'm sure they will know where they are.

"What is your business with our sisters?" A Treant asked me.

"I am Asterius Belial. And I wish to form a pact with one of the Dryads taking them as my familiar. But more than that I would like a few Dryads to come and live in my family's territory in the underworld. They wouldn't be slaves. No, they would be citizens under our protection, and also business partners in a sense." I explained.

An heir does not lie unless absolutely necessary.

The Treants murmured amongst themselves.

But stopped when a horde of vines suddenly grew in the center of us. The vines broke apart a moment later revealing a green-haired woman.

A Dryad.

"Hello there." I said to her.

"Hello." She replied. "My name is Treyni the leader of the Dryads in the familiar forest."

"A pleasure to meet you." I said. "And I assume you heard my conversation with your brothers just now?"

"I did." Treyni said. "And I felt that you were not telling any lies. However no deal can be made at the moment."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"That creature who has been causing havoc throughout the familiar forest is very much real." Treyni revealed. "It came weeks ago to challenge the dragon that sleeps here. But it lost. Since then it has been challenging and harming the creatures that call this place home, as well as the delicate ecosystem that this place has. We Dryads are guardians of nature, and thus we cannot leave this forest that has been our home for many generations in such dire straits." She explained to me.

Well I guess that answer if the creature is real or not. But the bigger shock was that it was able to go head-to-head with Tiamat, a dragon king and survive.

I don't know if Tiamat let this creature live or what, bottom line is it is strong. Telling me exactly what I need to do.

"Treyni. Lead me to this creature and I will vanquish for you." I said.

Treyni looked at me. But when she saw the calm expression on my face she simply nodded. "Very well." She said.

Treyni then started moving forward, with me and the others following behind her.

Also none of them objected because they know my strength. They also know now that I have set my mind of fighting this creature I won't back down.

This is going to be my first real challenging fight after all.

Sure I train against my parents and Diablo as well as a few others, but since it is just training I can't really go all out. If I did either I would die, or my sparring partner would die.

But right now it's different.

This is going to to be a real battle. One where I can truly test my current self.

It's going to be so much fun.

We walked for no more than an hour before Treyni came to a stop at the edge of a cliff. The rest of us doing the same.

Looking out in front of us we saw a giant batch of scorched Earth in the middle of a sea of trees. Everything had been burned to a crisp in every direction for at least 3 kilometers.

"That is where the creature makes its home." Treyni spoke.

"But it's not there now." Ryogun pointed out.

"It must be out feeding again." Treyni mused.

"Well then there's nothing else to do but wait for it." I said.

Then the moment I did I felt a massive aura heading straight in our direction.

Out of nowhere clouds appeared in the sky, and strong winds started to blow. Looking up I saw a serpentine shadow moving about. Then a few seconds after I did the shadow burst through the clouds and made itself known to us.

It was a dragon.

An eastern dragon with dark blue scales. Its body is at least 300 meters (984 feet) in length.

This dragon is powerful. Its aura is telling me its definitely in the realm of ultimate-class, at least low satan-class definitely. But there is also something else. Although I am sensing a draconic aura this dragon has another aura signature mixed in that I've never felt before.

'Interesting.' I thought.

The massive dragon descended and came to float right in front of our group.

"Little dryad I see that you are back." A deep male voice came from the dragon.

But that doesn't mean that its male. I read that a dragon's voice can change when they are in their draconic-form. So unless they turn into their humanoid form, or tell you if they are male or female, you are flying blind.

"Yes that's right you monster. I am back." Treyni said, not being intimidated by the dragons aura one bit.

She ain't the leader of the Dryads for nothing.

"I am no monster." The dragon spoke. "I am simply staying here for the time being to train so I can beat that woman who lives in the cave." The dragon spoke.

At least that confirms that he's a male.

"Your training is harming the creatures that call this place home. As well as the environment. Just look at the destruction you've already caused." Treyni said, pointing to the giant patch of scorched Earth.

"It'll grow back." The dragon mused.

"Why you!" Treyni fumed.

The dragon actually yawned, paying her no mind at all.

Seeing this I decided to finally step in. I unleashed my own aura, and as soon as I did the dragon looked at me and put a grin on his face. "Oh, who are you?" He asked me.

"Asterius Belial. A devil." I told him.

"A devil. I've never fought one of your kind before. You are strong, let's fight." He said.

"Sure, but on one condition. If I win you will leave the familiar forest and stop terrorizing its creatures and destroying its ecosystem." I said.

"I see. So the Dryad has named you are her champion eh, interesting?" The dragon mused.

Huh, I guess he isn't just a meathead battle-maniac after all.

"Yes, she has." I said. "So then, do we have a deal?"

"Yes." The dragon said. "However if I win, then the Dryads will not try to drive me from this forest ever again and will leave me alone until I complete my task here or I leave of my own free will."

"That is acceptable." I said.

Treyni looked at me but she held her tongue. Because she knew that if we were going to ask the dragon for something, we had to put something of equal or greater value on the line.

That's how these type of things work after all.

The dragon smiled after my answer. "Excellent. Let's get started then." He said.

"With pleasure." I said. "But one last rule. The battlefield can only be the patch of scorched Earth you've created." I said.

I don't want to destroy anymore of the forest. That would definitely put me in the dog house with Treyni, and since I am trying to recruit her and her people that is something I do not need.

"That's fine." The dragon said.

"Let's get started then." I said. I then spread my devil wings and headed over to the patch of scorched earth.

The dragon following right behind me.

Both of us grinning like maniacs.