Chapter-9

Buddha and Kurapika were in the living room, and Yae Miko and Shinoa were gone to explore the city. Buddha was playing on his phone while Kurapika stared at him. 

"What is it, kid?" Buddha asked, still playing. Kurapika was caught off guard and paused for a while. 

"It's nothing, it just feels... weird now," Kurapika said while looking at Buddha while in his mind 'And I am sitting in front of a real god who has a lollipop in his mouth while playing....' 

Buddha paused and looked at him, "Why did you agree to come?" 

"Huh? umm..." Kurapika didn't know what to say anymore but he became serious in the next moment. "I... I want to become stronger," Kurapika stated. 

"Revenge?" Buddha questioned nonchalantly while continuing to play, Kurapika just nodded and silence fell. "Become stronger here before you go back, or just ask for help you have a request right?" Buddha said, referring to the request they could make to the system or Regal for summoning them. 

"I will do it on my own," Kurapika muttered while being heard by Buddha who smiled, but Buddha's smile disappeared as he lost and his chicken died, run over by a truck. R.I.P.

"sigh, you know I am a god related to nonviolence? pretty weird for me to encourage a kid to take revenge." Buddha restarted the game while ignoring Kurapika who was a little dumbfounded. 

Kurapika sighed and opened his status 

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Name: Kurapika 

Race: Human

LV. 1

POW: 0

END: 0

DEX: 0

AGI: 0

MAG: 0

Skill: None

Development Ability: Scarlet Eyes(H)

{Scarlet Eyes: Heightened perception, agility, and combat prowess. Detect threats, react swiftly, perceive weak points, resist status effects, and mental manipulation.} 

Magic: Chain Magic

{Chain Magic: Mastery over telekinetic manipulation of chains, summoning, controlling, and imbuing them with magical properties for offense and defense.}

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"Chain magic Huh? seems useful" Kurapika said while his eyes were glowing scarlet.

Meanwhile, on Yae Miko's side

Yae Miko was strolling around aimlessly she had a book in hand, she only purchased it from a story store that belonged to a god who wrote novels and stories. she had only read the first page and she was hooked. planning to read it when she got back. 

 "Damn it! That Rinard fainted, and I couldn't even have a feel of her!" Yae Miko's attention was caught when that man said Renard. She didn't bother to ask the man as it would only be troublesome but she kept in mind that there was a fox here. 

She did ask about foxes but she only got was they live in the east. so when she heard Renard her interest was peeked, and a mischievous smile formed on her face. "I wonder when will I get to meet that fox here?" 

---Hostess of Fertility--- 

Shinoa was sitting and eating, it was past lunch. Shinoa is still wearing her school uniform, people around her are throwing glances toward her from time to time, while there is a waitress who stares at her without blinking. 

Freya who was in disguise was glaring daggers at Shinoa who noticed but ignored it. Freya saw an ashen-coloured soul with hints of black. Shinoa was a little uncomfortable but tried her best to ignore the increasingly stronger glare. 

She finally paid for her meal and left. 

"What with that creepy waitress?" Shinoa said while walking off without slowing down "Ugh, feel like I was seen through with nothing to hide." Shinoa was making an unpleasant face. 

"Sigh the food was incredible but not going there ever again..." Shinoa was feeling a little downcast, while she was excited to see the city where god lived, she wasn't ready for anything else. She came here on a whim. 

"I dont feel like going anywhere anymore." saying as she returned. 

---Dungeon 39th floor--- 

Regal and Scathach sat atop a tall pillar, gazing out at the 39th floor in a peaceful silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Then, breaking the quiet, Regal voiced a question: "How do we even decide the winner?"

Scathach met his gaze with a blank expression, unsure herself. Another silence descended, slightly tinged with awkwardness.

After a while, Scathach suggested, "Let's play another game." Although they could consult the system about who the winner was both opted not to, content to simply choose a game themselves.

They rose from their seats, and Regal turned to Scathach. "You decide. I don't know many games," he admitted.

"Hmm, how about hunting down the Monster Rex of the 49th floor, Balor? Or perhaps reaching the 50th floor?" Scathach proposed, equally clueless about their options.

"Balor without our current stats will be difficult. Reaching the 50th floor is easier, as Balor is in a corner of the floor, and the monsters there aren't much of a threat," Regal said thoughtfully, acknowledging their shared love for battles. Scathach reveled in the challenge of powerful opponents, while Regal had recently discovered a newfound passion for combat.

Both Regal and Scathach exchanged a glance, realizing they were both at a loss for what to do. "Sigh, we don't have anything, do we?" Regal lamented, to which Scathach simply shrugged in agreement. Without further ado, they leaped down from the pillar, destroying it in the process, and began to explore the ground, massacring monsters as they went.

Suddenly, their attention was drawn to the entrance as they heard approaching footsteps. It was the Loki familia, led by Finn who offered his trademark smile upon meeting their gaze.

Regal and Scathach, however, responded with blank looks. They hadn't moved far from the entrance. Bete, positioned at the rear of the group, instinctively stepped back, wanting no part in whatever encounter was about to unfold with the two. Gareth, noticing Bete's reaction, gave him a disapproving look and a slap on the back, silently urging him to stand his ground.

Tiona, upon spotting the two, immediately ran towards them with her usual enthusiasm. Scathach raised a brow in response but remained nonchalant, sensing no threat from Tiona's energetic demeanor. because of Tiona's over excitement, neither Regal nor Scathach felt the need to take defensive measures.

"It was you two who rushed, wasn't it?!" Tiona exclaimed excitedly, bouncing around them. "You two were so fast!"

Ais, who had followed Tiona closely, arrived at the scene as well. Scathach casually raised her left hand and pressed it against Tiona's head, gently keeping her at a distance, while her attention shifted to Ais.

"You might want to consider it," Regal suggested as he walked over to a nearby tree and sat down, referring to Scathach potentially training Ais.

Tiona tried to remove Scathach's hand from her head, struggling a bit to free herself from the firm grip. Despite her efforts, Scathach's hold remained steady, and Tiona's attempts were futile. Scathach let go, causing Tiona to nearly stumble backward. She rubbed her head with a slight pout, which went unnoticed by Scathach.

"I didn't think we would meet again this soon," Finn remarked as he approached Regal, who was observing the scene.

"We didn't either, but does it matter?" Regal questioned casually.

"It is true, but I must say you two made quite the entrance," Finn commented, attempting to start a conversation while also gathering information. Regal simply glanced at him. "It was a little shocking," he admitted.

"If you're looking for a conversation partner, you have the wrong person. Also, try to keep your little spirit in check," Regal replied, leaving Finn slightly confused by his remark.

Scathach was looking at Ais, her gaze probing and expectant. "You are a Half-spirit, yet you don't use it to your fullest. Why is that?" She questioned Ais, who was stunned by the directness of the inquiry. Scathach already knew the answer, but she wanted to understand Ais's own perspective on the matter.

Ais, hearing the term "half-spirit," paused momentarily, then swiftly drew her sword and unleashed her magic tempest at full force. Scathach, with ease, summoned her spear and effortlessly parried the strike, disarming Ais in one fluid motion. Tiona, observing from the side, grew serious at the sudden change of events, but Scathach calmly unsummoned her spear.

On the other side, Finn stood beside Regal, his expression serious but restrained. Despite the tension, Finn made no move as Scathach unsummoned her spear. "See, that little half-spirit is too impulsive," Regal remarked, prompting Finn to understand the implication. "For now, let's just observe," Regal said, Finn was about to speak but stopped.

Ais jumped back and retrieved her sword, her expression a mix of determination and frustration. Scathach observed her stance critically, her disapproval evident. "Your stance is too open. While suitable for fighting monsters, it leaves you vulnerable in combat against other skilled opponents," she remarked.

Without hesitation, Ais charged forward again, but Scathach effortlessly sidestepped her attack and disarmed her once more, swiftly taking away her sword. "You see? You are too open, too accustomed to fighting monsters," Scathach explained calmly, tossing the sword back to Ais, where it embedded itself in the ground before her. Ais's expression shifted from shock to seriousness as she absorbed Scathach's words.

Regal rose to his feet, addressing both of them. "What do you think?" he inquired.

"She is a blank slate, but with potential," Scathach replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I will train you from now on," she declared, her tone firm yet encouraging. "Pick up the sword," she instructed Ais, sensing a hint of trepidation in her demeanor. Ais complied, hastily retrieving her sword and backing away slightly, unnerved by the sudden surge of bloodlust in Scathach's gaze.

Other members of the Loki familia looked on in shock as their familia's sword princess was effortlessly defeated without even a fight breaking out. Although the executives were ready to intervene, they held back upon noticing that the top executives didn't make a move.

Riveria exchanged a glance with Finn, who gestured for them to stand down. Though Riveria frowned at the decision, she refrained from taking any action.

"It seems she will have her hands full. Well, I suppose I'll need something to keep myself entertained as well," Regal mused, contemplating his next move. "Finn, how about a spar?" Regal asked his tone hopeful. 

"I would be happy to, but I need to oversee the preparation of the camp," Finn said with a bitter smile. He didn't grasp the full picture of what was happening, but he understood that two formidable combatants were present and they weren't a match for them at all, and Ais would be trained by one of them. Although he harbored some objections, he refrained from voicing them out of instinct. Finn's instinct is comparable to the god so he trusted it and right now it told him to shut up. 

Finn walked back to camp, gesturing for Riveria to oversee the training. The Loki familia's camp was nearby, just a short distance from the entrance. Scathach led the way to an open clearing nearby, with Ais following closely.

Riveria stayed close by, while Regal perched himself on a tree next to her. Riveria could sense the chaotic mana emanating from Regal, which surprised her a little, but she focused on the upcoming training session.

Ais likely had no idea what she was getting into. She treated this as a spar, but she would soon realize her mistake. 

Scathach glanced at Regal, who understood her signal and threw his sword to her. She caught it effortlessly. Riveria frowned; she hadn't seen any weapons on Regal and was wondering where the sword came from. However, she noted that Scathach had done the same, summoning her spear seemingly out of thin air. With both of them exhibiting mysterious abilities, Riveria couldn't help but feel intrigued, her focus divided. 

"The training began and what happened was completely one-sided," Ais found herself on the ground, panting, using her sword for balance, her body covered in small cuts.

"You know healing magic, you should heal her before she dies from blood loss," Regal suggested.

Riveria, with a serious expression, swiftly cast her magic to heal Ais. Despite excessive bleeding, Ais managed to stay awake.

The training only began for 15 minutes or so and Ais was completely down while Scathach didn't even break out in a sweat.

"Are you done assessing her?" Regal asked, amused, glancing toward the Loki Familia camp where Finn was busy.

"I am, but she will need a lot of work," Scathach replied, observing Ais's struggle to stand even after being healed by Riveria. Ais's tiredness persisted despite the healing so any further training or in this case, sparing was not possible. Scathach had gone easy on her and this was just an assessment. the real training hasn't even started. 

Riviera wanted to speak out, but Ais's determination held her back. In the end, she stayed quiet, not wanting to trample over Ais's resolve.

"Wait!" Ais managed to say as she struggled to get up. "I-"

"No need. You can't fight or do anything in that state. I will start your training when your expedition is over," Scathach intervened, passing the sword to Regal, who had already gotten down.

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Sorry for the small chapter, had to go watch a horror movie with the boys!