DXD 2

(Andrew POV)

As I awaken, a warm smile spreads across my face as I suddenly feel why the previously uncomfortable sofa is now so cozy and inviting. However, I was also surprised by Olivia's presence on it, as I have developed a habit of keeping my [Celestial Eyes] and other detection skills active even while sleeping, thanks to my experiences in the DanMachi dungeon, and I had not sensed her approach at all.

"Maybe my trust in her caused me to unconsciously ignore her," I mutter to myself as I brush my hand through her hair.

Despite my confusion, I was delighted to find her sleeping on my chest. For some reason, I found it easier to sleep when she was by my side. With a soft smile on my face, I whisper under my breath, "I don't know what I would have become if I hadn't found you."

Yesterday's impromptu date was almost perfect, Kyoto was beautiful, and my company was good, but the observers that were constantly following us made me quite annoyed. During our walks, we seemed to attract attention from the supernatural community, and I wasn't sure if Olivia had noticed it, but my hand was constantly on the trigger. Throughout the night, despite my unease, I remained quiet about it and used my magic to observe our uninvited guests. However, it quickly became apparent that they noticed my surveillance. Even now, there were five pairs of eyes constantly observing the hotel we are staying at, and they didn't seem to care that I knew about them.

This was the first time, since I started my journey, that I came across an intelligent race that could detect mana, and I was sure this won't be the last time. My spell, [Celestial Eyes], was perfect for a world where no one could sense mana spreading in the air, but in this world, it became a beacon that broadcasted our current location and attracted unwanted attention to us. Although my spell castings did uncover quite a few dark areas in town, protected by barriers that prevented mana from interfering with it, I needed a completely new way of observing things, something undetectable. Sadly, everything I could come up with using the DanMachi runes or Wizarding magic paled in comparison to [Celestial Eyes].

However, that didn't stop me, as I had another option. I possessed skills that gave me new senses or enhanced my existing ones. However, they were currently limited in functionality. To combat this, I planned to focus solely on these skills for the next few days and attempt to evolve them into something new.

While Olivia slept soundly, I equipped my Human races, activated [Focus], and set my title to [Training Addict]. Then, I closed my eyes and activated [Echolocation], [Enhanced Hearing], and [Seismic Sense], all of which involved detecting vibrations.

The dark void before me slowly began to transform into a hazy gray, illuminated by the serene rhythm of Olivia's heartbeat and breathing. As the sound waves traveled through the room, they encountered various pieces of furniture, ricocheting off surfaces and losing energy depending on the material they encountered. With each passing moment, my skills rapidly improved, allowing me to gradually discern the shapes in the room with greater ease and clarity.

It didn't take long for the combined power of my skills, boosted by my heightened perception, to grant me a crystal-clear view of the space around me. While my eyesight was already sharp and didn't rely on vibrations to detect foes, the combination of my abilities enabled me to do something that my eyes alone couldn't – to see through walls.

Through the use of [Seismic Sense], I could sense vibrations that traveled through solid surfaces, and this ability had an intriguing interplay with [Echolocation], which not only allowed me to map out my immediate surroundings but also illuminated rooms outside of my current one. This unique fusion of skills revealed unexpected details about my environment, such as the sound of the dripping shower tap in the hotel room and the busy footsteps just a floor below us. Astonishingly, even from inside the trunk, I could clearly see the layout of the surrounding area.

As I continued to hone my skills, I became more adept at deciphering the signals they were sending me. Utilizing [Archive] and [Multitasking], I challenged myself to mentally map out my surroundings, pushing myself to better understand the nuances of the information I was receiving.

To my surprise, my efforts were rewarded when the system unlocked a new skill that I hadn't even realized I needed. It was as though my dedication to improving my abilities had caught the attention of the system, prompting it to reward my hard work with a new tool to add to my arsenal.

[Skill: [Mental Mapping] unlocked.]

[Mental Mapping LVL: 1/100]

- Allows the formation of cognitive representations of one's current environment.

- The environmental data is continually refreshed with information from various sources.

Upon unlocking the new skill, the hazy image I had about the room, became crystal clear, as the skill pulled information from my memory and filled out the blanks. I was surprised and also intrigued by its unique capabilities. While it did have some similarities to the Map system, such as the creation of maps, it was clear that this new skill had a much broader range of functionality.

Unlike the Map system, which relied solely on visual input, this new skill was able to incorporate information gathered from other skills. This meant that the mental maps it created were constantly being updated and refined based on real-time sensory data. It was a powerful tool that could potentially be developed into something even more advanced.

Excited by the possibilities, I began to experiment with the skill, hoping to push its boundaries and see just how far it could be developed. I directed my attention to individual objects, zooming in mentally on their composition. As I did so, the skill began to draw on my knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, and other fields, activating their respective skill and supplementing my perception with information from my knowledge. Though I could not yet perceive the true composition of these objects, only an estimated one derived from my existing knowledge, the skill was nevertheless impressive.

However, knowing that my current information-gathering skill was not enough, I continued to search through my other skills and abilities, hoping to find something that could give me a broader perspective of the world. That's when my attention fell upon [Space-Time Manipulation]. Although the skill's description didn't mention it explicitly, it granted me with a weak spatial and temporal sense, which allowed me to interact and manipulate space and time. That was the way Hiro Nakamura sensed me teleporting to his location.

With closed eyes, I focused solely on the spatial aspect of the ability. My senses expanded, and I found myself surrounded by perfectly flat yet infinitely stacked planes. I pushed my abilities to their limit, increasing their sensitivity to an all-time high. As a result, the world around me began to shift and morph into an unrecognizable mess as anything with mass distorted the planes.

As I overshot the sensibility by a large margin, my breathing became ragged, and my un-boosted mind started to strain tremendously. A sharp throbbing pain began to hammer my head, and a small trail of blood started to trickle out of my nose. I had to activate [Mana's Blessing], which instantly doubled my stats and eliminated the strain on my mind.

With the help of the skill, I gradually fine-tuned the sensing aspect of the skill, and at one moment, something finally clicked and a new notification greeted me.

[Spatial Sense LVL: 1/100]

- Allows the user to sense and perceive the spatial distortion caused by all entities within INT*LVL meter radius.

- The skill can be used to detect invisible barriers, hidden portals, and other spatial anomalies that may be invisible to the naked eye.

- The ability to perceive and analyze spatial distortions increases by 1%/LVL, allowing them to manipulate space with greater accuracy.

With the skill now fully formed, all traces of mental strain were lifted from my mind. Sensing spatial distortions became second nature to me, and I currently had a complete view of the area close to one and a half kilometers in radius, but I soon realized that the skill lacked precision. It didn't provide me with any information regarding the shape or size of an object. Rather, it merely showed me its effect on the space around it, which my [Mental Mapping] skill then tried to interpret and make sense of, with little to no luck.

The thought crossed my mind to evolve [Mental Mapping] in that direction, allowing me to comprehend information even from the smallest amount of details and turn it into an advanced appraisal skill. With such a skill, I could potentially analyze any material before me with ease. Alternatively, I also considered the possibility of turning it into something akin to [Celestial Eyes], which would grant me unparalleled insight into the world around me.

As both options were tempting, over time I could develop both aspects of the skill in tandem, using each to complement the other. However, I knew that such an undertaking would require a significant amount of time and effort, and it wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. For now, I needed to focus on mastering the information-gathering aspect of the skill, so I reactivated the vibration-sensing skills just in time, to notice someone coming our way.

The sound of the elevator ping at the far end of the hallway jolts me from my thoughts, drawing my gaze towards the luminous display that illuminates the entire corridor like a festive Christmas tree. Three figures stride purposefully towards our room, their measured footsteps and calculated movements betraying their status as something other than ordinary.

As they draw nearer, intriguing details about their appearance catch my eye. A void seems to envelop their backs and their heads, in a shape of tail-like appendages and pointy ears. A broad smile spreads across my face as I take in these peculiar features, and after glancing at the time, with a sense of urgency I lean forward to plant a gentle kiss on the forehead of the slumbering beauty beside me.

A sudden knocking at the door jolts Olivia from her slumber, causing her to tense up momentarily before realizing her surroundings and relaxing. She lets out a sigh and plants a quick peck on my chin before starting to stretch like a cat, exclaiming "Morning~".

I can't help but chuckle at her adorable stretch, but my amusement is short-lived as another loud knock interrupts my blissful admiration of my girlfriend. "Good morning to you too. As you can hear, we have visitors outside our room - three Youkai, to be precise," I inform her.

She raises an eyebrow and asks, "Should I get my sword?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, but be prepared to act if needed," I reply. I use my magic to cast [Clean] on both of us, eliminating the need for most of our morning routine and hiding away the blood trail from my nose. With a thought to my watch, I quickly change my outfit to something more presentable and get out of Olivia's embrace.

Emerging from the trunk, I hear a third knock on the door, the impatience in their rhythm grating on my nerves. "I'm coming!" I shout, already feeling irritated by the presence of these idiots. I stride up to the door and swing it open, then greet the three disguised men.

"Can I help you?" I inquire, simultaneously activating [Acting] to conceal any annoyance in my demeanor.

"We apologize for disturbing you at such an early hour," one of them says with a bow. "Our mistress demands that you and your companion join her for tea."

"Demands?" I ask, rising an eyebrow.

"Yes," the man replies tersely, his face turning stoic and seemingly oblivious to the danger he has just put himself in.

I can't help but snort at his lack of awareness, and I turn toward the apartment and yell out to Olivia, "Hey, Olive! A fox has invited us over for tea!"

The uninvited guests visibly tense up upon hearing my words, surprised that I have seen through their laughable attempt at illusion magic. Even more surprising to them was Olivia's sudden appearance next to me, having used [Blink] to teleport instantly. I can't help but chuckle as I catch a glimpse of their thoughts, as they hastily reevaluate their estimation of us. The funniest thing of all is that they have vastly underestimated me, considering me a mere pushover, while Olivia's danger rating has skyrocketed, putting her at the forefront of their observation list.

"Oh... Should we go?" Olivia asks, looking at me for a decision.

"Sure, why not," I reply with a shrug. I use my telekinetic powers to grab the trunk and swiftly deposit it into my inventory, then turn back to our escorts. "Lead the way."

In unison, the three kitsune in disguise nod their heads, visibly relieved that we have agreed to accompany them. With their guidance, we make our way out of the hotel and head straight toward a sleek black limousine that's patiently waiting for us. The driver starts the car and two of our escorts sit on either side of us, while the third one sits across us creating a tense atmosphere within the vehicle.

Despite the palpable tension, Olivia and I try to maintain a nonchalant attitude and start discussing the events of the previous day, while we simultaneously conversed through [Link]. However, our nonchalant attitude and casual conversation only seems to amplify the tension inside the limo, but we didn't care.

"Why do you think she wants to see us?" Olivia asked me through [Link].

I thought about it for a moment before replying, "It could be because we're unknown to her and she's the guardian of this area, or it could be because I was using [Celestial Eyes] too frequently yesterday while keeping an eye on our surroundings. I'm not sure if you noticed but they sent people to spy on us."

Olivia's eyes widened briefly, but she quickly regained her composure, making sure not to alert our company. "What?" she exclaimed mentally in surprise. "I noticed you using it yesterday, but I thought you were just scanning the area. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It didn't seem important, and I didn't want to spoil your fun," I replied.

Ignoring the onlookers, she leaned her head on my shoulders, a small smile spreading across her face as she snuggled up to me. I could feel her gratitude through our telepathic bond, and it only strengthened the deep connection we shared.

As we traveled, it didn't take us long to pass through a magical barrier, and I was genuinely surprised, as not only did it contain spatial expansion magic, making the inside of it larger than the outside, but also magic similar to the wizarding wards that made mundane people ignore the area. The sheer amount of mana in the atmosphere also took me by surprise, as it was almost equal to the lower levels found in the DanMachi dungeon, a clear indication of the leyline located just under the town.

As we ventured deeper into the outskirts of the town, Olivia asked one of the guards to move over so she could have a better view. She was completely engrossed in the magical world that surrounded us. The hidden part of Kyoto was packed with life, featuring a strange combination of Youkai beings going about their daily activities. Kitsune, bird people, cat people, and other hybrid creatures seemed to coexist harmoniously, unfazed by the outside world.

The limousine gradually decelerated as we approached a large compound, which had a grand shrine at its center and was encircled by towering white walls, each standing at around two meters high. From what I could observe, these walls appeared to be heavily enchanted with some kind of defensive magic, which only served to increase my intrigue. I couldn't help but smile as I couldn't decipher the intricacies of the magic that guarded this place.

As we drew nearer, I became even more fascinated by this location, and I knew that I would thoroughly enjoy my stay in the town, delving deeper into the study of this new form of magic. From what I remembered the magical system of this world was a mixture of what I liked to call geometric and runic, featuring complex magical circles of all types. However, I had to suppress my excitement and activate my [Acting] skill, as any sudden burst of joy would coincide with our arrival and would only make the already tense guards even more suspicious.

The limousine made a stop just before an iron gate, making one of our escorts swiftly exit the vehicle, and jog up to the guards stationed behind it. The moment he made contact with the guards, I activated [Enhanced Hearing] and listened to their conversation.

As he arrived, the guards snapped to attention and shouted, "Commander!" It dawned on me that the person who had escorted us was not a mere escort, but held a higher rank.

"Stand down," he ordered, approaching the guards and speaking in a hushed tone. "Open the gates, but first, notify the shadow guard. Alert them that the guests pose a bigger threat than we anticipated. We're uncertain of the man's capabilities, but we do know that the woman is either High or Ultimate class. I want them under constant surveillance." The guard's eyes widened, and he quickly acknowledged his superior's orders.

"Yes, sir!" he saluted before turning to his comrade. "Open the gate!" He then headed to the lookout to make the call, while his superior made his way back to the car.

As the gate swung open, the car glided smoothly into the compound, revealing a breathtaking view of the vast grounds. The sprawling estate was dotted with several imposing buildings and a spacious training ground, all of which exuded an air of grandeur and prestige. In the center of it all, a majestic stone road wound its way toward a magnificent mansion, its stately presence commanding attention and admiration.

As the car neared the training grounds I couldn't help but grimace. Each trainee held a sword and stood before a target dummy, but their stance and swings showed their clear lack of strength. I turned to the person in charge and pointed at the training ground, inquiring, "Are these new recruits?"

My question caught the attention of Olivia, and she peered out the window and scowled at the display.

The leader of the escorts took a moment to comprehend my query, and in an effort to conceal the true strength of the Youkai Faction, he lied, "Yes, they began training a few months ago."

However, my mental probing revealed the actual truth: the individuals whom I regarded as mere specks of dust were actually among their stronger divisions.

Suppressing my amusement with [Acting], I remarked, "Is that so? They certainly have a long road ahead of them." My nonchalant words struck a nerve with the man and nearly shattered his composed façade.

After regaining his composure, he replied, "Indeed, it is as you said." His response almost provoked a snort from me, but I successfully held it back.

As the car came to a stop just before the stone road leading to Yasaka's mansion, also known as the Imperial Palace, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sight before me. The mansion was a stunning blend of traditional Japanese and modern styles, with a striking main gate featuring a red torii gate, a large courtyard, and a central building with multiple wings. The lush garden with a pond only added to the tranquil atmosphere of the place, creating a peaceful oasis amidst the bustling city.

Even from a distance, I was able to create a mental map of the lower floor, thanks to my [Mental Mapping] [Echolocation] and [Seismic Sense] skills, and I was surprised to detect hundreds of people located within the residence, with only a fraction of them being servants. The rest were 'powerful' bodyguards, there not just to protect Yasaka but also her daughter.

However, I couldn't help but notice that the shadow guards were not as stealthy as they thought to be. Their presence was not lost on me nor my [Spatial Sense], and I made sure to keep my skills running as we made our way towards the mansion.

Upon arrival at the mansion, we were informed that Yasaka was currently occupied and were escorted to a lavishly decorated waiting room. As we entered, I couldn't help but notice the air of luxury and opulence that surrounded us. The room was adorned with intricate tapestries, antique furniture, and ornate decorations, all adding to the grandeur of the place.

As we waited in the lavishly decorated room, a maid entered the room. Her unassuming appearance made it easy to underestimate her, but as she moved about the room, I couldn't help but notice the subtle signs of her strength. It wasn't just the concealed weapons she carried, but the way she carried herself and the aura of a warrior that she exuded.

Despite her soft-spoken demeanor and polite service, there was a palpable sense of power emanating from her. It was as if she was ready to spring into action at a moment's notice, and I found myself becoming increasingly intrigued by her.

As we sipped our refreshments and waited for Yasaka, I couldn't help but wonder about the maid's backstory and how she had come to be in this position. Perhaps she had undergone rigorous training to develop her strength, or maybe it was a natural gift that she had honed over time.

She offered us refreshments and cookies, which we accepted without a care in the world. Her surprise was evident as she seemed taken aback by our nonchalant attitude toward the situation. Seemingly surprised that Yasaka's power-play failed to entice any reaction from us.

As we enjoyed the treats, I couldn't help but notice the maid's attentive gaze on my girlfriend. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with admiration and respect as if she recognized the strength and beauty within her. I felt a twinge of jealousy, but also a sense of pride in having such an amazing partner by my side.

Eventually, our wait came to an end as we were summoned to meet with Yasaka. I took Olivia's hand and followed the maid through the ornate halls of the palace, wondering what awaited us in the presence of the powerful and enigmatic Kyuubi.