Chapter 10 Jester's reveal.

I had finally got Bahamut to stop laughing at my predicament when I heard someone groaning. Now, this being DXD, I had a fair clue what might happen. Either A. I'm going to get slapped so hard I end up in the wall. Or B. Things get sexual far too quickly for my liking; there is no middle ground for this world. Murayama sat up, stretching herself out. Closing my eyes. I held my breath, bracing for a slap, nearly a minute passes yet I wasn't slapped yet. Thank God. Hesitantly I opened my eyes and saw her staring straight at me, so I did the only thing I could think of.

"Morning. Sleep well?" She starts to nod but then she realizes where she is, thankfully Ragnorak didn't take any of her clothes off.

"You have five minutes to explain why I'm in your bed, by your legs no less." She deadpanned.

'The hell did that last part meant? Screw it. Just say the truth.' I cleared my throat.

"Trollish chaos god strong enough to wink entire universes into silly string thought it would be funny to put you on my bed. That and I'm guessing he expects me to get slapped since in TV when stuff like this-" I gestured to her and my bed. "-usually end up with someone getting smacked or laid."

She didn't buy a single word. "Out of all the excuses I've heard being used on me for being in a man's bed, that is the most inventive. But really? A Chaos god?" As I was about to open my wings to show supernatural shit exists, said chaos bastard popped into existence carrying a Wonka esque walking stick.

"Where the hell did he come from?!" Murayama jumped to her feet, smacking the ceiling and falling back on her ass. Turning my head my little sister was still asleep, not even bothered by what she was hearing.

"I heard someone mention me, is that not the case?" He asked in a laid-back way. He was very giddy, I could tell...oh no what is he gonna do? "So your the so-called 'chaos god' your not very tall for a god."

Ragnorak chuckled, he laid back and floated in mid-air. "Only those with ego's greater than their strength make themselves larger. Course with that kendo stick so far up your own ass I guess one such as you could make that mistake."

Murayama was boiling over, he was stoking the flames. "It's called a Shinai! Also, I never had nor ever will have anything go up my ass."

"Well with daddy dearest so loving I was sure he would've tried anal."

"I..jus..you."

"What's wrong? Did I say something bad to daddy's little whore? Though given the length of your bonding with him I was sure you would have some form of STD."

Silence overtook my room, a heavy one at that. 'Did he just..and not even a full day afterward.' As I sat there, open-mouthed Murayama snaps and grabs something to smack him with. This being my aluminum baseball bat. She smacks it over his skull, however, it turned into skittles. I wish I could make that up. "Skittles, yeah I know. Messy but kitten gore just doesn't come out of carpet like skittles." Ragnorak yawned, proving how little of a shit he gave he plucked a hair from a shocked Murayama and turned it into a stripper pole, which he then turned into the thorn of Dredgen Yor.

"Keep the gun, I have thousands of others." The chaos god said; tossing the exotic pistol at my already outstretched hands. I shoved it into my inventory for later use, or to be hoarded. "Well, you believe your friend now?" Murayama just nodded, still shocked. The crazy deity tipped his newly created top hat and left in an explosion of confetti and butterfly wings. The butterfly wings pelted Murayama and landed in her mouth, just to add to the situation.

'Shit, now I need to buy a vacuum.' Was my first thought this was quickly overruled when Murayama began shaking, I sighed mentally and cleaned her off, she hugged me before I could finish and I went through the motions of comforting others.

'I don't know whether to curse him out or thank him for proving I wasn't lying. I'll stick to cursing him out, still miffed about my stats. I bet Issie is still asleep.'

[Pov switch. Issie third person]

Issie woke up to the sound of snoring from multiple ladies on top of him. These being Rias and Asia, they were naked as usual. He carefully extracted himself so they wouldn't wake up, he went to get ready. His mind preoccupied with thoughts pertaining to his returned friend and how certain things didn't make sense to him. He knew for certain Mores had used Balance Breaker when they were children, and since they were so young and it was the first time using it Mores went mad. That twisted variant of a balance breaker, it was burned into his memory along with the display of strength it showed.

'So why did it come back, especially since Mores told me he had control of it before he came back.' Issie couldn't come up with a single reason why Mores didn't have control, he knew his friend. Well, that was a lie. Issie did have one reason why Mores couldn't control it, as absurd as it was this was a world where devils, angels, and other misc supernaturals lived. So having someone else controlling Mores's body wasn't to much a stretch. Issie splashed water in his face to cool off.

"I need to make sure, and if I'm right then who's been by my side pretending to be my friend?" Issie murmured under his breath. The boosted gear flashed into existence and with it, he was able to crack the granite under his grip. He took a calming breath and faced the mirror once more, his iconic goofy grin fell back into place and the boosted gear flashed out of existence.

'Until I know for sure, then I'll just play the act of the dumb dufus.' His eyes flashed green for a moment before shifting back.

[Pov restored!]

"So you really don't mind if I stay here?" Murayama asked me as I was making breakfast. Lilly woke up some time ago and was enjoying herself, running around my house when she woke up and was watching cartoons on the tv. I waited for the bagels to ding and I was also keeping the eggs from being scrambled.

"Yep. I don't mind, and the little girl is my newest family member. My parents sent her out here so I could keep an eye on her and so she could warm up to me." Cover for Lilly, check. The toaster dinged and I expertly grabbed the toasted bagel and plopped them on a prepared plate, add some eggs and boom. Egg sandwich made. I gave her the food and she devoured it whole, I made scrambled eggs for Lilly and bacon.

"Lilly! Your food is ready!"

Lilly nodded and jumped off the couch and went right up to the table and sat down. I gave her the food and some utensils and she dug in like a rabid wolf. One with surprisingly good table manners. Murayama gave me a look and I mouthed broken home and she understood. I wasn't lying, of course, nothing more broken then Rapture. She finished in record time, well before Murayama.

"Do you want seconds youngin?"

"I can have seconds?! Thank you, big bro!"

I heaped another helping for Lilly and once again she devoured it. I checked to see if she was still hungry, unsurprisingly she was. So forth went thirds, fourths, and even fifths! Did nobody feed her in the castle?! 'Oh Delta and Elanor are gonna get a damn earful when I see them again. I swear if they didn't give her food on purpose I'll skin them alive with their own teeth.'

As the suddenly murderous thoughts pass through my mind another, a less torture-related thought comes to mind. 'Holy hell. That was a thing, how? It's not like I really know her that well, so why the heck did that just happen?' I glanced at the little girl who tried to plop the plate in the sink. While she struggled because of height I Observed her.

I didn't see anything too interesting that could cause me to act that way. So, barring murderous plots, I don't see anything to wrong with this feeling. Speaking of, is it just me or does Lilly look absolutely adorable trying to put the dish in the sink.

{Her little arms can't reach the bottom!} Bahamut squealed. I agreed with the dragon, not even registering what he said. I helped Lilly up using the shadow of the sink to have a small group of tendrils gently pull the plate down. It worked well, Lilly managed to put the plate down with some help. She beamed up at me and I could swear the utter cuteness was paralyzing.

"I did it!"

"Yes you did, now then. How about some cartoons?"

"Yes please!"

In the corner of my eye Murayama was smiling, looks like the cuteness affected her as well. She joined us on the couch and I flipped on nick jr, thankfully I remembered what channel it was on. As a cult classic was about to start I heard someone knocking on the door. Using my Shadow Morph I opened the door from the couch.

"Hey, Mores! The door opened, so are you doing... .anything?" Issie asked from the living room entrance. A quick glance and he was most certainly curious about who was sitting with me. His eyes weren't even on Murayama, they were on the excited Lilly. It was just shocking thankfully. I think I would've killed him otherwise. 'She isn't dating until she's much older.'

I shook it off before the thoughts could get murderous. Thankfully Issie was the good protagonist he is and was asking about what the heck he was looking at. I explained Murayama's situation simply as- "Stuff happened and now she lives here.' -he accepted that without any fuss or follow up questions on that particular subject. Murayama sent me a grateful look for the shortened version.

"...and the little girl?"

"She's my new adopted sister Lilly."

As soon as I finished saying her name she introduced herself.

"Hi, mister! I'm Lilly! Nice to meet you."

She even stuck out her little hand to greet him. Issie smiled and shook hands with the little one, he even said his name to be a good sport. 'The cuteness strikes again!' However Issie's smile seemed a little forced like he didn't believe what he was seeing; like he was watching a terrible movie but pretending it's good for a friend. It was unnerving, so much so I almost didn't hear what Issie asked Lilly.

"Do you mind if I steal your big bro for a moment?"

"Sure thing mister Issie!"

Narrowing my eyes behind my mask, but snapping myself out of my surprisingly hostile thoughts. 'He probably just wants to talk about something in private.' The singular thought was what got me to get off my butt and follow Issie outside.

"So what did you want to talk about?" My posture was relaxed, I didn't have anything to worry about right now. Though my gut is telling me something is up.

"I just wanted some details on the little girl. When did she come here?" I raised an unseen eyebrow but otherwise shrugged.

"She flew in last night, my deadbeat of a father sent her here with barely anyone with her. Just a ghost, which she couldn't even see! Grr, makes me wonder what's in his head most days." A semi-complicated lie for sure but I should be able to remember it with my high Int stat.

Issie sighed in his hand, looks like he knows Mores's father well enough that my lie stuck. "So why you?"

"Excuse me? I don't think I heard that right." I heard him perfectly, just wondering what the implications are.

"Why you? I thought you hated little kids."

'Well, that's not good. Shit, shit, shit! Wait! Idea!' Was my thought process as I came up with a perfect lie!

"I grew out of it, and besides, she's way too adorable to not love her." That last part was far from a lie. You'd have to be heartless to melt under her cuteness. Issie nods normally.

"Yeah, so last question. Where did she come from exactly?" Interesting question, more knowledge probing. 'Wait this is Issie, probing isn't his specialty, he's probably just curious.' The more hopeful part of my brain chimed in. I went with that instead of the unrealistic pessimism that he was suspicious of her.

"She came from overseas in the middle of nowhere, from what I'm told it was a... .very broken home. So much so is that if I ever meet her mother I will personally torture her until she begs for the sweet relief of death, even then I'll gladly keep her alive for a thousand moons so she could suffer even a fraction of the pain Lilly went through in that hell." My voice dropped as my temper flared, ebony flames erupted from my palms and chaotic energy collected behind me. But, I took a calming breath. Bottling the rage and throwing it down into the abyss, the elemental energies cleared up and I was able to think clearly.

Issie was stunned at my reaction like he wasn't expecting such a reaction. He then chuckled and turned me around. "Well, I won't get in the way of sibling bonding. I honestly feel bad for anyone that tries. We'll hang out later."

After pushing me back inside the left. The sound of shattering glass and the sound of an arcana leveling up filled my ears. 'It's at right now right? Did I get a perk?' I checked but instead of a perk, all I got were question marks. Okay...weird but it's Ragnorak so not surprising. I dismissed the screens and went back over to my little sis and Murayama. 'Watching cartoons always helps with paranoid delusions.' Were my final thoughts as I zoned out watching Backyardigans.

[Pov Swap! Issie third person!]

Issie leaned on the wall of his house, breathing heavily after what he just witnessed. He knew for a fact that Mores could never even pull off what just happened. Issie was still shaking in his boots, he had seen plenty of anime where strong people get mad and energy pop out of them. Hell, he even had a real-life experience with Rias and Akeno when they had a pillow fight to the death in his own home.

But that...that was truly terrifying. The flames in Mores's hands alone could've easily disintegrated him. The chaotic energy behind him was what kept Issie shaking. He could feel reality warp around that area, even if barely. Mores's control of chaotic energies made Issie's master look like a baby playing with a potato gun!

Even Draig was terrified of the level of chaos and dark that oozed from the reaper. Though Draig wasn't even close to his full power, just the concept of him being glad he was in his prison scared the shit out of the duo.

{So your friend definitely couldn't have done that before?} Draig asked his still shaking partner. Issie only nods, forcing himself to calm down and think about something else. Oppai calmed him down and he was able to stop the shaking as well.

"Oh yeah, Mores was nowhere near as terrifying as that. Though that alone isn't enough do you think you can talk to his gear, since your both dragons?" Issie asked his partner, who took a few minutes to think it over.

When he answered it destroyed Issie's idea. {Unlikely, considering that gear shares a similar bond to us I believe you would have a better chance of convincing the old satans and the Christian God to a peace agreement, than getting that thing to rat out its partner.}

Cursing in frustration, Issie needed something to prove himself. Then, as he put his hand into his pockets to grab his phone, he felt a sheet of paper. Shocked, Issie pulled it out. It only had a sentence on it. "Just in case, do try not to die; you amuse me so?" Issie read the note in confusion, he flipped it over to see an intricate magic circle.

It looked similar to his master's, except it constantly shifted colors and rotations. One moment it would pulse with power but then it would disappear. "The fuck?" Was the reaction Issie had. He threw it away but would find it taped to his hand a moment later. After a few more attempts he just sighed and stashed it in his pocket. Issie walked inside his home, he needed to prepare just in case he was right.

[Pov returned!]

Fifteen episodes of Backyardigans later and I still have my sanity. I didn't think such a feat was possible. 'I'm sure by now I would've maxed willpower as a stat if it existed.' I thought in deadpan. I glanced over to see that Lilly was asleep and using my arm as a pillow. I have two reactions to this. One, that's adorable. Two….

'How long has she been asleep?' I asked my partner, eye twitching just slightly. The bastard was laughing so hard I could barely hear myself think. {Oh, somewhere after the tenth episode. Might've been earlier.} He laughed in my ear after this.

I took a silent breath as not to wake her up, I looked for Murayama and she was also asleep but she was hugging the arm of the sofa. 'Okay, how do I move without waking up Lilly?' I thought, trying to figure this out. I could turn into a wraith but she could probably wake up from the sudden lack of an arm. With that option gone I looked around for a pillow to replace my arm. There were plenty just not within arms reach, so using my control of the shadows I formed some flat surfacing and launched the pillows towards me. I grabbed them with my other arm and gently began to replace my arm with a pillow.

'Slowly Mores, slowly.' I told myself, easing my hand out of her grip while replacing it with a pillow. Lilly grabbed the pillow in a vice grip and held on for life, she could tell I moved her pillow. I waited for what felt like forever for her to wake up and grab my arm, she whined and even moved a little and yet she didn't wake up. Instead, she relaxed and fell back to sleep. I silently sighed and stealthy moved off the couch and turned off the tv.

'All right, now then. Off to the dun-' Before I could finish that thought my phone was buzzing in my pocket. I ran into the sunroom and picked it up.

"This is the Operandi residence. Who is it I'm speaking to?"

"Hey Mores, you free today?"

It was Issie, he did want to hang out and it's not like I'm doing anything so…

"Not at all, what did you have in mind?"

"Oh just messing around our old stomping grounds, I'll meet you there!"

He hung up before I could ask where that was. "Any clue where that is Bahamut?" Bahamut hummed before answering. {I think that's the old park by the tree fort.}

"Issie made a tree fort with Mores? Now I'm interested. Which way partner!" Oh, how excited I was.

[Time skip, one hour]

One hour, one fucking hour! And I still don't see it! "Damn man! Your sense of direction is worse than Zoro's!"

{I'm not that bad, at least I know how to follow directions.}

"But you sure can't make your own!"

I must've looked crazy yelling at my arm but I most certainly didn't care what unimportant people thought of me. I was wandering around the park but no one told me it was the bigger than five parks smashed together! It also didn't help that there were far more trees than anyone would expect or need out of a park. I blame the factions for this, all their excess magic power caused this I know it!

"Damn it," I grumbled, just as I was about to start chopping trees down I sensed Issie's magic power. Running after that like a starving mutt would a fresh steak, I nearly ran into him. Digging into the earth and using my wind element to slow myself further I stopped just short. Issie was stunned but shook it off and helped pull me out of the earth.

"Talk about an entrance, now that was worth the wait." Issie laughed, I chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, I got turned around in that maze of trees. Didn't help that my partner can barely tell where we were."

There was a small {I resent that} but I ignored it. Issie's smile lessened a little after mentioning my trouble.

"Well it has been a while since you've been to Japan, so it's not hard you forgot the way." He murmured under his breath. I don't think I was supposed to hear that, coughing lightly I looked at the tree house Issie built with Mores, or me I suppose.

It was a bit bigger than the typical tree house but still too small for us to stand in. It was handmade, no blueprints needed. Just a few kids that got their hands on hammers and wood. Perches that I can only assume were for tossing water balloons overboard. I couldn't help but smile at this old tree house, easily imaging little Issie, Mores, and Irina playing on this tree house. I was snapped out my imaginings by Issie patting my shoulder.

"Hey dude, do you remember how long it took to build this thing?"

"Three weeks, I can almost see ourselves building it," I said automatically, I'm not even lying. The memories were surging forth when before I could barely get a glimpse of them. Issie chuckled and we silently reminisced together, him more than I since he was there. For me, it was closer to watching a home movie in my head. It wasn't long that we were sitting at the base of the tree, talking about the old times we shared.

"So you are telling me Irina was a girl the whole time?!" Issie was astonished by the rather obvious fact, I laughed and explained.

"It was a kinda obvious dude, didn't you think it was odd she was against the no girls allowed rule?"

Issie had this blank look that exploded into realization, he facepalmed and groaned. "What's worse is that I just talked to her the other day. No wonder she was so giddy in showing herself after all these years."

Now that's interesting. Did she call him? "She's coming to Japan?"

"Yeah, in a couple of days in fact. Says she wants to show off her new friend, who I've been told is a girl."

"Your gonna try and see them naked now aren't you?" My voice was the most deadpan it has ever been. Issie gave me a flat look.

"Of course not! I'm not that-"

"Yes, you are." Interrupting his sentence threw Issie for a loop. He sighed but didn't dispute my statement.

"Okay, I won't peek on Irina." To that, I nodded in agreement. If he wants to peep on Xenovia then it's his grave or fatherhood? She does end up trying to jump his bones fairly soon after the battle with Kokabiel. Either way, he ends up getting screwed.

"Good on you Issie, restraint for once." I jokingly jabbed, he rolled his eyes but either way, Issie didn't care. It was another couple of minutes when Issie asked a peculiar question. "Hey, do you remember all the times we protected this forest from the big kids?"

I tilted my head in confusion and nodded. "Yeah I remember, but damn throwing pine cones and angry squirrels at them. We were scary kids when messed with." Issie chuckled at that.

"You more than three of us. Even as sick as you were, you beat the big kids with your bare hands. Didn't stop until some bones were broken while smiling like a madman." Yeesh, Mores was definitely a scary kid, perhaps a bit sadistic as well.

"After enough of those beatings the other kids avoided our hideout and we were okay with that. Playing knights and dragons, space invaders-"

"And my personal favorite, star wars." I finished Issie's sentence. He smiled and nodded, though that smile was short-lived, he stood up and wandered into the forest. Not knowing what's up, I followed him to a small clearing. He was in front of three stones, tombstones. I stood a-ways behind him, flabbergasted. Who were they? Did I know them?

"Remember these three?" Issie asked me, not bothering to look back. I say yes, not knowing who these three were at all.

"These three were stray priests, went looking for Irina. They tried to hurt her but you got in their way, they were stronger than anything we've ever been against. They made you use it, they beat you down to a pulp until you used it; balance breaker"

'Shit! Those three made me use balance breaker?!'

As I was about to say an excuse, that I underestimated the balance breaker's madness, ear piercing static filled my ears. My ears were ringing in a matter of moments, I fell to a knee; trying to maintain my balance. Issie noticed this and went to help me, he said something but I couldn't hear him. The ringing was so loud so painful. I didn't even notice the Jester arcana leveling up to nine.

Images flash past my eyes, images of a miniature me covered in blood and someone begging me to stop. 'That voice. I know that voice.' my own thoughts were echoey against the now silence of the empty white void.

"Wait, void?! Where the hell am I?" I questioned. My voice echoing across the void, yet it didn't come back. The void was beginning to replace itself with a moving scene, as trees and birds appeared in the anti void I heard the voice of children, little ones at that. Coming up from over the scene's horizon three children came walking towards me, they were Irina, Issie, and m-Mores. W-they couldn't have been older than five. They ran right past me, well two of them.

The miniature Mores was struggling to keep up, huffing and trying so hard to keep up with his friends. 'He's trying to be like them.' Quite the somber thought but it couldn't have been truer. Irina noticed her friend's predicament first and went back to help him.

"Don't push yourself so hard Mo-Mo. If you need us to slow down then tell us." she tried to comfort him, but Mini Mores didn't want to be different from them. I could read him, because I, well, knew that feeling well. He tried to smile but ended up looking even sicker. "I'm fine Irina, this yucky feeling won't beat me." She trusted him, I could tell that much, but she stayed back with him as did Issie once he caught on. The three musketeers took a break on a nearby bench when three men in priest clothing walked up to them.

"Hello there children, we are looking for a little girl named Irina? Have you met her by chance?"

The leader asked them, Irina became increasingly scared and slowly tried to hide behind Issie and Mini Mores. Thankfully Mini Mores noticed this and stepped in front of her. Guess even he knew she was a she. "No sir, I don't think I've ever met a girl named Irina? Did you try the basement where you hide your little girls and boys?"

My eyes widened and jaw dropped at the five-year old's question. Issie and Irina looked between them, confused by what that meant. Hell, I'm surprised that he knew and based off the slacked jawed priests, yeah it's safe to say we're in the same boat.

"Not all priests are like that little one." The leader tried to stay calm saying this, but his veins were bulging and he looked livid. Before Mini Mores could continue his verbal smackdown Issie joined in, and what he said next caused the loudest, most painful facepalm in my life so far. "Yeah! Even if we wanted to help, which we don't, we don't know any girls named Irina, right Irina?"

Just the stupidity of this move was painful for me to watch. Silence as Mini Mores grabbed his friends and began to run away. Running out of stamina quickly the young mini Mores unfurled his wings, which were so much smaller than they are now, and grabbed his two friends and flew off. This snapped them out of their stupor and they looked on in disgust.

"He's a fucking reaper! Kill that brat and get the girl, and make sure you puncture his wings!" For some reason, I felt a sudden and immense bloodlust. It was gone before I could even rationalize what happened. Before I could even question what happened, I was flying beside the young trio. Mini Mores was coughing up blood and it was getting worse by the moment.

"Mo-Mo! You can't fly, it messes with your insides too much!" Irina yelled.

"Yeah Mores, this isn't good for your..'cold'" Issie hesitantly added.

Mini-Mores nodded and began to descend but the crack of a gun caused Mores to jerk to the left, barely dodging a holy bullet. Looking down one of the lacky tried to shoot at them, but the leader smacked the lackey saying something I couldn't hear. Using this opportunity the little ones flew down into the forest, Mini-Mores floated down onto the treehouse and they climbed in.

Being too tall, I sat on the closest branch to a window. Looking in I saw the trio sitting down and trying to figure out what happened. "Irina, do they work with your dad?" Mini Mores asked her. Irina shook her head. "I'm sure. My daddy's priesthood wears silver crosses, theirs were wooden. I don't know why they wanted me but they won't take me."

Mini Mores nodded in agreement as did Issie. I heard the heavy footfalls before mini Mores did, and even then he was close behind in reacting to them. He made a shushing sound to them and then.

"I can't believe they got away! Why the hell are we even chasing them?! That old prick should have plenty of orphans for his experiments."

'Experiments?' I dropped down and walked up to them. They couldn't see me so why not.

"You know that old fool is obsessed with holy swords, trying to create them rubs me wrong as much as the next guy but he'll have us excommunicated if we don't help him."

'No fucking way, you mean….thank god they didn't get her.' Valper wanted her for his twisted experiments. She doesn't even have the capability to wield a holy sword without a crystal. Going back to the trio they were still hiding; until Irina worked up the courage to go out the back and wave at the three priests.

"Hey! Stupid heads, leave my friends alone!"

She ran off and they were hot on her trail, Mini Mores ran out but he began to cough hard. Mini Mores collapsed and curled into himself from the pain of his coughing. Issie went to help his friend but mini Mores shoved him away.

"Help me up! We need to help-" He couldn't finish as a horrific coughing fit seized him and didn't let go. Issie didn't hesitate to help his friend up and leaned Mini Mores on his shoulders. Together they ran after their friend. I ran ahead of them out of instinct, unfortunately, I was, for some reason, locked to Mini Mores and his general area. After an excruciatingly long couple of minutes, we heard screaming and came into a very familiar clearing. Irina was being carried by the three priests, kicking and screaming and trying to escape. Mini Mores grabs the first thing he sees, this being a small rock, and he chucks it at the leader.

It smacked into him with enough force to break the skin, screaming from the pain the leader thrashed around, letting Irina escape and ran over to her friends. The leader priest snapped his head at the trio, hate burning in his eyes, particularly at mini Mores. They walked over, I tried to get in the way but they pass through me. Instead of grabbing Irina, the leader grabs mini Mores and throws him onto one of the mooks.

They...god..they beat him to a bloody pulp. Punches to the stomach that makes him spit up blood, dropping him on the ground and curb stomping his legs, which refused to break. Drop kneeing him in the face, busting the poor kid's face. It got so bad he used his wings to shield himself from their fists and boots. Now the other two children didn't just sit there, they tried to help but being only five they couldn't even bother the priests.

One of the mooks brought out a holy lightsaber and brought it down where bone wing met shoulder blade. The holy lightsaber shattered upon contact, the leader reprimanded him and told the mook to aim for the linings, but that mention alone made me snarl in maddening rage. I couldn't control my own body, the maddening crimson wave drowned my senses and I thrashed at the projections, of course, I went through them but my compulsion for destruction hungered for their blood. Yet I couldn't touch them, my common sense pulled the rest of me back from the madness to see.

The sound of glass breaking filled my ears, as did "Balance Break!" rippling through time and space. Shadows of the nearby canopy flooded into the small child, warping the body as well as the mind. His wings became like mine, bone and dragon flesh fused unnaturally. Mini Mores was a mirror image of my false balance breaker, twisted helmet included.

The priests tried to punch him, but he caught each blow with an ever-expanding number of limbs. He ripped them free from the sockets and before they could even scream he lunged at the leader, well through the leader is more like it. Using his multiple hands and claws mini Mores made himself into a drill and went through the leader. The top half fell towards mini Mores who grabbed the head and ripped it off, spine included, the legs fell towards the armless mooks who watched in horror.

Mook A tried to run away but mini Mores used the leader's head as a whip and tripped Mook A. Before he could run, the little one stabbed him through the back of the leg, pinning him into the ground. He tried to scream but mini Mores grabbed his lower jaw and broke it off, leaving a gurgling fool who could only pray for forgiveness as mini Mores slowly applied pressure to the back of his head. Mook A's suffering came to a momentary end when his head exploded into a violent shower of gore.

Mook B had long since retreated, running through the forest, but a sneaky portal sent him back into mini Mores's deadly embrace. The child had to use his wings but it worked well as he was able to embrace the priest and literally squeezed the life out of him. He pulled an Ainz on this fool.

However the torment didn't stop when they dropped dead, oh no, mini Mores through bloodline or some other power brought their souls back into their deformed bodies and they still could feel every iota of pain inflicted upon them. He didn't even stop there, he increased their pain by skinning the poor bastards slowly and methodically. Layer by layer he pulled off every scrap of flesh off of them, even then they still did not die. With strings of magic, he made their ruined skeletons dance for his amusement and break each other's bones further. Mini Mores laughed the entire time he did this, mad laughter that no five years old should be capable of making. He was the hellish puppeteer and them his unlucky toys.

Issie and Irina were shaking in fear of their friend's actions. Irina nearly made the sign of the cross to ward off the foul spirit but stopped herself because she didn't want to hurt her friend. Issie, summoning vast amounts of courage walked forward towards his friend. Irina went with him, they nearly slipped in the lake of blood that has yet to dry. The skeletons plead silently, their vocal cords being ripped out a long time ago, for their torment to end. The duo walked up to the cackling mini Mores. Irina was behind Issie, Issie walked up to face his friend and slapped mini Mores.

"Stop being crazy! They're done."

Mini Mores rubbed the non-existent wound and got up from his throne of flesh, now towering over either of them.

"Why? They tried to take Irina, so I take away their lives and sanity. I have yet to take their sanity."

Mini Mores casually explained, he truly didn't see the point in letting them die. Issie broadened his shoulders to make himself taller, unfortunately, it didn't work.

"You're scaring us, mostly Irina though."

I chuckled at this. I stopped myself when I saw mini Mores flinch. He looked down at his bloodstained gauntlets and at his friends who were shaking and not from cold. "I...I'll stop."

His voice returning to normal he cut the strings and the puppets fell, disintegrating into dust. Free at last, he used his remaining strength to move the flesh into three different piles and three different holes in the ground. The ground covered them and tombstones rose from the ground, nameless and markless. Balance breaker melted off him, he shrunk back down and hugged his friends.

"I don't regret killing them, I regret scaring you two."

And with that, the scenes faded and I heard present Issie calling me. I was back from wherever I was, I took a shaking breath and stood up.

"What happened to you?!"

"I'm not sure. I just zoned out for a moment. Were you gonna ask me something, Issie?" My mind was clear and I wanted to know why he brought me over to these tombstones.

"Are you sure? We can do this to-" "No. I'm fine, fine enough to answer a simple question." I interrupted him, I wanted to know more about where he was going before I had my...panic...attack? Whatever the hell that was.

"If you insist, what I was gonna ask is what you feel when seeing these tombstones? Regret perhaps?" He asked, such a strange question. I walked past him and let my hands drift over each stone until I got to where I believed the leader to be buried.

"I do not feel regret, not even a little. They got what they deserved for trying to kidnap our friend for their sick experiments. Somedays I wish I could still torment again like when we were children. But those days have long since passed, not even dust remains I bet."

I walk back towards Issie and I saw pure relief wash over him. He laughed and wrapped an arm around my head and gave me a noogie. "Still the same old psychotic bastard after all." I tried to protest but instead said. " Who did you expect, morgan freeman?"

He burst into laughter as did I, we left soon after. As we walked down our street he turned around and faced me.

"Thanks, dude, you really cleared away my paranoia. I honestly entertained the idea someone had taken control of your body. How crazy is that."

I laughed at the absurdity of the situation, forcing myself to appear jovial rather than terrified. 'He must never know how close he truly was.' Bahamut agreed with me and as I said bye to my friend I heard the choir of church bells once again. A maxed out arcana screen sat in front of me, and I now officially had four perks for the Jester arcana.

Congratulations! You have maxed out the Jester arcana!

Rank 10/10

Effects:

Getaway person. Thanks to both of you being magical you can now help each other out when either of you is in a tight position. Increased chance of escape and temporary safety when fighting a powerful foe. Or multiple female kendo clubbers.

Ambassador of devils: Due to your friendship with a devil of the surviving 72 pillar families, you gain the right to travel freely to the underworld and back.

Equal dragons: You both have dragon sacred gears and their effects complement each other. Whenever you train with Issie or a fellow dragon Balance breaker leveling will increase by 90%. You also gain five random stat points every time you train with Issie or a fellow dragon.

True Jester: Due to your friendship with the future harem king not only do you get access to any and all Jester arcana Personas but you gain a special surprise when you sleep tonight.

Guess not even Ragnorak would add anything more to this. Now then, the sun is setting and I still hear cartoons going on. Bracing myself I see...something truly adorable. Lilly and Murayama were snuggling with each other, I took a photo and gushed mentally.

I gently poked the two of them awake, they yawned and looked up with bleary eyes.

"Good afternoon sleepy heads. Want some dinner?" At the sound of dinner Lilly woke up instantly and clambered to the kitchen, Murayama was less so but she managed to stumble over there. With magic, flour and lots of pepperoni. I made some pizza, I had the foresight to make Lilly her own pizza and like I thought she gobbled it all down. Murayama and I had some of our pizza before the food comas hit us all. Lilly fell asleep instantly and Murayama was fading fast. I carefully scooped Lilly up and helped Murayama to her own room. I briefly wondered where I should put Lilly but I had the answer staring at me, I opened the door to my little brother's room.

'It was so filthy! How did I not notice it!' My eyes twitched erratically as I telepathically threw away all the trash I could see and moved everything else in the closet. After that sudden spasm to clean, I laid Lilly on the firehouse bunk bed. Bottom bunk for convenience, I tucked her in and grabbed a stuffed animal for her, she grabbed it and hugged it so hard, I'm sure it would turn blue if it had lungs.

Quietly making my exit I went into my room and collapsed on my bed. As I dreamt I could feel my body shifting, something I didn't notice before. I opened my eyes to a large lab of sorts. It looked familiar but I couldn't put my finger on why? I heard footsteps and turned around for a fight but instead, I saw a very familiar man.

He was about 5'8 and had red eyes like mine. Filled with determination and resolve, his hair is gray and shaggy. With a very pointy beard that blended with his sideburns and a mustache straight from a cartoon. He wore a lab coat that was rather drab and uninteresting. What caught my eye were two things, one was a cybernetic hand that glowed blood red. The second thing was a logo on his lab coat, an M in an octagon with three lines jutting out of the Pentagon to make small circles at the end.

That logo jogged my memory of him and my jaw dropped, I Observed him be sure and I was right.

Dr. Merlot

Titles: Mutater. 'Mad Merlot'. Grimm enthusiast /researcher.

Level: 290

Bio: A brilliant doctor whose work was ridiculed and demerited. Called a madman for trying to tame the demons of his world he strived to prove them wrong. Many attempts have been made on his life because of this, yet his technology protected him as he fulfilled his dream and mutated Grimm to serve him and humanity. Such a brilliant mind would be wasted in an explosion no?

'Of that, we agree.' I extended my hand to shake with Dr. Merlot and he gladly took it. We shook and he grinned at me.

"It's so nice to meet the Mores, that chaos god of yours sure talks about you a lot. Glad to meet you in the flesh."

"As am I doctor. So do you wish to work with me?" I asked, Merlot chuckled but nodded. "Truly I do but I must make sure you are a worthy partner in my investments. Follow me! There is a subject that you must see."

The doctor left and I quickly followed. We talked about Grimm and all the possibilities they hold for humanity's future. "If only the fools in Vale were as open-minded as you young man." His eyes glowed red but he stopped and collected himself. "I apologize, my semblance tends to activate when I get aggravated and when that happens I either have to collect myself or go along with it and create an invention that blows up in my face later in the evening. Those inventions or experiments rarely ever get past the first prototype stage though."

'So his semblance makes him capable of creating inventions? Imagine the possibilities if he could think each of them through' I thought. Bahamut agreed with me.

{He could probably get those scientists acts together and perhaps create new creatures for you to control. We need him on our side.} I nodded to him as Merlot showed me to a balcony and I saw a brand new type of Grimm.

It was a fucking Grimm Balrog! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Yet it was there, green and white plating to show this was Merlot's, it wore a cloak of emerald flames around it. Its wings, in particular, were drenched in the flames, two long and curling horns protruded from its skull. Did I forget to mention this bastard was f'fing tall?! Cause even on this balcony, that was a good thirty feet off the ground, he stood a head taller than both of us combined! Intelligent eyes focused on me and narrowed into slits, I most certainly didn't like the look of that.

It also carried two weapons. Two! A metal, that's right metal(!), the sword that was bigger than two of me combined. The sword was also covered in the emerald flames and it gave the sword the type of shine only master craftsmen could dream of. Its other weapon was a whip of the emerald flames, nothing too interesting there.

I suddenly find myself getting closer than I would like to this beast. "I would like you to fight and kill my greatest specimen if you do that I shall join you and create an army for you. If not, well, I'm sure my specimen could make a dummy out of your corpse."

He entered into an observation area and he refused to open the door. I turned around to face the Grimm and it was still glaring at me, just waiting for the orders to tear me apart. I drew my scythe and entered a fighting position just as Merlot gave the orders for that thing to attack.

[BGM begin. Lusus naturae]

The music kicks off with a bang and the Balrog moves with it. It swings it's beast of a sword down and I bring my weapon to block, however, the force of the impact made me buckle instantly. A crater, created from impact, was what I stood in. My HP dropped five percent as a result. The beast pulled it's sword back and tried to flatten me, but I merged into its shadow and avoided the blade. Seeing my hiding spot it further ignited it's body and destroyed it's own shadow, ejecting me violently into the open.

I smacked into the wall and barely dodged its whip. The putrid smell of burnt metal filled the air, I tried to clear the air but the creature leaped at me and slammed its blade into me. I managed to bring my guard up just in time, my arm snapped and I was sent into the adjacent wall.

"Fuckity do dah!" I cursed in pain, snapping it back in place I went on the offensive. Flying into the air I created dozens of swords, generic ice blades all of them, and sent them down on its head. With a roar it snapped it's whip and melted almost all of my blades, however one frostmourne slammed into its eye. It screamed in pain but didn't dare touch the cursed blade, growling in rage its whip snapped and curled around my leg and twirled me around. Smacking into walls, the ceiling and finally the floor with a massive impact.

'There go my ribs.' I thought, coughing up a liter of blood. I struggled to get up, but the Grimm slammed it's foot on my back and pinned me down. It brought the flaming sword up and thrust it down, I screamed in agony as it slowly bisected me. Out of instinct, I created a magic circle and an ice spike shot up and impaled the Balrog in its shoulder, roaring in pain it got off and tried to pull the ice out, leaving the sword inside me.

Hyperventilating I pulled the sword from its new sheath, gasping as it inched out of my body. I tossed the sword into my inventory so it couldn't be used against me again. I tried to stand up but my legs didn't respond, my spine was severed. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't hear, I could barely see as the pain hit me fully. I couldn't even scream because my lungs constricted. Shakely I pulled an elixir out and drained it, and another, another, another. It wasn't until my fifth that my partner stopped me.

{You're fully healed! Pay attention to the fight.}

His yelling cleared my mind and I managed to stand up. The Balrog had finally clawed the ice out of its shoulder and ripped the cursed blade from its eye. It melted the legendary blade in its fiery grip. The hatred in its pupiless eyes made me backpedal. I am afraid, my hp is in the low twenty percentile for God's sake! I.I-

I slap myself, hard, to get myself to calm down. 'Calm, calm. Breathe and repeat.' My mantra for calming down worked for once, I opened my eyes to see a new option I hadn't consider. "Bahamut."

{Yes?}

"I can use Balance Breaker and maintain control right?"

{Yes, for five minutes you'll control balance breaker, though it will be weaker than when you first used it. It will only double your power.}

Smiling at my partner's answer I simply said.

"I can work with that."

"{Then let us kill this monster. Together}"

I smiled evilly as the Balrog leaped at me, tired of my existence.

"{Too late. Balance break!}"

[Pov shift. Third person]

The shockwave slapped the Balrog away. Afterward, the shadows of not only the arena but the pocket dimension they resided in, dashed towards Mores. Even the Balrog's and Merlot's own shadows joined them. The sound of flesh and armor fusing and becoming something new echoed throughout the chamber. Yet it didn't last for long, as the darkness peeled back, showing it's champion. While he shared some draconic traits, this being the head, claws, and feet, that's where they ended. The Balance breaker held more humanoid traits overall. He stood without a tail. Arms and legs defined by the armored scales as was the chest plate.

A plated mail of dragon scales was the chest and shoulder pads that dipped into the flesh. Acting more like bone rather than a typical armor. Dragon-wings erupted from the spine, folded on the ceiling from their skyscraper height, they then folded neatly behind his back. Blackened purple was the main color with bright gold as the tertiary color. His eyes were still red but the cornea was a glowing gold with specks of the same blackened purple across the iris. The mask reflected nothing as a mask should, only the coming blood that shall come.

Mores curled his hands into fists and walked towards the Balrog. The mighty beast would not go quietly into the night. Charging with the whip in hand it brought the weapon down onto Mores's skull. In a flash of blackened purple the whip, along with the arm that held it, was ripped away. Mores held them in his left hand, assimilating the fire and crushing the arm to goo. He continued to move forward.

Backpedaling the beast roared and hurled emerald fire at the new merciless creature. The emerald flames only served to feed Mores's power as Assimilation continued. The flames never harming the demon in front of the Grimm. As a last-ditch effort, the Grimm summoned all it's magical power and belted out wave after wave of emerald flames. Emerald flames that are corrosive to the very soul, emerald fire that was known to burn down even the most fortified of heroes.

But that meant nothing in the face of death incarnate. The flames Assimilated with ease, closer and closer the Reaper walked. Pulling the blade that nearly split him in half from his inventory, he had a most sinister idea. Grabbing onto the bottom jaw of the Grimm he forced it open, prying it as far open as possible.

The Balrog didn't let this happen without a fight. Its tail clashed with the armored terror, desperately trying to peel away the protective scales to the soft skin underneath. Still belting out its useless flames it tried so very hard to escape. Yet it was all for not, the flames spat out of the Grimm now willingly joined with him, choosing a new master to answer. Nearly ripping the bottom jaw off the Reaper used his newfound flames to guide the sword to just in front of the wide gaping maw of the Grimm, taking his hand off the bottom jaw he pushed the Grimm's own sword down it's burning throat. The sword kept going till it pierced the arena floor from the other side.

"Retort" With that ghostly whisper all the emerald fire he stored up rushed down to the sword, which further amplified the destructive might of the flames themselves, and drowned their previous master in a never-ending sea of emerald fire. In only moments nothing remained of the creature, not even it's sword, all lost to the flames. Well, all but a few items that were sent directly to the Reaper's inventory.

[Pov return! Mores's first person]

[Bgm End]

My balance breaker peeled off and melted back into the shadows. I gasped for air as I nearly collapsed from exhaustion. I couldn't stand right this moment, but I could still feel my fingers and toes and move them at my leisure.

'So I'm not paralyzed, that's good.' I thought, relieved that I won and can still move. Several screens flood my vision and since I can't really stand I might as well read them.

Balance breaker has leveled up.

Level Up X10.

Through sheer grit and will to survive. +10 to Vit and Str

Due to your mastery of flames +100 to fire affinity.

By becoming the darkness's champion +600 to dark and chaos affinities. Gain Champion of the dark title. All darkness based skills gain 10 levels except for balance breaker.

Several items have been delivered to your inventory.

After the last screen was read I dismissed them all, I can look at the items later. I finally have the strength to stand when Doctor Merlot came out clapping his hands.

"That was a spectacular show, I'll be pleased to serve you, however. I would like to bring my lab with me so I may adjust and work faster."

A screen popped into my face asking to assimilate merlot's lab to my castle. I picked yes and it felt like reality itself morphed and mutated to serve its purpose of moving this lab into my castle. After the shaking was over I got a message saying it was a success. I used Symbol of Death and marked him with my seal, it resided in his human, err reaper, eye. Everything that happened to death gun happened to Merlot. As I was about to leave the doctor to his work I got a sneaking suspicion to check my inventory.

Pulling it up I saw four items. The skull of the Grimm balrog, shattered remains of its blade and frostmourne(even though it was melted), some dust that resonated with darkness and a piece of paper.

I grabbed the paper and Observed it.

Universe paper. Currently inscribed for an empty earth-like planet. Single-use item only.

Effects: Creates a identical planet earth in a pocket universe. The inscription would mean this planet earth would be void of any life accept plant life. Has a time dilation of 50:1. Meaning that any life put on this planet by the gamer would quickly evolve and become dangerous.

Holy shit! That's, this is a really powerful item. What about the strange dust?

Remains of the ancient one. Single-use item.

Effects: The usage of this dust can't be understated. Any and all use of this item will forever create lesser to greater Grimm off all shapes and sizes. Unless you wish for the world to end, never bring this to your homeworld.

I openly gaped at the short description in front of me. I re-read it to be sure and when it didn't change I kept staring at it slack-jawed. Doctor merlot looked over my shoulder and copied my actions to a T. We couldn't fathom what we read.

"I..have an idea. It may be stupid but it might just work." I finally said, cracking my jaw back in place, I used the paper first. In an instant, a door poofed into existence. Hesitantly I opened the door and went in with Merlot.

In a word for what we saw, majestic. Babbling rivers and forests for the eye to see. Truly magnificent. Yet it held no noise other than nature, it honestly creeped me out, which brought me back to my senses. I first created several thousand surveillance seals and scattered them around the planet, so I can keep an eye on what I will do next.

I opened my inventory and pulled out the dust and dumped it in one spot. A large Grimm spawning pool was created, Merlot and I backed the hell up. I drew my scythe and was ready to kill anything hostile that crawled out. While something did crawl out, it was far from hostile. The Grimm that crawled out was a, believe it or not, a baby Beowulf. It was so small and cute! The baby stumbled over to us and hopped onto Merlot, licking his face. Merlot looked even more shocked than I, he slowly petted the puppy, Grimm. Which then barked happily.

It was then I looked at its collarbone, literal bone, and saw my seal on it. It was small but it was still there, does that mean their friendly towards me and my allies?! I stood there gaping when another Grimm puppy crawled out and curled itself by my feet. Now that was too cute.

"I so definitely didn't see this coming," I said while petting the puppy. Merlot nodded as he pets his own Grimm puppy, with that said and done I scooped the puppy up, as did Merlot with his own, and we returned to the castle. We walked over to the nearest set of monitors and I synced them with my surveillance seals. Merlot could now watch the Grimm evolve and report back to me when he sees a particularly strong one. That's what I asked him to do at least. He accepted and I left to the waking world with a Grimm puppy in tow. I love my life.