30 Mark's Advice and Deal.

When Mark, Runeas, and his two pets returned to his home the first thing Mark did was search for Rias. She was not in the Bounded Field he had made and not in his home, and with a search of his territory he found her with her peerage exploring his flamming castle.

They were being respectful about it and only went into areas she was allowed access to. That was for the best as Mark and Runeas had placed some very nasty wards and curses on certain places. The most protected was Mark's hoard which he would not allow a single piece to be removed without his knowledge.

'Let's see how good you became.'

Mark waved his hand and in a flash of fire, the 4 girls appeared in front of him. From the look of it watching themselves turn to ashes only to reform here was terrifying. From the look of it they were stuck trying to get a hold of themselves as while they felt no pain they watched it happen.

Mark looked the 4 girls over and noticed they had gotten a bit stronger. Rias had been the one to benefit the most while Kimmi and Koneko got a bit stronger. However, Rias and Kimmi had the most growth as they were not held back by their bloodlines.

Kimmi though was dragged down by what happened to her. Meanwhile, Koneko a Nekusho, and Akeno a Cadre's daughter were not getting stronger fast enough by not accepting their bloodlines. Mark laughed as he patted Rias on the head.

Something she quite liked as supernatural females loved strength. Seeing a physically imposing man like Mark who was also a dragon who also treated her well tugged at her heartstrings.

"Rias, I expected nothing less from you. I see you have been working on both controlling your traits and focusing on your weaker body. Your brother and Runeas' training did not go to waste."

Rias nodded as she looked up at Mark.

"You think so?"

He nodded.

"I would not say it if it was not true. A Dragon never lies after all. Now, I got some free time so I am going to give you some advice all 4 of you. Listen well, Rias, you know what you need to work on. Your weaker body has been taken care of as the fruit and elixirs you drank strengthened your body.

A strong body can hold more magic, in your case Demonic Power. More is always better as recently you have been training your control of both your traits and your magic. Keep that up, but work on some new variety of moves. Other than that you are on the right track. Runeas, anything to add?"

Runeas sat on the couch as she looked at Rias.

"No, you got the main points. Her body is no longer an issue and now all she needs is to train her traits. But, now, speak on the other three."

Rias gulped as she did not know what Mark thought of her peerage. From the look of it, they were waiting for his words as a dragon giving advice was not common. He first turned to the knight girl Kimmi.

"Your body is weak, and you are focused on long distant revenge. You don't think you deserve to live, so your mind is razor focused on that revenge. Revenge can motivate a person, but you are just being consumed by it.

Your Sacred Gear won't grow at this rate and you will just be a liability to Rias."

Kimmi thought about his words wondering how he knew all that. He pointed at his head.

"I read your minds."

Kimmi sighed.

"What should I do? Give up my revenge?"

Mark shook his head.

"No, never. Revenge must be followed through to the end, but you must not die at the end of that revenge. Those kids who died to let you escape did so as they wanted you to live. So, live, for Rias' sake or for revenge you will live at the end. That is dragging your Sacred Gear down, oh, and work on your body. You are weaker than you should be."

Rias hugged Kimmi tightly after she heard what Mark told her. Then Mark turned over to Akeno who did not want to hear what he was going to say, but he would say it anyway.

"You suck as a daughter. Your father was not at fault for the death of your mother, no one was except the ones responsible. Yet the first thing you do is yell how you hate your father who was hurting just as you. The only reason you lived to reach Kuoh is that he protected you the whole time.

If you ever want to not be a weakling, go and meet up with him. He is still your father and a good one. Besides, you did not know it, but your father wanted to place guards at your mother's side. But your mother herself was the one who refused his offer.

There was only so much he could do when she did not want his protection. If you don't want to be a weakling forever, stop denying your true heritage. You are the daughter of the Cadre Baraqiel, so use that power for Rias."

Akeno began to shiver as her persona as a flirty girl was broken. Deep inside she was a broken and hurt person tormented by the loss of her mother. As a coping mechanism she blamed her father, but Mark pulled that away from her.

And he did not care, but Rias did. She also hugged Akeno tightly as while she did not like the method he was using, she knew it was what they needed as she would not be able to do it. Mark finally turned to Koneko.

"Shirone, that is your real name, not Koneko? You have quite a few repressed memories in your mind of things you saw but did not understand. I can't be positive as I am just going by your memories, but I don't think your sister went crazy.

Something else happened to cause her to kill your former master. As for your power, make use of your Nekoshou side, you are the last of 2 I believe. A shame for such a race to just die out. And your power would once again, help Rias. She can't do everything for you after all. That is all from me."

Rias looked at Mark and nodded.

"Thank you, Mark."

He shook his head.

"This much is nothing, I just dislike seeing unused potential. Especially when they are those you care about. If you excuse me, I have a phone call to make to a god."

When Mark walked away, Celestine flew onto his shoulder while Grimnar walked after. Though his three heads turned to Akeno, Kimmi, and Koneko and snorted. He then held his heads high and walked after his master. Watching the huge dog walk off made Runeas laugh.

"He looks down on you three. In his mind, he has to be the strongest so he can better serve Mark his master. He sees you three as not doing your best to serve yours. Something to be ashamed of, but while my Mark was harsh it was the truth.

Your mental state is also important to getting stronger so take his advice or don't. Mark won't care, but the one who will is Rias. Your master, so what will it be?"

She looked at the three girls who from the look of it were going through some turmoil. Rias pulled the three girls into a hug as she was their emotional pillar since she saved them all. And right now she was the best person to help them through it.

"Ancestor, I will take them back to Japan and I will be back soon."

Runeas nodded.

"Good luck in your endeavors."

When they teleported away, Runeas walked off the look for Mark. She found him holding his right hand up. The projection was of Hephaestus who was listening to what Mark was telling him.

Runeas walked over as she had never seen the god Hephaestus. When she saw him she wondered if he was a god or a troll. Hephaestus was a huge, deformed lump of a man with his shoulders at different heights and his head was a bit misshapen head. He had a red fiery beard that sparks fire from time to time.

The god had his arms crossed as he listened to what Mark said.

"You want my help to make the Yellow Stone Super Volcano not just a forge, but a lair for you? And you want my help to forge, Ares, Athena, Deimos, and Phobo new symbols of power? Zeus is not going to like that. He only has one and another would upset the balance of things threatening his rule."

Mark shrugged.

"As I am now what he likes is not to my care. Didn't you once make the golden net to trap him? This is just a way for him to be kept in check by the other gods I approve of. Besides I could help you make one as well, as long as you become my personal smith from now on. I don't like the Greek gods much, but some of you have unique skills or are better than others."

Hephaestus thought on this before a booming laugh came from him.

"Count me in, I have a few forges in some volcanos so I know what I am doing. This will be the first time I use a Super Volcano though. Anything I should know?"

Mark nodded.

"There live some beings in that volcano. They serve me for the moment so when we start to renovate the place to build the forge so we have to work with them. When we begin forging we will use my Dragon Fire and heat from the volcano."

Hephaestus nodded.

"Might take a while, but well worth it as long as you help. Once we start forging the heat and mana of he volcano along with your dragon flames will create some powerful weapons."

Mark also had another favor.

"Would you help me reforge the Symbol of Power of Kronus? I still have it from when I took it from Luke."

Hearing that left the god in silence before he broke out laughing. A deep booming laugh shook the room he was in.

"You got that thing, for sure. I can't wait to get my hands on it. Fine, when can we start the construction?"

Mark thought about it.

"In a week."

Hephaestus nodded.

"Got it. I will get ready and I will keep it silent."

Mark nodded as he cut the connection. He then turned over to Runeas who had an idea.

"When you start, do you mind making me one?"

Mark instantly agreed.

"Sure. I don't mind, and I might have a gift for you soon."

She perked up.

"A gift? What?"

Mark laughed as he walked away.

"Would not be a gift if you knew, Rias will get something as well."

Runeas already wanted to know what it was as she was never very patient.

"Am I going to get a clue?"

Mark shook his head.

"Nope, not a single one. For now, I am going to lounge about for a bit."

Mark returned to the living room and sat on the couch. Grimnar lept on his lap while Celestine got on his head. As for Runeas she sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Tell me Mark, what about Rias makes you feel she is worthy of you?"

Mark thought about it.

"MAYBE, the fact she is related to you, and she has so much untapped potential much like her brother. Maybe it is my greed that wants to see such a rough diamond polished into its perfect form. But the main thing is, I just seem to like her sweet side. You are sweet too, but it's different."

Runeas rolled her eyes.

"Sure, you are just a pervy Red Dragon who wants the Ancestor and descendent for your harem."

Mark laughed.

"Guilty as charged."

Mark laughed as Runeas pinched him hard. Though his skin was still his scales just in human form so he was fine. She sighed as it would be nearly impossible for her to make him feel any pain ever again.

"Not fair."

Mark raised his head high.

"We dragons are magnificent aren't we?"

Runeas closed her eyes as she and Mark spent this time together.

"Mark, I want you to give me a baby?"

Mark looked down at her.

"When?"

She thought about it.

"Soon, maybe in 40-50 years?"

Mark laughed.

"That is soon? That works for me, it's too soon for us to think about that stuff so planning it for the future is better."

Runeas nodded.

"Yeah. I am not impatient anyway and I can wait that small amount of time. And now, you can pass it with me."

That was the best for long-lived beings, and why she slept so much before. She had no one to pass the centuries with anymore and no one interested her before Mark. Now that she found that person she was happy.

As for Mark, he too was happy with Runeas as she and Ddraig were the ones who helped him reach this level of power where he could decide what to do. No longer having to answer to anyone, but himself.

However, just as he was enjoying his small moment of peace he felt a new presence next to him. He looked over and saw Ophis eating a bag of cookies.

'Huh?'