The Wandering Devil
Chapter: 7
Hello everyone, sorry if my posting is a little late I'm extremely sick at the moment. So I'll be held up a little bit but not by much :) hope you guys enjoy and please leave any suggestions you may like to see added.
Pa/ t reon details at the bottom of the chapter if you're interested I'll keep posting regardless.
(Apprentice)
Hestia sat on my back, updating my falna.
She casually gently ran her hands over my back while checking my status. We had arrived back home a while ago, Bell had been relatively fine with only a small bruise on his left cheek.
Hestia had of course been a bit bewildered as she had found the bodies of random adventurers strewn around. Only for that confusion to turn into anger when she saw the mark on Bell's face.
The unconscious men had found themselves waking up to Hestia's foot repeatedly smashing into their faces.
Those fuckers probably like it.
Bell all the while had gained an unhealthy hero worship of me which was pretty funny.
I felt Hestia suddenly feel her freeze on my back.
"Zeph?"
I hummed in acknowledgement.
"What did you get up to in the dungeon?" She asked, her voice quivering slightly.
I raised my head up at her. Looking at her questioningly.
"Why?"
She showed me my status.
Oh…
Zephyrion Gremory
Lv. 1
Strength: 472 (E)
Endurance: 389 (F)
Dexterity: 443 (E)
Agility: 460 (E)
Magic: 534 (D)
Demonic Energy Manipulation
The ability to manipulate the chaotic energy of demonic beings otherwise known as demonic energy.
Imagination Magic
The ability to create magic via imagination, cost is dependent on magic conjured.
Power of destruction (Mutated) [SEALED]
All-Speak
The ability to communicate with any being regardless of language. Users can communicate via any language.
Holy shit.
I knew I had gone down to lower floors since I had stopped subconsciously holding myself back with my human mindset, but this was an insane amount of growth.
Was it because I was killing stronger monsters? Did that give me such a massive boost? It was known that as you levelled up stats became harder to raise but this seemed a bit fast.
A moment later Hestia applied the power boost on me, a powerful bright yellow light washing over my body and feeding it with power. My demonic reserves grew noticeably deeper and my muscles tightened for a few moments before loosening.
My eyesight sharpened a tad more, impressive since my perception was already supernaturally enhanced with my Devil genes.
I felt Hestia's eyes burn a hole into the back of my head as I read through my status. I had told her that I was going to take it slow, which was why she had let me go without too much of a fuss.
I turned my face around and faced her and sure enough, there was some anger in her eyes.
"I may have gone a bit deeper than intended," I said with a bashful smile. She raised a delicate eyebrow. A flat look on her face.
"Oh? How deep?" Hestia asked, crossing her arms under her bust. Which my eyes instantly snapped to.
"I might have gotten a bit carried away," I admitted.
"You mean perhaps going all the way down to the tenth floor? When I expressly asked you to take it slow?" She asked.
"Maybe," I responded.
She sighed deeply, her expression morphing into sadness.
"Zeph, I may seem clingy and overprotective, and if that makes you uncomfortable then I am sorry. I don't want to hold you back, but I just can't see you hurt," Hestia said.
I wanted to say that I don't dislike that part of her but didn't interrupt her in the end.
"You know I care about you, right? I don't want you to end up leaving me alone here. I don't want to lose my familia captain." She said and her eyes looked a little moist.
Sigh, it looks like my exploration has scared her. I need to fix this.
I turned my body around so she was straddling my lap. I gave my sexy little wholesome goddess a hug. She warmly accepted my embrace. Her hands were tight around my torso.
"I am sorry for worrying you. I wasn't in any danger, I knew I could handle it after some testing on where my strength stood. And don't worry, you are the best for me as you are. I find your clinginess cute, to be honest." I tried to assure her.
"Just be careful Zeph. For me." She muttered shyly into my neck, her words soft and pleading. Her grip loosened a little, but she still didn't let go of me.
"I will, I promise," I assured her. After saying this, I rolled on the bed and now Hestia was under me. A mischievous smile on my face.
"Even so I feel sad that my Goddess doesn't trust me. I think she needs to be punished~" I said in a faux-sad voice.
"Wh-hat do you mean Z-Zeph?!" She stuttered below me, her two beautiful eyes looking up at me vulnerably.
I gently pinned her hands before her head, lowering down to stare into her eyes. Our breath tickled each other's skin, her pouty full lips parted. Anticipation lit up in her eyes as our faces practically touched each other.
"Tell me," I mumbled into her ear, making my voice extra breathy. Hestia's eyes turned half-lidded.
"How ticklish are you?" I asked and her hazy eyes looked at me in confusion. Only to widen as I suddenly tickled her. She snapped out of it and giggled uncontrollably.
"Zeph ahh stop~" She laughed and tried to stop the onslaught.
I laughed with her and rolled over, wrapping her in my arms as we calmed down.
It was too late for all of this emotional talk. Bell was already fast asleep and that talk had drained me more than my earlier dungeon run. Hestia happily snuggled into my arms.
-Scene Break-
"Uh Zephyr, are you sure we shouldn't be entering without armour?" Bell questioned nervously as we entered through the large dungeon entrance.
Adventurers around us stared at our casual attire in disapproval. Bell shrunk back from all th
eir gazes but I skillfully ignored them.
"Eh, who even needs armour? overrated in my opinion. Impedes movement. We will be fine on the higher floors." I replied casually.
Only higher-level adventurers could get away without wearing armour on the higher floors. I would probably look into some light armour when I explored the lower floors but for now, with Bell, I would be fine.
"E-everyone else is wearing a-armour." He hesitantly pointed out. Indeed everyone around us was wearing armour.
Many of them looked new, and they all seemed to be level-one adventurers in small groups, so they probably needed the extra help. I was estimated to be around level three, and we were just going down a few floors to get Bell started.
I wanted to secure a bit more money before we went spending on armour.
"Relax Bell, you're my apprentice now. I won't let anything happen and I've been down in the dungeons before so I know what to expect somewhat." I soothed his worries.
I had been in the dungeon for over twelve hours in total. Even then, I was still very much cautious of the dungeon and especially a dungeon flood. Even a second-floor dungeon flood had worn me down with sheer numbers.
When I say I was overwhelmed, I wasn't speaking about just a few hundred. I was talking about at least in the realm of nine hundred goblins. If I saw a hint of it starting I was grabbing Bell and dashing for the exit.
For now, I wanted to see if power-levelling my apprentice was plausible. I had gone up a massive amount when I had gone on my little rampage through the dungeon.
More than even the many goblins I had killed. Obviously, there was a massive disparity in power gains, there was also the fact I don't think a level one was meant to be able to do what I was able to do.
A level three adventurer doing what I had done would have probably had barely any gains, or at least I'm assuming. which was why adventurers were constantly travelling into dangerous floors to grow.
Another benefit of my enhanced devil physiology. I got to abuse the falna.
"A-apprentice?" He squeaked. Looking oddly flattered.
"Yep. If you want some armour, work hard today and show me you are deserving of it." I decided to throw him a bone. I was going to get us armour anyway but the incentive was what mattered.
I saw that fire light up in his eyes as he gave me a determined nod. He touched the basic sword strapped to his waist he had received from the guild. I had forced him to go register and funnily enough he still got Eina Tulle as his guild advisor.
The elf was hot. Extremely curvy and she had that whole nerdy thing going for her.
She had apparently advised Bell to take it slow. Naturally, I had told him after to immediately forget anything she said and like a good apprentice he took my words to heart.
I had been outside waiting for the entirety of the time as I had glimpsed Rose stalking around.
We walked down the large spiral staircase leading down into the dungeon. After a while of walking, we encountered a group of goblins as we finally made our way through the first floor.
Three of them screeched loudly while charging down the long cavish hallway.
"Alright Bell, let's see what you've got," I said and Bell nodded nervously. The fire of determination was still alight in his eyes.
He raised the short sword, getting into a stance. He had some training with Zeus if I recall correctly. So it wasn't surprising that he knew how to handle a sword somewhat.
The first goblin raised its claws and swiped down at the white-haired teen. Bell blocked and directed the wild claw swipe to the side in a spray of sparks. Performing a wide arc across the goblin's torso, sending it back crying in pain.
The next moment the second goblin came from behind the painted goblin. Bell barely avoided the downward swipe of its claws and gritted his teeth as he pushed it away.
He was forced on the back foot as the pained goblin recovered and went in again with another predictable attack. Bell this time avoided the attack completely and plunged his sword into the goblin's throat.
I was surprised that he wasn't hesitating at all. Bell pulled back his sword with some difficulty as the third goblin was on him. He locked his blade on the third goblin's claws, his eyes widening as the second goblin came from the side, forcing me to intervene.
I grabbed the goblin by the back of its neck and slammed it back into the dungeon wall, allowing Bell to focus on the goblin he was in a deadlock with. Bell let out a cry as he pushed the goblin back and cut through its torso in the next moment.
Another slash of his blade killed the third goblin as it sliced through its throat. The second goblin got up with some difficulty but ignored the pain as it charged Bell.
Bell dodged to the left of its wild charge and cut through its arm. The goblin screeched in rage. Jumping at Bell only to end up impaled on his sword. Bell let the goblin fall to the ground, breathing a bit harshly but overall looking fine.
I clapped. He was much better than I had expected. Bell blushed as I nodded proudly.
"Good job Bell, I doubt many new adventurers could so easily take down three goblins," I said.
He shook his head.
"You were forced to save me from the second goblin, I really didn't do that well." He replied a bit self-deprecatingly.
"I only stopped it from attacking you while you were busy fighting the other one, you did a good job Bell. This is your first time dealing with monsters and you did a good job. Imagine what you'll be like with more experience and power." I retorted.
He brightened up at more words and nodded.
"Once we've finished with the warm up we will start power levelling you up."
A few more screeches appeared from down the hall and two more goblins started charging towards us.
"They're all yours," I said.
Bell raised his sword.
-{Rose Fannett}-
Rose scowled as she looked down at the report she had gotten about her unruly assigned adventurer. He had been nothing but an anomaly, completely breaking her experiences with normal adventurers.
Most fresh adventurers were cocky with dreams of conquering the dungeon, about less of a percentage of them ever rise to level two.
She wasn't a bitch because she enjoyed acting that way but when everything was telling her that the person she was assigned was going to die. Rose naturally tried to prevent that by swaying them off the path.
It had worked multiple times.
When she told the new adventurers of the horrors and gave them examples of how slim the chance of them not dying was they backed away. This was her job, one she got better at.
There of course had been people who slipped past her. They had all unfortunately perished within the dungeon with a very low number of them gaining success such as Ais Wallenstein. A girl who didn't even come to her anymore.
Then came along Zephyrion Gremory, a teenager with strange eyes that seemingly held no care for whatever she advised. Something that had annoyed her.
A mere day later Zephyrion got caught in a freak dungeon flood. That should have been the end of his story like it was for many other adventurers. Even a level three would struggle against an endless onslaught of enemies there was no need to speak of a mere level one surviving.
Then again, he did survive. Later turning in hundreds of goblin stones. Meaning he hadn't just hidden away and waited for rescue. He had actively partook in a dungeon flood.
She had spent all night questioning how he had done it. Rose was very experienced and she knew how things went in the dungeon. It's why she vowed never to date an adventurer. They never lived to be old. Even the stronger ones eventually got in over their heads.
Meaning her belief in what she knew as fact was very strong. She knew everything and how it would play out or that was what she believed. To have that broken. It made her question things she didn't want to question.
Now, here she was with a sheet of paper declaring Zephyrion Gremory selling multiple monster crystals along with an infant dragon crystal to the guild. She had marched out of her room to question him on why he would do something so foolish.
Travelling so low was a death wish. There was no chance he could have stolen it from a group of adventurers who could slay an infant dragon at his level. Yet, in contrast, he shouldn't have been able to either.
There was a chance he had gone with a group but still no matter the reason it was foolish. He could have easily died with one fire breath from an infant dragon. It annoyed her that he was so reckless.
It was infuriating to her after she had given him a slither of her trust. Against her will. She had cooperated with him and halted her attempts to sway him off the path of an adventurer. Mostly since she didn't see it working after being proved wrong.
It would sound foolish to anyone else. Why give even a slither of trust for merely surviving a dungeon flood? It could have been a fluke after all. For someone like Rose who knew everything about the dungeon, it was a very big deal.
Rose took a deep breath, her full lips parting as she calmed herself. Annoyingly Zephyrion Gremory had escaped after seeing her. Meaning she hadn't been able to give him a piece of her mind.
It was fine, she would catch him eventually and she would make sure he didn't endanger himself needlessly again. That was a part of her job and even if she had given him the benefit of the doubt it was her job to keep him in line.
-{Zephyrion}-
Bell desperately dove to the ground. A large grotesque tongue dripping a strange green fluid shot past where his head had been. He barely got up and rolled away as a massive frog slammed down on the place he had previously been.
He was breathing raggedly. The sword he had been carrying flung off to the side. He ran towards it only to backpedal as the frog slammed down in front of him again.
The Frog Shooter's tongue shot out and he was barely able to drop his body to the ground. He grits his teeth in determination only for his eyes to widen as the frog jumps up and starts descending on top of him.
Just as he was about to be crushed to death I jumped and gave the Frog Shooter a nasty kick to its fat stomach. The monster was sent crashing away into some rocks.
I gave Bell a hand up, one which he happily accepted as he was barely able to stand up.
"I.. thought *huff* you meant *huff* we would be *huff* going to the second floor. *huff* when you spoke about *huff* power levelling." Bell rasped out. Leaning on me.
"It wouldn't be power levelling if I didn't put you up against ridiculously strong monsters for your level. To reach a power level you need to achieve the impossible." I explained.
I had mostly been observing and saving him when things got too much, which had been a regular occurrence when we descended past the third floor. I wasn't planning to take him past the sixth floor since I still wasn't all too experienced.
We had been at it for a good four hours and I planned to take him to the abandoned church to rest while I went in to practise on the stronger monsters. I think Bell was close to his limit.
He had done extremely well for a newbie level one adventurer. I guess there was the fact that he was the protagonist so he was bound to be special. He wielded a sword pretty well, he had even taken out a few Dungeon Lizards on the fourth floor. With only a bit of assistance.
The Shooter Frog exploded out of the rocks, descending towards us. I grabbed Bell and jumped out of the way as it landed. Sending cracks cascading on the ground.
"You up for my last try?" I asked Bell.
He looked exhausted but nonetheless, he nodded, shakily raising his sword. He charged at the beast only to fall face down as he knocked himself unconscious.
Ah, differently hit his limit then. The Shooter Frog went to devour him only to be stopped as I kicked it into a wall, raising my hand I conjured a large fireball that incinerated the obese Shooter Frog.
I picked up the unconscious body of my apprentice and future lieutenant. I would come to the dungeon later for my own dungeon dive later.
-Scene Break-
Sitting on the bed, I frowned in thought. Bell was still asleep, he would probably be for quite a while. I had done my own little dungeon run for a few hours and he was still asleep when I came back.
Hestia was still out doing whatever she did when we weren't around. Here I was alone in bed, only a bit tired from all the fighting. I had stuck to the tenth floor mainly dealing with orcs and imps.
I had a massive pouch filled with all of them sat next to the bed, similarly a small pouch sat next to it with all the monsters I had slayed with Bell. We hadn't forgotten to loot all of the monsters.
We will probably cash them in tomorrow. Seeing as I wanted Bell to cash them in to avoid Rose. I wasn't really too bothered with her but I could do without the angry rant I would be receiving. A rant that would hopefully be smaller after she cooled down.
Lifting my finger up, I summoned a small red chess piece of a rook. A brief flare of demonic power as I summoned it from wherever it had been before. I remembered that high-class devils could summon their evil pieces to them wherever they were.
This had been my first attempt to summon them, mostly since I hadn't needed them and I didn't even know if they would. The small rook piece felt warm to the touch. I hadn't told Hestia about this. I had only given her the basic outline of what had happened truthfully.
I'm not sure how well-received the information of my race being a bunch of enslaving assholes would be. I hadn't told her about my first set of memories either. I also didn't know how I had gotten here, I know it was linked to my eyes somehow but they hadn't activated since so I didn't know.
I did have to wonder how my devil family was taking my disappearance. Would they even care? I thought of a lonely twin-tailed maou I had grown close to and the two overbearing elder sisters. Along with a doting mother and father.
I didn't know how to feel about them, on one hand I knew my memories from before on one hand were more dominant. Even if parts of the true Zephyrion Gremory slipped through.
Yet, the unfamiliar memories of a loving family certainly threw me off. It was a stark contrast to my dominant memories of my childhood.
"Zeph." I heard Hestia's voice.
I shook my head, making the chess piece disappear to wherever it went when not summoned. For now, I had an overly hyperactive goddess to deal with. Just as said goddess burst into the room.
-END-
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