[137] Great, Everything is Alright
Chapter 137: Great, Everything is Alright
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The first thing I did, as I stepped into the vastness of the human world, was to let my presence fill the entirety of Japan.
It felt nice to be able to do that.
My Jade Perception sharpened, I tried to pick on the presence of any divinity in the human world and failed. I focused it next on my neighborhood, my house, my senses scanning over the area—and thankfully I found nothing there as well.
I hadn't spent more than two hours in the underworld, so it's not that surprising that the world hasn't been turned upside down in this short time.
I was half expecting and was prepared to face off against a God from Norse right after coming out. Thankfully things aren't moving that fast. Not that it'd bother me.
Back when I first reached Copper rank in this life, I said how I felt blind until that moment. Now that I'm finally Sage, I feel as if I finally regained limbs that I lacked until now.
“Aqua, how did you do that?!” Rias and the others walked into the human realm as well, and I closed the portal behind us.
“Do what?”
“That ‘cut’ thing!” She was grinning like a cat. “It's incredible to split the space so effortlessly! Can I do it too? Um, will you teach me?!”
“Hm, I can teach you, but it'll take time to learn,” I pulled her to me by her curvy yet slim waist. Her cheeks grew rosy when I explained, “You need to manifest a [Icon] for this. Depending on the type of the Icon, the feats you can pull off will be that much different yet just as great.”
The White Tiger is one of the four legendary symbols of the mythical world, as one of the four directional beasts. Even if the Azure Dragon is undisputedly the most popular, it's arguable who is more powerful since the White Tiger is its rival. Due to the sheer myth behind all of this, my authority over this realm goes beyond the powers that I already have. But putting that aside, my personal name and authority as the Void Devourer White Tiger allows me a series of Void Related powers, which can also translate into spatial powers.
Opening a portal wasn't that hard for me. Now that I'm finally [Sage], I can relish in powers that are actually worth the effort.
“R-really?” Rias asked and I nodded.
“Of course. Your Power of Destruction is very powerful. Since now you're my wom- er, I mean, subordinate, I need to train you to live up to my Master's standards.”
She curled her lips teasingly, “What did you just say? I heard it.”
I raised my eyebrows, “I said nothing.”
“Surely.” She smirked and shook her head sadly, “But no, you can't say that… yet. Not until you actually do things that'll assert that. Instead of playing around.”
“And how will you like me to assert it?” I pulled her even closer, her large and round breasts pressing against me. I reached out a hand to grab her chin, parting her rosy lips as I looked into her eyes.
Truthfully, it has been a while since I've been playing around with her. It's not a bad thing, I have the time of the world so there is no need to rush, but recently I've been craving to have my way with her…
Do I make her mine today?
“Uhm,” Rias closed her eyes just when a dry cough made her reopen them and look to the side. I followed her gaze and found Akeno looking at us with a sweat on her forehead, beside whom Mem stood with an expressionless face, her arms crossed.
“Go on,” she said once our eyes met. “I'll wait, you can take your time and finish it.”
“Uhh…” her tone implied something else, and Rias wasn't dumb enough to miss it.
Rias didn't mind my other girls, I noticed that she was pretty open-minded about it in comparison to my human girls. I guess it came with her being a devil, growing up in a society where having a harem of women was common for men.
But while she didn't mind it, she didn't fail to understand that others may not be the same. She wanted me, but probably not in front of my girlfriend.
“Ah, sorry…” Rias cleared her throat and gently backed off from me. “Let’s continue this later, Aqua.”
“That's for the better,” I nodded.
‘She’s backing off out of respect, but also putting it out there that we'll continue later. Stubborn girl.’ I guess even if she was fine with the idea of harem, she still had some competitiveness within her.
“I’m glad,” Mem-Cho nodded and looked at me. “Will you be leaving soon? If so we can leave together. Otherwise, I can leave first so that you can spend time with your friend here.”
“No, I'm leaving with you,” I walked up to her. I noticed Rias’ expression slightly fell at that, perhaps a part of her expected me to accompany her.
Mem-Cho and I walked out of the school grounds before I took her into my arms and took off into the air.
* * *
We flew in silence, with the wind hitting our faces, till I dropped Mem-Cho in front of her house.
“I'll be leaving then,” I told her while she stretched her arms. She wore a smile now, her earlier dry mood rejuvenated. I'm glad at least she recovers fast.
“Why not stay the night~?” She threw her arms around me, pulling me into a short kiss, before hanging from my neck with a smile. “I would love to have you tonight.”
I put my arms on my girlfriend’s waist as I raised an eyebrow, “Your family wouldn't appreciate the noise, sweetheart.”
“You know that's not an excuse. I can cast a silence spell around my room,” she said, “Plus my mum said she wants to meet you. I met your family already, it's about time you met mine, no?”
“Well…”
She sighed with a smile, and I pulled her into another kiss. When it ended, she said while licking her lips, “Fine, another time then. I can't believe I need to fight so much for a bit of my boyfriend’s time. Haah, it's hard to date a popular man…”
“You can crash into my place tonight, I'll give my night to you.” I counter-proposed her, “I just… want to be at the house these days. Things may be dangerous.”
Memmy frowned in concern, “Okay, what is going on? You sound worried.”
“I do? No, I'm just annoyed, not worried.” I put my chin on her head and closed my eyes, putting her arms around her. I didn't want to worry her.
“If you say so,” she put her arms around my back, burying her face into my chest. It felt nice, the moment was calming. “...That Rias girl, you like her?”
“She's not bad,”
“When are you going to sleep with her?”
“You want the honest answer?” I asked as she laughed.
“Wow, you could have just said never and been done with this. But yes, tell me.”
“I’d have slept with her tonight, but you were there.” I said, “She's been thirsty to have me for months now.”
“Honestly, I'm shocked you haven't given in yet,” To my surprise, she didn't react in a bad way. I was half expecting it, but she just giggled. “She's hot, and her political position in the world is great.”
“Yeah, that's why I was planning to give in tonight,”
“How sad that you had to cancel the plan because of me.”
“Well, you're hotter.” I complimented her and she broke out laughing.
“Really? I thought you liked curvy girls better.” Mem was a bit shorter than Rias, and naturally so a bit less curvy. That did not ruin her exotic appearance though.
But while initial attraction did come from appearance, personality did matter. Mem is easy to talk to. She understood me even if not fully, and she wasn't the easily jealous or annoying type either. She did get jealous but it was bearable, and she got over it. My likeness for her wasn't limited to physical.
Plus she's a good friend beyond girlfriend. The TikTok and reels she sent were funny. Rias is cute, but she's not funny.
“I do like curvy girls, but your body has a timeless charm to it, you know?” I lied, for everything I thought just now, Rias was still the hotter one body-wise.
“Uh-huh, ‘timeless charm’? Very funny.” She scoffed. As a side effect of her ability, as I've noticed about the first time we met, her bodily growth was stuck during her teen years. We're not very different, she and I, now that I'm a Sage.
“Thank you, I know I'm extremely funny as well as charismatic.” I joked and she shook her head with a laugh.
“You should return home now, the chilly air is freezing your brain. And good luck with Rias and her peerage. I don't think the Akeno girl likes you very much.” She put her arms around my neck again, pushing her head out, and kissing me on the lips.
“Yeah, I noticed,” I let her back off after that. “It's a first impression thing, we're not on bad terms. I'll fix it with her.”
“Mhm-hmm...” Mem-Cho put her hands behind her, shifting her weight on her feet as she watched me floating. “Thanks for today. I felt safe with you… Goodnight.”
“Anytime,” I nodded and then took off.
* * *
My [Jade Perception] was like a spinning sunflower as I flew across the night sky. It allowed me to feel the world around me in a manner similar to bats’ echolocation, but in fact far better.
I sensed no enemies, so my guard was a bit low, but I kept my perception blooming like this just in case.
By now, Ai should have taken preparation for any possible invaders. I told the girls to convey my instructions to her, and based on that, she should have used [Wardrobe] to transform into a Runesmith. From here, I could sense the Defensive Formations and Protection Arrays in my house.
The presence of the Goddess of Light was also prominent in this area.
While my Jade Perception was focusing on her, she was focusing back on me—her eyes locked at the wall towards me, even though I was kilometers away.
Great, everything is alright.
– Crack-
– Rumble!
The clear sky rumbled, almost louder than when it showered me with lightning back in the underworld.
Perhaps I had let myself relax a bit too much with Mem. It was not me who did this, my dominion over the sky wasn't this great yet.
Light shone in the high sky, and a beam of rainbow light flashed over me. I wasn’t teleported, however, rather, someone was teleported above me. Teleportation, but to a greater degree than Grayfia can ever use was being displayed here.
I reacted immediately, but I wasn't fast enough. I could only cross my arms in front of me when a massive war hammer slammed down on me.
My bones crunched, and the air exploded on the spot with a boom. I was shot down, and space cracked like lightning where I was a moment ago. This impact was louder than thunder, accompanied by a Viking’s roar.
I failed to slow down my fall because of how fast I was shot down, my body thrashed into the Sumida River below, erupting a tsunami of water into the surroundings.
I regained my composure as soon as I could and took flight within the river, stopping my breath as I shot through the water, following the river stream to flank the enemy. My [Jade Perception] sensed the extreme concentration of lightning and divinity in a humanoid shape in the sky.
“...Shit.”
Given that I was attacked by a hammer, it didn't take me a second to realize who the attacker was.
Odinson Thor, the God of Thunder.
My expression darkened further, my jaws clenching in rage when I sensed two more presences in the spiritual map of my Jade Perception.
I wouldn't have minded as much if they joined Thor, but those two presences were in the sky atop my house. As much as I'd have loved to say that they were fodders in comparison to Thor, and therefore my mom could take care of them with ease, they were not.
They were almost as strong as Thor, and there were two of them.
I wanted to fly or teleport to my house right away, but Thor would follow me there if I did. That will be counterproductive. I needed to finish him here first and back up my family.
Flying through the river, I called forth the Tiger Icon and leaped outward. My body grew heavier, taller, bigger, while two ears and a tail grew out of me. Black stripes spread around my body, painted above my chalk-like white skin.
I had gone into the water as a human and came out as a beast. My roar cut through the air, and I appeared right below Thor. He had been following my flight from the sky, and had his hammer raised in preparation.
Lightning crackled in the sky behind him, painting him in the moment. The sky was like the masterpiece work of an artist, with my form leaping out of the water, and the swing of Thor's hammer about to meet my massive fist.
Thankfully, I had the benefit of surprise when my Tiger Icon fully took shape in the sky.
The man's long blonde hair flapped in the wind, as his blue eyes met my silver ones. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes at my changed appearance, and that surprise only grew when his eyes caught the sight of the Tiger Icon in the sky.
His eyes moved to look at it for a second, and that was his mistake as I evaded his hammer swing and my fist slammed into his jaw.
– BOOM-!!!
The air exploded like the explosion of an atomic bomb, air current burst out in sheer pressure that slammed against buildings and turned them into crumbling dust.
The son of Odin was sent flying out of Tokyo from the force of the punch, followed by a trail of blood from his nose, and a cackle of ominously amused laughter.
I sped up after him, my mind already adapted to the sudden shift in the night.
Out of nowhere, a deadly fight had begun.
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