98 Chapter 98: Shortening Distances

"Fu…"

After settling with several more things regarding the future I saw, I headed to the Artemis Familia home.

"Summer's about to fall… I wonder what it looks like back there."

It is the season where cherry blossoms fall. Seeing many foreigners visiting Japan for that sight is completely understandable.

If even us natives are mesmerized by that sight, how about people who couldn't see it every day?

Momentarily, I felt my homesickness kicking.

I had an absurd thought.

'How would they react after I introduce them..?'

Would my parents be alright with two girls..?

It does sound complicated once I think about it. I am still in the blank as to how they would react to it.

Although, I am confident that my brother would be fine with it.

"...Yeah. He'll definitely tease me about it."

I recalled the times I had the high ground. I was the one who teased him oftentimes, thus when he finds a way to fight back, he would definitely cling onto it. Then again, his looks only made me laugh.

"Come to think of it… He'll have a girlfriend in the next three years. I have to make sure that happens."

Granted that I always change the future, but there are things which I prefer to be the same.

Once I arrived, I subconsciously peeked through the entire residence. The information about the layout and the people present were sent to my mind. It didn't pose much trouble with my new status.

'What if..?'

I decided to be a little playful today. Artemis already saw me coming from this gate, but she wouldn't expect this.

Skipping most of the liturgy, the magicka I was about to cast is something easy yet complex.

"Ohm."

That single word held the entire spell in place. It is the equivalent of Nomina Barbara that strengthened the magicka's firepower through their utterance. In simpler terms, it is using a higher-order link to connect deeper with mysteries.

Sanskrit symbols hovered around me. They were only a fraction of the spell. This time, however, several command lines appeared out of nowhere. They wrapped around the sanskrit symbols before they were derived and copied, thus completing the spell.

The next second, I found myself standing right behind her. I caught her in a swift hug which prompted a reaction.

"Orion?!"

She squealed as she looked at me embarrassedly. It was a deadly sight that my heart skipped a beat.

"You startled me…"

"I'm sorry… I thought it'll be fun to see you like this."

"..!"

A moment of silence entangled between us. Her shyness is one thing I wouldn't get used to quickly.

"...What if somebody enters the room?"

"Ah, that?"

Snap-!

Click-!

The door to this office was locked easily. With just that, there won't be any accidental events.

"You really…"

"It's just me."

My taller body placed me in a more delicate angle. I could see her neckline as well as her tightly-clung chest in her usual hunting uniform.

For a moment, my body started acting weirdly. It didn't become too noticeable with my dream organs and all, but it made me think for a while.

'My body's really messed up, huh…'

"Orion..?"

Artemis seemingly caught up on my thoughts. She wore a blush far deeper than before.

"You don't have to worry about this. Didn't we agree to it before?" I said. "Until both of us are ready."

"Mn…"

We indulged ourselves in this moment before we stopped. Kissing the farthest we could do as of now. Artemis is not exactly the bold type while I have this body issue where I am considered underaged—in fact, I am not.

Due to this awkwardness, we didn't go to the next base.

"You have something to tell, right?"

She asked while looking straight at my eyes. Artemis likes burying her face on my chest. She could be this clingy.

"It's about Loki Familia. I am planning to tell them everything about myself. It will be harder in the future if I don't choose to do so now."

"That's good… But what about them?"

"Them?"

I understood she was pertaining to the girls in the Loki Familia. After all, it is the place where I had complex relationships the most. I still remembered Aiz's fleeting look during our last meeting.

Even if you look at it from every angle, it is not something that is usually defined by friendship.

Even if we forget Gekai for a while, I still have to settle things in my world. I can't simply leave the two girls that became my girlfriends in several iterations.

In short, I am currently caught in a tough spot.

"...Orion. I don't want to be selfish. I want you to be happy."

She dug her face into my chest in an attempt to hide her current looks.

I felt something else beneath her words. Was it jealousy? Or perhaps was it something else?

Both of us are aware that it is bound to happen. If Artemis approved of it in the ninth iteration, she would also approve it at this time.

Either way, I am aware that women would like to have their lovers for themselves—at least in my world. Suimei's case is an extremely special one where everyone reached a balance on their own.

"...I'm sorry."

That was all I could say.

If I didn't have these relationships, would things be better now? Of course, it is useless to think of it. I have the attachment and feelings to other girls despite having two girlfriends already.

I am truly a scumbag…

"As long as you don't forget about me—"

"That wouldn't happen."

When she looked back up at me, I saw a smile on her lips.

"You're a smooth-talker. Did you hone this too much in the future you saw?"

"...Perhaps."

Maybe, just maybe…

My ninth iteration could've been on Suimei's level when it comes to romantic matters.

"With you here… I have nothing else to ask."

"...That wouldn't happen… again."

"You promised it."

"On a knight's honor, on top of that."

"A knight… You became more attractive after I saw this side of yours."

Another round of our alone time began.

*****

The next day.

Unlike the previous calmness, the Twilight Manor became quite lively today.

"Fight me."

"...Alright."

Bete came up with a challenge when Nobu arrived earlier than the others. The former reckoned that it is the only time for them to be able to fight.

As for the reason why… It is simple.

Jealousy.

Bete is not the type to head-on clash with others, but when it comes to his idol—his crush—he wouldn't back down easily.

Ever since getting punished after joking about Aiz's hidden feelings to Nobu, he realized that she is becoming farther from him.

As such, even if he knew that Nobu could defeat him before, he still wanted to see how huge the gap was between them.

The two went into their starting positions. Bete didn't ask where Nobu's weapon was. He understood Nobu's fighting style which could be summarized in one word: irregular.

The pair of golden pupils looked at Bete calmly.

'He really changed.' He thought. 'What is this feeling..?'

A forewarning popped up on his head.

'Why… I wouldn't lose that easily!'

Bete dashed straight at him. His footsteps became irregular to hide his next moves. He kept his guard against Nobu's surprise factors.

However—

'What..?'

Bam-!

He was surprised to find out that his roundhouse kick directly connected to Nobu. It was a solid hit, yet…

'What..?'

His current thought process couldn't understand what happened.

At this moment, Nobu is holding his foot with one hand. He seemed to be at ease holding the attack off.

Before he could react further, Nobu tackled Bete's other standing foot. Consequently, he released his hold over Bete, making the latter fall to the ground.

Sou-!

Pssh-!

Nobu threw the training dagger beside Bete's neck. It landed deep in the grassland.

"Is this enough, Bete-san?"

"How did you…"

Bete muttered in disbelief. It was the reaction of someone who didn't expect Nobu's true prowess.

'He wasn't told about it?' Nobu mused. 'Is this one of Tiona's pranks?'

Unexpectedly, he discovered Tiona's future pranks that spanned six entire months. Every executive of the Loki Familia knew save for Bete himself.

It was supposed to be a short-term prank in which Bete will unknowingly challenge Nobu without knowing his true strength. Only, it was gradually buried with Nobu's coma.

It was decided that it would be settled after Nobu wakes up, but everyone seems to have forgotten about it.

As for Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, they didn't pay much attention since Bete will know the truth one way or another. His way of handling that shock would be yet another chance for his growth.

"..!"

Bete realized something.

"That strong presence from six months ago… Inside the Knossos, you were the one who dealt with it?"

"Indeed."

"...Tsk. I see." He replied. "That brat..!"

"Oh~? It finally happened!"

Just then, Tiona, Aiz, and Lefiya arrived.

"Hey, Sirius. Did you happen to save his face on your magic item?"

"You..!"

Nobu smiled at their playful banters. After berating Tiona several times, Bete looked at him.

"You… Take care of them..!"

"..."

The puzzled trio looked at Bete for his puzzling words. However, the latter simply left the courtyard.

'Really… If I didn't know he got around three girls gunning for him in the future, I'd feel complex.'

In reality, Bete only wanted a companion—someone strong enough for them to stay by his side.

When his childhood friend died, it was because she was weak.

When their familia captain died, it was because she wasn't strong enough.

Coincidentally, Aiz looked similar to his childhood friend but without any disadvantages. She is strong enough to hold her ground. That was the reason behind his crush.

Now that she likes someone outstanding in all aspects, it left Bete disheartened. It is the reason behind this fight in the first place.

"Ah..! Could it be that Bete is giving up?!"

"Giving up?" Lefiya asked confusedly.

"Of course, it's for Aiz!"

""..!""

As expected, Tiona was way too sharp regarding these matters.

Aiz and Lefiya froze before looking straight at Nobu.

"It has been a while since we last sparred."

'Ah..?'

'Akasaka-san…'

"Yeah! It's been half a year already!"

"I'm sorry about that. It's a reckless move but I still chose to go with it." He replied. "It didn't have only downsides, though. How about this… How about sparring with the three of you?"

"Wah..?!"

Nobody expected him to challenge them all at once.

"I won't be using that, of course. The same goes for any grand magicka or Phenomenon Mixer."

"You really became stronger again!" Tiona remarked.

At this moment, Aiz finally snapped out of her thoughts.

'His strength… I want to see it.'

The three were given some time before it started. There isn't much to plan since Aiz and Tiona are both accustomed to the vanguard role while Lefiya is more of a support-type with her current strength. It did increase with the new magicka she learned from Nobu, though she is not that confident it'll work against him—even without his Phenomenon Mixer that practically hijack's the opponent's spells.

Armed with their practice weapons, the two rushed towards him.

Swoosh-!

Swoosh-!

Tiona was the first to make a move.

Sou-!

The huge greatsword descended straight to Nobu.

He stepped back to dodge it, only to be greeted by Aiz's sword strikes as he did so.

Clang-!

Clang-!

While their swords met, Tiona wielded the greatsword and spun her body. The momentum generated by it caused the greatsword's direction to head towards him.

In no time, Nobu was caught in a cage of swords.

'Crafty. It's something I would expect from years of their teamwork.' He mused. 'Lefiya is adjusting well, too.'

He noticed the spell that Lefiya held off. It was one of her signature magic, [Fusillade Fallarica]. It is a set of light 'missiles' that would home in on a target. Other than that, she also readied another short-chant magicka.

'They became stronger… but it is still far from enough against the Black Dragon.'

Nobu realized how Alfia felt upon facing that dragon. Gekai would be fully ravaged by it if the current generation of adventurers didn't become strong enough.

'Well, it's on me to change the future.'

Once he was done thinking, he initiated his next move. Sets of command lines entered his mind before manifesting to reality. Nothing visibly changed around him—that is, until their swords were momentarily halted before being repelled.

It's as if they hit a sturdy wall.

Bam-!

"..?!"

Before they could react, Nobu already got out of their trap and singled-out Aiz.

The slightly bewildered Aiz took on his blows that felt heavier than before.

"Hup..!"

Upon spinning thrice, Tiona aimed before letting go of her greatsword. It became a missile whose sole purpose is to disengage the two.

At the same time, Lefiya let go of her magic.

Buzz-!

Bam-!

Their combined efforts allowed Aiz to disengage from their fight.

"What was that magic..?" Aiz muttered. "The blow landed but it didn't reach him. Like a repulsion…"

As for Nobu, he only had one thought in his mind:

'Satoru-san is insane enough to have something similar to this activated at all times.'

*****

A/N: If anyone's wondering, Danmachi arc is about to be concluded within the next chapter. We'll be going into the next arc by then.