Chapter 8 Commissioned by Thoma7200

Waking up I took a deep breath and literally moaned as the deep breath did not feel like I was trying to orally pleasure a cactus meaning my once broken and shattered body had restored itself while I was sleeping.

"Uhm are you ok sir?" Beta asked blushing as she looked over the side of the couch, she was laying upon to check on me.

I shamelessly nodded as I stretched and felt my body crack and pop comfortably as I shifted in place to stretch out my priorly sore muscles. "Yes Beta, I feel much better. Honestly waking up with a shrieking yawn isn't too unusual for me as I want to praise the sun." I said making up nonsense about the sun bit.

'Actually, could I get a connection a sun god like Amun Ra from Dark Souls praising the sun?' I thought wryly before I said fuck it. I was already a weirdo with a number of gods within my soul that could send messages to me, and I could even go into their miniature realms to apparently get the shit kicked out of myself in the name of training.

Getting up I redressed myself in my finery as I enjoyed now being in perpetual soul and body agony before I hummed as I took out a bag filled with small wooden squares. "Beta I am going to practice my Norse runes some more; would you like to watch?" I asked and she excitedly nodded as we went to go sit on the front platform of the church in the chairs, I had setup previously.

"So how did your meeting with Baldur go anyway besides just getting the Light manipulation ability?" I asked to open up the conversation and as Beta responded my eyes twitched as I held in a scowl as it wasn't my fault that Baldur was a far better teacher in my opinion.

"Oh Lord Baldur was just the best. He blessed me with that light manipulation as I spoke of before." Beta said holding up her hand to project a small knife made of light that she used to quickly scratch a rune onto one of the tablets. "He also told me how to make use of single runes systems and made sure I memorized the full Norse Elder Futhark alphabet so that I could help teach you in turn!" Beta said excitedly and with pride as well at having the opportunity to actually help me in turn.

And just to prove her words I could feel with my burgeoning magical senses that the hint of divinity being used in her blessing was fueling the runes to create a stable flame that gently hovered over the rune as Beta had the knowledge to engrave the core of the rune as she was engraving so it actually could properly store the energy and not explode like a massive fireball or act like a jet engine and send a pillar of flames where the rune was pointing.

I raised a finger before slumping as I felt a bit bitter about my own speaking with the gods that were within myself. They gave me great potential, but I had fucked all idea, how to use my abilities with Herakles's idea of teaching me how to take advantage of my blessing was literally wringing me like a rag in his hands that could wrap around my waist with no issue.

When I said I was wrung out like a rag to get the excess water out, I wasn't exaggerating at all, and the agony of such treatment cannot be overstated.

Hecate's blessing of control over the process of Transmutation, was an extremely powerful gift indeed. Better than either Herakles's or Baldur's blessings put together honestly. Its ability to allow me to recreate literally any alchemical or magical reagent should I know it well enough couldn't be understated for how ridiculous such a measure was as I was in essence never going to be short of funds or ingredients for magic so long as I knew the ingredients well enough.

But when I had neither an education nor any real knowledge of the apparently infinite magical sources and methods in the multiverse, I was uber boned as I refused to mess with my magical circuits as misusing them could mangle my soul which would at best kill me painlessly should I break my soul using my Magic Circuits for something.

"Thank you for showing me this Beta and I would appreciate some tutoring in the usage of runes or just having your help enchant some gear for myself and Alpha's more militant arm of the church will prove a great help." I said patting the smug and proud silver haired elf as she preened at being so useful.

"Then here sir. Let me show you how to use the fire rune, as Baldur said you didn't add a mental release and storage function to the runes." Beta began to explain and thus went into a long-winded explanation as she showed how to properly begin making Runes. You needed to keep in mind the Runes primary function like using a fire rune to store or create water wouldn't work and would at best shoot a powerful geyser of steam into your face if you were lucky. If it didn't just explode as you were engraving, it.

But the actual act of engraving the rune was the process in which you 'programmed' the spell into its engraved form onto the surface of whatever you were placing on it. So, in theory if you wanted to be slow as hell and had a perfect mental list of what you wanted the rune to do. You could add a lot of functions to a single rune, but the longer you worked on a single rune the exponentially higher amount of mana it would cost you and the bigger explosion there would be if your mind wasn't perfectly focused on whatever you wanted the rune to do and accidentally got some of the rune's functions mixed up.

Hence why people used several runes to focus the effects of their enchantments as it would cost far less mana to make a multi-faceted enchanted object. And if a single rune fucked up, it could possibly be fixed, and most importantly the resulting backlash wouldn't be nearly as bad compared to a single overpowered rune going off wherever the enchanted object was on your body.

"Ok Beta, I need to digest this information and try this out when I get some free time." I said thankfully as Beta went about showing me how she was able to use the runes for wind and water to make storm clouds, that she could control through the rune. Though she had explained that in order to weaponize it she would need to use the runes for Thor and such to call upon and control his lightning, but Baldur told her not to mess with god's divine runes yet as her blessing wasn't strong enough to support such expenditure as her blessing was to fuel her light manipulation rather than fueling the creation of powerful runes.

Beta then stood up from her seat sighing as she stretched throwing her arms up in the stretching and I while I relaxed digesting the information, I saw Alpha and Zeta riding back to the church on their horses.

As Alpha and Zeta's horses approached the platform leading into the church, Alpha leapt from her horse and landed in front me in a crouch and then she yelled back as she looked back. "Zeta, put the horses in the stable behind the church I am going to debrief Jake."

At Alpha's serious expression, I knew something was going to happen and for a moment I believed that the Cult was doing something fucky in the area already after we killed so many of them but her words made me blink in surprise. "Jake, the royal Midgar princesses you mentioned before are actually here and they will be here soon."

I raised an eyebrow as I hummed in thought at the news as I folded my hands in front of my face. "And you look like it's not such a simple thing as they are actually here for us with something more complicated than just checking us out, correct?" I spoke and Alpha nodded.

"Yes Jake. Zeta was able to smell some of the corruption you could when it comes to those with Demon Possession or carrying the Demon Blood pills the Cult likes to use to mutate and boost the power of the members, within the group of knights that were escorting the princesses." Alpha explained with a frown.

I sighed and twirled the silver spoon that was resting in my teacup before I began to speak. "The Cult of Diabolos has for the last millennia controlled this world in the shadows with their powerful high-ranking members living long lives by devouring the condensed power of the Demon Possession curse after being distilled from the girls they extract the curse from." I spoke with Alpha's face twisting into a wrath filled one at my words.

"I know where these very extractions are taking place, but we are not ready to raid and uproot it, nor will any of the kingdoms be of any use to us... We must gain the power to uproot and replace the very roots of the world as the Cult of Diabolos has become the roots and defenders of the world." I spoke frowning especially as although I certainly didn't read the whole LN of this world.

I knew other realms and worlds invading were a thing as Cid got sent back to his Earth after his reincarnation through some kind of portal system and his Earth was mostly destroyed by the interdimensional monsters that invaded with the advent of mana into that Earth and the resulting people going crazy with magical power as well as the animals becoming far more dangerous.

But somehow the Cult of Diabolos was able and has saved the world from the gaping tears in reality that come every so often that will inevitably leave powerful monster's treasures and even the power systems of that world before the 'invading' realm moves on like a solar systems rotation of planets sometimes passing by one another and partially merging.

"Hmm I understand... So, we will be playing nice and not attempt to weed out that knight that's with the Cult?" Alpha said with a frown and to that I shrugged.

"I never said we should or would play nice to either the Cult or the visiting royalty... I and by extension you follow in the steps of true divine. Their prided bloodline is even that of the Demon King Diabolos." I said snorting as Alpha looked at me in shock at the bombshell of information.

"No, the royalty of Midgar at least doesn't have anything to do with the Cult as far as I am aware. If anything, they are a prominent target as they will be perfect vessels for the demon's actual resurrection at some point." I guess before taking a drink of my tea as Zeta jogged over from the back of the church with her long blond tail swishing behind her.

Honestly Iris Midgar was already a perfect vessel for Diabolos's resurrection as she already had the same black and red lightning mana that the Witch of Calamity or more commonly known as the Demon Diabolos had.

"Sir, we also had to clear out some monsters that encroached upon the road. I suggest after this meeting me, and you go on a hunt together to clear out the monsters!" Zeta said with some hidden excitement, and I blinked before nodding as that could be fun after dealing with the coming drama with the Midgar royalty.

I patted Zeta's head between her large ears making her smile smugly as she looked past me, and I looked behind seeing Beta just exiting the church to join us. "Zeta, don't be a smug cat." I said chuckling as Zeta pouted at having her behavior pointed out.

But a few minutes later of enjoying my tea with the girls and Alpha asking some questions about Hecate and Beta showing Alpha how runes work so the blond elf's ghetto Sharingan could memorize the process in which to create them. I heard a loud carriage and the horses pulling them going down the road leading towards the church.

"Here they are." I said softly as the clearly royal carriage that was heavily decorated was pulled to the front of the church and onto the paved area, I had set up for other carriages to park while the horses were quickly escorted off the paved section.

The knight who was driving the leading carriage while several knights on horseback riding behind the carriage got off their horses, began speaking loudly as he announced the personage, they represented.

"The royal princesses Iris and Alexia Midgar have come to inspect the premises. Bow to show your fealty to the Royal Bloodline!" The knight announced and I just lazily blinked before I picked up my cup of tea to loudly sip it to break the silence as the announcing knight awaited us to get up off our very comfortable chairs to bow and scrape to some royals.

"I said that-" The man spoke louder but I held up a hand as I smiled cooly.

"I kneeled not to the gods I serve. And so, I shall not kneel to royals who bear no such divine ruling." I spoke regally with my magical energy filling the surroundings with a pressure greater than those green knights who hardly saw real battle could cope with.

In response to my words the doors to the carriage opened up with a woman's leg in tightly clinging pants stepped out past the walls of the carriage to allow the rest of the womans form to be seen and I recognized Princess Iris Midgar by her crimson hair. "Hello Apostle of the Gaia Pantheon, please forgive my knights as they merely have been raised up with tight traditions." She spoke deferentially but I could tell it grated on her to do so.

Then from behind her came Princess Alexia, and I saw that she was wearing a more elaborate dress that although fancy did allow her some range of free movements so she could use her sword which made an interesting comparison to her older sister who was practically in a more relaxed uniform that would allow her to fight with her great sword with ease.

"Princess's of the Midgar kingdom, I welcome you to the Gaia Pantheon church... How may I help you." I said relaxedly while covering the bottom of my face with my folded over hands.

Iris Midgar continued to walk over to me and in response I moved a hand from my face to the table and activated my Transmutation ability to create a couple ornate chairs made out of gold and other precious gems to sit in front of me as Alpha, Zeta, and Beta moved to sit behind me.

"How did you do that?!" Alexia said pausing in her sedate walk behind her sister as she had never seen magic done in that way which made me roll my eyes.

"This world's magic system is woefully inadequate... You people are no offense truly, but cavemen in how you treat the mystical power that fills the multiverse and will allow you to bend the world around you to your will." I said calmly as I turned the whole table, I was resting my hand upon into a pile of rose petals that flew off in the wind I conjured through my hands. "Now, as I said before and I am sure such princess's such as yourself are busy with your own issues back at the capital. What may I and the gods I represent do for you." Left unsaid was how I was clearly saying. 'Whatever you have to request of my gods better be important.'

Iris chewed on her words for a minute before she spoke. "That ray of light that occured her a couple days ago. Was that done by an Artifact?" She questioned and I raised an eyebrow in intrested before shrugging as I saw no problem in answering truthfully.

"No. I have the blessing of the God of Light, Baldur and can control Light and thus that pillar of you light you must have seen at the capital would have been when I was dealing with some troublesome pests." I said raising up a hand to form a square pillar of solid light that hovered over my hand and rose up a solid couple meters in height.

Iris clearly inspected my form and although my form was covered in a fancy robe with gems upon it. I clearly wasn't wearing an artifact nor was there one in my empty hands.

"I see... And what are your church's intentions towards the people of Midgar?" She asked this time with more respect in her words as she had to treat me as an outlier with how my magic clearly was out of her breadth of knowledge.

I smiled clapping my hands together making the older princess's hand that was gripping her sword flex pulling it out an inch before I began speaking. "That just it! The Gaia Pantheon only desires the worship of the masses for their faith energy. We do not seek to interfere with your people's lives, have them sacrifice anything but just of some of their time as they pray to the gods, they identify most of all." I explained and that bit about us only wanting people's prayers they disbelieved the most.

"Haha!" I laughed at their funny expressions as I knew what they were thinking. Churches were typically extremely wealthy due to their aggressive 'donation' seeking and with their power over the people they were able to avoid paying taxes and such. "Oh, I am sorry for being rude. But my gods have separated me from worldly desires at least in the pursuit of shiny metals at least." I said mirthfully as I leaned down in my chair to lay my hand on the porch's floor and then with thrum of power, I transmuted the whole front porch into gold with Alexia gaping at the polished golden mirror of herself that looked back up at her.

"So, you don't desire wealth because you have basically unlimited of it?" Alexia muttered I nodded as I settled back into my seat.

"Thats correct." I spoke to Alexia. "Now anyway, my gods are not from this world like Beatrix who has abandoned or simply lost this world in the void between realms after she left it. So, the miracles I bring are as real as they come." I spoke before stretching as I stood up.

"Here come inside with your knights and see the marble statues of the three gods who have descended into the mortal realm to gain worship." I said as I turned my back and walked into the church assured that Iris and Alexia wouldn't do anything and should any of those knights do anything, my girls would have plenty of time to stop them and allow me to turn around.

Wordlessly I walked into the church, and I heard Alexia's short heels clacking across the polished marble floor as she caught up to me. "So other than possibly inviting every nation to kill you for the fear of you ruining their economy by dumping tons of gold into the market, what other kinds of magic or 'divine blessings' can you do?" She asked making quotation marks around the divine blessing bits making me chuckle at how frank she was.

"Well, if you talked to the towns people, they could tell you how I blessed crops to help them grow overnight, and I suppose more something more interesting for you and these knightly folks, I have regrown limbs that were cut off." I said and Alexia's eyes widened at that bit as with Midgar's very militant culture, people walking around with swords were seen as not being anymore unusual than seeing someone walking around with a guitar case or something back on Earth.

So, people losing limbs in this society obsessed with swordsmanship was not too uncommon though nobles didn't typically lose limbs with how they were able to use mana to protect their bodies.

I shook my head as I looked to Alexia before shrugging. "Those are just the divine miracles bit... Anyway, I am curious, I can feel your mana is so much clearer and less wild than your sisters. Do you have any intention in focusing more on your magic than your swordsmanship?" I asked before wincing as her face twisted up into a wrath filled disdain before she schooled it back into normalcy.

"Ah... No, I prefer to focus on my swordsmanship." She said dully with her expression clearly saying to 'shut up and do not continue this conversation.'

'But I am cosplaying a priest who was set on halping people be set on a better path. Kirei Kotomine would be so proud of me.' I thought jokingly as I smiled indulgently to the silver haired princess.

"Alexia, your sisters mana is a wild explosion of power derived of her inheriting the power of the demon Diabolos as seen from her red and black lightning-based mana. Your mana is a gentle spring green mana that can actually be used for magic far easier than your sister would ever find controlling reality that smashing it with a hunk of metal." I tried to coax her and at my words of her sistering being a barbarian swinging a club of metal she smiled for a minute before her face curdled as Iris coughed loudly and glared at me.

"And what the hell do you mean by my mana being inherited from the Demon Diabolos?!" She demanded and in turn I looked past her and pointed at the knight who flinched at my action.

"You should ask him. He is the one part of the Cult of Diabolos... I can smell the corruption clinging to him from carrying the cursed pills that are the distilled power from the Demon." I said with my face finally revealing my irritation at the rank smell filling my church. "Show us your mana now, and then try one of the pills on his person and while it mutates his body, his body will arc with the same black and red mana that you have Princess Iris, as all the royal families are related to the Demon Diabolos albeit distantly."

While Iris chewed on my words the knight tried shouting that he wasn't some cultist of any sort but as Alpha and Zeta stood beside me looking at the knight, I pinpointed with murderous intent it was clear that the man was terrified of being caught as he was sweating profusely.

"Iris... Is it too much to ask for him to merely empty his pockets." I asked with a wry smile and her expression firmed as no it wasn't at all a hard thing to ask. As I wasn't accusing him of being a mere thief.

"Do it Randal Buttitches." She ordered and then man froze hyperventilating before a demented grin crossed his face as he manically laughed.

"I won't die here! I refuse! I will become an immortal knight of the rounds!" He howled as he did just as Iris asked and tore out a bottle filled with pills and as Iris dashed forward to stop him. The man named fucking Buttitches of all things managed to take a few pills before Iris got to the knight and slapped her sheath into the man's throat knocking the pill bottle away with the leftover dozen or so red pills scattering across the white marble floor.

Even as the man gagged at the hit to his throat, he was able to use his newfound power of red and black mana arcing off of his form to smash his sword into Iris's now drawn sword sending her skidding across my marble flooring as his body mutated and grew another foot of height and his form burst out of his clothes as he bulked up greatly.

"Please don't ruin my marble flooring..." I said with an eyebrow twitching and with a scream of agony from the man I dashed forward and with a conjured saber of light slashed the man's arms and legs off leaving him to bleed for only a couple of moments on the floor before his wounds healed over and his limbs started regenerating making me eyes twitch as I recalled Herakles advice for dealing with regenerators.

"Lady Iris, may I kill this Cultist and I will explain the Cult of Diabolos to you. Or do you have a way to actually subdue and communicate with a rabid monster twisted by the demon's power?" I asked rhetorically and silence was my only answer as Iris got back to her feet as she slipped over the smooth floor of my church.

"Men! I will not charge nor harm you! Do you know anything of this Cult of Diabolos or where those pills come from?!" Iris demanded instead and obviously her men hurriedly shook their head in denial making her cluck her tongue in disappointment. "Apostle as the princess of the Kingdom of Midgar I request you to seal or make it so we can question the man." She spoke respectfully as I stabbed spears of light into the mutated monster beneath my foot to pin it into the marble floor.

I sighed before reaching down and like I did with Alpha and the others I laid my hand down on their flesh and simply pulled out the corrupt mana while he was speared into the ground so he couldn't resist.

"Here, one insane cultist nice and gift wrapped." I said smiling before I pointed over to the statue of Hecate. "Now Alexia, I believe you could make a contract with the goddess of magic Hecate would you like to hear about her." I said while smiling as I kicked the bleeding man across the room towards the knights who quickly bound the man up in some kind of magically resistant chains.

Alexia in response to my words just blinked before nodding hurriedly as she saw it as less of a request or offer of power and more of a demand. But I wasn't going to dissuade her thoughts. For every person who had a contract with my gods, the more powerful I in turn became as those people were bound to give their full worship with each use of their new abilities.