Dungeon

Instead of teleporting, they were heading back to the Academy through regular, if lavish, means.

And by that, Alastor meant they had rented a whole caravan for themselves as they headed to the Academy.

'I wonder if Nine got the message through in time?' Alastor thought to himself.

Alicia was poring over the text containing information about the Roots inside another wagon, A was running alongside the carvan, Karna was asleep in his wagon, Professor Bones was standing eerily still as he stared off into space, Amber was nowhere to be seen and Alastor was waiting.

'All they have to do, is time the opening right.'

Alastor observed the newly upgraded Spear, as the black veins seemd to wriggle against the bleached white bone that made up the spear.

'The Shoggoth should affect my evolution to some extent as well. Ah, just how much longer will it take for the dungeon to form...'

Alastor idly experimented with his Weapon Aura, as he cut an apple into six with his finger.

He heard a voice from outside his wagon, "May I enter?"

'What does Alicia want at this time of night?'

He replied by opening his wagon door, as Alicia floated in.

"What is it?" Alastor asked simply.

Alicia thought for a second before saying, "I heard from somewhere that you were allowed to join the second year mercenary program in advance?"

Alastor thought to himself as he nodded to her, 'She's trying to flex her information network?'

Alicia continued, "Then you must know of the party system as well?"

Alastor nodded once more. A party could have a number of members proportional to it's rank, and they were allowed to get missions which were higher ranked than thier individual mercenary ranks if they showed good coordination.

Alicia then made her request, "Then, next year, I wish to join your party. I believe you too would not be content with staying a B rank. I also have a decent network to help us progress smoothly without the threat of politicking amongst the higher ups."

Alastor looked at her, and smiled gently, "Alicia. I was going to have you as a party member anyway. You know that as well. Now, what is the real reason you came here?"

Alicia hesitated, but continued, "You see, my father, Elder Asher, not only has one of the most prestigious seats in humanity, but also a great business empire, even catering to Gods up to the Fourth Heaven."

"I wish to seize it from him. I want everything he has, to rip it from him as he watches everything he built be taken. The business is first. The seat next."

Alastor whistled mentally, 'Such hostility~ Very good.'

He asked, "Really now? And you want my help in the future to do this?"

Alicia nodded, "It is almost guaranteed that you will become a Hero succeeding the aging Soaring Sky. You must have already noticed the background fighting going on around your presence. My father will certainly be supporting you. After you become a Hero, you will have enough power and support to help me."

Alicia continued, "Now, I'm not telling you to go against a Seat of the Grand Alliance without a price-"

Alastor cut her off, "I'll do it."

Alicia paused, her calculations going astray once more, "What? But you didn't even hear the re-"

"Because that's what friends do, Alicia." Alastor smiled as he said this to her.

"I'm helping you, not for a reward, but because I am your friend."

'And because you are quite emotionally undeveloped, but we can gloss over that.'

Alicia still seemed hesitant, an unknown warmth blooming within her, "I-I see. Thank you...Friend."

With the mood now awkward, Alastor prompted her, "Anything else?"

She shook her head, taking her leave as she rose once again, "Thank you for hearing me out...and for not asking."

"Good Night."

Alastor wished her a good night as well, as he smiled into thin air, 'Ahh, the traumatized and revenge consumed ones are really fun to mess with, but easy to use~'

Alicia entered her own wagon, a slight blush on her smiling face, while Alastor laid back in his, smiling widely. Unfortunately for Alicia, they were both smiling for different reasons.

.........................................

Alastor suddenly leapt up in his wagon late at night, 'It's time!'

He exited his wagon, easily keeping pace as he acted as if he was going for a little jog, like A.

A himself was still running alongside the carriages, and Alastor joined him.

After some meaningless banter, Alastor's demonic self kept resonating faster and faster, showing it was almost here.

Alastor used a good amount of mana to suddenly push A away, as the ground, or rather the space, beneath him opened up, releasing a burst of demonic essence into the air along with a small horde of demons, before snapping shut.

As the students fought back the sudden attack on their caravan, Alastor breathed in the hellish air deeply, finally back in the Nine Hells.

Then, the itching sensation in his soul got worse as the demonic essence in his surroundings practically begged him to use them to evolve.

Alastor looked around, guessing from the density that he was in the Third Layer of the Nine Hells.

'I should find a Viscount's lair to use as a safe place to evolve. Even though this is the Third Layer, there's always being who return to smaller ponds to feel bigger.'

'I should be able to fight a healthy Viscount by now, but I still need too much effort.'

"Then, let's begin. The evolution....speed run, I believe it was called?"

........................................

Within the depths of a lake in the Third Layer of the Nine Hells, emerged a Viscount ranked demon, it's original shape distorted by large flesh buds marring it's skin, wriggling and moving.

A clear indicator that it was holding back it's evolution to the Count Rank.

No other demon knew why one such as it had returned to the Third Layer. It ruled it's territory with an iron flipper, eating when it wished to eat, killing when it wished to kill.

It innately held the Sin of Pride, amplifying it's overbearing nature awakened by the Viscount advancement.

As this majestic creature swam through the lake, it leapt out of the demonic essence poisoned water, flipping lazily through the air.

Too late to see the black and white spear zooming it's way.