Chapter 99 Reunion, August's awakening.

Denki and the rest of Heracles familia were on their way back, climbing to the surface after two long days inside the dungeon. They were tired, especially during their ascent. Along the way, they encountered a total of four mobs. Despite their weariness, they all made it out, albeit not without injuries, especially Helga, who had acted as the primary tank.

Now, they were on the first floor, where every monster they encountered was unfortunate enough to cross their path. After one final turn, they finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

"FINALLY!!!" Katty raised her hands up in the air in joy. "A HOT BATH AND A GOOD MEAL!!!"

The rest of the familia chuckled, all agreeing with the sentiment of the petite adventurer.

"Yeah... Nothing beats those things after a few days of staying inside the dungeon," Helga nodded in agreement. "Especially if meat is on the menu."

Denki chuckled. "You said it!" he agreed wholeheartedly. "Speaking of meat... Kiez!"

Kiez groaned when he heard his name being called. Being the newest, youngest, and the only level 1 member meant that he was usually the one being ordered around to run errands. Not just by Denki, but everyone in the familia. He tiredly stepped forward.

Denki smiled wryly at Kiez, remembering himself when he was the rookie in Heracles familia, with August and Heracles both treating him as a slave. "Sorry about this, but I'm too tired as well," he passed the bag of their loot - mainly monster cores - to the poor lad. "Go exchange this at the guild and buy a feast at the hostess... You can do that, right?"

"Do I have a choice?" Kiez grumbled. After what they had been through, he also wanted to rest and lay down.

"No," Helga was the one who answered, trying hard not to laugh at the scrumped-up face Kiez was showing to everyone.

"Fine..." the poor lad answered. He really just wanted to get this over with and go home.

Jugo, who couldn't stop himself, let out a chuckle. He was amused by the facial expressions Kiez was showing to everyone.

Denki, seeing this, smiled at Jugo. "Oh, and Jugo... Go with him, will you?" Even though Denki was smiling, Jugo could only see a demon keeping him away from his bath and warm bed. "He'll probably need some help carrying all that food back home," Denki continued as he turned away, walking towards the direction back home, followed by the other members of Heracles familia, who all laughed at Jugo's dumbfounded expression as they passed by him.

Jugo had his mouth hanging open... And after a few moments, he screamed. "SON OF A BITCH!!!"

Kiez, on the other hand, just whispered to himself. "Serves you right."

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Denki and the rest of the familia were only a few steps away from reaching Heracles' manor. But as they neared, they all came to a sudden halt.

*BOOM!*

*BOOM!*

*BOOM!*

Several violent explosions reached their ears. The sounds were coming from their home.

"WHAT THE HELL!!!" Ozwald yelled.

"Are we under attack?!" Katty hurriedly drew her weapon, her face snarling.

"WE NEED TO MOVE!!! NOW!!!" Helga snapped to attention, willing her mana to move all over her body as she drew the claymore on her back.

Everyone prepared to storm the house, determined to put a stop to whoever was causing the ruckus. Everyone except Denki...

The members of the familia stared at the acting captain, who was stuck on the ground, unmoving. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! LORD HERACLES MAY NEED OUR HELP!!!" Helga yelled angrily and moved towards Denki. She placed both her hands on his shoulder and shook him, but she was shocked to see a tear forming in the young samurai's eyes. "D-Denki?"

A smile slowly formed on Denki's lips. Throughout three months, Denki had been training non-stop and had now perfected Toga's technique: the mana dome. Even though it was not at the level of the old master or even his captain and Ais, he was able to make his mana dome large enough to reach the manor from where they were standing. When he heard those explosions - that were still happening - he turned it on right away to see who it was.

And what he felt shocked him... For the first time in three and a half months, Denki smiled the most sincere smile he ever did, shocking everyone who saw it. They could feel it: a heavy weight had just lifted off his shoulders.

"H-He's awake..." He muttered, his lips quivering. His eyes looked at Helga, and tears finally fell from them. "He's back! THE CAPTAIN!!! HE'S AWAKE!!!"

Helga and everyone's eyes widened. And just like that, the same expression Denki was having slowly morphed onto their faces.

Without missing a beat, Denki ran with everything he had towards Heracles' manor. The others followed behind, but were unable to keep up with Denki at full speed.

As he got nearer, he could feel it, the familiar mana, the one that always brought fear to everyone; he could feel the grasp of death clutching his heart, but he didn't care. After three and a half months, he missed that feeling.

The others, though, all fell to their knees. Sure, they had felt August's mana when he fought at the tournament, and more so when he fought the creature, but not this close. The closer they got, the harder it was for them to move, and one by one, starting from the weakest, all the way to Helga, they dropped down from the pressure.

But not Denki; he pushed himself, urging himself to move, heading straight towards the back of the manor, where there was an open space. And just like old times, he saw his god, Heracles, and his captain August, sparring full force, causing the space to shake at every blow they exchanged.

"C-captain!" Denki stammered. He gulped as he saw August dodge Heracles' blow that was inches away from him. "CAPTAIN!!!"

The two stopped as they heard a cry. August pulled his mana back inside his body, and Heracles did the same, pulling his godly aura back, making the pressure vanish like it was not even there.

"Yo!" August turned towards Denki and raised his hand. "You sure have gotten a lot stronger... Denki."

Denki couldn't hold himself back anymore. With tears, he ran towards August and pounced at him, hugging his captain as his emotions took over.

All the pressure, all the weight he had on his shoulders, the stress, the pain, the tension, every emotional turmoil he had as he acted as the captain of the familia vanished. All because the man he admired the most had finally awakened.

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-A few moments earlier

*August's POV*

I panted heavily, sweat pouring from my body as I moved so naturally, everything clicking in place. With one final slash of my spear, I beheaded the last of the faceless figures coming my way.

I fell on my ass, trying to catch my breath. How many years had it been? I lost count at 40, or maybe I just stopped trying entirely. "Well, there it is, killed every single one of those annoying pieces of shits!" I grinned, looking at the empty space.

"Well, do you want a medal or something?" Beowulf said sarcastically. After spending who knows how long inside this shitty world, the two of us had gotten a lot closer. "So? How do you feel?" it asked.

"Like shit!" I answered, my voice more forceful than I had intended.

"Well, training is never really fun." I could hear the smugness in its voice. After spending multiple decades with it, you could start to discern its tone, its emotion, and right now, the asshole was amused at my state.

"Training?" I asked sarcastically. "TRAINING?!! THAT WAS FUCKING TORTURE!!!" I shuddered as I remembered every ounce of pain and misery I experienced. "I FUCKING DIED SO MANY FUCKING TIMES!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT FUCKING FELT?!!" I couldn't hold back any longer and started to rant at the empty abyss.

"And at the end of the day, you have grown stronger, did you not?" I swore, this fucking asshole was doing this on purpose. And, to tell the truth, it was right.

A vicious smile formed on my lips as sparks of red lightning coiled around my hand. "Strong, huh? To tell you the truth... I don't think anyone can even touch me right now." The red lightning subsided as I clenched my fist. I could feel the current of electricity moving inside my body. "How about you? What do you think? Am I strong enough for you now?"

A pair of golden eyes and a menacing grin appeared in the empty space, right in front of me. That was enough for me to know that it approved.

A small chuckle escaped from my lips as I stood up and stretched my back. Placing the spear on my shoulder, I looked at it dead in the eye and asked, "So... What happens now?"

I suddenly felt my body getting heavy. Gods, how I missed this sensation. This was the feeling when my body was starting to leave the abyss. "And just like that, I'm free to go?" I asked. "I know you well enough to learn that there's always a catch with you. So, what is it?"

"Not this time, master... This is purely out of my own desire. With you stronger, it will inevitably be useful to me in the long run," it answered, and continued. "Our deal and game, after all, are still ongoing, and with you at your peak and strongest, it would just be beneficial to me once I take over your body."

"HAHAHAH!!!" I laughed, shaking my head at the words that escaped its mouth. "Do you honestly believe that I'm that much of an idiot? After how many years alone with you, I realized that you really don't want anything to do with my body... No... All you want is to be free... Free of your shackles, free of this spear that binds you."

I let my mana roar, red lightning erupting from my body. A flash of red light illuminated the abyss, revealing a large black wolf, multiple chains holding it down in space. "You just desire freedom from this prison, and the solution you came up with is taking my body for yourself... Isn't that right, Beowulf?"

A smirk formed on my face. I looked up at it as it stared down at me. "If that's the case, why didn't you take the body of the previous owners? And the answer is simple... You can't do it."

"...." Beowulf did not answer. It only stared at me blankly, and I could feel that it was angry. Fuming even...

"Because if you did, you'd actually be erasing the original soul inside the body, and in doing so, killing the host with you in it," I continued. "You can take control, influence me for a few minutes, like in the past. But you're not really free, are you? The original soul could still take over and bring you back here... In this space that you have treated as your prison." I said, gesturing at the empty abyss.

"All because you've been created as a tool to serve a master, a wielder... In short... Me." My final words made Beowulf growl. I could feel its bloodlust creeping up my skin.

"Everything you said had been planned, to make me stronger, to make me push myself," I said with the deepest sincerity I could muster. "And for that... I thank you. And you're right, our game is still ongoing, but right now, at this moment... I have already won." A small smile formed on my lips. "And don't worry. I intend to keep the promise that I gave to you... I will give you the freedom that you so crave."

I felt the bloodlust suddenly faltering, a look of shock was apparent on the wolf's face. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of it. No, of him... From now on, this being was no longer just a mere tool for me to use. Our time together had made me realize that Beowulf was now a part of me. A part of my strength and arsenal. "So what do you say, asshole? You in?" I asked.

"HAHAHA!!!" The whole space vibrated as loud laughter echoed all over the abyss. "You really are the best... Yeah, I'm in. You better not die on me, August, not before you give me my freedom, however you might achieve that," he grinned, showing me his sharp canines, as the chains around his body rattled from his laughter. "After that, you can die in a ditch for all I care."

"Well, that's not very nice..." I chuckled as well, scratching the back of my head, as the two of us smiled at each other. "By the way, how long have I been here? Are Denki and the others still alive when I return?"

"Well, by my count, you've trained inside here for 70 years..."

My jaw dropped as I heard those words. 70 years? That was such a long time; wouldn't I just be an old man when I woke up?

"Relax... That's only inside here. Time moves differently in here than in the outside world. For them, it would be under four months," Beowulf said, amused by my reaction. I swear, this asshole would be the death of me. "Now leave... Your face is getting annoying now."

"Fine... I don't want to stay in this place for much longer anyway..." I rolled my eyes and turned away from Beowulf. With my back turned, I bid my goodbyes. "Well... See you."

"Yeah... Fuck off."

And in an instant, my body started to fall, and in the next moment, I was lying on my bed. "Well, it's about damn time!" I heard the old man's voice, making me feel nostalgic for the sound. "You have missed way too many interesting events, August."

I opened my eyes, my mana bursting out of my body, red lightning leaving scorched marks all over the room. I sat up and looked at the side, seeing the old man, my god, Heracles, looking at me with the same crappy smile he wore whenever he was happy. Before I could greet him, I felt my stomach rumbling; I was so fucking hungry. "Hey, old man... Got any food? I'm fucking starving!"

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Chapter 99 is now complete. How are you all enjoying the story so far?

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