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Waiting around puts me on edge, I sent men to push toward the location of the black dragon emperors treasury and have not gotten anything in response from them. I also have not gotten a notification of their death so I am unsure if they just got lost.

I made a map using the map I had put together and the one I made does not require dragon essence to fuel it so it will work like any old map. They will run into red pipit first and that's when they will summon for me to come and negotiate with the guy.

The dead sea is much bigger than it is described in the original story, sitting around on a ship while a captain steer is the peak of wasted time so I am doing it this way. Now I can spend time doing other things and one of those things is teaching.

Ashley learns so fast It freaks me out at times but then I remember she most likely possesses the Astaroth trait. Her emotional development is the only thing bottlenecking her progress, cant be a mega mind or master of magic if you don't understand social interactions... well she can be but it's not wise.

"Dad, can I play with Miss Olypheus again?" Ashley looks up from the book she was reading in my lap and her blue eyes lock onto me.

"You burned down half a town the last time I trusted her to watch you, that's not playing that's arson." Her cute little brows scrunch together and her lips pout as she closes her book and crosses her arms.

She is mindful not to drop the book or let it fall on its own, the 'value' of literature is something she learned early on. When I had to sit through reliving my childhood as best I could to make books for her to raise her with a 'proper' education she better treat them nicely. I expect these books to get reused with my other kids and don't want to make more because she burnt them.

Though I guess since they can be stored in Olympus and copied it should be fine but I spent a while on this first set and it has sentimental value now.

"I won't burn anyone." I nod and take my pointer finger to squish her nose down much to her annoyance.

"I never said you would burn a person, you will burn all their hard-earned possessions and land." She shakes away my hand and looks down at her lap.

"Then let me go play with Miss Alice!" I freeze in place and have to fight off a grimace, Alice also does not work well as a babysitter.

I put my trust in the little lucifer and she tried to teach my daughter to be a spoiled little shit. That and they both feed off each other and amplify their troublemaker tendencies.

"Why can't you just sit here with me?" She sighs and shakes her head and it almost looks like she is ready to give up the ghost as she lays her head back on my chest.

"Cant." I blink and wait for her to explain but she only looks like she lost the light in her eyes.

"Why?" She huffs and closes her eyes and I feel betrayed. "What is wrong with hanging out with me?" I pick up one of her hands and shake it around trying to get her riled up.

"Your boring." A verbal knife in the back has me questioning my entire life.

"I do fun stuff with you all the time!" She opens her eyes and raises a brow in a way that says 'really?' and I sputter in place.

"Sure, you believe that and I will pretend that it is the case." I stand up with her limp body in my arms and try to think of the funniest thing we could possibly do as soon as possible.

An idea comes to mind and I smile wide as I look down at Ashley a teleport circle opens to take us to our destination.

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Athena POV

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"I can't believe he fell for that, she is getting too good at that." I sigh and shake my head as I look at the space where Nova and Ashley were just moments ago.

"It's good to have her run him ragged, he gets too stressed over things out of his control. Let her drag him around by the nose and he will grow from it for later children." Izzy comments idly as she munches on some chips.

"I can't wait for this little girl to run him ragged as well." Kia rubs her growing belly and has an excited look on her face.

I shake my head helplessly, I guess I also look forward to my own little one pulling him around. Though they won't grow near as fast as Ashley so it will be many years till then, and there is the matter of actually getting a little one.

"I wonder where he took her?" I ask and purse my lips as I lean back into my chair.

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Ashley POV

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Ice cream and soda with a side of fries and mini burgers, mission successful.

The roller coaster that went off the rails because the speed was cranked up enough for the frame to buckle was a surprise. I almost thought it was intentional until I saw the wide-eyed look of father when he stopped it mid-air with his powers. The flight through the air with him controlling the cart was even more fun if I had to say.

I toss my trash into the trash can before running back to the table and grabbing fathers hand and pulling him to his feet.

"I am ready!" His troubled looks from earlier before I plotted for our fun are long gone, now he is back to smiles and I know I did well.

"Next let's try the surfing wave machine, no powers or wings to stay upright." I nod in agreement and he picks me up and I wrap my arms around his neck to kiss his cheek.

I will make sure to stay up the longest and set an unbeatable record!" He snorts at my declaration but I already gave my word so I will do as I said.

----

I never said I would do it on the first try... or the first day.

I will practice this surfing until I set an unbeatable record!

Watching dad stand up casually on his board as the water is blasted from a magic device to keep a permanent 'wave' under him I try to learn how he is doing it so well. The wave rocks too much and sent me off my board so many times I gave up for now but I will return once I get the trick.

With a quick wave of my dad's hand and I find myself standing on his board Infront of him and he takes a knee behind me as he supports me with his hands.

"You are trying to stand without using her hips enough, and lower shoulders as well. If you have to then you can also widen your feet enough to get a better balance instead of just copying me. Practice makes perfect so get one position down and then you can try to do tricks and balance however you want. Also, stop trying to use your powers to stand we had a deal." I wobble as I try to stand upright without my powers but I find myself finding a balance.

It is a lot like riding a bike, not that dad knows I can ride a bike...

Momma took me out on a bike after we watched a movie, she said she wanted to be the one to teach me. We made a deal to not tell dad because he might feel like she stole away something he should have taught me.

"I got it." He nods and teleports over to the bench I was on and I wobble without him for a moment before getting the hang of it once more.

Now to set that record!

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Nova POV

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The summons came fast and unexpectedly after all that waiting so I dropped Ashley off and teleported over.

A giant monster with an odd power to him latches onto the ship, man mixed with octopus in a very off-putting way.

"Red Pipit I take it?" I ask while holding my hands together, I equipped my best negotiating attire but am ready at a moment's notice to equip all the artifacts I own.

"So you are the leader they spoke of, they lied about you being able to free me from my bindings." I nod and stop a distance away from him before bringing out the original map.

"I am headed straight for the treasury and am already aware of the other two guardians that stand behind you. I have plans to neutralize both of them permanently since they are nowhere near as amicable as you are. Let my ships pass and I will break the contract pillar binding you and return the spirit crystal ball to you when I complete my quest." His eyes shine when I mention the pillar and a fire lights in them when I speak of the spirit crystal ball.

"You know much for someone uninvolved in these parts, how did you come across this information?" His tone much more subdued than when I arrived and his posture 'lowers' to a more passive position.

"I just know, do we have a deal?" I summon a contract I long prepared for him and he brings it to himself with his spirit power.

A moment to read it is all he needs and his blood ejects from a tentacle and his spirit power brands onto the line marking it onto the paper. I feel the connection binding us to not attack one another so long as the contract is in place and smile toward him.

"Thank you for being understanding, we will make haste so you also don't have to wait any longer to be free from this cursed sea." He nods and takes one last look at me before jetting off the boat and into the inky water.

"Good job boss! What do you want from us now?" Salty beard asks from my side and I pat his shoulder and look toward the horizon.

"Press on, Lotman lays ahead on a fog island, and when you see it anchor down and summon for me. I will bring Adeline and make a 'deal' with the second guardian and claim his life as fuel for Adeline's future." He waves and yells and his crew starts the various magical devices that power the ship.

It still looks like a pirate ship because salty beard was depressed when I put him on a modern-looking vessel. But that is neither here nor there, I grow closer to my goal and the final pieces to have ZZola'sbreakthrough. I feel my heart pound in my chest at the thought and my hands sweaty.

Growing in power is addictive and I have been stuck at this power for the longest of all the stages and I yearn to break through. If the system kkeepsbottlenecking me with some hidden recruitment I will have to make other plans. I won't be held down much longer before I take drastic measures, a plan I shudder to think about but might be my future.