Growth Beyond Belief!
His spar with Take early in the dawn had been nothing but a brutal smackdown. Jackal used axes and fists.
Take only chose his fists and legs, however.
Yet did not intend to take it easy on Jackal at all. He used all of his divine experience to carve painful lessons on Jackal's body. And his promise had been simple.
The god will move to weapons when Jackal makes him.
Lili and others trained not too far away in the empty fields. They would glance at Jackal getting his ass tossed around and beaten but he would keep on standing like a man without a care for his life. When he accumulated too much damage, Lili came to provide aid with Butterfree Era.
But she also had an interesting proposition.
"Jackal-sama, Take-sama's Familia invited me to the dungeon. I think that I can practice my spear even better if Ouka-sama or Mikoto-sama is there to point out my flaws. I planned to visit Soma-sama a bit later for my status update and then meet Mikoto-sama and the others on the square next to Babel. You won't be needing me, right?"
"I don't think so..." Jackal looks a little thoughtful and then smiles, "Stay safe and take absolute care of yourself first. Got it?"
Understanding what he meant, Lili nods quickly.
For all his chemistry with Take, Jackal wanted Lili to remain cautious in the dungeon despite being with a friendly party. His words were spoken softly but he still glances at Take who is within the earshot, "It won't be a problem, right?"
"At this moment, I have restricted Ouka and others from crossing the seventh floor since others cannot clear it. If Lili can keep up on the seventh floor, it should be no problem."
"Yes! Thank you, Jackal-sama! I'll train hard!" Lili gushes before jogging away with her spear and practicing with renewed vigor.
"Although I keep telling her that I can use Butterfree Era on my own... she just doesn't listen sometimes," Jackal sighs and stands up.
"It should be well," Take gestures to Jackal to get ready, "After all, the magic basic ability in status is based on the expenditure of magic energy and consumption of mind to some extent. Her actions will only benefit her later down the line."
Jackal shrugs and gets ready.
Although others may think that there has been no improvement in Jackal, Take has a contradictory revelation that surprises him quite a bit.
'There exists mortal with cognitions developed better than others. It is generally believed that cognition, intelligence, and wisdom are the backbone of magically inclined studies. Meanwhile, instincts, courage, and willpower are the backbone of physical skills. But... both categories need all these qualities. Yet passion is required above all.'
'Someone with similar development may have become a great scholar.'
Takemikazuchi doesn't evade. Instead, he smacks Jackal's wrist at an angle that almost throws his entire center of gravity off balance.
'Someone with his grit may have turned to become one of the best spellcasters. Despite Ignis Faatus, he would have stood again.'
Take's fist jabs for his opponent's neck but this time Jackal leans his head further and instead takes the punch to his nose. But even if this makes him stagger back, at the very least, he doesn't fall like yesterday.
Blood gushes down Jackal's bruised nose as he grins and wipes it off with his wrist.
'Someone with his wildness would have also been suited for equally wilder professions like piracy or banditry and he could have been a great nuisance to the authorities.'
Take's onyx eyes twinkle with admiration as Jackal doesn't just rush forward but quickly shifts his charge into a leap to tackle him down.
Take reveals his extraordinary reflexes at this moment. Stepping in, he crouches a bit and then throws an uppercut with a bounce of his body.
*Bang*
*Thud*
Jackal flies up for a few feet before smashing into the ground.
'But he can make it as a combatant. Better than most... Better than me... if he reaches that level.'
Take's blood boils but his kind and calm expression doesn't change.
"Strategies fall short in front of the experience. I don't even remember when's the last time someone tried to leap at my face but I know how to make use of several circumstances at once. So? Regretting hiring me as your trainer?"
Chances are, Jackal has already fallen unconscious. Others also look at them worriedly.
But...
He stirs.
He groans.
And then he turns around to sprawl on his back. On his bloodied, bruised, and dust-layered face is a huge grin as he replies while revealing his blood-stained teeth, "Nope! Let's keep on going. I think I'm doing better than yesterday."
'And a surprising sense of inner satisfaction that doesn't make him chase phantom growth.'
"You are," Takemikazuchi admits finally as he steps forward and offers a hand, "Let's continue."
"Hehe!" Jackal grabs the god's hand and lets himself get pulled up easily.
What a good morning.
---
Jackal drops Lili off at Twilight Manor where Soma is temporarily staying with his children.
The Twilight Manor is Loki's home and quite the sight, unlike her. The 'Manor' is more like a miniature castle fitted with multiple towers on the structure capped by conical roofs of various red and brown shades.
'Heh, the flat cuck thought she'd get Soma's wine! The fool! She played with Lili once and the karma strikes back!' His uglier side that is trained by other children of the shooter games lobby resurfaces, 'Suck balls! Clown L Ratio! Kakakakaka!'
He leaves with a pep in his steps.
He simply can't wait for Soma to get back to brewing shit. It's different this time.
Why?
Cause all the goods to be sold will come to him and none other. Another product that will strengthen his brand after Butterfree Era.
Checking the nearest clock, Jackal makes his way to his home to change quickly. But it would seem that interruptions are necessary for his life as a familiar figure cuts into his path.
"Oh?"
That figure stands out among the early risers of Orario pacing down the stone pavement to prepare for their day. Wearing her blue-gray hair into a bun on the back of her head that lets out a short ponytail, and a white frilled headdress to go along with her apron over her green skirt dress, Syr's equally blue-gray eyes locate him as she brushes the area in front of the hostess with a broom.
"Oh? Jackal-san!" She greets him with a smile and paces toward him gingerly, "Good morning."
Jackal nods with a smile and continues walking past her.
"Hey! Don't just ignore me!"
"Nah, I'm gonna go before you somehow get me to do the brooming for you or worse— set the tables!"
Syr quickly jogs past him and stands in the front with a cute pout, "Now, do you really think that low of me?"
"Oh, lower."
Jackal moves past again. There is no way he is messing up meeting up with Eina AND Rose just because he got caught in an errand again.
And once again, Syr jogs past him and bars his path while holding the broom with both hands and extending her arms at the same level as her shoulders as if using a magical staff.
"Listen O' Spirits of mine! Charm the unguided child into my light and let him do chores!"
"Frisk Syrya!"
Jackal stops and looks at her blankly.
"Wow... that was embarrassing."
But sporting a victorious grin, Syr reveals, "It got you to stop, did it not? Te-he~!"
"Huff, fine, fine. So? What is it?"
"Hmmm! I was just curious if you're ready!"
"Ready?"
Syr rolls her eyes around to observe their surrounding before holding Jackal's sleeves and dragging him to the side. Her words come out as a hushed whisper.
"Jackal-san, you have been bragging about spending time with your junior—"
"And Senior!" He interjects with a smirk.
"Huh?" Syr looks at him strangely, "Seriously? Then it's even more terrible!"
Putting a pause on his grin, Jackal questions back curiously, "Terrible? How?"
"Jackal... sigh, why do you think two women will invite a lone man alone?" Syr looks at him seriously and answers so that he doesn't have to think too hard, "They... they wish to take what's the most important thing to you!"
"My cooking skill?" Jackal gasps.
"What? No!" Syr stirs a bit and leans forward, "Your purity!"
"Tch, girl, stop wasting my time," Jackal huffs, "And stop screwing with me already. You just like skipping on work and dragging others in your tomfoolery."
Syr stills for a moment and then presents a mischievous smirk, "It's not good at all, Jackal~!" There is a sudden quality to her voice as she sets the broom between them while leaning forward. Her chest presses into him and the upper handle of the broom while her eyes hold his unique gold-red eyes impishly.
"If you keep on peeling all my secret ways to have fun... I'd have to make you my greatest source of enjoyment as an act of making you responsible for my plight. You wouldn't want that, would you?"
Jackal, however, continues to stay a bit lost. His eyes search her pupils as if trying to find something that keeps attracting his gaze. The charming lady keeps leaning on him as her subtle scent tickles his nostrils.
"Jackal?" She questions. Her voice seems to be more of a coo than a call to wake him out of his thoughts. It gives him a reason to sink a bit more. To let the bouncy giddiness birthed in his stomach envelop him.
"Yeah?" He inquires.
"Aren't you getting late?"
"Yeah..." He deflates and sighs, "Anyway, see you later, Syr."
"Of course! Do stop by after your date and tell me all about it~!"
Jackal nods while rolling his eyes before pointing out, "Oh, and Syr?"
He looks back. Sunlight still does not shine upon the street but when he looks back at her with that smile, Syr's heart inexplicably warms up. He has always been open to her teasing and never lets up to get back at her even if it doesn't work at times.
"I'm going to tell everyone about that chant of yours when I return!"
He grins evilly.
And that feeling of warmth is replaced by a feeling of cringe blooming deep within her. Horror pales on her face and disbelief mars her eyes, "You wouldn't!"
But... Jackal has jogged away. He does not answer...
She knows he spoke the truth.
He is going to tell everyone.
Chloe, Lunoire, Anya, May, Ryuu... and worst of all... Mia.
'I want to die...' She clicks her tongue in annoyance before blinking in surprise.
'Why did I do that? Syr is not supposed to act like this... where did that come from?' Syr wonders as she clenches her broom. An odd sense of worry flickers in her but she suppresses it and shoots a 'cute' glare in the direction of his receding back!
'I hope your date fails! Bleh!'
Envy could not be more evident in her emotions.
---
The interior of the Twilight Manor is as lavish and elaborate as its exterior. Guards of Familia can be seen posted on various spots and as Jackal dropped her off, she could feel many gazes land on her Jackal for a moment— more on him.
Twilight Manor is an architectural masterpiece built upon a thin but long strip of land. Red roofs cap several towers built over the foundation setting the building out.
Waving Jackal goodbye, she meets up with a white-haired, yellow-eyed Hume Bunny whose stature wasn't any greater than hers but that is more due to Bunny's age and not her race.
The girl has a huge smile as she sees Lili near the entrance of the mansion beyond a narrow front yard and charges at him in excitement.
"Liliruca Arde! You really came! Thank you! Thank you, so much!" The girl gushes and hugs Lili which causes the pallum to flinch. Lili knew the girl, of course. She knew every other child of the familia. Those that stayed, ironically, are the newest members who were lured into the familia through various means. That's why they had the heart to put up with Soma. The rest? Not so much.
A few joined the entertainment district. Many of the criminals were turned in by Soma himself, earning him distrust among the gods and the adventurers alike as the 'snitch,' and the last few returned to their hometowns or sought other familia.
"Tsukinokami... Kaede, right? Um, it's not a problem. Could you let me go?" Lili questions without returning the gesture. The pallum is intimately aware of just how deep the gratitude of some girls would run after being saved by Zanis Lustra's schemes but Lili wanted to put as much distance as she could between herself and the rest of the Soma Familia.
'Sorry, Jackal-sama... I'm not as kind as you...' She admonishes herself for her selfishness as she sees Kaede's long bunny ears fold down while her brows sink in disappointment.
Steeling her heart with determination, Lili inquires calmly, "Could you take me to Soma-sama?"
"Of course!" Kaede nods and hesitates for a moment. Her lips part open as if she wants to say something but they eventually close shut and the Hume Bunny leads the way.
Loki did grant the Soma Familia temporary residence so when Lili heard Loki's unholy screeches emboldened by her perpetual lack of manners, the pallum lets out a muted groan.
Kaede's ears twitch and she giggles, "Hehe, Loki-sama keeps on pestering Soma-sama for wine but he hasn't brewed any or given them out. He is actually taking the time to teach us a little about mixing and helping us prepare for the dungeon by making us train Loki Familia's members."
"How did he manage that?" Lili voices out her curiosity.
"Well..." Kaede's ears fold in once again while Lili resists the urge to pat her.
"Soma-sama may not brew wine for any other divinity or enterprise but he did sell one of his recipes to Loki-sama to accommodate for all the costs including our training and multiple batches of materials for his work."
Lili hums quietly and walks behind Kaede.
It's clear that the bunny cannot endure silence... silently, so, she turns back and squeezes out a smile on her small face, "Um, Liliruca—"
"Lili's fine. Everyone calls me Lili," the pallum shrugs.
Brightening visibly, Kaede nods, "Hm! Lili, are you going to live with us? We all thought that we could build Soma Familia again..."
"No, aside from the status updates, I won't be around much," Lili shakes her head but seeing the girl's ears drop down for the umpteenth time, the pallum rolls her eyes.
'Is that why Jackal-sama even decided to take me in? Because I continued to act like a lost little girl once saved?'
Groaning internally, Lili adds.
"I may not be around for much... but Soma Familia is clearly taking a turn for the better. If you need my help... don't hesitate to ask. I'll try my best."
Kaede perks up again.
"BUT my promise does not mean Jackal-sama is dragged with me! He isn't going to be used for Soma's selfish reasons!"
"It's fine, we also owe a debt of gratitude to Jackal but..." Kaede looks down and chews her lips in frustration, "He is kind of scary..."
'Good, keep it that way!' Lili pumps her fists inside.
"But he is also so cool! A friend of mine... well, she is more like an elder sister to me. She said that she offered herself to Jackal last night in the Entertainment District but he still treated her courteously!" Kaede grins, "She says that if she ever found a man like Jackal, she'll quit her job!"
"That's just a lie," Lili finally scoffs.
"No, it isn't!"
"It is. It is an addiction, you know?" Lili sighs and mutters, "Most girls in the Entertainment District are not held against their wills. They like it, that's why they are there. All I'm trying to say is that if someone is paying for your addiction with good money... it will take an iron will to give it up and find whatever else you desire."
Kaede grows silent before groaning cutely, "Well... huff, it's alright then. At least Kinto-nee is doing what she likes."
The two eventually reach the larger, separate tower on the property, and Kaede greets the human boy standing guard. Lili knows him to be one of Loki's secondary guards and recognizing Lili in return, the boy nods with a smile.
"Why, Soma, why?! If you wanted a pallum's attention that bad I would have dressed Finn in my clothes and presented him... her to you! All you needed to do is ask?! But why did you have to make a contract with the devil's sidekick? The Butcher's flat board! The Tiona of his business! Why?!"
Lili's brows twitch.
If she doesn't speak, Jackal-sama will be disappointed!
Under the wry gaze of the guard and shocked Kaede, Lili takes a deep breath before shouting, "Quieten down, you flat-chested, imaginative cuck! Call Lili flat again and I'll scrape off what little meat you have left, you skinny broad!"
The tower falls into silence and as Lili breathes in lungfuls of breaths under Kaede's shocked stare, a dark and stoic Loki walks out.
"Careful now, Jackal isn't here to save you."
The Goddess saunters her way and towers in front of Lili... by not a large margin. She sets her hands on her wide hips. Jackal may call her ass flat out of spite and to even her surface, but Loki is very confident in her looks, that's why she shows 'em off!
"I don't need Jackal-sama," Lili crosses her arms and sneers, "What would he even do here? What would he even see? You? The sight will depress him more than his inability to beat Takemikazuchi!"
"Guh! You little punk!" Loki gnashes her teeth and snaps her hand forward to pull and spread Lili's cheeks with a pincer-like pinch.
"Huahh?! You flat ass!" Lili pinches Loki's wrists in return. Days of annoyance and frustration at each other explode with Jackal nowhere near to... enjoy the sight.
"You constantly grope breasts because you got none!"
"Hoh? Ack! Look, the tip of your nose still has a bit of brown! Forgot to wash your nose after all that brown nosing?!"
"Better a brown noser to Jackal-sama than being a flat broad and perverted!"
They roll on the ground. Sometimes Lili gets the advantage, and sometimes Loki.
"Nghhhh!"
"Grrrrrrr!"
"Um... you two..." Kaede calls out meekly as others from Soma Familia also emerge from the tower due to the noise including Soma.
'Huff... Loki-sama... once. All I ask is for you to act like our goddess in Riveria-sama's absence once...' The guard groans and jogs up to break the fight.
Had Jackal been here... he would have encouraged both the participants to aim for their clothes!
"You got off easy! Pipsqueak!"
Lili growls with her wrists completely red and swollen.
Sporting swollen cheeks that bounce and shudder every time Lili moves, she bares her teeth back, "Try me! Jackal-sama isn't here to have fun! I'll bite that ass off! Then you will truly look like a stick!"
"Ahhhh! Lili, I swear you'll pay! I'll imagine you with Finn! That'll get ya! Just think!"
"Keep on imagining, you dirty excuse of a goddess! That's all you can do! Jackal-sama lives his dreams!"
Both of them lock onto each other with annoyed glares before clicking their tongues simultaneously.
"Let me down, Miku!" Loki demands, and the youth sets her on the ground.
"Just update my status, Soma-sama!" Lili turns around and enters the tower with a scoff.
'I get why Jackal's into the punk'/ 'Tch, Jackal-sama keeps eyeing the worst of Orario's populace!'
Despite the sudden scuffle, Lili soon finds herself in Soma's room. It is quite simple and lacks any lavish decorations with many shelves and a distiller installed. But unlike his previous residence, this one, even if temporary, does not exude a sense of despair and addiction.
The distiller is still processing materials and it creates a faint aroma that attracts Lili's senses. It soothes her mind and soul.
Turning to look back at Soma, she questions, "Where should I sit?"
Looking around the room, Soma quickly drags a stool from his work table toward Lili and nods stoically, "This is fine."
Not really eager to converse with the god about everything and anything, Lili takes a seat and pulls her top close to her chest and shoulders to reveal her bare back save for the hook of her cloth bra.
Her back which she wasn't willing to show Jackal before reveals an emblem of two clinking goblets with multiple hieroglyphs emulating the state of her being.
Prickling his index finger with a needle, Soma lets a drop of ichor drop onto Lili's back. Stirred by the presence of his divinity, the blessing within Lili fluctuates. A soft glow emanates from the hieroglyphs on her back while Soma begins to experience what Lili has gone through.
---
It's a silent affair...
Because both of them know that words cannot convey what excelia can.
Excelia, or experience. It is stored in a blessed individual. It awaits the day when the divine will bless and guide the experiences of the individual in the right direction to finally give all their hard work true meaning in the form of physical, intimate gains.
Through recorded excelia that is waiting to get digested by the adventurers, a god can observe their children's life.
And as disgusting as it was... Soma knew everything Zanis did.
He simply did not care then. Not until Jackal knocked some sense into him. Not until that mortal beat the depression out of him.
It is honestly amazing how he did not understand so much about himself while living for so long already.
So, quietly, Soma accepts Lili's story. He watches her pain and suffering.
Gods cannot feel what their children feel, but Soma could imagine the relief Lili felt after being saved. Not only from the dungeon but from her past, too.
He could imagine her joy at finding someone so open to her. So kind.
He saw her tears when her savior fought him. When his savior cried for her. When his savior butchered others for her.
All her pain and suffering turns into excelia. All her emotions turn into excelia.
Soma's fingers glide across Lili's back to upgrade her status and that's when Soma feels it.
Different from the ordinary excelia... this one is complete. Like a fragment of Lili's given life through excelia and falna. A crystalization of her being and ambitions. A vow to set herself out from the masses.
High-quality excelia.
Soma's eyes widen as he understands what is going on after setting things in motion.
Her growth is extraordinary. For a reason.
Finally, everything is done and Soma looks at her update with a sense of surreal... joy.
Joy for his child. He knows he has no right to call Lili his child but he is happy to see her move on.
If nothing else, it shows in her status over which Soma presses a parchment of paper and draws a rune.
The ink fills the paper and marks her status update accurately.
"It's done."
He calls out and gives her the paper while adding, "I will give you some time alone to process everything."
---
Lili holds the parchment in her hands and goes through it.
Liliruca Arde: Lvl 1
STR: H103→ H167
END: H183→ G202
DEX: G294→ F323
AGI: E457→ E473
MAG: E489→ D562
<Magic>
[Cinder Ella]
<Skills>
[Artel Assist]
[Grá Fianna]
'A... new skill?'
She looks at the brief description that encapsulates the skill while she still feels dazed at the massive improvements in her basic abilities.
Letting go of hatred and breaking the cycle.
Letting love and loyalty rebuild you.
Rapid Growth While Weilding a Spear.
Stronger obsession with your beloved results in intense growth.
Stronger loyalty to your beloved results in a rapid pace of mastery of the spear.
'W-What? Love? Obsession?'
Lili's lips part. Her stinging cheeks now flush red as her vision swims briefly.
She continues to hold the paper while staring at it blankly. She doesn't need this skill to prove her love and loyalty... but to have her efforts recognized... to have a chance to become useful to him. To get near his level...
Even if she understands what she should feel and try not to force herself to try and love Jackal more than she already does...
A deep obsession flickers in her chestnut eyes unknowingly.
'I... I should tell Jackal-sama about it... wait, no, I should surprise him! When I catch up to him! I will surprise him. I will challenge him to a spar in private space... and then we could get a little frisky... he could get annoyed and try to aim at my 'weak' spots...~!'
'Hah~!' The girl breathes hotly, 'Jackal-sama... you dirty brute... just what have you made of me. I can't even imagine all the things I want to do... but I will start with training. Spears... I need to get better with spears so that I can handle Jackal-sama's spear better!'
***
Alternate Title: Chotto Yabe!; Take Sees a Mortal Rival in the Making; The 'Spear' Wielder; Jackal Memorizes Boss Syr Patterns; Syr the Next Magical Girl?; The Charm of a Waitress; Jackal Escapes the Chore Boy Cliche... Temporarily!; Flat vs Shortstack!; Reluctant Admittance; Finn's Purity is in Danger; Update; Massive Improvements; Obsessive Pallum; The Hotter and Brighter Future!
***
A/N: I'm not good with naming things but Gra means love in Irish, I think? So, if I'm going to use their past lives as some sort of easter egg, I want to give it a twist based on the characters determined in the ff. If Lili still hated the world then Jackal's actions would have proven useless, right?
***
Psst, hey, wanna join the dark side and share some powerstones? If yes, follow the path of your seniors!—
CovertSytherin and Jonathan Dubreuil!!
Read 15 advance chapters here—
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