88- Unexpected help.

I feel… exhausted, in every way possible.

It's already our third time trying to make this whole thing work but there seems to be something missing even when everything seems to be working as intended.

Well, this kind of monotonous work it's not much for Scathach since she is used to doing way more back then when she was guarding the Land of Shadows and I can beat it… mostly.

Do I really need to ask Artoria for Rhongomyniad? I may have to used Excalibur even… 

I would rather not since their are her main weapons but we may need if this doesn't work and I'm sure that Artoria won't complain or care about it being glad that she could help but who knows what would happen to the weapons…

Nothing seemed to have changed from the usual try, fail and repeat during this past weeks, or so I thought until I felt not the usual one but two presences literally breaking into my Mindscape with little to no effort.

I thought of this happening and, to my knowledge there are only two beings that can do that in DxD.

The first one already did once and does it whatever she wants to enter this place to play around or eat cookies, namely Ophis, and the second is quite obvious since it is known to be stronger than her…

As if confirming it, a roar shock to my entire Mindscape followed with a massive figure that started to roam around the place without care 

Well, Part the reason they can enter this place may be that… I don't mind them doing so.

No pun intended. 

Even with my Mindscape resembling espace that we have outside earth he stood out as massive, and I'm sure that this isn't its real size.

And remembering all I knew about it I began to feel… dread, not because of it but because of what It represents, and what it means for me and this entire world.

Why? Because this being that I couldn't even Dream of defeating right now… not only is it going to be defeated if everything follows the same path, it's also going to be defeated, effortlessly.

"Great Red."

The Gods that will invade this place are enough of that and who knows doing how much more… 

I clenched my fist enough to draw blood with my fingers as I vowed to surpass him and defend this place, no way in hell I'm going to rely on that pervert brat… if he helps it will be great but I will get enough strength to stand on my own.

I get the fated stuff and whatnot but I'm not leaving something so important to chance. 

That's the reason I made this place in the first place and seeing how Red isn't doing anything to stop it even when it involves summoning people from other worlds, so it should be fine to keep doing it.

But before I could thinking about future dangers the second presence, Ophis, appeared before me and I simply couldn't take my eyes off of her after seeing her face that seemed about to cry.

Not quite about ti cry but it's Ophis we are talking about here.

"Why the long face? " I had to try to lift her mood somehow 

Ophis, the apathetic Dragon God of infinity looked… sad.

It may be because of how weird it is to see her showing emotions, or maybe I simply got too attached to this little girl that all I wanted is to make her change that sad face into something better.

All I could do was hug her as I thought why is she like this…

Well, for starters all I can think off is what made her and Red appear here, meaning this entire place, the hub for different worlds that I have yet to name, somehow worked but only halfway since something was sent from this place to the outside but failed because nothing came here 

So the only answer is that both her and Red felt something trying to leave this dimension so… I think is not hard to guess why she is like this "You thought I was going to leave?" 

She looked up to me with those black eyes that seemed to show more emotions each time I see her and then she gave me a small nod.

"Don't worry, I won't leave you." She seemed reassure, albeit just a little.

To think she would make this kind of face one day. 

I pushed her back a bit so I could search for some cookies to lift her mood but she seemed to be looking around the place, then at me thinking about something and soon I realized what she was thinking when she started gathering energy in her hands into the form of a small snake

It should be a blessing of sort so she can find me if something happens, I guess?

I can probably use it to power this whole place too.

While waiting for her to finish I got curious "Is that the thing you gave to the Khaos Brigade?" 

She only answered my question with a pout and the already massive amount of energy in her hand just got bigger and… bigger…

Is she upset? 

I guess she didn't like comparing a such a person gift like this to those given to some random guys in the Khaos Brigade…

Well, at least I got to see a pouting and a angry Ophis.

Not let's wait to see how this ends.

…

…

Later.

"Ugh. " It burns. That's the only thing I can about right now.

Having pure energy coming from a Dragon God moving through your skin… burns… who could have thought.

I actually feel like being branded rather than blessed but I didn't show it on my face not wanting to not make Ophis sad again even if I knew it wouldn't.

The good part is that the process itself is fast and soon the snake became a kind of magic tattoo on my right shoulder in the form of a dragon devouring it's tail

Something to note… either I somehow affected the mark making it Ink-like or Ophis herself decided to make it look like that.

At least it doesn't clash with how my arms are usually painted, and although it is permanent few people will be able to notice it unless they know exactly what to look for.

As for it's benefits…

[Blessing of Ophis:

.Strengthen the body by circulating the Dragon God's unique energy through the body periodically. 

.The Mark of Ouroboros generates and stores magical energy that the user can use. 

.May grant abilities related to the Dragon God Ophis.

.Note: Ophis can track the user using the mark, knowing his location and current state. ]

It may not seem like a lot but this is exactly what I need right now to power this whole place… 

But I stopped thinking about it since Ophis seemed quite tired, something extremely odd coming from a being that represents infinity.

Seems like she out did herself with this gift so I asked her if she wanted to stay for tonight so she can rest "Do you want to go and sleep with me? " She nodded in response. 

Not the first time she does but in the next second I froze as I heard a low growl coming from above.

Looking up I was faced with the eyes of Red and I swear it was judging me…

And then it clicked.

Wording Ahm, Wording!

"She looks tired… and… " I tried to explain myself but Red simply turned around and started moving around the place as it pleased, though I swear that I heard a sneer coming from it… 

who would have expected that my first meeting with Great Red would be like this...

…

What Ahm didnt see due to him sleeping alongside Ophis is Red looking around the whole construct that he and Scathach had been working on 

Nor the drop of red liquid that Red fall in the middle of it 

Red liquid that soon was absorbed into it without leaving a trace.

"Can I take this as you approve it? " 

But another person was, and she asked Red who simply ignored her after giving her a glance and left making the speaker sigh in response.

Would it kill them to answer a simple question? 

But she got used to their kind long ago to care about it… 

At least her disciple found his motivation to get stronger. 

----

sorry for it's a little shorter.

wanted to ask which characters/words you are interested in and if you know a better fit for the constellations please tell, you probably know more than I do about this.

Thanks as always and hope you have a nice day.