What Will It Be?

Noelle POV

My throat clenched as the words left the old man's mouth, his aura of immense power contrasting sharply with his seemingly cheerful demeanor. Visitors from another world. The weight of those words hit me hard, and my heart sank as I fully grasped what had happened. Yuno, Asta, and I had been torn from our world, pulled into another without our consent. My worst fears had come true.

Despite the panic rising in my chest, I found a small, selfish comfort in the fact that I wasn't alone. I was here with Yuno, a comrade I respected and could trust, and Asta—my squadmate and perhaps something more, one day. He's always been someone who never looked down on me, unlike so many others. But I couldn't let my mind wander. Focus, Noelle! I shook those thoughts from my head, knowing that sentimentality wouldn't help us now.

"How do you know we're from another world?" Yuno's voice broke the silence, calm but direct, asking the question we all wanted answers to.

The old man, Elefseria, responded with a grin, though his answer wasn't exactly comforting. "The same way you know you're not in yours," he said with a casual shrug. His tone was light, but the truth in his words hit like a punch to the gut. There was no denying it. We weren't home. We were far, far away.

"And you three didn't exactly sneak in unnoticed," he added with a chuckle. "You came through a giant hole in the sky. In Earthland, we're familiar with other worlds—two others, in fact. Though our encounters with them have been... less than pleasant."

At his mention of other worlds, Yuno and I turned toward Asta, silently seeking his take on the situation. Asta nodded, his Ki sense affirming that Elefseria was telling the truth—at least for now. That nod was enough for us to lower our guards, just a little. We weren't out of the woods yet, but we could afford to listen.

I exhaled softly, lowering my wand, and my grimoire slipped back into my satchel. The old man's eyes flicked to it with interest, and for a moment, I was reminded of the Wizard King—his curiosity, his passion for learning about magic. My heart ached at the thought that we might never see him again.

"Each world has its own rules and principles," Elefseria continued, his tone growing more thoughtful. "I take it those magic books of yours are how you perform advanced spells?"

It was more a statement than a question, so we simply nodded. There was no point in hiding it.

"I see," he mused, rubbing his chin. "I am the Law Dragon, the controller of wisdom and knowledge. My abilities allow me to discern truths with remarkable accuracy, often with little evidence. Based on what I've observed, I'd say those are called... grimoires, correct?"

All three of us stiffened, our eyes widening in shock. How did he know that? His deduction was unsettlingly accurate, and we nodded again, more reluctantly this time. It felt as though our secrets were being laid bare before him, but some part of me was grateful for his honesty. He wasn't trying to hide his abilities from us, which helped lower my guard—if only slightly.

"Fascinating," he murmured, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Books that bond to one's soul and evolve alongside their user. Now, tell me—are the books themselves sentient, or are the creatures that reside within them the ones in control? Or perhaps... both?"

His question hit like a lightning bolt, and before I could react, Bell and Liebe appeared on Yuno and Asta's shoulders. Elefseria had sniffed them out with alarming precision. But his tone wasn't accusatory—just curious. Yet what made my blood run cold was the implication in his words. He was talking about all three of us. But... there was nothing in my grimoire. Undine had returned to Lolopechka. So what was he sensing?

I exchanged a bewildered glance with Yuno and Asta, then glanced down at my grimoire. Could he be sensing the remnants of Undine's mana? It didn't seem likely, but...

"You're mistaken," I finally said, trying to explain away his curiosity. "Grimoires possess a certain level of sentience, yes. But not all contain creatures. Only a few do, and you just happen to be looking at three people who've bonded with magical—or in Asta's case, non-magical—creatures. I don't possess one anymore. You're probably sensing the leftover traces of Undine's mana—"

"You do," Elefseria interrupted, his tone matter-of-fact. "Your honesty is commendable, but I must inform you: something is currently residing in your grimoire. Not only is it powerful, it's at least as strong as I am. And... it's draconic in nature."

My heart stopped. As strong as you? Draconic? What was he talking about?

Before I could react, Asta and Yuno moved to my sides protectively, their grimoires flickering with power. My own grimoire suddenly floated before me, its pages flipping open without my command. My stomach twisted as I realized the page it had stopped on—one that had been blank before—now displayed an intricate drawing of a serpentine creature.

A rush of memories flooded my mind—the massive silhouette that had loomed over me in that dark void. A serpentine, reptilian figure. And now, a surge of mana erupted from the page, bathing the room in blinding light. Elefseria remained unfazed, but Yuno and Asta tensed, sensing the overwhelming power.

As the light faded, I blinked rapidly, my eyes adjusting to the figure that had materialized before me. It was a small, serpentine creature—far tinier than what I'd seen in the void. Its body was sleek, with fins and short horns, almost... cute. But the sheer amount of mana it radiated was staggering, primal. It reminded me of Lucifero but without the malice. Just raw, instinctual power.

"Hello... I... am... Leviathan... god... of... the sea..." The voice was deep and slow, every word drawn out as though it hadn't been spoken in centuries. I couldn't help but think of Henry, but Leviathan's speech was even more sluggish.

I took a moment to process its words, then suddenly, the puzzle pieces started to click into place. "You're the god of the Seabed Temple... Leviathan," I said, pointing at the creature. Asta and Yuno exchanged confused glances, but I was sure of it. The Seabed Temple's people had embarrassingly called me the Sea Goddess after I used Sea Dragon's Roar, and I'd learned from Kahono about the ancient religion of Leviathan. That's why he had seemed familiar when I saw him in the void.

"Yes... you... right... I... gave... you... spell..." Leviathan's words came slowly, but my grimoire flipped open to my Sea Dragon's Roar spell, confirming what he said.

"You gave me this spell?!" I couldn't hide my shock. He nodded, his head moving just a fraction. I'd never heard of a god or anyone for that matter, bestowing spells through a grimoire before, but then again, Leviathan was no ordinary being.

"Why are you here, Leviathan?" Asta's voice cut through my thoughts, asking a question that I hadn't considered. "And how did you end up in Noelle's grimoire?"

Leviathan's head swiveled to Asta, slow and deliberate. "Same... reason... as... you... The... Sinner... banished... me... I... sought... refuge... in... grimoire... She... strong... water... mage... could... bear... me..."

My face flushed slightly at the indirect compliment, but my attention snapped to a specific word he'd said. "Sinner?"

The three of us spoke in unison, leaning in closer, desperate for an explanation. Leviathan's eyes grew heavy with something like... regret. "He... threatens... worlds... must... be... defeated... I... rage... against... him... need... strong... partner..."

"Who is he?!" I asked, the urgency clear in my voice. Who had done this? Who had warped us here, torn us from our world, and caused all this chaos?

"I..." Leviathan paused, and even Elefseria leaned in, clearly curious. "I... don't know."

Our heads drooped in unison, comedically deflated by his answer. Even Elefseria sighed in exasperation.

"All I... know... is... he... warped... you... two..." Leviathan pointed his head toward Asta and Yuno. "Because... you... can... threaten... him..."

"What about me?" I asked, curiosity bubbling in my chest. Why had I been dragged into this?

"Because... of... our... connection... The Sinner... dislikes... real... gods..." he said. "You... strong... water... mage... can... withstand... my... power..."

I groaned inwardly. So it's your fault I'm here! I thought, glaring at Leviathan. But before I could say anything, he went quiet, his slow, thoughtful gaze fixing on the three of us. This Sinner—whoever he was—had thrown our world into chaos. And now, we were somehow at the center of it.

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Yuno POV

Well, that was a big letdown. But something told me that when it came to answers about how to get back home, we weren't going to get much more anytime soon. It was time to shift focus—to this side, to this world, for now.

I stepped forward, placing myself directly in front of Elefseria. His gaze snapped to me, followed by everyone else's. "We're grateful," I began, my voice steady. "Not only for not kicking us while we were down but for taking the time to treat our wounds and for your patience in humoring us." My gratitude was genuine, but I knew we couldn't avoid the reality of this situation for long. There was more to discuss, and it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"But," I continued my tone hardening, "as someone who grew up in the sticks, I know full well that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Whatever help you want from us, ask now. If it's within our capabilities, we'll do our best. Though I admit, knowing it's something even you can't handle alone is a bit daunting." I paused, locking eyes with him. "But if you truly helped us out of the kindness of your heart, with no ulterior motive, then I thank you. However, we need to go. We have to find our way home."

Noelle and Asta both glanced at me, then nodded heavily, their faces serious. They were silently giving me the authority to handle the conversation. If I wasn't half-convinced this ancient dragon in human form might explode with anger if I said the wrong thing, I might've been touched. It felt like my brother, and maybe future sister-in-law were leaving me to be the sacrifice. Great.

Elefseria's smile grew more genuine, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. "Ho ho ho! It's good to know I'm not dealing with a pack of optimistic fools. I'll admit, knuckleheads have their charm, but it's refreshing to speak with someone who has a level head."

My shoulders eased slightly, but his next words quickly pulled me back to attention. "I do have an ulterior motive," he confessed, "and something to request of you. But it will benefit you as well. Fulfill my request, and you can obtain what you most desire."

My heart skipped a beat. Something we desire? I shot a sharp look at Asta and Noelle, their eyes mirroring my own. We all understood the unspoken message. There was only one thing we desired: a way home.

Without a word, we turned back to Elefseria, our decision clear. "What is it?" I asked. "What do we have to do?"

Instead of answering, Elefseria's face took on a more serious expression. Three identical sheets of parchment and quills materialized, floating in front of us. The title at the top of each document read: Sworn Oath, followed by a non-disclosure agreement... and a warning that the contract would bind our souls.

"This is the first step," Elefseria said calmly. "I require your signatures. You will be sworn to secrecy regarding the details of this commission, and neither party will bear responsibility for any loss of life during its completion. Breaking the contract... will result in death. Understood?"

We nodded heavily, understanding that we didn't have a choice. Beggars couldn't be choosers. Asta had already confirmed this was standard protocol, not some trick aimed specifically at us. With grim resolve, we signed the contracts. As our contractees, Bell, Liebe, and Leviathan were bound to us, so there was no need for them to sign separately.

Elefseria smiled, seemingly satisfied, and the contracts vanished from our hands. "Very well, children," he said, his tone lightening slightly. "The task is simple. Five dragon gods are rampaging across the continent of Guiltina. Your job is to seal them. The method is up to you."

Dragon gods?! My mind reeled at the enormity of the task. Instinctively, all of us turned toward Leviathan. It seemed a little coincidental, didn't it? Well, it looks like we have one of our own, I thought wryly.

Elefseria must have read our thoughts, because he shook his head with a soft chuckle. "Close," he said, "but the ones you'll face are stronger. Unlike Leviathan here, they are in full control of their power."

Leviathan's mana flared, clearly insulted by the comparison, but none of us were in the mood to care. We were too busy absorbing the reality of what we were up against. Five beings stronger than Leviathan. This is going to be fun...

But Elefseria wasn't done. "As I said before, each world has its own rules. In this world, all dragons are immune to magic—except for dragon slayer magic or dragon magic."

Great, I thought bitterly. My complaints were about to spill out, but Elefseria interrupted with a bit of good news. "Using my Law, I've determined that this world recognizes Leviathan as a dragon. Therefore, any spells the young lady casts while bound to him should work."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Well, at least Noelle's got a fighting chance. I shot a glance at Asta. *And let's see if dragons are immune to Anti-Magic... My confidence in them helped me relax. But then the realization hit me like a brick: I don't have any magic like that. Am I... going to be the burden this time around?

The bitter thought gnawed at me, but I quickly shoved it aside. Now wasn't the time for self-pity. I forced myself to focus. "Just to clarify," I said, locking eyes with Elefseria, "we seal these dragons, and you send us home."

Asta narrowed his eyes, his Ki tracking Elefseria's movements, ensuring there were no tricks. The old man raised a single finger dramatically. "One," he said, his voice heavy with meaning. Then, raising his arms skyward, he declared, "One thing you wish for shall be granted. Anything you desire, among all that exists."

Our jaws practically hit the floor. I glanced at Noelle, and then at Asta, but he didn't even need to say anything. His nod told us everything: Elefseria was telling the truth.

"But that doesn't make any sense," Noelle stammered. "If you have such... nonsensical power, why can't you handle this quest yourself?"

Elefseria met her gaze calmly, his tone patient but firm. "Because something cannot be created from nothing. To obtain something, an equal value must be offered in exchange. It is the secret art of Law Dragon Slayer Magic—the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Sealing five godlike entities is more than enough to send you back home."

I felt my breath hitch. I had prepared myself for a long, grueling search for a way home, but now, it seemed like we'd found the answer right in front of us. My heart pounded in my chest. Was this really it?

Taking in our shocked, flushed faces, Elefseria smiled smugly. "So, travelers," he asked, his voice almost teasing, "what will it be?"