Tale of the Outcast Warrior: Goddesses, A Succubus, and Kazuma.

Tyler popped back out in front of the blissfully smiling scroll fully clothed as the other ladies all applauded. He pulled up his HUD and showed his new title off. Soon as they saw it, Malico, Kaori and Lyrica burst out laughing.

"Dammit! He got ANOTHER one!"

"He really can't help himself!"

"A Succubus AND a goddess in ONE day? We got a love god here ladies."

Tyler just shrugged.

"I like beauties. Can you really blame me?"

The ladies all smiled as Wulf and Kazuma just sighed.

"Well. I give up."

"Yup."

Tyler looked at the blissed out scroll.

"We'll get back to it Minus. Love you."

The scroll glowed, before turning a deeper blue like his path blue.

"I love you too. I'll be looking ahead to our next."

The scroll was now speaking in her voice, instead of just writing out her words. The ladies all picked up on how contentedly tired she sounded as well, and applauded once more. Tyler rolled the scroll up, and it moaned lewdly.

"Oh you like that eh?"

The scroll was heard to gulp as he ran a light finger over the thing, and it shivered.

"Dammit, stop! I need to recover first!"

He laughed as he gave it to Malico, who rubbed her own glorious cleavage overt he now moaning scroll.

"YOU little kitten I WANT to meet."

Malico purred as she stored the scroll away. Tyler chuckled.

"Well now. Fun day."

Kaori leered at him.

"Got enough left for me?"

HE kissed her most passionately.

"Always."

She smiled.

"Well, play on."

They laughed as Kazuma just sighed.

"Great. My sister gets more action then I do."

The ladies laughed as they mounted back up. Tyler looked at the next bill.

"we're fighting a rock next."

They nodded as they rode along. Tyler pulled a vitality potion from a pouch and chugged it. Kaori was now concerned.

"You good?"

He chuckled.

"Been a while since I've had a full day like this, kaori. I'm good."

She smiled with relief as Lyrica opened her mouth.

"Say it Lyrica and you're sleeping outside."

She closed her mouth as Kaori looked at her winking.

"He won't tease you on things like bust or length if he likes you, so he'd like it if you didn't either."

The red headed devil smiled as Wulf tilted his head.

"Huh. Ya know something, kaori? Now that you say that, he hasn't EVER made a jab at me with those kinds of jokes."

Tyler smiled.

"I may fuck with you and Kazuma a lot, Wulf, but it's just in good fun."

The two men smiled.

"I still hate you."

"But at least he's not cruel with it."

Ashy smiled now herself.

"See? Even TYLER has a line."

"It might not be for much but I got it."

The party laughed as they neared the next kill site. Wulf blinked.

"The rock crossed the road."

indeed it had, if the square prints in the dirt were anything to tell by. Tyler smiled.

"Sera, lily, lillia, and Kazuma, four treelengths back."

They nodded as tyler sighted the thing off the side of the road.

"Wow, thing's fifty feet tall this time."

Lyrica shook her head at the imposing sight.

"And HOW many of these have you killed?"

"dunno. This makes it three?"

"Of course it is."

The party left their horses and tyler looked at them.

"Huh. That's an idea."

The party shook their heads as they moved to attack the walking rock.

"Oh shit here we go."

"Love you too. They have a collar or a bell that if we blow our whistle our horses come?"

Lyrica and Vixen burst out laughing.

"It's called a cavalry Horn. I sell them in my shop."

"Neat. We'll get a set in case of an emergency escape. Or an angry kaori for me."

She smiled sweetly.

"You REALLY think you'd escape me?"

"Not at all."

She giggled.

"Good boy."

"and now I'm terrified."

The party laughed as Tyler pulled his bow and took aim.

"Ice pierce."

The thing hadn't noticed them as Tyler's penetrator shaft slammed into the black stone of it's back. It bellowed as it stumped to turn around. The party were using ranged weaponry to kill it as it was just too dangerous to get close. Tyler smiled as he fit three shafts.

"Ice pierce. Piercing Teardrop. ChainShot."

The party all readied penetrating shots and spears as the thing tried to raise it's slabs of stone called fists.

"Now!"

With it's eyes blocked, the party released their volley, and the missiles struck home in the things chest. It dropped to it's knees lifeless and the party got back as it fell onto it's face with such impact the ground shook like a major earthquake. They rode the shockwave by crouching low to the ground while the shaking subsided. Then Tyler laughed.

"Ya ain't gon git me a third time ya rocky fuck!"

Lyrica blinked.

"Damn. I've heard ole Gru say that so many times its scary."

Kaori patted her back.

"Did they?"

She slumped.

"Yup."

Kaori gave the dejected Succubus a warm rub on her back.

"That's another difference between the two. If you get Tyler once, you won't get him a second time."

Lyrica watched as Tyler and Lily started mining the thing.

"Then what did he mean by a third?"

"A golem nearly fell on Sera the other day, and one DID fall on him. Idiot forgot he was fighting a giant rock."

Lyrica burst out laughing at the tales.

"Gruven had a similar thing happen to him. But it was Durandals he'd tipped over!"

The ladies laughed as the elemental body was collected. Netting them roughly ten tons of granite, black marble, Pure Magicite, Blood Platinum, a vein of adamant, another vein of Black Magicite which Vixen handled, and a thick block of Pure Silver. Tyler smiled as he looked at Kazuma.

"hey, Kazuma, catch."

Tyler tossed him the loot pouch, and he caught it confused.

"Why you giving me this?"

"Wow, Kazuma. You're holding ten tons of stone. Not bad."

Kazuma blinked and looked at the pouch as his mind fought to understand just HOW he was holding that kind of weight. Tyler took it back as he looked up and spotted a sky shark.

"Hey, blondie, look up."

Kazuma did, and saw the shark. His face contorted in pain as he vainly tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Why? Why is there a shark up there?"

Tyler and the rest of the party busted up laughing as Kazuma looked back at Tyler with a pained expression.

"Asshole, now I'm gonna spend all day thinking about it."

Ashy patted the blonde boy as they moved to kill a cave bear.

"He did the same thing to me when I joined. The headache lasts until you find a way to just get over it."

Kaori just kissed Tyler.

"That was evil."

"original though."

Wulf just shook his head.

"A good way to show him he's not in his old world anymore."

"And to drive him insane."

Lryica rode up next on her black Dullahan.

"Gruven would sometimes spend hours resting on some grassy hill and just watch the sharks swim by. Eri would lose her mind over it every time."

Kaori looked at the succubus.

"Was Eri my mother?"

The red head smiled.

"Yep. We called Sera's mother Erica, and yours Eri to not confuse em."

Tyler then felt the need.

"Did you see the last two crystals?"

Lyrica smiled.

"I did. Ya got a week to live."

Tyler patted Kaori's hand, and Lyrica then noticed she had a ruby ring.

"I think I'll be JUUUUUST fine."

The sexy Succubus smiled proudly.

"Is that an?"

Kaori sighed.

"No, Lyrica. This is something ELSE."

Tyler sighed as well.

"I had PLANNED it to be a diamond, but, well, we got the waves."

Kaori and Lyrica looked at each other in shock.

"Wow. He's at THAT stage."

"I do not want to know a thing."

Kazuma spoke up.

"Great. Kaori's got hers on a ring."

Tyler smiled.

"Must suck-nope. Not gonna be that kinda dick."

Kaori smiled.

"Thanks. Silent jabs are hilarious, and okay."

"right? He's MUST be a silent one alright."

Kazuma's happy smile died and was replaced with an infuriated grimace as Lillia chuckled softly.

"Well, Tyler, sometimes a man just needs to practice!"

Everyone looked at her, shocked. She squirmed before Tyler smiled proudly.

"Damn, Lillia. Good one."

Sera giggled.

"Sis has a good one every now and then."

Poor Lillia blushed. Wulf smiled as he gestured to the side of the road.

"Alright, the thing lives near here."

Tyler smiled.

"Kaori, Ashy, Kazuma and Lyrica."

They nodded as Kazuma sighed.

"He went and even got Lillia cracking jokes."

The hunters moved to where the thing was said to live. Only, as Tyler came around a corner, he was face to face with the beast. Tyler blinked as the fifteen hundred pound grey furred bear swiped a paw 12 inches across and knocked him into a tree.

"Found it!"

The bear rose on it's hind legs and roared as Kaori grabbed Kazuma's spear and stabbed the bear in the underbelly right in the heart. Tyler watched as Kaori jerked to the side, tearing the spear free while at the same time pulling the bear down on it's side. She then wiped her brow as she leaned on the spear.

"Well. That was a rush."

Tyler just walked over and kissed her.

"I fucking love you, Kaori."

She smiled as she tossed the spear back to her stunned brother.

"Looks like I can handle YOUR spear better an you can!"

The group busted up laughing as Tyler just kissed her again. Wulf was smiling as Kazuma just put the weapon away with a look of defeat on his face.

"So, how's the indignant life treating you?"

Kazuma just stayed silent. Well aware he had lost this battle hopelessly. Tyler held the leg of the bear up as Kaori and Ashy skinned the thing.

"Hey, Wulf, can we eat this?"

The Ranger was looking at a nightshade bush as he replied.

"Sadly not. The meat is nasty, greasy, and just gets you sick. Cave bears live in caves usually, and feed off mushrooms, cave rats, berries, and other underground foods. Their toxic really."

"Should we bother looking for it's cave?"

Wulf thought about it as he took the poisonous plant.

"Honestly? We should. If something forced a bear of this size out of it's cave, it can only mean trouble."

Lyrica was on the same page.

"I agree with Wulf. A cave bear this size has few enemies. And even fewer that can evict it from it's home."

Tyler nodded.

"Alright. We check the den. Thing's a male, so we're not talking cubs."

The bears was skinned, and the hunters moved along the dinner plate sized tracks. Tyler had his detection skills going in case of an ambush or other such surprise. The hunters found the den set into a dried up river bed with a large area of wet sand. Tyler spotted the tracks and smiled.

"Wulf, those look familiar?"

The ranger smiled as he saw the three toed tracks.

"A Tyrant."

Tyler looked at the ground.

"Looks like the bear was returning home, as the tyrant came walking through the clearing. The Bear turned and ran as the Tyrant was just that kind of threat."

Wulf nodded along.

"I'd say that's the most likely scenario. The Tyrant tracks are 3 feet across, so we're talking a 35 foot tall beast. NO creature in this forest will challenge it."

"Except us of course."

They laughed as Tyler felt something on his detection.

"Well, that's sweet. He came to us."

The ground started shaking as a loud sound of cracking branches was heard to their right as Tyler pulled his spear. The thing came barreling out of the forest into the river bed with a bellow of challenge. Tyler smiled as he saw it. This one being 35 feet tall, 65 feet long with a 9 foot head. The colors were green, black with lime green tiger stripes on the spine. The Tyrant had a creamy underbelly, and was more or less identical to the other Tyrant Tyler and the party had killed. It surged to attack as Tyler laughed.

"I LOVE fighting these things!"

the party waited until the last second before dodging the lunging jaws and Tyler took the right side. As the massive dinosaur recovered from the failed lunge, Tyler used his long spear to stab it in the side just under the little arms on the chest. He felt it hit a pulsating organ, and that was it as the creature just fell to the ground. Dead. Tyler blew his whistle as Kazuma just gaped at him in awe for the easy kill.

"How did you make that look so easy? It took me and a party of twenty knights to kill one HALF that one's size!"

Tyler just looked at him.

"Kazuma?"

"What?!?"

"What is this thing?"

The blonde boy just looked at him.

"It's a Tyrant?"

"What does it LOOK like?"

The Prince narrowed his blue eyes as he pondered Tyler's most bizarre question.

"It looks like a T-rex-oh. I forgot."

Tyler nodded.

"Uh-huh."

Tyler put his spear away as Wulf looked at a now sheepish Kazuma.

"Did I miss something?"

The shielder just shrugged.

"No one knows Tyrants better then Tyler, Wulf. We had a similar beast in our old world millions of years ago, and Tyler became obsessed with them for a few years to the point he was ACTING like them. Course he was six. That man can tell you everything you never wanted to know about it. But, in this world against these creatures? Yeah. He can kill one 100 feet tall in his sleep."

The ranger just smiled as the rest of the party arrived and got their knifes out.

"I see. I had a similar fascination in my younger years as well. Only my beast was the Diadore."

Kazuma smiled as the party got to work butchering the thing.

"Fitting isn't it?"

The elf nodded.

"It is indeed."

"Hey! Ya gonna gawk at the ladies or help out too?"

Tyler's voice from behind the thing where he was cutting strips of flesh made the party laugh as Wulf and Kazuma pulled their own knives and got to work.

"Hey, Wulf, what kinda Tyrant is this?"

The ranger was assisting Sera with a leg as he replied.

"This one is a King Forest Tyrant. The largest variety in this region of Vernillion."

"Even bigger then the Rock?"

"The rock is an outsider. They call my homeland home."

"probable outcast?"

"Most likely. It lost it's battle for territory and came done here for better pickings."

"Eh. Still sounds fun."

Lucy had a thought.

"Ya think this one had a bill to it?"

Tyler frowned now.

"If it did, we'll explain at the hall."

Lucy nodded as the barbarian helped Ashy with the back.

"Aye, lad. Me thinks a beast like this had to have a bill on it."

The beast was butchered and collected before they headed for the plains giant camp. Tyler was smiling as the rode along, and glanced at the sun.

"We will still have maybe 7 hours of daylight left when we get back to Term."

Wulf smiled as well.

"Days in Lectis last maybe 18 hours, nights the same."

Kaori chuckled.

"Explains how we get so much done a day."

Tyler looked at the sky. Still clear and all the clouds in sight were fluffy and white.

"I guess since lives are longer here, the gods felt longer days would make up for it."

Lyrica smiled as she pulled her mount beside his.

"Our home is a majestic place."

Tyler smiled as he looked at a floating island.

"I STILL wanna take a piss off the edge of one of those. And yes it is, Lyrica."

She laughed.

"Gods you ARE Gruven's son. He did the same thing."

"HE get knocked on his ass?"

She burst out laughing at the memory.

"He nearly lost it to a sky shark he pissed on! All we saw was him take a step back to pull his pants up as a hundred foot shark snapped it's jaws shut where his meat had been! Another second and he'd a lost his favorite sword!"

Tyler was laughing with tears in his eyes as he pictured it.

"Did he shit himself?"

"Royally. Was scared of flying period after that!"

Kaori was laughing as well as Tyler recovered.

"Well. Dunno who I feel bad for more: him or the shark!"

Lyrica laughed.

"Eri said the exact same thing. Poor Gruven kept checking his tip for a week to make sure it was still there!"

Tyler smiled at that.

"Now I HAVE to do it."

Lyrica smiled fondly at him.

"I'm happy to travel with his son."

He leaned over and kissed her.

"I'm just happy I got friends like you all. Anything else on top is just a bonus. A very GOOD bonus."

That got a laugh as Sera squealed.

"I got a big brother! Yay!"

The party cracked up laughing at sera's nonstop cute. Tyler smiled as Wulf pointed to the spot.

"We'll hide the horses and get to it. Kazuma, Lyrica, Ashy, Lily, Annnd, Thistle."

The named nodded as Kazuma gulped.

"We seem a little outnumbered."

Tyler smiled eagerly.

"we got Lily with us, Kazuma. THEY are outgunned."

She grinned.

"Love you too."

Lyrica pulled a potion and drank it. Vixen gave the other women a knowing look.

"Draining, isn't he?"

The succubus smiled thinly.

"I love it."

Vixen licked her lips.

"Hey, Lyrica."

The devilgirl looked over curiously, only for Vixen to steal a full kiss off her lips.

"Hmmm, tasty."

Lyrica just leered at the pale beauty.

"Yes you are. So you know, Vixen? I prefer to have a...cuddle buddy....at night."

The black mage smiled.

"I'm warm."

"I'll leave my door unlocked."

Tyler smiled as he'd overheard the two ladies conversation.

"I got Kaori. I win."

The ladies laughed as the blonde beauty kissed him hard. The hunters dismounted and headed off. Tyler in the lead as usual as Wulf and Thistle flanked him with Kazuma and Lily behind him with Lyrica trail. The camp was seen and Tyler smiled widely.

"I have the PERFECT weapon this time."

He pulled the sapphire staff sword out and set it to glowing. Kazuma smiled widely.

"Pay attention everyone."

They looked at him as Tyler eyed the camp with a grin. Wulf noted the weapon.

"Is he that good with it Kazuma?"

The old friend nodded.

"Better. He can spin that thing faster and harder then anyone."

Tyler nodded and the group got to it. The camp held 35 creatures as Tyler and his friends dove into them. Tyler spin the dual blades so fast the glowing blue blades left trails of light as he dove through three giants' legs in the span of a blink. The others except Kazuma were awestruck by the whirling colors as Tyler proved just WHY he was revered as a master of the staff sword. The rest of the raiders stuck to the fringes of the camp as Tyler staked out a spot in the dead middle and took on all comers as he twirled the blue blades with a terrifying speed and savage strength as blood spattered along the ground and rained from the sky as giants fell cut over 35 times in the span of 5 seconds. The camp was killed to the last and Tyler spun an extra hard twirl to get the blood off before collapsing it into his quiver. The others applauded his show of skill as Kazuma laughed.

"wow you're rusty!"

Tyler chuckled.

"I JUST got it, Kaz! Gimme a chance here!"

They laughed as the others just stared. Lyrica asked the question.

"THAT was rusty?"

Kazuma explained.

"Tyler's speed with the staff sword was unmatched period. He got sent to a tournament for it once by our school for some reason, and set both the world speed record for fastest routines, strongest hits, and most fluid movements. We should have been in tears with that blue light show."

Tyler nudged him.

"Imagine it at night."

His blue eyes went wide.

"Yo, do it at the ball!"

"Oh FUCK yeah! That plus Kaori, yup. We got a helluva show for em."

Wulf and Thistle smiled widely.

"She will make them so jealous."

"Plus the colors? We have a ball that will be sung of for years to come."

Kazuma looked at them.

"Wait, Tyler, did you do what I THINK you did?"

Tyler just smiled.

"Wait for the ball to find out."

HE sighed as Lyrica understood the ring's importance now.

"Oh, NOW I'm looking forward to the ball!"

Tyler smiled widely as they looted the camp.

"We are going to make such a scene in the ballroom! The court….oh yeah. I nearly forgot. Lyrica, Kazuma, we got ONE more secret you need to know about."

The two came over to hear it.

"What is it?"

"We found Vernillionia's body. We have his ring, crown, and last will in Malico's pouch."

Lyrica blinked for a moment before just slumping as Kazuma gaped.

"How long have you had it?"

"Maybe….what? we found him in the first lisk we killed's trove. Five days after we got here?

Yeah, that sounds right."

Kazuma sighed.

"You could have just usurped Ishtar yet didn't."

Tyler chuckled.

"I don't WANT to be king, Kazuma. Hell, my bow was a prophesied weapon too. Oh, and Gliepnir is his sword Fenrir. The bow's legend came true in the end though."

Lyrica blinked.

"Wait, if you had the ability to usurp Ishtar at will, but had Kazuma adopted, does that mean that, in the event of an unfavorable royal decree-"

"We kick Ishtar out and put Kazuma on the throne? Yup. That was my plan from the get go. All I want is just go adventurin with the ones I love."

Kazuma gasped.

"So THAT'S why you had Ishtar adopt me! To both undermine the pope's plans while reinforcing your own at the same time putting Ishtar in a most favorable light with the court as they'd come to adore me!"

Tyler nodded.

"Yup. My war against the pope have devolved into a long distance chess match."

Kazuma smiled an unpleasant smile.

"And there is not a person out there that can beat you when it comes to schemes in chess. I was just a piece on your board."

"Sadly yes. Never liked it though. But hey, we won at least. We won, the pope is dead, you're a prince and the king still lives. So, I won without losing a single piece."

Kazuma just sighed.

"And the documents from Yalik. That was what gave me all the evidence I needed to search his chambers."

"Check and mate."

Kazuma nodded.

"I see now. You played this one very well. So, since you won the game, what will you do with the effects?"

Tyler shrugged.

"Not sure really. So, for now we're sitting on them in the event it goes south."

Lyrica just laughed.

"The Pope may have had the kingdom by the balls as you said, but YOU had the POPE by the beard! Okay, Tyler, loot right?"

"Oh, one thing first."

She was confused until he kissed her.

"Okay, loot."

She smiled widely as they fell to looting the place. They walked away with 10 gold, 33 silver, 55 copper. The last bill was the rock Tyrant. Tyler smiled as they rode along.

"When we get back to Term, Wulf and Kazuma will come with me to sell our loot and do a coin conversion. The ladies go to Lyrica's shop."

The men nodded as the ladies agreed. Sera perked up now.

"Where are we sleeping tonight?"

Tyler frowned.

"We need a place those idiots can't reach us or really find us."

Kazuma spoke up.

"Could always barge into the palace."

Sera and Lillia smiled as Tyler thought it over.

"Ya know something Kazuma? That's not a bad idea really. Those idiots are no match for the royal guard, plus it'd provide easy access to Ishtar in the event of anything, plus Sera would het to show me how she lived before the badass. Alright, we'll commandeer a wing in the palace."

Kaori smiled.

"All on the same floor, right?"

"As close as we can get. I'll still cast me spells just as an extra precaution. Oh. And for the girls."

That got a laugh as they cut the trail of the Tyrant.

"Okay, Kazuma, Lyrica, Ashy, Kaori. Let's make this quick."

They nodded and took off running after the beast with Wulf guiding. Even though.

"Ya know Tyler, you're better at tracking these things then I am."

Tyler chuckled as he followed the trail.

"never a bad idea to have a ranger handy."

Wulf chuckled now himself.

"Fair."

The rock tyrant was a deep grey with yellow eyes and three horns on it's head. The thing was 30 feet tall and 100 feet long. Tyler smiled as he pulled his spear for this fight as it turned to challenge them. It charged like the others had and as Tyler dodged the initial lunge, he stabbed the thing just under the arm like the last. This one had thicker skin however, and he only succeeded in a nasty stab. The Tyrant snapped at him, and he felt the force of the jaws snapping shut mere inches from his arm as he tore the weapon free with a nasty slash. The thing recoiled with a trumpet of pain before Ashy fired her set of four piercing shots into the hole. She hit the heart, killing the beast outright. Tyler clapped her on the back as the beast fell with a thud.

"Good kill Ashy!"

She smiled as the rest of the party came and the animal butchered. Once the animal was collected, they mounted back up and set off for Term. Tyler was smiling widely as they went.

"We made decent progress today with the newbie."

Kaori glanced back at her brother as he chatted with Lillia.

"I guess. He still needs to actually kill a high level beast though."

"Eh. We got a week."

She smiled as She tapped her new ruby katana.

"I think next round we focus on camps and groups of creatures."

Tyler thought it over.

"Okay, I see your reasoning Shadow. Since we'll most likely be outnumbered in the wave we need to practice fighting numbers now. Good call."

She smiled and he kissed her.

"Though if we see another lisk or Tyrant we hit it right?"

She laughed.

"Of COURSE."

"Just love you."

They rode on and saw the walls in under a half hour's ride. Tyler tilted his head as he thought of something.

"We'll head to the palace first and give Ishtar the update on the new entrance."

They nodded and Tyler smiled at Kaori.

"Make it glow."

She smiled as well and placed her hand on her new katana and it glowed like a smoldering coal as they rode along the road with the shutout Warriors on either side. Tyler took out his new staff sword and was lazily twirling it as it glowed, and he sighted Max railing Charlotte from behind and smiled.

"We had fun, losers! Hey, Spider, nice to see ya get good business!"

The party burst out laughing as the former teacher burst into fresh tears as she felt Max cream in her abused slit. Max, for his part, was eyeing Tyler's glowing weapon with longing.

"Where the fuck did that worthless retard get a glowing weapon? And you, on your knees and open that mouth. Good girl."

Charlotte swallowed her former student's meat and seed as it was, in her mind at least, the only work she could do. Tyler and his party got another fanfare of trumpets as they rode up to the gates, and Garriack the Knight captain came running up.

"Sir!"

Tyler smiled at him.

"What is it Captain?"

"The King and Queen request your presence Sir!"

"We'll head right over. Thank you Captain."

The loyal knight banged his fist on his breast plate as Tyler led the party through the gate. He put his sapphire weapon away as kaori laughed.

"I saw my father as we went in, and he was PISSED when my katana started glowing!"

Tyler laughed as well now.

"Wait till he sees THAT."

She smiled darkly.

"HE is going to LOSE it."

Tyler kissed her most fondly as they reached the stables. The party stabled their horses and headed inside the palace. They found Ishtar and Erica sitting on their thrones and Tyler smiled as their eyes went wide with surprise as Lyrica's blood colored hair was seen. Sera and Lillia walked over and got hugs as Ishtar looked at Tyler.

"How the hell did you get Lyrica?"

Tyler looked at the succubus and kissed her right there. Erica burst out laughing.

"THAT'S how!"

Lyrica licked her lips as Tyler pulled up his newest title and passed the HUD to the pair.

"Ha."

Ishtar just glared at him with pure jealousy as Erica smiled.

"Dammit!"

"Lyrica, that good?"

The busty succubus moaned at the memory.

"Better, Erica, FAR better!"

The queen looked at Tyler now and was witnessed to squirm.

"Tyler…"

HE smiled.

"I got enough left in the tank for Kaori, Erica. But, well, I'll be fully loaded tomorrow!"

The queen pouted! Ishtar sighed.

"So, the reason for this audience you've granted US is I forgot to ask you just WHERE you're staying in the city."

Tyler looked at him thoughtfully.

"Honestly, Kazuma suggested we commandeer a few rooms here in the palace."

Ishtar nodded.

"Agreed. Once the gates open, it will just be FAR too dangerous for you all to sleep in the city period. Powerful as you all are."

"We're a marked party. We have an update on THAT end as well, Ishtar."

"I see. Love, we must move to the inner chamber for this."

She nodded.

"At once."

The royal pair led Tyler and the party to a set of double doors. Inside Ishtar ushered the group into a smaller office out of sight of the main hall. Once he shut the door, Wulf leaned on it as Tyler laid out his map and tapped the new entrance.

"We found another entrance, Ishtar."

HE looked at the spot.

"That's right next to the road!"

Tyler nodded.

"There was another dragon inside it too. But I worked my talents at getting under it's skin and Furiosa got the kill this time. Now, the things trove."

The king and queen nodded.

"How much?"

"Well, we walked away 150,000+ gold richer. Just gold, not counting the silver and copper."

The two just laughed.

"Of course you did."

"He makes finding vast riches look like art."

Kazuma sighed now and Ishtar looked at him.

"Something wrong Kazuma?"

The crown prince shrugged.

"Just bugs me how they have such wealth and are just sitting on it. Think of all the good such coin can do for those that have none."

Ishtar smiled at the kind boy.

"That is the way of the world, Kazuma. Think of the nobles that have far more wealth and how they squander it like they do."

The king looked at Tyler now.

"What IS you're plan for your wealth?"

Tyler smiled.

"Stockpile it in case of a lack of jobs or a big purchase or if Seline needs help cleaning up another attack."

Kazuma looked up.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Wulf chuckled.

"Tyler there has donated upwards of ten thousand coins to the city of Raylik, Kazuma."

That stunned the boy.

"I thought you said you didn't give your coin away to everyone who asks nicely?"

Tyler smiled fondly at the city on his map.

"I love that town, Kazuma. We settle down, it'll be in Raylik. I have a lot of friends in that town, and Sera has her other sister."

"Melly!"

"See? I may not hand my coin out to every hand I see, but I DO look out for my friends."

Kazuma sighed again.

"I can live with that much. Still seems like a waste to me, but that's just me."

Tyler went back to the new hole.

"We found a golden wardrobe loaded with what was the count?"

Lyrica spoke up.

"23."

"Holy shit. Yeah, that thing had 23 gold spell scrolls."

The king and queen went bone white.

"By the gods."

"23 gold spell scrolls? Where are they?"

"Tempesta has them. We also found a ring of gold spells with no less then 25 different spells, a gold bow, gold wand, and gold sword."

The pair were shaking now.

"Such destructive power was just sitting there in easy reach of the those monsters out there."

Tyler sighed tiredly as he pulled up his HUD.

"No, Ishtar. NOT in easy reach at ALL. There was a lab down there, and these were waiting for me when I opened it."

The royal pair looked and gasped.

"THREE Lich's Bane?"

They looked at Tyler in awe as Lyrica spoke up.

"Tyler killed TWO Lich Kings single handedly as we were forced to watch outside the barrier they erect for their fights. He killed two. Alone. At once."

The rulers were shaking as they looked at Tyler.

"You are a god among men."

"You have preformed a feat that should just not be possible."

Tyler just shrugged.

"And I'll keep doing them until they either stop appearing or stop bothering me. Right now, my limit at once is TWO Lesser Lich kings. My very best is a high Lich King. Yes, they come in variants like other monsters."

Ishtar looked at Tyler with new respect, and new pity as well.

"And you are the only one in the world that can fight them. Period. You have my utmost respect, and my deepest pity."

"Thanks Ishtar. Sad thing is these ones weren't HIS. Just some idiot that was dabbling in something he really shouldn't have."

Erica looked at him.

"His?"

"There is a raiser out there Erica. And he is looking to revive the black one that enslaved the dragons from the legend."

She gasped in horror.

"Oh my god. You have got to be kidding me."

"The dragons are suddenly digging holes because the Fallen Dragons are aiding him. They live in the entrances to the Underdark, and I gave them the information they needed to search."

She looked at the holes anew.

"I see now. A large cavern underground leaves a hole from the gravity."

He nodded.

"I see you took lessons from Eri and Gruven."

She smiled.

"Ya got a week to live."

"Like I keep telling people. I got Kaori. I'll be JUUUST fine."

Kaori kissed him and placed her ringed hand on the desk in full view of the rulers. Erica smiled.

"I see now. Sylica."

"Not another word. We're going for mind boom here."

She smiled.

"I understand."

Tyler sighed now.

"We're looking for a needle in a haystack. That bastard isn't in the country...hol up. I wonder."

The room replied en mass.

"Oh shit here we go."

Tyler smiled.

"Love you too. Malico, the scroll."

The cat smiled as she placed the happily humming scroll on the desk. Tyler opened it up and it sighed with pleasured joy.

"What can I do for you lover?"

"Got a question for ya."

There was a happy laugh.

"Oh shit here we go."

"Love you too."

"What's it this time?"

"Okay, bare with me. If an attempt is being made to make a hole in Death for a resurrection, can Death feel it and track it?"

The scroll gasped in shock as it formed a shocked pantomime.

"I need to ask it, hold on."

"Always for you, Minus."

"Love you too."

The men in the room were glowering in open jealousy as he flirted with a goddess. Tyler looked at the map as an unsettling feeling permeated the room. Tyler looked over to see Death itself standing in the room. Tyler smiled as he stood between it and the group.

"Death. We meet once more."

It rattled it's bones in a mockery of laughter.

"Indeed Mortal. Why do you seek the knowledge of Death itself?"

"To kill this bastard sooner rather then later. Are you familiar with the phrase play both ends against the middle?"

It laughed again.

"I am Mortal. You seek to aid death in keeping its absoluteness."

"I seek to keep the ones I love safe from YOU until their time comes."

The ruler of Death itself just laughed its unnerving laugh.

"I see. You are most wise to seek this, as Death comes for you all eventually. As for your deal. What are your terms, exactly?"

"I have the dragons looking for this bastard the best they can, but we're looking for a needle in a haystack. I have the waves to worry about so my time is also limited. What we need is a direction to look in. What I'm requesting, is a location you feel the biggest probe. Once this wave ends, and we have the location of the next staging ground, provided the location is within our reach, we will aid in the hunt for this bastard the way only we can."

Death pondered this for a few minutes.

"Most interesting, Mortal. You do not seek death's knowledge as I feared, merely it's presence. This It can grant as Death still feels the challenge to its absoluteness. Now, MY terms."

"Of course."

"Death is aware of your efforts against the undead of the realm. My terms are you continue killing every undead you encounter, as they are an insult to Death itself. To better accomplish this goal, Death shall also grant you the title of Death's Champion. It boosts your powers against undead as a whole, and in the event of a premature death, it grants ONE escape from it's embrace. Should you fall TWICE a deal must be struck between you. And it. Do we have a deal?"

"Let me see if I got the terms correct. In exchange for the knowledge we seek, you ask we keep killing undead in Death's name with its own title. Is this correct?"

"It is Mortal. The spirits are exempt from this deal, as it would be an insult to Death for such souls to fight for it when they met death the way they did."

Tyler sighed with relief.

"We have a deal, Death. I rather enjoy fighting undead. So, bonus."

The thing rattled its laugh again as it waved it's arm. Tyler was the only one of his party that did NOT shudder as they felt Death's touch.

"A further explanation."

"Okay?"

"Undead encountered in the waves are exempt, as they are merely borrowed from Death for the wave. And to clarify. Death is not seeking you go out after every undead you see on a job board. All Death seeks is the Undead suffer the absoluteness of Death as was intended."

"I thank you for the explanation, Death. I have a better understanding now. The creatures shall fall."

"The knowledge."

It held out a scroll in a bony hand and Tyler took it without hesitating, even getting a glance into the hood of Death. He shrugged and stepped back. Death was impressed now.

"You've seen Death's face, and yet retain sanity. Most impressive Mortal."

"Can't go insane if you already ARE insane. How many times have I sought you out? WILLINGLY?"

The thing burst out laughing as the others shuddered at the sound.

"You are most correct Mortal. For only the truly insane would think to seek out death period."

"I have what I need."

"I have done what I set out to do. May I never find you beneath my blade, Mortal. TOO often."

It vanished laughing as Tyler looked at the scroll.

"Damn that guy is intense."

Minu was heard laughing.

"I have chosen a most spectacular husband! Even Death itself has granted you it's title!"

"I'm good at this."

The scroll smiled at him most fondly as he ran a light finger on it, making her purr.

"Indeed you are. Death itself has acknowledged you. Was there anything else you needed Love?"

"If I kiss this thing, would it be like you?"

The room just looked at him as the scroll laughed.

"Sadly not. That must wait until next time."

"teases it is!"

She moaned lewdly as he ran his fingers over the scroll until kaori grabbed it.

"Ooooh, not so rough, Kaori! Ahh, now my poor breasts hurt!"

The flushed faced blonde passed the lewd scroll to Malico, who rubbed it comfortingly on her own bosom.

"Better!"

She put the scroll away as Kaori smacked Tyler.

"do NOT tease a scroll like that in front of us like that! I feel really weird now!"

Tyler kissed her lovingly.

"Better?"

She smiled.

"Much."

Ishtar also had a new hand print on his face as Erica leered at Tyler.

"I see even a goddess is no match for YOUR talents."

Tyler chuckled as he placed Death's scroll on the table.

"Like I said. I like beauties."

She smiled as he looked at the map Death had given him. He added it to his own, and groaned.

"Why the FUCK am I NOT surprised? Wulf."

The elf came over and saw the new location with the heaviest attempts at making a hole in Death: His homeland. The mountain elf's eyes went wide.

"We need to warn Willow."

Tyler looked at Ishtar.

"Have you a means to contact Tatiana?"

He nodded and placed a crystal on the desk.

"We had these set up since her and Erica were good friends."

"Ya got good taste Erica. And yes I know what I said."

The crystal flared to life and Tatiana's image was seen.

"Ishy! Erica! Tyler! Tyler?"

"Get Willow, Tatiana. You have a major fucking problem right now."

She was gone like lightning as Tyler had Lily come over with her new gear. Tyler pulled out a blue coin and Ishtar smiled.

"Tempesta?"

"We need to hit this with everything we have."

Willow's armored image was seen as well as Glacious' eye as she used her power to amplify the spell.

"What be the problem?"

"We're missing one member."

Tyler placed the coin down.

"Tempesta. I got a fix."

His eye was seen and he blinked as he saw the gathering.

"I see it is that kind of serious. A moment."

His eye glowed and the spells became full images that allowed the map to be seen. Tyler taped the elven kingdom.

"That raiser has set up shop in the elven kingdom Tempesta. Willow. You have a raiser using the Underdark to attempt to resurrect the black one that enslaved the dragons in your country somewhere."

Her dark skin went absolutely white.

"What do I do?"

"Have every member of the elven guard load up. This bastard summons Lich kings as bodyguards. Tempesta."

The blue growled.

"I have Furiosa and Ignatia in the skies now. Glacious does not leave the queen's side."

The crystal dragon bowed her head.

"Of course Highscale."

Tyler looked at the map.

"Okay, Willow, this type of bastard is a monster. If your elves encounter him, throw the entire country at it until Tempesta or another dragon gets there. Or US as once the wave ends we're headed for the capital. This guy also has Fallen Dragons under his command. So keep that in mind as you hunt."

The queen nodded.

"I have Tatiana sounding the rally cry under the weight of a dragon crisis."

Tyler held up a blue coin, and Tempesta's eyes glowed and Willow had it.

"That lets you contact me at any time anywhere. Just take it out and say my name. Or Ishtar or Seline as we all have one."

She smiled now.

"You're building you OWN network. Aye lad."

Tempesta spoke now.

"Queen of the elves, be aware that any entrances you find are to be left alone until I myself or another dragon join your guard, as we have found an alarmingly high number of golden items within them."

"I see. Of course Lord Blue. The guard will be informed.

"Dibs on the furniture!"

They laughed inspite of the heavy conversation as Tyler perked up. Then he addressed Tempesta.

"I'm thinking we need more dragons on this. Strong as you are, three is not enough."

The blue dragon's image was seen to smile.

"Oh no, lad. We are not three. I made a summons of my own."

"Oh SHIT."

The dragon laughed.

"There are more dragons of color then of Fallen. I have called my own friends and even my sister from her slumber to hunt this bastard."

"Yeesh, he's got the sky AND the oceans after his screams? Yeah he fucked."

That got a rumble of approval from the blue dragon.

"Leviathan wishes to meet YOU, Tyler. She said she wants her cloak back."

"I have it in a sealed drawer in the mansion."

"I see. Most wise. She will wait then."

"We're headed back to Raylik after the wave anyway, so we'll get it then."

Ishtar looked at Tyler.

"What do we do?"

Tyler crossed his arms now.

"Hmm, Best thing to do is mark the found entrances on a map thus far, as once the dragons start poking holes in the ground there's a chance he bolts."

Tempesta rumbled now.

"Hunting a rat in the sewers."

"Yeah. Pretty much. Oh. Willow, Tempesta, if you find any notebooks, I need to see them."

The dragon blinked and Glacious chuckled.

"I see. You can even do that with a mere notebook. Milady Willow, I shall explain his ability. Tatiana has witnessed this as well."

The mother to lily nodded.

"I see. Very well."

Tempesta nodded as well.

"Indeed. Any books we find We shall let you read."

"Thank you. We need bait if we're to flush this rat out. I have Death itself pinpointing willow's queendom as the most likely lair due to the sheer number of attempts to breach Death. That said, and for the side of caution, he may NOT actually be there. But, that said, ACT like the very next hole you open up has him looking at you inside it."

Willow and Tempesta nodded.

"Agreed, lad. A most wise way to go about this hunt."

"Indeed, Tyler. Once again you've proven a friend to the dragons. We have no other rewards to show our gratitude."

"I look after my own big blue. Have you found anymore holy weapons in your trove?"

"I have."

"we have a deal with Death itself in exchange for this information. We kill undead for it and get updates as needed. So, I'd appreciate it if we can trade opals for the weapons and gear. We kinda need it."

The dragon laughed.

"Agreed. I have another lance, a greatsword, and a bow."

"We have maybe 178 opals at the moment. Would 50 for the lot suffice?"

Glacious sighed.

"Highscale's hustling you, Heart."

Tempesta blinked.

"Glacious, what the hell? Why'd you just sell me out?"

Tyler just laughed.

"Damn Tempesta, well played. Thanks Glacious!"

"His love for the gems blinds him sometimes. And you are very much welcome Heart."

Tempesta sighed.

"Okay, Tyler. You got me this time. The weapons are yours. I THINK I might have more, but since these are such specific weapons and gear I am not entirely sure."

"I'll check in at the Purity temple. Something tells me they have one or two locked away."

Ishtar smiled now.

"A shrewd decision, as they do indeed. Every temple has at least ONE White weapon locked away in case of undead."

"I'll have a word with the Father. Right now with just my current gear and spells, two lesser Lich kings are my at once limit. I HAVE to get that number to at least ten at once."

Tempesta sighed sadly now, as did everyone else.

"It is sad that we dragons, the lords of the skies and oceans are so utterly powerless to even aid you in these fights. And you fighting them to defend us just makes it worse."

Willow was nodding as well.

"Indeed, lord Blue. Goes against the grain somethin fierce, having to let another fight me battles for me and me not even be able to help in the slightest."

Ishtar and Erica were right there with them.

"Not even we former adventurers can really aid them. All we can do is supply them with their gear as best we can. Yet, the most heartbreaking part, is Tyler has to fight the real battles alone. Alone, and us just watch."

Tyler shrugged.

"Eh. Not alone. I got you guys and Kaori in me corner. Like I'll go down with HER looking at me. Plus, with more of me training, Sera, Lillia, Lily and Kazuma will be able to stand as well against these things."

Willow looked at her daughter standing next to Tyler.

"I see you've become even stronger an your momma."

Lily smiled at her mother.

"You didn't raise no weakling!"

"Damn right I didn't. How's your metal?"

Tyler pulled his pickaxe out.

"Her latest work."

Willow looked it over and nodded approvingly.

"You be coming along well, Lily. I'm proud."

She smiled widely.

"HE taught me a few new methods for steel, Momma."

She blinked.

"when the hell did HE learn to hit iron?"

Tyler took another copy of the forging methods he'd given Lily and Tempesta used his power to pass it to Willow. She looked it over and shook her head.

"Lad, these methods are better versions of our own techniques for advanced forging. I trust she has her own copy?"

"She does, plus a few of my designs."

Lily smiled widely now.

"Some are just plain mean, Momma."

Tyler passed another set of copies and Willow just chuckled.

"I see, I see! Most are easy enough as to be mere practice for her, while others are a true challenge. Be these the only ones you have?"

Tyler crossed his arms as he dug into his archive. Then he grinned.

"Oh I got a nasty one."

Lily walked over as he pulled out anew piece of paper and drew a elbow length gauntlet with a crescent blade on a small rod on the end.

"now, you wear this like a gauntlet and slash and punch with it."

Lily looked at it and chuckled.

"I nasty weapon, and mere practice for me."

HE showed Willow and she nodded.

"Agreed, most simple to make, yet just even to be a challenge."

Tyler blinked as he remembered another weapon.

"oh, I remember another goodie."

He drew a sword with a gentle curve in the spine that curved back up slightly sharper near the tip, before dropping along the blade into a moderate belly before rejoining the hilt. Result? A thicker end with a most elegant feel. Lily saw it and smiled widely,

"That will look simply beautiful."

He showed Willow and she smiled.

"I agree. I would like a copy meself."

"Sure."

He made another and Tempesta sent it through.

"This is oddly fun, seeing what new weapons he has to offer this world."

Tyler smiled now.

"Ooooh, a classic!"

He drew a large knife with a thick blade and narrow tip with a simple handle. Lily saw it and tilted her head.

"That's really simple."

"Exactly. So simple, you can use it to practice with different metals easily."

She just shook her head and showed her mother.

"He's right, Momma, plus since it's a good knife design we can sell it to the adventurers."

Tyler rubbed his chin now.

"I wonder."

Tyler took the paper and drew a greatsword. The weapon was 8 feet long, with two hilts and with a pair of small prongs halfway down the length of the blade. He passed it to Lily and she smiled.

"Oh now that's a challenge."

Willow took one look and smiled as well.

"I want that one too."

She got her copy as Tyler drew a few arrowheads now. One had four blades in a diamond pattern, one with razor barbs hanging off the end for when it hit the target it would hook into it and any attempt to remove the shaft with do far more damage then the initial hit, and one with a needle point and small barbs around the inch long head to grip the inside of the target and cause excoriating pain. Lily looked at the designs and tilted her head.

"Hmm, scary, and plenty of a challenge."

Willow loved them.

"Oh, I love those. Okay, Tyler, I think we need to make a deal here."

"I'm listening."

"You have some truly terrifying designs here, and some I can't WAIT to put to metal, so, in the future, if you have anymore such ideas I will buy them off you so long as me daughter gets a copy for her own work."

Ishtar jumped in now.

"As will I. As a matter of fact I'll offer you 150 gold for the set you've already made thus far."

"Um, sure, I guess. To be honest I made these for Lily to use, but sure."

Lily smiled as her mother jotted down a document. Tempesta played middle man again and Tyler smiled.

"Sorry you keep playing teleporter Tempesta."

The dragon laughed.

"I am seeing weapons I have never before heard of, so it is fun for me to see them. Although that duel set. Hook swords? I wish a set for my trove once they are completed."

Tyler looked at the elven smiths.

"I think we can do that Ladies."

Willow smiled.

"It would be an honor Lord Blue to forge weapons just for your trove."

Tyler had a flash of inspiration.

"Tempesta, question."

"Oh shit, what now?"

"How do you feel on the Sapphire weapons?"

"I collect them, and hold them like opals. Why?"

"Willow, Can YOU work sapphire?"

She snorted.

"Of course I can."

"Well, here then."

Tyler had Tempesta transport 150 three foot sapphires to the queen and she smiled as she understood.

"A unique set of weapons in his favorited stone in his preferred style as repayment? Wise lad."

Tempesta laughed.

"Those things will look beautiful next to my collection of blues."

Tyler looked at Lily as he considered his next design.

"Hmm, oh I know! Another classic."

Tyler drew a set of rings a finger width with various other designs from simple rings that covered the knuckles, to ones with blades on the knuckle, to a gauntlet with a two foot blade over the wrist. Lily looked at them and went wide eyed.

"I can make these in bulk, and some are so intricate that I'd get practice on the more advanced level of metal shaping!"

Ishtar and Willow were amazed.

"The women of the realm will LOVE these as they're so easy and straight forward to use! Plus easily concealed too."

"Indeed, Ishtar, I want these passed out to those that work in my taverns as soon as I can."

Tyler chuckled.

"That's what they were originally meant for. Easy to conceal I mean. These were then adopted by our world's flower girls in the past as a means of protection. A child of Lily's size wielding the simplest one can break a man's femur with a single strike. Plus, the overall concept is so simple it has room for many, many different variations."

Willow was looking at her own copy.

"I see what you mean, as just looking at them I see several different styles right now."

Tyler smiled as he thought of another weapon. He drew a short haft with a balanced axe head. It was longer then a hatchet but smaller then a wood axe. Lily looked at it and looked at him.

"What is it?"

"It's called a tomahawk. It can be swung like an axe on horseback, or thrown like a throwing axe."

Lily smiled now.

"I see. A scary multi weapon."

Ishtar looked at it and smiled.

"I love the design, as it can give my cavalry a useful axe."

Willow saw it differently.

"My Rangers will love the multiple uses for the weapon, from fighting to chopping wood."

Wulf came over now at the word 'Ranger" to inspect the design and the others.

"I see as Well, Milady Willow. This axe I'd like to have myself. Same with this knife, as I see a skinning knife, flay knife, and a carving knife all rolled into one."

Tyler chuckled."

"That's cause it is, Wulf. That's called a Bowie knife. The better made ones last for years of hardcore frontier life. In our world, during an age of exploration and expansion into unchartered wilds, that knife was the difference between life and death. One well made knife can last for generations."

Lily looked at it with new eyes.

"I see it now. Since it's so thick, you can just keep honing it without compromising the strength of the steel. Scary how it's so simple yet is so complex at the same time."

Tyler smiled at her.

"That's the beauty of it, Lily. Sometimes the best and most long lasting solutions are the most simple as well. Like, for example, your sword and shield combo, on paper it looks very simple: Keep the shield between you and the blow, and hit with your own. Yet, try it and you find a myriad of nuances you were never aware of."

Lily nodded.

"Easy to learn, difficult to master. I understand."

HE patted her as willow blinked in surprise.

"Did he just teach her a life lesson on the fly like that? And in a manner where SHE had to figure it out BEFORE he told her?"

Lily smiled at her mother.

"It's how he teaches momma. He'll never outright tell us the lesson, but just prod us in the general direction until we either figure it out on our own, or get lost and bring us back into the right direction."

Willow looked at Tyler.

"How be she doin?"

HE smiled,

"Very well, Willow. She's still learning the way to stand alone, but she's getting there."

Her eyes narrowed.

"When you say alone?"

"Without ME present. I sent her, Sera, and Lillia with Wulf, Kaori and Ashy to kill a hobgoblin camp. Wulf the two girls were there to guide them to the camp, but THEY had to kill it themselves. From how Wulf described the battle, the three had a solid plan until one dead hob fell the wrong way and broke their formation up. So, they had to be rescued."

Willow rubbed her chin.

"I see. They had no backup plan, and got a well-laid plan waylaid by luck. Hobs huh?"

"Lily can kill a 25 foot tall hill giant alone with that gear she has. So, now my training is focusing on being outnumbered and outmatched. They took out a bandit camp with minimal aid as you can't trust bandits, and laid waste to an orc camp of 75 creatures with a twenty foot hill alone without aid."

Willow smiled proudly.

"Gradual increases in difficulty."

"Once they get comfortable with the current bar, I raise it over their heads until they reach it again."

She nodded sagely.

"A most intense, rewarding method. A question though."

"Sure."

"Actually make it two. Are YOU capable of these feats you set them yourself?"

"Indeed. I am also testing my own abilities. I will never ask them to do something I myself am unable to do. I let them face the creatures they do as I have fought them already."

"I feel better hearing this. Now, the second question is how do you reward them on a success?"

"They get their pick of the loot, first. If it was a job from the guild they turn it in themselves, as Lily bullied the guild into accepting her as a member. If we face a tomb guardian, and I send them in and they kill it as requested, they get the loot it guards."

"I hope your right there in the tomb tests."

"Indeed. These I lean on a wall in full view in case we encounter something they are just not ready for. Should that come to pass, they are to take up secondary positions as I get Gliepnir in on it."

"Yet they still would fight it?"

"WITH me. That's how it goes. I help them get a leg to stand on, then see if they CAN stand on it. If they do, great, next lesson. If not, back to practicing."

Willow nodded approvingly.

"The tomb guardians aside, as they just seem unnecessarily risky to have mere students fight blind, but that's just my own feelings, your way of teaching them I like."

"I have only JUST let them start fighting the tomb guardians blind, but, I myself and Vixen here, our undead expert have eyes on supervision just in case. Vixen can identify most undead at a glance, the rest the second. We rely on her for these fights."

Willow breathed a sigh of relief.

"I see. That makes me feel much better now. So, success gets them the pick of the loot and the credit, as a failure gets more practice. A fair system."

Tyler smiled.

"They're doing just fine as well."

She smiled proudly.

"Of course they are."

Tempesta rumbled approvingly.

"We are in desperate need of more teachers like you."

Tyler shrugged.

"I LIKE this job, so maybe not. Oh, Willow, Lily found a blank for a design you might find interesting."

Lily pulled the curved sickle sword out and Willow blinked.

"What the hell is that thing?"

Lily smiled as Tempesta blinked.

"I have not seen such a weapon in several centuries. That is a anti shield sword. The specific name escapes me, but these swords were forged to counter shields as a whole."

Tyler chuckled.

"Not exactly, Tempesta. This type of sword is made to counter HIDE shields as the inside of the curve is sharp. The hook bit is supposed to catch the hide as well and yank it away, yet, if it encounters a metal shield wielded by one that knows how to counter it the right way, then it's just another irritating hassle."

Tempesta's eyes narrowed.

"I see your points. And when spoken aloud, it is weirdly obvious. It seems even I have more to learn about the world."

"We all do. So, the raiser."

Willow spoke up.

"My guard is mobilizing for a search as we speak. If we find any unopened entrances we shall send for you, Lord Blue."

"Appreciated Elf Queen."

Ishtar wrote down the instructions on a piece of paper and fixed his seal on it.

"I'll get my knights up to date on this mess. Well, the holes bit."

Tyler looked at the map.

"I need to figure out a way to at least narrow the search field at least a LITTLE bit."

Tempesta had a thought.

"If we strictly look for entrances big enough for a dragon to enter and exit with ease, we have a range at least."

Tyler crossed his arms.

"I see your reasoning Tempesta, but we're looking in the mountains now. That would work for flat land, but in the hills and dales of the elven queendom? Hmm, Lemme look a sec."

Tyler leaned in and zoomed in to look at the Elven Queendom closely. Lyrica smiled.

"Now I'm glad I gave him that one."

"Love you too Lyrica."

She smiled as Tyler tapped one spot.

"I got one. It's maybe sixty meters in diameter, and has a dip of five centimeters that is just out of place."

Tempesta's eyes glowed.

"I see the spot. I shall need your aid in drawing out the beast."

"Sooo, how we get me there?"

Tempesta bared his fangs in a grin.

"I think we can make it work."

Tyler blinked.

"Oh FUCK yeah!"

The others watched as Tyler glowed a little, before vanishing. Then a crystal was seen with a projection of him as he was now standing atop the indicated spot. Kaori just shook her head.

"Of course the dragons can force a teleport."