Mushoku Impact

After paying a rather exorbitant fee at the Eastern gate, Paul and Party made their way over to the staging area at the side of the Guild.&nbsp;
While it was rare for individual Parties to own wagons, the Guild would sometimes stage large-scale expeditions when a monster horde or a new Dungeon appeared. Such ventures would require hundreds of Adventurers and dozens of wagons, so any Adventurer's Guild worthy of its name had a large staging area that served as a bulk drop-off location.
Upon learning of Paul's return, Lisa, accompanied by an Elven woman with short blonde hair, pointed ears, and leaf-green eyes came out with seven other Guild employees. While the latter immediately proceeded to process Einherjar's bounty, Lisa and the Elven woman approached Paul, the former initiating the dialogue by saying, "Welcome back, Paul, Einherjar. Allow me to introduce you to Sharia City's Guild Master, Lady Sionia Barrows."
Nodding her head in response to Lisa's introduction, the profoundly flat-chested Sionia met Paul's gaze with a faint smile on her face as she said, "Lisa has regaled me with many a tale of your exploits, Sir Paul. I see now that she wasn't exaggerating..."
Demonstrating she was in possession of some form of Demon Eyes, likely the Demon Eyes of Magic Perception, Sionia gave Paul a quick once-over, surprised by the quantity and purity of his Mana. The only forms of Magic he actively endeavored to use were Healing and Detoxification Magic, so his 'aura' was a shade of leafy green that matched his eyes.
"Very impressive. It's almost a shame you've chosen to waste your talents on swordsmanship...you would have made an excellent Mage..."
Smiling wryly, Paul refuted, "You'd be surprised. Before I consumed some Mana Draught, I couldn't even cast a Beginner Waterball or Healing Spell. What you see now has come about due to arduous training and...well, let's say I'm very 'proactive' when it comes to increasing my Mana pool..."
&nbsp;Raising her brows, Sionia asked, "You've discovered a method to increase your Mana?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul answered, "Something like that." before asking, "Is there something you required of my Party? I don't imagine you came out just to say hello."
Nodding her head in affirmation, Sionia answered, "Sir Paul is correct. I actually came out here to thank you."
Tilting his head to the side, Paul asked, "Thank me? For what...?" in a marginally confused tone. Several things came to mind when he heard Sionia's words, but he wouldn't know for sure until she explained herself.
Placing her hand over her heart, Sionia offered a sincere smile as she said, "I heard about what you did for Revaan and all the other people you freed from slavery. The Guild has also conducted an official investigation into you and your Party, so I am aware of your contributions to the Ranoa Magic Academy and your ongoing efforts to improve the conditions of the Beast people living in the Western slums. Sir Paul is truly a generous and charitable man..."
Crossing his arms, Paul furrowed his brows slightly and asked, "What are you getting at? I appreciate your gratitude, but I can't imagine it's the real reason you came out to meet me. You don't get to be a Guild Master if you lack social and political awareness..."
Looking around at the growing number of people closely monitoring his conversation with Sionia, Paul was pretty confident in his assertion. The slim and noble-looking woman clearly had a request to make. Either that or she was publically praising him as a sort of publicity stunt...
Realizing there was a reasonably high possibility of the latter being the case, especially with Lisa present, Paul's smile immediately cramped as he uncrossed his arms and adopted a less standoffish posture.
Amused by Paul's quick change in demeanor, a soft chuckle emanated from Sionia's throat before she whispered, "It appears we're now on the same page. I was a bit worried you were going to make a scene..."
Scratching the back of his head, Paul explained, "Sorry. It's just, we were stopped by a Surveyor's Party on the way back, and there was a bit of an incident. Hearing you mention the Guild conducted an investigation kind of put me on edge..."
Nodding her head, Sionia offered a curt, "Understandable." before raising her voice and adding, "In recognition of your services to the City of Sharia and its people, the executives of the Guild have convened with the Mayor and the Principal of the Ranoa Magic Academy to discuss a fitting reward. In short, we have decided to reward Party Einherjar with the provisional status of an A-Rank Party. You'll need to increase your actual Ranks if you want to be viewed as A-Rank elsewhere, but for the duration of your stay in the Ranoa Magic Kingdom, you will enjoy the status and benefits of an A-Rank Adventurer. Congratulations, and thank you for your services."
As Sionia bowed her head, many of the Guild staff present, Lisa included, began to clap. Their ovation prompted several citizens and a few curious Adventurers to join in, much to Paul's chagrin...
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After having their materials processed, Paul and Party followed Lisa to upgrade their Guild Cards from F to D-Rank. While that was taking place, Paul had Lisa sit astride atop his lap, his hand caressing the interior of her left thigh as he asked, "What was that about? Some ploy by the Kingdom to bait us into staying long-term?"
Tearing her eyes away from Paul's mischievous hand, a naturally alluring smile developed across Lisa's face as she met his gaze and teased, "I'm surprised you actually caught onto that. It seems your time at the Milbots Academy for Nobles wasn't completely wasted..."
Raising his brows, Paul slid his hand further up Lisa's thigh as he asked, "Are you taunting me...?"
Showing no signs of fear or trepidation, Lisa leaned into Paul, her ample bosom pressing into him as she replied, "Maybe..." in a hot, purring tone.
Inhaling a deep breath, Paul resisted his almost instinctual urge to tear apart the mature vixen's skirt. Instead, he slid his right hand up the side of her body before sinking his fingers into her pillowy breast and asking, "Do we know who's responsible? As far as I know, Princess Andromeda's connections lay with the Neris Kingdom. Unless this is Ranoa's attempt to poach her, I can't imagine why they would show me any favoritism..."
Though there were actually several reasons why a Kingdom like Ranoa would want to recruit him, Paul dismissed most of them as he had yet to form any actual connections. Approaching him at this point would be an extreme gamble for even the most desperate of factions, so unless they viewed him as an idiot, it wouldn't make sense to try and curry favor with him before introductions had been made.
"Mmm...we're still looking into it. Though I'm pretty close with the Guild Master, she doesn't trust me implicitly. I know she is acting at the behest of someone affiliated with the Royal Family, but their identity is currently unknown. However, considering their ability to influence an 'independent' organization such as the Adventurer's Guild, I imagine their titles include Highness or Majesty..."
"Do you-"
Before Paul could ask for information about the Royal Family, Lisa placed her index finger on his lips and said, "If you keep teasing me, I'll have no choice but to go on the offensive..."
Causing Lisa to feel a marginal amount of disappointment, Paul stopped tracing his finger over her silken panties. Fortunately, he didn't leave her completely hanging, stating, "Tomorrow evening. Make sure to clear your schedule or get off of work early. I'm not letting you sleep a wink..."
Having already made 'arrangements' with Eula and Ei, Paul, unfortunately, couldn't ravish Lisa. He really, really wanted to, but she was currently in the midst of her shift, and he still needed to check the IOF to see if there had been any changes.
Catching Paul by surprise, Lisa drew her face closer to his, her expression comparable to a Succubus as she purred, "I have two years' worth of sick days stockpiled...I could take an entire month off if you think you're up for it..."
Though he could feel the pressure in his pants increasing, Paul managed to maintain a relatively relaxed smile as he planted a quick peck on Lisa's lips and said, "Tempting, but I'm pretty sure we both have a lot going on. Besides, as 'capable' as you present yourself, I have a feeling you're not very experienced in bedroom affairs. I don't want to break you..."
Squinting her emerald-green eyes, Lisa was tempted to regale Paul with tales of her bedroom exploits. While some people attributed her behavior to her particular preference in books, she was the author and inspiration for many of the books she circulated among the female members of the Knights of Favonius. She didn't have any official partners during her stay in Mondstadt, but she had been rather 'prolific' during her studies at the Sumeru Academia. She may have been their most distinguished graduate in 200 years, but not all of her grades were legitimate...
Bringing her face even closer to Paul's, Lisa's eyes glistened with magical energy as she said, "You're adorable..." before sealing his lips with a kiss. When she did, Paul felt as though a warm balloon had popped in his mind, its heat permeating through the rest of his body as Lisa's tongue invaded his mouth...
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Though he would usually be the one to leave women panting or in a state of borderline unconsciousness, Paul found himself breathing heavily with his forearm resting over his eyes. At his side, smoking an ornate pipe filled with something other than tobacco, Lisa had an amused smile on her face as she remarked, "You aren't wrong to feel confident in your technique. By and large, you are the most 'capable' man I've ever bedded..."
Following her words, Lisa grabbed Paul's still-erect member, faint Electro Energy emanating from her palm as she stroked him up and down, adding, "Unfortunately for you, I've been stimulating myself using Electro Energy since I was a tween. As capable as you are, nothing quite compares to a controlled surge of Electro Energy to the clitoris..."
Squeezing the base of Paul's penis, Lisa's eyes sparkled as he produced a veritable geyser of semen. Paul had held out better than most, but, after a few hours of careful guidance, he invariably ended up as putty in the palm of her hand. If he didn't have several other women he needed to pleasure, she might have sculpted him to her particular preferences...
Licking up the semen that had stained her gloved hand, Lisa shifted her gaze to Paul's muscular body, an unconcealed thirst glistening within the depths of her shimmering green eyes. Including the time she had spent in Mondstadt, it had been more than a decade since she last 'experimented' with such a fine specimen. In fact, Paul might very well be the finest she ever worked with...
Missing the feeling of Paul inside of her, Lisa lay next to him, her lips close enough to tickle his earlobe as she caressed his chest and whispered in a half-moaning voice, "I've had my fun...it's your turn..."
Though he didn't immediately respond to Lisa's words, Paul had enough of his mental faculties intact to understand what she was saying. A part of him wanted nothing more than to get even with her, but, fearing she might awaken something within him, Paul promptly suppressed any thoughts of 'revenge.' It only took having his ass licked, and prostate stimulated once to understand that Lisa was anything but inexperienced. Even if he could get even with her, he would have to pay a very steep price...
Eliciting an amused chuckle from the lascivious brunette, Paul adopted a slightly wry smile as he asked, "Can we just cuddle for a bit...?"
Leaning forward, Lisa planted a kiss on Paul's cheek before playfully repling, "Just for a bit..."
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"Ad Astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."
Though he had somewhat anticipated it, Paul couldn't help gawking at the dark-haired, blue-eyed woman greeting him with a perfectly professional smile on her face. Her green and white dress, reminiscent of a maid outfit, perfectly matched her ensemble from the game. The only difference was, much like everyone else that had appeared in the Intersection of Fate, her appearance matched the aesthetic of Mushoku Tensei.
"Katheryne...?"
With her hands neatly folded over her abdomen, Katheryne performed a polite bow as she answered, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Paul."
Resisting the urge to ask the short-haired Receptionist if he could see the back of her neck, Paul took a moment to inspect the interior of the booth she was standing in. Numerous books and documents lined a series of shelves at Katheryne's back, but the thing that stood out the most was the wooden door that produced a shadow beneath its base despite open skies existing beyond it...
Tilting her body to obstruct Paul's view, Katheryne calmly inquired, "Are you curious? I would normally prohibit Adventurers from leaping over the counter, but I believe I can make an exception for the Champion."
Though he was tempted to do exactly that, Paul quickly shook his head, saying, "That can wait till later. For now, how about an explanation of how all of this works? Like, how do I increase my Adventurer Rank, and what effect does it have...?"
Nodding her head in understanding, Katheryne pulled out what appeared to be a compass, a runic pyramid, and a four-pronged scepter comprised of a bluish-white, gold, and a strange, watery blue crystal.
"I believe Master Paul has been apprised of his penultimate goal, correct? That being the 'harmonization' of this world and the world of Teyvat."
Seeing Paul nod in affirmation, Katheryne went on to explain, "While the production and dissemination of Elemental Energy are essential, there are several other conditions that must be fulfilled to ensure a stable bridge."
Pushing forward the strange pyramid and compass, Katheryne tapped the top of the former. In response, azure blue runes lit up along the pyramid's surface before the top half abruptly opened. When it did, what could best be described as a holographic projection of the Intersection of Fate, seen from above, formed into existence.
"This is a Lodestone. It needs Elemental Energy to function, but it allows you to map your surroundings. In the absence of Elemental Energy, it has an effective range of around 100m. With a steady supply, its range can be increased almost indefinitely. However, due to the square-cube law, it would require an exponentially increasing amount of Elemental Energy to map the entire planet."
Holding up the compass next, Katheryne explained, "This little device is a Compass. However, unlike an ordinary Compass, it always orients toward the nearest Lodestone. More importantly, so long as you are within range of the Lodestone, you can exhaust a fully charged Vision to teleport the remaining distance."
Raising his brows, Paul asked, "So if the range of the Lodestone covers the entire planet, I can effectively teleport wherever I want...?"
Though she nodded her head, Katheryne answered, "Yes. However, as I mentioned before, mapping the surface of an entire planet with a single Lodestone is virtually impossible. Even if the planet were fully saturated with Elemental Energy, it still wouldn't be enough. Fortunately, you aren't limited to a single Lodestone. More importantly, you have these..."
Holding up the scepter-like device, Katheryne explained, "This object is known as a Beacon. It requires a significant amount of Elemental Energy to power up but functions similarly to a radio tower. If you place it within the influence of a Lodestone, it can drastically enhance its range. As an additional bonus, Beacons function as Teleportation Waypoints so long as they're active. If you created a path linking two Lodestones across a vast distance, you could eventually teleport from one side of the world to the other. Additionally, you can also teleport to individual Beacons, so make sure to place them in convenient locations~!"
Punctuating her words with a friendly smile, Katheryne was somewhat surprised when Paul, with a grim expression on his face, asked, "What's the catch...?"
Fixing her expression and posture, Katheryne calmly explained, "The catch is that you must personally journey to the locations you want to install a Beacon or Lodestone. For the sake of the convergence, you will also need to travel to specific Labyrinths and Dungeons to replace their cores with Beacons. Once substituted, the Beacon will slowly convert the Dungeon into a Domain, a lesser bridge linking the world of Teyvat to this one."
Bobbing his head in understanding, Paul asked, "Let me guess...I increase my Adventure Rank by mapping this world and converting Dungeons into Domains. Is that about it...?"
Maintaining her business-like smile, Katheryne replied, "There are a few more steps, but that about summarizes the basics. The remaining steps include installing Statues of the Seven and distributing a certain number of Visions. However, as both of those require attaining Constellations, I would suggest focusing on exploration. To that end, your Adventure Rank effectively represents the percentage of the world you have explored and spread Elemental Energy to."
"So there aren't any Quests I need to complete...?"
Shaking her head, Katheryne clarified, "There are, but they include things like converting dungeons or eliminating specific threats. If you would like to learn more, please reach Adventure Rank 10. My programming does not allow me to provide information that may jeopardize your life."
Blinking in surprise, Paul remarked, "I'm surprised you actually admitted it. I expected you to pretend to be human or something..."
Adopting a somewhat hurt expression, Katheryne answered, "I can assure you that I am human...the circumstances of my birth, or, more accurately, my creation, are just a little different. You have met Albedo, correct? While our creators are different, we are much the same."
"Ah...that makes you a Homunculus then? Sorry if I offended you before."
Surprised that Paul was familiar with the term, Katheryne inquired, "Has Master Paul studied alchemy?"
Shaking his head, Paul explained, "Not really. It was just part of the meta-knowledge of my world, something that occasionally popped up in various anime and movies. Back when I was exploring your world through a game, some scenes showed you possessing a keyhole on the back of your neck. There were also multiple Katheryne(s) spread around, so everyone in the Genshin community just assumed you were some gynoid or something..."
"I see..."
Though it was a bit disconcerting thinking about someone knowing her deepest secrets, Katheryne did her best not to let it bother her. Instead, she did her duty, explaining, "Your first Lodestone, Compass, and Beacon are provided as a courtesy. Additional Compasses and Beacons cost 100 and 1000 Asura Gold Coins each. As for Lodestones, there are three ways to acquire them. The simplest method is to increase your Adventure Rank. Every ten Ranks will reward you with an additional Lodestone and several other rewards. After that, the only way to acquire additional Lodestones is to construct Statues of the Seven or convert the specified Dungeons."
"Sounds about right..."
Recalling the principle of Equivalent Exchange that Zhongli had quoted on several occasions, Paul didn't bother questioning why the Gods in charge required their supposed Champion to pay for everything. Instead, he just picked up the three freebies before asking, "What about you? Do you stay in here, or can I let you out...?"
Adopting an ostensibly sincere smile, Katheryne answered, "That's what the door behind me is for. Once you have placed a Lodestone in a suitable location, I will emerge to construct a Guild Kiosk around it. After that, any in possession of a Vision will be able to use the teleportation network you have established."
Smiling wryly in response to Katheryne's words, Paul asked, "But I have to plant all the Lodestones and Beacons on my own...?"
Nodding her head in affirmation, Katheryne answered, "Indeed. You might not be aware of this, but Master Paul's status as the Champion makes him the only source of unaspected, better known as Void Elemental Energy. It is what allows you to access the Intersection of Fate and make use of the other seven Elements."
Though he recalled Zhongli and Kusanali mentioning something similar when they broached the subject of Seelie production, Paul hadn't been paying full attention at the time. Now that he heard Katheryne's calm and casual explanation, he couldn't help facepalming as he asked, "Don't tell me I'm supposed to replace Hitogami as the God of the Void...?"
Alleviating Paul's concerns, Katheryne shook her head, explaining, "As far as I am aware, it is Luciana who will replace Hitogami. However, that is so far in the future; I wouldn't concern myself with it. For now, I suggest you focus on increasing your Adventure Rank and simply enjoying life. Let the Gods worry about the more complicated stuff."
"Right..."
Dropping his hand, Paul stared into Katheryne's impeccably blue eyes as he said, "Well, I guess I'll see you around...?"
Cupping her hands over her abdomen, Katheryne responded to Paul's words with a polite bow, saying, "The Adventurers' Guild patiently awaits your return. Ad Astra abyssosque~!"
"..."
Feeling as though Katheryne was kicking him out of the Intersection of Fate, an awkward smile developed across Paul's face as he answered, "Yeah...ad Astra...abyss...?"
"Ad Astra abyssosque. It means 'To the Stars and the Abyss' in one of the most ancient tongues of Teyvat. It represents an Adventurer's willingness to travel to any destination, never ceasing in their pursuit of the truth."
Nodding his head, Paul replied with an off-sounding, "Ad Astra abyssque." He was pretty sure the language Katheryne was referring to was simply the Latin of his original world, but that didn't really help him speak it. Not after he had spent the last twelve and a half years speaking a variation of Japanese...
Returning what Paul interpreted as a slightly judgmental smile, Katheryne replied with a slower, properly enunciated, "Ad Astra abyssosque." before staring directly at him, clearly intending for him to keep trying until he got it right...
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Emerging from the Intersection of Fate, the first thing Paul noticed was the heavy aroma of sex on the air. After that, his eyes were drawn to the buxom, wavy-haired brunette sitting at a desk wearing nothing but a pale purple negligee.
Hearing the door open and close, Lisa exhaled a sensual chuckle before looking back and musing, "I was beginning to think you might never come out..."
Rolling his eyes, Paul began to unbutton his tunic and peel off his clothes as he said, "I'm not scared of you..." in a slightly subdued tone.
Adopting a squinty-eyed smile that came across as both captivating and uncanny, Lisa teased, "Excellent. I've only given you a small taste of what I'm truly capable of. It would have been heartbreaking if you got cold feet and scurried off..."
Accentuating her words, Lisa moved the fingers of her right hand with the finesse of a skilled pianist, Electro Energy dancing between her fingertips as she licked her lips in one of the most overtly sensual manners Paul had ever seen.
Though he convinced himself it was the result of the chill present within the room, Paul's body visibly shuddered in response to Lisa's words. She lacked the brutality most people would expect, but Paul was pretty sure that Lisa was a sadist. However, instead of feeling intimidated by her, a faint yet growing anticipation was brewing in his heart. After all, it wasn't for no reason that he permitted women like Ei and Eula to choke him with their thighs...
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With their respective allies forming a loose encirclement around them, obviously prepared to intervene if shit hit the fan, Paul asked, "Just how far do you intend to take this? First to be disarmed, first to give up, or..."
Lowering himself into a reverse drawing stance, Timothy maintained a look of conviction as he declared, "I just want to measure the distance between you and me..."
Punctuating his words, Timothy launched himself forward with enough momentum to kick up a swirl of snow and ice. The essence of the Sword God School was to strike first and end the battle as quickly as possible. Some might consider it cheating to strike in the middle of a conversation, but history was a mouthpiece for the victor. Most people didn't care how a fight was concluded, only who won.
"Little shit..."
Catching Timothy by surprise, Paul didn't immediately draw his sword. Instead, he stepped just outside of Timothy's attack range, the tip of the latter's blade nearly a fine line through his jacket.
"Wha-"
Taking advantage of Timothy's confusion, Paul decked the little kid in the side of the face. To his credit, Timothy managed to react by reversing his grip and swiping towards Paul's wrist, but it ultimately didn't matter. Paul was nowhere near the level of Gal, but he could still use Touki. Something Timothy had yet to grasp fully.
As Timothy was sent reeling by his punch, Paul took a moment to stare at the shallow cut along his forearm. It was a lot slower than when he used his Lesser Regeneration, but he could see the gash slowly mending itself.
Bounding to his feet much sooner than Paul expected, Timothy's speed suddenly increased as he shot forward, shouting, "Draw your sword...!" as he swung his own.
Noticing a faint shimmer along the edge of Timothy's blade, Paul couldn't help muttering, "Little monster." as he dodged backward and released the clasp of his reforged, custom broadsword.
Feeling a chill spread through his body, Timothy sliced upward just as his sweeping lung missed its mark. Doing so allowed him to intercept Paul's sword, but it wasn't enough. Even without using Touki to strengthen his cutting power, Paul was a paragon pushing the limits of the human body. There was also a nearly 30cm difference in their height, so the moment Paul's blade impacted Timothy's, the latter was forced to a knee.
Though surprised, Timothy was undaunted by the difference between his and Paul's strength. The moment his knee hit the ground, he grit his teeth and attempted to sweep towards his opponent's legs. Unfortunately, Paul had anticipated this, sending his sword flying with a parry that resembled a one-handed golf swing.
"Let the great protection of fire arrive at the place thou seekest. I call forth the heat of a torch here and now. Fireball...!"
Worried for her friend's life, Leilah raised her staff and launched a Fireball at Paul. The rest of Party Lion's Head looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but they still leaped into action to try and save their friend's life.
Before things could get too out of hand, Paul cut down the Fireball and shouted, "Stand down...!" in an authoritative tone. The Lion's Head Party believed this was directed at them, pausing in place, but the truth of the matter was that Paul was ordering Ei and Ghislaine not to kill them.
With everyone freezing in place, Paul exhaled a tired sigh before kicking the befuddled Timothy towards his Party and complaining, "Seriously, you people must have a death wish or something. I never intended to kill your friend, so why the fuck are you overreacting?"
Shaking his head, Paul didn't wait for Rolan and the rest to respond before appending, "Forget it. Just grab your stuff and get the hell out of here. I'm tired of looking at your suicidal asses."
Though he had initially intended to offer Timothy some friendly words of advice, Paul's mood was ruined by Leilah's surprise attack. Not because the Fireball was even remotely a threat, but because it had nearly gotten her entire Party wiped out.
Realizing she had made a mistake, Leilah lowered her head with the intent to apologize. However, before she could find the words to do so, Timothy pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the tense atmosphere as he glared at Paul and said, "This isn't over...now that I've experienced your strength, I can tell you're not much faster than me. The next time we fight-"
"Shut the fuck up, kid. Stop acting like I'm some great antagonist or villain for you to overcome. If you want to become a powerful swordsman, that's on you. I have literally done nothing to merit your dumb ass trying to track me down and murder me. Stop acting like a self-righteous little twat."
Taken aback by Paul's words, Timothy opened his mouth but couldn't find the words to argue. He expected a swordsman like Paul to look forward to a future challenge. Instead, the latter's words made it sound as though he was being wronged and inconvenienced for no reason...
What Timothy didn't know was that Paul's desire to become strong was simply that. He wanted to be strong, not so he could harvest people's lives like wheat, but so he could enjoy his life without being suppressed and taken advantage of by others. The last thing he needed was a future Sword Emperor tracking him down and potentially targetting the people he cared about just to prove which of them was the strongest.
Taking advantage of Timothy's stunned silence, Paul added, "Seriously, just think about your actions till now. You accuse me of being a bandit for no fucking reason, attempt to pressure your Party into attacking mine just because you're butthurt, and then try to cripple me during a match where it's evident to everyone I'm going easy on you. It's pretty fucking obvious which one of us is the villain here..."
"..."
Hanging his head, a wave of shame washed over Timothy for maybe the second time in his entire life. He wanted to refute Paul's words, but there wasn't much he could say. Everything Paul said, while brazen and harsh, was the truth. Paul hadn't committed any crimes. He had even gone out of his way to deescalate the situation multiple times. The only thing Timothy could fault him for winking at Leilah, but that wasn't exactly a crime...even if it annoyed him...
Realizing that he had attempted to goad his Party into killing or arresting someone just because they had flirted with his childhood friend, another wave of shame washed over Timothy's mind. He and Leilah weren't even in a relationship. He had confessed to her when they were both children, but she had refused because she wanted to travel around and become a Mage, not waste away in their village. After that, he had trained hard just so he could accompany her, eventually following her to Sharia and joining the Adventurer's Guild to help pay her tuition...
Looking toward Leilah, Timothy's mood diminished even further when he found her staring at Paul with a pensive look on her face. She had come to his aid and even treated his injuries with Healing Magic, but now that things had calmed down, she seemed more concerned about finding the words to apologize to Paul than supporting him.
Returning his gaze to the front, Timothy looked past Paul at the bevy of beautiful women standing behind him. Two of them were so remarkably attractive he couldn't even find the words to describe them. They were looking forward and staring at him, but, a stark contrast to how Leilah was looking at Paul, they didn't seem particularly concerned about him or his Party mates. They were just ready to act the moment things escalated...
Inhaling a deep breath, Timothy attempted to suppress his negative thoughts before meeting Paul's gaze and calmly stating, "I will become stronger...not for anyone else, but to prove to myself I have what it takes to become strong..."
Following his words, Timothy turned away with the intent to go and pick up his fractured sword. Paul's parry had caused nearly a third of the blade to shatter, but it was still usable and could be reforged.
"Hey, kid..."
Catching Timothy and pretty much every member of his Lion's Head by surprise, Paul tossed over a small coin purse, adding, "I'm pretty famous for having a discerning eye. This may sound a little ridiculous after the other things I've said, but I can tell you have a monstrous talent. If you were to travel to the Sword Sanctum and train seriously, I bet you could become a Sword Emperor before you're 25. That should help you prepare for the journey and then some."
Peeling open the coin purse, Timothy was stunned to find ten Asura Gold Coins within. It wasn't exactly a fortune, but it was more than enough to cover Leilah's tuition and upgrade his equipment. His current sword and outfit had only cost him around six Asura Silver Coins, ten of which made a single Asura Gold Coin.
Clenching his fist around the bag of coins, a resolute expression appeared on Timothy's youthful face as he said, "I will never forget the lessons you have taught me this day..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul said, "I'll be happy so long as you don't go around causing trouble for myself and others. If you do manage to reach the Rank of Sword Emperor, feel free to seek me out. I have no intention of fighting you to the death, but I can at least buy you a drink."
Realizing he had severely misjudged Paul's character, a frustratingly sour feeling began to spread through Timothy's nose. Fortunately, it was well below freezing, so pretty much everyone's eyes were watering...
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"Was that boy someone you recognized...?"
After refusing Lion's Head's offer for an escort, Paul returned to pulling his overburdened cart while Eula and Ei walked alongside him. Ghislaine was keeping an eye on Lion's Head, so Paul had no qualms about responding to Eula's question, explaining, "Yeah. Unless something drastic happens in the interim, Timothy is fated to become the father of the next Sword God, Jino Britts. I doubt he'll become an ally in the future, but investing 10AGC to prevent him from becoming an enemy seemed like a smart decision..."
Understanding that Paul didn't have the heart to kill people he 'knew', Eula just nodded her head before asking, "And what of the girl? What part does she play in all of this...?"
Shrugging his shoulders despite the burden his arms were supporting, Paul answered, "No clue. I can't recall anyone named Leilah, and unless I'm misremembering things, I'm relatively certain that Timothy ends up with the current Sword God's younger sister. I don't know her name, but I doubt the younger sister of the Sword God is a relatively average Mage."&nbsp;
"Mmm...I see...I thought you may have been flirting with her because she was someone important..."
Slowing his pace a bit, Paul looked towards Eula with a slightly amused look on his face as he asked, "Could my little thigh goddess be jealous...?"
Furrowing her brows, Eula stated, "You know I don't like it when you call me that. Also, what reason could I have to be jealous? I'm just concerned about everyone else, that's all..."
Having learned to speak Eula's language, Paul maintained his moderately cheeky smile as he said, "I was just teasing her since I caught her staring at my abs. Besides, with amazing women like you around, I'm not exactly hurting for companionship. There are bound to be a few exceptions, sure, but I'm ultimately loyal to our cause...in fact, if it bothers you that much, I don't mind swearing off women outside the IOF..."
Exhaling a sigh, Eula replied with a terse, "That's unnecessary..." before shifting her eyes skyward and muttering, "How you choose to live is up to you. We're already being selfish by thrusting the fate of our world on your shoulders...I dare not-"
"I've said this before, but I'll repeat it a thousand times if I have to. I've already made my decision, Eula. I'm not just living for myself, but for all of us. If you're not happy about something, you have every right to express it. I may not be able to change immediately, but you've all seen how much of an effort I'm willing to make..."
Though he would be lying if he said he didn't want to bed certain women, most of the people Paul was interested in from the original series weren't even born yet. Since he wasn't a pedo, that meant most of them were off-limits. More importantly, even Ghislaine couldn't hold a candle to the girls he had summoned from the IOF, so if someone as dutiful as Eula were to put her foot down, Paul wouldn't mind forgoing sexual relations with other women. He was already one of the luckiest people in the world just being able to use her thighs and ass as a pillow...
Seeing the sincerity in Paul's eyes, a rare smile developed across Eula's face as she softly replied, "I'll keep that in mind..."
...
..
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Chapter 74: MI74: Bravado : Bluster