Mushoku Impact

After registering themselves at the Guild, Paul exchanged 3 AGC for 270 GOC after a 10% exchange commission.&nbsp;
Unlike the currency of the Asura Kingdom, which used refined metals such as copper, silver, gold, and platinum, the Demon Continent used literal stone, scrap iron, iron, and green crystals that resembled decently sized emeralds. If converted directly, it would take a hundred Stone Coins to equal a single Asura Copper Coin, which, in turn, was equivalent to the second-highest denomination of Demon Continent currency, an Iron Coin.
With 270 Green Ore Coins in his possession, it wasn't an exaggeration to say Paul was one of the wealthiest people in the city. Even A and S-Rank Parties would only earn a few dozen GOC from high-ranking commissions. As a result, the Guild Receptionist, an insectoid woman with the head and features of a bee, needed approval from the Guild Master just to approve the exchange.
Fortunately for Paul, most Demons didn't really care about anyone but themselves. They were beings that could live for hundreds of years but preferred to live from one moment to the next, wholly unconcerned for what the future might hold. For this reason, their civilization only ever advanced when a reasonably powerful Demon King appeared to whip them into shape. In the absence of such an individual, the majority of Demons lived out their entire lives fighting, having fun, and fucking to their heart's content.
Without bothering to ask how Paul and his Party had managed to arrive at Kurasuma, the Guild Master, a muscular man with grey skin, six eyes, and large tusks, simply confirmed the Asura Gold Coins were legitimate before advising Paul to be careful. Most Demons weren't foolish enough to cause a scene within the territory of a Demon Lord, but the allure of hundreds of Green Ore Coins was too much. After all, a reasonably powerful D-Ranker would only earn around 5-10 GOC per year, depending on how often they risked their lives. If they could obtain hundreds with a single, well-placed shiv, they wouldn't hesitate.
After thanking the Guild Master for his 'friendly' advice, Paul and the girls spent several hours roaming around and sampling the foods of various street vendors. At each location, Paul would ask the girls for their opinion before recording their responses in a small journal. The King had asked him to conduct a survey and gather information on the Demon Continent, so he figured he might as well record details about the culture and cuisine of each city they passed through.
With the sun beginning its descent, Paul raised his head toward the sky as he suggested, "We should find a place to stay for the night and see about meeting with the Demon Lord tomorrow morning. We can also discuss our short and long-term plans for exploring the Demon Continent. We're going to be here a while, so we might as well use this as an opportunity to boost our Adventurer and Party Ranks to S. Any complaints?"
Though most of the girls just shook their heads, Venti raised her hand and asked, "Will we have the opportunity to explore on our own? I can detect the aroma of delicious food and alcohol on the wind. It would be a shame to leave without giving each a try."
Furrowing his brows, Paul replied, "We'll talk about it once we find a place to stay. However, given the distinctly different 'aesthetics' of Demons, I'm not against splitting up into smaller groups. Just never wander off on your own. Human slaves are a rare and highly sought-after commodity in many regions of the Demon Continent..."
Though Venti could probably level the entirety of Kurasuma if she wanted, it wasn't even remotely difficult to imagine her getting drunk and drugged by a group of kidnappers. Most demons regarded humans as peculiar and outlandish-looking creatures, regardless of their attractiveness, but there were always exceptions. As a rule of thumb, the more a Demon resembled a human, the more likely they were to prey upon them.
Increasing, rather than lessening Paul's concerns, Venti puffed out her chest in a way that threatened to weaponize the buttons of her blouse as she proclaimed, "Worry not! When it comes to bar crawling and gathering information from pubs, there are none beneath the heavens that can claim to be my equal~!"
"..." x 5
While making a mental note to ensure Venti never wandered far from his side, Paul said, "Let's go. I doubt we'll be able to find anything luxurious, but it shouldn't be worse than camping outside."
With everyone nodding their heads in agreement, Paul surprised Venti by grabbing her hand and pulling her along as he led the search for a place to stay. His actions confused her at first, but that didn't prevent her from clinging tightly to his arm and resting her head against his shoulder with a goofy smile on her face...
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"Kishishi, what's this? Those monsters have finally come to the Demon Continent~?"
Though she was several hundred kilometers to the East of Kurasuma, a youthful-looking Demoness with pale skin, voluminous purple hair, and goat-like horns was currently eyeing Paul and his Party with a glowing, violet-purple eye. In place of an ordinary pupil, it had a dark purple swirl that appeared to spin as she alternated her gaze between Paul, Ei, and Venti.
As the petite Demoness strained her eye to peer at Ei, the violet-haired Archon narrowed her eyes and looked toward her. Seeing this, the purple-haired Demoness adopted a toothy grin that revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth as she noted, "Whoa. This one's pretty sharp. And those eyes...they emit a type of energy I've never sensed before..."
Seemingly annoyed by her own words, a deep frown developed across the little girl's face before she spontaneously shouted, "Aaaaaaaagh! Just who do you think you are!? Demon Eyes are supposed to be my gimmick!"
Stamping her feet like a child throwing a tantrum, the loose black shorts the girl was wearing began to slide down her diminutive frame. She was nearly three hundred years old, but her body was completely bereft of a woman's charm. Her outfit also consisted of garments she had picked up at random, so many mistook her for a young Succubus that had escaped slavery due to her skimpy appearance, wrist shackles, and the large metal collar around her neck.
Noticing several people staring at her, an embarrassed look briefly marred the young Demoness' face before she abruptly adopted a shark-toothed grin, struck a pose, and shouted, "Your parents may have given you eyes, but staring isn't free, you know!? If you still wish to gaze upon the majesty of this noble and beautiful Kishirika Kishirisu, then empty your pockets...!"
Hearing the young girl's proclamation, many of the Demons that had been observing her either laughed or exhaled amused chuckles before going about their business. It wasn't rare for young Demons, especially girls, to pretend they were the former Demon Empress, so they just assumed the little girl puffing out her non-existent chest was the same.
Seeing her spectators disperse, the young Demoness, none other than the actual Kishirika Kishirisu, clicked her tongue. It used to be that all Demons, even those just meeting her for the first time, would recognize her greatness. They would gather en masse at the site of her resurrection, obey her every whim, and rally behind any cause she saw fit. Now, ever since Laplace has 'experimented' on her, even her fiance and former allies didn't give her the attention she deserved. She was the Demon Empress, Kishirika Kishirisu, dammit...!
As the image of Laplace appeared in her mind, Kishirika shivered as a sudden and intense urge to vomit welled from her stomach. Fortunately, it had been several months since her last meal, so there was nothing for her to vomit!
"Kishishishi~"
Amused by her own thoughts, Kishirika snickered in her characteristically impish manner. Then, with nothing better to do, she pointed towards the West and shouted, "To the port city of Kurasuma...!" before marching off with bold steps. If a human or a beast person were to witness this scene, they would see that most of the Demons she passed along the way paid absolutely no attention to her. Everything about her stood out like a sore thumb, but she marched through the crowd like she was invisible...
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Interrupting the search for a place to stay, Ei surprised Paul by revealing, "Someone was spying on us. They were too far away for me to determine their location, but I'm absolutely certain we were being watched."
Furrowing his brows, Paul asked the most pressing question, "Are they an enemy...?"
Pursing her lips, Ei adopted a thoughtful expression as she tried to recall the intent contained within the gaze. In the end, she shook her head and answered, "I'm not sure, but I believe they were merely curious. It didn't feel like they had any ill intentions."
"Hmmm..."
Though the image of a purple-haired loli immediately popped into his mind, Paul seriously doubted they would draw the attention of Kishirika this soon into their exploration of the Demon Continent. It was far more likely to be someone related to Atofe, the blue-skinned Demon Lord who grants strength. Her fortress, Fort Necross, was located roughly 600km from Kurasuma, and she was known for taking an interest in powerful, or, at the very least, unique people. If she had an informant with the Guild, Paul could easily imagine Atofe appearing to try and kidnap them...she was, after all, infamous for 'collecting' people she found interesting...
"Well, if they have Demon Eyes of Clairvoyance or something similar, there's not a lot we can do to prevent them from spying on us. For now, we just need to stay on our toes and continue with our original plan. If it turns out they do have malicious intentions toward us, we'll just need to defeat or cut them down. It's that simple."
Nodding her head in both understanding and approval, Ei stated, "Leave it to me." in a confident tone. Ever since she had measured her skill against Reida, the only enemies she was still concerned about were Hitogami, Perugius, Orsted, the Death God, and Gal. However, based on what she had heard from Paul, Ei was fairly confident she could defeat the latter...
Seeing through Ei's thoughts, at least a little, Paul adopted a smile and mused, "How reliable..." before shifting his attention to the rest of the group and adding, "Well, no sense in standing around here. We still need to find a place before it gets too dark. Shall we...?"
With everyone nodding in approval, Paul led the way as they resumed their search for a place to stay. Most of the places they passed were bars and taverns that were barebones to the point of being considered hovels. Paul didn't mind spending the night in one, but he was sure there had to be at least one proper Inn in the city...
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As news of Water King Vuldar's death finally began to circulate through the Capital, a public outcry occurred as people, egged on by the Faction supporting the First Prince, called for Paul's imprisonment. A few outright demanded his execution, but they were silenced by the groups pointing out the insensibility of killing one 'Water King' to avenge another.
Paul wasn't yet aware of it, but Reida, or, more accurately, the King had pinned the blame for Vuldar's death squarely on his head. He wanted to keep the capabilities of Ei a secret, so even though he was nowhere near the level of an actual Water King, Paul was already being regarded as the youngest in history. He had even been given an official title, one which the King hoped would tie him to Asura for the foreseeable future. Thus, on the ninth day of the seventh month of Armored Dragon King Year 401, the legend of the King's Greatsword, Paul Greyrat, was born...
Much to the chagrin of the First Prince, his Faction, and several powers lurking behind the scenes...
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With no demonstrably better options available, Paul and the girls decided to shack up in a hostel operated by the Adventurer's Guild. The room was a complete mess, looking like it hadn't been cleaned in months, but it was nothing Magic couldn't solve. Far more troublesome was the fact that the beds were little more than straw covered in a thin monster hide.
Fortunately for Paul and the rest, they didn't have to pull out their bedrolls and sleeping bags. The moment Paul commented on the less-than-stellar accommodations, Ganyu calmly suggested, "There isn't a lot of space, but I can transform into my Qilin form and let everyone sleep on my back."
As tempting as Ganyu's suggestion was, Paul didn't immediately accept it. He wanted to, but he felt compelled to question, "And what about you? It would be pretty messed up if we got to sleep comfortably while you were made to sleep on the ground..."
Adopting a squinty-eyed smile, Ganyu unhesitantly replied, "Thank you for your concern. However, I actually enjoy sleeping on the earth. Back in Teyvat, I would often find a warm stone or a clearing in the forest to relax. Qilins have a strong connection to nature, so I have absolutely no qualms about sleeping on the ground."
Though he scratched the back of his head out of awkwardness, Paul didn't try to convince Ganyu further. Instead, he said, "Thanks, Ganyu. I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say I appreciate your kindness and consideration..."
While everyone else either nodded their heads or offered polite words of gratitude, Venti joined the conversation with all the finesse of a wrecking ball as she asked, "How are we going to have sex? I don't mind abstaining for a day or two, but I'll wither and turn into a skeleton if I have to abstain for three whole years..."
Before Ganyu could even think to suggest it was okay to have sex on her back, Paul interjected to say, "We'll worry about things like that when they matter. For now, our focus should be on getting our bearings and deciding the best course of action. If you're that..."
Interrupting his chastizing of Venti, Paul smacked his head and shouted, "The IOF! Duh...!"
Thinking Paul was going to lock her away in the IOF against, a wry smile &nbsp;marred Venti's face as she said, "It was just a joke...mostly...maybe fifty percent..."
Shaking his head, Paul grinned as he said, "We can use the IOF to have sex. I've done it in the past, and it gives us the greatest privacy. The only problem is..."
Shifting his attention to Lilia and Ghislaine, Paul's smile gained a hint of wryness as he added, "Not everyone can enter..."
In an effort to make up for her earlier comment, it was Venti who said, "I'm sure you'll figure something out. Besides, it's not like you have to do it with everyone, every night. Now that we're in a region like the Demon Continent, a bit of restraint is to be expected."
Unable to resist the urge, Xinyan flatly replied, "That's pretty rich coming from you..."
Poking out her tongue, Venti responded with a playful wink before adding, "At the very least, I imagine it will be difficult to go at it for seven to eight hours like we usually do. Speaking of routines..."
Shifting her gaze to Paul, Venti asked, "What are you going to do about your training? Also, how are we expected to spend our time? I don't mind if we all stick together, but distance makes the heart grow fonder. If we're around each other 24/7, tensions are bound to build."
Nodding her head in approval, Jean appended, "Lady Barbatos is correct. One of our priorities should be establishing a garrison of sorts, a place we can deploy from and return to if we're ever separated or need to split our forces."
Offering a nod of his own, Paul revealed, "I already considered that. The Demon Continent is a place I've been looking forward to visiting for a long time, so we've got four, well, more like three options available to us..."
Holding up his index finger, Paul explained, "If Roxy had come with us, I would have suggested we stay in the Migurd Village near the Capital City, Rikarisu. One of my motivations for coming to the Demon Continent was to track down the former Demon Empress, Kishirika Kishrisu, so I figured starting near her former castle made sense..."
Raising a second finger, Paul added, "Roxy was pretty insistent about me not meeting her parents without her, so our second-best option is to head to Wind Port, the largest and southernmost town in the Demon Continent. It's the most developed city on the Continent and functions as the central hub for Merchants and Adventurers. The only downside is that it's host to a sizeable human population and is widely regarded as the most corrupt and lawless city in the world. As for the third option..."
Adopting a wry smile, Paul revealed, "When I was younger, long before I gained access to the Intersection of Fate, I seriously considered seeking out the Demon Lord that grants strength, Atoferatofe Raibaku. She has a habit of kidnapping strong and talented people, imprisoning and training them for ten years before giving them a few years off. Most people don't come back, but those that stay make up one of the most powerful military forces in the world. With Atofe's strength exceeding even the second and third generation North Gods, she was the best option if I wanted to grow powerful..."
"The problem is that Atofe is known to be a complete musclehead with little to no inhibitions. She is also immortal to the point of being able to regenerate from apparent disintegration, so, while it remains an option, going to Fort Necross as a group probably isn't the wisest option..."
Holding up his fourth and final finger, Paul's smile regained its vigor as he said, "The last one is something I'm not entirely sure of. You see, there is a borderline omniscient Demon Lord by the name of Betobe who records all knowledge in the world. And I mean 'all' knowledge. Anything that has been written down, be it a confidential letter or a personal journal, can be found within his Library."
Blinking in surprise, Eula asked, "How is that possible? If such a Demon Lord existed, I can't fathom how humanity could weather multiple wars against Demonkind. They couldn't possibly rely on word of mouth to relay information..."
Nodding his head, Paul replied, "Yeah, I know what you mean. When I was researching the Laplace Campaign and the histories of the Great Human-Demon Wars, many things didn't add up. Most people, at least nowadays, simply believe Kishirika was an idiot. However, if that were true, how could she wage war for a combined total of more than 1800 years if she was half as inept as people make her out to be?"
Shaking his head, Paul speculated, "Considering how much Laplace was able to accomplish in a comparably short period, my guess is that most of the information about the First and Second Great Human-Demon Wars is entirely made up. Wars don't last a thousand years when there are Mages capable of leveling mountains and swordsmen fast enough to cross entire Continents in hours. As for Demon Lord Betobe...I'm reasonably sure that most people simply aren't aware of his existence."
Shifting his attention to his side, Paul asked, "Ganyu, mind handing me the map of the Demon Continent?"
Without hesitation, Ganyu reached into her pouch and pulled out a fairly detailed map of the Demon Continent. The Adventurer's Guild had D-Rank Adventurers constantly gathering information to try and forecast the next Miasma outbreak, so maps of the Demon Continent were readily available and updated frequently.
After spreading out the map for everyone to see, Paul pointed near the exact center, a peculiar green 'lake' that covered hundreds of thousands of square kilometers.
"For those of you who aren't up to date on the Demon Continent's terrain and features, this green splotch isn't a lake. It's a giant Slime colony, and, if my theory is correct, the location of the Labyrinth Library, Demon Lord Betobe's home..."
Asking the question everyone was thinking, Xinyan inquired, "What makes you think that...?"
Adopting a fairly cheeky smile, Paul replied, "Because the true identity of Demon Lord Betobe, the most mysterious and enigmatic Demon Lord...is a Slime. More accurately, he is the Slime God."
"Ah..."
Nodding his head, Paul maintained his smile as he added, "Slimes are E-Rank monsters by default, but they are immediately elevated to S-Rank once they form a colony. Like Goblins, Slime Colonies can rapidly expand to consume entire nations if allowed to grow unchecked. Yet, despite this fairly common knowledge, this particular Slime Colony exists as a feature on maps dating back to the Laplace War. Ordinary Slime Colonies sweep across vast swaths of land, consuming everything in their wake. This one, however, just sort of minds its own business..."
Understanding what Paul was getting at, Jean remarked, "It's certainly suspicious, but it doesn't explain why Kishirika or Laplace would simply ignore such a useful Demon Lord. In war, information is arguably even more important than the war potential of both armies. If one side knew what the other was up to at all times, they would have a nigh-absolute advantage..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul adopted a mock helpless expression as he asked, "What do you want me to say? I know for a fact that Demon Lord Betobe exists. As for why the Demon Empress and Laplace didn't make use of him during their respective campaigns, that's a question you would have to ask them. The only reasons I could come up with were that they either didn't know about him, or they were unaware of his power. I mean, he is a Slime. Most Slimes are regarded as monsters, wholly incapable of thought. As far as I know, Demon Lord Betobe is the only sapient Slime in the entire world."
Adopting a slightly apologetic expression, Jean lowered her head and said, "Sorry...I didn't mean to-"
Raising his brows, Paul interrupted Jean's apology, asking, "Seriously, Jean? You haven't done anything meriting an apology, and I'm not angry with you or anything. I simply don't have all the answers. That's kind of the whole reason I want to try searching for Betobe's library. If we could convince him to let us browse his collection, we would have that absolute advantage you were referring to. I mean, just imagine what someone like Ningguang could do with the personal diaries and ledger of every King and Queen..."
Giving voice to the thoughts of nearly everyone present, Xinyan uttered a faint, "Yikes..."
Nodding his head, Paul parroted, "Yikes, indeed..." before adding, "The problem is gaining access to the Library. I know of one surefire method, but that involves encountering the Dragon God, Orsted. So long as he doesn't kill us on the spot, I'm fairly certain I could convince him to take us there. If not me, Ningguang definitely could..."
Immediately shooting down such an idea, Ei stated, "We should avoid an encounter with Dragon God until I have acquired my fifth, preferably sixth Constellation. At the very least, you should not be the one to meet him..."
Though he was more than willing to wait, Paul shook his head and shot back, "If I sent someone on behalf, he would never trust us. Orsted is a 'very' superstitious person. The only way to deal with someone like that is by laying everything bare. So, if and when he appears before us, do me a favor and try not to attack him immediately. I understand that might be your best chance to defeat him, but there is a real possibility we'll need his help if we're to complete our objective..."
Nodding her head, albeit reluctantly, Ei replied, "Very well...if that is your command, I will abide it. However-"
"Leave it at that. Orsted isn't a murderer. Unless we give him a reason to kill us, he is more likely to investigate and interrogate us than try to kill me outright. We just need to make it unambiguous that we're not his enemies, and he could very well become our greatest ally..."
As Paul was more familiar with the specifics of Mushoku Tensei and the people who inhabited it, Ei only hesitated for a moment before nodding her head a second time and replying, "Understood..."
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After another exhausting day within the Ranoa Magic Academy, Roxy dragged her feet back to the Bastille, droning, "I'm hooooooome..." in a lazy tone the moment she entered.
As she had been living with Princess Andromeda, Roxy expected either silence or a calm, dignified response welcoming her back. Instead, she heard the familiar sound of a man responding, "Yo! We're in the Drawing Room...!" in a chipper tune.
Thinking her mind was playing tricks on her, Roxy groaned, "Great...now I'm hearing things..." as she made her way toward the voice's origin. She may have believed it to be an auditory hallucination, but it never hurt to be sure.
Upon entering the room and finding Paul staring back at her with a smile, Roxy's body immediately froze. At the same time, Paul raised his brows, remarking, "Wow...you look...tired?"
Instead of responding to Paul's words, Roxy turned around and bolted up to her room as if her weariness from earlier was the actual illusion. Paul could hear the sound of a door slamming shut, but before he could make his way up the stairs to investigate, Roxy shouted, "Give me five minutes!" and, "You better not come in here...!"
With a wry smile on his face, Paul shook his head and returned to the Drawing Room where Ganyu and the Princess were waiting. As he did, the latter exhaled a faint laugh before softly musing, "Roxy can be remarkably innocent at times. It's easy to forget she's more than twice my age."
"Right...?"
Making himself comfortable in a high-backed, almost throne-like chair, Paul stared at the silver-haired, silver-eyed woman seated a respectable distance away from him as he continued their conversation from before, remarking, "It's good that the Count is honoring our agreement. If he let human merchants invade the Western District to benefit at the expense of the Beast Race, I might have evacuated the entire population."
Raising her brows ever so slightly, Andromeda questioned, "You can do something like that...?"
Understanding that Andromeda probably envisioned him using a Mass Teleportation Spell, a wry smile developed across Paul's face as he said, "Not in the way you're imagining. If anything, I would have them pack up and move Eastward. With the forces at my disposal and the hardy nature of the Beast Race, it wouldn't be that difficult to stage a mass exodus."
"Ah..."
Though she would have furrowed her brows if someone else made such a claim, Andromeda could easily imagine Paul leading hundreds, potentially even thousands of Beast Race people to a new home. He liked to present himself as an easy-going, borderline nonchalant individual, but there were moments when he gave off the impression of a King...
As Paul continued his conversation with Andromeda, the pitter-patter of footsteps could be heard descending the stairs before Roxy appeared at the door with visibly damp hair and a fresh change of clothes.
Adopting a mischievous smile, Paul asked, "Did you wash yourself up for me? I guess that means I'm allowed to smell you..."
As Paul rose to his feet, Roxy adopted an amateurish karate-like stance as she said, "Hold your horses, mister. First of all, why are you here? I could have sworn I told you to hold onto the Hydro Vision until after I graduate. You didn't need to come all this way."
Though she was happy to see him, Roxy couldn't help feeling a smidgeon of guilt when she imagined Paul traveling thousands of kilometers just to give her a Vision. She appreciated him keeping his promise, but it was so over-the-top that she wished he hadn't. After all, what could she possibly do for Paul that matched half the things he did for her?
Shaking his head, Paul ignored the much smaller girl's defensive stance, his arms wrapping around her as he softly replied, "A man's value may be measured by his actions, but his dignity is given form by his words. Even if I had to crawl all this way, I would still come..."
"..."
Not knowing how to respond to Paul's words, Roxy just closed her eyes and stood on the tips of her toes. Paul knew exactly what she wanted, so he unhesitantly bent down to give her a chaste but lasting kiss. He would have done a lot more than that, but he could feel Andromeda boring a hole in the back of his head as she watched their display of intimacy with a mixture of amusement and excitement in her eyes.
Releasing the petite Migurdian from his embrace, Paul resisted the urge to caress Roxy's face as he gestured toward his seat and asked, "Join me...?" in a soft tone. A rather prominent blush colored her cheeks when she saw him gesturing towards a one-person chair, but she didn't need to consider her response before replying, "Sure..." in an even softer tone.
With Roxy sitting side-straddle atop his lap, Paul went on to recount a bunch of things he had already written to her about before explaining a few recent developments, the most notable being his impending trip to the Demon Continent.
As much as the idea of traveling with Paul through the Demon Continent both fascinated and excited her, Roxy surprised him by promptly refusing his invitation. She only recently started her education at the Ranoa Magic Academy and, more importantly, her apprenticeship under Lisa. She didn't want Paul and his Party to have to protect her, so, as much as she disliked a few of her teachers, she intended to continue studying at the Academy until graduation.
Further demonstrating her resolve, Roxy went on to state, "As bad as this may sound, I'd prefer if you didn't return to Sharia after this. I don't mind if you visit Lisa, but I don't want you asking her about me. That way, I can surprise you by how much I've grown the next time we meet..."
Though he felt Roxy's request was a little excessive, Paul only hesitated for a moment before nodding his head and replying, "Sure...if that's what you want..." in a soft tone. Roxy smiled in response, but before she could thank him, Paul adopted a mischievous smile as he added, "In exchange, you'll have to introduce me to your parents when we travel to the Demon Continent in the future."
As the notion of bringing Paul home entered her mind, a tomato-red blush developed through Roxy's face as her body became statuesque. She had actively avoided thoughts of returning home; bringing a boy back to meet her parents was a leap she wasn't sure she could take.
Making things simultaneously easier and harder for the petite beauty, Paul mused, "Would you rather I meet them without you?"
"No...!"
Imagining the embarrassing things her parents might say or do once they learned Paul was her lover, Roxy added, "You better not meet my parents without me..." in a threatening tone that was undermined by how adorable she appeared.
Restraining the urge to laugh, Paul just smiled as he replied, "I wouldn't dream of it..."
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After giving Roxy an evening she wouldn't soon forget, Paul and Party set out early the following day, their destination the Biheiriru Kingdom on the Eastern side of the Continent.
Though he had initially intended to stop at the Strife Zone, Paul's reunion with Roxy made him realize how his presence could, at times, be a bit of a burden. When he had parted with everyone previously, they had expected him to be gone for as long as three years. If he showed up now, less than two months after his departure, it would undercut the emotional impact of their separation. Thus, as much as he wanted to return and spend time with everyone, Paul hardened his resolve and set his sights firmly on the Demon Continent.
With Ganyu's speed allowing her to cover the 3549 kilometers between Sharia and the Biheiriru Kingdom in a mere six hours, Paul found himself with a choice to make. He could allow Ganyu to carry them the remaining distance to a harbor town located on the Demon Continent's westernmost point, traverse the usually inaccessible Heaven Continent, or journey via the sea route to the Port City of Kurasuma.
Since the Heaven Continent was pretty much off-limits to all terrestrial races, especially humans, Paul decided to put off his exploration of the northernmost Continent until the far future. As for the sea route, it was a reasonably tempting idea, but it was ultimately an unnecessary expense that could invite all kinds of issues. Thus, while he was trying to get out of the habit of relying on Ganyu to transport him everywhere, Paul relented to having her ferry them the rest of the way to the Demon Continent.
Saving the group a considerable amount of time and trouble, Ganyu raced over the skies of Ogre Island, thousands of kilometers of ice floes, and a section of the sea that appeared purple and boiling before they reached the outskirts of a rather roughshod-looking port.&nbsp;
Though it was populated with tribes that could live hundreds, even thousands of years, the Demon Continent was a veritable wasteland compared to the other Continents. There was little plant life, no roads, and, even if you were to venture to the Capital City of Rikarisu, most of the buildings were constructed from monster parts or using Earth Magic.
As Ganyu brought them down near a forest of ancient, petrified trees, Paul couldn't help remarking, "Wow...I knew it was bad, but this is a lot worse than I expected..."
Despite a much higher concentration of Mana, the environment of the Demon Continent resembled an endless, barren steppe. The ground had a rust-red hue reminiscent of the surface of Mars, and the few shrubs that were present had poison-covered spines longer than his fingers.
Out of curiosity, Paul brought out his Dendro Vision, held it up to his face, and closed his eyes to focus. It was the Vision he used most frequently, so Kusanali had taught him a few tricks on how to manipulate the energy without executing an Elemental Ability or Burst.
As the Vision hummed in Paul's hand, the ground near his feet gradually shifted from rust-red to a healthier shade of brown. Purple vapor could be seen rising from the ground, the remnants of a miasma that periodically swept through the Demon Continent, but Venti swept it away with a wave of her hand. As a result, tiny, bright-green blades of grass began to sprout around Paul's feet, their rate of growth rapidly accelerating until a circular patch of grass roughly five meters in diameter had formed.
Opening his eyes, a faint smile developed across Paul's face as he mused, "I might be shit at Magic, but let's see an ordinary Mage pull this off..."
Though it was utterly unnecessary, Venti clapped excitedly for Paul while the rest of the group just smiled. Afterward, they left the patch of grass and began their descent toward the large but impoverished-looking city a few kilometers away, Kurasuma.&nbsp;
While it resembled a slum more than a proper port city, Kurasuma was one of the more prosperous territories in the Demon Continent. It was the only port where trade with the Sea Race was conducted, and its ruler, the Demon Lord Bagura Hagura, was actually the current Food God. He was a pig-faced demon that looked like the physical manifestation of an Asuran Noble's depravity, but his efforts had turned Kurasuma into the city with the most outstanding cuisine in the Demon Continent, potentially even the world.
As they drew closer to the city, Paul and the others could smell the aroma of alcohol, seafood, and spices blowing in from the port. The buildings of the city were literally formed of dirt, and there was trash littered about all over the place, but it was still the most fragrant city any of them had ever visited. So much so that Paul couldn't help grinning as he recalled that an AGC was comparable to a hundred Green Ore Coins, three of which could purchase nearly all the food and alcohol in a high-end bar...
...
..
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Chapter 148: MI148: Perception