Mushoku Impact

"I have an idea."
Though she didn't think Paul's suggestions were bad, Venti couldn't help asking, "Why don't we occupy a Labyrinth or have Ganyu bring over Zhongli to construct a fortress. I mean, if we're going to be here for a few years, we may as well make a place for ourselves."
Blinking in surprise, Paul replied, "That's...actually not a terrible idea? It would definitely give us some privacy..."
Since Labyrinths/Dungeons formed in regions where Mana was abundant, the Demon Continent exceeded even the Begaritt Continent when it came to the number of Dungeons it possessed. The primary difference between the two was that most Labyrinths/Dungeons in the Demon Continent were located and destroyed fairly quickly. The Adventurer's Guild tried to deter people from doing so, but the temptation of looting a Dungeon's Treasury and Core were too tempting for most Demons to resist.
"The only problem with that suggestion is that we're foreigners. To further complicate matters, I'm technically a foreign dignitary. Even if we found a Dungeon in an area unclaimed by a Demon Lord, attempting to claim it for ourselves could cause an international incident. There is also the Guild to consider. They get pretty testy when individuals or organizations attempt to monopolize the resources of a Dungeon."
"Hmmm..."
As her actual intention was to secure a place where they could have some 'privacy,' Venti strained the hamster wheels in her brain to suggest, "Can't we just ally with a specific tribe or Demon Lord? With the resources at our disposal, it shouldn't be difficult to convince one of the declining tribes to join hands with us."
"..."
Unable to resist the urge, Paul tilted his head to the side and asked, "Who are you, and what did you do with the original Venti...?"
Furrowing her brows in a pretend pout, Venti flatly replied, "Rude." before adopting a broad smile, puffing out her chest, and reminding, "I am a God, you know~?"
"Anyways..."
Shifting his attention to the rest of the group, Paul asked, "What do you girls think? I did want to experiment further with my Dendro Vision, so allying with a Demon Lord or doing something like what we did back in Sharia could be worth a shot."
Though she nodded her head as if to agree, Jean cautioned, "I approve of Lord Barbatos's suggestion. However, unless the Demon Lord we ally with is powerful enough to function as a deterrent, any improvements we make to the region will draw intrigue, greed, and eventually resentment."
Shrugging his shoulders, Paul flatly replied, "That's life. There will always be people who envy what others possess. We'll just create a stringent set of rules to punish anyone that comes looking for trouble. It's as simple as that. The real question is, who do we ally with...?"
Looking around the room, Paul was unsurprised to find everyone staring back at him in silence. A few of them had read books related to the Demon Continent, but it had never been their primary focus or interest. Ganyu had intended to study up on it in the months leading up to their expedition, but their sudden and unexpected departure had caught her off guard.&nbsp;
Regurgitating the only names she was familiar with, Venti questioned, "How about Bagura Hagura, Kishi Kishi, or Ato-whatever-her-name-is?"
Though he smiled wryly at Venti's manner of addressing Kishirika and Atoferatofe, Paul didn't disregard her question. Venti was in a rare, 'big brain' kind of state, so he mulled over the possibilities before replying, "I think we could work something out with Bagura Hagura, but I'm not sure how Atofe would respond. Once she learns we're in the Demon Continent, it's pretty much guaranteed she'll come looking for us. As for Kishirika..."
Recalling how Kishirika was always wandering around like a pauper, Paul muttered, "I'm not entirely sure? I think she would agree if we helped her, but she doesn't really bring much to the table. In fact, she could invite a catastrophe unto us if we're not careful..."
As the image of a six-armed, incredibly tall demon with violet hair and jet black skin entered his mind, Paul's expression morphed into a frown as he remembered Kishirika's relationship with Badigadi and, more importantly, the latter's affiliation with Hitogami. He owed the self-proclaimed Human God a favor, and, near the end of the original series, he repaid said favor by revealing his status as the Fighting God and taking on a group of King, Emperor, and even God-Ranked individuals with relative ease...
Shaking such thoughts from his mind, Paul said, "For now, let's just get some rest. We can continue this discussion once we find our footing and better understand the situation. Planning too far ahead when we've only just arrived might blind us to other options that exist."
Nodding her head in approval, Eula stated, "I concur." before suggesting, "We should come up with a guard rotation. I volunteer for the first watch."
"Sounds good," replied Paul. "Cities in the Demon Continent don't exactly calm down come night time, so having a night watch is a good idea. As for our usual nightly activities...we'll shelve them for the time being."
With Paul staring in her direction, a soft chuckle emanated from Venti's throat before she subsequently slumped her head and shoulders. After all the feedback she supplied, she kind of expected a reward. Fortunately for her, Paul saw through her thoughts, so, once everyone was getting ready for bed, she ended up being his little spoon as they all snuggled together atop Ganyu's back...
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After a remarkably calm and relaxing night, Paul and the girls checked out of their room before heading westward toward the harbor.
Unlike a traditional port, which possessed numerous piers and wharves for loading and unloading ships, the port of Kurasuma was more like a city that had expanded into a frozen sea. There weren't even any merchant ships present. Instead, there were thousands of roughshod, house-like boats that had been moored together and trapped in ice.
After offering a street urchin a Green Ore Coin to show them the way to Bagura Hagura's residence, Paul and the girls soon found themselves at the entrance to a floating restaurant that was shaped like a laughing pig sitting on its rump and holding its belly. Paul had initially thought it was a giant statue, but it turned out to be Bagura Hagura's actual residence.
Though they were somewhat reluctant to enter the remarkably fragrant restaurant through an opening in the giant pig's crotch, Paul and the girls eventually made their way inside to discover it was surprisingly empty. It was decorated with countless trinkets from a myriad of cultures, but the tables were almost entirely unoccupied.
Noticing Paul's group enter, a fairly plump woman with a pig-like snout, strangely alluring blue eyes, and wavy blonde wearing a barmaid's outfit approached to remark, "You lot are a long way from home. Come to get a taste of Lord Bagura's cuisine, I wager?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Paul replied, "I'm a bit of a gourmand, so I've always wanted to sample Demon Lord Bagura Hagura's cuisine. Does he accept walk-ins, or do we need to schedule an appointment...?"
Making a circle with her index finger and thumb, the woman replied, "No need for meaningless things like that. So long as you can pay, you're free to eat here as often as you want. Just know that the cheapest appetizer is five Green Ore Coins. You don't have to pay until the end, but..."
Adopting an unabashedly predatory smile, the pig-faced woman looked the girls up and down as she added, "Failure to do so could lead to you becoming ingredients in one of Lord Bagura's dishes..."
Furrowing his brows, Paul was tempted to point out that the agreement between Milishion and the Demon Continent prohibited the consumption of human meat, but he doubted the upper rungs of Demon society cared about such things. That same covenant granted Demons the right to live within human settlements and pass uninhibited through human territories, but that sure as hell wasn't upheld...
Holding up a large pouch of GOC, Paul's expression turned serious as he replied, "It shouldn't be a problem. Just know that if your establishment tries to scam us, even the weakest member of my Party is a Saint..."
Though the Demon Continent didn't use the same metrics as humans to determine strength, the pig-faced woman's eyes briefly widened before narrowing as she asked, "Is that a threat?"
Adopting a predatory smile of his own, Paul answered, "You gave us the courtesy of a warning. It's only natural we do the same..."
"Hmmm..."
Instead of being offended by Paul's words, the pig-faced woman gave an approving nod as she remarked, "Well said. I thought you were still a little green when I first saw you, but I guess you've accumulated a fair amount of experience despite your youthful appearances."
Since most Demons could live for hundreds of years, Paul didn't challenge the pig-faced woman's words. Given her appearance, there was a chance she was somehow related to the Demon Lord. Since the latter was easily more than three thousand years old, the fairly mature-looking Demoness in front of him was likely in her hundreds.
Lending credibility to Paul's thoughts, the woman began to turn around as she said, "Come this way. My father likes to greet and converse with new guests before serving them."
Nodding his head, Paul replied, "Sure." before exchanging glances with Ei, Jean, and Ganyu. They had already agreed to forgo eating within Bagura's restaurant as there was a chance the food could be drugged or poisoned. It wasn't too likely, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Noticing some of Paul's companions staying behind, the pig-faced woman commented, "Pretty clever. However, just entering this place with a group has already placed a massive target on your back. People won't bother to confirm whether or not this is your first visit. The only people who can eat here are the extremely rich."
Unconcerned about ordinary Demons targetting them, Paul just smiled as he said, "That explains why most of the tables are empty..."
As those words left his mouth, Paul shifted his gaze to the only table that was occupied. There, a relatively handsome man with pointed ears, ashen skin, raven black hair, and carmine eyes surrounded by pitch-black sclera was observing his group with a smile. He was dressed similarly to a Noble while the two nearly identical women accompanying him were dolled up like victorian era dolls.
Like the man, the two women also had pointed ears, but their hair was silver, and their skin was more pale than ashen. Looking into their ruby red eyes caused a sense of incongruency to fill Paul's mind, so it wasn't difficult to recognize which species the trio belonged to.
Following Paul's gaze, the pig-faced woman warned, "There is to be no fighting within Lord Bagura's restaurant. I know of the enmity between humans and Vampires, but you'll have to wait until you leave before killing one another."
Noticing that the woman was speaking more to the trio of vampires than his group, a wry smile developed across Paul's face. While it was true that Vampires were remarkably powerful, their Ancestor, the Demon Lord Vlad Draculea, had been slain near the end of the Laplace War. After that, the most prominent Vampire clans had slaughtered one another in a civil war, so most of the surviving Vampires were cowards who had hidden to avoid the massacre or thralls that had lost their masters.
Though it all but guaranteed the trio of Vampires would be paying him and his Party a visit, Paul replied, "Don't worry. I'm not one of those crazy bastards from the Milis Church's Anti-Demon Faction. Unless they go out of their way to antagonize me, I have no reason to hunt down a bunch of Vampires minding their own business."
With senses that far exceeded those of a human, the male Vampire's smile faded the moment he heard Paul's words. Since they lacked a Lord, Vampires were one of the few races that continued to openly predate on humans. They viewed humanity as little more than cattle, so, hearing his potential meal insinuate he was in a position to do the 'hunting,' the proud Vampire didn't even try to suppress his disdain...
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Upon entering the kitchen, the first thing Paul noticed was a variety of different meats dangling from the ceiling. The second thing he noticed was the three-meter tall pig-faced Demon wearing an outfit that was a mix between a chef and a butcher.
Looking towards Paul's group, the pig-faced Demon narrowed his eyes as he asked, "Dinner or diner?"
With the same predatory smile she had revealed earlier, the pig-faced woman answered, "Diner." before looking toward Paul and adding, "For now..."
Nodding his head, the pig-faced man placed down his cooking utensils before using his apron to wipe his hands. At the same time, he turned toward the group and said, "The names Bagura Hagura. Some call me the Plundering King, while others call me the Food God. When feasting at my restaurant, you can refer to me as Lord Bagura or Chef. Now, what're your names, and what is your favorite meat, fish, and vegetable?"
Taking the lead, Paul answered, "Paul Greyrat. My favorite meat is fried chicken, my favorite fish is Springnight Carp, and my favorite vegetable is Cave Celtus."
Following after Paul, Xinyan replied, "The name's Xinyan. As for my three favorites...uh..."
Catching herself before she could say pork, Xinyan's smile twitched at the edges as she stated, "I like chicken, grilled sea bream, and thorn radish..."&nbsp;
Narrowing his eyes, Bagura said, "It's not good to lie..." in a deep, gravelly voice.
While positioning himself before Bagura and Xinyan, Paul's expression was a mask of calm as he said, "She likes pork. Is that going to be an issue?"
Raising his brows, Bagura asked, "Why would it be?" before adding, "We have a meat locker filled with cured pork. Pigs are a hell of a lot easier to raise than cattle."
Without waiting for Paul to respond, Bagura shifted his attention to Eula, asking, "What about you, lass?"
Maintaining a calm and dignified expression, Eula calmly replied, "My name is Eula Lawrence, and I'm not particularly fond of meat. I prefer simple foods and sweets. As for my favorite fish and vegetable, I enjoy arctic char and glacier peas."
"Hoooo...seems your expression and hair color aren't the only icy things about you. Very interesting..."
With Bagura directing his attention toward her, Venti gave a somewhat theatrical bow as she mused, "My name is Venti, Venti Barbatos. As for my favorite meat and fish, I have none. I do not believe in harvesting lives to sustain myself when the bounty of nature is more than enough."
"Hmmm...boring..."
As he wasn't particularly fond of vegetarians, Bagura didn't bother asking Venti for clarification on her favorite foods. Instead, he turned to Lilia and said, "Out with it."
"Oh...I beg your pardon..."
After half a life of servitude, Lilia couldn't help folding her hands across her lap and bowing as she said, "My name is Lilia...my favorites are dried beef, speckled bass, and cave potato..."
"Hmmm...simple tastes, and all from the Central Continent. You must have been a servant or a peasant back in the human Kingdoms..."
Before Lilia could nod her head, Bagura shifted his attention to the final person present, Ghislaine. In response, she flatly replied, "I like meat." as if it was the only thing that mattered.
Adopting a sharp-toothed smile, Bagura slapped his round belly and half-shouted, "I've never met a Beast Person who didn't! Bwahahahaha~!"
Interrupting the Demon Lord's laughter, Paul tossed over the pouch he had been carrying. As even the weaker Demon Lords were around the level of a renowned Saint in terms of capabilities, Bagura effortlessly snatched it out of the air, asking, "What's this...?" despite knowing what it was from the sound and weight.
"A hundred Green Ore Coins. Rather than paying after the fact and risking an incident, I figured I may as well settle the tab in advance. If you could limit the food and drinks to that amount, you'd be doing us both a favor..."
"Hooo...?"
Opening the pouch, Bagura confirmed the contents before slipping the pouch into one of his pockets and saying, "You've come prepared. That's good."
Shifting his attention to his daughter, Bagura added, "Leone, show our guests to table five. Today's service will be complimentary, so don't go overboard."
Nodding her head in understanding, Leone replied, "Understood, Chef." before turning to Paul's group and adding, "Please, follow me."
With Paul and company following behind her, Leone waited until they had departed the kitchen to remark, "It appears you weren't jesting about the strength of your Party. My father wouldn't ordinarily ask us to provide free service..."
Adopting a faint smile, Paul playfully mused, "I guess the rumors about me have yet to reach the Demon Continent. Back in the Asura Kingdom, I was known as the youngest Sword and Water Saint in history. I still have a long way to go, but I'm competent enough to defend myself."
Shaking her head, Leone flatly replied, "Things like that are completely meaningless. You would need to be an Emperor, at the very least, for my father to respect you..."
Shifting her attention to Venti, Leone narrowed her blue eyes despite the former smiling and waving in response.&nbsp;
Understanding what Leone was trying to say, the smile on Paul's face turned wry as he remarked, "You're pretty perceptive..."
Shaking her head a second time, Leone explained, "My father disdains people who arbitrarily restrict their palate and isn't shy about expressing it. If an ordinary person were to show up claiming to be a vegetarian, he would give them a tongue lashing before force-feeding them a variety of meats..."
"Ah..."
"Anyways, this is table five. Your food should be out within thirty minutes to an hour. Drinks are on the house, and appetizers include pretzels, fried potatoes, and pickled plums."
"Sound's good," replied Paul. "So long as it doesn't take us over budget, we'd like to try each of them."
Nodding her head, Leone replied, "Give me a minute or two." before walking off towards a fully stocked bar. As for Paul, he told the girls to be on their guard before making his way towards the entrance, not to leave, per se, but to check if Ei, Jean, and Ganyu were standing outside.
Finding the three girls standing over a trio of severely beaten bodies, a wry smile spread across Paul's face as he remarked, "I figured something like this would happen..."
Adopting a wry smile of her own, Jean explained, "These people possess an ability similar to the Demon Eyes of Affection. As for their strength..."
"They were pushovers, I know. True Vampires don't have black sclera, and they can regenerate from most physical injuries. These idiots are probably just thralls."
Walking over to the male Vampire, Paul picked him up by the hair, staring into the man's severely bruised face as he asked, "Did you just try to lure away my women while I was distracted...?"
"Please...have mercy..."
"..."
Instead of acting based purely on his emotions, Paul looked toward Jean, Ei, and Ganyu to see what they had to say. Under normal circumstances, Jean would have suggested they turn the trio over to the authorities, but the Demon Continent didn't really have a system of law. It was generally left to the reigning Demon Lord to decide the fates of people who made trouble in their territory.
While Jean wasn't quite sure what to do, Ei's expression was icier than the sea beneath them as she said, "Affording mercy to people who attempt to control and manipulate others goes against the natural order. If we spare them now, hundreds, if not thousands of people may suffer in the future..."
Though he nodded his head in affirmation and approval, Paul shifted his attention to Ganyu to see what she had to say. To his surprise, she, very calmly, suggested, "A quick death could be considered a mercy..."
Since she possessed the ability to sense peoples' auras, Ganyu could feel the profound hatred radiating from the trio of Vampires. If their positions were reversed, she had little doubt the Vampires would revel and indulge in their suffering.
With even Ganyu condemning them, Paul looked into the significantly less swollen face of the Vampire and said, "Mercy it is..." before activating the Elemental Burst of his Dendro Vision. He was curious to see how it would work on a floating platform, so he paid close attention as a mist formed of grass-green energy surged out of him before rapidly coalescing beneath the trio of Vampires.
Just as the Vampires sensed the danger they were in, spear-like vines covered in blood-red thorns erupted from the mass of Dendo Energy, piercing their hearts and raising them several meters into the air before rapidly draining their fluids.
Though he felt a sensation of intense heat and adrenaline filling his body, Paul's expression was cold as he watched the trio of Vampires dry up into desiccated corpses. He had no mercy for rapists and people who willfully attempted to manipulate others. Thus, even though he disliked killing, he didn't bat an eye as the dried-up corpses dissolved into ash, followed by the disappearance of his vines. At least not at first...
Turning to Jean, Ei, and Ganyu, Paul's expression softened as he mused, "There goes my appetite..."
Since Jean and Ei didn't really know what to say, Ganyu stepped forward to give Paul a firm hug as she replied, "You didn't do anything wrong..." in a soothing tone.
"Mmm..."
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After convincing Jean to replace him at the table, Paul eventually returned to the kitchen alongside Ei and Ganyu. Leone tried to stop him, but the profoundly deep voice of Bagura promptly called out to let them through.
Without diverting his attention from the food he was preparing, Bagura asked, "Finally decided to get to the point~?" in a gravelly yet sing-song tone of voice.
Nodding his head, Paul replied, "I should have mentioned this sooner, but I'm technically a Special Envoy of the Asura Kingdom. The King has asked me to conduct a survey of the Continent and meet with the ruling Demon Lords."
"Hooooo...that would explain the number of monsters in your entourage. I guess that makes you this generation's Heroes...?"
Though he was tempted to shake his head and refute Bagura's question outright, Paul eventually forced a smile and replied, "Something like that." Demons had a weird obsession with the concept of Heroes, even going as far as to issue challenges to those who wished to become them. Thus, at least for the time being, he didn't mind playing the part.
Noticing Paul's hesitation, Bagura peered back over his shoulder to reveal that his previously red eyes had shifted to icy blue in color. He clearly had a type of Demon Eyes, but Paul had no idea which until he said, "You've a long way to go before you can call yourself a Hero, kid..."
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Paul tilted his head slightly and asked, "Demon Eyes of Power Perception...?"
Adopting a sharp-toothed smile, Bagura replied, "You're well informed." before returning his attention to the stove. Then, before Paul could ask, he revealed, "You have a Power Level of 108 over 309. Just to put that in perspective, my Power Level is 161 over 318, while someone like Laplace, at least during the war, had a Power Level of 666 over 935. If you really want to call yourself a Hero, you still have a long way to go..."
With his leaf-green eyes sparkling with interest, Paul asked, "What do the two numbers mean? I'm guessing current level and latent potential...?"
Unsurprised by Paul's questions, Bagura calmly replied, "The first value is your current Power Level while the latter is what you're capable of when going all out. Potential is impossible to determine as it changes based on an individual's mentality, convictions, and effort..."
Turning back to face Paul, or, more accurately, Ei, Bagura added, "That little monster standing next to you has a Power Level of 519 over 624. So tell me, what is someone with two Gods in their Party doing in the service of another...?"
Understanding that Bagura was referring to both Venti and Ei, the smile on Paul's face turned somewhat wry as he replied, "It's complicated. Let's just say we all have things we want to protect..."
Craning one of his incredibly bush brows, the smile on Bagura's pig-like face broadened as he playfully remarked, "There it is. Your power might be lacking, but you've got that annoying way of speaking down. I wonder how many people this generation of Heroes will slaughter just to protect a few? Bwahahahahaha~!"
Though the content of his words was rather dark, Bagura didn't seem all that concerned by the potential massacre of his people. It had been a few hundred years since the last war between humanity and demonkind, so it was nearing time for another...
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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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Chapter 150: MI150: Not Your Average Port