Mushoku Impact

Though his attacks created gravitational vortexes that ripped through the land like natural disasters, it wasn't long before Alek found himself on the backfoot against his Grandmother, Atofe. They were about equal in terms of skill and swordsmanship, astonishing Atofe quite a bit, but the disparity in their respective strength and regenerative capabilities gave her a near-absolute advantage.
As a descendant of the Immortal Demon Tribe, Alek could regenerate from virtually any injury, even having his head or heart crushed. However, while this ability was greatly envied in human societies, so much so that he had nearly been forced to become a stag, it was nothing compared to his Grandmother's regeneration. Where it took him days to recover from missing limbs and other severe injuries, Atofe took mere seconds.
After being beaten to the point that most of his armor and equipment had been destroyed, leaving him in little more than a pair of tattered pants and chausses, Alek stared blankly up at the breathtakingly beautiful night sky and remarked, "I still have a long way to go..."
Staring down at her grandson in his personalized crater, Atofe, standing proudly despite the face she was completely naked, replied, "Don't beat yourself up too much. Your father, that brat of mine, struggled to make a name for himself until he was close to two hundred years old. You've got plenty of time to surpass him."
Closing his eyes, Alek exhaled a sigh before sitting up and asking, "Can you hand me my arms? I surrender."
Though he could fight without arms, manipulating his sword with just his mind, the amount of focus it required reduced Alek's capabilities by more than 90%. He also felt uncomfortable seeing his relative's boobs bouncing around whenever they traded blows, so his motivation had dwindled quite a bit since the start of the fight.
Nodding her head, Atofe replied, "Sure." before 'extending' her arm nearly fifteen meters to retrieve Alek's left arm. Without her heavy black armor to obstruct her, she could freely stretch, bend, and contort her body in ways that others couldn't hope to emulate.
Tossing Alek his arm, Atofe took the liberty to state, "Listen, Alek. I'm not sure what you heard about Paul Greyrat, but he isn't the type to cause a disaster. If anything, he would do everything in his power to prevent it..."
While holding his tattered arm up to his stump, waiting for this flesh to mend together, Alek asked, "What do you mean...?" with a confused look on his face.
Adopting a marginally more serious expression, Atofe revealed, "That brat is currently under my 'care.' I've gotten to know him well these past three months, and, while he isn't without flaws, he's similar to your Grandfather. He genuinely cares about this world and its people, regardless of whether they're human, demon, or any other race. Also..."
Directing her gaze toward the North, Atofe's expression softened as she added, "If he possessed half the ambitions others have accused him of, he would already be the King of Asura. You know I'm incapable of lying, so believe me when I say that Paul Greyrat possesses more than enough power and authority to conquer any Kingdom. Instead, he chooses to do his best 'within' the current system, willfully bowing his head to others in order to preserve the lives of the innocent..."
Having spent ten years in Atofe's 'care,' Alek didn't doubt the veracity of his Grandmother's words. One of the core tenets of Demon society was that the strong had no need for lies and deceit, so, as the most powerful Demon Lord in existence, Atofe was well known for her honesty.&nbsp;
Lowering his head, Alek responded with a faint, "I see..." as he weakly balled his hand into a fist. He didn't doubt that his Grandmother was telling the truth, but Savva had already informed him of Paul's ability to 'control and manipulate' the minds of others. The thought that his family was being manipulated caused an intense flame to burn in his eyes, but he managed to suppress it by the time he raised his head, smiling as he said, "Then I'll pull back for the time being. However, should a calamity occur in the future, I will hunt him down like a dog. At that time, please do not stand in my way..."
Shrugging her shoulders, Atofe replied, "Do what you want. I've told you this before, but you should never be afraid to follow your heart. It might lead you astray at times, but so long as you pick yourself up and attempt to do better, you'll eventually reach your goals."
Extending her hand, Atofe helped Alek to his feet before turning around and spreading her wings. Before she flew off, however, she half-turned to face her grandson, advising, "If you're serious about opposing Paul in the future, you should voyage to the Dungeon at the center of the Ringus Sea. It would be best if you also recruited powerful allies, preferably others at the level of a God..."
Surprised by his Grandmother's advice, Alek questioned, "Didn't you just say he cares about the people of this world? Why would I need to gather allies...unless...?"
Rolling her eyes, Atofe turned away from Alek and stated, "It's better to be safe than sorry. Besides, you wouldn't even be able to touch Laplace at your current level. You would just get yourself and your allies killed. So, instead of getting involved in the affairs of nations that have nothing to do with you, focus on increasing your strength...understood?"
Having just been defeated, Alek decided to take his Grandmother's advice very seriously. The current Atofe wasn't even half as powerful as she was during the Laplace War. Her body had literally been split in two, half being sealed away by the Church of Milis, so he still had a ways to go before he could be considered the equal of the original North God, his Grandfather...
Lowering his head respectfully, Alek replied, "Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to follow it..."
Without turning around, Atofe gave a curt nod before spreading her wings and taking off like a rocket. She had planned to talk Alek with her, sealing him away in the Dungeon beneath the fortress, but their battle had given her the idea of using him, either as insurance or to test Paul's growth. This likely played into the hands of the shitbag behind the scenes, but if it was indeed Paul's destiny to defeat Hitogami, it didn't matter if she positioned a few obstacles in his way. If anything, it would make him stronger...
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Feeling fatigued despite his usually inexhaustible stamina, Paul allowed himself to float around listlessly while everyone else conversed nearby, enjoying the pool-sized bath.
Observing Paul from a distance, Kishirika and Kishirisu had amused smiles despite conversing with Zhongli about the castle's management. It would be some time before they announced their return to power, but that didn't mean they could afford to sit around idly. Well, they could, but only if they permitted others to act in their stead.
With Ningguang being preoccupied with her goal of founding a nation, she couldn't afford to micromanage the affairs of the Demon Continent. Trade was one thing, but even that would take years to set up due to both sides lacking the infrastructure to support a large-scale operation.
Fortunately for Ningguang, not that she was present to hear it, neither Kishirika nor Kishirisu had the expectation that someone else would solve their nation's problems. More importantly, there was no real point in trying to prosper before the defeat of Hitogami. It would just give power-hungry individuals on both sides an excuse to instigate a war.
Instead of asking for help rebuilding their nation, Kishirika and Kishirisu decided to focus on gathering resources and continuing specific avenues of Laplace's research. They would permit Ningguang to establish trade routes, but her side would be personally responsible for negotiating terms and defending their flotillas. If a war were to break out as a result of her actions, Demonkind would not participate in it, at least not in any 'official' capacity.
Simply put, Kishirika and Kishirisu had no intention of making any 'overt' actions until Hitogami had been defeated. They had learned the hard way that Hitogami would not permit any race other than humans to prosper, so while they intended to support Paul, their cooperation would be limited to supplying their essence and knowledge.
Though the terms laid out by the two Demon Empresses burdened Paul's side with supplying enough resources to rebuild an entire nation, Zhongli agreed on Ningguang's behalf. Four hundred years prior, Demonkind had helped humanity rebuild, and the only thing they received in return was a knife to the back. Many still remembered those days, so if Paul wished to unify the world, humanity or, more accurately, Ningguang would need to make concessions with each of the sovereign races.
Humans were responsible for destroying the trust of the other races, so humanity needed to be the ones to fix it. Personal interest and profits be damned...
As Kishirika, Kishirisu, and Zhongli were nearing the end of their not-so-casual conversation, Paul rose to a seated position and said, "We should pick up Shenhe and Yunyun and return to Fort Necross. I'm worried about the others."
Piggybacking Paul's words, Kishirika playfully teased, "You worry about everything." However, as she understood that Badi was likely on his way to investigate her loss of virginity, she also suggested, "Just have Fayde send you over. Now that you're the owner of this castle, you can order her to teleport you around or ask her to bring others to you. If she complains, just remind her she spent the last four hundred years sitting on her scaley ass."
As per usual, Fayde immediately appeared in response to Kishirika's brash remarks, an unamused expression on her face as she growled, "You're one to talk..."
Shifting her attention to Paul, Fayde made no attempts to hide her gaze, sizing him up with her peculiar blue and pink eyes as she asked, "Would Master like me to teleport him to Fort Necross. After you've donned some clothing, of course..."
Having bathed with countless, well, more like forty different women, Paul ignored Fayde's wayward gaze and replied, "I would appreciate it." before looking to Ei and Yae. The moment he did, the duo immediately rose from the bath, the former affirming, "I will accompany you," while the latter just giggled in amusement.
Nodding his head in approval, Paul moved to exit the bath when Kishirika suggested, "You should move those girls from Fort Necross to here. Until Badi has been dealt with, everyone you care about is in extreme danger. I wouldn't be surprised if the shitbag behind the scenes has already taken measures to manipulate him."
Though they felt a little sorry for Badi, Kishirika and Kishirisu had already decided it was best if he was sealed away. They didn't understand why, but even though Badi warned others not to trust Hitogami, the six-armed oaf regarded the false God as a friend. He was also incomparably petty, so much so that the twin Empresses could imagine him tracking down and forcing himself on every woman Paul had ever slept with, just to spite him.
Having already been warned about Badigadi multiple times, Paul nodded his head and replied, "I intend to do precisely that. Just don't go treating them like servants or attendants. The two of you might be my wives, but I'll take it personally if you try to bully or harass the people I care about..."
Rolling their eyes in nearly the same manner, Kishirika and Kishirisu briefly exchanged eye contact before the latter said, "We'll treat them well if they treat us well. However, so long as you're within this castle, you must share a bed with us before anyone else. You can invite others to accompany us; just make sure they know what to expect..."
Understanding that Kishirisu was referring to her 'collection,' Paul forced a wry smile as he replied, "I'll keep that in mind..."
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Though it wasn't nearly as bad as the first time, Paul still felt a little unsteady on his feet after Fayde teleported him, Ei, and Yae to Fort Necross. The process wasn't painful, but the experience was like having his body pulled through an opening the size of a straw, starting from his intestines...
Noticing Paul's complexion and the beads of sweat on his forehead, a teasing smile developed across Fayde's face as she asked, "Would you like me to lend you my breast? My body is pleasantly cool compared to a typical human."
Answering in Paul's stead, Yae mused, "Your concern is appreciated, but you can leave Master to us."
Punctuating her words, Yae walked over and pulled Paul's face into her bosom, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she caressed his head and whispered, "There, there..." in a soothing tone.
Exhaling through her nose, Fayde appeared annoyed as she crossed her arms beneath her comparably small breasts and remarked, "Our Master is entirely capable of speaking for himself. If my behavior bothered him, I'm sure he would let me know..."
Lifting his face from Yae's breasts, Paul asserted, "It doesn't. However, if you intend to be confrontational, just know I would always choose Ei and Yae over someone like you..."
Furrowing her brows, Fayde was tempted to argue that Paul knew nothing about her. However, given the context of the situation, such an argument didn't carry a lot of merits. She was, after all, an 'outsider' in this particular instance.
Realizing she may have spoken out of turn, Fayde performed her unique variation of a curtsy as she replied, "I have disgraced myself by trying to put words into Master's mouth. I am prepared to receive any punishment you deem appropriate..."
Recalling the comments Kishirika made about Fayde being a masochist, Paul shook his head and said, "Just drop it. I need to-"
Interrupting Paul's attempted dismissal, Atofe kicked open the doors to his room, shouting, "It's about time you showed up!"
Though he was somewhat used to Atofe doing whatever she wanted, her reason being that Fort Necross was 'her' home, Paul just smiled wryly and said, "We experienced a few hiccups during the raid. It took-"
With a thoroughly disinterested look on her face, Atofe said, "Don't care, didn't ask." before casting a glance toward Fayde and adding, "Get out of my fortress, you horny lizard."
Compelled to obey, Fayde snorted in disdain before looking toward Paul and saying, "When you're ready to return, call out to me. I'll be waiting..."
Casting one last narrow-eyed glare toward Atofe, Fayde disappeared in one of her black hole-like spheres. A smell reminiscent of ozone filled the room as she departed, but everyone ignored it as Paul turned to Atofe and asked, "What's with everyone antagonizing her? Isn't she supposed to be one of your allies...?"
Raising her left brow, Atofe crossed her arms and replied, "You're wrong. That wannabe Dragon was created by Dragon God Laplace to watch over and maintain Kishirika Castle. She is compelled to obey the master of the castle, but she has a habit of doing things half-assedly and can be pretty spiteful if you don't give her some kind of reward."
As Kishirika had once told him that only Dragons could create new Spirits, Paul wasn't too surprised to learn that Fayde was created by Dragon God Laplace. Instead, he responded with a terse, "I see..." before asking, "Any particular reason you just burst into my room? If anything happened while I was away..."
Understanding that Paul was concerned for the girls he left behind, Atofe rolled her eyes and retorted, "Just who do you take me for? My men might be rough around the edges, but their discipline is second to none. If they disregarded my orders and attempted to put their hands on those lasses, I would flay and cook them alive. No, I came here for a different reason..."
Adopting a broad, somewhat cheeky smile, Atofe revealed, "I received a report stating that my Grandson had appeared at Wind Port. I'm not sure who it was, but someone in his Party was spreading a bunch of rumors, so I went to pay them a visit. Needless to say, you don't have to worry about them attempting to track you down any time soon. I sent them on a quest that will take at least a decade or two to finish."
Blinking in surprise, Paul asked, "You really went out of your way to repel them for us? I honestly expected you to sit back and enjoy the show..."
Shifting her gaze to Ei, Atofe pointedly replied, "At his current level, there wouldn't be one. With that in mind..."
Returning her gaze to Paul, Atofe's smile became even broader as she said, "I bought you some time, so use it well. The next time your paths cross with my Grandson, I expect you to be the one to deal with him. If you keep hiding behind skirts your entire life, you'll never reach the top."
Having said what she wanted to say, Atofe turned around with the clear intention of departing the room. Before she could, Paul called out to her, asking, "You said his Party was spreading rumors? Can you tell me what they were saying...?"
As if she had just remembered something, a look of realization donned upon Atofe's face before she adopted a teasing smile and revealed, "It seems the King of Asura has made a concerted effort to bind you to the Royal Family. You have officially been assigned the Rank of Water King, your Title being the coveted 'King's Greatsword.'"
Recognizing the Title from his previous life and history books pertaining to the Asura Kingdom, Paul promptly took a seat on his bed and cradled his forehead. He had expected something like this to happen, but only as Ariel made her move for the throne. This was much too soon...like twenty years too soon...
Though she was somewhat amused by Paul's reaction, Atofe narrowed her eyes and barked, "Suck it up, brat! You wouldn't be in this position if you didn't engage those idiots and attempt to play along with them! If it bothers you half as much as you pretend, just don't go back to the Asura Kingdom! It's that simple!"
Raising his face from his hand, Paul was about to respond that nothing was ever simple, but Atofe had already turned around to leave. He could have called out to her, but the odds of her turning around to hear him out were pretty slim.
Shaking his head, Paul exhaled a sigh and muttered a word he had been attempting to avoid, specifically a disheartened, "Whatever..."
Taking their seats at Paul's flanks, Yae attempted to ease his frustrations by resting her head against his shoulder and whispering, "Try and look on the bright side...this is a sign that the King either holds you in high regard or outright fears you. By the time of your return to the Central Continent, you will have doubtlessly eclipsed a typical Water or Sword King. This just saves you the hassle of proving to others you're deserving of the Rank..."
Emulating Yae's actions, Ei also rested her head against Paul's shoulder as she appended, "Let us continue working hard...together..."
Though he exhaled another sigh, most of Paul's frustration had vanished the moment the two beauties flanked him. It was difficult to describe just how beautiful they were, so even if he still felt annoyed by his new status and Title, he also felt incredibly fortunate...
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After informing his Party that it would be difficult to defeat Paul at their current level, Alek expected some of them to protest and argue he had wasted their time. To his astonishment, Elinalize and Tallhand accepted the news in stride, accepting that if he, a North God, couldn't get the job done, there wasn't much they could do. Rynka was a little upset because of her defeat, but she calmed down pretty quickly when Alek revealed his intention to voyage to the Devil's Cave, the S-Ranked Labyrinth located at the center of the Ringus Sea.
Among Alek's Party members, the only person legitimately upset by the apparent failure of their mission was Savva. She genuinely believed that Paul would bring about a great cataclysm in the future, so while she could understand Alek's justifications for pulling back, she couldn't help feeling as though they were condemning hundreds of thousands of people to die.
Though Alek assured her he would never allow something like what she described to happen, people with firm beliefs were notoriously difficult to reason with. She believed that, by retreating now, they were quite literally setting in motion the series of events that would guarantee the cataclysm that had appeared in the prophecy.
Unfortunately, while Savva was a gifted Spiritualist, having mastered the unique Magic of her tribe, there was little she could do to track down and defeat Paul on her lonesome. Alek was her only hope, so even though her trust in him had taken a substantial blow, she still intended to accompany and marry him. After all, it wasn't like he had given up...
Among the people Alek expected to be upset, Geese was surprisingly the most agreeable regarding the sudden change in plans. He even went out of his way to talk Elinalise and Tallhand into continuing the journey to the Devil's Nest, arguing that it was an opportunity for them to become fully-fledged S-Ranks under the protection of a God.
As Alek had shown a complete disregard for things like wealth, most of the earnings of their Party were split between the other members. Since he was often the first into the fray, battling powerful monsters without the need for assistance, following Alek was an easy source of both reputation and income. Thus, with very little convincing, the two A-Rank Adventurers agreed to continue accompanying Alek for as long as the bounty on Paul's head remained active.
With their destination decided, Alek asked Geese to secure their passage back to Zanto Port. The only way to reach the Devil's Nest was to charter a ship from the Sanakia, Kikka, or Shirone Kingdoms. In other words, they would need to backtrack several thousand kilometers, pass through the Dragon King Kingdom, and up the Eastern coast of the Central Continent before they could even set out.
Though such a voyage would ordinarily take between 2-3 years, high-ranking Adventurers could complete the journey in as little as 3-4 months if they traveled during the rainy season and only stopped to resupply and report to the Guild. It had only taken Alek's Party three months to travel from the Begarrit Continent to the Demon Continent, so everyone was in relatively high spirits as they set out on what would ultimately turn out to be an adventure spanning years...
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Far to the West of the Demon Continent, across the Ringus Sea, a man with silvery-white hair and golden eyes was staring toward the East, his expression contorted in a perpetual glower. His tall and sturdy frame was garbed in a white trenchcoat covered in belts, a matching mantle adorned with black fur around the collar, a black undertunic, and black trousers, all formed from exceedingly rare materials.
Though he would ordinarily stay away from crowds and large population centers, the sanpaku-eyed man had been making numerous exceptions as of late. This might not sound like such a big deal, but as someone who has endured the same two hundred year loop well over a hundred times, even minor divergences to the timeline were of significant interest to the fiercely determined man.
"So you've even gone as far as capturing Kishirika's castle...just who are you really, Paul Notos Greyrat...?"
Eager to ascertain the truth, the silver-haired man turned around and headed towards a previously rare sight in the Strife Zone, a rapidly-expanding city with proper buildings and durable walls. Such outposts were becoming increasingly common as of late, but this one stood out even among the rest as it was just off the coast and expanding into the sea as a harbor city. There were noteworthy vessels as of yet, but even a layperson would be able to tell that the person in charge intended to make it into a trade hub as there was enough space to house well over a dozen merchant vessels...
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After retreating to a wasteland located a few dozen kilometers away from Wind Port, Atofe stopped to take stock of her surroundings, noting, "This ought to be far enough from any major population zones..."
Having used the same wasteland several times in the past, Atofe couldn't help smiling as she looked around at several familiar markings, the legacy of battles both ancient and modern. Then, as a countermeasure against Alek's Gravity Magic, she began stripping off the pieces of her armor until she was left with nothing but a leotard-like undertunic.
Assuming she had a bit of time to kill before Alek's arrival, Atofe started performing a series of exercises known as calisthenics, a creation of her late husband. Such routines were useless for a member of the Immortal Demon Tribe, but they helped Atofe get in the proper 'groove' for a good fight. After all, with the most recent exception of Ei, the only person who could get her blood boiling was her husband. Paul was getting there, but he would need to defeat her in single combat before she admitted it...
Noticing his Grandmother performing a very familiar routine, Alek elected not to sneak attack her. Instead, he touched down just ten meters away, his expression unchanging as he observed her with an unblinking, almost statuesque smile.
Though she noticed Alek landing behind her, Atofe only acknowledged him towards the end of her workout, asking, "Why have you returned to the Demon Continent? Weren't you supposed to be in isolation until the resurrection of Laplace?"
Since he hadn't come to the Demon Continent seeking revenge for the way Atofe treated him in the past, Alek maintained his usual smile as he confidently replied, "I have it on good authority that a great disaster will occur if Paul Greyrat is allowed to continue pursuing his ambitions. If you know where I can find him, please tell me."
Crossing her arms in defiance, Atofe remarked, "I know you're an idiot, but have you gone soft in the head? Since when do Heroes hunt people down based on acts they 'might' commit? Sounds to me like you're being fooled into doing someone else's dirty work."
Furrowing his brows, Alek was going to refute his Grandmother's words but stopped himself. Seventy years of pseudo-isolation had given him a lot of time to think about the type of Hero he wanted to be, and it wasn't the type that pursued people for crimes they had yet to commit.
Surprised by Alek's clear introspection, Atofe blinked several times and remarked, "Well, would you look at that. Someone's come a long way. A few decades ago, you would have argued with everything I said..."
Regaining his smile, Alek mused, "Well, I am 75% human. My aging may have slowed to a crawl, but I'm constantly changing and adapting to my surroundings."
Adopting a smile of her own, Atofe nodded her head in approval, saying, "That's great to hear, Alek. Still, if my previous words weren't enough to convince you, consider this. Unless they were somehow made aware of the cataclysm in advance, who do you think humans would hold in higher esteem? The Hero who stopped a prophesied catastrophe from occurring or the Hero who defeated the person responsible? Humans have trouble caring about things they can't see or experience directly. Defeating Paul Greyrat right this instant might make you a Hero, but the only people who would care are those who stand to profit from his death."
Lowering his gaze slightly, Alek appeared to be considering Atofe's words before responding, "You make a good point...however..."
Pointing the forked tip of his sword at Atofe, Alek's usual smile revealed a hint of wryness as he revealed, "I promised the woman I love that I would defeat Paul Greyrat and prevent the devastation his actions would induce. Doing so may not increase my standing as a Hero, but I'm supposed to be in training until the resurrection of Laplace. I can afford to eliminate a few brigands and murderers without seeking glory."
Extending her hand towards her own sword, Atofe's aura began to swell as she developed a vicious smile and said, "I take back my earlier praise. You're still an idiot..."
Exhaling a light-hearted chuckle, Alek's aura increased to rival Atofe's as he playfully replied, "Well, I am your Grandson..."
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After transferring most of his power and authority to the twin Demon Empresses, the only notable permissions Paul had left were the right to move freely throughout the castle and the right to have Fayde teleport him to and from Fort Necross. He technically had the status of a Demon Emperor, but as he had no intention of making such information public, it was useless to him.
With Paul keeping his word, rather than taking advantage of his status to order them around, the first thing Kishirika and Kishirisu did following the transfer of power was drag him off to 'commemorate' their tripartite union. He initially suggested they return to Fort Necross to ease the concerns of those left behind, but the duo promptly vetoed his suggestion and 'forced' him into a six-hour session of lovemaking.
Though he had participated in several threesomes in the past, Paul got to experience just how demonic the two Kishirikas could be as they worked together to tease and 'antagonize' him into being a lot more forceful than usual. He had to put his foot down when Kishirisu retrieved a strap-on and attempted to peg him, but he didn't mind tying the two up and testing out their rather extensive collection of bondage equipment.&nbsp;
Like many long-lived Demons, Kishirika and Kishrisu had distorted views on what constituted 'excessive' play. In the ancient past, long before her original death, Kishirika was even worse than the most perverse members of the Asuran Nobility. She had avoided killing anyone, but the number of people she had 'broken' exceeded a thousand.
As fate would have it, one of the people Kishirika ended up breaking was the childhood sweetheart of Ars, a transmigrator that had appeared in the world of Mushoku Tensei alongside twenty-eight similarly aged teens and a single adult. The group's appearance had caused quite the stir, not only because they were the first of their kind but because each and every one of them possessed a unique power.
Hearing this while nestled between the two naked beauties, Paul couldn't help remarking, "Sounds like an entire class got transported at the same time..."
Feeling absentminded after blowing his load dozens of times, Paul didn't register that he had basically admitted to being an otherworlder until the two Demonesses narrowed their eyes at him, Kishirisu responding, "That's right. They claimed to be a teacher and students of Kokusai High School, a purportedly famous academy from their homeland of Tokyo, Japan..."
Regaining his mental clarity, Paul's smile visibly cramped as he found his new wives boring into him with their stares. He knew Kishirika had always suspected him of being from another world, but she had never pressured him for details since he bore this world's 'imprint.'&nbsp;
Realizing he had backed himself into a corner, Paul was about to reveal the truth when Kishirika abruptly said, "It doesn't matter where you came from. So long as you're able to defeat Hitogami, I couldn't care less about the specifics. Now, where were we...?"
Though she 'was' interested in Paul's origins, Kishirisu ultimately decided to play off of Kishirika's words, responding, "Our inquisitive little husband here was asking us how we came to be so 'proficient' with the use of our tools. I believe we were about to tell him how our 'coincidental' encounter with Ars' sweetheart eventually led to our downfall...?"
"Ah, I believe you are correct, my contemporaneous coequal! We really must be cut from the same cloth for you to be this astute. Kishishishi~!"
Rolling her eyes, Kishirisu decided to continue the story, revealing, "We initially only had a mild interest in Ars and his group. However, after a few months had passed, they started attacking our borders and accusing our people of stealing land and resources. We attempted to reason with them, but it wasn't long before things escalated to an all-out war. It wasn't until much later that we found out the reason..."
Sharing the same memories, Kishirika exhaled a sigh as she rested her head against Paul and muttered, "We can't say for sure if he was the one responsible, but someone told Ars and his classmates that the only way to return to their world was to defeat us. We attempted to end the conflict by offering to help them figure out a way to return, but it was already too late. Nearly half of Ars's classmates had lost their lives during the conflict, and, though we didn't know it at the time, one of the slaves we purchased to relieve stress ended up being the girl he had a crush on..."
As if they had rehearsed the same script, Kishirisu seamlessly followed Kishirika's account by stating, "Once we were finished with her, we asked Badi to deliver Ars's beloved to one of our battalions near the frontline. A soldier's life can be pretty stressful, never knowing when they might die, so slaves and captured prisoners were commonly sent to the frontlines as stress relief..."
Noticing the frown on Paul's face, Kishirika interrupted Kishirisu's account, expressing, "War is a terrifying and horrendous ordeal, Paul. Even more so when one side refuses to even consider an accord. I'm not going to argue that we did nothing wrong; we most certainly did. However, until you have experienced the horrors of war for yourself, you can't judge the actions of those forced into it. You could attempt to, but you would just be spewing platitudes from a position of ignorance, likely backed by a very privileged upbringing."
Though he couldn't agree with Kishirika's words on principle, Paul didn't attempt to argue against them. Even with two lives under his belt, he only had forty-one years of experience under his belt. Compared to Kishirika's ten thousand years, he still had a long way to go...
Amused by equally approving of Paul's clearly reluctant silence, Kishirika adopted her characteristic grin as she remarked, "That's one of the things I love about you. You have an overdeveloped sense of righteousness, but you at least try to see things from the perspectives of others. Not a lot of people can say the same, Demon or otherwise..."
Nodding her head in agreement, Kishirius appended, "Kishirika is correct. Had you the ambition and means, you would make an excellent ruler...not just of Demonkind, but all races..."
Forcing a smile, Paul replied, "We'll see. For now, I'm more concerned with increasing my strength, protecting the people I care about, and voyaging across the world. I'll only consider becoming a King or Emperor 'after' I've attained their equivalent Rank in swordsmanship..."
Since they were content with Paul just seeking Hitogami's death, neither Kishirika nor Kishirisu tried to argue with him. Instead, the duo exchanged glances before adopting near-identical smiles. Then, without the need for words, they simultaneously lowered their hands toward Paul's semi-erect penis, Kishirisu musing, "It's a little too late for that. You might not care to announce it, but you're already an Emperor."
Drawing her lips closer to Paul's ear, Kishirika added, "She's right...now that we have consummated our relationship, you'll forever be the husband of two Demon Empresses. You can run away, play envoy to some King, or even establish your own nation, but you can never escape the reality that you're the first and only Great Demon Emperor..."
Exhaling an exasperated yet slightly heated sigh, Paul briefly pondered how his decisions had led to him serving as the meat of a Demon Empress sandwich. Less than three seconds later, he had the duo's breasts in his palms, trading kisses with them as they worked together to motivate his not-so-little brother for another session of intense lovemaking...
...
..
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Chapter 189: MI189: Relaxing Tensions