Takeyo let out a long breath and opened his eyes, immediately finding Ophis staring at him with unwavering intensity.
Unlike before, when her expression had been completely blank, now her gray eyes held genuine interest, perhaps even curiosity. She gazed at him as if he were the most fascinating thing she'd encountered in centuries.
For the Infinite Dragon God, finding someone intriguing enough to warrant such attention was a rare occurrence indeed.
"You... not human?" Ophis asked, her voice soft and measured.
"Well..." Takeyo cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully. "I think I'm still human, technically."
He wasn't lying. Despite gaining the Ten Incarnations of Vishnu, he hadn't acquired a true divine core or spiritual essence. At his fundamental level, he remained human, just one with godly powers now dormant within him.
"Will you help me regain my silence?" Ophis clutched the panda plushie against her dress, her tone more serious than when she'd approached Cao Cao or those remnants of the Old Satan Faction. "If you agree, I can accomplish what you want to accomplish."
Takeyo felt a weight settle in his chest. The offer was tempting, dangerously so. But he understood his current limitations too well.
"I want to help you," he said honestly, meeting her gaze. "But I can't. Not yet."
He knew exactly what his body could handle. The power of the Ten Incarnations surged within him, yes, but using them came at a cost. Against Middle Class devils, he could manage. Even High Class devils wouldn't be impossible if he was strategic. But anything beyond that, Satan-class beings, Dragon Kings, gods, would drain his essence so completely that he'd burn out his life force in a single battle.
His human body simply wasn't strong enough to channel that level of power safely.
"Why?" Ophis tilted her head, genuine confusion flickering across her features. She'd assumed someone stronger than herself wouldn't need assistance. But perhaps she'd misjudged?
"Because I'm still growing," Takeyo explained, unable to suppress a wry smile. "Those incarnations you saw? They're powerful, but my body can only channel a fraction of that strength. Right now, I'm still just at the level of a low-tier being, maybe Middle Class on a good day."
His physical strength had increased slightly during the fusion process, when spiritual energy from the world had flooded into his body. But ultimately, the human form remained fragile compared to the supernatural beings that populated this world.
"Okay." Ophis processed this information with her characteristic calm. "Are you willing to help me?"
"If you're willing to help me grow stronger," Takeyo replied, his hand still resting gently on her head, "then yes. I'll definitely help you reclaim your silence."
He continued to pat her soft black hair, the simple gesture seeming to please her in a way he hadn't expected.
"Okay. I am willing to help you." Ophis's expression remained neutral, but something in her eyes softened. "What do you want me to do? As long as I can regain my silence, I will do anything."
The words hung in the air, innocent yet potentially dangerous, spoken by one of the most powerful entities in existence.
"I want you to..."
Before Takeyo could finish his request, spatial fluctuations rippled through the air around them. His newly enhanced senses, courtesy of his incarnations, immediately detected the disturbance.
"Sorry, Ophis. I'll tell you next time." He frowned, pulling his hand back. "Someone's coming."
Whoever was approaching, Takeyo didn't feel comfortable remaining in Ophis's presence while they arrived. Regardless of their identity or intentions, standing next to the Infinite Dragon God seemed like an excellent way to attract unwanted attention.
[Fifth Incarnation: Vamana the Dwarf!]
[Activate!]
A figure of immense charm and divine grace melted into Takeyo's body, the incarnation that granted him mastery over space itself, the ability to measure and traverse the three realms with just three steps.
With barely a thought, Takeyo vanished from Ophis's side, stepping through space as easily as walking through an open door.
"Wait..."
Ophis stretched out her small hands, an unfamiliar emotion stirring within her, something that might have been longing, or perhaps disappointment. She'd never experienced this kind of feeling before.
Her gaze fixed on the direction where Takeyo had disappeared, even as she sensed the approaching presence. She knew who it was from the spatial signature alone.
Crimson mist began swirling through the arcade, coalescing into physical form. Through the dimensional fog stepped a young man with glasses, his expression calm and analytical.
Georg, descendant of the legendary Johann Georg Faust, the man who'd made a pact with the demon Mephisto Pheles. He was a master magician and the sub-leader of the Hero Faction, wielder of one of the four strongest Longinus: Dimension Lost.
Behind him came another figure, this one carrying himself with casual confidence despite the holy spear resting on his shoulder. His presence radiated power and ambition in equal measure.
Cao Cao, bearer of the True Longinus, the strongest Sacred Gear in existence, and leader of the Hero Faction within the Khaos Brigade.
"Ophis-chan? Can you please not wander off like that?" Cao Cao sighed, though his tone carried more exasperation than genuine annoyance. "As our boss, you really just need to stay in one place. Georg here has to use his Dimension Lost every time you decide to go exploring."
"Mm..." Ophis nodded slightly, but her mind was elsewhere.
She'd already understood Takeyo's reasoning for leaving. He hadn't wanted to reveal himself to these humans who followed her. It showed wisdom, and perhaps a lack of trust in the Khaos Brigade itself.
Smart, she thought. Much smarter than these ones.
"Alright, boss. We've had our fun for today, and you got what you wanted." Cao Cao's eyes fell on the panda plushie in Ophis's arms, and he smiled. "Time to head back. Don't worry, I'll fulfill my promise. The downfall of the Red Dragon God Emperor himself. For a descendant of heroes, I'll give everything I have to achieve it."
His voice dripped with confidence bordering on arrogance. He'd seen the holy spear pierce Ophis without her even flinching, surely defeating any other being, even Great Red, was only a matter of strategy and power.
Cao Cao noticed the stuffed animal in Ophis's hands and assumed she'd simply used her overwhelming power to take it from the arcade. It wouldn't be the first time. He felt a twinge of guilt for the shop owner, but... well, it was an honor to have something taken by the Infinite Dragon God, wasn't it?
"..." Ophis said nothing, though a flicker of something, was it doubt?, passed through her eyes.
Compared to Cao Cao, who had promised from the very beginning to defeat the Red Dragon God Emperor, she found herself thinking about the young man who'd just left. He'd been honest about his limitations. He'd asked for her help rather than making grandiose promises he might not keep.
He seemed... more reliable.
But he'd said he needed more time. And for Ophis, who'd existed for eons, time held little meaning. She could wait. She would wait.
"Let's go, Georg. Back to base," Cao Cao ordered.
Georg activated his Sacred Gear, and crimson mist enveloped the three figures, preparing to transport them back to the Khaos Brigade's headquarters.
"By the way, boss," Cao Cao added, glancing at Ophis one more time before they departed. "While you were here in Kuoh, did you sense anything unusual? Those incarnations we detected, the lion-faced being, the giant fish, any of those?"
"No..." Ophis replied, her voice perfectly even.
"Hm. Well, maybe our calculations were off." Cao Cao's expression grew more intense, his ambition burning behind his eyes. "But mark my words, those incarnations looked to be on par with Great Red himself. If we can find them, recruit them... our plans will accelerate dramatically."
His mind raced with possibilities. As a descendant of heroes, Cao Cao lived for the challenge. He wanted to transcend human limitations through sheer determination and strategy, to accomplish feats that would make him worthy of the title "hero."
Whether through righteous means or ruthless tactics, whether through alliance or manipulation, he would use every tool at his disposal. His goal was singular: to push humanity to heights that would rival the gods themselves.
The Hero Faction gathered humans who shared this dream, who wanted to achieve greatness through their own power rather than relying on the gifts of gods or devils.
As the crimson mist fully enveloped them and they vanished from the arcade, Ophis clutched her panda tighter, her thoughts still on the boy who'd given it to her.
By the time Cao Cao returned to the Khaos Brigade base with barely contained excitement, Takeyo had already made it back to his apartment.
"That was close," he muttered, closing the door behind him.
The encounter had gone better than he'd dared hope. Ophis had been receptive, even willing to help him. But Cao Cao's arrival had cut their conversation short before he could ask for what he really needed, a portion of Ophis's power, one of her "snakes" or something similar to serve as a trump card.
Having a last-resort ability that could save his life felt necessary in this world.
"First things first," Takeyo said aloud, trying to organize his thoughts. "I need to familiarize myself with these powers."
The fusion of the Ten Incarnations had granted him access to incredible abilities, but understanding them theoretically and using them practically were two different things. He needed to test his limits, learn how much power he could safely channel, and discover the practical applications of each incarnation.
Just as he was about to head out to find a suitable training location, two sounds occurred simultaneously.
Knock, knock, knock.
Someone was at his door.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host for signing in! Sign-in rank: Silver!]
[Sign-in location: The tail of Koneko Toujou!]
[Time limit: 3 hours.]
[Remaining time: 3 hours.]
And his system had just given him a new challenge.
Takeyo stared at the notification in his mind, then at his front door, then back at the notification.
"You've got to be kidding me," he whispered.
Of all the possible sign-in locations, why Koneko's tail? The quiet, powerful Rook of Rias Gremory's peerage, a Nekomata who rarely revealed her true nature to anyone. Getting close enough to touch her tail without getting punched through a wall would require either incredible stealth or an extremely good excuse.
And he had three hours to figure it out.
The knocking came again, more insistent this time.
Taking a deep breath to center himself, Takeyo walked to the door and opened it.