I took a deep breath as fifty bottles of Holy Water of Life materialized in front of me, floating in perfect formation. The familiar chime of a completed quest echoed in my mind, bringing with it the satisfaction of another milestone reached. The alchemical process had been more complex this time, requiring precise temperature control and timing that pushed even my enhanced capabilities.
Walking out of the preparation room, I found Chysis sitting at one of the ornate chairs arranged around a circular table that dominated the center of the meeting space. Her usual exuberant energy seemed somewhat subdued as she looked up at my approach.
"Was it a success?" she asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.
I nodded, taking a seat in one of the elaborately carved chairs.
The room felt different with just the two of us present. Ajuka had already departed for the main summit hall, leaving behind an atmosphere that felt more intimate but somehow more tense.
"I have to ask," Chysis said, leaning forward with an expression more serious than I was used to seeing from her. "Why did you really agree to come to this summit? Don't you care about the territory you conquered? Leaving it undefended while you're here seems... risky."
I considered my words carefully. "Cao Cao and Georg will certainly make their move against me soon. I'm well prepared for that eventuality. As for Hades..." I paused, running a hand through my hair. "I don't want to further complicate my troubles with a god if it can be solved through political maneuvering instead. Fighting deities is too much of a hassle when diplomacy might work."
"And Carmilla's territory?"
"I've made all the necessary arrangements in case my enemies decide to move against them in my absence." I met her concerned gaze. "Sometimes the best defense is making sure your opponents know that attacking you will cost them more than they're willing to pay."
Chysis studied my face for a long moment. "What's your plan, really? I know you well enough to recognize when you're holding something back."
"The plan is multilayered," I admitted. "On the surface, I'm here to negotiate a peaceful resolution with Hades and demonstrate that I have the backing of multiple factions. Beneath that, I'm positioning myself to respond to whatever Cao Cao has planned. And underneath everything..." I smiled grimly. "I'm gambling that my enemies will underestimate the extent of my preparations."
"That's a lot of variables to juggle."
"True. But predictable enemies are the easiest to defeat, and Cao Cao has never been particularly creative with his strategies."
"Sounds like you're expecting trouble."
"I'm always expecting trouble. The difference is whether I'm ready for it."
A soft chime indicated that it was time to join the main summit. Chysis rose from her chair with a sigh, her earlier seriousness giving way to a more familiar expression of determined optimism.
"Well then," she said, extending her hand toward me, "shall we go see what kind of political chaos awaits us?"
I took her hand and stood. "Lead the way."
The main summit hall was exactly the kind of impressive display of power I'd expected. The space buzzed with conversations in multiple languages as various faction representatives mingled in what appeared to be carefully choreographed social positioning. I noticed immediately how the seating arrangements and informal groupings reflected the complex web of alliances and rivalries that defined supernatural politics.
Various devil heirs had made their appearance, creating an interesting cross-section of the younger generation's power players. Sairaorg stood near one of the ornate pillars, his imposing presence drawing respectful nods from passing dignitaries. Diodora was engaged in what looked like an intense conversation with several other nobles, his expression carefully neutral yet he would occassionally glance in our direction. Sona and her peerage occupied a corner of the room, their disciplined formation making them look more like a military unit than a social group.
Rias's peerage had claimed space near one of the large windows, and I could see Valerie and Xenovia had gravitated toward them for conversation. The sight was somewhat surreal – my team members socializing with people who had been strangers just weeks ago, yet seeming completely at ease.
I found myself standing with Asia, who had remained close to my side since we'd entered the hall. Her quiet presence was oddly comforting amid the controlled chaos of supernatural diplomacy.
"Are you worried about this summit?" Asia asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the general conversation.
"Always," I replied honestly. "But worry keeps you alive in situations like this."
She looked up at me with those earnest eyes that never failed to remind me how young she really was. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Stay close, stay alert, and trust your instincts if something feels wrong." I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You've got good intuition about people, Asia. Don't second-guess yourself if someone gives you a bad feeling."
"I understand." She paused, then added, "Thank you for bringing me with you. I know I'm not as experienced as the others, but..."
"But you're part of the team," I finished for her. "Experience comes with time. Trust comes from knowing someone has your back when things get complicated."
Before she could respond, a distinctive presence entered the hall that made several conversations pause mid-sentence. Odin's arrival was impossible to miss – the Norse All-Father carried himself with the kind of casual authority that came from millennia of absolute power. Rossweisse followed a respectful two steps behind, her professional demeanor intact despite the obviously overwhelming nature of the gathering.
I watched the various faction leaders acknowledge Odin's presence, noting the subtle shifts in posture and positioning that his arrival triggered. Gods, even allied ones, changed the entire dynamic of any political gathering simply by existing in the same space.
The summit proceedings began in earnest, with formal introductions and preliminary discussions that felt more like elaborate theater than actual negotiation. I participated where appropriate, but found myself paying more attention to the undercurrents of tension that seemed to be building beneath the polite exchanges.
That's when everything went sideways.
Loki's entrance was anything but subtle. The Norse god of mischief materialized in the center of the hall with a dramatic flourish that sent several lesser devils scrambling for cover. His presence radiated malevolent amusement as he surveyed the assembled dignitaries with obvious contempt.
"How touching," Loki said, his voice carrying easily through the suddenly silent hall. "All the little faction leaders playing at peace and cooperation."
Odin's expression darkened. "Loki. You were not invited to this gathering."
"Oh, dear father, always so concerned with proper etiquette." Loki's smile was sharp enough to cut glass. "I came to make my position clear – I despise this pathetic alliance you're building, and I will never agree to it."
The tension in the room ratcheted up several notches as various faction leaders prepared for the worst. This was exactly the kind of scenario that could turn a peaceful summit into a supernatural war zone.
Then Loki's attention shifted, and his predatory gaze fixed on me.
"And you," he said, pointing directly at me with obvious interest. "The infamous longinus destroyer. You're strong enough to stand on your own – why waste your time being a lapdog for these faction leaders?"
The hall fell completely silent. Every eye in the room focused on me as Loki's offer hung in the air like a challenge.
"Join me," Loki continued, his voice taking on a persuasive quality that felt like magic itself. "Together we could reshape this stagnant world order."
I met his gaze steadily, feeling the weight of everyone's attention. "I refuse."
Loki's expression shifted from persuasive to genuinely angry. "How disappointing."
The magical attack came without warning – a lance of pure destructive energy that blazed across the hall directly toward me and Asia. I had perhaps a tenth of a second to react, and instinct took over completely.
My hand shot out, nuclear forces coalescing into a defensive barrier that met Loki's attack head-on. The collision created an explosion that shook the entire hall, sending shockwaves through the assembled crowd and causing several of the ornate fixtures to crack under the pressure.
But as I stood there, arms still extended to protect Asia from the aftermath, I felt something else entirely. Purple mist began rising from beneath my feet, enveloping me completely before I could react.
The last thing I saw before the teleportation took effect was Asia's concerned face and the chaos erupting throughout the summit hall.
When I opened my eyes, the opulent summit hall had been replaced by something far more ominous. I found myself standing in what could only be described as a desolate wasteland, surrounded by swirling purple mist that seemed to move with its own malevolent intelligence.
If Georg used Dimension Lost, shouldn't I still be in the same general location as the summit?*
The landscape around me told a different story entirely. This was a hilly region that looked like it had been abandoned for decades, possibly longer. Ruined houses dotted the terrain, their roofs collapsed and walls crumbling. What had once been farmland was now nothing but barren earth and withered remnants of crops. No signs of life remained – not even insects or birds.
What is this place?*
The answer came from above, in the form of a familiar voice that carried easily across the desolate landscape.
"Welcome to your death spot."
I looked up toward the top of the nearest mountain and felt my jaw clench. Cao Cao stood there in silhouette against the purple-tinted sky, but something was different. The spear he held was unlike anything I'd seen him wield before – longer than his previous weapons, with an aura that seemed to bend light around it in unnatural ways.
Standing next to him, Georg adjusted his glasses with that maddeningly calm gesture I remembered so well.
"I didn't expect you to come at me for a second time," I called up to them, letting my voice carry my amusement. "Don't you remember what happened in our last scuffle?"
Cao Cao's laugh was bitter as he raised his spear – using only his right arm, I noted, since I'd severed his left during our previous encounter. "This time I won't be caught by surprise. It's about time I reclaimed my honor by killing you."
"That's impossible," I said, extending my arm toward him confidently. "Weak Force."
Nothing happened.
My power, which had never failed to respond to my call, remained completely silent. The fundamental forces that had become as natural to me as breathing simply... weren't there.
Cao Cao's laughter echoed across the wasteland. "What's wrong? Having trouble with your abilities?"
Seeing my surprised expression seemed to fill him with genuine pleasure. "This spear I'm holding isn't just any ordinary weapon. It's a divine spear that suppresses any form of forces and energy with its divine aura."
The pieces clicked into place. "It's from Hades, isn't it?"
"Indeed. An amalgamation of a divine spear and his skeletal staff. Even though it's nowhere near a true Longinus..." He glared down at me, pointing the weapon in my direction. "It's more than enough to kill you."
The ground around me began to tremble, and I felt the unmistakable sensation of necromantic magic taking hold. Skeletal hands burst through the earth, followed by the shambling forms of approximately a hundred undead warriors, each wielding corroded weapons but moving with purpose that suggested they retained some combat instincts from life.
I got into a defensive stance, mind racing through my suddenly limited options. None of my fundamental force abilities were responding, which meant I was down to physical combat and whatever equipment I could summon.
Time for Plan B.*
"Incursio," I whispered, feeling the familiar weight of the armor as it materialized around me. The demonic spear felt solid and reassuring in my hands as the transformation completed, but I knew that even enhanced physical abilities might not be enough against these odds.
The army of the dead began their advance, weapons raised and empty eye sockets fixed on me with singular purpose.
Well, this is definitely not how I expected the summit to go. No fundamental forces, outnumbered a hundred to one, and facing an enemy who's learned from his previous mistakes. At least things can't get much worse.*
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