True Magician (FatexDxD)

Rondel.

Did I wait for the moment when the group with the Japanese in it approached me? Nope. Something like a memory wipe would be weak, since they have an apostle in their group, so I had to exclude myself from their perception, which I'd screwed around in DxD.

Of course, they immediately started looking around, trying to find me. And all would have been fine, but the gothic lolita was still looking straight in my direction, as if she could see me. Anyway, that method didn't really work either.

I didn't want to linger in this world, much less become someone's curious animal, so I quickly retreated, heading deep into the city streets. My figure wiggled between alleys and narrow alleyways to get out of sight of the problematic group, and without realizing it, I had come to a wealthy neighborhood, judging by the buildings and their appearance.

The people I passed by also looked different: their clothes were definitely a head richer than any I'd seen before, their faces more well-groomed, and their jewelry shone brightly in the sun.

I found some medieval rich-looking tavern and went in there to wait out the storm. And now my carcass was lying on a bed in the rented room of this tavern, which I paid for with the coins created by 3rd magic. My eyes closed, and my hand slowly and affectionately stroked Tia, nestled on my chest.

So, since arriving on this world, I have found nothing that could point to the problem Zelretch sent me for. Unless, of course, you count that incident in the ruined village and the cultists being knocked back on their heads.

Now that I recall its details, a couple things strike me as odd. First, Anma himself and how we met. He was alone, practically wasted and relatively far from the village. I'd estimate it to be a kilometer or a kilometer and a half.

Of course, one could assume that he had somehow escaped from the hands of the cultists, but in that case, he certainly wasn't in one piece. There was a fair amount of blood underneath him, and an ordinary person was hardly capable of such a feat.

The place where I found him was also unusual. The energy level of life on that lawn was a bit out of sync with its surroundings. It was higher, slightly, almost imperceptibly, but still. And there were no animals or birds circling around the disheveled Anma. It was very strange that the smell of fresh blood didn't attract any predators or scavengers.

Secondly, ghosts. They are essentially the souls of the dead, and this too raises questions since the cultists were performing a sacrifice. Normally the soul should leave along with the flesh, but for some reason that didn't happen.

The very point of sacrificing anyone was to give up her soul. But those seven ghosts were practically tethered to the ground and it was as if they were waiting for someone. Someone who could not just deal with the wrongdoers, but cleanse them. Someone like me.

And the last point I'm curious about is the surviving villagers. Why are they so sure that I am not some local god or spirit that has taken the form of a human?

There are gods in this world, and they are quite real, as their apostles with supernatural powers also exist. What is the reason for such a firm idea that I am different? In theory, they could infer it based on my clothes, but I clearly saw a group with a Japanese soldier and locals present.

That means that contact has already been made, and it's entirely possible that some sort of agreement has been signed between this world and the other one from beyond the Gate, either for a truce or trade or something else. The clothes of the modern world could have been donated, or they could have been bought, so that option falls away.

Of course, I have an extremely and utterly insane idea in mind, but it doesn't make sense. And as a result, I have questions but no answers.

I furrow my eyebrows.

Why is my head pierced by the thought that I'm being led around by the nose? Anyway, now that I'm here, it's okay to rest. Too much going on these days.

And with that thought, I kissed Tia's head lightly, making her giggle sweetly and snuggle harder, and fell asleep.

-0-

A while later.

I left the tavern in the late afternoon, when the streets were illuminated by magical lights and lamps of some sort. The surroundings had transformed, becoming more appealing to the eye. There was a contrast between the lighting and the decoration of the buildings, which I definitely liked better.

There were couples chatting sweetly, women in revealing outfits standing in some places, and drunken men chattering about something right on the street. In short, the usual nightlife of any city.

Filling my lungs with the pleasant warm air of another world, I went to further explore my surroundings. True, not for long, as someone slammed into my back. Turning around, I saw Aria with worry and fear carved on her face.

- Excuse me! I-I'm looking-" she started as she suddenly stopped when she saw me. Her eyes opened wide, where a flash of joy appeared for a moment, but quickly faded, giving way to the first two emotions-"G-God! Y-you... you... you...

- Calm down, I'm not going anywhere," I said in a soothing tone, leading her into an alleyway away from prying eyes, "What's the matter?

- Please save my father! - She cried out pleadingly - We were just buying things at the market when the men in armor came up to us and took him somewhere! I... I didn't know what to do, so I went looking for you! Please help me!

I raised an eyebrow.

You just took him away? Why now? And why him? We'll have to find out on the spot.

- Go with the others, I'll handle it.

- Thank you! Thank you very much! - She bowed while I activated the 3rd magic.

I managed to find Anma. It wasn't far from my location, but here was the place... It was imbued with a very familiar aura that made me reflexively cluck my tongue. A magic circle lit up beneath my feet, and a second later transported me to Anma. And when I arrived, having previously surrounded Tia with a closed field, I immediately clamped my nose with my fingers to avoid the disgusting smell of blood and rot.

The hall, the very hall I found myself in, was a typical torture room with a flavor of cultism. The light of torches dimly illuminated the rotting human bodies that hung shackled along the wall in front of me.

On the four tables that stood there were a variety of tools of obvious purpose. Blood covered them, the furniture, the walls, and the floor. Both dried and not so dried. The stench, which had completely replaced oxygen, penetrated even my finger-clamped nose and practically forced me to empty my stomach.

- Oh? We have company? How interesting. - I heard a voice whose gender I couldn't identify.

Ah, yes, I wasn't the only one here. In addition to the nearly unconscious Anma, who was hanging on the wall, barely breathing, and whose body was covered with multiple marks of torture, there were two other people here: a full-bodied man dressed in rich clothes, and someone in a large black cloak.

I couldn't see the latter's legs or face, and an aura of darkness and malice practically burned around him. Actually, he spoke up when he saw me, when the former only stood like a puppet and stared into the void. And behind me, near the entrance to this hall, stood four men in armor with the same blank stare.

- Who are you?" I asked, looking at the cloaked figure.

- We have been interrupted today, my brother. But I hope the next time we meet, you will give a different answer," he ignored me and turned toward Anma, then looked in my direction, "And you, otherworlder, I wish no harm to you or your world. Why are you interfering? Now as well as then.

Brother? I beg your pardon? And he knows of my actions in the village? I'll have to save my questions for later, but for now.

- Unfortunately, I have to interfere to some extent. - I shrugged and let go of my nose. At the same time, a magic circle lit up beneath me, and Enkidu's golden chains began to emerge from it.

- I see," the silhouette muttered thoughtfully, "In that case, I apologize.

- For what? - I didn't understand, starting to look around.

In the next moment, everyone except me, the cloaked silhouette and Anma began to transform. Their clothes and armor ripped and disintegrated with a loud, distinctive sound. Muscles and veins ballooned and their skin changed color.

After a few seconds, no one would have thought that these five had once been human. Grotesque and unnatural, vile and disgusting. Now there were five monsters snarling viciously behind me, similar to the ones in the village. But more humanoid and deformed, as if they had been hastily molded from various parts of flesh and bone. And they would have attacked me instantly, but they were waiting for the silhouette's order. I did not wait.

The golden chains rushed forward, intending to grab the cloaked figure. And they grabbed her, really.....

JING

A second later, the chains burst as if they were made of glass, and it seemed to me that the silhouette even smiled a little.

- I'm not saying goodbye, otherworldly, brother. And so I'll see you soon. Perhaps even see you very soon. Farewell. - and with those words, he began to dissolve.

I would have liked to delay him somehow, but behind me another magic circle lit up, blocking the monsters' attacks. And looking at them through the glow of the circle, I once again clucked my tongue.

- What did I get this for?

-0-

A/N: How's the chapter? Give us your opinion. You may well be able to influence future chapters.

My P.a.t.r.e.o.n: P.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m/mirzael

You'll be able to read more chapters there.