(October 1st, 2017)

Justin

After defeating the harbinger's familiars, we rested at the hotel and continued on our way to the location just a few hours later. The group and I were so exhausted that we took turns driving. As Zack's turn to drive came up, I switched to Mia's seat. Alex sat in the front passenger seat, allowing Mia to sleep on my shoulder and nearly start drooling on me. Even after relaxing for a few hours, that entire battle took a lot of energy from us, and we had little time to waste, so we continued onwards. Ethan called early in the morning to confirm that he has arrived with Selena and Nova. Zack's friends were on the phone with Alex, informing us that they will take some time to arrive but are definitely coming. Meanwhile, I was still waiting for Roxanna to give me a call and say anything.

"You know, this was a fantastic idea, Justin," Alex stated. "You know, bringing everyone we know and trust with us."

I silently nodded while half asleep before responding. "Still, I doubt they will do anything against the harbinger. My idea is to have them help with the evacuation efforts and slay any demons that might pop up," I replied before yawning. "That's if he decided to show up."

"I doubt he would not make a move," Zack opined. "He could be planning anything. We should stay alert."

"Good luck telling Mia that," I stated while pointing to the girl who was resting her head on my lap and sleeping like the dead. I watched as she mumbled my name and smiled every time she said it, making me swallow my saliva while thinking about whatever wet dream she was currently having. Alex looked at her as she bit her lip and looked back at the view outside of his window, unfazed by Mia's behavior, which has become commonplace. I pulled out my phone and checked Rox's messages, only to see that she has not messaged me since the time we talked and I invited her to come with us.

"Justin, you want to... yes..,. put... that ball gag on me, baby..." Mia mumbled loud enough for the whole group to hear, making me grab her jacker and pull her off of me, waking her up immediately.

"Hey! What's your problem?!" Mia snapped at me while fixing her jacket and switching back to sitting on the passenger seat.

I stared into her eyes with a glare that made her feel nervous and uncomfortable. "A ball gag... a ball gag?" I asked with my gritted teeth that made her clear her throat and laugh nervously while the two crusaders in the front sat silently with a smug expression on each of their faces.

"I-It was just a d-dream, Justin! Relax!" Mia giggled nervously after saying that, but I did not have it. I pushed her down and watched as Alex and Zack turned their heads to look at us.

"OOOOH! It's happening!" The two crusaders said at the same time as I reached for Mia's pants, but their excitement turned to disappointment when I grabbed her leg pouch and opened it. The demon girl's face was as red as a tomato when I pulled the wicked item from her pouch and looked away once she heard the gasps of Zack and Alex.

"A dream? Yeah, sure."

"G-Give it back!" Mia shouted as she tried to reach for it, but I threw it to Zack, who has already parked the car to inspect it.

"Yo, Justin! This is legit! The leather is real and everything!" Zack said as Alex split his sides laughing. The item was a tiny black leather belt with a red ball attached to it. The ball shined under the light of the sun as the king inspected it. As I asked about it, I watched Mia hide her face with her hands. Mia refused to answer where she got it from or why, however, I assumed that it is not the only thing she has got. I sighed and asked Zack kindly to give Mia back her item before he resumed driving to the destination.

After an hour or so of driving, we finally made it to the port where Ethan was supposed to be waiting. The form of the giant white yacht grabbed our attention and glued our eyes to it. I have seen the yacht in pictures only and have never been on it, but seeing it in person took my breath away. The yacht did not fit in the port and was idly waiting for its passengers at sea. I pulled out my phone and called Ethan, who told us to meet him at the restaurant building that was supported by a pier. Zack drove to the parking lot, and we immediately took notice of the conspicuous black armored SUV that was parked next to the entrance. Others like it were also parked all around, taking some of the spots. Alex pointed at the officers that were waving at us and pointing us towards a parking spot. Zack sighed and parked at the intended spot.

"So much for subtle and inconspicuous," The monarch stated. Mia flew out of the car, not even bothering to exit like a normal person. Zack's annoyance intensified when an officer wearing the official royal uniform approached and offered to open the door for Zack.

"Ah," I stated, making the two crusaders in the front turn around and look at me. "So, that's why she flew."

Zack sighed and watched as the officer opened the door for him while Alex and I exited before anyone could approach our doors. I took the car and placed it in my magic satchel and watched as the soldier held his head in awe and wonder. I dismissed him and walked past the baffled men with the crusaders. Zack was the one most annoyed by the lack of subtlety shown by the military soldiers, and I could not help but watch as the rage built up inside of him when the royal officers bowed as we walked. I was the one walking in front of the group, but Zack's anger was obvious enough for us. Even the bowing secret service ninjas were uncomfortable by the sight of their angered king.

"Welcome, my lords," The soldiers on the cafe doors said, making Zack sigh bitterly. Mia placed her hand on his shoulders and whispered for the king to calm down, but it was no use. As we entered the building and headed to the balcony area, our eyes locked on the face of Ethan, who drew a smile when he saw us walk in. Us, however, our faces bore stern and menacing expressions as our eyes bore into the knight's soul.

"H-Hi, guys..." Ethan said as he got up and placed his right hand over his heart and bowed. Our silence made him even more nervous. "I-It's been a while..." Nova, Selena, and the other men who accompanied Ethan, all had their hands over their hearts and were bowing just like their comrade. They did not speak a word, however.

"Why did you bring so many men?" Zack asked with a stoic and deep voice. Ethan and his comrades stopped bowing. I noticed that Ethan's team were seated around the table next to him while Nova, Selena, and he had their own table with additional empty seats. As I glanced around the bistro, I took in the beauty of the interior that was complimented by the view of the ocean.

"It's... it's the protocol, your majesty," Ethan stammered, making Zack's anger reach the breaking point. The king responded by grabbing his loyalist by the collar.

"Were you the one who gave the order?" I asked calmly, to which Ethan swallowed his saliva and nodded, making me sigh and strengthening Zack's grip on his collar.

"Does the situation look like it needs you to follow this narcissistic protocol, you blockhead?" Zack's calm but menacing voice made the two girls accompanying Ethan uncomfortable. "Did that inane encephalon of yours not think that the empire will notice a dozen or so black armored vehicles parked together?" I looked at Mia and saw that she was amused by this. The grin on her face was clear and evident. Seeing Ethan being handled like this felt satisfying to her after the way he supposedly treated us when we were camping together, but the look on her face showed that she wanted to give him a piece of her mind.

"I did not think you're such a numbskull, Ethan," The demon girl stated with a grin. "And did you forget that we have four secret identities to maintain?"

Ethan looked at Mia and said: "This place is nearly devoid of people, and this area is secured, Mia. No need to worry-"

Mia cut the knight off and said: "What's this? Ethan over here thinks I'm in the mood to be taking lip from him." She approached Zack and placed her hand on his left shoulder. "Shall I take him off your hands, your majesty?"

"M-M-Mia, please don't start a fight," Selena spoke, stuttering her words. Mia shifted her intense gaze from Ethan and switched to a warm and welcoming expression.

"Selena, hi!" She pulled her friend into a hug and embraced her as Zack released the knight from his grasp. "You've made it!"

"I told you I would!" The catgirl replied. Zack took a seat, and Ethan followed suit. I told Alex to follow me as we wait for the rest of our allies to arrive. The cyborg and I left the bistro and walked outside. The soldiers were still standing guard in their positions, making me feel less free to do whatever I want and as if I was in an important governmental meeting.

"Disperse! Disperse now!" I exclaimed, waving my hands in the opposite direction. "Shoo! Shoo!"

The soldiers bowed before clearing the area, allowing Alex and me to walk to the parking lot without soldiers standing in our way at every turn. Alex and I walked towards the man who looked like a commander and asked him to lower his guard when the Astralis mechs appear. I also instructed him to make room for them while Alex contacted A1 and told her where to land. As I watched the solders clear their vehicles and prepare a landing zone for Aurora and her team, I started thinking about Rox and the fact that she still has not contacted me. Eventually, I had enough and pulled out my phone. I dialed her number and placed the phone against my ears, and waited for her to answer.

"Hello? Justin?" Her voice was music to my ears. When I heard it, I felt it tug on my heartstrings, much like Mia's voice does but not as much as the demon girl.

"Hey, Rox. It's your favorite wretched douche. So, what's up?" I asked with a smile that drew itself on my face, only to disappear once I realized that Roxanne did not respond with enthusiasm and sounded very unhappy.

"Justin, I'm afraid I can't join you. I'm sorry."

"What? What happened?"

"I was not granted leave from the church. I'd tell them about you, but they will not believe me, and I will risk exposing your identity. I also have to hunt a giant beast, and that's an ordeal in and of itself."

"Can't someone else handle it?" I asked, maintaining my composure.

"Here's the thing. We're hunting it as a party. We need a team to hunt down the Brobdingnagian Tiger. It's a wild beast that has been lurking around the area for a while and needs to be taken care of. I'm so sorry, Justin. I really wanna be there with you, but I can't." The sorrow in her voice was the real reason behind my dismay and not her inability to come. The way she and I bonded over the time we spent together when we first met was an unforgettable experience for both of us. I felt that her duties to the church were robbing her of her joy of living, and I know that she feels the same way. However, she is indebted to the church for taking her in and cannot abandon her duties. But that did not mean that I was going to give up on her. I am a god, and my duty is to my people. She helped me once, and now it is my turn to return the favor.

"Say, Rox. I was wondering about something. Where is your church located? I've never got the chance to ask you."

"It's in Drakion Olympos," She replied immediately, not hesitating a second. "You can easily find it if you look for it."

"Okay. And thanks, Rox. For everything," I stated.

"You're welcome. I just wish I could have done more, you know..."

"It's fine. You've done great. Take care."

Just as I hung up, I watched Mia walk towards me while drinking from a bottle of water. "What's up?" She asked.

"Rox isn't coming," I said after a sigh and crossed my arms. "She says the church isn't allowing her to leave and have made her go on a hunting trip with a party of knights."

The demon crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at my statement. "Is that so? So she's not coming, big whoop. We're plenty enough on our own. Plus, if you need any additional company, Selena and I are happy to help," Mia commented, winking and chugging water.

"Well, she has helped me with the dragon, and I want to repay her. Mia, I'm going to bring her!" Announcing this made her spit a large amount of water all over my face and cough violently while holding her chest in her hand.

"You WHAT?!" She snapped at me. "Justin! She's obviously not close by, pretty busy, and WE need to go."

'That's not how I expected you to squirt on me.'

"Oh, come on. YOU are waiting for your vampire slave, Zack is waiting for his two warrior friends and a werewolf, and Alex is waiting for a group of androids! Don't I get to bring people along, too?" I yelled at her as I wiped my face with her jacket.

"Hey! Hands off!"

"Your water, your jacket."

"Okay, fine! But don't expect me to let you go chasing after wolf-girls," She stated.

"Oh? And what are you gonna do to stop me, huh?" A smirk drew itself on my face as our eyes locked, staring with intense glares at each other. Mia's face had a menacing stare to it, but smugness was not going to dissipate. The silence grew between us as we stood like two statues, not moving or saying a word, but staring into each other's eyes to see who will have their way. Mia stood like a menacing figure while I leaned back and relaxed on one of the armored vehicles. While her mouth was closed, I knew that she was gritting her teeth. I, on the other hand, had my smirk on as if it was sculpted onto my face. The smirk was not just because I had the upper hand, but because she looked adorable even with her intense glare.

"Wanna come with me?"

"Okay!" And with that, Mia gave up, and we stopped staring at one another like arch-nemeses. We decided to return to the restaurant to tell everyone that we were leaving and headed to the balcony where Ethan was sitting and chatting with Nova while Selena and Zack were doing the same thing, but alone.

"Hey, guys. Mia and I are leaving to bring a friend." Zack's attention drifted towards me faster than when seeing his oracle waifu. The grin on his face was enough to inform everyone around about his indecent thoughts. I did not have enough time to react before he grabbed my shirt while maintaining his grin and the glimmer in his eyes.

"You're gonna go bring the wolf-girl?" He asked. I also did not notice that Alex was behind me until his gaze made my skin crawl. I swallowed and nodded slowly. "Go ahead, mister Walker."

I sighed and turned to leave, but Ethan stopped me. "Hey, Justin. I have something to show you. It was brought to me from the orphanage where you were at." I felt my heart drop when I heard him mention that place. I stopped dead in my tracks and watched as he pulled out a red photo album with its cover made from fine leather. My eyes widened in surprise at the sight of my own name on it emblazoned in a golden font. Mia sprinted towards Ethan and snatched the album from his hands as I walked towards her, being completely indifferent about the matter. As Mia opened the first page, the 'awws' and 'oh my gods' began to fill the air as the photos of me as a toddler caught the girls' hearts. I could not help but take a look and roll my eyes at every picture of the toddler me with the cute little eyes and adorable smile. I disliked the way I was treated in that place. It felt that we were only there to be scolded and treated like dirt. I never regret running away from that place.

"Oh my god..." Mia trailed off, making me reply with a 'yes?' that no one bothered to hear. "Baby Justin... Baby Justin! He's so adorable!"

"He's so cute! But I don't get why he doesn't have blonde hair and blue eyes," Nova commented.

I sighed and replied to the three girls, saying. "Because I haven't had my power yet. Probably the same reason why your brother has white hair and gold eyes."

"What's wrong?" Zack asked, taking note of my annoyed tone. I pointed at the pictures and told him that I hated the time I spent there before grabbing the book and shutting it.

"Hey!" Mia snapped as she tried to grab the album back, but I grabbed hold of her entire face and held her away as she tried to snatch the book back. "Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme!" Is what I heard through her muffled voice.

"We gotta go, Mia." I removed my hand from her face and witnessed as the great archdemon crossed her hands and switched to a pouty face as I placed the book into my magic satchel. As the pouty expression on her face became more prominent, mine was replaced with a smirk when I decided it's time to show off my armor. And with a crack of my knuckles, I conjured my armor, much to the awe of everyone present. The widened eyes and the jaws sticking to the floor made it all the better as I laughed under the helmet and grabbed Mia before launching myself into the air. With the user interface inside the suit of armor, I connected to my hunter account and tracked the tiger that Rox was planning to hunt down. It was a behemoth with glowing blue stripes and fangs that could cut a car in half with no effort. Its ears were sharp and pointy, unlike a normal tiger, and its claws were even more prominent. I flew with my arm wrapped tightly around Mia, making sure that the g forces don't rip her spine out as I thrust forward like a jet and broke the sound barrier.

I activated a map on my HUD and made it to the creature's area in about an hour. From the air, Mia and I surveyed the area and looked for any signs of the monster before landing on the ground and walking through the dense forest. As expected, there were no people or monsters anywhere to be seen as this dangerous calamity of a creature must have scared everything away and consumed anything unfortunate enough to stand in its way. Mia engaged her keen sense of smell and started tracking the blood left by the tiger.

"I smell it... I smell it all... the blood of hundreds of creatures that were preyed upon by this tiger." I did not understand why she felt the need to state that in a dramatic fashion. She took paused between the words and placed emphasis on the keywords that described the ferocity of the beast. "It's... it's nearby..." She stated as she sniffed.

"Well, no kidding. You realize that if it were somewhere else, we wouldn't be here, right?" I asked, voicing my words monotonously.

Mia sighed and turned to face me, sporting a disappointed expression. "Humor me and play along, will ya?" She asked before continuing to sniff. I followed her as we walked through the forest, jumped over large rocks, squeezed between narrow spaces, and ducked under some trees. Animal remains started appearing around us as we ventured deeper into the forest. There were moose, elk, goats, coyotes, and even bears. The carcasses were decomposed and rotten, but the further we went, the 'fresher' the animal meat got. Mia's skin started to crawl at the sight of a giant paw print that the tiger has left after jumping down from a nearby elevated position. When the succubus examined the print, she discovered that it was still new and concluded that the tiger must still be nearby.

As Mia continued to sniff, I decided to poke fun at her and said: "What a loyal hunting dog you are!" The succubus stopped in her tracks and slowly turned her head around and gazed at me with murderous intent.

"I bite, you know," The demon chick threatened, only to get a smile of contempt from me as I walked passed her. "Hey, you! Hold it!"

"What?"

"I can bite you and turn you into one of my minions!"

"The only thing you'll be biting tonight is the pillow," I replied with a smirk, turning her cheeks as red as her gorgeous long hair.

"I-I-I was kidding! Hahaha! Also, you're probably immune to my powers, aren't you?"

I nodded my head and said: "Can you take this seriously now? More carcasses are piling up, and that means we're near the beast."

"Oh, relax," She replied. "We're alo-OOOONE!" The Brobdingnagian Tiger roared and scared the living hell out of Mia while I was startled. She could not help but jump into my arms for safety, something I have grown accustomed to since our childhood. With her chest close to mine, I started to hear her intensified heartbeats. With my arms wrapped around the girl, I waited for her to calm down in my embrace. Her breathing returned to normal, and soon, she released me from her unyielding grasp.

The tiger was not visible to us, but we were close enough to sense its malevolent presence. The steps it took as it traversed its territory were audible to the both of us. They were loud enough that we knew we could hear them without the aid of our supernatural hearing. But what was more unnerving was that the steps were getting louder and louder. Mia took a deep breath and conjured her polearm in the left hand and her scythe in the right. "I can freeze its legs, and you can cut them off. Or I could distract it enough for you to stab it."

Finally, the Brobdingnagian Tiger emerged when it smelled the two of us and roared. Its gaze was menacing and signaling the impending doom of its prey, which are the god of dragons and his comrade, the Demon Crusader. I was taken aback by its beauty that was even more prevalent and breathtaking in person. Its sharp fangs and claws were soaked in blood, and it planned to soak more blood with them as it charged at the two of us. Mia readied herself and conjured her wings. But unlike her, I remained still, and my expression was as aloof as it can get. The beast charged at us with everything it got, and Mia charged at it as well, but before anything can happen, a shot pierced through the monster's skull, and the tiger tumbled and slid on the ground towards me. I stopped its sliding body with my left hand while holding my railgun in the other. Mia returned back to me with her mouth agape and bewildered eyes. She landed next to me and stood in silence as she tried to register what had just occurred. After a few seconds of silence, she asked me a simple question: "That's it?"

"That's it!" I replied before we both burst out into laughter. Mia pulled out her camera and set it up before walking towards me and posing next to the carcass, flexing her muscles while I stood on the head of the beast while holding my railgun.

After the photo was taken, I took another photo of the carcass with my phone and sent it to the guild, claiming my reward.

"All of this for that one girl. You know, Justin? I'm gonna be honest with you. I... I'm not feeling comfortable with the idea of you seeing another girl," Mia confessed, only to get a blank stare in return. I did not appreciate the double standard of this devil girl.

"Oh? I'm sorry. It's not as if you haven't attempted to sleep with Alex, Zack, fooled around with Selena, flirted with Jessie, nearly hit a home run with that vampire servant of yours, had your eyes on Aurora and Nova, and you're gonna try and score Rox, too!" Once again, Mia's cheeks turned red as she looked at the ground and bit her lip. I maintained a stern look that was not too aggressive when I spoke. Her embarrassment was apparent, but knowing her, she is not going to change. I did not intend to attack or insult her, but I wanted to prove a point.

"Okay, okay. I get it. At least you know how to pick your chicks. This Roxanna of yours is pretty hot, not gonna lie." I sighed and shook my head before distracting myself by staring at the dead carcass of the tiger.

"So. THIS is the final hunt, I guess," I stated and walked to Mia, who was reviewing the shot. She showed me the photo and smiled at the perfect angle and position before using her demonic powers to turn the tiger into a weapon.

The weapon that formed was a long katana that bore tiger engravings on it, and the sharpness of its golden blade was astonishing. The sword hilt was as red as the hair of its maker and owner, and an elegant mix of tiger and demonic engravings adorned the sheathe. Mia was impressed with her new weapon, but she held it in both arms and looked at me with a look of turbulence. "I don't know how to wield a katana," She stated.

I smiled at her and placed my hand on her shoulder. "Ethan will teach you," I replied. However, my reply made her annoyed and not relieved. I regretted what I said to her and wished that I also possessed the power to rewind time as well as slow it. "I-I-If he says something that pisses you off, uh, feel free to whip him!" The look in her eyes made me feel uncomfortable and got me anticipating a fistful of rage to the face. However, I was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek.

"You look cute when you're nervous," Mia asserted with a smile and dematerialized her new weapon. "If you train with me, I'll consider asking Ethan."

And after hunting the beast, we walked outside of the forest, where I took out my car and drove to Roxanna's church. Mia suggested that I use my doppelganger to drive the car while we make out in the back, but I insisted on driving to the place. When we arrived, I was struck by the stunning building that seemed more like a towering palace than a church. I parked my car and put it away before walking with Mia to the entrance, where groups of people from different walks of life were gathered. When I entered the grounds of the church, the feeling of power immediately returned to me as I felt my power increase and intensify by the mere act of setting foot in the outside area of the religious building. I turned to Mia to inform her of the news, only to see that she was standing outside of the gates, hesitant to enter. I watched as she carefully took one foot off the ground and set it inside the grounds of the building. When she realized that no negative effects were taking place, she walked casually towards me.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Demons usually cannot set foot in holy grounds. Why do you think that nothing is harming me?" Mia asked with visible confusion. The prophecy foretold that she would join me in my crusade against the darkness, so it was no surprise that she would be exempt from the rules. It was either this theory or the theory that her soul is pure, and therefore, she's able to walk into holy sites. When I explained that to her, I got the simple response of: "Ah." And nothing else.

Around us, outside the main church building, were multiple pious civilians and knights of Xenoluvia that wore outfits similar to those of the royal order of knights, but looked a lot less cool. The two of us were inconspicuous among the crowd and did not stand out apart from our tactical leg pouches that would give us off if there were not hunters also sitting on the grass and walking around. I looked around but did not find any sight of Roxanna at all, but one conversation between two knights grabbed my attention.

"Aww, man. Lunargento really likes to boss people around. She yelled at me for not being enough of a challenge for her the day before," One knight stated.

"Shh! Lower your voice, man! If she gets word of this, we'll both get locked in a chokehold!" The other knight whispered. "She yelled at me today for not having my sword clean enough. She also punched one of her friends in the gut for some reason."

"You know, she does seem angrier than usual today."

"Whatever, dude. We're out here, and she's stuck next to the archpriest inside the church. No way is she getting outside." The panic in their voices was very evident, making me believe their fears about Rox. She was very intimidating when I first met her and only got her to warm up to me because I am a god. I looked at the front gate and saw that people are going in, so Mia and I hurried inside. Once we got inside, I took a gander and saw that the interior was decorated with illustrations of dragons, painted glass with angels adorning them, people silently sitting in seats. The archpriest stood in front of the civilians present and started to speak in a calming voice of an old man who's very healthy despite his age.

"Thousands of years ago, the ancient lord of dragons, Zanoktryus, sacrificed himself to save mankind from the darkness that threatens the peace. With his brave and noble sacrifice, he banished the demons of evil to the realms of the underworld and gave humanity a chance to rebuild and live on." The voice of the archpriest was calming and soothing. I felt a sense of relaxation as he spoke. Mia and I took a seat on the upper floor, where we got a better vantage point.

"He passed on and vanished without leaving a trace, but his tale remains. And after myriad eras of humanity fighting to preserve the light and hope our fallen god has given us, the prophecied chosen has finally graced us with his presence. With the duties of his predecessor before him and the fate of the world on his shoulders, the new lord shall stand tall and bring deliverance. He shall take up his sword for the fate of mankind and protect us from the darkness. And now, my brethren, let us pray for our gods in our time of need."

Everyone around us started praying, giving me more power with their worship. I felt as If I was being powered with the very essence of life itself. But I shrugged the sensation aside to look for Rox and browsed the room for her, only to find her among behind the archpriest and among some other knights. Mia grabbed my hand and caught my attention. "Justin, did you see how that archpriest looked at us when we entered?"

Puzzled, I shook my head at her, so she continued. "When we got close enough to him, his eyes shifted towards me and locked on us."

"Some archpriests possess the ability to sense spiritual energy. I guess this one does, too," I replied before looking at him to see that he was indeed glancing at us. I looked at Rox to find her looking forward and standing like a knight to the far left, next to a taller, clean-shaven man with brown hair that I could only assume was her higher-up. Her expression was serious and devoid of all emotions at the same time. She did not even notice that the archpriest she is supposed to guard was taking glances of intrigue at a certain member of the audience. Rox's higher-up, however, noticed the actions of his priest but did not see who we were as we were far away and inconspicuous when around a group of sitting people.

"Justin, this is gonna take too long. Shall we go outside and come back later?" Mia asked. I sighed and nodded my head before we exited the church building. I kept glancing at the priest and noticed that he was following us with his eyes as he prayed. His stares were more curious than threatening, meaning that I had no reason to be on guard. Mia, however, felt uncomfortable by the unwanted attention we were receiving. As we walked around outside, she began talking about whether or not he can discern demonic energy from light energy. As I was listening to her ramble on and on about him, I scanned my surroundings for anyone following us and used my abilities to detect any unusual presence. The only people I caught were the civilians and knights around us. All of whom were minding their own business. Unlike Alex, I can sense if eyes are on me and who they are, but I sensed no one.

"...and so, I think we should invest in the stock market." Mia paused before tapping me on the shoulder. Startled, I turned around to face a scornful demon. "You weren't paying attention, were you?"

"I was trying to see if someone is tailing us," I stated with gritted teeth.

"And?"

I sighed. "No one is tailing us..."

Mia and I found an empty bench where we sat and surveyed the church. Mia sat on her phone and began texting the other crusaders. "Oh! It's Kevin! He says he made it. I'm gonna go and make a call, okay?" Mia said before getting up and leaving. I continued monitoring the church and waiting for the time everyone would exit so that I can enter and take Rox away from them. As I kept taking glances around me, I recalled the way Rox looked. It was obvious for anyone that she was angry or annoyed at something. If my guess is correct, it would be because she was not allowed to come and join me on the yacht with everyone else. But something about it made me feel that this expression was natural to her. As if she is used to bottling up her emotion behind an indifferent facade. Excluding the way she treats them, that look alone made me understand why her peers feel so uncomfortable around her. She was so imposing and intimidating at the same time, something that I have not seen to this degree. I also took notice of her outfit, which seemed slightly different from the rest. It looked more prominent, with her now wearing a white uniform that reminded me of a military uniform with its epaulets, and many medals on the left side of her chest. From one of our late night chats, she explained to me that she is among the best of her peers, easily making it to the top five. I noticed that one other knight had the same kind of uniform, and he had three or more medals than her. He also wore a red and gold armband on his left arm, giving me the notion that he may be a captain of sorts.

Not long after we exited the building, people started leaving, and we took that as our cue to enter. Mia returned after her call and said that her vampire friend had made it to the restaurant with little to no problem before we proceeded. I looked at the platform where the priest once stood and found that he had already left. Rox, the other knight with the armband, and the man she stood next to were absent as well. The remaining church warriors remained and were standing guard. One of them saw me and approached the two of us.

"You there. The archpriest would like to see you," The knight stated. He was an inch or so taller than me and had ginger hair. He looked to be somewhere around my age. "Go through that door, please."

"Well, gee! Talk about saving us a whole lot of trouble. Thanks!" I replied before proceeding through the door and walking around the corridor to an open garden where the archpriest, Rox, her commander, and the other knight were standing and talking as we walked towards them.

"Roxanna. Your behavior lately has been quite unexpected. You've got to realize that we can't allow you to go absent at this time. We need all our knights on duty to protect the people and those who seek refuge within this church. Every branch throughout the country is deploying its soldiers."

"If it weren't a serious issue, I would have never asked... sir." Rox's bitter eyes glared at her commander, but he did not budge and was utterly unfazed by her.

"And what might this issue be?" The old priest asked with a calm and gentle voice, easing the knight's bitterness.

"She's coming with me," I stated, getting the four to look at me. Roxanna's eyes widened with shock at the sight of her god.

"Justin!" She exclaimed with a rather joyous tone, which took her commander by surprise. "You... you're here!" Her smile lessened once she noticed that Mia was accompanying me.

"And who might you be, adventurer? You have a lot of nerve to talk in front of the archpriest like this," The commander asked.

"I'm her boyfriend." Rox gasped loudly but did not protest as I pointed at her, but Mia's eyes dug into my soul. The knight's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. She placed her arms behind her back and looked at the ground in shame, but sported a tiny smile.

"Her what?!" The commander and the other knight exclaimed with utter shock as he looked at his underling and back at me.

The knight, who was silent throughout the exchange, decided to finally share his thoughts. "Roxanna... you... you of all people? T-To fool around w-with a guy?"

"W-W-What?! No! T-That's not what happened!" Rox turned around to her comrade and exclaimed with the redness on her cheeks becoming more prominent. Mia, too, was enjoying the humiliation on her rival's face and tried not to laugh. The look of perplexion on Roxanna's commander and the archpriest was enough to tell me that she is indeed acting unusually.

"What hasn't happened?" I asked, pretending to be a fool to see her more embarrassed. "Didn't we sleep with each other in a tent and-"

"Enough!" The commander dude shouted. "I shall not allow you to speak like this in front of the archpriest like this! Show some respect!"

"That's fine, commander Luke. What's your name, young one?" The archpriest asked. Mia and I told them our names and watched as the old man in robes smiled at us warmly. "I see. Two young adventurers exploring the world."

"But you summoned us here, didn't you, archpriest?" I asked.

The archpriest nodded and said: "I have sensed the tremendous power within the two of you as soon as you entered the nave. I cannot comprehend how a person can possess such incredible power within them. The energy is too intense and cannot go unnoticed. Who are you, really?"

"As I said, an adventurer." The old man did not protest and nodded. It was obvious that it was just a lie, and I understood that he respected my wish to keep my identity a secret.

"And what about the young miss?" The priest asked, switching over to Mia. His smile faded slightly when he looked at her, which does not bode well. "I sense within you demonic energy, ms. Cooper."

"Demonic energy?" The commander and the other knight reached for the hilts of their swords, but the archpriest raised his hand and stopped them.

"However, I can also sense the power of light within you, as well. The two opposing forces seem to coexist in harmony, which is quite unbelievable! If you were truly a demon, the church's holy power would have been more than enough to kill you by now."

Mia placed one head on the back of her head and chuckled nervously. "I, uh, may have used some spells of questionable sources once or twice."

"I see. The light is considerably more prominent over the demonic energy," The priest stated. "I hope you weren't using your spells to harm others, young lady." The priest smiled at her again, showing that he did not mean any harm to her. Mia sighed a sigh of relief and looked at me before looking at the priest again.

"They were for performance-enhancing reasons, Father." Her claim made me question what kind of performance she was trying to enhance, but she continued. "To better my hunting prowess and speed, nothing more." Rox and I stared at her with doubting narrowed eyes, knowing that she is lying through her teeth.

I decided to get to the point and said: "Anywho, we kindly request that you hand over Roxanna for a bit. We require her aid." The priest smiled warmly at us and nodded his head.

"You may take her."

"But, father. We need her to hunt down the-" The commander stopped when I pulled out my phone, pulled up the dead tiger photo, and shoved it in his face. The four church people stared dumbfounded at the image.

"I took care of it and claimed the rewards. No need to thank me." I smirked.

"E-Excuse me, father..." Embarrassed by this whole exchange, Rox walked towards me and pulled me by my hand, Mia following suit.

"Nice to see you, too!"

Rox took us to her room. It was a reasonably sized bedroom with a desk, a large closet, a bed, and large windows that provided a nice view from the third floor. Rox had swords and spears placed on a weapons rack on a wall. All of them were stylized in the motif of the Xenoluvia faith with no speck of dust on them, shining brightly like new phones at a store or the latest car models at a dealership. A laptop was on the desk along with a plugged-in smartphone, and a backpack rested next to the two.

"Nice room. Spotless, too. I give your people five stars. You wouldn't want to dirty your spotless room with tiger blood, do ya?" I spoke as I examined the room, only to feel a pair of arms wrap themselves around me.

I looked at the wolf girl and smiled at the sight of her burying her face in my chest. "You came..." Mia decided that a few seconds of hugging were too much and tapped the girl on the shoulder. Rox turned to face the demon girl, and I could not help but feel the intensity of the staredown between the two ladies and a little bit of guilt for being the reason behind this rivalry. If these two girls were to fight, it would be catastrophic. I have not seen the full extent of Roxanna's abilities. I am sure that she has not displayed everything she has got and has probably gotten stronger since last time. Mia has gotten considerably stronger over the past few days. Not to mention the new weapons she acquired. Mia definitely possesses an aerial advantage against Rox, but the knight has a wide range of light-based magic she can use to attack Mia. However, if Mia was unharmed by the church's magic, I doubt any of Rox's light magic would have any special effects on the demon. Rox is more skilled with swords than Mia, but the latter can be very unpredictable and can push herself beyond her limits. For a few seconds, not a single word was exchanged. That was until Mia broke the silence.

"So, you're Roxanna."

"Indeed I am," Rox replied with a cold voice and an aloof stare.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," Mia stated and offered her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine," Rox replied and shook the devil's hand. The two girls smirked at each other, acknowledging their shared interest and marking the beginning of a great friendship and rivalry.

After their handshake, I sat on the bed, and Mia started inspecting Rox's body. "Hmm... Nice rack..." The devil stated. "Nice rear, nice physique, and everything else about you are nice! I can see now why Justin likes you."

"Why, thank you. You yourself are unbelievably pretty. Your body is literal perfection!"

"See, Justin? It wasn't so bad-" Mia got cut off by the sprays from a water pistol hitting her face. I looked at Rox to see her holding a tiny pistol and pointing it at Mia. "Why?"

"It's holy water. I was curious."

"Holy water is a scam," Mia stated.

"It works on other demons, though. We also use it to enchant our weapons."

"It's also very delicious," Mia replied sarcastically.

Mia opened Rox's closet to see the skintight outfit that Rox wore the other day. She took it out and whistled in admiration at the black and white gear. "So, this is what you wore to steal my boyfriend, huh?" Mia asked with a lack of seriousness as she smiled at the wolf-girl. Rox nodded while leaning against a wall with her arms crossed.

"I also added a pauldron to my right shoulder and knee plates."

"Whoever designed this outfit must have been a big pervert," Mia commented.

Unable to believe that she said that, I replied: "That's rich coming from you!"

"I didn't say I didn't like it. In fact," She turned at me with a smile that warned me her cheeks could split open. "I LOVE IT!" She exclaimed. Then, she placed it back in the closet, looked at a confused Rox with a grin before sitting next to me and wrapping her arms around my neck. "Justin, I feel tired. How about I sleep on your lap?"

Rox saw this and sat beside me after taking off her uniform, holding my right arm. "Justin, I don't like sleeping alone... I wanna sleep on your chest." I, a lucky guy, sat silently and watched as the two unbelievably girls fought over me.

"You know, Rox? Justin and I have a special connection that you don't understand, and I am the one who knows how to please him."

"Oh yeah? Well, he was the one who instigated that time in the tent, you know. And if my memory serves me right, Justin was left sweating and panting." Rox and Mia glared at each other while giving fighting for dominance. I felt helpless as each girl took a lap and sat on it while glaring at each other with a smirk on each of their faces. They were so close that I felt their lips were going to touch, and so I licked my own.

"Face it, Rox. Justin is mine," Mia stated.

"But you weren't enough, so he came to me."

"Girls, girls! Dial it back with the insults!" I exclaimed. The good thing about this rivalry is that Rox didn't see Mia as a threat because she is a demon. But the bad thing is what lengths Mia could go to prevent Roxanna from 'stealing' me from her.

"Mia, you might be pretty, but you try really hard not to think of other men even while around Justin."

Taken aback by this, Mia replied: "At least I am not a second choice that Justin only used to satisfy his lust because I was missing."

The girls' rage was so powerful that I deemed it necessary to put an end to their feud. "Beat the clock!" I shouted, decelerating time. Then, I threw the girls into the air, walked to the window, opened it, took a nice breath of fresh air, closed the window, walked to the door, made sure it was locked, strolled to the weapons rack and examined the swords, rested on the bed, and caught the girls before they fell, wrapping my arms around each one as they lay beside me. Mia was to my left while Rox was to my right.

"What... what just happened?" Rox stammered.

"I told you two to dial it back, didn't I?

"Justin..." The two said at the same time, moaning my name. Both of them looked at me with a glimmer in their eyes and gorgeous smiles on their faces as they looked at the man who gave their lives meaning. Rox had one of her hands on my chest, caressing my abs while Mia had one close to my neck. The two girls seem to have forgotten the rivalry, nay, they seem to have forgotten that the other is on the same bed. Each of the two pretty ladies started inching closer and closer to my lips.

"Now, where were we?"

"You were about to kiss me..." The two girls replied in perfect sync.

I placed my hands on each of their heads and said: "Morpheus Magni!" Getting the girls to instantly fall asleep.

"Ah! Peace and quiet at last."