I will strive beyond this cursed bloodline!

Now, how would they go about fighting [Shadow Pact]?

“What are your plans then, Elizabeth?” Jenna seemed to want to know that.

“We only need to teach him a lesson. I am enough.” Rossie said as her mana flared, Elizabeth almost could see the image of Rossie’s wings and horns growing from her.

“And if she isn’t enough, I am here too.” Rena added from the side. Unlike Rossie, there was no mana flare…

But Elizabeth wasn’t quite sure if this was more or less scary. Someone who ruled over [Wrath] not showing their [Wrath]? Yeah, that wasn’t particularly calming either.

“.... So the plan is to go at it like dumbasses wanting to do a dick-measure contest?” Jenna asked, ignoring both girls, “Because trust me on this one, if you are going to do a dick measure contest, you are at quite the… disadvantage.”

“...that is crass, Jenna Lewis,” Rossie said, letting her mana flare dissipate and making a disgusted face.

“ What is your point? At worst [Shadow Pact] was level…..oh…” Rena started her argument only to stop speaking midway as realization hit her.

“Come on, say it. What level was Max? What level did you two hardheaded girls want to fight?” Jenna smiled as realization had hit Rena.

“Eighty-six.” Rossie answered without batting an eye, “So? It's not like he is thinking straight at the moment. He is probably only using about half of what he has available to him. So long as he isn’t making use of all his kit, no matter how many status points he has, they are meaningless.”

Oho?

“That is a good way to put it, Elizabeth. What level are you at the moment?” Jenna suddenly asked, “After getting the experience from everything that has happened lately,”

Her level? She was around level forty or so, right?

“I am….oh….Are you kidding? I just evolved my job!” Elizabeth groaned as she brought her status screen. She had leveled up all the way to level 50. Turning her eyes towards the other two girls, she noticed a couple of black screens showing up with the levels and names of Rossie and Rena.

…What the heck?

 

“What the heck? Yes, don’t show me this again, ” Elizabeth said while dismissing the last black screen.

 

“Oh, level up. Eli-Eli we are the same level!” Rossie smiled as a notification seemed to pop up in front of Rossie.

 

“...Same, I can get a job evolution. We can evolve together…or not.” Rena said suddenly shaking her head, “I will evolve first, if nothing goes wrong then Eli can evolve, and finally Rossie.”

 

Why?

 

“Oh, nice catch, Ren-Ren.” Rossie suddenly said, bringing a new pet name that Elizabeth hadn’t heard before; it sounded…cute-ish while also being somewhat tomboyish, perfect for Rena. “Eli-Eli, let Ren-Ren evolve first, that way you can help her like you did with me if needed.”

 

….

 

“I guess? I mean, I don’t think I helped much. But then we will evolve together okay?” Elizabeth wasn’t quite sure if she had really helped Rossie.

 

She got this vague feeling that she did something, but for the love of all that was cute (Rossie & Rena), she couldn’t remember, it was like it was just at the tip of her tongue, and yet so far away…

 

“Well, first get that over. But even with a job evolution at level 50 with the crazy stuff Elizabeth and you two pulled out, I doubt it will be able to breach the difference. From what my [Echo] told me, Elizabeth here gets around 21 status points per level. And while that is amazing…you still are way too behind.” Jenna closed her eyes for a few seconds as if thinking about something, then smirked at whatever she found. “Elizabeth needs around seven levels to breach the difference. As for you two…well, you must at least match Elizabeth. I don’t think you can manage, not on this one.”

 

Well…that was harsh, Elizabeth may be able to finally get a job that could give her more status points than her [Privilege] granted, she had abused the heck out of it… Defeating Akira would have been….well, she may not have made it to the point where Nyx had come to save her if she had been an average person with the usual amount of points.

 

She could…maybe earn around 15 or so points? She wasn’t quite sure how many points she could get before getting the boost from her parents ascending, but she was sure she wouldn’t have gotten as many status points as he had.

 

Now, if her new [Job] gave her more points…if it gave her enough to breach the difference of seven levels…

 

She would be able to match [Shadow Pact], but why did they earn so little? Weren’t they at the peak?

 

“Why does he earn so little?” So Elizabeth asked, she needed to know, lest she end up in that same position.

 

“Because they rushed to the peak after [Advent], unlike you who started from the bottom he couldn’t pile up achievements or feats like you did. What the former members of [The Twelve] do is impressive yes. For a normal [Hero]. But the amount of power and information they have make those same feats mundane to them, so their job are mundane.” Jenna answered while shrugging, “So if you did the same thing as he is doing without the same level of power and influence? Well, obviously, you get better achievements.”

 

….didn’t Elizabeth have a literal second world and a billion servants at her call? How did that calculate into her achievements then?

 

“So after what Elizabeth has achieved, she should get a higher rarity job. So the difference should go from seven to perhaps five or less, so long we can provide the right support, it should be fine now, right?” Rena asked from the side as she eyed her notifications, “So we should focus on our overall strategy. The terrain and the area of combat, also in how we are calling him here.”

 

Right, they needed to call [Shadow Pact] here, how would they do that though?

 

“I can help with that.” A male voice sounded from behind the four girls. “Hello Jenna, long time no see.”

 

“Hello…this….sir, used the [Mana Imprint] you left on us to track you…Sorry.” The [Law Bringer Sentinel] said as she canceled her shift and returned to her normal appearance.

 

“Hello again…Is Lizbeth or Alice around?” [Lunar Shade] asked as she eyed Elizabeth, Rena and Rossie.

 

“Wait, that isn’t Lizbeth? They look the same…okay this one seems a little dumber, but still! They are like twins!” The other girl said.

 

First of all, rude.

 

Second of all, rude!

 

“Hello [Elementalist].” Jenna answered as she turned to look at the new people here, Jenna didn’t even turned to look at the two girls behind the mage. “You seem to have overstayed your tour this time. Aren’t you worried about Izanami?”

 

The [Mage] opened up a fan with each blade of its make engraved with a [Kanji], “My subordinate should be enough to deal with the politics; his way of soothing the feudal lords may be overbearing, but they need to remember that they are allowed to hold that power. I was going to do some tours seeking the [Dragon Spirit] that awoke a few weeks ago, but I see you found quite interesting things…Not one but two [Divine Spirits]? And a [Human God]? Quite the findings [Jenna Lewis].”

 

….The what now?

 

“They are under the protection of [Framework] and [Odyssey].” Jenna said narrowing her eyes, “Or you will attempt to claim what is my [Father]’s?”

 

And in that single instant, Elizabeth felt as if the weight of [The World] was trying to crush her, a reflex had her pulling towards her connection to her [Shadow Haven], that made the pressure diminish upon her, so she extended her shadow over Rena and Rossie to offer them the same protection.

 

“Think your words carefully [Elementalist], for I like my [Father] am not merciful.” Jenna’s hair was shining in bright Azure light, it almost looked as if it was ready to combust into azure flames, her eyes shone in bright azure light too. Unlike how it was with Elizabeth who only had an azure flame in her eyes, Jenna’s eyes shone with azure light so bright that one couldn’t see the eye anymore.

 

Each time her mouth opened you could only see azure light, it was almost as if her body wanted to burst into azure light but was being held together by her will.

 

“...I jest of course.” The [Elementalist] smiled as he closed her fan and pocketed it back, “ I just wanted to see what I had made by accident, it was [Karma] what brought for the change, so we are tied by it. Both myself and her.”

 

The what now?

 

“...what did you do?” Jenna asked as her eyes narrowed. Her appearance hadn’t changed just yet, and as she took a single step forward, Elizabeth could swear she was seeing reality break. “What did you do to my sister?”

 

The [Elementalist] didn’t seem scared by this, even though both Lunar Shade and Law Bringer Sentinel had (Once again) fallen unconscious. These poor girls would have the most interesting job evolutions for their next job.

 

“I cast a ritual magic spell to call upon the land spirits to help me search for [Shadow Pact]. The spell enveloped the whole country since I needed to make sure no one would escape my [Sight].” The [Elementalist] answered calmly even as Jenna’s fury threatened to hit him in the face. “You need to understand my point of view, I needed to make sure nothing was unturned, so I made the most complex possible and used as much mana as the local dragon veins allowed me to use.”

 

….Why is it always dragons?

 

“So?” Jenna asked, Elizabeth could see the [Echo] of [The Juggernaut] behind Jenna, at the ready to manifest and help her.

 

“Well, I got quite the interesting feedback from the [Spell], someone attempted to analyze it, deconstruct it and track me back using it, quite the attempt at it.” [The Elementalist] said, pointing at Elizabeth, “I had thought it was either a traditionalist from Izanami, one of the servants from the Italians, or perhaps a random A-Tier Mage who didn’t know better, so I left them alone.”

 

“...?” Elizabeth didn’t quite get what that had to do with her, though.

 

“She was the one to try and do it, the spell was too complex for her mind, she shouldn’t had enough mana to even feel it. Yet she did, and she tried to use it forcefully.” The [Elementalist] summoned a mana projection of a figure of Elizabeth standing atop what seemed to be a river, “She somehow pulled from the local dragon veins to fuel her attempts, channeled the rampaging mana into herself, and then…burst like a balloon when she wasn’t able to channel the spell.”

 

“Well, I am quite fine and didn’t turn into a splat, thank you very much,” Elizabeth said from the back, causing Rossie and Rena to giggle.

 

“Yes, I can see that.” [The Elementalist] answered, “I was expecting to find a dragon spirit at best and a wyrm soul at worst. That is the fate of those that attempt to wield magic they don’t understand, for the hubris of their greed and pride shape them into the way of the Dragon vein.”

 

….right….she did turn into…a dragon didn’t she?

 

“So what if I took too much from this…dragon vein, what would happen if I managed to not turn into a….splat?” Elizabeth asked.

 

“Well, that would be quite the find, should you somehow have the correct physiology and the correct [Soul]. Then you would awaken into a [Lesser Dragon Hatchling] at best or a [Lesser Wyrm] at worst. You would lose yourself into the dragon soul and turn berserk, and I would have quite the pet for my dear friend.” [The Elementalist] answered.

 

Well, she did turn into a [Dragon], but she wasn’t quite sure if she would describe what her [Dragon Self] was or what she had done as a [Hatchling]; she was closer to a Young Dragon….

 

“Had you done anything like that, Izanami would be a crater in the ocean,” Jenna said from the back.

 

“....You may be powerful [Juggernaut] but do not disrespect the might of [Izanami]. My dear friend has quite the array of S-Class Kaijus at his disposal. Not even the mighty [Juggernaut] would be able to deal with them.” [The Elementalist] said, for the first time his facade of a suave guy faltering and showing anger.

 

“But would they measure to a [God]? Would they measure to stop the [Wrath] of [Framework]? “ Jenna smirked, the phantom of the [Juggernaut] looming behind her, almost visible to the naked eye.

 

“You claim the [Gods] would side with you? They don’t even answer [The Prophet], the most powerful [Divine Mana] Cleric.” [The Elementalist] smirked, “You think too highly of your power [Juggernaut], pride will be your fall.”

 

At this Jenna laughed, for the first time since this had started she laughed as all the mana she had been building disperced as if nothing. “No, he cherished me, of that I am sure. But even so he would probably not come down to help me if I was about to be defeated in combat, of that you are correct.”

 

Elizabeth…didn’t knew how to feel about that, from that interaction she kne that Jenna saw Elizabeth’s papa as her own Father. But what did Elizabeth’s father think of Jenna?

 

“But you can be sure as hell that he would intervene for Elizabeth.” Jenna said with a mocking smile.

 

“They would? For her? Why? What is so special about her? She may have talent but that is about it. There are thousands, if not millions more, that can do what she did.” [The Elementalist] said.

 

“But how many are [The Daughter of Framework]?” Jenna said with a smile on her face.

 

“.....you jest.” [The Elementalist] said turning to look at Elizabeth. “...they had a daughter?”

 

“Yes they did, among the memories that you all got stripped of was her identity. Or tell me Oda Ryuuji. Do you remember anything about someone with enough talent to decipher one of YOUR spells and fall into what you call it? A Qi deviation?” Jenna said pointing at Elizabeth, “And then somehow manage to return to her [Human Form], not even I could do that and I can call upon almost an infinity amount of knowledge from other worlds.”

 

“No…I mean…I should know her if she showed these talents yes…but….was it…then…yes that would explain it…” [The Elementalist] mumbled as he went through some scrolls, reading them and then throwing them away as they combusted in flames. “You have proven your point Jenna Lewis, as for you!”

 

The [Elementalist] pointed at Elizabeth, “Yes?” So Elizabeth answered.

 

“Should you ever visit Izanami, go to the Oda Temple. We shall test your affinity to our arts, and offer you some of our scrolls in compensation for the damages we caused you with the Qi deviation from my spell.” The [Elementalist] said throwing a slip of paper with the words [Oda] written in the language of Izanami.

 

Of course Elizabeth knew what it said since her [Identify] worked the data for her.

 

“As for you Jenna Lewis…We shall remember this favor, for you have stopped us from dooming our country.” And in that tune, the [Elementalist] took a scroll and ripped it in half, disappearing as a magic circle formed above and bellow him, encasing him in light of teleportation.

 

“[Mistress, the coordinates for this teleportation seems to travel all the way to the other side of the world. We have logged the coordinates for later use if you require them.]” Aura spoke at the back of her mind.

 

Was this girl always seeking ways to get Elizabeth into problems? Why would she go out of her way to teleport to the base of the guy who seemed to be the cause of her almost going berserk?

 

Actually she did go berserk, she did got consumed by her [Dragon Pride] when she was faced with something she wasn’t able to understand, decipher and imitate.

 

“Well, at least that let us know the [Elementalist] will not be a problem, wish we could deal with it witouth having to expose as much information as we needed to do.” Jenna sighed while turning to look at the two magical girls on the floor.

 

Lexia Bloodthorn and Luna Harmonia.

 

“You were the one who gave away Eli-Eli’s information.” Rossie said, walking toward the two fainted girls.

 

“Would you be able to defeat him?” Rena asked from the side.

 

He was among the weakest ones, after all.

 

“Of course, but how much damage he would inflict upon you three would be hard to know. That of course, doesn’t include collateral damage I cause to you either.” Jenna answered with a sigh. “So in this case is better for him to know that he is not to mess with Elizabeth, he will test this data and seek his diviners to see if it would end like I implied.”

 

“Would it end that way?” Rossie asked. “Eli-Eli’s father seemed more like a gentleman…”

 

“...” “...” Both Jenna and Elizabeth only stared at Rossie.

 

“Wasn’t [The American Crusader] known for his might and short temper?” Rena on the other hand seemed to have a clearer view of Elizabeth’s Father.

 

“Only in matters to his family, or those he considered family.” Jenna answered, “So in this case, if [The Elementalist] had tried to [Tame] Elizabeth as a dragon…Izanami…and maybe this world would have ended as a broken rock.”

 

“He could also rip Izanami from the planet and throw it to the sun.” Elizabeth chimed up helpfully.

 

“Right, he did do that with those continents before, didn’t he?” Jenna sighed as she seemed to remember something with fondness. “Not the point, now that we know we have two less members of the [Nine] to worry about, we might as well get it over with.”

 

Jenna then turned to the three girls and snapped her fingers, “[I declare this area free of influence from outside forces besides those that I approve of.]” Elizabeth felt the ambient mana around them stagnate and burst into azure fire.

 

It was…warmth, not the same warmth she felt when sleeping within the azure flames of her [Soulscape], but it was close. It was the warmth of…family.

 

“There, it should suffice for now. I am not too used to expanding my [Authority] like this, so get over it. Tier up girls, we need to know what you have to deal with Max.” And in that tone, it was time to tier up.

 

Again.

 

Hadn’t they done this like…last week? Or was it last month?

 

Looking back into Elizabeth’s internal clock, she found the answer was….almost three months ago…huh… Time does fly when one is having fun…Or being consumed by their own [Sin] while dealing with an identity crisis.