A Nascent Kaleidoscope.

I followed Odin to Hades.

The place, well, also technically the person too. Now that I think about it, it's kinda weird that he named the underworld after himself. Not for the prideful aspect; that I can understand from a god. But how confusing it makes it when differentiating between verbs.

Regardless, I popped in quickly, and Hades, as well as Zekram, were already there and waiting.

I almost forgot that Zekram joined us.

Yes, our little secret cabal, the goal of which is to resurrect the Biblical God. Me, a half-devil son of Lucifer. Two Pagan Gods, and the literal original Bael Devil.

There's a joke somewhere in there, but I felt like it was too far beneath me to even make.

"I heard you were triumphant and earned a staggering victory." Zekram was the one who spoke first, though it seems like he gave Hades the opportunity to speak first, but the god didn't deem it necessary.

If there was one thing Zekram was good at, it was following decorum. As the 'homeowner,' Hades should have had the opportunity to greet us first, that sort of deal. Obviously, Odin nor I cared about that one iota, but it was interesting seeing how easily Zekram still followed with proper etiquette.

"Something like that." Honestly, it was rather complicated. "Things have basically settled, but there's mostly just logistics to handle now."

"He's not wrong." Odin chimed in. "Rewards, looting, punishments. Then handling the withdrawal of troops…there's a lot to consider."

"Thankfully, I'm absolutely useless there, so I was able to come back a bit earlier." I'm glad that all my girls are competent enough that I don't have to look over their shoulders. "Though, now that it was brought up, there is a matter that's going to be coming to the attention of nearly every faction. Norse, Greeks, you name it."

Hades, who seemed to be brooding for some reason, became more alert. "What annoyances will be dropped in my lap?"

"Not your lap specifically, but Olympus in general." I made sure to clarify.

"That does not bode well." Odin grunted. "Just pull the Band-Aid off."

"It's not necessarily a bad thing. Basically, there were quite a few humans who got stranded within the Fae Realms and managed to survive and build up a sort of town together. Time and space are completely disoriented in that place, so they've come from all different time periods. Vikings with Crusaders, Samurai with World War Veterans…." There were a lot of cultures mixed there. "Suffice it to say, hardship builds strength, and they've been living there for centuries, many of them several hundred years old. And many of them are high-class in strength, a handful might be Ultimate-Class, and nearly every adult was at a minimum of Middle-Class."

They were all intelligent; it only took them a moment to realize the implications.

"Right, dropping them back off in the human wood wouldn't go well." Odin snorted.

"It seems we're in agreement, All-Father." Hades tapped the table. "I assume that Takamagahara will be the ones to make inroads to other pantheons?"

"Yup, Amaterasu is already aware and is going to start reaching out soon since this is a hot potato of world-wide proportions."

"Then it's not something I should concern myself with. However, I am grateful for the warning ahead of time. I can talk to my brother to give him the news and say it was a gesture of goodwill from Izanami to hide our interactions. He will appreciate the sentiment and believe he's receiving extra care, which will make him reciprocate better when answering the call from Amaterasu." Hades basically voiced his thoughts on the matter.

That's good; Hades basically just implied that Zeus wouldn't use the opportunity to stir shit up if he believes he's being treated so well, despite the fact that this would be a boon for him and Olympus.

Because who wouldn't want a bunch of worshippers appearing with that kind of strength?

"You didn't happen to run into any Devils, did you?" Zekram asked.

"Not a single one, no." I shook my head.

"I didn't expect much." He let out a small sigh, seemingly saddened that he wasn't receiving any 'benefits' like everyone else was.

"Well, they're more than welcome to come to Asgard. We're recruiting anyone and everyone, as long as you're not a dick." Odin declared rather easily.

"Speaking of that as well, would Iðunn be interested in taking care of another tree? The reason they survived so long with human lifespans is because they were adopted by a Fae Tree there and were literally expending its lifeforce to keep them alive."

Odin blinked, seemingly surprised by that. "She would probably be ecstatic. Especially if this tree you mentioned is 'nice' and willing to be friends with her. The little girl already spends so much time tending to the Golden Apple Trees despite them not needing that much care. It would be good if she had some company." He rubbed his beard.

I nodded, not making any concrete plans yet.

It was a fully admitted weak spot for me; a loving and selfless parent is something I would do a lot to protect and support.

I promised her that I would help the humans; it's not difficult to bring her along as well. Odin wouldn't mind if they came from all over to visit her in Asgard.

But that's for later; Yasaka and them haven't even called me to help with the human issues yet. They're still dealing with settling everything over at the Winter Court's castle.

"Regardless, that's not the topic I was called here for, Hades." I let him take the proverbial floor.

The God of Death looked annoyed, not at me, but just in general. His tapping on the table ceased as he looked like he collected his thoughts. "I spoke to my father not long ago. He relayed news to me that the Khaos Brigade has possession of the Sephiroth Grail.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"...fuck." Zekram blurted out.

We all kind of looked at him.

"If he didn't say it, I would have." Odin stated.

"I did not wish to spread concern unless I verified it for myself. I have no concrete evidence, but I had noticed some odd discrepancies, and I believe the information to be correct." Hades added.

Now, I was impatiently tapping the table. "I can verify it. Aži Dahāka appeared during the war. Considering that Crom Cruach was there as well, it's not hard to put two and two together."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Aži Dahāka was killed roughly 2,200 years ago?" Zekram asked.

"Thereabouts." Odin nodded, rubbing his beard. "It was the last time I saw Ra throw around his weight. Funny enough, it was the last time that the Couger's EX made a public appearance, as sporadic as those have been. I only heard about it after the fact, but I believe that stupid dragon was rampaging and hit Japan for some reason, then moved across Asia and ended up in Egypt. Ra popped up and started throwing hands, then Izanagi joined in and helped put the dragon down for good."

"That summarizes the events I recall as well." Hades nodded. "He was particularly dangerous due to being able to create clones of non-insignificant power on a whim and in great numbers. A great many smaller religions note a 'Great Flood' due to his actions, throwing around large spells and such."

"Jesus, why did the world sound so chaotic back then?" I shook my head in exasperation just hearing about it.

"It was an interesting time." Odin chuckled. "Always something happening, always a fight, always... something."

I'm glad I wasn't alive back then. "Yeah, he made a bunch of clones and helped the Fae. Though he seemed to retreat and not really fully involve himself beyond a certain point, like a token effort if anything."

"I'm not surprised. I'm sure its pride didn't allow it to 'follow orders' willingly of those things." Hades waved his hand dismissively.

"There was one more thing too. The evil god Balor made an appearance. I fought it; it was annoying, but nothing compared to Kronos, even if they both utilized an authority over time. If anything, it seemed severely weakened, like it wasn't properly resurrected."

Hades and Odin both blinked.

"That shouldn't be possible." Odin was the first to speak up. "A dragon is one thing, but to bring back a true god is another matter entirely. It's… technically possible with that thing, but the circumstances needed are beyond absurd."

"I agree with the All-Father; the Grail, while admittedly powerful, is only one facet of the Biblical God's power given a physical form to inhabit. By your words, it's just a fraction of its authority held within the device. Even he would have trouble resurrecting a God at his peak." Hades added on.

I shrugged. "I'm telling you what I know. One thing, though: I had a talk with Great Red—well, he more so told me a few things, and I listened without trying to shit my pants. But he called it an amalgamation of a God and a Devil. And lastly, Crom Cruach retrieved the thing's Eye after I beat it. If I'm not mistaken, there's a Sacred Gear that utilizes his Evil Eye to power it.

"... brat, did you go bother the big fuck-off dragon in the dimension gap?"

"He summoned me." I quickly defended myself.

"I have so many questions."

"I do not." Hades said sternly. "If that thing deemed it appropriate to speak with you, I am not getting involved. I have heard how terrifying it is from both Nyx and Hypnos without needing to be in front of it myself."

There was a beat of silence as I acknowledged his standpoint, and I couldn't find fault with it. Though I had one question on my mind now.

"Considering Morpheus is the God of Dreams… how does that work with… you know?" I asked.

"Would you believe me if I asked him that same question eons ago?" Hades snorted. "His answer was that the Dragon of Dreams doesn't bother with him and other Gods associated with Dreams unless they bother him or don't do their jobs properly. And if anything, he punishes those who impede the work of Dream Gods, considering it his 'domain.'."

Huh.

So he's like the Big Boss for them then. He did strike me as someone who honestly takes his duties seriously.

"As fucked as this is, I do have some good news." Odin spoke up again. "I'm following a lead on where the Cross is, and I was planning on getting my hands on it."

"You know where that is?" Zekram perked up. "That has been lost for many years, or so I've heard."

"If my sources are right, it's apparently in some old church in Germany, deep underground. I'm pretty sure it's a Nazi safehouse at one point with a lot of other stuff stashed away. There is a group of church people who aren't affiliated with the church living there, so we'll see." Odin stated.

"Curious. If we're speaking of our progress, I do know where the Shroud of Turin is located; I have known for centuries. I will gather a small group of trusted individuals and steal it without causing a large commotion." Zekram said as well.

I'm imagining Zekram finding other old Devils and them doing the whole 'You son of a bitch, I'm in' as they plan a big heist.

Maybe I've watched too many movies when I was younger….

"That's four out of five that would be in our hands then." Hades hummed.

"Unfortunately, the most annoying one is out of our reach." Odin clicked his tongue. "But, let's settle the easy ones first."

"I should mention as well my descendant. Your other ancestor has awoken from her slumber; she may try to meet you at some point. If Venelana hasn't mentioned it, you can expect her to soon."

"My other ancestor? The Gremory Devil?" I vaguely recalled her still being around like Zekram; I just never put any thought into it.

"Oh, she's fun." Odin laughed.

Zekram, though, let out a long-winded sigh. "She is... difficult. Ask Venelana; she will know enough to answer any questions." He seemed to not want anything to do with it.

"How's the old elf? I heard he went over there to lend a hand. He even brought the big danger noodle with him." Odin suddenly asked.

"Uh... yeah." I scratched my head. "That is something that happened. Just… don't be surprised if Jormungandr is a bit traumatized…"

Odin blinked. "I don't think I want to know the details."

"Probably for the best."

I know that I'm probably going to shit my pants if I wake up in the middle of the night and look out my window to see a blood moon.

"If there's nothing else, I don't' want to be rude, but I'm hopping around after just getting back from everything." I looked around, then focused on Hades.

Hades waved his hand nonchalantly. "Go, I said my piece. Thank you for the courtesy despite the hasty summons."

I nodded to him before opening a portal and stepping through.

(Line Break)

Instead of immediately going back home, I realized I had a little bit of time, so I may as well go see Gramps.

Zelretch was sitting at his desk, looking up at me, then back down. He was quite literally nursing a glass of something to his forehead.

"Dare I ask?" I looked at him.

"I connected with Ruby to see what happened from her perspective." He deadpanned.

Ah.

That would do it.

So I guess Rin is back home then, since he could connect back with Ruby, and I knew that Rin made sure Ruby was 'secure' after meeting back up.

"Well, it all turned out okay in the end." I said in an effort to cheer him up.

"Somehow." He grunted with a sigh. "How are you doing, Wilhelm? It's been a while since we've chatted, and you've been through a lot recently."

I let out my own sigh, sliding into the chair opposite him like I had done so many times in the past. "Kind of want to just hop off somewhere after the whole thing."

"Then why don't you?" He said.

I tilted my head back and forth. "To be honest, I already told myself I would, but I'm trying to justify it to myself as well."

"Look at this from another perspective: Is there any reason you can't?" He offered.

I pursed my lips, finding it hard to answer that question. "They still need my help with certain things."

"They can call you at any time."

"They're still busy."

"Everyone's busy; that doesn't mean they need you there."

"I feel guilty about fucking off while they're still dealing with the mess." I finally settled on.

"Ah, that's a bit harder to justify, I suppose. But frankly, what could you accomplish if you hovered over their shoulders?" He asked, though it was rhetorical, and he was right. I've already gone over this myself, but sometimes feelings aren't rational.

Honestly, I just wanted him to tell me to go without feeling any guilt.

"Alright, I'll treat myself to another working vacation. A little bit of adventure and a little bit of work mixed together."

"It's funny that you just explored an entirely new realm, but you consider wanting to go explore somewhere else as a 'vacation' from that." Zelretch pointed out.

"I could see how it might sound from that perspective, but it's different. It's taxing, having other people's lives in my hands, having to be responsible for things that could lead to deaths like that. I'm not a leader, Gramps. I don't have the same firm mentality that Yasaka, Artoria, and them have that lets them lead like they do. I hate having that responsibility."

Zelretch smiled warmly. "Ah, what a youthful answer. Not all things are inborn; maybe in a few years, you will feel differently."

"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes. "I just want to run around without that kind of heavy weight on my shoulders. I'm fine with just taking care of the handful of people I care about. I'm not like them; I'm not a hero or a king or a leader."

Gramps nodded along. "Before I forget to mention it, you haven't forgotten about what Lorelei told you, correct?"

"The Mystic Eye Train auction? Yeah, I didn't forget. I should still have some time for that, right?"

"It's not immediate, so you're fine for now."

I nodded. "Salem enjoyed her time here; I'll see if she wants to go on another date with me to the auction." I idly voiced my thoughts.

Zelretch leaned back. "What are your goals?"

I took out my wand and spun it in my hands. "I wanted to get a better mastery of this branch of magic in my free time and perfect a few other things. I have Meridia helping me with crafting a Mystic Code for a particular spell as well. And maybe find some materials for Greed to upgrade it some—that's my poison Goblin Sword. And whatever else I can get my grubby hands on."

Zelretch hummed to himself again, looking deep in thought. "You still have that list of world-lines I gave you. There was one on there that I just had a thought about. Your sword has been infused with various substances, but you haven't given it anything to upgrade its metal structure, yes?"

I realized immediately what he was talking about. "Now that you mention it, no. It's still purely the Goblin Silver."

"I do know of a Metal somewhere; I can help you look through the list to see if I can find it again. But what was it called…? Vibro...Vibranium? It was a particularly noteworthy metal because beyond its physical structure—which was impressive in and of itself for a mundane metal—it had the ability to resist magic."

"Oh? Color me curious." A metal that can resist magic; that would be perfect to add to my anti-mage sword.

"Let's see if I can't recall where I recorded that down at…"

(Line Break)

I happily opened a portal back home after spending some time with Gramps and making an outline of a game plan.

I would at least wait a few days before jumping off to a new world to explore. I've reflected on it a bit, and I've come to believe that one of my favorite things to do was discover new worlds and their peculiarities.

At my heart, I'm a researcher.

I immediately stopped myself from moving as I appeared back home and did my best not to make a sound.

Right in front of me, a familiar head of blonde hair was bent over, and I understood two things.

One, Jeanne was back.

And two, her booty was still just as magnificent as well.

I couldn't help myself.

I gave her a firm smack on her butt, watching it jiggle for that single moment before she turned around with a loud squawk.

"Neh!?" She put her hands over her butt, quickly adjusting herself and turning my way. "Wilhelm!" She squawked again, seeing that it was me; her cheeks flushed immediately.

"I couldn't help myself; the Jeanne Booty was too much for me to resist."

"Don't call my rear that!" She puffed up before throwing her fists at my shoulder lightly.

Despite her 'indignation,' I quickly wrapped her up in a big hug.

"I missed you, Jeanne." I said to her. Despite the fact that we were both over there, I didn't get to see her for a long time.

"We—we just saw each other over a week ago." She stuttered.

"That's too long; I need to recharge my Jeanne batteries at least once a day."

"Neeeeh!" She puffed up again. "Don't tease me." She said quietly.

It was certainly worth putting off my next adventure for at least a day or two if it meant I got to do this a bit more before leaving.

Regardless, I was looking forward to what that new world has in store for me.

(Line Break)

A/N

Alright, moving along to the next world, and I hope it was obvious where we're going next. A good mix of sci-fi and magic shenanigans. And as always, it will be a bit AU as I tweak things for my liking. Next world starts next chapter!

If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone

I also have a boosty if you can't use the above under the same name.