With one arm cradling Ishtar like a child, Rex extended his other hand and mimicked holding an invisible knob. From his palm, a wooden door knob sprouted, twisting itself into shape. Then, a full door rapidly grew outward, creaking under the pull of high-altitude wind that threatened to tear it away.
After confirming with Scavenger no one was watching, he opened it and on the other side was a random passage in Knossos where there was nothing inside to be disturbed by the air vacuum. Calmly, Rex floated through and into Knossos, closing the door behind him.
The wooden entrance, left floating in the sky, was caught by the wind and flung away, vanishing into the endless blue.
Now in Knossos, he landed softly on the ground and created another door, opening it into Ishtar's room. Walking through, he closed the door behind him and the wooden clattered to the ground of the empty hallway of the man-made dungeon with a distant echo.
As he set her on her feet in the disheveled room—furniture still pressed against the closed door—Rex allowed their armor to crumble away, leaving Ishtar completely nude.
He quickly placed his hands in his pocket to adjust his little Rex, while Ishtar straightened stiffly, brushing at invisible wrinkles from her nonexistent clothes as if she weren't just flung through the sky moments ago. She didn't speak at first, her cold amethyst eyes locked on his wind-tossed hair falling over one shoulder.
"I apologize." Rex bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle before she could say anything. "I didn't think it through."
Ishtar stared at the man still bowed before her—and her brows knitted. And it wasn't due to her beauty, charm, or her divine authority. He had done it of his own free will… A cold thrill rippled through her chest. She stepped closer.
"Etiquette won't cleanse stupidity." Her fingers glided up the side of his jaw, nails grazing skin in a mock caress as she walked past him. "Keep that in mind."
Walking past him, Ishtar sat at the edge of the canopied bed—moved out of position by the earlier vacuum—crossing one long leg over the other in silence. She watched Rex from the corner of her eye as he stood there like a scolded child, hands behind his back. It amused her to see this version of him—so different from the confident man she was used to.
'But he's right.' As much as she hated to admit it, Rex had a point—he was far more useful now than the bull ever was.
His strange 'door' magic alone was proof enough. Powerful, silent, and seemingly without a chant—or at least none she could recognize. Maybe he had prepared the spell in advance while waiting in the room. Either way, the utility of it far surpassed anything she could hope for herself.
"Magnus, dearest—if that charming little portal of yours can reach my Knossos, surely it could…" The corner of her mouth curled up into a dangerous smile "trespass in Freya's boudoir?"
"Sadly, no." He shook his head. "I can only open the door to places I have seen, visited, or could clearly picture myself being in."
Her smile disappeared. 'A shame…'
But she wasn't disappointed for long, after all that magic wasn't all that he had. Rex managed to defeat the Divine Bull while still only Level 5, and now, at Level 6, he was without question stronger than the beast had ever been. With both utility and raw power on his side, Rex easily outclassed the bull in every way that mattered.
"I remember you said that once you reached Level 6, you'd be able to defeat Ottar for me," she said. "So… tell me. Right now, is he stronger than you?"
"Hmm... Good question," Rex said, glancing up in thought. "If Ottar went all in from the start using Vana Arganture… he might be a problem."
Ishtar smiled. "But would he win?" she asked, already sure of the answer.
She had seen it all—power enough to destroy an adamantite chamber. Teleportation magic that blew her mind—literally. A grass-like enchantment that lets him fly by blasting fire from his feet, and can be extended to others to allow her mortal body to breathe in thin air. Fighting capability that allowed him to jump levels.
And beyond all that, he could resist her charm—and by extension, Freya's. The answer was obvious.
"Nah…" Rex locked eyes with hers, amber meeting amethyst in full seriousness. Ishtar bit down on her bottom lips in anticipation, excitement flaring in her chest. Then came the words—"...I'd lose."
"Fufu. As expected of my hound. Losing to Freya's pet is—" The sentence stalled as her excitement drained. "You will... lose?" she echoed, trying to confirm what she thought she had misheard.
He nodded, and she mumbled, "But last time…"
'I meant I could beat him when I was officially a Level 6—not just having the fighting capability of one. But I can't tell her I'm only a Level 4 now,' Rex thought, deciding to salvage the situation.
"I did say I could beat Ottar—with my skills and abilities—even under his transformation, if I were a Level 6," he admitted. "But now that I've reached this level... I'm not as confident I could defeat the 'King.'"
That was the truth. Right now, as a high Level 4, he had the stats of a high Level 6—more than anyone in Orario, except Ottar, of course. With his skills and magic, he could confidently say no one else in Orario—again, except Ottar—could beat him one-on-one.
There was a beat of silence as Ishtar stared at Rex then, she asked, "If you received the level boost from Haruhime… what then?"
"I would win 7 or 8 times out of 10 times right now," Rex replied as he started rearranging the messed up room.
She nodded, lips parting into a slow smile—one that froze in place as the truth set in. Now that Rex had leveled, it could take years before he did so again. His strength had reached its ceiling… and for her vendetta against that Boar, it was enough. However, with Kali gone, the rest of her children will be insects before Freya's executives…
"That bitch…" she growled as she clenched her fists over her crossed legs, nails digging into her palms. "How many more years must I wait, watching her bask in worship she doesn't deserve?"
"Good things take time, as they should." Rex's voice reached her as she side-eyed the man walking towards her. "You've waited a long time, but waiting a bit longer will make the victory even sweeter."
Placing her kiseru he had picked up lightly on the dresser beside the bed she was sitting on, he said, "In preparation for the future, I'm thinking of taking Phryne into the Dungeon to help her level up."
"Drag her if you must." She said as she picked up the kiseru to refill it. "She's long overdue for a level up, and so is Tammuz."
"Yeah, him too." Rex nodded as he made his way towards the door. "Give me a few days. I'll figure out the plan, then take them when I'm free." He said as he pulled open the door, to reveal his bathroom beyond. "I will see you in a few days."
Ishtar said nothing as he left the room, closing the door behind him. And then Rex sighed, looking down at the tent straining beneath his pants.
"I feel like every time I meet Ishtar the genre changes to ecchi." He mumbled aloud.
It had only happened twice—but both times, things had veered sharply down the same heated path… and both times, he had left sexually frustrated. Earlier, when lust had nearly overtaken his mind—like it would've for most men with a naked goddess in the same room as them—he had used Scavenger to test the boundaries. To see just how far he could go with Ishtar.
And the truth was: all the way. If he wanted he could have sex with Ishtar whenever. Not only that, with how he looked now—he knew full well how handsome he had become—and the wealth and status he had, he could've lost his virginity to any woman he wanted. Even if he didn't want to give it to a prostitute, it wouldn't be hard to find another virgin in Orario.
But for some reason, he kept pulling back. As much as he wanted it, something inside him always resisted. It felt like… he couldn't just give it away to anyone. But…
'Whatever.' He clenched his right fist and a surge of sharp pain flooded through it—and with it, the cold stillness of Indomitable Will. 'My right arm is good enough for now.'
After finishing his 'business' and showering, Rex changed into a simple brown, long-sleeve tunic, black pants, and black shoes, before opening his front door and walking right into Zanis' office. The man was inside, slumped on one of the couches in his sitting area, drinking himself away despite it being early in the afternoon.
He paid Rex no mind, his eyes remaining fixed on the ceiling, one arm resting lazily along the sofa's back, the other swirling a wine glass in slow circles.
'Look at him, trying to act cool,' Rex thought as he closed the door behind him, asking, "How's Project River going?" It was a name he had just come up with for their plan to move all wealth flow away from Ishtar—but he was sure Zanis would get it.
"I've been trying to strike deals with some Grand Casinos," Zanis replied, understanding what Rex meant as he gestured with his glass toward his desk. "Turns out, it's a lot harder than I thought."
Rex followed the motion and raised a brow. The stacks of paper had more than doubled since the last time he came here, which was barely an hour ago. If Zanis sat at his desk, he would be completely hidden behind the stacks, which was utterly ridiculous.
"Well, you're basically trying to make deals with kingdoms." Rex mumbled as he dropped onto the couch opposite Zanis.
In the past, Orario lacked one key element: entertainment. To satisfy the constant demands of the deities, city authorities opened the gates to foreign investment and expertise, drawing in support from renowned nations and cities. As a result, a wide range of entertainment venues owned by outside cities and kingdoms were built in the city.
"Just a month ago, our Familia had been scraping by, and now we are in a position to negotiate with monarchs and foreign powers." Rex mumbled with a chuckle. "Madness, pure and simple."
"Indeed." The corners of Zanis' mouth twitched into a smile. "I am in a position of power I could never wish for before, all thanks to you. You're the best investment I ever made."
Zanis raised his glass, grinning. "I fucking love you." He said, then took a drink from the glass.
"Pause." Rex mumbled, crossing his legs in a figure-four, trying to look like an actual businessman. "So what's the problem you're running into with these deals?"
Zanis launched into a slightly slurred rant, but the gist was clear enough.
As Orario is a city where people and goods from all around the world gather, those extraterritorial entertainment facilities—especially the casinos and theaters—had grown far beyond anyone's expectations. Together, they were on track to surpass even the magic-stone-goods industry the city prides itself of.
The Guild, once the supreme authority, now tread carefully around these powerhouses, allowing them to operate with minimal oversight.
Consequently, Orario had grown so wealthy and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that a significant portion of those countries' national income stemmed from their investments in the city. If they ever pulled their casinos or theaters out, their economies would crumble overnight.
It had created a tense, fragile equilibrium. Neither side could afford to push too hard. No one wanted to upset the balance or hand more leverage to the other.
"As the Soma Familia operates under the Guild, it's not exactly easy for these Kingdoms to accept my deals willingly." Zanis said as he poured more wine for himself. "The few that are open to negotiations basically want to own the Soma Familia, to boost their influence within the city. Naturally, that's something neither the Guild nor I will allow."
He took a sip from the glass then sighed. "I could use Ishtar to gain some leverage against a few of these entities—especially El Dorado Resort, the Grand Casino owned by the Kingdom of Santorio-Vegs."
"Right..." Rex mumbled, aware of what's happening with El Dorado Resort.
A few weeks ago, the black market dealings of their former owner, Terry Cervantes, and his connection to Evilus came to light. Since then, both El Dorado Resort and the Kingdom of Santorio-Vegs have been scrambling to contain the fallout, locked in a bitter struggle with the Guild, which is attempting to annex a large portion of their assets.
The chaos has created the perfect opening for other entities to gain influence—whether by siding with the Guild or throwing their support behind El Dorado.
"But we can't really rely on her now, can we?" Rex said, more to himself than to Zanis. They were actively trying to move away from Ishtar's influence—using her now would only drag them backward.
Zanis gave a slow nod. Then, as if something clicked, he lifted his gaze to Rex. "Why did you have a meeting with Goddess Ishtar a few days ago? And what was so important that you went to see her again today?"
He paused, "And why did she go so far as to give both of us priority access? Even kings don't get that sort of treatment..."
Rex saw no reason to dance around it, so he got straight to the point. "My first meeting with Ishtar was about her wanting to attack the Freya Familia."
Zanis froze for a moment, eyes locked on Rex, then straightened in his seat. "You have my full attention," he said.
"First off, it's not shown on my status sheet that you saw, but Scavenger can also judge the quality of things—their worth, a person's strength, and even the quality of my thoughts," he said, tapping his temple. Lowering his hand, Rex continued, "Cool, right?"
Zanis simply nodded and Rex continued, "A few days ago, I heard this rumor about Ishtar hating Freya, and I had this random thought—what if she was planning to attack her out of jealousy or something?"
He chuckled. "That stray thought ended up being rated high-quality by Scavenger, and I spiraled from there—using the skill to piece together what Ishtar was planning and what it would lead to." He sighed. "It, of course, led to the destruction of the Ishtar Familia and her being sent back to heaven."
This, of course, was a fucking lie. A well-constructed one as Rex had no intention of ever revealing he was a reincarnator—Not to Zanis. Not even to his future wife. No one—and of course, Zanis ate it up like it was the finest wine he ever drank.
"Now it all makes sense," Zanis muttered, eyes widening behind his glasses as he recalled Rex asking about the destruction of the Ishtar Familia and its effect on them. "So I'm guessing that in your first meeting with Ishtar, you were trying to stall her attack?"
Rex grinned. "Great minds think alike."
"It's the only smart move you could've made." Zanis replied calmly and matter-of-factly.
"Indeed." Rex mumbled, going on to explain in detail—while omitting the more meta facts—about Ishtar's plan, Knossos, and everything in between. By the time he finished, over ten minutes had passed.
"Wow," Zanis muttered, pushing his glasses up and dragging a hand down his face. He blinked slowly, trying to blink away the haze of alcohol and disbelief. "That's... a lot to take in."
There was a moment of silence as he processed everything, then he exhaled and asked, "So your plan is to stall her long enough for me to act... and then what? You just cut her off and walk away?"
"Absolutely," Rex replied without hesitation.
Zanis exhaled sharply, closing his eyes as his shoulders slumped. "Fuck," he muttered, dragging the word out like it hurt to say. Then, quieter but firmer, "Rex."
The Chienthrope tilted his head slightly.
"Don't ever come up with a business plan like this on your own again, you dumb fuck."
Rex blinked, genuinely caught off guard by the sudden scolding.
Zanis opened his eyes, gray locking with amber. "That's your plan? Seriously?" He asked, visibly frustrated. "Do you even know who you're messing with? If there's a queen of the underworld, it's Ishtar. And the Soma Familia's already neck-deep in the black market."
Rex immediately understood. If they abandoned Ishtar, she would absolutely expose all of their under-the-table dealings. With the influence she held in the black market, dragging those secrets into the light wouldn't take much—and the resulting fallout would be far more damaging than simply having her sent back to heaven.
Especially since their sales have made their way into the hands of Evilus. If that come to light, well there will be almost nothing Rex could do to save the Soma Familia.
"So we pull some strings," Rex started slowly. "Make it so once we cut ties, the Guild or Freya takes her down for us. Or... maybe we switch sides, strike while she's exposed, and walk away with whatever she has left..." He trailed off as he noticed the sharp stare Zanis was giving him.
"Yeah, I see that was dumb," Rex muttered.
"Retarded."
"Understandable." Rex just nodded, taking it in stride. "So... what's the plan?"
Zanis leaned forward. "Have you ever considered, I don't know, actually helping Ishtar?"
Rex blinked. "No?"
The truth was, he had—briefly. Back when he was weaker, scared of Freya's attention, and still unsure of his standing. Back then, getting involved with Ishtar seemed like asking to get squashed. But now, he was the second-strongest adventurer in Orario, he had no reason to fear anyone—and no reason to take out the Freya Familia anymore. But Zanis thought differently.
"Wealth, influence, and strength—these are the pillars of power in Orario." Zanis began, "Many high-ranking business Familias like Rhapso and Dian Cecht, or those rooted in the entertainment district, hold the first—wealth. Influence lies with some of the gods who reside in Babel. Strength is in the hands of powerful Familias with First Class adventurers."
'...Sounds like some game shit.' Rex thought, finding it interesting.
"If a Familia holds even one of these, they're considered a B-Rank Familia. Holding one might grant a bit of another, but not enough to matter. Now, what happens if a Familia holds two?" He didn't wait for the obvious answer. "Then they ascend to A-Rank.
"Ishtar holds two: wealth and strength. Her influence is mostly limited to the entertainment district, so she doesn't meet the full requirement for the pillar of influence. Other A-Rank Familias include Hephaestus and Goibniu, with some adding Dian Cecht and Panacea due to their claimed influence on top of their undeniable wealth.
"But when a Familia has all three pillars?" He went silent and Rex stared at him.
The seconds ticked by and then Rex finally realized the reason for the silence. "They become S-Rank." He answered.
"Correct," Zanis said with a slow, mocking clap. "Only three have that status right now—Freya, Loki, and Ganesha. And us? We've got none of it."
"None?" Rex tilted his head. "I'd say we have wealth."
"It feels like a lot because we keep most of it for ourselves," Zanis said, raising both hands in front of him. "But if we spent it the way Loki and Freya do—on our Familia instead of hoarding it—you would see just how little money we have."
"...Damn," Rex muttered with a sigh, looking up at the ceiling. "Here I was thinking we were actually up there with all these legal and illegal deals. Guess using Ishtar really is our best shot at climbing to the top quickly, huh?"
Ishtar would undoubtedly bring them more wealth over time. Rex's power would soon become public, securing their strength. And then there is Influence. This is not something easily gained and the guild and others that hold Influence in Orario will not want to share it.
Even if he revealed he was a 'Level 7' or even a 'Level 8' and forced his influence, it wouldn't be legit and be more like Authoritarianism. But if they used Ishtar to take out Freya and take her place—that would be an influence.
"I've seen your stats, Rex," Zanis said, interlocking his fingers in front of him, elbows resting on his thighs. "If you hit those absurd fifteen-hundred points before leveling up in your past level, it shouldn't take long for you to surpass King Ottar. Maybe in another three to four month even.
He met Rex's eyes. "With Ishtar and the Killing Stone, we could take out Freya legally. No Knossos required. So why not go through with it? Why waste time on betrayal when moving forward gains us more?"
There was a short pause before Rex concluded, "You just don't want to do paperwork and continue leaching off Ishtar."
"You think I enjoy that shit?" Zanis shot back instantly, making them both laugh.
Then Rex turned serious again. "But controlling Ishtar is fucking annoying," Rex said, massaging his temple. "Do you know how much brain power I need just being in her presence? I don't like using my brain that much, to be honest. And I don't think I can do enough to stop her from messing things up in the future."
Zanis leaned back in his chair. "So go the easier route," he said. "Wrap her around your finger. Show her you're the only way she can take out Freya. Make her think you are the only way. If she is as obsessed in taking down Freya as you say she is, then it should be easier to control her after that."
"And how will I do that, Aizen."
Zanis pushed up his glasses, the lenses flashing for a moment, then he replied, "Show her your stats, Rex."
Just then, a knock came from the door—and without waiting for a response, it swung open. Chandra stepped in, dressed as casually as ever with his ever-present wine gourd in hand. He gave a quick glance at the towers of paperwork stacked on the table before turning his attention to the sitting area.
"Oughta get back to work, Cap'n," he said with a lazy smirk.
"Soma's been asking for help in his brewery." Zanis glanced his way. "Want me to recommend you?"
Chandra cleared his throat but ignored the jab, turning instead to Rex. "Little Rookie's here to see ya, 'Rex Magnus Lapis.'" he said, shaking his head. "You oughta stick with your real name, 'fore folks start thinkin' that is your name."
"Fuck you mean?" Rex replied. "My real name is Rex Magnus Lapis Beifong Senju, the Red Spirit Dragon of Infinity."
The two men stared at the Chienthrope and then Chandra said, "When did you add Senju and Spirit—whatever." He waved the question away. "Sent the boy and his two buddies to that room where you had that drinkin' meetin' with Loki and Elgarm. They brought some kinda gift—looked like a weapon, maybe."
'Ah...' Rex thought. 'I kinda already know why they're here.' And scavenger confirmed it and he immediately started planning like a mastermind.
Chandra turned to Zanis next, gesturing at the mountain of papers. "Need a hand with all that mess?"
"Those are documents so restricted, not even the vice-captains are allowed to sign them. And you?" He gave Chandra a flat look, adjusting his glasses with his middle finger. "You're just a measly executive. What makes you think you've got the clearance to even look at them?"
Chandra stuck up a middle finger with the same hand holding his wine gourd. "Wasn't gonna help even if you begged, dumbass."
With that, he turned and walked out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "And you best go visit your 'sisters,' Magnus, or I'll beat the hell outta you." The door closed behind him.
"Welp," Rex stood with a stretch. "I'll be going."
Zanis looked at him. "What do you think is their reason for visiting?"
"Don't know." Rex shrugged. He hadn't told Zanis about Bell's connection to Haruhime—that still counted as meta information for now. Instead, he gestured toward Zanis's glass. "Finish your drink and get back to work."
He raised his injured right arm as he walked towards the door, letting the sleeve fall to reveal the bandaged wrap beneath. "I didn't take this hit for you to slack off, fuckboy."
With that, he pulled open the door, revealing a staircase beyond.
'Let's just hope this gift is actually useful,' he muttered. 'And after I should visit the three musketeers—wait, I am supposed to be in hospital.'
[Author's Note: It took me a while to plan out how Ishtar's Arc should wrap up, and I had to rewrite this chapter more times than I can count that I had to stop and take a brake. Hope it didn't end up bad.
Anyway, some of y'all might've already guessed how the arc would end, and the future of the Soma and Ishtar Familia. If you've got any ideas on how it should go—or opinions or thoughts—let me know. I'm still open to suggestions since I haven't settled on anything just yet.
Thanks for reading~ Hugs and kisses~\(￣︶￣*\))]