Dragon Across the Multiverse (Si-WC) (Patreon)

Chapter 28: The Weight of Power

Therianthrope Lands

Reappearing high above the clouds in the Therianthrope Lands, I turned back to see everyone flying beside me, their Shrouds shimmering in the setting sun and their hair dancing with the wind.

“Alright girls,” I began with a faint smile, “since this is meant to be a test, I won’t be giving you any more details about our opponent.”

That immediately got their attention. A few exchanged glances, but one by one, they nodded with quiet determination.

“While I go heal and secure our future companion, you’ll be in charge of discovering who’s behind all of this, and taking care of them. But remember,” my tone turned sharper, “do not reveal your true identities.”

“Understood,” Liriel replied first, her tone crisp and confident. “We won’t let you down.”

“You can count on us, Akari-sama!” Natsume declared, her eyes practically glowing with excitement.

“We’ll put everything you’ve taught us to good use and prove that your trust wasn’t misplaced,” Livia said firmly, folding her arms as she straightened her back, her posture full of pride as she showed off her body to me.

I smiled faintly, taking a brief moment to admire how far they’d all come. Livia especially, thanks to the modifications I’d given her thanks to a reward I’d gotten back in the Naruto world, she no longer had to envy the figure she once dreamed of having. Now her figure would grow naturally to match or even surpass the figure she had acquired with the help of slimes in canon.

“Sara will hunt all the bad guys~!” Sara cheered, tail wagging enthusiastically behind her.

“I’ll finally get to show off to Akari-sama~!” Luna added with a bright grin, clearly thrilled to put her newfound combat skills to the test.

“Please watch us and see how much we’ve improved,” Yukime said smoothly, sending me a teasing smile that didn’t go unnoticed by the others.

“Mn,” Eta murmured, giving a simple nod that somehow carried the same resolve as the others’ fiery declarations.

“I’ll be watching closely,” I said, smiling warmly at them all. “Now then, no time like the present. Begin!”

“Hai!” they chorused before streaking down toward the ground, their forms vanishing into the forest canopy far below, landing a safe distance from Lilim’s village to avoid detection.

“Hah… how nostalgic,” I chuckled softly. “Feels like being a jōnin sensei all over again at times like these.”

I let the memory of my old team—Hinata, Hanabi, and Yakumo—cross my mind for a moment before shaking my head with a fond sigh.

“That’s enough reminiscing. Time to do my part.”

And with that, I grinned and disappeared once more.

=====

Lilim POV

“Father… maybe I should just die.” Lilim’s voice trembled despite her attempt to sound brave, her lips quivering as a single tear slid down her cheek.

It had only been a few weeks since she’d contracted Possession, and in that short time, her life had crumbled. Her family had hidden her away in their home, terrified that someone would notice the dark markings spreading across her skin.

She hadn’t seen the sunlight in days.

To be Possessed was to be cursed. Everyone knew that. And once the Church found out, “purification” followed, a kind word for what was, in truth, execution.

Her father, however, refused to accept that fate. He’d defied the decree and chosen to protect her, hiding her affliction believing that a cure might exist in the Midgar Kingdom. He planned to leave soon, to search for that elusive hope himself, a journey that would take him a month at least.

But Lilim didn’t believe in that hope. Deep down, she thought he was only wasting his time… and dooming himself in the process.

“Don’t say that, Lilim,” her father said firmly, shaking his head before offering a gentle smile. “You’ll see, this curse can be cured. I’ll find a way to bring you back to normal.”

“That’s right, Lilim. Don’t lose hope,” her mother added softly, though her trembling hands betrayed her own fear.

Beside her stood Lilim’s little brother, barely three years old, smiling brightly as if his innocent grin alone could make everything better.

The warmth in their eyes, love, faith, stubborn belief, made Lilim’s heart ache even more.

“…A-Alright. I’ll be waiting for your return then, Father.” Her voice cracked as she forced out the words, doing her best to smile through her tears.

Her father nodded, that same reassuring smile on his face. “Don’t worry, Lilim. I’ll be back before you know it.”

And just as she was about to reply—

A new voice echoed through the small room, calm, confident, and impossibly soothing.

“Or, if you want,” the voice said, “I can just heal her now.”

Time seemed to stop.

Every head turned toward the entrance, where a young man stood framed by the fading afternoon light, his golden eyes glowing faintly beneath his hood.

Lilim’s breath caught in her throat.

It was someone that unknown to her yet, would go on to become the most precious person in the world to her.

=====

Akari’s POV

I admit, showing up out of nowhere like a wraith never lost its charm. The look on people’s faces when someone suddenly appeared beside them without warning? Priceless.

“Because Master is a child at heart.” Ciel commented with an amused sigh.

Unfortunately, my little habit often had consequences, like right now.

Raising my hand, I casually blocked the punch aimed at my head from Lilim’s father, followed by a swift kick.

“Who are you!?” he barked, already moving to attack again.

“Calm down,” I said evenly, using the barest fraction of strength to push him back, forcing him to land in front of his family protectively. “If I wanted to kill you all, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”

My words didn’t seem to register, as he immediately drew a dagger and flared his mana.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I blinked, and when my eyes reopened, my Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun to life. In an instant, the entire family—save for Lilim—was frozen in place, caught in a subtle genjutsu.

“W-What did you do to us?” Lilim’s father asked, his voice trembling as he stared at me in fear. His wife clutched their son tightly, unable to move.

“Just stopped you from making a mistake,” I replied simply, stepping closer. “Now relax. You’ll be far more willing to talk in a moment.”

As I approached Lilim, she looked up at me, her body trembling, not entirely from fear, but curiosity and awe.

“Stay away from my daughter!” her father shouted, but I ignored him, lowering my hood and revealing my face.

Gasps filled the room. I was younger than they expected, far younger than someone who could perform a stunt like this.

“What’s your name?” I asked softly, crouching slightly to meet Lilim’s gaze.

“L-Lilim. My name is Lilim,” she stammered, still trying to make sense of everything.

“Nice to meet you, Lilim. My name is Akari Tempest,” I said with a gentle smile subtly naming her in the same breath. “And I’ve been looking for you.”

“Y-You have?” she asked, blinking in surprise.

“Yes. Now, let’s cure that pesky Possession, shall we?”

I snapped my fingers, letting my magic flow over her. A golden light enveloped Lilim, and the marks of Possession vanished from her skin like mist under the morning sun.

Her family gasped in unison as Lilim stared at her own hands in disbelief.

“I-I’m cured… You healed me! There’s not a trace of Possession left!” she exclaimed, spinning around in wonder before looking back at me with sparkling eyes. “So the stories about a cure were true!”

“They were,” I confirmed, smiling as I extended my hand. “Now come, there’s something I’d like to explain to you and your family. I also have a deal for all of you.”

Without hesitation, Lilim grasped my hand tightly. I helped her to her feet before turning back toward her still-frozen family.

With a light pulse of chakra, I dispelled the illusion.

Her father blinked rapidly as movement returned to his limbs, his gaze snapping between me and his now perfectly healthy daughter.

“I’m guessing we can talk now,” I said mildly, “without things turning violent?”

He swallowed, still staring at Lilim before finally nodding. “…Yeah.”

=====

One Long Explanation Later

“I see, so the Cult is actually real.” Lilim’s father said, worry creasing his brow.

With Lilim healed, we’d moved our conversation to their modest living room, what passed as luxury here but expected for the chief of the Golden Leopard Clan. They sat across from me while I relaxed in a chair I’d formed from Mokuton, which seemed to startle them a little as I explained the truth about the Cult and Possession.

“That’s correct.” I nodded and sipped the tea Lilim’s mom had set out. Now that everyone was calmer, Lilim listened intently from the chair beside me, eyes never straying from my face.

“So the Cult turned what was once a blessing into a curse to keep people from growing stronger, and to control who gets stronger with the Church’s help?” he asked.

“The process is called awakening,” I explained, “and as far as I know only one elf has managed it unaided in recent times.” I was referring to Beatrice of course.

Lilim’s father brightened and turned to his daughter with pride. “See, Lilim? I told you Possession wasn’t a curse but a blessing. It means the blood of our ancestor Lily runs strong in your veins.” He beamed.

Lilim’s cheeks flamed and her ears flattened in embarrassment with her tail curling around her leg. “D-Dad! Stop saying embarrassing things like that!” she stammered.

“Hahaha, no can do. It’s a father’s duty to embarrass his daughter now and then, no matter the age they are.” he declared, while his wife giggled and their youngest slept peacefully in her arms.

Lilim hid her face in her hands, looking even more mortified.

I couldn’t resist.

“Hmhmhm, as fun as it is to watch Lilim make cute faces,” I said with a smile that only made her blush deeper, “we have more important matters to discuss. Like the cost of me healing your daughter.”

The room went silent. Lilim’s father’s expression shifted from convivial to resigned. “You’re right of course. We know nothing in life is free,” he said.

Lilim’s face hardened with determination, she looked ready to accept any request I made no matter how outlandish.

“That’s right, I’m glad you understand.” I added, leaning forward, hands crossed under my chin. “You don’t have to look so tense though, I won’t demand anything ridiculous for something as simple as healing your daughter.” My grin widened. They relaxed a fraction, until I delivered the verdict.

“All I want is for the whole Golden Leopard Clan to become my subordinates.”

“…”

“…What!?” Lilim’s father and mother both exclaimed, stunned.

Lilim, however, lost her anxious posture and let out a sound of awed delight, her eyes shining like a pair of amethysts.

“T-That’s asking for too much, don’t you think?” Lilim’s father said with some trepidation.

“Hoh,” I hummed in amusement, raising an eyebrow. “The Therianthrope people are ruled by the strongest from what I understand, isn’t that right?”

“W-Well yes, but…”

“Is there someone stronger in your clan than yourself?” I interrupted simply.

“W-Well, no…” he admitted, sounding frustrated.

Reading his emotions like an open book, I let a challenging grin grow on my face. “Then I don’t see the problem,” I said, leaning back in my seat before tilting my head with a smirk. “Or do you believe yourself to be stronger than me?”

My question rendered him silent, and I could feel his frustration grow, letting me guess the real issue.

“I see, so that’s what it is,” I said with a nod, making him flinch in surprise. “Since I didn’t fight you head-on and instead used an ability to defeat you, you can’t help but think that maybe you could’ve won if I didn’t rely on tricks, right?” I asked, amused.

The sudden flinch and the way he avoided eye contact told me I’d hit the nail on the head.

Having confirmed his thoughts, I couldn’t help but laugh, a genuine, hearty sound that startled them all.

“Hmhmhmhm, hahahahahah~” I laughed for nearly a minute before calming down to quiet chuckles. “I see. Being the chief of the clan and a direct descendant of Lily has made you a little full of yourself, hasn’t it?” I asked, leaning on my left hand with a grin.

Lilim’s father scowled slightly, glaring at me for the jab but staying silent, the tightening of his knuckles being the only sign of his anger.

“Very well. If it’s a show of strength you want, then I’ll oblige you,” I said before doing two things at once: first, placing Lilim’s mother under an illusion that made her fall asleep, and second, teleporting myself, Lilim, and her father away from their home with a snap of my fingers.

We reappeared in an open field several hundred kilometers away, causing Lilim and her father to gasp and look around in surprise.

“Where are we?” Lilim asked, her head swiveling side to side in curiosity.

“I transported us somewhere more proper so we can have our match. Don’t worry, once we’re done, I’ll take us back,” I said in a relaxed tone as I walked a short distance away and turned to face them.

“…You’re really confident you can beat me, huh?” Lilim’s father muttered under his breath before sighing. “After that little display, I can’t say I disagree with you. Still, as the Chief of the proud Golden Leopard Clan, I won’t bring shame to my people by giving up without a fight.”

“Well said. At least you have some brains, unlike many Therianthropes,” I said with a small smile.

“Lilim, please move to a safe distance,” he instructed as he stepped forward to face me.

“Mn, okay.” Lilim nodded and ran to the side.

Snapping my fingers, I placed a protective barrier around her so she wouldn’t be affected by my magic. “Shall we begin, then?” I asked, my tone almost bored as I popped my neck.

“Let’s.”

“Of course, that is, if you can still stand after feeling a small portion of my strength,” I said with a grin, then released my hold on my magic.

It poured out like a hurricane, spiraling around me and shaking the air itself. The field and everything beyond it became saturated with my power, and this was only the native magic of this world, not even close to my true strength. If I unleashed all of it, not only would Lilim’s father die instantly, but I’d likely crack this fragile world apart.

‘I definitely have more respect for Milim now,’ I thought. ‘To hold back that much power all the time without major incidents… impressive.’

With Lilim protected by my barrier, her father got the full brunt of it. Now he was on all fours, struggling to breathe as my magic pressed down on him like a physical weight.

“W-W-What a-are you?” Lilim’s father barely managed to stammer, unable to even lift his head to look at me, his entire being radiating fear and shock.

“Hmhmhm, too much for you, huh?” I chuckled before reining in my magic just enough for him to stand.

“As for what I am,” I paused for dramatic effect, then casually pointed upward with my index finger. “I’m but a simple traveler from beyond the stars… and, more importantly, your only hope of surviving the machinations of the Cult.”

‘How’s that for an introduction?’ I asked joyfully to myself.

“…Better than before,” Ciel admitted reluctantly.

‘Yosh! That means it was amazing~’ I mentally fist-pumped in triumph.