Great Great Asset Chapter 44 (Patreon)

The three of us soon reached the check-in point, where I traded a good amount of the monster drops I got from turning those sea creatures into painted smears on the tank.

And with those credits, Sirius and Dido escorted me into the walls of the mega-mall. 'Holy shit... There are so many people here. It's like back in my old life.' I thought.

I could also recognize a good number of the people around us. I watched as a Frieren was leading Megumin, Yunyun, and several other 'Crimson Demons' members in a line towards one of the elevators.

"So what shops do you two recommend?" I asked curiously.

"What are you actually looking to buy?" Dido asked in turn.

I brushed a hand across my face before I said honestly. "Magic manuals, supernatural tier martial arts, and other things to help me get stronger I guess."

Dido and Sirius shared a look before Sirius said thoughtfully. "In terms of martial arts and such. Your best bet woudn't be any books or scrolls, but an actual teacher. But as for magical books to get started on magic. There are plenty of those."

Dido then asked with some hesitation. "But what kind of magic are you looking to learn? There is... An extremely wide variety of magic systems just here alone, and many of whom rely on the user having special bloodlines or universe-aligned bodies."

I shook my head, as The Gamer may have been a bland power system. But it was VERY reliable and capable of allowing its users to integrate with different power sources.

It could allow the OG Gamer to keep massive amounts of mana, ki, faith, and other supernatural energy types in balance. Then this upgraded Gamer ability I bought from my sponsor woudn't have such a problem either.

I mean it should be fine with just about any power system... Unless I did something very stupid like trying to become a Holy Paladin while also changing races to a devil/demon or some nonsense.

Then I could foresee some issues.

"If any magic primer is fine... Then I do have an idea." Sirius said thoughtfully before she looked to Dido and said. "Let's head up to the Devil's floor, they may have what he needs." 

Though all the while as Dido and Sirius talked, I could see several women were staring at me as they probably realized I wasn't a Company-branded Husbando. But they thankfully didn't make their way towards me as we entered an elevator.

"Jake, are you... Do you have any problems with devils actually?" Dido asked with a helpless look crossing her face.

I raised an eyebrow at that question before I said slowly. "I am very much a 'Live and let live' type of person. So long as someone isn't messing with me and mine, I will have no problems with them."

Both silver-haired beauties sagged in relief at my even response with Sirius bouncing in place with her large breasts jumping with the motion as she excitedly explained.

"What we were thinking Jake, is that you could try to make a magical contract with a devil from the DXD universe. And in doing so, you could unlock their devil magic which is a branch of Wish-type magic."

"Their base racial magic 'Imagination Magic,' isn't really that strong because how horribly mana-intensive it is unless you are forcing your magic into 'logical' paths. As it's far more expensive mana-wise to create a fireball from nothing, compared to just compressing and igniting air, for example."

"But we have seen some suuuuper interesting examples of devil magic being used before. There used to be a bunch of giant kaiju monsters hiding in the irradiated plains we mostly travel through in this city. And the devil's imagination magic made quick work of them after we did long-range scans of them, and then they just teleported bombs inside of them!"

Dido's excited explanation lasted the rest of the way up to the upper levels and as we reached the level and the door's opened. I sighed quietly but helplessly. "But a magical contract like that would make me the devil's contracted magician or something like that."

I shook my head as I said. "I don't plan on making such a magical contract with someone I have had no prior meetings with. I can't trust someone else like that." 

The two shipgirls just shrugged with Dido saying. "That is understandable. But at the very least, we can look around. As they still stock a number of magical reagents and magical primers for spell casters."

And this was very much a 'devil' centric floor which made my face twitch as the first thing that passed by was a very interesting sign that read. 'Devils be welcome. Demons be damned, and return the way ye came. Your kind aren't welcome here.'

Walking past the racist sign, I saw several 'devils' I could recognize, including two beautiful pink-haired 'devils' in Momo and her mother Selphie Deviluke who were looking at a book about monster taming.

And across the way I saw two other 'devils' in deep discussion at a cafe called 'The Devils Due.' And those two interesting devils were one Makima the Control Devil from Chainsaw Man, as well as literally The Devil from Cuphead.

Finally I saw a literal sex shop with a poster of Morrigan Aensland holding a massive dildo with an excited look while I could recongize what I thought was a Konosuba devil running the register.

'Well... This place is fucking weird enough.' I thought helplessly before Dido gave my sleeve a light tug and said softly.

"Over there at the Dantalion Library, there are a few stands with magical tomes." 

Walking over towards the magical tome shop, I could literally feel the magic bound within each book and seeing the sign which very clearly stated the shops rules. Of which all boiled down to basically. 'You read it, you buy it. And if you destroy it, we own you.'

But just touching the thick magical tomes was also perfectly legal. And as I looked across the tomes, I couldn't help a minor snort at how 'cheap' a Grimoire from Danmachi was. As they were apparently only useful if you had a falna.

"Hmm... I somehow doubt these Danmachi Grimoires sell that well. As it's not like Danmachi god's themselves are likely to be common here in this damned universe." I muttered to myself thoughtfully.

While Feixiao was able to remain here in this universe by greatly sealing her power so she wasn't expelled. I had the feeling that the childish god's of Danmachi woudn't be trusted nearly as much after all.

Unless it was a truly weak god/goddess like Hebe, or other minor deities without any combat abilities.

I still picked up one of the Grimoires and as I picked it up. My lips twisted up into an 'evil' smile as the system pinged me. [Gatcha Skill Book- Consume to gain 1 growth type skill/spell?]

And looking at the prices of the Grimoires, I held in a curse as the price? Yeah, cheap my ass, especially seeing as I wanted to buy two of them if I could.

"Jake, if you are worried about the price... Remember, these devils love to barter more then anything." Dido reminded me gently.

I exhaled in annoyance as I didn't expect to need to barter for what I wanted. But still I nodded in understanding and agreement as I took two of the more interesting grimoires over to a stand where a 'devil' was waiting with a wide smile for business.

The most 'angelic'-looking devil I had ever seen, with skin like cream marble and angelic like wing motifs across her body including wings atop her head.

"Well, well... A pure soul not manufactured by the Company. And you are here to buy some things well." She spoke with a velvet-like voice that set off all the alarms inside my head.

Then she leaned forward, her large breasts bouncing with the motion as she spoke. "I was given the name of Forgiven Obscenity. May I have your name before we discuss the terms for these Grimoires?"

I felt Sirius and Dido both grab me in warning but I knew what they were about to say. As I then said in a cold voice. "No, you may NOT have my true name. What will you accept for this other Grimoire as I don't have enough credits for the other."

The monstrous figure made a soft exhale of exasperation as she spoke in something akin to a pout. "I wasn't going to steal your name. I am not a fey after all. But... As a devil, I will offer you thus. Trade me the memory of your first hug with your mother that your mortal mind can recall, and it is yours."

I paused at that price, while such an offer wasn't 'important' nor a great loss in of itself. I couldn't help but shake my head as I said bluntly. "I will not give up such a thing. I will only trade in physical items; I will not lose the essence of what I am."

A tsking noise left the Forgiven Obscenity before she looked between Sirius, Dido and me before she spoke thoughtfully. "I have zero interest in those physical materials in any case. You are free to walk out right now... Or, you can simply make a new memory for me to keep in my collection."

"Take those dangerous shipgirls into that side room, and play a little game of Ten Minutes in Heaven as it were... I always adored that game of corrupting stupid teens into lust and depravity, once you are done making a new memory, I will simply GIVE both of the grimoires to you in return for that memory."

I was about to refuse as I wasn't going to fucking lose my memories of anything in return for these Grimoires. Let alone, letting her touch my mind in general.

But then Sirius spoke up in a more serious tone. "Jake, Sirius will happily help you as you are my master. Also, as a demon, she is bound to follow her fellow demons code of strictly following the letter and spirit of a contract. Otherwise, they would have been kicked out of the city a long while ago." 

Forgiven Obscenity lips twisted in an all to large joker like grin that stretched too far for a human's gaze as she said. "I desire a taste of your mind and very soul... You could ask for quite a prize for it as will any other devil, demon, or being who can sense that your soul is true and not an abomination or manufactured."

I did my best not to grimace at the demons nonsense, but it was a very valid warning. As I remembered, those two vampires who almost killed me before were also very interested in me.

So with a heavy exhale I met Dido and Sirius's gaze before I asked seriously. "Are you two seriously alright with this? I have no problem just walking away from this. I can find other magical books, and even Grimoires."

Because if this devil could source these danmachi Grimoires regularly in any form. Then that meant that there was a Danmachi magic god or extremely powerful adventurer who was likewise making them. I could also find them.

But then Sirius lightly picked up her skirt as she spoke with a heavy flush. "Sirius's master is Sirius's master of course. You are... So kind and understanding, so Sirius is very willing to help Master."