Chapter 5 – More Than I Bargained For

The ground under my feet is crushed and chunks of concrete started floating in the air. I see both Diana and Hikaru-san fall to their knees gripping at their throats. I get my power under control and offer them a hand up after a shaky breath. 

"Sorry, that made me really upset. So upset, in fact, that I remembered everything about barriers. Let's go free your parents, shall we Ms. Hikaru?" I say as they both take my hands and I pull them to their feet. Suki stares at me with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"So...so powerful...so cool..." She whispers.

"Wow! That is really convenient timing!" Diana says obliviously.

Oi. Quiet, you. This is my mess, the least I can do is clean it up. It really was my fault...

I ask Hikaru-san to think of her compound, read her mind, ignore some flowers and hearts I see, - girls minds are always like that - and teleport us all just outside. It is little more than a crater with 1 standing house on a solidary pillar of earth frozen in time. Inside that house, I see 5 people. An elderly looking woman, 2 men in their 40's and 2 women who appear to be in their late 20's. Though...ya know...Anime logic. So they are probably just as old as the men. They are frozen in place and look like they were about to act before they were sealed.

I inspect the barrier and my rage boils over once again. It is mine. The barrier is one I made.

'I will kill the fuckers. All of them. They are all going to die. No one steals from me. No one.' I feel myself start losing control, the prideful dragon inside taking over.

"Diana." I say calmly, but my voice echos in 2 different pitches. My true voice. "Transform and put up a privacy barrier. I will need to transform as well to break this."

Her eyes bulge. "I haven't seen Onii-chan's real body  in such a long time!" She squeals in delight. "Maybe afterward we can mat-"

"Now, Diana," I say again, my voice a warning growl. She visibly shivers at my voice and her eyes go all Yandere syle as she smiles at me. "Yes, master."

I flinch. No thanks. Creepy ass sister. 

Hikaru-san looks back and forth from us unsure. "Um...what should I do? Can...Can you really free my parents?" Her eyes shine with hope. She looks adorable like that and I feel the urge to claim her. 

'Shit. This form is dangerous and I haven't even shifted yet! It is hard to control myself...'

"Transform yourself, and stand back. Just watch me. They will be out in just a moment." I tell her with a cocky smile. 

Her eyes shine golden and then her whole body is engulfed in golden light as she transforms. The only things that change are that her eyes are now pure golden orbs and she has white wings. She flys up into the air and I see trees fall as Diana changes as well. She becomes a large red dragon of the western variety with beefy legs and arms and huge red wings. - Well large comparatively to her age. - She roars into the air and a shimmering barrier takes form over us for several miles around. 

My turn.

I stop fighting and let myself become who I really am. Bones snap and my skin splits around me. I ignore the pain as the feeling of power, unstoppable power radiates off of me. I honestly couldn't tell you how large I am. Is fucking gigantorific enough? I was big. Bigger than the entire compound. Hell, maybe bigger than 10 of them. I towered over the remaining house that looked like a bug to me. I was so large that I had to wind myself around the entirety of Diana's multi-mile wide barrier in order to not break it like cheap plastic. The forest and trees for hundreds of feet around fell or shook when I so much as twitched and once again both Diana and Hikaru-san are on the ground. They lay in craters made from the force of my power pushing them down. I was literally killing Hikaru-san from her just being around me. I scratch my cheek with my claw and say, "Whoops."

My voice sends tremors and aftershocks through the surrounding area. I was a fucking walking...well, flying, natural disaster! I was a monstrous sliver scaled eastern dragon of mountainous proportions. 

'Yeah...author? You made me too strong. Can I get a nerf, please? How the hell was the hero supposed to beat me if his sister, who is roughly around half the power level of Diana, can't even live in my presence? Was this shitty story planned to span to Dragon Ball length? Or was Asuda-san the real hero? One of his patrons could sneeze on me and an entire half of the earth I was on would crumble and shatter to dust.' 

I told the universe to stop my pressure from affecting the two women, and it did. They both gasped for air and then gasped again as they raised up into the air around me and beheld my form. Not to sound too cocky, but I was a handsome ass dragon. 

Diana mewled like she was a cat in heat, landed back on the ground, and presented her backside to me. To which, I completely ignored her.

Hikaru-san flew up to my face and stared in wide-mouthed shock. "Zeneff...you are...beautiful and... and massive..." Her cheeks burned with a blush but she approached me even closer, laying her angelic hands on my smooth scales that were the size of car doors. I turned my head so that I was looking at her with one of my massive golden eyes. Eyes that matched hers.

"Watch," I said softly, and even so she had trouble flying in the torrent of air that released from my enormous jaws. I reach up with my claws, easily 10 times the size of her, and pushed her away from my face gently...She immediately flew back to touch my scales. I pushed her away gently again...and again, she just came back to my face. 

'Whatever. I tried.'

"Break!" I roar and the shockwave from my voice forms concentric circles in the air that slams into the barrier shattering it like cheap ceramic. 

Ok. One point I should probably make. I didn't actually need to go into Dragon form to break this barrier. I just haven't been able to transform yet and really, really wanted to. The problem with this decision was that I wasn't really great at controlling my power yet...

The barrier did break. Easily. But so did the house, everything inside of it, the small piece of land that was left supporting it in the crater, and then the crater became about a mile deeper. 

'Oops.'

"Momma! Daddy!" Hikaru-san calls from a crater of her own down on the ground. I am rather pleased I didn't kill her. Let's call this a success. 

There is silence after my mega Fus Ro Dah and no movement from the large crater that used to be Hikaru-san's home. 

'Oh shit...I didn't kill her parents, right?' 

Nope! 4 beams of blinding radiant energy shoot out from the crater and slam into my scales. Hey! That stings!

4 people fly quickly out of the hole, one holding an old woman in his arms. 

"You! You are the mastermind behind this all!" A man screams flying at me with a golden sword. I mean...he's not wrong. He has brown hair, brown eyes, has 2 sets of large white wings, and wears a toga. His sword is like a toothpick to me as it bounces off my scales ineffectually. It actually kind of tickles. I turn my head to look down at him in amusement. 

"Move, Michael, I will end this in one shot." Yells a busty woman with golden blonde hair, blue eyes, more wings, and also in a toga...but a skimpy one...why does it need to be a skimpy one!?! Are you an angel or not?

She charges an attack on her golden bow - Look we get it already. You are like Golden Member and like gold - and shouts dramatically as she lets it go. It flys for my eye at incredible speeds and I quickly turn my head to let it hit on my scales instead. This action sends Michael flying off due to currents my movements made in the air. The arrow hits me on my jawline and...OW! That fucking hurt! 

"I am not here to hurt you. I just freed-" I try, hurricane winds buffeting the 2 angels. The other two have flown down to check on Hikaru-san. Diana is...*sigh* She still has her butt in the air...glad to know how useful she is in a fight...

"Liar! You cannot fool archangels!" The man named Michael yells dramatically.

"I am not trying to fo-"

"Silence beast! I, Gabriella Hikaru, shall slay you where you stand...fly!" Says the woman.

"Listen, lady, I just saved-"

"Our attacks aren't working! We need to combine our power and take him down together, my love. Let us show him the true power of love and-"

"OI! Listen to me!" I yell, fed up. They both launch into new craters in the ground and I lower my head and claws menacingly.

"This is it, honey." He says.

"I am ready to face the end with you, dear." She says.

"Raphael, Uriela, please watch over the children for us," Michael says grasping hands with Gabriella as they both close their eyes.

'Uriela? Oh, come on! You didn't even try! You just added an 'A' to the end!'

Ok. I'm done. I'm leaving. 

I transform back to my human shape - fully clothed thank God. 

"Look, I just saved you from the barrier for your daughter, that's all. I am going home now. Good luck." I say rubbing the bridge of my nose and turning around.

"Ha! He underestimated us! Now, my love, now!" Michael yells as he again runs forward with his sword. One of his wings is bent at a weird angle and he looks battered. Gabriella looks about the same but still manages to pull her bow fully back. I just sigh. This is probably going to hurt.

"Wait!" Just in time, Hikaru-san jumps in front of me. Her arms are spread wide and a determined look on her face. "Don't hurt Zeneff!"

Oi. Aren't you getting a bit too familiar with me?

"Get out of the way Suki! We need to finish him-"

"No! He came to save you and all you did was attack him! Momma, Daddy! I...I hate you!" She says puffing her cheeks out adorably in a pout.

The couple looks like they have been struck by a mortal blow. They fall to their knees and drop their weapons dramatically.

"Suki...please...you don't mean it!" Gabriella shouts, holding both her arms out to her daughter pleadingly. 

"I do!" She says and stamps her foot for finality. "Momma...Daddy...brother is dead...and you were trapped in that barrier....and...and," She starts tearing up here, "I was on my own for the last 3 days and I was so scared. But right when I was at my lowest and felt like I would die at any second, Zeneff appeared like a knight in shining armor and saved me."

Oi. That is a bit of an overdramatization. I am pretty sure Diana was involved as well...

"Your...brother is dead? Takasone is dead...?" Michael says looking crestfallen.

"Yes...and it is really sad....but that isn't important to the conversation right now! We are talking about Zeneff!"

Double Oi! That is majorly important! What are you even talking about!?!

"The truth is..." She pauses dramatically to look at me with tears in her eyes. "I am in love with Zeneff!"

"What?" Michael asks angrily.

"What?" Gabriella asks quizically.

"What?" I ask exacerbatedly.

"What?" A now human Diana asks dangerously. When the hell did she get there?

"When I first felt the hot touch of his power...it was like lightning through my core. It was as if my entire body was quaking and I was expelling liquid like a faucet."

Tripple Oi! Watch your phrasing!

"But...it wasn't until I saw him in his dragon form that I knew. That was when his power pierced me to the deepest reaches as no man had ever done before. I felt it rush into me and gush back out. There was no end to it. Just spurt after spurt of hot power all over my body and also deep inside me."

Now Michael is glaring at me in rage and I swear he feels more powerful than before. I just raise my hands speechless and not understanding what the hell was going on anymore.

"Then...I felt it...it was strong and hard and yet still so smooth. It was huge and girthy and it was so, so warm! like a fire in my hands. I just rubbed it and rubbed it mindlessly...I couldn't help it. I found myself wanting to lick it, but I was able to hold myself back. Yes...It was like I was born to rub and lick Zeneff!"

"My scales, she is talking about my scales!" I shout feeling my cheeks burn with all this totally innocent dirty talk. Is this really happening right now? Fucking anime worlds. The worst part is Diana was angry just a minute ago, and now she is nodding as if she agrees!

"And then what happened?" Gabriella demands breathlessly, blushing furiously, and rubbing her thighs together.

Lady, they make books for people like you. Go and buy them, please...

"And then he saved you and you attacked him like dummies!" She yells, snapping everyone out of their delusions. 

"Well...thank you for saving us then, Zeneff, " Michael says with a smile that turns ugly right after, "Please, don't ever interact with my daughter ever again."

'Done.'

"It's too late Daddy! I've made my choice. I will stand with Zeneff forevermore. I will love him until we both pass on into the next life and then I will find him and love him again!"

"Wait, Suki! If you do that you will...fall!" Gabriella says, dramatic pause and all.

I sigh. 'Can I just go home and leave these weird people? No one is stopping me...worth a shot? I start taking steps backward but am grabbed by a still Angel form Hikaru-san.'

"If I need to fall, then I need to fall!" She announces with confidence before dipping ME into a kiss. I am too surprised by the absurdity of it all to push her away and she kisses me...and tries to slip me the tongue. No! Bad angel! 

I step away and hold Diana's head in one hand as she tries to eviscerate Hikaru-san with her partially transformed claws. Hikaru-san shines in golden light that slowly corrupts with black spots until she is instead surrounded by purplish-black light. When she emerges, she has black wings, silver eyes, and a streak of her hair has turned black.   

All things aside, she looks metal as fuck. 

"Suki! What have you done!?!" Michael yells.

"She followed her heart!" Gabriella shouts, eating this up like candy. "And now we will not be able to see her again! Angels can't interact with the fallen and we become fallen if we give our hearts to ones who are not angels. This...my daughter is so romantic! Mommy is so proud~!"

"It was worth it. It was all worth it for love!" Hikaru-san declares as she tries to jump into me for a hug, only to get my other hand on her head leaving her to try to hug me in one hand and Diana still trying to kill her in the other.

"Okay. Everyone shut the fuck up and listen to me. Now." I say, no longer in the mood for this and releasing my pressure. Diana and Hikaru-san fall to the ground, both having the same exact perverse smiles on their faces. The other angels, who have all walked up are forced to a knee. Gabriella pants wildly and stares at me in excitement...Poor grandma faceplants.

'Who told you guys to come over here anyway!?'

"Let's take this one thing at a time," I announce and let the pressure go.

"You're...you're not going to take advantage of me, are you? You bad, bad dragon! You aren't just happy with my daughter, you are gonna steal and defile me too?" Gabriella asks hopefully. Glaring at her doesn't seem to be working as her cheeks just get redder and redder and her panting harder and harder in each second I do. I just decide to ignore her.

"First, I saved your fucking asses for Hikaru-san. You not seeing her anymore is bullshit and if you try it, I will just start teleporting her wherever you are from now on. You will interact like a fucking family and get the fuck over her 'Fallen' status. Are we understood?" I demand.

"We can't!" Michael refuses, "It is tradit-"

I bitch slap him. 

"Do you understand?"

"We can't-"

*Slap*

"Do you understand?"

"It's trad-"

*Slap*

"Do. You. Understand? Think carefully because this next one is gonna have claws." 

"We understand..." He says in defeat and slumps his shoulders.

"Good."

"I think I need one too!" A certain woman pleads, but I Ignore her. 

'Okay. First goal complete. No appearing-at-my-house-with-no-place-to-go cliche.'

"Second," I continue turning to Hikaru-san, "Hikaru-san-"

"Suki."

"Okay, Suki-san-"

"S.U.K.I." Says with a pout. 

*Sigh* "Okay... Suki-"

"Yes, my love, my heart, my one true desire? I will do anything you want. Anything." She says seductively batting her eyelashes at me.

"Great. I think you are too young for me, so I am turning you down. Sorry-"

"Young? Ha! I am nearly 1500 years old!" She scoffs at me

"Yup, like I said, too young for me. Sorry, it would never work out."

Her eyes bulge and she falls to her knees screaming, "No! Nonononononono! You are mine! My one true love!" She crawls on her hands and kneels to me, arriving at my feet, and, literally, starts pulling herself up my body with her arms alone. Once she gets to eye level with me, she wraps her legs around me and holds my head in a death grip - for me. a pleasant head massage - while looking at me with madness in her eyes and a creepy broken smile. "I love you, Zeneff. I love you I love you I love you I love you!"

'Fuck! I was really hoping I was wrong! Another one? Why! Fucking really?'

I peel her off of me. "No. I don't love you. I'm sorry, but that is the truth. I am glad you got your family back. Sorry about your brother." I try to turn and leave, but she is there in front of me stepping out of some shadows.

'What the fuck? She can do that?'

She stares at me breathing hard, her eyes empty, her smile wide, and her head cocked to the side. "It's okay if you don't love me yet...hahaha...soon you will love me. Soon...hahaha" Fuck. She might be worse than Diana - Speak of the devil. 

Diana jumps in front of me bearing her teeth and growling - still in human form. 

"Oh, you wanna go lizard bitch?" Suki asks.

"Bring it on chicken slut." Diana answers. 

Then, to my surprise, Suki roundhouse kicks Diana into a tree, breaking it and sending her through several more. Is it just me, or is she stronger now? I hear a loud roar in the direction from where Diana landed and then a flash of red as the fallen angel and dragon start ripping at each other's throats. 

I look at the fight, shrug, and make my way back to Suki's parents. 

"So you came for me after all! You tease!" I ignore her again.

"Lastly...since my second point seems fruitless now...Here." I hand Michael my business card that has my phone number and email. "Call me with the repair costs for your compound. I know a good time mage if you need a recommendation. I did destroy the last remaining building and made the crater worse, so I will help you pay for repair or rebuilding."

"Ah..." Michael takes in and scratches his cheek awkwardly, "Thanks...that will be a big help."

"Alright, I'm going. now." I say and start preparing to teleport home.

"Wait!" Michael shouts, "Aren't you gonna stop them?" He points to the pile of red and black rolling around in the dirt.

"Nah. They will work it out." I say with a wave, and healing all their injuries for good measure. Sorry about the broken nose Grandma. Then I port away to take a nice, quiet bath. I still have a lot to do tonight, but I think I can spare 15 minutes. 

My game plan for the rest of the night was as follows:

1. Take a bath and a quick 15-minute break. Maybe eat a cow or two.
2. Save Kitinara-san's family
3. Kill the bastards that dared to steal from me. I had already used tracking magic to find them all when I was at the compound earlier. They would all die within a minute of each other, just like most of the people at the Hikaru compound. Poetic, that. Unfortunately, this is just a cell of the organization. But with me taking out another one right before, I hope to dissuade them from future attacks.
4. Avoid Diana and Suki for the rest of the night - That was a problem for future me. Past me is an asshole like that.
5. Sleep in my comfy bed and get a good night's rest.

Perfect.