Alright so I admit I screwed up last chapter when describing what stage Tempest it is in currently in and the timeline I had was messed up due to Milim coming much earlier which didn't help.So things got mixed up.
Anyway I'm gonna start spending up here for a chapter or 2 and get through the next arc from canon so I can start what I have planned that I'm sure tall will enjoy.
Anyway hope yall enjoy
Chapter 55: Three months pass and Gazel arives
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Tempest had transformed. What began as a modest goblin settlement was now a thriving city under constant construction. Stone roads wound between sturdy wooden-and-brick buildings, the half-finished coliseum stood proud against the skyline, and wide fields stretched out where crops were already being harvested. Smoke rose from busy forges, laughter echoed from training grounds, and the Jura Forest Alliance had become a living reality. The High Orcs' tireless labor, combined with the Kijin's leadership and the dwarves' craftsmanship, turned raw potential into something real. The attached image captured it perfectly — a bustling capital still growing, green hills rolling around it like a protective embrace, but already unmistakably a nation in the making.
Milim had stayed.
She claimed it was "just to make sure her little brother wasn't slacking," but everyone knew the truth: she had found family, and she wasn't letting go. The Demon Lord spent her days causing cheerful chaos and her nights curled up in the guest quarters Varion had prepared for her. But the highlight of those three months, for both of them, was the training.
It looked ridiculous to anyone brave (or foolish) enough to watch from a safe distance. A grown man and a girl who appeared no older than fourteen rolling across the training fields, biting, clawing, tackling, and laughing like wild siblings. To the onlookers it was adorable. To the terrain it was apocalyptic.
Milim would pounce first, tackling Varion with a delighted cackle. "Come on, little brother! Show me what you've got!" They would crash through trees, leaving craters the size of houses. Varion would counter with a gravity-enhanced throw that sent Milim skidding across the ground, carving a trench fifty feet long. She'd retaliate by headbutting him hard enough to launch him into the air, both of them laughing the entire time. Casual punches created shockwaves that flattened grass for acres. One particularly enthusiastic "playful" bite from Milim left a perfect set of fang marks in Varion's shoulder that bleed rapidly then healed in seconds and a new crater was made where he had slammed her into the dirt in retaliation.
The Kijin watched in stunned awe. Benimaru once muttered, "That is… not training. That is a natural disaster."Even the goblins learned to avoid the "sibling training grounds" after the third time a stray shockwave flattened an entire section near the field.
For Varion, it was one of the best periods of his life. No pressure Just rough-housing with his big sister the way dragons were meant to, raw, physical, joyful. He came back to the house every evening covered in dirt, bruises, and the biggest grin Rimuri and Prinz had ever seen.
One afternoon, after a particularly destructive session that left a new lake where a hill used to be, they sat on the edge of the crater sharing a basket of honey-glazed treats Rimuri had sent. Milim licked honey off her fingers and grinned. "You're getting better! Still weak, but you're getting more fun to play with."
Varion laughed, bumping her shoulder. "You keep calling me weak but look at what we just did by training."
The easy atmosphere carried them through the months.
The only formal event during that time was Gabiru's banishment.
He made his way to Tempest seeking to join.
"We were banished!" he declared dramatically, cape fluttering. "But fear not! We shall forge our own path!"
His sister, the newly appointed diplomat, stepped forward and smacked him upside the head. "No, *you* were banished, you idiot. I am here as an official representative of our people to ensure you don't cause another disaster. Father's orders. Try not to die."
Then after the lizard chef's daughter was accepted and gabiru ended up accidentally getting named by rimuri and joined her subordinates.
-near the end of the 3 months-
Souei's clone materialized in the main hall without warning, kneeling smoothly before Rimuri. "My lord. A squadron of Pegasus Knights approaches from the west, flying under the banner of the Armed Nation of Dwargon. King Gazel Dwargo is at their head."
The room stilled for half a heartbeat.
Rimuri stood, golden-yellow eyes sharpening. "Alright. I'll meet him outside the city. Everyone else, stay alert but don't escalate."
Milim, still seated at the table with a plate piled high, waved a fork lazily. "Eh? Sounds boring. I'll stay here and finish lunch. You guys can handle it, I'm gonna stay here and….. guard the food yea, that's what ill do." She shoved another massive bite into her mouth, twin tails swishing contentedly as she chewed.
Prinz and Varion exchanged a quick glance, then fell in beside Rimuri as she headed out. The three of them, along with Benimaru and the other kijin, made their way to the city's western edge.
The Pegasus Knights descended in perfect formation, landing with disciplined grace just beyond the tree line. At their head was King Gazel Dwargo, broad-shouldered, bearded, radiating the quiet authority of a ruler who had seen countless battles. His sharp eyes swept over the growing city, then settled on Rimuri as she stepped forward to greet him.
"King Gazel," Rimuri said, bowing slightly in respect. "Welcome. I am Rimuri Tempest, leader of this town and Chancellor of the Jura Forest Alliance."
Gazel studied her for a long moment, then spoke plainly. "I have come to take your measure, Chancellor of the Jura Forest. Words alone are cheap. A sword speaks to your true intentions and character."
He drew his blade in a smooth motion. "Will you face me?"
Rimuri didn't hesitate. "If that's what it takes, then yes."
The duel was short, sharp, and respectful. Treyni appeared as judge, her presence ensuring no lethal intent and gave much more legitimacyto Rimuri's claims. Gazel attacked with precise, masterful swordsmanship — a chain of strikes honed over decades. Rimuri moved with fluid grace, dodging and parrying in a way that spoke of long familiarity. She had seen those exact forms countless times during training with Hakurou.
When the final exchange ended and Gazel lowered his blade, the Dwarf King's expression had softened into something like quiet approval.
"I understand now," he said. "You are not evil. And it seems we share the same sword style."
Rimuri smiled. "Hakurou has taught us both well. How about you and your men stay the night and we can discuss more over drinks and food."
They clasped forearms in a firm handshake. Gazel nodded once. "I accept your invitation to stay the night. We have much to discuss."
Rimuri gestured toward the city. "Then please, follow me. We have guest houses prepared for visitors."
That night, the main guest house was lit warmly for a small, private gathering — more a relaxed dinner than a formal meeting. The room was intimate, tatami mats laid out under low tables, paper lanterns casting a soft glow. Sake and simple but excellent dishes were served. Gazel sat across from Rimuri, a cup of sake in hand. To her right sat Varion, calm and relaxed. Prinz sat beside him, cleaning into him slightly. While a trusted knight from Dwargon stood respectfully behind Gazel.
The conversation flowed easily at first — pleasantries about the city's rapid growth, the alliance, the Orc War's resolution. Then Gazel set his cup down and spoke more seriously.
"I had planned to approach much sooner," he admitted, gaze steady. "The reports of a new power rising in the Jura Forest reached us quickly. But the presence of Demon Lord Milim made me hesitant. A being of her caliber appearing here… it changed the initial plan and caused me to have to act more cautiously."
At the mention of her name, Milim — who had insisted on "just watching from the corner" while still steadily working through a massive plate of food — paused mid-bite. She tilted her head cutely, pink twin tails swaying, blue eyes blinking innocently toward the group for a brief second. Then, as if deciding it wasn't worth interrupting her meal, she went right back to eating with cheerful focus.
Gazel's lips twitched in faint amusement before he continued. "But after seeing how well Varion and her get along, and seeing how his claim of being her sibling was true. I decided now was the right time. I came to take your measure personally. And having already spoken with him previously at length during his stay in Dwargon, I was not overly worried things would go badly here."
Varion inclined his head respectfully. "I appreciate the trust, Gazel."
Gazel raised his cup again, a small smile breaking through his stern features. "To new friends, then. And… to a formal treaty between the Armed Nation of Dwargon and the nation you are building here."
Rimuri smiled warmly, raising her own cup. "Agreed"