Reincarnated With The Strongest System

"Dad, why didn't you deal with him earlier?" Vesta asked when she and her father had arrived in the Tower that served as their home.

"Because if we really fought then this Fortress City might have been razed to ashes," Joash replied as he walked ahead of his daughter, who was looking at his back with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"Is he that strong?" Vesta inquired. This time, her voice was filled with curiosity which made Joash chuckle.

Ever since she was born, Vesta had always been someone who searched for the answers to her questions. If Joash didn't give her an answer, she would ask other people for the answer. She was just that kind of person, and sometimes, Joash felt that he should have been more strict in educating her, while she was growing up.

"Strong? No. He is rather weak," Joash answered. "But, in that weakness, he also becomes the most dangerous. During our talk earlier, both of us were measuring each other up. I'm sure that if I made a single move that could threaten his life, he would definitely retaliate."

"Even if he retaliates, so what?" Vesta snorted. "Aside from Baba Yaga, there is no Demigod that is as strong as you in the Demonic Continent. I'm very sure that you can pinch that boy to oblivion if you wish."

Joash smiled. He didn't affirm or deny his daughter's words. As a father, he needed to become a pillar that would make her feel safe. However, as a Demigod, his instinct was sharper than ordinary mortals.

He had a feeling that if he really attacked William back then, the one who was going to lose was him. This was what his sixth sense was telling him, and it was also why he didn't make any moves to provoke the boy, whose hair reminded him of Maxwell—the man responsible for cutting off his tail during their fight in the Silvermoon Continent. 

"In two days, you will accompany them on their journey to the Northeast Region of our Domain. That is where Baba Yaga lives," Joash stated. 

Vesta nodded, but there was something on her mind that was bugging her, so she decided to ask her father about it.

"The only way that Celine could have entered the Demonic Lands is through this gate," Vesta said. "How did she pass here undetected? Although I haven't seen her, she is an Elf. Any Demon would have definitely made a move against her if they discovered her identity."

Joash stopped walking before turning around to look at his daughter. This was also why he wanted Vesta to accompany William in his journey. The green-haired beauty had grown up under his radiance, so she still hadn't seen the world and discovered what lay on the other side of a coin.

In the Demon Lands, no matter where she went, no one would dare cause trouble for her unless they were stupid. He had also given her special protective artifacts, and one of them allowed her to summon one of his avatars to protect her.

Because he had given her so many layers of protection, Vesta wasn't able to understand what hardships and true danger were. Although she had done her best to train herself, and strived to succeed without his help, the fact still remained that she was his daughter.

Even if she didn't ask for it, she was born with that layer of protection, and this was something that Joash wanted her to understand as she journeyed together with the son of the man that could have conquered the entire world if he wished for it.

"Celine entered the Demon Lands and passed through this fortress," Joash replied. "I personally escorted her out of the city to ensure that no fools would dare to block her path."

"Eh? You did?"

"Yes."

"When did this happen?" Vesta inquired. She felt a little disappointed that her father didn't let her meet one of the two bride candidates that would become the Dark Prince's woman. 

"A few months ago," Joash replied before turning around to continue walking towards his chambers. 

"Make the necessary preparations. Also, don't provoke that boy, William," Joash added. "What you should do is observe him carefully. Perhaps, by doing so, you will understand why he managed to clear the 51st Floor of the Tower of Babylon, which remained unconquered for the past hundred years. Do I make myself clear?"

Vesta nodded. Although she still had misgivings about traveling with William, her father had given her a mission, and she would complete it without fail.

—---

"And, that's what happened," William explained to Zhu, Sha, and the Elves that were in the cage, about the discussion he had with the Demigod of the Fortress City.

All of them looked at William in disbelief and wondered if he was lucky or unlucky to have Joash pay extra attention to him.

"I think he doesn't want to have conflicts with you," Sha said after pondering William's story. "If he really meant us harm, he would have definitely attacked us first and used us as hostages in order for you to listen to his demands."

Zhu had his arms crossed over his chest as he agreed with Sha's conclusion. 

However, Charmaine, and the other Elves thought otherwise. As maids who had given their loyalty and devotion to their new Master, their opinion was very different from the one that the Sand Demon had come up with.

"Even if he used us as hostages, it still won't work," Charmaine replied. "Master would definitely not allow such a thing to happen. If I were in his place, I would have taken this entire fortress city as a hostage. Just one whack of Ruyi Jingu Bang will be enough to show them that they're messing with the wrong person!"

"That's right! Our Master is invincible!"

"Sir William is formidable!"

"That Demigod doesn't know who he is dealing with!"

The Elves heaped praises one after the other, which made William scratch his cheek out of embarrassment. 

He had also thought of this scenario where Joash would use his friends as hostage, but he already had this covered. All of them had been registered under his King's Legion, so with a single word, the Half-Elf could forcefully return them to his Thousand Beast Domain.

This was why the thought of them being used as a hostage wouldn't work on him. 

"Since the other party didn't want any conflicts then we should also behave ourselves for the time being," William stated as he raised his hand to stop the Elves from their praises, that seemed to have no ending. "But, stay vigilant. We are currently deep inside enemy lines. Carelessness is something that we should avoid at this point in time."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. After talking for a bit and making several contingency plans, the Half-Elf once again returned to his room at the inn. 

This was the first night that he would spend in the Demon Lands, and he wanted nothing more than to let it pass peacefully.

'That Joash is not so simple,' William thought as he stared at the Tower that overlooked the entire Fortress. Although he couldn't sense if the Demigod was watching his every move or not, he understood that he shouldn't show any signs of weakness, that could be exploited by someone who had fought his father many years ago.