《The Reincarnated Boy&#x27;s Tears》


 Chapter 1: Tears of Despair

    The Reincarnated Boy''s Tears:

    Arc 1: Arrivals and Encounters

    Chapter 1: Tears of Despair

    "Ahg!" the boy cried out, as he was beaten by a much larger man. That said, despite this he did not try to beg him to stop or call for help. He knew if he did, he would only be beaten more, and with increased brutality.

    His name was Koruko Yuuki, and he was currently being beaten by his father. He was about eleven years old, and he had great grades. He actively studied a wide variety of subjects, and in truth, he was already making his own money. He was academically brilliant and hard working, and he was already supporting himself economically. So then, why is such a boy being beaten?

    Its in truth, the other way around. Early on, he noticed that no matter how much he cried, how much he asked, no matter how stupid sounding the lies that came out of his parents mouths were, no one would help him. It was as if no one was acknowledging that his parents abused, beat, and neglected him. Maybe his parents threatened them, or maybe they just didn''t care.

    So he decided he would learn everything he could. About academics, about money, about life. His plan was rather simple. He would learn everything, and once he was old enough that he could convince people he could live on his own, without his parents, he would leave, live independently from them, and finally be free.

    Incidentally, he decided on this plan, achild decided on this plan, at age seven. After his arm was broken when his father used a baseball bat on him.

    However, today it seemed his father was especially angry and pissed off, and was beating him harsher then normal. Not that it was the first time.

    He braced himself as hard as he could, and was curled up in a ball, but he could feel all of his injuries piling up. In his mind, he was raving with rage and anger, bitter and broken. But he wanted to live. He wanted to stay alive. He had to get away.

    He had to.

    He had to run somewhere.

    Where could he run?

    He hurt so much...

    He cried out for help so many times, but no one ever came. He knew that no one would, but it was instinctual.

    There were scars and burn marks across his body, especially his back, arms, and legs.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The beating went on for longer then normal, but then, he felt something snap...

    After that happened, he awoke in a strange place. He remembered though, he had been kicked and thrown out of a caravan by a group of lowlifes who had kidnapped him to be their entertainment...he was six years old named Yuu, with no family name.

    As for the carriage, it was not only on fire, but slashed to pieces. The same thing...he did the same thing at his orphanage, which he was kicked out was. He...Yuu...had pleaded that he did not know what was going on, so he was called Cursed, and a Monster, and kicked out at six years old.

    Wherever he went, people would do bad things to him. And when bad things happened, he was blamed. And so, he ran, ran far away into the forest. His heart was already long since broken as Yuuki, and as Yuu, it had only been broken further. Even in his reincarnated life, it seemed abuse and neglect would follow him forever.

    As night time came, the young Yuu managed to make it to a cave. His right eye felt like it was burning, and he didn''t understand why. He could not see if it got injured as he had nothing to reflect it with. As for why he did not stay near the road, he didn''t want to be taken advantage of or deprived again. And yet...

    He heard it, coming from the outside. Growls of hungry beasts, as night began to fall and his vision could not see anything. But he could see their eyes, the eyes of five wolves. They came and charged at him, and so he braced himself. However, the only thing he heard was the splattering sound of blood. When he opened his eyes, he saw it. All of the wolves were dead. They had been torn to pieces.

    His eye still hurt, but then it started to cool, and in that moment, the nighttime became more visible for him. Somehow, he was able to see well at night, like it was just overcast. He could hear the beasts scurrying around outside, and the smell of blood infuriated his nostrils. However...having killed simple beasts, he did not feel sick to his stomach in the slightest. No, with his broken heart and disgust for anything aside from himself, perhaps the killing of other life simple did not bother him.

    Either way, he had meat now, which was good because he was starving, but he had no way to cook it.

    I need some fire...what?

    Suddenly, as he thought that, a fire was ignited from his hands. He had already been reincarnated, but this still surprised him enough to fall backwards on his rear.

    "M-magic? I can use magic?"

    Seeing this, he felt a bit shocked, but then he realized it could help. He had no firewood, but he thought if he could create fire, he could just create heat.

    Lets try focusing...lets go for medium rare!

    And so, conjuring heat, he both kept himself warm in that moment, and also was able to cook the wolf meat. It took him awhile to fully figure out the output, and honestly, it felt like it was draining him of something, but as his mind got cloudy, it smelled like it was just about ready.

    "Alright then...thanks for the food" he said to himself, as he began to eat with his hands and teeth. He had no utencils, nor was it reasonable for him to. The only reason he only had to heat a part and not the whole wolf was because it had been properly sliced up by...something. Yuu did not know what it was though, and he wasn''t sure if he could trust it. Was it really protecting him? Or was it messing with him? He had to assume the later.

    After all, while he could use magic, he had this feeling in him whenever he used it, but no feeling like that existed when the wolf was sliced up. He heard some noise for sure, but...he didn''t see anything around him, nor did he understand what had happened, aside from the fact it was not him using magic.

    And so, in that night, Yuu finally drifted to sleep after filling his belly.

    However, this was only the start of his journey.

    (So since is the first chapter, of the first arc, it ended up being more like a prologue, but I hope you will keep reading and enjoy it!)

 Chapter 2: Isolation

    Chapter 2: Isolation

    It had been two months since Yuuki reincarnated as Yuu. In terms of his life, he wasn''t sure if it was harsher, just as harsh, or less harsh then before. But he had learned a number of things.

    First off, he didn''t think he was growing right. Likely because he was malnourished for six years, he was shorter then what he should be at this age. When he finally looked at his reflection, he realized he looked closer to four then six.

    Secondly, he seemed to possess great magical ability. He probably had no hope as a warrior due to his stunted development, but he had great hopes as a mage. So that was good.

    Third, the power that protects him resides within his shadow. It can emerge from any shadow he projects. However, it does not attack any and all living things. So far, it has only attacked creatures that attack him, and creatures that try to take something from him. Although, if his life is counted as his as well, then that means it just attacks anyone who tries to take what is his. If an animal goes near him without the intention to take something from him, it will not be attacked by his shadow.

    Furthermore, if he willingly gives it something of his own volition, the shadow wont attack as well. He tested that by gathering some seeds and feeding birds. Thanks to this, he now knows the power does not have a mind of its own, its not sentient, but an automatic defense. Given the boy''s lack of empathy, and paranoia towards others, it might as well be the perfect power for him.

    That said, it was not entirely perfect. One stronger looking wolf...or maybe a monster that looked like a wolf, was able to dodge the first few attacks from the shadow. It was the toughest creature he faced so far, but eventually with some attacks from Yuu, it went down.

    Either way, he was now building his base of operations. He was nice and lucky for a change, finding a natural sulfuric spring to make a hot springs bath. He decided to leave it as an outdoor bath, and built a wonderfully sturdy home made of stone. At the moment, it was built into the mountain, with the hot springs just a bit away. There was no one else living around here, so it was fine to simply bathe whenever he wanted. Of course, he couldn''t allow his base to be so easily entered, so the entrance was built into the middle of a mountain cliff. One had to climb trees, rocks, or use magic to reach it, unless they could fly naturally. He noticed that in this world, there was a lot less flat land. The forest he was in was filled with small valleys, cliffs, mountains. It made it easier to hide for sure, and more maze like, but in exchange, it also made ambushes far more likely to occur. There was also a lot of creatures that seemed capable of using magic, or were tougher then they appeared.

    It was a very dangerous world. But among all the creatures, one of the most annoying and stubborn ones, as well as the weaker ones, were Goblins.

    Because of that, he had tried to learn to fight with weapons like spears that he made, but it all ended horribly. He could do okay with a stone dagger he fashioned, but his magic was far more suitable.

    Inside his home, he had built some things. His bed, or bedding really, was some especially soft leaves he found from a tree. They were unusually dense, and almost like pillows. As for clothes, at the moment he had the ones he was wearing, however he was at the age where he would grow fast. He would need new clothes soon, or better yet, make his own. Perhaps he could use the wolf pelts or something...

    He had used Earth Magic to shape some wood into furniture, giving him a dining room table and chairs. After some trial and error from finding sand, he was finally able to create a mirror and a very thick window. The mirror was a bit tricky due to some missing ingredients, but using magic, he eventually got it to work. As for the window, it had to be thick. Birds kept flying into it, which was bad in its own right, but then a monster bird came by and he was worried it might break through, so now it was dense enough for the birds to understand not to fly into it, while still being clear. And it was unbreakable by any monster birds, especially with the durability enchantment on it.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    As for that durability enchantment, he had learned that while testing out various magics and experimenting how to use magic. It seemed he had no real restrictions, though he found water and ice magic the easiest while fire magic was the hardest.

    He also tried building a skeeball contraption, which worked out rather well. In addition, he also tried making a pool table, but that was more of a two person thing, so while he had one, it didn''t get used much. That was when he realized something.

    "...no internet and no books...i''ve spent all this time working on my home and my bath, I have no hobbies".

    Yes, his mind was restless.

    "Well, I guess I could try and use my magic to have fun. Hmmm...I could try summoning magic, but I would need to make sure there was a way to assure my absolute dominance over its will so that it could never betray me" he blurted out, not trusting even things he summoned, or had yet to summon.

    He could try making a map of the area...that involved exploring, and that could be fun.

    Or maybe he could fight magical beasts?

    In his old world, he would just hole up in his room and read books, and hide in the library and read books, or use the computers, and sometimes if his dad was having a bad week, he would even sleep in the library...

    It was depressing, so he decided to focus on something else.

    "Huh!" he bolted up, as he felt something on his mana radar. He had it up at all times, to alert him if anything unusual or powerful entered a half kilometer radius of his house. He immediately focused in on the beings moving towards his place, to confirm their identities.

    And surely enough, they were humans. Four of them. He grit his teeth, and ran out the front door. He had to know, did they know who he was? Where he was? He moved to a warmer area, although it took him five days and a bit of magic. And yet, had they still followed him. Or at least, that was what he assumed. In truth he had no way of knowing if they were here looking for him, or something else.

    He jumped from branch to branch, reinforcing his body with mana and using the wind to boost him forward. He was able to make good progress, moving at about 20 kmph. Eventually, he stopped at a branch, standing on a high tree from above.

    "Man, do you seriously think the rumors are true? About secret trade routes through this area?"

    "My cousin heard it from a reliable trader, though he did get the guy drunk first. So its gotta be true".

    "So we will stick by the area, and rob anyone we see. And before we kill them, we have fun with them first".

    "Yeah yeah!"

    Yuu had heard enough. He was wrong, they were not here for him, but they were bandits, and clearly rapists and murderers. This meant it was morally acceptable to kill them and loot their corpses.

    He snapped his fingers and created a large ice lance, and then with his other hand he created another ice lance. He shot the two ice lances at once, and pierced through both of the ones in the back. One of the bandits heard the noise and looked back, while the other assumed it was combat and ran to cover. The one who looked back reacted too late, as a third ice lance came and pierced him.

    "Who goes there! We are members of the Raging Bulls, and by messing with us, you become enemies of our whole group!"

    "I don''t care" Yuu said, as he shot an ice lance into his back. Yuu didn''t even feel anything, killing them. Of course, perhaps it was because he knew if given the change they would kill him. Or worse.

    "A...brat?" he said, clinging for life.

    "Weird, I thought I pierced your heart..." Yuu said, and then he checked. The man was using mana to keep his body alive and pumping blood through it. However, he soon was unable to continue and passed out, dying afterwards.

    He then, without reserve, stripped the bandits of the clothes he had not totally wrecked. The two he killed first went from right above, piercing through the neck and exiting their lower bodies. So was the third guy. So the man he stabbed in the back had the only usable pants. Of course, they were too big, but he didn''t know how to turn pelts into clothes yet. And he was worried his clothes might not be big enough. He could use magic to rework the threads and make it smaller, but with this, he had more pants material, and three extra shirts materials. He also took the shoes just in case, as well as their provisions, money bags, and even underwear. He took everything until they were totally bare, and then left them there.

    "It seems like I will need to be more careful" he said, after taking out four bandits with one attack each. He could have used fireball and burned them all, but he wanted that material. They also had a map, so that was helpful too. All in all, a good harvest from scum like them. He did wonder about those trade routes though, but no one had come through this area yet till them. And if they saw signs of scavenging around those dead bodies, maybe they would think beasts or monsters did it. That would be the most ideal.

    Regardless, he had no intention of letting any bandit get the better of him. He would be alone as long as he needed to be. He didn''t need anyone...

    And yet he was unaware of the chaos that was heading his way.

 Chapter 3: Encounter

    Chapter 3: Encounter

    It had been a month since the first bandit incident. In that time, they had sent two other teams to scout the area. For the second team, after finding the bodies, they readied themselves and began to hunt the magical beasts around here. It seemed they would not give up that easily, so Yuu proceeded to slaughter them again and make it look like beasts did it. He made sure their limbs were all scattered about, and this time he left some of their possessions behind, making them all torn as if in a battle against beasts.

    Yuu thought that maybe this would be enough, but only a week or two later, and a third group was sent. It was getting on Yuu''s nerve, so this time, when night fell, he antagonized a large back of beasts from deeper in the forest, and led them all the way to the bandits. If they thought a pack of fifty or so wolves was normal around here, led by a Star Wolf, surely they would stay away this time. However, they defended reasonably well, so Yuu secretly used magic without any of them figuring it out. The bandits must have been pretty strong, but eventually, after several of them died, Yuu made sure the last one got away so he could tell his allies that the area was too heavily infested with beasts.

    He did consider the possibility they were from different groups, but ultimately, he just wanted people to stay away, and not know he lived there.

    Consequently, he was exploring more of the magic power. He figured out how to clad himself in magic power, so that helped somewhat, but he was still trash with any weapon side from daggers. Maybe it was his small physique, or that magic required more imagination and intelligence that he had fostered in his previous world while having learned no martial arts (since his dad didn''t want him to know how to fight back, he never gave Yuuki the chance to).

    Either way, he had decided to go down the path of magic. The only issue he had was that then, he lacked an ability to protect himself from close quarters enemies, aside from his Shadow. Mana Clad seemed to work well in that area, but it seemed like he would need to practice more.

    Incidentally, he was at least becoming a better hunter, and he was starting to figuring out cooking using raw materials and not store bought stuff. He was also learning that monsters had things known as magic cores, or something like that, which he could use to make magic tools. That said, he is entirely self taught, so his skill isn''t overwhelmingly great. But it reminded him of computing coding, which he had practiced quite a bit in his previous world, so that helped him out.

    At the moment, he focused on a perimeter sensor system that would alert him if anyone got close to his home. He had laid it out across the canyons around him, as well as the cliffs nearby. Thanks to the jagged nature of this world''s terrain, the amount of paths that could be taken to his home were not so numerous, so creating a perimeter was plausible.

    He had also made a wooden flute, to give him some music, and was designing a machine to automatically play songs he would figure out using that flute. The flute was not done though, as he wanted to iron out how it sounded before he made any official songs. He missed his beloved music player, which he used to help him drown out the sounds of his parent''s...activities...in the next room, or when they got high on drugs and made a racket.

    Maybe he would even make some headphones or such. But he would need to somehow get them to work right.

    He wondered if there was something like a slave or obedience collar he could get and use on monsters to make them eternally loyal and obey his every command. Maybe he could even make use of the bandits if they came around again.

    As he was thinking about that, one of his magical stones began to glow as they made a specific noise, that sounded like the wind almost, but was made distinct enough for Yuu to identify. It was letting him know the perimeter alarm had been activated, and several creatures were heading his way. He had yet to get it to tell him what they were exactly, so they could be bandits, although the movements seemed strange and fast for humans. Not unless they were running, but nothing was behind them.

    Either way, Yuu decided to investigate. He took a staff that he carved from a branch of a magic tree, and hopped out. Since he had so much free time, he had carved it well using a knife gotten from a bandit, and it was still small enough for him to use. It was only two feet tall, including the head of the staff.

    Using wind magic for acceleration and direction control, he lept and jumped through the trees and small cliffs as he headed towards the area. Soon however, he saw something he didn''t expect. It was a small, green haired boy, maybe around his age, wearing what appared to be tattered traveler''s clothes that had seen some use and fights, as well as a bow that looked a bit too big for him as well as a quiver of arrows. The boy turned around while running, and shot an arrow into one of the wolf''s heads, before turning forward again and running some more.

    However, Yuu did not jump in to save him. He just watched as the boy ran around a bit. It was the first time he had seen someone the same age as him in this world, but he was not about to jump in and help a stranger and put his own life at risk. When he moved, he noticed his Shadow had delayed reaction and attack ability, so he didn''t want to endanger himself to help some stranger who would stab him in the back. The boy turned around and looked all over. For a moment, their eyes met, and then he waved his hands.

    "Behind you!"

    Yuu had been so distracted, he didn''t notice, but as he turned a large monster bird came from behind and tried to attack him. Of course, his shadow shot out and pierced it several times, stopping its momentum and killing it. However...A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Did that idiot stop while wolves were chasing him to warn me...wait, the way he reacted so fast...did he know I was here the whole time, watching and doing nothing, but took time out of his own situation to warn me anyways?

    Yuu wasn''t sure what he was thinking. Did he maybe set this up? A trap to make him drop his guard?

    Yuu was not paranoid, but...there was an odd thing about a six year old being alone in a forest full of dangerous beasts. Granted, that made himself weird, but for it to happen twice in one area?

    Well, the only way I will learn is if I interrogate him...

    Thinking that, Yuu dropped down while releasing several large magical ice spears. Each one pierced a wolve''s head, and then one froze entirely. There was one more wolf, but the boy with green hair shot it in the head, instantly killing it.

    That is not a skill a normal boy should have. This is a trap. He is trying to take something from me...I should be on guard...

    Once all the enemies were dead, the boy turned towards him and immediately ran. Yuu put himself on guard, as the boy jumped forward...and gave him a big hug while crying.

    "Thwank wuuu!" he said while sobbing. "Thwank wuu for swaving mwe!"

    His words were garbled with tears, but Yuu was roughly able to understand what he was saying. That said...he felt weird.

    "G-get off of me!" Yuu said with a red face as he tried to beat him back. But the boy seemed to be physically stronger, and more importantly...

    My Shadow...isn''t attacking him?

    This got him flustered most of all. His shadow would automatically attack those that aimed for his life, or to take things that belonged to him. It attacked a wolf that tried to steal his meat, and also attacked one of the bandits from the second group when he tried to hold the boy down with a dirty face. The Shadow didn''t seem all too specific on the definition of "take", but yet...the boy who was hugging Yuu right now was not being attacked at all. Which could only mean, he had no intention of taking Yuu''s life, his wallet, his belongings, or assaulting him in any way.

    Could Shadow...be failing or something? Like, is he masking his intentions with magic? Maybe he is brainwashed or something?

    Yuu doubted he was here for good intentions. So eventually, after Yuu got free of the boy''s hug, he raised his guard.

    "Hold it, hold it! Who are you?! Where did you come from? What are you doing here?"

    "Ah! My name is Lyo! I am a wood elf!" he said, brushing the sides of his hair back to show his pointed ears. "As for why I am here, I escaped some bad people a week ago and ran here looking for people, especially friendly people!"

    Yuu could almost tell immediately, what this person probably was. He seemed like one of those ridiculously over positive types that was super social and friendly. In other words, bothersome.

    "Well, this is my land and your not invited" Yuu said, walking away. However, the boy followed him.

    Yuu tried walking faster to lose him, but he just walked faster. So Yuu hopped into some trees, but Lyo hopped up into the trees after him and climbed even faster then Yuu could. He was starting to get annoyed.

    "Didn''t I tell you, this is my land".

    "Yeah...but I thought maybe you were just being shy and might be lonely!" he declared. "By the way, did you make all of these magic tools scattered around this part of the forest? They are really cool!"

    Yuu''s face turned bright red when he was called shy and lonely. He was getting annoyed and irritated to no end by this moron.

    But before he could even comment, he then went and talked about the magic tools. They were well hidden, and Yuu made sure they could not be sensed easily even by himself. So how did this moron notice?

    "I am not lonely! And how do you even know they are there?"

    "Haha! My parents always said I had a great eye for detail!"

    ...apparently not for reading the mood though...

    It seemed like Lyo was not going to go away, but Yuu was getting more and more tense. Even so, his Shadow was not reacting. This boy''s babbling didn''t seem to be false. He was just a moron.

    "Listen moron, I have a lot of things to do! You cant tell anyone I live here got it? And get out of my land!"

    "Well...the thing is, I am kinda lost!" he said. "But okay! I get it, this is like a secret base right? Understood, I wont tell anyone!"

    Yuu made him say that to think about things, however...the Shadow did not react.

    "And dont tell anyone about me either!"

    "I get it, because then they might figure out where you live and your secret base right? Okay!"

    Again, Shadow did not attack. It appeared this boy honestly did not have any ulterior motives.

    "Whatever...just, dont bother me...I need to take a bath" he said, his mental energy having been spent dealing with that person.

    After finally getting Lyo to go do something else (get firewood), Yuu was finally able to go to his bath. Located in a nice little alcove, it was connected to a sulfer spring and so was a hot springs bath. There was a small waterfall nearby that acted as a pre-bath shower, afterwards he could take a bucket, some cloth he gathered, and wash his body before going through a special entrance he made and enter the bath itself. The waterfall sometimes had some irregular movement every so often, bt it was still fairly rhythmic and nice. Finally some peace and quiet, to let him think how to handle that moron and get him to leave.

    "Ah!" Lyo said as he suddenly barged in, naked, and soaking wet. "So you did build a hot springs bath here!"

    Yuu went to cover himself with his hands, but Lyo quickly came into the bath and gave him a hug, prompting Yuu to move his hands to try and push Lyo away. The sun had already started to set, revealing a lovely star filled sky, but the peacefulness was interrupted by the one who he wanted some alone time to try and figure out how to get rid of.

    And yet, here they were now, naked and sharing a bath. Yuu complained.

    "Lyo...Lyo! Get out!"

    "Haha! Dont be shy, you have a very good looking body, and we are both guys and friends anyways!"

    "I dont recall ever accepting your friendship!"

    "Ahh! Yuu''s skin is so soft! Is this because you bathe here regularly?"

    "Shut up! This is my alone time!"

    "Ah, but baths are much better taken together! Like meals! And sleep!"

    "Sh-shut up!"

    Yuu tried pushing him away again, but Lyo was still stronger then him. He probably did not grow up malnourished in this world. However, what might be more embarrassing was that despite the fact Lyo was a guy, he hugged like a girl. When guys hug, they only use their upper body, while girls used their whole body. That was because of a different of...body structure. But Lyo disregarded that completely.

    Of course, maybe that was just what boys also did in this world, but for Yuu, it was embarrassing.

    "This is way too much!" Yuu complained, but Lyo would not let go as he just kept talking. He had totally deluded himself into thinking they were friends already.

    By the time Lyo had finally let go, it was time to get out of the bath anyways. What was supposed to be his personal time to rest had became so exhausting, he quickly went right to bed.

 Chapter 4: Life with Lyo

    Chapter 4: Life with Lyo

    Yuu found himself sleepily waking up as the morning light came into his window. Due to all the cliffs and such, it got darker a lot quicker and earlier, and the light didn''t reach well in the morning a lot of angles. That was why he built his house into the side of a cliff where the morning light would come in nicely from the east. At least, he figured it was east, based on his old world''s system.

    It had been two weeks since he met Lyo, and the boy had still not left. Rather...every night so far...just like last night and this morning, Lyo slept in the same bed as Yuu. Furthermore, he slept completely naked, and always somehow managed to prevent Yuu from wearing anything to bed as well. The first few times, Yuu had just been so drowsy from dealing with Lyo, he had run out of energy beforehand, and he was used to sleeping alone so since heat naturally gathered well in this canyon, he slept in the nude a lot. After all, even if it seemed to snow and be winter elsewhere, this canyon was above or close to volcanic caverns and such that he could easily find a sulfer spring to me a hot springs bath. While wind could get in, and sometimes blow strongly even, throughout the cavern, the walls made it warm up well and from what Yuu guessed, capture heat very well. Heat from below, combined with high amounts of captured heat, kept this place warm.

    However, waking up two weeks in a row with someone else lying on top of them with both of them naked? If they were not both six years old, someone would be making some dirty joke. If there was someone who would make a dirty joke despite them both being six though, Yuu would probably burn his mouth off.

    Yuu started the day like any other, kicking Lyo off of him violently. The naked boy hit his head against the wall, but still slept deeply. This frusterated Yuu enough to kick Lyo again in the stomach, but he still didn''t wake up. Again. No matter what sort of physical violence he used, he could not get him to wake up. Yuu therefore tried sitting on Lyo''s exposed belly, but still nothing.

    "Great...how is it I am unlucky enough to get stuck with this moron?"

    No matter what Lyo did, Yuu''s Shadow would not attack him. Yuu thought for sure when Lyo made breakfast for him one morning, that it would count as taking his ingredients and Shadow would kill him, but Shadow did nothing of the sort, even though he made breakfast for both of them. When Lyo pulled Yuu''s clothes off suddenly and carried him into the bath, or tickled him, or such, Shadow did not attack. When Lyo hugged him, bathed with him, slept with him, stole his pillows and blankets while sleeping, played with his and Yuu''s food, clung to Yuu, threw acorns at him as a game, nothing triggered Shadow.

    One time Lyo did something that for sure Yuu thought went too far, though he refused to even mentally reflect on the specifics of what Lyo did, Shadow did not trigger.

    "Ah! Good morning Yuu!" Lyo said energeticly as he wiggled out from under Yuu, causing them both to stand up. And then, in that moment, he kissed Yuu on the lips, making him flustered. Shadow however did not attack then either.

    "What the...dont do that!"

    "That was just a friendship kiss! To celebrate our two week friendship anniversary!"

    "I am amazed a moron like yourself knows how to properly count days and weeks".

    "Don''t be so bashful like that, Yuu!" he said as he hugged Yuu again.

    "Stop it! Moron! Idiot! At least let us get dressed first!"

    Yuu found Lyo to be a complete and total pain, however...Shadow was not attacking him at all. Now of course, Yuu could have always attacked Lyo himself, at any time. It would be easy for him to kill Lyo, he was sure. The boy was literally showing his naked rear to him. No defenses, no weapons, no enchantments. Yuu could place his hand on Lyo''s chest, and freeze his heart solid. He could kill him instantly.

    But Yuu couldn''t do that. Even though he could so easily kill those bandits, it was because Yuu knew what they really were. He could tell their hands were covered in blood, that they were depraved individuals who were scum. Murderers, rapists, ect. But Lyo was innocent, an innocent and harmless boy. Like he used to be, before his father started beating him really bad.

    ANd as much as Yuu''s heart had turned cold, he was not going to stoop to the level of scum his father was. Lyo was outright annoying, embarrassing, and a moron...but killing or attacking him would make him the same as his father. The trash father who he hated from the deepest parts of his heart, the one who had caused him so much pain. That was his father, and he was his son. He wanted to reject that very idea, and Yuu knew that meant he had to be better.

    He might not trust people, but he was going to at least be a better person then his father. Every time he thought of killing Lyo, that thought went through his head, and he stopped. Shadow did not attack Lyo, which meant Lyo was harmless to Yuu. There was no point to attack someone who was not an enemy.

    "By the way, Yuu! When is your birthday, so I know when to get ready to celebrate it!"

    "...I don''t know" Yuu said.

    "Ah! You answered properly! Ah, but you don''t know? Hmmm...oh, I know! Lets make it today then! Ah, but then I dont have time to prepare! Tomorrow then! Lets make it tomorrow!"

    "Do you even know what tomorrow is?"

    "It is the 17th of Salar!" Lyo said confidentally, standing with his hands at his hips.

    "Great...but can you get dressed before you make a triumphant pose?"

    "Ehhhh? But its so hot today! And its not like anyone else is around..." Lyo complained. Yuu was pretty sure this guy was just trying to make it so Yuu would grow his bond deeper with Lyo, but the Shadows had no reaction so it meant he still had no negative intentions towards Yuu. That said...

    "I am still not comfortable with the fact you keep barging itno my bed. You have no sense of personal space. Why cant you find your own place to sleep?!"

    "Well, its very simple! Its more fun to sleep with you! Besides, I know you agree! You are just being shy and playful as ever!"

    "Idiot! Moron! Moronic idiot!"

    Yuu proceeded to beat his fists onto Lyo. Lyo seemed to saw ow a few times, but Yuu got the feeling he was enjoying it also.

    "Right, then there is only one thing to do! We will celebrate your birthday tomorrow, so we must prepare!"

    Lyo began to walk out the door.

    "If you are going outside, at least get dressed first moron! Monsters are out there!"

    "Ah, good point!"

    "Moron!"

    Now up and dressed, Yuu was working on some new things. His progress was being seriously hampered by that moron Lyo, but he was making some work now.

    He couldn''t help but wonder if Lyo even understood him well enough at all to properly get a present. There were no villages nearby from what Yuu had found, though he never did venture very far. And Lyo...Lyo was a moron, but he was somehow able to use that sensor system Yuu developed to find his way home whenever they went out. Lyo was annoying, pushy, and couldn''t read the mood though. He even once tried to get Yuu to play some games outside with him, sometimes even dragging Yuu away from whatever he was doing. Hide and seek, arts and crafts, childish things.

    "Of all the people I had to meet, I get stuck with this idiot" Yuu said, having not noticed a few things. However, his mind became distracted when he heard the perimeter alarm go off. Yuu ran off to see what it was, and saw that Lyo was somewhere in the flower grove near where the creatures had entered. It seemed like they were heading towards him.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "That moron...uhg, I will make him pay for this!" Yuu said, putting on his boots and getting his staff before heading out towards the meadow.

    The meadow was a place in the valley where a lot of flowers grew in abundance. Lyo showed it to him one time after a day of exploring, commenting on how pretty and beautiful it was, and then hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. The boy was a total airhead, after all. Yuu made sure to jump from tree to tree, to avoid being spotted, as he perched himself on a tree near the meadow. The meadow was also fairly clear of trees, and therefore got a lot more sunlight then others.

    Looking down, Yuu saw that two people had arrows running through their chests, another had an arrow in the shoulder, while a fourth man was holding Lyo down and ramming his face into the mud. Furthermore, his clothes had been totally torn off leaving him stark naked again, and it appeared he had been kicked and beaten recently.

    Unlike normal, Lyo did not seem all that happy though, even crying and scared. There was a fifth man in fancy clothes in front of Lyo, apparently speaking to him. Yuu enhanced his sense of hearing to listen in on what they were saying.

    "Now boy...these clothes look way nicer then you were wearing before, and I know you are too stupid to do it yourself! So tell me, who else is here, and where do they live? If you do, we will treat you nicely...I promise, and you know I am a man of my word".

    As Yuu heard that, he narrowed his eyes. He noticed a few of them looking around at the trees though, so he climbed down from behind to watch them at ground level. Lyo was crying.

    That boy...he is weak. Those people seem to know him...

    In any world, the only thing anyone ever did was look out for themselves. Yuu knew this. In his previous world, even though it was obvious he was being abused, and obvious he was unable to report it himself, they did nothing because it never affected them. Even as moronic as Lyo was, when push came to shove, everyone had survival instincts. Everyone betrayed others. It was ingrainted into their DNA.

    "Alright!" Lyo shouted, giving in as Yuu expected. "You promise, right?"

    "Yes, I do" he said with an evil snarl. Yuu figured the man probably wouldn''t keep his word, but Lyo was in a desperate position. Plus, anyone with actual skills like repairing and refitting clothes, evne if Yuu used magic to do it, would be more valuable then him.

    "Okay then!" Lyo said, as Yuu closed his eyes to think how he would fight them off.

    But the next words made them shoot open.

    "He lives north of here!"

    Lyo was a moron, and he did get lost, but he knew enough about directions to always come home. Even after Yuu knocked him out twice and left him deeper in the forest, he found his way back. So Lyo had to know, it absolutely was not north. It was...

    "So its south, huh?" the man said with a grin, with Lyo showing great shock. "Too bad, I knew you would try to lie to us and throw us off. Now the deal is null, and we know where this friend of yours is. And once we make him our slave as well, I am sure he will sell well. Who knows, maybe you two will be bought together?"

    Yuu stood there, shocked at what he heard. The man had played Lyo...but that was not what shocked him. It was that Lyo was smart enough, or knew him well enough, to know how to play him! It was not north or south, it was west! Lyo must have said north, and not east, knowing that he might do that and go the opposite way!

    To Yuu, Lyo was a moron...an overly friendly, idiotic, moron. But...for him to act in a way Yuu did not expect...and for the slave master to expect him to give the opposite direction...it would mean he had to have a great deal of consideration and thoguthful for his others...for his friends. To be selfless for them.

    Lyo, who was whipped on the rear by the slave master, was then pulled up. "Take this brat back to the slave convoy!"

    Yuu didn''t budge. After all, if he did, those people might find him. And unlike bandits, they might be better skilled. If he moved, if he did anything, he would lose. He did not want that...after all, Lyo was just some annoying bother to him.

    But while his mind thought of that, as two men began to drag Lyo away...something charged out of the forest and pierced both of them.

    It was Yuu''s Shadow, having emerged from his location. It was what pierced those two. His location now revealed, Yuu did not delay in jumping out and shooting a giant ice spear at one of the men. He was still a bit shocked, but moved to dodge, however it still tore off his arm. Meanwhile, the other man saw Yuu and immediately charged with his sword.

    Yuu''s Shadow attacked him, but he dodged as he knew to expect it. Yuu summoned a wind blade and shot it at him while he dodged, but he was able to stop himself, also losing an arm.

    There were only two enemies left. The first two that the shadow hit both got killed, while Lyo was unharmed from the attack. Meanwhile, the other two were missing an arm, and the slave master just seemed shocked.

    "Get that brat! Capture him! He will surely sell for a lot, enough to easily afford both of your arms getting restored!"

    The men got up, seemingly filled with rage and adrenaline. Neither of them had lost their sword hand. Yuu proceeded to launch more ice spears at them, but they were dodging them, having learned to expect them. They were closing in, but as one got close enough, Yuu clad himself in lightning and grabbed the sword with his arms coated in Mana. As such, while he was fine, the man got electrocuted to death. That left one more, who had moved from behind while avoiding Yuu''s shadow, preparing to strike at his back. However, he then got an arrow to the eye, which was fired by the bow Lyo had picked up.

    "Don''t touch my best friend!"

    Yuu blushed a little at that public declaration, but first he kicked the man with a lightning infused leg and send him away scorched. Yuu then levitated a rock into the air with magic, and crushed the third man''s head, before sending down another few lightning bolts at the fourth and final man, the slave owner. He proceeded to take Lyo hostage, putting a knife to his throat, but as he did the shadow charged forward through the grass and emerged, stabbing him through the chest. Furthermore, it even grabbed the knife and prevented it from cutting Lyo''s neck, pulling it away.

    "Ah..." Lyo said, embarrassed. "Sorry...for causing you so much trouble when you should be getting ready to enjoy your birthday..."

    "Seriously, the first thing that embarrasses you is that? Get dressed, moron" Yuu said as he flicked Lyo''s forehead, but all Lyo could do is smile. "What...what are you doing?"

    "Its just...you are finally fully smiling Yuu. iv only managed to get you to slip up and smile a little, but I did it! You are really happy!"

    Yuu didn''t realize it at all, but it appears Lyo was trying to get him to smile. Yuu had some doubts on his methods, but apparently, he had made Yuu smile for a brief moment a few times already. Yuu didn''t even notice, but he noticed know...he was smiling. Honest joy, he felt it. After years of abuse from his parents, and then the hell he woke up to here...after isolating himself and not trusting people, he was smiling? Now that he noticed, it felt so foreign to him.

    "This...is joy?" Yuu muttered, causing Lyo to run up and hug him.

    "Yes! Now we can be joyous together!"

    He said that, but then...

    "Oi oi! What are you doing?!" Yuu exclaimed as Lyo started to strip Yuu of his clothes until he was naked, and pulled him into the meadow.

    "Spread your body in a star like position, and laugh! Laugh into the sun!"

    "This is no laughing matter! We are surrounded by corpses that will attract monsters, you have no clothes, and I am naked!"

    "But Yuu...I know deep down, you enjoy and like our bonding time!"

    Yuu''s face turned deep red.

    "No! Idiot! Moron! I don''t!"

    "But you are not getting up right now" Lyo mentioned. "Also, there is more evidence".

    "Like what?!"

    "Well, if you didn''t want us to sleep together, given how smart you are...you could have just made another bed. Or bedroom. Or house even".

    As Lyo gripped his hand as they lay underneath the sun, Yuu blushed further. Indeed...why did he never think of that? Two whole weeks, it would have taken him less then a day to make another bed. Its only those fluffy leaf pillows, and some hide he finally figured out how to tan (with magic). It would take him two hours. A house? he got better with earth magic, it would not even take him half a day to make a decent one. And he already did all of this himself once...there was no reason he should not have thought about that as a solution.

    "There are plenty of things you could have done without hurting me, but no matter what, you only really ever used your words and put up a feeble resistance. That is why I knew...you were just being shy and bashful".

    There was one more thing...Lyo didn''t know this was an example as well, since Yuu never explained it to him, but...the final piece of evidence of Yuu''s true feelings was his Shadow. Yuu could not manually command the attacks his Shadow gave, they only activated automatically, and only when people tried to attack or take something of Yuu''s. However...they reacted when those men tried to take Lyo away from him. In other words...Lyo was already considered his friend by his own subconscious at this point.

    This annoying person who pushed himself into Yuu''s life. Who came into the bath unwantedly, who took Yuu''s clothes off when he didn''t want him too, who ate with him, cooked with and for him, who Yuu eventually patched up clothes for since the tattered clothes annoyed him, or at least that was what he thought he believed, this annoying, innocent, pushy boy...had become his best friend.

    "J-just so you know" Yuu mentioned. "I still will make you your own bedroom, because I dont want you crawling in my bed every night!"

    "But, that means I can still crawl in right? Since sleep is easier when with friends!"

    "How does that even make sense?!"

    "Simple" Lyo said with a giggle. "Because then you feel safer knowing a friend is there with you".

    Yuu''s face probably couldn''t get anymore red.

    "Just...shut up! And get dressed! And give me my clothes! Monsters will be here soon!"

    "Well, about that...they ripped up all my clothes!"

    "Uhg...fine...we can...stay like this till we get back..."

    "Yay!"

    "Wait...what am I saying, why dont I just use some of their clothes for a patch job for you..."

    "Because you dont want us to go back with uneven levels of protection of course!"

    "No no! It would be best to...uhg! You are messing with my thought process!"

    "Come on, it will be fun!"

    "I am not a nudist! And neither are you! You are just acting weird because...because I finally...accepted you..."

    "Is that so wrong? its a great feeling!"

    "Shut up! Stop making it weird!"

    And so, Yuu''s heart healed a little that day, having made his very first friend. Happy enough that, while he did not realize it, he cried some tears of joy.

    End of Arc 1: Arrivals and Encounters

 Arc 2 Start: Chapter 5: Adventurers

    Arc 2: Forest Exploration

    Chapter 5: Adventurers

    It had been almost a year since the incident where Lyo was attacked by the slavers he had escaped from. As it turned out, he had been kidnapped and illegally thrown into slavery, with forged papers to make it appear legit. Apparently, there was a legal form of slavery for criminals and those in debt, but people could also be illegally enslaved.

    Apparently, Lyo''s village had first been destroyed by bandits, then he was caught by slavers. However, somehow this idiot managed to escape somehow. Furthermore, he then got attacked by monsters, and then found Yuu.

    Yuu was not sure if Lyo was lucky or unlucky.

    Either way, with Lyo, although Yuu rarely showed his true feelings, he and Yuu were getting along better now. Yuu had ended up making a bigger bed, since Lyo would not stop crawling into the same bed as him, so at least they were not sleeping on top of each other but had their own space. Although Lyo still did that sometimes, and would throw a fit if Yuu tried to separate them. Furthermore, with Lyo here, he had someone to send to hunt for food while he worked on things here, so productivity had ended up increasing. Bandits kept wandering in from time to time, but they didn''t stand much chance. Lyo was a genius with a bow, capable of sniping at ranges that surprised Yuu.

    Yuu tried to learn archery from Lyo, but...it didn''t go well. As expected, he was trash with weapons. He could only use a dagger, and magical staffs or wands.

    He also came to realize yet one of many reasons why nudity was not seem so weird or as a taboo here, if Lyo was to be used as an example. Surely enough, Yuu had noticed it as well. The clothes were of poor quality and if worn for long periods, became irritable to the skin. No wonder he was always more comfortable sleeping naked.

    However, through all of his research and development, he had finally achieved something wonderous. Comfortable underwear. The technology for thread making of this world was far below his previous one, and the underwear was extremely uncomfortable. Without powder or such, rashes could occur even. It was terrible. Many people didn''t even wear underwear as a result. However, he had managed to do it! After a few months of development, he did it!

    However, the common sense of this world had many reasons for it, and Yuu was already in the habit, however, without a doubt comfy boxers were great. It took him a lot of time to figure out how to use magic this way though, turning leather and other rougher materials into something different. Furthermore, if they had people over, he wanted something to wear.

    Of course, underwear was not the only thing. Even if he had gotten used to sleeping and bathing nude, he did not want to wear rough clothes, and if they were traveling or camping away from home, that was a very irrational thing to do. However, the clothes indeed were not that great. He did hear that nobles had better clothes from Lyo, and that they had softer and nicer feels. However, Yuu still had the memories of Yuuki, and was unsatisfied with this world''s level of cloth.

    So...he went and did it!

    He developed a jacket that was smooth to the touch, more like a raincoat or windbreaker jacket! It was water repellant, although during tests, it was confirmed that submerging was still unpleasant for it. It was durable, fairly nice looking, and looked a bit more modern then other clothing. That said...it was still based on rough material, and based on Lyo, he could not make it "too high quality".

    Apparently, he might be accused of stealing it, or some nonsense like that. Nobles might come after him. Because of that, they had to make sure to be careful. Of course, that required going to a place with nobles and people in the first place.

    Either way, for Yuu, he now had a Refined Drakeskin Blue hooded sleeveless jacket, Refined Drakeskin Blue Shorts, Refined Drakeskin Blue Boots, super comfy black boxer underwear (hybrid blend), super comfy white socks (hybrid blend) white Refined Cloth sleeveless shirt, and a pair of special goggles that allowed him to analyze magical levels from beasts, people, and such. Even if they didn''t use magic, the amount of magic they radiated could still help him determine how strong they are. Nothing specific like numbers, but it was something. The goggles were made using his special managlass, some metals they managed to blast mine using magic, and more drakeskin leather.

    As for where the drakeskins came from, they ended up coming across a pack of them last summer. It took Yuu this long to figure out what to do with it. He wanted to curse at those natural genius types who somehow made everything work quickly. This was not easy, the process was a pain. That said, even though it was too warm and hot at night, on nights that it got colder, or maybe when they got older, he could convince Lyo to get his own bed, but more importantly...he had also made pyjammas! That said, making them was an even bigger pain. It wasn''t the Auto-Grow factor that would let them grow with him. Nor was it the enhanced durability enchantments. The painful part...was the damn threads! It took a lot of Silversteel Spider harvesting to get the threads. He had to basically learn how to milk spiders at some parts. It was weird, and gross, and he never, ever wanted to do it ever again! Hence the Auto-Grow enchant. Actually, he had finished them today, because it took him awhile to figure out how to use magic to get all the threads together to make the material.

    As for Lyo, his equipment was similar to Yuu''s, only it was green and had a different design so they didn''t completely match, also a bit bigger. Lyo was not growing that fast, but...he was a few centimeters taller then Yuu. Apparently, Wood Elves were known to be short genetically, but Yuu was rather short for a human his age. There was a good chance he would get picked on because of it.

    The jackets could deploy sleeves actually, but it was hot all year round in the canyon, only a few times in winter getting cold enough to get snow. Yuu also had developed several board games, since it did rain quite a few times, so they had something to do, and he managed to get his flute, and then his automatic flute player, working.

    "Hey, Yuu...you know, we should totally become adventurers!"

    "Sounds like a great way to get ripped off" Yuu replied, washing some dishes.

    "Oh come on! There are plenty of nice people out there!"

    "Didn''t you get kidnapped by slavers twice?"

    "Yeah, but...there are still lots of nice people out there?"

    "What about the bandits that threated to...well, do things to us?"

    "Again, those are against the norm".

    The two seven year olds were having this sort of discussion. Lyo wanted to convince Yuu to come with him. In truth, Lyo was a bit concerned for Yuu. His outlook of people was...grim, to say the least. He finally was more trusting and open with Lyo, but...he was firmly opposed to dealing with other people.

    In the first place, he was clearly able to live on his own just fine here.

    "Buuuut��.they have books and stuff! And other kids our age!"

    Yuu hesitated for a moment. Yes, Yuu was interested in books. Not so much making friends, but...books were one of his few solaces, ways to escape his parents abuse. So he had a bit of affection for books. Fiction books. Story books. Science books. This world apparently, while not totally mass producing books, had created enough books that even some of the wealthier commoners could get one.

    "But...people are backstabbing jerks. We cant trust them" Yuu mentioned.

    "What about me? Didn''t I prove people can be trusted?"

    "You are a weird, freeky mutant" Yuu said half jokingly. "I probably would not have acted if my shadow had not acted for me".

    "But...your shadow is based on your subconscious or whatever right? So clearly, you saw me as a friend at that point!"

    "Just...shut up! Shut up! Moron! Idiot!"

    "I love you too!"

    "Ahhh, just go away! We need more materials anyways! Go hunt some bird monster magic stones! Those things are really compatible with wind magic!"

    "Yes yes" Lyo said, hugging Yuu from behind and then heading off.

    "Stop doing that!" Yuu shouted. Lyo seemed to deeply enjoy making his affection, platonic as it was, open and known.

    Granted it was just the two of them, but Yuu knew for a fact he was the kind of idiot who would announce them as best friends in the middle of the street and embarrass Yuu.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Well, I guess its time to get to work..."

    Yuu started to say that, when his pendent began to glow. This was a magic communicator between him and Lyo. He answered it with an annoyed voice.

    "Its only been a minute..."

    "Yuu! Check the perimeter!"

    "Huh?" he said, when the perimeter alarm went off. Lyo seemed to have pretty good hearing, so he must have heard something.

    "What is it?"

    "I have six individuals. No wait, seven. Eight. Nine...its staying at nine! It looks like a group of five hunting a group of four. Why? What are you picking up?"

    "People! At least four voices, shouting to each other. Maintain formation, keep calm! Remember that they have to survive to report their findings! Something about an exploration force maybe? Either way, they are up against a pack of Magibears!"

    Magibears was not all that complicated to understand. They were bears that could use magic. They had some sort of stone on their forehead and were large, so they were easily to identify. However, they did not usually hunt in packs. Each one was a leader in its own right. Apparently they got together every so often to mate, but otherwise, they led weaker monsters as leaders.

    "I see...well, let me know when the bandits get killed so we can go loot their bodies" Yuu said without any real care about them. The Magibears thing was weird and warrented investigation, but the bandits were just scum who should get killed.

    "I dont think they are bandits! They have proper steel weapons, one is a mage, and the other is an archer! I think they are adventurers!"

    "Adventurers?"

    Yuu had not encountered any adventurers yet, except for those that abused him before he regained his memories. He didn''t have positive feelings about them as a result.

    "Cool. In that case, I will come over, so we can both immediately loot their corpses when they die. They should have some good gear. Maybe I will even be able to make you a pair of goggles".

    "Yuu��"

    Lyo was using his angry voice. The amount of times Yuu had heard that voice was in the single digits, and it almost always meant that Yuu was doing something morally wrong. The last time was when he learned Yuu was experimenting on living bandits to see if he could increase a health potion''s effectiveness, as well as what sort of magics did what. Yuu got scolded for a good hour or two, and Lyo made him be his pillow for a whole week. Leave it to Lyo to come up with such a childish punishment. So far it was "be tied to a tree naked", "be my pillow", "let me draw all over your face", and "let me wash you head from toe". Lyo was childish like that. Well, they were effective in their own way.

    "Hey! We cant trust them! The last adventurers I met beat me up and used me for entertainment! I got tied up and my rear got used as a dart board!"

    Thankfully they were not big darts, but it was still bad.

    "Yuu...not everyone is the same. I am not like that right?"

    "We are both seven! They are older! They will try and take advantage of us!"

    "Yuu, you need to learn not to hate every single person you come across".

    "I dont hate them!"

    "Fine, you cant immediately assume they are looking to screw you over..."

    "...its an involuntairy reflex. I cant help it".

    "Yuu, at the very least, how about you help me make sure they dont die? Okay?"

    "Fiiine" Yuu caved, running out to help. Honestly though, he was mainly coming to keep Lyo safe. He didn''t care about the others, so long as Lyo lived he would be happy.

    Either way, he made it to the perimeter breach. Surely enough, there were two warriors, one mage, and one archer. Unlike bandits, they appeared to have good and well maintained equipment. Compared to the bandits, they were much stronger also. The mage was able to cast spells fairly well, although...

    "Is speaking out words to cast a spell a habit?"

    "I heard that some people had to do that...speaking of which, you don''t use any words usually do you?"

    "Yeah, some magic comes easier for me. So long as its basic or simple magic, I dont need to say anything. But, if its magic that is more powerful or on a larger scale, sometimes I have to".

    "Maybe...it helps focus it..."

    Suddenly, a huge swirling flame tornado emerged.

    "What are those idiots thinking?!" Yuu shouted as he stood up on the tree branch.

    "A fire spell that size could seriously damage the forest.

    Yuu swung his staff around, and let loose a torrent of water. "Aquos Surge!"

    He immediately put out the fires that began from the flames, as well as smashing into both the bears and adventurers.

    "Yuu!"

    "Ah...sorry sorry!"

    "You know what this means right? We are going to use those"

    The moment Lyo said that, Yuu''s face went red.

    "Now hold on, that was an accident!  I dont even understand why bandits hand those, let alone why you took them!"

    "No way I will believe that! Look, you defeated the bears, but the adventurers are unconscious! You better apologize properly and accept your punishment!"

    "Eep! Be reasonable!"

    <hr>

    Aching pain.

    That was what Argen Reese, the leader of the adventurer party, Daysparrow, felt as he began to regain consciousness. He remembered vaguely what had happened. They encountered something unusual, a back of Magibears, and they all attacked them at once. While fleeing and defending, their mage panicked and let loose a flame spell in the middle of a dense forest. Then, as if reacting to the flame, a huge flood of water came out of nowhere and swamped them all.

    That was when he started to look around, and he heard two voices...young by the sounds of it, complaining.

    "Why did you strip them completely naked!"

    "All of their clothes were wet! I couldn''t let them catch a cold! More importantly, accept your punishment properly and let me tie this!"

    "Muuu...come on? Couldn''t you just...use me as a pillow again or something?"

    "You are the one that released that spell, so you apologize to them properly!"

    "But this is..."

    "Just do it!"

    That was when the man looked around, and saw that lying on the grounds with blankets over their bodies, but not their heads, were the other members of his party. The other warrior, Lysander. The female archer, Verona. The mage, Cassor. That was when the door opened, and two young girls came in...wearing maid dresses. Although one of them looked like she was about to faint from embarrassment.

    Wait...could it be...

    "H...hello...I am sorry for accidentally flooding your party" the girl said as he did a curtsy, only to get the footing wrong and fall down. No doubt in Argen''s mind. He was a boy.

    "Erm...why are you..."

    "This is part of his punishment for, among other things, casting the spell that knocked out your party".

    "Wait wait...what?"

    The boy in question could only be six, maybe seven at most. And yet he cast a spell that took out an entire party of adult adventurers?

    "Ah...I think he was probably punished enough. Anyways, I am guessing you were worried about a forest fire and wanted to stop the forest from burning down, right? I understand, all is forgiven...and since I think we need to have a bit of a discussion, feel free to wear something more comfortable".

    Hearing those words, the embarrassed boy immediately took the other boy''s hand and charged out of the room. Some violent sounds could be heard, but when they returned, the two were dressed in simple shorts and sleeveless shirts. The noise ended up waking up the rest of the party though, so they had to get a repeat on the explanation.

    Either way, afterwards, during the talks and introductions, and after the boy named Yuu provided them with some dry, spare clothing he had in storage, they began the explanation. It appeared that they had been living in the woods, on their own, without any adults for a year now. Which was surprising in its own right...

    "And then, Yuu made me this really cool super bow that can devastate like, everything in my path!"

    "Idiot! That was a terrible explanation!"

    "But it gets the point across, right?"

    "Uhg...sorry, he is a moron".

    "But I am also your bestest best friend in the universe and history of best friendships!"

    "Moron! Dont blurt things out like that! Its embarrassing!"

    There were a lot of strange points to these two, but above all...whenever Yuu was in the room, he kept everyone within his eyesight at all times, and Argen got the feeling he was spreading his mana out to keep watch that way too. The boy didn''t trust them at all. Lyo on the other hand, he seemed far less cautious, constantly playing and messing with Yuu.

    "I see...so...you have just been living out here, all this time on your own then?"

    "Of course" Yuu said, not giving anything away. And yet at the same time, Argen felt a chill go down his back, as if it might be a bad idea to continue that conversation further. That was when they heard a strange noise.

    "What was that?"

    "That was our perimeter alarm! Yuu set it up so it lets us know when people are coming!"

    "Idiot, dont tell them about my stuff! Its mine!"

    "Ah! Sorry sorry!"

    Yuu got up and went into another room.

    "ITs another group of four! Coming from the south this time!"

    "Ah, it might be another party. There is a large scale quest to investigate this area and map it".

    "Tsk. Cant you all just stay away in your cities?" Yuu muttered.

    "Sorry about that...he was kinda abused by...everyone, so he hates everyone. It even took me awhile before he fully opened up".

    Actually Lyo sort of recklessly barged his way into Yuu''s heart, but that was besides the point.

    That was when the adventurers noticed there were weird rings on them, each one having one.

    "Ah...it was his his demand in exchange for letting you guys come into our base. Dont worry, those things will only kill you if you bestray or attack us in any way. Really sorry about that".

    Argen''s head was full of red lights as a result. This boy trusted people so little that he had to put some sort of death curse on them?! Just how badly was this boy abused?

    The mage, Cassor, was meanwhile trying to examine the ring, but there was some sort of magical encoding to stop that. He roughly understood the ring was already connected to their hearts, and if they took it off, they would die quite painfully.

    Clearly, this boy was not going to trust them all that easily.

    Yuu came back, this time dressed in high quality gear. Verona''s eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw it.

    "I am going to scout, see if its adventurers or bandits. Lyo, stay here and if they do anything suspicious, dont be a sap and just kill them".

    "Muuu��.Yuu, that''s a bit harsh".

    "Its kill or be killed" Yuu retorted, as he then left.

    "Well, I am going to cook up some lunch! Just...stay here I guess!"

    With that, Lyo left as well, closing the door behind him.

    "Hey, Argen...you saw that kid''s clothes right?"

    "Yeah...that was Drakeskin, right Verona?"

    "I think so, but that level of treatment...I have never seen anything like it. It seemed water resistant from the look, but also rather comfortable. Looks like it was made a bit large to grow into...but, that looked extremely protective as well. Like it could absorb quite a bit of damage".

    "That kid is only seven, but his gear is probably close to a C-Rank Adventurer at least, maybe lower end of B. That magic too...its extremely powerful, also upper C or lower B ranked".

    "Do you think the other one is just as absurd?"

    "I mean...if he managed to get that paranoid kid to trust him, he is already absurd I would say".

    "Maybe..."

    That was when Lyo popped his head back in.

    "By the way, why are you guys exploring here in the first place?"

    "Ah, we were investigating strange spikes in magical energy coming from this area".

    "Strange spikes?" Lyo muttered, wondering if it was something to be concerned about.

    But for now, he shrugged it off. He could mention it to Yuu later.

 Chapter 6: Scouting

    Chapter 6: Scouting

    Yuu meanwhile was soaring through the air, or perhaps better to be said is swinging through the air. Since the enemy...err...humans, appeared to have magic, he considered they might sense his magic emissions, so he was trying his new tool, the Grapplebelt. It did use some magic, but only to propel the ripcords. He considered calling them grapplehooks or such, but Lyo thought the name sounded clunky and stupid, so they settled on Ripcords. Basically, they were cords that ripped through the air, attacked at a point, and then pulled you in. The hooks would then pull back into the cord, and return.

    There was a magic stone inside powering it, but it used up so little magic that even when he put all of his energy and concentration into a detection spell, he didn''t pick anything up aside from a very, very minor pulse. This machine however was considered to be a good and practical way to get around, plus it easily fit on a belt so not clunky. There were a few of them, and he set it up so they synced with the user''s mind to launch where the user wanted them to.

    Given the way this world was built, with lots of canyons, tall trees, and mountains, it had plenty of use. Although there were various fields and large clearings as well, it couldn''t be denied that there was a lot of height elevation around here.

    In addition, he could test out the scanner on his goggles this time, by monitoring the adventurers without some big incident getting in the way.

    Well, he didn''t trust any of them anyways, but he wanted to know just what they were up to. They were obviously investigating something, but Yuu didn''t trust the adventurers to tell the truth. He still remembered what they did before they got his memories back. Particularly one incident, where a rather brutish adventurer made him swallow a roach, mocking him "You are what you eat!"

    And then they proceeded to kick him and leave him severely wounded in an alley. Since he wasn''t someone who could ever afford to pay them a reward, he was trash. Because he was a freak or a monster, suppressing, or even subjugating him, was only natural.

    There was also the adventurer who poisoned him, just to test out how their new poison worked. It was a light poison meant for capturing, but he was a small child so it was rather severe.

    As such, he had no intentions to trust any of them. As far as he was concerned, they were trash. But if he said that in front of Lyo, he would get scolded again.

    Lyo was simply an anomaly though. A pure spirit and soul that seemed to be incapable of being tainted by the bad people in this world. Slaves, bandits, no matter who it was, they never darkened his outlook on life and friendship. He was a freak and a mutant, just like Yuu, but in a different way.

    As Yuu got closer to the adventurers, he decided to spy on them from afar before he could be detected. Using his goggles, he measured their power levels. Just like the other party, it was a group of two warriors, one archer, and a mage. Was that a normal setup? Although, this party seemed a bit off. Their mage was radiating quite a bit of power, but their warrior with the great shield was radiating so much Yuu wondered if he was a monster.

    At that moment, he glanced towards Yuu, but Yuu hid himself behind a tree first and used magic to conceal his presence. Still, that guy was way stronger then the others. Is that party more makeshift then? THe others were more around the same power as each other, although Yuu had no way to scan for techniques.

    Well, not yet at least.

    Still, he decided to use mana to enhance his hearing and listen in on what they were saying. After all, they seemed to be discussing something.

    "So, anything strange so far, Garron?" the archer asked.

    "HMmm...there is definently some irregularities in the magical flow of this area. Im also picking up traces of things all around the forest...I think the idea that this is related to the bandit disappearances in the area is likely".

    "Well, since bandit and monster activity has been lower here, I hear not many people have come to this area lately...but it is a cause for concern..."

    When Yuu heard that, he gulped.

    ...sorry for causing people trouble with my bandit hunting...so please go away and dont bother me...

    Indeed, Yuu could basically understand he was part of the cause for all this already. Since he had been living here, he had been killing the bandits and monsters in the area so they dont threaten him. Apparently, he hunted so much, it caused not as many adventurers to come over here due to a lack of reports of activity or trouble in this area, but this caused them concern and now they were investigating.

    Although, the magical wave distortions or whatever did not sound like him. Which meant, something else might be going on...

    Although...I did do a lot of magic training...

    ...maybe...

    ANd I have been developing more powerful magic for when stronger foes appear...

    ...probably...

    ANd there was that one time I tried to tap into the magical vein underneath the canyon...

    ...possibly?

    Well, either way, he didn''t trust them, and if they were bad people, he would just kill them and loot their stuff. That was what he decided.

    "Yo, kid. So what are you doing here?"

    That was when that warrior from before asked him while he was hiding behind the tree. Yuu had not even heard him, yet he appeared out of nowhere.

    Yuu immediately backed off, changing his stealth magic for several barrier layers as he formed a complex magical array construction. That was his term for combining lots of magic arrays together to create a highly complex and powerful spell. A rubix cube like object appeared in his hands, but he noticed the others had surrounded him.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "Now now, dont make such a scary face. We just want to talk..."

    "SOmeone who wants to talk doesn''t sneak up on people!" Yuu retorted, as he unleashed a full on magical blast. The stronger warrior managed to guard against it, but the other three got blasted hard, only the mage being able to block it with magic. Yuu proceeded to use the Ripcord to gain some distance, landing on a sturdy branch. THe adventurers that were jumping and climbing up were looking at him now that he reached some distance. As expected, they didn''t seem used to such three dimensional combat like this.

    Rather, for a world with such various elevations, there was not too many animals or monsters with adaptations for it.

    "Sorry, sorry...its just, you were being so cautious, we wanted to get close enough to talk before you ran off".

    The man tried to approach him, but a magical barrier formed in the middle of the air that he slammed into. It shattered, but it also lowered his momentum, causing him to fall downwards.

    "Why do I doubt that..." he said as he narrowed his eyes and reinforced his back, as another arrow shot from a place where their archer was not came.

    I thought it was weird for two parties of four to come at once...

    "Hey now! Hold it!" The warrior said.

    The second archer quickly pulled back his bow, but then an arrow fired from another angle and cut his bow string.  Looking away, there was a boy in similar equipment with some weird looking bow. The mage seemed concerned as Yuu gathered magical energy, firing several flame blasts at Yuu to stop him. Yuu jumped back, firing pure magical attacks and intercepting them all while then forming an ice shard and firing it at the mage. Yuu then landed on another tree branch, and raised his hand. Dark clouds formed above them, and lightning surged downward at all of the adventurers.

    The mage meanwhile managed to use a magic barrier to block the ice shard from hitting him directly, but got grazed by it.

    The warrior tried to use himself as a lightning rod, but an arrow hit him in the arm to stop him from diverting the attack from Lyo. Lyo then drew two arrows at once, and fired them both at the warrior as the lightning came down. The warrior in turn swung his sword around rapidly, actually creating a torrent of wind that shielded him while also somehow attracting the lightning. Yuu could sense him using mana, somehow he must have some sort of ability that attracted attacks like that. At least energy ones such as lightning.

    "Go! Shadowbirds!"

    Suddenly, birds flew out of Yuu''s shadow and flocked right at him, but the mage created another magical barrier. It seemed he managed to deflect the other attacks and survive as well. Meanwhile, the archer closed in on Lyo. Lyo ducked as he came at him with a dagger, and used the Ripcord to pull himself back to another tree. The man used superior agility to chase him, but Lyo fired while on the move.

    It had been tricky to learn that, but Yuu had helped him, so now he could fire arrows even while soaring through the air. It had taken a few months to get down though, and he wasn''t as good as when he was still.

    Yuu meanwhile watched as the warrior got closer to him, but Yuu decided in this instance to clad himself in lightning.

    "Now, would you just hold on?! I am trying to talk here!"

    An arrow flew through the sky, forcing the warrior to dodge and giving Yuu some distance again as he landed on the ground. Suddenly, an ice spiral began to emerge from Yuu and fired multiple ice shards at the warrior while providing Yuu with his own defense. In addition, ice shards began to rain down from the sky.

    "Total Blizzard...Whiteout!"

    Suddenly, the storm increased dramatically as snow filled whirlwinds spread everywhere. There were shards of ice in it, so they cut anyone inside except for Yuu and Lyo, who were designated as friendly.

    And yet, that warrior still came at them.

    "Damnit, just die already!" he said as he shot a line of ice spikes out of the ground at the warrior. However, he somehow adjusted his trajectory mid air and evaded them all, getting closer to Yuu. In that instant though, a large amount of spikes came out of the ice to stab him in the next, but in the next instant all the ice shattered. However, Yuu was still clad in lightning, and he kicked the man in the head.

    "Haha...tickles" he said as he grabbed Yuu''s leg. Yuu gulped, but the man did something unexpected. He put down Yuu on his knee and pulled his pants down before he started to spank him. A lot. "This is for being such a bad boy".

    Yuu''s face went red with anger and embarrassment, but...Shadow still was not reacting.

    Does Shadow just...not target annoying people for some reason?

    Either way, after fifty or so he was finally put down, so he pulled his underwear and pants back up.

    "Now, can we talk?"

    "HELL NO!"

    Needless to say, Yuu was even more pissed off then before.

    <hr>

    "So, you guys were found by this kid?" the warrior, who introduced himself as James Jameson, mentioned. Yuu naturally retorted on that name, though the man replied with a comment of "additional punishment for bad boys". Thankfully, Lyo managed to calm everyone down, though at the moment they were all gathered outside of Yuu and Lyo''s home. Furthermore, not everyone was there, as the archer from before was continueing to scout the area, and Garron was checking out the area using his magic.

    "Yeah...well, it was kind of our fault" Argen mentioned.

    "Please dont take responsibility. I was the one that panicked" Cassor mentioned. They were dressed back in their old gear, now that it had sufficiently dried out thanks to Yuu''s magic.

    Well, it was Yuu''s magic that soaked it in the first place.

    "Anyways, this is a rather nice place over here. And a bit away, did I spy a natural hot springs bath?"

    "Oh yeah! Yuu made it! He is a super genius! And he is my bestiest best friend in the whole universe!" Lyo shouted out, much to Yuu''s embarrassment.

    "Idiot! DOnt just announce things like that...especially like that!"

    "Haha, no need to be shy, Yuu!"

    "Yeah...how come you wont let us inside?" James asked.

    "Because I am not totally convinced you are not a pervert!" Yuu replied, clearly still upset with him. Lyo however couldn''t help but shrug.

    Yuu had some bad experiences with abuse, so I guess that kind of punishment really upsets him...probably reminds him of the whole dart board thing, among others...

    "Plus, its us sized. Someone as big and old as James wouldn''t fit" Lyo mentioned, however...

    "Hey, I am not that old!"

    "Eh? But you are like, forty right?"

    Lyo, whose words were innocent and didn''t hold any malice, ended up doing critical damage to James.

    "I...im not that old!"

    "Anyways..." Argen mentioned. "We probably should continue with the investigation, but...what are you two going to do?"

    To that question, Yuu sighed.

    "Well, I am a bit curious as well. Leaving the bandit and monster disappearance are probably from my hunting, I cant be one hundred percent sure about those abnormal magical readings. I dont think anything I did likely had that significant effect, so I would like to know what was causing it. Based on your information...its probably coming from here".

    Yuu pulled out a map of the region he had, and pointed at an area a few miles north.

    "We have yet to explore that area too much, but I do remember feeling dense clusters of mana and magical energy from this region when I got close one time. That said...monsters tend to get restless at night, so we should probably leave in the morning".

    Although Yuu didn''t like having them camping so close, he also didn''t want to leave at night, when some monsters got more violent and predatory. It was an unnecessary risk, especially since he couldn''t be confident that he could defeat everything they encountered.

    That said, plenty of them kept their distance from Yuu as well, so they ended up not bothering each other too much. And like that, the night peacefully went by before the morning where they would set off and investigate the disturbance.

 Chapter 7: Investigation

    Chapter 7: Investigation

    There were some good reasons why Yuu and Lyo had yet to explode this area of the forest in great detail. For starters, there were a lot of monsters that used poison, fire, and such in this area. Additionally, the forest was also denser, and there was even some hostile plantlife as well. If one was not careful, it could go really badly, so everyone had to stay alert and not get into danger.

    That said, before it had been the two of them, but now there was eleven of them. Therefore, it would be far easier to handle everything this time around. Yuu and Lyo were also equipped in Yuu''s latest gear, so they had some good defenses and equipment. A few of the adventuters were looking enviously at them, but it seemed like they had no intention of attacking to steal them, as Shadow was not triggering.

    Yuu would have liked it if Shadow triggered more easily, but he would have to put up with them for now. In any case, something seemed to be threatening his home, so he wanted to see what it was.

    "Ah, its another drake" James said as he cut it in half with one swing. Even Yuu could not instantly kill drakes, at least not without using some high powered magic, but this person was doing it with a sword. He was also able to get by his senses and move next to Yuu without him realizing, so Yuu considered him a fairly unreasonable existence that defied reason and common sense.

    And that was coming from Yuu, who the other adventurers thought exceeded reason and common sense, at least for someone his age. Lyo too, as they watched him take out a Venom Wolf with an arrow to the head.

    "Haha! See that Yuu?" James said while flexing his muscular body.

    "Go die".

    "Eww, gross".

    That was the reactions from Yuu and Lyo respectively. Although he expected Yuu''s response, Lyo''s words hurt him. After all, Lyo was responding with no malice or negative intent for James, and was just innocently stating his honest opinion.

    Because of that, the sight of James aggravating Yuu, and then Lyo sending James into a saddened state from his honest and innocent remarks, became a common appearance for the others, relieving a lot of the tension they had built up.

    However, Yuu and both adventurer mages stopped in their tracks when they reached a certain point. James too seemed to instinctively sense something was amiss.

    "That is...really intense..."

    "This magical power...its practically radiating..."

    "What could be radiating this much power?"

    "Its probably...a Dragon. And not the normal kind either, but an Ancient Dragon. Said to be the Guardians of the Gods, or Embodiments of Destruction and Mayhem..."

    Yuu just blinked in shock.

    "Erm, what? Wouldn''t we notice something like that?"

    "Ancient Dragons are basically sleepyheads. Nothing wakes them up, so its probably been here for centuries, and the mountains and terrain formed while it was asleep. Incidentally, its probably not the cause of the abnormalities".

    In other words, while they had encountered an extremely dangerous existence, it was fast asleep and had not woken up, even though there was some sort of massive magical anomaly happening right on top of it.

    "Its also probably why even in the winter, this region is so hot. Leaving aside the volcanic activity, there is an Ancient Dragon radiating body heat underneath. That is some level of heat generation".

    Indeed, it was getting rather hot. Even though Yuu could use ice magic, its not like he could continuously keep everyone and everything cool, and he especially couldn''t use it while he was asleep. Otherwise, sleeping with Lyo would have been a lot less awkward for him. So basically, not only was there lava, or magma, underneath them, but there was also an Ancient Dragon sleeping underneath radiating a ridiculous amount of body heat. Adding the fact that the geography was in a form to trap heat, and it was no wonder it was that hot.

    Well, also continuously generating cold air and ice would be a massive strain on magical energy and would cause him to be unable to fight properly in emergencies.

    "Well, that is unsettling" the mage of the second group, Garron, mentioned as he passed some water to one of their warriors. As for their archers, they were scouting the sides.

    "...why is the terrain so jagged though?" Lyo asked innocently. "I mean, more then usual? There are layers upon layers, cliffs upon cliffs, as if the ground was torn into twice..."

    "Ah, do you not know the story? Well, its more like a Fable, but it explains a lot" Argen mentioned. "Supposedly a dozen or so centuries ago, there was a great battle between a Hero and a Demon King, with even Gods and Evil Gods taking part in it. The battle was so severe, it stretched across the entire planet. All the large civilizations got destroyed in the process, and the world was torn into, causing the various scars in the ground that make the world so jagged and with all the various terrain elevations".

    "...wait, so these canyons..."

    "Are basically claw marks, yes. Or weapon fire scars. Or things like that".

    Scary! More like, what the hell! This world didn''t feel like it had that extreme of a power balance or gap! How the hell do you tear up an entire planet in a single battle!

    Yuu was rather shocked at this legend, since so far, aside from James, nothing seemed that overly ridiculous.

    "Well, that reaction is why most people think it is just a legend. That said, it is clear that something happened, because it is true that a lot of major civilizations wiped themselves out or fell apart over one thousand years ago. ANd if you look at the animals, things like Wolves and Bears and powerful predators dont always have great climbing ability has survived and maintained their positions. If the world had naturally been like this, I would think we would see a lot more Spider type monsters and creatures like that around".The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Yuu, who didn''t trust people anyways, certainly did not trust such a legend. Obviously, something else had happened, since such a story was clearly ludicrous and unbelievable. Well, Yuu didn''t trust anyone anyways, aside from Lyo. The only reason he even believed them because he used a magic tool to check himself and confirmed there were some irregularities.

    However, before they got much farther, an arrow was fired in front of them with a note. The mage went to pick it up and read it.

    "It looks like there are some dangerous creatures up ahead. There is a few Treants, a Lich, a Siren, and several Shadow Wolves".

    "...working together?" James asked, confused.

    "Yes, it appears so".

    "First the Magic Bears, now this...what is going on here?"

    Garron looked back to Yuu and Lyo.

    "It might get tough...do you want a drink of water?" he asked, offering. Yuu narrowed his eyes however, and took out his own.

    "I already got some special wayer for me and Lyo" he stated, taking a drink. Lyo also took an energetic drink.

    "Specially made by my bestiest best friend Yuu!"

    "Lyo! Would you please stop announcing it like that?! Its embarrassing! Moron!"

    Needless to say, the two of them had plenty of their own supplies. Rather, it seemed like they were living better then orphans usually would be, not to mention commoners. Plenty of food, plenty of water, things like that. However...there was certainly a number of people who didn''t think it was right to just leave them out in such a dangerous area, especially alone.

    However, Yuu was so cold to them all that it was hard to even think to bring up the topic, since it seemed like he might kill anyone who suggested that. So it remained in a sort of awkward silence, aside from the repeated conversations between James, Yuu, and Lyo.

    Either way, the group decided to push forward and engage the enemies barring their way.

    "Crystal Rain!"

    "Flame Cobra!"

    "Featherblade!"

    The battle started with the three big magic users, Yuu, Cassor, and Garron. Unlike the Flame Tornado that threatened to burn down the forest, Flame Cobra used condensed flames to form a cobra which constricted around an enemy, burning them and only them to death. That said, Yuu did question if that thing actually looked like a Cobra, but that was besides the point. He also thought Cobra''s used venom, but again, besides the point.

    Yuu used his signature ice magic to make it rain huge chunks of ice from the sky, disrupting the formation of the monsters and killing off a few of them, while wounding the Siren. The Siren looked at him with its eyes, and began to sing...but was shot in the head by Lyo''s arrow, finishing it off.

    Good job Lyo. I would like to keep Shadow secret for now...

    Sirens attack through psionic attacks, but they also charm men and steal their lifeforce. They were especially attracted to virgins, and since Yuu was a child, obviously was one. Consequently, there was another type of monster that also did that, the Succubus, but Sirens were more sound based. Since it would obviously count as trying to take something from Yuu, his Shadow could have been exposed. Incidentally, the lack of a reaction from Shadow was one reason Yuu also decided to work with them for now.

    The Lich was the one to pull off a counter attack, as it was an undead capable of using magic. It was the only undead in the group, but it sent forward a black mist. However, Garron''s magic, Featherblade, not only cut through it, but several creatures around it, reducing the spread of the black mist.

    The ones that seemed to prove to be the toughest was the Treants. Although one got burned to death with fire magic, the others attack, their tree branches turning into tentacle like arms and attacking them. Several of them also went for Yuu, but Cassor intercepted with fire magic and burned them to death. Seeing this action, the monsters suddenly reacted and all began to heard towards Yuu.

    However, they got crushed as Yuu cast another Crystal Rain, while Lyo sniped the rest with a bow. And James stepped forward, and cleaved through several of them at once with his sword, while the warriors who were supposed to be the vanguard ended up not getting a chance to act.

    Yuu widened his eyes though when he realized what just happened, but just stayed silent and glared at James, cursing him out in his head.

    Bastard...he could have killed them all himself if he wanted to...

    And so, it got even more tense between James and Yuu.

    <hr>

    Eventually, as the sky darkened and the moon rose in the sky, Lyo looked up and admired.

    "Hey, Yuu, both moons are out!"

    Yuu looked up, to see for himself. This world actually had two moons, but because they lived in a canyon with a lot of trees and mountains and cliffs obstructing, plus given the danger of being out at night, they rarely got to see both moons out at once. One of them was white, like the world Yuuki lived in, while one was red, a beautiful kind of red.

    As for why Lyo went out of his way to state it, is because he saw how Yuu was during these times when he looked up at the moons. Lyo was not sure why, but whenever Yuu looked at the two moons, his mind and body relaxed more then when he slept normally. Incidentally, because they were camping out for the night, even Lyo was not dumb enough to sleep naked.

    What Lyo did not know though was that this sight made him feel safe, because it confirmed he was in a different world then the parents of Yuuki. Knowing that he was in an entirely different world, seeing a sight they never would, made him feel calmed and relaxed. SOmetimes, at nights like these, he would dream sweet dreams, like his parents getting charged with murder and child abuse finally, and going to jail for life. Being shunned and treated terrible for coming such terrible crimes against children. Although Prison was filled with criminals who had done terrible things, those who kill and abuse children are treated like the lowest of the low, and often end up killed in prison.

    So while they seemed dark, to Yuu, they were happy thoughts. After all, some of the stuff that his parents put him through...it was enough to induce vomit, he was sure.

    As for why they only appeared in dreams, its because Yuu had no faith in people in this world, or the previous one. After all, he was abused so badly and yet no one did anything to stop it. No one reported it. And while he eventually gave up, he certainly did at least try to ask for help...but it was ignored every time.

    Even though in this world, there was still scum like that, at least he no longer had to put up with those two any more.

    "Yuu, camp is ready" Lyo said, as their tent was up. It was a very simple and easy to set up tent, made by Yuu. There was also a single sleeping bag, though the reason for that different on who you asked.

    If you asked Yuu, the reason was because he and Lyo would need to take shifts on guard duty.

    If you asked Lyo, he would say it was because they were the bestiest best friends in the whole world, and could easily share one, the comfort of sleeping with a friend helping one sleep more calmly despite camping out with the risk of monsters attacking.

    That said, their biggest disagreement was probably guard duty. Mainly, everyone objected to either Yuu or Lyo being on guard duty for every shift, but Yuu would not trust anyone to do it if one of them was not there. Lyo was the only one he trusted. In the end, they were not getting anywhere, and Yuu would not budge on the matter, so eventually James just went and accepted it.

    And so, the night passed peacefully enough, with almost no attacks. When they did attack, James defeated them all before anyone else had a chance to react, he was that overwhelmingly powerful. Yuu wondered that if James ever did trigger his Shadow, if it would even be able to hit him.

    That said, since he went and put his tent a bit away from the others, this also allowed a few others to quietly discuss the idea of trying to convince them to come back to the city with them where Yuu and Lyo could not hear them. But ultimately, they really couldn''t agree on much, and just quietly went about their duties and resting for the next day.

 Chapter 8: Source

    Chapter 8: Source

    "I think we might be getting closer" Cassor mentioned, noticing the thickness of mana in the air. It was a seemingly overwhelming feeling, but at least that gave them something to trace.

    "Meanwhile, Yuu...your a mage right? Shouldn''t you, you know, stand at the back?" James asked.

    "Lyo watches the back. I can use magic and fight up close, as you know".

    Although they seemed to be chatting, there was no doubt there was tension between the two still. So it was the same as usual.

    It was true though that a lot of mages stood in the rear lines, however Yuu did not trust anyone else to be the vanguard. Lyo might have been stronger then him, quite a bit stronger actually, but he was better with a bow then a blade.

    Either way, there was a good chance things would get hectic.

    After all, something was making monsters of various types work together. The undead was also weird, for a lot of reasons. As a result, Yuu was on guard more then ever as they began to reach the cave they felt it coming from. Or at least, what looked like a cave.

    However, as they looked inside, the ground became smooth, made of stone bricks, with pillars and such as well as depictions of dragons and wavy lines.

    "Erm...what is this?"

    "It looks like it was made by some cult that worships Ancient Dragons as gods themselves. Additionally, I feel magical leylines flowing underneath the ground for some time now".

    "Wait, so that isn''t normal?"

    "Definently not Yuu...those things dont just exist anywhere. It looks like this temple was likely built to harvest it...and its probably still active".

    "So the readings are coming from here then?" Lyo asked, drawing his bow.

    "Yeah" James said, readying his sword. "And these guys...really liked their traps..."

    The wind passed by, as everyone narrowed their eyes.

    Suddenly, several flaming arrows came flying out. Garron repelled them with a wind barrier, while James charged forward with Yuu right on his heels, and the other warriors coming from behind. In front of them, there were two golems with slots on their arms and backs, which fired flaming arrows. Yuu snapped his fingers, and created a sonic burst that fired in front. It reduced part of the golem to dust, and James slashed at the other one. Despite his power and strength, even he could not defeat a sturdy golem in a single hit. However, he was damaging it with a simple greatsword. And so, it soon fell to his might and power.

    "Ridiculous...so that is the power of an A-Ranked Adventurer".

    Argen lamented on his own lack of strength and ability as they pushed forward, watching James take out things while he simple supported and guarded from the rear.

    Like this, they managed to clear up the vanguards without too much trouble, although it was clear that if these were just the entrance guards, it would get tougher as they went.

    "Seriously though, golems...to think those tough opponents would greet us at the start..."

    "...I already feel mentally drained".

    "Tsk. Unreliable..."

    Yuu muttered that, and those words were still heard by the warriors. Their pride a bit hurt by being called unreliable by a seven year old, they seemed to stand up with renewed determination.

    "We cant let ourselves retire over something like this though!"

    "Yeah, its too important!"

    Lyo meanwhile was just smiling as he walked next to Yuu.

    "You said that to motivate them right? See, you do care about people".

    "Shut up...I just didn''t want to lose cannon fodder".

    Although there were some that thought Yuu might be acting tough, the coldness and tone of voice said that likely was not a lie. Even Lyo didn''t reply to that, though he did keep smiling in such a childish way.

    No no, in the first place, they had been going strong for awhile now, but for some reason the youngest two, not even double digits in age, were feeling tired, which was odd in its own right. They felt like they have the strength of upper C or lower B rank adventurers. Incidentally, normal C or B ranks often got special treatment and could even be considered nobility in some places. Meanwhile, there were A-Ranks who just had overwhelming outlandish power that would make even Yuu and Lyo seem like normal children.  Then then there were S-Ranks, who had the skills and abilities to be considered legendary heroes. Its not odd for them to be treated nicely by royalty and nobles.

    As they pushed on, they saw more and more ruins.

    "What do you think all of this says?" Garron asked.

    Wait, they can''t read it? Yuu thought to himself, as he was able to somehow read and understand it perfectly. It occured to him it was weird, but not as weird as what was written.

    It appeared this temple was used for some sort of ceremony or ritual, involving sacrifices and using the power of the leyline to strengthen one''s magic. There was also talk of gaining the power of Dragons, and unleashing the great force. It was rather cryptic and weird, but that was what Yuu made out.

    Of course, he didn''t tell anyone this.

    He didn''t trust them after all.

    Suddenly, Lyo hugged Yuu and pulled him down as a giant axe fell down from the ceiling and swung in a path, nearly cutting them apart. Normally, Yuu would not be distracted with his own thoughts to miss the activation of a trap, but...

    I didn''t feel anything trigger mana wise, nor did I hear anything trigger. Even Lyo only reacted to the sound of the axe falling, not any pressure plate...was it triggered manually?

    "We might not be alone here" Yuu warned them as he and Lyo got up.

    "Yeah...I didn''t hear or sense anything activate that trap...which means it was done manually".

    "But...I dont hear or sense anyone".

    Cassor sighed. "I am trying to expand my mana to use it as a radar, but...this area is too dense. I cant properly do it".

    "Same" Yuu agreed. That was actually a lie, he could do it, but only in a short area, about twenty feet, around himself.

    "Do you think its more monsters being manipulated?"

    "Probably..."

    As they said that, they could feel the heat in the temple increasing the further they went in. Everyone was sweating, and a few people were dressed more lightly then before, putting their armor on after taking off a shirt or jacket. Even Lyo and Yuu, who had temperature modification enchantments on their clothes, were feeling the heat.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    As they entered the next chamber, it was becoming easier to understand. There was magma flowing through some ducts and tunnels, clearly designed that way. It appeared that the temple was built into a volcano, so the deeper in they went, the hotter it would get.

    However, there was also more cryptic writing and design. Garron looked intrigued, stopping for a moment to look at it.

    "I wonder what all these diagrams mean..." he said as he took a step forward, and triggered a trap. Suddenly, the floor underneath Lyo, Yuu, James, and a few others opened up.

    Lyo and Yuu immediately used their Ripcords and attached them to the ceiling, pulling themselves up. James caught onto a nearby ledge with one hand while using his free arm to grab the other two that fell down with them, hoisting all three of them up with his pure strength alone.

    ...what a monster.... Yuu retorted in his mind.

    "Sorry! Are you all okay?!"

    Garron asked this, but he didn''t dare move another step and risk triggering a trap.

    "Yeah...it seems fine right now" Yuu said as he and Lyo touched down on the ground, and the floor resealed itself. If they didn''t have the Ripcords, that would have been bad.

    "Okay, clearly we need to be more aware and conscious of traps" James said. "Where are those two archers? They should have rejoined with us by now".

    "They are the best at dealing with traps?"

    "Yeah, I thought they might have gone up ahead to scout for traps, but...its been too long".

    "Well, we should be getting close. I feel a great amount of magic power in the next room" Cassor mentioned.

    "Yeah...even with all this density, its painfully clear that its the source of all this".

    Hearing that, the group decided to push forward. The mages felt a bit weird as the amount of mana was suffocating, but eventually they made it. Inside was a sacrificial alter. And lying there, on that alter, was the corpse of one of their archers.

    "Cedric?!"

    The group said, but as they walked into the room, a magic circle appeared underneath their feet, and everyone, including Yuu and James, lost the ability to move well. Yuu was just barely able to turn around...and watched as the man plunged a blade right through Lyo''s heart.

    That man...was Garron.

    "Bastard!" Yuu said, showing more emotion then he ever had before as Lyo fell to the ground bleeding from his chest, unmoving.

    "Seriously, that annoying wood elf...to think that he was able to sense and dodge that trap at the last second" Garron said, wiping the blood off the blade. "Ahhhh....but to see your face cry out in pain like that was well worth it, little boya".

    Yuu grimenced, but although he could move his head, the rest of his body felt like it was encased in concrete. The man made sure to avoid getting close to Yuu, as he was wary of Yuu''s magic.

    "Garron! How could you?!"

    "How could I? Well, its very simple really. I am tired of all this bullshit!" he shouted. "Having to risk my life day after day. At first sure, the sense of adventure was great, but I was always getting treated like a tool, traded from party to party! And whenever rewards come up, for some reason the warriors get the best gear, while I have been using the same staff for several years now!"

    "The...hell? You betrayed us for that reason?"

    "No...its because this alter has built up so much power. Finding it with my previous party was interesting...but learning what it could do, harvesting the power of the Ancient Dragon and the Leylines to empower mages? Oh....its so beautiful".

    As he said that, the other Archer came out of hiding.

    "Crass?!"

    "Sorry, but not really. Iv got some debts to pay you know, and this place has a lot of treasure...plus, I can sell all of your equipment. He gets the mana, I get the money, it was a very easy offer".

    "So anyways...without further adue..."

    With that, he snapped his finger, and the magic circle underneath them all glowed brightly as they all felt painful strikes at their heart. Some sort of death spell, everyone fell to the ground instantly lifeless and unmoving as the circle disappeared. Meanwhile, mana began to flow out of several bodies and into him.

    "Wait..."

    Garron only had a second to realize it as James got up and charged at him, slashing at him. A golem of lava got in his way, parrying the blow, but the force was felt and nearly knocked them over.

    "I suppose an A-Rank adventurer like him would have a trick or two to survive that" Crass mentioned, when he suddenly had to block at his side. That was because there was a swordsman there, and a competant one at that. It was Argen Reese. And not just him, but the other members of his party were up as well. All of Daysparrow was alive, and yet they should not have had the strength to do so. Their hearts should have been stopped.

    And of course, he saw Yuu getting up as well, mana swelling around him. Garron saw that as well, and he summoned a large scale lava monster.

    "I will leave that to you....with this state....I will go outside and absorb the power of the leylines itself from the air, and you cannot do anything to stop me!"

    Bragging like that, he flew out, leaving Crass to the mercy of the Daysparrow party. Naturally, as one archer against two warriors, an archer, and a mage, he was knocked out by a shield to the head rather quickly.

    James however was fighting off the lava monsters, while Yuu was in tears and headed towards Lyo, whose body remained still as his blood spread across the ground. He was upset, incredibly upset.

    "Yuu...its..."

    "No! I wont let him die like this! This moron...he still has to repay me for annoying me so much!" Yuu shouted, taking out a potion.

    "There is no way Lyo will be able to drink that...and a normal potion...wait, huh?"

    That was when Cassor noticed, the power he felt from the potion Yuu was holding. That was not a normal potion, or even a high quality potion one could find in stores that catered to rich and nobility. That was a potion beyond anything he had ever seen. He wondered if Yuu was some sort of alchemical genius too.

    However, it had nothing to do with his genius. It had to do with the immoral human experimentation he did on the murderous and rapist bandits that he had captured and used as test subjects, testing to see if he could make better potions. While there were plenty of people who would go great lengths to develop better potions, very few would experiment on humans. So while Yuu''s intelligence did have an effect, his bizzare methods had a major hand.

    "I cant believe you are making me do this Lyo...well, I was never the romantic type anyways".

    There was a lot of retorts to a seven year old saying that, but none of them were said aloud.

    Yuu then drank the potion himself, and then kissed Lyo, forcing the potion down his throat. He couldn''t just pour it down his throat, as much as he wanted to. He had to make sure Lyo would not cough it up or what not, so he had to keep Lyo''s mouth sealed so none of the potion got out. He had to be ready to cover his nose too, just in case.

    Of course, there was also a second reason. Yuu had survived the death spell himself, but it had severely hurt his lifeforce and energy, so by doing this method, the potion would also restore his strength a little, while still making sure that Lyo recieved most of the effects.

    "But...Lyo was stabbed in the heart...wait..."

    Indeed, although Lyo had been stabbed through the heart and his blood was spilling everywhere, they could see his body recovering and healing, and color returning to him. His heart was clearly being regenerated by the potion, but that required him to be alive in the first place.

    But of course, Lyo had heard it from Yuu. About the bandit that had stayed alive after Yuu had put an icecle through his heart. Using mana to keep himself alive, and his blood flowing. And Lyo, who trusted and cared for Yuu, believed that Yuu would save him so long as he kept himself alive. And so, focusing all of his energy, unable to even move a finger, he had focused entirely on using mana to keep his blood flowing. And so, the Lyo who should have been dead, was brought back to life.

    If it wasn''t for the fact they were two seven year old boys, it would probably be a romantic scene of true love''s kiss. But they were just best friends, who would do anything for one another.

    As Lyo woke up, Yuu finally pulled away.

    "Sorry...to worry you..."

    "You moron...I told you not to trust him".

    "Not to trust him...wait, you knew he was bad?!"

    "I had an idea" Yuu said, sighing. "But, I couldn''t be sure if it was him, or you, or one of the Archers. Well, I had really ruled out you, but I was being careful".

    "Yeah" James said. "it was the Lich that made it weird. A Lich is an undead that can use magic, generally speaking you see them when an entire group of adventurers gets wiped out. That is because if the vanguard gets wiped out, the rest of the party usually flees and heads back into town.  So to see a Lich with no other warrior zombies, it was an immediate red flag. I don''t know what kind of power that guy has, but it seems he sacrificed other members of his first party to gain power...he basically went power mad".

    "But...how did we survive?"

    "its because of the genius Yuu of course" Lyo said weakly.

    "Yuu did?"

    "Ah...it likely has to do with my death rings I forced you all to wear" Yuu said, pointing at the rings. "It appears that because my magic already had a grip on your heart, it superceeded the magic circle and prevented your hearts from stopping. I good bonus, I would say".

    In other words, Yuu''s insurance policy against them betraying him caused it so they did not die to the death spell.

    However, rocks and pebbles began to float around Yuu as magic power radiated from him.

    "Argen, take Lyo out of here, get to the surface. James, deal with those lava golems".

    "Hold on, are you..."

    Yuu''s eyes shined brightly, especially his right eye. That eye glowed unnaturally bright, as he seemed to fly out overflowing with power and emotion...no, it was more accurate to say that power came from his emotion. But before he could get far, a rock hit the back of his head. He turned around and looked at Lyo.

    "Yuu...fight smart...and dont die. I will help you".

    As Lyo said that, while he seemed unstable, he was able to stand a bit now. He pulled out his bow.

    "Also, there is a weird magic circle over there...I think it might teleport us to the surface".

    Yuu was aware of how good Lyo''s instincts were. While James would deal with the lava golems, the others fled to the surface...to fight the traitor Garron, and stop this madness.

 Chapter 9: Heart and Mind

    Chapter 9: Heart and Mind

    As Garron flew across the Canyon, he could feel himself getting closer to a nexus point. The ritual was already started, and although incomplete, with the current state it was in, he figured he would use this chance to absorb mana right from the central conduit. He had felt it for sure as they were traveling, so he would use this chance to drain it dry.

    If he became a powerful sorcerer, with all this power, he could do so much. He could obtain all of his dreams and desires. He would stop being treated as some artillery or potion kit, and like a proper, respectable person. With this power, he could become king even.

    And so, while Garron was suffering from his massive power trip, he was just barely able to block a large ice spike that came flying at him from the woods.

    "Impossible...that brat should be dead or drained, so how does he have this much power left?"

    In truth, his power was restored thanks to his new potion recipe, but Garron had no idea of that, because Yuu didn''t trust to tell anyone anything. He had also been able to read the writing, and therefore had managed to prepare his body with some defensive enchantments before the trap was sprung.

    However, Yuu was still angry. Angry at Garron for stabbing Lyo. ANd so...

    "Icecle Stampede".

    Dozens of large scale ice spikes came flying out of the forest right at Garron. He flew around to avoid them, but as they were coming, he felt a pressense appear as one passed him.

    He turned around, just to see Yuu''s electric augmented leg kick him right in the face and send him sprawling back, making him fly back in the air. Yuu meanwhile launched several lightning bolts at Garron, not missing this chance, but Garron deployed multiple magic barriers to block.

    "To think you still had this much energy left....wait, I see now. So you had a card up your sleeve".

    Garron said this as he watched numerous magic gems float around Yuu, orbiting him like a moon to a planet. It appeared that he had several magic gems fully charged, and was now using them to bolster his power. ANd more importantly, he saw the look of anger on Yuu''s face.

    "But...I still wont be defeated by a brat like you!"

    Garron flew up and unleashed countless wind blades at Yuu. Yuu deployed numerous magic barriers and ice shields to block, while also kicking up a windstorm and sending it at Garron.  Garron withstood the blow, and conjured up multiple swords to sent at Yuu.

    Yuu took evasive action and dodged them, firing off pure mana blasts at him. Several magic circles appeared around Yuu, and the blasts were fired from them all at once, and then continued to fire at them randomly at Garron, making them tough to predict. Garron meanwhile sent a fire torpedo at Yuu, but he countered with a water wave spell.

    Garron fired lightning next, but Yuu conjured up rocks to block the attack and then hurled the rocks at Garron. This forced Garron to dodge, which Yuu used to move to where he dodged to and deliver another attack, using a short range wind spell to blast him. Garron projected barriers to block, but some of the damage broke through. However...

    A flame spiral came up from below and encircled Yuu, burning his body. Garron took that moment as he would be in shock from burning pain to relax, but Yuu somehow reacted instantly and attacked him with a windblade again.

    IMpossible! How was he not in shock from that?!

    What Garron did not understand was that he had been burned many times. His father had used an iron on his hand when he took food without asking one time. He had used Yuuki''s body to put out his cigarrete butts, and once scarred him with a fireplace poker that had been used to treat the fireplace.

    Furthermore, as Yuu, a fire mage had once come into the slum, and made him a subject to learn how well a flame torture spell would work. So, fires and burns were something he was used to, and therefore did not deliver the mental shock it would to normal people.  To Yuu, it was something familiar.

    Yuu then proceeded to launch several more chunks of ice at him, but Garron was growing in power, and fired beams of light to harm Yuu. Yuu dodged them, but his leg got grazed and it hurt like hell. The fires and burns had also hurt. It might not have shocked him, but he was taking damage.

    The two flew through the air. Although Yuu normally didn''t do that due to it being mana inefficient, Garron was overflowing with mana so he could do it fine. He was even continuing to gain power from the leylines, and so Yuu was utilizing his collection of Magic Gems he had been charging up over the past year, his emergency trump card, to fight him.

    He could not forgive Garron for what he did...betraying the people who trusted him...stabbing Lyo...Yuu had determined that he would die.

    "Ascaris!"

    Suddenly, a ball of light began to float around Yuu, and his brain''s computational power increased. It was at this time his right eye, burning with mana, felt as if it was shifting...his vision blurred slightly, but suddenly something happened that he did not expect. He was suddenly seeing flow of magical energy and leylines, as if it was natural.

    Ascaris was a spell to help increase his ability to cast and control magic, but this had never happened before. However, it changed again, allowing his eye to zoom in and out and focus on Garron, somehow, as well as other things. Malicous aura eminated from him....and Yuu felt like he could target him.

    "Frost Emperor''s Calvalry!"

    Suddenly dozens of ice lances appeared in the sky and shot towards Garron. However, Garron raised his hands, and from the ground a giant tree Golem arose to block it. It then opened its mouth and fired a beam of energy at Yuu, forcing him to fly around and dodge it as several magic circles appeared around him.

    "Shockforce!"

    Several bolts of lightning fired in quick succession, coming at Garron with the intent to kill. He tried to dodge, but they changed to follow him, so he projected more barriers to block. And meanwhile, as the Golem went to attack Yuu with its arm...

    "Frozen World!"

    He unleashed a massive spell that coated the entire area with ice, and even altered the weather to make it start snowing.  Furthermore....

    "Crystal Rain!"

    He used his Crystal Rain spell to target the Golem and Garron, bringing down huge chunks of ice. The Golem was severely damaged, so Garron decided to leave it to obstruct Yuu while he went further ahead.

    "Not so fast..." those words floated across the wind, as suddenly several arrows of light appeared from the sky and chased after Garron with a serious vigor. Meanwhile, the Tree Golem suddenly was bound by a dozen fire cobras, burning it down without harming the rest of the forest.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    From a good distance away, Yuu was sitting on the ground supposed by Verona, holding a bow while gasping for air, his stamina clearly still low as he had not fully recovered. Meanwhile, Cassor was supporting them with fire magic, which was Yuu''s weakpoint. He could use it, but it was not as good or as effective for some reason.

    Yuu used this chance to chase after Garron, not letting him escape. Garron launched several large rocks that were around using spacial magic, but Yuu flew around them. Unfortunately, they had obstructed his view so he did not see Garron cast the fireball spell which hit him square in the face, but he still had perpetual automatic magic barriers up so he did not take much damage.

    "Damn you...you wont stop me!" he shouted, unleashing both a lightning attack and a wind attack at once.

    "Resonance Zone!"

    He deployed a magic zone around himself that disrupted other people''s magic, and with the assistance of that, dodged the attack spells coming at him. However, that spell totally drained two of the sixteen magic stones around him. Through long term flight, another five were down, and using repeated attack spells had drained another two. He had used more then half already, and Garron was only getting stronger.

    ANd also, his goal was easier to obtain. All Garron had to do was finish draining the leyline, and if the situation was bad for him, he could flee without even attacking the rest of them. Let himself rest up, and then attack them with full strength and a rested body to finish them off if they failed to escape far enough away even. Meanwhile, Yuu felt that it would be a loss unless Garron was killed right then and there, so he was at a disadvantage in terms of objectives.

    "Provinance Winds!"

    Yuu accelerated further, and Garron who saw that released a full force gravity zone, where gravity would be multiplied by 20, to smash Yuu into the ground and kill him, or at least make him unable to follow. However, Yuu somehow was able to see that and avoid it.

    Garron then flew upward, to get above the tree line, as he launched several wind circular sawblade type things at Yuu. Yuu formed more rock shields to block them, and then launched the rocks at him while preparing his next spell.

    "Frozen Judgement!"

    Suddenly a large executioner''s blade made of ice formed above Garron and came down at him, with clear intent to kill him. Garron formed various barriers while dodging, but it was close and multiple barriers were destroyed. Yuu then moved behind him, but unfortunately, a flame attack came from his back and hit Yuu, with an arm of fire coming out to grab his neck.

    "Got you now, brat" Garron said, as he pulled Yuu in closer...and then, from behind Yuu, his shadow seemed to grow blades out of his back and stabbed Garron repeatedly, as if he had lept into the mouth of a large creature. And yet...he was still alive, thanks to the mana flowing into him.

    "That was your last trump card...you couldn''t out power me".

    "I was never trying to outpower you" he said with a smile, when suddenly his body became filled with arrows made of magic power. His head, heart, several other organs, as well as his arms and legs were pierced. "In the first place...I am more of a strategy type then a power type".

    Yuu looked around at the familiar scenery, and realized now...up in the air was where Yuu was trying to make Garron go. So that Lyo, who could not move or stand well, would have perfect vision on him. Yuu was never intending to win by himself, from the start he had planned on Lyo.

    Because while Lyo was a softy, there was an undeniable fact that if someone was threatening to kill Yuu, he would not hesitate to put an arrow into their head. He might be sappy, but he was not so stupid or cowardly as to let his best friend die.

    "D-damn...you....brats...." Garron muttered, desperately clinging to life before falling to the ground as a corpse. Yuu slowed his decent, but ultimately also fell to the ground exhausted. He had three and a half magic gems left of power...it was way too close.

    And so, while waiting for the others to reach him, Yuu waited there resting as he stared into the sky of the afternoon.

    <hr>

    "I seriously protest this!"

    "Dont pout Yuu, it will be fine!"

    "Its the least we can do for saving us".

    "See, I told you we would enjoy a bath together!"

    At the moment, Lyo and Yuu were being bathed by Argen and James respectively. They were sitting on the laters laps, as their bodies were being scrubbed from head to toe.

    "I hate you! You perverted old man!" he shouted as James began to scrub his lower area".

    "Hey now, what is the matter with some male bonding time" James said, as he flexed the arm Yuu could see. Yuu''s wet black hair fell across his face as James began to mess with and play with his body a little to tease him.

    "Hey! Dont mess with that!" Yuu said, although he was mostly talk by this point. Expending enough magical energy to use most of his gems had seriously depleted him, and his body was sore all over. Lyo was still recovering from the whole stabbing and regeneration thing, so neither of them were capable of moving well. It was amazing Lyo could even fire his bow in that state, let alone use his magic bow skills.

    "Sorry, its just so small and playful" James said teasingly, making Yuu''s face go red. He wanted to punch him right now.

    Well, in the first place, he had almost no mescular development on his body, and he was now sitting naked in the lap of a very muscular body. This was irritating Yuu to no end. Meanwhile, Lyo was just honestly enjoying it.

    "Still though, that was some pretty amazing countering on your part, Yuu" Argen mentioned as he helped wash Lyo''s armpits, which made Lyo giggle because he was ticklish there. "You kept countering his attacks so well...you had to have used a lot of magic for that".

    "Nah...I was saving some mana by countering the element of his attack. I countered fire with water, lightning or wind with earth, and so on. That let me be more efficient".

    "Such power in such a small body" James said, poking fun at Yuu''s height, which was below the average for a boy his age, while rubbing his belly.

    "Please dont do that" Yuu said angrily.

    "Either way..." James said, searching around for Yuu''s ticklish points, and quickly finding a few. "Its good to laugh every so often!"

    James then proceeded to use his extreme speed to do something extremely pointless as tickling all of Yuu''s ticklish areas at once. Yuu proceeded to break out into laughter and tried to escape, but his body collapsed and he fell down to the ground, letting James pick him back up and finish washing him.

    Once that was all done, they entered the bath. Yuu and Lyo could at least keep themselves sitting upright, so they all say next to each other in a row, sighing with relief.

    "I have no idea how we are going to report this back to the guild".

    "Really? I thought it was simple? Garron tried murdering everyone for a ritual, we stopped it, the alter kind of got broken in the fighting".

    In truth, it was James alone that broke it while fighting lava golems.

    "Oh yeah, and we met..."

    "You mention us, I will kill you" Yuu said blatently.

    "Well, now hold on...we have to. You do deserve a reward after all".

    "It seems annoying. Plus, I dont want to go back to the city..."

    "Yuu..." Lyo said, a compassionate and sorrowful look in his eyes. "We cant just stay away from people forever...We have to..."

    "I get it I get it...I already know that" Yuu said, a bit embarrassed and also a bit as if he predicted Lyo would say that. "Clearly, my hunting has made an impact. Even if you report the rest, they will still investigate again, and the next adventurers might not be nice, but arrogant and villainous jerks..."

    Yuu sighed.

    "However, we cant go to the city YET" he said, emphasising the yet. "I need to restock a lof of supplies and make preparations. But also, we need more training...and we need to be older. But I know I cant take too much time...so two years. In two years time, when both of us are nine years old, we will head to the nearest city and become adventurers properly, registering in the Guild".

    Hearing that, James and Argen were a bit happy. It wasn''t entirely what they wanted, but...it was far better then they had hoped. In two years time, when they became nine. They would still be considered children, but...it would certainly be harder to take advantage of them. Especially if they were prepared, and stronger.

    Considering who they were, it was extremely reasonable.

    "Alright....we will make sure to give you that long. Then in two years, we will see you in Ridgecrest City...does that sound good?"

    "Yeah".

    Two years of peace. Two years to get stronger, train, and get the supplies they would need out here. And like that, the agreement was made.

    And so it was delayed, the world learning about the two abnormalities...

    The "Supergenius" Yuu.

    The "Heartwarmer" Lyo.

    These two best friends would shake the world.

    End of Arc 2: Forest Exploration

    "Well now" a young boy of around eleven said, as he was sitting on top of the cliff. He was wearing just a red overshirt over a white T shirt with a yellow star with a smiley face on it, blue shorts, and red shoes, as well as a red and white cap on top of his head. He was kicking his feet playfully, watching the scene below, undetected by anyone.

    He giggled a bit as he smiled.

    "I wonder, Yuu...or rather, Yuuki...what will you do next?"

    And then, when someone glanced up at the sky, no one was there to see...

 Chapter 9b: Lyos Diary

    Chapter 9b: Lyo''s Diary

    Entry 1:

    Dear diary,

    Today after dealing with a bandit group, some of the supplies we took included some books. A few were blank like this one, but others were written in. Yuu took those, except for one, which he told me to read and learn from. Apparently its a learning guide. Anyways, you were the blank one, and now your my diary!

    Either way, today after me and Yuu took a bath, I grabbed him before he could get changed. He got red and embarrassed, but its easier to measure height like this! I decided we should use a nearby tree to measure our growth. Yuu complained, but eventually he went along with it. But then when he saw the centimeters I was taller then him by, he got mad again and declared he would outgrow me.

    It wouldn''t be weird, since I hear even as children Wood Elves are shorter then humans of the same size, but its okay! I told him his big brain probably weighted him down, and he would grow down there. He got really mad and threw pinecones at me, calling me names because he was embarrased. I dont see why he would get embarrassed just because I said the body below his head would eventually grow.

    Yuu still is acting tough, but I know he is just shy. I dont really get it, but I feel like he was hurt really, really badly. Its the feeling I get. But I also feel like as much as he hates people, he wants to have connections too. I dont really get it, but I remember mommy once told me that people want what they have never had before.

    I feel really sad every time I think of my mom, but I feel like Yuu needs me!

    Yuu says a lot of big words though...I heard him mutter once that I was "using him to compensate for losing everything", or something like that. There were a lot of big words and I didn''t really get what he meant.

    Entry 5:

    Those mean slaver guys came around. They were going to take me away, but then Yuu saved me. I finally got to see him smile. I hope I can see it more, he looks more....Yuu like. Though he still gets embarrassed too easily.

    Entry 56:

    Its been several months now. I caught Yuu torturing bandits, so I got really mad at him. I mentioned how the God of Friendship would be sad, though he questioned how that was relevant. I still had to scold him though, he was severely harming them to experiment with all sorts of things.

    Yuu''s heart is really cold. I need to make him laugh more. I love it when he laughs, so iv made sure to fully map out his ticklish spots. He is fun to be around, for some reason bandits are always coming here.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    I think a few of them might have mentioned looking for a boy, but Yuu would get mad and attack them if he learned that, so I didn''t tell him.

    Entry 107:

    We met some adventurers today! I punished Yuu for nearly killing them though.

    Then we met some others. There was this one gross old man who kept flexing his muscles, it was weird. His name was also weird. A weird old man.

    Yuu warned me that I should never hang out with him, especially alone, since he was something called a pervert.

    I think he might have good intentions but...every time he flexes his muscles is gross.

    Entry 108:

    That guy Garron tried to stab me, but I had faith in Yuu and did that thing he told me about using mana, keeping my blood flowing so I didn''t die. Yuu then came and saved me, using his new potions. Then he was really angry, and after we escaped the temple, went after Garron. He tried to kill Yuu, so I dont like him either. So I launched arrows at him. Eventually he died, but me and Yuu were in bad shape, so weird old man guy and Argen helped us out.

    We finally convinced Yuu to go to the city, but only after two years. He needs to prepare. I have seen him sometimes, not only touching his scars, but touching unscarred areas as if they were scarred. I wonder if he had more scars before that got healed. Most of his scars now are healed now, thanks to magic, although traces remain.

    Yuu is fun to be with. He makes me feel safe and comfortable. And life is enjoyable with him. He is my bestiest best friend. But I want him to have more friends. He only has me right now.

    Entry 177:

    I had a weird dream. A black mist, hiding in the woods. It felt like a threat, but Yuu wasn''t there. But I felt like I had to protect Yuu...he is my friend after all.

    Maybe this is nervousness?

    Entry 244:

    We celebrated Yuu''s eight birthday. James visited as well, I finally remembered the weird old man''s name! He brought us some sweets and other things from the city. He does that sometimes. He says when we get to the city, we should go to the adventurer''s guild. Yuu didn''t have a favorable impression of adventurers, but James mentioned it would be worth his while, and he had met nice adventurers too. They also visit with gifts sometimes. Yuu has been trading them monster parts to pay them for it. Apparently they can turn them in as something called "Proof of subjugation" at the Adventurer''s Guild.

    James then told Yuu about the receptionist, and Yuu got a bit interested. He also told him some other things, and had a mischevous face. He looked like a gross weird pervert though. He slapped Yuu on the butt, and Yuu called him a "shotacon". James pouted a bit after that.

    Entry 351:

    Its time to go to the city now. I had a really weird dream again, of people coming after Yuu. I was chasing after him. Yuu seemed a bit upset when he heard me mention it. He seems to think I might have been able to hear some things. I pouted, and then tickled Yuu until he told me everything. Apparently, Yuu was planning something.

    Anyways, leaving that aside, Yuu set up a bunch of magical devices to keep our home safe and clean, and self managing. So it wont get all dusty or overrun by monsters while we are gone.

    Its been a nice three years here, but...its time to go. Yuu needs more contact with people. And more friends.

 Arc 3 Start: Chapter 10: City and Guild

    Chapter 10: City and Guild

    "...this is annoying" Yuu commentated as he and Lyo were waiting on line. Although he still was short for his age, he had grown up a bit in the last two years. Lyo had as well though, and while he was short himself, he was about a quarter of a head taller then Yuu, even though he was short for a wood elf, which on average are supposed to be shorter then humans their own age.

    Although at first it had not bothered Yuu as much, there was now a few more centimeters difference between their two heights, and it was causing him to develop a hieght complex. Of course, the reason for his stunted growth in the first place was the abuse he had suffered as a child in the slums.

    In fact, it was from this very city where he was taken by adventurers and abused...a bit before he regained his memories. The city of Arxis. He remembered it well. Last time he was here, they were using recent technological advances to build a clocktower in the center market, had been working on a new magical tool production plant, and had been properly refurning the roads using stone bricks to make it smoother and better on both feet and carriages. They even had been training their knights to be stronger, faster, smarter. Even the slums got a bit of a rework, or was getting it. It seemed a lot of effort was being made, so Yuu was actually curious how much progress they had made.

    He was actually still missing fragments of Yuu''s memories from the slums here and there, including those right before he regained his memories of his previous life. It felt a bit weird at times...

    While thinking about this, the line got moving, and eventually they made it to the guards. Seeing the traveling group of two children, the two guards were a bit confused.

    "What are you two kids doing on your own?"

    "They might have been from the slums..."

    The two currently had their hoods up, so the guards did not see Lyo''s ears. Of course, they could still see some of their faces, and the sun was out, so the guards did not think much of it.

    However, in truth, the two guards that checked them out also thought the two were girls, not boys, due to their heights.

    Although one of the guards looked at them as he licked their lips. Yuu had to do everything he could to keep his emotions under control...but his shadow still shifted a little.

    He had learned a little bit, how to control his shadow, and even turn it off and on...sort of. He couldn''t order it to attack yet, but he could stop it from attacking. It took a lot of tests against bandits to finally learn it, but he did.

    After all, if his Shadow went around and killed everyone who had malicious thoughts towards him, the town would become a bloodbath and it would get problematic fast. And then Lyo might pout a lot.

    Well, that last reason was really the majority reason for Yuu.

    The guards at the gate didn''t pay that much attention to two girls (boys) who looked younger then they were, and they quickly got waved by. However, one of the guards near the back, who had an eye for things, noticed the clothes they were wearing were clearly of unusually high quality, like something nobles would wear. However, they had already gone around a corner and into a crowd before he could react...still...

    "...who the hell was that girl in the blue cloak?" the guard next to him asked.

    "Girl? Huh..." he said, as he had noticed their footwear looked more like boy''s footwear. "I dunno, but they had really nice threads. Nobles maybe..."

    "That isn''t what matters! We...we need to make a report to the lord of the town!"

    At those words, the guard looked at him.

    "What do you mean?"

    "I could sense it...there was a dark power eminating from that blue cloaked child..."

    Incidentally, there had been a man wearing a priest robe in the crowd Yuu had passed, who had frozen stiff upon seeing that boy...and had immediately started to sweat as his face showed fear, as he began to run to the church.

    The city had a sort of vibrant feel to it in the morning, as people ran around to get things done. The recent addition of the clocktower was helping to keep things organized and on time, and had also provided a few more jobs, mainly for the children. For the poorer families that need help meeting ends meet for the winter, when most people hole up inside for most of the day, or just for those who wanted to make some spending money, there were plenty of jobs for children.

    Messengers was a common job for the children of the city, delivering objects and letters from one place to another. There were also the Clockrunners. They were in charge of reporting to people at the specific time, letting them know it was that time. Then there were others such as Rathunters, and other small jobs.

    Each city was unique in its own way, and Arxis had its own highlights and charms. Due to being in an area with plenty of dangerous magical beasts, but also having a direct route right to the capital, the trade for those magical beast parts were abundent, and exotic dishes made from monster meat were common and diverse as the spices they could get from the capital. And with a number of new species recently migrating to the area or being discovered in general, the city was in the middle of a culinary revolution.

    Meanwhile, Yuu had finally reached the adventurers guild with Lyo, who almost wandered off several times and got conned by conmen several more. The Adventurer''s Guild....Yuu had made it a habit to avoid this place after his previous incidents with adventurers, but three years had passed since then. He was stronger now, faster, he had Shadow and Lyo, and all of his memories.

    A boy with a red and white cap holding a staff, who appeared a few years older then them, walked out before they walked in, appearing to be in a hurry. It looked like the Guild Hall was quite busy, but that was fine for Yuu.

    Plus, in a way, he was going to enjoy it.

    "Yuu...your making a very scary smile right now" Lyo warned him, as they entered the guild hall. True to its word, there were a few adventurers here and there sitting at tables, discussing things. There was also a bar in the back, and at the counter were beautiful and handsome receptionists. There were three female receptionists and two male, and all of them were breathtaking in their looks it would be easy to believe if they were declared to be angels. This is the face of the guild.

    Yuu and Lyo went and walked up to female in the center, as Yuu smiled and asked her to help them register as Adventurers. The female receptionist, however, looked shock the moment she saw Yuu...especially his smiling face.

    What the hell?! What the fuck?! This brat should be dead! How....how is he alive?! His death was confirmed, I was told!

    The receptionist, or rather, a former adventurer who had survived a great ordeal and returned to the city to retire and became a receptionist because of her looks, thought that to herself. Of course, that was only natural. After all, four years ago, she had used that boy to test some poison, make sure it was not a dose that would be lethal to herself, in order to feign an injury to get out of a required quest to deal with a force of orcs that made base near the city, saying she encountered a strange monster variation she had never seen before and slayed it in the process. It was why she got such a large reward, and was given a receptionist job, in fact a leading receptionist, and likely to become the next Assistant Guild Master when the Guild Master retired and the current Assistant Guild Master became the Guild Master.

    It was a well paying career, and would guarentee a great job where she could send others into danger in her place. But all because of this achievment, and because she had areasonable excuse for why she avoided that last quest.

    And so, the reappearance of Yuu, now of all times...was the greatest threat possible. And she absolutely could not let him become a regular in the Guild Hall.

    She thought to herself, and spoke up.

    "Now now, you are far too young to become an adventurer" she mentioned. Technically, there was no age limit on becoming an adventurer. However, most didn''t really bother until they were older, double digits in age at least. Although there were plenty of eccentrics that defied the norm.

    There were other adventurers who were also watching. With Yuu''s hood down, a number of people recognized him. Some went pale, because they had done terrible things to him years ago and thought he was dead and maybe back from the grave to haunt them. Others felt sadistic, wanting to mess with their "toy" once more. And others, the ones with a higher amount of intelligence, began to sweat bullets. After all, while Yuu had been abused and beaten by many to relieve stress or just for other reasons, the fact was that he had survived in the wilderness for three years on his own, or maybe with that other boy. He had made the clothes they were now wearing, which they could tell was made of drakeskin. That they survived in a wilderness full of monsters.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    They understood right away that this boy, Yuu, was strong, dangerous...and to come back here, there was only one reason they could think of: Revenge.

    One mage even pissed his pants after sensing the amount of magical power radiating around Yuu.

    So many people wanted the receptionist to deny him for various reasons, however...

    "Now now, they are fine! I will vouch for their abilities myself!"

    A voice rang through as a muscular man entered the Guild. Everyone went and looked at him, and saw it was the A-Rank Adventurer, James Jameson.

    The Receptionist twitched a little the moment she heard that. After all, if an A-Rank adventurer vouched for their abilities, it sealed all possible excuses she could make to deny them Guild Cards. She had no choice, though...since yuu had not said anything, maybe he did not remember her? Or maybe...just maybe....it was a different person?

    "R-right...well, then, I will need you to fill these o-out. If you need help, a receptionist can do it for you".

    "No thanks, I am good" Yuu said, taking the paper and pen and writing in the common language. That said, his handwriting...it was certainly readable, but it was not that great. Yuu then looked over at Lyo''s, expecting his to be worse...but it was better! No, fancy even! It looked perfect! Yuu''s writing looked even more embarrassing by comparison!

    "Oh my...what cute girls!" one of the female receptionists said, having seen them list their ages as nine although they were short. James snickered a bit behind them.

    "...we are both boys actually..." Yuu commented, annoyed.

    "I can also vouch for that, as surprised as I was" James mentioned.

    "You didn''t need to add that last part!" Yuu retorted.

    The Receptionist, and many others, had practically gone full red alert mode now. After all, somehow, at some point, Yuu had made connections to the A-Ranked adventurer that had come here two and a half years ago, James Jameson. As an A-Ranked adventurer, he actually held quite a bit of political power and say, and was like a psuedo-noble. In fact, some have even said he might make S-Rank soon, because he had been getting weirdly stronger.

    Incidentally, the cause of that was the fights Yuu and James had whenever James visited them.

    This meant though that Yuu now had a very powerful friend who could easily crush them. And many of them had known others were doing bad things to him, and yet did nothing to stop them. Others had been the ones who did those bad things.

    It was a sign of the apocalypse, but to others, it felt like it meant they had to kill Yuu, before he could point them out to James. After all, they knew his personality. The way he acted towards them...once he learned who did what, heads would roll.

    As for the receptionist, who confirmed Yuu''s name, she practically wanted to faint. She knew for certain, she had to kill Yuu...before he ruined her plan, and her career!

    But either way, the next thing James said made hte impact worse.

    "Also, please put them at C-Rank. I might say B-Rank, but you two do need time to learn about the intricacies of city life and noble society first".

    "Right..."

    "Yeah..."

    "Oh, and that reminds me! Another boy came to town recently, I think you would get along great with! He also uses a sword, as well as magic, after all, and he looks only a bit older then you...well, for Yuu, maybe a lot older".

    "Hey!"

    "Anyways...ah, right!" he said, looking at the receptionist. "Anyways, the Guild Master should have told you I would be stopping by and to listen to my request. This is it, so please do it".

    The receptionist did remember that...but to think it was this request! Still, she had no choice. She quickly upgraded both of their Guild Cards to rank C.

    "Now, come on! I have been waiting two years to show you something!"

    Hearing that, Yuu rolled his eyes, while Lyo looked on in excitement. They followed him out of the guild while people were still pissing themselves and panicing, with a number of adventurers who had not known anything or only came to the city in the past three years being confused.

    However, as James was leading them, he began to talk.

    "So, this place is the home to many churches. But among them all, I think you might enjoy this one Yuu".

    "Why is that?"

    "Because I think its your namesake! Its one of the few gods that has two names you see....the God of Friendship, Joy, and Cheerfulness..."

    As they turned a corner, Yuu stopped dead in his tracks as he saw something that should not exist in this world.

    "...Koruko Yuuki!"

    And it was the face of his previous body, on a naked stone statue clad only in some weird cloth slash that coiled around it, smiling as it stood there. The name Koruko Yuuki was written on a plague on it, and under that, it said "The God of Friendship, Joy, and Cheerfulness".

    But, that was clearly his face, his body only without the scars he had recieved from his parents, and his name, from the previous world.

    His brain immediately stopped working, his face went both pale and red at the same time, and on the spot, he fainted and fell backwards.

    "Yuu!"

    "Ah...maybe it was too much for him?"

    <hr>

    There were a number of Religions in the world. Most were polytheistic, that worshipped multiple gods. Though there were some groups that only worshipped one of those many gods. Among them were beings such as The Great God of Souls and Life, depicted as a young boy, Avalon. It was he who first brought otherworlders to this world, known as Elios, and who brought the gift of Magic and Martial Development, which was a trick using mana that could allow one to gain strength and physical abilities without becoming muscular.

    There was also the Great God of Light and Purity, Roshu. He was depicted as an old man (and a stubborn senile one according to Avalon), although his status as a great god was hoisted up by the Church of True Light, which was predominantly human if not entirely human. It is said that this god has allowed the summoning of Human Heroes from other worlds, allowing them to gain legendary figures in times of need.

    And then, the last of the three, Mirabell, the Goddess of Skill and Wisdom. She was declared a great god after she defeated several other gods in a tournament in the divine realm once, proving her superiority in combat and power. She then proceeded to instruct her followers to learn skills and techniques, not from any strange scroll or magical system, but through the refinement of techniques and weapon skills. It is said that her teachings have helped improve the combat abilities of individuals, and that without her, several people would have never become S-Rank adventurers.

    It was in this place that the priest from before had run to, hoping to speak to the Arch-Priest, who was the highest authority of the faith in the entire region. He reported right to the Council of Bishops, led by the Arch-Bishops, who were second only to the pope. He had been there for several years, and as a priest, he was one of the closest confidantes of the Arch-Priest. He knew many secrets, including one very severe one.

    "Arch-Priest Ryland!" he said in an urgent yet weirdly hushed tone, as he walked up to the man who wore fancy white robes with golden borders, golden earings, and held an ornage golden staff that could also be used to cast magic.

    "Yes?" he said, realizing the strange tone. "What is it, Priest Soko..."

    "The boy...Yuu...has returned to the city!"

    Almost immediately, a vain appeared to pop in the man''s forehead. He dropped his treasured golden staff as he stood, his eyes wide with worry and rage.

    "What?! But...we were told he had died! That the..demon brat had been subjugated!"

    Rather, Ryland had ordered it himself. In fact, it had been a crucial part of cleaning up this city...among other things. A lot of plots had hoisted, and many backroom deals had been cut. Very few knew about those though. Only that a boy who was rumored to be cursed and thrown out of the orphanage, Yuu...he had been blamed for many things, and then disappeared from the city.

    He was confirmed to have died.

    But now, he had returned to the city? Alive?!

    This was the worst situation possible.

    "Where was he heading?"

    "...I think....maybe...in the direction of the adventurer''s guild".

    Ryland took that back mentally. Now it was the worst situation possible.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, in the lord''s manor, a man appeared from the shadows while the lord of the city, Margrave Alibaster, was sipping tea.

    "I assume this must be urgent, if you have come here".

    "The boy commonly refered to as the ''Cursed Child'' or ''The Demon Brat'', believed to have been successfully assassinated three years ago, has returned to the city alive".

    Alibaster dropped his tea cup, with it shattering on the floor it a clatter of sounds, the moment he heard that.

    "What?! But I was guarenteed he had been killed!"

    The Margrave also was enraged. If Yuu was still alive...if he told the truth about a certain situation, and the right people heard it...he could get ruined.

    Of course, obviously it was not like Yuu had some sort of evidence, and what he saw was only a small fragment of the truth...but that fragment could link everything together. If it became known, he could be ruined. Or worse...

    "I want you to hire some people, make sure its clear his death was never connected to me".

    "Understood, my lord".

    As the man disappeared, the Margrave gripped his fists. And then, he took a look at that letter. And he had to wonder....if it was a coincidence, or someone''s plot...

    <hr>

    The Merchant Organization Red Road had a rather large branch office in Arxis, and right now, one of his merchants who also handled more...discreet operations...had informed him of something that made his eyes bulge.

    The report was that "The demon brat, Yuu, had returned to the city alive".

    The leader of the organization, Tarkan Rooste, nearly spat out the wine he was drinking when he heard that.

    After all, he was told the boy had died, and that everything would be smoother now. A useful scapegoat thanks to that curse of his...that Shadow.

    Although he kept his merchant face up, deep down he had gone full panic mode. If certain deals got out...if certain truths came to light, then others would as well...and everything would be revealed.

    If that happened, everything would fall apart.

    "...gather intelligence, and then take him out.  But since he seems rather stubborn, I want you to spread the word. About how he is cursed, filled with bad luck and bad mojo. That selling him anything could spread the curse to you. That even being nice to him could result in disaster. That he is a true demon".

    "Of course, we will begin at once".

    <hr>

    A boy in a red and white cap looked on playfully as he sat on the clocktower of the city, looking down at Yuu who had just passed out as he giggled.

    "I have been waiting a long time to see that look on your face, Yuuki!" the boy said with joy. "Sorry for the shock, but I just could not help it! Well, think of it as my fee...for reincarnating you, after all".

    As he said that, a small spark of light flew down from the clouds and hovered around his shoulder.

    "Avalon! There you are! I have been worried silly about you!"

    "Sorry, sorry, but I am busy right now".

    "The other gods still want answers for what you were doing with that soul! And also about many other things! Furthermore, Roshu''s followers are attempting to do another Hero Summoning!"

    "Seriously? Didn''t he already have like three heroes summoned in the last few years? And a lot of other people have been pulling it off as well...well, I will just leave it all to Mirabell!"

    "...master...."

    "Now now, I am properly doing my work! This city...it has so many plots brewing in it, I am worried demons are doing some bad things here. So, I need to deal with it...ahhh, Yuuki! Get stronger so you can face Divine Level threats and I can meet you in my God Form! Well, I can always use my human form as well...ahhh".

    The spark then began to pull on Avalon''s ear.

    "If you are going to do something here then dont sit around and go do it, master!"

    And so, like that, a god giggled as the day continued onward.

 Chapter 11: Connection

    Chapter 11: Connection

    Night had descended upon the city, and with it, a dense fog had rolled in as well. Perhaps because of the fact that the city was also built in the center of a large clearing inside the various swerving canyons, and therefore still trapped some heat in the air which then dropped dramatically at night time, or some other reason Yuu had yet to figure out.

    Either way, the fog made the city more mysterious and more treacherous at night. There was at least some mana involved, so even sensory magic was dampened, resulting in a feeling of unknown and mysteriousness. The giggling of children, which could normally be said to be heartwarming, felt ominous and dangerous even, and every clatter and clack could make one jump. Even though there were plenty of people active at night, this atmosphere remained outside in the fog. Even those who had lived here for awhile were not necessarily over that feeling, as the occasional patron glanced outside in worry.

    As for Yuu, after he was revived, he, Lyo, and James had gone to a nearby tavern inn where Yuu and Lyo would be staying. The room was already paid for the next few weeks by James, although Yuu still did not trust him. The three of them were eating a nice warm meal, cooked Shockboar meat with fruit juice for Yuu and Lyo, and some high quality ale for James.

    "Yuu...you are smiling in a scary way again" Lyo warned, as he took a bite of some meat. Apparently the Shockboar was a monster that used electrical attacks, but once it was killed, its meat was very delicious.

    As for why Yuu was smiling, it was because of what he was planning. The Yuu who rarely smiled unless Lyo caused it was full of happiness today, but not some sort of innocent, kind happiness. Rather, it was a dark sort of happiness, like a predator stalking a delicious prey.

    "Sorry...cant help it. Even if you say I need to get used to people or mellow out...I just cant deny myself the joy of taking down those who hurt, abused, and essentially tortured me" Yuu replied in a soft tone, his young cute voice not really matching his words or expression. "That receptionist...did you see her face? TO think that the person who essentially forced me to take hydra venom would be in such a position. Oh, there are so many ways I could topple her over...drive her to madness? Lure her out and then give her poison.....or, maybe I will just tell everyone else what she did. Make her walk into work one day and see the disapointed and disgusted faces of all of her co-workers and her boss...she would probably get fired, or maybe even jailed, on the spot".

    Lyo and James had difficult faces as Yuu''s expression warped. Lyo then went and pinched Yuu''s nose to snap him out of it. "Yuu! That is indecent!"

    "...I dont want to hear that from the person who always barges into my bed and bath..." Yuu retored silently. "Besides, these people are not just going to sit around...speaking of which, James. You promised me you would tell me everything once I came, so tell me. Why was I such an easy target?"

    Even if Yuu''s opinion of people on average was incredibly low, he wasn''t such a narcissist to think he would get especially targeted like that by so many people. It was strange, how everyone reacted like that. The Church, the Lord, the Merchants. It was just too much.

    "Keep in mind, even if I am an A-Rank adventurer, I can only gather so much intel....its not really my strong suit to begin with, although Argen''s party helped a bit" James mentioned. "However, it seemed like an unusually large amount of incidents had been cropping up while you were in the city. People were starting to believe the city was cursed...and apparently, around that time, you were thrown out of the orphanage. Its bizzare though...after you were supposedly gotten rid of, the incidents stopped. And you were blamed for all of them as some cursed child. Both the Lord of the city and the head of the church both confirmed it together".

    "...what do you mean, exactly?"

    "Apparently, a string of murders that had been targetting various nobles and clergy suddenly stopped once oyu left. All the murders appeared as if evil spirits did them. Additionally, it was said that around that time from some merchants, that every time you got near one of their stores or stalls, large amounts of products would go bad or missing or break. It hurt a lot of merchants in the area, including the biggest merchant group....although, they recovered remarkably fast, faster then everyone else, after you disappeared, but that was attributed to them being the biggest. It caused them to get the advantage over the other merchants, but many blamed you for that as well".

    Yuu nodded along to the explanation, listening. From what it sounded, it seemed like he was used as a scapegoat, so a lot of people took out their frustration on him. However...there were still some weird points.

    "The assassinations...did they help anyone?"

    "On first glance, it did seem random. However, while not all of them were like that...many of them did happen to be those who did not always agree or get along with the residing lord, or had strong loyalty to the previous lord''s family. It seemed the previous lord had no heirs when he died, so the current one had the territory...although, his wives did die from some rather mysterious symptoms".

    "Let me guess, they blamed that on me too".

    "Only the last one. The others were before you were born".

    Well, at least they are not blaming me for the impossible...I suppose....

    "Either way, this last bit of information came from a criminal organization I may have ended up annihalating about a year ago...but apparently several major figures came together to fund an assassination bounty on you. It appears they believed you died three years ago, so...you may want to be careful. They may wish to try again..."

    "Well, first of all" Yuu said, glancing around at the tavern. It was a good and nice tavern for the city, as well as expensive. The fog outside was tampering with both Yuu''s and Lyo''s perception abilities, but they could sense that someone was following them, glaring at them. After all, they had grown up in the peaceful forest full of predators. Even without magic, their instincts were highly trained so they could feel the pressence of those who saw them as prey. "It seems we might have company tonight".

    "If you kill any of them, your enemies will turn it around and use it to strike at you" James warned. Yuu sighed.

    "Fine...I will try to avoid leaving any major or fatal wounds then".

    "I just hope your conviction to do that is better then your attempt to learn the sword".

    In the past two years, Yuu had also tried to learn the sword from James every time he visited. Unfortunately, just like with his attempt to learn the bow, he showed terrible skill and coordination. If he used magic to form and control the sword, it got to a point it was usable...but, his pure magical abilitiy was still far superior.

    It was like a bad joke. Anything bigger then a dagger, or unless it was something like a staff, and Yuu was terrible with them. No, even if he just tried to go pure staff without magical assist, it was still bad.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "Well, for now, I suppose it would be best to get some rest until they arrived...I think they are only holding off because you are here".

    "It would be a lot easier for you to sleep if you just agreed to stay in the same room as me".

    "...no, you perverted old man. I don''t feel like getting groped in my sleep".

    "Hey! I am not a pervert! I am just checking to see if your wounds have healed, since you know, you never honestly tell me things like that".

    "Either way, you are too big, so it would be crampt. Come on Lyo" Yuu said as he finished eating. "Lets head to bed".

    "Yay! Getting to sleep with Yuu in a new..."

    "...Lyo, your own bed".

    Lyo pouted at Yuu as they locked eyes.

    "Yes".

    "No".

    "Yes...and wear the pyjammas, it will get cold here".

    "Skinship is needed to feel safe in a new place!"

    "Lyo, there are people who will be coming to try and kill us".

    "Yuu fainted earlier, so I need to make sure it was really shock and not a fever".

    The two stared each other down, neither budging. This went on for a full minute, before James slapped them both on the back.

    "How about settling this upstairs?"

    The two boys realized they probably looked weird, and nodded, heading upstairs and reaching their bedroom. The inn had rather nice and smooth flooring, and there was even some decoration here and there. Furthermore, Yuu felt the pressence of protective enchantments on the walls and doors, indicating it was quite well guarded too. Once they got in the room, they put their stuff to the sides and Yuu closed the door, locking it from the inside.

    When he turned around, a naked Lyo tackled him down and began pulling off his clothes. Unfortunately for Yuu, Lyo was not only a bit taller, but also stronger.

    When he was fully naked, Yuu looked like he was really annoyed.

    "Now is not the time for games!"

    And then, Lyo jumped forward with his whole body and hugged Yuu once he stood up. It was extremely awkward for Yuu, but he was also used to it. However, what made him stop was the sounds of Lyo crying. Crying as he squeezed Yuu tight, holding him there and unable to move.

    "L..Lyo?"

    "Yuu...please...dont leave me..."

    "Lyo..."

    Yuu had a feeling that this was about more then just sleeping.

    "What is it, Lyo?"

    "Its just...this place...its full of sadness and pain...even those smiles from before had pain in them" Lyo mentioned, shocking Yuu with his observational ability. "There are a lot of people who wish you harm here, right?"

    Yuu, unable to even free his arms to push Lyo away, sighed.

    "Yeah...there is..."

    "Well...please....please dont do anything stupid. Dont lose yourself in revenge....dont give up everything to be satisfied...dont get yourself killed....please...I dont want to lose anyone else".

    Yuu could not help but cry a little at those words, as well as smile. It was a rare feeling he had right now, one that he had never felt until he met Lyo. ANd that...was someone genuinely caring for him, wishing him well....wishing him to live.

    Although Lyo was still silly, airheaded, and a complete moron, he had matured himself as well. Yuu had once read Lyo''s diary after he left it out one time, so he knew. Well, he was already aware of it by that point to be honest. That Lyo was still suffering from what was likely PTSD, or some other trauma based disorder.  Or simply grief.

    Lyo never mentioned his original village, except perhaps once or twice in passing. He never talked about his friends or family there, never asked to look or keep an eye out for them, never did any of that. And his emotional attachment to Yuu, even for an air headed silly moron, was unusual.

    So Yuu didn''t have to be a genius to figure it out. About how terrible it must have been...and about their fate.

    Lyo had lost everything, and now, in such a situation, Lyo was scared about losing the one person he cared about the most. Yuu. He was afraid that in this city, Yuu would die. Either from his enemies, or as a part of some revenge scheme, or such. Lyo understood it was dangerous, the most dangerous moment of their lives yet.

    His tears were pouring down his face, getting Yuu all wet as they hit him. His arms, small and trembling, grasped Yuu tight so that he would not lose his precious friend. His knees wobbled, and his face was distorted with fear and sadness.

    Right now, there was nothing between them. Their soft, smooth chests pressed against each other, their heartbeats beat in a rythmic unison, each one feeling the other.  Yuu felt the emotions of his best friend, and understood what he was trying to say and protect.

    "...thank you, Lyo" Yuu muttered, as Lyo''s warmth thawwed his heart a little. "I promise, I wont let this city kill me. I wont fall into despair again, and I wont let this place tear us apart. We will live, both of us".

    "You promise?" Lyo said, not letting go.

    "I promise...I wont lose my life, or my soul here" Yuu said, remembering the way his father behaved.

    He had to do better. Be better. He would never be a truly good person....his heart was far too tainted and bitter. But as Yuu clenched his fist, he reafirmed his decision. He would not fall to the levels of his father. He would have his revenge...but, he would also become a person that Lyo would be proud to stand with.

    And so, the two boys who shed tears eventually crawled into bed to sleep for tomorrow, Yuu not even trying to stop Lyo anymore.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, outside the room, two dark clothed individuals had managed to sneak past the people below, and drew daggers as they began to reach for the doorknob.

    "Now now...dont you feel a bit bad, eevesdropping like that. Such a touching moment should not be ruined" James said as he appeared behind them.

    Seeing the famous A-Rank adventurer like that, the two grimenced from inside their hoods, but did not speak back. Unlike in stories and TV shows, these two were true veterans. They did not make excuses or exchange words, they pulled back and got into a combat formation, raising their daggers.

    Unfortunately for them, from the shadows behind them, two chains came around their throats and began to strangle them to death, as a woman wearing a black and purple robe, as well as somewhat provacative clothes that went well with her exceptional features, came out. The chains that appeared to float and move on their own snapped the necks of the two, pulling their bodies into her robe which caused them to disappear.

    "Ara ara...you did not tell me the two were such cute, innocent boys" the woman said with a giggle, as the two chains floated around her.

    James however still had a hand on his sword, staring at her.

    "...they already think I am a pervert. Besides, you try and go after them, you will just end up getting killed".

    "Oh....but my desire is to make them submit of their own free will to me...besides, you are a pervert".

    "I am just misunderstood! You are the real pervert...and also, if you touch them or go after them in any way..."

    Suddenly, James appeared in front of her with his sword drawn, and cut down to cut her in half. She quickly blocked with the chains, only then to realize James was not there. In truth, he had never moved at all. He had simply adjusted his body position at the same time as he increased his own pressence and aura, mentally tricking her into hallucinating that he had attacked.

    "I see...well, I should probably focus on my job as a royal spy anyways".

    "Most people would not admit they are spies".

    "Yes...but, it would be pointless to lie to you about it. Furthermore...those boys had quite a lot of energy dripping off of them" the woman said, licking her lips. James readied his sword again, but she backed off. "I dont mean like that. But, mana favors them heavily. Additionally, I could feel a pressence inside of Yuu...or maybe his Shadow. But more then that...his features really were quite nice and cute...if he cleaned up..."

    "Get to the point!"

    "My point is...something made Yuu stand out to them. People dont just throw out orphans, and they dont pick them at random. And also...if you do happen to discover anything about the current lord, my employers would appreciate it".

    "The Royals are suspicious of the Margrave?"

    "Of course...the Royals are not stupid. Even if some targets were neutral or supported him, an overwhelmingly large amount of the assassinated nobles were against him. I have my own duties to look out for, but...perhaps you should take a quest that goes near Ryster''s Ridge? There might be a gathering of people there you should...interact with".

    James nodded at her words, and watched as the woman retreated back into the shadows, her pressence disappearing entirely.

    "Now then...I wouldn''t want anyone else to ruin the night for them, so I should go and clean up before I get some sleep myself".

    That night, many would be assassins found themselves knocked unconscious and delivered anonymously to the guards.

 Chapter 12: Cautionary Action

    Chapter 12: Cautionary Action

    The next morning, and Yuu and Lyo had already gotten dressed. They had eaten breakfast, but the two had room to spare as they walked down the street.  They felt some strange pressure though as they walked down the street. Perhaps it was that no matter what stall they went to for food, they "mysteriously" could not serve them, and no shop would give them the time of day.

    It seemed that those who wanted Yuu gone would do more then sell assassins. It seems every merchant in the city would refuse to do business with Yuu. Even Lyo seemed to be excluded.

    "I suppose they are not being half hearted about this" Yuu said as he ate a skewer of meat, passing one to Lyo. Lyo looked puzzled about where he got them, but accepted the kindness. That said...

    "...you did pay right?"

    "...Yes".

    Yuu answered while averting his eyes. He did pay...but, as he did not know the price, he payed conservitively.

    That is, if you count taking them using magic and then leaving money behind as "paying".

    Lyo was a bit less clingly then before after last night, and although he looked relaxed, one might notice a shine in his eyes from time to time. Still, he was showing more maturity, learning things from watching rather then asking non-stop questions, or annoying Yuu to no end from those questions. He was less like a kid in a candy store, and more like a kid on a field trip. His mannerisms were calmer, at least relative to before, and he was properly soaking in the city atmosphere.

    That said, it was getting thoroughly ruined by the glares and antagonism of the shop keepers. Not only that, but there appeared to be a group of priests that were following them, from a different church then the one Yuu had seen before. He vaguely remembered them, he sometimes saw them in the Red Light district when he was here before. Sometimes spreading words of purity, sometimes...doing other things.

    Incidentally, Yuu could also feel the sharp gazes from people hiding within the crowds. It was getting annoying to him, he was used to just outright confronting and killing his enemies, but if he made a scene in town, then it would give his enemies an excuse to rally the city against him.

    In other words, politics were annoying. So, Yuu was currently devising a way to stealthily kill them all. After all, if there was no evidence or scene to link him to the events, then they could not rally against him, right?

    Although, they did blame everything on my "curse".  So, even that is not entirely guarenteed....

    As he was thinking of that, someone seemed to come racing by and had a full on collision with Yuu. Yuu and the other figure fell to the ground. The figure was somewhat taller then Yuu, reaching above Lyo''s height by a bit. His white hair covered by a dark hood, and his red eyes practically glowing.

    "Ah! Sorry! Excuse me, gotta go!" he said, picking up "that" from the ground. A hilt, that appeared to have no blade in it. Yuu could feel a powerful magical aura from the hilt.

    Lyo reached down with his hand, and Yuu reached out to grab it, letting Lyo pull him up.

    "Some people are so rude...well, at least he apologized" Lyo mentioned, pouting.

    In the meantime, Yuu thought of an idea. And so, he began his operation to deal with his tail.

    <hr>

    Suddenly, in the middle of town, a dense fog rolled in again. Although it was not terribly common during the day, it was not uncommon either, so people did not think it was strange.  However...in that moment...

    "Where did he go?!" A muffled voice yelled angrily, as they rushed to check on their targets from the rooftops. However, no matter where they looked, there was no evidence of their targets, Yuu and Lyo, anywhere. Indeed, the fog seemed to be disorienting too, as one of them knocked into a man.

    "Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" the man said in a drunken state, punching the guy in the face as the fog began to clear a little. This discheveled, drunken man now looked at the group that was previously invisible to everyone''s attention, and seemed like he was not going to let them get away. "Seems like you guys need to learn how to respect people!"

    And thus, the brawl between a large drunken man and the spies commenced.

    <hr>

    "...they cant blame me if there is someone else to blame" Yuu said with a smile. If they just disappeared was one thing, but if they got beaten up by a drunk? That was something different.  Although, the fact there was a man drunk so early in hte morning was concerning in its own right.

    "Yuu has a mischevous face this time....much better then creepy smile face!" Lyo exclaimed.

    "...shut up. Anyways..."

    "Yo, peoples. Want to go on a quest with me?" James asked from behind them, startling them both. Neither Yuu''s sensory magic nor Lyo''s Elf Senses were able to pick up James, but it seemed to work on everything else. As a result, they were still not used to it.

    "Would you stop doing that?!"

    "...how did you even track us in that fog?"

    "Sec-ret~"

    The two boys glared at him.

    "Now now. Hey, how do you feel going on a quest? I hear if we are really good, we might be able to pick up a bonus".

    "A bonus...huh..."

    "Yeah...tell me, waht do you know about the current tension in the city?"

    "You mean aside from the fact there are people actively working against me?"

    "Yeah, aside from that. Apparently, there has been a bit of a ruckus inside the Red Light District. People disappeared apparently...anyways, not sure exactly what is up with that...."

    "...liar".

    "....but, I heard something interesting. There is a quest to slay some Elder Drakes in the nearby canyon north of here, but...who knows what else we might encounter?"

    Yuu narrowed his eyes, but James did not budge no matter how much pressure he exerted from his body. James seemed to resist such things like they were nothing.

    "...fine. Let me guess, you want us to come with right?"If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    "Yeah. I asked some other people I know to meet us by the gate. Since we have valid Adventurer IDs, we should be able to go through without being hastled".

    "Do you really need us for this though?"

    "Well, the Elder Drakes may be operating alone, but there also might be a Dragon leading them. Not an ancient one like before though, something much weaker and easier to manage. Still, it is a Dragon. Furthermore, we will have to go through Orc Territory, since Orcs recently set up there as well. Anyways, because of all that, to make sure it gets done, a lot of high ranked adventurers have been summoned. Since your both C-Rank, no one should complain".

    Although realistically, after all the training you two did in the past two years, you are probably more in the upper B-Ranks now....

    Either way, the group decided to set off for the gate.

    <hr>

    At the north gate, the trio arrived to meet the others participating.

    Among them were the familiar faces of the Daysparrow party, with all four members there. Argen, Verona, Cassor, and Lysander.

    There was also two other boys a bit older then themselves there talking. One had a staff and a red and white cap, and the other was wearing a blue hood that covered his head, but some of his white hair was standing out. He also had that strange hilt with him. He was the one who ran into Yuu before, and helped give him the idea of making the people following him "accidentally" run into a drunk. Well, part of that depended on luck though.

    There was also a party of five women, wearing white and red armor, and all carrying powerful looking weapons. Even though they were adventurers, they looked beautiful and had exceptional features. Yuu contemplated on if some sort of magic was used, or if this world just had weird genetics like that. That said, their army covered their bodies, and was like normal knight armor just well fitted to them, so there was no exposed skin that was pointlessly made a vulnerability just for looks. They were the Whiteblade party.

    "Oooh, does Yuu have a crush on them? Just too bad you cant ''clash swords'' with women like you and Lyo did last night" James mentioned, causing Yuu to turn bright red as he understood what James meant with his tease. He almost instinctively tried to freeze James solid inside a glacier, but Lyo was able to hold him back and stop him.

    "Die, you perverted old man!"

    "Now now, come on. Lets get to work!~" James mentioned, with Yuu fuming behind him and contemplated all the ways he could try to kill James later.

    There was also another group of adventurers as well, the Stormcallers. It appeared to be made up of a female warrior, a male dark elf mage, a female dwarvern shieldbearer, and a high elf male archer.

    Argren had a bit of a wry, awkward smile on his face, which was quickly adopted by the rest of the members once they saw Yuu. Cassor nearly flinched when he felt Yuu''s current magical levels. He was aware Yuu had trained in the past two years, but he couldnt help but be amazed at how fast that child could grow.

    Verona and Lysander however were a bit worried about how it would turn out. Certainly, Yuu and Lyo exceeded their expectations the first time they met, but at least they listened to reason. it took them two years, but they did eventually come to the city. It seemed a bit...sad, and like a bad idea, to just leave them out there after all.

    However, the other adventurer parties had different reactions.

    The white haired boy in the hood was a bit embarrassed to see the person he ran into appear. The boy looked like he was three or four years younger, but seeing him here probably meant he was older. He had a bad habit of making assumptions based on appearance sometimes, and scolded himself mentally.

    The mage in the red and white cap seemed amused at seeing them, and observed Yuu and Lyo with interest and curiosity. He had a strange atmosphere around him, and Yuu felt like he was a bit familiar? Was he at the guild yesterday? Maybe the one who ran out of the guild right before they entered?

    His cap seemed rather interesting though. Or rather, it was of higher quality then Yuu''s handmade clothes. Of course, given Yuu was self taught in this world, and self learned how to fix his own clothes as Yuuki, that was not too surprising.

    The Whiteblade party, particularly the leader, gave James rather annoyed looks, and then looked at Yuu and Lyo. It was obviously they were being looked down upon, likely since they not only were young, but even appeared younger then they were. The Whiteblades looked at James and wondered what sort of prank, joke, or maybe he ended up annoying some noble and that noble forced him to babysit his kids, or something like that. Although, Yuu and Lyo were of two different races, but they didn''t mind that all that much.

    Rather, they were scowling, so they seemed rather annoyed.

    And the other party, Stormcallers, also seemed to be wary of the two''s pressence. They had confused looks on their faces, and some tilted their heads as if it couldn''t be helped. It seemed like they had experienced James'' whimsical nature before.

    "Yo, everyone! This bitter, cold hearted boy is Yuu, and this walking ball of sunshine is Lyo. Dont let their looks decieve you, they are C-Rank adventurers".

    "...im not bitter".

    "Eh, you kinda are".

    "Lyo?!"

    Yuu tried to deny it a little, though his true goal was just to say that James was wrong. But Lyo casually said that it was true.

    "I see you two are the same as always...no, wait. You do seem more mature".

    "Thank you" Yuu said. He might be a bit cold hearted, but he had the manners to thank someone for a compliment. Plus, "more mature" meant taller, which meant someone was recognizing he did grow!

    His height complex had also "matured", after all.

    As for Lyo, he still seemed to lack an awareness of personal space, but unlike before when he clung to Yuu non stop, he seemed to not be like that. He still had Yuu''s hand clutched tightly in his, but there was a bit of distance between the two. Not a cold distance either, but it seemed like he was more independent, and more aware, then before.

    He was not kissing or hugging Yuu all the time in front of others, so that made it clear he had matured to the point of understanding Time and Place to a degree.

    Well, he did hear about a certain "public declaration", but even if he did mature, he was still a young boy. He wasn''t going to completely mature, even in two years.

    "Argen? You know him?"

    "Ah, yeah. He helped us deal with the investigation two years ago. He doesn''t trust people very much, so dont try to force it. He hates it when people do that".

    Although saying they were friends might seem a bit strange, at the very least, Argen got along with Yuu more then James did. He was respectful of Yuu and Lyo''s past, showing sympathy and kindness but not dragging up the fatal question. Rather then forcing it, he allowed their relationship to develop slowly and naturally, so they were on good terms with each other at least, as well as the rest of the Daysparrow party.

    Although Yuu held a bit of a grudge over the fact that they were better at weapons then him.

    He stared jealously at the sword on Argen''s waist. Even if Yuu didn''t trust, and generally didn''t like people, he was still someone who wanted to get stronger. And in fact, if he could become a stronger vanguard, then he and Lyo would not need anyone else.

    "Anyways, Zak, Avo, how about you party with these two. You all appear around the same age anyways. Ah, by the way. The white haired boy is Zak, and Avo is the boy in the red and white cap".

    "....me and Lyo work better alone".

    "Come on! Yuu, you need to make more friends!"

    Yuu tried to turn away, but Lyo went into his face and gave him the puppy dog eyes expression, the smug because I am right expression, the arms crossed "Really? Dont be stubborn" expression, and the "You promised~" expression, the combination of which was known as Lyo''s "Yuu convincing glare" technique. It tended to be super effective and was the only chance to get Yuu to do something he was dead set against.

    "Fine! Fine! I get it!" Yuu said, after enduring it for about twenty seconds. "In that case, I want to get our formation in order. First off, what is with that hilt?"

    "Ah, this?" Zak replied, taking it out. He poured mana into it, and a blue blade materialized. And it was a rather large blade at that, taller then Zak was. "This is my weapon, Azul Sanguine. Its got a bunch of interesting affects".

    Yuu almost retorted on that name, but managed to suppress it. It was not often he felt like retorting like that, but that name....''Azul Sanguine''...used two different words from his original world. He did here some of those words get used, and learned some of it was spread by summoned heroes in the past. It became pretty obvious to him that those summoned heroes, at least some, probably came from his previous world and spread them around.  Then...Azul Sanguine probably originated from a Summon. He also did consider the idea there were other Reincarnators like himself.

    In fact, he was not quite sure why he was reincarnated with his memories. Was it because his current life overlapped with his previous life too much? Or was there something else? It was very puzzling.

    Either way....

    "So you are a swordsman then?"

    "Magic Swordsman. I can use magic as well".

    "I am a pure mage though. I know a lot of attack spells, defense spells, and support spells, and even close quarters combat spells. Pleasure to be working with you".

    Yuu didn''t quite respond to that, mostly out of distrust, but either way it seemed that aside from James, everyone would be acting in a group.

    And so, they set off on their quest.

 Chapter 13: March to the Truth

    Chapter 13: March to the Truth

    Orcs. Monsters that are an all male race that sometimes appear naturally in the world. While they seem to appear randomly, Orcs are also capable of reproducing with the female of any species, to produce more orcs. This includes Goblins and other humanoids, but also humans, elves, beastkin, and dwarves, to give some examples.

    And because of their high lust, they tend to go after those females, killing any males in their way.

    "I am a boy!" Yuu shouted in annoyance as another Orc with a dirty look came right up to him. Currently, as they were subjugating the orcs, one of their scouts apparently noticed them and alerted the other Orcs that a large group, including multiple females such as the Whiteblade party, was coming. However, mistaking his short height and cute looks, Yuu was constantly being targeted as well.

    Of course, the Orcs were getting slaughtered left and right. Lyo especially fired arrows right into the skulls of Orcs that tried to target Yuu, scowling and showing an unusually angry expression.

    "Don''t you dare hurt my best friend" Lyo muttered coldly, a very uncharacteristic thing for him. It even made James shiver a little.

    ...Lyo angry even scares me...its probably giving the other parties goosebumps for sure...

    Either way, Yuu unleashed a number of wind blades to cut some orcs in half, and Cassor was providing a protective barrier from the Orc Archers and Mages. Ever since two years ago, where their party nearly got wiped out by the traitor, it seemed he realized he needed to work better on concentration and support magic. He has even gotten good at casting multiple spells at once.

    Argen had also gotten stronger. After surviving that incident, and a kill spell, he had trained his sword and honed his skills. He saw just how much stronger people could get, and worked to surpass his old limits. Though hard work, dilligence, and some excelent blacksmiths making him a new sword to fit his training, he was both stronger and faster.

    Verona and Lysander were the same. Verona had competed with Lyo with a few archery contests. In terms of skill, she was superior to Lyo, showing better concentration and the ability to read her opponents intentions and movements.  However, Lyo seemed to have a great deal with natural talent, a child prodigy in his own right. He was able to mix some magic in his arrows, and even create magic arrows that he can fire from his bow and have them follow set paths or track targets, among other things.

    Though their practice, Verona was able to understand some of Lyo''s natural talent and apply it to herself, while Lyo was able to learn some of the skill that Verona had achieved. As such, both of them had improved.

    And then there was Lysander. He too learned from the experience, understanding he needed to improve his reflexes and the ability to cover and assist his allies. Despite wearing heavier armor, he was faster then before, and was able to react to enemy movements with an eerie level of adaptation. He would not get caught in traps as easily, or get hit by spells. Not only was his defense good, but he was also good at dodging now, making him a great frontline person and a difficult fighter to deal with.

    Stormcaller seemed a bit surprised by their movements, but not as much as Whiteblade, which is a party that tends to work on their own more then with other parties. Yuu, who didn''t trust people on average, even acknowledged internally the fruits of their labor.

    Incidentally, each of them was wearing a modified version of the Death Ring. Yuu did disable the feature where Yuu could instantly kill them, but only that. Since apparently the Ring could protect against Instant Death spells, or spells that drain one''s lifeforce or such, it was actually an extremely valuable item.

    Yuu had also used some more bandits for experimenting with it too, and learned that those who wear them cannot become undead either. Of course, it required a lot of unethical experimentation on bandits to learn this, but Yuu didn''t have the morals of a normal person.

    He was trying to be better then his father, but given his father was a person who abused his own son to death, it wasn''t terribly difficult to do that. And because of everything he suffered through, Yuu''s sense of right and wrong became skewed.

    Even though Lyo was basically his opposite by all appearances, had Yuu never meant the strange and overly expressive boy known as Lyo, Yuu''s heart probably would have remained cold and forever sealed off from people, or at least it would have taken him far longer. Yuu, who had known only tragedy and suffering, met a boy who was so positive and expressive. And Yuu did not miss the parts of Lyo''s story that had such tragedy and darkness in it.

    He did not realize it at first, but it had sparked a thought in his head. If he can find happiness after suffering, then why cant I?

    And now, even if he did not trust others, he was able to interact with people now...he had returned to a place full of "people", and was now working with "people".

    And so, like this, they proceeded to squash the Orcs as they came to attack...

    <hr>

    "Whew" James said, sighing with relief. "Orcs might only be D-Rank enemies normally, but as expected, this many is difficult even for high ranked adventurers".

    "Disgusting pigs" the leader of the Whiteblade party, Sorona, mentioned as she cleaned off her blade. Around them were numerous corpses of Orcs, and also some of them were resting to regain their strength and stamina. After all, Drakes were no joke, and they would want to be at their best to be safe.

    The blood of the Orcs might attract other monsters, but for now it was safe. Perhaps because of the Orcs pressence in the area, their hunting, or just an instinctive awareness not to mess with those that slaughtered the Orcs, but no monsters appeared to attack them while they rested their feet and arms.

    And in this time, several parties were checking each other out.

    Whiteblade had taken note of Yuu and Lyo''s unatural skills. While Zak and Avo were people who they already knew and were used to, they seemed at least a bit older and had a reputation. But these two came out of nowhere, no previous reputation, and yet displayed such skills. It was as if they arrived yesterday, but they seemed to know both Argen and James, who have been in the city for two and a half years now.

    Sorona didn''t really trust them yet, but they did seem competant. However, there was one odd thing of note.

    "Alexa...do you know that boy by chance?"

    Alexa had been staring at Yuu for awhile now. Sorona had thought she found their pressence strange as well and couldn''t help herself, but it was starting to seem weird and unusual.

    "...n-no. I don''t think so" Alexa mentioned, placing her hand upon her chest. "...its just...its probably just my imagination..."

    "I see..." she said. She had known Alexa for a long time, so whatever had happened was not recent history anyways. The boy certainly would not have been old enough to be the cause.

    But Alexa could not help but stare...

    "...could it be...?"

    <hr>

    After some time, they ended up moving again, only to finally get ambushed by more monsters. They were Mud Salamanders, likely due to the nearby river, and then later they faced some Goblins who attacked them. It was not as tough as the orcs, but after they dealt with Nemesis Spider attack, eventually, the group had to stop.

    "Well, we did know there was a chance we would have to camp out. If they were that close after all, the Knights would have likely sent a dispatch with us" James mentioned. "Lets set up camp here. We need to wash our bodies and clean our gear anyways".If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Although normally adventurers would be capable of going long distances without baths, the Mud Salamanders had covered a great deal of them with mud. Furthermore, the Nemesis Spider Silk Shot attack had gotten sticky webs covered on their clothes, bodies, and armor. Cleanliness aside, these two would inhibit their movement and ability to attack if not cleaned off, so a bath was needed.

    Adventurers were used to having to take baths on the road and such though, so it was nothing new about it. The normal situation was to make camp near a river, lake, or pond, something within view, and then have everyone take shifts. The larger the group, the more guards you needed since it might attract the hungrier predators at night. However....one party objected to the norm, beating Yuu to the punch.

    "Nice try, but we wont camp and bathe so close to men. The Whiteblade party will make camp down there in privacy".

    The all women group refused to bathe or camp near the men. Although the female members such as Verona sort of understood, as Adventurers they had to chose practicality over such things.

    Of course, if it was just them five, they could probably do fine. But there was a larger group, and that would attract larger predators who thought they could satisfy themselves there rather then elsewhere. The group was too large, too noticable, left too many tracks.

    "I know what you mean" Verona mentioned. "But at night, monsters are more dangerous, and many have been known to employ stealth...its just too..."

    "No, we will not change our point" the group said.

    James, who listened to all this, nodded before having an idea.

    "So camping with men is a problem huh?"

    "Of course".

    In that instant, he pushed Yuu and Lyo forward.

    "Then take them! Even if you have a problem with men, such young boys should be fine right? Furthermore, you have seen their skills, so you know they can be relied upon after their bath. So how about it?"

    Sorona looked at Alexa, who seemed to signal it would be fine. She then thought about it a bit...the others didn''t really seem okay, and it was true it would be very dangerous for them, especially as an all female party...

    "Very well...the four boys can join us" she said after checking again with the rest of her party. At least this way, the camp was better balanced.

    Yuu, Zak, Avo, and Lyo made camp with the Whiteblade party. Before they finished though, the members of Whiteblade decided to have some people take a bath first. As for who it was, it ended up being Yuu and Alexa, somehow. The decision was made based on drawing straws, although Yuu thought he spotted a strange movement in the process.

    Either way, down at the river, Yuu had already gone to wash off his body. Standing there, thigh deep naked in water, Yuu''s body was very visible under the light of the two moons. Alexa, who saw this, was shocked. After all, she saw marks she clearly recognized. Signs of torture, burns, all of which was attempted to be covered up...

    Entering the water naked herself, she ended up hugging Yuu from behind as she sat down in the river, having him sit in her lap. Yuu''s face turned so red it looked like he might burst. But, even if he struggled, it was pointless, because Alexa was stronger then him.

    However, as he tried to shake her off, thinking that she had weird thoughts, he heard her crying.

    "...what are you doing?" he finally asked, annoyed and embarrassed as she began to wash his torso, and put a hand over where his heart was.

    "You look so different...but it really is you...you are really that Yuu, aren''t you?"

    And then, it finally hit him. Alexa was crying for him. The second person who had ever cried on his behalf. But then, she said something that got his attention.

    "...to think her son survived after all".

    Those words hit Yuu like a brick to the face in terms of shock. The entire time he had been in this world, he was alone. He had no memories of his parents, no memories of family. Not even memories of friends before Lyo. But...the woman who held his naked body in her arms...seemed to know his mother.

    Although perhaps somewhat based on his previous experiences with his mother as Yuuki, but he had held no interest, no curiosity, no thoughts towards his mother as Yuu. But, with the bait being placed right in front of him, he could not help his own curiosity.

    "...my...mother? You mean the one that abandoned me at an orphanage when I was a baby?"

    "No...well, yes and no" she said, while sniffling. "Your mother...is dead. She was murdered shortly after your birth".

    "...she was...murdered?"

    "Yes...to be honest, I thought you had died as well, or been taken and sold off somewhere maybe...to think, you would have this form though...perhaps she used her magic to help hide you, but once I saw that, I was sure..."

    "...you seem awefully talkative to me. Even though I am a ''boy'', I thought since I was male there would be some resistance from such a pure and clean group of flowers like yourself".

    Hearing that, Alexa chuckled, but it was a cold, painful chuckle that Yuu knew all too well. From that alone, he realized he had opened a bitter can of worms.

    "There is a reason we are known as Whiteblade, and not White Rose. Our party is not made of pure and innocent maidens you see...it was made of people like yourself. Victims...in our case, of...rape".

    The atmosphere became solemn. With Yuu sitting on Alexa''s lap, the moonlight that showered their naked bodies gave a feeling of calmness and solemnness.

    "...im sorry...you were saying about my mother?"

    "She was...a prostitute, but a rather nice and classy one. She was actually someone who many looked up to, including myself, and catered to nobles, even the former lord of the city, Ranyuuma, a few times. She was a lovely woman...and her cat ears and tail were really cute".

    Yuu heard something that he couldn''t let go.

    "Wait...my mom was a beastkin?"

    "It was why, even though your face is so similar to hers, I didn''t quite see it at first...you know, sometimes some traits take awhile to appear, but then spring up with mixed races, not always presenting from birth...although, Cat Beastkin are notorious for having both cute males and females, and typically are shorter and younger looking then most. So...you might end up sprouting ears and a tail any day now".

    Yuu was rather shocked to learn this. Was he not human? Or at least, not fully human? And cat ears and tail?

    To be honest, part...a big part...of Yuu''s curiosity was because he wanted to know if his family had any genetic illnesses he had to be wary of, or maybe grudges. Maybe they even had an estate he could inherit. He had also thought they would be terrible people, or bad excuses of humanity itself. But...based on her words, his mother was a kind person. A prostitute, but a kind person.

    And from what he heard...

    "...so your saying...she probably gave me up to protect me".

    Normally, his thoughts about the next phrase would be something about a cliche, but...he didn''t think that this time.

    "...my father...was he...the lord of the city?"

    "Although the current lord of the city did visit her a few times as well, so did the former lord...before his terrible accident".

    "...his terrible accident?"

    "Yes. The current lord only took over because the previous lord died before producing an heir. However...some doubt it was an accident. Furthermore, all nine prostitutes he had been seeing, as well as his wife, also perished, along with any children any of the prostitutes had".

    "...isn''t that way too obvious of who is at fault?"

    After all, Yuu could blatently see what was going on here. It was painfully obvious that the current lord of the city had them all killed.

    "Yes...although, its highly unlikely you were the previous lord''s child. He had golden hair and eyes, and your mother had silver hair and eyes. But, the current lord is a very paranoid and greedy person".

    Yuu quickly dismissed the idea of his dad being the previous lord. Although there were some points of interest, it seemed like it was low odds a golden haired golden eyed man and a silver haired silver eyed woman would produce a black haired black eyed boy.

    "...I see...well, that explains why he wants me dead...".

    "Technically speaking, while extremely unlikely, mutations can happen...so its possible for you to be an inheritor. If a heir is discovered, his position would be taken away, and given to that heir".

    Pieces were starting to come together now. And with the identity of his mom, and although unlikely, maybe his dad revealed, things were starting to make a bit more sense. Except...

    ...there is one thing...

    "So, my mom could use magic right? What kind of magic could she use? Light Magic? Shadow Magic? Wind Magic?"

    "She was able to use a lot of different types, like yourself. I suspect she might have used her Life Magic though to try and manipulate your body from the womb, make it so the Beastkin traits would not be as visible. She also uses illusion magic, which means...its possible her magic is still in play, even now, and they are already there. She was no good at attack or defense magic, but she was good at illusions and improving vigor and vitality...as you might expect, both of those talents worked well in the Red Light district. But she got so good at one point, she could even hide something to the point that people could not even feel it was there".

    Although that was interesting, it meant the biggest mystery, Yuu''s Shadow, was still not solved. It was clearly combat capable, while his mom apparently did not specialize or was good at combat magic.

    Which meant there were still mysteries about himself that needed to be solved, but at least now he had a hint to work off though.

    ...still, to think I am a beastkin....a Cat Beastkin, known for their small stature, exceptional agility, and a race said to be blessed by mana that always had some knack for learning magical ability...well, this sure explains a lot....to think I am a cat though...

    Although Yuu had not realized it, halfway through he was speaking to the woman a bit more nicely. He was not telling her everything, often disguising his true objective, but there was a minor kinship.

    This was not because Yuu was going soft, nor because it was because she was a friend, or at least, claiming to be a friend of his mother''s. It was partly to coax more information out of her, but also...she was someone who had suffered like he had. Maybe not as long as him, maybe not in the same ways as him.  But she too had been the victim of "unforgivable acts". And so, Yuu was simply giving her the respect he would want as well.

    After they returned though, Lyo was pouting like crazy, so Yuu made him some food to calm him down. Still, if it had been two years ago, he would not have allowed someone else to bathe with Yuu without him there at all, so it was a sign he was maturing none the less.

 Chapter 14: Assault

    Chapter 14: Assault

    As the night reached its end, Yuu was not having the best time sleeping, as dark thoughts plagued his dreams.

    Memories of his past surfaced. His father using him to put out cigarette butts. Pulling off his clothes, spanking him crazy, and then making him stand outside naked in the rain, just because he looked him in the eyes without permission. And probably because his father was currently drunk.

    Some days, he was even made to wear a dog collar, chained up to some old dog house, and had to sleep outside like that. Somehow he didn''t die from exposure, but usually it was because they mainly did that in the summer. Usually.

    Other times he was cut with a blade, or locked in a closet. Sometimes he went without food.

    It was a nightmare filled with horrors, something he had not had in qutie awhile.

    "Remember...this is what people will do to you" a voice echoed in his head, as a second him walked up in front of him as the place became a dark, black void. it was chilly and cold.

    "You cannot trust them".

    "They will only use you".

    "Everyone is your enemy".

    A dark shadow was creeping up Yuu''s leg, ensnaring him.

    "Do not reject your true self".

    "You must never forget what people have done to you".

    Yuu''s body was suddenly covered in scars, from both of his lives. Pain echoed across his entire body, driving him to a point of near madness.

    The other him gripped his neck, and made Yuu look at him.

    "They will come for you. For your attempt to live and be strong after all that happened, they will further see you and treat you as a monster".

    Suddenly, Yuu awoke gasping for air. The morning sun rained down upon him, filling him with a warm fuzzy feeling. Well, in truth, he was aware that looking at the morning sun actually caused a chemical reaction in the brain to make one feel good, but it didn''t change the fact he felt good as a result.

    However, he could also feel the scars again, and his hatred came boiling over. And yet that was suppressed once more, when lyo came over to him, asking the usual question.

    "Are you okay?"

    "...not really".

    Lyo seemed to be able to tell something was going on.

    "What happened?"

    "Just a nightmare".

    "...nightmares dont usually affect you this much".

    Its true, it shouldn''t...why would a little bad dream that was better then reality affect me like this? Am I going soft? Bah, this is why I hate people.

    While thinking that, he got up and prepared for the hunt.

    <hr>

    "Something seems strange here" Yuu said as he looked around.

    "Indeed, we should have encountered more drakes by now".

    The rocky area they were now in still had a few stubborn trees, but there was something amiss for sure. It was clear enough to see quite a distance awa, despite all the jagged rocks around, but they could not see a single Drake for a good distance.

    "Keep your guards up. This could be trouble".

    Yuu used his magic to scan the nearby area for various enemies, or even just lifeforms in general. And yet....there was no reaction.

    "Lyo, Ak-ta-ro".

    Lyo immediately took out his bow, and fired an arrow into the sky. The arrow flew up, before shining in a brilliant magical light. This was a special magic Lyo seemed to be able to use with his archery, a light which could reveal all hidden secrets, all shadows, everything. As the light shined down, a large section of cliff seemed to change, revealing the front gate to a camp, and several guards who seemed stunned.

    Rather, it seemed they were quite puzzled at the disappearance of their concealment magic, which had successfully fooled Yuu''s sensory magic at full power.

    Furthermore, the moment these people saw the group, looking at Yuu and Lyo specifically, they looked surprised and pulled out weapons.

    "Combat!"

    Zak immediately took out his sword, and seemed to glow in a blue aura as he rushed over to the first enemy. He slashed at the bandit, taking him down in an instant, while Lyo shot several arrows at a few others. James rushed forward and crushed the gates with his giant sword, while Yuu and Cassor unleashed magical lightning on the remaining two bandits they could see.

    However, the sudden attack was coutneracted when a huge flood of water came pouring out through those gates, attempting to push them all away. One of the Whiteblade party created a barrier in front of them, but it was not going to hold up on its own so Cassor and Yuu reinforced it.

    Still, the barrier that parted the water around them was developing cracks from the sheer pressure. James then decided to counteract this himself, and unleashed a massive and powerful sword strike. He swung with so much force, and imbued mana into the swing, to create a powerful counterforce and cut the water flow in two.

    "Suction Slash!"

    Zak utilized one of his sword''s abilities and drained water from the torrent to also help allievate it, while Avo used magic to form trenches in the ground and disrupt the water''s flow.  And yet, in this time the bandits had gotten together and started firing arrows at them.

    Lyo quickly drew back his own and began to shoot down the arrows with his own as they approached. Another member of the White Blade party did the same, as did Verona from the Daysparrow party. The other adventures also started to pitch in, using shields and swords to get whatever made it through.

    Thankfully though, the situation would not last forever as the water began to die down. With the force going down, the amount of power used to maintain the barrier also decreased, which meant they would not drain themselves as quickly.

    "The hell was that?!" Argen complained, rightfully.

    "It looks like they must have damned up a stream or whatever, have an emergency defense to clear out invaders".

    "Who are these people?"

    "Probably bandits" James mentioned, stepping forward. "I''m not sure why yhe Drakes are not here, but maybe the bandits unleashed that trap on them after luring them in. Either way, they were clearly hostile to us on sight, so we should subjugate them so they dont cause trouble for others".

    No one seemed to particularly object, although some believed the explanation was a bit unsatisfying.

    Either way, they now had a whole different issue to content with. The entrance seemed to have three paths that split off in different directions.

    You cant trust any of them...

    That memory of his nightmare flashed through Yuu''s mind. However, before he went forward, Zak stopped him. Yuu almost reflexively attacked him.

    "Woah, woah! I was just wondering if you were okay? You seem a bit jumpy".

    "...I am fine" Yuu lied, which he could see Lyo narrowing his eyes at.

    Ah...I am going to get scolded again later...whatever, so long as Lyo is okay, it should be fine.

    "I think we should probably split up at this point. Into four groups".

    "Four? Ah, wait, I see".

    Indeed, Argen realized that James wanted a group to stay in this spot, to keep watch for any reinforcements or to back up a party that retreated and needed help.  James then looked at Yuu, who seemed to be just as on edge as he had been two years ago, for some reason.

    "Daysparrow will hold this location. Whiteblade can take the right path, me, Yuu, and his group will take the center path, and everyone else can take the left path".Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    The reason James had decided to do that was because with Yuu acting the way he was right now, he might not accept help unless it was from a familiar face. Daysparrow party were familiar to him, so it should be good. Still, the way he was right now...

    Is this a reaction to him working in a large group for the first time? I kind of also tried to push it like this so he would get used to working with more people, but is his trauma that severe?

    James was not a moron, well not a complete moron anyways. He had reached A-Rank as an Adventurer, and knew how to make observations. So he knew while Yuu was strong, he was still a traumatized little boy who had ultimately suffered. The fact that Lyo was even able to connect with him at all was a miracle...although...

    With Lyo''s personality, was that even possible? I wonder if he has the Heroes Spark? It would explain why he has those abilities at such a young age.

    The Heroic Spark was something that was believed, and sometimes even observed, to exist within Heroes. Normally, these Heroes were summoned from another world apparently, and already possessed the Spark, which was why they were chosen. However, there are instances of those born in this world occasionally developing the Heroic Spark.

    Supposedly, the Heroic Spark had a way of bending fate to your favor, or something like that. It could accelerate ones growth, and they always seemed to be prodigies, even as children. James had considered if Yuu also possessed such a Spark, but supposedly the Heroic Spark allowed one to have greater mental fortitude, or at least be able to cope with things better then they normally might.

    Given Yuu''s trauma, it seemed like his abilities were more likely to have come from going through hell. He learned how poisons would affect the body from experiencing those very poisons himself. He learned what areas were more vulnerable from others because he was hurt in those areas. And while he did have some strange ideas that seemed to come from nowhere, other ideas he had learned through trial and error, sometimes through brutal methods like with his healing potions.

    But if Lyo has a Heroic Spark, that would explain a lot, like how he was able to keep his body alive for minutes after his heart got stabbed through. Though, he still seems to be suffering from a bit of trauma himself.

    "That is fine with us" The Whiteblade party agreed.

    "Alright, we will stay here, maybe fortify ourselves in a little in case anyone comes back that was out doing bandit stuff".

    "And we will search the other path".

    With that, everyone agreed. And so, sperating with the others, Yuu, James, Lyo, Zak, and Avo went down the center path.

    Once they were some good distance away though...

    "That was an interesting division of power" Zak mentioned, looking at the others. "Incidentally, what do you think is so dangerous down here that you wanted a small, elite group?"

    "Something dangerous for sure" James mentioned. "ALthough some of those parties had good people, we also couldn''t risk the bandits from other areas coming to attack us".

    "Eh? Wait, what?"

    Lyo seemed confused, and even Yuu, who was not fully focused, had missed something.

    "Yuu, you should use your sensory magic" James suggested. Yuu was a bit skeptical, but he extended the range and...

    When he feltthat, he almost collapsed completely, falling to his knees as his legs spread out a little.

    "...the hell was that" Yuu said, regaining his composure as he stood up.

    Zak muttered some sort of comment about a tsundere, but Yuu decided to ignore it...for now.

    "It seems the enemies up ahead are way stronger then the other guys. Well, in the first place, that concealment magic was over the roof".

    "Ah, yeah. Can we quit the BS about this being a bandit camp?" Avo asked, reflexively raising Yuu''s eyebrows and making Lyo even more confused.

    "Eh? Its not?"

    "A bandit camp this well hidden, this out of the way, would indicate a strong bandit pressence. However, there have not been such major bandit activities here. Besides, bandits rarely build places that are not easily abandoned or fled from. And they dont have the intelligence to build traps that complicated. So, what is it? Assassins? Mercenaries? A Shadow Guild?"

    "A Shadow Guild?" Lyo questioned, his eyes spinning as he tried to use his brain to understand all the complicated things going on.

    "It means an organization that does things like assassinations, kidnapping, assaults, thefts. Like the Adventurers Guild, but evil" Zak explained.

    "Yeah. Its pretty obvious. And, its also weird that we justhappened to come across it for a major quest after a drake sighting....if there were drakes to begin with. In the first place, it seems weird that the Orcs were that strong, and yet a subjugation request was not put on them firstbefore the drakes, which would have fought with the Orcs".

    "Im sure its pure coincidence".

    "Bullshit. This is a Dark Guild, and from what I know and observed, it seemed they were not just surprised to see us at the main gate, but especially surprised to seethose two".

    Avo then pointed at Yuu and Lyo.

    "So dont bullshit around. This is a Dark Guild camp, and you are crushing it because for some reason, they were planning to go after Yuu and Lyo. And what I want to know is, did you just drag us along for something stupidly powerful and dangerous as extras, or worse, cannon fodder, and will we be in extra amounts of danger because their targets are right here with us?"

    Yuu sighed a bit internally. Of course, his logic is right. If push comes to shove, they will absolutely abandon us for their own gain, for survival. With the fact he figured out that much, he might even try to sell us out to increase their own chances of survival should it look bad.

    Yuu began to ready himself for a fight, but Lyo went inbetween them.

    "Hold it! Can we please not cause conflict between each other? We are already here, so cant we just work together nicely?"

    Lyo, who rarely said logical and complete sentences, spoke up with such a voice and told them both that.

    Indeed, Yuu knew if they fought right now, it would weaken them for the enemies later. Although a part of Yuu''s mind wanted to kill him now, prevent the risk of him betraying them...of either of those two betraying them, their odds were better if they worked together.

    Yuu could kill them after the fight. Preferably while they were weakened and tired.

    "Yuu...place nice" Lyo told him, as if he knew what Yuu was thinking about.

    Zak also approached Yuu, and then outright slapped him.

    It came as such a surprise, no one was able to react properly.

    "I dont know what shit you went through, but get off your high horse. You are not the only one who went through shit. You think that either of us got to where we were, with our...appearances....by having nice childhoods either?"

    "You dont fucking know what I went through!" Yuu shouted back, his words raging.

    "And whose fault is that! When you dont talk to us about yourself?! Ever?!"

    "And why the hell should I trust you? In the end, everyone is just in it for themselves".

    "You dont seem to think that way with your friend there".

    "Lyo...is just an abnormality".

    Although Yuu was probably right, his words for some reason did not seem as convincing.

    "Dont lump me together with whoever did all that shit to you. Its insulting...and it makes you just like them".

    Hearing those words, the normally cool Yuu had the blood rush to his head, and punched Zak right in the face.  It was so fast, this time it was Zak who did not respond, while Avo just opened his eyes, James looked amazed, and Lyo was crying a little as he tried to tell them to cool down.

    Zak seemed to recover from the shock though, and tackled Yuu to the ground, pounding him against the rock.

    "You hypocritical, idiotic jackass!"

    "You are the moron, you nosy albino!"

    "At least I am not a shota BL protagonist!"

    "The fuck did you just call me?!"

    Yuu kicked Zak in the stomach while he was on him, pushing him off. The two of them quickly got back on their feet, growling at each other. However, it was in that moment that Lyo grabbed both of their heads, and forced them together. Specifically, their lips.

    "Kiss and make up already!" Lyo complained, as neither of them seemed to be able to beat Yuu''s strength for a good bit. His hold was so good they could not even turn their heads, so they stood there in a forced kiss for quite some time until finally, Lyo let go.

    "You two calmed down now?" James asked.

    "Calmed down?"

    "Yeah. Because there are actual enemies up there who actually will try to kill us. And, that seemed really childish for you two...I know I keep saying you should act your ages, but...time and place?"

    Both of them got a bit embarrassed, when they realized each one of them threw a tantrum. And now that they had calmed down, they did realize they didn''t really hate each other. For some reason, that topic just got them hot and bothered, and it ended up escalating.

    The two looked at each other.

    "Sorry...about pushing you like that".

    "Yeah...sorry I lost my cool as well".

    Zak''s behavior was one thing, but the last time that Yuu had thrown a tantrum was when Lyo got stabbed through the heart. He wasn''t normally the type to get emotional like that. But, this was not the place to have this conversation anyways.

    Although Yuu had to bandage his hand a little, since it seemed like he had cut it on something when he punched Zak in the face. Probably a tooth, maybe.

    Either way, with the conflict at least temporarily resolved, they pushed forward. There was quite a bit of heat built up inside these canyon walls, but most of them were wearing light gear. Zak also kept his hood up, keeping to the shade.

    When they reached the next area, there was a large stone table in the center, with a skeleton chained to it from each of his limbs. There were a lot of shady looking people, but past the table was a large stone throne where a dark cloaked man sat, oozing danger compared to the others. They all seemed dangerous, but that guy in the center was definently trouble. Furthermore, there were two people on his sides who also seemed strong.

    And the moment he saw then, he snapped his fingers, and dark clouds filled the sky.

    "To think the defensive magic I cast didn''t even slow you down. As expected of the A-Rank Adventurers, James the Unyielding, and Avo of the Wind".

    As he said that, his guards all seemed to be combat ready. However, Yuu could not help but notice something. According to his magical senses, the man who was the leader had a weird lifesign. As if...he was not quite mortal.

    In this wide open area with what appeared to be a sacrificial alter, and was now covered and surrounded in a thick darkness, the being stood up and lowered his hood. His ears were pointed and he was tall, meaning he was likely a high elf. But more importantly...blood was coming from his mouth, where notable fangs portruded from.

    "He is a vampire" Zak warned them, reading his weapon. "You can only kill him by completely destroying the body, cutting him apart with a powerful enough magic weapon, or though holy magic".

    "I can use holy magic" Avo mentioned. It seemed a bit weird since most people outside the Church didn''t really know it too much, but it seemed he did.

    "Will a magic arrow through the heart kill him?" Lyo asked.

    "If its strong enough, or if we weaken him enough, yes".

    "What if I cut him in two with my strongest attack?" James said, causing the others to twitch a little.

    "...if its you, I would not be surprised if he got wiped out completely".

    "Erm....why is a vampire here? Weren''t we hunting a Dark Guild?" Lyo then asked, his brain now getting confused again.

    "Its not surprising, a vampire running a Dark Guild".

    "Hmmf. You are mistaken if you lot believe you actually have a chance....Realis Break!"

    The Vampire launched a powerful spell against them, but James seemed to resist it through will alone, while Avo protected himself. Zak also shrugged it off, but Yuu and Lyo...their arms, legs, and heads popped off of their bodies. No blood came out, and they didn''t die, but it was a weird thing for sure. And very painful.

    Unfortunately, those two lacked experience against enemies like this, so no matter how strong they were, they did not have any tricks or techniques to resist such an obscure and abstract attack. They laid there in pieces, like taken apart action figures.

    "Hmm...more of you resisted it then expected. But, let us see....if you can protect them and yourselves at the same time!" he shouted, as everything, even the floor, the rock walls, and furniture, all became nothing but darkness.

    The fight had begun.

 Chapter 15: Oneself

    Chapter 15: Oneself

    In this darkness, in all the pain, Yuu''s mind was going rabid. After all, his arms had seemingly just popped out, and while no blood was coming out, the blistering pain echoed across his body. Whatever the magic was, his body was still connected, still alive. But his head, torso, arms, and legs had all been seperated.

    And they were all in pain.

    And in this state, the shadows seemed to swallow him up, and he was alone. Did time pass? Did things change? His mind itself was going blurry and unclear, his very essence being attacked.

    "I told you...see how they only protected themselves?" a second Yuu said as he walked into Yuu''s line of sight. Yuu2, as Yuu decided to call him, seemed perfectly fine. But, he was also probably an illusion.

    "Shut up" the seperated head of Yuu told him.

    "Why should I? I am you after all. And you are me".

    Suddenly, in that instance, their perceptions changed for a moment, and Yuu was now standing over his disconnected body. His head looked at him.

    "See what I mean?"

    And then, everything changed again. His body was whole, and he was standing there normally, along with Yuu2.

    "But you know, everyone has abandoned you. Once more. After all, where is James with his overwhelming power, blowing the magic away? Where are those two new people, seemingly so caring and reliable, why have they not protected you or restored you? Even Lyo, with his insane abilities and ability to defy common sense itself, is not here...they all betrayed you".

    Yuu''s heart felt as if it dropped, the words of himself pointing out all these things. Certainly, there was not enough. He really was alone. And...he was afraid. Afraid of everyone. What they would do? Who they would run to? How would they act to him?

    Yuu was so afraid of people betraying him, he had never told Lyo what was done to him. And about his reincarnation.

    After all, Lyo might be like Lyo...but, how could Yuu be sure? Would Lyo just smile there? Or would he think Yuu was an undead and try to purge him?

    Part of him wanted to believe Lyo would accept him, but...he really couldn''t trust people. Even Lyo, who was the closest to him, did not know Yuu''s inner secrets.

    Yuu really was alone in this world.

    "Ahh!"

    Yuu felt a stinging feeling on his cheek, and remembered what Zak said. How he attacked him. He didn''t really have any true friends...

    "Only you can fight for yourself" Yuu2 said, as a strange spikey shadow ball floated by them. It appeared a bit liquid, as the spikes would go back in and then spring out in other areas. "But perhaps, that is our answer?"

    Yuu saw it, and didn''t quite understand what it was. But he had a good guess.

    "Shadow".

    Yuu looked at the strange object, as he could feel what was within. Malice, bloodshed. A thousand murders, a thousand atrocities. It was without a doubt, something unnatural, even in this world.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Lyo found himself in a similar way. Only rather then himself, he saw another Yuu.

    And that Yuu was dead, with a blade running right through his heart. Blood had already gushed out of them, and wounds and lacerations covered his body. Bruises, cut marks, burns, and stabs.  His appearance was cold and lifeless, and there was no question that he was dead.

    "You are a bringer of death" a voice told him.

    "You will only cause destruction" another voice said.

    "Everyone you care about will die" a third voice called out.

    Surrounding him was a crowd of people, all holding weapons and had dark looks in their eyes. Their details were hidden, but their eyes were full of distrust and rage.  Furthermore, the amount of corpses around Lyo increased. His mother''s corpse. His older brother''s corpse. His father''s corpse. The corpses of all of his friends and playmates.

    Just like Yuu''s corpse, they were all beaten and bloody. Some where raped, others were tortured. A few of them had weapons still inside their bodies, plunged through. Blood had come out of his mother''s mouth, which previously he had only seen kindness emerge from.

    Everyone''s corpses was surrounding him. Lyo felt the tears well up around his eyes, breaking through.

    "No...no..." Lyo said, refusing to accept what was around him.

    Suddenly, Yuu''s corpse moved and looked at him.

    "Because of you, I am dead".

    "No!"

    The shadows began to grab Lyo, to force him to look at and acknowledge the mountain of corpses. Telling him it was his fault. Telling him he would bring only destruction and pain.

    "You will serve the new Demon King...you will slaughter all of his enemies, and bring his rule to the world. Because that is the only thing a calamity like you is good for".

    "Shut up!"

    "Accept the truth".

    "Accept the truth".

    "Accept the truth".

    They all chanted that as they brought Lyo to his knees and made him look at Yuu''s corpse, which was staring at him. His body started to fall apart, just like the magic that had been used. James, Azo, Zak. All of them dead around him.

    He even saw the necklace that Yuu had given him, the one they could use to communicate with each other as it slid through the gap between his head and torso.

    Yuu, who knew weird things. Who could use magic in weird ways. He was dead right in front of Lyo.

    "He...is not dead!"

    Lyo rejected the very nature of this illusion. And as well, Lyo began to radiate light.

    "I might be weak" Lyo said, as his body started to come back together. "I might be weak, and maybe Yuu is right, and I can be overly familiar or friendly with people. But...I wont ever forget to tell anyone how I feel! I will cherish every moment!"

    As he spoke, he got up from kneeling, standing up on his own two feet while in massive pain.

    "I will let everyone know how I really feel!"

    He got firmly upon both feet, raising his head at Yuu''s corpse.

    "And I will never let anyone else harm my friends...my family...ever again!"

    The light from his body seemed to burn the shadows, as the markings of light spread across his body. In particular, they seemed to focus around the areas where his body had seperated, holding them together.

    "And..." he said, as he picked up the necklace. "I know all too well that Yuu would not die that easily".

    The corpses all disappeared around him, as the light radiated around him, as well as his bow. A light appeared in his eyes that perhaps had always been there, but never been noticed. Determination, or bravery, or perhaps even intelliect and sharpness.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    But he knew he would not allow such a trick to fool him. And he would never again fall into despair.

    <hr>

    "There is an untapped power that you could use" Yuu2 said, as he pointed at the sphere. "Accept his power, and add his malice to your own".

    "This power..."

    "Yes...you have had a taste of it right? But even you know, how weak you are on your own? You might seem strong to others, but...right now, you are vulnerable. But if you accept this, you would never have to worry about trusting others again. Because you will be far stronger" Yuu2 told him, directing his gaze to the orb.

    Yuu understood what this orb meant. What it represented. He knew exactly what would happen, what could happen, if he accepted it. The malice would overflow, and he would be able to crush his enemies. This was the loyal Shadow that had protected him. It was who he was, who he is, and who he would be.

    it was the power to live freely, and to make it so that no matter who tried, no one could ever hurt him ever again.

    And the price...would be the lives of everyone in that city.

    As he approached the orb, he could feel it. The power, it connected to a greater entity. Through this, he could connect to that source. He would finally be strong. Finally be able to overcome the pain and terror of people.

    He would become the Demon King.

    "...but, if I do this, I will lose my freedom wont I?" Yuu asked, looking back at himself.

    "You will still retain your desires" Yuu2 replied. "And you will survive".

    "I see...well in that case, I know what I will do".

    Yuu reached out his hand, and grasped the orb. Yuu2 smiled deviously, exstatic at the decision...

    "So you have accepted your role at last".

    "Hell no" Yuu said, as the orb began to go crazy. It tried stabbing Yuu and stabbed through his hand repeatedly, the spikes going in and out, but Yuu did not let go as his shadow began to grow behind him.

    Yuu2 looked stunned.

    "What?!"

    "Let me correct you on something. This power is not yours. And it is not his. This power is within me, so let me make one thing clear. It is mine".

    Those words echoed throughout the space, as Yuu2 looked in shock.

    "And I dont know who the fuck you are, but you are not me either" he told Yuu2, or rather, the Fake Yuu.

    Fake Yuu stumbled backwards. He didn''t expect Yuu to realize such a thing. Rather, this development should not even be possible.

    "Let me guess, you thought I was too light, too sweet, too good to be able to control this power right" Yuu said, not even flinching as it repeatedly stabbed him, as it was being assimilated into him. His body began to break apart once more, but the shadows stretched out to keep it together. "But let me get one thing clear. I dont care who it is. If someone gets in the way of what I want, I will kill them. If they betray me, I will kill them. If they try to cheat me, I will screw them over so badly they wont know what hit them. And if they come after me, or what ismine,I will kill them thouroughly. I will show no mercy to my enemies. And if I dont kill them, its either because it would be inconvienet for me, or I can make use of them".

    Yuu stepped forward, as the orb was assimilated into his body and his eyes turned red. The Fake Yuu clamored backwards, as he felt a powerful and dark force emit from Yuu.

    "This power, that is covered in so much blood and pain.  I don''t need you to empower me. I dont need that guy to empower me. Even if I cannot bring out its full potential on my own, it is still mine. And you do not get to steal something from me, and then use it against me. You do not get to dictate what I use my power for, what I will do, and how many people I will kill".

    He picked up the Fake Yuu by the collar, and looked at him right in the eyes.

    "And for tresspassing in my head, you are mine now too...you shall be Kurokage. And you will be my sword".

    As he said that, the shadow crept up from his arms that were fully detacted from Yuu, but somehow Yuu could control them all perfectly as they levitated, and brought his body together.

    "Understood, Kuro-chan?"

    Kuro could only nod as the name was engraved upon his soul. In Yuu''s mind, in Yuu''s soul, with him like this Yuu had the ultimate power. Even if he could not display this power in the real world, Kuro had clearly chosen the wrong boy to mess with.

    "Good. Now wake me, and Lyo, the hell up. I am sure that moron already has his own way to adapt, he is very good at things like that".

    "Y-yes sir!"

    <hr>

    Back in reality, James clashed directly against the vampire''s guards, as the vampire sat back and watched. It was hard for them, since he also had to defend himself from other attacks while Azo and Zak defended the other two. Even in this situation, Zak was not so cold or petty that he would fail to protect his allies, even in that weird, helpless state.

    Unfortunately for him, as he deflected another attack, the vampire moved. It was so fast it was like he teleported, but he moved next to Zak. He grabbed the boy by the neck, and slammed him against a rock wall.

    "Now that I think about it, you seemed weirdly knowledgable for vampires. You could even tell I was one immediately. No shock or hesitation. Even the others took at least half a second to register it, but you did not".

    As he said that, he used his free hand to grab Zak''s mouth, and force it open. Inside, one could see that it was not just normal human teeth, but there was a pair of fangs there as well.

    Now that everyone thought about it, Zak always kept a hood up, but still, ti was quite the shock.

    "Ah, so that explains whyyou are here....you are a vampire, and quite an old one at that. At least one thousand years old".

    "Get away from him!" Avo shouted, as he launched a fire lance at the vampire. The vampire created his own magic barrier to block, easily deflecting Avo''s attacks.

    "Please dont insult me, thinking such a low level spell will...."

    Suddenly, where the barrier blocked a fire lance, an explosion happed in mid air that knocked him back a bit.

    "I see...a spell hidden within a spell, as expected of an A-Rank Adventurer....but then, can you defend those two!"

    The vampire then set his sights on Yuu and Lyo...but in that moment, a powerful shockwave errupted that sent shivers down everyone''s spines. Yuu''s pieces began to float in mid air, each one projecting a strong shadow. These shadows then grabbed hold of each other, and pulled all of the parts together as the shadow wrapped around Yuu''s body, forming black markings that seemed to hold all the pieces together and cover his body.

    Furthermore, black cat ears and a black cat tail appeared on his body as well.

    In addition, when Yuu''s eyes opened, they were red, and a power burned brightly within them.

    But it was not just Yuu that awoke. Lyo did as well, and his body was also pulled together and held together by golden markings. Both of their markings radiated faint levels of power, but the one who was most surprised by it was Zak, who saw their two energies mixing together as if supporting or accepting each other..

    Zak was a vampire who had lived over one thousand years, and he had seen such markings before. The Golden Markings were demonstrated by those who have awakened, even if only slightly, a Heroic Spark. It was the sign of a hero, a figure who would puch back the coming darkness and be a champion of the people. That was inspiring...but, the second aura that Yuu possessed was concerning.

    It was the sign of the Demon King....it meant that one was either a Demon Lord, or even a Demon King. It was an evil power, and heralded the return of the Demon King. However...there was something lacking from the power.

    There should be a "connection", but the "connection" was not there. In other words...it was not the Demon King''s power, but Yuu''s power.  Somehow, he had taken the power, but rejected the Demon King. Or maybe...he was born destined to become a Demon Lord, or even a Demon King, but rejected the overwhelming will and pressence?

    It was something Zak had never seen before. Something that should be impossible.

    Incidentally, the other vampire thought the same thing. He was not sure how to react. Having been around for a longer time then Zak, he knew the feeling that should be there, but wasn''t. That overwhelming feeling of dread did not exist, so while that was the power of a Demon Lord, it was also not.

    Neither of them could have imagined that it was because Yuu''s mind and soul had been through such utter hell, his darkness rivaled that of a Demon King''s.

    "Reality break!"

    The vampire in a panic tried to use the same spell again, but Yuu''s body resisted it, the shadows holding it together. Lyo''s also was able to resist it due to the Heroic Spark. As for what put him in a panic, it was their auras. The Aura of the Heroic Spark and the Aura of the Demon KIng should fight and resist each other, causing distortions and dissonance. And those who weild them should be polar opposites who do not get along.

    The abnormalities of Yuu, and the abnormalities of Lyo. By chance, they had come together....or at least that is how it appeared.

    "I guess the god Avalon must really hate you" Avo said, with a smile floating across his face. "Since he has sent quite the divine punishment to smite you".

    "To think both of them got mode changes" Zak blurted out. Yuu quickly moved next to him.

    "There are a lot of things I want to ask you about later, and I still dont trust you, but...." Yuu started, looking at Zak. His voice suddenely lowered so soft, not even Lyo or James could hear him. "But I think we have some things to talk about later. You are a reincarnator, aren''t you?"

    Hearing that word, Zak looked in shock for a moment before shrugging.

    "World transfer, to be exact...I randomly just ended up here one day a thousand years ago".

    "Ah...well in that case, we have a lot to talk about later".

    "Eh, sure...hmm, do you know Akamaru?"

    "...yes".

    "Episode 7 of the 4th season?"

    "...so that plan?"

    "I mean, that guy is an elder vampire. You might have scared him shitless, but usually it takes like, a few A-Rank adventurers to defeat".

    "Aren''t you an elder vampire?"

    Zak averted his eyes.

    "I prefer to think I am eternally eleven".

    "What are you, a maiden who wont share her age?"

    "Whatever, can we agree on the plan?"

    Yuu thought it over really quick. He considered the possibility Zak might betray him, but if that was the plan...it would be Zak in the most perilous position.

    "...fine".

    "Hey, what are you two talking abou..."

    "Lyo, Ro-ka-zu!"

    "Got it!"

    James looked over at Yuu while he parried the elite guards. Yuu was a bit surprise to see him need to parry.

    "So, all better now...ah, it looks like you grew ears and a tail".

    "...whatever. Anyways, yeah....Kurokage, attack!"

    Suddenly, several projectiles shot out of his shadow and attacked the Elder Vampire.  He tried to dodge some of them, but not all of them could be dodged and he took several hits. As he was hit, Zak moved up in front of him and slashed through him. He seemed to project a barrier in time and survived it, but it looked rather painful.

    Now that Yuu and Lyo were back up, there was no longer motionless targets that they had to proect. Thanks to that, Zak could finally do what he did best: Go on the offensive.

    The battle was not over yet.

    Hearing those soft words

 Chapter 16: Battle Wits

    Chapter 16: Battle Wits

    The Elder Vampire, Razos, was not amused by this new development.

    The power of a hero, and the power of the Demon Lords, both awakening before him. And yet, rather then clashing, their auras were synergizing.

    Regardless of things like "friendship" or "hope", such a thing was impossible. No amount of friendship or fighting spirit could defy laws of reality. The two energies are like night and day, fire and water, cats and dogs. Natural enemies.

    And the boy, who appeared to be a human, had become a Catkin.

    Even with his magical perception, he sensed nothing. So either a powerful illusion capable of warping reality was cast, or there was a far greater power at work.

    However, he could still see it. The fatal flaw. Unlike the white haired vampire boy who opposed him, the black haired boy was still naive. His foot posture and perception seemed good, for a beginner, and he had quite a bit of magical power, however...in terms of battle witt, he was weaker. He seemed unusually wary and paranoid, but he was definently inexperienced. Compared to him, who had thousands of years of experience, such a beginner would not fare well against him.

    "XL Burst!"

    Suddenly, the vampire boy launched forward with intense speed and power. It was fast, faster then expected. But not fast enough.

    Several magic circles appeared in the air, and launched chains at him. He swung his sword around while in mid air to fight them off and also adjust his flight path, but Razos had already moved forward to strike at his heart and crush it.

    "Death Grasp!"

    However, the moment he cast his spell, he immediately put up several hexagon shaped barriers and deflected a large amount of ice shard attacks. The origin of which was Yuu, who had steadied his feet and glared at the vampire something fierce. His now red eyes boiled with a cold but deadly glare, as if Razos was already determined to die.

    That look irritated him from such a brat.

    However, he did not mind that the ice shard storm was just a distraction, as a large ice chunk fell from the sky, intending to crush him. Once again he blocked it with a thick, dome shaped barrier around him, and the chunk of ice broke up as the barrier bounced and then disappeared.

    Yuu narrowed his eyes, as he launched a large ice lance, heavily compacted and reinforced. He used the motion of thrusting his palm out to trigger an acceleration on it, resulting in increased speed and piercing power. And yet, this time a singular hard barrier appeared in front of him, interccepting the attack. Despite the power and penetration, it broke against a multi-reinforced hard barrier.

    Yuu narrowed his eyes in annoyance, as all his attacks were skillfully deflected easier then he thought.

    The guy has three barrier types at least. The multi-hexagon barrier meant with dealing with multiple, rapid fire attacks. Each panel is like its own barrier, so unlike most barriers which would collapse against repeated attacks like that, it remains in tact and renders the attack useless. Similarly, if I use a piercing attack, he will use a Multi-Reinforced hard barrier, which is strong against piercing attacks. And if I use a large, overwhelming blunt attack that could shatter through both, he will use the rubber barrier that is good at absorbing shocks.

    Yuu had planned to try and win instantly with an overwhelming attack, but that had failed. Had he not collected and charged multiple Managems, his mana would already be depleted. He didn''t like using them, but he did save them for exactly emergencies like this.

    "Lyo, Ro-te-na!"

    Lyo nodded, and drew his bow fully back without placing any arrows in it. Instead, he created powerful magical arrows, and targeted the vampire. However, the vampire did not stand still, and immediately engaged Zak to wipe him out.

    He had to, after all. If he attempted to pass the vanguard and attack the archer, the vanguard would have free range to attack him. Even if he was stronger, leaving such an opening could be fatal.

    And thus, infused with heroic light, the golden arrows were let loose from the bow. Ripping through the air like a bolt of lightning, they seeked out the vampire. He deflected using the Multi-Hexa barrier, but then Yuu moved around the side and let loose another ice chunk from the other side.

    However, the vampire perfectly deployed three types of barriers. The Multi-Hexa barrier, the Rubber Barrier, and the Hardpoint barrier against the ice lance that Yuu had remote cast from the other side. He blocked them all, while using a sword made of mana to deflect Zak''s sword.

    The Vampire Razos was easily deflecting all three of their attacks at once, and then returned fire with a few lightning bolts. Zak took one directly, but managed to endure. Lyo and Yuu both dodged, since they were farther away.

    His ability to deploy multiple barriers at once made him a tough opponent. It wasn''t that he was unkillable, but he had clearly trained heavily in defensive magic. He was able to instantly react to whatever magic they used and defend it, as well as attacks. He was even able to counter attack.

    Furthermore...

    "Shit!"

    Yuu nearly had a close call as he dodged again. He didn''t even sense the attack, despite his mana sense, but he saw Lyo instinctively dodge and did the same. The lightningbolts curved around and went for where they would dodge to!

    This guy...the most annoying thing is his overwhelming experience. The plan was to have Zak engage in close combat while we attack at range and overwhelm him, but...he is overwhelming three opponents all on his own!

    Of all the enemies they had to encounter, Yuu realized for a fact this was one that was superior to them. Even using Trump Cards such as Mana Gem Array and their new abilities, this vampire had them in the palm of his hand. His superior battle experience was obvious. There was no major difference in mana, or magical casting ability. He was simply more experienced in battle. And that made him a difficult opponent.

    Even Zak seemed to have trouble against him, and he had the most battle experience of them all.

    And Yuu realized it instantly. No matter what they did, it was impossible to defeat him at ranged. That meant there was one person, who appeared to be even stronger and more experienced then Zak somehow, who could beat him. But he was occupied with defeating all the others, and could not turn his back. As for Avo, he was also busy dealing with the mages and archers.

    As a human, he was beat...but then, it hit him...

    Kuro! Obey my will, and take the form I desire!

    As Yuu thought that, he charged forward all of a sudden.

    "Yuu?!"

    Both Lyo and Zak looked shocked, but then Lyo took out his two small shortswords and charged in as well.

    Ranged attacks were no good, so they had to face him up close.

    Yuu had an idea he wanted to test out. He couldn''t risk revealing it though, as he did not want the vampire to catch on. He even shielded his thoughts with magic just to be safe.

    He didn''t have a code to tell Lyo either, since he just came up with the idea.

    Meanwhile, a black shadow appeared from his arms and coated his hands, creating long and sharp claws. This was a new ability he decided to use for this occasion, Cat''s Claws, and since it was thrown so hastily together he didn''t bother much with making the name.

    Zak meanwhile launched an all out assault, using his sword''s mysterious power. It was starting to sap the vampire of energy, which he realized, so he decided to go all out. And thus, he grew two extra arms, each one materializing a sword in them. One deflected Zak''s attacks. One interceptiong Lyo''s attacks. And then, he used the last one to block Yuu perfectly...

    Except, right as Yuu crouched down, he tripped on his own foot and tumbled right under the sword, shocking the vampire. In the middle of his roll he used gravity magic to float up. He ended up in an upside down state, but he was right behind Razos with his palm extended, a mere foot away from the vampire.

    "Blast Shotgun!"

    Suddenly, a wind shotgun was fired forward right at the Razos. It was so close and unexpected, it actually hit him, doing serious damage and making him tumble across the ground.

    As a battle veteran, he was used to fighting not just skilled people, but unskilled as well. However, perhaps because he was usually in hard to reach areas, they always had some level of skill usually. However, he had never faced someone who was so bad with weapons he should just never use them. And that was Yuu.

    Yuu had turned his tendency to be utter trash with weapons to his advantage. He didn''t actually know if it would work, so there was a gamble, but if the vampire could predict and defend against expected and normal actions, then an attack that came just after an abnormal one from point blank range should do something. He had turned his weakness, and the opponent''s skill, into an advantage.

    After all, who normally would plan an attack after making a fumble, especially since he did not know it would end in a fumble. Maybe he would just offset his weight badly, and go to one side awkwardly. Maybe he would trip and fall to the ground right in front of the vampire. Maybe he would actually end up hitting the sword with his own body, which would still make him close enough and be unexpected to see a counter attack from.

    He could have also died, but the vampire was already trying to kill him so he couldn''t walk away either. And now, he actually had a new idea for magic and mana manipulation. He quickly accelerated himself, and ran towards the vampire. The vampire himself recovered near instantly, getting up and attacking back with several shadow orbs.

    Yuu however was skilled at dodging and sensing mana, although some of the attacks came back towards him without him sensing them. Some sort of concealment technique, but Lyo was covering his rear.

    "Left right down!"

    Yuu accelerated, instead of dodging to the sides or jumping up, as projectiles out of his field of vision came from the announced sides. Lyo also used code on occasion to mix things up.

    And as Yuu got close, the now four armed vampire swung three swords at him while summoning a fireball in the fourth.

    "Force Palm Technique: Obliteration Pulse!"

    The vampire defended as he expected Yuu to use the same move as before, but that was when he felt something strange. He instinctively tried to raise a barrier behind him, but the white haired boy appeared from behind and swung the sword back at him. He deployed another barrier, but the sword seemed to drain energy from it and brought it to a weakened state, letting him break through. Yes, Yuu had been the distraction this time.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    However, while wounded, the vampire flew into the sky and began a magical barrage. Yuu chased after him, while Lyo began to fire arrows again. The vampire deployed the appropriate barrier, showing that despite his wounds he can still defend against such attacks.

    Zak also ran up into the sky, seemingly walking on air. However, the vampire summoned a swarm of bats to attack him.

    Since his method of flight required creating footholds of invisible air and running across them, the distraction and obstruction of his vision by the mass of bats caused him to fall back to the ground.

    "Like this, you cannot defeat me!" the vampire sneered, saying soemthing almost horrendously cliche. However, he did seem quite upset.

    "Windstorm Hurricane!"

    Yuu released a storm of windblades, throwing everything he had at the vampire. The vampire used barriers to deflect it all, and then launched several lightning bolts, hailstones, and fire lances at Yuu. Yuu manipulated the wind to blow out the fires, but the rest he dodged or blocked with his own barriers. The two flew around the storm, as Yuu had ice spears fly at Razos from the cover of clouds. Still, nohting escaped him, and he blocked easily.

    "Blood Domination!"

    Suddenly, Yuu could feel his body fighting him again. He endured it and kept going, but the pain was unimaginable.

    Meanwhile, the fact that Yuu kept moving surprised him, enough that a wind blade got through his defenses and severely cut his arm. Normally, that amount of pain would cripple someone. To be able to mentally endure it, even if it was just to a degree, meant one had suffered greatly, and was familiar with pain.

    "You annoying brat!"

    The vampire suddenly had spears of blood appear around him, and launched them at Yuu. They were faster, stronger, and more dangerous then any of the previous attacks, which meant the vampire was taking him seriously. That was only natural of course. He was now wounded, and weakening. He was fighting three on one, so even if he had the upper hand and dominated the fight at the start, one can never know how battles could be turned around. His experience told him that fighting further would be deadly, and he did not want to die.

    Yuu however released a violent twister of what appeared to be black, visible wind right at Razos. He also dodged the blood, as pillars of ice were added to the storm, floating around. The lightning flashed, filling his eyes with light before it became dark again and shadows moved around. Yuu had used that instant, the instant when one''s vision was not fully recovered after it became bright and then dark again, to attack.

    But the vampire anticipated he might try this strategy, and his barriers were already up. The attacks crashed into all of them...when a bird flew out from one of them and nearly cut his neck off with its wing! Had he not dodged at the last second, he would have been decapitated.

    "Now Kuro, keep it up!"

    The vampire sensed the familiar power of a Demon within that one. It was likely a follower of the Demon King, although its eyes was filled with a dead look and a scared look at the same time. So Yuu likely subjugated it and made it his own.

    It nearly caught him off guard. He had to admit, the amount of trump cards Yuu had on hand was impressive.

    Yuu didn''t trust people after all. Maybe he was starting to communicate with them, but he didn''t trust them.

    But because of that, he prepared a near idiotically high number of trump cards. Experimental potions, reserve mana gems, explosives that require no magic or mana at all, and more. And now, a pet demon trump card.

    Yuu was a very clever, very distrustful, very cold hearted person who did not shy away from experimenting on humans. As such, because of those experiments, he was able to make discoveries and progress in fields people normally would not have so easily due to things like "ethics" and "morales".

    Yuu was not delusional though. He never claimed he was a good person, someone like Lyo with a pure heart. But since they were bandits, Yuu didn''t think it was such a big deal.

    The vampire had no morales himself, but because Yuu had also done those experiments, and developed those trump cards, he did not expect Yuu to be this skilled.

    He lamented on not killing them instantly when he had the chance. One on one, Yuu would have no chance against him. But, after fighting three on one, being weakened and injured, it was possible for Yuu to kill him.

    Razos did not like that. Even if the enemy only had a few percent chance to kill him, he prefered to keep it at a good and safe zero percent.

    He summoned several black cubes, and had them attack Kuro and Yuu alike. But Yuu had his own defensive magic, and deployed a number of mini tornadoes to attack the vampire. He then flew in closer, and prepared another strike at close range to bypass the barriers.

    Yuu right now was attempting to overwhelm the weakened vampire with ranged attacks that he would have to block, and use whatever gap it made to strike at his heart. He was relentless. But the vampire was able to block them all perfectly, and raised his three swords at Yuu.

    At least, that was the case until several arrows full of glowing light appeared from below, coming right at him! He had to cast even more barriers now, and protect his flanks as the other tornadoes hit. Barriers, barriers, and more barriers.

    "Blast Shotgun!"

    Yuu released his spell earlier then the vampire expected. The attack hit him, despite the swords being used in a defensive stance. That was because he did not understand the concept of the shotgun, which was to spray multiple pellets in a large area. He was wounded once more, as Yuu send a lightning charged kick right to the back of his head.

    "Storm Magnet!"

    Suddenly, the storm that had been growing around them seemed to start focusing all of its lightning on the vampire. He proceeded to create even more barriers, but the lightning from the storm just kept coming. Yuu was no longer using mana to control it, the storm was completely natural. Creating it had used a lot of magic gems though, and he felt like halfway through something else gave the spell magic, but he did not have time for that. He fled from melee range, as the vampire was too strong and skilled to risk a prolonged close range engagement.

    Instead, he relaased wind blades, lightning bolts, and ice shards at the vampire. However, in distance, the vampire was able to deploy the perfect barrier for the perfect attack. Each lightning bolt was blocked by a hex barrier, and the other attacks were dealt with by a barrier perfect against them.

    And yet, the one who was getting more frantic was the vampire.

    Naturally, of course, because Yuu had decided to deploy one of the oldest and most reliable strategies in the history of forever. It did not matter if the enemy realized it immediately, because the moment it was enacted, it was already too late.

    It resulted in the fall of leaders, the routing of forces, and the destruction of nations itself. ANd that was cutting off an enemy''s supply and making them use their own until they were too exhausted to fight.

    In this case, what was cut off was the escape route. But, the vampire was still just a person. And that meant he had limits, including mana limits.

    Yes, his mana had to have a limit. Yuu was sure he had likely optimized those barriers, but they could not last forever. That was why he had to land his magnet spell, and turn the natural storm against his foe. If Yuu tried to sustain those attacks himself, he would be the one who was drained first. But if the storm attacked him naturally in addition to his own attacks, Razos'' mana supply would deplete rapidly.

    It was a strategy that even Razos with his superior battle witt could not defeat. Yuu didn''t care if people did not consider it "honorable combat", he was willing to win by any means necessary.

    He had thought about trying to blend in, but if this was what he might face, he would have to accelerate his plans. ANd that meant, he would have to topple those who opposed him, starting with the Lord himself. Take out the one who held the most power and influence, and it would be easier to deal with the others.

    "Shadow Scepter!"

    And yet, in an instant, the vampire disappeared from the middle of his own barriers, and appeared behind Yuu.

    A teleportation trump card? Shit, he got me!

    Yuu had dropped his guard the moment he thought his victory was guarenteed, and he had been played. The vampire''s sword went right for his neck...when suddenly, the vampire was covered in chains. And floating there, with the two of them, was a mysterious woman with a devious smile, holding a chain that appeared to grow, expand, and do as she wished. And right now, the vampire was totally restrained.

    And while floating there, that older woman with an outragously beautiful figure kissed Yuu right on the lips, before flying out of the storm with her quarry.

    Yuu was not even sure waht to think at the moment, as he wiped his lips.

    DId he just get kissed? Was that a pervert? What the hell?!

    All of those perfectly valid thoughts went through his head and he floated back down slowly to the ground.

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, the woman in question dragged the vampire into a seperate clearing. Thanks to the storm, the sun was not out and harming him, but without a doubt he was in a bad shape. Being dragged through the sky and forcibly dragged into the ground like a falling meteorite was not pleasant for anyone.

    As for the woman, in her purple dress she floated down gracefully to the ground, doing a curtsy.

    "Greetings, Elder Vampire Razos" she said his name, which stunned him. He never once declared his name, so how did she know it?

    "Who..."

    "Why, I am Lady Jessica Valmont, of the Royal Spys for this kingdom" she said, as chains shot from the ground and restricted his body. The few trees that were nearby had the chains wrap around them, stringing him up into the air.

    He knew there were few reasons a Royal Spy would admit who they were, and even less when it involved an enemy. He struggled with all of his might, but he could not move.

    "Oh dear, those innocent boys, so young and childish. To not be able to defeat a monster such as you even with three on one...well, I suppose they have their own appeal. That youthful vigor. Those small, adorable bodies. Ahhh, boys are so cute and lovable!"

    This woman was clearly a twisted pervert also, even for the immoral Razos.

    "...what the hell is a Royal Spy....no, a Royal Assassin, doing here?"

    "Threat examination, and elimination, of course. The new king needs to tour all the cities again, become acquainted with everything first hand. He and his family will be visiting soon, so I have been sent in advance. And, I cannot just allow an Elder Vampire like yourself go. Alas, I do not possess the strength to take on all of your forces, all of your power, by myself. You had strong minions as well, so I needed to make sure you had been properly pre-occupied so I could deal the final blow".

    "...didn''t that boy see you...unless..."

    "My Enchanted Lips Spell. It will make him go absentminded and forget to mention me. He might even forget my enitre existence, but I think his mental strength is strong enough for that not to happen".

    Suddenly the chains tightened, causing the vampire great pain.

    "Dont think you can escape. These chains are made of a very special metal, one that even gods are not immune to" she said as they wrapped around him more and more. "And also, my power does not just involve these chains. Goodbye, Mr. Vampire. And good riddance".

    Suddenly, a large metal coffin with spikes on the inside shot out of the ground, right behind the vampire. He was dragged into the coffin, but no matter how hard he struggled, he had no hope. The coffin, giving off a terrible feel, made a deathly noise as if it was breathing out. The doors then rammed shut, and soon after, blood poured out of the cracks.

    "Now then, that is one threat down. I do apologize everyone, for using you like that, but I am loyal to my job".

    And just like that, she left without even looking back, believing the others would be fine.

    <hr>

    As Yuu finally floated to the ground, the others seemed to have finished up down here.

    "Well, is the vampire dead?" Zak asked.

    "Yeah..." Yuu said. From what he saw, he was being dragged away at several hundred miles per hour worth of force. And that woman did not look like his ally. He wasn''t sure what to make of it though, so he decided to leave out those details for now.

    "Seems like everything worked out" James mentioned, laughing.

    "You shut up. You were held off by its minions".

    "Wow, someone is more bitter then usual".

    "I am not bitter!"

    "You kinda are".

    "You really are".

    "You are definently bitter".

    Lyo, Zak, and Avo all agreed with James that Yuu was bitter. His cheeks went red with annoyance.

    "Also cute...and short".

    "Definently short and cute".

    "Most people my age are taller then me!"

    And then, the critical blows continued. James however, mused to himself about his growth.

    Yuu having a height complex is definently a good sign. It means he cares about being seen as short...which means, he cares about what other people think. It doesn''t look like he himself has realized it yet though, but he is growing as a person, which is a good thing.

    In addition, he was able to communicate with that woman from the Whiteblade party during the bath. James had actually been spying on them, hoping something like this would happen, but he did not expect such a juicy surprise.

    Of course he didn''t tell Yuu. If Yuu learned that James had been peeping on them while they bathed, he would absolutely seriously try to kill James. Again. And this time, he might succeed.

    The power of the Demon Lord though....Yuu was still so inexperienced and young. He fell for feints and half hearted attacks sometimes, despite his training. He sometimes missed the enemy''s own trump cards. He needed real battle experience, though James did wonder if this was a bit too much for him.

    Still, it would be a good lesson for him. And furthermore, although there were some parts James didn''t understand, it seemed he and Zak were getting along.

    "...alright thats it Zak! Kuro, sword form!"

    In a hot headed moment after Zak repeatedly called him short and cute, he had Kuro form a sword in his hands and he charged at Zak. Zak however, just sidestepped as Yuu swung, and somehow Yuu was thrown off balance and fell to the ground on his face.

    "...that is really impressive. That sword is pure magic, so its weightless right? That means you throw your own balance off just from the swinging action from your arms. I would...recommend never, ever picking up a weapon. You might hurt yourself".

    .Thats provided Yuu does not kill Zak first. I forgot Zak could be like this sometimes...he doesnt even mean any malice...well, maybe a little? He isn''t Lyo after all.

    Yuu stood up, and proceeded to launch attacks at Zak. It seemed like they were on better terms though, because Yuu only used half hearted attacks.

    And as the storm began to clear, they proceeded to return back to the center and gather the others, before heading home. After all, there was still so much more to do in the city.

 Chapter 17: The Next Step

    Arc 4: The Party

    Chapter 16: The Next Step

    "What do you mean?! They were wiped out?!" the fat noble demanded of the wizard that was under his command.

    "I mean, the group that had been hired by yourself was completely erradicated. Apparently, a group of adventurers went there for a Drake extermination quest, and found their hideout....this included the A-Ranked Adventurers James, Zak, and Avo. Additionally....I hear that the two targets, Yuu and Lyo, went there as well and participated".

    "Those damn brats....I was just going to kill Yuu, but it seems that other brat will need to die with him. Who knows what he could know".

    The mage just kneeled quietly as he listened to his lord.

    "FIne then...we will just have to deal with them in our own way. Tsk, but those damned royals are coming...unless..."

    That was when the noble got an idea.

    "...yes, if we use that, we could turn the royals against that brat. Then it wont matter if he lives or dies at that point".

    And so, he began to hatch a scheme.

    <hr>

    "Yo! You up!?" a white haired and red eyed boy energetically said as he barged into the room, ignoring the fact the door he went through used to be locked from the inside. And inside, Yuu and Lyo were dressed in just some simple clothes and not shoes. Lyo was restringing his bow, while Yuu looked deep in thought as he read a book.

    Suddenly, a ball of water rose out of a vase and fired itself at Zak, hitting him right in the face.

    "Yuu, thats rude! Ah, sorry...if I move right now, the bow string might snap or such" Lyo said as he was tuning the wire.

    "Well, its also rude to barge into someone''s room...also, I thought vampires are nocturnal. Why are you so energetic in the morning? And you are wearing short sleeves and shorts, when the day before you were clad head to toe in clock to block sunlight. What is with that?"

    "Well...normally I dont drink blood, but if the person is a criminal or bandit I take some of theirs. Since they are scum, and dont need it. And if I drink blood, I can handle sunlight easily" he told them, as he stepped forward. "Anyways, come on, its a great day! So lets play outside! Like at the Guild Training Yard in the back!"

    Yuu sighed, and looked at him.

    "That sounds more like requesting a match then to play".

    "Well, the area is durable, so we can get a bit serious for a change! Anyways, come on! Its a beautiful day, and its always great to move your body in weather like this!"

    "He is right Yuu".

    "...I am an indoor person".

    Yuu wasn''t lying, he really was.

    "Come on, aren''t we friends?"

    "Annoying! We just worked together on a quest! That does not instantly make us friends!"

    "Oh...wait, let me guess, you are just saying that because after getting one guy, you actually want to fill your adventurer party with beautiful and cute girls ri..."

    Yuu suddenly extracted a lot more water, and turned it into icecles as he fired them seriously at Zak. Zak avoided it all though, smiling.

    "You are annoying! I am not dumb like that!"

    "Ehhh....well, it is true the short characteristic and that dont typically get combined...."

    Yuu stood up from the desk, putting down the book while twitching. Lyo shivered as the air became frigid.

    "You seriously want to die?"

    "You think you can? Then lets ''play'' and find out".

    "Aren''t you too old to play with children?"

    "Aren''t you too old to be this stubborn about playing outside?"

    Yuu and Zak locked eyes, the two had clearly hit a nerve with each other. Lyo noticed that Zak really seemed to get worked up when Yuu mentioned his age.

    "Lyo, be our referee!"

    "Got it! To the guild!"

    <hr>

    The Guild Training Yard. Located in the back of the guild, there were dozens of barriers around it to contain noise, damage, explosions, flashes of light, and anything else dreamed up. It was a place that was used regularly by adventurers, so the place was very well maintained.

    Since a large scale quest was just completed though, a lot of the hardcore parities that often trained there were gone. So instead, younger and newer adventurers were there, and even other kids. It got a bit too dangerous if someone like James was using it.

    However, that was when a few people came in that they either rarely or never saw before. Yuu and Lyo were just wearing their shoes, shorts, and T shirts, same with Zak. However, Zak also had his weapon out, activating it and materializing the blade the moment they were on the field. His snow white hair and crimson red eyes made him easy to figure out who he was.

    As for Yuu, his cat ears and tail had fully manifested, and did not disappear again after his transformation the other day ran out. Normally, after such a big quest, an adventurer would take a day or two off. But in this case, they had come here. Furthermore, the leader of a Junior party of F and E Rank Adventurers noticed the tension between them.

    "ANd now, we will begin the match between my best friend Yuu, and the challanger, Zak!"

    Yuu suddenly revved up his mana, as it flowed all around him.

    Zak also took a battle stance.

    The other parties that could feel the danger, warned everyone else to give them distance. Even though Zak was fairly famous, they could see it was not hte time to call out to him.

    And Yuu was so focused, he did not even get embarrassed when Lyo made that public declaration.

    "And....BEGIN!"

    Zak charged right in, at an inhumane speed. It was his enhancement magic, XL Burst.

    Yuu however projected several barriers, focusing them on his hand as he seemed to grab the blade of the sword with a single hand while a magic array appeared in the other, pointed right at Zak.

    "Crystalize!"

    Suddenly, Crystals began to grow from the ground to try and imprison Zak, but Zak twisted his body around to break them as he dislodged his sword from Yuu''s hand and brought it around once more.

    "Blood Arts: Sanguine Rose!"

    At the same time, blood emerged from his sword and blooded into a rose form, firing magical beams at Yuu as this happened. Yuu rushed around and gained some distaince, avoiding them as he dodged and weaved.

    "Tempest Wing!"

    Yuu released several birds made of magic, and they all began to fly at Zak mercilessly. Their wings appeared charged full of electricity, and they were translucent, but Zak could sense they were real enough to do serious damage.

    "Sword Arts: Multi-Blade Strike!"

    However, he seemed to cut down all the birds at once. He then rushed towards Yuu, intending to do some serious damage right from the start. Yuu however dragged his foot across the ground in front of him, and a massive rock wall burst up from the ground inbetween them. Zak leaped over it, but in his hands, Yuu had prepared another magic array.

    "Tempest Shotgun!"

    Suddenly magic pellets of wind, lightning, and water were all fired at him at close range.

    "Seismic Spin!"

    Zak spun himself in place, and created a whirlwind to divert the projectiles as he landed, bringing his sword into a swing against Yuu. Yuu ducked, and unleashed another Tempest Shotgun against Zak. Zak however used XL Burst and moved at high speeds again, seemingly disappearing and reappearing behind Yuu. However, Yuu hopped forward and went into a roll, swinging his body around as he sprung up.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "Snakes of Judgement!"

    From his shadow, several black snakes appeared and went after Zak. He dodged some and cut through others, but the snakes lept into the shadows, and then popped up out of any other shadow in the area to attack him. It was a new spell Yuu had devised specifically to get around defenses and barriers, due to his experiences with that vampire from before.

    However, Zak kept closing in and closing in. He got so close, Yuu had to clad himself in multiple barriers and grab the sword again, which cut through most of his barriers. Even more then last time. He unleashed a mana pulse to repel Zak, but Zak only budged a little. And Yuu could not retreat himself and allow the sword to regain kinetic motion, as that would result in it gaining a lot more power. If it gained motion, the power Zak was pouring into it would amplify it and cause serious damage. Only if Yuu kept it motionless right now could he avoid defeat from a powerful slash.

    However, Yuu now had a minion he subjugated and bound to his will, and it emerged from the shadows behind Zak to attack him.

    And yet, without even looking, Zak created a barrier behind him to block the demon''s ambush, creating a spectral sword that seemed to act on its own to fight him off.

    "I wont fall that easily!"

    "You damned loudmouth! Fine, be that way!"

    And with those words, magical energy began to focus itself around Yuu.

    "I construct this tower of my magical power..."

    Magical arrays constructed themselves all around Yuu as he chanted, layering upon each other as well as surrounding himself. A similar amount of magic arrays appeared above the battlefield itself, layering and stacking as if they were a tower built to the sky.

    "...of the heavens and the earths, of all the worlds and everything inbetween..."

    A chant was a type of casting method that had a lot of downsides, however it was also the method in which a spell would gain the most power. ANd as Zak could see the flow of mana, he realized whatever Yuu was doing was not good, and tried to dislodge the sword from the barrier''s grip.

    "...let all who stand before me tremble and kneel...."

    The onlookers looked in shock and awe as the magical array construct grew and augmented itself, becoming like an elaborate three dimensional maze made of magic arrays. The flows of magic power became so dense that even those who lacked the aptitude for magic could see them as plain as day.

    "...and let them know my dominion, my power, my rule. Cataclysm Catastrophe!"

    And thus, a huge burst of energy fired from the top of the tower, going through the entire construct and slamming down right on Zak at full force, while barriers were errected to protect Yuu.

    The shockwave made from the impact knocked down any adventurer and onlooker standing from their feet to their butts, and a huge cloud of smoke errupted at its epicenter around Zak. There was no doubt Yuu had gone all out in that instant, and that his victory was guarenteed.

    And so the referee, Lyo....

    "The winner is Zak!" he said to the audiance''s suprise, before the smoke even cleared. Several voices complained on the spot that he just made that up to tease them, but then he cast a wind spell and blew the smoke away, revealing Yuu on the ground with a sword to his neck, and Zak was the one holding it. In addition, Yuu''s clothes were discheveled, with both of his shoes having been knocked clean off his feet and were at the side of the arena.

    The audiance only looked, stupified at the scene that occured before them.

    "...as expected of a one thousand year old vampire, you had a dirty trick like that" Yuu complained, glaring at him. "But how did you know?"

    "I guessed a bit, based on your personality, that this would work. Besides, the moment you get victory within your grasp, that is the moment you become careless. Well, everyone gets like that though".

    Yuu reflected back to the other vampire they fought the day before. Indeed, the moment he thought his victory was certain, his guard dropped. Not a lot, but enough that the Vampire nearly got the upper hand on him.

    Still though, that technique that he used....

    "...its still super dirty" he commented on, as the crowd of onlookers came to see if they were okay. That was when they recognized Zak as an A-Ranked Adventurer, and others remembered it, and they also saw Yuu and realized he was the newcomer.

    None of these people had been in the guild three years ago, so none of them knew of Yuu''s reputation or what other adventurers did to him. But what they did see was that impressive magic, especially at the end there.

    "That was incredible....that magic was so insane and powerful, but also so complex. I don''t suppose I can ask what it does? It looked way too advanced for a simple magic cannon type spell".

    The leader of a younger group, who had a staff and appeared to be a mage himself, said that. Yuu was happy to hear that the man was not able to decypher it. In truth, several of the magic arrays he created had no purpose at all other then to disguise the type of magic he used, and others were fake decoys all together. That said, the spell could be quite demanding...but even then, it still lost to Zak.

    Zak had seen through the spell and prepared himself....but Yuu still thought the trick he used was dirty.

    Lyo went and retrieved Yuu''s shoes, bringing them back to Yuu so he could put them on. He was fairly certain he had socks as well, but it appears they might have gotten obliterated in that last fight. Well, he wasn''t so delicate that he needed socks for shoes anyways.

    And so after using some magic to fix up his already self repairing clothes, the group went inside hte Guild Hall for a drink. Inside, the receptionist was still there, but looked in shock as she saw Yuu. Yuu was not sure however if that look of shock was because of his cat ears and tail, or because he was still alive.

    Either way they ordered some food and drink from the bar after sitting down at a table, done by Zak after getting some orders. Yuu put his hand over the drink, allowing light to float out for a bit, before he stopped and began to drink and eat.

    "Seriously? I really doubt anyone will try such an obvious move".

    "You should watch out for hte biscuit that was placed closest to me. A potion is inside that will make you trapped inside of a bathroom for the next two days".

    Zak immediately eyed the biscuit, and paled.

    "Only one?"

    "I guess she doesn''t have that much power in this guild yet" Yuu replied.

    "Anyways, there is something I do want to say...well, several things. But Yuu, I think I know...I know why you are bad at using weapons. ANd it has to do with the flaw I mentioned earlier".

    Yuu and Lyo quieted down, and listened intently.

    "First off, I need to ask....you...are not used to feeling happy or satisfied, are you?"

    Those words reverberated through Yuu''s body, looking up at Zak as he waited for an answer. His heart skipped a beat, and a feeling of pain and dread overcame him as he remembered his past.

    Zak, who realized this, griminced.

    "Sorry for bringing up something painful".

    "...how does that have to do with anything? I have had plenty of good moments in the past three years".

    "But the bad moments still overpower them right?"

    Lyo looked at Yuu in a concerned fashion, grabbing his hand with both of his to comfort him as he looked right at Yuu. His expression was calm and relaxing, as he tried to let Yuu know it was okay.

    "...there are...a lot...." Yuu said, looking over at Lyo. "...to be honest, Lyo....there is something I need to tell you later...about me. But first things first...how is that related? And why is it related to me dropping my guard when I am about to win?"

    "When someone successfully scores a hit, a proper hit against a good and worthy flow, or even right before it when they are about to, they feel a sense of satisfaction and victory. I suspect the reason you fumble with weapons and melee attacks, without it being some sort of magic, is because you are not used to it, aside from your footwork".

    "So wait...are you saying the reason I am terrible at training and practicing with weapons is because the sense of satisfaction is new to me? Because when I feel it, its so new and I am so unused to it, that it throws me off?"

    "There are other reasons too. But I suspect that is the main one. Simply put...you were so neglected and deprived, you drop your guard from the new overwhelming positive feelings".

    Yuu was not sure what to say. It sounded reasonable, legitimate, potentially even accurate. In fact, it made a lot of sense. But...a part of him didn''t want to admit it.

    "...is there a way to make it easier?"

    "If you open up more, if you give at least some people like me and Lyo a chance, you can become more used to it. And you need to tell Lyo the truth. You might not ever be a weapons master, you probably will have to settle for being an exemplary mage, but at the very least, it might help you develop some new magic skills to help deal with enemies in close combat. And, it will help you falter less when you are about to deal the final blow".

    "I see..."

    "By the way...what is this ''truth'' you mentioned".

    Yuu flinched a bit....but there was a part of him, the part of his humanity that Lyo had helped restore, that urged him on.

    "Yeah...there is something I need to tell you. You see...Yuu was not my first name, or my original name in a way...but, I died...and was reincarnated in this world".

    And so, Yuu began to tell Lyo, and subsequently Zak, his life story. Everything from before his reincarnation, in a way Lyo would understand easier so he left out a lot of modern original world stuff, but...he didnt hide everything about his original world either. As he wanted to be honest to Lyo, he told him quite a bit. And he told him everything about himself.

    Lyo never cried, never looked away, never let go of Yuu''s hand. He simply listened, concentrating and understanding everything. And by the end of Yuu''s tale, Yuu felt different. He felt as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders, but he also felt exposed and vulnerable.

    And yet, Lyo did not change his expression, he just smiled and nodded. As if he understand Yuu''s fears and thoughts...

    "I see....but in the end, you are still my Yuu right? my best friend? So this changes nothing, except now I understand you better right? After all, those people cant determine who you are".

    Although Lyo was calm, there was some blatent disgust for Yuu''s...or rather, Yuuki''s original parents that could not be hid. As he had never shown disgust before really, Yuu was caught off guard, but felt that it made him feel a bit more pleasant...and satisfied.

    The two boys then looked at Zak, who was barely holding the calm smile he tried to hold to comfort and support Yuu.

    "...you think they will reincarnate here some day? I would love to have a chat with them..." Zak said while holding his handle. Zak was not the type of person who usually would go along with others feelings, and had strongly developed his own feelings and personality.

    But as a fellow reincarnator, and someone who had not lost his faith in people after one thousand years, someone who would abuse and beat their own child like that were people he wouldn''t mind beating the crap out of. Although, he did hear some vague mentions in the story that Yuu had experimented on human beings, although granted they were bandits, so it seemed like he would need to help Yuu properly develop some morales and common sense as well.

    Zak did feel like Yuu might have held a tiny bit back, but if Zak''s instincts were right about it, he would rather not push that area. It just meant his parents from his original world were more scum then expected.

    <hr>

    As the trio finished eating their food, minus the poisoned stuff, they paid and started to leave the adventurer''s guild. The moment they exited the doors though, a few cloaked figures surrounded them. Each of them immediately started to take defensive positions, but none of the cloaked people took offensive action. Instead, a smaller cloaked figure, about the same height as Lyo, stepped forward.

    "Adventurer Yuu and his party...I have a request for you".

    "...sorry, who are you?"

    The hooded person with a girls voice opened her hood a little, revealing a tiera with a sigil. Even Yuu, who had only been able to do limited research on the kingdom from the forest so far, knew that sigil.

    "I am Princess Aurelia Reynard, the first princess of the kingdom and the crown princess".

    It was indeed a royal sigil.

 Chapter 18: The First Princess

    Chapter 18: The First Princess

    "Hey! What the..."

    "Let go!"

    "Don''t take that!"

    In a dark place, away from public eyes, the three boys struggled as the hooded people held them down. This proceeded until they were standing in the dark warehouse, completely naked and embarrassed.

    Of course, they knew why this was happening, and it was not for some perverted reason...probably. It was done to ensure they did not have any magic arrays drawn on their bodies, no secret weapons or poisons, and to totally disarm them and make them harmless to the handful of disguised guards protecting the one who stood on a box in front of them, looking down at their now naked bodies. Even their underwear got taken...although...

    "Found it. There was a string made of some sort of magic metal, right inside the underwear".

    ...Yuu actually did have a hidden weapon there.

    "...you cant use weapons well, so why do you..."

    "...even if I cant use weapons well, I can strangle people when put into bad situations".

    If it was a normal noble lady, their dignity might have been preserved. Even if this world was more open and accepting of bodies and nudity and such, and it wasn''t as embarrassing, it was still very embarrassing to be stripped and forced into this position. Even Lyo, who had matured a little, was a bit embarrassed...

    No...wait, that redness might just be anger for treating me like this... Yuu thought to himself.

    However, he couldn''t help but notice the princess was standing on a box. Now that he got a good look, didn''t her shoes look like they had very thick soles? Was she actually shorter then Lyo?

    Not that Yuu could talk about height. His height complex grew in relation to his lack of growth. Sure, he was getting taller, and now he knew he was not human but a Cat Beastkin, who were naturally short like wood elves. But...it still bothered him. The significance of developing a height complex though had yet to be realized by him though.

    Which is why he could somehow tell right now, amid his embarrassment, that the Princess might have one herself. Furthermore, when they locked eyes, he felt something...familiar.

    "Did you really need to go this far" Zak said, as he calmed down first.

    "Ara, wasn''t this familiar to how you met my great, great grandfather though? And yes, I know very well about you. You did help us quite a few times after all, and even fought against previous Demon Kings".

    "...Zak, how powerful are you?"

    "The power gap is not that great. Actually, one Demon King once got killed by a normal peasant. He set up a trap and had several large boulders roll down at him from both sides, and crushed him like that".

    Yuu flinched when he heard that, and then looked back at the princess. He seemed angry, but something about her felt weird to him.

    Meanwhile, the Princess hopped off the box for a moment, and circled Yuu, apparently examining and possibly even rating his body. Yuu''s face got red as he got a bit flustered by this treatment, though it was not just out of embarrassment. Her reactions indicated positive remarks, which meant he was getting praised. And as Zak had pointed out earlier, he was weak to praise and such feelings, even if he did not want to admit it. When she was done, she hopped back up on the box.

    "I see...he shall do just fine. I do hope you dont mind all this, but ever since my mother was assassinated by a loyal servant, steps have to be taken".

    "Anyways..." Zak said, looking around as he put his hands on his hips. "It looks like it wasn''t your idea for this anyways, was it? Not completely?"

    One of the hooded people, the royal guard, returned with their belongings. Each of them were handed their clothes and even their weapons again, which was a bit surprising. The guard who had held a sword to Yuu''s neck before seemed unhappy.

    "It would be best if they remained bare until you finish your business".

    "Arlo, I appreciate your dedication, but I did plenty of research before I decided this meeting. I shouldn''t have to tell you when you know me so well, that this is fine. Besides, what I want to do...requires a bit of equality".

    As she said that, the three were already getting dressed. A mage then looked over at them, and took out three chokers.

    "...it would still be best to ensure they remain submissive".

    "Oh, I don''t doubt that" she said. "But I have different plans".

    Once they were finished getting dressed, Yuu looked at the princess. The way she acted seemed strangely familiar...she was hiding her true intentions behind a mask for sure.

    However, Lyo and Zak had already figured it out. It was as clear to them as day, that she had gigantic trust issues just like Yuu. She wanted to open up, so she mentioned the reason for them, but like Yuu...Zak could tell her heart had darkened. Not corrupted, not fully lost, but...darkened, for sure.

    "I thought the Royal Family would not get here for a few days, for the party...you got here quite early, and its a bit strange you know Yuu when he has not even been here for a week".

    "My spies do a very good job at searching everywhere, including the surrounding forests, and piecing together stories...and that party is why we are here. As are others".

    At those words, she took out a piece of paper. Yuu could feel intense magical power coming from that paper, as well as the ink written on it. A couldron like table was placed between them, with the paper put on top.

    "You have great potential Yuu. Some of my spies say you are too unstable, too dangerous. Others think you might be a threat. A few think you would be a good asset".

    As she said that, the two of them locked eyes.

    "But I suspect you dont want to be under anyone, or be controlled by anyone. So instead, I have an offer for you. Two, actually".

    She pushed the paper closer to him. As he read the words, it was clear to him it was some sort of contract. A magic one, by the looks of it, with absolute power that could not be betrayed without serious penalty. Possibly even death. However, the contents were the most interesting thing about them.

    All of the clauses were very straightforward. The first was the simplest possibly. It stated directly that Yuu would not attack, seek to cause harm, death, or injury to the First Princess, Aurelia Reynard, or her family and friends. And in exchange, she would not attack or seek to cause harm to Yuu, or any of his family or friends. The only exception was in self defense, if they commited a crime against the other, or if they did it unknowingly, without any clear hint of reason that it was.

    In other words, she, the next ruler of this kingdom, could not attack, try to kill, or abuse Yuu in any way possible, and he could not do anything to her and her children.

    The second was that she would help Yuu get out with any crimes that were not serious, if he did not let any criminal who seeked to harm the country go easily without justifiable reasons.

    The third was a restatement of the first in a way, using different words to prevent loopholes.

    The fourth was that except in emergencies that demanded it, they could not reveal each other''s secrets to unknowing parties, though they could discuss secrets they already knew the other knew.

    But in the end, what is basically boiled down to was that he would not attack or interfere with her, and she would not attack or interfere with him. That they would help each other out when they reasonably could, but would not be stuck or forced to do so unreasonably. And this would be bound by magic, in a special way that neither could break, even for royalty like a princess.

    Which meant this contract was a very big deal. For royalty to use it with someone who was not even a noble, it was very odd and very unusual. It meant seeing each other as equals in a way, and it seemed this was part of the reason everyone was so on guard about Yuu.

    However, there was one clause in particular that stood out. It was something that made it clear she knew about the feelings, the plans he had deep down, and also made it clear her own desires and wishes.

    It was that Yuu would help Aurelia deal with the murder of her mother, and deal with the murderers and assassins that took her life, and in exchange, she would help him deal with the murders and assassins of his mother, and deal with the people who had wronged him three years ago and used him as a scapegoat for their plans.

    "Zak....is it really impossible for a magic contract to be broken?"

    "Oh, its possible...but the price is deadly usually, so its effectively unbreakable. Furthermore, a great amount of pain and force would be put against the person if they knowingly try to break it. And it seems like there are a number of clauses specifically preventing accidents and mistakes from triggering it. But its also quite steep against intentional breaks it seems".

    Yuu had some reservations of course, but this would not mean he was under someone''s control. If anything, it would protect him from the kingdom''s wraith, and help him with his own goals. In the end, after thinking it through, the pros outweighed the cons. And it was written in a way where it would not backlash against her.

    From this, Yuu realized that the two of them were the same kind of person. Ready to do whatever it took to get what they want. But before he could sign...

    "...and what was the second request?"

    "Simple. For this...party, I will need a partner. Someone to escort me, and for me to escort. It would look better, and also keep away the annoying pigs who want me to marry their children, or even themselves. The lord here has not masked his desire, though I do suspect he cares more about the power and being a king then anything else. Of course...escorting me would help you as well, since it would allow you to observe your enemy right up close. And you would get to see his reaction to your pressence with your own eyes".

    Such a juicy offer was layed out in front of Yuu. It seemed that she had been inspecting his body because if she had to go, she needed a partner who looked good enough physically to be with a Princess. She also wanted it to be someone who would not stab her in the back. And also, someone who wouldn''t bother trying to woo her or hit on her, but someone just as intellectual as she was.

    So, less of a date, and more of someone to help keep bothersome things away. And even then, all that was more of a side thing, their main desire was to see their enemy''s reactions. It seemed like she considered this man to be an enemy as well, so it was mutually beneficial.

    "I see...very well then, I accept".

    Aurelia handed Yuu a knife, as they began to walk around the paper. Each one cut their palm a little, and allowed the blood to drip onto the paper. Their blood turned into their signatures, and following this, all present also had to put their blood on it as secondaries. They would not be bound as harshly by the same rules, but it would prevent the royal guards present from attacking Yuu as well, and would also prevent Lyo and Zak from attacking the Princess. An extra layer of security.

    And thus, the contract was done and sealed.

    "I do hope you realize though that, at least me and Lyo don''t have party clothes".

    "Its fine. I will handle it all. The party will be soon, and I think it will be very fun".

    The two of them smiled at each other. It wasn''t quite innocent, but without a doubt they had the same things in mind right now. Revenge against those who wronged them, and threatened and took things that were theirs.

    It would be a night to remember.

    <hr>

    Margrave Alibaster glared at the words his informants brought. That the boy Yuu could not be found anymore, that the trackers either lost sight of him, or were killed. He almost questioned why they did not follow orders and pin the murders on him, except that their bodies were discovered while Yuu had been away, or been seen in public. And there were clear signs of people prepared to counteract his desire to pin something on Yuu, at least not unless he fabricated some good evidence.

    The royals, and various other nobles, would be here for the party soon. The royal family was actually coming here to inspect the land, but of course as they were royals, he would naturally hold a party in their honor. Furthermore, with the party so close, they would actually be arriving today so their guards could get a feel for the city, even if they probably had spies doing that already.

    The damned royal family had been particularly reformist lately, putting in all sorts of fairness and equality laws, while also taking out those viewed to be corrupt and criminal. It got particularly bad after the assassination of the queen, leaving her husband and her three children alone three years ago.

    And now they were coming here, to his territory. He had made sure to hide evidence of wrongdoing, if not outright destroy it. He made sure of all of it. But...the brat, Yuu, could unravel everything if he remembered certain details, recalled certain things. And as a potential heir of that person, he was a threat that needed to be exterminated anyways.

    "Sir, I have a message from the gates!" a man announced as he entered in a hurry. "The royals are here!"

    He quickly stood up, and went over to the dresser with the mirror to make himself presentable as his servants prepared the entrance hall. It did not take too long, but he had not expected them to arrive this early. They were moving annoyingly fast, but he would play his part just fine.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Once he had fixed himself, he went into the entrance hall, where he waited for a few moments. Not too long, the doors burst open as the royal guards marched in, escorting a singular person.

    "My father will be arriving a bit later, but I have come to greet you. I am the First Princess, Aurelia Reynard, and the future Queen of this country" she said to him, as he kneeled in front of her.

    He made sure to appear extra charming too.

    "Hello, my beloved princess. I am so happy to have you here. I would love to have dinner with you tonight, and speak of the many tales that have crossed my ears".

    If he could impress this little girl, who knows? Maybe he could pull it off right, and they could get married, so he could become acting regent if something happened to the king as well.

    "No need, I have my own plans for dinner tonight. After all, I have acquired a date before I came to the city. You will be able to meet him soon".

    The Margrave was a bit shocked, but he didn''t show it. The girl in front of him was actually known as one of the coldest and coolest nine year olds, and sometimes considered a bit odd. The fact she already had a date seemed weird when at any other party they both attended, she was alone and kept away, even from other children.

    Sure, as a result of coming alone, alot of nobles, both men and boys, often tried to get close to her, develop connections and such...but with her trust issues, he had not heard of anyone breaking that barrier...

    Naturally, he didn''t think at all that it was Yuu. The Princess came from a totally different circle after all, so the bane of his existence aside from the royal family would not come to mind.

    "Very well. Do you have a place to stay?"

    "There is a lovely manner that we had the people sent ahead refurbished. Owned by one of those nobles who died mysteriously....maybe we might even find something to be a lead for that".

    The noble did not make any visible signs of guilt, but inside he was worried. He had his agents sweep it and clear any evidence, but if something was missed....

    In any case, he didn''t even realize at all what the Princess was really doing. Distracting his mind, and therefore also distracting his assets. She would make sure he would be very busy covering the areas she would be visiting, so that he would not realize what she was up to before it was too late.

    <hr>

    Yuu, Lyo, and Zak meanwhile snuck out of a wagon. The Princess was helping to make sure they would remain unassaulted for the next few days while she kept the Margrave occupied. It was only just as a precaution, but both sides were being careful.

    After all, what they were planning to pull off could be legendary.

    That said, as they got off, they entered the mansion that would be the residence of the Princess and her people while they were in town. An incredibly nice and lavish place, the gardens alone were beautifully maintained and the walkways practically sparkled with the setting sun''s light hitting them just right. Furthermore, as they walked up the white marble steps and approached the Elderoak door, the smell of delicious food could be smelt from within. It appeared the princess had sent orders to have some food made for them.

    And so, the moment they entered, a large amount of maids and butlers greeted them of all ages. Some were old and grey, while others looked little older then they were, twelve of thirteen at most. Although notably their outfits were somewhat different, as the younger the maid or butler, the shorter the skirt or pants/shorts were. Furthermore, there were a few girls wearing butler outfits, and a few boys wearing maid outfits, which stumped Yuu a bit.

    Now that I think about it, is crossdressing even a thing here? Or is there some sort of inate difference between a butler and maid that is helped to be displayed by different uniforms...well, at least the boy maids are all young. I dont really care about all that too much, but if I saw an old man in a maid''s dress id probably set my eyes on fire.

    Even the callous and cold Yuu, who didn''t think about romance or preferences at all in those areas, would be displeased by seeing an old man or a grown man in a dress. If it was a boy though, it was at least tolerable, maybe even amusing for him.

    Although, Zak could totally pull of wearing a maid outfit...Lyo actually did pull it off, not that I would tell them that and have him start a weird habit.

    That said, if Yuu knew that Lyo and Zak were thinking the same thoughts about him, he would immediately be displeased.

    Another thing Yuu noticed though was that they were not all human. Elves, Beastkin, and such were mixed in. Even a few of the Daemon Race, which were different from Demons but tended to be misunderstood and treated poorly.

    Either way, the maid who appeared to be in charge, a wolfkin maid with brown hair, approached them.

    "Ah, you must be the Princess'' date and his friends! Welcome, welcome! Come, eat! Afterwards, the bath will be ready and prepared for you! We even just got some new high quality soap and shampoo!"

    Hearing that there might be a proper bathtub for the first time in forever he could use, Yuu''s spirit lit up a little. So far, he had only bathed in the homemade hot spring he made, or in rivers and streams. However, his skill at creating magic items did not extend to the area of making a proper bathtub.

    In his previous world, he barely got to use that too. Leaving aside the one time his parents almost "accidentally" had him drown, there were times where they would drag him into the back, strip him, and hose him down, saying that he wasn''t good enough for the bath and that it was an earned privlidge.

    And so, the trio enjoyed a lovely meal of well made food. It was exceptionally better then Yuu''s cooking, as while he did learn how to cook food himself to an extent, it was using store brought ingredients or only things he could make easily without his parents messing it up. Because of that, his cooking was not particularly exceptional. Nothing like those people from manga and anime that somehow made it look easy. No, it was hard work, required a lot of ingredients he could not get, and ultimately the fact he made it tasty at all, most of the time, was probably exceptional in its own way since he lacked most spices and seasonings.

    And so, once they were done, the maids escorted them to the changing area right before the baths. They offered to come in and help, but Yuu quickly denied them, getting an uncertain feeling about their motives. And so, they quickly undressed and picked up some towels.

    The three of them entered the baths, leaving the towels on the designated rails. Although certainly there were public bathhouses were available, a lot of people often times bathed in rivers or streams, or ponds. Children would sometimes be bathed in a public fountain even. After all, although it seemed they did have some plumbing, or magic tools that replicated plumbing, it was not cheap enough, or the world not developed enough, to be wide spread.

    That said, while public baths were not rare, something of this scale certainly was. It was built of marble and shiny metals. It was not so golden as to be gaudy, but it certainly had a regal and elegant feel to it. As was the custom of this country, each of them hung their towels on a hood and started to head towards the area to rinse off.

    And yet, before they could, something happened that neither of the three could have expected. The door opened once more, and this time it was the Princess, and her childhood friend Matilda. Both of them were carrying their towels over their shoulders, the five children''s bodies were fully exposed to each other.

    Matilda seemed a bit shocked, while Aurelia simply shrugged it off. She seemed totally unphased by the boys seeing her in the nude, and even walked towards them while dragging Matilda in hand.

    "Funny, my servants seemed to fail to mention there were people here already".

    Those damned little...they set us up?!

    She then took one of the cloths used for soaping and rinsing the body, and pushed Yuu down onto one of the seats and began to soap him up. Even though she was a princess, she had no issues at all washing a commoner, which shocked Lyo, Zak, and Matilda. Even Lyo knew of royalty and how their positions should be"

    "Pr-Pr-Princess!"

    "Its fine, its just us five, so you can call me Aura. As you all can call me Aurelia. It appears tonight, my servants think we are all just dirty children who need to bathe immediately" she mentioned, sighing. Yuu was a bit embarrassed by all of this, but as she moved her hands around, his eyes became those of a dead fish.

    "...exactly what are you doing, washing my front first? I do believe its custom for most people to wash themselves, with people only assisting the back".

    "Getting the most embarrassing part out of the way. Besides, its my first time bathing with a boy who isn''t a servant, or a family member".

    In this world, it was actually quite common for boys and girls to bathe and swim together. Things like swimsuits did not exist, so everyone swam in the nude, because one''s body was not considered shameful in this world, but rather a proud gift of the gods. Of course, that did not mean people walked around naked all the time either. Since clothes are made of the materials of the world that the gods produced, it became known that wearing clothes to protect oneself from the elements was the right and smart thing to do, and caused a development of people who wear more clothes on average to be more prestigous and noble.

    However, without a doubt, a Princess washing a commoner did seem odd.

    "As the Princess, and the master of this house, its only natural I lead by example and treat my guests" she said as an excuse, with a proud and declarative smile. If Yuu was actually the type of boy who was a hormonal, emotion starved teenager, perhaps this sight would invoke a reaction.

    "And you are okay with this?"

    "You mean washing and bathing you, or with you? I dont see an issue" she said, as she used her free hand to grab his hand and put it on her chest. As she was only nine years old, there was absolutely nothing there. "Tonight, we are all just children who can play with each other and not hurt each other, after all".

    However, just like Aurelia, he was also a nine year old boy who had been severely harmed emotionally in his past, just like her. Although she did not say anything, she did not need to say anything. He could understand insinctively what might have happened to her.

    So leaving aside the fact both of them were too young to have physical attraction like that, both of them also had the mental states where this would not phase them even if they were four years older. Each of them knew their partnership, while long term, was one out of benefit, and their own desires for both revenge, and protection.

    "Just to be clear, your father wont kill me for this right?"

    "A reasonble worry, but it will be fine. He is known as the reasonable and wise king at his age for a reason".

    "How old is he?"

    "Twenty nine".

    "Well then" he said, grabbing her wrist. "I suppose this is enough. As a Princess, I must insist you let me wash you first".

    She smiled again, using her free hand to grab his wrist. Both of them had a strained smile. "No no no, I must finish washing you first, as a Princess I must lead by example".

    She then pushed Yuu onto the ground, overpowering him with her superior strength.  Yuu was a bit surprised, but only a bit as he wrapped one of his legs around her torso, and twisted his body to flip them, pinning her to the ground now.

    "No no, it would be disgraceful if I didn''t wash you first".

    As the two began to goof around like this, the trio who ended up washing each other''s backs and each other just starred at the two.

    "What...is going on here?"

    ""Control freaks"" both Lyo and Matilda said in unison, surprising each other but then smiling and shrugging it off. Zak however looked confused.

    He already knew this wasn''t some romance flag like one might see in these situations, however this was not how they would go. Normally, the boy or girl would walk into the bath while the other was there, usually the younger already being there, the party already there would get embarrassed first and overreact or such, and the intruding party would overreact or shrug it off.

    There were other variations, but that was the basebones of it. However, what was happening here was definently something different.

    "...can you explain?"

    "Yuu was using the conversation to act as the dominant and in control one, since he was at least trying to be somewhat respectful to the princess in this situation" Matilda mentioned.

    "However, Aurelia would not cede control, and kept trying to lead it as well as the bathing. So Yuu decided to try and take control of the bathing".

    "Which Princess Aurelia, being a control freak, would not accept".

    "ANd Yuu, who is absolutely a control freak as well, rebelled against that non-acceptance".

    The trio looked back at the pair, who were clearing having some childish brawl at this point. Limbs, butts, and other things were everywhere as they wrestled on the ground.

    "...the fight doesn''t seem serious though?"

    "Yeah, those two are wierdly on the same wavelength. I think they might make really good friends".

    And with that said, Zak finally understood. Yuu, who didn''t seem to act within standard reason, rather then triggering the romance flag with the princess, triggered the friendship flag first.

    Which given that in Zak''s personal oppinion, she was acting a bit villianous, was both surprising and made sense. After all, Yuu seemed to have a bad streak in him as well.

    He did apparently somehow steal some of the Demon King''s power, though he did think it was puzzling that the Demon King bothered to leave some power in a child as young as he had to be when he got it.

    Either way, Lyo and Matilda sighed, and got a bucket of water. They went over both Yuu and Aurelia, who realized what they were about to do.

    "No wait, Lyo, its all in good fun....!"

    "Matilda, as the Princess, I order you to..."

    And before the two finished, water got poured onto them as well as soap, and the two began their assault on the two scrambling on the floor.

    With that done, everyone finally got into the baths.

    "Matilda, that was not necessary at all!"

    "Lyo, we were just playing around..."

    Suddenly, the two friends pinched the noses of the two still protesting while tickling their stomachs, causing them to become flustered and fall back into the water.

    After the two surfaced again, they finally began talking normally about things for a bit. Well, at one point Lyo and Matilda broke out into an argument about who was better, Aurelia or Yuu. But the two that were being talked about were able to standback for about three sentences before they heard them spouting some embarrassing stuff and forcibly stopped them, which resulted in the four of them falling into the water.

    "Seriously guys, cant we just enjoy the bath?" Zak complained.

    Yuu popped his head out of the water, his cat ears twitching.

    "You know, im not sure if Zak cleaned himself up properly".

    "You are right...Lyo, Matilda, hold him down!"

    "Eh, wait! Hold on! Why me?! Why are you both picking on me now?!"

    "Isn''t it obvious? I just cant stand that whole ''not involved'' attitude you just gave".

    "And I still need to get some revenge for that dirty trick you pulled earlier".

    Zak tried to escape, but Lyo and Matilda grabbed his arms before he could.

    "Ah come on! Mercy! I am sorry! Noooo!"

    <hr>

    Once they were out of the baths, they were able to get dressed again in the central changing room, and then the maids appeared to escort them to their bedrooms. Naturally, although it vaguely felt like the maids were trying to set them up back there, it appeared they would not make them sleep in the same room yet, so they were safe on that account. After undressing once more and putting their dirty clothes in what appeared to be a laundry hamper, locking the door to be safe, the three boys got under the cover.

    However, there was something a bit strange with the currently sleeping arrangement. Rather, why was it that Yuu was in the middle? He didn''t like this position, at all. Furthermore, although he was used to it with Yuu, Zak was new so Yuu felt a bit embarrassed with him sleeping so close with all three of them naked, although not as much as he used to be. Zak and Lyo was totally fine though since this was a normal occurance for this world.

    "Oi, Zak. Switch places with me".

    "I wont allow it!" Lyo protested.

    "Then you switch places with me!"

    "Nope! Yuu''s best spot is in the center!"

    "No! I hate it, its annoying".

    "In any case" Lyo said, casually ignoring Yuu''s complaints. "Zak, so, so, how did you become a vampire, if you are one of those isawhatever people?"

    Yuu also looked towards him, without saying anything.

    He wants to ask to, but wont admit it, huh?

    The eyes of the two boys staring at him as all three were sleeping next to each other was extremely effective at eroding his resistence.

    "Fine, fine...the truth is, I am actually a Summon" he said with a somewhat dejected voice.

    "...a Summon, huh. The way you said it though, it wasn''t a hero summoning?"

    "It was a Kingdom that summoned me, but it was one that was being controlled by a Vampire Queen. She is the one who turned me into a vampire, and...enslaved me" he said, his hands moving to protect himself from the woman in his memories instinctively. He noticed, and quickly stopped as his face turned red and sour.

    Yuu, who could read the mood, understood roughly. It wasn''t an easy topic.

    "Eh? Wait, so she made you a slave? Did she treat you badly?"

    Unfortunately Lyo was oblivious to all of this, being the warm ball of innocence that he is.

    "Yeah, basically. She was a pervert among perverts, and a terrible person. She had several other boys enslaved to her, but she wanted one from another world, something exotic and unique that would act differently. So she summoned me to this world".

    "THat sounds mean and selfish".

    Zak chuckled a bit, though it was a bit dark.

    "Yeah, I am glad to be rid of her. Sorry, a thousand years and its still not something I particularly like to talk about".

    "Its fine" Yuu said. "More importantly, it seems like monster activity is rising. Are kingdoms going to be doing more summoning? It seems like some Demon King is on the move".

    "Maybe, although...the Demon King are not the only issue at the moment. There is also a powerful military nation on the rise, that uses magic to oppress its people and take over other countries. As cliche as it might sound, the rumor is they seek to conquer the world. And then there are certain Dragons which also seek power, or just get hungry, that have been causing issues. As for the summoning...I guess you don''t know, huh".

    "Know what?"

    "Well, a lot of Kingdoms have already summoned heroes. In fact, even this kingdom has, although...they didn''t quite get what they expected".

    "They didn''t get what they expected?"

    "Well, you will see for yourself, since she is coming to the party...but it seems the Hero is considered a bit eccentric, according to my sources".

    Yuu sighed when he heard that. An eccentric hero coming to the party? He got the feeling she might be exceptionally bothersome then.

 Chapter 19: The Party Begins, The Hero Arrives...

    Chapter 19: The Party Begins, The Hero Arrives...

    "You ready for the big event?" Aurelia asked, barely able to hold back her excitement.

    "Of course" Yuu said as he fixed his bowtie, preparing for the party.

    The two of them were wearing fancy party clothes. The Princess was wearing a pink dress with lovely embrodery, and a lovely and sparkling pair of shoes. Normally, as Yuu discovered, she tended to wear more casual clothes around the house or such. Even now, under the dress, she actually had a pair of shorts on as well as other things, and she possessed a number of defensive items. But all that could be seen is her lovely hair, complete with a rose-like hairpin made of rubies, her lovely dress, and her beautiful dance shoes.

    As for Yuu, he was wearing tall white socks, dress dancing shoes, suspender shorts that ended just above the knees, a white dress shirt, and a fancy black vest. To top it off, he was wearing a red bow tie. He undoubtedly looked cute, but he was ignoring that detail.

    As for Lyo and Zak, they were wearing outfits similar to him, only Zak had a dress jacket and his socks were a bit shorter, while Lyo had a green bowtie to bring out his eyes and hair, and his sleeves were a tad bit shorter. Matilda meanwhile was wearing a sparkling red dress and a pink ribbon in her hair.

    At the moment, the five of them were riding in the carriage towards the lord''s residence. They had just gone through the main gate without issue, and were just pulling up. Yuu was a bit surprised by how smooth the ride was.

    "Does this carriage have some sort of balancer or suspension or something?"

    "Indeed. Its far more comfortable then a normal carriage...by the way Yuu, that looks really cute on you".

    "Oh shut up" he said, a bit embarrassed. "It will all be worth it to see the dumbfounded look on that man''s face".

    "Well, that is certainly true".

    "...they are like a pair of sadistic friends who discovered they share the ideas of how to torment others" Zak muttered. Lyo and Matilda both nodded with him.

    "I wouldn''t call us sadistic..." Yuu started.

    "...just that we desire proper justice" Aurelia finished.

    "Uh huh" Zak replied, sighing. You know, people usually spark the romance flag with the Princess, Yuu. Not the sadistic friends flag...you both need some help in the head.

    "Too bad this isn''t the Spring, Summer, or Fall Midden Party. It would have been interesting to see you dress up for that".

    "...why do I have a bad feeling" Yuu mentioned.

    "Its because for those noble parties, its tradition for all children thirteen and under to wear dresses" Zak mentioned, prefering not to think about it.

    "I dont think I will go to tho..."

    "Its a great time to spy on various nobles and learn what you need to manipulate them also" Aurelia said, cutting Yuu off. Yuu twitched a little...

    "Her temptation is totally working on you, isn''t it?" Zak asked.

    "...first hand observations...I could learn all of their weaknesses if I am lucky...gossip from children might provide insights too...but I really dont want to...".

    The Princess just smiled with satisfaction, but Matilda looked at her with a deadpan look.

    "You are trying to get another date aren''t you, so you can keep the suitors away?"

    "Maybe~"

    Matilda sighed. The princess meanwhile giggled, which was something she didn''t do a lot.

    "Incidentally, in order to sell this, how many times will I need to compliment you?"

    "Ah, I would say we need to make cutesy googly eyes at each other a few times, probably pay each other at least twenty compliments, though repeats are fine so long as we dont repeat them too soon, and a few will need to come while we are dancing, and at the very start".

    "Ahh, sounds like a bother".

    "It is a bother".

    "Too bad they are not all corrupt" Yuu mused.

    "That would certainly make the night a lot more interesting" Aurelia agreed.

    "Oi oi! Stop thinking about murdering everyone!"

    "Snap out of it Aurelia!"

    "No! Bad Yuu!"

    The two looked away from thier friends.

    "We were not thinking that at all..."

    "...just that noble gatherings are tiresome events".

    The trio looked at the duo as if they wished to just give up now.

    And with that sort of atmosphere, the five people arrived at the party. Naturally, before they went out, the Royal Guard went out first, securing the area, before opening the door to let them out. The Princess came out first, holding out her hand. It was taken by Yuu, who came out after her, and gave it a kiss. Next came out Matilda, who held out her hand. This hand was taken by Lyo, who gave it a kiss. And finally Zak, who came here without a date, came out last.

    Yuu and Aurelia looked back at Matilda and Lyo. In order to make things look better and easier, they decided to make those two come as a couple as well, however....

    Okay, here goes the secret second operation...

    ...get Lyo and Matilda more used to the opposite gender!

    Lyo had been with Yuu the last three years, so Yuu felt that Lyo was totally unprepared to talk with girls when he got that old. Matilda, who stayed with the Princess as her best friend several times, was also isolated. Yuu and The Princess might have some more...isolationist tendencies regarding themselves, but they didn''t want Lyo or Matilda to develop weird habits either.

    And so, they had promptly decided to set the two up! Their personalities were similar also, so they should be able to get along provided they did not start arguing who had the better best friend.

    For the record, that topic quickly became banned for both of them. No one wanted a repeat of the so called "Bloody Lunch Incident".

    And so, escorted by the guards, the group of five headed into the mansion. At the front, there were two knights dressed in black armor, holding weapons made of black steel. The Royal Guard introduced them.

    "This is the Princess and her company".

    The knights kneeled at once, before returning to attention. That was when their eyes layed upon Yuu, the person who they were told to keep an eye on if they saw. However, none of them could move right now since the Princess was with him, as well as the royal guard.

    So instead, they just started sweating bullets, knowing they might get yelled at unreasonably later, and they left them pass.

    "Welcome to the party, everyone. Please enjoy your stay".

    As they walked in, Yuu sighed with relief once they were far enough away. His shadow, although it seemed to be a bit more tame and calm and a bit easier to control, seemed to want to go wild in this place. Thankfully, he had taken control of the power, so he was able to utilize it far better then before. Therefore, there was no way this party should turn into a bloodbath.

    As much as it might be easier for him to do so.

    And so, they entered the main party.

    <hr>

    The Margrave was frozen stiff, the moment that entered his sight. Yes, Margrave Alibaster was currently speechless when he sawthose two walking together, holding hands, towards him. His face stiffened, and was making a dumb and goofy expression. Normally, he was not that dumb, or that obvious.

    But the last thing he expected was Yuu and Princess Aurelia to arrive together, hand in hand, looking like a proper couple and approaching him. He was already worried about the two''s seperate actions, but now here they were, clearly together! A unified front against him?! And if Yuu recalls the wrong thing, it would be all over for him if he said it in front of the Princess!

    "My lord, as you remember, this is the First Princess, Aurelia Reynard. She is accompanied here today by her date, the young and promising Adventurer Yuu, who despite his age and stature helped defeat a nearby Ancient Vampire which was planning to assault and attack the Princess on the way to town. With them is Lady Matilda, and her date of Lyo, who was also a member of that party, and the A-Rank Adventurer Zak who also assisted".

    The moment those things were heard, everyone gasped and all attention went on the five. After all, defeating an Ancient Vampire was no easy feat. Although most vampires dont possess overwhelming amounts of strength, their long lifespans have caused them to develop incredible skill and predictive ability, making them tough to beat in that aspect. Let alone the A-Rank Adventurer Zak, Yuu and Lyo were also publicly declared to have played a major role in the battle.

    While they might not have family names, they came with the Princess and could not be so easily looked down upon already. But even then, plenty of nobles were actually thinking highly of them. In terms of adventurer ranks, the beginners, or failures, tend to be at Ranks H-F. The ones who were able to stabily make a living successfully were Ranks E and D. The ones who could be said to be professional experts were Rank C and B. Exceptional prodigies were Rank A. And those who are considered great invididuals who defy the norm are Rank S.

    As such, even Rank C or Bs would garner respect from Nobles, to the point where they could be considered minor nobles in their own right. Rank As would be treated even better, and could even meet with Royalty on occasion of their own choosing. Rank S...those people could be considered the equals of Dukes, and depending on their achievments, might even be considered equals to royalty.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    After all, they have the strength and power to take out threats that would bother the kingdom immensely. And while there were a good number of C-Rankers, there were not too many of them. B Rankers were even less, and A Rankers could be said to be hard to come across if you looked randomly though crowds. S Rankers, there was not even one in this city.

    Because of all this, especially because they came with the princess, he could not just dismiss them or act coldly to them. Right now, they had the advantage. And he wasn''t able to react well. His fists trembled with rage and fear, his embarrassment grown from having been blindsided by their tactics. The tactics of children! Getting the better of him!

    However, he held all of that back, and managed to make a calm and pleased expression as he bowed to greet them.

    "My ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the party".

    "Thank you, Margrave Alibaster. I am sure we will enjoy ourselves, right sweetie?" she said, turning to Yuu part way through. On que, he gave her a gentle and quick kiss on the lips, as a flowery atmosphere could be felt around them, drawing the adoration of the crowd.

    "Of course, my lovely princess. Together we will surely be entertained tonight" he replied, speaking as well as if he was noble born. His speech was police and precise, and catered not just to the one he was with, but even the surroundings.

    It was thanks to his training in his previous life that he did for interviews to get a job. Even though he studied and trained like crazy, he figured it might be hard for a young middleschooler like him to get one, so he practiced ettiquette and polite speaking, as well as manners. He was rusty though, but Aurelia helped him learn the mannerisms and politeness before the party.

    Noble society was bothersome, and if he was going to become known as the Princess'' boyfriend or lover or whatever for awhile, he would at least score as many points as he did right now. If he did that, he wouldn''t need to score points later. The princess promised him she would also help keep the bothersome stuff away, though the way she looked...Yuu had a feeling she would need a break sometimes.

    She was able to fight him in the baths pretty well, and they did a sparring match against each other in the training yard. She was good, talented. Used some sort of special royal magic. More then likely, she had been polishing her combat skills intensely ever since her mother was killed, because she outpaced a good amount of royal guards.

    It briefly occured to Yuu she might be a reincarnator, but after asking Zak, he learned the truth. A few generations ago, a Summoned Hero married into their family, and the power of his blood was passed down through them. As a result of her bloodline and special Royal Magic, she was quite the fighter herself, probably equal to Yuu without either side using Trump Cards.

    And Yuu was absolutely sure she had them, just like she knew he had some.

    As the two walked through the main hall, they ended up greeting several of the others that joined. Yuu made mental notes of who they were. The Duke Family, Cardias, were major players in arbitration and law. It seemed like he would be able to use them for his own plans against corrupt nobles like Alibaster, but also they could be a thorn in his side, so he would have to stay careful. They had a boy around his age named Artori, who appeared to be staring daggers at him, but had blushed cheeks when looking at the Princess.

    There was also a few nobles who helped run the Commerce Guild. The Ardet Family, the Elchrem Family, and the Tortel Family. Their children were also here, the former two bringing two sons, and the last one a son and a daughter. The daughter was about fifteen, and the son about thirteen. Ardet had a twenty year old son and a twelve year old son, and Elchrem had a sixteen year old son and an eight year old son. They seemed fairly normal, although...the twelve year old, William Ardet, for some reason kept looking at Zak.

    After this, Yuu realized it was going to be really hard to remember every single person, and thought he should prioritize more on the important people.

    "Atten..." someone started to announce, when a ten year old brown haired girl with a ponytail jumped out in front. She was wearing formal wear for sure, although it looked just a bit sporty, adventurerous, and energetic combared to everyone else.

    "We have arrived for the party!" she announced herself.

    "Hold it! Rin-sama! Hero-sama!"

    At this point, following the girl, a boy who appeared to be around their age, maybe a bit younger then Rin, ran up behind him. He was wearing a wizard hat over his blonde hair, with a staff holstered on his belt, and wearing some noble and fancy looking clothes as he ran after her similar to what Yuu was wearing.

    The way they spoke felt a bit strange and different then the others, although Yuu recognized it quickly. Zak did as well.

    The people who were making the announcement quickly rallied and started over.

    "The Hero, Rin Kurami, has arrived! As well as the King, Roland Reynard!"

    And so, the Hero had arrived.

    Yuu could already tell, at a glance, that she was the problematic sort that would annoy him to no end. Her energy, her lack of reading the atmosphere, her sudden explosive appearance. She was, without a doubt, a Grade A Typical Dense Hero.

    Even the Princess twitched a little on seeing her. Considering her incompatibility with Yuu, that would also make her incompatible with the Princess. Upon seeing her, Yuu reflexively created a soundproof barrier so they could speak without people overhearing them, while a ruckus went on outside the barrier.

    "Oi oi, there are several things id like to retort right there".

    "...I know what you mean, her personality is like an extreme version of Matilda''s or Lyo''s".

    "To think she would make those two look tame...but, why did you summon a ten year old hero?"

    "its easier to summon a child then an adult. The less mass someone has, the easier it is. Also, we had...issues...with older summons in the past. Anyways, it was discovered that children as young as nine or ten were perfectly competant when trained and taught well, and adapted to the world more easily. We had a few issues in the past with summons arbitrarily trying to change our culture because of their morales or such, and the circumstances of their own world. Things tended to get violent as a result...well, some people still summon those heroes as well because they want someone who will be ready faster as well. And part of it is luck, we can do the summoning ritual, but we cant quite pick and choose who we get. Sometimes it can be totally random".

    "I see..." he replied. So basically, a hero summoning was similar to a lottery.

    "That is why, when heroes need to be summoned, like to deal with the increase in monsters, the Demon Kings and Demon Lords, multiple countries summon heroes. After all, its not like a single hero can be everywhere at once. That said, you can put some factors or desires you want for the hero into the summoning. You are limited to a certain number of factors though, too many and it fails".

    "...exactly what factors went into this one?"

    "My father wanted a girl who could make friends easily so I would have another friend, I suspect".

    But the personalities are totally incompatbie...

    "Ohh! Aura!" Rin shouted, running over. Yuu quickly dismissed the barrier when they noticed her. "Ah, is this your date? The boy you like? He looks cute! A catbeastkin huh? Extra cute! Super cute!"

    Yuu''s patience suddenly found itself rapidly being depleted.

    "What are you, six? Seven?"

    "...im nine".

    At those words, she froze a bit, noticing Yuu''s strained smile. Not only that, Aurelia had a strained smile herself, also possessing a height complex.

    Rin finally noticed the landmines she had stepped on, and quickly apologized.

    "In any case, did I hear it right? You beat an ancient vampire? That means your strong right? Wanna spar?"

    "Now would not be the time for sparring" Yuu replied. "At the moment, I have a lovely girl to accompany tonight".

    Skillfully deflecting while also praising the princess, Yuu managed to pull that off.

    This tomboy hero...

    "Aww, Yuu" Aurelia said, her perfect acting looking as if she truly and honestly adored those words. The two stared into each other''s eyes, and a pink atmosphere enveloped them.

    Zak, who was watching with Matilda and Lyo on the sidelines, sighed.

    "Alright, what do you think those two are actually thinking of right now?"

    "Yuu probably is thinking about stealing everything from Alibaster and leaving him peniless and powerless, gloating over him".

    "Aura is probably thinking about how she will revoke Alibasters nobility, publicly shame him, and maybe even execute him".

    "...that sounds about right. That should be able to create that atmosphere for them".

    That said, they looked over at the other person there...the hero. Zak wondered just how far along her heroic blood was....Lyo already had his awakened, but that isn''t as especially strange. Traumatic events tend to awaken them after all, and Zak had heard briefly about what happened to his village.

    He was still a bit surprised about Yuu subjugating the Demon that was possessing him, but there was an even bigger concern that weighed on his mind.

    Why did the Demon King, or any of his minions, target Yuu? His memories didn''t awaken till they were six, after the incident with the carrage getting chopped up and exploding, or at least being set on...fire...

    The moment Zak thought that, his eyes went wide as he realized something. Something big, and something major. He quickly used magic to send a brief signal to Yuu and the others, and then headed out towards a balcony a bit further away.

    <hr>

    "I must say Zak, I was a bit surprised" Yuu said, only somewhat annoyed. Yuu, Aurelia, Lyo, and Matilda had followed Zak onto the balcony after getting an emergency telepathic ping from Zak, who was now basking alone in the moonlight.

    "Don''t tell me you called us out here for a blood donation" the princess added.

    "No...its just, something I realized that might be too serious to ignore" Zak said, turning around to face them. "Furthermore, it could mean there may be an enemy we have unaccounted for...as well as a third, or even fourth, party to all this".

    Hearing those words, Yuu and Aurelia immediately judged this could be vitally important, and gestured him to explain.

    "Yuu, how much do you remember about that night three years ago...when the carriage you had been forced into was destroyed? How much do any of you actually know about that?"

    "I know some rotten adventurers brought him along for entertainment while they traveled".

    "They were basically talked into it by the receptionist".

    "Then Yuu''s powers went on a rampage and destroyed it, right?"

    "...tell me, why did Yuu''s powers take that long to activate though, when it seems to be an automatic mechanism. It does seem to make exceptions in certain situations, possibly to avoid causing its master more trouble then its worth, but....what evidence, what witness is there, that has confirmed it was Yuu''s power? Yuu, what do you actually remember from that night?"

    "I remember being forced to experience a lot of horrible and embarrassing things. I...think I might have passed out or something after that, because the next thing I remember was waking up in the snow".

    "So you remember the before and after clearly, but not that specific timeframe".

    "Zak, what are you saying exactly?"

    "Yuu, what was the first magic you used?"

    "Fire, on accident though. I needed a fire to survive. It was cold that night".

    Zak narrowed his eyes at that.

    "And the carriage was also on fire?"

    "Yes, what is your point?"

    "Yuu, what is the element you have the very worst affinity with?"

    "Well fire, you know..." Yuu started to say, when his eyes went wide with shock. "...fire is my worst element".

    Zak nodded his head, as everyone soaked in the ramification of what was just said.

    "If it was your powers that went on a rampage, the carriage should not have been consumed in flames. Not in the snow. And that said...although the roads tend to be in more open and clear places, how cold does it usually get in that area?"

    Again, a wave of shock overtook them all. Even the Princess, who had the matter of what happened to him investigated recently while she was vetting him, was shocked.

    "Ice and snow, that is your highest magical affinity. If you were reflexively trying to defend yourself, that is what you would create. But fire?"

    "Wait though, I clearly remember making fire! Everything from after the incident is clear!"

    "Yuu...I think your memories may have been tampered with".

    "I dont get it though...if the carriage was attacked like that, were they trying to kill Yuu or protect him?" Lyo asked, confused.

    "That is why I suggested there could be as many as two other parties. A third party, which tried to kill Yuu....and a fourth party, capable of using fire or at least mental magic, to alter his memories. Whoever altered his memories however didn''t try to kill him, it would have been easy for them if they wanted to. Which means whoever altered Yuu''s memories was someone who wanted to keep him alive. Its possible it was a minion of the Demon King, but...it might be possible that the minions of the Demon King were the attackers".

    "Wait wait, first the Demon King wants to corrupt me, and now he wants to kill me? That makes no sense Zak".

    "Well, I dont think the Demon King wanted you dead himself. However, what would be the best way to learn about the corruption in the noble societies of kingdoms? Though illegal criminal groups, like assassins and hitmen and such".

    "This is all conjecture...it could be any number of ways or reasons" Matilda pointed out. "Also its confusing".

    "Agreed...we dont have enough information to make a definitive conclusion. However, we can confirm one thing. Yuu likely did not have his Shadow Power until that night. Because it did not activate at all until then. Which means, every single rumor about you having some strange curse or such was likely a lie, or just falsehoods from the start. However, it best supports the timeline, and explains why none of your abusers died to Shadow before that night".

    "So then, the one who gave him Shadow was likely the one that protected him...unless it was the Demon King''s minions that protected him, that is. But I dont see them leaving someone who they hoped to turn into a pawn or an ally in those conditions" Aurelia added.

    "But then, who could it be?" Lyo asked.

    "What a very good question" an unfamiliar boy''s voice said, seeming to come behind Zak. The group looked in that direction, and on one of the gargoyles that stretched out from the balcony, a boy landed, his feet being placed heel to toe as he pretended to balance perfectly on his own. Wearing unique clothes, and a silly look on his face, it was a face that would shock quite a few.

    It was one of the gods of this world, and a major one at that, Avalon.

 Chapter 20: The Party Continues, A God Arrives...

    Chapter 20: The Party Continues, A God Arrives...

    Zak and Lyo suddenly pulled weapons out of what appeared to be thin air, pointing them at the individual that appeared on the balcony. Yuu already deployed multiple layers of magic protection, as did Aurelia. Matilda readied her fists, having nothing like any of the others could call upon anyways.

    "Who are you?" Yuu said.

    "Well, I am Avalon of course, one of the gods of this world. Part of my domain in spirits and souls, as well as how they are managed...and reincarnated" the boy, who named himself as Avalon, replied. "I also handle some, though not all, of the Summoning Rituals as well".

    Hearing that, Yuu, Zak, and Lyo all understood in an instant what Avalon was trying to say. He knew that Yuu was a Reincarnator, and he knew Zak was a Summon.

    "You know, you all really shouldn''t keep secrets from each other though" Avalon mentioned, sitting down on the balcony without any fear of falling over. "As interesting and fun as it could be, you dont really have the time to deal with secrets between each other".

    As he said this, he saw no one said anything, and he just shook his head.

    "Really now....Yuu, Zak, and Matilda?"

    The moment he called out those names, everyone looked shocked. Zak and Yuu looked over at Matilda, and Matilda looked over at Yuu. The Princess seemed to absorb it well enough, but seemed a bit surprised at the fact the mysterious boy who appeared from thin air knew all of this.

    "Wait wait...Matilda?"

    "Hold on...both of you are not from this world?"

    The Princess had suspicions about Yuu, but Zak was a total surprise. As expected of a vampire who had lived here for over a thousand years, he genuinely felt like he belonged in this world. Although he had not totally given up on everything from his home either.

    Matilda was a big shock though, since she acted a lot like Lyo. However...

    "Ah, dont be too confused. Matilda herself is sort of normal...technically speaking, she was born in this world...it was her mother who was summoned here, while she was pregnant".

    "...I think that might be a first..."

    "...I definently never heard of anyhting like that".

    In other words, Matilda was concieved in one world, and born in another. Yuu had to wonder if there were going to be some sort of weird side effects from that, but she seemed mostly normal...probably.

    Considering she never seemed to have guards for herself though, it made Yuu wonder about that.

    "In any case, you really managed to piss off the Demon King ya know?" Avalon mentioned, appearing behind them. He was floating upside down in a standing position. "Dont think he is sending some low level thing you can beat either. Something really big and powerful that is guarenteed to crush you all is coming".

    "Seriously?"

    "...well, I guess that should be expected".

    Only a moron would send an enemy that might lose. Strategically, it was better to crush enemies with a guarenteed method.

    "...I guess he is really mad I told him off while taking his power but not accepting him".

    "...yeah..."

    "So, is that why you are here?"

    "Well yeah, also I wanted to check in on everyone, also check on the people around the hero, make sure there are no weird lolicon perverts around or such that might traumatize them....too many summons tend to get traumatized, so its best to avoid as many as possible".

    Yuu stared at Avalon, as if he wanted to retort something. Feeling the piercing glare, Avalon just smiled awkwardly.

    "Now now, I cant control all the circumstances around reincarnation. In the first place, very few bodies are actually suitable. I know that, back in your world, it always seemed like reincarnators got crazy powers in manga and such, but...its actually the reverse. They were reincarnated into those bodies because of the immense mana. If the body does not have a suitably high level of mana, then the soul wont be able to affixate properly and could cause....problems".

    Hearing that, Yuu continued to glare at him.

    "Exactly how rare are the levels of mana needed?"

    "Exceptionally rare...which is why sometimes we get one or two that accidentally get reincarnated into Dragons or Spirits or such. Furthermore, since all races aside from human tend to have somewhat higher mana levels on average, reincarnators, while it is possible, are rarely humans actually".

    This was very interesting news to Yuu. In otherwords, his high level magic abilities did not come from being a reincarnator. Instead, this body having high mana attracted and make it compatible with his soul.

    "Exactly how does that work though?"

    He still didn''t understand the logic exactly though.

    "Very simple. In order for a Reincarnated Soul to properly survive the process unhindered and successfully retain its past memories, it needs a sort of protective membrane to embrace it as it enters a body. The large amount of mana provides that protection, and allows for a very clean and efficient affixing. They naturally attract reincarnator souls in the first place if the souls are available when the bodies are being created. After that, the body simply needs to mature enough to develop the sense of self, and the previous memories can awaken. That usually happens at around six years old".

    So all Reincarnators were basically guarenteed to have high magical abilities....that also meant most reincarnators if not all would be mages then.

    However, Zak, who noticed where the conversation was flowing, realized something.

    Wait...did he just...interrupt the conversation before we reached a certain point? Why did he appear before us, when it would be easier to operate in secret? Is he...hiding something about Yuu?

    Zak could not only realize that, but felt a certain charm spell at work. Avalon was using some sort of divine magic to sway the focus where they currently were. It would be hard to notice: Only an over one thousand year old vampire with plenty of experience could even realize it probably. And that likely had something to do with the Ring of Inversed Light he wore on his finger, which protected him against vampire detection methods, and even the sun to an extent.

    But also his experience has led to him develop passive multi-layered protection barriers and automatic response protection spells.

    "Hold on, what about the demon?" Lyo asked absentmindedly. Avalon looked almost surprised by his words.

    Did Lyo...resist the god charm? Seriously, what sort of heroic blood is inside that airhead?

    "Ah yes....well, you see, the Demon King this time around is a serious schemer. They all tend to be, but this guy is a cut above the rest in terms of intelligence. That is why, when something unexpected happens, and an unexpected foe defies expectations, he doesn''t send progressively stronger enemies they might be able to defeat. He always tries to go for 100% chance of success, guarenteed victories, and uses multiple strategies. He has plans upon plans. ANd his sending one of his elites here is not just to kill you. He wants to eliminate the king of this land, the princess, and the summoned hero as well, so he decided it was a good and efficient use of resources".Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Yuu hadn''t even noticed any protection against that, however he remembered Aurelia mentioning how these things were highly guarded.

    "IF you are wondering, Yuu....yes, there are various defenses. However, to not bother the people at the party, there are very well concealed. Around the city right now, fifty mages are forming an advanced high level multi-layer barrier of various types. In addition, several operatives have been dispatched into the city to help deal with matters that slip by the barrier. And if a fight does break out, multiple A-Rank adventurers are here...and a few individuals considered above that....to handle it".

    "But the Demon King will account for all of that, and develop counter plans".

    "Which is why we have our own".

    "And thus, the chain of counters is born".

    Plans and counterplans. Resources and preparations. All of this was happening. It was true, it seemed like unlike various things he watched and read, the people of this world loved to plan, counter plan, and so on.

    "So, there is still a chance he might break through. But at the same time, people might escape or be prepared for him".

    "Yeah, something like that" Avalon said. "But the most important thing is that its dangeorus, and bad, and you should be careful".

    "So....how exactly?"

    "Oh, just be prepared. The Demons that serve him are just as tricky, and all use plans and counter plans as well as multi-plans. More then likely, the party has a number of assassins mixed in that have their sights set on you all. So, dont die!"

    Suddenly, Avalon''s form changed, and he was wearing clothes similar to Yuu.

    "And of course, I will use this manifested body to come in as well".

    "Manifested body?"

    "Ah, well you see, the power of a god normally cannot set foot upon the mortal world, not without some serious preparation. IV made some...but I would rather not waste it, ya know?"

    Avalon suddenly showed a hint of an accent, but he kept going without letting that stop him.

    "So we can manifest bodies. They are basically mortal bodies, though when killed we just get sent back to the divine realm and cannot manifest a new one for a time. Ah, that said...you already know me actually..."

    He suddenly went and poked each of them on the forehead. Suddenly, a wall felt as if it came crashing down, even in Zak''s mind...and when they saw Avalon...

    "Avo?!"

    It was the mage taht supported them during the last fight, the final member of their party, Avo.

    "Pretty cool huh? The form looks identical, so I had to place perception blockers on you all. Was a real hassle".

    "...so you were helping us the whole time? Of course you were..."

    "Yay! More friends...or does this mean less friends?! Should I say oh no?!"

    Lyo was conflicted on whether to count this as gaining friends, by making friends with the god Avalon, or losing friends, because rather then being friends with both Avalon and Avo, they were the same person so he had less friends then he thought.

    "...Lyo, its not less. None of them died or disappeared".

    Yuu said that, putting Lyo and ease. Matilda also seemed relieved.

    "So anyways, our manifested Forms are not even that strong, A-Rank Adventurers at most. Not S-Rank, Hero, or such. Though to be honest, rank is not some ironclad rule of who can beat who anyways. That said, we do have a combat form we can take. It has quite a bit of divine power, so it has some impact on the world''s ecosystems, but its only minor...relatively".

    "...relatively?"

    "Well, not like it matters right now! Lets go enjoy the party! I heard they have cookies!"

    And so, a god arrived at the party.

    ...but five seconds later...

    "Aha! So that is the truth about everything!"

    The hero appeared before them, after clearly being caught listening in on everything. Next to her was Luka, the wizard that followed her.

    She immedaitely ran up to Yuu and hugged him.

    "What the...idiot! Aho! Wargo! Baka!"

    Speaking in several native languages, and one non-native, Yuu protested this situation a lot.

    "So this is what a reincarnated boy feels like! And a catkin boy!"

    This unreserved hero rubbed her cheek right against his, as her arms began to dig around and feel up his body under his clothes. Yuu, feeling extremely annoyed, prodced an electric field to electrocute her off of him.

    "Thats borderline perverted".

    "But I wanna know all the differences!"

    Then ask, moron....not that I would tell you everything... Yuu thought to himself. Even he did not know everything about his own race yet. He knew that they had a higher level of body heat, as was all beastkin. As a result, they tended to prefer lighter clothing even in colder temperatures, and often wore outfits that revealed a good amount of skin for easy ventilation. Cold would affect them less, and heat would affect them more. Yuu wondered if that made complete sense, but as he lacked any real knowledge on the topic, he decided to believe what he experienced.

    He also understood that beastkin had some primal instincts that could sometimes affect their behavior.

    And apparently, Beastkin tended to have an instinctive desire to find people to socialize and get along with. Yuu heavily disagreed with this one.

    In either way, it appeared the so called Hero decided to listen in on their conversation.

    "By the way" Rin said, looking over at Avalon. "Is it true people can be reincarnated as dragons?"

    "Actually, there is one boy who did get reincarnated as an Ancient Dragon....although because Ancient Dragons are kinda like gods in their own right, he became an immortal basically. He should still be around as a result. Last time I checked in with him was...three hundred years ago was it? He was trying to access manga, anime, comic books, novels and games from this world".

    "Seriously?"

    "Yeah. He was doing the same thing around six hundred years ago also, but I do think he tends to procrastinate or get distracted easily".

    "...or its just impossible..."

    "Its not. We gods sometimes do that when there is no major crisis".

    Everyone who understood what was just said looked at Avalon with dead fish eyes.

    "What?! We need to take breaks and have fun too!"

    "...lets just move on, please?"

    "By the way...it seems like there is a weird pressence in here" Avalon said, as his shadow came out and touched all of theirs. Suddenly, they could all see a strange black mist, just barely noticable, floating around.

    "What the..."

    "Its the scent and corruption of the Demon King''s power...which is why, Yuu...you should probably look at yourself".

    Yuu turned to face a mirror that was nearby, and saw it was radiating from him as well.

    "I cut that bastard off...are you saying this stuff is still on me?"

    "Ah, here" Avalon said, as he suddenly took Yuu''s face and planted a kiss on his lips. Everyone else was shocked by this development, as the kiss was not a light one but maintained for a good few moments before Avalon let him go.

    "What the hell?!"

    "I was just cleaning it up a little. Now that you cut him off, the flow stopped, so I could do it properly. Ah, unless you wanted us both to strip totally naked and press our chests and bodies against each other, kissing was the only way I could do that".

    "At least warn me next time!"

    "OH come now, its not like I am your first kiss. Didn''t Lyo steal one as well? And you kissed the princess a few times here, not to mention the rehearsal kisses you two did so you didn''t totally muck it up and could master kissing in a noble looking way".

    "Shut up! Whatever...so this black mist then..."

    "Yes, it means demonic influence is already here. They are hiding themselves properly though, even I cant tell who it is. Could be the servants, the staff, any of the nobles. Shouldn''t be too many though...three at most, and likely not demons but just agents of the Demon King that were given power".

    "He gives power freely to others?"

    "He wasn''t lying about the Demon King being cunning" Zak mentioned. "The guy is systematically strategic. Even if we beat his first plan, he probably has three or four backups. Or several different goals for his plan, of which even one would be considered worth the resources he spent on it. Its a nightmare, its like playing Ryozamer....ahh, that is like Chess but more advanced and complicated, by the way, with an ultimate master".

    "Sounds vexing".

    "Indeed. You cant trust a single thing he says or offers either, because there will always be some part of his plan that accounts for anything he would have to give up".

    In other words, in this world, battles did not just occur between people of great power. The grand battle of strategy was also involved, and therefore was a great factor in everything.

    "Looks like things will be rather dramatic at this party...".

    "...but we cant break the festivities. Not like we could tell them how we know anyways".

    At this moment, Yuu took Aurelia''s hand.

    "But at least, this will be a lot more fun".

    "Indeed. Shall we dance while scouting the room at the same time?"

    "Lets. I want to also see the look on Alibaster''s face...you think he is assisting in this?"

    "I doubt he would jepordize his own safety and home. He is likely uninvolved".

    "Then, let us see how he looks all the same".

    "Fine with me".

    The two then took to the dance floor. Lyo and Matilda looked to each other and sighed, going out with each other to join them.

    "What are they doing?" Rin questioned, unable to understand the flow of events.

    "Matilda and Lyo dont trust Yuu and Aurelia alone. They think the two might set the place on fire, litterally, if something makes them uncomfortable in any way".

    "Yikes...so what should we do then?"

    "You probably dont know enough about this world to spot any big differences...." Avalon said, as he listened into a conversation of nearby nobles using his enhanced hearing. "Sounds like those two are talking about another human summoned in a nearby land...Yuyan, is it? Anyways, they seem normal".

    "Ah, I can do some looking around!" Luka spoke up. "I am good at scouting and listening, and as a former servant, I am good at moving unnoticed".

    "What about you Zak?"

    Zak''s eyes began to glow.

    "I think I will make use of my vampire blood to its fullest, and also check for any spell arrays they may have placed around the mansion".

    "Alright...Rin, you should be able to sense stuff like that as well, so help him. But make sure you all have some pressence at the party. We dont want them catching on, and we do have a public profile to uphold".

    """Rodger!"""

    And so, the party began to move into a new climactic stage.