《The Treeboy (Hiatus)》


 Chapter One: Everlasting Tree.

    People nowadays cherish their massiahs, objects, people, etctera, but there are people out there who make up their own idea, their own ideal and their own religion, to an extent. That is what it has come to.


    In the centre of Ronica, the city they all lived in, lied a tree. A tree with roots going so deep, people for years on end have been unable to reach the end of them. Of course, if it was just a tree, it would mean nothing more than, ''''It''s just an inconvenience'''' or the likes, but there was something unique about it, something incredible; it granted them all the pleasures they enjoy now: food, water, resources of all kinds, including even magic!


    There was, of course, conflict. Everything prosperous comes with a grain of salt, doesn''t it? Decades ago, people would fight over it, steal for it, kill for it, and even commit massacres for it. Therefore, leaders at the time started a pact, quickly applying it for all the people to follow.


    Due to inconveniences and decrease of life in the city, it was decided that competitions should be held every year on the exact date of the Tree''s prosper; the day it lays its treasure for people to take. Peace rose quickly, people were happy and the Ronica was growing more and more, until the 94th annual date...


    In the enormous gallery the tree was held in, built around the tree itself, it was emitting a strong shine, like the past 93 years. Of course, guards were waiting outside the room itself, protecting from outsiders who would try to break into the gallery. It had come as a surprise to them that for a long 3 years no one had attempted to break the article set by the higher-ups; their religion was being respected.


    Inside the gallery, however, cracking could be heard, the inner wall in the back slowly beginning to break, the cracks getting larger and the hitting sound growing louder and louder...until the wall broke, opening a little hole, a small entrance from which a short hooded figure emerged, placing the rugged metalic tool he was holding inside the hole, sighing in exhaustion as he stepped out of it with a small furry leg.


    The figure slowly sprinted, slowly and carefully observing the tree from all sides, suddenly stopping. ''''Seems like Rosa''s estimation was inaccurate, as alwasy,'''' it thought as it realised the tree hasn''t come close to its full bloom yet. It grunted, taking out a small tome from the backpack he was carrying on the side. Flipping through its pages, it parted its lips, ''''Memento mori: article 4. Connect,'''' it whispered, watching as the tome began to shine brightly.


    ''''Clous? It''s not part of the plan to call now, did something happen?!'''' a male voice nervously came from the small book, frustrating the small creature. ''''Of course nothing happened. Rosa messed up the schedule again; the tree''s not at its final stage,'''' it responded in a grumpy voice, causing the man to gasp. ''''Shit... Would it be a problem to remain at the location until it blooms?'''' Clous placed his hand on his cheek, scratching it in annoyance. ''''That''d be threading the needle a little, but if i''m agreeing on sitting on my ass or hours, i''m getting Rosa''s share, too.'''' Clous demanded as he closed the tome, hearing a loud, ''''Come again?!'''' before fully closing it.


    It had happened a year ago, on this exact day. It was supposed to be equal for all, according to the creators of the article, but some people found out the harsh way that some people aren''t respected on the same level as others. Clous took his hood dowm, revealing a fox''s head as he sat down, leaning on the tree''s roots, beginning to wait. If all people got the same, fair treatment, the world as it is wouldn''t exist. It creates alliances and rivalries that change can change the world for h better. Easy to say, people rise when met with an unfair fate.


    Clous began snapping his fingers, gently whistling in a specific rhythm, pulling out a small box from the bag with his other hand. Opening the box, he took out a cigarette, as well as a ligher, putting it in his mouth and beginning to do what he liked to call, ''''his own kind of relaxation''''. The time began to pass, the seconds, minutes ticking by, until an hour approached, along with the end of Clous'' 9th or so cigarette. ''''Ah, would a bit of spoke cause the tree to rot?'''' is what he thought, but ultimately he ignored his worries.


    He eventually stood up, stretching his arms and legs as he did. According to his research and knowledge, the treasure would be delivered, then close to half a day later, they would hold their competition; he was walking on a tight rope, fully aware of it. Well, he didn''t really worry about it anymore, did he? He had enough as it is, so what would imprisonment or enslavement be for him at that point?


    A smile slowly emerged on his face as he circled around the tree, standing in front of it, the door to the room behind him. ''''If Rosa got the actual timing of the treasure dropping itself wrong, i''d have to take all of her paycheck...'''' he thought to himself, slightly lightening his mood, mixing it with his grumpy attitude. He stood there, waiting with his tome in his hand, fully prepared. The seconds passed by, with him carefully counting them, trying to find the perfect window of oppertunity as he waited.


    Coming as a surprise, the tree''s shine became larger suddenly, enveloping a majority of the room and causing for Clous to put his hood back on to protect his eyes. The light went through even the door to the room, giving the guards their alarm that the tree had been ready to give them their oh-so loved treasure, but they had to wait until it fully dropped doow; the door was to not be opened until the shine had disappeared.


    Clous peeked from under the hood, watching a bubble begin to form from the end of one of the tree''s biggest branches, letting Clous know that it was of the highest rarity, leaving him smiling ear to ear as the bubble formed fully, detaching from the tree''s branch, beginning to float down to the ground. Unfortunately for him, Clous'' limbs weren''t long enough to reach out for it, requiring him to wait patiently for it to reach the ground, shaking his hands in excitement, as well as his little feet. ''''It''s my turn,'''' was the only thing going through his head as the bubble reached the ground.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Thoughts began running through Clous'' head, to the point where he had forgotten his goal for a second, unable to regain his composure, ''''Gold, clothes, weapons, a new style of magic,'''' what could it have been? Clous stepped forward, keeping his head down, still, protecting himself from the beautiful yet blinding light. He stepped in front of the small bubble, poking it with his nail and causing it to pop in an instant in front of him, petrifying him completely as the light began diminishing slowly.


    His eyes open as wide as window, he couldn''t believe his eyes; the so-called treasure the tree had blesed the world with this year...a small, frail boy, his limbs as thin as you could think, his hair white as if made out of solid snow. ''''How in God''s name is this supposed to be a treasure to be held at high status or a resource?!'''' Clous thought, angered, as he heard the words of the guards outside the room become louder. ''''Damn it all...!'''' he said as he pulled out the book, flipping through its pages violently, only stopping somewhere close to the end of it, quickly picking up the boy in his right hand, surprised at how light he was.


    The door to the gallery opened slowly, with the two guards pushing it open together. The men stepped in, scanning the room, only stopping at the middle of it, finding nothing. Shocked, they ran up to the tree, examining it thoroughly. ''''It can''t be! The tree is already finished, but there''s nothing here!'''' one of the men shouted, pulling out a little book, smaller than Clous'' in terms of size. ''''Neil, contact all of the guard immediately!!'''' he ordered the other guard, startling him and prompting him to quickly run out of the room.


    ''''Dominare in Hamoni: article 5. Connect!'''' the man said in obvious desperation and fear, emiiting a beam from the his book, as if scanning the whole room, unbeknownst to him that Clous was moving alongside the roots stuck to the ceiling of the room itself, gasping and panting as he struggled to keep the boy in his grip, sweating like a waterfall as he continued making his way behind the tree, hoping to be able to sneak out through the same place he had entered.


    ''''It can''t be nothing! The king will have my head, for God''s sake...'''' the guard muttered to himself, causing Clous to narrow his eyes slightly, shaking his head immediately and ridding himself of any guilt he wasn''t prepared for as he reached the back-end of the tree, stabbing his nails into it and beginning to descend carefully, with the boy shaking around in his arms.


    Carefully stepping onto the ground, Clous rushed for the hole quietly, jumping inside it, though with slight difficulty due to the boy being of a slightly larger size. Clous flipped through his book again, after entering the hole,'''' Memento mori: article 7. Connect.'''' he whispered, watching as the bits and pieces of rubble and rocks he had broken on his way in began forming into small panel, plugging the hole behind him. ''''I can''t see if the pattern lined up properly, but it''s a risk i have to take this time...'''' he thought as he began crawling through the hold, the boy on his back like a ragdoll tied to a child''s neck with its own little arms.


    What had he done? He could have left the boy, no, treasure back there to those guards, but what would he be used for after he was won by someone? Used as a worker, a slave, made into a simple child maybe and nothing else? Although, Clous himself didn''t know what to use the little boy who was breathing so lightly, it almost felt like he was just carrying the corpse of a child.


    ''''Why,'''' ''''How,'''' In what manner,'''' were the thing flying through his head, making him ponder. Was it bad picking? Wasn''t it supposed to be of incredibly value? Clous flowned as he began to see a light through the hole. The one day he risked everything, he got essentially nothing more than a nuisance to care, literally.


    As he peeked his head through the other opening of the wall, after a long crawl, Clous jumped out, stepping own on his two feet carefully, beginning to feel fatigued. Maybe it was the fact that he was carrying the boy on his back, or maybe it was the guily of potentially having two men at the king''s mercy. No matter the cause, he sat the boy down, looking around at the back alley they were in, finding no one around.


    ''''Here, i''ll put this on you for now. It''s the best i have,'''' he whispered to the unconscious child as he pushed his back off the wall with on of his hands and putting the black coat on his back, with a bit of a struggle, covering his fully naked body, and leaving Clous in his little uniform-like clothing. ''''What are you even supposed to be...? You weigh nothing, like, nothing! This is too bizarre to comprehend for me, damn it!'''' he started rambling as he sat down in the opposite direction of the kid, scanning him with his eyes.


    He sat there, not knowing how to process the situation. ''''Alright, listen...er, if you can, i mea-- What am i saying, he can''t hear me!'''' he ran into another dead end. His eyes widened as a lightbulb lit up inside his head. ''''I''ll get him home for now and contact Rosa and Fadrick about it there!'''' his idea wasn''t that bright. Clous stood up, sighing, as he walked up to him, carefully putting him on his back, realising how disgusted he was feeling for having to carry a naked male on his back, but pushing through it nonetheless.


    Keeping the boy on his back with one hand, he put the other inside the backpack, taking out a sort of journal, opening it. ''''So, uh...1st district and then skipping to the 4th would make my travel a lot quicker, it seems!'''' he realised, putting the journal back inside and jumping on top of a dumpster, then from there jumping on an Air Conditioner attachd to the wall, slightly losing balance due, but ultimately climbing the bulding with all his efforts. ''''I said you weigh nothing, but on;t start weighing something NOW of all times, brat!'''' he thought, frustrated as he carefully, scanning the parameter, jumpted to a neighboring building.


    Meanwhile, back in th tree''s gallery room, the guards had gathered, looking throught the whole room carefully. ''''How do you think they stole the treasure?'''' a guard asked his partner as they were searching for evidence. ''''Don''t ask me. The boss'' tome scans for living organism, so they obviously escaped somehow.'''' the second one responded nonchalantly. There were presumably around 7 of them, continiously checking the grass, the small bond in the corner, which watered the tree''s roots, even the bushes, until... ''''Guys, look over here!'''' a chubby, old-looking man shouted, his voice seemingly tired and supressed. ''''What is it now, Georo? You drop something again?'''' a man asked, apparently annoyed with the man''s preaching.


    ''''N-no! Look, it''s a cigarrete, just sitting here on the ground!'''' Georo struggled to crouch down, picking up the fully finished cigarrete in his hand. "What?! A tabacco product this close to the Tree?!'''' the previously confident man yelled as he ran over, taking it from his hand immediately. Fortunately, it had been completely used, unable to harm the tree or anything around it in any way. ''''Georo, go report it to the commander, got it?'''' the guard ordered immediately, scaring him. ''''Y-yes, Daron!'''' he shouted, running off, tripping on his feet a few times before exiting the gallery.


    ''''This is preposterous! A moronic action like that could have been the end of this entire city...'''' Daron thought, relieving himself for a moment. "But this is most concerning; it''s fully spent, meaning the culprit was here long before the Tree released its gift upon us...'''' he gritted his teeth in anger, crushing the cigarette in his hand.

 Chapter Two: Bloom Of A White Lilium.

    As Claus slowly emerged from a hatch in the floor, he pushed it fully open, firstly pushing the boy out and into the room, then forcing himself out of it. Closing the hatch, he dropped on his back, his feet giving out. ''''...''ey? Kid?'''' the little fox mumbled in his exhaustion, as usual, not getting an answer from the presumably sleeping boy, with him only being able to confirm him as ''''living'''' by the reletively quiet sound of his breathing.


    ''''What am i moping about now...?'''' he thought to himself as he stood up, cracking his fingers in refreshment. ''''Okay then, let''s get you somewhere less...wooden?'''' Claus said to the boy, monologuing at this point, as he picked up the boy, still enveloped in Claus'' very own cloak, and began carrying him through the little house.


    Entering a cramped bedroom, Claus placed his ''''treasure'''' on his bed, leaning his back against the wall behind the bed, taking a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the room, sneaking a peak at the spread-out sheets of paper, covering a majority of the desk''s space easily, before spinning the chair itself around and focusing on the child in front of him, starting to analyze him from top to bottom.


    His frail and gentle-looking figure, the shiny, white hair, and the abnormally innocent expression as he inhaled and exhaled, an expression quite alien to Claus at that point. Claus'' eyes froze up suddenly, stopping at a glint coming from the boy''s chest, prompting him to jump out of his chair in a squeal, making his way to bed.


    ''''What''s this now?!'''' Claus let out in excitement, revealing a small leaf-shaped gem attached to the kid''s chest by opening the cloak up a little. The glinting light began to entice him, begging him to touch it. He extended his short arm, his eyes widening at the feeling of a strong grip on his arm, startling him. The boy had opened his eyes.


    ''''Don''t...touch that,'''' the boy requested in a half-asleep voice, making Claus nervous. ''''The hell''s with this brat''s strength?!'''' he thought as he pulled his arm away, tripping and falling off the bed, letting out a short scream before hitting his head on the floor.


    The boy yawned, letting his hand fall onto the bed like a rock. ''''Miss? Are you alright?'''' he asked, smiling ear to ear, opening his eyes half-way. ''''I''m fin... Excuse you?!'''' Claus yelled at the top of his lungs, jumping onto the bed, grabbing him by the cloak and pulling him towards him violently.


    ''''What do you think you are, superior?! Look at you; you look like a crippled mess!'''' Clous let his frustration out, accidentally spitting in the child''s face. ''''Ah! That''s because i wasn''t developed enough, that''s all! I apologize for the inconvenience, if that''s the case.'''' he lowered his head down, trying to bow, making Claus to the point iof looking away. ''''Y-you were being developed...? By The Tree, you mean? Like, at all?!''''


    Claus'' eyes widened in realisation, ''''It...wasn''t too early. The tree was being late?!'''' he looked at the boy once more. ''''Why shouldn''t i tough it, then? You holding some santimental value for that thing?'''' he asked as he calmed down, sitting down and crossing his legs. ''''No-- well, yes, but that''s not really it at all. It''s more like, you will die.'''' he chuckled in a moment of embarrassment, shocking Claus. ''''See, it''s pulsating through me, trying to make my muscles react to my brain waves; it''s filled with the earth''s energy, is all, so we both go if you try to meddle with it, mister...'''' the boy added in a serious tone, freezing Claus in place.


    ''''...when''ll you be able to move on your own?'''' Claus tried to hide his stressed and fearful expression, gasping under his breath. ''''Hmm... I can''t say.'''' he replied, disappointed in himself. Claus scoffed, scratching the kid''s leg lightly, making a cut and letting a small stream of blood run down his leg, confusing the recently awakened child. ''''He''s acting human, his body''s like a human''s, even his blood is normal...'''' Claus mumbled to himself, taking a step right off the bed.


    ''''Listen, runt, from today onwards i own you, so get used to seeing my face all the time, got that?!'''' he yelled in a stern voice, creating a slight awkward feling in the room. ''''Um...yes...?'''' the boy forced out the words, as if confused by the order put befoire him. ''''What? Suddenly lost your vocabulary?'''' Claus asked him in a strict tone. ''''No, it''s just that... Am i a slave now?'''' he asked, putting on a slightly pained expression, mixed with a joyful smile, confusing Claus to his core. ''''And if you are? Honestly, it''ll be better than what others would try to pick outta you, trust me.'''' he explained to him as he began walking out of the room, leaving the kid staring at the gem on his chest, beginnin to mutter to himself, outside of Claus'' area of hearing.


    Claus, looking at his feet, approached a not-so well-kept area of the already lackluster building. Inside was a furnace, a circular wooden table with a piece of cloth laying on top of it, covered in black spots, and a few shelfs, seemingly ripped off the wall, sitting on a low level, and lastly - a fridge. He looked around in disgust, realising he hadn''t entered his kitchen in whole months, seeing as he was always eating with Rosa, at different places in the city.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Opening his fridge, he found nothing but bread, still in its package, and a bottle of alcohol with the label ripped off entirely, only leaving snippets of what was originally there. ''''Bread it is...'''' he pulled it out, still trying not to look at his pathetic excuse for a kitchen as he looked down inside one of the shelves, finding a ripped paper plate and an empty bottle of water, with the contents apparently having been spilled on the shelf itself, explaining its poor state. Claus took the plate, ripped almost in half, and exited the kitchen.


    ''''Oy, brat, i got you som-- Huh?!'''' Claus stopped, dropping the bread as he witnessed the kid moving his arms and feet up and down, hitting the bed and walls, with an overjoyed laugh filling the room entirely. ''''Oh, you''re back! That was really quick!'''' the boy chuckled, jumping off the bed and standing on his legs, the fingers on his hand twitching and the legs themselves shaking. ''''Don''t give me that shit... When''d you start moving, let alone be able to do normal body functions?'''' Claus asked him as he picked up the bread, placing it on his desk, along with the paper plate.


    ''''I don''t know, really, it happened on its own all like, SWOOSH, and my fingers started moving!'''' he jumped up and down as he shouted, his hair waving all over the place as he did. ''''Kid, with how your limbs are looking, you look like I myself could break you with a thin, wooden stick. Eat that.'''' Claus said as he pointed at the packaged bread on the desk, causing the boy take a few steps forward, sitting down on the chair.


    ''''You said The Tree was developing you, but your mind and speech seem to''ve taken presidency over everything else; it''s way too backwards, if you ask me.'''' Claus commented as he began walking around the room, observing as much of the boy as he could see due to the cloak still covering a majority of his body. ''''But, i can clearly move, right? Isn''t that enough for a human body?'''' he as he tried to rip the packaging of the bread open, beginning to struggle in no time. ''''Of course it''s not. The body comes first as a human, since it''s needed to carry the brain, therefore that''s your first and main priority from now on.'''' Claus explained as the book, still in backpack, began emitting a strong light, getting both of their attention. ''''Keep at it with the bread bad, i''ll go deal with something.'''' Claus pointed at the it as he exited the room, leaving the boy wide-eyed and confused.


    As Claus pulled out the book, he navigated through it, his eyes freezing at the shining page. ''''Memento mori: article 4. Connect.'''' he groaned in frustration as the light diminished. ''''Where the hell are you?!'''' a loud, womanly voice came from inside the book, surprising Clous and getting the boy''s attention, who was already nobbing on a slice of bread, holding it at the side of his mouth. ''''God...dammit, Rosa! This thing is right next to my face, you overly-proud, pompous bitch!'''' Clous let out an equally loud scream, only hearing an annoyed ''''Hmph!'''' on the other end. ''''Leave all that aside, the hell happened with the tras--'''' ''''Quiet!'''' Claus interrupted her. ''''Don''t mention the treasure now, it''s a bad idea, trust me,'''' he warned her.


    ''''See...'''' he began to whisper, not realising the boy was standing right behind him, biting on a second slice along with the first. ''''You''re kidding, it''s a human...? The boss''s gonna be pissed, you know.'''' Rosa said, causing him to gulp. ''''I thought you were the boss!'''' the boy shouted loudly, causing for Claus to drop the book on the floor in shock. ''''That him? Quite the voice he''s got there, don''t you think?'''' she chuckled, getting ignored. ''''I told you to stay back in the room!'''' ''''But i was curious; is that magic, mister?!'''' ''''None of your fuckin'' business, runt!'''' they began yelling, one after the other, leaving Rosa sighing in disappointment.


    ''''Claus, don''t yell at it, we don''t know what it can do yet!'''' Rosa screamed, stopping their banter. ''''Bring ''im over for now; we''ll run a test or two, okay?'''' she suggested, causing him to grit his teeth. ''''Bye-bye, Clausy!'''' she bid them farewell, with the book suddenly closing on its own in front of them. ''''''Who''s that, mister fox?'''' the boy tenaciously asked, ignoring Claus''personal space as he poked his nose with his forefinger. ''''Leave that to the side for now, we''re going on the move...'''' Claus pushd the boy back, leaving to fall off his feet, causing the bread to fly out of his mouth and hit the floor.


    ''''I don''t have any clothes here specifically, so you''re gonna deal with the cloak a little longer. Try not to, you know, not reveal yourself.'''' Claus recommended as he leaned over, picking up the book and patting the dust off of it. ''''Go open that closet there for me, now.'''' Claus pointed over to a large closet as he out the book away. ''''Ah, sure!!'''' he agreed obediently, running over to it. ''''Just as a heads u--'''' Claus tried to warn him, unable to as the door to the closet opened, sending a strong stream of wind through the room, pushing the boy down, almost with no problem at all.


    ''''Yeah, that kinda happens when you open it after it being closed for over a day, kid.'''' Clous warned him rather late, laughing on the inside, as he walked up to the closet, with the boy quickly getting up and running over. ''''See, that''s a crest; when there''re two of the same kind at different places in the world, one would transport you to the other, so keep that in mind!'''' Claus explained, watching the boy''s fascinated expression. ''''I''ll go through first, then you follow after me.'''' he said, getting a happy nod as he stepped forward, disappearing faster than the young boy''s eyes could react, as if he had turned into the smallest piece of paper, getting blown away by the strong with so fast, the eye couldn''t follow.


    ''''My turn it is, then!!!'''' the boy clapped in front of himself, happily fidgeting around in one spot. He looked forward with a strong shine in his eye, excited for what he would see, biting his lip strongly as he stepped forward into the crest.

 Chapter Three: Whiter, Black And Red.

    The boy stepped onto the crest, just as Claus had instructed him, the world suddenly disappearing all around him, leaving him in a large, black space, getting pulled forward, as if with a tight rope. His smiled quickly turned into a confused expression, as he couldn''t see anything beyond the small light in front of him begin to enlarge, enveloping his line of sight completely, until he began feeling solid ground under his feet, falling down to his knees suddenly.


    ''''And so he-- Oh, he''s here.'''' Claus said, as if adressing someone, with the boy rubbing his eyes roughly. ''''Did you have him keep his eyes open the whole time, dumbass?!'''' a familiar female voice shouted, getting a grunt from Clous. The boy''s eyes cleared, leading him to blink slightly, looking up at the people in front of him, finding Claus, a tall, lean woman, pompously dressed with crimson red hair and a man flipping through a magazine, sitting in a spinning chair.


    ''''So what if he kept ''em open? He won''t go blind ''cause of it, so it''s no big deal.'''' Claus turned his back to the woman, angering her even more. ''''You two, he''s staring at you, get your shit together.'''' the man with the magazine looked up, telling them off, leaving them silent. ''''Um, mister fox, who is that tired-looking man? And that over-the-top woman, too?'''' he pointed at them respectively, with her narrowing her eyes menacingly.


    ''''See, that''s Rosa, and that''s Bernie, i''m Claus, the master - yours, of course - so remember us well.'''' Claus said in an unnatural, respectful tone. ''''Don''t try to lighten the mood, Clausy, let him see his new environment. He''s gotta get used to it, after all.'''' Bernie told him, leaving him to scoff. The boy began looking around, starting to ignore their words, letting them echo into the background, spotting a big sofa, a majority of it dirtied, except for the spot Bernie was sitting in, doors, presumably leading into other parts of the confusing to him facility, a table, and a small fridge in the back of the room.


    ''''Shouldn''t we like, get him something to wear, maybe? It''s getting uncomfortable, to be frank.'''' Rosa looked at Bernie, causing him to close his magazine, leaving it on the table. ''''I''ll go get him something, but uh...It''s not gonna fit him correctly.'''' he smiled at the kid, walking out of the room with a few heavy steps. ''''Claus, the thing looks like it''s disinigrating, what''s that about? The cheeks are like a cave collapsing on itself and the body...Ugh, horrible.'''' Rosa complained, feeling disgust towards the poor thing. ''''That''s what i want to adress at the moment; The Tree itself was late, not the records from which you gave me my assigned time of infiltration.'''' he began explaining, whispering to Rosa.


    ''''You mean, it''s conscious to the point of choosing when to drop the treasure?'''' she asked, with the boy doing his best to listen in on the conversation, only hearing bits and pieces of it. ''''Hey kid, come over here, please.'''' Bernie poked out his head through the door, welcoming him in. With anticipation, he jumped up, sprinting over to the door through which Bernie entered, entering it quickly.


    ''''It''s surprising how energetic you are in spite of your body.'''' Bernie commented as he went through a small closet full of clothes. ''''I don''t get it, Mr. Bernie; what''s so weird about me...? You keep talking about me, as if i''m abnormal or some onject, but i don''t understand.'''' the boy looked down, surprising Bernie. ''''Come on, little guy, you''re just...underdeveloped. Don''t mind it too much, okay?'''' he nodded his head to the right, causing a smile to emerge on the boy''s face.


    ''''Look here now, i can''t really find something that fits you, but i''ve got something that won''t turn you into a human mop, at least!'''' Bernie chuckled as he pulled out a large T-Shirt with ''''B Mei'''' written on it, followed by a pair of gray shorts, pockets on each side. ''''Wooow! I get to take them?!'''' he shouted loudly, getting a friendly nod from Bernie. ''''Thanks mister, you''re really kind!'''' he added, leaving Bernie staring at him in confusion. ''''U-uh, thank you. Now get dressed, okay?'''' he recommended nervously, watching as the boy threw the cloak over his head.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ''''You could''ve placed it down, kid.'''' Bernie said as he grabbed the cloak, beginning to fold it carefully as the boy put the shorts on, them being so big, almost reaching his feet. ''''Say, what''s the little rock in your chest?'''' Bernie asked as he put the cloak down carefully in a box. ''''My gem, you mean? I don''t know, really. ''Keep it safe'' is the only thing going through my head when thinking about it...'''' he explained as he put the T-Shirt on, not fitting whatsoever. ''''You''re a little mystery, aren''t you?'''' Bernie asked as he offered his large hand to the kid, getting his curious expression as they locked hands, exiting the room.


    ''''Hey, Mr. Clous, look, look; i''ve got new clothes!!'''' the boy ran over to clous, jumping and landing on the couch, spreading dust all over the room, causing for Rosa and Claus to start coughing as they were sitting around it. ''''Damn it, kid...! Stop pestering me already!'''' Claus yelled at him, taking a french fry, which was on the table, and throwing it at him, landing directly in his mouth, leaving him satisfied.


    ''''You two come up with a name for him?'''' Bernie asked them as he crossed his arms. ''''Sure i did. He''ll be Lancia.'''' Claus said, tuning around and watching Bernie''s judgemental expression. ''''How ''bout you name him, if it''s that big of a deal, huh?!'''' Claus yelled at them, blushing out of embarrassment. ''''Call him whatever you wish, i don''t want to take care of a kid.'''' Rosa looked away from them, causing Bernie to sigh. ''''Then, how about Yohiro for now?'''' Bernie suggested, raising his finger, with Rosa and Clous looking down at their fingers.


    ''''Oh my God, that name fits...'''' they said at the same time, looking back at Bernie. ''''Though, why Japanese?'''' Rosa asked him, confused at his motive. ''''Quiet, you both know i was a major in that area before me and Master formed the group.'''' Bernie said, annoyed. ''''Fits? What does it mean?!'''' the boy asked, stepping off the couch impatiently. ''''It means ''whiter''. Though i''m kind of rusty, i just picked it due to that snowy hair. I thought it''s a decent fit.'''' he explained, watching as the boy looked at his feet, grabbing his hair with his thumb and forefinger.


    ''''Yo...hiro. Yes, thank you...'''' he muttered under his voice, with Clous immediately running over to him. ''''H-hey, what''s the matter, k-- Oh...?'''' Clous stopped, backing away as Yohiro began rubbing his eyes with his left hand, rubbing off the tears falling down his face, getting the others'' attention. ''''Yohiro, why are you crying now of all times?'''' Bernie asked. concerned. ''''Something...got in my eye all of a sudden!!'''' Yohiro shouted, raising his head and revealing a smile, going from one ear to the other. ''''Then what''s that grin about, you abnormality?!'''' Clous scolded him as he hit the top of his head, causing him to begin crying harder, his smile still louder than his yelling.


    ''''Why don''t you understand for once; he''s a kid. Let him be happy, idiot.'''' Rosa said, surprising Claus. ''''Yes, Clous, that was uncalled for.'''' Bernie added, taking him aback. ''''Oh, you can all go to hell!!'''' Clous pointed at them, running over to a door, opening it and slamming it loudly after entering. ''''Didn''t expect for both of us to attack him; he breaks at that point.'''' Bernie thought as Yohiro ran over to the same door, knocking on it. ''''I''m sorry! I''ll stop smiling, i''m so sorry!!'''' he started banging on it. ''''Even if he says that, he''s still smiling like that.'''' Rosa thought as she laughed under her breath.


    ''''That aside, boss won''t be happy about this, Bernie~!'''' Rosa said, making him shiver. ''''T-to be quite honest, Claus knows the most about Yohiro, so he is going to be explaining everything to her...'''' Bernie explained in deperation, ignoring Yohiro''s continious banging on the door and Claus'' yells for him to stop. ''''Yeah, but Clous isn''t the higest in command amongst us three, is he?'''' Rosa continued pushing his buttons, watching him shake at that point. ''''As a proud second in command, with master being first of course, i will keep my responsibilities in mind, i promise...'''' Bernie said, giving up at that point, putting on a depressed smile.


    ''''Got you some time to yourself there, Clousy; get some rest from this.'''' Rosa thought a she picked up Bernie''s magazine from the table, sitting in his clean spot.

 Chapter Four: The Gems Mystery.

    ''''Please open up, Mr. Claus!'''' Yohiro pleaded as he continued hitting the door, his clenched knuckle starting to bleed. ''''Jesus Christ, he''s still at it...'''' Rosa mumbled to herself as she exited her own room, realising he had been there for whole hours. ''''Kid, are you that attached to that fox?'''' she asked him as she walked up to him in her sleeping dress, her steps echoing through the quiet room, only overpowered by Yohiro''s not-so powerful bangs on the door. ''''Y-yes! I''m his slave, so I have to look after, Mr. Claus, Ms. Rose...'''' Yohiro answered her question almost immediately, beginning to lose strength in his hands, with them dropping to the ground.


    ''''You''re gonna leave stains on the door, you know, so stop...!'''' she ordered him, taken aback by his words. ''''But...I feel horrible, Ms. Rose.'''' Yohiro said as he turned around, sitting with his back against the door. ''''The thing is, I don''t like the sound of being a slave.'''' he smiled openly, looking at his hands. ''''I don''t get your logic, kid; you''re his slave, you have a choice of not being a slave, and you don''t want to be his slave? Am i getting it right?'''' she asked, rubbing her eyes in realisation of the fact she started a whole conversation. ''''I guess that''s right, but...slaves don''t have a choice to be slaves, right? Mr. Clous told me I am, so I am. Right?'''' he stared thinking aloud, annoying Rosa.


    ''''Okay, listen here, Yohiro; he couldn''t care less about you being his slave, so PLEASE go to Bernie''s room and sleep!'''' she raised her voice, putting a smile on his face. ''''S-so, he won''t be angry if I start acting as his equal?!'''' Yohiro jumped up, full of energy. ''''Uh, no, I mean--'''' ''''Thanks, Ms, Rosa! Sweet dreams!'''' he said as he started walking towards Bernie¡¯s room, yawning and ignoring his bleeding hands, which greatly surprised Rosa.


    His overly-innocent and naive behavior kept her feeling uncomfortable and uneasy about the young boy¡¯s future, if he had any to begin with. She retreated back into her room, closing the room as she laughed to herself. ¡®¡¯This is more interesting than concerning, to be quite honest¡­¡¯¡¯ she thought as she took the bedsheet she had thrown at the floor before leaving her room, hugging it as she jumped inside her bed.


    ¡®¡¯You find anything, Lheoh?¡¯¡¯ Daron asked as he and Lheoh walked down a long hallway, nervously expecting a clue. ¡®¡¯Unfortunately, there¡¯s nothing concrete could find with just that one cigarette; whoever dropped it was either being careful or just didn¡¯t leave enough fingerprints.¡¯¡¯ Lheoh answered, watching as Daron slammed his fist in the stone wall in anger. ¡®¡¯Not enough fingerprints, not enough fingerprints¡­¡¯¡¯ he muttered. ¡®¡¯Um, commander? Are you alright?¡¯¡¯ Lheoh asked, hearing his fast, repeated muttering.


    ¡®¡¯Lheoh, does the castle¡¯s library have encyclopedias on other species¡­?!¡¯¡¯ Daron asked him, his voice shaking as he spoke. ¡®¡¯I believe so, yes¡­!¡¯¡¯ Lheoh pointed out, taking a small step away from Daron, slightly concerned. ¡®¡¯I will be taking my break a little early, so you can go on ahead.¡¯¡¯ he explained, regaining control of voice, prompting Lheoh to quickly strut away, giving him a quick, ¡®¡¯O-okay¡¯¡¯ as he left.


    ¡®¡¯I know it wasn¡¯t dropped there days ago, or even weeks ago; that¡¯s impossible, but them that only leaves a few options!¡¯¡¯ he smiled to himself as he began proudly walking in a different direction, leaving for the others around him to listen to his exaggerated theories, which he was uncontrollably letting leave his lips and fill the echoing hallways.


    Reaching the library, he quietly pushed the door open, startling himself with creaks it was producing. He stepped in, taking a shortcut between a few bookshelves and stopping at a small desk made out of mahogany, the desk itself clean, with him almost being able to see his own expression in the polished wood, only with a piece of the desk completely ripped out on the side making it look ugly. ¡®¡¯Excuse me.¡¯¡¯ he whispered to the tall, thin woman reading a giant, hardcover book behind the desk, getting ignored. ¡®¡¯Ahem¡­¡¯¡¯ he let out, the woman groaning in frustration. ¡®¡¯Yes, young man, what could I do for you?¡¯¡¯ she asked, continuing to read the line she paragraph she was on. ¡®¡¯Would you be kind enough to direct me towards the...uh, the section that would let me learn about other races and species, please?¡¯¡¯ he requested, keeping his voice low, watching as the old woman opened  the shelf to her right, pulling out a small paper card and giving it to him, not breaking her concentration, surprising Damon. ¡®¡¯Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡¯¡¯ he bowed, starting to walk in the direction written on the small card.


    ¡®¡¯She IS the king¡¯s most respected librarian, after all¡­¡¯¡¯ he thought to himself, intimidated by the woman. He looked around, finding a piece of paper attached to a long rope, high above him, with the same number on it as the paper he was given by the lady at the desk, starting to walk towards it with haste in his step. ¡®¡¯If i¡¯m right, even those proud, overconfident bastards close to the king will be grateful to me!¡¯¡¯ he gushed quietly as he looked up at the ridiculously tall bookshelf, covered from top to bottom with books, inhaling and exhaling slowly. ¡®¡¯There¡¯s no rush at all; in fact, I have a lot of time. I¡¯ll find those encyclopedias and research it!¡¯¡¯ he whispered, preparing himself for a long night in the library.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Hours began to pass by, slipping faster than the minutes, or so it seemed at the very least. Yohiro¡¯s eyes began to twitch inconsistently, opening them uncomfortably and letting out a long moan of exhaustion. He sat up, scratching his puffy hair with his hands, his widening suddenly, letting out a loud scream, filling the entire building. Quiet, quick footsteps came from outside his room, opening the door and leaving to hit the wall, waking up Bernie, who was sleeping on the floor next to the bed Yohiro was sleeping in. ¡°What happened?! Who got hurt?!¡¯¡¯ Claus shouted at the top of his lungs, panting as he entered the room, a white apron wrapped around his neck.


    ¡®¡¯M-my hands! It¡¯s my hands!!¡¯¡¯ the boy shouted, causing for Claus to run over to his bed, stepping over the half-asleep Bernie¡¯s large hand and grabbing Yohiro¡¯s hand, finding it completely clean and soft. ¡®¡¯There¡¯s nothing wrong with your hands, you fucking crybaby!!!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled, blushing at his sudden outburst. ¡®¡¯No, you see-- Ms. Rosa saw them, wait here!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro yelled, jumping out the bed after stepping over Claus¡¯ head and running out the room in a nervous sweat.


    ¡®¡¯What...did you think he was screaming about¡­?¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked as he pushed himself off the ground with both his hands, groaning in pain. ¡®¡¯W-well, I yelled like that the first time I got a boner, you never know!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled, looking away. ¡®¡¯Then, to ask something else, why were you that worried about a boy getting his first erection, Claus?¡¯¡¯ Bernie grinned. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t you fucking dare! I know what you¡¯re thinking there, pervert!¡¯¡¯ Claus screamed, his voice cracking in the middle of the sentence. ¡®¡¯It was a question, Clous, not an accusation; learn the difference, for once.¡¯¡¯ he replied, standing up and cracking his fingers.


    ¡®¡¯Ms. Rosa, Ms, Rosa, look!¡¯¡¯ he yelled loudly, running into what he considered to be the lobby of what he considered to be their house, finding her sitting down with a cup of coffee in her hand and a little plate she was holding under the cup as she took a sip from it. ¡®¡¯What is it this time, ki--EHD?!¡¯¡¯ she stumbled with her words as he ran over to her, immediately putting his hands in front of her face, giving her an eyeful. ¡®¡¯They¡¯re fine?! Where¡¯s the blood?!¡¯¡¯ she started questioning him as she slammed the plate along with the cup on the table, spilling a bit of it on the table, surprising Claus and Bernie who were just entering the room.


    ¡®¡¯You were banging on his door for over two HOURS; this isn¡¯t right, dammit!¡¯¡¯ she said as she kept turning his palms around, running her fingers along them. ¡®¡¯Banging on whose door?¡¯¡¯ Claus asked, walking up to them and pulling Yohiro away from her. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t pretend now, retard!¡¯¡¯ she raised her voice at him, scaring him and causing him to step back. ¡®¡¯I went in my room and there was knocking, which I ignored, and I fell asleep almost immediately; I was tired, unlike you!¡¯¡¯ he began rambling, trying to turn the tables on her.


    ¡®¡¯Both of you, we have a bigger problem than that!¡¯¡¯ Bernie walked in grabbing Clous by the left armpit, picking him up. ¡®¡¯Oh, fuck off, second in command!¡¯¡¯ Claus yelled as he poked his eyes, annoying him. Bernie gently put Claus down, taking both of Yohiro¡¯s hands. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re saying they were bloodied yesterday before you went to sleep?¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked him in a friendly voice, Yohiro nodding in agreement. ¡®¡¯Then maybe it¡¯s this little guy.¡¯¡¯ Bernie suggested as he pulled up Yohiro¡¯s oversized shirt, pointing at the little gem in his chest.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re saying it fixed him up overnight?¡¯¡¯ Claus asked, sceptical to the idea. ¡®¡¯Not like we have anything else to go by, do we?¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked, dead serious, making the atmosphere in the room slightly awkward. ¡®¡¯How about...he tries to touch that gem himself?¡¯¡¯ Rosa suggested, snapping her fingers confidently. ¡®¡¯Yeah, we haven¡¯t tried that yet!¡¯¡¯ Claus smiled in agreement. ¡®¡¯Are you okay with that, Yohiro?¡¯¡¯ Bernie addressed him, watching his confused expression as he nodded. Bernie stepped back, watching the boy take of the T-Shirt, throwing it at Bernie, landing it on his shoulder, with him taking it and folding it, then placing it on the table.


    ¡®¡¯Just...poke the thing, got it?¡¯¡¯ Clous said. Yohiro raised his hand up to his chest, pointing out his pinkie finger, moving it towards the gem, suddenly stopping right before placing his finger on it. ¡®¡¯What happened? Yohiro?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked, all three of them watching Yohiro lean forward before quickly losing balance and falling off his feet and straight onto his back. Bernie rushed forward, putting his head next to his heart, hearing it beat soundly, while also seeing his lifeless-looking eyes.


    ¡®¡¯The hell happened to him, Bernie?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked, taking a small step forward. ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t know, honestly, he didn¡¯t even touch the thing!¡¯¡¯ he replied as Clous watched, bewildered. ¡®¡¯One, two, three, line up all of ya!¡¯¡¯ they all heard a loud yell a cordor behind a door, footsteps getting nearer. ¡®¡¯H-hey, you¡¯re kidding, right?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked Bernie, finding both him and Clous frozen on their feet. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s master¡­?!¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Five: The Masters Return.

    As the loudness of the steps towards on of the few doors in the building increased, Rosa panicked, looking at the three of them, pretty much out of commision. Their master was finally coming back, after over a month. The door opened, a foot stomping into the room before a woman, covered in a black cloak entered the room, quickly beginning to look through the room. ¡®¡¯Ah, master! How n-nice to see you, master!¡¯¡¯ Rosa greeted her, bowing on her knees in an instant.


    ¡®¡¯Oh¡­?¡¯¡¯ the woman grinned under her hood as she took a few heavy steps over Yohito, who was lying unconscious on the floor, Bernie and Clous taking a few steps backwards, trying to stay away from her. ¡®¡¯Rosa, dear, why do we have a seemingly underage child in the middle of the room?¡¯¡¯ she asked as she let down the hood, revealing a tender face, slick long hair on top of her head and a little scar on her cheek.


    ¡®¡¯Ah, you see master, it¡¯s the treasure The Tree dropped yesterday!¡¯¡¯ she raised her head, her eyebrows shaking as she gave an honest answer. ¡®¡¯I see¡­ Then why the fuck is it alive, human and topless, Rosa?¡¯¡¯ she stomped with her iron, slightly worn out boots, causing Rosa to squeal in fear.


    ¡®¡¯See, we sent Clous to steal it, planning for weeks, but--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Quiet. Next up, Bernie; explain!¡¯¡¯ she interrupted Rosa, turning around and looking at the terrified Bernie, relieving Rosa. ¡®¡¯Under three sentences, please. I¡¯m tired enough, to be honest.¡¯¡¯ she added, crossing her arms. ¡®¡¯Master Hiona, believe when I say I know the least!¡¯¡¯ Bernie took the coward¡¯s route, pointing at Clous.


    ¡®¡¯Fine; one sentence, Clous. I¡¯m sure you can count up to at least 1752, so make it snappy.¡¯¡¯ she rolled her eyes in an annoyed manner. Clous moved his eyes radically, looking at both Bernie and Rosa desperately, finding them looking away. ¡®¡¯Blame The Tree¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous lowered his head, staring at his feet, leaving Hiona to smile.


    ¡®¡¯See? That¡¯s what I asked for.¡¯¡¯ she grinned, patting Clous¡¯ head, causing him to blish slightly. ¡®¡¯On a different note, gather in my control room after the...boy(?) wakes up, okay?¡¯¡¯ she demanded as she poked Yahiro with her boot, moving his head to the other side. ¡®¡¯Yes, master Hiona!!¡¯¡¯ they said together, watching her walk over to one of the doors in a few heavy stomps, opening it and entering with a quick wink, closing the door in a loud slam.


    ¡®¡¯You felt it, right?¡¯¡¯ Clous shivered, his eyes full of stress. ¡®¡¯Yeah, one misstep there and you were literally dead. I¡¯m almost glad she treats you worst¡­¡¯¡¯ Rosa said, leaning back and pressing herself with her arms, sitting up. ¡®¡¯We have to wake him up for now, right?¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked, his hand shaking without him realising it. It was almost ironic to them how their master, Hiona, looked so nonchalant, yet she intimidated them beyond words.


    ¡®¡¯Uh, um, can you help me? Clous, Mr, Bernie?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, startling them. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, are you alright?! Does it hurt anywhere?¡¯¡¯ Clous, alarmed, shook the boy¡¯s body, noticing his empty eyes. ¡®¡¯How do I explain this¡­? I can¡¯t really see.¡¯¡¯ he mumbled, raising his left arm and wagging his fingers, as if he was touching something solid. ¡®¡¯There¡¯s this big, tall tree. Where is this?¡¯¡¯ he began questioning them, the three of them astonished.


    ¡®¡¯You reckon he¡¯s talking about The Tree he came from?¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked them. ¡®¡¯What other big, tall tree would he be seeing in this context, dumbass?!¡¯¡¯ said Rosa, mocking him for pointing out the obvious. ¡®¡¯Anything else you see there? At all?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked seriously. ¡®¡¯No; it¡¯s all white, and the tree is in the middle! It¡¯s a little scary¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro smiled. ¡®¡¯Also,¡¯¡¯ he began, ¡®¡¯there¡¯s a little door here, but it won¡¯t open.¡¯¡¯ he reported to them.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡®¡¯Okay, enough with this shit.¡¯¡¯ Rosa said in a moment of annoyance, taking Yohiro¡¯s hand by the fingers and roughly placing it on the gem. ¡®¡¯What¡¯re you doing, retard?!¡¯¡¯ Clous moved the hand away from his chest, not noticing the life begin to gather into his eyes. ¡®¡¯Are you okay, Yohiro?¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked him, smiling openly, watching Yohiro¡¯s tired-looking expression and his eyes begin to close, as if they were falling rocks, controlled by the law of gravity. As Clous and Rosa continued pointing fingers at each other, Yohiro pushed himself up with the help of Bernie, staring at his own nose, finally getting Clous and Rosa¡¯s attention.


    ¡®¡¯May I have a glass of water, please?¡¯¡¯ he asked as he placed his fingers on his eyes after closing them, starting to rub them violently. Clous stood up, starting to walk towards the fridge in the corner of the room. ¡®¡¯So, everything you told us, that¡¯s all you saw?¡¯¡¯ Rosa placed her hand under his chin, rotating his head towards her. ¡®¡¯Ah, yes, that¡¯s all.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro gave a faint smile, with Rosa moving her hand and leaving his head to fall, hitting the floor.


    ¡®¡¯Be more careful, or rather...be careful!¡¯¡¯ Bernie said sharply. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s practically priceless, after all,¡¯¡¯ he added, leaving her rolling her eyes as Bernie lifted Yohiro, sitting down, crossing his legs and letting him rest on his legs. ¡®¡¯Here, kid.¡¯¡¯ Clous walked over, a glass of water in hand, Bernie taking it off of him and placing it next to Yohiro¡¯s lips, with him refusing to open his mouth. ¡®¡¯No, no, Mr. Bernie! Like this.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro raised his voice, taking the glass out of his hands and spilling it all over his tired face, letting out a long ¡®¡¯Ahh!¡¯¡¯ afterwards.


    ¡®¡¯For some reason, that isn¡¯t even close to surprising¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous thought as he took the glass out of his hands, placing it on the table carefully. ¡®¡¯You sure you¡¯ll be okay? You look worse than usual and it lasted less than two minutes.¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked with worry in his voice, watching as Yohiro stepped down with one foot, standing straight in an instant. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m a little shaky, but i¡¯m sure i¡¯ll be okay!¡¯¡¯ he yelled, back to his usual, loud self.


    ¡®¡¯You done? ¡®Cause master will kick our asses to high heaven if we spend a whole day standing around.¡¯¡¯ Rosa added to the conversation, getting them to realise the situation they¡¯re in. ¡®¡¯Yeah, but she always comes back as if she¡¯d be gone for a few hours, when it¡¯s been a month! I don¡¯t really appreciate that, to be honest!¡¯¡¯ Clous said sharply, getting them to look down, filled with the shameful feeling of agreement with him.


    ¡®¡¯Didn¡¯t that lady calls for us? Let¡¯s go already!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro yelled, already having made his way in front of Hiona¡¯s door while they were discussing their complaints. ¡®¡¯W-wait, don¡¯t go in--¡¯¡¯ they tried to warn him, before he opened the door, hearing unrecognizable moans from inside the room, confusing him. ¡®¡¯Yohiro!!!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted, running over to him and pushing him away from the doorway, and into Bernie¡¯s chest. That was the other reason they feared their master: she was a nymphomaniac. Clous shut the door closed as fast as he could, watching Rosa and Bernie¡¯s petrified expressions.


    ¡®¡¯You think she noticed? She tends to get so absorbed with herself, she ignores shit happening around her, after all!¡¯¡¯ Clous asked them as he silently walked over to them, hiding behind Bernie. ¡®¡¯What was the Ms. Hiona doing? Why did you push me like that?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro kept yelling, getting forcibly shut by Bernie. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, I beg of you, we will explain later.¡¯¡¯ he whispered to him, calming him down.


    ¡®¡¯Okay, your turn, lady Rosa, good luck.¡¯¡¯ Clous bowed to her in a respective manner, shocking her. ¡®¡¯W-what about the majority r-rule¡­?¡¯¡¯ she asked, scared, as she saw Clous raise his hand, along with Bernie. ¡®¡¯The kid still hasn¡¯t decid--¡¯¡¯ she tried to say as Bernie raised Yohiro¡¯s hand as well, leaving her speechless. ¡®¡¯Fine...assholes.¡¯¡¯ she whimpered to herself as she took a few large steps, getting in front of the door, struggling too much to knock on it due to the continuous moans, confirming Hiona hadn¡¯t even heard Yohiro and Clous.


    ¡®¡¯Too late to back ou-- Oh, you can both die!!¡¯¡¯ she tried to bargain as she saw them looking away, whistling innocently, with Yohiro waging his head curiously. Rosa quickly knocked twice on the door, with no answer. Clous started making repeated mouth movements, spelling ¡®¡¯Louder!!¡¯¡¯ out to Rosa. ¡®¡¯Actually, who am I to be scared of her¡­? She treats us like human garbage!¡¯¡¯ she thought, gaining confidence, and opening the door.


    ¡®¡¯Master Hiona, we¡¯re ready as per--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯That door already opened once, but you didn¡¯t...enter, so whoever opened it gets a punishment¡­!¡¯¡¯ Hiona shouted, destroying Rosa¡¯s confidence immediately. ¡®¡¯Now, all of you, enter the room already¡­!¡¯¡¯ she ordered as he moans quieted down, before stopping complete, followed by her exhausted panting under her bedsheets. That was this thief group¡¯s master, Hiona.

 Chapter Six: Preparations For The Preparations .

    All of them, including Yohiro, entered their master¡¯s room, watching as she rose from under her bedsheets, covered in sweat, covering her body for the most part. ¡®¡¯Master, this isn¡¯t healthy whatsoever¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous said in an embarrassed tone, looking around the room and trying to concentrate on Hiona herself. ¡®¡¯Incorrect, it¡¯s incredibly healthy to masturbate, Clous.¡¯¡¯ she replied to him in an annoyed, tired tone, as if this was a normal and casual occurrence.


    ¡®¡¯Please, at least cover yourself in front of Yohiro, master!¡¯¡¯ Bernie requested, causing her to look over at Yohiro, finding him staring at the floor, wondering why the lights in the room were off. ¡®¡¯I see,¡¯¡¯ she let out as she stepped out of the bed with both her legs, standing up, ¡®¡¯How old is that thing?¡¯¡¯ she asked with curiosity, not protecting her fully nude body at this point, most of it covered by the darkness of the room.


    ¡®¡¯He is two days old¡­¡¯¡¯ Bernie replied close to immediately, biting his tongue a little. ¡®¡¯He looks at least twelve, Bernie? You fucking with me?¡¯¡¯ she asked him as she took a few slow steps, standing in front of Yohiro, finally leaving him to raise his head, ending up concentrating on her stomach due to the distance between them. ¡®¡¯I swear, master, The Tree itself dropped him from a bubble two days ago, according to Clous, of course!¡¯¡¯ Bernie continued trying to convince her, getting a stern look from Clous as he realised Bernie was attempting to switch the flow of the conversation and leave it in his hands.


    Hiona got on knee, placing her hand on his cheek, specifically her nails. ¡®¡¯Hello there, master¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said with a confused smile, uncertain as to what tone he needed to use there. ¡®¡¯Hina is fine, little root,¡¯¡¯ she said, ¡®¡¯Hina is perfect, even.¡¯¡¯ The others¡¯ eyes widened in shock as they witnessed their master blush a little. ¡®¡¯Well then!¡¯¡¯ she coughed as she straightened up. ¡®¡¯H-hey, master isn¡¯t also a pedophile, is she?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked, looking at Clous. ¡®¡¯We¡¯ve never seen her interact with a kid, how should I know?¡¯¡¯ he said back at Rosa, his cheeks reddened.


    ¡®¡¯See, fellow companions, we¡¯ve got an assignment!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled proudly, stomping on the floor with her foot so powerfully, Yohiro shook in his spot. ¡®¡¯For real?! It¡¯s been two months, master!!¡¯¡¯ Clous ran towards her in happiness, quickly getting slapped across the face and falling to the ground. ¡®¡¯Approaching a naked woman¡­ Clous, you¡¯ve got zero tact, my friend.¡¯¡¯ she laughed sadistically, annoying him since it hadn¡¯t even been five minutes since she was pleasuring herself in front of them.


    ¡®¡¯What¡¯s with this assignment?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro whispered to Bernie, watching his relatively happy expression. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s when we¡¯re given a job to do, you see! When we finish it, we¡¯re rewarded with money, food or anything else we get from the contract!¡¯he explained, lighting up Yohiro¡¯s eyes in excitement. ¡®¡¯R-really?! That¡¯s amazing!¡¯¡¯ he said as he jumped up. ¡®¡¯I know, right?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Here¡¯s the catch: it¡¯s a simple theft. No abduction for you Clous, no seduction for you, Rosa, and especially no explosives for you, Bernie.¡¯¡¯ Hiona added in an obvious attempt to destroy their expectations. ¡®¡¯Explosives¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought as he looked at Bernie. ¡®¡¯Then, the hell are we stealing? Some cabbages again?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked, crossing her arms. ¡®¡¯Hah, in fact¡­ we¡¯re stealing,¡¯¡¯ she started, turning around and stomping, ¡®¡¯crates filled with money!¡¯¡¯ she declared, striking an erotic pose. ¡®¡¯Too cliched!¡¯¡¯ is what they all thought, with YOhiro the exception, thinking ¡®¡¯Why money?¡¯¡¯ Hiona broke her pose and clapped her hands, ¡®¡¯A second, rather sudden, announcement: this little piece of wood is joining. That¡¯s not on the table for debate, however.¡¯¡¯ she said, wagging her finger playfully, leaving them with their jaws dropped.


    ¡®¡¯He¡¯s two! Two DAYS old and can¡¯t even make sense of half his body, master!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted at her sharply, watching her turn her head around slowly, narrowing her eyes in a horrifying for him look, straight-up freezing him. ¡®¡¯Not on the table,¡¯¡¯ she repeated, ¡®¡¯for DEBATE.¡¯¡¯ The room went completely silent, so silent even a bee buzzing could be heard.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not just my opinion, either. We have to look after him at all times, no exception. I believe you said The Tree let this creature breath and talk, right? If so, he¡¯s a national treasure, sentient or not.¡¯¡¯ she explained herself, ¡®¡¯Any objections? Rosa? Bernie? Especially you, little one?¡¯¡¯ she asked, placing her sweaty, wet finger on his chipper nose, causing him to blink a few times, processing the silence on Rosa, Bernie and the already excluded Clous and taking in the new to him scent.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡®¡¯No objections! Though, I have a questions.¡¯¡¯ he said in a straight voice, surprising all of them besides Hiona. ¡®¡¯Good then¡­ I love people who agree with the facts. Even those pussy cats right over there are probably yelling ¡®No, master!!¡¯ in their heads!¡¯¡¯ she praised him, patting his head, feeling up on his messy white hair. ¡®¡¯Before you start questioning me, though, how about I state a rather, AHEM, glaring issue that needs to be pointed out?¡¯¡¯ she said in a slightly worried smile as more sweat began dropping down her forehead.


    ¡®¡¯Are you gonna turn into bone meal, please answer that¡­!¡¯¡¯ she whispered to him in a scared voice, not able to be heard from the others ¡®¡¯Bone meal¡­ I think I won¡¯t, but I am hungry.¡¯¡¯ he whispered back, causing her to clench her fist. ¡®¡¯A good diet, good sleep and good playtime! Get him food immediately!¡¯¡¯ she commanded, springing them and leading them to exit the room, running, leaving Hiona and Yohiro in the room.


    ¡®¡¯Now, time for the examination.¡¯¡¯ Hiona said, beginning to walk over to the door. Yohiro looked at her puzzled as she flipped the light switch inside the room, blinding him with the lights as she closed the door, locking it. He rubbed his eyes slightly, regaining his vision. ¡®¡¯Come on, little one, take that shirt off.¡¯¡¯ she asked of him friendly as she bagan walking over to her bed. ¡®¡¯Why?¡¯¡¯ he thought, realising she would probably get angry if he declined, starting to take it off.


    Hiona moved the bedsheets of her bed, pulling out the crumpled clothes she had thrown there: relatively short and tight leggings and a tank-top. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s the examination all about, master Hina?¡¯¡¯ he asked her, tilting his head to the right, watching her put the tank-top on after taking his own shirt off. ¡®¡¯Believe it if you want, but I do have a ¡®few¡¯ diplomas and certificates in medicine, dear.¡¯¡¯ she giggled, sitting on her bed as she started putting the leggings on as well, covering her shameless exhibition up.


    ¡®¡¯Shake a leg already; on that spinning chair.¡¯¡¯ she pointed, prompting him to walk over, sitting in it obediently, spinning the chair itself joyfully as he held the T-shirt with a strong grip. ¡®¡¯Despite what I said, it¡¯s less of an examination and more of me checking you out, ¡®kay?¡¯¡¯ she asked with a smile, confusing him as she walked over.


    ¡®¡¯Why do you think master locked the door?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked Bernie, worry clearly filling his words to the brim. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t mind it too much; he¡¯s not screaming, so it¡¯s...probably okay!¡¯¡¯ Bernie tried to reassure him, not realising his own legs were shaking as he took out a slice of bread, placing it in a plate. ¡®¡¯Bread? He already ate that back at my place.¡¯¡¯ Clous told him, sneaking a few peeks at Rosa, who was sitting on the couch, looking away from them, mumbling to herself.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not you, Clous. I won¡¯t feed him bread without something added to it.¡¯¡¯ Bernie smiled, trying to cover the insult with his good intentions as he took a butter knife from the drawer. ¡®¡¯Now, hand over the butter and maybe...uh¡­ What else do we actually have?¡¯¡¯ he asked, embarrassed. Clous opened the their fridge, looking around as he kept insulting Bernie under his breath. ¡®¡¯We got cream cheese. And ham. And that¡¯s it. You¡¯re pretty much as bad as me, you know!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted, causing Bernie to realise they need to go shopping soon.


    ¡®¡¯Um¡­! Master Hina, that¡¯s a little cold¡­¡¯¡¯ they heard a Yohiro¡¯s voice coming from inside Hiona¡¯s room, slightly muffled. ¡®¡¯Now, now, stay still! It will feel worse if you move, you know.¡¯¡¯ she replied to him, chuckling through the door, leaving Bernie and Cloud blushing. ¡®¡¯I-ignore her, she¡¯s probably fucking with us on purpose!¡¯¡¯ Clous said, Bernie nodding in agreement, both of them starting to neglect the noise as Bernie began spreading the cream cheese on the slice of bread, slicing a bit of ham after wards and aligning that perfectly on top of it.


    ¡®¡¯That¡¯s the best we can do, I guess.¡¯¡¯ Bernie chuckled in a disgusted and depressed manner. ¡®¡¯Leave it there and wait for the brat and master to come out.¡¯¡¯ Clous pointed at the table. Bernie carefully placed the plate with the now done sandwich on the table, both of them sitting around it. ¡®¡¯...you piss yourself?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked Rosa, getting an extremely violent shake. ¡®¡¯Yeah, I almost did too.¡¯¡¯ he said, realising her lie, angering her.


    The clock inside Clous¡¯ head ticked as he counted the seconds, trying to distract himself from increasingly loud noises coming from Hiona¡¯s room until the door flew open, getting their attention in an instant. Yohiro walked out, his shirt on and a cheerful smile on his face. ¡®¡¯So, master didn¡¯t harass him like he did with us, did she¡­?¡¯¡¯ Clous thought to himself as Hiona walked out after Yohiro, blushing openly and licked the top of her middle finger. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re quite a natural, Yohiro dear. It was a pleasure.¡¯¡¯ she said, rubbing her finger against his back.


    ¡®¡¯She definitely raped him!!!¡¯¡¯ the three of them thought in astonishment, watching as Yohiro walked over, jumping on the cough, sending a bit of dust flying. ¡®¡¯H-hey¡­ What did master do to you, kid?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked him, poking his shoulder. ¡®¡¯A back massage, Ms. Rosa!¡¯¡¯ he answered, causing her to let out a quick ¡®¡¯Eh¡­?¡¯¡¯ She shook her head, ¡®¡¯What about the whole ¡®being a natural¡¯ at ¡®it¡¯ part?!¡¯¡¯ she asked again, watching him tilt his head.


    ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t know. She kept gasping and making weird sounds every time she applied pressure to my back; it felt funny to listen to her!¡¯¡¯ he laughed, leaving her looking dumbfounded before a grin appeared on her face. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t tell Mr. Clous and ¡®¡¯Mr. Bernie, okay? Even if they ask, it¡¯s a secret!¡¯¡¯ she nodded at him, Yohiro nodding in confusion.


    ¡®¡¯Listen up, you guys! I want preparations for the trip to be made within the next three hours sharp! It¡¯s gonna be a long road through the underground tunnel, and we¡¯ll be riding the trail. Did you get that, all of you?¡¯¡¯ she explained the situation. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s too sudden, master, we had no idea this would happen; we aren¡¯t prepared!¡¯¡¯ Rosa tried to stop her. ¡®¡¯Last time I checked we were not too high amongst the other groups, despite us getting good results? Why is that?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked them all. ¡®¡¯Bad ratings.¡¯¡¯ they said together, disappointed. ¡®¡¯There you have it. All of you, all four of you, get packing! The road will be long, after all!¡¯¡¯ she sealed the deal, stomping extremely loudly as a justification of it.

 Chapter Seven: Beginning Of The Assignment.

    ¡®¡¯You pack everything?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked Bernie as he exited his own room, holding a small, compact bag in his hand. ¡®¡¯Just about, yes.¡¯¡¯ Bernie lifted a large suitcase, slapping it twice with his hand with a smile. The two of them entered the main room, finding Rosa standing there with her own little bag, slightly larger than Clous¡¯. ¡®¡¯What about master and the walking package of tree cells?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked, watching them turn their eyes towards Hiona¡¯s room, confirming her suspicions.


    ¡®¡¯Is this everything, master Hina?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, smiling, holding a big grocery bag in his hands, waiting for Hiona who was shuffling around the room. ¡®¡¯Give me a second, dear!¡¯¡¯ she told him, waving her hand from inside a pile of useless-looking possessions, her voice muffled as her head was inside the giant pile. ¡®¡¯I-isn¡¯t this enough, though? The bag is becoming heavy with all these...clothes, metal objects and whatever this diary is.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro tried to convince her, his hands shaking from the weight of the bag.


    ¡®¡¯Good one dear, but those are all essential to me, and all of you. Also, the bag weighs as much as a toaster; you¡¯re being a little weak.¡¯¡¯ Hiona said in a direct voice as he pulled her head out, watching his about-to-cry expression, trying to hold the tears in. ¡®¡¯A-ah, i¡¯m sorry! It was a joke, just a joke.¡¯¡¯ she said, crouching down in front of him, relieving him as he dropped the bag, causing it to land directly on top of his toes.


    ¡®¡¯You guys hear screaming?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked, hearing Yohiro¡¯s high-pitched screams from inside Hiona¡¯s room. ¡®¡¯I knew it; master¡¯s molesting him¡­!¡¯¡¯ Rosa mumbled, beginning to shun the sound away, with Bernie staring at the door with worry.


    As a few short minutes passed and all of them assembled in the main room, gathering in a circle as per Hiona¡¯s command. ¡®¡¯So, we leave through Sebansio¡¯s bar upstairs, then go to the train station downtown. The tickets are arranged and there should be no questions. Any questions?¡¯¡¯ Hiona explained to the four of them. ¡®¡¯Um, you¡¯re all dressed in these black robes, so wouldn¡¯t I stand out¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked them, his nose perking with anticipation.


    ¡®¡¯Ah, ah, ah, you see, we¡¯re criminals. Therefore, we need to something to protect our identities. You don¡¯t as of right now, Yohiro; because you aren¡¯t even officially a member yet!¡¯¡¯ Bernie pointed out. ¡®¡¯Besides, the robes are only visible to people who have had physical interaction with the material it¡¯s made from, like us and you. It¡¯ll just look like a child wandering the streets alone.¡¯¡¯ Rosa added, realising something was wrong with her sentence.


    ¡®¡¯Then, isn¡¯t there a chance of meeting someone who has had contact with the material, now that I consider it?¡¯¡¯ Clous wondered to himself. ¡®¡¯Head out, team! And may we return to this very base rewarded for our deeds!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled, raising her hand up, followed by the rest of them, only Yohiro reacting slowly. ¡®¡¯She sounds like she believes we¡¯re doing something good for society¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous whispered to Bernie, getting a nod. They headed for the door Hiona had entered through a few hours ago, beginning to walk through a wide hallway.


    Their steps echoed loudly, especially Hiona¡¯s due to her iron-like boots, as they walked through the hall. ¡®¡¯Hey, Mr. Bernie? Who are you doing this job for?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked him. ¡®¡¯For the most part, master¡¯s the one who has the details, and we complete our assignments. It¡¯s what we do, though i¡¯d like more communication.¡¯¡¯ he explained to the still relatively clueless Yohiro. ¡®¡¯I feel uneasy about it, to be honest, but master hasn¡¯t failed us yet in spite of her questionable personality, preferences in everything ever, sexual choice-- yes, actually almost everything.¡¯¡¯ Bernie finished his train of thought, smiling in slight doubt after having said it aloud.


    They reached the hall¡¯s end. Hiona put her hand inside her leggings, taking out a small note, bent over a few times, starting to humm to herself as she inputted a few numbers on a keypad attached to the door, causing it to open in an instant, shocking Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Saying this for the new, adorable, part of the crew, the stairs lead to a bar, a pretty loud one in fact, so don¡¯t get intimidated, okay?¡¯¡¯ she warned him as she folded the paper a few times, putting it back inside her leggings.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The climbed up the quick flight of stairs, Hiona opening a door wide, giving Yohiro an eyeful of what resembled a scene that defines chaos: loud music playing, a man serving a drink to a crying man, seemingly in his middle age, men wrestling on top of a table, pushing its contents off and shaking it around violently. ¡®¡¯Yo, Sebansio, you filthy bastard!¡¯¡¯ Hiona shouted at the top of her lungs, sending the bar in a period of silence, leaving her to loudly walk over to the man who was standing behind the wooden bar quietly, smoking a cigarette, as he read a thick book.


    ¡®¡¯Hiona, bitch dearest, didn¡¯t even leave me alone for five hours before coming back to annoy me, did you?¡¯¡¯ he asked, closing the book after leaving piece of paper inside to mark his progress. ¡®¡¯Pleasure¡¯s mine, prick,¡¯¡¯ she responded briskly, ¡®¡¯We¡¯re leaving now, you know your script, no?¡¯¡¯ she asked, taking the cigarette from his mouth without a second thought, causing him to avert his eyes. ¡®¡¯Yes;¡¯I have no clue who they are!¡¯ or something along those lines, dismissing context of course.¡¯¡¯ he smiled sarcastically. ¡®¡¯Sure, just add some fuel to it or it¡¯ll seem forced¡­!¡¯¡¯ she stood up, throwing the lit up cigarette at him, watching him catch it perfectly with his pinkie finger and thumb.


    ¡®¡¯We also got a bit of a newcomer. I want him to have his own license by the time we¡¯re back. Sound good to you?¡¯¡¯ Sebansio sighed, looking over at the three of them, his eyes suddenly stopping at Yohiro. ¡®¡¯That incarnation of sweetness¡¯ name¡¯s Yohiro. Write it down so you don¡¯t forget.¡¯¡¯ she said, prompting him to nod, watching as the lot of them began walking off, with Hiona at the front. They left the bar gracefully, for the most part, excluding Clous and Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Oi there, bartender! Kinda off for your granddaughter to be complimenting someone, don¡¯t you think¡­?¡¯¡¯ a man yelled on a table as the chaos immediately blew up again. ¡®¡¯Quiet, Henib, she might be in heat! Might have been able to burn me if i wasn¡¯t careful.¡¯¡¯ he said back at the man. ¡®¡¯She¡¯s in heat literally all the time though, isn¡¯t she?!¡¯¡¯ Henib asked in confusion, getting a cigarette between the eyes before he could even react, shutting him up, ¡®¡¯Careful there, Henib, she ain¡¯t no whore like your sister.¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Wow¡­ So many people walking around!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought as he looked around, taking in the random conversations from the people around him that were getting tangled in one another, making it impossible for him to listen carefully, the sound of the wind blowing around him, making him feel at easy and the footsteps around him. ¡®¡¯If you¡¯re overwhelmed, you gotta hold it in¡­!¡¯¡¯ Clous whispered to him. Yohiro shook his head, ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not overwhelming, though, it¡¯s feels...right, is all.¡¯¡¯ he said, letting the wind blow his hair as he inhaled and then exhaled, getting looks from the people around him, causing him to remember he looked like he was alone to the rest of them, immediately getting himself back in order.


    They walked and walked, the four of them silently walking in front of Yohiro, making him feel uncomfortable. ¡®¡¯If I try to talk to them, will I be annoying them,¡¯¡¯ he asked himself internally, stopping suddenly before bumping into the four them, having stopped in front of him, standing in front of a large building.


    Hiona waved slowly, giving them the signal to enter, causing them quickly enter the train station. Yohiro stopped, Hiona placing her hand on his shoulder after entering, confidently pointing at a man sitting on a bench with a newspaper in his hands. ¡®¡¯He has the tickets, master?¡¯¡¯ Hiona nodded happily, smiling under her hood as she watched Yohiro walk over to the man swiftly.


    ¡®¡¯Excuse me, mister,¡¯¡¯ he exclaimed, causing the man to lower the newspaper, looking down slightly and finding Yohiro watching him. ¡®¡¯Yes?¡¯¡¯ the man sharply responded in a grasp voice. Yohiro extended his arm, repeatedly retracting it and extending it, pointing at Hiona, Clous, Rosa and Bernie, ¡®¡¯Um, could you give us the, um, tickets?¡¯¡¯ The man let out a long, ¡®¡¯Hmm,¡¯¡¯ watching Hiona and the other nod together in agreement. ¡®¡¯D¡¯she find another random piece o¡¯ shit off the street, that rash girl,¡¯¡¯ he muttered, reluctantly giving the train tickets to Yohiro. He bowed, sprinting off, leaving the man reading his again, chuckling to himself, ¡®¡¯Sorry you ended up with whose failures, little boy,¡¯¡¯ he smiled happily.


    ¡®¡¯I got the tickets, master. Let¡¯s go before people look at me,¡¯¡¯ he said, fully understanding his situation, getting a quick nod from Hiona, confirming his suspicion; that she wouldn¡¯t be able to let out a words, picking up the pace towards the train attendant.


    ¡®¡¯Okay, no one¡¯s around, you guys. Take off the robes,¡¯¡¯ she ordered to them all, the three of them removing them while out of everyone¡¯s sight. ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s go guys, quickly,¡¯¡¯ she rushed them fastly. ¡®¡¯Good job back there, kid, you didn¡¯t waste time at all,¡¯¡¯ Clous complimented him, leaving him satisfied as they walked towards the attendant.

 Chapter Eight: I Dont Want To Be Inferior.

    The five of them made their way onto the train. ¡®¡¯We¡¯re in the back section, just so you know,¡¯¡¯ Hiona gave them a heads-up, starting to walk towards the back of the train, where the lighting was dim and it was empty, with the other four following accordingly, walking past the people that had already gotten on the train, Yohiro looking at an elderly woman, smiling at her and leaving her confused. Making it to the back end of the train, Clous jumped, making it easier to sit down in a seat, the others sitting all over the place.


    ¡®¡¯Everyone has been quiet, even after we got on the train¡¯¡¯, Yohiro though, watching Bernie wave his hand at him, welcoming him on the seat next to him. ¡®¡¯Look, Yohiro,¡¯¡¯ he said to him, opening his large suitcase and taking out a thin book, resembling a notebook, ¡®¡¯You still don¡¯t know how to read, do you?¡¯¡¯ he asked the fascinated boy. ¡®¡¯No,¡¯¡¯ he responded with, ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t really know how to read, Mr. Bernie!¡¯¡¯ Bernie grinned, feeling empowered. ¡®¡¯Didn¡¯t have enough time to show him that back at the base, did ya? You had to do it while we¡¯re on our way to...whichever district this shit takes place in,¡¯¡¯ Clous preached in annoyance, resting his head on his arm, placing the elbow on his legs, which he had crossed as he sat on the train seat.


    ¡®¡¯Um¡­ I didn¡¯t think to do that,¡¯¡¯ he chuckled, feeling slightly ashamed. ¡®¡¯Never mind, the kid requires normal human skills to be able to survive anyway. We can¡¯t always hold him by the hand,¡¯¡¯ Rosa jumped in as she raised her arms, letting a quiet grunt as she stretched. ¡®¡¯U-um, thank you so much, all of you,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro began, ¡®¡¯No matter what you say, it¡¯s the perfect time to say this¡­¡¯¡¯ he said, gradually raising his voice, ultimately getting off the seat and stepping on his feet, fighting against the train¡¯s shaking and remaining straight-up, surprising Hiona, who was at that point ignoring their conversation for the most part. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s just a bit of my teaching, though i¡¯m not that good nowadays,¡¯¡¯ Bernie tried to dismiss his excitement, getting a serious stare from him.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not the book, Mr. Bernie; it¡¯s for everything! I¡¯m endlessly embedded to you all¡­ Clous, Ms. Rosa, master Hiona, Mr. Bernie¡­¡¯¡¯ he blushed in embarrassment, jumping back onto his seat and lowering his head, starting to stare at his hands, with which he was gripping his shorts, leaving them all speechless. The three of them exchanged a few stares, Bernie grabbing Yohiro around the shoulder gently, ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t be grateful to people like us, okay? We¡¯re not doing you any favors whatsoever, ¡®¡¯ Bernie explained, widening his eyes. ¡®¡¯But that¡¯s wro-,¡¯¡¯ he tried to disagree, hearing Hiona¡¯s loud stomp and stopping.


    ¡®¡¯Hear me well, Yohiro, because i¡¯m not good at this at all,¡¯¡¯ she looked away, speaking in a voice completely alien to the others in the group, ¡®¡¯What Bernie said was the closest thing you¡¯re going to get to sincerity out of this shitshow of a team, appreciate it.¡¯¡¯ Uncomfortable silence set, leaving them to listen to the loud sound of the train moving. ¡®¡¯Screw that,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro muttered aloud, shocking Bernie as he stood up again, walking over to Hiona, shaking left and right with each step, getting Rosa and Clous¡¯ curiosity.


    ¡®¡¯Master!¡¯¡¯ he exclaimed, causing her to turn her head, instinctively giving Yohiro a death-stare, stopping it as she realised who it was. ¡®¡¯Yes, dear?¡¯¡¯ she asked him, placing her hand on his cheek and rubbing it slowly. ¡®¡¯I¡­ I don¡¯t want you special, kind treatment, master,¡¯¡¯ he said in a low tone, pushing her hand away, causing the others to move further away. ¡®¡¯A literal newborn is acting the way my companions can¡¯t, huh,¡¯¡¯ she whispered to herself, standing up and raising her foot. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, either go back to your seat and let me sleep, sweetie, or I will split this whole train in half this very moment. Pick,¡¯¡¯ she intimidated him, causing him to take a deep breath. He extended both his arms, grabbing her iron boot, making her smile. ¡®¡¯Oh-ho,¡¯¡¯ came out of her mouth as she watched Yohiro gently crouch down, pulling Hiona¡¯s boot down along with him, until placing it down safely, his hand shaking and his face wet from the sudden sweat. ¡®¡¯I ask of you: please teach me how to protect myself, master, with no kindness in-between!¡¯¡¯ he begged, letting go of her boot.


    ¡®¡¯That kid¡­ Is he for real,¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought as Clous debated weather to stand up and help or to remain seated, succumbing to the fear. ¡®¡¯So- ha, ha- you¡¯re asking me to fucking teach you to fight? You?¡¯¡¯ she tried to get a clarification or at least further confirmation, uncontrollably laughing in-between her words. Yohiro nodded. ¡®¡¯...sure,¡¯¡¯ she said, blushing at the shaking Yohiro. ¡®¡¯R-really?!¡¯¡¯ he raised his head, revealing the tears beginning to leave his eyes and run down his face. ¡®¡¯Aw, how can could I say no to that expression?!¡¯¡¯ she grabbed him, embracing him closely, causing him to cough in pain.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡®¡¯B-bernie, did master just get tamed¡­?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa whispered to him, unclear of the probability of what went down in front of her very eyes. ¡®¡¯No, she didn¡¯t,¡¯¡¯ Clous interrupted, turning around, ¡®¡¯...she just let us think that, or so I think. It¡¯s master; she probably planned to toughen him up the moment she kicked him yesterday,¡¯¡¯ Clous told them, making hand motions in front of them, lighting a lightbulb inside their head. ¡®¡¯Y-yeah, that could also be the case¡­¡¯¡¯ They looked back together, finding Yohiro losing consciousness in her hands, starting to gag. ¡®¡¯MASTER, LET HIM GO, DAMMIT!!¡¯¡¯


    Yohiro slowly opened his eyes, finding himself lying in Bernie¡¯s lap at the very edge of the line of seats in the train, looking around a little as the foggy vision began to clear. He looked up, finding Bernie sleeping soundly. ¡®¡¯Um, hello¡­?¡¯¡¯ he let out softly, wiggling his way away from Bernie, doing his best not wake him up, sitting down next to him. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re aware, it seems,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said from the other side of the train space, sitting alone and away from the others.


    ¡®¡¯My chest hurts a little, master,¡¯¡¯ he complained, touching it and shivering a little. ¡®¡¯Also, why is everyone sitting so far away, slipping?¡¯¡¯ he asked her, pointing at Clous and Rosa, who were leaning on each other, snoring quietly. ¡®¡¯No idea, something about me being violent again; I don¡¯t know what they mean at all,¡¯¡¯ she started laughing, Yohiro starting to laugh along with her as the sound the train was making on the train rails came to a close, the whole vehicle stopping slowly with a screeching noise, causing Yohiro to cover his ears, waking up the others surprisingly.


    ¡®¡¯We¡¯re here, guys, get up and get fresh,¡¯¡¯ she ordered them in a proud voice, standing up and shaking, realising her feet had gone a little numb. The others followed suit, stepping off from their seats. ¡®¡¯Twenty-seventh district. I repeat, twenty-seventh district. I request for people stopping her to leave the train as soon as possible,¡¯¡¯ a voice came from what appeared to be an intercom attached to the upper left corner of the train section. ¡®¡¯Twenty-seventh?! Master, what is this?!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled, worried sick about the situations she had put them in without telling them. ¡®¡¯¡¯Here¡¯s the detail I ignored: We¡¯re stealing from the Rokenson Army, that¡¯s that,¡¯¡¯ she said in a casual tone as she wiggled her legs around nonchalantly. ¡®¡¯Master! You know that¡¯s far above what we can do!!¡¯¡¯ Rosa and Bernie added, shouting in anger. ¡®¡¯Well what did you expect from an A rank assignment, dumbasses?¡¯¡¯ she asked them confidently. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s another thing you didn¡¯t mention!!¡¯¡¯ Clous pointed at her, grunting in frustration, ¡®¡¯We could die,¡¯¡¯ Bernie added, trying to reason with her.


    ¡®¡¯Wha~~~t? No, you won¡¯t, it¡¯s fine,¡¯¡¯ she chuckled, grabbing her grocery bag full of random, useless things and beginning to walk out of the back section of the train, stunning them. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s this...twenty-seventh district?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked Bernie, watching them not even be scared, but disappointed, already being unable to get angry at Hiona. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s the district where the Rokenson army rules; they¡¯re one of the ten most influential army forces in the entire world¡­,¡¯¡¯ Bernie mumbled under his breath, losing confidence in himself and the others.


    ¡®¡¯They¡¯re ridiculously high in numbers, and we¡¯re just five¡­ The fuck does she expect us to do against those bastards?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked rhetorically, talking to himself. ¡®¡¯Shouldn¡¯t you believe in her, guys? She brought you here because she believed you could finish it,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro spoke loudly, raising their heads. ¡®¡¯He has a point; master¡¯s plans never fail. Though, we¡¯ve never had to deal with shit of this magnitude,¡¯¡¯ Rosa pointed out, raising their spirits.


    ¡®¡¯The hell are those tools waiting for? An invitation?¡¯¡¯ Hiona thought, tapping her foot so loudly, others stared at her with looks of varying meanings. The four of them quickly made it out of the train, jumping out and watching it slowly depart, leaving them there. ¡®¡¯First, you guys, we¡¯re gonna go visit an old friend of mine to get some essentials, then we¡¯ll proceed with the operation, ¡®kay?¡¯¡¯ she asked, getting three synchronized nods in responce, excluding Yohiro¡¯s late act of action.

 Chapter Nine: Mission For All, Part One.

    ¡®¡¯So, you got this kid as a new member?¡¯¡¯ a man referred to Hiona, looking at Yohiro after the group of them had made it to a well-looking building behind a large section of the twenty-seventh district. ¡®¡¯Yes, Yaromu, he is. May we get permission to begin our assignment already,¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked the man, annoyed by the time she was wasting on needless pauses between their dialogue and the old man-like behavior the man was having.


    ¡®¡¯Hiona, listen to me, I don¡¯t understand why you picked something this difficult to start with, but I feel like this will be too much even for you,¡¯¡¯ he warned her with worry in his voice, putting his hand forward in a small motion.


    ¡®¡¯Have you gotten so you, you can¡¯t trust me, Yarumo?¡¯¡¯ she started chuckling to herself, the other four lined up in chairs next to her. The others watched quietly, respecting the man dressed in a stern, pompous tuxedo, except for Yohiro who was wondering why the room was so dimly-lit. ¡®¡¯Trust¡­ It isn¡¯t that I don¡¯t trust you, I could never distrust you of all people, but biting off more than you can chew is highly dangerous,¡¯¡¯ he added to his warning, concerned about Hiona¡¯s choice of action.


    ¡®¡¯I understand that, but you must understand something; these three, and even Yohiro here, aren¡¯t useless, and i¡¯ll abuse that fact until I choose to retire, if that time comes,¡¯¡¯ she explained to him, shocking the Clous, Rosa and Bernie. ¡®¡¯I understand. I¡¯m sorry for doubting your way of thinking. I wish you the best of luck with the operation,¡¯¡¯ he said, the two of the grinning at each other confidently as Hiona stood up, followed by the other four.


    The five of them left the building, putting their black robes on, except for Yohiro. ¡®¡¯What are we using to travel?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked with curiosity, looking over at Hiona. ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll be using a glyph, how else!¡¯¡¯ she laughed proudly, surprising them and putting her hand inside the grocery bag again, awkwardly searching through it. ¡®¡¯A-a glyph, master?! Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s why you were gone for that long, even though you were going for a minor missions!¡¯¡¯ Bernie shouted, slightly confused, hoping he had understood the situation properly. ¡®¡¯Yeah, bingo or whatever,¡¯¡¯ she responded half-heartedly, concentrating more on her shuffling, rather than Bernie¡¯s question, finally getting a happy expression on her face as she pulled out a book, similar to Clous¡¯.


    ¡®¡¯Wow, master has one too?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked in excitement, taking a closer look at it. ¡®¡¯No time for the major detail, dear, but You¡¯ve got to know one thing: I¡¯ve placed another glyph in a treasure room of theirs on the middle section between the second and third floor, where people don¡¯t frequently wander,¡¯¡¯ she explained to them carefully and slowly. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve got a question for you: How long ago did you get this assignment so you had time to prepare this shit¡­?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked her in a low, annoyed voice, looking her dead in the eyes. ¡®¡¯A month and a half, so?¡¯¡¯ she began flipping through the pages passionately and with purpose.


    ¡®¡¯No, it¡¯s not that simple! You said it yourself, you¡¯re abusing out usefulness to get what you want, as well as leaving us unprepared for whatever you pull out your ass and serve for us to finish! I¡¯m not in for that!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled at her loudly, setting his foot down, leaving Rosa and Bernie speechless, with them stepping away out of concern for themselves. ¡®¡¯Clous, believe me, I take enjoyment in every second of it,¡¯¡¯ she smiled sadistically at him, widening his eyes. ¡®¡¯Either way, you can¡¯t back out now, can you,¡¯¡¯ she stopped at her preferred page, ¡®¡¯It¡¯s a one-way trip until we finish this whole thing, and that¡¯s something all of you will keep in mind,¡¯¡¯ she explained herself, extending her arm forward. ¡®¡¯Aian Yosei: article 7. Connect,¡¯¡¯ she chanted, creating a glyph before their eyes at an incredible speed, shocking them.


    ¡®¡¯This mission is incompletable unless all of you participate. This is your last chance to face up and give me your objections¡­¡¯¡¯ she gave them a warning, facing away from them and looking straight at the glyph¡¯s shine. The went silent, Clous looking at the ground, teeth gritted and his fists clenched, Bernie staring at Hiona¡¯s back in disappointment and Rosa wondering if she should raise her voice. ¡®¡¯By ¡®all of you¡¯ do you also mean me?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked Hiona in a spiteful tone, looking at her back with a mean look, surprising Rosa.


    ¡®¡¯It fully depends on what you¡¯ll cause and what effect it will have,¡¯¡¯ she vaguely answered his question, stepping into the glyph and disappearing in front of their eyes, leaving Yohiro bewildered. ¡®¡¯Do you see, kid? That¡¯s the master we¡¯re so afraid of, yet we can¡¯t live without her. Get...used to her,¡¯¡¯ Clous muttered in a slightly depressed tone, stepping in after Hiona and also disappearing into thin air. ¡®¡¯Before we go in, trust me when I say that Clous is the butt of out jokes, but he¡¯s irreplaceable, Yohiro. You¡¯ll see it for yourself,¡¯¡¯ Bernie smiled at him fakely, following suit and disappearing, followed by the Rosa, leaving him all alone in front of the magical glyph.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    It was a similar situation as before, back at Clous¡¯ run-down house, except this time he wasn¡¯t going to be met with surprised faces and weird expectations, but with a group of people, feeling strongly betrayed by the person they continue to believe in in spite of everything she had done to them up to that point. He took a deep breath and out up a smile, jumping into the glyph, the world in front of him going black for a split second before finding himself in front of his group, all of them waiting for him.


    ¡®¡¯The room smells horribly,¡¯¡¯ Bernie said to them, disgusted, inclined to begin cleaning the dust off the walls and floor, holding his nose shut with his forefinger and thumb. ¡®¡¯The room¡¯s rarely used; it¡¯s like a small room inside a basement, the door of which had been covered in trash, so it¡¯s a safe place,¡¯¡¯ Hiona explained quickly and to the point, giving them a moment of reassurance. ¡®¡¯Now, for the plan,¡¯¡¯ she said to them, giving them signals to gather up. ¡®¡¯Clous prioritises in mobility magic, so you¡¯ll mostly be going stealth the best you can,¡¯¡¯ she ordered him, watching him nod reluctantly and with discomfort. ¡®¡¯For Bernie, you¡¯ll try to set Clous up with weaponry, ¡®kay?¡¯¡¯ she asked him, seeing him in the corner of her eye. ¡®¡¯You just said i¡¯m going stealth; the hell would I need weapons for?!¡¯¡¯ he shouted at her, watching her avert her eyes.


    ¡®¡¯I wasn¡¯t specific enough, it seems. Explosives, Clous, she said, annoyed, ¡®¡¯Explosives.¡¯¡¯ Clous shook his head violently. ¡®¡¯You want me to plant bombs? Hell no,¡¯¡¯ he responded briskly, tilting his head. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re making this a lot more difficult than it should be, you know, for everyone,¡¯¡¯ she looked at him with serious eyes, freezing him in place. ¡®¡¯She¡¯s getting serious, isn¡¯t she? It¡¯s been a while since i¡¯ve seen her like that,¡¯¡¯ Rosa mumbled to herself. ¡®¡¯Fine, i¡¯ll bomb ¡®em,¡¯¡¯ Clous nodded in agreement to her command, feeling like he had no control over it. ¡®¡¯Finally, Rosa; fire, and lots of it, but be careful of the amounts, understood?¡¯¡¯ she asked, the words leaving her mouth at a quick rate, leaving Rosa to nod quickly in a confused fashion.


    ¡®¡¯They all have their specialty, huh¡­,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought to himself in a fascinated tone as Hiona turned her head to him, parting her lips slowly after leaning over to him, ¡®¡¯You¡¯ll be following me, closely and carefully, quietly and obediently like the child you are, okay¡­?¡¯¡¯ she spoke in a soft tone to him, whispering into his ear. ¡®¡¯Yes, i¡¯ll do my best,¡¯¡¯ he formed a fist with his hand, looking up at her face, which was close to his, his eyes opening wide a she pressed her lips against his forehead. ¡®¡¯Good, you¡¯re a natural slave-like student,¡¯¡¯ she smiled at him happily as she pulled away, leaving the others with a single thought going through their heads: She¡¯s a complete pedophile.


    ¡®¡¯Now look, here¡¯s where i¡¯m going to have to leave a part of the planning to you three,¡¯¡¯ she started, ¡®¡¯You¡¯ll navigate by yourselves, following sounds and ques and such to find your way to the ares I assign you to. It¡¯s a large army building after all, and a single mistake could get you shot down,¡¯¡¯ she continued on, explaining in detail by using hand movements to support her words and claims, going on for a few minutes.


    ¡®¡¯Finally, the positions: Clous will be needed on the sixth floor, which won¡¯t be a difficulty for him, i¡¯ll need Bernie to make his way onto the first floor, avoiding making noise until Clous gives the signal that he¡¯s arrived at the sixth floor. If he gets there before you reach the first, bomb them to reach it if needed!¡¯¡¯ she started rambling, confident in her planning skills, already having Yohiro confused about the roles. ¡®¡¯Rosa, you¡¯ll be of use on the fourth or fifth floor; both will do fine, but the point is remaining safe until both of these two get into position,¡¯¡¯ she pointing swiftly at Clous and Bernie, all three of them nodding rightfully, in excitement. ¡®¡¯Last but not least, Yohiro and I are gonna make sure the center¡¯s fine on every single floor, except the first, which Bernie will deal with, and also the sixt, with Clous taking care of it respectfully,¡¯¡¯ the tree of them lost her at last, staring off into the distance.


    ¡®¡¯Fine then, we¡¯ll be making an enhanced cannon, simpletons¡­¡¯¡¯ she sighed, disappointed at the fact that she didn¡¯t get to get a good moment and look cool in front of them. ¡®¡¯B-but that¡¯s ridiculous, master! It requires too much precision and sync!!¡¯¡¯ Bernie shouted out in disagreement, waving his arms, justifying it. ¡®¡¯Yeah, exactly. You¡¯re a squad, a team, a group, a...another word for a group of people who work with each other!¡¯¡¯ she reassured them, hoping to give them hope as she straightened her back. ¡®¡¯So, without further ado, MISSION BEGIN!¡¯¡¯ she said to them in a sharp manner, pointing upwards spitefully, smiling along with Yohiro, the others looking down in disbelief, not trusting in the teamwork their master believed so much in.

 Chapter Ten: Mission For All, Part Two.

    ¡®¡¯Memento mori: article 12. Connect,¡¯¡¯ Clous chanted after opening his tome, getting enveloped into a thin light, resembling his shape. ¡®¡¯Taking off, then?¡¯¡¯ Rosa briskly asked, preparing her own tome in her hand as she watched him nod seriously, steping backwards and beginning to sink into the wall, shocking Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Is that what you meant when you said mobility was Clous¡¯ strong point?!¡¯¡¯ The young boy exclaimed loudly as he watched Clous disappear into the wall. ¡®¡¯Yes; he wasn¡¯t too keen on going out there and attacking, so he chose mobility as his magic tome,¡¯¡¯ Rosa explained to him a she raised her book in front of him. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s this: a tome. It¡¯s how you use your magic, i¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen master and Clous use theirs,¡¯¡¯ she added, pulling her hand back as he leaned in without realising, his eyes full of fascination. ¡®¡¯Stop messing around, you two, it¡¯s time for us to depart, too.¡¯¡¯ Bernie cracked his knuckles in a loud crack, walking towards the door.


    ¡®¡¯Remember the plan, Bernie, don¡¯t let yourself get caught too soon,¡¯¡¯ Hiona reminded him in a strict tone, with him nodding with his back turned against them, opening the door and finding a dark, short hallway, leaving to a part of a large hallway in the army base, wet at the edges and full spider webs around the walls. ¡®¡¯She was right after all, this place is pretty much dead to them, it seems,¡¯¡¯ he mumbled to himself as he closed the door behind himself quietly. ¡®¡¯Give him a minute and exit as well, Rosa,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said in a rather soft voice to Rosa, her satisfied grin beginning to show a little.


    Rosa took a step forward, reaching for the doorknob. ¡®¡¯Before you go,¡¯¡¯ Hiona stopped her frustratingly, making her frown, ¡®¡¯Killing should be minimized, so don¡¯t unleash hell on them.¡¯¡¯ Hiona warned her, receiving a smile in return along with a tilt of Rosa¡¯s head, turning towards her and Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t feel bad when I remind you that you didn¡¯t specify a body count, master,¡¯¡¯ she laughed happily before opening the door recklessly, leaving the room. ¡®¡¯See, Yohiro, those three aren¡¯t as simple as you think. When they¡¯re on a mission, at least,¡¯¡¯ she patted his head gently, standing up and yawning, stretching her hands upwards and lowering them down in a swift motion. ¡®¡¯Are we going?¡¯¡¯ he asked her, forcing a serious expression, making her chuckle under her breath on the spot, ¡®¡¯Yes, let¡¯s go, little one,¡¯¡¯ she said to him in a lighthearted tone, stepping out as well.


    Clous traveled through the wall, noticing the aura around his body was slowly beginning to become more and more transparent, leading him to hurry towards the closest accessible exit he could find, carefully observing the movement of a man through a wall, sharpening his eyes as emerged from the wall, slamming his clenched fist in one of the guards¡¯ neck, leaving an imprint and knocking him to the ground, his eyes wide as an open window as he fell. Clous turned his glance on both sides, noticing the other two guards emerging from the other end of the hallway, pulling out his tome immediately. ¡®¡¯D¡¯you hear it, too?!¡¯¡¯ a guard asked another in a worried tone as the two ran into the hallway, finding nothing at all.


    ¡®¡¯Heads up, you two¡­,¡¯¡¯ Clous whispered, dropping the unconscious body of the guard he had knocked out on top of the other two, gritting his teeth and letting go of the ceiling he was holding onto with his one hand, the body pushing both of them down, leaving them surprised as Clous stomped at the three bodies with full force, leaving them coughing as they drifted off. ¡®¡¯Humans and their average muscles can¡¯t even handle that much, can they?¡¯¡¯ Clous spoke to himself, starting to chuckle as he reactivated the spell, engolfing him in the aura as he jumped into the next wall. Unfortunately for him, he couldn¡¯t climb on nonexistent stairs inside the wall, he had to find the fastest route towards the staircase leading to the third floor before being able to proceed as per ordered.


    ¡®¡¯As a larger man I can¡¯t do the fancy things Clous does without getting noticed, but¡­¡¯¡¯ Bernie thought to himself as activated his tome, which was significantly larger than the others¡¯. ¡®¡¯If I have no accurate or reliable way of getting to my goal, I have to use something more strategic, or so master said,¡¯¡¯ he recalled Hiona¡¯s advice as he exhaled. ¡®¡¯Kuro semi: article 1. Connect, please,¡¯¡¯ he whispered gently, watching as the book began shining. Bernie poked his head out, scanning the part of the floor he had sneaked to so far, pointing the shining book at an unaware soldier, walking around, holding a pistol under his belt. ¡®¡¯Done¡­ Do it, then.¡¯¡¯ He said, pulling back inside the corner, the book enveloping him in a strong light, beginning to change the shape of his body quickly.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    As he blinked he realised he had become shorter and thinner, wearing the same outfit as the man, let alone the same face, aside from a thin scar on his cheek, which his magic couldn¡¯t hide, with it being a wound. ¡®¡¯It will have to do on its own,¡¯¡¯ he thought as he put the tome away, casually walking out, careful of what eyes could be on him, taking the camera in the corner into account, remaining weart of his movements as he walked forward.


    ¡®¡¯You see that, too?¡¯¡¯ A soldier asked a man sitting in chair in front of a lit up screen. ¡®¡¯Yeah, I fear problems might be arising,¡¯¡¯ the man responded, crossing his arms as he remained sat in the chair, looking at the now transformed Bernie closely. ¡®¡¯My stealth abilities are worm-like when compared to Clous¡¯, but I should be able to keep this up for a little bit!¡¯¡¯ Bernie reassured himself as he continued making his way to the stairs leading down to the first floor.


    ¡®¡¯One, two, three, four, and five¡­,¡¯¡¯ Rosa smirked happily as she placed glyphs all around a corridor from one end of it, with an inscription dissimilar to the one on the transporting glyphs, quickly walking out of the camera¡¯s field of vision, not knowing any stealth-based magic whatsoever, unlike her other squad members. As the guards appeared from the corridor she had placed the glyphs on, a slight grin appeared on Rosa¡¯s face as she snapped her fingers, hearing the painfully loud screams of three, four or maybe even five guards walking through it, mixed with the sounds of the scorching fire. She waited, not stopping the glyphs even after the voices had subsided, listening to it as if it was a soothing song, before snapping back into reality, and snapping her fingers again, causing the glyphs to disappear into nothingness. ¡®¡¯Marioeteruna: article 6. Connect,¡¯¡¯ she chanted as she heard footsteps through the halls, overlapped by loud voices.


    ¡®¡¯Master, the cover is up, just so you know! I¡¯m no stealth thief, after all!¡¯¡¯ She shouted at the top of her lungs into the tome, laughing happily as the soldiers with guns appeared at the other end of the hall, pointing their guns at her. ¡®¡¯Understood, i¡¯ll instruct them to move in agress--¡¯¡¯ her voice cut out suddenly due to Rosa turning the page. ¡®¡¯Shoot on sight!¡¯¡¯ the main soldier shouted, causing the others to to begin unloading their guns at her. ¡®¡¯Marioeteruna: article 2. Connect!¡¯¡¯ She loudly declared, creating an instantaneous barrier, covering her completely and smashing the bullets as they made contact with it. ¡®¡¯The bitch has a tome, what now?!¡¯¡¯ A soldier asked in desperation. ¡®¡¯Nothing, dears, you¡¯re doing nothing!¡¯¡¯ She placed her fingers on her lips, giving an air kiss as she ran in the other direction, with them following her until they got stopped by the barrier left behind by her, beginning to bang on it furiously. ¡®¡¯What IS this place; their defences are utter shit!¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought, making it to the stairs leading to the third floor safely, beginning to climb them.


    ¡®¡¯A~~nd that¡¯s the third floor done,¡¯¡¯ Hiona smiled happily as she stepped on the arm of a soldier with her boots, causing him to let out a loud moan in pain, surrounded by the bodies of other soldiers all around her, all of them wheezing painfully, a lot of them having their legs broken and some of them, their hands and arms. ¡®¡¯Master¡­ Are they going to live?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked with concern, carrying Hiona¡¯s grocery bag around for her. ¡®¡¯Hah, hell no, they won¡¯t. I broke most of their bones and I don¡¯t half-finish this kind of thing, Yohiro,¡¯¡¯ she explained it to him as she raised her foot, slamming it down before Yohiro could take a break, completely crushing the man¡¯s arm, leaving him twitching in place. Yohiro looked down at the still alive. miserable soldiers. ¡®¡¯This¡­ Is this what you, no, what we do?¡¯¡¯ He asked her in a saddenned voice, getting an immediate nod from her, leaving him watching her with disappointment.


    ¡®¡¯If I were a betting girl, and I am, I¡¯d say those are Rosa¡¯s footsteps coming here, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked him, curious if he would be able to distinguish people¡¯s footsteps easily. ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t know¡­,¡¯¡¯ he replied as he turned to the side, looking at the wall; the only place where there wasn¡¯t blood or human bodies, causing Hiona to avert her eyes as Rosa climbed the stairs in a few exhausted gasps, noticing Hiona. ¡®¡¯Wow master, were you trying to impress the kid?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked Hiona in an impressed manner as she jogged over to the two of them, all three of them surprised at what they considered to be a late alarm beginning to ring through the halls of the building, alerting Clous on the fourth floor, and Bernie who was already reaching the stairs leading to the first floor, his transformation about to disappear while he was standing around other soldiers. ¡®¡¯I guess this is it, you maggots¡­ Contact the bastards and tell them to kill as they please, for fuck¡¯s sake,¡¯¡¯ Hiona ordered Rosa in a deeply annoyed tone, kicking the head of the dead man in her frustration, preparing to depart for the next floor.

 Chapter Eleven: Mission For All, Part Three

    ¡®¡¯To kill on sight, you say?!¡¯¡¯ Clous asked in a confused tone, realising the contradiction from his previously given instructions, Rosa hearing heavy grunts and breathing through the book. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re already on that, from the sound of it?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked him in a smile, looking over at Hiona and Yohiro. ¡®¡¯You...could say that, yeah! Just don¡¯t use your offencive magic on this floor, you hear? The bastards seem to be high-class; bullets forged from pure-blooded mages and everything,¡¯¡¯ Clous warned them carefully, panting as he stood atop the bodies of two soldiers with uniforms different from the ones he had already encountered, his arm bleeding slightly on the side.


    ¡®¡¯Then it¡¯s a good thing we sent you of all people, the one solely reliant on physical strength, there first, huh¡­,¡¯¡¯ Rosa laughed, getting proud ¡®¡¯Heh!¡¯¡¯ from the other side. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m going for now, there¡¯s still a lot of them on the floor, and i¡¯m wasting time. Plus, the cameras are worrying me,¡¯¡¯ he explained to her, closing the his book and stopping the connection before she could respond to his decision. ¡®¡¯Seems like he¡¯ll be fine from what I heard, so we should also go, eh?¡¯¡¯ Hiona looked at Rosa as she scratched her exposed stomach. ¡®¡¯¡¯Before that, master,¡¯¡¯ Rosa stopped Hiona as she started walking towards the stairs, ¡®¡¯Why is Clous the one going to the sixth floor? You also don¡¯t rely on magic to fight, therefore you¡¯d get there faster. At the least, you could¡¯ve gone with him,¡¯¡¯ she question her, leaving Yohiro confused at the sudden revelation he hadn¡¯t thought about until then.


    ¡®¡¯You got me,¡¯¡¯ she muttered, ¡®¡¯I just wanted to wander around with little Yohiro here, you see?!¡¯¡¯ She yelled happily, grabbing Yohiro over the neck with her arm, hugging him close and pushing him against her, causing him to gag slightly, beginning to struggle to get out. ¡®¡¯Unsurprisingly, that¡¯s a normal reason for you, but¡­ You¡¯re making an assignment longer and cutting your masturbation time down a lot? If you tell me you just wanted Clous to get beat up or something, i¡¯d be even less surprised,¡¯¡¯ Rosa added to her suspicion, looking her master dead in the face, causing her to look at her feet. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re a good judge of character, Rosa, that I know, but I don¡¯t enjoy being questions, let¡¯s go before something happens,¡¯¡¯ Hiona raised her head, speaking in a serious tone, surprising Rosa. The two of them began walking, with Rosa starting to walk next to them, staying on guard, not from the guards, but from anything Hiona might have been preparing.


    ¡®¡¯Hey, you okay there?¡¯¡¯ A soldier asked Bernie as he stood in place, his little facade about to be revealed. ¡®¡¯Master said to go all out, but if I do¡­¡¯¡¯ he mumbled, gritting his teeth, staying with his back turned against the other soldiers, who quietly took their pistols out, readying them with caution. ¡®¡¯Turn around slowly, or we¡¯ll shoot!¡¯¡¯ One of them ordered, with the other three beside him. Bernie inhaled slowly as he straightened his back, turning around to them. ¡®¡¯I apologize for the inconvenience, but I tend to get panic attacks at points; it¡¯s unfortunately not something I can control,¡¯¡¯ Bernie explained himself, hiding his hand behind his thigh; the same hand that had already began to form back into his actual one due to the magic wearing off. ¡®¡¯Ah, sorry to hear that. I¡¯m also sorry we threatened you, soldier!¡¯¡¯ The man bowed, offering his hand to Bernie, leading him to give his still covered hand, shaking the man¡¯s. ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll be getting back to our duty now, take care,¡¯¡¯ he said, smiling at Bernie as he turned around along with the others, starting to walk away in loud, echoing steps on the floor.


    ¡®¡¯Christ almighty, I don¡¯t deserve what you¡¯re giving me in terms of luck right now,¡¯¡¯ Bernie thought as he fastened his pace, making it to the first floor through the stairs in a few quick steps down them, his eyes widening at the sight of the floor full of soldiers to the brim, causing his heart to begin beating like a rabbit¡¯s, beating so fast, it skipped a beat every once in a while. Bernie looked back, remembering he didn¡¯t get a chance to take care of the man whose appearance he copied, narrowing his eyes at the realisation.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m sorry for this, all of you, but,¡¯¡¯ Bernie took out his book, ¡®¡¯I have my own problems waiting for me, as well!¡¯¡¯ He shouted at the top of his lungs, alerting every soldier on the premises, his voice becoming so loud, even Hiona and Rosa heard it from the fourth floor, which they had just reached. ¡®¡¯The bastard¡¯s going in, then?¡¯¡¯ Rosa spoke to herself, beginning to laugh openly, confusing Yohiro as he looked at her, finding her grinning maliciously, scaring him slightly.


    Bernie¡¯s disguise completely came off, revealing the large man hiding underneath as he snapped his fingers without saying a word, causing the tome to shine, blinding the men as a large metal piece began emerging from it, a small grin emerging on Bernie¡¯s face. ¡®¡¯You think he¡¯s gonna kill them?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked Hiona curiously as they walked past the bodies Clous left bleeding on the ground on his climb. ¡®¡¯Are you kidding me? That fetishing training on his weapon magic SO much, he reached the point of fast incarnation without chanting in that area, something even I couldn¡¯t do. He¡¯s gonna massacre them, at the least!¡¯¡¯ Hiona laughed openly and happily as they peacefully the staircase to the next floor. ¡®¡¯You¡¯ve been pretty passive for a while, Yohiro, is something bothering now?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked him in a soft voice, turning her personality on its head in the span of a few seconds, finding him walking up the stairs with them unenthusiastically. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s just that...my chest is hurting so bad every time I see those men lying there,¡¯¡¯ he responded, leading the two of them to notice the slight shine of the gem in his chest.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t worry about it, that¡¯s how everyone is at first. Except for me; I murdered those fuckers so happily, my own master looked pale, but Rosa was pissing herself on her first assignment, so it¡¯s justified!¡¯¡¯ She tried to ease him, lowering her torso slightly and patting his shoulder, ignoring the embarrassed Rosa on her other side. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll truly grow to like this, and...even do it?¡¯¡¯ He asked her, beginning to tear up as the words left his mouth. ¡®¡¯The latter yes, but enjoying it is subjective. But that¡¯s growing up, after all. You¡¯ll do fine!¡¯¡¯ She encouraged him with a strong slap on the back of the head, causing him to fall while walking up the stairs, hitting his forehead on a step. ¡®¡¯You, hmf, overdid it, master,¡¯¡¯ Rosa addressed Hiona, trying to contain her increasingly loud laughter. ¡®¡¯Shut up, i¡¯m no parent, i¡¯m a thief, assassin, murderer, chef, and decapitator, not a mother! Plus, he wanted to be taught, so he¡¯ll endure i-- What?!¡¯¡¯ Hiona interrupted herself, hearing Yohiro weep under his breath, causing her spas around, confused what to dom leaving Rosa smirking.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m sorry, and to you too, as well as you. All of you, i¡¯m sorry i¡¯m enjoying this as much as I am¡­,¡¯¡¯ Bernie cried apologetically, at the same time as he was smiling joyfully, gunning the men one after the other with a gun, taking in the sound of every bullet leave the gun, land on the men, as well as every little scream of pain as the blood spurted from their body, covering the floor and walls. ¡®¡¯E-enough already,¡¯¡¯ Bernie stopped himself, realising he was shooting at already dead bodies, wasting his magic bullets, letting the gun disappear in his hand, the essence getting absorbed back into the tome. ¡®¡¯Then, this is my job done, isn¡¯t it?¡¯¡¯ He talked to himself as he walked past the blood corpses, stepping inside the center of the room and crouching down. Opening his book, an incredibly large essence began emerging, blowing his hair back as he remained steady on his feet.


    ¡®¡¯That sound¡­ He¡¯s on the first floor, huh?¡¯¡¯ Clous ran through the fifth floor, grabbing the hand of one of the soldiers with a gun faster than he could react, turning the gun the opposite side while still in his hand, and pulling the trigger with his nail, causing to fire as he pushed himself off the ground with his feet, viciously slamming his clenched fist into another guard¡¯s stomach, feeling his arm shake from the strain as he looked at the blood left by the first soldier, grabbing the gun from his hands and pointing it at the on he punched, crouching down. ¡®¡¯Seems like you¡¯re all good-for-nothing, but i¡¯d like to ask before I go: Is there anyone the sixth floor that¡¯s a bigger pain the ass than you?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked as he pressed the barrel of the gun against the man¡¯s cheek as he vomit out of his mouth slightly. ¡®¡¯The soldiers of the lower class a-aren¡¯t allowed on the sixth floor! I don¡¯t know, please don¡¯t kill me, I beg of you!!!¡¯¡¯ The man continued pleading for his life with all he had, watching desperately as Clous raised his elbow, pushing it down on the man¡¯s head, causing him to break his teeth as he closed his jaw. ¡®¡¯Thanks for the ¡®information,¡¯ see ya,¡¯¡¯ Clous whispered to the man as he tossed the gun as far away as he could, standing up.


    ¡®¡¯Hang on, is my deflection magic on a high enough level to reflect or deflect anything from Bernie¡¯s library of magical guns, I wonder,¡¯¡¯ Clous thought as he placed his hand under his chin as he walked away, leaving the man breathing in pain as blood poured from his mouth. ¡®¡¯This mission has been unnaturally easy¡­ I¡¯ve had more trouble wiping out a market place than this, and yet it¡¯s an elite army base,¡¯¡¯ He talked to himself along the way to the sixth and final floor, seeing the stairs in front of him. ¡®¡¯If this is as generic and as poorly managed as i¡¯m thinking, they¡¯ve put their best up there, not realising they wouldn¡¯t have to put all their shitty goons there if they had protected their lower floors better!! They¡¯re making me and Rosa look like masterminds!¡¯¡¯ He boasted to no one as he happily jumped over the steps, whistling to himself with every step, beginning to hear a loud stomp from up there, sighing because he appeared to be fully correct, preoceeding upwards.

 Chapter Twelve: Mission For All, Part Four

    ¡®¡¯The center...here, right?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked as she stepped onto what she considered to be the most centric point of the fifth floor. ¡®¡¯Yeah, sure, sit there or whatever, we¡¯ll go find that fox,¡¯¡¯ Hiona agreed with her, prompting her to sit herself down quickly. ¡®¡¯By the way, the barrier I placed no a lower floor might disappear, so try to be quick, i¡¯m tried enough,¡¯¡¯ Rosa requested, holding herself up with her arms behind her back, placing her palms on the ground. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t pussy-foot the situation; you could kill them in a swoop,¡¯¡¯ Hiona called out her bluff, causing her to scoff as she and Yohiro began walking off, leaving her to sit there. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re a little too carefree, master, you noticed the blood under my nails, but then chose to ignore it, full-well knowing what happens when I overuse my spells. Then again, they¡¯re a bit on the overwhelming side to the body¡­¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought to herself as she raised herself in front of herself, watching small drops of blood drip from her long, sharp nails, hitting the floor, leaving Rosa smiling pitifully, thinking, ¡®¡¯When¡¯d I get so out of shafe, damn it¡­?¡¯¡¯


    Clous stepped onto the sixth floor, finding it brightly lit, to the point of it feeling like he had just woken up, staring at the bright sun, only it the feeling wouldn¡¯t fade away. ¡®¡¯Okay then, more of the goons? Someone with magic bullets to block out the magic I don¡¯t even use?!¡¯¡¯ He shouted as he scratched his right arm with the nails of his left arms, watching as a door opened on the other side of the room, a man entering through it with a gleeful look on his face. He looked plain; wearing a sort of uniform: the shoes were long and black, his pants were colored brown and all generic-like to Clous, and his top was buttoned up. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m a little surprised you didn¡¯t destroy the cameras, you fox,¡¯¡¯ the man said in a smile, annoying Clous.


    ¡®¡¯Look here, bastard, the way your cameras were placed didn¡¯t give me a reason to; you¡¯ve placed them in a simple, not too cautious way. It wouldn¡¯t have made a difference!¡¯¡¯ He explained to the man in a loud shout, clearly lacking enthusiasm. ¡®¡¯Ah, I suppose I can agree to that claim, but the again... I didn¡¯t place the cameras, my friend¡­,¡¯¡¯ the man grinned, shocking  Clous as he raised his fore and middle fingers at the same time. ¡®¡¯One touch,¡¯¡¯ he started, his finger twitching as a small wound suddenly appeared on Clous¡¯ leg, clearing the fur on it and pushing him down on one knee. ¡®¡¯I was informed that something suspicious had been occuring around these parts, therefore here I am: Hiuh Rokenson, though it¡¯s a little weird¡­,¡¯¡¯ he introduced himself in a gentle manner. ¡®¡¯W-weird, huh? The fact you family¡¯s army¡¯s total shit or that a fox made it up here? Which one?¡¯¡¯ Clous smiled at him arrogantly as he pushed himself off the ground with his other, healthy foot, opening his tome immediately.


    ¡®¡¯Memento mori: article 12. Conn--¡¯¡¯ Clous suddenly felt an incredibly amount of pain in his neck, unable to finish his spell, looking down and finding the same kind of would he had on his leg. ¡®¡¯Two touches. No, furry friend, what I meant was the fact I have to waste using my spell on you, a short, mostly pathetic-looking pest of a living creature. It feels like I don¡¯t deserve that honor, in all fairness, as a lowlife myself!¡¯¡¯ Hiuh explained to Clous, with him falling to the ground, doing his best to soften the landing by rolling on impact, gasping and holding his throat in pain after landing, unable to let out an audible incantation.


    ¡®¡¯That, I believe, is the problem with you casual mages and magic users: you have to speak. Though it¡¯s the easiest and most painless way of working you magic, what would happen if you got a sore throat and couldn¡¯t speak properly? Maybe you would die before being able to do anything at all¡­?¡¯¡¯ He began speaking in a harsh tone as he walked towards Clous, watching him stand up on his one foot, shaking as he tried to maintain balance. ¡®¡¯I see. You don¡¯t want to, no, you cannot choose to let yourself be killed or something along those lines? Then may I torture you until your teammates come along? I do not enjoy murdering superior species, to be frank,¡¯¡¯ he smiled happily, widening Clous¡¯ eyes as he extended his hand towards him, making his heart thump quickly, faster and faster with each second. ¡®¡¯Khyu mghic¡­,¡¯¡¯ Clous groggily forced the words out, feeling as if his throat was being stabbed from the inside. ¡®¡¯My magic? Is that what you said?¡¯¡¯ Hiuh asked him as he pulled his hand away, forming the same motion with his two fingers.


    ¡®¡¯This, you mean? I believe explaining your capabilities to your adversary is moronic, unneeded and quite honestly cliched, going by the story books my parents read to me; all of them had the villain reveal their evil plan to the hero, leading him to defeat him in a weird, unbelievable manner. I would be very displeased if I ended up doing that,¡¯¡¯ he explained it, pointing his fingers upwards as he spoke, helping Clous realise that Hiuh was one to ramble. ¡®¡¯Now I will ask you a question, if that is okay?¡¯¡¯ He asked as he sat down, placing his arms on his legs in a respectful tone, causing Clous to nod. ¡®¡¯If I can¡¯t do a thing to this son of a bitch, maybe I can buy a few short seconds for master to come and kill ¡®im¡­!¡¯¡¯ Is what Clous thought. ¡®¡¯Say, while sitting down, of course, are your subordinates strong at all?¡¯¡¯ Hiuh asked as he leaned over, staring Clous dead in the eyes, not even at a three centimeter distance, his eyes looking tired adna narrowed, thin with a small iris in each one.


    Clous nodded, not wanting to take any risks about the young man¡¯s judge of character. ¡®¡¯Your turn, ask me something. This is fun~!¡¯¡¯ Hiuh said, trying to be enthusiastic, ending up sounding dull. Clous placed both his hands of the floor, getting his attention, beginning to write letter with his fingers, making a slight scraping sound with his nail, making out the message of ¡®¡¯Are you alone, then?¡¯¡¯ Hiuh hummed slightly, poking Clous¡¯ nose slightly, completely ignoring the question, leading for Clous to slap his hand away in anger. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t be rough, p-please¡­!¡¯¡¯ Hiuh begged, slapping his hands together and bowing. ¡®¡¯What am I, this guy¡¯s deity?!¡¯¡¯ Clous thought in embarrassment as he heard heavy-footed steps each the top of the stairs, making him grin happily. ¡®¡¯Okay, time to kill them. Thank you very much, my furry friend, for killing some time with me until they arrived!¡¯¡¯ Hiun expressed his gratitude, bowing in front of Clous again, shocking him. ¡®¡¯He realised I was stalling?! That fucking bastard!¡¯¡¯ Clous clenched his fist, slamming it against the ground in anger, feeling as if he had ruined the entire operation with his moment of idiocy.


    ¡®¡¯Ah, Clous, hey there!¡¯¡¯ Hiona waved at the wounded Clous, staring at him with a happy expression, as if she couldn¡¯t even see his pathetic state. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re his accomplices, no?¡¯¡¯ Hiuh asked nonchalantly, pointing at Hiona with his two fingers, causing Clous to wave his hands at her inaudibly, with her ignoring him completely. Yohiro ran over to Clous, beginning to pull him away, Hiuh pointing his fingers at him in the blink of an eye. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t touch him, young one! Let him lay there, now!¡¯¡¯ His calm persona broke down as he began shouting at Yohiro, attempting to maintain his polite tone. ¡®¡¯And you should lower those fingers, big boy, you might regret it if you don¡¯t,¡¯¡¯ Hiona whispered to the man, standing behind him, widening his eyes as she had locked him in place, pressing the edge of a knife against his back. ¡®¡¯Look away from me and you¡¯ll end up looking worse than those motherfuckers I ended up slaughtering down there. Moreover, you fucking tool, point those fingers at the fox and not at the kid, right now¡­,¡¯¡¯ Hiona continued whispering in his ears, causing him to react accordingly, pointing them directly at Clous¡¯ chest.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡®¡¯You inferior, brute!¡¯¡¯ He yelled, feeling the top of the knife pierce through his uniform as the material began ripping, filling him with fear as he started shaking. ¡®¡¯Yeah, i¡¯m a brute, that¡¯s for sure, but wanna hear something funny? Do you? DO you~~~?!¡¯¡¯ She megan smiling as she spoke in a mocking tone, leaving Clous and Yohiro speechless as Hiona gave them a sign not to move with her free hand. ¡®¡¯That fox lowlife is my companion, along with that boy there. He¡¯s actually one of my best, more than that, he could be almost as good as me, but I gave him a low rank, just because I like hating him! Isn¡¯t that funny to hear, huh?!¡¯¡¯ She escalated the situation, pushing the knife inside Hiuh¡¯s back, causing him to screech, with her refusing to let him fall on his knees, keeping him up with her other hand.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re not human, you bitch¡­!¡¯¡¯ He muttered to her as she began moving the knife inside his would violently, soaking the uniform¡¯s top in blood. Clous grabbed Yohiro by the shoulder, pushing his head down, making him take his eyes off from the scene unfolding before him, from which he couldn¡¯t look away until that point. ¡®¡¯I figured it out, you know. The way you help up your fingers gave it out to me! You¡¯ve got a weapon transferred into magic essence and them put into your blood. Sounds dumb every time I hear about that stupid trend!¡¯¡¯ She yelled, putting the entire blade of the knife inside his back, making him scream loudly. ¡®¡¯S...St,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro muttered under his breath as he kneeled down, confusing Clous. He picked up a piece of rubble from the ground, clenching it inside his fist as he stood up. Hiona¡¯s eyes widened in shock as the gem on Yohiro¡¯s chest began emitting a strong light through the shirt as he cried loudly, wiping the tears with his hand. ¡®¡¯STOP THAT ALREADY!!!¡¯¡¯ He shouted in desperation, throwing the little rock, with it flying out of his hand quickly, hitting Hiona on the side of the head, tilting her head to the side from the unbelievably strong blow, causing her to let go of Hiuh, holding the side of her head with both her hands in pain, still smiling maliciously.


    Clous looked at Yohiro in shock, watching him pant as he fell to his knees, breaking into a waterfall of tears, the shine of the gem disappearing as he slammed his flittle fist into the floor. ¡®¡¯Die, you wretch!!¡¯¡¯ Hiuh yelled as he pointed his fingers, causing a wound to appear directly on Hiona¡¯s forehead, putting her down immediately, her body falling on the ground in a loud thud, leaving the room silent, the only sound coming from Yohiro who was gagging at the horrific sight. ¡®¡¯You fucking demon! Was that enough for you?! Huh?!¡¯¡¯ He yelled as he did it again, rapidly shooting, landing on in her palm and another in her thigh. ¡®¡¯Stop that, please!!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shouted as he ran forward, grabbing Hiuh¡¯s leg. ¡®¡¯Let go of me, runt! You and I are both humans, meaning we¡¯re both lowlifes! I wouldn¡¯t care if I killed you now!¡¯¡¯ He continued yelling at Yohiro, unintentionally spitting in his face, acting on adrenaline.


    ¡®¡¯Aww, but i¡¯d care if you did¡­,¡¯¡¯ they heard a bratty tone, looking down at Hiona, finding her fully conscious, looking at them with frustration. ¡®¡¯Wh-what?! How the fuck are you alive?!¡¯¡¯ He pointed his fingers at her again, starting to shake as his arm muscles began pulsating under his sleeve. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m out?! I¡¯m out of magic essence?!¡¯¡¯ He screeched, beginning to feel desperate. ¡®¡¯See, when you chose to call me a demon, you were slightly off, my guy,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said with nonchalance, pushing herself off the floor, standing up. ¡®¡¯I¡¯d say more of a¡­ Hmm, let me think for a second actually. I¡¯ve never named my being,¡¯¡¯ she mumbled, watching Hiuh and Clous¡¯ shocked expressions, both of them confirming that Hiuh had shot her. ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s call it an Etersus, maybe? Doesn¡¯t have a real meaning in the language department, but it¡¯s just a name, it doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡¯¡¯ She quickly exterminated the smile she previously had on her face, turning it into a frown. ¡®¡¯Though i¡¯m not dead, I didn¡¯t wanna waste another one of me; it¡¯d leave me with only two more of me, you know. That¡¯s not enough by far,¡¯¡¯ she explained to him vaguely, crouching down in front of him.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s funny how you insulted me up until now, but you appear to be a sadist. What¡¯s that, five and a half inches? Close to six?¡¯¡¯ She asked him as she stared at him from below, angering him. ¡®¡¯You really ARE a demon! How did that not kill you?!¡¯¡¯ He yelled, watching her pull out her tome, having lost the ability to raise his arm. ¡®¡¯I just explained it to you, dumbass, I don¡¯t know what I am; i¡¯m a creature.¡¯¡¯ She said again, annoyed that her cool ¡®¡¯explanation¡¯¡¯ hadn¡¯t been understood, flipping through her pages and placing her hand hand on the book. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m angry, both at you and that boy I enjoy cuddling with so much, so i¡¯m gonna take it ALL out on you,¡¯¡¯ she warned him in a soft tone. Hiuh snapped, raising his foot in an attempt to kick her, instinctively getting his foot caught between her head and shoulder as she tilted her head, completely trapping it. ¡®¡¯Come now, you think anything you do is gonna harm me? My reflexes are quite superior? While on the topic, what¡¯s your trigger word? Inferior or superior?¡¯¡¯ She stalled, increasing the pressure on his foot, beginning to break it, with him not being able to even let out a scream at that point. ¡®¡¯¡¯Aian Yosei: article 20. Connect~~~!¡¯¡¯ She let out, as if trying to sing, causing wing to begin coming out of her tome, strong enough to blow Hiuh back, pushing him to the ground along with Yohiro, who had already stepped away slightly.


    She stood up, taking a step next to him and turning the book on him, taking his hand and placing it on top of it. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re so scared and confused that you can¡¯t even move, how adorable. I¡¯ll keep you unsafe, and I won¡¯t look after you. Goodbye.¡¯¡¯ She said in a half-serious voice, watching ruthlessly as his hand began getting absorbed into her tome, the entire room beginning to shake as it began pulling him in, quickly sucking his entire body in. She closed the book, relieving the room from the strong stream of wind as she sighed. ¡®¡¯Hey, you guys stay back, i¡¯ll finish out assignment¡­,¡¯¡¯ she ordered them with a smile as she turned her back to them. Clous had never seen her do such a thing; a thing so inhumanly horrifying, but then again she herself had said she wasn¡¯t human, which inclined him to know more, yet he couldn¡¯t ask her anything. Yohiro stepped back, feeling as if he didn¡¯t he would die in an instant; his heart would stop or his eyes would stop working, that¡¯s what he felt. Both of them felt an inexplicable feeling, a stronger version that they had never felt before: mortal fear towards their master.

 Chapter Thirteen: Mission Complete.

    Yohiro¡¯s mind has gone to shambles, not only because of the fatigue he was experiencing, but also because of the complete brutal, disguting scene that had unraveled before his and Clous¡¯ eyes. He wasn¡¯t thankful he was alive, or that he was safe. He was scared that he was saved by a person who was by all definitions and in every possible way worse than the person who she saved him from. ¡®¡¯The two of you should stand back for now, okay?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked them with a lively smile on her face, ignoring the wounds and spots left on her by Hiuh, who was no longer there, as well as the one left on her at the right side of the head by Yohiro. She chanted under her breath, contacting Bernie. ¡®¡¯Yo, big guy, ready the cannon, okay?¡¯¡¯ She started speaking casually, getting a quick ¡®¡¯Y-yes, master,¡¯¡¯ from the simply surprised Bernie. ¡®¡¯Contact Rosa and give her the news, too, if you would be so kind,¡¯¡¯ she requested of him, closing the book before he could give her an answer, full-well knowing he wouldn¡¯t protest.


    ¡®¡¯Master¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro stood up, getting her attention. ¡®¡¯What did you to that man? Where did you send him?!¡¯¡¯ He asked her in an angered tone, walking up to her, not realising she was still trying to refrain her anger and displeasure. ¡®¡¯In my tome, where else? He¡¯s not really enough to fill up a stock, but he¡¯s at least a quarter. He¡¯s dead, so don¡¯t mind it,¡¯¡¯ she gace him the vaguest of answers, confusing him more than relieving him. ¡®¡¯Clous, I don¡¯t know any healing spells, Rosa and Bernie don¡¯t either, so you gotta deal for about an hour until we¡¯re outta here, got it, you tough bastard?¡¯¡¯ She explained the situation to him, asking for his already assured consent, watching him scoff at her, holding the wound on his neck with his hand, holding himself sat up with the other.


    Hiona had a fact she couldn¡¯t connect herself: What mage from this district would be able to give Hiuh such power, that of a firearm turned into pure magical essence, then placed inside the nerve system. She couldn¡¯t think of anyone, despite having been through the entire district at several points before. The three of them heard a loud sound from down below, with Clous and Hiona confirming it was Bernie since the whole building began shaking below them. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, take Clous and move aside, now,¡¯¡¯ she ordered him as she opened her tome once more. Yohiro followed her orders reluctantly, though that word could not be used here. It was fear fused in with respect, with a grain on twisted admiration in-between. He moved Clous to the side, pulling him by the armpits and listening to his muffled and painful-sounding sighs.


    The shaking stopped, only to return in a sudden bang, a powerful blast of magic leaving the cannon Bernie had prepared, breaking through the very material of the building, continuing to climb to the upper floors. Rosa had already prepared herself, holding a glinting ring while on the fifth floor, making it as large as she could a she tried to step as far away from the blast range as possible, while still trying to keep the ring balanced and centered. The blast finally reached the fifth floor, stopping at Rosa¡¯s ring. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s you from here on out, master. Take care of it!¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought as she clapped, watching the blast increase in size and continue to bust upwards.


    ¡®¡¯Aian Yosei: article 19. Connect.¡¯¡¯ Hiona muttered to herself, stepping back as the blast from the cannon bust through the floor, landing in the large mirror she had just created with her tome. They watched in bewilderment as she snapped her fingers, deflecting it towards the other wall, causing an explosion so large that even Hiona flew back, hitting her back against the wall, with Clous and Yohiro following suit.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As the afterglow of the explosion faded away, with poor Yohiro staring with his eyes wide, Clous began waving his arms violently at Hiona from away, still coughing from the large amount of smoke. ¡®¡¯You realised it already? That¡¯s a little too soon¡­,¡¯¡¯ she frowned childishly, starting to walk towards what could previously be called a ¡®¡¯wall,¡¯¡¯ now only being an open hole. ¡®¡¯Ye~~ah, the cannon was unnecessary, but it was so flashy and cannon-ey, wasn¡¯t it?!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled at him with a childish expression, pointing at the complete nothing left of what there was before, leaving Clous at the end of hope, looking down in disappointment.


    ¡®¡¯And as a bonus, we killed all the motherfuckers that were watching the cameras inside! That¡¯s awesome, too,¡¯¡¯ she calmed herself down, walking over to the remains of the room, only stopping as something clicked inside her head. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, dear, please tell the others to return to the location of the glyph and leave!!¡¯¡¯ She yelled over to him, shaking him from his frozen state of shock and prompting him to jump into a scaredly energetic step, running over to the hole left from Bernie¡¯s cannon blast, shaking slightly with each step.


    ¡®¡¯Ah- Um, Mr. Rosa, Mr. Bernie! Please return to the glyph and leave the building¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro pulled out as much strength as he could, warning them as he rose his voice. ¡®¡¯I see, then! We¡¯ll see you guys later, in that case!¡¯¡¯ Rosa responded with tiredness in her voice, jumping through the hole, descending quickly, ultimately getting caught by Bernie on the first floor. ¡®¡¯Come on, carry me up there, please. I¡¯m dying,¡¯¡¯ she said nonchalantly, watching Bernie¡¯s equally exhausted expression, stepping down from his arms by herself, patting his shoulder. ¡®¡¯L-let¡¯s just go, Bernie¡­¡¯¡¯ She said, with him nodding, the two of them beginning to walk through the corpses left on the ground.


    ¡®¡¯Here we go¡­!¡¯¡¯ Hiona happily let out as she found a small metal case at the corner of the room, covered in rubble. ¡®¡¯You guys, I found the fucking jackpot! Mission complete!¡¯¡¯ She exclaimed, waving at the as she picked up the case after checking and confirming the amount of money inside. ¡®¡¯That thing looks smaller than what it takes me to pack my clothes, you bitch!¡¯¡¯ Is what Clous tried to and wanted to yell out, stopped by his sheer fear and by his unusable throat. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s actually kinda heavy. Neat,¡¯¡¯ she thought as she ran over to them with the case in hand. ¡®¡¯A hundred thousand bucks! We did it, guys,¡¯¡¯ she happily offered her hand to them, confused as to why Clous was staring into the distance. Then he realised it: They had attacked an army base, murdered a very large handful of people and he himself got majorly hurt, just for one hundred thousand. He gave up, completely leaning backwards and closing his eyes. ¡®¡¯He had enough already¡­? I wanted to annoy him a little more, though!¡¯¡¯ Hiona thought as she looked at Yohiro, who was counting on his fingers, trying to find out how much one hundred thousand was, which was troublesome considering he didn¡¯t know what the number one hundred was worth.


    ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t bother, youngling, it¡¯s a lot,¡¯¡¯ she gave him a cheering smile, only to receive an obviously fake one in return, given away by his continuously dropping nervous sweat and just how much his lips were shaking. ¡®¡¯Okay hen, we¡¯re going home before someone unwanted shows up. I¡¯ll carry the rodent,¡¯¡¯ she declared, grabbing the already fallen asleep Clous, putting him on her shoulder.


    They walked through the blood halls silently, Hiona watching neutrally and Yohiro trying to not express his fear too obviously, feeling as if she would scold him if he did. They reached the room, entering it as Yohiro forced his lips to open, like opening a bottle after struggling for an hour, ¡®¡¯S-say, master, do you really dislike Clous as much as you said you did?¡¯¡¯ He said innocently, watching her stop walking suddenly. ¡®¡¯A lot, Yohiro. I ¡®dislike¡¯ Clous a lot. Now let¡¯s leave,¡¯¡¯ she answered his question in a split second, as if not even needing to think about it, causing Yohiro to look at the unconscious Clous with concern as they stepped into the glyph one after the other.

 Chapter Fourteen: Refusal To Expand.

    ''''Come again, young lad?¡¯¡¯ A man with a wise appearance spoke from a throne, wearing fancy clothes, while rocking a decently long beard to go along with it. They consisted of large, puffed out pants with stripes and a pompous top, finishing the picture off with a beautiful necklace around his neck, a white swallow engraved on it. ¡®¡¯Yes, sir! After a long time in the library, I discovered that beastmen and people from feral species in general leave a lot less fingerprints due to their skin composition mixed with the fur,¡¯¡¯ Daron explained to the chubby man as he stood on one knee, holding his head down. ¡®¡¯Ah, I see. Did you clean after yourself in the library? Did you put the books away, I mean?¡¯¡¯ The man asked as he gave an innocent smile. ¡®¡¯I-i mean, yes, but that¡¯s not the thing you should be focusing on, my king!¡¯¡¯ Daron exclaimed, trying to get the king back on track.


    ¡®¡¯I see, I see¡­ Then you have deducted who was in The Tree¡¯s gallery room?¡¯¡¯ He asked, leaning backwards. ¡®¡¯Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t, though we¡¯ve now narrowed the list down by almost half the population residing in the city,¡¯¡¯ he further explained, leaving the man to humm. ¡®¡¯So be it, then. Young man, may I give you the duty of narrowing that list even more?¡¯¡¯ The man stood up from his seat, beginning to take slow, underachieving steps towards Daron, shocking him a little with his words. ¡®¡¯P-please elaborate, lord¡­¡¯¡¯ Daron pleaded as he felt a pat on his back, prompting him to quickly raise his head.


    ¡®¡¯I shall provide you with the tools and you will provide me with an unfolded mystery. WOuld that sit okay with you? I ask you this because you appear quite stressed out, no?¡¯¡¯ The man began giggling, watching Daron¡¯s eyes light up with a sudden burst of happiness. ¡®¡¯You truly believe i¡¯m worth that responsibility, sit?! I¡¯m nothing but a middle class soldier!¡¯¡¯ Daron tried to confirm the claim, standing up and facing the man in admiration. ¡®¡¯Well, not everyone would waste that many hours, just doing research if they weren¡¯t loyal to me, would they?¡¯¡¯ He reassured Daron, patting his shoulder with a gentle,open hand. ¡®¡¯Run along now, lad, i¡¯ll have a team sent to you by tomorrow!¡¯¡¯ The elderly man raised his voice and his hand in an inspiring manner. ¡®¡¯Yes, my king! Thanks you so much for granting me this honor!!¡¯¡¯ Daron expressed his gratitude openly in a bow before beginning to walk out the surprisingly small throne room, which wasn¡¯t that much bigger than a bedroom. In fact, it was the king¡¯s large bedroom, as untidy as a child¡¯s would be.


    But alas, the king told a heartless lie; it hadn¡¯t been a reward for his efforts, but rather it was him playing favorites and seeing how far the young man would go for his king. ¡®¡¯This is fantastic! Absolutely amazing!¡¯¡¯ Daron happily praised himself under his breath as he walked back to his room in the castle, stopping abruptly and looking around. He had remembered, at that very moment as his eyes looked at the grim and depressing black bricks the wall was made out of, as well as the flaming torches attached to that same wall, lighting up the path for them to walk. It was the tradition of the king¡¯s family: to keep yourself connected to the roots of time, but everyone thought of it as, ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t advance along with the outside world or the normal people.¡¯¡¯ Everyone admitted it was a weird tradition at the very best, but they all respected it. However, it was a tradition applying mostly for the household of the an of the family, therefore the castle stayed back in time.


    Daron continued walking down the hall, still not letting anything overwhelm his happiness with any other feeling, until he saw a long shadow approach him from beyond the turn of the hallway. It approached along with soft steps, echoing through the area. Daron found them familiar, beginning to feel inclined to find out who it was. He stepped forward, turning his head to the right and only finding a short young lady walking towards the direction he was coming from, surprising her with his sudden appearance, causing to stop in her tracks in a shiver. ¡®¡¯Ah, young lady, it¡¯s you,¡¯¡¯ Daron let out softly. It had been the king¡¯s daughter, Touka, though that wasn¡¯t really her name.


    ¡®¡¯D-do I know you¡­?¡¯¡¯ The young girl asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable in the presence of he tired Daron, with him noticing she was wearing that same dress she always wore when she was going to see her father. Daron was quite the fan of the royal family, that appreciation turning into infatuation when he actually became a member of the castle. ¡®¡¯Of course you don¡¯t know me, there¡¯s no way you would. I¡¯m pleased to make your acquaintance, though,¡¯¡¯ he bowed respectfully, with the ulterior motive to hide the bags under his eyes at the same time.


    ¡®¡¯Thank-- I mean, I am grateful for your diligence, young lad,¡¯¡¯ she praised him, feeling more at ease. ¡®¡¯Is it some trend for people to call me that, by any chance?¡¯¡¯ He asked as he raised his head swiftly. ¡®¡¯No, not at all. My father calls everyone that; he even calls me ¡®young lass¡¯ sometimes,¡¯¡¯ she explained to him, chuckling midway. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m gon-- I shall be going now,¡¯¡¯ she corrected herself once again, walking past him and heading towards her father¡¯s room. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s hard to believe someone so clumsy has managed to become the youngest human to get a tome¡­ But I suppose it¡¯s in their blood to be superior.¡¯¡¯ Daron thought as he went he own way, hearing the door to the king¡¯s bedroom open as he walked towards his own.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Meanwhile, back at a familiar base. ¡®¡¯There¡¯s this thing called health; heard of it, you furry bastard?¡¯¡¯ Rosa scolded Clous, who was sitting on the couch, smoking a cigarette in spite of his still damaged throat his hurt foot on a pillow, which was placed on the coffee table. He scoffed, ignoring her concerned, albeit rude, remarks. ¡®¡¯This is fucking stupid! Bernie¡¯s pretty much in hibernation from overuse of magic, my nails are gonna fall off, the root sperm is in the master¡¯s room, who¡¯s masturbatting at the same time! The hell is this?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa yelled, clearly annoyed with the current situation. Clous endured her banter, staring at the wall and trying to clear his mind of everything. Rosa sat down, taking the cigarette right out of Clous mouth, immediately angering him. ¡®¡¯Shut up, you have five other boxes, let me have a bit; i¡¯m no less stressed,¡¯¡¯ she told him in a depressed tone, beginning to smoke from it as well. Little did she know, Clous wasn¡¯t stressed, exhausted or anything remotely like it. He was relieved he was finally back, for the time away from Hiona, and waiting for their reward to be given to them.


    Hiona had made sure to take care of anything they could use to track them before leaving, pretty much giving them the right to relax at last. There were things still clouding his mind, however: The things Hiona did back at the army base. Stocks? ¡®¡¯More of her¡¯¡¯? He couldn¡¯t exactly figure it out and also didn¡¯t want to make assumptions when it came to her anyway, so he chose to let it lay dormant for the time being. He also couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t want to tell the other what had happened, for reasons he believes Yohiro also believed in. In the end, half of them are oblivious to the situation.


    ¡®¡¯M-master¡­? Weren¡¯t you going to teach me how to fight like you?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, sitting with his legs crossed in the corner of Hiona¡¯s room, staring at his finger out of bored as he didn¡¯t pay any mind to Hiona¡¯s moans from under her covers. ¡®¡¯Ah, y-yes. Due to you h-hmm-hurting me during our first mission together, you¡¯ll have to wait patiently,¡¯¡¯ she explained half-assedly, continuing to mind her own business. ¡®¡¯May I go see Clous?¡¯¡¯ He asked as he stood up, receiving a quick and hard to distinguish ¡®¡¯yes,¡¯¡¯ leading him to leave the room quietly, remembering to close the door behind himself. ¡®¡¯She said I hurt her, but...my body was moving on its own, or so I felt,¡¯¡¯ he pouted under his breath as he walked over to Clous, springing onto to the cough, finding Rosa asleep with the cigarette about to fall out from her mouth, only holding itself attached by the saliva on her lips.


    ¡®¡¯Are you getting better, Clous?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro turned to Clous, getting met with a slap across the face, along with a grumpy half-smile from Clous. ¡®¡¯What did I do now?!¡¯¡¯ He asked in a guilty tone, watching as Clous placed his finger on the side of his head. ¡®¡¯Because I hit master Hina. Right¡­?¡¯¡¯ He asked as he out his thin legs on the table as well, subtly comparing them to Clous¡¯ short legs. Clous nodded, rubbing the spot on his neck with frustration. He felt useless at that point. ¡®¡¯I want to tell you you¡¯re no--¡¯¡¯ Yohiro tried to make feel at ease as the door to Hiona¡¯s room slammed open, waking up Rosa, causing her to drop the already extinguished piece of tobacco. ¡®¡¯Okay, y¡¯all, actually just Yohiro, who¡¯s ready for training from the great Hiona?!¡¯¡¯ She shouted, scaring the three of them and causing for Clous to crawl off the cough, beginning hiding behind the side of it in an instant, like the fox he was. ¡®¡¯Hurry, candy ball, i¡¯m taking you to a special place; I trained Bernie there once upon a time.¡¯¡¯ She explained as she walked over to him, not wearing the large iron booths for once, walking around only on her feet. ¡®¡¯Yes, master¡­¡¯¡¯ He said, standing up, lacking all enthusiasm. ¡®¡¯What, don¡¯t tell me you got fucking depressed, Yohiro! That¡¯s for the bitches, like Rosa and Clous!¡¯¡¯ She raised a finger, acting like she had slept for weeks, finally having been woken up by her mother in the evening.


    ¡®¡¯No, not really. I just feel my stomach growling and my head hurts a little,¡¯¡¯ he explained it to her, disappointing her. ¡®¡¯You would be better off depressed, then.¡¯¡¯ She said with a straight face, with Rosa and Clous not even being able to respond to her childish behavior, because she had taken it to the point of where no one could say anything anymore. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll get you something to eat along the way to the place, and your head will feel better from the breeze. Let¡¯s go!¡¯¡¯ She tried to persuade him energetically, confusing them as she wasn¡¯t acting like herself. ¡®¡¯Yes, let¡¯s go, then,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro agreed, faintly smiling and trying to look at the positives as Hiona retreated to her room to get her boots and robe, and Yohiro sneaking a peek at the gem, finding it behaving normally, not shining or anything. He almost felt inclined to touch it and dive back into that little room with the large tree and the door, but he resisted, beginning to stretch his arms in preparation, not noticing how Clous and Rosa quietly mocked him, making fun of what he considered to be ¡®¡¯stretching¡¯¡¯.

 Chapter Fifteen: The First Blade.

    Hiona had enthusiastically taken the reluctant Yohiro out of the group base, walking around the city in her lack robe with Yohiro by her side. ¡®¡¯Where exactly are we going¡­?¡¯¡¯ He asked her, attempting to be positive, while harboring a bit of worry. ¡®¡¯The place where I trained the others, where else?¡¯¡¯ She responded, not answering his easy to answer question, making him suspicious. Though, there was something that Yohiro was beginning to realise that day: He had began to speak in a more forming pattern and was feeling more nimble despite his body not having changed at all. He felt a bit more alive and happy in the world.


    ¡®¡¯This is the place, Yohiro,¡¯¡¯ she stopped after not even ten minutes in front of a building with a glowing sign saying ¡®¡¯Yopparai,¡¯¡¯ with a slightly faded sign outside, depicting a woman holding a glass of alcohol. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s this place used for?¡¯¡¯ He asked Hiona, looking up at her. ¡®¡¯Poot place used to be a sex house; now it¡¯s kinda not. Let¡¯s say I rent it from time to time when I come here with my friends from the city.¡¯¡¯ She once again didn¡¯t give him too much information, entering the building. ¡®¡¯Master...really goes to a lot of old places,¡¯¡¯ he glanced at the sign once again before entering the building, catching up to Hiona with a few steps.


    ¡®¡¯For your info, we¡¯ll be staying here for a week; you won¡¯t be seeing the other failures for a bit,¡¯¡¯ she explained nonchalantly, yawning openly right afterwards before Yohiro had the time to process the sentence. ¡®¡¯Wh-- But why?! Why that long?!¡¯¡¯ He immediately shouted, stopping Hiona after taking a hop and taking a stand in front of her. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s rude, you kn--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Please answer my question!¡¯¡¯ He yelled, his voice echoing through the stairway going downwards. ¡®¡¯I need to you to develop your muscles, and teach you how to swing a weapon for the time being,¡¯¡¯ she explained, fully convinced seven days would be enough for that purpose. ¡®¡¯You don¡¯t trust me with that much, even after what I did to protect you?¡± She asked him in a  low voice, shooting daggers at him with her eyes without him realising. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s¡­¡¯¡¯ He stopped in discouragement. ¡®¡¯You poor soul,¡¯¡¯ she leaned forward, embracing him, ¡®¡¯...I made you frightened, didn¡¯t I¡­?¡¯¡¯ She asked, whispering to him all of a sudden, confusing him completely. ¡®¡¯WELL TOUGH SHIT!!¡¯¡¯ She switched gears, shouting loudly in his ears, to the point of causing him to fall off his feet. ¡®¡¯You think fear means anything? I killed that man, and you¡¯re the one that¡¯s shook. See the problem here?!¡¯¡¯ She scolded him, opening his eyes wide. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m gonna shape you into what I expect of a member of my group, which is to say less of a bitch than them,¡¯¡¯ she finished, starting to walk down the stairs again, leaving him shocked in place.


    He wiped the frown off his face and grit his teeth as he stood up. ¡®¡¯FINE THEN!¡¯¡¯ He yelled at her, starting to run down the stairs, running past her in an instant as she was walking calmly. ¡®¡¯If a week is all you need, i¡¯ll listen,¡¯¡¯ he continued,¡¯¡¯ but I don¡¯t like it whatsoever!¡¯¡¯ His echoed loudly, causing a smile to appear on Hiona¡¯s face. ¡®¡¯Dumbass¡­ No one likes it at the start. Some don¡¯t like it later on either, but that depends on him,¡¯¡¯ she thought as she picked up the pace.


    Yohiro reached the ending of the stairs, finding a completely destroyed room at the end of it, faintly resembling a bar. Although it was completely run-down, the center of the room itself was completely clean, even flawlessly clean. ¡®¡¯Like it?¡¯¡¯ She asked, startling him from behind. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s a shocker that they didn¡¯t destroy this place, but it does for a good training room, but you probably figured that out already,¡¯¡¯ she smiled at him with anticipation, suddenly making him regret his agreement to the situation. ¡®¡¯I stored a few things for this kinda thing in the back. Sit there while I take them, muffin,¡¯¡¯ she ordered him as she hurried over to a door, no, not even a door, but an open hole in the wall, crouching and entering the dirty place as Yohiro found himself sitting down in the center of the room.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡®¡¯I wonder if Clous and Mr. Bernie are getting any better¡­?¡¯¡¯ He thought as he heard the clanking of metal to the right, making him feel uneasy. ¡®¡¯T-there¡¯s also the problem of fo--¡¯¡¯ he tried to distract himself, hearing a loud thud from Hiona¡¯s direction, making him shake slightly as he witnessed her push a long box out the hole, sending it strudding on the floor, the sound of metal against metal coming from inside it. Hiona followed suit, exiting in crawl, standing up and patting the dust off her clothes. ¡®¡¯Chop, cop, open the box now, before I get choppy myself,¡¯¡¯ she commanded, taking the black robe off and throwing it on the ground, proceeding to stretch her arms upwards in a grunt as Yohiro stood up, walking over to the box and opening it.


    Inside it were rugged weapons of all kinds: swords, spears, gloves, a hammer, etcetera. ¡®¡¯You can pick one of those and i¡¯ll use my hands. If you feel like you can¡¯t use the weapon, switch to another until you feel comfortable, is that easy enough to understand?¡¯¡¯ She explained everything to him. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll have to hit you, master?!¡¯¡¯ He yelled as he stood up in a jump. ¡®¡¯Oh you¡¯re gonna HAVE to, but it depends of the ¡®can you¡¯ here,¡¯¡¯ she said as she wagged her finger in front of his face, pointing at the box with a grim smile. He realised there was no other way out of this situation, so he got on one knee, shoving his hands inside the wooden crate-like box, grabbing the first thing he touched; a shortsword. He took it out immediately, confused at the sheer heaviness of it, concentrated on it so much that he didn¡¯t realise Hiona had circled around him, standing at the other side of the room, tapping her foot by then.


    ¡®¡¯If you can swing it, come at me with all you¡¯ve got!¡¯¡¯ She demanded from him, taking a stance slowly, extending her foot forward and placing her right hand behind her back, placing the left one forward, with her right leg sitting there neutrally. ¡®¡¯I-i don¡¯t think I can do this, though¡­!¡¯¡¯ He said, his hand shaking as he held the sword, angering Hiona. ¡®¡¯Alright, I won¡¯t force you to attack me,¡¯¡¯ she said, breaking her stance and standing straight-up, relieving Yohiro before parting her lips once more, ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll be the one attacking, then!¡¯¡¯ She grinned ear-to-ear, leaping towards him immediately, shocking him as she lander her fist in his stomach, taking him down without breaking a sweat, and watching him hit the ground, beginning to grope his stomach as he gagged on his saliva.


    ¡®¡¯If you can¡¯t attack me, you gotta learn to protect yourself. Those are the two parallels of fighting, or so I see it,¡¯¡¯ she explained as she watching him turn his head to her, looking up at her with a trace of utter hatred, lighting her eyes up. ¡®¡¯Come on, get up, we¡¯re going for round two,¡¯¡¯ she grabbed his arm, pulling him up effortlessly and placing him on his two feet, her eyes widening as she noticed his poor attempt to swing at her, unable to make a full swing. ¡®¡¯Good, already trying to play dirty, that¡¯s how it¡¯s done around here!¡¯¡¯ She praised him, patting his head. ¡®¡¯Now, after what you, uh, didn¡¯t manage to show me, i¡¯ve determined a training program for someone like you. For the first step--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯You...going too fast,¡¯¡¯ he interrupter her as he mumbled under his breath. ¡®¡¯Too fast? This isn¡¯t turtle hermit training; I don¡¯t have whole months to teach you how to swing a sword, after all!¡¯¡¯ She joked around, smiling cheerfully, but that smile looked like a sadist¡¯s to Yohiro. ¡®¡¯In all seriousness, however...if I don¡¯t wanna turn into a liar, i¡¯ll have to whip into shape, and continue whipping on top of that to make you better,¡¯¡¯ she said seriously to him, watching him breath in and out. ¡®¡¯I promise to do my best¡­!¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Sixteen: Baby Steps.

    ¡®¡¯Swing faster and with more vigor!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled at Yohiro, watching him charge at her, making a traceable swing from the side. Hiona twister her foot, grabbing Yohiro¡¯s arm mid-swing, beginning to hold it in a strong grip, causing him to drop the shortsword in pain, squealing and trying to pull away. ¡®¡¯Five hours; it¡¯s been five hours, Yohiro¡­ Why can¡¯t you swing?¡¯¡¯ She asked in a depressed tone, letting go of his arm and watching him immediately begin to rub it with his other hand, caressing the spot she was holding. ¡®¡¯It hurts, though! My hands have splinters from gripping it too much!¡¯¡¯ He tried to make an excuse, his body covered in bruises from getting thrown around by Hiona, while she was standing there, perfectly fine.


    ¡®¡¯Okay then, how about an ultimatum: Hit me by the end of the week and you get something from me, but if you don¡¯t you¡¯ll shove a lit cigarette in Clous¡¯ eye!¡¯¡¯ She suggested in excitement, offering her hand for a hand shake. ¡®¡¯I can¡¯t agree to that! You¡¯re being too drastic, master!¡¯¡¯ He retaliated, pulling his own hand away as an addition. ¡®¡¯Fine, I was kidding anyway,¡¯¡¯ she said as she began walking towards the stairs, ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll get you something to eat for now; I don¡¯t want you to die from malnutrition among other things,¡¯¡¯ she told him, putting the robe back on after elegantly picking it off the ground, leaving him disappointed as he dropped down, his legs having given out, dropping the shortsword in a loud ding. ¡®¡¯No, no, the hell are you doing?¡¯¡¯ She stopped, turning around as she heard him sit down. ¡®¡¯You think you¡¯re gonna become some couch potato ¡®cause i¡¯m gone? Are you retarded, Yohiro?¡¯¡¯ She smiled with clear mean spirited intentions, looking down on him, already knowing the answer.


    She watched in delight as he got back up on his feet, taking the sword along. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m sorry¡­ I promise to continue practicing even when you¡¯re gone,¡¯¡¯ he looked aside, flinching as he finished. ¡®¡¯Hah, that¡¯s a good one. Sit your ass down and rest for now; I was just playing with you a little!¡¯¡¯ She laughed, speaking in an unnatural for her tone, watching as a wide smile appeared on his face in the blink of an eye. ¡®¡¯Thank you so much, master!¡¯¡¯ He jumped up, moving around in the slightly torn up shirt he had gotten from Bernie. ¡®¡¯Yeah, but if i¡¯m not back in about an hour, get to doing some push-ups and the likes. At least ten,¡¯¡¯ she ordered once again, getting a nod in agreement as she began walking up the stairs in a quick turn, flipping the robe in the wind as she put the hood on.


    Somehow, someway, she felt confused with herself as she climbed the stairs slowly, taking her time. She had fully intended to make him stay active even while she was away, but wasn¡¯t able to force him after seeing that expression. ¡®¡¯The little guy¡¯s getting under my skin, just like¡­ Damn it!¡¯¡¯ She muttered under her breath, slamming her fist in the wall, cracking it a little. They used to say ¡®Once bitten, twice shy¡¯ back then. A long time before now, at least. Back when Hiona didn¡¯t believe in the saying.


    ¡®¡¯...good morning, everyone¡­!¡¯¡¯ Bernie said as he entered the main room, yawning loudly as he did and scratching his belly with his hand, looking around and finding Clous and Rosa sitting around the coffee table nervous. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s the matter with you two? Did someone die or something¡­?¡¯¡¯ He asked, playing around, still in a drowsy mood, walking up to Rosa and patting her shoulder, feeling her shoulder to be stiff. ¡®¡¯No one¡¯s dead, but Yohiro might be dead by now, or something,¡¯¡¯ Rosa mumbled, following up with a quick and forced ¡®¡¯hehe,¡¯¡¯ shocking Bernie.


    ¡®¡¯Did someone find out his identity?! Is he kidnapped?!¡¯¡¯ Bernie began barraging them with question, beginning to foot around the room uncontrollably. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s worse; master took him somewhere and...it¡¯s been more than three hours. You know what that means with master, right?¡¯¡¯ Rosa turned to him with a genuinely worried expression, getting met with an equally fearful look from Bernie. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s being trained by her, you mean?! Master hasn¡¯t trained anyone in years, though!¡¯¡¯ Bernie tried to feed his growing feeling of disbelief. ¡®¡¯She wouldn¡¯t have a reason to train anyone. Well, uh, didn¡¯t have a reason until now. She trained each of us, after all.¡¯¡¯ Rosa responded, trying to give him a reality check, causing a frown to appear on his face. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s either gonna get murdered accidentally by her, or by some miracle, he¡¯ll return as something more than a sack of organs,¡¯¡¯ Clous jumped in, speaking in a raspy voice, doing his best to force the words out. ¡®¡¯B-but, master¡¯s nice to Yohiro; she won¡¯t kill hi--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Master doesn¡¯t give two shits about who it is, remember?!¡¯¡¯ Clous cut him off rudely. ¡®¡¯Think back a bit,¡¯¡¯ he told them, ¡®¡¯The only reason I got through it was from pure luck and stamina, for Rosa it was because she cheated by using magic and created a short-lived grudge with master. For Bernie it was his big size. My point is, not one of us has beaten her seven day training program, dumbasses; we all survived, but that¡¯s about it.¡¯¡¯ He enlightened them, almost feeling bad about what he was saying. ¡®¡¯So what you¡¯re saying is¡­ the kid won¡¯t make it¡­¡¯¡¯ Rosa said in frustration, ¡®¡¯We even got him recently from The Tree, too,¡¯¡¯ she added.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡®¡¯No, you two never listen, do you?! I¡¯m implying he can survive whatever she¡¯s gonna throw at him, but it¡¯s a slim chance.¡¯¡¯ He finished, coughing loudly right afterwards. ¡®¡¯When did you start acting so cool, haa?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked him, beginning to laugh at him. ¡®¡¯Want a piece of me, bitch?!¡¯¡¯ He tried to raise his voice, resulting in a failure. ¡®¡¯He still has a chance, though, right¡­?¡¯¡¯ Bernie muttered to himself, beginning to ignore their increasingly loud bickering.


    ¡®¡¯Ki~~~d, i¡¯m back!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled as she walked down the stairs, a large bag in her hands. As she approached the ¡®training room¡¯¡¯ she heard loud, childish yells coming from downstairs, causing her to pick up her pace, beginning to run down the stairs. As she reached the room, she, her eyes immediately stopped at Yohiro, swinging the sword over and over again, sweating to the point of having his clothes soaked in it. His hand gave out, leaving him to drop the sword quickly. ¡®¡¯Hang up, hang the hell up! It¡¯s been less than twenty minutes, what are you pulling here?!¡¯¡¯ She yelled at him, scolding him as she pulled an apple out of the bag, throwing it at him and pushing him off balance and leaving him to hit the floor without remorse.


    ¡®¡¯Your muscles are gonna get tense, especially considering your posture and body structure,¡¯¡¯ she explained to him as she leaned over him, looking at his tired, sad expression from above. ¡®¡¯But I...can¡¯t rely on adrenaline if I rest and don¡¯t keep moving¡­ Is that how that works?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, smiling, looking both happy and in misery as he did. ¡®¡¯A sword¡¯s too much for a wimp like you at the moment, or so you¡¯ve shown me so far. We¡¯ll try something more simple,¡¯¡¯ she explained, taking the apple she threw at him off the floor. ¡®¡¯Simple, how?¡¯¡¯ He asked as he managed to get up, struggling for a few long seconds. ¡®¡¯Battle gloves, what else?¡¯¡¯ She declared, placing the bag on the ground. ¡®¡¯You¡¯ve overexerted yourself. You¡¯ll be sleeping for the rest of today, and we¡¯ll try a new weapon each day. That¡¯s the program. Whichever weapon you manage to at least glaze me with, is the one you¡¯ll use until you start getting strong enough to use magic. Understood?¡¯¡¯ She spoke quickly, not caring if he was able to process her quick way of speech. ¡®¡¯Yeah! I understand!¡¯¡¯ He raised his voice, along with his clenched fist, pointing it upwards with happiness. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve brought the food, so eat anything from inside and start sleeping on the floor. I¡¯ll be going outside. You¡¯re not allowed to leave this place until we¡¯re done, that¡¯s final,¡¯¡¯ she looked at him with menacing yes, as if freezing him in place, ¡®¡¯If i¡¯m spending my time training you, i¡¯m doing it as I like, when I like, and you¡¯ll be feeling pain as I like.¡¯¡¯ She gave her final words, watching as Yohiro dropped back on his back laughing. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll do it, then! I promise i¡¯ll be able to do it!¡¯¡¯ He shouted loudly, raising his arm towards the ceiling, smiling happily, not seeing Hiona¡¯s grim smile as time continued to pass.

 Chapter Seventeen: A Flower Mid-Bloom.

    And so, four days had passed quicker than an hour, it felt like. It was raining on that day, but Hiona and Yohiro couldn¡¯t hear the rain from inside the abandoned bar, anyway. After those four days, Yohiro was sitting with his legs crossed on the ground, taking deep breaths and exhaling. He had taken his shirt off, with it having turned into a rag by then. His muscles had slightly enlarged; he had continuously ate all of the food Hiona brought him every day, throwing the packaging and leftovers all over the place. ¡®¡¯You ready, kid?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked, waiting for him, similarly with her legs crossed, sitting across him, at about nice meters or so. ¡®¡¯Yeah, I think so¡­,¡¯¡¯ he answered calmly, standing up and clapping his hands, wearing the battle gloves with sharp edges on the knuckle section of them. He paid no attention to all the other weapons he had used, unable to handle them, which were spread all over the premises. Hiona followed suit, standing up.


    ¡®¡¯For four days i¡¯ve been analyzing her moves; she prefers mocking you more than beating you, but I was just lacking the stamina and overall strength.¡¯¡¯ He thought to himself as he readied his hands, taking a neutral stance. ¡®¡¯I told you that stance was full of openings, didn¡¯t I?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked him as she cracked her fingers with nonchalance. ¡®¡¯They¡¯re too complicated for me; I can¡¯t maintain it for too much without breaking it and leaving myself open all over. Might as well start by being open, eh?¡¯¡¯ He laughed excitedly, expressing a decent amount of cockyness, which he himself didn¡¯t know he had. ¡®¡¯Your way of thinking¡¯ll get you killed too easily, but that¡¯s not why i¡¯m here and you know that. That¡¯s why you¡¯re doing it, right?¡¯¡¯ She popped an angry smile as she clenched both her fists, preparing to lash out. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re way smarter than me, master! You understand everything!¡¯¡¯ He told her as he watched her move her leg by an inch, springing forward towards him.


    ¡®¡¯Ribs¡­!¡¯¡¯ He thought, moving his right arm to block her incoming punch, unable to block it, causing him to push himself with the tip of his foot, getting punched off-balance and falling to the ground. ¡®¡¯Your record for getting up after my hits is five. Get up!¡¯¡¯ She ordered him, watching him try to sweep her legs in a sudden motion, shocked as he couldn¡¯t budge her even one inch. Yohiro jumped up, turning around fully and swinging his right leg, getting caught before reaching her face by her hand. ¡®¡¯Not yet,¡¯¡¯ he mumbled, letting his body fall as she still held onto his foot, landing a solid punch in her stomach, slightly facing the other way, gasping continuously, bathing the happiness of his first landed hit. ¡®¡¯You know, Yohiro,¡¯¡¯ she let go of his foot, leaving him to hit his head on the ground, ¡®¡¯You¡¯re adapting to this confusingly quick; someone who couldn¡¯t swing a sword four days ago shouldn¡¯t be able to move that energetically.¡¯¡¯ She said with worry, scratching her perfectly unhurt, exposed belly.


    ¡®¡¯Isn¡¯t that how the body works? You train it and it gets stronger, right?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro yelled in confusion, not understanding what she meant. ¡®¡¯My point is, you¡¯d probably be able to hold your own in a martial arts tournament, which is what I don¡¯t get,¡¯¡¯ she sighed, ¡®¡¯but you¡¯re improving, so how it¡¯s going so smoothly isn¡¯t my fucking business!¡¯¡¯ She giggled. ¡®¡¯Uhm, but master¡­ I did hit you just now, didn¡¯t I?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked in realisation, trying to get some confirmation, suddenly cutting her laughter short. ¡®¡¯Sure fucking did, didn¡¯t you, kid¡­? Wait, you managed to hit me¡­ Holy shit,¡¯¡¯ she began mumbling in confusion, walking towards the corner of the room, suddenly walking in a circle before Yohiro could realise.


    She muttered under her breath, analyzing the situation in disbelief. ¡®¡¯D-did I cheat? Should I try to do it all over again? ¡¯¡¯He asked, slightly concerned as he watched her wide-eyed, menacing expression as she walked in a circle formation, stopping as she heard his question. ¡®¡¯No, that¡¯s not the problem here. It¡¯s because...I dunno. It¡¯s like I couldn¡¯t see what was in front of me for a split second.¡¯¡¯ She told him in all seriousness, confusing him. ¡®¡¯You mean...the gem, right?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked her, pointing at it with his finger, causing her to nod.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡®¡¯Like back at the army base. You think it activated itself or something?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked, scratching her stomach again, with it itching intensely. ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t really know, to be honest! It¡¯s just there and does whatever it wants.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro smiled innocently, annoying her. ¡®¡¯That aside, wanna get back home or do you wanna waste another three days of your life here; this time i¡¯ll use magic¡­,¡¯¡¯ she said menacingly with an excited glint in her eye as she pointed at her tome, which was attached to her belt. Yohiro chuckled nervously, shaking his head fastly and declining the offer.


    After putting all the weapons away and Hiona gave Yohiro a new shirt to wear - this time with long sleeves - they exited the bar, starting to head back to the base. On the way back, he stared at his hands and his arms at the same time, happy at the fact that his skin had gotten a little thicker and he had felt less weak and reliant, smiling confidently. ¡®¡¯The boy¡¯s a confusing case for sure, but it¡¯s not like the gem some bug attached to him or something; it¡¯s not a sickness to be examined either. How do I deal with him when he¡¯s starting to think like some spoiled teenager¡­?¡¯¡¯ Hiona thought to herself as they reached the base.


    ¡®¡¯I want to ask you, master, did I do well enough?¡¯¡¯ He asked her, looking up at her with joy. ¡®¡¯Like hell; your technique was worse than even Clous. You¡¯re despicable as a fighter. Your resolve is shaky, your smile is too honest and you can¡¯t lie. You didn¡¯t do well enough and wouldn¡¯t have even done this if it wasn¡¯t for that thing stuck in your chest. Was that a satisfying answer?¡¯¡¯ She asked him after her extensive explanation on his flaws and shortcomings, looking back at him with a smile filled with more joy than his. ¡®¡¯Ah, thank you for your honesty.¡¯¡¯ He thanked her, disappointing her as he was still enjoying himself.


    Walking past Sebansio and ignoring him, as Hiona normally would do, they went through the door leading towards their base, hearing mutter-like talking from the main room, already annoying Hiona even more. Yohiro ran ahead of her, his steps echoing loud through the hallway as he reached the door, busting through it with a smile, met with the sudden head tilts of his teammates, as well as their suddenly confused and shocked expressions as they watched him stand there with his hands on his waist, gasping from having to run even that much distance. ¡®¡¯I passed!¡¯¡¯ He simply shouted, leaving them dumbfounded as Hiona walked in from behind. ¡®¡¯You passed? Through the door, or¡­?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked in disbelief as she pointed at Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Master Hiona¡¯s training, of course!¡¯¡¯ He elaborated immediately, causing Clous to fall off the couch.


    ¡®¡¯Master, did you let him win?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa shouted at Hiona, getting the look of an ashamed and angry person, saying ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t talk about it,¡¯¡¯ causing her to back down. ¡®¡¯Okay, bastards, Yohiro¡¯s fully qualified as a member of this piece of shit group. He¡¯s technically better than you all and didn¡¯t use magic to beat me and didn¡¯t wait until he had to survive. Make that your motivation; the fact that a kid that¡¯s not even one month old is better than you all. That¡¯s all, i¡¯m going to bed. Don¡¯t fucking talk to me or i¡¯ll kill you, etcetera, etcetera. Bye,¡¯¡¯ she explained it to them, not even looking at the as she entered her room, ramming the door shut loudly.


    ¡®¡¯Four days; that¡¯s all it took you?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked as he crawled back onto the couch from the floor in a grumpy voice. ¡®¡¯Yes, four in total, more or less! Also, it¡¯s good your voice is back!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro confirmed. ¡®¡¯Well, isn¡¯t this an occasion to celebrate, you guys?!¡¯¡¯ Bernie asked them, excited as well. ¡®¡¯He deserves it, so let¡¯s have a feast, maybe? We (I) did buy a lot of food, after all!¡¯¡¯ He continued, clapping his hands in a rhythm. ¡®¡¯Shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned, Bernie¡­?¡¯¡¯ Clous thought. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s never concerned about the shit that matters,¡¯¡¯ Rosa had a thought of her own, all of them ultimately letting their guards down and beginning to plan what to cook, especially Bernie, who was beginning to arrange eating utensils already, humming a song to himself as he did.

 Chapter Eighteen: Plan For Assault.

    The days began to fly by. Yohiro became fascinated with enhancing his body and make it stronger, beginning to follow a small training program from Clous, enough to keep his muscles capable of doing basic work. Together they had received; half a million norai, which was the currency that had begun to spread after the king took his throne, equal to half a dollar as of that time. Of course, most of them were disappointed and happy at the same time; disappointed because they were used to more money and got less due to their needlessly flashy and explosive performance, credit going to Hiona, and happy due to the fact it was money at all. They hadn¡¯t gotten a mission in months after all, and Hiona had arranged one for them after all that time. It was boring to them for the most part - and the base was pretty loud - until Sebansio came knocked on their door on one usual night; all of them playing Edno on the table(Bernie¡¯s favorite card game), with Yohiro in the lead.


    ¡®¡¯You either set a card or draw, Rosa, stop procrastinating!¡¯¡¯ Bernie nagged her, hiding his cards carefully. The timid man was quite competitive at games he was good at. ¡®¡¯Shut up, i¡¯m considering my options, calculating the outcome and Yohiro has two cards in his hand! I don¡¯t wanna lose to him!¡¯¡¯ She explained to him, pointing at Yohiro viciously. ¡®¡¯Would you bastards shut up already¡­?!¡¯¡¯ Clous moaned, lying on the couch with his back turned to them, speaking in a drunken daze. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m winning¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked them, smiling obliviously and getting them all disappointed as they heard a knock on the base door, causing them to re-direct their attention towards the suspiciously patterned knocking, quickly letting them know it¡¯s Sebansio. Rosa walked over and opened the door, finding the old man standing there in a butler suit, sweating from his silky, messy, gray hair to his very outfit.


    ¡®¡¯Who poured a bottle of whiskey on you, Seb¡­?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked him as he rolled over, sitting up as the other placed their Edno cards on the table, leaving them face-down. Sebansio, forcing a contained demeanor, inhaled and exhaled, ¡®¡¯Your new assignment was delivered to me today, and I think you can already tell that it¡¯s a dirty deal on their part¡­¡¯¡¯ Sebansio explained to them, inviting himself in and sitting on Rosa¡¯s now abandoned chair, beginning to calm himself as he loosened his tie. ¡®¡¯You don¡¯t mean they gave us some shit that¡¯d usually require at least ten people, right?¡¯¡¯ Clous spoke to the nervous man, watching him flinch, confirming his suspicion. ¡®¡¯So the fuckers from the division wanna get us disbanded for failing a mission due to bad ratings again¡­ Damn this job,¡¯¡¯ Clous muttered, leaning his back on the couch and crossing his hands behind his back and using them as a pillow.


    ¡®¡¯Indeed, and this time it even involves the king himself. I highly recommend you dec--¡± ¡®¡¯Explain the mission first, Sebansio, then we¡¯ll be thinking about giving up!¡¯¡¯ Bernie told him, raising his fist, wanting to just finish the game. ¡®¡¯Ah, yes¡­,¡¯¡¯ Sebansio got himself comfortable in his seat, ¡®¡¯The request was made by a man named Hachikira, and was given to you by the thief¡¯s division, as you already managed to guess,¡¯¡¯ he explained to them what they already knew, irritating most of them. ¡®¡¯Um, Mr. Sebansio, who¡¯s this king person?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro leaned over to him, whispering in his ear. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s the man who commands everything in this city, Yohiro, now please don¡¯t interrupt me!¡¯¡¯ Sebansio answered quickly, giving off a frustrated feeling, making Yohiro feel slightly ashamed.


    ¡®¡¯See, Hachikira...wants the king¡¯s daughter, Touka, for himself for reasons he chose not to disclose in the form. Obviously, he marked it as the hardest class mission possible¡­¡¯¡¯ The stressed old man explained to them. ¡®¡¯Sick fuck probably just wants to touch up a teenager and then he¡¯ll throw the kid aside after he¡¯s not satisfied. Why should we bother with this?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked, leaning  forward again and placing his arms on his legs in a leisurous pose. ¡®¡¯I thought you knew that we don¡¯t care what the person wants, we do it because it¡¯s out job. He could go after all the five-year-olds for all I care, but I want my money from it.¡¯¡¯ Rosa stated her view on the subject nonchalantly.


    ¡®¡¯B-but that¡¯s too much of an assumption, right? Maybe he believes he¡¯d be a better parent to he--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯That¡¯s retarded of you to say, man,¡¯¡¯ Clous cut Bernie off, handing a reality check to him. ¡®¡¯Y-you guys don¡¯t plan on accepting this, are you¡­?¡¯¡¯ Sebansio asked, his fingers twitching abnormally. ¡®¡¯Yeah, i¡¯m in as long as the majority rule applies,¡¯¡¯ Rosa and Clous stated together, scoffing at each other right after. ¡®¡¯So am I!¡¯¡¯ All of them turned their heads, finding Hiona standing by her room¡¯s door, walking around in her underwear, which looked so crumpled, it was like she had put it on at the spot after listening in on the conversation, which what she did. ¡®¡¯You too, master?! I don¡¯t want to abduct a child, to be morally proud of myself this instant!¡¯¡¯ Bernie announced loudly. ¡®¡¯Like it matters; we¡¯ve got three people and Yohiro will always agree with me, no matter the context. Your opinion doesn¡¯t matter and you¡¯d enjoy gunning people down anyway. Got all that?¡¯¡¯ She spoke to him, walking closer, the words leaving her mouth as if it was machine gun, rapidly shooting Bernie down and ruining his confidence and lowering his head depressingly.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡®¡¯Actually, why is taking this girl with us a bad thing? If the Hachikiba - I think - man is that bad, why don¡¯t we keep her with us?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro suggested, standing up, silencing them. ¡®¡¯Uh¡­ That¡¯s not an option; we won¡¯t get money if we do that,¡¯¡¯ Rosa knocked on his head, making a circular sign with her fingers with her other hand, confusing him. ¡®¡¯No, actually, why not take the brat?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked, smiling gleefully. At that very moment, the room became filled with the shocked and confused screams of four people, sounding like they were singing in unison. ¡®¡¯Master, please, let¡¯s not have an intervention! This is NOT a good idea!¡¯¡¯ Bernie shouted, trying to knock some sense into her, while also not wanting to have to kidnap a young girl for reason that seemed obvious to him, but apparently not to her. ¡®¡¯Ow, that kinda hurt¡­ Also, why were you two yelling?!¡¯¡¯ Hiona turned towards Rosa and Clous with curiosity.


    They didn¡¯t answer, since their worry wasn¡¯t the kidnapping, but the fact that it was Hiona who agreed to Yohiro¡¯s suggestion, meaning it was pretty much already decided that that¡¯s what they were going to do. ¡®¡¯Fair enough then. Since you already gave your ¡®¡¯yes¡¯¡¯, we¡¯re doing it!¡¯¡¯ Hiona jumped up, happily humming and muttering ¡®¡¯Woo~~¡¯¡¯ under her breath. ¡®¡¯We gave out vote to the initial mission, not this shit!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled at her, standing up. ¡®¡¯Mr. Sebansio? Do they always yell at each other, or did this begin happening after I came?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, unable to break his smile. ¡®¡¯Oh they¡¯ve been like this since Hiona recruited the second member of the group; nonstop yelling and arguing. It honestly drives me to bully some of my friends from the bar sometimes¡­!¡¯¡¯ Sebansio explained to him. ¡®¡¯I wonder, though,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shouted, stopping Clous, ¡®¡¯do you have a glyph set up at the king¡¯s castle already, master?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked her, clapping his hands together.


    ¡®¡¯Nope, we¡¯re doing it the old-fashioned way!¡¯¡¯ She declared to them excitedly.


    ¡®¡¯Burning the castle down?¡¯¡¯ Rosa chuckled mockingly under her breath.


    ¡®¡¯Get in there and steal the girl while flipping ¡®em off?¡¯¡¯ Clous added right after.


    ¡®¡¯Bomb them?!¡¯¡¯ Bernie also joined in, suddenly closing his legs shut, not surprising the other two.


    ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll just get in there, right¡­? And kill them. And then we get the girl. And we run.¡¯¡¯ She began slowly explaining what she thought was a plan, slurring her words to entertain herself. ¡®¡¯I quit this team! I¡¯m actually gonna quit, I tell you!¡¯¡¯ Is what Clous attempted to say, ending up with, ¡®¡¯That¡¯s not a smart idea, master!¡¯¡¯ Hiona snapped her fingers. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m kidding, i¡¯m kidding! We¡¯re gonna sneak in somehow. I¡¯ll figure it out on the way there. But Bernie¡¯s staying behind; he¡¯s too large and this time we won¡¯t be freely murdering everyone.¡¯¡¯ She gave them her actual plan, making Bernie both sad and happy as he looked down. ¡®¡¯While on that subject, Bernie, don¡¯t think you¡¯re on a higher moral high ground just because you don¡¯t want to kidnap kids. You¡¯re a thief anyway,¡¯¡¯¡¯she laughed at him slightly, watching him drop from the chair, beginning to see in a fetal position as he accepted her words and took them to heart.


    ¡®¡¯That being settled, we¡¯re gonna be accepting the mission today and leaving tomorrow. I kinda don¡¯t like that predator myself, so let¡¯s fuck him over, okay?!¡¯¡¯ She cheered, whistling something that made Rosa blush slightly. ¡®¡¯You? You, master, are gonna complain and call people predators? Are you serious?!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted, again, quite loudly, jumping from the cough to the floor. ¡®¡¯Yeah, i¡¯m a hypocrite, burn me alive, right? Sebansio, please accept this person¡¯s request at once! We¡¯re storming the castle!¡¯¡¯ She declared, striking a pose Clous recognized, resembling a certain main pointing his fingers like a gun and smiling with his crooked teeth, only she made it looks pathetic. Sebansio sighed, leaving the room, planning to head towards the registry so he could mark it as accepted.

 Chapter Nineteen: Im a big man now!

    ¡®¡¯The sewers, how?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked Hiona as he listened to the sound of the rain running on the rails. ¡®¡¯And why do you always wait until now to explain this, master? It¡¯s not productive, if you haven¡¯t noticed,¡¯¡¯ he added, slightly under his breath. ¡®¡¯See, the way to get the blood pumping is to annoy your companions until their blood starts to pump and boil in rage!¡¯¡¯ She explained in her own way, unsurprisingly talking about Clous specifically. ¡®¡¯Master Hiona, I wanted to ask this a while ago, but why are you doing this; trying to get out blood pumping?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, flipping through the pages of a picture book given to him by Bernie, specifically without any words. Bernie imagined it would be a good practice in understanding context through visuals, and Yohiro also couldn¡¯t read. That was also a factor. ¡®¡¯Because, young one, ¡®a warrior with hot blood is the strongest warrior of them all,¡¯ is what I¡¯ve heard somewhere before!¡¯¡¯ She smiled, wagging her finger in front of his face, sitting beside him to the left and Rosa sitting to the right, with Clous across the three of them.


    ¡®¡¯You seem to have forgotten, but we¡¯re not warriors; we¡¯re thieves and murderers¡­,¡¯¡¯ Rosa tilted her head towards Yohiro and Hiona, since she had been looking the other way, dozing off since she stayed up late, drinking red wine so she could push away the stress from having to attack the castle of the king himself. ¡®¡¯All of that aside, yes, we¡¯ll be traveling through the castle¡¯s sewage system this time, following the map I drew yesterday in my free time,¡¯¡¯ she pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of the unsurprisingly tight pants she was wearing, which were accentuating her thigh line and the rest of her legs, paired up with the black dull-green colored jacket she was wearing under the black robe, which of course made her invisible to people who had never been in contact with the material it was made out of.


    The other three gathered around their master, taking a peek at the map, confused to find an elaborate map, describing the entire composition of the sewage system of the castle. ¡®¡¯Why...do you know this layout, also, you¡¯re good at drawing,¡¯¡¯ Clous looked up at her with suspicion.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve been to the castle before, unlike you plebs, i¡¯m more experienced than you can imagine, kiddies,¡¯¡¯ she mocked the three of them, frustrating Rosa and Clous, and motivating Yohiro who quickly went back to looking at the picture book, letting out the occasional ¡®¡¯Ooh¡¯¡¯ and ¡®¡¯Wow¡¯¡¯ as he flipped through the pages. ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll be sticking together for this one. But believe me when I say this, and i¡¯m serious, the chances of dying are so fucking high, you better have a shield spell memorized by the time we get there.¡¯¡¯ She said without even flinching, filling the two of them with fear as she pointed at the map with her pinkie finger. ¡®¡¯We¡¯re gonna enter through here, then proceed through this passage before getting to the hatch leading to the first floor,¡¯¡¯ she began explaining, giving them an elaborate visual show as well, running her finger along the map, while her eyes concentrated on Yohiro, who was listening to everything with concentration in spite of his ignorant appearance.


    ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll be arriving soon, so prepare yourselves, you three. Ponchos might be necessary if it turns out bad, so i¡¯m going to repeat: don¡¯t get caught and protect your teammates while you¡¯re at it,¡¯¡¯ she told them, staring them with narrowed eyes in a way that made her look like she hadn¡¯t slept for a long period of time, minus the bags under the eyes. ¡®¡¯Got it, master!¡¯¡¯ Rosa raised her hand unwillingly, gulping loudly followed by an annoyed raise of Clous¡¯ own hand, no words spoked. ¡®¡¯Good, now sit down until we make it there; you might need the rest for this, after all,¡¯¡¯ Hiona warned them, proceeding to lay her head on Yohiro¡¯s shoulder right next to her, whispering something quietly in his ear as she began to doze off, causing for his eyes to twitch in a sudden motion, continuing to scan his book as Rosa picked up the map from Hiona¡¯s hands, folding it three times before putting it in her own pocket. ¡®¡¯Hey Yohiro, what¡¯cha reading?¡¯¡¯ Clous tried to talk to the concentrated boy, seeing as he hasn¡¯t been very communicative to the boy, which wasn¡¯t new for the sly fox, but for some reason he felt it necessary. ¡®¡¯Oh, it¡¯s this really interesting book, Clous!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro turned his head, raising the book¡¯s cover, revealing the title ¡®¡¯Every Step To Building A Gun From Scratch,¡¯¡¯ smiling as he did. ¡®¡¯What the fuck is that gun maniac trying to do here¡­?!¡¯¡¯ Clous thought to himself, turning around and sitting on his previous spot, giving up on talking to Yohiro and leaving him saddened.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The train arrived at its destination in a few, seemingly quick hours. Rosa, Yohiro and Hiona were fast asleep at that point, leaving the job of waking them up to the more than capable of staying awake Clous. He was lost in thought, ¡®¡¯Will I fail like last time,¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Will I not be strong enough,¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Will...they get hurt?¡¯¡¯ But those thoughts quickly faded away as the loud screech of the train stopping reached his ears, along with the voice through the intercom. ¡®¡¯We have arrived at the 1st district. I repeat; we¡¯ve arrived at 1st district! Please depart from the train as quickly as possible if this is your stop. Thank you. ¡®¡¯ Clous jumped off his seat, walking over to the three of them. He could¡¯ve poked them and woke them up, but¡­ ¡®¡¯Ah-hem¡­ YOHIRO IS GETTING SHOT AT BY THE KING¡¯S MOST ELITE OF SOLDIERS THIS VERY MOMENT!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled loudly, not even being able to react as he blinked, finding the Hiona¡¯s hand next to his neck, the tip of a knife she held in her hand at that moment poking it. By the time he realised what had occured, wind kicked in after Hiona¡¯s quick movement, causing Clous to shake to the point of almost vomiting from the murderous aura he felt around him. Rosa and Yohiro opened their eyes, along with Hiona.


    ¡®¡¯The hell was that just now?! It felt like she didn¡¯t kill me just because her arm was slightly cramped under the kid¡¯s! I feel like i¡¯ll die from a heart attack¡­!¡¯¡¯ Clous thought, not being able to hear the three of them talk to each other as they stood up, watching them begin walking off the train, with Hiona waving for Clous to hurry, carrying a smile upon her face. ¡®¡¯This woman is...really not human at all, but I can¡¯t call her a demon either! I still feel it, as if it was a slap and the pain¡¯s fading away. But she didn¡¯t touch me!¡¯¡¯ He wondered, realising the train was about to leave the station, proceeding to walk out after the three of them at last, firmly jumping off the few stairs that you would use to climb into the train and jumping on the ground next to them, his hearing going back to normal. As he stepped out and watched the three of them begin to walk forward with their robes on, he realised something vital which he couldn¡¯t explain: Hiona wasn¡¯t carrying a knife anywhere on her. Had she triggered his sense of fear so much, he imagined it? That was the only thing possible for him. He was a firm believer of ¡®¡¯If your mind tricks you into ¡®it happened¡¯ it doesn¡¯t matter if it actually did happen, because you saw it that way.¡¯¡¯ In the end, Hiona¡¯s bloodlust at that very moment was so powerful, it nested the idea of a knife in his little head. He reluctantly continued moving forward, catching up to them, continuing to fret over the thought of him almost dying back then.


    ¡®¡¯Master, are we going to meet another weird man before going to the king¡¯s castle?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked his master curiously, having given his book to Rosa, who had put it away in the backpack she was carrying. ¡®¡¯Fortunately, nope, we won¡¯t. Last time, we only talked to that old man because he was actually involved with the mission that time as the guy who¡¯d confirm our being there, but this time it¡¯s just us, cotton,¡¯¡¯ she answered, giving him yet another nickname he couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of. ¡®¡¯I wonder, master, are there gonna be people who could be considered people this time around?¡¯¡¯ Rosa said nonchalantly, speaking like a spoiled child suddenly. ¡®¡¯Yeah, you won¡¯t be dealing with the usual warriors this time. They won¡¯t be a problem for me or Clous there, but don¡¯t use your magic too much, you red-headed dumbass!¡¯¡¯ She gave her discouraging words of encouragement as they took a turn at a street filled to the brim with people, walking around and doing their everyday business. Yohiro raised his head, his eyes getting filled with a sudden stream of happiness and amazement as he witnessed a castle, extending high above the other buildings, straight ahead of them. ¡®¡¯Would I be able to fight, too? Can I help you, too?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro whispered, trying to keep his voice down for the most part, enough so people wouldn¡¯t really look at him. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, listen, using you to fight would be a mess, so--¡¯¡¯ Rosa began, suddenly getting nudged by Hiona. ¡®¡¯He¡¯ll be fightin¡¯. That¡¯s that!¡¯¡¯ Hiona shocked them all with her words. ¡®¡¯Impossible; we can¡¯t have out ¡®treasure¡¯ dying!¡¯¡¯ Clous strongly disagreed, shaking his head. ¡®¡¯He won¡¯t die. After all, this child that is almost one month old is strong enough,¡¯¡¯ she explained in a calm voice, making it even clearer to them that the whole thought of it was ridiculous. They couldn¡¯t say a word at that point. Even if she looked as calm as a happy child, they felt she was as tense as your average stressed worker. Together, keeping their heads down, proceeded to the castle.


    (Meanwhile, Bernie was continiously playing Edno with Sebansio, beating him for the fourth time.)

 Chapter Twenty: Entryway.

    The four of them safely made their way to the very back of the castle, walking for whole hours before finally reaching it without getting any major attention, discounting the few children sneaking a peek at what they thought to be Yohiro walking alone through the district, exchanging smiles with them. The sewage tunnel was closed off, locked behind a metal door so thick even Rosa¡¯s fire couldn¡¯t melt it, annoying Clous. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m gonna be needed this early on? We¡¯ve not even started the goddamn mission,¡¯¡¯ Hiona low-key scolded them between her words, causing them to blush in embarrassment as she walked up to the door. Hiona began stroking her hair with her one hand, placing her other on the cold steel, nodding happily. ¡®¡¯...¡¯kay, seems pretty easy to cut, don¡¯t it¡­!¡¯¡¯ She whispered to herself as she pulled her right leg back along with her right arm. ¡®¡¯But it¡¯s better to be punch!¡¯¡¯ Hiona shouted, landing her fist in the door, taking a second for the other three to catch up with her speed until the door completely became undone from all sides, coming off like wallpaper attached to a wall, shocking Clous and Rosa. ¡°Amazing, master! How did that happen, I couldn¡¯t even see it!!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro ran over, flapping his arms like a little bird at her display.


    ¡®¡¯Uh, well¡­ AH! See, when enough pressure is applied to something It inevitably moves, no exceptions! So I just spread the wind from the blow without hitting the floor until the screws came off nice and easy! Yeah, that¡¯s what I did!¡¯¡¯ Hiona began laughing proudly as she bathed in Yohiro¡¯s praises, even blushing for a moment. ¡®¡¯She totally doesn¡¯t know what she did!!!¡¯¡¯ Clous and Rosa thought together as Hiona layd the metal door carefully on the ground. ¡®¡¯Before we all go in, there¡¯s something I ignored mentioning last time, since it was the end of the mission anyway,¡¯¡¯ she looked at them sternly, destroying Yohiro¡¯s bright smile and turning it into a confused look, ¡®¡¯My magic isn¡¯t even close to infinite; in fact, it might be easily diminishable. I¡¯m not some deity after all. You¡¯ll have to fight too, if knife comes to throat. That¡¯s all, my minions!¡¯¡¯ She gave them a thorough explanation, ending it off with a quick raise of her hand, clenched into a fist, staring them down with fire in her already powerful eyes, slightly taking them aback. Clous looked at the smiling Rosa and the overjoyed Yohiro, sighing, raising his head. ¡®¡¯Yes, master Hiona!¡¯¡¯ The three of them said in unison, standing straight in front of her, causing her to give a genuine smile, turning her back to them. ¡®¡¯Even the ugly duck¡¯s(Clous) being obedient¡­ I didn¡¯t see i¡¯d see the day come so soon¡­¡¯¡¯ She muttered under her breath, hiding her ¡®¡¯I¡¯m totally the coolers master in the world right now¡¯¡¯ expression from them as best as she could.


    ¡®¡¯Okay, let¡¯s go in, you three!¡¯¡¯ She ordered them, jumping into the sewer and jumping out before the others could even make their way to it. ¡®¡¯I forgot that sewers smell awful¡­¡¯¡¯ Hiona shook her head, annoying them. With a bit of push for Rosa, Hiona succumbed, entering along with the rest of them, starting to walk through the sewer, lighting their way only with the light coming out of Rosa¡¯s tome, since they shine even when not being used. ¡®¡¯So, which way are we going now?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked, beginning to look for her map, not finding it in her pockets, beginning to blink repeatedly, as if trying to to take a few steps back mentally and remember where she left it, ending up at a dead end. ¡®¡¯Who the fuck took it, you useless pieces of trash?!¡¯¡¯ She accidentally raised her voice, stopping as she witnessed Rosa pulling it out of her pocket, frozen from Hiona¡¯s sudden outburst. She handed the map over, getting met with an annoyed scoff. ¡®¡¯Ah, so master could also get scared¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought in excitement, feeling the tips of his fingers sore and cold, unable to identify the reason.


    ¡®¡¯Hmph¡­ It would appear they have come, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯¡¯ The king sat in his throne, watching Hiona and co.¡¯s every step through the sewers through the open tome of one of his followers who was kneeling behind him. ¡®¡¯It would appear Daron¡¯s intel was correct, sir,¡¯¡¯ the man stated with respect for his king, leaving him to chuckle as he leaned back into his throne. ¡®¡¯That young lad is quite a genius; checking through the list for every district, to see who came and went, specifically pinpointing the beastmen and dropping the number to less than twenty on that exact day. But there is something more concerning here,¡¯¡¯ the king took his attention off Clous who was walking alongside Rosa and Yohiro, with Hiona in front, ¡®¡¯That woman leading them¡­ Even through your tome¡¯s projections, Hebeth, her extraordinary presence is reaching me all the way here¡­¡¯¡¯ He began worrying. ¡®¡¯Hmm, hmm¡­ Hebeth, contact the Saijeku and send them on the first floor, if you would? I believe I want to see that woman show what she can do.¡¯¡¯ He requested calmly and collectively. Hebeth immediately stood up, beginning to exit the room. ¡®¡¯Ah-ah, Hebeth, please leave your tome with me; mine doesn¡¯t project imagery through the entire castle, after all,¡¯¡¯ he smiled kindly. ¡®¡¯Yes, of course! Here, sir!¡¯¡¯ Hebeth obliged, handing his still open tome to the king and leaving the room as per his orders, leaving him to observe the group of thieves.


    ¡®¡¯It is quite fascinating, is it not. Three of them, counting the fox appear to be magic users on first glance, but that young boy¡­ Why is he here, helping them raid me¡­? I cannot appear to be able to see the logic in that!¡¯¡¯ He began laughing, feeling like he was watching a show and not participating in the whole situation, when he was basically the main attraction. In a sudden flinch, the king averted his eyes to the ceiling. ¡®¡¯The Saijeku are so loud, are they not¡­? I wish they would act more respectfully towards the people who reside here, I really wish they would~~... However, this is it, show me why you came here, thieves, and I will watch it all, not missing a single, petty moment of it¡­¡¯¡¯ He whispered into the tome, pretending they could hear him, his eyes glinting brightly.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Not even two minutes later, Hiona and the other reached the stairway leading to the upper floor, with her placing her arm to the side, blocking their path. ¡®¡¯Step back¡­¡¯¡¯ She told them menacingly, confusing them as they heard loud footsteps along with even louder metal banging on the walls coming from the upper floor, increasing in volume with each half a second. ¡®¡¯Get back, I said!!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled vilgarly, kicking Rosa into Clous and ending up pushing all three if them down as the hatch leading to the upper floor got busted through, destroying it and disattaching it completely. Hiona stared down in anger as they witnessed two men jump down the now open hole, stomping down on the ground with floor, then followed by a third, presumably the one who broke the door to aid in their flashy entrance.


    ¡®¡¯Ah, dammit, they found us out that quickly¡­?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked nonchalantly. ¡®¡¯She¡¯s not commenting on our appearance!! She ain¡¯t impressed, Hakuhi!!¡¯¡¯ One of them yelled in a childish tone. ¡®¡¯Careful, Sakuhi!! They¡¯ll see we ain¡¯t that composed if ya scream that loudly!!¡¯¡¯ The second added, and the third quickly found himself sitting in the disgusting water behind the other two, placing his hands together. All three of them wore masks, covering their faces with an inscription which read ¡®¡¯Saijeki¡¯¡¯ on each one, the letters bold across the three of them.


    ¡®¡¯Aren¡¯t they both yelling, though¡­?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked rhetorically as he stood up, along with the other two. ¡®¡¯Oi, triplets,¡¯¡¯ Hiona poked at them with her finger, appearing in the middle of the two of them without them realising, ¡®¡¯Did the king send you boys here? Such strong-looking boys like you?¡¯¡¯ She asked, smiling like a snake as they swung their palms down ins sync in an attempt to hit her, ending up hitting nothing but air. ¡®¡¯Were you sent by the king to murder or capture us, eh? EH?¡¯¡¯ Hiona continued talking in a provoking voice as she whispered to the one called Hakuhi. The men, however, didn¡¯t move that time. ¡®¡¯Yes, young harlot, we were sent here by the king ¡®imself to capture your four! Although, we didn¡¯ really ask him if we should capture you or kill you before coming!¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi replied to her easy question. ¡®¡¯Seems like you know when to not cross someone you can¡¯t even smell. Good!¡¯¡¯ Hiona patted they head as she turned her foot, appearing before her own group, getting the attention of the third one sitting in the muddy water.


    ¡®¡¯We¡¯ve been found out. Go kill them. Now.¡¯¡¯ She ordered them, waving in a motion which looked like she was treating them like a dog that wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡®¡¯You literally fuckin¡¯ had both of them, master!! Why didn¡¯t YOU kill them?!¡¯¡¯ Clous pointed out her stupid actions. ¡®¡¯I told you didn¡¯t I; i¡¯ll be saving myself for when the time calls for it, retarded fox,¡¯¡¯ she told him gleefully. ¡®¡¯Fuck off! You told us no such thing! Harlot, that¡¯s what the bastard called you, and it fits perfectly!!¡¯¡¯ Clous completely exploded in front of her, unable to hold back his distrust towards her plans at that point. ¡®¡¯Careful now, these guys have senses that I can barely blind to get behind them like that¡­ I don¡¯t wanna waste all my magic and exhaust myself here, do I¡­?¡¯¡¯ She lowered her voice, staring him down with a familiar snake, the aura being felt even by the masked men who were waiting patiently due to their pride; the thing they treasured most.


    Clous stepped down to her stare, nodding. ¡®¡¯Boys, by the way you look, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re proud of those good builds, no?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked cunningly. ¡®¡¯But o¡¯ course, Ms. harlot, quite a lot, to be ¡®rank!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi confirmed. ¡®¡¯Would you mind making the fights one-on-one? I have a fighter for each one of you, and we can make it two outta three if you wish.¡¯¡¯ She proposed, intentionally treating the situation like it was a simple word game, which was what she usually needed. ¡®¡¯One-on-one and two outta ¡®hree! Hmm¡­! Hakuhi, I vote yes!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi raised his arm, followed by Hakuhi respectively, with the third one coming into it as well, raising a more scrawny looking arm compared to the other two.


    ¡®¡¯Ohh¡­ The Seijeki were always so competitive. Maybe I was a little hasty with my decision, but this could play out either way,¡¯¡¯ the king continued to watch in fascination, like his eyes were glued to the tome. ¡®¡¯Okay then! Let me list my members over here: My strongest fighter, Rosa, second strongest goes to Clous here, and a bit of an inexperienced one we got here tonight, Yohiro.¡¯¡¯ She began walking across, pointing at each of them, unsurprisingly not pointing out that Yohiro was the weakest, which to her had its own ulterior motive. ¡®¡¯Ehm, the harlot ain¡¯t playin¡¯?¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi asked them, tilting his head in sink with Sakuhi. ¡®¡¯Hah, nahm i¡¯m more of a strategyst. Don¡¯t mind my sorry ass, please!¡¯¡¯ She excused herself, walking behind the group of them in a fake and forced way. ¡®¡¯I wanna die¡­ I just wanna die so much right now, you know.¡¯¡¯ Rosa spoke in an annoyed tone as she walked up front first, surprising the three of them. ¡®¡¯You first, Ms. Rosa?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t say it like I could decline! I wanna finish this first and step down before having to see what they can do and stress over it¡­,¡¯¡¯ she told them all the truth, beginning to flip through her tome with purpose. The stage was more or less said. Clous was reluctant, but determined and Yohiro as staring at the man in the back with curiosity, with them exchanging a long stare, neither of them blinking through it. Yohiro closed his eyes first, smiling at the man sitting behind, still getting stared at even then. ¡®¡¯You sending your strongest, eh? We¡¯re gonna send our second strongest, Hakuhi!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi said proudly. Hakuhi stepped forward, smiling under his oh so yokai-like mask, preparing his palms. ¡®¡¯They don¡¯t see to have tomes, meaning i¡¯ll be at a disadvantage due to my incantations, but my fire should kill him without too much trouble¡­!¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought as she prepared for action, parting her lips slowly, taking careful breaths, breaking out a grin.

 Chapter Twenty-One: Hellflames Also Diminish.

    ¡®¡¯Marioeteruna: article 8. Connect¡­!¡¯¡¯ Rosa chanted, watching as Hakuhi charged in barehanded, walking with his arms open like spider. ¡®¡¯Dumbass, he¡¯s literally running towards fire!¡¯¡¯ She thought as she unleashed the fire from her tome, enveloping him and the two others behind him in a powerful tube of fire, covering the entire tunnel in front of her from every side, leaving her to watch with a confused expression as the fire continued spreading further and further. ¡®¡¯He can¡¯t be that unaware, can he? My tome gives off the smell of gunpowder when the incantation, and with how powerful these guys claim to be he can¡¯t have been that stupid!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Hey Rosa, keep your nose up, dear!¡¯¡¯ Hiona cheered from behind, confusing her as Hakuhi jumped out of the fire in a sudden spinning motion, his arms burned severely as he shot himself down upon her, landing a punch at her feet, missing as she jumped back, maintaining her composure and keeping her hand steady on her tome, knowing she would quickly get beaten down if she shook even once.


    ¡®¡¯The guy took one of her blasts head on! He didn¡¯t try to dodge at all!¡¯¡¯ Clous thought as he watched in astonishment. Hakuhi charged in once more, swinging his fierce fists with amazing speed at Rosa, with her barely managing to escape each of them, beginning to get pushed back without realising. ¡®¡¯You see, woman, we don¡¯t need to analyze you or dodge like our life depends on it; we¡¯re strong enough to learn from pain!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi said from behind, standing still like a rock with his legs and arms burned and the third masked man remaining untouched, getting Yohiro¡¯s attention in that regard. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t joke around, bumpkin! You can¡¯t survive hellfire like that, you must¡¯ve used something!¡¯¡¯ Rosa yelled at him as she ducked, swiftly turning and landing her foot in Hakuhi¡¯s stomach, getting easily caught by his left arm, which he had twisted in an unnatural fashion to grab her leg in time. To her surprised, he let go of her leg peacefully, stepping back quietly. He wasn¡¯t saying even a word, hiding everything behind that mask, even his very breathing.


    ¡®¡¯Believe me, my foes, we¡¯re no men of dishonor! ¡®f we gotta kill ¡®r capture, we¡¯ll do it our own way,¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi reassured them with a happy voice, seeming entertained with the minimal display in front of his eyes. ¡®¡¯Well tough luck¡­ Honor won¡¯t get you anywhere!¡¯¡¯ Rosa yelled at them as she flipped to another page. ¡®¡¯Article 13. Connect!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Oooh, that one? Yohiro, Clous, let¡¯s step back for a bit¡­¡¯¡¯ Hiona urged them, grabbing both their arms, consciously applying more force on Clous¡¯ who ignored it, concentrating on the fight. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s Ms. Rosa trying to do, though?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro questioned his master, getting a smile as the answer, confusing him slightly.


    ¡®¡¯We don¡¯t have all day, so burn!¡¯¡¯ Rosa shouted with frustration clear in her voice. Her tome shone brighter, a small fragment of fire coming out of it, formed like a square, engulfed in a flamey vail. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s so bright...it almost hurts to watch,¡¯¡¯ Clous muttered, covering his eyes for the most part. Hakuhi ebagn breathing heavily, puffing his chest forward suddenly. ¡®¡¯You wanna take us alive, but...we don¡¯t have a problem with killing all of you. Bye.¡¯¡¯ She spoke in a soft tone, letting the block fall down to the ground, making a slight metal ¡®¡¯ding¡¯¡¯ as it touched the ground. Rosa extended her arm, clenching it into a fist as she inhaled one deep breath, closing her mouth and puffing her cheeks out. ¡®¡¯Ah, a technique requirin¡¯ ¡®ull body concentration achieved through stoppin¡¯ yer breath¡­ Too bad you¡¯re fightin¡¯ Hakuhi, though,¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi sighed with frustration ,seeing the wasted potential of the incoming attack, ¡®¡¯If ¡®t were me or Mukahi, we¡¯d die¡­ Oh boy, haha!¡¯¡¯ He added to his statement, surprising them, even Hiona, but Rosa didn¡¯t falter. She extended her pinkie finger forward, causing the box to create a box on its side, beginning to shoot fire, more dense and intense than her first attack, directing it towards Hakuhi, who was huffing and puffing like a wild boar, charging against the fire in a full-force assault. Rosa¡¯s eyes widened as the wild Hakuhi, clenched his fist with all his force, tensing up his muscles to the fullest as he punched forward, turning the powerful and bright wave of flame into pure nothingness. ¡®¡¯H-he just cut it in half?!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted in amazement. ¡®¡¯Rosa¡¯s being impatient. Even though she believes she¡¯s prepared, her heart¡¯s probably beating faster that a rabbit¡¯s, making her strongest attack seem ingenuine and shameful. On top of that, the beast that blocked it seems to have mastered the God Muscle style of fighting,¡¯¡¯ Hiona began explaining, giving them pointers as per estimation as Rosa opened up her thumb, sending an even larger blast of fire at Hakuhi, an attack so volcania even Rosa herself began to sweat from its heat.


    The man began shaking, yelling out a loud yell, beginning to tense up the muscles on his legs. The man who no longer gave the presence of a normal human hopped up on one leg, slashing vertically with his remaining one, easily blowing Rosa, Clous and Yohiro backwards with the strong gust of wind he generated with the lightning-fast kick, filling Rosa with a slight feeling of despair as she felt herself begin to lose her breath; her lungs were beginning to hurt, but she couldn¡¯t open her mouth, since it would ruin the technique, leaving her with wasted energy and no progress.


    ¡®¡¯Yeah, that confirms it¡­ It¡¯s the fully mastered God Muscle style,¡¯¡¯ Hiona stood steady on her feet, having been blown back no more than a few millimeters, her robe flying off her body and landing in the water. ¡®¡¯What the hell is that ¡®style¡¯, he¡¯s a fucking monster!¡¯¡¯ Clous pointed out, sitting in the sewer water after Hakuhi¡¯s attack. ¡®¡¯One of the five hardest fighting styles in the whole damn world; it allows you to increase the power of a muscle construction in your body with the sacrifice of your own brain capacity for the duration of the exploitation. Most people tear their muscles in two when using it, but that guys seems to know his stuff surprisingly well,¡¯¡¯ she shocked the two of them, especially Yohiro who hadn¡¯t fallen down, standing up more or less like a pillar, ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve met tenths, hundreds of God Muscle users, but only a few of them stepped up to show me what it looks like, ending up with unusable arms each¡­ I¡¯m kinda turned on for some reason, though!¡¯¡¯ She explained to them, finishing with a bit of information that annoyed Clous, since he thought she was about to be fully serious about her job for once. Young Yohiro looked forward, finding Rosa trembling in front of this battle tank of a human who could momentarily surpass standard human level of physical strength. For some reason he couldn¡¯t explain to himself, he smiled, even though her teammate was getting over power, running forward past Hiona and Clous, his shoes splashing in the water, leaving the two behind completely wide-eyed.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The boy stopped, wanting to watch the fight from a better angle, standing closet. ¡®¡¯Just how master taught me¡­! Analyze their movements, both of them!¡¯¡¯ He thought to himself as he narrowed his vision. ¡®¡¯Hakuhi, brethren of mine, finish this ¡®ight already!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi requested, clapping from behind him. Hakuhi nodded in agreement. ¡®¡¯Ms. Rosa, please don¡¯t attack this time!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shouted at her from behind, shocking all of them. ¡®¡¯Not to attack?! The kid¡¯s gone mental¡­!¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought as she prepared to flick all of her fingers forward at the same time. ¡®¡¯That man isn¡¯t losing any stamina whatsoever! If you finish this attack, he¡¯ll finish the fight itself!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro continued to plead for her to listen to him, despite how nonsensical the idea sounded to her. At that point, even Hiona was anticipating what would come out of Yohiro¡¯s idea, since, and this is something she had already learned about herself, she¡¯s forceful and aggressive above all. Hakuhi got onto his knees, having fully recovered from the strain of his last attack.


    He embraced himself with his own arms, scratching himself until he bled with the nails on his fingers, howling powerfully and loudly as his muscles began to pulsate. ¡®¡¯The bastard can use it fully concentrated, too?!¡¯¡¯ Hiona thought as she felt her hand shake in a slight moment of fear, realising a certain cold fact in an instant. Hakuhi stopped abruptly, beginning to past and gasp, standing up. He raised his head forward, looking like his muscles had a life of their own. He stumbled around, stepping left and right like a drunkard, seemingly overwhelmed by the sheer force he had accumulated inside his body, drooling a waterfall from his mouth as he prepared to jump in. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s retained his twisted sense of honor, has he¡­? He won¡¯t attack before Rosa does¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous thought, or at least assumed as he stood up, shaking he feeling of utter shock off of him.


    ¡®¡¯I beg of you! Just this once, don¡¯t use it!¡¯¡¯ He gave his final yell, pleading and begging. ¡®¡¯This kid¡­ Damn it, I guess Clous and master aren¡¯t the only ones influenced by the fucking brat. Fine, just this once.¡¯¡¯ Rosa made up her mind, opening her mouth and letting the air out, causing the small square to turn into nothing in front of their eyes. ¡®¡¯What?! You¡¯re gon¡¯ sacrifice her strongest technique ¡®cause a kid told ya?!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi asked her, not able to comprehend her weird reasoning. Rosa gathered her breath again, slowly and calmly, smiling in the face of the confused Sakuhi. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve got no logical reason behind it; the child is quite the motivator. He makes me feel like shit with everything he does, and I won¡¯t lie, I truly hate him for it!¡¯¡¯ She angrily told them, making sure even Yohiro could hear it. ¡®¡¯But he¡¯s kind of the main deal holding this entire team together, so¡­ I have to believe him at least once!¡¯¡¯ She smiled as blood began violently spilling from her nails, causing her to flinch on the spot.


    ¡®¡¯Ms. Rosa¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought to himself, along with the other two behind him. ¡®¡¯What now, Yohiro?! You better give me good advice from here on out, got it? Forget master or Clous, listen to me right now.¡¯¡¯ She ordered him, keeping her back turned to him. ¡®¡¯Actually, I don¡¯t have any ideas!¡¯¡¯ He announced cheerfully. The seven of them went silent together. ¡®¡¯THEN WHAT THE HELL WAS THE POINT OF THIS NEARLY COOL MOMENT YOU DIPSHIT?!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted from behind, full throttle on the aggressiveness. ¡®¡¯So she wouldn¡¯t exhaust herself! She¡¯s slower when not breathing; her lungs aren¡¯t getting enough air to supply dodgin something like that and she would have gotten defeated the moment Hakuhi stopped her fire attack!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro retaliated in an equally strong tone, which they wouldn¡¯t heard him speak in before.


    ¡°This way she can at least move bette-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯It¡¯s a good idea on paper, lad, but you forget one small thing: even if she manages to dodg¡¯ Hakuhi¡¯s assault¡­what next?¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi asked in a menacing tone, freezing Yohiro completely. ¡®¡¯Hakuhi will still be able to fight, ya know¡­? What will that woman be able to do? Hakuhi has practiced the God Muscle ever since he was two years old!! You¡¯re underestimatin¡¯ one of the most powerful warriors you¡¯ve ever and will eve¡¯ meet!!!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi shook them with his soul-piercing voice, almost taking the life out of Yohiro¡¯s eyes for moment. ¡®¡¯I...I, uh¡­ Ms. Rosa, I¡¯m--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯It¡¯s fine! I won¡¯t back down just because of this threat, Yohiro, Clous...master!¡¯¡¯ She announced with her cleanest voice, shaking Yohiro¡¯s feet. ¡®¡¯Then here, take my swan song, you boar freak!¡¯¡¯ Rosa swung her hand horizontally, maintaining full elegance and regaining her full composure, looking the masked triplets with full determination as glyphs began to appear on the walls of the sewer, covering every single blind spot possible. ¡®¡¯Rosa, don¡¯t be an idiot, that¡¯ll result in ridiculous blood loss from your fingers¡­¡¯¡¯ Hiona warned her, knowing she had no chance of persuading her to stop.


    ¡®¡¯Master¡­kill Clous for me if we¡¯ve been captured when I wake up, er, if i wake up at all, I mean.¡¯¡¯ Rosa requested, giggling with joy. Hakuhi finally charged in, beginning to feel Rosa¡¯s hostile intent, bursting the floor itself down with monsterous steps. ¡®¡¯Wait, Ms. Rosa, we can still do something else!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said, beginning to shed tears as he felt his stupidity hit him in the gut. ¡®¡¯Kinda late to say that, brat. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re gonna be fighting, too. I would¡¯ve liked to see that one for sure¡­¡¯¡¯ She said to him, giving him a slight smile as she tilted her head, snapping her fingers, filling Yohiro¡¯s vision with read, hot fire, only beaten by Rosa who was popping out of the picture, turning her head forward. His ears were filled only with the sound of the fire filling the space, mixed with the violent howls of Hakuhi whose steps began to overpower the loud fire itself. Clous looked away as Hakuhi emerged from the flames, showing the gruesome sight of his burned flesh, showing even the muscles lying underneath, unlike Hiona who stood, watching the entire scene unfold along with Yohiro, like the master she thought herself to be. In the blink of Yohiro¡¯s puffy from crying eyes, the man who resembled a corpse slammed his clenched fist directly into Rosa¡¯s stomach, opening a flurry of fists on the woman who refused to fall of her feet, taking each one until he howled once more, kicking her neck in a high jump, knocking to the floor. The fire slowly began to fade away into nothingness, diminishing in a few seconds.


    Hakuhi couldn¡¯t feel her murderous intent at that point, relieving his muscles from the stress and gasping in utter pain after falling to his knees, blood seeping from his arms and legs which were torn to almost nothing, changing the color of the water under their feet to a beautiful, magnificent crimson read. Clous couldn¡¯t even look forward, vomiting from the mere excruciating yells of pain, becoming more human-sounding with each and every one. Hiona tapped her finger on her arm in frustration, realising the final blow was dealt. Finally, Yohiro wept and wept, watching the man who was on the brink of death struggle to walk back to his genuinely amazed brother, who was speechless at that point. It was unavoidable; the fact had surfaced almost immediately, evidence coming from Rosa¡¯s unconscious body.


    She had lost their first battle.

 Chapter Twenty-Two: A Piece Of Spite Goes Nowhere.

    The quick but powerful beatdown from Hakuhi had left Yohiro staring empily at Rosa¡¯s unconscious body. ¡®¡¯Hakuhi, brotha¡¯! Congratulations on yer victory!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi praised him as he helped him up gently, holding his dear brother close until he sat him down in the sewer water behind their third, still silent brother. ¡®¡¯Sakuhi¡­ Are ye gonna be goin¡¯ up next?¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi asked, gasping as his muscles were on clear display, feeling hot him. Hakuhi, however, hadn¡¯t been surprised by the development. It hadn¡¯t been the first time something of that magnitude had occurred. Although he had superior knowledge of his limits and willingness to push to the last inch. ¡®¡¯Of course it¡¯s my turn, brother¡­ And I won¡¯t lose if I stand by my honor!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi declared to his two brothers, getting a happy nod from Hakuhi.


    ¡®¡¯Off you go, Clous.¡¯¡¯ Hiona said seriously, continuing to feel spiteful due to the outcome of Rosa¡¯s battle. ¡®¡¯Are you joking? We might as well surrender ourselves and let them take us to the king or some prison within the castle, master¡­ I can¡¯t beat that guy,¡¯¡¯ Clous suggested, almost sounding like he was trying to beg, but couldn¡¯t due to his glaring pride. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t kid, Clous, don¡¯t fret. You¡¯ll easily kill him,¡¯¡¯ she stared Sakuhi down, giving off a tremendous, amazingly horrible presence, almost making Clous throw up again just by standing meters away from her. Yohiro mustered up the strength, standing up and walking over to Rosa, picking her up carefully and gently, beginning to carry her backwards. He stared down in shame as he leaned her beat up body against the sewer wall. ¡®¡¯Master. Rosa¡¯s damage is severe. The bruises are beyond black and swollen¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro reported to Hiona after lifting Rosa¡¯s clothes and checking out her stomach and neck before covering her up again and leaving to stay there safely, walking over to Clous.


    ¡®¡¯Yohiro, whatever you;re feeling right now, don¡¯t let it overwhelm you. That¡¯s the worst thing you could do right now,¡¯¡¯ Clous warned him, shaking in his boots. Yohiro stood quiet. ¡®¡¯Thank you very much.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro let out, confusing the two of them. ¡®¡¯I want to be useful and you¡¯re not pointing out how much I failed back there. Thank you, master, Clous¡­!¡¯¡¯ He raised his head, looking forward coldly. ¡®¡¯Calm yourself,¡¯¡¯ Hiona gritted her teeth slightly, ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not your turn. With how this is going, you might not need to have a turn. Clous, move in.¡¯¡¯ She finished straightforwardly, surprising both of them with her out of character act of urgency. ¡®¡¯I won¡¯t repeat myself anymore. That¡¯s all,¡¯¡¯ she looked at Clous, prompting him to walk forward reluctantly, stepping in front of Sakuhi.


    ¡®¡¯So you¡¯ve come, my fox frien¡¯!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi shouted friendlily at Clous, getting a quick scoff in return. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t fuck with me, countryside boy. I¡¯m not as weak as you seem to think!¡¯¡¯ Clous replied, watching Sakuhi become clearly offended. ¡®¡¯Y-yer words cut more tha¡¯ a knife, young fox, but I shall not--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Shut it, kid. I¡¯m clearly older than you. Kind of a shame that you¡¯re trying to ignore that fact, isn¡¯t it?¡¯¡¯ Clous shot a second mental bullet at Sakuhi, landing directly in his large heart. ¡®¡¯I-I apologize for disrespectin¡¯ my elders, but you sure ar¡¯ rude,¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi chuckled from behind his mask, hoping to improve his own mood. ¡®¡¯Sure, play it that way. ¡®The pure-hearted warrior who never steps over his moral boundaries.¡¯ Seen that shit a thousand times over. Just hurry up and fight me¡­!¡¯¡¯ Clous expressed his stressed in the form of straight aggression, fully directing it at Sakuhi as he took out his tome, placing his foot back with purpose as Sakuhi sighed, taking stance with both his hands forward.


    Clous found no clear openings even though he considered Sakuhi¡¯s stance to be flawed and incomplete-looking. Sakuhi bowed with only his head, springing off the ground so fast that the water took a quarter of a second to react. He stood steady on the ceiling, shooting down towards Clous before he could look up, striking him under the chin and sending him towards the still hot wall in a kick he performed after an elegant spin. Clous, after hitting the wall, slid down, falling on his stomach. ¡®¡¯Clous isn¡¯t given enough time to incantate¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro whispered to himself, not noticing the gem begin to glow again, which garnered Hiona¡¯s attention in an instant.


    Clous got up, huffing slowly and repeatedly, beginning to regain control over his breaths as he parted his lips, feeling a sharp sting in back, getting kicked across into the wall on the opposite side and like before, falling down pathetically. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m sorry elde¡¯. Seems you¡¯re too slow for good ol¡¯ me. Yer arrogance and cockiness deserve the punishmen¡¯ you just received and thensum!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi stated, his hand twitching in a sudden motion; an action Yohiro caught carefully with his eyes. ¡®¡¯Yeah, sure i¡¯m cocky, but don¡¯t get cocky yourself over my shitty personality, bastard!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled as he forced his body upwards, throwing his tome at Hiona, with her catching it easily. ¡®¡¯Is that your final strategy, Clous?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked from slightly far away, watching him throw away his robe as well, wiping the sweat off his forehead. ¡®¡¯Master, if I can¡¯t even incantate anything, the book¡¯s useless, isn¡¯t it?! Then I only have my body left to use, and that¡¯s what i¡¯ll use to break him!¡¯¡¯ He said, clearly angry at himself more than at Sakuhi; not for his misperformance, but rather the words he was letting leave his mouth. Those spiteful words he hated oh so much.


    ¡®¡¯But fox o little, would ya have any bette¡¯ luck without yer best and only tool?¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi asked him with genuine curiosity. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t mock me. I didn¡¯t concentrate on damaging spells when training myself in magic; my body was enough to contribute for my lacking in talent!¡¯¡¯ He gave him a proud answer, taking him aback. ¡®¡¯No talent¡­? Little fox managed to sense my quick attacks, but thinks he¡¯s lackin¡¯ the good ol¡¯ skills and talent?!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi thought, beginning to get filled with anger as sprung forward towards Clous, ignoring strategy or thought, only focusing on punishing his downlook on himself. ¡®¡¯Clous!! Don¡¯t try to watch out for him!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro butted in, shouting what sounded like complete nonsense, distracting Clous who less than two seconds later felt incredible pain in his left lung, finding Sakuhi¡¯s knee connected with it, pressing him against the wall in a loud thud, only finding its opponent in Clous¡¯ shriek of pain, widening Yohiro¡¯s eyes in an instant.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡®¡¯Fox, surrender before I reluctantly crush your entire body!!¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi ordered him outright, thinking of Clous¡¯ own good, who began coughing and vomiting uncontrollably on top of Sakuhi¡¯s leg. ¡®¡¯G-go jump off a cliff¡­ If I do that, I won¡¯t hear the end of it and will get killed by someone much more intimidating than you supernatural freaks¡­!¡¯¡¯ Clous muttered, placing both his arms on Sakuhi¡¯s leg, stabbing his long nails into it quickly. ¡®¡¯Come on, you scream this time!¡¯¡¯ Clous ordered with a mean smile, only getting a sigh from the superior Sakuhi. ¡®¡¯Ya don¡¯t get it. Ya will never get it, little fox friend. I ain¡¯t on the same plane of power as ya, therefore¡­ you cannot surpass me.¡¯¡¯ He said to Clous, opening his eyes wider than a window as he was dropped down to the ground, left to sulk in the water.


    Cannot surpass. Ever.


    ¡®¡¯Clous! Get up, Clous!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro continued yelling, beginning to deeply despair as he stomped forward into the water. ¡®¡¯Quiet, Yohiro¡­ They hit a nerve of Clous¡¯. Better stand back.¡¯¡¯ Hiona warned Yohiro, confused him. ¡®¡¯Yer partner here ain¡¯t dead, I believe. But ya¡¯ve all lost. Come quietly an--¡¯¡¯ Sakuhi tried to warn them as he felt a swift breeze, feeling Clous¡¯ presence shift places faster than even he could calculate. ¡®¡¯Gagu!!!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted in an abnormal voice, filling everyone¡¯s ears with its anger. Sakuhi turned around, swinging at Clous, only finding an image of what once used to be there a bit ago. ¡®¡¯Gagu, you overly pretentious idiot!!!¡¯¡¯ Clous growled as the others felt rapid bursts of air shoot from all sides, causing the water to falter in its way. They finally realised: Clous was moving around the space.


    Clous fastened his pace, jumping from wall to wall between the two, starting to push Sakuhi off balance with the continuous current of wind, until Clous stepped on the floor behind him, scratching the back of his leg before shooting upwards towards the ceiling, concentrating all the packed up wind, flinging the previously grounded Sakuhi upwards, leaving him to watch Clous¡¯ almost demon-like rage-filled expression as he ascended. Clous, who had stabbed his entire hand into the ceiling, prepped up his fist, tensing his arm¡¯s muscle with all of his force. ¡®¡¯DIE, GAGU!!!¡¯¡¯ Clous erupted, landing his fist in Sakuhi¡¯s stomach, sending all of the accumulated wind towards his two brothers, pushing the speechless Hakuhi further back into the tunnel and not moving the one left behind more than a few small centimeters. He grasped the foe¡¯s stomach mid punch, pushing himself off the ceiling with his feet and beginning to harshly descend towards the floor, ignoring the futile struggle from Sakuhi to escape as he pushed on, slamming him into the concrete, breaking the very floor under their feet.


    ¡®¡¯W-what...is that thing?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked Hiona with concern as he forced himself to watch Clous pick his opponent up and begin to jab his stomach with all of his force, causing him to cough blood all over Clous¡¯ body. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s Clous alright! At his best and worst, that is!¡¯¡¯ Hiona laughed energetically in a familiar to him tone, crossing her arms confidently. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve seen that state of his once before, and only that one time. Back when I recruited him,¡¯¡¯ she smiled as she gave him a quick not-explanation. Yohiro turned his head back at the pure torture unfolding before his eyes, watching Clous throw the already way past unconscious Sakuhi at the wall. ¡®¡¯S-stop it, Clous, he¡¯s not able to continue anymore!¡¯¡¯ He shouted, getting his warning shunned by what previously used to be Clous. ¡®¡¯That won¡¯t work here; this Clous¡¯s a tough one to crack. For now, continue watching.¡¯¡¯ Hiona ordered him, receiving a judgemental frown from him.


    ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t want to watch Clous kill him so viciously¡­! It¡¯s horrible, but what can I do, of all people¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro sulked as he began to realise the shine from the now unsurprisingly consistent gem. It shone so brightly that it began to feel like the harsh sun, widening Yohiro and Hiona¡¯s eyes in surprise. ¡®¡¯Yeah¡­ Yeah! Just like last time with master! Just like last time at the army base! I can place my trust in you, right?! Please then, help me!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro began crying in a mix of happiness and sorrow, watching as the light began to change in intensity, blinding Clous from across. ¡®¡¯T-thank you so much! I can¡¯t pay you back enough, no matter how much I try!!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro clenched a fist, taking Clous¡¯ tome from Hiona¡¯s arms and strutting forward, tripping but ultimately not surrendering as he set his foot down, pulling his arm back.


    ¡®¡¯Please God, don¡¯t let anyone die!¡¯¡¯ He begged, the light enveloping the whole room as he tossed the tome with all of his strength, leaving it to fly out of his hand like an arrow, landing the edge directly on Clous¡¯ forehead and knocking him back. ¡®¡¯That light again¡­ This kid won¡¯t stop amazing me since back then!¡¯¡¯ Hiona grinned as the powerful light enveloped the entire room, leaving nothing but pure, beautiful white, covering their sights completely.

 Chapter Twenty-Three: The Fox Who Felt Human.

    It was one hot, clear day. The sun was standing powerfully in the sky, enveloping everything under it like the king it looked to be. I was...exhausted to say the least. All my limbs ached and it felt like i¡¯d walked for hours, made even worse than the bag with leftovers I was carrying along with me. Being a beastman, heat got to me a little too easily and it began to blur my vision as I walked through a village in the middle of a broad and expanding desert. Until then, I¡¯d hidden myself inside a small cave near the village itself. Being resourceful was a little useful in that case.


    For reasons I couldn¡¯t understand back then, people stared at me with utter shock the moment they saw me in spite of them having other beastmen around them. Wes it fox folklore? I had no idea, but ignored it and continued walking, but it became too much in due time and I began to falter in my step, beginning to fall over as I walked. It felt like the world was spinning, but I knew it was just the weak old me, and nothing else. Inevitably, I fell over head first into the hard ground, feeling thirsty and unable to to reach the bag with the leftover orange or lemon peels I could squeeze for some, albeit unpleasant and annoying to taste, juice due to tiredness. The sound of people¡¯s steps increased and got louder with every second; they were walking towards me, gossiping to one another.


    Although I couldn¡¯t really make out their words, I could feel the disgust and vulgarity in their tone, until...I heard a loud stomp, coming from a staircase leading to a temple a few meters in front of where I had fallen over. There were at least two or three of them and they ran over quickly, as if sprinting towards me, getting through the crowd that had gathered around me. It was quick, but I grasped it for a second. ¡®¡¯Are you alright? Can you hear me?¡¯¡¯ That¡¯s the few words I could hear, and be as it may, I scoffed at it, getting a relieved boyish chuckle as they picked me up, beginning to carry me away. They didn¡¯t seem to have an issue with my weight or anything, seeing as they were worryingly talking to me without even a feeling of exhaustion. It almost felt like I was their king or some fairy tale shit¡­


    By that point, I chose to close my eyes and leave it to them as stupid as that sounds and is; I couldn¡¯t be bothered after the third day in that damn desert. My throat was a dry mess, my lungs were in severe pain and my muscles were outta shape. Kinda felt like I was diminishing due to malnutrition, too. I was done with it. Before realizing it, I was fast asleep, finding myself on a quiet beach, surrounded by beautiful palms and an even more beautiful and sparkly ocean. It took me a second to realise I was actually dreaming, but It looked too amazing to be actually real; the waves splashing and hitting the shore I was on felt too pleasurable to my ears, the wind felt like it was some blessing from above I didn¡¯t even deserve, taking into account the fact it had been days. Even with all of those factors into consideration, it was a dream. Not too long from then, and I would return to an annoying, pathetic reality. Nothing would feel good then; because good things rarely happen outside of dreams, or so the people who reluctantly talked to me told me back at a bar months ago. I guess there¡¯s a point to being shorter than humans all the time... they don¡¯t know if you¡¯re allowed to drink. With all of it going through my head, I realised it was time to wake up. Reality won¡¯t be nicer, it¡¯ll be depressing and it¡¯ll most probably hurt, but it¡¯s reality. It¡¯s better to get back there sooner rather than have to be stuck in this paradise and be pulled out without a warning. ¡®¡¯I want to...stay next to the beach longer, though¡­¡¯¡¯ is what I thought as it began disappearing before my eyes, prompting me to awaken, watching as it disappeared, vanishing as fast as you could say the word ¡®¡¯beach¡¯¡¯ itself, leaving me to raise my eyelids, blinking to an annoying light.


    I squirmed, waving my hands in the air, feeling a warm touch as a gentle hand grabbed my hand, holding it with care as my vision improved, allowing me to see a book hovering above my body, emitting light into a dark room; the was so bright it could probably light up a ballroom or even more. I tilted my head, finding a decrepit old man holding my hand. A look of disappointment filled my eyes in an instant, but shouting wasn¡¯t really in my field of possibilities; I¡¯m the one being treated here, therefore I had to force a calm face. ¡®¡¯Thank goodness you¡¯re away, beastman¡­¡¯¡¯ The grandad said to me in a nice and caring tone, not looking disgusted or disturbed with the fur on my hand or body. ¡®¡¯You have been through an incredible struggle, haven¡¯t you, my friend¡­? Here, stand up carefully,¡¯¡¯ he smiled gently as he watched over me, but...something was different about his look. He wasn¡¯t looking down on me at all, but rather looking down with care. It was a weird experience, to say the least. I stood up with his help, although I was able to feel his hand shaking as he helped me up. Without wasting his breath anymore, he lifted a glass of water from the wooden plate he had next to him, extending his arm slowly towards me. Even if I didn¡¯t wanna accept the old guy¡¯s help¡­I couldn¡¯t resist that crystal clear water he had probably gotten from a city far away, so I grabbed the glass, drinking it in one long breath, coughing as I slammed it into the ground.


    ¡®¡¯You seem quite energetic for someone whose stomach has be growling louder than a bear, little frog. I suppose you¡¯re beginning to feel a little better already?¡¯¡¯ He asked me directly. The part that creeped me out the most about him was his eyes; he appeared to be blind, but remained on eye level with me. ¡®¡¯Frog¡­? I¡¯m a fox, old bastard¡­!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Oh-ho, that is evident to me, believe me. It¡¯s what we call people who drink large amounts of water at once at our shrine, so please, don¡¯t get offended by my words, my guest,¡¯¡¯ he lowered his head, bowing down in an apology. At this point I was wondering if this was the actual dream, not the beach I just saw. I¡¯m the intruder here, so why¡¯s he being so overly polite to me? A switch clicked inside my head. I stood up quickly, stepping on the bed sheet he had placed under me. ¡®¡¯Are you afraid that i¡¯ll hurt you? Is that why you¡¯re pretending to be so nice and caring? ¡®Cause I could and I would either way.¡¯¡¯ Though I was being honest with him, telling him what I truly thought, the words felt hard to pronounce for some reason.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡®¡¯Yes, that is true¡­¡¯¡¯ I knew it. He¡¯s only afraid of me, just like those other ones. ¡®¡¯I am truly afraid of you hurting me, though for reasons not concerning the ones you¡¯re thinking, my guest. You see, I am quite blind and--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Cut it out!¡¯¡¯ I grabbed his head, raising it off the floor as he coughed, trying desperately to not cough in my face. ¡®¡¯I am only trying to be quiet for your own good¡­ Please, my students are outside training this very minute. They cannot hear us and me getting hurt would hurt them more than me. I beg of you, let go of me¡­¡¯¡¯ What the fuck was the deal with this guy?! He isn¡¯t acting the same as the other humans! ¡®¡¯You¡¯re not afraid of me stealing from you? You think picking up strangers, especially fox beastmen, is a good idea, huh? I could destroy the whole place where it stands!!¡¯¡¯ I gripped his clothes tighter, watching him sigh. In a quick instant I felt his hand grasp mine, beginning to watch the word flip as I found myself with my legs towards the ceiling, my face covered by my own shirt. ¡®¡¯I told you, I have students, therefore I classify as a master and a teacher. Please do not cause us any harm¡­¡¯¡¯ He coughed and coughed, falling onto one knee in pain.


    After that, the geezer introduced himself as Yugashi, a weird name for an equally weird man. Reluctantly, I agreed to leave him and his students alone, both due to his kind treatment, water and food, and the words he said to me: My students are not nearly as strong as me, but a lot stronger than you. I guess he knew I wasn¡¯t gonna be able to touch his little kids. They were all a bunch of kids, ranging from prepubescent to adolescent in terms of age, except for one, who seemed to be around my age; his name was Gagu. Hika, Garao and Klira were on a normal level according to Yugashi, but Gagu was apparently his pride and joy. The weirdo had a weird king for making cups and glasses for his teacher to use in everyday activities and cooking for the children.


    Before I could realise, a week passed, two weeks passed, almost approaching three, but I...didn¡¯t leave. The kids kept showing me their techniques and how to centralize my body energy into one point for a more powerful hit on the training dummy, the old man had me do chores most of the time, while feeding me accordingly. It almost felt good, but they were all too young to understand why they shouldn¡¯t enjoy that time with me. Gagu, however...he was always next to me. Whenever we ate, he sat next to me, whenever we trained he took the dummy next to mine and rambled about everything I couldn¡¯t care less about, he wouldn¡¯t answer my questions if they were referring to his cups and glasses. Ever. But, in all that weird time¡­ All that abnormal time, I smiled more than once or twice, smiled more than once or twice, vomited due to stuffing myself more than once or twice and managed to keep up with Gagu in ¡®¡¯How quick can you hit the dummy?¡¯¡¯ We were able to get close to even Yugashi¡¯s speed of one point two seconds, but were a bit too far off.


    We spilled sweat, blood and tears together, and I was happy at that time, even when people would come to deliver supplies to Yugashi for him to feed us and looked at me weirdly. When that happened, Gagu would pat my back and cry for me, no idea why, but he was a little too compassionate and supportive for my taste. ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s play!¡¯¡¯, ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s eat!¡¯¡¯, ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s fight!¡¯¡¯ Those three were their favorite phrases. They even had a mantra of sorts that Yugashi had taught them. I can¡¯t remember all of it, or even most of it, but it went along the lines of trusting your partner when you couldn¡¯t find the trust inside your heart; the normal things Yugashi would say.


    One night, I went out to take a leak in the outside bathroom. I peeked beyond a corner, finding Gagu sitting next to the bathroom, making his precious cups way past bed hours. ¡®¡¯What¡¯re you doing over there?¡¯¡¯ I asked him as I rubbed my eyes, feeling them hazy as I had just woken up against my will due to my urge to piss. ¡®¡¯C-Clous?! Why aren¡¯t you sleeping¡­?!¡¯¡¯ He answered my question with his own, stopping his weird process of making cups; he used some book every time to make them, but he would be weary of Yugashi when using it. He didn¡¯t want him to see it, or or at least that¡¯s what I took it as. ¡®¡¯I can¡¯t, ¡®cause I gotta take a leak¡­ Why are you up this later; you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re shitting or pissin¡¯, so what gives¡­?¡¯¡¯ I asked him as I walked up to him, sneaking a glance at his the book that was floating beside him. ¡®¡¯Master Yugashi asked you not to use that language!! And i¡¯m just working on my pottery. Cups are usually the easiest to make, so I go with them,¡¯¡¯ he explained to me, surprising me since I was used to him dodging the bullet on those types of questions.


    ¡®¡¯Then, what¡¯s that thing? Also, I¡¯ll talk how I like¡­¡¯¡¯ I asked him, pointing at the book as I scratched my belly, still full of the dinner that night, listening to the wind as Gagu¡¯s eyes narrowed menacingly. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s a ¡®tome¡¯, a tool used by mages to use magic¡­ Please don¡¯t tell master that I have it; if he found out, he¡¯d probably send me away, saying something like, ¡¯You¡¯ve grown enough, so go to the outside world and live your life!¡¯¡¯¡¯ He pleaded. ¡®¡¯Show me how it works and i¡¯ll keep it secret, then!¡¯¡¯ I pointed at him, quite rudely if I recall correctly. Though that¡¯s a story I can¡¯t misremember, no matter how many years pass. ¡®¡¯Okay, but you can¡¯t use mine. Every mage must either find their own, receive it or the hardest and most draining way; write one for themselves! I...found mine in master¡¯s basement-- but I intend to give it back, of course!!¡¯¡¯ Gagu rambled, reassuring me, which I didn¡¯t really care for. We continued wasting the night, me listening to his explanations until the sun came up. In the end, I watched him finish one of his cups, and it was the most amazing thing i¡¯d seen at that point...


    But, things didn¡¯t remain that way forever...

 Chapter Twenty-Four: The Fox Who Wasnt Human.

    After that night, Gagu went off to bed, leaving the cup we made with the tome¡¯s magic to me in a smile he hadn¡¯t showed me before; it was a lot more daring, like he was fully trusting me in keeping his secret. But...I couldn¡¯t keep a secret like that. Yugashi was the one who kept me around and if I agreed, I¡¯d be throwing that away. On the other hand, Gagu was...my ¡®¡¯friend¡¯¡¯, right? Right¡­? Nah, he was too nice to classify as one; he¡¯s more of a lackey or something along those lines at best, considering it was me.


    The next morning I woke up, feeling the now usual pile of sweat on top of me, like someone had spilled a bucket of water on top of me. It sounded like training was going on outside, but they seemed more vigilant and violent, judging by the fact that they were actually fighting one another rather than the dummies, or so it sounded. ¡®¡¯Old man~! What¡¯s for breakfast?!¡¯¡¯ I opened the door leading outside of my room, the same room he¡¯d placed me in a few weeks back after finding me, yawning as I closed it behind myself.


    ¡®¡¯Please, I beg of you, leave me and my students alone¡­!¡¯¡¯ That familiar, old-ass voice rung strongly in my ears. ¡®¡¯This has never happened before!¡¯¡¯ Is what went through my head, but that¡¯s a weird thought to have anyway. I rushed down the squeaky hallway, still in the dress he liked to call pajamas, when it didn¡¯t feel like it at all, opening the door to the outside. As quick as I¡¯d thought I would, I froze. All of them, each and every one was lying down on the ground, crawling away at a patchetic pace. ¡®¡¯Hika, Garao!¡¯¡¯ I yelled, rushing over to the two of them who were thrown on top of each other like pieces of paper, crouching down and helping them to sit up.


    ¡®¡¯Hear this, old man, i¡¯ve been travelling for quite a while in search of someone to add to my little group i¡¯m making. Are there your best students, or doesn the beastman count as one?¡¯¡¯ A tall woman with the blackest hair, wearing a skimpy and annoying-looking tank top and shorts asked Yugashi who was begging with his head down, shaking evidently as he refused to answer her question. ¡®¡¯Please, do not hurt them any further¡­ They¡¯re but child--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Ha? I couldn¡¯t hear you since you¡¯re so damn quiet!¡¯¡¯ She yelled at him as she sprinted over faster than my eyes could register, picking up Yugashi with her one hand.


    I couldn¡¯t do anything, but I noticed something: the old guy was buying us time, he definitely was! But, Klira and Gagu were nowhere to be found, so I couldn¡¯t leave with these two on my back like that. ¡®¡¯What kinda master puts their children out there and watches them get demolished by a stronger foe? Not a good one, because I¡¯d do that. Which one of the kids is your strongest fighters, old man?¡¯¡¯ She asked him once more as I watched her grip his throat with her spare hand, causing him to wheeze in pain.


    ¡®¡¯S...top!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Cut it out!¡¯¡¯ I tried to force the words out, but they stayed inside my mouth, as if chained and pulled back with an anchor. ¡®¡¯Where are the other two¡­?¡¯¡¯ I spoke to them quietly, watching as I saw the life leave their eyes suddenly. ¡®¡¯Calm it, beastman¡­¡¯¡¯ She turned towards me, holding something that resembled the tome Gagu showed me the night before. Hika and Garao squirmed like puppets pulled by strings until I watched the two of them pass out in my hands, not able to hear their breathing at all. ¡®¡¯I control the lives of everyone in this temple right now; the old man¡¯s and those two dead kids. Wanna join my list? It¡¯ll be fun¡­¡¯¡¯ She dropped Yugashi down, leaving him to sulk down in his pathetic state.


    ¡®¡¯You bitch! Why?! You coulda talked to him and resolved it properly!¡¯¡¯ At that point, I felt like it was all of Yugashi¡¯s influence talking and not me personally. ¡®¡¯I tried, but when I went ¡®Give me one of your kids,¡¯ he wouldn¡¯t comply.¡¯¡¯ She replied, sounding almost annoying by him.


    ¡®¡¯Well no shit! Why¡¯d you even come to a barent place like this, anyway?!¡¯¡¯ I stood up, holding tightly onto Garao, unable to carry both of them. ¡®¡¯I got a report sent to me, by someone in here. More specifically, to the thieves guild. ¡®We¡¯re being attacked by a vicious beastman¡¯ or something. What are we, fucking heroes¡­?¡¯¡¯ She answered my question almost effortlessly, as if she didn¡¯t even care about the blood she had spilled all over the temple grounds and the two lives she took on a complete whim. But even then, my brain refused to let that reality in, so I forced it out, hoping it was some bluff and the two of them were still alive somehow¡­ But obviously, they weren¡¯t. It was probably something she did with her tome. ¡®¡¯Then, why the hell are you hurting them?! I¡¯m the bea¡­ attacked...vicious?!¡¯¡¯ My eyes widened in an instant as I understood the situation. In the corner of my eye, I caught Gagu peeping from around the corner of the building, looking somewhat...satisfied? Happy¡­?You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡®¡¯And since I¡¯m coming to a temple, might as well look for someone passable to be one of my underlings, or something. But I guess I gotta take care of my job¡­¡¯¡¯ She turned towards me, stared me down and grinned with malice. I dropped Graou, falling back on my ass like the coward I turned out to be. ¡®¡¯But, I didn¡¯t do anything! Ask the old geezer! Ask him!!¡¯¡¯ At that point I was desperately begging her to let me live, just more indirectly than people would, but¡­ ¡®¡¯No can do. The guy let out his last breath a few seconds ago.¡¯¡¯ Her words took a few seconds to process as I looked over, finding Yugashi lying down motionlessly. ¡®¡¯Even if you didn¡¯t do jack shit, the world¡¯s a cruel place. I believe¡­you¡¯d be better off and happier not having to deal with these people, anyway.¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯No, hang on! Gagu! Gaaaagu!¡¯¡¯ I began yelling for him, hoping he¡¯d come out and help me, hoping that he was hiding out of fear and nothing else and that expression was just the cause of stress, but he did nothing, except silently move his lips. This was also something Yugashi taught us: Understanding each other by reading each other¡¯s lips. It was hard, since my vision was going blurry due to adrenaline, but I made it out clearly.


    ¡®¡¯That¡¯s why you can¡¯t surpass me. Sorry.¡¯¡¯


    Was it jealousy, was it hatred, was it fear like everyone else, or was it just for his own fun. Was it a side of Gagu I hadn¡¯t seen or hadn¡¯t noticed. I didn¡¯t have time to think about that anyway. He pulled his head back behind the wall, leaving me with a small smile. There was a long stairway leading away from the temple behind the building; it was probably where he was going, with Klira presumably. The bitch began talking under her breath as she began staring daggers at me; she wasn¡¯t about to offer mercy to me. My breaths began to feel heavy, I had goosebumps, my saliva was gathering faster and my vision began to get filled with black. ¡®¡¯Gagu...why¡­?¡¯¡¯ That was the last thing I thought before I found myself in complete darkness. Why? Why?! I didn¡¯t do anything, did I? I didn¡¯t even hurt them. It was their own problem, not mine. I couldn¡¯t even see my own arms or legs, my toso or my nose. It felt like I was just floating in a dark place, nothing in sight.I can¡¯t remember how long it lasted, since I gave up after the second minute, but the blackness spread out; it was like waking up again.


    My eyes felt puffy, my feet numb. My face felt in pain, as well as my body. ¡®¡¯Good morning!¡¯¡¯ The voice of that woman was the first thing my ears took in after waking up, making me gasp. ¡®¡¯You did kinda good back there; you tore up my skin a little; quite the accomplishment when it¡¯s me we¡¯re talking about!¡¯¡¯ She kept talking to me in a calm, soft tone, mixed with the same, vicious and relentless one she used back at the temple. ¡®¡¯Where...the fuck are you taking me¡­?¡¯¡¯ I realised she was carrying me on her shoulder, holding me with an arm bearing a scar on it, looking like it was made by...me. ¡®¡¯Well, I was told to deal with a beastman, so I did. I was looking for someone to add to my squad, so I found one.¡¯¡¯ She spoke quickly. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not following you anywhere, dammit¡­¡¯¡¯ I was hellbent on disagreeing, but I realised it: We were nowhere near the village. In fact, I could see the end of the desert on the horizon. ¡®¡¯¡¯Course you¡¯re not following me, I¡¯m carrying you, so please be a good boy. The fact that i¡¯m taking you in after you scratched me should make you feel happy, at worst.¡¯¡¯ I didn¡¯t get it at all. Why was it happening to me, why did they have to end that way, why isn¡¯t she exhausted, or at least sweaty? All of those were questions I couldn¡¯t find the answer to.


    ¡®¡¯You kept screaming ¡®¡¯Gagu¡¯¡¯ and the like. It was funny until you attacked me; then it just became pitiful, but it was still surprising, so you passed you sly bastard!¡¯¡¯ She began laughing openly and seemingly joyfully. ¡®¡¯¡¯Fuck you, and go die in a hole!¡¯¡¯ I yelled at her, that being the only thing I could do. ¡®¡¯Kinda rowdy, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m Hiona, your new master, dear beastman. It¡¯s (not) nice to meet you.¡¯¡¯ It almost felt like that physically hurt her to say. ¡®¡¯What is it you want? To kill that Gagu guy, to kill me? Both? If I hit the spot on at least one, tell me your name, so we can have it confirmed, ¡®kay?¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯It¡¯s Clous.¡¯¡¯ I told her. ¡®¡¯Gotcha. If you¡¯re working for me now, i¡¯ll halfa get you a tome, won¡¯t I¡­ But after I get you one, you¡¯re picking what to prioritize and what to use in general.¡¯¡¯ That hit me like a brick. A tome for me? That same...thing she and Gagu used? A weapon for killing? She¡¯s gonna give me one? ¡®¡¯What if I use it to kill you on the spot? Won¡¯t that be a problem?¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯It won¡¯t be. ¡®Cause you won¡¯t be using it as a weapon, or so i¡¯m guessing from the way you act. You don¡¯t seem to like relying on external sources. If you were to throw something at me, maybe even one of the dead kids, you would¡¯ve stood a bit more of a chance.¡¯¡¯ She hit the point straight on.


    ¡®¡¯In any case, be prepared for pain, since from today onward, i¡¯m your master, Clous.¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Twenty-Five: A Glimpse Of Change.

    ¡®¡¯What in the world?! What¡¯s with that blinding light?!¡¯¡¯ The king meddled in his chair, beginning to feel nervous in his certainty for success as he continued watching his follower¡¯s tome¡¯s projection, with it showing an empty, white haze. ¡®¡¯Those triplets are beginning to worry me. Being my second strongest offensive force, they¡¯re getting rather sloppy with handling a few thieves. The again, that woman is the most worrisome,¡¯¡¯ he began rambling under his breath, noticing the door to his room open in a slow and loud creak. He raised his head, still looking down at the tome with his one eye as he witnessed his young daughter enter the room, politely closing the door behind herself. Parting her lips, the little girl filled with fear shook slightly, ¡®¡¯Father, um, may I please remain beside you for the time being?¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Why would you ask that, Touka? Of course, come sit down next to your father,¡¯¡¯ he invited her with a soft smile, relieving her as she walked over to him, sitting in her father¡¯s lap with a happy expression.


    ¡®¡¯I was told you sent the Seikuji triplets to protect the castle, father?¡¯¡¯ Touka asked as she looked down, noticing that the projection was showing nothing but a white cover. ¡®¡¯Yes, sending Sheya would be too much of waste on some thieves, dear, so they have to do this time¡­¡¯¡¯ He looked down, surprised as the white light began to fade away, revealing the aftermath of the weird scene. Sakuhi seemed unconscious, same as Clous, both of them lying next to each other, Clous having his tome open on top of his face, seemingly covering it like a pillow. Yohiro was standing on the side, shaken, and Hiona...was seemingly unmoveable, standing proudly like a powerful pillar, having closed her eyes to protect her eyes.


    ¡®¡¯Yohiro! You okay there?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked him, realising he wanted to sit down but was strongly refusing to do so. ¡®¡¯A-a¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shook his head, running forward, only stopping front of Clous, checking for his breathing, finding himself in relief as he felt it. ¡®¡¯Thank you, and i¡¯m so sorry,¡¯¡¯ he said to the fox, embracing him in his arms. He felt guilty for some reason, he felt sad, he felt like Clous deserve, no, needed that the gentle caress. A tear fell from his eye onto Clous¡¯ head as the tome fell down, hitting the ground and revealing a calm, sleeping face. ¡®¡¯You didn¡¯t deserve it! I swear you didn¡¯t¡­¡¯¡¯ He continued essentially speaking to himself, getting a mean look from Hiona. The boy picked Clous up in his arms, finding it heavy to carry him as he took him away, placing him next to Rosa, sitting him up against the wall.


    ¡®¡¯My brothe¡¯ Sakuhi...got beaten¡­?¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi mumbled, not having had a problem with the light coming out of Yohiro¡¯s gem thanks to his mask. ¡®¡¯...same with th¡¯ fox.¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Clous passed out after your brother; it was his victory¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro told them, pointing his finger daringly as he stated, giving them an infuriated look. ¡®¡¯We understan¡¯ that, littl¡¯ one! That means we¡¯re doin¡¯ a third battle!¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi said almost boastfully, despite his still crippled muscles, pointing at the third Seikuji brother, causing him to stand up accordingly. ¡®¡¯Yeah, that¡¯s how it¡¯s gonna go.¡¯¡¯ Hiona added from her own side, looking at Yohiro, watching him walk back into the area where the past two fights took place, along with the third brother.


    ¡®¡¯...thank you for deciding to fight with me, precious child,¡¯¡¯ the man spoke from behind the mask in a quiet voice, bowing forward. ¡®¡¯L-likewise, thank you, but I can¡¯t lose to you.¡¯¡¯ Hiona walked closed, wanting to have a perfect view of the fight. ¡®¡¯My name is Makuhi¡­ I hereby promise to deliver you a satisfying fight, for my brothers and for your shameful teammates, as well as you yourself¡­ If I do not, I shall slit my own belly, just like I have been taught¡­¡¯¡¯ He continued speaking, slightly shocking Yohiro with how much he actually talked for someone who didn¡¯t even move a muscle up until that point.


    ¡®¡¯You don¡¯t have t--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Before this bout begins, beautiful child of God, I shall reveal my fighting style, for being equal to your opponent is the perfect way to best them¡­ My ability allows me to become impervious to any of this world¡¯s forces if my body is not moving, therefore if I desired I could procrastinate this process until you all get caught b--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯You can shut up, retard! Revealing your secrets will only make it easier to get killed. After all, we¡¯re not here to spar,¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled at him, finishing her words with harsh endings, silencing the quiet Makuhi. ¡®¡¯Then, I will also reveal my secret,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro told him, annoying Hiona, with her knowing full-well she couldn¡¯t get annoyed at him, which made her even more annoyed, ¡®¡¯I¡¯m talentless, don¡¯t possess a tome of my own and I only have the basic understanding of physical combat, having been thought by the worst human being I have ever encountered, and...I will defeat you!¡¯¡¯ He explained the situation, giving it all to him straight, shocking both him, Hakuhi and Hiona.


    ¡®¡¯You are being honest when giving me, your enemy, this information, knowing well enough I have the strength to take your life, the most precious thing to any living thing in this world¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro began rolling up his sleeves, not answering the question at first. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s only fair that I choose to be honest with an opponent who revealed their ultimate technique to me, his enemy,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro retaliated, giving him a serious look. ¡®¡¯Yohiro...why are you suddenly trying to sound tough as if you truly believe you can kill that bastard¡­? Is it that damned piece of jewelry again?¡¯¡¯ Hiona thought as she sensed a ginormous feeling of fear coming from Yohiro, which didn¡¯t show in his accurate to the training she gave him posture or his for once not shaking body. ¡®¡¯Master!¡¯¡¯ He shouted, not looking at her, ¡®¡¯I believe you deserve a big ¡®kill yourself, please¡¯ right now, right? Well, kill yourself, master. I honestly believe those words are too soft for someone like you, but I refrained from saying it all this time. You have my eternal hatred, from the top of my head to my toes¡­¡¯¡¯ He told her, causing a strong silence to fill the space, even the drops of water from the ceiling echoing in the sewer sounding like a pen falling off a desk as he took out a pair of fighting gloves from the back pocket of the ¡®¡¯shorts¡¯¡¯, which you¡¯d confuse for full-length pants at first, putting them on one after the other.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡®¡¯Yohiro, how could you...make me feel this light-headed at a time like this, you little candy-flavoured jerk!!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled girlishly as she blushed, her feet turning into mush as fell down, strongly confusing the two of their foes. ¡®¡¯Makuhi, sending us to deal with peopl¡¯ this weir¡¯... Let¡¯ ask for more money,¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi told his brother, getting completely ignored. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, was it¡­? A human of your class has never stood before me. The honesty you have showed me almost makes me want to surrender, If I may be honest, but alas, this is a battle which I cannot throw up¡­¡¯¡¯ Makuhi readied his hands. ¡®¡¯I seem to lack the understanding needed to understand what you said, but that is not required for this interaction¡­!¡¯¡¯ Makuhi said as he stepped to the side, quickly pushing himself to the other with his foot, starting to alternate between the two sides quickly, with Yohiro unable to even maintain a consistent view of him.


    ¡®¡¯To try to keep track of what I do see and ignore the impossibilities for my weak body¡­ That¡¯s what you¡¯re telling me, right?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro spoke to himself, looking down at the gem which began to shine again. ¡®¡¯Hmm, hmm¡­! Thank you, I¡¯ll try it.¡¯¡¯ He muttered, putting his knuckles up in a stance clearly full of easily exploitable openings. Makuhi switched the movement of his soles, continuing with the same approach, but instead rapidly moving towards Yohiro, startling him as he hopped in a quick spin, landing his left leg in a readily raised defence from Yohiro, still pushing the meek boy to the side and into the wall. Makuhi didn¡¯t loosen on the pressure, sweeping on the ground, with Yohiro jumping to dodge, getting the tip of his shoes caught, tripping him to the floor.


    ¡®¡¯There is certainly potential in those eyes of yours, but your body lacks in comparison, unable to keep up with them. That appears to be the flaw in your movements¡­¡¯¡¯ Makuhi stopped, staying still as he gave Yohiro a sort of tip, leaving him to nod as he mumbled out a ¡®¡¯Thank you!¡¯¡¯ Hiona knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to land a hit or even dodge the attacks, but oh well, she had sunk deep in her own fantasy, rolling around in the water like some dog. ¡®¡¯I know I lack it; resolve, that is! I know I lack physical strength, I know I lack agileness, but I don¡¯t want to let other people see my weaknesses, even if I can¡¯t hide them myself!¡¯¡¯ He shouted at Makuhi in response, standing up and clenching his fists as he raised him.


    He swung his fist recklessly to the side, leaving his chest open for attack as he landed it on Makuhi¡¯s neck, realising his technique was in effect, neutralizing damage. He took the easy opportunity, punching the boy directly in the chest, widening his eyes as he changed the directory, sending him flying upwards, crashing him into the ceiling, finally getting Hiona¡¯s attention as the dusk from the broken ceiling spread. As a few quick seconds passed, they realised that Yohiro wasn¡¯t descending, causing for Makuhi to jump up, clearing up the dust, revealing Yohiro holding onto the small hole Clous had created in his own battle, letting go with certainty. ¡®¡¯Ah, I get it¡­¡¯¡¯ The masked man swep with his arm, watching in confusion as Yohiro leaned his body backwards, avoiding it. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s in the air, so~~~¡¯¡¯ He spun, hitting Makuhi¡¯s right cheek with the backhand side of his fist, causing him to gently step onto his feet in a moment of complete recovery, followed by Yohiro, who clumsily stepped down instead. ¡®¡¯It was impossible for you to dodge...haah¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro raised his voice, already feeling exhausted as he held his hand over his chest in pain.


    ¡®¡¯Of course, that was obvious in and of itself, was it not?¡¯¡¯ Makuhi spoke once more, shocking Yohiro. ¡®¡¯It is easy to piece together the reason you were not falling,  then followed by me exploiting your plan to get you down, in the end wasting less time. It was, however, a good idea...if it were to be used against a fighter below me level, that is¡­!¡¯¡¯ He placed his hands together and pointing them up like some knife held with both hands. ¡°I have determined it: A body such as yours will easily faint at the loss of a certain amount of blood. That amount, however, I will have to guess¡­ Believe me when I say, this hand placement can actually cut you, so proceed with caution¡­¡¯¡¯ Makuhi warned him as he began running towards him, reaching him faster than before and preparing the ¡®¡¯knife¡¯¡¯, crouching under him, with Yohiro just beginning to lower his head, catching a glimpse of the man moving his hands upwards.


    ¡®¡¯He¡¯s trying to take me out bt making me lose blood! I can¡¯t do anything here, can I-- Huh?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro saw the shine of the gem increase again. ¡®¡¯A few millimeters?! Can I even do that at this point?! Then again, I¡¯m talking to you, so what¡¯s the point of asking questions at all?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro gritted his teeth, forcing his body to move the best he could as the knife reached, shocking Hiona.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m placing it all on you!¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Twenty-Six: The Strength In Humility.

    In an incredibly annoying moment of silence, the only sound that echoed through the entire sewer was a single ¡®¡¯ding,¡¯¡¯ followed by an increasingly powerful shout by Yohiro as he landed his fist in Makuhi¡¯s mask pushing him backwards and off his feet, having taken his chances.


    ¡®¡¯What in the world¡­?¡¯¡¯ The king asked from his throne, tapping the sides of it with his fingers in frustration and stress, worrying his daughter. ¡®¡¯Father, did you not see it?¡¯¡¯ She asked him. He quickly and with purpose replied, ¡®¡¯Saw what, Touka? What did you see that your father didn¡¯t?!¡¯¡¯ He yelled at her, scaring her without wanting to. ¡®¡¯A-ah well¡­ It¡¯s when the triplet connected with that boy¡¯s chest; it was like he hit something made out of metal¡­¡¯¡¯ She answered her father¡¯s question, not giving an explanatory answer as he expected. ¡®¡¯Then, the boy is wearing a metal vest under his clothes?¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Yohiro, what did you just do, you dumbass¡­? What if you broke it, what then?!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled at him from behind, noticing his pained panting. It was clear to her that no matter how much he tried his mind was still that of a child; therefore having been that close to death must have been mortifying for the boy. ¡®¡¯Child...how were you able to predict my movement? It was clearly faster than yours¡­¡¯¡¯ Makuhi stood up, his mask cracking much to his surprise. ¡®¡¯I didn¡¯t, not at all. I-I¡¯m much weaker and slower, but I¡¯m...cheating,¡¯¡¯ he said, gagging ashe worded his sentence in a way that looked painful to even Makuhi.


    ¡®¡¯I have been receiving advice...throughout the entire fight, but that word barely applies anyway!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro, fist clenched, hit his chest, forcing himself to look up with his eyes full of tear and fear, open wide, ¡®¡¯I said I didn¡¯t want to lose, much less to show you my weaknesses¡­!¡¯¡¯ He gripped his shirt with his hands, ripping the middle of it in two, shocking Makuhi, the king and Touka, and annoying Hiona, making her think ¡®¡¯We¡¯re so fucked.¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯This is my ultimate secret, just like your technique! It¡¯s been telling me how to defeat you the entire time; this gem has!¡¯¡¯ He stared Makuhi down as he pointed at it with his index finger.


    ¡®¡¯With that needlessly big shirt on, I could not even notice how meek his physique. I took a hit from him¡­?!¡¯¡¯ Makuhi thought as his mask fully shattered, falling down to the ground in two, causing Yohiro to step back. Makuhi¡¯s face was, in every meaning of the word, abnormal: his cheeks were sucked in, his mouth looked off center, as well as the difference in his eyes¡¯ width. ¡®¡¯Brothe¡¯, no! Not the mask!¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi shouted from the side, squirming due to muscle pain. ¡®¡¯Wow. You look ugly there, freak!¡¯¡¯ Hiona butted in from afar, placing her both hands on her waist as she shouted at him, all of them watching as he crouched down, hiding his face behind his knees.


    ¡®¡¯Wh-why?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro muttered as he loosened the his hands, finally beginning to realise the unstopping shaking of his ankles and knees, with the adrenaline wearing off, ¡®¡¯Why are you...doing that?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro elaborated. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s...embarrassing. I cannot allow someone to see the face that resides behind this mask, especially a foe.¡¯¡¯ He explained himself, trembling in his place, a complete opposite of what he was before, confusing Yohiro. ¡®¡¯This is it, Yohiro, kick his ass now!¡¯¡¯ Hiona encouraged him, yelling from behind.


    ¡®¡¯Shut up!¡¯¡¯


    Hiona fumbled slightly as he heard those words, watching her disciple walk forward towards his opponent, holding his head high. ¡®¡¯This isn¡¯t just about you, Hiona! Other people are involved, too!¡¯¡¯ He added as he reached the pathetic-looking Makuhi, looking at her as he scolded her, a thing no one had ever done, watching her proud expression turn upside down as she became confused as to why she wasn¡¯t feeling a similar happiness like she did the previous time he yelled at her that way.


    ¡®¡¯Makuhi...right,¡¯¡¯ he asked as he sat himself down right in front of the moping man, not getting a response, ¡®¡¯Please, surrender right now.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked him, placing his hands on the ground and his head on top of them, begging him. ¡®¡¯If I were to do that, I might as well commit suicide, young one. It is disgraceful.¡¯¡¯ Makuhi spoke up, muffled. ¡®¡¯I understand. Then, I ask you: May I push you out of the area and count that as me winning the battle?¡¯¡¯ He asked. Makuhi replied, ¡®¡¯That would be the best of a warrior without his mask, however, are you content with a victory of such shame; having to ask for permission to finish your opponent off?¡¯¡¯This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t care, Makuhi. As long as Hiona can¡¯t be satisfied by the result of this, I can be happy and content with the shame,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro grinned happily at the man, hearing him sigh. ¡®¡¯You are...not a crude and dishonest child, are you? I appreciate you as much as humanly possible.¡¯¡¯ Makuhi chuckled with his head behind his knees, followed by a similarly friendly laugh from Yohiro, shocking Hakuhi. ¡®¡¯But Makuhi, ye haven¡¯ laughed since ye were a lil boy! Why can¡¯t ya laugh for us for once?!¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi yelled, tearing up under his own mask. ¡®¡¯By the way, wag you finger; I can¡¯t move you because of your technique,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked him as he stood up, beginning to push the man off the are, with the king watching with his jaw open wide, same with Hiona.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re sure you¡¯re okay with this?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked as he sweated from pushing him, stopping before fully getting him out of the are they had determined to be an off-zone, watching the man nod almost immediately, prompting him to muster up all his strength, finally managing to push him out, accidentally landing him on the side of his body. ¡®¡¯They won?!¡¯¡¯ The king shouted, both because of his anger and because of the slight feeling that the battle lacked a climax. ¡®¡¯This is unbelievable-- Touka?!¡¯¡¯ The king stopped, noticing his daughter staring intensely at the tome, focusing on the little bit she could see of Yohiro¡¯s face from that angle. ¡®¡¯Dear, do not tell me that looked impressive in any way,¡¯¡¯ he told his daughter, slightly concerned. ¡®¡¯It was just different, father. You have never shown me a warrior winning without defeating his opponent¡­ It¡¯s kind of amazing!¡¯¡¯ She smiled to herself, clapping with her hands like a child, scaring the king for reasons beyond normal fear.


    ¡®¡¯Makuhi¡­I hope I didn¡¯t taint your pride,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought as he sprinted over to his own side, taking a straight line towards Clous and Rosa, paying Hiona no attention. ¡®¡¯I won, Clous, Ms. Rosa! I won!¡¯¡¯ He shouted as he held the unconscious duo in his arms, beginning to cry all over their clothes out of joy. ¡®¡¯Ignoring me like that¡­¡¯¡¯ Hiona muttered under her breath, turning her head towards the triplets, one of whom was unconscious, beginning to walk towards them with frustration.


    Reaching the physically unable to move, embarrassed and sleeping brothers, Hiona started at them full of malice, terrifying them. ¡®¡¯Come a¡¯ me! I can¡¯t move me muscles, but I can sti--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Quiet,¡¯¡¯ she shut Hakuhi up, ¡®¡¯Yohiro¡¯s developing in a direction I don¡¯t want him, all because of you three dumbasses and my two bigger dumbasses over there. So, since we can¡¯t be guaranteed you¡¯ll keep your word and because I¡¯m fuming, also taking into account the fact that Yohiro would get angry, I¡¯ll knock you out; all of you,¡¯¡¯ she told them, leaving them speechless as she took out her tome, getting the attention of Yohiro as he finally turned his head, not having been able to hear Hiona¡¯s intentionally quiet and quick steps through the water, letting go of his comrades. ¡®¡¯Hiona!! Don¡¯t you dare do it!¡¯¡¯ He yelled at her, as if ordering her as he gritted his teeth. ¡®¡¯Silence, Yohiro, I don¡¯t want to lose concentration,¡¯¡¯ she told him, ignoring his outburst as she swiped with her hand, releasing a small ray of darkness from the tome, surprisingly without an incantation, turning the book towards their faces.


    ¡®¡¯¡¯Ey, my vision''s gettin¡¯ blurry¡­ Are ye really this heartless to men who were tryin¡¯ to maintain their pride?¡¯¡¯ Hakuhi asked her as he felt his entire body become numb. ¡®¡¯No, I¡¯m heartless towards all my enemies and allies. Don¡¯t speak anymore,¡¯¡¯ she ordered him seriously, leaving him to fall asleep, along with Makuhi who let go of his knees, similarly losing his grip of awareness. ¡®¡¯Hiona, they weren¡¯t going to do anything, so why?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked her as he walked up to her, staring at her back. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s master Hiona, Yohiro.¡¯¡¯ She told him, closing her tome loudly. ¡®¡¯We¡¯re gonna wait for Rosa and Clous to wake up. Then we¡¯ll proceed to kidnap the bastard¡¯s daughter. If they send anyone down here, I will be the one taking care of it. That¡¯s out plan now.¡¯¡¯ She explained to him, walking past him without making eye contact.


    ¡®¡¯Father, did you hear what that woman said?¡¯¡¯ Touka looked up at her father, fear having filled her eyes the moment she had heard the words leave Hiona¡¯s lips. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t fret, dear...they won¡¯t make it to this room, but if they do they will not leave. Daddy will keep you safe, I swear¡­¡¯¡¯ He tried to relieve her, kissing the top of her head gently, making a smile emerge on the girl¡¯s face. ¡®¡¯Thank you, father¡­ I promise to be brave!¡¯¡¯ She raised her arm, trying to crack her small knuckles, becoming quickly flustered as she couldn¡¯t do it. ¡®¡¯To God I swear, those people will not lay a finger on you, Touka, even If I have to die for it!¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Moment To Recollect.

    As the first out passed, Hiona continued to feel suspicious due to the fact that no mercenaries or any defensive force at all was coming down into the sewers. However, that wasn¡¯t going to be the problem here; it was Yohiro. For her, it felt like he grew years¡¯ worth in just under a few months, which made her worry, obviously. And that mysterious, too. It even talked to him and gave him directions, or so he himself claimed, plus his attitude towards Hiona herself, it all was too confusing for her, but for the time being she just stood on guard as she watched the boy smile, cuddling with Clous and Rosa like they were a pair of body-sized pillows.


    ¡®¡¯Hey Yohiro, are you feeling exhausted?¡¯¡¯ She asked him, primarily due to the annoying silence, with the only sound filling the room being the drops of water tapping down. ¡®¡¯Slightly, but I didn¡¯t get hurt that much aside from my stomach a little. I¡¯m fine.¡¯¡¯ He have her a bit of a pissy attitude, refusing to smile at her for whatever reason. ¡®¡¯Stop being a brat and respond to me with respect!¡¯¡¯ She stomped in the water with her boots, sending the water all over the walls and even ceiling, not budging Yohiro. ¡®¡¯No, not after what I saw. Never.¡¯¡¯ He turned his head towards her in a sudden cold stare, making her click her tongue, ¡®¡¯And the hell did you see? C¡¯mon, tell me!¡¯¡¯ She ordered him in annoyance.


    ¡®¡¯That temple in the desert, Clous, Gagu, their master Yugashi and the kids they lived with; you¡¯re a monster¡­!¡¯¡¯ He raised his voice, slightly widening her eyes. ¡®¡¯The gem again? That fucking gem showed you that earlier?¡¯¡¯ She turned away, feeling her hand begin to shake. ¡®¡¯It did,¡¯¡¯ he replied, ¡®¡¯It just speaks to me and it¡¯s impossible to ignore it no matter what I do.¡¯¡¯ Hiona forced her hand to stop shaking, groping it with her other. ¡®¡¯So, that¡¯s your final opinion, then?¡¯¡¯ She didn¡¯t waste time asking him, squeezing her hand strongly. ¡®¡¯Yes, it is. I believe you¡¯re the worst human being I have ever met so far. I hate you completely, ¡®master¡¯ Hiona.¡¯¡¯ He finished, not changing his motionless tone from a cold, depressing one.


    ¡®¡¯Got it.¡¯¡¯ That was all she said, letting go of her hand¡¯s wrist, which had become black at that point, looking twisted and rotten, as if she had poured all of her anger into it. ¡®¡¯Whatever you choose to say, I own you and those fools over there. That¡¯s the harsh truth; that you have no free will when it comes to me. Be happy that you have the guts to state your hatred, unlike them, It¡¯s admirable.¡¯¡¯ Hiona gave him a soft tone, trying not to show her reddened, creepy, almost murderous face to him as she talked. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m aware of it, I don¡¯t plan on leaving anyway.¡¯¡¯ He announced, causing her to flinch, maybe it was because she just realised that his vocabulary had gotten a slight upgrade as well. After that, they didn¡¯t say a word to each other for an entire hour.


    ¡®¡¯Is it okay to be scared, father? Will they take me away?¡¯¡¯ Touka kept asking her father those two questions over and over again, every time a few minutes passed, making him feel slightly annoyed having to reply with ¡®¡¯Yes, it¡¯s perfectly understandable to be afraid, but it won¡¯t happen! You daddy will protect you!¡¯¡¯ Of course he was being honest with his dear girl, however, his confidence was what was lacking in that case. He would absolutely take a bullet for her, but would that even help? The triplets weren¡¯t his strongest force, but what if his strongest couldn¡¯t stop them? Hell, the black-haired woman hadn¡¯t even moved a finger for the most part. Easy to say, the mighty king felt a heavy feeling of responsibility. ¡®¡¯Touka, could you call Daron for me, please?¡¯¡¯ He asked, placing a mask over his face, trying to hide his worries. ¡®¡¯W-why him of all people, though? Do you trust the young lad that much, father?¡¯¡¯ She responded. ¡®¡¯Believe me, that young lad will do anything for this castle and its residents. I desire his presence, dear, is that alright?¡¯¡¯ He requested, watching the girl reluctantly get off his throne, bowing right after as she proceeded to walk towards the door in a moment of worry and bewilderment.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    With time passing, something that became increasingly annoying, Yohiro felt Rosa nudge from his right as he sat in-between her and Clous, watching her open her eyes in a long yawn, echoing loudly and making Yohiro happy in an instant. ¡®¡¯Good morning!¡¯¡¯ He greeted her, slightly inappropriately for the situation, since he didn¡¯t really know if it had become day, or maybe because he didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡®¡¯Yeah, whatever¡­ What happened with the tri-- They¡¯re unconscious?!¡¯¡¯ She shouted in a confused just-having-woken-up moment. ¡®¡¯Yeah, it¡¯s a victory!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro announced to her, getting ignored with Rosa focusing on Hiona who was standing with her back turned to them, staring at the opening leading down to the sewer itself.


    ¡®¡¯What happened with her, then? She¡¯d be a teasing bitch right now, normally~!¡¯¡¯ Rosa smiled, turning to Yohiro, not realising she wasn¡¯t whispering her words. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not something I can tell you about; Clous is the only one who can.¡¯¡¯ He wagged his finger in a quick, yet rather vague explanation, or at least what he imagined would be a good enough explanation or at least a bit of an excuse to not have to recall Clous¡¯ memories, the same memories he didn¡¯t want to have inside his head. ¡®¡¯Fine, but what are the results in the end? I lost, so did we lose with master breaking the rules because she¡¯s angry?¡¯¡¯ She laughed, forcibly ignoring the fact that she lost her own fight. ¡®¡¯Clous and I won, actually. Only then, did she go in on them!¡¯¡¯ He kept smiling due to her teammate having woken up, letting out a quick ¡®¡¯hmm?¡¯¡¯ as we witnessed her jaw drop. ¡®¡¯Y-you won a fight? An actual fight?!¡¯¡¯ She asked repeatedly in disbelief, trying to make herself clearer. ¡®¡¯I won, with Makuhi¡¯s permission of course, but I still feel bad for you. Are you okay? Do you muscles hurt?¡¯¡¯ He leaned closer, annoying her. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t fucking mock me, he was just stronger than me; therefore I couldn¡¯t do much at all!¡¯¡¯ She excused herself.


    ¡®¡¯Wrong. If you continued with more intense attacks, while keeping track of your nails, you would¡¯ve managed to burn his muscles and win with your last attack. If you had been patient and stalled for time, you would¡¯ve done. Be ashamed, Rosa.¡¯¡¯ Hiona invited herself in, giving Rosa a lecture without any mercy and pulling no punches, shocking her. ¡®¡¯Clous, too, was being arrogant. He should¡¯ve--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Shut up already.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro interrupted her, making her shudder, making Rosa simply mutter a small, long ¡®¡¯hu~~~h?¡¯¡¯ as she began to lose hope in everything that was even close to serene and right in their group. ¡®¡¯A-anyway, get up, we¡¯re moving in again,¡¯¡¯ Hiona coughed, regaining her cool as she quickly picked Clous up in her arms, angering Yohiro. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not waiting for him to wake up anymore, three is enough to keep ourselves moving smoothly¡­¡¯¡¯ She began walking away, Rosa standing up straight.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re impossible¡­ I¡¯m carrying Clous, I¡¯m going to do that much at least.¡¯¡¯ The boy declined her orders on the spot, making Rosa shake on the spot, thinking ¡®¡¯What¡¯s that drastic change¡­?!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯You want to carry him? There, he¡¯s yours.¡¯¡¯ Hiona turned towards them, looking down on Yohiro with a blushed face and a sadistic smile, throwing the fox over at Yohiro, causing him to fall down as he tried to catch him. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m feeling a little hot-headed, so move your asses, or I¡¯ll actually kill you all on the spot!!¡¯¡¯ She screamed, smashing her foot in the ground, creating a hole going meters upon meters deep down. ¡®¡¯And the fuck¡¯s with this water?! The tapping¡¯s gonna make my head fucking explode!¡¯¡¯ She followed up with another kick, spinning it into the wall and shattering it seemingly with ease, quickly freezing the two of them. ¡®¡¯Move, dammit¡­¡¯¡¯She tried to calm herself, beginning to rub her forehead with her fingers, beginning to walk towards what you would probably call a hole, muttering to herself as she did.


    Yohiro and Rosa nodded at each other in what each of them thought was the same agreement. Yohiro imagined ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s not let her do as she pleases,¡¯¡¯ while Rosa was nudging more towards ¡®¡¯Jesus Christ, please don¡¯t do anything like that ever again, I beg of you!¡¯¡¯ With that unclarified to either of them, they began following the cynical woman, knowing it wouldn¡¯t end well if they let her go on a rampage, but what would they be able to do to stop such a strong, inhuman creature. Yohiro held Clous strongly in his two arms, trying to be as careful as possible. They were about to enter the next stage of their operation, which wasn¡¯t even properly planned out to begin with.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Cracking Walls.

    ¡®¡¯There isn¡¯t anyone here¡­,¡¯¡¯ Rosa said as they walked through the hallways of the castle together, annoyed by the torches attached to the walls and the lack of lighting, as well as because there was no living soul around the floor they were on, and they couldn¡¯t hear footsteps from above. For Yohiro it felt like everyone had simply vanished into thin air, for Hiona and Rosa it felt like something was up. A normal person would think ¡®¡¯Why¡¯s this place empty? Is this king an idiot?¡¯¡¯ while Hiona was thinking ¡®¡¯Where¡¯s he hiding them? Up on his own floor as a last resort?¡¯¡¯ They were walking around the floor, giving them all a severe feeling of deja vu, or rather it was like they were reliving a dream, only it looked more medieval and less army base-like.


    Proceeding upwards and upwards up the floors, there was no one, not a single person that would try and stop them, which was peculiar with it being a castle with the king himself occupying it. Of course, however, the king wasn¡¯t being thoughtless; he had called for all of them to retreat to the highest floor and wait in front of his bedroom, both for the sake of none of them dying easily and to protect him and his daughter. Among those mercenaries and helpers stood Daron, dead in front, holding a tome in anticipation, knowing he would have to use it along with the blade he had hidden under his sleeve; he was scared to death, needless to say, considering he was left to lead a group exceeding fifty people in a rather tight hallway, but he was a reliable lad, readying himself for the worst. He had ordered the special mages to gather at the very back with their summoning magic ready and the ones using elemental magic behind him. Unlike them he had received a special tome from the king as a gift for his efforts, though he had to give it back after the operation was over. With it he was convinced he couldn¡¯t lose at any cost, since it was hand-written with spells supposedly beyond a weak human body, meaning Daron had to train himself to be able to even use it twice before having his body become unusable.


    Approaching the upper floors, Clous opened his eyes grumpily, much to his surprise finding himself of Yohiro¡¯s back. ¡®¡¯Good morning!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro greeted him, once again inappropriately considering the situation. ¡®¡¯Seeing as we¡¯re climbin¡¯ up¡­master cheated and we got on with it?¡¯¡¯ He assumed in his haze, thinking the same as Rosa, meaning both of them had clearly been influenced by Hiona a significant amount. ¡®¡¯We won fair and square, thanks to you and me, though, not because Hiona went and kissed Makuhi and his brothers,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro explained to him as he rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had heard Yohiro¡¯s words correctly. ¡®¡¯You called her Hiona?! Also, you won?!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted at him, putting more importance on him dropping the master status when referring to the woman he was so afraid of. Yohiro¡¯s smile turned upside down the very moment the subject took a turn towards Hiona.


    Although Clous noticed Hiona scratching her head violently, he didn¡¯t know what to make out of it, also noticing Rosa who sucking on her fingers just to make sure she wouldn¡¯t start bleeding from nails all of a sudden. ¡®¡¯The hell...did I miss with you lot?¡¯¡¯ Clous thought as he laid his head on Yohiro¡¯s back, taking advantage of his efforts and overall choosing to be lazy. ¡®¡¯By the way, Clous, your tome is with me. Do you want it back?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro addressed the fox in a more serious tone. ¡®¡¯Ah, yea--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯I¡¯m asking if you want the same tome given to you by Hiona; do you still want that?¡¯¡¯ Clous¡¯ eyes widened slightly, ¡®¡¯What¡¯s gotten into you all of a sudden? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re growing into one of those edgy brats!¡¯¡¯ He slapped Yohiro¡¯s head, with him not budging. ¡®¡¯Wouldn¡¯t it hurt to continue using it¡­?¡¯¡¯ Rosa and Hiona turned their heads as they noticed Yohiro stop in his tracks.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re getting on my nerves! Explain, runt!¡¯¡¯ Clous demanded as he jumped off his back, noticing that Yohiro¡¯s hands were shaking angrily. ¡®¡¯Wouldn¡¯t Yugashi...feel ashamed?¡¯¡¯ He let out, making Hiona grit her teeth as Clous stepped back after having been left speechless. ¡®¡¯Wouldn¡¯t it hurt your heart, too? What about the kids? Wasn¡¯t it her fault at the end of the day¡­?¡¯¡¯ Tension began filling the corridor quickly, Hiona not noticing she had began hurting herself by scratching her head with it bleeding consistently and the blood reaching her forehead. ¡®¡¯I just...don¡¯t want you to cr--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Shut up, Yohiro¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous interrupted him, staring at his exposed chest, intentionally trying not to make eye contact, ¡®¡¯I won¡¯t shut u--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯You don¡¯t fucking know anything!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shook slightly as he heard those words, ¡®¡¯You¡¯re just some damn newborn with no common sense! You¡¯ve got no right lecturing me! The only reason you¡¯re alive right now is ME, so don¡¯t...poke your nose into everything!¡¯¡¯ Rosa¡¯s eyes narrowed as she realised it wasn¡¯t her place to interrupt. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not poking my nose into everything! I just want to help YOU!¡¯¡¯If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡®¡¯With what?! The hell¡¯s there to help me with?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯How¡¯d you know about the old man?! And the kids? Did master tell you, bastard!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Are you that socially unaware that you need to know everything, huh?!¡¯¡¯


    Clous went on, not giving Yohiro a chance to rebut as he grabbed him by the throat suddenly, scaring the young boy. He quickly started coughing as Clous began tightening his grip without realising the immense pain Yohiro was in, his words turning into insulted screaming and spit. Yohiro¡¯s eyes began to close as he gagged on his saliva, struggling to get Clous¡¯ hand off him with his two own, finding it impossible as his hand had become like an iron pole; completely unmovable. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s enough, Clous. Let go of him,¡¯¡¯ Hiona placed her hand, bloody fingers and all, on his throat, poking him with her barely attached nails. The fear Clous began experiencing was worse than that of getting beaten half to death, worse than the one on the train to the castle, worse than even a few years back. This time it felt like Hiona was planning to kill him, not just threatening to do it. However, the crude fox ignored it, the grudge was too strong for him to let go, watching with both sadness and pleasure as Yohiro lost the strength in his arm. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t disobey me¡­¡¯¡¯ Hiona told him, grabbing his own throat and pulling him up, causing Clous to drop Yohiro on the ground, leaving him to vomit on the castle¡¯s floor, sweating from the fear and pain, not even noticing the marks Clous had left on his neck, looking like someone had tightened a rope as tightly as they could.


    Despite all that, Clous tried to escape his master¡¯s hand, not yet satisfied with the damage he inflicted on the boy who could have expressed himself more suitably. ¡®¡¯When I let go, you¡¯re going to sit down and apologize and keep apologizing until I tell you to stop. If you don¡¯t, i¡¯ll kill you on the spot and feed you to a back alley dog¡­!¡¯¡¯ She told him, staring at him with disgust and anger, watching him drop his arms down, gasping. ¡®¡¯You wouldn¡¯t dare, Hiona¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro turned towards her in a quiet, weak tone with his eyes full of tears from the vomiting and his face looking pitiful overall. ¡®¡¯How many times have I proven that I don¡¯t mind killing each on of you? Why wouldn¡¯t I do it¡­?¡¯¡¯ She looked down on Yohiro, looking almost like she was hurting, herself.


    The poor boy stood up, using his knee for help, looking Hiona dead in the eyes while lacking the ability to look at her with an intimidating look. ¡®¡¯If you kill Clous, I¡¯ll be the one to kill you.¡¯¡¯ He told her, not noticing the bit of saliva dripping from the side of his mouth at all. His words sounded like a joke to all of them, taking a few full seconds to register. It was a similar thought for them all: Someone threatening Hiona with murder, which sounded ridiculous on all accounts, but the boy meant it fully, not breaking the eye contact between them. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, y-you should know your plac--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯And if I don¡¯t take you seriously, kill Clous and then kill you, what would you do in that case, Yohiro¡­?¡¯¡¯ Hiona somehow smiled even in this kind of situation, though looking more annoyed than happy or pleased. Looking like he had met the dead end, Yohiro inhaled a good amount of air and exhaled. ¡®¡¯You can¡¯t and won¡¯t kill me; after all, I came from The Tree,¡¯¡¯ he replied, keeping his composure as much as possible despite his heart that was about to jump out of his chest from the tension and murderous intent coming from her. ¡®¡¯Do you genuinely believe I care? Next time I could go there myself, destroy their entire gallery and steal the treasure again. You¡¯re nothing, nothing at all!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled at Yohiro, leaving his eyes completely empty, the liveliness fading away from them slowly but fast enough to not get any attention. As that happened Yohiro failed to notice that Hiona herself seemed nervous for some reason. What she claimed was not wrong; she could do that, but it still felt as if she was uncertain, to the point of her hand shaking and beginning to loosen the grip on Clous¡¯ neck, surprising him and Rosa. ¡®¡¯If I¡¯m nothing, kill me right now¡­¡¯¡¯ The air suddenly began to feel thin for Hiona; she had began feeling like the one being threatened, even though her claims were completely serious and possible. Right? He raised both his hands up to the side of his body, basically inviting her to attack him. His voice sounded unenergetic and tired, with a grain of fear in it, but his heart was beating way less slower than before, which confused even him.


    ¡®¡¯Kill me, then. Show me how series you are...''''

 Chapter Twenty-Nine: Beginning Of The Final Push.

    ¡®¡¯They should¡¯ve been up here by now. Did they realise we were waiting for them?¡¯¡¯ Daron thought as he stood outside the king¡¯s room along with his large squad and waited for the moment to. The young lad was prepared to give his everything for his king and his comrades behind him with the same goal. It was clear, there was no going back for him. ¡®¡¯All of you, once more, remember that if we can¡¯t protect our ruler we might as well be disposable bags flesh. Prepare to fight with your everything!¡¯¡¯ Daron renewed their fighting spirit, getting met with a loud ¡®¡¯Yessir!¡¯¡¯ A happy scream so loud that it could be heard a few floors down.


    ¡®¡¯Yohiro, you can¡¯t be serious at a time like this!¡¯¡¯ Rosa told him off from behind, careful of two things. The first, to not step too close to Hiona who was holding Clous loosely by the throat for her own safety and the second being to not insult Yohiro too much, again for her safety. The boy born from The Tree also had a dilemma to deal with. Why did his chest suddenly hurt from Hiona¡¯s words? He didn¡¯t feel her hit him or anything of the kind, so why did he begin to feel down like that? Those were a few of things he was asking himself. ¡®¡¯Repeat that slowly. Once more.¡¯¡¯ Hiona ordered Yohiro as she continued looking down on upon the suddenly unmovable boy.


    ¡®¡¯If you¡¯re sure in your statement, kill me now¡­!¡¯¡¯ He narrowed his eyes with a grain of cockiness, feeling something weird, thinking something weird, wanting to do something he considered weird. ¡®¡¯Why am I saying all this? I didn¡¯t want to, but I also don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m stepping out of line,¡¯¡¯ is what he thought inside his head. He picked a wrong time, place and opponent to stand his group against, leaving even Clous to stare with concern; the same Clous who was almost about to kill the boy, too, was left to watch like a spectator of a sports match, anticipating the outcome while also knowing where the bets were throughout the entire event.


    ¡®¡¯If I kill you right now, would that make you sad, or happy? Would you feel despair during the last seconds of your life or would you be happy that you don¡¯t have to bother,¡¯¡¯ Hiona came out of nowhere in a low tone, regaining her composure, ¡®¡¯Would you also be pleased that it¡¯s ME killing you? Are you doing it for Clous? Are you worried for Rosa? Bernie back home, waiting for you so he could teach you how to read? Do you consider those things precious? A family?¡¯¡¯ With the sudden turn of the atmosphere in the room, so did Yohiro, suddenly seeing the world upside down as Hiona took his arm, turning him around with his legs up in his moment of daze.


    ¡®¡¯I stand behind all I said, however, it¡¯s meaningless right now. I kill because it¡¯s my job, sometimes for enjoyment, but this is neither. If I can¡¯t get a high from killing or get nothing out of it, killing is needless, pointless and a waste of my breath as well as a decrease in population. I won¡¯t kill you just because of my moment of irrational thought. Now wipe that dramatic swine-like look off your face and continue your mission.¡¯¡¯ In that one moment, a moment none of them expected, Clous and Rosa saw a different side to their usually psychopathic master. Maybe it was for that one minute, but it was there; humility could be felt in her words. Surely it was just her trying to cover up her bluff, but it felt too real to them, and to Yohiro as well, for he had given up the argument, getting dropped by Hiona and left to hit the ground in an echoing thud.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re opinion of me won¡¯t change. If it does, then you truly deserve to die. Dumbass!¡¯¡¯ She finished giving them her words of (half-baked) wisdom, cracking a crooked smile and dropping Clous to the ground. ¡®¡¯M-master¡­?¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought as she for once in her long career didn¡¯t feel afraid of the inhuman creature that was Hiona, simply because of a little boy who didn¡¯t realise how much he was impacting their awkward and disconnected group with his innocent, albeit naive presence. ¡®¡¯As for you two, don¡¯t forget the feeling of your master being graceful, because it¡¯s the last time I¡¯m gonna be merciful towards another living thing. So please, fear and detest me, pieces of filth,¡¯¡¯ she smiled like a happy little girl, grinning and fleering at them both, turning their fascinated expressions into a disappointed, confused mess.


    ¡®¡¯Hiona¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro raised his voice at her once more, ruining her cool moment. He stood up, getting her attention. ¡®¡¯We have a problem, er, I think.¡¯¡¯ He said, completely ignoring the conversation they just had, pointing at his gem. ¡®¡¯Haa? What¡¯s the news? Hit me up!¡¯¡¯ She went along with it like a puppy. ¡®¡¯W-wait, where¡¯d all the tension go?! The atmosphere?¡¯¡¯ Rosa began wondering nervously, surprised as Clous patted her head, ¡®¡¯Let it go¡­ That¡¯s how those two are, I guess?¡¯¡¯ Rosa formed a vicious smile, ¡®¡¯I¡¯m the one who¡¯s supposed to be petting you, aren¡¯t I~?¡¯¡¯ She made up an especially girly voice, patting him back with the flamboyant fox not being able to find the strength to get angry.


    ¡®¡¯Yeah, there are people above us an--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Yohiro!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro and Hiona got interrupted by Clous. ¡®¡¯I want you to...after we get outta here, explain everything to me. From how you know those names to what the hell¡¯s up with the gem. Is that alright, teammate?¡¯¡¯ And just like how he felt sorrow and despair without even a tenth of a second to realise it, he felt a sudden stream of joy enter his body, as if almost magically blowing his serious expression up and replacing it with one of his normal, filled with joy and happiness smiles, Yes, I will, teammate!¡¯¡¯ They ran forward, clapping their hands together arrogantly, giving one another the most gleeful smiles they possible could, a sly and creepy one for Clous and an ¡®¡¯I¡¯m clearly pretending to please you and for my own enjoyment¡¯¡¯ one from Yohiro. Not long after, they were on their way again, making it up the floors with no obstacles whatsoever except for the few plastic cups filled with water that were probably thrown around in the middle of a rush hour.Stolen story; please report.


    Their footsteps were loud and purposeful, already able to be heard from Daron and his squadron upstairs. Yohiro and Hiona went into more detail while also including Clous and Rosa in the discussion. Their plan? What was that word to them? Have you not noticed? Though Clous thought it was risky and Yohiro wasn¡¯t happy with it, they left it all in Hiona¡¯s hands, to take out the people that Yohiro¡¯s gem had warned them about. Risky? Perhaps. Efficient, not at all. Thoughtless, also no. After all, Rosa managed to fix the leakage from her nails and was ready for a confrontation and Clous refused to take his tome back, but it didn¡¯t matter due to his physical strength alone.


    ¡®¡¯They¡¯re here, sir!¡¯¡¯ One of the men on the frontlines announced what was obvious to the others. Three shadows approached from the stairway on the other side, accompanied by soft steps, iron stomps and a normal pair of boots stepping on the steps once by one. The mages tensed up the moment the heard it, until a furry ear poked out of the corner, followed by Clous accordingly and only him, confusing them


    ¡®¡¯Trespasser, I warn you this moment! Leave or I shall unleash hell upon you through the power of fifty mages!!¡¯¡¯ Daron yelled confidently as he tried to intimidate Clous. Daron was almost impressed by the fact that Clous was standing there unarmed, his only weapon seemingly being his nonchalant, serious expression and his hands which he had raised forward, as if he was guarding the goal in a football game. ¡®¡¯Listen tightass, I go through that almost on a daily basis verbally alone. Try me¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous provoked them in an aggressive stance, with killing intent looming over him. ¡®¡¯For the king, everyone, kill him!!!¡¯¡¯ Daron commanded in a moment of ignorance and neglect; he had forgotten that there were other people coming up due to his hubris and pent up stress, listening as the space around him filled with the sound of all the mages beginning to cast in unison. ¡®¡¯Article 10! Connect!¡¯¡¯ A perfect performance, more accurate than a concert performed by the most masterful of musicians, sending a stream of fire almost as large as that of Rosa down the hall and directly towards Clous.


    The air itself began feeling like it was melting. Clous took a deep breath and swallowed. ¡®¡¯Concentrate all of my senses¡­!¡¯¡¯ He started mumbling, his hair standing up as if he had goosebumps, ¡®¡¯Concentrate all my energy in my legs! And go!¡¯¡¯ He yelled, overpowering the flames¡¯ tenacity in sheer volume as he ran forward towards them like a madman. ¡®¡¯Ridiculous. With that kind of power concentrated into one, even the Seijeki triplets would fret!¡¯¡¯ Daron stood by that opinion, even though he knew that if a man would be risking to jump towards death itself, he might as well be packing a gift. Clous¡¯ eyes opened wide. ¡®¡¯That Hakuhi guy had to have used something similar to what I can do, he had to! Concentrating all of your strength into your muscles, but that can¡¯t be all, right¡­?!¡¯¡¯ He kept taking breaths at quick intervals, finally springing up towards the ceiling and stabbing his arm into it. ¡®¡¯If I can reach even a fraction of what I saw that brainless pride fetishist did, I can take this on easily. Could¡¯ve practiced this better, though!¡¯¡¯ He pushed himself off the ceiling, flashing before Daron and the mages¡¯ eyes before disappearing completely. ¡®¡¯All it takes is a second. Unleashing your full strength from the start doesn¡¯t get you anywhere, so the last second is where it¡¯s at,¡¯¡¯ he thought, content with his speed. He suddenly flashed back into view, crashing down and slitting the flame itself in two, protecting his arms and limbs as much as possible in the process. ¡®¡¯I-Impossible! You¡¯re kidding me, that almost looked like God Muscle!¡¯¡¯ Daron yelled at Clous who stood among the remains of the flames, tired from his childish stunt.


    ¡®¡¯So I was close, huh?! Some amazing move that is¡­ It¡¯s incredibly simple, after all, but it just requires a strong body. The idiot wasted his life learning something a beastman could¡¯ve learned in less than a year! That¡¯s hilarious to think about!¡¯¡¯ Clous expressed his euphoria to them through a deadminded laughter, ignoring his pulsating from the sensation muscles. ¡®¡¯Cast again, now!!¡¯¡¯ Daron panicked, realising he was wasting time. ¡®¡¯Cast a spell again and I¡¯m killing you all two minutes earlier than I would¡¯ve otherwise¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous¡¯ laughter diminished into thin air, leaving the sounds of the mages¡¯ chattering teeth the only thing that could be heard. In a quick step, Clous started again, inhaling and exhaling furiously. ¡®¡¯They probably realised by now that I don¡¯t really have that much strength after that first attack,¡¯¡¯ that was wong, ¡®¡¯They¡¯re probably pissing their pants, though,¡¯¡¯ that was correct.


    ¡®¡¯It would appear that...this body wasn¡¯t made for magic after all!!¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Thirty: A Lost Man.

    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re certain he¡¯ll be fine, master? He rejected the tome, after all, on top of insisting on trying that triplet¡¯s technique. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be fine after the first usage,¡¯¡¯ Rosa talked from behind the noises quietly, listening to the small remains of the flames spark and pop in the hallway. ¡®¡¯He chose t do it, I didn¡¯t order anything. If he¡¯s gonna die, it¡¯s not my problem from her on out. If he wants to out himself out there and try to look cool, who am I to stop him?¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯That¡¯s really unlike you, master. You¡¯d usually say something like, ¡®¡¯I¡¯d probably look cooler, so let him embarrass himself before helping¡¯ or something along those same lines,¡¯¡¯ Rosa pouted at Hiona. ¡®¡¯Same thing, really. I just feel a little less annoyed anyway, so let him have a minute of self-praise.¡¯¡¯ It was at that moment that Rosa thought she was talking to a completely different person. ¡®¡¯A-also,¡¯¡¯ Rosa pointed at the completely asleep Yohiro that Hiona was carrying around like a luggage bag, ¡®¡¯why did you make him touch the gem and go to sleep in that room?¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Obviously, ¡®cause it¡¯ll be easier to move around; he lucked out in his first battle and he¡¯s inexperienced, so taking chances by leaving him to do whatever he wants is too much even for me,¡¯¡¯ Hiona laughed under her breath, holding the boy under her right arm with...well, almost with care.


    ¡®¡¯This is kinda bad, isn¡¯t it¡­? Fire and ice seem fine and doable, but if they pull out a thunder in here, how do I cut or run through something like that?¡¯¡¯ Clous began to wonder, shaking it off and charging in head first, mainly so he wouldn¡¯t have to excounter that problem at all. ¡®¡¯Article 13! Connect!¡¯¡¯ The men shouted together again, releasing a strong gust of wind from their tomes, stopping Clous before he could reach Daron, beginning to push him back. ¡®¡¯Ha-- Haha! He can¡¯t do anything if he can¡¯t reach and without a long-range weapon, he¡¯s pretty much useless as long as we can maintain the wind!¡¯¡¯ Daron laughed, sweating due to the fact that Clous had almost reached him.


    ¡®¡¯The hell is this¡­? What game are these guys playing?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked himself as he began breathing in and out, alarming Daron. ¡®¡¯Could¡¯ve dropped a thunder on me, could¡¯ve used illusion magic! Don¡¯t you lowranking pieces of shit have that written in those training tomes?!¡¯¡¯ He shouted at them, stiffening up completely as his vins began pulsating. He stomped, shattering the floor and stopping himself from getting pushed back with his foot inside the floor. A switch clicked inside Daron¡¯s head that one moment, ¡®¡¯It¡¯s the perfect scenario!¡¯¡¯ He yelled, opening the tome he was given by the king, which had a white, almost silver-looking color to it. ¡®¡¯Omo yo tsuyoi: article 0. Connect!¡¯¡¯ The incantation was made, the tome beginning to shine brightly, blinding the mages behind Daron.


    ¡®¡¯Feel the heaviness of your sins, filth!¡¯¡¯ Daron said, as if ordering Clous, watching as he uncontrollably began sinking into floor, breaking it completely and falling to the lower floor in a confused scream, continuing to break through the castle rapidly. ¡®¡¯H-HA! It worked! It¡¯s perfect!¡¯¡¯ Clous¡¯ descend only stopped as he slammed  directly into the sewers below the castle. That was the only technique written in that tome given to Daron: the ability to take someone¡¯s power and actively turn it into weight. If the opponent is is strong, they will sink down until their mind can¡¯t take the pressure anymore. One could essentially call it increasing the gravity around someone a few folds depending on their strength. For Clous, while using God Muscle, this means immediate plummet into the floor; a result that shocked the other mages and Rosa, who was peeking from around the corner. This powerful spell, however had more than one weakness! For one, if the opponent isn¡¯t strong at all, it becomes a waste of energy for you. Second, if the person it is used for dies, so will the user. Seeing as Daron was confident in Clous¡¯ survival then, he didn¡¯t hesitate. This also left him unexpectedly tired; he felt his legs considerably weaker and his palms begin to sweat, which was a problem, since he didn¡¯t want to ruin the tome.


    ¡®¡¯Alright, that was kinda funny, I gotta say!¡¯¡¯ Hiona began clapping loudly, walking into their sights from around the corner, winking at the already exhausted group in an attempt of sounding cute while also looking like a homeless homewrecker with her messy hair and exposed skin, which ruined whatever idea she was having. The men didn¡¯t say a word, instead beginning to flip through their tomes so slowly, Hiona thought they were amateurs. ¡®¡¯Clous!!!¡¯¡¯ Hiona shouted after running up to the hole he left behind, ¡®¡¯What¡¯s it gonna be next time, losing after winning against a cabbage alien?¡¯¡¯ She mocked him, chuckling innocently. She embarrassingly didn¡¯t realise he had been knocked out because of his hubris and stupidity, pretty much stuck to the floor and lying in the sewer water. She still found it hilarious.


    ¡®¡¯Are you the beastman¡¯s leader, woman?¡¯¡¯ The responsible man asked the irresponsible woman. ¡®¡¯Yeah, in a sense his sugar mommy, if you wanna exaggerate,¡¯¡¯ she looked up at him, leaving the men to blush as she deliberately left her cleavage handing in front of them, all the while Rosa was internally screaming, ¡®¡¯KILL THEM! Just kill them!¡¯¡¯ while holding Yohiro in her arms. ¡®¡¯Y-you¡¯re despicable¡­!¡¯¡¯ Daron raised his voice at her. ¡®¡¯And you¡¯re a tightass, what of it? Your noble, reliable attitude pisses me the fuck off. A lot. You¡¯re also responsible for one of my lackeys being about fifty meters below me, so I guess I¡¯m supposed to kill you all,¡¯¡¯ she said grumpily, having hoped that Clous would take care of the baggage that time. ¡®¡¯Article 0. Conn-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Nah, not dealing with that,¡¯¡¯ she told him, whispering in his ear as she took the tome out of his hands. Her movements were too fast for Daron¡¯s sleep deprived eyes. ¡®¡¯You give that back!¡¯¡¯ He swung at her, trying to take the tome back from her hand, getting tripped by her. As he began falling down the hole wide-eyed, Hiona grabbed the back of his clothes, gripping them and beginning to hold him over it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t feel like killing pathetic no-names. So let¡¯s play a game, eh?¡¯¡¯ She smiled. ¡®¡¯You there, with the dripping nose, get over her quickly, buddy.¡¯¡¯ She waved her hand. The other mages pushed the poor lad out of their formation and in front of her. ¡®¡¯A-um¡­ Please don¡¯t drop Mr. Daron down the hole¡­?¡¯¡¯ The man sounded less than genuine, which scared the endangered man even more. ¡®¡¯Jeez, can she not procrastinate an assignment for once¡­?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked herself, not realising how much she was shaking Yohiro in her arms.


    ¡®¡¯Okay, so¡­ I¡¯m gonna guess things about your life, ¡®kay? If I get three things right, you¡¯ll all move outta the way. If I get even one wrong, I¡¯ll give this guy back and let your fire off one spell. How about that?¡¯¡¯ The men looked confident among themselves, trusting their comrade. ¡®¡¯Guess number one: You¡¯ve been having a cold for over a week now. Guess number two: You¡¯ve been overeating and gaining weight for the past week or more because of that cold. Guess number three: You¡¯re depressed because A, your wife left you or B, your comrades are making fun of you behind your back!¡¯¡¯ They all went silent. She was pretty much right about all of them, even if her guesses were a little loose. The men became bewildered as the poor guy that had been sent out nodded, ¡®¡¯You¡¯re correct...about all of them.¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Are you fucking serious?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought, feeling as if her jaw hitting the floor wouldn¡¯t express her annoyance. ¡®¡¯Well then, I don¡¯t need this now, do I?¡¯¡¯ Hiona smiled as she looked at Daron, removing her pinkie finger and scaring him. ¡®¡¯Help me, you guys! Please!¡¯¡¯ He yelled at them for health, his tucked in shirt coming out of his pants, scaring him even more. Rosa stared as she began to lose patience, about to come out. Confused, she noticed Yohiro push her hands aside and jump onto his feet. With a half-asleep look of urgency, he rushed around the corner, running towards Hiona as fast as he could. ¡®¡¯Shit, he touched the gem in his sleep again!¡¯¡¯ Rosa realised as she watched him stumble with his feet.


    ¡®¡¯Cut it out¡­!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro yawned as he wrapped his arms around Hiona¡¯s waist, looking like he was actually stopping her while he was doing less than nothing, essentially. ¡®¡¯A...kid?!¡¯¡¯ Daron distracted himself from his potential death by looking at the boy standing an arm¡¯s length or less away from him. ¡®¡¯Yohiro~! Go to sleep~!¡¯¡¯ Hiona whined, humouring his sleepy, cute expression. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t drop Daron down there¡­ He¡¯ll die!¡¯¡¯ Hiona¡¯s and Daron¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡®¡¯Come one, it¡¯s rude to guess people¡¯s names, you know.¡¯¡¯ She scolded him, despite having done something even worse not not five minutes earlier. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not guess...ing! My gem told me about him! He¡¯s a kind-hearted person, so he doesn¡¯t need to hurt!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro began kicking her ankle while continuing to hold her stomach. ¡®¡¯Gem¡­? What is this boy saying?¡¯¡¯ Daron thought, almost forgetting about the situation.


    ¡®¡¯It told me other things, too. If you set him down safely, I¡¯ll tell you what I was told inside the room, so listen to me!¡¯¡¯ He had fully shaken the sleepiness. ¡®¡¯Is it even relevant? Do I care? Should I care? Why should I care¡­? Eh, whatever!¡¯¡¯ Hiona smiled, dropping Daron in front of her without a care about his well being. ¡®¡¯Ah, you¡¯re okay,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro gladly said as he kneeled in front of the pretty much traumatised man. ¡®¡¯It told me you weren¡¯t really suited for this job; you¡¯re too hardworking compared to your peers and don¡¯t get enough for it. You¡¯re also a coward! You should consider your own life!¡¯¡¯ The young boy spoke so kindly and softly in spite of the depressing things he was telling the man. ¡®¡¯Why the hell would it waste its breath talking about that pathetic excuse for a mage?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked. Yohiro shrugged, not being fully sure himself.


    ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t mess with me! That¡¯s the stupidest thing I¡¯ve ever heard!¡¯¡¯ He began yelling. ¡®¡¯But I-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Yes, I work more than them, sometimes overtime for days! Yes, I¡¯m not suited for combat due to my stress building up quickly! But I worked for this job for over--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Three and a half months, including weekends for over fifteen hours a day...was it?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro interrupted him, shocking him and the men behind him. ¡®¡¯I only had to try for half a month; I had a halfway decent affinity for magic.¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Yeah, I only worked on my application and forced it for a month before getting accepted for the position of a standard guard,¡¯¡¯ they began talking among themselves, filling Daron¡¯s head with desperate thoughts on the spot. ¡®¡¯Didn¡¯t we have an objective? No, did we? We sidetracked so much that I forgot,¡¯¡¯ Hiona muttered to herself.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re ill suited for this.¡¯¡¯


    He said, sending the grown man into a black void inside his mind. ¡®¡¯Rosa, come out, we¡¯re going to meet the king~!¡¯¡¯ Hiona shouted and clapped, causing Rosa to come from around the corner, a tear in her eye. The story depressed even her. ¡®¡¯Coming, master¡­¡¯¡¯ She told them in a disinterested smile. ¡®¡¯Hang on,¡¯¡¯ Hiona looked through the hole again, ¡®¡¯on second thought, go keep Clous safe down there. Can¡¯t be sure if they won¡¯t just go down there and kill him or something, right?¡¯¡¯ She laughed nonchalantly, creeping the men (who would never murder anyone) out immensely. ¡®¡¯Ill suited¡­? Bullshit, utter bulls--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯It isn¡¯t. You¡¯re consciously overworking yourself. It¡¯s not the king making you. We have to go kidnap his daughter, so see you later, Daron!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro stood up, starting to walk after Hiona after she snapped for the mages and guards to make space. They were about to meet the king himself in his own castle, let alone his own bedroom. Frankly, Hiona felt like a celebrity for some reason, and Yohiro walked forward obliviously, leaving Daron watching Yohiro¡¯s back specifically as they walked off, ready for their final confrontation.

 Chapter Thirty-One: Ones True Name.

    Leaving the group of men and Rosa behind, Hiona and Yohiro pushed open the door to the king¡¯s bedroom, opening it with loud creak, echoing all over the place. ¡®¡¯You know that king¡¯s probably some first-class mage, right? Don¡¯t die, I guess?¡¯¡¯ Hiona tried to advice Yohiro. In a nonchalant expression, Yohiro looked at her, ¡®¡¯He¡¯s not, the gem told me.¡¯¡¯ He crushed her suspicions in just one short sentence, surprising her.


    ¡®¡¯With how this thing is working, Yohiro might become something too much for us to handle.¡¯¡¯ She thought as they stepped in, finding the man seated in the back of the room, his throne looking shiny and pompous, like he thought it should have. ¡®¡¯Also, Hiona? You should be more careful,¡¯¡¯ he added rather late, sounding hateful once more towards his unsympathetic master, confusing her.


    ¡®¡¯A-ah, you¡¯ve actually come. The door is quite soundproof, so it wasn¡¯t easy to distinguish what was happening out there¡­¡¯¡¯ The king felt embarrassed, forcing out an awkward laughter out of nervousness and stress. ¡®¡¯I¡¯d like to cut to the chase and tell you to give me your kid. So, give me your kid!¡¯¡¯ Hiona laughed as she pushed the door behind her, closing it. ¡®¡¯I cannot do that. I shall never abandon her,¡¯¡¯ he disagreed quickly, not even batting an eye, annoying them slightly.


    Something neither of thieves knew was that the king had hidden his child behind his throne, which to some would seem foolish, however in this case, it was not. There was no plan in particular, seeing as he was too absorbed into calming his child Touka down, ironically not remembering to hide her. In the end, yes, it was foolish of him. But, he wouldn¡¯t falter in any way.


    ¡®¡¯So much for your ¡®cutting to the chase,¡¯ huh?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro chuckled. ¡®¡¯Okay then, mighty king, would I have to kill you right here and cause a scandal so big even we couldn¡¯t be able to hide ourselves from it? Or would you rather be more open for negotiations?¡¯¡¯ The frustrated woman asked the man in a tone which spelled out ¡®¡¯Be careful with your answer¡¯¡¯ on its own; something the king took into account quickly.


    ¡®¡¯Vulgarity, profanity and negotiations of that kind will get you nowhere. I don¡¯t accept your terms or your request. Leave this place!¡¯¡¯ The king began to feel on edge. ¡®¡¯Ah, but old man,¡¯¡¯ Hiona took out her tome, ¡®¡¯nothing that came outta my mouth sounded like a term or a request to me¡­¡¯¡¯ She grinned, causing the man to bite his lip. ¡®¡¯You can¡¯t kill him,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro stopped her as she was about to cast a spell, relieving the man who was already on his wit¡¯s ends in terms of sheer will power.


    ¡®¡¯You said it yourself: a panic is gonna break out, and we won¡¯t be able to escape it. On the contrary, we could talk,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro took a few steps forward in front of Hiona, ¡®¡¯Is that acceptable, your highness?¡¯¡¯ The boy, to their surprise, got down on one knee and looked at the floor. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, you¡¯re being retar-- Ahem, you¡¯re being unreasonable. You¡¯re gonna try that shit after we came all the way up here and dealt with those triplets?¡¯¡¯ Hiona looked at him in disgust. At that moment, Hiona and the king both stared at what seemed to be betrayal, although seemingly looking different from each of the sides present. Touka also raised her head, starting to focus on the conversation.


    ¡®¡¯I second that, boy, why would you cause all that ruckus and try to reason with me at this time?¡¯¡¯ The king question Yohiro, feeling relieved as he witnessed Hiona close her powerful tome and click her tongue in a moment of irresistibility towards Yohiro¡¯s attitude she had found herself so used to. ¡®¡¯The thing is, I caused none of the ruckus. I destroyed nothing and hurt no one on a greater scale, so I wish to have a peaceful conversation!¡¯¡¯ His words were all truthful, supported by the fact that the king had seen everything with his own eyes. It was still troubling him, though; why would he even go that far? Did he actually plan that far ahead after before coming here? ¡®¡¯If you refuse, It would basically translate as you agreeing to be slaughtered by my master. Please choose wisely,¡¯¡¯ it felt almost ominous how correctly he was picking every word that came through his lips, so much that it even surprised Hiona.


    ¡®¡¯Then how would react if I told you I had another, stronger force beyond the men your defeated in the sewers waiting? How would you counter that¡­?¡¯¡¯ The man threw his last card on the table, having been pushed back into a corner. ¡®¡¯See, your majesty, my master is stronger.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro looked up at him, looking the man in the eyes, ¡®¡¯The moment the knife comes to the bone, your strongest mercenary will die, and then conversations will be out of the question¡­¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Why¡¯re you trying to be menacing towards the king? Obviously, it¡¯s working, but you¡¯re taking a risk too large for someone like you,¡¯¡¯ Hiona thought as she stepped back, leaning against the wall and crossing her legs, ¡®¡¯Let¡¯s see it, then.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro stood up on his two feet. ¡®¡¯My last point is...your name,¡¯¡¯ he smiled, ¡®¡¯I know it!¡¯¡¯ His words were like a bullet, landing directly in the king¡¯s forehead, petrifying him completely. It was over just like that. ¡®¡¯A-ah¡­ P-please, you have my attention. Speak up, child¡­¡¯¡¯ He stuttered clearly, beginning to speak more politely towards what he thought to be some demon; some evil creature that only existed to ruin his life. To him, someone knowing the name of their family¡¯s members¡¯ name was worse than dying by a hundred needles and getting dragged down to hell.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    His family had strictly passed down that tradition. The first time the king had told someone his name by accident, that person was executed within the hour. Sometimes it felt like he himself didn¡¯t know his name, pretending to have forgotten it so he wouldn¡¯t spurt it out accidentally. ¡®¡¯Thank you for your time, I promise it will be worth it!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro quickly shifted gears, looking happy with the utmost respect. ¡®¡¯How does he know?! How does he know?!¡¯¡¯ Is what the king thought, ¡®¡¯Does he know Touka¡¯s name as well?! If he does, this has become a matter of life and death!!!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯What would it take for you to agree and give us your child for us to take?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said that with a straight face, leaving Hiona laughing in the background. ¡®¡¯A-absolutely nothing.¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Then, what would happen if my run my finger along the floor and write your name in the dust¡­? Or should I write her name instead?¡¯¡¯ He went back to the serious tone, placing his finger on the floor. ¡®¡¯NO! P-please don¡¯t! I¡¯ll give you absolutely anything! Money,¡¯¡¯ Hiona¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡®¡¯food, clothes, an entire district! I¡¯ll let you have the entire treasure The Tree gives us next year!! Just please don¡¯t!!!¡¯¡¯ The king jumped from his throne as he began begging, walking up to Yohiro.


    ¡®¡¯But your majesty, I¡¯m on a mission: to steal your daughter. I can¡¯t accept anything else.¡¯¡¯ Yohiro told him, disappointing Hiona. ¡®¡¯Yohiro, you know you can kill him now, right? He¡¯s literally at the verge of tears!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled at the boy, getting completely ignored. ¡®¡¯But that can¡¯t happen! If I give you my daughter...my life would have no meaning at all¡­! Please, as one human to another, don¡¯t do it!¡¯¡¯ The moment Yohiro was waiting for came in that one instant as the high and apparently mighty king stopped low to the point of getting on his two knees.


    I¡¯m sorry, but that can¡¯t happen...Palan.


    It was like the clip of a pistol got unloaded in quick succession, landing each of the bullets perfectly. Hiona was taken aback at the sight of the king looking up at Yohiro with tears in his eyes, his eyes filled with fear. ¡®¡¯Palan, you haven¡¯t been a good man either,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro¡¯s gem began shining, ¡®¡¯to your daughter and to your people. I have the full resume inside my head. That ¡®strongest¡¯ mercenary isn¡¯t on the premises at the moment, either. Please, I don¡¯t want to say what you¡¯ve done aloud¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro stepped away from the nearly broken man ruthlessly. ¡®¡¯Hiona, I¡¯m sorry for being out of character and stomping all over your sense of malice. But I also enjoyed it somewhat,¡¯¡¯ he turned his head, smiling as usual.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not as dumb as I act, kid, it¡¯s the gem that¡¯s been telling you to do this, isn¡¯t it?¡¯¡¯ Hiona said to him with a disappointed expression. ¡®¡¯Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¯¡¯ Palan  placed his hand on Yohiro¡¯s leg, grabbing it. ¡®¡¯What is it, your majesty? I have to take your daughter with me, so please don¡¯t interfere.¡¯¡¯ The boy said. ¡®¡¯Kill me,¡¯¡¯ Palan whispered, confusing the boy, ¡®¡¯KILL ME! I¡¯D NEVER BECOME A SLAVE BECAUSE OF A TRADITION!¡¯¡¯ He pulled on Yohiro¡¯s leg, causing him to fall to the ground. ¡®¡¯Slave¡­?! What are you talking about?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shouted at him. ¡®¡¯When you learn the name of someone in my family, they become your fiancee, but if the person is from the opposite sex, they become a slave! I¡¯m not letting myself become one eve--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Enough,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said, kicking the king off of Yohiro, sending him flying, only stopping after hitting the wall of the room. ¡®¡¯Ah¡­! I will never allow...it¡­¡¯¡¯ The desperate man quickly lost consciousness, having received a powerful blow from Hiona straight in the stomach.


    Yohiro gasped over and over out of mental exhaustion, getting pulled back on his feet by Hiona. ¡®¡¯Why didn¡¯t you tell me he¡¯d be your slave?! We could¡¯ve done that from the get-go, you dipshit!¡¯¡¯ She yelled in his face, continuously spitting on it. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s because I didn¡¯t know! I wasn¡¯t told that part to begin with!!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Then what the fuck did you expect to happen when you yelled out his real name?!¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯He would give up? I don¡¯t KNOW!¡¯¡¯ They shouted at one another repeatedly.


    ¡®¡¯P-please, I beg of you, stop¡­¡¯¡¯


    The two thieves heard, turning their heads to find the beautiful young lady emerge from behind the throne, shaking in her boots out of fear. It was a long moment of silence, so long that it felt like they were paintings on the wall and couldn¡¯t move. It was rather quick, but the girl glanced at the meek boy with the ragged clothes, looking away almost immediately, confusing him. This assignment was soon to be completed by the horrible thief group led by Hiona.

 Chapter Thirty-Two: Your Precious Name

    ¡®¡¯Ah, so she came out by herself,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said, ¡®¡¯that makes everything a lot easier, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯¡¯ Those words immediately made the girl realised she had jumped out of her hiding place due to impulse, no plan in mind, no idea of what to even say or do. Her mind, essentially, had gone completely blank; she was scared, confused and worried at the same time, three emotions no one should have to feel all at once. ¡®¡¯Ah, your name,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said as he stepped forward, causing her to step backwards, ¡®¡¯Touka, was it?¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯H-huh?¡¯¡¯ The girl mumbled in confusion. ¡®¡¯What, that¡¯s not her real name?¡¯¡¯ Hiona said, crossing her arms and looking at Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Yes, it isn¡¯t; I won¡¯t force someone to swear their allegiance to me just like that,¡¯¡¯ the boy complained. ¡®¡¯Didn¡¯t you do that with her daddy?¡¯¡¯ Hiona tried to take a shot at breaking his logic, while the confused Touka began to take quiet steps towards her passed out father. ¡®¡¯I didn¡¯t really have much of choice there! It was the gem!¡¯¡¯ The white-haired boy countered her claim, frustrating her. The gem this, the gem that, everything has gone well so far because of some gem, because of a little rock, that¡¯s what Hiona thought.


    ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t you wanna get a fiancee, though? You¡¯ll be set for life, won¡¯t you?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked him, watching a confused expression emerge on his face. ¡®¡¯I-Isn¡¯t that a female word for a slave? How will that get me set for life¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro smiled, watching Hiona¡¯s ips cringe, turning into a grin against her own will. ¡®¡¯S-sometimes¡­ Sometimes, it could mean getting a slave, if you¡¯re like me, pfft, but for normal people...it means, uh...a companion in life, I guess?¡¯¡¯ Hiona failed to finish her explanation with a straight face, deliberately being vague with the oblivious boy, not only to make herself feel happy, but to also get a bit of payback from his forced cocky attitude.


    ¡®¡¯E-either way, I¡¯m not making her my ¡®companion in life¡¯. It¡¯s a job, and I¡¯m a professional thief!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro pouted, his cheeks turning red, causing Hiona to avert her eyes from the sudden stream of cuteness she hated.


    ¡®¡¯At least tell me her name. It¡¯ll be nice to have information no one else does, right? But be a bit louder; my ears hurt a little,¡¯¡¯ she leaned over. ¡®¡¯Ah, I see. Well,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro coughed, ¡®¡¯No, please don¡¯t!¡¯¡¯ As the child was about to be tricked by his master, Touka intercepted it. ¡®¡¯But, it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m telling it to her, not to you, princess,¡¯¡¯ he tried to use his own logic, which didn¡¯t work as Touka clenched her gentle hands, putting them against her chest, parting her lips, ¡®¡¯I, um, will come with you by my own free will, but please leave my father alone¡­! And my name¡­don¡¯t tell me it; I¡¯m not ready for something that scary!!¡¯¡¯ She begged outright. ¡®¡¯So it WAS about slavery, huh?! Liar!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro ignored the girl, looking at Hiona once more, getting a chuckle nonchalantly.


    ¡®¡¯Okay, jokes aside, brats. Yell her name out and let¡¯s get outta here, now.¡¯¡¯ Hiona looked at the girl in a suddenly serious glare, shaking her very eyes even from that distance, making her heart beat at least three times faster. ¡®¡¯Ah¡­ But she doesn¡¯t want me to, It¡¯ll make her sad, wouldn¡¯t it? We¡¯re already throwing aside the assignment, anyway! I don¡¯t want to do that to her,¡¯¡¯ he declared, making it evident that the gem was the only reason he was able to instill fear inside king Palan¡¯s heart back then. Hiona scoffed, taking her tome out, grabbing Yohiro by the head with her other hand.


    ¡®¡¯Dipshit¡­ I¡¯m your master and no matter how much you fucking hate me, you have no choice but to listen to me!¡¯¡¯ She pulled him left and right like a ragdoll, pulling on his hair and hurting him, signified by his squeaks of pain. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not gonna do it!¡¯¡¯ He continued to not budge relentlessly as she threw him forward across the room, landing him in the king¡¯s throne. ¡®¡¯He¡¯s still protecting my name, even though he¡¯s getting hurt by his own ally? But why?¡¯¡¯ Touka thought.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Hiona walked over menacingly, yet quickly, slamming her weirdly large hand against the back of the throne, wrapping it around his thin neck, however, not gripping it. ¡®¡¯Yell it out!!¡¯¡¯ Hiona was at her wit¡¯s end due to the disrespect from someone inferior and the fact that he performed better overall, without much confrontation. ¡®¡¯No, I won¡¯t,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said. ¡®¡¯This is retarded! Stop procrastinating and listen to me!¡¯¡¯ She raged loudly, pushing her fingers through the solid overpriced chair itself, touching the tip of his Adam¡¯s Apple with her palm, making him sweat all over.


    ¡®¡¯P-please, stop¡­! Don¡¯t go that far¡­!¡¯¡¯ Touka found herself whispering instead of yelling. Her voice felt scruffy, her eyes were wide open, her body was tingling. Yes, it was the human instinct of self-preservation; the young, adolescent girl wanted to help Yohiro, she for some reason felt sympathy towards the human that made her own father look pathetic and made him turn into a literal slave by tradition. She could not raise her voice at all, like a second version of herself, a more anxious one, had silenced her with her hand, plugging up her mouth, causing her to only mutter in a muffled manner.


    ¡®¡¯If I say it, she¡¯ll become my slave! I¡¯m not doing that!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro shouted, looking at the ceiling purposely due to his Adam¡¯s Apple slightly scraping Hiona¡¯s palm. ¡®¡¯You think I don¡¯t have a spell for something like this? I can gain control of your body, your voice, everything. However, I won¡¯t be able to read your mind¡­ Speak up and yell that brat¡¯s name!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro mustered up the strength, kicking the strong woman in the stomach, feeling like he was kicking a ridiculously hard rock. ¡®¡¯Let go of me!!¡¯¡¯ He kept kicking over and over, not getting even the slightest budge out of the psychotic woman.


    In the entire room, between these three different people, there was the question of ¡®¡¯Why?¡¯¡¯ that was being shared, for different reasons. For Yohiro, ¡®¡¯Why is it that important to you,¡¯¡¯ for Touka, ¡®¡¯Why can¡¯t I say anything,¡¯¡¯ for Hiona, ¡®¡¯Why can¡¯t I get him to obey like the other dogs?¡¯¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t want this to happen!¡¯¡¯ Touka managed to raise her voice, leading to Hiona turning her head slightly to the side, catching the princess in the corner of her eye, panting not because of the pain, but rather her own anger. One stare was all that was needed to shut Touka up immediately, filling her eyes with despair as even Yohiro began to crack under the menacing presence that almost felt like it was materializing, oh so dangerously. His vision began blurring rapidly.


    ¡®¡¯Eh¡­? Really?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro began talking, shocking Hiona as she witnessed the gem begin to shine. ¡®¡¯That shit again?¡¯¡¯ Hiona said, slightly interested in what would happen from that point onward. ¡®¡¯If you say so,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro took a long deep breath, as comfortably as possible in that position.


    ¡®¡¯Your name is Ivet, isn¡¯t it?!¡¯¡¯


    The sentence walked out through Yohiro¡¯s lips immediately, as if on its own, but in reality, it was an almost independent choice. Though it was still there; the annoying and confusingly bothering feeling of having to be reassured by the gem, not being able to think ahead at that moment to be able to make sure it would be safe.


    ¡®¡¯T-that¡¯s really...my name?¡¯¡¯ The newly named Ivet whimpered confusingly, for some reason feeling...relieved. ¡®¡¯Shi-hi-hit! Finally!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled out in an ¡®¡¯Hallelujah!¡¯¡¯ king of manner, taking her fingers out of the holes in the throne she had made herself, retracting her arm. ¡®¡¯Aww, my stomach¡¯s dirty, I didn¡¯t even notice it! Dammit!¡¯¡¯ Hiona frowned out of nowhere, ignoring Yohiro who practically slid down the throne, falling down, breathing heavily.


    His vision began to feel blurry, his body felt numb. For Hiona at least, it was absolutely enough to just pressure a mentally weak person to completely envelop his mind with her malice and anger. She pushed the despair and fear through his nostrils, his eyes, his mouth. It was pathetically easy to make him feel threatened, like he was physically hurting. Though it was already clear that Hiona was formidable, horrifying...it was still hard to comprehend. Even if you know Winter is coming tomorrow, you can¡¯t suddenly make your body not feel cold just by sheer will. That was when Yohiro lost consciousness, falling over and hitting the floor with his head, drifting off quickly and surprisingly soundly.

 Chapter Thirty-Three: A Princess Worrying Choice.

    ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t understand it¡­ Why? I¡¯m not afraid of her, yet I always fall in front of her without much hesitation,¡¯¡¯ thought Yohiro as he lay on the floor of the white room with the large tree and locked door, which was apparently inside the gem. ¡®¡¯Huh,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro let out, ¡®¡¯you¡¯re saying it¡¯s not because of me? My mental state is too immature? Go~t it¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro seemed a little down, but it was the truth, and he accepted it. No matter how much guidance and instructions he got, his mind was that of a child, further justified by his inability to read or write.


    ¡®¡¯No, I¡¯m not really angry. I didn¡¯t want to use her real name, but you still haven¡¯t told me how it¡¯s fine. Of course, I do trust you, though,¡¯¡¯ he said. ¡®¡¯Yeah, you haven¡¯t really failed me so far, but you haven¡¯t been asking many of my questions,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro sighed as he tinkered with the gem while on his back, full well knowing already that it wouldn¡¯t do anything if he was unconscious. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not about me being able to comprehend you answers! It¡¯s about knowing the answers in general and learning the meaning down the line!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Really, you¡¯ll tell me?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro sat up, looking at the tree with anticipation. ¡®¡¯Only one question will be answered,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said, as if repeating what he had heard, ¡®¡¯Then please, tell me what will happen tomor-- Oh, that¡¯s not possible?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro interrupted himself.


    If an ordinary human was to see this, they would most likely just see a feminine child talking to a tree. However, in his mind and in front of his eyes Yohiro was speaking to a person; the most beautiful of people, in fact. It was like talking to a goddess in person, essentially. With that beautiful, long hair and her slender look, of course it did. But alas, Yohiro wasn¡¯t permitted to see her face, a rule set by her. It showed just how much she controlled his mind, being able to choose what he sees and what he doesn¡¯t at will.


    ¡®¡¯Tell me...what¡¯s happening to my body right now, then?¡¯¡¯ He went silent for a few seconds before flinching. ¡®¡¯Ah, I understand,¡¯¡¯ he smiled. At that moment, his body was being carelessly carried by Hiona as she left the castle with Ivet, who was also being held up and dragged by her. ¡®¡¯When will you wake me up?¡¯¡¯ The boy wiggled in one spot. ¡®¡¯Eh? That counts, too?!¡¯¡¯ He shouted. ¡®¡¯But come on! That¡¯s a, uh, different category of questions! Come to think of it, when will you teach me how to read?! And common sense?! I¡¯ve heard that¡¯s rather important, ri-- Huh,¡¯¡¯ he stopped, dropping to the ground, losing sense of his muscles.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m sorry...for stepping over the line and annoying you,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said quietly, having his voice forcibly turned down by her. ¡®¡¯But...it pains me; when everyone I¡¯ve met keeps secrets and doesn¡¯t tell me anything¡­ I feel insufficient, as you like to say,¡¯¡¯ the poor boy felt a warm touch upon his head, a rather calming one that set his mind at peace. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll learn everything, you say? I¡¯m not alive for you to tell me everything, you say? I see¡­ I am grateful for your help, as you like to say,¡¯¡¯ a smile quickly appeared on his face as he lay there, watching this small, personal room of his disappear in front of his eyes and turn to white slowly, with the only thing on Yohiro¡¯s mind being: It will come along on its own.


    ¡®¡¯Ah, his eyes are opening,¡¯¡¯ Ivet¡¯s voice came from Yohiro¡¯s right as he was in a daze, watching the world shake repeatedly, with familiar sounds to boot. They were, indeed, on the train back home, although Yohiro couldn¡¯t really think too clearly. He felt a flurry of friendly pats on his head, coming from a soft and gently hand. It felt unbelievably comforting, like a touch he hadn¡¯t felt before, because he actually hadn¡¯t. From Clous, all the way to Hiona, all of their hands were rough and lacking in sympathy. This one on the other hand, was a sight for sore eyes, or in this case, a touch for a sore back.


    The tired child, which is what he was at his core, opened his eyes and began rubbing them ruthlessly, almost falling off his seat on the train from the shaking, getting caught just barely by Ivet, who was sitting next to him. ¡®¡¯Mo...ah,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro mumbled as he gained awareness of his surroundings quickly, finding Rosa, Clous and Hiona asleep, spread throughout the seats randomly, and Ivet right beside him, keeping him from falling off his seat with her hands.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    It was slightly weird distinguishing her for Yohiro, seeing as she was wearing a rather plain dress compared to her old, blindingly beautiful one she wore before. It seemed more red-toned, with a black outline. ¡®¡¯D-did you sleep well at all¡­?¡¯¡¯ Ivet said, already knowing the answer was clearly going to be a harsh no. ¡®¡¯Quite. Thanks for asking, your highness¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro told her directly, sounding slightly half-asleep, which looked adorable to the princess. ¡®¡¯A-ah, that¡¯s good to hear,¡¯¡¯ Ivet replied. The mood was quite awkward, but Yohiro couldn¡¯t really notice it at all.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m a little surprised, though. You seem to be quite calm, despite becoming my slave against your will,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro assumed, scratching his head as he watched the girl¡¯s face nearly explode from turning red. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not calm, it¡¯s quite the opposite! And, please don¡¯t bring that up, at least,¡¯¡¯ she was clearly trying to avoid discussion on that topic. It seemed like she was far more comfortable with being considered a slave, rather than a future wife.


    ¡®¡¯What about, uh, that dress, Daron? Are the others okay? Are they hurt?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro began asking questions one after the other, even though he didn¡¯t truly care at the moment. ¡®¡¯For the dress, it was that lady with the beautiful hair that gave it to me with her tome, though I didn¡¯t know tomes could do that. It seemed like they weren¡¯t hurt, for the most part, except for the short beastman; he couldn¡¯t move, so the scary woman carried him on her back and didn¡¯t seem to mind his heaviness. Speaking of her, she just...fell asleep the second she sat down in her seat,¡¯¡¯ despite her calm and sometimes flustered personality, the girl was quite the talker, ¡®¡¯and for Daron, the man you mentioned, he wanted to talk to you again, but the woman hit him and left¡­¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯I see, but,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said, ¡®¡¯are you fine with this? I don¡¯t really want a slave, so we can let you go.¡¯¡¯ There was a long silence suddenly, and out of nowhere before Ivet said, ¡®¡¯I decline. I¡¯ll accompany you, to the end of the world if need be,¡¯¡¯ she straightened her tone, bowing to Yohiro, taking him aback. ¡®¡¯But, we hurt your dad, and kidnapped you against your will. Hiona won¡¯t agree to this, so I¡¯m giving you the opportunity while she¡¯s asleep!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro told her. ¡®¡¯It matters not,¡¯¡¯ she began, ¡®¡¯my father would have been tenacious about me following this tradition, even if he had to throw me out on the streets. It makes no difference at all,¡¯¡¯ that was her final choice.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re an idiot, your highness.¡¯¡¯


    She straightened up, surprised by the weirdly nice-sounding, yet harsh words. ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t say ¡®It matters not¡¯ to me, when we¡¯re talking about your life! It¡¯s disrespectful to you, and to me, too, if I were to look at you like a slave for a moment!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro looked at her as he raised his voice, almost unnaturally so. ¡®¡¯Ah, I understand. I apologize to you, then. But even so, I will be coming with you until you decide to abandon me,¡¯¡¯ she declared to her ¡®¡¯master¡¯¡¯.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s your choice, but does this last until I you die? Is there some clock for this?¡¯¡¯ he asked, watching her blush. ¡®¡¯Until one of us or both of us die, and even after that, I presume¡­?¡¯¡¯ She answered, somewhat uncertain, seeing as she was around the young age of thirteen, and as she was eventually to find out, he was almost a few months old . ¡®¡¯That sounds like a big commitment, but if you¡¯re saying that¡¯s really your final choice, I promise to respect you as my slave!¡¯¡¯ He smiled cheerfully, causing a faint smile to emerge on her face right after; a smile she couldn¡¯t really understand, like someone was stretching her cheeks and forcing her to smile, that sort of feeling.


    Soon they would all arrive back to their own district and, after that confrontation, get some rest. It was a little strange, though. Even though there was no danger anywhere nearby, Yohiro felt an angered, evil spirit coming from Hiona¡¯s seat. The woman seemed to be awake and chanting under her breath as she hid the tome with her tucked into chest legs. ¡®¡¯W-why is she glaring at me?¡¯¡¯ Ivet turned to Yohiro. ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t really know, but please don¡¯t stop looking at her for now,¡¯¡¯ he requested, getting the feeling like she was a wild animal that was going to jump towards her pray the moment someone took their eyes off her. And that is how the way back home proceeded; a little stressful, to be frank.

 Chapter Thirty-Four: Paper Cuts From Back Then.

    Two days had passed since the events that took place inside king Palan¡¯s castle involving Hiona¡¯s group. Sulking inside a bar, Daron was sitting with a glass of orange juice, feeling like if he drank alcohol in his current mental state he would end up jumping off a bridge or worse. ¡®¡¯Young man, I¡¯m slightly worried here, are you sure you don¡¯t want some wine or something to take that stress off?¡¯¡¯ The bartender asked Daron, watching him raise his head, his eyes looking tired and his face looking slightly pale.


    ¡®¡¯No thanks, Kipa, I think i¡¯ll stick to soft drinks for now,¡¯¡¯ Daron said. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not complaining - I¡¯m getting money - but don¡¯t you have work at the castle, basically all the time?¡¯¡¯ Kipa, the short, stubby old man whose hair hadn¡¯t yet gone white despite his wrinkles asked Daron with curiosity. ¡®¡¯If we¡¯re asking each other question, why do you sell soft drinks here?¡¯¡¯ It was a trouse.


    ¡®¡¯But really, I quit the job at the castle,¡¯¡¯ Daron said, sipping from the glass in peace. ¡®¡¯Didn¡¯t it take you like almost half year to get that job? Did you hit your head too hard, boy?¡¯¡¯ Daron clicked his tongue. ¡®¡¯I was being overworked and their expectations were too hard just because I spent more time that the others, apparently, when in reality, it only happened because I wanted to ensure my enrollment. Other than that, I¡¯m no different from them at all.¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯What about money, then? You got something planned?¡¯¡¯ Kipa sat down comfortable, seeing as his customers could be counted on one hand and a half. ¡®¡¯Nothing yet, but I¡¯ve got a bit left, so maybe I¡¯ll be fine for a month¡­? Half a month¡­? Who gives a shit anymore?¡¯¡¯ Daron sighed as he downed the glass in one breath.


    ¡®¡¯If you consciously made that decision, then why in the world are you here all depressed like that? You can¡¯t tell me you got too sad to work.¡¯¡¯ The clock behind Kipa let out loud ticks, one after the other, taking a bit of Daron¡¯s attention as he continued the conversation. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not that, per say, but¡­ I think I got attacked by what my father used to call a ¡®knife made out of paper,¡¯ or something along those lines, you know,¡¯¡¯ Daron told the elderly man, sounding a little monotone, resulting in a puzzled look.


    ¡®¡¯He used to say a lot of weird things, sometimes straight-up riddles that a kid like me wouldn¡¯t understand. Nowadays, it feels like he was doing it on purpose,¡¯¡¯ Daron said, ¡®¡¯It basically means someone pretending to have killing intentions, trying to kill you and failing at it, again, on purpose. But this time, it was like...it was an unintentional ¡®paper knife,¡¯ I think?¡¯¡¯ The thought quickly nested itself inside Daron¡¯s head, without hesitation. ¡®¡¯Well, yes, I heard someone attacked the castle, but you know I¡¯m not interested in those kinds of news. So please elaborate a little,¡¯¡¯ Kipa requested.


    ¡®¡¯There was this young boy amongst a group of thieves. He looked ridiculously out of place, be it for that snow-like hair or the whole paper knife deal, but he came up to me and started telling me how my job has been doing me no good, that I¡¯m doing extra work for no extra benefits, basically ruining my health. It was basically supposed to be a paper knife, but it felt like mental abuse to me. In the end, after thinking for a day, the kid was right in everything he said, somehow,¡¯¡¯ Daron explained, confusing the barman.


    ¡®¡¯Thanks for the drinks, Kipa,¡¯¡¯ he said as he stood up, leaving a moderate amount of money in front of the man as he left the bar, placing his hands inside his leather pants as he walked, dressed up with said pants and a white shirt, buttoned up perfectly, except for the last button. That was left that way so Daron could feel a little freer.


    He head towards his own house, which fortunately wasn¡¯t who knows how far away from the bar he was just at. Passing by people he recognized, he felt annoyed with himself for not greeting them or even looking their way, but feeling even worse for not getting a quick ¡®¡¯Hi,¡¯¡¯ too. His vision wasn¡¯t too clear from the sleep deprivation he was going through for the past two days, but he didn¡¯t really worry too much.


    He made it to his home, a rather big one, and entered, turning on the lights and throwing himself on the floor immediately, not even locking the door. ¡®¡¯Lucka¡­? Are you here?¡¯¡¯ Daron asked, raising his voice. A quiet voice came from upstairs, sounding a little worried, ¡®¡¯Yes, I¡¯m just reading a little,¡¯¡¯ the girl whose name was Lucka said back to him. Her words were enough to get him off his feet and head for the second floor, passing by the couch in the living room and the kitchen before climbing the stairs and heading for a room that was in front of him the exact minute he climbed the steps.


    ¡®¡¯May I enter?¡¯¡¯ He asked as he got in front of the door, keeping in mind the last time he entered, she was in her pajamas. Lucka didn¡¯t enjoy other people seeing her in casual, or even worse, sleeping apparel, especially her brother Daron. ¡®¡¯Yes, it¡¯s fine,¡¯¡¯ the girl said in a modest tone, prompting Daron to open the door and enter.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve got kind of a surpri-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Please, sit down, you don¡¯t have to always be so straight forward, right?¡¯¡¯ Lucka said. ¡®¡¯Y-yeah, sorry¡­¡¯¡¯ Daron apologized, sitting on the puffy carpet in her room. Lucka was a timid girl, currently fifteen years old, and Daron¡¯s sister that everyone envied for her stunning and silky silver hair and water-blue eyes, as well as her appealing features. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t the healthiest girl you would meet on the street; she was anemic. Thankfully for the easily worried Daron, it was nothing sever. Maybe a few headaches or slight fatigue and lack of energy most of the time.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡®¡¯So, how have you faring the castle recently? I¡¯ve been waiting or your break day, so I could read you from the book I bought for myself! It¡¯s quite the tale, I tell you,¡¯¡¯ Lucka smiled as she sat on top of her bed¡¯s covers with her legs crossed, dressed in a long green dress on dots. She really liked those and wore them almost all the time. ¡®¡¯Ah, what¡¯s ti about, tell me,¡¯¡¯ Daron forced himself to express interest, even though that wasn¡¯t the thing that was haunting his mind at all.


    ¡®¡¯See, it¡¯s about this about this amazing flower that this young five-year-old girl makes her dream to bring over to a different country. The flower unfortunately doesn¡¯t survive her trip, which was obviously going to happen, but the emotion the girl expressed when the flower died halfway through the trip was really hitting, and even the girl¡¯s mother cried!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯That¡¯s r-really interesting¡­¡¯¡¯ Daron said, not untruthfully, but rather, he didn¡¯t want to get absorbed into it, since that was a problem he had every time Lucka spoke so excitedly about a story she had read. Her enthusiasm was contagious, you could say. ¡®¡¯And then, while you were away, I used my leftover allowance to buy another one, and that one is ama-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Lucka, could you...give me a second, please?¡¯¡¯ Daron said, causing her to put the book down quickly, feeling like a lecture was coming up.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s okay, let me have it if you¡¯re angry with me for some reason,¡¯¡¯ Lucka faintly smiled at him, making him look down at his feet before standing up. It was like he couldn¡¯t really think, running up and embracing his sister tightly. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not really...working at the castle anymore, Lucka, so-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯That¡¯s all?¡¯¡¯ Lucka asked nonchalantly. ¡®¡¯What do you mean ¡®That¡¯s all¡¯?! I won¡¯t be getting paid and you won¡¯t be able to get any more books! You and mom loved reading together, and it¡¯s just¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡¯¡¯ Daron let go of her, sitting back down onto the carpet, feeling slightly ashamed for his impatience.


    ¡®¡¯Wait a minute,¡¯¡¯ Lucka said, carefully making it down from the bed and onto the floor, ¡®¡¯now we¡¯re on an equal footing. Let¡¯s talk,¡¯¡¯ she smiled a little too brightfully. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s all there is to talk about. You know I have no qualifications for anything good enough, right?¡¯¡¯ Daron told her. The young girl finally noticed his washed out face and his tired breathing. Undoubtedly, she felt a little shame, herself, for not noticing it and being absorbed in her own matters. But then again, it was also Daron¡¯s fault for always leaving her money and disappearing for an entire month, one day excluded, as it was his break. She also finally realised that he had been sleeping somewhere outside, waiting for his day off to come so he could give her the news more softly and to break her guard down a little less hurtfully.


    ¡®¡¯It doesn¡¯t matter,¡¯¡¯ she said, shaking him up a little with her words alone. ¡®¡¯Why, you¡­! Understand for once, money is important for us!¡¯¡¯ He yelled loudly. ¡®¡¯I know that, I¡¯ve known ever since I turned thirteen. It doesn¡¯t matter for a different reason,¡¯¡¯ she said, ¡®¡¯it will take a while, but you will find a new job, and you won¡¯t fuss over money anymore. It doesn¡¯t matter right now, because you still have money left, I¡¯m guessing,¡¯¡¯ she explained her standing, attempting to sound mature, not realising that her logic was slightly faulty.


    ¡®¡¯So, let¡¯s read, now that you¡¯re unemployed! Pick a book from that pile,¡¯¡¯ Lucka pointed at her own tall pile of books she had fully finished, stacked on top of each other without order or reason. ¡®¡¯Lucka...why are you doing that?¡¯¡¯ Daron raised his head, causing her to freeze in place as she expected for him to yell at her. ¡®¡¯Please, stop trying to make me feel better. I know you know the magnitude of the situation just as well as I do, with mom and dad not on this world anymore,¡¯¡¯ he told her as a tear began to run down his eye. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re not yelling at me? Aren¡¯t you angry with me?¡¯¡¯ She asked him, worrying as she dragged herself a little closer.


    ¡®¡¯Why the f-,¡¯¡¯ he stopped himself, ¡®¡¯Why would I be angry? When have I ever yelled at you or scolded you that much, you moron?¡¯¡¯ Daron asked her rhetorically, beginning to cry, finding himself at his wit¡¯s end.


    Like a house had fallen over a person, leaving them physically immobile, Daron¡¯s mental state was worsened by his quick and irrational outburst he thought he was directing towards his sister, while in reality he was just angry at himself. When you think about it carefully, he made the wrong choice, leaving his job and all. Getting overworked isn¡¯t a big problem as long as you¡¯re able to support the person that matters to you; that¡¯s how Daron saw the situation. He thought he was the cause.


    ¡®¡¯Would you like to read this one with me,¡¯¡¯ Lucka said, ¡®¡¯this one specific book?¡¯¡¯ Daron looked up, watching her walk over to a bookshelf separate from the book pile, on which she kept her favorite books. She hopped back to him like a  rabbit, and equally as adorable, putting a book in front of his face, making his vision hazy with how close to his eyes it was. However, no matter how tired, drunk, or close to being blind he was, he could never not recognize the small, cartoonishly drawn girl in a green dress on dots that was on the cover; it was the inspiration for Lucka¡¯s entire gardrobe, after all.


    ¡®¡¯You remember it ri--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Of course I do! How could I not?!¡¯¡¯ Daron grabbed the book out of her hands, getting over his problem completely for an instant. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s the first one mom and dad bought for you when you were five! How do you have it in such good condition?¡¯¡¯ Daron turned towards her, finding her smiling again. ¡®¡¯Of course I don¡¯t have that one in good condition; the one in your hands is a reprint. I ripped the old one a long time ago, remember?¡¯¡¯ She said, trying to hold in the tears that were about to leak out from seeing her brother that excited. The book they loved so much, The Barbaric Little Lanbina, was given to them by their late parents who passed away pathetically while in their workplace, in a meat factory.


    ¡®¡¯Why, no when did you buy this? Why didn¡¯t you show it to me earlier?¡¯¡¯ Daron asked her, his hands shaking as he wanted to flip through the pages, however, he remembered his promise to never read this specific book by himself. ¡®¡¯Just two days ago¡­ Is that bad?¡¯¡¯ She couldn¡¯t help but smile as she watched what would look like unnecessary tears to most people flow down Daron¡¯s cheeks. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s the magic sentence? Come on, just like when we were kids,¡¯¡¯ Lucka told him, full-well knowing he remembered it.


    ¡®¡¯With a cup o¡¯ tea, let¡¯s read a book...right?¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Thirty-Five: Perfectly Comparable.

    It had concluded. Hiona¡¯s thief group had finally finished a mission of incredible magnitude, even returning with a new ally. A few days had passed and things remained relatively safe and peaceful, with everyone having a feast right after they had returned. Sebansio and Bernie were shocked by Ivet¡¯s appearance, but quickly caught on to what was happening and accepted the girl with a worried smile. Hiona constantly kept her eye on Yohiro, tracking his progress in knowledge and maturity,(but Bernie and Clous took care of his body maturity). The boy was still learning the alphabet with Ivet and Bernie¡¯s help. He had made it to the letter H in about a week.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m hungry~,¡¯¡¯ Rosa said as she played with her hair, sat across from Clous around the coffee table. ¡®¡¯So? I¡¯m not a store, am I?¡¯¡¯ Clous replied.


    ¡®¡¯You¡¯re heartless, aren¡¯t you, Clous? We stole a damn princess, after all, didn¡¯t we?¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯You and I didn¡¯t do shit, it was all Yohiro and master,¡¯¡¯ Clous replied, annoyed.


    Rosa, of course, knew that, but she didn¡¯t really care. She was a part of the mission, so she deserved credit, and that¡¯s all that mattered to her in the end.


    ¡®¡¯Are you gonna be the main man on the wedding?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked him mockingly. ¡®¡¯There¡¯s not gonna be a wedding, for more reasons than one. Now leave me alone, I¡¯m exhausted,¡¯¡¯ Clous said, rolling to the right. ¡®¡¯You wouldn¡¯t be if you hadn¡¯t wasted your time trying to learn that triplet¡¯s fighting style. It¡¯s really your problem,¡¯¡¯ Clous didn¡¯t say anything after that, feeling once again ashamed.


    ¡®¡¯You guys, where¡¯s Yohiro? Me and Ms. Ivet were going to teach him how to exclamate today,¡¯¡¯ Bernie walked into the room with Ivet by his side, the significantly shorter girl smiling awkwardly, still not used to her new, dirty, less rich environment. ¡®¡¯I think master let him go into the city,¡¯¡¯ she said, ¡®¡¯she told him to go buy some milk; and she was surprisingly specific about wanting milk, for some reason.¡¯¡¯ Bernie snuck a glance at Clous quickly, before looking back at Rosa, ¡®¡¯You don¡¯t mean he¡¯s alone, right? Sebansio¡¯s with him, for sure,¡¯¡¯ Bernie smiled, reassuring himself. ¡®¡¯No, I¡¯m sure he left the base alone, carrying a bag of money. Master¡¯s probably plotting something again,¡¯¡¯ Rosa told him, shocking him and the slightly quiet Ivet.


    ¡®¡¯He¡¯ll get killed! Or kill someone accidentally! Why did you let him leave like that?!¡¯¡¯ Bernie shouted at her, with Ivet silently repeating his waving gestures in silence, not wanting to interrupt him. It seemed like she had gotten used to Bernie. ¡®¡¯It wasn¡¯t my problem, and my blood sugar¡¯s getting low anyway. I want something sweet!¡¯¡¯ Rosa quicky changed the subject, not wanting to talk about it anymore, apparently. ¡®¡¯What¡¯s with you two? You really don¡¯t care if he gets into trouble?¡¯¡¯


    A smile emerged on Rosa¡¯s face, a slightly saddened one. ¡®¡¯The case is different. It¡¯s not that he¡¯d get into trouble with us beside him, but the opposite; he make the problems, if you hadn¡¯t noticed. Let him have a walk around the district,¡¯¡¯ she said, confusing Bernie. There was the one thing they chose not to tell their fellow comrade: The fact that the gem was giving Yohiro guidance, and that it¡¯s the main reason they escaped the castle peacefully. He believes it was Hiona who managed to do it, which wouldn¡¯t be normal, but he didn¡¯t think they would lie to him.


    ¡®¡¯D-does he even have the address to the closest store?¡¯¡¯ Ivet spoke up at last, making Clous flinch as he was pretending to be asleep. He wasn¡¯t given directions by Hiona at all. ¡®¡¯Keep calm, you guys, master...probably gave him the address, right?¡¯¡¯ Rosa said without certainty, watching the sweat begin to flow down Bernie¡¯s face like a waterfall. ¡®¡¯He could be at the other side of the district!! Where¡¯s master?!¡¯¡¯ Bernie slammed his hand against the table, scaring Ivet. ¡®¡¯She went out, saying something like, ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll go the details down, regarding the completion of the assignment. See ya~,¡¯¡¯ or something along those lines,¡¯¡¯ Rosa quoted, wagging her finger.


    In a split second, Bernie¡¯s newfound determination crumbled as he slid down to the ground, beginning to worry. ¡®¡¯You guys!¡¯¡¯ A shout came from Clous, who finally made the decision to roll towards them, still lying on his back, ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll go look for the kid, so stop worrying so much,¡¯¡¯ he said, stopping Bernie¡¯s weeping and freezing Rosa in place, leaving Ivet staring at them both, thinking, ¡®¡¯Is that so unusual here¡­?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯If the kid does something out of proportion, we probably won¡¯t be able to deal with it. I¡¯m gonna go get ¡®im,¡¯¡¯ Clous groaned right after, jumping from the couch and stepping on his two feet. ¡®¡¯You¡¯ve changed quite a bit, haven¡¯t you, you sly fox?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked, still a little surprised, as she watched him walk towards the exit. ¡®¡¯Shut up¡­ I can¡¯t change at this point, anyway. Keep your bullshit to yourself,¡¯¡¯ he told her seriously as he left, keeping his back to all three of them. ¡®¡¯A-ah. Did the mission depress him that much¡­?¡¯¡¯ Bernie turned to Rosa, finding Clous¡¯ new, more monotone way of speaking out of place for him. ¡®¡¯I guess. We were both pretty much stock fodder for master, as usual. It¡¯s just that he took it the worst, it seems,¡¯¡¯ Rosa said. ¡®¡¯Um,¡¯¡¯ Ivet raised her hand, ¡®¡¯do you think Mr. Clous would be able to get along with Mr. Yohiro? They seem like complete opposites to me,¡¯¡¯ the girl spoke, carefully picking her words.


    ¡®¡¯Honestly, I¡¯m surprised at how bad you¡¯ve judged Clous and Yohiro, especially since one of them is gonna be your husband one day,¡¯¡¯ Rosa chuckled, ¡®¡¯Clous isn¡¯t just some random dick, you know? On the contrary, Yohiro...is someone I can¡¯t say anything about even now; that kid grows and grows, adapts quickly, and doesn¡¯t seem to wanna stop. They¡¯re not comparable in that regard.¡¯¡¯ Ivet was slightly taken aback. Yes, what she had said about Yohiro was right in all regards, however, she couldn¡¯t really understand the comment on Clous. She thought it best to not dig any further than she did.


    Clous had left the bar, ignoring the greeting from Sebansio, and began heading towards the closest store he could think of, about a few hundred meters away from them on foot. It was a little obvious that Yohiro wouldn¡¯t be able to find it himself. It wasn¡¯t like walking to a neighboring building or something in your line of sight. It was a rather good thing that Clous couldn¡¯t have been bothered to take off the robe keeping him invisible from others. He refused to hand it over to Ivet when she was cleaning everyone else¡¯s, resulting in a messy outfit.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    He headed out immediately, walking at a faster than normal pace. Before long, he realised he wasn¡¯t paying his surroundings enough attention and chose to go by roof. He watched down upon the streets from on top of the roof, looking for the new, bright-blue shirt Yohiro was given, which fortunately, fit him better because of his body¡¯s growth. The problem was, there were too many people with blue clothes and the voices of the people around him began to get to him and annoy him. He shunned it and instead began keeping an eye out for white hair.


    Without realising it he had began staring at the ground below, beginning to ponder. ¡®¡¯Was I being too harsh, annoying, insulting? More than usual?¡¯¡¯ Flashes and flashes from the lack of sleep began appearing before Clous, frustrating him further. ¡®¡¯Worst part is, he was right in the end, wasn¡¯t he? Things are a lot different than what they would¡¯ve been a lot more different if he had helped me against master back then, instead of calling her¡­ But she wouldn¡¯t even be there if that were the case¡­¡¯¡¯ It was so sudden, it even surprised him. It seemed a little out of place and even out of manner, but the thought kept flooding in. His suppression of his surroundings had led him to turn his brain off for the most part, too.


    ¡®¡¯I wanna go back there, I wanna live with Yugashi, I wanna...never lose again, and only have Gagu as my obstacle. If it were to go back to that, I could be better, maybe not even a thief, maybe a chef or something else,¡¯¡¯ he mumbled to himself, feeling relaxed in the wind, sitting down. ¡®¡¯Yohiro¡¯s gonna be fine, totally fine and relaxed like me after he gets his milk. Why did master send him to only get milk? She¡¯s probably sending him out to get acquainted with the are, maybe¡­ So many different routes this whole existence of mine could¡¯ve gone, yet it decided to plunge into this shithole.¡¯¡¯


    The seconds turned into minutes, the minutes evolved into hours, all of that being completely and utterly irrelevant. Clous felt like he was in a trance, but it was just his own imagination. Horrible things happening around him was but a fait accompli, he thought.


    ¡®¡¯Hello~?¡¯¡¯ Clous suddenly jumped up out of shock, realising he was drooling. ¡®¡¯Clous? Why¡¯re you up there, huh?¡¯¡¯ He crawled closer to the edge of the roof, finding himself staring down upon Yohiro, who was holding a grocery bag, seeming like it was pretty empty at first glance, but Yohiro was certainly holding something inside that bag. ¡®¡¯Uh, I was just kinda sleeping, yeah,¡¯¡¯ Clous made up an excuse. ¡®¡¯But...it¡¯s night. Wouldn¡¯t you wanna stay home and rest there?¡¯¡¯ The boy shot a bullet; the first bullet. ¡®¡¯And why¡¯re YOU still out?! Weren¡¯t you done with shopping? Are you that useless?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯My milk got stolen by a child, so I chased him for a about an hour. He was exhausted, but I wasn¡¯t. I found myself lost, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m out here. Were you looking for me?¡¯¡¯ Two bullets at once were fired at that moment, leaving Yohiro with only three. ¡®¡¯No, I wasn¡¯t! I¡¯m getting more air! God Muscle works better when you have more fresh air!¡¯¡¯ Clous began shouting irrationally. Fortunately for him, not many people were really walking the streets at night around. ¡®¡¯The air here isn¡¯t that fresh due to the smoke that comes out of the house, which is a problem due to the pipes it comes out of being uneven,¡¯¡¯ bullet four, ¡®¡¯and if that were the case, you would have come out a lot earlier,¡¯¡¯ bullet five. ¡®¡¯Also, I don¡¯t think I understand quite well, but...you didn¡¯t really fail,¡¯¡¯there it was, the last sixth bullet, fire off perfectly. Clous forced himself to speak, despite his embarrassment and annoyance, ¡®¡¯Stop pissing all over my progress. For once, stop doing whatever the hell you want, Yohiro!¡¯¡¯


    Yohiro stepped back a little, putting his hand inside the grocery bag. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not doing whatever I want; I got this,¡¯¡¯ he said as he took out a large carton of milk, ¡®¡¯in fact, you¡¯re the one playing by his own rules, Clous, aren¡¯t you?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro smiled as he pulled his hand back slightly, raising his leg a little. ¡®¡¯I want to do my best! I don¡¯t choose what to do, unlike you, Clous!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro forced his hand forward, throwing the carton of milk at Clous. It was approaching slowly, a little too slowly, seeing as Yohiro didn¡¯t have much of a throwing arm, but Clous just stood there, getting hit by it and falling backwards, with the carton falling next to him, all crumpled up on the outside and leaking a little from the side.


    ¡®¡¯Ah, that¡¯s not wong, is it¡­?¡¯¡¯ Clous realised: Yohiro never truly had free will in the grand scheme of things. He¡¯s always been a treasure, even if it wasn¡¯t really important. ¡®¡¯The kid didn¡¯t give a damn¡­ He just fuckin¡¯ did what we told him,¡¯¡¯ he murmured to himself as he stood up, picking up the now useless, half-empty carton. ¡®¡¯If you wanna try yourself with me, start throwing like a man for once!¡¯¡¯ Clous took a deep breath, concentrating his muscles. Yohiro cracked a grin, opening his arms wide. ¡®¡¯Here then, catch, Yohiro!!¡¯¡¯ All charged up and into God Muscle, Clous thrusted, throwing the carton with all his might, destroying it immediately as it connected with Yohiro¡¯s chest, sending the boy flying off his feet and onto the hard ground behind him.


    The boy moaned in fully intended defeat, leaving Clous smiling and gasping for breath as he got down from the roof and onto the ground, letting out a quick, exhausted breath as he released the effect of God Muscle. ¡®¡¯You couldn¡¯t have escaped, but you didn¡¯t try either way. Now look at you, covered in milk, sitting on the ground in a pathetic state. You¡¯re a disgrace, you know!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled at Yohiro, not realising that he was going off the intended harsh and proud tone, and sounding much more happy, much more relaxed. ¡®¡¯A-ah, sorry¡­ But it does kind of hurt, so he-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Help yourself, weakling,¡¯¡¯ Clous said, turning around and beginning to walk away energetically, as if nothing had happened, leaving Yohiro with his jaw dropped to the ground.


    ''''H-hey, my chest really hurts! It¡¯s gotten red, Clous!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro exclaimed, coughing a little. ¡®¡¯Good luck with that! I¡¯m gonna go take a shower, maybe wash my robe. Maybe ask your wife to treat ya a little,¡¯¡¯ The fox laughed as he walked away, seemingly at his own act. ¡®¡¯Ow¡­ Why did I have to act so cocky, huh?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro frowned as he looked at the gem again. ¡®¡¯Whatever.¡¯¡¯ He sighed.


    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s kinda refreshing to hit that kid for some reason. Maybe because he was getting ahead of himself. Either way, him feeling bad was hilarious¡­ But it also didn¡¯t feel the best at the same time,¡¯¡¯ he talked to himself as he walked away from Yohiro. the boy, however, stood up, taking a deep breath.


    ¡®¡¯I hope you¡¯re feeling better, Clous!!!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯He¡¯s always such a brat, it¡¯s goddamn annoying, but then again, so am I¡¯¡¯ Clous thought, turning around and looking at the boy who was holding his chest, careful not to touch the gem.


    ¡®¡¯Thanks, I hate you...and keep trying.¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Thirty-Six: Time For Departure!

    Morning, the time of the day when I lot of events take place, such as: Waking up, breakfast, showering, and more. This morning, however, was holding something in store for the group of thieves and Ivet.


    Yohiro awakened, having slept without a shirt because of the bruise Clous left him with. It hurt to have fabric touch it too much, and seeing as Yohiro liked rolling around quite a bit, he took it off, not realising he had been rubbing it against the covers anyway. ¡®¡¯Thinking back, where did they put Ivet?¡¯¡¯ He wondered for a bit as he got out of bed.


    With his frustrating morning haze clearing, he headed out, grabbing the first shirt he could find, left on the floor by Bernie, being a rather plain, bin one. He had gotten more than a little used to living with them, so much that he instinctively would pat Clous on the head each morning, following Bernie and Rosa¡¯s example, which would anger the beastman. He would also talk about the topic of relevance at that moment, even if he didn¡¯t know what they were talking about most of the time.


    It was weirdly quiet that morning, quite unusual for Yohiro, as he was used to loud debackles, early from waking until long after the sun had settled down. ¡®¡¯Good morning, you gu--¡¯¡¯ He stopped in the middle of his already pretty much scripted greeting, freezing up immediately after stepping into the room, filled with depressing atmosphere, the group of three thieves and Ivet sitting around the table. Bernie was the exception, standing up so Ivet could have a spot to sit in. They were all being suspiciously quiet, as if they noticed the mood and went along with it.


    ¡®¡¯G-guys¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro walked in fully, making his way to Bernie. ¡®¡¯Why are you all so quiet?¡¯¡¯ He tugged Bernie¡¯s shirt, shaking him from what seemed like a ¡®¡¯lost-in-thought¡¯¡¯ moment. ¡®¡¯Ah, sorry, Yohiro, it¡¯s just that-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Yohiro!¡¯¡¯ Hiona interrupted the sad man, intending to frighten Yohiro, but failing horribly, still getting his attention quickly. ¡®¡¯Help Bernie and the others pack their baggage, we¡¯re leaving the base as soon as possible,¡¯¡¯ she said, sounding surprisingly monotone for someone so explosive and energetic. Yohiro, of course, was shocked by the order given to him, both because he fully refused to follow her orders, and because of the announcement within it.


    ¡®¡¯Leaving?! Cut it out with the jokes this time!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro walked over, slamming his hand on the coffee table in front of her, startling Ivet and annoying Clous, with Rosa sitting there and spacing out, most likely due to denial. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not a joke, kid, we¡¯re moving out,¡¯¡¯ she clapped her hands, forcing a grin to emerge upon her face, looking unnatural and out of place compared to her usual, honest outgoings. ¡®¡¯Explain it, then,¡¯¡¯ the boy calmed down, relieving the others, since they didn¡¯t want to bear with an argument.


    ¡®¡¯The guy that ordered us to steal the princess brat apparently backed out while we were in the middle of the whole thing. So now, we¡¯re not supported by the thieves guild. By their shitty logic, we ¡®acted on our own¡¯ this time, because it wasn¡¯t supported by an assignment,¡¯¡¯ Hiona briefly explained. Yohiro stared at his feet, beginning to think, before ¡®¡¯That¡¯s not allowed, is it?! He shouldn¡¯t have had the authority or ability to retract the submission while it¡¯s in effect! That would be a system too flawed to even operate!!¡¯¡¯ He tried to apply logic to the situation the best he could, sounding confident in his words all the way. To his dismay, his entire statement was crushed with a single line, ¡®¡¯It was all planned, by the guild themselves, I mean,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said. It felt like a dark room, the two of them being the contestants in a game of retaliation. ¡®¡¯Explain tha-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve told you about this. The guild simply doesn¡¯t want a guild that gets bad rating for being rash and incompetent, therefore they wanted to get rid of us. My guess is that the guy was paid to submit such a high-ranking assignment such as stealing fucking royalty, asking for us, one of the lowest thief groups, to take it up. That¡¯s all I can say about that,¡¯¡¯ she stood up, patting Yohiro on the head as she watched his eyes slowly widen, the boy taking in the words one by one.


    Everyone in the room sensed it - the storm that was abrewing - and knew it would result in a disaster. Hiona began walking back towards her room, passing by the defeated by facts Yohiro. He gritted his teeth, stiffened his toes and turned around, grabbing Hiona¡¯s arm. ¡®¡¯What is it? Wes that information not correct? how would you dispute my claims? Or are you just angry? Or do you want a hug from good ol¡¯ me, hu-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll do something about it¡­¡¯¡¯ Yohiro muttered under his breath, prompting Hiona to lean closer. ¡®¡¯What was that, you brat~?¡¯¡¯ She whispered in his year, making him shiver all over. ¡®¡¯I said we should fight back! You¡¯d usually want to kill them all! Where¡¯d that go, you pretend-playing excuse for a master?!¡¯¡¯ It was like his semi-positive demeanor destroyed that little dark space of verbal competition. Hiona didn¡¯t even react.


    ¡®¡¯Mr. Yohiro, p-please calm down,¡¯¡¯ Ivet added, unlike the other people in the room who, while wanting to say the same thing as Yohiro, couldn¡¯t force the words to come out. They stood there like complete statues, because even they knew one thing: whenever Hiona was the quietest, she was the angriest. ¡®¡¯Yohiro...I wanna kill them, for sure,¡¯¡¯ Hiona said, ¡®¡¯Then why don¡¯t w-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯I want to, but some of the bastards there are beyond me through and through. If I ended up getting apprehended or killed, you¡¯re all fucked for life. We¡¯ll be leaving the city, today!¡¯¡¯ Hiona yelled, making her words echo through the room, shaking the members of her group shake intentionally. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll fight them! It¡¯s going to work, it has to work!!¡¯¡¯ The kid didn¡¯t back down, pushing against the heavy stone she was holding over his head.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯ve said enough. Any more and I might snap. Get your shit ready - we¡¯re leaving in three hours or something, I don¡¯t care,¡¯¡¯ Hiona told them, walking over to her own room and shutting it closed immediately. The rock was dropped, just like that, and Yohiro fell down onto his knees. Ivet quickly ran over, kneeling next to the angry, defeated Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Mr. Yohiro, we¡¯re practically fugitives now, we should be careful. Right?¡¯¡¯ The girl smiled, trying to relieve him of his bitterness. ¡®¡¯No, I get that, but,¡¯¡¯ he said, ¡®¡¯it¡¯s so dumb!¡¯¡¯ He shouted, hitting his fist against the floor. ¡®¡¯A-ah, Yohiro, please calm down,¡¯¡¯ Bernie requested, placing his hand on the boy¡¯s shaking shoulder. ¡®¡¯How can I calm down?! Why do you have to get the short end of stick like cowards?!¡¯¡¯ He was quickly shut up by a jab on the back from Clous. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s enough outta you¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous told Yohiro as he quickly put him to sleep, leaving for Ivet to catch him in his fall.


    ¡®¡¯That was too much, Clous!¡¯¡¯ Bernie scolded him. ¡®¡¯Shut up! Have faity in my judgement for once. What¡¯s the point of having him complain while we pack. He doesn¡¯t have anything, so we¡¯ll just carry him,¡¯¡¯ Clous said, his statement making a surprising amount of sense to Bernie and even Rosa, who had finally snapped out of her shock.


    ¡®¡¯Um, Mr. Bernie, Mr. Clous, what do you mean when you say Mr. Yohiro ¡®doesn¡¯t have anything¡¯?¡¯¡¯ Ivet raised her hand as she asked the question that has settled itself  in the center of her mind. The two men, and Rosa, grew concerned, unable to understand how she would react to their answer. ¡®¡¯Is he not normal? That leads me to ask, how did he learn my and father¡¯s name names¡­?¡¯¡¯ It seemed like the girl had caugh on already. ¡®¡¯Do we tell her? She¡¯s not leaving anyway, so maybe it¡¯s safe?¡¯¡¯ Clous shared a few stares with his comrades, watching them nod accordingly, confirming it.


    They had told the girl to sit down, which she did, keeping Yohiro next to her due to her sense of duty, placing his head on her leg as she sat with relative comfort. She felt really embarrassed for some reason. ¡®¡¯Okay princess, have you ever heard of The Tree? The one that people obsess ovr every year?¡¯¡¯ Clous asked her, getting a weirdly joyous and excited reaction in return, ¡®¡¯Yes! I do! I¡¯ve always wanted to attempt getting the treasure The Tree gives, but my father always said I was too young to try, an--¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Yeah, yeah, whatever. That kid got puked out by The Tree, and that¡¯s about all,¡¯¡¯ Clous said in a low tone, watching the girl¡¯s tone turn to stone. It took a little while to take everything in, even if it was just a few quickly spoken words.


    ¡®¡¯A human?! From The Tree?!¡¯¡¯ The girl¡¯s face turned red, looking at Yohiro and back at Clous and Bernie rapidly, switching between the two. ¡®¡¯Yes, princess Ivet, and the gem on his chest is the real problem and what¡¯s making us so confused,¡¯¡¯ Bernie switched out with Clous. Ivet was fully enticed by the information she was given. ¡®¡¯He says that from time to time, the gem itself talks to him, gives him advice and indirectly defends him from harm. It¡¯s hard to understand for me, though¡­¡¯¡¯ Bernie tried his best to explain it, even though Clous would have done a better job at it. ¡®¡¯So...my f-fiancee is technically not human at all?¡¯¡¯ Ivet tried to remain calm, comprehending everything and trying not to look at Yohiro. ¡®¡¯Wrong. We¡¯ve confirmed it. His organs seem to function the same way as ours, it¡¯s just the way he came into the world is weird. His body wasn¡¯t that much different from what it is now; the kid¡¯s about two months old or so,¡¯¡¯ Clous dished it out. ¡®¡¯But he doesn¡¯t look that much older than me¡­ It¡¯s all hard to believe, isn¡¯t it...?¡¯¡¯ She muttered to herself, patting Yohiro¡¯s hand with her hand. The boy was sleeping quite soundly; Clous wasn¡¯t applying too much force when hitting him.


    ¡®¡¯After hearing all that, I¡¯ll have to ask: Did Yohiro tell you that you can go willy-nilly and do whatever you want?¡¯¡¯ Clous leaned closer as he tried to intimidate her. They were sitting across each other, the coffee table in-between them. ¡®¡¯He...did. He told me I could go. He seems to believe I¡¯m his slave. The word ¡®fiancee¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem to be familiar to him at all,¡¯¡¯ Ivet explained shortly. ¡®¡¯No matter the case, you¡¯re staying here from now on. Leaving this base, this group, means immediate death. Do we have your word on that, princess~?¡¯¡¯ Clous grinned maliciously. ¡®¡¯I don¡¯t intend to leave as of yet. whether I¡¯m wanted or not. My father would be the first to-- Never mind. I can¡¯t, either way!¡¯¡¯ She declared strongly, placing her hand on the table gently, as if to seal the deal. ¡®¡¯Good answer, thank you so much for understanding, princess Ivet! We really appreciate it!¡¯¡¯ Bernie smiled from ear to ear.


    ¡®¡¯Before we¡¯re done, though...about that marriage, princess¡­¡¯¡¯ Clous lowered his voice even more, beginning to seem angry. ¡®¡¯Marriage?! No such thing will happen!¡¯¡¯ Ivet shouted at him. ¡®¡¯But, when Yohiro finds out what fiancee means, and trust me, he will, what happens then? If he doesn¡¯t know or consent, something like a marriage can;t occur, so I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t you try anything funny, you POMPOUS LITTLE B-¡¯¡¯ Clous¡¯ mouth quickly got covered by Bernie¡¯s. ¡®¡¯Excuse him, princess Ivet, he¡¯s just really emotionally attached to our Yohiro,¡¯¡¯ the friendly man said, ignoring Clous¡¯ struggles to escape. ¡®¡¯P-please, take it at your own pace and don¡¯t mind the entire marriage situation. You¡¯re not confined by tradition anymore, right?¡¯¡¯


    It was somewhat of a flash to her. ¡®¡¯Oh, I¡¯m not?¡¯¡¯ is what she thought. However, the way she had been thought to live for those thirteen long years were a stronger influence on her conscious decisions. It was her duty. ¡®¡¯A-ah, then, um¡­ When I become of the legal age, maybe, if Mr. Yohiro understands by that time, I will fulfill it,¡¯¡¯ she spoke, flustered. ¡®¡¯I just told you, though, you don¡¯t nee-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯I want to!¡¯¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s, well, your choice and all. Just think of Yohiro¡¯s right of consent as well, alright?¡¯¡¯ Bernie chuckled, surprised to find her staring at Yohiro with determination, reassuring herself under her breath over and over again. ¡®¡¯Ah, haha¡­ Will this become a problem? I hope not,¡¯¡¯ Bernie thought to himself as he continued laughing lightheartedly, before he felt sharp fangs dig into his hand¡¯s skin. ¡®¡¯WHAT ARE YOU, AN ANIMAL, LET--AHH- GOO!¡¯¡¯

 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Out And Relatively Free

    And just like that, they had departed, boarding the train to leave for the city border. Yohiro had woken up, and acted frustrated, choosing not to speak to any of them on the way there. He kept pouting under his breath along the way.


    ¡®¡¯Did you memorize it up to H?¡¯¡¯ Despite Yohiro¡¯s attitude, Bernie continued to force a conversation with the boy, ignoring it completely. ¡®¡¯Yeah...I made it to I,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro muttered, happily surprising Bernie. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s great, then! Let¡¯s continue learning! Maybe you¡¯ll be able to learn Japanese, too, at this rate!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro squirmed a little.


    ¡®¡¯How much time until he faces reality?¡¯¡¯ Rosa turned to Clous, sitting a few seats away from Yohiro and Bernie. ¡®¡¯At his core, he¡¯s still just a brat, so...maybe a day or two? Three at most,¡¯¡¯ Clous said back at her. ¡®¡¯Nah, you two, Yohiro¡¯ll be fine by the time we leave the city. I guarantee it,¡¯¡¯ Hiona butted in from across. They had a weird seat pattern, to say the least. ¡®¡¯And how can you be so sure, Master¡­?¡¯¡¯ Rosa asked, a faint, mocking smile appearing on her face. ¡®¡¯I understand a child¡¯s thought process, that¡¯s why! It¡¯s not hard at all!¡¯¡¯ Hiona proudly announced, tapping her clenched fist against her chest. ¡®¡¯You know, that¡¯s a little obvious, master~!¡¯¡¯ Clous said, completely mocking her declaration. ¡®¡¯You wanna die, fox¡­?!¡¯¡¯ She raised her voice. ¡®¡¯Go ahead, kill me. I¡¯m not gonna piss my pants over it anymore,¡¯¡¯ Clous looked her in the eyes. Yes, he was definitely afraid, but not to the point of extreme cowardice like before. ¡®¡¯Ah, and why¡¯d you suddenly make that decision so suddenly?¡¯¡¯ Hiona put down the angry mask and put her right leg over the left, resting her elbow on it and placing her chin in her palm.


    ¡®¡¯You can¡¯t deny it at this point - it wouldn¡¯t matter if you did, anyway - Yohiro¡¯s changed you, hasn¡¯t he?¡¯¡¯ The fox leaned back, resting himself on the train¡¯s seat, giving off a neutral nonchalant aura to the two of them, which surprised Rosa. ¡®¡¯You do know I could still kill you ruthlessly, right?¡¯¡¯ She slowed down her words, giving off the feeling of a murderer holding a knife up to someone¡¯s throat with her malica alone. ¡®¡¯You can, but you won¡¯t, am I right? I¡¯m gonna tell you one thing: That brat¡¯s social idiocy changes people, you and me being no exception,¡¯¡¯ Clous smirked, surpassing even Hiona¡¯s expectations. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re not fun to toy around with anymore. And of course I can¡¯t kill my precious companio-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯Comrade. I¡¯m your comrade, not your companion,¡¯¡¯ Clous corrected with pleasure, prompting Hiona to smile morbidly. ¡®¡¯This train isn¡¯t gonna last long, is it¡­?¡¯¡¯ Rosa thought.


    As Yohiro continuously attempted to get Bernie to move away subtly, Ivet sat next to the two of them, maybe a sit away so she could concentrate, and read a book Bernie had given her. He wanted Ivet to kill time without having to feel nervous when around them. She enjoyed the big fellow¡¯s company. She wasn¡¯t having much trouble with the book itself, but rather with the noise the others were making and the thoughts about Yohiro having been born by The Tree. She almost felt nervous, because she had guessed Yohiro would accept the whole situation without hesitation, just to satisfy her tradition. To her, it felt like she was subconsciously forcing him, or somewhat exploiting his nature, but in the end, she was guessing.


    A few hours had passed, quickly, or so it felt like at least. The train stopped, followed by the announcement Yohiro was already used to, the same one Ivet had never heard due to her lifestyle back at the castle with her father.


    All of them, besides Ivet, seeing as she wasn¡¯t really that attached to the old base, reluctantly walked out of the train, stepping out and watching the speeding vehicle depart less than half a minute later. For most of them it felt like watching their pet run far away from them at a rate they couldn¡¯t catch it, or even imagine catching it. Shortly after, what took their attention was the the fact that they were at the border; the exit out of the city.


    Except for Yohiro and Ivet, the group were dressed in their invisible robes. ¡®¡¯Princess, touch Bernie¡¯s robe and let him carry you,¡¯¡¯ Clous ordered her without explanation, ¡®¡¯Y-yes, but where are you¡­?¡¯¡¯ she said unenthusiastically, quickly becoming anxious. Yohiro took her by the arm, ¡®¡¯He¡¯s right here,¡¯¡¯ the boy smiled, fakely, pulling her recklessly and placing her palm on Bernie¡¯s shoulder. ¡®¡¯Ah, y-you¡¯re right, he is¡­!¡¯¡¯ She looked around, realising the others had appeared before her as well. ¡®¡¯Touching one of these babies lets you see others who wear them,¡¯¡¯ Rosa giggled as she patted Ivet¡¯s shoulder. ¡®¡¯Ah, I see!¡¯¡¯ She clapped in a moment of intrigue.


    Not long after, the girl climbed inside Bernie¡¯s robe, grabbing onto his back awkwardly. ¡®¡¯Be careful not to fall, okay~?¡¯¡¯ Bernie said, trying to give her more time to adjust herself, since he was feeling uncomfortable. ¡®¡¯And for Yohiro¡­ Clous can take him,¡¯¡¯ Hiona pointed rudely at Clous, who was spacing out. ¡®¡¯And why should I carry him?!¡¯¡¯ Clous yelled as soon he grasped reality. ¡®¡¯He hates me, Rosa wouldn¡¯t be able to carry him, and beastmen have stronger physical abilities than humans, that¡¯s why,¡¯¡¯ Hiona quickly explained to him apathetically, making it clear she wasn¡¯t in the mood for arguments. They still weren¡¯t really used to that side of her, as usual. ¡®¡¯Fine,¡¯¡¯ Clous agreed, faster than usual. None of them were in the mood for fighting or talking with each other.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡®¡¯Are we- Oi, be more careful!!¡¯¡¯ Clous shouted at Yohiro, ¡®¡¯And why are you climbing on top of my head, you dipshit?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro seated himself nicely on top of Clous¡¯ head, making it look like they had become a large figure, at least if you were looking from the sides or back. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s the best way, and your legs aren¡¯t even shaking, it¡¯s fine!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro cheered himself up after hearing Clous¡¯ loud and annoyed voice again.


    ¡®¡¯Enough of that,¡¯¡¯ Hiona got their attention, ¡®¡¯we¡¯ll be sneaking out. You won¡¯t be showing your ID¡¯s - that you don¡¯t own anymore due to certain circumstances - or any of that shit, got it?¡¯¡¯ Hiona asked, finding herself scratching her head under her hood all of a sudden. They all nodded in relative agreement, out of sync, beginning to walk in a straight line, lining up.


    ¡®¡¯How do you plan to get us out of the city, if we¡¯re not using the front gate?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro spoke up as they walked past a small crowd. ¡®¡¯We¡¯re breaking the wall down, I guess. Didn¡¯t really think about it,¡¯¡¯ Hiona laughed slightly under her breath. As they all processed the situation, each and every one of them let out a high-pitched internal scream, which if it was let out loud could probably turn deafen someone. ¡®¡¯No fucking way...! No fucking way we¡¯re blowing a hole through the walls, you dumbass...!!¡¯¡¯ Clous did his best to keep his voice down, sounding like he was yelling in a pillow, at least in terms of volume.


    ¡®¡¯Damn straight we are. I¡¯m not about to climb it, am I~?¡¯¡¯ Hiona broke from the group, beginning to run towards the wall, just so they couldn¡¯t stop her. ¡®¡¯She called out the logical solution herself, though!!¡¯¡¯ Rosa though as they all began running after her, Clous lagging behind a decent amount.


    Hiona stopped abruptly in front of the wall, placing her palm on it. She blurted out, ¡®¡¯It¡¯s not that hard, to be honest¡­¡¯¡¯ The others quickly made it to her, except for Clous who arrived a few seconds later, with Yohiro complaining about the slow travel. ¡®¡¯Come on, master, breaking the wall would cause a commotion and we wou-¡¯¡¯ ¡®¡¯So? We¡¯re not coming back, right? Might as well leave them a goodbye gift, right?¡¯¡¯ Hiona clenched a fist, pulling it back, prompting the others to jump back. ¡®¡¯Wait a minute,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said, stopping her as he got off Clous, leaving everyone to stare in a ¡®¡¯we¡¯re finished¡¯¡¯ manner.


    ¡®¡¯You can¡¯t do that,¡¯¡¯ he told her. ¡®¡¯Why? Did the gem tell you something again? Is something gonna kill me if I break it down, as dumb as that sounds?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro looked at the ground before raising his head, showing Hiona a wide smile. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s unnecessary. It accomplishes nothing. It¡¯s the thieves¡¯ guild, right, not these people? The pieces you break it into might land on someone and hurt them, or even kill them,¡¯¡¯ he pushed himself up with his toes, giving her a different expression, a more menacing one, ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t you dare do it...Hiona.¡¯¡¯ He narrowed his eyes and turned his smile into an angry frown, staring at her.


    ¡®¡¯See, that¡¯s why you¡¯re so interesting; you try to give me advice for living better,¡¯¡¯ she smiled at him, ¡®¡¯Too bad I don¡¯t want it, right~?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro¡¯s eyes widened as Hiona punched through the wall with incredible impact, blowing him and the other back with the wind. The few people around them noticed Yohiro standing next to the newly created, human-sized hole.


    ¡®¡¯Wh- A child broke a hole in the wall?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯Was he using magic?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯A terrorist?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®¡¯We better move, you guys~, or we might regret it!¡¯¡¯ Hiona winked, jumping through the hole, finding herself onto a seemingly never ending green field, breaking into a merciless sprint, as if not caring about anything she just did, because she wasn¡¯t. ¡®¡¯So what, we just run for it now?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa shouted. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s the kid¡¯s fault for stepping off my head, you know!¡¯¡¯ Clous added, ignoring the concerning situation. ¡®¡¯You two, just run!¡¯¡¯ Bernie grabbed both Rosa, Clous and Yohiro with his large arms and ran out through the hole, running unbelievably fast for someone who was carrying four people at once. ¡®¡¯Are you going to be okay, Mr. Bernie?!¡¯¡¯ Ivet shouted as she struggled to hold on. ¡®¡¯Yes, it¡¯s not a problem, but I¡¯m gonna lose sight of master if I don¡¯t drop you guys¡­!¡¯¡¯ He exclaimed, dropping the three of them and continuing to run with Ivet. ¡®¡¯You guys catch up, I know it¡¯s not a big deal!¡¯¡¯ And just like that, Bernie was off, leaving the three of them behind.


    ¡®¡¯Is he for fucking real?!¡¯¡¯ Clous looked back, watching people begin to gather at the opening, jumping onto his feet again. ¡®¡¯I¡¯ll tell Bernie to shoot some spell in the sky later, catch up to me as fast as you guys can,¡¯¡¯ and Clous was off too. It was just a weird difference in speed. He thought it best to catch up with Hiona and Bernie first. They wouldn¡¯t get far. Also, Rosa and Yohiro were roughly equal in terms of speed. ¡®¡¯Okay, Yohiro, let¡¯s go t-- Yohiro?!¡¯¡¯ Rosa noticed that Yohiro refused to move, the gem glinting rapidly from under his shirt. ¡®¡¯Now¡¯s not the damn time, for God¡¯s sake!¡¯¡¯ Rosa grew more and more nervous, since she couldn¡¯t leave Yohiro and run in this weird, out-of-nowhere state. She couldn¡¯t be seen, but Yohiro was a different deal entirely. Pulling out her tome, she spread her lips, ¡®¡¯¡¯Marioeteruna: article 2. Connect!¡¯¡¯ She chanted, causing a barrier to quickly appear, covering the hole they had come out of a few seconds earlier. Still, she didn¡¯t know what to do with Yohiro, who had begun to continuously stare at the green grass.

 Chapter Thirty-Eight: Beautiful Green Fields

    ¡®¡¯It¡¯s too bright¡­ And the contrast is ridiculous,¡¯¡¯ Yohiro thought to himself, staring at the tree inside the gem, having touched the gem after the creation of the hole in the wall. ¡®¡¯I know it¡¯s grass, but I¡¯ve never seen such a powerful green color before. Yours is a little too dark,¡¯¡¯ he chuckled, referring to the tree¡¯s leaves. ¡®¡¯Ah, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard you laugh before. Did I really say something funny, or were you chuckling at me?¡¯¡¯ He heard nothing. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s pretty mean, you know,¡¯¡¯ he said, ¡®¡¯but I¡¯ve got a larger concern right now: What¡¯s with this new...feeling in the room?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro remained seated in front of the large tree.


    ¡®¡¯Happiness? But I¡¯m not happy. In fact, I¡¯m angr-- huh,¡¯¡¯ he stopped. ¡®¡¯You¡¯re forcing me to feel nice inside my own head. That¡¯s even more mean!¡¯¡¯ He couldn¡¯t real help but laugh. ¡®¡¯Anyway, what¡¯s happening outside right now? Or will you let me out and have me walk around by myself?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, wagging around in his own weirdly mixed sense of forced joy, a mix between his longing desire to always be happy, his frustration because of Hiona¡¯s action, and the forced joy given to him by the tree for the time being.


    ¡®¡¯Carried? By Rosa¡­ We¡¯re not gonna catch up to the others, are we?!¡¯¡¯ He yelled in realisation. ¡®¡¯Get me out, please! They¡¯re probably way ahead of us by now!¡¯¡¯ He pointed at it vulgarly. ¡®¡¯ Don¡¯t ¡¯What of it?¡¯ me! Rosa and I aren¡¯t really strong, what¡¯s gonna happen if they catch us or something, huh?¡¯¡¯ He smirked, thinking he had outwitted it and thought ahead. ¡®¡¯A barrier?! Dang it, let me be one step ahead this time,¡¯¡¯ he basically begged ironically and humorously.


    ¡®¡¯By the way, what¡¯s with that thing there?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro finally found the time to ask, pointing his finger at a dark formation of shadows on the wall, seeming meager and pathetic in comparison to the the giant white room. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s my ¡®crookedness¡¯? What does that even mean, though¡­? Am I becoming a bad person?¡¯¡¯ He said nonchalantly, confident in his personality and good will. ¡®¡¯That¡¯s a confusing answer, you know,¡¯¡¯ he muttered, ¡®¡¯Those words are really hard, too. ¡®Pers...everance¡¯? Constraint is a little easier, don¡¯t you think~? Why not go easier on me with the words next time?¡¯¡¯ He requested as he leaned back, placing his back on the ground, against the surprisingly warm floor.


    ¡®¡¯I¡¯m not a know-it-all! And what do you mean by, ¡®You still lack crookedness, but the cockyness is plenty¡¯?! You¡¯re being sue- No, ULTRA mean!¡¯¡¯ He began shouted, springing up into a straight, standing up position. ¡®¡¯H-hey, what do I do if I can¡¯t help Rosa out there?¡¯¡¯ he said as he lowered his arm after realising the tree had taught him it was rude to point at things. ¡®¡¯Hey, answer-¡¯¡¯ he was shut up quickly, losing the ability to speak as he began to drift, the ground turning into nothing and the room deforming into thin paper. All he could do what complain internally, beginning to wake up. The dark space got torn up, as if it was a wallpaper and Yohiro awakened, for who knows how many times now.


    Incoherent mumbles were the only things he could let slip as he found himself shaking in Rosa¡¯s hands, with the slender woman finding it hard to even jog anymore. Looking back, he couldn¡¯t really see the hole clearly anymore. ¡®¡¯Good, you¡¯re awake!¡¯¡¯ She shouted enthusiastically, throwing the boy ruthlessly on the green grass, leaving him to land on his back. Yohiro sobered up, beginning to roll around on the ground in pain. ¡®¡¯The others are out of sight...because of your sleeping in the middle of an unplanned rampage. It kinda sounds like you¡¯re not at fault, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯¡¯ Rosa said, trying to ease herself, since she and Yohiro were virtually the most disposable, power-wise, making it easier of a decision for Hiona and the others to leave them behind. They hadn¡¯t, but Rosa was stressing herself anyway.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡®¡¯Am I that heavy¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked, ignoring her rambling as he ran his hand up and down his back under his shirt. ¡®¡¯No, but fatigue builds up over tim-- That¡¯s not the issue! If I move much farther, the barrier will undue itself because I¡¯m not close enough to supply it with magic!¡¯¡¯ Rosa waved her hands randomly in frustration, pointing them at the wall and the barrier covering it, barely visible. ¡®¡¯So? Since when do you care about that? Aren¡¯t you as bad as Hiona in most regards¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro asked her, not listening to what he was saying, as he was brushing off the tardiness. ¡®¡¯No,¡¯¡¯ she simply said in a serious tone, leaving it at that.


    ¡®¡¯Come on, you nuisance, we¡¯re gonna start moving before we lose even the one percent we have right now,¡¯¡¯ she ordered him, looking at his annoyed expression as he stood up. ¡®¡¯Ah, yeah, let¡¯s go¡­¡¯¡¯ He responded passively.


    Ten minutes passed, and while walking, Yohiro decided to break the awkward silence, ¡®¡¯Can¡¯t you...contact Hiona with your tome?¡¯¡¯ That one question froze Rosa and everything around her and in almost monotonous echo inside her head, she opened the palm of her hand wide. ¡®¡¯Yohiro...please kill me!!!¡¯¡¯ She shouted out like a whiny child, beginning to bite the outer section of her hand in shame. Confused, Yohiro patted her head, ¡®¡¯Hiona hasn¡¯t contacted us either, meaning she probably forgot about that, too,¡¯¡¯ he got her attention, ¡®¡¯Don¡¯t beat yourself over it. I remembered just now.¡¯¡¯ Rosa sat down, beginning to stare at the grass as it continued to move because of the wind. ¡®¡¯I¡¯m pathetic~~~!¡¯¡¯ She shouted, ironically sounding very pathetic as she took out her tome.


    ¡®¡¯Marioeteruna: article 6. Connect¡­whatever...¡¯¡¯ The tome shone suddenly. ¡®¡¯Ma~ster,¡¯¡¯ Rosa spoke into the tome in a depressing voice. ¡®¡¯Huh¡­?¡¯¡¯ Yohiro turned around, feeling a ticklish feeling on the back of his neck. ¡®¡¯There¡¯s something on me! There¡¯s something on me!!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro spun around, falling over as Rosa continued talking to Hiona. Looking up, the boy found a small butterfly flying around freely. ¡®¡¯Ro~sa? What¡¯s that thing¡­?¡¯¡¯ He stood up, not breaking his concentrated gaze on the interesting creature flying in front of him, oh so randomly and out of pattern. Rosa naturally ignored him, as she was discussing a meeting place with her master and the others.


    ¡®¡¯Got it. I¡¯ll meet you there, then,¡¯¡¯ Rosa said her final words, closing the tome in a long, exaggerated sigh. In a quick ¡®¡¯Hmm?¡¯¡¯ Rosa noticed Yohiro running in circles near her, trying to reach the small butterfly. ¡®¡¯The...hell are you doing over there?¡¯¡¯ She questioned him, staring in a slightly mixed moment of awe and confusion. ¡®¡¯It¡¯s just so hard to catch! What is that thing?!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro yelled amidst his exhausted gasps, continuing to chase after it, although more slowly. ¡®¡¯I...don¡¯t know what to say anymore,¡¯¡¯ she whispered in disappointment.


    ¡®¡¯Yohiro!¡¯¡¯ Rosa shouted, standing up, causing him to stop suddenly and the butterfly to begin flying away peacefully. ¡®¡¯We¡¯ll be meeting master and the others at Kuropoi Village. It¡¯s a small place Bernie is apparently familiar with. It¡¯s not that far away from here, according to them, just mostly to the north,¡¯¡¯ she pointed her finger north as she put her tome away. ¡®¡¯Got it!¡¯¡¯ Yohiro said obediently as Rosa began walking north suddenly, prompting the boy to follow her, the two of them taking a straight walk towards Kuropoi Village.

 Hiatus

    So I decided to put the story I absolutely love writing on, potentially, an indefinite hiatus. I just wanna explain it really quick, because the story managed to garner over 4,000 total views, which...is just mind-blowing. Like, how? Why? You¡¯re mad lads, all of you! My point is that there are people who actually read my sloppy story every time I update it, again, I dunno why you people do it, but I¡¯m grateful. I didn¡¯t wanna stop writing it without saying something, or at least giving you a short explanation.


    So, I guess there are a few reason I can¡¯t really continue The Treeboy anymore, and I¡¯ll start with the lack of time to develop my ideas. With how I¡¯m reaching the end of my school year and having my final exams, and how I generally have a weirdly tight schedule, I can¡¯t spend enough time on a story that deserves more effort from me, the author. There¡¯s also the matter of a few too many hobbies I¡¯ve started doing, such as: Video and Image editing, and trying to improve on my disorders, like Depression and Social Anxiety, to name a few.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    I¡¯m forgetful and drafting is close to impossible because of my way of thinking and processing information, so that, mixed with my schedule and the 2 free hours a day after school, I ended up writing a chapter almost daily. It was like I had someone telling me to write it when I was just pressuring myself to make a story better than it was, ending up rushing it. Sorry about that. I wanna say that I won¡¯t just stop writing in general. I¡¯m planning to develop something with another mate I¡¯m close to online and¡­.well, it¡¯s gonna be a bit of a thingy.


    As a conclusion, The Treeboy is going on a hiatus and I¡¯m not really gonna change my mind tomorrow and go write 1,400 words, post that word vomit, and call it a chapter. I guess I went too Dragon Ball and not enough Oyasumi Punpun in my writing. What does that mean? Read the damn manga, man. Either way, thanks for reading the ¡®¡¯story¡¯¡¯ up to this point and for the miniscule minority that enjoy it and read the chapters, Take 10 ¡®¡¯sorry¡¯s¡¯¡¯ from me. Bye and thanks for the journey; I love the site and how supportive people are. You hear that, Wattpad?! Well, again, bye!