《My Annoying Aura Follows Me Into Another World》


 Prologue: I Seem to be Flying?

    Strange¡­


    I can¡¯t recall where I am..


    I¡¯m in a dark room with a single lighted candle on top of a table and chair..


    Wait, first of all, let¡¯s recall what I know..


    My name is Suzuya Junichiro, 2nd year high school student, no friends, unfortunately, all because of a certain attribute of mine..


    A curse, if you will. Anyway, I seem to remember walking to school in the morning..


    Whilst people are running away from me(sigh)..


    When suddenly a little girl in a black dress? Gothic Lolita clothes, I think that¡¯s what they call them, is standing in the middle of the road.


    Now in this strange situation, I would normally have no problem ignoring it, but due to the fact that the girl has been staring at me this whole time, and does not seem to want to run away from me, which would be a proper response in the case of  meeting me, it drew me closer to her before I even noticed it.


    When I walked up to her and wanted to ask what she was doing here..


    ¡°Are you tired of living?¡±


    Was what she said before I could see the bright blue sky..


    Literally, my head was flying in the sky. The last thing I saw was the little girl smiling while brandishing a scythe. But the strangest thing was, that the surrounding people were just passing through her as if she wasn¡¯t even there..


    Then I blacked out..


    Well, that¡¯s about it, I guess this is the afterlife, huh? Nothing I can do about it now..


    I guess my answer would have been that I was tired of living, if I ever got the chance to speak even one word to her..


    Hmm? Someone is sitting in the chair that I could have sworn was empty a minute ago..


    He looks like an elegant bachelor with slick white hair, pure white irises, wearing a dashing, black-tied Italian suit, reading a book in front of a candle. But there¡¯s one thing that seems off, mainly the fact that the book in his hand looks familiar, where have I seen it?


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    That¡¯s right! It¡¯s a light novel..


    Huh? Why is he reading a light novel in a dark room, wait that¡¯s not the problem here..


    He suddenly looked at me as if he just noticed my existence just now..


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve come to¡±


    The man says in a friendly, calming voice..


    ¡°Yes, my name is Suzuya, Suzuya Junichiro. Where is this place? What happened to me?¡±


    I asked with a nervous voice, but he seems not to mind it, which is even more strange because I know that whenever I speak to people, they automatically run away(sigh)..


    ¡°Oh? This is my study, and you my boy, just died¡±


    I knew it, I was kinda hoping for it to be a dream or a hallucination though¡­(sigh)


    ¡°Ah, alright, even so, is this the afterlife then, and are you by chance, the grim reaper?¡±


    ¡°*Chuckle* I see, that¡¯s how you might interpret the present situation, how typical of a human, But don¡¯t you always read those stories called ¡°light novels¡± back in Japan? This might be close to that kind of setting. I assure you though, I¡¯m not going to take you to the underworld, But it is a little disheartening, that even though I dressed up for the occasion, I get called a grim reaper?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry, I just jumped to conclusions because of your appearance, and it¡¯s also due to the fact that this whole thing is strange, but first, could I know who I am speaking to?¡±


    I ask in a polite manner of speaking..


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, that you are nervous in this situation is a natural reaction, let me introduce myself, I am known as Melquista, The Hidden God, The God of Fantasy¡±


    And that¡¯s how I somehow met my maker..

 Chapter 1: I Got Dragged Into a War

    ¡°Wait, what? No,no, did you just say you¡¯re a god? Isn¡¯t a god supposed to be like, I don¡¯t know, have wings and emit a divine aura surrounded by angels?¡±


    I ask with a slightly raised voice..


    ¡°Ooh that¡¯s quite interesting, coincidentally, I read the same setting, in this book I found in your world, I guess that¡¯s how most gods appear to you humans, but I¡¯m different.¡±


    Is this god right in the head?


    Wait, this is not the time for that..


    ¡°Different? How are you different?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say it just now, I¡¯m a hidden god.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°Let me explain, but first, I have to start from the beginning..


    The one who created this world, The One True God, called his creation, ¡°Quadra¡± and then proceeded to divide it into four continents, namely, the Human Continent, ¡°Myriad¡±, due north; the Beastman Continent, ¡°Feriad¡± in the direction of the east; the Elves Continent, ¡°Neriad¡± in the west; and finally, the Demon Continent, ¡°Heliad¡± located in the south..


    Due to the size of his creation, he decided to create ¡°The Four Great Gods to govern it..


    Wherein, each God watches over 1 continent:


    Solaris, the Sun God who commands light, and the human realm..


    Memphis, the Earth God, who moves earth by his will, and governs the demi-humans..


    Avaceris, the Nature Goddess, who creates spirits, protecting the forest-dwellers..


    And finally, Polaris, the Goddess of the Moon, that rules over the demons, but due to recent circumstances, she is now called, The Demon God¡±


    ¡°Wait, recent circumstances?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but now¡¯s not the time to elaborate, moving on..


    The True God, used most of its divine energy in creating said world, the great gods, and its various inhabitants, so as a result, he had to go back to the divine realm, to recover.. The divine realm is located at the center of the world, interconnecting the continents.. But this is a hidden realm wherein only he, and whomever he permits has access to..


    It was there he waited, recovering his divine energy, bit by bit, while watching his world grow..¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so? What¡¯s that got to do with how you¡¯re different?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting to that, might I ask why you¡¯re in such a hurry? Because even though you¡¯re already dead, you¡¯re still in a rush? But to tell you the truth, you don¡¯t need to worry about the time, since we are, after all, in a place where time, has stopped moving. So this might be strange to say, but... We have all the time in the world right now¡±


    He said that while having a calm smile present on his face, but as I have somehow developed a habit of sensing auras due to my body¡¯s disposition, I can certainly sense a slight tinge of anger at getting interrupted..


    So, I decided to keep quiet, for both of our sake..


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please continue¡±


    ¡°*Cough* I see, now where was I..


    Oh, that¡¯s right, over the years, the four Gods have done as they pleased, and the One True God watched over them,  as they slowly grew into stronger supreme beings, by gathering the faith of the different races, but one day, the Gods grew bored over governing for about a million years, so they sought excitement, to save them from their dull existences, they decided on wanting to have fights, competition, and battles with strong beings such as themselves.


    But since the four Gods can¡¯t fight each other, they collaborated in a project to create stronger beings that they can fight, in other words, a whole new race, when they succeeded, they called the new existences, the Dragon Race¡±


    ¡°Dragons, huh, yeah, I guess they do sound strong¡±


    I say in a matter of fact tone due to my knowledge of the fantasy creatures, which usually appears as last bosses in games, and mighty beings in novels..


    ¡°Overwhelmingly strong, over time, the Gods and dragons fought each other, leaving much destruction in their wake, using their powers with reckless abandon, thereby, breaking the dimensional plane, which in turn, caused various disasters to the various races, but when the One True God noticed what was happening, he immediately went out of his divine realm, even though he has yet to completely recover, to rectify the situation..


    When he arrived, he commanded them to stop, and then told them that what they were doing was being harmful to the entire world of ¡°Quadra¡± even if they noticed it, or not, finally, he told them to go back to doing their original purpose, watching over the continents, but it didn¡¯t happen the way he wanted it to..¡±


    I listen to the predictable twist at the end, and continue keeping silent, waiting for the continuation of the history of the other world..


    ¡°He expected it to happen, mostly because he knew, that over time, the gods have grown conceited, and overconfident, drowning in the arrogance that comes with gaining an enormous amount of power, That they started to get consumed by the desire to gain more. Maybe due to them knowing that the One True God was still recovering and is now in a weakened and vulnerable state, they decided to rebel..¡±


    ¡± So they betrayed their own creator..¡±


    ¡± Yes, they were truly blinded by their own hubris, to have the gall to do that, but what happened next was nothing short of disastrous, because even though the One True God was weakened, he still fought evenly against his own creations, though this all changed when the dragons decided to enter the fray, because due to the fact that he didn¡¯t create these beings, he let his guard down, thinking that their power had to be weaker than the four great gods, but what he didn¡¯t account for, was the unpredictable group known as, the ¡°7 Dragon Kings of the Elemental Sin¡±, the seven heads of the the Dragon race.


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    When they joined the opposition, things took a nasty turn for the worse, entire towns, settlements, and countries were utterly destroyed, chaos was rampant in all four of the continents, races were forced to do battle and join the fray, since mere mortals cannot oppose the will of divine beings, the battle consisted of the One True God, fighting against everyone in the entire world, this would be later called, the Heavenly War Sabaki¡±


    ¡°Wow, what happened next?¡±


    This One True God must have unfathomable strength to go against an entire world..


    I thought to myself, praising the other world¡¯s creator..


    ¡°The war lasted for a decade, before it reached a stalemate, and with the Gods and Dragon Kings weakened, the One True God retreated to the Divine Realm, but in the eyes of the world, the enemy has run from them, so they didn¡¯t pursue any further since it was futile to try and enter the absolute stronghold, the Divine Realm.


    The gods grew even more conceited, thinking that they have now beaten the unbeatable existence, their creator, and now headed back to their respective continents to celebrate and make peace, but the One True God, in his dying moments knew that another war in the future was unavoidable, with him disappearing, leaving the seat of the One True God vacant, they would surely fight for it, once again, to feed their greed and ever-growing ego..


    So he devised a plan to stop them, risking his life, and the world itself, he opened the [Gate Dimensions] to the other worlds, using the last of his divine power, in order to create a war involving a proxy instead of the gods themselves, the method of summoning other people from another world, the so called chosen ones.


    They were to fight each other whilst each hero being given a fragment of their god¡¯s powers, but he needed something else, someone who would keep the balance of the fate of the world. So he made an existence that won¡¯t let the world fall to ruin once more..¡±


    ¡°And, that was you?¡±


    ¡°Fumu, that is slightly incorrect..I am just a fragment of the consciousness of The Hidden God, since the Hidden God has three sub-forms, The God of Life, The God of Death, and me, The God of Fantasy. The one who brought you here was the God of Death...¡±


    ¡°The Gothic-Lolita-scythe-wielding girl?¡±


    ¡°The very same, since she does have that strange preference of wearing those type of clothes, and because she noticed something in you, that she thought we could use as a game changer, so to speak, and ¡°sent¡± you to me..¡±


    If ¡°sent¡± meant, chopping your head off, next time, please pick another candidate..


    I thought she picked the wrong person, but I now see what she was talking about, you, you are terrifying, so much, that I have to use [Fear Nullification] in order to somehow contain you, but I digress..


    We were tasked to find someone to bring peace to this world to fight the other Gods through their proxies, the Gods Apostles, the main body, the Hidden God, God of Fate, has the task of deciding the winner of the battle, and conceding the throne of the One True God to the victor, but he, no, we wanted to find someone to face them, and bring balance to the future war-stricken world, and we chose you..¡±


    ¡°What? Why me? I¡¯m just a high school student with no friends!¡±


    I exclaim towards the unreasonable explanation..


    But I still felt bad saying it out loud, as expected..


    Anyhow, I could not accept a reason like that, forcing me to fight gods and whatnot..


    That¡¯s just like saying, you picked up my name from a lottery box, or something..


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why, someone like you, who can¡¯t be affected by the world¡¯s prejudice and religious views is someone we desperately need as of now, an uncertain factor, so I predict that during the period of 100 years after you are reborn, the Apostles are fated to be born whether you like it or not, so we need you to handle it since we can¡¯t do it ourselves, for we are forbidden to interfere with the affairs of the fight itself..¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of irresponsible don¡¯t you think? Can¡¯t I refuse and go back?¡±


    I plead for my rights but to no avail..


    ¡°Well, we will naturally give you a skill to help you out in the new world, but it¡¯s entirely up to you and your choices in life, so work hard to reach the Gods, don¡¯t worry about it¡±


    He ignored me? Did my words fall on deaf ears?


    And what do you mean, don¡¯t worry about it?


    Saying things like reaching the gods with hard work, as if it was as simple as pressing a button and ordering a coffee..


    This guy is really starting to annoy me..


    ¡°No, I still don¡¯t want to, send me back!¡±


    I try to throw a tantrum like a child..


    ¡°Well, you see, oh my, my, would you look at the time, I think it is about time you get going, don¡¯t you think so? Off you go then, enjoy the new world¡±


    He starts looking at his imaginary watch on his wrist dodging the question..


    And he made a shooing gesture towards me like I was some stray cat..


    But, wait a minute..


    ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you just say time is stopped here? Wait!¡±


    A sudden white light enveloped my body and my consciousness faded..

 Chapter 2: Even When Im Reborn, Im Still Hated

    When I regain my bearings, I find myself in a luxurious room..


    When I look around, I see a giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room, made out of glowing yellow stones, two wooden doors made with the finest craftsmanship, toys and stuffed animals of the highest quality, and various furniture that seemed expensive, decorated the room, which was an astoundingly huge size of 10 tatami..


    Seeing this room, the first thing that came to mind was..


    Was I kidnapped by a rich guy to be used for his sick needs?!?


    Yosh, Lets call the police, phone...phone..where is it?


    I couldn''t find a phone anywhere, no scratch that..


    More importantly, I cant even seem to get up..


    Strange, I could have sworn that I was in that dark room a minute ago talking with..


    While I was busy reorganizing my thoughts, the door suddenly opened..


    The person who entered, was a woman that looked like she was in her late 30''s, had reddish-brown hair, brown eyes, and a pale face, wearing maid clothes..


    Now, I know what you''re thinking, but unfortunately, it was not a maid from a maid cafe, it wasn''t even one of the Cat-eared maids in Akihabara, but a genuine Victorian maid..


    "Oh, you''re awake, Astrum-sama..."


    Hmm? The language was different, it wasn''t the national language, Japanese, nor was it English, but I could somehow understand her..


    She seemed to be talking to someone named Astrum..


    Whoever the heck that was, huh, why did she start walking towards me? Was it because I was in the room of this Astrum guy? Is this trespassing?


    She''s coming closer, no, please, I don''t want to got to jail yet, I''m too young..


    I imagine myself going to prison, and never getting out, since I didn''t know anyone here..


    Is it my time to go to the yard warden..


    Okay, that''s enough of that..


    Wait, wait, out of nowhere, she picks my body up effortlessly, like I was as light as a feather to her, but didn''t I weigh as much as 170 pounds? How strong is she? She is now carrying me outside the room. Is she the Ir*n Maid*n? Fufu, get it? Maid..


    Ugh, I gotta talk to someone soon..


    A few minutes later, I see a ridiculously huge living room, with a tall, black, wooden, rectangular table, dividing two tall golden, leather couches on each side, with other various furniture decorating the area, that were too many to mention..


    "Have you brought him?"


    A lean, golden-haired man, with blue eyes, said to the maid, while looking at me..


    "Yes, I have brought Young Master Orion, Lord Taurus Astrum-sama, Lady Aries-sama.."


    The strong maid replies respectfully..


    "Excellent, bring him here, I want to see what he looks like"


    She gently hands me over to another woman, who looks like she has no problems at all..


    She had pure white glossy skin, fiery-red hair, red eyes that likened rubies, beautiful facial features, and looked like a queen from those fantasy stories, honestly, she looked too elegant, that I would reconsider my standards of beauty..


    What more could you want in the world, being born so blessed..


    "Hey there, little Orion, I''m your mother, Aries and this is your father, Taurus"


    What? Are you joking? My mother is someone who doesn''t even make me breakfast, you know? We don''t even look at each other when we meet at home, and the last time I checked, she wasn''t this young nor as beautiful as this woman..


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    Tell me I''m dreaming, Is this a hidden camera show? Because I find it hard to believe that this gleaming, kissed-by-the-gods-themselves, gentle woman is my mother? Wait, more importantly, I had now realized, a shocking revelation about the situation..


    That''s right, all the clues lead up to this..The giant things, why the maid could carry me, and this woman claiming to be my mom..


    Yes, I became a baby.. I reincarnated into a baby, with my knowledge, memories, and thinking processes intact..


    There, I''ve said it..Well, technically thought it, but you get the idea..


    No, don''t look at me with those eyes you, just because I''m a baby now doesn''t mean I am any less stronger, and it doesn''t mean that I can''t beat you up right no-


    (sigh) Alright, I''ve calmed down now, lets take a look at what we''ve learned..


    First of all, apparently, my new name in this life, seems to be Orion Astrum, and I am the only son of these two, my parents, which are most likely high-ranking aristocrats, judging from the fact, that the furniture looked somewhat too expensive for a normal household, the quality of their clothes, and the fact that I have a maid..


    And what is up with their naming sense, in regards to my name, I could only do a wry smile in my head, what am I, a constellation? No, that''s besides the point..


    Next, this place doesn''t seem to be Earth, due to my inference, that even though this is the living room for a rich household, the fact that the all-important, essential, and sleek, "105" Curved Flat- Screen UHD TV" is nowhere to be found..


    I really seem to have been reincarnated in another world..


    I didn''t feel particularly sad about it, since I had no close relationships back on Earth, after all, even my parents treated me like just another stranger, and seeing as I''m loaded, I might as well start anew, by enjoying this fulfilling life in the new world..


    Going back a little bit, what was I thinking about earlier..


    Ah, that''s right, Melquista, that stupid god, forcing his problems onto an innocent bystander, I swear, the next time I see him, I''ll..


    When I was about to curse him out loud, a dark, malicious aura gathered around me..


    "Fumu, fumu, he does seem fit to be the next heir of the Astrum house, hmm?..grk!"


    Then, a blue window suddenly appeared out of thin air..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Curse Aura] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    What, what''s happening? What does this mean?


    A metallic voice that seems to come from the Death God himself comes out of the aura..


    "I''LL KILL YOU"


    "Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"


    "Guards, take him away!"


    My supposed mother, screams loudly in a high voice, and my so-called father, gave orders to some muscular men, wearing plated-armor, to handle me, and take me away..


    Ah, now I''ve done it, why the heck is this happening, right as I was about to start my fulfilling life?


    I ask a question directed at no one, while they pulled me away from the scared couple..


    After a while, the guards stopped walking, they seemed to have walked quite far, and then, they abandoned me in a stable in the middle of a farmland..


    (sigh) It seems, in this world as well, I seem to have trouble living..

 Chapter 3: Thinking About the Present Situation

    And there I was, lying in a haystack, like the sweet baby Jesus on a Christmas morn..(sigh)


    I just keep relating to the weirdest things in the weirdest times..


    Maybe that''s why I''m stuck like this..


    I just keep getting into these situations, I should just roll up in a corner and die..


    Wait I already did...


    ........


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Depressing Aura] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Nope, this is bad, I gotta stop now before I get too depressed..


    Since even the horses are now staying away from me..(sigh)


    For now, I''ll think positively..


    Yeah, that''s right, I''m mister positive..


    Gotta see the bright side of things now..


    At least it''s still daytime..


    Even though the horses are staying away, the crows seem to like me..


    Wait..


    Crows? isn''t that bad?


    Fuuuuu..


    So be it, I will be known as Mister Positive Crow Man! Fuhahahahaha....


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Depression Incarnate}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hmmm what''s this? Title? Am I a movie?


    This is bad, I''m starting to tsukkomi everything..


    I''m becoming strange, hmm?


    As I take a closer look at the title, something happens..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Depression Incarnate</td></tr><tr><td>You have gone off the deep end, and too much negative feelings are bottled up inside youthat they have started to affect your personality that even crows gather around you.


    +100AP, -99 LUK</td></tr></tbody></table>


    What is this self-loathing title?


    Am I really that depressed to get pity from you, huh?


    Wait a minute, somehow, all these windows looked the same..


    They seemed familiar..


    Where have I seen these before, they look like those windows in..


    Games...


    Am I really in a game?


    As I thought that, I pinched my finger hard and bit my lip simultaneously..


    Yep, it hurts, and I''m bleeding...(sigh)


    Anyway, this seemed to be reality..


    But the window seemed real too, so it must be that kind of world..


    I quickly draw the conclusion, that this was a world with game-like elements..


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    Just like some of the settings in the novels I used to read..


    Huh? I''m not thinking hard enough about it?


    Who? Me? Nope, I don''t know what you''re talking about..


    Well, since this is a game world, there must be commands right?


    As I got excited, I thought the first command I wanted, LOG OUT!


    ...


    .....


    ........


    "(sigh)"


    I knew it was too good to be true..


    Then, let''s try another command, STATUS!


    And sure enough, a square-shaped window appeared in front of my eyes..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Name: Orion Astrum</td><td>Title: The Chosen Ones, Hidden God''s Apostle,


    The Loner, Depression Incarnate, Unlucky Person</td><td>Level: 1</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Human</td><td>Class: None</td><td>Rank: Null</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 100</td><td>MP: 75</td><td>SP: 20</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 5</td><td>AGI: 10</td><td>INT: 50</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 10</td><td>DEX: 5</td><td>WIS: 30</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 10</td><td>AP: 1000</td><td>LUK: -999</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Are you always trying to bring down my self-esteem?


    You got a problem with me, world? Is this funny to you?


    I don''t know why I''m screaming to an inanimate being..


    I guess {The Loner} title isn''t too far from the truth..


    Now, for the next thing, SKILLS!


    And just like before a window appears, only this time, rectangular.


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Active:</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Amplification - Proficiency 49.98%</td></tr><tr><td>Repel Aura - Proficiency 99.01%</td></tr><tr><td>Curse Aura - Proficiency 1.00%</td></tr><tr><td>Depressing Aura - Proficiency 2.99%</td></tr><tr><td>Passive:</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Mastery - Proficiency 20.23%</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Manipulation - Proficiency 9.14%</td></tr><tr><td>Unique Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Gift</td></tr><tr><td>Continental Language Comprehension</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hmm, it seemed like I could only use aura-based skills for now..


    After that, I tried saying a variety of game lingo and terms, which led to no avail..


    Now that that''s over, I wanted to check the skills I got..


    But it seems I have company..

 Chapter 4: I Somehow Got an Older Sister?

    -Kate¡¯s POV-


    I try to open my sleepy eyes as I see the sun rising from the window..


    It¡¯s the start of a brand new day..


    But for me, everyday is the same..


    ¡°(sigh)¡±


    As usual, I start the morning off with a sigh to no one in particular..


    It¡¯s not because I¡¯m sad, but because I unconsciously do it every morning, it has become a habit since, since that day..


    Its been a few months since then, and I thought I already got over it, but it seems that it affected me more than I thought..


    It had made me mature a bit faster than the others..


    Now, I can hardly remember the times when I thought that everything around me looked so bright and happy, not since..


    ¡°Mom, why did you have to go..¡±


    I say to no one in particular, as if talking to an empty space in my room..


    But I still wait for an answer for a few minutes, and just like always, nothing..


    So, I got out of bed, cleaned my room, and did the various chores around the house..


    As I did this, I notice dinner has been left alone..


    Again, seems Dad didn¡¯t come home yesterday, I hope he gets better soon..


    Dad was even more affected by Mom¡¯s death than me, it was obvious due to the fact that he only used to drink on occasion, but now, its been a regular thing..


    It was natural, Dad loved Mom very much..


    Well, no use brooding about it..


    I cleaned up the leftovers and prepared to go out..


    I went outside the house, locked the door, and walked along the road I take every day, in order to go to the market, for me to buy various produce used to make meals..


    It¡¯s just like any other day, nothing¡¯s gonna change but even so..


    I live aimlessly today again..


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I suddenly notice a large murder of crows flying by, going to the direction of the farm and livestock area..


    I got slightly curious and decided to follow them, well, since I had the time..


    I follow them towards the farm area..


    After a few minutes, I arrive at the stables, where they kept the horses used for various laborious-work around the farmlands..


    But it was slightly unnerving, since I didn¡¯t remember it being so eerie, and the door was unlocked which was strange, since it wasn¡¯t usually unlocked at this time of day..


    There was a time wherein I would not be bothered by this one bit, but this was not one of those times..


    Since curiosity got the better of me, I opened the door, revealing a dark room, with creepy sounds coming from the inside..


    Normal people would turn back right about now, but I seemed to be drawn to the darkness somehow, like there was something I needed to see in there, so I went inside..


    What I saw was..


    ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    I screamed out loud..


    <hr />


    -Orion¡¯s POV-


    Yep, this is exactly a picture-perfect scene straight out of a horror movie..


    Hmm? Explain? Who, me?..(sigh)


    Fine, let me tell you what I see..


    It was a girl, a petite girl with brown-flaxen colored hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and a cute round face which will most definitely develop in the future into a beauty, and she seemed to be 5-6 years of age, huh?


    What¡¯s wrong you say? Isn¡¯t that nice? You should die, lolicon?


    No, no, no, you didn¡¯t let me finish, and who said that last part?


    Anyway, it was not all about the girl, it was, how do you say this..


    Looking at the whole picture, I guess?


    I might just be winging it here, but bear with me, it seemed to look a lot like this..


    A little girl, enters a dreary room and walks in without hesitation..


    She might as well have been saying, ¡°Hello, Is anyone in here?¡± or really, any one of those cliche-dies-in-the-first-few-minutes-lines, *cough* as I was saying..


    After entering a stable, she expects to see horses sleeping at this time of day, but no, what she did find was much, much worse..


    See where I¡¯m going here? No? Okay, I¡¯ll elaborate..


    I¡¯m talking about, the textbook-run-away-now-and-think-later kind of thing..


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    First off, the horses are cowering in a corner, and a large amount of crows are flocking together, and was now looking straight at the girl..


    But at the same time, they surrounded something which looked like a small, dark entity, clad in a dark aura, that is at the very center of this mess..


    And oh yeah, that¡¯s right, that dark entity is me..


    ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Yep, this settles it, put up the horror flag, since this is a done deal..(sigh)


    How did it come to this, I was just laying here peacefully, and now it seemed, even that was not allowed, why is this happening to me, particularly?


    Ah, I can see it now..


    She runs away from the stable, screaming loudly, and a few days later, brings an angry mob, carrying with them, sharp pitchforks and burning torches..


    Then, they surround the small shed, shouting incomprehensible things like..


    KILL THE CURSED CHILD!


    THE DEMON LORD HAS COME!


    CALL THE HERO!


    SOLARIS-SAMA SAVE YOUR PEOPLE!


    Or something like that..


    Anyhow, it doesn¡¯t change the fact, that I have just now, triggered a death flag, albeit unintentionally, and even though I don¡¯t want this turn of events, I can¡¯t do anything about it right now, I mean, how can I even fight back in this condition?


    Heck, I can¡¯t even stand upright by myself..


    Have you even looked at me? I¡¯m a baby, for God, no, True God¡¯s sake!


    Ah, it seems like I only have a few days until I leave this new world, it was almost just as fast as I entered it, hmm?


    ¡°What a cute child, why is such a creature here?¡±


    Strange, she moved closer to me at a high-speed velocity that even I couldn¡¯t react to, and was now hugging me, and rubbing her cheeks against mine..


    Did she like me?


    Was this even normal? Or a better question would be..


    Is this girl really normal?, ah, the hugging was starting to get painful..


    I take it back, she just wanted to kill me herself..


    Death by suffocation, I never knew this is how I would see the light, huh?


    But she suddenly let me go, and lifted me up into the air..


    She then looked at me straight in the eyes, and said..


    ¡°This child is so cute, and has adorable different colored eyes, I wonder who left you here. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter now, since I¡¯m gonna be your big sister from now on, okay?¡±


    Ah, she looks so cute when she smiles..


    Wait, wait, wait, this isn¡¯t the time to be thinking about how cute she is..


    Think back on what she said..


    Different colored eyes? Do I have heterochromia? Wait not that, it was something more important than my strange eye features..


    Big sister? Yes, that¡¯s what I was trying to recall, but wait¡­


    Why, why isn¡¯t she afraid of me?


    It was a question I wanted to be answered so i tried to get her attention..


    I start to flail around in her arms..


    ¡°Hmm? Oh you¡¯re hungry, huh? Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll feed you when we get back home, I will make the best-tasting milk formula, just for you. So from now on, call me Nee-chan, and I¡¯ll call you, my little bro, *Giggle*¡±


    She flashes a radiant smile that was as bright as the sun..


    Ah, it¡¯s hopeless, so I stop flailing, and let her carry me outside the shed..


    To the outside world once again..


    I wonder how this will turn out, having a big sister, that is..


    And that was how my new life in this world started, with the arrival of my new big sister..

 Chapter 5: Settling in

    Ah, I want to eat curry..


    Or some udon with a tonkatsu bowl..


    My mouth is watering just thinking about it, hmm?


    Why am I acting like this?


    Well, I just miss Japanese food is all..


    You don¡¯t believe me? (sigh)..


    Okay, I¡¯ll spill..


    Currently I¡¯m running away from reality, this cruel, cruel reality..


    ¡°Okay little bro, here comes your breakfast..¡±


    If I could scream right now, I would..


    And I would have screamed so loud that even the Gods would have heard it..


    But for now, let¡¯s resist with all my strength, till my last breath..


    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


    A murky, purple substance in a baby bottle, is shoved inside my mouth..


    Ah, I can see it, that gentle light..


    I¡¯m coming for you next Melquista, wait for me¡­


    And my consciousness faded once more..


    ..


    ¡­..


    ¡­¡­¡­


    The next morning, I woke up to the sound of footsteps..


    I tried to strain my ears and heard faint conversation between two people..


    ¡°What do you mean, you found your little brother?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I found him laying in a stable. You have to see him, he¡¯s so cute..¡±


    ¡°But, you didn¡¯t have a little brother before..¡±


    ¡°Yes, but now I do.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why are you picking up random little brothers from stables?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t just leave him there, you know?¡±


    ¡°(sigh)..Fine, for now, lead me to where you¡¯re keeping him..¡±


    ¡°Okay, follow me, he¡¯s in my room sleeping..¡±


    Ah, what am I going to do¡­


    Judging from the tone of voice, it seemed to have belonged to her father..


    It¡¯s like I never seem to run out of problems since coming to this world..


    I just have to rely on my luck this time..


    Oh wait, that¡¯s a bad idea..


    No time to think, the footsteps are getting closer..


    *Creak*


    The door opened, revealing a man in his early 30¡¯s with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and chiseled features wearing leather armor with a long sword attached to his waist..


    ¡°So this is the kid, huh?¡±


    Okay, gotta act natural, play it cool, play it cool, act like you¡¯re sleeping..


    Then I get lifted up into the air, again..


    Why does everyone keep lifting me up?


    Am I a dumbbell,or what?


    ¡°Hmm, he does look cute, Kate, do you know his name?¡±


    ¡°Yep¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s little bro!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡­..¡±


    ¡°I meant, his real name¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I just told you¡±


    ¡°(sigh)..Calm down me, she¡¯s still 5 years old, you can do this..fuuu¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong dad?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, nothing, anyway, I¡¯ll find out his name¡±


    Huh? the man¡¯s eyes are staring at me, it seemed like he was trying to do something..


    ¡°[Identify]¡±


    He said while his eyes grew wider, and a glint could be seen in his pupils..


    ¡°Astrum, that Astrum?.. No it can¡¯t be..¡±


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, oh sorry Kate, it seemed that this baby¡¯s name is Orion Astrum, he might have been related to the nobles of the Astrum house¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? The village has lots of houses though?¡±


    ¡°No, not the village, but the nobles who govern Meteorum, the Astrum House is the name of the family in charge of governing Astrum Village.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? So does that mean we can¡¯t keep him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, sorry Kate..¡±


    ¡°No, I want to let him stay here!¡±


    ¡°But if we were to get involved with the Astrum family, various problems would occur, you must understand¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t hand him over!¡±


    Oh no, this is getting bad, fast..


    Quick..think..think..I got nothing..


    Ah, I¡¯m going to be thrown away again..


    Well, it¡¯s not like its the first time..(sigh)


    I know no one wants to take care of someone like me..


    Wait, this is bad, I¡¯m getting too down..


    Black aura is seeping out of my skin..


    This won¡¯t end well..


    ¡°But still..huh? what¡¯s that?¡±


    *Gasp*


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be, Sarah¡¯s aura magic? *Sniffle*¡±


    Hmm? Who¡¯s this Sarah you speak of..


    Huh, the man¡¯s necklace is glittering, is that a locket?


    Ugh, I can feel my aura disappearing..


    Huh, why?


    ¡°It really is..I see, this might explain why he was in the stable..¡±


    Then he whispers to himself in a barely audible voice..


    ¡°He was thrown away..¡±


    Okay, I know you were trying to hush your voice to avoid hurting my feelings..


    But I can still hear it you know..


    Even if you say it like that, I already know..


    No, I¡¯m not gonna cry..I don¡¯t particularly care about it..*Sniffle*


    ¡°Waaaaaahhhh¡±


    Eh? Why can¡¯t I control my emotions?


    Ah, this is so embarrassing..


    I want to crawl into a hole and die..


    ¡°Okay Kate, it seems, that it¡¯s alright to keep him.¡±


    ¡°Yay! Really? Thanks Dad!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, but you have to take care of him, alright?¡±


    ¡°I promise to love and take care of him forever!¡±


    Wait, was that a proposal right there?


    No, my heart is not ready, and we still don¡¯t know each other that well..


    But maybe..


    Wait, this isn¡¯t the time for that!


    (sigh) These self-tsukommi¡¯s are gonna be the end of me one day..


    ¡°Hello little Orion, you may not understand me just yet, but my name is Derek Fullbringer, and this is Kate. We¡¯re going to be your new family starting from today onward, so call me Dad someday. Okay? Orion Fullbringer, my new son..¡±


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Status has new information - Name has been changed


    into Orion Fullbringer (Astrum)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    What, just like that?


    Well, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not like I particularly care..


    But really, crying does solve everything..


    <hr />


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Name: Orion Fullbringer (Astrum)</td><td>Title: The Chosen Ones, Hidden God''s Apostle,


    The Loner, Depression Incarnate, Unlucky Person</td><td>Level: 1</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Human</td><td>Class: None</td><td>Rank: Null</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 100</td><td>MP: 75</td><td>SP: 20</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 5</td><td>AGI: 10</td><td>INT: 50</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 10</td><td>DEX: 5</td><td>WIS: 30</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 10</td><td>AP: 1000</td><td>LUK: -999</td></tr></tbody></table>

 Chapter 6: The Plot Moves Forward A Little

    -Kazuya¡¯s POV-


    I wake up, wash my face, eat breakfast and get ready for school..


    Just like any usual weekday..


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going out first!¡±


    ¡°Have a nice day at school!¡±


    My parents say as I walk out the front door..


    When I got out of the house, I went through the gate and noticed my neighbor..


    She was watering her garden, so I greet her when I pass by..


    ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Kazehaya¡±


    ¡°Good morning to you too, Tomohiro-kun, have a fun day at school, okay?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I will.. See you later then..¡±


    I walk along the path I take every morning when commuting to school..


    Since it¡¯s not that far, I don¡¯t have to take a train or a bus to get there..


    My name is Tomohiro Kazuya, 2nd year high school student at Hoshizora Academy..


    My parents are nice, and school life is great for me..


    But there is a never-ending boredom to this routine..


    Just as I was thinking that, I saw a familiar face..


    It was my best friend..


    ¡°Hey, Moriyama!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh it¡¯s just you, Kazuya..¡±


    ¡°Hey what¡¯s with that attitude, huh?¡±


    ¡°(sigh) It¡¯s nothing, at least not something an honor student like you can understand. Ah, it¡¯s over. I¡¯m at the brink of failing dude..¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you don¡¯t put serious effort into it..¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t want to hear you preach. I¡¯m so envious of your brain. Hey, give me half, no just a quarter is fine, so please save me..¡±


    ¡°Idiot, I can¡¯t give you my brain, that¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°Ehhh, why not? *Chuckle*¡±


    We always joke around like this with each other..


    But he¡¯s right. I can basically do anything I put my mind to without even trying..


    A few years ago, I thought it was natural..


    But now, even I start to wonder why I learn so fast..


    But, its disrespectful if I doubt a good thing, so lets put it out of my mind for now..


    We walk together until we reach school and enter the classroom..


    Hmm, somehow something¡¯s off..


    I feel like it wasn¡¯t always this easy going inside the classroom, but I don¡¯t know why..


    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong, Kazuya?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, lets just take our seats. The bell¡¯s about to ring..¡±


    Maybe I¡¯m thinking too much..


    I go to my seat and sit down, huh? There¡¯s an empty seat besides me..


    What? Who was sitting next to me again? I just can¡¯t seem to remember..


    The bell rings and homeroom starts..


    The teacher started to call out names in order..


    ¡°Okay, it seems everyone is here. Let¡¯s start homeroom..¡±


    Why? Isn¡¯t the seat next to me empty?


    I wanted to ask the teacher but I was afraid to be thought of as weird..


    I continued thinking about it while in a daze..


    And now, it¡¯s the end of the day..


    Everyone was packing up their bags, and started to go home..


    Normally, I would have done the same thing, but today was different..


    So, I made my way to the teacher¡¯s room..


    ¡°Teacher, I want to inquire about something. Do you have some time?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Tomohiro-kun. Sure, what do you want to know?¡±


    My homeroom teacher said while taking a seat at his desk..


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about the seat next to me. I can¡¯t seem to remember something. What was the name of the 40th student, at the back of the class again?¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright Tomohiro-kun? There¡¯s only 39 students in my class though?¡±


    Strange, this is really strange. What the heck is happening here?


    My head is hurting¡­so¡­much..


    I dashed off from the teacher¡¯s room..


    ¡°Tomohiro-kun, wait!¡±


    Teacher seemed to be shouting something but I didn¡¯t catch it..


    I arrived at the school roof, and proceeded to gaze out beyond the setting sun, as if to calm down my aching head..


    ¡°Am I going crazy? Is this stress accumulation? What the heck is going on here?¡±


    I scream out loud to no one in particular..


    But a voice seemed to have responded to my incessant ramblings..


    ¡°I finally found you, my hero..¡±


    It was a heavenly voice that seemed to embody divinity itself..


    When I turned around, I saw a beautiful woman..


    She looked like she was in her early 20¡¯s, with pure white skin, and shiny silver hair..


    But, there were horns growing out of her head..


    Cosplay?


    After I looked at her for a good few seconds, she said something incomprehensible..


    ¡°It seems that your memory is being suppressed by a divine class brainwashing magic. Hmm, I wonder which God did this?¡±


    What? Gods? Magic? It just got more complicated..


    ¡°Wha-what do you mean suppressed?¡±


    ¡°Hou, sorry I got lost in thought there. You¡¯re still confused right? Well, it¡¯s the effect of that magic. Wait just a bit, I¡¯ll dispel it right..*ugh*?¡±


    The woman seems to be in agony..


    Then she calms down in a few seconds..


    ¡°(exhales) It seems to be quite strong. There is no other choice. I need to use a portion of my power for this. Tell you what, hero, if you promise to fight for me, I¡¯ll lend you my aid.


    I will also cure you of your headache while I¡¯m at it. How about it?¡±


    This woman seemed really weird, but the pain in my head was only getting worse..


    It felt like I was going to split apart. I wanted to think about this more, but..


    It¡¯s getting hard just to even think..


    There¡¯s no other way..


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll fight for you or whatever, just let the pain go away!¡±


    She grins for a second, and went back to her elegant appearance a moment later..


    ¡°Excellent. Very well hero, I will hold up that promise..¡±


    She started gathering light and darkness, mixing them together in harmony that changed into a bluish hue with gleaming, beautiful darkness, the result looked like..


    Moonlight..


    ¡°[Divine Moon¡¯s Restoration]¡±


    She said those words I couldn¡¯t understand, and almost instantly, the pain in my head subsided, like it disappeared as if it was a lie..


    While I was about to thank her. I felt something cold in my chest area..


    A giant sword seems to be lodged in my chest..


    Funny, I don¡¯t remember bringing a sword to school..


    I look up to the woman to get some answers..


    ¡°Sorry for the late introduction, I am the one known as Polaris, The Goddess of the Moon and you, my boy, are my new hero¡­¡±


    I see..


    That is something, but it¡¯s not really helping in this situation..


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you again when the time comes. Take that sword..


    Treat it as a parting gift..


    Don¡¯t disappoint me now, my hero..¡±


    Those were the last words I heard in this world, before falling into a deep darkness..

 Chapter 7: Start of Everyday Life

    Hey guys, Slashcrit here..sorry for the late chapter, been busy preparing for the trip to my relatives for the new year.. yeah so I probably can only get a few more chapters out before I leave in a few days..


    m(_ _)m I''ll be seeing you next year then if you still want to.. but I''m not forcing you okay? ;P Anyways.. thank you and Happy New Year(in advance)..


    Enjoy..


    <hr />


    The sunlight seeps through the tree leaves..


    The wind blows through my silver hair..


    Hmm, I think that was called "komorebi?" in my previous life..


    Well..it doesn''t matter right now..


    I just want to lay here and enjoy this moment..


    ...


    ......


    ..........


    ...................


    ......................


    *UGH* *groan*


    What, I''m feeling uncomfortable for some reason..


    "Orion, you left me behind again *pant* *pant* "


    Ah, just when I was having my early mid-morning nap..


    Okay, lets ignore it..*snore*


    "Hey.. You''re ignoring me again, aren''t you?"


    *Snore* "I don''t know what you mean" *Senor*


    "Wait..you just said something right? And what''s with that "Senor" at the end, huh?"


    I feel a sharp stinging sensation on my limbs..


    "AAAGGHHH! What are you doing, Nee-san?"


    Sadly, I awake to the sound of my bones? breaking apart..


    "Hmph.. this is what you get for skipping out on farm work!"


    "What are you on about, I watered the crops didn''t I?"


    "Yes, yes you did...one crop..ONE!"


    "Is there any problem with it?"


    *BAM*


    A fist lands on my head from above..


    I swear..my sister easily resorts to violence..


    "Ah, you are so...I give up...


    It''s always like this nowadays..


    Ah, where has that cute child before gone off to?"


    "Hmm, did you say something?"


    "Noooope, I didn''t say anything.."


    I feign ignorance as it would be weird to recall memories of infancy..


    "Anyway, let''s go back..lunch will be served soon.."


    "Yay, I love you Nee-san"


    *Blush*


    "Yeah, yeah..I can never get mad at you for too long..(sigh)"


    Haha, today my cute-cliche-one-liners-straight-out-of-a-galge works on sister again..


    Fuu.. anyway today looks like another peaceful day..


    I think to myself as I walk with Nee-san into the village


    Goodbye big apachia tree.. I''ll come visit again..or in this case.. tomorrow..


    Hmm..I can''t believe 3 years have passed in this world..


    Days of living peacefully.. I could get used to this..


    Huh? Am I getting lazy? I''m becoming a NEET? Work damn you? I''m dropping this novel..it''s too boring now?


    Well, of course not.. I''ve been working hard in my own way these past couple years..


    And who keeps saying that last part..Geez..


    Yeah, a few days after I got accepted into the Fullbringer family..


    I checked all of my skills and such and have been working on improving them..


    Of course.. in seclusion.. and no, I''m not unsociable..


    There''s just no other children my age.. I can talk with properly..


    Hmm..no.. for the last time.. I''m not a problem child..


    It''s just that I''m special..Whatever..I don''t care..


    Anyway, I think I can be proud of myself when I see my skills compared to before..


    Interested? Well, I guess I can show you..be grateful plebs haha..


    (sigh)..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Amplification (Novice) - Proficiency 80.12%</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to expand the range of your aura magic.


    Range depends on the number of Aura Points (AP)


    MP Cost: 45</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Huh? What''s the difference from last time, you say?


    Well..fuhahaha..listen well..When it leveled into novice proficiency..


    The MP Cost went down from 50 into 45 and it made it easier to control how much aura is amplified..


    But, enough about my achievements..there''s still other skills..like..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Repel Aura (Novice) - Proficiency 99.01%</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to make sentient beings stay away from you when active.


    Effect depends on the number of Aura Points (AP)


    MP Cost: 30</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Curse Aura (Beginner) - Proficiency 78.12%</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to make the target of your choice, feel fear through the use of your aura magic.


    How much fear caused depends on the number of Aura Points (AP)


    MP Cost: 60</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Depressing Aura (Intermediate) - Proficiency 5.80%</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to make the target of your choice, feel down through the use of your aura magic.


    How much depression caused depends on the number of Aura Points (AP)


    MP Cost: 20</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Yes, well the skills effects when leveling..are essentially the same..


    It gets easier to control and the MP Cost goes down..


    Oh yeah, and I''ve been getting depressed a lot..since Nee-san beats me up often..


    Hmm? Oh no, I''m not weak..


    I''m not an M either..


    (sigh) I just haven''t used any of my strength against her..


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    I think I''m an extremely considerate person not to fight back..


    Its because I''m a feminist at heart..(Feminism banzai!)


    Anyway, lets move on to the passive skills, shall we?


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Mastery (Novice) - Proficiency 20.23%</td></tr><tr><td>This is how much you comprehend the complications of aura magic.


    Enables you to sense aura and how it is used around you.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Manipulation (Novice) - Proficiency 51.14%</td></tr><tr><td>This shows the extent of using aura magic. Enables you to bend aura to your will.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    And the unique skills are..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Gift</td></tr><tr><td>Divine Skill - 10 Scriptures of Aura</td></tr><tr><td>First Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to use Aura Magic but disables any other magic.</td></tr><tr><td>Remaining Scriptures - Locked State</td></tr><tr><td>Effects: +500 AP, -100 LUK, +50 MP, +30 INT</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Continental Language Comprehension</td></tr><tr><td>Divine Skill</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to completely understand all languages in the world of Quadra.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Pretty cool right?


    I have become a cheat? No, no..this..you didn''t notice?


    I can''t use any other magic.. why am I sad, you say?


    Well, aura magic''s great and all.. but why can''t I use the cool magic spells? Huh?


    I mean flying magic, spacial magic, alchemy magic and the like...


    To be honest, I''m depressed..but..


    Such..is life..can''t have everything you want..


    So..I dedicated my time and effort to gain a new skill by tampering with Aura Manipulation..


    First, I gathered it into my hands..


    Next, for a couple of months.. I had it float around me for longer times to see how much time I can keep it up..


    After that, I could make them into shapes..but it was tiring..


    After I make it into different shapes..I collapse after 2 times..


    Sad, I know right? BUT!


    I worked on it for who knows how many turns..


    Hmm? A turn in this world is considered 2 months..


    Anyway..I succeeded in creating a new skill..BEHOLD!


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Sphere (Intermediate) - Proficiency 2.00%</td></tr><tr><td>Aura gathers into a sphere-shaped object that can take many forms.


    Size and Attributes depend on the number of Aura Points(AP)


    Forms Unlocked: Dark Sphere, Light Sphere


    MP Cost: 100</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Yeah..that''s about it for the skills...


    And oh, I trained for a bit in my child form, raising my physique and getting used to moving in my new body..


    Titles? Uh, I can''t tell you since, they''re bad for my mental health..please understand..


    (sigh) Maybe in the future, I''ll talk about it..


    But for now..I''m too shy..


    Well..while I was having my inner monologue.. we arrive at the house..


    Man..I''m hungry..we opened the door..


    And find an unfamiliar person talking to father..


    <hr />


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Name: Orion Fullbringer (Astrum)</td><td>Title: The Chosen Ones, Hidden God''s Apostle,


    The Loner, Depression Incarnate, Unlucky Person,


    One Who Passes Work Unto Others, One Who Runs Away From His Problems</td><td>Level: 1</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Human</td><td>Class: None</td><td>Rank: Null</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 300</td><td>MP: 275</td><td>SP: 50</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 15</td><td>AGI: 30</td><td>INT: 70</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 30</td><td>DEX: 10</td><td>WIS: 40</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 25</td><td>AP: 1500</td><td>LUK: -500</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Active:</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Amplification (Novice) - Proficiency 80.12%</td></tr><tr><td>Repel Aura (Novice) - Proficiency 99.01%</td></tr><tr><td>Curse Aura (Beginner) - Proficiency 78.12%</td></tr><tr><td>Depressing Aura (Intermediate) - Proficiency 5.80%</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Sphere (Intermediate) -Proficiency 2.00%</td></tr><tr><td>Passive:</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Mastery (Novice) - Proficiency 20.23%</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Manipulation (Novice) - Proficiency 51.14%</td></tr><tr><td>Unique Skills</td></tr><tr><td>Aura Gift</td></tr><tr><td>Continental Language Comprehension</td></tr></tbody></table>

 Chapter 8: An Abrupt Journey?

    "Hou.."


    As I was thinking about the present state of my stomach,


    I find an old man and my dad sitting across each other in the living room..


    This is bad..


    The atmosphere seems tense..


    It''s as if I interrupted at a crucial moment in their discussion..


    And because of that, the old man is calmly looking at me and dad alternately as if he was comparing..


    Ah, this is like that feeling when..huh?


    What do you mean, how can I sense the atmosphere? Am I dense or something?


    No, I most certainly am not..


    In fact, I was called a sensitive person in my previous life *hmph*


    And its also due to the fact that I have an aura and..hmm?


    Who called me sensitive? Umm..


    Okay, fine.. No one called me that out loud, but I think of myself as someone who can read the mood..


    I''m not a KY (Kuuki-Yomenai) guy that blurts out stupid things in situations like this..


    But this is just like that time in my previous life..


    Where I went to visit my relatives and I was bored so I went around their manor..


    When I "accidentally" saw my uncle umm..lets say embracing the maid..


    With his wife, my aunt on the other side of the house..


    So yeah..long story short..I got hated by uncle..


    But he sometimes sends new years cards..


    They were full of disdainful words though..*cries*


    Nevertheless, the old man is starting to speak once again..


    So the best thing to do here, is stay cool and calm.. and keep my mouth shut..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Elegance] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "WHY?"


    "Oh, what is it, boy?"


    "Ah, umm.. no, it''s nothing..haha"


    "Is that so?"


    That was close.. these windows just want to ruin every moment doesn''t it?


    Am I being bullied?


    "Anyway, I seem to remember Kate, but.."


    He looks at me gesturing to my father to probably introduce us..


    "Oh, this is my stepson..Orion, go on..introduce yourself.."


    (sigh) What was that half-assed introduction..


    "Good day to you sir, My name is Orion Fullbringer, stepson of the Fullbringer household."


    I think my nervous voice came out..I pray he doesn''t notice..


    "Hou.. Derek, this son of yours seems fairly well-mannered.."


    "Haha, I guess he is.."


    "I''ll postpone getting to know your story at a later date.. but for now, I have urgent business to talk abou-"


    *GROOOOOOOWL*


    "Oh no, is there a monster nearby?"


    "We must alert the villagers!"


    "I will go father!"


    "Yes, Kate go run as fast as you can and don''t look back!"


    As I see them scrambling around panicking..


    I am relatively silent..


    Ah, I can''t tell them in this situation..


    No, I decided in this new life, I will do my utmost in communicating my thoughts..


    Well, I decided that just now though..


    But I''m still embarrassed to say it..ah, to heck with it..


    "Uh, That sound was me.."


    They suddenly grow stiff and turn their heads towards me..


    The old man points at me and says..


    "Monster?"


    "That''s wrong!"


    "Oh, then what do you mean Orion?"


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Dad asks me in a questioning tone..


    "It..it was my stomach..rumbling.."


    Utter complete silence fills the room as if the panic earlier was a lie..


    And then to break that silence..


    """ *PUH!* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"""


    Everyone else except me burst into tears of laughter..


    "Haha, is that so.. well then, we can discuss my business over a meal.. shall we?"


    My face feels hot.. this is mortifying..


    A hand is slapped on my back, and suddenly I kiss the floor in a disorderly fashion..


    "Don''t think about it too much Orion, I''ll make lunch quickly so don''t worry!"


    Ah, it''s Kate.. she always somehow knows if I worry about things too much..


    And she always knows just what to do.. I could do without the violence though..


    Then, thirty minutes later we finish our meal and we sit around the table..


    "Well then, lets get down to business, shall we?"


    "Wait, is it okay for them to hear about this?"


    "Hmm.. well, now that they''re here, they might as well..haha"


    This old man seems to not care about the little things.. well I don''t dislike that part of him..


    But then that carefree attitude took a sudden turn..


    "The Elves have started to move again.."


    He says in an uncharacteristic serious tone..


    "What did you say? I was under the impression that organizing an army of that scale would take several more months to a year at most.."


    "Yes, we thought that as well.. but last week when our scouts reported the situation.. it''s nothing but a cold hard fact.."


    "Situation? What happened exactly?"


    "Annihilation.."


    "What..did they move their army that quickly? We should have had time to prepare.."


    And the old man waves his hand in front of dad''s forlorn face..


    "No, it wasn''t an army..It was a person, or elf as you call it.."


    "That''s impossible.. but wait..no, it can''t be.."


    "That''s right..it was.."


    Hero, that''s what the old man said.. the blessed heroes given power by their individual gods, and also people summoned from another world like me.. but Melquista said that they would have been born at least at the same time as me..


    Or was that even the hero.. lets inquire more about it..


    "Um, what did the hero look like to you?"


    "Hmm, you''re interested in it? Well, lets see.. the hero''s appearance was covered with a cap but had elven ears sticking out from besides him/her..And used arrows of green phosphorescence light to decimate our forward garrison.."


    So it''s not confirmed that it was the hero.. Even so, I must be ready for it..


    I can''t stand idly by while the other heroes are getting stronger by the minute..


    I mean that''s why I was even called to this world of fantasy..


    Okay, time to think up some countermeasures..


    Right as I''m entering my concentration mode.. the old man says something..


    "So, in due of these circumstances..using my authority.. I order you, Derek Atlas Fullbringer, former-captain of the Imperial knights to head back to your station in the Imperial Capital.."


    "Eh? Wait, what? Capital? Imperial knights? Please tell me what''s going on.. And while you''re at it.. Who the heck are you to use your authority like that?"


    The old man suddenly makes a face as if he just realized something important..


    "Oh, where are my manners.. I forgot to introduce myself.."


    Seriously.. this guy..


    "*Ehem* I am Marvich Kelion, General of the Imperial Army, pleased to make your acquaintance.."


    "Eh?"


    <hr />


    Hey guys, Slashcrit here.. I''m back for the new year.. Happy New Year and lets get along from now on..


    Always appreciate suggestions and reactions about the story..


    A turning point for our MC comes in an early chapter.. what happens next.. tune in again..


    Till next time..

 Chapter 9: First Battle As A Three-Year Old?

    I can''t take this anymore..


    The insides of my stomach are churning and I can''t think straight..


    And no, this is not a prologue for a S&M play you sick freaks..


    I''m genuinely sick to my stomach..


    The cause is the bouncing up and down of this vehicle..


    It''s strange since I don''t usually get carsick.. but I don''t think I can call it a car though..


    They call it a carriage.. How I wish I could fly right now instead of riding this monstrosity..


    Give me a cheat-like-teleport power, I beg of you..


    Well.. it''s a good thing that I didn''t eat much for breakfast..


    Anyway, after the old man came to give his imperial order, dad asked us if we would come move into the capital or stay in the village..


    Of course I said yes..is what I''d like to say but..


    If you haven''t noticed yet, I still have the body of a three-year-old..


    Then why am I in the carriage at the present moment you might ask..


    Well..


    "You okay Orion? You look a little pale.."


    It''s due to the meddling of this person..


    Kate Fullbringer, my older sister and my dictator in this life..


    When we were about to go to sleep, she "coerced" me to come with her and dad..


    Correction.. bribed and threatened..


    In other words.. she said there was delicious food in the capital and a school for magic..


    But when I said I was still not convinced, she broke my limbs again and again using healing magic..*cries*


    Honestly.. there is never a calm discussion with that person..


    So here I am.. wallowing in my own regret.. holding in my vomit..


    "Ah, I''m fine Nee-san.. I''m just new to it is all..huh?"


    "I see..hmm? what are you looking at?"


    I notice people in front of us blocking the path on the road..


    There are about 50 of them according to my rough estimates..


    They are wearing leather-brown clothes with rusted chain mails with short swords at their sides..


    They have an air of arrogance around each and every one of them..


    I have a bad feeling about this..


    "What? There are men blocking the road.. father, do you know them?"


    My sister calls father to inquire about their identities..


    "Oh, those are bandits..there seems to be about 53 of them in my detection range.."


    Dad says that in an indifferent manner..


    "Wait, bandits.. isn''t that bad? Besides, there are too many of them!"


    "Hmm? It''s no problem though.. it usually goes like this when you''re on the road.."


    "How can you be so calm?"


    "Well they are small-fry to begin with..ah, this is a good chance to show off in front of my kids.. I''m a genius if I do say so myself..kukuku.."


    You do know I can hear every word you''re saying.. this carriage isn''t a gigantic limousine..


    As we are talking about how were gonna deal with the situation, the carriage stops..


    "Sir Fullbringer, there appears to be bandits blocking the pathway.."


    "Ah, Yes.. leave them to me!"


    My dad says that in an excited tone and grabs the long sword in the carriage and walks out..


    "Huh? A guy is coming out? No matter.. Hey! you!"


    The bandit-man who looks to be the leader shouts out in a condescending attitude..


    "Leave your belongings here and all your money.. and we might just let you pass..gehehe.."


    As if that was a signal, the other bandits laugh out loud together with their leader..


    Gross.. even their laughter is creeping me out..


    "Oh, I don''t want to though? Why don''t you come and try me?"


    "Oi, oi.. can''t you grasp the situation around you? Were trying to be polite here you know? Just leave all your stuff here and get on your merry little way.."


    "You seem to be mistaken.. why don''t you people go back to where you came from.."


    "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?"


    Oh, he''s mad.. a vein just popped up on his forehead..


    He signals to the others to attack dad..


    I wonder how this is going to turn out..


    "Hey, you lot! Teach this guy a lesson he''ll never forget!"


    "Give me your best shot!"


    The bandits attack simultaneously at dad, but he seems to be enjoying this..


    *Grin*


    After he grinned excitedly.. a screeching sound came out of his sword..


    The next moment.. 10 bodies hit the floor anticlimactically..


    "Wha-wha-WHAT?"


    The leader person seems to be shocked and is sweating bullets..


    "Men, stop him!"


    "Yare2x.. these people never learn.."


    As he said that.. 2 people were coming from the front and back and attacked..


    They smiled as if to say victory was assured..


    As they were convinced that in the next moment.. a bloody mess would be left..


    They flew up into the air.. like paper airplanes..


    Not one of them saw the swordplay.. well except yours truly..


    But still, I could barely sense it even with manipulating aura into my eyes to catch the speed of the slashes..


    My dad just might be super strong.. no lets stop here.. he will get a big-head due to this..


    And I can''t get caught in his pace.. Even though its frustrating..


    I must admit.. he really did meant they were small-fry..


    After a minute.. only the leader was left standing..


    "How can this be? Impossible.."


    Dad was standing in the middle of the bodies without a single scratch..


    He walks up to the leader and says this:


    "Next time, put up a better fight..okay?"


    The leader falls to his knees and lost his fighting spirit..


    A few minutes later..we tied them up to trees so that the guards can get them later..


    *Phew* with this, it''s over..


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.We continued our journey on the road peacefully..


    For about an hour..


    After that.. I could only stare in horror at what came after..


    *BOOM* *ROAR*


    A gigantic red hand flicked my father away while he was scouting ahead on horseback before any of us could detect it..


    It, being..


    A dragon..


    Its giant wing-beats reverberate throughout the atmosphere..


    And I swear I felt my heartbeat stop for a moment there..


    I mean who wouldn''t?


    From what I can see through the dust in my eyes..


    It seems to be 15 meters in length with red scales and golden eyes..staring at us..


    At me..


    Is this the end?


    Living life till 3 years old.. what a short life.. its funny.. but I''m not laughing..


    "No, no, no, this can''t be happening..*Sob*"


    Kate seems to lose all her strength and plops down into the ground as she didn''t expect this to happen..


    Who can blame her.. It''s not common sense to meet a freaking dragon on the road..


    "*Guha* Run away Orion, take your sister and run far away from here.. I''ll somehow buy time..GO!"


    Looks like dad came back.. but he''s staggering while walking..


    How can it be, the person who effortlessly dealt with 53 bandits to be reduced to this state..


    This just goes to show you how strong dragons are..


    Honestly, I want to run..


    I''m scared.. I might just faint.. that dragon looks hungry..


    But I very well know I can''t..


    It''s not for a petty thing such as pride..


    I''d be glad to run away if that was the reason..


    But..I know better than anyone that If I flee here..


    I''ll regret it for the rest of my life.. and I have a lot of years left..


    I''m only three you know? Haha, I can still crack a joke in this situation..


    I might have a talent for this..


    Well.. enough of that.. First I''ve got to calm my erratic heartbeat and breath..


    *Crash*


    I see my father blown away like paper..


    But I can''t get discouraged.. I can do this.. No, I have to..


    I gather all my fear and bottle it up inside.. deep inside..


    *Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu*


    I exhale a long breath..


    I suddenly notice that I have a black aura coming out of my left and white aura coming out of my right..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Yin-Yang Aura] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I don''t pay attention to the random window for now..


    Because for some reason.. my mind is clear..


    I find the sword my dad dropped buried into the ground..


    It is as tall as me.. but I don''t mind it, I pull it out with ease..


    The aura mixed together into silver-grayish color around the sword..


    I feel omnipotent power from it..


    I point the sword at the gigantic dragon..


    A small boy pointing a sword at a dragon looks like it might have come out of a fairy tale but I don''t have the leisure to think about idle things..


    I focus all my aura into one point and strike..


    It''s wings.. yes.. I disabled its method of escape..


    *ROAR*


    It''s angry at me.. of course it would.. who would expect a three-year-old to cut his wings..


    He underestimated me.. and that will be its ruin..


    I activate my various auras in rapid succession again and again while slashing wildly..


    My mana is depleting.. my sense of pain is numbing.. but I don''t care about that right now..


    My main focus is to bring this guy down!


    Work, limbs! I can still go on..


    *ORAAAAAAAAAAAA*


    I slash my heart out..take that shakespeare..


    In what seems to be an eternity.. a body falls down.. into the cliffside


    Carrying me with it..


    I did it.. I killed that beast..


    It might have been mostly luck though.. since it was looking down at me, a child..


    With this, I can sleep now.. I''m really tired..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Dragon Slayer}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Martyr}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hmm.. what''s that? No it doesn''t matter at this point in time..


    "ORION! No, don''t go!"


    Ah, at least you''re safe.. Nee-san..


    That was the last thing I thought of while drifting into the abyss of darkness..

 Chapter 10: Meeting My Master

    Dark..


    So dark..


    Can''t even see anything even if I widen my eyes to the limit..


    I don''t know how long I''ve been in this state..


    But I''m slowly starting to recall..


    Something about fighting something..


    I remember I was scared to the point of crying..


    What was it..


    Ah, that''s right..


    I remember now..


    I died.


    But wait, why am I conscious?


    If my memory serves, I killed the dragon..


    Right?


    I must have let go of my consciousness after since the adrenaline that rushed into my head disappeared..


    But even though I should have fallen off the cliff..


    I can still retain my thinking..


    Strange..


    Well, not that it matters..


    What does though, Is grasping the current situation..


    I''m in a black space..


    It''s like an endless void..


    And, no matter how much I try..


    I can''t see a thing..


    Wait a freaking second..


    Did I go blind?


    No, no, no..


    This is just conjecture..


    *Fuuuuu*


    Anyway even if I did go blind..


    It might have been a good thing..


    I could become like those blind OP-MC''s in those novels I used to read while I had free time in my previous life..


    Like sensing the sound waves due to heightened senses..


    Or wearing cool sunglasses while doing martial arts..


    Yep, I''m running away from my problems again..


    This is starting to become a habit..


    (sigh) Anyway..


    I have to find a way out of here..


    Wait a minute..


    If I can''t see, maybe I can gather aura into my eyes again..


    Yosh, let''s try it, shall we?


    I sense the aura around me and at the same time inside of me..


    I try to move the aura through my veins simultaneously guiding it into my eyes..


    It''s pretty hard to do..


    Strange, I thought I mastered doing this a while ago..


    But there''s something different about it..


    Like there is a considerable amount going to each of my different colored eyes..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Aura Eyes] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Dragon''s Aura has been assimilated into body - Beginning to unlock 2nd Scripture</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Huh? Is that why I''ve been sensing stronger aura?


    Still I don''t fully understand..


    Second Scripture? The heck is that?


    Suddenly a blue window appears yet again clearing my dilemma..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Gift</td></tr><tr><td>Divine Skill - 10 Scriptures of Aura</td></tr><tr><td>First Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to use Aura Magic but disables any other magic</td></tr><tr><td>Second Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added skill: [Aura Absorption] - Enables you to absorb aura from stronger enemies after they have been slain</td></tr><tr><td>Remaining Scriptures - Locked State</td></tr><tr><td>Effects: +1000 AP, -200 LUK, +100 MP, +60 INT</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Oh, how convenient..


    Still.. if these windows are still popping out..


    Does that mean I''m still alive?


    It does, doesn''t it?


    Wait, who am I saying this too..


    Well, it''s fine..


    Anyway.. now that I used [Aura Eyes], I can see now..


    I seem to be in a maze..


    This maze looks to be filled with stairs and doors..


    But it''s strange.. The stairs and doors are sometimes inverted and looks like those paradox stairs..


    Wherein.. if you climb upwards.. you find yourself going down..


    Still can''t get a proper picture..


    Hmm.. lets see.. This familiar scenery reminds me of a certain anime from childhood about monsters coming out from different cards.. Ah, it''s nostalgic..


    So, I start to walk to one of the stairs..


    I reach a door while climbing up? or was it down?


    It doesn''t really matter anyway..


    And the thing I found when I opened the door was..


    *DRUM ROLL*


    Nothing..


    It''s locked dumb ass..


    I say to myself mockingly..


    Okay, let''s calm down first and recount what happened so far..


    I gained a skill and unlocked a scripture? What''s next..


    Then as I looked around.. I noticed..


    That if I look at a door with one eye..


    The doors change color..


    What''s with this..


    Can this be a flag?


    Okay, lets try it..


    I close my left eye and focus aura into my right eye by covering the other..


    I feel like a chuuni..


    No, no I''m getting derailed again..


    My red eye glows in a ruby-like light..


    I see countless doors emitting strange green-light..


    I sense faint auras from them..


    But this is not what I want..


    I want to find the exit..


    (sigh) Let''s try the other one then..


    I close my right eye and cover it with my right hand and gather aura into my left eye..


    The sapphire-like glow of my right eye emits a faint light..


    Ah, found it..


    There''s a single door that is showing a deep purple light..


    It might as well have been hanged up with a sign written in bold letters "EXIT"


    Anyway.. time to go..


    I think I feel little regret leaving so early..


    There is too much mysteries in this place..


    I don''t even know if I can come back again..


    Well, I''ll cross that bridge when I get to it..


    I put my hand on the door handle and push..


    It''s not opening.. even when I try to pull it..


    Am I stuck here?


    Wait, let''s solve this by using aura again..


    I gather aura into my palm and turn the handle..


    *Click*


    Haha, It opened.. I''m a genius! Just call me Mr. Problem-Solver..


    I try to enter, but the purple light blinds me and I disappeared..


    Hmm?


    I open my heavy eyelids..


    My body feels like brand new for some reason..


    Even though I just fought a dragon..


    No fatigue could be sensed..


    I feel so refreshed..


    But that didn''t last long..


    "Oh, You''re awake?"


    I find a man..


    No this is not a BL love-story..


    I mean when I woke up..


    I was in a bed..


    No, don''t get delusional..


    I said this ain''t that kind of situation.. is it?


    He looks to be a lean-bodied man with flowing silver hair cut short with red and gold streaks at the ends..


    It seems he is a normal guy if you look at him from afar..


    But when you''re this close..


    I can tell..


    This guy is hiding unimaginable strength in his body..


    It''s faint but, I can sense a sliver of his aura and it''s too damn strong..


    It''s like his power level must be over 9000.. or something like that..


    Anyway, I have to say something..


    "Ah, Yes.. thank you for saving me.. My name is Orion, Orion Fullbringer.."


    "It''s no problem.. I saw you floating down a river a while ago.. What happened to you anyway?"


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Huh, a river? Ah, yes I was fighting a dragon and fell into the river I think.. Oh, and thanks for treating my wounds.."


    "Hou.. a dragon huh.. it seems like I shouldn''t judge a book by its cover, eh Orion-kun?"


    He raises an eyebrow while grinning at me..


    I feel cold sweat gathering on my back..


    He''s not surprised that much from hearing that a child was fighting a dragon..


    Might I have met a weird person?


    Save me someone! (Dareka, taskete!)


    And where did he get that quote from?


    "Anyway.. You can call me Arc for now.. And what did you mean wounds? You were healthy as can be when I found you.."


    What, did I get healed by someone before I got here? Whoever you are, thank you even though I don''t remember you.."


    "Well, it is rare that someone fights a dragon nowadays.. haha"


    "Haha, yeah..Don''t you doubt me?"


    "Oh, It might seem strange to others.. but not to me.. I can feel it.. from you.. untapped potential.."


    "Is that so?"


    This is bad.. am I in danger here?


    "Now that I look at you.. It is interesting finding out your true ability.. So here I go.."


    It happened so fast..


    I couldn''t react to it..


    If I had to say in sequence of what happened..


    First: He released a dreadful amount of killing intent..


    Next: He drew a red sword out of nowhere..


    Finally: He moved at instantaneous speeds towards me and swung it to my neck..


    But stopped 1 mm from decapitating me..


    I lost strength looking at the opponent in front of me and sat disgracefully on the ground..


    I''m just like a child that''s throwing a tantrum..


    That got scolded by his parents severely..


    Wait.. I am a child..


    No, this is not the time for a tsukkomi..


    I find myself sweating bullets wondering what to do next.. scrambling at a nonexistent opportunity..


    Isn''t this guy stronger than a dragon? How did he find me anyway?


    As various panicked thoughts invaded my head like a whirlpool of emotions..


    The dread stopped as if it was a lie..


    "Hmm.. So that is the level at what you are now.. Sorry got a little excited there and showed half of my power.."


    That was half?! What would have happened to me if he came at me seriously?


    I shudder at the thought..


    "Ah, It''s fine.."


    I slowly catch my breath and stand up.. I can strangely recover from these situations really fast nowadays..


    "Hou.. To even still talk while I released my killing intent at you.. I''m amazed.. Maybe there is value in tra-"


    *GROWL*


    "Ah.."


    "Kukuku.. Are you hungry? Well, it''s not strange.. your clothes look like they''ve been out in the open air for days.."


    I think that when my fear disappeared, something else replaced it..


    This is so embarrassing..


    "Haha, don''t think about it too much.. Wait there, I''ll make something real quick.."


    He goes to the direction of what seems to be a kitchen?


    This scary old man can cook?


    *Fuuu* I think nothing can surprise me anymore..


    20 minutes later..


    "Delicious!"


    "Haha. I knew you''d like it.."


    What is this.. this heavenly food that tastes like a feast for the gods..


    The texture and heat from this meat and skin is softer than a pillow..


    The soup fills you with unimaginable relaxation..


    And the fish makes you feel like you''re submerged in a nice, cool, refreshing lake..


    It makes everything I''ve eaten till now, yes, including my past life.. seem like bland crackers..


    I''m so glad to be alive...


    While I was munching with reckless abandon on the god-like meal..


    "You know, if you want.. You can eat this everyday from now on.."


    I almost spit out my food from what he said..


    But I don''t dare do such a sacrilegious act towards this meal..


    It''s disrespectful..


    "What do you mean?"


    I say with food filling my cheeks like a squirrel..


    "Oh, going back to what I was saying before.. I want to train you.. I love finding potential and refining it to its limits.. It makes me feel that I can help a worthy opponent in the future grow.. and it alleviates my boredom.."


    "Train? Me? And wait isn''t the main reason you''re doing this is cause you''re bored?!"


    Honestly, I''m scared of training under this man.. he might be even worse than Nee-san..


    Which reminds me.. I hope Nee-san is safe.. also dad..


    Nope I don''t have preferential treatment to Nee-san over dad..


    That''s just your imagination running wild.. (Kinosei2x)


    But just as I''m arguing with my inner self as I always do..


    "Hou, you caught me.. I just want to try my skills against someone worthy to keep up since I''m free anyway.."


    "I''m free anyway.." Those words sound like a bored man to me..


    "But do I really look like someone like that to you?"


    "Of course.. ah, but you''re hesitating right? How about this.. I can make you meals of this level during your training days with me.. how about it?"


    "I''LL DO IT!"


    I said so without thinking..


    What can I say, the stomach is weak..


    Well, I can''t take it back now..


    I can see him enjoying this..


    "Excellent, well then.. we''ll start training tomorrow!"


    "Ah, wait, one more thing.."


    "Oh, What is it, my disciple?"


    Huh? What''s with the disciple? I''ll beat you up old man!


    I force my inner thoughts back into the abyss where they belong and speak in a questioning manner..


    "You keep saying worthy opponent and something like that, but what does that mean?"


    He makes a surprised face and it turns into an indifferent smiling face in a second..


    Don''t think I didn''t catch that..


    "Oh, it''s not something you need to worry about for now..*grin* But maybe it''s time to let you know a little about me.."


    "?"


    "My true name is Arcveil Ryuugal Deucarion, Former 1st Progenitor Dragon King.. You can call me "Master" from today on wards, Looking forward to training you, Orion-kun.."


    This world just keeps getting stranger and stranger..


    <hr />


    Haha, Hey guys Slashcrit here!


    Enjoying the story so far? No? Well I know some of you are mad at me for chapters being so short..


    But as what was said before.. I mean''t it to be that way to build the story-world little by little..


    You know.. If I can quote the movie "The Equalizer"..


    Brick by brick.. body by body..


    I want that kind of feeling of tension in the story line..


    For those who don''t want that.. you can stop reading if you want..


    But for those who don''t mind it.. thank you so much and looking forward to experiencing the life of Orion with you!


    Till next time!

 Chapter 10.5: Intermission

    Heyo! Me again.. sorry for the long break.. no excuses.. just busy..


    Anyway.. enjoy the life of Arc before going into the next arc..


    Slashcrit~


    <hr />


    (Arc''s POV)


    *PUNCH*


    *CRASH*


    *BOOM*


    "Haha, not bad 1st Progenitor.. are we done warming up yet?"


    Large explosions are the usual nowadays..


    Screams echo throughout the land..


    Clashing of claws and fangs..


    The smell of blood in the air..


    Fills me with excitement..


    I can feel the adrenaline rushing throughout the course in my veins even better than yesterday..


    In the giant craters littered with corpses at the center of the very picture of chaos lies..


    two entities..


    Every time my gigantic scaled fist swings that could be mistaken for a flaming meteor that could crush anything in its path..into a weak-looking human fist, you imagine the picture of hell.. but..


    It gets flicked away..


    As usual.. my punch is nothing but a light tap to this person..


    No, correction.. god.


    "I''m not done yet, Memphis!"


    I throw an even stronger barrage of punches to the God of The Beasts..


    *Tch*


    I click my tongue but I somehow have a grin plastered to my face.. as usual..


    I''m presently participating in our monthly "skirmish" against one of the continental gods..


    This month, were being made to fight Memphis and the beasts..


    But for me.. It''s not like that..


    In fact.. I enjoy these "skirmishes"..


    Or in human terms.. war..


    It makes me feel truly alive..


    It''s why we were created..


    Endless competition based on strength and overwhelming each other with the various techniques we created..


    Against the strongest beings on this land..


    Well, now that I''ve regenerated.. let''s prepare for another stratagem..


    Dragons have high-speed regeneration in their blood so this might be one of the reasons why I love fighting..


    I gather draconic mana inside my body as I have done for the umpteenth time these several millennium..


    As the death throes of comrades and enemies as the tune to my dance starts..


    I move..


    ..


    .....


    ...........


    It''s been a few decades since then..


    When we were forced to battle a greater foe..


    I never knew that someone could overwhelm the gods to this extent..


    In fact, I never even thought of a being more powerful than the 4 Gods themselves..


    But at first, I laughed since I thought he was an idiot.. going against us alone..


    And a coward for not showing up all these years.. holed up in the divine realm..


    But now that I see.. even when they worked together to beat him..


    They still lose.. and I heard he''s been weakened considerably..


    How unfathomable must be his power..


    To make them powerless before him..


    I thought that we could overwhelm him with pure numbers when we offered to help..


    But we were oh so far from the truth..


    Even with our combined might..


    It was futile..


    It was then that I experienced absolute powerlessness against someone for the first time..


    Though in the objective point of view.. it was him against the world..


    But it was then.. that happened..


    The gods had a plan to seal most of his power..


    And we could overwhelm him then..


    Naturally we were overjoyed..


    Until they said that they needed the dragon souls of my brethren..


    The 7 Progenitors couldn''t accept it..


    So we talked about it amongst ourselves..


    "By the authority of 1st Progenitor of the Purgatorial Flame, Sin of Wrath Dragon King.. I move that we accept the terms of the continental gods in order to defeat the One True God.. Any objections?"


    *CRASH*


    A fist broke part of the table.. made of the wood of the World Tree which was said to be the sturdiest of all..


    "Oi, you really think were fine with sacrificing the souls of our brethren? Huh, Arc?"


    A blonde-haired man with detailed features stood up and glared at me..


    This man was the..


    "I, the 3rd Progenitor of the Judgement Lightning, Sin of Pride Dragon King, Regulus Vandersen Aurum, move to object!"


    My best friend.. Reggie..


    "Then, what do you propose we do to solve this dilemma?"


    A black-haired, pale-skinned man who looked ill to the point of death stood up, but spoke in a dignified and questioning tone towards Reggie..


    This was the 7th Progenitor of the Endless Darkness, Sin of Avarice Dragon King, Mortem Vali Siniurge..


    It was rare for him to speak out in these gatherings..


    "Well, uh, we could.. kill them using the combined might of the ultimate skills of the 7 sins.. right?"


    "You know what happened last time right?"


    It was met with a shield-like barrier that the One True God called "Aegis" and got deflected..


    It was silent for a while till someone spoke up..


    A divine presence-like woman spoke words that we couldn''t believe..


    "Then.. why don''t we sacrifice ourselves in place of our dragon brothers?"


    Naturally it was met with opposition, but none could offer better ideas..


    Just as we were about to speak..


    The white-haired woman.. or as we call her, the 6th Progenitor of the Encompassing Light, Sin of Sloth Dragon King, the most mysterious of us all.. since she is usually sleeping.. Luxuria Demarcie Solux stood up and walked to the front with me.. and said..


    "Fellow kings, our brethren are dying everyday.. but they die with pride in battle.. but this is a totally different matter.."


    We wait in bated breath for her next words..


    "Therefore, we use our life force in saving them for their rightful time to die instead of letting our race be eradicated.. as sacrificial pawns for a bet at most, you must think about this.. for the future.."


    She bows to us in a graceful but sincere manner..


    It does seem disadvantageous since our life force is directly connected to our strength..


    But, she does make a valid point..


    And I don''t want to see needless deaths..


    "Well, then.."


    Naturally, it was unanimous..


    But when the day came..


    "Oh, if the dragon kings cooperate, we just need about 50% of life force from each of you since it''s just to seal his power for a short time..."


    The Sun God, Solaris said in a carefree tone..


    So they would have readily bet the lives of our brothers for a window of time?


    How frightening is this opponent we have angered..


    I don''t even really know why he acted now of all times..


    But I tend to live in the present instead of the past..


    "So, let''s get this started then.."


    How I wish I could have gone back to that moment to stop myself from accepting..


    *Grin*


    I saw a slight grin on Polaris'' face for a slight second but I pay it no heed..


    What happened after that was..


    A disaster..


    The place was filled with the stench of blood and the seven bodies littering the ground..


    In the middle of the scene of hell, was a beautiful woman.. dyed red in blood..


    She wielded seven different-colored swords and had an ecstatic expression..


    "Ha.. I feel an omnipotent power welling up within me.. This is amazing.."


    The woman said as she laughed hysterically like a madman..


    Naturally, that woman was Polaris..


    "Why, would, you, do, this?"


    Reggie asked Polaris a very reasonable question considering her actions was more than questionable..


    "Ha? To test my new found power of course, what else could it be?"


    We were dumbfounded.. we were used for that reason..


    But I couldn''t complain.. it was frightening..


    It was a power on par with the One True God, no maybe even more..


    "Fuu, I might be able to punch that bastard''s face in my current state.. haha"


    She looks at each of us one more time..


    "Haha, maybe its time to finish you guys off.."


    But when she was getting closer looking a lot like a grim reaper..


    A tired voice came from behind her..


    "(sigh) That''s enough Polaris.. that was tiring to do.. we have only one chance.. don''t waste your power here.."


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Fine, but I''ll come back for them later.."


    It was Solaris, with Memphis and Avaceris beside her showing tired expressions..


    I see, so they gathered all the condensed dragon force into swords and gave it to Polaris..


    To create an opening.. that''s what she meant..


    "Well, let''s get ready to move ou-*ARGH*"


    Her whole body gets blown away by.. a trumpet?


    No, it''s a trumpet-like weapon now that I take a closer look at it..


    All present have shocked expressions..


    "So he''s here already?"


    Polaris get''s up while shrugging like the attack was just trivial..


    "Well, that makes it easier then!"


    "I see you have been busy Polaris.."


    A deep voice of deep comprehension and dignity resounded in our location..


    What stood there coming out from the rubble and dust..


    Was a little boy..


    A prism-haired little boy with an innocent smile.. but with an out-of-place deep intelligent clear eyes..


    Which seem to comprehend everything in existence.. and more..


    The One True God.. Divinitus Prisma Amadeus..


    "Haha, let''s see you get arrogant with me again!"


    Polaris lunges at him with all 7 swords activated..


    "Hmm.. seems that might pierce me.. how quaint.. dragon king god-slayer swords huh?"


    He looks at us sprawled throughout the ground..


    And smiles calmly..


    Why do I feel so relaxed seeing that smile..


    Why do I feel that somehow everything will be alright..


    Even though were in this hopeless situation..


    "Hmm, you have earned my respect, Dragon Kings.. you don''t need to see what happens when I get serious.."


    He waves his hand towards us and gathers divine energy..


    "See you later"


    The last thing I heard when I suddenly lose consciousness in a bright light with the others..


    Why did the most memorable image burned into my mind then, not the way the seven swords slashed through his "Aegis" and into him, but his childlike smile..


    I awoke to the sound of voices..


    "Oi, why did you do that, you should never wake a sleeping dragon!" (Insignificant Man 1)


    "I didn''t do anything..AH!" (Insignificant Man 2)


    A black hell flame oozed from my body as I stretch out and yawn..


    "Hmm? I seem to have charred some humans black.. well no matter.."


    How long have I been unconscious?


    I have no sense of time as always..


    And so, I went out of the dimly lit labyrinth in human form to gather information..


    What I found out was that more than a decade passed..


    The nagging feeling that I have to meet the others ran through my head..


    Immediately after that, I left..


    I traveled endless lands in search for information on what happened and the whereabouts of my brethren..


    But it seems they are afraid of dragons now.. what exactly happened?


    Throughout my journey, I found that the Gods don''t wage war anymore..


    They must have other plans, but what of the dragons..


    I found close to nil about them through many years of travelling..


    I was about to give up all hope and assume they were dead..


    Till I met.. her..


    A woman causing trouble in the northern lands claiming to be the Lightning Dragon King''s daughter..


    Naturally, people thought she was crazy..


    But, I was glad to finally have a clue..


    Naturally, I had hardships trying to get close to her..


    Mainly because she thought I was a perverted old man..


    But that''s a story for another time..


    Anyway, as we slowly got to know each other, scouring the globe for clues..


    She taught me new things.. little things..


    Like, how to make shelter, sew clothes, talk to people politely, cook food, human culture..


    And the value of life..


    Naturally, I didn''t understand it at first since dragons live longer than most races but I almost forgot..


    She was half-human..


    So she had an appreciation for human will and their values on how never to give up..


    She told me she learned these from her mother with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face..


    I think that was where it started..


    Where I fell in love for the first time..


    Haha, those were fond memories..


    Instead of travelling, after I told her my feelings..


    We settled down in a small cabin in the forest where no one else lives..


    And spent our years making memories of a simple life..


    Naturally, I started to learn to like living peacefully..


    But the call of battle grew stronger each day..


    And I answered it..


    I told her that I would get some supplies alone but.. I lied, for the first time..


    I was going to a Colosseum in town to test battle against opponents to relieve stress but..


    As expected, the guilt ate away at me and I ran back as fast as I could into her arms..


    The arms that held mine, the arms that made me delicious food with me, the arms that held my hand when I was asleep..


    Was cut off..


    Those gentle arms that was part of my whole world was gone..


    Carrying with them my lover''s life force.. and quite possibly mine..


    My heart ached.. and anger surged.. power coursed throughout my entire being..


    I found the one responsible looking at me with dead eyes..


    The one enemy I didn''t want to face..


    "Reggie?"


    "......"


    I was met with silence..


    Various questions passed invaded my mid like wildfire..


    But as expected, I didn''t care about anything till I got rid of this ugly feeling in my chest..


    So, I did it..


    "SIN OF WRATH PURGATORY FLAME FULL ARMAMENT, RELEASE"


    Everything faded to black after that..


    When I came to.. the corpse of the love of my life.. was gone.. along with Reggie..


    I knew I burned everything looking at the aftermath..


    I''m not proud of what I did, but I couldn''t control it.. couldn''t control myself..


    I mean who would, in that situation..


    I spent the next few years mourning and thinking of the memories I had with her, Charlotte..


    So, After much deliberation..


    I rebuilt my cabin to preserve the peaceful life she had gave to me..


    And I resolved myself to wait till it''s my time to follow her to the next life..


    Yes, the life I had was full of hardships..


    And joy, sadness, anger, pity, and everything else..


    But, it was the life I had chosen..


    I just hope that it wasn''t a mistake that the One True God spared me from death long ago..


    There isn''t anything interesting left in this world that you left me in..


    I still ask myself everyday..Why?


    ..


    .....


    ...........


    I hear birds chirping..


    Did I fall asleep again?


    Heh, I really must be getting on years..


    I get up from the shade of the big tree and yawn..


    "Don''t just sit there old man! Help me with this!"


    I turn my head and find a silver-haired, lean little boy with different colored eyes.. gleaming with sweat seeping from his pores due to the fear of death while running around.. frantically being chased by dark beasts with ruby-red eyes and skin steaming from the flames they produced enough to burn the air around them..


    "Haha, You bet! I was just thinking of another spar.."


    He gets surprised and glares at me..


    "That''s not what I mean''t you sadistic old man!"


    "Hey, didn''t I tell you to call me master?"


    "AS IF!!" (Shiruka!)


    As I thought.. he is interesting..


    I still wonder why I''ve been left here..


    But I am a man who lives in the present..


    I pound my fist with my other hand..


    "Yosh, get ready for a new technique!"


    "NOOOO, NOT AGAIN!" (Iyaa-dameda)


    Haha, as expected.. he runs faster than before each time I say that..


    I know my time will come someday..


    But until then, this might be fun too..


    So, I gather draconic mana into my body and..


    I move..

 Chapter 11: Worthless

    Haha, sorry for the wait guys..


    Been busy with RL..


    Anyways, enjoy..


    <hr />


    (Kazuya''s POV)


    The blinding rays of sunlight seep through the tall rock-like buildings..


    It strangely contrasts with the chill of the early morning alleyways..


    At this time of day, you can see a boy with dirty black hair with small horns growing out of his head moving throughout the different paths as if he knows it like the back of his hand..


    "Come back here, you damn thief!"


    Needless to say, that boy was me..


    I run and run like I always do..


    Until I run out of breath, no.. even when that happens, I''ll still continue..


    I mean, there was no other choice, is there?


    It''s been a harsh life so far for me..


    Even more so that I already experienced a fulfilling one..


    Before I got dragged here by that woman..


    In that world, I was known as Tomohiro Kazuya..


    In this one, Reiten..


    In my hands is a handful of fruits and bread that I "borrowed" from that peddler over there..


    I think I finally shook him off..


    It''s to be expected after all, I''ve been here for 5 years already..


    "Ren, you''re back!"


    Oh yeah, my friends call me Ren..


    And by friends, I mean the kids who I got to know in these streets..


    Yes, to be frank, I can call them my only family in this world..


    "Ah, I''m back Zen!"


    This red haired devil(literally) is my best friend, Zenos..


    Me and the others call him Zen, since were practically siblings..


    I hand him the food for him to distribute among us..


    When I came to this world, I''ve been self-aware from the start..


    So, I knew right away I was born as a baby..


    But as I was being born, when they saw my hair..


    They threw me away in an abandoned alleyway..


    It seems they thought I was a bastard child since my parents'' hair was either blue and green..


    And since they did it right away, I didn''t even get the chance to be fed..


    The result was, I starved for 3 days in that alleyway..


    Well, it was to the point where I thought I would die..


    And when all hope was lost, I was saved by a passing old man..


    He was who we later called, our foster father..


    Since these guys were in an orphanage he ran..


    So for 2 years, I grew up in a home..


    It wasn''t much, but I learned to love it..


    But all good things come to an end..


    When the old man died of sickness, our daily lives ended..


    The orphanage was seized by a corrupt official and we were thrown out into the streets like trash..


    But I just thanked my lucky stars I could walk at that time..


    During this time period, we supported each other by any means necessary..


    Eventually I started doing it too.. Stealing, pick-pocketing, tricking nobles, beating other kids, and all other things..


    I''m not proud of it but, if we didn''t..


    We would have died here..


    And I refuse to die a dog''s death at a tender age not even reaching 10 years old..


    So now were back here..


    We ate our fill by carefully sharing it among us 8 kids..


    Yes, eight..


    We were much bigger before, but now..


    I try not to think about it..


    I wonder what I could do to make things better every day.


    The only thing I can do is use this demon body which has a higher specs than a human one..


    Even though I remember the goddess saying something about me being a hero, I don''t get it..


    I don''t even know about these things because I don''t read fantasy stories like these in my old life..


    I was what they called a "riajuu" now that I think about it..


    So I tried to do various experiments by fighting adults..


    To see that I had enhanced abilities..


    The result was, no..


    Not surprising, I got beaten bruised that day..


    So, I pass daily life like this waiting for a miracle..


    I am now 7 years old..


    How I wish I was back in Japan..


    "Yo, what are you sulking about again, Ren?"


    "Oh, nothing, just thinking about the future.."


    "Haha, don''t worry about it.. When we reach 10 years of age, we''ll join the army!"


    "What, no I ain''t joining the demon lord''s army!"


    "Then what are you gonna do with that immense power?"


    "What immense power? (sigh) anyway, I''ll join the traveler''s guild to tour the world!"


    "You still can''t remember huh? Anyway, if you''re going to travel, we''ll all come with you!"


    This guy is always saying this..


    We apparently "met" when he was 3 years old and I was 2 and a half..


    But strangely, I don''t remember how we met..


    He wasn''t originally from the orphanage..


    He said he was captured to be a slave from another land he can''t remember..


    Figures, he was a child back then..


    But he kept saying that I was awesome back then with a huge amount of power..


    "Fine, do what you want.. We are friends.."


    "The very best!"


    I still don''t know what he meant but I hope I find out soon..


    The next few years flew by fast..


    When we were all 10 years old while Zen was 11..


    We registered at the traveler''s guild by using the money we saved..


    We are now on our way to the next town..


    When we got out of the gate, we attracted the stares of people..


    But mostly towards me..


    And they''re keeping their distance..


    Thanks again hair..


    We walked on the rocky uneven road for hours until it became sundown..


    We reach a forest with a clearing inside and stop..


    "We''ll camp out here tonight guys.."


    "Oh, let''s set up the campfire"


    "I''ll start preparations for dinner"


    The dinner was as usual, meager but good nonetheless..


    Since the one who cooked it are the twins Risa and Lisa..


    They both have green hair but different colored eyes..


    Risa has red eyes and Lisa has yellow..


    By the way, mine are total black..


    (sigh) Just like when I was a high school student..


    But I''m glad to have a reliable family..


    When we finished dinner, they went to sleep while me and Zen took first night watch..


    It was indispensable to have to have someone to look out for you in this dangerous world..


    And the fact that we are in a forest..


    A few hours later we heard rustling..


    Man, I wish I was the one sleeping..


    "Wake up! It''s a pack of demonic wolves!"


    Zen shouts to the others to warn them of the impending threat..


    They wake up a few seconds after..


    "No, did they get attracted to the flame?"


    "I think it was the smell of food.."


    The twin sisters seem calm but their legs are shaking..


    Can''t blame them, I want to scream right now..


    But I very well know I can''t..


    Even in this hopeless situation..


    I lock eyes with Zen and we both..


    *NOD*


    I knew he''d understand..


    "Run guys, we''ll keep them distracted!"


    I shout as hard as I can to at least save them from their demise..


    But alas, my words fall on deaf ears..


    They aren''t moving from where they are..


    Almost as if, they were stuck in place..


    But it might be due to the overwhelming pressure of the guy in front..


    Yes, that''s right..


    Demon Wolf Leader, the head of their pack..


    It has a different appearance than the others..


    The blood-red fur with the golden eyes exuding an overbearing stature of 2 meters..


    It''s twice as big as the whole pack..


    It''s overwhelming, more so if we are just newly admitted travelers..


    I want to run..


    Is not what I would say!


    We both dash towards the beast with daggers in hand..


    ....


    ..........


    .........................


    It''s no use..


    Zen got blown away and I have scratches and wounds all over my body..


    It takes all I have just to even stand..


    Why did this have to happen?


    Why did I even get the delusion to travel..


    I fall further into depression and wallow in self-ridicule


    Oh yeah, I remembered that guy from my class..


    That scary guy from my class.. Suzuya


    Or as we called him, Maou..


    He was always alone and made people scared just being near him..


    But he suddenly disappeared one day..


    "Run, Ren!"


    Zen shouts in a hoarse voice..


    But I don''t notice it..


    Wait, did he get sent into this world too?


    It might explain how no one remembered him..


    Well, it was sad living like that..


    Being avoided by everyone around you..


    If it were me, I would have locked myself in my room..


    But how did he even get day to day..


    Even though he had no on to talk to..


    While I had lots of friends..


    And even now, I have people I care about, and they care about me..


    How can I lose? This is silly..


    All I need to do is..


    "KEEP MOVING FORWARD, ME!"


    I shout out loud encouraging myself and the others around me..


    I won''t give in to despair..


    Even if everyone thinks I''m worthless, a bastard child, cursed one, whatever!


    As long as I''m still alive and there are people I care about..


    "I''ll go through hell itself to protect them"


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    I leap forward with reckless abandon..


    I don''t notice the seven colored lights gathering around me..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have used the skill [Sin Gate]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Woah, just like 7 years ago.."


    Zen says incomprehensible things as he always does..


    But I don''t mind it.. that''s just how he is..


    I grab two lights colored blue and yellow respectively..


    And they turn into gleaming long swords exuding powerful presence..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Judgement of Pride Sword] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Punishment of Envy Sword] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Dual-Wielding] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I use them to slice through the wolves..


    It feels like I''m dancing on air..


    I cut through their bodies like paper..


    Finally, I arrive at the boss..


    "Let''s dance, Wolfie!"


    I join the two swords together in an intersecting shape..


    "Your sin must have a fitting punishment.."


    I swing them both at the same time in that position like I was used to doing it..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Sin Cross] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    The wolf gets cut into four pieces and it slowly falls, along with me..


    "Thank goodness.."


    "Ren!"


    "Ren-nii!"


    "Ren-kun!"


    I heard voices as I fade into unconsciousness..


    "Ha, this is only the beginning, My H,e,r,o.."


    And a strangely familiar one at the end..


    <hr />


    (Zenos'' POV)


    I don''t remember where I came from..


    But what I do know is that right now, we are in danger..


    I, and a bunch of other people are trapped in a cage crying out our existences..


    With the outside littered with the stench of blood and death..


    It might be both lucky and unlucky that we are in this cage..


    Let me explain..


    My name is Zenos Aragor, 3 years old..


    I grow faster than most kids my age..


    I might have been a genius..


    Though I can''t remember clearly where I was born..


    All I know is, when I came to.. I was caught by slave traders..


    When we were passing through the mountains..


    We met it..


    A dragon..


    A being only told of in legends..


    I don''t even dare to look at it for more than a second..


    But it was large, fortunately.. it was at a distance from us..


    So, the slave traders picked up the pace and moved faster getting rid of dead weight..


    That''s how much they wanted to get away..


    After a few days we arrived at a road near a forest heading to the town..


    We all thought it would be fine now..


    But we couldn''t be more careless and wrong..


    It appears it followed us here..


    This dragon might be smart..


    In a matter of minutes, it devoured the escorts and the traders themselves..


    Now, were next..


    It tears open the roof of the cages..


    I dash for my life in that small opening at the side..


    It was lucky that I was small..


    I ran away as fast as I could..


    Towards the forest and made it to the clearing..


    It was strange since a little boy was swinging two large swords again and again cutting down leaves in halves and quarter parts, which was scary but I''ve got no time to think about it now..


    I go past him and dive into the bush to hide..


    I''m sorry little boy but I''m too scared to even think..


    "Hmm?"


    The boy notices me in the bush and stares at me with a surprised look on his face..


    He has black hair and eyes that seem to suck you into them..


    I don''t notice any horns though..


    Is he still a child?


    I''m a three year-old and I already have little stumps on my head..


    But as I was questioning that.. it appeared..


    The large dragon notices the boy and stops in the edge of the clearing..


    As does the boy as he turns his head at what I was looking at..


    "Hou?"


    He grins..


    What?


    Who can grin in the face of a dragon?


    "Good timing, I was thinking of testing the limits on this body.."


    A low metallic voice comes out from his mouth..


    Very unlikely to have come from a child..


    This kid is weird..


    What is he saying?


    Is he thinking of fighting against a dragon?


    As I was thinking that..


    "[Sin Gate]"


    Seven colored lights appear around him like a rainbow myriad of rays..


    He takes out a black and white sword and holds it in his hands..


    Glaring at the dragon..


    He swings..


    And the dragon had countless wounds all over his body.. along with a dozen trees falling down in rapid succession..


    It happened in an instant..


    "[Seal of the 6th Sin]"


    Chains wrap around the dragon''s body and disappears like it was an illusion..


    "Well, I guess in the present state.. I could only seal most of its power.. but it''s a good result for the first test"


    The dragon had fear in its eyes and flapped his giant wings as fast as he could..


    To get away from this monster..


    "Amazing!"


    "Fufu, right? *Ugh* It seems I used too much power.."


    "Huh?"


    "This body still can''t handle it.. You, boy bring me to the alleyways in the town and find girls named Risa or Lisa, or anyone of those brats..Fuu, time''s up.."


    With that, he falls down to the ground..


    I certainly heard that..


    So I carry him up on my back towards the town..


    I''m quite excited to live life with this guy..


    In fact, I think I just found a lifelong friend..


    Yes, a friend who can drive away a dragon..


    And might possibly change the world..


    <hr />


    Again, Slashcrit here.. Thanks for reading and next chapter will be about or main MC next time..


    Don''t forget to rate, review and comment on my story to improve it..


    Till next time..

 Chapter 12: The Final Test

    I find myself moving through the scenery of my old neighborhood..


    In my hometown where I grew up in..


    "Jun"


    I see a little girl with a hat calling out to me..


    "Jun, come on, hurry up!"


    But strangely I don''t remember who she is..


    "Mou, you''re always so slow when running"


    I can''t help it you know..


    Wait, how does she know I''m slow..


    Does she know me?


    "Well, it can''t be helped then, here.."


    She slowly grabs my hand with hers..


    I look at it closely and find that it''s so small and fragile..


    Like it will break when I just touch it..


    But the funny thing is..


    It doesn''t..


    Because I also know that I have the same little hand..


    Grabbing on tight to hers like I never want to let go..


    "Hehe, hold on tight Jun, let''s go!"


    I might not know this girl..


    But I know for sure that I enjoy being with her..


    *CRASH*


    *CRACKLE*


    What?


    What the heck happened?


    One minute I''m in the sidewalks in the residential area..


    And now, where am I?


    "It''s dark"


    I say in a carefree manner..


    "Just like you, 10 years ago.."


    Strange, I don''t remember thinking anyone would answer my small comment..


    "Who are you?"


    I shout to the strange voice..


    "Does it really matter who I am?"


    "What do you want from me then?"


    "Nothing, just wanted to know if you''ve forgotten what you did is all.."


    "What I did?"


    "Oh, it seems I was right on the money.."


    "Stop playing games, what do you wanna say?"


    "You really don''t remember, huh?"


    "Remember who?"


    I get a bad feeling like I might just regret what I said..


    "Kirishima Mizuki"


    "What, I don''t know what you''re talking about.."


    But that name sounds vaguely familiar..


    "Still playing dumb, huh? Well, it''s fine.. let me help you refresh your memory then, consider it as an overdue present.."


    After the mysterious voice says that, I hear a snapping of two fingers reverberating throughout the space..


    And what happened next..


    *UGH*


    Memories..


    Painful memories..


    From years ago..


    I was bombarded with it..


    How could I forget..


    This curse shook away the only friend I had..


    The only one who didn''t push me away..


    The one who liked me for what I am..


    The one who understood my pain of loneliness..


    And saved me with her words..


    {"It''s okay, If people treated you like that, It might have been a good thing.."


    "Huh? Why is that a good thing?"


    "Because if they didn''t.."


    "?"


    "I would have never met you.."}


    And that smile was the single most thing that kept me going through those years..


    "But you threw it all away didn''t you?"


    The voice speaks again, but this time, in a condescending tone..


    "No, you''re wrong!"


    I try to voice my opinion but to no avail..


    "Save it, you abandoned her when she needed you!"


    "..."


    I can''t refute that argument because I know it was true..


    "You make me sick.."


    "I didn''t mean for that to happen, I just-"


    "Oops, I''ll hear your excuses next time, I still see you haven''t changed.. Well, enjoy yourself now because it''s not going to last very long.."


    "Wait, You didn''t tell me your name!"


    "See ya.. Jun.."


    The darkness disappears like magic..


    ..


    ......


    ...........


    I open my eyes..


    Only to be blinded by the bright light coming from the window..


    "(sigh)"


    I let out a great sigh to no one in particular since I''m in my own room..


    I''ve been having that dream more often than I should..


    But I can''t seem to remember the whole thing when I wake up..


    The one thing I clearly recall is that voice..


    The voice that calls me over-familiarly..


    And the one who calls me Jun..


    "Oi, you awake, Orion!"


    The door slams open without warning and  an imposing figure is standing in the middle of the doorway..


    "Don''t be so loud in the mornings old man!"


    Naturally, that old man I was referring to was my teacher and master, Arc-shishou.. but I''m never going to admit nor tell him that to his face..


    "(sigh) Didn''t I always remind you to call me Master? It''s like this every morning now.."


    "I never once nor will I ever want to call you that, stupid old man.."


    I say it in an irritated-just-woke-me-up-for-work-on-a-Monday voice..


    Wait, it is Monday..


    "Anyway, I made breakfast so wash up and lets get ready for a new day!"


    Ignored? Staying positive? Dense as a brick?


    He''s always over-hyped everyday, where the heck does he get all his energy from..


    Well, I can think of one thing..


    But that''s a story for another time..


    But his breakfasts are always so good..


    Albeit frustrating, I think today''s going to be a great day..


    But after every breakfast..


    "Fine, it''s just gonna be another day of hellish training am I right?"


    Yes, everyday for me is hell since I started training under him..


    No, I''m not lazy..


    Well, not as lazy as people promising to stay fit and healthy and always putting it off tomorrow till it never ends..


    But I pride myself in surviving that ordeal day after day..


    Ever since I started training 12 years ago, I''ve been through just about every torture method possible..


    It was grueling..


    And no, not that kind of torture, you sick-minded perverts..


    I mean training regimens that strain my body to its limits..


    I was just spared between the border of life and death every single day..


    But amazingly enough, I recover faster the next day every time I do it..


    So I can''t blame him for his methods..


    Because I am now, unfortunately used to it..


    But it isn''t gonna stop me from being mad about how he treats me when it begins..


    He might look like a friendly, caring old man now but..


    When training commences, He changes, just like that..


    When he taught me the "proper" way of holding a sword and his "Purgatory Style" swordsmanship..


    Let,s just say I couldn''t even lift my spoon the next day..


    When he released his summoned beasts or as he calls them "Hellflame Familiars"..


    Can''t say I disagree with that name..


    But he made them chase and try to kill me for half a day..


    And naturally, I run away while trying to hit them with various attacks like [Aura Sphere] about a million times already and still it doesn''t put a dent in them..


    So it further supports the idea of running while thinking of a way to at least hold on until the time limit...


    But when it was over, you know what he always said to me?


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Let''s Spar!"


    No mercy..


    Was it wrong for me to expect a friendly smile whilst carrying a towel and a bottle of water saying to me while patting my shoulder, "Good Job", Huh? Is it too much to ask? Is there no compassion in his body?


    I mean he puts the "Spar" in "Spartan" cause he is gonna be the death of me someday..


    That''s what I thought back then but I''m still alive aren''t I?


    ..


    ...


    .....


    No scratch that, I still do think that until today..


    And he also didn''t get surprised by me having aura magic by not giving a fuss about it..


    Not only that, he taught me how to use it to create various weapons and different magic..


    He did it by showing me images and the processing of magic power into the surroundings converging to one point by using what he called his "Dragonic Mana".. It was actually pretty easy to understand..


    Except he didn''t expect me to get it on my first try though..


    I think I heard his muffled sobs and sighs in the middle of the night, but I''m taking that to the grave..


    Now because of that, I can make swords skillfully without any materials for the cost of just a small amount of magic power.. No, don''t call me a cheater just yet..


    Because I also learned how to enhance my limbs and muscles with aura..


    Yes, I have muscles of course..


    I''m now 15 years of age in this world after all..


    The same age as that of the other world..


    Wait a minute, does that mean I''m a thirty-year-old-man?!?!


    Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good, Not good....


    (sigh)


    I got sidetracked there..


    No, get it out of your head..


    I''m still a young man..


    I''m not an ossan just yet..


    It''s just that this is different..


    That is that and this is this..


    Right..


    Yosh, Believe in yourself, Me!


    Phew, now that I''m done encouraging myself I can get back to what I was saying..


    Huh? Self-suggestion? Hypnotism? Delusional Middle-aged Man?


    No, no, who are you talking to? I know nothing of the sort..


    And who is that guy who keeps breaking my spirit?


    I''ll cry you know?


    Anyway, I can strengthen my legs so I can move at a speed of a bullet train at maximum..


    Pretty cheat-like right?


    But I can also enhance my muscles to be as hard as steel so ordinary weapons couldn''t even hurt me, I think..


    Well, that''s what the old man told me anyway..


    And I can regenerate small wounds willingly now or unconsciously when I''m asleep..


    How else could I survive hell each day?


    Did you think I was God?


    No, I think Melquista is enjoying watching me struggle everyday..


    Someday, I''ll knock his smug face in..


    So I decided to call this skill [Regenerative Aura]


    Pretty cool name for someone like me..


    The chuunibyou is strong with this one..


    But enough about that..


    I suddenly notice the air has become colder..


    Then I realize that this old man, no Arc-shishou is not in his usual demeanor today..


    I stare into his eyes like they had the fires of determination looking straight at mine..


    Burning away my tiredness and pushing idle thoughts far away..


    And triggering my survival instinct in a matter of seconds..


    He''s serious today..


    I wait for his next words in bated breath..


    "Orion, Training ends today.. It''s finally time.."


    I didn''t hear the voice of an old man living in the woods..


    I heard the regal voice of a ruler filled to the brim with pride and dignity..


    "Time for what?"


    "Your final trial"


    "What ..is it?"


    I had a lump in my throat but I still forced the words out..


    And his next words put something in me that struck fear but at the same time, excitement..


    "A death match"


    *Gulp*


    I guess today wasn''t gonna be a great day, huh?


    Just my luck..


    <hr />


    Hello, Slashcrit here..


    Just wanted to say sorry for all the late updates.. since it''s class time, didn''t have time since I''m in the field of medicine so it''s not that easy to make time..


    Not making excuses, just might update this story if I have free time..


    Thank you for reading! Don''t forget to rate, review and suggest anything you got on your mind!


    Till next time~

 Chapter 13: Getting Serious

    The blazing heat from the sun..


    Directly clashes with the atmosphere..


    Contrasting the chilling morning breeze..


    The silent space inside a forest..


    A circular area at its center..


    Usually demon beasts parade this area like it was their front yard..


    They attack anything and anyone who enters their domain..


    The place not for the weak of heart..


    Rouzier Forest..


    But strangely the entire forest is quiet..


    It''s strangely calming..


    ..


    .....


    ..............


    LIKE HELL IT IS!!!


    To to be frank, I want to leave right now!


    As in, run for the hills right at this second or even sooner..


    My hands are sweaty..


    My back itches..


    The hairs on my body are standing in attention..


    Ah, I''m running away from reality again..


    But isn''t it fine?


    Hmm? What am I whining about?


    Well, first of all..


    I''m not whining..


    This is a perfectly normal reaction to have in this situation!


    No, I don''t have time for this..


    The reason for it is right in front of me..


    An imposing old man is there..


    Glaring with a serious face..


    Releasing mana like it was endless..


    That horrendous torrent is the main reason why the demon beasts stayed as far away as they can..


    I wouldn''t blame them..


    For you see, from a third-person''s perspective..


    This situation is just a young man getting reprimanded by his grandfather..


    But you couldn''t be so far from the truth..


    After breakfast, which I ate as slow as I can by the way..


    Savoring each bite and every flavor..


    Since it might have been my last meal..


    Because I don''t think that if I die a second time, I''ll be so lucky to be reborn again..


    And you didn''t forget about my luck stat right?


    Un, Do you get it yet?


    He hasn''t said a thing since after he declared that absurd word..


    Death Match..


    What is that scary thing?


    Can I eat it?


    "Are you prepared now?"


    Scary..


    This old man..


    But he finally spoke..


    Well, I would have too, since we''ve been staring at each other for 2 hours already..


    This might be a good time to ask..


    "Um, why do you want to do this old man?"


    A timid voice comes out of my sore throat..


    "Hou, nervous? No matter, it''s just time to let you show me what you''ve learned after all these years is all.."


    "Then, isn''t a death match going too far?"


    "No, a real person''s strength comes out only at two times.."


    "Two?"


    "Umu, When they are protecting someone other than themselves and when they are in the face of death.."


    Iyadaa, Is this a shounen martial arts anime?


    I really think this is a pain..


    "I-I see.."


    "So now, show me the accumulation of your training!"


    "Eh?"


    I let out a stupid voice..


    *SWOOSH*


    *CRASH*


    *BOOM*


    I barely managed to react to that..


    I didn''t know that those words were the signal to start..


    I turn my head to my back and see..


    "It''s a..lie right?"


    The thick trees that looked like rampart walls towering above us were felled to the ground..


    The ground caved in itself and dust and sand clouds gathered to the sides..


    The destruction lasted for 10 meters from the sword range..


    What the heck, I could''ve been chopped off like butter then..


    This is bad, This old man isn''t playing around anymore..


    "Oh, you dodged that huh? I would expect nothing less from my disciple!"


    "Were you trying to chop my head off?!?"


    "Of course not!"


    "That''s a lie and you know it!"


    "No, I was planning to separate your torso in half you know?"


    I think I''m gonna be sick..


    But this is really not good..


    "Well, here I go again!"


    He appears in front of me in an instant..


    And swings his sword in rapid succession in unpredictable movements..


    A normal person would have been sliced into pieces seemingly like going through a cheese grater..


    Since "Purgatory Style" of swordsmanship is designed to deliver a swift trip to the afterlife..


    Such a fitting name..


    But I''m not an ordinary person..


    Even though the sword''s movements are quick and come from unimaginable angles..


    I still dodge every single stroke with minimum movements..


    Since I learned every single move of this style, I can dodge at a hair''s breadth..


    An untrained eye couldn''t even follow the speed of these movements..


    But I ingrained it deep into my very bones..


    The preliminary movements..


    The placing of the feet..


    The twisting of the wrists and body..


    And the demeanor of the swordsman..


    All the things that determine the next move..


    "Hora, you can''t just keep dodging you know?"


    "And why shouldn''t I?"


    "Well, I''m still warming up anyway.. Let''s see how far you can take this!"


    As he spoke those words, a red glint appeared in his eyes..


    "[Partial Transformation]"


    "[Sin of Wrath Sword]"


    With chant-like words, he activated a skill, after he invoked it, black flames covered his arms..


    Engulfing the sword with it..


    After the flames dissipated, ruby-red gleaming scales shined against the sunlight..


    His already thick arms grew bigger and stronger with deep dark claws coming out from where his fingernails should be..


    And the mithril great sword transformed into an imposing red long sword with black metallic luster at its apex, edges and the handle was releasing a tremendous amount of mana..


    "If you don''t want to die, Fight back, Orion!"


    Was I imagining it..


    Or did he get even faster than before..


    It takes my all to strain my enhanced senses to follow his rhythm and flow which has completely changed from before..


    "Guah!"


    The sword made a direct hit to my unguarded backside..


    How in the heck did he get there so quick?


    I got blown forward towards the giant trees..


    After about the 3rd tree, I stopped..


    Ugh, good thing I at least made an [Aura Barrier] before I got blown away..


    If not, it would have all ended there..


    I stagger slowly to stand up but then..


    How did he get here so fast?


    It''s 20 meters you know?


    Are you a certain biological weapon for assassination?


    Mach 20 speed, are you kidding me?


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I barely sidestep away 2 meters away purely on instinct..


    Ah, the trees are getting blown away again..


    The demon beasts are going to be homeless you know?


    But that''s enough of that..


    It seems he''s really trying to kill me..


    I might not like the old man since he treats training as fun and he tortures me with a smile..


    But I sure as hell do respect him..


    And it wouldn''t do for me to take it easy if he''s going this far..


    It''s time for me to fight back!


    As a sign of respect!


    But I won''t admit it here!


    I''m not a tsundere!


    Oops got sidetracked there..


    Anyway, time to activate my skills..


    "If you want a fight, then I''ll give you a fight old man!"


    "That''s exactly what I want! (Nozomu Tokorou!)"


    I gather my aura and spread it towards my nerves and muscles..


    "[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance],[Aura Enhance]"


    "Hou, Going for your limits huh?"


    "I''m not done yet!"


    "I would expect nothing less!"


    "[Simultaneous Activation], [Aura Amplification], [Aura Sword Creation], [Aura Boost], [Aura Barrier], [Dragon Slayer''s Aura], [Holy Aura], [Yin-yang Aura], [Vice Aura], [Regenerative Aura], [Fatal Wounds Aura], [Beast Aura], [Purgatorial Aura], [Blade Aura], [Scaled Aura], [Daylight Aura], [Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere],[Aura Sphere]"


    My body gets filled with power..


    It''s surging with deep magic power that I have trouble holding it in..


    I know this looks like overkill but I at least need this much to compete with him seriously..


    In fact, this is the first time I activated this much different skills simultaneously..


    I wonder if there is any limit to the skill [Simultaneous Invocation] that I learned a while ago..


    Except for the strange thing that I can only activate a skill that can be repeated 15 times..


    Last year it was 14 times, and the year before that, it was 13..


    Does it have anything to do with age?


    Well, no matter..


    I really feel strong right now..


    Even though I know that less than half of my Magic Power has been consumed..


    I feel a powerful omnipotence coming from these skills..


    Like I have this feeling that I can gain something with a little more effort..


    It''s on the tip of my tongue but I can''t explain it in words..


    It''s just there..


    I''m sure of it..


    "Hou, that power and expression reminds me of my younger days of showing off.."


    I''m surprised that I found myself grinning..


    Do I really think I can beat the old man?


    Well, there''s only one way to find out..


    "Fuuuuuuuuuuu"


    I take a long deep breath..


    And release it slowly..


    I can feel nothing..


    And at the same time, I can feel everything..


    This is one of the effects of [Yin-yang Aura]..


    A torrent of colors burst from my being and dye the [Aura Sword] that I made grayish in color..


    I''m terribly calm..


    It''s funny how I got nervous at first..


    It''s almost like a far-off memory now..


    Here I go..


    "Let''s do this old man!"


    "Haha, I''m all fired up!"


    Our bodies blurred and disappeared in the next moment..


    But really, me and the old man are sprinting at full speed towards each other..


    I see him in the split-second time difference that he is holding it in his famous Demon-cutter sword stance..


    While I twirl my sword at my sides to build up momentum..


    In the next moment, two swords clash..


    <hr />


    Hey Guys, Slashcrit here..


    It''s getting heated up! I''m excited and I hope you guys are too..


    I''m not used to battle scenes so please bear with me..


    Next time, the various tricks and the main battle unfolds..


    Thanks for reading..

 Chapter 14: Breaking Limits

    *SWOOSH*


    The sound of objects slicing through the air..


    For a split second, absolute silence..


    The next..


    *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*


    Sonic booms are heard in rapid succession..


    The cause?


    Two swords that move at a speed where it isn''t strange to have broken the sound barrier..


    In fact, that''s just what they did..


    One was a fiery-red sword with black luster..


    With flames released, it showed burning ambition and passion..


    The 1st Progenitor Dragon King''s prided weapon, "Sin of Wrath Sword"


    It practically embodies the flame itself..


    The intense heat generated is said to scorch the frozen tundras and melt even diamonds..


    Is swung in a horizontal slash..


    The other, a clear grayish-silver sword that looked like it was decorated with pure simplicity..


    The size of this sword might make you think it was heavier than average..


    But this sword was special..


    And at the same time not..


    For its unique attribute was the fact that it was weightless..


    Only those who are in tune with the flow of aura can even hold its ethereal presence...


    One of the swords created with [Aura Sword Creation] melded with [Yin-yang Aura]


    Swung in a diagonal arc releasing not even a iota of magic power..


    For it retains it within the weapon..


    Condensed aura energy in blade form..


    Its creator usually calls these swords [Nameless Aura Swords]..


    For he didn''t care about naming that much..


    Or he was just lazy, it''s irrelevant..


    Both arcs might look beautiful if you have the means to keep up with their speed..


    When the blades meet each other..


    *CLANG* *BOOM* *CRASH*


    *STRIKE* *STRIKE* *SWOOSH* *CLANG* *BOOM*


    The next moment, both of the scenery at their backs disappeared like magic..


    But what really happened was the ground made a semicircular arc and gouged everything uproot and got blown apart..


    But the people in question didn''t notice one bit..


    And even if they did..


    They still wouldn''t care..


    Since a second after the first clash, they broke away from each other..


    And the next moment, brought their swords against the opponent again..


    And again..


    Dodging slashes..


    Felling trees in the process..


    Aura Spheres bombarding the area..


    Craters are formed and deform the surroundings..


    Reading their opponents next move using their senses..


    Dirt, blood and sweat is released during the course of the high-speed battle..


    But they never look away from each other''s eyesight..


    If there was an audience that could have noticed this, they would be amazed..


    Even though the attacks of both could come from any direction..


    They don''t let the other out of their sights..


    The repeated clanging and sonic booms reverberate throughout the forest..


    It might not even be called a forest anymore after this..


    Since 20 meters around them, the trees are nowhere to be found..


    You can hear demon beast''s cries and death throes while some are screaming while running for their lives..


    Away from the monstrous spectacle which is happening right in the center of their former territory..


    And the strangest thing of all is that..


    Even though normally the older one would be calm and the younger is frantic..


    It''s the exact opposite..


    *CRASH*


    *BREAK*


    It happened again..


    The young man''s sword might be powerful enough to match the opponent''s..


    But the strain of keeping itself condensed while fending off the sword imbued with a dragon''s strength is nothing short of an impossible challenge..


    But every time the result doesn''t change..


    After it breaks, he throws away the sword while keeping his opponent in check using [Aura Sphere]..


    After it touches the ground, it disperses into small particles that shine in gray light..


    Then it turns pure white after and goes to the now-empty hand and in turn, covered with black aura..


    Materializing itself into a blade-shape and finally turns back to gray..


    All this in the short span of 5 seconds..


    And the weird thing about it was that the young man looks calm and indifferent with red and blue eyes that look like gems but inside is a deep abyss where the pupils are supposed to be present, in what you call a "poker face"


    In contrast with the old man with a huge grin on his face showing 2 fangs which were not there before showing an ecstatic expression swinging his sword in different angles crashing into the ground if he misses but he doesn''t seem to mind it that much since he just picks it up just as fast as he swung it before..


    The endless repeating actions..


    No one even knows how much time has passed..


    But what they do know is..


    They have reached a stalemate..


    But after a few exchanges, things start to tip in one''s favor..


    When the old man swung his sword like he would many times already, something happened..


    Even though the young man was calm, he let his guard down slightly since he got used to crossing swords..


    He never expected it..


    Which is why he got blown away..


    *BOOM* *CRASH*


    *GUHAA*


    The young man vomited blood like a fountain..


    Countless wounds appeared on his skin bleeding although it was tempered to even mimic the toughness of steel..


    But his demeanor didn''t change..


    It was like he was wearing a mask..


    A normal person''s heart would be beating as fast as it could right now..


    But his was terribly calm and collected..


    In fact, his heart rate at the moment was slower than normal..


    The next moment, bright green light was released from his body..


    After a few seconds, the wounds recovered like time turned back for him..


    He slowly stood up and said with an indifferent face..


    "That''s the first time I saw that move, you tricky old man(tanuki-ojiisan).."


    His demeanor might have stayed the same..


    But if one looks closer, you can see he said it in an annoyed and mocking tone..


    "What do you expect, I told you I was getting serious and I am, a dragon in case you forget again.."


    The old man said it while showing his fangs and pure white teeth grinning..


    What happened was that after the swords connected, the old man twisted his waist and..


    "I guess I did let my guard down thinking you didn''t have..that"


    While pointing to it, what appeared was..


    A tail..


    A red-scaled dragon tail coming out of his backside..


    It was what caught him surprised and swung towards his unguarded torso, blowing him away..


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Ha, do you want to throw in the towel now?"


    In a condescending manner he said it..


    But deep inside, he didn''t really want a boring thing such as surrendering willingly..


    In these moments he went back to his younger years..


    Where he battled every single day..


    For fights for each other''s lives are wagered..


    And the sound of battle is all that fills his ears..


    Where every place was a battlefield..


    The times when he truly felt alive..


    He hasn''t forgotten it''s taste even after all these years..


    It might be a trial for his student..


    But for him, it was salvation..


    From all the things in the material plane..


    Battle was his favorite..


    And he couldn''t delude himself anymore..


    He wanted to have a match without regrets with the boy in front of him..


    The disciple he is proud of..


    The one he believes will change the entire world turning its laws by its head..


    And he only needs to see his determination to use his strength for the greater good..


    "Like hell I will just lay down and die!"


    As expected, He taught him well..


    Well now that he confirmed his resolution..


    "It''s not fair for you to be the only one showing resolve! I have my own way to let you see that I''m serious as well!"


    A bright red and black light with searing heat covers the old man..


    "SIN OF WRATH PURGATORY FLAME FULL ARMAMENT, RELEASE"


    The flame melds together into a reddish black flame and further turns into pure blue clear flame..


    This spreads in a 1 meter radius around the user and scorches the area around it like it was lava..


    Or even hotter than that..


    Since the ground around the flames are imploding in itself making a circular cut in the earth..


    After a few moments, the flames burn up into the atmosphere and leaves in its place..


    A shining luster of white and blue armor..


    With full plated helmet, arms with claws at the end of them looking sharp..


    And what looks to be clear mettalic dragon wings and a tail..


    With red eyes coming out from the visor looking straight in the direction of the young man..


    Exuding an abnormal amount of power that might make it look like stares can kill..


    When the young man looked at this form he thought..


    I normally thought an incarnation of Wrath would be more demonic-looking but what is with this cool-looking armor?


    As he always does, he usually thinks of things irrelevant to the present situation..


    It might be a defense mechanism for you see..


    Even in the face of death itself, he remains indifferent..


    Or so at first glance..


    But you notice that beads of sweat are flowing down from his pores..


    Which meant he was very afraid of the strange entity..


    "Old man! Is this what you meant by resolve?"


    ".."


    He is met by silence..


    But the silent rage is scarier than saying anything at all..


    The young man who found this strange..


    Decided not to mind it..


    Because if he didn''t move on..


    He would definitely die without even a corpse nor ashes left..


    If this continues, he would surely be crushed like a bug..


    He knew his current self can''t win against Wrath himself..


    But he couldn''t just surrender..


    But in fact, he thought he would if he could..


    All in vain though, since he knew if he did, he''d just be culled mercilessly..


    And he wanted to avoid that "bad end" very much..


    So he said..


    "I guess I really don''t have a choice, huh?"


    There was something he had up his sleeve..


    Something he developed over these 12 years of hell..


    Which he never told nor showed the old man..


    His last resort..


    A skill he made to release his untapped potential for a short span of time..


    And a skill tree that is usable during that period..


    When he used it in the past, he couldn''t test its full power..


    Due to the fact that no beast in the area could match him..


    When he enters this state..


    That day, most of the demon beasts got massacred for experiment..


    Poor, poor guinea pigs..


    After that, he never used it again due to the high energy consumption rate and painful recoil..


    But if he didn''t use it now, he would surely regret it..


    So he gathered his courage and said..


    "It''s now or never!"


    He inhaled a surge of air with a big breath..


    "[Aura Limiter Surge]"


    He felt his body growing stronger by the second and his senses further heightened..


    His Aura Points doubled, tripled and kept growing..


    Then he condensed his aura skills into one and activated his ultimate skill..


    "[Aura Convergence]"


    The clashing of different auras condensed into one core and is placed at the center of his soul..


    This skill gathers every aura-based skill into one and is a skill not even at its peak since it can still grow further..


    The number of aura skills gathered determines its strength..


    A bright light of rainbow-colored prisms surrounded the young man''s body and clad itself around him..


    His aura now looked so bright it was almost divine..


    Meanwhile in the barely conscious thoughts of Arcveil..


    That power is almost like that guy..


    He couldn''t control his current form anymore but he could still see what was going on with pure willpower..


    The last time he saw that was deep within his hazy memories but it was the only thing he clearly recalls..


    Divinitus Prisma Amadeus..


    "Now, let''s give it our all, old man!"


    "..."


    No one answered but the armored entity moved as fast as sound towards the young man..


    But the young man expected this..


    The air trembles around him and at the next moment..


    "Take this! [Unlimited Aura Blades]!"


    The sky was filled with different-colored aura swords glittering, refracting the light from the sun into the opponent..


    But the armored knight was unfazed..


    The young man swung his arm down and hundreds of blades fell down into one place..


    The location of the enemy..


    "[Aura Lock]"


    ".."


    The wings of the knight spread out and further exuded his dignified presence..


    While simultaneously making his movement even faster..


    The blades moved even faster towards the enemy and got closer and closer..


    While the dragon-knight swung his giant claws at the young man..


    Who was surprised at how quick his enemy reached his range..


    In the next moment, blood flowed..


    <hr />


    Cliffs, cliffs everywhere..


    Sorry, not sorry..


    Don''t forget to rate, review and comment about the story so far..


    What happens next?


    Find out next time~


    Thanks so much for reading!

 Chapter 15: Overdue Realization

    *DRIP*


    *DRIP* *DRIP*


    A murky red liquid flows outward..


    Into the scorched earth around it..


    Making a puddle before anyone could notice..


    Drops became bigger and bigger until..


    *GUHAA*


    A wave of blood spurts out from different parts of the body..


    Likening it to a broken dam..


    It just keeps going and going..


    And then, the body drops..


    Whose body?


    Of course, the armored old man..


    What, you thought I would be ripped apart for a second there?


    I''m really not trustworthy am I?


    Anyway, to explain in simple terms on what happened..


    The old man had tenacity, I''ll give him that..


    He made it to my range before I could react..


    And that''s saying something..


    But while he was using his claws adorned with pale blue flames straight at me..


    I noticed it..


    It was only a minor detail but..


    That moment, I found its weakness..


    I didn''t even know if it could work that time..


    But I was going to die if I didn''t make that gamble..


    What I found strange was his movements..


    There was no preliminary movements..


    There wasn''t even technique behind his strike..


    He purely attacked me with just raw power and speed..


    Not that there''s anything wrong with that of course..


    But in all the years I watched the old man..


    I never saw him forsake his technique for pure power..


    Because what he always told me was..


    {"Power alone cannot make you strong"}


    Of course I never did understand what he meant..


    Until now..


    Because I noticed his blaring weakness..


    I knew he had forsaken all defensive methods..


    All for making his attack much more stronger..


    Thus, I drew a conclusion..


    When he invoked what he called [Full Armament]..


    He couldn''t control himself..


    The armored knight was just a pure being condensed with wrathful flames..


    No emotions..


    No techniques..


    An empty shell..


    Which is why I used one of the techniques of the [Purgatory Style] against it..


    One where I redirected his focus on one spot and sidestepped at the same moment..


    This technique was very effective against those who believed in their power the most..


    The [Flow Step] was its name..


    But I never thought I would have needed to use it against the old man..


    Speaking of the old man..


    He is now lying on his chest breathing heavily..


    The armor broke and conflagurated into the atmosphere when it separated from the host..


    The state he is in is horrible..


    Literally dozens of swords are piercing his whole backside..


    Those swords were my aura swords of course..


    Slowly they were disappearing into particles..


    And gathering into my core..


    By core, I mean my [Aura Core]..


    It''s a passive skill when I use [Aura Convergence]..


    This is where the gathered aura is stored and melded together..


    And it also gathers aura from the surrounding 10 meter radius..


    Meanwhile that old man sure did a lot of damage..


    When I look to the front of the old man where I used to be standing..


    I am wide-eyed..


    I can''t call it anything except..


    "A disaster.."


    The entire area is scorched..


    The green trees, flowers and grass are now nowhere to be found..


    Absolute devastation..


    Black rocky substances that you couldn''t even call earth anymore..


    With molten rocks and flames decorate the pathway..


    This is evident as far as I can see..


    And I can tell you now, in this present state..


    I can see very, very far..


    Scary..


    Was I going to be like that?


    Burned out of existence?


    No way, I wouldn''t accept that kind of ending..


    I''m really relieved I saw that opening..


    Because if I didn''t..


    Just call me Mr. Ash


    No, I don''t even think ash would remain..


    Okay, that''s enough negative thinking..


    The last sword disappears into particles..


    I move closer to the old man, still not letting my guard down..


    Yes, I''m not that stupid..


    *Groan*


    "Old man!"


    I grab the old man''s shoulders and face him upright..


    He really looks terrible..


    Wait, that''s rude..


    Well, forget it..


    He has countless bleeding gashes and blood coming out of his mouth and eyes..


    It''s like a horror movie..


    No, that''s even ruder..


    "....Orion.."


    "What is it?"


    Even though it''s painful to move, he forces himself to grin..


    Scary..


    With blood coming out of his eyes and mouth..


    He grins widely..


    Okay, I''m getting lost in idle thoughts again..


    "Fuuhahaha, you really have grown, haven''t you?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?"


    Is this what I think it is?


    "You''re not that overconfident bratty kid anymore, huh..No wait, you''re still bratty even now.."


    "Haha, not as worse as you, you sadistic old man.."


    I feel my eyes getting hot..


    "Hmm? Oi, a man shouldn''t cry like that!"


    "What...what are you talking about? Are you making fun of me again?"


    I say that in a louder voice to hide my inner turmoil..


    This is bad..


    Even though I didn''t start it..


    I still did this..


    Why now..


    Why at this time, I''m thinking about it this much..


    Why did I do this..


    I finally realize the situation now that my head''s cleared up..


    All that adrenaline is now nonexistent at this moment..


    And like my inner dam broke, tears flowed out..


    And I could do nothing to stop them..


    Why..


    Why did I have to fight the old man..


    Why did it have to come to this..


    Why, why, why..


    I close my eyes even though I know its futile to try to stop the endless waterworks..


    *Pat*


    I suddenly feel a rugged hand on my head..


    Ruffling my hair..


    It''s calming me down for some strange reason..


    I remember this..


    He always did this when I started my training..


    After each day of hell..


    He''d cook me a delicious meal..


    Then I doze off because of fatigue..


    Then he carries me to my bed and tucks me in..


    And never forgets to pat my head and say..


    {"I''m proud of you"}


    Words no one else have said to me even in the other world..


    It always had been the thing that calmed me down the most..


    I try my hardest to open my eyes..


    And what I saw was..


    A gentle smile..


    That smile he never showed me whenever I was awake..


    The smile that he keeps to himself to hide his nice side..


    The thing that tells me, it''s okay to keep living..


    I hazily remember a smile just like this before..


    But I don''t seem to recall it that clearly..


    "You''re blaming yourself again..That''s your bad habit you know?"


    I can''t..


    This old man..


    I didn''t know until now how much he meant to me..


    Saving me from dying of hypothermia while I was flowing down the river..


    Taking care of me in an unknown place filled with danger..


    Making meals for me..


    Keeping me warm..


    Talking to me..


    Having fun times joking around..


    Well, maybe I have known all along..


    When I think this would be the last time we could do those things, I..


    Realized for the first time..


    That I care deeply for this old man, no..


    My..


    "Master.."


    *Sniffle*


    "Ha, you finally had it in you to call me that huh?"


    "I''m sorry Master...for everything.."


    "No need to apologize, I was prepared for this from the beginning..Though it is regrettable to only hear you say it when I''m in this situation..But I''m still glad.."


    "Master, I never got to thank you for all you''ve done for me.."


    A clear phosphorescent light enveloped Master while I was talking..


    "I guess it''s time, huh? I''m coming to you now, Lucia.."


    No, I haven''t even started to thank him yet..


    "Master, wait! I didn''t even get to say-"


    A palm was thrust in font of my face..


    And then it landed on top of my head again..


    As the flames devoured his existence like wildfire starting from the lower body into the upper one..


    With a gentle smile, his last smile, he said..


    "No.. Thank you for being born, Orion.."


    The last words I heard struck my entire being..


    With that grin on his face, he went away.. for the last time..


    "Thank you, Master"


    I say while looking at the skies where the flames are rising up into and dispersing..


    Along with my tears..


    Ah, the physical toll of [Aura Limiter Surge] has started..


    I feel intense pain and fatigue..


    Like I was hit by a truck..


    After that, everything fades to black..


    ...


    ......


    ................................


    I open my eyelids in a daze..


    Only to find the break of dawn on the horizon..


    How can I see it in a forest, you might ask?


    Well, I know for a fact that this isn''t going to be called a forest anymore..


    It is now a scorched ground and a flat area..


    Ground Zero of my last battle with Master..


    Huh, Blue windows are popping out from nowhere..


    Lets see(Dore-dore)..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Dragon Conqueror}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Ungrateful Bastard}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Plague}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    What does this mean?


    I look closer at them..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Dragon Conqueror</td></tr><tr><td>Given to the select few that achieved the feat of felling a True-blood Dragon


    All stats+1000</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Ungrateful Bastard</td></tr><tr><td>Given to those cruel enough to reward kindness with harm instead of gratitude


    LUK -100</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Plague</td></tr><tr><td>Given to those who are considered harmful to the surroundings and everything around it


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.LUK -200 AP +200</td></tr></tbody></table>


    So mean..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Titles with affinity detected: Beginning conversion</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Titles: The Loner, Depression Incarnate, Unlucky Person,


    One Who Passes Work Unto Others, One Who Runs Away From His Problems, Problem-child, Forsaken, Ungrateful Bastard, and Plague has been converted into {Wandering Disaster}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Titles: Dragon Slayer, Dragon Conqueror, Dragon''s Disciple, and Friend of the Dragon King has been converted into {Dragon Lord}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Wandering Disaster</td></tr><tr><td>One Who was born to be the most unfortunate soul in existence


    Such that even the Most Cruel One, Death pities the bearer of this title and gives a fragment of his power


    All stats +10000 LUK -9999</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Dragon Lord</td></tr><tr><td>A being above the supreme beings, the Dragons


    [Dragon Tamer Skill Acquired] All stats +5000</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Dragon Tamer]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Why? Is it in these window''s nature to make fun of me?


    But the [Dragon Tamer] passive skill is nice..


    Huh? A pale blue aura covers my body all of a sudden..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Dragon King''s Aura has been assimilated into body - Beginning to unlock 4th Scripture</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Dragon King Aura] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Aura of Wrath] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Aura Armament Release] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Gift</td></tr><tr><td>Divine Skill - 10 Scriptures of Aura</td></tr><tr><td>First Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to use Aura Magic but disables any other magic</td></tr><tr><td>Second Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added skill: [Aura Absorption] - Enables you to absorb aura from stronger enemies after they have been slain</td></tr><tr><td>Third Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added skill: [Aura Convergence] - Enables the user to store and meld aura skills</td></tr><tr><td>Fourth Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added skill: [Aura Armament Release] - Clads the user in armor form made out of pure aura energy</td></tr><tr><td>Remaining Scriptures - Locked State</td></tr><tr><td>Effects: +10000 AP, -500 LUK, +2000 MP, +200 INT</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Wow, these skills sound amazing..


    Is it over?


    Well then, let''s start moving to the cabin while checking my status..


    I wonder if my level increased from beating master..


    Hopefully I get to a level above 100 since Master told me that a human''s level limit is level 200..


    I think to myself the keyword while standing up..


    I start walking and a blue window appears in front of me..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Name: Orion Fullbringer (Astrum)</td><td>Title: The Chosen Ones, Hidden God''s Apostle,


    Martyr,Wandering Disaster, Dragon Lord, Beast-hunter</td><td>Level: 666</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Human</td><td>Class: None</td><td>Rank: Null</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 150000/200000</td><td>MP: 100/320000</td><td>SP: 160000</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 4000</td><td>AGI: 8000</td><td>INT: 16000</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 20000</td><td>DEX: 2000</td><td>WIS: 3200</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 4500</td><td>AP: 500000</td><td>LUK: -9999</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hmm?


    A joke?


    I look away..


    I must be still tired..


    I look again..


    "(sigh)"


    Yep, it''s not a dream..


    But who could blame me for thinking that?


    What is it with these stats?


    Inflation?


    Government conspiracy?


    Anyway, these stats are high..


    And this is in my limiter state..


    What would happen if I released my limiter now..


    I''m scared..


    What might happen to me..


    More importantly, what is with that level?


    The first thing I want to comment on is that ominous number?


    Am I in a demon cult or something?


    I won''t summon a demon god out of nowhere will I?


    And isn''t a human supposed to stop growing at level 200?


    Did Master lie to me?


    No, he never lied to me even once..


    But it clearly says human race right there!


    What the heck is going on..


    I can''t..


    This is too tiring.. hmm?


    As I was bickering with my status problems..


    I finally reached the cabin..


    Now, the first thing I want to do is..


    *Grumble*


    "Let''s make something to eat!"


    <hr />


    Meanwhile in the different parts of Quadra at the time~


    In the infertile lands of the Demon Continent, 8 shadows with horns are walking together..


    They were the ones called "The Travelling Sword Party"


    In the lead was an unusual black-haired young man followed by 7 others..


    He suddenly stopped and looked towards the north sky..


    A red-haired youth noticed their leader stopping and said..


    "What''s wrong Ren?"


    As if the boy snapped out of his deliberation, he turned surprised and said..


    "Oh, it''s nothing! Let''s keep moving.. the ruins must be here somewhere.."


    "You''re really weird Ren.."


    "Haha.."


    That magic power..


    So large..


    And there were two of them..


    Why did one disappear though..


    Well, until we meet in the future..


    It''s not my problem..


    He thought as he sprinted to the front again..


    ..


    In the hot deserts of the beast continent..


    2 figures were trudging along the forgotten path of sand..


    When the boy with silver hair covered with a hood hiding his wolf-ears inside turned to the west..


    "You felt it too? Kaito?"


    A pale-faced dark-haired man hidden in a black hood that just begs to be scorched in this heat spoke to the boy..


    "Ah, such a gigantic amount of magic power.."


    "But I guess the fight is over now since one of them is gone.."


    "You''re right, let''s get a move on, Mortem.."


    "Hmm, lead the way then.."


    "Okay, [Summon Familiar]"


    A silver hawk comes out of a magic circle and flies towards a certain direction..


    The black-haired man casts wistful eyes towards the horizon and muttered under his breath..


    "I hope you found what you''re looking for Arcveil.."


    ...


    In the lush green forests of the Elves Continent..


    A young woman with blond hair is standing on the branch of the tallest tree known in existence..


    The World Tree..


    And she looks to the east and said to herself..


    "I guess they have started to move, huh?


    She jumped down from the branch 100 meters from the ground..


    A normal person would think she would have died right there but that was a wrong conclusion when it comes to her..


    "Spiritum Jeres Miroid Aztus"


    She recites incomprehensible words and wind suddenly forms around her feet gently lifting her into the ground..


    "Let''s tell the elders about this.."


    ...


    In the human continent..


    Inside the Royal Castle located in the Capital..


    A festive mood occurs..


    For this was the Princess'' birthday..


    A party ensues with food and drinks..


    And people gathering to make merry around the princess..


    During the party, she hastily sneaks out into the royal training grounds and find someone there..


    It always brings a smile to her face and a glimmer to her eyes when she saw the spectacle..


    A red-haired woman with blue eyes concentrating light particles into her hands and releasing them outwards..


    The shining of the stars are comparable to this magic training she always does..


    "[Constellation Area]"


    The place is filled with stars of different shapes and sizes for a minute..


    And then it glimmers away as it disappears..


    "Hmm? Ah, it''s you Meriam.."


    "Yes, it''s me again Aria-neesama!"


    "Come to watch me practice again?"


    "Can I?"


    "Sure-hmm?"


    She suddenly looks towards the south border and thinks to herself..


    What terrifying power clashes..


    Someone that powerful is this close?


    I guess the time the heroes moved has arrived..


    I better make my own preparations now..


    She suddenly looks towards an image projected using stars which only she could see..


    In the shape of a little boy grinning stupidly staring into her with playful eyes..


    Please give me strength..


    Jun-kun..


    <hr />


    There you go, So tiring writing this with all the tables..


    Don''t forget to rate, review and comment on the story so far..


    Any misgivings about it, don''t hesitate to ask..


    Thanks for reading..


    Till next time~

 Chapter 16: Inheritance

    *Creak*


    The wooden door makes a sound like it hasn''t been used for a long time..


    "I''m home!(Tadaima)"


    I''m greeted with silence..


    That''s right..


    Master''s not here anymore..


    I might have said that out of habit..


    Yeah, If I remember correctly, It was when I was usually coming home from hunting demonic beasts for its meat..


    {"I''m home old man!"


    "Ah, did you manage to catch even one [Demon Boar] today?"


    "Of course, I''m counting on you for dinner old man!"


    "Sure, sure..just leave it there and go wash up while I prepare the meal.."


    "Alright"


    "Oh, and Orion.."


    "Yeah?"


    "Welcome back(Okaeri)"}


    And he''d have that goofy grin on his face whenever he said that..


    Honestly, it was irritating..


    But, to think I''ll never go back to those days..


    *Gururururu*


    Okay, okay already..


    Well, since I''m this hungry..


    I ain''t holding back on the ingredients!


    I''m gonna make myself a feast!


    Hmm? What am I talking about?


    No, I mean I''m going to cook?


    Unbelievable? Aren''t I a NEET? Weren''t I a lazy free-loader?


    Honestly, I can cook you know? I think you''re getting meaner every time..


    I mean I watched Master cook these dishes I''ve never even tasted before..


    So it''s a given that I would be interested in learning how to do it myself..


    Over the years, he trained me not just in fighting, but also the ways to survive..


    And one of those things was cooking..


    No, I still can''t cook as well as him you know?


    But I can puff out my chest with the skill level I have..


    And I will put even more effort in the future to surpass Master''s cooking..


    And so, I took out all the ingredients we had on stock..


    I mean, I can always hunt some more later..


    Well, it is now noon..


    I think I have all of it but just to be sure, I''ll check..


    I take into account the 100kg of [Demon Boar Meat], A bag of salt and pepper, Herbs and spices, Master''s secret marinade and glaze, Vegetable oil, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and some aged wine that Master used to use when cooking every meal.. I think it''s like cooking sake if I compared it to Japan standards..


    And the vegetables here are not really called that here, I just name it that because it''s easier for me to differentiate between them, and since they taste almost the same, there''s barely any difference..


    Well, let''s start preparing..


    First I take out a giant pot and fill it with water from the water crystal and boil it using the "improvised cooking stove" I made by using metal and fire crystals with charcoal..


    While I''m doing that, I cut the potatoes, carrots and other various veggies into thin slices and put them inside the pot..


    I season it lightly and then I move on to the meat..


    What I''m going to make is my "Steak and Soup Set"..


    Yes, I''m not good at names, sue me..


    But it''s delicious, you know?


    I got praised by Master when he tasted it..


    So I think that''s good..


    Anyway, I cut a slab of meat and render the fat off carefully..


    I finished it in 5 seconds..


    What, a practiced hand moves well in the kitchen..


    After that, I slice the meat into bite-sized pieces and rub various spices on my hands..


    I make them absorb the various flavors by coating them in the spices while holding it in my hands..


    Carefully molding them into raw pieces of coated meat..


    When I finish, I place them into the soup broth to make a kind of pork-flavored soup..


    I season the soup lightly when I''m done and leave the lid on the pot to avoid it getting cold..


    Now, moving on to the main dish..


    I use a larger knife to fully cut the meat into steak sizes..


    And I render the fat in a skillful manner taking all the fat away into preservation to make lard in the future..


    After they were spread out on the table, I do the same thing by coating each in various flavorings and spices..


    But this time, I add the glaze and marmalade coating in order to give a certain sweetness to it..


    It was an arduous task since there was so much to season..


    But I know this will all pay off soon..


    I begin taking out the pans and heat them..


    I then take out the cooking wine and oil and spread it on each pan and add  a stick of butter around them..


    After I determined it was at the right state for cooking..


    I place 6 steaks into each of the 6 pans..


    I can hear the sizzling sounds of juicy meat being in contact with a low flame..


    *Gurururururururururu*


    *Gulp*


    Be patient, me..


    I know I''m hungry and this even further stimulates my appetite..


    So I must control myself even though I know I haven''t eaten for days according to my stomach..


    And by the time I noticed it, the sun was going down..


    Well, I guess it''s gonna be dinner then..


    I then go back to concentrating on the meat..


    While it absorbs the flavors, I carefully and seriously watch if the other side is cooked already or not..


    I mean my eyeballs are literally moving to each pan at breakneck speeds..


    I''m amazed how hunger can force you to do crazy things..


    After one side is cooked at the optimal temperature, I flip it over to the other side..


    When it''s all cooked, I put them on plates at my sides..


    I repeated this action again and again until..


    "Huh?"


    I can feel presences..


    They seem to be demonic beasts..


    But this kind of power is greater than average..


    And these numbers...


    10..40, no..70 demonic beasts are headed this way with something leading them..


    But why here?


    And that''s when I noticed..


    The window''s open..


    And the steam from the soup and steaks are moving outside..


    Oh No..


    Have they been attracted by the smell?


    No matter, I''ll deal with them quickly..


    I won''t let them even get a scratch on this house..


    This is where my last years with Master were spent..


    Besides, I think this magic power might be familiar..


    As I was driven with emotion, I sprinted outside to see who it was..


    "So it was you.."


    There I see shrouded in darkness and illuminated by the moonlight..


    A demonic beast army consisting of [Demon Trolls], [Demon Hobgoblin Raiders], [Demon Spiders], [Demon Wolf Riders], [Demon Bears], [Demon Orcs], and [Demon Goblins]..


    And the one in front riding the biggest [Demon Wolf] and the one leading this army..


    "The Ogre Lord"


    Yes, this guy, an annoying monster who will not die..


    The Ogre Lord is one who keeps gathering demonic beasts together in a horde and take over territories..


    But this guy in particular loves to keep collecting minions..


    So he might be a variant..


    I call this guy, "The Coward Ogre Lord"..


    Since every time we meet, I decimate his entire team and then, instead of fighting to the last breath..


    Once he realizes he can''t win, he uses the others as a meat shield and uses some kind of skill to get away..


    And I didn''t pursue him that much before, since there was no point..


    Still, why have they come this far to look for food?


    Wasn''t their territory near Rouzier Forest?


    Oh wait..


    Even still, They had the guts to pursue their desires to the lengths of invading our home..


    This time, I won''t let a single one escape..


    I won''t show them any mercy..


    Wipe those stupid grins off those ugly faces of yours..


    It''s time to begin the slaughter..


    *ROAR*


    The Ogre Lord signals to the others to attack and they all run in this direction..


    "Let''s go..[Aura of Wrath]"


    ..


    .....


    .................


    "Phew.."


    I clap my hands together in relief..


    I am now standing in the center of a massacre..


    Bodies strewn across the ground, blood decorating the battlefield, severed limbs and heads with mouths agape..


    It''s practically a work of art..


    "That took longer than I thought"


    I say while staring at the decapitated head of the "Ogre Lord"


    I was originally going to use my sword techniques to kill most of them in one blow..


    But it didn''t turn out that way..


    Turns out the skill I invoked, [Aura of Wrath] takes most of your consciousness during battle..


    I barely kept myself awake through all that..


    Instead of ending their misery early by slicing vital points, my body moved on it''s own..


    And started eviscerating limbs and turning most of them into limbless stumps..


    Slicing their skin only and making them feel physical pain..


    And then killing their brethren in front of them and bathing them in their own blood..


    And the most cruel of all, I made them stay forcibly conscious so that they can see the scene of hell..


    And then finished them all off with a whirlwind of slashes to the neck..


    Am I a sadist when I use this skill?


    Dangerous, dangerous..


    I nearly, voluntarily vomited back there..


    But now that I think about it..


    They were just looking for food and the smell led them here since the forest was destroyed..


    Hmm? Wait, food?


    Then it hit me like a lightning bolt..


    "Oh no,,


    No, no, no.."


    I run with the speed of breaking the sound barrier on my way to the cabin..


    And to be met with a cruel fate..


    "No way, this can''t be happening.."


    Everything''s over..


    I don''t want to look at this..


    The scene of fire..


    It turns out the oil spurted of the pan into a puddle near the stove and the flame sparks from the charcoal kept flickering and somehow lit the spilled oil on fire, turning the already cooked meat into charcoal themselves..


    And the ones which were currently being cooked?


    Same result..


    I hurriedly check the soup if it was okay..


    I turn my head and see that the lid is gone and there is nothing in the pan..


    No way, how long did I leave it boiling..


    It must have evaporated by now..


    But how the heck does meat evaporate?


    *Gururururururururururururururururururururu*


    Is this some cruel, sick joke?


    Why must the world punish the food, they haven''t done anything wrong..


    Take me instead..


    I spent a whole half-hour sprawled across the floor wallowing in self-pity and contemplating life..


    "Well, I can''t do anything about it now.. Let''s find something else to eat.."


    I stand up and forget this ever happened..


    "Oh right.. There is no ingredients left.."


    Ah, this is bad.. my head hurts.. and more importantly..


    *Gurururururururururururururururururururururururururururururururu*


    Ah, I have to eat that don''t I?


    I accept the harsh reality begrudgingly and soon after I walked outside..


    That night, I ate grilled [Demon Wolf Meat] which was of course, horrible..


    It was bland, had a rubbery texture and was hard to chew..


    But at least my stomach was filled..


    After that, I went to sleep and had a nightmare about me at the funeral for the meal I never even got to eat..


    I woke up sweating bullets, and then went back to sleep..


    ..


    ......


    .........................


    The next morning, I woke up and rolled around my bed to get pumped for the new day..


    After that, I did my early morning routine..


    I ran 100 km around the area, did 1000 pushups, situps, and lifts, and practiced my swordsmanship for an hour..


    Yes, it might sound harsh but I''m used to it..


    But of course, at first, I thought it was impossible..


    And then, I got whipped into shape by my sadistic Master..


    And through the years, I gradually got used to it..


    After I was done, I drank lots of cool water from a water crystal to re-hydrate myself..


    I made some breakfast from the leftover meat..


    After I ate, I washed the dishes and sat on the couch..


    I was now thinking what my next move was..


    Since usually, after I get done with breakfast..


    I get started with whatever random training schedule that Master cooked up each day..


    But now that he''s not here..


    I think it''s time to move on..


    So, with that said, I want to leave the house to travel and go on an adventure..


    Yeah, I want to travel to all the continents and meet friends along the way..


    And have adventures and party battles with monsters.. Yeah, let''s do that..


    This is a fantasy world after all..


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Oh, and also I have to do something about the coming war and stuff..


    Somewhere a tsukkomi was made about how he only thought of the God''s war as something trivial by a certain God looking into his daily life, but that''s for another time..


    I wonder how Kate-nee chan and Derek-tousan are doing right now?


    I hope we meet again someday..


    After I made my decision, I packed up all the things I needed..


    Clothes made out of [Demon Spider Silk], Provisions for a month, Cooking Utensils, Element Crystals for Daily Use, Sleeping Bag, Tent, Beast Materials from Demonic Beasts, and Travelling Tools..


    I put them all inside my [Aura Pocket] and went out of my room..


    [Aura Pocket] is a skill I developed by learning [Spatial Magic] from Master..


    He showed me his [Space Dimension] and I adapted it into an aura skill..


    Based on my experiments, it currently has no limits as long as I hold the item in my hand and put it into my pocket..


    Yes, I don''t know why I designed it like that in the first place either..


    Since I was leaving, I had to pay my respects to Master..


    But I don''t have anything to use to remember him..


    Ah, there might be something in his room that relates to him..


    He never lets me into his room for some reason but today it''s important..


    I enter through the door and find a simple bed and a lampshade on top of a drawer..


    There''s not much here..


    Who knew Master liked simplicity considering he was a former Dragon King..


    I open the only thing that can be considered somewhere you keep things, the drawer..


    I find a photograph taken using [Light Magic] encased in a frame..


    It seems to be Master in his younger days with a woman with golden hair and they are both seem happy..


    This must have been his late wife..


    I place it on top of the drawer and offer a prayer..


    After I was done, I was about to close the drawer when I noticed something else..


    An enclosed red envelope..


    Entitled, To My Precocious Disciple..


    It must be for me..


    No, I''m not conceited..


    I open the envelope and find a letter a addressed to me..


    I knew it..


    "Dear Orion,


    When you find this letter in the drawer in my room, I might be already gone from this world. Because I know for a fact that as long as I lived, I would never let you set foot in my room. Because I know you would mock me for my room not having anything else except simple furniture. Anyway, the reason I''m writing to you now is that I know you must be blaming yourself for what happened to me. But I''m telling you, It was my own decision to force it upon you to release me from the material plane. I know that it won''t make it up to you because you have to carry that burden for the rest of your life. But I left you something to help you on your travels, and Yes, I know that you want to explore the outside, you are my student after all. Just hold the badge I included in this letter over the bed to unlock the seal I made. So I''m not telling you to forget what happened. But I want you to know, It was a necessary experience. Because it had to happen sooner or later, I chose the former for you to realize that this isn''t a world where peace rules because I saw in you a naivety that people don''t kill each other. Consider it as my final lesson to you, my precious student. I hope you''ll live your life to the fullest with no regrets.


    Looking forward to our next training session,


    Arcveil Ryuugal Deucarion


    "Ah, he never changes, does he?"


    I find a tear escaping my eye and a bittersweet feeling in my chest..


    Well, I look forward to it too, Master..


    "Hmm, there it is.."


    I find a golden badge with the words written in the [Ancient Dragon Language] Master taught me..


    "Ira?"


    I say that while holding it over the bed area..


    Suddenly the bed conflagurates and disappears into thin air along with the badge..


    And what was left was a metal hatch..


    Inside was a long rectangular chest..


    I carry the chest into the living room and find..


    "What the?"


    A glimmering light of different colors..


    But the prevalent one was of course..


    "Gold"


    ..


    .....


    ........


    After I hoarded everything..


    Yes, I''m ashamed..


    But now I''m rich so it''s fine.


    What I found inside was:


    200 Platinum Coins, 10000 Gold Coins, and 68209 Silver Coins..


    I don''t know their value though..


    So I can''t be happy yet..


    For all I know, it must have come from the last era or something and now its worth less or even worse, invalid..


    (sigh) Anyway, that''s not all that was in there..


    There were ores I have never seen before..


    I used [Aura Eyes] to identify them..


    [Mithril Ore], [Oricalchum Ore], [Adamantium Ore], [Dragon Iron Ore], [Quartz Ore], [Ruby Ore], and [Prism Ore]..


    The rest were [Iron Ore], [Steel Ore], [Copper Ore], and [Bronze Ore]..


    And I also found equipment..


    It seems to be tailor-made for my size..


    It''s a night-sky colored leather coat with a hood, gloves, boots, armored shirt, pants, and an eye-patch?


    When I identified them, it said it was:


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Plague Dragon Scale Mail]</td></tr><tr><td>Cloth made out of the scales of the disastrous [Plague Dragon] and [Demon Spider] silk


    Doubles HP</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Plague Dragon Scale Leather Pants]</td></tr><tr><td>Cloth made out of the scales of the disastrous [Plague Dragon] and [Demon Spider] silk


    Doubles MP</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Plague Dragon Scale Leather Gloves]</td></tr><tr><td>Cloth made out of the scales of the disastrous [Plague Dragon] and [Demon Spider] silk


    Doubles STR</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Plague Dragon Scale Leather Coat]</td></tr><tr><td>Cloth made out of the scales of the disastrous [Plague Dragon] and [Demon Spider] silk


    Doubles INT</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Plague Dragon Scale Leather Boots]</td></tr><tr><td>Cloth made out of the scales of the disastrous [Plague Dragon] and [Demon Spider] silk


    Doubles AGI</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Plague Dragon Scale Leather Eye-patch]</td></tr><tr><td>Cloth made out of the scales of the disastrous [Plague Dragon] and [Demon Spider] silk


    Enables the skill [Reflect Magic]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    So yes, what is this cheat-like equipment?!?


    And the eye-patch that just screams chuunibyou is the most powerful of them all?


    What is with this setting?


    Am I going to be the D*rk Fl**me M*st*r or something?


    Although I think that, I still wear it..


    What can I say, I''m weak to these things..


    "Woah, it''s a perfect fit.."


    Does this change according to its wearer or something like that?


    Now as for the other things..


    They look so weird that I can''t even begin to think where they even came from..


    Because when I use my [Aura Eyes], all I see is "???"


    I guess my proficiency isn''t that high yet..


    Well, let''s leave that problem to tomorrow''s me..


    For now, I''ll use both hands to put everything in my [Aura Pocket]..


    ..


    It''s noon..


    That took so long..


    Now that I think about it..


    I shouldn''t have had to put the coins each one by one..


    I could have put it in a bag or something then put it inside..


    *Facepalm*


    I smack my forehead with my palm..


    It hurts more than usual since I''m wearing my new gloves..


    Well, what''s done is done..


    I will prepare to head east then, since Master once told me about it..


    The exit for this unmapped area is due east..


    But before I go..


    I turn my body when I made it to the doorway..


    "Thank you for everything.."


    I bow and say that to the space of the house..


    The place I''ve come to call home over the years..


    It is now time to part..


    The memories I''ve got with me, I will always treasure it..


    "Well then.."


    I open the door and it didn''t creak for some reason..


    The blazing heat of the sun seeps through the open crack..


    "Man, it''s hot.."


    I put on my dark hood over my head..


    I look back one last time and remember the old days where I used to say this..


    I take a step outside and say..


    "I''m going!(Ittekimasu!)"


    The times when he would always reply..


    {"Be careful out there(Iterasshai)"}


    With a smile on my face I move forward towards my new life..


    And the door closed shut..


    <hr />


    So our MC is now on the road to a new adventure..


    I wonder how his story turns out..


    Join me and find out in the next chapters..


    I should have released this yesterday but my PC just suddenly decided to shut off and I lost the chapter..


    So I had to rewrite albeit grumbling..


    Anyway, Thanks for reading..


    Don''t forget to rate, review and comment on the story..


    Until next time..


    Slashcrit~

 Chapter 17: Sudden Encounter

    Hey there, it''s your favorite chuunibyou, Juni-I mean, Orion-chan desu-yo..


    *Clap* *Clap* *Clap*


    Haha, you''re too kind, I''m not that praiseworthy..


    Please calm your excitement..


    Now I''m going to do one more trick for you guys..


    Watch closely now..


    *Woosh*


    Afterimages appear at my sides like it was from a certain ninja-themed movie..


    Look at me now, first I''m over here..


    Now I''m over there..


    I continue moving side to side to create illusions of myself using one of the 7 [Sin Steps] that Master taught me..


    Well, I only learned one of them which was [Illusion of Wrath Step] which was integrated into my training..


    In battles, I''m sure it would rattle the enemy quite a bit..


    But for now, I''m doing it for fun..


    "Ah, how long is this road going to go on..."


    Yes, the reason I''m doing this is to pass the time and keep my mind off the long walk in this blaring heatwave..


    And due to the heat, added with these black clothes that made me sweaty..


    And above all, made me look like an antagonist from an old shounen anime..


    I mean, look at this eye-patch right now..


    It''s currently covering my red eye and only showing the blue one..


    But if I switch it in reverse..


    Look, I now appear to be a traveling demon with red eyes..


    So I switch it back since it would probably be like this kind of setting from another person''s perspective..


    One day, A boy obtained an immense power in the form of a curse, one that could potentially end life as we know it..


    Suppressing the end of the world by covering the [Shigan Eye] which rages out of control each day..


    The mysterious one-eyed, black-clothed man is said to be still wandering the world finding a cure to his curse..


    To this very day..


    Or something like that..


    Anyway, bottom-line is that this heat and boredom is messing with my head..


    Or was my head messed up to begin with?


    No, let''s not get negative here..


    I stopped thinking altogether when I felt black aura gathering again..


    Even though I''ve trained to suppress it from leaking out, It seems that some aura skills are directly connected with my emotions and come out unconsciously when it corresponds to a certain stimulus..


    "What I wouldn''t give for an air-conditioner right about now.."


    I would''ve have loved to have learned elemental magic but no matter how much I tried..


    I tried to learn [Water Magic] in order to learn it''s advanced stage, [Ice Magic] to preserve food in ice, but alas..


    I couldn''t even produce water from my hands..


    But I can regenerate wounds in the blink of an eye, huh?


    What sort of broken power is this?


    I have been trying to think of a way to control the temperature in my range area for hours now but to no avail..


    How could people in this world survive this heat normally?


    Are they built heat-resistant?


    And even if it was true, I wouldn''t have minded the heat so much if I had someone to complain about it to..


    But even in that aspect, I haven''t met anyone yet..


    It''s been hours you know?


    Could it be that me and Master didn''t know of the outside world''s affairs and the apocalypse happened?


    So that means that I''m the only one left..


    No, I''m not even sure yet..


    I mean..


    That''s too sad..


    Even for me..


    I''m sure I could see someone soon..


    If I just keep walking..


    Maybe if I run? No, that would make the other party afraid of me..


    (sigh) I do an ORZ position in my head..


    Seeing as there''s no other choice but to keep walking and hope for the best..


    You can do it, me..


    Soon I''ll be making a party and exploring dungeons..


    Yeah, I get myself pumped again..


    After that, I kept walking ahead without tiring..


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Well, physically I mean..


    Mentally? I was distraught..


    Because I noticed the sun was going down and the sky was turning red-orange..


    Ah, crows are flying through..


    Reminds me of when I was a baby stuck in that stable..


    Nee-san, I hope you didn''t forget about me, even though we only spent 3 years together..


    At least I would believe so..


    While smiling fondly reminding myself of the time when I was in my infancy to toddler period..


    I heard a scream..


    "SAVE ME! NOOO! GET AWAY!"


    I look towards the east where the sun was setting..


    Strange, I thought the sun set in the west..


    While deliberating random thoughts, I notice it..


    A silhouette gradually getting bigger..


    It seemed to be running in this direction..


    Hmm? That shape, It seems to be, No, could it be? After 12 years of isolation, will I finally meet..


    A human?


    What was running towards me was a pair of hills, I mean(Janakutte) melons, no, it''s heaven!(tengoku)..


    Well, aside from that..


    It was actually a girl, running away from something..


    The girl seems to be about the same height as me but shorter, has big round purple eyes which tip into the scales of the cute side, pale but well-featured face, snow white skin, long wavy purple hair, and a cute pair of bunny ears..


    Fumu, fumu.. She is without a doubt, a genuine bishoujo!


    Cute is justice after all..


    Wait a minute, let''s go back..


    Bunny ears?


    Does the human race have bunny ears in this world?


    No, Kate-neechan and the other humans I met didn''t seem to have them..


    Then she must be..


    Oh, no time for that now, they''re coming..


    By they, I meant the horde of demonic beasts chasing the bunny girl..


    Kind of sounds perverted when I say that..


    But I pay it no mind..


    Now is the time to help her..


    I mean, Since I''m free after all(Hima dashii~)..


    I sprint towards the demonic beasts and identify them even before getting within range..


    It''s because I can see farther even catching minor details with the help of my [Aura Eyes]..


    I mean that''s why I took mental images of the crying bishoujou running towards me..


    No, don''t call me a creep..


    It''s for research purposes, yeah to find out more about her race..


    Yosh, let''s go with that..


    Don''t look at me with those eyes(Yamete-kudasai)..


    Anyway, I identified them to be [Demonic Vipers]..


    They seem to be a pit of snakes, they seem to be a disturbed nest, judging by their frenzied states..


    About 20 of them? Sounds easy enough..


    While they''re hissing and baring their fangs toward the girl..


    They finally notice my presence..


    The girl does too..


    "Too late(Osoi)"


    With that as the keyword, I create a [Nameless Aura Sword] with [Aura Sword Creation]..


    I drew an arc with the purgatorial sword style move, [Eternal Moonlit Arc]..


    The next second, snake heads hit the floor with blood spurting out their necks..


    Yep, there are no survivors..


    After confirming their deaths, I turn around and walk towards the girl..


    I held out my hand to help her get up since it seems she had fallen to her knees in relief earlier..


    She has a dumbfounded face with surprise evident looking at the spectacle before her..


    Well, In this sort of situation, should I say some words to calm her down?


    Okay, don''t mess this up, it''s the first words to someone else besides master in 12 years..


    Yosh, let''s do this!


    "A...are...y.o...u..O...k..a.......y?"


    I tried to talk slowly to imitate a relaxing voice with a smile on my face but..


    Ah, it backfired..


    She''s scared even more now..


    What am I going to do now?

 Chapter 18: Sleepless Night

    *Crackle*


    The bright orange flame flickers under the moonlit sky..


    *Woosh*


    The cold night breeze is blowing through the grasslands..


    It lowers the overall temperature of the surroundings..


    Thereby symbolizing that the day has come to an end..


    Giving a kind of drowsy atmosphere..


    I might be drifting off to dreamland right about now..


    Except, for the fact that I''m not alone..


    Two eyes colored like amethyst are staring at my every move..


    Ah, I knew it..


    This kind of atmosphere is very awkward..


    I am now finished setting up the tent and sleeping bags and blankets for later..


    Before that, I made a campfire with charcoal using a fire crystal and cleared out the area of beasts and the like..


    Now, I''m preparing my cookware to make supper..


    What should I make tonight? Hmm..


    *Stare*


    ...


    As expected, I can''t get rid of her cautiousness..


    I can''t think clearly because of that..


    And I know, talking will only make it worse..


    I mean, she''s now fully on-guard against me just because I tried to comfort her..


    Isn''t that too mean?(Hidosugirune?)


    So I decided to keep my mouth shut and let her escape..


    And I walked even further north to show her that I mean no ill will..


    But it seems that she kept following me while keeping wary 100% of the time..


    I''m not gonna hurt you, you know?


    Is this the fate of someone like me?


    Who has had no other contact with other people from the big city and appeared as if I came from the countryside?


    Is it that obvious?


    This is too cruel..


    My worst fear has came to be..


    I''m..


    A country bumpkin..


    Ah, even though I tried to be cool and hide that part of me..


    What frightening detection skills must the inhabitants of this world have..


    I wrestle with my emotions drifting between sadness and regret while lighting the portable stove until..


    The eyes that were glaring at me like I was her father''s killer has stopped..


    I slightly turn my eyesight onto the girl without her noticing..


    She seems to have a curious expression on her face..


    And her line of sight is going..


    Ah, she''s staring at the portable stove in my hands..


    "What, what is that thing? What are you planning to do to me with it?!?"


    Ah, she finally spoke to me..


    Except, her voice is tinged in wariness and fear..


    Am I really that hard to talk to?


    But she wants to know what my portable stove is, huh?


    Does she really not know what it is?


    Doesn''t the big city have these kinds of contraptions?


    I mean, I made it by myself you know..


    Couldn''t anyone have made it easily?


    Oh wait, now''s not the time for that..


    It seems she thinks I''m going to use it for something evil..


    No, I''m not a fan of using toys, what? it''s true..


    And even if that wasn''t true, I would still not lay a finger on her without consent..


    I''m a feminist at heart, I wouldn''t hurt girls without good reason..


    No even if there was a good reason, I still wouldn''t..


    (sigh) Now I''m starting to contradict myself..


    For now, let''s answer her question with all the courtesy I can muster..


    "Ah, yes. I''m going to use it to make supper.."


    I tried adding ~desu at the end to show respectful behavior..


    I just hope she doesn''t take it the wrong way..


    "*Hiiii* Are you going to cook me?"


    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


    She took it the wrong way!!!!!!!


    Why does it have to be like this..


    Am I cursed?


    Was it because of the first skill I received in this world?


    Is it permanent?


    Iyada, go away [Curse Aura]!


    It was then, I noticed..


    Huh?


    I unconsciously used [Curse Aura] all the way here..


    Was it because I was cursing the sun and it''s blasted heat?


    But how can it be this powerful even to the point where she is treating me, her supposed savior, as a demonic entity?


    As I was taking a closer look at the skill, a blue window popped out..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Curse Aura (Master) - Proficiency 99.99%</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to make the target of your choice,


    feel immense fear through the use of your aura magic.


    How much fear caused depends on the number of Aura Points (AP)


    MP Cost: 500/minute</td></tr></tbody></table>


    It really does come out at the worst times..


    Is it intentional?


    Nah, I''m just thinking too much about it..


    And what''s up with that proficiency level?


    Isn''t that already nearing a counter-stop?


    Have I been using it unconsciously most of the time?


    Since it made it to Master level nearing max proficiency..


    Well, I was cursing everything I could during the early days of hell training..


    According to Master, there are 5 levels of proficiency in the world of Quadra..


    Beginner Level, Novice Level, Intermediate Level, Advanced Level, and Master Level..


    Although Master said that there was a hidden level after Master level but he doesn''t know how to reach it either..


    He said he heard it when he was travelling the continents, but he couldn''t remember how he heard it..


    Well, not that it bothers me that much..


    Yosh, let''s ignore it and start cooking, I''m hungry..


    When I turned around not minding what she asked..


    She got really teary-eyed all of  a sudden..


    Does she really think I''m going to eat her?


    There has to be a limit to misunderstandings..


    Even for the country bumpkin introvert me..


    Ah, now that I say it again, it is depressing..


    Anyway, let''s try cancelling the skill now..


    I notice that even though it''s consuming mana at a rapid pace when invoked, there is no dent in my mana pool..


    Do I regenerate magic power that fast?


    Anyway, I put it out of my thoughts for now and stop using [Curse Aura]..


    The tense atmosphere from before vanished and what replaced it was a sigh of relief..


    "(sigh)"


    From the bunny girl..


    Was she really that scared?


    No matter how you look at it, it''s excessive and comes off rude..


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Wouldn''t it have been fine if I just ignored her plight and moved on?


    No, this is bad, now I''m starting to doubt my own sense of justice..


    That''s right, never forget, that cute is justice..


    I calm myself down and start cooking the dishes..


    Today, I''m having viper-meat grilled barbeque and spiced vegetable soup..


    It sounds disgusting you say?


    Well, I''ll have you know that snake meat is delicious once you find the right flavors and take out the poison..


    Who am I even arguing about this to?


    I finish setting up the stove and the grill and start cooking..


    The steam is rising up from the boiling pot and the smell of spices spread its aroma with it..


    The refreshing sound of meat hitting the metallic grill and the dripping of meat juices fill the void of a cold silent night..


    I just hope no beasts come and get enticed by it..


    Hmm? Now, the bunny girl seems to have lowered her guard..


    Her eyes are swimming from looking here and the ground..


    While I''m happy that she isn''t that hostile anymore..


    I hope she can talk to me about what she was doing here in the middle of the grasslands..


    I was about to try and talk to her about it when..


    *Gururu*


    "Ah.."


    "*Blush*"


    She looked away with a red face..


    She seemed to be embarrassed..


    Well, I for one think it''s kind of cute..


    Well, let''s not keep her waiting then..


    After a few minutes, the first batch of meat was done so I put it on a ceramic plate I brought with me and..


    "Eat up(Douzo)"


    I walked up to her and placed it on her delicate hands..


    She turns and looks at me with a surprised expression but I detect something in her eyes that seems a little different..


    It seems she''s speechless so I smile a bit and stand up turning back to the temporary cooking station..


    But suddenly, I heard a voice behind me..


    "Tha-thank you.."


    Well, what do you know..


    She does know how to thank people, I knew there is no way a cute girl such as her would be totally ignorant...


    As I was celebrating in my head, I sat down in front of the grill and resume cooking..


    But I don''t forget to watch the bunny girl in the corner of my eye take her first bite of the barbequed meat..


    *Nibble*


    "Delicious.."


    Ah, even though I knew she would like it, it still is nerve-racking to hear opinions about your food from others..


    Since only Master so far have tasted my dishes..


    "I''m so relieved(Yokatta)"


    "..."


    "Ah.."


    I let my thoughts out of my mouth..


    Okay, let''s try a follow-up quick..


    "Was it to your liking? The food I mean.."


    "Ah, mm, It was good.."


    Woohoo(Yatta) Nice one, me..


    I''m starting to see the light at the end of the cave here..


    I got to take this home before the conversation dies..


    You can do it, myself!


    "Um, the soup is also done, would you like some?"


    I nervously await her answer..


    Like a boy in middle school confessing to the girl he likes while waiting for the inevitable rejection to come crashing..


    "Y-yes, please.."


    "Ah, got it..coming right up.."


    "?"


    *Facepalm*


    I suddenly got too excited that I talked like a cook from an old ramen shop..


    "Haha.."


    Just laugh it off, pay it no mind, act like it never happened..


    "Here you go, be careful since it''s hot.."


    "Yes.."


    I hold a bowl of soup over her hands and she receives it timidly..


    She takes a spoonful and..


    "This one too..so good.."


    She''s honest isn''t she, what a good girl..


    Okay, I think the mood is right, let''s have a proper talk with the bunny girl..


    "Um(Ano).. I really would like to apologize for anything I may have done to offend you"


    I slightly bow, no I bow apologetically to the bunny girl..


    Because even if I know that I saved her, I still made her experience mind-numbing fear..


    So I will apologize first, this is what a true man is..


    "Ah, no it wasn''t really your fault, I suddenly got really paranoid when I saw you so close to me before, sorry about that"


    "I-I see.."


    "Ah, but don''t worry, I''m all right now, it must have been the fear of being chased around for hours.."


    Eh, hours?..


    "Ah, It must have been hard for you, My name is Orion Fullbringer by the way.."


    I casually start introducing myself..


    "Yes? Ah, I mean, thank you so much for saving me before and for this meal now, Orion-san, I''m Roseanne Leary, as you can see I''m a beast-man of the rabbit tribe.."


    Wow, her name sounds so sophisticated like a noble''s..


    But never mind that, there is a whole tribe of bunny-eared nekomimi?


    I want to go there, paradise..


    This is bad(Ikan2x), I''m delving into my delusions again..


    I steer the conversation into the right path before it gets derailed by my own words..


    "So, Rose-san, would you share your story with me over supper on what you were doing out here?"


    "Sure, but I want to know more about you too, oh, and seconds!"


    Well, I''m glad she isn''t hostile anymore but..


    Now that she''s relieved of her problems, she is starting to wolf down everything in the blink of an eye..


    It seems I found myself a gluttonous woman..


    After she eats all the meat while talking with me, she asks for another helping..


    I couldn''t refuse the killer combo in the end..


    Those sad round eyes looking up at me and those weapons of mass destruction..


    Have mercy on my food supply, I beg of you..


    It seems at this rate, my month''s worth of food will only last a week with this girl around..


    Well, it seems she did talk about her situation though, and I also casually asked about some of the common knowledge..


    I''m afraid of my own casual talking talent..


    When it became late, I produced an [Aura Barrier] around the camp without her noticing and slept outside the tent..


    Rose-san said she didn''t mind sleeping outside but I wouldn''t budge..


    Due to that, we argued for a bit..


    I didn''t lose you know?


    But in the end, it was decided that we both had to sleep in the tent..


    *Sounds of soft breathing*


    As expected, with her and her melons right next to me, I couldn''t even sleep a wink..

 Chapter 19: Arrival

    The next morning, I woke up..


    Well, stayed awake is more like it..


    Since the situation didn''t let, no didn''t permit me to sleep..


    As I grimaced at starting a new day while grumbling in my head, I got up and lazily washed my face and hair..


    "Ah, the cool air hitting the moisture on my face is refreshing.."


    Yes, the time is now just before the break of dawn..


    So the air is slightly colder than normal..


    After that, as always I do my morning routine..


    It''s the only thing right now to make me forget last night and wash away my tiredness..


    "Yosh, let''s go!"


    I start jogging and then gradually go faster into a sprint..


    And the scenery rapidly changes while I move at greater speeds than before..


    ..


    As the sun rose, I came back from running and started doing the usual exercises..


    Releasing the dirt, oils, and sweat out of my system..


    This has become a habit..


    Well, it''s fine, it keeps me in shape which is a good thing..


    Hmm? I sense a line of sight towards me coming from the tent..


    I look there from the corner of my eye and spot two eyes staring at me..


    Ah, why is she looking at me that intently?


    Is it because I''m half-naked right now?


    I always take off my top when I train to avoid sweating into my clothes..


    She must be being cautious again since I might have been branded as a pervert..


    Ah, I wonder if I got a title from that..


    I certainly hope not..


    Well, let''s not mind her right now..


    For now, let''s recall what I learned from her last night..


    I dig through my memories as I was currently doing sit-ups..


    Superhuman? No, for the present me, this is normal though?(Futsuu dayo~)


    So anyway, apparently, the rabbit tribe is located in Fang City of the Feriad Continent in the Eastern part of Quadra..


    Its population consists mainly of demi-humans such as [Werewolf], [Rabbitman], [Dragonewt], [CaitSith], and [Featherkin] which controls the 5 tribes, but other races can still enter its walls..


    This seems to be true for other countries as well..


    It is good that races can freely enter each other''s borders..


    Well, it might have been due to the last war though..


    As Rose-san continued talking about the beast city, Fang..


    I found out that she belonged to an organization they called "The Explorer Guild"


    When I inquired about it, she said that it''s a type of guild that deals in finding rare treasure by conquering dungeons..


    Uwah, I got a little excited, but when I heard the word "type", I naturally asked..


    {"Type of guild? Are there other guilds?"}


    When I said that, she told me about the "Four Great Guilds"


    There were 4 different guilds that were scattered across the continent..


    The guild that is mainly located in Myriad, the human continent, was "The Adventurer''s Guild" which only deals with herb requests, escort missions, monster subjugations and the like..


    In the Eastern Beast Continent, Feriad, was "The Explorer Guild" that dealt with anything related to dungeons and labryinths scattered across Quadra..


    In the Western Continent, Neriad, the place where its inhabitants are said to be [Elves], [Dwarves], [Dryads], [Dark Elves], [Fairies], and [Pixies] and many different dangerous wildlife and plants had "The Alchemist Guild" where anything in the realm of herbs, plants, potions, and medicine for illnesses are in their control and also their area of expertise..


    Finally, in the South, The Demon Continent, Heliad, had the "The Traveler''s Guild" where it''s main area of experience was how to map unexplored areas across the continent and finding unexpected riches while they''re at it..


    She also said that there were other minor guilds like; "The Merchant''s Guild" where they deal in trading goods with currency and the like; "The Craftsmen''s Guild" wherein the people affiliated with construction of infrastructures and those with artistic talents in making magic tools and inventions are found..


    Such interesting organizations..


    Naturally, I wanted to ask if I can join them all but..


    {"There is a card issued to you when you first register at any guild, Once you receive it, it will be impossible to lose it since the card merges with your magic power and becomes ethereal when not needed and no, you cannot be affiliated with more than 2 guilds."}


    Is what she said..


    So I better think long and hard about whether I want to explore and kill monsters, or travel and make medicine, or taking the high road of crafting magic tools while selling them as a merchant..


    Ah, so much choices to choose from, decisions..decisions..


    I never did got to choose in the end because it became late and we had to turn in..


    I hope I can make up my mind soon..


    As I was thinking that, it seems she woke up at the exact moment when I finished my morning training..


    "G-good morning, Orion-san.."


    Her face is so obvious..


    Her eyes are swimming left to right, completely revealing that she didn''t just wake up at this time..


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    But that''s not the only thing that''s swinging..Oops, got off topic..


    She seemed to be faking a yawn to sell it as a "coincidence"..


    Well, I don''t particularly mind it, so let''s let her off this time..


    I put my wooden training sword in my [Aura Pocket] out of Rose-san''s line of sight..


    And I start preparing breakfast..


    A light miso soup and fish I caught from the river I brought as provisions cooked with vegetable oil and spices..


    It''s to get rid of the fishy smell..


    I regret not having rice to complete this meal but I use mash potatoes instead..


    I season and taste them all before cooking and then serve it on a wooden tray I brought..


    I hand one set to Rose-san and I caught a drip of drool on her mouth..


    But I decided not to talk about it since she noticed and wiped it off soon after..


    "Itadakimasu"


    She tilted her head confused at what I said but I don''t mind it and start eating..


    Yep, it''s good..


    After cleaning up breakfast and the campsite, I start to move with Rose-san on the road..


    She didn''t ask me about where the tent and stuff went so I believe she misunderstood that I had an [Item Box] skill..


    One of the topics we talked about last night was the [Item Box] skill that she can apparently use..


    It seems to be a lower grade version of Master''s [Spatial Dimension] since it can''t hold that much space..


    And it doesn''t seem to stop time when items are placed inside..


    Naturally, I had to go along with this misunderstanding since I didn''t know what she''d do if I told her..


    That my [Aura Pocket] has limitless space so far..


    Don''t mind it, let''s talk about another topic..


    As were walking along the dirt path along with the sun rising as a background, I try to start a conversation..


    "Hey Rose-san, why where you running from [Demon Vipers] and how did you get here?"


    "Ah, you see.. It''s a long story.."


    "It''s fine, we have a lot of time until we get near the town.."


    Since she told me the nearest town was about half a day''s walk from here..


    Shes said the town was named "Gemini City", I don''t think the humans noticed it but..


    The humans, cities and villages are usually named after zodiac symbols and constellations..


    I wonder why is that..


    After Rose-san started telling me her story, I understood..


    Although she wasn''t lying when she said it was long since it is now slightly after noon and the sun is high in the sky..


    I think it was because she added a lot of unnecessary detail in that story like reading from a book or something..


    But I guess she tried to make it interesting in her own way..


    So what I got from her story was a rough summary consisting of her doing a quest to find labryinths in the Myriad Continent since she said that her only job right now was [Explorer] and her class was [Beast Tamer]. Due to these reasons, she tried an A class quest she took because she was a B ranker and went here in search of a new frontier..


    She came across a pit of [Demon Vipers] when she tried to explore a hidden path through the cliffs bordering the grasslands, and when she did, she didn''t stay away. In fact, she tried to tame one of the [Demon Vipers] without any kind of caution since she said they were kind of cute at first..(sigh) Anyway, the taming didn''t work and the [Demon Viper] called it''s friends and tried to eat Rose-san for lunch and chased her around till they met their untimely demise at a certain chuunibyou''s hands..


    Guilty as charged..


    Well, thanks to that long talk though, I can finally see the town..


    "Wow, it''s so big"


    "It''s just like Fang City but smaller.."


    I put my thoughts into words unintentionally due to the first time scenery of tall ramparts surrounding the city..


    And did she just say that Fang City had bigger walls than these?


    Ah, it seems we''ve arrived..


    "Halt, who are you people?"


    "Show your identification please and tell us what business do you have in Gemini City."


    Two men slightly taller than me shouts at us..


    Ah, I do look like a suspicious person..


    I take a look at myself and sigh inwardly..


    I wouldn''t blame them for suspecting me..


    "Oi, why aren''t you speaking up? Are you a criminal?(Hanzaisha nanoka teme?)"


    "Ah, no I''m.."


    Ah, it seems I''m in a bit of a pinch just when I arrived at my first town..


    <hr />


    Hey guys, It''s me again with another chapter..


    I''m sorry if it''s too short but since I received advice from people that I should slowly pace my development..


    I''m trying to improve my writing style bit by bit so thanks for sticking with me through it..


    I''m also excited for what''s in store for our MC and his first city-experience..


    Well, don''t forget to get some RRC (Rate, Review, and Comment) on the story so far..


    Thanks for reading and Till next chapter~


    m(-_-)m


    SlashCrit

 Chapter 20: First Impression

    I was racking my brain wondering what to say to them since I never thought I would be stopped at the gate..


    Should I tell them the truth?


    ''Hi, I''m a person from another world and I don''t have any identification but could you somehow let me through?''


    Like I would say that!


    They would put me in jail the second that slips from my mouth..


    And I''d forever be labeled as a weird and suspicious criminal..


    I don''t want that kind of bleak future so I try to find a way out of this..


    Yosh, let''s bribe them!


    I mean crooked cops do it every time in those movies I used to watch..


    As I was about to sweet talk him into a deal, someone interrupts between us..


    "Ah, this guy is my friend from the east and he wanted to register as an [Adventurer] in this town.."


    It was Rose-san telling a blatant lie with a somehow convincing face while handing over her card..


    Or is it a poker face, I don''t know the difference..


    "A demi-human [Explorer] huh? Well, why didn''t you say so from the start..Oi, remind them of the rules.."


    He turns towards another guard who seems to be younger than him, he must be his subordinate..


    Ah, that reminds me of the senpai-kouhai relationship from high-school..


    Don''t be mistaken, I wasn''t actually part of them since they ostracized me, or the term "pretended I didn''t even exist" might be the right wording for it, but I observed the freshmen getting bossed around by the seniors sometimes..


    When the younger man heard him, he went up to us and said..


    "Yes, if you don''t have identification papers yet, we can issue you a one-day permit to pass through the gates."


    "Really, so I can enter the city using it?"


    "Yes, but to issue it, we need you to pay 1 silver coin and place your hand on this crystal ball."


    Eh, 1 silver coin huh..


    "Ah, sure, here you go.."


    I dig through my pockets exaggeratedly to show that I''m searching for something while I''m actually using [Aura Pocket]


    And then I hand a silver coin from my hand into his.


    I just hope it''s still valid..


    "Hey."


    Oh no..


    "Wha-what is it guard-san?"


    "Oh, no need to be nervous, I just wanted to know if you had an exact silver coin so I don''t have to give change.."


    Huh? Change? But I thought I only gave one silver coin..


    My thoughts get interrupted by Rose-san''s next words..


    "Hey, Orion, by any chance, did you mistakenly hand a large silver coin instead of a normal one?"


    Ah, now I understand..


    "Huh, no, sorry, I don''t have any silver coins on me right now.."


    I try to make excuses with sweat beading down my neck and into my lower back..


    "Is that so, that''s what he said, guard-san."


    "Well, it''s fine, no big deal, I''ll come back with the change while my superior watches over the test."


    "Test?"


    "Yes, now good luck!"


    He said as his figure disappeared inside the walls into the barracks..


    Yes, I can see that far if you still haven''t noticed..


    "Oi, what are you waiting for?"


    "Ah, um, what am I supposed to do exactly?"


    "(sigh) This is troublesome, all you need to do is place your hand on the crystal and wait.."


    Does this guy hate his job or something?


    Well, let''s do as he says for now..


    I place my hand on the crystal and..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>[Identification Magic] Detected


    Use [Reflect Magic] Subskill [Hide Status]?


    YES / NO</td></tr></tbody></table>


    What?


    I can detect magic being used on me? I think it''s due to the [Plague Dragon Scale Leather Eye-Patch]''s innate skill..


    Ah, now I realize I could have made an uproar here if my status were revealed now..


    So naturally, I choose [YES]


    When I thought that, strange blanks enclosed by parentheses appeared beside my statuses on the status screen..


    So I concluded that this was the [Hide Status] subskill and I had to fill it up, and so I did..


    After I was finished, the crystal emmited a white light that later changed into the color of the sky and after that,  a blue window appeared in front of me and the superior guard-san..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>


    Orion Fullbringer(Astrum)


    {Orion Fullbringer}</td><td>Titles: The Chosen Ones,


    Hidden God''s Apostle, Martyr,


    Wandering Disaster, Dragon Lord,


    Beast-hunter {None}


    </td><td>


    Level: 666 {30}</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Human {Human}</td><td>Class: None {None}</td><td>Rank: Null {Null}</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 400000/400000


    {1200/1200}</td><td>MP: 640000/640000


    {2000/2000}</td><td>SP: 160000/200000


    {500/600}</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 8000 {80}</td><td>AGI: 16000 {160}</td><td>INT: 32000 {320}</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 40000 {120}</td><td>DEX: 2000 {20}</td><td>WIS: 3200 {32}</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 4500 {45}</td><td>AP: 500000 {None}</td><td>LUK: -9999 {0}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I assume the ones enclosed were what guard-san was seeing right now..


    Also, for my luck, I tried to input a 100 number in there, but for some strange reason, it won''t go above 0 into 1..


    (sigh) Well, it''s fine..


    I say that to make myself believe it..


    "Well, it seems that you haven''t committed a crime.."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Look, it''s shining blue so you are innocent, when criminals touch this crystal, it turns red and it gets darker depending on how large the crime they committed.."


    "Oh, so it''s like a method to distinguish criminals.."


    "Exactly, oh, here he comes now.."


    He and I both look at the direction of the gate and see the subordinate guard-san running here with a brown pouch..


    "Here, I got the change, check it all, it''s 9 silver coins in total"


    He hands it to me and I open it and check..


    Apparently a silver coin is the size of a 100-yen coin from japan and smaller than the silver coin I gave..


    I think they called it a large silver coin?


    I have got to find out information about the value of these coins before anything else..


    "Yes, it''s all there.. thank you guard-san.."


    "No problem, now move along now, other people are waiting."


    I turn my head and see that merchant-like peddlers and men with swords and bows are behind me..


    They must be adventurers judging on what they carry with them..


    As me and Rose-san walk towards the entrance, I look at the various dead game that the people behind me were carrying on their backs and shoulders, demonic beast subjugation is a usual thing here, huh?


    Oh, it seems we''ve entered already..


    What comes into view was a busy street..


    A street filled with people and noises from the bustling afternoon..


    Stores that seem to look like stands are lined up on each side and the merchants are shouting towards the surroundings in order to introduce their various products, customers who haggle them for lower prices, and children without a care, running around the streets swinging wooden sticks and laughing..


    This is it, a human city..


    Although, it''s noisy, I prefer to call it, a lively place..


    I am really excited to walk around the stalls but..


    "Orion-san, where are you going? "The Adventurers Guild" is that way you know?"


    She calls out to me while pointing in the direction of the west..


    Ah, yes.. I had to register first, I was reluctant to part with the enticing stores and their various goods but I realized if I was going to buy something, I would need to know the value of money first..


    So it was a good chance to ask the guild about these questions while I''m there..


    "Ah, Yes, let''s go"


    I said to Rose-san and quickly catch up to her gait and a few minutes later..


    We reach a tall 3-story building where the base was made out of stone and the rest, wood..


    It had a sign on it written in strange letters, it seemed to be the common language but since I haven''t read any books written in the common language in the past 12 years, I found it strange..


    Well, I was still able to understand that it said "Adventurers Guild ~ Gemini City Branch" but that was because of my [Continental Language Comprehension] skill that let me automatically translate it into Japanese..


    I''m glad I didn''t have to learn from scratch..


    We enter the double wooden doors that is placed slightly above ground level and enter the building..


    Inside I saw three counters in the farthest front part, a general store and a bar in one side, various tables and chairs, two staircases leading to the second floor, and two notice boards at each side with words written on paper fastened onto them, which might be the request board based on my slightly advanced light novel knowledge..


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Men and women ranging from their 20''s to their 40''s are gathered inside the building but they all seem to get along pretty well, since they are groups of people huddling together looking at the request board and some are laughing while enjoying a drink..


    Since I only got a few weird stares that disappeared soon after, I concluded that, this must be normal to them..


    I don''t hate this kind of atmosphere though..


    Because it''s one of the special moments where people don''t split like the Red Sea around me when I pass through..


    Ah, uncaring adventurers are nice, ain''t it?


    I was reveling in happiness inside my inner monologue when I noticed we reached the receptionist table..


    "Hello, welcome to the Adventurers Guild, my name''s Ella, how may I help you?"


    The receptionist seemed to be a brown-haired cute girl who seemed to be older and a refreshing presence..


    That smile would be idolized back in Japan..


    "A-ah, I would like to register as an adventurer please.."


    "Sure thing, is this your first time registering? If so, there is a payment of 5 silver coins for the [Guild Card] fee and you have to place your information on this [Magic Plate]"


    "Okay, here you go.."


    I put 5 silver coins on the counter and push it towards Ella-san..


    "Hmm? How about you, Rose-san? Are you not going to register?"


    I ask slightly perplexed..


    "Well, I don''t want to become an adventurer for my second job, so I''ll pass.."


    "Is that so.."


    Well, it''s fine, I''m not one to pry into other people''s business..


    After a few seconds, Ella-san passes the magic plate to me and I use a magic tool called [Magic Quill] to write my information on it, the info needed was only my name, age, level, class, special skills, and preferred job; between escorting, herb collection, or monster subjugation..


    Oh yeah, [Magic Quill] is convenient since it uses magic power for ink..


    After I fill it up with the necessary credentials, Ella-san chants something I didn''t understand and the letters dispersed into mana particles and gathered into a card-shaped form into her hands..


    I guess chanting makes it faster? was the preconceived notion I got from the spectacle before me..


    When she was done, she takes the magic tools into the back and comes back with the [Guild Card]


    When she hands the bronze-colored card to me, I take a look at it..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Guild Card</td></tr><tr><td>Orion Fullbringer</td></tr><tr><td>Level: 30</td></tr><tr><td>Class: None</td></tr><tr><td>First Job: Rank F Adventurer</td></tr><tr><td>Second Job: None</td></tr><tr><td>Completed Quests: None</td></tr><tr><td>{Seal of the Adventurers'' Guild}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I see, this is a form of identification huh?


    "Now, please transfer magic power into the card.."


    "Okay.."


    I transfer some of my aura magic into it and..


    It disappeared into my palm..


    Scary, is it still there?


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Status Rank has been changed to F</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Oh, so that''s what rank was..


    "Well done, now concentrate magic power into your palm and chant [Card Release]"


    I do what she tells me and..


    "{Card Release]"


    The aura particles gather into a card-shape once more..


    "This is pretty convenient.."


    "Yes, yes it is.. Now, let me explain the guild rules to you.."


    "Ah, sure.."


    I already heard it from Rose-san but I still listen to the whole thing nodding my head once or twice, because I don''t want to appear arrogant in front of Ella-san..


    Well, in summary, it just states that the guild is not responsible for any injuries even death that happens on quests, you can only do quests that are your rank or one rank above you until A-rank, and fights and disputes are allowed between adventurers but you must not commit a crime, such as murder, or else, you get kicked out of the guild immediately..


    After Ella-san was done talking, I asked about the currency of the country under the guise of coming from the village..


    It was genius, if I do say so myself..


    "Well, there are 8 different types of coins in the human continent, mainly copper, large copper, silver, large silver, gold, large gold, platinum, and large platinum coins.."


    "Oh, and how much are these coins worth?"


    "Well. in the Myriad Continent, we call our coins in terms of value, Myr. While other countries have varying values in exchange rate between the four currencies, Myr, Fer, Ner, and Hel, our copper coins are equal to 10 Myr and a large copper coin is equal to 100 Myr, the same rate is true for silver, gold, and platinum coins.."


    I see, every large coin is ten times the amount of it''s smaller version..


    Well, I will count the exact amount of Myr I have after this..


    But first, I have to find out if my gold and platinum coins are large or normal-sized..


    So I ask Ella-san and she told me to go to those who deal daily in coin work, [The Merchant''s Guild]..


    So I ask directions and say goodbye to Ella-san while thanking her for the help..


    Me and Rose-san made out of the guild and then Rose-san turned to me and said..


    "Well, this is where we part, I guess.. Orion-san, thank you for saving my life once again.."


    "No, it''s fine, I''m just glad you weren''t hurt.."


    When I said that, she widened her eyes and smiled with her cheeks slightly pink..


    "You know, you are a really nice guy when I got to know you, even though you were scary at first.."


    "Ha-haha..."


    I managed to make a dry laugh in front of the passive-aggressive remark..


    Even so, that smile was really something that lifts your spirits up..


    "It was short, but here.."


    She puts a small crystal on my open palm..


    "What''s this?"


    "That, is something I found on my journey, but I don''t know what it is though, but it''s got to be something important.."


    Hmm, yeah, it is a kind of lustrous gem so I bet it has some value..


    Maybe I can find out what it is, I used [Aura Eyes] on it inconspicuously..


    There!


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[Voice Crystal]</td></tr><tr><td>A crystal used in communication {Unrefined State}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Wow, this crystal must be worth a lot, even though it''s unrefined..


    "It''s not much, but I want you to have it..as a token of our friendship.."


    "No, it''s really great, thank you Rose-san, and good luck on finding that labyrinth."


    "Ah, you''re welcome, I will find it so dont worry, the next time we meet, I''m going to be a successful [Explorer], just you wait! Till we meet again, Orion-kun!"


    She walks to the shopping district while waving her hand to me..


    Hmm? Did she just call me Orion-kun?


    Ha, I guess we''re now friends, huh?


    Well, it was a good experience, making my first friend in this world..


    Till our paths cross again, Rose..


    I didn''t notice that my mouth was slightly turning upwards when I turned to the direction of the west..


    "Well, off to the Merchant''s guild!"


    <hr />


    Sorry it''s late.. ORZ


    Didn''t have time to post yesterday, had to go to a friend''s engagement party..


    Thanks for reading and don''t forget to rate not just the story, but the style and other things too..


    And comment your impressions on my writing style, positive or negative, if it''s improving or not..


    I want to hear the reader''s opinions so I can grow while writing this long adventure..


    Till next chapter ~SlashCrit

 Chapter 20.5: Intermission

    -Kazuya''s POV-


    We are now now running..


    Moving our legs as fast as we can..


    You can hear the complaints and yells of my 7 other comrades..


    "Ren! Why can''t you keep your hands to yourself?"


    "Ren-nii, I can''t run anymore.."


    "Ren-chan, the blame on this is all on you, just to let you know.."


    "Ren-kun! Stop running ahead of us! Mou, even though you caused this situation!"


    "Why can''t you just stop them with [Sin Gate] or use [Mass Teleportation] to get us out of here, Ren-niisan?!?"


    The 5 people who can still say that with obvious irritation and anger are breathing heavily, while the other two are so out of breath, that they can''t even voice a complaint.. to me..


    Yes, we are now running from a horde of desert giants..


    And I am in the lead, since I have the fastest legs, of course..


    "Ah, that smug face of yours is thinking that you have the fastest legs, and it''s to be expected of you! Right, you are the fastest alright, the fastest to run away first!"


    I swear, this guy can read me like an open book given that we spent all this time together..


    My brother, or technically, my foster-brother, Zen..


    "Ah, I can''t use those skills right now Angela-chan, I just started recovering my magic power from the last battle and those skills cost a lot of mana..With that said, let''s just keep running!"


    Yes, I realized these few years, that [Sin Gate] wasn''t my innate ability..


    My hero skill was actually [Space-Time Magic] which is, by my standards, pretty awesome..


    I studied it and put it into practical application and found out that I can make new skills related to it endlessly if I can just understand the basic principle and theory of the skill, which was not hard, since I learned about it in school..


    Well, since we can''t fight in this situation since that incident, I''ll reminisce a bit while escaping..


    "Ah, he''s showing a blank stare again.. Why do you daydream at a time like this?"


    The angry voice of youth doesn''t reach the me who''s looking into empty space..


    After we survived that wolf attack, I discovered my skill [Sin Gate] which was a unique skill that could access the legendary swords which were used by the 7 Dragon Kings that ruled the continent long ago..


    Naturally, I didn''t tell anyone else about this but I did use them under the guise of a skill I developed, I shared my power with each of them, each one holding one [Sin Sword] which holds immense power sealed within..


    So when I gave them those weapons, they were happy that they could finally protect each other but, at first, they couldn''t even wield the swords properly..


    So while traveling through the wastelands of the demon continent, I trained them in swordsmanship..


    Which was strange for me since I thought I knew next to nothing about the proper way of swinging a sword..


    But to my surprise, I could move as natural as breathing..


    And naturally, I applied this to my teachings and through the course of one year, they were able to master them..


    They said it was all thanks to me training them but I disagree, it was they, themselves who were working hard in order to learn them even a second faster, I even caught them training in the middle of the night..


    This is just the result of their unwavering determination to become strong enough to protect our small family..


    Since we stick together all the time, we naturally gone through life and death situations together..


    And with teamwork and coordination, we surpassed every challenge thrown at us so far, resulting in the creation of a bond stronger than camaraderie..


    The bonds(kizuna) of family..


    Even though were not blood-related, we treat each other like loved ones..


    Although we fight sometimes, no.. a lot, it doesn''t affect our trust in one another..


    And while traveling throughout the continent, I discovered my innate ability and used it to make skills for two reasons..


    One was to make life on the road much easier..


    Like constructing skills such as; [Spacial Dimension], [Teleportation], [Mass Teleportation], [Instantaneous Movement], [Quicken], [Slow], [Replicate]..


    Which I developed using theories of a bag in a different place, moving in an instant. moving faster, make things move slower, going to a different scenery, and being at different places at the same time..


    And my ultimate skills that I''ve developed in secret which are..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Chronostasis</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to stop time from moving in a designated space


    MP Cost: 10000/10 Seconds</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Sin Sword Convergence</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to gather the power of the 7 Deadly Sins into one weapon


    MP Cost: 70000/1 minute</td></tr></tbody></table>


    And my last resort skill, that combines both, my [Sin Gate] and [Space-Time Magic] into one..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Dimension Rift</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to open a rift in space-time into the [Void Realm]


    MP Cost: 100000/1 Second</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Yes, this dangerous skill uses the power of all 7 [Sin Swords] and rips the fabric of space itself in order for me to go back to a random moment in the past 24 hours so that I can change something before it happens..


    But all these skills have a major drawback, namely, the cost of magic power needed..


    It''s reasonable considering the amount of knowledge I possess on it is so little..


    Since the level of consumption and usage depends on my knowledge of space-time itself..


    Now for the last resort, I know it works because..


    I only ever tried it once, and here is what I found..


    First, you can only use it when all 7 [Sin Swords] are present..


    Second, you have a time-frame of one second to enter it before it disappears..


    Third, it costs an enormous amount of mana, and when you''ve successfully traveled back into the past, the magic power used will not be able to recover and is locked in a sealed state until you reach the time frame from when you opened the [Dimension Rift], only then will it start to recover..


    Fourth, you can only go back until 24 hours in the past and it is a random process since there is yet a way I can figure out how to control the exact time and place I end up in, so based on this hypothesis, I may just end up one second before the opening of the rift and just wasted my mana for nothing, henceforth, a last resort..


    Finally, you can alter anything in the past, but if you try to tell someone that you time-traveled from the future to warn them, you get a severe headache that stops you from thinking straight right before you warn them..


    I always liked to gather information since when I was back in elementary school, I dreamed of becoming a scientist..


    Well, that will never come true now, but I know I have my precious family to take care of this time..


    Well, after I developed those skills, we traveled a lot faster because of it..


    They kept pestering me about how they can use it, but I''m pretty sure that they can''t since I knew it was a hero skill..


    And these guys didn''t look like heroes, even so, the other reason why I developed these overkill skills was to prepare for the coming battles in the future with the heroes who I believe to have even more overpowered skills..


    So this is just meager insurance compared to them, who I have not yet met..


    I just hope, when the time comes, my precious comrades will stay out of it..


    Since I don''t want them to die after all..


    Especially if there was someone with a bad personality among the other three heroes..


    Well, I guess we''ll find out then..


    Until that time, I will never stop preparing and never let my guard down till I see their defeat with my own eyes..


    My eyes shone with a chilling light of anger and an unwavering blaze of determination at that time when I made my decision to follow through the prophecy that the Demon Goddess'' Polaris said to me..


    Anyway, over the years, I''ve developed different skills and ways to make living easier for me and my comrades and at some point, we found out that our name spread to most of the [Demon Continent] as a party of mercenaries, a group of friends that hold terrifying skill with the sword, problem-solvers, and we were coined "The Traveling Sword Party"


    Well, we did find some artifacts and treasures in various ruins scattered around the continent..


    And saved a bunch of villages and towns while we were just passing by..


    What can I say, my party members are soft-hearted..


    But that doesn''t make their value any less in my eyes..


    They were just a merry bunch growing up together bound together by fate, and their love of discovering new places..


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Of course, me as well..


    I enjoyed the antics and clever pranks, adventures and problems, that came along the way..


    Now, I''m 14 and a half years of age, closely the same age as the rest of my party..


    So far, it all lead up to here, wherein we are running from a horde of demonic beasts because the ruins that we found had an artifact inside and through many battles, we reached the boss located in the center of the ruined undergrounds and conquered him at the cost of our slowly diminishing energy..


    And when we were just starting to recover, sprawled across the stone floor of the boss room..


    I found a ring on a pedestal which seemed to be the artifact and I yelled while simultaneously picking it up..


    {"Hey guys, I found the artifact!"}


    I said while showing a grin of accomplishment..


    {"Ren, you idiot, Sana-chan hasn''t even checked for traps yet!"}


    And then and there, I saw Sana-chan, the girl the same age as me, with blue hair tied in a twin-tail hairstyle with short horns growing out of the sides of her head, pure white skin and beautiful blue eyes like an azure gem, showing a face of despair and resignation..looking behind me..


    So, as my mind moved at rapid speeds while taking every detail into account, thereby calculating the next course of action, it finished in the time-span of a second..


    The result was, I ran..


    As fast as the wind..


    And with dumbfounded expressions and some sighs here and there after, they as well, ran after me..


    Which brings us back to the current situation..


    "Ah, he''s back! What took you so long, this time jeez.."


    "Do something. Ren-nii!"


    Well, I guess with all the running we did, I might have just enough mana to get out of this situation..


    Let''s check, shall we..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Reiten Tsuki</td><td>Titles: The Chosen Ones, Demon God''s Apostle,


    Thief,  Unwanted, Beast-Hunter, Blademaster,


    Moonlit Demon, Fated One, Ruins Seeker</td><td>Level: 471</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Demon</td><td>Class: Dual-Wielder</td><td>Rank: S</td></tr><tr><td>HP: 120000/500000</td><td>MP: 10398/180000</td><td>SP: 90000/300000</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 4500</td><td>AGI: 10000</td><td>INT: 9000</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 50000</td><td>DEX: 5000</td><td>WIS: 4900</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 1000</td><td>STC: 30%</td><td>LUK: 450</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Yep, I was right..


    I have just enough..


    So I call out to them..


    "Get ready, I''m gonna cast [Mass Teleportation] so stay close to each other!"


    """""""Roger"""""""


    They all say in unison while picking up speed and nearing my vicinity away from the range of the beast horde..


    Well, it''s fine if some of them get caught up in it..


    We can always deal with one or two..


    "I''m casting it, now! [Mass Teleportation]!"


    I imagine the place in my head the entrance to the ruins, to designate the destination point..


    The next thing we know, a blue light covers me and spreads to my radius catching everyone else in its range..


    After that, our scenery changed..


    We were back at the entrance to the ruins on the sandy dunes and rocks of the desert..


    It''s cool now, so I look up at the sky and find out that it was now dark..


    I guess we spent about the whole day in there..


    """""""HAAAAH"""""""


    They all sigh and plop down into the ground like it was a staged thing..


    "Hmm? What''s wrong you guys, let''s move already, we can''t sleep here you know? It''s cold.."


    They all shoot a tired but angry glance at me..


    Huh? What did I do?


    And my best friend Zen seemingly spoke up for them as a representative in a hoarse voice..


    "Ha, what''s with you and your bottomless stamina.. Were still tired, especially since, we know we have to go back in there tomorrow to get that artifact back..(sigh), So can''t we just rest here for now, since you caused it anyway.."


    Ah, so that''s why..


    "Oh, cm''on don''t be like that, look at this!"


    I held up the ring with a shining gem embedded at its center in front of them..


    "Why you, that''s!?"


    "Yep, that''s right, it''s the artifact, I''m not that stupid to leave it there you know?"


    Haha, I should pat myself on the back for this..


    As I was waiting for my praise with closed eyes..


    Nothing came..


    I slightly open my eyelids to see what''s wrong but what greeted me was..


    *******Stare*******


    Lifeless eyes..


    Cold eyes..


    Filled with resignation and anger..


    "Huh?(Ar''e?) What''s wrong you guys?"


    "You really are an idiot leader huh, Ren?"


    "Yep. Ren-kun is a huge idiot.."


    "Umm, Ren-nii, you, baka~"


    What, they''re angry at me?


    And that last one was cute, Sera-chan...


    But that''s besides the point..


    "Ren, you know if you could have left the ring in the first place, they wouldn''t have chased us?"


    "Ah.."


    I only now realize it..


    Sweat gathers around my forehead and before I notice, a barrage of fists appear in front of my vision..


    I of course, could have dodged, but that would be rude..


    "UGH"


    So I took it like a man and fell over..


    "Mou, let''s go everyone..I''m hungry, let''s go eat at a restaurant in town.."


    "Yes, Zen-kun, me too!"


    Cheers are heard when Zen recommended we eat and their footsteps slowly got quieter..


    "Hey! Don''t leave me behind!"


    In fact, I''m hungry too!


    I run after them while I caught a few giggles here and there..


    I wish this daily life would last forever..


    Having fun with my precious family..


    I look forward to a positive future..


    And oh yeah, the food at the restaurant was bland as always..


    Since my tongue was used to it, I stopped caring about it long ago..


    But how I wish, I could taste the heavy seasoning of Japanese cooking one more time..


    Well, that is just wishful thinking after all..


    But, I have a dream, that my family, friends, and fellow demonkin won''t have to fight and live together with the other races in peace, but I know it will take more than thoughts to change things..


    So until my dream comes true, the journey continues..

 Character Images For Better Imagination

    Heya it''s me SlashCrit here to bring you fuel for your minds, just to let you know, I am not claiming any ownership or rights over these pictures I found on the web. But here is some images that show how I imagine the characters will look like. Hope you like it. And who might that last guy be? Hmm..


    Naive Three-Year-Old Orion


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Reiten Tsuki


    Zenos Aragor


    Mystery Future ???

 Chapter 21: Dealing With Headaches

    After parting with my newly-made friend, I kept walking westward towards the business district..


    There are various food stalls, bars, restaurants, and the like with different enticing products with merchants calling various random people to sample their food..


    Of course, I had to persevere until I knew the necessary prices and such..


    Because I will have to pass on being scammed like being talked into buying something worthless with an astronomical price, but can''t refuse since they will say things like: "It''s a once-in-a-lifetime-offer you know?" or "This will make your wishes come true!" and such..


    In fact, I fell for shady scammers selling fake charms and bracelets for high prices back in Japan..


    I really thought they would work, so much that I got hooked into buying them again and again..


    Well, I did wish to make 100 friends back then..(sigh)


    Am I really that gullible..


    So I decided to just keep walking..


    Endure, me!


    I say to myself while my eyes are swimming to various vegetables on the stalls which I have never seen before..


    Ah, is it here?


    I have now arrived at a building slightly different than the Adventurer''s Guild..


    Well, by slightly, I mean very different..


    Because instead of a three-story building made like a house from medieval times..


    It is a gigantic building about 3 houses wide..


    The imposing size is nothing like I have ever seen before..


    It has white walls coated with paint and glass windows..


    And a sign written in a regal manner that reads, "The Merchant''s Guild Gemini Branch"


    It has slightly bigger oak doors with two guards? or what seemed to be adventurers at each side..


    Ah, it''s been a while, glass windows..


    The last time, would be, let''s see..


    Yes, when I first woke up in this world as a baby in the Astrum household..


    I wonder how they''re doing now?


    Well, I''m sure I''ll get the chance to see them someday..


    But I doubt they will remember me though..


    Anyway, I put those thoughts out of my head and walk up to the guards..


    "Um, is this the Merchant''s Guild?"


    I ask the scary-faced guards timidly..


    "Ah? Oh, yes, this is it, you a merchant?"


    The man on the left with brown hair answers back while the guy on the left was just staring at me..


    Please don''t be so suspicious of me like that..


    I''m a kind person desuyo~


    "No, no, I''m just here to ask questions about the currency since I''m from the countryside, you see?"


    "Is that so? Well then, you may enter.."


    He moves to the door and pushes it open..


    "Thank you, I''m sorry for disturbing your duties.."


    "It''s no trouble.."


    But that guy is narrowing eyes at me adventurer-san...


    Please somehow tell him that I didn''t do anything wrong..


    Hiding my inner turmoil, I enter the guild..


    What comes into sight is a bright room, illuminated by [Light Stones] and goes well with the white and yellow paint, two counters at the center, two doorways at their sides, and four staircases at the farthest edges of the building leading into the second floor, and a wide board filled with paper like the "Request Board" but upon closer inspection, the contents of the writings were actually monster materials, herbs, gems, and the like..


    There seems to be a price set for every item below the request..


    I guess that is where you let people know either you''re buying or selling something..


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    How convenient, like a medieval-style shopping website..


    I was admiring the aesthetics of the guild and thought about how different it is compared to the "Adventurers'' Guild"..


    While looking around, I move towards the counter..


    "Hello, Welcome to the Merchant''s Guild, here to register? buy or sell something? or introduce a product?"


    "Ah, no, none of the above, I came here because I got referred here by the Adventurers'' Guild that this is where I can ask about the currency and the prices of the various facilities in the city.."


    "Ah, are you an adventurer then?"


    "Yes, I just registered today.."


    "I see, will you please show me your card?"


    Is she suspicious of me?


    She looks like she won''t just take my word for it..


    But I guess it''s not just because she is trying to do her job properly, huh?


    Well, I am wearing weird clothes and an eye-patch, but I can''t help it!


    People will see my different-colored eyes!


    And I''ll get shunned for sure..


    Because so far, I haven''t seen anyone else have this problem..


    Well, then..


    Let''s go along with it for now..


    Even though I''m reluctant..


    "[Card Release]"


    I recite the specific chant and a card-shaped bronze plate appeared in my hand..


    I hand it over to the receptionist and she looks it over and says..


    "Okay, it seems you''re telling the truth, for information gathering, that will be 1 large silver coin, please!"


    Expensive! Well, I mean it is valuable information after all..


    Or she''s just scamming me, well, it''s fine for now..


    I won''t know the prices even if I disagreed now..


    And also, I was right, she was suspicious of me..


    It makes me feel like apologizing for being born..


    And so, I put a large silver coin on the counter and she starts grinning for some reason..


    "Haha, you really don''t know, huh? I guess you weren''t lying after all, but you are strange.."


    "Huh, what do you mean?"


    "I mean, it doesn''t cost anything to find out widely-known currency information, I was just seeing if you were telling the truth, is all, Well, then, here is your money back.."


    She hands the coin back to me and starts taking out different coins from the back of the counter..


    And did she just insult me a bit there? I will never know..


    Well, let''s listen to her for now..


    "So, this is a copper coin and a large copper coin, it is valued at 10 Myr and 100 Myr respectively.."


    "Fumu, I see.."


    "And this is a silver coin and a large silver coin, their value is at 1,000 Myr and 10,000 Myr each.."


    "Go on.."


    This is the part I was waiting for..


    When I urge her to continue, she takes out..ah..


    "This is a gold coin and a large gold coin, one is worth 100,000 Myr and the other, 1,000,000 Myr.."


    Yep, that large gold coin, that''s what I have..


    Well, I kind of knew this would happen..


    The next one should be..


    "And finally, this is a platinum and a large platinum coin, their value is astronomical, the smaller one worth 10,000,000 Myr, and the largest currency as of now, worth 100,000,000 Myr, enough to buy a castle on prime land.."


    As I thought..


    That large platinum coin and the ones in my bag are one and the same..


    (sigh) My head hurts..


    So if I calculate everything I have in my storage right now..


    I would have, in Myr currency, exactly...


    30,682,084,000 Myr..


    How much have you saved over the years, you stupid Master?


    What were you even planning to buy with this?


    Ah, I don''t even want to think about it..


    I try to convince myself that it was normal because in the novels I used to read, dragons loved to hoard treasure..


    Don''t think about it, don''t think about it..


    If I say something here, I lose..


    Let''s just accept it..


    It''s not like I''ll ruin the economy right?


    I can''t handle being the cause of a nation''s depression..


    So let''s keep it in the back of my head..


    For now, let''s think about what I''ll do next while listening to the various price information..


    After we were finished, I asked various follow-up questions and I thanked her for sharing information with me..


    She recommended me an inn because by the time we said goodbye to each other, the sun started to set..


    I found a tall building with a nice atmosphere called "Gemini Restaurant and Inn"


    I ate dinner at the first floor restaurant and found out that it was blander than my usual meals..


    But it had a good natural flavor, so I had little complaints about having no seasoning..


    After I was full, I rented a room with a nice bed and view, "Room 666"..


    I didn''t mind the ominous sounding room key and went to sleep as soon as I laid down my head..


    What a nice reward after a hectic day..

 Chapter 22: Anna, Lute, And Myself

    I open my eyes, at exactly 5:00 AM...


    Like clockwork..


    I roll around to make sure my body is moving properly..


    Then, I get up and make my bed..


    That''s right, I slept at an inn yesterday..


    I thought this because my bed and view was different from the cold summer nights in the grasslands..


    Well, I should go train..


    But where? I can''t run in town..


    And so, I thought I should go outside the gates and run around the perimeter of the city..


    Like it was normal..


    I''m not strange, this is just a result of those days of training..


    I developed a habit of maintaining my body every single morning..


    After I decided what to do and got dressed, I open the door and lock it from the outside..


    When I arrived at the corridor, I was greeted by the sight of doors on each side..


    I didn''t notice it before, but I guess this was a pretty big inn..


    Kinda like the 5-star hotels back on Earth..


    Currently, my room is at the farthest end of the corridor, the last room, "Room No. 666"..


    And it is located at the 7th floor, the highest floor on this inn..


    I guess they still call it an "inn" because of the fact that there are no precedents of a hotel being built here..


    But I wonder if this size was normal in this world?


    I was thinking idle thoughts while going through the long hallway, towards the stairs..


    When I made it to the stairs, I climbed down and repeated the same action, since each of the stairs are on the opposite side of each other on every alternating floor..


    I began to wonder how I even made it to my room last night in the first place..


    After about a few minutes, I made it to the ground floor and went to the counter..


    I''m amazed they are up at this time..


    Hardworking adults are really admirable, aren''t they?


    So I deposit my key to him and pay the bill for tonight in advance..


    His face turned grim at the sight of my room key for a second, but he instantly reverted back to his business smile after receiving 2 silver coins from me..


    I decided not to mind it and went outside walking towards the gates..


    I saw a couple of people walking around and merchants preparing their stalls while I was passing through the shopping district and decided to buy some ingredients from them when I came back from training..


    When I reached the gates, I noticed that another guy was guarding the post this time, so I showed him my [Guild Card] and he let me pass through..


    I guess, they take shifts throughout the day, huh..


    I think about the guards'' workday for a bit and wished them luck for today in my head..


    When I made it to a certain distance away from the city where they wouldn''t see me, I started to stretch..


    Then finally, I started my daily routine..


    After I finished, I noticed I wasn''t sweating that much compared to yesterday..


    "I guess it''s time to increase the load.."


    I decided to do an extra lap and more training until I felt that it was enough..


    I went back to the city gate looking refreshed and invigorated..


    I waved to the guards while passing through and they seemed to remember me from earlier and didn''t ask for me to show identification again..


    Which saves me a bit of time, that I''m thankful for it..


    I reached the shopping district and I perused through the various goods and found interesting stuff with the use of my [Aura Eyes], it is really useful at times like these..


    So I spent all in all 6 silver coins for the mountain of ingredients I was carrying in different bags..


    Which was filled to the brim with vegetables, fruits, wheat, pepper, and various meats..


    But I was sad to find out that in this world, salt was scarce and usually only used by aristocrats..


    She showed me a little of it, and it looked bluish-white which I remember from the books I used to read, that it wasn''t pure refined salt, but rock salt..


    I guess that''s why the food in this world is mostly bland..


    But then, how did Master obtain all that salt, and furthermore, it was white salt, mind you..


    And we never seemed to run out..


    In fact, I have about 50kg of it in my [Aura Pocket] right now since I brought some of it under "Provisions"


    I really thought it was normal to use salt in cooking until now..


    Who was my Master, really?


    After carrying it into a narrow alley, I check my surroundings for people..


    And when I make sure there are none, I put the bags inside my [Aura Pocket] one by one..


    Even if I learned my lesson, it still looks surreal for a large bag to fit in a pocket..


    When I was done, I sighed in relief and started walking forward, trying to get a feel for the city pathways..


    I didn''t notice it myself but I started to walk aimlessly through alleyways and dark roads, this was all happening while I was contemplating how to make new friends..


    I was really troubled..


    When suddenly, I felt something hit my side..


    Two somethings..


    *Thud* *Thud*


    When I turned around to find the culprits..


    I saw, A little girl with blonde hair and green eyes..


    And right next to her, a little boy who was much shorter, with blond hair with tears gathering around his emerald eyes..


    I thought for a second, this pair of kids, they''re too cute..


    I mean, they have such small faces and pure white skin..


    Some fanatics would die just to meet them if they were in Japan..


    They seemed to be wearing dirty rags or sack-clothes, is that what they call em?


    And they were rubbing their foreheads which turned red whilst whining about the pain..


    "Ouch... who, what?"


    Ah, a cute soft voice, in an irritated tone..


    Such a gap..


    And both of them look up and see me..


    This is bad, I have to smile..


    Yosh, let''s make them feel at ease, since it''s not their fault, because I wasn''t watching where I was going..


    I smile the best grin I can while looking down at them..


    *Backs Away*


    Why?!?


    Am I that ugly?


    Or is it that I''m unapproachable now?


    I can''t think of another reason since I made sure my aura was off..


    Oh, they''re starting to tear up..


    "Ann-nee, I''m scared.."


    "There, there, Lute..there''s nothing to be afraid of, I''ll protect you.."


    "Mn.."


    Ah, this is awkward..


    They are both hugging each other while the girl puts her head on the boy''s head, while patting him gently..


    Am I a bother?


    Or do I seem to be the villain here?


    Man, I want to go home..


    Just when I was about to leave..


    "Oi, you there! Stop those slaves!"


    A group of men led by a plump middle-aged man shouted here in a gruff voice..


    "Huh, me?"


    I point a finger towards my face..


    "Yes, you, please, help us capture those elves!"


    [Elves]?


    I look towards the two and find that the girl is now glaring at both me and the men..


    But I don''t look at that for long and saw long pointy ears at the sides of their faces..


    They are [Elves]..


    They have the elven ears I always read about in novels..


    Well, let''s just find out about the whole situation since I got involved in this..


    They try to run past me, but I block them..


    The girl glares even harder at me and tries again and again but to no avail..


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    After a few minutes, the men reached here and said..


    "Thank you, I thought they were going to get away for a moment, who I ask, might you be?"


    "Isn''t it common courtesy to give your name first? And why do you want these guys anyway?"


    I try to lower my voice so that I won''t be taken lightly..


    "Ah, yes, forgive me, my name is Gerzar, head slave merchant for the "Slave Trader''s Guild" and it is a pleasure.."


    A slave trading guild huh? I guess I should have known that slavery isn''t outlawed here since this isn''t Earth anymore..


    "It''s Orion, now tell me why these kids were running away from you.."


    "Sure, these two were high-elves captured in the midst of the war between humans and elves which started 13 years ago, even continuing until now, they were supposed to be transported here for them to become slaves, but after we bathed and clothed them, they suddenly used some strange magic to become invisible and got away from our guards'' detection, but it seems it was only valid for a short time, since we found them later and started to chase after their figures, it seemed that you bumped into them while they were running, must be lucky, huh?"


    Luck, eh..


    So there was that war going on even until now..


    If I remember correctly, Derek-tousan was called for that war, I hope he''s safe..


    Anyway, let''s get back to the present situation..


    "Then, what are you going to do with them?"


    "Ah, yes, now that you''ve caught them, we''ll put these [Slave Collars] on them and bring them back to the guild, Of course you can claim a reward of some sort at the guild later, now then.."


    He signals to his subordinates, and they start moving towards the children with rope in their hands..


    I know I shouldn''t get involved in this anymore than I should but..


    I didn''t notice that my body moved in front of the children by itself..


    "What are you doing, oi?"


    "Get out of the way, they''ll escape again!"


    The rugged men say in a condescending tone..


    And after that, they surround us and the children..


    I have to say something here..


    "Hey Gerzar-san, you said they were slaves, huh?"


    "Yes, I certainly said that, what about it?"


    "Then.. I would like to buy them both, how much do they cost?"


    A flash of surprise is present on Gerzar''s face but immediately turns into a grinning expression..


    He rubs his hands together and says in a happy tone..


    "Ah, are you interested in purchasing them? Well, but they aren''t ordinary slaves, you know?"


    He continues on..


    "They were supposed to be our prime slaves, since they had beautiful features and are most importantly, part of the high-elf race, which are said to be, the rarest of the elven kin.."


    "So what, tell me.."


    "Haha, straight to the point, I see, but I don''t dislike that, well, let''s see.."


    He thinks for a second and declares..


    "Since they are an expensive commodity, the girl would be 2 large gold coins, and the boy, 1 large gold coin, all in all, coming down to a price of 3,000,000 Myr, what do you say?"


    His eyes looks as if he''s overcharging me and believed that I had no money to buy slaves judging from how I look..


    Why do people judge my looks so much..


    "Sure, No problem.."


    I say in a matter-of-fact manner..


    Eyes around me stretch wide open and mouths hanging agape, even the children and Gerzar-san look surprised..


    What, you think I''m lying?


    "No, no, are you sure you have enough? It''s 3,000,000 Myr, you know?"


    "Yeah, what about it?"


    "Ah, Yes! I''m very sorry for disrespecting you, dear customer! Let''s move to the guild to do the proper procedures!"


    He signals again to the men and they tie up the elf children and move ahead of us while murmuring things like..


    "He was a rich noble''s son all along?"


    "What, how can a guy like that be in the slum area?"


    "Well, I don''t really care for rich people''s hobbies but, I guess were getting bonus pay today, huh?"


    "Oh yeah, let''s celebrate later at the bar!"


    They cheer in unison, such simple-minded muscle-brains..


    Well, I don''t dislike those types of people, though..


    After an hour of walking, we reach a black-painted building with a sign that said, "Slave Trader''s Guild"


    We enter and find a luxurious reception area with 2 red leather couches facing each other separated by a long wooden coffee table and various flowers decorated around the building..


    I guess this ambiance is supposed to make you feel relaxed, huh..


    It is working..


    Gerzar-san sits in one couch in the middle..


    Then, they take the slaves and make them stand near Gerzar-san..


    I take a seat before him on the other couch..


    He starts to take out the collars and puts them on each of their necks.


    I control my urge to stop him since it was just business..


    "Okay, now that they''re officially slaves, I want you to place the payment on this tray.."


    A woman hands a silver tray to him and he places it on the table before me..


    "Sure.."


    I take out three large gold coins and place them on the tray..


    Their eyes seem to sparkle with greed when looking at it..


    "Excellent, now.. sign this with an empty [Magic Quill] powered by your own magic power...."


    He takes out two papers that seemed to be [Slave Contracts] and a {Magic Quill] that I saw from the guild..


    I do what he tells me after reading the contract that confirms the right of ownership and states, that they can''t disobey an order, slaves shall be fed, and taken care of in a place of residence, and killing a slave results in a fine of 1 gold coin..


    I check it thoroughly and sign it using my magic power..


    Both contracts glow in a red and blue light and separate into particles going into each of their bodies..


    And two other lights go into mine..


    I notice that a seal was placed on each of their hands located at the back of their palms..


    When I check it with [Aura Eyes] it said that it was a [Mark of Subordination], while what appeared on both my hands were [Mark of Dominance], they both looked like blue and red tattoos with a strange pattern..


    After it was finished, I found out that they were siblings, and their names were, Anna for the older sister, and Lute for the younger brother, they didn''t know what their last names were though, since they thought it wasn''t important..


    When we left, Gerzar-san waved goodbye saying "Please Come Again" like a certain convenience store cashier..


    When we got outside, I told them..


    "Well, first off, it is nice to meet you both, don''t worry, I won''t hurt you.. Take care of me in the future, okay?"


    I smile while saying that..


    "..."


    "..*sniffle*.."


    Ah, this is still awkward..


    "Well, anyway, its fine if you can''t open up to me now, that''s for the future, until then, let''s get along, ne?"


    Their eyes seem to be cautious but I know they are good kids..


    Because I saw how Anna-chan cares for little Lute-kun..


    I find myself grinning thinking about it..


    "Yosh, first of all, let''s get you some new clothes!"


    I said in a happy and loud voice..


    I know I kind of just went with the situation this time, but I guess I found new companions now..

 Chapter 23: The Miracle Chef

    "That looks pretty good on you.."


    "Au, re-really?"


    Anna-chan is blushing cutely while twirling around with the dress she''s trying on..


    "Un, we''ll take this one too, please.."


    I say to the smiling employee..


    We are now shopping for clothes and everyday necessities inside a clothing shop we found while travelling through the business district, the shop was called, "Gemini City Tailoring" which was a pretty simple name, of course..


    But it had a variety of selections from underwear to coats for winter, they even do custom-order clothes..


    We''ve been buying everything we saw that we liked like there was no tomorrow..


    I think that''s why the shop employee-san is in a good mood..


    "Hey, how about me, do I look cool like niichan?"


    I felt a tug on the back of my coat and turn to see a blond-haired boy with green eyes wearing a black leather coat that seemed to be many sizes bigger than him, it does look amusing but I know he''s trying to look like me..


    I didn''t even choose to look this way, you know?


    It''s just that they had cool effects, that''s the only reason I''m wearing them..


    I''m not living my middle-school days again, that''s for sure..


    Anyway, what Lute-kun is trying to do is so cute, I might faint..


    And it made me think for a bit and question how can such a cute child be involved in a war..


    But I felt that asking about it now, would be an invasion of privacy, so I restrain myself till he comes and tells me himself together with his sister..


    "Haha, you do look like me, but I suggest finding clothes that fit you would be best.."


    I pat his head and ruffle his hair a bit while talking..


    "Ah, understood niichan!"


    After he said that, he ran towards the displays..


    Such a cute kid..


    Hmm? How did I get these kids to talk to me?


    Well, it''s quite a long story actually..


    What happened was..


    I lead the way towards the business district and the two followed behind me..


    I had decided to go buy clothes first, not thinking about anything else..


    Since I thought, they wouldn''t like staying in those rag-clothes for a long period of time..


    After a while, I noticed that I was walking too fast, since the two were lagging behind, so I waited for them..


    They noticed after a while, and they tried to move faster to catch up..


    But when they did, they were out of breath and that was when I heard it..


    Pretty loudly in fact..


    *Gurururururururururu*


    *Gurururururururururu*


    Both stomachs released a howl of hunger and I clearly heard it..


    In fact, I think the whole city heard it..


    Well, I decided to stop with the jokes and ask them about it..


    {"Are you by any chance, hungry?"}


    I also noticed that by the time I said this, the sun was already high up in the sky..


    Anna-chan didn''t say anything but her stomach gave me all the answers I needed..


    While Lute-kun slightly nodded his head nervously..


    {"Then, let''s get something to eat, follow me.."}


    Yosh, since this is the perfect time for lunch anyway, let''s eat first!


    I decided inwardly and held both of their hands and walked slowly until..


    We came across a certain restaurant, which I think was called, "Gemini Star Cuisine"


    A pristine name like that definitely had good food, or so I thought while entering the establishment..


    When we opened the door, we were greeted by the scene of shouting and angry men and women..


    The various men and women were dressed in a formal suit and bow-tie and gowns and dresses..


    While they seemed to be pretty wealthy, they weren''t keeping a noble-like appearance now..


    Since they were shouting at a tall man with slick brown hair and a mustache..


    He seemed troubled, more so that even sweat gathered at the back of his neck..


    Which I caught sight of with my enhanced eyesight for no particular reason..


    There were people in white clothes and aprons repeatedly bowing to the wealthy men and women behind him..


    While the tall man was trying to appease the angry crowd..


    So, since I might as well, I walk up to the tall man and ask him what was with the situation..


    {"Ah, you see, were in a bit of a bind here, our chefs suddenly got afflicted with the disease that has been recently surrounding the city, "Red Slime Disease", do you know of it?"}


    {"Ah, no, since I just came into this town yesterday.."}


    {"Is that so, well anyway, due to the disease, our chefs got taken to the church to get healed but since there was still no record of someone getting healed from "Red Slime Disease", we decided to put in a request at the guild even though it''s futile and close the restaurant for the time being, but our regular customers said, they won''t have any of it, and started to complain about it saying irresponsible things like, "Do something about it!" or "Where am I going to eat now?" and things such as that.."}


    {"Ah, so you didn''t hire a new chef in the meantime?"}


    {"Yes, well, our chefs were the best in town with their cooking skill at an intermediate level, so there weren''t any applicants who fit the job description..(sigh)"}


    Normally, I would have got out of there and looked for another place to eat..


    But, I saw something in the tall man''s eyes that seemed like my Master''s..


    That determination to not settle for mediocre food, and to only serve the best meals to others..


    For it will be insulting to them, to the customers, and for their pride..


    So I decided to remedy the situation..


    "Um, I might not be of much help, but can I try cooking something for them for now?"


    The tall man''s atmosphere suddenly changed..


    From a troubled middle-aged man into someone who is a professional in what they do..


    He looked at me and took my hands and stared at them with bloodshot eyes..


    Scary..


    {"Fumu, these hands seem to have experience in the kitchen.."}


    You can tell?


    {"You can tell?"}


    Oops, my thoughts were so spontaneous, it slipped out..


    {"Of course, let me introduce myself, I am the owner of this restaurant, Jim Paxon.."}


    {"Ah, Orion, Orion Fullbringer, nice to meet you.."}


    {"Well then, Orion-san, if you want to help, I need to know to what extent, you can cook a dish.."}


    He''s all fired up..


    I can sense his aura getting hotter..


    Oh, this? it''s called [Aura Sense], it''s a skill that allows me to somehow sense the other party''s emotions through aura..


    Huh.. The entire restaurant seemed to have become silent..


    I look around and see all eyes on me and the tall man, Jim-san..


    Is it that big of a deal, what he said?


    {"Ah, sure, how are you going to judge me?"}


    {*Chuckle* Judge, no, I will be your opponent!"}


    Eh?


    {"Meaning?"}


    {"Ah, I was once a gourmet chef back in my heyday, I made various delicate foods of different ingredients but with smaller portions with the utmost care and got recognized for it, but since it became a drawback to cook in my ways, I decided to just watch over the restaurant by hiring capable chefs to cook more efficiently.."}


    A life story, where is this going, exactly?


    {"And so, I would like to compete against you in a "Cooking Match" to see if you are fit to even step into the kitchen in this place, because if you''re just an amateur that wants to experience cooking, you can leave right now, since we don''t need your pity, but if you really are confident, you better have the skills to prove it!"}


    He points his finger in my face with burning vigor..


    The men and women start to gather around and..


    *Gasp*


    They start to be in awe in front of Jim-san''s spirit..


    Well, it did fire me up a little, since I wanted to know how my skill compares with other competition..


    {"I accept your challenge!"}


    I said while opening my right palm and stretching it in front of him in a "talk to the hand" pose and simultaneously covered my eye-patch..


    Ah, why did I do this?


    Is this an automatic setting of the equipment?


    Or was I just that excited to compete with Jim-san..


    I don''t know, but for now, I look at the elf children behind me and they seemed to forget their hunger for a bit and started to look here with wide eyes..


    Children do seem to love conflict no matter which world it is..


    After I said my reluctant acceptance, a bell rang..


    {"Here it is, one of "Gemini Star Restaurant''s Cooking Showdown"!!!"}


    *OOOOOOHHHHHHH*


    A woman wearing white clothes and an apron with flaxen colored hair starts announcing to the crowd in a loud voice..


    And the peanut gallery responds in kind with heated expressions..


    And wasn''t it a "Cooking Match"?


    When did it turn into a showdown?


    I sigh in my head and turn to the tall man and find that various kitchen utensils had been prepared while I was drifting off into my thoughts..


    There were pans, ladles, pots, charcoal, [Fire Stones], and various ingredients mixed in..


    {"Now, everything has been prepared! Let''s start the showdown!"}


    The woman informs the crowd and they are all caught up in the pace..


    Those angry voices from earlier seemed like a lie now..


    I take my place at one side with a table and all the things needed prepared for me..


    And Jim-san stands at the opposite one..


    {"Now, let me introduce to you, our judges for today!"}


    She points toward a long white table in front with three people sitting on three luxurious chairs..


    {"Our first judge, is one of our very own servers, and the restaurant idol, Marielle-chan!"}


    *OOOOOOHHHHHHH*


    The screams of admiration fill the room..


    But mostly from men..


    The person called Marielle-chan is a woman with silky blonde hair, skin white as snow, and pretty features..


    I can see why they call her an idol..


    She waves to the crowd, and the cheers get even louder..


    But still, mostly from the men..


    {"Introducing our second judge, a noble from the house of Novalis, Earl Pricei Novalis!"}


    *Kyaaaaaaaaaa*


    A shrill scream of admiration comes from the women this time..


    In regards to the handsome earl with curly brown hair with a handsome face..


    I''m not jealous.. I''m not jealous..


    {"And our final judge, our mystery customer, Gourmet Mask-sama!"}


    What...


    A masked stranger addressed with sama?


    I mean, how does she even eat with that mask on?


    Ah, I can''t even read this person..


    {"The judges will rate your dish in a score form starting from 0 to 10.."}


    Ah, it''s like this..


    {"Furthermore, it is not decided by the total number of points, but whoever has a higher score for each judge!"}


    Eh, the level just got more difficult?


    {"Now that the rules are said, let''s begin!"}


    She signals without further warning and Jim-san starts preparing his ingredients..


    Ah, so troublesome, she just said begin out of nowhere..


    Well, let''s let it go and start cooking..


    Now, what do I make out of these ingredients..


    Hmm? Ah, that''s it!


    I decide my dish after a moment, and start preparing..


    First, I mold the wheat and flour with different spices and cut them into long thin strips after it sets..


    Then, I make a broth made with meat base, garlic, pepper, vegetables, and other spices..


    I take the meat and season it heavily with some of the salt I brought with me..


    I cut it into strip-pieces and cover them with breading I made out of flour and other ingredients..


    After I was done, I light the flame with the [Fire Stone] and simmer the soup broth placing a lid on it..


    While the water was boiling, I took out the pans and spread sesame oil around the inside of the pans..


    I wait for the soup to boil and when it did, I place the "noodles" inside the broth to let it cook..


    After I hear the sizzle of the oil being heated up, I placed the breaded meat on the pans one by one carefully..


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    While letting it cook, I chop up some vegetables and onions to bring flavor onto the meat while frying...


    I spread it around the pan so the meat can absorb its nutrients and umami juices..


    Plus, it made the meat lighter and softer..


    After I heard the pot''s sound signalling that it was done cooking, I took out three ceramic bowls for soup and pour the broth into them and at the same time, place the noodles at the center..


    When it was done, I put the cooked meat slices over the noodles and made it stand upright slightly leaning on each other, resulting in a clean presentation of only the top part of the meat showing outside the broth..


    When that was done, I placed various toppings from vegetables and spices to make it look complete...


    And after about 10-20 minutes, I finished..


    I wipe the sweat off my forehead and saw that everyone was looking at me..


    Even Jim-san who I think finished earlier than me..


    They all have a strange look on their faces..


    I wondered what was wrong and was about to speak up when..


    {"Okay! Now that both competitors are finished, please present your dishes to the judges!"}


    Everyone seemed to have snapped out of it..


    And they started to cheer and await the judging portion of the ending competition..


    {"Ah, I''ll go first, if you don''t mind"}


    He looks towards me for permission..


    {"Sure, go ahead, but there''s no need to ask you know? You did finish earlier after all.."}


    {".."}


    I was met with silence as he walked towards the table with a tray of plates..


    I wonder what''s wrong with him..


    The judges look at the plates in front of them and each showed a different reaction..


    {"This looks delicious!"}


    Marielle-chan said with a smile on her face with a tone of expectation..


    {"This, is this what I think it is?"}


    The Earl beckons toward Jim-san and asks..


    {"Ah, yes, it is my signature dish, Gourmet Herb Boar Meat.."}


    Wow, he used his signature dish against me?


    Now, I''m starting to get nervous..


    I mean, it does look appetizing, with the black lines on the steak with the spicy aroma of herbs fill the nostrils, and the overall plating of the dish looks very professional, as you''d expect from someone who owns a restaurant..


    {"Ah, I see! Well then, this is a pleasant surprise, I''m glad I came today!"}


    The Earl says in a tone filled with gratitude with a bit of drool escaping his lips..


    But he noticed it and wiped it off skillfully without anyone to see him..


    Well, anyone except me..


    {"...."}


    The "Masked Stranger" nods approvingly and is preparing her fork just waiting to stab into the meat..


    {"Please, enjoy"}


    Jim-san said in a courteous manner..


    After those words were spoken, they took their knives and forks and ate their first bite..


    They had a satisfied look on their faces and broke into a grin..


    They ate some more till there was none left on the plate..


    And that masked person, suddenly her food disappeared from the plate!


    I didn''t sense anything at all!


    How did he/she eat it in such a short amount of time?


    Oops, now''s not the time for that..


    They seem to be inputting their scores on a piece of paper..


    {"Well then, judges, what do you have to say!"}


    Mariele-chan raises her scoreboard and said..


    {"It was delicious, as I would expect from owner!"}


    She raised a perfect 10..


    While the earl was..


    {"It satisfied my tastebuds and my appetite, nothing less than perfect for this dish!"}


    The same score of 10..


    "..."


    The masked person didn''t say anything and raised her scoreboard, written on it was..


    The number nine..


    {"Oh, Gourmet Mask-sama rated the dish a 9! So close, but still a wonderful score, as expected from owner-san!"}


    They all seem to call Jim-san, owner, well it''s understandable..


    But how high must the masked stranger''s standards be to give a nine in contrast with the other judges..


    Well, I guess it''s my turn now..


    I carry the three bowls on a tray and walk towards the table..


    I place each bowl in front of them and wait..


    {""So, what is this supposed to be?"" "..."}


    Both judges ask in unison while the third judge just stared at it..


    Well, I guess it''s a good time as any..


    {"Well, let me introduce you, to a dish from my hometown!"}


    They wait in anticipation in response to my confident words..


    While I open the covered bowls and release the hot air from within..


    {"My Improvised Tonkotsu Ramen!"}


    I introduce the dish while steam seeps through out into the open air from the bowl..


    {"I''ve never seen this strange dish before.."}


    {"Neither have I.."}


    {"........"}


    The masked one nods once..


    {"Well, just try it for now, and when you eat it, use the utensils to bring both the soup with noodles and the meat and vegetables into your mouth together, since it will bring a complete flavor to your mouth.."}


    They reacted strangely to my words just now..


    {"Together? Well, the soup does smell really good.."}


    {"Indeed, it is a very peculiar aroma.."}


    {"...."}


    It is normally supposed to be eaten with chopsticks but since it is not spread throughout this world, I''ll refrain from saying it, since I would cause a huge uproar if the information got out..


    {"Well then, please dig in!"}


    I say excitedly to the judges and they start to pick up their utensils and bring the food to their mouth..


    And I couldn''t see it clearly, but the food disappeared when it almost came in contact with the mask..


    How peculiar..


    After a few moments, it got really quiet all of a sudden..


    When I look towards the judges and their faces looked stiff as it had been hit by a lightning bolt..


    Except the masked one, which I couldn''t tell the expression of..


    Was it that bad? I thought to myself..


    But the next moment, they started moving again..


    Shoveling the noodles, soup, vegetables, and meat into their mouths like they were starving..


    In a minute, the three bowls were licked clean..


    And after, the judges stood up and carried their bowls with them..


    And said in front of me..


    {""Can I have seconds?"" "...."}


    They seemed to be forcing me with their eyes..


    So I poured another helping onto each of them..


    And I noticed some of the peanut gallery were drooling and gulping..


    Well, it''s fine, I''m glad to know that they liked it..


    {"Sure, here you go!"}


    I said with a smile and then they turned back to their table and sat down and ate once more..


    After a few minutes, they gave their verdict..


    {"This flavor, so delicious, I can''t get enough of it.."}


    Marielle-chan says while holding up a 10 with a heart sign on it..


    {"I can never forget this taste for the rest of my life.."}


    The Earl exaggerates while holding up a 10 written in gigantic letters..


    {".......*Thumbs up*........"}


    And finally, Gourmet Mask-sama presents a thumbs up to me simultaneously holding up a 10 scoreboard..


    {"A-amazing!, a perfect score for a perfect win, the winner for this time''s Cooking Showdown is.. Orion-san!"


    *OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH*


    Cheers of admiration fill the restaurant..


    I had a grin plastered on my face at that moment..


    Then someone patted my shoulder..


    When I turned around, it was actually Jim-san..


    {"I underestimated you, I never thought there was a different kind of way in cooking a dish, It seems I still have a lot to learn about the food business, you win, Orion-san, no, Chef Orion Fullbringer"}


    Jim-san slightly bows to me and called me a chef..


    I put on a wry smile in response and said..


    {"Thanks, Jim-san.."}


    He smiles at me and said..


    {"Well then, I guess it''s time for lunch, huh? Will you do us the honor of cooking your dish for the customers?"}


    {"I don''t see why not, but could I also cook for my companions, they still haven''t eaten yet.."}


    {"Sure, those children can eat for free, don''t worry about it.."}


    {"Okay, let''s do this then!"}


    {"Right!"}


    I started cooking soon after, I served the aristocratic-looking customers and they were delighted when they tasted the noodles and meat mixed together in a broth while giving praises to me and some asking for the recipe for them to give to their personal cooks, and a few tried to recruit me into their house as a cook but naturally, I refused..


    When both Anna-chan and Lute-kun tasted my dish, they thought it was the best dish they had ever eaten and started to eat more and more until each had at least five bowls..


    The gluttonous elves thanked me for the first time and started to open up to me while helping with kitchen work..


    I was happy since I knew if you want someone to open up to you, you have to sate their stomach first..


    At the end of the work shift, I was dead tired because more and more people came in droves and ordered my dish since it became popular and they started to call me incomprehensible things like, "Miracle Chef!" but I didn''t have enough time to talk back and get rid of their wild delusions..


    When we were done, it was at the time of late afternoon, the owner, Jim-san thanked us for the good work and offered to pay us, but I declined since I was in no need of money as of now..


    But he persisted so I negotiated with him, that I can get to drop by and use the kitchen once and a while and eat for free..


    He had a face saying "Is that it?" but he soundly agreed to my proposition..


    When we left, we headed to the business district with full stomachs and tired faces..


    We talked on the way there and I found out information about them like..


    How Anna-chan is 11 and Lute-kun is 9 years of age..


    They seemed to have made grim faces whenever I hinted at their family so I reluctantly kept my mouth shut about it..


    And when we made it to the clothing shop, they made a questioning glance but..


    Their faces automatically lit up when they tried on new clothes..


    Which brings us back to the present..


    Anyway, while I was reminiscing, both Anna and Lute have finished picking out their underwear and clothes so I paid for them, in total, 1 gold coin, so we carried what we could back to the inn and told the shop employee to deliver it to that address for one silver coin, she happily agreed and said it would be delivered by tomorrow..


    So I lead the way passing through various food stalls where we stopped a bit to buy meat-skewers which tasted good by the way, and walked all the way to the giant inn where I stayed at..


    The two seemed wide-eyed at the size, same as the first time I came here, well, even until now..


    We enter and I pay for food and room expenses to the receptionist for them to add another bed into the large room..


    They said they would be fine sleeping on the floor, but I wouldn''t allow it..


    I payed 5 silver coins for the total cost and took the room key and went up to my room..


    We entered and let the staff move a bed from somewhere into the room and placed it right next to mine..


    We thanked them and I gave them a large copper coin each which delighted the staff and I closed the door behind us..


    "You both can sleep there, good night!"


    "Un, thanks.."


    "Thank you niichan! Let''s sleep, Ann-neechan, I''m really tired.."


    "Ah, sure.."


    I doze off while listening to the two''s soft voices which are trying to be considerate in not waking me up..


    How nice, having siblings..


    I dreamt about Kate-neesan that night but I didn''t remember it when I woke up the next day..


    <hr />


    Hey SlashCrit here, thanks for reading..


    Man, that was the longest chapter yet.. 4000 and a little extra words..


    I kind of got heated up when I was writing about the cooking part since I love to read cooking mangas and novels..


    So I got off on a tangent there, anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the double chapter today!


    Till next chapter~

 Chapter 24: Taking My First Quest

    The next day, I woke up early as always, feeling like I was forgetting something..


    But this time, I had to keep quiet since the elf children are still sleeping..


    And quite soundly at that..


    After I informed the innkeeper that I''m going out for a bit, I left the inn..


    I went outside the city and trained once more as always..


    After another refreshing session, I started to walk back to the city..


    When I looked towards the direction of the rising sun, I suddenly noticed a malignant aura in the opposite direction..


    It was just over the west horizon..


    When I enhanced my sense, I could see..


    What seemed to be..


    An army, a huge one..


    I got surprised a bit, and automatically observed the situation..


    They numbered about a thousand..


    The army seems to be entirely composed of [Goblin] variants..


    Such as, [Goblin Knights], [Goblin Mages], [Goblin Archers], [Hobgoblin Raiders], but mostly [Goblins]..


    Oh, and there''s another one, a goblin bigger than all of them..


    Right in the center of their formation..


    A [Goblin King], huh?


    I used to meet those sometimes in my training days, at first, I had trouble with their giant bodies and proportional strength, and the fact that I can''t get to him easy because the subordinates would block my way..


    Then, after a few tries, I managed to kill one..


    After that, I got scolded by Master, but not for fighting a stronger opponent, mind you..


    But for taking so long against a small fry..


    Naturally, I complained about its enormous strength back then..


    But, he would not listen to anything I said because he said that I was making excuses..


    Instead, he taught me one of the ways to take advantage of an opponent''s size and strength against itself..


    But I couldn''t do it properly since I was still a kid back then with an undeveloped body..


    And so, after much reflection and deliberation, I incorporated the skills Master taught me into something I''ve learned back on earth, Judo..


    I learned judo in hopes to make friends with other students by exchanging techniques..


    But it only made it worse..


    Since after I fought everyone, they were too afraid of me..


    So much that, they skipped going to judo lessons altogether..


    As a result, my instructor told me that I should quit, since his business was going to fail..


    My dark history, out of many..


    Well, after I did that, I started to beat [Goblin Kings] whenever I met them and didn''t get a single scratch..


    Oops, I was too busy thinking about my training days, they seem to be coming closer to the vicinity of the town..


    Well, since it''s been a while, let''s try it shall we?


    I thought to myself while stretching my arms in a circular motion, moving towards the [Goblin Army]..


    A few minutes later, I am now walking back to the city..


    It wasn''t as exciting as I thought it would be..


    Once I swooped in, in a straight line while piercing everything in sight..


    Then I made it to the [Goblin King] and grabbed his gigantic body and pinned him to the ground..


    Then, when I chopped the [Goblin King''s] head off, they were in chaos..


    After their leader was dead, they scattered off to who knows where..


    (sigh) Did my body get too fast? That guy could barely react to my movements..


    Well, on the bright side, even after all that blood sprayed into the air, I didn''t get any speck of it on my clothes..


    I guess a more developed body is good for something..


    So I tried to catch all of them, but most got away..


    I then proceeded to put the leader''s corpse in my storage and walked back to the city leaving the bloody massacre behind, I would have liked to cremate them since it would attract beasts, but sadly, I couldn''t use [Fire Magic]..


    I still regret not being able to use magic in a fantasy world..


    I didn''t know what to do with all the information about magic spells in my head from reading light novels..


    But, there''s nothing I can do about it..


    I go through the gates and go back to my room at the inn and greet the elf children..


    "Good Morning, Anna-chan, Lute-kun.."


    I say in a bright tone towards the two who are sleepily rubbing their eyes..


    "Fue~ Good Morning, Onii.."


    "*Yawn* Good Morning, Niichan.."


    So cute, is this what it''s like to have little siblings?


    "Now, get dressed, and let''s go downstairs and eat breakfast.."


    ""Yes""


    I turn for the door and let them change..


    After that, we went to the first floor and had breakfast..


    Today''s menu was some bread, soup and an egg-sausage combo with vegetables..


    Their eyes lit up at the sight of a luxurious breakfast like it was the first time they saw it..


    After we said grace, they started to shovel down food down their throats..


    I don''t know about their god though..


    Since they were chanting something before the meal..


    If I remember correctly, it was Avaceris, the Nature Goddess which rules over the Elven Continent..


    Was that supposed to be a prayer to her?


    Oh, now''s not the time for that..


    "Anna-chan, Lute-kun, eat your meal slowly, it''s not going away you know?"


    After I said that, they stopped eating and then swallowed in unison..


    Is this a gag show or something?


    But after, Anna-chan had a slightly displeased face..


    "Onii, if it''s hard to call us that, I don''t mind if you call me Anna, if you want.."


    Her voice slightly trails off at the end, and why is she looking away..


    "Oh, me too, like Ann-neechan said, call me Lute, niichan!"


    The energetic little boy dives in almost instantly and shouts in a voice heard by the other customers..


    To which they show various gentle smiles..


    Such cute kids..


    "Alright, well then, let''s take care of each other from now on, okay? Anna, Lute.."


    They both beam a cheerful smile at my words..


    Somehow they got really attached to me..


    Well, they are still kids after all..


    And it is exactly that reason..


    Why I can''t free them yet..


    Yesterday, I was planning to free them after buying them..


    But soon after, I noticed that if I freed them now, they would only end up back at the "Slave Trader''s Guild", live on the streets and alleys, starving everyday, or worse, run out of the city and get killed by demonic beasts..


    Since they were just kids, and added to that, elves, in a land filled with humans..


    I think they won''t treat their race as kindly as the demi-humans..


    Since there was a war going on between them even until now..


    Now, I know this would just look like I''m feeding my ego, but still, Master always taught me that..


    When I start something, I better damn well finish it..


    So what I took from that in this situation is this..


    I should find a way to get them back home to the Elven Continent if an opportunity arises..


    And until then, I will take care of them and train them to get stronger until they don''t need me anymore..


    Just like how Master trained me..


    Well, not exactly how he trained me, but you get the idea..


    Since I know that the guilt will eat away at me if I just irresponsibly threw them away..


    Well, you can call it self-satisfaction if you want..


    The point is, I want to help them..


    And they might help me, in regards to information about this world..


    I can''t expect them to know much about it since they''re kids but still..


    They were caught up in that war for a reason..


    Maybe I can get a clue about the hero this way, if I''m lucky..


    Oh man, did I just really think about luck right now..


    I think I might have just raised a flag right there..


    After we finished eating. I asked the two if they want to buy some equipment..


    And I know that they''re still under-aged but I want to give them at least something to protect themselves with..


    So we walked around the business district and found a blacksmith shop with the sign, "Gemini City Blacksmith"


    We entered and found an empty shop filled with swords, armor, plate mails. spears, bows, and staves..


    "Um, Is anyone here?"


    I shout towards the counter..


    Then suddenly, I hear a gruff voice..


    "Yeah, yeah, welcome to my workshop, the name''s Rodrick, how can I help you?"


    A giant man came out from the back door of the counter..


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    He seemed to be 2 or more meters tall, had bulging muscles, a brown beard dirtied with black ash, and narrow slit eyes with a satisfied expression, looking at me and the children..


    "Elves, huh?"


    He said that in a confirming tone, but I detected no malice from it or him..


    He seems to be a good person who doesn''t judge people by their looks..


    "Ah, nice to meet you Rodrick-san, I''m Orion and this is Anna, and Lute.."


    I introduce myself and the children to the blacksmith..


    "Fumu, so, what are you looking for today, you seem like a swordsman yourself.."


    He can tell, as expected from one who makes weapons for a living..


    "Ah, no, I wanted these kids to pick out a new weapon for protection.."


    "Is that so, well, it''s fine, it''s been dangerous nowadays.."


    I''m glad he''s understanding..


    I tell them to pick out whatever they want..


    It seemed to have taken a while, since Lute seemed to have tried every weapon in the store before choosing..


    What he picked out of all weapons was a strange weapon called a [Composite Bow], a bow shaped in an x-shape..


    When I asked Rodrick-san, he thought Lute was weird too, since that weapon was difficult to use because it is a combination of two different elemental bows, which are hard to use together or simultaneously..


    Rodrick-san called it useless, since it won''t even sell..


    He said he got that from a travelling man with a hood, and the man sold it to him, saying it was a magical weapon..


    Turns out, he thought he was ripped off because you couldn''t even use the bow properly when tested..


    But when he tried to find the man, he was gone..


    It was a strange story, but I still listened to it till the end..


    While Lute chose the bow, Anna seemed to have liked a long staff with various [Elemental Stones] embedded in it..


    It was taller than Anna but she looked like a genuine mage, so I approved of it..


    I found out that Rodrick-san makes custom weapons and armor, so I told him..


    "Rodrick-san, could you make me a custom-sword out of this.."


    I said to him with an absentminded expression while placing one [Mithril Ore] from my storage onto the counter..


    His eyes seem to have blown out of their sockets when he saw it..


    "Th-thi-this, is a [Mithril Ore] isn''t it... Where did you get such a thing?"


    He stuttered while asking..


    I replied to him saying "I found it somewhere"


    I was met with cold eyes..


    Was that a wrong answer?


    "Well, it''s fine if you don''t want to tell me, but this can''t be found normally around here, it''s a legendary ore that we blacksmiths dream of handling, so please, let me make something out of it.."


    He bows to me with an earnest demeanor..


    How would he react if I told them that I had more of that and other legendary-class ore in my storage..


    Hmm..


    Nope, let''s not tell him after all, it could make him faint..


    "Okay, can you make me a sword out of it then?"


    "Oh, leave it to me, I''ll make it to the best of my abilities!"


    He seems so pumped up, well I only asked for a sword since traveling around without a weapon would look weird..


    So I need it for appearances sake..


    Although I can''t talk much about appearances..


    "Ah, well, how much will it cost?"


    "Ah, no, if you let me work with this precious ore, I will only sell it to you if I am proud of it, only then, will we talk about the price..Oh, and if I fail, I will reimburse you, so don''t worry.."


    Eh, he has a chance of failing?


    Even though he''s a professional blacksmith?


    Well, it''s fine, it was just a whim after all..


    "Sure, now, let''s pay for the weapons.."


    I payed for the children''s weapons and leather breastplates and guards included..


    After we finished what we came here for, we left the blacksmith who said it would be ready in a week or so..


    "Well, now that you have weapons, we''ll go to the adventurers'' guild to take a quest!"


    ""Yes!""


    They seem excited..


    After a few minutes, we made it to the guild..


    When we entered, there were various people moving in and out and talking to one another inside..


    There seemed to be something big going on, but I didn''t want to get involved and moved to the request board..


    I picked out a quest catered for [Rank F] adventurers, [The Goblin Subjugation]..


    The details were that it was a repeatable quest, kill 3 [Goblins] and bring their ears as proof of subjugation..


    The rewards were 1 silver coin per goblin..


    It seemed reasonable, and it would be a good chance to hunt down the remains of the [Goblin Army]..


    It was a win-win situation, so I took it and went towards the counter..


    "Yo, Ella-san, what''s going on? why do you look so nervous?"


    "Ah, Orion-san, you haven''t heard? There are- oh, who are these children?"


    Ella-san seemed tense and she was about to tell me something but her eyes got stolen by the kids..


    They hid behind me when she looked at them..


    Stop drooling, Ella-san..


    The kids are afraid, you know?


    "Ah, Ella-san, this is Anna and Lute, my new companions.."


    "Is that so? Are you taking care of these kids? They seem so cute.."


    "Ah, yes I agree, but even if that was so, it is not relevant to my question, you were saying something?"


    I try to steer the conversation forward and Ella-san seemed to have snapped out of her delusion and started talking..


    "Yes, where was I, that''s right, there was something troubling in the adventurer''s reports.."


    "Troubling, how so?"


    I ask, slightly perplexed..


    "Well, according to some parties, they seemed to have seen a gathering of [Goblins] near the forests and grasslands.."


    "So?"


    "But when they started to subjugate them, they started multiplying exponentially, and soon outnumbered them.."


    I listen to it with slightly more interest than before..


    "They had to retreat since they saw that they were no match for the waves of [Goblins] and they reported it here.."


    "And what is the pressing problem about the multiplying of [Goblins]?"


    I still don''t get the point..


    "Well, after that, numerous parties gathered together to subjugate them, but it ended in failure, since there were not just [Goblins], but many different variants as well, and the one who was leading them all into forming an army was a terrible foe, something that needs the imperial army to subjugate, a [Goblin King].."


    "..."


    I stare blankly..


    As my interest left like the wind..


    "Why aren''t you reacting, the army lead by a [Goblin King] is heading to town, you know? That''s why were so busy right now, it''s a troubling situation.."


    I see Ella-san pacing back and forth behind the counter trying to find a way out of her dilemma..


    Yosh, let''s speak up..


    "Ah, you don''t need to worry about that, Ella-san.."


    "Eh? Why shouldn''t I be worried?"


    "Well, because.."


    I take out the [Goblin King]''s corpse with the head out of storage and onto the floor..


    "I already killed it.."


    "Eh?"


    Ella-san released a stupid voice looking at the gigantic figure of the [Goblin King]..


    After a few seconds, the whole guild gets silent and stares are all over me and the corpse..


    And finally, Ella-san speaks up..


    "You can use [Item Box] Orion-san? Wait, that''s not the point! Is that really the [Goblin King]?"


    "Yes, you can check it to make sure, so please stop worrying.."


    "Ah-ah, impossible, a lone adventurer subjugating a [Goblin King] by himself is unheard of.."


    Oops, Ella-san seemed to be struggling with her emotions right now, so let''s get out of here while we can..


    "Oh, and this, I want to take this quest, well then, I''m off! Let''s go, Anna, Lute.."


    I say hastily as I place the request paper on the counter and grab the children''s hands, leaving the stunned Ella-san and the other adventurers while walking a little faster than normal towards the exit..


    "See you later!"


    I say as I close the door from the outside and walk towards the gates with the children in tow..


    .........


    A few minutes later, a loud shout made in unison saying "Ehhhh?" in a surprised and baffled tone was heard throughout the city coming from the [Adventurers'' Guild] that day, but the one who was the cause, was oblivious to this fact...

 Chapter 25: Spirit Magic

    Hey, me again, I just wanted to say that, I want to thank the people who read this far and will continue reading. For all those comments and suggestions about the story and how I should write it, whether it was positive or negative, I am grateful for the help. If anyone could write an advanced review on the story so far, I would greatly appreciate it. Oh, and I also started a new wordpress site, it''s not completed yet, since I started editing all the chapters from scratch, and found more than one grammar mistakes, so embarrassed about it. I would appreciate it if you guys gave it a gander and stated your opinions. Here it is: https://isekaifictions.wordpress.com/</a>


    Well, that is that, enjoy the new chapter~


    <hr />


    The sun''s rays shine down upon the land..


    Under its light, the grasslands in the vicinity of "Gemini City", one of the cities in the Meteora Kingdom..


    In the southern area, a wide, lush forest filled with demonic beasts, the "Souzier Forest"..


    Heading in this direction were three figures..


    One black-clothed youth, with long white hair, a face with an eye-patch, covered by a hood, wearing a long, dark, leather coat, which would have made you think that it wasn''t the right clothing to wear under this blistering heat, walking without a care, on the dirt road heading to the forest..


    The other, lagging behind, a blonde-haired girl, with pure white skin, long pointy ears, wearing a green robe with added frills, and features, and holding a staff adorned with gleaming gems and crystals, which was taller than her, in one hand. Her small stature and her delicate features would lead you to believe she was a child of the elf race..


    And finally, the energetic, little blond-haired boy with long ears, which would make you believe, that in the future, he would grow up to be one of the most handsome men on the planet, with a strange bow at his back, was leading the way, walking with a grin on his face, skipping from time to time..


    "Hurry up, Niichan, Ann-neechan!"


    Lute said with a tone of joy spiced with a tinge of excitement..


    "I got it, don''t run too far off now, okay?"


    I said, in a scolding but carefree manner..


    "Wa-wait, for me, Onii, Lute..."


    I turn around and see the haggard Anna, clutching her new staff, the [Elemental Gem Staff] while she was slowly trying to walk faster, I guess we moved too fast for her? But I thought I was moving pretty slowly though..


    Ah, it seems the heat is getting to her..


    Yeah, the weather has been getting warmer each day..


    But Lute seemed totally unaffected, is it because of the bow?


    The composite bow Lute picked out from the Rodrick-san''s shop was called the [Twin Gemini Bow] which, to my surprise, when I used my [Aura Eyes], it was said to be one of the 12 legendary weapons, "The Zodiac", and this weapon had the strange ability to use any of the ten elements, but with one restriction, the elements used can only be in opposition, meaning, if you want to use it, it had to be either; fire and water, earth and wind, ice and lightning, and finally, the light and darkness elements..


    He must be using the cool air from the ice element to keep his body cold, how else would a kid like him, keep walking with a happy demeanor in this godforsaken heat..


    I thought it was pretty lucky of Lute to get one of the legendary "Zodiac" for his first weapon..


    I wonder if his luck stat was really high..


    I struggled with myself on whether I should use [Aura Eyes] on them like a creep, or don''t and protect their privacy..


    After much deliberation, I chose the latter, since I wouldn''t want them to hate me..


    Well, it''s only for now, but I can''t guarantee anything in the future..


    Since Anna didn''t have any energy left, I knelt down on the ground and said to her..


    "If you''re tired of walking, I could carry you all the way there.."


    I say while showing my back and putting my hands behind me before her..


    "Au, i-is it really okay, Onii?"


    I get worried about her face suddenly turning red like a tomato, but I blamed it on the sun''s rays..


    She slowly walks up to me and almost reluctantly gets onto my back and clings to my neck..


    Yosh, I put my hands on Anna''s backside, she moves a little, but there were no problems..


    Yes, no problems at all, calm down me..


    She''s a child, she''s still a child, this is not right..


    I chant repeatedly inside my thoughts like it was a mantra..


    I will not succumb to the will of a certain cartoon bear back in the other world..


    After I got my mind in order, we continued walking to the forest..


    When we made it inside the forest entrance, I put down Anna from my back onto the ground gently..


    I saw that she was reluctant to part from me when I put her down but..


    No, I must have been imagining it..


    Then, I look towards the forest path and use my enhanced senses to check the surroundings..


    I try to expand it to 500 meters in front of me, in a semicircular arc range..


    I saw multiple responses but most were far from our location, and some were harmless..


    I try to look for the movements and breathing pattern of a [Goblin] among them..


    Ah, I got it. 200 meters east of here, 5 groups of [Goblins] seem to be wandering around that area..


    Each group consisted of 3-4 [Goblins] from a rough estimation according to my perception..


    "Okay, I spotted some of them over there, let''s move, but be careful.."


    As we moved closer to the area, multiple beasts sensed us and started moving towards our direction..


    Now, I could have let them meet, but I decided that for their first battle, was to be against the [Goblins]..


    So, without letting the elf children notice, I used [Aura Sword Creation] in a 10 meter radius around me..


    And when one of them entered my range, an [Aura Sword] impales them from the back of their head..


    I learnt this kind of tactics from my battle with Master, I thought that if I couldn''t use [Unlimited Aura Blades] normally, I could use a lesser version of it, by extending a field of aura around myself, the most I could create at one time, in this state, was only a measly number of twenty [Aura Swords] or ten [Nameless Aura Swords], by which the latter was stronger than the former, of course..


    I still have a lot to learn, if I''m ever going to fight the four heroes..


    After about thirty demonic beasts were killed, they finally learned their lesson and started to stay away from us..


    Animals usually trust their instincts after all..


    When we made it just outside the range of one of the [Goblin] troops, we hid behind the tall bushes and shrubs, and started our reconnaissance..


    We found out, that this group was composed of four [Goblins] and they wore rusty armor and held chipped weapons like daggers and knives, and they seemed to be patrolling the area or something..


    "Okay, we''re hunting these guys for today''s quest, so I want you guys to show me your skills, if anything goes wrong, I''ll take care of it somehow, but I need you guys to take every precaution, okay?"


    I say in a reassuring voice, while speaking in hushed tones..


    "Okay, Niichan, ah, I want to go first!"


    The eager Lute almost shouted and gave away our position, but realized almost immediately, and softened his voice..


    "Sure, show me what you got, Lute.."


    After I said that, his face showed an eager smile, then he proceeded to draw his bow and said..


    "Azuel Ignis Ra Aqua Jouet"


    I couldn''t understand what he said, even with my divine skill, so I guessed it was a type of chanting skill, and not a language. After he said those words, particles of fire and water gathered together in forming two arrows protruding from the composite bow, directly aiming for the two targeted goblins..


    Lute pulled the arrows together with the string that seemed unbreakable, drawing them in a shooting stance..


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    "Fuuuuu..."


    He breathed in, and exhaled a lot of air from his mouth, and then, released the bowstring..


    *Woosh* *Woosh*


    The arrows were freed into the air, and instead of moving in a straight line, it zipped through, cutting air, moving in two different opposite arcs, the one adorned with bright red flames, shooting upward, and the one rippling with liquid, moving downward, both going straight for their respective target''s heads..


    *Spurt* *Spurt*


    It was only for a moment, but I caught every twist and turn the arrow made before landing straight into the two [Goblin]''s heads, with my enhanced senses, the [Goblins] could barely notice the silent but deadly strike, before it killed their two comrades and made their blood rain on the ground..


    Such terrifying archery skill..


    Yes, the bow was, without a doubt, one of the best weapons in the world, but I don''t think it could have been used in such a way, a shot with pinpoint accuracy and precision and released without hesitation..


    It made me more and more interested about their origins, while it also made me shudder, thinking about when Lute grows up, his skill will be further refined and even stronger than this, with such untapped potential, he would have the chance to be one of the best archers, in the likes that no one has ever seen before..


    When I look at him after he shot it, he had a bright smile, unlike someone who has just killed two monsters in one blow..


    "I did it, Niichan, I used my new bow and shot my targets without them ever noticing where it came from!"


    He''s so ecstatic, he''s practically jumping up and down, so I reward him with a pat to his head, which he seemed to like..


    "Grawr" "Grrr"


    Oops, it seems the two other [Goblins] noticed our presences, and they turned hostile..


    I look towards Anna and say..


    "I guess it''s your time to shine"


    She heard that, and did a fist pump with her tiny hands with a determined expression, then she held up her staff above her head with both hands facing towards the direction of the approaching danger, and said..


    "Fulgur Adium Adtonitus Georum"


    A magic circle spreads out of Anna''s body and glows in a pale blue light..


    The magic gathers into the staff''s tip and she pointed the staff forward..


    "[Spirit Bombardment]"


    With those words as the trigger, the staff released a lightning ray towards the [Goblins]..


    The bolt of plasma moved too fast to be detected by the naked eye, but I still saw it like it was going at a normal speed..


    I have my enhanced eyesight to thank for that..


    They didn''t expect us to attack once more, so they were shocked to see that there was a pure white energy moving towards them, they tried to run, but since they were rattled by fear, and couldn''t think clearly, they didn''t move to the sides, instead, they ran backwards, which was a futile struggle, seeing as the lightning was faster than they could ever hope to be in their near-ending lifetime..


    *Boom*


    The sound of an explosion resounded in the area and was heard, even where we were..


    The smell of burning flesh filled the air, I was worried that it would attract the others but it was for naught..


    "I did it, Onii!"


    She''s so straightforward in the strangest times, that she is literally presenting the top of her head to me..


    So I put on a wry smile and did the same as when I did with Lute, she seemed satisfied, so I left it at that..


    After that, we went onward and subjugated the remaining [Goblin] troops, as we were doing this, I was slightly curious about their chants, so I asked them about it..


    It turned out to be a chant to summon the [Elemental Spirits] in the atmosphere by using magic power called [Spirit Magic], which they told me further, that it can only be used by the fairy race and the like..


    I was pretty envious of them being able to use the elements although they were younger than I was, but I let it go..


    But I noticed something that was bothering me since a while ago, the fact that the [Goblin] troops were surveying and patrolling areas in a kind of radial shape, meaning, they are circling something, and are protecting whatever is found in the center of this formation, I plan to find the cause of this later..


    When we were finished, we gathered the proof of subjugation, their ears, and I put them into my storage, a total of 18 [Goblin Ears] were the haul for today..


    We started to go back and made it to he forest entrance, but I needed to do something, so I made an excuse..


    "Ah, can you guys wait here? I''ve got to go pee.."


    When I said that..


    "Oh, sure, niichan, I''ll protect Ann-neechan until you come back!"


    "Fue~ *Blush*"


    One said a reliable manly statement, while the other, turned red and looked away in a hurry..


    "Ah, I''ll be right back.."


    I say as I secretly put up an [Aura Barrier] around the two while walking towards the forest..


    Once I was out of sight, I enhanced my limbs and dashed like a hurricane, the momentum of my speed couldn''t be stopped and I navigated through the forest and zig-zagged through the branches and roots using my enhanced perception moving towards the area where I guessed the [Goblin]''s lair was..


    I mean, it was the only logical explanation considering the formation and their numbers..


    After a few seconds, I made it to a small, rocky cave..


    I enter quietly but it seemed there was some [Goblins] around the entrance, so they still noticed me..


    "It was as expected..(sigh)"


    I sigh outward as I release my stealthy demeanor and proceeded to enhance my muscles with aura..


    "Let''s clean this up quickly.."


    I say in one moment, and the next, I was dashing into a horde of [Goblins]..


    It was over in a minute..


    They were about 200 [Goblins] in there, including the remnants of the army from earlier, but they were weakened so they couldn''t even put up a fight before, multiple [Aura Swords] pierced their throats, decapitated their limbs, and made heads fly, over and over again..


    It couldn''t even be called a warm-up..


    I got depressed since I needed a stronger opponent for me to prepare for the coming battles, even more so, now that I have companions to protect while I''m at it..


    "Oh right, I''ve got to get back soon"


    I remind myself of the more pressing issue while deliberating if I should take the ears from the corpses, but I concluded that it would take too much time, so I left them be, and sprinted back to where the elf children were..


    "I''m back!"


    "Oh, let''s go home, niichan, I''m getting hungry!"


    "Sure, how about you, Anna, you getting famished?"


    "Ah, no-*Gurururururu*....*Blush*"


    I decided to just stay silent and smile towards the cute antics of Anna, and start walking home..


    They both follow after me with a spring in their step..


    "How did you like it, doing a quest?"


    I said towards the two humming happily..


    "It was fun, I got to shoot [Goblins] with my new bow!"


    Lute showed off his bow while waving it in front of me..


    "It was a good experience.."


    Anna says while turning her head towards the sunset..


    "Well, I''m glad you two enjoyed it, now, let''s go eat at that restaurant when we get back!"


    "Yeah, are you going to cook again, niichan?"


    "*Nod* *Nod* *Stare*"


    An enthusiastic question from Lute while Anna nods vigorously hearing it..


    "Ah, I''m going to let you taste a new dish, this time, so look forward to it!"


    Their faces automatically brightened up and their stomachs responded in kind towards the prospect of food..


    As I laughed at them, they got embarrassed for a bit, but started to laugh with me, soon after..


    I look towards the orange sky and think..


    Today was an enjoyable day..


    A thought I never would have had back in the other world..


    I slightly reminisce while walking back to the city with my two elf companions..


    Little did I know, something was brewing in the near future..

 Chapter 26: Raizel

    "Yo, Ella, were back!"


    I yell when I passed through the guild''s entrance..


    "Ah, Orion-kun, Anna-chan, Lute, it''s you guys! It''s only been a few hours though? (sigh), I can''t be surprised anymore.."


    Ella says with an exasperated facial expression..


    "Oh, should I place the [Orc] corpses here, or in the back?"


    I don''t mind her defeated sigh, and divert the topic..


    "Ah, in the back, if you would, thanks as always.."


    "No problem, Anna and Lute have been getting better nowadays, you see?"


    I say while moving to the back of the guild, an area for monster materials..


    "Is that so, at first, I didn''t know what you would do with these kids, but it seems now that they''ve grown stronger, hey. what exactly did you do to them to make them like this in such a short time?"


    I see the curious face of Ella asking about my training regimen, while I was taking out the [Orc] corpses from storage, but it isn''t going to be that easy, you know..


    "It''s a secret"


    Ah, her face soured..


    "Well, you will tell me one of these days, so nevermind that, here''s your reward, five silver coins.."


    She recovered from her usual mood, and handed us a leather pouch in exchange for the proof of subjugation..


    "Ah, thanks, by the way, any new requests put up today?"


    "No, there aren''t any new subjugation requests, ah, but there was that one.."


    That one?


    "Hmm, what is it, I''m thinking of taking one more today, since it''s still early, and we can do it after lunch.."


    "Um, there was a new escorting request posted today, but the client wanted to interview anyone who wants to take up the job before they leave in three days.."


    An escorting request, huh, I haven''t taken that one before, since it was rarely available since other adventurers would snag them at the earliest, maybe it was because I''ve been taking all the subjugation requests recently, and that it was only available to D-rank adventurers and above..


    Oh yeah, I got promoted to C-rank last week, so let''s try to ask the prerequisites first..


    This was the current status shown on my guild card..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Guild Card</td></tr><tr><td>Orion Fullbringer</td></tr><tr><td>Level: 45</td></tr><tr><td>Class: None</td></tr><tr><td>First Job: Rank C Adventurer</td></tr><tr><td>Second Job: None</td></tr><tr><td>Completed Quests:


    [Goblin King Subjugation]


    [Goblin Subjugation]


    [Herb Collection]


    [Orc Subjugation]


    [Demon Wolves Subjugation]</td></tr><tr><td>{Seal of the Adventurers'' Guild}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Ella, is it a rank-specific request?"


    "Oh, this is a first, you''re interested in an escorting request?"


    "Yeah, I kind of felt bad about always taking the subjugation requests, so this would be a nice change of pace.."


    "You realized that only now huh, well, it''s fine, this request just needs an interview and the client doesn''t care what rank you are, but I hear the interview was so strict, most adventurers got turned away soon after.."


    I guess they did jump at the chance early this morning huh, those sly dogs, but I wonder why they didn''t get the job though, some of them are pretty experienced in escorting, according to my sources..


    To which I have none, except for my observations..


    Yeah, I haven''t made any new friends after returning from my first quest..


    I''m guessing they were too scared to even talk to me..


    "Ah, I guess we''ll try to take up that request then.."


    I say to Ella with a confident expression..


    "Always so optimistic, sure, here you go.."


    She passes me the request paper with details on how to get to the residence of someone named Gaziel..


    "Thank you as always, let''s go you guys.."


    I look towards the two elf-kin who are both my companions and my first students..


    "Ah, let''s go Onii.."


    "Another quest? I''m so excited, Shishou!"


    "Good luck with that you guys!"


    Ella says while waving her hands to us leaving the guild..


    Yes, I''ve gotten used to this daily routine..


    It has been about a month after we returned from the goblin subjugation, at that time, there was an uproar when we came back to turn in the request completion, mainly caused by the barrage of questions from Ella, on how I managed to beat a [Goblin King] single-handedly. It was troublesome to give away my true status, so I made up a lie, saying that I found it weakened from a fight with another battle, Ella wasn''t happy, but the others seemed to be satisfied, so she reluctantly accepted it. .


    I was promoted to E-rank soon after, since I still managed to kill a [Goblin King] and completed the goblin subjugation, which, by the way, I only handed in the 10 ears, to save myself from trouble. Then, handed in the rest each day after that, all in all, made more money than a normal E-ranked adventurer, but I didn''t know if I even wanted it or not, considering it wouldn''t even make a difference compared to my overwhelming fortune. I''m so glad I had an [Aura Pocket] skill, because if I didn''t, I would have had to look over my shoulder everyday, considering everyone passing me, a thief..


    What a hard life that would have been, since having too much money, would cause a lot of problems..


    In more ways than one..


    After establishing a routine of doing quests each day, I decided to train Anna and Lute in my free time, they were more than up to it, when I suggested it to them. So I made my own training regimen, incorporating Master''s teachings and training methods I watched a few times from movies and the internet, back in Japan, starting from the basics, like building up stamina, training your muscles, and ways to move efficiently without any wasted movements to save energy. I was surprised at their fast learning growth, much like my own, except that this was my second life, so I was slightly depressed when I knew that I wasn''t that strong at their age..


    After observing their movements, body control, and state of mind, I administered some corrections here and there, and we moved on to advanced techniques like using skills efficiently. For Anna, even though I can''t use any magic myself, I knew the principles of the world, like the atomic structure and stuff, adding to that, the theories and knowledge of the magic structures and spells from Master''s boring classes, I drilled into her everything I knew. As for Lute, I taught him how to use the bow and several archery forms from my world, since I studied various martial arts for fun after I got kicked out of judo, like taekwondo, archery and shooting air guns at the shooting range, but in the end, I was still asked to leave due to the same reason, no matter how much I tried. I started getting depressed thinking about it, so I stopped.


    The results were outstanding. Over these few weeks, Anna developed a more confident personality and no longer has to hide behind me when meeting strangers, but she still gets flustered when I talk to her sometimes, I still don''t know why she does that, even until now. Meanwhile Lute, looked more mature each day, with his developing muscles, and child-like demeanor changing into a calm personality with enough confidence to back it up, of course, he still had that positive, bright attitude, a trademark for him. But ever since our training progressed, he stopped calling me "niichan" and started referring to me as "shishou". It was embarrassing, so I told him to stop, but he wouldn''t budge on it..


    What a cheeky attitude for a brat, it''s hard to imagine that they were running through the streets, wearing dirty rags, with despair on their faces and were considered prisoner slaves a month ago..


    Now, they look like bright, cheerful children with a bright future ahead of them..


    I was thinking that the time when I had to release them was coming closer each day..


    I felt bittersweet when I thought about saying goodbye to them, so I put it out of my head for now..


    What I was feeling right now though, was my stomach rumbling..


    "You guys hungry? Want to go get something to eat?"


    They both nod in response..


    "Well, since Jim''s place is near, let''s go there to eat this time.."


    "Shishou, will you make me your "karaage" fried chicken again?"


    Lute, with a bit of drool seeping out of his mouth, said that with hopeful eyes..


    "No, Onii will make that "Cheesecake" pastry again, I want to eat that today!"


    With stars in her eyes, Anna makes her suggestion..


    Geez, what selfish gluttons they are..


    "Yosh, why don''t we have both today!"


    I say excitedly to the quarreling duo..


    ""Yes!""


    They become all obedient when they get what they want, I guess this were their true colors after all..


    We move towards Jim''s restaurant when we reached a decision..


    Over the time period of one month, I occasionally dropped by Jim''s restaurant to make new dishes and teach the staff various recipes from Earth, using the skills I learned from Master, while having "Cooking Showdowns" with Jim from time to time, where the judges changed each time, except for the strange masked person, who was always "coincidentally" there whenever we competed..


    Due to this, me and Jim got more acquainted with each other, and he started calling me with no honorifics and I started calling him, Jim. It was also during this time, I made cakes and pastries which Anna seemed to love, using the new ingredients sold here, including eggs, flour, and sugar, which I couldn''t procure back then. I got the idea to share some of my creations with Ella, and to my surprise, when she tasted it, she ate it like she was possessed. After that, asking me where did I get it, how much was it, and the like. I told her the truth, and because of that, me and Ella got closer as a result, even though the relationship was built on ulterior motives, mostly from her side though..


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    With Ella in the roster, that was a total of five people I''ve befriended in the new world, I pumped myself up, thinking that there was ninety-five more people left till my goal of a hundred friends..


    In the case of my friendship with Jim, he was really thankful to me for some reason, since he said that due to my dishes, his restaurant''s popularity rose through the roof. While he said incomprehensible things such as, "If there is anything you want, just say it, and I will fulfill it" while bowing to me like I was someone important..


    I told him that it was fine though, since I only came by to try experimenting making new dishes, but he would not take rejection so lightly, he decided to always wait for my request, in hopes he will pay back even a little back to me..


    I think he was over-exaggerating though, but it was too cruel to step on his determination even further, so I let it be..


    After I made the dishes today, I noticed there was a long line of customers outside, so after we ate, I left halfway unnoticed, and left it all to the other chefs which, by the way, didn''t die, since I took up the request to cure them. Turns out, the dreaded "Red Slime Disease" was actually just a fever mixed with the common cold..


    So I made them rest, while teaching Jim how to cure it with a cold compress, taking in lots of liquid, and cooked them a dish especially effective on common colds, the "rice porridge" with my own twist on it..


    They thanked me endlessly for it, since they said that this information would save many lives, but I didn''t pay much attention to it, since it was just a common cold..


    When we slipped out, we started heading to the location using the details Ella gave me..


    I think about the various information and experiences I''ve accumulated inside this city..


    Yes, I wasn''t just playing around, adding to my daily training, which I increase the load each time it gets easier, I was gathering information, about the war between the humans and elves, and the whereabouts of my family..


    Using the words "Fullbringer" and "Elf War" didn''t bring in much results. All I got was vague information about casualties, captured slaves, the present situation, and the strife of the battlefield. No one seemed to know anything about the reason they went to war, or who is getting the advantage, or even an inkling to my family''s whereabouts..


    Well, it''s to be expected after all, it has been twelve years since I was missing, they probably thought that I died, and moved on by now, I would''ve left earlier if I could have, but it was impossible until now..


    The reason wasn''t that I was doing my best training, I tried to escape once, but I only got lost and ended up back where I started, and killed a lot of demonic beasts while I was at it..


    I went back to the cabin depressed, and found Master waiting for me, surprisingly, he knew all along that I was trying to escape, but he wasn''t worried since it was deemed impossible even for him, I got curious about his words, so I asked him to elaborate, and so, with a tired face, he told me the real reason..


    Turns out, in the past, he killed his best friend out of rage, because he did something unforgivable, he didn''t know why he did it, but he knew it wasn''t his choice. No, he chose to believe that, in the memory of his once, true pal and comrade. But after he became conscious again, there was an extremely powerful barrier surrounding the whole area including the forests and hills, he didn''t know who did it at first, but he found out that it was inescapable soon after. Even after developing various magic and skills to break it, it was futile. All he could do was live out his days in solitude. He later found out that he was actually cursed after much absorption of knowledge from books left behind by his late wife..


    This curse was so terrible, that it only affected him, which he guessed, was activated when he killed his friend. The curse had two effects; First, anyone caught in this barrier,  was forever imprisoned within until the curse was dispelled or the target dies while no one else can enter the barrier from the outside. and second, the target is not allowed to kill himself.


    Which he then, started to frantically research on how to break the curse, but to no avail. There wasn''t enough material present, even after hundreds of years experimenting, it resulted in nil. By then, he was going mad, and tried provoking thousands of beasts, and making them kill him. But, he was too strong, very much so, that none of the beasts could even inflict a fatal wound on him, no matter how big the handicap, and even if they did, it would have healed just as quickly..


    So he gave up, seeing as there were no other options, till a few decades passed, he met me..


    I don''t know how I managed to enter the barrier but I''m sure it was a good thing..


    I only know now, that Master was partly training me, for the sake of me ending his curse..


    It is a sad but at the same time, relieving story..


    Oh, we made it to the residence. It looked like a two-story high house with white walls and glass windows...


    I thought for a bit that the client must be a noble or something..


    When we knocked, an old man wearing black attire that looked like a butler, ushered us in, and looked at the request..


    He then told us to wait in the reception room, so he could call his master. The reception room was kind of like the "Slave Trader''s Guild"''s waiting room but with much more furniture. We sat on one of the couches, and it was so comfortable..


    After a few minutes, someone opened the door in front of us. What came out was a man that looked to be in his 20''s with glasses, blue-silver streaks of hair, an elegant face, and was reading a book while walking up to the table dividing the couches, and a fiery red-haired man with a youthful aura exuding a calm expression, but I thought that he was just as handsome as the glasses-wearing man, but with a brighter glint in his eyes..


    The glasses-wearing man sat down in front of us and shuts his book close. He then put it down upon the table, while the butler served us tea while taking care not to disturb the discussion. I brought a cup to my mouth, and tasted the drink without caution. It was one of the best-tasting drinks that I ever had, that it broke me into a grin..


    Of course, I didn''t voice out my opinion, but I think the opposite party noticed it. Then, let''s introduce ourselves first..


    "Ah, Good day, I am Orion, a C-rank Adventurer, and this is my companions, Anna, and Lute, I''m here for the request interview, who might you be, sir?"


    I say in the best polite way I could think of, regarding introductions..


    To which the reaction shown was a slightly raised eyebrow, with eyes peering into me, like it was examining every secret I had to keep inside, and that look was filled with curiosity somehow..


    I get a chilling feeling at the back of my neck, somehow telling me there was something off, about this whole affair..


    But I couldn''t find the reason, so I put it in the back of my head for now..


    "I see, I am one known as Gaziel, a merchant of sorts, I travel around the continent, trading goods with each city, and this, is my loyal bodyguard, Raizel, introduce yourself.."


    He looks towards the red-haired man, and he, in turn, starts speaking while looking at us..


    "Hello, I''m Raizel, I''m the guard of Gaziel-sama, and someone who loves to fight strong people!"


    He blurts out the last part like he was challenging someone, contrary to his calm, handsome(ikemen) looks, he had an awfully loud voice like a high-tension teen..


    "I see, nice to meet you both, now, how should we do the interview, are you going to ask me questions about my skills and my life, or something such as that?"


    *Laugh* *Chuckle*


    Gaziel-san, seems to have found something amusing and laughs while Raizel-san had a grin on his face..


    "Um, what is it? Did I say something wrong?"


    I ask to make sure..


    "*Giggle* No, no, I''m sorry, nothing of the sort, it''s just that, I got amused by your strange perception of an interview.."


    Strange?


    "Then, what would you have me do then?"


    I try to get to the bottom of this..


    "Ah, it''s quite simple actually, you see, I need an escort that can match my bodyguard here, in terms of skill, since I don''t feel safe nowadays just having one guy to guard me, so I''m looking for someone to make me assured. In other words, all you have to do, is keep up with Raizel and you have the job.."


    Ah, I see, simple, fighting the ecstatic guy..


    Eh?


    "So, what you mean is, I have to fight Raizel-san?"


    "That''s exactly what I was saying.."


    "But, won''t he get hurt? I didn''t think I''d have to injure someone to get an escort job, to be honest.."


    *Laughs harder*


    This time, Gaziel-san couldn''t hold it anymore, and starts holding his stomach trying to suppress his loud laughter..


    And Raizel-san seemed to get more fired up..


    "Haha, you''re strange aren''t you, you aren''t even affected by Raizel''s presence, I see, that''s the first time I saw someone get so confident in front of us, you, you''re interesting, please, try fighting Raizel, and don''t worry, he''s not that weak, to be injured that easily, and even if someone was injured, I have healing potions, so it''s fine to showcase your strength.."


    "Uh, sure, if you say that much then, I''m okay with it.."


    I got relieved at the prospect of not killing someone by accident..


    Yosh, let''s hold back this time, I don''t want to get fired before I even start..


    "Then it''s settled, let''s move to the back area, I''m expecting a lot from you, Orion-dono.."

 Chapter 27: The Interview

    Hey, been busy, a lot of things happening, here''s your chapter~enjoy..


    <hr />


    We moved towards a building at the back of Gaziel-san''s manor..


    It was an inconspicuous building, except for the fact, that I can feel a barrier around the site..


    A very strong one, at that..


    When we reached the door, I could sense a faint trace of magic power from Gaziel-san''s hands..


    What was strange, was the fact that he didn''t do any chant at all..


    The strange feeling came back again, telling me something, what is it..


    "Alright, let''s enter the training arena, Orion-dono?"


    Gaziel-san''s voice snapped me out of my daydreaming..


    "Is something wrong?"


    He asks worriedly..


    "Ah, no, it''s fine, it''s nothing, let''s go then.."


    I say to tell them it''s fine not to worry..


    But, what was I thinking about again?


    Well, it must have been nothing of importance, since I forgot it that easily..


    We enter through the doorway, and find another door, with a lock on it..


    "Now, to get to the training area, we need to go underground, so that you guys can go all out without a problem, is that okay with you?"


    "It''s no problem, please, by all means.."


    Talking politely is somewhat tiring..


    "Excellent, then, watch your step, the stairs might be slippery if you''re not careful.."


    I take his precaution with a grain of salt, because I thought about how an underground stairway could become slippery, which yielded no results, so I thought it was just a gesture..


    How wrong was I to think that..


    In my eagerness, I walked faster down the stairwell..


    But then..


    *Slip*


    "Huh? What? Ehhhhhhhhhh...."


    *Crash*


    *Roll*


    *Boom*


    *Sound of bones breaking*


    *Crack*


    *Crash*


    I suddenly found myself tumbling around, going faster and faster, till I was this close to vomiting..


    The world went up-side down and right-side up, over and over again..


    I swear I heard my muscles tearing, and my bones breaking..


    But it hurt even more, since my [Regenerative Aura] activated midway, causing it to repair, then break, then repair again..


    It was hell, I automatically regretted my decision..


    What I meant was, how long were the stairs here!


    It lasted for about a few minutes before I reached the ground..


    Fortunately, I made it here faster than everyone else, so I got that going for me..


    Who am I kidding, I should have listened to Gaziel-san..


    I slowly stand up and stretch, dusting myself off..


    When I find, something stuck on my clothes, a jelly-like substance..


    It was then, that I heard footsteps from the stairs..


    They seem to have caught up..


    "Are you okay, Orion-dono!?"


    "Ah, it''s fine, I didn''t get hurt.."


    It''s technically not a lie, since I''ve regenerated everything, but Gaziel-san still looks worried..


    "Huh? How are you even fine, I know this may sound strange, but this is about ten floors underground, you know?"


    Eh?


    "Is that so? I''m fine though, so don''t worry about it.."


    I have sweat running down my spine, thinking that if I didn''t have this strong body and strange power, I would have died then and there, and it would only be called natural, even though it was stupid to die, slipping on the stairs..


    Nevertheless, I use my best expression I''ve learned over the years in training with that overbearing Master of mine, the face I use in dire need, that''s right, the [Poker Face]..


    I made a nonchalant expression, telling them not to pry any further, I''m begging you here..


    "(sigh) You really are strange, you know that?"


    That''s rude, Gaziel-san, it hurts my feelings a little bit, calling me strange, well, I don''t care much about things that already happened, after all, since I can''t do anything about it, but those words still hurt, only a little, though..


    "Well, never mind that, let''s get this over with already, what should I do?"


    "Ah, yes, you''re right, first of all, let''s move to the center of the arena.."


    He beckons to us, while moving to the direction of the arena..


    We follow soon after, and reach a wide 200-meter area, the floor was made of stone, that seemed harder than the ones above ground, and the arena was shaped in a giant circle, with marked lines at its sides..


    "Okay, now that we''ve arrived, let''s begin, Orion-dono, Raizel, take your places on each side of the circle.."


    "Got it.."


    "Let''s do this.."


    Me and Raizel-san confirm the instructions, and move towards the arena..


    "Now, for the rules of the match.."


    Gaziel-san gestures towards a weapon rack at the middle of the arena, which I didn''t notice until now..


    "Each of you, must only use one weapon from this selection, I''ve purchased these, from my travels, and you can pick from any of them to fight with, next, no spells, since it would disrupt the battle flow, and I know that Orion-dono is not the mage-type, just like Raizel, so there are no problems, yes?"


    "Yes, it''s fine.."


    *Nod*


    I reply to Gaziel-san, while Raizel-san just nods, affirming the fact that he understood what he said..


    "Excellent, now for the final rule, the winner is determined, when the other is unable to fight, the weapons used are broken fully, that it will be rendered unusable, and if you get outside the 200-meter area of the circle, any questions?"


    "None, I understand."


    "Let''s start already, I''m itching to fight, Gaziel! Ah.."


    Raizel-san seems to have called Gaziel-san without any honorifics by mistake, and he looked quite scared..


    While the other side, was Gaziel-san keeping a smiling demeanor, but was looking at Raizel-san like he was going to murder someone, and that that blunder was the last one he was going to make..


    So scary..


    "Ah, I''m sorry, Ma-..I mean, Gaziel-sama, please, forgive me.."


    He looked so apologetic..


    "Ah, it''s fine, I''ll just punish you later, after all.."


    The moment he heard that, his face went pale..


    I don''t know how he will get punished, but my thoughts are with you, Raizel-san..


    "But you can worry about that later, for now, focus your attention on this fight, Raizel.."


    He seemed to have snapped out of his despair-like face, and turns to me..


    "Ah, that''s right, let''s give it our all, Orion!"


    "...O-oh.."


    I can only put on a wry smile in front of Raizel-san who turned back to his passionate self in a second, calling me over- familiarly, well, I don''t mind, though, let''s focus on how I''m going to do this..


    I look at the weapon rack, and there were various decorated weapons, as I was a humble guy, and the fact, that I didn''t want to break any weapons, that looked like it costs a fortune, I picked the least flashy one, a long steel sword, without any frills and gems on the hilt, a normal sword, maybe used by a knight or a soldier..


    When I look to my left, Raizel-san is putting on gloves?


    No, those aren''t gloves, they are what were called, as gauntlets..


    Bright, golden gauntlets, adorned with sharpened thorns, at the place where the knuckles are supposed to be..


    He was also putting on, shin guards, elbow guards, and other protective armor..


    Me, well, I just took the sword, since I''m already, technically, wearing armor..


    When we were done choosing our respective weapons, we took our respective positions at the center, and wait..


    "Well then, are you both ready?"


    *Nod* *Nod*


    Gaziel-san sees our affirmation, and signals the match to start..


    While I was simultaneously deciding how to end this quickly, but I decided to let my opponent show me his moves first, since I didn''t fight anyone yet, since coming to a human settlement, so I wanted a demonstration, for future reference..


    "Now, begin!"


    With those words said, we moved..


    But, I guess it was only me, that thought to let the opponent attack first, since when the fight started, Raizel-san automatically lunged at me, in a speed a regular human can''t follow..


    Of course, I moved in the opposite direction from the start, moving back, for about 10 meters..


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    The first one to attack was, of course, Raizel-san, he started by using his arms to punch towards my face, gathering the momentum of his sprint, I was surprised by his efficient use of his muscles and his knowledge of its capabilities..


    But the first one, did not connect with its target, nor did the second, third, fourth, and so on..


    Of course, I didn''t just stand there, and take it head-on, I just dodged his straightforward punches, where I could read where he was going to hit next, easily, using the most minimal of movements needed, like moving my head to the side, or redirecting his blow with the sides of the blade, and twisting my body to avoid it..


    I noticed he was also surprised that I dodged his attacks effortlessly, but as expected of a professional fighter, he didn''t let it get to him, and continued punching, but now, using another style of hitting, which was feints..


    I almost fell for it, the way he changed his straightforward blows, and turned it into something he could use against me, when I believed he was going for my arm, he really aimed for my abdomen, and because I was following his line of sight, I almost let him trick me into defending the wrong place, but as expected, my reflexes kicked in, which were forged completely by Master and his cruel training..


    But I was still surprised on how he changed his fighting style, right after concluding that his last one, would not work, so quickly, mind you, in his case, he used his disadvantage, and turned it into an advantage, it made me wonder if all humans were this adaptable to circumstances, or Raizel-san was just this good at fighting..


    Still, it''s going to take more than that, to beat me, even in my sealed state..


    To be honest, in my eyes, he was slow, well, I was using my enhanced senses, but still, I could read his next move before he even thought about it, at first glance, his movements looked really fast, and well trained, and his muscles looked like it was giving its utmost in fighting, but, I could sense something was off..


    It was the way his body moves sometimes, like when he finishes a move, and I predict the next most efficient move he will take, and take measures in order to block it, he does the opposite instead, it''s like he was not taking me seriously, or just, deliberately letting himself, be two steps behind me..


    Nah, I''m just imagining it, there should be no way he would handicap himself, if he was this excited about fighting..


    I put the strange thought out of my head, and get back into battle, since he is starting to try out new techniques..


    When I look at him, he''s not only using punches, feints and sidesteps..


    He is now incorporating kicks into the equation..


    Knee kicks, roundhouse kicks, low kicks, kicks to my sides, and high-jump kicks..


    It was getting slightly harder to dodge, so I had decided to block some of them with my sword, redirecting the flow of the force of the blow, elsewhere..


    When he saw that, he released a grin, saying as if, "I''m starting to get how to beat you!" or something like that..


    But, I think this has gone long enough, I think I got what I needed for now, and this will satisfy Gaziel-san..


    Humans are about this strong, so I put Raizel-san as a benchmark from now on..


    Now, I feel bad for Raizel-san, who is happily throwing blows here and there towards me, without even one hit making it through, but I have to end it now, I guess 30% of my current power should do it?


    I think conceitedly, but I swear, I am humble..


    No, I only thought this overconfident estimation, because I experienced his strength firsthand, in no way am I underestimating him, I just realized that I was stronger than most people, that was all!


    (sigh) Who am I even making excuses to..


    Well, let''s not mind it, and finish this..


    I enhanced my legs with aura and tighten my muscles with it, making my feet lighter..


    I guess you could call me, light on my feet? *chuckle* no? well okay..


    While Raizel-san was enjoying himself, I move back a little, which made him surprised..


    Then, I moved in an arc, appearing behind him, which made him confused..


    But he then noticed me after he sensed my presence from his back..


    But it''s too late for that, I already started getting into stance and..


    *BOOOOOM* *Crash* *Crack* *Crumble*


    "Ah.."


    I let one foot balance my stature, and gathered power into the other, and then moved it towards Raizel-san''s abdomen while he was turning around, simultaneously piercing the sword into his foot, to keep him in place..


    It was one of the techniques I learned back when I was studying the art of "taekwondo", the "dollyo-chagi" or some might call it, a regular roundhouse kick with a 45 degree angle..


    But it seems, I might have overdone it..


    Well, due to the way Raizel-san flew towards the wall at the side, and broke part of it, which now has cracks, I guess piercing the sword on his foot, was pretty much useless..


    Does he have low defensive power?


    I thought idly escaping from the reality that I might have just killed a person..


    I look towards the others and saw that Gaziel-san was dumbfounded, and my two disciples were elated..


    Saying things like; "Impossible", "Good job, Onii!", and "I knew you could do it, Shishou!"..


    Were the various reactions..


    (sigh) This is troubling..


    ...


    A few minutes later, were back in the manor, and I am now sitting face to face with the wry-smiling Gaziel-shi..


    I decided to call him with -shi, in light of recent events..


    "Well, am I in trouble?"


    When he heard me speak, Gaziel-shi hurriedly snaps out of his thinking..


    "Ah, no, it was a great spectacle to watch, but I would''ve preferred you to go easy on him, if you were actually that strong from the start, even though, I said to go all out, anyway, you have passed the interview with flying colors!"


    I can''t possibly tell him that I went easy on Raizel-san now..


    Yosh, let''s keep quiet about it!


    "Ah, thank you so much, but how is Raizel-san doing right now?"


    "Him? He is currently recovering from the fight, being healed by magic by my subordinates, so do not worry about it, in fact, I am sorry he couldn''t even give you much of a fight at all.."


    He looks mortified when he said it, was it really that big of a deal?


    But I''m glad he didn''t "accidentally" kick the bucket, because I didn''t control my strength right, I would''ve really felt bad..


    "No, no, it''s fine, after all, Raizel-san was pretty strong!"


    "I see, thank you for your words, well then, on to business, you are hired, and we shall discuss the rewards after, but expect it to be bigger than usual escort requests, so look forward to it.."


    "Is that so.."


    I could only say that in light of the fact that I didn''t care much about the rewards, since I had no problem with money right now, and the only reason I took this request, was that I felt bad for taking all the subjugation requests..


    But I couldn''t say that out loud, so I let him continue..


    "Now, were scheduled to leave in three days, and our destination is the city of "Capricorn", we are going there, so I can trade my goods and purchase from them, in turn, so you best get ready for the trip and bring supplies, since it will be a week-long travel by carriage.."


    "I understand, we will come here three days later.."


    "Ah, no, we will meet at the eastern gate, since it would be faster.."


    "Okay, see you then, Gaziel-shi!"


    I say as we walk outside the manor, walking towards the direction of the guild..


    "Ah, looking forward to your service, Orion-dono....."


    I could hear a slight change in Gaziel-shi''s tone of voice at the very end, but, I concluded that it was just my ears playing tricks on me again..


    I looked towards the setting sun in the west, while thinking that..


    It''s going to be dark soon, eh..


    Since it was almost nighttime, I asked the two what they would like to eat for dinner..


    I always look forward to seeing their smiles after I tell them that I''m going to cook this time..


    A pleasant breeze blows through my hair, while I was talking with my disciples about food..


    With a smile on my face, I walk together with them towards the "Adventurers'' Guild"..

 Chapter 28: Escort

    At the break of dawn, I was feeling the cold night air slowly turn into a warmer, early morning breeze..


    While I was walking back to the city of Gemini, right after finishing my morning training, just like usual..


    But, the thing that was different now, is that, I was not alone this time..


    At my sides, are my two precious disciples, and my only companions..


    Recently, they have started to come with me, when I train my body..


    Even though I wake up earlier than them, they did their best to get out of bed, the same time as I did..


    I naturally couldn''t refuse such a strong desire to become stronger, and hone your body..


    So, I let them come with me to the outskirts of the city..


    At first, they were shocked, at what I normally did, training my body, since they haven''t even heard of it before..


    As a result, instead of getting refreshed, they were dead tired after imitating my way of training..


    I can''t help it, my body somehow develops under more harsh pressure, which is not my fault, of course..


    It was because of my late Master''s training, that even though I was not a masochist, my body only gets stronger, the further I pressure my muscles, my mind, and myself..


    I suggested they started with the basics, but they readily refused me, saying that they want to reach where I am, and become even stronger, and taking the easy way out, isn''t going to make it a reality..


    Such precocious brats, saying that they will surpass me that quickly, I won''t lose, you know?


    But it warms my heart to see them try their hardest..


    Even now, they are somehow, walking by themselves, with me, back to the city..


    Last time, they asked to be carried back, since they couldn''t even stand upright..


    Such frightening kids, makes you wonder how they even got captured with their tenacity..


    As we were walking back to town, talking about things like breakfast and such, I decide what were going to do today..


    It has now been three days after I passed that ridiculous interview..


    Gaziel-shi said that we were leaving in the afternoon, so I needed to say my greetings to the acquaintances I''ve made..


    Even though they weren''t a lot, I still wanted to let them know, I was leaving..


    Since we already bought the necessary provisions for the trip, I went to say goodbye for now, to Jim and the rest..


    We ate at their restaurant, although it was early morning, I could see people lining up outside..


    Just goes to show how popular the new recipes are, combined with Jim and the staff''s cooking ability, I''d say it was natural, but I was lead into the restaurant first, as usual, I felt bad for the other customers, but they told me that it was fine, since I was considered like a VIP, here in his restaurant..


    I know they''re over exaggerating, but still..


    After we ate, I told Jim and the rest about our trip to "Capricorn City", and we''d leave for a while..


    They had faces that were sad to see me go, but I assured them, that we would be back soon..


    When we said our goodbyes, Jim stopped me for a second, and took out something from an old chest he brought out..


    When I checked with [Aura Eyes], it said that it was a [Gemini Key], but Jim said that it was a mysterious key, that has been passed around his noble family for generations, but no one knew what it opened, or what it was..


    While being surprised that Jim was actually a former noble, I thanked him for the key and went out of the restaurant..


    Next, we went to my blacksmith friend, Rodrick..


    Over these few weeks, I had asked Rodrick to make something out of my [Mithril Ore], a week after, he made a thin, long sword, and gave it to me, it was a beautiful slender, but sturdy sword, capable of taking 10% of my aggregate magic power at most, so I named it [Yin], he was happy about me being pleased of his work, which made me think that he was a good guy, so what I did was, gave him 5 [Mithril Ores] as a sign of our friendship..


    He was really thrilled looking at it, and kept asking me, was it fine to take it, so in order to shut him up, I gave him one [Orichalcum Ore], and his eyes nearly popped out, it was really funny to see, but he got even more noisy, so let''s omit it..


    When we entered, Rodrick wasn''t at the counter, but in his workshop, surprisingly had bags under his eyes, leading me to think, that he hasn''t slept a wink since I gave him the ores..


    I called out to him a couple of times, since he was so focused on his work, and finally got his attention..


    After that, I made him breakfast for the first time, which he was reluctant to eat at first, but after taking one bite, he started to cry, me and the duo, laughed at him, seeing a grown man, crying..


    He told me all about his creations, such as swords, maces, axes, armor, and shields over breakfast..


    The elf duo wasn''t interested in it much, but they still listened to Rodrick''s rambling like polite children..


    When we told him about our trip, he wished us luck and gone home with the leftovers, saying he was going to share them with his family..


    Huh, he did have a wife and kids, after all..


    Before going to the gate, there was one last person we needed to inform, even though she already knows about it..


    Ella, the guild''s receptionist, and our close friend..


    When we entered the guild, the atmosphere wasn''t as hostile and ignorant like the first time I entered here to register..


    But now, it was a merry group of adventurers, without an ounce of tension...


    I made a few acquaintances here and there, but not to the level that I would go out of my way to visit them..


    As we passed by, some adventurers recognized us, and said hello while walking by, and waving their hands..


    I guess they finally acknowledged me, even though they still called us, "The Weird White-Haired Kid and His Elf Party"..


    But it''s fine, they don''t mean anything bad by it..


    We went up to Ella, and greeted her with some small talk..


    Then, I went to the main point about the trip, she reacted slightly strange, like she was worried about it..


    She said something was strange about the request this time, saying that, the path to "Capricorn City" was actually, really safe, one of the safest among the country''s roadways..


    When I listened to her, I thought she had a point, but I didn''t speculate that far, so I told her, that maybe I was just an extra precaution against a "what if" factor, while traveling..


    She reluctantly agreed to my idea, saying that it was kind of weird to worry about it this much..


    I comforted her saying, it''s not that strange, and said our goodbyes..


    She waved us goodbye shouting "Come back soon, okay!" while waving her hand, having a big smile on her face..


    I replied "Ah, we''ll be going then!" and walked out of the guild..


    We went back to the inn, and said that we were leaving for a week, and we were going to vacate our room today..


    But suddenly, when we informed them of that, the innkeeper said that since we were long-time guests, she said that she will try to reserve the room until we come back as long as she can, allowing the circumstances..


    With a bright smile on my face, I thanked her for such consideration..


    What great service this inn provides, I will definitely come back to this place..


    I looked outside the windows when we were finished packing our stuff in my [Aura Pocket] and went downstairs..


    It was already noon, so we ate our lunch at the first floor, and handed the room key to the innkeeper..


    She said goodbye to me and the kids, and we left in the direction of the east gate..


    A few minutes later, we arrived at the eastern gate of "Gemini City" and found a carriage with Raizel-san standing outside, and I saw Gaziel-shi, reading a book inside of it..


    We walked up to it, and said our greetings to them, saying were sorry for being late..


    "Ah, no, no, you aren''t late, it''s just that we came here early, to load up the carriage.."


    Gaziel-shi says in an apologetic tone..


    "More importantly, I wanted to know how you got that much strength, Orion!"


    Geh, he''s calling me like I was his long time buddy now, well, I''m just glad he''s healthy enough to speak like that..


    "Your guess is as good as mine(Saa~na)..."


    I answer noncommittally to Raizel-san''s question..


    He was pretty depressed about it for a bit, but instantly recovered after he heard Gaziel-shi''s voice saying..


    "Well, now that the carriage is fully loaded, shall we depart?"


    "Alright!"


    "Yes, a new adventure!" "Time to go see the outside"


    "Ah, sure.."


    Our various replies were as one, saying that we agreed to start our travel..


    Though I couldn''t handle the high-tension of both the kids, and Raizel-san..


    Please, go easy on me..


    Me and Raizel-san rode two horses for travel and moved to each side of the carriage, while Lute and Anna were made to ride inside, since they were kids, but they started talking about riding a horse and such, so I told them that I''d be teaching them how to ride one in the future..


    Hmm? How did I even know how to ride a horse in the first place?


    Well, that is an excellent question..


    Back then, when I was in middle school, I remember in my second year, when I noticed people started to ignore me, and never talked to me, further increasing in harshness, until they started to run away at the sight of me..


    So I had a lot of free time, having no friends, and with no one letting me join their clubs..


    Anyway, during my free time, I''d usually go to different outdoor activities, such as sports centers, martial arts, going to anime and music stores, buying games, watching movies by myself, you know, things, lonely people do..


    When I found a class teaching horse-riding, I automatically joined it, since I was free..


    I learned how to ride like a professional really quickly, in the span of a week, so I kept coming back to ride horses during my free time, but then, for some reason, the class got cancelled, saying something like, there were dangerous people and unsavory individuals coming to this class, and it got banned from the recreational center..


    I would''ve preferred if they didn''t include the class for being bad, and just directly accused me, but I couldn''t change anything then, so I begrudgingly accepted reality and move on to other things..


    Anyway, as we were traveled, we didn''t encounter any bandits or the template monster attack for the whole day..


    When night fell, we set up camp by moving the carriage to the side of the road, and making a campfire, and then, we put up tents, while we were doing that, I instructed the two to ready my cooking set and the like..


    When I started preparing for the meal, I noticed that both Gaziel-shi and Raizel-san were eating dried meat that was preserved using pepper and large amounts of salt..


    As expected of the rich, to be using that much salt, but still, their faces were telling me, that it had no taste..


    So naturally, like the guy that I am, I called out to them, saying that I can give them a share of the meal, since we aren''t going to finish it all, anyway..


    They were curious about it, so they agreed to partake in the meal I was cooking..


    Tonight, I was cooking a seafood meal, fish fillets, improvised by me..


    I used varying spices to get rid of the fishy smell, and brought out the enhanced texture and flavor of the natural fish..


    And made some fish soup stock, simultaneously..


    After, I seasoned them lightly with sauce, and I served them to the four drooling personas..


    Their first impressions were that it wasn''t like anything that they''ve ever seen before, so they naturally ate till their stomachs were full, and their bellies were shaped like balloons..


    Even though it was a light dish, they still ate the entire stock..


    Well, I was happy though, after that, we took turns being the night watch, and slept..


    The next few days were uneventful, except for the few stops along the way, like feeding and re-hydrating the horses..


    It was expected in this heat, no matter how much the horses'' stamina was..


    So we continued on, until we met it..


    We heard loud sounds from the forest when we passed by, and it was getting louder..


    So Gaziel-shi decided that it must have been a monster, and we had a better chance taking care of it now, than running away from it, which was an uncertain bet to take..


    After a while, the trees shook, and what came out was..


    A giant..


    A huge, human like creature with bulging muscles, a bald head, hairy arms and legs, and two large horns on his head..


    It was wearing a giant piece of dirty cloth to cover his body, but not by much..


    And it was carrying a gigantic piece of wood on its shoulders, formed like a club-shaped weapon..


    Naturally, it was the first time seeing such a creature, but I was strangely perplexed on how it got here, from the knowledge I got from Ella, it seemed the monster was called a "Fomorian"..


    A legendary creature that only appears in the south, where the demons lived..


    They say they have a tribe there, living in secret..


    But, how did one, even get here, all the way north, was the world round, just like it was back on Earth?


    Oops, not the time to be thinking that right now, it seemed to have noticed us..


    As me, Raizel-san, Anna, and Lute, got ready for battle, the giant just held the club over his head, aiming at us..


    The two released their techniques, and it slightly did some damage, since the giant hesitated for a second in swinging..


    While they were bombarding the giant, Raizel-san took the opportunity to leap onto the giant''s arm, and started running upwards to his neck, which was pretty smart, until..


    He got a hit in, using his gauntlets, but it didn''t even scratch the behemoth..


    So he hit it again, and again, until the "Fomorian" got tired of his hits, and flicked him with his hand, blowing back his body into the carriage, which broke, by the way, if it wasn''t that obvious..


    I feel sorry for Raizel-san, who''s always getting flicked away, but since the giant was distracted, I thanked him in my thoughts, hoping he didn''t get too injured, and decided that I couldn''t let a chance like this go..


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    So, I did the same thing as Raizel-san, but this time, I jumped instead of running to his neck,,


    I jumped from different parts of its body until I reached his head, and then, while he was trying to slap my nonexistent persona, since I was moving too quickly, I quickly unsheathed [Yin] from it''s sheath and swung down, using about 50% of my strength at the moment..


    *Slice*


    *Swoosh*


    *Boom*


    *Crash*


    After I did that, I was surprised that I cut through the giant''s body right through the middle, like it was made out of butter, all the way from the top his head, unto the ground..


    The result was, the two parts of the newly sliced body fell onto opposite sides, without even knowing how to react..


    And a giant cloud of dust was formed..


    After the dust settled, you could see the aftermath..


    A broken carriage with debris and splinters scattered here and there, Gaziel-shi standing next to it, helping up the fallen Raizel-san, the elf-duo celebrating the win, and me, standing in a giant crater, right between the two pieces of the huge monster, and it''s spilled organs and blood..


    Naturally, I used [Cleanse Aura] to clean the stains and grime off of me..


    It''s a really convenient skill I learned back when I was hunting monsters in the forest..


    After I was done, I absorbed the aura, and the corpse of the beast into my storage, and  I then walked up to my traveling companions, deciding what to do next..


    ...


    .....


    .........


    After the incident, we decided that since, the carriage was broken in the battle, we should go back to "Gemini City" to get a new one, since it was closer than "Capricorn City"..


    I wished for a skill to automatically fix the broken carriage, or that I could have learned basic carpentry, but alas, I had no knowledge of it, and I sure as hell didn''t know where to start fixing such a mess..


    So we gave up on the trip for now, and headed back, using the four horses..


    The two that me and Raizel-san, who was apparently fine, were already riding..


    And the two horses that were from the carriage..


    As the elf-duo didn''t know how to ride it, along the way, I taught them, one by one, starting from the most eager, Lute..


    While Anna was sitting at my back, hugging my backside, I taught Lute how to ride a horse on the way home..


    It was just the basics, though..


    When it was Anna''s turn, I told her to let go of my back, which she reluctantly agreed to, but was sulky about it..


    After they all learned the basics, I let them take turns riding the horse, but for some reason, mostly Lute was the one who was riding alone, since Anna said she preferred riding with me..


    Which was cute..


    The trip back lasted less days than when we started to leave, which I though was strange, but I didn''t dare to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I was just thankful for the minor blessing..


    After we arrived at the outskirts of town, Gaziel-shi suddenly stopped us, and said that the horses needed to rest, and I had somewhat trusted their decisions these past few days, so I listened to their suggestion that we should inform the guild of our predicament first before anything else..


    Just when I was about to leave, Gaziel-shi stopped me, by saying that the kids would be faster, and that I should help feed the horses, I was perplexed about what he said, but since it was just feeding the horses, I didn''t delve much into it..


    How I regretted my naivety that time..


    After I told them what Gaziel-shi said, they were sad for a bit, separating from me, but I assured them that it was only for a while, and we''ll have some of their favorite dishes when they were done..


    At those words, their faces brightened and wanted to quickly go..


    But not before saying goodbye for now..


    "See you then, Onii!"


    "See you later, Shishou!"


    They yelled as they waved goodbye while dashing into the distance..


    I wait for a while, using my enhanced eyesight watching them enter the city safely..


    I know it was overprotective of me, but hey, they were one of my precious people..


    I couldn''t let anything bad happen to them, so I had to watch over them, even now, and until the future..


    While I was thinking that, I turned around to help the two with the horses..


    "So, let''s sta-"


    *Stab*


    *Pierce*


    *Twist*


    *Drip*


    I didn''t notice it..


    I couldn''t notice it..


    I was too busy thinking about the elf-duo..


    I could only look down to find..


    A big, gleaming red and black sword releasing a sinister presence being pierced into my body..


    Entering through my front, and coming out from my backside, the blood flows to the ground when it was twisted..


    And the one in front of me was..


    "Why, Raizel-san...."


    I could only squeeze out those words in response to the man in front of me who seemed like a different person..


    His playful red-eyes, and red-hair, were nowhere to be found..


    Only to be replaced by the blood-red color of sleek, long hair, with two black horns growing at the center, and merciless eyes looking straight into mine..


    "Sorry about this, Orion..."


    He says with anger in his tone..


    "But, you''re going to be a hindrance to our Master''s plans.."


    Master? They are serving someone?


    Never mind that, I have to get this sword out of my chest, but strangely, I can''t muster any strength..


    Just as I was gathering my strength into my hands, holding the sword, a deep voice resounded..


    "[Curse Activate]"


    The sword suddenly broke and was replaced by seven different colored chains..


    It tied up my body from the inside, binding my arms, legs, neck, and abdomen..


    All connected to seven different magic circles floating in the air..


    I couldn''t move a muscle, much less break free..


    I try to release my limiter but..


    "It''s useless, Orion-dono, that is the greatest seal our Master made for dangerous situations, the [Sin Seal], there is no possible way for you to muster any strength, and even an ounce of magic power when you''re trapped in this seal.."


    The owner of that deep and solemn voice was someone holding a big book, that was entitled [Grimoire] when I read it using my comprehension skill, the man with a cheerful but serious disposition, disappeared like it was a lie..


    And who was there now, was a blue-green colored with a trace of silver hair at the bangs, a pure white face, with a dark tattoo running down from his left eye, two black horns growing out of his head, and eyes that seemed like they were looking at an insect, eyes that wouldn''t hesitate to kill, but filled with intelligence..


    "What, what are you talking about, Gaziel-shi, Raziel-san!"


    I manage to muster out a yell in desperation, but Gaziel-shi seemed to have found it funny..


    "Still so innocent, I see, can''t you see that we''re not who you think we are?"


    Huh? Then who are they?


    "I guess it''s time for us to introduce ourselves, I am Mastema de Gaziel, Archdevil of Knowledge.."


    He then gestures to Raizel-san at his side..


    "My name is Mephistopheles von Raizel, the Archdevil of Combat.."


    "Yes, and since you''re about to die anyway, along with the people of this city, I might as well tell you, that we are two of the "Four Archdevils of Disaster" serving our Master, the Demon God, Polaris-sama, and we came here to purge human civilization to further entice the upcoming war.."


    Archdevils? Demon God? Wait, there''s something else important mixed there..


    "What did you say? People of the city?"


    "*Chuckle* You are an interesting human, the only thing you head was that, not even caring about your own well-being, but yes, we came here to destroy human cities, and the first one was supposed to be "Capricorn City", but you all changed that, by destroying the "Fomorian" we recovered from the "Demon Continent", didn''t you?"


    Were they the reason for the attack? No, never mind that, what was pressing was about the part about the city..


    I got to do something before it''s too late..


    "Ah, you still have hope in your eyes, but sadly, it''s too late for that, we''ve already finished preparations.."


    What, how, when, where, I have to stop them...


    But each time I try to release my limiter, my strength gets sucked out, like I was in a juicer..


    Was it wrong to trust these guys fully? Was it even wrong to trust humans in general?


    Not like, they ever cared for me..


    No, there were, good people, Jim, Rodrick, Ella, and the other adventurers, I''ve got to save them..


    As I try harder to bring out my power..


    "Oh, not so fast.."


    *Kick*


    *Boom*


    *Crash*


    "That''s payback for last time, really, I don''t like to fight when my opponent is like this, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but just know, I''m not doing this because I hate you, Orion. It''s just that if a dangerous element such as you would interfere with our plans, it would end badly, i hope you would understand.."


    "Oh, it''s time, turn him around Mephisto, let him take in this moment.."


    As Mephistopheles heard that, he then kicked me towards the direction of the city, rolling me over to see..


    A giant magic circle floating above the entirety of the city..


    Oh no, I''ve got, to, break, free..


    I struggle my hardest, thinking at rapid speeds, but the result was...


    "I told you already, it''s too late.."


    He starts to gather magic power into his right arm while holding his [Grimiore}..


    And then..


    "[Demonic Destruction]"


    He finishes the chant, and a giant dark ray fills the sky..


    And shoots its sinister light onto the city..


    It lasted a few minutes while I was struggling for my life, with tears flowing out of my eyes..


    I couldn''t stop it..


    No, I chose not to stop it..


    It''s because of me, that now, they''re all gone..


    Jim, Rodrick, Ella, all the people in the city..


    And my two precious comrades, Lute, and Anna..


    I didn''t want to believe it..


    I regretted the fact that I easily trusted people, people I didn''t even know..


    Thinking that every person would be at least decent, and even if they weren''t, I could have stopped them with force..


    But I was conceited, and naive..


    I realize that now..


    It''s like I was living in a game..


    Like everything was meant to happen..


    Should I just lay down here and take this?


    Should I just accept reality, even though this is my fate..


    I drown in the despair of my own thoughts..


    When in the darkness, I heard footsteps..


    Footsteps coming towards my direction..


    Who is it now?


    Is it someone to put me in more despair?


    I couldn''t take any much more than this right now..


    When the footsteps stopped, I got curious and looked up..


    Who I saw was..


    Me..


    Not the silver-haired me, but my 12-year old self from Earth..


    A black-haired boy with deep darkness in his eyes..


    I couldn''t remember much about myself or my past, but why was he here now?


    "What, why are you here?"


    I timidly asked the little boy staring at me..


    "I guess this is where it ends, huh, Jun.."


    "How, how do you know my name?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? I am you, I''m the original personality that personally experienced despair, your other side.."


    "My, other side?"


    "Yes, ever since that incident, I became like this, despairing the world, but I knew I couldn''t live like that, so I created you."


    "Created, me.."


    I try to think about those words..


    "No need to think too much about it, I just wanted to make someone who can live carefree, going with the flow, and without my memories of the past, including the incident, so I created another personality.."


    "...."


    I couldn''t understand what he was trying to say and answered with silence..


    "Well, it''s a lot to take in, so take all the time that you need, for the meantime, I''ll take over for a while.."


    He says as he patted my shoulder..


    "Tag out, Jun.."


    I hazily remember someone saying that to me in my childhood days..


    Then I was suddenly enveloped by light, and my consciousness disappeared..


    "Guess it''s time, huh, for me, I refuse to accept to give in to despair, this time.."


    I say, as I was walking through the endless darkness..


    "Let''s go have some fun!"


    ...


    .........


    ......................................


    "Huh? Why is he not moving?"


    "Beats me, maybe he fainted?"


    "Well, no matter, since he''s sealed, he can''t move anyway, Mephisto, kill him now.."


    "....Ah, sure.."


    As Mephistopheles moved towards the white-haired boy..


    *Punch*


    "*Guhaaaa!*"


    He got blown away into a nearby tree..


    As I was dumbfounded by the spectacle, I turn to see the boy, standing up nonchalantly, breaking the seals one by one..


    *Break* *Break*


    "Ah, it''s good to be back, it''s been a long time.."


    He says as he stretched his neck and arms like it was normal..


    This boy, his presence changed..


    And most of all, he broke the most powerful seal, our Master made like it was just some string..


    "I-Impossible..."


    I couldn''t process anything right now, even though I was known as the number one genius in the [Demon Clan]..


    I couldn''t see through the true nature of the white-haired boy who had now a purple shade of hair at the center, with emotionless eyes, which looked straight at Mephistopheles, then straight at me..


    I suddenly felt a chill down my spine when his gaze matched mine..


    Who is this boy?


    "Well, you''re my enemy huh? You look weaker than expected, anyway.."


    His next words were filled with both dread and excitement..


    "Let''s have some fun!"

 Chapter 29: The Strongest

    -Mastema''s POV-


    Archdevils, a race, even stronger than all demons..


    Created only to be a symbol of being at the epitome of strength..


    Right next to the Demon Lord, and Demon God themselves..


    An existence no man must ever anger..


    I, one of the four pinnacles of power on the "Demon Continent"


    Made by the hands of our Master, the Demon God, Polaris..


    Given extraordinary gifts, and immeasurable strength in contrast with our peers..


    The eldest brother, Mephistopheles von Raizel, blessed with unparalleled strength for combat..


    The eldest sister, Astaroth ra Mezial, controls the darkness itself as an endless void..


    The youngest brother, Beelzebub van Kaiser, unmatched in spreading death and slaughter..


    And finally, me, Mastema de Gaziel, given the gift of everlasting knowledge and comprehension..


    We four, were special beings created from the genes of the Demon Lord, Lucifer Nefas Viurele..


    In deference with my siblings, I preferred to create plans and strategies to fell even the most strongest of adversaries..


    Using my head, I managed to subdue countless beasts of legend, and felled ancient civilizations..


    Over these hundreds of years, I was unperturbed by anything..


    Since I concluded that, I was the most intelligent of all, a genius, a prodigy, the epitome of knowledge itself..


    Even though I was given this gift, I didn''t let up, and started absorbing every piece of knowledge and information..


    All through the time of my very long existence, I started to look down on others, as they were illiterate, and stupid bugs...


    Which was proven true, time and time again..


    I had no combat capabilities, but I did learn the most strongest of forbidden spells..


    And with my comprehension, I furthered their power into greater heights..


    I was enjoying my time, ruling over others and gathering knowledge..


    But soon, I grew bored..


    All the knowledge in the "Demon Continent" had been dried up, and I became dull..


    Passing time, thinking about what to do..


    I remembered a time, when the Demon Lord told us a story about the early days of the world..


    "The Heavenly War, Sabaki", one where there was total chaos, wherein the goal was taking down a single entity..


    The creator of "Quadra", Divinitus Prisma Amadeus..


    The strongest existence, that felled countless races..


    That even if the "Four Great Gods" worked together, fighting him in a weakened state, he still managed to fight back..


    Although he lost in the end, I still think that he was the most cunning of them all..


    I wanted to reach that level of comprehension, taking in all the information, thereby predicting the end result of things..


    So I decided then, that I will..


    Right at that moment, the Demon God gave us a revelation..


    A new war will unfold in the near future, over the throne of the "One True God" where enormous power resides..


    But they, themselves, will not be fighting, but instead, will be using their own "hero" summoned from another world..


    This got me interested in the "other world" that she spoke of, but I quelled my thirst for knowledge since I was in the presence of the "Great Demon God" who is said to have created the "Demon-kin"..


    But then, she gave us a mission, to find these heroes, and to further entice the coming of war..


    She could not wait for the opportune time, so that she will gain the throne, that much faster..


    Naturally, I had no problems with this, but I asked on how, are we to find these "heroes"...


    She told me that, the heroes are immeasurably strong, since they''ve been given a fragment of each God''s power..


    I was amazed at this, since even a fraction of Master''s power was enough to level entire cities..


    She said that we shall know when we meet them, but mainly, they might come out if you wreak havoc first..


    After she told us what to do, she gave us the skill to perceive the four god''s power..


    So that if we see one of them, they will correspond to a certain color..


    Gold, for Solaris'' hero..


    Silver, for Memphis'' hero..


    Emerald, for Avaceris'' hero..


    Finally, Black, for Master''s hero, which she inexplicably told us, not to interfere with him..


    Well, it''s not a problem, anyway..


    Since we get to travel to the different continents, I was satisfied..


    We were divided into three groups..


    Astaroth was going to the west, and Beelzebub went to the east..


    But since I had no combat capability, I was sent with Mephisto towards the north..


    Where the humans resided, the natural enemy of the demons..


    Humans were weak, ugly creatures drowned in their own hubris when they prey on someone weaker than them..


    But I''m well aware, that their numbers were nothing to scoff at..


    After briefing us, she said failure was not an option, since we were the strongest..


    Preparing ourselves, and my strategies, took a month..


    Then, we set off..


    When me and Mephisto made it to the "Human Continent", we had to blend in..


    With my brains, it wasn''t hard..


    We passed ourselves off as a rich merchant, and my bodyguard..


    Our aliases were our last names, Gaziel, and Raizel..


    Pretty simple if you asked me, but Mephisto seemed to like it..


    We started to study the landscape of the country, traveling from city to city..


    While moving from place to place, we neither saw hide nor hair of the human hero..


    After surveying every place we could think of, which took about 2 years, we concluded that the hero must be in the royal castle, being brought up there, safe as can be, since that was the only place we weren''t allowed to enter..


    Since we couldn''t do anything about it, we started our plan on destroying cities and causing chaos..


    We settled on a target, which was a city built around a "Magic Academy" where various practitioners of magic, and magic spells were ever so abundant, making it a dangerous force in the future..


    After discussing the finer details of the plan, we set it into motion..


    We were currently based in a city called "Gemini", which was in the western direction of the target..


    Here, I bought a luxurious manor, as to make the fact that I am a wealthy merchant seem believable..


    Just as we were about to move in three days, Mephisto suddenly told me that he was bored..


    He said that he was tired of not fighting for a while, and wanted to fight someone strong..


    Naturally, I tried to appease him saying that monsters would be enough, and the humans weren''t even strong anyway..


    But my elder brother wouldn''t budge on it, saying that he won''t help me with the plan, and such..


    In fact, I could carry it out by myself if I wanted to, but Master wouldn''t be too happy about it, so I reluctantly agreed..


    I decided to put up a request in the local guild, under the guise of an escort mission to "Capricorn City"..


    But actually, it was just hiding the true purpose of having Mephisto beat up some guys, to appease his boredom..


    It was unusual, but I played it off as an interview to check the strength of the escort..


    In fact, I knew none of them could even put a scratch on the monster known as the "Archdevil of Combat"..


    Who wields enormous strength like it was trivial..


    Then, the interviews started..


    I lead each guy who wanted to take the job, into a building that I surrounded with a weakening barrier I made..


    Which forbids the use of magic inside of it, thereby limiting Mephisto''s enormous power..


    The building was built like an arena under the earth, removing the case of destroying the surrounding area..


    I filled the basement with [Demon Slimes] which cleaned the place nonstop of any dirt and grime..


    But they did make the floor and stairway slippery which was a problem in and of itself..


    But you would only have a 1% chance of slipping on it, which was not likely..


    But even still, I tried to warn everyone who entered to be careful, under the impression of being thoughtful..


    Anyway, it was as expected, they couldn''t even put up a decent fight against Mephisto, even in his weakened state..


    It was a natural result, but Mephisto was getting more angry instead of calming down..


    I didn''t know what to do about my battle-junkie brother..


    Until, he came..


    In the early afternoon, the butler I hired for appearances sake told me that another visitor has come for the job..


    I was getting tired of receiving human guests, but I still had to do it for my hopeless brother..


    What came into my sight when we greeted them was a strange young man..


    With silky white hair, one blue eye, the other was covered in a dark eye-patch, which lead me to believe that he lost it during a fight or something, and he wore all-black clothing, which was pretty stupid, considering the heatwave..


    While I thought of him as a weird person, I still greeted them like any polite merchant would..


    But I saw that he brought elven children with him, they seemed to be slaves, judging by the slave collars on their necks..


    But they were strangely glowing, full of health, and had happy smiles while talking to the strange man..


    It was a strange sight, seeing slaves being genuinely happy..


    Although, I just passed it off as imprinting, since they looked as if they were still children..


    After that, we introduced ourselves, and talked about small stuff for a bit..


    I tried sensing the [God''s Fragment] from him, just like any other person I''ve met..


    But what I got was nothing, so I concluded he wasn''t one of the chosen few..


    He said his name was Orion, Orion Fullbringer..


    Fullbringer, now that rang a bell...


    I remembered hearing it near the western part of the "Human Continent", where they were currently holding the never-ending war against the Elves, for some reason that I wasn''t interested in, so I left it..


    Then, I told him about the interview..


    He made me laugh..


    Which was rare, even for me, since I almost never laugh..


    I don''t know why, but I felt that I could get along with his personality, albeit strange..


    But then we got on to the true essence of the interview..


    He readily agreed, and we went to the back..


    I felt his eyes staring at me when I opened the barrier lock, but it must have been my imagination..


    Since I know normal humans can''t sense the flow of demonic power..


    I did my routine, saying that we should go underground and such, and to be careful since it was slippery from the slime..


    Although I said that, I didn''t expect for him to take the lead all of a sudden, showing a smug face..


    While slipping on the first step, diving head-first onto the stairway..


    It normally would have caused me to be shocked and sigh at the same time..


    But I didn''t notice that I had a grin on my face, seeing the stupid antics of the strange boy..


    Suddenly, I heard a crash at the end of the stairwell..


    I started to run down, wishing that he didn''t die, since it would be troublesome to catch the attention of the guild..


    When I reached the bottom, we found him, dusting off his clothes, like he just fell down while walking..


    It was actually a pretty long way down, since I dug more than 50 meters underground..


    To think that he stood up without a scratch, it made me reevaluate my impression of him..


    He might be strong, but I still couldn''t believe that he would beat Mephisto..


    That guy was on another level, even if he was weakened..


    After I explained the rules of the fight, they picked up a weapon each and started..


    As always, Mephisto charged in without thought..


    I thought at that time, "Ah, it''s over, this is where it always ends, right after the battle starts.."


    But I was mistaken..


    The youth suddenly stepped back out of his range, to dodge..


    I was surprised he could even react to my brother''s speed..


    As was my brother, but his face automatically changed into a grin..


    He started to try hitting with his fists, at increasing speeds towards the white-haired youth..


    But surprisingly, he managed to dodge each one of his attacks, with minimal movements, like he was playing with him..


    If it was me, I would have naturally been insulted, but Mephisto was suddenly fired up for this strange turn of events..


    He started increasing his strikes, and further used different techniques to adapt to the situation..


    It was as expected of the one well-versed in combat..


    But even still, he couldn''t even manage to put a scratch on the boy''s body..


    I was wondering if something was wrong until..


    *Clang*


    He finally used his sword in blocking..


    That meant that the tide was slowly turning in Mephisto''s favor..


    I was strangely happy for it, and I don''t know when, but I suddenly started rooting for Mephisto..


    Just when my brother was happy about seeing his results pay off..


    *Kick*


    *Break*


    *Crash*


    *Boom*


    I couldn''t even see it..


    Never mind that, I couldn''t even follow his movements..


    It seemed from my perspective, he set his center of gravity, and then launched a kick?


    Something so simple, blew my unbeatable elder brother so far away, he crashed into the wall, a hundred meters away..


    And even managed to make large cracks on it, crumbling the hardened earth..


    I couldn''t believe my eyes..


    I could only drop my mouth in response..


    "I-Impossible.."


    Were the only things to leave my lips..


    After that ordeal, I was thankful for the fact that Mephisto didn''t die..


    Even though there was a 50-50 chance..


    Still, I misjudged that youth''s strength..


    I deemed him a dangerous existence, since he was human, and devised a plan to get rid of him..


    Even though he wasn''t a hero, I still had this uncertain feeling that he might destroy everything we built so far..


    After I told him that he got the job, and apologized for my brother, which I was strangely reluctant to do, I told him about the job, and its details, saying that we shall leave for "Capricorn City" three days later..


    But really, I planned for him to die on the way there, and then we should have no problem destroying the city..


    I had to use one of my captured beasts, one of the strongest, which could match, no, even surpass Mephisto without using magic power, the "Fomorian", one of the secretive giant race I met on my travels..


    As I reorganized my plans and thoughts, the day came..


    We waited at the eastern gate to get ready for departure..


    When they arrived, I told them that I was early since i was preparing the luggage..


    But actually, I released the "Fomorian" already and had it move in another direction earlier, telling it to meet with us in a few days, as to not arouse suspicion, and cause unnecessary trouble..


    After we departed, we met nothing troubling on the road, as expected of one of the safest roads in the kingdom..


    When nightfall came, we had to stop and eat, acting as regular humans..


    Naturally, we didn''t need to eat, since we were superior demons and I thought that food was all the same, and I didn''t like the taste of light meat..


    But when we were eating the dried, preserved food, we were beckoned by the youth to have some of his..


    I was reluctant because I was even surprised that this unnatural existence can cook..


    But when I tried tasting the food he made, it was different..


    Unlike anything that has ever entered my mouth, it was a symphony of flavors..


    It was like my taste buds finally woke up from a long slumber..


    When I noticed, there was nothing left on my plate, as was my brother''s..


    But even though embarrassed, we still had some more, until we were full..


    To think, that I, the "Archdevil of Knowledge" would not know that something so amazing existed..


    He called it, "Fish Fillet and Soup Dish", I memorized every step, and every ingredient needed so I can recreate it later..


    It made me regret a little bit, on killing this fine source of food knowledge..


    But, Master''s orders are absolute, and I didn''t want a nuisance to her plans..


    After a few days of traveling, we made it almost to the halfway point..


    It was then, that I decided to call in the beast..


    After it appeared, we acted scared, and Mephisto started attacking recklessly, while knowingly acting weak, and getting blown away by its palm, destroying the carriage in the process, after the elf children started using magic..


    But, I didn''t expect it..


    Just like always, full of unpredictability..


    The white-haired youth moved at speeds no one could follow, jumping from here to there..


    Reaching the head of the giant beast, cutting it in half, with just one swing of his sword..


    I was in awe, but at the same time, afraid, afraid of this boy''s potential and future endeavors..


    So it was then, that I decided to change the plan again, and finally use my last resort..


    What Master gave us, was not only the way to determine the identities of the heroes, but also the way to seal their power, changing the skill into a sword, a cursed sword with my knowledge of magic, I further strengthened it..


    Making the target unable to break free from it, as long as his knowledge did not surpass mine..


    Which was nigh close to impossible..


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.It continued to suck strength and magic power from the target till what is left is nothing but an empty shell..


    It''s a cruel skill I called [Sin Curse], combining the power of Master''s skill, and my knowledge of the Dragon King''s power..


    After I told them, that since the carriage was in pieces, we had to go back unfortunately, putting on my best downcast face, leading him into my trap..


    A few more days later, we made it to the outskirts of town, where I told them to go to the guild to inform them about how we got attacked from a monster, and now our carriage was like this..


    They readily accepted it, but I stopped Orion, saying things such as the horses need to be fed, and that the children could get to the guild faster, since they had faster legs..


    Naturally, I didn''t believe my own words at all, but it was the only way to convince the naive youth..


    After he heard me, he was doubtful about it, but in the end, he trusted me..


    Which was a fatal mistake, humans always do this, time and time again..


    He seemed to care about those two, so let me be the one to send him to despair, before he meets his end..


    I had nothing to be angry at him about personally, but I just had a natural affinity in seeing despair in humans..


    But Mephisto seemed reluctant to go with my plan, but since it was orders, he couldn''t help it..


    When he turned around, Mephisto stabbed him with the sword I gave him, and I activated the curse, while he had a dumbfounded face, that made me chuckle a bit, asking why would we do this..


    So I felt the need for introductions, and saying my plan to him, which was not smart in the least..


    But I decided to let it go, since he was going to die anyway..


    I was strangely elated at seeing his expression of hopelessness when he saw me use my destruction spell on the city..


    It was a masterpiece..


    But then, he went quiet all of a sudden, after a few minutes of seeing the city turn into ashes..


    I started to feel something was off, and quickly told Mephisto to check it out..


    But when I did, he got blown away..


    I was strangely used to it, the third time seeing it..


    But this was the Mephisto, who wasn''t holding back..


    Which I found very strange, so I looked at the youth again..


    Only to find him, breaking my carefully-crafted seals one by one..


    I was shaking, not because of his usual unpredictable actions, but due to his demeanor..


    It wasn''t the same, not the naive, happy, without a care youth I came to know these past few days..


    But, an ominous presence, someone who had eyes, like they looked down on other people around them..


    The youth''s hair suddenly glowed and turned into a shade of violet, with white bangs..


    A color signifying absolute superiority, one who was to be feared..


    Those eyes, they had nothing but darkness in them..


    As the youth said something about being woken up for the first time in a while, he switched his eye-patch onto the other eye, replacing the blue right eye, with the blood-red left one, showing what looked to be a one-eyed demon..


    Something about him was terrifying, I didn''t know how he changed, or how he managed to break the seal..


    Heck, I couldn''t even think straight right now..


    My legs were shaking, my eyes were swimming, I had cold sweat flowing like a river on my back..


    It was the first time in my life, that I was this afraid, a genius like me, scared of a young boy..


    It was like looking into the eyes of a predator, ready to play with his food..


    One look was all I needed to determine the outcome of a fight with this entity..


    Gathering all my brain cells, making full use of all the knowledge and prediction ability I had come to know..


    The result was, absolute defeat..


    As I was thinking this, he started talking..


    "Well, you''re my enemy huh? You look weaker than expected, anyway.."


    In a lighthearted tone, just like he was looking at a pebble on the street, he scoffed at me..


    My pride would normally not let this insult even leave his mouth, but due to the overwhelming pressure he has..


    I didn''t dare to move carelessly..


    In fact, I was thinking of retreating, since my last resort failed..


    But he suddenly had a grin on his face, and when he said some encouraging words to himself, the presence disappeared..


    As if, he condensed all that pressure into his body, just like that..


    Such precise control of your blood lust, must have taken years, if not decades, to master..


    I started asking myself if this boy was even human..


    The fact that he could break my seal, must have meant that he was even smarter than me?


    No, how can that be?


    This youth hasn''t even been living for fifty years yet, and compared to me, who''s lived hundreds, if not, close to a thousand, might know more than one of the pinnacles of knowledge itself?


    Impossible, I refused to accept it, even though there are many things in the world I could discard readily, I am not willing to compromise on this one thing, it was my reason for existence, to be above all the mortals in terms of knowledge..


    Because of this, I refused to give in to the boy, even though I know the odds calculated that I was certain to lose, I will still fight for my pride, I will not abandon my way of life..


    Just as I was thinking that, the boy sped in my direction, I reacted on reflex, even though I couldn''t follow him with my eyes, I still managed to dodge his fist, barely, by abandoning my sight, and using my other senses..


    "Hou, you, you''re not bad for a small-fry.."


    He says in a mocking tone..


    I don''t mind his words as I was concentrating for any movement from any direction..


    "But, too bad.."


    After those words, he appeared in front of me like a mirage, causing me to involuntarily gasp and open my eyes..


    I was finished, how much of a monster is he, increasing his speed in an instant like that..


    Just when I was trapped, a red shadow passed through my eyes..


    It was Mephistopheles, trying to punch the white-haired demon..


    But, regrettably, he sensed that too, and with a smile, he stepped back..


    Causing Mephisto to miss his target..


    But, I didn''t get depressed, in fact, I was thankful, since if he was here, I had a higher chance of defeating this monster..


    I didn''t know that there was someone comparable to the "Demon Lord" right under our noses..


    Has he been hiding his true strength all this time, playing the fool?


    Such frightening intelligence this entity must have, I concluded that the enemy was not human..


    If not, what is he..


    But that was not the time for speculations, since he was getting ready to attack again..


    Is it me, or is he growing in power as each second goes by..


    No, let''s not think negatively, and start to attack him before he gets a jump on us..


    I signal to Mephisto as he nods in return..


    I activated multiple enchantment spells on us both, my strongest ones, mainly..


    [Physical Nullification], [Enhance Strength], [Extreme Speed], [Demon Barrier] x 10, [Archdevil''s Rage], and many others..


    Let''s see if you''re smart enough to fight us now, you monster..


    We took off at the same time and when we reached his range, he didn''t react, so we took the opportunity and..


    I launched a kick surrounded by [Open Wounds] and [Mountain Crusher] enchantments, which gave the effect of opening up wounds when coming in contact with a living being, and enhanced with enough strength to crush rock effortlessly..


    While Mephistopheles used his [Combat Mode] while throwing a punch covered with [Hell Flames] and my [Devil''s Strength Boost] enchantment, which could improve his overall strength and bodily movements, while the flames would never be extinguished until the target is burned into ashes, and a major strength power-up..


    We were certain that he would be killed with our combined attacks, or at least get a fatal wound..


    But, it was too early to celebrate..


    *Grab* *Grab*


    While lightly lifting both of his hands and opening his palms, he received our attacks head on..


    Naturally, I thought this was the most stupid move, one could make..


    But we were faced with the crushing reality..


    Of seeing our attacks nullified with just him grabbing both my leg, and Mephisto''s arm, disabling the enchantments and turning us powerless in an instant..


    It''s like we were kids, inevitably fighting against an adult..


    While his actions left us at a loss for words, his face looked up, and stared at us both..


    His eyes showed playfulness, with a hint of relief, saying..


    "Phew, I finally got used to this body, you couldn''t believe how much power was not being used properly, used in inefficient ways, costing way more energy than it should, I had to fix it from scratch, you know? Well, it wasn''t that hard, I just had to simplify the way I use this strange magic, was that all you got? If so, let me start my counter attack.."


    He said all those incomprehensible things with a grin that looked like the Death God himself..


    I couldn''t fully comprehend what he said, but what I did understand was that he just got stronger by improving his body..


    What brought a chill down my spine, was the way he said that he will begin fighting back, just like saying that he was going to choose the menu for breakfast..


    It filled me with so much dread, just being near him..


    When I suddenly sensed his blood lust, I told Mephisto to get ready..


    He then moved his arms like a hurricane, where I could barely react, and moved it towards our faces..


    There was a loud crash, but after that, nothing..


    Me and Mephisto didn''t have a scratch on us, but when we slightly turned to our backs..


    We saw, destruction..


    The ground was gouged out, and faraway trees were felled in a straight line..


    I thanked my luck that we survived that..


    "Hmm, so you were unharmed, I guess it was because of that [Physical Nullification] magic you used earlier?"


    Such terrifying observation, he got it exactly right, [Physical Nullification] was a spell that rendered all physical attacks meaningless, including blades, and weapons alike, giving us a fighting chance against this guy..


    Since for the past few days, I noticed that he couldn''t use magic, even an elementary spell was absent within him..


    But strangely, I don''t know his magic power, I''m hopeful he had none, though..


    "Interesting, well, let''s see if you can handle this..[Aura Weapon Creation]"


    *Click*


    What?


    As magic suddenly gathered into both of his arms, it formed into a strange shape..


    What came out was two black objects with a metallic luster, reflecting the sun''s rays..


    It had many curves and lines, which I have never seen before, and a hole at the end of it..


    Both were about the size of his palm, and he suddenly moved his thumbs to flick something at it''s back..


    As he did that, I sensed something dangerous coming from the strange objects..


    I tried to warn Mephisto about the impending danger while moving to the side, but..


    *Bang*


    A loud sound rang out, and something went out of the two holes, grazing my body at the side, and straight into Mephistopheles'' head, causing me to look at the origin, tiny red and blue lights of magic power, spinning at rapid speeds, drilling a hole in the atmosphere, and one, in Mephistopheles'' forehead, all the way through the back of his head..


    "Tch, missed one..[Reload]"


    I was left in fear, since the result was devastating, after the tiny lights passed through, they hit a grove of trees, and when they came in contact with the trunks, an explosion occurred, two different-colored lights blew up and left flames and destruction in its wake..


    I literally couldn''t believe how much power is packed into one of those tiny things..


    I then sensed that Mephisto''s presence was weakening..


    I rushed over to him, checking what happened..


    There was a tiny hole that went through the middle of his head, and went into his brain, causing him to be in a critical state. like he was knocking on death''s doorstep..


    Even though we''re made to have the most sturdiest of bodies, and nullified all damage, how could I have expected a magical attack from him, I was too conceited..


    With his dying breath, Mephistopheles tried to tell me something, "I-I finally fought so-someone stro-stronger tha-n I.."


    He said with a grin on his face, and blood flowing down his mouth..


    I was relieved, even though he was dying, he still had made me smile..


    Even though I know we will die here, I would still like to give him a peaceful farewell..


    I''m coming after you soon, Nii-sama..


    I tried to close his eyes, as he started to slow his breathing down..


    But then..


    "You''re not getting away that easy, you bastard.."


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    "[Reload]"


    *Bang*


    *Bang*


    I was shocked to see, the white haired youth come here in an instant, and started shooting those dreadful things, again and again at my brother''s face and body, not letting him die in peace, but mercilessly looking at him with cold eyes..


    I was angry..


    I felt different emotions surging through me..


    Normally, I would have controlled myself..


    But, this time, I gave in to my emotions, and let my instincts flow through..


    I wanted to kill the one in front of me, even though it will cost me my life..


    Because this guy, had no respect for anyone..


    A heartless, monster that kills for fun..


    Is this what happens when you reach the pinnacle of knowledge? Is this what it''s like to be called the strongest?


    If so, I will abandon it, this result will only bring about loneliness and despair..


    I wanted to give in to my urges once in a while..


    Well, what better time to start than now, at the end of my rope?


    I was filled with rage and determination on getting my revenge..


    I used one of the most forbidden of spells..


    [Demonic Blood Annihilation], a spell that can only be paid for with enormous magic power and demon''s blood..


    Which causes an explosion so strong, that it is even said to tear space itself..


    The only downside to it was, that the explosion must start channeling from the caster, and the caster must be at the center of the explosion, I racked my brain for different solutions over the years, and came up with none..


    So this was my true final resort, one that I never thought that I''d use in my lifetime..


    It brought a smile to my face, how despair could actually change myself this much..


    I just regretted the fact, that I only realized this now, when it was too late for anything..


    So as I brought my courage forth, I chanted the spell in my head..


    Just when I was about to finish, I heard a voice..


    "Well now, not so fast...[Aura Chain Bind]"


    My chanting was suddenly interrupted by the voice and the countless chains that came out of nowhere binding my limbs and body, to which I struggled but to no avail, I noticed that my strength, my magic power, and my senses were taken from me, just like..


    "Just like your [Sin Curse] right? I reverse-engineered it in making my own sealing spell, thanks for that, so, how does it feel to be on the powerless side for once, huh? I guess the tables have turned, as you may say *Chuckle*"


    That mocking tone fills me with despair..


    I could have never imagined that he would use my own spell against me..


    This, this is just too much..


    How could me and Nii-sama lose against this monster, when we are two of the most supreme beings ever created..


    I feel so much remorse at how much I could have done differently..


    Like if I just steered clear of him, my life wouldn''t be in such danger right now, and our plans would have gone smoothly..


    Why was I so paranoid of him, I think I might have just awakened a disaster..


    I''m sorry Mephisto, I''m sorry Master, I have failed, and have made a huge mistake..


    If this merciless existence is ever set free to roam, the whole world might be in danger..


    Not just the demons..


    Well, before I go, I have to ask something at least..


    "Who, who are you really?"


    When I asked that, he was slightly surprised, but grinned the next moment..


    A second later, I felt a metallic sensation at the back of my head, and knew he moved towards my backside..


    I couldn''t even turn around to look at his face anymore due to the bindings..


    Well, it''s fine, not like anything would change...


    I wait for his reply before my end..


    "Just a genius, bored of the world, and everyone in it.."


    "*Chuckle*"


    He''s exactly like me..


    *Bang*


    <hr />


    Hey guys, SlashCrit here, wow, six-thousand words for a POV chapter? I couldn''t believe how fast my hands were going..


    For those who didn''t enjoy the last chapter, I just want to let you take a look at the tags of the fiction, and guess it by yourselves, *wink* And I would like an advanced review to share my story even further, since I''m also joining the new rebirthonlineworld site and editing my chapters from scratch and it will go live in about a week or so? So watch out for that, and about the review, I would like an honest opinion on my story, and it is not compulsory, but I would greatly appreciate it, since it would motivate me to write more chapters, Next chapter would have the stats and stuff, so stay tuned..


    Well, that''s all for now, Thanks for reading..


    ~SlashCrit

 Chapter 30: Moving Towards The West

    I was different..


    I have always been different..


    From the moment I was born, I was blessed..


    Being born into the prestigious and wealthy family, "The Suzuya Group"


    Growing up, I had close to no problems..


    Adding to that, I was a person gifted with talent..


    At an early age, I learned how to read, write, and communicate with others fluently..


    Once I set my mind to something, I would quickly learn and adapt it into myself..


    Reaching the age of five, I had as much knowledge of the world as someone who would have normally studied for a hundred years..


    Due to this, people thought I was strange, an abnormal child..


    But with the power of money, that all went away..


    They then, started to call me a prodigy, a unique child..


    Casually sugarcoating words like that, is exactly what I learned to expect from money-grubbing adults..


    But it wasn''t all false praise, since I too, thought of myself as a genius..


    After considering all the facts, and the way people looked at me like I was a superior, even though I was still little..


    It wasn''t because I was conceited, and overconfident in my own strength and capabilities..


    But because I had a god-given talent, which I could do nothing about, it all came to me as natural..


    Of course, with me being like this would normally draw ill will and unwanted attention..


    In fact, I expected it to happen..


    But alas, all they did when faced with the only son of the "Suzuya Group", heir to  one of the richest companies was..


    "How nice to be so smart at such a young age.." or "Your path is filled with opportunities!" and the like..


    Such blatant lies said to better their own image..


    I did not find this amusing in the least, so I decided to study more about human nature, when I reached 6 years old..


    When I started going to school, a prestigious prep school for the rich and famous, mostly owned by my father''s company, nothing had changed..


    The fake smiles, the winning favors, the never-ending competition of getting ahead of each other..


    Because of this, I thought that I had my answer to my topic of research..


    That when you are born with wealth, good looks, and intelligence, you would have a worry-free life..


    Which was far from the truth..


    I, in fact worried everyday, having to keep up appearances, and dealing with two-faced people, not knowing when, where, or how they are going to abandon me down the line, when I somehow lose everything..


    I concluded that it was natural human nature to do what they did, considering that there had been countless precedents..


    When that realization dawned on me, I started to doubt humans themselves, and instead. started becoming cynical towards interaction..


    That whenever I meet someone, I try to find out their secrets, and ulterior motives by reading their demeanor..


    Most of the time, I get it right, but because of this, I started to despair at the concept of human nature..


    Asking myself, if I could somehow do something to change it, and get rid of this murky feeling in my head..


    A big problem inside myself, that I never knew how to solve..


    The answer I arrived at, was no, it was impossible to change how humans have lived, and will continue to live alone..


    Henceforth, I started to not care about anything, right then and there...


    I started showing my true colors, looking at them like bugs, openly showing my displeasure and such..


    I had a tiny hope in my heart that they would fight back or something in order to regain their pride..


    But the sad reality was, they still treated me with respect, as usual, no, even more so now..


    I got slightly angry at their reactions, and I started moving on to violence..


    I trained basic fighting styles, and quickly developed them into my own techniques..


    Using them, I started to beat up the stronger students at my school..


    At first, they started calling me a little upstart, and tried to gang up on me..


    Naturally, I wasn''t the least bit perturbed by this..


    Even if I was small, I could accurately redirect strength using my small, but developed muscles..


    It was kind of satisfying, seeing the bastards who ruled the hierarchy through violence, taste their own medicine..


    From then on, I started continuing that sort of lifestyle, bullying, extortion, brawls, any sort of exciting thing, really..


    It was a thing to pass the time, to me, the me who despaired at humanity..


    But it all came to an end, that day..


    It was the first day of class, I was now a 4th grader, I had a group who hanged around me all the time, like delinquents, regardless if I wanted them to, or not..


    It started like any normal day, with me going to school, riding a limousine, surrounded by my underlings when I arrive..


    We had the usual orientation, and welcome back program, welcoming the new students, which I didn''t pay attention to..


    Just when we were about to start the closing address in the classroom, the teacher suddenly told everyone that a student had transferred to our school, naturally, people kept asking if it was a boy or a girl, hyped up..


    I couldn''t care less..


    But it turned out, that it wasn''t a trivial thing..


    Who entered was, a girl with a pretty face, blue eyes, auburn-red hair, seemed to be a half-foreigner, and had a somewhat bright personality..


    She introduced herself as "Kirishima Charles Mizuki", someone who came from England..


    Her dad was Japanese, and her mother, an English woman who loved the Japanese culture..


    But the name Kirishima, I''ve heard it somewhere before..


    But it was one of the rare times that I couldn''t recall something, which led me to believe that it was not that important..


    I was attracted to the way she carried herself, but I kept my indifferent attitude..


    Days flew by, with the new girl gathering all the attention, from both the males, and the females..


    I was somehow interested in her, but I kept my distance, as I always do..


    I kept training myself, doing things that a grade-school kid wouldn''t normally do, like meet stronger enemies out on the streets and alleyways, such as gangs and thugs..


    I felt a sense of nostalgia when they looked down on me, but in the end, the result was the same..


    They were dumbfounded to be beaten black and blue by a black-haired little boy with a dull look in his eyes..


    Cliche lines such as, "We will remember this, you hear!" were spoken while they ran with their tails between their legs..


    Weeks passed, and I strangely found myself observing the transfer student, for some unknown reason..


    Everyday, I would find the time to look in her direction..


    One thing I noticed was, how she didn''t have anyone she could call, a close friend..


    Don''t get me wrong, people come and greet her, and talk about stuff with her, but I think that it was just courtesy..


    Yes, somehow, I could feel an affinity with her..


    Like she was alone inside, with no one to call a companion in this life..


    It might be strange of me, thinking this philosophically, but I am very sure that this is the case..


    Since I got curious about her, and her circumstances, I decided to interact with her..


    But I needed a proper approach..


    I observed that she acted like a loner, so the only person that can get close to that kind of person, was someone with the same attributes, therefore, I decided to become a loner..


    First, I put out an elaborate plan, to make our meeting as natural and unforgettable as possible..


    It wasn''t hard, considering I had learned all types of introductions..


    Then. I told my followers, to tell everyone, even them, to treat me like air..


    They were surprised at my command, but they knew their place, not asking for the reason, and remained silent..


    After the news spread, I was fully treated like someone who did not even exist..


    I then, executed my daring plan..


    Which I will not elaborate, since it was a failure, and the most embarrassing moment I have ever lived through..


    Anyway, after that, we started talking about things..


    Mundane, everyday life, television shows, movies, and the like..


    Slowly, but surely, I made contact with her, everyday, so that she considered me as a friend..


    I made sure to show, that I was putting out an effort to talk to her, to know her secret, and on why she keeps that fake smile on every single day I see her..


    Until, she finally opened up to me and told me about her family..


    She was in fact, the sole heiress to one of the richest companies worldwide, the "Kirishima Corporation"


    That was the reason that she never made any friends..


    I already predicted that it would turn out like this, but I still acted surprised, nonetheless..


    After that, I told her that I didn''t care, and told her about my family..


    When she learned that I was in the same boat, we naturally got closer..


    Days, weeks, months, and even years, passed by in the blink of an eye..


    While me and Mizuki, spent our time, having fun talking about our experiences, and relatable topics..


    I also showed her different places inside the city, where I usually went before I started taking out the trash..


    Of course, I couldn''t let her know my dark past, since she was too pure for it..


    When we slowly got to know each other, we became the best of friends..


    I thought I was only doing this, since I was curious, and I was thinking of passing the time with this farce..


    But I didn''t realize that I was unconsciously enjoying it..


    Waking up, looking forward to seeing her smile, her cute antics, her condescending way of teaching me somewhat useless trivia and the like, and just hanging out together..


    I learned so many things from her, which couldn''t be found in any book, or research material..


    I learned how to have fun..


    But I should have known..


    Life wouldn''t permit this, the world wouldn''t even accept me being happy for even a short amount of time..


    This cruel reality always rears its ugly head out when everything is going great..


    Before our graduation from elementary school, Mizuki was strangely absent..


    So I panicked because of my overdeveloped mind, thinking of what could have happened..


    I wished that it was just her, getting a cold, but alas, it wasn''t such a menial thing..


    It turns out, that when I called her residence, her mother, who answered it in English, which I had no problem of understanding, even though I was an eleven-year-old native, told me that some men were demanding a huge amount of money in exchange for Mizuki''s life..


    It meant that she was kidnapped on her way to the graduation ceremony..


    I calmed myself down, and asked about the details of the trade, the men''s voice, and the route Mizuki takes everyday going to school. I had to squeeze out every bit of information while there was still time..


    After she told me the information I needed, she said to not do anything stupid, and aggravate the kidnappers..


    She had a point, this was the first time that I was about to do something stupid..


    But even though they were rich, and had no problem paying the ransom, I remembered what Mizuki said to me..


    That she didn''t want to cause her parents trouble, that she wanted to do everything herself instead..


    Such an admirable ideal at a young age, but that''s exactly why, as her friend, I can''t let her go through this alone..


    So I hanged up, and put back the phone, which was unconsciously broken by my fingers, and called my subordinates..


    I had them look all over the city, on where might the criminals be hiding, while I prepared myself..


    It took more time than I thought, considering the wide influence of the company, further implying that the criminals weren''t small fry this time..


    After that, I went there, alone, since I thought that I shouldn''t involve my parent''s company, and also due to the fact that I had confidence in my abilities, so much that I could take them all alone..


    They would pay for their insolence in taking something important to me..


    And so, when I arrived at their dreary hideout, I kicked the door open, and it flew over to the opposite wall..


    Fortunately, Mizuki was safe, although a little roughed up, but unconscious..


    So I had no problem going all out..


    Not that I had a choice, I had to vent this anger somewhere..


    As usual, they told me that a kid shouldn''t be here, and tried to take me away, ignoring the scene earlier..


    From what I saw, there were about twenty of them, all armed with weapons..


    No threat was perceived..


    So I started the rain of blood by moving quickly to one man''s blind spot and kicked the back of his neck swiftly, knocking his teeth out, and made him cough up blood..


    After he fell, I motioned to the dumbfounded idiots to come at me..


    ...


    ..........


    ..............


    A half-hour later, bodies were writhing slowly on the ground..


    A lone black-haired boy was standing in the middle, covered with blood and grazes, looking down, panting..


    That was harder than I thought, were these guys professionals or was I lacking strength with this small body?


    Either way, it was harder to fight people armed with real guns, since some grazed my body, I slowed down more than I normally moved due to the pain..


    But I grit my teeth, ignoring the pain, and got through it, learning as the fight went on, adapting new techniques specialized in incapacitating, leaving me short of breath, and ragged..


    After I was done, I walked forward, and I untied Mizuki from her bindings..


    While doing that, she slowly woke up, dazed, and I greeted her playfully..


    She then had a worried expression on her face, since she saw the bloody haired me..


    I told her that it was alright, and that we would go home, and everything would be fine..


    She was relieved for a bit. but suddenly she had a grim face, looking behind me..


    I instantly reacted to it, turning my head around, and seeing something headed towards me, I moved to the side..


    Not, since I knew, that if I moved, Mizuki would be hit instead, and I couldn''t lift her fast enough to make us both avoid it..


    So I did the natural thing, and shielded her from the "dart-like projectile"..


    After it struck me, I felt really drowsy for some reason, so I concluded that it could only be a "Tranquilizer Dart", used in putting animals to sleep with a certain drug smeared on the tip of the needle..


    It turned out, that the one who shot the dart was a man with a thin frame, and dark hair, and wore dark sunglasses..


    He seemed to have a different presence than the ones before, he was definitely stronger..


    Which meant, that he was the boss, the ringleader who organized this, and only came out when I let my guard down..


    How cunning, I thought, praising his intelligence..


    But, I was still mortified that I fell into his trap..


    He said some condescending words to me as he picked up Mizuki, while simultaneously kicking my body away..


    Which was growing heavier by the second, since I was getting more and more tired..


    As I watched him walk away with Mizuki slung on his shoulders, I burned with rage..


    So, I kept myself awake by giving myself pain, removing my fingernails one by one, to keep me conscious..


    I slowly stood up, and lunged towards his vulnerable back..


    When suddenly..


    *Kick*


    *Crash*


    I was surprised at how he could twist his leg from the front into his backside like that..


    It completely immobilized me, smashing me into a wall..


    I couldn''t move, I was too naive, Why did I come here alone?


    Were the thoughts swimming in my head while dazedly looking at Mizuki''s tearful face..


    I wasn''t strong enough..


    With those lingering regrets, my scenery changed into darkness..


    I couldn''t think about anything except for the fact that I was weak..


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    The one thing I had, my knowledge, was useless in this situation..


    Heck, I couldn''t even think straight..


    Why does the one thing I hold dear to me, get taken away..


    I kept asking myself those questions while I wallowed in my own self-ridicule..


    {"Are you frustrated?"}


    A voice coming from nowhere entered my ears..


    {"Do you want power?"}


    Yes..


    I know this might be just my imagination, but even so, I thought out loud my true feelings..


    {"Even though it will cost you a grave price?"}


    Yes, I would pay anything, do anything, just to save Mizuki..


    I shouted to the voice, grasping at straws..


    {"Then, I''ll take your memories for a while.."}


    I didn''t quite understand what it was saying, taking my memories..


    It was the first time, that I did not understand something..


    But it didn''t matter for now, what was important was saving my precious friend, nothing else..


    After I found my resolve, my consciousness got replaced by something, no, someone..


    The last thing I could remember was feeling a surge of power, darkness, and flames..


    Red, roaring flames that burned everything around me...


    The next thing I knew, I was stuck inside a room that seemed to be my subconscious..


    In there, I slowly watched how a new personality, took over my body, and my life..


    I found out, that Mizuki was safe, even though my new personality did not know her at all, he was told by my parents, that Mizuki was being sent back overseas to live there, since it was dangerous here..


    I was really sad for a moment, but all that mattered was, she was okay..


    I couldn''t really control my body in any way, so I started watching my life through his eyes..


    I was apparently given something like an aura that keeps people away..


    It was sad somewhat, but I didn''t care about it too much..


    It was an interesting way to pass the time, seeing his problems that I could have solved easily..


    I guess my intelligence was not useful to him at all..


    I found out, that I could only communicate vaguely in dreams..


    So, I created a maze, inside my head, to keep myself occupied..


    And when I died, and got sent to another world, it was even more exciting..


    Meeting my teacher, having adventures, fighting monsters, meeting new people..


    All that and more, until this happened..


    When the other personality could not take it anymore, I stepped in for some reason..


    I guess I felt pity, since it was technically myself suffering..


    So I explained the bare minimum and replaced him, sending him to the room I was in..


    I might learn how to switch with him sooner or later, since there was magic in this world..


    But for now, I needed to break the seals, which was pretty difficult, but when I noticed that the magic seals was strangely similar to the formulas in scientific theories back on Earth, it made it extremely easy to grasp..


    "Then, I woke up, here.."


    I look around, the area was slightly destroyed because of the stray [Aura Bullets], trees were felled, the horses had fainted, and at my back, the whole city was wiped off the map..


    I turned to the two corpses at my front side while releasing [Aura Weapon Creation], making my [Aura Handgun] disappear into light particles..


    The two have started to dissolve into the atmosphere, and some particles are gathering around me..


    Probably the [Aura Gift] kicking in, absorbing the aura from defeated enemies..


    I was waiting for a bit, then, when the bodies had completely disappeared, a blue window appeared before my eyes..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Archdevil''s Aura has been assimilated into body - Beginning to unlock 5th Scripture</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have acquired the title {Demon-killer}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Titles with affinity detected: Beginning conversion</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>Titles: Martyr, Beast-hunter, and Demon-killer have been converted into {Feared}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Archdevil Aura] Proficiency 0.00%</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Aura Persona]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>You have learned the skill [Aura Archive]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Gift</td></tr><tr><td>Divine Skill - 10 Scriptures of Aura</td></tr><tr><td>First Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Enables you to use [Aura Magic] but in turn, disables the use of any other magic</td></tr><tr><td>Second Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added Skill: [Aura Absorption] - Enables you to absorb aura from stronger enemies after they have been slain</td></tr><tr><td>Third Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added Skill: [Aura Convergence] - Enables the user to store and meld aura skills</td></tr><tr><td>Fourth Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added Skill: [Aura Armament Release] - Clads the user in armor form made out of pure aura energy</td></tr><tr><td>Fifth Scripture Unlocked:</td></tr><tr><td>Added Passive Skill: [Aura Archive] - Enables the user to never forget information that is either learned or already known</td></tr><tr><td>Remaining Scriptures - Locked State</td></tr><tr><td>Effects: +20000 AP, -1000 LUK, +4000 MP, +400 INT</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>After defeating strong beings time after time, you have unlocked the


    [Unique Class: Slayer]</td></tr><tr><td>Change class into [Slayer]?</td></tr><tr><td>YES / NO</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hmm, I guess that solves my personality problem, but I might have to give that guy more time to process the information before I release him, getting depressed again..


    Let''s take a look at this class first..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Slayer</td></tr><tr><td>One who has the potential to slay even the divine</td></tr><tr><td>All stats +10000</td></tr><tr><td>{Unique Growth Class}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    This class, it seems mysterious, but I guess it''s a good class, judging on the fact that it can still evolve..


    So I choose [YES] in response, and the window disappeared..


    After, my body shined with a light, and I felt stronger than before..


    For now, let''s check our [Status] and find out what the terms mean, since my other personality never bothered to..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Orion Fullbringer(Astrum)


    {Orion Fullbringer}</td><td>


    Titles: The Chosen Ones,


    Hidden God''s Apostle,


    Wandering Disaster,


    Dragon Lord, Feared {None}


    </td><td>Level: 777 {45}</td></tr><tr><td>Race: Human {Human}</td><td>Class: Slayer {None}</td><td>Rank: C {C}</td></tr><tr><td>


    HP: 12000/1200000{120/2000}</td><td>


    MP: 90000/2000000{40/4000}</td><td>


    SP: 16000/900000{230/1000}</td></tr><tr><td>STR: 50000 {130}</td><td>AGI: 65000 {190}</td><td>INT: 400000{400}</td></tr><tr><td>VIT: 60000 {140}</td><td>DEX: 48000 {50}</td><td>WIS: 39000 {65}</td></tr><tr><td>WP: 90000 {90}</td><td>AP: 1500000 {None}</td><td>LUK: ERROR {0}</td></tr></tbody></table>


    First, was the HP, using the gaming knowledge my other personality had, I determined that it meant, [Health Points], meaning, that it was my life in numerical form..


    Same goes with MP, which was [Magic Power] or shortened as [Mana], that determined my capacity in using magic..


    SP means [Stamina Points] which was how much I knew I could move around and such..


    Some of them are pretty obvious to tell, like STR, which was my overall strength..


    AGI, which was how fast I could move..


    INT, is my intelligence factor, directly linking to how much magic power I had..


    VIT was the status for endurance and goes hand in hand with my health..


    DEX determined how flexible I was in moving..


    WIS was my magical defense, and knowledge on magic


    While others, not so much..


    Such as, WP, which meant [Will Power], that quantified the power of my free will..


    And my unique stat, AP, that means [Aura Points], this determines how much power my [Aura Magic] releases..


    Then finally, LUK, which was how lucky I was, either in getting critical hits, or other aspects in daily life..


    It was strange now though..


    Instead of the negative value it usually showed up until now, it was now filled with unreadable symbols, and the words [ERROR] are embedded into it..


    I guess it had something to do with me switching with the unlucky personality..


    I wondered if that voice who gave me power was connected to the LUK stat somehow..


    Well, I have no proof that he was, so let''s keep it at that for now..


    Now, that I''m done checking the various stats, let''s investigate the aftermath..


    I turned around and moved to the place where the city once stood..


    I used a skill I just created while I was fighting those demons, [Aura Flash], which made me move at faster speeds..


    When I made it there, I stopped at the center of the miasma-covered earth..


    I surveyed the perimeter, checking if anyone had survived..


    There was none..


    So, I studied the earth, and found that it was imbued with some kind of dark, poisonous substance..


    Judging from the fact that I was losing health, I concluded it was true..


    A few moments ago, my other personality despaired at the loss of his companions and new friends in this city..


    But, as he usually was, he wasn''t thinking clearly..


    For, I sense no trace of death in the area...


    I used another skill I created, [Aura Trace] to scan the magic particles in the surroundings..


    Yes, there was a large amount of dark magic, but there was another large magic that was just used..


    It was still lingering in the air..


    If it was this large, it must have cost a high amount of magic power, and the user was also well-versed in spells..


    I hypothesized that it might be an invisibility spell, but the evidence says otherwise..


    So that can only mean..


    "Hmm? What''s this?"


    I go to the corner of the site, and pick up something that wasn''t disintegrated by the blast..


    It was a white mask with strange patterns on it..


    It seemed familiar, but it was too cracked and misshapen to tell..


    Well, since it had traces of magic, I might have a use for it in the future..


    Now, judging from the fact that the two [Slave Tattoos] are still not erased from my hands..


    It seems the two elf children are alive..


    I breath a sigh of relief at that, since I had gotten used to the smiles of the two..


    It was strangely likened to Mizuki''s smile from my childhood..


    I try to transfer magic power into it, and try to sense their whereabouts..


    It was too weak, the light was shining dimly, signaling that we were too far apart..


    So I tried using [Aura Trace] on it, and it worked..


    I could faintly sense the two''s magic signatures in the direction of..


    "Due west, huh?"


    I said, slightly looking over the horizon..


    It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was going down towards the western mountains..


    I had a slight feeling that the Elven Country might have been somehow involved in this..


    But let''s let the facts speak for themselves later on..


    I am just relieved that my other personality doesn''t have to be broken..


    So I moved forward, leaving the murky earth behind..


    With a new found goal in my head, and a spring in my step, I walk towards the sunset..


    <hr />


    Hey guys, I''m really sorry for the late update, was really sick..


    So here is the end of the third arc! What do you guys think so far? Tell me in the comments below.


    Special thanks to AnarchyDev for making an advanced review, an honest opinion that made me want to write more..


    So bad news, I might be busy in the next few days, editing chapters, preparing for the launch of the new ROW site, and updating my wordpress site, and many more. So, I might not get a daily chapter out, so I''d like to say sorry in advance..


    Oh, and I''m also planning to write a new fiction, so stay tuned for that, don''t worry, I''m not dropping this..


    Rest at ease. Well, that''s all I had to say..


    Thanks for reading!


    ~SlashCrit

 Chapter 30.5: Intermission

    -Serena POV-


    "Arius Mizastrum Seizes"


    I chant a spirit spell targeting the rushing warriors..


    A stirring in the atmosphere creates an ominous wind..


    A moment of silence ensued before large tree branches sprout from the ground, grabbing the startled soldiers, and gouging out the opened earth, leaving large holes in its wake..


    """""GUUUUUUUUUUUUU"""""


    Approximately five large treants were summoned with my spell, and are decimating the enemy troops..


    "Wha-where did these things come from?!"


    "No, I don''t want to die!"


    The screams and squeals of dying men fill the battlefield, countless bodies flew, spraying large amounts of blood..


    If this was the me from ten years ago, I would want to look away from this scene of carnage, since I would inevitably release whatever I ate that day and then some from my mouth..


    But, I have already gotten used to seeing this scene..


    So now, I just learned to treat it like it was natural, this was war of course..


    Oh, it seems that my treants have finished annihilating the whole platoon. They are now forming a line in front of me..


    "Now, go back to the earth from whence you came, [Release]"


    When I said the keyword to release the skill, their bodies immediately broke down into broken wood and dirt..


    These were creatures summoned to do my bidding using my unique skill, [Nature Magic]..


    It was a type of magic that allowed me to control anything related to the plants and earth. It was already proven that among the elves, I was the only one who could use it. Since they said that they have never heard of it before when I questioned them about it, I might even be the only one that can on this entire globe..


    Or at least, I think it''s a globe..


    I wasn''t very keen on geography much, but even if I was, I had no way of finding out whether this world was round or flat, so I let it be. So far, during these 12 years of war, I have learned to hone my skills under the tutelage of my teacher, who was the one who guided me on everything I needed to know about this world, "Quadra"..


    But, for the past two years, I haven''t seen her since they said she went off on a mission..


    So, I asked them what was the mission, and inquired about when she would be back. They, after hearing my question, had a strange look on their faces. They told me that it wasn''t going to be long, she would be back before I knew it..


    But, two years have already passed, and not one of them was worried, or asked how she has been. At first, I thought that the elves were heartless so I once blew up in front of them, but it seemed that I was the one who was strange..


    Well, two years are not really that long for the elven race, so they openly showed their indifferent expressions..


    But, I am different. Since I knew that I wasn''t a normal elf. I was once, a human..


    My sense of time was several times faster than theirs, since I was used to running late to school most mornings..


    Those were the days, when I overslept, no one would wake me, since I lived alone, away from my parents in the countryside. People around me were a blur, and they too, were rushing to their various appointments..


    For humans, life is short. But for the me right now, I have all the time in the world. Still, I just can''t get used to it..


    Taking my time, at a snails pace..


    While moving back to the [World Tree], our headquarters, I recall my previous life, and the world I left behind..


    My name is, or was, Kudou Karen..


    A simple name, living in a modest apartment, going to a middle-tier high school..


    At school, I was never the athletic type. Instead of joining the various sports clubs, I spent my time reading any book I could find in the library, listening in class, and researching various knowledge..


    Naturally, I wasn''t always like that. When I was a kid, I loved to play with dolls and hang out with my classmates..


    By chance, I had scored higher than the kids in my class, enticing my parents to say that they were proud of me..


    I was happy to receive praise, but I really didn''t try that hard. It was just my luck, I guess..


    But when I tried to tell them that, I couldn''t. I didn''t want to wipe the smile off their faces. So, I tried a little harder during tests, so that my parents would be happy, praising me more. Due to this, they decided to send me to a cram school to further enrich my intelligence. It was an expensive school. I guess they were too excited, that they splurged..


    I regretted my decision, for it only brought me more work, and less time for playing with my friends..


    I decided to stay for one day, then not try at all, to show my parents that this cram school wouldn''t help me in any way. Forcing them to cancel it, and send me home. I wasn''t too scared of being reprimanded since, looking at all these children from rich families gathering here, I could tell that they were not as smart as me..


    I would probably score top even if I didn''t try during the mock exams considering the others are just trying to catch  up with supplementary lessons, compared to me that was usually one step ahead of our teacher during class time..


    So, the instructor taught us things that I already understood, and in the last hour, we had a test..


    I answered the test like I always did, calm and quickly..


    Looking around, I finished faster than the others, causing me to puff my chest out in pride. But then, when I walked up to the instructor''s table, I saw a finished paper on it, that surprised me..


    Considering the test started forty-five minutes ago, did someone finish it in that short amount of time?


    No, I must have been overthinking this, whoever the person was, I was sure that he/she just scribbled wrong answers on their paper since they didn''t know the correct ones..


    I said that to myself self-assuredly, and went home after submitting the finished paper..


    When I got home, my parents asked me how it went, so I told them about how there wasn''t anything I could learn from there and persuaded them to reconsider. They said that they will think about it when they get the results..


    I nodded, and went to bed. But that night, I could hardly fall asleep, thinking about the test results, even if I knew that it wasn''t important. I forced myself to believe that I would naturally get first place, considering my talent..


    The next day, I went with my parents to see the results..


    I had scored an 89/100 on that test. Normally, I would be proud of that score considering I barely tried to think about the questions seriously. Except, that I only got second place in the rankings..


    When I saw that number next to my name, I was shocked, and in the next moment, angry. Angry at whoever had the top place, instead of me, ruining my plans to persuade my parents into withdrawing me from here..


    I looked for the first placer''s name, which wasn''t hard, considering I only had to look at the place that was higher than my name. But strangely, I was really reluctant on seeing it, maybe I was embarrassed..


    The name, "Suzuya Junichiro" was plastered with big letters right above my name, with the number "1" right next to it..


    It seemed to be a boy''s name, so I looked at his score. "100/100" it said. A perfect score that brought my spirits down..


    I didn''t know why it did, considering I didn''t take it seriously. But it still hurt for some reason, being beat..


    Instead of answering my parents'' happy appearances praising my rank, I was moving towards the instructor''s office to ask about the identity of the mysterious top placer..


    When I told him my troubles, he said that it was the boy that passed the test the earliest, "5 minutes" he said..


    When I heard it, it was unbelievable..


    How could someone finish that exam designed for upper levels, had over a hundred questions, in a measly five minutes..


    I was disillusioned, so I asked the instructor on who that boy was, telling him I was curious..


    He lead me back to where the rankings were posted, and pointed towards the direction of a boy..


    I looked at him. He was a black-haired boy with dark eyes, pale skin, and handsome facial features. He looked slightly taller than the others his age. He would be considered sweet and innocent, if he didn''t have that dull look on his face..


    I tried to walk up to him, but my parents blocked my path, saying that they were proud of me and such..


    To be honest, they were obstructing me from speaking to the mysterious boy. While I was being held up, the boy looked at his name on the top part, like it was natural. The action seemed so arrogant, it made me mad. When I was about to call out to him, he quickly went out of the building, entering a tall, sleek, black car that looked expensive, with a butler waiting on him, holding open the car door. I concluded that he was one of the rich children, which infuriated me even more than before..


    That night, I told my parents that they didn''t need to withdraw me. They were surprised for a moment, but quickly said that it was what they were planning on doing from the start. I went up to my room, and couldn''t sleep a wink, since I was studying all night, preparing for the next battle..


    The next day, I had no sleep, and there were bags under my eyes. Even though that was the case, I was really pumped and energized when I made it to the cram school..


    After a few minutes of reviewing, he entered right before the class started..


    So, I stood up from my seat, and approached him with heavy steps, emphasizing my anger..


    I greeted him by shouting angrily in front of his face, while simultaneously pointing my finger at him. He was startled for a moment, but in the next, he went back to his bored, sullen expression..


    I only got further enraged at his nonchalant expression, and started to say embarrassing things like challenging him during the test and the like. No matter how much I spouted cliched lines at him, all he said in reply was..


    {"Is that so...Well, good luck with that.."}


    He said, as he gestured to shoo me away like I wasn''t even registered in his eyes..


    It was the first time that I experienced that kind of attitude when talking to me..


    Completely opposite to how my friends from school treated me..


    Right then and there, I decided to dedicate my all, showing him who was the superior one, forcing him to take notice of me. So, we had our second match, with me getting serious for some unknown reason..


    The result..


    "Suzuya Junichiro 1st Place: 100/100"


    "Kudou Karen 2nd Place: 95/100"                                                     "Saiba Konoe 3rd Place: 73/100"


    I was mortified..


    I thought I had prepared everything, but there were harder questions mixed in that I had no clue about..


    But what really made me depressed was, even though that that was the case, that guy still finished in the same time as yesterday''s test. He made it look like it was easy. But, this only lasted for a moment, because I experienced something that I had never felt before, burning rivalry..


    After looking at the results, I steeled myself saying that I will get him next time..


    Naturally, I also said that out loud, to the person in question..


    {"Try as you might, you cannot break through the wall called talent.."}


    Is what he said while maintaining an indifferent expression, walking as calm as possible..


    Those words changed me..


    Even if the person in question didn''t know it..


    From that moment on, I strived to better myself in academics, giving up the few joys in life, in order to show that arrogant person that hard work can overcome pure talent..


    I  studied and studied until I had gotten sick..


    And then studied once more, after I was cured..


    Every time we took the test, I kept losing and losing to him, always being stuck in second place..


    But, strangely I wasn''t tired of it..


    Before I noticed it, it had become my usual routine..


    I also picked up a habit of reading every book I could get my hands on..


    Years passed by, and before I knew it, I was chasing his back every time I saw him..


    That cool, indifferent attitude, changed a bit, into a rarely smiling black-haired boy..


    But no matter how his attitude change, the results were cruel..


    Still, one time, he tried to encourage me after my 100th loss to him..


    {"I''m impressed that you still haven''t given up. I changed my opinion of you."}


    I still told him that I wont be satisfied until I beat him..


    To that, he chuckled a bit, and showed a bright, encouraging smile..


    {"Well, try your best then, I''ll be waiting for you to catch up.."}


    That time, my heart was weirdly beating faster than normal, but I didn''t know what to do with it, so I ran away..


    Little did I know that, that was the last time we would speak to each other..


    When I graduated from grade school, I moved up from the lower class to the advanced classes that was designed for middle school students and its curriculum..


    I took the first test, fully preparing myself to win..


    But the results shocked even me..


    "Kudou Karen 1st Place: 100/100"


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I was elated..


    It was the first time I saw my name at the top, written in big, bold letters..


    As I was jumping for joy, and puffing out my chest in pride, I looked below my name, looking at the others..


    Then, it hit me..


    It wasn''t there..


    His name wasn''t there..


    Did he fail? No, that would still be recorded at the bottom of the list, but there wasn''t any name like that there..


    I panicked, so I went to the instructor''s office to ask about it..


    When I said my take, he made an apologetic expression, and patted my head..


    Gently telling me that the boy didn''t move up to the advanced levels, instead, he withdrew from the entire cram school entirely. He continued, telling me that he had been caught up in a fire incident, and had to be hospitalized for an indefinite amount of time. When I asked if he was alright, he assured me that he was fine..


    I was relieved, but at the same time, depressed..


    The only time I took first place was when he was in a coma..


    The mesmerizing feeling from before vanished as if it was a lie, leaving an empty, bittersweet victory..


    A few months passed, and I heard that he got discharged from the hospital..


    I was elated, so I anxiously waited for his return..


    But, he never did. He never once shown his face in the cram school ever again..


    I got mad, thinking it was my fault, so I tracked him down, into his middle school..


    When I found him, eating lunch alone, I tried to get close and call out to him, but..


    I suddenly felt a cold shiver down my spine, and it only persisted the more I went closer to him..


    When I took a look at him, he looked very different from before..


    Gone was the indifferent, calm attitude of the past..


    The him that time, was to be honest, scary..


    He had a grim smile plastered on his face when he greeted people, and they, in turn, ran away..


    So, I gave up on speaking to him directly since I was shaking in my boots..


    I decided to send him a letter instead. Filled with stuff such as my name, and how has he been, and if he''s coming back to the cram school to continue the long-standing battle..


    I sent it to his address filled with anxiety..


    After a few days, I received a reply..


    With trembling fingers, I opened it..


    "I am terribly sorry, but this must have been sent to the wrong address since I do not even know who you are. Thank you"


    Is what the words in the letter said..


    Naturally, my spirits went way down after..


    I immediately recovered from the surprising mental damage, and took account the possibility of amnesia..


    It wasn''t strange, considering the accident and it''s consequences..


    I just had to live from that day on, without the thrill of competition..


    It wasn''t easy, but I adapted myself to my new life in middle school..


    I took top spot in everything because the students there were about average compared to Suzuya-kun..


    Every day was boring compared to the days of my childhood..


    Still, I became student council president, and helped a lot of people..


    But some days, I remembered the times I spent with that boy, finding myself in a nostalgic grin sometimes..


    I didn''t notice it then, but I think I admired him way back from when I was a child..


    I just regretted the fact, that I realized that I wanted to get along with him, until it was too late..


    Sometimes, I saw him passing by on the sidewalk, with people running away from him?


    Anyway, no matter how hard I tried getting close, something would obstruct me, and I didn''t know what..


    I could only reluctantly watch him from afar, being depressed at times when I looked at him..


    When I made it into high school, I joined the literature club, and made new friends..


    In my second year, I got into the top 10 of the entire nation''s mock exam..


    Getting me a full scholarship into my chosen university..


    I had my future laid out for me in stone..


    Since my parents didn''t need to pay for my school fees anymore, they decided to retire from their jobs and return to the country side to live with my grandparents..


    It was decided that I would live by myself in an apartment that they would pay for..


    Life was moving at a normal, smooth pace..


    Until that time..


    One day, when I was walking with my friends from school after finishing out weekly meeting, I noticed that I had no ingredients for dinner, so I went to the supermarket and bought some vegetables and meat..


    When I got out, it was getting dark, so I decided to take a detour into the shortest route towards my apartment through the central park located in the middle of the city..


    When I walked along, almost making it back, I saw some children playing football in the park..


    I smiled at the scene. When suddenly, the ball went into the direction of the road, passing right in front of me..


    When I was about to get it for them, a child started running towards the ball in the middle of the highway before I could notice. When I did, I tried to warn him, and call him back..


    But, as fate would have it, a delivery truck which was bigger than most was coming into the kid''s direction at a high speed. When I saw this, I shouted at the kid to run, but he was scared stiff..


    His legs couldn''t move since he was too scared to think clearly, I got mad at the kid, and myself for failing to stop him earlier. Before I knew it, my body was moving towards the kid..


    I pushed him out of the way, letting him hit the sidewalk, knocking him unconscious, replacing him in the middle of the road, right in the path of the moving vehicle..


    The last thing I saw was two flashing lights, and the sound of a horn..


    When I regained my sense of awareness, I was in a white room..


    It was a large space, with plants and exotic flowers decorating the interior, making the place look natural..


    {"Welcome, hero"}


    I heard a voice, that seemed to have belonged to a woman..


    I searched around the room, and found a lone woman, sitting on a wooden throne, covered with vines, thorns, and flowers, decorating the fine chair to look almost divine..


    The woman looked to be in her early 20''s with light-brown skin, green, lustrous hair, a shapely body, pretty features, emerald-colored eyes, and wore a Greek tunic with flower petals adorning it..


    I asked the woman on what she said, and she started to speak..


    According to the explanation, her name was "Avaceris", the Nature Goddess who rules over the "Western Continent, Neriad". Various fairy-race live here, and it was blessed with the most abundant source of food, and medicine..


    She said that she had saved me from my impending death, and summoned me to be her hero. When I inquired more about it, she told me that a war was unavoidable between the other gods and their respective heroes..


    There were four in total, and I was one of them. I told her explicitly that I was no good in anything except studying, so I told her not to expect anything. She giggled at my rant, and said that I needn''t have to worry, for she would give me one of the most powerful magic available, "Nature Magic". I was slightly interested in this, so I probed a little further..


    After all was said and done, I asked one last time if I can go back to the previous world. She replied that it was impossible. Well, it''s understandable, I might have already been treated as a deceased person there anyway..


    Since there was no other choice, I accepted her proposal..


    When I regained my bearings, I found myself in a baby''s body..


    I didn''t sign up for this..


    I thought I would come into this world as is, but I guess you cannot always get what you want in life..


    It turns out, my new parents named me "Serena La Aurera"


    It was a beautiful name for someone as simple as me..


    So, after growing a few years, I realized that I was reincarnated as an elf with my memories intact..


    I had long, blonde hair, green eyes, snow-white skin, and long ears..


    Naturally, old habits die hard, so I consumed all the information around me greedily, and without missing a single one..


    After that, I started training myself for the future battles..


    This world seemed to be likened to a game, considering the various windows that popped out at times, and my status and skills were no different..


    While I was training, the leader of the elf clan, and the human continent started declaring war unto each other..


    I wasn''t interested in politics so I didn''t inquire about the reason..


    But, since I didn''t hide that I could use "Spirit Magic" at a young age, which was a magic distinct to the fairy race, I was forced to enlist in fighting in the war, at the tender age of five years old..


    It was unreasonable no matter how you looked at it..


    No matter how much I complained, I was still forced to go..


    In my first debut on the fields of war, I killed my first person with "Nature Magic", the strongest spell I had in my arsenal in fact, since I was too nervous and scared, coupled with the fact that blood and screams filled the air..


    Naturally, I wanted to throw up, since I came from the peaceful land of Japan, bloodshed was unknown to me..


    I always thought that I could handle it when I experienced it. But when faced with the real thing, I was weak..


    Just as I let my guard down, a human soldier was about to attack me, the lone, careless, vomiting elf..


    But right as I regretted my overconfidence, "she" appeared..


    One of the high elders of the elven race, my teacher, "Cersei Fauna Leislaine"


    She looked as if she was shorter than average child, with a small, rounded face, but her eyes were filled with intelligence and experience she had gained over the years due to her long lifespan..


    She saved my life, and after that, she took me in as her own, and started training me on the ways of magic..


    Since she was one of the most powerful beings of the fairy race in relation to magic, I was happy at the time that I was under her tutelage. Being with her, naturally made me respect her and her way of life..


    I will always be indebted to this person who saved my life, and gave it meaning..


    After 10 years, the war still continued, even though we were overpowering them, they still had the advantage in numbers and tactics, so it has been a stalemate for a long time, at least, in the case of me, and the humans..


    Not so much for the elves, with their twisted outlook on time..


    I have grown strong, with countless experiences with strong people during the war, developing skills and techniques..


    This new body was naturally agile and nimble as if I was moving with the wind..


    I am confident that I would bring victory to the goddess who saved me, by defeating the other heroes..


    As I was thinking that, I noticed that I had arrived at the [World Tree]..


    So, I entered the gigantic headquarters and reported the completion of my mission to the intelligence squadron..


    After that, I moved towards my home, well, truthfully it was still teacher''s home..


    The large house made out of sturdy wood from the [World Tree] was located on top of one of the most tallest trees in the forest, which was rare, considering the large amount of tall trees..


    I made my way up using the vines, invoking "Nature Magic", and disabling the traps with "Spirit Magic"..


    There, I sensed a presence inside..


    I immediately switched into caution mode, and stealthily sneaked in..


    The presence that I thought to be a spy, or a thief was in teacher''s room..


    When I preset my invoked spirit magic, getting ready to attack, I opened the door..


    "Eh?"


    What I found was, something that made my mouth drop, making me loose all tension..


    A petite girl with long ears, and golden hair was facing the bed, showing her back covered with a thin, black coat to me..


    In her line of vision were two bodies, sprawled unconscious on the soft bed, laying there peacefully..


    They seemed to be two elven children that looked familiar, a little boy and girl with slightly similar features..


    But, I couldn''t pay attention to that now, there was a more pressing problem..


    "C-cersei-shishou?"


    The other party seemed to have noticed me, and started turning around..


    When she saw me, she put both hands on her hips, beamed a bright smile, and said..


    "Ah, it''s Serena huh, I''m home!"


    <hr />


    Hey, SlashCrit here, just finished this intermission chapter, tell me if you enjoyed it or not, down in the comments below..


    So good news, my story is up on the rebirth online world new site, so check it out there, I''ve edited I think the earlier chapters and posted the rest. I also started writing a new fiction "Noble Soul" here on RoyalRoad to pass time when I don''t feel like writing this story, so check that out as well.


    If any of you wants to give an advanced review on the story, feel free, since it inspires me to write more depending on your thoughts. But it''s fine if you don''t. Anyway, that''s all I have to say. All the links are below, on my signature..


    Thank you so much for reading, see you guys next chapter


    ~SlashCrit

 Chapter 31: Chill

    Heya SlashCrit here, this is my first sponsored chapter! A big thank you to Gerard, my first ever donator!


    Well, that''s all from me, enjoy the sponsored chapter!


    <hr />


    The frigid cold breeze hits my skin..


    Exhaling a visible burst of air from my mouth, dispersing into the atmosphere..


    Drops of pure white snowfall are landing on my shoulders..


    I would dust them off, but it would be a waste of energy..


    Living with the principle, to not do anything that yields different results than the former..


    In other words, an action that will not change anything, is better off being ignored..


    I deliberate about philosophical ideals and observations while I trudge through the ever-decreasing temperature..


    The surroundings were already blanketed with a sheet of dazzling white snow..


    Seasons in the other world remained the same as they do on Earth, was what I concluded inside my thoughts..


    It has been a few days since I''ve started moving towards the "Elven Continent" to find the whereabouts of the two..


    I did not need to rush since I could sense their trail of magic, and I could faintly feel that they were safe through the connection of the slave contract in these strange tattoos..


    In the meantime, I was walking at a leisurely pace, studying more and more about this world and it''s inhabitants..


    A basic thing to do in another world, which any normal human being would do if they got sent to something as strange as a fantasy world, different from his own, but no, the other personality completely ignored this fact, and just went on with whatever people would say, letting everything go, and acting like he didn''t need to know..


    Honestly, this makes me slightly irritated..


    I wondered how he even got this far without basic common sense..


    Before I noticed it, my head was hurting, and I found my palm stuck to my forehead..


    "(Sigh) I guess the sad thing is, that it was technically me who did those things.."


    Ah, I can feel my pride of being called a genius breaking into little tiny pieces..


    I never really thought about it to this extent, but now that I did, I''m becoming more and more depressed at myself..


    So far, while observing the various trees, pathways, people that passed my way, I have gotten the gist of it..


    The humans who inhabit this world, seemed to look like foreigners, but with different colored eyes and hair color than those who lived on Earth. In fact, I have never thus far, come across someone who looked like a Japanese person..


    The civilization level at which this world has attained, was quite frankly, outdated..


    It was set in the middle ages, where modern technology was not yet introduced, and the world was much simpler..


    Except, that this world has the existence of magic..


    [Magic], was the general term of all supernatural phenomena that happens in every day life..


    I happened upon a peddler, who was traveling from city to city, and perused his goods..


    Only to find a book about [Elementary Magic] and it''s origin that cost me a quite expensive sum of 1 large silver coin,,


    I guess books were expensive in this world, even though it was just a book for beginners..


    When I opened the book while setting up camp one night, I noticed that the paper used to manufacture it, was not the smooth, clear white paperback that I was used to..


    It felt rough, slightly like sandpaper, but more brownish in color..


    Based on this, the material was something that I have read about in the past, a rough texture of papyrus, made from the leaves of a papyrus plant back in the earlier times of human civilization..


    Still, the words were written in black tinted ink, and it was readable due to my skill..


    From the information that I got from the book, [Magic] was divided into different types and realms, the known applications of magic were as follows, [Elemental Magic], [Spirit Magic], and [Summoning Magic]..


    The book had no further information about the latter two, since the main type of magic that the humans can use, and have been using for a long time, is [Elemental Magic], which was the magic that had chants and spells in line with the different elements that were present in this world..


    The various elements were [Fire Magic], [Water Magic], [Earth Magic], [Wind Magic], [Ice Magic], [Lightning Magic], [Light Magic], and [Dark Magic]. There was also a type that deviated from the norm, [Non-Attribute Magic]..


    This magic was also called [Daily-life Magic] since it was used for trivial purposes. An example of this type of magic would be the chant to summon the [Guild Card], and [Appraisal] that some wealthy merchants know..


    It turns out, that humans were born with the innate ability to control magic, and they each had different elements in line with their birth, some rare ones would be born once in a blue moon, that controlled two elements of magic..


    For the other races, I''m not so sure since I have yet to collect information about them and their strengths..


    The reason I am doing this is because this information is crucial if I want to fulfill the request of that damn mysterious god, who when I saw, had unfathomable strength..


    My other personality could not see through his playful attitude, but I could see that in my present state, I was not enough to defeat him, in a fair fight..


    So, in light of that, I inferred that if that guy had that much strength, what''s to say about the others..


    The other reason was, that I was slightly elated at learning new things in a different world, since absorbing knowledge had become second nature to me, and I could not control my instincts..


    I am not, in the least embarrassed to admit this part of myself..


    In terms of wealth, I had no problem on that front, considering the large amount amassed by my teacher..


    In my travels, I have experienced what it felt like to camp outside for the first time, and fending off demons in the night, attracted by the scent of food. Although, the food didn''t taste as good as before, but since I followed all the instructions in my head, I decided to let it off as me, thinking about it too much..


    The more I walked towards the direction of the west, the less people passed by me, and now, there were none at all..


    I think I made it to where there were no cities nearby..


    There was one time I got assaulted by bandits on the roadway though, now that I recall, it was pretty amusing..


    {"Halt! Hey strange purple-headed kid, leave your money and belongings here, or do you want some trouble?"}


    He said as he moved his cloak, revealing a long sword sheathed at his side..


    The man looked scruffy, like he was inebriated every single day, an unhealthy pale complexion, and gruff voice..


    He was surrounded by about 10-15 men that looked like him, but only more ugly, in both meanings of the word..


    When they heard what the guy that seemed to be their leader said, they looked at me, and then snickered like hyenas..


    I could only sigh at the scene in my head that time..


    {"Oi, brat, didn''t you hear me? Leave your stuff here and scram!"}


    I decided not to mind them, and calmly walked through the side of the leader, and his lackeys, making them dumbfounded for a moment, to the extent that some even absentmindedly let me pass..


    Were all the bandits in this world stupid like this? Was the thought I had in my head that time..


    When they regained their bearings they got angry of course, and looked towards the direction that I walked..


    Naturally, I wasn''t there anymore since I used [Aura Flash] to get a certain distance away from their perception..


    I thought they gave up with this, but I was wrong..


    The day after, I was resuming my walk, and had just finished packing up the travelling tent, and various utensils..


    When I sensed a large amount of anger and blood lust at my back..


    At that split second, I dodged a sword swing aimed at my head, by dropping down my body into a crouching position..


    Then, put my hands on the ground, and lifted my body up, twisting my limbs, and finally struck the assailant in the chin with a fast leg kick to his lower jaw, knocking him away unconscious..


    When I turned around, it turned out to be a lackey from the bandits that I met the day before, and the leader, including the others had surrounded my position..


    There were men with swords unsheathed at the ready, glaring at me with red faces, and veins that almost seemed to pop out of their foreheads, men armed with bows at the sides, preparing to shoot at me at the moment the order from their leader arrives, and people with bucklers to defend against attacks..


    They must have been mad at my arrogance and decided to pursue me, even at the cost of getting tired..


    But, I am impressed at how they came up with this plan, I guess there was something in that leader''s head after all..


    Yes, I''m trapped, cornered at all sides, having nowhere to run to, victory was assured, was what they were thinking..


    A testament to that conjecture was the wide grin on the bandit leader''s face, with a self-serving attitude..


    I guess there was no choice..


    {"Don''t blame me for this alright, you were the ones who decided to follow me.."}


    With those words as the provocation, the leader was angered, but still retained his smile, and gave the order to attack..


    While simultaneously, I made up a plan on the spot, and moved at a speed they couldn''t follow with my enhanced muscles, limbs, and senses. The bows were shot, the men screamed a half-assed war cry and proceeded to direct their killing intent in the direction I was in..


    Naturally, they found nothing but empty air as their targets..


    This scene made them surprised and disillusioned at the same time, questioning their eyes..


    They remained stock still for a few seconds in order to register the situation..


    Those few seconds were all that I needed..


    After a short amount of time, which could also be called, a moment, 14 bodies dropped to the dry earth..


    The big smile that the man put on, turned upside down, into a grimace..


    Sweat gathered at his forehead, and his mouth slightly hanged open..


    {"Wha-a-what! What happened?!?"}


    Is what the man with a strange tone in his voice grumbled and shouted short of breath..


    {"Sleep tight.."}


    Were the final words the man heard before his short, amusing end..


    Which didn''t happen since I only knocked him unconscious..


    Along with all his ill-looking subordinates..


    I wasn''t really that mad, since they didn''t even do anything to me, so I rounded up all their bodies and tied them up to a big tree with a rope that I bought from a peddler some time ago..


    Yes, one of the things that was annoying was ironically the highlight of my trip so far..


    It''s kind of dull walking through this world with no one to share it with..


    Those kids taught me that, a lesson that slightly changed my outlook on life..


    Anyway, I have not yet come across a single person ever since I met those bandits from before..


    I guess this means that I''m getting close?


    While I was thinking that, I noticed something running in my direction..


    I made it out to be something that was not human..


    Since it was over 5 meters tall, with a gigantic stature, white fur, and bright yellow eyes filled with rage..


    In my vast knowledge, it was likened to a gorilla from my world, but it was an albino one..


    Albeit the fact that it was taller and larger than the average gorilla, it also moved at speeds the latter couldn''t dream of doing in its entire lifetime..


    Which meant that it was another type of demonic beast that roamed the continent..


    I opened my eye-patch, revealing the sapphire-colored eye, and invoked [Aura Eyes]..


    You see, my heterochromatic eyes had influenced the skill, changing it into a skill having various effects..


    The blue eye, which was normally used by the other Orion, had the power to [Appraise], and [Identify] every single thing, whether it be an item, person, plant, or beast.


    While the red eye, which I currently had out, had the ability to see through an opponent''s moves and weak points, and combined with my reflexes, it stops them, rendering the attacks my opponents make nullified..


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    A passive skill of the blue eye was to see farther distances, while the red one was to perceive the flow of magic..


    If you asked me, it was too excessive, but since it was convenient, I would gladly make use of it..


    There were three beasts, so I used my skill on them one by one..


    Collectively, they were called, [Snow Wind Beast], but the larger one in the middle was different..


    It seemed that it was their leader since it''s name was [Groen the Snow Wind Beast King]..


    Such an over-exaggerated name for an over-sized gorilla..


    Were the insulting thoughts I had swimming in my head at this time..


    But wait, this was a new discovery, considering demonic beasts can be named, it made me wonder who named this one..


    Well, I''ll keep it in mind, but for now, they''re coming..


    <hr />


    -Lena''s POV-


    We were currently moving outside of the village to hunt for some game in the forest..


    This was because we had to, considering winter was coming soon, and it will make it that much harder to procure food..


    I was one of the hunters in this village, I excelled in using traps and pitfalls in hunting beasts..


    Making up a big part of our hunter team..


    We four, Dale, Sharl, Kizu, and I were childhood friends that grew up in this village, and trained under a passing knight..


    He came to our village one day, and taught the children how to protect themselves..


    We were excited since he said that he was one of the "Heavenly 15"..


    That group was famous, since it was one of the very top positions of the imperial army, directly serving royalty..


    They are said to have immense power, bringing down beasts and demons in a single strike..


    From the news in the village, they were going to the war with the "Elven Continent" to push them back, and win for us..


    He was a kind old man with much knowledge, and even if he was old, he didn''t feel senile..


    It was like he was a seasoned veteran going into war with a smile on his face..


    Anyway, under his tutelage, we became strong, strong enough to hunt beasts for our meals..


    So, we were hired by the village chief when we grew up, to be hunters for the entire village..


    Since this village was far from the other cities, it was understandable that we had to hunt, since it was very rare to have travelling peddlers and merchants visit us and trade their wares..


    For years, we have been hunting with this formation..


    Dale, was a swordsman, he had the class [Warrior] in his status so it was indisputable..


    Sharl, was our healer, she went to the holy church once in "Virgo City", the city that worships Solaris-sama..


    Kizu was our scout, he used a bow and a short dagger, and had keen eyesight and senses, warning us from danger..


    With me, the trap specialist, we made our hunting party..


    Alone, we would have had a hard time catching even one, but together we hunted [Demon Rabbit], [Demon Deer], and sometimes even [Demon Boar] on special occasion..


    Today, was an important day since for some reason, most kids in the village were infected with an illness all at the same time, so we needed more food than usual..


    While laughing, chatting, and planning our capture route when we were walking to the forest, we arrived..


    So, we entered the forest, preparing ourselves, and searched for our prey..


    After a few hours, we caught a few [Demon Rabbits] and [Snow Sparrows]..


    But, this wasn''t enough..


    The kids needed food to live, and I didn''t want to be the cause of their depleting health..


    It just wouldn''t sit right with me, so I proposed that we should go deeper in the forest to hunt bigger game..


    I told them that since it was winter, most of the beasts would hide in the inner portion of the forest..


    They were reluctant, but even so, they agreed with me due to the small amount of game we hunted..


    I knew the forest was filled with unknown dangers, but I had to take the risk, since it was for the children..


    With a renewed determination, we went deeper..


    Turns out, it wasn''t that dangerous, considering our planning tactics, such as, attacking them when they are alone, and making little to no sound when sneaking around..


    Or shooting them from far away, and trapping them in holes we dug..


    It was going smoothly, so when we noticed that we caught enough, evident by the almost-bursting rucksacks..


    We turned around, and headed back towards the village, following the trail..


    On our way out of the forest, we were talking about our various feats today, which beast we killed, how we killed them..


    Things like that, it was a nice atmosphere, that just relaxed your mind after a hectic day..


    Thinking things like today was a great haul, and suggestions that we should go deeper from now on..


    Trivial topics were the best, at least for me..


    But, we were too naive, we let our guard down the moment we saw that we were out of the forest''s range..


    We suddenly heard an angry growl that was so loud, it made me shiver unconsciously..


    When we turned around, we saw the rustling of trees, and heard loud thuds in the forest..


    After a few seconds, two bright, golden eyes were visible in the darkness of the forest interior..


    Then what followed were two more pairs of eyes, but this time, they were red..


    They were staring right at us..


    It was strange since I wanted to run away from the scary scene, but I just couldn''t help looking back..


    I couldn''t even move if I wanted to, since my legs were shaking, regardless..


    I was stuck in place, like the prey in the face of its predator, we were sweating, and quaking in fear..


    What came out were fangs, a massive body, tall, tree-like arms, and a scowling face that seemed enraged..


    But the bigger one, even more so..


    I was suddenly reminded of the stories they used to tell you when you were a child in the village..


    That if we were bad, the snow demon will get you..


    I treated it like any other tale, something that wasn''t real..


    But now I stand corrected, it wasn''t a work of our imagination, this was real..


    The danger I feel could only support that this wasn''t a dream, but a terribly cold reality..


    It must have followed us from the forest, since it might have made his home there, and we stole it''s prey..


    I could only arrive at that reason when thinking about the situation..


    But I wasn''t calm. I was despairing at our bad luck, at why this had to happen just because I wanted to save the children..


    "Kizu, take the girls and run! I''ll buy time, go!"


    A loud voice interrupted my thoughts..


    It came from Dale, our party leader, while he brandished his sword, pointing towards the beasts, showing his back to us..


    Right now, his back looked reliable, but I knew he was afraid too, and I could never forgive myself if I left a friend to die..


    So, I gathered up my courage and told them that I will fight with Dale..


    The others looked at me like I was saying something crazy, but they soon changed into daring smiles..


    They said that they would join in too, since they couldn''t force themselves to leave us behind..


    Maybe they were right, this is crazy, but this is what I''ve decided to do..


    "You guys.."


    "Don''t be crying on me now, Dale. You''re treating me to a drink once this is over.."


    "A-ah, sure. Let''s beat these things and head on home.."


    The exchange between the two best friends, no two men who were willing to fight was heard..


    Smiling fearlessly, we faced the demonic beasts with renewed vigor..


    We started the attack..


    First, Dale would slash at the leader, to keep it at bay, and we would kill the other two first with traps and long-range tactics, it was harsh for Dale, but it was the only plan we could come up with, given the situation..


    So, Dale started sprinting towards the leader and held him back with his swordplay..


    Or at least, should have been..


    *Smack*


    I was dumbfounded at the scene..


    When Dale charged towards the beast''s abdomen..


    He was gone in the next moment..


    One flick of the wrist, and he was sent flying..


    The beast seemed amused and puffed out its chest slightly..


    Dale, after flying in the air for a few seconds, landed on the cold, snowy ground..


    He was coughing up blood, and I feared that he wouldn''t last long, given the temperature of the air..


    When this registered in my mind, I felt conflicting emotions come over me..


    Anger, anger at the fact that our plan was useless, and that Dale might be gone in a few minutes..


    Fear, fear at the entity before us, which treated humans like toys, and had enormous strength..


    And helplessness, despairing the fact that I, we, couldn''t do anything about it hurts the most..


    After comprehending the simple fact that beating them wasn''t possible, my legs suddenly lost strength..


    The beast seemed satisfied, and came closer to us..


    Kizu was shielding Sharl, and she was trying to heal Dale, as the beast slowly approached our personas..


    This was the end, I thought..


    The children wouldn''t get their food, and the village will starve for the winter, were the thoughts that filled me with despair and grief while staring at the deep, bright eyes of the beast..


    "I''m sorry.."


    I say out loud, to at least ask for forgiveness to my friends, the children, and the entire village..


    But I knew it was just self-satisfaction that I unconsciously said to make myself feel better..


    It didn''t matter either way..


    So I closed my eyes and waited..


    Just when I was thinking that, and accepted my fate, I heard a grunt from the creature..


    I opened my eyes, and saw that the creature wasn''t looking at me anymore, but was looking to the direction of the east..


    Even though this was a grave situation, curiosity still got the best of me, and I turned my head sideways, like the beast..


    I couldn''t see anything in that direction, but after a few moments, I squinted my eyes, and slightly made out a dark silhouetted human-shaped shadow in the distance..


    The moment that I saw that, the beast roared, and signaled to the others to follow him, was what I thought..


    Since after the roar, he proceeded to run towards the mysterious silhouette, at a speed I couldn''t believe..


    I was even more saddened by this since it proved that even if we ran, we still wouldn''t escape..


    I was apologizing in my heart to the person who was about to get caught up in our mess, an innocent bystander was going to be hurt, or even worse, because I was overconfident that we could enter the inner part of the forest..


    I couldn''t take it, and looked away from the impending slaughter..


    As I was ridiculing myself and my hubris while sprawled on the cold, white snow..


    *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*


    Suddenly, I heard a loud explosion from a distance..


    When I turned towards the noise, I was shocked..


    The towering beasts from before, had holes in their foreheads, bleeding out a thick amount of blood and brain matter, and were now being dragged around with rope on their necks with one hand by the mysterious stranger..


    Before I knew it, the boy reached the place where we were, and noticed us..


    He looked strange, a youth with purple hair, and white bangs, pale skin, covered in dark clothing, wearing an eye-patch with one of his eyes colored red, showing a bored look on his face..


    But he didn''t look strained even though he was dragging the three heavy bodies of those beasts, with one hand..


    I thought he was a demon, but since there weren''t any horns on his head, I let go of the scary thought..


    When he came close to me, I came back to my senses and started to stand up..


    It was a little hard, considering I just lost my strength, but I still stood upright in order to greet and thank the person..


    So, when I did, I held out my right hand, offering a handshake greeting towards him..


    But his next words were unexpectedly different..


    With a slightly irritated tone, and eyes that stared right into mine, he said..


    "Oi, were you the ones who sent these small-fry to attack me?"

 Chapter 32: Glimmer Village

    "Uuuu.."


    "Guuuu..."


    Moans and groans sounded right into both my eardrums..


    Swung on my shoulders, unconscious were two grown men..


    On my right was a blonde-haired guy wearing light chain mail armor, with a sword dangling from his waist..


    While my other shoulder was occupied by a lean man with a freckled face, wearing a cloak-like poncho..


    Why am I carrying these unconscious men you might ask?


    Yes, this might seem strange since I normally would not care for these types of people and leave them behind..


    But since this was mostly my fault, I decided to take responsibility and carry them back to recover..


    I was currently walking along the snowy path back to their village..


    They meaning, the people I met when I accused them after dealing with the [Snow Wind Beasts]..


    My head hurts just thinking about it..


    The two women were leading the way..


    One was walking in front, scouting the area around us from time to time. She looked to be a flaxen-haired woman with brown eyes and light-brown skin. Her personality, as I had observed, was the outgoing type. Always walking in a straight line, cheerful, bluntly honest, and straightforward..


    She was wearing leather clothes and armor, with only a small dagger and traps dangling from her waist..


    The other was looking at the map in her hands, navigating the route back. Probably finding one of the safer paths to take in order to avoid danger in moving towards the village. She was walking one pace behind the outgoing girl, and directing the way since the road was blanketed in snow..


    She looked to be the frail type, glossy, long brown hair, flowing down her back, stopping at her waist, had brown eyes, and light skin. If this was Japan, she would have been called a celebrity just basing on her looks and demeanor..


    This woman was wearing a garb that nuns from the church would usually wear during those western medieval-age movies I used to see. On the right side of her hip, she was equipped with a short wooden wand with a silver cross at its tip. This led me to believe that she might be related to the church in this world..


    It was strange that a religion close to Christianity was present in the other world, but since I didn''t have enough information, I decided to leave it at that for the present time..


    Apparently they weren''t the ones who sent the beasts towards me, but they did lead them out of the forest..


    I got strangely riled up for some reason that I didn''t calm down and look at the facts..


    Since what happened a few hours ago was..


    {"Oi, don''t clam up, answer the question!"}


    I said in an angry tone..


    It felt like I was doing an inquisition..


    {"Ah, n-no, I, I mean we-"}


    The girl was sniveling, trying to explain herself whilst wiping the tears from her face, while I pondered upon the situation. But suddenly, I felt an attack coming my way from a certain distance..


    I moved my head back slightly, letting an arrow coated in green light whiz through the air in front of me..


    When I followed its trail, I found a lean man holding a bow that had just been released, openly showing his displeasure at the sight of me dodging, clicking his tongue while he was at it..


    I was impressed at the silent killing intent, to which I noticed later than usual..


    As I was thinking that, a sword swing was coming at me from the side..


    It seemed to be a warrior who had gashes and wounds, while bleeding from his mouth, showing an enraged expression towards me. He was holding his iron sword with both hands firmly, but I could tell that his legs were shaking and they were about to give out..


    This one had eyes that said he was going to sacrifice his own self just to fight..


    A burning passion that believes that he was doing the right thing..


    While the two combined their efforts in attacking me, I nimbly dodged every single one until they had exhausted their stamina and arrows, falling to the cold, soft, snowy ground..


    The other girl that was crying on the ground was trying to chant a spell towards the collapsed two..


    In total, four people..


    Just as I was thinking of not getting involved..


    {"U-um, I a-am Lena, a hunter, and these are my friends and party members, they did not know that you saved us, so please forgive us.."}


    With those words that had stutters at the beginning, she proceeded to bow, dropping all of her body down, onto the cold ground, rubbing her forehead against the snow..


    This was what you would call, a sincere apology..


    Only most people would do this in Japan, and I was one who saw these gestures everyday. But this, this was genuine..


    Her apology was different from those who were just trying to save face, but had hidden agendas after. She was abandoning her pride in order to save her impolite and misunderstood friends..


    I was somehow moved by this, so I decided to calm down right then and there..


    After I did, I made the girl named Lena stand up from the freezing ground, and after, I made her explain the situation..


    It turns out that they were just a hunting party that got attacked by those small fry, which they called one of the strongest demonic beasts. I was just caught up in the crossfire just when the beast was about to eat them..


    Well, I could blame it on the fact that I was walking, while simultaneously thinking of trying out new aura skills..


    If I look back, that time, I had my new skill, [Taunt Aura] in effect..


    So, it was not entirely their fault, since I brought it upon myself..


    After that, they asked me if I had any potions, since they would use it to heal their two fallen comrades..


    I told them no, which made them dejected, and depressed..


    But instead, I walked up to the warrior first, and examined his pulse, body condition, and wounded organs..


    The other one just had a severe loss of stamina, so I payed him no mind..


    This was the perfect situation to try out one of my theories, which I thought of while I was travelling..


    Specifically, if I could use aura magic to transfer to someone else..


    I told the others to stand back, and let me use my magic..


    They were reluctant to part, but Lena told them that I was a trustworthy person..


    This girl was too trusting of someone she had just met, that if I was a strange person, I would have taken advantage of her. But since I don''t have that type of hobby, I let it go as just naivety..


    I invoked [Regenerative Aura] around my right hand, and proceeded to touch the warrior''s forehead..


    Then, I proceeded to manipulate the aura in order for it to move towards the target. This took a while, and sweat started gathering upon my forehead, but I successfully made a pathway from my fingers into his body, through the use of my knowledge of nerves and blood vessels being covered by the layers of muscle and skin in the past..


    Next, I released the healing properties of the aura into his body from the inside..


    Causing a burst of magic power that made him uncomfortable at first, but slowly died down and he was now breathing peacefully. This was because the regenerative properties infected the cells, and they in turn, spread it around his bloodstream, thereby affecting the various damaged cells through touch..


    It is quite complicated, so I made the process simple to understand for my alter-ego..


    Since I know that he might be conscious right about now..


    I just hope he doesn''t overreact to it as much..


    After a few minutes of using magic, which barely put a dent in my overall magic power, which was instantly recovered a second later, the treatment was done. He was fully healthy, the wounds were closed, and no sign of scars were left on his skin, his ruptured internal organs were regenerated as if it was good as new, and his breathing stabilized..


    Although he was unconscious, he was out of danger for now..


    The scout-like man was just asleep from the lack of energy, so I didn''t use it on him..


    As I confirmed that the experiment was a success, the girls were surprised at seeing me use healing magic, even though I wasn''t a healer class. That just goes to show you that not all things are what they seem..


    After that, they profusely thanked me by bowing multiple times..


    It was getting repetitive and annoying so I asked them to stop already since the intent was enough. I didn''t dare point out that I was the one who was needlessly angry at them for something that they didn''t even do..


    Nope, my pride as a logical thinker would not allow that..


    I will take this secret with me to my grave..


    Since they seemed reluctant to part without showing their gratitude, they suggested that they treat me to the meal in their village since it seemed that the distance to the border was too far away from here, such that if I started moving now, factoring in the snowfall, and occasional blizzards, I would make it there in 2 weeks at least..


    This made sense because of the weather conditions and the paths being covered up by snow. I could cope with it using my [Aura Trace] to lead me into their direction. But because it would be harder to detect magic traces in the present climate, I decided to abandon the idea..


    So, I decided to receive their gratitude while finding shelter for the time being. Since no matter how strong and resilient my body was, I still felt cold and I would likely die from frostbite..


    I was planning to develop these clothes I received from my teacher into a more durable cloth with even more effects..


    It was to make travelling easier, and to avoid having to sew and stitch ripped parts in the future..


    This was mostly because I was a perfectionist in my past life..


    When I said that I would come with them, they showed a smile in return, and started leading the way..


    They tried to carry their unconscious comrades but it seemed they were too heavy for the girls..


    Naturally, since I caused their present state, I offered to carry them..


    And so, I slung them on my shoulders, barely feeling the weight, tied the rope to my waist, which was dragging the [Snow Wind Beast] corpses through the snow, and started moving..


    The snow beasts looked heavy but I felt as if they weighed as light as a feather, thanks to my enhanced muscles..


    Carrying men near your face is slightly traumatic, but I decided to ignore it, saving my mental health..


    Which leads us back to the present situation..


    Oh, I slightly sense the presence of people, humans to be exact..


    It was coming from the direction of north-east..


    I couldn''t clearly make it out even with my [Aura Eyes] both due to the distance, and the snowfall obstructing my sight...


    "Were close, so let''s just walk a little more, um.."


    She seemed to have been talking to me, but suddenly stopped when she was about to confirm..


    Oh, that''s right, I haven''t introduced myself..


    "Orion, it''s Orion Fullbringer.."


    With my reply, her face showed a slight smile, but then it suddenly turned into a curious look..


    "Fullbringer? You have a last name? Are you one of the nobles?"


    Apparently, on the "Human Continent", only nobles have last names..


    That explains Jim, and why the other people I''ve met never mentioned their last names..


    But wait, does that mean that my foster-father, Derek, was a noble?


    Strange, if that was the case, shouldn''t my alter-ego found a clue to their whereabouts already?


    This new information was registered in my mind, and simultaneously inputted into the [Aura Archive] passive skill so that I won''t forget it, since this needs further investigation..


    For now, I needed to reply..


    "Ah, no, my father was a noble, but our house has been stripped of its nobility, but I still use it in introducing myself.."


    Technically, this wasn''t a lie. Since the one who was my biological father in this world, seemed to be a high noble by the name of Astrum. But since I didn''t particularly have a reason to tell them the truth, I said this instead..


    "I see, that must have been hard, I''m sorry.."


    They suddenly had apologetic faces that seemed they regretted ever asking me about it..


    Such troublesome culture this world has..


    "No, no, it''s fine. Everyone asks me that when I introduce myself, so it''s alright.."


    I try lying once more to appease the girls, but in fact this was the first time that they asked this..


    Were the other people my alter-ego met not normal?


    Or were they people with such consideration to not ask about the details?


    Either way, this is mysterious..


    After about half an hour, we made it to the entrance of the village..


    There seemed to be town guards on standby near the gate..


    When they saw me, with two grown men on my shoulders, dragging around demonic beast corpses, one would naturally think that I was a suspicious person with purple hair..


    This is so annoying..


    I would have liked to blow all my problems away with violence, but alas, I needed to control myself since I needed a place to stay. I should think about developing a skill that lets me build a home or something in the future..


    With renewed vigor, I reluctantly let them question me..


    I told them about the incident, which made their faces pale, and when Lena vouched for me, one of the guards fainted..


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Seeing this, I was holding back the urge to laugh at the spectacle that was likened to a slapstick comedy from Japan..


    The man who fainted was being slapped and yelled at by the other pale-faced guard, while his eyes were rolled back, showing the whites of his eyes, drooling a bit. The slapping man was yelling things such as..


    "Get it together man!" and "Look, it''s dead you know? Don''t be afraid!" and many other things I''m reluctant to mention..


    After about a few minutes, the town guard captain came to check on them, only to find them doing that..


    Naturally, they got reprimanded and got sent back to the guard house..


    I felt no sympathy since I didn''t care about it anyway, albeit an amusing show..


    When the captain heard the whole story, he also went pale but immediately returned to a serious expression..


    What a professional..


    Were the thoughts I had while being permitted to enter the village..


    The village was apparently called "Glimmer Village". When I asked why it was named like that, they told me that a passing fairy goddess saved this village once before, shielding it from harm in the "Heavenly War" and provided food, warmth, and water for the villagers, thus naming the village after her in gratitude..


    It got me slightly curious when the word "fairy" was mentioned, but I considered that this wasn''t important right now..


    We walked through a number of houses that seemed to look the same..


    Probably because there was no major development inside a village..


    Although it was understandable that people would not come out during this weather, but I was sure some would likely walk around, making sure their homes were safe and ready for the storm..


    Much to my dismay, there was no one except the guards and our group walking outside..


    I thought it was because of the weather but it was slightly unnatural, due to this, I asked Lena again..


    It never hurts to have too much information..


    Apparently, most of the children have gotten sick with a strange disease where their body parts turn blue and they had lost all feeling when it comes to the infected area, causing them to either cut them off for good, to avoid the spread towards the body, but some have a high chance of dying..


    This disease was rampant every winter for some reason, said Lena. But this year, the children were infected, which was a first. And since they couldn''t find it in their conscience to amputate little kids, they decided to make time to take care of them in their respective homes instead..


    Judging on the symptoms, and the way they dealt with it, and factoring in the season, I drew an easy conclusion on what the sickness was, what caused it, and could probably find a method to deal with it, given the chance..


    But for now, I had to drop off the group at the village chief''s house located at the center of the village..


    We reached a house that looked bigger than the others, and was greeted by the village chief..


    He was collecting firewood for his heat source inside, so we helped him out, and he led us in..


    We entered a simple living room, with the minimum furniture needed..


    Long, wooden couches, covered with soft cloth, and a wooden table in between..


    I guess people in the village do have a rough time, considering the chief''s house was like this..


    Were the rude judgmental thoughts that swam in my head at the time..


    When we made it to the center of the room, we were asked to sit and make ourselves comfortable..


    So, I placed the two on the couch while we sat on the opposite side..


    I left the corpses outside because they were too big to fit through the doorway. Plus, they were starting to smell..


    I reassured the chief that it would be safe, and there was nothing to worry about..


    There was also no danger of it being stolen, since there were no other people loitering outside of their homes..


    Even if someone did try to steal it, my senses would pick up their movement before they could even come close..


    When we were all seated, surrounding the small table, the chief sat down on a big chair at our side, and started to talk..


    His name was Germundo, a pretty overbearing name if you asked me..


    Germundo looked to be an able-bodied old man with intelligence in his eyes, his muscles looked like he was a combatant in the past, although I wasn''t interested in the least..


    After introducing ourselves, well, mostly me, we talked about the incident..


    Naturally, this got the chief interested and at the same time, excited, very much so that he started telling stories and legends about the past, being passed from generation to generation..


    The chief blabbed on and on about this and that, so let''s omit it..


    We got to the main point of the discussion after a while, to the fault of the oblivious village chief, Germundo, which derailed the entire topic from progressing with his tales of whimsy..


    I asked if there was a vacant inn or somewhere I could stay for the time being..


    But the chief said there wasn''t anything like an inn inside a village..


    This was understandable, but yet I was slightly disappointed..


    Even so, the chief said that as thanks for rescuing the hunters, I could stay inside his home for as long as I liked..


    I automatically said yes, since there wasn''t any other choice, and it would be the most logical thing to do considering the pros, cons, and the present situation considering the weather..


    I told him that I would pay for my share of the food, and the days I spent here, but he would have none of it..


    He didn''t care about money, which slightly raised my impression of him. Only slightly though..


    Only thing is, I would have to not mind the sick child inside one of the rooms..


    When I further inquired about this, he talked about it with us with a gloomy face..


    Turns out, his only daughter was sick with the same disease that was afflicting the children..


    He couldn''t bear to cut his own daughter''s legs off, so he decided to care for her, and pray to his god, Solaris..


    But waiting for the inevitable isn''t going to do anything..


    He also said that recently, he couldn''t stand the look and cries of pain coming from her room, and started to look away from her most of the time. It might sound cruel, but it was one of the better choices in order to keep his peace of mind..


    While he was now depressed, and talking lethargically, his face seemed at a loss and absentminded..


    This was getting irritating for some reason, so I decided to do something to rectify the problem..


    "I can heal her.."


    I nonchalantly said towards the despairing old man..


    He was shocked by my statement, but then went back to his self-depreciating expression, saying things like..


    "It''s fine, it is an incurable disease anyway, many priests have researched healing this, but their findings only led them to the theory that the cure is somewhere on the Elven Continent. But I appreciate the thought.."


    With a bitter smile, he said these things, trying to cheer me up, but at the same time, irritating me more..


    I don''t know why, but when I see someone who has given up on trying in front of me, it reminded me of my past self, the me who had given up on humans, and did not care about anything anymore..


    If I hadn''t met Mizuki, I would leave this problem at this, and move on with my life..


    But since I did, the teachings she gave me shone more brightly even more now..


    "You don''t believe me? That''s fine, but I still want to earn my keep here, even if you want me to or not.."


    With those words, I turned around and moved towards the weak presence I felt when I searched the vicinity..


    A surprised face were evident on the faces of the trio, as I walked away making excuses to myself..


    After a while, they started to follow my back, and I opened the door to the room..


    The room was dark..


    The atmosphere had a dreary feeling, a feeling I knew all too well, the presence of death..


    I had no time to lose..


    I moved slightly faster towards the child laying on the bed..


    What lay there was a petite girl with dark-brown hair, and light bangs, sickly pale skin, and weak, scrawny limbs..


    She was unconscious at the moment, and was breathing roughly..


    Her legs were almost swallowed up by the black and blue hue of the disease..


    "I was right.."


    In conclusion, this was, in fact, a sickness from my world, "Frostbite"


    The main cause of this, was the cold weather, adding to the fact that the people in this world have not learned how to make cold-resistant clothes. And even if they did, a village in the middle of nowhere like this, would not have any access to it anyway. Another factor was the houses..


    The houses here were built like huts, sure there was firewood to keep warm, but not insulating the house from the cold by building stone walls, and glass windows was a mistake in and of itself..


    Without proper protection against the cold, you are susceptible to various diseases that the immune system by itself could not fix. Frostbite caused the blood vessels to cramp up and stop the blood flow towards the affected area, thereby making the part feel numb due to the coldness of the missing blood..


    This gets worse over time, so the more it is left alone untreated, the higher chance there is for a need to amputate the affected body part..


    So, the first thing I had to do was to warm up her body temperature..


    After I explained all this to them, they were surprised..


    They were about to get some heating apparatus but I told them there was no need since I was going to use a different method to bring warmth..


    I invoked [Dragon King''s Aura] on my fingertips which made the others draw back slightly because of the sheer pressure it exuded, but it was only a fragment of its true power..


    Since my teacher''s sin was related to flame, this got me the idea to use it for warmth..


    I applied my massage on both feet while transferring the heat into them..


    After what seemed to be minutes, I finished, and I sensed that the inside was thawed out, but the blood vessels were still broken, so I had to regenerate them by force to completely heal her..


    About some time, I had finally finished treating her, and did some final checkups..


    After that, I told the chief that she would be better in the morning, and he suddenly teared up and dropped to my feet..


    Seeing his daughter''s pleasant sleep, and calm breathing filled him with emotions he thought he never had, and everlasting gratitude, towards yours truly..


    I didn''t like people groveling to me, I never did..


    So I commanded him in a slightly irritated tone to stop and that his thanks was enough..


    He didn''t believe me and told me that he would do anything to repay this kindness while still groveling..


    I hated this part, since it made me feel awkward..


    So, I told him that he would start to be my informant on whenever something strange happens in the village..


    In exchange, I would heal everyone in the village..


    He was overjoyed when he heard this, so to stop him from showing his gratitude again, I gave him a crystal..


    The small purple crystal with black edges displayed a twinkling shine, when put up towards a light source..


    But this wasn''t an ordinary crystal, it was the one that I made out of [Oricalchum Ore] copying the properties of the [Voice Crystal] Rose gave me..


    On my travels, I did more research than you might think, including studying the items in my possession..


    I analyzed the crystal and turned it into a base for transferring my aura between another crystal..


    After hours of experiments, I developed a new way of communicating..


    Using my [Aura Gift] skill, that allowed me to make many different skills related to aura, I named this item..


    [Aura Telepathy Crystal] or an [ATC] for short..


    This allowed me to talk to people''s minds no matter where I was in the world..


    The only drawback was the requirement that the crystal had to be connected to the main crystal in advance, and I was the only one who could use it instead of the other party..


    In other words, I could call him, but he couldn''t call me..


    I explained how the crystal works in slightly changed terms to Germundo, but I guess he wasn''t listening that intently since he was looking at the crystal with shining eyes, saying stupid things like.."Glimmer-sama.."


    I naturally got irritated at being treated as another person, so just as I was about to explain it one more time, I sensed a presence at the door in front of the house..


    Which wouldn''t be strange, since this was the chief''s house, except for the fact that this presence wasn''t human..


    I prepared myself for battle, while warning the others to back away, and to leave this to me..


    As I opened the door, I was greeted with a surprising sight..


    Instead of a gigantic demon beast, it was a little boy with sad, rounded, blue eyes, that looked like he had wolf ears on his head, and a drooping tail..


    I was going to ask who he was, but the boy suddenly opened his mouth when he spotted the chief behind me..


    "He-help..chief, mom is in danger...*Thud*"


    After those words, the boy collapsed on the cold ground while tears were flowing from his eyes..

 Chapter 33: Jin

    Hey guys SlashCrit here, I finally approved my donation button on royal road, so if you want to support the story, you can donate to me or become my patron with various rewards. Enjoy the chapter!


    --------


    "[Dragon King''s Aura]"


    "Guu..."


    "[Regenerative Aura]"


    "Gu-suuuuu......"


    "*Sigh* He''s all better now, Germundo.."


    "No matter how I see it, what you''re doing is extraordinary, Orion-dono.."


    "Just don''t mention it to others outside the village, alright?"


    I don''t want troublesome things like nobles coming after me because of my healing powers after all..


    Germundo told me that healers were scarce in this continent, even though various diseases run rampant..


    Apparently, it was due to the fact that long ago, we didn''t need healers considering the medicine from the "Elves Continent" were just that effective against any kind of disease that showed up..


    They grew carefree and conceited, that only the "Holy Church" of this continent, based in the city of "Virgo" were healers..


    But when the war started, they cut off all trade routes and all kinds of business that had to do with the humans..


    It was also rumored that the one who started the war were the human nobles, getting arrogant, and forcibly kidnapping elves to make medicine exclusively for them, totally opposite to the public information that the elves just started attacking to take over our land..


    I cannot say for sure, but I for one, am leaning towards the former, since I knew for a fact that it was human nature, and some, mostly give in to their greed, basing on my experiences in the past..


    But, this was all speculation until I find out the truth..


    For now, I had to wait for this child to wake up..


    I look away from Germundo, the village chief, thus ending the conversation, and moved towards the sleeping kid..


    Well, if you could call him, a kid..


    The reason why I''m saying that is because unlike the humans I''ve met, this one had two ears that sprouted from his long, brownish-black hair. They seemed to look like it was either wolf or cat ears..


    They would twitch from time to time, which was peculiar, leading me to believe they weren''t fake..


    I couldn''t even tell his gender, whether he was a boy or a girl, since it looked like it could be both..


    The child also had a tail, again I could not tell the difference between animals, since it looked so unnatural..


    So, I tried to access the recesses of my memory, in case my alter-ego had any information about this, but to my surprise, I was suddenly blocked from accessing my memories..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>[Aura Persona] has detected [Orion]


    Program is now booting up..


    Please wait...</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Ah, it seems he woke up..


    It will be some time before he gets his bearings in order, I suppose..


    I guess the [Aura Persona] skill activates by itself, when a new personality is detected..


    I have to study more about this in the future, but for now, let''s abandon finding out what this child is by myself..


    If I cannot do one thing alone, ask for help..


    This was one of Mizuki''s teachings to the precocious and arrogant me from childhood..


    So, I tried to ask the village chief as to what this child''s identity was..


    After hearing my troubles, he sat down, and told me his story..


    According to him, the child was a boy named Jin..


    He said that Jin came here with his mother..


    Apparently, their race was called [Beastman], and they were part of the [Wolf Tribe], a prestigious clan inside the capital city of "Elshion" located east, towards the "Beast Continent, Feriad"..


    But, when their family was visiting the "Human Continent" because his father was a merchant, and wanted to try his hand at trading with the humans, which was a big mistake..


    After settling down for a while inside "Libra City", a certain noble saw them, and the mother caught his fancy..


    The next day, their house was raided, and the father killed in front of the child''s mother..


    Fortunately, the child was asleep and couldn''t see the tragic sight of his father being murdered when he was just at the age where he learned how to toddle by himself..


    After that, they were captured, and taken as slaves for the noble''s sick deeds. He included the child, Jin, because he knew that he could find a buyer among his other like-minded noble acquaintances..


    But by some twist of fate, when they were travelling to the royal capital, a strange old man passed them by..


    From their story, the old man looked to have long hair, and a grey beard, but had eyes filled with intelligence..


    He displayed overwhelming strength when faced with the noble''s 30 guards using just a swing of his hand, to blow them all away. Because of this, the mother and child were saved, and they were given food, clothing, and a little money from the mysterious old man..


    When they turned around to thank him, he suddenly vanished..


    I was slightly intrigued by this part, since the mysterious entity may be someone I had to fight in the near future..


    I was hoping it wouldn''t have to come to beating down old men, but if it was necessary, I would not hesitate..


    I am merciless towards those who go against me, no matter who they are..


    A silent rage was burning in my chest, further resolving my own self while I listened to the continuation of the story..


    Apparently, after a few weeks of travel, they made it to this secluded village, far away from the cities, and met with Germundo by chance, begging him to let them stay here, but in confidence..


    The reason why they couldn''t cross the border to the east, was because they didn''t have any identification, since only Jin''s father was a member of the "Merchant Guild" and they would be treated as criminals without it..


    Germundo was surprised at two beastmen showing up on his doorstep, but since they looked to be in need of help, he naturally accepted. Since he was taught by the previous chief, his father, to not judge others based on appearance, was the reason he gave me, when I asked why he did what he did..


    This guy, is really big-hearted..


    I thought to myself, changing my impression of the gruff village chief..


    They were avoided at first, but with the chief''s help, and active cooperation, the villagers naturally got used to seeing the two, mother and child, and started treating them as if they were villagers themselves..


    I guess this village had little prejudice, considering the fact that it was saved by a member of the fairy race..


    A few years had passed, and Jin started to play with Sharon, the chief''s daughter, thus they became childhood friends that did almost everything together. They were enjoying their peaceful life here in the village..


    Well, until now, that is..


    That was the end of what Germundo knew, right up to the present..


    Right as we were done talking, I heard a groan..


    "Guu..huh? Where am I?"


    Okay, now that he''s awake, I can finally ask what he said that time, when he collapsed at the door..


    It was something about his mom being in danger, but I didn''t dare to jump into conclusions and rush in there like a reckless idiot, basing my assumptions on a vague cry for help..


    It just wouldn''t be wise, considering the climate outside..


    So, I walked up to where he was sleeping a while ago, and sat down in front of the small boy..


    "Hello there, my name is Orion, what''s yours?"


    Of course, I already knew, but I had to ask him out loud, otherwise it would look suspicious..


    So I put on the best gentle smile I could while talking to him, to make him feel at ease..


    When he saw my face, I don''t think he noticed it, but his tail unconsciously swayed from left to right..


    I guess I have that effect when I grin, huh..


    Well, I was of course, an expert at faking my emotions to please other people..


    Emotions are just a tool to get what you want, was what I thought before I met Mizuki, and the elf children..


    I gradually got to know that emotions had a use other than that, but my old habit still dwells withing me..


    It''s hard to break something you''re already used to doing..


    Well, no matter. Let''s hear his reply..


    "U-um, I''m Jin. I am a wolf type beast man.."


    His sleepy blue eyes, as blue as the ocean, were darting around the room, seemingly trying to remember something..


    It was evident in his anxious expression, but I guess this happens when you''re normally in a strange place..


    "Okay, Jin, do you know where you are right now?"


    I ask, trying to probe his memory to resurface..


    "Ah, this is the village chief''s house. I used to play here a lot with Sharon, well before we both got sick.. Huh?"


    This kid already had the intelligence to observe the situation and surroundings calmly, and analyze it in a short amount of time. How impressive..


    He started to touch his body in all different kinds of places, and then stopped at his feet, feeling the warmth..


    "Strange, it''s gone. I don''t feel weak anymore? I can walk, and move fast no-Uwaaaa!"


    *Crash*


    After abruptly standing up, he was trying out his legs, by slowly wobbling in place, walking, and then sprinting..


    Which eventually made his legs give out from the sudden movement, and made him crash into a flower vase placed at a small table in the corner of the room..


    "*Chuckle* Now, now.."


    I found myself chuckling at the antics of the small wolf-child..


    So, I stood up and helped him back to his feet..


    "Ah, thanks onii-san.."


    "........................................................"


    That got me..


    When Jin looked up at me with upturned eyes, my facade mask was broken in an instant, and I suddenly found my cheeks loosening when I stared back into those deep, big blue eyes..


    Coupled with the words, "onii-san" which no one has ever called me that before..


    I couldn''t speak for my alter-ego though..


    Just like Mizuki said, I was weak to kindness being shown straightforwardly...


    Or was it kids younger than me..


    I can''t remember, anyway..


    This is bad..


    Why is my heart beating this fast..


    "Hmm? *Sniff*"


    Am I weak to this kind of thing? No, I must not let myself get swayed, I am a calm, collected, and most of all, intelligent, wise being atop all others, meant to rule over-guh....


    "*Glomp*"


    Ah, it''s over...


    I was currently being hugged at the waist by Jin, the small wolf child..


    "You smell nice, onii-san. Why is that?"


    No, no, no..


    Why would you suddenly hug someone because of their smell? Isn''t that weird?


    Not good..


    I found both of my arms shaking, and were trying to attempt hugging Jin back..


    "*Dry laughter*, wha-what do you mean Jin? What about my smell?"


    I ask in desperation before my instincts took over..


    My arms were currently in midair, with my fingers moving at strange directions, only being held back by my sheer willpower which might not last long in this case..


    But just when all hope was lost, a miracle happened..


    "Yes, you smell just like, mom.... Eh? Mom...."


    Well, it wasn''t a good miracle for Jin, but for me, it was slightly better than giving up my dignity..


    Which I place in high regard to be concise..


    "Where''s mom? Oji-san, where''s mom?!?"


    I got suddenly shocked at being called "Oji-san" but I was relieved that he was looking towards Germundo instead..


    Eh, why was I relieved just now?


    Anyway, to that question, Germundo suddenly started sweating and began acting like a scared old man..


    Was Jin stronger than him, were the idle thoughts I had, observing the situation..


    "Ah, that''s what were about to ask you. What happened exactly?"


    I said to Jin, attempting to calm down both myself, and the situation..


    And maybe save the chief from a dark fate, which he was now, exhaling in relief..


    You owe me for this, I signaled towards him with my eyes, and turned back to Jin..


    After I looked at him, coercing him to speak, he told me his story..


    "Uh, yes, mother was sick, so I went to the forest to gather some herbs to heal her. There was no problem there, since I brought my dad''s sword with me. But when I got home. some men were destroying the house, and putting mom in a cage, soon after burning our house.."


    It was a sad tale, but I still had to continue listening..


    "I was very, very angry at the large men who took mom and destroyed the house, but I thought that it was not possible to save mom by myself because there were lots of them, and only one of me. So I opted to ask for help from the village chief, but since I was noisy, I was found by them. I quickly ran, but they shot an arrow at me, making me sleepy.."


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Yes, that arrow could have been a tranquilizer, to put him to sleep. Combined with the fact that he was sick with ''frostbite", I''m surprised he even made it this far. Since according to him, his house was at the far end of the village..


    Also, I never noticed it before, but was this kid speaking human language or beast man language?


    Either was fine for me, since I had the [Continental Language Comprehension] skill..


    But if it was the latter, it leads me to question how the humans in this village understood him..


    This may need further investigation later, but for now, let''s keep quiet..


    "And that''s when I made it here. Do you know where mom is onii-san?"


    Ack, I can''t resist those teary, pleading eyes staring at me..


    Why is this, of all people, happening to me?


    "Yeah, I''ll do what I can, Jin.."


    I have grown weak..


    Not in a physical sense, but you know what I mean..


    While wallowing in regret acted towards myself, I searched the area with my new skill, [Aura Map]..


    The map size was currently at a 5 kilometer radius around my position, showing all kinds of different colored dots..


    These dots represented if someone or something was friendly, neutral, or hostile..


    It showed a blue dot if they were friendly, green if neutral, and red if hostile..


    If they were dead, or an item, it would appear grey for some time, then disappear, since it only detects magic..


    Exactly like a game that my alter-ego used to play before..


    The trick was, to use [Aura Perception] and convert it into a 3-dimensional map inside my head..


    Spreading my aura into the atmosphere whilst using [Aura Trace] since I have concluded that every living being in the other world, had magic. This was yet to be disproved, since everything sentient that I have encountered so far, had something like a [Mana Core] in their bodies, located at the center..


    Humans differed from other races though, as do demonic beasts, so I can easily differentiate between them..


    I would explain more about those cores, but since we don''t have time. I can only say this..


    I was an exception to this rule. Apparently I had something like an [Aura Core] instead..


    This led me to believe that it could somehow be used when detecting the other heroes, but that was all a theory for now.


    Added with the [Aura Archive] which can hold almost infinite information and processing, it was made easier..


    Because of that, the skill was made, but it was not yet in a complete state. But for now, I had to make use of it..


    I scanned the map one area after another, until I found a large amount of red dots currently moving in the center of the village, whilst green dots were running away from them..


    While 5 green dots were at the center of the enclosure..


    I guessed one of them was Jin''s mom..


    It was a high chance, that they were those people Jin was looking for, wreaking havoc in the village to smoke Jin out, or convincing the village chief to willingly hand him over..


    That was one of my speculations observing the situation..


    After I confirmed the direction, I cancelled the skill since it takes a large amount of mana whilst activated..


    "Your mom is safe, for now. I know where they are. I''ll be back soon, wait here.."


    I said to Jin while moving to the direction of the door..


    *Tug*


    But I was suddenly stopped from a pull on my sleeve..


    When I turned around, I found Jin looking up at me, with resolute eyes..


    Naturally, I predicted what those eyes implied..


    As I was about to open my mouth, he stopped me with his words..


    "I know that I might be a nuisance to you, onii-san. But that is my mother, and I want to help save her.."


    Such determination inside a little body..


    "Why, you could stay here and I will bring her back, all the same.."


    I ask, slightly curious..


    But then he suddenly made a face that didn''t understand what I was saying..


    "Isn''t that natural? She''s my family."


    Those words struck a chord within me..


    I could say nothing back..


    I wonder why I never felt like this towards my real parents..


    I slightly regretted the fact that I took them for granted, and just made the excuse that they were busy..


    But this kid, Jin, made me realize something..


    That sometimes, you had to do something stupid, if it''s for a loved one..


    This went against all my policies in logical thinking, since a little kid was going into the fray of battle with rough adults..


    But somehow, his words swayed me, and I found myself ruffling his scruffy black hair before I noticed it..


    "Such a stubborn kid, alright, but stay behind me and don''t rush in okay?"


    With my words as the trigger, Jin suddenly beamed into a smile..


    "Un, I will. But don''t underestimate me onii-san, I know how to use the sword you know?"


    He said that with a slightly arrogant tone, and puffed out his chest in false pride..


    I wanted to comment on it, but I just blew air out of my nostrils in reply..


    When he saw this, he pouted with his cheeks puffed up. Hard to believe this was a kid at death''s door a few hours ago..


    "Alright, alright, now, let''s move, we don''t have any time to lose.."


    "Un!"


    I said as we went out the front door, into the cold, winter night..


    "We''ll be going now, Germundo! Evacuate the villagers into a safe place, because this might get rough.."


    "Ah, *Dry laughter* Sure, just please don''t destroy the village in the process. I beg of you.."


    "Well, I''ll do my best.."


    "See you later, oji-san!"


    With our goodbyes, and the chief''s pale face as he waved to us, wishing us luck, we started running..


    The scenery around me changed more and more as I started moving..


    Then, I noticed it..


    I was so used to moving fast that I forgot that Jin was coming with me..


    I got mad at myself for forgetting that simple fact, and stopped for a second because I thought I had to come get him again and slow down my speed in the process..


    But suddenly, a few moments after I stopped, a gust of wind flew past me, making my hair flow in the breeze for a few seconds. Then, the moving object suddenly stopped too, and went back to me..


    To my surprise, it was Jin..


    "What''s wrong, onii-san? Tired already?"


    This kid..


    Even though I was only using 10% of my maximum speed, he still managed to keep up with me..


    "Amazing.."


    "Right? Right? I''m confident in my legs too, but I never knew you were fast too onii-san. It really surprised me.."


    I suddenly went back to reality from my inner thoughts..


    It seems I was dazed, being impressed by this mysterious wolf child..


    "Ah, what are you talking about? Let''s get a move on!"


    I said, while flustered, trying to take back what I said out loud..


    "Alright, let''s go!"


    But Jin seemed to not notice my inner turmoil..


    I was relieved at that but at the same time, mortified..


    I could never predict what this kid would do next, and that was saying something..


    It''s like he reminded me of someone..


    Still, I had no time for these reminisces, and started moving faster, at the same time, testing Jin''s speed..


    After a few minutes, we made it to the center of the village..


    Apparently Jin at his best, could keep up with 14% of my maximum speed, it was an impressive feat that shows how much work he puts in, training by himself..


    It could be further improved with someone teaching him though..


    I want to teach him the martial arts from my world, but I wasn''t someone who could teach others despite being smarter than most people. I didn''t want to think about it, but I might have to concede to my alternate personality, just this once..


    But this was not the time to think about the future..


    It was eerie inside the village square..


    There were the men who were breaking into houses, and taking valuables, but that was it..


    At the center of this was a carriage..


    A luxury carriage with four horses pulling it..


    It seemed to have belonged to a noble. Behind the carriage were armed men, stationed to guard a cage filled with women. Some were unconscious, but one was obviously different than the rest..


    For this one woman had long wolf ears that were twitching from time to time..


    "Is that your mother?"


    I pointed towards the cage, and it took a while for Jin to see her since we were far away, and he didn''t have enhanced eyesight like me. But then he said..


    "Ah, yes, that''s her. I hope she''s okay.."


    It looked to me like she was beaten up quite a bit, and was coughing erratically..


    But I couldn''t tell the truth to the innocent Jin..


    "I''m sure she''s alright.."


    I said, to make him feel better...


    Now, let''s do this quick, and finish this fast...


    I walk up to the cage nonchalantly, when I heard the carriage door creak open..


    What came out was a person dressed gaudily, with puffy sleeves, various jewelry, and an arrogant air around him..


    He was also followed by a blonde-haired swordsman?


    It was strange, since I couldn''t read the swordsman''s expression, much less his strength..


    I took slight caution at this..


    "Finally, the brat came out of hiding. Come to rescue your mother, child? *Snicker*"


    I felt like he was mocking Jin, so I released some blood lust unconsciously and withdrew it the next instant..


    After that, I saw him and the knight? had beads of sweat on their foreheads..


    "Sir, this man is dangerous.."


    The knight whispered to the gaudy man..


    "Fumu, well then, where are my manners. I am the one known as Tyler Nova, of the proud Nova family, retainers of the king himself! Speak commoner, I allow you to address the one known as I!"


    Ah, this is going to be troublesome..


    "My name is not cheap enough to be known by the likes of you.."


    I said in a calm manner..


    But to this, his face boiled up beet red, like an octopus..


    "Su-such insolence! Well, I shall let that comment go if you hand over the wolf-kin brat to me. Do it.."


    He blathers incessant words towards me, and demanded that I give him Jin right off the bat..


    Honestly, were most nobles like this guy, and my foster parents from when I was reincarnated in this world?


    Judging a person by their status, their wealth, and appearance..


    It makes me sick..


    He signaled to the knight to take Jin, but right as he was about to touch his shoulder..


    *Grip*


    I grabbed his outstretched wrist, and held it in place..


    "Take your hand off, or I will rip it right out of your arm.."


    I activated a little bit of [Fear Aura] into my voice using my new skill, [Aura Voice]..


    It allowed me to mix any aura that''s applicable into my own manner of speaking, given the situation..


    I thought that the knight would faint after hearing my blatant threat, but it seemed he was stronger than I first thought..


    Not because he was only shaking a little bit after he heard me, but..


    It was because a gleaming silver long sword was suddenly swung at my hand, after I grabbed his..


    Such fine-tuned reflexes, that could only be gained by intense training, and multiple experiences in battle..


    I thought, as I dodged the sword swing, along with Jin, taking distance from the unperturbed warrior..


    When I looked towards the gaudy man who called himself Tyler, he was quaking in his boots..


    Eventually, his legs gave out, and sweat was evident on his face, flowing like a river..


    When he finally opened his mouth..


    "W-what a-ar-are you-u doing sta-standing around? Kill that man!"


    He was having trouble forming words due to his chattering teeth, but he made sure to scream the order to kill loud and clear towards the knight who had good reflexes..


    With those words as the trigger, the fight started..


    The knight moved faster than before, striking me with the sword, which I had to evade since I wasn''t well-versed in swordplay. I tried creating two pistols with [Aura Weapon Creation] which made the knight surprised..


    When I looked towards Jin, he was fighting off the guards by himself, which was impressive for a kid..


    I knew, judging from his movements, compared to his opponents, that he would handle it by himself easily..


    I was too naive..


    The fight lasted a few minutes, with the knight dodging my bullets which he adapted to after some time, and Jin supposedly defeated all the guards..


    He was currently breaking the lock to the cage while talking with his mother in between..


    Just when I was thinking about a strategy to finish this fight quick, a voice resounded..


    "I-I have no other choice, but to flee. Do it! Shoot the kid instead!"


    At that moment, time slowed down..


    While I was preoccupied with the knight, an arrow suddenly shot out towards Jin''s direction..


    I tried to move, but the knight wouldn''t let me..


    I was angry at how this knight could even begin to hold me back..


    But suddenly, the cage broke open, revealing a giant beast with large fangs and golden eyes..


    It looked like one of those fictitious creatures from those stories I used to read..


    Werewolves..


    The beast suddenly leaped in front of Jin, and..


    "MOM!!!"


    It filled me with rage..


    Seeing the spectacle..


    "[Aura of Wrath]"


    The next moment, a body hit the floor..


    Time started moving again..

 Chapter 34: Goodbyes

    Hey guys SlashCrit here, just want to announce my schedule for now. So I will release at least 2 regular chapters per week and/or every time the donation bar is filled, I can do a sponsored chapter. The limit for a sponsored chapter is 2 chapters per week, totaling 4 chapters each week. A big shout out to Gerard donating again. You''re awesome bro! Anyway, enjoy the chapter!


    <hr />


    -???''s POV-


    Somewhere on the snow-covered lands inside the Human Continent, Myriad, a certain landscape was changed..


    Some distance away from the village known as "Glimmer Village", a deep, round, scorched crater was evident..


    It contrasted the sight of the never-ending fall of snowflakes touching the ground, creating pure white fluff..


    The dark, barren wasteland stretched until about 500 meters outward in the shape of a circular hole..


    Some might think that a meteor must have collided with the ground, as it was the only plausible and logical reason given the monstrous destruction at the center of the calm snowfields..


    Of course, the people of this world had no knowledge of meteors, but still, it looked as if it was an aftermath of a horrible disaster. One would wonder how the crater came to be, and how to prevent this from happening to them in the future if they saw the spectacle..


    The once moist, soft, and pure white snow was no more. In it''s place was black, dry earth, akin to desert sand dunes and its ground scorched with the highest temperature..


    There was no trace of anything living within the wide area..


    Well, of course, not considering the one who caused it..


    In the very center of the circle was an entity covered in a black veil of magic with purple flames being released from time to time. This entity was an embodiment of rage, deeply breathing in and out the cold air of the atmosphere..


    With two different colored eyes, blazing two clashing flames, the purple-haired youth wearing clothes that were as black as the night itself. Standing alone with an angry look on his face..


    His very visage was likened to a demon, no, a horrifying disaster that destroys with reckless abandon..


    There was no other word to describe him except, monster..


    After a few minutes, the youth realized that the deed was done, and there was no danger around him. So, he calmed down soon after, retracting the veil of darkness and reverting to his normal, strange appearance..


    "Tch.."


    He clicked his tongue and looked around once more before departing..


    With his hands balled up into fists, and his eyebrows scrunched up in irritation, he turned around and flickered away..


    Like he was an ethereal existence, he disappeared from the place as fast as when he arrived..


    ....


    When the silence of night covered the disaster zone, and no presences could be felt, a voice resounded..


    "How long are you going to play dead, Xander?" - ???


    As clear as crystal, the voice of a woman was heard, and a young woman with voluptuous features covered with a revealing toga, flesh-colored hair, and bright golden eyes appeared from the darkness..


    "Honestly, I was disappointed in that fight, I should have fought that kid, Alex, grrr.." - ???


    While spitting out condescending words in a spiteful manner, a man with bulging muscles, all covered with dark-grey fur, had long wolf ears on the top his head, golden eyes, and a long swaying tail..


    A short silence was heard for a few seconds..


    But then..


    "Shut up, he was surprisingly too strong, is all." - ???


    A gathering of light particles formed the shape of a man, and a magic circle appeared out of thin air on the ground where the light particles were converging. There stood a tall man with blonde hair and golden eyes, who wore a confident smile on his face, showing a dignified appearance filled with pride..


    "Honestly, you always show that irritating expression even when you had your most humiliating loss yet. Well, I guess it''s to be expected from the one known as "Alexander the Great"and the "Conqueror", still how could you lose even with my help?" -  ???


    "Easy for you to say, Cassandra, you haven''t been fighting him face to face. Even with your future sight, I could barely keep up with that monster. Heck, I had to go a little serious. But that backfired, since the sword broke.." - Alexander


    "So that''s why you lost. I guess [Hephaestus'' Clear Sword] wasn''t enough to hold your immense strength.." - Cassandra


    "That''s why I said to not rely on petty tricks, just show your raw strength and it will be fine. But you can''t even do that, can you? grrr..." - ???


    "Yeah yeah, I don''t want to hear your yammering, you muscle-brained mutt.." - Alexander


    "What. did. you. just. call. me? grrr.." - ???


    A large power suddenly erupted from the growling man..


    "Hou, you want to go at it right now? I''m fine with it.." - Alexander


    I release my innate energy, and it was just as big as his, if not bigger..


    But suddenly, our powers retracted into our bodies in an instant..


    With a hand in both of our faces, Cassandra boldly stated..


    "Now, now, don''t be stupid, Xander, Fenrir, what if "he" senses your presence and comes back?" - Cassandra


    Ah, that''s right, I had no intention to fight that kid again, at least, not yet..


    But it seemed the mutt had a different idea in mind..


    "Hmph, so what if he comes, I''ll make sure to drive it into him my overwhelming strength! grrr..." - Fenrir


    Ah, he''s done it now..


    "Hmm? Did I hear right? Do you want to anger Master? Do you have a death wish? Tell me, Fenrir..." - Cassandra


    With an upturned smile, but a dark demeanor to go with it, she threatens*cough* I mean, asks Fenrir..


    The mutt was sweating now, when being glared at by the frightening woman, serves you right..


    "Ah, you know, I mean, if you say it like that, I don''t want to trouble master after all, yes, I''m sorry, I was wrong, I will not be stupid anymore, Cassandra. Please let me go...guu" - Fenrir


    The mutt was instantly turned into a meek puppy in front of Cassandra gripping his shoulder, almost breaking it..


    His shoulder was then released from her iron grip, tch..


    "Oh, that''s great then. Now, let''s talk about why the sword didn''t work on the boy, shall we?"


    She instantly changed into her bright, inquisitive attitude in a heartbeat. What a frightening woman..


    This woman had the power to see the future, and change most of it. A very useful ability when she was supporting you. On the other hand, it makes her unbeatable as an enemy when she has allies..


    Ah, yes, I have to answer. I forgot myself due to being disgusted and frightened at the same time..


    "No, the sword Hephaestus gave me was fine. I could tell that it worked, judging from the time I attacked the youth. But who would have thought that that wasn''t his real strength.." - Alexander


    I was sure I felt my strength rising from the sword''s power when I first tried to strike at that monster..


    [Hephaestus'' Clear Sword] was a weapon forged by our blacksmith, who made various divine weapons since he was, of course, considered a god of the forge...


    It had the ability to adapt to the opponent''s strength and strengthen the user to match it. Sometimes even surpass it..


    A frightful ability that copies the enemy''s strength and transfers it into mine..


    I was surprised at how much power was added at first, but I felt like it didn''t matter at the time..


    Also, he brought out strange weapons that shot endless volleys of condensed magic power that I was barely able to dodge in point blank range, this was true even if I was slightly further away..


    All I knew is, that when that human noble ordered the archer to shoot the kid, the youth suddenly gotten stronger..


    At an immeasurable level at that. I couldn''t help shivering in the face of overwhelming power..


    But, I was no coward. I was shivering in delight, to the fact that I was facing an opponent who might be stronger than master or myself. I was trembling in excitement..


    It was a fierce battle, mostly him overpowering me, every step of the way. I could slightly predict his movements due to Cassandra''s help, but alas, that was almost nothing in the face of that pure, indomitable strength of his..


    When seen from another perspective, it looked like a one-sided massacre..


    He brought out strange weapons one after another relentlessly, shooting projectile bombs time after time..


    Some were large, some were small, other times they would be as fast as the wind, sometimes even faster..


    Sadly, when I was back into a corner, I tried to bring out my power and covered my sword with it, only to have it break when faced with his barrage of fists and swipe kicks..


    Honestly, there was no technique evident in his movements when he changed, just pure rage and raw strength..


    Well, I can''t make excuses, since I was pummeled into oblivion, whilst being drilled with countless holes..


    "*Sigh* Just be glad Master gave us the power to revive using his magic power, or you''d be left without even so much as ash as your mark on this world.." - Cassandra


    "Of course, I serve master with all my life, I would always be forever grateful.." - Alexander


    I declare in a confident voice, talking about my one and only master, Kaito. The one who summoned us all here..


    "Ha, when we report to master later, you are so gonna be hated for losing. grrr.." - Fenrir


    I hate to admit it, but he''s right. Master can get quite angry sometimes. I swallow my saliva in response to the provocation of the muscle-brain. Just thinking about what my punishment will be, fills me with dread..


    "Well, now that we''ve established your failure, let''s find Master and report about the boy, and Xander, you go back to the royal capital and continue your mission. It is imperative that the plan goes smoothly.." - Cassandra


    "I still get to remain here? Why don''t I go with you guys?" - Alexander


    I was reluctant on keeping up this act of obeying the weaklings here..


    "Are you defying orders? Do you want to experience agony?" - Cassandra


    "Ah, no, no, understood. I will remain here, and report to the capital about this incident.." - Alexander


    "Good, now let us be off, Fenrir.." - Cassandra


    That was a close call, I almost got killed twice in one day..


    With those words, the two disappeared using [God Speed]..


    I really don''t want to do this mission any more than I have to, but it''s much better here than facing her wrath..


    Thinking idly, I look back into the direction of the village..


    "They''re probably all dead, huh. I wish I could fight with that guy again in the future.." - Alexander


    To be frank, I could never imagine winning against that monster, but I was always looking for a challenge...


    It''s in my blood, the only reason to live is fighting people stronger than yourself..


    While looking at the destroyed surroundings with a mischievous grin, I invoke [Legend Movement] and ran towards the capital due eastward..


    <hr />


    -Orion''s POV-


    I opened my eyes, only to see a bright, blinding light..


    When my perception got better, I could see that I was in a large white room..


    Where am I?


    Lets see, the last thing I remember was..


    "Lute, Anna, everyone..."


    They were all destroyed by Gaziel-san, no, Mastema, and Mephisto disguising himself as Raizel-san..


    What happened to them?


    Are they safe somehow?


    I cling to that hopeful idea..


    After that, I was talking with someone..


    He looked exactly like the me from Earth..


    In fact, he said he was me, no, he was the original Suzuya Junichiro..


    It''s hard to accept it, but some part of me is thinking that he didn''t lie about that part..


    Then, who am I, exactly?


    Am I a fake existence created just to fill in for the original''s life?


    Does that mean my entire life, up until now, was a lie?


    I have so many questions and no one to answer them..


    Well, first, since there was no one here except me, let''s get out..


    I move towards the door that was located at the center of the right wall. When I held the knob, it felt strange..


    "Locked, huh.."


    But this was the only door in the room no matter how you looked at it. Plus, there was no key to be found anywhere I looked, there was only pure white walls, that looked like it was trying to suffocate me..


    Wait a minute, this reminded me of something..


    Doors?


    This was just like that time with the many doors..


    Could I still use aura magic like that time? Only one way to find out..


    I moved my aura to my hand, and held the door knob..


    *Click*


    After I twisted it, the door flew open and let me out..


    What greeted me was a nostalgic but complex labyrinth of doors..


    I finally remembered where I was..


    I''m in my subconscious aren''t I?


    I think to myself looking around, reminiscing the time when I was trapped here before I met Master..


    If I remember correctly, one of these doors lead to the outside but..


    I had to use my [Aura Eyes] to tell which is which out of these array of doorways..


    "Ah, this is going to take a while..(sigh)"


    I mutter to myself in the dark labyrinth..


    ...


    ......


    Hey, no matter how you look at it, wasn''t this taking too long?


    It''s been hours since I started finding the exit with my skill but there was no door that glowed like the last time I was here, while at the same time, all the doors I found were locked..


    Even if I unlocked them, when I went through every one, I just ended up at the entrance..


    What the heck is going on?


    As I was going to give up without even a day passing, like the easily discouraged guy that I am, I noticed something..


    How strange, was this always here?


    I was looking at a strange entrance that somehow looked like an elevator..


    Normally, I would question my sanity when an elevator suddenly appears in front of you but..


    I was currently inside the elevator..


    Don''t look at me with those eyes, I was curious!


    Valid excuse? Ha, who do you think you''re talking to?


    Alright, that''s enough of that..


    Instead, let''s find out why the door already closed but there were no buttons to press...


    Ah, is this a premise to a horror movie? Is that it?


    Oh, there was something else on the wall instead..


    It looked like one of those scanners you see in movies where secret agents were the only ones who could use it..


    How cool..


    No, this wasn''t the time to be admiring spy movies..


    I unreservedly placed my hand on the scanner..


    I wait..


    I wait......


    I wait..............


    Hey, is this broken? It''s been a few minutes you know?


    Wasn''t this the inside of my head? Does that mean that my head was broken?


    No, I''m jumping to conclusions again, remember that this was another world, different from mine..


    Even so, what should I do..


    Am I stuck here now? Do I have to live out my days inside an elevator alone?


    Hey, can someone tell me? I beg of you..


    Oh, it seemed I activated a skill by mistake and the scanner glowed..


    It was [Depressing Aura] but if I retort I will lose..


    So, let''s move on..


    After the scanner glowed in an ominous light, the elevator suddenly started moving down..


    I was just hoping there wasn''t a mad serial killer wearing a hockey mask waiting for me when I stop..


    While I was wishing for stupid things like that, the elevator suddenly stopped with a "ding", and I walked out..


    After I entered a dark hallway illuminated with modern fluorescent lamps, the elevator closed behind me..


    When I turned around to check, it was gone. I was scared..


    This was bad, wasn''t this exactly like that hospital movie with the killer underground I used to watch?


    Yes, I watched movies alone too, so no need to comment on that..


    Well, there wasn''t any point to keep standing around, so I reluctantly walked through the corridor..


    After what seemed to be long hours of nerve-wracking suspense watching out for voices and unknown assailants coming after my life or the lingering spirits of the dead with regrets, I reached an entrance..


    By the way, I got scared for nothing, since it was all quiet even until I reached here..


    But I will never admint that I was scared, no. I was just being cautious..


    Yes, let''s go with that..


    While reaffirming my pride, I applied aura to the large door handle, and went inside easily..


    I wasn''t that stupid. Of course I would have noticed that most things here were unlocked with aura..


    When I entered the dark room, the lights suddenly flickered, and shone brightly soon after..


    Illuminating the room and at the same time, blinding my eyes for a good few seconds, was the large lamp like it was from one of those Japanese inns, fully equipped with a night light..


    What greeted my eyes was a sight for sore eyes..


    A television, a real honest-to-goodness television..


    The last time I saw one of these, was when I was still watching every anime show I could think of..


    Good times, good times..


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Ah, now that I noticed it, there was also a long, sleek couch opposite of the television, separated by a stylish coffee table in the middle with a strange object on it..


    No, it wasn''t strange..


    Could it be?


    It was!


    One of the objects that I guaranteed that I held in my hand most of the time when I was back on earth..


    No, it wasn''t a phone. I wasn''t popular, remember?


    It was a mouse I used when browsing the internet..


    But why was it on the table when there wasn''t a monitor? Heck there wasn''t even a keyboard..


    Still, there wasn''t anything else in this room, so I naturally sat down on the couch and looked for the remote..


    Alas, this was a cruel joke. The remote was nowhere to be found, and I found a slight sting in my right eye..


    No, I wasn''t crying..


    This was just sweat coming from my eyes. Yes, that''s it..


    I don''t know why I was making excuses to myself, but I know it would only bring me down more..


    So, I picked up the mouse to hold it one more time because there was nothing else here except for this..


    But the mouse didn''t do anything either..


    Ah, that''s it! Let''s try using aura again..


    Let''s see...


    When I was releasing aura from my hand that was holding the mouse, the television suddenly turned on by itself..


    The screeching sound of static and the grey squiggles were showing on the screen..


    "Please no little man wearing a creepy mask"


    "Please no little man wearing a creepy mask"


    "Please no little man wearing a creepy mask"


    "Please no little man wearing a creepy mask"


    I chanted this like I was praying to someone like a cultist..


    But when the static settled, I was surprised to see a blue window instead..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Detected: Identifying..


    Identify Complete: Confirmed Identity..


    User: Orion (2nd Persona)


    [API] is beginning to boot up..


    Please wait a moment..</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Eh?


    What is this? Am I in the future?


    While being dumbfounded after reading the words written in Japanese, I wait for the television to change..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Welcome to Aura Persona Interactive [ API ]</td></tr><tr><td>User: Orion ( 2nd )</td></tr><tr><td>:Interactive Options:</td></tr><tr><td>- Browse Memories -</td></tr><tr><td>- Spectator Mode -</td></tr><tr><td>- Transmit Thoughts -</td></tr><tr><td>- Request Interchanging Of Persona -</td></tr><tr><td>:Other Options Are Currently Locked:</td></tr></tbody></table>


    What? Options?


    I didn''t understand fully what happened, but this suddenly turned game-like..


    For now, let''s try an option that is less likely to be dangerous..


    Okay, I have decided!


    I move the mouse over to the option, - Transmit Thoughts - , and clicked it..


    The next moment, a pair of headphones suddenly appeared out of thin air..


    As I was an avid gamer, I placed the headphones on my head without a hint of hesitation..


    Don''t underestimate those who have delved into the world of gaming because real life can be cruel..


    I judged that the microphone attached to the headphones would be used to transmit my thoughts..


    It was just like those chat calls I used to do with my team mates back on Earth..


    People online were somewhat easier to interact with than real people back then, so I naturally grew accustomed to setting up my microphone and placed it near my mouth..


    I wondered who I was transmitting to, but let''s try it out for now. Nothing could go wrong right?


    As I reassure myself that I was not raising a flag, I watched the television screen change into the words..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>[ API ] Connection Established</td></tr><tr><td>Speak Now</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Alright..


    After clearing my throat once, I begin to part my lips..


    "H-hello?"


    <hr />


    -Lucifer''s POV-


    "Damn.."


    This was terrible..


    I just felt two of my [Archdevils] were killed..


    The proof of that, was the large surge of power that returned to me..


    I concluded the ones who have fallen were Mastema, and Mephisto..


    Which meant that the mission I gave them in "Myriad" failed..


    Judging on how my wisdom and strength returned, they must have been truly vanquished..


    Well, if their souls were still lingering, Polaris-sama could revive them, but the problem was the person in question..


    I could not very well ask the busy "Demon Goddess" to revive failed minions since she had better things to do anyway..


    But even so, they were minions, but they were certainly not weak..


    In fact, they ranked top when compared to the rest of the demon race, special existences, who were given life by Polaris-sama using my genes and enormous magic power..


    Even if I was the "Demon Lord", the four of them together could give me a decent fight..


    Which begs the question, who was the one who killed them?


    They could never have a human that strong that could match them except the hero..


    But even the hero couldn''t have took them both on, and I had information that the hero was preparing for war..


    Naturally, I was sure that they were defeated separately, and with cunning tricks..


    They must have been sealed, or couldn''t use their power for some reason..


    Yes, humans were tricky creatures, using their gathered wisdom and numbers to fight..


    But there was rarely a time when they would separate from each other..


    No, no, this must have all been taken into account, this was just bad luck and timing. A fluke if you wish..


    Naturally, I was mad but I had to keep up my composure as a ruler..


    It was regrettable that the plans were hindered, but I had to move on..


    The others were still alive and carrying out the plans in both the east and west continents..


    It was only a matter of time..


    So, since I wanted to investigate what exactly happened, I sent spies to move to "Myriad" and find out..


    While looking over my territory, I couldn''t relax because I had a murky feeling within me..


    <hr />


    -Jun''s POV-


    The soft morning breeze blew through my hair..


    Sunlight was seeping through the cracks of daybreak..


    Illuminating the village houses and the trees, reflecting different colors of the prism..


    Signifying the start of a brand new day..


    But, the bitterness of yesterday cannot be glossed over that easily..


    I was currently standing with Germundo at my side, watching a little boy in front of a large white stone..


    While clenching my fist till I was nearly bleeding, I was mocking my own hubris in silent rage..


    At the back of the village chief''s house, I was staring at the shaking back of a little boy with wolf ears and a drooping tail, trying his best not to show tears in our presence while he was twitching from time to time..


    It seemed he was saying something to the grave, his mom''s grave while not realizing he had tears flowing down his cheeks like a waterfall, which I did not say out loud..


    I was still regretting the fact that I wasn''t cautious that time, and trusted that Jin wouldn''t be in any danger..


    What strength? Wasn''t I just an arrogant bastard that thought that I could do anything?


    All that talk, and for what? When the time came, I couldn''t shake that guy off..


    I had to watch a mother sacrifice her own life to protect her son who was just trying to save her...


    I couldn''t forgive myself..


    Did I realize my own strength was my own unbecoming?


    Don''t mess around with me..


    I was regretting my own incompetence and going back on last night, finding what I could have done instead of that stupid plan of splitting up and attacking blindly. If I took a different route back then, this wouldn''t have happened..


    What happened after I invoked my skill, [Aura of Wrath] was..


    I materialized a minigun with my creation skill, and shot every single enemy on sight..


    Starting from the archer that shot the arrow, all the way to the arrogant noble..


    The knight was still dodging but he moved slower than before, so I grazed him most of the time..


    It ended in a few seconds, I drilled them with holes that made their bodies unrecognizable..


    The only one who was left standing was the strange knight with broken armor, wielding a sword that had no trace of being chipped or rusted, reflecting the moonlight with its gleam..


    So, I kicked it up a notch and used [Aura Flash] to drag the knight to the outskirts of the village..


    This was to avoid casualties and unneeded destruction..


    Not that I cared that much, but I still retained a little of my reason in this state, albeit hard to do..


    When I was outside, I released my skills and fought using my instincts with my body moving by itself..


    The [Aura of Wrath] skill was dangerous since it moves the body automatically in order to completely annihilate the target regardless of the means. So I decided to study more on this in the future..


    It was taking a bit more time than expected since he could still dodge and adapt for a while but when his sword suddenly broke, the victor was decided..


    There was no trace of his corpse left after I regained my calm..


    When I confirmed that there was no enemies left, I hurriedly went back to the village..


    I cleaned up the remaining lackeys who were secretly retreating using the map and made it back to the square..


    When I saw the elderly woman with wolf ears and tail, I immediately rushed towards her and the crying Jin, using my recovery skills, but no matter how much I tried regenerating her body, she didn''t get any better..


    After she told me that it was fine, I stopped and concluded that it was too late..


    The reason was glaringly clear. The arrow was coated in poison, a lethal one at that..


    Since my aura could only regenerate and not cure, there was no helping it..


    Even if I created a new skill, it wouldn''t work since regeneration would shorten your lifespan little by little..


    I found out that the woman was already ill and kept it from Jin and Germundo even before she came to the village..


    The disease was an incurable one that [Beastman] contracted. It will gradually take years off of your life the more it is left untreated. And because it was incurable, it was no different from a death sentence..


    Her lifespan was shortening day by day at a rapid rate but still, she chose to live freely..


    Such admirable spirit, although it was detrimental in the current situation..


    The disease was alien to anything I had ever known..


    I had no way to cure it..


    I was powerless..


    There was nothing I could do except wait..


    When she knew her time came, she said her last words to Jin that I politely tuned out for privacy..


    Surprisingly, she said to me..


    {"Thank you.."}


    What? What were you thanking me for...


    I couldn''t do anything to help you..


    Why was she gently smiling to me, a total stranger..


    I would never know..


    Since soon after, she took a slender sword out of thin air which could only be called beautiful, and gave it to Jin..


    Just before she slowly closed her eyes for good..


    And now, I was lamenting my decisions and wanted to go back..


    I didn''t want this..


    I didn''t want to get involved with others, but I didn''t want to hurt the innocent either..


    I disappointed Jin, that little kid who easily believed that I was a person to look up to..


    I didn''t know what to do except stand here looking at the back of Jin from afar, who was unsheathing the sword his mother gave him, a memento that he was currently holding like it was precious..


    Maybe I should say my farewells to this place now..


    With me here, he would always be reminded of my lies, and I would always be reminded of my helplessness..


    At that moment, when I motioned to turn around..


    I heard a familiar voice that sounded nervous..


    ''H-hello?''

 Chapter 35: Enlightenment

    Hey me again, sorry for the late update. Just wanted to thank the readers who stuck with me so far, even through all the criticisms. But hey, this is my first fiction, so it''s a learning process. I appreciate all the feedback. This only gives me the drive to keep working on my mistakes and somehow do my best in recounting Orion''s tale to you readers. You can also buy me a coffee if you want, down below and maybe it will increase the pace of releases. That''s all for now. Enjoy the chapter..


    <hr />


    "Is anyone there?"


    How nostalgic..


    Oops, I have to respond..


    "Yeah, I can hear you.."


    I say those words, not out loud. But towards my own head..


    There was a moment of silence after..


    Like he was just startled from hearing someone answer him..


    I can''t believe it took him this quick to contact me..


    I guess it had something to do with that new skill I got, but still..


    "Ah, sorry I was surprised for a minute there. I-is that you, Jun?"


    I knew it..


    "Yeah, it''s me. Finally woke up?"


    "No, I''ve been searching my way through this godforsaken labyrinth of doors to find this room...probably.."


    What do you mean probably?


    Well, let''s ignore it..


    "Where are you right now?"


    I hear the sound of rustling around after I asked..


    "U-umm, I''m not sure. I think I''m in my subconscious but I don''t know where exactly here is.."


    "What do you mean you don''t know?"


    "Well, it''s a long story so I''ll make it quick.."


    "Please do.."


    "After I gave up looking for a way out of the labyrinth, an elevator suddenly appeared in front of me."


    "An elevator?"


    "Umu, that''s right.."


    "Continue, what did you do when it appeared?"


    "I went inside."


    "You, you what?"


    "I went inside the elevator."


    "So you just went inside a strange elevator that suddenly appeared, and didn''t think twice about it?"


    "Wha-what? I couldn''t help it. By the time I noticed, I was already inside, and the doors were closed.."


    Ah, I''m getting a headache listening to this..


    "Then? Did you get out soon after?"


    "No, I went up."


    *Smack*


    I unconsciously found my palm stuck to my forehead..


    Does this guy have no sense of hesitation?


    "*Sigh* Then, what happened next?"


    I decided to ignore it and get on with the story..


    "After I went up, I walked through a hallway with lights, and found a huge doorway.."


    Wait a minute..


    "Lights? You found lights?"


    "Yeah, they were fluorescent ones. Why?"


    This was peculiar, I never saw any fluorescent lights inside the labyrinth before..


    "Ah, it''s nothing. What was inside the doorway?"


    But I decided to gather more information from this..


    "Well, inside the room, I found a large television, a coffee table, and a leather couch. There was a mouse on the table, and soon after the television turned on, these headphones suddenly appeared out of nowhere.."


    This was getting more complicated..


    "Okay, what was on the television then?"


    After I heard the words he saw on the television, my hunch became a reality..


    It was that new skill that did this..


    I don''t know why or how I got it, but it had to be important. Since it suddenly materialized things from Earth..


    I had to learn more about this somehow..


    So I asked him to elaborate on the options on screen..


    Based on what he told me, the skill enabled my other persona to view my memories, see and hear the world through me right at this moment, send messages to the outer persona, and finally change places with each other..


    This skill was so elaborate, that it made me feel that something was off..


    Like someone meant to give me this skill right at the moment my personality came back..


    Of course this was just me being paranoid without any evidence to prove it, so let''s sit back for now..


    But seeing as how he had a television to browse memories instead of how I meditated, connecting to the inner subconscious, makes me slightly angry..


    "Alright, I think I got the gist of it. Now, have you come to terms about your existence?"


    "Ah-ah, I''m ready to know what I am now.."


    "Huh? What are you talking about? You''re whole existence is a mystery, even I don''t know how you were created.."


    "....."


    "............."


    "Eh?!? What''s with that? Isn''t that strange? Hey, hey, aren''t you the original? How could you not know what I am and how I got here?!? This isn''t some camera show, is it? Is the cameras over there?"


    Just speaking with this guy candidly is giving me the urge to bang my head against a wall...


    "Even if you scream at me, it''s futile. I only remember a voice, taking my memories when I was a child. The next thing I knew, I was replaced with you.."


    A deep silence followed after, bringing a moment of tranquility to my head..


    I never knew how I took silence for granted..


    Such a blessing..


    I didn''t know how good I had it..


    "Ne, you''re joking right? I don''t even know who I am, you know? Aren''t you a genius? I browsed through your memories just now, so think of something to fix this please, I''m begging you here bro.."


    "Shut up. I can''t even hear myself think with your incessant complaining! I don''t know why you were created nor do I know how, so don''t expect the impossible from me without any relevant information. Also why are you calling me bro?!? Why are you treating me over-familiarly? This was only one of the few times we spoke to each other clearly, and yet you automatically treat me as a bro?"


    Ah...


    I snapped...


    This wasn''t like me..


    Somehow, when I listen to this guy, I can''t keep calm, and inadvertently tsukkomi everything he says without thinking. Just like those gag comedy shows I saw on television once..


    And why am I suddenly the straight man in this conversation?


    "Ah, I got it, I got it, I was just scared because I didn''t know where I came from. You know, like those cases of identity theft you see in the movies? But it seems that it won''t be that easy huh.."


    Honestly, his argument has a point. Anyone would freak out over not knowing their origins..


    I might have raised my voice because my emotions are out of order..


    Considering how I was deliberating over my overconfidence just a moment ago, this is a nice change of pace..


    "Alright, first calm down. Nothing is going to be solved by asking questions no one has the answers to. There is a lot of time to find out about the one who created you. But for now, I''m sorry I yelled at you.."


    "Nah, it''s fine. It would be weird not to when I was acting like that. So, what do we do now?"


    "Well, can you access my senses first?"


    "Hmm, okay...*Click*... Now what?"


    "Alright, now do-"


    "Wait, I think something just popped out! What''s this? [Aura Pocket] has connected to [API]?"


    "Huh, what are you talking about?"


    "I don''t really know, it just suddenl-Uwahhh! *Crash*"


    The line suddenly cut off with the sound of static, then silence..


    My instincts say that this is going to be troublesome if I pursue it further, so let''s ignore it for now..


    Yes, let''s wait till he calls me again in the future..


    Besides, I have no way of contacting him from here in the first place..


    Now, where was I..


    Oh yeah, I should start preparing to leave tomorrow..


    Just as I was about to move towards the chief''s house, there was a tug on my cloak..


    When I turned around, it was the one I expected, Jin...


    "A-are you leaving now Onii-san?"


    Guh, that look, don''t stare at me like I just took away your favorite toy..


    But this time, I must harden my heart..


    Yes, resist it, me..


    "Ah, I have to go west tomorrow.."


    "Tomorrow? Isn''t it going to be hard with the winter blizzards? You''ll die out there Onii-san!"


    Ah..


    I nearly forgot about that..


    It was still the start of the winter season, and it will only get worse from hereon out..


    I don''t have anything that can protect me against the cold except the clothes teacher made me..


    Still, I doubt it would perfectly repel the cold though..


    "Onii-san, why don''t you stay here for a while, just until winter passes. I don''t want you to die from the cold.."


    "Sure."


    "Really? That''s great!"


    Oh no, that was bad..


    I instantly replied to his question because of how cute he looked..


    But I won''t ever admit those thoughts out loud. Not until I die..


    Well, it''s fine..


    I could stay here until spring comes..


    The war should be at a stalemate due to the cold anyway..


    Also, I had to cure the other children of the village too..


    Why was I so forgetful now?


    Is it a side effect of having your memories looked over?


    I hope that guy isn''t doing anything weird to my memories..


    Knowing his luck, I might be better off wishing pigs could fly..


    "*Sigh*"


    I let out a deep breath, that turned into steam, dispersing into the ever-chilling atmosphere..


    "Well, it''s getting colder now, let''s go back inside, shall we?"


    Germundo said to the me who was daydreaming..


    "Ah, let''s go back then.."


    When we were walking towards the front of the house, something warm touched my fingertips..


    *Clasp*


    It was the little wolf-kid''s hand..


    "Just as I thought, onii-san''s hand is warm.."


    So cute...


    *Cough* I mean, that''s just the gloves..


    "A-ah, yours is too.."


    I can''t believe I said that out loud..


    I want to shoot myself..


    Maybe I could..


    As I was contemplating on materializing one of my guns with [Aura Weapon Creation], a man suddenly rushed towards us, running with bated breath..


    Naturally, I put myself on guard..


    But it seemed that he was a normal villager, seeing his clothing that looked peasant-like..


    Still, let''s keep an eye on him..


    I''ve learned my lesson in taking people lightly..


    "Chief! Chief!"


    He seemed to be calling out to Germundo at my side..


    When he made it towards us, he suddenly dropped to the cold ground in a bowing position..


    It looked like the "dogeza" from my previous world..


    "Please! Please save my child! Chief, she''s dying!"


    The village man said with tears dropping to the ground..


    "What!? Kael? Of course we''ll help! Orion-dono!"


    "Really? You can cure my daughter?"


    The man suddenly got suspicious and at the same time, hopeful towards the chief''s words..


    I couldn''t blame him, since the disease was deemed incurable..


    Then, did he ran here, even with the thought that it was futile?


    Maybe he was just running away from reality, or he was desperate in finding a way to cure his child..


    I will never know, neither will I ask about it..


    For now, let''s not let another life get taken..


    So, I express an affirming nod towards Germundo, and his lips curled up into a relieved smile soon after..


    He turned towards the groveling man beneath our feet while helping him stand up and said..


    "Ah, let''s go! Lead the way Kael!"


    The man''s face suddenly brightened up, and after, he wiped his tears with his right hand sleeve..


    "Thank you, thank you so much. Follow me!"


    He expressed his gratitude while standing up, even though we haven''t done anything yet..


    While gesturing us to follow him while he started sprinting, we followed soon after..


    So he was just a desperate father in the end, trying to save his daughter..


    That was close..


    My eyes suddenly turned empty for a moment there..


    When I looked towards the groveling position that I was so sick of looking at in the past, my habit almost resurfaced..


    As to what that is exactly, I try not to remember it..


    When we stopped running for a few minutes, we were in front of a dilapidated house, looking at the roof starting to fall apart, and the wood showing its age..


    But this was no time to judge their place of dwelling..


    We swiftly entered through the doorway with the man who was named Kael, leading the way..


    Inside, there were various cloths and furs neatly folded into bundles, placed at the sides..


    There was also a counter at the farthest end, with a door placed behind it..


    I guessed this was some kind of tailor shop..


    When Kael led us through the door behind the counter, I could hear soft, erratic breathing noises..


    Which meant that the child was in the room..


    I scanned the small space, and found a woman with brown hair, crying a river of tears whilst holding the hand of a young girl, laying on cloth made out of an animal''s fur..


    She looked like she was going to break if you just touched her a little bit..


    Those thin arms and legs, with a pale complexion..


    When I touched her other hand without permission, it was cold as expected..


    The woman who seemed to be this child''s mother suddenly noticed me by then, and looked up towards me with a perplexed expression on her face, but her tears still did not stop flowing down her cheeks..


    Since I don''t want to look at a woman crying, let''s finish this quickly..


    ....


    ........


    After a few minutes, I''ve confirmed that the kid''s health condition is stable, and told the parents my diagnosis and the results of the healing method I did. Of course I didn''t divulge how, but they were still overjoyed after I said it..


    Whilst wiping sweat off my brow, I stood up, and spoke to Germundo..


    This was the third time I used this skill combination, so I had gotten better control over it..


    I told Germundo, the village chief, to gather all the sick in one place, so I could heal them..


    He grinned at me when he heard those words, like he expected it from the beginning..


    Please give me a break..


    I just wanted to help the weak, it is nothing that major..


    After, I told him about my plan to renovate the houses inside the village..


    He was shocked at how I told him that this was the main reason the sickness was rampant during winter..


    But, to my surprise, he immediately turned serious, and started talking..


    Should I say, as expected of a village chief?


    He told me that he had always thought of improving the villager''s houses, thereby improving their lifestyle, way back then. But it had always been stopped at the idea stage, since it would cost a lot of money to do..


    It seemed that money was important in many aspects even in a different world..


    I didn''t particularly think about wealth, since I had more than I could spend in an entire lifetime..


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    So, I told him that I would pay for it myself..


    His eyes nearly popped out of his sockets when he heard me sponsoring an entire village''s renovation alone..


    He tried to explain to me how much it would cost, and such..


    But it only amounted to three large gold coins..


    Was this village that poor?


    It couldn''t be helped, so I used a bit of [Fear Aura] in my voice, and the chief quickly agreed to let me take over..


    Then, he immediately rushed outside in a hurry..


    I could have sworn I smelled urine in the air, but it must have been my imagination..


    ...


    ......


    There were much more people than I thought..


    Wasn''t this a village? How many kids can each family bring, honestly...


    When I was done healing all the children, I let Germundo take over, and explain to the villagers the name of the disease, its cause, and how to prevent it in the future. All leading up to announcing the start of the renovation project..


    Just like we rehearsed..


    After the villagers heard the last bit, they were screaming in joy and happiness..


    They also asked where would we get the gold to fund such a big project..


    Naturally, Germundo said that there was an anonymous donor..


    I couldn''t let people know I was wealthy, or else they would flock to me in hordes like in my past life..


    So I had Germundo keep my identity a secret..


    When night came, he informed me that there was a blacksmith in the village who could make the windows, and the men would replace the rooves and walls..


    There was no problem with the wood, since we could buy it from the village woodcutter, but there wasn''t any materials for glass-making inside the village..


    I was about to suggest buying it from another town, but since the weather was dreadful, and the distance between the village and the nearest town would take a week at best, I held my tongue..


    Instead, I thought up another way to procure materials, and told the chief to leave it all to me..


    I told him that I would elaborate on the details tomorrow, since it was late..


    Yes, the whole day was spent, healing and going over the plans..


    I was walking to the room I was allocated to rest my tired self, when I passed by the two children playing..


    When Jin noticed me, he waved to me and said..


    "Good night, onii-san!"


    Ah, how I wish I could hear that every night before I go to bed..


    It was just so relaxing..


    Ah, no, no, this is bad..


    I am slowly turning into something I''m not..


    The chief''s daughter also noticed me and shyly waved to me but I didn''t notice it..


    I quickly went inside the room and plopped onto the bed made of fur..


    For a bed in a village, this was unexpectedly soft..


    The person who tailored this must have adept skills..


    I was slowly thinking about idle thoughts to keep me away from thinking about the cute kids outside..


    While staying like that, I slowly drifted to sleep..


    ...


    ......


    When I came to, I was stuck in a cramped space..


    Well, not exactly cramped, but still smaller than I remember..


    Judging by the soft, feeling in my fingertips, like I was touching a carpet, I was not in the other world..


    Since this level of detail and softness was not present there..


    So where was I?


    When I look up, I saw two bright silver metallic doors, and a machine placed on the wall next to it..


    Strange, this looked exactly like..


    An elevator..


    Now I see where this is going..


    I calmly stood up, and placed my hand on the machine that had an outline of a palm, and invoked aura..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Aura Detected: Identifying..


    Identify Complete: Confirmed Identity..


    User: Orion (1st Persona)</td></tr></tbody></table>


    A window suddenly appeared in front of me, confirming my identity..


    Suddenly, the elevator started to move upwards..


    Soon after, it stopped, and the doors split, revealing a long hallway, illuminated with lights..


    I get out, and the elevator suddenly vanishes into thin air..


    Then, I walked up to a light, and examined it by touching it..


    I could feel a faint trace of heat emanating from the fluorescent light, leading me to believe it was authentic..


    After confirming the authenticity of the item that should not even be here, I walk through the long hallway..


    Whilst walking, the sound of my steps echoed throughout the corridor, bouncing off the walls..


    I wasn''t perturbed since I didn''t believe in the occult or the like..


    Only an idiot would trust in those regretful spirits and such..


    About a few minutes had passed when I reached the two large doors that guy told me about..


    I guess he wasn''t kidding..


    These are over 4 meters tall..


    The size of the doorway was overbearing, and got me curious on who was it meant for..


    Just as I was about to try to open the door, the smell of smoke wafted through the air..


    There was another indescribable smell with it, but the smoke usually signified danger..


    Was there a fire inside?


    Is that guy really safe?


    Was he trapped, and unable to get out?


    My mind moved rapidly thinking of various hypotheses and questions..


    But first, I had to calm down..


    No matter what, standing around here worrying won''t do anything..


    I ready myself, and held the large doorknobs..


    Then, I didn''t forget to armor my whole body with [Dragon King''s Aura] to repel the heat inside..


    *Click*


    With the sound of a lock opening, the large gates swung open revealing..


    *Sizzle*


    A white haired youth turning his back, that seemed to be doing something with a frying pan over a high flame..


    The large room was filled with various items and metal coins, etc to the brim..


    Over at the far end of the room, between all the mess, and beyond a large television and couch set, was a man squatting down before the fire that was emitting black smoke..


    He was taking pieces of delicious smelling meat strips, and was placing them on the pan one by one..


    "Man, this is going to be so-hmm?"


    "....."


    "....."


    "....."


    "...Eh?"


    The person in question broke the awkward silence..


    Which was pretty impressive, since I did coldly stare at him for a long time..


    "Oi, what are you doing?"


    "Huh? Can''t you tell? I was coo-wait, wait, why are you even here in the first place!?"


    "The hell if I knew, I suddenly woke up in an elevator.."


    "Ah, it might be because of those windows huh, now that I think about it.."


    Windows? Was he talking about when he suddenly cut off from me?


    "What do you mean window?"


    "Well, there was a window that said [API Guest List] and your name was listed as invited, but never mind that.."


    What do you mean never mind? Do you just completely disregard everything that seems important?


    Ah, my headaches is coming back..


    Which is ironic, since I was, technically, in my head..


    It''s just that I think that this person had a very small amount of common sense, or a sense of danger for that matter..


    In turn, makes it hard to deal with him..


    "Never mind then, more importantly, what happened when you got cut off?"


    "Well, you see, windows started appearing when I enabled myself to see the world through your eyes for some reason, and items suddenly appeared in waves, which almost drowned me.."


    I guess that''s what the earlier window did, something about the storage mixing with this room..


    "So, what did you do with it?"


    "There were doors which appeared at the same time as the items, so I swam there, and opened it, only to find that it was a large closet that spanned maybe miles.."


    "So, you stuffed most of them in there?"


    "Yep, but I kept the useful stuff in this room though, I wanted to make living here easier.."


    You only got here today, and you decided to make this room your home already?


    I suppress my inner thoughts and continue..


    "And, you decided to cook?"


    "Of course, cooking calms me down. Oh! here, the meat is done, try one.."


    He takes a seared strip of brownish-red meat, and places it on a plate..


    When he presented it to me, I took a fork, and took a bite out of it..


    "...."


    I was rendered speechless..


    This wasn''t anything I''ve ever tasted before..


    So this was what those memories showed..


    I could only see, hear, and feel, through the outside, by fully immersing in meditation before..


    I couldn''t come close to tasting..


    This wasn''t like those gourmet restaurants I used to frequent when I was a kid..


    It had a more, oomph taste..


    I can''t express it in words..


    Except..


    "...Delicious.."


    The words flow through my lips as smooth as butter..


    I unconsciously muttered my real feelings after I tasted the simple dish..


    "Right? I tried a new spicing method on that dish. Glad to know you like it!"


    A glowing smile..


    An expression that could say that he was happy at the sight of someone eating his food..


    But with a hint of passion, maybe concerning his drive to catch up with teacher..


    Naturally, I couldn''t relate to it, since I had never tasted teacher''s meals..


    After that, I kept talking to my other persona about how we were going to go about this..


    But after a few minutes, he got bored and talked about his stories instead..


    I knew about this already through his memories, but I was interested in the things about teacher..


    He really must have treated him like a father figure..


    At the end of the talk that spanned a few hours, the plate of cooked meat was licked clean..


    It seemed that I could enter this room every night unconsciously until I could learn how to control it..


    Until then, this is going to be a daily occurrence..


    It is strange to think of two minds living in one body but I could learn to live with it..


    As I finalized the details on tomorrow''s plans, I could feel my body glowing..


    "Ah, it''s time. The skill is sending you back I suppose.."


    "I guess it is morning now, huh?"


    I was slightly closer to my other persona now due to him sharing his stories, and maybe because of the food too..


    "Oh, I almost forgot. If you want to contact me instead, use this!"


    He suddenly threw me a small, black device, that glittered like a star in the air..


    I hurriedly caught it between my fingers using my right hand..


    "Why can''t you contact me instead?"


    I was thankful for the gesture but at the same time, curious on why he did it..


    "Ah, I found a way to watch videos on the internet for some reason, so I''m gonna be preoccupied for a while.."


    With his fist lightly hitting his head, one of his eyes closed, and a goofy grin on his face, he said that..


    That strange gesture somehow makes me want to punch him..


    But, I''ll endure for now..


    I look towards the item in my hands..


    It was a small, dark earpiece that was abundant on Earth. It was used in calling..


    I think its name was, hands-free blue tooth device..


    But I didn''t have time to examine the device more clearly, since I was fully engulfed in light soon after..

 More Character Images

    It''s me again, here to bring you images to help in reading the story as it goes through the motions..


    These images are purely for imagery''s sake..


    Reiten Tsuki Battle Mode


    Derek Fullbringer


    Fenrir


    Alexander


    Lucifer Nefas Viurele


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Jin Kaiser


    Serena La Aurera


    Anna Ver Gardenia


    Lute Ver Gardenia


    <hr />


    Comment down below if you want an image of another character if I forgot to add it!


    ~SlashCrit

 Chapter 36: Winter Mornings

    "So it''s already morning.."


    I say my first words at the start of a new day after opening my eyelids. What greeted me was a streak of sunlight refracting from the windowsill..


    Of course, there was no glass.


    Well, not yet.


    I get up from my laying position, and sit up on the bed. I turn my head to look beyond the window, and into the horizon..


    Judging by the fact that it was still slightly warm, it must have been early in the morning. Just after daybreak. The morning is the only time during the winter season wherein you feel the most warmth for the rest of the day.


    So, its a good idea to go outside at this time, rather than endure the chill of the afternoon later.


    Hmm? I felt something small in my hand..


    When I open my fingers on my right palm, I saw the small, black communication device.


    "So it got carried over? How does that even work?"


    I was curious about the laws of space being broken, but I needed more information on the laws of this world before I make a conclusion about the possible and impossible..


    After examining it for a while, I place it inside my right ear.


    *Glow*


    I could sense a faint trace of magic being used from inside the device while it was shining golden for a second..


    The next moment, the earpiece was gone.


    I wanted to know what happened to it, but there were no mirrors within my reach.


    But then I remembered how I was going to make glass for the villagers without having to go to another city.


    This combination of skills would be, most likely considered a cheat, but there was no other way.


    "[Aura Weapon Creation]"


    Various colors of light seep from my skin, and meld together into an item in front of my very eyes..


    The result was..


    A glass sword.


    Umu, that''s right.


    A long, clear sword made entirely out of glass..


    I didn''t know the principle behind this skill, but it seemed that I could actually make any weapon as long as I knew the minor details of its construction. I knew most weapons and how they were made through various research in the past but I didn''t think that it would prove this useful in another world..


    You just had to imagine countless atoms and molecules of different elements melding together into a shape.


    Simple. right?


    Well, now that that''s over, let''s begin..


    I again invoked [Dragon King''s Aura] to produce a high heat from my palm, in order to melt the long sword of glass structure, into a flat pane. But I had to do this carefully since I didn''t want to deform its shape.


    I wished I could have used the elementary magic, [Heat Spark] as to make this easier, but alas, I cannot use magic spells no matter what method I try. Which can only lead me to believe that the [Aura Gift] skill was to blame.


    When it said that other magic couldn''t be used, I tried to find a loophole, but the results say that it was a waste of effort. Frustration will get me nowhere, so lets make do with what I have for now.


    While carefully heating each part of the sword one by one, from the hilt to its very tip, I have succeeded in making a flat surface of glass. Although its so clouded you cannot see through it, nor see your reflection.


    I concluded that this must have something to do with the way I heated it, whether the temperature was too high or too low, I couldn''t derive the answer. But it was a fact that this was a problem.


    Faced with this problem that could very be the crux of failure in my ingenious plan, I racked my brains for a solution..


    After a few minutes, I thought of something. I hope this could work though.


    "[Frigid Aura]"


    I apply aura to my fingertips using my newly gained skill, to make a thin layer of frost over the flat heated area.


    Resulting in..


    *Shine*


    A purple haired youth with white bangs and one ruby-colored eye was reflected over the surface of ice. I noticed something different on my right ear that wasn''t there before..


    It looked like an inverted letter "S" adorned with black patterns. Just located beneath my earlobe.


    So that''s what happened to the device. Maybe now I can contact my other persona without having to worry about the earpiece falling out of my ear when I move faster than usual.


    Now, since I confirmed that I could make a mirror with this method, lets try making a window. Where you can actually see through to the outside this time..


    *Grumble*


    "Ah, I guess it will have to wait. I forgot I haven''t eaten breakfast yet."


    I say out loud towards my growling stomach. Then, before standing up, I place the improvised mirror of my own creation under the bed, and go out of the room through the door.


    As I was walking through the narrow hall, since my allocated room was at the end of it, I heard the sounds of wind being cut, again and again, in an erratic fashion. By this I meant, that the sounds were coming at different intervals..


    Since curiosity got the best of me, for there may be a chance that an enemy has infiltrated without my notice. Although that''s close to 0.00000001 % with me on high alert, and my [Aura Barrier] spread out around the radius of the village chief''s house, I won''t let my guard down even for a second. I stealthily hide my steps with [Stealth Aura] and walked towards the place where the erratic sound was coming from.


    I stopped at the doorway that lead into the garden, and peeked out slowly from the side. Only to see..


    A sword in a slashing motion. The shiny blade adorned with silver metal, refracting the rays of the gleaming sunrise.


    The slender build of the nostalgic weapon from my past life. I was awed in front of its beauty if but only for a moment..


    Even though the one swinging it had amateurish movements that even a novice like me could tell, it doesn''t make the slight afterimages of where the sword had passed through, cutting the air, any less pleasant to look at.


    In an open space behind the house, where the few trees were covered, and the grass was fully blanketed with snowfall from last night, a boy with ears and a swaying tail with a short stature was sweating out his feelings..


    "Hey, Jin!"


    Ah. I called out to him unconsciously. Maybe it was because I was impressed by his sword? No, that''s not it.


    I have an inkling about why I did it. It had something to do with me being weak to kids. Though, I will never admit it publicly. I had no plans of being misunderstood by ill-minded people.


    Well, there''s nothing I could do about it now. Since he just heard my voice, and started jogging towards my direction..


    With a bright smile, he sheathed his katana-like weapon, and hung it around his neck, placing it at his tiny back. Then, he started moving towards the doorway while waving to me, who was wryly smiling and waving back.


    "(Ah, so cute..)"


    This is bad. No, get that thought out of my head!


    Wait a minute..


    That may have sounded like my voice, but I could tell that it wasn''t for some reason. Am I imagining it?


    "(*Gulp* Yes, yes I am imagining it. Don''t mind it.)"


    Ah, is that so. Well, I guess that''s fine then..


    "(Phew..)"


    "Is that what you thought I would say!? You bastard! Placing things in my head without permission!"


    "(Uwwaaaaa, he''s mad. I''m sorry okay. Really am. It was an accident, I just blurted out my thoughts. That''s all.)"


    "Don''t mess with me, you! You clearly did it on purpose!"


    "(Yes, it''s true. I was having fun teasing you. The accident part was a lie.)"


    "Why!? Why would you do that at a random time like this!? It''s still morning you know? Also, why did you just confess readily in a respectful tone!? Are you making fun of me!?"


    "(Yes. I''m free after all..)"


    "Ah, this is hopeless. Talking to you is like speaking to a monkey!"


    I place my head into my lifeless arms, unconsciously trying to put strength into it, to break my skull. Although I stopped just before I felt pain, it was still a tempting offer.


    "Also, why are you suddenly free!? What happened to the videos you were going to watch? And why was being free, a valid reason in your book?!"


    "(Well, it''s quite simple really. The internet suddenly went down. Man, I wish the IT guy was here.)"


    "That''s the reason!? And why would you think an IT guy was in a differe-"


    "Um, onii-san?"


    Ah. I forgot he was there..


    When I looked downwards from my raging tsukkomi act with my other self, Jin was there, wiping his sweat with a white towel swung around his neck, tilting his head ever so slightly with a curious look in his eyes. Naturally, the one he was looking at, was yours truly. The man who was screaming towards the heavens without a care in the world, even though it was still morning.


    But, instead of embarrassment, when I saw his face looking up at me, there was only one thought that came to mind..


    ""(So cute..) So cute..""


    Strangely, my thoughts were perfectly in sync with the other Orion for the first time since we spoke.


    It was like we took the first step towards camaraderie at that moment. I inwardly shake hands with my second persona inside my head, signaling a truce between us for now.


    "(Cute is justice.)"


    Umu, that''s a wonderful phrase. So be it, I finally understand what the truth is. The ultimate truth.


    While being caught up in my daydreams and enlightenment, Jin called out to me again..


    "Onii-san! Are you okay?"


    So he was worried about me. That made my head go flying for a second, but let''s act like nothing happened as to not let him see my uncool side. Yes, let''s do that.


    "Yes, yes, I was just thinking about what to make for breakfast is all. What would you like?"


    "(Oi, pervert. I saw your memories you know? How dare you try to pass off those methods as cooking. Is that for real? Are you even right in the head? Now, you''re even taking requests that you are bound to mess up anyhow.)"


    I get that you''re insulting my cooking but I did as the instructions told me to the letter. I have no reason to be reprimanded by you when I followed it all. And did you just call me a pervert? You did, didn''t you?


    "(What instructions, you mean my memories? Those had nothing to do with how to cook right, you little kid loving pervert. Like Master always said, your cooking had to contain your passion and feelings in it. Simple instructions isn''t going to make your food any tastier. In fact, I could say it was blander than the normal food in this world.)"


    You did call me a pervert, and it changed slightly too! Also, why are you so arrogant about something teacher taught you? It''s not like you figured it all that out by yourself!


    But, no matter how much I complained about it, he was right. The food that I made didn''t taste as good as I thought it would be. What was I thinking, offering to make breakfast..


    "You can cook onii-san? Mom was always sick so she couldn''t cook for me. Instead, we always ate bread and soup everyday because I was the only one working on the fields before."


    "Ah, I''ll make you something good okay? Look forward to it."


    "Un, I will!"


    With a beaming grin, he ran off towards the chief''s room. I''m guessing it was to wake Germundo and his daughter up.


    When he was out of sight, I banged my head against the wall a moment after..


    *Bang*


    *Crack*


    *Crumble*


    With that, instead of my head bleeding, a large hole was made in the middle of the wall. It was to be expected though.


    "(I guess you could say, you''re hard-headed. *Chuckle*)"


    Shut up. I can''t deal with your jokes in this situation.


    "(Killjoy.)"


    While lamenting the fact that I automatically responded to Jin''s sob story. I also regretted getting his hopes up. It was strange since in my previous life, the other men and women who groveled before me with their own sad life stories didn''t even make me feel pity towards them. Did this world change me? Or was my weakness to kids finally revealed?


    I had no way of knowing at this current point in time.


    "(Hey, are you seriously getting depressed over this? Can''t you tell them that you can''t do it after all? It would be better than getting their hopes up, and ultimately bring them down with your bland cooking.)"


    Hmm? Can''t do it? I can''t do it..


    That''s it!


    "(Huh, what''s it?)"


    If I can''t do it, I just have to make you do it instead! It''s genius if I do say so myself.


    "(Ah! That''s pretty smart! But how am I going to move you?)"


    Idiot. Do you see the - Request Interchanging of Persona - on the television? Click that option and we might change places, and you could move the main body in my stead.


    "(Is that so. What a convenient option. I always thought it was a gag-like option. Like changing your facial expressions at random times, leading you to embarrass yourself in front of others. Things like that.)"


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    What kind of thought process do you have? Well, it doesn''t matter. Hurry and switch with me for the time being.


    "(Okay, but I''m not responsible for any accidents after I press this. Just letting you know.)"


    Even in a serious matter, this guy always finds a way to get on my nerves.


    *Click*


    With the sound of something clicking in my head, a window appeared in front of me..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Notification</td></tr><tr><td>[Aura Persona] has requested for interchange of personalities


    Accept / Decline</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I pressed "Accept" without hesitation.


    Then, my scenery started to change from a narrow hallway with a doorway leading towards the outside, to a dim room with a large television, a couch, a coffee table, and various items for cooking and miscellaneous use scattered on the floor. Which meant that my transfer was successful.


    But looking at the state of the room, I could complain about how he never bothered to clean it up. It was stressful just looking at all the clutter scattered around me. There were pieces of meat lying around, and the grill was still on for god''s sake..


    Being the way that I am, I decided to clean up this room that could be likened to a shut-in''s place of dwelling. Not that I couldn''t imagine that guy being a shut-in myself.


    ...


    ......


    A half-hour later, I sat on the long, leather couch. I then looked around, seeing that every item inside the room was methodically organized by yours truly. At the sides of the walls were ingredients, tools, utensils, coins, etc.


    All arranged according to size, weight, and use. While being satisfied at the big change to the room that looked as messy as a barn''s storage closet, turned into a neat living room with abundance of large spaces for other furniture, I held the mouse on the table, and invoked aura towards my fingertips. A moment after, the monitor turned on by itself, and the options appeared before me..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Welcome to Aura Persona Interactive [ API ]</td></tr><tr><td>User: Jun (Admin)</td></tr><tr><td>:Admin Options:</td></tr><tr><td>- Playback Memories -</td></tr><tr><td>- Moderator View Mode -</td></tr><tr><td>- Connect to [Aura Archive] -</td></tr><tr><td>- Announce Thoughts -</td></tr><tr><td>- Command Interchanging Of Persona -</td></tr><tr><td>- Access Internet -</td></tr><tr><td>- Search Specific Item -</td></tr><tr><td>- Create / Destroy Personas {Current Number: 2}</td></tr><tr><td>- Inner Labyrinth Map -</td></tr><tr><td>- Rearrange Room Design -</td></tr><tr><td>- Shut Down [ API ] -</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Fumu, this options list was slightly different than the other me described. No, it''s completely different. Did he lie to me? No, there was no benefit in lying. Also, I can''t imagine that naive brain of his to get the courage to lie to himself.


    Which meant that in terms of the [User] rank, I was considered an admin? Most of these sound dangerous, so let''s leave it until I could learn more information about this system and who created it before I do something irreversible.


    To stay safe, I press the - Moderator View Mode - and hoped for the best..


    When I did, the monitor suddenly changed into a video format, like those live stream videos my other persona always used to watch, with players playing games and reacting to them. But, I couldn''t hear the sound.


    Just as I was thinking that, a set of headphones suddenly appeared out of thin air, onto the coffee table before my eyes. Taking a closer look, it was colored red and blue on each side, and there was no wire sticking out of it like normal headphones would have back on Earth.


    So, I picked it up. I then placed it on my head to test it out. After covering my ears with a slightly soft sensation like earmuffs, I heard voices. Apparently, the voices seemed to match what was being said by the people on screen..


    I concluded that the headphones were actually somehow connected to the system to let me hear what''s going on.


    Now, that everything was in place, I could finally see if my other persona was successfully transferred, and if so, what was he doing. I focus my attention towards the screen and perk my ears up to listen to the conversation..


    "That smells good onii-san! What are you making?"


    The expectant voice of Jin reverberates into my earlobes..


    "It''s a secret, Jin-kun. Find out when I''m done.."


    "Ah, alright! Sharon, you''re looking forward to onii-san''s cooking too right?"


    Jin suddenly looked towards the sleepy village chief''s daughter. I guess she was doing alright now compared to the day before yesterday. Instead of her usual pale complexion, the tinge of brightness is slightly evident around her.


    ''Fue!? Ah, Jin? Yes, it does smell good. It makes my stomach growl.."


    I was hearing the surprised voice of Germundo''s daughter while watching Orion cook up some omelettes and bacon..


    "Now, now, it won''t be long Sharon-chan, Germundo-san is even drooling you know?"


    With a carefree tone, my other persona places the finished dishes, garnished with some kind of spice, and with a side of a strange looking sauce, on four plates. Then, he places the plates onto a large serving tray, and brings them towards the hungry kids and unsightly village chief.


    "Done, now bon appetit!"


    After he said those words, the people in question tilted their heads in confusion.


    "Bo-ne, apeteet?"


    The one who broke the silence was the chief''s daughter with a slightly high voice. But without batting an eyelid, the other me, who looked as if he was as calm as a flowing river when he was in his element, said this..


    "No, no, ''bon appetit'' is an expression that means ''enjoy your meal''. It''s no wonder you couldn''t understand it because it''s written in a different language. So, once again.. Bon appetit!"


    Honestly, this guy can become one of those hosts in clubs if you judge him purely based on appearance and demeanor whilst inside this state of explaining dishes. I bet the fundamentals of cooking had been forcibly drilled into him again and again by teacher as to reach this level of confidence.


    As if enticed by his words, with glittering eyes, the three took their first bite..


    Why the heck was the chief enraptured too? Mumbling things like glimmer something. Are you a kid?


    Finally, the spiced omelette and glazed bacon strips were fully consumed in a panic until there wasn''t even a crumb left. Scary, hungry people can be scary after all.


    "Thank heavens, I was able to consume Glimmer-sama''s home made cooking! I am blessed! *Grovel*"


    "Eh!? There''s no need to grovel Germundo-san! It''s just breakfast, Sharon-chan stop him please.."


    "Ah, yes! Father, Orion-san doesn''t like your groveling!"


    "Eh, well then. I shall grovel even more! Even this isn''t enough to repay the meal I was graciously given!"


    "Onii-san, I don''t want to admit it, but your cooking is even better than what my mom used to make. I''m glad I got to taste it. It was even better than I expected! Thank you.."


    With a slight tear out of his eyes, Jin thanked the other me with a loud voice. Though, I wished I was the one being thanked instead, but there was nothing I could do about it.


    "Oh, Jin-kun what are you saying? I''ll be making dishes until winter is over you know? Also I noticed how you swung your sword earlier. To be honest, it was awful.."


    Oi, you peeping tom, don''t be harsh on a little kid! Is what I''d like to say but I couldn''t reprimand him because I was, technically peeping myself. Although it was true, I would have still used gentler words than that.


    "Ah, really? You saw me huh? It''s because I was used to swinging a sword with a larger blade onii-san! The one mom gave me from dad was a slender sword that I had trouble adjusting to."


    Well, what do you know, the kid can take criticism just like that, as expected of Jin.


    "Right, I get what you mean, that type of sword is called a [Katana] and it''s mainly used for slashing and piercing. Unlike the broadswords that were swung with only strength, this weapon is designed for technique and speed."


    "Ah, I understand. So there''s a different way of using it then? You look like you know a lot more about it onii-san!"


    "Hmph, of course. I used to study [Kendo] back then you know? Then, how about this, since I''m free, I could take the time to teach you swordsmanship every morning from now until spring. Is that okay with you?"


    I was shaken by the nonchalant words that effortlessly came out of his mouth driven by overconfidence and automatically clicked the - Announce Thoughts - option on screen.


    A microphone suddenly grew out from the side of the headphones and was placed in front of my mouth..


    With the words [ Speak Now ] flashing on screen, I reprimand the arrogant personality of mine.


    "Idiot, what do you mean free? I have a job to do with the villagers about their window problems!"


    I say into the microphone in a stern tone as to let him know that I was mad. With that, a reply came..


    "(Eh? You''re still alive?)"


    "Of course I am, why did you think I was dead in the first place?"


    "(Ah, it''s because you didn''t speak for a while so I thought..never mind that, what about the windows? Can''t you do that in the afternoon instead?)"


    "Idiot, you know that winter is going to be freezing cold and the afternoons are the coldest times right after to nighttime, what are you trying to do, freeze the villagers to death?"


    "(Geez, would you please stop calling me an idiot? You could just make them fur coats or something to protect them from the cold. It''s that simple!")


    "How do you propose we do that, there are no sheep, and bears should be hibernating. There is no-ah..."


    "(It seems you realized it just now, didn''t you?)"


    "Ah, the [Snow Wind Demon]''s fur, is that what you were saying?"


    "(Bingo. They were very large so I bet their fur would be enough for the small population of this village. Now would you stop calling me an idiot?)"


    "Ah, I''m sorry for calling you an idiot, Orion.."


    "(It''s okay, then I''ll call you Jun instead so we won''t be confused.)"


    "That''s fine by me. Also about the training, you can do it every morning if you''d like. I have no skill in swordsmanship after all, so knock yourself out."


    "(I was gonna do it anyway, with or without your consent. But thanks anyway.)"


    This guy..


    Just for that, I won''t tell him that I secretly appraised Jin''s katana. The result was that only the name was readable, "The Ancestral Blade" and the rest was jumbled characters. It was because my [Aura Eyes] proficiency wasn''t high enough to see through it, meaning that that sword must have been at least a [Mythical] class weapon, if not higher..


    In terms of skill proficiency levels, apparently it was divided into five levels. Mainly from [Beginner] to [Novice], [Intermediate], [Advanced], and finally leading up to [Master] level. It would only get harder to improve a skill the more you advance levels. People who wield a [Master] level skill were the rarest of the rare, for they were very few in number. A normal person wouldn''t even reach it in his/her entire lifetime.


    Although, they say that when you break through the peak of [Master] level, there was a hidden realm that was even more powerful than it, but that was just a hypothesis for now. I was waiting for my [Fear Aura] to breakthrough but I think it wasn''t possible any time soon..


    As to the things that pertain to weapons, they were judged based on appearance, weapon power and overall usefulness and was divided into 7 categories. The list was as follows starting from the lowest grade which was a [Common] weapon, then an [Uncommon], [Rare], [Gem], [Legend], [Mythical], and finally the [Divine] grade weapon.


    It was said that each country had one [Legend] weapon in their possessions, being called their "treasured sword", and was treated as if it was an object out of reach for the people living there.


    But, this had no relation to me since I create my own weapons out of nothing. Also, I only just read this in a book I bought once, and it got me slightly interested but ultimately bored me.


    Well, it seemed that both Orion and Jin had come to an agreement while I was thinking about levels and grades. They decided to use every morning starting tomorrow for sword training. Well, that''s good and all, but I had to proceed with the frostbite countermeasures before the winter season gets worse.


    So, when Orion went back to my allocated room after eating, he looked at the mirror layered with frost, and I could see that his hair turned white like before. I''m amazed they didn''t notice it. No, I guess the chief pretended not to.


    Since I knew that behind his playful but weird behavior, lies intelligence and determination to keep his village safe.


    In any case, I''m thankful for it. So, I let Orion know that it was time to change back again, and after receiving a reply, I clicked the - Command Interchanging of Persona - option, and my consciousness went back to my main body after a slight dizziness. I could see my purple hair in the mirror after coming back. Checking for any abnormalities, I was relieved there was none.


    "Well, let''s go move forward with my plans."


    I said while carrying the large mirror under my arm, walking outside the door..

 Chapter 37: Snowflakes

    - Orion''s POV -


    It''s the middle of the afternoon and I was walking through the village in a good mood..


    With a cart full of [Demon Boar] corpses at my back, with both hands pulling it. Today I think we caught twenty, no thirty demonic beasts in the forest. I hope it doesn''t cause any problems with the forest''s ecology but I didn''t really care that much about it, much less know about its effects, so I left it at that.


    At my sides were my hunting companions. At my right, my new protege, the beaming and energetic Jin-kun. At my left side was Lena-san, the trap expert, and her friend, Sharl, the healing cleric. Finally, the ones limping behind the cart as if their life force was taken out of them was the two guys, Dale-san and Kizu-san.


    Dale-san had a [Warrior] class, so I had him lure the enemies with his skill, [Warrior''s Taunt] as to make hunting easier for me. Since if I went out in the open, all lesser beasts I meet will run scared, and I could find myself going back empty-handed. I don''t know why he was tired though, I only made him use his skill and run around for hours on end. No big deal really..


    While Dale-san was baiting the enemies, I made Kizu-san, the archer of the two, shoot the enemies from afar. At first he was failing to get a clean strike, and had to shoot multiple times just to kill one of the [Demon Boars]. It was tiring to look at, so I gave him pointers from my time studying archery back when I was frequenting martial arts classes in Japan. Though, after every session he seemed to have improved slightly. But one time he somehow collapsed, was it that tiring to jump on tree branches while having weights on you while shooting? I had no problem before though..


    In contrast with the two who were moving at faster speeds whilst fearing for their lives if they make a single mistake, Lena-san and Sharl-san were just quite frankly, spectators. Since Sharl-san had the job of a healer, she would stay at the back, and only when there was an injury would she step up. Though Lena-san only placed a few traps that caught some beasts here and there, she did not move that much.


    Meanwhile, Jin-kun was the main damage dealer, slashing with his weapon when an opening presented itself. Until those moments came, I told him to meld into the surroundings to erase his presence. Since I used it as a way of practically applying his newly learned sword skills I taught him, directly from Master''s "Purgatory Sword Style". Although he couldn''t master it fully, he learned it quickly, he might have been even faster than me.


    I could see the potential of this kid was very high compared to a normal child. He had a body that could withstand intense training, and absorb all the techniques given to him like a sponge sucking up moisture. Though I didn''t train him in a spartan way like Master, his movements grew more refined each day. I''m not a sadist you know?


    After weeks of teaching, he has attained the level of decapitating beast''s heads without a sound. The main style I taught him was very fitting. A combination of Master''s swordsmanship and the "Iai Swordplay" from Japan, which I called "Silent Sword Style". It focused on pure speed and grace. The way the unsheathed katana displays its radiance when unsheathed and at the same time swung, was honestly awe-inspiring to look at each time you see it.


    The best part was that it made close to no sound, except for the clinking of the sheath. If more time was given to develop this style, it could break the sound barrier with just how fast the sword draw was. There would be no time to react if you couldn''t see nor hear the katana slicing through your body. I know it sounds dreadful to some but this was the most suited for Jin-kun''s personality.


    With the gap from his cute and lovable demeanor, and the silent killing intent that dazzled appealed so much to me that I chose this specific style. No, I didn''t do it for my own purposes, honest..


    Oh, what about me? I was laying back, giving out orders while cooking meals for the team. Can''t fight a battle with an empty stomach. I was a very important asset. No, honest! Even if I did fight, I would only make them all scatter, so I decided to only move in when someone''s life was in danger. You could call me their insurance.


    Even though I essentially did nothing, they had no complaints because the meals I made brought them to tears every single time they ate it after a tiring ordeal of hunting monsters.


    Well, that was the gist of what we did twice a week. Most of the time, Jun would make windows and glass items with the blacksmith''s assistance and give them away to the villagers while directing renovations for the entire village. For free. Not that I have a problem with it, since we had money that could buy an entire country if I felt like it, maybe. But it still wouldn''t hurt to be more frugal with it since we don''t know if it could suddenly disappear someday..


    Meanwhile every morning, I would take over and train Jin-kun then make breakfast. Okay, all the meals. Every time it was time to prepare the meals, Jun would forcibly switch me even if I was watching cute cats playing with balls on the internet, that lazy bum. Even now, he got hooked on an anime I recommended him and said to let me handle the hunting from now on.


    "Oi, Orion-san! Everyone, good work out there today!"


    Ah, a pleasantly plump uncle called out to us. Though he was wearing the winter clothes which was a fur jacket, fur pants, and boots made of [Snow Wind Demon] leather, he still appeared twice as big as a normal person. Though it would be rude if I said that out loud so I refrain from bringing down his impression of me..


    If I remember correctly, this man was called Xant-san, and he was responsible for skinning, tanning, and dismantling the monster materials from all the game we caught. He kind of owns a butcher shop at the center of town so many people know him, including Jun who seemed to get along with him for some unknown reason.


    For now, let''s greet him so I can pass the beasts we hunted over to be dismantled. I wasn''t going to get any compensation but I get my ingredients from his shop so it''s fine..


    "Ah, we just got back. I think there was about twenty to thirty [Demon Boars] today, along with some [Snow Sparrows], [Frigid Hawks], and a [Winter Bear] we accidentally woke up. I entrust them all to your shop so please distribute some of them to the villagers okay?"


    "A-a [Winter Bear]!? You subjugated a B-class demonic beast?"


    When he exclaimed after hearing my words, he hurriedly went to look at the back of the cart, filled with beast corpses and confirmed that what I said was nothing but the truth. He then went back towards us and said..


    "Amazing, usually it takes an A-rank party of adventurers to kill a lone [Winter Bear]. Since before it dies, it would issue a death cry and call the other [Winter Bears] to its location, making it a dangerous quest to take. I''m just glad that none of you got hurt because those beasts usually get stronger in the winter season. Thank you for this, I''m sure the villagers would be glad to know that a demonic beast like this was killed."


    "Haha, alright then, give my regards to your wife and kids! Let''s go guys, leave the cart here.."


    When I heard his spiel, I sweated unconsciously and could only wryly smile giving a half-hearted answer. The reason for this was that I just found out that what happened earlier wasn''t my overwhelmingly negative luck stat coming into play after all. Maybe, just a bit though..


    "Ah, will do! Thanks as always you guys!"


    While waving towards the butcher with a large build, we walk towards the other''s homes on the path to the chief''s house. The villagers who knew me as the kind person who had healed their children and was a benefactor to all, for making them windows free of charge, were bowing towards me when I passed by their houses. It only made me embarrassed since I wasn''t the one who helped them, but it was really Jun''s idea. Also, I didn''t like people revering me as a special person. By the way, they were wearing different sets of winter clothing tailor-made for them.


    I want to make friends but I didn''t want to be worshiped. So my reply was of course, my trusty [Poker Face]. I don''t know why I said it as a skill but I guess it could be called that, since it was useful in daily life. Still, I had nothing else to do except watch Jin-kun practice his footwork techniques while strolling, I recall the events that happened after we subjugated the [Winter Bear] earlier today..


    After they surrounded the beast, with its dwindling health, it roared out a voice that shook the trees for the reason that I just found out now. In that moment, an opening appeared when it let its guard down, and Jin-kun quickly used [Shadow Step], the skill he learned from hiding his presence coupled with quick turns of his feet, and decapitated the bear''s entire head with eyes as calm as the ocean.


    As the large beast''s head fell and rolled onto the pure white snow, with its torso spraying a fountain of blood, I quickly confirmed the bear''s aura dissipating. But immediately after, I sensed multiple presences instead, moving towards our location. They had the same aura as the bear they just killed so I guessed it was its friends smelling the blood.


    Though I was wrong in guessing that my luck drew them here, it still didn''t change what I was going to do. I couldn''t let them get killed, nor could I make them scared of me if they watch me fight, so I quickly made an excuse that I had to go do my business in the forest up ahead. Which was embarrassing if you haven''t noticed.


    They all displayed different reactions. The girls were turning their heads away saying "Idiot!" towards me with red faces whilst the dead tired guys were indifferent and kept munching on the meal like they haven''t eaten food for days. Only Jin-kun was still meditating in silence, training his inner strength after eating his share in the span of a minute.


    While they were preoccupied, I disappear into the thickets and used [Stealth Aura]. When I confirmed that no one could see me, I sprinted towards the attackers to intercept them instead. With a grin on my face, I said..


    "The best defense, is a great offense!"


    Spouting a line from a sports anime I used to love, my chuunibyou side reared its ugly head. I now realized that I would''ve died of shame if anyone could hear me back then. Thank heavens there wasn''t..


    When I arrived, I quickly dealt with the sleuth of bears numbering thirteen, and unlucky sign if you''d ask me. But, it made no difference that they quickly became my experience points. Though, I didn''t level up my status nor my job level after all this time. It''s to be expected of the high level but why didn''t [Slayer] class level up? Did it have specific requirements or something? Anyway, I thought that it would be weird if I suddenly brought a large number of bears so I left them there for the other predators of the forest instead.


    Cruel? No, no I''m not a heartless bastard. I at least let their blood drip to the ground by hanging their corpses on tree branches so that others would have a hard time getting them..


    Oh, we''ve reached the bar where it seemed that the hunting party was going to be drinking tonight. They invited me to join in but I don''t like the taste of alcohol that much. So I decline with an expression of humility, making an excuse that I was tired from hunting. Though I didn''t get to do much except get a slight warm up from the bears.


    Lena-san seemed to have wanted me to join but she reluctantly understands my position while saying..


    "Maybe next time then. See you Orion-san!"


    "Ah, see ya"


    After saying our goodbyes, me and Jin-kun walked along the dazzling white snow roads, leaving footprints while staring at the falling snowflakes touching our clothes for a moment, and ultimately melting into moisture.


    This scenery has grown on me, since back in Japan, I could barely see snowfall as pure as this. Because it was a city filled with tall buildings and a large amount of busy people, you couldn''t appreciate the little things such as now..


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    When we made it back to Germundo-san''s house, we were greeted by him and Sharon-chan at the door. She told me all about how she built a snowman that I once spoke about when telling stories based on the movies and fairy tales from my past life. After, I made sukiyaki which they haven''t had before, but it was perfect considering the climate outside so they were once again grateful. Finally, the kids went to bed. I found out Jin-kun can''t live by himself in his house anymore since he was still a kid so Germundo-san took him in and treated him like a son.


    After talking with the chief some more, I went to my room as well and laid down on my fur bed thinking about how another peaceful day has ended. It had been almost a month since I came here, well, when Jun came here..


    Speaking about that, when I asked him why he was moving west, he said that it was because Anna and Lute was alive. I was moved to tears when I had heard this, because it meant that they were saved somehow. He couldn''t tell who it was that took them but he found the remains of a mask, and could sense their auras due west, towards Neriad, the Elven Continent. The mask looked slightly familiar but I couldn''t remember the one who wore it for some reason.


    He also said that the spell the person used was a type of "Teleportation" spell..


    When I gathered all the information I could from the main persona, I decided that I had to save them before anything bad happened to them, the moment I could travel again. I will not lose them again like last time. This time I would protect them properly.


    Naturally, he said that he decided to do this from the start except that tracing their location would be hard in the winter so that''s why he thought to stay here..


    I keep forgetting that this guy thinks ahead instead of rushing into everything like yours truly. I am somehow thankful for that but I still hope that nothing had happened to them yet. Based on those novels I used to read, those types who were suddenly teleported to a different country, would get treated like a spy and questioned thoroughly. Or worse, thrown in jail and be killed at a later date. I didn''t want to imagine the cruel fate that should await them so I prepared various countermeasures along with Jun all this while.


    With my renewed determination to save my first companions, I drift off to sleep..


    <hr />


    - Jun''s POV -


    "Okay, and done! This looks better than before, very much so!"


    I was currently looking at the finished product held in front of me. Looking over it once more, I check for any mistakes in the reproduction, like uneven balance, weight reduction, and color scheme..


    What was held in my hands were the new leather jacket I reproduced with my skills. It had a matching contrast of colors present on it, and various details were added with the influence from the new "anime" I just binged. At first I thought that anime was just moving pictures with a plot just like a movie but oh was I wrong.


    To put it simply, anime is an art form. Detailed characters and dark pasts, killing and mental decisions to add to the spice of the story. It had made me a believer of true story telling. Just in picture form and with voices. Ah, but I digress, going back to the cloth I reproduced, based on the anime''s design of uniforms, making the already powerful equipment teacher made, and further improving its attributes, bonuses, and overall look.


    It had a sleek, black with purple shades, and futuristic design. I spent about a week perfecting every detail there is to be made after finishing the whole six seasons. It wasn''t an impulse, let me tell you. I can frankly say that this will make my power, double, no even triple my current strength by folds if it was made in perfection. Of which I did..


    I recreated the fiber of the cloth used in the middle-ages into something modern like leather and cotton mixed with polyester and other durable and at the same time comfortable cloth from Earth. How did I do this you ask? I simply rearranged the structure of [Aura Weapon Creation] and made an entirely new skill called [Aura Armor Creation] which by far exceeds the realm of human comprehension.


    Making materials out of nothing is tiring but it was worth it. To see my finished work filled me with a sense of purpose, very much so that I think that I was born to create equipment that was thought to be imaginary..


    The jacket had various armor plates infused in it, and so did the other equipment I made like, a  white sleeved vest, dark slacks, finger-less gloves, and black leather boots. What happened to the eye-patch? Oh, I turned it into a colored contact as to not arouse suspicion in the future.


    It was the hardest one by far, to recreate since I had to make it with a hydrogel base with enough water to keep it soft, and at the same time, as least as possible as to not get in the way of my eyesight. All this whilst having to do it so carefully let me fail again and again, redoing it each time. It almost made me break it myself but I was glad I had [Yin-yang Aura] to calm me down sometimes. If not, I would have long run out of patience...


    I also wanted to make equipment for Jin but alas, I couldn''t find out what suited him. Though I asked Orion since he was the one who watched over his training for the past few weeks, he had no interest in clothing and left me to my devices. But I''d like to think of it as him being lazy again when faced with bothersome work.


    The only choice left was to find out more about Jin''s fighting style at a later time. In any case, I had to examine all of the finished equipment, so I invoked [Aura Eyes] to scan through the materials..


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Regal Slayer Vest</td></tr><tr><td>{ Mythical Class }</td></tr><tr><td>The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressure</td></tr><tr><td>Active: Infuse Aura >> Increases HP</td></tr><tr><td>Passive: Doubles HP</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Regal Slayer Slacks</td></tr><tr><td>{ Mythical Class }</td></tr><tr><td>The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressure</td></tr><tr><td>Active: Infuse Aura >> Increases MP</td></tr><tr><td>Passive: Doubles MP</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Regal Slayer Gloves</td></tr><tr><td>{ Mythical Class }</td></tr><tr><td>The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressure</td></tr><tr><td>Active: Infuse Aura >> Increases STR</td></tr><tr><td>Passive: Doubles STR</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Regal Slayer Jacket</td></tr><tr><td>{ Mythical Class }</td></tr><tr><td>The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressure</td></tr><tr><td>Active: Infuse Aura >> Increases INT</td></tr><tr><td>Passive: Doubles INT</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Regal Slayer Boots</td></tr><tr><td>{ Mythical Class }</td></tr><tr><td>The cloth made out of a legendary disaster dragon refined into a higher state while exposed to powerful pressure</td></tr><tr><td>Active: Infuse Aura >> Increases AGI</td></tr><tr><td>Passive: Doubles AGI</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td>Regal Slayer Contact</td></tr><tr><td>{ Mythical Class }</td></tr><tr><td>The versatile accessory that can see through deception</td></tr><tr><td>Active: Infuse Aura >> Change Eye Color</td></tr><tr><td>Passive: Enables the user to use [Reflect Magic]</td></tr></tbody></table>


    "Alright, it seems there are no problems with the appearance, now to test them out.."


    I don the now completed equipment and checked if it was a little tight or loose when I tried it on. I looked in front of the large mirror in my room and examined how I looked when I wore it.


    "Umu, perfect fit. Amazing."


    It seemed that when I wore it and some aura leaked out when I was excited, the cloth automatically adjusted itself to fit my size. Nothing less from my own work I say. Feeling proud of my workmanship, I test the endurance of my new equipment one by one..


    I started off with the contact since it was the easiest to test out first. After infusing aura into my eyes, and thinking about turning my eye color purple, the next second, my left eye changed into a deep purple shade.


    Trying it once more to confirm, except I was turning it into red this time to match my natural eye, it seemed there wasn''t any dizziness, nausea, or any kind of side effect to changing it.


    Then I moved on to the others..


    ..


    ........


    After all the testing was done, I was lying in my bed sweating all over..


    Who knew that every time I infuse aura into the equipment, it would take not little, but huge amounts of magic power at fast intervals. All the while I was infusing aura, my magic power dwindled into the thousands. That was only trying it one by one, imagine if I simultaneously infused every piece at the same time. The only thing that kept me through all of that was the effect of my [Regal Slayer Slacks] which supplemented my magic power by just enough.


    Though, instead of consuming magic power, the slacks consumed aura points or [AP] for short. Due to this, I found out that [AP] was different from the other status because it could also recover like magic power over time. But, it would take so much longer to recover if left alone compared to my magic power.


    Well, it seems that there are still areas to be improved in the future. If only I could find material that could consume less magic power, it would be perfect. Still, the effects were tremendous. After you activated even one of them, that specific status would make you feel like you could do anything.


    Even after consuming a large amount of strength, stamina and magic power, I still couldn''t see the limits of this equipment''s endurance since it didn''t tear or anything like that. Which just goes to show that the legendary dragon''s scales are not just for show. Immense magic capacity was held between its threads..


    Like this, I waited to recover my strength for a while and switched with Orion once again so that he could feel the sluggish feeling I was in right now. It seemed that he recommended me a similar anime, so I was going to go check that out for a while. Even when the winter snowflakes fall and melt onto the warmth of the coming end of winter, spending my days like this with Jin and the people of the village was one of the relaxing parts of my life that I will always remember fondly.


    A few weeks later, I would not even remember this time due to the carnage that was about to begin.


    Spring is the season of beginnings, and I guess mine has just started..

 Chapter 38: Reaching The Border

    Hey guys SlashCrit here, long time no see. Been waiting for the new site to launch but still no news on that front. I also submitted two more fictions entitled, Noble Soul</a> and Parallel World Mafia Boss</a> on royal road. Want to read Annoying Aura</a> and Parallel World Mafia Boss</a> on the original rebirth site? If you want the latest updates or ask questions about my fictions, join me on Discord!</a> That''s all from me, enjoy the new chapter!


    <hr />


    -Jun''s POV-


    "Thank you for everything so far.."


    I bow in gratitude towards the village chief, Germundo. It was only right since I spent more than a month here in this village of theirs. The peaceful days here has come to an end.


    "No, no, I, we, should be thanking you, Glim..Orion-dono. You have done so much for us, the kids, and the village.."


    With those words as the signal, the whole village bowed in reverence towards me. They must have planned this beforehand. Even though I hated the gesture of bowing, somehow this time, I felt a slight sense of fulfillment from seeing their grateful gazes.


    I could see Lena and her party, Xant and the workers, the blacksmith Sandor, and the other villagers say their goodbyes mixed in the crowd of people..


    Whilst the adults of the village were bowing with slight tears in their eyes, the various children of the village appeared out of nowhere and ran towards my direction with trembling expressions.


    I was suddenly surrounded by the many children I had healed and I could recognize many faces out of the group. Since I often taught them games from my world to avoid getting bored, they naturally grew attached to me. Though I''m not thinking of anything bad, it was still bad for my heart to have teary eyed children looking up towards me.


    I don''t see Jin anywhere though. In fact, I haven''t seen him since this morning. I wonder what he was up to..


    "Don-don''t go Niichan!"


    "Why do you have to leave niisan?"


    "You still have to play with us Orion-nii!"


    Hugging my waist, pulling my clothes and wailing with tears in their eyes, the village children exclaimed out loud towards the absent-minded me. It almost made me regret leaving.


    Ah, this is bliss. If only time could stop. Ah, no this is bad. I have to let them go, albeit reluctantly.


    *Pat*


    To the kids in front of me, I gave them a soft ruffle on their little heads. I squatted down, and said towards them at eye-level, making Sharon their representative since she was in the middle.


    "I''ll play with you next time, okay?"


    While unconsciously showing a bright smile filled with genuine intent to visit them in the future, I stand up and turn around, starting to walk away from Glimmer Village, the temporary place I stayed in. A place that gave me warmth even in the coldest nights of winter.


    Although I carry a heavy pain in my heart towards leaving the sad little boys and girls, I calm my outer expression and said my goodbyes to them before I changed my mind.


    "I''ll come by again, if anything happens, contact me!"


    With a wave of my palm, and confirming the nod of the village chief, I set off westward, to fulfill some of my goals in this new world. The village behind my back, and the open view of the grasslands in my path, I walk into the distance.


    A few hours later, when I couldn''t see the village anymore, I sensed a presence. Though, I don''t know if ''he'' noticed that I already noticed him. It was impressive since it took me longer than usual for me to sense him. I had the map but I don''t look at it that often. I won''t tell him that though.


    So, I decided to just keep on walking until he reveals himself or gets into trouble. But, I''m still going to keep an eye on him the whole time. It would make him downhearted if I caught him too easily after all his training after all. It was no problem to do both since I had the ''Aura Map'' skill.


    Still, was it okay to leave the village to follow me?


    I kind of expected him getting too attached, but did he even tell the others?


    Well, I''ll ask that to him later when I get the chance. In the meantime, let''s keep moving to get there even a bit more time earlier.


    I don''t know when the war will resume again after all. Maybe it already started this morning? I had a hard time believing they pursued fighting each other under the cold and freezing winter but it wasn''t out of the question. Let''s not think about it right now. I will find a way to cope once I get there, well, when ''we'' get there..


    I think about my future actions while keeping an eye on my pursuer just like this. As I traverse the slightly wet ground, melting ice and sprouting flowers among the grass, I wondered about what I was going to do if I met the two elf children again. I just hoped they didn''t get hurt in any way. Or else..


    No, let''s stop thinking of dangerous things. I had already examined my capabilities in these few weeks. Based on my results, I am by far, above average among most, if not almost all of the beings I had met. This power is too overwhelming. With my various theories that I could not apply back on Earth, mixed with my [Aura Gift] ability, there were countless possibilities.


    I can predict that almost every normal sentient being in this fantasy world would not have the chance to even inflict damage to me. I had enough of putting up with my other self that liked to hide his strength in completely disadvantageous situations.


    Still, it was still viable to hide my true strength until I meet the beings who were my match. I had enough of my carelessness being my undoing. I had to grow even stronger than even before. There were four more people sent here like me after all.


    Although, I do not know what they were like. I cannot judge them before meeting one, therefore, let''s make as much preparations as I can. Since I can somehow see through the flow of magic power now thanks to my skills, it would be prudent to keep my guard up. I don''t know when one of them could just pass by me after all.


    The dangers were aplenty.


    In any case, I don''t want to lose anyone anymore.


    Thinking about the faces of those who were lost, my head started hurting a bit. I felt my eyes growing hotter but it also further reinforced my resolve to use my new found strength to its full potential.


    Various plans and ideas swirled throughout my thoughts as I contemplated my future battles. I didn''t notice that the sky had already turned orange, slowly dimming down as the sun started to hide between the horizon.


    It seems that it was already going to be night time.


    I must have been walking for quite a while now, since I left the village right after we finished having our lunch. Which meant that I walked absentmindedly. It was a good thing I didn''t run into anything, or anyone. Not that it would matter that much.


    Whoever got in my way had to be taught a lesson.


    Be it through my quick wits or through violence, I no longer had the patience to tolerate those who defy me.


    There are exceptions though..


    "I was just about to make dinner for the night, you want to help me set up camp?"


    I bellow towards the thick bushes in the darkness on my right side. I don''t look towards it though, only my voice came towards the area. I was simultaneously unpacking things from my storage to prepare the campfire. It''s a shame I can''t use elementary magic. I could''ve made a roaring flame in an instant.


    After I waited a while, a rustling sound came out from the bushes. As expected, he can''t go against his stomach.


    I''m pretty sure no one can, now that I think about it.


    There were only bushes around, with a few trees here and there, since the longer I walked, the trees got scarcer and scarcer. I remember him climbing up trees at first, then jumping from tree to tree soon after like a certain anime my other persona introduced to me a while ago. I still haven''t finished it though, I''m planning to watch it tonight.


    Since he ran out of hiding spots, he switched to bush diving a few hours back. I noticed he waited exactly ten seconds on each transfer like a true professional assassin would. As expected from my disciple.


    Well, he''s not my disciple, but the other me''s disciple but you get the idea. I don''t even know how waiting ten seconds on each transfer relates to being a professional assassin but I guess I''m just rambling on and on about something I didn''t know about that well. In any case, it was a bad idea to trail me in plain sight so it was an impressive feat.


    Why am I contradicting myself anyway?


    Un, I need to study more about this from now on. For now, let''s stop and wait for his reply.


    What came out from the bushes, as soon as I stopped thinking about all kinds of things was a little kid with wolf ears and a tail. But his countenance was far from happy. He seemed to have realized that I had known his position all this time but I refused to tell him because I was disappointed. He is so easy to read.


    Yes, he was my, or our, precocious escapist disciple, Jin.


    With those drooping ears and tail, eyes that were looking down, prepared for a round of punishment and harsh words, and growling stomach that showed his mind was still that of a kid forgetting to eat lunch in excitement, how could I not notice?


    Hmm? I was too detailed? It''s just your imagination. I am not thinking about how cute it was at all.


    Not a bit.


    After observing that Jin was resigned for me to forcibly take him back, I strode forward in light steps.


    When he saw that I was coming closer, he shuddered a bit, but ultimately stood his ground, ready to accept anything.


    As expected of...well, you get the point..


    I raised my hand slightly above his drooping ears that were sometimes twitching now. I brought it down towards him and..


    *Pat*


    "......Eh? Shishou?"


    "You''re hungry right? Come and help me prepare. We''ll talk about this after we eat."


    As I ruffled his hair, a surprised expression was seen on his innocent face. Immediately replaced with a wide smile when he heard the topic of food. I might have caught a slight sense of fear at the last part, but maybe that was just my eyes playing tricks on me. I would never hurt him....too much.


    Its as if he saw my evil grin coming out unconsciously, he started to have a terrified expression.


    Oops, gotta fix that..


    I go back to the center of my temporary camp for the night while carrying Jin by the back of his shirt collar, almost looking like I was carrying my pet against his will. He struggled for a bit, but when he remembered that he could not escape my grasp no matter how he tried, he went limp and let his stomach growl louder than before.


    In fact, I had been peckish for a while now. Let''s call my other self to deal with this.


    As I invoke my switching of personas abruptly, I prepare to continue binge-watching my latest show all through the night.


    ??????


    -Kate''s POV-


    "It seems were being underestimated this time."


    "That indeed we are, brother."


    "To think that the humans would send a woman to fight their battles for them. Laughable."


    "It''s indeed very funny, brother."


    "......"


    "Oh, nothing to say? As to be expected of lowly humans who invaded our land for no reason."


    "It''s as to be expected brother."


    Two men with long ears and light hair were standing on top of the hill.


    Their bright features were evidence that they were in fact, part of the elven race.


    They called themselves brothers, but I wonder if that was really true.


    Both were complete opposites. One was tall, and the other was the size of a dwarf. I''m not even sure that he was a dwarf or was he truly an elf. The taller one who seemed to be the older brother, was carrying a long bow made out of wood. While the shorter one carried a short staff with a gem embedded in the middle.


    Those weapons might look ordinary but father already warned me about them before.


    They were ''Spirit Weapons''.


    Based on the information gathered all these years, every elf had a chance to materialize their ''Spirit Weapons''. They were all born with it inside of them. Although, mostly men had the aptitude for bringing it out of their spirit realms so this explains why men were prominent in the battlefield. Female elves would mostly practice magic and housework while the male elves would be sent to war. There were only a few exceptions. Like that girl from before..


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    In any case, these spirit weapons had one common trait. They were all imbued with the power of the spirits. Which meant that all those who possess a spirit weapon can use ''Spirit Magic'' proficiently. The higher tiers of this magic field was even said to level entire seas of lava by the elves of old. But now, they were severely weakened.


    Why? Because most of the past elven races refused to share their research on different spells until they died of sickness.


    The new generation had to completely revise the use of it using what was left by their ancestors. Or so I''ve been told.


    "Very well, stay silent until your grave! Brother, start chanting, but I doubt we''ll need it against this one."


    "Alright! ''Loeik Yourav Mes-"


    You think I''d let you finish running your mouth, bastard!


    Just as they were readying their bow and staff, I quickly rush into their range up the hill in an instant with [Body Enhancement].


    As soon as I confirmed that no archers were targeting from a certain distance, I swung my long steel great sword in a horizontal motion, decapitating the short one among the elf brothers. Since spells were dangerous once casted, judging from my previous experiences, I made the decision to finish this battle quick to aid the other battalions.


    "Wha-"


    Before the severed head of the surprised short elf brother even hit the grass below, I swung my sword in midair like it was a weightless stick that I could spin at any time with [Double Striking] skill. Quickly ending the life of the arrogant older brother who was shocked to see my speed and weightless fighting style, I land to the ground along with both decapitated heads.


    The great sword feels as light as ever. I had been training as a knight all these years after all.


    Being taught by my father, who was really a great person in the kingdom''s knights, I quickly rose up among my peers.


    But still, this was not enough.


    To take revenge against that race who took ''him'' away from me, this was not near enough.


    Even the reason I was fighting against the elves, was for battle experience. I had not put any thought about why this war had been started and was continuing for years, nor did I care. All I needed was more strength. For my vengeance.


    Any thing I could get my hands on, as long as it would improve my overall battle power, is welcome. Killing arrogant bastards like these were the norm for me nowadays. I''ve lost all feeling except for my respect towards my father that was back serving the imperial knight order, and my burning desire to kill all the dragons..


    Yes, the race who took my little brother away from me from childhood. Those large overgrown beasts were too terrifying for the me who was but a small little girl. I remember not even having the strength to look up that day.


    While I remembered my weak, crying self that I had abandoned, I also remembered the gallant figure of my little brother brandishing father''s sword against the large beast that was an embodiment of danger.


    It was kind of ironic, the one who should be protecting the little sibling was crying in a corner, while the one who was supposed to be protected from danger, actually had the courage to stand up to that beast, and even kill it.


    But at what cost?


    Even if I knew that there was no other way we would have gotten out of that situation alive, even though I realize that now, I still can''t forgive myself for letting my little brother save us in exchange for his own life. It was my job, it was supposed to be me..


    I blame myself like this each day even though I know better. That a normal child wouldn''t even have the strength to beat a forest wolf, much less a lesser dragon. That I should not keep hurting myself and my father by doing this. It was unavoidable. That''s what father told me. I couldn''t do anything about it even if I went back to that time.


    But I refuse to accept it. No matter how stubborn I was being, I refused to forgive myself.


    Because I regretted how I spent what little time I had with my little brother, Orion.


    I remember that when I found him in that stable, I somehow find a reason for living when I was recovering from mom''s passing. It was one of the happiest moments in my entire life. I didn''t know where he came from, but I did not even care.


    As he grew older, he grew even more cuter and lovely. I couldn''t imagine losing him from an accident so I started learning strength techniques from dad long ago to keep his curious self in check.


    Whenever he did anything that seemed dangerous, I would use violence to forcibly drag him back to safety.


    I was strict, but I enjoyed every day bickering with him about mundane things.


    I found that life was beautiful when we were together.


    But that fateful day came so fast, and he left our lives just as fast.


    These past twelve years were hard.


    I shut myself from the world most of the time, grieving about his death. I only went out to eavesdrop on the knight reports on the search for his whereabouts under the cliff side but it was all useless. They couldn''t find a trace of him or the dragon.


    Even while knowing I caused trouble for dad, I refused to go out and make friends in the royal capital. I didn''t go to that noble school that he recommended me because girls should learn for the future. I know he didn''t mean anything bad by it, but I still lashed out at him for some reason I don''t remember that well.


    But two years after, I decided to change myself. I don''t know why but one night I heard a voice that told me that the ones at fault were not me, but the dragon race. They were the ones who took him. Convinced with that, I switched my sights on finding them and destroying their entire existence into ash.


    In any case, I needed power. Strength was imperative towards my goal. I had nothing else to do except apologize to father and beg him to teach me his skills. He was reluctant at first since I was his daughter that wasn''t made for fighting but as I showed my conviction to him time and time again, he agreed.


    I was admitted into a knight training school. I was severely looked down upon because of my gender but I didn''t care about their bullying and quickly put them in place once I mastered some of the skills father taught me. I had no time to waste after all.


    Those who were useful were used, and those who weren''t were shown no mercy. It was a far-fetched dream to even think of fighting dragons on even ground as a normal human being so all the more effort I put into studying and honing my body.


    Once I graduated, I immediately got assigned into the knight order. The first thing we were sent to do was participate in the war. I had so many questions about why they would send fresh graduates into a war zone but it was a good chance to test my abilities on the field, so I refrained from complaining. Troublesome things are unneeded.


    After a few months, I grew accustomed to killing elves and beasts from the forest under their dominion. The first time I killed someone was here, but strangely, I didn''t grow sick or disgusted. I felt nothing. I always look at everyone else like they were pebbles on the side of the road. Most had little to no importance to me and my daily life.


    Like this, I grew complacent..


    But then, that day came..


    I, the only survivor out of the whole troop getting massacred with countless [Nature Golems] from that person..


    That certain elf girl had unmatched power without even breaking a sweat. The only way I had escaped alive was pretending that I was dead with [Hide Presence] that father had taught me to use in dire situations. I was lucky to be alive. They said.


    Apparently, she was one of the strongest elves in existence, the one who controlled nature instead of using mostly spirits.


    But instead of regretting my luck and diminishing my will to fight, it only further made me excited. To think I would meet a powerful person so soon. If I could somehow beat her, I might get one step closer to my goal.


    This way, I had trained with renewed vigor, absorbing every teacher and veteran''s techniques and fighting styles. Soon enough, I had mixed their various ways into my own personal fighting style. After that, I had come back to the battlefield in order to find that girl once more. She was an elf but she was strong, so strong that I wanted to beat her.


    But these few days, I haven''t caught a trace of her nor her path of destruction. I wonder where she was?


    No matter, we shall meet sooner or later. At that time, I will show the results of my training.


    I stop after walking a few minutes when I detected more enemy presences.


    As I calm my breathing and thoughts, I brandish my great sword once again.


    Just like always, I say my good luck charm in my inner thoughts..


    Watch over me today as well, little Orion..


    ??????


    -Orion''s POV-


    ".....Shishou...wait for me.."


    It''s an early morning, and the sun is too bright..


    I just want to lay around in bed on days like this but Jun told me to keep moving west until we reach the country border while he stayed up all night. I swear, once that guy had recognized anime as an art form, he started doing all this to me.


    But wasn''t this too much? No matter how you look at it, he''s giving me all the work while he lazes around all day.


    Well, not that I''m complaining with this kid by my side. Apparently, Jin-kun seemed to have followed Jun all the way here. I was also worried at what Germundo-san might think, not to mention the other children back in the village that I gave snacks I made from time to time. But my other persona strictly told me that it was fine. I just had to administer double the training from now on as punishment. I know I don''t say this a lot, but that guy is really merciless.


    Still, I don''t mind that much since I can make Jin-kun stronger, but..


    "........I''m sorry....Shishou....please stop this..."


    When I turn around, I see the black-haired little boy dodging my [Aura Swords] and [Aura Spheres] that I keep launching at him at random intervals. He was just barely grazing them as he quickly developed his reflexes even more. By multiplying the stress of dodging, and travelling at the same time, you''d think that he''ll get happy getting stronger from this. But his teary eyes and sweating forehead tells me otherwise. I want to stop, but that guy won''t let me, so I could only watch with warm eyes.


    I''m sorry I can''t help with that Jin-kun. Jun would kill me if I even tried speaking to him nicely, so I just harden my heart and walk while ignoring his pleads. Hang in there, my disciple..


    This continued until the time when the sun was almost at its zenith, and I received a message that it was fine to stop now.


    I immediately went towards him and apologized for my actions, and tried to explain why I did it, but as soon as I spoke, I noticed that his body was already dead tired. His eyes were trapped shut, and he was sweating all over.


    I''m amazed he could last this long. I was even more amazed at how Jun perfectly calculated the time just before his limits took a toll towards his little body. While watching his chest heave up and down, I lift him unto my back with a gentle smile, and carry him from thereon until we reach our destination.


    Soon enough, right as I got hungry, and Jin-kun got hungri-er, we reached a tall stone wall.


    It looked really imposing with all the guards carrying crossbows and longbows stationed at the top of the wall roads. I examined them using [Aura Eyes] and saw that their individual levels were quite strong to be guards. As expected of the country border.


    When I moved closer, I saw four guards at each side of the inner and outer wall carrying sharp spears, that looked strict. Their levels weren''t a joke to ordinary people either. I decided to just calmly talk with them but Jun suddenly stopped me and said that he''ll take over. I thank him secretly in my heart, since dealing with people isn''t my forte.


    After I woke up Jin-kun, I switch with Jun once more..