《Moonlight Demon (GL LITRPG)》


 Chapter 1 - Prologue - Part One

    1878, the Year of Magia


    "So, all set?" A large man asked, standing by the front door of Ayami''s home. He had a thick grey beard and the look of someone who had seen far more than most other people but hadn''t let it bother him.


    "Yes, yes. Just a second." Ayami replied. She folded her last shirt and stored it away in the large bag on her wooden table. "Done."


    "Good. Everyone else is ready."


    "How many?" Ayami asked. With short raven hair tied into a bun, she made sure her long-sleeved white shirt had no dirt on it.


    "Maybe a dozen, counting us." Then, an uncomfortable look appeared on his face and he scratched the back of his head. "So¡­ Is he coming or not?"


    Ayami sighed.


    "No." She closed her eyes for a moment before nodding to herself. "He has too many responsibilities."


    "One of them being his wife, and yet he''s not coming." The old man replied.


    "Dad, stop," Ayami said. "We''ve been over this. I''m not going to force him to stop working just so he can come on a month-long vacation."


    "Wouldn''t it be possible for him to set aside some time?"


    "You know how the higher districts work. No, it isn''t." Ayami clarified.


    "Eh, I''ll never understand any of that." Her father lamented. "All I know are the best ways to swing an ax."


    At that, Ayami smirked.


    "You sure? Been a while, hasn''t it?"


    "Ah, those kinds of lessons never go away, ''Yami. Levels are neat but skills and techniques? Those are eternal. Those are what make the difference."


    You would know, I guess.


    Indeed, her father''s level was one that many who saw it would stand in awe of.


    Level 25


    MP: 10/10


    ---


    Attributes:


    Strength: 25


    Dexterity: 10


    Constitution: 25


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 5


    As she was a regular person, her own stats were nothing anyone would be impressed by. After all, the only way to gain a level was to kill a living creature or perform extensive amounts of specific training, and she hadn''t done either.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    ---


    Attributes:


    Strength: 1


    Dexterity: 1


    Constitution: 1


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 5


    The Luck attribute had always intrigued Ayami. It was said that the attribute governed the affection that the gods held for you, but for most people, it was at a static 5 and would never be increased.


    With that, he turned around and started heading out of the house. "I''ll tell them you''re done."


    "Right."


    Just as her father was about to exit, someone else opened the door and accidentally slammed it into his face. Ayami cringed when she heard the smacking sound that came with the incident. If it were someone else, someone of a much lower level, she''d expect the person to be knocked out. But, as it was her father, a wise old veteran of Nova''s army, he didn''t even take a step back.


    "AYAMI!" A thin man called out. "O-Oh, sorry, Kazu, uh, sir!"


    Her father grumbled and said:


    "''Yami, your husband is here."


    "I noticed." Ayami sighed. Her father exited the house and when Ayami turned around, she saw a thin, clumsy young man with just a few hairs on his chin and bright blue eyes. He was wearing his usual ji, long white robes, white pants, and golden-colored shoes, as he walked up to her, exhausted.


    Ayami couldn''t help but chuckle a little. A part of her wanted to be mad, but that had been a consistent part of their relationship over the past five years. Try as she might, she simply couldn''t remain angry at him.


    "I, oh goodness, I ran." He coughed, breathing heavily. Ayami shook her head, turning away to hide a smile.


    "I can tell," Ayami responded as she bit back a chuckle.


    "U-Uh, well, I mean, you¡­ Uh¡­" Finally, he took a second to calm down and said, "are you mad at me?"


    "Maybe." Ayami turned around. "I''m glad you''re here now though." At that, he gave a relieved smile and straightened his back up. Ayami walked up to him and planted a small peck on his lips. "I have to go, though. They''re waiting on me."


    "Can they wait a little longer?" He asked, countering with his own kiss and Ayami shook her head, laughing.


    "No, I don''t believe they can."


    "Alright." He took a step back. "Walk you there?"


    "Sure."


    The pair walked out into the buzzing streets of Jade, the capital of Nova''s Jewel Empire. It occupied a central spot in Nova''s geography and presented a cosmopolitan culture that mixed together most of the elements of the empire. From the artistic and expressive side of the western city of Pearl which was seen in the lackadaisical clothing and blas¨¦ attitude of the younger members of society to the cold grey stone in the architecture, reminiscent of the honorable and old city of Onyx to the east.


    People of all walks of life lived here. In a city like Sapphire, up north, a visitor would likely understand that the vast majority of people they met would be impoverished low-class colonized citizens, here, anyone that visitor spoke to could be rich or starving.


    Ayami felt her husband''s left hand ensnare her waist and she adjusted her own pace to match his.


    "I''m going to be awfully lonely for a while huh?" Her husband asked.


    "Not too long. Just a month."


    "I''d bet a lot of money that it''s going to feel like an eternity."


    "¡­ You''d likely win that bet."


    Ayami gave him a bittersweet smile. He returned it and lifted his chin as his eyes scanned the area around them. He was a few inches taller than her, but when his eyes gained the determined glint that they held in this instant, she felt like he was a giant. Before, when she first met him, her friends and family hadn''t understood why she liked him, but it was moments like these that showed the man''s true self. A determined individual who took what life gave him in stride.


    "We should visit the Spirit Gardens District," he said suddenly, "when you come back, I mean."


    "I''d love to!" Ayami agreed. "It''s been so long since I''ve seen the spirits. You must be tired of it by now, working so close to that place."


    "That sight," he replied, "it''s the kind that you never get tired of. No matter what."


    Looking up at him, she replied:


    "Yes, I agree."


    A few minutes later, they were standing just a bit of distance away from the Lantern Pass. Jade''s western gate led to the Valley of Lanterns, a road illuminated by those special objects which glowed brilliantly at night. Ayami''s husband placed a slender hand on the small of her back and she glanced at the caravan. Several men and women were boarding the grand wooden vehicle as Ayami approached. The driver spotted Ayami and, as he knew who she was, nodded to her with a greeting.


    "Ah, so the time''s already here." Her husband said with disappointment plain to sense in his tone. They looked into each other''s eyes. "A month, right?"


    "Yes." Ayami sighed. "It''ll be over before you know it."


    "I sincerely hope you''re right."


    With one last kiss, the two separated.


    "See you soon then," he said, and Ayami pecked him on the cheek one more time before walking away. It''s always fairly lonely when he''s not around. She thought as she neared the vehicle.


    "Hello! I received your payment already, feel free to hop on."


    "Thank you."


    She walked up the wooden steps and into the spacious vehicle. The smell of lit duskweed and the sounds of festive chattering hit her ears almost instantly. Oh no, please tell me these people aren''t the energetic types. With a light-hearted sigh, Ayami continued into the vehicle. She smiled and politely waved at the other passengers, though many of them didn''t pay her much attention. They were all impressive in their own ways though.


    At the front sat the guards. Four young Jade knights, who likely took this job as a means to make a few easy crowns, and her father, the oldest of them. Of course, his level was the highest as well out of anyone in that caravan. That was a fact Ayami was fairly proud of. However, as proud as she was of her father, she could not sit next to him. He had once told her that she had a bad habit of turning him softer when she was around, and in front of the knights, he needed to be the picture of stoic duty. So, she walked past him.


    Eventually, she found an empty seat near the back and placed her bag on its cushioned leather. Well, now what? She asked herself as a woman in a black and gold business ji walked into the caravan.


    "Good morning everyone." She said, her voice smooth and comforting. Ayami didn''t doubt that was why she was hired for this position. "We will be departing now. Please, remain seated for the duration of the trip. If you have a question, do not hesitate to call out to me. Our first stop is Phalanx, the Shield Village, which is two days away. We will stop to make camp at night, so you may all eat and take care of any business in the wild. Any questions?" The woman asked. No one said anything. "Alright then. Have a wonderful trip."


    With that, the caravan soon began moving. And, along with it, Ayami''s comfort remained in Jade. She looked out the window, watching as citizens gawked at them and she smirked. Yeah, yeah. Everyone wants to travel but no one really knows what it means. Leaving your home, your loved ones behind. It''s an activity for the empty of heart, really. But, well, sometimes it''s necessary.


    She leaned her head back on the chair and took a deep breath.


    Hopefully, my mother will be alright. It''s been some time since I''ve seen her.


    When the caravan officially left the city, the land changed. The Valley of Lanterns, which was just outside of Jade, came into view. A street decorated with hundreds of small lanterns carrying dim golden flames that never burnt out. It was said those were the spirits of repentant criminals, given a task by the gods to keep the streets safe.


    Or maybe they''re just little torches put there by mages. Ayami laughed.


    Though, it was hard to dispute that the gods had blessed the world around her. The Jewel Empire was evidence of that. Ayami had also been lucky enough to be born and raised in Jade, one of the most beautiful cities in all the land.


    As the caravan picked up a little bit of speed, occasionally bumping due to the rocks and dips in the dirt road, Ayami pulled out a small notepad.


    As a child, she''d wanted to be an artist. Everyone around her had grown up admiring the heroes of Nova, those high-level vigilantes that fought off the nightmares and monsters that plagued the lands. She''d even seen a few of them, of course, since her father was a knight and would often invite such warriors home for dinner. Yes, she''d seen all manner of talent. But, it was the painters and sculptors who tended to impress her. Instead, she settled for the life of a housewife, but sometimes, she still felt that itch.


    Well, why not. It''ll be a while anyway. She decided and pulled out a small brush she kept in her bag for exactly these kinds of occasions. The only paint she had was black but that was all she needed.


    Hopefully, the trip would be over soon. She was already missing the quaint walls of her home city.

 Chapter 2 - Prologue - Part Two

    "It was incredible!" One of the knights said to his fellow warriors. "Kazu swung his greatsword and cleaved the ogre in half! A level 20 beast! I''d never seen anything like it!"


    As they traded combat stories, Ayami tried to focus on her drawing. She was currently painting the image of a young woman looking out a window. Still, their voices were raucous enough to pierce her concentration.


    "It lifted its arms too high; the opening was obvious." Her father explained nonchalantly. At that, Ayami smiled. Never one to just take a compliment, huh, dad? "When you''re truly a skilled fighter, victory is never accidental. It''s calculated. If a true warrior watches two combatants fight, they should be able to know who will win after the first couple of moves."


    I''m sure the fact that it was level 20 and you''re level 25 had nothing to do with it, dad. She smirked.


    As they chatted away, Ayami continued her drawing. Four hours into the journey, the figure was starting to come together. The hair trailing her back, the sun pouring through the window, her silhouette.


    And then, someone interrupted her.


    "Excuse me, may I?" A young boyish voice asked.


    "Huh?" She looked up and found that one of the younger men on the caravan had walked to her seat. "Sure." She didn''t think too much of it.


    The man had short brown hair and a charming smile. He wore a brown coat and a white shirt underneath that made him seem like some sort of merchant. Indeed, his confidence also befits one. He had to be around twenty or nineteen-years-old. Ayami turned her eyes back to the drawing.


    "I''ve never been out of Jade, it feels incredible." The boy said and Ayami smirked.


    "Yeah, at first." She replied.


    "Does it only go downhill from here?" He asked.


    "Not entirely, but you get used to it. It''s all kind of the same really." Ayami told him.


    "Oh, so you travel a lot?" Ayami looked over at him. He looked unassuming enough.


    "Yes, or, well, I used to."


    "What happened? If you don''t mind me asking."


    "It''s no problem." She waved his concerns off. "I settled down."


    "Oh, alright. By the way, I''m Aro. It''s nice to meet such a lovely person."


    "Ayami." She replied as he extended his hand, and she shook it gently.


    Goodness, I hope he''s not hitting on me. She resisted the urge to chuckle. Magia bless him.


    "So, what places have you been to?"


    "Pearl, Onyx, a few villages here and there."


    "They say those places are polar opposites."


    "They''re right," Ayami replied. "When I first went to Pearl, I couldn''t really believe the sheer amount of colors I was seeing. Then, when I went to Onyx, it was like the world turned monochrome."


    "Ah, what I''d do to get a glimpse of Pearl. I''ve heard so many wonderful things about it."


    "It''s alright."


    "You''re a hard woman to impress, huh?" He asked. Ayami shook her head light-heartedly.


    Then, the caravan began to slow down.


    Huh? What''s going on? Ayami looked up. She saw her father getting up and walking out of the vehicle.


    As Ayami focused a little harder, she narrowed her eyes and spotted what looked like an old man wearing a red shirt. Only, as she stood up and got a slightly closer look, she saw that it wasn''t a red shirt. It was a white one.


    It only looked red because it was covered in blood.


    Oh my goodness, what happened? Ayami covered her mouth as she listened to her father as he approached him.


    "Sir? Do you need assistance?" Her father''s deep voice reached her ears.


    "T-Terrible things¡­" The bloodied man mumbled.


    She was almost where the door was, and a knight held a hand out.


    "You should stay inside, just in case this is some sort of trap." A knight said. "Old bandit strategy, getting someone out like this and luring people into danger."


    "Uh, yes. I''ll stay here." She replied.


    "Is he okay!?" Another citizen on the caravan asked.


    "By Magia''s grace, he looks badly hurt!" Another one stated.


    "Calm down, calm down. Our leader is investigating." Another knight told them.


    Could this be some sort of a bandit attack, like he said?


    Then, the man started talking once again as his eyes, wide and panicked, looked up at Ayami''s father.


    "Monstrous beings¡­ The stuff of nightmares¡­"


    "What kind of creature was it? Can you tell me?" Her father asked.


    Instead, the man pointed down the road, where the caravan was headed.


    "That¡­ That way."


    "Hm¡­ Alright. Come in. We''ll heal you up."


    The old man was taken into the caravan. The older knight told the others to keep their eyes peeled, which, given what one of the younger warriors had said, probably had a few different reasons to merit it. Regardless, they took the man''s shirt off and found that indeed, he had several deep slashes covering his torso. The strange part though, was that his wounds were seared closed, a residual violet glow left where he''d been hurt.


    One of the knights knew some minor healing magic and placed his hands over the old man''s wounds, but when he tried to cast his spell, the man almost shrieked.


    "It hurts!" He said.


    "W-What?" The young knight pulled his hands away. The old man was hyperventilating.


    "A curse," Kazu said.


    To confirm it, Kazu told him to bring his status up for all to see and he did.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    STATUS EFFECTS:


    [Cursed]


    Healing magic will instead worsen the recipient''s condition.


    "Yes, as I thought. We can''t do much for him. Not until we can get him to a priest." He told them.


    "So, will we be heading back?" A knight asked Kazu.


    "We could continue onward; the nearest village is a shorter distance away."


    "Will he hold out until we get there?" Ayami asked and her father glanced over at her.


    "Maybe." He shrugged. "The problem though is that whatever did this to him is ahead, in the village''s direction. We could run into them."


    "Sounds scary." A citizen took deep breaths.


    "If you ask me, that sounds like all the more reason to head there," a knight replied.


    "Aye, we should be able to beat them," Kazu said. "What do you all say? You''re the travelers. It''s up to you." He asked the other people sitting in the caravan. None of them said anything at first. Each one either looked to someone else or looked down at the ground.


    Ayami was the first to speak.


    "We''re already halfway." She shrugged. "If it would take the same time to come back, and you''re sure you can beat them, we may as well just get to where we''re going."


    "Sounds good to me." The boy she''d been talking to, Aro, said.


    "Sure." The other passengers each agreed.


    "Alright." Her father nodded. "Let''s move."


    Just like that, with the man being placed on a seat at the front where the knights could watch over him, the trip continued. However, there was a thick sense of tension in the air now. On Ayami''s side of things, the cause was simple. She''d never seen a real monster before.


    Aro nudged her with his elbow.


    "This got kind of interesting, didn''t it?"


    "Frightening is more like it."


    "Ah, don''t worry." He grinned. "Whatever happens, the knights will protect us. And, hey, if they fail to do so, I''ll stand between you and whatever comes. Feel free to use me as a shield."


    Hey, I might actually take you up on that. She thought as she nodded.


    As the caravan moved down the road, the man''s condition began to worsen. His pained moans circled through the vehicle and did nothing to ease Ayami''s worries. There was nothing the knights could do though to assist him. Healing magic was useless, and although every caravan carried a basic first aid kit, the wounds had already been closed. What was causing the man so much distress was not a result of anything that could be fixed at this moment.


    He perished not too long after that. There was nothing they could do about it.


    Sometime later, the sky darkened as grey clouds moved in. Whatever conversations had been happening slowly died down. A few of the travelers were nervously excited, Ayami though was just anxious. How much longer till we get there? She asked herself.


    Then, the caravan stopped for a second time. Every traveler inside perked up, wanting to see what had caused this. Ayami watched as her father rose out of his seat and leaned out the door, wanting to see who or what was there.


    Ayami did the same and as she poked her head out, she saw what looked like a young man standing in the middle of the road. His head low, she couldn''t see his expression.


    "Sir?" Her father called out. "Need any help?"


    He walked out of the caravan and moved up to him. With every step, Ayami grew increasingly worried. Something about this didn''t feel right.


    Her father drew closer and suddenly, he unsheathed his blade.


    Wait, what? Ayami gasped. Why is he¡­? But then, as she squinted, she saw them. Two black horns on his head.


    Quickly, she focused on the thing''s stats.


    Level ?


    MP: ?


    From where she was, she couldn''t see the thing''s level either. But, clearly, something had caused her father to take up a combative stance. And then, the man raised his head. Sharp, slit-pupil violet eyes looked back at Kazu as he stared the man, no, the monster down.


    But a fair fight wasn''t something that creature was interested in. Kazu was about to say something when the monster charged at him. The other knights quickly unsheathed their own blades and walked out of the vehicle, but they were too late.


    Ayami watched in horror as that thing thrust its hand into her father''s torso as if tearing through paper.


    Throughout her life, many things had been constant. The sun would rise, the twin moons of the night would come to replace it. Another constant though had been that her father could not lose a battle. He was renowned for his ability to fight and dismantle opponents. Not that she''d ever seen him do it, but that was all she ever heard.


    So, now, seeing him on his knees, a hole in his body with a monster looking down at him with a savage grin, it couldn''t have been real. Her body froze up as shouts of men and women rang out. Tears streamed down her face as she watched his body slump over.


    But that was only the beginning. As the horses began to panic as well in the presence of whatever had just come, the area around the caravan darkened. It was like the day had sped up several hours and nighttime was just beginning to set in.


    Ayami felt like she couldn''t move. She could hear Aro saying something next to her, but his words simply wouldn''t register in her mind. The only thing that managed to tear her attention away from her father''s lifeless body was a sharp screech she heard coming from her right side.


    Then, she saw them. The caravan had been surrounded. There were several of those things, just like the one that killed her father, all standing in a circle around the vehicle.


    Level: ?


    MP: ?


    None of their stats showed up. Each one began to cackle and grin sadistically as one of them, the biggest-looking one, raised an arm. Then, silence. And, as the creature lowered their arm and aimed at the caravan, chaos.


    The monsters charged. The knights spread out, trying to fight them off but it was all too easy for these beasts to defeat them. Carnage. Pure carnage. Death and mayhem spread until one monster burst into the vehicle. They didn''t just attack the citizens, but the horses as well.


    And then, as Ayami watched the other travelers get snatched away, her instincts finally kicked in. Through the hole in the vehicle, she scurried out. Aro was behind her, but as soon as she got out, when he tried to do the same, one of those monsters grabbed him. She didn''t see what happened. All she heard was a sickening crunch and Aro''s voice faded.


    Ayami did not look back. Instead, keeping herself low, she tried to run out through the crowd of citizens, knights, and monsters.


    But, one of those creatures stopped her. It grabbed her by the knee and Ayami lost her balance and fell.


    She looked back and her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets when she saw what she could only describe as a nightmarish face smiling down at her. Am I going to die here? She thought. And, for a few brief moments, it seemed that was the case, as the monster raised its hand and the image of a similar limb piercing her father''s body came back to her mind.


    But instead, it spread her legs and Ayami''s heart froze.


    What happened next was something she wouldn''t wish on her worst enemy. There, in the darkness, as men and women died in this field of dirt and wood, the monster inserted itself inside of her, and Ayami''s air was stolen. She felt like she couldn''t breathe as the creature ruined her body.


    ¡­


    What felt like an eternity had passed, and by now, none of the knights or travelers were still alive. Ayami was fairly certain she was the only one. Her eyes were fixed on the darkened sky as the creature continued, seemingly never getting tired. However, a small glint of luck made itself known.


    The other monsters were busy fighting over one of the dead horses. The creature that was on top of her noticed this and decided it wanted this as well. So, with no delicacy, it detracted itself from between her legs and ran up to the other ones, joining their fight.


    Ayami couldn''t move for the longest time. She was still in disbelief, still waiting to wake up from what was obviously just a bad dream. But it never happened. Instead, as it sunk in that this was, in fact, very real, she made her final attempt. She turned around and, without even standing up so as to not attract attention, began crawling away.


    How long she did that for, she didn''t know. What she did know was that eventually, the sounds died out and the darkness began to fade. With her clothing and her body torn, dirty, and broken, she finally got up and ran.


    At first, she ran as far as her legs could take her, however, as some sense slowly returned to her, she ran back along the road.


    It was a long and terrible journey back to Jade, but eventually, she made it.


    Sadly, her story was not a unique one. As the demons had grown in power, so too did their boldness. With every year that passed after this, more attacks happened. Where Ayami''s tale stood out though, was that when she returned to her home city, she was not alone.

 Chapter 3 - Prologue - Final Part

    18 Years Later


    It was utter chaos in the church of Magia. Injured men and women were coming in by the dozens, all thanks to the recent demon attacks that had been plaguing the land. Their terrible dark magic left cursed wounds on any who were injured by them, wounds that only the holiest of priests, gifted in the knowledge of light magic and with more than a few points in their Intelligence attribute, could ever hope to cure.


    One of those men was Father Varcon, the archpriest of this church.


    Level 2


    MP: 200/200


    Attributes


    Strength: 1


    Dexterity: 1


    Constitution: 1


    Intelligence: 20


    Wisdom: 20


    Luck: 5


    He was a seventy-four-year-old man dressed in the typical white and gold of those who worshipped Magia. But, right now, he had bigger things to worry about. For, the Golden Crystal of Magia, the eternal selector of great heroes, was spinning once again.


    It seems the next Savior is to be chosen today. He noted, kneeling in front of the crystal. And with Magia''s blessings, of course, comes opportunity.


    "Father Varcon!" A deacon called out to him.


    "Yes?" He did not turn back. His eyes remained on the spinning crystal. Its glorious frame was like sugar for his eyes.


    "We need your assistance, your holiness. Please, these men need aid!"


    "Ah. I see." He nodded to himself. "Very well, show me to them."


    All in all, there were around 20 injured men and women. He inspected their conditions carefully. Some had only been scratched, others had monstrous gashes across their torsos that let their intestines threaten to spill out. Out of the 20, he believed maybe half could live.


    So, he saved four of them.


    So as to not be discriminatory, he chose the four randomly.


    Let''s see... I''ll count to three and I''ll save someone every time I land on three.


    "No, this one is doomed," he would tell the deacon, passing by some he chose to let pass away. One, two... He came upon one knight, a young cinnamon-haired woman, and smirked. It seems today is your lucky day, Magia smiles upon you, warrior.


    "This one can be saved."


    The deacon who, of course, had no idea of the true extent of Varcon''s healing power, grinned from ear to ear with glee. Varcon laid his hands over her wounds and said the incantation of the spell.


    "Oh, blessed pantheon, shine upon me!"


    His hands were encapsulated in a blueish-white light and the wound began to close as the violet curse disappeared.


    "You are amazing, your holiness!"


    "Save your praises for Magia. It is through her grace that I work." Varcon told the deacon.


    "Y-Yes, sir!" But then, the deacon''s eyes fell on the other wounded warriors. Varcon saw him gulp. "May I ask a question?"


    "Of course."


    "Can these folks truly not be saved?" He asked. "I¡­ I don''t mean to doubt your word, sir, your holiness, but I¡­ Are these wounds truly that deep?"


    At that, Varcon smiled.


    "You may yet have a future here." He whispered. "Come."


    "What?"


    "Follow me," Varcon instructed and, with a bowed head, the deacon did so.


    Deeper into the church, Varcon took him to where the crystal was, shining in all its glory. The sounds of panicked nurses and praying priests faded into the background as Varcon pointed at the crystal. It took up so much space that, when standing in front of it, one could not help but stand in awe.


    "Do you see it?"


    "Y-Yes, father." Varcon could tell he was as floored by the sight as most newcomers to the church were. It was one of their greatest treasures.


    "It will select a new Savior today."


    "T-TRULY!?" The deacon shouted.


    "Yes." Varcon did not take his eyes off the object. It was, to him, Magia''s power incarnate. A reminder of who he served and why. "You were right, by the way."


    "What?"


    "Some of those men, some of those women, could have been saved." Varcon nodded. The deacon looked alarmed. "Can you guess why I didn''t?"


    "I¡­ No, sir, I cannot."


    "It is because of the scene. I allowed them to perish so that this scene," he turned and gestured out, to the people panicking as more warriors died in front of them, "could be formed. See, the crystal, deacon, only guarantees that a Savior will be chosen. It does not, however, guarantee what sort of person the Savior will be. So, I ask you. What is of more use to us, to Jade, to Nova, a Savior that believes this problem is a minor one or one who sees this horror and feels motivated to stand on the frontlines and be the shield Nova needs." He looked at the deacon. "Do you understand? Seeing this, the hero will be rallied. Their heart will be torn and their immense anger towards the demons will be our victory."


    "I¡­ I see!" The deacon bowed. "Thank you for explaining it to me, I am a fool."


    "No." Varcon shook his head. "You are reasonable."


    And being reasonable is not what this world needs right now. It needs a leader, it needs me.


    Then, the crystal spun once again and a light was cast from it! It shone on the wall, pointing out the church and to the city, no doubt.


    "Ah. I see it is time." Varcon said. "Accompany me, deacon. Let us go meet our new hero."

 Chapter 4 - 1

    Ash tried her hardest not to walk away, she needed every last crown she could get. The street was absurdly hot today, with a cloudless sky letting the sun sear her skin as she kept a cup extended, asking the people passing by for a few crowns. The unfortunate part was that her "don''t fuck with me, walk away" exterior consistently managed to work against her. She simply didn''t have it in her not to look angry, and, well, considering the fact that she was a homeless half-demon that couldn''t go one hour without catching a dirty look, she didn''t care to fix that.


    "Excuse me," she asked as politely as she could, "could you give- or you could walk away. Yeah, fuck you too," she said as the person didn''t even stop to listen.


    As she mumbled that to herself, she heard a couple of coins drop into her cup.


    "Thanks." She said without looking at the person who gave them.


    "No problem, hopefully, that''ll get you to smile a little."


    When she heard the familiar voice, she rolled her eyes.


    "You again." She noted with a sigh. "Kairo, why are you here?"


    "It''s somewhat concerning that you ask that to your only friend. I''m hurt!"


    The man standing beside her was a short, middle-aged monk. He was probably the only person in the whole street that looked as ragged as Ash did, wearing just a brown robe and slippers. His beard, his baldness, his hunched back, it was all painfully on the nose that he wanted to convey the "wise man" image.


    "What do you want? You''re scaring away my clients." Ash told him, gesturing at the passing citizens, none of which seemed particularly interested in what was happening.


    "Hm, what do I want? Enlightenment, the love of Lumina, world peace. I''ll settle for a bit of your time though. Care to accompany me?"


    "What?" Ash raised a brow at him.


    "It''s noon. You must be hungry. Come, I''ll buy us some lunch," Kairo said.


    Ash wasn''t particularly fond of him, but she wasn''t dumb enough to turn down a free meal. She got up, stretching her arms in the air, making a few people grimace when her scent reached them and nodded to him.


    "Fine."


    He took her to the city''s Public Square, a space so loud that Ash was tempted to cover her ears. She kept her eyes low, avoiding eye contact as the monk guided her. They ended up at a stall that was selling paper-wrapped salads.


    "Two basics, please," Kairo asked of the vendor and soon, he and Ash were seated nearby.


    It had been far too long since Ash had any real food, most of the time she bought cheap bread and made do with that. When the minty scent hit her nostrils, she almost growled.


    "Thank you." She blurted out before taking some of the lettuce and biting into it.


    Thankfully, he allowed her a small moment of silence. She glanced around the square, the golden banners of Jade hanging proudly on the white stone walls. Although there must have been at least two hundred people in the square at that moment, not one was a half-demon like her. Half-demons like her were exceptionally rare, she''d learned as much at school before her life fell apart.


    "How is it?" Kairo asked, interrupting her thoughts.


    "Fine."


    "You''re eating it very quickly for something that is just ''fine'', heh."


    "Whatever." Ash looked away. Hearing that, she tried to slow down. She hadn''t even noticed how voraciously she was consuming the meal.


    "I remember when I first met you, you were equally as hasty." He chuckled. "You don''t tend to calm down much, do you?"


    "When was that?" She asked, without answering the question.


    "Hm. I believe it was two years ago, no?"


    "Right, right. I was begging and you said the dumbest line I''ve ever heard, to this day." Ash said, talking as she chewed, "I asked for some crowns and you said¡­"


    "I''ll give you something better, a friend, I said." He finished for her.


    "Yeah. That''s still the most hilarious thing I''ve heard."


    "It was fairly clever; you have to admit." The monk told her.


    "Nope." Ash looked up at him. "So, what? Is this what you do all day? Just take random homeless people out to eat?"


    "Have you seen me with any other homeless person?"


    "So, what, are you into me or something?" Ash smirked. "Is this some elaborate way of getting in my," she looked down and saw that she wasn''t wearing pants. All she had on were rags. "Under my rags?"


    "When you''re finished, let me know." He suddenly deflected. "There''s another place I''d like to take you."


    Ash raised a brow before going back to the food in front of her.


    "Yeah, sure."


    He didn''t say much after that. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. When Ash was finished, she waved a hand in front of him and gestured to the empty plate on the table.


    "Ah, alright. Come."


    Ash didn''t question where they were going. She didn''t particularly like him, but she knew by now that he probably meant no ill will to her. If he did, she assumed she''d be able to get away from whatever bad situation he had in mind. But, no, he did not take her to any sort of ambush. She remembered where this path led a short while after they''d walked onto it. Ash had walked the streets of Jade for long enough to know where they were headed.


    The Spirit Gardens District? She asked in her mind. Ugh, why? She always felt uncomfortable in this area. Everything was always so clean and proper, it made her and her, literally, piss-poor condition stand out all the more. But, she didn''t voice her concerns as she followed him there.


    The Spirit Gardens District was composed of one giant tree surrounded by white stone buildings. It got its name from the white embers that floated around the tree, known to everyone as actual spirits.


    "Has anyone ever told you why these spirits remain here?"


    "No." Ash shook her head as they walked onto the dirt and the monk approached the tree. He placed a hand on its bark, closing his eyes.


    "It is said that wayward lost souls end up here. That Magia herself planted the seed that sprouted this tree for those souls to find comfort before they find where they need to be. This is a place for the purposeless to find meaning."


    Ash put her hands on her hips.


    "Meaning, huh?'' She looked up at it. "If getting that kind of thing were that easy, that would make a lot of people just really unlucky, wouldn''t it?"


    "Not necessarily. Maybe they just need a push in the right direction."


    Ash sighed and looked around. Despite what he said about things finding meaning here, Ash didn''t get the sense that anything around the tree was in search of a purpose. Everyone who walked through the district, the people who made this place in the past, seemed to have found their meaning quite easily.


    "I should head back," Ash told the monk. "It''s getting late."


    The monk looked up at the sky.


    "Truly? I gauge it''s just 2 or so right now."


    "Guards get more and more annoying the later the day gets. I can''t be asked to be seen at four or five or later."


    "Very well then. Let us return."


    "You''re coming with me?" Ash asked.


    "My home is quite close to where you usually stay. What, did you think I walked through half the city to speak to you?"


    "Heh, and here I thought you wanted to be friends," Ash smirked.


    "Friends don''t make friends walk for an hour."


    "But they do make them walk to stare at trees?" Ash added.


    "Yes, that they do." The monk said with a chuckle.


    On that note, they began pacing back to where the monk had found Ash. His words marinated in her mind. Meaning, she thought. Not everyone is meant to have a purpose, I think. That''s why people like me exist. Some of us just don''t get that privilege.


    At a very young age, Ash had accepted that she belonged in that particular category of individuals. Purposeless, aimless. Her sole duty in this world was to take up space, breathe, eat and fade away, maybe only ever remembered by the guards that would harass her and the vendors who would reluctantly sell their products to her whenever she had the money to buy them.


    It was as Ash thought about this that something happened. She and the monk were back in the lesser parts of the city, walking through a narrow alley when, ahead, three nebulous-looking types appeared. The instant she saw them, with their greedy visages, she understood.


    Thugs. Ash thought. Of course.


    "Well, shit. What do we have here? A half-demon and her owner on a walk?" The one in the middle, probably their leader, said. He was a man of average height with short black hair and wearing a black bandana. To the left, a small, bald girl sneered at the half-demon. To the right, there was a big, burly man carrying one heavy-looking club.


    "We don''t want any trouble." The monk said behind Ash.


    "No, but they clearly do," Ash muttered.


    Well, let''s see.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    These were the stats of the girl to the left. She grinned and licked her lips as Ash watched her, then Ash glanced at the one to the right.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    Well, he''s bigger, so yeah, it stands to reason he''d get tired faster. Ash surmised. Finally, she looked at the possible leader of the group.


    Level 3


    MP: 10/10


    Huh. I see.


    In this world, there was only one way to increase your level. That was, to kill something. Whether it was a human, a monster, an animal, it didn''t matter. There was no way to work on your level without actually ever killing. So, the fact that he was Level 3 meant that at some point, he''d ended something, or someone''s, life.


    And, since they were clearly criminals of some sort, Ash doubted that the man had leveled up by killing random dogs.


    The last step before a fight, of course, was to see her own stats and what she could do with them.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    Attributes:


    Strength: 1


    [Physical power]


    Dexterity: 1


    [Physical precision, speed, and timing]


    Constitution: 5


    [Physical resistances]


    Intelligence: 1


    [Spell potency]


    Wisdom: 1


    [Mana pool and ability to learn new spells]


    Luck: 100


    [Governs everything that happens to you]


    Note! A high luck stat is not necessarily good. One can have bad luck or good luck, the statistic simply denotes how impactful that luck will be.


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach


    [Can eat or drink anything without gaining any negative status effects.]


    Undiscovered Trait


    ?


    Undiscovered Trait


    ?


    Ash always laughed when she saw her Luck. Feels like a joke, to be honest.


    Her constitution had risen gradually over time thanks to the poor quality of the food she ate. At least, that''s what she guessed. She understood how levels worked, but not attributes. Not fully, anyway.


    "How much d''ya think they''ve got on ''em?" The girl asked.


    "Maybe a few coins. Maybe more. Old people tend to be loaded." The leader replied. "Well, we''ll see."


    They began walking forwards.


    "Old man," she spoke. "You should stay back."


    Ash, of course, assumed he wasn''t about to try to fight anyone. He was a monk after all, likely a pacifist, and an elderly one at that.


    "There are three of them. Are you going to fight them alone?" He asked. "Why not run?"


    "I could get away, sure, but what about you?" She told him. "I owe you for the meal, don''t I?"


    "Heh. I see." The old man said slowly and took a step back.


    Ash breathed in.


    Ash had been homeless for six years now. She''d been in more than a few brawls, a few of them being against groups of people like this. She''d scrapped with guards, other homeless people, and thugs just like these three. She had a few ideas on what to do.


    If I just wait for them to gang up on me I''m finished. All I''ve got is the element of surprise, really. I have to pick one off as soon as they get close. Her eyes went to the short girl. Then, I have to grab something. She looked around and found a few wooden barrels, then she eyed the big guy. Eh, it''s better than nothing. Finally, she looked at the man in the middle. After that, it''s all about taking out the strongest one.


    They were dangerously close as Ash finished her scheming. She took another deep breath as the man in the middle grabbed the stick in his hands and slowly raised it up. Then, Ash charged. She ran straight for the girl, poking her in both eyes before kicking her back.


    Of course, as her Strength was at 1, her kick didn''t really hurt the girl, but those eye pokes did.


    Her action had been so fast and unprecedented that the other two thugs didn''t respond.


    "What the fuck? Get her!" The man ordered the bulky one as the girl fell back with a cry.


    "My eyes! You fucking bitch!"


    Okay! Ash ran past the other two thugs, ducking under a slow swing from the big one''s club, and quickly picked up the wooden barrel. The big guy was taking lumbering steps towards her and Ash raised up the barrel and smashed it down on his head. He fell back and the ground shook as he landed.


    "Huh, a bit more resourceful than the usual prey." The one in the middle chuckled. "Alright, come on. Show me what you''ve got!"


    However, to Ash''s surprise, she wouldn''t have to. From behind the leader, the old man walked up stealthily, raised a hand, and brought it down on the thug''s neck. A sickening thud sounded across the alley.


    "Gah!" The man''s eyes rolled behind his back and he fell forwards, face-first onto the ground.


    "Huh?" Ash looked up at the monk in confusion. The monk shrugged.


    "You don''t get to grow old without knowing a thing or two about fighting, kid."


    "Well, shit." Ash laughed. "Could have said something."


    "I could have." The monk nodded. "But that would have been less fun."


    Hm. May as well. Ash reached into the leader''s pockets and pulled out a few crowns to the displeasure of the monk. She shrugged at him and the monk turned around. And so, the three thugs laid on the ground as Ash and the monk simply walked away.


    When they finally made it back to where the monk had found Ash, the light of the sun was turning a deep orange and Ash collapsed onto the ground. Way too much wasted energy.


    "That was all fairly exhilarating." The old man said.


    "Stressful is more like it."


    "Ha! I had fun. Maybe my age is showing. Regardless, it is time for me to return home. Ash," he told her and she glanced up, "meaning finds all of us sooner or later. Maybe it''s closer than you think."


    "Sure." She mumbled and the man waved at her. Ash''s response was to lay down on the sidewalk and look up at the sky as he left.


    Once again, she was alone.


    That was a bit rough, but nothing too dangerous. She thought. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a little more chill.


    As soon as she thought those words, a carriage stopped next to her. Ash didn''t think anything of it, so she kept her eyes on the sky until two priest-looking individuals stood next to her, blocking the view.


    "Get lost." She said.


    The priests paid her no mind. They simply spoke to each other as Ash stood up.


    "Is this it?" One of them said. The other one, the elder of the two, said:


    "Yes. I¡­" He turned to see her. Ash narrowed her eyes. She instantly didn''t like this guy. He seemed exactly like the kinds of condescending pricks that would tell her to "stop begging and go get a job". "This must be the one."


    "What the fuck do you want?" She asked.


    "You, come with us. We have much to tell you."


    "No," Ash replied. "Fuck off."


    "Hmph. Very well. Hear the lullaby in my hands and rejoice."


    Then, the man cast a spell at her. Ash hadn''t expected it, so she couldn''t dodge it in time. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep.


    ---


    When her eyes opened, she was in a dark room. There was a strange chanting all around her, some sort of low choir. What the fuck happened? Ash looked around and realized she was in a church. Statues of the Four Gods, Magia, Lumina, Alkoth, and Niven were placed throughout the room evenly, with Niven at the bottom and Magia at the top. Most alarming of all though was the fact that her hands were currently tied behind her back.


    "You''ll have to forgive us for that, but we couldn''t take no for an answer. At least, not before speaking with you properly." The priest from earlier said. He was standing in front of a giant crystal, behind an altar, looking down at Ash.


    "What the hell do you want?" Ash asked, feeling her anger growing.


    "Sir, are you certain? This¡­ She is a hybrid. Would Magia truly select someone like this?" Someone asked the priest and he stared at Ash.


    "Regardless of the quality of her breed, the truth is we need her. If Magia has brought her before us, she must have a reason." He replied.


    "I don''t exactly like being talked about like I''m some sort of fucking kitchen table." Ash spat out.


    "Our apologies, allow me to explain. You are here for one very simple reason."


    "Yeah, and that is?" She asked.


    "Because you, young one, have been chosen by Magia herself to represent her in Nova." Something about the way he said those words made Ash feel like he didn''t want to speak them but had to. "You have been chosen to be the next Savior."


    Ash blinked.


    "What drugs are you people on?"

 Chapter 5 - 2

    One of the priests scoffed.


    "H-HOW RUDE! THE NERVE OF HER TO SAY SUCH A-"


    "Quiet." The older priest said and the young man stopped.


    "B-But, sir, the blatant disrespect," he was interrupted again.


    "¡­ Is merited from someone who is currently being held captive, for all intents and purposes. Worry not," he directed his words at her, "you will be released in just a moment. I simply wish to explain what is happening in better detail."


    "Yeah?" Ash raised a brow. "Fine, go ahead, get your shitty advertisements out of the way."


    She''d seen more than enough of the Church of Magia on the streets, constantly preaching about how regular people''s degenerate ways would lead to the end-times, how the demon attacks were evidence of that. She wasn''t a fan of them, and this wasn''t making her opinion any better.


    "Over a thousand years ago, the pious forces of Jade, before it was the seat of an empire, were locked in battle with the dark creatures that once covered Nova." He started walking around the church. There were paintings on the wall that Ash only now just noticed. Each one depicted knight-like figures dressed in white and gold armor, fighting off enemies or just standing around looking incredible. "We could fight them, but as time went on, we realized we needed aid to solidify our victories. The founder of this church, Ernest Callwatch, was given a task by Magia herself to create an object with which she could designate the heroes that would ensure Jade''s victory. This crystal," he turned and faced it, "this wonderful item was the result. Magia''s Crystal, an object that our goddess would use to choose her Saviors. Have you heard of them before?"


    "No." Ash apathetically said, bored out of her mind.


    "The Saviors are an order of god-like figures, capable of miraculous feats that serve Magia and the realm. After Jade''s expansion, they retired, and, for hundreds of years, the crystal was dormant. Until recently, when the crystal began selecting again several decades ago."


    People whispered amongst each other.


    "Nightmares." The mere mention of these things made some of the people in the church flinch. "Creatures of the Dark capable of turning others, humans and animals alike, into demonic corruptions¡­" As if remembering who he was talking to, he turned to her. "Not hybrids like yourself, but full, mindless, feral beasts. Shells of humans that do nothing but kill and destroy for those they serve."


    Human killers? Sounds a lot like "not my problem". Ash thought.


    "At first, when we fought them, the tides of battle were in our favor, but slowly, over the last couple of decades, they have grown far more powerful. Now, our hopes rest solely on you. Our Saviors."


    He stopped talking. A quiet hung over the room as everyone anticipated her response.


    "Fighting horrible creatures?" Ash asked. "Doesn''t really sound like something I''m interested in. Especially not for free." She stressed.


    Outrage. Those watching, the priests standing by their leader, everyone lobbed insults at her, "pathetic, lazy, worthless," among others. None of them bothered her.


    "Your holiness, there must be a mistake. Surely, this person cannot be one of Magia''s chosen. Maybe the crystal made a mistake."


    The archpriest did not turn his eyes away from Ash.


    "No, the crystal belongs to Magia herself and as such, does not make mistakes. This is the one. But," he sighed, "I guessed you may have needed some convincing. Bring her to me," he ordered. "I would have you see something."


    Oh great. Ash rolled her eyes. What now?


    With the aid of a deacon, the archpriest led her outside of the church. They went behind the church where a terrible smell soon reached Ash. Ugh, what the¡­ When she saw the source, she froze.


    Piles of corpses, in the process of being burnt. They were stacked on top of each other, blood slowly trickling from open wounds onto the stone below. They were varied, with the bodies taking all kinds of forms. Some looked like weathered veterans, others being small children whose lifeless eyes pierced Ash.


    The archpriest gestured to them, looking back at Ash stoically.


    "All of these souls were lost because of this threat. Do you understand the gravity of the situation? Why, just this morning we had dozens of poor citizens of the world come to us, hurt and in terrible conditions. Most of them died. And, most of them will continue to die if this enemy is not dealt with. But," he put his hands behind his back, "it does not have to be that way. You, hybrid, have the power to stop it. Magia herself has looked upon you and seen fit to bless you with the natural strength and talent to make a difference. So, what say you? Will you do it? Will you make a stand for our, no, your people''s sake?"


    His volume gradually rose as he spoke, his tone turning inspiring and motivating. The few people around them, maybe the ones who had carried the bodies here, turned to watch their interaction. Ash looked into his eyes, then at the bodies and back at him. She had her answer.


    "Fuck no."


    The archpriest blinked. Ash had spoken those words with more certainty laced into them than perhaps any she''d ever spoken. Seeing these bodies had the exact opposite effect of what the archpriest had intended. Instead of rallying her, it solidified Ash''s answer. She wanted nothing to do with this.


    "Why?" The archpriest sounded genuinely baffled. "How, what¡­ Why?"


    "Are you kidding?" His question angered her. She gritted her teeth and stared into his eyes. "Let me tell you a little about myself, priest. From the moment I was born, I was hated. I had nothing, no one. My parents treated me like a fucking curse, my mom couldn''t even stand to look at me because I was a constant reminder of what happened to her that got her pregnant with me. At school, every kid would call me ''devil'' and no one ever talked to me unless a teacher made them do it for whatever reason. When I was twelve, some people came around to take me away and they did nothing to stop it. I stood there, knocking on that fucking door for days, hoping they''d let me back in but no. Six years. For six years after that, I had to live out in the streets. I begged for scraps, I had to eat literal garbage, I asked people for money and at best, I''d get a few crowns, and at worst, I''d get stomped on. I got beat up by thugs, I got chased around the city by guards and other homeless people, all the while I didn''t even have a name. Hell, you don''t even know what my fucking name is! The entire time I''ve just been ''the demon'', ''the hybrid'', ''the street rat''. And now this?"


    She scoffed. The man''s face twisted with anger.


    "You wanna know the best part?" She asked. "I was actually kind of considering it. I was going to make you pay me a fuck-ton, of course, but I was thinking about it. But now, now that I''ve seen that," she gestured with her head to the bodies, "I couldn''t care less about this whole Savior thing. You want me to stick my neck out for you, for the city, for everyone in fucking Nova, when I''ve been treated like nothing but dirt for my whole life!? You seriously expect me to put my life at risk for you!? Fuck that!" She spat out, breathing heavily. She''d gotten so worked up that she was practically yelling at him. She took a deep breath and returned to a more stable tone. "You want someone to stand between you and whatever freaks did that, maybe you shouldn''t ask a freak to be the one." She concluded.


    The silence that appeared was different from the last one, in the church. This one had the priest looking at her analytically. He scratched his beard, his eyes narrowed.


    "I see," he said. "I misjudged you. No, perhaps it is better to say I underestimated you," he told her. "Appealing to your empathy was never going to work. I should have understood that from the beginning, as soon as I saw you in your shit-covered clothes."


    "What?" Ash replied, angry. "If you wanna fight, how about you untie me and we can go a few rounds!"


    He ignored her words.


    "When interacting with¡­ Someone like you," he spoke the words with as much disdain as Ash had ever heard, "morality is non-existent in the realm of negotiation. No, it is better to use needs." He had someone start dragging her again, following him.


    They went back into the church, this time heading deeper. She followed him through dark corridors. At first, Ash was wondering if she was being taken into a dungeon, but soon, she saw a room up ahead that was brightly lit with a golden haze.


    "I could lock you up until you''re desperate enough to help," he said casually, "but that would make you an unmotivated, unreliable asset. No, I need you wanting to help. So, here. Let''s talk needs."


    When they entered the room, Ash actually gasped. It was like something out of a dream. Gold, more of it than Ash had ever seen, even in her dreams. There was jewelry thrown about carelessly, a few chests full of crowns, Ash swore she even saw a few diamonds. This looked like the sort of thing she''d fantasize about, that one day it would all simply appear in front of her. But, this, what she was seeing, was very real.


    "I need a fighter, a shield. You need money, do you not?" He asked. "This is the wealth of my church. Everything you see here we have received through donations over the course of Jade''s history and it falls onto the archpriest to do whatever he wishes with the contents of this room. Heh, in some ways, I am more powerful than the Royal Council itself. I," he turned to her, getting closer, blocking out her view of the riches, "can make your dreams come true, demon. I can give you enough wealth to never have to see or hear from a human like me again. All you need to do is be Jade''s Savior."


    Holy shit¡­ Ash gulped.


    The sleepless and hungry nights, the aches and pains she''d get from sleeping on stone, the smell of her piss-stained clothes, it all came back to her. This wasn''t a fantasy, this was real, and it was being offered to her.


    "In fact," he continued, "I will give you this right now if you accept." He grabbed one of the coins, a white crown. Ash almost cried. White crowns were a kind of prestigious currency, worth hundreds of regular crowns. "Should you accept, you will be taken from here, given a suit of Savior''s armor, a weapon, and instructions, of course, but this coin will be yours to do whatever you want with before you commence your tasks."


    It was too much for Ash to bear. It was all happening too quickly. She was still doubting whether she was asleep or not, conjuring up illusions of grandeur in her mind. She could feel her willpower slipping.


    No more hunger. She thought. No more sleeping on the fucking street. She tried to raise a hand, failing of course due to the bindings. The archpriest nodded to the person dragging her and he nodded back, putting a key in her shackles and removing them. And all I have to do is go on a few stupid missions? She reached for it.


    "So, now that we''re talking in far more practical terms," he cleared his throat, "do you accept?"


    Ash took a deep breath. She looked up at him, hatred still lingering in both their eyes. Her opinion of him hadn''t changed, and she knew his opinion of her would always be the same. But, now, they were talking business. Strictly business.


    And so, she nodded.


    "Fine."


    With those words, for the first time since she''d met him, the archpriest smiled.


    "Very well then."


    And Ash was declared the new Savior.

 Chapter 6 - 3

    Ash was sitting on the church''s floor. She turned and tossed the white crown a few times, staring at it almost as if she were afraid that the instant she took her eyes off the thing it would disappear.


    "Your equipment is ready, de-... Savior," a priest said with audible disgust. No one was happy to hear that she was accepted as the next Savior, but they were all aware that they had no choice. There were no other alternatives, no back-ups. Ash was all they had. She didn''t care. She wasn''t happy about helping them either. She accepted the title for one reason and one reason only, and that was the coin in her hands and the hope that it would multiply.


    "Coming," she told the priest and stood up. What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Ash? She asked herself. Well, whatever. If it makes me rich, good. If I die doing this, maybe that''s good too.


    She followed the priest to a spacious room where multiple soldier-looking types were waiting. Earlier, they had taken her measurements and now there was some strange armor waiting on a rack. It looked like a leather bra, iron gloves, small iron pauldrons, leather shorts, and iron boots.


    "So, you lied?" Ash said. "I don''t think Saviors go into battle wearing underwear, even if it is made of iron."


    "I hope you understand," she heard the archpriest Varcon say behind her, "we must be sure that you are a capable learner before entrusting you with an armor of a higher quality. Once you''ve proven yourself, you will have access to the finest equipment Saviors get."


    "Yeah?" Ash raised a brow. It''s not like I thought lying was above them or anything, but still. It''s pretty fucking annoying. "So, what happens now?" She asked, her hands touching the armor and feeling it out.


    "Now, you receive a weapon and after that, an assistant."


    "Huh?"


    "Think of them as as a squire or chronicler. Whoever is selected will help you train and jot down what you do, just to make sure you aren''t wasting your time, and therefore ours as well."


    "A training dummy that doubles as a walking, talking diary?" Ash asked with a sigh.


    "Next week, your training will begin."


    "What exactly does that mean?" Ash asked.


    "You will be leaving Jade."


    As he said that, Ash turned to look at him. The sentence made her clench her fists. She''d never been outside of Jade, it was not something she felt too comfortable with. Well, that is what I signed up for, I guess.


    "You will be visiting each of the retired Saviors. Each one will impart their wisdom and knowledge onto you." Varcon said.


    "Huh, seems like the world isn''t in much of a hurry to be saved then," Ash replied. "I can''t imagine that won''t take long."


    "Oh, do not misunderstand," he countered, "you will start completing missions immediately, while you train. Though, the missions will be of a lower difficulty until you finish your training."


    "¡­ Alright." Ash turned back to the armor. Seem simple enough.


    "Go take a shower if you wish, then, put the armor on. After that, you will be given a weapon and once that''s done, you will be free to go and do as you wish. Well, for a week, of course."


    "How do you know I won''t run away?" Ash asked.


    "That white crown I gave you won''t even last the month, I''m sure of it." Varcon shrugged. "I doubt you''d want to miss out on the opportunity to get more of those." When Ash didn''t reply, he continued. "Once a week has passed, we will find you and you will be sent to your first trainer."


    "Okay." Ash nodded. "So, where''s this bathroom at?"


    She was led to it and left alone. Once inside, she took her rags off. It felt so strange, knowing that she wouldn''t ever pick them back up again. She planned to buy some clothes, after all. She looked at herself in the mirror. Dirty white hair, a few stains from unknown sources on her skin. She swore she could even feel insects crawling up and down her body.


    But, after today, she''d never be the same. Whether she would live or die she didn''t know, but that much was certain. Her life would fundamentally change. After the shower, she emerged feeling as refreshed as ever. She didn''t bother using the towel that had been left on the doorknob and instead, walked out naked.


    With nothing covering her, she walked up to a group of priests.


    "So, where''s the armor again?"


    Despite a series of intense blushes, she was led back to the earlier room. After she put it all on, Varcon walked in.


    "Your weapon will be brought to you," Varcon said.


    "So, I''ve been wondering," Ash said. "Who made you the leader?" She asked. "Archpriest or whatever. Did you get to inherit it? Did they vote on you?"


    "Ah, no. This title was given to me by the previous archpriest. The order to have me succeed him was his dying wish, actually."


    "So, what, everyone just agreed? What if there was a better option?"


    "I would not expect you to understand how humans operate." He replied.


    "¡­ Man, you are out to piss me off, aren''t you?"


    "I am beginning to enjoy doing so, yes." He answered. "I have a question of my own," he started, "you seem to be in remarkable shape, despite being impoverished. How is that?"


    "And why should I tell you?" Ash asked.


    "If we are going to work together, it would be good if I knew your strengths, so I could assign more fitting missions to you, wouldn''t you say?"


    Ash stared at him for a second.


    "My trait," she replied, "Iron Stomach."


    She brought up her status and let him see that. She didn''t let him see her attributes though. If someone else wanted to check your stats, they could only see your Level and Mana Points. Everything else was up to you to let them see, and in that sense, information was fairly important. Maybe he was hoping I''d show more? She wondered.


    "My body doesn''t care what I put into my mouth," she shrugged. "It processes it all the same way. When I said I''ve been eating trash, I wasn''t lying, but to my body, it''s been the same as eating full-course meals every day."


    "Ah¡­ Interesting."


    The weapon that was brought in was unlike anything Ash had ever seen. Does this even classify as a weapon? It was simply a golden cube, small enough for Ash to put in her pockets.


    "What the hell is that?" Ash asked.


    "This is a Savior''s weapon," Varcon explained. "It was crafted by the greatest blacksmiths in the high reaches of Saphira. A Savior must be ready for anything, you are not truly one individual, you carry with you the hopes and goals of every combatant near you, you are the army you protect, and so a weapon was made that reflects this."


    "Okay, but how do I use it? Do I throw this at people?"


    "If such a weapon exists, then yes."


    "What?" Ash didn''t get it.


    "Simply put, this weapon will turn into any weapon you want it to." He finally explained. "With one condition, it has to be a weapon you''ve seen before."


    "How the fuck does that work?" Ash asked.


    "I assume you''ve seen a sword before, no? Hold the cube up and speak the word to yourself, then use your will to change the item. It will become that item, made of a golden, divine material."


    What the fuck?


    Ash took the cube and held it up. Okay, okay. Let''s see how this works. Sword!


    A flash of golden light nearly blinded her. She reached up with her free hand to cover her eyes. When the flash ceased, she brought it back down. In her left hand was an iron sword, with her fingers wrapped around the hilt.


    "Seriously?" She couldn''t believe her eyes.


    "Anything you''ve seen, this weapon can become. However, in order for it to take up its golden form, you must bind it to yourself. Go ahead."


    "Alright, how?"


    "Turn it back into its cube form and hold it to your chest. You should see some Options after that."


    She nodded. Cube. It turned back into what it was. She held it to her chest and words popped up.


    [Discovered Passive Trait!]


    Chosen:


    Selected as a representative of Magia. Gain multiple passive traits.


    [New unidentified traits!]


    ?


    Did I always have that? Anyway, I''ll have to find out what those new ones are too. Ash thought.


    [Beginning fusion]


    NOTE: The fused cube will become a unique named item, with its name being your defining characteristic as determined by the System.


    So, what, this thing is gonna be called Homeless? She chuckled.


    Begin?


    Yes ??????No


    Fuck it, yes!


    The golden light returned. This time, Ash did not have to shield her eyes, as it was less explosive and more focused than before. Instead, she watched as golden tendrils formed between her chest and the cube. Then, the tendrils sank into the cube, becoming one word.


    Lust.


    What? Ash tilted her head.


    These words came up.


    Isn''t "lust" like my sex drive or something? She was confused. I''m a virgin. The only run-ins I''ve had with sex have been random homeless dudes trying to **** me, which never succeeded. How is my "defining characteristic" lust?


    As debatable as she believed it to be, the word "Lust" was firmly carved into the golden cube.


    "Very well then." Varcon didn''t seem to have much to say about the word that emerged. "You are free to go."


    "Hold up," Ash told him, "why are you giving me this? You didn''t give me Savior-level armor, but you give me their weapon?"


    "Well, simply put, two reasons." He held up a finger. "You do need some proof of your status as a Savior to operate, and you''ll notice your Savior-specific trait didn''t come up until you received that item. Second," he raised another one, "those are easier to make and enemies can''t use them as they bond to you specifically. If you go out and die, we can simply make more and we don''t have to be afraid that anyone picked up your item and is using it against us."


    "... So, that''s it?" Ash asked.


    "Yes, for one week. Now, we will recruit the one who will aid you, and a week from now, you will be located and your duties will begin."


    Ash sighed, holding the cube in her left hand.


    "Alright. Bye." She said curtly and walked right past the man.


    She already had an idea of what she would do next. First, she had to take a trip to the Golden Bank of Jade and trade the golden crown she''d gotten in for some regular money. Then, she had a date with the warmest, most comfortable inn she could find.


    It had been so long since she''d slept on a proper bed. She needed it. Needed it more than she needed to taste regular food or buy actual clothing. The people in the church watched her walk by with sneers and scowls but she couldn''t care less. She paid them no mind as she exited the building.


    However, there was one person standing outside who did make her stop.


    Kairo, the old monk, was standing there, hunched over. He looked up at her as she paced down the steps to the church, clad in her armor and carrying the cube and the coin.


    "Did it go well?" He asked.


    "How''d you know I was here?"


    "I heard from someone that two priests picked you up. So, I came here." He shrugged. "Are you alright?"


    "Yeah, yeah." She showed off her armor, spinning in place so he could see her body. "I¡­ I got a job, I guess."


    "Yes?" He asked.


    "I''m going to be a Savior."


    "Oh my," the monk looked down at the floor. It was starting to get darker out. "That is fairly unexpected."


    "Unexpected is putting it lightly, but yeah." Ash shrugged. "I''m not too happy about what I''m going to be doing, but hey the pay sounds fucking nice!" She chuckled.


    "Hm. A Savior..." He mumbled.


    "So," Ash ignored him, "how about I pay you back?"


    "What?" He blinked.


    "You know, get you something to eat. It''s only fair, right? You''ve bought me so much shit."


    "No, no." The monk shook his head. "It is alright. I do not need to be repaid."


    "Okaaay, think of it as an invitation then. Some food, on me. What do you say?"


    The monk sighed.


    "The first thing every young person does when they get money is go spend it all. The more things change the more they stay the same. Very well, as a celebration."


    "Awesome!"


    His eyes went to the cube in Ash''s hands for a moment. An emotion Ash couldn''t identify flickered through his portrait before he shook his head and turned around.


    "Let''s go."


    ---


    Back in the church, Varcon sat in front of the crystal, watching it. The room was dimly lit with nothing but magically lit candles blazing at the corners. A deacon walked up to him.


    "Sir, are you sure we can trust her?" He asked.


    "Not at all." He replied, without taking his eyes off Magia''s blessed item. "She clearly holds no love for us. Even if she accomplishes her duties, she could tarnish our image."


    "Then, what do we do?"


    "... Control." He replied. "We need to control her, but in order to put chains around an enemy, the first step is to know who that enemy is. Deacon, go to the Archives and research her. She''s a street rat, so there won''t be too much to go on, but I know there''s something. Everyone has something they care about. Something that can be used. If nothing else, we''ll want her to keep her mouth shut."


    The deacon nodded, bowed, and walked away.


    Magia... He shook his head. My lady. He looked back to a statue depicting the goddess and looked into its eyes. Why her? I know you chose this hybrid for a reason... But I do not yet see it. The statue offered no response. Maybe someday I will understand.

 Chapter 7 - 4

    Keiko


    Keiko felt the wind brush by her ears. She was sitting with her legs crossed, in front of her master. The older woman breathed in, and as Keiko heard her, she did the same. Keiko was dressed in a black ka, the traditional training uniform of those in the Zayama clan, adorned with golden lace. She had her hair, long and black with golden tips, tied into a ponytail and her slender hands with their fingers intertwined.


    And, of course, her black blindfold was tied on tight, as it always was.


    "Breathe." Her master told her.


    Keiko did so, but she simply couldn''t calm down.


    Her blindness, a natural status effect all in the Zayama clan carried, allowed for her senses to be heightened just slightly. It let her feel the cold air sliding into her lungs all the more viscerally and in turn, made her feel so much colder. She waited for her master''s next instructions.


    "Now, feel my presence. Before you cast your Spirit Eye, you must have some measure of awareness of what is around you, even if you cannot currently see it."


    The Spirit Eye was the trade-off for that blindness. The trophy gained in exchange for the Zayama clan''s eyesight in a deal made long ago, ages before Keiko was born. A permanently active ability that allowed the user to do three things:


    1: Cure their blindness, which was why awakening the Spirit Eye was so important.


    2: See 2 seconds into the future.


    3: If they so choose, to see through the eyes of someone else.


    Although they gave up their eyesight in the early portions of their lives for this gift, the Spirit Eye was why those of the Zayama clan were regarded as some of the most dangerous combatants in all of Nova. Keiko belonged to that family, as much of a burden as it was to everyone else, and therefore, had that ability.


    That said, there was another catch. That being that, although most of them managed to do it, there was no guarantee a Zayama would be able to awaken the ability.


    "You must achieve perfect awareness. Be in intimate contact with all four of your senses. From the taste of your own saliva to the feeling of the air hitting your skin to the smell of the room, to the texture of your hands clutching each other. Each one must mesh together in your mind before you are able to cast the Spirit Eye."


    "Hm." Keiko nodded.


    She took a shaky breath. She could feel the pressure. Other members of the family watched her. She knew their expectations. They all believed she would fail, that she would never be able to perform the spell, that she would simply be a regular blind girl.


    "Now, try it."


    She nodded again.


    Willing the spell to activate, she said the incantation.


    "Iridos! AGH!"


    But the spell backfired, as it usually did. Grey lightning came from her eyes and circled around her body, causing her to tremble in pain.


    "Forget it, we''ve tried hard enough for today." She heard her grandmother say.


    "I apologize, siya." Her master said, standing up and ignoring the Zayama girl squirming on the wooden floor.


    "No, it isn''t your fault. A teacher is not to blame for her student''s lack of talent."


    Keiko heard their words as she writhed. As soon as the pain subsided, she stood up and bowed to the two women.


    "I am sorry."


    "Quiet." Her grandmother barked out. "Go. You''re done for today."


    "Y-Yes." Keiko stood up and walked out.


    The Zayama compound was quiet today. Many of the different members of the family had been called upon by Jade''s Royal Council to aid the army in its efforts against the demons elsewhere, which left Keiko without much company. Not that she would have had a lot of that, to begin with, after all, no one wanted to associate themselves with a failure. To the Zayama''s, it was almost like a lack of success was contagious. If one had a reputation for not producing results, they were to be avoided, as their presence could lead to misfortune for one''s own self.


    Keiko reflected on the spell as she paced. She couldn''t see, but she already knew the full layout of the compound, so she knew where she was at all times.


    Her status came up in her mind.


    Level 1


    MP: 100/100


    Attributes:


    STR: 4


    DEX: 15


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    Traits:


    Zayama Heritage


    [Gain access to the unique Spirit Eye spell]


    Spirit Eye REQ:


    INT 10


    WIS 10


    DEX 10


    NOTE: Certain abilities or spells may be dependent on having specific traits as well!


    The requirements for the Spirit Eye mocked her. She''d reached them almost two full years ago, and yet she had consistently failed to perform the ability. Whatever trick it was, whatever she needed to do to get the spell to work, it simply wouldn''t click for her. Throughout her life, Keiko had tried a great many things and found success in most of them, but not this, and this was all that really mattered.


    Because of that, she was still considered a child. In the Zayama clan, one began training their Spirit Eye at the age of 14 and was only considered an adult once they achieved it. At first, of course, the training of the ability is kept minimal, maybe one training session every couple of months, but once a person reached 18 or 19 years old and became a legal adult, they were pressured to find results.


    Those who never do awaken it have their surnames replaced with Zayo and harbor an existence equivalent to that of a bastard, doomed to only be menial workers and servants within the clan and usually end up having to look for a life elsewhere. Around 1 in 10 members of the clan fail to produce their Spirit Eye. Keiko could hear them walking about right now, sweeping the floors.


    As for Keiko herself, she''d trained in the use of multiple weapons to the point where, when she was fourteen, she was able to best young adults in sparring sessions, she learned multiple techniques in half the time they would normally require, she finished school with a perfect NA, or Notes Average, for all intents and purposes she was a talented person in most areas.


    But the Spirit Eye still eluded her. With every year that passed her anxiety increased.


    When she felt the wind strike her forehead, she knew she had walked outside. Moving up a bit, she sat down on the wooden stairs that led to the compound. Sighing, she crossed her legs. What exactly do I have to do?


    "Do not be too frustrated, seiyo."


    She heard her master address her from behind.


    "I can''t help it, siya." Keiko shook her head. "It''s starting to feel hopeless."


    Her master''s feet softly thudded against the wood as she walked up to Keiko and sat down next to her.


    "That is a feeling you must ignore. Hope is never gone. It''s the kind of thing that only leaves when you let it."


    "¡­ How did you do it?" Keiko asked. "How did it happen for you?"


    "Kiya, it is not good to compare yourself to others. Your experience is your own."


    "I know, I''m just curious," Keiko replied. The other woman paused for a moment and then answered.


    "I was 15," she stated. "I believe it was just a week after my birthday. It didn''t happen here."


    "What?" That surprised Keiko.


    "I was visiting Pearl at the time, tagging along with a siya as he conducted business. I was alone when it happened. My master was away, I was sitting in the middle of an inn. I tried it. It was casual, actually. I was simply trying it for the sake of doing so, and suddenly, I could see everything around me."


    "Wow." Keiko took her words in. "How did it feel?"


    "It''s strange." Her master replied. "If I had to compare it to something, the only thing I believe is similar is, well, it''s like taking a deep breath after you''ve had the wind knocked out of you. The sudden rush of awareness, how alive you feel. I''d say that sums it up."


    "I see." Keiko, despite the fact that she could not see, turned towards her. "Do you believe I will awaken my Spirit Eye?"


    "I know you will." Her master answered quickly. "You are fairly talented."


    Do you believe that, or are you just saying it? Keiko wondered.


    "Anyway, take your time out here, but come in soon. I''ll fix you up some tea."


    "Y-Yes." Keiko bowed. "Thank you, siya."


    Her master walked away. Once again, Keiko was alone. She tried to meditate, but her recent failure remained fresh in her mind. After a few minutes of unsuccessful focusing, she got up. Maybe I just need to walk it off, she reasoned. She headed back into the building and moved through the barren halls.


    With everyone away, working, fighting, generally being far more important than her, the compound felt empty. The sounds of her own footsteps echoed in her ears. She stopped when she reached a room that was somewhat special. Is the door open? She wondered. Usually, it was closed, so as to prevent exactly what she had in mind. It wasn''t though, this time.


    She walked in, feeling the texture of the floor change as she started moving over a carpeted area. Is it still here? She wondered though she knew what the likely answer was. And, indeed, when she extended her hand, she touched it.


    This room was known as the Zayama Memorial. It was a small space dedicated to the past warriors of the clan. The most important among them had their armor kept here. From the left to the right, they were positioned in terms of age, with one exception. At the center, there was the armor of Musano Hasashi, known for having been Level 50 and being the only Zayama who was ever chosen to be a Savior.


    That wasn''t the set of armor Keiko was looking for though. She moved to the right side of the room, tracing her hands over some steel until she felt a horn. That was the one. Her hand had just landed on the helm belonging to her father, Iriko Zayama. He and Keiko''s mother, Keina Zayama, whose armor was right next to Iriko''s, had been known as the Twin Dragons, their relationship and their fighting prowess had made them famous warriors. These were Keiko''s predecessors.


    Maybe if they hadn''t died to those wretched demons, Keiko''s life would be just a bit better. Keiko bit down on the insides of her cheeks. Maybe if they were still here, they could guide me.


    Their blood was in her, and yet she did not believe she''d ever reach their level.


    She simply did not possess the talent necessary.


    Someone knocked on the door.


    "Huh? U-Uh, sorry, I was just¡­"


    "Keiko."


    The dark-haired girl turned to face the sound. She recognized the voice as her grandmother''s.


    "Sorry." She apologized again.


    "Come." Her grandmother said.


    "What?"


    Her grandmother did not repeat herself. Instead, she turned and walked away, expecting Keiko to follow, which, of course, she did. As they paced through the hall, the older woman asked her something.


    "So, something you have been successful with is learning about different weapons, right?"


    "Uh, yes," Keiko replied.


    "Then there is a task for you."


    "Ah, who is this?" Keiko heard another voice ask. This one belonged to what she imagined to be an old man.


    "This is my granddaughter, Keiko Zayama. Keiko, this is Father Varcon."


    "Pleasure to meet you." She bowed.


    "Is she qualified?" The man ignored her.


    "Yes." Her grandmother answered. "She should have enough knowledge to teach your new blood, at least, through the initial steps."


    "Ah. Good. She will have to come with me, then. We must discuss her tasks with her in more detail."


    "Uh," Keiko spoke up, "what''s happening?"


    Her grandmother sighed, almost like speaking to Keiko was beneath her.


    "The Church of Magia requires someone to train a new asset of theirs. You have some experience with weapons, none of the more qualified members of our clan are available, you will help."


    Oh. Keiko thought. So... I''m being sent away? Somewhere where people won''t have to see me fail?


    "Uh, who would I be training exactly?"


    "The next Savior."


    As Keiko heard those words, she nearly fainted. Her feelings were mixed, but mostly, she was disappointed. Her Spirit Eye should have taken up most of her time, but clearly, that wouldn''t be the case for at least a little while.


    As her grandmother and the priest finalized the details, Keiko lowered her head. She wondered if her parents were disappointed in her, somewhere in the next life, watching and laughing. Or maybe they were rooting for her.


    Either way, it seemed she was going to have a rough time ahead.

 Chapter 8 - 5

    A Week Later


    Ash was currently having breakfast at a small establishment in the Public Square. In truth, it was considered a decent establishment by those who frequented it, but to Ash, it may as well have had the best food in the world. Holy fucking shit, this is so good! It took everything she had not to moan as she ate. If the Lust characteristic the cube had gotten from her was referring to this, a lust for great meals, then it was definitely correct in its assessment.


    Others watched her devour her food with blatant disgust, but Ash didn''t even spare them a glance. Licking her lips, she burped and waved at the place''s cook.


    "Can I get seconds?" She asked.


    "Crowns?" The cook countered.


    "Got more," Ash replied.


    "Fine."


    And just like that she was once more consuming half her body weight in bread, meat and salads all covered in the sweetest of sauces. Fuck, this is so much better than garbage! If she could, she would simply remain here and eat until her money ran out. But, she couldn''t do that. After all, she''d gotten that coin as part of a trade.


    Soon enough, some priests would likely show up behind her with grins on their faces as they tell her that it''s time to go out and fight horrible monsters. But, for now, she was free to do as she wished. She finished her food and got up, walking out with an aura of satisfaction. Before, anytime she''d drawn eyes to herself it was for all the wrong reasons. However, clad in her peculiar armor, everyone who looked at her conveyed a small hint of awe. She was feeling proud of herself for the first time in a while.


    She hadn''t seen the monk throughout the entire week after Ash had invited him to go eat together. Hm. She thought. Maybe he found some other lost demon to rehabilitate or whatever. She shrugged. What he was doing was none of her business. So, what now? She asked herself. She''d done most of what she''d fantasized about. She ate some amazing food, slept on a real bed for six days straight, bought some clothes, and stored them in a leather bag she planned to take with her. She even went and bought some toothpaste. She was just about to finish up everything she wanted to do, but still had a few things left. So, she stayed at the Public Square, just walking around.


    She searched through the different stalls selling souvenirs from other cities and the curious remains of various creatures, when something caught her eye, approaching from the left.


    A familiar figure was walking towards her. Kairo, with his head low, was there.


    "Hey! Old man!" Ash excitedly raised a hand ran up to him.


    "Hm? Oh, Ash?" Kairo asked, but Ash could tell he didn''t sound too excited to see her.


    "Yeah, hey!" She said again. "Haven''t seen you in a while. Don''t like me when I''m not smelling like shit, huh? I didn''t know you were into that kind of stuff."


    Kairo chuckled.


    "It is good to see you are doing well, Ash."


    "How about I take you out to eat again? My treat!" Ash couldn''t help but want to do so. As annoying as Ash had found him to be, the monk had done a lot for her since they''d met.


    "Ah, I am somewhat busy today, maybe another time."


    "Busy?" Ash asked with a light-hearted smirk. "You''re a monk, how is a monk ever busy?"


    "Meditation takes effort too." He shrugged.


    "Well, come on, would you rather meditate like you do every day, or eat some fine food for free?"


    With that, the monk sighed.


    "... Of course, you''d pay for the meal with the money you got from your... new position?"


    "Uh, yeah." Ash nodded. "Why do you ask?"


    "... Ash." His tone grew serious. "I do not think you fully comprehend your position."


    "What do you mean?" She asked.


    "Come. I will show you something."


    The monk led her to a different part of the city. One Ash barely ever visited because she never really had a reason to. The Cemetery. Instead of having multiple cemeteries spread throughout Jade, the city had just one, which took up the space of an entire district. Countless white tombstones, standing upright like monoliths, marked the final resting places of many of Jade''s citizens. Well, the wealthy ones at least.


    "What are we doing here?" Ash asked.


    "Around twenty years ago, this place held almost half of the number of tombstones it holds now." The monk said. "Because of the demons though, the cemetery has become far more occupied. And those are the creatures you''ve been chosen to fight."


    "... Yeah, I know. What does this have to do with me though?" Ash asked.


    "Ash, even though you are now a Savior, and have been granted immense power, understand that this power has come at a cost. A terrible cost. You will face more demons than most people could ever imagine seeing."


    "Well, yeah... So?" Ash asked.


    "... Let me just show you one more thing. I believe words do not do the topic justice." He said and led Ash deeper into the cemetery. "This place is called the Sacred Graves. Do you know who is kept here?"


    "Uh, no."


    They walked up to a garden-like area where rosaries and statues surrounded a series of golden tombstones.


    "Saviors." The monk stated. "Dead Saviors. Your predecessors, I''ve counted them out many times. There are precisely 21 of them. Can you guess how many died of natural causes or old age?"


    "Uh, 4?"


    "None." He replied. "If any of them do soon, they''d be the first." He turned to her. "Those are the odds you''re up against, Ash. Do you understand?"


    "... Well, yeah." She replied. "But even if I die to some monster, it''s probably a better ending than the one I''d have here." She gave him a sad smile. "Kairo, you saw me out there a lot but even then, I don''t think you understand just how shitty everything''s been for me. I can do a little count of my own, you know? Out of these Saviors, how many of them do you think had loving families. Husbands, wives, fuck-buddies. Whatever." She shrugged. "The answer? Probably all of them." She looked at a few of the graves, walking closer. "That''s what sets me apart. I have nothing to lose. If I go down in the middle of a huge battlefield to a demon, then that''s probably better than rotting here."


    After listening to her, the monk sighed.


    "Maybe. Maybe." He replied. "Well, I just wanted to say that."


    "Well, it''s been said." Ash told him.


    "Yes. I''ll take that meal now, if you''re still offering."


    They left the cemetery, and went to go eat. After that though, about two hours later, Ash was walking the streets of Jade, her eyes kept low.


    She hadn''t noticed it, but she ended up exactly back where she''d been a week ago, on that fateful day when Kairo went to speak with her. She stood here now, almost an entirely different person, but still feeling the same resentment that kept itself so close to her heart. A resentment of everything around her.


    Memories came back to her, ones she thought she''d locked up in her mental vault ages ago. They flooded her so intensely that no matter how she tried to distract herself, whether through looking at the golden banners that certain important buildings around her hung up proudly or by focusing on her own breathing, nothing kept them out.


    A ten-year-old Ash walked down her home''s stairs. She could hear someone crying from one of the other rooms. Holding her pillow to her chest, her little feet tapped against the wooden floor as she searched for the source. She found it soon enough. Her mother, sat by the edge of her bed, crying with Ash''s father consoling her. She stood outside, wondering what was wrong when her father noticed her.


    "Uh¡­" She couldn''t think to say anything. Her father rose from where he was and walked up to her. She looked up, expecting him to say something. Instead, he simply closed the door and Ash was left standing in the hall, alone.


    ---


    At eleven-years-old, Ash was sitting at the back of her classroom, writing down what she heard the teacher say. She hummed a small song to herself, diligently going about her work when a ball of paper bounced off the side of her head.


    "Agh." She recoiled, looking for whoever threw it. A few kids were laughing, holding up their fingers to their heads, imitating the horns she had. Ash looked away, taking a deep breath. It was always like this.


    ---


    Ash was standing in the middle of the street at twelve-years-old, while the rain fell from a grey sky. People passed her by carelessly. Ash banged on her home''s door with her small fists, tears mingling with the raindrops streaming down her face. She never got an answer.


    Ash felt a drop of liquid fall on her hands. Huh? She reached up and touched her cheeks, finding that she was crying.


    "Fucking pathetic." She told herself. "Get over it."


    Standing up, she stretched and tried to think of something to do.


    Maybe I''ll go get some more food, she proposed, even though she was far from hungry now.


    However, she wouldn''t have to. There was a small rumbling, not an unusual sound in the city where carts and carriages were so common. However, this time, the cart stopped in front of her, just as one had a week ago. Ash raised a brow as she saw two priests lean their heads out.


    "Ah, there you are," one said, looking almost disappointed in the fact that he found her.


    "You actually found me." She stated. "Wow."


    "Get in," he instructed. "It''s time to go."


    "Hm¡­ Nah." Ash shook her head, wiping her eyes. "I think I''ll walk. Where do I have to go?"


    "Just get in, half-demon," the priest said. Ash raised a brow.


    She scanned the man.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    STA: 10/10


    Ash nodded to herself and pulled out Lust.


    Sword.


    With a spark of gold, the cube transformed into a brilliant weapon and Ash aimed it at the man.


    "What!?" He pulled back. "What is the meaning of this?"


    "I want to walk," Ash said, calmly. "I''m going to walk. Just tell me where I have to go and I might feel less compelled to stick this sword up your ass."


    The priest scowled so hard, Ash found it funny. However, he acquiesced.


    "The Valley of Lanterns."


    "Okay," she let the weapon transform back into the cube. "That was all you had to say. Honestly," she turned her back to him, "I like you priests better when you''re scared shitless."


    She knew where the Valley of Lanterns was as she''d walked around the area a few times. As she made her way there, the cart that she would have been in passed her by. She saw one of the priests glaring at her and flipped him off, causing his skin to go a boiling red.


    As she got closer to her destination she started to see a small crowd gathering. Hm? She raised a brow. Then, she found a pristine carriage along with some people standing by it, with the crowd circling them. The carriage itself was one of the most beautiful things Ash had ever seen. A dark brown vehicle with gold plating and state-of-the-art wheels and with two horses at the front, both of them highly decorated in white and gold.


    The people standing by it were regular though. Or, at least, most of them were. Ash saw Varco and another priest talking to the one Ash had spoken to a moment ago. They saw her approach and stopped talking. However, standing just a bit of distance away from them was a strange-looking girl. She had a black blindfold on, black hair with gold tips and was wearing a black and gold ka. Ash hadn''t seen many ka''s, but none of the ones she had seen looked like hers. Hers was cut at the waists, showing some skin and short at the ankles, letting Ash see her black boots in full view.


    Who is this? She wondered as she went to check her stats.


    Level 1


    MP: 100/100


    STA: 100/100


    Whoa. She was surprised. Those are some big numbers for a level 1.


    "Ah, you''ve arrived," Varcon said and Ash stopped in front of him, putting a hand on her hip. "I''d appreciate it if you refrained from bothering my priests in the future."


    "And I''d appreciate it if your little cocksuckers didn''t try to treat me like some sort of dog." She quickly countered. "All I said was that I wanted to walk and that one started spitting at me. Maybe just let me do what I want to and that won''t happen."


    Varcon glared at her but nodded. He turned at the other priest and said:


    "Thank you. I''ll handle things from here."


    "Of course, your holiness."


    With that, it was just the blindfolded girl, Varcon, one other priest, and Ash, as the cart the other priest was in moved away.


    "So, what now?"


    "Now you go to begin your training."


    And, with those words, Ash hopped into the carriage with the others and her journey officially began.

 Chapter 9 - 6

    Pulling out of Jade was a surreal experience. The farther she got from the bright, white stone walls the less she could believe it was happening. As the city gradually got harder to see, she could only focus on what was in the carriage with her. That was, Varcon, the younger priest, the blindfolded girl, and herself. Why does she have that thing on? Ash wondered. She''d met a few blind homeless people before and none of them wore that. It was like she wanted to draw attention to the fact that she was blind.


    "So," she started. "Where are we headed?"


    "You," Varcon specified, "are headed to the home of a retired Savior to begin your training."


    "Huh." Ash nodded. "And you? What are you doing here?" She asked the blindfolded girl.


    "I''ve told you, she is..." Varcon started but Ash interrupted him.


    "Ex-fucking-cuse me, I didn''t ask you," Ash quickly turned to Varcon. "Is she mute?"


    "... No." Oh, Ash almost smiled. That one got him angry. She wasn''t sure it was smart to antagonize the leader of the church, but it felt very good.


    "As I was saying, then. You, why are you here?"


    The blindfolded girl raised her head.


    "I will be helping you train." She said. Her voice had to be the softest Ash had ever heard. Not in terms of its volume, but as far as her tone was concerned. She almost sounded like she was about to fall asleep. Not too happy to be here, are you?


    "How?"


    "Ah, my apologies." She bowed. "I didn''t reveal my full stat line. Please, check again."


    Level 1


    MP: 100/100


    Attributes:


    STR: 4


    DEX: 15


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    Traits:


    Zayama Heritage


    [Gain access to the unique Spirit Eye spell.]


    What? Ash''s eyes pretty much bulged out of their sockets. This girl is that strong?


    It was fairly shocking.


    "How the fuck are your numbers that high?" Ash asked. "You''re level 1."


    "I worked on my attributes directly." The blindfolded girl replied with her smooth voice. "I''m sure the Savior we''ll be meeting will explain this in more detail, but there are two ways to increase an attribute. Either to level up and allocate points arbitrarily, or work on the attribute in isolation, through various forms of training."


    "Well, I knew that but... You''ve been working pretty hard then, huh?" Ash was genuinely impressed.


    "... Not hard enough." The girl replied.


    That got Ash to raise a brow.


    "So, training a half-demon counts as ''working harder''?" Ash asked, curious.


    "... What?" The girl''s head tilted up.


    Instantly, Ash looked at Varcon.


    "You didn''t tell her." She said, with a slight amount of accusation in her tone.


    "It is not important." Varcon shrugged. "She has a job to do. That is all."


    I could say the same for you and your pricks, but it seems to matter a hell of a lot to all of you whenever you talk to me. She thought.


    "Still, you don''t just let that slip."


    "You''re... You''re a..." She sounded panicked.


    "Oh, great." Ash sighed. "See? She hates me now. And we were getting along so well."


    Ash expected some form of anger. An insult or two.


    Instead, the girl''s head hung even lower.


    She doesn''t even look mad... She just looks sad.


    They didn''t continue the conversation. Instead, Ash laid her head back against the wooden wall of the carriage, feeling the rumbling of the vehicle as the horses pulled it along.


    "Anyway," Varcon continued, "the name of the Savior you will be training under is Satsuhiro Miyoshi, a mage."


    That got Ash''s attention.


    "A mage? Why? Isn''t my job to bash things on the skull?"


    "Even warriors need a healthy foundation of magic from which to build on," Varcon replied. "There are spells that are essential to success in combat against any creature, and some that make fights against specific creatures less arduous. Therefore, you will be seeing him first. Besides, the Witness over here will be seeing to your weapons training. That''s enough, for now."


    "Alright." Ash closed her eyes. "Well, whatever."


    The trip was not a long one. Just about two hours away from Jade, the carriage stopped. Varcon gestured for her to exit the vehicle, and as the blindfolded girl heard them getting off, she did the same. When they were on the dirt, he pointed to the side to a path that led to a large barn-like building that was hugging the outer portion of a grand forest.


    "That is the Savior''s home," Varcon said. "Witness, you have documents, yes?''


    "Yes." The blindfolded girl nodded with a dejected voice.


    "Show them to him. He will know you are the ones he''s been told to expect."


    Curtly, the man closed the door to the carriage and signaled for the vehicle to get moving. Ash smirked. As it turned around and headed back to Jade, she yelled:


    "No goodbye!? Aw, how come?"


    With that out of the way, she turned to the path. A hand on her shoulder stopped her before she could start walking.


    "Excuse me," the girl said. "I cannot see where we are going. Could you guide me?"


    She sounded like saying those words actively hurt.


    Ash sighed.


    "Sure."


    With the girl holding onto her left shoulder, Ash slowly walked forwards. Fields of wheat almost blocked her sight, but her eyes remained fixed on the barn-like building. Is this guy I''m meeting a farmer or something? Ash wondered. As she approached the front door, she tapped the other girl''s hand.


    "We''re here."


    "Oh, okay."


    "By the way, what''s your name? Or I could just call you ''blindfold girl''. Your call." Ash told her.


    "Ah, my name''s Keiko. It''s a pleasure to meet you." She bowed as she clearly lied.


    "A bit late for that, but alright. I''m Ash."


    As she said that, the door in front of them opened. A tan-skinned man emerged wearing a black Ji like he was about to go to work or something. He had sharp brown eyes and slick black hair with bangs falling down his forehead. His hands were kept behind his back. Ash''s eyes widened when she checked his stats.


    Level 35


    MP: 400/400


    Holy shit. She blinked.


    "Ash, was it?" The man spoke with confidence. "I overheard. So, Ash, care to tell me what a half-demon is doing on my property?"


    "Yeah," she nodded. "Keiko, the papers." She told the girl next to her, who was already preparing to hand them over. The man Ash guessed was Satsuhiro took them and his eyes scanned them so quickly, Ash couldn''t believe he''d read them all already.


    "Truly..." He sounded surprised. "Magia has chosen you?"


    Ash nodded.


    "That''s what everyone keeps telling me." She replied with a shrug. "I''m supposed to receive some training from you."


    "I read as much, yes." His eyes briefly flickered back to the paper. "No matter, if that is Magia''s will, I shall be your teacher."


    "Huh? Just like that?" She asked. "No, ''how dare they make me teach a filthy hybrid?'' You''ve got nothing like that for me?" She asked with crossed arms.


    "Do you want me to say that?" He asked, his eyes narrowed at her.


    "No." Ash shook her head. "I''m just surprised is all."


    "If anything," he replied, "I''m more annoyed at the fact that they''re having me teach someone at all. The word ''retired'' holds no meaning for Saviors. But, whatever." He shrugged. "If Magia wants me to teach you, I will."


    "Magia? You mean the church."


    "No, I mean Magia herself." Satsuhiro quickly said. "Something you will learn very quickly as a Savior is this: nothing happens that Magia and the other deities do not influence somehow."


    Seriously?


    "Satsu?" A feminine voice asked inside the home. "Who''s there?"


    "No one, just..." He was bumped out of the way. A woman came out that was basically his polar opposite in every way. A blonde, dark-skinned girl with more muscles than even Ash herself had. "You know, honey, if you''re going to investigate, why even ask?"


    "Shut it," the large woman said. "You, you, who are you two?" She pointed at Ash and Keiko.


    Ash looked up at her level.


    Level 15


    MP: 10/10


    "I''m Ash."


    "And I am Keiko."


    "Oh, hi." The woman grinned. "I''m Metsumi~"


    "Uh... What are you, his sister or something?"


    "No." The man quickly said with barely disguised mockery. "She''s my wife."


    Ash raised her brows. She looked at him, then at her. Wow. She blinked twice. Weirdest couple I''ve seen, but okay.


    "Well, what are they here for? Tax collectors?" Metsumi asked her husband.


    "No, they want me to help train this one." He pointed at Ash. "Remember the letter?"


    "OOOH!"


    "Yes, she''s to be the next Savior."


    "Ugh," Metsumi groaned, "you may as well get out and run for the hills while you still can." She told Ash.


    "Is it that bad?"


    "Tell me about it. One decade, you''re a hero, the next you''re the church''s servant."


    "Don''t listen to her." Satsuhiro sighed.


    "And why the hell should they not listen to me?"


    "By Magia''s fucking grace, can you please just go inside?" He asked her.


    "The fucking nerve!" She replied. "I clean, I cook, I watch the kid while you read in that fancy-schmancy library all day and this is how you talk to me?"


    And, well, their argument kept going.


    Keiko tapped Ash''s shoulder.


    "What is happening?"


    "I... I uh... I don''t really know." Ash told her.


    Soon though, a third person emerged, though this one was far shorter than everyone else. A little girl popped up behind Metsumi''s legs. She didn''t say a word as the two people Ash assumed to be her parents argued next to her. Instead, she looked up at Ash. The half-demon looked back at her and the little girl hid slightly behind her mother''s leg.


    "A.ny.way." Satsuhiro said slowly, "follow me. Before we do anything, I''ll need to see what you can do."


    "Uh, sure."


    The house was bigger than it looked from outside. There were a few couches placed around a wooden kitchen table. There was a spacious kitchen to the left and stairs to the right that led to a second floor. They, though, were heading to the back, where a screen door led to another part of the farm. One where the grass was fully cut. Satsuhiro took a deep breath, walked out to the middle of the field, and turned around.


    "Oh!" Metsumi called out to them, "we have a guest room. Give me your bags, I''ll drop them there."


    "Sure," Ash said as she passed hers over. Keiko did the same silently.


    "Alright then." Satsuhiro put his hands behind his back. "Show me your stats. Your full numbers, of course."


    Okay. Ash nodded.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    Attributes


    Strength: 1


    Dexterity: 1


    Constitution: 5


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 100


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach


    Chosen


    ?


    ?


    ?


    "Hm." He scratched his chin. "You''re definitely not on the trajectory of being a mage, though I suppose if you so choose, it''s never too late to go for that. Anyway," he shook his head. "The first thing I''ll do is teach you a few spells and you''ll try them out. This is to see if you have any affinities."


    "What are those?" Ash asked.


    "Basically, it goes like this. Most people don''t have affinities and can perform spells from all categories of magic, but those who do, whether it''s an affinity for Fire, Light, Dark, or whatever, can only perform spells of that category. In that way, it''s a curse. The good part though is that their spells are enhanced. So, go ahead. Here, I''ll give you one to do."


    As soon as he said that, tendrils of multiple colors formed between him and Ash temporarily, and Ash felt herself learning a spell.


    Oh fuck. She looked down at her hands.


    "So, what spell did I give you?"


    "Ice Beam," Ash said. "Holy shit, I just know it now."


    "That''s how teaching spells works if the person providing the spell has already mastered it. If they haven''t, they can''t do that."


    "So, you''re just gonna give me hundreds of spells overnight?" Ash asked.


    "I could, but you wouldn''t be able to execute any of them to an acceptable level. Spells have proficiency ratings, after all. Meaning, the more you perform a spell, the better it gets. Of course, if you''ve never performed it, it will suck. Well, go ahead. It''s a beginner spell that only uses up 5mp, so you should be able to cast it."


    "Alright. Take a step back, Keiko." Ash said and the girl did so. Then, Ash breathed in and raised her hand, saying the incantation.


    "Cold of the night, purify!"


    What was supposed to happen was that a blue beam of ice would shoot out of her palm, but instead, black lightning surged throughout her body.


    "AGH, FUCK!" Ash got on her knees. "What the hell was that?"


    "So, you do have an affinity. You have an affinity for Dark magic. How fitting." He said. "Okay, try this one out."


    The same colorful tendrils passed to her, and another spell was manifested in Ash''s memory.


    Holy shit, that hurt. She got back up.


    "Sure that won''t happen again?" She asked and he nodded.


    "Go ahead."


    "Uh, corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    Again, what was supposed to happen was that a black and slightly violet-colored ball would shoot out of her hands that would deal Dark damage to an enemy. However, instead, this time, white lightning came out of her. It hurt even more than the black one, to the point where she fell over.


    "A-Ash?" Keiko asked, worried?


    "Oh?" Satsuhiro said. "Well, this is a shock."


    "What. The. Fuck!?" Ash barked out, while on the dirt.


    "Something highly unexpected. Come inside, we''ll sit down and I''ll let you know why you''re in the fetal position right now."


    Ash hated this already.


    Still, she got up when she could and walked back into the house. Satsuhiro was at the table, sitting there and drinking tea. His wife set down a few extra cups for everyone there. Ash sat down with a sigh.


    "So, what happened?" She asked.


    "You are probably the rarest individual out there, that''s what," Satsuhiro replied.


    "Why?"


    "Everything I said about affinities is true, you see, but there''s one exception. Sometimes, people are born with two affinities. Some people have affinities of Fire and Wind, for example, or Ice and Earth. In your case, it happened with two very peculiar categories. Light and Dark. Two categories that directly contradict each other. You have an affinity for both kinds of magic."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It means, Ash," he said, "that you are what''s known as a Moonlight Mage." He clarified. "Someone with incredible potential to either heal or corrupt, or both. It also means that you won''t be able to learn spells just yet."


    Trait Discovered!


    Moonlight Nature


    [Affinity for both Dark and Light]


    "Why?"


    "Because in order for someone who has two affinities to learn magic, they require an intimate connection with both categories. A connection you clearly have not even begun to foster. Only after you''ve done that, you can learn magic."


    "So, what the fuck do I do until then?" She asked, shrugging.


    "There is a beginner-level forest near this house. Go fight stuff."


    That simple? Ash asked in her mind.

 Chapter 10 - 7

    Satsuhiro guessed accurately from Ash''s Level 1 that she had never killed anything, which was a problem considering the fact that she''d be doing that a lot as a Savior. So, he gave her a map and told her where to go to do this while he researched ways for her to become attuned with her affinities.


    Keiko decided she would stay with Satsuhiro so she could, as she put it, work on something. Ash was fine with that, so now she was walking out of the house on her own, on her way to her first fight since getting this job. So, let''s see. She glanced down at the map.


    Currently, she was southwest of Jade, if she headed to the left for enough time, she''d eventually run into Pearl. So, this forest over here, she tapped it on the paper, is a beginner-level area. There are just low-level goblins and orcs there, huh? She nodded to herself. Well, let''s go.


    She walked through tall grass with the distant forest in her sights. The way the sun hit the exposed parts of her body had her sweating already. With Lust tied to her waist, she made her way there. The tall trees blocked out the sun and the leaves crunched under her boots as she looked for targets. The last thing she wanted was to get caught by surprise.


    The smell was so strange. She''d only ever been in Jade, so when the scent of dirt and nature hit her, it was stunning. She heard more birds singing than she thought she ever had. But, she couldn''t focus on those things. She had a job to do.


    Where are these things? She wondered. I''d definitely like it if I didn''t run into a whole pack of ''em. Maybe if I spot one alone, I can try to take it by surprise.


    Soon enough, the sounds were joined by another set of thudding footsteps ahead. Ash hummed to herself. Alright. She looked for the source.


    Ahead, what looked like a short, stocky big-nosed man with green skin wearing a loincloth walked out. There you are, you ugly motherfucker. Just as hideous as what Satsuhiro described. Now, let''s see.


    The goblins stats showed up in front of Ash.


    Level 4


    MP: 10/10


    Hm, so this goblin''s killed a few things. Ash understood. I could ignore him and look for any others that are a lower level, but I don''t know if I''ll find another one that''s just walking around alone like this. I think I should probably take this opportunity. Ash nodded to herself and walked up. The goblin''s beady eyes landed on her and she quickly brought out Lust.


    Sword. She thought and the cube transformed around her hand into the brilliant weapon. With it, she took a few swings to get a feel of the weapon.


    The goblin shrieked as Ash stopped what she was doing. The goblin pointed the club it had been carrying at her and Ash narrowed her eyes, preparing herself. Then, the goblin started to move.


    Okay, okay. She thought. Take it easy, it''s a low-level goblin. What''s the worst that could happen? Ash waited until the thing was close enough, and then she readied a swing. Surprisingly though, the goblin was faster. Her eyes widened as, just as she was about to launch a swing of her own, the goblin beat her to it and aimed an attack straight for her head. She ducked under it, looking up at the green creature. With a kick, she tried to put some distance between them. The goblin wasn''t even tickled by her strike, but the kick did the job.


    Ash took a deep breath. Fuck. The goblin made some animalistic sounds and came charging back up to her. I should probably just focus on defending myself.


    She waited until it was about to attack again and raised Lust up to block its club. She succeeded, but the goblin didn''t stop. Like a construction worker pounding away with a hammer, it attacked once, twice, and then a third time. That was when Ash''s arms gave out under its strength.


    Shit! The sword fell out of her hands as the goblin readied one more strike.


    All she could do was dodge it. The goblin tried to hit her twice, she managed to move out of the way both times. The goblin took a few deep breaths.


    That took a bit out of you, huh? Ash slowly got up to her feet as the goblin staggered back. She laughed. I guess we both suck. Don''t want that happening to me. I have to take it easy for a little bit. God, fighting is way more exhausting when you''re not trying to run away.


    "Aaarh, guargh!" The goblin made strange noises and pointed its club at her menacingly.


    "Yeah, fuck off." Ash spat in his face.


    The ten seconds they spent waiting for the other to do something was like an eternity. I have the speed to dodge. But, fuck, that thing is strong. I don''t think I can block much. I just need to time my dodges well.


    Ash did not time her dodge well.


    The goblin attacked once more. She tried to lean out of the way of what was a hit to the head but didn''t do so in time. The club struck her right below her left horn, and Ash fell back. The world spun for a second. She hadn''t been hit that hard in a very long time. Drops of violet fell in front of her. I''m bleeding. Great.


    The goblin didn''t stop there, it went to pound her into the ground, but Ash rolled out of the way before it could do something she guessed would actually finish her off. It tried again and failed. When it appeared to slow down, Ash felt that it was her turn. She reached for her sword, which was still on the ground, and went for a strike of her own.


    And it landed. She slashed its left thigh, eliciting an ear-piercing screech from the green creature. Yeah, how''s that feel? Ash got up and stood over it. Okay, let''s just end this. She walked forwards, raising the sword up to bring it down on it.


    The goblin did to her exactly what she''d done to it. It grabbed its club and struck her leg with it.


    "Agh! Motherfucker!"


    Ash dropped her sword as she went to clutch her leg. Fuck, fuck, fuck!


    At that moment, something started to stir within her.


    Involuntarily, Ash found herself growling at the creature. She could feel her body warming up to the point of it being unbearable. The goblin basically smirked at her and Ash bared her teeth. I''m really starting to hate you. She thought. She grabbed her sword and the goblin stood up.


    Ash ran forwards. She went to stab the creature but it smacked her sword out of the way with its club and tackled her. Then, it mounted her and raised its club up. Ash leaned her head out of the way and tried to push the goblin off of her.


    The goblin was too heavy. Strength not high enough? Alright then. She went for a different strategy. As the goblin was about to turn her head into mashed potatoes, the half-demon punched it in the groin. As expected, the goblin froze and got off her, falling to the side to clutch its balls. Yeah, even with a low strength I figured that should work.


    Anger bubbled inside of her as she decided to ditch her sword and instead, mounted the goblin herself. Raising a fist, she brought it down on the goblin''s mouth. Once, twice. Despite her low Strength, she dealt some damage. The goblin spat out some teeth as Ash tried to attack a third time.


    However, she had underestimated just how much this fight was taking out of her. She was breathing heavily. Her punches had no weight behind them anymore. The goblin realized this.


    The goblin went to shove her off and barely had to expend any energy to do so, as Ash was pushed away as easily as a feather. She was taking deep breaths as the goblin mounted her. Ash tried to reach up with her hands to block, but her arms had barely any energy anymore.


    That meant that as the goblin went to punch her, she was nearly powerless to defend herself.


    Smack! Smack! Smack!


    It went on for quite a while.


    Smack! Smack! Smack!


    Ash''s nose was now broken, and she was bleeding from her bottom lip and had a cut above her left eyebrow.


    No thought came into her mind as the goblin struck her over and over again.


    Then, Ash felt her very being changing. Fifteen seconds passed, Fifteen seconds straight of being punched in the face. Something was happening.


    "You... Motherfucker¡­" She snarled as, feeling a sudden boost of energy, she pushed the goblin off of her. She stood up. Her violet blood fell in drops onto the dirt below. And then, Ash''s body changed. She felt her teeth grow into animalistic fangs, nearly pricking her tongue on them. Claws growing from her fingers tore through the cloth of her gloves. Finally, as the goblin cackled ahead of her, another change happened.


    The world took on a slight tinge of violet, with most of it focused around the goblin. That was the biggest change of all. It got to the point where she didn''t see the goblin as an enemy anymore.


    She saw it as prey. Something to be destroyed and devoured.


    She wasn''t thinking anymore. It was like someone or something else had occupied her body. Instead, she listened to her instincts and pounced. She tackled the creature. Looming over it, Ash''s wide, feral eyes peered down at the goblin.


    And then she used her claws.


    It was effortless. She ripped the goblin apart. Shredding its body with her hands, ripping and squelching sounds came up as Ash continued. As she tore it up, she saw its exposed neck and opened her mouth. Then, she leaned in, bit down on it as hard as she could, and ripped its throat out with her teeth.


    And finally, the goblin was dead.


    Only then did Ash regain her sanity.


    Huh? She looked at the corpse beneath her. The goblin was unrecognizable. Most of its insides were outside. Ash reached up and found red blood pouring down her chin, mingling with the violet.


    Holy shit. She thought. What the fuck just happened to me?


    A series of messages appeared.


    EXP GAINED: 15+15(bonus)


    Note: Defeating an enemy of a higher level will yield more EXP.


    EXP: 30/15


    Level Up!


    2 Attribute Points Gained


    Trait Discovered!


    Demon Inside


    Prolonged fights will result in you entering Demon Form. While in Demon Form, all physical attributes, Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are increased by 5. Demon Form ceases when either the specific target who caused you to enter the form dies or the user does not wish to fight them anymore.


    This trait has unlocked another Unknown Trait!


    Unknown Trait


    ?


    Ash shook her head. She was too stunned by what she''d just done to take all this information in.


    What the fuck is all this?

 Chapter 11 - 8

    When Ash came back to the house, she was covered in drying blood. What she''d done weighed heavily on her. She really felt like she''d turned into an animal for a brief period. So, for now, at least, she chose not to think about that particular part of what had happened.


    Opening the screen door, she saw Satsuhiro, along with Keiko and Metsumi, all sitting at the kitchen table.


    "... I''m afraid that''s out of my field," Satsuhiro said.


    "Really?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes," Satsuhiro replied before his eyes fell on Ash. He and Metsumi visibly cringed when she appeared. Keiko''s covered her nose. "Well," Satsuhiro started, "it seems you had an exciting time."


    Ash spat out some of the goblin''s blood.


    "It was wonderful," she said in the driest tone she could muster. "You know, you could have said ''hey, maybe take on an easier monster at first'' or anything like that."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean that a level 4 goblin nearly killed me," Ash replied.


    "And why the hell did you fight a level 4 goblin?"


    "Uh, because I didn''t fucking know level 4 meant that thing was like, seventeen times better than me." She replied, throwing her hands up.


    "I figured you had enough common sense to derive that. Clearly, I was wrong."


    "Common sense is only common when you know what you''re doing! And, hell," she turned to Keiko, "you could have warned me too, Miss Weaponmaster."


    "My only job is to teach you how to use weapons and record what you do." Keiko quickly replied. "What decisions you make beyond that are your own."


    "Un-fucking-believable." Ash wiped away more blood. "You could have at least helped me learn how to do basic swings or some shit! I went out there swinging my sword like it was a hammer!"


    "I..." Upon hearing that, the girl''s head lowered. "I apologize, on that front. I was... distracted when you went out."


    "By what?"


    "... Personal issues. It won''t happen again," Keiko promised.


    "... Whatever." Ash shook her head. "Anyway, I leveled up."


    "Good." Satsuhiro took a sip out of a ceramic cup. "While you were gone, I did a little bit of research into your trait. As I had said, in order for a Moonlight Mage to begin using their spells, they must first ease the tension that exists between their respective categories of magic."


    "I dropped out of school at 12, please, simple terms," Ash replied, walking in and leaving mud imprints on the floor.


    "I mean that your affinities are at odds. Light and Dark are not compatible, and yet you have an affinity for both. You need to get them to agree with each other."


    "And how do I do that?" Ash asked.


    "Well, that''s what I researched. The process is simple enough. The issue is that it''s dangerous. Basically," he sighed, "you need to build bridges using your Mana."


    "Listen, you''re talking in really abstract terms right now and I gotta be honest, the fact that I have goblin blood in between my tits is pretty distracting and makes it really hard to understand. I don''t know what the fuck you mean."


    Satsuhiro nodded. He looked away, humming to himself. Then, he looked back at her.


    "I''m going. To cast. Light magic. Onto you, and Dark magic," he said slowly as if he were talking to a child. "Coming into contact with both categories will attune your body to them, thus allowing you to use spells after you''ve attuned fully."


    "¡­ Okay." Ash nodded. "Can you do that after I''ve taken a bath? I''m covered in goblin guts."


    "Ah, sure. By the way, how the hell did that happen?" He asked.


    When he asked that, Ash remembered how she tore the goblin apart. She felt a shiver crawl up her back.


    "Uh... Apparently, being a half-demon comes with more baggage than I thought," Ash replied with a shrug. "I have a trait that, well, temporarily makes me sort of a demon."


    "Hm¡­" Satsuhiro crossed his arms. "Could that be why you were chosen?"


    "Huh?"


    "I''ve been thinking about why you were chosen and I''m still at a loss. Not every Savior is some sort of prodigy since birth or a noble or whatever, but they tend to have something that sets them apart from the rest. Maybe in your case, it''s your hybrid status. Something like fighting fire with fire."


    "Could be." Ash shrugged. She looked to Keiko and noticed that her hands were trembling. She doesn''t seem to like that. "I don''t really care why she chose me. I just know I have a job to do." And money to make. She thought.


    "I see. Well, go ahead and take a bath and take the rest of the day off. I''ll heal up those nasty little injuries after your bath. We''ll start your attunement process tomorrow."


    "Alright."


    The bathroom held one tub that was already full. I''m guessing they thought I''d be dirty by the time I came back. Ash disrobed and entered the container, watching as the liquid slowly turned red from the blood washing off of her. While she was there, she took the moment to see that message again.


    Level Up!


    2 Attribute Points Gained


    Allocate now?


    Yes???? No


    Sure. Ash thought and the next menu popped up.


    Points Remaining: 2


    Strength: 1


    Dexterity: 1


    Constitution: 5


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 100


    Alright, so, what do I want to do? Ash looked at each stat. Well, I''m sure as shit not going to be casting many spells anytime soon, so I think Intelligence and Wisdom are pretty much out. I think my body is durable enough, I mean, I was able to take a few punches from a goblin that was clearly stronger than me. She looked at her Strength and Dexterity. I may as well try to get those both up.


    Nodding to herself, she hovered the Strength option and put a point into it, and put the other point into her Dexterity.


    Strength: 2


    Dexterity: 2


    Constitution: 5


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 100


    Confirm?


    Yes No


    Yeah, that seems about fine to me. With that thought, the points she''d gotten disappeared, and her Attributes were updated. Her choice was made and she was now Level 2.


    Someone tapped on the door.


    "Hey, it''s me, Metsumi," the woman said, "I left some clothes out here for ya. You should be able to work out in them too."


    "Uh, thanks," Ash replied. Saying "thank you" wasn''t something she was used to. She''d had to say "fuck you" far more than that.


    When she felt refreshed enough, she exited the bathroom, dried herself off with a nearby towel, and put on the clothes her host had left. A bit too big. Metsumi is kind of huge, after all. Ash walked out into the living room and found Satsuhiro and Keiko speaking.


    "... Well," Satsuhiro was in the middle of saying something, "maybe I can find something in the library though."


    "T-That''s alright, thank you, siya."


    "No problem." Satsuhiro looked up at Ash. "Need that healing?"


    "Yeah." Ash shrugged.


    "I''m going to..."


    As he spoke, Ash''s found her eyes naturally roaming to Keiko, in a way that they hadn''t done before. Her trainer sat with her hands on her lap. Her uniform, a curious outfit that Ash hadn''t seen before, exposed the sides of her thighs, showing off pale, soft-looking skin. From where she stood, Ash could see how Keiko''s chest swelled to-


    "Are you listening?"


    Ash blinked.


    "Huh, what?" She shook her head. "Sorry, I lost focus for a second there," Ash told Satsuhiro.


    The retired Savior sighed and said:


    "I didn''t say anything too important. Just how the healing spell works. It''ll take about ten seconds or so."


    He stood up and placed a hand on Ash''s forehead, and she found her wounds closing.


    What the hell was I doing? Ash thought. I was looking at Keiko like...


    "Tomorrow, we''re going out into the field and I''m going to cast spells at you. Basic ones, though due to my high Intelligence stat, will likely still hurt. So, be ready to feel some pain. After that, I''ll heal you and it''s through this that you will become attuned."


    "Sounds easy enough. Provided you''re not holding back any common sense." Ash spat out. Satsuhiro sighed.


    "It will take time. I believe one session won''t be enough. For now, just rest up."


    "Rest? Shouldn''t we-"


    "We could train," Keiko suggested.


    "It''s better to do that with a clear mind," Satsuhiro said. "Clearly, Ash is still pretty mad. Just take the day off, you''ll be here for a while. You''ll have more than enough time to train."


    "Fine," Ash replied.


    There really wasn''t much to do at the farm. Ash walked out and spent a little time looking at the animals Satsuhiro had. Some cows, some chickens. A few crops grown in small fields. The time alone allowed Ash to think for a while. Which was horrible.


    What the fuck happened to me? She wondered, remembering how she tore into her enemy. She looked down at her hands, remembering all the times when people in Jade would kick her and call her names, usually things like "rabid mutt" and "demon rat". Were they right? She sighed and eventually, as the night kicked in, walked back into the house.


    Satsuhiro told her that they''d be going to sleep early so as to get the most out of their day, and Ash agreed to it.


    Finally, since they only had one guest room, Ash and Keiko had to sleep in the same bed. Keiko had offered to sleep on the couch but Metsumi said "nope, no one''s sleeping on any couch in this home, that''s not happening."


    So, with the twin moons high above, Ash was lying on a green bed with Keiko next to her. Her trainer had her back turned to her.


    Alright. I guess it was a... whatever kind of day. Ash thought. At least I leveled up.


    And so, she allowed the day to end as she closed her eyes.


    ---


    Ash woke up. There were black strings in front of her eyes. Then, as she blinked, she realized they weren''t black strings her, it was Keiko''s hair.


    She had turned towards the girl in the night. Ash took a deep breath.


    Keiko''s scent slid into her nostrils and Ash''s eyes traced the outline of her body.


    Holy shit, did she always smell this good? I''m so close that I could reach over and- WHAT? What the hell am I thinking?


    She sat up, reaching up and touching her chest. She hadn''t noticed it, but her heart was beating fast.


    What... No, whatever. She shook her head. She checked and saw that Keiko was still asleep. Her eyes were blindfolded of course, but she wasn''t moving, save for the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Whatever. Whatever.


    And so, the morning got off to a strange start.


    Later, Ash was standing in front of Satsuhiro outside the house where the sun draped itself over them. Keiko was a few paces behind Ash. Satsuhiro nodded to himself and cleared his throat, his gloved hands held together behind his back.


    "I will be casting a basic Dark spell called Dreadful Sphere."


    "So, what should I expect?" Ash asked. "Is it gonna burn, is it gonna feel cold?"


    After what happened yesterday, all she wanted were details.


    "No," Satsuhiro shook his head. "Dark spells are unique in that, they don''t seek to damage your body. Sure, a spell powerful enough will feel like you''re being punched by a high-level warrior, but that''s not a Dark spell''s objective. No, a Dark spell aims to hurt your very soul. Your life energy. If I had to compare the feeling of tanking a Dark spell to anything, it would be heartache. But that doesn''t quite compare, still. Taking a Dark spell is a very unique feeling, as you''ll find out in a moment. Ready?"


    "Sure." Ash shrugged.


    "Good."


    Without an incantation, Satsuhiro raised a hand and Ash watched as a black and violet force gathered at his fingertips. Then, the force converged and became a small ball of dark energy. Satsuhiro pulled his hand back and pushed it forward like he was throwing a rock. The sphere traveled through the air and hit Ash in the chest.


    Instantly, Ash felt raw pain spread throughout her body.


    "Agh!" She fell to her knees. He was right. The pain she felt was unlike anything she''d ever been through, and as a woman who had been homeless for the past six years, she''d experienced a great many kinds of pain. Starvation, the burning of the hot stone streets under her uncovered feet, getting hit, what she''d felt at this moment was almost like a combination of it all.


    "It''s something, isn''t it?" Satsuhiro said with a smirk.


    Ash was left breathing heavily but stood back up.


    "That," she said, "is fucking terrifying."


    "You can imagine how high-level dark spells feel. I can tell you from experience, being hit by one feels like your very existence is being erased. Now, ready yourself. We have to keep going."


    Ash nodded. Satsuhiro nodded back and raised up a hand. Another spell was launched at her, and Ash gasped.


    Several spells later, Ash was lying on the dirt, looking up at the sky. Is this what death feels like?


    However, a message popped up.


    Dark Attunement Process


    5%


    You''re joking. Ash thought. All that, for 5%?


    "We should stop with the Dark there," Satsuhiro said. "Taking too many of those could kill you."


    "I can tell," Ash replied. "So, Keiko, you heard all that?" She called out to the girl behind her. Keiko''s only response was to nod, probably assuming Ash was looking at her.


    "Now, let''s start the Light attunement. I''m going to heal you. This will undoubtedly feel better. I will also use the weakest healing spell I know, so you have more time to attune."


    "Alright."


    Again, without an incantation, Satsuhiro placed his hand on Ash''s right shoulder and a white glow covered it. She felt relieved, almost like a type of peace was entering her body.


    "Hey," she said, "quick question, don''t you need to say something to use a spell?"


    "An incantation? No." He shook his head. "Not when you''ve mastered the spell you''re using. Spells have proficiencies too. And, well, I''ve mastered quite a few. I''ve been doing this for a long time, after all."


    "Oh. Alright. How long have you been a Savior for?"


    "Hm... I believe I was recruited when I was 16."


    "And how old are you now?"


    "30." He replied. "I was a Savior up until I was 27, then I retired. Though, as you will too, I started out with only the lighter kinds of tasks. I hadn''t even seen a full-scale battle between two armies until I was about 20."


    "You retired that early?"


    He nodded.


    "Well, as evidenced by the fact that you''re here ''retired'' is a bit of an overstatement. Regardless, demons are dangerous creatures, even to us. You won''t live long if you just fight them all your life. If anyone needs my aid, I''ll be there. But, as far as actively looking for missions is concerned, that time is already behind me. Besides, I have a family now." He pointed back to the house, where Ash could hear his wife talking to his daughter. "I have to be here for them."


    Ash nodded with understanding. A minute later, Satsuhiro stopped.


    Another message came up.


    Light Attunement Process


    10%


    "It went up faster," Ash stated.


    "Yes, I spent more time healing you than I did trying to attack you, just by nature of the two spells I used. The healing spell lasts longer, so you get more attunement out of it."


    "Okay, so what next?" Ash asked.


    "That should be it for today, on my end. I healed you, but even so, taking too many dark spells can have... undesired side-effects."


    Attuning Dark is that dangerous?


    "So, what do I do now?"


    "That''s up to you, at least until tomorrow," Satsuhiro said, helping her get up. "You could exercise your body, run, chop a tree down, etc. Or, you could get started on your weapon training." He pointed at Keiko. "It''s your choice. You''re the Savior, after all."


    Ash looked over at Keiko.


    "Hey, how''s that sound? Can we start practicing now?"


    "Yes." Keiko''s low voice answered. "Again... I am sorry, by the way."


    "It''s fine." Ash sighed. "Lead the way, teacher."


    ---


    Varcon


    The Church of Magia was somewhat calm at the moment. Not many injured were coming in, so the deacons and priests had time to relax. Varcon did so in one of his favorite ways.


    The old man was currently in one of the back rooms, naked and sitting at a wooden chair while a pair of prostitutes serviced him. He took deep breaths as both girls took turns diving between his legs. I needed this. He thought.


    The recent events had tired him somewhat, but as much as he didn''t like the prospect Magia chose, he understood that with there simply being another Savior in the world, humanity stood a slightly better chance of winning the battle against the Demons. Behind him, the door opened.


    "Father Varcon," a deacon said, "the Royal Council''s representatives are here, they wish to speak to you regarding the case of the hybrid."


    Hm. I assume they wish to hear me say she''ll be a good asset to them.


    "I will be there shortly." He replied. The man left the room and the girls stopped. Varcon paid them with money out of the church''s treasury.


    The church must maintain its position. He thought. As long as the people of Nova are looking to us for salvation, we are the sole true power in this world. Magia would not intend it any other way. However... He scowled. The effect of a good story is not lost on me. That is after all, why I let those men and women die a week ago. A good story can alter the opinions of everyone who hears them, and how tragic would it be if these degenerates, the lowly impure citizens of Nova, were led to believe that anyone, even a homeless half-demon, could be great. That Magia sees them all equally. He scoffed. What a hell that would be.


    As he contemplated the matter, he got dressed and walked out into the halls. When he emerged at the main room, where the crystal was, something stirred. He didn''t notice it at first. However, a whirring sound made it to his ears and he opened his eyes.


    The crystal was spinning.


    Varcon blinked. He couldn''t believe it.


    The crystal was actually spinning.


    Could it be? He thought, standing up. His frail body drew closer. Another Savior?


    And, it was as that realization came to him that he smiled.


    Ah. He chuckled. I see! His chuckle turned into boisterous laughter. Magia does everything for a reason. I understand now. And... if my guess is right, then even that half-demon was selected for a reason. Thank you, my lady. I will not doubt you again.

 Chapter 12 - 9

    Kaori


    "You''re all set?" Kaori''s father asked. She had just finished putting on her shoes. She made sure that her clothes didn''t have any dirt on them as she nodded.


    "Yeah!" She answered back excitedly. Her mother came around from her room.


    "You forgot your water bottle!"


    "Oh, shoot." Kaori ran over and grabbed them. "My bad."


    "Feel free to slow down, okay?" Her father asked and Kaori nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah." Kaori threw her bag over her back, holding onto a black strap as her mother passed her a ceramic cup of coffee. "Thanks!" She drank it all in less than ten seconds, leaned in and kissed her mother on the cheek, and then did the same with her father. "Gotta go, bye!"


    "Have fun, sweetie." Her mother said as her father simply smiled proudly.


    As Kaori ran out the door, she had the sudden realization that she simply couldn''t love her life any more than she already did. As she stepped out onto the stone streets, her neighbors all grinned and waved at her.


    "Hi!" She waved back at each of them. Kaori was an eighteen-year-old girl of average height with hopeful blue eyes and short blonde hair tied into a ponytail that reached just below her shoulders. She tried to exercise as often as she could, so her physique was fairly toned and her fingertips had callouses she liked to think of as signs of her dedication.


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    Attributes


    Strength: 3


    Dexterity: 3


    Constitution: 10


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 100


    Traits


    Firm


    ?


    ?


    She ran a few miles every day and, occasionally, she''d do bodyweight exercises that had slowly gotten her Strength and Dexterity up to 3 over the years. Whenever she looked at her Luck stat, it always brought a smile to her face. She knew she was lucky, she didn''t need a stat to tell her.


    She''d been born with loving parents, a community that was proud of her, and enough natural wit to place among the highest grade scores in her university. However, she tried to remind herself that Lumina, the goddess of Love, Peace, and Empathy, who she worshipped, would want her to give back to her community. So, as she walked by a few homeless people, she dropped a crown or two into each one of their cups.


    Her university was fairly close by. It was a tall, regal building made mostly of wood. Golden gates held the rest of the city at bay, open gates which Kaori passed through with a sense of eagerness. Other students who were just arriving all greeted her.


    "Oh, shit. It''s her." Kaori heard a girl whisper somewhere behind her, but she ignored it. "Sira."


    "Look, she''s so cool!" Another one replied and Kaori held back a giggle.


    Humility was great, but she figured these little ego boosts couldn''t hurt every now and then. So, she put just a little bit more confidence into her stride as she made her way into the building. Once there, she bumped into a teacher.


    "Oh, sorry Mrs. Aeko."


    "Ah, Kaori. It''s no issue." The teacher replied. "Did you do the assignments?"


    "Yep!" Kaori nodded.


    "Did you hear?" A student said to someone else, passing them by. Kaori just barely heard him. "Another demon attack happened north."


    As the teacher told Kaori something, the girl sighed. She couldn''t help but wonder if maybe she''d taken up too much luck and that, somehow, the rest of the world was suffering for it.


    Every day, she heard stories about how demons were raiding villages or attacking travelers. Sometimes, she''d even see injured soldiers arrive into the different churches placed around Jade, seeking aid for cursed wounds. It tore Kaori''s heart apart.


    If there were something I could do. She would think sometimes. I''d love to help people.


    After she finished speaking with her teacher, she walked into her classroom and sat at the front, as she usually did. Once here, she took out a small set of papers and a pencil and waited. The class started shortly after and, although she made sure to pay just enough attention to answer questions when prompted to, she found her focus hard to maintain. She imagined them, the warriors bravely fighting the demons out there. How they laid their lives down so that people like Kaori could have the peace she enjoyed.


    They''re amazing, really. She thought. The honor, the bravery. A lot of them probably deserve statues or something.


    She couldn''t do much like that. The only time she''d saved anyone was a very long time ago. When she was just about 14.


    It had been a snowy day when winter had settled in and most people were keeping their doors shut. Kaori was walking home from work, as of course, she''d started working at age 13 as a maid for an inn, and she found an old man collapsed on the street. A younger Kaori gasped and ran up to him.


    "S-Sir?" She tapped his shoulder. Even in that terrible weather, the poor man was almost naked. Kaori shook him, trying to see if the worst had happened. Remarkably, he took a small breath and that let Kaori know he was still kicking. "Come on, get up!"


    It had taken all of her strength, but she managed to pull him up and get him standing. His skin had turned purple from the cold.


    Status Effect: Frostbite


    If this person does not find warmth soon they will die.


    "I''ll take that as a challenge, then," Kaori muttered.


    Once the man realized someone was trying to carry him, he placed his bare feet on the snow and tried to stand.


    "L-Leave me." He said. "I''m doomed."


    "Oh no, you''re not." She shook her head. "Come on, I know a place."


    She turned around and dragged him to the inn where she''d just come from. It took fifteen minutes of using up more strength than she had in a while, but eventually, she was able to get him to safety.


    "Miss Kokora!" She called out to her boss. "This man needs help!"


    After a quick search for some blankets and a candle, they were able to save that man''s life.


    It was one of Kaori''s proudest memories, but she knew it didn''t come close to what others were currently doing.


    A while into the class though, something happened. The door opened suddenly and two priests walked in. Kaori straightened her back, wondering what was going on. One was old, the other far younger. The old man had his hands behind his back. Kaori hadn''t noticed it, but there was some sort of light shining onto her, passing through a wall. He cleared his throat.


    "Greetings, students." He said. "I apologize for the interruption, but, I have an announcement to make."


    "Oh?" The teacher said. "What is it?"


    He gestured for Kaori to stand up.


    What?


    "You, what is your name?"


    "K-Kaori." She replied.


    "Ah, Kaori. I believe it is a name that means, ''bright'', no?" Kaori nodded. "Heh. Well, it was given to you for good reason. Ahem, Kaori." He looked into her eyes. "You have been chosen to become the next Savior."


    And, just like that, Kaori''s prayers had been answered. She had studied them more than enough. She knew quite well who the Saviors were, and that, since these priests were here, this was no prank, no ruse. Still, she couldn''t believe it. She laughed nervously as the other students started to whisper amongst each other.


    "W-What?" She asked.


    "It is true." He took on a fatherly smile and walked up, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Come, I will explain everything."


    Kaori nodded.


    "Of course."


    And the priest grinned.


    ---


    Ash


    "Yeah, agh, this, agh, isn''t, agh, tedious at all, agh!"


    Ash was currently chopping wood behind the house. As the wood split, she placed the next log up on a stump for her to hack away at. After her first attunement session, she decided to work on her attributes first before she went to train with Keiko. So, she had been cutting wood for a fairly long time. And it was at this point that she''d earned her first point in Strength.


    Strength Increased!


    Strength: 3


    Then, another message popped up.


    Trait Unlocked!


    Huh?


    Quick Learner


    Due to the Chosen trait, proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP is increased by 100%.


    Oh. Ash wiped away some sweat just under her horns. So, I only have this trait because of the Chosen trait? Nice. I guess it was just waiting till I did something for it to trigger.


    Ash took a few deep breaths. This was hard work, but after the fight against the goblin, she understood that it was necessary. She had no intention of going through that much trouble just to kill such a small-fry creature again.


    Does the trait start working now? Was it working already? Whatever, let''s keep going.


    She was at it for a little longer and her Strength went up again.


    Strength Increased!


    Strength: 4


    Guess that''s a yes to that. Should I just keep going? But, as she went for the same amount of time, she found that her Strength didn''t go up to 5. Gets slower the higher I go, even with the Quick Learner trait. Okay. Maybe it''s time to switch. She let the axe fall and walked back into the house.


    Once again, the mud beneath her boots dirtied the floor.


    "Oh, for fuck''s sake, I just cleaned it," Satsuhiro said, standing up and walking over to it.


    "Oh!" Metsumi grinned as Ash walked in. "COME! You have to try this out!"


    "What?" Ash asked as she looked at the kitchen table and found some strange-looking food on a plate.


    "I want you to tell me how this tastes," Metsumi said. Ash looked around and saw that the others were also eating it.


    "Uh, what exactly is it?"


    "Nevermind the ingredients, dear, just tell me how it tastes!" She slid the plate closer to her.


    "Honey, they''re here to work, not to be your test subjects," Satsuhiro said as he cleaned the floor.


    "Shut it!" Metsumi barked back. "Now, go ahead."


    Ash took a moment to look at the others. Keiko was eating away at the contents of her plate quietly, but Metsumi and Satsuhiro''s daughter was staring at the meal with disgust.


    "Hm. Sure." Ash shrugged.


    The food looked like some strangely cooked chicken with a white sauce on it and some lettuce. Uh, okay. Can''t be the worst thing I''ve had.


    She took a bite and immediately regretted it.


    "Um..." She started. "What the hell is that sauce?"


    "It''s a secret~" Metsumi winked. It tasted vaguely like milk.


    "It''s..." Realizing she was currently a guest, she caught the words she was about to say in her mouth and said, "it''s fine."


    "What!?" Metsumi looked offended. "Just ''fine''!?"


    "A-ny-way." Satsuhiro said as Metsumi scoffed and turned around to wash some plates, "how''d the training go?"


    "Hey," she addressed him. "You have the Quick Learner trait too, right?"


    "Hm? Yes." Satsuhiro nodded.


    "So how much time would it take to reach, I don''t know, 30 Strength or something?"


    "Well, the way attributes, and really most mechanics, work is that there are certain benchmarks."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It means that every 10 points, gaining EXP for an attribute becomes harder. You can consider the first 10 levels to be ''beginner levels'' basically, and as such, you gain them exceptionally fast. After that, even with the Quick Learner trait we Saviors have, gaining the next 10 becomes far more difficult than the first 10. Then the next 10 after that, and the next 10 after that, and so on, until you reach 100, which is the maximum number of points you can dump in an attribute. So, to answer your question, if you wanted to reach 30 Strength, you could get the first 10 points probably this week, but the other 20 would be far harder to acquire. You get the point, right?"


    "Yeah. Think so. Keiko," she turned, "can we train now?"


    "Of course." Her voice sounded monotone, but she agreed. "Which weapon do you want to train in first?"


    "Uh, well I had swords in mind, but which do you recommend?" Ash asked.


    "Swords are famously reliable, yes."


    "Swords then," Ash said and Keiko nodded.


    "Alright. Could..." Her head tilted down. "Could you guide me to the field? I haven''t memorized the layout of this farm yet."


    "Sure." Ash didn''t mind. She let Keiko hold onto a piece of her armor as she walked out. They emerged onto the empty field of tilled soil and Ash let her know they were there. "Okay, so what now?"


    "Now you learn the basic strikes," Keiko said. Her unmotivated voice was honestly starting to get to Ash. It was one thing for her to be insulting Ash as everyone else did, but this was different. Sometimes, she sounded like just being around Ash made her more sad than angry. It was a kind of sentiment Ash rarely ran into.


    Still, she transformed Lust and waited.


    "This is a Form 1 stance," Keiko said. "There are 3 forms, for each weapon. They''re all categorized the same, named after the martial artists who popularized them. This form, the most basic, is called the Sugeto form." She tapped her foot on the dirt. "One foot slightly out to the front, one slightly to the back. Hands kept low, blade kept in front of you. It''s the most defensive form, which makes it the go-to for beginners."


    "Okay."


    Sword.


    She said and Lust transformed.


    "Now, blocking."


    Everything they went over was stuff Ash would love to say was obvious, but couldn''t, since she still remembered how her fight with the goblin went. As basic as this all seemed now, she had applied absolutely none of this when she fought.


    Keiko stressed that establishing a good defense was far more important than a good offense for an amateur. Offense was as simple as "stab them with the pointy end", but a good defense was far more complicated. Parries, hard blocks, momentum blocks. Each one had a time and a place, and knowing when to use them was what separated the good warriors from the bad.


    "A parry is when you push against an attack with either your weapon or a shield. Come at me, I''ll show you."


    Ash scratched her head.


    "Are you sure?" She asked. "You''re uh, not gonna be able to see it coming."


    "Just do it." Keiko calmly replied and Ash nodded.


    "Okay then."


    Ash raised her sword and walked up. She slashed down with a vertical strike, ready to berate Keiko for making her do this when the attack inevitably cut her shoulder off. But, instead, Keiko walked into Ash''s space and raised her own sword, pushing against Ash''s blade. The move made Ash''s sword recoil and go back to its raised position.


    Keiko placed the edge of her sword against Ash''s torso, and Ash felt cold steel touch her abs.


    "That is a parry. It is probably the most complicated form of defense." Keiko explained. "It might look like I overpowered you, but it was the precision of my deflection that made the difference. Therefore, the higher your Dexterity stat is, the more likely you are to succeed at this sort of thing. If you get it right, it can leave an enemy open for an attack."


    "How did you do that?" Ash asked, baffled. "Like, how did you know where my sword was?


    "I could feel the wind as you approached, and I heard the blade slice through the air from above. Of course, at the end of the day I have to guess where your weapon is, but I do have means to make that easier." She replied simply. "Now, hard blocks."


    A hard block was when a combatant attempted to stop an enemy''s momentum as a whole, usually by pushing back against the attack and propelling the enemy''s energy back to them.


    A momentum block was by far the most common and simply meant that one would deflect an attack without stopping the enemy''s momentum, however, if an enemy was too strong, they could break through your attack.


    "Learn these," Keiko said. "They apply to most weapons. Spears, axes, glaives. It doesn''t matter."


    "Huh. That''s a bit more complicated than I thought it would be." Ash then thought of something.


    Level 1


    MP: 100/100


    "Remember," Keiko said, "try not to overexert yourself. Even if you have a stats advantage over your opponent, a fight can be decided by who gets tired first. If your arms feel too heavy to swing your sword, it doesn''t matter if your Strength is 10 or 100."


    Something then appeared in front of Ash.


    Proficiency: Sword


    Level 1 of 10 acquired!


    Successfully executing an advanced technique, such as parrying, will increase your proficiency faster than normal.


    Okay. Ash straightened up. Seems straightforward enough. So, taking this into account and what Keiko said, as long as I work on my Proficiencies, I should be okay. Understood.


    "We should keep going," Ash said and Keiko nodded.


    "Sure. Take your Sugeto form." Keiko instructed and Ash took the stance up, pushing her left leg out, putting her hands down, and keeping the blade in front of her.


    "Done."


    "Now, you will practice simple momentum blocking. I will come at you with strikes. Don''t try to stop my momentum, just go with it. Step backward if you need to. Let my sword and body guide yours."


    "Uh, sure," Ash replied.


    "Alright. Now!"


    ---


    By the time Ash decided she''d done enough training, an hour had passed and they were able to get Ash''s proficiency with swords up to level 3.


    "Fuck, fuck that''s hard." She dry-heaved as Metsumi passed her a glass of cold water. "I didn''t think defense was so complicated."


    "Whether with weapons or with magic," Satsuhiro said from the nearby table. "Defense is always complicated, as it should be. It saves lives after all."


    "Gotcha." Ash wiped away sweat and walked up to Satsuhiro. "So, what should I be doing?"


    "I would say that leveling up is your top priority." He stated. "As soon as your missions start coming in, even if they''re beginner-level, you might encounter level 10, maybe even level 15 creatures. Not just that, but, depending on where you are, you might outrank even some guards. Not in terms of levels, but authority."


    "Wait, what?" Ash asked and Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Yes." He continued. "Saviors, thanks to how powerful the Church of Magia is right now across Nova, outrank even a lot of officials. A basic guard on the street shouldn''t ever bother you unless you do something terrible. That means that sometimes, people will look to you for answers when shit goes wrong. And you need to be powerful enough to give orders. Going back to the monsters, right now, you don''t stand a chance against most enemies." He pointed out the door that led to the field of dirt. "Get your proficiency up, then go out for an hour, fight more and come back. All of your focus should be on the forest and on mastering your weapons until we can get you attuned. Once we get you attuned, we can add spells into your training regimen. We''ll do some attunements every day, of course, but those are your top things to focus on."


    "Okay." Ash turned around. Glancing down at Lust, she nodded. "Keiko, can we keep going?"


    "Mhm."


    "Alright. Let''s do this."

 Chapter 13 - 10

    At Jade


    Varcon


    In the Church of Magia, Varcon stood in the middle of the main room, just in front of the altar. On her knees, a few steps in front of him, was Kaori, bowing her head as Varcon walked up with a large container of blessed water. Kaori nodded and dunked her head in. When she emerged, the crowd in attendance applauded.


    The water didn''t actually do anything, but Varcon understood that the imagery was powerful. He smiled, raised his hands, and announced to those at the church:


    "Here is our true Savior! Now, Kaori, bind your Savior''s Weapon."


    "Right."


    She went through the process. Varcon was curious.


    So, what will Kaori''s defining characteristic be?


    When it appeared on her cube, it read Love.


    Of course. He smiled. Magia sends her love to me through Kaori.


    He gave her the instruction to transform her cube into a weapon and when she did, covering everything nearby in a golden glow, the crowd cheered once more. It was the reaction he predicted. Ever since that dreadful hybrid had been selected, Varcon spent many nights pondering the issue, wondering how it could be that Magia chose someone corrupted, someone so tainted, someone so infuriating, to become her representative. But, now, with the bright, kind, and brave Kaori standing in front of her, he understood.


    She looked incredible in her golden armor, with even a crown of thornless white flowers on her head. As soon as Varcon understood what Magia intended for him to do, he said to his deacons that they were to bring out a full set of Savior''s Armor for her. A golden suit made of a divine material that only other Saviors had the right to wear.


    A deacon had asked him at the time:


    "Sir, why did we give her a set of Savior''s Armor, but we only gave the hybrid basic iron?"


    And he had replied:


    "Because that girl is a pretender. No, she is, or will be, a reminder. She is what Magia wishes to use for the people of Jade to learn from. She will not need Savior''s Armor where she is going. Kaori, on the other hand, is our hero. With my guidance, she will save the world and ensure that Magia''s church leads it to a better future."


    Despite that, there were still a few concerns that they were dropping too much onto Kaori at once. He didn''t care. He understood what needed to be done, and that was all that mattered.


    Now, as the event was unfolding, Kaori turned back and knelt once again.


    "What should I do, your holiness?" She asked.


    Varcon smiled. Finally, Magia sends me the means to exert her will over Nova. With Kaori as my sword, I will make my lady proud!


    He placed a hand on her cheek, grinning.


    My beautiful weapon.


    "Come with me. Everyone must know of this."


    "Lead the way," Kaori replied.


    With her behind him, Varcon walked all the way to the Public Square. Walking here, instead of taking a carriage, was important as it allowed every citizen to gaze upon Kaori''s glory. When they finally got to the spot Varcon wanted, he walked atop an old wooden stage and had Kaori follow him up. There, he raised his hands and did what a priest did best. He preached to the masses.


    "Citizens of Jade!" He called out and many of those who were walking around stopped. It was unheard of to see the archpriest out of the church like this, addressing a crowd. "Now, I know that confusion has been prevalent lately. The fact that a half-demon had been selected as a Savior recently was strange, yes?"


    "Well, yes. Magia selected a hybrid as a Savior. I did not understand it myself, at first, I shared your confusion." He told them and they calmed down, listening intently. "However, now I know. Now I see what Magia wants. She wishes to show us all that virtuous humans will always surpass tainted corruption. And what better way, than to pick a person like the one I have next to me here. KAORI OKADA, THE TRUE SAVIOR!"


    With faces full of awe and praise, the crowd drew closer. Kaori stood in front of them, brilliantly adorned as Varcon made sure she was. Their eyes roamed her body with praise.


    "And to prove it," Varcon elaborated, "you will see them come face to face! We will see who emerges as the victor!" He finally got to the meat of what he wanted them to hear. "Both Saviors will fight, right in front of your eyes, and I promise you, Kaori will prove her superiority over the hybrid then. SUCH IS MAGIA''S WILL!"


    And with that, the crowd erupted and Varcon turned to Kaori.


    "How are you feeling, Savior?" He asked.


    "I see... I understand." Kaori nodded. "But, I don''t know... is this hybrid really as evil as you said? I-I mean, why would Magia choose someone who isn''t good to be a Savior?"


    "Ah," Varcon replied. "You did not see her, so, you do not know. When we found her, she was a snarling, growling mess." He explained. "Barely even human. She could barely speak, she could not reason. Luckily, she followed orders, but she was a truly pathetic creature."


    "I... I see." Kaori replied. "So, what happens now?"


    "Now," Varcon grinned. "We will need to train you for a time. You will not progress as the peasants do though. I will get the very best warriors, the best mages to help you reach your potential. We will show the world what you can do, and the difference between both of you. Come."


    "Yes, your holiness."


    ---


    Ash


    After Keiko and Ash did some more sword training, Ash walked into the forest. She wanted to fight a little before the day was over, apply some of what she''d learned. The sun was threatening to disappear beyond the horizon as the hours grew late. Ash checked her stats, to know what she was working with.


    Level 2


    MP: 10/10


    Strength: 4


    Dexterity: 2


    Constitution: 5


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 100


    Proficiency: Sword


    3 of 10


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach


    Moonlight Nature


    Chosen


    Quick Learner


    Demon Inside


    ?


    Definitely don''t want to be out here without any light. Now, where the fuck are these things?


    As she walked through the trees, she heard a snarling coming from her right. It was a goblin, dressed the same way as the last one Ash had fought, only instead of a club, it was wielding a rusty thin sword. Ash narrowed her eyes at it.


    Sword.


    Lust transformed, and Ash took up the Sugeto stance. Okay, motherfucker. When I fought your friend, I was just a rookie. Now I''m... like, a little better.


    The goblin screeched and aimed its sword at her. Ash checked its stats.


    Level 3


    MP: 20/20


    Good a time as any to try out my defense. I''ll let it charge in, maybe go for a parry.


    Instead of charging in, it muttered something in a strange language and aimed a hand at Ash.


    "Wait, what?" Ash said aloud and suddenly, a ball of flames was launched her way. It hit her in the chest.


    AGH! MY FUCKING TITS!


    She fell back, dropping Lust. It was like someone had poured hot coffee over her body.


    She heard the goblin laughing and running up to her. While she was on the ground, she reached for Lust. Turning face-up after grabbing it, she found the goblin about to try to impale her. She rolled out of the way and kicked the goblin back.


    The difference in the impact was noticeable. Whereas before, her physical hits hadn''t even slightly affected the other goblin, with her Strength at 4, this kick sent the goblin back, almost crashing into a tree.


    It wasn''t explosive power or anything. The goblin was still fine, but there was a difference.


    Ash stood up.


    Okay, you got me. She rubbed her chest, flinching when it stung. You fucking got me. Won''t happen again though.


    The goblin tried another spell and Ash dodged out of the way of this one. The goblin gave a frustrated growl and finally ran in like Ash had wanted it to. It went for a vertical attack.


    Ash mentally prepared herself to parry, but then had second thoughts.


    I could try to parry for some more proficiency, but if I fail, it could be bad. She thought. No, I should go with the safe option, probably.


    So, she did a standard momentum block. Allowing her blade to be pushed back by the goblin''s own, she took a step back as the creature tried a few attacks in a row. At first, blocking felt fairly worrying. Every time her blade clashed against the goblin''s, she felt like she was far too close for comfort. However, she kept at it.


    Eventually, the goblin stopped and seemed to stare at Ash, almost as if it was confused as to how she was still unhurt. It shrieked and ran up. It raised its blade up and leaped into the air.


    Wait, what? Ash watched as it flipped, using the momentum built up from its incredible acrobatics to gather strength. Ash stepped back.


    The goblin fell in front of her, face first.


    Ash blinked.


    It was on the ground, wide open.


    Uh...


    Ash casually raised her blade and brought it down on its back.


    "AJAGH!" The goblin squealed, spasmed for a few seconds, and stopped moving.


    Is... is it dead?


    Indeed, it was.


    What the fuck just happened? Ash wondered.


    EXP GAINED: 22


    Because she still had 15 EXP left from the first goblin, she leveled up.


    EXP: 25/25


    The amount I need went up by 10. Ash noted. And, I''m guessing since our levels were closer, I got less bonus EXP for this kill. Alright. Let''s keep going.


    Before the day was over, Ash was able to eliminate one more goblin who was at the same level as her, though it didn''t attempt anything as flashy as what the first one did, almost earning another level.


    Level Up!


    Level 3


    EXP: 27/35


    2 Attribute Points Gained


    Allocate now?


    Yes ????No


    Sure. I may as well go with the same strategy as before, at least, until I can actually start using spells.


    With that being said, Ash placed a point into her Strength, bringing it up to 5, and one point into her Dex, bringing it up to 3.


    She managed to win all three fights without triggering Demon Form again, which she was thankful for. It wasn''t something she wanted to experience too often.


    She walked back to the house with her head held high. All in all, it had been a productive second day at work. She walked in through the open screen door at the back. Her boots left mud wherever she stepped. She made a beeline for the bathroom, finding a towel and some clothes already placed there. Thank you Metsumi, I guess.


    After her bath, Ash emerged from the bathroom with her white hair wet and wearing a white shirt that said "Nova''s Best Wife" on it. She yawned, feeling a little tired as someone bumped into her.


    Keiko tripped and before she could fall, Ash caught her by the elbows.


    "O-Oh. Huh?" Ash''s weapon''s trainer was alone, pacing through the dark halls. Ash could hear Metsumi talking to her daughter in the living room, while something cooked in the kitchen.


    At this distance, Ash had to look down at her to meet her blindfolded eyes.


    Her black and gold hair was tied into a ponytail and Keiko was wearing a pink shirt and furry white pants that were clearly too big for her.


    Ash breathed in. She gulped when she inhaled Keiko''s flowery scent. Her eyes trailed down to where her trainer''s shirt, which at this angle, almost let her see-


    "Ash?" Keiko said. Ash blinked.


    "What? Y-Yeah, it''s me." Ash looked at her hands and saw that she was still holding onto her. "Oh, sorry."


    "Uh, no, thank you," Keiko replied. "I was just trying to memorize the layout of the house."


    "Oh... Okay." Ash took a deep breath. She felt like something had been happening to her lately, but didn''t really understand it.


    "Have you been enjoying our training?" Keiko asked. Ash took a step back.


    "Well, it''s not really about whether I like it or not, right?" Ash asked, looking away. She had to because whenever her eyes fell on the shorter girl they wouldn''t stop at her face.


    "I suppose that''s true. I... I just hope I''m doing a good job."


    She took the opportunity to bring up the goblin.


    "So, ah, the weirdest thing happened."


    "What?" Keiko asked.


    "I fought a goblin that jumped up into the air and faceplanted. Do you know why?"


    "Oh. My guess would be that it attempted some sort of aerial technique and failed."


    "I mean, I could have guessed that much," Ash replied.


    "... That''s all I can really say." Keiko shrugged. "Its dexterity was probably fairly low. The higher that statistic is, the better you are at that sort of thing."


    "Uh, alright."


    When Ash felt like she couldn''t handle Keiko''s presence anymore, she turned and walked to the kitchen. It was weird, when they were training, Ash could focus better, but in little casual moments like these, it felt impossible to do so.


    Satsuhiro was there, with Metsumi and their daughter, who was asleep on her lap. He had a piece of paper in his hands.


    "Ah, there you are," Setsuhiro said, sighing. "Here, take this."


    "What is it?" She took the paper.


    "A letter. Just got here."


    "Huh? From who?"


    "Varcon," Satsuhiro replied and Ash glared.


    "What the hell does he want?"


    "Apparently," Satsuhiro said, "he wants you to come back to Jade."


    "What?"


    Ash couldn''t quite believe what she''d just heard.

 Chapter 14 - 11

    Ash read the letter again for the third time. Of course, because she was a drop-out it took her some time to understand the words, but she got through it.


    Dear Savior, it opened.


    I truly hope your training is going well. However, something has come up that requires your immediate attention. Please, travel back to Jade as soon as you are able to. I am certain Satsuhiro must have some horses on which he can get you back to the city. Once here, I will explain what is happening and why you are needed.


    With respect, Varcon.


    "Well, this doesn''t sound shady at all." She stated, sarcastically. "So, what the fuck does he want?"


    "Impossible to tell with that little amount of information," Satsuhiro said. "I am fairly certain though that, whatever he wants or needs you for, it''s not a mission. Still, we''ll have to go and see."


    "I don''t think you understand," Ash said, "he hates me. This has ''trap'' written all over it."


    "There''s not really another choice." Satsuhiro pointed out. "Varcon doesn''t have the authority to treat you like a servant, but refusing an actual mission like this could very well stand as treason."


    "Seriously?"


    "Yes. You work for Jade, Ash. As a Savior, your sole duty is taking these sorts of missions. Outside of that, you''re free to do whatever you want to, but not when it comes to this."


    "The way you''re saying it though kind of sounds like he could get me to do anything he wanted to, he''d just have to call it a ''mission''," Ash told him, making quotation marks with her hands.


    "In a way that is correct," Satsuhiro said, "but if any request he makes is too unreasonable, you can appeal it to the Royal Council. The issue is... Well, you''re a half-demon."


    "Ah..." Ash understood. "So, basically, just off that they''d be likely to let Varcon do whatever he wants?"


    "Exactly. Still, there are limits. I''m sure the Council wouldn''t be so spiteful towards you as to make you do every single thing he wants. But, with this... I don''t think just going there is something you''d be able to appeal."


    "So, I should just go and let him take my head off?" Ash asked.


    "We don''t know what he wants," Satsuhiro replied. "We''ll have to see."


    "Fuck." Ash sighed. Well, nothing about this sounds good, but apparently, I can''t really say no. "Alright then. Let''s go get it over with, I guess. So, you''ve got horses?"


    "No shit," Satsuhiro nodded and Ash rolled her eyes. "Do you know how to ride them?"


    "No." Ash shook her head.


    "If we come back without any problems, I think I''ll teach you then."


    "Oh, why?"


    "Seriously?" Again, he gave her one of his now-signature "are you stupid?" looks. "You''ll likely have to buy your own at some point."


    Hearing Satsuhiro saying that made Ash realize that it should have been obvious she''d have to learn about that, but in truth, she was still internalizing the fact that she would be traveling all around Nova soon. It wasn''t the kind of thought she was used to.


    "We may as well get going," Satsuhiro said.


    "Ah... Maybe I should raise my Sword Proficiency up a little more." Ash stated. "Keiko?" Ash called out to her and the blindfolded girl nodded.


    "Alright, go ahead," Satsuhiro replied.


    As Ash and her trainer walked out to the field, Ash shook her head. What the fuck does that guy want with me? She wondered.


    A small amount of time later, Keiko helped Ash reach Proficiency 4.


    Swinging her sword around in the air, she found that her movements were far more comfortable than before. She and Keiko walked back to the front of the farm where Satsuhiro was waiting for them. Metsumi was on another horse with their daughter in front of her.


    "Keiko, you''re with Metsumi. Ash, you''re with me."


    "Okay," Ash helped guide Keiko to Metsumi''s horse and then, with some instruction, hopped behind Satsuhiro. Whoa, this feels weird.


    "We should be there in about two hours. We''ll probably stop for a few breaks so the horses can rest."


    "Alright." Ash took a deep breath. "Well, let''s go see what the hell this guy wants."


    ---


    In the Church of Magia, Varcon was praying to Magia''s statue when a deacon came up to him.


    "Your holiness, the Savior requested to speak with you."


    "I see." Varcon nodded, the deacon bowed and left. Varcon turned his attention back to the statue. I still remember, my lady. The day you saw fit to guide me to you, the day you changed my life. Varcon closed his eyes, recalling images from that day.


    It was a cold winter day when he was just fourteen years old. Varcon was walking through the city, aimless. At the time, he was just a student with what many hoped was a bright future ahead of him. Like everyone else in Jade, he was just looking to make those around him proud.


    Varcon walked past along a stone street when he got the sudden desire to visit the Spirit Garden''s District. It was a sight most people tried to see every now and then, and as for him, it had been some time since he''d viewed the spirits as they floated by the giant tree.


    He passed through a gate and soon, he was approaching the park-like area, but there were others already here. He watched as a group of men and women dressed in gold and white kneeled in front of the spirits. All of them but one who was standing in front of the group.


    Varcon approached them and watched to see what was happening. Then, the only one who wasn''t kneeling said:


    "Magia gives all of us a purpose. As she created this world and those who live in it, as she blessed them with life so too did she bless them with meaning."


    Varcon''s eyes widened. He''d heard about the deities a little in school, but he''d never visited a church before, or heard a sermon, as his parents weren''t too fond of the faith. He walked closer and the man who had been speaking, a kind-looking old man with long black hair and a hunched back looked over at him.


    "Young man, do you wish to learn of your purpose?''"


    Such a question, to him at an age when he was just starting to figure out his place in the world, was too much to pass up. He nodded and stepped forwards.


    That was the day he learned of this goddess. Not as a fact, but in a true understanding of her and her ways.


    And he fell in love.


    A year later, he had announced to his family that he''d seek to live as a priest when he grew of age. They were apprehensive as he was the first in his family to be even remotely religious, but they allowed it, and every evening Varcon would visit the church.


    Eventually, when he was 18, he was allowed to become a proper seminarian, someone training to become a priest.


    But the higher he rose in the ranks over the years, the more he discovered that he and the others did not see eye-to-eye. Where they wanted to live in pious isolation, he wanted to spread the faith to as many people as he could. Of course, he knew most people were religious already, but that wasn''t what he meant by "spreading" it. He meant the church''s influence, the church''s control.


    Why else would Magia have led him onto this path?


    "Sir?" The same deacon approached. "The Savior is waiting."


    "Ah, my apologies." He stood up, with some trouble. His body had already started to grow weary, and now, in his 70s, it was harder to move around as fast.


    Still, he walked through the halls to where a muffled roaring was coming from. In one of the rooms deeper into the church, he found Kaori.


    Kaori and Ichino Sorya were standing in front of a corrupted level 20 minotaur.


    Ichino was a man Varcon met several years ago. He was a mercenary of special talents that Varcon had sent a letter to yesterday, who carried his level 30 status with pride, and wielded the swordstaff at his back with precision. He was one of the parties that Varcon had contracted to procure monsters like this one, today.


    Why? So as to level up Kaori as fast as possible.


    He wasn''t interested in having her learn at the same pace as those who had come before her, including that hybrid. The sooner she was strong enough to hold her own against even other Saviors, the sooner he could have her carry out his will.


    These were not cheap services, at all, and the EXP gained from the monster was shared between Kaori and Ichino. Hence why not many other people could even think of doing this, but as he was convinced this was what Magia wanted, Varcon was ready to spend half the church''s treasury to make Kaori stronger.


    Ichino plunged his swordstaff into the minotaur''s chest. The restrained creature roared but wasn''t able to retaliate as its chained arms couldn''t break themselves free.


    "Go ahead."


    Kaori nodded.


    Transforming Love, she manifested a swordstaff similar to the one Ichino used.


    Kaori took a deep breath, staring at the monster. Then, she nodded to herself and plunged her weapon into its neck. Since Ichino was here, Varcon figured it was only logical to have him train her a little with the Swordstaff, and Kaori had reached Swordstaff Proficiency 3.


    The creature squealed like any meaningless pig would, but died soon after.


    "What level are you at now, Savior?" He asked.


    "9," Kaori replied. "I... this feels strange. Does this count as training?"


    "Of course. Now, let me see your stats," Varcon told her and she nodded.


    Level 9


    MP: 10/10


    Attributes


    Strength: 13


    Dexterity: 9


    Constitution: 10


    Intelligence: 1


    Wisdom: 1


    Luck: 100


    "Receiving such blessings always feels too good to be true, but do not worry. Everything is happening as Magia intended."


    "Uhu... What happens now?" The short-haired blonde asked with a strange look.


    "Now, we wait for the hybrid to arrive," Varcon stated. "Then, you fight."


    "Will... Will I be able to defeat her?" Kaori asked.


    "Of course. She is..." He placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, "not as pure as you. All of Jade will see who exactly our goddess has chosen to bless."


    "I just hope I make Lumina proud," Kaori said with a chuckle. "It still feels so weird. Being a Savior and all."


    "Responsibility tends to feel strange, at first." He reached over and lightly grabbed Kaori''s left hand. "But you will grow into your role. Have faith."


    "Of course." Kaori nodded.


    Truly such a wonderful girl... Varcon thought.


    The door opened and a deacon walked in.


    "Father," he started.


    "Yes?"


    "Another creature has been brought in."


    "Ah. I see. Good. Take me to it."


    "Need me to come?" Ichino asked.


    "Yes, please."


    The two of them walked and followed the deacon who led them outside to where one last cart had just come in. Kaori stayed behind.


    The cart was reinforced with steel, of course. The creatures Varcon asked for were too dangerous for regular wood.


    He peeked through a small window. A hand banged against the metal bars and he recoiled.


    "Good." He muttered. "This will do nicely."


    "Sir," another one walked up to her, "the alchemist you contacted also has provided the Red Tear you asked for."


    This made Varcon grin.


    A Red Tear was a type of mind control potion. It was extremely expensive, and largely considered a waste since it only lasted a few minutes upon choosing to activate its effects on the person who drinks it. However, Varcon bought it for a reason.


    He knew Kaori, by now. She was naive, which he liked, but there was one consequence of that which he wasn''t too excited about. Essentially, there was a chance that when faced with a powerless hybrid in front of her, Varcon feared she wouldn''t have the will to fight the woman.


    So, he bought this potion, as insurance.


    Magia''s light continues to shine down on me.

 Chapter 15 - 12

    Ash


    Coming back to Jade was a surreal experience. It had only been a couple of days for the half-demon as she began her stint as a Savior, but just that had been long enough for her to come back, see the stone streets and tall buildings with their gold and white decorations, and almost feel like she''d just woken up from a dream.


    "I own a house in the Spirit Gardens District," Satsuhiro said casually. Seriously!? Ash thought. "We can just stay there till this whole Varcon business is over," Satsuhiro stated.


    "Ah! It''s been so long since we''ve spent time there!" His wife said. Their daughter gazed with wonder at everything around them. Ash couldn''t remember ever looking at the city like that. "Oh! There was this little garden at the back, you''re gonna love it!" She told Ash and Keiko.


    "We''re here for work, Metsumi. Besides, I don''t really miss it." Satsuhiro admitted. "The entire city''s always felt cramped to me."


    Ash couldn''t disagree more. Walking through the city with nowhere to go always felt like the exact opposite. As if she could walk her whole life and she''d never find the city''s limits.


    As she looked around, she felt like something had changed. Normally, everyone just went about their way, but today, they all had smiles on their faces. Every word that slipped into Ash''s ears sounded excited and hopeful. It almost creeped Ash out.


    They''d left the horses outside, in stables. As they walked, Ash watched as the citizens amassed nearby. A small crowd was forming up in the distance.


    Is there a fight happening or something? Ash asked herself. As she looked at each person individually, she found someone she recognized. Oh, so he''s right there. It was Varcon. However, beside him was someone else that she''d never seen.


    She was wearing something so bright that Ash could barely see her due to the sun reflecting off of it and attempting to blind her. However, eventually, as her eyes adjusted, she saw what looked like a young blonde smiling at the approaching audience members while Varcon-


    "Hey." Satsuhiro tapped her shoulder. "We could go up to Varcon right now and see what''s up, or we could settle in first and deal with him later. I''m pretty sure he''s got followers telling him we''ve arrived already, if we don''t wanna talk to him yet, he''ll probably just find us later."


    "Gotcha." Ash nodded.


    "So, what do you want to do?"


    "Well," Ash started to reply, "being on a horse for the past couple of hours has pretty much left my ass and my cooch on fire. So, I''d like to go lie down for a while."


    "... I could do without the details." Satsuhiro shook his head. Ash shrugged. "Anyway, let''s go."


    Going to the Spirit Gardens District with Keiko and the others was another very surreal experience. She''d remarked in the past that whenever she came here, everyone else always had so much more meaning than her, but here she was now a Savior, arguably one of the most important people in Jade.


    That still hadn''t sunk in, really.


    Satsuhiro led them to his house.


    "Well, I lied," Satsuhiro said as he pointed to the building in front of them. "It''s kind of your house too."


    "Huh?" Ash raised a brow.


    "Hm, how do I put this? I guess you could call this like a ''Savior base''. If you''re a Savior, you''re allowed to come here and just spend some time. It''s just, well, I''m the only one who''s really used this in a long while. I genuinely forgot it wasn''t wholly mine."


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Most Saviors are too busy fighting. There are a few like me who are reti-, well, trying to retire, but most of them are still out there. And Jade, although it''s central to Nova, it''s also probably the farthest place from any real danger right now."


    "Wow." Ash looked up. "So, technically, I own a house?"


    "Kind of." Satsuhiro nodded. "There are other things like this, that I should tell you about. Little Savior privileges. Right now though, let''s just make ourselves at home."


    The inside of the building delivered on the coziness that the outside promised. There was a thin layer of dust over everything, sure, but there was expensive-looking furniture, the floor was carpeted, and there were stairs in the back leading to a second floor.


    "Great," Keiko muttered and Ash looked back at her. "Another place to memorize."


    Ash sighed. She''s got it rough.


    Before anyone could settle, there was a knock at the door. Satsuhiro walked over and opened it to reveal Varcon.


    Instantly, Ash knew something was off. The man was smiling. It was one of the creepiest things she''d seen in a while.


    "Welcome back to Jade!" He said. Well, Ash thought, crossing her arms. He sounds pretty fucking happy about something.


    "Greetings," Satsuhiro said.


    Ash had thought that he sounded like he barely tolerated her presence when he talked to her. This was an amplified version of that. She''d never heard the word "greetings" said with such displeasure. I guess he doesn''t like the church much either?


    "I hope your time has been good."


    "What do you want?" Satsuhiro curtly asked.


    "Oh? Come on, Satsu. That''s no way to treat an old friend!"


    "Friend? Where? All I see is an old man who doesn''t seem to know the meaning of the word ''retired''. Now, what is it? You had a mission for her, right?"


    "So, hybrid, now he speaks for you?" Varcon addressed Ash.


    "If it means less time spent talking to you, I''ll take it," Ash mumbled. "So, what is it?"


    "Ah. No fun." Varcon grinned and Ash visibly cringed. "There is a mission for you. You will perform it tomorrow. Since I know you''ll be staying here, I''ll come by with a carriage to pick you up in the morning."


    Then, Ash saw her stats pop up above her head.


    Level 3


    MP: 10/10


    "Huh?"


    "I was just checking your progress," Varcon stated. "Seeing how my Savior is doing, of course. Level 3? Well, I suppose for someone of your nature, it might be called overachieving." He laughed and turned around. Ash gritted her teeth. "I will see you tomorrow then. Goodbye."


    The door closed behind him and they were all alone.


    "I can''t say I like this." Satsuhiro put his hands on his hips.


    "What makes you say that? The part where he grinned like he''s got a trap laid out for me or the part where he said literally nothing about what I''d be doing, you know, like he''s got a trap laid out for me." Ash sighed. "So, I can''t run away?"


    "Treason," Satsuhiro confirmed. "I can''t think of many things he''d need you here, in Jade specifically, in order to do. Why would he bring you back to the city?"


    "So, let me just ask," Ash said, "he can''t just fucking kill me, right? Like if he tries to have my head chopped off, people would have a problem with that?"


    "Yes. He is a powerful man, but he isn''t above the law. At least, not yet."


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "The fight against the demons gets harder with every year that passes. And, as time goes on, more and more people look to the church for guidance. Eventually, the leaders of the church may prove to be the most powerful people in Nova. That time is not now though." Satsuhiro paced around the room. "I think you should get some rest. You could train up a bit too, but mostly I think you need your mind clear. Tomorrow''s looking like a headache in the making."


    "Yeah," Ash shook her head. "Seems like it."


    "Excuse me," Keiko suddenly said and they both turned toward her. "Satsuhiro?"


    "Yes?" The retired Savior asked.


    "We''re in the Spirit Gardens District, right?" She asked.


    "Mhm."


    "Could you lead me to a bench? I''d like to sit down outside for a while. Get some air."


    "Huh. Alright, sure."


    ---


    Kaori


    "Wow! You look so cool!" A friend of Kaori''s told her.


    "Hehe, I know right!" Kaori replied. Another friend put a hand on her armor.


    "It feels weird."


    "It''s made of divine steel or something," Kaori replied.


    "Wow. So, have you done anything yet?"


    "Uh, no." Kaori shook her head.


    What Varcon had told her ran by her head. She and Varcon had spent all morning basically announcing to the city of Jade that she''d be fighting soon. All they were waiting for was for the hybrid to show up. Since she seemingly refused to do so, Kaori had a little time to herself. She had walked over to her old school and let her friends see the new her.


    Mainly, she''d hoped this would take her mind off of what she''d be doing soon. It didn''t. Even now, with her friends fawning over how good she looked in this golden armor, all she could think of was the fight that she''d be having soon. She wondered what the hybrid looked like. She''d seen a few, from a distance, but she''d never really met one.


    By the time Kaori''s friends had finished showering her with praise, Kaori was still concerned. So, she started walking around Jade, aimlessly.


    She walked past the old inn where she worked, through some narrow streets, and then she stopped.


    Oh, right! She smiled. The Spirit Gardens District!


    It was commonly known as a great place for meditation. Mages and the like would often frequent it when they needed to calm their nerves after long periods of study. So, Kaori started heading in that direction.


    ---


    Keiko


    The blindfolded girl was taken to a small clearing just a bit of distance away from the house. Satsuhiro had told her how to come back in, she committed it to memory and he left her alone. She needed some by her lonesome.


    Aside from everything that was happening with Ash, there was also still the matter of her Spirit Eye. She needed to awaken it at some point. She couldn''t just allow herself to forget about the ability and put all of her time into helping Ash, though she had no intentions of doing a bad job with the hybrid.


    But, how? She wondered.


    As much as she''d tried it, she understood that there was something missing. She met all the System requirements, so she wondered what wasn''t clicking.


    Someone else sat down next to her. Keiko didn''t do or say anything. It was a public space, they were allowed. Whoever they were.


    "Oh. Excuse me, are you a Zayama?" The girl suddenly asked. Keiko turned towards where she heard the voice coming from.


    "Uh, yes." She nodded.


    "Nice! I knew someone who was part of your clan. Your family is pretty interesting."


    "Are they?" Keiko asked with a smile. "I suppose from the outside we must look a little ridiculous. You know, with the old architecture and all that. Not to mention..." she gestured to her blindfold.


    "Nah, I didn''t mean it like that." The girl replied. "I think the old buildings are honestly pretty cool."


    "Spend a day in one, you''ll be coughing every three seconds from the dust," Keiko told her.


    "Well, you also have some pretty sick swords!" The girl replied.


    "I... Yes. You''re right about that." Keiko chuckled.


    She appreciated this. It was nice to have what seemed like a normal conversation after spending those few days at Satsuhiro''s farm. She almost feared she''d never experience this again, as dramatic as she knew that was. Plus, whoever this girl was sounded bright. Precisely the kind of cheerful that you couldn''t help but absorb some energy from.


    "Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself," Keiko stated. She bowed and said, "I''m Keiko."


    "No, no. I should have done that first. I started this after all." She heard the girl let out a cute giggle. "My name''s Kaori."


    "It''s nice to meet you," Keiko replied. "So, whatcha up to? If you don''t mind me asking."


    "Just... relaxing," Keiko answered softly. "I needed a moment."


    "... Yeah, same," Kaori replied.


    Keiko had a good feeling about this. She couldn''t explain it, but it was there.


    "Care to tell a stranger your problems?" Keiko asked. "You never know, I might be some great philosopher in hiding."


    "Heh, I guess we''ll see," Kaori replied. "Well, see, I... How do I explain this... I have this job. And, well, I have to do something but, I don''t know, I feel like I don''t have it in me to do it." Kaori replied. "I know I''m not painting a very good picture here, but it''s complicated."


    "No, no. I understand." Keiko replied. "That''s basically where I''m at." She admitted.


    "Really?"


    "Mhm." Keiko sighed. "Well, it''s not just my job, but that''s definitely part of it."


    "Oh well, I guess at the end of the day we have to do it though, right?" Kaori asked.


    "Yes. I... I do intend to do it, but I just, well, I''m just... it''s got me feeling a lot of ways that I hadn''t expected."


    "Why?"


    "That''s what I''m trying to figure out," Keiko said.


    "Well, I hope I got to take your mind off it a little. Sounds like it''s been stressing you out."


    "Yeah... b-but, I don''t want to bore you with my issues, uh, what about you?" She asked. "What''s up?"


    "... I just feel like I''ve had a lot of responsibility thrown onto me all at once. I think I can handle it, I want to believe that I can handle it, but I don''t know."


    "Oh." Keiko nodded with understanding. "I think, I mean, as vague as this sounds, maybe take things slowly?"


    "Yeah. If I get the choice." Kaori muttered.


    Keiko looked away.


    After that exchange, there was a moment of silence. They''d been talking for a little while now, and the other girl stood up.


    "That was cool!" Kaori said. "I''m glad I got to meet you. It felt nice getting a bit off my chest like that."


    "Same," Keiko replied.


    "Well, I hope I''ll see you again."


    "Maybe," Keiko told her. "I''m only just visiting Jade. I''ll likely be leaving tomorrow."


    "Oh. Uh, I don''t know if this is pushing it, but would you mind if I came around before you did? Back here, I mean. You seem pretty cool. I''d hate to just have this be a one-time thing."


    "Um... No, I wouldn''t mind." Keiko replied.


    "Awesome. Well, see you around then."


    "Goodbye."


    With that, the other girl walked away, and Keiko breathed in.


    I needed that. Keiko thought.


    ---


    Ash


    Luckily, this house had a few different bedrooms, probably anticipating that multiple Saviors would be staying here at once, so, that night Keiko slept in a separate room.


    Ash spent a bit of time alone, swinging Lust around the room, in sword form, to practice her techniques. Momentum blocks, parries, hard blocks. She tried to recall what Keiko had shown her.


    So, since he checked my level, there''s definitely going to be a fight. Ash closed her eyes. What the fuck is that guy planning? And who was that girl I saw next to him out there?


    She shook her head and breathed in.


    Whatever. I guess I''ll find out soon.


    ---


    Varcon


    That night, under two bright moons the archpriest spent most of his time pacing around the empty church. Tomorrow, that damned demon will learn how insignificant she is. Varcon smiled. Magia smiles upon me.


    Then, someone walked in. Varcon turned around, knowing who it was.


    "Ah, Kaori. Hello. Is the night treating you well?"


    He walked up to her, his eyes roaming her body. The girl was truly stunning, a fact Varcon appreciated as his eyes passed over her chest and hips. She may as well be Magia herself. Fitting, of course, as she was sent for my sake.


    "Yes." The Savior quickly replied. "You needed me?"


    "Mhm. I just wanted to make sure you would be ready for tomorrow''s big event." He gestured at a pew. Kaori nodded and walked up, sitting down near him.


    Then, Varcon went to grab two cups of water he''d kept nearby. One of them was normal, the other though contained a few drops of the Red Tear which he had placed in it earlier. The drops dissolved and right now, the liquid looked as normal as any other cup of water.


    He stepped over to her and handed her the cup.


    I apologize, Kaori. He thought. But your kind heart could be a weakness tomorrow. I need a fighter, not a pacifist.


    "Oh, thank you." Kaori quickly took the cup and took a sip. Varcon grinned.


    "Well, let''s just relax for a little while. You''ve got a big day ahead of you."


    ---


    Ash


    At around 10am the next day, a couple of priests came to the house and told the group that Ash was to come to the Public Square.


    As they went, something became clearer with every street they traveled. There must have been some sort of an event because all of the citizens were missing. But, as the Public Square got closer, they heard noises coming from up ahead. Once they arrived, they found that a crowd of people was circling the same stage from before, but with two clear distinctions. First of all, this crowd was bigger. Second, Varcon was standing far away from it, his priests flanking him.


    "Ah," he raised his arms and called out. "Our other guest arrives!" The crowd turned and looked at Ash. She''d never seen so many glares aimed at her at once.


    What''s going on?


    "And now," Varcon announced, "Magia''s great exhibition begins! Today, we see which Savior Magia has truly chosen!"

 Chapter 16 - 13

    Ash looked around, trying to see if she could find any means of escape in case this actually was a sort of ambush. There were multiple guards standing by around the square, covering different exits. Varcon continued what he was announcing to the crowd.


    "Our new Saviors will show you Magia''s living blessings!"


    What the fuck is he talking about? Ash asked herself with crossed arms.


    "Ah." Satsuhiro nodded to himself. "I get it."


    "Well, I don''t," Ash told him. "Care to explain?"


    "Check her stats."


    The half-demon did so, focusing on the girl dressed in gold, and her eyes widened.


    Level 9


    MP: 10/10


    Oh. As Varcon continued saying vaguely holy-sounding things, Ash sighed.


    "He wants to humiliate me."


    "Yeah." Satsuhiro nodded.


    "What?" Keiko asked. "What''s happening?"


    "Varcon wants me to fight another Savior, only she''s already level 9."


    "That''s... But, why?" Keiko asked, confused.


    "Like I said. He wants people to laugh at me... well unless this is a fight to the death. If it is, he''s actually trying to get me killed too."


    "I don''t think he''d go that far," Satsuhiro told Ash. "He should know the value of a Savior. We aren''t exactly an easily renewable resource."


    "You sure?" Ash asked. "I''m fairly certain he''d burn a city down if it meant seeing me have a bad day."


    "I''d like to think so," Satsuhiro replied. "Either way, if it does get to that point, I won''t let it happen."


    "Really?" Ash asked.


    "Of course. Don''t get me wrong, you''re way too loud, and talking to you is one of the more exhausting parts of my day, but that doesn''t mean I want you dead. Nova needs you."


    "Aw, I''m touched," Ash responded dryly.


    But... really, what the fuck is this? Ash thought. Has he actually gone crazy? She asked herself, seeing how Varcon smiled as the audience grew excited.


    "Saviors, approach!" He called out and Ash shook her head.


    "So, uh, you mean that, right? You won''t let me get my head cut off?"


    "Mhm. Go ahead. Brace your pride, it''s certainly taking a hit today. But, maybe after this, he''ll lay off. I think it''s best to just let him get this out of his system."


    "Sadly, doesn''t seem like I have a choice," Ash said and walked up. The crowd separated and allowed her to pass, gracing her with scowls and a few of them even spit at her feet. Ash didn''t care. She simply wanted to get this over with. As she drew closer, she finally got a good look at the other Savior.


    Wow. She thought. Yeah, no bias at all here.


    Ash wore the iron armor she''d been given when she started this mess of a journey. The other Savior though was covered in the sort of regal golden armor she imagined palace knights wearing. She looked every bit like a hero out of a fairy tale, with her clean blonde hair and the stoic look on her face.


    And then there was Ash, whose only impressive feature, as far as what she had on her, was Lust.


    The other woman glanced over at her, and Ash met her blue eyes. She got closer and the Savior turned to face her.


    ---


    Kaori


    The half-demon didn''t look exactly like what Kaori had imagined, but she couldn''t deny that she got a weird feeling from her. Her physique was certainly impressive, with toned arms and a sculpted body, but everything else was strange. Her eyes low, her lips a tight line, and her stride uncaring and unimpressed, Kaori felt a sort of nervousness growing inside of her. She looked over to the back of the crowd, where she saw her own family cheering her on. Kaori tried to smile confidently for them.


    She''d leveled up quite a bit thanks to Varcon''s help, and she''d gotten her Swordstaff Proficiency up, but she hadn''t been in a real fight yet. It was strange though, Kaori didn''t find herself too concerned with how Ash fought, but rather, who she was. What kind of person is she? Would Magia actually choose someone evil to represent her?


    Kaori was a Lumina believer, but that didn''t mean she held Magia in low regard.


    She looked back at Varcon, standing in the distance, pleased, with his hands behind his back.


    The leader of Jade''s biggest church wouldn''t lie. If he says she''s evil, she has to be. Right?


    Kaori looked back at the approaching hybrid.


    Right. If the leader of the church says she''s an immoral, sociopathic person, then I have no reason not to believe that.


    "Are you proud?" The hybrid said.


    She hadn''t expected the hybrid to speak to her.


    "What?" Kaori asked.


    "Are you proud?" The hybrid asked again. "Of what you''re about to do."


    "What do you mean?" Kaori asked.


    "I mean, does fighting rookies and beating them down make you happy?" She asked. "Is that something you''re into? Is that your kink? Is that how you get off?"


    Kaori blushed.


    So vulgar!


    "If you arrived unprepared, that''s on you!" Kaori told her. "You had ample time to prepare, didn''t you?"


    "Uh, no." The hybrid said. "I literally just got a message telling me to come here, and now I have to fight you. Does that sound like I had a lot of time?"


    "Y-You''re just making excuses," Kaori stated.


    "Oh, yeah, definitely. I''m level 3 because I like being this weak before big fights. I''m a masochist." She said.


    What? Kaori shook her head with disbelief. She checked the girl''s stats.


    Level 3


    MP: 10/10


    How...


    "How are you only level 3?"


    "I told you. I''ve only been training for a couple of days." The Savior replied. "I''ve got a better question. How are you level 9?"


    "Varcon helped," Kaori stated and the Savior raised a brow. The crowd started muttering.


    "Cease this speaking!" Varcon yelled. "You are here to fight. FIGHT!"


    As the crowd started yelling, Kaori felt her hands shake.


    "So," the hybrid started, "what are you going to do, Savior?" The half-demon asked, lacing the last word of that sentence with some mockery.


    It didn''t even feel like it was the woman asking the question, but rather, the world itself. Kaori had lived her life up until now believing in peace and love for all. She prayed about it every night, hoping that she''d live up to what her goddess expected of her. And now, she was faced with this situation. She had a hybrid in front of her and the combined chants of a crowd and an archpriest behind her saying she should fight this woman. Despite the level difference, despite what her conscience was telling her.


    Would Lumina want me to fight here?


    "I..." Kaori let her sword transform into its cube form. "I can''t do this."


    "What?" The hybrid asked. Kaori could see the genuine shock on her face.


    "I can''t," Kaori mumbled.


    The hybrid looked surprised.


    With a slightly softer tone, the white-haired girl said:


    "Thank you."


    I... You''re welcome. Kaori replied in her mind. She was about to turn around and walk back to Varcon, but something happened.


    She heard a straight bink sound and suddenly, the world briefly flashed with red. It was hard for her to understand how she was feeling. It was almost like being between being awake and asleep.


    "Attack." She heard something say in her mind.


    "Of course." She heard herself say, and she lunged forwards, transforming Love into her swordstaff as she ran up.


    "What!?" The hybrid asked as the crowd burst into a cheer. "What the fuck are you doing?"


    Kaori didn''t answer. Instead, she split her swordstaff into two swords and aimed a slash at the hybrid''s head. It was all she could do to dodge it. Kaori stopped. She shook her head, looking down at her hands. What? She thought. What am I doing?


    "Attack." The deep, inhuman voice said again.


    As she saw the half-demon standing a step or two away, again, all of her thoughts vanished and she ran up and tried to stab her in the gut. She nearly did it too, but the half-demon managed to deflect her blades at the last second.


    Kaori hadn''t done much in the form of actual combat. Most of what she and Varcon had done was bring in monsters to have her level raised, and a bit of technical learning for Swordstaff Proficiency. But, this, real dueling between two people with weapons, was a new experience for Kaori. The other woman though, Kaori could see had some semblance of how to fight.


    Still, Kaori could feel just how much stronger she was. It was exhilarating, but for the life of her, she couldn''t tell why she was attacking the half-demon.


    The hybrid managed to duck under a slash, but Kaori gave her a knee to the chin for her troubles that sent the hybrid reeling. Kaori walked forwards, fully intent on plunging her sword into the half-demon''s body.


    "Wait." The voice in her mind said. "Don''t end her yet. Let her suffer. Make her feel her failure."


    "Alright." She replied in her thoughts, just as casually as if someone had asked her if she wanted to go out and buy lunch.


    Kaori stopped her sword just before it reached the woman''s neck. The hybrid looked up at her, fear and confusion in her eyes as Kaori loomed. Then, Kaori took a few steps back, giving her space to get back up. She looked down at her hands. She didn''t feel like she was doing anything wrong, she just didn''t know why she was doing it.


    The half-demon slowly stood. Kaori tilted her head at her. She''s not staying down. Kaori thought. I think she should be trying to yield.


    Instead, growling, the hybrid aimed her sword at Kaori. Kaori nodded and ran forwards. The other Savior actually tried to do her own attack, but Kaori clumsily deflected it, relying on her raw strength to help her push the enemy''s weapon away. Her move left the half-demon open for an attack that, if Kaori wanted to, would undoubtedly kill her. Instead, she kicked her in the stomach.


    The hybrid fell back, spitting out violet blood. Oh. That hurt her.


    Then, Kaori took a deep breath. Oh. I''m getting tired.


    "Conserve your energy." The voice said.


    Kaori nodded. She raised her blades and waited for the half-demon to approach. If the voice wanted her to humiliate the half-demon, then what she had in mind was a good way to do it.


    She waited for the demon to attack, deflected her strikes, and didn''t retaliate. She blocked a blow, sidestepped, and shrugged. The hybrid glared at her.


    This kept going for almost a full minute. Kaori did as little as she could, while still moving out of the way of incoming attacks. Soon, both she and the half-demon were breathing heavily. The crowd was still cheering, but with some laughter mixed in.


    "You fucking pricks." The half-demon muttered. She spat out some blood. The sight made Kaori tilt her head.


    She didn''t expect what she saw next. The half-demon started changing.


    "It''s always the same with you..." The hybrid looked around at the crowd. "Fine. You wanted a demon? It looks like you''ll get one." A violet aura came out from her body, and she placed her hands on the ground, getting on her knees. Kaori watched as her body began to morph in certain places. She grew claws from her fingers, she snarled at Kaori, showing off a pair of sharp fangs, and her horns grew slightly larger as well.


    "Oh... This is unexpected, but... just another blessing." The voice said.


    "Look!" Varcon yelled. "The true form of the corruption we face!"


    The half-demon, maybe full demon now, was growling at Kaori like an animal. She didn''t feel any different. Kaori aimed her sword at the demon as a challenge. The demon charged at her.


    She was much faster, but Kaori felt that she still had the advantage. It was harder to block her attacks, but Kaori still believed she was stronger. If she weren''t in this strange state though, she knew she''d be terrified.


    "Pin her down." The voice ordered.


    "Alright."


    Kaori dodged an attack as it tried to slash her head, and then punched her as hard as she could in the stomach. The demon fell back and Kaori quickly ran down and put a foot on her neck.


    "Now!" Varcon excitedly yelled in the distance. "Magia''s true Savior will-"


    "That''s not happening." A man said to Kaori''s left and before she could turn to look at him, she was thrown back by an unseen force. There was a stone wall behind her, and Kaori slammed into it.


    The impact knocked her out of whatever trance she''d been in.


    "W-What?"


    It was like she''d just woken up. She blinked multiple times. What? Where am I? She looked around. She was in the middle of the public square, with a crowd surrounding her and the hybrid. The half-demon was ahead of her, on the ground and trying to recover. Kaori looked down at her hands. She was holding Love transformed into her swordstaff.


    What was I doing? She thought. I, right, the fight! She tried to find Varcon. Did it start already?


    "A Savior who would kill another Savior. You should be ashamed." The man told her.


    "Huh? What, no, I..."


    What do you mean? Kaori asked in her mind. That wasn''t the plan.


    The demon rose up suddenly and went to charge at Kaori. Kaori flinched as she saw her approach but the man cast a spell at her, and the demon fell forwards, landing limp in front of Kaori.


    "This is over!" The man told the crowd, earning a chorus of "boo''s".


    "Satsuhiro!" Varcon yelled at the guy.


    "And you," the man glared at the archpriest. "Later, you and I are gonna have a little fucking chat." Satsuhiro spat out, promising that to the archpriest.


    Kaori looked down at her hands as her swords linked up and transformed back into a cube.


    What was I about to do?


    She couldn''t remember anything. From the moment she''d told the half-demon that she wasn''t going to fight her, to now, when she had the demon pinned down with her swordstaff looming over her. She couldn''t remember a single detail.


    What happened?


    Her family ran up to her as the man, Satsuhiro, carried the demon away through a rabid crowd.


    "Kaori!" She heard her mother say. "That was so terrifying!"


    "Was it?" She asked. "I..."


    Was I hit that hard? It doesn''t feel like it. She had too many questions. I need to talk to Varcon. I need to make sense of this.

 Chapter 17 - 14

    Keiko


    Ash''s trainer heard enough of the fight to understand that her student had lost.


    Satsuhiro had left her side and walked up, but Keiko didn''t know much of what happened after that as the crowd''s shouting made everything blurry to her. But, eventually, a hand was placed on her shoulder.


    "We''re going back," Satsuhiro said.


    "What happened?" Keiko asked.


    "The other Savior tried to kill Ash," Satsuhiro replied. "I stopped her."


    "What? Why?"


    "I don''t know. She should know better." Satsuhiro''s tone was strange. He was speaking with the same bored voice as always, but Keiko could feel a wave of burning anger underneath.


    "And, how''s Ash?"


    "I put her to sleep because her Demon Form wouldn''t go away." He answered. "She''ll wake up soon."


    "Scary..." Satsuhiro''s daughter said from beside Keiko.


    "That form of hers doesn''t look good," Metsumi said, pointing at the angry citizens yelling at them, specifically at the half-demon asleep on Satsuhiro''s shoulders.


    "I know," Satsuhiro replied. "I''ll talk to her about it once she wakes up. Before that though, Keiko, can you stay with Ash once we get back?"


    "Uh, yes." Keiko nodded. "Where will you go?"


    "I''m going to go have a word with the archpriest. That went way too far." Satsuhiro stated. "Stay alert. That Demon Form of Ash''s absolutely provoked these people. Some crazy fools could come looking for a fight."


    When they returned, Satsuhiro let Ash rest in one of the bedrooms nearest to the front door. Keiko remained by her side while Satsuhiro exited the house to confront Varcon. It was currently noon, with the sun hovering above the city of Jade and its light coming in through the windows, Keiko sat near the sleeping half-demon with her hands on her lap.


    Could she have won if she had a different trainer? Keiko wondered.


    Keiko stood up and, feeling the warmth, located the window and put her hands on the frame.


    ---


    Satsuhiro


    The weathered Savior made a beeline for the Church of Magia. If he hadn''t stepped in when he did, today would have marked the first time a Savior died at the hands of another Savior. It would have been an utter disgrace to their order. And, mostly, it was due to the influence of one priest.


    Setsuhiro calmly moved past several priests and quickly located Varcon at the back of the church''s main room, kneeling in front of the altar with the new Savior next to him, sitting at a wooden chair, hunched over.


    "But... But was it really necessary?" The Savior asked.


    "Kaori, you couldn''t have known someone would put her to sleep. She was dangerous. I am glad you didn''t, but in that moment, no one could blame you for almost doing what you had to."


    "I... Varcon, I don''t even remem..."


    Satsuhiro took a deep breath.


    "VARCON!" He called out, raising his voice.


    "Ah, Satsu." Varcon stood and faced him. "I trust it was an exciting morning?"


    Satsuhiro calmly walked up to him. When he stood just a few feet away, he punched the old man in the face.


    "AGH!" Varcon fell back, crashing into a wooden chair.


    "H-Hey, what!?" Kaori stood up and transformed her Savior''s Weapon. Satsuhiro ignored her.


    "What. The. Fuck, did I just see?" Satsuhiro asked, barely containing his rage.


    "Hahahaha..." Varcon laughed as he stood up. Even though he was an old man, Satsuhiro''s Strength wasn''t impressive enough to do too much damage to him. "Ah, do you mean that nasty little ending?"


    "What else would I be talking about!? Well, out with it."


    "She was transforming," Varcon told him. "You saw it. She was becoming a demon before our very eyes! I simply advised Kaori as to what the best course of action was."


    "No restraints, no sleeping spells, nothing like that crossed your fucking mind?" Satsuhiro asked. "Is that the best you can come up with?" Varcon''s expression changed.


    "And what exactly tells you that I need to justify myself to you?" He asked. "Need I remind you of who you''re speaking to?"


    Satsuhiro noticed that the other Savior was watching them with a tense look, her weapon still transformed. He focused back on Varcon and took a step closer. As he did, the Savior did the same. Satsuhiro raised a brow but kept talking.


    "You''re not justifying yourself to me, you''re justifying yourself to Magia." Satsuhiro spat out.


    "Ah, well, I do not believe I''ll need to pray much to do that," Varcon replied. "If Ash had died, it would have been her will."


    "Are you serious?"


    "I always am when it comes to my lady." Varcon turned to face one of the statues. "For years, I''ve personified her grace. I know what she wants. And, I believe this also means I should take the time to tell you. Don''t get too attached to that demon."


    "What?" Satsuhiro asked.


    He gestured to the other Savior.


    "Kaori is everything Nova needs right now. The half-demon is but a reminder of what laziness and ineptitude look like. I''ll admit, I may have been... Eager, in teaching that lesson to the rest of Jade, but they will understand. They will see what Magia intends."


    "What Magia intends? "I don''t think our lady would be satisfied with you trying to get two Saviors to kill each other!"


    "AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MAGIA!?" Varcon yelled back. Satsuhiro scowled. "Magia has worked through me for decades. No one in this world has a stronger connection to her than I do. If I do not know her will, no one does!"


    "... Maybe you''re right." Satsuhiro crossed his arms.


    "Show me respect, Savior!" Varcon yelled. "All you are is a pawn, a weapon. Raw steel. Do not spout your theories as though you have any semblance of an idea as to what is really happening in the world. You were chosen to do one job, and one job only."


    "Keep talking to me like this and you''ll find out exactly why I''ve been chosen to do that job," Satsuhiro said in a low tone.


    Kaori split her swordstaff down the middle, transforming it into two blades. She placed the tip of one under Satsuhiro''s chin and the tip of the other under Varcon''s chin. Satsuhiro was shocked, but his surprise didn''t come close to that of Varcon''s.


    "Just leave," Kaori told Satsuhiro, lowering her blades when she felt the two of them had calmed down. "You''re done, aren''t you?" She asked.


    Satsuhiro analyzed her portrait for a moment.


    "Fine," Satsuhiro said. He could obviously overpower Kaori, but she was right. He and Varcon clearly had nothing more to say to each other that wouldn''t devolve into insults and threats over what had transpired. "You should take a second and remember that you aren''t the actual ruler of anything, Varcon." He turned back to the archpriest. "You hold some small power, but it''s far from limitless. Try something like this again, and there will be consequences."


    Varcon glared but Satsuhiro quickly turned and walked out of the church.


    All that talk of Magia''s will had him wondering about that topic exactly. He looked up at the sky. Magia doesn''t do anything without a reason, but why did she pick these two? Ash and Kaori... Seems like nothing but trouble down the line.


    He made his way back to the Savior House. However, as he drew closer, he heard a strange sound in the air. Metallic clanging, like swords clashing against each other. Is Keiko training? However, when he heard the Zayama girl scream, he understood that wasn''t the case, and ran in.


    ---


    Just a few minutes earlier


    Keiko


    It had been around 30 minutes since Satsuhiro left. Metsumi and her daughter were taking a walk as well. Keiko spent the time trying to practice her Spirit Eye. She failed twice and decided to spend some time simply meditating. She focused on the air rushing in through the window, Ash''s breathing, and her own.


    Ash wasn''t waking up. She had no idea how long she was supposed to stay asleep for, but it didn''t feel right.


    A new sound emerged soon. The door opened to her left.


    "Huh? Satsuhiro?"


    No one answered for a moment. Keiko could smell alcohol in the air, like someone had been drinking heavily.


    "Oh, what are you, her friend or something? Eh, whatever. Should be over quick enough."


    Keiko heard some sort of blade unsheathe and stood up.


    Who is this?


    She heard footsteps approaching and took out her own blade.


    "A blind girl wants to fight? I love it." He laughed. "Well, at least you made me laugh before I killed you."


    What level is this person? Keiko asked. Why is he here?


    Before she could formulate an answer, she felt the air in the room shift. He''s walking up to me. Keiko tried to listen intently. If she was going to fight, she''d need to be aware of everything happening around her. The issue was, she didn''t know the room well. Fighting in an unfamiliar place was an easy way to make Keiko uncomfortable.


    She had to do it though. Hopefully, without accidentally cutting off Ash''s foot or something in the process.


    She heard a sharp inhalation and three quick footsteps, assuming that the man was running up to her. She couldn''t respond just yet. She was waiting for one more sound. Soon, it appeared down and to the right, the sound of a blade slicing through air. It could be a stab or a slash. Keiko thought. I''ll have to guess. She stepped to the left, bumping into a wooden table, but dodging the attack.


    She heard the next attack coming from the front, and up. She ducked, hearing a blade clank off the stone and she walked up and slashed horizontally, not finding a target. He dodged. Where? A soft thud to the left answered that question. Keiko slashed again, her blade bashing the same stone wall the enemy had hit.


    "Not bad." The man said. "Well, for a blind bitch like you, I mean."


    Keiko gritted her teeth and went for a stab where she heard the voice coming from. She didn''t find anything.


    "But, I got places to be. Let''s just get this over with." The man said and Keiko aimed another slash, but failed to hit him.


    And then, as she heard a blade coming from the right, she went to block it.


    Instead, she was stabbed in the abdomen by another blade to the left.


    "You did a fine job guessing. You didn''t know I had two though."


    "Agh!" Keiko dropped her sword. The man kicked her, pushing her off of his blade and causing her to hit the stone wall.


    I lost... Keiko slid down to the floor. I just... I couldn''t see that he had two weapons.


    Keiko put some pressure where she''d been stabbed.


    "Now, for the demon whore. Should fetch me a few coins."


    He''s here to kill Ash?


    Keiko tried to search for her weapon. Before she could find it, another person walked into the room.


    "Stop!" Satsuhiro called out.


    "Fuck."


    Keiko heard a flurry of spells being cast, something flying out the window, and then silence.


    Then, a hand was placed on her shoulder and Keiko flinched.


    "It''s me, it''s me," Satsuhiro told her. "I''m going to heal you."


    "I-Is Ash okay?" Keiko asked.


    "She''s fine."


    Oh, oh, thank goodness. Keiko leaned her head against the stone as Satsuhiro healed her.


    "Who was that?" She asked.


    "I don''t know," Satsuhiro told her. "If I had to guess, maybe some drunk bounty hunter or a mercenary who saw Ash transform and figured he''d get a few easy crowns if he killed her, showed her to the authorities. Probably followed us here and waited till I left."


    "Just because of that? Just because she transformed?" Keiko asked.


    "Maybe. I don''t know." Satsuhiro replied. "Ah... she never woke up?" He asked.


    "Uh, no."


    "That''s... that''s not normal," Satsuhiro said. "Maybe if we give her some more time?"


    As she waited for her wound to be healed, Keiko breathed in.


    Ash. She thought. I don''t envy this path you''re walking on.


    The hybrid didn''t respond to her thoughts. Keiko reached and placed a hand on her forehead, just below her horns. She was still soundly asleep.

 Chapter 18 - 15

    Immediately after she was put to sleep


    Ash


    What... What happened?


    The hybrid tried to open her eyes. She couldn''t. Even though she felt awake, it was like there were weights on her eyelids. Am I dead or something? She wondered. Why is everything so dark?


    Ash tried to breathe in. She waited, hoping that this strange feeling would go away on its own.


    Then, the darkness faded.


    She was launched into a room where so many colors were swirling around her, it was almost blinding. Where the hell...?


    Then, she saw someone in front of her. It looked like a woman, however, as she got closer, Ash noticed a few distinctive features on her. Her eyes were like golden flames and her hair seemed like it was made of gold smoke.


    Who the hell is this?


    The woman got closer. Ash tried to step back, but she found that she couldn''t move her body.


    The woman''s body was almost touching Ash''s own. She felt so warm, it was uncomfortable. However, just when Ash thought she couldn''t bear it anymore, the woman kissed Ash on the lips.


    The uncomfortable warmth faded and Ash was left feeling normal again.


    The woman took a step back and tried to say something, but the words came out distorted.


    "I-I''m sorry, I don''t..." She started responding but the woman shook her head.


    Then, she smiled.


    She pointed at herself, then made a heart symbol with her hands, and then pointed at Ash.


    "I... heart you? Uh, I love you?" Ash asked and she nodded. She took Ash by the chin and pulled her closer. If Ash were in a regular body, she would have had her breath stolen at that moment. She went to place her lips on Ash''s as she''d done before.


    However, then, the colors in the room faded. Darkness settled back in and she disappeared.


    ---


    Ash''s eyes slowly opened. Oh, fuck. She reached up and placed a hand on her forehead, feeling a mild headache. She saw that she was still in her Demon Form. Her body, of its own will, sat up and the first thing she did was look for the other Savior.


    She held out one of her transformed hands, ready to attack as soon as she saw her. Her eyes flickered from place to place. She wasn''t there though.


    Ash didn''t even notice Keiko sitting nearby due to how focused she was on finding the other Savior.


    Upon the realization that her target was missing, her body felt compelled to stand up and go look for her. Look for a fight, pretty much.


    No! Ash thought. She''s probably long gone. Stop. STOP! She tried to will herself to stay on the bed. Calm down. She''s gone. She''s gone. She repeated in her mind and although she could feel how reluctant her body was to stay here, her transformations started to fade.


    For a second, I was afraid I was actually about to run out and go look for her. Ash thought.


    Only then could she take stock of everything. She was in one of the Savior House''s rooms. What a weird dream. She shook her head.


    Quickly, the day''s events flashed back in front of her eyes. So. I got my ass kicked. She noted with a sigh.


    "Fuck." She said aloud.


    "Ash?" She heard Keiko say to her right.


    Oh. Keiko''s here? I should probably ask...


    However, as she looked at her trainer, her eyes widened.


    Keiko had her hair ruffled, as if she had been in a fight herself, and had a splash of blood on her shirt which provided further evidence of that. And, somehow, Ash could find it in herself to care. When she saw Keiko, it was like everything stopped mattering and all she wanted was to get closer.


    She shifted on the bed, got up, and stood next to Keiko.


    She was pretty much moving automatically. Her hands went behind Keiko''s body and pulled her close.


    "Uh, what? Ash?" Keiko asked. The half-demon didn''t respond. Instead, she leaned in and inhaled Keiko''s scent. It was like a drug. The more she got of it, the more she felt like she was slowly drifting off back to sleep.


    As her lips neared Keiko''s neck, she stuck her tongue out and-


    "Um, Ash? Are you okay?" Keiko asked, confused. "Do, ah, uhm... do you need a hug?"


    Ash caught herself. She had just been about to drag her tongue over Keiko''s neck. She almost pushed her trainer off of her and looked down at herself. What? What the fuck?


    Then, a burning desire started between her legs. And, as she looked back at Keiko, it got stronger.


    She ran out of the room, and the feeling stopped.


    A message appeared.


    New trait discovered!


    Demon Inside: Lust


    [Gain a stack of Lust after using Demon Form]


    New stat gained!


    Lust Rating: 3/4


    [With every stack of Lust, your sex drive will increase.]


    Note! Your Lust rating will only affect the desire you feel towards people that you are already attracted to! If you are not naturally attracted to someone, your Lust rating will not affect how you feel towards them.


    Ash stared at the message in disbelief. She took a few deep breaths, remembering what it felt like to hold Keiko in her arms and the memory made her shiver.


    Another message appeared.


    Both demon-related traits discovered!


    You can now see the levels of full demons.


    Ash could not care less right now. She was too busy trying her hardest not to run back into that room and pin Keiko to the bed. However, as she put more distance between her and her trainer, she felt herself calming down.


    Okay, okay. I can deal with this. It''s fine.


    Satsuhiro was outside, in the living room. He saw Ash come out and raised a brow as she took a deep breath.


    "Well, you got up with more energy than I thought you would."


    "U-Uh, yeah." Ash was happy to focus on anything that wasn''t Keiko right now. So, she decided to talk about what she''d seen. "I... I just had the weirdest dream."


    The instant she said that, Satsuhiro perked up.


    "What happened?"


    "I... I saw this woman. I... I don''t know who she was or whatever. She, uh, she couldn''t say anything either."


    Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "That is fairly curious. Is there anything else you observed about her?"


    "It didn''t really last all that long." Ash shrugged.


    "Hm. I don''t think interpreting dreams is something I''m all that good at. Anyway, listen. We''ll have to leave soon." Satsuhiro continued, "I don''t think the city is safe for you right now."


    "What?"


    "Some psycho nearly killed you. Ah, not the Savior. A different psycho."


    "What are you talking about?" Ash looked at him with disbelief.


    "Someone broke in, I don''t know, maybe a fanatic or some mercenary with crowns on his mind. I managed to be here in time, but one thing''s for sure. Yeah, we need to get you out of here."


    "Fuck... Okay, okay, but like, Varcon." Ash interrupted him, "what are we going to do about him? I mean, he nearly had me killed!"


    Even in her Demon Form state of mind, she could recall hearing him trying to tell the other Savior to end her.


    "Not much can be done, to be honest," Satsuhiro replied.


    "What!?" Ash stepped closer. She heard Keiko walk out to the hall, but she was focused on this argument right now. "Why the fuck not?"


    "He holds too much influence. Especially within Jade''s walls. Besides, you were turning into a demon, Ash. In front of everyone. All he has to do is bring that up in front of the Council and he wins the argument. That didn''t look good," Satsuhiro said. "But, give the people some time and they''ll forget that minor detail. For now, all we can do is get out."


    Ash sighed.


    "Fine. Fine. You''re right. But, what am I even going to do? Isn''t he the one who''s supposed to give me missions and shit? What if he just cuts me off. Am I gonna live with you for the rest of my life?"


    "No." Satsuhiro quickly said. "That''s likely the only part where we can really do something. I can go to the Royal Council and request to have you be given only pre-screened missions."


    "Pre-screened?"


    "Like, verified." He explained. "You know how this time, he literally just said ''come here for a mission'' with no explanation? Well, make it so he can''t do that. Considering you nearly died, we can definitely get the Council to agree to that, at least."


    "Well... That''s something. But, fuck." She sat down on the couch. I feel so powerless."


    "You are," Satsuhiro said. "But we''ll work on that. Now, come on. I''ll head to the..."


    Someone knocked on the door. Ash raised a brow as Satsuhiro stood up and went to answer it.


    When they opened it, it revealed the other Savior.


    The very object of Ash''s rage earlier was standing there, her hands held together in front of her. Her head snapped up when she saw that the door had been opened and Ash blinked a few times.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" Ash asked, walking up. "How the fuck did you know where I was?"


    "I asked around. Listen, I wanted to apologize, I-I, I never meant to..."


    "To what? You didn''t mean to nearly kill me!?" Ash asked.


    "T-That wasn''t me, I heard a voice and..." The girl looked down. "I didn''t mean to do that."


    "Fuck off." Ash glared at her. The other Savior sighed.


    "I... I understand you''re mad but... Again, I apologize, but..." She sighed. "I won''t take up more of your time. Sorry."


    Just as she was about to turn away, she looked past Ash and found someone else in the room.


    "Keiko?" She asked.


    "Kaori?" Ash''s trainer asked in return and Ash looked at them both.


    "You know her?" Ash asked Keiko.


    "Yes." Keiko quickly walked up. "I didn''t know you were the other Savior," Keiko said.


    "I didn''t know you knew her," Kaori replied. "But, it''s okay. I''m... I''m just gonna go. Again, it was an accident, I didn''t-"


    "Wait," Keiko said, "can we talk later?" She asked.


    "Huh? Seriously?" Kaori asked and Ash almost asked the same thing.


    "Yes."


    You want to talk to the woman who nearly cut my head off? Ash asked internally.


    "Uh. Okay." Kaori replied.


    And then, Ash closed the door herself, effectively cutting this conversation off.


    No one spoke for a moment. Then, Satsuhiro cleared his throat.


    "We can take a moment or two. Then, we''ll leave." Satsuhiro told her. "The sooner we get you training again the better."


    Ash nodded and walked back, sitting onto the couch.


    It was a move she didn''t exactly think about and instantly regretted because she ended up right next to Keiko. She took a deep breath and nearly growled. Satsuhiro didn''t seem to notice and instead walked out of the house.


    "Ash, how are you feeling?" Keiko asked.


    "You are..." She had to bite down on her bottom lip to prevent herself from finishing her sentence. She had been about to say you are so fucking hot. "Good. I''m good, I mean. Pretty surprised you know Kaori though." It physically hurt to stop herself from doing what she wanted to do, and to make matters worse, she didn''t have the energy to stand up and walk away.


    "Yes, we met when..." Ash tuned her words out.


    Fuck, I just want to spread her legs and...


    "OH! Ash, you''re up!" Metsumi walked into the house and exclaimed, effectively taking Ash''s mind off of what was happening. "You had us so worried."


    "Ah," she let out a deep breath, as the woman distracted her. "Uh, yeah. It''s kind of hard beating someone with so many levels on you."


    "At least you made it out!" Metsumi jogged up and gave her a hug, which Ash awkwardly returned. "So, how about we go buy something to eat? On me!"


    "Mhm. Yeah, sure, definitely." She replied.


    Anything to get me away from Keiko right now.


    Keiko


    Later, Keiko sat where she''d met Kaori the first time. Knowing that she had been the Savior Ash fought had Keiko feeling even worse. Even the friend she seemed to have made earlier was compromised. It doesn''t seem like much is going my way these days. Keiko''s head hung low. Maybe things will get better soon.


    She was relaxing here until the others came back and it was officially time to leave. Of course, that was what she''d told them. In truth, she hoped she would get to talk to Kaori again.


    That wish would be granted shortly.


    "Keiko?" She heard a voice call out.


    "Oh. You came." Keiko stated.


    "Yeah," Kaori replied, sitting next to her. "Uh, are you doing good?" She asked awkwardly.


    "I''ve certainly been better." Keiko sighed.


    "Gotcha. Yeah, I figured I''d just... I don''t know," Kaori said. "Look, I really didn''t mean to go that far. I didn''t even mean to fight her."


    "Why did you then?" Keiko asked.


    "This is going to sound weird, okay, but something, some voice, told me to, and I kind of just had to go with it."


    "You were forced to? Threatened?" Keiko asked.


    "I... something like that." Kaori sounded dejected.


    "If that is true, then, yes. I believe it''s worth letting Ash know about that. I''ll talk to her."


    "Ash is the Savior?"


    "Yes."


    "Oh. Okay, I''ll..." the Savior sighed. "I''ll try to find an opportunity."


    They were silent for about a moment or two. Due to what had happened, it was hard for Keiko not to feel like she was speaking to an enemy. However, at the same time, she had a feeling that Kaori wasn''t that bad of a person. She seemed kind enough, though that could always be a veil.


    "I''ll be honest, I don''t really know what I''m doing," Kaori said.


    "Do you regret coming here?"


    "What? No, I meant in general." Kaori replied. "I became a Savior a little while ago, you know?" She told Keiko. "At first, I thought all I had to do was listen to Varcon and I''d be living the storybook life. Now, I guess I''m getting a little disillusioned."


    "I wish I could give you some advice," Keiko responded, "but, and don''t take this the wrong way, I don''t think I have the energy to figure your problems out too right now."


    More silence, and then Kaori said:


    "Um... I guess I''m done, then." Kaori stood up.


    "I understand."


    "Again, I''m honestly so sorry about all of this. Uh... yeah."


    She walked away. No goodbyes were exchanged. She simply left.


    Is that the last I''ll see of her? She wondered. No. Most likely not. Whatever journey the gods have placed her and Ash on, it seems I''m tied to it.


    She stood up and started walking back to the Savior House.


    I just hope I survive it all.


    ---


    Varcon


    A small rift had opened up between him and Kaori. He could feel it in the way the girl barely spoke to him. How she looked away every time their eyes met. This will not do. Varcon thought. It seems I was too eager with my weapon. Like any good blade, she needs to be sharpened. A tragic mistake, one I will not make again.


    A deacon walked up and spoke to him.


    "Your holiness."


    "Hm? What is it?" Varcon asked.


    "A representative from the Royal Council is here to see you, just outside the church."


    What? He scowled, looking away. What could they want?


    "Fine."


    Passing by praying citizens, he greeted those that looked up to him and slowly made his way outside. Once there, he found a thin man wearing a golden ji. He had a pair of glasses over sly eyes and a smirk.


    He hated not knowing what was happening. In every situation he was in, he needed to be in control to function well. Seeing this representative here, without expecting it, he was uncomfortable.


    "Your holiness." The man bowed and Varcon did the same.


    It always took him a moment to get used to the voices of representatives from the Royal Council. They were vessels which the Council used to exit their building without having to leave themselves, as such, his voice was that of a few individuals speaking at once.


    "Greetings. What brings a representative of the Royal Council here?"


    "Well, we are sure you didn''t expect to hear from us so early." They replied. "But, alas, here we are. Care to take a walk?"


    "You would make an old man walk under this blazing sun?" He asked with a fake smile.


    "Ah, we see. You''re right. How rude of us. We are sure we can find somewhere to sit inside, right?"


    Varcon walked back into the church with the representative following him. A few of the citizens whispered to each other when they saw him. The Royal Council was notorious for keeping itself isolated. They managed the city from the shadows, keeping the order in Jade without showing their faces, save for special occasions. To see even just a representative was almost an event.


    They walked toward the altar, a small haven for Varcon.


    "Ah, so. This morning, eh?" They started. "Word reached us quickly. Quite eventful. Would you like to explain why you nearly had a Savior killed?"


    "Of course," Varcon replied. "The other one, the half-demon, I''m sure you''ve heard of her by now, nearly transformed into a full demon. Thanks to the actions of a bystander, she didn''t. But, if she had, she would have needed to be tragically put down."


    "Yes, that part was also told to us." They replied. "Reasonable enough. Though, it is entirely questionable why you had two Saviors fighting to begin with."


    "I wanted Jade''s citizens to see their heroes in action. It was nothing more than an exhibition." Varcon shrugged. "Is that event all this visit is about?"


    "No." They quickly said. "The Council simply wanted to make sure you did not intend to murder a Savior."


    Varcon raised a brow.


    "Like I would ever want that to happen." He replied.


    "Of course. Anyway, we do have one more reason to be here. We have acquired a mission that could serve as good training for a Savior. We came to hear your recommendation with regards to which one should go."


    "What''s the mission?" Varcon asked.


    "That would be the interesting part, wouldn''t it." They chuckled. "We believe we have identified a low-level Nightmare. We require a Savior to go deal with it."


    "What?" Varcon was actually surprised.


    Nightmares. They were perhaps the most dangerous elements demons had.


    Well, even Kaori is likely not ready for this. Varcon thought.


    "The Nightmare seems to be located in a low-level area far up north." They stated. "Level 5 to 10. As you know how this works, this means we believe the Nightmare itself to be of a low level. All other active Saviors are busy fighting demons across Nova, or performing other tasks, therefore, we look to our," they emphasized that word, "new recruits. But," he shrugged, "as we are certain you know them better than anyone, we will allow you to choose which one goes. The other may remain where they are and continue training if they wish."


    "... I want the half-demon to go." Varcon decided.


    "Oh? And why is that? Need a monster to finish the job?" They asked with a smile.


    Varcon didn''t deny his accusation. He understood that the morning''s event was too large to undermine. He was lucky that the excuse of "well, she was turning into a demon" was understandable enough to prevent it from being called actual attempted murder.


    "A half-demon is far less valuable than a full human, no?" Varcon turned and said with a smile. "This might be a training mission, but there is still danger involved. If the hybrid survives, then a Nightmare is dead, a Savior gains power and the world is better off. If something terrible were to happen to Kaori, it would be far more tragic than if anything happened to hybrid."


    "Of course, the idea is that she shouldn''t die." The representative reminded him.


    "It''s low-level, is it not?" Varcon asked. "She shouldn''t then."


    "Hm. We see." They chuckled with a smirk. "Very well. Insightful. Goodbye!"


    "Very well."


    They bowed to each other, the vessel left and Varcon breathed a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 19 - 16

    No one pursued them, no one stopped them. Ash, Satsuhiro, Metsumi, their daughter, and Keiko managed to leave without any trouble. Kaori didn''t approach them again.


    Hopefully, Ash thought, that''s the last I''ll see of any of them. Varcon, his priests, and... She remembered the other Savior, how she''d stood above her, about to end her life, how she looked at her with guilt afterward. Ash shook her head. And her.


    A few hours after they left Jade, they got back to the farm.


    Ash found herself sitting alone in the field behind the house. Inside, Satsuhiro and Metsumi bickered back and forth about what they''d make for dinner tonight, and Keiko waited for Ash to tell her to help her train again.


    But, for now, Ash needed a moment.


    Ash didn''t want to experience that again. She knew she''d fight stronger beings than herself when she signed up for this, but still, it wasn''t a good feeling. If she could prevent it, she would. So, when Satsuhiro walked outside and went to ask her about what she wanted to do, she let him know.


    "So," Satsuhiro said, coming out of the house with a flask full of cold water in his hands that he passed to Ash, "you''re just going to train?"


    "Yeah." Ash nodded.


    "Understandable. Fighting your way up is faster though. A few minutes of combat a day over hours of swinging an ax, you know."


    "I know." Ash nodded without looking at him as she took a sip from the flask. "I thought about it. I don''t want to feel that weak again. I need to get better before I take any fight again."


    "I suppose I understand." Satsuhiro sat next to her. "Though, it''s been a while since I''ve fought someone or something that was a higher level than me."


    Ash looked at him. His bored eyes were scanning over the field.


    "When was that?" She asked.


    "What do you mean?" He replied.


    "When was the last time you fought something stronger than you?"


    "Ah...." Satsuhiro closed his eyes and, with a serious expression, sighed. "About two years ago."


    "Um... Can I ask what happened?"


    "Yeah." Satsuhiro nodded. "I remember I was sitting with Metsumi in the living room, just reading Opah, my daughter, a story. Then, we heard some knocking on the door, I went to answer and it was a courier saying that the Royal Council was requesting my help."


    "With what?" Ash asked.


    "A siege," Satsuhiro explained. "Well, it was kind of a siege. Basically, they found out that there were a lot of demons held up between some canyons south of Jade. They wanted my help, along with this other Savior, Ginovea." He told her. "She was younger than me, about 24. I was 28 at the time. Yeah, this was after I retired, or rather, tried to retire. They figured two high-level Saviors were enough for the job. Well, we went out there with a small army, but, the issue with fighting demons is that we can''t see their stats. We can guess them based on the levels of the monsters in the area, but even then there''s always a chance we run into a high-level creature. And, uh," he scratched the back of his neck. "We ran into this huge thing. It had the biggest, fattest stomach I''ve ever seen and no eyes. Its mouth was pretty much its whole face."


    Ash pictured what he was saying and found the image that came to her frightening.


    "And yeah," his tone didn''t change as he spoke. "That thing ate Ginovea whole." He shook his head. "It caught her by an arm when she went for a swing, pulled her up, and just swallowed her, right in front of me. I couldn''t do anything because the damned monster had injured me before that. I watched as she just disappeared into its gut."


    "Holy shit." Ash looked down. "That''s terrifying."


    "Yeah. That''s why I''m not exactly happy about how much the Royal Council and the church seem to not care about my retirement."


    I''ll probably try to retire early too. Ash thought. But, that day''s nowhere near close to today.


    "Anyway, you should get to training. If you''re going to raise your stats one by one, every minute is precious."


    "Right."


    Hearing him leave, she got up. Ash got to work.


    ---


    Later, the night was starting to set in. Ash trained all day. She got right back to chopping wood, one swing at a time, one log at a time, she poured her energy into this act until her Strength reached 6.


    Fuck. She wiped away some sweat as the moonlight hit her back. She remembered how it felt, how powerless it was to fight someone who was of a much higher level. She was convinced that if Kaori had been level 4 or 5, she may have been victorious. Especially with her Demon Form. However. that disparity had made her slightly nervous with regards to her future fights.


    "Alright, I think I''m done for today." She thought. Ash let the axe she''d been using fall. She was about to come back inside, but she stopped.


    Oh, right. My Lust rating. She breathed in, popping it up in front of her.


    Lust Rating:


    3/4


    I don''t think I can be near Keiko in this state. I don''t trust myself. She crossed her arms. I mean... she''s just so beautiful. The twin moons hung over her. Ash''s eyes were kept on the field, almost black in the nighttime, but her mind was being flooded with images of her Zayama trainer. Then, she did something she''d never done before. She tried to picture Keiko naked.


    She imagined a pale, thin body made firm by years of exercise. In Ash''s mind, Keiko would likely have an abdomen almost as defined as her own. She pictured Keiko almost looking regal, in a way. Maybe wearing a transparent white veil that teased what was underneath but left little to the imagination.


    She''d gotten close enough to Keiko, physically, to where she could picture herself taking that last step. Closing the distance just as the woman in her visions had done to her and tasting the girl''s lips for herself. In her mind, Satsuhiro''s house was empty and Ash was walking back to her room to find Keiko on the bed with her legs spread and...


    Ash didn''t realize this, but she had started touching herself. The act was clumsy and awkward because, well, of course, it was. She quite literally did not know her own body. She hadn''t done anything remotely like this before, Ash never felt compelled to. But, the more she got lost in her visions, the more she could actually feel Keiko''s soft body under her fingers, the more into it she got.


    After a while, she forgot that she was actually behind Satsuhiro''s house and that at any moment the Savior could come out to check on her. That didn''t register in her mind at all.


    However, it never happened. Instead, a few minutes later, Ash''s fantasy progressed to where she was imagining herself lowering her head and dragging her tongue over Keiko''s lower lips.


    Breathing heavily, she massaged her chest while her body kept warming up. After a while, it reached a point where it was almost on fire.


    She could see actually see a violet aura coming from her, almost like when she went into her Demon Form. Only, unlike that, this didn''t feel wrong at all.


    She didn''t know how long she was there. All she knew was that, eventually, the moons were directly over her head as she bit down on her bottom lip and held back a cry as her body shook. She didn''t understand what had just happened. She looked down and it was like she''d pissed herself.


    She breathed in, slowly.


    Immediately, guilt flooded her. She had just done something weird while thinking of her trainer, a girl who would literally be sleeping right next to her later. But, as the guilt came, relief was paired with it.


    Lust Rating:


    2/4


    Holy shit. Ash thought. It went down. Okay. She gulped. I can work with this. Just... need to relax every now and then.


    She got up and, checking to see if there was anyone inside first, still awake, walked back into the house. It was empty. She could hear Metsumi snoring in the back. The door to her own room was open.


    Inside, was Keiko sitting with her legs crossed on the bed.


    Ash looked at her, and although she still felt that pull, it had lessened in intensity, back to a level she could tolerate.


    The girl sniffed the air and turned her head towards the door.


    "Ash?"


    "Yeah, it''s me." The hybrid replied as she walked in. "What''s up?"


    "Um, nothing, I''m just... Practicing."


    "Practicing what?"


    "My... my Spirit Eye. Ash," she said. "Uh, no offense, but you smell weird."


    Ash nearly fainted. She hadn''t even thought about how Keiko''s slightly heightened senses wouldn''t allow her to just throw her pants aside and replace them without so much as a comment.


    "UH..." Ash cringed. "Y-Yeah, I''m good."


    As quickly as she could, she changed into fresh clothes, stuffing what she''d just worn into a container.


    "Alright," Keiko said.


    "Give me some room? I want to go to sleep." Ash said and Keiko quickly did so. "Thanks."


    And, thanks to her newfound method, the rest of the night was uneventful, with both girls facing away from each other as they slept.


    ---


    Kaori


    In the morning, Kaori was sitting in the Spirit Gardens District, where she''d met the Zayama girl. She was still pondering the matter with the demon.


    So, I said no, everything blacked out, and when I came back I had my swordstaff over her. Kaori thought for the third time, shaking her head. What happened in between? She could see flashes, little moments where she and the demon clashed, but nothing more detailed.


    She wasn''t wearing her Savior''s armor today. A part of her felt like she''d thrown away the right to wear it when she threatened Ash''s life. She''d put it on again someday, maybe the next time she was given a real task instead of just, "kill this creature we brought in", but, at least for an hour or two, she didn''t want to be Kaori the Savior. She just wanted to be Kaori.


    She wouldn''t get that chance though.


    Behind her, a man walked up. Kaori turned when she heard him approaching and found someone wearing a golden ji, with a pair of glasses and a quaint smile on his face.


    "Hello!" He said, politely, but Kaori quickly noticed that his voice was strange. Almost like two creatures were speaking at once. "Kaori, I assume?"


    "Uh, yeah." She replied, trying to smile back. "What can I do for you?"


    "Ah, well, it''s funny you should ask that. May we sit?"


    "Of course." She replied, shifting to the side. "Uh, we?" She asked.


    "Yes. We." The man laughed. "This body is but a vessel. You are speaking to a few different members of the Royal Council at once right now, sharing a consciousness. This form is useful so that we may go out, experience something, have a conversation, and then come back knowing exactly what transpired. Differing viewpoints can be problematic, after all."


    "Wow, the council!?" She asked, shocked. The man... or thing, sat down and watched the spirits float around the tree with her.


    "As I just said, we work for the Royal Council. You may call this vessel, Talo. We are here to inform you of a mission. We wanted to visit you and the other Savior to give you both the task and allow you to decide for yourselves what you would do."


    "U-Uh, what is it?" Kaori asked, turning further to face him.


    "Simple. There is a highly dangerous creature to the north, between Sapphire and Jade. We want one or maybe both of you, to go and deal with it."


    "How strong is it?" Kaori asked.


    "The area holds creatures ranging from level 5 to 10. Now, we cannot possibly know the demon''s own stats, because that''s how demons work, but we can guess that it too is between this range due to the area it inhabits. Creatures generally tend to stay within places that are close to their own levels."


    "Oh. So..." Kaori looked away to think for a moment. "Wait, you said you''re going to tell Ash about this too?"


    "The half-demon? Yes." They replied. "Although her lineage is somewhat troublesome, she is still a Savior and the Royal Council will treat her as such... despite the desire that the archpriest seems to have for her death."


    "What?" Kaori asked.


    "Oh, yes. We spoke to him." They shrugged. "It appears he holds no love for, what was it? Ash? Yes. He seems to rather despise her."


    You''re... So, could he have been what drove me to almost kill Ash? Kaori asked herself. But, he wouldn''t! He''s an archpriest, not some random shady street merchant!


    "I... The mission. Is that all?"


    "Yes. The point is for it to serve as good training while also removing a fairly important factor on the enemy''s side. Do you know what a Nightmare is?"


    "No," Kaori replied.


    "They are demons capable of transforming others into demons themselves. In other words, they are demons who produce demons. They are the main way the demon army maintains its numbers. They are hard to find and when we do happen upon one, it is usually stronger than any low-level warrior could face. However, here, knowing this one must be weak, we decided you should be given the task, to serve as training. Will you go?"


    Kaori crossed one leg over the other. She thought about it. She''d been eager to do some actual heroics, really. Everything so far had felt... grey. She didn''t like it. This was an opportunity for her to live the actual dream she''d wanted to do when she signed up for this.


    But, there was a second opportunity here as well.


    "You''re going to go tell Ash?" She asked.


    "Yes," Talo replied. "We will be heading to her location as soon as this conversation is over."


    "... Can I come?" She asked.


    "Sure." They shrugged.


    Kaori nodded.


    "I need to say goodbye to my family first. Where can you wait for me?"


    "We may as well head with you." The vessel replied. "Is that alright?"


    "Uh, sure." Kaori nodded.


    And thus, she walked all the way to her family''s house, with Talo tagging along. When she got there, with the representative there to confirm what she was saying, she told them about her intentions. Aside from the mission, she simply wanted to head to see Ash in hopes that she could also maybe apologize further.


    There were a few tears, her family had always been close, but they let her go with smiles in the end. She picked up her armor and her Savior''s Weapon and exited her home. Kaori felt as alive as ever as she and Talo walked to a carriage that had been waiting for the representative.


    And so, she and Talo made their way to Ash''s location.


    ---


    Ash


    The morning proved to be everything but uneventful. Someone had arrived at the farm and was knocking on the house''s front door. Ash was having breakfast with everyone in the living room. Satsuhiro stood and went to answer it.


    Ash looked past him to see who had come.


    "You''re joking." She said.


    In front of Satsuhiro was a young official-looking man and next to him was the last person Ash had expected.


    Kaori.


    "Hi." The other Savior awkwardly greeted Ash from afar.

 Chapter 20 - 17

    You''ve got to be kidding me. Ash thought as the bubbly Savior, somewhat shyly, waved at her in the distance. As though she hadn''t been the same person who held a weapon to Ash''s neck just a day ago.


    "What the hell is she doing here?" Ash asked, looking past Satsuhiro.


    "I''m asking myself the same thing," Satsuhiro said as well, displeased. "What are you doing here?"


    "Greetings, sir." Upon hearing the voice belonging to the man who stood next to Kaori, Ash got shivers. It was like two people speaking at once.


    "The Royal Council?" Satsuhiro identified quickly.


    "What?" Ash asked, standing up. She stomped over to them, crossing her arms. "What''s going on?"


    "This vessel''s name is Talo. We are here to inform the hybrid Savior of a potential mission that she may be interested in undertaking." The man gestured at the inside of the house. "May we sit down?"


    "Sure," Satsuhiro replied.


    "What? We can''t let her in here!" Ash pointed at Kaori. "How do we know she won''t cut my head off?"


    Keiko, who had heard the exchange, made her way over to them and was standing just a bit behind Ash.


    "Kaori?" Keiko walked up too. "What''s happening?"


    "Please, it would likely be much more convenient and less stressful for all of us if we could sit down during this discussion," Talo said.


    "Ugh, fine." Ash marched back to the living room table and sat right where she''d been. The others, Kaori included, started filing in slowly. Metsumi stood up.


    "I''ll make some tea for everyone!" She announced. Opah, the family''s daughter, was peeking from behind a couch, eyeing them all cautiously.


    "Splendid," Talo replied. "Now, as we were saying. Here are the details of the mission." Talo placed a paper full of eloquent writing on it in front of Ash, but Satsuhiro took it and started scanning over the contents. Ash raised a brow.


    "I read faster than you." He said and Ash shrugged. "Let''s see... a Nightmare?" He asked, looking up.


    "Low-level," Talo quickly clarified.


    "Still," Satsuhiro muttered as he continued reading through the paper. "Between Sapphire and Jade."


    "So, what''s it about?" Ash asked.


    "Well...." He finished up. "The gist of it is that they want you to fight a special kind of demon. One that''s capable of turning other things into demons." Satsuhiro summarized. "It''s in a low-level area, but even then." Satsuhiro scratched his chin. "Might be a bit too dangerous."


    And, honestly, I''d love to just spend my time training for now. Ash thought.


    "Well, that''s why I''m here," Kaori said and all eyes went to her. She took a deep breath as Ash glared. "I want to go with you."


    "Uh, no. No thank you." Ash instantly countered but Kaori leaned forwards.


    "Listen, I know we got off on the wrong foot-"


    "When you kicked the shit out of me in front of dozens of people, you mean?"


    "Well, yeah but-"


    "And also, when you nearly killed me?"


    "I mean, okay but-"


    "Yeah, I''d say that''s a slightly negative first impression."


    "LISTEN!" Kaori slammed her hands on the table. Ash flinched and Satsuhiro raised a brow. The other Savior took a deep breath and leaned back. "I... I didn''t mean to do any of that. When," she continued, "when I told you that I wasn''t going to fight, everything went black. Okay? And as soon as it did, the world came back, and suddenly, I was standing over you, holding my swordstaff out. I don''t even remember what happened in between. Seriously! I never meant to do any of that."


    "Wait, wait, what?" Satsuhiro suddenly stepped in. "Run that by me again, what did you just say?"


    Kaori turned to him.


    "I don''t remember what happened. I told Ash I wasn''t going to fight her, everything went black, next thing I know I''m standing over her."


    "Huh..."


    "What is it?" Ash asked him.


    "Well... if Kaori isn''t lying, that sounds like mind control."


    "Mind control?" Ash asked. "Listen, I don''t know much about magic, is that a thing? That sounds insane."


    "In the practice of alchemy, yes. There''s a potion that exists that can allow you to control someone else''s mind." Satsuhiro responded. "Sadly, I''m not an authority on alchemy."


    "But you''re a mage?" Ash asked. "Isn''t it roughly in the same ballpark?"


    "No. Magic is way less... Physical. Alchemy is an entirely different beast."


    "I swear to you," Kaori stressed, "I swear this is what happened. Think about it," she looked at the group, "what reason would I have to want you dead?"


    "Because I''m me." Ash shrugged.


    Kaori shook her head.


    "I''ll admit. I do think you''re pretty scary looking, but that''s it." Kaori replied. "I-I don''t really care that you''re a half-demon. I don''t want to hurt you in any way."


    A brief silence spread amongst them. Talo was pretty much sitting by, watching all of this.


    "Hey, wait, if, right, because it''s a pretty big fucking if, if mind control was used here, is that legal?" Ash asked. "Doesn''t sound like it would be."


    "It is not legal, no." The representative of the Royal Council said. "However, as Satsuhiro alluded to it just now, evidence of the use of the Red Tear, the potion that grants mind control, is incredibly hard to acquire, by regular people, at least. The liquid is only has a color before it is mixed in with other liquids, which is usually how it is administered to the people who end up drinking them. Admittedly," they turned to Kaori. "Had we known this, we would have likely looked into it on our own."


    "I... It never even crossed my mind." Kaori told them.


    "So, do we have a way to find out if she''s lying?" Ash asked.


    "I know a Savior that should be able to help," Satsuhiro announced.


    "Who''s that?" Ash asked.


    "An alchemist. If I''m not mistaken, they live somewhere to the east, near Onyx. I could try to send them a letter and hope they can help out."


    "Okay... but until then?"


    "I''d... I think I can vouch for her." Keiko stepped in. "I haven''t exactly known Kaori for long, but I never got the sense that she was bloodthirsty in any way. I think we should wait for this alchemist''s response before we do anything else."


    "Hm, that also would mean we should wait for the alchemist''s response before we go on this mission," Ash noted.


    "Well, the Nightmare is certainly not going anywhere, we would guess," Talo added. "Should you decide to go, send us a letter and we will have a carriage sent here, to take you to the Nightmare''s location. It would then wait there until you finish your mission."


    Ash made eye contact with Kaori. After what she''d seen, she simply didn''t trust the bubbly-looking blonde. But, it was worth a shot. She understood that much.


    "Fine," Ash muttered and Kaori grinned.


    "Trust me!" She got up and leaned across the table. "You''ll see! I''m perfectly sane!"


    "Well, I don''t know about that," Satsuhiro said, "regardless, it''ll be good to get some training in before then anyway. You''re welcome to stay." He told Kaori.


    "Seriously?"


    "Yes. Until we hear from the alchemist." He told Kaori.


    "Wait, wait," Ash waved her hands back and forth. "What if she like, tries to kill me in my sleep or something?"


    "I wouldn''t do that!" Kaori protested.


    "She''ll sleep in the living room. She tries anything, she won''t get to blink before I burn her to a crisp." Satsuhiro stated calmly and shrugged. "Think of it this way though, at least you''ll have another training partner."


    "That is actually true," Keiko added. "It is good to practice against people of a similar skill level to your own, from time to time. It gives you a feel of what the enemies you will be facing should behave like."


    "Then, it''s settled. We will wait to hear from you once more." Talo told Satsuhiro and the older Savior nodded.


    Then, Talo left.


    Kaori stayed with a joyous look on her face as Ash let out a deep breath. This is too much for the start of the fucking day, dammit.


    And, just like that, Satsuhiro''s farm had one more resident for the time being.


    ---


    Varcon


    Today, the church was the same as ever, with the same priests and priestesses running around. Varcon was busy looking at reports of recent battles against the demon army when a deacon approached. The deacon announced something to him and Varcon paled.


    "What?" He asked, baffled.


    "Kaori was seen leaving Jade with the Royal Council''s representative, your holiness." Varcon heard this and narrowed his brows. But why¡­ Oh. It didn''t take long to understand. The Royal Council must have ignored his suggestion and went to go see the hybrid. Maybe, hearing that they were going to do that, Kaori chose to tag along.


    Of course, he quickly understood the danger of the situation. The longer Kaori remained there, the higher the chance she''d talk things out with Ash''s party. Especially being as reasonable and clearly kind-hearted as she was. Plus, to make matters worse, Varcon guessed Satsuhiro had the resources necessary to investigate what happened to Kaori. She would obviously bring it up and Satsuhiro would definitely look into it.


    This is far from good. Varcon said as the eyes of Magia''s statues looked down upon him. If Kaori turns on me, at best, it would hurt the church''s reputation as they would most likely spread rumors that I''d stripped her of her will. At worst, they might actually come for revenge. Varcon took a deep breath.


    I need to delay whatever it is Kaori is doing. I need her away from them. Away from that group. But, how? She must already be concerned. If I call her back for a mission, that would very well be a confirmation of her suspicions. No. I need to do something indirectly. Something that would give just enough reason for her to want to leave.


    I need to create an emergency. Varcon closed his eyes, picturing what he needed. The deacon waited for him to speak his mind patiently. I need to have something happen. Something that would make Kaori come back as fast as possible. It would buy me time so that I may explain to her why I did what I did. Why it had to be done.


    "Deacon." He called out, finally.


    "Yes, father?"


    "Look for Kaori''s home address. I need to know where her family lives."


    ---


    Kaori


    The sunlight-haired Savior was pleased to know she''d have a chance to prove she wasn''t a psychopath. Truthfully, it was the first time she''d been in a situation like this. Over the course of her life, everyone had liked her. She didn''t know how to go about earning someone''s trust. Trust was a resource she usually just got effortlessly.


    No problem. She thought as she watched Ash train with Keiko. She was still shocked that the Zayama she''d spoken to was Ash''s teacher. It''s just like making any other friend, right? Just chill, talk to her every now and then, and be myself! She''ll see how cool I am.


    Behind her, Satsuhiro was writing the letter to the alchemist. Kaori turned around to face him.


    "So, uh, who is this alchemist?" She asked.


    The older Savior stared at her for a moment. Then, he looked back down.


    "Savior, about my age," Satsuhiro said, without taking his eyes off the paper. "Doesn''t really go on missions often. They help out in a different way, supplying the different cities, but mostly Onyx, with potions and the like."


    "Why Onyx?"


    "It''s where they were born and raised, as far as I know. Saviors are supposed to serve all of Nova, but we all have our biases." He shrugged. "Hm. There. Should be just about done."


    Kaori leaned over him and took a glance.


    "How long will it take to get a reply?"


    "About a day or two, most likely¡­ provided of course, that I remember where they lived."


    "Wow, isn''t Onyx like, way, way to the east?"


    "Hmph." Satsuhiro scoffed. "You must not understand how mages send letters."


    "Well, no¡­ I''m not a mage, so, yeah." She shrugged.


    "Come. Watch." Satsuhiro stood up and walked outside. He had Kaori follow him to the dirt road that led to the farm. "Now, what was the incantation again¡­ Ah, right." He folded the paper into a bird-like shape. Then, he said, "Arrive, seek the friend, send word."


    And Kaori was startled as the letter burst into flames and flew out of his hand, soaring up into the sky where it took a proper bird''s form.


    "Now, we wait," Satsuhiro replied.


    "Oh my gosh!" Kaori chuckled. Satsuhiro passed her by. "U-Uh, wait!" She said. He stopped. "I really appreciate that you''re¡­ you know, treating me like I''m not a murderer or something."


    He raised a hand.


    "I''m only giving you the benefit of the doubt, especially since Keiko is vouching for you. Only time will tell if I keep treating you like this."


    With those words, he walked back inside. Kaori turned around, looking back up into the sky where she thought she could still see the bird starting its journey.


    She smiled.


    I hope so.

 Chapter 21 - 18

    Kaori


    Kaori took a deep breath, staring the other Savior down. She had her swordstaff out, aimed at Ash. She waited for the half-demon to take the first step. Ash lunged. Kaori awkwardly blocked a pair of strikes before going for a kick that pushed the hybrid back. Ash was sent a meter or two away, scowling.


    This had been Keiko''s suggestion. As she had mentioned before, having Ash face someone who was at a similar experience level to her own was, in her opinion, a good idea. So, now the two Saviors had their weapons clashing behind Satsuhiro''s house. Again, Ash tried to charge in, and although Ash seemed to Kaori like a marginally better fighter than her skill-wise, she was able to overpower her in every exchange.


    "Break," Keiko called out and they let their weapons transform into their cube shapes.


    "That was fun!" Kaori stated. "Let''s go again."


    "Give it a second," Keiko replied. "We don''t want Ash''s Demon Form to trigger."


    "Oh, okay." Kaori nodded.


    She noticed that Ash was staring down at her own hands and approached.


    "You''re really good!" Kaori told her.


    Ash looked up, scowling.


    Without a response, she went back into the house.


    Kaori sighed. Okay, so she still hasn''t warmed up to me yet. It''ll be fine though. She''ll come around.


    Kaori sat down beside Keiko.


    The Zayama turned her head towards her.


    "So," Kaori started, "how long have you known Ash?"


    "A few days," Keiko replied. "I only just got this job. As did she."


    "And how''s it gone so far?"


    "Well, you''ve seen her," Keiko replied. "She''s progressing. Still just starting out, of course, but she should be pretty skilled in no time. Especially since you Saviors pick things up so quickly."


    "Mhm. I guess we are pretty cool like that. Actually, how about you help me out with my swordstaff?"


    "Ehm, I suppose I could," Keiko replied. When Kaori had described the weapon to the Zayama a few minutes ago, Keiko had said that it was not a weapon she''d ever seen before. "I''d only be able to teach you universal fundamentals though. I haven''t been trained in that style of weapon myself, I have no idea what its intricacies are."


    "Makes sense," Kaori replied. She couldn''t help but smile seeing the cloudless sky letting the sun cast its light on them. It was, hopefully, the world giving Kaori a good sign. "Uh, by the way." Kaori looked back at Keiko.


    "Yes?" Keiko asked.


    "Thanks for vouching for me. I... I know I''m probably not the most trustworthy person in the world or whatever, but I hope I''ll show everyone that I really do mean no harm. You know?"


    "Mhm." Keiko huddled her legs together and wrapped her arms around them. Kaori thought she looked cute like that. "Anytime. You... I could just be a bad judge of character, but you don''t strike me as such a bad person. And that only makes me even more worried that Varcon actually used Red Tear on you."


    Hearing that, Kaori quickly looked away.


    He wouldn''t, right? She sighed. I mean... the archpriest...


    "Are we going again?" Ash asked, standing at the door leading out into the field holding a flask full of water.


    "Sure!"


    "Should be fine," Keiko stated. "Ash? How do you feel?"


    The half-demon looked away.


    "I''m good... Just frustrated. Come on, let''s keep going."


    The same process repeated itself. Kaori would struggle a little to find the right techniques to use, but in the end, it wouldn''t matter. She''d simply overpower Ash and the half-demon would be forced back. After a third time, the half-demon had enough.


    "I''m going to work out," Ash announced suddenly, having her weapon go into its cube form.


    Ash went and looked for two bags, placed a bunch of rocks in them, and started pulling them halfway through the field and back. Kaori and Keiko stood aside. I should probably do something like that too.


    ---


    Varcon


    The archpriest kept his eyes closed as the carriage he rode rumbled along the street. The secret to maintaining Kaori''s loyalty was resting in his pockets. On him, he was carrying an elixir small enough to fit in the palm of his hands that held a liquid called Milk of the Dreamer. He took it out and handed it to the deacon sitting in front of him. To his left, was a golden sword.


    As in, it was a regular steel sword that had been painted gold.


    "Your holiness..." The deacon sitting in front of him said.


    "Yes?" Varcon asked.


    "Uh, I... I know it is not my place to ask, but are you sure we can afford all of the expenses we''ve been making?" Varcon raised a brow at this question. "Between the concoctions and the equipment, we''ve spent quite a bit."


    Varcon didn''t answer.


    I will not allow myself to lose my weapon. He thought. The amount of money I have put into her... I refuse to let her slip from my fingers like this.


    Before long, the carriage was slowly coming to a halt and Varcon was opening his eyes. He practiced his smile and nodded to the other priest in front of him. They got up and stepped out of the wooden vehicle, arriving at a pleasant little home.


    Varcon knocked on the door, and soon a middle-aged woman appeared.


    "Oh!" The woman said, surprised. "Your holiness, hello!" Of course, Varcon was somewhat famous in Jade, so he was not surprised that the woman knew of him.


    "Greetings." Varcon smiled.


    "What can I do for you?"


    "Oh, I simply wanted to get to know our newest Savior, Kaori''s, family, you are her sister, right?" He asked.


    "O-Oh, no, no." The woman laughed with a blush. "I''m her mother."


    "Could have fooled me," Varcon said with as friendly an expression as he could muster. The woman laughed before stepping aside.


    "Please, please! Come in. Make yourselves at home!"


    Along with the deacon, Varcon entered the building. He kept his hands behind his back as he followed the woman into the living room.


    "Honey! Look!"


    "Hm?" A man with decently sized arms and a trimmed beard looked up from a couch, where he''d been reading a book. "O-Oh, wow, your holiship, I mean, your holiness, uh, hey!" He stood up. "What''s happening?"


    "Don''t be alarmed," Varcon reassured him. "I''m only here to chat with Kaori''s parents. I wanted to get a feel of the people who raised such a bright young woman."


    "Oh, sh- uh, sure." The man set the book aside.


    "Do you want anything? Are you hungry, thirsty?"


    "Ah, could we have some tea, maybe?" He asked.


    "Sure!"


    "Thank you. I''m afraid the ride here got us both a bit parched." Varcon chuckled.


    "No worries, no worries!" The woman quickly got to work.


    "So, how''s she been doing?" The father asked.


    "Ah, your daughter is a brilliant individual. She''s a very quick learner, you know? Grasped everything we tried to teach her very quickly."


    "She''s always been like that." The man laughed. "We were a little worried at the start, you know since the world can be so dangerous and all, but we''re glad to see she''s really taking to it."


    A little while later, the mother was coming back with a few cups. Moment of truth. Varcon thought, hiding a smirk. She set them out in front of them all.


    "Oh!" Varcon said. "I have something to show the both of you. Please, come."


    "Uh, sure."


    They left their cups unattended as Varcon had them walk out of their homes and to the carriage that was still waiting outside. He reached for the golden blade and showed it off to them.


    "Oh my goodness! What is that?"


    "This is a sword we had hand-made for Kaori," Varcon explained with a smile. "We have high hopes for her after all."


    "Wow." The father said. "May I?"


    "Yes, of course."


    He grabbed it and, standing a pace or two away from Varcon, swung it a few times.


    "Careful!" His wife said. Varcon chuckled.


    "Hm. It''s a bit lighter than I thought it would be."


    "It''s made out of a special metal. Not simply gold."


    "Oh, I see."


    "Anyway," Varcon said, "I just wanted you both to see that. It is quite impressive, after all. Let us return. I am thirsty, after all."


    "Right."


    They went back inside. The deacon had remained sitting next to where Varcon would be. Varcon rejoined him and the parents sat opposite him. They retook their cups and drank from them. Varcon smiled warmly.


    "Now, where were we?"


    ---


    Ash


    Having Kaori there at the farm was almost like the world wanted to remind her just how much she sucked. No matter how much the two of them sparred, Ash couldn''t get one up on her. She understood that there was simply too much of a statistical gap to overcome, but it still made her feel worse than she already did about all of this.


    Still, she kept working. As Kaori remained beside them, just watching, she pulled rocks over and over again until she got her Strength to 6, and now, she was about to do some exercises with Keiko that she said would help her get her Dexterity up as well.


    The Zayama had set up a target by stacking some sacks on top of each other.


    "How does your weapon work again?" Keiko asked.


    "I can transform this thing into any weapon I''ve seen." She said, holding up Lust.


    "Okay. You''ve seen bows before, right?" Keiko asked.


    "Yeah."


    "Transform it into one."


    Uh. Okay, let''s try this out then. Bow.


    Her cube glowed brilliantly and, morphing its shape around her hand, it transformed into a golden bow that had an arrow stuck to its center.


    "Oh, shit. This comes with its own arrow." Ash told her.


    "Good." Keiko nodded. "Try to shoot it into the target."


    "Alright."


    "Come on, you can do it!" Kaori yelled and Ash rolled her eyes. Are you making fun of me or something?


    Still, Ash did as Keiko asked. She clumsily pulled the arrow back, aimed at the target ahead, and fired. Of course, as it had been her first time ever using a bow, the arrow went straight past the target.


    Ash was ready to go look for it, but instead, a few seconds later, another arrow appeared where the last one had manifested. Oh. So that''s how it works. Are those, like, infinite?


    "Now," Keiko said. "Dexterity is all about timing and precision. Working on those two factors is how we''ll increase that stat. Oh, Kaori." She turned to where she thought Kaori was. "You can try this too."


    "O-Oh, right. On it." The blonde replied.


    "It''s simple. I''m going to call out specific places on the target and you''re going to try to hit them. Okay?"


    "Sure," Ash replied.


    "Ready!" Kaori announced.


    "Alright... The head."


    So, the top? Ash asked in her mind and nodded. She nocked an arrow and fired it. Again, it went straight past the target. Kaori did the same, and hers had the same result.


    Well. Ash thought. Looks like we''re about even in this. She thought until Kaori tried again and landed a shot. It didn''t land on the sack''s "head", but it landed. Nevermind.


    "This, of course, also serves as Bow training. So, there''s that."


    The more weapons I can use out there, the better, I guess. It was good to start with swords, just so I could get used to fighting and training in general, but maybe I want to learn more now. How much time could it take though? Ash wondered.


    "Hey, are you done?" Satsuhiro asked, walking out of his house.


    "Nah. Just got started." Ash replied, shooting another whiffing arrow.


    "Hm. Let me know when you''re finished. We have to keep your attunements going."


    "Attunement?" Kaori wondered aloud.


    "Alright?" Satsuhiro didn''t answer her question. Good. He''s playing it safe with the info since we still don''t know if she actually wants me dead or not. Ash sighed.


    "Yeah," Ash replied and he quickly went back inside. Kaori looked somewhat disappointed with the fact that they didn''t share what that meant with her, but she went back to her own training in a moment or two.


    They kept that up for half an hour. Both their Bow proficiencies went up by 1, marking them likely as people who weren''t shooting arrows for the first time in their lives anymore. When the twin moons replaced the sun, they had to figure out sleeping arrangements. Metsumi had been adamant about not having anyone sleep on the couches when it was Keiko and Ash, but now, she hesitantly let Kaori sleep in the living room.


    It was almost 10 in the evening now, and Ash had showered and was getting ready to sleep.


    Hm. Maybe I could go for a little bit of water right now though.


    She stealthily got up and walked out of the room, so as to not wake her trainer up.


    She was far from ready for the sight she got when she arrived at the living room.


    Kaori was lying down on the couch, still awake. The surprising part wasn''t that. It was that she was naked. She was topless, the sheet she had covering just her legs and abdomen as she stared up at the roof. She turned towards Ash and the half-demon felt herself warming up.


    "Oh, hey," Kaori said, shamelessly. "You''re still up?"


    "I could..." She started to respond with I could say the same but wasn''t able to. Her eyes remained fixed on Kaori''s chest.


    "O-Oh, sorry," Kaori said, covering herself up. "I always sleep naked. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, it''s just... Whoa." Kaori flinched. "What was that!?"


    "What?" Ash asked, feeling her heartbeat rising.


    "Your eyes."


    "Huh?"


    "They, like, glowed for a bit. It''s gone now, but I swear, I thought I saw, like, you know those heart symbols?" She made one with her hands. "I swear, your eyes kinda looked like that for a split second."


    What? That doesn''t make sense.... Oh.


    Then, she understood.


    You''re joking. You''ve got to be kidding. She turned around and walked right back to her room.


    "A-Ash?"


    "Fuck water." She muttered as she closed the door and quickly threw a sheet over herself and closed her eyes.


    The next day, it was a slow morning as Ash could feel her body was sore from everything she''d done. Her attunement was at 25% for Light and 15% for Dark, her Strength was still at 6 and her Dexterity had gone up by 1, now at 4. Productive, all in all, she thought.


    However, soon, a knock came at the door.


    Satsuhiro went to answer and found a courier standing there.


    "Letter from the church, sir." The man stated. "For Kaori."


    Ash raised a brow.


    "Oh?" Kaori asked, standing up. She walked over and Satsuhiro stopped her.


    "If your intentions aren''t bad," he started, "you wouldn''t mind me taking this, right?"


    "Uh, not at all. Go ahead." Kaori quickly replied.


    "Hm. Alright." Satsuhiro took the letter. He sat down, opened it, and read the first couple of lines.


    "So, what''s it say?" Kaori asked.


    "... It says your parents are sick," Satsuhiro told her.


    "W-What?" Kaori replied, baffled. "What do you mean?"


    "It''s a letter from Varcon, saying that you should go back to Jade to see them. That they''re in bad shape, apparently."


    Kaori''s expression at that moment, one of undisguised hurt, made Ash turn away.


    What the hell? She wondered as Satsuhiro passed the letter to her.

 Chapter 22 - 19

    Ash


    Ash watched Kaori as she took the letter and read it over again.


    "What?" She stared down at the paper in disbelief. Satsuhiro walked up to her. Ash sat back, looking on with a growing level of confusion. Is this some kind of trick?


    "B-But, this doesn''t make sense," Kaori stated. "My parents were fine when I left."


    She looked to Satsuhiro, hoping for some sort of answer. The older Savior hummed to himself.


    "There aren''t many diseases that would act like this overnight. This is about as shady as anything else Varcon''s done recently."


    Kaori turned away from him, looking back down at the paper.


    "What are you saying?" She asked with a tangible sense of dread.


    "I''m saying this may be deeper than untimely illness," Satsuhiro replied and Ash watched as anguish appeared on Kaori''s face. But, soon, determination replaced it.


    "I''m going back to Jade." She said, with the courier outside nodding. "Whatever this is, I need to make sure my parents are alright."


    "Very well," the courier declared, "let me know when you wish to leave."


    "Yeah." Kaori nodded to him and he walked away, toward his horse. Kaori looked back at Satsuhiro and the rest, grim and anxious. "I... Maybe it''s nothing too serious. Still, I want to see them."


    "Do as you will." Satsuhiro shrugged. "It''s your family. If you want to make sure they''re safe, go ahead."


    Ash thought at that moment what she imagined Satsuhiro was wondering too. If that''s even true.


    Kaori still couldn''t be trusted after all, in their eyes at least. Obviously, this was all sorts of shady, but there was always the chance that this was some sort of ruse. Whatever trap this could be, she guessed that neither she or Satsuhiro wanted any part of it.


    "Okay." Kaori resolved herself so quickly that it nearly stunned Ash, but the half-demon found herself indifferent to this.


    "I''ll come back after I''ve checked on them. To keep training and all."


    No one gave her a reply. Kaori took a deep breath as she turned and walked out of the farm, or maybe she was just that scared for her family that she didn''t care about the group too much right now.


    Warm winds entered through the open door leading to the field, almost as a reminder of what Ash knew she should have been doing by now.


    "... May as well get to training." She stated.


    "If we keep this pace up, we should finish attuning you in about a week," Satsuhiro replied. "Let''s get to it."


    "Alright."


    With that, their plans were set.


    ---


    Varcon


    Knowing that Kaori would be arriving any second now, he tried to make sure everything was in place. He had discarded the Milk of the Dreamer he''d used, and in case things went wrong, he had a cup full of water holding what remained of the Red Tear since, of course, he hadn''t used all of it before.


    With this, he thought, I should be able to keep Kaori away from the demon for at least a moment. Enough time to maybe get her out on a mission or find something else that can distract her.


    In front of him, he could see Kaori''s parents both on two separate small beds, with sunlight bathing them from a nearby window. Their chests raised and lowered slowly as they slept. Varcon didn''t know if they would ever wake again, and he didn''t care.


    Someone knocked on the door.


    "Your holiness." A deacon called out. "The Savior has arrived."


    Hm. Already? She must be even more desperate to see them than I anticipated. Varcon spoke a brief prayer to Magia and stood up. He exited the room and walked out into the church''s glorious main hall, where a nervous Kaori had her arms crossed and was keeping her head low. Then, she saw Varcon.


    The expression she gave him made Varcon flinch. She looked untrusting, skeptical. It was exactly the wrong kind of look that she should have given him. She should have been grateful, happy. Instead, the look he had just received was almost as if she were asking "did you do anything?"


    Varcon was deeply offended.


    This is how you look at the person who fed you power? He asked in his mind but quickly cast the thought away. No. She is simply nervous about her family. Surely, she is not directing this dreadful expression at me, but at the situation.


    "Kaori, greetings. It is a shame we must meet again so soon due to this."


    "Where are they?" She asked, desperately. Varcon held back a scowl when he heard the curt way she spoke.


    "... Come." He replied, again, not allowing his ego to be hurt.


    He took her through the narrow halls, past a few sympathetic priests, before arriving at the quaint room where her parents were located. Kaori nearly knocked Varcon down as she ran past him, to their beds.


    "W-What? Are they...? What''s happening to them?"


    Her tone had basically just said, "what did you do to them?" Varcon was fairly close to losing his self-control. Instead, though, he cast a sorrowful glance at the two adults.


    "I believe they may have been poisoned."


    "What?" Kaori asked. Varcon nodded.


    He had thought of this before she arrived. He needed some sort of a scapegoat, of course. Someone to take the blame, who would want to harm Kaori on some level. It didn''t take much thought really to get to the conclusion he reached. There was, after all, one group of people Kaori had been in conflict with recently, one composed of an arrogant old Savior and a whore of a half-demon.


    "I believe it may have been the hybrid''s group." When Kaori looked at him with the rawest confusion he''d received in years, he quickly added, "the older Savior, specifically, maybe."


    "What?" Kaori''s tone was sharp. It was almost like she wasn''t asking him what he had said, but rather if he truly wanted to say it. Like she was daring him to repeat that sentence.


    And, of course, because Varcon wouldn''t back down after such a dare, he did.


    "Recently, you fought the hybrid. Surely, they were not too happy about the out-"


    Kaori interrupted him.


    "I fought her because you told me to." Kaori almost accused him. Varcon tried to repress it, but a glare slipped past him.


    "And," he continued with emphasis, "you exposed her laziness to the public. Humiliated her. Think about it," he shrugged. "Revenge cannot be too outlandish of an idea for them, right?"


    "Sure, but to go after my family?" Kaori asked, baffled.


    "I''ve seen citizens do worse for less," Varcon told her. "Someone like her, that type of resentment must not be uncommon."


    "You... You can''t be serious." Kaori stated and Varcon nearly growled.


    "Are you..." He had been about to ask "are you doubting me?" But, he''d stopped himself. Instead, he asked. "Are you absolutely certain that they''re above such a thing? It''s a demon we''re talking about here."


    "A half-demon." Kaori clarified.


    "A demon nonetheless." Varcon shrugged. "Such a creature is capable of any sort of treachery, Kaori. You cannot trust a word she says. She would use everything at her disposal to confuse and manipulate you." He declared. "And it seems that she''s seduced the older Savior into doing the same, somehow."


    "Are you actually accusing them?" Kaori asked.


    "It only makes sense." He took a step back. "However, I understand if this feels like a lot to take in. Think about it, that is all I ask of you."


    Kaori shook her head. Varcon felt his heart pounding against his chest. She was silent for a second. Varcon couldn''t tell what was going through her mind. Just in case though, he quickly reached for the cup.


    "Some water?" He asked, passing it over to her. The Savior raised a brow.


    She took the cup but started inspecting it. First, she looked at the liquid, as if searching for something else. Then, she put the surface to her nose and sniffed, holding it in front of her for a moment. Varcon was truly internally enraged at this point.


    Does she no longer trust me? He wondered. However, when the liquid seemed to pass whatever test she''d tried to put it through, she took a small sip.


    "Thanks." And she gave it back. He smiled. That sip was all that was needed.


    "... Will they be okay?" She asked, with a much softer voice. Before, Varcon would have found it endearing, but now, after she''d disrespected him multiple times like this, he was numb to it.


    "Possibly." He replied.


    "What does that mean?" Kaori asked.


    "Whatever poison they have been afflicted with," he stated, "it is specific. It is a sleeping poison. Those are unique, you see? There is not much magic in the world potent enough to cure it."


    He lied. Even intermediate-level Light magic could cure this affliction. She didn''t need to know that though.


    "I... What can be done?" She asked. "Is there anything I can do for them?"


    He walked up to her, putting on his fatherly tone.


    "Pray. Pray to Lumina, Magia, Alkoth. Any deity. The gods listen to us as intently as we read the words of their scriptures. If you ask for their aid, they shall give it to you."


    Kaori looked away. After a moment, she put her hands together and closed her eyes.


    Varcon sneered at her.


    What a disappointing weapon. Instead of obedience, she gives me doubt. As if I have not been looking out for Magia''s interests my whole life. Who is she to question me!? He gritted his teeth. What has she done!? She''s nothing but an amateur. I''ve saved so many wounded men and women, I''ve helped heal the greatest warriors Jade has seen, I''ve had to deliver their cruel fates to their families after they perish. I have seen and done so much more than her, and she finds it in her to question me?


    Someone like her... Just a tool. She should know her place. At times like these, punishment is to be given. Even a tool must be disciplined.


    As he considered that thought, a desire for petty vengeance flowed through his veins. Maybe he''d do something about this later.


    ---


    Ash


    Ash toiled for hours, trying as hard as she could to increase her Strength and her Dexterity. She continued chopping wood, she did reflex-based practice with Keiko, and she continued shooting makeshift targets with Lust''s bow form. Eventually, she was able to get her Strength to 7 and her Dexterity to the same amount. She wasn''t satisfied with that yet though. She wanted all of her physical attributes to be at 10 before she went on that mission.


    However, as she shot her bow outside, she heard Satsuhiro call out to her.


    "The alchemist''s letter is here."


    Ash turned around, transforming Lust back into cube-form. She walked back into the farm and found Metsumi giving her daughter some snacks while Keiko and Satsuhiro sat on the opposite piece of furniture. Ash put a hand on her hip.


    "So?" She asked.


    "Ah... Alright." Satsuhiro folded the letter and crossed his arms. "According to the alchemist, there''s a concoction that can be made that not only shows the presence of Red Tear in a person but also gives them their lost memories. They included the necessary ingredients in the envelope, along with some... Mundane instructions. Alchemy isn''t really my thing, but I could probably make this thing given a few hours."


    "Hm. Well, kinda sucks that Kaori left like that, huh?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro told her. "But this is a bit too important to just wait on."


    "So what are you going to do?" Ash asked.


    "I''ll ride to Jade again. Deliver this to her myself. Sending a letter isn''t the best idea if Varcon actually did mind control her. He''d never let her receive it. And, if she''s actually working with Varcon to screw you in some way, I''ll likely be fine."


    "Shit. So what do I do?" Ash asked.


    "Well, I suppose you can just keep training. I can do this alone, there''s no need to interrupt your progression any more than we''ve done so far."


    She pictured what could happen at that moment. Giving the strange drink to Kaori and proving that her will had been tampered with, or alternatively, that Kaori had indeed planned to kill her. Ash felt like either revelation would be too much to wait on.


    "... No." Ash suddenly said.


    "Hm?"


    "Nah, I''m going." She walked up to Satsuhiro.


    "Why?" He asked.


    "I''m not gonna be able to focus on my training if I don''t see the answer myself. I''ll be thinking about it every minute of the day until you get back. No one can work like that, right?"


    "Maybe so, but..."


    "What?" Ash crossed her arms.


    "Well, first of all, it could be dangerous for you if Kaori isn''t who she says she is. Second, self-control appears to be an issue to you, Ash. If you get an answer you weren''t ready to hear, are you sure you can keep your emotions contained?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "I''ll stay behind you," Ash told him. "Could they actually take you on if they wanted to ambush us or something?"


    "Well, no, but..."


    "Then it''s fine. And yeah, I''ll try to keep my cool too. Come on, let''s go."


    Satsuhiro rolled his eyes.


    "Fine then."

 Chapter 23 - 20

    Once the concoction was done, Satsuhiro announced to Keiko and his family that the two of them would be leaving. He was afraid that things could spiral out of control fast if Varcon were to be incriminated publically, so he asked for his wife to remain and she agreed to it. Also, if Kaori turned out to be just a pawn of Varcon''s, he figured things could get violent, despite Ash insisting that she''d remain calm. Currently, Ash was hopping onto his horse, behind him, holding onto the older Savior''s uniform as they rode out.


    If it turns that Varcon mind-controlled, Ash wondered, then that''s it. If Kaori is actually a conniving liar who has a thing for murdering half-demons, then at least I''ll know that too. Just another enemy.


    She pondered what she would do. If Varcon had in fact mind controlled the girl into attacking her, then there would no longer be a reason to see her as a potential threat. But, then what? And, if they used the concoction and found that Kaori had been perfectly sane at the time of their fight, she wasn''t sure she could keep her promise.


    The former was genuinely the most perplexing outcome. The thought of humans who were fine with her existence was still strange to her. Between Satsuhiro, Metsumi, and Keiko, the number of people who liked her, or, well, tolerated her, had multiplied. Oh. She thought as the horse trotted. And Kairo. The old monk''s annoying visits almost felt like they''d happened a lifetime ago at this point.


    Ash''s life had changed so drastically that she was still waiting to wake up from what had to be just another strange dream as she laid on the hot grey stone streets. But, that moment would not come. Instead, sometime later, Ash was seeing the city of Jade on the horizon.


    The sun was just starting to fade out of view, and the twin moons were up and ready to replace it. The air was getting colder by the minute, but Ash found herself liking it. It contrasted well with the burning anger hiding under her skin at the thought that Varcon could have taken someone''s will away just to hurt her.


    When they arrived, the usual sneers were cast at her but Ash didn''t care.


    "We may as well head straight there," Satsuhiro explained. "No reason to delay this. Plus, if we end up proving that Kaori was innocent, we can get her back to the farm to keep training with you. If not, then we just know, and move on."


    "Alright." Ash nodded. She looked around as Satsuhiro handed his horse off to a stable worker nearby. I''m getting pretty tired of coming and going like this. Honestly, I just want to leave and never come back, but it''s like this place just can''t help yanking me back into its walls. She shook her head.


    As her eyes scanned her surroundings though, she swore she saw Kairo walking away.


    She almost went after him, compelled to ask how he''d been and what he''d been doing. But, a hand was placed on her shoulder.


    "Come on," Satsuhiro said. "Let''s go."


    "Y-Yeah." Ash took a deep breath. "So," Ash tore her thoughts away from the man who had been her only acquaintance for so long. "What do we do if we find out Varcon did mind control her? The guy from the Council said it was illegal, after all."


    "That''s..." Satsuhiro had a complicated expression on his face as he looked at Ash. "It''s hard to say."


    "Why?" Ash shrugged. "Isn''t that enough to get that motherfucker tossed into a dungeon?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro answered definitively. "But my concern is about what would happen to the city. Specifically, what would its people do?"


    "Ugh, is this that whole ''he''s really influential'' shtick again?" She asked.


    "It''s not a ''shtick'' it''s a fact." Satsuhiro''s eyes roamed over the citizens, as he kept his voice as low as possible so as to not alert them. "So many of this city''s people look to him for guidance, inspiration. If they find out that he''s been sent to prison, what would that mean to them? Would it break their spirits? Would it make them protest? Would it only make the church''s position in Jade''s culture stronger, cast them in a sympathetic light?"


    "I don''t know and I don''t really care what the city does or doesn''t do," Ash replied. "All I know is he should pay for the bullshit he''s been doing. He can''t just get away with that."


    Satsuhiro narrowed his eyes at her.


    "You know, I realize now that I probably should have asked you this before, but why did you take this job if you hold the people of Nova in such low regard?"


    "Because," Ash quickly responded, "even if I''m working for a bunch of ignorant douchebags, it beats starving," Ash stated. "I don''t owe any of these people anything other than killing a few demons whenever it''s my turn to do that. Besides that, Jade could go up in flames tomorrow and I''d watch it burn all night, and I wouldn''t feel a thing."


    Satsuhiro didn''t respond to that. Instead, he shook his head and the pair continued on their way to the church.


    They got to the building just a dozen or so minutes later, as torchlit lanterns outside traced a path that they followed up to the church''s open doors. A small choir could be heard as Satsuhiro and Ash stepped in. She hadn''t seen the church at this time. It was strange to see the paintings she''d noticed a visit or two ago shrouded by darkness, barely colored by the candlelights placed evenly throughout the main room.


    Varcon was kneeling ahead, his head lowered in prayer. A deacon saw the two of them and started moving to go warn the archpriest. They watched as the man said something in Varcon''s ear and he stood up. It took a second before he turned to face them, his facial features were barely noticeable.


    She did gauge one thing though. That grin from before, the one Ash had seen as Varcon inspected her before the fight with Kaori, wasn''t there. Instead, Varcon''s lips were a tight line as he put his hands behind his back and walked up to the two of them.


    "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He curtly asked. "I have not called for any mission of any kind."


    "No, you haven''t," Satsuhiro replied, crossing his arms and subtly hiding the envelope that carried the concoction he''d made. "And, well, coincidentally, we aren''t here to see you. Where''s Kaori?"


    "Likely back at her own house." Varcon shrugged. "You''d best go find her before she goes to sleep."


    "Ah, so her parents were brought back home then?" Satsuhiro tilted his head. "I doubt she''d leave their side at a time like this."


    "Yes." Varcon quickly answered.


    "Why?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Is it really that unusual to have patients remain in the privacy and comfort of their own homes?"


    "It is when this church is supposed to house the best healers in Jade, yourself being one of them, who wouldn''t be able to check in on them consistently."


    "I..." Varcon was about to reply, but he didn''t get the chance. He was interrupted by a shove.


    Ash pushed him out of the way, earning a grunt from Varcon and a yelp from a few deacons who were standing behind them, overseeing the conversation.


    "Fuck this," Ash muttered.


    "H-Hey!" Varcon nearly fell, but he quickly regained his composure and went to follow Ash. He grabbed her by the elbow and the half-demon turned to look at him with as much hate as she could muster. She pulled herself free and didn''t stop to say anything as she walked down the hall.


    She heard Varcon yelling something to his deacons as Ash inspected the closed rooms deeper into the church. One by one, she pushed their doors open, without finding Kaori. A man grasped her wrist and Ash transformed Lust into a sword and aimed it at him.


    "Touch me again and I''ll stick this up your ass." She told him, the man gulped and backed away, leaving Varcon to yell more orders.


    But, eventually, her efforts bore fruit. She found Kaori in the last room, before the backdoor that led outside, where Varcon had once taken her to see the burnt bodies as he pitched the woes of the world to her. The blonde Savior was sitting peacefully, watching her parents sleep. Beside her, was a cup full of water, that looked untouched. As the door opened suddenly, she turned and the two of them made eye contact.


    "Ash?" Kaori asked, surprised. The half-demon could sense some tiredness in her tone.


    "Yeah." Ash analyzed her. The moment of truth was pretty close.


    "Why, what are you doing here?"


    "We got a response from the alchemist Satsuhiro had talked about." Ash took a few steps closer to her. She briefly looked over at Kaori''s parents, who were laying nearby on two separate small beds. "These are, uh, your folks?"


    "Mhm." Kaori turned back to look at them. "I... I still don''t understand it. What could be happening to them?"


    "You are not allowed to be here!" Varcon yelled from the door behind them. Satsuhiro pushed him aside and walked in as well. "I will have the guards throw you in a cell for this!"


    "At home, huh?" Satsuhiro said and Varcon paled. "Now, why in Magia''s name would you want to lie to us about this?"


    "Huh?" Kaori asked.


    "Regardless, I''m guessing we''ll know soon enough," Satsuhiro said and pulled out that envelope. Within, there was a small vial that Satsuhiro had filled with the liquid needed. "Here, Kaori, drink this."


    "What is it?" She asked. Ash could see Varcon shaking.


    "It''s a tonic, or potion or elixir or whatever, alchemy isn''t my thing, that shows whether you''ve recently ingested Red Tear. And, by extension, it also-"


    "THUNDER OF THE OLD WORLD, APPEAR IN MY HANDS!" Varcon suddenly cried out and a bolt of lightning flew from his hands to Satsuhiro''s back.


    If that had been Ash, she figured she would have been on the floor, injured, maybe even dead at the hands of the spell that had just been cast. Instead, that spell had been launched at Satsuhiro, an experienced mage who knew the magic he had been about to receive before Varcon had even finished his incantation. Satsuhiro muttered an incantation of his own so quickly that Ash didn''t register it, and the bolt of lightning disappeared as it made contact with his body, which was encased in a white barrier.


    Then, as Varcon''s trembling hands remained up in the air, a lingering sign of what he''d just tried to do, Satsuhiro pushed him out of the room and locked the door behind him.


    "Well," Satsuhiro said as Varcon repeated the incantation and launched a bolt at the door, mildly breaking it. "That should buy us some time. Now," he paced over to Kaori, "drink this."


    "S-Sure..." Kaori was obviously confused, but having heard that this was what the alchemist had wanted her to consume, she drank it. Varcon launched another bolt that tore a hole through the door.


    He was reaching for the door''s knob to unlock it as Kaori gulped the contents down.


    Then, a red flash came that made them pause. Kaori was glowing. All of them looked at her. Varcon through the door, Satsuhiro a step in front of her, Ash with her arms crossed as she stood nearby. Then, Kaori''s eyes glowed red.


    "Yeah," Satsuhiro stated, "that''s the sign. Now, it''s a matter of her getting her memories back."


    "W-What?" Varcon asked. Satsuhiro turned to him. Ash looked at him as well, and she noted that he was putting on an expression she''d never seen on him before.


    Pure and utter worry.


    It was obvious he was concerned, of course. He had just tried to fry Satsuhiro after all. However, this look on his face was so intense that it had Ash raising a brow. What the hell is wrong with him?


    And then, she heard Kaori choke up.


    As soon as she turned to look at the blonde, Kaori vomited just in front of Satsuhiro, in the space between the two of them.


    A red liquid, far brighter than what Ash would assume blood to look like, poured from her mouth. Is that the Red Tear?


    Kaori coughed. Satsuhiro passed her the same cup she''d been drinking from before but Kaori took it and threw the glass across the room, smashing it into the wall.


    Then, she looked up at Varcon, and Ash was stunned. She had never seen an individual look at another person with as much raw fury as Kaori had at that moment. She''d received the worst glares the city had to offer, but she could safely say she''d never had anyone look at her like Kaori was looking at Varcon. The blonde stood up, stepping over her own puke as she walked over to the door and yanked it open.


    Varcon fell onto his knees, as he''d been supporting himself with the door that Kaori had just torn away from him.


    "N-Now, listen." Varcon started. Ash squinted. What the hell is going on here?


    "You... You tried to make me kill her?" Kaori asked with silent rage.


    "I understand that you may be confused but..."


    Then, Kaori transformed her Savior''s Weapon into her swordstaff.


    Varcon''s expression changed then though.


    "Stop this." He said with a commanding tone.


    "No," Kaori simply replied. Varcon''s eyes widened.


    "What? I-Impossible, you drank from..." Varcon looked at the filled cup.


    "I didn''t," Kaori explained. "I held the water in my mouth and spat it back out. You... You..." Ash saw rage build up in Kaori''s eyes.


    And then, it happened. It happened so quickly that Ash didn''t register it until a squishing sound entered her ears.


    Suddenly, her weapon was embedded in his stomach. Everyone froze. Kaori herself looked down at her outstretched arm, holding her swordstaff and looked back up at Varcon.


    Regret? Panic? Ash couldn''t tell what was going through her mind.


    Then, she pulled back her blade. Varcon took a step back, his hands trembling as he looked down at his wound. He fell to his knees, then onto his face.


    A small puddle of red spread from his lifeless body.


    ---


    The Next Day


    "Ready?" Satsuhiro asked her.


    "Yeah," Ash took a final sip of coffee that Satsuhiro had kindly prepared. She got up from her chair and took a deep breath.


    "Alright. Come on." Satsuhiro walked out of the living room and Ash followed.


    They were currently exiting the Savior House in the Spirit Gardens District. After what Kaori had done, deacons quickly called guards over and they were all arrested and taken to the city''s dungeon. It didn''t take long at all for Talo, the representative of the Royal Council, to arrive and ask them what exactly they''d done.


    Kaori told them that she''d killed Varcon on her own and that Satsuhiro and Ash had nothing to do with it. Deacons were called to the dungeons and although they were also furious with the group as a whole, they verified what Kaori said.


    The irony that lesser priests had been more honest than Varcon himself had made Ash chuckle at the time.


    Of course, they''d attempted to tell not just the Council''s representative but the deacons as well what Varcon had done to Kaori, but the deacons simply outright didn''t believe her, and the Council member had replied saying they required some form of evidence.


    Currently, they were at the Savior House.


    Ash had asked Satsuhiro what would happen and the Savior had responded that, well, there would be a trial at some point. The issue was that word of Varcon''s death had spread so quickly that although these sorts of legal processes would usually take weeks to sort out, pious citizens were demanding to have Kaori''s head on a spike at this very moment.


    The streets of Jade were empty because of this. It was an eerie silence that Satsuhiro and Ash walked through. She couldn''t remember too many times that the city had been this way. Everyone was gathered up in front of the Jade Palace, where Kaori was being held in a special dungeon reserved for those who the Royal Council themselves wanted to evaluate.


    Ash was still shocked. She had been there, she had seen it, and yet she still didn''t believe it. Everything felt like some sort of strange dream. Well, despite the uncertainty of the moment, not knowing what would happen to Jade or what would happen to Kaori, there was one thing she was glad to know.


    It felt damn good to know Varcon was gone. Now, if only she could personally thank Kaori for this, but she couldn''t. Aside from the crowd in front of her as she and Satsuhiro arrived at the palace, there were also multiple floors of stone and bars between them.


    "So, now what?" Ash asked Satsuhiro.


    "Now, we go talk to the Council and hope we work something out." The older Savior replied.


    "You think there''s any hope for her?" Ash asked.


    "Maybe," Satsuhiro responded. "Her motives were... fairly understandable."


    I''d say so. Ash sighed, remembering what Kaori had told them about why she did it.


    "Besides," Satsuhiro added, "the world still needs her. It wouldn''t be the first time a criminal Savior has been kept around."


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "Well, it''s not a one-to-one comparison, as the Savior I''m referring to was a thief, but still. The Council does understand the necessity of our members."


    Satsuhiro and Ash, with their heads low, walked through the angry crowd. When they reached the front, guards protecting the palace recognized Satsuhiro and let them through. From the outside, Ash could tell this was probably the tallest building in Jade, but now that she was here, just the first floor was overwhelming.


    A blue marble floor with a star-shaped design that covered the entire area. The workers walking around frantically wore black and gold, much like Keiko''s clothing but far more formal. On the walls were banners displaying symbols Ash didn''t understand while to the back, stairs led deeper into the building, however, as they entered, a person walked up to them.


    "Ah, there you are." It was Talo again. "We had been expecting you."


    "I can imagine," Satsuhiro replied. "So... Can we cut to the chase?"


    "Formalities are still lost on you, we see." Talo snickered.


    "What''s going to happen with her?" Satsuhiro continued.


    "... Well, that depends." They replied. "Come. Take a look."


    Talo led them through the spacious room to a window where Talo pointed out to the crowd. Of course, they were still yelling at the guards outside.


    "They are somewhat displeased," Talo stated. "Truthfully, this is a very concerning position for us. One wrong move and we could be painting ourselves as true villains to everyone in Jade. A dear figure was just lost, after all. Stating to them... what Kaori says Varcon did would likely not sound like the truth to them. Not much could save Kaori at this point."


    "What?" Ash stepped in. "Come on, that''s fucked up! We should at least tell some of them, it''s not like everyone''s gonna think it''s a lie."


    "The majority no doubt will though," Talo replied. "You may be able to build a case that saves Kaori''s image. If you can do that, then, by all means, do so. For now, things look bad for her.


    "Well, there''s got to be something we can do," Satsuhiro said. "Nova needs every Savior it can get."


    "We believe there is a chance. A gamble of sorts." Talo stated.


    "What do you mean?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Taking a lesson from the recently departed, the right story can sway the opinions of the masses. Such a tactic was how Varcon managed to maintain his influence, portraying himself and the church as Nova''s true Saviors. Maybe this strategy will work here."


    "How?"


    "Frame a punishment, but give her a chance at redemption." The representative declared and Ash shook her head. This is all just a bit too complicated for me.


    ---


    Kaori


    The cell she was being kept in was so dark, she could barely see her own hands, placed over her curled-up knees. The sconce out in the hall was the only thing that gave any bit of light to her, and all it allowed her to do was to see the silhouettes of the small box to the right, which smelled of something awful, and a mat ahead she figured was supposed to be where she slept.


    But that was something she knew she wouldn''t get to do anytime soon. It hadn''t been possible last night, it wouldn''t be possible this night either. Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered that moment. Varcon''s shocked eyes looking at her, wondering if she''d actually just stabbed him.


    She curled up a little tighter.


    She was in disbelief.


    When she''d gotten the offer, when that cursed man had first entered her classroom and gave her the opportunity to be a Savior, she figured what she''d be killing were monstrous, ugly creatures. The kinds of things no reasonable person would have remorse for, the sorts of things she read about in books.


    Instead, she''d killed the archpriest of Magia''s biggest church.


    She shook her head.


    Between the sadness, the anger, and the resentment was simply confusion. Kaori had to face the fact that she simply didn''t understand how the world worked as much as she thought she had.


    Footsteps in the hall got her to look out. She saw two royal guards approaching. They opened the iron gate that kept her locked inside this cell and gestured for her to come out. What? They placed some iron cuffs around her wrists and Kaori sighed as they dragged her out of these strange dungeons.


    Her eyes remained low, fixed on the ground as she was taken somewhere. She couldn''t tell where she was going.


    Soon, the daylight was shining down on her and she tried to reach up to shield herself. A crowd was gathered here, one that started roaring as soon as she appeared.


    "Settle down, settle down." Someone said.


    Between the chants of "kill her" and "take her head off" Kaori understood that this might be a public execution. She didn''t even have it in her to cry about it at this point.


    But, eventually, maybe as they tired themselves out, the chanting ceased and the speaker to Kaori''s left continued.


    "As you all know, the person beside me has committed a grave injustice. One that merits a punishment of the most severe kind."


    That got the crowd going again.


    "However, this person is also a Savior." They declared. Kaori looked around, uninterested in what was being said, but more so focused on those who were watching. She was both curious to see if there was anyone she recognized and scared to find out there was.


    Her eyes widened though when she found a pair to the right. Ash? Satsuhiro? The two of them were standing with a bit of distance put between them and the crowd. Ash''s eyes made contact with her own and Kaori looked away.


    "... so," she refocused on what the person to her left was saying, "we believe it to be fit to allow Magia herself to decide this Savior''s fate."


    The crowd''s response appeared to be confusion. Kaori could sympathize, she had no idea what that entailed.


    "There exists a Nightmare north of here." The mere mention of these creatures inflicted fear into the hearts of the citizens. "It will be brought here, to Jade, and then we will see what Magia intends for this Savior. Should she die, she shall do so in the most painful way imaginable, the Nightmare will make sure of that. Should she win, she shall be allowed to continue her duties. Whichever conclusion she arrives to, such should be Magia''s will."


    If she was being honest, Kaori felt so empty that she couldn''t care less what happened to her.


    ---


    Ash


    As she and Satsuhiro returned to the Savior House, neither of them spoke much. The events they''d witnessed weighed too heavily on their minds. Ash had but one thing she wanted to ask about.


    "So, how long will it take before the Nightmare''s brought here?"


    "Probably a day or two," Satsuhiro said. "The people are desperate. The Council will want this to be done soon. The sooner this matter is resolved, one way or the other, the better."


    Ash crossed her arms.


    "We really can''t do anything else for her?" Ash asked.


    "I''ll have to think about that," Satsuhiro stated. "Still, Kaori should be strong enough to defeat a low-level monster. Even a Nightmare... The issue isn''t so much about her strength, more so about her mind."


    Ash nodded. I guess we''ll have to wait and see what happens, huh?

 Chapter 24 - 21

    There wasn''t much to do, really. Satsuhiro and Ash could only wait until the Nightmare was retrieved from the prison, which of course she''d no longer be using for training as it was decided that the creature would be made to fight Kaori in her trial.


    Satsuhiro had told Ash that it simply wasn''t safe for them to be on the streets at the moment. Legally, they had been excluded from the murder, but the people of Jade were just as hostile to them as they were to Kaori right now.


    Currently, they stood in the living room of the Savior House where Satsuhiro was casting more spells at Ash.


    "AGH, shit!" She cried out as a Dark spell hit her chest. The feeling was the same as ever, just as terrible time after time. There seemed to be no getting used to it. At least it was consistent though. Her attunements went up to 70% for Light and 60% for Dark respectively. Satsuhiro speculated that in just two or three days, she could finally start learning actual magic.


    However, as he would point out, that meant there was one more piece of training Ash would start having to do.


    "Uh, meditation?" Ash asked. "Seriously?"


    "Yes." Satsuhiro nodded. "It is the main way of increasing your Wisdom, which also increases your Mana Pool. But, aside from these factors, there are other benefits to meditation that don''t show up on a status screen. Increased focus, developing the ability to remain calm in tense situations. Even for those who aren''t mages, meditation can be useful."


    "So, why am I just starting to hear about all of this?" Ash asked. "Kinda sounds like I should have been doing this a while ago."


    "Because you simply didn''t have the time to do it. Meditation in short bursts doesn''t do anything, and you''ve been busy learning multiple vital things up until now. But, now though... with all of this going on, it''s a good time, since we''ll likely be here for a while."


    "Fine. So, how does this work?"


    "Simple. You go somewhere you feel comfortable, you focus on something, and you empty your mind." He explained. "You don''t necessarily have to close your eyes, though some people do that. It helps others to focus on their own breathing. However, at the end of the day, you simply need to let your thoughts flow through your mind, and focus on the world around you."


    "... Guess I''ll give it a shot."


    Ash looked around. There weren''t many places she felt comfortable in, really. But, she supposed she might stand a chance at letting herself focus in one of the bedrooms. So, she went to the bed she''d been sleeping on and sat down on it. So, uh, what now? She asked herself. Do I just...


    It was surprisingly hard to do. Every time she tried to focus on something, questions would pop up in her thoughts like ants crawling on the walls. What''s going to happen with Kaori? Are we going to get chased out of the city or something?


    The entire first hour was unsuccessful, but soon after that, Ash felt like she was getting the hang of it. Whenever a stray thought appeared, she''d try to let it go through her and enjoy a few seconds of internal silence. It was a strange feeling, one she could only compare to lying down on the streets of Jade looking up at the sky, waiting for the day to pass.


    Her eyelids started to feel heavy, and she began worrying that she''d fall asleep. Then, she heard some sort of crackling sound and quickly opened her eyes. Black lightning was swirling around her, much like when she had tried casting spells during her first day of Savior training, only instead of pain, she couldn''t really feel anything right now. However, as soon as her thoughts got going once more, the lightning scattered and Ash stood up.


    She quickly walked out to talk to Satsuhiro.


    "Uh," she started as the man who had been reading a book in the living room looked up at her. "Is lightning supposed to come out of you when you meditate?" She asked.


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "When mana takes a physical form, it often appears as lightning." He explained. "It is up to the user to twist it and transform it afterward. So, yes. That is normal. It means your meditation is starting to work."


    "Oh, wow. Gotcha." Ash nodded and walked back, resuming what she was doing.


    It took her thirty minutes this time before she started hearing the crackling noises again, but she didn''t open her eyes. She tried as hard as she could to continue letting whatever thoughts came to her pour through her being.


    Soon, she heard a message blink in front of her.


    Wisdom Increased!


    Wisdom: 2


    MP: 20/20


    She took a deep breath. Honestly, this is strangely intense.


    She continued for another hour, managing to increase her Wisdom to 3 and her MP to 30 when a knock came. Not a knock at her own door, but at the front of the house. She stood and walked out, wanting to see who it was.


    Satsuhiro was already there, opening the door to find a courier.


    They exchanged a few words and Satsuhiro nodded. Ash walked up to him as he closed the door.


    "They''ve brought it." He announced to her. "The Council was letting us know ahead of time so we could go to where the trial will be held without running into too many angry people."


    Ash nodded.


    "So¡­ She''s really gonna fight that thing?" Ash asked.


    "Yes," Satsuhiro replied.


    "Is there anything we can do to help her?" She asked.


    "Not much." Satsuhiro lamented. "I''m afraid Kaori will likely have to win this on her own."


    ---


    A couple of days later


    Kaori


    Kaori was currently asleep, experiencing a dream unlike any she''d ever had.


    She was in a room devoid of color. It was so dark, she couldn''t see her own body when she looked down. There wasn''t much she could tell about what was happening, but she did note one thing. It felt like she was crying. Aside from that, there was a deep chill in the air so cold she swore she should have been able to see her own breath.


    Instead, soon, that cold faded and the darkness brightened. It did so gradually until the room turned grey and then a blinding white. Kaori looked down at herself again. Now, she could see herself. She was naked, wearing nothing but a thin coat of what looked like black ink over her hands.


    The ink started spreading. It reached her chest and nearly spread all throughout her body until something appeared in front of her. it was like a blob at first, Kaori really couldn''t tell what it was, but then it began morphing into the form of a woman.


    Piece by piece, it constructed a figure Kaori could comprehend. At the top of her head, she had white smoke that Kaori almost saw as short hair, and she possessed a kind smile aimed back at Kaori. Her eyes held no pupils, yet Kaori felt them fixed on her.


    The woman approached. Kaori was frozen. The black ink was almost about to consume her entirely before a hand that the lady placed on her shoulder stopped it. It retracted, flowing all the way back to her hands and disappearing. The same hands that just stopped the ink then went up to her face and wiped away her tears.


    Just as she was about to ask what was going on, the woman hugged her. She froze. Kaori felt a deep sense of peace spread throughout her very being. She didn''t say anything, just embraced her.


    And then, Kaori woke up.


    ---


    When Kaori opened her eyes, the first thing she did was look down at her hands, finding them clad in the Savior Armor she''d been wearing when she was arrested.


    She guessed it had been a few days since what happened at the church. She couldn''t see the sun from here, nor did she have any type of clock to tell time, but she figured it had to have been at least that long since her reality had been essentially broken.


    What was that? She thought, referring to her dream.


    A group of people walked to her cell. She didn''t look to see who it was.


    One of them pulled out some keys and opened the iron gate.


    "Kaori." A pair of voices said and Kaori''s ears perked up. She glanced and found Talo flanked by a few guards. "It is time for your trial."


    "Already?" Kaori asked dejectedly.


    "We sped things up quite a bit, the people are restless. Come."


    Kaori sighed. Nodding, she slowly stood up and walked out, where a guard slapped some iron cuffs around her wrists. She kept her head low then as she was taken through the halls of this part of the palace and led out. She smelled terrible and her eyes were a little sore from all the crying she''d been doing.


    "It is quite the situation you find yourself in," Talo said. Kaori didn''t respond. Noting the silence, they continued. "Of course, with your tale, it is somewhat understandable why you did what you did. There are some good news." Talo smiled. "We spoke to Varcon''s deacons, and they informed us of his expenses. The Red Tear he bought, the Milk of the Dreamer he gave to your parents, which they will be curing them of soon. They''ve all but confirmed your story. As horrible as what he did was, should you succeed in your trial, given some time you should be forgiven once the citizens of Jade hear about this."


    Kaori didn''t respond.


    "Well then," they continued, "the trial, as you can imagine, will be as simple as could be. You will face a Nightmare in battle. If you win, you will be pardoned for your crime. If you lose, well, the Nightmare shall end you."


    Kaori wondered if she should even bother fighting. Now that she had learned what kind of people lived in this world, she didn''t know if she wanted to be a part of it.


    "Ah. I see they managed to arrive in time."


    Huh?


    Kaori looked up and saw Satsuhiro and Ash standing by a doorway. When the pair noticed her, Satsuhiro''s expression didn''t change, but she noticed Ash''s eyes widening slightly. Do I look that bad? She nearly chuckled.


    "Kaori," Satsuhiro quickly said, taking a few steps closer. "Have you fought a monster before? An animal, anything that isn''t human?"


    Kaori shook her head.


    "Alright. I should let you know then, monsters tend to attack in unpredictable patterns, often going for wild swings and almost emotional types of attacks. Nightmares are no exception." Satsuhiro told her, but Kaori was barely paying attention. "Don''t focus on reading its attacks, because even it won''t know what it''s doing. Just react and play it safe. Eventually, it will mess up. Be it due to an overreach or a strike that''s simply just a tad bit too slow. That is when you should go for the kill."


    Kaori lightly nodded. Satsuhiro did the same.


    "Good luck." She heard the half-demon say and turned to her. Ash crossed her arms and said, "I... Kinda sucks that things between us started the way they did, but I get it now. For what it''s worth," she pointed between her and Kaori, "we''re fine."


    Kaori''s eyes gleamed. Well... At least there''s that. She nearly cracked a smile.


    "Thank you." She bowed a little.


    Just beyond the nearby doorway, Kaori could hear a crowd getting antsy. The light from the room stung to look at after spending so many hours in the darkness.


    "Are you ready?" Talo asked.


    "... Yeah." Kaori nodded. "I''m ready."


    She briefly thought of the woman that appeared in her dreams, wondering if maybe she would have seen her again had she gotten the chance to sleep once more. And so, the golden-haired Savior was led into what was an arena, where she''d resigned herself to her fate.

 Chapter 25 - 22

    Ash


    Satsuhiro and Ash made their way to a spot where they could watch the fight without being noticed by the crowd. They sat near Talo themselves, who was watching from a vantage point almost a dozen feet above one of the entrances to the arena. There was one passage where Kaori had come from, and another at the other side, closed by what looked like a steel gate. The stage for Kaori''s trial was a circular space of dirt enclosed by an iron wall that surrounded the area, from behind which the citizens of Jade were watching with bated breath.


    Ash understood what they wanted to see, and she hoped they wouldn''t get it.


    Kaori was brought out and the jeers started instantly. The half-demon was shocked to see so much hostility aimed at one person. Kaori stood at the center, dressed in her Savior''s Armor, with her Savior''s Weapon tied to her waist.


    Ash had her arms crossed, tapping a finger against her wrist repeatedly. She couldn''t help but feel nervous for Kaori. Ash herself had fought a low-level goblin in her first fight and nearly died. Kaori''s only fight, as far as she knew, had been the one against her, she hadn''t gone up against any sort of beast.


    Ash had lost to Kaori, but she could tell it was an entirely different experience fighting something that is capable of reasoning and calculating strategies, as opposed to a creature that just wanted to bash your head in as fast as possible. Still, she hoped that Kaori''s training, if it could be called that, would allow her to power through this.


    As the crowd continued to roar, some members of the audience even throwing random fruits at Kaori, who simply stood there uncaring, someone dressed in a white and gold ji raised his arms.


    "Kaori''s trial shall begin now!" He announced and the crowd''s volume increased ever louder. "If she survives, then Magia smiles upon her. If she dies, then it will be because Magia wills it. Now, may the hand of her justice be pulled out!"


    With those words, a pair of strong-looking palace guards nodded and opened the passageway opposite the one Kaori came out of. One of them held a torch while the other carried a large black greatsword. The one with the torch yelled into the dark passage and threw the torch forwards. The other waited behind him. Ash gulped.


    She hadn''t seen anything else that was demonic like her. There was a bubbling curiosity in her wondering what a full demon looked like. What could be so terrifying that just being associated with one made it so that Ash had been vilified her whole life?


    Kaori, who was keeping her head low, looked absolutely terrified. Ash didn''t like that at all.


    Then, some thudding footsteps came from the opposite passage. The two guards quickly vacated the area, leaving just Kaori, surrounded by the crowd and waiting for the Nightmare to arrive. Ash''s heart started beating faster in her chest.


    As the thuds grew louder, Ash saw Kaori lift her head but her visage was still the same. Then, when it seemed like the creature would emerge any second now, Ash tore her eyes away from Kaori and instead looked to the opposite end of the arena.


    The incoming sounds even turned the crowd silent.


    As their jeers died down, the tension in Ash''s heart rose as the only things she could hear were the approaching demon and her own heartbeat. Next to her, Satsuhiro took a subtle deep breath, his eyes fixed on the dark path in front of Kaori.


    The dreadful suspense reached its peak when the creature groaned something guttural and its body finally came into view. Ash nearly gasped. Holy shit...


    It looked like an exceptionally bloated naked man standing at almost twelve feet tall. Its skin was a dilapidated dark grey, with violet lines running up its body to leading to a large, oval-shaped head. It had large empty white eyes and a gaping mouth holding dozens of tiny sharp teeth and a long, almost tube-like tongue. Its arms showed bestial hands like Ash''s own whenever she went into her Demon Form, and its legs were just as inflated as its torso.


    Ash nearly puked. Above all else, it just looked gross.


    At first, Ash saw the following:


    ?


    ?


    But, after a couple of seconds, those question marks changed.


    Level 14


    MP: 20/20


    This thing''s got 5 levels on Kaori. Ash thought.


    "It''s level 14," she muttered.


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro raised a brow at her. "How do you know?"


    "I can see it." She replied absent-mindedly.


    "Are you serious?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yes."


    "Well... That''s fairly significant."


    Ignoring him, she continued her analysis. Remembering what it was like to fight her first goblin, what it was like to fight Kaori herself, she understood this wasn''t good for the blonde Savior.


    When Kaori looked at it, Ash noticed how her expression changed from fear to pure petrification.


    The blonde took a step back. Ash wondered if she''d outright try to run away. The demon''s eyes, despite the fact that they held no pupils, focused on Kaori as it lowered its head.


    Ash felt like the room was getting colder, or maybe she was getting more and more nervous as she saw the massive beast stomp its way over to Kaori.


    It stood over the other Savior and raised a massive hand.


    Ash stood up. It swung the hand down on Kaori, who didn''t even react. The hit sent her flying to the right, smashing into the wall as the audience cheered. She let out a cry. It took Kaori a moment to get up and when she did, she clutched her ribs looking ahead at the creature. Her eyes still filled with the same fear they''d had from the moment she''d entered the arena.


    Come on, do something! Ash thought. She had felt Kaori''s speed and strength firsthand, she knew for a fact that Kaori could at least dodge. Instead, the creature raised a foot and, with deceptive agility, kicked Kaori into the wall, creating a spider web of cracks. Again, the crowd went crazy for it. Why isn''t she moving! She''s hasn''t even transformed her fucking cube!


    Kaori spat out a small amount of blood, curling up as she continued clutching her sides. Ash''s frustration grew to the point where she marched in front of the seats, past the Council representative and Satsuhiro. She leaned over the wall and shouted:


    "FIGHT!" She screamed. Some of the audience members turned to look at her, yelling out insults but she couldn''t care less. Her eyes were fixed on the Savior, who turned up to look at her. As Kaori noticed her, Ash saw tears slide down her cheeks. What''s wrong with her?


    Before she could figure that out though, the demon turned to look at her as well.


    It reacted to her yell.


    Ash froze. What?


    The demon muttered something.


    Then, disinterested in Kaori, it started walking towards Ash.


    "Huh?" Kaori mumbled as she saw the demon heading towards her.


    What''s happening? Ash wondered.


    The Nightmare walked over to where the hybrid was and raised a fist, crashing it into the wall. With growls that increased in intensity and volume, Ash felt like it was shouting at her. Kaori watched from a distance, distraught.


    "Hey, stop!" Kaori said and Ash looked over at her, her eyes widening.


    Now you care!? Ash asked in her mind, focusing on the Savior. The Nightmare pounded the spot just beneath where she stood, bringing Ash''s eyes back to it. The impact made her lose balance. She nearly fell into the arena. Instead though, before the Nightmare could strike the wall again, Ash saw an arrow pierce its shoulder.


    The demon cried out as it turned back towards Kaori. The other Savior had transformed her weapon into a bow and shot at it.


    Ash looked over at her. Finally!


    But Kaori didn''t look like she had found any actual determination. Her hands were shaking and her eyes still appeared as worried as could be. Ash balled her hands up into fists at her sides.


    An idea came to her.


    Alright. She looked down, measuring the space between where she stood and the dirt as the Nightmare slowly walked towards Kaori. So, you won''t fight for yourself, for whatever reason... Okay.


    Ash looked to Kaori, gulped, and nodded to herself.


    You''ll have to fight for me then.


    And so, she jumped the wall and fell into the arena.


    ---


    Kaori


    She was holding her bow up, aimed at the Nightmare. What did I just do? She wondered, wincing as her ribs cried out in pain.


    It had been instinctive. When she saw the Nightmare pounding under Ash, she quickly had transformed her weapon and taken action. Then, she realized something. Simply put, she didn''t like the idea of Ash getting hurt here. She didn''t mind if she died, as empty as she felt it would almost be relieving. But, with Ash in some amount of danger, her hands had acted of their own will.


    This is why when she saw Ash jump into the arena, her eyes bulged out of their sockets.


    "Ash!" She yelled as the crowd, confused and outraged, started roaring profanities. Ash stood up and quickly transformed her weapon into a bow, just as Kaori herself had done.


    The hybrid didn''t say anything. Instead, she gave a sly smirk and shot an arrow at the Nightmare.


    "Hey! Over here!" Ash yelled and the demon turned.


    What is she doing!? Kaori gritted her teeth. She actually felt angry at what she was watching. She raised her bow with some effort due to her internal injuries. Another golden arrow manifested and she shot it into the demon''s left leg.


    The demon turned back towards her, but Kaori was looking at Ash.


    "I, h-hide!" She yelled.


    "Can''t do that." She just barely heard Ash respond, as the half-demon shot another arrow. This one, however, missed. The demon started walking up to Kaori again. Good. Kaori thought. Ash tried to shoot another arrow and this one missed as well.


    "She''s breaking the rules!" A member of the audience yelled and the crowd got more and more furious with every second that passed.


    "Fuck this," Ash said as she transformed her weapon into a sword.


    Wait, don''t!


    The hybrid ran up behind the demon and stabbed her sword into the back of its left leg.


    Her sword didn''t pierce all the way through. Instead, the demon turned towards her and Kaori clenched her fists around her own bow. You idiot, you don''t need to get hurt too! Kaori thought as she transformed Love into its swordstaff form and, still clutching her ribs with her free hand, she tried to walk up to the demon.


    Ash took a step or two back. Kaori lifted her swordstaff and plunged it near where Ash had stabbed it. Her weapon sunk deeper than Ash''s had.


    The demon growled painfully.


    Kaori thought she would have enough time to react to another attack. But, the demon didn''t even turn. As it stood, it spun in place and smacked Kaori with the back of its hand. The attack hit her right shoulder as she had just barely gotten her head out of the way and she hit the wall once more, sliding down to the floor. She firmly believed if that hand had struck her head, she may have died then and there.


    As she regained her senses after the hit, she tried to stand.


    This time though, she couldn''t get back up.


    Every time she so much as shifted, her bones cried out.


    "Aaah..." She moaned in pain.


    "Kaori!" Ash yelled as the Savior dropped her swordstaff.


    She couldn''t do anything else at this point.


    Just run. Kaori thought. Please.


    ---


    Ash


    Shit, shit, shit! Ash thought as she watched Kaori crumple up behind the demon. When the Nightmare had struck her, she heard a loud crack that sent shivers up Ash''s spine. The demon had Kaori in its sights and seemed like it was intent on finishing her off.


    Thinking quickly, she recreated Lust''s bow form and aimed a golden arrow.


    Come on, hit, hit, please!


    She shot the arrow at its back and the projectile found its mark.


    "Yes!" She celebrated aloud as the demon groaned, turning back around.


    However, her success had left her with a new realization.


    With Kaori unable to move this had become her fight now.


    Suddenly, with the demon''s empty eyes aimed at her, she was the one who had to take this thing down. Once more, before she gave all of her focus to the monster, she looked over at Kaori.


    The Savior was crying as she watched Ash with panicked eyes. The half-demon sighed.


    Aiming her sword at the Nightmare, she narrowed her eyes.


    So, we''re basically fucked, right? She thought. For sure, I can''t beat this thing. My sword barely went through it and just a couple of hits from that thing took Kaori out. So... what do I do?


    Then, she shook her head.


    Focus. She thought, closing her eyes. The demon started walking up to her. She heard its footsteps thudding against the dirt, but she didn''t open her eyes yet. She figured she wouldn''t feel the full effects of meditation in such a short time, but all she needed was for it to help her think if only just a little.


    She took a deep breath, trying to tune out the sound of the crowd, Kaori''s shouts, and the approaching steps.


    Okay. She thought. That''s better. So, what do I know about this thing? It has a mana pool of 20, so it''s definitely no mage but that might be enough for a spell or two. It''s slow, which might let me dance around it, but if a hit from this thing was enough to hurt Kaori, one hit might actually kill me. And, then there''s what Satsuhiro said. This thing won''t reason, it won''t plan. It''ll just do. So, don''t bother trying to read this thing.


    She opened her eyes as the demon loomed over her.


    And, if I have too much trouble on my own, I still have one trick up my sleeve. Demon Form.


    The Nightmare raised an arm and Ash bit down on the insides of her cheeks as she charged forwards. She rolled under it, out of the way of an attack that may have decapitated her if she''d been hit. Then, with her sword, she basically poked its back. A bit of violet blood, much like Ash''s own, oozed out of its sickly-looking skin as it turned slowly. Ash took a step back, putting more distance between them.


    The demon slowly started jogging. It moved up to where Ash was and the hybrid took a deep breath. It jumped up into the air and bodyslammed the spot where she had just stood before she sidestepped it. Raising her sword up, she brought it down on its right arm. Surprisingly, her sword sunk in quite a bit.


    Yes! She celebrated internally. This is doable. This is definitely doable.


    It was hard. She just barely managed to dodge its attacks both times, but she felt that if she remained patient, she could continue. She waited for it to stand, not wanting to take the risk of going for another hit. She wanted to be as safe as she could be.


    Like Satsuhiro said She thought, remembering the conversation the man had with Kaori. These things don''t strategize or anything. They''re random. Keep reacting.


    As it stood up, Ash prepared herself for the same sequence. Wait for an attack, avoid it, and retaliate. But, the creature didn''t attack her.


    At least, not directly.


    It raised a hand and Ash watched as a violet aura encapsulated it. Uh, what? She asked. Is that...?


    Her question was answered as the creature extended a hand towards Ash and a black orb flew out of its palm, hitting her in the chest.


    "FUCK!" She fell down.


    The feeling was so unique that she instantly knew what it was. A Dark spell. It was like her very life force had been hit. She took deep breaths as the monster sluggishly moved over to her. Okay, you got me with that. Fine.


    It said something with a deep voice and Ash glared at it.


    "Fuck you too." She muttered as she stood up. With her sword ready, she waited for its next move.


    She had expected some sort of a swing. It had been using its arms as clubs for so long that the last thing she expected was for it to try to grab her. And yet, that was what it did.


    She didn''t react in time. With a massive hand, it grabbed her by the neck.


    "Erk!" She couldn''t breathe. It wasn''t squeezing, but it pulled her up and close to its eyes.


    Then, Ash would have gasped if she could. The demon''s eyes, which previously had held no pupils, grew a small violet circle in them as it pulled Ash closer.


    Then, a surge of violet power came from its arms, spreading into Ash''s body.


    What the hell is it doing!? She wondered, trying to stab its arms with her sword, but as her body begged for air, she found herself dropping the blade. Ash tried to scratch at the Nightmare''s arms but the creature didn''t react. She could faintly hear the crowd cheering.


    This is bad. I can''t breathe, I can''t breathe! Pounding on the demon''s arms did nothing to stop it, and as the violet lightning reached Ash, her eyes widened.


    Her vision gained a haze of violet. She had expected this to be some sort of life-ending spell, an ability that would try to kill her off and eliminate one of the Nightmare''s two opponents. Instead, the unthinkable.


    Ash felt better.


    As the lightning poured into her, she felt herself getting stronger. She saw her horns grow in front of her eyes, her fingers turned into claws and she felt her fangs appear.


    The demon muttered something that sounded strangely confused.


    Soon, after a solid ten seconds of absorbing whatever the demon was doing, she reached for its arms and slashed them with her claws. This finally got it to drop her.


    She took a deep breath, coughing as the wind came back to her lungs.


    The demon made another confused noise as soon, Ash''s coughs turned to laughs.


    What, hahaha, holy shit. She noted in her mind as she looked down at her hands. She was in her Demon Form. I feel... I feel amazing! She grinned. What''s going on? Then, she looked back at the demon and scowled. Whatever. Doesn''t matter.


    It said something sounding baffled and Ash relished in that.


    She ran up. The demon raised an arm as if it was about to swing it at her, but Ash was moving too fast for that. She leaped up into the air and sunk her claws into its chest. With her feet digging into its hips to keep her steady, she tore her claws out and plunged them back in.


    The demon gave a high-pitched screech and Ash''s body warmed up when she heard it. Ripping this thing apart was almost giving her the same sort of satisfaction she''d felt that night when she''d been out behind Satsuhiro''s farm, relieving the lust she''d felt for Keiko. Something beyond what she''d felt when she tore her first goblin up.


    She was cackling at this point, even as the demon finally got a hold of her and threw her back, smashing her into the wall and sending jolts of pain throughout her body, she couldn''t stop giggling.


    Why does this feel so good!?


    However, then, she saw Kaori and her surprised expression and she remembered where she was.


    She shook her head. Whatever strange feeling had gained a hold over her faded momentarily. Right. Focus. Deal with this thing and you can get Kaori out of here, to a nice secluded location where you can... She shook her head again.


    With a growl, she got ready to attack again.


    The creature, however, had regained its mana.


    Level 14


    MP: 20/20


    Because of her thoughts, Ash hadn''t seen it as it lifted a bloodied arm and went to cast another Dark spell.


    So, she was hit once more.


    "Agh!" Ash clutched her chest, feeling that life-harming pain sizzle within. "I hate that shit so much." Her voice didn''t even sound like her own anymore, it was deeper, almost echoing. "Here, how about a little gift from me?"


    She ran up with a quickness that surprised even herself and slashed the demon''s ankles with her claws.


    With a long groan, it fell back. The ground shook as it hit the dirt floor.


    Ash grinned. Defenseless. Time to finish the j-


    Her thoughts were cut off when the demon slammed a fist into her chest, launching her back.


    As she crashed into a wall, wincing, she wondered if the hit may have killed her in her regular state. Instead, she slowly got up and the demon tried to do the same.


    No. No, I''m ending this right now!


    She ran up as fast as she could and jumped on top of it. Then, she held her claws up.


    Bringing them down, she slashed its eyes. Violet blood covered her hands.


    It tried to swipe at her again, but Ash saw it coming this time and briefly hopped off its body before jumping back on top. Without listening to the other part of her that was telling her to toy with the monster, she plunged her claws into its neck and ripped it apart. Inch by inch, she slashed at it until her claws were hitting the dirt, covered in the Nightmare''s violet blood.


    Its growls and groans faded.


    Slowly, she realized she''d done it.


    The creature was dead.


    Her Demon Form faded almost instantly and Ash was left with her human hands in the demon''s neck, trembling.


    EXP GAINED: 150


    EXP: 35/35


    Level Up!


    EXP: 45/45


    Level Up!


    EXP: 55/55


    Level Up!


    EXP: 15/65


    She leveled up three times. The crowd was silent. She looked around. Disbelief graced their faces.


    She couldn''t care less.


    The more sanity she regained, the more she understood the situation, and that the crowd would soon be begging for their heads. She had, after all, interrupted the trial.


    She tried to find Kaori and ran up to her.


    Kaori actually flinched as Ash approached.


    "Come on!" She said as her sanity slipped back into her. "The thing''s dead, let''s go!"


    "U-Uh... Right." Kaori''s eyes held a strange look, but she didn''t refuse. However, as she tried to stand, she found that she couldn''t. "Agh!"


    "Okay, no worries." Ash wrapped one of Kaori''s arms around her back and helped her up.


    She was about to call for Satsuhiro, but the Savior quickly jumped the wall as well and joined them.


    The crowd, which had been internalizing the events, quickly started shouting all sorts of things, ranging from "demon" to "kill her". Ash didn''t even spare them a look.


    "You can heal her, right?"


    "Yes, it''ll just take a second." Satsuhiro pointed out. "She''s honestly just lucky she didn''t get Cursed. If she had, she''d really be in trouble."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked as Satsuhiro started performing a Light spell. Kaori thanked him meekly.


    "When someone''s Cursed, healing magic doesn''t work on them. Only the most powerful of Light mages can lift curses, and the only one in Jade at that level, you know, died a little while ago." He explained. "We need to go, it doesn''t seem like they''re accepting this outcome."


    "Right behind you," Ash told him as Kaori began to stand.


    The group ran through the passage that had led Kaori here, but no guards pursued them. Instead, it was just the sounds of an angry crowd that trailed them as they nearly escaped the area.


    However, just as they reached the door that would allow them to retreat, they ran into Talo.


    Ash had her guard up. She didn''t know what this meant, whether they''d be arrested now or whether Talo was here for something else.


    "Well, you won." They said.


    "Yeah..." Ash calmed her nerves. "So... What now?" She asked cautiously.


    "The citizens of Jade are not happy. Plus, of course, you clearly broke the rules when you chose to help."


    Ash narrowed her eyes at them.


    "However," Talo quickly added, "considering what the deacons said about what Varcon did, so long as you stay out of sight for some time, his crimes will be brought out naturally."


    Ash''s eyes widened. She hadn''t expected to hear that.


    "So, are you arresting us?" Ash asked.


    "No. You will be free to go." Talo stated. The guards behind them didn''t react in any way. "We had a carriage prepared to escort Kaori out of the city secretly if she won, seeing as events have taken an unforeseen turn though, you will all be using it. However, it will take some time before you are all able to come back to Jade freely. The citizens of the city will likely still see her as a murderer, and you, since you helped her in this trial, as an accomplice." Talo shrugged. "Once his crimes are slowly made public knowledge, you should be free to return."


    "Well, that does settle one thing, but..." Satsuhiro said, "what about their training?"


    "Ah. It was the church''s task to oversee it. We understand." Talo nodded. "We will come up with something soon. For now, you really should go."


    "Huh... Thanks." Ash muttered.


    "Oh, it''s no problem." Talo grinned. "Just simple give and take."


    ---


    They were taken all the way to the Valley of Lanterns, with Satsuhiro watching for any angry civilians coming from behind them. Curtains prevented those who were outside from seeing who was in the vehicle.


    As they neared the gate leading out of the city and to Satsuhiro''s farm, he stopped.


    "Well, we''re pretty much out," Satsuhiro noted. "Take a moment to rest. We''ll talk about things moving forward once we get to the farm."


    "Alright." Ash nodded. She turned to look at Kaori. Trying very hard to focus on the situation at hand, she pushed her lust to the back of her mind and said: "are you okay?"


    "... No," Kaori stated as she looked down. "But, why?" She asked.


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Why did you help me?" Kaori asked softly. The curiosity in her eyes made Ash look away.


    "It wasn''t right." Ash simply stated. "Varcon deserved what he got. I didn''t like that they were gonna feed you to a Nightmare because of that."


    Kaori slowly nodded and looked down at herself.


    "Are you sure? I... I feel like a murderer."


    "You would have been one if he''d had his way." Ash stated. Then,, she sighed and leaned towards her. Ash, struggling against her demon side, placed a hand on her shoulder, staining the girl''s armor with the violet blood belonging to the Nightmare she''d killed. "Listen," Ash told her, "I don''t know what''s going through your mind, but hey, now that we know we can trust each other, maybe we can figure out where to go from here. Together, I mean."


    That statement made Kaori look up at her.


    "You trust me?" She asked.


    Ash hesitantly nodded. Yeah, I guess I do.


    "Yeah." She tried to put on a smile. "You''re not half-bad."


    Kaori blinked. Tears sprang up at the corners of her eyes. Ash understood this wasn''t going to erase Kaori''s despair.


    But, it was a good start.


    And with that, the party left Jade.

 Chapter 26 - 23

    Kaori


    The group made it back to Satsuhiro''s farm a few hours later. Even though she had been healed, Kaori could almost still feel the hits the Nightmare had inflicted upon her. She felt exhausted, her legs almost giving out as she reached the front door. Metsumi was quick to realize they''d arrived. She pulled them in and quickly gave everyone a few cups of cold water.


    Keiko and Opah occupied the furniture opposite where Kaori and Ash currently were. Satsuhiro sighed and finally spoke up, just as the moonlight started to come in from the screen door to the back.


    "Well, that''s done." He declared. "Kaori," he addressed her. The blonde looked up. "Kaori, take a moment to rest up. I want to tell you something."


    "Uh, okay," Kaori replied.


    She was a bag of mixed emotions at the moment. While one one hand a part of her was still crumbling because of what she''d done, on the other hand, gaining Ash''s trust, watching her fight purely on her behalf, she couldn''t deny that it had brought some happiness to her.


    "Ah!" Metsumi spoke up. "Went well huh? Are your parents alright?" She asked. Kaori didn''t answer. Instead, the Savior took off her boots and curled her knees up to her chest on the couch. "Huh?"


    "Ah, honey," Satsuhiro placed a hand on her shoulder. He gestured for them to walk a short distance away. Kaori didn''t need to hear the conversation to understand he was letting her know what had happened. To what extent, she couldn''t tell, but Metsumi looked at her and then looked back at Satsuhiro, nodding.


    She walked over to Kaori and placed a hand on her knee.


    "So, uh, Satsu didn''t say much, but since you''re apparently feeling a bit down, how about I make you a nice pie! Made with tons of love! How''s that sound?"


    She highly doubted that could lift her spirits, but she found herself nodding, receiving a smile from Metsumi in return as the woman jogged over to the kitchen. Keiko was next to walk up.


    "Kaori," the Zayama started, "are you alright?"


    Define "alright". Kaori thought.


    "Yeah." She told Keiko. "I''m good."


    She noticed Ash giving her a strange look, but she didn''t ask about it. If Keiko and Metsumi didn''t need to know all of the details surrounding the events that had unfolded, she didn''t want to let them know.


    She didn''t want to risk them changing their opinion of her.


    ---


    Once the night fully set in, Kaori, Ash, Keiko, and Satsuhiro''s family were sitting in the living room, eating slices of the pie Metsumi had made. Kaori barely had an appetite. Satsuhiro was the fastest to finish, and Kaori noticed he was waiting for her to finish her own dinner before he finally stood up and said:


    "Kaori, come here for a second?" He asked.


    "Mhm." Kaori softly replied. She followed the older Savior out into the fields where Satsuhiro put his hands on his hips and stared out into the landscape. Kaori stood next to him and did the same. "What''s up?" She asked.


    The older Savior didn''t say anything for a moment. With his eyes fixed on the horizon, he stoically told her:


    "... If you want to quit, it''s fine."


    "What?" Kaori asked.


    Satsuhiro, a determined expression aimed at the world beyond the farm, nodded.


    "Saviors like us are incredibly valuable. Everything I''ve done for you and Ash has been because of that truth. However," he continued, "if you want to resign, I''d accept that outcome."


    "What? But..." Kaori looked down at her own hands.


    "You don''t have to decide anything right now," Satsuhiro told her. "But I''m trying to let you know. This world is cruel, and if you stay on this path, you will see a lot of terrible things. You''ll definitely have moments of success too, but heartbreak is pretty common in our line of work and... I''m not sure you can handle it. It''s not too late to turn back. Ash is here right now because she needs the money, I doubt you do though, right?" He asked. Bringing up the half-demon made Kaori feel something strange. "If you decide to quit, you can just keep living here as a guest. Once all of this blows over and the citizen''s anger fades away, you could go back to Jade and live the rest of your life out like a normal person. No one would judge you for that." Satsuhiro told her. "As I said, you don''t have to decide anything right now, but I just want you to think about it."


    Kaori looked at him, feeling that she''d come to understand a side of him that took some time for her to see. In truth, she felt like he may have actually been a kind person. Then again, she''d judged Varcon to be the same. She didn''t trust her own judgment anymore.


    "I don''t know," Kaori replied. "It''s hard to think about anything right now, like, deeply. It''s... It''s weird."


    "Understood," Satsuhiro responded. "Let me know if you come to any conclusions."


    "Okay."


    Satsuhiro went back into the farm, but Kaori didn''t.


    Instead, she remained outside, taking a moment to sit down and gaze at the twin moons above. Satsuhiro''s words circled her mind. Maybe... Varcon''s face appeared in her thoughts. She shuddered. Maybe I''m just not cut out to be...


    "Kaori?" Her eyes opened. She turned and found Keiko standing there.


    "Mhm. I''m here." She told her and the Zayama girl took a few steps closer. "Over here." She said, and Keiko sat down next to her. Kaori took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure as Keiko crossed her legs, maintaining a straight posture as she spoke to her.


    "Uhm, so things went well?"


    "Mhm."


    "Ah, you will be staying with us then?"


    "Oh, uh, I''m not sure." Kaori scratched behind her head.


    "Huh? Why?" Keiko asked.


    "I... I''m just thinking about things." Kaori replied. "I don''t know what I want to do right now. You know, maybe I''d like to train alone, I mean."


    "Oh." Kaori could feel Keiko''s disappointment. "I see."


    "I mean, it''s not that I have a problem with you or Ash or everyone else, you''re all really cool, it''s just... Yeah."


    She had no intentions of telling Keiko what happened, even if she understood that at some point she''d find out naturally.


    "... I hope you do," Keiko told her. Kaori turned to look at the blindfolded woman. "Stay with us, I mean. We haven''t known each other for too long, but you seem like a wonderful person. I''d love to get to know you better."


    She couldn''t help but chuckle sadly at that.


    "Thank you," Kaori replied softly.


    ---


    Ash


    The next day, the hybrid stood in the fields behind the house with Satsuhiro. He had set a simple goal, to be done with her attunements by today. And, so far, they were making decent progress.


    "FUCK!" Ash fell to the floor as a basic Dark spell hit her in the stomach. Satsuhiro quickly began healing her and they were set to repeat this process for as long as Satsuhiro deemed it safe to do so.


    Last night, Ash had finally found some time to allocate the attribute points she''d gained from the fight with the Nightmare. She gained so much EXP that she leveled up three times. When it came time to make her choice, she ended up deciding to go with her Intelligence attribute and her Constitution since she was determined to get her other physical attributes to 10 on her own, and Wisdom seemed somewhat easy to increase.


    Her stats looked like this by the time she was done:


    Level 6


    EXP: 15/65


    MP: 60/60


    Strength: 7


    Dexterity: 7


    Constitution: 8


    Intelligence: 4


    Wisdom: 6


    Luck: 100


    Ash heard a sigh behind her and she looked back to find Kaori looking down at her own hands. Ash quickly tore her eyes away from her. Her lust had become a problem again, thanks to the fight against the Nightmare.


    Even as she took Dark spells to the chest, it was hard not to imagine pinning Kaori to a wall and training her Hand Proficiency. She was almost breathing heavily at the mere thought.


    However, as she''d come to understand it more, she guessed that as long as she focused on other things, kept her mind occupied, that troublesome part of her life hopefully wouldn''t come into play. So, she looked at Satsuhiro and told him to cast another spell, ready to keep the process going.


    "Hey!" Metsumi called out and the group collectively turned around. "Talo''s here!"


    Seriously? So soon? Ash thought as she and her mentor turned to walk inside. Kaori stayed out. Talo was sitting at the living room table, enjoying a glass of tea as Ash and Satsuhiro sat opposite them.


    "We must say, coming to and from this location is beginning to make it feel fairly homely." Talo chuckled.


    "Well, what is it?" Satsuhiro asked, crossing his arms.


    "Straight to business as usual. Will you ever change?" Talo sighed light-heartedly. "Very well then. We simply came to inform you of a few important things. Mainly concerning your training and the missions, which of course, previously Varcon would give to you, but now... He is less than capable of doing so."


    "Why don''t you just send a courier or something?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Simple. We enjoy traveling quite a bit." Talo laughed as Ash wondered if that was actually why they came personally. "As we were saying, here is what you need to know." They placed a paper on the table and slid it over to Ash. "That contains the locations of all active and retired Saviors. Once your training with Satsuhiro finishes, you can use that to find your next mentor. We''ve already sent them each some letters specifying that you may or may not go to them for training soon. Now, about the missions which, again, a certain person would have provided, we will be sending you missions ourselves."


    "What can she expect?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "We will not send you anything too arduous, of course. Generally, they will be simple locate-and-eliminate type tasks. Like with the Nightmare mission from before. As you go to each of the Saviors, they will notify us of your location, and so, our letters will reach you."


    "They don''t mind the whole, you know, dead leader of the church thing?" Ash asked. She saw Keiko tilt her head out of the corner of her eye.


    "Some do, some don''t," Talo answered. "They have been informed of the real sequence of events, though some of them are skeptical, for the most part, they are going to be cooperative."


    Ash nodded slowly.


    "Thank you for the tea!" Talo exclaimed to Metsumi who was standing nearby, a proud grin on her face.


    "So, is that it?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yes!" Talo stood up. "We had hoped you would like to conversate a little more, though we suppose that may have been highly optimistic of us. We will not bother you any longer then."


    As they stood up, Ash looked back to where Kaori was still sitting outside.


    The other Savior hadn''t changed since they got back. She was, understandably of course, still in that same mental space. Ash wondered if there was anything that could be done for her. But, the issue was what?


    Then, something came to her mind.


    "Hey, Talo, can I ask you something?"


    "Sure."


    Well, it''s better than nothing. It probably won''t get her back to how she was before, but I think it might help.


    She explained to them what she had in mind.


    "It''s just a favor, but if you could do this, I''m sure it would help us focus more too." Ash tried to reason with them.


    "Hm... What you are saying does make sense..." Talo looked over at Kaori. "We will see what we can do."


    "Thanks."


    ---


    Later, Ash was close to finishing her attunements. She celebrated the fact that she would be done with this whole process soon while she winced on the ground due to another Dark spell.


    "You want to take a break?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Fuck no. The sooner this is done the better." Ash took a few deep breaths and stood back up.


    "Alright. Another Dark spell and I''ll heal you."


    "Okay."


    Ash took another one of those painful spheres to the chest and let out a curse while everyone else, Keiko, Metsumi, Opah, and Kaori all watched behind her. Ash could hear Metsumi cheering her on while she stood up. Satsuhiro was already there, healing her.


    And that was it, as far as her Light was concerned.


    Light: 100% Attunement


    "Well, Light''s done," Ash told her teacher.


    "Good. We''ll finish attuning your Dark in a bit, we''ve got to let your body rest up."


    "So, now what?"


    "Well, it''s time for you to cast your first spell," Satsuhiro announced. "Ready?"


    "Sure."


    "Alright. The way this works is simple. In order to cast a spell, you need to recite the spell''s incantation, channel your mana and let it loose unto the world."


    "But you barely use incantations," Ash told him. "What''s up with that?"


    "Once you''ve mastered a spell, you don''t need to recite the words anymore. Additionally, you can pass your knowledge of a spell to someone else instantly, though they won''t have it mastered when they receive it."


    "Wow." Ash blinked. "So, what, you can teach me a hundred spells right now?"


    "If I had that many mastered then yes, I''d be able to. The issue is that it takes using a spell hundreds of times to master it. I have the basic spells from most categories mastered, but... well, sadly, I''m not a Light mage. It''s not my specialty. I only have a few mastered spells in that realm."


    "What about Dark?"


    "Same." He replied. "Enough to get you started, but not enough to dissuade you from ever needing to learn on your own. See, another issue is that every spell is likely to have a better version of itself somewhere out in the world. So, for instance, the healing spell you know. Let''s say you use it 50 times and then you find a spellbook that contains a better one somewhere out in Nova. You ditch the worse one and you keep the new spell. Then, you find a better version of that one and so on so forth. See? A lot of the time, you never even get the chance to fully master spells because you''re always finding new, better versions. Unless, of course, you make a point of mastering it."


    "Gotcha."


    "Alright, here goes the healing spell."


    Satsuhiro''s magical tendrils manifested from his hands and passed to Ash. She felt knowledge entering her mind, suddenly, she knew how to perform a Light spell.


    "It''s the most basic one. Slow Radiance." Satsuhiro explained. "Heals you up very slowly, but even the most basic Light spell can save your life. The incantation is, ''guard my soul against the dark''s reach''. Try it. Search for your mana, guide it out and recite the words."


    Ash nodded, breathing in. She briefly looked back at Kaori and the others. Here goes nothing.


    "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach."


    She felt power stirring within her. A power she instinctively understood she could control. She held it, then willed it to move to her hands, all the while trying to keep her surprise restrained. When it reached her hands, a light grey glow came from her hands.


    "Congratulations, you cast a spell," Satsuhiro told her. Ash looked up. She could see the hint of a smile on his face.


    Holy shit. She chuckled. Took long enough.


    "Check your mana," Satsuhiro instructed.


    "Right." Ash nodded and glanced at her status.


    Level 6


    MP: 50/60


    "Costs 10 mana to cast that spell," Satsuhiro said. "Whenever you''re out on a mission, use your spells sparingly. You don''t want to get caught by anything without having the mana to heal yourself."


    Then, a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around Ash and embraced her.


    "Progress!" Metsumi yelled into her ears. "Good job!"


    "Thanks..." Ash took a deep breath. Small victory, but, hey, I''ll take it.


    A small part of her genuinely felt proud. Of course, it had been a matter of time before the attunements were done, but it did require some persistence.


    "Let''s finish up your Dark, you''ll cast a spell and we can stop the magic training there for today."


    "Alright."


    They did exactly that. A few painful moments later, her Dark attunement was at 100%. Satsuhiro nodded to himself before sighing and telling her:


    "Listen," he started, "Dark is... a strange category. It''s the only form of magic that affects the user''s emotions."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Exactly what I said. Using these spells might make you feel, well, more aggressive, sadder, etc. Most of the time, it''s not enough to be noticeable, but sometimes it''ll pop up pretty harshly. Just trying to let you know." He put his hands on his hips. "Alright, so. I already taught you the Dark spell you''ll be using when you first came here. Remember? The incantation was ''corruption spread, corruption launch'', use it on me."


    Ash nodded. She breathed in as Metsumi took a step back.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch," she said, allowing her mana to flow to her fingertips and pointing them at Satsuhiro. Instantly, she understood what Satsuhiro meant about her emotions.


    A wave of raw anger bubbled underneath her skin, one that simply wasn''t there before. It didn''t overtake her the same way her Demon Form usually did, but it was there.


    But, soon, the spell manifested. A black and violet sphere launched out from her palm and struck Satsuhiro''s chest. The older Savior didn''t even flinch.


    "There you go."


    As Ash looked down at her own hands, she wondered if her affinity was just a half-demon thing. Then again, she thought, why do I have an affinity for Light too?


    "Let''s celebrate!" Metsumi suddenly declared, and Ash sighed.

 Chapter 27 - 24

    "How?" Ash asked.


    "Ugh, please..." Satsuhiro rolled his eyes.


    "Hehe, I happen to be a pretty good singer," Metsumi stated. "Follow me!"


    The large woman basically started skipping back inside. Keiko heard her and stood to go back in. Kaori, who had been spaced out, shook her head and did the same. Ash was about to go with them, but Satsuhiro put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Hey," he said, "I just wanted to let you know, you probably won''t be staying here for much longer."


    "What?" Ash asked. "Why?"


    "Don''t get alarmed." He told her. "I''m not kicking you out or anything. I mean that, well, I''m no expert on Light or Dark. It''s a waste to keep you here learning magic from me. I''ll teach you what I know, but after that, we''ll have to get you to the actual experts in those specific fields."


    Ash felt conflicted, though she didn''t really understand why. What he said made sense, but she still felt... disappointed.


    "For now though, come on. My wife seems to want to make your ears bleed."


    Ash chuckled.


    "... Okay."


    ---


    Kaori


    A few minutes later, the group was gathered in the living room. Metsumi held a Pearl-made chordophone instrument called a "sirva". It had three strings and was large enough to nearly cover the table they all sat around. Kaori was briefly alone, at the end of the couch with her knees up to her chest, until Keiko sat down next to her.


    "Ahem," Metsumi cleared her throat, "this is a little song I learned when Satsu and I visited Pearl. Bought this thing back then too!"


    "When?" Opah asked.


    "Hm... Little around nine years ago?" Metsumi aimed a smile at Satsuhiro. "It was about a month after we got married. A few months before I had you." She said and Opah''s eyes gleamed cutely. Satsuhiro sighed and leaned back.


    Kaori kept her eyes low as the woman did a few vocal warm-up exercises. Then, she started.


    "Flower so bright in a vast sea of darkness,


    make us turn to light in our fated moments.


    May Magia lead us,


    Flower so bright in a world of reluctance,


    make us face the dawn with Lumina''s fortune,


    And grant us the morning..."


    Kaori wasn''t listening closely enough to hear all of the words, but as far as she could tell, Metsumi had a very good voice. A bit on the deeper side, but still enjoyable to listen to. For some reason, she felt Ash''s eyes on her but when she looked up, the half-demon averted her gaze.


    Then, someone knocked on the front door. Metsumi lowered her volume but kept singing as Satsuhiro got up to go answer it. Kaori didn''t turn. She didn''t really care who had come.


    "Hello?" Satsuhiro asked. "What can I do for you?"


    "Uh, is Kaori here?"


    The instant she heard that voice, her eyes bulged out of their sockets and she turned so quickly, her hair flipped to her front. Her lips parted of their own accord as, past Satsuhiro, she saw who had arrived. Her parents were standing there, bathed in sunlight as Kaori nearly gasped. She got off the chair she was sitting at and sprinted to the front of the house.


    Shoving Satsuhiro aside, she nearly tackled her father, who returned her hug as soon as he realized it was her.


    "DAD!"


    "Hey, hey, it''s okay. We''re here." Her father told her and Kaori sank her face deeper into his shirt. Her mother joined the embrace and Kaori felt a surge of happiness flow through her.


    "What are you doing here?" She asked.


    "We... We heard about what happened. That man or, vessel, whatever, Talo, told us." Her mother stated.


    "They said someone from here suggested for us to come." Her father elaborated. "Someone called uh, ''Ash'' or something?"


    Kaori''s jaw dropped.


    As she heard that sentence, she turned around, searching for the half-demon. When she found her, the girl Kaori had known to be so confrontational before had a little smile on her face. Ash shrugged and mouthed the words "you''re welcome".


    She did this? Kaori thought as she turned back to face her parents. For me?


    ---


    A few hours later, as the day was starting to fade, Satsuhiro was helping Metsumi make dinner for everyone while Kaori spoke to her parents outside. Ash was training with Keiko just up ahead.


    "I''m so sorry sweetie." Her father wrapped a strong arm around her and Kaori rested her head on his right shoulder. Her mother drew soothing circles on her back.


    "No... I..." Kaori sighed. "It was the right thing." At least, that''s what everyone keeps saying. She thought.


    Her mother lightly grasped her right hand.


    "You couldn''t have known what that man was really like." She told Kaori, who nodded.


    "We didn''t either." Her father added. "No one did."


    "It''s fine," Kaori reassured them. "Really, I''m over it."


    Her parents glanced at one another. Her father nodded and her mother looked away. He said:


    "Uh, just so you know, despite all of this... we are so proud of you, Kaori."


    "Proud of what?" She asked with a chuckle. "I haven''t done anything yet."


    "Nah, but you will!" Her father replied. "You remember that time you lost to Suyi from across the street in a race?"


    Kaori rolled her eyes.


    "I''ll never forget."


    "You trained the whole day after that. You wouldn''t stop talking about how you''d come out on top," he said as Kaori shook her head with a smile. "When, ah, when you got the call, we went all across the neighborhood bragging about you. You know?" Her father told her. "Told everyone you were going to be the next big thing. And, you know what? We still believe that."


    Kaori looked at him with sadness in her eyes. She had thought the same thing, but now she wasn''t so sure.


    "I don''t know how to be a hero." She admitted. "I kind of just thought it would all happen on its own. That all I''d need to do was show up and listen to what Varcon said, and I''d help make the world better."


    "You can still do that." Her mother stated. "You just... you just need to find something you can trust in. Something else, something you know means well. Whether that''s Lumina or your new friends, or yourself. That''s all."


    Kaori looked up as she heard Ash''s blade clang against Keiko''s. She was getting better so fast, even she could tell.


    "Something I trust?" She asked lowly.


    She remembered how Ash had said those words to her after the fight.


    I trust you.


    "To trust is to love..." Her mother started an old saying Lumina''s followers would often share.


    "And to love is to believe." Kaori finished it. "And belief is how we persevere."


    Then, ahead, Keiko pushed Ash to the ground and the half-demon let out a curse that made Kaori chuckle.


    "Maybe." She said as the hybrid got up and sprinted at Keiko, only to get tripped and fall on her face.


    ---


    When the night came, everyone enjoyed a feast Metsumi and Satsuhiro had made. It was a strange kind of salad using ingredients from the nearby forest, but it didn''t taste bad at all. Her parents got up after they finished and Kaori walked with them to the door.


    "It was so good seeing you again, sweetie." Her mother kissed her forehead and Kaori hugged them. "We''ll be back again soon, promise."


    "Have a safe trip," Kaori told them, and then, with a few goodbyes, they left. The first thing Kaori did was turn to search for Ash.


    The half-demon had also finished her food and was about to walk outside, to the fields she would usually train at. Kaori followed her. It didn''t seem like Ash noticed she was trailing behind. The half-demon put her hands on her hips and looked up at the twin moons.


    In that space, her bright white hair seemed almost ethereal as the moonlight bathed her. Kaori walked up and said:


    "Hey."


    Ash turned around.


    "Oh, what''s up?" The hybrid looked at her and Kaori couldn''t come up with words to respond with. Instead, she hugged her.


    "Thank you," Kaori muttered. Ash was hesitant to return the hug, but with strangely trembling arms, she did.


    "No problem."


    "Why did you have them sent here?" Kaori asked.


    "I... I figured you''d appreciate it. Plus, uh, despite how absolutely annoying you were when you first got here," Ash continued, "I definitely prefer that version of you to this one. It''s pretty distracting seeing you like this." Ash sighed. "So, I told Talo to reach out to them, tell them where we are, and have them come to see you."


    Kaori''s eyes were watering at that point. She was nearly about to start crying again. Instead, with her arms still wrapped around Ash, she looked into the half-demon''s own eyes. Firm, sharp and determined. Her eyes spoke of her entire being to Kaori.


    Kaori looked down for a moment, then back up at her.


    "Uh, Ash?"


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "So, um..." She felt like the ''thank you'' she''d given wasn''t quite enough. She wanted to show Ash just how grateful she was that the half-demon was even thinking about her at this time. Though, she couldn''t think of many ways to express it. Eventually, she did find one.


    Kaori breathed in and nodded to herself.


    Then, she leaned in and pressed her lips against Ash''s. The half-demon''s eyes widened but Kaori didn''t back off. She didn''t mean for it to be anything more than an innocent peck, so she felt this much was fine. When she was done, she took a step back.


    "Again," Kaori said. "Thanks. I can''t tell you how much this means to me. Seriously. That was... really cool of you to do."


    When she looked up at the half-demon, she saw something she''d seen when she first stayed over at this house. Ash''s eyes held heart-shaped figures that disappeared as quickly as they came.


    Ash walked away.


    Oh. Kaori watched her go. She was walking back into the house with a quick intensity Kaori hadn''t expected. Did I mess up somehow?


    ---


    Ash


    Why did she do that? Why did she do that? Why did she do that? Holy fuck, why did she do that?


    That kiss sparked a burning desire in the half-demon as strong as any she''d ever felt. If she hadn''t turned away, she knew she would have pushed Kaori down then and there. It took such a strong hold over her mind that she found herself making a beeline for the bathroom with the intent of doing something. She didn''t even know what, just something.


    However, when she got in, she found that the bathroom wasn''t empty. Keiko was standing naked, about to hop into the bath.


    "Huh?" Keiko turned, holding her towel up.


    "Um..." Ash''s eyes roamed over her body.


    "Ash?" Keiko asked. "Is that you?"


    "Mhm." Her lust-ridden mind didn''t even allow her to form proper sentences.


    "Oh, thank goodness. For a second, I thought Satsuhiro had come in." Keiko said, letting her towel go carelessly. Ash could feel blood rushing up to her face. "Could you close the door? It''s a bit cold."


    Ash, reluctantly, did so without a word.


    She went into the bedroom she called her own, well, hers and Keiko''s, and threw a sheet over her body, immediately dipping a hand into her shorts.


    Yeah, I have to tell them. She realized as her hands went to work, easing the flame between her legs. Tomorrow. I''ll do it tomorrow. But, for now...


    Her mind played back an image of Keiko''s naked body, and Ash nearly let out a loud moan as she touched herself.


    Tomorrow!

 Chapter 28 - 25

    After several minutes of much-needed relief, Ash fell asleep, alone.


    Keiko hadn''t gotten in bed by the time Ash''s mind drifted away. She hadn''t expected to have a dream similar to the one from before, but alas, she wound up in a black room. Her eyelids felt like someone was pulling them down, she tried to breathe in but no air came to her lungs. Then, the darkness faded, replaced by a swirling of colors that nearly blinded her.


    The same woman from before appeared in front of her and Ash''s eyes widened.


    "You!" She thought and the woman silently chuckled. She walked up to her and tilted her head up with a finger on her chin. Then, as she leaned in and kissed Ash''s lips, the half-demon felt herself getting warmer. The mere presence of the golden entity in front of her was burning Ash''s skin.


    "Who are you?" Ash asked.


    The woman looked away for a moment, then she turned around and looked back at what Ash could only see as a wall of multiple colors. They morphed slowly into an image, one Ash knew.


    The altar Ash had seen at Jade''s church, with Magia''s statue looming over it.


    With her lips parting of their own accord, Ash looked back at the woman as she turned with a grin.


    "Magia?"


    She nodded and floated up to Ash, wrapping her in a tight hug.


    "What the hell, seriously?" Ash replied and the woman nodded.


    She turned around once more and the colors changed to form a different image. This time, it was a much more active scene. Random people being attacked by demons. It was an incredibly violent image, but one that didn''t last too long. Eventually, Magia went up to Ash, pointed at her, and then pointed back at the scene playing out behind her.


    Almost like she was saying "deal with that".


    "What am I supposed to do?"


    Magia opened her mouth to say something, but when no sound came out Ash saw her give a frustrated expression, looking down at herself. Is she supposed to be able to talk? Is this not normal? Then, she shook her head and turned back to the wall. It changed one final time, showing what looked like a broken-down church. Like the one in Jade, but ruined, surrounded by vegetation, and far, far, larger. Magia pointed at her own mouth, then at the image behind her.


    Wait, I think I get this.


    "You mean... if I go there... you''ll talk?"


    The goddess excitedly nodded, flying up to her and pressing multiple kisses to her cheeks.


    "B-But, where is this place?" Ash asked, but Magia shrugged. "You don''t know?" Ash asked and Magia nodded. "What do you mean!? You''re a literal goddess!"


    Magia shrugged again, her smile never faltering.


    Then, she pointed at herself, made a heart symbol, and pointed back at Ash.


    The half-demon sighed. Yeah, yeah, you love me or whatever. You said that before. The goddess laughed voicelessly.


    Then, Magia''s image faded and the room''s colors disappeared along with her. The darkness returned.


    And Ash''s eyes opened.


    ---


    Wearily, she blinked a few times. Wow, something smells amazing. She thought as she tightened the hold she had around her pillow. She buried her face in it. Maybe I can avoid getting up for a few seconds. However, she noticed something strange after a few seconds of being in this position. Her pillow was rising and falling slowly. Huh? She shook her head, leaning up a little.


    Her eyes widened.


    Her "pillow" was Keiko''s chest. She was currently lying on top of her, her arms wrapped around Keiko''s body. Fuck.


    "Ash?"


    And, to make matters worse, Keiko was wide awake.


    "Sorry." Ash tiredly said as she released the woman and backed away.


    Keiko chuckled a little as she sat up.


    "No, it''s not your fault. I guess you''re a bit of a hugger when you sleep."


    "Mhm." Ash hummed as she stood up.


    I have to tell her. Them, her, and Kaori. I have to tell them before this lust makes me do something too strange to explain.


    "Um... By the way," Keiko coughed, "what... what were you doing, last night?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "There was this... This smell in the air, uh, kind of like... Well, I don''t want to assume... It''s just..." Keiko blushed and Ash slowly realized. "Well, never mind."


    Ash shook her head and walked out of the room.


    Outside, Satsuhiro, Metsumi, Opah, and Kaori were having breakfast. Ash''s eyes fell on the blonde Savior, who smiled warmly when she saw her. Ash averted her gaze, feeling slightly guilty. Kaori was probably looking at her with thoughts in her mind that were far purer than what Ash was thinking about. When Metsumi noticed her, the woman quickly placed a bowl full of some kind of chicken soup in front of an empty chair.


    With the chill of the morning air hitting Ash''s skin, she sat down and grabbed a wooden spoon, stirring the soup a little before taking a sip of it.


    "Wow, this is good." She noted.


    "Thank you!" Metsumi replied joyously.


    "Hey," Satsuhiro said, "So, now that you''re capable of being a mage, I want you to think about what sorts of spells you''d like to learn."


    "Satsu! She just woke up, can''t you give her a break?" Metsumi asked.


    Satsuhiro shrugged.


    "Nah, it''s fine," Ash stated. "What do you have in mind?"


    "I''ll give you a small list of Light and Dark spells, ones that I don''t have mastered, and you can check them out yourself and decide where to go from there. Remember, don''t just pick a spell because it sounds cool or because it seems powerful on its own. You have to learn magic that helps your style as well."


    "Sounds good." Ash nodded. Then, she glanced at Kaori. "Hey, do you know any spells? I haven''t seen you cast any."


    "No, uh, I haven''t." Kaori shook her head. "Spells are hard to learn and expensive to be taught unless someone just passes their knowledge to you like how Satsuhiro did, but even then, a lot of mages put a high price on that."


    "Gotcha." Ash nodded. Satsuhiro looked over at Kaori.


    "Have you ever tried to cast a spell?" He asked.


    "No," Kaori replied.


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro looked down at the table, as though using it to formulate his thoughts. "We might want to test you for any affinities since you''re officially training with us. How does that sound?"


    "Okay!" Kaori grinned.


    With that settled, the rest of Ash''s breakfast went by fairly uneventfully.


    Soon, she was outside with Keiko standing in front of her, her sword unsheathed. Ash was ready to begin training, as Lust was in its sword form. Keiko told her they''d be practicing basic defense, and so she was made to deflect Keiko''s attacks as they came.


    It was as difficult as it usually was, but Ash could sense that she was getting better at this little by little. Still, there were a few times where Keiko would clash with her just a bit too harshly and Ash would nearly find herself being inadvertently slashed. It never happened, but still, Ash ended up being frightened a few times.


    She continued until her sword proficiency increased to 5.


    Beside them, Satsuhiro was with Kaori.


    "Alright, so, I''m going to give you some random spells, you try to cast them, and we''ll see."


    "Sure." Kaori nodded.


    "First up, this one." He explained a few things to Kaori that Ash didn''t quite catch. She was too busy with her own training. "Go ahead."


    "Mhm." Kaori nodded, breathed in, and raised a hand aimed at Satsuhiro.


    "Flame of the soul, strike!" Ash turned to watch and saw a ball of flames appear and shoot out from her palms. Satsuhiro wasn''t even fazed by it.


    "Good, good," Satsuhiro told her. "So, you can cast Fire magic. That happens to be my own field of expertise."


    "Really!?" Kaori asked excitedly.


    "We can work with this. Now, let''s see how you do other categories."


    But, as they tried others, they didn''t work. In the end, they found out Kaori had one affinity, Fire. Satsuhiro explained to her the same things he''d told Ash about meditation and the Wisdom stat. Then, he retreated inside the house as Kaori bounced around energetically.


    As noon arrived, Ash went from weapons to magic when Satsuhiro came out with a paper in his hands.


    "Here, take a look. Here''s that list of spells I told you about."


    "Okay." Ash took the paper and scanned over it.


    Barrier, Lumina''s Presence, Lumina''s Spirit, and Enlightenment. She read through the Light category, then, her eyes went to the Dark spells. Corrupt, Curse, Perish, Decimating Touch.


    "So, what do these do?" Ash asked.


    "Barrier is self-explanatory, just makes a barrier that stops spells from passing through. Lumina''s Presence slowly heals, Lumina''s Spirit restores some of your energy, and Enlightenment is a spell that''s more useful for mages, should you choose to go down that route. It temporarily increases your maximum mana." Satsuhiro paced back and forth. "As for the Dark spells, as you know, these spells directly affect a person''s life force, so they''re... stranger in nature. Corrupt will irritate a creature''s very being, Curse will briefly curse a creature, making it so that healing magic doesn''t work on them. Perish will hurt a creature''s soul while Decimating Touch is a touch-based version of that same spell."


    "I think I get it." Ash sighed as she looked at the paper again. "Does sound weird though."


    "Now, remember, I explained this to you before, people with affinities cast stronger versions of the same spells. So, these spells, while basic to me, may be more useful to you. I''d recommend you pick a Light spell and pick a Dark spell, focus on learning those two and work with them for the time being. You''ll probably find that their impact is way more than you expect. Hell, if you had known a couple of spells in your fight against the Nightmare, it might have ended even faster."


    "Could I have beaten it without Demon Form?" Ash asked.


    "Hell no," Satsuhiro replied. "That thing was way out of your league without your other form. Your Demon Form saved your ass. Anyway, yeah. Try to learn two."


    Well, Ash thought as she considered her options if I had to say which ones seem the most useful... Probably Lumina''s Presence and Perish. Maybe Barrier?


    "Alright. I think I have some idea of what I want to go with."


    "Good. Now, the way you learn a spell without having the knowledge passed to you is simple. You have to read through a spellbook. The ones for all of the spells are in my room, I''ll bring them to you. Just read through the book and try to understand what''s being said, okay? It takes time but the more basic the magic the faster it is."


    And so, Satsuhiro departed and returned with two books. The Mechanisms of Lumina and Voidborn.


    "These two are the fundamental books of Light and Dark magic, read through ''em and you''ll find the spells you''re looking for."


    "Gotcha."


    Behind her, Kaori walked up.


    "Uh, Ash."


    "Yeah?" She turned towards the blonde.


    "Do you want to train for a little bit? Together, I mean."


    Ash heard her and put her hands on her hips.


    "Are you that eager to humiliate me again?"


    "N-No! I just meant..."


    "Relax," Ash smirked, "I''m just fucking with you."


    "O-Oh." Kaori blushed and laughed a little. "Sorry, uh, well, yeah. Do you want to?"


    "Yeah, come on. I do have to warn you, I''m way stronger now than I was when we practiced before. You''re probably about to get your ass handed to you." Ash shrugged and Kaori smiled.


    "I look forward to that."


    ---


    No. Ash did not manage to beat Kaori, though she was nowhere near as overwhelmed as she had been before. And, as she was kicked to the ground and Kaori flashed a proud smile, Ash looked up at her and found that she wasn''t as frustrated with the outcome anymore.


    "How did it feel?" Keiko asked. "Fighting Kaori now that you''re stronger, I mean."


    "Well," Ash started, and, without looking at Keiko, she then said, "I don''t know, it''s hard to focus on fighting when someone as hot as you is standing so close, distracting me."


    ...


    A deep silence spread as Ash realized what she''d just said. She looked to her trainer and found that her face was so flushed, she almost looked sunburned.


    Shit, shit, shit!


    "I mean... The pressure, I..." Ash sighed and transformed Lust back into a cube, "fuck this. Listen," she said to the both of them, "we need to talk."


    She took them both and pulled them a little bit farther from the house.


    "Uh, okay." Kaori did the same with her swordstaff. "What''s up?"


    "I... I have a problem." Ash said.


    Keiko was frozen, still visibly reeling from what Ash had said while Kaori simply looked concerned.


    "What''s happening?"


    "It''s nothing it''s just... Ugh. This is so weird." Ash shook her head and crossed her arms. "You know how I''m a demon, right? Or, half of one, anyway."


    "Yes?" Kaori asked, confused.


    "Well... It kind of turns out that comes with more baggage than I thought it did." Ash started to explain as she walked around, trying to position herself between Keiko and Kaori. "After I went into my Demon Form a second time, after... whatever," she said, trying not to remind Kaori of anything Varcon-related, "I woke up and found out I had a new trait. That trait, uh, it... changes me."


    "In what way?" Kaori asked.


    "Well, yeah I guess there''s no other way to say it really. It makes me horny as fuck. Okay?" Ash felt like she was heating up as she spoke. Almost angry at her own reality. "Particularly, it makes me like this towards uh... Anyway, the point is, it affects how I feel towards you."


    "Me!?" Kaori asked, pointing at herself with a blush.


    "Both of you." Ash clarified, gesturing at Keiko.


    "... Oh," Keiko muttered. "I see."


    For a moment, no one said anything.


    "I, I wasn''t even planning on saying anything about it because I thought I could just not focus on it." Ash continued, "but the way this thing works, it stacks every time I use my Demon Form, and stacks up to four times. Every time I add to it, it gets harder to control. And, well, I haven''t gotten to four stacks yet, and I''m afraid of what''ll happen if I do, someday. So, I wanted to warn you. That''s it."


    Again, neither Kaori nor Keiko said anything for a while.


    "Is there any way to deal with this?" Keiko asked.


    "Uh, well," it was Ash''s turn to blush. "If I... do stuff, like, with my hands, down there. It makes a stack of this shit go away."


    "What do you mean?" Keiko asked.


    "You mean... like, masturbate?" Kaori asked and Ash sighed. Keiko blushed so hard Ash wondered if she was still breathing.


    "... Yes, that helps. But, every time I use my Demon Form, it gets worse again."


    "Oh." Kaori looked away, her hands clasped together in front of her. Keiko was still silent.


    "Listen, I just wanted to let you know, because, yeah. Sometimes I might slip up because of this thing. Now," she quickly said to Kaori specifically, "I promise, I''m not going to do anything bad or whatever, it''s just... I wanted you two to be aware. That''s all."


    And with those words, Ash, who felt like she couldn''t handle the awkwardness anymore, left.


    ---


    Later, at night, Ash was reading through the books Satsuhiro had brought her. She understood what he meant about it being time-consuming, as when she started reading the Light book, specifically the part about the Lumina''s Presence spell, she saw a bar pop up over her own head and slowly start to fill. She guessed that when it filled up, it meant she knew how to cast the spell. So, she kept reading, as well as her school drop-out mind could allow her to.


    However, the door opened and her concentration was shaken. Keiko came in, wearing a white nightgown she assumed belonged to Metsumi. Ash''s eyes roamed over her body until she tore them off and put them back onto the book, while Keiko got in the bed and lied down.


    "So... This morning." Keiko started.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "When you were... hugging me." Keiko started. She turned onto her side, her face aimed at Ash. "Was that because of this trait?"


    "Think so. I don''t know though, I could just be a hugger when I''m asleep." She shrugged.


    "Hm." Keiko scooted closer and as her scent drifted into Ash''s nostrils, she said, "I... Do you need help?"


    ...


    Silence.


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "Ash." Keiko started. "I... I see you as my responsibility. When we first came here, my own problems got in the way of my duty and I allowed you to put yourself in harm''s way." Are you still not over that? Ash thought. "I don''t want anything to happen to you, or, well, us, that I could have helped prevent. Do... do you understand?"


    "No, I can''t really say I do." Ash sighed as she turned to her side as well. She and Keiko were so close, she wondered how big her eyes would look without the blindfold on, what color they''d be.


    "I''m trying to say that... If this problem becomes too much for you to handle," Keiko reached out and her hand landed on Ash''s shoulder. Once there, she gave Ash a gentle squeeze. "I want to be of some use."


    As Ash finally got what Keiko was trying to get across, her lips parted and her eyes widened.


    Ash took a few deep breaths. Now, maybe without this trait, hearing something like that she''d instantly start telling Keiko about how she didn''t need to do anything like that. Instead, as she heard this with her Lust at 2 stacks, she leaned closer.


    "Have you done anything like this?" Ash asked.


    "No, have you?" Keiko asked.


    "Nah. There, um, wasn''t exactly much time for fucking around with girls while I was on the streets."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I was homeless." She said, looking over at Keiko. She realized something then. Wow. She shook her head. So much has happened since I started this whole thing, and she still doesn''t know much about me. She wanted to remedy that situation. "Keiko," she started, "when I was twelve, I got kicked out of my house. I lived for the next six years on the streets of Jade, asking people for coins every day, trying to get by. So... Yeah. Honestly, you were..." She stopped before she finished.


    "I was what?" Keiko asked, not letting that slide.


    "... You were the first person I can remember feeling this way about. Like, uh, attracted or whatever."


    "... I see." Ash heard Keiko gulp. "I um... I also haven''t really done anything like this."


    "Yeah, you said that."


    "No, I mean to say, I haven''t been attracted to anyone." She clarified. "In the Zayama compound, not many people ever cared to try getting to know me, because I haven''t awoken my Spirit Eye."


    "What''s that?" Ash asked.


    "Nothing, just, this stupid thing... Anyway, yes, because of this I have never... explored this area of my world."


    Ash chuckled.


    "And here you are telling a filthy half-demon that you''d do that kind of thing with her."


    "No." Keiko shook her head. "Ash, I don''t think any less of you for being what you are. That doesn''t matter." Keiko said and her voice turned softer. "I... I believe what matters is whether you and I are okay with this and... being, you know, each other''s firsts."


    "Hm. So, what do you think?" Ash asked. "I''m a horny mess. What you think is what matters."


    Ash saw Keiko smile.


    "I see. I... I believe I''m fine with it." Keiko told her. "I haven''t seen you, maybe I''ll never see you if I don''t open my Spirit Eye, but... I don''t think negatively of you. Much at all. Plus, I think your voice is fairly attractive. That''s good."


    "Well, if I find a way to talk you to an orgasm I''ll let you know." Her attempt at a joke only got a chuckle out of Keiko, but it was better than nothing. Ash''s eyes honed in on Keiko''s lips. Thin, elegant lips set in a straight line that split as she said something else.


    "So... What now?" Keiko asked.


    "Maybe... We could, I don''t know, start with a kiss or something?" Ash asked.


    "I... I am okay with that."


    She leaned in.


    Yeah, this is probably me thinking with my pussy, she thought, but whatever. I got this far, I may as well.


    She softly pressed her lips against Keiko''s, muffling a gasp from the other woman. As the moonlight bathed them through the window, Ash did what Magia had done to her in her dreams, only, she didn''t expect to wake up after this. She tugged on Keiko''s lower lip, then pulled back to see how Keiko was feeling.


    "How was that?"


    Keiko was taking deep breaths.


    "I... Good?" Keiko said, sounding more like she made a question.


    "Uh, do you want to do it again?" It was taking all of Ash''s restraint not to just pull her in, but she wanted to make sure.


    And, as Keiko slowly nodded, she got her response and leaned back in, reaching up and placing a hand on Keiko''s back.


    This time though, as the desire in Ash started to grow, she found herself trying to slip her tongue between Keiko''s lips. Surprisingly, Keiko let her. As the kiss grew more passionate, Ash shifted where she sat to get her body closer to Keiko. She felt the woman''s chest press up against her own and her right hand balled up into a fist as lust spread within her.


    Thirty minutes of an intense make-out later, Keiko raised a hand.


    "Can we stop here?" She asked. "I''m... I''m not quite ready to go further."


    Ash blinked.


    Although Ash''s mind was okay with stopping things where they''d ended, her body sure as hell wasn''t. As they turned away from each other, Ash felt a fire burning between her legs.


    I guess I have to deal with this now. Fuck, fuck! She thought as she turned away and dipped her hand under her shorts'' waistband.


    As she got started, Keiko spoke up though.


    "Uh... What are you doing?"


    Ash''s eyes bulged out of their sockets.


    "... What do you mean?"


    "I can hear, um, a strange sort of schlick sound, and the air smells weird."


    "Nothing. Just... Yeah, nothing."


    "... Oh, OH!" Keiko basically yelled. "U-Uh, okay!" She said, turning away and covering herself up with the sheet they were sharing.


    In her entire life, that might have been the most embarrassed Ash had ever been.


    But, she didn''t stop.


    ---


    The next day, Ash was having breakfast with the others, but she noticed two things. Keiko looked incredibly distracted, which was understandable, she probably had a lot to think about given what happened last night, and Kaori would turn away every time her and Ash''s eyes met. The half-demon was afraid she was scared of her now, because of what she''d said.


    Someone knocked on the front door though, breaking her out of her thoughts.


    "I''ll get it," Satsuhiro said and walked over. A courier handed him a letter and he quickly thanked him, closing the door again and bringing it inside.


    At the table, he opened it up.


    "What does it say?" Metsumi asked.


    "Hm... A mission. From the council." He explained. "They found another Nightmare."


    "Where?" Kaori asked.


    "Some old ruin to the west."


    As he said those words, Ash nodded.


    "Uh, where is it? What is it like?" Ash asked.


    "Doesn''t really say much about it," Satsuhiro replied. "Just that it used to be part of a bigger town that slowly decayed over time. Anyway, the area ranges from level 10 to 15, which of course means the Nightmare is likely to be around that level as well.


    "Time to get to work then."

 Chapter 29 - 26

    Under a wave of heat brought by the midday sun, Ash and Kaori trained with Keiko. Because of the new mission, the Zayama pressed them to improve. First, she and Ash rehearsed the defensive techniques they''d been refining since arriving at the farm. Then, Kaori and Keiko sparred for a little bit, each session ending with Keiko finding some opening that would consistently leave Kaori gasping in astonishment.


    Things were going smoothly. In all honesty, Ash was just glad to seemingly finally have her lust under control, at least, for the moment. I don''t want my lust to increase like that again for a while. She thought. It''s fucking painful.


    Ash watched Kaori carefully. Ever since she''d told her about her trait, Kaori had been... Different. It wasn''t quite enough to be concerned, she figured, but whenever Kaori looked at her, there was something in her eyes that hadn''t been there before. Warmth? Curiosity? Something Ash couldn''t quite decipher.


    The half-demon was working up a sweat, eager to continue and get better. Satsuhiro interrupted them though.


    "Hey," he called out, "have you gone out to fight at all?"


    The three of them stopped and Ash shook her head.


    "No, we''ve mostly just trained."


    "You should probably head into the forest then," Satsuhiro told her. "Real combat always feels different to training, obviously. You''ll want to get used to it and stay used to it. With this mission coming up, some fighting would do you good."


    "I''ll go later," Ash replied, turning back to Keiko, but Satsuhiro said:


    "Kaori should come with you. She''s going on that mission too after all."


    Huh... right. Ash looked back and nodded. A part of her was still getting used to the fact that Kaori was officially staying with them as a Savior and not as a guest.


    "What do you think?" She asked Kaori. The blonde grinned, putting her swordstaff away.


    "I''d love to!"


    "You, uh, sound weirdly excited, but sure." Ash shrugged as Kaori giggled.


    "Well, yeah, I mean..." her tone softened. "It''s kind of like hanging out, you know? Just with swords and ugly monsters."


    "Fairly romantic if you ask me," Keiko aimed a smile at them.


    "Whatever," Ash responded and they got back to work.


    Later on though, after Kaori''s swordstaff proficiency had gone up to 4, almost matching Ash''s sword proficiency, they decided it would be good to dedicate the rest of the day to this task.


    Satsuhiro was right, in Ash''s mind. They needed to stay used to combat. So, Keiko bowed to them and walked back into the house while Kaori and Ash looked out toward the dark forest.


    "We don''t need to do too much, I think," Ash told her. "Just find a few goblins, hack ''em up and come back. Ready?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah."


    And so, they walked forwards.


    Walking next to the girl she had been so distrustful of before, alone no less, gave Ash a strange feeling. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the blonde by her right side, who looked to her left and smiled when she caught Ash looking at her.


    "This is kind of exciting, isn''t it?" Kaori asked.


    "Exciting?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah, just us, walking through the woods looking for a fight. It''s awesome."


    "I don''t know," Ash replied, "I don''t think I''ve felt too excited while goblins were trying to get my insides outside."


    "Oh, come on, you''ve got to admit it''s cool!" Kaori responded. "This¡­ This was kind of what I had in mind, you know?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "When I was picturing being a Savior, I mean," Kaori stated with a softer tone. Ash raised a brow as her eyes took a distant look like she was seeing memories flash in front of her. "Training, going out into the forests and looking for evil monsters to take out, then coming back with a huge trophy to show my parents. Then head into the taverns and celebrate with my friends. I don''t know, that''s what this job sounded like."


    As Ash took those words in, she couldn''t find a response. From the start, she''d never romanticized this to quite that extent.


    Now that they were deep into the beginner-level forest though, Ash transformed her weapon and kept her guard up.


    "Focus up," she told Kaori. "There might be something to fight nearby."


    "Okay!"


    With that response, Kaori transformed her own weapon into her swordstaff. With a background harmony of birds singing, Ash searched the distance, looking between the trees to find her enemies. By now, she understood that it likely wouldn''t take long to run into something.


    And she was right.


    Soon, Ash heard an animalistic groaning coming from the north. She raised a hand and stopped walking. Kaori did the same. Okay. She thought. Now, where¡­ She tried to find the source of that noise, hoping she''d see it before it saw them. The groaning grew louder and louder as it sounded like the source was drawing closer.


    Then, she saw it.


    "What the fuck?" She asked as she gazed upon the strange creature. It looked to be a walking suit of armor, with blue fumes coming from its orifices. It had no body, as far as Ash could see, and yet it was holding a sword, turning towards them as though it had eyes.


    Level 9


    MP: 20/20


    "Well," Ash started, "I guess we found our first enemy."


    "What is this thing?" Kaori asked, pointing her swordstaff at it.


    "No idea," Ash responded. "It''s level 9. You should be able to take it on, but if you want me to go first, I''ll do it."


    "¡­ No." Kaori took a deep breath. "I''ve got this."


    Ash nodded and took a step back.


    "All you then."


    With that confirmation, Kaori started to walk up to it. As Ash watched her get closer, she found that Kaori really did look like a heroine at that moment. Her golden hair flowing in the wind, her expression determined and her armor shining brilliantly, she was the precisely that person that stories always talked about, the one who usually ended up saving the world by thrusting their sword into a bad guy''s body.


    As the two combatants stood around eight feet away from each other, the creature raised an old, rusted longsword. Kaori didn''t split her swordstaff just yet, maybe she felt like practicing with it being whole. Regardless, she got into a stance Keiko taught her, her left leg outstretched and her swordstaff at her hip, waiting to be used.


    The creature attacked first and did so with astonishing speed. It charged from its spot, almost reaching Kaori with a single hop. The blonde was surprised, but as the ghost-like creature went for a vertical slash, she quickly deflected the blow and tried to counter with her own hit. Even to Ash, the move looked awkward, but strategically, it was sound.


    Then, the creature did something that surprised Ash. It parried her blow, sending Kaori''s swordstaff recoiling right back to where she''d slashed from. What? It then went for a horizontal strike along Kaori''s midsection, but the Savior took a step back, dodging the attack. That was a pretty advanced-looking move. Isn''t this thing, like, just a monster?


    Kaori looked shaken, Ash, as surprised as she was, imagined she did too.


    However, as Kaori looked over at Ash, for some reason, she shook her head and retook her stance.


    The creature moved first once more. It did the same hop, going for the exact same vertical slash. Kaori reacted to it differently this time, she dodged to the side and slashed at the creature''s neck area. Although to Ash''s eyes there was only blue smoke there, her swordstaff did seem to hit something, as the creature howled and Kaori''s blow failed to go straight through.


    It was the creature''s turn to take a few steps back. Once again, for reasons Ash couldn''t understand, Kaori looked at her, almost as if asking for confirmation of something, but Ash just kept watching. So, then, Kaori split her swordstaff into its dual swords form. With them, she attacked first.


    She ran up and went for two horizontal slashes, coming from the same direction. The creature tried to parry the blow, just as it had before. One sword was deflected, but the other was not. Kaori''s second sword went back to the creature''s neck and slashed through this time.


    The creature''s blue smoke dissipated, and the armor fell onto the ground as if the thing that had been wearing it had simply disappeared. Kaori took a few deep breaths and transformed her weapon back into its cube shape.


    Wow, she looked so sexy fighting like that. Ash caught the thought as it happened but let it through her mind. Meditation had taught her to do that.


    "Well?" She turned to Ash. Although she looked somewhat happy, Ash could see residual fear on her face. "How''d I do?"


    "Seemed easy enough," Ash told her as she walked up to the crumpled armor. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Kaori look a little disappointed. "What the hell was that thing?"


    "Dunno. It sure looked like it knew what it was doing though." Kaori speculated. "Well, uh, wanna look for more?"


    "Mhm." Ash nodded.


    They ventured deeper into the forest. Ash hoped they wouldn''t lose their way, but they had been walking in a straight line, so she figured it shouldn''t be too hard to come back to the farm. The forest was strange, even though they were covering distance, it didn''t seem to change much. Still, eventually, she heard more animalistic sounds and halted. Repeating the process, she and Kaori looked for the enemy.


    However, what they found was a group.


    Multiple goblins were walking up ahead.


    Level 7


    MP: 10/10


    Level 8


    MP: 10/10


    Level 5


    MP: 10/10


    Level 11


    MP: 10/10


    Shit, shit! Ash crouched, gesturing for Kaori to do the same as the goblins passed. They were holding something up, some sort of large pig-like animal that was still alive and squealing. As they moved, they muttered incomprehensible things to each other. Ash glanced at Kaori.


    "I don''t think fighting these things is the best idea." She whispered. "We should probably just let them pass."


    "That one," Kaori pointed at one of the two goblins at the front which was bigger than the others, the one that was level 11. "Looks kinda scary."


    "Yeah," Ash stood up a little, "let''s just turn around and¡­"


    However, as she spoke, the pig got free. It tore through the simple bindings the goblins had made and started running away. Precisely, in Ash and Kaori''s direction.


    "W-Wait, wait," Ash tried to hide, but the thing moved right past them. And so, the goblin''s eyes fell on the both of them.


    You''ve got to be kidding me.


    "Kaori, get ready."


    "Y-Yeah." The other Savior transformed her weapon.


    "I''ll take on the two at the back," Ash told her.


    "Uh¡­"


    Of course, she was implying that Kaori should fight the big one.


    "That thing''s closer to your level, right?" Ash reasoned. "Don''t worry, I''ll finish up the others and help out."


    Kaori didn''t respond. Her eyes were wide as she looked at her two opponents.


    I''ll have to keep my word on that. Ash thought. She''s probably panicking, but, at level 11, I''m guessing that thing would crush me. I only won against the Nightmare thanks to Demon Form, and the last thing I want is to trigger that right now. I don''t want my lust getting anywhere near 3 stacks again. It was so painful to hold back like I did.


    So, Ash aimed her sword at the two goblins and walked to the left, trying to draw their attention. As she saw her, Kaori did the same but moving closer to the two on the right. Probably a good time to try this out. Ash thought as she searched for the mana inside of her.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" She shouted, manifesting a black sphere in her left palm and shooting it at one of the goblins. When the spell hit, the goblin gasped like Ash had stolen its air, then quickly started screeching. Its friend got angry and raised a club threateningly at Ash. Good. She checked her own stats.


    Level 6


    MP: 50/60


    And so, as the goblin who had taken the spell charged at her, Ash waited for them to arrive. Remember the fundamentals. She thought. Defense wins fights.


    The first goblin approached. Ash saw it raise a club and she lunged forwards. She went to slash its stomach, but the goblin was deceptively quick. Its club slammed down on her left shoulder before she could follow through with her attack.


    "Agh!" Ash gritted her teeth and pushed the creature back as her left shoulder flared up with pain. The other goblin was arriving at her position by this time. She narrowly managed to avoid a hit, looking to retaliate with her own, but the goblin stepped back before she could do so.


    Okay, she thought, these things got pretty quick all of a sudden.


    Then, she heard a blade go through flesh and she looked to her right. Kaori had just impaled the smaller goblin on her side, leaving just the bigger one to deal with. Yeah, nice going! Figures, she''s faster than me and has roughly the same skill now, these things shouldn''t be too much of a problem¡­ Well, aside from that one. She thought, looking at the bigger enemy. Shaking her head, she looked back to her own opponents. Stay focused.


    One ran up. Ash wasn''t about to try to attack again. She waited for it to do a swing of its own. It held its club to its right, winding up. Ash got ready to deflect. When the club came out, it hit Ash''s sword and the Savior nearly dropped it. Holy shit! Her hands shook with the vibration of the hit. They''re stronger too.


    However, she managed to find a spot to attack. She went for a vertical slash but then the goblin''s friend showed up to help. The other goblin struck her leg and Ash went down before she could finish. She let out a brief cry of pain, falling before them.


    Scowling up, she kicked one of their legs out from under them before they could smash her head in. One goblin fell, and she had to dodge out of the way of a blow from the one that was still standing, that likely would have crushed her. Then, she thrust her sword into the abdomen of the standing goblin. It shrieked, dropping its club as Ash''s sword sunk in deeper.


    "Like that!?" Ash yelled as the creature fell, blood squirting out from its wound. The other goblin got up and Ash did the same, getting to her feet. She took a moment to look to her right. Kaori was about to start fighting the largest of the goblins.


    Focusing back on her own battle, Ash almost growled as the creature slammed its club in the ground with frustration.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" She shot another Dark spell at it. The goblin dodged and Ash felt her own emotions tighten.


    She felt almost unreasonably angry. It ran up to her and Ash waited. When it attempted an attack, she decided to try parrying. Her move was successful and the club went up again, revealing a clear open spot at its stomach. Ash placed her sword against its skin and slashed to the right, tearing its body open.


    Taking quick breaths, Ash watched it fall to the ground.


    EXP Gained: 25


    EXP: 40/65


    EXP Gained: 20


    EXP: 60/65


    Serves you fucking right. She gritted her teeth, shaking her head. Kaori? She thought, looking back. What she saw didn''t make much sense. The other Savior had put quite a bit of distance between herself and the larger goblin. As the goblin attacked, Kaori rolled out of the way and took several steps back, like she hadn''t even considered retaliating. What are you doing? Ash thought, but as she saw Kaori''s expression, she got it.


    She''s still too scared. Ash realized as Kaori avoided another attack but didn''t try fighting back.


    "Okay, okay. Time to help out then," Ash mumbled as she readied another spell. "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" The sphere shot out from her palm and struck the goblin. It let out a deep moan and slowly turned around to face Ash.


    "Yeah, come on," Ash said as it started taking large steps towards her. It was smaller than the Nightmare she''d fought at Jade, but faster. It reached her position, and with a club the size of her own body, it tried a swing. Ash wasn''t even going to try deflecting the attack. She rolled forwards, between its legs, ending up behind it, and tried to attack.


    The goblin spun in place and struck Ash with its free hand. The hybrid was sent back, feeling like she''d just taken the hardest punch to the head of her life. Holy shit. Her vision was blurry for a second. She reached up, touching the side of her own head, and found a bit of violet blood on her hands afterward.


    Her heart pounded in her ears. Ash shook her head twice, trying to make her vision clear up.


    "You wanna help?" She asked the other Savior.


    "R-Right." Kaori, who had literally been standing aside, watching, transformed her weapon into its bow form. With it, she shot an arrow at the goblin''s chest, which pierced its skin as Ash stood up. Good idea. She thought as she went for a slash at its knees.


    The goblin''s large eyes moved to her, and it raised a leg like it was going to kick her away. At the last second, Ash held her sword up and when the goblin did its kick, her sword stabbed through its foot.


    It let out an ear-piercing screech as it fell back. Ash''s eyes widened. It''s down, I should go for the kill! She ran up.


    "W-Wait!" Kaori yelled but by then, Ash had gotten too close. With its club, the creature slammed Ash by her left arm, sending her flying in the opposite direction. Ash rolled on the dirt until she slowly stopped.


    Her left arm felt like it''d been shattered.


    "Fuck!" Ash shook her head. I got desperate. What the hell is wrong with me? She scolded herself as she searched for her mana again. I need a second.


    "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach." She said, putting her sword on the ground and placing her right hand on her left arm. It slowly began healing as the goblin held its stabbed foot. Ash could barely feel any progress happening at her wound. Come on, come on! The goblin slowly attempted to stand, falling once or twice.


    Ash felt her left arm''s wound mildly heal.


    Well, now it doesn''t feel broken anymore, but still hurts like hell.


    The larger goblin looked like it couldn''t care less about Kaori, even as she shot another arrow at it. Its eyes were fixed on Ash. Ash got ready as it finally stood and roared at her. With deep breaths, she waited for it to come. It stomped towards her. She didn''t move.


    Only when it was right in front of her did Ash stop healing her arm and reached for her sword. She grabbed it and rolled out of the way of a swing, landing to its left and cringing as her left arm flared up. Then, she slashed its calf. It roared but didn''t go down, which Ash had counted on. So, as it attacked, she could only try to avoid the hit. She didn''t. It persisted, even as another one of Kaori''s arrows landed at its back.


    This time, it slammed her stomach.


    "Ash!" Kaori shouted.


    Ash spat out violet blood as the goblin walked up. Shit. Don''t think I can get up in time. She thought as she clutched her gut.


    As she thought that, she felt rage bubbling up within her. Oh no. A violet-colored aura started coming out from her body. Fuck. Well, I might need it though.


    She started crawling away, watching as her hands slowly transformed.


    Then, she heard Kaori yell behind her. She looked back and found the blonde Savior transforming her weapon into the swordstaff, stabbing through the creature''s uninjured leg. It fell forwards, kneeling.


    Ash then watched as Kaori, with a furious visage, quickly raised her swordstaff up and stabbed through the goblin''s head. Its body tensed up, almost freezing as it registered that this had happened. Then, Kaori removed her weapon and the monster fell forwards.


    Ash watched as its life left its body.


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP: 65/65


    Level Up!


    Oh, thank fuck. She thought, collapsing to the ground. Her hands stopped transforming.


    "Ash? Ash!?"


    She turned up to face the sky as Kaori quickly knelt beside her.


    "Good job." She muttered. "What took you so long?"


    "I''m sorry, I, I froze and... Are you okay?" Kaori asked.


    "Please, don''t ask stupid questions, I''m not in the mood." Ash coughed out some blood. "That thing hit me pretty hard. It''s... It''s probably better to just get me to Satsuhiro fast, instead of taking the time to heal myself here."


    "O-Okay, I''ll get you up."


    Then, startling Ash, Kaori picked her up by her back and her legs, after transforming her swordstaff into its cube.


    "Uh¡­"


    "Alright, let''s go," Kaori said as she started jogging back to the farm with Ash in her arms.


    ¡­


    Later, Ash was resting at her bed, with Satsuhiro healing her.


    "Productive?" He asked, his hands hovering her ribcage.


    "Sure," Ash replied. "Fuck, I hate goblins."


    "Everyone does." Satsuhiro shrugged. "Good work though. Keep it up."


    "Mhm."


    And so, around ten minutes after Satsuhiro had started healing her, Ash''s wounds were fully erased. Satsuhiro stood and got out of the room. Kaori and Keiko were still there.


    "A-Ash, I''m so sorry, I mean, I don''t know what came over me and¡­"


    "It''s fine," Ash mumbled. "We..." She sighed. "We just need to keep fighting. Like Satsuhiro said, just need to get used to it and stay used to it."


    Kaori, looking deeply ashamed, hung her head low.


    "Yeah¡­"


    Keiko placed a hand on Kaori''s back.


    "We''ll keep training tomorrow. You''ll be ready for that mission, promise."


    Oh, right. Ash thought. I hope that Nightmare''s on the weaker side of things. I don''t think I want to keep getting concussed like this. Can''t be good for my well-being.


    "All done?" Metsumi asked at the door. "Come on, I made something for you, Satsuhiro might have healed your body, but Momma Metsu''s gotta heal your spirit!"


    "Yeah, in a sec," Ash said as she started getting up. Kaori was the first to walk out of the room, looking slightly sullen. Keiko however, walked up to Ash instead. "What''s¡­"


    She kissed Ash full-on.


    The hybrid blinked, barely registering what Keiko was doing before the girl ended it, a thin strand of saliva connecting their lips.


    "I''m trying to get used to it. I¡­ I want to be able to, well, help you," Keiko told her as Ash nodded.


    "¡­ Gotcha." Ash tore her hands off and pulled them back, looking down, feeling that familiar burning within her. "I''ll uh... I''ll see you outside. Give me a sec?"


    "Mhm," Keiko replied, exiting the room. Ash laid down, staring up at the ceiling.


    She thought back to the fight.


    That was bad. She thought. I nearly went all out¡­ Sometimes, there''s no doubt I''ll have to use my Demon Form to survive, but If I ever reach Lust 4¡­ That''s a scary thought.


    The rest of the day was a blur in Ash''s eyes. She could barely focus, with so many thoughts swimming in her head. As the day passed and the next arrived, she and Kaori continued to work hard, getting ready for their first real mission.

 Chapter 30 - 27

    Before she knew it, a week had passed.


    She and Kaori continued to train with Keiko, taking an hour out of every day to walk into the woods and look for fights. This time, however, they made a point out of avoiding anything that looked too perilous. Due to this, their progress was slightly lessened, but they still leveled up. And, this morning, Ash finally accomplished the goal she''d set.


    "Any second now¡­ probably¡­" Ash thought as she cut a log of wood in half, and her Strength went up.


    Finally! She thought as she let her weapon transform back into a cube.


    "Yeah, I''m done." She called out as Kaori and Keiko stood up behind her.


    "So¡­" Keiko started.


    "Well, yeah," Ash told her. "No reason to stall, right?"


    It was just about time to head out for the mission.


    Currently, Ash''s stats looked like this:


    Level 9


    MP: 80/80


    ---


    STR: 10


    DEX: 10


    CON: 10


    INT: 8


    WIS: 8


    L: 100


    Through a combination of training and leveling, she''d gotten her stats to this point. It had taken many frustrating hours, but it was worth it in the end. She needed to be ready to complete this task. Kaori had done the same, though to a slightly lesser extent. Her own stats were:


    Level 13


    MP: 50/50


    ---


    STR: 14


    DEX: 14


    CON: 11


    INT: 5


    WIS: 5


    L: 100


    It made Ash happy to know that she''d lowered the gap between them somewhat, though she still doubted she could win a fight against the blonde Savior. At least, without her Demon Form. She walked up to Kaori and Keiko and put her hands on her hips.


    "Let''s tell Satsuhiro." She stated and the two nodded.


    They went into the man''s home and found him with his family gathered in the living room. Ash stood in front of him.


    "Done?" He asked.


    "Yeah." She replied. "I should be ready. And, well, Kaori''s been ready for a while."


    "Then, it''s time to head out." He took the letter they''d received and passed it to her. "I''ll be going with you, just to make sure you get there in one piece. Once you''re there though, I''ll come back. You''ll be on your own. You need to know what it feels like to only have yourselves to rely on, not that the feeling is completely alien to you."


    "Gotcha." Ash nodded. "So, where was it again?" She asked as she held the paper up.


    "To the west. Not too far." Satsuhiro indicated. "Take your time, get something to drink, eat up, pack whatever you want, and whenever you''re ready, we''ll head out."


    "Alright."


    With that being said, Kaori and Ash prepared for the trip. Metsumi offered them some tea and prepared some travel food for them. Satsuhiro gave Ash a list of Light spells she could seek to make some progress learning on the way, during breaks. As far as the spells she''d received before were concerned, she did manage to learn them. Lumina''s Presence was a slower, but longer-term version of the basic one Satsuhiro had given her, while Perish had a shorter range, but was slightly more effective. Essentially, they were better versions of the basic spells, though still slightly different. She was now making progress on three spells, Lumina''s Spirit, Decimating Touch, and Barrier, though she doubted those would be finished before she got to the ruins.


    A small feeling of anxiety bubbled up in Ash''s heart. This was it. This was, to put it casually, her first day on the job.


    When the preparations were done, Ash wore that unreliable-looking iron armor, while Kaori wore her golden Savior armor and the two stood outside the house, waiting for Satsuhiro. Keiko walked up to the two of them.


    "Stay safe," she said. "Remember, defense wins fights. Don''t forget the fundamentals. Try to out-skill your opponents, not overpower them."


    "Yeah." Ash nodded. "We''ll be alright." She tried to reassure Keiko, who clearly looked worried.


    "It''ll be fine!" Kaori said as she walked up and hugged Keiko. Then, she looked back at Ash and cocked her head. "Come on, join in!"


    "Uh, that''s not¡­" But, as Kaori''s eyes held a hidden pressure, Ash found herself sighing and walking up. "Fine."


    Trying to control both her nerves and her lust, she wrapped her arms around them.


    "AW!" Metsumi said, pointing at them, "so cute!"


    And Ash instantly backed away.


    Satsuhiro walked out, moving past Metsumi and his daughter who were behind him. He looked back at them.


    "Don''t open up for anyone. You hear anything at night, you hide."


    "Yeah, we''re good, Satsu." The large woman walked up and pressed a kiss at his lips. "We know the drill. Don''t we, sweetie?" She asked Opah and the little girl nodded.


    "Good." Satsuhiro nodded back. "Then, we''re off."


    And so, as Keiko went with Metsumi and Opah back into the house, the three of them walked west, toward the line of distant trees.


    Ash looked at Satsuhiro and asked:


    "So¡­ What do you mean they should hide if they hear something at night?" Ash asked. "Metsumi looks pretty huge. Couldn''t she deal with a random animal or something?"


    "There are far more dangerous things in this part of the world than animals, Ash. Mostly just two though." Satsuhiro asked without taking his eyes off the trees ahead. "Bandits and demons."


    "Bandits?"


    "Some people live out in the wilderness." Satsuhiro pointed out. "They prey on people exactly like my family, who live alone and would be noticed by no one if they went missing. And, when it comes to the demons, well¡­" He shrugged. "They''re unpredictable. About a decade ago, they made it a hobby to attack people heading from one city to another. Then, they started setting up camps and strongholds. Their behavior seems to change every couple of years. It''s not unthinkable that they''d attack my home if they found it." He said as they reached the woods.


    There was a reason Ash didn''t ask about the demons. She knew quite well that they liked to look for people to attack. It was how she was made, after all.


    "Ash," Kaori walked up to her and whispered, "Look!" She pointed at a few glowing flowers. They almost looked like little colorful clouds growing next to a bush. Those things don''t even look real.


    "Don''t touch those." Satsuhiro let them know. "They''re toxic. I''ll have to let you know about these sorts of things, I guess." He nodded to himself. "Where to find food, what you can and can''t eat."


    He did just that.


    As the small group began their short trip, Satsuhiro would highlight different plants and trees, pointing out fruits and vegetables they could eat. Ash barely understood. She''d lived her whole life surrounded by nothing but stone. She wondered if Kaori was getting any of this. Satsuhiro seemed to know all of it by heart though, which was impressive to her.


    They moved through so much colorful land that Ash felt like she was in a strange dream. The ground rose and fell in little hills, the trees ranged from giant and sprawling to being barely bigger than her own body. There was so much variety that she wondered if Magia had made all of this by just throwing different ideas into the world recklessly.


    Oh, right. She thought. The goddess had indicated that she would need to visit some sort of old church. What are the chances that the place is near where I''m headed? Unless... Ash thought about it. Unless that''s why she told me about it to begin with. She is a literal goddess after all. She wondered. Sometimes, she could still faintly remember the feelings of her lips on her own, and it gave her a strange sensation.


    One that she could only compare to the feelings given to her by Kaori and Keiko.


    That''s all just way too complicated for me. She sighed, thinking to herself. If only this were as simple as ''hey, slash that, kill that and you''re done''. But, no. There are all these¡­ Emotions mixed in. It was easier when I could go through life hating everything around me. But now, with Keiko and Kaori who¡­ I don''t know, like me? Tolerate me? It''s so much weirder.


    It didn''t take too long, even though they walked fairly slowly.


    On occasion, Satsuhiro would tell them to stop to take a breather, and the two younger Saviors would eat some of what Metsumi had prepared for them. On one such break, Kaori had told her:


    "It''s really cool, isn''t it?"


    "What is?" Ash asked as she bit down on some bread.


    "Being out here. It''s different from the forest we went to when we trained. This is¡­ I don''t know, livelier?" Kaori giggled. "It feels cool. It feels like we''re actually in Nova, you know?"


    "I guess." Ash shrugged and Kaori reached over and lightly pushed her.


    "You''re just not enough of a romantic yet."


    Ash sighed.


    "¡­ This kind of thing is new to me." She stated. "I never really cared about, like, how pretty anything was. All I ever cared about was finding food to put in my stomach. I¡­" She sighed and crossed her legs. "I don''t really know how to enjoy the sights or whatever."


    "¡­ Maybe since we''re running around together now, I can teach you." Kaori suggested with a strangely light tone and Kaori shrugged.


    "Maybe."


    After a few more sequences like that, walking, stopping, walking, and stopping again, they eventually reached a point where the ground changed one last time. From dirt and leaves it transitioned into the kind of stone Ash was used to, only it led to a strange-looking town of sorts that was nothing like Jade.


    It was hard for Ash to comprehend what she was looking at. The buildings were sharp and thin, there were layers of mold over what she saw and broken-down carriages lined the street. The way this looks makes Jade feel like heaven.


    "This is it." Satsuhiro indicated. "This is about as far as I''ll take you."


    "So, where''s the building we''re looking for?"


    "That one." He pointed far to the distance where there was one structure so large they could see it from where they stood.


    Ash''s lips parted on their own as she held back a gasp.


    That''s the one. She thought, recalling the image Magia had shown her in her dream.


    "Remember what you''ve learned, what Keiko''s taught you, what your fight against the Nightmare at Jade taught you," Satsuhiro told them. "Pick your battles. You don''t have to kill every single thing you come across. You''re here for the Nightmare, and that''s it."


    "Yeah¡­" Ash was a tad distracted due to the realization she''d made.


    "We''ll be okay," Kaori assured Satsuhiro and the man nodded.


    "Then, it''s time for me to go." He said but hesitated to turn and walk away. Then, he placed his hands on Ash and Kaori''s upper backs, patting them. "You''re doing good. Both of you. Just wanted to let you know. Alright, good luck."


    With those words, he left.


    Ash and Kaori were left alone, with only their mission in front of them.

 Chapter 31 - 28

    Ash took a few steps farther into the ruins. In the distance, she could see the temple Magia had shown her in her dreams. Kaori walked to the left, inspecting a few crumbled buildings.


    "Wow," Kaori said. "How old do you think this place is?"


    "I don''t know," Ash replied.


    So, she thought, we just have to find the Nightmare and kill it. Of course¡­ At some point, I need to head over there, so I can talk to Magia. But, there''s no guarantee that the Nightmare is at that specific part of this town. It could be in one of these old houses as far as we know.


    "Everything is so¡­ crusty."


    "Yeah."


    "Ugh, everything smells so weird too. Did the letter say where this thing was?" Kaori asked.


    "Nah. We''ll have to find it ourselves." Ash transformed her weapon into a sword. "Keep your guard up."


    "Right." Kaori did the same.


    The two of them walked a little deeper. The old town looked so strange to Ash. In some ways, she could see hints of how it was like Jade, with what she imagined was once pristine, regal architecture, but with the vegetation, the mold, and the cracks that now decorated every stone in sight, she wondered how long it had been since this place saw any signs of life.


    Apparently though, not too long.


    She paused, hearing something in the distance.


    "Wait." She put a hand up.


    "Huh? What is it?" Kaori asked.


    "There''s¡­ Something nearby."


    It was a sound reminiscent of the goblins. Something guttural coming from the northeast. There was what looked like an old house, but its door had been torn down, leaving a large hole in the wall acting as an entrance. Ash heard the sound coming from inside. She slowly walked towards it as Kaori followed behind her.


    There was a counter and some stools that made the building seem like an old tavern of sorts. As she got closer, she realized something. Oh, she thought, whatever''s here is eating something. Maybe some unlucky animal.


    Finally, she reached the source.


    She stopped, her hands instinctively reaching for Lust. It was something that looked quite a bit like herself, but with violet lines running through its body, larger horns, and claw-bearing hands. It''s a full demon. She realized.


    Level 11


    MP: 40/40


    Well, if there''s a Nightmare here, it does make sense for there to be demons too, considering what they do.


    The demon turned around, red blood flowing down its chin. It had been eating from the carcass of a wolf. It was alone, luckily. It snarled at them, Kaori gasped behind her.


    "A demon!" She whispered.


    "Level 11." Ash muttered.


    "Huh?" Kaori asked. "How do you know?"


    "I can see their levels." She explained.


    "Seriously? That''s... That''s pretty impressive." Kaori told her."


    "Mhm. You want to take this one or should I?"


    "Uh¡­" Kaori hesitated. "Maybe you should."


    "Okay. Take a couple of steps back then," Ash said as the demon slowly rose to its feet. "I''m guessing it''ll attack in a little bit."


    Instead, the demon ran out through a different hole in the back of the tavern.


    "Or not," Ash remarked, raising a brow.


    "Where did it go?" Kaori asked.


    "I¡­" Ash was about to say she didn''t know, but then the demon leaped up into the air, hopping on top of the building next to that one. What the hell is it doing?


    Then, it let out a screech so loud, Ash dropped her sword to cover her ears. Kaori did the same.


    "What?" Kaori asked. "What is this?"


    "I don''t know!"


    However, as the screeching died down, its intentions soon became clear. More sounds started to appear from around them. In the buildings behind the two Saviors, in the ones to the northwest, even almost halfway through the town, she could hear some snarling coming from the temple''s direction.


    "Oh." She realized. "It was calling for help."


    Suddenly, other demons started to appear, walking out into the streets. They came in multiple shapes and sizes, Ash noticed. Some looked like smaller versions of the Nightmares they''d fought at Jade, big round and gross. Others looked more human, while there were a couple of demons whose teeth were a collection of sharp-looking fangs and whose bodies were far more animalistic than the rest.


    Level 10


    MP: 10/10


    Level 12


    MP: 10/10


    Level 11


    MP: 40/40


    And, so on. Each one ranged from level 10 to 12.


    "Kaori." She called to the other girl. "Kaori?" She turned around and found the blonde paling, her body frozen with fear.


    "Y-Yes?"


    Ash took a moment to look behind them. Sure enough, there were demons covering the area they''d entered from.


    "I count ten demons all in all. I''m pretty sure we''ve got two options." Ash took a deep breath. "We can either fight them, which probably won''t go well, or we can run, but they''re behind us now too, so that also probably won''t go well."


    The horde of demons started screeching to one another, some of them cackling and getting in a pouncing position.


    "Maybe we can take out one or two before they get to us though," Ash told her. "Switch to our bow forms, you know? Shoot a few down and switch back when they get close."


    "Y-Yeah sounds good." She could almost hear Kaori hyperventilating.


    "How many fire spells did you learn again?"


    "S-Satsuhiro gave me three."


    "Remember to use them," Ash told her.


    One of the demons started running towards them.


    "Okay, go!"


    Both girls quickly transformed their weapons, golden arrows appearing ready to be used. Ash gritted her teeth and aimed for the one that had started running first while the others began running after them too. Kaori targeted the ones behind them.


    Ash pulled back the nocked arrow and let it fly. The projectile, launched through the air, struck the demon square in the head.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 40/115


    The demon squealed, falling to its knees and then down to the stone ground, dead. Holy shit! Ash nearly chuckled. With her Dexterity up to 10 now, it felt surreal to know she could hit these sorts of shots. She couldn''t waste time celebrating though.


    Another arrow appeared, already nocked, and she shot it at a second demon. This time, the arrow hit its shoulder. The enemy persisted, nearly reaching Ash as another arrow appeared. With the demon just eight feet away from her, she shot the arrow into its gut, sending the demon back.


    EXP Gained: 35


    EXP: 75/115


    She glanced back, seeing that Kaori had taken down one as well. 3 down. That leaves 7.


    "They''re here!" She called out, transforming her bow into a sword. Kaori did the same, going into her swordstaff.


    A demon reached Ash and raised a hand to bring it down on her. Oh, fuck it''s fast! Ash narrowed her eyes, pushing forwards and stabbing the demon in the chest before it could strike her. The demon screeched, falling on its back, violet blood pouring out from it.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 105/115


    Remember what Keiko always says. Defense wins fights. She put her sword in front of her.


    "Agh!" Kaori cried out behind her and Ash turned around as quickly as she could. As Kaori had been fighting one demon, another arrived and bit down on her neck. That''s not good. Before it could do anything else, Ash thrust her sword into its head.


    EXP Gained: 25


    EXP: 115/115


    Level Up!


    She pulled its teeth out of Kaori and pushed the demon off, leaving a violet mark on Kaori''s neck, with red blood mixing with it as it slid out from the wound.


    However, although she was hurt, Kaori still managed to raise her swordstaff and stab an enemy that approached after that. Ash finished it off with a slash and looked at Kaori.


    "I''m..."


    "Don''t talk, we''re still fighting," Ash told Kaori as she checked where the other demons were. There were four demons left, three coming from Ash''s side and one in front of Kaori. They were hesitant now though, maybe from seeing their brethren die so easily.


    I can try to heal her! She figured this was a good time to try out Lumina''s Presence.


    Ash, without taking her eyes off of the demons ahead, knelt beside Kaori, placing her hand hovering over the blonde''s wound.


    "Bring peace to those in need." She spoke the incantation and a white aura was emitted from her hand, slowly beginning to seal up the wound the demon had made. The other demons weren''t about to just sit and watch though, and they quickly started running towards them.


    "That should keep healing, even without me touching you, get ready." She told Kaori.


    "Y-Yeah¡­" Kaori stumbled up onto her feet.


    "Come on, you''ve got this," Ash told her as she raised her sword in the other direction.


    "Flame of the soul, strike!" Kaori cast her own incantation, aiming her free hand at the demon in front of her. A ball of flames struck its head.


    "Good job!" Ash cheered her on as a demon reached her.


    Those techniques Keiko taught me were meant to be used against weapons, but maybe I can use a few here?


    Ash nodded to herself as one demon raised an arm. She was going to try to parry the attack. She didn''t get the chance though.


    The original demon, the one that had called all of its friends, was waiting in the distance. It cast a spell, sending a dark sphere in Ash''s direction. What? She thought before she got hit by the dark ball of magic.


    She hunched, feeling like her very being had been slapped, as the demon''s arm came down, slamming into her head. The blow was so strong, it sent her straight to the ground. She nearly dropped her sword. Both of the demons that were in the distance started running towards her then, eager to finish her off.


    Kaori stepped in. She''d split her swordstaff into two blades, using both of them to impale the creature that had hit Ash just now. Then, she let one fall to the ground.


    "Infernal currents, come out!" It was another spell Satsuhiro had taught Kaori. This one sent a stream of flames pouring out of her hand and into the face of the demon closest to them. It reached up, trying to put them out.


    Ash, breathless from the spell, reached for her swords and stabbed it.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 115/115


    Two more to go. She thought.


    Kaori was quick though. She transformed her weapons into a bow.


    "That one!" Ash pointed at the one that had cast the spell.


    First, Kaori sent an arrow in its direction, one that hit its neck. The demon gargled, before toppling over lifelessly. Then, she shot one at the last demon that missed. Another, then another, until finally, she hit its head.


    And, the battle was over.


    Kaori quickly knelt beside Ash.


    "Are¡­ agh," she put a hand over her wound, "are you okay?"


    "I''m fine," Ash replied, though she could feel blood trickling down the part of her head that had been hit. "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach." She said, and put her hands back on Kaori''s neck, taking the chance to heal her up completely. "Good job. Holy shit, good job."


    Kaori chuckled.


    "That was close, huh?" Kaori asked. "I''m sorry, I''m still¡­ I don''t know, when I see a monster, I just¡­ I get so scared."


    "It''s fine." Ash shook her head.


    She will need to get used to it though. She thought. It wouldn''t be good if she freezes up in front of something more dangerous.


    --


    It took a couple of minutes to fully heal both Kaori and herself, but before too long, they were continuing to make their way into the ruins, fresh, if a little tired. Ash looked around, trying to spot out any lurking demons.


    "Wow," Kaori started, as she pointed ahead, "that place looks pretty impressive."


    Ash looked forward and saw the temple. There was a large statue just in front of it, one depicting Magia holding something Ash couldn''t quite comprehend in her hands. It almost looked like a star.


    "I need to go there," Ash stated.


    "Huh?"


    "I¡­ It''s a long story." Ash waved a hand. "But, maybe we could go in there before we keep looking for this thing. What do you say?" Ash asked.


    "Uh, sure. It''s all the same, right? We don''t know where the Nightmare is after all."


    Ash nodded. The two began forward. As they drew closer, Ash felt a warmth coming from inside the temple. Whoa. She nearly stopped as the warmth increased in intensity. It''s like¡­ It''s like what I felt when Magia kissed me. It''s like she''s in there. Probably a good sign.


    Breathing in, Ash walked ahead of Kaori for a short bit.


    But then, something made her stop. It was a thudding sound coming from inside the temple. It reminded her of the footsteps of the Nightmare they''d fought previously, as it had come out into the arena.


    "Uh¡­" Kaori said, "do you hear that?"


    "Mhm." Ash narrowed her eyes. "What the hell is in there?"


    As they got closer to the temple, the vibrations grew in intensity. It was getting closer to them. Ash took a step back, and so did Kaori. The entrance to the temple was dark, almost to the point where she couldn''t see into it. However, as something started to exit, the sunlight draped itself over it and Ash''s eyes widened.


    "That¡­" She muttered. "Is that it?"


    The demon that emerged was just as big as the one they''d fought at Jade, but with several key differences. This one had a sword by its side that was rusted and chipped, but larger than Ash''s entire body. Instead of the gluttonous appearance of the other Nightmare, this thing had a sculpted body, still rotten, but strong-looking. At its head was a mouth packed with sharp teeth and empty eyes, with long white hair falling over its shoulders.


    Then, Ash got a headache. It started out mild, but as seconds passed and the Nightmare took a few steps closer, Ash felt like her head was on fire.


    An image flickered in front of her. She saw a young man, one that was dressed in golden armor, one that was familiar to Ash, carrying an exceptionally large sword at his back. The image faded and Ash fell to her knees.


    Another one came. She saw him living with a small family, his sword resting against the wall. Ash felt that warmth she attributed to Magia at this point, rising in intensity with the headache. More images of the same man flooded her eyes until a small voice whispered into her ears:


    "Come."


    And when she heard that, Ash blacked out, falling to the ground, unconscious.

 Chapter 32 - 29

    Kaori


    Watching the Nightmare walk out of the temple made Kaori quiver. Her hands trembled as the Nightmare growled, its empty eyes aimed at them.


    "W-What are we supposed to¡­?"


    Then, she looked to her right. Her eyes popped out of their sockets. Ash had fainted. Ash!?


    Kaori knelt by her side just before the Nightmare roared a deep sound that made some of the birds nearby fly away. What, what''s happening? What''s wrong with her?


    "Ash, come on, get up." Kaori shook her body. "Ash!"


    Again, the Nightmare growled and some of the demons that were by its side began walking menacingly towards them. Kaori looked at them, and then back at Ash. I¡­ What do I do? She wondered.


    She took the first solution that came to her mind and ran with it. Picking Ash up, one hand under her legs and the other on her back, she ran away with Ash in her arms.


    The demons gave terrifying animalistic screeches, and Kaori glanced back. They started running after her, far faster than she could move while carrying the half-demon. I need to get us to safety. She looked around at the different buildings, finding one that was slightly bigger than the rest.


    She ran inside. It was some sort of ancient library. Kaori found a table at the center of the room and dropped Ash there, then she turned around. Something to block the entrance, something to block the entrance, something¡­


    She grabbed a nearby bookshelf and toppled it over the entrance. Probably not enough. So, she took a second one and did the same thing with it, stacking it over the other. As soon as she finished, the demons outside started banging against the door.


    "Oh, wow, that''s¡­" She flinched as a particularly loud bang happened, "not scary at all."


    Kaori turned and walked over to Ash, who was still unconscious.


    What''s going on with you? Kaori wondered as the banging at the entrance continued.


    --


    Ash


    The half-demon found herself in that familiar dark room. However, knowing what had happened just before she fell, she turned around and shouted:


    "Kaori!?" But, of course, her voice echoed in the room, with nothing answering.


    Seriously? Magia, your timing couldn''t have been worse! Ash waited for the routine to happen. Sure enough, the darkness faded, replaced by a swirling of colors. Soon, the golden woman materialized in front of her.


    "Send me back!" Ash said. "The Nightmare, K-Kaori!"


    "Your friend is fine." A sultry voice replied and Ash froze. "She reacted as I w-w-wanted her to."


    "What? So you just fucking hoped she''d..." As she spoke, she internalized what just happened.


    "You¡­ You talked."


    "Y-egh, yes." Her voice sounded distorted, every couple of syllables it would cut out somehow. "Th-though, as your f-friend dragged you away, now the connect-tion is weaker. H-However." She took a few steps closer and put her hands on Ash''s cheeks. The hybrid felt smaller in Magia''s presence. "T-This should be enough to finally speak, darling." Then, as she usually did, she gave Ash a kiss. The half-demon took a step back.


    "But¡­ But Kaori, where¡­?"


    Quickly, Magia turned and conjured an image ahead of Ash. She saw her own body, in some strange library with Kaori watching over her.


    "Sh-e drag-ged you here. The d-emons are h-having trouble break-king in. You should b-be fine for a few minute-s."


    Ash tried to take a deep breath, finding that she couldn''t.


    She is way too casual about this.


    "B-Because I kn-ow you are in n-no danger," Magia stated and Ash''s eyes widened.


    "Did you just read my mind?" Ash asked.


    "D-Does that surpr-ise you? I am a god-dess after all." Magia said with a chuckle. "Th-though, there are many thing-s you may be surprised to kn-zzz-ow. So," then, she pulled one of the colors from the wall and flung it between them. The color transformed the entire area.


    Suddenly, they were in a forest, with a wooden table between them equipped with a couple of chairs.


    "My love, let''s get t-o know each other."


    --


    Kaori


    "I, what do I do?" Kaori asked herself as she heard the banging continue. The demons didn''t seem like they were going to give up any time soon. And, as large thudding footsteps approached, Kaori wondered if the makeshift barricade she''d created would keep the Nightmare out.


    She looked at Ash, walked up, and placed her hands on her cheeks.


    "Ash, please, please."


    It was no use though. The hybrid wasn''t stirring.


    Okay, she thought, it''s not working. Maybe I should just keep piling stuff up over there. So, she walked over to a different dust-covered table, pulled it from where it was, and started coughing as the air came up from it. Then, she threw it over the barricade.


    "That looks a little sturdier."


    Then, almost as soon as she said this, the Nightmare reached the library. At least, if the intense thudding of giant footsteps was anything to go by. The demons quieted down momentarily. What''s¡­ Then, a giant sword stabbed right through the barricade Kaori had made.


    "Oh¡­" Kaori''s eyes were fixed on a sword-shaped hole that had been made, where she could just barely see a hint of the Nightmare''s body behind the entrance.


    With shaking hands, Kaori transformed her Love into a bow, and shot an arrow through the hole, striking the Nightmare. She heard it screech in response, and then it used its sword a second time, stabbing through the barricade again.


    She could see it getting weaker. A few more of those, and it would be ruined.


    "More." She set her bow down beside Ash and went to find more shelves to toss in. Old books fell to the ground as Kaori stacked them. Again, the Nightmare''s sword stabbed through them.


    Eventually, I''ll run out of these. She thought.


    She looked around and counted six more in total.


    Again, she walked up to Ash and put a hand on her cheek.


    "Please, Ash. Please, come on, I need you."


    --


    Ash


    "So¡­ what is this about?" Ash asked.


    "Be-fore I go into too much d-detail, you nee-d to know someth-ing about gods." Magia put her hands under her chin, leaning on the table and looking at Ash. "We are n-not all powerful, or all kno-wing."


    Ash''s eyes widened.


    "Su-rprised?" Magia chuckled. "It hurts m-my ego quite a bit to ad-mit that. B-But, it''s true. You need t-to understand that first be-f-fore we continue."


    "Wow¡­ That''s¡­ damn." Then, Ash looked up at her. "But, you read my mind just now."


    "B-Because we are here." Magia gestured at their surroundings. "This is my world. My p-aaa-lain of reality. This i-zzz-s my home. In here, even the othe-r deities cannot match m-me." Then, she looked back at Ash and her smile faded. "How-ever, in your world, we only have a lim-mited amount of power."


    Magia stood up. Slowly, images of large towers and grandiose cities started appearing all around Ash.


    "I-It was n-zzz-ot always like this though. There was onc-ce a time where we were clo-ser to what the average per-son believes us to be, even in your world."


    "Uh, listen, Kaori''s probably having a hard time." Ash stopped her. "Could we make this quicker or something?"


    "M-My my." Magia flew over to Ash, putting both her hands on her cheeks. "Y-You re-ally are everything I-I hoped you would be! The gall to tell a-a goddess to get to t-he point. That," she leaned in close, "that i-s why I love you."


    Ash sighed.


    "Your w-worry for your f-friend is admirable. But, do-zzz-n''t worry. She seems more ca-pable than you think."


    "¡­ Okay."


    "N-Now, where were we?" Magia continued. "A-Ah, yes. How this a-all went wrong."


    --


    Kaori


    The Nightmare slowly, but surely, broke through the barricade. Kaori gulped. She''s not getting up. And, she looked around, I''ve nearly run out of cover to use. As the demons continued pounding against the barricade, Kaori looked back at Ash.


    "I¡­" She looked at her, feeling anxious. "What do I do?"


    And at that moment, her memories with Ash passed in front of her eyes, and she felt an intense admiration blossom inside of her.


    This girl had helped her so much recently. After everything that had happened with the archpriest, Ash had been almost single-handedly responsible for raising her spirits and taking her mind off of the memories she couldn''t erase. But, it wasn''t just how she''d treated her. Ash, in general, was so admirable to Kaori.


    The hybrid was so determined, one could actually be fooled into believing she actually cared about regular people. She went about her work with a drive to improve and a desire to do better which consistently would shock Kaori. She assumed it was the sort of thing anyone could tell after they''d spent enough time with Ash. Maybe it was just survival instinct, but the half-demon seemed to try her best to stay active. She genuinely believed the woman would become an excellent Savior in the future because of it.


    But, putting that aside, she knew why she was so infatuated with her. That was because Kaori whole-heartedly believed that under that tough exterior was a soul so bright it would put any priest and self-righteous citizen of Nova to shame. She was an incredible person underneath that shell.


    Going as far as she had for Kaori, even after the way their relationship had started, between fighting for her at Kaori''s trial, calling for her parents, trusting her when it was clear the number of people Ash trusted could be counted on one hand, and, above all else, believing in her when Kaori didn''t believe in herself. It made her nothing but affection for Ash.


    So, as she heard the bookshelves she''d stack crack and break, she looked down at Ash and nodded to herself.


    Picking the demon up, she looked for a place at the back of the library where Ash wouldn''t get caught in the coming crossfire.


    "I won''t let anything happen to you," Kaori stated, turning around and facing the entrance. She transformed her Love into the swordstaff, taking a deep breath. "I''ve relied on you a few times now. I''ll show you that you can rely on me."


    And so, as her swordstaff rested at her hip, the demons broke through.


    --


    Keiko


    Earlier, just a short while after Satsuhiro returned


    Back at Satsuhiro''s farm, the Zayama was sitting cross-legged outside at the fields. Her head hanging low, she breathed in. Meditating, she tried to awaken her Spirit Eye. It was something she only did in private nowadays, though she mostly did it to pass the time. She didn''t expect to actually succeed.


    The door opened behind her.


    "Keiko! You want some tea? I''m making a bit." Metsumi asked and Keiko stopped.


    "Sure, thank you."


    "Come in, come in! We got a little fire going. It''s cozy."


    "Hehe, alright." Keiko chuckled.


    Walking in, she walked to where she remembered the couch being, feeling a certain heat coming from something in front of her. Probably the fire. She sat down and then, she heard Satsuhiro mutter something under his breath to her right.


    "That doesn''t make sense." He said.


    "Hm? Is something wrong?" Keiko asked.


    "I''ve been re-reading the descriptions the witnesses gave of the Nightmare at the ruins, the one Kaori and Ash are fighting."


    "Oh?" She asked, turning in his direction. "And what''s up?"


    "I just noticed something. All in all, there are around 7 reports. In most of the descriptions, the Nightmare''s wearing armor, there''s one though, just one where it isn''t."


    "Um, so?"


    "Hmph. They probably had the same reaction as they went over these before they gave the mission to us, but Nightmares aren''t too concerned about fashion. If they''re seen wearing one thing, they''ll generally wear that for the rest of their existence, unless something takes that clothing off." Satsuhiro explained. "What''s with this?"


    "Hm, I don''t know."


    Keiko smiled then as Metsumi spoke to her and handed her the tea.


    I hope they''re both doing well. Keiko thought. I hope to be more useful to them in the future.


    --


    Ash


    "Some years ago," Magia explained, conjuring images of an old world, "I and other d-deities held a strong-e-r position in th-e world. The way we held that s-tren-gth though, was through sites of power. One of them," she conjured an image of the ruins Ash and Kaori were currently in, "is that tem-ple."


    "Sites of power¡­ So that''s why I can speak to you near that place?"


    "Precisely." Magia nodded. "The four of u-us, Alkoth, that liar Lumina, Niven, and myself, we shared our power evenly, c-r-eating a balance between the domains. Each one, a-a-after all, is essential for the w-w-world. Fairness, order, jus-zzz-tice, with Allkoth. Love, peace and empath-ff-y, even if she''s a liar. Death, wrath and war, and my o-w-own domains, creation, lust and passion. These domains pr-propagate the cycle of humanity. How-zzz-ever, one of us, grew jealous."


    "Listen, this is all interesting, but, seriously," as she spoke, her voice suddenly went quiet. What? Then, she reached up and felt that her mouth had disappeared.


    "I understand your con-cerns, but please, this is import-tant." Magia told her. "Niven wanted more. The god of death w-wrath and war decided to try to create more chaos to fuel his ow-ow-n powers. And so, he infused humans with his own being, cre-a-ting the demons. They d-z-destroyed the different sites of power belonging to e-each of the gods, except those of Niven. Thus, we los-z-st our power. However, using what little in-fluence I had left, I chose humans and infu-z-sed them with special learning powers."


    Saviors? Ash thought.


    "Yes." Magia nodded. "Lumina and Alkoth followe-z-d in my footsteps, picking Saviors of their own. But¡­ it was-n''t enough." Magia sounded sadder. "Niven''s forces have still been too much to d-d-deal with¡­ Until now."


    Huh?


    "You." Magia flew up to her and wrapped her arms around her. "You!" She grinned picking Ash up and spinning her around in the air. "18 yea-rs ago, I made you. I noticed what was happening to your mother, an-d-d I acted. While you were in her womb, I forged you. I made you, Ash, as my answer to Niven''s forces. My champion."


    But¡­ How? How''s that supposed to work? I''m just another Savior.


    "You aren''t," Magia told her. "T-There are still things about yourself that you don''t understand. I poured a-s much of my own power into you as I-I-I could. You will understand in t-t-time. Ah. Your friend needs you. For now, all I can say is," she created an image of the temple. "Remember your spells," Magia stated. "It is only w-when you u-use all of your capabilities that your full power will be revealed."


    Magia looked back, as though there was something there, then she turned around to face Ash.


    "I can only g-g-give you one gift at this moment. Good luck."


    She placed her hands on Ash''s cheeks, closing her eyes. Then, Magia''s body turned violet. What? Ash thought as violet lightning surged from her hands into Ash''s body. I¡­ What''s happening to me? She felt raw power entering her being.


    Then, Ash''s eyes blinked open.


    The smell of blood was so intense, she sat up where she was and frantically looked around.


    "Kaori!?"

 Chapter 33 - 30

    Kaori


    The first demon to break in caught a ball of flames to the face.


    Kaori tried her hardest to keep her nerves calm, but the loud tearing of wood and the guttural roaring coming from the front made that difficult. The blonde Savior gritted her teeth, quickly splitting her swordstaff. All in all, there were five demons along with the Nightmare. Two of them were running in faster than the rest.


    With Ash somewhat hidden, Kaori could focus entirely on the coming fight. Still, that didn''t mean she would win. She had managed to match Ash in skill after the week of training, but she still felt like an amateur.


    Particularly, the fact that she couldn''t see their stats was a problem too. She had no idea which was the weakest.


    As they got to her position, she got ready. The demon closest to her hunched over like it was going to try tackling her. Kaori kicked its face, pushing it back. The demon next to it raised a clawed hand. Kaori blocked its attack with a sword, then, with her other blade, she stabbed it in the gut.


    The demon continued to press forwards like it didn''t care too much about what had just happened.


    Kaori glanced behind it, seeing the other demons rapidly entering the library. The Nightmare, however, didn''t seem to be focused on Kaori. Instead, it was looking around the library, like it was searching for something. What? She shook her head.


    I need more space, she thought. So, she pushed the demon she''d stabbed to the right and ran left, where the bookshelves had been. Now that it was empty, Kaori felt like she had room to work with. She turned back just in time to duck out of the way of a swipe from a different demon that may have clawed her eyes out.


    She rose back up with a slash at the throat that reduced the demon''s screeches to gargles.


    An EXP message popped up above her, but Kaori was too focused to look at it.


    Target their heads. Kaori reasoned. I need to take out at least a few of them as fast as I can, otherwise, they''ll swarm me.


    Kaori dropped one of her blades, looking at the group of demons rushing towards her.


    "Infernal currents, come out!" From her left palm, a stream of fire poured out. She tried to hit as many of them as she could with it, blinding the two nearest to her as she aimed for their eyes. She canceled the spell out, quickly crouching to pick up her other sword, then she charged in.


    One demon was trying to put the fires on its head out. Kaori stabbed it in the neck.


    Then, as another one approached, Kaori spun in place, slicing off the upper half of its head. Violet blood squirted out from the wound, landing on her armor.


    Watching it die, she was distracted for a moment. Just long enough for one demon to slam a palm into her head. She was thrust back, her vision blurring for a second. Kaori was nearly knocked out. She saw drops of red blood fall on the ground in front of her. Her eyes widened in terror as the demons moved to collapse on her.


    "Flame of the soul, strike!" She aimed a sphere of fire at one to the left, and as it fell back, she rolled in that direction, trying to make space to get up. As she got to her knees, one demon reached her and tried to bite through her left arm, but its teeth didn''t penetrate her armor.


    Seeing that, Kaori raised a blade and skewered it.


    She pushed away the next one to approach, taking a deep breath. At that point, she took a second to see how many were left. The Nightmare was still searching the library, and Kaori paled. It couldn''t be¡­ Is it searching for Ash? Kaori shook her head. No, that doesn''t make sense. Why would it target her?


    Aside from that creature, there were still two demons alive and ready to fight her. Kaori was taking quick short breaths as one growled, pouncing forward. It''s so fast! Kaori barely had time to react as the demon kicked her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her lungs.


    It tried to bite her neck, but from below Kaori managed to hold it back. That was until the other demon joined it.


    Not good. She checked her own stats.


    Level 13


    MP: 10/50


    Last one. She noted.


    "Flame of the soul, strike!" She shot a fireball into the demon''s face, the one that was on top of her, at point-blank range. It pulled back and Kaori pushed it off her body, instantly having to contend with the other demon as tried to claw and scratch her face. With one of her blades, she stabbed its head. The demon''s body went limp. The other demon was standing up as the flames on its face disappeared. Kaori did the same.


    Finally, pushing forward, she used one sword to stab through its chest. The demon squealed as Kaori lifted it into the air with her sword and slammed the creature down.


    The demon was dead.


    Kaori stared at it.


    Then, she heard a low groan and she realized that it wasn''t over.


    The Nightmare!


    She looked around. It was standing over Ash''s body, its sword raised, about to bring it down on her.


    Kaori sprinted. She ran forwards, leaping into the air to shove the Nightmare away. She only succeeded in pushing it back a step or two, but it was enough to draw its attention.


    "You won''t touch her!" Kaori yelled out as the Nightmare registered her presence, seemingly for the first time.


    It blinked, lowering its blade.


    Then, it lifted a hand and aimed it at her. Kaori, who remembered what had happened in Ash''s fight against the Nightmare at Jade, quickly realized what was coming. She ducked, just as a dark sphere shot out from its palm and flew in her direction.


    The Nightmare gave a surprised hum. Kaori charged forwards. With her blades, she went for its gut. Before she could reach it, with a speed that surprised Kaori, the demon responded with a great slash that hit her armor, sending Kaori back and crashing into the wall at the other end of the room.


    She coughed up some blood as she slid to the floor.


    If her armor had been any different kind, Kaori was sure her body would have been sliced in half by that attack. She looked up and found the Nightmare staring down at Ash once more.


    "H-Hey!" She materialized a bow and shot an arrow aimed at the demon''s head. Instead, though, she hit its shoulder. The demon let out a growl, turning slowly to face her.


    As Kaori stood up with a great amount of pain in her left hip and her ribs, she narrowed her eyes at it. The Nightmare finally started moving towards her. Good. All I can do is buy Ash enough time to come back¡­ If that''s even possible. What the hell happened to her? Kaori shook her head. No, focus.


    The Nightmare took thudding steps towards her. Kaori waited. When it reached her position, it raised its blade up. Kaori waited. When it started a slash, she dodged to the left. The Nightmare''s sword cut straight through the stone wall behind Kaori, creating a new entrance into the library. Kaori lifted a blade and stabbed the Nightmare''s right leg.


    It spun as it had before, but Kaori knew how fast it was now. So, she had anticipated some form of a counter. She jumped backward, narrowly avoiding the hit, wincing as her injured body cried out.


    Taking ragged breaths, she watched the Nightmare turn apathetically towards her.


    I''m guessing the chances that I beat this thing aren''t too high. She nodded to herself. Whatever. Just keep buying Ash time.


    Just as she had that thought though, she heard some strange noises behind her. What? She looked back. She gasped.


    Ash was waking up. Not only that, but she had transformed into her Demon Form.


    --


    Ash


    "W-What the¡­?" She muttered, looking down at her hands. Large claws had replaced her fingers. Magia transformed me? She can do that?


    Then, she looked around. There were demon corpses all around her. Wait, then, frantically, she searched for the other Savior. Kaori!


    She found her to the left side, but she wasn''t alone. In front of her was the Nightmare. Kaori had her back turned to it, looking at Ash.


    "Ash!" She called out.


    The Nightmare ran toward the blonde, with a surprising speed.


    "WATCH OUT!" Ash tried to warn her but the Nightmare was too fast. It shoulder-tackled her, launching Kaori all the way across the room and through the stone wall to the right. Ash paled. She ran after her companion, kneeling by her side when she found her on the ground outside.


    "Kaori, are you okay?"


    Her response was to cough out blood.


    "¡­ Aargh!" Ash felt rage spreading within her. Furious, she turned towards the Nightmare, which was slowly walking towards them.


    With her claws ready, Ash vowed to rip this creature apart.


    --


    Satsuhiro


    Earlier


    He was going over the witness reports of the Nightmare. Keiko was next to him, worried as he had indicated why this was so strange.


    "Something seems off." Satsuhiro told the Zayama.


    "It is understandable. But¡­ What could be the reason for the different accounts?"


    "Hm. Let me go over them again."


    He re-read two of them. One account was of an old man who liked to take walks in the forest. He had come across the ruins and had considered checking to see if there was anything in there that he could sell. Apparently, he saw the Nightmare with its other demons at that moment, dressed in strange armor and holding a large blade, performing some ritual in the center of the ruins. Satsuhiro understood this likely meant the Nightmare was turning humans into demons at that very moment. He left as soon as he saw that and shortly informed the Council.


    The other account was of a female ranger. She had been scouting the wilderness, looking for demons specifically when she found tracks leading to the ruins. She went as deep into it as she felt was safe, and told in her report that she had seen a naked demon, three times her size, alone. Of course, it was due to its size that it was clear it was a Nightmare, that was their main tell, but the simple distinction in having armor versus not having armor was strange.


    Unless¡­


    As a thought came to Satsuhiro, he stood up.


    "Keiko." He said quickly. "Grab your sword. Come."


    "What?" The Zayama asked.


    "I''m so fucking stupid." He mumbled. Metsumi, concerned, walked up to him.


    "What happened?"


    "How the fuck did I not realize that?" Satsuhiro asked. "Fuck, fuck!"


    "What do you mean?" His wife asked again.


    "There are two Nightmares."


    As Zayama returned to the living room with her sword, he grabbed her by the hand.


    "We''ll take a horse. Shouldn''t take long at all to get there."


    And so, the pair made a beeline for the ruins.


    --


    Ash


    She was staring down at the Nightmare in front of her.


    Level 15


    MP: 50/50


    Every part of her being wanted to attack immediately, but Ash willed herself not to. She wanted to wait to see what the Nightmare would do first.


    It only stared at her for a moment. Then, it raised a hand. Ash ducked, expecting a projectile. It wasn''t an attack though. It was something else.


    She felt a burning inside of her. It was gone as soon as it came, but it had happened.


    Then, a message appeared above her.


    [?]


    ?


    Then, the question marks changed.


    [STATUS EFFECT]


    Marked


    For the duration of this effect, demons can sense your location


    Ash froze.


    What? She thought. Her hands trembled. What the hell?


    The Nightmare wasn''t about to let her ponder the matter though. It raised its blade, likely with the intent to bring it down on her. Ash rolled forwards.


    She felt powerful. Very powerful. Thanks to her training, the +5 to her physical attributes propelled Ash far beyond where her Demon Form had taken her when she used it in Jade. This version of herself could run laps around that one.


    She went to use her claws on its abdomen, finding that they couldn''t break through its armor though. Then, almost instantly, the Nightmare spun and nearly slammed its blade into her body. She was just barely quick enough though to react to it, dodging the attack.


    The Nightmare didn''t stop there. It raised a foot and tried to kick Ash away. Ash stepped to the side, leaped up, and scratched the demon''s face with her right claws. As it was not wearing armor there, her attack was effective. The Nightmare groaned, using its sword with one hand, lifting it with the intent to cut her in half.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" She cast her Dark spell, aimed at the Nightmare''s body. Considering the fact that Jade''s Nightmare had done a similar attack on her when she was in her Demon Form and she had been hurt by it, she wondered if this Nightmare would be hurt by her own Dark attack.


    It groaned, taking a step back and reaching for its chest. Ash nodded to herself. So, it does work. She was about to prepare for another attack, but she heard a sound behind her.


    A sound coming from far away, but that was just noticeable enough for Ash to hear it.


    "What the hell?" She mumbled. It was a rhythmic thumping of sorts. Like¡­ Footsteps?


    She shook her head.


    "No, I need to focus on this bastard." She stated as the Nightmare regained its composure. Gritting her teeth, anger surged in her heart. I can probably go for the kill right now. And so, she ran forwards, leaping up into the air with her hands outstretched, ready to claw into its neck and face.


    And at that moment, the Nightmare swung its sword.


    Ash watched the blade rise from the Nightmare''s left hip. It was on a collision course with her abdomen.


    No, no!


    But she couldn''t do anything to dodge the attack. She was in the air, after all.


    The Nightmare swung and its blade cut into Ash''s waist. She tried to scream, but her throat choked up, only letting out a gasp.


    With the swing''s momentum, Ash was sent to the left, blood pouring out from her as she slid across the ground. By the time she finished her roll, the pain was so sharp, her eyes were bulging out of their sockets.


    She looked down at herself. The demon''s blade had made an exceptionally large gash in her waist. It was accurate to say that the blade managed to cut through one-third of her body. Any more and it would have split her completely.


    Ash stared at the wound, in disbelief.


    What do I¡­ What can I¡­?


    The Nightmare began to approach her, looking to finish the job.


    Ash spat out violet blood and looked down at herself.


    One idea came to her, but it was so laughable, she shook her head.


    Yeah, as if my shitty healing spells are gonna do anything.


    Still, maybe out of sheer desire to live, she tried it.


    "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach." She muttered, and her hands glowed.


    However, it wasn''t the same.


    Her hands glowed grey. A mix of white and black swirling around her palms. What? What''s going on? She shook her head. Focus. As the Nightmare approached, she put her hands on her body.


    Then, she gasped.


    The wound started to heal, but at a much faster rate than before. Of course, the damage was so intense that it would still require more time than she had at that moment to restore the wound completely, but the healing had been accelerated.


    "How¡­!?"


    And at that moment, a message appeared in front of her.


    Trait Discovered!


    Moonlight Demon


    While in Demon Form, all Dark spells and Light spells are greatly enhanced.


    Ash''s eyes gleamed as she read that.


    The Nightmare stood above her. Ash glanced at it. Her wound hadn''t fully healed, but she could move.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" From her left palm, an explosion of Dark magic occurred. A sphere of Dark much larger than any Ash had seen launched out, striking the creature in front of her. It gave a massive, pained moan and was pushed back. Ash''s eyes widened.


    What!? She nearly started laughing, looking down at her left hand. Then, she saw Kaori behind the Nightmare and remembered that she was gravely hurt.


    I''ll end this now!


    Ash, holding her injured side, sent another Dark spell of equal power and the Nightmare got down on one knee. Rage surged inside of her.


    Ash raised her left hand.


    And with two fingers, she sunk two claws into the demon''s eyes. Digging deeper, she got them as far as she could, which caused the Nightmare to stop moving. She watched as it let go of its sword. Ash ripped her hand out and the Nightmare fell forwards in front of her.


    It was dying. Wait. She realized that if the demon fully died, her Demon Form would dissipate soon after that. She took a few deep breaths before jogging to Kaori.


    "Still here? Stay with me, you fucking idiot! Sorry, that was the Dark magic talking." And Kaori''s eyes opened, looking at her.


    "Y-" she tried to say something, but only blood came out.


    "Nope. Stop." Ash quickly cast her Light spell and put her hands down on Kaori''s body. "Just hold on."


    With her empowered ability, she started healing Kaori''s wounds. The blonde spilled out the blood that was in her mouth and took a deep breath. Ash continued healing her, each of her wounds starting to disappear. Then, a message appeared above her.


    EXP Gained: 100


    EXP: 115/115


    Ash looked back and found the Nightmare dead. The instant her mind made that connection, her Demon Form faded away.


    "Ash?" Kaori looked up at her with confused eyes.


    "Yeah. Are you okay?" Ash, still partially injured, smiled at Kaori as the Dark magic inside of her messing with her emotions also faded.


    Kaori sat up.


    "I''m¡­ I''m... I am?" She asked. Ash laughed.


    "Yeah," Ash told her.


    "How did you do this?" Kaori asked.


    "Being a demon worked out for once." Ash chuckled. "We did it." She told the blonde.


    She saw tears appear at the corners of Kaori''s eyes. Then, the blonde hugged her. A hug that Ash returned firmly.


    They''d succeeded. Just the two of them, they''d gone on a mission fought the Nightmare, and lived to tell the tale. Kaori buried her face in Ash''s neck and Ash couldn''t help but laugh.


    Until more thuds came in the distance.


    Ash''s head snapped up.


    "What was that?" She asked. Kaori, who heard it as well, turned. Oh no. Ash thought. If there are any more demons here, we for sure can''t fight them. We''re still hurt. "Come on, let''s get up."


    Kaori wiped her tears away and stood.


    However, as Ash focused on the sounds in the air, she realized there were more. Growls and snarls were coming from every direction.


    Ash pulled Kaori to the center of the street, trying to find the sources.


    And then, she saw one of them. It was coming from Magia''s temple.


    A second Nightmare.


    Ash''s hands went limp by her sides.


    "You''re joking."


    "How?" Kaori asked as she watched it walk towards them.


    This Nightmare resembled the one from Jade. It had a bloated body and sharp teeth, with a long tongue that was hanging over its chin. Its lifeless eyes were aimed straight at Ash.


    Ash took a deep breath.


    Level 15


    MP: 50/50


    "Kaori, we should run," Ash told her. "We don''t really stand a chance." She explained.


    "Y-You''re right," Kaori said, turning around. But, when she did, she gasped.


    Ash turned as well and froze. You''ve got to be fucking kidding me. She remembered the Marked status she received, which was still active.


    Multiple demons were coming in from the forest.


    "T-This way¡­" Ash turned to her right, but still. There were more of them in that direction as well.


    Fuck. Ash closed her eyes. Fuck, fuck, fuck!


    The creatures growled. Each one baring their teeth and crouching like they were ready to pounce. The Nightmare behind them slowly stomped towards them, its body rippling with each step.


    Ash looked at Kaori.


    "Well¡­ we can try." She said. Kaori looked back at Ash. Ash raised a brow. She looked like she wanted to say something. "Yeah?"


    Kaori shook her head. She reached up and placed a hand on Ash''s shoulder. The hybrid looked down at her. What is she doing?


    "I just¡­" As the demons approached, she sighed. "I just wanted to let you know I appreciate you. So much more than you could know."


    And that, made Ash realize just how fucked they were.


    She almost teared up. As the loner she''d been all her life, that was the last thing she ever expected to hear from anyone.


    She took a deep breath and went to turn away from Kaori, but the blonde pulled her back, slamming their lips together. Ash''s eyes widened as Kaori pulled back.


    "So, yeah." Kaori chuckled. "Well, come on. Let''s try."


    "¡­ Yeah." Ash held her sword out. Kaori readied her swordstaff.


    With any luck, my Demon Form will trigger again. Even so, I think... Yeah, this is probably it. Even in my Demon Form, there just too many.


    She looked around, trying to find a target to focus on first.


    Then, a thin line of flames traveled from the tree line behind the demons. Ash gasped. The line of fire, almost like an arrow with a flaming string attached to it, burst right through a demon a few steps in front of her.


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "Satsuhiro!" Kaori yelled from beside her. Ash looked past the demon.


    And shortly, he emerged from the forest, with Keiko behind him. What are they doing here?


    Satsuhiro, who had been holding Keiko''s hand, let go of it. Then, he aimed both hands at the demons in front of him.


    "Desert winds, materialize, form the flames of the gods'' wrath!" From his palm, a wave of fire emerged.


    It poured over the demons, reducing them to nothing before Ash''s very eyes.


    "I hear¡­ Are those the demons?" Keiko asked as the two of them got closer.


    "Yes," Satsuhiro replied, his eyes taking in each enemy. "Anything animalistic you hear is an enemy. Get to work, trainer."


    "Right." Keiko nodded, pulling her sword out.


    Ash still couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    "What the hell are¡­?" However, before she could finish her question, the Nightmare let out a roar behind her. Shit.


    "Can you two still fight?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Uh, kinda," Ash replied.


    "Absolutely!" Kaori yelled out.


    "Then get to it!" Satsuhiro ordered.


    And so, the four of them moved onto the demons surrounding the area. It was hard for Ash to move as her wound still hadn''t healed all the way, but she tried her hardest. As a level 9 demon approached her, she sidestepped an attack and planted her sword into its eye, stabbing through its head.


    She couldn''t care less about EXP right now, so she ignored the message that popped up.


    To her right, Kaori managed to dodge a series of blows and with her swordstaff, sliced open a demon''s stomach. Behind them, Satsuhiro unleashed a fire spell that consumed multiple demons at once. Ash turned and found Keiko waiting for demons to come to her. The blindfolded Zayama had one demon behind her, and one in front.


    The one in front growled. It stomped forwards, and the instant its foot met the ground, Keiko rushed in and stabbed its chest. Then, as the second demon attacked, she tore her sword out and aimed a slash up that sliced open the demon''s body.


    The demons that had arrived slowly began to fall, one by one, as Ash''s group tore through them. But, there was still one much bigger problem ahead.


    The Nightmare approaching from the temple was about to reach Kaori.


    "Hey!" Ash called out. The blonde turned to the side, looked up, and froze. Ash ran towards her. The demon, weaponless, was about to grab her when Ash pulled her back, falling to the floor.


    Satsuhiro spoke to them then.


    "Stand back, leave this thing to me."


    "Gotcha." Ash nodded.


    "Thanks," Kaori said, the two of them still on the floor. There was a new warmth in her eyes that Ash hadn''t noticed before.


    "Don''t mention it."


    Satsuhiro stood a few paces away from the Nightmare. His eyes stoic, they roamed over the Nightmare''s figure, and disgust formed on his face.


    Then, he pulled one of his legs back and put his hands together.


    "Dragons of the golden era," he started as the Nightmare smiled, walking towards him, "roar for the memories of those who''ve challenged you. Soar for the spirits of those who''ve worshipped you. And breathe for the sake of those who still defy you. Surge!"


    He extended his hands towards the Nightmare. Ash gasped.


    His arms turned into flames and from them, a dragon of fire emerged, charging straight into the Nightmare. It bellowed, but the flame did not stop. It seared its flesh, striking at the Nightmare with so much force, Ash saw rocks melting near it. Then, the dragon of fire erupted from the Nightmare''s back, and Satsuhiro let the spell end, returning his arms to normal.


    When it was done, there was a giant hole in the middle of the Nightmare''s body, and it flopped forwards, dead.


    Ash looked around.


    Kaori and Keiko had eliminated the other demons nearby.


    They had won, and the creatures were defeated.

 Chapter 34 - 31

    Ash explained to the others that she needed to head to the temple for a moment. Now that the demons were dead, she wondered if she could take a moment to speak to Magia again.


    Satsuhiro was a bit confused but he and the others waited at the center of the ruins as Ash walked toward the temple.


    As before, the closer she got, the more intense she felt. Just like what happened before, she wasn''t able to make it all the way before she fell on her face.


    When she opened her eyes and found herself in a dark world, she wasn''t too surprised anymore.


    Can we talk a little more now that those demons are dead? Ash thought, knowing Magia could read her mind here.


    Soon, the usual colors emerged, surrounding Ash as she waited patiently for the goddess to manifest. When she did, she found Magia looking at her with a grin. The goddess got closer, placing her hands on Ash''s cheeks and leaning in like she was going to kiss her, but Ash turned away. Magia pulled back.


    "Ah, have I displeased you?" Magia asked.


    You made that fight way harder than it had to be, knocking me out in the middle of the town like that. Ash thought. She got even more annoyed when Magia''s reaction was to chuckle at her.


    "Hm. My apologies, my love." Magia bowed. "In the end, everything was fine, was it not?"


    Ash rolled her eyes, but as Magia came and placed her hands on her face again, it was far too hard to reject her a second time.


    Magia''s tongue dragged over Ash''s lips and the goddess cackled.


    I kind of came here to talk. Ash thought.


    "Try as I do to empathize with you on that," Magia said as her right hand traced a path down Ash''s body, "I am a goddess after all. I cannot help but be greedy, darling. You''ll understand. You have me in you, after all. In more ways than one."


    Magia''s hand found Ash''s vagina, the half-demon bit down on her bottom lip, shaking her head.


    I didn''t really come here to get fucked, Magia. She thought and the goddess stopped.


    "Very well, then." Magia laughed, licking her fingers with a grin as she looked into Ash''s eyes. "What do you want to know?"


    "I mean, where the hell do I start?" Ash took a few breaths, calming herself down. "Uh, before, you said you made me? What does that mean?"


    "Exactly what I said." Magia shrugged. "In more detail though, I made you to be my embodiment. Of course, you are still your own person, but all of my ideas, my passion, my lust, it manifests in you in different forms."


    "W-Wait, is that why I have that lust trait?" Ash asked. "Because of you?"


    "No, as for your lust trait, I believe that is because the demon that planted its seed in your mother was a Lust Demon."


    "What do you mean?"


    "There are three kinds of demons, that I have seen from this space anyway." Magia conjured images of them. "Wrath Demons, the most dangerous kind and the most common. Gluttony Demons, like the one you fought in Jade, and finally, Lust Demons. The weakest, but also the rarest." She explained.


    "So, if it had been a Wrath Demon or whatever that had, uh, done my mom, I would have had a Wrath trait?"


    "Probably," Magia replied with a shrug.


    Hm. I wonder if I got lucky, honestly. A wrath trait sounds... way more dangerous.


    "It was when I saw how you were turning out, your origin, your surroundings, that I went to work with you," Magia told her. "You are still your own person at the end of the day. All us deities can do... We can influence. Suggest. That''s all, at least, for now."


    Ash looked down.


    "So, where am I supposed to go next?" Ash asked. "What now?"


    "Your first step is easy to point out, walk into the temple completely. Place your hands on the altar, and that should be enough. However," she continued, "This war against Niven''s forces, it is not the kind of conflict you can end with the death of one creature or with one battle. Not to mention if all demons were eliminated, there is still the matter of the sites of power. However," Magia held a finger up, "if you restore the sites of power, it will make the fight against the demons far easier, as we the deities will be able to assist you more effectively."


    "About that," Ash asked. "So, am I the only, uh, champion?"


    At that, Magia scowled.


    "I know for a fact Alkoth and... Lumina," she said as if just saying her name disgusted her, "have their own chosen Saviors. If you want to look for them, that''s on you. I, personally, have no idea who they are. I cannot see their interactions with the humans they choose, and I could not care less. The farther away Lumina stays from me the better." She muttered.


    Wow, so even gods have drama? Ash thought.


    "Drama?" Magia scoffed. "Making promises you can''t keep does tend to lead to dramatic results. Yes. Anyway, is there anything else on your mind?" Magia asked.


    Before Ash could respond, the world started to fade.


    "Actually, bringing that woman up has soured my mood, goodbye," Magia mumbled. But, at that moment, Ash thought of something. Something that didn''t quite make sense.


    Wait, wait! But Magia still sent her back.


    Soon, Ash found herself back in the ruins.


    Ash sighed as the question formed in her mind.


    Why would Niven bother making three kinds of demons? Why would he make Lust Demons specifically?


    Alas, she received no answer.


    --


    Ash walked into the temple. It was so dusty inside that she started coughing immediately. However, it didn''t take long to find the altar. There were multiple statues of Magia surrounding it, in different poses. Ash paced forward. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands on it.


    Violet lightning emerged from Ash''s being. It flowed into the altar, which then began glowing. A burst of power erupted from the altar, and Ash was pushed back.


    When she stood back up, she certainly felt a difference. Before, it was like Magia was calling me. Now, it feels like she''s literally all around me. Ash sighed, standing up and walking out.


    The walk back home was tiresome, but they made it as night came. On the way, Satsuhiro had explained what led him and Keiko to come running to the ruins. There were candles lit inside, so Ash figured Metsumi was in the process of making dinner for herself and Opah. Satsuhiro was in front of them, the older Savior leading them back to the farm.


    Ash''s thoughts remained on everything that had happened in the fight.


    So, if I use my Demon Form, I gain a lust stack, and I put everyone around me at more risk. But, when I''m in my Demon Form, I''m even stronger than I thought. She nodded to herself. It''s too useful not to use. She came to that conclusion. Maybe I just need to practice my self-control and deal with it.


    Of course, there was also the matter of herself having leveled up, but she figured she''d sort out her points tomorrow. All she wanted to do right now was take a long bath and go to sleep.


    As Satsuhiro opened the door to his house, Metsumi looked back at him and grinned. She stopped what she was doing in the kitchen and ran over to him, giving him a firm hug.


    "Satsu!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m home." Satsuhiro hugged her back.


    "How''d you all do?" Metsumi asked the group.


    "Fine." Ash shrugged.


    "Great!" Metsumi smiled at them. "Ohhh!" Excited, she walked towards them and pulled them all in for one wide hug. "My talented Savior girls! You''re all going to be so cool in the future!"


    Kaori giggled and Ash sighed.


    "Yeah? Maybe."


    The group went in and one by one, they occupied the bathroom.


    Ash was the last one to take a bath. She dropped all her armor, breathed in, and stepped into the water. Slowly, the blood started to wash off of her skin.


    We actually did it though. Ash thought. Sure, there had been another Nightmare, but between me and Kaori, we beat the ones we thought were there when we agreed to take the mission. She leaned back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.


    Then, she remembered how it felt to have Kaori''s lips on hers. Reaching up, she felt her own as she imagined the moment again.


    Something inside of her felt strange. She had gotten to know the feeling of lust quite well. This wasn''t it. This was something different.


    Whatever. She thought.


    Eventually, she was done, and soon, she was walking back into her bedroom. It was empty, as Ash could hear Keiko and Kaori talking in the living room. Ash had the moment to herself. Or, so she thought.


    As she closed the door behind her, she heard a knock.


    "Yeah?" She asked.


    "It''s me," Satsuhiro said. "Let me know when you''re dressed, I want to talk to you."


    "''Kay." She replied.


    As soon as she was decent enough, wearing an oversized white shirt and some shorts, she opened the door.


    Satsuhiro came in and sat down at her bed.


    "Hm? Why does it smell so weird in here?" He asked.


    "Uh, it''s nothing," Ash replied. I... I haven''t washed this place too many times, have I?


    "Okay¡­ Anyway." He started, "I just wanted to let you know you did a good job. Keiko will be sending back a report to the Council, letting them know you succeeded. That means they''ll be sending you some money."


    "Oh?" Ash chuckled. "Not like I can really use it though. With, uh, everything that happened to Kaori, we can''t go back there, right?"


    "No, but Metsumi can." Satsuhiro indicated. "You can probably just write a little list of things you want her to buy you and she''ll gladly go and do it. Shouldn''t take more than five or six hours."


    "Oh." Ash nodded. "Alright."


    "So," Satsuhiro continued, "how''d the actual fighting go?"


    "Weird," Ash responded. "So, it turns out my Demon Form and Moonlight Nature trait mixed. Whenever I''m in Demon Form, it makes my spells stronger."


    "Hm¡­" Satsuhiro paused for a bit. "Can you describe to what extent?"


    "Uh, I nearly got cut in half and I was able to heal myself up a little. Using just the basic healing spell."


    That made Satsuhiro''s eyebrows go up.


    Silence spread between them, as he was clearly thinking about something.


    "That changes things," Satsuhiro said. "The kind of healing you''re describing is pretty impressive if just the basic spell did that. It means you''ve basically got access to mid-tier healing already, at least, while you''re in Demon Form. Still, that also makes me think that if you were to learn more advanced spells, your ceiling is fairly incredible. That makes you leaving soon all the more likely, I''d say." He stated. "But, at the same time, since Kaori has a fire affinity, you''ll have to stay a bit longer while I train her."


    "Uh, can''t I go alone?" She asked, not that she was intent on doing so, but she wanted to know if she could.


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro looked at her. "If you leave, Kaori will absolutely want to go with you."


    "What? And miss out on training? Of course, she wouldn''t."


    Satsuhiro blinked. He stared at her with disbelief plain to see in his eyes.


    "... How dense are you?" He asked.


    "What?" Ash replied. "What the fuck do you mean?"


    "Whatever." Satsuhiro sighed. "You''ll get it soon enough." He stood up. "Anyway, rest up. Tomorrow, we''ll get right back to training. No reason to waste time."


    "Okay," Ash replied as the man walked out of the room.


    She took a moment for herself. Breathing in and out without a thought in her mind, the same memory of Kaori''s kiss played back. She stood up, walking out of the room.


    Outside, Kaori and Keiko had moved away. She found them outside, in the fields, together, looking up at the twin moons.


    Ash looked at them for a little bit, hearing Kaori chuckle at something Keiko said. Then, she took a few steps closer. What am I doing? She wondered. In truth, she didn''t have anything to say to them, and yet her legs were still willing her forwards.


    When she reached them, Keiko turned back first, and then Kaori did.


    "Oh, hey!" Kaori shifted, putting some distance between herself and Keiko and then she patted the ground between them. "Come on, sit with us."


    "Sure." Ash nodded and did so.


    She looked up. The two moons were as bright and beautiful as ever.


    For a second, no one said anything. Then, Kaori turned to look at Ash.


    "I was, uh, telling Keiko about how glad I was to have met everyone."


    "Hm?" Ash looked over at her.


    "You, her, Satsu, and his family." Kaori sighed with a smile. "You''ve all made this so much better for me than it would have been otherwise."


    "Well," Ash started, "we''re kind of all you have, right? Liking us is your only option."


    "Even if you weren''t!" Kaori stated. "I''d still think you''re all incredible."


    "I think you''re way better," Keiko said from Ash''s left. "Than me, at least. You''re bright and so energetic. You''re honestly a pleasure to be around."


    "No, no, you''re so kind and so thoughtful!"


    "Is this just gonna be us taking turns telling each other how awesome we are?" Ash asked. "You can go ahead, lay it on me. I''m ready."


    Kaori grinned.


    "If I start giving you compliments, I won''t stop." Ash felt a little embarrassed hearing that. "I mean, you''re brave. You''re strong, you''re kind." Kaori lied down beside her, getting closer. "I don''t know what I''d do without you here."


    "¡­ At first," Keiko started, "I saw this as a punishment. I thought the gods had placed you in my care as a means to mock me over my lack of talent. But," she continued, "now, I think you were a blessing. I don''t know where we''ll go from here," she said, "but I am glad to get to share this time with you. Both of you."


    "Awww~" Kaori reached over and placed a hand on Keiko''s cheek. Then, to Ash''s surprise, she gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Mwah!"


    "O-Oh." Keiko put a hand up to her own. "Uhm¡­"


    Kaori looked at her and then down at Ash, who was watching this with surprise in her eyes.


    "I¡­ I really do like you two a lot. Thank you for everything."


    "Heh." Keiko''s reaction turned into a smile and a chuckle. "I-I see. Thank you as well."


    The two of them laid down by Ash''s side. She looked up at the sky and sighed.


    Magia, huh? She thought as Kaori reached for her hand and took it. Ash let her but did turn to look at her and found Kaori smiling with eyes gleaming up at the night sky. How much did she influence with all this? Ash wondered. She said the gods aren''t omnipotent, but still. How much power does she actually have?


    Closing her eyes, Ash let the question go away, instead, appreciating what she had at that moment.


    If nothing else, for the first time in her life, she knew she had friends by her side.


    And, as strange a feeling as it was, she was glad to be there.

 Chapter 35 - Vol. 1 Epilogue

    "This... Really... Never gets fun, does it?" Ash said, cutting wood on a stump.


    After Ash got her rest and cleared her head up, she found that she''d leveled up twice. She put her four points in Strength and Dexterity, bringing her stats up to this point:


    Level 11


    MP: 80/80


    ---


    STR: 12


    DEX: 12


    CON: 10


    INT: 8


    WIS: 8


    L: 100


    "If training were fun we''d be out of a job," Satsuhiro commented with his arms crossed.


    "I don''t know," Kaori said, sitting by the backdoor of the house. "Might not be fun to do, but it''s definitely fun to watch!"


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked, stopping as she wiped away some sweat on her forehead. Taking deep breaths, she lifted her shirt and cleaned her face up with it. When she looked back at Kaori, she asked: "how can that be fun for you?"


    Kaori, blushing, said:


    "I can think of something to keep myself entertained." She said with a little smile and Ash raised a brow. Shaking her head, she went back to work.


    It had been a couple of days since they''d visited the ruins. The group was still focusing on increasing their power before the next mission arrived, but Ash had Magia''s words on her mind.


    So, sites of power. She thought as she split another log. And, every time we restore one, the god who the site belongs to gets their power increased. That could help... Ash thought as she stopped for a moment. But, if it was a god that started all of this, Niven, can they be trusted?


    "Something on your mind?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yeah... I saw Magia." Ash told him. Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "What?" He asked.


    "Yeah." Ash nodded. "I saw her. A few times now."


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro scratched his chin. "I see."


    "Wait, what?" Ash asked. "You just believe me?"


    "Well, you did ask to go back in the temple. Now, that makes sense." He shrugged. "How did this start? When did it start?"


    "Uh," Ash recoiled, not expecting him to be so accepting of that, "when I fought Kaori. How are you so calm right now?"


    "Ash," Satsuhiro said, "Magia''s existence is not a surprise. Every Savior is chosen by a god, after all. We all operate under the assumption that they exist... Still, for her to speak to you directly. That is impressive, just not entirely shocking."


    Ash shook her head.


    "Do you know about any other places like that temple?" Ash asked.


    "Hm. Not particularly. Actually, no," he shook his head, "there is one temple like that."


    "Which one?" Ash asked.


    "To the far northeast," Satsuhiro told her. "It''s, well, supposedly, the first Lumina temple. Somewhere above Onyx."


    Hearing that goddess''s name made Kaori look up at them, something that didn''t escape Ash.


    "Huh..." Ash looked away. That could be a site of power for Lumina, but I don''t have anything to do with her.


    "Satsu!" Metsumi suddenly called from inside the house. "Another letter!"


    Oh, fuck, please, no. Don''t tell me it''s another mission. Ash sighed.


    "Hm. I''ll be right back," Satsuhiro told them and walked back inside.


    "Well," Ash started, "if it''s another mission, I''ll want to hear about it." So she followed him in. Metsumi handed him the letter and Satsuhiro quickly opened it. She watched as his eyes traced the paper.


    "I''m being called for a meeting."


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "Saviors. They''re gathering together to discuss something." Satsuhiro sighed. "Well, there''s a chance they might wanna talk about you and Kaori. I don''t know though."


    Ash nodded after a moment.


    "When?"


    "Tomorrow, at Pearl." Satsuhiro indicated. "Though it might take a few days for the others to arrive. It''s a ways away from here, but I should be back in a couple of days."


    "Gotcha," Ash replied.


    ---


    Kaori


    Kaori was walking through the ruins again. All around her, she could see bodies of dead demons. Some had scorch marks on their torsos, others were covered in slashes and cuts. She felt cold.


    "A-Ash?" She called out. "Keiko?"


    There was no answer. The ruins stretched endlessly, with a grey fog behind her, blocking sight of any way back home. She felt a chill go up her spine as she continued to search for her friends. Eventually, she heard a noise up ahead.


    It sounded like Ash.


    Kaori jogged forwards.


    "Ash!?" She called out. When she got to the source, she stopped. A gasp escaped her, her throat choking up as she saw something terrifying ahead. Varcon was standing over Ash, a sword planted in the half-demon''s chest. "ASH!"


    She ran forwards, but before she could reach her, something attacked her from the left and she was propelled in the opposite direction. Rolling a few times on the ground, she struggled to get up. What? What she saw were two Nightmares. They were walking towards her, laughing.


    "N-No, no!" She looked for her weapons, but couldn''t find them.


    One of those Nightmares stood in front of her. It raised a massive sword and swung it at her neck.


    And Kaori woke up.


    She gasped, sitting up. Her sheet slid down her bare chest as she reached up and felt her heart pounding against it. Her eyes were wide.


    She looked around, sighing when she realized it had been a dream.


    Covering herself again, she closed her eyes and clicked her tongue, frustrated. Another bad dream. She hadn''t told anyone about these, but ever since what happened at Jade, these dreams had been a frequent occurrence.


    She would have stayed like that until she went to sleep, but she heard wind whistling to her front.


    "What?" She mumbled, sitting up again. "Oh."


    The door leading into the fields was open. The cold midnight air was coming in through it. Kaori stood up, going to close it when she found a figure standing ahead.


    Is that...?


    Ash was in the middle of the fields, her back turned to Kaori. Her head was tilted up like she was looking at the sky.


    What''s up with her?


    Kaori went back to the couch, put her shirt on, and walked outside.


    Even though she made a bit of sound coming out, the hybrid didn''t seem to notice. Kaori took a few steps closer until she was a few feet away.


    "Ash?" She called out quietly, so as to not alert her.


    Ash looked back.


    "Hey," Ash said, before turning back towards the twin moons in the sky.


    "Uh, what are you doing?"


    "I was having trouble sleeping," Ash muttered.


    "Oh, same!" Kaori told her. "Uh, was it a bad dream?" Kaori asked.


    "You could say that," Ash replied. She sighed then and turned towards Kaori. That must have been when she really noticed Kaori because her eyes dropped down and widened when she saw that Kaori was- oh. She thought, looking down at herself. She''d put her shirt on, but hadn''t bothered putting her pants or underwear back on.


    "Uh," Kaori chuckled awkwardly.


    Ash took a deep breath, before turning away.


    "I saw Magia," Ash stated suddenly.


    "What?" Kaori asked, confused.


    "She visited me, in my dreams." Ash continued. "Seriously."


    "Then..." Kaori thought back to her own dream. The one where that figure had comforted her. Was that Lumina?


    "I saw her back at the ruins too. Remember when I passed out? Yeah. That was why." Ash stated.


    "Oh..."


    "She said that there were places in the world called ''sites of power'' and that if we went there, we could win the fight against the demons. But," Ash sighed, "if those ruins were anything to go by, then yeah, those places are probably covered with demons."


    "T-Then," rolling with the information she''d just heard, she said, "let''s just tell the older Saviors about them. They''ll handle it."


    "Maybe we can get them to kill the demons there, but I need to be there too," Ash noted. "Magia picked me. Why? I don''t understand, but she picked me. And, yeah, it means I have to go to them."


    "Oh. I see." Kaori, hoping she wasn''t being too bold, though she accepted that maybe that was a dumb thing to worry about when she was literally standing in front of Ash with her lower half out in the open, slid interlocked her left hand with Ash''s right.


    Ash turned to look at her, her eyes almost shaking as she looked away again.


    "I... I wanted to just, sit back." Ash admitted. "Just collect a paycheck for fighting every now and then. But, it looks like the world doesn''t want to let me do that."


    Kaori took a step closer, her arm pressing into Ash''s own.


    "If it''s any consolation," she started, "I''ll be with you. If you''ll let me, I mean."


    When Ash turned to face her once more, they ended up just a few inches apart. Kaori looked into Ash''s violet eyes. She felt Ash tighten her hold on her hand.


    "You are really sadistic, you know that?" Ash whispered and Kaori giggled.


    "I''m not trying to mess with you."


    Hearing that, Ash nodded.


    "Are you..." Ash took another deep breath, one that seemed strained, "if we do this, I''m going to want to go all the way, you know that, right? Keiko''s been doing this thing with me and even Magia... Yeah, I''m kind of tired of being teased so much."


    It was Kaori''s turn to take a deep breath.


    "That... You mean..."


    "Yeah." Ash cut her off. "Do you want to?" Ash asked.


    It didn''t take much time for Kaori to find herself nodding in response.


    "I just... It feels fast. I mean, I''m attracted to you but..."


    "Then..." Ash looked to the side, her eyes flicking down between Kaori''s legs. "How about we just see how far we want to go?"


    "I..." Kaori was taking deep breaths at this point.


    Then, Ash turned to face Kaori fully. Kaori was surprised when Ash grabbed her by the wrists and pushed her back. Kaori stepped back, so as to not trip and fall, but Ash kept going. She pushed her all the way to the side of the house, pressing Kaori''s back against the wall. Kaori''s heart was pounding in her ears. Ash narrowed her eyes, scanning Kaori''s expression. As she started to lean in, Kaori closed her own eyes.


    Their lips met and Kaori felt a strong sense of anxiety, mixed with some anticipation. Both sides of her, the side that absolutely wanted this and the side that thought things were moving way too quickly were at war.


    When Ash lifted Kaori''s arms above her head and pressed a leg between Kaori''s own, she felt the side that wanted this winning. Their kiss increased in intensity. It was hard for Kaori to breathe, partly because of how passionate this was turning and partly because of how nervous she was. Ash kept pressing into the blonde, and as they briefly stopped making out, Kaori opened her eyes again.


    When she looked at Ash, she gasped.


    In front of her, Ash was changing.


    Her horns had grown, twisting up into the air. A mark appeared on her forehead of a golden heart. Her eyes were glowing violet and as Kaori noticed that her hands felt different on her wrists, she looked at them and noticed that they had changed into their demonic form.


    But Kaori had seen Ash''s Demon Form a few times now. This wasn''t it. It was similar but different.


    "Ash?" Kaori asked.


    The white-haired Savior didn''t respond. At least, not with words. She crouched, placing a kiss on Kaori''s left thigh. Kaori bit down on her lips as she saw Ash, but still, she wondered what was happening as a violet aura came out of the hybrid. She looked behind the Savior and was shocked to see a tail growing out of her, breaking through her pants. If Ash knew she was changing, she didn''t seem to care much.


    "Uh, Ash?" Kaori asked again. The half-demon rose up and Kaori noticed another change. She was taller by at least a few inches. She had to look up to meet her eyes.


    Then, Ash took both her wrists with one hand, reaching for her chest with the other. Kaori nearly whimpered as Ash squeezed her chest slightly too harshly.


    Both her hands were occupied, and yet, something touched Kaori''s inner thighs.


    "Huh?" She looked down and found Ash''s new tail searching.


    Ash raised Kaori''s chin up, keeping their eyes connected.


    With the two of them looking at each other, Kaori''s lips split of their own volition as Ash''s tail found her pussy. She tried to say something, without even knowing what, but nothing came out as her throat was too tight.


    Ash''s eyes were narrowed on her, almost daring her to speak.


    When her tail found its way inside, Kaori''s spine shivered. Ash''s violet aura had grown to the point where it was almost blinding. The last change came as her tail started pushing back and forth inside of Kaori, two small violet wings sprouted from her back.


    Her tail was slow at first but sped up in its rhythm as Ash pressed her lips against Kaori''s a second time. The kiss muffled a moan from Kaori.


    How long they were in this position for, she didn''t know. Kaori broke the kiss and pressed her lips into Ash''s chest, stopping a moan that likely would have woken up everyone in the house.


    It became increasingly harder to do that when Ash bit her neck.


    Eventually, though, Kaori was breathing heavily, muffling her sounds until...


    "Mmm!" Her body trembled. Kaori was not a virgin. She''d been with some number of people, both men, and women, before. She knew what an orgasm was like, but this felt distinctly different. Maybe it was the slight fear in the back of her head or that she had been genuinely turned on in a way she hadn''t been in years. Whichever it was, she had no idea.


    When she came back down from whatever heights Ash had gotten her to, she looked at the other Savior. Slowly, this strange form started to fade. Ash''s eyes remained on her, but as her aura diminished, worry started to flood Ash''s expression.


    "A-Are you okay?" Ash asked, suddenly, taking Kaori''s cheeks. "S-Sorry, I don''t know what I just, I mean, I..."


    Kaori hugged her.


    "It''s fine." She said, with a hoarse voice. "It''s fine. I... I just need some time." Kaori told her. "I need to think about this."


    "... Alright."


    And so, as the two of them returned to the house, Kaori went back to sleep.


    Only, this time, she wasn''t dreaming about archpriests or Nightmares, instead, images of a half-demon Savior haunted her mind for the rest of that night.

 Chapter 36 - Vol. 2 - 1

    Kasumi


    Pearl''s streets were far too busy. Beyond Kasumi''s bedroom window, she could hear the excited chattering of many citizens, people with lives far better than her own. Ugh, she thought. What time is it?  Last night, she''d gone to sleep at 2 in the morning. How do these fools have this kind of energy already? She wondered, assuming it was still early.


    Someone knocked at her house''s front door and her eyes opened. Her crimson irises looked up at the ceiling with disgust. You''ve got to be kidding me.


    The brown-skinned woman sat up, her blood-red hair falling over her shoulders. She took a deep breath and stood.


    They knocked again.


    Kasumi straightened out her nightgown and put on a pair of fuzzy slippers. She grabbed a hairband, exiting the room while she tied her hair into a ponytail.


    They knocked a third time.


    "I''m coming!" She yelled. Thankfully, the knocking stopped. Because her bedroom was located on her home''s second floor, Kasumi had to walk past a series of painfully expensive portraits, some decorative silver tableware, and walk down a set of carpeted stairs to reach the source of the annoying sound.


    When she reached the front door, she opened it and found a tall, level 30 man in golden armor with a chiseled jaw and a strong build.


    Of course. She thought, rolling her eyes.


    "What do you want, Kuro?" She asked, crossing her arms.


    The Savior quickly handed her a letter, scowling at her. She returned the glare, pushing his hand back and rejecting the paper.


    "I thought I told you people that I was done." She indicated. "I''m not doing any missions. I don''t care how much you''d pay me."


    "This isn''t for a mission." He replied. "There''s a meeting. You have to attend it."


    "I have to?" Kasumi asked with a raised brow. "Since when do Saviors have to do anything?"


    "Since the demons created a spire of hell just outside the city. Since then, I''d say." He responded, giving her the letter again.


    Hearing that, Kasumi was taken aback. Not nearly enough to make her don the golden armor again and come back, but enough to be curious.


    "What?"


    "I''ll explain at the meeting. Come, or we''ll drag you there."


    Hearing that, Kasumi furrowed her brows. Then, she smiled. Putting a hand behind her back, she closed her eyes and conjured an image in her mind of a small mound of horse crap. Then, flicking her wrist, she cast a subtle spell and waited.


    "Got it?" He asked.


    "Yes, of course, dear. I do so intensely miss all you self-righteous brats."


    He scoffed, turning around without another word. Then, there was a squishing sound and the man raised a foot, looking down.


    "Ugh, what the fuck!?"


    "Have fun with that," Kasumi told him, closing the door.


    The crap the man had just stepped in wasn''t real. He probably knew that considering who he was talking to, but it looked and smelled real enough to serve its purpose. No, the horse shit was a product of Kasumi''s illusion magic. Just a slight hint of the skill that had made her famous when she''d first started out as a Savior, almost 8 years ago. Today, she was 29, and that kind of prank was the only thing she used her magic for nowadays.


    Laughing, Kasumi walked back up the stairs and back to her room. Here, she quickly opened the envelope and scanned through it.


    --


    Greetings, Saviors.


    Recently, rangers have reported a strange object appearing southwest of Pearl. Demons have been spotted in the area as well, lately. If these strange manifestations are connected to the demonic army, then a plan of action must be made. Do not forget to...


    --


    "Blah, blah, blah." Kasumi balled the paper up as she finished reading it and threw it to her floor. "Why the hell do they want me in on this?" She asked herself. "It''s not like my magic is even that useful."


    She was still tired. Looking up at the ceiling, her eyelids felt heavy. Sighing, her eyes closed and she soon found herself asleep once more.


    ---


    "No worries," Kasumi told a young boy walking behind her. "Your village is just up ahead. We''ll get you back home in no time, kid."


    "T-Thank you!" He cried as she guided him through the forest. He had been the sole survivor of a demon attack carried out at his family home, a cabin in the woods.


    He''s holding it together better than I thought he would, she thought. Imagine if something were to happen to Nozomi. She shook her head. No, no sense thinking about that. Focus, Kasumi. You''re on a mission.


    The 22-year-old Kasumi walked past a few trees. A sound made her stop. She put her right hand in front of the boy.


    "Stay here," Kasumi told him as she searched ahead. Confirming her suspicions, there was a demon up ahead, walking around aimlessly.


    "T-T-That..." The kid pointed and she put a hand on his shoulder.


    "I''ve got this." She tried to reassure him. He looked up at her and, with clear panic in his eyes, he nodded.


    She nodded back and walked forward.


    Putting her hands together, she whispered:


    "Displace, migrate the senses and transform reality," using her Sense Distortion spell.


    Her fingertips glowed slightly, confirming the spell''s activation. Kasumi took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs.


    Only, the sound of her scream didn''t come from her mouth. Instead, it came from a spot to the west that she''d chosen. The demon snarled as it heard the noise and quickly ran off in that direction.


    "See?" Kasumi looked back at the kid. "Easy."


    But as her eyes landed on him, she found them bleeding. Slowly, the image of the boy transformed into that of a little girl.


    "Mom?" She asked, blood dripping out the corner of her lips.


    "... Nozomi?" Kasumi asked.


    And Kasumi woke up, whipping up to a sitting position and breathing heavily.


    She put a hand up to her forehead and felt sweat building up. There were tears at the corners of her eyes.


    "Ugh." She flopped back onto her bed. "Fuck my life."


    Finally, as if to make her mood even worse, someone knocked on the door again.


    Clicking her tongue, Kasumi stood and stomped through her hallway. This time, her eyes lingered for a moment on a room beside hers that had remained untouched for years. Walking the same path though, she got to her front door and opened it.


    This time, it wasn''t a Savior standing at the other side. It was her brother.


    "What do you want?" She asked.


    "Good to see you too," he said. "Come on." He held up some wrapped food as if that was supposed to explain things.


    "What?"


    "I know you haven''t eaten today."


    "Lyo, I don''t want to have breakfast yet. Go away."


    "This is lunch." He unwrapped the meal and Kasumi saw that it was some sort of meat with lettuce and cheese on the side. "Because, you know, the day''s almost halfway done."


    Kasumi crossed her arms.


    "Now, stop being a bitch and let''s go," Lyo said. "It''s getting cold."


    Her stomach grumbled and Kasumi sighed.


    "And why can''t we just eat here?" She asked.


    "That would defeat the point, that being getting you out of there."


    Successfully bribed, Kasumi told him to wait for her to put on some proper clothes. When she deemed herself presentable enough, she reemerged wearing an oversized leather robe, black pants, and black boots. Reluctantly, she walked alongside her brother as they emerged onto the streets of Pearl.


    Banners were up in the air proudly depicting different fruits and vegetables, as it was harvesting season in the agriculturally-focused city. A few merchants had carts filled with different produce were on the sides of the street, waiting for customers.


    They got to a small plaza and sat down at a wooden table.


    Lyo unwrapped the food and handed Kasumi a plate.


    "So," he asked between bites of the meat, "what have you been doing lately?"


    "Same as always." Kasumi sighed.


    Then, she saw her own stats appear above her head because Lyo decided to check them out. She had nothing to hide, so she let him see them fully.


    Level 25


    MP: 300


    ---


    Attributes:


    Strength: 9


    Dexterity: 13


    Constitution: 10


    Intelligence: 30


    Widsom: 30


    Luck: 100


    ---


    Traits:


    Quick Cast


    (Spells activate faster)


    Chosen


    (Selected as a representative of Alkoth)


    Quick Learner


    (Due to the Chosen trait, you now gain proficiency, attribute, and attunement EXP 100% faster.)


    ?


    "You haven''t been training. Are you just watching the clock tick all day?" Lyo asked. "Haven''t the demon attacks been picking up? Why don''t you help out?"


    "Why should I?" Kasumi asked. "It doesn''t matter what I do. Other, more naive, more motivated, Saviors will take my spot, and everything will be fine."


    "So what are you going to do then?" Lyo asked. "Just keep sleeping the days away until you watch yourself decompose?"


    "Lyo, please." Kasumi sighed. "I appreciate the food, dear brother, but I don''t need the lecture."


    "I disagree. Your house is a mess, there''s more dirt on your floors than there is in the woods, you''ve gained weight and half your old friends have come to my house asking if you''ve died." Lyo replied. "But, sure. Just enjoy the meal then."


    "Whatever." Kasumi rolled her eyes, slicing off another piece and putting it into her mouth.


    When the lunch was done, both siblings stood up and Lyo took the plates, wrapping them up as he gave Kasumi a quick "goodbye."


    "Yeah, see you," Kasumi muttered as Lyo turned and walked away.


    She was about to walk back to her home, but when she turned around, she saw Kuro standing there.


    "Ugh," she grumbled as the man raised a brow.


    "Come on. The meeting''s going to start soon."


    "Do you really need me there?" She asked.


    "Yes. Even if you don''t plan on doing anything your input would be appreciated. You are, after all, a talented mage. Even if you''re quite lazy."


    "Fuck off." She said. "Well? Doesn''t seem like I have a choice. Lead the way, then."


    Kuro nodded, and Kasumi followed him as he walked away. The idea of using an invisibility spell to walk back home did pass through her mind, but she figured the Saviors would actually come to her house and pull her out, which would be too much of a hassle to deal with. So, she decided to just get this over with.


    They made their way through the streets and to the northern part of Pearl, to the Spring Palace, named as such because of the decorative flowers covering the bridge that led to it. Here, Kasumi saw multiple guards turn towards her and Kuro, and then bowed with respect.


    They entered the great castle and Kasumi found that her surroundings were so colorful it made her dizzy. Statues of Alkoth lined the halls, each one depicting a man with a giant hammer on his back and a shield in front of him, with a thick beard and a crown on his head.


    They passed by the empty throne room of the palace and walked into a room at the back. Here, multiple men and women dressed in that annoyingly bright golden armor were standing around.


    "Ah, Kasumi! We can finally start now." The oldest of them said.


    Hm. Kasumi raised a brow as she looked around. Not as many as I remember there being. She counted 8 Saviors in the room, including herself and Kuro. From the one sitting with his feet up on the wooden table to the left, to the slim man stoically waiting for the meeting to start on the right, she identified them.


    Akiven, a level 39 boy with long white hair and a wolfish grin, holding two swords on his back nodded at her.


    "Well, at least we have tits to look at now," he said, earning a smack on the back of his head.


    "Can''t you keep that tongue on a leash? At least, until the serious talks are over." The woman who had just hit him was Magnolia, an older level 41 Savior. She had very short hair and multiple scars on her body, which she showed proudly, all while carrying a mace and an iron shield at her sides.


    "OHHH! It''s been such a long time since I saw you, Kasumi!" Mizaki was a short dark-skinned level 27 battlemage with large eyes and a comically large hammer at her back, probably the youngest Savior there.


    At the center of the table, the man who had spoken first was Takomaro, a famous level 43 healer who Kasumi knew to usually spend more time in Alkoth''s church in Pearl rather than on missions. To her right were Alkoram, a young level 34 man carrying strange, sickle-shaped blades who simply nodded at her when she entered, and finally, almost hiding behind everyone, was Satsuhiro. The talented Fire mage, who was level 35.


    None of the real heavy-hitters showed up. Kasumi noted. Maybe they''re busy.


    The reason all of them had their weapons out, transformed from their cube shapes, was simple, they liked to show off.


    "So, let''s get this over with." She said, sitting down, hoping this wouldn''t take too long.

 Chapter 37 - Vol. 2 - 2

    Ash


    Ash stood in the fields, her eyes closed. Ahead of her, metallic clangs bounced into the air off of Kaori and Keiko''s weapons. In her mind, Ash was in the darkness, Kaori''s naked body in front of her as her own demonic hands roamed over her skin. Kaori dragged her nails down Ash''s back as the half-demon pushed and pulled her tail from the other Savior''s body.


    The abject desire in Kaori''s eyes, her arched back, her quick, scrambled breathing. She couldn''t get those moments out of her thoughts.


    The irony of the spot she and the blonde were in made her shake her head. To think that things had started off so hostile between them, with how Varcon''s plots had to lead them to be at odds, only for the half-demon to end up having some amount of attachment to Kaori now was strange.


    Of course, they were still there for a job. Ash, who was becoming increasingly aware of Kaori''s affections, didn''t have time to sort out how the half-demon herself felt about Kaori. She needed to keep training. Especially when taking into account everything she''d learned about the sites of power.


    Now, there was an actual metric in her eyes now for how the war was going. Not that she knew much about it outside of her own small perspective, but she understood that the gods, Magia, Alkoth, and Lumina, each had their own sites of power. These sites would grant the people of Nova more aid from the deities in the battles to come.


    Well, Ash thought, not that I give too much of a fuck about that. No, the only things, the only people, she cared about were standing in front of her, working up a sweat.


    "Ash?" Kaori asked and Ash''s eyes opened. She looked down at her hands before she answered.


    "Yeah?" The half-demon watched a few liquid drops slide down Kaori''s cheeks. She had half a mind to walk up and lick them off.


    "Your turn," Kaori told her, reaching up and wiping her forehead with a golden-gloved hand. "I''m spent."


    "Okay." Ash nodded. Keiko turned towards her and the half-demon stretched her arms. "Can you remind me what we''re doing?"


    "Were you distracted?" Keiko asked.


    "Mhm." That''s one way to put it, Ash added in her mind.


    "Well, you never answered my question," Keiko told her. "What do you want to do? See, Kaori''s already said she wants to perfect her swordstaff skills, so the only other type of weapon she will be training with is the bow. What about you?"


    "Hm." Ash put her hands on her hips. "I think I''d like to be good at a lot of different things."


    "I expected as much." Keiko smiled. "Now that your sword proficiency is at 5, you''re officially at the level of an average swordsman. That means it''s going to get far harder to progress from here on out, Ash, I''ve been training for years and I''m only at a 7." Keiko stated. "It''s probably better to become at least average at multiple weapons. So, for today, I will be teaching you about the spear."


    "Alright." Ash nodded. She thought back to the knights of Jade that she''d seen. Then, she transformed Lust into a spear form. The weapon she created was around 213cm long. A golden stripe ran up the length of the black metal shaft, connecting to the spear''s blade.


    "Let me show you," Keiko extended a hand and Ash gave her the weapon. The Zayama trainer grasped it, she took a few steps back and started twirling the spear around. "There are a few different styles when it comes to spears. Some people can get surprisingly acrobatic, others are much more conservative with their skills. My clan, the Zayamas are more on the practical side of things." She held the spear out, aiming its blade in Kaori''s direction, holding it low. "Range and safety. That is the point of using a spear. Personally, I''d say it is the go-to weapon when you aren''t sure you can actually defeat your opponent."


    Kind of feels like you just called all spear users cowards, but okay. Ash noted with a chuckle.


    "However, although you outrange swords, there are a few weaknesses that you gain as well. For one, without a shield, defending yourself with a spear is far harder. Your blocks have to be far quicker, as you need the agility to reposition your hands on the shaft in order to deflect an attack. Also, if an enemy is unpredictable in the angle of their attacks, they can be hard to pin down."


    "So, uh, basically just poke the monsters in the face and back up any time they walk up to me?" Ash asked.


    "Well, yes. That''s a strategy." Keiko nodded. "Here, I will show you some attacks."


    With a wide stance, Keiko executed a few thrusts. The movements were subtle, but so fast Ash doubted she''d last more than a couple of seconds in a serious fight against Keiko.


    "Try them out." Keiko handed her back the weapon and Ash nodded.


    It felt as awkward as swinging a sword had when she first came to the farm. She tried to replicate Keiko''s movements but her hands were shaky.


    "Keep it up." Keiko encouraged her.


    "Hey, girls!" Metsumi suddenly called out from the house. Ash stopped and turned around.


    "Yeah?" She asked.


    "A letter!"


    "Hm. Could be Satsuhiro." Ash muttered. She transformed her weapon back into a cube and went inside the house. Metsumi dropped the envelope in her hands. "What''s it about?"


    "I didn''t read all of it, but seems like another mission."


    "What? Seriously?" She asked. It''s only been a couple of days since we took out those Nightmares.


    She sat down at the kitchen table, her eyes scanning over the words on the paper as Kaori and Keiko came up and sat down at her sides.


    "Saviors Ash and Kaori,


    A mysterious violet distortion was seen yesterday in the heart of the forest near Savior Satsuhiro''s home. It was discovered by a scout passing by. The color of this strange phenomenon has us thinking this could be the result of one of two things. Dark Magic, or demons. In the case of the latter, it would be best for one or both of you to head out and inspect it. The area is level 1 to 5, as such, whatever this distortion is or does, it likely is not very powerful. Go out, find out whatever you can, and report what you uncover.


    With regards, the Royal Council"


    "Hm." Ash crossed her legs. "So, apparently, there''s this weird thing in the forest, the one right next to the fields. Level 1 to 5. They want us to go check it out."


    "Is, uh, is that it?" Kaori asked.


    "Yeah." Ash nodded. "They want us to see if there''s anything demon-related." Ash sighed. "And here I thought, for once, we''d get to relax a little since Satsuhiro''s out."


    Kaori giggled and leaned in a little.


    "We can just go right now, can''t we?" She asked. "Since it''s so low-level and all. We can just get it out of the way."


    "Guess so." Ash nodded. "Well, we''ll hold off on that spear training for a bit. Maybe if we''re back before sundown we can keep it going?" She told Keiko.


    "Understood."


    "Want some water before you go?" Metsumi asked.


    "Yeah," Ash replied.


    "Yes, please." Kaori also added.


    After about a minute or two, the pair stood up and walked out back into the field. Ash caught Kaori glancing at her a few times as they moved side-by-side. It took her a second or two, but then she understood what was up. This was the first time since their moment together two nights ago that they were properly alone. Not that they absolutely couldn''t have found some time to talk, but Ash wanted let things settle in Kaori''s mind before they did anything else.


    Right now, Ash wondered what was going through the blonde''s head.


    "It''s, ehm, kind of hot today, isn''t it?" Kaori asked. Ash chuckled. She then raised a brow and turned to look at her.


    "Are you okay?" She asked.


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "We haven''t really gotten a chance to discuss, uh, what we did and all that." Ash looked around as she spoke, trying to see if there were any enemies. "You told me you were scared but that you wanted to do it. So, how was it?" Ash asked.


    "You are... very blunt when it comes to this," Kaori replied with a smile and a blush.


    "Yeah, being a street rat for several years will do that to you," Ash muttered.


    "Uhm, well, to answer your question," Kaori continued, "your, that, you know, your form did add to the whole ''scared out of my mind'' thing."


    Ash nodded, stopping where she was. She looked down at her hands while she thought back to that moment. That''s right. She thought. That other demon form.


    It had been different from her regular form. Not just in terms of the tail and wings she''d gained, but also in terms of the feeling of it. In her normal demon form, she felt enraged, rabid. In this other one, it was far colder. She had calculated every move she made, trying to get as many reactions out of Kaori as she could just to savor them. She couldn''t guess how she''d act if she were fighting in that version of herself.


    Even now, after all this, Ash thought, there are still things about myself I don''t understand.


    "But... I..." Kaori coughed twice. "I think I liked it."


    "You *think*?" Ash asked incredulously.


    "Ash, it''s complicated." Kaori waved a hand. "But, I... I feel like I enjoyed it."


    "... I''m sure everyone needs a good tail-fucking every now and then. You''re welcome." She said and Kaori smacked her shoulder. Ash smirked.


    Ash nodded and the two continued on their path. As the letter had specified that the anomaly was at the heart of this forest, they walked in a straight line.


    Up ahead, Ash heard something snarling. She glanced at Kaori, who confirmed she heard it too.


    They tracked the source and found two short, thin demons. Ash quickly identified their levels.


    Level 2


    MP: 10/10


    Level 1:


    MP: 10/10


    She looked over at Kaori, who had a worried expression on her face as she transformed her cube into a swordstaff.


    "They''re pretty weak," Ash noted. "Level 1 and 2."


    One of the demons charged forwards, and predictably, it was moving so slowly that Ash had ample time to prepare a counter. She transformed Lust, waited, and when the demon raised a hand, she dashed in and slashed its stomach. She had meant to just cut its abdomen open, but her attack cut right through the creature, splitting it in half. It fell to the dirt in two pieces, and Ash looked at her sword. Holy shit, I guess I have gotten stronger.


    EXP GAINED: 10


    EXP: 10/125


    The other demon eyed Kaori, eventually lunging for her. Kaori kicked its stomach when it got too close and impaled it with her swordstaff. The demon fell lifelessly just a few seconds later.


    "Well," Ash started, "considering these things weren''t in the forest before, I think it''s safe to say that distortion or whatever is demon-related."


    Kaori nodded.


    "Maybe it''s nearby."


    Sure enough, as they continued walking, Ash heard some strange crackling sound. It grew in intensity the further they went and eventually, Ash saw it. Between a small circle of trees, there was what Ash could only describe as a diamond-shaped violet hole, suspended just a couple of feet in the air.


    "I''m guessing this is it," Ash said.


    "So, what do we do?" Kaori asked.


    "Uh. I don''t know, the letter just said we had to check it out."


    Both girls circled the strange phenomenon. However, Ash noticed that the closer she got, the more it looked like there was an image being reflected in the object. She stood just a few feet away from it and then, she turned to look at Kaori.


    "There''s... It looks like there''s a town in this thing."


    "Wait, so, you mean it''s a portal?" Kaori asked.


    "A what?"


    "A portal. Like, a door to another dimension."


    A door, huh? Ash thought.


    "So, what do you want to do?" Kaori asked.


    Ash put her hands on her hips.


    "This is the first time I''ve heard about portals. How do they work?"


    "T-They''re only a thing in stories, you know? I didn''t think they actually existed, though, it''s not hard to imagine some kind of magic could make one." Kaori told her. "But, I... I guess if we want to check it out, we''d have to go in."


    "Couldn''t that be dangerous?" Ash asked. "We don''t know what the hell''s in there."


    "Yeah, but those demons we just fought weren''t too strong, right? Assuming they came from here, whatever''s inside this thing should be the same level of strength as them."


    "..." Ash turned back to look inside the portal. She could just barely make out stone structures and a tall spire, but nothing else. "I''m guessing if we just went back and told the Council about this, they''d just reply ''why didn''t you walk in?'' Right? Fine." She sighed. "We''ll walk back out at the first sign of trouble though."


    "Mhm." Kaori nodded. The blonde walked up to Ash and lightly grasped her right hand. The half-demon didn''t react to that.


    Together, they walked in.

 Chapter 38 - Vol. 2 - 3

    Kasumi


    "Let''s get to business, then." Takomaro stroked his beard before walking up to the table and pointing at a spot just outside of Pearl, to the south. "So, as you''ve all been told, some sort of anomaly has been detected just outside of the city''s walls. We had a few scouts inspect it and they let us know that multiple demons were spotted in the area. The creatures that inhabit Pearl''s surrounding areas tend to be somewhere between levels 20 and 30. As such, our presence was required. Shortly, we will all be heading there and dealing with whatever creatures we encounter, before that though, I wished to discuss what we will do about the anomaly."


    "Are they setting up some sort of beacon maybe?" Satsuhiro asked. He hasn''t changed at all since last I saw him. Still so serious, all the time. Kasumi looked around. None of them have, really. Though she did notice that now and then, the Saviors would give Satsuhiro a strange look. Is there some elephant in the room I''m not aware of?


    "Maybe," Takomaro responded. "the scouts were apprehensive to walk too close to this thing, but it is clear this thing holds some sort of significance to them."


    "Then, maybe set up a few camps surrounding it," Satsuhiro responded, "send some mages and scholars with enough equipment to comfortably study it. Of course, we''d also need some Saviors to volunteer to help protect them."


    "Have the demons'' magic capabilities been evolving?" Magnolia, the older woman asked. "If this is some form of reality-altering magic, it could be far more important than we''re being led to believe."


    "Doesn''t matter what it is," Akiven flipped his white hair over his shoulders, smugly stating, "to us, anyway. We can leave all the head-scratching to the bookworms. Let''s just go, kill some demons and walk out."


    "Is there any way to eliminate it?" Alkoram, the man with the sickle-shaped blades asked, ignoring Akiven. "Mizaki? Takomaro?"


    "Oh, oh! I know a cute little Dispel spell, heh, ''Dispel spell'', that''s fun to say." Mizaki laughed. "I could give it a shot."


    "If this particular spell''s activation is linked to a person, in this case, a demon, and the anomaly isn''t self-activated, we''d have to find the demon who cast the spell and kill it," Satsuhiro noted.


    Kasumi tuned them out as they discussed their proceedings. Can we just get to the part where we go kill these things so I can go back to napping?


    "And you, Kasumi?" Magnolia asked, a stern expression on her portrait. "What do you recommend?"


    "What else can we do but go and fight?" Kasumi shrugged. "Let''s clear the place out and have Mizaki try her spell."


    "I agree with the woman with the excellent rack," Akiven stated, smacking a hand on the table and earning a series of eye rolls.


    "As much as it might pain me to agree with this ''man''," Kuro, the Savior who''d taken Kasumi there, said, "I believe we should get to work. Whatever the anomaly is, it could potentially be in the process of causing harm."


    "Well," Takomaro noted, "send word to the city''s expert mages that they are to prepare camps as Satsuhiro suggested. In the case that we can''t eliminate the anomaly, it would be good to study it."


    "Aye. Should it take long, I will meet you all there, then." Kuro replied, bowing and walking out of the room.


    "The rest of us, we''ll go now and see what we can do," Takomaro stated.


    With that said, Takomaro took the lead and walked out of the room, the rest of the Saviors following him as he walked through the palace. Magnolia went up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    "How long has it been since we''ve worked together?" Magnolia asked with a smile.


    "Far too long. I do look forward to it, fighting at your side has always been a pleasure, Maggie."


    "Heh, they won''t know what hit ''em, with us in the fight. Looking forward to seeing those healing hands at work, old man."


    Kasumi trailed behind everyone, hoping to avoid as much human interaction as she could. Unfortunately, one of these Saviors happened to be far too extroverted for that plan to work.


    "Oh my GOSH!" Mizaki walked up to her, snaking an arm around Kasumi''s left elbow. The older woman made an exasperated face, one that Mizaki simply ignored. "I can''t believe I''m going to work with you! Ah!" Mizaki was so giddy it was like she was draining Kasumi of her own energy. "It''s going to be so cool! Remember when I used to train in the barracks?"


    She sighed, as memories of Mizaki wildly swinging a large hammer at some instructors came to her.


    "Yes," Kasumi replied.


    "OH! And you''d always bring your daughter along too to watch, she was just the cutest thing!" Mizaki laughed and Kasumi paled. "What was her name again, Nozomi? How is she?"


    Kasumi looked at Mizaki, some annoyance in her eyes, but she turned away before that emotion turned to grief.


    "She''s dead."


    Mizaki blinked. Then, she laughed.


    "No, no, seriously, how..." When Mizaki looked back at Kasumi, she understood the older mage wasn''t joking. "O-Oh... I... I''m so sorry, uh, I didn''t know, I..."


    "It''s fine." Her voice cracked. "It''s fine. Just... Yeah."


    Abandoning her earlier plan, as the group of Saviors made their way outside of Pearl, Kasumi walked a bit faster than everyone else, staying right behind Takomaro.


    ---


    The group continued outside, eventually reaching the strange thing in question. Trying to distract herself from the conversation with Mizaki, Kasumi gazed upon the object. It was like an exceptional violet tear in space itself. It was so tall, it nearly stood over the walls of Pearl. Hm. So, this thing just appeared there out of nowhere? Kasumi wondered.


    A few demons were walking around aimlessly at the base of this anomaly. Akiven took out his pair of blades and grinned.


    "Now, first," but before Takomaro could finish that statement, the white-haired Savior was already rushing in. clearly eager to be the first one to spill blood. He rushed a demon, slashed at its ankles with one blade, and then caught its neck as it fell. Then, he threw his left sword at a demon, piercing its head. Another to the right charged in, but Akiven retrieved the blade he''d thrown and used it to decapitate the approaching creature. All three demons were dead in no time.


    "Lumina, have patience with him," Takomaro muttered as Akiven struck a pose, flipping his hair back. Some more demons came out of the strange tear and Mizaki stepped up. Wielding the oversized hammer, she crushed an enemy under its weight before it could reach Akiven.


    "Thanks, sweetheart," Akiven told her. "Gotta keep a face like this clean, you know?"


    "Well," Takomaro continued, "we know what we''re here to do. Come on, let''s see if we can gain any information from this thing."


    Kasumi remained behind everyone as they approached it. The closer they got, the more they could see some sort of image.


    "There''s..." Alkoram muttered, "some sort of forest in there."


    "A portal then?" Satsuhiro asked. "Interesting. How did demons get their hands on this kind of spell?"


    "Evolution, maybe," Takomaro replied with a shrug. "Regardless, Mizaki, try your spell."


    "On it!" The girl smiled and walked up. She muttered an incantation under her breath. Lightning surged from her hands and connected to the portal. However, as soon as it did, violet lightning surged back into Mizaki''s body and she was launched back. "Agh!"


    Takomaro was at her side in a moment.


    "It, uh, it didn''t work." Mizaki stated as he healed her.


    "We will need to walk in then. Are you all ready?" Takomaro asked, looking back at everyone.


    If I have to, I guess. Kasumi sighed and nodded. The others gave their affirmative and Takomaro turned back towards the portal.


    "Let''s go then."


    And so, the group of Saviors promptly entered the doorway. As soon as Kasumi did, she felt raw Dark magic surrounding her. Looking down at her hands, her skin was glowing violet, as though she''d become a spirit just by entering this place.


    "Ugh," Mizaki said, "this place feels wrong."


    "It''s like being in the head of one of those things," Magnolia replied. "There''s an energy in the air that''s weighing heavily on me. Keep your guard up. We''ll probably run into trouble soon."


    "As I said before, if this is a concentration spell," Satsuhiro stated, his demeanor not changing too much even with the new surroundings, "there will be either an object or a creature that needs to be destroyed to extinguish this."


    "Okay, but, uh, yeah," Akiven started, "when that happens though, can we still get out?"


    "Alternate-realm magic isn''t too common," Satsuhiro replied, "but most of the time, when the concentrating source is eliminated, the realm itself fades away and everyone in it is tossed back into the regular world."


    As they continued searching for any demons or objects that could be the cause for this portal''s existence, they came across a pond filled with violet water, giving a clear reflection of everything that loomed over it. Kasumi walked up as everyone else moved around the waters, uninterested.


    She looked down at her own reflection. But, before she turned away, she spotted something. There was someone else in there. A woman with white hair walked up, who strangely resembled a demon, accompanied by a blonde dressed like a Savior. Kasumi narrowed her brows with confusion as she watched the pair. The demon looked up at her, and their eyes connected.


    What the...?


    Her first instinct was to reach in and see if this too was some sort of portal. So, she extended a hand. The demon did the same thing.


    She was just about to touch the water when something caught their attention. The demon and the blonde looked to their left and then, panicked, they ran the opposite way. A few seconds later, Kasumi saw demons chasing after them.


    What the hell did I just see? She wondered.


    "Kasumi?" Satsuhiro asked. He was with Mizaki, both of them waiting for her while the others had kept going. "What''s the matter?"


    "I saw..." She looked down. "There were people in there. In the water."


    ''What do you mean?"


    "I saw two girls," Kasumi scratched her head. "One looked like a demon, with horns, white hair, violet eyes, and all that. The other was a blonde dressed in Savior armor."


    Hearing that, Satsuhiro''s eyes widened.


    "Wow, how strange," Mizaki said but Satsuhiro ran up to where Kasumi was.


    "What?" He asked, utterly stunned. He looked into the water himself, but of course, they weren''t there anymore.


    "They were there a second ago, but they got chased away by some demons." Kasumi raised a brow. "Are you alright? You sound like you know them."


    "Because I do." Satsuhiro sighed. "They''re the Saviors I''m training."


    "What?" Now it was Kasumi''s turn to be confused. "What the hell? I mean, one of them was a demon."


    "Half-demon." Satsuhiro corrected her. "Her name''s Ash. She was chosen almost a month ago. You seriously don''t know?"


    "I don''t keep up with Savior news nowadays, Satsuhiro."


    Satsuhiro, probably understanding why, nodded and looked back into the water.


    "Right. Well, yes. What the hell were they doing in there?"


    "I don''t know, but it didn''t look too good for them." Kasumi shrugged. "They got chased off."


    Satsuhiro stared into the water for a few more seconds before she finally turned away.


    "Nothing I can do for them from here. Come on, let''s keep going." His voice sounded calm, but Kasumi noticed he was walking in a little more hurry.


    They caught up to the other Saviors when they reached a cliff. One Magnolia, Akiven, Takomaro, and Alkoram were all looking down from.


    "What is...?" She didn''t get to finish her question because she was shocked into silence.


    When she walked up, she looked down and saw what had made them pause.


    "Well," Takomaro grumbled. "This is quite the discovery."


    It was a pentagon-shaped city. At its corners, violet spires surged into the sky. Even from this distance though, they could all hear roars and screams coming from below. Music, some chanting going on accompanied by metallic creaks and groans.


    "So, this is what the demons have been up to?" Alkoram asked himself.


    "I think it''s safe to say the source of the concentration spell is in there." Satsuhiro pointed ahead. "Which, if this is what it looks like, a city of demons, means deactivating the portal isn''t happening. The best we can do is go back and relay this information to the Royal Council, then prepare Pearl for whatever this is supposed to be."


    Then, one of the spires seemed to turn towards them. Kasumi and the others noticed it.


    "What''s that thing doing?" She asked, pointing at it.


    "If I had to guess," Satsuhiro responded, "it''s just noticing us. Which means getting the hell out of here is probably our best choice."


    "We''d best get moving then," Takomaro said. "This information is..."


    Then, they all heard a roar come from behind them. They froze. Kasumi, who had been at the back of the group, was now at the front since they all turned around. She looked beyond the violet trees and paled. That fast!?


    "Demons. Get ready!" Takomaro called out like a horde of creatures came from the ethereal forest. They ranged in all different shapes and sizes, wielding different weapons, each one running straight for the group.


    Akiven stood at the front.


    He spun in place, becoming a whirlwind of swords while Mizaki and Magnolia both flanked him. Magnolia broke her enemies apart with her mace, using her shield to keep them at bay while Mizaki swung her hammer like a toy. Satsuhiro put his hands together and started reciting incantations. Alkoram muttered one of his own and his body was covered in gold light. Then, he ran up and joined the other fighters.


    Uh... Come on, what....? She tried to think about any illusions that could be of use here. Maybe Petrify? She thought.


    "Fear becomes a weapon, courage becomes a distant dream, petrify!" From where she stood, a dark face appeared above her and screeched. Some of the demons slipped as they ran, scurrying back in shock.


    Then, a dragon emerged from Satsuhiro''s hands, engulfing the approaching creatures. Alkoram sliced off two demon''s heads but was then injured in a leg. Takomaro extended a hand towards him, cast a spell, and his wound was gone.


    The group of demons was being pushed back, as Mizaki swung her hammer, sending multiple demons flying into the air at a time. Until Kasumi heard something thudding as it moved in their direction.


    Oh no. Kasumi''s eyes widened.


    "A Nightmare?" Satsuhiro asked.


    No. Multiple Nightmares appeared beyond the trees.


    "Okay, ah, listen," Akiven started, "I''m all for fighting and having a good time but, that," he pointed at them, "doesn''t seem like a good time though."


    "Gauge their strength," Takomaro instructed. "We could take them!"


    Akiven nodded. He ran up to one and slashed its ankle. The demon raised a leg, and before any of them could see it coming, it kicked him all the way back to the group. Akiven spat out blood and Takomaro instantly went to heal him.


    "I''d," Akiven coughed, "I''d say that about tells us all we need to know."


    "W-We need to run!" Kasumi told the group.


    "Cut a path," Takomaro instructed, "then, we go!"


    Nodding, Mizaki leaped up into the air and brought her hammer down, crushing the earth under her and sending multiple demons into the air. Akiven saw this and nodded, jumping up, using that strange whirlwind technique and falling back down, as pieces of the demons fell around him.


    "Okay, now!" Satsuhiro called out and the Saviors started to run.


    Takomaro, Akiven and Alkoram were in front. The others trailed behind them, with Kasumi trying her hardest to keep up as the Nightmares chased them, but she hadn''t run like this in years. She was already tired.


    "Agh!" Mizaki yelled and Kasumi stopped, breathing heavily. The other Savior had tripped.


    "I''ve got her!" Magnolia yelled, running up to Mizaki as Kasumi stood there. She looked back and put her hands together.


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage." Kasumi quickly stated the incantation and an invisibility cloak was placed over each member of the group. If the demon''s levels are high enough, this spell won''t work, but I had to try something!


    "Come on, up, up!" Magnolia pulled Mizaki to her feet. Both women started running towards them.


    Good job, Kasumi thought, good...


    Then, one of the Nightmares, a large, bloated creature, opened its mouth. Its tongue launched out and snaked itself around Magnolia''s right leg.


    "W-" The woman was pulled back.


    Oh no. Mizaki screamed as the older Savior was dragged back. Kasumi ran forwards.


    "Fear becomes a weapon, courage becomes a distant dream, petrify!" She cast the same fear-inducing spell from before, but this time, it did not affect.


    "Magnolia!" Kasumi yelled, turning around, trying to alert the other Saviors. Satsuhiro and Takomaro turned around, but Akiven and Alkoram kept running.


    "What?" Takomaro realized what was happening as Magnolia used her mace on the tongue, trying to sever it. "Maggie!"


    But it was no use. The Nightmare raised her body with its tongue and swallowed the Savior whole.


    Kasumi stood for a moment in disbelief, as did the other Saviors. But, soon, she realized they were still being chased. She grabbed Mizaki by her right wrist and pulled her to the others.


    "Keep going!" She cried as Mizaki shook her head and started running once more.


    They moved through the trees, eventually passing the pond and reaching the portal they''d come through. When they got to it, they looked back and found that they weren''t being pursued anymore, but still, they exited the alternate dimension.


    Akiven and Alkoram were already there, of course. Takomaro, Satsuhiro, Mizaki and Kasumi came out, in that order. Kasumi fell to her knees, coughing. Ahead, Mizaki broke down in tears.


    "Where''s....?" Alkoram started, but after he saw the look on Takomaro''s face, he understood. "No..."


    "We..." Satsuhiro took a few deep breaths. "We need to report this. As soon as possible. Something big is clearly happening, and those Nightmares were far too strong for this area."


    Takomaro nodded. He choked in a deep breath and started walking back to the city, wordlessly.


    Each of the Saviors remained frozen in their spots, internalizing what had just happened.

 Chapter 39 - Vol. 2 - 4

    Ash


    Oh, fuck. As soon as Ash stepped into the portal, she felt her body heat up to an unbearable degree. What''s... What the hell is...?


    When she looked over at Kaori, her eyes widened.


    "Hm." Kaori looked around. "What is this place?"


    Ash couldn''t care less about that right now.


    She walked up to Kaori and put her arms around the Savior.


    "Uh, Ash?" Kaori asked. Ash brought her tongue out and licked the side of Kaori''s neck as the blonde shivered. "U-Um, Ash?"


    "Holy shit, shit, shit," Ash took deep breaths. Her heart was beating fast as she took a hand and brought it down above Kaori''s crotch.


    "W-Whoa!" Kaori took a step back and gently pushed Ash away. "I... I don''t think this is the time or place for that." However, when she looked at Ash, her concern turned to confusion.


    "I don''t know what''s... I feel so fucking horny," Ash muttered.


    "J-Just... Try to calm down, please?" Kaori urged her.


    Ash shook her head.


    What the hell is happening to me? Looking down at her hands, she found them exuding a violet aura.


    At that moment, a message appeared over her head.


    [Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing]


    [While in Niven''s site of power, all of a demon''s attributes are increased]


    Attributes? She asked herself, but, that doesn''t have anything to do with my lust. Maybe this place affects that too and it''s just not showing.


    However, now that she was thinking about her attributes, she noticed something she hadn''t when she came in. She felt far, far stronger. So, she checked her stats.


    Level 11


    MP: 300/300


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 50


    CON: 40


    INT: 30


    WIS: 30


    L: 100


    Holy shit. She couldn''t comprehend the numbers she was looking at. With the exception of her Luck, all other stats had increased drastically.


    Kaori walked up to her, reaching out to touch her shoulder.


    "So... Are you okay?" Kaori asked.


    "I... I think..." She took a deep breath, gulping down some built-up saliva. "I think I can handle this."


    "Um... Alright." Kaori backed away, looking around again. "So, where are we?"


    Now, Ash took some time to scan her surroundings as well.


    "Wait... this is, like, uncomfortably familiar." The half-demon said, looking around. The city they''d entered was almost like a far darker, violet version of Jade. Since Ash had walked that city''s streets her whole life, there were things she instantly recognized. The street that rounded to the Spirit Garden''s District, the squared homes where citizens would often spit from their windows down at people like her.


    In many ways, it was similar, but with key differences. Instead of cracks in the stones produced by age, here there were bloodstains decorating the area. Instead of banners on the walls, pikes were stabbing through human corpses.


    "Gah..." Kaori nearly puked when she saw them.


    "That''s pleasant." Ash sighed, calming herself down. "Well, let''s just look around, I guess. The portal''s still up, so we''ll run out as soon as we see anything too shady."


    "Eh, I''d argue this is already pretty shady," Kaori told her, "but yeah. So, is this a demon city or something?" Kaori asked.


    "Probably. Either that or, I don''t know, some sort of mirror of Jade. Or both." Ash noted as she looked at the buildings. She wondered what would happen if she knocked on any of the wooden doors here.


    The pair kept walking north from where they''d appeared until they came to an area Ash knew particularly well. The public square where business was conducted. This had been the same place where she''d spent her money when she first accepted the deal to become a Savior. Honestly, she thought, if you take away all the blood, guts, and violet, it would be sort of nostalgic.


    There was a fountain nearby. Jade had a similar one, portraying Magia pouring water below, but this one depicted a man wearing a hood pouring blood. Ash approached it.


    "Uhm," Kaori said, her voice echoing, "I think we''ve seen enough."


    "Yeah, agreed, we should..." However, as Ash looked into the blood in the fountain, she narrowed her brows.


    "Huh? What is it?" Kaori asked when she noticed her expression change.


    "There''s someone in there."


    "What do you mean?" As Kaori got closer and the two of them looked in, Ash saw a crimson-haired, dark-skinned older woman looking back at them. Who the hell...?


    "Did you hear that?" Kaori suddenly asked. Ash was too focused on the image though. The woman started reaching forward, towards her. Ash began doing the same.


    But then, she heard it too.


    It was a snarling sound. Something animalistic was in the distance, to the west. It wasn''t hidden for long though. One of those wooden doors Ash had thought of knocking on earlier swung open and what emerged was a violet-eyed demon. Ash took a deep breath as she looked for its level.


    "The forest where we came from was level 1 to 5 so, this thing should be..."


    She stopped talking when she saw the number.


    Level 25


    MP: 110/110


    You''ve got to be fucking kidding me. She thought.


    "So, what is it?" Kaori asked.


    "It''s..." Then, more demons emerged from the surrounding buildings. The snarling became a collective set of growls and threatening groans aimed at them. "Just run," Ash said.


    "What?"


    "RUN!"


    Ash grabbed Kaori by her wrist and the two booked it in the opposite direction. Behind them was the gate that led out of Jade, only, instead of a gate, there was an ethereal wall of violet. Ash reached it and tried to pass through.


    "No good," Ash noted. She looked to her right and found a stairway that led to the top of Jade''s walls. The two of them ran towards it, with the demons already catching up. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Ash cursed in her mind as she and Kaori ran up the steps. When they reached the top, she closed the door behind them and locked it.


    Instantly, a hand tore through the wood and nearly grabbed Ash''s head.


    "Keep going!"


    "R-Right!" Kaori responded and the two bolted through the walls as the door was promptly ripped apart behind them.


    Ahead, there was a violet spire of sorts, emitting energy that surged all the way to the sky. Ash narrowed her eyes at it and shook her head. No, focus! She tried desperately to search for any sort of hiding place. What she found was a canal of blood that led out of the city, contained though by the same ethereal wall that prevented them from exiting the city before.


    They rounded a second tower that led up to the walls and Ash wrapped her arms around Kaori''s body.


    Then, she pulled her, and the two of them fell into the canal of blood. It was shallow enough for them to stand in. Kaori was about to do that, but Ash pulled her back down. In the blood, Kaori''s eyes widened at her but Ash shook her head. A few seconds passed and then, Ash nodded. When they stood, they took deep breaths. Ash wiped away the blood from her eyes and looked up. The demons had fallen for the trick, continuing to rush through the walls in search of them.


    She heard them stampeding on the walls above. Ash put her hands on Kaori''s shoulders and the blonde grabbed her wrists. They looked into each other''s eyes, equally panicked and relieved.


    "I think they''re gone," Ash stated between breaths, her eyes briefly dipping to where drops of blood were sliding down Kaori''s neck. She had half a mind to tear her armor off and-


    She shook her head.


    Kaori laughed.


    "That was pretty crazy wasn''t it?"


    "Don''t get too comfortable. We''re not safe yet." Ash reminded her. "We need to leave. These things are way too strong."


    "Oh my gosh," Kaori replied. They got out of the canal, their respective armors dripping blood onto the stone beneath them. "I... Wait," Kaori realized something, "we need to tell Satsuhiro! This portal was right outside his house!"


    "Yeah, but..." Ash took a few deep breaths, "something is keeping these things in here." She stated. "Shouldn''t we find out what?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Why haven''t they all just left this place? There has to be some reason they''re all still here."


    "Well, yes," Kaori replied, "but... Do you want to risk something happening? I think we should just leave," Kaori replied. "If we can''t fight these things, we could get cornered and, well, yeah."


    Ash took her words in. After considering them, she nodded.


    "Okay." She replied. "Let''s go."


    So, she started to look for the portal again.


    Now, Ash thought, where the hell was it...? I think the place we came from was the street that leads up to the Spirit Gardens District. The two of them jogged past the buildings they''d seen already, their doors now open as the demons inside had come out.


    After a while, they got back to the street where the portal was. It was still there. The demons who had chased them still hadn''t caught up. Ash nodded and pointed at it.


    "Come on, let''s..."


    Then, she heard something.


    "Chosen." Her eyes widened. A sharp voice spoke in her mind. "Magia. Hybrid. Abomination."


    The voice reverberated in her skull, and yet, she could place where it was coming from. It felt like the source was somewhere in the heart of the city, where a grand beam of violet light was erupting into the sky.


    "D-Did you hear that?" Kaori asked.


    "Chosen. Lumina. Coward. Irrelevant." The voice added.


    Who the hell is talking? Ash asked in her thoughts.


    "Chosen. Alkoth. Useless. Failure."


    Whatever. Ash thought and took a few steps closer to the portal.


    "Defeat. Inevitable." The voice added as Ash grabbed Kaori by the wrist and pulled her along.


    And so, they both emerged back at the forest.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash felt instant relief wash over her as her lust and the weight of the world they were in were erased.


    "That was way too scary, come on," Ash told the blonde, "we''ll write a letter and it''ll be done. Someone else is gonna have to look deeper into that place."


    "It..." Kaori looked back at the portal. "Something talked to me."


    "Us," Ash corrected her, "I heard it too, and whatever, it doesn''t matter." Ash shrugged. Kaori held a worried expression though. "Mostly, I just want to wash this shit off me."


    They walked back to the farm, walking in through the backdoor. Their wet equipment left red prints wherever they stepped. As soon as they were in the house, Metsumi peeked over in their direction and smiled.


    "You''re back!"


    "Yeah... Listen," Ash started, "the thing in the forest ended up being a portal. We..."


    "Take a shower first, both of you." Metsumi interrupted. "You''re getting the floor dirty."


    "Okay." Ash nodded. Metsumi retreated back into the living room.


    Ash sighed, reaching for the door instinctively.


    Kaori did the same.


    The blonde''s hand ended up on hers. Ash looked to her left, Kaori looked up at her.


    "Uh..." Ash raised a brow.


    "Go ahead, go ahead." Kaori chuckled awkwardly, taking a step back.


    "... Right."


    They took turns then, washing before they came out after a bit.


    In the living room, Keiko was sitting cross-legged as Metsumi played some strange card game with her daughter. Ash got to the living room first, drying out her hair as she sat down in front of Metsumi.


    "So," Ash started, "yeah, the portal in the forest."


    "Right," Metsumi asked, "what did you find out?"


    "It leads to, I don''t know, another world full of demons." Ash shrugged. "The point is they''re all super strong and they''re way too close to the farm."


    "Hm..." Metsumi put a hand to her chin.


    "Thing is, there''s nothing really keeping them from getting out." Ash shrugged. "My guess is that something wants them in, at least, for now. If that''s the case," she sighed, "it could be any day now where whatever is holding them up changes its mind."


    "We''re gonna need to find someplace else to stay at for a while, huh?" Metsumi understood.


    "Yeah, I think so." Ash nodded.


    "Oh well," Metsumi replied. "I suppose we could all just meet up with Satsu at Pearl." She nodded to herself with a smile. "Ah, you''ll love it there. It''s a beautiful little city."


    "Hm. I guess." Ash shrugged. "Uh, listen, could... Could you write a letter for me? I''m not very good at writing." Ash told her.


    "Sure."


    ---


    Keiko


    As the Zayama heard that her friends(?) had returned, she turned her head toward the spot where she heard Ash speaking to Metsumi. The two were currently going over what Ash would report back to the Council. Hearing what they went through though, she wanted to check in on Kaori. So, she stood up and walked to where she heard the girl humming a song to herself, probably getting dressed in what had unofficially become hers and Ash''s room.


    The door was open. She slowly opened it, asking:


    "Kaori, are you okay? Can I come in?"


    "Mhm," Kaori replied.


    Keiko walked in, taking light steps and remaining near the door. She could smell vanilla in the air. The bed creaked in ahead of her. She put her hands together and asked:


    "So, how did it go?"


    "Uh..." Kaori chuckled. "Pretty weird. Wanna hear about it or did Ash tell you already?"


    "She went over the general stuff, portal, city, voice, blood to wash off." She shrugged.


    "Ohhh, then I have a bit to complain about. Come ''ere." She heard Kaori pat the bed. Keiko walked up a few steps and turned, sitting down and putting her hands on her thighs. "Uh, raise your hands please," Kaori said.


    "Hm?" When Keiko did, something slightly heavy was laid on her lap. She put her hands back down and ended up touching a nose.


    Kaori giggled and Keiko blushed a little, understanding that Kaori had just put her head in her lap.


    "You''re okay?" Kaori asked.


    "U-Uh, yes," Keiko nodded. "So, what happened?"


    Kaori went over the events that had unfolded. Keiko listened patiently as Kaori vented a little. The energetic girl laughed every now and then as she relayed the details.


    "So, yeah," Kaori sighed, "Ash just grabbed me and we fell into a pool of blood."


    "That sounds... quite gross," Keiko replied.


    "It was. Insanely so, actually. Anyway, yeah." Kaori continued, "hated it, all in all. Would definitely not recommend that place for a vacation."


    "At least you made it out though," Keiko told her and Kaori lightly sighed.


    "Yeah. Plus, it gives me an excuse to do this." She sat up, getting off Keiko''s lap. Then, next thing she knew, she was being hugged. But that wasn''t all. Kaori pushed her down into an embrace on the bed.


    "U-Um..." Keiko felt herself turning red as Kaori giggled in her ear.


    "You know, this almost makes it all worth it. Mwah!" She kissed Keiko''s cheek. It got a little harder for Keiko to breathe. Then, Kaori kissed her a second time, her lips landing dangerously close to Keiko''s own.


    She thought the other girl would stop there, but then, a pair of plump, soft lips were pressed against her own. Keiko felt a shiver go up her spine as she did what she thought was kissing Kaori back.


    Kaori giggled a little as someone walked into the room.


    "Well," Ash said, "I was going to try to say something snarky but I don''t really have the energy for that right now."


    Kaori laughed as Keiko took a deep breath. Ash cleared her throat and continued.


    "Keiko," she said, "someone''s here to see you."


    "What?" Keiko asked, confused. Who could...?


    Kaori released her and Keiko got up. The Zayama paced out of the room slowly, walking to the living room with her hands held together in front of her.


    "Ah." A recognizable voice said and Keiko gasped. "Keiko."


    "Grandmother?" Keiko asked as a cold hand wrapped around her heart. Why is she here?

 Chapter 40 - Vol. 2 - 5

    Kasumi


    The group of Saviors returned to the city with one less member. Mizaki was sobbing her eyes out, all of Takomaro''s calmness disappeared from his face. Even Akiven wasn''t talking anymore and Alkoram looked furious. The only one whose expression barely changed was Satsuhiro. The only moment where the Savior had shown any emotion that wasn''t "intense brooding" was when he heard about the girls Kasumi had seen in the blood pond.


    No one spoke as they walked back to the palace. They made it all the way back to the room where they had their meeting without saying a word. Kuro was there, speaking with a scholar in brown robes as everyone came in.


    "... Well," Kuro raised a brow. "Doesn''t exactly look like things went well?"


    "Where were you?" Akiven asked with venom lacing his words. "The whole point was that you''d show up eventually."


    "It took more time speaking to everyone than I thought it would," Kuro replied.


    "Calm down, Akiven." Takomaro urged. "Kuro''s presence would have changed nothing."


    The white-haired savior clicked his tongue, sitting down and putting his feet up on the table at the center of the room. Kuro noticed Mizaki, wiping her tears, and looked around.


    "Where''s Magnolia?" He asked.


    "... She didn''t make it." Takomaro, with clear strain in his voice, responded.


    "What?"


    "The anomaly was a portal to some sort of different dimension," Takomaro explained, sitting down. His hands were shaking as he talked. "There were, of course, demons. They were far more powerful than we anticipated. We ended up having to run away, and, Magnolia was taken."


    "She tried to help me..." Mizaki explained as tears reemerged. "I... She died because of me!"


    The girl sobbed as Kuro took the information in. Kasumi sighed.


    ... And they ask me why I''m not working. Kasumi thought as each of the Saviors sat around the table. She remained standing, her arms crossed as she pressed her back to the wall. Who would want to go through this all the time? Losing people you love, admire. What kind of fool would want to live a life like this?


    "I''ll contact Magnolia''s family myself," Takomaro said, "for now though, we need to figure out what exactly we''ll do about that thing."


    "It could be that Mizaki''s spell wasn''t strong enough," Satsuhiro told them, "if that''s the case, there are ways to enhance a spell''s potency. We could find different ways to try the dispel strategy again."


    "Good. Get to discussing it with the mages." Takomaro ordered him.


    "What? Sir," Satsuhiro furrowed his brows, "I need to return home. I..." his eyes briefly went to Kasumi, "I heard something troubling. I need to check on my family."


    "This is too important, Satsuhiro," Takomaro told him. "Those demons could come pouring out of that portal at any moment. You need to work this out quickly. Pearl is likely in unimaginable danger."


    Satsuhiro took a deep breath.


    "Alright, sir."


    Despite the fact that technically speaking, Takomaro wasn''t anyone''s boss here, Satsuhiro still followed the order.


    Kasumi crossed her arms.


    "Can I go?" She asked.


    "Are you joking?" Alkoram asked. "One of our members just died and you don''t have the decency to-"


    "To do what?" She cut him off. "Me staying here won''t change what happened."


    "Sure, but you could stand to show some respect."


    "It''s alright." Takomaro stepped in as Alkoram raised his voice. "It''s fine. Go ahead." He nodded to Kasumi.


    The dark-skinned woman bowed a bit and walked out of the room.


    Now, she thought, I need to get some sleep.


    ---


    Keiko


    Sitting across from her grandmother was not something she''d expected. At her grandmother''s request, the two were left alone. Ash and the others were off in the fields.


    Keiko took a sip from some tea Metsumi made the both of them. She imagined her grandmother had a stern expression as she waited for her family member to speak. It was so awkward for her, in all honesty, she''d forgotten that her clan was a thing. Training Ash and... everything else surrounding the half-demon had occupied so much time in her mind that to her, she wasn''t even Keiko Zayama anymore.


    She was just Keiko.


    "I will keep this short," her grandmother stated, "you must return to Jade."


    Keiko felt her heart go cold.


    "What? Why?" She asked.


    Her grandmother scoffed.


    "The original intention of the agreement made was to send you away to train an up-and-coming Savior. However, the intention was never to have you in the company of a murderer," hearing those words, Keiko paled. "It has come to my attention that Varcon''s killer has been lodging here. This is unacceptable. You must depart immediately."


    Keiko understood what she was talking about, to some degree.


    She was never told outright, no one had walked up to her and said much, but she''d pieced things together based on what she heard. What she knew was this: Varcon messed with Kaori somehow, Kaori killed him for it, Kaori escaped Jade and was living here with her and the others. She didn''t particularly care because, well, she knew Varcon was a piece of shit and that Kaori was too good of a person to kill senselessly. She probably had a very good reason for what she did.


    She hadn''t expected anything like this to come out of it though.


    "B-But, surely," Keiko responded, "you''ve heard why she did this," she said, even though she didn''t know the details.


    "Regardless of the circumstances, how this looks is that we, the Zayamas, are sponsoring a killer. I will not have it. Such a stain on our reputation cannot be tolerated."


    "How many people even know that I am here?" Keiko asked.


    "Enough," her grandmother replied. "More than enough. Now, quit your whining and get your affairs in order."


    "What!?" Keiko felt herself getting angrier by the second.


    "I have decided to be generous enough to give you a week to prepare. Once that''s done, you are to leave."


    "I... Grandmother, I am an adult, I refuse!" Keiko stated.


    And she was slapped for it. She didn''t even register what had just happened until a few seconds passed and the stinging set in.


    "Preposterous," her grandmother replied. "An adult would have their Spirit Eye awoken. You have no such thing. Even if you were thirty years old, to the Zayamas, you are still a child." She heard a chair slide back and footsteps go to her left. "A week. If you fail to show up to Jade after that, I will send relatives to personally come and get you. Save yourself the shame and show up on your own."


    Just like that, the woman walked out of the house.


    Keiko raised a hand and held it to her cheek. She felt tears springing up at the corners of her eyes.


    "Sweetie," she heard Metsumi say, footsteps drawing closer to her, "are you okay?"


    "Y-You heard that?" Keiko asked.


    "She''s a very loud woman, even by my standards." Metsumi chuckled a little. Suddenly, Keiko was being hugged. "It''ll be fine, don''t worry."


    "... What am I supposed to do?" Keiko asked, choked up.


    Metsumi had no answer.


    They remained in that embrace for a while, until Keiko told the older woman she was okay and Metsumi went back to her daughter. Keiko stood up and walked back to her and Ash''s room. She laid down on the bed and put her hands on her stomach, breathing in as she shook her head. This is awful. She thought.


    She didn''t know how long she was like that, but a few minutes later, the door opened and she heard footsteps coming closer.


    "Keiko?" Kaori asked.


    "Yeah?" She replied, turning away from the voice though. She didn''t want the Savior to see her like this.


    "Uhm..." Kaori sat down on the bed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Metsumi told us what your grandmother said, how are you feeling?"


    "... Like trash," Keiko sighed. "I don''t want to go. I don''t want to leave you two, we have so much to do."


    Another pair of footsteps came but didn''t come close to the bed.


    "Uh, we''ll think of something," she heard Ash say, with an unusually soft tone, "maybe Satsuhiro can help. But, we''ll figure something out."


    Keiko smiled a little.


    "I..." She took a shaky breath. "I don''t know. Maybe. Hopefully, we can do something about this. I... I really like the two of you."


    "Aw!" Kaori wrapped herself around Keiko and the blind girl couldn''t help but chuckle.


    I... Keiko thought. I need to fix this. I don''t want to lose them.


    ---


    Kasumi


    When the Savior got back to her home, she flopped face-first onto her bed, closed her eyes, and didn''t reopen them for several hours. She didn''t plan on getting up to do anything either. She certainly didn''t feel like eating tonight, nor did she plan on doing anything Savior-related. The mages up at the palace didn''t need her input, they could figure out a solution to the portal problem by themselves.


    Overall, today had been a very good reminder of why she retired.


    Sadly, it didn''t seem like the world wanted her to sleep for too long. A knock at her door woke her up and she groaned as she got off her bed.


    "Coming!" She yelled out.


    She walked through her house and down the stairs to answer the front door, hoping it would be anyone at all that wasn''t related to the Saviors. When she opened the door and found a basic-looking man in a tattered white shirt and ripped shorts, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Yes?" She asked.


    "A letter, kona." The man replied, using a formal word native to Pearl that essentially meant ''friend''. He handed her an envelope, bowed, and walked away.


    Kasumi closed the door and walked over to a chair she hadn''t cleaned in ages, sitting down and ripping the mail up.


    "What the...?"


    When she saw who had sent it, her eyes widened and her lips parted of their own volition. This letter was coming from Jonoko Matsubo, her ex-husband.


    Memories passed by her eyes, ones she thought she''d forgotten.


    --


    Kasumi was crying her eyes out. Surrounding her were so many people from Pearl, acquaintances, relatives, friends, and yet, not one of them was the person she cared about the most. No, that person was lying in the black coffin in front of her. A hand made circles on her back as she couldn''t even bring herself to look at it.


    "Kasumi," Jonoko said, "it''s okay. She''s in the after-realm now."


    His words did absolutely nothing to soothe her.


    His words wouldn''t erase the fact that her daughter had suffered a terrible fate at the hands of monsters simply because she couldn''t be there to defend her.


    She cursed the day she was chosen. She cursed the boy she''d saved that day. She cursed everyone who pushed her to become a ''hero''.


    --


    She stared at the hastily written words on the paper with confusion. How long has it been? She wondered. What could he want now?


    Shaking her head, she tried to calm herself down and read what was said.


    Dear Kasumi,


    I hope you have been okay since everything happened. I wish I could have a better conversation with you at the moment, knowing it''s been so long since we''ve spoken properly. However, I am writing you now because something has come up and I am hoping you will arrive sooner than the other help I''ve asked for. I will keep this short, as I know you''ve always been the type that likes to get to the point quickly. A portal has opened up outside of my village. Demons have been spotted roaming around the village''s perimeter. We are afraid this could mean some sort of attack is imminent. I have already sent word to the Palace and to the Council at Jade, but in the case that they don''t arrive in time, I am writing you now. I am still living in the same village, Velnum, east of Pearl. You remember where it is, right? Please, I beg of you to come help.


    With fondness, Jonoko.


    Kasumi took a deep breath.


    She didn''t want anything to do with this, but she also understood that with Pearl''s focus on the portal that appeared outside their walls, and with Jade being so far away, there was a high likelihood that if anything happened, the other help Jonoko asked for wouldn''t come.


    Ugh,  she shook her head.


    She didn''t particularly hold her ex-husband in high regard. He''d left her all those years ago and only now when he needed help, did he ever reach out to her. However, at the same time, she understood two things.


    One, it wasn''t like she made it easy for him to connect with her after their daughter''s passing. She had all but closed herself off.


    The second was that the situation did indeed seem desperate. No one else would probably move to help as fast as she could.


    So, she stared down at the letter.


    I... She paced back and forth for a few seconds. Eventually, she took a deep breath. I''ll just go see what''s up. She decided.


    With that thought, she packed a few things up and walked out into the nighttime streets.

 Chapter 41 - Vol. 2 - 6

    Leaving Pearl for the first time in years, even if it was to go to a nearby village, was extremely surreal to the Savior. A part of her couldn''t believe she was out here, on a horse she bought just for the sake of this short trip. She was almost expecting to arrive to a crowd of people laughing at her for going through this much effort to go help a man who hadn''t been relevant to her life for such a long time.


    Still, she made her way through dark trees as crickets chirped around her. Usually, it would take a couple of hours before she got there, but she took almost no breaks and managed to make it after a little over one and a half.


    She noticed something the closer she got to the village. The world around her started to change. The sky was turning violet, the leaves and trees were starting to glow softly. The air got colder.


    What she found though left her stunned. The village she was heading to was on fire.


    Outside, she could see another spire-like violet object, the one her ex-husband had talked about in his letter.


    What? She thought, getting off her horse. Already?


    She hurried forwards. With sounds of swords clashing in the distance, screams and inhuman roars mixing in with them, she figured this battle must have just been starting. She quickened her pace further, he boots crushing leaves as she weaved her way between trees, eventually coming out to the road that led into the village.


    She saw several demons and paused.


    Kasumi was an illusion mage, mostly she excelled in trickery, but she wasn''t defenseless. She pulled out the dagger she usually kept on her and closed her eyes.


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage." She muttered and she turned invisible. This part of the process was a gamble. If the demons were of a high enough level, her spell was useless. Not just that, but the spell only lasted a few minutes, and physical exertion reduced the duration. Still, it was the only way she could think of to get into the village without much trouble.


    So, she walked up to the entrance, a small gate that had been torn open.


    Immediately, she saw the chaos up close. Men and women were fighting for their lives, trying to hold off a swarm of monsters.


    Level 9


    Level 8


    Level 12


    She couldn''t see the demons'' levels, but she guessed the humans trying to defend themselves were simply too weak. One by one, Kasumi saw them fall. Since she was here though, she tried to help.


    "Free the dragon of its shackles, let its roar make bones tremble." She put her hands together as she muttered the incantation, and above her, the image of a powerful dragon appeared. It flew into the air, making circles as some of the demons looked up, cowering at the sight of it. A few of the human warriors used the distraction to land killing blows on their enemies.


    So, she understood, these guys aren''t as powerful as the ones we saw in the portal. Or maybe the area itself was making them stronger. Regardless, I can work with this. Jonoko''s portrait flashed through her mind. Hopefully, he''s alright.


    She nodded to herself and ran through the street.


    Every now and then, she would reach up with a dagger and stab the back of a demon''s neck. She ignored the EXP messages that popped up, she couldn''t care less about that right now.


    Where the hell did he live again? She asked herself, turning corners, but the fire spreading through each house was making her surroundings indistinguishable. Nothing was as she remembered it.


    Her invisibility dropped. She waited a bit, to let her mana regenerate. As she moved, a few guards noticed her. One yelled: "Kasumi, the Savior!?"


    Kasumi didn''t respond. She heard a few warriors rallying themselves, but all she wanted to know was where her ex-husband was. As the fires died down for just a second, she caught glimpse of a house that seemed a little bit familiar to her. Upon drawing closer, memories long-buried came to her and she gasped.


    That''s it!


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage."


    She cast her invisibility spell again and moved between multiple small skirmishes, trying to get to the house ahead of her.


    She remembered then what things used to be like. Different times when she''d actually smiled often. When her days were blessed with a loving family and an existence she could be content with.


    The image burned with the fires in front of her, spreading throughout the village.


    She raced to the house ahead.


    The front door was broken, leaving the entrance wide open. Kasumi searched from side to side, trying to find her ex-husband. She didn''t want to call out to him though. She didn''t want to risk alerting the demons fighting in the streets.


    Things were eerily quiet here, something that contrasted harshly with the sounds of battle outside. Where...?  Kasumi took a couple of cautious steps forward. If there was a demon here, she wanted to spot it before it saw her. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears when she moved past the living room and to the old bedroom that she and Jonoko had once shared. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room.


    When she saw no one inside, she nearly turned to leave. However, as she was about to go, she heard someone say:


    "Kasumi?"


    Quickly, she turned and saw Jonoko exiting from the closet he was hiding in.


    Kasumi''s eyes ran up and down his form. He''s changed a bit. She noted.


    He was a slender, lanky man with short black hair and a thin beard. His brown eyes were clearly fearful, due to his situation. He was dressed in the robes of a priest, Kasumi noticed.


    "You''re alright," Kasumi said with relief.


    "You actually came," Jonoko said that with so much shock, it surprised Kasumi how little faith he must have had in her. "I... I can''t believe it."


    "Yeah, well you''re lucky I did. It''s looking pretty bad out there."


    "Y-Yes," her ex-husband wiped some sweat off of his face. His hands were trembling. "T-They came in the middle of the night. I... Suddenly, the sky had turned violet and then, they just appeared."


    "I''ll talk to the other Saviors about it once we''re out, but right now, come on. We need to move."


    "You''re right," Jonoko nodded. "Lead the way."


    Kasumi repeated the same invisibility spell, using it to cover both of them. With it, the two came out of the house and back onto the street, where the village was currently in the process of being destroyed. Here, Kasumi started to trace a path away from the chaos, weaving between the fights and the fires, so she could get the both of them to safety.


    Jonoko must have noticed this because he asked:


    "You''re not going to help them?"


    "What?" Kasumi asked back. "Are you kidding?"


    "Kasumi, you have to do something. You''re a Savior."


    "I don''t know if the time we''ve spent apart has made you forget this, Jo, but I''m just an illusion mage." She said as the two of them neared the exit. "What exactly can I do?"


    "Don''t say that," Jonoko stopped and Kasumi clicked her tongue, turning to face that. "You know exactly how strong you are."


    ''''Not strong enough to stop this village from being destroyed though. I know that much." Kasumi stated. "Now, are you coming or not?"


    "... At least try to save some others." Jonoko pleaded. "Look at them!" He gestured to the fighting guards, trying desperately to hold off demons much stronger than themselves. "Surely, you can get at least a few of them out of this."


    "Jonoko, we don''t have time for this, we need to go!"


    "Kasumi," his tone dropped, "please. Don''t let these people die like this."


    The Savior looked away for a moment. The gate was right in front of her. She could take a few steps, leave and be back at Pearl before the sun rose. She figured that had to be the smartest choice to make. There was certainly no saving this village, at least, by herself.


    A scream came from a nearby guard who got stabbed through the chest by a demon. Kasumi clenched her hands into fists. Just go, Kasumi, just...  Then another, until finally, she''d heard enough.


    "Fine. Go." She pointed back. "I''ll help a few of them out, but that''s all I can do."


    "Thank you," he smiled before turning and running away. Kasumi breathed in.


    How many of them can I even help?


    She spotted two fights happening simultaneously. One was on her right, a woman was trying to hold back a demon with just a shield and a sword. On her left, two men were fighting three demons at once. Kasumi closed her eyes. She tried to think back to her days as an active Savior.


    There had been spells she used at that time, ones that were far more powerful than the ones she''d used recently, but their incantations were also harder to learn.


    What was it again?


    "Sons of... No, stars of battle make, no, that''s not it, fuck! Beings of war," she put her hands together, identifying the demons from both of the ongoing fights and marking them in her mind, "collide and let the sparks of death dance on the battlefield. Let all those who see the curse know each other as enemies."


    Suddenly, those demons stopped and turned to face each other. The guards watched, confused. One of them screeched. Then another, until all of them were roaring at each other.


    Finally, they ran straight at each other, tearing themselves apart.


    "Run!" She told the guards. "The village is dead, go!"


    "R-Right!" One guard said, running past her. Then, the others did and Kasumi watched as the demons slowly killed one another.


    She searched the nearby streets, trying to find guards who were still alive and actually stood a chance at making it out.


    Anyone else?


    Up ahead, she found a guard pinned down by a demon, trying to hold the thing back. Kasumi approached, but he was unsuccessful, and the demon slashed his neck with its claws, killing him before Kasumi could reach. Fuck!  That case was repeated a few times. She''d spot some guards who were still alive and they''d die right in front of her. She never saw any citizens, she figured most either escaped or were already dead.


    The last person she saw that she could actually do something about was a man trapped under a piece of a house that had fallen on top of him. The piece was on fire, currently spreading and threatening to burn him to a crisp. Kasumi ran forwards.


    "Help!" The man cried out and Kasumi knelt beside him. She wasn''t particularly strong at all, but she hoped their combined strength would be enough to pull this off.


    "You''re going to have to help yourself a little here," Kasumi informed him as she placed her hands under the wood.


    "U-Uh, yeah, whatever!" He said, putting his hands on the wood as well.


    "One, two, three!"


    It wouldn''t budge. Kasumi gritted her teeth as she continued to pour in what little strength she had.


    It seemed hopeless.


    "Come on!"


    "I''m... Trying!" The man stated.


    Then, Kasumi heard a roar from her left. She turned, fear entering her heart as she saw a demon staring straight at them.


    "Hold on," she muttered. "Blanket of reality, cover our visage." She cast her invisibility spell, moving her eyes back to the wood beside her, but the roar persisted.


    Her eyes widened.


    Oh no. She looked back at the demon and the creature was still staring at her. No...


    Whatever its level was, it was too high for her spell.


    It charged towards her, its teeth bared and its blank eyes aiming right at them. Kasumi let the wood go and turned to face the demon. She was breathing heavily, her heart cold when the demon reached her.


    "Let the ice in my veins be seen!" Using a spell from the Ice category of magic, she aimed a hand at the demon and cold mist poured out from her palm.


    The demon, irritated, halted and started swiping back and forth, trying to get the mist out of its eyes. Kasumi reached for her dagger and planted it in the demon''s neck, earning gargling sounds as the demon fell in front of her.


    Then, Kasumi turned back to the man.


    And then, she gasped. The flames had reached the top of the wood. He was seconds away from certain doom.


    "No, no, no, no!" Kasumi put her hands on the wood and tore them away instantly when she was burned by it. The man looked at her with pleading eyes. I...


    "Please, please, it burns!"


    Kasumi only had one idea. She didn''t know any Ice magic powerful enough to put the fire out, but maybe she could soften the intensity of the flames just long enough to help. So, she cast the same spell she''d used on the demon, only this time, she placed her hands on the wood before activating it, so that the cold mist would clash with the fire as she tried to pull it up.


    "It''s up to you now," she let him know, "I''m not strong enough!"


    And so, on their second try, the man tried his absolute hardest as the pair pulled the piece of wood up.


    They were successful. He slid out, letting it go and Kasumi sighed with relief.


    "N-Now, *cough* come on," she said.


    She helped the man get to his feet and the two of them ran out, moving past the demons.


    She''d helped everyone she thought she could. Now, all she could do was escape.


    Then, the village fell, a ring of flames indicating what used to be a small human settlement that was now drowned in blood and demons. Kasumi stood outside, in the woods with some of the survivors.


    "You did what you could," Jonoko told her. She didn''t respond.


    "S-Savior," one citizen went up to her as she watched the village burn. "What will happen now? Will they come for Pearl!?"


    Kasumi watched the fires move in front of her, consuming what remained.


    "We need to get to the city," she replied.


    What the fuck is happening? She asked herself. Why now?


    She had no answers though. All she could do was guide the couple dozen survivors back to Pearl.


    The farther they got from the village, the less that strange violet aura surrounded them, the more normal the sky turned, until eventually all of those signs of the demon''s presence seemed to disappear.


    What the hell is going on?


    ---


    Ash


    The Next Day


    After hearing about Keiko''s situation, the half-demon and Kaori stopped to think about what they could do. They had to find a way to keep Keiko around. Aside from the fact that the Zayama girl herself didn''t want to leave, just the thought of not having Keiko nearby didn''t feel right to either Ash or Kaori.


    The half-demon was walking around the house when she saw Keiko outside, in her meditating pose. Ash sighed and walked up to her.


    "Hey," she called out. Keiko looked back, clenching her hands into small fists.


    "Hello," Keiko''s head tilted down.


    Ash sat down next to her. The skies were clear today, allowing the sun to bathe the two of them in warm rays. Ash looked at her and asked:


    "So, what are we going to do?"


    "... I don''t know." Keiko shrugged. "She''s right, about what she said about the whole Spirit Eye thing. The Zayamas kind of live by their own rules. Since I haven''t awoken mine, they can do what they want with me."


    "That''s pretty fucking stupid," Ash barked out and Keiko chuckled.


    "It made sense to me as I grew up there, now though, not so much."


    "So, you just need to awaken your Spirit Eye or whatever. Sounds simple enough." Ash responded and Keiko stood up.


    "I wish it were," She put her hands on her hips. "I''ve tried since I was a teenager to unlock the ability, but I''ve never been able to. I-I met the requirements, I can meditate as well as some mages, by rights, I should have it already." Keiko explained. "But, no such luck."


    Ash listened and looked away.


    "I''m guessing there''s something you''re missing?" Ash asked.


    "Well, of course." Keiko chuckled. "The question is ''what''?"


    As Ash couldn''t offer any answers to her, all they could do was sit around in silent contemplation.


    ---


    A few hours later, another letter came.


    This one didn''t have much to say though, instead, it simply stated:


    "Here is your pay for the last two missions. We will be sending you a few sets of armor and a traveling merchant will visit your house for you to buy food and supplies, should you need them." Metsumi read.


    Ash was sitting in the living room with the others, all of them enjoying some lunch the older woman had cooked up.


    "Is there anything from Satsuhiro in that?" Ash asked.


    "Uhm, no," Metsumi replied, checking.


    "Hey," Ash thought of something, "are there any Zayama''s at Pearl?"


    "I would guess not," Keiko responded. "Though, maybe. It''s not uncommon for Zayamas to travel, but most prefer to stay near the compound."


    Ash nodded.


    "Maybe when we go there we can ask around," she suggested. Keiko seemed to appreciate that, smiling a little.


    "That seems like a good idea," Keiko replied.


    At that moment, Ash felt something strange. She took a deep breath, scratching her head.


    Then, a message appeared over her.


    [Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing]


    [While in Niven''s site of power, all of a demon''s attributes are increased]


    Ash stood up. She felt like she had gotten slightly stronger, but she didn''t understand why.


    "What''s up?" Kaori asked, noticing her strange behavior.


    "I..." She turned around then, walking out into the fields, looking out in the direction of the portal she and the blonde had encountered.


    Her eyes widened.


    The sky had become slightly tinged with violet, and from the forest, there was a strange violet aura. One that was attracting Ash. She felt herself wanting to walk toward it, bask in it.


    The others followed her out, including Metsumi.


    "Something''s going on," Ash stated. "I think something''s happening with the portal."


    Metsumi, who usually carried one of the lighter personalities out of everyone Ash knew, had a serious expression on her face.


    "This could be bad," Metsumi said, "girls, go pack your things."


    "Mom?" Opah, Metsumi and Satsuhiro''s shy daughter, walked up to them, "What''s...?"


    Metsumi smiled at her, crouching.


    "Go to your room, get your clothes, and put them all in a bag. Okay?"


    "O-Okay."


    Kaori and Keiko went to do the same. Ash and Metsumi remained out in the fields, staring ahead.


    "What do you think?" Metsumi asked.


    "I don''t know," Ash breathed in, feeling like sugar was entering her lungs. "But I don''t think it''s anything good."

 Chapter 42 - Vol. 2 - 7

    Kasumi


    The group made it back to Pearl about an hour later. The sun was starting to peek over the horizon. The crimson-haired Savior glanced back as she approached the gates, looking at the survivors. Their eyes told Kasumi everything. Each one had the same wide, stunned expressions, showing their whites as they walked behind her. She sighed.


    All this did was remind her of why she retired.


    Who would want to live like this?


    Kasumi''s shoulders slumped as she remembered the destruction she witnessed. That had just been a small village. She didn''t want to imagine what it would look like if such a thing happened in Pearl.


    As they approached the gates, a few guards saw them, said something to people Kasumi couldn''t see and opened the way in.


    "We''ll need to inform everyone at the castle about this," Jonoko said to her.


    She nodded reluctantly, hating the fact that this whole thing was keeping her from a good nap.


    "You can handle that. I''ll talk to the Saviors," she stated.


    "Hm, I imagine preparations will need to be made. Especially... considering that other portal right next to the city."


    The walk to the castle was arduous but Kasumi and the others managed it, a scowl on her face the entire time she walked. Inside, she saw warriors, servants, couriers, and nobles all running around, looking like their collective heads were on fire.


    Maybe news has already made it here.


    Kasumi made a beeline for the room she and the other Saviors had been in when they were preparing to head into the portal. The door was half-open as Kasumi approached it. She heard two voices speaking to each other as she went in. Satsuhiro and Takomaro were talking, a map of the area around Pear laid out on the table at the center of the room.


    "... bother with that," Satsuhiro said. "We should be getting ready to fight, not study the portal like it''s a damn science experiment."


    "And once we''re ready to do battle, what then?" Takomaro asked. "If we can gain information before the demons come out, maybe that would give us an advantage. And, if that''s the case, we''ll need you there to-, oh, Kasumi?" He looked at the crimson-haired woman, his eyes falling on the bloodstains on her clothes.


    Kasumi sighed and stepped forward.


    "I"m guessing you''ve heard about the portal outside of the village?" She asked.


    "Yes," Takomaro replied gravely. "I... I''m guessing you were there?"


    Kasumi nodded.


    "I got there a little bit after the fighting had started," she sat down, putting her feet up on the table and closing her eyes.


    "What can you tell us?"


    And so, the Savior began to recall the night''s incident.


    "Outside, I, eh," she took a deep breath, "I could see everything changing. It was like reality itself was being messed with. The sky had turned violet, everything around me was violet too. I saw them coming out of the portal and into the village, and I cast an invisibility spell and went in."


    "Why were you there? Did you see this coming somehow?" Takomaro asked.


    "I had gotten a letter from my ex-husband saying that a portal had opened up. Did you hear about it?"


    "Yes," Takomaro responded. "A small number of fighters were sent just in case, they must have gotten there just before you did. Still, more warriors weren''t sent because no one thought the demons would attack so quickly. The portal outside of the city has been there for a few days now, that one opened up in one night and they attacked the same day."


    "Maybe it has to do with the size?" Kasumi speculated. "Anyway, I went in and helped some people out. They''re in the castle too right now. The demons were about as strong as they were inside of the portal."


    "Satsuhiro?" Takomaro asked. "What do you make of this?"


    "Hmm." Satsuhiro stroked his chin, looking down at the map as though it had some insight to offer, "If I had to guess, I''d say that the portal is casting some sort of spell that affects the area. Probably makes the demons stronger. I can''t imagine what sort of spell would do that though. Regardless, if it''s connected to the portal, then that would explain why things felt so weird when we got closer."


    "The magic would likely be spreading as we speak," Takomaro speculated.


    "I think so," Kasumi agreed. "The village felt the same way. Whatever spell is doing this probably covered the place up and gave the demons some room to work with."


    "So, what we have so far then is that the portals alter the area around them, allowing the demons to be as powerful outside as they are inside and that the bigger they are, the longer it takes to function," Takomaro said.


    "Good, now, may I fucking leave already?" Satsuhiro asked. He and Takomaro locked eyes.


    Takomaro sighed.


    "Fine. If you feel your family is in actual danger, then go ahead."


    "Thanks."


    With that, Satsuhiro stormed out of the room.  I''m guessing this is about those girls I saw in the pond. Kasumi thought.


    She and Takomaro were left alone.


    "Anyway, good work, Savior. But, I''m afraid you won''t be able to rest just yet."


    "Yeah, I guessed as much," Kasumi groaned. Takomaro chuckled.


    "It''s good that you got to see some action though before anything happens here. Only the gods know how long it will be before the demons try to attack the city."


    "Has anyone told Jade about this?" Kasumi asked.


    "Yes, reinforcements are on the way. However, because we don''t know how long it will take for the portal to change the area, they may not be here in time." Takomaro began pacing back and forth slowly. "The demons could come out in one day, in one week, or one month. We have no way of knowing. If we''re lucky though, maybe we''ll have those reinforcements get here before then. Maybe along with some other Saviors."


    "Yeah.... That''s it for me though," Kasumi stated, getting up. "I need to get some sleep."


    "Enjoy your rest, Savior, but keep your guard up. You need to be ready to fight at a moment''s notice."


    "Mhm."


    With that affirmation, Kasumi walked out and began making her way back home. She saw the group of citizens and guards she''d saved speaking with some authorities and tore her eyes off of them as she passed. She felt strangely cold. A shiver ran up her spine.


    Too many demons for my taste.  Kasumi thought. Fuck this. If only I could just give someone else my traits, my stats, my spells. Let someone deal with everything.


    She sighed.


    No. It''ll probably be a while before my life goes back to normal, huh?


    ---


    Ash


    Back at Satsuhiro''s farm, the half-demon''s eyes remained fixed on the forest in the distance. With every minute that passed, something frightening happened. She could feel herself getting stronger.


    Of course, in any other situation, this would be something to celebrate. Here though, she understood it meant the demons in the distance, the ones she could currently see between the trees in this very moment, were getting stronger too.


    "So," Ash started, "how much longer till we get the fuck out of here?"


    Metsumi chuckled.


    "Hopefully, not too long. I''m guessing the girls will be done soon. Just keep your eyes on them, Ash," she instructed. "If they start running for us, we need to be ready."


    That made Ash raise a brow.


    She couldn''t remember what Metsumi''s level was. She hadn''t checked it since she got here.


    Level 15


    MP: 10/10


    Ash was surprised.


    "What?" Metsumi asked when she saw Ash scanning her. "Did you think cooking and arguing with Satsu was all I did?" She laughed as Ash couldn''t help but crack a smile. "Nah, we''ve been out here for a long time, Ash. On occasion, a girl has to loosen up. It''s better for our marriage if the both of us take out our anger on the monsters in the forest rather than on each other."


    "But, what do you use?" She asked.


    "Well," Metsumi turned to her and put her arms on her hips. "Look at me. You tell me what I use."


    "Uh, you smother things to death with your tits?"


    Metsumi blinked.


    "HA!" She burst out laughing, putting an arm around Ash. "No, no, no. I fight with my hands. These babies," she flexed her left biceps, "aren''t just for show, you know?"


    Ash nodded.


    "Gotcha." She looked down for a moment, then she remembered something. "Oh, we should probably send the Council a letter. Tell them to send our armor out to..."


    Before she could finish the sentence, she felt a change in the air.


    Above, the sky was gradually turning violet. Metsumi noticed it too and all light-heartedness faded from her expression.


    "I don''t like that," Ash said.


    "Neither do I," Metsumi replied. "We''d best get ready for a fight."


    "I don''t think we can take a horde of demons on our own," Ash told her.


    "We don''t have to. We''ll just carve a path through to get out," Metsumi looked at her, "I''ll have to be honest with you though, Ash. Because of that strange effect, you''re going to be the strongest one here. We''ll be relying on you to get us out."


    And that statement made Ash''s heart go cold.

 Chapter 43 - Vol. 2 - 8

    The sky turned even darker. Ash could feel her heart starting to beat faster.


    "Well," Metsumi said, "I''m gonna check on the girls. Yell if they start attacking."


    "Yeah..."


    Metsumi walked back into the house as Ash took a deep breath. Her previous interactions with the demons passed through her mind. The fight against the Nightmare at Jade, the ruins she and Kaori cleared out. Although they''d made it out alright each time, she couldn''t understate how frightening the experiences were.


    Beyond the trees, she could see demons gathering, some of them were staring straight at her.


    Creepy...


    She heard a door open behind her and a pair of footsteps made their way to her. It was Kaori. The blonde''s eyes were on the distant forest as she sat down near Ash.


    "We''re done," she said. "Should be getting ready to leave in just a few minutes, but..."


    "Hm?" Ash turned to look at her.


    "The path to Pearl cuts right through that forest, at least, that''s what Metsumi says." Kaori shrugged.


    "So, what''s her plan?"


    "She wants you to guard us as we run through," Kaori stated. Then, she looked at her with concern in her eyes. "Are you feeling okay?"


    Ash looked back at the forest ahead.


    "Yeah," she took a deep breath. "I''ll be ready, don''t worry."


    Then, she felt Kaori take her left hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. Ash looked at her and found the blonde smiling, the kindness in her expression making Ash narrow her eyes a little. She still wasn''t used to this new thing between her, Kaori, and Keiko.


    "Maybe after this," Kaori said, "we can take a look around Pearl. I''ve heard people say it''s one of the most beautiful cities in the world."


    "Hm, maybe," Ash shrugged.


    At that moment, the sky darkened further. Ash heard thunder cracking above. The air got colder and Ash looked at the demons. They were snarling, drawing closer to the farm as the area of effect of Niven''s Blessing began to cover the field.


    "Looks like it''s time for us to go," Ash heard Metsumi say behind her. She stood up and found the woman with three large bags by her legs, with her daughter and Keiko standing nearby. Ash nodded.


    "Any ideas that could make this a bit easier?" Ash asked her.


    "Well, all we really need to do is escape the portal''s area of influence, right?" Metsumi shrugged. "Seems to me like the beginning of this is going to be the hardest part, but the farther we get from the portal, the easier this becomes."


    Ash understood and looked down at her cube. Transforming  Lust into a sword, she took a few steps forwards.


    "And the letter to the council?"


    "Already sent," Metsumi replied. "I told them to send it to the castle at Pearl, they''ll probably notify you when it gets to them."


    Ash added to that in her mind if we get there.


    "Come on," Metsumi began walking towards the forest. "The longer we wait, the more that portal''s influence spreads, the harder it gets to make it past them."


    Ash checked her stats.


    Level 11


    MP: 250/250


    ---


    STR: 45


    DEX: 45


    CON: 35


    INT: 25


    WIS: 25


    L: 100


    Not as strong as when I was actually in the portal,  Ash thought,  maybe that''s because I''m not close enough. Should apply to them too, so, we''ll see how this goes.


    Feeling power flowing through her veins, she took a deep breath.  This feeling is... addicting.


    Looking at the group of demons, she counted them.  One, three, seven... Maybe 11 all in all?  If they''re all as strong as I am right now, this won''t be good. But, after all, we''re not trying to fight them, really. We''re just trying to make it out.


    "I''m ready." Ash looked back at Metsumi, who smiled and nodded.


    "Then, let''s go."


    And with that, the group began to walk towards the forest. Of course, they were making sure to remain on the outer edge of what appeared to be the portal''s area of effect. Still, that wouldn''t keep the demons from attacking, and Ash knew that. So, she made sure to keep herself ready as they walked between the trees.


    Ash wiped away some sweat as demons lurked to her left. She could feel her hands shaking, and tightened her grip on her sword.  Calm down. Keep your guard up.


    It was then that the demons began their attack. Ash checked their levels.


    Level 4


    Level 5


    Level 3


    Level 5


    Level 2


    And so on. Each one hovered between levels 1 to 5. So, even though they''re enhanced, their levels are still the same because of the area.  Ash thought.  That means their overall stats should be lower than mine if we''re both equally enhanced, right? Let''s see how strong they are.


    "Stay behind me!" Ash called out, with a shaky voice. She was holding her sword up between her and the creatures as they ran towards her. One was closer than the others. She targeted that one, waiting for it to be close enough. One, two, three steps and the thing was in front of her. It swung a clawed hand towards her head, and she dodged, leaning back and watching it move past her. Then, she charged forwards, with both hands on her sword''s hilt, and she impaled its abdomen. Holy shit, it''s like cutting through iron.  She thought.


    "So fast!" Kaori exclaimed behind her. To Ash, she and the demon had been moving at a normal speed.


    The demon fell to the side, still alive, but Ash focused on her next targets. Two demons this time. She took one hand off of her sword and aimed it at one of them.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" She yelled and a black sphere flew out from her palm, striking the demon she had aimed at. It hunched over, choking up and falling to its knees. Then, she turned towards its companion and slashed to the side, causing the demon to take a step back and pause, wary of her.


    Ash glanced back, seeing the others trying to get through the forest as quickly as they could.


    "Stay close!" Ash urged them.


    Then, the demon attacked again and this time, Ash cut its arm off as it swung at her, and followed it up with a slash at its neck.


    EXP Gained: 15


    EXP: 30/125


    More demons showed up. Ash took a deep breath, turning to follow her group.


    We need to move!  She thought.  I can''t hold back this many!


    She settled for incapacitating them in some way and continuing to run. So, instead of looking for kills, as more demons approached she''d either launch a Dark spell at them or try to cut off a limb.


    It seemed like their path out of the forest would be an easy one, until the ground shook with giant footsteps, causing everyone, some demons included, to trip.  What?  Ash searched the area, looking for the source. It didn''t take long to find it.


    Coming from her left, further up ahead, she found one demon that was far larger than the others. It towered over them, carrying a butcher-like cleaver. It had the body of a large, muscular man, and white hair flowed from its head down to its knees.


    A Nightmare?  Ash realized.  Fuck, fuck!


    She should have guessed one would appear sooner or later. She looked back at the group, helped Metsumi and her daughter back to their feet while Kaori helped out Keiko.


    "Keep going!" Ash urged them.


    "Come on, girls!" Metsumi rallied them, "Ash is making space for us, it won''t last forever though!"


    More demons arrived and Ash poured more of her strength into every movement she made, sprinting up to the closest one and engaging it with a slash across the stomach. However, her overaggressive move was punished when another demon kicked her in the back.


    "Agh!" She fell to her knees. The sounds of animalistic growling behind her made her eyes widen. She turned around, only to find the demon who had hit her about to finish the job. Its clawed hand was raised, blocking out the sun above in the violet sky, when suddenly, a surge of fire struck its face.


    What?  She looked back, finding Kaori with an extended arm in her direction.


    "Get up!" Kaori yelled out.


    "R-Right."


    The escape resumed.  If we move fast enough, we won''t have to fight that Nightmare.  Ash figured.  Or, at least, I''ll be able to fight it with the others, outside of the forest where this stupid status effect doesn''t change its stats.


    Regarding said stats, thankfully, Ash took a look at her status and saw that her attributes had all gone down by 5. She took this to mean that they were already beginning to leave the portal''s area of effect.


    In that instant though, something happened that none of them had been anticipating. Ash could see the others ahead, Metsumi leading the group, her daughter behind her, and Kaori and Keiko in front of Ash, with Kaori dragging the blind girl along.


    So, she got a very good view of the arrow that flew through the air and pierced through Kaori''s Savior Armor, striking her left thigh.


    Kaori cried out, tripping and falling to the ground, which brought Keiko down with her.


    What?  Ash couldn''t comprehend what had just happened. She looked to her right and found two demons with bows in their hands, aiming them at the group. Up until now, every single one she''d encountered had been little more than a mindless animal. She didn''t even know that they could use such weapons, and yet, here they were, snarling as they prepared to fire more arrows.


    "Metsumi!" Ash called out. The woman turned around, gasping, and running up to Kaori. "I''ll carry her, you lead Keiko!"


    "I-I, what?" Kaori was as confused as Ash as she looked down at her wound. "How?"


    "We''ll think about it later, let''s just focus on getting out for now," Ash told the blonde.


    "Maybe you can heal it?" Kaori asked. "Agh, it hurts..."


    "I... Let me try," Ash replied.


    Casting a spell while running like this was far from comfortable, but Kaori was right. If Ash was busy carrying her, she wouldn''t be able to hold any of the demons back. So, she muttered the incantation and a white glow emerged from her left hand.


    "AH!" Kaori screamed when Ash touched the wound though.


    "W-What?" Ash pulled her hand back, confused.


    Then, a message popped over Kaori. One that the both of them saw.


    STATUS EFFECTS:


    [Cursed]


    [Healing magic will instead worsen the recipient''s condition.]


    You''re joking.  Ash thought.


    "What do we do!?" Kaori asked desperately.


    "I-I don''t know," Ash was beginning to feel the worst mixture possible of fear and confusion. Behind her, the demons were beginning to draw closer and with Kaori like this, she certainly wouldn''t be able to run.


    Options. She needed options. She started running through the spells she knew, trying to find one that would work here. She didn''t know too many though. The only possibility she saw was that of turning around, and firing as many of her empowered Dark spells at the demons as she could, hoping they would be staggered enough to allow Ash to carry Kaori away.


    It''s not the best idea out there, but it''s an idea.  Ash thought as she gently let Kaori fall to the dirt.


    "Ash?" Kaori asked  What? Does she think I''m leaving her here?  Ash thought.


    She turned around and looked at each of the demons.


    7 in total, with the closest one about to be in range to strike.


    Never thought talking fast would mean life or death, but here we are.


    With that thought, she began reciting the incantation as quickly as she could.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch! Corruption spread, corruption launch!" One spell at a time, she would pull back a hand, recite the incantation, and cast her magic at her enemies. She hit the one closest to her, missed the two farthest back, but hit the others in between.


    It was a strange feeling, being able to cast as much magic as she could without needing to check her mana at all. With every single one she cast, she felt her heart rate going up.


    She suddenly had half a mind to go in and try to fight every single one of them, alone, as dumb a decision as she knew that to be.


    Feeling slightly drained, she gritted her teeth as she managed to create some space.


    "Okay, come on!" She helped Kaori up. "Actually, fuck it." Then, instead, she began to carry Kaori fully, sprinting with the Savior in her arms.


    Kaori was looking at her with a strange expression. It was like she was scared of Ash.


    Calm down, calm down.


    The farther she got, the more Kaori seemed to weigh.


    Wait, no.  She checked her status.


    Level 11


    MP: 200/200


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 25


    CON: 25


    INT: 20


    WIS: 20


    L: 100


    Good, good!  Ash thought.  We''re making progress.


    More arrows like the one that had struck Kaori fell behind the group, just barely missing each of them.  Their Dex is going down the further we go out, they should be less accurate. Above, the sky seemed to be turning back to normal as well.


    Then, Metsumi saw something and spoke up.


    "Over there!"


    Ash looked ahead and saw a wooden bridge crossing over a river.


    "Ash, maybe you can break it as soon as we cross?"


    "Yeah!" She stated.


    The group passed desperately, trying to keep the demons away from them. As soon as they were over the bridge, Ash dropped Kaori more harshly than she would have liked and turned around. There were ropes attaching the bridge to the side Ash and the others had just gotten to. The river didn''t look too deep, but it would no doubt provide them with enough time to escape.


    So, Ash transformed  Lust  into a sword and quickly slashed the ropes.


    Come on, come on.  Ash waited to see how the demons would react.


    To her surprise, they simply stopped. They didn''t attempt to swim up to her, they didn''t try to jump across or anything else Ash was afraid they''d do. Instead, one by one, they froze, looking on at Ash with hatred in their blank eyes. The Nightmare made its way to the front, raising its sword and resting it on its shoulders in a strangely human gesture.


    The group stopped, looking back at their enemies.


    The demons didn''t even raise their bows. They weren''t doing anything anymore. They were just watching Ash.


    And then, she heard a sinister voice in her mind.


    "Abomination, chosen. Run. Doesn''t matter." Ash''s eyes widened.


    Niven?  She wondered.


    "Demon. Escape impossible. Will always find."


    And with those words, the demons turned around, walking away like they''d lost their energy.


    Ash fell back.


    What the hell just happened?


    Then, she heard Metsumi exclaim something.


    "Satsu!"


    She turned around and saw that her magic trainer, Satsuhiro had arrived, sweat pouring down his face. He was breathing heavily, signs that he''d been running for quite a while.


    "You, the farm?" He asked, coughing.


    "We had to run," Metsumi explained, hugging him.


    "Satsuhiro," Ash said. "Kaori." She pointed at the Savior, who was on the ground, looking at her wounded leg.


    "What is it?" He crouched by her.


    "I-I got cursed." Kaori almost made it sound like a question.


    "Shit, we''ll need to get you to Pearl then, right now. Come on."


    With that, Satsuhiro carried Kaori in his arms as Ash couldn''t tear her eyes away from the retreating demons.


    Why do I feel like this is just the start?

 Chapter 44 - Vol. 2 - 9

    Satsuhiro instructed Kaori to keep pressure on her wound. All they could do then was hope that they would arrive at Pearl before she bled out, as healing magic was entirely ineffective on her right now.


    "By the way," Satsuhiro said, leading them. "Pearl might not be too safe either. One of those portals is just outside the city."


    Ash narrowed her eyes as she helped Kaori walk.


    "Another attack?" She wondered.


    "Probably, but it''s likely gonna take them some time to spread the portal''s power. Pearl is preparing itself as we speak, but it could happen at any time."


    "How strong are the soldiers there?" She asked. "Honestly, I think the demons we saw would even give you some trouble."


    "I wanted to ask about that," Satsuhiro looked back at her. "What are their levels?"


    Ash shook her head.


    "That''s not it. They get this weird status effect from the portals that increases their stats, but the farther they are from the portal, the lower their stats get. In my case, my stats went up to like 50 or something. So, the stat increase is probably between 30 and 40-something."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "That means fighting them at the portal isn''t a good idea. I''ll have to tell everyone about that. For now, though, let''s just get there first."


    Hearing that, Ash turned to look at Kaori. Metsumi walked up to the blonde.


    "How are you holding up?" Metsumi asked.


    "I''m, I''m good." Kaori nodded. "I just feel a little cold is all."


    With the older woman rubbing her back as they walked along, Ash saw concern bloom on Metsumi''s expression. She wondered what her own face looked like at that moment. She certainly felt a cold sense of unease building up.  We''ll get her some help in time.  She thought.  It''ll be fine.


    Eventually, they got to a hill where they could see what Ash figured was the city of Pearl. Even from outside, she could note some differences between it and Jade. The city''s walls were colorful, a bright rose that contrasted with the plains around it. And contrasted even more harshly with the large spire, visible just in beside the road that led into Pearl.


    The group walked to the gates where a pair of guards quickly let them in.


    The inside of the city was just as bright as the outside. However, Ash couldn''t really look around in detail. All she could think of was the blonde clinging to her arm. Concern for someone else was a strange feeling to Ash, one she did not like at all.


    "I''ll take her to the castle, I know someone who should be able to lift the curse," Satsuhiro told them. He turned to Metsumi. "Can you take them to our old house?"


    "Yeah, go ahead," Metsumi nodded.


    Satsuhiro extended a hand towards Kaori.


    "Come on, the sooner we get you some help the better."


    Kaori let go of Ash, taking his hand. She looked up at the half-demon and gave a wry smile.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine."


    Ash sighed. Do I look that scared?


    She then watched Kaori and Satsuhiro walk away, blending into a crowd that was up ahead. A hand fell on Ash''s shoulder.


    "She''ll be alright," Metsumi said. "She''s a Savior, after all. Your types are built to last."


    Ash took a deep breath and nodded.


    "Well," Ash looked down. "Lead the way."


    "Right."


    ---


    Metsumi took her daughter, Keiko, and Ash through some highly decorated streets to a small section of the city just past where they''d arrived. Here, they got to a small house that blended in so well with the others around it that Ash would have never imagined that a Savior lived here. On the other hand, she could certainly picture Satsuhiro himself living in this place.  Yeah, he''d totally just hole up in here.


    Metsumi unlocked the door, she and her daughter walked in and Ash helped Keiko enter the house. It was as plain as the Savior house in Jade and had enough dust to indicate that no one had been here in a very long time.


    "Make yourselves at home," Metsumi stated. Ash thought she sounded fairly calm, considering Kaori''s situation.


    Or maybe I''m just worrying too much.


    She looked for the nearest couch and sat down. Instantly, she felt her exhaustion pull her body down. She closed her eyes and the first thing image that came to mind was Kaori, looking up at her with eyes pleading for safety.


    "You alright there?" Metsumi asked. Ash opened her eyes and found the woman standing nearby.


    "Yeah, yeah, just... Taking a sec."


    "Good job back there, by the way." Metsumi grinned proudly. "You''re kind of a badass, huh?"


    Ash chuckled.


    "I don''t think a badass is supposed to run away when enemies come up."


    "They do when they want to live to be badasses for another day," Metsumi shrugged. Then, her expression turned softer. "Kaori on your mind?"


    Ash sighed.


    "Was it that obvious?" Ash frowned. "I hate this."


    "What do you mean?"


    "... Caring," Ash stated.


    "I don''t get it."


    "Just that. Caring," Ash said, standing up. "I''ve never been in this sort of situation before. My whole life, everyone around me has done nothing but spit on me, and now..." She glanced at Keiko, who was sitting on a chair next to Opah. "Now, I... I don''t know. I found Kaori, Keiko... You, Satsuhiro, Opah. Everyone." Ash muttered, her shoulders slumping. "I hate it. I, it feels weak. Before, I knew that no matter what, I''d be fine, because I could count on myself. Now, every time we run into some fucking demons, I''m afraid of what might-"


    Then, a pair of arms wrapped around her, mid-speech.


    Ash froze. She failed to register what was happening initially. Then, after taking a deep breath, she came to understand that Metsumi was hugging her.


    "Uh...?" Ash said with a muffled voice, blinking twice.


    Then, Metsumi said one very simple thing.


    "You''ve been through a lot, haven''t you?"


    Ash couldn''t find something to say in response.


    Yeah? No shit.  She thought.  I''m a half-demon. Of course, I''ve been through some shit. Why are you telling me that? I know. I''m aware my life has sucked since day one. Why are you reminding...?


    Then, she felt something slide down her cheeks.


    A pair of tears had just come out of her eyes.


    "It''s alright," Metsumi rubbed her back soothingly. Ash wanted to push her off. She was too uncomfortable, and yet, another part of her wanted to bury herself deeper into the embrace.


    "It''s okay!" Metsumi took a step back, keeping her hands on Ash''s shoulders. "It''s good that you care."


    "... What do you mean?" Ash asked, her voice far shakier than she would have liked.


    "It just means you know what you have, in Kaori, in Keiko, and that you don''t want to lose it. There''s nothing wrong with that, Ash. How about I go out, get some food and bring it back for you? The food in Pearl is amazing!"


    Ash nodded half-heartedly. Her mind was stuck on what Metsumi had just said before that.


    Now that she''d been told as much to her face, she realized she didn''t  feel as alone anymore.


    I can''t handle this shit.  She thought.  I... This feels terrible.


    ---


    Later, Metsumi returned with baskets full of strange-looking fruits. She wasn''t alone though.


    Satsuhiro appeared with Kaori in his arms, asleep.  What? Then, after he came in, someone else showed up. A man dressed in Savior armor, far older-looking.


    "What''s going on?" Ash asked.


    "Ash, this is Takomaro. He''s one of the senior Saviors."


    "Greetings," the man bowed.


    "So, why''s Kaori asleep?" Ash disregarded him completely. Satsuhiro raised a brow at that.


    "Curse-removal is... Kind of complicated," Satsuhiro replied.


    "The actual process," Takomaro stepped in, "can be rather painful for the afflicted individual. Usually, a sleeping spell is cast first onto the person and then the curse is removed by a priest. Something I happen to be. Now," he turned to Satsuhiro. "Place her someplace comfortable and we can begin."


    "Alright."


    Satsuhiro went to a different room and Ash followed behind him, her arms crossed. He took her to a large bed and laid her down. Takomaro then walked up to Kaori and put a hand on her forehead.


    "Curses," Takomaro began to say, "are among the highest level of magic. Incantations for them sometimes take up entire pages. Blessings, which are the counterparts to curses, are equally as complex. The removal of a curse is fairly simple, at least. This is the incantation.  Oh, divinity that watches over us. Let your power surge through the veins of the faithful. Let our piety become the flame that burns so brightly, all watch in awe. And when our time comes, let our strength become legend, for our belief brought us victory.  Learn it."


    As he said that, his hands began to glow with multiple colors.


    "That''s Light magic, right?"


    "Yes, however, it is... Peculiar." Takomaro responded. "See, there is one thing that sets both curses and blessings apart. Faith."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Unlike any other forms of magic, regardless of which of the two you are doing, the spells you attempt will only succeed if you possess a strong connection to at least one deity. A connection fostered through prayer."


    "That''s why priests are needed to lift curses," Satsuhiro explained.


    "Indeed. Even then, most people who perform blessings will only ever have a connection strong enough for what I just did, which is the simplest form of Blessing magic."


    Satsuhiro sent Ash a look, and Ash understood what he was trying to say.


    A strong connection to a deity, huh?  Ash thought.  So, what can you do when you''ve literally made out with one?


    Kaori''s body began to glow.


    "The curse will take a few hours to be lifted, though the wound will not worsen in that time. Give her some time and she will be fine."


    "Thank you, sir." Satsuhiro bowed.


    "Now," Takomaro turned towards "as for you. So... You''re the half-demon Savior?"


    Ash rolled her eyes, preparing herself for the usual glare.


    Sure enough, it came. Takomaro narrowed his eyes at her.


    "Word of what you and Kaori have done has reached Pearl already. That said, so have Varcon''s crimes." Takomaro sighed. "Regardless, he was an archpriest, and your party killed him. So, I hope you will understand my hesitance to trust you. Still, as we have pressing matters to attend to, I will not refuse to work with you."


    "I don''t really give a fuck," Ash shrugged. "You do what you want to."


    "..." The two stared at each other. Then, Takomaro turned to Satsuhiro. "Very well, take some time and we will discuss what to do about the portal later."


    "Thanks again, sir."


    With a nod, Takomaro walked out of the room.


    "Just when I was getting used to not being treated like that," Ash muttered.


    "Um..." A shy-sounding voice asked behind Ash. She turned and found Keiko standing there. "Is... Is Kaori going to be okay?"


    "Yeah, yeah." Ash nodded. "The curse is being lifted."


    "Oh, that''s good then. I... I was worried."


    Yeah, so was I... Sadly.


    "Take a moment," Satsuhiro put a hand on Ash''s shoulder. "We have a lot to talk about."


    Ash nodded.


    Then, as he left, she walked up to the bed where Kaori was. She sat down on the edge and looked at her. Just seeing her like this was tearing her heart up. A feeling she was gradually disliking more and more. Keiko did the same, sitting next to her.


    Without saying a word, the two sat there, waiting for their friend to wake up.

 Chapter 45 - Vol. 2 - 10

    Satsuhiro came into the room a few minutes later.


    "Come over here," Satsuhiro said. "That portal could start spawning demons any moment now. We need to prepare."


    Ash looked back at Kaori''s sleeping figure. After a moment, she nodded.


    "Coming."


    She followed Satsuhiro to the living room where Metsumi was preparing everyone some dinner. She sat down at a table with Satsuhiro opposite her.


    "So, as you heard, Blessings and Curses are available to anyone with a strong enough connection to a deity. And, since you''ve been seeing Magia in your dreams, you should have that already."


    "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Ash replied. "What do I have to do?"


    "They should have plenty of those types of spellbooks at the castle. I''ll go get them for you. After that, pick out the ones that you can cast right now and try to learn at least a few. Now, something to know, like you saw with the blessing Takomaro used, the incantations are longer than normal spells, so most of them aren''t practical for real-time combat."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Basically, I''m saying you should look for Blessings and Curses you can use  before  fights start."


    "... Okay." Ash nodded. Her mind started to drift towards Kaori, but she shook her head, trying to focus. "What else do I need to do?"


    "Just that, for now. Once you''ve learned enough of those, you can resume your weapons training with Keiko. Hopefully, you''ll be a bit stronger before the next big fight comes to us."


    "It''s probably a good idea for you to get to know the city a little bit," Metsumi walked up to them with a smile. "After you''re done eating, come with me. We''ll take a little walk."


    "How big is this place?" Ash asked.


    "Not nearly as big as Jade, but there are still a few important places to know about," Metsumi responded. "Finish up first, we''ll go once you''re done." She placed a plate full of salads in front of her.


    "Alright, I''ll be back soon then," Satsuhiro stated and turned around, walking out of the house.


    "Have fun!" Metsumi called out and Satsuhiro apathetically waved goodbye.


    Taking a bite out of the vegetables in front of her, Ash thought back to what Niven had told her just as they''d left.


    He, or it, or whatever, wants to fight me personally. Next time, she resolved,  next time It''ll be different. Hopefully.


    ---


    This city was so bright, Ash felt like she had to squint as she walked to prevent her surroundings from burning her pupils. Jade was mostly white and gold, the colors of the Jewel Empire. Pearl reminded Ash of the swirl of colors she would see when Magia would reveal herself in her dreams.


    What the hell am I looking at?  She thought as she looked around.  It''s like they told the dipshit who painted this place ''hey, go crazy''.


    "So... Are we done?" Ash asked.


    "We literally just started!" Metsumi replied.


    "This is so weird," Ash said, passing a few citizens who gave her strange looks. "Uh, where are we again?"


    "This is the Old Plaza," Metsumi explained. "It''s said that this was the foundation of the city and that everything else was built around this spot. That''s why there are so many people around, it''s kind of the big marketplace in Pearl."


    Ash was all too familiar with this sort of area. The Jade version of this place was where she''d spent most of her time asking for coins. In fact, it was almost like she could see herself sitting just up ahead, laying on the ground, staring up at the sky, and waiting for the day to pass.


    "Wait..." Ash''s jaw dropped to the floor.


    She wasn''t imagining it.


    Just up ahead, past a small fountain, she saw a half-demon, asleep on the ground, between two small buildings. The half-demon, someone who looked like a young boy, was using ragged shirts as sheets.


    Ash froze on the spot.


    "Ash?" Metsumi turned around. Then, tracing her line of sight, she saw the half-demon as well. "... Are you okay?"


    "I... I don''t even know," Ash replied. "I haven''t seen another half-demon in so long."


    "Do you want to go say something?" Metsumi asked.


    "What?" Ash raised a brow. "N-No, I mean, what would I even say? I just... I''m surprised, is all." Ash sighed.


    "Hey, come on," Metsumi said softly, "what''s on your mind?"


    "I just, well, I don''t know. It''s weird seeing someone else like this," she explained. "It''s always felt like it was just my experience, you know? Like I was the only one like this."


    "Sadly, that''s not the case," Metsumi said. "Demon paranoia spreads all across the world. And, with these portals opening up now, I''m sure it''s only getting worse. So, is there anything you want to do?"


    Ash stared at the figure in the distance for a few seconds. Then, she tore her eyes away.


    "No, no. I... Let''s keep going." She kept her head low.


    "If you say so. Oh, look!" Metsumi pointed at a merchant who was selling some decorations.


    Most of them were flower-based, some bracelets, some necklaces. Metsumi was only interested in one item though. A rose-colored flower crown.


    "Huh?" Ash asked.


    "Satsu got me one of these a while back ago," Metsumi said, smiling. She looked up at the person selling them. "How much?"


    "5 crowns."


    "Here," Metsumi passed a couple of coins and the merchant gave her the crown. Quickly, before Ash could refuse, she placed the crown on Ash''s head.


    "W-Wait, I..."


    "What? It looks cute on you!" Metsumi grinned.


    Ash rolled her eyes, blushing a little.  I don''t know if I have a "style" or whatever, but I sure as shit know this ain''t it.


    "cough Where do we need to go next?" Ash turned away, but she didn''t take the crown off.


    "Well, I''m glad you asked."


    As Metsumi dragged her to the next spot, Ash looked back at the half-demon on the floor.  Sorry. The older woman took her to a tavern-like building, where leather cushions covered every piece of furniture and a dark oak counter held multiple classy glass cups. A worker saw them enter and leaned over it.


    Metsumi walked straight to that place and Ash followed.


    "What''ll you have?" The man asked.


    "Two ales," Metsumi stated, placing a few crowns on the wood.


    "Coming right up."


    She sat down on a stool and Ash sat next to her.


    "I... Sorry to waste your money, but," Ash started as cups were brought to them, "the drinks won''t be doing much."


    "Hm? What do you mean?" Metsumi asked.


    "I have this trait, it''s called Iron Stomach," Ash explained. "I got it from eating nothing literal trash for a large part of my life." When both Metsumi and the man gave her a strange look, Ash waved a hand. "I had to, some days I''d literally have nothing to eat. Whatever, the point is, it makes it so that I can literally eat anything and my body converts it to be, like, nutritious or whatever."


    "So...?"


    "So, and I''m saying this because, believe me, I''ve tried," Ash said, "alcohol doesn''t do anything. The whole drunkenness is treated like poison, and my body converts it to the point where it''s basically like drinking worse tasting water."


    "Oh." Metsumi blinked. "Wow. That''s... Damn."


    "Heh, what? Is not being able to get drunk really that big of a tragedy?" Ash asked with a chuckle.


    "Maybe," Metsumi shrugged. "I don''t know, I feel like sometimes you need a bit of drunken craziness to get through a rough day."


    At that, Ash raised a brow.


    "I can''t say I can imagine you having a bad day. Ever since I''ve met you, you''ve been, uh, all positive and shit."


    "Everyone has bad days, Ash," Metsumi replied with a slightly sad smile. "I had one recently, I''ll have you know."


    "Hm?"


    "When Satsuhiro and Keiko rushed out of the house to go save you and Kaori when you were in the ruins. Opah and I were left alone, and... Well, I trust Satsu and his power, but every time he leaves, a part of me does worry, you know? I mean..." She looked down into the glass cup and chugged back its contents before continuing, "Saviors don''t tend to live very long. Every time he goes out, I have to accept that he might not come back."


    Hearing that made Ash look away, as she couldn''t handle the gravity of Metsumi''s dark expression. Here she was, distraught because Kaori had taken an arrow to the thigh, and meanwhile, Metsumi had been dealing with this sort of worry for years.


    Ash looked back at the woman for a moment and thought, I don''t think I could live like that.


    ---


    Kaori


    Where...? Kaori looked around. She was in a black, cold space. There was no one, and nothing, in sight. The last thing Kaori remembered was being in a small room in Pearl''s castle when Takomaro had told her to close her eyes so that he could lift the curse.  Oh, right.  She thought.  The curse.


    Looking down at her own body, she could faintly see herself. She was naked. She couldn''t tell if the wound was still there or not.


    Then, the room was enveloped in bright white light. Kaori reached up to shield her eyes as a figure manifested in front of her.  What?  Then, she remembered what Ash had said about seeing Magia in her dreams.


    And, as the figure began to develop the shape of a woman wearing white robes, Kaori''s eyes widened.


    "A-Are you...?"


    Her question was answered with a hug. The woman embraced her, and Kaori felt a deep sense of happiness spread throughout her very being. She returned the embrace with a grin and a couple of tears as the woman stroked her hair.


    Then, she pulled back and the two looked into each other''s eyes.


    She tried to say something, but Kaori couldn''t hear her.


    "Uh, sorry, I can''t..."


    Nodding, the figure turned around and raised a hand. Then, with a snap of her fingers, a map of the world appeared in front of them.


    "Whoa..." Kaori watched in awe as the map zoomed in and focused on a small spot to the west. Lumina tapped her finger against it. "Uh, is that Pearl? That''s where we are?"


    Lumina nodded. Then, she scrolled the map down and tapped it just a bit of distance north. She pointed at Kaori, then pointed back at the spot.


    "You, um, you want me to go there?"


    Lumina nodded with a smile.


    "Why?"


    That question was left unanswered. Instead, the room began to fade and in an instant, Kaori found herself opening her eyes.


    She was in some dark bedroom that smelled like no human had walked in here in ages.  Oh, gosh, what the...?  Coughing, she sat up.


    "W-What?!" She heard a voice say to her left.


    "Keiko?" Kaori asked.


    "You''re awake!" Kaori was nearly tackled by a hug from the blind girl. She laughed, hugging her back and seeing that she was still wearing her Savior armor.


    "Yeah, so...?" She looked down at herself, checking where she''d been shot. The wound had indeed healed.  Oh, thank the Goddess. "The wound''s gone." She stated.


    "Good, good, wow... You had us all a bit worried," Keiko said.


    "Sorry. I-It was my fault, I didn''t expect them to start shooting arrows at us."


    "Nobody did," Keiko told her.


    Kaori looked around.


    "Uh, where is everyone?"


    "Ash and Metsumi were out walking around the city. Satsuhiro''s at the castle, getting some spellbooks for Ash to learn from."


    "Oh?" Kaori asked, standing up. She stretched her back, earning a subtle crack as Keiko continued.


    "Apparently, Ash has access to a special kind of magic. Blessings and Curses, Satsuhiro called them. So, he wants her to start learning."


    "Oh, okay."


    Kaori looked down at the floor.


    Gosh,  she thought.  Ash sure is getting stronger every day, huh? I feel like I might fall behind if I don''t do something. Then again...  She stopped with a sigh. No, no. Don''t think like that. You''re here right now, and that''s all that matters. Just... Just do what you can.


    Then, she heard a door open in another room.


    "Oh?" Keiko stood up. She and Kaori walked out of the room.


    Metsumi and Ash were entering the house. Metsumi was carrying what looked like two bottles of wine. Ash though, was wearing a flower crown on her head, an image so absurd Kaori couldn''t help but laugh.


    She giggled as Ash saw her, the half-demon''s violet eyes opened wide as they fell on Kaori.


    "Ash, what the heck? That''s adora-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, she was being hugged for the second time now, since waking up. This time, it was the half-demon who had basically sprinted across the room to hold her.


    "A-Ash?"


    Wordlessly, the half-demon pulled back. They looked into each other''s eyes and Kaori laughed again.


    "I..." Ash shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. Just... I''m..." She coughed. "Whatever."


    "Nope!" Kaori cut her off, standing in front of her. With a smile, she leaned in. "What''s up?" She was enjoying seeing the hybrid out of her comfort zone just a little too much.


    Ash sighed. Scratching the back of her neck, she muttered something.


    "I''m glad you''re alright."


    At that, Kaori grinned, giving Ash a hug of her own.


    "Hey, hey, you''re still wearing your armor. That shit is spiky, back off." Ash said with a blush.


    Kaori remained like that though, thinking to herself,  Ash can be so cute sometimes.

 Chapter 46 - Vol. 2 - 11

    Ash


    With Kaori okay, Ash could calm her nerves down a little. So, when Satsuhiro returned to the house with three books in his hands, Ash felt like she could focus a little better.


    "Here you go," Satsuhiro said, placing the books on the kitchen table. "The process is the same as learning any other spell. Just open it up, read through it and your mind will internalize the knowledge of the spell on its own."


    "How many spells did you bring?" Ash asked.


    "You should find around six or seven Blessings and Curses in total."


    "What?" Ash asked as she took one of the spellbooks and held it up. "Six or seven for all this?"


    "Like I said, the categories are complicated," Satsuhiro shrugged. "Get to it."


    Ash nodded, sighing.


    "Gotta get to work then, I guess."


    She was left alone with the books while Keiko decided to help Kaori meditate so that she could increase her Wisdom stat. Ash read the covers.  The Hidden Power of Faith. Of Hate and Magic. Darkness Unleashed.


    Maybe I should start with the Faith one, I feel like the Dark magic I already have is enough for most situations.  She thought, so, she opened up  The Hidden Power of Faith  and with a great amount of effort, began to read the pages.


    A bar appeared over her head, with the label  Spell: Empowered Light.  Ash nodded to herself. So, it doesn''t matter if I actually understand what I''m reading, right? Because, fuck, this is hard. Making a school dropout read to get stronger is almost a bigger challenge than fighting.


    Sure enough, most of the substance of the pages in front of her was lost to her. She slugged through it though, forcing herself to continue even as she encountered words she didn''t understand. Eventually, she felt dots beginning to connect in her mind. After an hour, with Kaori sitting cross-legged nearby, meditating, the bar was half full.


    She took a break and came back to it later. It took until the night came, with the sun retiring, for the bar to fill up. The instant it did, Ash felt knowledge flood her.


    Spell: Empowered Light


    The effects of Light magic on target recipients are strengthened. Potency and Duration are affected by INT.


    40 Mana


    Oh, shit.  Ash scratched her head.  So, healing spells like mine become better?


    "Done?" Satsuhiro asked. Ash nodded.


    "Yeah, it gave me a spell that makes Light magic stronger."


    "Makes sense. That''s the sort of thing Blessings are," Satsuhiro informed her. "Think about what Kaori''s curse did. It made it so that healing magic didn''t work on her. Basically, these are two sides of the same coin, that being Status Effects."


    Ash looked back down at the book.


    "So, what other kinds of status effects are there?"


    "Keep going, see what else you pick up."


    "Ugh," Ash rolled her eyes. "I really wish there was some other way to do this."


    "Suck it up," Satsuhiro shrugged. "Sooner you do, the sooner it''ll be done.


    On that note, Ash continued.


    Before she decided it was time to go to sleep, she was able to learn one more blessing.  Curse Removal. Which was, of course, the spell that cured Kaori. She was glad she picked it up before finishing up, hopefully, the next time something happened to Kaori she could be of more use.


    "So," she said to Satsuhiro and Metsumi, "where are we sleeping?"


    "Ah," Satsuhiro looked around. "This place doesn''t have a guest room so... Sorry, but you''re gonna have to take out a mat or something and sleep on the floor."


    "Aw, seriously?" Kaori asked, disappointed.


    Ash shrugged though.


    "I''ve slept in worse places."


    "I do not mind," Keiko added.


    They were given a couple of thick bedsheets to use. They put them down by the couch and one by one, they got ready to call it a day.


    Ash laid down in the middle, between Keiko and Kaori.


    She looked to her right, seeing Keiko curled up, and then looked at Kaori, who was still awake, with her hands behind her head.


    The half-demon was considering saying something when Kaori caught her gaze. The blonde smiled, her teeth almost shining in the night.


    Ash turned away, feeling slightly embarrassed. Shaking her head as she heard Kaori giggle, she closed her eyes.


    ---


    Ash found herself in a dark, ashen land The sky was grey above her, with no cloud in sight. She looked down at herself. Her skin was transparent.


    "What?" Ash asked. "Where...?"


    In front of her, a little boy stood. He had his hands behind his back. Ash saw him and took a step back.


    "What the fuck?"


    The boy had no eyes. Nor did he have any hair on his head. All she could see on his face was a pair of lips forming a displeased expression. Ash looked around. There was nothing around them. No trees, no human structures, no animals. It was just the two of them and the black dirt under their feet.


    Ash instinctively reached for her Savior''s Weapon. It wasn''t on her though. The boy walked forwards. Ash glared. Everything about him felt wrong, but at the same time, she couldn''t find it in her to dislike him.


    "Who are you?" She asked.


    The boy answered her question with a question of her own.


    "Why do you struggle for the sake of people who hate you?" He asked. His voice seemed to give off a sense of pity, almost like he was watching a snowflake fighting to stay cold in a field of lava.


    "What the- why the hell do you care?" Ash asked, baffled.


    "Because we share a path, but not a destination." The boy told her. "Scorned, mistreated, but where I seek vengeance, you seek to protect those who wronged you. I do not understand this." The boy tilted his head. "Is vengeance not the human thing to do?"


    "Yeah? Well, I''m not human," Ash replied.


    "Ah, but are all demons not born from humans?" The boy asked. "You may have been formed in a state of existence betwixt, but you do have some humanity in you."


    Ash scowled. She was just about to say something when a blast of lightning almost struck the boy. Just before it hit him, a black shield appeared around him. Ash looked for the source of the attack and she found another man walking up from the left.


    He was carrying an iron trident and had a large black shield on his left arm. He was dressed in the armor of a stereotypical knight, but his eyes were blank.


    "My, my~" The boy said. "Well, it seems this talk has been cut off." He turned to Ash. "I would ask you to reconsider, abom-... Hybrid. I empathize with you. I would hate to see you share their fate."


    Before Ash could respond, the very space they were in began to dissolve.


    ---


    Ash''s eyes opened.


    She sat up, breathing heavily. The first thing she did was place a hand against her heart, feeling it beating against her chest rapidly. She looked around.


    What... What the hell was...?


    In that instant, something appeared over her head.


    [Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing]


    [While in Niven''s site of power, all of a demon''s attributes are increased]


    Her eyes widened.


    She looked down at her own self and saw a violet aura being exuded by her skin. Standing up, Ash raced out of the house, ignoring Kaori, who had woken up and was asking her what was going on.


    She ran out into the streets and looked up.  The sky had turned a subtle shade of violet. Ash''s jaw hit the floor.  What? Already?


    She checked her stats.


    Level 11


    MP: 120/120


    ---


    STR: 18


    DEX: 18


    CON: 14


    INT: 12


    WIS: 12


    L: 100


    Kaori ran up to her, but Ash began to sprint towards the gates before the blond could reach her. She saw multiple guards standing on the walls, looking out. She couldn''t see past the gates, so she ran up the stairs.


    "H-Hey!" A guard said, "you can''t," but Ash pushed him away.


    She looked out towards where the portal was.


    A violet aura was festering at its location, but no demons had come out yet.


    Ash breathed a sigh of relief as a guard grabbed her by her left wrist and dragged her off the wall.


    ---


    Keiko


    "So, how long do we have?" The Lord of Pearl asked.


    Currently, Ash, Satsuhiro, Kaori, and Keiko were at Pearl''s castle. After Ash informed Satsuhiro of the progressing status of the portal''s influence, they decided to tell the Lord of Pearl, a man named Nathan Toriona about it.


    Each of the cities, besides Jade, had a Lord. A person who oversaw the events that transpired in the city, but answered to the Royal Council. Keiko couldn''t see him, but he did have the voice of a leader.


    "It''s been about 4 days," Satsuhiro said, "and the portal has, according to Ash, covered about half of the city. This means it''s likely that the portal will have fully covered Pearl in the next 3 days."


    "3 days..." Nathan muttered. "That is not much time."


    Keiko took a deep breath. No one had been ready to hear that when Ash made the announcement that she was already being affected by Niven''s Status Effect.


    "I suggest we double our efforts in looking for a way to dispel the portal," Takomaro, the senior Savior, suggested. "If we can prevent a battle from even taking place, it would be ideal."


    "I don''t believe such a way exists," Satsuhiro said. "We''re dealing with the power of a god. Our magic is probably useless against things he created directly. We need to form a battle plan."


    That was another thing that had, obviously, surprised people. With this status effect also came the realization for the average person in Pearl, and soon, when the news spreads, the world, that it was Niven himself they were fighting. Before, of course, everyone had assumed as much, but having the existence of a pissed-off god confirmed, well, no one liked that.


    "Already ahead of you on that one, friend," the Lord responded. "We have a general coming in who should be arriving today. He has been informed of the situation and is already coming up with a strategy."


    Keiko thought that sounded somewhat reasonable until she heard Ash yell from her left.


    "Are you kidding me!?" Ash asked. Everyone went silent. Keiko could feel the tension. Aside from the rudeness of her interruption, she understood many of them weren''t okay with the presence of a half-demon here. "Motherfuckers, these things have the stats of someone who''s at level fucking 80 or something! The highest level guy here is Takomaro, and even I could beat him if I were under that status effect."


    "... What are you implying, hybrid?" Nathan asked.


    "Fuck fighting, you need to think about how you''re going to escape!"


    Her words left a few of them stunned.


    "So... Your proposal is to simply give up?" Takomaro asked.


    "Uh, yeah!" Ash replied. "Listen, clearly, they''re attacking way too quickly. You won''t have time to prepare and they have every advantage possible. They''ve got stats, they''ve got numbers. What do you have?"


    "Defendable walls and a city we know better than they do," Takomaro replied, barely keeping his anger restrained.


    "And what are those things gonna be worth when a level 100 Nightmare comes in through those gates and turns every soldier in sight into a demon?" Ash asked.


    "Alright, enough, demon" Nathan said. "You are right in that we need to think about escape plans as well. That much is true. However, two things. Number one, do not speak to me with such disregard. I answer to the Council but I am still a Lord." He said, and Keiko felt it as a threat. "Second... We cannot simply leave. We will try our hardest to defend the city, if it should fall, then at least we tried."


    "Sir," someone else came in through the door behind Keiko. "The general is here."


    "Ah. I see. Bring him in. Everyone should take the time to meet him, at least," Nathan stated.


    A few minutes later, the door opened again.


    "Ah, General Ioko. How was the journey?"


    "Not too bad, sir. Thank you for arranging it."


    "You''re right on time. Did you see it?" Nathan asked him.


    "Yes," Ioko replied. "I..."


    He paused. Keiko turned towards his voice.  What happened?


    Then, she heard footsteps approaching her.


    Hm?


    "Seiyo?" He asked. "You are far from the compound."


    And Keiko gasped.

 Chapter 47 - Vol. 2 - 12

    "Hm?" Takomaro asked. "Do the two of you know each other?"


    "No, well, not personally," Ioko responded. "She''s a Zayama. Apologies, I got distracted. Where were we?"


    The Zayama general then began to explain his plan to the Lord. Keiko could barely focus on it though. In between the details, how he wanted the lines of catapults behind the walls, that archers could be placed around the portal to pick off enemies as they come out, all she could think was  "Seriously? He''s a Zayama too?"


    She wondered if maybe they''d met sometime before, though she doubted it. Nobody liked to associate with failures like her.


    "Thoughts?" Nathan asked everyone in the room.


    "Well..." Satsuhiro started. "If escaping truly isn''t an option, then, fine. In addition, I''d suggest we let the first streets go."


    "What?" Takomaro asked.


    "The status effect diminishes in power the farther the demons are from the portal. We can let them get through a portion of the city and fight them at the edge of their power. If we assume they''ll begin their attack once the whole city is covered..."


    "That would mean most of the fight would happen at the Castle area," Nathan understood.


    "A large part of Pearl would be destroyed," Satsuhiro replied "but the fight would be the most beneficial for us at that location... That is, of course, if we assume they''ll begin the fight the instant that the city is covered. Of course, it''s also problematic that we don''t know the limits of this effect. It could cover far beyond the city, it could stop before the city is fully engulfed. We don''t know."


    "Preparations can begin immediately regardless," Ioko added.


    "... Then I believe that''s it then," Nathan stated. "Takomaro, Satsuhiro, keep working with the mages to see if you can find a way to dispel that portal. I don''t expect you to succeed but try it anyway. Ioko, prepare the soldiers. Saviors, do what you can to help. These are dire times, everyone, but we can pull through. We always do."


    ---


    Once the meeting was over, everyone got to work. As for Keiko though, she couldn''t do much but help Ash whenever she asked for her, which, lately, wasn''t too often thanks to the current situation.


    As she and the group were walking out of the castle though, a voice called out to them.


    "Saviors," Keiko heard Ioko say.


    "Yes?" Satsuhiro replied.


    "May I have a moment with her? I have not gotten to speak to a relative in a while."


    What?  Keiko thought.  I... He wants to talk to me?


    "It''s up to her," Satsuhiro shrugged. "Keiko? What do you say?"


    "Uhm, I..." She didn''t know how to process this information. Then, she remembered that rejecting a senior''s request like this was bad manners. "Yes, yes."


    "Alright. We''ll wait outside then." Satsuhiro said.


    "Thank you," Ioko replied. "May I take your hand then?"


    "Of course," Keiko nervously replied.


    He led Keiko to a balcony near the exits where they could get fresh air. The entire time, Keiko felt nervous. She hadn''t prepared for any potential verbal lashings. There were a few things, a few people, from the compound she missed, this part was something she could do without.


    "Well then, Seiyo," Ioko said, using the Zayama word for  junior. "I heard your name was Keiko?"


    "Yes, seiya," Keiko bowed. She kept her hands clutched together, mostly to keep them from shaking.


    "Heh, relax, seiyo. I just wanted to learn more about you, you being a family member and all. You are not in trouble or anything."


    "O-Oh."


    "I suppose I should tell you a little about myself first though," he said. "As you know, I am a general working for Jade. I have spent very little time in the capital though, it seems these days the life of a soldier means traveling more than a nomad. Not that I mind it though. The world is an interesting place."


    "I see..." Keiko replied.


    "So, how did you get here?" He asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "How did a Zayama end up running with a bunch of Saviors?"


    "Ah... Um... I was recruited to help train one of them. The half-demon," Keiko specified.


    "Oh... I see. May I see your attributes?"


    "Yes."


    Willing herself to display them in front of him, she imagined that the numbers were floating over her head. Thanks to the fight at the ruins, she''d managed to level up two times, earning 6 attribute points, 4 of which she put into her Strength and 2 of which she used on her Dexterity. She needed to stay sharp, after all.


    Level 3


    MP: 100/100


    Attributes:


    STR: 8


    DEX: 17


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    "Ah, good. Diligence is the way to success, I am glad to see you are no slacker. So, this training, how''s that been going?"


    "Very well, seiya." Despite his reassurance, she couldn''t drop the formality. "Ash, uhm, the Savior, is a quick learner."


    "Most Saviors are, it''s something I envy quite a bit. I may have reached my current position with fewer grey hairs if I had such a talent," he said with a chuckle.


    Keiko forced a smile, trying to ease her nerves.  He... He doesn''t seem like a harsh man.


    "And your Spirit Eye?" He asked. "I see you meet the requirements, but... By your blindfold, I''m guessing you have yet to unlock it."


    Her heart went cold.


    "Y-Yes, seiya, I apologize, I have not managed to unlock it."


    This was it. She waited for the insults that usually followed. Instead, a question was lobbed to her that she did not expect.


    "Why are you apologizing?" He asked.


    "Huh?" Keiko asked, her head snapping up at that.


    "If you have been putting in the effort, then your lack of results is not something to apologize for," he told her. "What''s important is that you''re trying."


    "B-But, I''m already 18," she said, "and I have yet to unlock it. I... My time''s running out."


    "Then you''d best double your efforts, cousin," he stated.


    "No matter what I do though, nothing seems to work!" She caught herself yelling and quickly knelt. "I-I''m sorry!"


    "Ha! Keiko," she heard him take a step forwards. "If it is not your path to unlock your family''s power, then that is the road that has been chosen for you by Alkoth. As long as you try your hardest, it is not something to apologize for. I do have one question for you, though." He stopped. "What have you been doing to unlock it?"


    "What? Well... Meditation," Keiko answered, slightly confused. "Is... Is that not the way?"


    "Haha, yes, it is, but well, meditation can take different forms. I''m sure you''re aware of that. If one form of meditation doesn''t work out for you, then try another."


    "I, what do you mean?"


    "Wait here."


    With that phrase, she was left alone. For a moment, she wondered if that was the end of the conversation and this was his attempt at a prank. If he was muttering "yes, she''s not worth my time," as she waited. After a while though, she heard footsteps approaching.


    "Extend your hands," he instructed and she did so. Then, a book was dropped into her palms."


    "W-What is this?"


    "It is a book written in Braille," he said. "It details the lives of different Zayamas. Now, no, I''m not telling you to read people''s entire biographies, but there are a few sections that talk about how the process of unlocking their Spirit Eyes went. How it happened for some people."


    "Where did you get this? This castle has a book about Zayamas? Why?"


    "Oh, no... Admittedly," he sounded somewhat embarrassed, "it is a book I wrote myself, recently. I''m somewhat of a student of our history."


    With awe, Keiko bowed.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t thank me yet, there''s no guarantee this will do anything to help you, but, if it does, then that would be something to celebrate."


    ---


    Ash


    Keiko was led out of the castle a few minutes after the general had taken her to talk. Ash looked back and saw her carrying a large book, which looked slightly funny in her hands, due to her small frame.


    "Good luck, seiyo," The man told her. "I look forward to fighting with you in the battle to come."


    "Y-Yes, sir. Thank you, seiya."


    And so, the two Zayama''s parted ways. It was strange seeing a Zayama without their blindfold, as Ash could see the clear, crystal-like color of the man''s pupils. Ash walked up to Keiko and spoke up.


    "How did it go? Old dude give you any trouble?" She asked.


    "No, no... It was... Better than I thought it would be." Keiko told her. Then, the Zayama raised a hand and Ash took it, so she could lead her along with the others.


    "We have one more place to go to before we can rest," Satsuhiro said.


    "Where?"


    "An old inn. The other Saviors in the city are meeting up there, so we can make our own plans." Satsuhiro replied.


    "Other Saviors!?" Kaori asked, pleasantly surprised.


    "A few, yes. It''ll likely be up to us to fight the Nightmares that come through. We''ll need to coordinate with them."


    "Alright, let''s get it over with then," Ash thought.  Like it matters. The only plan we should be coming up with is "so, where are we running?"


    They moved into the heart of the city, where Ash had earlier seen the half-demon in the streets. He wasn''t here anymore, and she wondered if maybe he''d ran out at the first opportunity. Satsuhiro led them to an inconspicuous-looking establishment and they walked in.


    Ash didn''t know what to expect. As she entered the building, she found that a single table had been placed at the center, with a small fire in the back providing the room some warmth. The only people inside were all dressed in golden armor, and all of them looked at her group as they came in.


    "Well, it seems like we''re ready to start," Takomaro, who was standing at the back, said.


    There were four Saviors here.


    She knew Takomaro, so she glanced over him once and disregarded him. One of them made Ash raise a brow though. She was a thin woman, as thin as Keiko, who was carrying an insanely large hammer on her back. She grinned when she saw them.


    "Hi!" She waved at the group and Ash narrowed her eyes. "Wow, it''s so cool to meet you!"


    "sigh  Hey, Mizaki," Satsuhiro said.


    No one shared her energy. To her right, was a dark-skinned woman with crimson-colored hair who had been glaring at Ash since she came in. Beside her was a white-haired man. Ash almost confused him for another half-demon, but he didn''t have any horns or violet eyes. He was sitting with his feet up on the table, twirling a blade in his hands.


    "AY!" The guy stretched his arms. "MORE TITS!"


    Satsuhiro ignored him, walking up to Takomaro.


    "Where''s Alkoram?" He asked.


    "He left."


    "What?"


    "Just that. He left." Takomaro shrugged. "You can''t technically force a Savior to do anything, and he simply believed that this fight was hopeless."


    "Well, that''s good to hear," Satsuhiro replied sarcastically.


    I happen to agree with the guy, whoever he is.  Ash thought.  This is literal suicide.


    "I''m surprised you''re still here," Satsuhiro said to the white-haired man. "Akiven, you haven''t considered running too?"


    "Of course, not. I live to fight," Akiven shrugged. "If I go out, it is what it is."


    "And you," Satsuhiro turned to the crimson-haired woman. "Kasumi, did they drag you here?"


    It took the woman a while to answer because she was staring at Ash with so much raw hatred that she visibly had to tear her eyes off of her.


    "Whatever..." Kasumi said, closing her eyes and leaning back with a sigh.


    What the hell is her problem? Well, I mean, I don''t know why I''m even asking myself that. I know what the problem is.


    She hoped this meeting wouldn''t drag on for too long.

 Chapter 48 - Vol. 2 - 13

    Kasumi


    When the half-demon walked into the room, Kasumi couldn''t help but glare. She recognized her from the vision in the pond. She and the blonde, of course.


    She didn''t know anything about her, but she felt like she knew enough.


    These were the same creatures who took her daughter from her, and here was a living reminder, casually walking up to the table and putting her hands on her hips as though she couldn''t be bothered to be there.


    It didn''t seem like the half-demon recognized her. Kasumi however, did. And, all she could think was that the woman was basically a walking reminder of what the demons took from her. She hated her for that.


    "Alright, so," Takomaro began, "as you know, we''ve recently gained a sudden influx of soldiers. This means that we will need to coordinate ways so that we do not end up accidentally harming our own allies."


    "I got one," Akiven said, "how about, we do cool shit and they get out of the way?"


    "If it were that simple we wouldn''t need to call everyone here," Takomaro stated, annoyed. "In the heat of battle, they are likely to lose their heads and scramble. In that event, considering Satsuhiro''s Fire magic, your own... flashy form of fighting and whatever they''re supposed to do," he gestured at the half-demon and her friend, "things could get ugly."


    "Oh, oh!" Mizaki raised a hand as if she was in a school. "What if we set up an area, maybe a specific street and we tell the soldiers ''hey, don''t cross this place, we''ll be fighting here,'' huh?"


    "That sounds somewhat reasonable, though maintaining that sort of order in the middle of battle still seems difficult," Takomaro replied.


    "I''ll try to keep my Fire magic targeted," Satsuhiro said with a sigh. "I''ll be sure not to burn anyone. Now, we need to come up with something to do about the Nightmares. That''s probably our biggest issue."


    "Satsuhiro''s right," Takomaro nodded, "due to their ability to turn people into demons, it is likely that many of the soldiers who fall will end up as enemies to cut down. In that case, every Nightmare that is allowed to live for too long means the battle is that much more difficult to win."


    "It helps, of course, that they''re easily recognizable, that said," Satsuhiro looked towards each of them, "consult Ash before you take one on." He pointed at the half-demon.


    "What?" Kasumi asked with some bite. "Why?"


    "Because she can see their levels. If we should encounter a Nightmare of a level that is too high to deal with, there''s no way you will be able to defeat them individually."


    Kasumi couldn''t help but glare as she put a hand under her chin.  It''s bad enough that I have to tolerate her presence, I have to rely on her to help me too?


    "Yeah, about that," Ash told Satsuhiro, "I still say it''s better to just run the fuck away. This is so fucking stupid."


    "I agree," Satsuhiro said, "but telling people to lose their whole city, so casually, wasn''t going to get any other response."


    "Let''s not get sidetracked," Takomaro said. "In the likely event that we see Nightmare''s coming in, highlight them, call them out and make sure you kill them before you continue. Now, besides that..."


    The planning continued past that, but largely only the same things continued to be reiterated. Mainly, that they needed to avoid hurting the soldiers, that they needed to target the Nightmares, and that they''d need to try to find streets they could fight in on their own.


    However, Satsuhiro said something that made Takomaro raise a brow.


    "Ash has an affinity for Light magic," he stated.


    "What?" Takomaro asked, stunned. Kasumi understood why. Although it wasn''t a technical rule, Light magic was heavily associated with holiness. Something Ash should have lacked.


    "Yes, so, it would be beneficial for us if you could teach her a few spells before the fighting starts."


    "Hm... I''ll try to think of a few," Takomaro nodded.


    And, after a while, something else was brought up.


    "As much as it pains me to say this, considering what happened the last time," Takomaro started, "another trip inside the portal might prove to be informative."


    "Sure," Ash suddenly said, "if you feel like having fifty demons chase you around Jade."


    "What?" Takomaro asked. "You went in?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "One of those portals popped up outside of Satsuhiro''s house. It took us to a dark version of Jade. And, well, all of the demons were insanely strong."


    "Jade... Could that have been the city we saw?" Takomaro asked Satsuhiro.


    "If that''s the case, then the inside of the portal likely doesn''t lead to a different place, but rather, a mirror realm," Satsuhiro noted. "However, that''s something to analyze in a different time."


    In the end, the meeting only reinforced something Kasumi believed going into it. That she would probably die here.


    Maybe that''s for the better.  She thought with a sigh as she got up, about to follow the others as they filed out of the room.


    Somehow, she ended up close to Ash.


    She looked up at the half-demon. For a woman in Pearl, Kasumi was already fairly tall, so, seeing that Ash was taller than her was surprising. She didn''t hold back the glare that her eyes naturally formed.


    "What the fuck?" Ash asked as Kasumi walked past her, ignoring the question.


    The city had a different atmosphere now that this battle was imminent. Kasumi saw multiple groups of soldiers gathering citizens to send them to the back of the castle, where they would be safe to an extent. At least, until the demons inevitably reached them.


    Kasumi didn''t pay them any mind. Instead, she headed straight for her own house. Before she reached it, a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned and saw her brother, a stoic expression on his face as he looked at her.


    "Lyo? Shouldn''t you be with your family?" Kasumi asked.


    "That''s why I''m here," Lyo said. "We''ll be leaving. I want you to come with us."


    Kasumi merely blinked. She understood exactly what he meant. She''d be doing the same if she weren''t so tired with everything.


    "Will you be fighting?" Lyo asked her.


    "Yeah," Kasumi answered, looking away. "I... I don''t know, I figure I may as well."


    "Hm..." Lyo looked down. Then, he nodded. "If that''s what you want to do, then that''s that." And so, he stepped up to her and hugged Kasumi.


    The crimson-haired Savior returned it, albeit a little sluggishly.


    "I..." Lyo started. Then, he shook his head. "Then that''s it. Take care."


    "... You too."


    Seeing her brother walk away like that let things sink into her mind. She began to fully realize what would happen to her soon.


    And, she was surprised at just how fine with it she was.


    ---


    Keiko


    It had been a very long time since she''d read any books. Her skills had dulled, but as the others spoke about the battle to come, Keiko opened the book Ioko gave her and took a deep breath.


    Manage your expectations. As he said, there''s no guarantee this will help in any way... But goodness, I hope it does.


    She opened the front cover, taking a deep breath. Passing her fingers over the first page, she felt the indentations that made up the language.


    The Great House of Zayama, by Ioko Zayama.  Keiko read, and smiled.  A bit self-congratulatory, it feels like.


    She began to read through a few pages, trying to get a feel for Braille again, mostly just so she could skip as much as she could. She wanted to get to the parts about meditation, after all. Still, each section took her a long time to get through.


    "The Great Era of the Zayama house began when Hatsumoto Zayama orchestrated a defense of Old Sapphire, then named Alvere, against the massive forces of the rising Jewel Empire. This event went on to become a tale known as ''The Last Zayama'' and brought much recognition to the house due to his blah, blah." Keiko skipped.


    "Once, it was believed that a great dragon had been spotted in the east, by the city of Onyx. It is said that a Zayama woman tamed this dragon, though there is absolutely no evidence to support this." Keiko read. "Then why is it even here!?"


    "During his fifth meditations,"  as soon as Keiko read this part, she gasped.  YES! "The Zayama master known as Ichiro decided that maybe, a change of scenery was what he needed. He concluded that his surroundings were impeding him from fully focusing and that the Spirit Eye could only be achieved when True Focus, as he called it, was attained. It is said that upon meditating in an unknown location, he returned to the compound with his eye awoken."


    "A change in scenery?"


    The meaning of that statement would be on Keiko''s mind for the rest of the day.


    And that was how the first day of preparation, the first of three, possibly, was spent in Pearl.

 Chapter 49 - Vol. 2 - 14

    Ash


    On the second day, before the third where it was assumed the demons would attack, several of the Saviors gathered at the center of the city.


    Here, Takomaro passed Ash his knowledge of three spells. Spells he deemed would be useful in the fight to come. Those were Land of Grace, Sacred Ground, and Flash of Brilliance.


    Land of Grace was a 50 mana spell that healed in an area, which he suggested she use on the soldiers so as to delay their fall for as long as possible. However, those who got cursed would not be able to benefit from this spell.


    Sacred Ground was an offensive 20 mana spell meant to irritate creatures of the Dark. It wouldn''t do much more than that but it could provide some soldiers with brief windows in which they could inflict some damage.


    Finally,  Flash of Brilliance was a 40 mana spell that created a blinding light. However, Takomaro warned her that this spell was not to be relied on too heavily, due to the fact that if a demon''s level was high enough, it would have no effect on them.


    Once those spells were gifted to her, Ash took stock of the tools she had at her disposal, checking her full status.


    Level 11


    MP: 300/300


    ---


    STR: 40


    DEX: 40


    CON: 38


    INT: 30


    WIS: 30


    L: 100


    ---


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach (Can devour anything without suffering negative side effects)


    Chosen (Savior of Magia)


    Moonlight Nature (all Light and Dark spells are enhanced, though the bearer can only use Light and Dark)


    Quick Learner (100% increased EXP gain)


    Demon Inside (Access to Demon Form, while in Demon Form all physical attributes are increased by 5)


    Moonlight Demon (While in Demon Form, all Light and Dark spells are further enhanced)


    ?


    ---


    Wait, what?  Ash squinted as she saw that last trait, the question mark. I... does that have to do with the transformation I got when me and Kaori, uh, yeah? When did this get in here?


    ---


    Spells:


    Light:


    Heal 10mp (the basic Light spell)


    Lumina''s Presence 10mp (slower, gradual heal on one target)


    Lumina''s Spirit 15mp (energy boost on one target)


    Barrier 15mp (projects a white wall that blocks spells)


    Empowered Light 40mp (the effects of Light magic are enhanced on multiple targets)


    Curse Removal 100mp


    Land of Grace 50mp (AOE heal)


    Sacred Ground 20mp (AOE Turn Dark)


    Flash of Brilliance 40mp (Blinding)


    Dark:


    Dark Sphere 10mp (the basic Dark spell)


    Perish 15mp (mid-range slightly stronger Dark projectile),


    Decimating Touch 15mp (touch-based Dark attack)


    ---


    Weapon Proficiencies:


    Sword = 5 of 10 (Average)


    Bow = 3 of 10 (Beginner)


    Spear = 1 of 10 (Complete Amateur)


    ---


    Current Status Effects:


    Niven''s Blessing


    ---


    She had a few takeaways. Firstly, she wanted to know what the new trait at the end was.


    Second, in the future, if she survived this battle, she would need to try to find someone who could teach her Dark magic. She was clearly lagging behind in that field.


    Third, this influx of raw power she felt was a bad sign. If every single demon that would attack them was feeling the same way, how could the soldiers of Pearl expect to win?


    This is looking pretty hopeless.  Ash thought with a sigh.  It feels like I''m going to have to do so much more than everyone else, me, one of the fucking rookies.


    Satsuhiro walked up to her, holding strange-looking things in his arms.


    "Hey, your armor got here."


    "What!?" Ash asked. "Seriously?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro said. "It took them some effort to get it through the gates since the portal is just outside, but it''s here. Go ahead, find an empty building, and put it on." He said, placing the armor on her lap.


    Even in the darkness under the changing sky, she could see its brilliant golden glow.


    "Well," Ash said, "at least I won''t die feeling half-naked."


    "About that whole inevitable doom thing, how is portal''s effect feeling?"


    "I''m getting stronger every hour," Ash muttered. "So, Satsu," she turned to him.


    "Oh, for the love of Magia, not you too..." Satsuhiro said, hearing that shortened name.


    "What are our chances?" Ash asked, her hands feeling the armor she''d received. At that, Satsuhiro stared at her for a moment. Then, he sat down on the same bench she currently occupied, sighing as he grasped his hands and nodded.


    "Pretty terrible."


    "Yeah, figured," Ash replied as citizens were being led deeper into the city. Some had chosen to stay for a bit longer, maybe hoping this whole problem would go away, and it was only when the sky turned fully violet that they''d realized the demons weren''t changing their minds about attacking.


    "Metsumi? Opah? Where are they?" Ash asked as she saw Kaori speaking to Mizaki. The energetic Savior was showing off her hammer to the blonde.


    "With the other civilians." Satsuhiro''s tone turned far softer than Ash ever remembered hearing it.


    "... And if everything goes to shit what are you...?"


    "If everything falls apart and I''m still alive, I''ll take them and run away," Satsuhiro said with a shrug. "We still have to try though, before that happens."


    In that instant, Ash heard glass break to her left and looked over to see a half-demon bursting out of a store. She raised a brow, seeing that the boy she''d spotted a day or two ago was carrying multiple items in his arms, running away as guards chased after him.


    "Someone stop him!" The guard yelled out as the boy ran in Ash''s direction.


    Satsuhiro glanced at Ash, who simply lowered her head as the boy ran away with the stolen goods, straight towards the closed gates. With his enhanced physique, he managed to dodge every arrow launched in his direction and, with a great amount of effort, pushed the gates open.


    "Y-You didn''t stop him!" A guard asked her.  And why exactly is that my responsibility?  She thought.  Why are you asking just me and not Satsuhiro?


    "Why the fuck would I?" Ash asked, straightening her back and looking at him in the eyes.


    "You... You abominations are all the same! You''re to blame for this! Spies, spies! Y-You''re probably working with them!" He aimed his sword at her, with shaking hands, and Ash stood up.


    Satsuhiro got between them.


    "We have bigger things to worry about than petty crime right now," Satsuhiro stated. "Calm down."


    "You should watch what you say," Ash muttered. "This abomination might just turn a blind eye to you when a demon sticks a hand up your ass."


    The guard took a frightened step back and ran away.


    Ash sat back down.


    "They''re just nervous," Satsuhiro said. "Everyone is."


    "Whatever," Ash responded. "How much do you wanna bet that if we win, no one will give a fuck about how I helped?"


    "I don''t think anyone would be dumb enough to ignore you if you get the city through this."


    "Yeah?" Ash raised a brow.


    "What happens here is probably going to be written about for years to come."


    On that note, Kaori and Keiko walk over to them. Keiko was still carrying that book in her hands. Kaori grinned at them.


    "Mizaki''s so cool!" Kaori gushed. "She said she used to lift boulders to train her Strength!"


    Ash turned to look at her.


    "... You''re strangely calm," Ash said. "The whole doom and gloom hasn''t settled in yet?"


    At that, Kaori sat down next to her.


    "Eh, I think... I think we''ll do alright," Kaori said with a little smile. "I mean, you''re a lot stronger, right? And, remember when we went into the ruins? How many demons did just the two of us take out? Here, we''re with a bunch of super-strong Saviors and an entire army of soldiers! That has to count for something."


    Ash raised a brow.


    She wanted to counter with, "well, the demons are also a lot stronger," but upon seeing Kaori''s bright expression, she simply shook her head and swallowed her words.


    "There is something I would have liked to have done though," Kaori muttered.


    "What''s that?"


    "Um, Lumina showed up in one of my dreams..." She said casually. Ash raised a brow.


    "Seriously?"


    "Yeah."


    "... Welcome to the club, then," Ash replied. "So, what did she tell you?"


    "There''s a place north of Pearl she wants me to go to. But," Kaori looked up at the sky, "it doesn''t seem like I have time for that."


    Ash did the same, noting the ever-darkening violet.


    "Maybe..." Ash stated. It''s probably one of Lumina''s sites of power. Hm... Actually, what would activating it mean for this fight? Could Lumina help us win?


    As Ash thought of that, she said:


    "Where is it?"


    "Um, if I were given a map, I''d probably be able to spot it out," Kaori replied.


    "Come on," Ash stood up, extending a hand that Kaori took, standing up as well. "We may as well try it."


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro stepped in, "what do you mean?"


    "Where can we find a map? Quick." Ash replied.


    "There should be one in the tavern," Satsuhiro pointed back, "but what..."


    Ash jogged towards it, with her new armor in her hands. She walked in, a vacant space welcoming her as she looked around with Kaori trailing behind. Come on, come on... Where...? She found it easily enough though, spotting a single map nailed to a wall behind a few tables.


    "Okay, let''s bring this back," Ash told Kaori as she ripped it off the wall. "Actually, now that I''m here," Ash said.


    And, right in front of Kaori, she started to strip.


    "O-Oh, gosh!" Kaori turned away, blushing.


    "Heh," Ash smirked as she quickly tried to change into the armor that had been brought to her. "It''s nothing you haven''t seen before."


    "A-Actually, it is," Kaori replied. "I''m the only one who took her clothes off when we..."


    "Hm... You''re right." Ash stopped. She''d put on her greaves, setting her breastplate aside on a table as she took a step closer to Kaori. Then, she took her hands and placed them on her chest.


    "ASH!"


    The half-demon burst out laughing as Kaori pulled back like she''d been burned.


    "Maybe when this is over we can alleviate this situation some more. For now, though," she finished putting on the armor and grabbed the map, "we need to get moving."


    "Wow, you look..." Kaori shook her head. "But, wait, d-do we have time?" Kaori asked her. "I... I''m not even a demon and I can feel things changing. What if the attack starts and we''re not here? I mean, have you seen the sky? It... It feels like we were wrong about having another day to prepare."


    Hearing that, Ash nodded.


    "Yeah, that is something that could happen, but... Kaori, let''s be honest here," she put a hand on the blonde''s shoulder. "We can''t win like this. Not how we are right now. We need help, help from someone, anyone, and if Lumina wants to keep us from getting our heads cut off, we need to take it."


    "I..." Kaori took a step back, "what if people die before we come back?"


    "More could die if we don''t go," Ash stated. Then, she hardened her expression. "And, listen, that doesn''t mean much to me. You, Keiko, Satsuhiro, and his family, you," she briefly let go of the map, placing it on a table, and then she put both of her hands on Kaori''s shoulders. The two''s faces were just six inches apart. "You''re all I care about. Can you say the same though?" Ash asked. "You want to be a hero, don''t you?"


    "Um," Kaori looked away, but Ash pulled her gently by the chin so that she was looking into her eyes again.


    "The way I see it, it''s a few people at the start or everyone when it''s all said and done, hey, you''re the one Lumina talked to. It''s your choice," she told the Savior.


    Hearing Ash say that, Kaori looked away again. She tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear and sighed.


    "Either way, people will die but..." She took a deep breath. "You''re right. Y-You''re right, yeah. Let''s go."


    ---


    Keiko


    The blindfolded Zayama had been taken along with Metsumi and Opah to a subsection of the castle where civilians would be held until the fight was over. Currently, she was sitting cross-legged, on the dirt ground, with Metsumi near her.


    She only wanted one thing. To awaken her Spirit Eye so that she could go and fight with the others.


    However, though she''d gained a bit of enlightening advice, she had no idea how to apply it.


    So, because it didn''t seem like she was going to get a chance to explore this "change in scenery" she instead tried to brute force her way to a Spirit Eye.


    With her hands clasped together, she took a deep breath and tried to remember the process her teachers had told her back at the compound.


    Get a feel of everything around you,  she thought.  Breathe in. Awareness, even while blind, is key.  Then... Just cast it.


    "Iridos!"


    And as soon as she tried, she felt electricity surge up her heart and to her eyes, inflicting an incredible pain in her head.


    "AGH!"


    "Keiko!?" Metsumi grabbed onto her. "What happened?"


    "N-Nothing," Keiko breathed in, "nothing. I''m just... Trying to unlock my Spirit Eye. I need to get down there and help the others!"


    So, she started to try again.


    Feel everything around you,  Keiko thought, clenching her hands into fists.  Just... Just be aware. Just...


    "Keiko," Metsumi reached for one of her hands. Keiko felt her take one and she stopped.


    "Metsumi?"


    "Even if you unlock it," Metsumi started, "what would you do?"


    "Huh?" Keiko asked. "Fight, what else?"


    "Against those demons?" Metsumi asked, with a soft voice. "I''m sorry, Keiko, but... there''s nothing you and I can do. Hell, if I''m being honest, I think Kaori should be here with us too."


    "But..." Keiko stopped, turning towards Metsumi''s voice. "I, I can''t just let them go fight this alone. They need me. I might not have stats, but I''d bet I''m better with a sword than most people here."


    "I believe that," Metsumi told her. Then, Keiko felt an arm pulling her in for a half-hug. "I''ve seen you training the girls, after all. But, this is different. With that much raw power aimed at you... I don''t think all the skills and techniques in the world would change things here."


    Keiko''s lips parted but she couldn''t find something to say.


    Even if this did work, it wouldn''t be enough. She thought.  I... I need to do something. I need to become stronger.


    Her memories with her friends came to her, and Keiko found her soul reaching for what she imagined. She didn''t want to let this stay as her reality.


    If she was going to remain with this new family of hers, she needed to do something.


    Of course, the question was, "what?"


    ---


    Kaori


    It took quite a bit of explaining, but eventually, she and Ash were able to convince a few guards to let them leave through a back portion of the castle that led out into the woods east of the city. Looking down at the map, Kaori raised her brows as she thought about the spot Lumina had indicated.


    Uh, I assume we''ll know what it is when we see it?


    "Keep jogging," Ash told her as she ran ahead. "We''ll have to make it back fast."


    "Y-Yeah," Kaori nodded from behind. "It has to be close. I don''t think Lumina would tell me to go anywhere too far away."


    "Yeah?" Ash replied. "Maybe. I can definitely see Magia doing it though."


    Just what kind of deity is she?  Kaori wondered.  Lumina has been nothing but loving. I trust her.


    Even here, the sky held a tinge of violet, though it faded the farther away they got from the city. And so, the pair ran. They ran as fast as their armor allowed them to. It was still a strange sight, seeing Ash in a proper Savior''s attire.


    However, any stray thoughts about the half-demon were wiped from her mind when she saw a structure ahead. It was strange, almost like pieces of a church were still standing in the middle of the wilderness, but its roof, walls, and doors had been torn away.


    At the center of it, she could see what seemed like an altar.


    "That has to be it!" Ash said. "Kaori, get closer. Lumina might..."


    Before she could finish that sentence, Kaori was falling to the ground, unconscious.


    ---


    She awoke in a dark room. One that she understood, given what she''d been doing.


    "Lumina!" She called out. "Where...?"


    And at that moment, a figure began to manifest in front of her.  Her face lit up. As she saw the goddess appear, Kaori felt relief wash over her. She ran up to the goddess and hugged her tightly, clearly surprising the figure, who hugged her back once she realized what was happening.


    "Ah, you came?" Lumina said, and Kaori recoiled.


    "Y-You talked!"


    "Hehe, indeed," her voice was as sweet as honey on Kaori''s ears. There was an inherent kindness to her that disarmed Kaori instantly. "Thanks to you, or, rather, your current position. I thank you for seeking me out, you give me hope, young one."


    Smiling at that, Kaori tried to form a more serious expression.


    "Your grace, or, uh, your holiness," Kaori got on one knee, "is there anything you can do to help me in the fight for Pearl?"


    "No."


    ...


    "Uh, what?" Kaori looked up. "W-What do you mean...?"


    "At least, not directly." Lumina''s face darkened. "Niven''s gained too much power over the area. One site of power on my end is not enough to combat this force he''s gathered... But, I can do one thing for you, specifically."


    "Uh, yeah, anything!" Kaori said. Lumina''s face took on a strange expression when she said that.


    "Anything? Heh, you should be careful when saying such things to a deity, Kaori." Lumina lovingly passed a hand over Kaori''s hair. "We can be quite selfish, and a word like that sounds quite a bit like an invitation. Any spirit would celebrate upon hearing that." Kaori raised a brow, not quite understanding what she meant. "I have one gift to give... Unfortunately, though, it does mean that my power will be depleted upon giving it."


    "What?" Kaori asked. "How?"


    "Us gods and goddesses are not omnipotent. Our power, at least, until more of our sites of power are found and replenished, is finite. That... That is a topic for another time, though. Your fears were right," Lumina waved a hand and suddenly, a screen appeared behind her, through which Kaori could see the portal''s power had spread even further. "The attack will happen in the night."


    "No!" Kaori watched with despair. "I need to get back!"


    "Right. And, before you do, here is my gift."


    A few words appeared above Kaori''s head at that moment.


    "It is a sign of my absolute trust," Lumina explained. "For you are to act as an agent of my love for humanity. And to that end, I am willing to diminish myself for you."


    Before Kaori read the words, she saw one of Lumina''s arms dissipate into dust.


    "W-What?" Kaori watched as a small stump remained where Lumina''s left arm once was. "What did you do?"


    "As I said. I sacrificed a piece of myself for you. That, my love, is how much I believe in you." Lumina stepped closer and kissed her forehead.


    And, as Kaori felt tears pop up, she looked at the words floating above.


    New Trait Gained!


    [The Protector]


    [Gain the Spells of the Protector]


    New Spells Acquired!


    Mark of Love - Duration: 24 hours - Mark a target as an "ally" for a day. While near this target, all stats are enhanced. The longer this person remains marked as an ally, the higher the stat increase when near them. Can mark 1 ally per day.


    Encourage - 30mp-  Syphon your own stats into a marked ally for 2 minutes. You determine how much of your power you wish to give.


    Loving Sacrifice - No cost - Upon activation, any incoming damage to a marked ally is instead redirected to the Protector.


    Kaori read those abilities with a small amount of confusion.


    "What are the incantations?" She asked.


    "None. These power are simply a part of you now, as they were once a part of me," Lumina explained. Kaori saw her eyes briefly move to her vanished arm. "Well, I suppose that is all. Take care, Kaori. Remember, there is always another day."


    And, without being given an opportunity to respond, the dark world faded and Kaori found herself back in that forest.


    ---


    "Kaori?" Ash asked as Kaori''s eyes slowly blinked open. "Are you okay?"


    As Kaori looked at her, she closed her eyes again.


    So... How do I...?


    "Huh?" Ash asked, confused. Kaori opened her eyes again and saw the half-demon glowing white. "What the fuck?"


    Oh, it worked.


    She checked her stats to see the increase.


    Level 14


    MP: 70/70


    ---


    STR: 16


    DEX: 16


    CON: 12


    INT: 7


    WIS: 7


    L: 100


    ---


    They all went up by just 1.  She thought.  So, the longer she''s marked, the higher they''ll go?


    "Come on," Kaori said, standing up, "let''s go! The fight is about to start!"


    "What? Uh, okay, go!"


    Both girls began to run back to the city, the sky above telling of a grave battle to come.

 Chapter 50 - Vol. 2 - 15

    Ash


    As she and Kaori ran back into the city, she felt her power increasing with every step she took. She could hear metallic boots clanking in unison, the sign of a large group of soldiers marching towards the city.


    As they ran through the old plaza, Ash saw people dressed in scholarly robes, probably mages, on the rooftops of the buildings, overlooking the street that led to their location. A short time later, the two of them were at the city''s southern gates, where a line of mages and warriors stood ready.


    The Saviors were behind them. Satsuhiro turned when he heard the two girls approaching.


    "How are you feeling?" Satsuhiro asked her.


    "Almost as strong as when I was in the portal," Ash replied. "Is everyone ready?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro nodded and turned back towards the gates.


    "What''s the plan?"


    "We decided on this," Satsuhiro sighed, "there are three checkpoints we will try to hold. This one, the Old Plaza, and the area just outside of the castle''s keep, where the civilians are. Of course, the demons will be at their strongest here, so we won''t try too hard to defend this spot. However," Satsuhiro said, "once they push us back to the Old Plaza, that''s when the fight really begins. We need to try our best not to let them push past that."


    "And if they do?" Ash asked.


    "Then we evacuate the city," a voice answered behind her. It was Lord Nathan, dressed in pristine armor, walking with his hands behind his back. "You are correct in what you said earlier, upon... further evaluation, we would prefer to live another day. However, we will make the effort to stand against them."


    Ash nodded.


    I just hope they realize how fucked they are quick, so we can skip to the part where we run the fuck away.


    "Wait," Ash realized, "why are you here? Shouldn''t you be with the civilians?"


    At that, Nathan laughed.


    "No, no. A leader needs to be with those they plan to lead. Otherwise, it shows that the leader themselves doesn''t believe in the mission. And if that''s true, why should the subordinates?" He walked past her then. "They are here because they believe in me and they believe in the strength of humanity. I will honor that belief."


    And so, he left them to go speak with General Ioko, who was standing ahead of his men. Ash took a deep breath as Kaori placed a hand on her shoulder.


    "We''ll fight together," Kaori said, thunder suddenly cracking above them in a cloudless violet sky, "every step of the way."


    Ash looked into her eyes and nodded. Then, she took Kaori by her wrists and pulled her in, their lips meeting as more soldiers passed them by to join the others. Kaori''s eyes gleamed as they separated.


    Ash didn''t say anything. Instead, she turned back towards the gates and kept her eyes on the walls, waiting for the fight to begin. Satsuhiro approached her.


    "This might be a good time to test out those spells."


    "Right."


    Ash looked out onto the group of soldiers. Takomaro was already about to use a spell on them. She joined him. He turned toward her and raised a brow at the hybrid, and then wordlessly looked back at the group ahead.


    She remembered the incantation for the  Empowered Light spell, which she learned while studying Blessings.


    "For Light of grace to reach those in need, Lumina, allow our faith to dictate the power of our words. Let no prayer we utter be left unheard. To this end, show yourself in our actions and let your brilliance be seen."


    Upon finishing the incantation, Ash opened her eyes. Ahead of her, she saw something that made her gasp. The spell, which she had aimed at just one-half of the army, ended up affecting everyone. Not just the soldiers, but each one of the Saviors. Every single person near her.


    What?


    She looked down at her own hands.


    How!?


    "Well," Satsuhiro walked up to her, somewhat surprised. "That was quite the spectacle."


    "What happened?"


    "... If I had to guess," he put a hand up to his chin, "I''d say this is the result of two things," as Ash heard him, she noticed that Takomaro was also listening intently, "your Light affinity, and your connection to Magia. I''d say both of these things are boosting your Light magic to this extent."


    That''s...  Ash took a deep breath.  Holy shit.


    Each of the soldiers looked down at themselves, then, they turned to look at the Saviors behind them. Ash didn''t care to see their reactions. Instead, she looked up at her own status.


    Level 11


    MP: 260/300


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 50


    CON: 40


    INT: 30


    WIS: 30


    L: 100


    ---


    Alright.  She thought. I''m officially as strong as I remember being when I was in the portal. So... They''re coming soon, huh?


    We are so fucked.


    ---


    Kasumi


    The Savior remained crouched, at an alley between two houses, her back pressed against a wall. She was waiting for the fight to start, with no real expectations that they''d win.


    As she did, Takomaro walked up to her.


    "Hm?" Kasumi hummed, raising a brow. "What do you want?"


    "I..." He turned away, to look back at the soldiers. "Upon further analysis, it might be best if you go back with the civilians."


    "What?" Kasumi pushed herself to her feet. "Why? Why now?"


    Takomaro shook his head.


    "I was thinking... I was thinking about Maggie," he admitted. "Satsuhiro and I have always had our disagreements, but he''s consistently been right about one thing. The lives of Saviors are valuable, this is a philosophy I believe I could stand to learn from. And... The first step I''m taking in that direction is this," he looked at her with grim eyes. "You will be destroyed if you remain here."


    "I could have told you that," Kasumi shrugged. "But, shouldn''t I...?"


    "No," Takomaro shook his head. Then, he sighed and turned away. "It''s for the best if you go back, Savior. Besides, maybe you can help the civilians escape should we fail."


    "I..." Kasumi looked down at the floor as even more soldiers marched through the streets. "Fine." And so, she turned away, walking onto the road and only giving Takomaro a single glance. "Good luck."


    "Thank you." Takomaro nodded, half-bowing.


    With that exchange done, Kasumi began walking towards the keep. It struck her that it felt almost dream-like how empty the streets were. She had never seen Pearl like this before. Throughout her whole life, Pearl had been a buzzing center of social activity. Now, it was just desolate buildings and structures acting as walls to hold back the demons as they tore through everything.


    It was surreal.


    As she neared the keep, a few knights spotted her and walked up to the Savior.


    "Savior, where are you going? The fight is that way," one pointed to where she''d come from.


    "I was ordered to see to the citizen''s safety," Kasumi sighed. And then, she walked right by them.


    However, as she did, she heard them whisper to each other. They weren''t succeeding at being subtle.


    "She''s running away," one said. "I can''t fucking believe it."


    "Yeah, I knew she would. She''s been locked up in that house for years. Why''d she fight for us?"


    Kasumi simply shook her head as she kept going.


    Yeah, you''re right. Why would I?


    Upon entering the keep, she found it was hard to take a single step deeper into it. The whole place was packed with muttering, panicked civilians all clumped up together. A knight walked up to her and she explained to him the same thing she told the others.


    After that, Kasumi looked around and walked towards the first open spot she saw. She ended up sitting next to a blindfolded girl who had her legs crossed and her head lowered. To Kasumi, it seemed like this person may have been the calmest one here.


    Until she looked a little closer and noticed her slightly narrowed brows and her clenched hands. Ah.  She understood. It was more so that she was trying to be calm rather than actually being so.


    Settled, Kasumi leaned back, her head touching the wall, and she closed her eyes.


    ---


    Ash


    There was a silence in the air. The half-demon felt cold.


    Every soldier in Pearl was waiting for the moment to come. That moment where the demons would begin to siege the city and they''d all watched their homes burn in front of them. They didn''t wait long though, as suddenly, a horn sounded and scouts atop the roofs looked down and said, "they''re coming!"


    Almost immediately after that, Ash looked up and saw figures moving in circles in the sky.  What the...?  They looked like black birds at first, but then, a few of them descended onto the city.


    As they came into view, Ash''s eyes widened. They resembled her.


    Lust Demons? Ash wondered as one landed on a soldier and picked him up, flying into the sky with the soldier in its arms.


    Ash checked their levels.


    Level 5


    MP: 10/10


    Level 4


    MP: 10/10


    "Shoot them down!" Nathan ordered. "Mages, attack!"


    More came and soon, the space above was filled with arrows, demons and magical projectiles being lobbed back and forth. A few more soldiers were picked off. One mage created a spike of ice that pierced through one of the demon''s heads, and they fell to the ground, dead.


    "Kaori, our bows!" Ash said and the two Saviors transformed their weapons, taking aim at the incoming demons.


    Beside them, Akiven, the Savior with the two blades, was watching the demons as they moved. Then, Akiven quickly burst into a sprint, leaping up into the air and catching one, slicing its neck in a spinning attack in mid-air.


    Behind Ash and Kaori, Satsuhiro started to mutter to himself. Then, from his palms, whips made of flames emerged, weapons he used to strike down a couple of the demons who came close.


    Their base levels are still low outside of the portal,  Ash thought.  That means, even if we receive the same boost, they should be weaker than me, right?


    As one Lust Demon, a feminine creature that was about 210cm tall with spiraling horns and a heart-shaped symbol on her head, landed in front of Ash, the Savior transformed her weapon into a sword and ran up.


    She went for a stab that the creature dodged, and then turned it into a swipe that slashed through the demon''s stomach.


    "ARRAH!" The demon let out a ghoulish cry and Ash finished it off with an attack that decapitated her, ignoring the EXP message that appeared above her head.


    I can handle this.  Ash thought.  I should be able to. But,  she looked back, seeing Kaori tracking demons as they flew above.  Can she?


    Then, a loud bang sounded off at the gate, and everyone froze.


    They all looked ahead, and a scout yelled, "they''re trying to break in!"


    Bang... Bang... Bang...  Rhythmic blows were dealt to the gate. Nathan raised an arm.


    "Everyone!" Ash was surprised by how his voice reached almost every soldier there. "Get ready to move back to the Old Plaza!"


    Bang... Bang... Bang...


    The Lust Demons began to fly away, clearing out as the gate was struck one more time and a small hole was made in it.


    "Move!" Nathan called out and the soldiers began running back. Ash and the other Saviors did the same, moving through the streets to the large open space that was the Old Plaza. As Ash remembered what the Lord of Pearl had said, this was the actual fighting ground. The place they needed to defend to prevent the civilians from being endangered.


    So, as they all got to the spot, a barricade began to be set up, with carts, wagons, barrels, and anything they could use to hold the demons back momentarily.


    Taking this moment to prepare herself as well, Ash used a few spells.


    "May our vigor never fade, find our spirits emboldened." And with that incantation, she used  Lumina''s Spirit to restore the energy of everyone around her. Because of  Empowered Light, and her Light affinity, the effect was enhanced to the point where everyone who had fought off the Lust Demons was back to being fresh.


    Ash checked her mana.


    MP: 245/300


    Beside her, Takomaro looked at her with some scrutiny, not that Ash cared at all.


    Ahead, the gate burst open.


    Everyone stopped.


    Okay.  Ash thought. Fuck, it''s starting.


    There were so many that even though Ash wanted to check their levels, they all meshed together in such a way that made it hard for her to do so. Instead, she thought of another spell she''d learned.  Sacred Ground.


    "Make this field unbearable to those who commit sin freely, let Lumina''s judgment purge their consciousness." And suddenly, the stone that made up the street ahead of them, where the demons were coming from, began to glow.


    Their animalistic snarls turned to loud groans and bellows as they seemed enraged, charging at them even faster.


    MP: 225/300


    Ash herself could feel a sort of repulsion coming from the street she''d used her magic on.  Does that spell affect me too? Even if I''m the one who cast it?  She instinctively took a step back.


    And, with roars as the signs of their arrival, the demons were here. They weren''t alone though. Above, the Lust Demons had returned as well.


    With a battle cry from Nathan, the fight properly began.


    The demons clashed with the army and immediately, Ash could tell this was going to be terrible. Heads were being ripped off in front of her, swords were stabbing through demonic bodies, teeth were tearing into necks, she was shocked by how quickly everyone, and everything, started dying.


    One thing was for sure though, the demons were winning.


    So, before any of them got to her, she breathed in and said:


    "This is a place of piety, let our faith be rewarded and our wounds become old memories, soon forgotten!"


    Land of Grace, the AOE healing spell, triggered then, and Ash extended her hands, healing as many of the soldiers ahead of her as she could.


    MP: 175/300


    I''m almost halfway, already?  She thought.  I need to let it regenerate for a bit.


    She saw their wounds closing just as the demons made them. It helped the soldiers push back a little, but they were still being overwhelmed.


    That was when the Saviors came in.


    Mizaki was the first, lifting her giant hammer and slamming it down on a Gluttony Demon that had approached her, popping it under her weapon like a bug. Akiven ran along the sides of a building to their right, leaping off of it and entering the fray of battle head-on, twirling in place like a whirlwind of swords. Behind everyone, Satsuhiro muttered the same incantation he had when he''d fought with Ash at the ruins, and a dragon made of fire emerged from his hands, rising up and falling on a group of demons ahead.


    Ash was actually impressed, her breathing shallow as she watched with some wonder. If every soldier here were a Savior, perhaps they would actually stand a chance. However, they weren''t. And so, even with all of that, the demons kept coming.


    More soldiers died before Ash could even think of getting another  Land of Grace spell off. As the fight drew closer to her, she figured it was time to get more personally involved. So, with her sword, she took a deep breath and looked back at Kaori.


    The two locked eyes. Ash nodded and ran forwards. As soon as she got closer, a demon reached for her and nearly slammed her head with a clawed hand, but with this stat increase, Ash was fast enough to dodge the attack and respond with a stab through its chest. Then, she ducked under another swipe and rose up with a spinning slash that let the demon''s violet blood splash across the street.


    However, as she looked for more targets, she was caught off guard by a kick that knocked her back. She fell down and a demon mounted her. As she looked up at it, scowling, the demon raised a hand.


    Only to be impaled by a swordstaff a second later.


    Ash pushed it off of her and got up, seeing Kaori behind her. Kaori didn''t hesitate to attack more of the enemies as they got closer to Ash. The half-demon shook her head.  Focus.


    And so, as the humans made their stand against the demonic forces, the battle raged on.


    However, behind them, at the castle, something was happening that none of them had anticipated.


    ---


    Kasumi


    The crimson-haired Savior kept her eyes closed, waiting for her turn to come.


    By that, she meant her turn to face the demons who were clearly fighting their forces already, as everyone in the keep could hear the sounds of clashing swords and screaming men in the distance.


    Ahead, she started to hear some sort of a scratching sound. She opened her eyes and tilted her head.


    What?  Kasumi stood up with a huff, dusting herself off, and moving past the crowd. She walked up the steps of the Keep, moving through a door that led into the main part of the castle. Here, she saw other, far richer, citizens, hiding comfortably. Kasumi walked up to one of the windows.


    I swear, it''s like...


    And then, from her right, she heard something burst open.


    From one of the balconies, winged demons emerged, staring straight at them.


    "GUARDS!" She called out as the demons flew towards her.


    ---


    Ash


    The fighting dragged on endlessly, and at no point did it seem like they could win. Even with Ash''s abilities, even with the Saviors'' help, it just felt to the half-demon like there was no end to the enemies that came from the gate ahead.


    Ash was tackled by one demon and pinned down. She looked up at it and the demon hissed, sharp teeth bared above her.


    However, soon, something began to change and Ash couldn''t tell if it was good or bad. From her skin, a violet aura started to emerge. Her vision turned reddish and her horns began to grow.


    "These fucking..." And, with every second, it got easier for Ash to push the demon off until she was strong enough to lift it and throw it off of her.


    When she got back to her feet, she felt her hands changing. Claws emerged from her fingertips, and Ash growled at her target. She ran forwards, reaching it almost in an instant, and ripping its chest with her hands.


    Enraged, Ash continued tearing the monster apart until she could barely see it under her. But, her form did not go away, as she turned around and quickly found more demons to fight. So, she sprinted into the heart of the battle.


    ---


    Kaori


    This was, by far, the weakest she''d ever felt.


    Even more so than when she and the others ran away from Satsuhiro''s home, as she had never actually tried to fight during that. Here, as she tried to find targets to engage, every time she walked up to something, she felt like she was coming dangerously close to dying.


    As the soldiers were pushed back, further past the Old Plaza, Kaori tried to attack nearby demons. She failed to save one soldier who was running back beside her and was taken down before a demon promptly bit into his neck.


    I... What can I even do!?


    "COMING THROUGH!" Mizaki yelled, slamming her hammer into a couple of demons as she passed by Kaori. "WOO!"


    The thin girl seemed careless as her hammer bounced from one enemy to another. Satsuhiro turned to face the oncoming horde and quickly cast a spell that sprayed flames in their direction.


    Kaori was stunned for a moment. Every other Savior, Akiven, Takomaro, Mizaki, Satsuhiro, even Ash, were all contributing so much more to the fight than she was.


    "Keep moving, blondie!" Mizaki told her.


    "R-Right!"


    The humans fled deeper into the city, eventually reaching the vast space outside of the keep. Here, Nathan turned towards the soldiers and cried:


    "FIGHT!"


    And the warriors of Pearl''s last stand began.


    ---


    Kasumi


    As the guards realized what was happening, they moved towards Kasumi''s location and began to fight the demons that had appeared. The nobles around her screamed, running back to where the rest of the civilians were.


    As they fought, two of those citizens moved to where Kasumi was.


    One was the blindfolded girl, the other was a large woman with more muscle on her than most men Kasumi had seen, dragging the other girl with her.


    "What''s going on!?" The large woman asked.


    "Demons. Stay back!" Kasumi said.


    "No chance of that, look, they''re already outnumbered!" The woman pointed ahead and Kasumi followed her gesture to where the guards were being overwhelmed.


    Kasumi then decided to check her stats to see if she could be of some aid.


    Level 15


    Huh?  Kasumi blinked.


    "Alright, fine. But..."


    The woman charged forwards before Kasumi could finish, running up to a demon and landing a punch so heavy, it launched the demon in the opposite direction. Kasumi nodded to herself.


    I have to help too.


    As she was about to go forwards though, she stopped and looked back, to where the blindfolded girl had sat down on the ground. She had her legs crossed and looked like she was trying to meditate then and there.  What is she doing!?


    Shaking her head, Kasumi ignored her, running up to help.


    ---


    Kaori


    The Savior tried her hardest to keep up, but there was only so much she could do. A demon ran up to her and Kaori tried to plant her swordstaff in its body, but it danced out of the way and reached forwards with a claw, slashing her abdomen. The attack cut right through her armor but thankfully didn''t leave anything bigger than a scratch on Kaori''s torso. She stepped back and suddenly, a knight stabbed a sword through its neck.


    The battle around her had turned into a frenzy. Guards were dying in high numbers, demons were being swept away by the stronger humans as now that there was more distance between them and the portal, the fight had become slightly more even. Of course, levels were important, but a weapon was a weapon and if one found itself embedded in a demon''s neck, that demon was going to die.


    Still, the demons were still winning.


    What do we do? Should we just run?  Kaori thought.


    At that moment, the ground shook slightly. It was the smallest of tremors, but enough for Kaori to notice. She stopped, narrowing her brows as she tried to see why that was. Once more, then a second time, and finally, a third time it shook and Kaori saw what was coming.


    "Oh, no."


    Nightmares. Multiple Nightmares were walking casually towards them. She should have seen it coming, really, but she had been so focused on the other demons that she''d forgotten about this particular threat. The other Saviors quickly noticed them and so, the older ones walked out.


    Mizaki and Akiven stepped out from the fight to face them.


    There were 5 Nightmares in total. One had two heads and was carrying two swords, another was a woman-like figure with no eyes, holding a barbed whip. One had wings and was flying just a few feet above the ground, one was a large beast with the head of a wolf. Finally, the one at the front was the same one Kaori and Ash had seen when they were escaping the attack of Satsuhiro''s house.


    Kaori looked around, trying to find Ash, who she spotted in the middle of the fight, crushing the enemies she encountered. However, even she was starting to look a little tired.


    That was until Ash walked away from the fight temporarily and looked upon everyone. Then, Kaori watched as she cast two spells onto the group of soldiers. One that saw everyone''s energy restored, and another that closed every wound they had.


    "Ash!" Kaori called out. The half-demon, in her full demon form, looked back at her with feral eyes. It seemed like she was just barely keeping herself restrained. So, wordlessly, Kaori pointed ahead at the Nightmares and Ash took the hint, running straight at them.


    Satsuhiro joined her, and soon each of the Saviors had turned their attention to the incoming threats. Mizaki engaged the beast-like Nightmare, finding that it was strong enough to stop her hammer mid-swing. Akiven charged towards the woman with the whip, who stopped his run short with a crack of her weapon aimed at the ground in front of him. Satsuhiro began to prepare a spell, but couldn''t execute it.


    "I''m almost out of mana," Satsuhiro muttered just loudly enough for her to hear.


    Kaori felt herself losing hope. Then, she saw Ash engage the same demon that had attacked them before.


    And, it seemed they were on even footing. Ash dodged a few swings from a massive sword but failed to land any claw swipes as the demon stepped back, out of the way. Ash is...  Kaori slowly realized.  Her Demon Form is getting to her. Her attacks were becoming less accurate. The longer she fought, the less she seemed to think strategically, until something was about to occur that made Kaori''s heart stop.


    "WATCH OUT!" Kaori cried out as the demon raised a sword and Ash froze. It swung the blade down at her, and Ash raised her left hand as if she could stop it.


    And, instinctively, Kaori extended her own arm towards Ash and cast one of the spells Lumina had given to her.


    Living Sacrifice.


    The slash swept right through Ash, harmlessly.


    The half-demon looked down at herself, confused. Kaori stood there for a moment, her left arm extended towards Ash.


    Then, from her elbow down to her fingers, her left arm simply slipped off.


    Kaori fell to her knees as the pain of the blow started to sink in.


    Ash looked back at her and Kaori saw her eyes widen before she passed out from the shock.


    ---


    Ash


    What...?  Ash didn''t understand.  What did I just...?


    The attack that was supposed to hurt her had instead been redirected to Kaori, as evidenced by her left arm lying on the street. Kaori followed it then, flopping down as she fainted.


    And that was where Ash broke.


    A spark of black thunder emerged from her body as she turned back towards the Nightmare in front of her and tackled it. The Nightmare attempted to swing its sword at her, but Ash was too quick. She raised a hand and brought it down on the Nightmare''s face, slamming straight through it and hitting the stone of the road behind it.


    She heard a whip crack and looked to her right. The demon Akiven had been fighting had tied up one of his legs with her barbed whip. Ash aimed a hand at it and said:


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" A black sphere then propelled itself from her and struck the demon''s chest.


    Ash reached her just a split second after that. She formed a cone shape with her claws and stuck them into the Nightmare''s gut, her hand emerging on the other side.


    "Agh!" Ash heard a scream behind her and turned, seeing Mizaki being flung back by the swing of a Nightmare''s sword, blood tracing the path she took in the air.


    That moment allowed Ash to calm down slightly, looking back at the soldiers.


    We''re losing.  She thought. Holding back her fury, she ran up to Nathan. The Lord briefly confused her for a regular demon before recognizing her as she panted in front of him.


    "I think it''s about time we fucking leave!" Ash yelled.


    "Y-You''re right, you''re right! RETREAT!" Nathan cried out. "RETREAT!"


    As the soldiers heard him, one by one, they pulled back, running towards the keep.


    Then, Ash remembered what had happened to Kaori and frantically, she looked for her friend. She found Kaori lying in a small pool of blood.


    "No, no, no, no," casually tossing an approaching demon aside, she knelt beside Kaori and cast the basic healing spell on her hand, watching the wound close quickly thanks to her  Moonlight Demon trait''s further enhancement of her magic.


    Kaori''s eyes slowly opened.


    "D-Did we win?"


    "Hell no," Ash told her, "get up, run to the keep!"


    That seemed to wake Kaori up as the Savior shook her head and stood up. She looked down at the stump that had once held her left hand and then looked back at the demons coming from the southern gate.


    "W-What about you?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be there in a bit," Ash said. "I''ll hold them back, just go!"


    Ash was about to turn away, but Kaori grabbed her wrist. Then, she pulled Ash in for a brief kiss.


    "Don''t stay out here too long," Kaori told her.


    "Yeah, yeah. Just go!"


    Kaori nodded and then she started to run back with the others. Ash spotted Mizaki and tried to heal her in the same way, but found that the Savior had been  Cursed.


    "Fuck," Ash muttered. "Akiven!"


    She yelled at the white-haired Savior nearby.


    "Carry her back! Have a priest remove her Curse!"


    "She''s..." Akiven couldn''t believe it. He shook his head and then nodded. "Right."


    Carrying her, he ran back as Ash watched.


    She looked around and saw demons chasing them, but she couldn''t concern herself with those enemies. She had far bigger threats to deal with.


    "I''ll go with them," Satsuhiro said, "as soon as you find an opening, move."


    "Yeah." Ash nodded to her and he left as well.


    The only ones remaining were her and Takomaro, watching as the remaining three Nightmares began to walk towards them.


    "And you?" Ash asked. He shook his head.


    "I will remain here to support you, half-demon." He said, and Ash was shocked. "If those Nightmares reach the keep, they''re done. We can''t let them pass."


    Understanding that, Ash looked back at the incoming enemies.


    "Let''s give it a fucking shot then."


    ---


    Keiko


    With the intruding demons fighting guards ahead, Keiko realized that it was now or never as far as her Spirit Eye was concerned. Metsumi needed her help, the citizens of Pearl needed her help and she was just a simple step away from being able to assist them.


    And yet, her Spirit Eye simply would not activate.


    "Iridos!" She yelled out, activating the spell that was supposed to unlock the ability, but it did not work. Lightning came from her heart and ran up to her eyes, hurting her.


    AH! Why won''t this...?


    "What are you doing?" A voice asked her. It belonged to an older woman.


    "I-I''m... I''m just trying to... It''s hard to explain. Iridos!" She tried again and her eyes were burned a second time. "AGH!"


    Then, she found a hand pressed to her shoulder.


    "Uh, is there anything you need?"


    "Heh, unless you can take me to someplace calmer, then no."


    "What the hell does that mean?" The woman asked.


    "I... Fine." She struggled to find her bearings, what with the people fighting to the death just a bit of distance in front of her. Still, she tried to tell this woman, if anything just so she''d let her concentrate. "I''m trying to use a meditation-based spell. But... I can''t focus."


    "... Would an illusion work?" The woman asked.


    "An illusion? I-I don''t know."


    What a strange question.


    The sounds of battle got louder and Keiko shook her head.


    "IRIDOS!" A third time, she tried to get the spell to work but only succeeded in hurting herself again.


    "Alright, how''s this then. How did it go again? Uh,  show this entity the realm of my creation, let my imagination become reality for just a glimpse of eternity."


    "What are you...?"


    But, when everything started to change around her, Keiko stopped.


    Suddenly, she could smell flowers, dirt, and grass. Instead of sitting on the stone, she was sitting in a forest. She couldn''t see it, but she knew she was here. What did she...? Birds were chirping around her, she could feel the sun on her skin. Her breathing slowed until she was feeling far more relaxed.


    I see... An illusion. Keiko understood.  It''s the best chance I''ll get. But, it''s not enough to be here. I need to be focused.


    She remembered the words of her teachers.


    "Awareness. Know what''s around you," she muttered.


    And so, she started to paint a picture. She imagined herself sitting on a small grassy hill, overlooking a city. It was easier to believe she was here too since she could actually smell and feel where she was. It wasn''t enough. It was missing something.


    So, she added two final elements to it.


    A pair of hands landed on her thighs and then, Keiko was hearing familiar voices in her ears.


    "Keiko, are you alright?"


    Kaori?  She thought.  Y-Yeah, I''m...


    "Didn''t tell us you were coming here," she heard Ash whisper in her right ear, "You tired of us or some shit?"


    No, no...  I just...


    "It''s okay, just breathe." She heard Kaori tell her and Keiko nodded. "We''ll be right here with you. Just let us know when you want to go."


    "O-Okay..." Keiko replied.


    And so, focusing on the feeling of those familiar hands on her body, being close to the ones she had grown to like so much, she took one last deep breath.


    "Iridos."


    Lightning reached her eyes, but this time, it didn''t hurt. The feeling was nothing short of incredible. She felt power surging into them, her back arching as she found her breath being stolen.  Did... Did I...?  Tearing her blindfold off, Keiko opened her eyes.


    And, for the first time in her life, she could see.


    Spell Gained: Spirit Eye


    Passive Effect: Gain eyesight


    Active Effect: See 2 seconds into the future, or see through the eyes of a chosen target.


    Tears came out and slid down Keiko''s cheeks.


    "I... I did it..." She muttered. "I can see!"


    "Y-Yeah, happy for you, but uh, help!" She looked to her left and saw a crimson-haired woman staring ahead. Then, she saw what her enemies looked like. Animalistic fangs and claws, white hair, horns, violet eyes. Keiko breathed in. Then, she took out her katana and aimed it at them.


    And Keiko ran forwards, with her targets in sight.


    "Iridos." This time, instead of trying to unlock her Spirit Eye she used it to activate its effects.


    She saw a demon looking at her and trying to swing at her with an arm. Then, she came back to the present moment. The demon looked at her and as it raised an arm, Keiko slashed through it.


    She repeated the process. Two seconds into the future, another demon, who had just finished killing someone, looked back at her and growled. In the present, Keiko stabbed through its head as it was about to do so.


    I''m actually doing something... Keiko thought.  I can help!


    "We need to evacuate!"


    A voice yelled out from behind. Keiko turned towards it. Then, she looked back at the demons ahead.


    "We need to clear a path!" She yelled, letting the warriors around her know.


    And so, the escape began.


    ---


    Ash


    The half-demon breathed in. Her body and armor were scratched to oblivion, but she was still standing.


    One thing was certain though, she wasn''t going to kill these Nightmares any time soon. Even in her Demon Form, even with her enhancements, she simply wasn''t strong enough to take down all three at once. As there was a brief pause in the fight, Takomaro held her wrist.


    "We need to go, we''ve stalled for long enough."


    Her rage subsiding, Ash found her Demon Form slipping.


    "Yeah, yeah... Let''s..."


    But before they could leave, the Nightmares began to run after them. Ash turned around and sprinted away, but Takomaro was far slower. She was just about to enter the keep when she heard a scream come from behind her.


    Turning around, her eyes widened.


    "Oh, fuck."


    Takomaro had been taken by one of the Nightmares, but he wasn''t being killed.


    No, instead, the Nightmare that grabbed him placed a hand on his head and violet lightning spread throughout his body. Ash, who had been in that very position before, understood what was happening.


    "You''re joking..."


    In front of her eyes, Takomaro began being changed into a demon. His limbs elongated, his hair turned a brighter shade of white, his muscles grew so much they broke through his clothes. Black wings sprouted from his back and then, he was let go.


    It was then that Ash realized, he hadn''t just changed into a demon, he''d been turned into a Nightmare.


    With that visual and the knowledge of the vision she''d seen back at the ruins when she and Kaori had encountered the Nightmare there, she came to a realization.


    "The Nightmares... They were Saviors?"


    The demonic version of Takomaro looked up at her with violet eyes and raised a hand. Then, black lightning launched out, almost striking her body, but narrowly missing her.


    And Ash got the hell out of there.


    ---


    When she reached the keep, she found the demons had burst in already. She went in too and saw that some civilians had been killed. Ash didn''t pay much attention to that. Kaori, Keiko, Satsu, Metsumi, Opah?  She searched for the people she knew and found that ahead, the humans were trying to exit through the other side.


    Moving through them, she killed any demons in her way that weren''t paying attention to her. Eventually, she got to the group of survivors and found that knights were telling them to run through halls that led elsewhere.


    Eventually, she caught up to her friends. They were already outside.


    Behind her, she saw the flames that covered the city rising. She ignored it. In a field of grass, Kaori was being carried by Metsumi, Mizaki''s curse having been presumably removed, she was being tended to by what few healers were around, and Satsuhiro was speaking to Akiven and Kasumi.


    Ash joined them, earning a glare from Kasumi.


    "Uhm, Ash?" Satsuhiro said. "Where''s...?"


    Ash shook her head.


    "Ah. Well, shit." Satsuhiro''s head lowered.


    Nathan walked up to them.


    "We''ll need to be leaving now, the demons might not stop at the city."


    "Yes, sir." Satsuhiro nodded.


    The civilians were rounded up. They were gathered and led away from the burning city. As Ash stood for a bit, a hand reached for her left. Ash turned and found Kaori there.


    "At least we made it out," Kaori said, though Ash could see tear marks on her face.


    "Yeah."


    "I... I wish I would have gotten this sooner," Keiko said and Ash raised a brow. "Maybe I could have helped more."


    Ash turned around and saw Keiko standing there, without her blindfold.


    "What...?" Ash walked up to her. She put her hands, bloody and all, on Keiko''s cheeks and the Zayama smiled up at her.


    "... Yeah." Keiko chuckled. "Not the best day we''ve had, but this..."


    Ash tuned her words out. Her eyes looked like crystal clear roses, shining in the darkness. She couldn''t help but hug her.


    "... If it''s worth anything," Ash said with a smirk, "you''re even hotter without that blindfold."


    "Heh, small victories, I guess."


    Though the overall feeling was sad, the three of them shared a brief moment of celebration before they walked away.


    Away from the city of Pearl, one of the brightest pieces of the Jewel Empire, lost to the demons.

 Chapter 51 - Vol. 2 - 16

    Keiko


    A few minutes earlier


    Admittedly, it was hard for her to feel sad right now. A part of her felt guilty about that. But, as everyone gathered together in the fields outside of Pearl, and Keiko turned, seeing Kaori walk towards her, she couldn''t help but grin. The woman looked every bit like the hero Keiko believed her to be. Golden, angelic blonde hair, an hourglass figure, radiant armor though stained with blood, and the face of pure grace.


    She walked up to Kaori and hesitantly, looked up at her.


    As Kaori noticed her, Keiko saw her eyes gleam as she tilted her head, as if she was seeing Keiko for the first time. As though she was living Keiko''s experience right now.


    "Keiko?" Kaori asked with wonder in her voice. The Zayama nodded and smiled at her, running in for a hug.


    Though, only one hand returned the embrace. As Keiko tried her best not to cry, she pulled back and their eyes reconnected.


    "You..." Kaori chuckled. "Your eyes. What...?"


    "I did it!" Keiko laughed with glee. "I... I unlocked my Spirit Eye."


    "Keiko, that''s amazing," Kaori told her, though Keiko could see her expression was somewhat conflicted. It made sense, of course. Keiko didn''t expect her to suddenly forget that they had just lost an entire city.


    Still, Kaori leaned in and pressed a kiss against Keiko''s forehead, which filled her heart with adoration for the Savior. For a moment, Keiko was able to forget everything that had led her up to the point. The disappointment of her family, the self-hatred she''d developed over the years, everything faded and all she was left with was Kaori''s kind eyes looking down at her as Keiko basked in the moment.


    A few minutes later, someone else exited the castle, and Keiko nearly gasped when she saw her. Ash was walking out, her Savior''s Armor stained with red and violet blood, her hair a wild mess and her eyes cast low.


    And, though the moment was a dreary one, Keiko swore she was everything she thought she''d be.


    ---


    The city burned in the far distance. The violet sky had turned back to black, showcasing scattered stars above the group of survivors as they walked. Nathan, the Lord without a city anymore, led the group as he had told everyone they''d seek refuge in Jade.


    Keiko expected that scouts had already seen Pearl''s status and that maybe some forces from the capital were already being sent here.


    A hand fell on her left shoulder. It was General Ioko, who smiled with a hint of sadness on his face at her.


    "So, you did it?" He asked.


    Keiko nodded, returning the same somber expression.


    "I... I don''t want to imply that losing a whole city for this was worth it, but at least something came out of this whole thing," Keiko replied.


    "Whatever happens now," Ioko said, "I am glad we will be facing the future as equals."


    "Heh, not exactly. I-I mean, you''re still a general and all."


    "Eh, titles like that don''t mean much out here." He gestured towards the wilderness. "We''re all equals under the gods'' eyes."


    "Maybe," Keiko conceded.


    As Keiko said that, she remembered something. Or rather, someone. She looked around, trying to see if she could find the woman who had helped her get here. It took some time, but she eventually found the crimson-haired woman from earlier standing at the far back of the group. Keiko likely wouldn''t forget her face anytime soon.


    She was, after all, the first person she saw upon gaining eyesight.


    Keiko bowed to Ioko and then jogged backward, moving towards her. She ended up in front of the illusionist, who raised a brow as she saw her approach, a deep melancholic expression on her portrait.


    "Thank you, thank you so much," Keiko said, bowing to her.


    "Hm? Oh, right..." She said. "You were the blindfolded girl?"


    "Yes, yes. I... I''m sorry, maybe I got your name but everything was so... I forgot, what was it, again?"


    "Kasumi," the crimson-haired woman replied.


    Keiko had only seen this group of people, and everyone around here wasn''t exactly in presentable conditions, but she could confidently say that no one else quite resembled her. Dark brown skin, thin brows, and an elegant face with, well, to be frank, breasts that were far bigger than they had any reason to be.


    She seemed quite a bit older than Keiko, though maybe that was just how people looked. Again, she hadn''t seen enough faces to really know. Kasumi reached up and with a hand that held long, slender fingers, she swept some red hair away from her eyes, as though waiting for Keiko to continue.


    "O-Oh, right, I''m Keiko! It''s a pleasure to meet you, uh, ma''am," she bowed. Kasumi sighed and shook her head.


    "It was nothing," she muttered.


    "I... I have to disagree." Keiko said with a shy laugh. "You changed my life. Seriously, I can''t thank you enough for that."


    "... You''re welcome," Kasumi replied, starting to walk back with the others. Keiko remained by her side.


    "So, uh, where did you learn to cast magic like that?" Keiko asked. Again, Kasumi looked back at her, raising a brow. "I-I just... Sorry if this is too much, I just want to know a little more about you, is all."


    Kasumi shrugged and replied:


    "I picked it up as a kid," her tone sounded a little softer. She didn''t look at Keiko directly, but rather at the group ahead. "No real reason, I just thought illusions were cool. Over time, I got good at them and when I was chosen, well... yeah, it was mostly all I could do."


    "Chosen?" Keiko asked. "What do you mean?"


    At that, Kasumi narrowed her brows. Then, as if realizing something, she raised them.


    "You, uh, don''t know me?" She asked hesitantly.


    "No, not really," Keiko replied. "I''m, uh, I''m not from Pearl."


    "Oh," Kasumi blinked. "I''m..." She coughed. "I''m a Savior."


    "What? Seriously?" Keiko pulled back with surprise.


    Kasumi looked away from her again.


    "Yes."


    "Wow. Haha, small world."


    "What? Are you one too?" She asked.


    "No, no. But, I came here with a couple of them. Uh, them!" Keiko spotted out Kaori and Ash in the distance and pointed at them. She saw Kasumi''s eyes land on them and then, an emotion Keiko couldn''t quite place flashed off of her face for a brief second before Kasumi turned away.


    "..." Kasumi didn''t say anything.


    "Uh," Keiko put her hands behind her back as she said, "listen, if... If you want, I''d like to get you something to eat when we get to Jade, you know? Just as thanks, and all."


    Kasumi looked back at her, with a face that Keiko assumed meant she was annoyed.


    Huh?


    "No, no... That won''t be necessary."


    And so, Kasumi moved ahead of Keiko, pretty much rendering the conversation over.


    ---


    Ash


    The half-demon ended up leveling twice from the fight, which got her to this status, as she had 4 attribute points and chose to place them in her Intelligence and Dexterity, as she figured she could work on her Wisdom and Strength on her own:


    Level 13


    MP: 80/80


    ---


    STR: 12


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 8


    L: 100


    This meant that she''d finally caught up with Kaori, who was also level 13. For some reason, that information failed to bring her any sort of joy. Looking to the right, at the blonde Savior who was walking beside her, she thought she could understand why. Kaori was clearly putting in an effort to hide it, but every now and then, she''d raise her stump of a left arm and glance at it, letting out a sad sigh.


    Ash couldn''t handle it. She got a little closer and said:


    "Thanks, by the way."


    "Hm?" Kaori replied.


    "You saved my ass back there. I was being pretty fucking stupid, and you paid for it. I''m, uh, sorry, about that." Apologizing was something she wasn''t used to, but she felt she had to do it.


    "... I''d do it again, any time," Kaori responded. "But..." she looked down at her left arm again. "Yeah. It does kind of suck."


    Ash took a deep breath.


    "You know..." Ash started. "I really wish I knew what to do right now."


    "What do you mean?"


    "As in, uh, I... You know, I''ve been alone for a pretty long fucking time. Consoling people isn''t something I''ve had to do at all. I wish I had before though, just so I''d know what to say to you right now. Fucking hate seeing you like this."


    Kaori smiled a little. Then, she circled around Ash and grabbed her left hand with her right.


    "Talking is overrated anyway," Kaori muttered. "This is enough for me."


    Though, when Ash looked back at her, she found the blonde staring down at the grass. Ash felt like she was trying to convince herself of that.


    But, she hadn''t been lying. She didn''t know what to do or say. So, all she could think of was to give her hand a reassuring squeeze as they moved behind the group.


    Satsuhiro walked up to them a moment later though.


    "Well," he said, "I''d say the cards have been laid out on the table."


    "Hm?" Ash hummed.


    "These portals. I can only imagine that all this time, Niven''s been gathering up power and now, he''s ready to use it."


    "So, what do we do?" Ash asked. "I''ll be honest, I don''t see how we can fight this. And..." Ash looked back at the crowd ahead of her. "I''m not too sure I want to die for these people either."


    "Can''t blame you on that one, but this isn''t really about just humanity at this point," Satsuhiro responded. "I''d say this is everyone''s problem at this point. For now, though, let''s get back to Jade and tell the Council what happened."


    "And then?"


    "What else? We keep training." Satsuhiro shrugged. "It''s all we can do, right?"


    Ash nodded.


    I guess.


    "Unless Magia''s got something to suggest," Satsuhiro added and Ash looked down at the dirt.


    "If she does, I''d definitely like to hear it."


    And so, the group of survivors, maybe a little over 200 people, walked all the way from Pearl to the central capital of Jade, a trail of grief lacing every footstep they took.

 Chapter 52 - Vol. 2 - 17

    Magia


    The Other World, as the deities called it, felt especially cramped today. Logically, to the goddess, she understood that this made no sense, as the Other World was a realm completely under her control. It was, essentially, a room she could turn into an entire world if she wanted to.


    But it wasn''t the Living World. Sitting on a glass chair, her golden legs crossed and a hand under her chin, the goddess sighed. She longed to stretch her legs and walk over real grass and feel the world around her. And yet,  she thought.  Because of Niven''s petty little war, I''m not allowed to do that.


    What to do, what to do?


    An idea came to her and she smirked. A certain half-demon popped up in her mind and she waved a hand, creating a rectangular ethereal screen in front of her. Then, with a second wave of the same elegant hand, her image appeared. Ash, and the other, far less relevant humans, had just reached the human capital of Jade.


    Ah!  Magia put her hands to her cheeks, grinning as she saw her champion standing ahead of the survivors.  She''s so magnificent!


    Without hesitation, Magia''s right hand snaked its way between her legs.


    Magia watched Ash, remembering the feeling of the woman''s body on hers and the taste of her lips. Just the thought brought elation to her body. Spreading her legs, the intensity of the love she felt for her prized creation grew as she began to slowly work her clit.


    Meh, this isn''t enough. She sighed, and with a snap of her fingers, two figures were created at her sides. One was a woman with skin as golden as her own and hair like white smoke. The other was a tall man with a strong frame. Both of them approached her and quickly began to caress the goddess.  Ah, the perks of divinity.


    However, her time with her creations was cut short when a pinging sound emerged.


    "Ugh," as the feminine figure licked the side of Magia''s neck, she waved her away, and the two humanoids she''d spawned dissolved, fading into the air. "Who... is this Alkoth?" She wondered as she went back to the screen she''d made earlier.


    In front of her, the following words appeared:


    Meeting request from: Lumina


    Accept?


    Yes No


    Magia raised a brow, clenching her hands into fists.


    What? The goddess stood from her chair, feeling it fade as soon as she left it.  Lumina?  She gazed upon the words for several minutes.  What could she want after all this time? Or... Magia tilted her head.  Is she getting that desperate that she would actually call me?


    So, hesitantly, Magia mentally accepted the request and in an instant, Lumina appeared in front of her.


    Magia took a step back, narrowing her eyes at the woman.


    She didn''t know what to say. She hadn''t imagined this would happen anytime soon. Her eyes roamed over the other deity, remaining on her missing limb for a few moments.  So, that''s how Kaori got her strength. Magia understood.  She really must be desperate then.


    "What in the world could you possibly want with me, Lumina?" Magia asked. "I believe I was clear the last time we spoke, no?"


    Lumina took a few steps closer. Magia instinctively wanted to take a step back, but she resisted that urge. She couldn''t help it though. It was an effect that only Lumina had on her. No other being, not even the Higher Powers, could make her feel this small.


    "How have you been?" Lumina''s kind voice asked and Magia rolled her eyes.


    "How is that any concern of yours?" Magia asked. "What do you want?"


    Ignoring her words though, Lumina got even closer. This time, Magia''s confidence was shaken and she did back away. Lumina didn''t stop though. She got close, far too close for comfort, and placed a hand on Magia''s cheek.


    She hated Lumina, sure, but at that moment she hated herself most of all for wanting to sink into the touch.


    She slapped away Lumina''s hand and glared.


    "... You came here to toy with me?" Magia asked with as much spite in her voice as she could muster. "Still a wolf in sheep''s clothing, I see."


    Lumina smiled sadly.


    "No." She shook her head. "I did not come for that purpose, though I''ll admit, I had hoped we could catch up. It has been, what, a millennium? Regardless," Lumina shook her head, "no. I am here because we need to talk."


    "Hm?" Magia raised a brow.


    "All of us. Call him," Lumina said with an imposing tone and Magia''s glare only intensified.


    But, the sooner they got this out of the way, the sooner Magia could create more figures to please herself with. So, she shrugged.


    "Fine."


    And so, with a wave of her hands, she sent the same message Lumina had sent her, but to Alkoth. For a few seconds, both deities stood in front of each other in silence. Magia crossed her arms, looking to the side.


    Then, thunder cracked. A grey cloud appeared above them and from it, lightning surged. It reached the place they were standing in, and the lightning transformed into a man dressed in the armor of a knight, carrying a trident and a shield.


    Alkoth looked between the two of them with raised brows, likely just as confused as Magia had been when Lumina called her.


    "Ask her," Magia pointed at Lumina, "she''s the one who set this all up."


    Alkoth gestured at Lumina with a hand, his trident fading into the wind as he approached. Magia narrowed her eyes, noticing the scars on his throat.


    Of course, because any injuries dealt to a god by other gods could not heal, he still had it. Though no deity could ever truly die as the Higher Powers would never allow it, when Niven first began this war, he''d nearly done the equivalent of murder to Alkoth.


    Alkoth had been the first of the three other deities to stand against Niven, and he did so alone but paid for this arrogance with his ability to speak as Niven had slashed his throat in battle.


    Lumina held her hands behind her back and bowed.


    "Well then," she started, "onto business. As you both know, the human city of Pearl fell yesterday." Lumina began to pace back and forth. "Every minute, Niven gathers more power in his Other World. A power which he has somehow found a way to externalize onto the Living World. I believe it is time to accept that, if left unchecked, he will find decimate what remains of the human forces."


    "You must not have much trust in your champion then," Magia smirked. "Mine is getting stronger every day. She will defeat Niven''s army easily. If this is why you''ve called us both, you are wasting our time, I see."


    Lumina sighed.


    "Your champion may be progressing well, I will admit, though... I do not like your methods," Lumina showed her a brief glimpse of anger, and Magia scowled. Not at Lumina, but at herself for feeling even a hint of fear.


    Ugh, cease being so pathetic,  Magia told herself. Does she truly still have you under her thumb?


    "The same cannot be said for anyone else," Lumina continued, "and, I doubt even you believe that Ash can fight this battle single-handedly, do you?"


    When Magia didn''t give her an answer, Lumina nodded.


    "Therefore, I believe times are getting desperate. Because of this, I think sacrifice is due."


    As she said that, both Alkoth and Magia were taken aback.


    "Are you that eager to lose another limb?" Magia asked.


    "If it means the survival of the human race, I will. You know of the love I hold for them. For the both of you," she gestured at them with her remaining hand, "I would sacrifice anything so that they, so that you both, could prosper."


    Liar...  Magia thought.  If that''s true, then why did you reject my proposal?


    "Because you were greedy, Magia. Remember?"


    As Magia realized what just happened, she gasped.


    "What? Yes, I can read your thoughts here." Lumina smiled. "My connection to your Other World is still strong, my love. I wonder why that is." She said with a teasing tone and Magia felt enraged. "But, moving on to the matter at hand, yes." Lumina looked at Alkoth. "I believe you would agree, no?"


    Alkoth crossed his arms and closed his eyes. Then, he nodded.


    "So you too sense the gravity of things as they are. Our champions require more of our strength if they are to help the rest of humanity succeed. Therefore," Lumina took a deep breath. "I believe it is time to perform the Bonding Ritual."


    When Magia heard that, she would have paled if she were actually human and had blood running through her.


    "You''re joking."


    "No." Lumina shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "I truly do believe this. Niven has spread so much of his power into the Demon Army, I believe the reason he is winning right now is that he too understands that sacrifice is necessary to win this war. Therefore, we must be willing to give more of ourselves to our champions than he is to his army. Without the Bonding Ritual, I doubt humanity will live past the next month."


    Magia fell to her knees, the other goddess''s words weighing too heavily on her shoulders.


    "You... You are mad." She muttered. "What is winning the war worth if we do not get to enjoy the world afterward?"


    Lumina walked up to her and smiled sadly.


    "We would," Lumina said. "Maybe we''d have to wait a while to get our strength back, but... My loves," Lumina went up to Alkoth and placed a hand on his cheek. The god of Justice did not react. "We would walk the earth again. But, we need to win this war first before that can happen."


    As Magia internalized what she said, she sighed.


    "This changes nothing between us," she stated meekly. "But... Maybe you are right."


    Lumina nodded.


    "Think on it. When the two of you come to a decision, let me know, so that we can then let our champions know."


    And with those words, Lumina disappeared, leaving just Magia and Alkoth alone in Magia''s Other World.


    Magia shook her head.


    "By the Higher Powers, how I hate her," Magia muttered.


    Alkoth simply shrugged. Then, he helped Magia to her feet.


    Above him, words appeared.


    I will need to think about this.


    "Yes... I as well." Magia nodded.


    And after that, it was Alkoth''s turn to disappear.


    Magia was left alone.


    Nothing but the swirling of colors in her Other World and her own thoughts to keep her company.


    Fuck this, I need to cum just to get my mind straight.


    With a snap of her fingers, both of those figures from earlier appeared. Magia looked at the woman and aimed an index finger at her vagina, watching as it quickly turned into the same genitalia the man possessed.


    "Double penetration. Now." She instructed and the figures looked at each other, shrugging.


    The fucking Bonding Ritual.  Magia thought as she pushed the feminine figure down and got on top of her.  How dare she suggest something so ridiculous... Even if it might be necessary. Have some decency, you snake.

 Chapter 53 - Vol. 2 - 18

    Satsuhiro


    One of the worst parts of the result of the battle of Pearl was that now, due to Takomaro''s unfortunate passing, some of the survivors were looking to him for guidance. Something he simply couldn''t provide, as he had no answers for the questions this event had created.


    Another one of the worst aspects was the worried, horribly distraught glances his daughter would send his way. Like them, she, maybe most of all, was looking to him for answers, but right now, he couldn''t be Satsuhiro, the Father. He had to be Satsuhiro, the Savior.


    However, as they all finally reached Jade he was given a brief respite. With the sun up, Satsuhiro assumed it was early on in the morning. They were currently approaching the western gate of Jade.


    A few guards saw their massive group and the way was quickly cleared for them. Satsuhiro looked back, searching for Kaori. When he saw the blonde, he walked up to her and said:


    "Stay near me. The citizens of Jade might still hate you after everything that happened with Varcon. If anyone tries anything, I want to be ready."


    "Y-Yeah." Kaori nodded. "Thank you."


    Satsuhiro then looked away and kept his eyes peeled as they entered the city. The reaction from the crowd was basically what he expected. Shock and confusion, on a massive scale. Guards approached them and Lord Nathan walked up to them, his royal guard behind him, of course.


    "Send word to the Royal Council that survivors from Pearl have arrived. Have a space made for them to rest in until they can be properly settled. We will head to the Palace shortly."


    "Yes, milord." One guard bowed and quickly, he got on a nearby horse and made a beeline for the Palace.


    Lord Nathan turned to Satsuhiro.


    "I do wonder how the Council will react to our defeat," he told the Savior. "This was... Eye-opening, to say the least."


    "If their response is anything that doesn''t count as ''getting their shit in order''," Satsuhiro replied, "then their response is bullshit."


    "Ha!" Nathan laughed boisterously. "Agreed. Agreed..."


    The walk to the Palace was a somber one. The citizens of Pearl carried their trauma on their visages. A collection of expressions that made every citizen in Jade turn to face them with concern and worry. News had certainly reached the capital about the portal, but maybe the direness of the situation hadn''t. That would be rectified soon enough.


    By the time they reached the Palace, a couple of representatives of the Royal Council, Talo included, were standing outside of its doors, their hands behind their backs as they waited for the group to draw closer.


    "Welcome, brave men and women," Talo bowed to them. Then, they gestured at a group of soldiers to the left side. "Civilians, please, go with these fine warriors. They will take you to your temporary quarters."


    So, they had a spot ready. They might have assumed we''d lose then, or they had that place ready just in case. Satsuhiro thought.


    "Metsumi," Satsuhiro walked up to his wife, gesturing at the civilians with his head.


    "You''ll come see us after, uh, this?" Metsumi asked.


    "Mhm."


    "Alright, come on, Opah." Metsumi pulled their daughter along, who watched Satsuhiro with frightened eyes as she was taken away. The sight made him clench one hand into a fist.


    "Saviors, lords, with us, please."


    Satsuhiro and Nathan led the others into the Palace, following behind the Council''s representatives. They were led up multiple steps to a small room where only a few people would ever set foot. He was following Nathan, and behind him, Ioko, Kasumi, Mizaki, Akiven, Keiko, Kaori, and Ash trailed.


    Satsuhiro didn''t miss the strange glances sent Ash''s way. He wondered what was going through people''s minds.


    The Council''s Meeting Room was a small space, with a long sapphire-colored table at the center and different statues of the deities surrounding it. The Council''s representatives gestured for them to sit and everyone settled down, as the representatives remained standing.


    "We heard rather sad news emerge from the conflict in the west," Talo opened. "Before we discuss what is to be done, we will need to know why this happened."


    "Because no one fucking listened to me," Ash mumbled and Satsuhiro rolled his eyes.


    She just doesn''t know when to be quiet, does she? No one needs to be sassed right now.


    "Hm? Savior Ash, what do you speak of?"


    Ash shrugged and crossed her arms.


    "I told everyone that the demons were too strong. That we needed to just leave the place. But nooo, ''we need to try, we need to be brave,'' and guess what? We got our fucking asses kicked."


    "And how exactly did you know the demons were ''too strong'' as you put it?"


    "Because I was affected by the same Status Effect that gave them their power," Ash responded. "Those things were level 5, 6, and shit, but they had the stats of someone who was level 50. There was no winning that fight."


    "... If this is true, we have to agree," Talo said. "What do you think?" They asked their fellow representatives.


    One, a female with glowing blue eyes, tilted her head up.


    "Tactical retreat is a valid strategy, but it appears our friends at Pearl disagreed." They said.


    "Agreed," a male representative said.


    "... We lost, yes," Nathan sighed, "but their strength did need to be evaluated. Obviously, I am saddened that it took the loss of my city for that to be done, but it is done now. The next time they attack, because yes, there will be a ''next time'', we will be ready." Nathan stated.


    "Yeah? How?" Ash asked. "Unless you''re going to level all of your soldiers from one day to the next, we''re kind of fucked. Those portals could open anywhere, at any time. I... I don''t see how we win."


    The half-demon''s statement left everyone thinking. Satsuhiro agreed with her if he was being honest. Without the help of the stronger Saviors, some of which were likely fighting their own battles around the world, how were they supposed to do anything against those creatures?


    "... We will ponder the matter amongst ourselves then, as we see this will require coordination between all of the cities," Talo stated. "For now, please, settle in. You will be called on again soon."


    Satsuhiro nodded and stood up.


    "Saviors," he called out, "come on. I''ll show you to the Savior House."


    It felt strange knowing those empty rooms would be seeing some use soon.


    "Alright, lead the way," Akiven said, "I need a fucking nap."


    "Agreed," Ash stood up as well.


    Each of the Saviors walked out of the room. Satsuhiro was the last, leading them out of the building so he could take them along with him. They went to the Spirit Gardens District, where the Savior House still was of course, though Satsuhiro noticed a few papers stuck to the door.


    "CRIMINAL!"


    "MURDERER!"


    "HERETIC!"


    A few of the notes stuck to the wood said. Satsuhiro took one of the papers off and stared at it.  It didn''t take much thought to know who these people were talking about. Indeed, Kaori''s actions seemed to be an elephant in the room, as Satsuhiro caught both Mizaki and Akiven sneaking glances at Kaori upon seeing the papers.


    ... Stay strong, kid.  He thought as he opened the door.  Oh. I should have seen this coming.


    A lot of the furniture was ruined. Hopefully, the beds are still alright.


    That was not the case. They had holes in them, probably from civilians repeatedly stabbing the beds and ripping them up.  Uh, they can probably still sleep in these though.  Satsuhiro thought.


    "Okay, pick a bed. I''ll be right back."


    With those words, Satsuhiro left the house momentarily. He needed to go get his wife and child. So, he walked all the way back to the palace and asked around to see where the civilians had been taken. He was led to an area beside the dungeons where everyone was waiting to be escorted elsewhere.


    Metsumi and Opah were there, keeping close to each other as he arrived.


    He walked up to them, and his wife smiled upon seeing him.


    "Come on," he said. "We''re heading back to the Savior House."


    Instead, he felt a hand grab his wrist. It was Metsumi.


    "Can I talk to you?" She asked.


    "... Yeah."


    She took him to a small, vacant spot. One where the other civilians couldn''t see them. Here, Metsumi leaned against a wall and looked down. Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "Hm?"


    "... You should talk to Opah, when you get the chance," she stated. "She''s... Well, obviously, she''s taking all of this pretty harshly."


    Yeah, can''t imagine a large-scale battle wouldn''t harm a kid''s mind.


    "Will do. Now, come on, so we can," he turned around, but he was stopped a second time.


    This time, Metsumi wrapped her arms around him. He stopped, sighing.


    "... Please, be careful out there," Metsumi muttered into his back. "I can''t lose you, Satsu."


    "... Come on," Satsuhiro replied, knowing he couldn''t make any promises.


    Saviors weren''t known for having long lives, after all.


    Opah was watching them, leaning from behind a wall. When Satsuhiro caught her looking, she flinched and backed away. Satsuhiro walked up to her, seeing her sitting on the ground with her knees up to her chest.


    Satsuhiro took a deep breath. He crouched in front of her. The girl''s eyes went up to meet his and Satsuhiro swept back a strand of hair that fell in front of hers.


    "... Are the monsters gone?" She asked.


    Satsuhiro was about to nod, but at the last second, he shook his head.


    "... Oh."


    She lowered her head and Satsuhiro heard her sniffle, letting out a small sob. He lifted her head up by the chin though.


    "I won''t let anything happen to you," Satsuhiro stated. "I need you to stay strong though, okay?"


    She looked away. Satsuhiro looked away as well.


    I''ll talk to her later.  He promised to her in his mind.  I... This is just too hard, honestly.


    "Alright, come on. Let''s go."


    And so, trying his hardest to keep his composure, he led his family back to the Savior House, one saddened step at a time.

 Chapter 54 - Vol. 2 - 19

    Ash


    The half-demon couldn''t remember the last time she was this tired.


    While everyone had been walking to Jade, due to the fear of potential attacks on the way, everyone remained awake throughout the entire journey. Because of this, they got to the capital far faster than they would have if they had taken time to rest. However, at the same time, Ash could feel the weight of her fight on her shoulders, dragging her body to the point where she wanted to sink into the ground.


    It took every bit of restraint she had not to fall asleep on the first couch she saw when everyone got to the Savior House.


    She noticed though that not all of the Saviors went in. Akiven and Mizaki both remained outside.


    "So, this is where you''ll be staying?" Mizaki asked. "Cute place!"


    "Uh," Kaori asked. "Will you be going somewhere else?"


    "Yeah, I know a guy," Mizaki shrugged with a smile. Even though she had the same bags under her eyes like everyone else, she offset it with a bright grin and an energetic wave of a hand. "I might be back later to see if I''m needed or whatever. See ya!"


    "Same," Akiven yawned. "I was going to crash here but... Shit, I used to live around here..." He looked around at the buildings nearby with nostalgia in his eyes. Ash didn''t know him very well, but it was an expression that seemed to hint at some connection with this city. "Figure I may as well just go back home. Anyway, yeah. Have fun, sugar tits."


    Kaori blushed but Ash paid that remark no mind and instead, walked into the house''s living room.


    Well,  Ash thought,  what now?


    The half-demon was sat at a nearby couch, staring up at the ceiling as she leaned back on a ripped-up chair. The only other Savior, out of the ones Ash didn''t know too well, Kasumi, had picked out a room upstairs. Ash hadn''t noticed it before, but this house had a second floor, as it was designed to serve as a resting place for large groups of people.


    Thankfully, that meant that she probably wouldn''t be coming into too much contact with the stranger who would be with them for the next couple of days. She crossed one leg over the other, taking deep breaths.


    She closed her eyes and instantly, she was right back at Pearl in her mind, watching Takomaro be turned into a Nightmare right in front of her. Sighing, she rubbed her temples.  So, the Nightmares are all Saviors.  She thought. That means... If Kaori were ever to be turned...


    That was a train of thought she didn''t want to continue.


    A hand fell on her shoulder and Ash opened her eyes.


    The very woman she''d been thinking about was in front of her, a kind smile on her face. Of course, Ash''s eyes naturally fell on her missing left arm. However, after the small amount of sadness that bubbled up inside of her at the sight of it, something very different came to mind as well.


    Fuck,  Ash''s eyes went from Kaori''s own pupils, down to her lips and then to her neck. How long has it been since we...?


    And then, she realized something, as her heart began to speed up. She hadn''t noticed it because she''d been distracted for the past several hours, thanks to the events that happened at Pearl and the long walk to Jade.


    Because she''d used her Demon Form, she gained a stack of Lust.


    Lust: 2/4


    And, now that her mental space wasn''t being taken up by the battle and its consequences, Ash could feel desire blossoming inside of her.


    ... It would be pretty nice, right?  Ash thought.  I mean, a hard fuck after a fight like that. Maybe that''s just what I need.  She leaned a little closer.


    "How are you feeling?" Kaori asked.


    "Fine."


    Ash replied, her eyes half-lidded both from being tired and suddenly horny.


    "I see," Kaori replied. "It''s nice that we finally get to rest, right?"


    "Mhm."


    Ash stood up. Placing her hands on Kaori''s armored shoulders, she tilted her head slightly. Absent-mindedly, she began to lean in to press her lips against Kaori''s, but before she finished doing so, she saw Keiko behind Kaori.


    The Zayama had her eyes slightly raised as she watched. Ash hadn''t noticed her standing there as well.


    "Uh, Ash? Are you okay?" Kaori asked with a raised brow, maybe not noticing what her intentions had been. Ash nodded.


    "Yeah, what''s," she yawned, "what''s up?"


    "Oh, uh, nothing, we were just thinking about where we would be sleeping," Kaori said.


    "Yes, uhm, I..." Keiko took a step forwards, lowering her head shyly. "I, I mean, there are a multitude of available rooms, of course, so I was wondering if we''d, well, you know, sleep separately or if..."


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow. "Listen, between being tired as shit and my eyes trying to get me to stare at your tits, it''s hard to focus. You''re going to have to spell it out for me."


    "Eh!? I- oh... Right, your... Your Lust thing, right?" Kaori, who was inches away from Ash, replied.


    "Mhm. So," Ash looked back at Keiko, "what is it?"


    "I, well..." Keiko breathed in. "I wanted to know if you wanted to sleep together."


    Ash heard that and shrugged.


    "Sure."


    "R-Really?" Keiko asked, blushing.


    "Whatever." She didn''t really have a more complex answer to give than that.


    "O-Okay then..." Keiko nodded.


    "Well," Ash yawned. "I''m just gonna go ahead and call it for today." Her shoulders sagged. "I don''t think I can really function like this."


    "Um... In that case," Keiko trailed behind her, as did Kaori.


    That was how the three of them ended up in the same bed, a sheet thrown over them with Ash in the middle, and the others at her sides. A part of her wanted to bask in the feeling of both of them flanking her like this, but mostly, she just wanted to get some sleep.


    "Wow..." Keiko muttered. "This is, uh, hehe, pretty weird, is it not?"


    Her question went completely ignored as Ash''s eyes closed and wouldn''t open for the next 12 hours.


    ---


    Keiko


    Shortly after Ash went to sleep, both Kaori and Keiko joined her, as they were equally as tired.


    And that morning, Keiko had a dream that recalled events she hadn''t thought of in a long time.


    ---


    The blindfolded girl was the only person occupying the Zayama Compound''s training area. Everyone else, to her knowledge, was out doing far more impressive things than she was. She was, after all, the family''s current most infamous failure.


    Unfortunately, this moment in time was before Keiko achieved her current prominence with the weapons she trained in. Instead, all of her proficiencies were at a 3, and she was working on getting her Spear proficiency to 4.


    At the center of the room, she thrust, pulled, and spun with a training spear in her hands. She was alone, as the only teacher who would usually put up with her lack of talent was absent today. So, no one shared the space with her as she attempted different techniques.


    At least, until she swung her spear and felt someone catch her weapon.


    "W-What!?" Keiko got out of her fighting stance as her spear was pulled out of her hands.


    "A grip like that won''t be too helpful in a fight, seiyo."


    She didn''t recognize the voice. All she could tell was that it belonged to a young woman.


    "Y-yes, seiya. I am sorry." She bowed instinctively.


    "Hehe, don''t worry... So," paired with the voice, Keiko heard footsteps circling her. "Do you train here alone often?"


    Does she not know of me?  Keiko thought.


    "I... Yes, of course," she replied. "I want to get better, after all."


    She tried to get a read on the kind of person who had just come in. Of course, since she couldn''t see her, Keiko had to rely on other means to figure out what she was like. Her voice, its tone, the way she seemed to carry herself. She tried to focus on those things as the woman spoke to her.


    Unfortunately, she made that difficult.


    "Hm. Your dedication is admirable." The woman told her, with a slightly energetic-sounding demeanor. "So, seiyo, what''s your name?"


    "Keiko, I''m sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier."


    "You apologize a lot, don''t you?" The girl giggled and Keiko felt her blood rushing up to her cheeks.


    "I''m... yes." She stopped herself.


    "Good save," she said. "Well... My name''s Honoka. It''s a pleasure to meet you, seiyo."


    "T-The pleasure is mine."


    "Oh? I haven''t even had time to charm you yet, let''s talk more before you make such a statement."


    Keiko''s throat choked up a little. She had no idea how to react to that.


    Honoka laughed.


    "You''re cute," she said. "Here, let me help you out a bit."


    Already, Keiko could tell this "Honoka" was going to be bad for her heart. However, as the woman offered her some tips during her training for the next hour, she did come to the conclusion that she felt just a bit less lonely thanks to her.


    Before her memory could progress though, Keiko''s eyes opened.


    ---


    For the first time in her life, upon waking, she looked around.


    Ash was turned away from her, and Keiko could hear her speaking to Kaori.


    And then, Kaori let out a moan.


    Hm?  Keiko thought, blinking.  How long has it been? Did something wake me up?  She asked herself.


    "... like this?" She heard Ash whisper in a slightly deeper voice than she usually spoke with.


    What?  Then, Keiko looked down and saw that Kaori''s had an arm on Ash''s shoulder and that Ash had an arm extended between Kaori''s legs. What''s going on?


    "H-Hey, not right now... I''m... She might wake up." She heard Kaori respond, embarrassed.


    "Hm? I mean..." Then, as Ash turned around, she and Keiko locked eyes. "Fuck." Ash sighed. "Sorry."


    "I... What?" Keiko blinked.


    "My fault," Ash said. "I uh... Yeah."


    Keiko turned away.


    "Sorry." The Zayama replied.


    "... Well, this got awkward," she heard Ash say.


    However, at that moment, Keiko got a feeling in her chest. One she hated as soon as it appeared. It was a feeling she''d only felt a few times in her life, and not much recently.


    What is this?  She reached up and put a hand to her chest.


    Is this... Jealousy?

 Chapter 55 - Vol. 2 - 20

    The glimpse she got upon waking up let Keiko know that, despite the brief moment of elation, she was still missing something. It wasn''t that she was jealous of Kaori specifically, as she turned away from the two of them, she understood that.


    No, she just wanted to be with them. The both of them. But she didn''t know if she deserved that space. At least, not yet.


    "Hey, you okay?" Ash asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.


    "Yes, y-yes," Keiko replied, taking a deep breath. "Do you know what time it is?"


    "Uh, no," Ash replied. "We, I, uh..." In a rare moment of embarrassment from the half-demon, she muttered, "I had just woken up."


    "Heh, I see." Keiko nodded with a small chuckle. She sat up and put her hands on the bed''s edge, nodding to herself. "I''ll be back in a bit."


    "Hm?" Ash sat up next to her. "What do you mean?"


    "I just need to walk. Plus, I''d like to see the city a little, you know?" Keiko responded.


    "Oh, that''s great!" Kaori excitedly crawled toward her and sat on the edge as well, so that Keiko was sandwiched between the two. "I know a few places we can look at if..."


    "A-Alone," Keiko suddenly said, "I... I meant alone."


    "O-Oh."


    Kaori''s expression looked slightly hurt, and for a moment, Keiko cursed that she had the eyesight to witness that. However, she did feel she needed this. So, she stood up and bowed to both of them.


    "I''ll be back in a bit," Keiko stated, and she nodded to herself. "See you later."


    With those words, she walked out of the room. Satsuhiro was outside, going over some papers as he looked up and raised a brow at her. Keiko walked by him, only turning once she reached the front door.


    "I will be heading out for a moment," she stated.


    "Have fun," Satsuhiro shrugged.


    Nodding, Keiko left the house.


    The first thing she saw was the tree that gave the Spirit Gardens District its name. It was something she knew about from lessons she''d received, but only something she witnessed in all its glory at this moment. As she saw the little white embers floating around the tree''s bark, a small part of that elation from before, from unlocking her Spirit Eye came back, but she quickly lowered her head and began walking.


    She didn''t really know where she was heading, as she simply wanted to cool her head off for a little. Of course, she did try to head in as straight a line as she could, just so she''d not get lost.  Has the city always been this bright?  She wondered, looking around. It was an ambiance she hadn''t gotten to feel, being stuck at the Compound for so long.


    Come to think of it, she did need to tell them that she unlocked her Spirit Eye. So, she found the nearest guard and walked up to him.


    "Excuse me," she bowed, "where''s the Zayama Compound?"


    Upon receiving some directions, she politely bowed and walked away. On the way, she remembered that dream she''d had last night.  Honoka...  She thought.  It''s been a while since I''ve talked to her. When was the last time I saw her? She couldn''t remember.


    It had been far too long.  Why the heck did I see her in my dreams?


    It was a thought she had no answer for.


    ---


    A few minutes later


    Is... Is this it?  Keiko wondered.


    She was standing in front of a structure so different from every single one she''d seen on the way here that it was jarring. Whereas the other buildings showed bright pale stone construction, this was a mix of wood and bricks that made it seem like she''d stepped into an entirely different city.


    There was a large distance between the gate she was standing at and the front door. It provided her with plenty of time to regret every step she was taking, but she needed to get this out of the way before she could move on with her life.


    So, she got closer to the front door, and a Zayama guard dressed in a traditional Jade ji opened his eyes and looked up at her. Without a word, he nodded and opened the door as soon as he saw her eyes.


    Keiko took a deep breath. The brown walls and floors, decorated with banners displaying words Keiko didn''t understand, held decorative weapons displayed as old relics which belonged to famed warriors. Keiko had felt the objects before, but coming in now, she understood the weight of the image she saw. Someone coming here for the first time would likely think this was a very prestigious place, and of course, they''d be right. Keiko understood that everyone who walked these grounds, without a blindfold on, was probably a respectable person in some way.


    It surprised her to realize that she still had the layout of the Compoun memorized. The years she spent here did not fade with the last month or so that she''d spent outside.


    She knew what she had to do. The last person she wanted to see was her grandmother, but before she could do anything else, she had to announce the activation of her ability.


    She walked the path to her grandmother''s office, her heartbeat thudding in her ears with every step. Whatever her reaction was going to be, Keiko wouldn''t care. Or, she''d try not to care, anyway.


    She reached the small room a moment later, standing outside for a second before she opened the door and walked in.


    Here, she saw her grandmother for the first time. Short grey hair, a scar running across her face, clear blue eyes aimed at the paper she was currently writing on. She looked every bit as serious as Keiko had imagined her. When she looked up, Keiko gulped. She put her hands behind her back as her grandmother raised a brow.


    "Keiko?" She asked.


    "I-I am here to announce that I''ve activated my Spirit Eye," Keiko said.


    "... So I see." Her grandmother replied. "Well, this is tragic." At that, it was Keiko''s turn to arch a brow. "Now, you can continue to embarrass us at will by working with that killer, huh? Why in the world did the gods let you do that."


    Keiko narrowed her eyes.


    "Am I done here?" She wasn''t particularly interested in having a conversation. Not with her, of all people. Maybe that realization annoyed her grandmother, as she scowled at Keiko right back and huffed.


    "... Make no mistake," her grandmother said, "I don''t know how you did it, but you''re still a failure. Just an adult one now. Get out of my sight."


    Keiko spun in place and walked straight out.


    Ugh,  Keiko thought, holding back the desire to punch a wall.  What a horrid woman.


    She looked down and sighed.


    Now that she was officially free, she didn''t know what she was supposed to do. This was a new experience, the mark of the beginning of an entirely different phase in her life. Maybe this daunting reality was what made her seek something she recognized.


    So, she decided to head to the Compound''s training area. As she walked, she could hear clanking wood, which was probably the sign of active practice happening right now. She passed through a few wooden halls, eventually reaching it and opening the sliding door that led inside.


    There was a young boy, a blindfold covering his eyes, fighting a tall woman in front of him with a wooden practice sword. She had short black hair with one single blonde stripe running down the side. Her eyes were sharp, focused entirely on her own arms, and the boy in front of her. She was dressed the same as Keiko, wearing the same black outfit with golden lines at its edges. Her pale arms held a few scars and her hands were wrapped firmly around the wooden hilt of her weapon.


    The boy pressed forwards, the teacher side-stepped him, and went to attack behind his right knee, but the boy blocked the hit in time.


    "Good, you''re getting faster. Take a moment," she said as she turned towards Keiko. A look of surprise emerged on her face.


    Keiko probably had the same reaction as soon as she heard that voice because hearing her speak was what allowed her to remember who this was. This had been her trainer, throughout her whole life. The woman who had made an expert out of her in so many different weapons. And she was currently walking towards her, a look that was a cross between utter happiness and complete shock gracing Keiko''s presence.


    "S-Seiyo..." She muttered. She put her hands on Keiko''s shoulders and reached up, placing a hand on her cheek. At that, Keiko smiled. "You did it."


    Keiko nodded.


    "I... Not alone," she stated, remembering the crimson-haired woman who had helped her.  Kasumi, wasn''t it?  She thought.  I still haven''t thanked her enough.  "But, yes... I did it."


    Quickly, she was being embraced. Before she knew it, she was hugging the woman back. A tear came out of her as she heard the boy then clear his throat.


    "Uh, t-this sounds nice and all, but, uh, is the training over?"


    ---


    After dismissing the kid, her teacher took her out of the Compound. Her time back home lasted a little over ten minutes. Instead, she was led to a small tea shop nearby. Here, her old teacher greeted the storeowner as they walked in.


    "Good evening, Lisa," her master said.


    "Haruna?" Lisa blinked. "Wow, I haven''t seen you come around in quite a bit."


    "I''ve been busy," Haruna sighed. She gestured back at Keiko. "Keiko, this is Lisa. She''s a dear friend, so please treat her respectfully."


    Keiko bowed and tried to smile.


    "A pleasure to meet you," Keiko said.


    "Likewise. What will you be having?" She asked Haruna.


    "Sharpgrass tea with some honey," Haruna replied. "Keiko?"


    "I-I don''t... I don''t know anything about tea."


    "Ah, she''ll have the same as me, then," Haruna told Lisa. "Sharpgrass tea is amazing, I adore it. Plus, it has natural healing benefits."


    "I see."


    The two of them sat down at a table nearby and soon, two ceramic cups filled with a black liquid were placed in front of them both respectively. Haruna raised her cup, bowed a little, and took a sip. Keiko did the same.


    And, she instantly started coughing.


    "Oh, goodness!" Keiko said as Haruna laughed.


    "The taste is fairly strong, but you get used to it." With a little smile, Haruna tilted her head. "I must say, I am so happy you managed to unlock your Spirit Eye. Of course, you would have always been dear to me regardless, little one, but of course, it is still nice to see."


    "Little one?" Keiko asked. "Please, I''m an adult."


    Haruna giggled.


    "Whether you''re 20 years old or 80, you''ll always be ''little one'' to me," Haruna stated. "Heh, I still remember seeing you practice alone. You''d spend hours in the training area, hacking away at poor wooden dummies like they''d stolen from you."


    Keiko took another sip, finding that the overly sweet taste was a little more bearable this time.


    "Time really does fly."


    Keiko let go of the tea and placed her hands on the table, then, she looked up at Haruna.


    "Siya, can I ask something?"


    "Of course," Haruna replied. "What is it, child?"


    "... What do I do now?" Keiko asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well," Keiko brushed a bit of hair behind her left ear, "I... I feel like I''m stagnating. I''m not learning anything, my training has stalled out because of my new job," the mention of this did make Haruna''s light-hearted expression fade a bit but Keiko kept going, "I don''t want to become mediocre though. Where do I go from here?"


    Haruna leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.


    "It''s a normal concern to have," she said first, "every Zayama, no, every warrior has that concern at some point. We do strive for greatness, after all. As for you though, I believe you''ll have to build your path yourself. I can give you the stone you need to make a foundation, but you must build the home of your own will."


    Keiko sighed.


    "So, there''s nothing I can do?"


    Haruna shrugged.


    "Outside of visiting the Ancient Zayama Castle, but I doubt you''re ready for that."


    "Hm?" Keiko asked. "What''s that?"


    "It is, as the name indicates, an old castle located to the east, just a little bit north of Onyx. It houses some of our family''s most advanced fighting techniques, but..." Haruna waved a hand. "The path there is not an easy one. I''d say you still have much to learn before you can even consider it."


    Keiko''s eyes looked down at that.


    "... I see."


    Haruna took her tea and held it up. She smiled and tapped Keiko''s shoulder.


    "Keep drinking, it gets better with every sip."


    ---


    All in all, she was glad she came but as she walked back to the Savior House, she wondered about it. What could the castle hold that would make it so that she, an expert in the use of most weapons, was not ready?


    As she came back to the Spirit Garden District, she pondered the matter. However, when she saw a pair of figures sitting at a bench in front of the great tree, she stopped. Her lips parted of their own volition as she saw Kaori and Ash there.


    Their heads were leaned in and Keiko could hear lips smacking as she got closer. It got a little harder to breathe.


    As she arrived, they stopped and Ash turned to look at her.


    "Keiko?" She called out. The Zayama stopped.


    "Yes?" She asked.


    "How did it go?"


    "... Well enough," Keiko indicated. "I... I do need to rest though."


    "Uh, okay." Ash raised a brow.


    "..." After an awkward pause, Keiko walked back in.


    She closed the door behind her and stood with her back pressed against it.


    Almost immediately, a thought came to her as the image of Kaori and Ash''s lips dancing with each other played in front of her eyes.


    ... It can''t be that hard, can it? She thought.

 Chapter 56 - Vol. 2 - 21

    Ash


    The next day


    The half-demon sat by her lonesome at a small lobby in Jade''s Palace.


    She had been called here in the morning by way of a courier the Royal Council sent to the Savior House. Ash had answered the door with bags under her eyes, her and the other girls'' sleeping schedule ruined by the fact that they''d went to sleep in the morning after the battle.


    "Greetings!" An overly excited courier said to her with a smile, his expression fading when he saw the horns on her head.


    "..." Ash stared at him with narrowed eyes, lacking the energy to even speak.


    "U-Uh," the boy scratched his chin. "Here!"


    She was handed an envelope and the boy took three steps back.


    Looking down at it, Ash sighed and walked back in. Metsumi was making some coffee for everyone. Keiko and Kaori were on the couch, the Zayama laying her head on Kaori''s lap, trying not to fall asleep as Kaori yawned above her.


    "Wh..." Kaori mumbled. "What''s that?"


    "A letter. Kaori, can you read this?"


    "Huh?" Kaori tilted her head.


    "I can''t read, remember? I mean, not well, anyway."


    "Oh. Sure."


    She handed it over to Kaori and the blonde struggled somewhat to tear it open due to the absence of one of her hands. But, once she did, her eyes scanned over the words written on the paper inside. Ash peeked over her shoulder. The handwriting was some of the fanciest she''d ever seen.


    "Dear Savior Ash," Kaori started, "your presence is being requested by Savior Satsuhiro as a new mission has been determined for the both of you. Please, follow the courier to the palace and the details will be given to you there. With regards, the Royal Council."


    "A mission with Satsu?" Ash asked. "Did you read that right?"


    "I''m not the dropout, Ash," Kaori said with a smirk, something that caught Ash off-guard. The hybrid blinked.


    "Damn. Alright then." Ash chuckled.


    "Uh, s-sorry, I-it''s the morning and..."


    "No, no. That was kinda..." Ash turned away, chuckling. "Anyway, I''ll be back later then. Let''s see what these people want. See ya."


    She walked outside and, as was instructed, she followed the courier to the Palace.


    That led to the current moment, where she was sitting around trying her absolute hardest not to fall asleep. Metsumi had suggested that she and the other girls tough it out, stay up until nighttime and fix their sleeping schedules that way. That meant as these talks were about to happen, Ash felt like she cared even less than usual.


    The only good part about this was that she could barely feel her Lust, as her mind was overtaken by thoughts of a warm bed.


    Eventually, a person in a white and gold ji approached her, their hands behind their back as they walked up with a smile.


    "Savior, please, follow me."


    "Four words. No bullshit. Thanks," Ash muttered. The worker laughed.


    "You do not seem like you would appreciate a conversation at this moment."


    "That''s right. Where do we have to go?"


    She was led up a floor to the same meeting room where she and the others had been immediately after arriving at the city, only this time, it was just Talo and Satsuhiro occupying the room as she entered. She quickly sat down at the first chair she saw and put a hand under her chin.


    "What''s up?" She asked.


    Talo grinned.


    "Ah, Ash. As charming as ever," they chuckled. "We trust you are having a good day?"


    "No. So, what''s up?"


    Satsuhiro walked up to her and handed over a piece of paper.


    "Hm? Satsu, you know I can''t..." She was about to say,  I can''t read, but then she saw that there weren''t words on the parchment. There was a map. "What''s this?"


    "Stop calling me that..." Satsuhiro mumbled, equally as exhausted as she was, even though Ash guessed he was far more accustomed to these sorts of days. "Another portal opened up."


    "What?"


    That statement woke the half-demon up.


    "Yep."


    "You''re joking. Where?"


    "Calm down," Satsuhiro said. "It didn''t open up anywhere near a city or a village or anything. It spawned in the middle of the woods."


    "What the hell?" That made Ash raise a brow.  I mean... These things aren''t random, right? Niven opens them up at his own will, so, why would he make one in the middle of nowhere?


    Satsuhiro continued.


    "I figured this was a good opportunity."


    "For what?"


    "To see if there''s any way to close these things," Satsuhiro explained, pacing back and forth. "I think at this point, a few assumptions can be made. Firstly, at some point, they''ll probably invade the other cities the same way they did with Pearl. Second, fighting these demons in a straight-up battle when they do that is suicide. The buff they receive is too strong. At least," he locked eyes with her, "if we''re under the assumption that the portal remains open the entire time. If it doesn''t, then the number of demons we have to fight becomes finite, and in that case, we can have a much bigger impact. We, being, you know, the Saviors."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. It made some sense to her, though she was still firmly in the camp that believed this entire struggle to be unwinnable. "So, what do you want to do?"


    "Simple," Satsuhiro said. "I''ve been studying dimensional magic. From that research, I''ve come to the conclusion that there are three ways for a portal to be maintained. One, it is spawned by an object and will remain as long as the object remains intact. Two, it is spawned by a person and will remain as long as the person remains alive, three, it is a spell with a set duration, and that means eventually, the portal''s magic will run out."


    Ash nodded, trying her best to follow along.


    "You and I are going to head out to see if either of the first two options are the case."


    "What about the third? And, why me? Why not take the other Saviors? They have more experience."


    "About that third one, we can just send some scouts to Pearl to see if the portal is still up. Monitor the area and see if it ever fades out. Now, about why I want you with me," Satsuhiro looked away, "you''re right. They do have more experience, but because this buff affects you, the hard truth is that you''re probably the strongest individual person in the entire city right now." Satsuhiro shrugged. "I don''t need someone else trying to come up with strategies. I just need someone who I don''t have to worry about while I work."


    Ash nodded.


    "... Understood." Maybe it was just her sleepy mind agreeing with whatever she heard, but as far as she could tell, he was right. Fewer people meant fewer casualties to worry about, and as far as Ash could tell, as sad as it was, none of the other Saviors could match Niven''s buff.


    "Then it''s settled. We''ll leave tomorrow." Satsuhiro stated.


    "That soon?" Ash asked.


    "Although no portal has opened up near any of the major cities, a portal could open up near them soon. We want to be done with this as quickly as possible."


    ---


    Kaori


    As Ash left the house, Kaori rested her head against the couch. Her right hand absent-mindedly ran through Keiko''s hair. The morning felt colder than usual. She could hear Metsumi humming a little song to herself in the kitchen as she prepared them some coffee.


    Kaori''s eyes found her left-arm stump and she sighed.


    "Kaori," Keiko said and Kaori looked down at her. "Uh... How are you holding up?"


    "..." Kaori looked back at her arm. "I... Well, it feels pretty fricking terrible to literally not have an arm anymore. But..." she shook her head. "I had to do it. It is what it is."


    Keiko looked over at it and reached up, placing a hand where Kaori''s left arm ended. The blonde flinched.


    "Sorry."


    "No, it''s... it''s fine." Kaori tried to smile at her. Keiko laughed lightly. "What?"


    "Nah, I was just thinking..."


    "Yeah?"


    "... Uh, that, like, e-even like this..." Keiko looked away. "Exhausted, beaten up, all that. You''re still so beautiful."


    Kaori blinked.


    "Hahaha," she couldn''t help but laugh a little. "I bet I''d look even better with two arms instead of one."


    "U-Uh, sorry, I..."


    "I''m joking, I''m joking," Kaori stated. "Gotta cope with it somehow, you know?"


    "Maybe this will help," Metsumi placed two cups on the table in front of them. Then, she put a hand on Kaori''s shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything."


    "Will do."


    Keiko sat up and both girls took their respective mugs. However, Keiko looked down for a bit, and then she stood up.


    "C-Come with me," she said.


    "Hm?" Kaori tilted her head, but she followed Keiko as the Zayama walked out of the house.


    Kaori wasn''t wearing her armor, but she still kept her head low as she came out into the city, hoping no one would recognize her. Thankfully, Keiko didn''t walk too far. She simply approached the bench in front of the tree at the center of the Spirit Gardens District.


    "Keiko, what''s..."


    "This was it, right?" Keiko pointed ahead, taking a sip from her coffee. "This was where we met?"


    Kaori nodded slowly. She didn''t remember that day too well, the fact that she and Ash were on such bad terms back then made her cringe every time she thought of those times, but she did remember seeing Keiko here.


    "Back then, I couldn''t see you," Keiko said softly. "And, I could still tell you were so bright. It''s why I vouched for you when you came to the farm for the first time, why I believe in you just as much as I do in Ash. And... I still do." She turned back to Kaori. "Having one less arm won''t change that."


    Kaori sighed, smiling sadly as she looked down, but Keiko walked up to her and practically forced her to look into her eyes. They were so clear, it was almost like the girl had no pupils at all.


    "I''m serious," Keiko told her, in a rare moment where she steeled herself. Kaori almost took a step back. "You''re still a hero to me. Even more so now."


    "... A hero whose hugs have gotten worse," Kaori replied as she then walked up to her and awkwardly wrapped her right arm around the Zayama, trying not to spill her coffee. "Thanks, Keiko."


    "U-Uh, no problem..."


    "I''ll get over it," Kaori told her, "I just... you know, it sucks."


    Have to stay strong though,  Kaori thought as she looked down at Keiko.  You''re not allowed to feel bad right now. Everyone''s depending on you. Keiko''s right, you''re a hero. Heroes don''t get sad.


    It was something Kaori had been telling herself since she''d left Pearl. She had to deal with this in secret. While she was with the others though, she couldn''t let them see what was going on in her head. That wasn''t how heroes worked.


    "Uh... I guess this is a good time to say this too," Keiko started. "I''ll be leaving in a bit."


    "Huh?" Kaori, stunned, walked back. "What?"


    "O-OKay, that sounded way more dramatic than I meant it to," Keiko waved her hands, sloshing her coffee back and forth. "I mean, for like, a week."


    That did nothing to ease Kaori''s confusion.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I talked to my old teacher and she said there was a place to the east where I could learn some fighting techniques," Keiko explained. "I''ve been lagging behind everyone pretty badly. I need to catch up. So... I... I think I''m going over there."


    "W-When!?" Kaori was too shocked to process this.


    "I don''t know, I mean, I still haven''t gotten anyone to agree to take me or whatever, but I''m going to ask my teacher if she can. Or, maybe I''ll ask Ioko, or whatever. But... I feel like this is something I need to do."


    "But, Keiko," Kaori looked at her with worry, "you''re going to do this alone? Why not have Ash and I come with you?"


    Now, it was Keiko''s turn to give a sad smile.


    "You two are Saviors. Saviors in a time where demons are getting worse and worse. I don''t think this free time you''ve got is going to last."


    "W-Whatever," Kaori said, "we''ll tell everyone to wait, we''ll make time. I mean, I..."


    "... I''ll be back soon. I promise. I mean, as soon as I get someone to agree to even take me there."


    "Where?" A voice asked behind Keiko. Kaori looked and saw Ash and Satsuhiro walking towards them.


    "How did it go?" Keiko asked, deflecting.


    Ash sighed.


    "We have to leave tomorrow."


    And then, Keiko looked back at Kaori, their eyes locking.


    "See? I told you so." Keiko said as Ash raised a brow, looking back and forth between them.

 Chapter 57 - Vol. 2 - 22

    Ash


    The sleep she got that night was probably the best in recent memory.


    Upon waking up, her entire face was going through that awkward part of the morning where it felt like it was frozen and every expression she made was just an effort to thaw it out. She stared up at the ceiling, feeling weight pulling down on both her arms. Looking to the left and to the right, she saw Keiko and Kaori sleeping at her sides, with Kaori slightly snoring. She took a deep breath and raised a hand, absent-mindedly brushing it over Keiko''s forehead.


    The Zayama shook her head and her eyes blinked open. She and Ash locked eyes.


    "Sorry," Ash said as she watched her yawn. Then, the Zayama scooted closer to her and rested her head on Ash''s chest. Ash continued to watch her, smirking a little at how adorable the girl seemed at that moment.


    "How long will you be out for?" Keiko mumbled. Ash sighed.


    "I don''t know. Maybe a few days."


    Keiko nodded.


    "What will you be doing again?" Keiko asked. Ash reminded her.


    "Just looking for a way to close the portals. I don''t know," Ash closed her eyes, instantly feeling the temptation to go back to sleep. "I don''t think we''ll find one but, if we do, it would be great."


    "Yeah." Keiko then looked up at her. Their faces were so close, Ash could almost see her reflection in the Zayama''s eyes. "Hey..."


    "Mhm?" Ash hummed out.


    "Do you still like me?" Keiko asked in her tired voice.


    Ash raised a brow.


    "I think so."


    "You... think so?" Keiko asked.


    "What?"


    "That''s a weird answer."


    "Okay, then yes. I do."


    "Nope," Keiko looked away. "No take-backs."


    "Fuck off."


    At that, Keiko giggled a little.


    "But... seriously, do you?" Keiko asked.


    "Uh, where''s this coming from?" Ash countered.


    "Never mind," Keiko muttered, turning away.


    Ash lightly dragged her other arm away from Kaori so she could put her hands on Keiko''s head and tilt it up at her.


    "What''s up?" Ash asked.


    For a few seconds, Keiko just looked at her.


    "I just... You and I, w-we haven''t... Lately, uhm..." Keiko''s face reddened a little. "I just felt like you''d... forgotten about me a little."


    Ash''s eyes half-closed as she yawned. Then, she took her eyes off of Keiko and looked up at the ceiling.


    "Have you ever been in a relationship?" Ash asked.


    "What? Uh, once." Keiko answered. "Why?"


    "Because I haven''t. I mean, I talk about it all the time but, yeah, you know where I come from and shit," Ash said. "This is new to me. I haven''t had a girlfriend before, and now, suddenly," she said just as Kaori snored again, "I have two."


    Keiko nodded into her chest, and Ash hugged her tightly.


    "I understand."


    "All I''m saying is," Ash stated, "give me some time to figure it out." Then, she said a word she simply wasn''t used to saying. "Please?"


    "Yeah. Yeah," Keiko replied.


    ---


    Several hours later, Ash was dressed in her Savior Armor, with Satsuhiro outside the house waiting for her. With Lust at her waist, Metsumi walked over to her and handed her a bottle of water.


    "Good luck," Metsumi told her. Ash nodded.


    Kaori and Keiko were standing behind the older woman. The half-demon gave the both of them hugs and walked out. Looking back, she saw Keiko with her hands clasped together in front of her and Kaori waving goodbye at her. Ash felt slightly warmer inside at the sight of this.


    "Sooner we make it there, the sooner we come back," Satsuhiro told her.


    "Alright, let''s get it over with."


    ---


    Keiko


    Once the midday hit and Ash had already left, Keiko decided it was time to go ask to see if she could be taken to the Zayama castle. Although Ash had reassured her that she was still the same factor in her life, and of course, Kaori still showed her plenty of love, Keiko decided that she needed to deal with her problems directly.


    If she didn''t do this, she''d always feel like she wasn''t enough. In all honesty, there was no guarantee that feeling would go away, even if she succeeded.


    Part of her wanted to let Kaori tag along, but that would defeat the point. She wanted to do this alone to prove that she was still valuable, that she still had a place with the girls around her. If Kaori came with her and just smoked everyone in their path, the victory wouldn''t mean anything.


    So, Keiko found herself walking to the Zayama Compound.


    On the way, she thought back to her time there, and the dream from yesterday came to her mind.  It was about Honoka, right?  She thought.  She''d almost forgotten the entirety of it.  Come to think of it... When was the last time I saw her?


    Keiko went through her memories until a slightly painful one came to the forefront of her mind. It was an image she''d buried so far in the depths of her brain that upon pulling it back out, she cringed.


    Yeah...  Keiko thought.  No need to think about that right now.


    Eventually, she reached the place and stood outside with hope in her heart.  Please, be here and please, help me out.


    Walking past the guards, Keiko went in, in search of her teacher. Looking for that black and gold hair, she walked past many young Zayamas, reaching the training area. Here, a few pairs of warriors were training, and among them was her teacher.


    She wasn''t fighting at the moment, instead, Haruna was overseeing the students. Giving them instructions after every motion they made. When Keiko walked in, she turned to look at the door and smiled.


    Her teacher walked up to her and Keiko found herself returning that expression.


    "Good day, seiyo," her teacher said, bowing. Keiko bowed back and Haruna raised a brow. "To what do I owe the visit?"


    "Uh," Keiko didn''t want to get right down to business. It was bad manners. "I was just wondering if I could return the favor. Y-You know, for the tea you gave me yesterday."


    "Hm... I see," Haruna nodded. "Very well, I''ll take you up on that offer." She turned to the students, "everyone. Keep training, I will be back soon."


    The students all replied:


    "Yes, siya!"


    "Wow," Keiko said. "They are all so respectful."


    She noticed that when she was around her teacher, she tended to speak more formally. She couldn''t help it.


    "Haha, no. They''re like that because I''ve made them be like that," Haruna responded. "Respect isn''t given, it''s earned. Anyway, come on. How about we take a second round of that sharpgrass tea?"


    ---


    Once they settled at the same tea shop from before, Keiko felt comfortable letting her know why she''d really come. She saw her teacher''s expression change before her, going from one of friendliness to one of serious consideration. Keiko took a deep breath as she saw her teacher ponder the matter.


    "Keiko, I don''t think you''re ready for this," Haruna replied honestly. Keiko sighed.


    "I-I... Is it actually that hard?"


    "The Zayama Castle, Keiko... It''s more of a gauntlet than anything."


    "Huh?"


    Haruna leaned back.


    "Let me explain," Haruna said. "The way the castle works, it is designed to test you. There are 5 floors, each one holding undead warriors of varying skill levels, equipped with different weapons. The stairs leading to each floor are blocked off by old, powerful magic, and can only be removed if you defeat the enemies in each level."


    "So, it''s an exam?" Keiko asked.


    "Basically. One for warriors, like us." Haruna told her. "Are you still at the same level of skill as when you left?"


    Hearing her ask that, Keiko realized that she''d focused so much on helping Ash, she''d never progressed. Not since the start. All she''d done to improve herself was awaken her Spirit Eye.


    "Y-Yes."


    "Then, at your level, you''d only be able to clear the first floor," Haruna explained. "It takes a master to reach the 5th floor. I don''t think you''ll be ready for that for a long time, Keiko."


    The Zayama looked down at herself. Then, she clenched her fists. She thought of options and one idea came to her. One that she hated, but if it was the only way to do this, then she had to ask about it.


    "... What if I''m not alone?" She asked.


    At that, Haruna raised a brow.


    "Why in the world would you go without going alone?" Haruna asked. "Keiko, the point is to prove yourself. If you don''t do that, then... That''s just dishonorable." Haruna explained.


    "Siya," Keiko said, "you''ve heard about what happened at Pearl, right?"


    "Yes, but what does that have to do with..."


    "I was there."


    Upon hearing that, Haruna stopped.


    "It was where I unlocked my Spirit Eye. I did it while demons were attacking innocent people, ripping them apart just a bit of distance away from me." Keiko stated. "Before that, I had to hide away because I couldn''t do anything to fight them. I had to sit around, knowing my closest friends were risking their lives for the sake of the city and that I couldn''t do anything to help."


    "I, I see, but what does this...?"


    "That''s going to happen again, siya," Keiko said. "The portals are still opening up all over the world. And, if I don''t improve, and improve  soon,  I won''t be able to do anything about it. That''s why I need to do this, and if I have to do it dishonorably to succeed, I will."


    Haruna crossed her arms.


    "I..."


    "Please," Keiko leaned forward, "we need this. My friends need this, the world needs this. One more Zayama master could be so helpful in the battles to come, please."


    Hearing that, she looked Keiko right in the eyes. Then, she smiled sadly.


    "... I wish I would have gotten to see you grow up like this, seiyo." Haruna sighed, then she took a sip out of the tea on the table. "You know, no one else saw what I saw."


    "What?" Keiko asked.


    "What I saw in you. The reason I bothered to help you improve. I remember all those times I saw you training alone, and... I knew you had the determination to make things work. Even if you weren''t born with the same talent as others, your will is special. I''ve always known that." Then, Haruna sighed. "Fine. I''ll take you there."


    "Oh, goodness, thank you!"


    "But," Haruna cut her off, "if you''re going to take on the Zayama Castle, you''re not going to do it with some random amateur who can''t tell a lance from a spear." And then, Haruna sighed. "We''ll do it together."


    And with that, the plan was set.

 Chapter 58 - Vol. 2 - 23

    Kaori


    Side by side, Kaori and Keiko walked through the streets of Jade on the way to the eastern gates. Kaori had to wear a large hat, and kept her hair in a bun, hidden under it, in an effort to remain unrecognized. She couldn''t help but feel nervous every time she passed a citizen by.


    She doubted anyone would do anything violent, she was a Savior after all, but she didn''t want to deal with any of the potential harassment that could come from her situation. Keiko looked at her with some concern.


    "No problems so far," Keiko muttered. "Probably shouldn''t push our luck too hard though."


    "Uh, it''ll be fine, don''t worry" Kaori replied, actively trying to be positive about this whole thing. "So... Where are you going, again?"


    "I don''t really know that much about it if I''m being honest." Keiko sighed. "So, apparently, it''s this castle that''s supposed to have some really advanced fighting techniques stored in it. But, we have to fight through undead warriors to get to them. Oh, and it''s near Onyx. That''s pretty much all I''ve got."


    Kaori raised a brow.


    "I, uh... Are you sure you can handle it?"


    "Apparently not, but that''s why my teacher''s coming with me."


    Kaori nodded.


    "Well, if this is supposed to be a test of your skills," Kaori said, "then you''ve got this. You''re amazing."


    "... I think this is a level above where I''m at, but I appreciate your faith, Kaori."


    After a while, they reached a part of Jade that was slightly more empty than the rest. Unlike the western gates, where crowds bustled as many individuals tried to find their way to their homes and different stores, here, there were mostly just guards standing around and tied up horses. By the open gate, Kaori saw a woman with black and gold hair, dressed in black armor. On her back, Kaori saw two short blades in an X, the woman''s arms crossed as she waited for someone. When she saw Kaori and Keiko approaching, she walked up to them.


    She was fairly tall and even with the armor, Kaori could tell she had some muscle to her. The woman looked at Kaori for a moment and then, with some disinterest, she turned away.


    "I''m ready to go when you are," she told Keiko, and then she walked towards a horse.


    "Hm. She''s usually, uh, nicer than that." Keiko told Kaori as the two of them turned towards each other. "So... I guess I''ll be leaving too."


    "Gosh," Kaori looked down. "This feels weird."


    Keiko smiled.


    "Tell me about it. Part of me feels bad because the last thing I want to do is leave yours and Ash''s side, and part of me feels great because, w-well, it looks like you''ll miss me."


    "Of course I will," Kaori sighed. "I... Maybe we haven''t done a good job of showing it, but I swear, Ash and I l..."


    She caught herself.


    Kaori had been about to use the  L word. It wasn''t a word she threw around lightly. She''d been in relationships before, and even then, it usually took a very long time before she started using that term.


    It was a bit of a wake-up call to her. She had known she was fond of the other two girls in this threeway thing they were doing, but she hadn''t known to what extent.


    That said, she didn''t want to freak Keiko out by going too hard on her.


    "... like you a lot." She continued.


    Keiko slowly nodded.


    "Well, once I come back, I''ll know I deserve that," Keiko said. Then, she looked up at Kaori and stepped in for a hug. "Wish me luck."


    "Good luck," Kaori chuckled into her ears.


    With that, Keiko waved at her as the two parted ways.


    And just like that, Kaori was now alone.


    ---


    Kasumi


    Sadly, she could only sleep for so long.


    She had spent the last two days mostly turning and tossing in her bed, waiting for the inevitable moment where someone would come up to her door, tell her she needed to go out to do Savior shit, and she''d do so in the hopes that somehow, someway, it would be her last task. This floor had a bathroom and no one else was occupying any of the nearby rooms, so things were relatively peaceful.


    However, she''d forgotten about one thing. Eating.


    So, with a scowl, she tossed her covers off and walked out of the room. Walking downstairs, there weren''t many people here. The only person she saw was the demon''s blonde friend. She was laying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling with her right hand on her abs. Kasumi walked past her and went to the kitchen, hoping there would be some stuff she could use to cook something up quickly.


    "Oh," she heard the girl behind her say, "you."


    Kasumi didn''t respond. Instead, she continued her search.


    "What was your name again?"


    Hearing footsteps getting closer, she sighed.  Please, please just let me get on with this shit.


    Nope. She turned around and the blonde was standing there looking at her quizzically.


    "... Kasumi." She replied, hoping that would be the end of this.


    It wasn''t.


    "Oh, nice to meet you then. I''m Kaori! We didn''t get to talk at all in Pearl, huh? What with all the... you know, imminent destruction and all."


    "Indeed."


    "Well, it''s good that we get to talk now though! Honestly, I... I was kind of wondering what the other Saviors were like, but the only one I really got to talk to a little was Mizaki, and even then all she did was show me her huge hammer."


    "Riveting."


    "It was massive though. Like, honestly it was giant. I don''t know how she moves that thing. Or, I guess, her Strength stat is probably super high. You wouldn''t expect someone who looks like..."


    As Kaori went on, Kasumi had a terrible realization. One that shook the very foundations of her reality.


    The drawers were empty. This meant she''d have to go out and actually walk amongst society again.


    "Fuck." She muttered.


    "... but she was pretty cute though, huh?" Kaori stopped as she heard Kasumi close the drawers. "What happened?"


    "This place is empty," Kasumi stated.


    "Oh. Yeah, Metsumi went out with her daughter to go buy stuff a little while ago."


    Kasumi groaned.


    "... Then I''ll have to go find something to eat myself."


    "Uh," Kaori looked her up and down. "Like that?"


    Kasumi had honestly forgotten how she was dressed. She looked down at herself. She was wearing a loose pink shirt that seemed more like a crop top on her, *very* short shorts, and sandals.


    "Sure." Kasumi shrugged.


    "U-Uh, I mean... You''re... Not to judge, don''t get me wrong, but you''re not leaving much to the imagination."


    "Heh, like I give a fuck." Kasumi replied. "I am way too hungry to wait to put on ''proper clothes'', whatever that even means."


    Kaori blinked. Then, she chuckled. She walked up to the door and opened it. Kasumi raised a brow.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m going with you," Kaori stated. At that, Kasumi''s brow raised all the way to the back of her head.


    "What?"


    "You''re from Pearl," Kaori explained. "You don''t know the city, right? I do. I''ll take you somewhere to have breakfast."


    ...


    She had a point.


    "Fine," Kasumi nodded. "After you, then."


    With that exchange out of the way, the two of them emerged onto the Spirit Gardens District. However, as soon as Kaori walked out, she reached up with her right hand and tapped her head.


    "Oh, shit."


    "Hm?" Kasumi hummed at her.


    "I... Wait here."


    Then, Kaori walked back in and reemerged looking entirely different. She was wearing a hat and had her hair tied up.


    "Sorry, I..." Kaori cleared her throat awkwardly. "I kind of have to hide my face and stuff."


    "Uh, why?" Kasumi asked.


    "It''s... Kind of a long story."


    Kaori was going to pass her by, but Kasumi stopped her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Then, lightly, she took her hat off.


    "H-Hey, what the...?" Kaori asked, confused but Kasumi ignored her. Then, she raised a hand and said:


    "Let a visage of imagination harden into a mask before me."


    "W-What are you doing?" Kaori asked as a swirl of magic surrounded her. Then, changes began to occur. Her hair turned cinnamon brown, her skin darkened a little and an abundance of freckles manifested on her cheeks.


    Sadly, this spell wasn''t going to bring back the arm she lost, but she looked like an entirely different person now.


    "Huh?" Kaori looked down at herself. "I... What!?"


    "There," Kasumi muttered. "Figured that would be more comfortable than wearing whatever excuse for a hat that is."


    She hated how she still remembered so many Illusion spells she''d learned during her time as an active Savior, like stains on her brain she couldn''t wipe off.


    Kaori looked up at her, her eyes gleaming.


    "That''s incredible!"


    Then, Kasumi''s stomach growled.


    "Sure, can we go? I''m starving."


    With a grin from the former blonde, the pair walked out into the city. Kasumi could hear Kaori giggling as she looked down at herself. The crimson-haired Savior rolled her eyes.  She is way too bubbly.


    "Oh, oh! How about we go..." And so, she began to recommend place after place, when all Kasumi wanted was to eat something and go right back to sleep.


    What the hell did I get myself into?

 Chapter 59 - Vol. 2 - 24

    Ash


    Satsuhiro and Ash walked on a paved dirt road, moving north of Jade as the sun hugged them tightly every step of the way. There were multiple roads that stretched out from Jade to the cities surrounding the capital.


    By now, Ash had gotten used to the beads of sweat that rolled down her face, but it still sucked. Satsuhiro alternated between looking ahead and looking down at the map he was holding.


    Unlike the woodlands to the west, most of the land around them was open, tall grass hugged the road they walked on with just a few sparse trees in the distance. This fact meant two things. Firstly, they would have very little to no protection from the sun during this trip, and second, Ash could see the portal they were walking towards.


    It wasn''t particularly big, and she couldn''t see it in detail, but she did see something that looked like a giant violet diamond, far, far ahead of where they were. As she stared at it, something came up in her mind.


    "Hey," she called out to her senior, "why are you looking at the map? The portal''s right there." She pointed at it.


    Satsuhiro glanced back and then his eyes returned to the paper in his hands.


    "Because I''m trying to figure out why a portal was placed there," Satsuhiro answered. "It''s farther away from the city than the Pearl one, and it looks smaller from what I can tell... I''m thinking there might be some strategic advantage to this thing that I''m just not seeing."


    "Hm." Ash nodded. "Fuck, it''s so hot out. This armor has no, what the hell do you call it? Ventilation?"


    "You get used to it," Satsuhiro shrugged. "Anyway, keep your eyes peeled. We might not be at the portal, but..."


    As he spoke, a sound came from the east that made them both pause. They could hear a wagon''s wheels creaking. Ash turned to find the source and saw ragged-looking citizens being led by soldiers to the east.


    "What the hell?" She asked.


    "The survivors," Satsuhiro said. "Jade is a big place, but not big enough to keep every single person that made it out of Pearl. So, some of them are being taken to Onyx."


    Ash watched them, noticing their lowered heads and the overall sadness with which they carried themselves. She almost felt for them, until she remembered that what they were going through right now was but a glimpse of what she''d been through in her life.


    If she were in the same position today, none of them would spare her a second glance.


    "So," she disregarded them, "what were we gonna do with the portals again? What ideas do we have?"


    "A few," Satsuhiro said, leaving it at that for now.


    When they got closer, the sky began to darken above them. A violet aura began to encapsulate their bodies. Ash narrowed her eyes at the portal in front of them. When they reached it, Ash saw a few demons outside, mindlessly walking around it.


    Level 15


    MP: 20/20


    Level 14


    MP: 20/20


    Level 15


    MP: 25/25


    "Huh," Ash said. "These things are level 15."


    "How strong does that make them?" Satsuhiro asked. "With the buff added in."


    "They''re not being affected by the buff," Ash noted.


    "What?" Satsuhiro put a hand to his chin. "So, the portal hadn''t started spreading its influence yet?"


    "I think so. The portal that spawned outside of your house," Ash added, "I didn''t get affected by the buff until I walked in when Kaori and I went to check it out."


    "Hm... If they were affected by it, what would their stats be?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Uh, I''d guess all their physical stats would be around level 40 since they don''t have the same training as me. Their magic stats would be around 20."


    "Hm. Okay. Alright. Here''s what we''ll do," Satsuhiro looked at her. "You go in, distract them, I shoot spells from over here."


    Ash raised a brow.


    "That''s it? Is this what high-level Savior strategy looks like?"


    "Sometimes the simplest plans work the best. You''re a fighter, I''m a mage. What the fuck else would we do?" Satsuhiro shrugged.


    "... Fair enough."


    Ash transformed Lust into its sword form. Satsuhiro crossed his arms as the demons noticed them. Ash took a deep breath and nodded to herself. Then, she started walking towards them.  Alright, how would this fight go if they were affected by the buff? She wondered. The battle at Pearl and the escape from Satsuhiro''s farm had been so frantic that she still hadn''t gotten a good read on fighting demons near these portals.


    As one ran towards her, she narrowed her eyes. Like Keiko said, focus and stay defensive.


    A demon raised a clawed hand and went for an attack at her head. Ash ducked under it and stabbed through the demon''s gut. It screeched so loudly in her ears that Ash cringed, kicking the creature off of the sword.


    As it writhed on the ground, its friends started to run after her. That''s when spheres of flame poured onto them from above Ash''s head. It collided with their bodies and they squealed, swinging wildly as though that would help put the fires out. Ash took the opportunity and quickly sliced one of their necks, transitioning into a slash across the chest to the one next to it.


    Both demons promptly fell to the ground.


    EXP Gained: 45


    EXP: 45/170


    EXP Gained: 20


    EXP: 65/170


    EXP Gained: 20


    EXP: 85/170


    Ash''s eyes remained on their lifeless bodies as Satsuhiro walked past her. Then, she transformed  Lust back into a cube and followed. The portal was far smaller than the one outside of Pearl. So much so that Ash could almost reach the top of it if she jumped particularly high enough.


    "Alright, so, to go over it again," Satsuhiro turned to her. "There are three ways to do one of these types of concentration spells. Maintain the spell with an object, maintain it with a person, or the spell has a set duration." Ash nodded. "In the case of the first two, we just have to destroy the source. If it''s the third one, the portal will go away on its own."


    "I don''t see how we''re supposed to find the source though if it exists," Ash replied. "This thing takes you to a different version of the world. Where the hell do we start to look?"


    "I went over it with some other mages and they said that depending on the strength of the spell used, the source becomes more and more visible. So," he turned towards her. "I need to ask you when you went into the portal near my house, did you see anything magical?"


    "Uh..." Ash closed her eyes, going over the memory in her mind. She remembered what it was like when she and Kaori walked the streets of the corrupted version of Jade. "I... I think so."


    "What do you mean?"


    "We saw these beams of magic going up into the sky," Ash nodded. "Yeah, they were placed around the corners of the city."


    "Hm. Whatever was keeping that portal up was probably at the base of those beams." Satsuhiro told her. "We''ll have to keep an eye out for anything like that." With that, he turned towards the portal. "Ready?"


    "... Yeah, sure." Ash nodded.


    With that affirmation, they walked in.


    ---


    Kasumi


    What the hell am I doing here?


    Kaori had taken her to, quite possibly, her least favorite place in this city so far. It was a building that was basically hidden amongst many other establishments in the deeper parts of Jade. Kasumi had gotten a bad feeling about this hellhole as soon as she''d gotten close enough to hear muffled energetic music coming from within.


    And, it lived up to her expectations.


    Around her, men and women danced as a band played drums and trumpets in the background. Kasumi sat at a table, feeling as small as she had in years with a cup filled with ale in her hands. In front of her, Kaori was dancing with a few others, laughing up a storm.


    Someone save me.


    Immediately after she had that thought, Kaori''s eyes connected with hers. The girl, with her illusion-given cinnamon hair and freckles, grinned at her and sauntered over to where she sat.


    "Come on, join in!"


    "Uh, not happening."


    "It''ll be fun!"


    Kasumi rolled her eyes.


    "No."


    "You''re missing out!"


    "Am I?"


    "Yes!"


    "I disagree."


    Kasumi sighed. She reached for her cup and was about to put it to her lips, but before she could, Kaori took it away and took a sip from it herself.


    "H-Hey!" Kasumi clicked her tongue. "You...!"


    "Come oooon~" Kaori got far too close for comfort, her bright smile just a bit of distance away from Kasumi''s face. Her dilated pupils looked back at Kasumi with mirth in them.  Oh, goodness, is she drunk already? "I promise, it''ll be fun!"


    Kasumi lowered her head.


    "Fine, fine. If it gets you to stop bothering me," and so, after taking a very sizable gulp of the ale in her cup, she stood up and Kasumi quickly was taken by the waist and dragged to the center of the room. A space naturally opened up for them and Kaori started to dance in front of her, her right hand interconnected with Kasumi''s own.


    To be fair to her, Kasumi realized, she did seem good at it. Not that she was doing things that were particularly skillful, but her twirls, her hip swings, and the other movements she performed had so much honest eagerness in them that even if she did something that wasn''t particularly good, it looked fun.


    Kasumi sighed.


    Kaori raised her arm and spun, drawing closer. Kasumi raised a brow as Kaori''s body started to brush against hers in a slightly sensual way.  Is this how people dance nowadays?


    And that thought got her to wonder when the last time she did this was.


    That spark of curiosity brought a nostalgic moment to the forefront of her mind.


    Several years ago, Kasumi was at a tavern in the nighttime. Her husband was staying with Nozomi, so she didn''t have to worry about her daughter for the moment. Some music was playing and she was fairly drunk at the moment, so she started to move with a few strangers around her.


    Her cheeks were starting to hurt from how much she''d been smiling. A man started whispering nice things in her ears and she shook her head, thinking the attempt was cute. She indulged his request to dance with her though, and all in all, though he certainly didn''t get any, she felt they enjoyed themselves.


    Maybe that memory was why Kasumi started to tap her foot against the ground. Her shoulders were bouncing to the beat, even as she maintained a scowl. Kaori noticed and she got closer.


    "Now you''re getting it!"


    "Ugh..." Kasumi looked away from the beam of lightheartedness aimed straight at her heart.


    Then, Kaori lifted one of her arms, asking her to spin. Kasumi decided to humor her, and she spun around.


    However, she''d forgotten one very important thing.


    Kaori''s smile faded and an embarrassed look replaced it. Kasumi saw a few of the other people dancing look at her and raise their brows.


    "Huh?" She asked.


    Her chest felt colder.


    Then, she looked down and realized what had happened.


    See, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say that Kasumi had bigger boobs than most women. Normally, at least, back when she cared about what people thought, this was a source of pride. Right now though, it meant that unfortunately, a certain equation happened with an unexpected consequence.


    It went like this:


    Her boobs moving rapidly + a very loose shirt = her tits popped out off her shirt.


    Her jaw hit the floor as she saw her bare chest out.


    Her face reddened as Kaori walked up and with one hand quickly pulled her shirt up.


    "Oops!" Kaori said.


    "... Just fucking end me," Kasumi stated, sitting back down.

 Chapter 60 - Vol. 2 - 25

    Keiko


    On the back of Haruna''s horse, Keiko watched the landscape as she and her teacher traveled to the east. The distant lands looked so beautiful that Keiko''s jaw dragged against the ground as they moved. She watched everything around her with awe. The world was so much more amazing than she could have imagined it to be.


    If she was heading for certain death because this whole plan was foolhardy at best, then she could at least appreciate the wondrous views. Eventually, she started to daydream, her mind momentarily empty enough to allow her to sift through old memories. One came up, and Keiko could remember it as though it had happened yesterday.


    She had been sitting in a small garden-like area in the Zayama Compound. Here, members of her clan were gathered to celebrate the Festival of Blades. It was a Zayama-specific tradition, though one that the rest of Jade often chose to participate in, where old warriors and their deeds would be presented through large works of art. Songs, small statues, plays, reenactments, these things were the highlights of the events.


    Of course, because Keiko had yet to unlock her Spirit Eye, she could only witness the proceedings by way of sound. And, she hated that. Ordinarily, she could pick out different sounds and identify them with ease, but here, when everyone was gathered up and the sounds were all mixed together, that made doing so much harder than normal.


    So, she sat by the stairs leading back into the building, with her knees huddled up to her chest. And although she couldn''t hear much clearly, she did note someone sitting down beside her.


    "Hey, liking the show so far?"


    She recognized the voice almost instantly. It belonged to someone who she''d met just a few months ago.


    "U-Uh... Yeah," Keiko replied.


    "Cool, what''s been your favorite part?"


    "Uhm... I-It''s all good." Keiko responded and Honoka laughed boisterously.


    "Well, if you don''t make it as a fighter, you can sure as shit be a politician. I''m sure the Royal Council would have loved to hear that answer."


    Keiko sighed as the girl chuckled a little more.


    "I... What am I even doing here?" Keiko wondered aloud.


    "Aw, cheer up. Look on the bright side, now, you''ve got me with you!"


    "Uh r-right."


    "Pfft." Honoka laughed again. "Well, shit. Way to hurt my ego."


    "N-No, I didn''t mean it like that, just..."


    "I''m just fucking with you," Honoka quickly stepped in as Keiko tried to explain herself. "Anyway, here, I got you something. They were giving this out in one of the stalls. Supposedly, it''s some special candy from Amber, down south."


    "Oh?" A stick of sorts was placed in her hands. It was like a lollypop. She put it in her mouth and tasted a delicious, albeit strange, kind of chocolate. "Wow, that''s good!"


    "Yeah, it''s pretty awesome," Honoka responded.


    For a moment, a silence spread between them. All around them, Keiko could hear everyone enjoying themselves, laughing, and partying as the festival went on. Someone walked up to them though, and Keiko heard Honoka''s voice take on a different, almost shyer tone.


    "Hey, babe." A boy said. "Come on, the fireworks are about to start!"


    "O-Oh," Honoka replied. "Right, be there in a sec."


    She then heard what she assumed to be the boy''s footsteps as he walked away after the short exchange.


    The question she asked after that came automatically.


    "Uh, was that your boyfriend?"


    "Yep, name''s Lin," Honoka replied happily. "Really nice guy, maybe after the festival you could meet him. I''m sure you''d love him."


    "Um, yeah. Of course."


    As Keiko said that, she felt a wind of disappointment go through her heart, though she didn''t understand why. She should have guessed after all, that of course a cool, confident girl like Honoka would be taken. It made sense.


    "You might want to put something over your ears in a few minutes though," Honoka said. "I heard the fireworks can be pretty harsh on unawakened Zayamas."


    "Oh, you''re right. Uh, let me go get something."


    "Need me to come with?" Honoka asked.


    "No, no. I uh, know the way."


    "Alright. Talk to you later, then."


    Honoka left and Keiko stood up. As of course, she had the entire Compound''s layout memorized, she didn''t need help to get back to her room. And, yes, she was going back to her room. She wasn''t getting anything for her ears, at this point, she was pretty much done with the night.


    Her path took her through the Elder''s office though, where her grandmother operated. And it was while she was walking past it that she heard a pair of voices coming from within, arguing about something.


    "I said no, and that''s final." She heard her grandmother say.


    "Even if the girl still hasn''t unlocked her Spirit Eye, this could prove to be a valuable experience for her." Someone else replied.


    Wait, are they talking about me?  Keiko asked herself.


    "If it''s a valuable trip then give the spot to someone else, someone who could actually use it, not someone who was born into a family they don''t deserve."


    The other person sighed as Keiko''s head lowered sadly.


    "I see. Very well then, siya."


    And so, footsteps came out and walked away from Keiko as she stood frozen nearby. "A family she didn''t deserve," was how her grandmother put it, and Keiko couldn''t agree more. Keiko''s parents had been two of the most accomplished Zayama''s of the past century, and yet it looked like they had birthed a talentless child.


    "Keiko?" Haruna asked.


    "H-Huh?" Keiko shook her head, the memories dissipating. "What?"


    "I just said that we''d be arriving in a few hours. So, we''ll be taking a break for now."


    "Oh. Okay."


    Hm...  Keiko thought.  Geez, even though I finally got my Spirit Eye, I guess I can''t just make those days fade away from my mind, huh?


    ---


    Kaori


    Personally, Kaori saw the small trip she took with Kasumi as an absolute victory.


    Sure, the older Savior had gone through a somewhat embarrassing moment, but in doing so, she''d surely be more willing to go with her on the next trip. She had to have had some small amount of fun, right?


    Currently, though, the both of them were back at the Savior House, with Kaori laying on a couch and humming a song to herself. Now that the illusion spell had worn off and Kasumi didn''t look like she would be coming back out of her room for several hours, things were probably going to be boring around here for quite a bit.


    At least, that had been Kaori''s assumption, until she heard a knock at the front door.


    As no one else was currently here to answer, since Metsumi was still out buying things for them all, she got up and walked over to it. Upon opening the door, she found two Saviors standing outside. Mizaki and Akiven were both there, the girl closer to the door than the other.


    "Hey!" Mizaki greeted her energetically and Kaori grinned.


    "Oh my gosh, hi! Come on in," Kaori greeted her and the two hugged.


    "What? Don''t I get a hug?" Akiven asked.


    "Ignore him, listen," Mizaki said, "can you call Kasumi over?"


    "What? Why?"


    "We''ve got a little proposition for the both of you."


    Hearing that, Kaori nodded.


    "Alright, sure."


    So, she walked up to the second floor and found Kasumi''s room. Knocking on it, she said:


    "Hey, Kasumi? The other Saviors are here and they wanna talk!"


    Promptly, the door was opened.


    The crimson-haired woman stood in front of Kaori, topless, and absolutely shameless. The blonde blushed and Kasumi narrowed her eyes, a frown forming on her face.


    "What is it?" She asked with a voice that screamed, "how dare you interrupt me from my sleep?"


    Kaori gulped, looking away and coughing.


    "Uh, I, um, don''t know. They just..."


    Kasumi heard that, sighed, and nodded. She closed the door, Kaori waited a few minutes and then Kasumi walked back out, fully dressed.


    "Fine, fine." She muttered. "Let''s just get this over with."


    A few moments later, all of the Saviors were gathered up at the living room, each one sitting opposite each other as Kasumi crossed one leg over another and asked:


    "So, what do you want?"


    "Okay, here''s the thing," Mizaki said, leaning in. "I was walking around the city, right, looking for a new dress because there are these super, and I mean SUPER cute dresses that they only make in Jade with these little golden buttons just below the shoulder straps, so, I was trying to find the dress and an old man stepped on a pile of dog poop on the side of the street. I laughed a little and..."


    "Uh, Mizaki, maybe you should skip ahead in the story, sweetheart," Akiven suggested and Mizaki nodded.


    "Right. Okay, so, I ran into Akiven in a restaurant, and he was trying to flirt with this couple, this one guy and a girl who were both, like, WAY out of his league, right? I think he was trying to get a threesome, can you imagine that!? And..."


    "Okay, just let me say it," Akiven put a hand on Mizaki''s shoulder and the girl nodded. "Basically, we started talking about the monsters around Jade at some point and we both figured that, well, listen, let''s be honest, we''re all a bit underpowered right now, aren''t we?" He asked around. "Hell, Kasumi, you haven''t been fighting in years. And you, you just started." He gestured at Kaori. "So, in moments like these, there''s only one thing we can do."


    "Uh, and what''s that?" Kaori asked.


    "It''s time for some good old-fashioned farming," Akiven stated. "Basically, we should go out, hunt down some monsters, get our levels up, and come back a little more ready for the next fight."


    "Yeah!" Mizaki said. "Honestly, I think it''s a great idea. What do you guys think?" She asked Kasumi and Kaori.


    "Hm... Well, sure, but... You guys are a lot stronger than me, so what kind of monsters would we be fighting?" Kaori asked.


    "We''ll help you with every single one, don''t worry about it." Akiven waved her concern off. "And we''ll only do so in the day, so you don''t have to deal with any of the nighttime monsters."


    "Nighttime monsters?" Kaori asked.


    "Mhm. In some regions, the areas around Jade being one of them, special, way more dangerous monsters roam the lands at night. So, what do you guys think? Sounds good, right?"


    Naturally, as Kaori had slightly agreed already, all eyes fell on Kasumi.


    She looked back and forth between them and then, she closed her eyes, sighing.


    "Fine."


    "Yay!" Mizaki raised her hands. "You won''t regret it!"


    With that, the Saviors had a plan for the near future.

 Chapter 61 - Vol. 2 - 26

    Ash


    [Status Effect Gained]


    [Niven''s Blessing]


    When Satsuhiro and the half-demon walked into the portal, the first thing they noted was the slightly sour smell they encountered on the other side. It felt like acid was in the air, sliding into their lungs with every breath. Ash scowled and looked around.


    They had ended up in a barren wasteland. Whereas before, while the realm Ash had ended up in had been an altered version of the world, it had still maintained the lush vegetation of the forests. Here though, there was nothing. A few small plants growing out of dirt here and there, but no trees, no clouds even.


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro crouched and touched one of the plants. "It seems we''ve been sent into the southern regions."


    "This is what the south of the world looks like?" Ash asked. "There''s nothing here. It''s so... Empty."


    "A small desert," Satsuhiro nodded. "Surrounded by rivers. At the center of it all, should be... Ah, look over there." He pointed to the west and Ash followed his line of sight.


    In the far, far distance, she saw what looked like a human city.


    "That''s Amber," Satsuhiro stated. "One of the farthest cities from the capital. Well, we had an idea of it before but that pretty much confirms it. This is an alternate version of the real world."


    "Uh, good to know, but does that mean anything?" Ash asked.


    "Maybe, right now the priority, aside from finding a way to close these things, is to see if there''s a logic to where these portals are opening. If we can anticipate where the next ones will appear, we can set up defenses around them ahead of time."


    "Okay, so, what now?" Ash asked.


    "You said you saw spires going into the sky, right? Let''s see if we find any."


    It didn''t take long to do so. Ash turned around and saw three spires in the opposite direction from the city. They were almost as far away as the city itself was.


    "Come on," Satsuhiro said. "Let''s get moving."


    Ash couldn''t tell if she felt cold or hot here. She hugged herself as she walked, seeing her breath coming out as steam into the air, but in between the shudders, she felt hotter than normal. Everything was so empty that she almost wished she did find some demons to fight, just so she could focus on something other than the eerie feeling that currently surrounded her.


    Everything about this place feels wrong... Somehow though, it''s like my body can''t get enough of it.


    Shaking her head, she tried to see what else she could find around her. The hills of dirt rose and fell as the land stretched almost endlessly, however, she could pick out a few things as she scanned the area.


    Firstly, she''d been wrong in her initial assessment. There actually were some trees, but they were desolate, lonely things scattered around the land. Second, she could see that at a point to the far east, the land began to change color, darkening a little. Satsuhiro seemed to disregard both of these things, heading straight for the spires so she assumed she should as well, opting to just follow him.


    They finally ran into their first enemies when they stumbled upon some demons fighting over...


    Is that a corpse?  Ash thought, raising a brow as she saw them tear into the body. However, the sight was weirder the more she looked at it. Besides the two demons fighting, there was another riding what looked like an overgrown pig, a shield, and a club in its hands.


    Level 19


    MP: 100/100


    Level 19


    MP: 80/80


    Level 20


    MP: 100/100


    "Hm, well, that''s new," Satsuhiro said. Ash assumed he was talking about the riding demon.


    "You haven''t seen that before?"


    "Nope," Satsuhiro shook his head. "Considering the archers we saw at Pearl, I think it''s fair to say that the demons'' levels aren''t the only thing improving. They''re developing more advanced techniques behind closed doors, in the privacy of this realm. I see." He nodded to himself. "Let''s go ahead then. Is the buff active?"


    "Yeah," Ash transformed her sword.


    "Alright. You should be fine. Ironically, I might be the weak link here." Satsuhiro snorted. "Alright, here, I''ll start."


    A short incantation later, a surge of fire struck the riding demon in its face. With that attack, the others noticed them, and soon, their little duel was postponed in favor of killing the new humans who had arrived. Ash narrowed her eyes at them, preparing herself for this fight.


    ---


    Keiko


    "By the way, do, uh, non-Zayama people ever try this?" Keiko asked.


    "No, the techniques found here are said to be magically restricted so that only Zayamas can use them. With them, you will be able to fight enemies using patterns and attacks they couldn''t possibly replicate. Literally."


    Along with her teacher, the two Zayamas continued on the eastern path until eventually, they drew close enough to the city of Onyx to where they could see it clearly, though it was a ways away from the castle they were heading for. From it though, Keiko noticed grey smoke rising to the sky.


    "Is the city on fire?" Keiko asked.


    "Oh, no, no. That smoke is probably coming from the factories." That was a word Keiko hadn''t heard before.


    "Factories?"


    "Yes." Haruna nodded. "Onyx is the industrial center of the Jewel Empire. The most technologically advanced city in the world, even more so than the capital, though it is assumed that soon, the inventions they have made will find their way in Jade."


    "What is it like?" Keiko asked.


    "Hm, I''ve only been there once or twice, so my memory of the place is slightly lost, but I remember a few things. For one, they had these little balls of electricity that produced light strong enough to illuminate an entire home. They also had these strange metallic horses, though I found the real thing to be better," she said as she patted the animal''s head. "Those were the ones that stuck with me the most, but maybe after we''re done with the castle we can take a detour and look around in there."


    "I- You think so?"


    "Sure. It is right there, after all."


    As Haruna chuckled a little, Keiko continued to gaze at the city with some wonder.  As large as it is, right now, Jade feels so small.


    "We''re almost there," Haruna stated. "Once we arrive, we''ll take a moment to gather ourselves and head in."


    Just as she said, when the path to the castle became clear enough to traverse on foot, they got off the horse and Haruna tied him to a nearby tree.


    "Calm your nerves," she said as she pulled out a couple of bottles of water from her bag and tossed one to her. "You''ll need to be focused entirely on the fight once you''re in there."


    "Do you know anyone who''s managed to get through this?" Keiko asked.


    "... One man, yes," Haruna smiled sadly. "My husband."


    "Oh, really? Uh, did he give you any tips or something?"


    "It would be quite hard for him to do so," she replied chuckling. "He''s passed away."


    "O-Oh... Sorry..."


    "No, no. It was a while ago. Do not worry about it. He died honorably."


    "Uhm... How did it happen? I-If you don''t mind me asking."


    "Same way most warriors die nowadays," Haruna shrugged, "fighting the demons. That..." she looked down. "Will likely be most warrior''s fates in the near future as well, considering what happened at Pearl. But, enough about that," Haruna put a hand on Keiko''s shoulder. "Let me know when you''re ready, and we''ll go in."


    "... What can we expect?"


    "I only know what I''ve said so far," Haruna replied with a sigh. "As I said, I myself have not succeeded in completing this gauntlet. I only know what others have said. Five floors, each one holding different challenges. Apparently, they have to do with some of the great Zayama warriors that have existed across history, but we''ll only know the specifics as we attempt each one."


    Keiko looked down at her own hands. Clenching them into fists, she looked back up at Haruna.


    "No point in stalling, right?" She said softly.


    "Indeed," Haruna smiled.


    "Alright. I''m ready."


    With that confirmation, the two Zayamas began walking the path. The castle was buried between a collection of bamboo trees, leaves on the ground cracking as the pair walked over them. Ahead, they saw it.


    It resembled the Compound in some ways, but this place was colored in the kind of gold that would fit well in Jade. An impressive, tall structure, built almost to resemble a golden dojo. Each floor had a few closed windows, but at the top, the walls were open, like it was a balcony. At the sides, Keiko could just barely see the staircases that led to the other floors.


    Haruna walked ahead of her, and then, she pulled out her two swords, holding them out. Keiko pulled out her katana.


    With just a nod to confirm what they were doing, they entered the first floor.


    The first thing Keiko saw was a suit of armor sitting in the middle of the room, a katana, far longer than the one Keiko had, resting in front of it. At first, Keiko thought it was an empty suit somehow sitting upright, but then she noticed the blue smoke coming from the suit''s holes. It almost resembled a person. From the holes in its helmet, Keiko saw blue flames spark up, like smoking eyes looking back at her.


    And finally, with clanking metal, the ethereal body reached over and grabbed the katana, standing up and entering a fighting stance. Keiko scanned its level.


    Level 20


    MP: 100/100


    She then looked at her master and compared them.


    Level 25


    MP: 100/100


    Keiko nodded to herself.


    Time to prove yourself, Keiko. The world needs this. Don''t let them down.


    And so, she aimed her blade at the spiritual warrior as well.

 Chapter 62 - Vol. 2 - 27

    Kaori


    The blonde Savior was genuinely excited. Being around these incredibly powerful individuals, she felt like she was living that naive dream she''d talked about before, the one she had when she''d first been recruited for this job. The one where she was a hero.


    "Aw, fuck," Akiven put his hands behind his head as he stretched for a moment. They were currently in the woodlands west of Jade, near the path to Pearl. "This reminds me of the old days."


    "What do you mean?" Kaori asked.


    "Back when I was starting out, we''d just do this sort of shit all day." Akiven was looking around with nostalgia in his eyes. "Orcs, goblins, golems, we''d wake up, eat, fight stuff, go to sleep, and repeat."


    "Wow."


    "That''s nothing!" Mizaki walked up to Kaori and wrapped an arm behind her, "when I was a rookie, I had the best teacher ever helping me out."


    "Who?" Kaori asked.


    "Ugh," Kasumi muttered a few feet away and Kaori raised a brow, confused until Mizaki gestured at her with a grin. That genuinely shocked her.


    "She trained you?"


    "Well, she helped train me, obviously she didn''t do it alone, but yeah. We used to fight demons a bit together."


    The thought of these two running around together made Kaori chuckle. As Akiven and Mizaki went on talking about the things they had done before, Kaori could only hope she''d have stories of her own to match in the future.


    "Mhm, it was pretty hard," Akiven said, regarding how he defeated some demonic wyrm he encountered. "It was fast, hard, and long, but I got in eventually."


    "Those sorts of things exist?" Kaori asked.


    "Yeah, you didn''t know?"


    "... Nah, I mean, I heard about this stuff on occasion, right? I''d walk around Jade or something and I''d see some adventurer dragging a huge beast or whatever, but no one ever gave me like, a list of stuff that was out there, just existing, you know?"


    "Eh, where I grew up," Mizaki told her, "we saw this sort of stuff all the time, so I always knew monsters were out there."


    "Where was that?" Kaori asked.


    "Amber," Mizaki replied. I don''t think I''ve ever met anyone from there, Kaori thought. "It''s pretty normal for warriors to show off the stuff they hunt, or like, huge feasts to be prepared."


    "Oh, so..." Kaori "Is that kind of weapon normal in Amber?" She asked.


    "Huh?" Mizaki looked back at the giant hammer she was carrying. "Oh, no, I, eh, I got this from my dad. He used to be a knight. When he heard I''d been chosen, he gave it to me and retired the very next day."


    "Oh, wow, he trusted you that much?"


    "Yes and no," Mizaki explained. "In Amber, it''s considered dishonorable to keep working once your children find jobs. It''s basically like you''re saying you don''t trust them to be able to pay the bills."


    "Hm?" Kaori raised a brow. "That''s... Interesting."


    "Yeah, that''s usually how people react when they hear about that. And, I mean, I love Amber, but that''s not even the weirdest little tradition like that."


    She imagined for a moment what Ash might say if she heard that. Kaori could picture the half-demon raising a brow and asking something like, "yeah no, that''s pretty fucking stupid."


    The thought of her doing so made Kaori giggle, prompting Mizaki to look back at her with a curious glance.


    Kaori then asked Akiven:


    "So, where are you from?"


    "Can''t tell by the hair?" Akiven asked, pointing up at his head. Kaori shook her head. "Sapphire. Everyone looks like this up there," he chuckled. "Well, none of them are quite as handsome as me, but yeah."


    "You wish," Mizaki replied, snorting.


    Kaori looked up at the cloudless blue sky.


    There''s still so much left to see, isn''t there?


    "Whoa, whoa, hear that?" Akiven asked and everyone stopped.


    Kasumi narrowed her eyes and nodded.


    "There''s something up ahead," Kasumi stated. As Mizaki focused up, she gasped and reached back for her hammer.


    "You''re right!"


    Behind them, Kaori looked down at her cube and felt nervous. This would be the first time she''d fight since losing her hand to protect Ash. It was a decision she knew she''d make again if she had to, but she wondered how it would affect her fighting capacity.


    I mean, dual-wielding is definitely not an option anymore. She almost laughed. Her humor left once she heard a strange ripping and tearing sound coming from up ahead. Akiven transformed his blades and at that moment, Kaori looked at Mizaki and noticed.


    Hm. So why would she choose that hammer over her Savior''s Weapon? Is it as strong? She got it from her dad, but that can''t be it.


    As they approached the source, Kaori refocused. It started to come into view.


    And Kaori paled.


    What... What is that?


    Right now, she could only see it from the back. She saw that it was a giant, bird-like creature of sorts, with short bony wings and strangely thick, red legs.


    However, when it turned towards them, Kaori saw the strangest thing. Its beak was shaped like a spiral and began to rotate as soon as they locked eyes.


    "Well, this ugly son of a bitch is called a drillbeak," Akiven explained as the creature tilted its head at them. "It rotates its beak to break through its opponent''s defenses. Apparently, hurts like a bitch. I''ve seen a few people get taken down by this thing."


    Level 20


    MP: 40/40


    Kaori felt like she''d seen monsters in nightmares that were less threatening than this. She looked down at its feet and saw that it had been devouring some unfortunate traveler.


    Akiven was the first to walk up.


    "Well, time to show you all how it''s done."


    He stood ahead of it, the creature spreading its bony wings almost like it was an attempt at intimidation. One that was entirely unsuccessful as Akiven simply shrugged at it and started rolling his neck. Then, the drillbeak lowered its head and its beak began to spin. Eventually, its beak was spinning so fast that its spirals were now black lines swirling endlessly.


    Akiven charged towards it.


    Maybe sensing that its opponent was far too fast, the creature flapped its wings once and leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding a slash.


    Akiven didn''t stop there though. He jumped after it, looking almost like he was flying as he pursued the creature. This time, his pressing attack was successful and he slashed through it in mid-air, both of them landing below with a splatter of blood.


    "Ah, not as clean as I would have liked." Akiven''s face took on a slightly serious expression. "I need to be faster... Anyway," he turned back and smiled at Kaori. "Finish it off. I''ll let you have some of the EXP."


    "What?" Kaori asked.


    "You''re the lowest level here. You need it," Akiven shrugged. "Go ahead."


    Looking down at the creature who was struggling to stand, she nodded. Then, she transformed her cube into a swordstaff, trying to feel it out in her hand. Okay.


    And so, walking up, she raised her weapon and, with a slight bit of guilt in her heart, brought it down on the defeated creature.


    EXP Gained: 20


    EXP: 20/170


    With that out of the way, the group went on, trying to find more creatures they could use to prepare for the future battles that would surely come.


    ---


    Ash


    The half-demon blocked an attack, slicing through an enemy''s stomach. The demon fell to the ground beside her, dead. Ash ignored the EXP message that came up above her and she just barely managed to avoid a claw that would have blinded her.


    Instead, she spun and slashed the enemy''s neck, decapitating it.


    Holy shit, I feel so strong! She smirked.


    And then, something tackled her. Scowling, she looked up and found the pig-like creature the demon had been on earlier before Satsuhiro had burned it. Ash looked for her sword and saw that the boar had knocked it out of her hands.


    Shit, that''s not good.


    However, before the animal could go any further, fire disintegrated it over her body, turning it into ash falling on top of her. She coughed a few times, turning away from it and putting her hands on the ground.


    Then, one hand was extended towards her and Satsuhiro helped her up.


    "Good job," he said.


    "Yeah," she turned to look at them. "Well, if every demon is just kinda walking around like this then we''ll be fine, right?"


    "I''d say so." Satsuhiro shrugged. "Come on, let''s keep moving."


    Ash decided she''d check her EXP after they left this place. The spires in the distance grew closer with every minute they spent walking towards them.  What are we going to find at the end of those things? And, hell, even if we do decide we can break whatever''s there, what do we do after that?


    Before she could come up with an answer to that question though, something appeared to her left. She didn''t realize that because she saw it, but because she felt it.  Huh?  It was a sort of buzzing sensation, one that prompted her to look out into the vast emptiness they were walking on.


    "Ash?" Satsuhiro seemed to notice something was up. "You okay?"


    "Y-Yeah," Ash replied, trying to find...


    She saw it. Ahead, there was a single tree with a small pond under it. Its leaves were violet and the water seemed strangely bright blue. She saw a little boy playing around.


    "Hey, see that? We should help." Ash said, pointing ahead. "Probably got stuck here or something."


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro turned to look out in that direction. "What do you mean?"


    "There, the kid." Ash urged.


    "I don''t see anything."


    Hearing that, Ash pulled back.


    "What?"


    "There''s nothing there," Satsuhiro stated. "You sure you''re seeing something?"


    "I-I swear," Ash kept staring at it.


    "Hm... Maybe it has to do with the fact that you''re a half-demon. Regardless, is it important?" He asked.


    "... I don''t know," Ash replied.


    "Then, come on, let''s keep going. Sooner we get this done, the better."


    She turned back to look at the kid again.


    A woman appeared behind him. Ash couldn''t make out too many details about her from this distance, but she could see the woman was tall and curvy. Aside from that, she was naked, holding something in her hands. She said something Ash heard so clearly though, it was like she was standing in front of her.


    "We have a meeting to get to. The Higher Powers want reports."


    "Coming," the boy said, standing up as he looked at the water. "Are the others there?"


    "Yes. Let''s not keep them waiting."


    And so, the two of them disappeared from sight. Ash shook her head, closing her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, the tree and the pond were no longer there either.


    "What the fuck?" She muttered before she started following Satsuhiro again.

 Chapter 63 - Vol. 2 - 28

    Keiko


    Keiko noticed two things. Firstly, the nearby staircase was blocked off by some sort of barrier, made of wind. Second, the enemy surprised her.


    The ghostly figure ahead carried its sword like a seasoned veteran. Its refined stance made Keiko reevaluate whether this thing was actually the mindless monster it appeared to be from a glance. Haruna stepped forward with an expression like pure steel, her own blades at her side as the creature seemed to track her movement. It didn''t pay any attention to Keiko, perhaps because of how far back she was standing.


    Haruna stood around six feet away from it and then, she stopped.


    So much time had passed since she''d left the Compound, that Keiko had genuinely forgotten what high-level fighting was like. Due to her time training Ash and Kaori, she hadn''t been able to practice the higher proficiency strategies she''d learned lately.


    So, when the creature charged towards Haruna, and the Zayama woman virtually disappeared from sight, Keiko gasped. Their blades clashed. The creature attempted an overhead slash that Haruna parried, spinning to slice at the creature''s midsection. It dodged. The creature stepped back and sheathed its blade only to bring it back out with blinding speed.


    Haruna backflipped back before the creature could make contact, and both combatants ended up right back where they started, six feet away from each other.


    Amazing! Keiko thought. I knew I still wasn''t close to her level, but this is something else entirely than what I had expected.


    "This kind of creature," Haruna said, "I''ve heard about it, though I haven''t fought anything like it before."


    "What does it do?"


    The creature stood ahead, waiting for Haruna to make another move as she spoke.


    "If I''m not mistaken, it''s an undead monster that can use the techniques of the person it once was but is incapable of learning anything new. What that means is that it likely lacks the ability to adapt to different challenges." Haruna got back into a fighting stance. "Stay back, Keiko. I can handle this."


    "Alright..."


    And then, the combat resumed. It was hard to keep track of their motions, as each attack was performed with a burst of speed that would be lethal against untrained enemies.


    "Jino!" Haruna yelled and attacked the air with X-shaped slashes. Only, from those attacks that didn''t even get close to the opponent, blades of wind were launched towards the creature.


    "Tonno!" The creature responded with an echoing, otherworldly, masculine voice, and with a wave of its blade, a shield of wind formed in front of it that caught the slashes.


    "What was that!?" Keiko asked.


    "The master-level techniques," Haruna quickly explained as she took a step back. "This is what''s next in store for you, Keiko. What you haven''t learned. Zayama techniques which combine magic with weapon skills. I myself haven''t managed to master too many of them. I wonder how many it has."


    The third exchange began with a leap into the air, as Haruna jumped towards it, spinning vertically. Her swords ended up locking with the enemy''s katana, but she pushed it back with nothing but the force behind her strike.


    They took turns blocking and attacking before a small opening left Haruna vulnerable. The creature raised a metallic boot and kicked her in the chin, launching her back several meters.


    "T-Teacher!" Keiko called out as Haruna rolled to a stop. It was visibly hard for her to get up as she had clearly been shaken by the attack. When she looked back at the creature, it was no longer looking at Haruna. It was looking at her.


    Keiko got chills running up her spine. With trembling hands, she placed her blade before her.


    In a straight-up battle, I have no chance. Keiko thought. So, I only have one tool to use.


    "Iridos!" She yelled and her Spirit Eye activated.


    Instantly, what she saw two seconds into the future was the creature lunging towards her with a horizontal attack. She positioned her blade in such a way as to block the attack, and just a millisecond after she got it there, she was struck by the creature.


    Despite the fact that she did deflect the hit, she still slid back, the creature''s strength far surpassing her own.


    Again, she saw two seconds into the future. This time, the creature''s next attack would come from above. She placed her blade horizontally and her blade was smashed, bringing her down to one knee. Two seconds further, she saw that the creature would then try to kick her down and stab her.


    Keiko dodged the kick by a hair and fell back.


    Before the monster could capitalize on that, Haruna arrived and interrupted it.


    Keiko breathed heavily, her eyes wide as she watched the fight that ensued.


    Even with her Spirit Eye, her deflections were just a split second fast enough to prevent the opponent''s blade from cutting through her, and even though she blocked, the strength behind its blows was so potent that her wrists were sore after blocking just a couple of slashes.


    ... There''s no way around it, she thought. Without my Spirit Eye, I would have died at the first exchange.


    It was perhaps one of the most humbling things she''d been through recently, which was saying something given her experiences. Haruna and the monster clashed blades a few more times before Haruna finally decided to take a step back and say:


    "Iridos!"


    She''s only just now activating her Spirit Eye?  Keiko realized.


    With it, the fight began to swing in her favor. Though the creature was skilled, Haruna''s ability to see its movements before they happened clearly made a difference, to the point where, finally, she was able to bring the fight to a close.


    The monster raised its blade and Haruna, anticipating that, slashed at where its neck would be. The sword reacted as though it had slashed through flesh and bone, as did the creature''s body. Its arms went limp, it fell to its knees and finally died, with its blue smoke dissipating.


    Haruna sheathed her blades at her back, taking a deep breath.


    "That was..." Keiko muttered. "Wow."


    "I didn''t think I''d have to use my Spirit Eye this early on," Haruna''s shoulders slumped. "It says something about how powerful the other enemies will be, surely."


    "I... I''ll try to be of more use in the fights to come," Keiko stated. Haruna seemed to disregard that. She didn''t know how to take it.


    Without a reason to remain here, they began to walk towards the nearby stairs. However, just before they left, words appeared over the fallen monster''s armor.


    "Huh?" Keiko noticed it first, turning around. Haruna did the same.


    Training Mode activated!


    Training Mode: Anyone who defeats this creature may reanimate it to face it again.


    EXP Rates (Weapon proficiencies and level EXP gained) will be increased by 50% on subsequent fights.


    Note: Only those with the Spirit Eye ability may benefit from this mode.


    "What?" Keiko blinked. "Wait..." Haruna walked back towards the creature. "So, we can use this monster to prepare before the next floor?"


    "Seems like it," Haruna crouched beside it.


    "What do we do?"


    "Well, obviously," Haruna said, "we should take this opportunity. It''ll take some time, but with this... We should be able to get you strong enough to face the other tests, so long as you land some killing blows." Haruna said and Keiko nodded. "I''m good to go, how are you feeling?"


    "I''m ready. The faster we get to it, the better."


    "Agreed."


    Haruna looked up at the message and Keiko watched as she closed her eyes. The message went away, and soon, the creature''s armor was beginning to float up into the air, rearranging into what it had been before.


    ---


    Kasumi


    By now, the only Savior who hadn''t found something to fight single-handedly was Kaori. Mostly, how this had gone so far was that Akiven and Mizaki had taken on most of the creatures they''d encountered, while Kasumi had only fought one or two.


    She had to be picky, of course, since her path to victory was murkier than that of the others. All she could do was use trickery and hope an enemy presented a weak point that she could capitalize on.


    They had expected, of course, that Kaori would be unable to face most monsters directly, but still, it even made Kasumi''s cold heart slightly sad to see the blonde sulking behind the group because of this.


    Her mood swings were something to behold though. Kasumi had watched her go from extremely energetic whenever she''d talk to one of the Saviors, to a pouting puppy when she realized she can''t fight the creatures they encounter, back to an ecstatic ball of happiness whenever Mizaki addressed her, and back to sullen melancholy when she looked down at her missing left hand.


    It was honestly fairly entertaining to Kasumi. To the point where she ended up realizing that most of her time was spent looking at Kaori instead of searching for an opponent or watching the other Saviors fight.


    Eventually, though, it was time to call it a day as the sun began to dip beyond the horizon.


    A few giant birds, some drillbeaks, others that Kasumi didn''t know since she wasn''t from this part of the world, soared above them as Akiven turned to look at them.


    "Alright, let''s set up a camp. We''ll go to sleep, wake up and start fighting again first thing tomorrow morning."


    "Oh, uh, sure," Kaori said, as she started looking around for firewood, maybe, before Akiven held up a hand.


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you should probably stay put and let us go looking for resources, blondie," Akiven said. "Don''t want you running into anything too strong, you know?"


    "I mean," Kasumi raised a brow as she saw annoyance pop up on Kaori''s face for the first time, "it''s not like I can''t run."


    "Well, yeah, but if you run into something faster than you that doesn''t mean anything, right?"


    "I... Ugh," Kaori lowered her head turning around and walking towards a tree. Then, she pressed her back against it and slid down to the dirt, pulling her knees up to her chest. Mizaki and Akiven looked at each other. Then, the white-haired boy held up a hand.


    "I got this," he whispered confidently, walking towards her. Then, he knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulders. "Hey, calm down," Akiven said with a strangely reassuring voice. "Listen, you may not be that strong, or that talented, or that skilled, but you''ve got a pretty good rack and I appreciate that."


    Kaori slapped him so hard, Kasumi saw spit fly out of his mouth.


    He stood back up and put his hands on his hips.


    "Hm, that didn''t work. I''m gonna go get some firewood."


    He walked away casually.


    Mizaki sighed as Kaori pressed her face against her knees. She made like she was going to go over to her, but then she walked towards Kasumi instead.


    "Hey, so," Mizaki whispered. Kasumi raised a brow. "You''re a mother, right? I mean, like, you were, or... Never mind," Kasumi almost recoiled when she heard that. "I''m just saying, you''re good at this type of stuff, right? Maybe you could cheer her up?"


    And so, Mizaki walked away.


    With her mouth gaping, Kasumi stood there, frozen. She didn''t know whether to feel insulted, confused, or sad.


    She heard Kaori sigh next to her and suddenly, Kasumi felt like doing the same thing. She sat down, crossed her legs, and waited for the others to come back with firewood.


    And, hopefully, to find some tact out there in the wilds too.


    "Wait," Kaori suddenly said, "you''re a mom?"


    Kasumi looked to her side.


    "You heard that?" She asked.


    "I mean, Mizaki is... Not very good at whispering, it looks like." Kaori responded. "So... Are you?"


    Kasumi shook her head. As she remembered the blonde''s friend, the demon, she felt herself getting heated.


    "Not anymore."


    "Oh... Dang," Kaori said. "I''m sorry to hear that."


    "It''s fine," Kasumi stated. Silence settled between them, but Kasumi found herself curious about something. She looked over at the blonde and asked, "that demon..."


    "Hm?" Kaori looked over at her.


    "The demon, what was her name again? Ash?"


    "Oh, yeah! Ash, what about her?" It confused Kasumi how Kaori''s mood instantly brightened the moment she brought the demon up.


    "... She''s really a Savior, huh?" Kasumi said.


    "Uh, well, yeah." It was Kaori''s turn to be confused. "What about it?"


    "Isn''t it weird that a demon was chosen to fight other demons by a god?" Kasumi asked. "I think it''s strange, anyway. How does that make sense?"


    "I, I mean, she''s not really a demon though."


    "Huh?"


    "Okay, not like that, I mean, she''s nice. She''s reasonable," Kaori explained, "she''s more human than she is a demon."


    "You trust her quite a bit, it seems."


    "Of course," Kaori instantly responded. "She''s... I, ehm, we''re friends." She blushed, for some reason.


    Kasumi rested her head against a nearby tree.


    "Is that so?"


    The conversation died shortly after that.


    Later that night, the Saviors had fallen asleep. All save for Kasumi, who elected to be the first to keep watch. She''d then wake up Mizaki, who would later wake Akiven, and the white-haired Savior would stay up until it was Kaori''s turn.


    The fire they made continued to crackle in front of her. All Kasumi could do was lean back and wait her time out. The demon''s face appeared in front of her mind''s eye. She pictured her, how she looked. The defiance in her eyes, the hidden warmth whenever she looked at Kaori.


    The blood on her armor that she got from fighting on Pearl''s behalf.


    Kasumi was honestly baffled by her. She couldn''t make sense of the woman. How the same creature who belonged to the type of being responsible for the death of her daughter could do such a thing.


    Shaking her head, it was eventually Mizaki''s turn, so she woke the girl up. They swapped places, and soon, Kasumi was putting her hands behind her head as she prepared to go to sleep.


    That night, she had a dream like none she''d had before.


    The Savior was on top of a mountain, a storm brewing above.  What?  She thought. Where...?


    She looked down at her body and found that she could see right through it.  What is this?


    Then, the storm above her began to intensify. So much so, that lightning was falling all around her. Suddenly, one of those lightning bolts took form, and when it hit the ground in front of her, a person manifested slowly.


    What''s going on?  She wondered as slowly, the person began to be pieced together. Armored legs, an armored torso, a trident with lightning swirling around it, and the face of a hardened knight.


    The man stood in front of Kasumi, and the Savior would have gasped if she had air to breathe.

 Chapter 64 - Vol. 2 - 29

    Ash


    With every step she took, Ash''s concern increased. She began to wonder if she was losing her hold on reality. In the distance, more images of that boy would come and go. However, he''d occasionally be surrounded by different figures, not just that one woman she''d seen. There was another lady who seemed thinner and quieter in a way that reminded Ash of Keiko, and there was a tall and strong-looking man who would occasionally be walking with the kid.


    Is...  She thought.  Is that the same kid from that dream I saw? Wasn''t that Niven?  She thought.  But, then... Why hasn''t he talked to me?


    "Wait, hold on," Satsuhiro said and Ash shook her head, forcing those thoughts out of her mind. "Hear that?"


    Ash tried to focus. She hadn''t even noticed that they''d been walking up to a structure of some sort.


    "What is this place?" Ash asked but Satsuhiro put a finger to his lips, telling her to stay quiet.


    That was when Ash finally heard what he was talking about.


    In front of them, was some sort of small fort. It was like a broken-down miniature castle, she figured. Coming from inside though, she could hear demonic growling. Not just that, but there were screams coming from people who sounded fairly human.


    Oh, shit.


    Satsuhiro waved at her, essentially telling Ash to follow and the half-demon nodded. Walking around to an open iron gate, the pair of Saviors peeked inside.


    Ash almost puked.


    Blood covered the floor, dripping out of multiple fresh human bodies scattered around the area. The smell of death permeated the air. Four demons were currently devouring a pair of corpses to the right side. At the back of the room, she saw two humans though who were very much alive. They were tied up, iron cuffs chained to the walls keeping them restrained.


    Satsuhiro pointed at them and Ash nodded to let him know she was seeing the same thing. She checked the demon''s levels.


    Level 17


    MP: 200/200


    Level 19


    MP: 150/150


    Level 18


    MP: 160/160


    Level 18


    MP: 140/140


    Four of them. All around level 19, with that buff. Fuck, this is going to be...


    Before she could finish that thought, one of the people who were still alive yelled out:


    "PLEASE, HELP!"


    Simultaneously, all four of the demons lifted their heads off their meals, looked at the person who had just yelled, and then looked out to where Satsuhiro and Ash were standing.


    "You''ve got to be kid-"


    "Aaargh!" A demon roared at them, turning to face them and charging immediately.


    "Hold it off!" Satsuhiro ordered.


    "Right," Ash quickly stood between it and Satsuhiro, lifting her sword to act as a barrier. However, this particular demon was far faster than she anticipated. It pushed her down as Satsuhiro spoke an incantation behind her.


    With the demon growling above her, some saliva falling on her cheeks as its teeth hovered over her face, Ash scowled.


    What do I...?


    As the demon held her down, the other three soon joined them, but a wave of fire hit them before they could reach Ash. The blow wasn''t strong enough to kill, probably thanks to the buff, but it delayed all three creatures long enough to give Ash an idea.


    Her spell, Decimating Touch, came to her mind.


    She dropped her sword, placed her hands on the demon''s shoulders, and said:


    "Let the darkness caress you, take it in, and scream!" Ash muttered and suddenly, her hands glowed with a black aura.


    The demon did exactly as the incantation said it would. It raised its head, swinging it from side to side wildly as the spell took hold, its potency, of course, boosted by Niven''s Blessing affecting Ash''s INT stat.


    The demon squealed until just a few seconds later, it died on top of her.


    Ash pushed it aside and stood up, just in time to fight off the three demons who had also recovered. With Satsuhiro near her, the two of them launched spells at the approaching figures.


    "Infernal currents, come out!" Satsuhiro said, and a stream of fire poured from his hands.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"  Ash quickly followed up with a Dark spell of her own. The demons were struck, disabled momentarily, though one managed to push through the pain and continue attacking.


    Ash narrowed her eyes at that one. Rage bubbled inside of her thanks to the Dark spells she''d been using, something that caused her to lash out. Without her sword, as it was still on the ground, she charged at it.


    They collided, and maybe it had been because the demon didn''t expect it, but Ash was able to press her shoulders into its midsection, tackling it down to the floor. Once she sat on top of it, she started to punch it repeatedly, her fists breaking its bones easily. She kept going, disregarding the sounds of fire searing flesh beside her.


    Once it was dead, she turned towards the others with a feral sense of bloodlust, only to find that they had already been dealt with by Satsuhiro, when they were on the ground. Even with the difference in levels, with him being able to spray them with flames without an answer from them, they weren''t able to save themselves. Looking back down at the demon beneath her, she noticed that she had a violet aura covering her body.


    Shit,  she thought.  I nearly went into my Demon Form.


    "HELP! GET US OUT!" Ash looked up when she heard that, seeing the restrained humans looking at her with pleading eyes. "What are you waiting for!?"


    "HEY DUMBASS," she yelled back. "MAYBE YOU WANNA BE A LITTLE LOUDER SO YOU CAN GET EVERY DEMON IN THIS FUCKING WORLD TO SHOW UP, HUH? KEEP CRYING, I HAVE HALF A MIND TO LEAVE YOU HERE!"


    "Ash," Satsuhiro put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down."


    "What? Are you kidding? We just fought off four demons and-"


    "Yeah, yeah, just breathe," Satsuhiro said and Ash sighed. Looking down at her hands, she still saw that Dark energy.


    Shaking her head, she simply stood up and walked outside.


    "Whatever..."


    A few moments later, the civilians were freed and brought out as well. Satsuhiro pointed in the direction where he and Ash had come from.


    "There''s a portal down that way, walk in a straight line, you''ll find it eventually."


    Wordlessly, they just ran away.


    "YOU''RE WELCOME!" Ash yelled at them and Satsuhiro shook his head.


    "Come on," he said, "we''re getting closer to those spires."


    "Yeah? Well, what the fuck are we even going to do once we get to them?" Ash asked. "How does closing a portal even work?"


    "Hm. Well, it depends. If it''s an object, it''s as simple as just breaking it apart. If it''s a demon, we''ll have to kill them."


    "And then what!?" Ash asked. "How do we get back to our world?"


    "To be honest, I don''t know." Satsuhiro shrugged, "but I''ve been meaning to ask you a question." He quickly added.


    "Yeah?"


    "Alright, listen. When you went into that portal near my house, how far did you go?"


    "We couldn''t leave the city," Ash replied, trying to calm herself. "We were sent to this different version of Jade, but there was a barrier all around it."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Ah... Hm, well that just makes things even more complicated, honestly."


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Because what that makes me think is that we might not have access to the entire world."


    "... I don''t get it."


    "Okay, step by step then," Satsuhiro started. "Firstly, the spires. Their existence means that the source of the spell that''s keeping these portals up is likely not Niven himself. If it were, there would be just one spire, coming from him, instead, there are multiple. What that means, is that the spell that''s happening, while strong, is not on the level of a god, if maybe just a step below, and is being maintained by demons or objects with strength on the level of things in our world. With that in mind, we can assume one very important thing. That there are limitations."


    ... Yeah, no. I think I might actually just be too dumb for this. Ash thought, but she let him keep going.


    "And, if we assume that, we can assume three more things, that I believe I''ve talked about before. First, that there''s probably a limit to how far the portal''s influence can spread, second, that there''s a set duration to these portals, and the third thing being that the portal can''t cover the entire alternate realm."


    "Uh, summarize it for me, maybe?" Ash asked.


    "Basically, what I''m saying is that I think these spells lead to pocket dimensions," he explained. "Not the entire alternate realm, but just a small portion of it depending on the size of the portal. It doesn''t seem like there''s a logic to where exactly it sends you," Satsuhiro put a hand under his chin, "I mean, unless..." Satsuhiro muttered. "We... Never mind," he said. "The point is, that if we close this portal, well, because this is only a pocket dimension made by the portal itself, one of two things will happen. Either," he listed, "we''ll cease to exist along with everything in here and, well, yeah, that would be less than good. Or, the spell will throw everything that arrived here from its portal back out. In which case, leaving would be as simple as closing the portal. Let''s keep going."


    "Okay, but I''m just gonna let you know everything you said just went in one ear and out the other, okay? Just saying."


    ---


    The pair continued traversing the violet desert. If the only part of that entire conversation that Ash understood was to be believed, it meant that there was a limit to how far they could go, and yet this place felt endless.


    More of those visions came and went, but Ash''s mind was too preoccupied trying to piece things together that she simply didn''t focus on them.


    Ash looked down, wiped off some sweat, and took a deep breath. Then, Satsuhiro tapped her shoulder and she looked up again.


    And, she saw them.


    "So, they''re objects then," Satsuhiro stated as they came close enough to see pyramid-shaped structures shooting those spires up into the sky.


    However, that wasn''t all.


    Each one of the spires had something else in front of it, guarding them.


    "Well, that looks like fun," Ash mumbled.


    Three Nightmares. A Gluttony Demon, as she could see by the size of its gut, who was holding some strange flail-like object, a Lust Demon, with curved horns and black wings at its back, and a Wrath Demon, holding a greatsword and with blindfolded eyes, far bigger than their basic counterparts, simply standing around almost waiting for enemies to come.


    "Maybe we should have seen this coming," Satsuhiro said. "What are their levels?"


    She could just barely see them from this distance.


    Level 25


    MP: 300/300


    Level 25


    MP: 350/350


    Level 28


    MP: 300/300


    "Yeah, that''s not happening," Ash said.


    "Hm?"


    "All of those things are level 25 plus." She said, "Even if it was just one of them, I don''t think we could take those things... Well," Ash quickly said, "unless I''m in my Demon Form. Even then, it feels hard."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    They remained in silence for a moment, just watching the Nightmares. Then, Satsuhiro turned to her.


    "It''s your call," he solemnly stated. "I, unfortunately, would be pretty useless here. If their buffs are as strong as you say. This isn''t a fight I can help you too much in. At best, I''ll be able to distract and harass. You''d have to do all of the dirty work though."


    Ash nodded.


    "But, this is what we came for," he gestured at the pyramids. "I''d obviously like to leave this place alive, but... We might not get as good a shot at this again. Who knows where the next portals will open up? Or, if the one we took to get here will even remain up for long?"


    Yeah, he''s right about that.  Ash thought, sighing.  But... We need answers.


    "... Fine. Let''s come up with something," Ash said. "We kind of have to try, right?"

 Chapter 65 - Vol. 2 - 30

    Keiko


    "Keiko, now!" Haruna said as she held down the creature under her. Keiko walked up and stabbed through its head, making sure to use her Spirit Eye to see if it would attack her before she was able to. Her sword slipped through the ghostly body of the enemy and soon, its armor collapsed, falling back to the ground.


    Haruna, breathing heavily, stood up and sheathed her blades, putting a hand on Keiko''s shoulders.


    "Good job," she said.


    I should be saying that to you,  Keiko thought.  I haven''t done anything.


    It had taken some time before Haruna felt comfortable looking for a way to give Keiko the kill. Once they''d started doing that, Keiko saw a sharp increase in her strength, as even the reduced amount of EXP she shared from the kills was enough to boost her to level 9. Of the 12 attribute points she gained, she placed 6 of them into her Strength and 6 into her Dexterity.


    Level 9


    MP: 100/100


    Attributes:


    STR: 15


    DEX: 22


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    The increase in power was welcome, something she felt when she wrapped her hands around her blade, but she couldn''t deny a part of her felt dirty. Still, she reassured herself that the world, and, on a more selfish level, her own ego, needed this.


    Haruna gestured for Keiko to come with her. They walked outside and sat down on a bench nearby.


    "Soon, you''ll be fighting that thing on your own. At this pace," Haruna said, "assuming you win, we should be ready to hit the second floor by tomorrow afternoon." Haruna then chuckled. "I haven''t put in this much work in a while. When all you do is teach rookies, no offense, but it gets a little boring. I must admit, this is a little exciting."


    Keiko was a bit too distracted to respond to that.


    As she sat next to her teacher, her thoughts started to drift. That slightly guilty part of her was building up power in her mind until she began to picture what her grandmother would say if she were here.


    "Ah, so, you''ve completely given up on using your own skill to improve?" She imagined.  "Of course. I''d expect nothing less."


    "Keiko?"


    "Huh?" The younger woman shook her head. "I''m... sorry, I was a bit spaced out."


    "Something on your mind, seiyo?" Not that Keiko noticed, but instantly, Haruna took a kinder tone.


    "N-No, it''s just..."


    "Heh, come on, Keiko. We aren''t at the Compound anymore. You can talk to me. What''s up?" Haruna informed her and Keiko took that in. Then, she nodded.


    "... It''s just that I was thinking about, uhm, my grandmother."


    Haruna''s smile left her face.


    "Anything specific?" Haruna asked.


    "Not really."


    "Ah," Haruna nodded. "Don''t... don''t judge her too harshly, seiyo. She might not show it well enough, but you are part of her family. She does care about you."


    Keiko scoffed.


    "Yeah, right," she mumbled and looked up at the descending sun. It would be the nighttime soon.


    "... The harshest weight to walk with will never compare to the weight of expectations," Haruna suddenly said. "It''s a saying I heard some time ago. With your family, well, I feel I understand that sentence just a little more now."


    Hearing that, she thought of her parents. By the looks of it, Haruna was on the same page.


    "Iriko and Keina," Haruna muttered. "What a couple that was."


    Of course, Haruna knew them. She had talked to Keiko about them many times in the past, conversations that ceased as Keiko focused more and more on her work over the years.


    "You see this scar?" Haruna asked and Keiko glanced at her. The older woman was tapping a dark line running down the side of her right wrist. "I got this in the Battle of the Sunlight River."


    Keiko had learned about that event in lessons, growing up. It was a fight against a pack of demons that took place over the Sunlight River, the longest river in the world, which stretched from the south of Onyx to the northeast of Amber. The river was named as much due to the fact that in the daytime, it almost looked like the water was a fiery orange.


    "Your parents fought along with me."


    "Wait, really?" Keiko asked. Haruna nodded.


    "Yes," Haruna nodded. "How many years ago was that? 8? Anyway, I had been just starting out around that time. Some of us were called to assist Onyx''s forces as they tried to assault a demon nest. They''d been taking up too much space in one of the nearby forests. Goodness, by Magia, how nervous I was," she laughed. "I was still fresh. Your parents helped me through it though. I met them that day on the battlefield and I had never seen such grace. They looked like gods on that day."


    The praise didn''t bring any happiness to Keiko though.


    "... I don''t think that''s an aura I''ll ever match up to," Keiko chuckled.


    "When they passed away," Haruna continued as though she didn''t hear Keiko, "it was a fairly heavy blow to everyone in the clan. And, of course, many people''s eyes went to you, as their daughter. Your grandmother is simply one of them, someone who lost people precious to her and is looking to you to help make things right."


    "She''s out of luck, then," Keiko replied. "Last I heard, I''m not my parents. I''m just Keiko."


    ---


    Kasumi


    The man towered over her.  What the hell is going on?  What kind of dream is this?  With the trident at his side, the man simply watched her for a moment. Enough time passed that Kasumi realized something.  Wait...  She thought.  He seems familiar.


    Before she could remember where she''d seen this kind of figure before, a screen appeared between them made of white mist. Kasumi took a step back and the screen began to produce an image. A map of the world, focusing specifically on where Kasumi currently was.


    Then, an arrow appeared pointing northwest, at a small grey dot.


    This was confusing enough. An otherworldly man was telling her to go somewhere. But, then, the picture changed. Instead of the map, it turned into a picture of Kaori. Kasumi''s brows shot up.


    What?


    Before the questions in her head could pile up, the dream faded.


    Kasumi''s eyes opened, finding a black sky above her. The fire was still going beside her. She saw Kaori awake, sitting on a small boulder. It seemed it was her turn to keep watch.  What was that?  She thought, shaking her head. The action made Kaori notice her.


    "Oh, good morning," Kaori said as Kasumi put a hand to her forehead, quickly feeling the beginnings of a headache. She didn''t respond to the blonde, instead, she just crawled over to her bag and pulled out some water. "Bad dream?"


    "Mhm," Kasumi replied curtly.


    "Hm. Sorry," Kaori said.


    "It''s fine."


    For a moment, neither of them said anything. Kasumi saw Kaori scratch the back of her head awkwardly before she said:


    "It should be just about an hour or two before sunrise. If you want to go to sleep again, you should be able to get a few extra minutes in."


    Kasumi considered that but then shook her head. She laid down again, putting her hands behind her head and looking up at the sky. Kaori didn''t speak again, and Kasumi wasn''t able to go back to sleep.


    Instead, the pair remained in silence until the next day started.


    ---


    "Whoa!" Mizaki yelled. "GOOD JOB!"


    Kasumi watched Kaori fight a stone golem with her arms crossed. Akiven and Mizaki were standing just a bit in front of her, cheering the blonde on.


    A golem was a creature that was, pretty much, a collection of rocks held together by two things, blue smoke between each rock and a spherical core of the same color at its center. It was the first monster they''d found that was at a close level to her own.


    Whereas Kaori was level 14, the monster was level 15. So, they''d decided it would be a good idea to have her fight it alone.


    She was doing a fairly nice job, at least, as far as defense was concerned. For some reason though, Kaori barely tried to attack it.  What is she doing?  Kasumi wondered.  Just pick a spot between the rocks and stab it.


    The way golems and similar ethereal creatures worked was that the blue smoke connecting its joints was the creature itself, and so cutting through that smoke was akin to cutting through flesh and bone.


    However, Kaori refused to put in any sort of offense, opting instead to continue dodging hits that would likely break several bones in her body if they connected. To an extent, it was understandable because they didn''t really have a good healer. Mizaki and Kasumi both knew some elementary healing magic, but if any serious injuries were sustained, Kaori would be fucked.


    Still though, were there opportunities to attack? At least, in Kasumi''s mind, yes.


    She saw Kaori roll to the right, evading a slam from a stone hand, and just watch the creature, not even looking like she was searching for a way in.


    Hm. Maybe I should do something.  Kasumi thought and she sighed.


    "Fear becomes a weapon, courage becomes a distant dream, petrify!" She yelled and above Kaori, the image of a dreadful monster appeared. The golem took a step back, the fear-inducing spell clearly affecting it. "Do it, go!" Kasumi instructed and Kaori looked at her, nodded, and finally went in.


    It took just one stab from her swordstaff, such a strange weapon, at the golem''s core for the monster to be defeated.


    "I-I did it!" Kaori realized, looking back at the Saviors.


    "WOO!" Mizaki cheered while Akiven simply applauded her.


    Kasumi just watched, waiting for them to start moving so she could follow. Kaori had other ideas though, walking up to the crimson-haired Savior.


    "Thanks for that," she grinned. "That illusion stuff is, uh, pretty cool."


    "Thanks," Kasumi blankly replied.


    Kaori didn''t seem to mind her short response and soon, the Saviors were moving again. However, Kaori wasn''t about to let the conversation end there.


    "So..." Kaori started. "What was that dream like?"


    "Hm?" Kasumi hadn''t expected her to bring that up again. "Nothing, it''s fine."


    "Are you sure?" Kaori asked. Kasumi narrowed her eyes at her.


    "Why do you want to know so badly?"


    "Um, I-I just," Kaori stammered, "I mean, you know, sometimes people say dreams mean things, right?"


    I sure hope not.  Kasumi thought.  Because I saw you in there, so, here''s hoping there''s no meaning to that.


    "Besides," Kaori continued, "I have weird dreams too, you know?"


    "Wow. A fellow human being has weird dreams. Shocking," Kasumi said with a fake awed voice. "Truly astonishing."


    "Okay, I mean, like, weirder than most."


    "How do you know? Do you often ask people what they dream about?"


    "What? No, I''m not some weirdo."


    "Then, again, how do you know?"


    "Because, I mean, I see like, these people in them. Sometimes, I see a woman and..."


    "Oh, so you have those sorts of dreams then?" Kasumi asked with an impressed tone. "I''ll be honest, I knew teenage boys had those kinds of dreams but I hadn''t heard of too many grown women who had them. That''s quite interesting."


    "No!" Kaori waved her right hand back and forth. "N-Not like that," Kaori blushed as she responded.


    Kasumi held back a laugh.


    Well... this is surprisingly fun.  She noted.  Maybe I should tease her more often.


    "I-I just mean..."


    "Look, calm down," Kasumi figured she''d let the conversation drop though, if anything so that she could focus on seeing any nearby creatures before they saw her. "It wasn''t anything mindblowing. I saw a man dressed like a knight. He, eh, showed me something and then the dream was over. That''s it."


    At that, Kaori stopped walking.


    "He... showed you a place?"


    Hearing that, it was Kasumi''s turn to stop.


    "Like, on a map, I mean..." Kaori continued and Kasumi tilted her head.


    "... Yes," she hesitantly said.


    "Oh. Well, that''s..." Kaori nodded. "We should probably talk about that."


    "Why?"


    "Because last night, before my turn to keep watch, I had a dream like that too."

 Chapter 66 - Vol. 2 - 31

    Ash


    Ash cleared her throat some distance away from the Nightmares. With Satsuhiro near her, she began to speak the incantation for Empowered Light, just in case she needed to do any healing during this coming fight.


    "For Light of grace to reach those in need, Lumina, allow our faith to dictate the power of our words. Let no prayer we utter be left unheard. To this end, show yourself in our actions and let your brilliance be seen."


    When it was done, her own and Satsuhiro''s bodies glowed brilliantly. They had hidden behind some boulders precisely so the Nightmares wouldn''t see them during this.


    "Okay, done," Ash said. She checked her status.


    Level 13


    MP: 260/300


    "I''m trying to think of a strategy here, anything to add?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Uh, so, there are three kinds of demons. Lust Demons are the weakest, Wrath Demons are the strongest, and Gluttony Demons are in the middle. Maybe we focus the Wrath Demon first and save its friends for later."


    "Agreed. We don''t have to walk up too early either," Satsuhiro said. "We can open with a series of spells from afar, injure them as much as we can before the melee portion of the fight actually starts. Well, at least, you can injure them before then."


    "Right," Ash nodded.


    "Additionally, you can use your bow form. See if you get a lucky quick kill on any of them. Keep in mind, although I''m sure their mana levels are so high because of the buff, they might still have spells they can use. Put those dancing shoes on and try not to get too close to any of them."


    "Maybe you can distract one?" Ash asked. "I mean, fighting three at once really doesn''t sound ideal."


    "I''ll try," Satsuhiro said. "Well, it doesn''t seem like there are many more options. Let me know when you want to start."


    "I''m ready now." Ash quickly replied. "Let''s just get it over with."


    "Alright. Good luck."


    With those words out of the way, Ash took out Lust and transformed it into a bow. They walked back towards the enemies, who Ash swore had to have noticed them by now.  Maybe they''re that committed to guarding those things, that they''re not even leaving their side. Ash thought. In that case, how delicate are they? Could I just run up, kick ''em a few times and take this whole dimension down? Though, if there''s a barrier or something surrounding them, that would just be the dumbest suicide ever committed.


    Whatever, focus. An arrow manifested in her bow and she aimed it at the Wrath Demon.  Actually... With this Dexterity buff, can I get a clean headshot? Then again, what matters more, my Dexterity or my proficiency? If I do get the headshot though, that would kill that thing instantly, no?


    Let''s see what happens.


    Giving Satsuhiro a last look, he crossed his arms and waited for her to let the arrow loose. Ash did just that.


    The projectile flew across the air with a whoosh, crossing the distance between them almost instantly. Ash hoped this meant one less Nightmare to deal with. The arrow found its target in the Wrath Demon''s neck.


    "Yes!" Ash exclaimed. Not the head, but that should be a kill, right?


    She then saw the Nightmares finally starting to walk towards them. All three of those demons.


    Including the one she''d hit.


    "W-Wait..."


    The Wrath Demon, though the arrow had pierced its neck, had not fallen. Instead, it currently walked towards the two Saviors as though it didn''t have an arrow sticking out of its body.


    "Holy shit," Ash mumbled. "How...?"


    And then, a particular stat came to her mind that she hadn''t thought of in a very long time.


    Constitution. A person or creature''s ability to take damage. It wasn''t a stat she thought about often because in her own quest to become stronger, both she and Kaori had mostly focused on finding power. Accumulating damage through spells and the Strength and Dexterity stats to kill enemies faster. Not just that, but she hadn''t run into anyone that prioritized this stat, and when she had first started all of this, this had been her highest stat, so she ignored it.


    What this meant was simple. She didn''t quite know the full potential of this particular attribute. Specifically, she was wondering if this demon simply had the highest Constitution out of anything she''d encountered so far.


    "Well, that''s not scary at all," she said lowly.


    "Focus!" Satsuhiro urged. Then, he started to speak an incantation beside her as Ash looked back. Another arrow appeared on her bow and she quickly pulled it back, aiming it at the Wrath Demon again.


    A part of her felt she should switch targets, but knowing this was the strongest one, she was determined to at least wound it further.


    Another arrow. This one hit the Wrath Demon''s chest. This time, the demons'' response was to begin racing towards them, though the Wrath Demon moved the slowest out of the three. The Lust Demon, who had wings, of course, after drawing closer, flew up into the sky. What the...?  Ash saw it with confusion in her eyes before she looked back at the Nightmares.


    Satsuhiro raised his hands. From his palms, streams of fire emerged, aimed at the demons in the distance. It wasn''t strong enough to truly hurt them, but it bought them some time.


    Ash had time to let one more arrow loose, however, the Wrath Demon ducked under it, dodging the attack. Finally, she switched to her sword form and narrowed her eyes. The greatsword-wielding Wrath Demon was the first to reach her. It raised its unbelievably large blade up and was about to bring it down on Ash, but the half-demon dodged out of the way. She took a few steps back and aimed her free hand at it.


    "Corruption spread, co- oh, shit!"


    She just barely managed to notice a spiked ball on a collision course with her body, dodging just in time. She searched for the source and found the Gluttony Demon holding a ball and chain type of flail, which retracted back to the handle as it missed. What the hell is that thing!?  She wondered as the Wrath Demon went to attack her again.


    Ash side-stepped, raising her own sword to take advantage of the opening that this moment created. Before she could though, something else interrupted her. The Lust Demon from above screeched out a few strange things that faintly resembled words, and then a spike of violet energy shot out from in front of its mouth, aimed at Ash.


    Once again, she was forced to move back, the Lust Demon''s attack forcing her to put distance between herself and the Wrath Demon. On that note, the battle momentarily halted as the Wrath Demon started to slowly approach her.


    Hm.  Ash looked up at the Lust Demon in the sky, down at the Gluttony Demon standing some distance away, and back at her main target.  I think I get it. Those two are pretty much just here to help out this fucker,  she thought.  The Lust Demon casts magic from the sky and the Gluttony Demon uses its flail to keep him from getting hit.


    "This is going to be annoying," she muttered.


    Just as she said that a dragon emerged from her left made of fire, striking the Gluttony Demon. It was a spell she''d seen before, one she knew to be one of Satsuhiro''s stronger magics. The Gluttony Demon, barely affected, turned to look at him.


    "I''ll keep this one on me," Satsuhiro said aloud. "Focus up, they''ve got a pretty good formation here!"


    "I noticed!" Ash responded as the Wrath Demon reached her.


    She ducked under a horizontal slash and before she could even think of lunging in for an attack of her own, the Lust Demon above sent another of those violet attacks at her.


    The projectile wasn''t even aimed at her, it was aimed at the space between them. Ash took a few steps back, frustrated. Once more, the Wrath Demon slowly moved up to her.


    There was only one positive that she''d been able to tell. Mainly, that she was certainly faster than the level 28 Wrath Demon Nightmare. However, especially when considering that it took two arrows from her like they were nothing, that meant two things. First, that it could probably end her life with one hit, and second, that Ash probably needed a far larger number of hits to kill it.


    Even with the Gluttony Demon distracted momentarily, with that Lust Demon in the sky, literally watching over the Wrath Demon, those hits would be hard to find.  Unless...


    She recalled her Barrier spell and wondered...


    I guess I''ll find out.


    The Wrath Demon drew closer, this time reaching up for an overhead attack. Ash sidestepped it, but the Wrath Demon wasn''t done. It spun with another attack that Ash just barely managed to avoid. She moved back, trying to wait out the Wrath Demon''s current barrage of swings until finally, she moved out of the way of a vertical slash that saw the Wrath Demon plant its sword into the dirt.


    Now!  She looked up at the Lust Demon and saw it already casting its spell. Ash did the same. She aimed a hand up and said:


    "Protect me from the evils of this world!" Above her, a white magical shield appeared.


    Level 13


    MP: 245/300


    It blocked the violet projectile that soon came, and Ash hunched over, gritting her teeth as she aimed her sword at the Wrath Demon. With the opening secured, nothing stopped her this time.


    She stabbed straight through the demon''s abdomen.


    And yet, it took the hit, standing upright even as though nothing had happened.  What...?  Violet blood came out of the demon, but it didn''t seem to react. Ash looked at her sword, covered in it.


    That''s just not fair. She thought.


    In response, the Lust Demon above sent a barrage of black spheres her way, forcing her to move back as she just barely dodged them.


    Beside her, Satsuhiro aimed several Fire spells at the Gluttony Demon and all of them hit, to very little effect. Then, Ash paled as the Gluttony Demon aimed its flail at him, smashing into Satsuhiro''s torso.


    Oh no.  Ash looked back at the Wrath Demon just in time to dodge out of the way of a swing, but instead of retaliating, she ran towards Satsuhiro. The Lust Demon above hadn''t expected this and sent its attack at the spot between Ash and the Wrath Demon as it had done previously, missing.


    As Ash reached Satsuhiro and found that although the flail hadn''t fully broken through his armor. The Lust Demon turned towards her and aimed more spells her way as Ash dragged Satsuhiro away from the enemies.


    "Protect me from the evils of this world!" Her barrier blocked all of the hits that would have come, and she quickly began healing him. The Gluttony Demon was out of range with its flail, and so, all three demons began drawing closer.


    MP: 220/300


    "That thing hits hard," Satsuhiro said, sitting up with some effort and then standing up fully. "Go ahead, I won''t get hit again."


    However, as the Gluttony Demon positioned itself behind the Wrath Demon, and the latter started walking towards them, a sizeable distance between them, Ash thought about it.


    There''s no way he stays safe in this fight. He''s just outmatched. Ash thought.  Even if I take two of them on at once, that Gluttony Demon lands one lucky shot on him and he''s done.


    So, Ash looked at the enemies and then looked back at him.


    "Stay back," she said.


    "What?" Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "If you stay in the fight, you''re only gonna get hurt. Come on, just do it." She gestured for him to go.


    "Ash, those are three Nightmares, do you..."


    "I fucking know, dude!" Ash responded, turning towards the Wrath Demon as it drew closer. "But the only way you don''t get hurt here is if I do this. Otherwise, you''re probably not gonna make it. Look," Ash reached over and grabbed one of his hands. The action surprised the Savior. "I''m only like, a minute or two away from my Demon Form. Once I hit that, I''ll probably be stronger than them. Trust me, I''ve got this."


    That last part, even to Ash''s own ears, sounded like she was trying to convince herself just as much as she was him. After all, even with the stats she''d gain from Demon Form, there would still be a vast gap between them. However, Satsuhiro looked into her eyes and nodded.


    "Alright. Go ahead." Satsuhiro started to move back, walking away from the fight. Ash nodded to herself.


    Okay... Now what?


    The Wrath Demon, who had reached her, answered that question for her. It raised a blade and lowered it. Ash moved out of the way, then she took a step back to avoid an incoming attack from the Gluttony Demon''s flail.


    Ash moved back, breathing heavily.


    And then, her sword was wrapped in flames, a dragon made of fire snaking around the blade.  What!?


    "It''s a concentration spell!" Satsuhiro called out, far away. Ash looked back and saw his hands pressed together, covered in fire as well. "I''m not just gonna sit here and do nothing, now go!"


    Ash turned back towards the Nightmares.


    Okay, I need to think of something, quick. I can feel myself getting a little tired. She realized.  That Lust Demon is so far up, I''m only gonna be able to hit it when it chooses to come down. The Wrath Demon and the Gluttony Demon are both slow as hell, but with the Lust Demon supporting them, I have to pick the perfect moments to go in. I can make another barrier before I go for a hit, but now I have to worry about that flail too. So, what can I...?


    Going through her repertoire of spells in her mind, she tried to find one that could be of help here.


    There was one that came to mind, but she worried about what would happen if she relied on it and was unsuccessful. After all, if these demon''s levels were considered too high, the spell wouldn''t do anything. However, if it did, it wouldn''t just give her space, it would leave her an opening to maybe even go for a killing blow.


    I have to try.  She thought.  Three versus one like this, the only way I''ll win is if I gamble.


    So, she began to mutter the incantation for it, in a low enough volume so that the demons wouldn''t see it coming.


    "Lumina, bring your light to this world, let it shine on my enemies." She spoke, reciting the incantation for Flash of Brilliance, the blinding spell she''d picked up from Takomaro.


    Level 13


    MP: 180/300


    Suddenly, from her free hand, a white light emerged. To Ash, it was subtle, like a white ember in her palm. To the demons though, it left them completely unable to see what was happening around them.


    Holy shit, it worked!  Ash realized. As the Lust Demon above tried to shake its head to regain vision, and the Gluttony Demon put a hand to its eyes, almost like it was trying to force away whatever was affecting them, Ash looked at her target.


    The Wrath Demon. She ran up, flaming sword in hand to try to plunge it into its body. And only when she was close enough did she realize that she had fucked up.


    As the spell did affect the Level 25 Gluttony Demon and Lust Demon but did not affect the Level 28 Wrath Demon. She had been too hasty to notice this.


    And, when Ash reached up with her sword, the Wrath Demon was already in the middle of an attack. It swung its blade at her horizontally, cutting halfway through her armor into her midsection, and launching her in the opposite direction.


    A stream of violet blood followed Ash as she flew through the air, landing some distance away. Her sword, still on fire, landed a few feet away, and Ash was face-up, gasping for air.


    She barely managed to internalize what had just happened. She looked down at herself and found her body half-severed. Her eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. Instinctively, she reached down with a hand to heal the wound.


    However, the Wrath Demon, seeing that its job wasn''t finished, began to walk towards her. Ash, speechless, looked back and forth between it and herself. And then, her strength left her, as she felt more blood slipping out of her body and onto the dirt beneath.


    Well... That sucked.  She thought. Fuck, why do my eyes feel so heavy all of a sudden?


    She shook her head.  No, focus. You need to... stand up.


    It was getting harder to see as well.


    A violet aura started to encapsulate her, as Ash saw the Wrath Demon getting closer. She shook her head, trying to sort of wake herself up. She tried to think of options, but every couple of seconds, her thoughts would be interrupted by,  holy shit, I''m dying.


    She raised a hand, and even then, just doing that required quite a bit of strength. She looked at it, finding claws on her fingers.  Wait, am I already in Demon Form?  She wondered.


    As her midsection ached, she gritted her teeth.  If that''s the case...


    "May our vigor never fade, find our spirits emboldened." She just barely managed to get the words out for the Lumina''s Spirit spell, trying to give herself some energy to work with.


    Level 13


    MP: 165/300


    The Wrath Demon was just a few steps away.


    Ash noticed Satsuhiro throwing Fire magic at the Wrath Demon, but it didn''t react. The blinding spell was beginning to fade from the others.


    Ash found the heavy feeling on her body had left.  Okay, one down. Now...


    She cast the basic healing spell on her body.


    And, with her Demon Form on, and the increased Int from Niven''s Blessing, she felt it work almost immediately. It didn''t heal her back to fresh form, but she wasn''t exactly dying, at least.


    So, when the Wrath Demon came and lifted its sword to deliver a final blow, Ash was able to roll out of the way.


    Oh, fuck that hurt.  She lamented as her body screamed.  Come on, come on...


    The healing spell went on for a few more seconds and finally, it was done. She looked down at herself, and though her armor was still broken, her body had been repaired.


    "Okay... Now..." She glared at the Wrath Demon in front of her. "Let''s see how you deal with this.  Corruption spread, corruption launch!"  She cast her Dark spell at it.


    Ash didn''t even care about her mana at this point.


    The spell connected with the Wrath Demon and it barely flinched. Ash nodded. Then, she looked up at the Lust Demon above.


    Okay, but what about your friend?


    And so, aiming a hand at it, she said:


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    The Lust Demon clearly hadn''t expected a spell aimed at it. The Dark attack connected with its body, and it let out a screech so shrill that Ash nearly covered her ears. With that, the Lust Demon fell all the way to the ground, landing with a thud.


    Ash''s eyes widened as she saw the Gluttony Demon winding up an attack.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    Feeling rage bubbling up inside of her, she aimed another spell at the Gluttony Demon. The attack hit it, and a deep moan came out of the creature, as it took a step back. Ash smirked.


    Finally, she realized what she''d been doing wrong. She picked up her sword and thought:


    You might be able to take a hit, but your friends can''t.


    And so, she ran right past the Wrath Demon. She heard its boots thudding against the ground, meaning that it was running after her, but speed was a category where Ash absolutely had the advantage. So, she reached the Lust Demon first. The creature was squirming on the ground, holding its chest like it was trying to heal its heart. Ash reached it and raised her sword, pushing it down straight on the Lust Demon''s head.


    It split in two, and the demon''s movements stopped.


    Ash saw an EXP message appear above her, as the demon died.


    YES!  With bloodlust running through her, Ash cheered for herself and quickly turned towards the Gluttony Demon. It was almost standing up again. She raced towards it.


    The Gluttony Demon started winding up an attack and Ash, remembering that the Barrier spell also blocked against physical objects, though it was mostly used against spells, quickly said:


    "Protect me from the evils of this world!"  And, instead of the white shield that had emerged before, a full-on magical white wall appeared between her and the Gluttony Demon. Its flail bounced harmlessly off of it, and Ash closed the gap, letting her barrier fade.


    When she reached the demon, she tossed her sword aside, preferring to use her claws. Leaping up into the air, the Gluttony Demon''s eyes followed her as she soared above it, landing on top of its body. With her feet on its shoulders, she wrapped her legs around its head and pulled back a clawed hand.


    Then, with a thrust, she stabbed right through its head with it. Another EXP message and the demon fell, making the ground shake as Ash rolled off of it.


    Oh, fuck,  Ash giggled,  this feels so good.


    She and the Wrath Demon locked eyes.


    "No more friends," she muttered. "Just you and me, dipshit!"


    The Wrath Demon raised its sword and placed it on its shoulders as it started walking towards her.


    Ash didn''t strategize, Ash didn''t take any time to come up with something smart to do. With the mixture of bloodlust, and Dark magic flowing through her body, she simply started running up to it, eager to tear into its flesh.


    The Wrath Demon raised its sword and swung it at Ash, horizontally. It reached her left shoulder and, as before, launched her away, nearly severing it as it cut through her armor.


    AGH! You piece of...


    "Guard my soul against the Dark''s reach," Ash muttered, healing her arm, and the wound closed within ten seconds.


    Again, she charged forwards. Again, the Wrath Demon went to swing at her, but Ash dodged this time, reaching up with a clawed hand aimed at its head. However, the Wrath Demon kicked her back.


    She coughed up violet blood and scowled.


    "You really don''t like fun, do you?" She asked, as she muttered the same healing spell afterward and put a hand to her body. "I mean, all I want to do is tear to fucking shreds. Is that too much to ask for?"


    Once more, the Wrath Demon slowly started to approach her. Ash raised her hands as she finished healing. However, then she thought of something. There were many ways she could hurt this enemy, and she hadn''t actually tried one yet.


    And right now, above all else, she wanted to see what it was like. She was trying to imagine the taste as she thought of it, her mouth salivating as she felt her fangs with her tongue.


    It''s probably delicious...  She thought as she looked at its neck, where the arrow still was.  Like the best honey... All I need is one opening.


    And so, as it drew closer, she made up her mind. She waited for it to bring its sword up and when it did, she pounced.


    First, she went for its legs, her newfound predatory instincts telling her to disable her enemy first. She ran up behind her and slashed behind its knees and at its Achilles tendon.


    The Wrath Demon fell to its knees, not letting its sword drop, and Ash grinned. She could already taste it, but the enemy was still dangerous, even like this. So, she then focused on its arms. Slashing its wrist, she forced it to drop its sword, and only then did she look at its neck.


    And, with her fangs, she bit down on it and ripped the meat off.


    Sinking her teeth into the soft flesh underneath, she felt more pleasure flood her system than any kiss with Keiko or Kaori had ever produced.


    She bit down on its neck and drank the violet blood that spurted out, turning the creature over and then doing the same at its chest. Piece by piece, bit by bit, she enjoyed what felt like a glorious feast, swallowing meat and blood alike. She didn''t even notice that the creature had stopped moving a while ago.


    She ate as much of it as she could, savoring the feeling until finally, someone said:


    "Ash?"


    She snapped her head in the voice''s direction.


    An enemy!?  She wondered, but then, as she saw Satsuhiro standing there, looking absolutely disgusted, she remembered a few things.


    Who she was, where she was, and as she looked down, what she was currently doing. The instant that happened, the instant she saw the Nightmare had died already, her Demon Form faded. Ash''s claws and fangs disappeared.


    She reached up and touched her lips, feeling blood streaming down all the way to her chest.


    And then, she promptly puked out everything she''d just eaten.


    ---


    Several minutes later, Ash was hugging herself, feeling cold, as Satsuhiro inspected the pyramids.


    "So... It might be as simple as just breaking it apart, let me..." Satsuhiro stated. However, as he drew closer, Ash saw violet energy reach his body and, before she could even say anything, he stepped back. "Hm. Well, that''s happening. Every bone in my body is telling me not to go near these things."


    Ash breathed, standing far back, her eyes low. Satsuhiro said nothing about what he''d just seen, and right now nothing but shame was on Ash''s mind.


    "Demonic energy doesn''t affect you, right?" Satsuhiro looked back and asked her. "Try it out, if anything happens, you shouldn''t get hurt."


    Ash silently nodded.


    With trembling hands, she reached for her sword and walked up. Not a word passed through her thoughts as she stabbed the pyramid-like object.


    Her sword destroyed it and a burst of demonic energy came out, but of course, it did nothing to her.


    "Okay... Take out the others." Satsuhiro instructed and again, Ash wordlessly agreed. "If we cease to exist then, well, it''s whatever, but hopefully we don''t."


    Ash was firmly hoping they would.


    She broke the other two objects and soon, the very realm around them began to dissipate. Whatever happened, it would happen soon. However, before it did, a voice passed through her mind.


    She knew it by this point to be that of Niven.


    "Abomination. But... More demon than human." It simply said and at that, Ash''s heart went cold.


    After a moment, she closed her eyes, opened them again, and when she did, she saw that the violet sky had disappeared. She and Satsuhiro were back in the forest they''d encountered the portal at.


    "So... We''re still alive," Satsuhiro stated, with his back turned to her.


    Ash barely heard him. She shook her head.


    Tell me something I don''t know,  she responded in her mind.


    Not to Satsuhiro, but to Niven.

 Chapter 67 - Vol. 2 - 32

    Kaori


    "... What do you mean?"


    "Uh, well, it''s kind of a long story," Kaori started to pace back and forth awkwardly as Kasumi crossed her arms in front of her. She was trying to find the right way to say this without dropping too much on the crimson-haired woman at once. "Okay, so, you know how gods exist and stuff? Well, sometimes they talk to people. And one of them talked to me, and it looks like another is talked to you."


    She finished that statement off with a comforting smile, of course.


    Kasumi blinked.


    "Okay, uhm, let me explain a little more," Kaori waved her right hand and the stump on her left arm back and forth. "So, uh, a bit of time ago, I went through some stuff, and Lumina visited me in a dream. Like, actually," Kaori said, trying to sound convincing. "She kinda comforted me, you know? It was, anyway, moving on, so, like, before the fight in Pearl, I saw her again and she gave me these abilities that let me do stuff, and they kinda helped a little in the fight at Pearl. Um, so, what I''m trying to say is that gods can sometimes talk to people they have a strong connection with, and it looks like Alkoth talked to you. And, since he told you to go somewhere, uh, you should probably go there. Yeah, that''s about it."


    As she finished, Kasumi blinked again.


    "... Let me get this straight," Kasumi started, "you''re saying a god visited me in my sleep because he wants me to head to a random place for unknown reasons?"


    "Yeah, I mean, obviously, not for anything bad, of course."


    "Hm. Well then, that''s interesting."


    That was it. That was Kasumi''s response. As the sun started to appear over the horizon and Mizaki woke up with a yawn near them, Kasumi went back to where she had been laying and sat down.


    ... Is that it?  Kaori thought. Wow. I''m better at convincing people that gods talked to them than I thought I''d be.


    With a smile, Kaori sat down as well, waiting for Akiven to wake up so that they could all get started.


    ---


    At midday, the group continued looking for creatures to hunt. Kaori, for once, was in a particularly good mood. She hummed a little song as the Saviors around her each took turns farming the creatures they encountered. Occasionally, one of them would let her claim a kill to share EXP, which helped her keep progressing as well.


    She was in such a good mood in fact, that she wasn''t even looking at her missing left hand as much as she usually did. As Mizaki slammed a random orc in front of her with her hammer, Kaori cheered her on, a smile naturally finding its way onto her face.


    She figured Kasumi would be in a similar state, given their conversation, but as Kaori glanced at her, she saw that the older woman was instead, more depressed than Kaori had ever seen her in the short time they''d known each other.


    What?  Kaori thought.  But the talk we had went so well...


    Curious, Kaori walked up to her as Akiven and Mizaki argued about something in the background.


    "Uh, what''s wrong?" Kaori asked.


    Kasumi side-eyed her, and then looked away, without answering the question.


    Hm. Maybe she didn''t hear me.


    Kaori got closer.


    "Ahem," she cleared her throat, "what''s wrong?"


    Kasumi scowled.


    She then gestured for Kaori to come with her as they walked a few steps away from the others.


    Then, Kasumi simply said:


    "I''m not going."


    "Huh?" Kaori asked.


    "I''m. Not. Going," she replied.


    As she slowly made that statement, Kaori began to understand what she was trying to get across.


    "Y-You mean... Alkoth...?" Kaori looked at her with disbelief.


    "Mhm. I''m good, let him know he should find someone else."


    "K-Kasumi, he''s a god, I don''t think that''s how this... I mean, what, why?" Kaori gawked at her, baffled.


    "I can think of better things to do with my time than worry about the concerns of some irrelevant spirit in the sky," Kasumi replied. "Besides, it didn''t seem like it was too hard for that thing to visit my dreams. Surely, it can do the same with someone else."


    Kasumi said this so easily that Kaori was taken aback.


    "But, Kasumi, the next big attack could literally happen at any moment, we don''t have time for that!"


    "In that case, he should probably get to work, huh?" Kasumi responded.


    "Are you serious?" Kaori began to grow frustrated. "What is wrong with you!? We''re talking about the world right now, you''re seriously just gonna sit this one out?"


    Kasumi heard her and narrowed her eyes at Kaori.


    Then, she took a few steps closer to her and put her hands on her hips. Kaori reflexively took a step back and Kasumi took another step forwards.


    "And why," she said with a low, borderline threatening tone, "should I go out of my way to help a god that simply sat around and watched my daughter be taken from me? No. I don''t think I will," Kasumi''s eyes locked so intensely with Kaori''s own that it nearly burned to look at her. "Admittedly, if it weren''t for the fact that the Royal Council would hound me every day to get me to help, I wouldn''t even be here at this very moment. Maybe these gods should go ahead and pick someone who actually cares."


    ...


    Kaori didn''t respond to that. Instead, her anger turned into sadness as she watched Kasumi turn her back and walk away.


    Well, this sucks.  Kaori thought as she picked her bag up to keep going.  Maybe I can get through to her though...


    ---


    A few hours later, once more, the group was back out, finishing up and finding enemies to hunt. They found some decent-level goblins, around level 22, and Akiven took one down, allowing Kaori to come in and claim the kill.


    "Ah, this whole thing has been productive," he happily wiped some goblin blood off of his swords as Kaori checked how much EXP she''d gotten.


    By now, she had reached level 17, thanks to the help of the other Saviors. However, she decided not to allocate her points yet, leaving 6 points stored up.


    The reason was simple. Because she was now missing a hand and she couldn''t exactly fight the same way she had before. She had no second hand with which to throw spells out or use a shield, or a bow. So, she opted to take some time to decide what she wanted to do later, leaving her current stats looking like this:


    Level 17


    MP: 60/60


    ---


    Attribute Points: 6


    STR: 15


    DEX: 15


    CON: 11


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    ---


    EXP: 0/200


    Mizaki had gone up two levels, reaching level 29, mostly because she had killed the highest number of monsters out of all of them so far, and Kasumi went up one level, reaching 26.


    Akiven though, hadn''t gone up a single level since they''d come out here. He was level 39 when they arrived, and he was still level 39 now.


    Come to think of it,  Kaori thought. With the monsters being half his level isn''t he kind of wasting his time here?


    Akiven caught her looking in his direction and wriggled his brows at her. Kaori looked away instantly.


    "This has been fun and all," he turned towards the group and said, "but we should probably head back soon. Don''t get me wrong, I for one, absolutely love seeing attractive sweaty women with nice racks working out by beating up goblins, but," he shrugged, "if anything happens with the demons, we''ll probably want to be in our homes when it does."


    "Yeah," Mizaki turned to Kasumi and Kaori. "We can come back tomorrow or something and keep going. What do you say?"


    "Sure," Kasumi said.


    "Uh, I guess," Kaori replied. "As long as we come back."


    If we don''t, well, I don''t think going from level 14 to 17 will make that big a difference when it comes to the demons.


    "Alright, everyone, to Jade!" Mizaki announced cheerfully and began marching back in the direction of the capital.


    ---


    Keiko


    "Now!" Haruna yelled as she parried a blow from the creature that left it defenseless. Keiko nodded to herself and quickly stepped in, thrusting her katana into the creature''s midsection.


    EXP Gained: 50


    EXP: 180/180


    Level Up!


    And with that, Keiko reached level 16, pouring most of her points into her Dexterity. She genuinely feared how long it would take to increase her Dexterity on her own, by training, now that it was so high, but she figured she had to do it. The world needed her strength now.  It couldn''t wait until she trained it up and put her points in afterward.


    Level 16


    MP: 100/100


    ---


    STR: 21


    DEX: 30


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    The reason this sudden boost in strength was possible was, of course, because the creature was of a higher level than her own. It meant that not only did she get 50% more EXP from the Training Mode, but she also got more from killing a creature that was stronger than her, even with the reduction from shared EXP.


    Haruna collapsed to her knees. Keiko was at her side quickly.


    "No, I''m alright," she assured her. "It''s just... It''s taken a lot out of me."


    "Wait," Keiko looked at her abdomen and found a wound. "You''re injured."


    "Ah, yes," Haruna nodded. "One of those wind blasts caught me off-guard. My mistake. It''s a small cut, it''ll heal in a minute."


    And so, using the basic Heal spell, that was almost universal, Haruna crawled over to the wall behind her and placed her back against it.


    "Do you need anything?" Keiko asked.


    "No, no. Let''s just take a break, for a second."


    This, however, was why Keiko felt her shame increasing with every level she gained. She was putting in barely any effort at all, while Haruna was not only doing the work to kill the monster, she was virtually the only one putting herself in harm''s way.


    "I''ll..." Keiko suddenly said, looking away. "I''ll go get some food. Berries."


    "Hm? We still have plenty." Haruna stated and Keiko nodded.


    "R-Right..."


    "But," Haruna sighed. "If you feel like walking a little, that''s fine. I have to come with you though," she said, making an effort to stand up. Keiko helped her to her feet. "There are many dangerous creatures near this place."


    Together, the two of them went into the neighboring woods, moving through bamboo trees and treading on dirt as Keiko remained in a pensive state.


    "You know," Haruna said, "I never asked but... Have you made any friends? Since leaving the Compound, I mean."


    "Yes," Keiko found a smile naturally forming on her face as she thought of Ash and Kaori. "I have."


    "Hm, I''m glad. You..." Haruna shook her head lightly. "You were always so, what''s the word... Secretive, when you were at home."


    I think the word you''re looking for is "lonely", Haruna.  Keiko said in her mind.


    "So, what do you and your friends do?" Haruna asked.


    "U-Uh, what?" Keiko hadn''t expected the question.


    "Well, I''ve been on the road, I know sometimes people do some interesting things to pass the time, what do you do?" Haruna asked.


    "I-I, uhm..." Keiko blushed.


    Mainly, because she remembered that between all of the training and the fighting... They pretty much just talked and made out occasionally.


    "N-Nothing..."


    Haruna''s brows shot up as a surprised smile came to her.


    "Wow. I hadn''t expected you to have that kind of awakening," Haruna said. "So, which is it? Sex, alcohol, drugs, all of the above?"


    "S-SIYA!" Keiko turned away.


    Haruna laughed loudly before she walked in front of Keiko and stopped her. Keiko looked up, finding a nostalgic, kind expression as Haruna placed a hand on top of Keiko''s head.


    "I''m glad you''re having fun," Haruna said. She sighed. "I know we''re not too close, but... It means a lot to me. Gods know, I''ve worried about you a lot over the years."


    "... What?" Keiko asked.


    "Oh, yeah." Haruna patted her head a few times. "Those times I''d walk up to the training room only to find you drenched in sweat, practicing because you couldn''t do anything else. When I''d see you outside, sitting out covered in moonlight. I... well, I''m just glad you''re finding your way."


    Keiko looked down. She would never have guessed that anyone, really, had actually cared about her like this. She had convinced herself of the exact opposite.


    She hadn''t realized she''d had this person in her life like this until now.


    "Anyway, come on," Haruna looked around and found a few berries, plucking them and placing them in Keiko''s hands. "Let''s keep bullying that thing some more. With your training, you might just be ready to fight it on your own."


    Hearing that, Keiko looked down at the ground.


    Okay. I won''t keep holding anyone back. Time to show what I can do.

 Chapter 68 - Vol. 2 - 33

    Ash


    Ash kept her head low as she trailed behind Satsuhiro.


    She''d leveled up four times off of these fights with the Nightmares but didn''t allocate her points, leaving her like this.


    Level 17


    MP: 80/80


    ---


    Attribute Points: 8


    STR: 12


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 8


    L: 100


    The older Savior hadn''t said a word as they walked away from where the portal had been. They''d both been in silence for the past half hour. There was something particularly bothersome about this transformation she''d gone through. That was, that she had nothing to take her mind off of it.


    As she followed the other Savior, what she''d become during the end of that fight was all she could think of. She wasn''t sure if she was sad, scared, or pissed off. All she knew was that it bothered her for some reason. She just couldn''t pinpoint why.


    "Hey," Satsuhiro finally said, after so long without speaking. "We''ll be heading to see the Royal Council first. Then, we''ll go back home."


    "Hm." Ash nodded.


    "And..." He started, but then he sighed and turned away. "Never mind."


    It took a few hours before they reached Jade. On the way, Ash saw more of Pearl''s former citizens being led out of the city through the roads. As she and Satsuhiro drew closer to them, their eyes fell on her and she saw several people gasp, the soldiers instinctively reaching for their weapons before continuing on their way after the shock passed.


    I wonder how bad I look.  Ash thought. She could smell the demonic blood evaporating off of her under the sun''s heat, the same liquid dripping off of her armor and falling onto the dirt with every step. Her damp hair clung to her skin and even her horns had some blood running down them.


    Gross.  She shook her head.


    The guards by the northern gate grimaced just as hard as the others had when they saw her. Unlike them though, these guys spoke up.


    "Need assistance?" One asked.


    "Could you call a carriage to take us to the Palace?" Satsuhiro requested.


    "Aye."


    Then, he gestured towards a few crates nearby and both Saviors sat on them, waiting for their transportation to come.


    A few citizens gave Ash dirty looks.


    "Look at ''er," one old man said to a friend, "a demon right ''ere on our doorstep an'' we ain''t doing nothin'' bout it."


    "The demon Savior, right?" Another middle-aged woman asked someone. "Disgusting. Magia''s cursing us. She has to be."


    Ash heard them because, of course she did. They didn''t exactly care to be subtle.


    Satsuhiro remained hunched over, his eyes on his hands. Ash kept her back pressed against a stone wall, looking up at the sky.


    Eventually, their carriage arrived and the two were taken to the heart of the city.


    ---


    Ash was given multiple opportunities to wash herself off. She rejected every single one. At a point, it started to seem to her like they were pressing her to do so, and still, she turned them down.


    You sent me to go fight, she thought.  The least you can do is see what it''s like.


    With disturbed looks from the palace guards aimed their way, the pair were led to the Council''s meeting room. Here, Talo was speaking with a few individuals, some of which she expected to see, others she hadn''t.


    Mainly, some officers and to the right of the room, a priest.


    His face looked familiar to Ash. Maybe she''d seen him during her few visits to the church. He glared at her as she arrived, curling his lips with disgust as his eyes landed on the dried blood on her, forming a violet path from her lips to her chest.


    They each left the room as soon as the two Saviors arrived, thanks to a quick gesture from Talo.


    "Ah, so, our dear friends," they said. "How did your time go?"


    If they cared at all about Ash''s current appearance, they were doing a good job of hiding it.


    "It was a success, but with a caveat," Satsuhiro said. "The portals are being held up by small pyramid-like objects. Objects which can be destroyed. However, they are protected by demonic energy."


    "The same magic Nightmares use to turn people into demons," Ash clarified silently. She remembered the feeling quite well from both, the visit to the portal and from when she fought the Nightmare during Kaori''s trial.


    "Unfortunately," Satsuhiro continued, "that means we know the portals can be taken down, but..."


    "... But possibly not by anyone other than Ash?" Talo asked.


    "Yes. That might be the case."


    "You didn''t make sure?"


    "I refused to get close to them," Satsuhiro said. "I could feel the objects'' energy on me, even as I stood a fair distance away. There was no telling what would happen if I got too close."


    "Hm. A bit on the safe side, but we understand. Losing a Savior like that would be unfortunate," Talo stated. "Very well. Though this news isn''t quite as positive as we had hoped, hearing that we can, in fact, close the portals is a victory. Ah, we have a surprise for you."


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow as Talo walked up to her.


    "We recognize how dangerous this mission was. So, compensation must fit the task. Here, congratulations."


    Talo took Ash''s hands and dropped a couple of coins in her palms. He gave a few to Satsuhiro as well. Ash looked down.


    Three white crowns. Enough to buy food and drink for a couple of months, a new wardrobe, equipment, etc. Three times the coin that Varcon had given her, what felt like such a long time ago.


    And Ash couldn''t care less.


    "Thanks..." She muttered.


    "Now, an update," Talo said, putting their hands behind their back. "A few other portals have opened up."


    "What?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Again, all in random locations," Talo further explained. "One between Amber and Onyx, a few northwest, between Pearl and Sapphire, and a few small ones surrounding the city."


    Satsuhiro looked down, his hand on his chin.


    "There are no supply routes, no camps, no forts they could be targeting?"


    "No," Talo shook their head. "You can see why this is troubling for us. Clearly, things are being moved into position for something, but... what, exactly? On another, more positive side, though, we have contacted the other Saviors. Each one has been notified of the current state of this war."


    "Can we expect them to come meet us here?"


    "Maybe, it depends on them. As you know, the higher-level Saviors are... Fairly independent."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Then, I guess that''s it then."


    "For now, yes. Though, if any portals open too close to any of the cities, we will be looking for your assistance again. Especially, given what was learned." Talo glanced at Ash.


    "Right," Satsuhiro said and stood up.


    With that, they were good to return home.


    Outside the palace, Satsuhiro and Ash stood around for a moment.


    "Doesn''t look like we''ll be resting for too long. Such is the life of a Savior, I guess."


    Hearing that, the full weight of the last couple of weeks struck Ash. In truth, not much time had happened between the Battle of Pearl and this mission. Ash barely got any time to stretch her legs in the city upon returning to it. She needed to let loose.


    "... Can I take a day or two off?" She looked aside at Satsuhiro and asked.


    "That''s your choice," Satsuhiro shrugged. "I''m your teacher, not your boss."


    Ash nodded.


    "Then, yeah, I''m gonna take some time off."


    "Understood."


    ---


    They returned to the Savior House after that, finding it almost empty, save for two people, Metsumi and Opah. Opah was reading a children''s book on the couch while Metsumi was going over some papers in the living room.


    Ash waited for her to see them. A part of her wanted to look away, so as to avoid seeing her grossed-out expression. Another part of her was curious. And, as they walked in, she turned to look at them, grinning.


    "Welcome back!" She stood up and walked over to the two, wrapping them both in strong hugs.


    Ash eyed her strangely.


    "You''re alright? Nothing broken?" She checked Ash''s arms then, for any injuries.


    "I''m fine," Ash replied.


    "Good, good. Go take a shower then. You smell like shit," she said with a smile.


    Ash blinked. Then, as Metsumi walked away, she chuckled.


    "Gotcha."


    A few minutes later, Ash sat in a wooden bathtub, the blood washing off of her skin as she looked up at the ceiling. She raised her hand and looked at it, imagining the claws that would usually come out when she went into her Demon Form.


    More demon than human, huh?  Ash thought.  Yeah. All my life I''ve been told that. I guess now... Well, now I know for sure that it''s true.  Hopefully,  she closed her eyes.  Kaori and Keiko won''t see me go that far.


    After that, she was drying herself off with a towel as she heard a knock at the front door of the house, followed by Metsumi''s excited voice once again ringing out.  Hm?  She got dressed in an oversized white shirt and shorts, once again, borrowing some of Metsumi''s clothes, and walked out into the hall.


    In the living room, Kaori, Mizaki, Akiven, and Kasumi were all there.


    "Thanks, Metsumi, we''re soooo hungry!" Kaori said.


    "No problem, everyone, sit down, sit down, I''ll whip something up for you."


    Ash wasn''t prepared.


    She''d forgotten about something very important about her transformations. Her Lust. Thanks to the last fight, it was at 3/4.


    That meant that when her eyes fell on Kaori''s figure, some dirt on her cheeks, her bright grin as she laughed at something Mizaki said, the way her Savior''s Amor was almost painted onto her body the way it hugged her silhouette, she felt her heart begin to beat much faster than it was.


    A raw desire took control of her, so strong that she began to make a beeline towards the woman. Kaori saw her and a kind smile reached the corners of her lips.


    "Ash, how''d it go?"


    The half-demon didn''t respond. Instead, as everyone''s eyes fell on her, she walked right up to Kaori.


    The blonde Savior was sitting down. Ash put a knee between her legs and leaned down, so that their heads were level. Then, she took Kaori''s lips with her own, so much force behind her kiss that she pushed Kaori against the back of her chair.


    "Uh..." Ash heard Mizaki say. She didn''t care.


    For a few seconds, their lips danced until Kaori pushed her back.


    "A-Ash!" She whisper-yelled. "T-T-This isn''t the time..."


    Ash blinked, remembering where she was.


    She looked around, seeing Mizaki blushing and Satsuhiro with his eyes closed as he drank something out of a ceramic cup. Kasumi had a brow raised at them, surprised.


    Akiven grinned.


    "Well, shit. Don''t stop now, I was only just getting into it!" He said, earning a smack behind the head from Mizaki.


    Ash curled her hands into fists and spun, walking out of the room.


    Fuck.  She thought.  Fuck, fuck. Shit, I...  Between her legs, a fire had appeared so suddenly, one that Ash wasn''t prepared to put out. She basically ran to her room, closing the door behind her and reaching under her shorts.


    Falling to her knees, she took a few deep breaths as a small amount of relief spread throughout her body.


    However, as she fantasized now about the blonde woman replacing the hand on her pussy with her tongue, a few different thoughts began to circulate in her mind. She wondered what it would be like if she were actually on the demon''s side.


    She remembered what she''d become when she and Kaori had their moment back at the farm.  A part of her pictured herself in that form, flying over Jade and helping demonic forces wipe out the ungrateful citizens. Of course, she''d never act on such fantasies, even now with her thoughts flooded by these desires, but she couldn''t deny that they were there.


    She also remembered what she''d felt at that moment, with Kaori.


    She''d felt at home. She''d felt better than ever.


    A violet aura, so subtle no one else would probably notice it but her covered her skin. Was this always here? Ash giggled. The small chuckle bubbling into a louder laugh as she imagined herself with the wings, the horns, and the tail that had come from the form before.


    More demon than human, huh? Ash grinned as she got to work, pushing and pulling, in and out of herself.


    Any other serious thoughts were drowned out by the feeling that built up inside of her and emerged in the form of an orgasm as she kept her back pressed to the wooden door. The last image she saw before it was that of her own demonic form.

 Chapter 69 - Vol. 2 - 34

    Keiko


    Finally, after a few more fights that led to Keiko reaching level 19, Haruna decided that she was ready.


    Level 19


    MP: 100/100


    ---


    STR: 24


    DEX: 33


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    Keiko didn''t know if that was true, but she was desperate to find out.


    "Whenever you''re ready," Haruna said, sitting next to her. In her lap, Keiko had her sword, looking down at it as though it would give her strategies to use.


    "Any tips?" Keiko asked.


    "Hm... The creature seems to be fond of slow, but powerful strikes. In moments like these, you can dodge or go for a parry, but be wary if you try the latter. It hits far harder than you might think. Aside from that, remember your fundamentals and make sure you dodge those wind blast techniques." Haruna said. "Although they can be blocked with a blade, like regular attacks, the force behind them could leave you open for other attacks. Better not to take any chances."


    Keiko nodded and tried to go over the different expert-level techniques she''d learned before she was sent to help Ash. However, admittedly, some of these had faded into the recesses of her memories given how little she practiced them nowadays.


    Especially when taking into account Keiko''s own personal philosophy, that fundamentals would always be more important than anything flashy. Although in the face of these magical attacks Haruna and the creature were trading, such an outlook was slightly harder to maintain.


    Still, Keiko stood up and took a deep breath.


    "Well, no sense in delaying things further. I''m ready."


    "Very well then, good luck. Anything happens, I''ll be right behind you."


    So, Keiko walked into the first floor of the building. The armor was laying there, its pieces scattered after the result of the last fight with Haruna. Suddenly, the air felt so much colder. Her hands were hard to keep steady.


    Begin?


    [Yes] [No]


    As Keiko stared at the words above, she imagined a couple of voices speaking to her at this moment.


    Go ahead,  Ash''s voice said.  I don''t really give a shit if you fuck this up. It''s fine.


    You''ve got this! She smiled, thinking Kaori would say something like this if she were here.  Beat him up!


    Keiko shook her head, laughing lowly. Then, she looked back up at those two words and nodded.


    Yes.


    And with that, the scattered pieces of armor began putting themselves back together. Keiko narrowed her eyes, focusing. She placed her sword between them and watched as the ghostly warrior''s figure was slowly built, from his feet to his torso, to his head. Its sword, a far longer version of her own, made Keiko think for a moment.


    His reach surpasses mine,  she thought. That means that the only way I''ll reach him is by putting myself in harm''s way, lunging into him. However, like Haruna said, although he probably has a size and strength advantage, I should be faster. Ultimately,  there''s no way to approach this fight safely given the matchup. But, I can do this. I just need to find the right time to strike.


    With her strategizing concluding, Keiko saw that the Zayama Warrior was just about fully resurrected.


    It took its blade and held it out, pointing its tip at Keiko.


    And, with a long-range swing, Keiko saw slashes in the air being sent her way. She ducked under them and ran forwards. The Zayama Warrior was quick to react to her closing the distance, hopping backward to put more distance between them.


    Ah.  Keiko thought as she realized what it was doing.  I''m not sure what its capabilities are in terms of strategizing, but it clearly knows what I want to do. I''ll need to be faster, then.


    The Zayama Warrior then slashed the air three times, sending three waves towards Keiko. She sidestepped, dodging all three with that move, and then sprinted. The Zayama Warrior turned around as Keiko chased after it, this time running up the wooden wall, leaping off of it, and landing behind Keiko.


    I was too slow, I could have cut it as it landed!  Keiko scolded herself as the creature raised his blade and stabbed forwards with it. Keiko deflected the attack, moving the enemy''s blade to the right and sliding her own sword up to reach its handle. However, before she could get an attack off, the creature hopped back, once again keeping some meters between them.


    For a moment, the action paused.


    Keiko stared at it, taking a few slow breaths.


    It was only then that she realized her arms were shaking.  It''s so strong.  She thought.  Our blades only locked a handful of times, and it''s had this effect on me already. I... I feel like my arms might break.


    The Zayama Warrior then casually aimed its blade at her again, waiting for her to move.


    It knows that the pressure is on me to close the gap and slash through it.  Keiko understood.  It doesn''t have to move unless prompted to. It can remain in the same place for as long as it wants, and secure its victory that way.


    Keiko separated her feet, putting them at shoulder length as she gritted her teeth.  I need to be faster then. I need to push myself. But... Not just with my own speed this time, with the Spirit Eye.


    "Iridos!"


    As she spoke the incantation, suddenly, she saw two wind slashes aimed at her head. The Zayama Warrior then carried out both slashes and Keiko ducked under them.


    With a battle cry, she ran forwards.


    More wind slashes followed, but dodging them became easier now thanks to her ability. Just as she reached the Zayama Warrior though, it raised its blade up. Keiko tried to impale it, but when her Spirit Eye showed her the future, it showed Keiko''s own body, with a sword in her neck.


    What?


    And then, the creature lowered its blade onto her with a vertical slash so quick, Keiko nearly couldn''t block it. She managed to raise her own blade just a millisecond before the attack would have reached the spot it had in the vision, and Keiko was pushed to one knee as she collapsed under the force.


    They remained like this with their blades locked until Keiko activated her Spirit Eye again. This time, she saw a slash from the creature decapitating her. As her vision ended, the Zayama Warrior went for a horizontal slash, and Keiko fell back rolling out of the way.


    Standing up as quickly as she could, she breathed heavily.


    What was that!?  She wondered.  The visions... they...  And then, she understood.  Oh. The visions take place 2 seconds into the future, but some of these attacks are so fast, they would kill me in under that amount of time. So, what comes up in the vision is me, dying.  She breathed heavily and the Zayama Warrior casually got back in a fighting stance.


    Terrifying.  She thought.  But it''s a reminder of why I need to push myself. Remember, Keiko. The fundamentals... Just, remember the...


    She tried to remember what she''d been taught, but instead, what came up in her mind were the lessons she''d given to Ash, what felt like ages ago.


    It was after Ash''s fight with the goblin, the result of which could have been devastating. She remembered the shame she''d felt as she tried to teach the half-demon after that, vowing she wouldn''t be so careless. She hadn''t liked the fact that they''d made her a half-demon''s teacher, but she would do the best job that she could.


    "Parries, blocks, deflections. Each has a time and a place." She had let Ash know. "Knowing when to use them is what separates the experts from the amateurs."


    Now, in the present time, Keiko calmed her nerves down, tightening her grip on her sword.


    She saw Haruna standing behind the creature, her arms crossed as she watched Keiko.


    Momentum blocking, stopping his force entirely using my own strength, won''t do anything good for me here, Keiko thought. This thing is far too strong for that. My arms will eventually break, maybe not even eventually, maybe soon, and I''ll end up with a sword in my chest. Deflecting and parrying are my only options, though, if I''m off in terms of my angles by even a little bit, it''ll mean my death.


    Keiko got ready.


    But that won''t happen. It can''t. I''ve trained way too hard for that!


    "AAH!"


    And then, Keiko charged.


    Wind slashes erupted from her opponent''s sword, and this time, Keiko was running far too quickly to dodge. So, she swung her blade at them. The slashes bounced off her weapon, flying into the wooden walls around them and sending splinters into the air. She had her eyes fixed on the enemy''s weak points, knowing she needed just one opening to end this fight.


    She activated her Spirit Eye, and what she saw was the creature, two feet back from where it stood, launching another wind slash.


    Then, the Zayama Warrior stepped back and prepared to do that. Keiko closed the gap before it could finish and went for a horizontal slash at its waist. Activating her Spirit Eye, she saw herself, armless, her opponent having cut her limbs off.


    How...? Wait, it''s going to try to parry!


    It was an unusual angle, as her attack was coming from below, but it could do it. Keiko wouldn''t let that happen though. As she saw her opponent''s sword coming for her, she slid her blade up the Zayama Warrior''s weapon, rendering the technique useless.


    Now!


    She raised her blade and slashed through what would have been a living opponent''s neck.


    YES!


    It took a moment, but then, the creature''s arms went limp, and its armor fell to the ground, reduced to mere objects once again.


    EXP Gained: 70


    EXP: 70/220


    "I-I did it!"  Keiko realized this as her teacher walked forwards, clapping. "I DID IT!"


    Haruna laughed.


    "Good work. You adapted to the challenge well, and that last little move you pulled was great. I''d expect nothing less from one of my own."


    Keiko was still in disbelief. Though she''d been helped reach this point by her master, she faced this creature and defeated it on her own. No Ash, no Kaori, no one there to help her but her own skills.


    She was so happy, she could almost cry.


    "Now, ready to do it again?" Haruna asked and Keiko remembered, this was but one victory of many she''d need.


    Just because she''d proven she could win here did not mean she could beat the next floor. So, she''d have to do this again, at least a few more times before she could consider herself ready for the challenges ahead.


    Yes! She thought.

 Chapter 70 - Vol. 2 - 35

    Satsuhiro


    2 Years Ago


    A 28-year-old Satsuhiro walked through the deserts south of Jade with a younger, bubbly Savior by his side. She had short black hair and was missing a front tooth, which was endearing in a way. The both of them were dressed in Savior''s Armor, shining brilliantly under the sun. Satsuhiro''s Savior''s Weapon,  "Conviction", rested at his waist, on the last day on which he''d hold that thing.


    "This is so cool!" Ginovea told him. Satsuhiro listened as he kept his eyes on the map in his hands. He was level 33, and she was level 29. He hadn''t been out in the wilderness too much since his retirement. With Ginovea, his junior, and his friend, relying on him, he certainly didn''t want to get lost.


    "Is it?" He absent-mindedly asked.


    "Yeah! I mean, I haven''t gotten to work with you since, pssh, what, when we went up to Sapphire?"


    "Hm... Yeah," Satsuhiro looked up. "When you got that brilliant idea to take on a hydra for the sake of training?"


    "Yep, I had the even better idea of bringing you along with me though, so thanks for saving my neck that time."


    "It''s what I do," Satsuhiro shrugged.


    Currently, the pair were headed south to the Rose-Covered Canyons, a place almost exactly between Jade and Amber. The two Saviors had been told that an old Amber fort had been taken by demons. As such, they were sent to deal with it.


    "According to Varcon, the attack will be taking place just up ahead now. No sense in wasting time," Satsuhiro stated, "so as soon as we get there we''ll let everyone know what''s up and we''ll start the mission. With the forces we''ve been given, it should be a quick job."


    "Hope so, I''m starving."


    "Maybe when we go back, I can get Metsumi to cook you something."


    "Aw, hell yeah!" Ginovea said. "Ugh, how did you end up with such an awesome family? Who''d you steal them away from?"


    Satsuhiro shrugged.


    "Things just kind of ended up that way."


    "Is that so? Wish it were that simple for the rest of us. I''m on my 4th boyfriend this year and it''s looking like there''s going to be a 5th."


    "Is that so? At what point does that become a personal problem and not a societal one?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Pfft. Like I''m not the very best girlfriend a random guy could ask for."


    "If you''re picking random guys, that''s even more troubling."


    A few moments later, they were coming up on the fort. Beyond a part of the land that was as though a god had sliced it in half, there was an old ruin up ahead. Satsuhiro could see maybe a little over thirty soldiers, including some priests who happened to be proficient at combat that Varcon sent with them.


    None of them went over level 25, but that should have been fine, as the area was said to hold creatures between levels 20 and 24. With Satsuhiro and Ginovea here to assist them, it was supposed to be an easy mission.


    Satsuhiro identified their leader and told him what they had in mind. The two Saviors would take point and attempt to lead the others through the fort. Once it was clear, they''d let Varcon know the mission was a success and that would be it.


    And, hopefully, Satsuhiro could go back to being retired, and actually stay retired.


    But, that wouldn''t be the case.


    ---


    Present Day


    Satsuhiro shook his head.


    "Ugh," he sighed as he tried to wake himself up. After reporting to the Council, the higher-ups sent him another request, asking him to write a detailed report. One they could copy and send to others. He was currently in the middle of that, doing this in the living room of the Savior House.


    "Here you go," Metsumi handed him a mug full of black coffee. Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Thank you." Satsuhiro took a sip, the liquid nearly scalding his lips but right now, the heat was appreciated. He was dangerously close to passing out.


    "Still at it?" Metsumi asked, walking over and rubbing his back.


    "Mhm," Satsuhiro tried his hardest not to focus on the feeling of his wife''s hand soothingly moving over him. If he did, he''d likely fall asleep instantly. "How''s Ash?"


    "Well, she''s still down and all," Metsumi stated, putting her hands on her hips and sighing. "Between what you said with the whole demon stuff and the whole ''passionate kissing in front of several people who may as well be strangers'' thing, she''s not having the best of times."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Can''t imagine what''s going through her head."


    "I can," Metsumi said. "She''s dealing with feelings for the first time, and on top of that, she''s got the weight of the world on her shoulders. She''s probably thinking she''d rather run away than deal with all of this."


    "Is that so?"


    "I''ve talked to her but... Maybe you should take a second to prod her mind a bit."


    "Hm? What good would that do?"


    "Well, you were there when it happened. I''m guessing she''s thinking she disappointed you somehow."


    "Right. Like she cares how I feel about her. She doesn''t give a damn what anyone thinks," Satsuhiro countered.


    "You sure about that? Maybe she doesn''t care how random citizens see her, but you? Me, the girls? She might put on a tough act but we''re the first people in her life who ever treated her like she''s more than just a half-demon. And, maybe now, she''s worried that''ll go away. You know?"


    As Metsumi''s tone softened and Satsuhiro remembered that moment when he saw Ash devouring the last Nightmare they''d fought, the look of complete and utter shame that came over her once she''d realized what she''d done.


    Satsuhiro put his pencil down and nodded.


    "I''ll see what I can do, but no promises," Satsuhiro stated and Metsumi smiled. "Where is she?"


    "She''s sitting outside, just in front of the house. Good luck."


    He made his way to her. He saw that Kaori was standing by the curtains, looking outside. As Satsuhiro walked into the living room, she startled and turned around, her face reddening as she realized she''d been caught looking out.


    "I-I was just..."


    "Yeah, yeah. Just checking on her, I get it." Satsuhiro replied. "She''ll be fine," he said. "She''s a strong girl."


    "O-Of course, I... Yeah." Kaori sat down as Satsuhiro walked out.


    He saw her with her back hunched over, eyes low, and her hands twiddling with her fingers. Satsuhiro approached her, and her eyes briefly looked up. She went right back to looking down and Satsuhiro sat next to her.


    Okay... Now what? He thought. These sorts of talks weren''t exactly his expertise. He wasn''t sure of what to do, what to say. As they remained in some awkward silence, Ash looked at him and smirked.


    "I appreciate the effort though," she suddenly said. "I''ll be fine."


    ...


    "Hm." Satsuhiro leaned back against the bench and looked up at the sky.


    "Nah, seriously, I get that you''re here to like, try to make me feel better or whatever, but it''s alright. I''m good."


    "Mhm." Satsuhiro wasn''t about to just leave though, without giving it a shot.


    He''d learned from none other than his wife to always go ahead with the plan, even when it''s hard to do so.


    ---


    Ten Years Ago


    "What?" A 20-year-old Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    Metsumi stood in front of him, the strong woman''s hands on her hips as she grinned. She was a beast of a woman, standing taller than most men Satsuhiro had met, with toned, well-trained arms, dark skin, dirty blonde hair, and the kind of confident expression that only came with people who were completely sure of themselves.


    And right now, she was standing in front of him, asking something inconceivable.


    "Go out with me," she reiterated.


    "I... What?" Satsuhiro couldn''t comprehend what was going on. Currently, he was sitting in a public designated training area in Jade, just a few weeks after he''d been chosen to become a Savior.


    From the start, he knew he''d want to be a mage. The way he saw it, if he could stand back and kill enemies before they ever drew close enough to hurt him, well then, why not? However, the Council told him that he still needed to be trained with weapons, even if he never planned to use them. They made him come here week after week to get his physical attributes up before he could start to focus on what he actually wanted to do.


    So, he was here, working up a sweat with several, more experienced, soldiers. Among them though, were people who had no intentions of going to battle. This was after all, a *public* training area, and so, ordinary people could come and hang out or even spar a little.


    This was something he''d never expected though. One of those people walked up to him and asked the strangest thing.


    "Uh, I''m sorry, I don''t... What?" Satsuhiro asked.


    Metsumi laughed. It was almost a cackle, honestly.


    "Is it that hard to understand?" She leaned over the table, her shirt dipping and showing off the top of her chest. Satsuhiro respectfully looked away. "Me, you, a tavern, some drinks, and a good time."


    Satsuhiro sighed.


    "But... Why me?" He asked.


    "Eh, I don''t know. I''ve seen you around a few times and you just seem like fun."


    "Me?" Satsuhiro genuinely laughed at the thought. "I  seem like fun?"


    "Yeah," Metsumi nodded eagerly. "Come ooon, if you don''t like it, I''ll fuck off, and then you can talk to all your friends about this weird girl who bullied you into getting some drinks with her. Worst case scenario, you walk out of that tavern with a good story to tell. Right? And, best case scenario..." she leaned in and smiled at him with half-lidded, mischievous eyes. "We walk out with a good story to keep to ourselves."


    At that, Satsuhiro raised a brow. Then, he looked away.


    I mean...  He thought.  It has actually been a while since I got laid, I guess.


    Looking back up at her, the two locked eyes for a moment and Satsuhiro finally nodded.


    "Alright, but if you''re gonna ask me out, you''re also gonna be the one paying."


    "Works for me," she stood up straight and flexed her biceps, "wouldn''t be the first time I''ve had to do a man''s work for him."


    Satsuhiro chuckled, shaking his head.


    "What did I get myself into?"


    ---


    It was a memory he remembered fondly. Later, Metsumi would tell him all about how nervous she was, how she had to talk herself into approaching him. And now, all Satsuhiro could do was thank her for it. The beautiful daughter the two would have, the other memories they''d come to make, it was all because she had the courage to talk to him.


    And now I''m married to her. Fuck, it''s weird how things happen.


    Looking to the right, he saw Ash looking at him.


    Right. This.  Take a page from her book, he told himself.  See it through.


    "I''ll be honest, I was pretty grossed out," Satsuhiro said. Ash raised a brow, and then, she looked away.


    "Yeah... I can imagine."


    "But that''s about it," Satsuhiro said. "I was just grossed out. I wasn''t scared of what you did or... What was happening, I didn''t think any less of you. I mean, unless you''re going to tell me demon meat is one of your favorite meals now, are you?"


    Ash didn''t seem to react to his jest. He looked back up at the sky.


    "To me," he added, "you''re always going to be the passive-aggressive and, sometimes aggressive-aggressive, pain in my ass they''re making me teach. That''s it. Not a demon, not whatever it is you think you''re becoming. You could eat 5 Nightmares in front of me, and all I''ll do is gag a little."


    "What if I go further?" Ash asked. "I... I could always get worse."


    "Then we''ll deal with it as it comes," Satsuhiro replied. "As far as what we''re doing right now though, you''re still just Ash. You might be a little scared because of that last fight, but that was nothing to be too concerned about. You''re still just my student."


    "..." Ash remained in silence. She nodded and Satsuhiro stood up.


    "Well, that''s about as much consoling as I''ve got in me to do. See you later."


    "Yeah." And so, Satsuhiro walked back into the house, hoping she''d figure things out.


    Metsumi was washing some dishes in the kitchen. Those memories went through Satsuhiro''s head again, and he walked up to her, putting his hands on her hips. Metsumi glanced back and smiled.


    "Went well?"


    "Fuck if I know," Satsuhiro muttered. She turned around, setting down what she had in her hands, and wrapped her arms around him, leaning in to plant a brief kiss on his lips, which he returned.


    "What''s got you so warm all of a sudden?" She asked.


    "... Just remembering things."


    "Yeah?"


    "The tavern... Ten years ago."


    "Oh? First time we went out?" Metsumi asked. "Can''t believe I puked over your shirt like that. Sorry, by the way."


    Satsuhiro looked down, smirking.


    "You''re still not forgiven for that."


    "Aw, and how can I make it up to you?"


    "Guys, please," Kaori said, from the living room. Both of them looked over at her. She gave them a fake disgusted look hiding an amused smile. "I''m right here. Take your middle-aged flirting somewhere else."


    "How about we do just that, huh, Satsu?" Metsumi asked, dragging him away.

 Chapter 71 - Vol. 2 - 36

    Keiko


    Just wait, and it''ll mess up eventually.


    Keiko was currently engaging the Zayama Warrior for what had to be now, the 10th time, give or take. She didn''t know the precise number, only that now, she was just one victory away from reaching level 22.


    Haruna had suggested that, before they attempt the next floor, Keiko should continue sharpening her skills and gaining at least a few more levels. Currently, she was in the middle of what was probably the easiest fight she''d had against it yet, with her and the Zayama Warrior clashing swords, dancing around the room.


    Now that her own level surpassed it, even though she guessed this creature must have had a Sword Proficiency of 8, her numbers gave her enough speed to make dealing with its powerful and precise blows far less difficult.


    There!


    With her Spirit Eye, she found that the creature would soon lunge in for a sweep in an attempt to sever her legs. Before, the vision would have shown her with her legs cut off, as she wouldn''t have the speed to react in under two seconds. Now though, it showed the full attack, as she did possess the agility to move out of the way with ease.


    She jumped up. The Zayama Warrior was to her left. She raised her blade and, mid-air, swung it, from the left to the right, slashing through the creature''s neck.  Got it!


    She looked back to confirm what she thought and saw its armor falling to pieces.


    EXP Gained: 60


    EXP: 230/230


    Level Up!


    And so, she gained 2 more Attribute Points.


    She placed them both into her Dexterity, leaving her status looking like this:


    Level 22


    MP: 100/100


    EXP: 0/240


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 38


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    In all honesty, even though she''d technically only fought one enemy since arriving here, Keiko could feel that the difference between the woman who had arrived here some time ago and the version of herself that existed at this moment was night and day.


    She was struck by a different sense as well at this point. That being that, if Kaori were here, the woman would undoubtedly run up to hug her, a grin on her face and wide, bright eyes looking back at her own. Or that if Ash were here, she''d raise a brow and smirk a little, impressed by what she saw. She wanted to see those reactions, and yet, she couldn''t.


    I guess there''s no other way to put it,  Keiko thought. I miss them. I''ve only been away for a few days, and I already wish I could see them again.


    However, for now, she had to remain focused. If anything, so she could come back a better version of herself.


    Keiko looked toward her teacher, finding the woman giving a proud smile.


    "A little sloppy at points, but otherwise, good job."


    Keiko looked back at the creature''s armor.


    "... Am I ready though?" She asked.


    "I don''t know. All we can do is head up there and find out."


    After some time where they waited so Keiko could catch her breath, they proceeded onto the second floor. This time, the room was had grey walls, made with a strange type of wood she hadn''t seen before, with lit sconces at the corners. At its center, not one, but two figures sat with their legs crossed.


    As Keiko and her teacher walked up the steps, they sat up. One was carrying a katana the same size as Keiko''s, while the other had a spear.  So, there are two enemies?


    Level 20


    MP: 100/100


    Level 20


    MP: 100/100


    "Ah, I see," Haruna quickly assessed the situation. "Whereas the last floor was meant to test your ability in single combat, this floor is supposed to test how you deal with opponents when you''re outnumbered. Of course," she said, "since we''re both here, we can cheat our way through it. Your call."


    A small amount of shame prodded at the back of her mind, but she tried to wave it off.


    "If that''s the test then it''s not worth it to stay here for long, I think," Keiko stated. "But, any tests that are 1 on 1, we should go through those fairly."


    Her integrity wouldn''t allow her to just cheat all the way to the 5th floor.


    "Instead," Haruna continued. "We can instead take this as a test on how to fight when you''ve got an ally nearby. You''ll have to maintain awareness of my position as well as yours, making sure not to get too close to me. Of course, I''ll do the same."


    This is... kind of disappointing.  Keiko sighed but unsheathed her blade and walked towards the sword user. The both of them prepared and soon, the next fight started.


    The first thing Keiko noticed was that there was a certain sense of chaos to this. With a second battle starting right next to hers, the sounds of blades clashing that weren''t hers and her opponent''s, the sliding of Haruna''s feet against the floor as she moved in her half of the room, it did serve to distract her.


    However, once her fight started properly, it became far easier to focus.


    And, of course, as she and Haruna were fighting as two, this was far easier than it should have been. Haruna defeated her opponent in no time at all. It took Keiko more effort than it took her teacher, but soon, she parried a blow and slashed through her enemy, defeating it.


    EXP Gained: 60


    EXP: 60/240


    The armor fell in front of her. Keiko sighed.


    ... You have to do this, Keiko.  She told herself.  Just shrug that shame off.


    The stairs to the left of the room unsealed, and Keiko gestured towards it.


    "Let''s keep going?"


    "Sure," Haruna replied.


    Their time on the second floor was but a fraction of their time on the first. However, as the two entered the third floor, a floor designed much like the second, Keiko felt something strange about this one. Not just that, but as there was only one figure here, she remembered her own words earlier.


    Well, I asked for 1 on 1 tests. Looks like I''m getting one.  Keiko thought.


    This Zayama Warrior was different from the others though, in that it was not holding a weapon. Its hands were empty, by its sides as it waited for the girls to walk up.


    Level 25


    MP: 200/200


    Wait, this thing has a Wisdom of 20?  Keiko''s eyes widened as she made the realization.  This is a mage!?


    "Well, I didn''t expect this kind of test," Haruna stated. "Have you figured it out?" She asked.


    "Yes."


    "A mage," Haruna confirmed. "I suppose it makes sense when evaluating how a warrior deals with different enemies, but Zayamas aren''t known for their abilities with magic. Well, outside of the Spirit Eye and a few... Whatever."


    She walked up and held both her swords out.


    "What will this thing have up its sleeve, I wonder."


    Keiko took a step back as Haruna accepted the challenge.


    And instantly, the Zayama Warrior began to cast spells in her direction.


    It pulled a hand back and pushed it forwards, sending a bolt of lightning directly at Haruna. Haruna dodged it, likely thanks to her Spirit Eye, and charged in.


    The logic of a fight like this, Keiko thought as she saw Haruna try to close the gap, closely follows that of a fight against a spearman or anyone whose range is longer. The pressure is on Haruna to move into it. What this enemy has to do is keep her at bay.


    Haruna raised a blade and Keiko thought the fight would end right there.


    It can''t though, she''s too fast.


    And then, the creature said:


    "Tiron."


    And it disappeared.


    "What?" Haruna asked, baffled.


    Keiko watched as it reappeared behind her.


    "WATCH OUT!" Keiko yelled, her heart momentarily freezing as she watched, and Haruna turned, just as a bolt of lightning was sent her way. It landed on her chest and Haruna was propelled back, crashing into one of the wooden walls, sending ripples of electricity throughout her body.


    Haruna gave a pained expression as she tried to stand.


    Should I step in?  Keiko began to walk forwards and Haruna yelled at her.


    "Don''t! Remember what we said? We do 1 on 1 tests on our own. I''m fine." Keiko froze on the spot and Haruna shakily stood to her feet. The mage appeared to be waiting for her to do so.


    Then, Haruna got into a fighting stance and visibly calmed herself down. Then, she ran forwards again. She did so with the same speed as before, reaching the creature and posing like she was about to attack it. Only, now, they knew what it would do, of course.


    It didn''t teleport though. Instead, it went to punch her, stopped just before it reached her abdomen, and from its fist, a blade made of wind emerged. Haruna, seeing this, had the speed to twist her body at the last moment. Instead of full-on stabbing her as the attack certainly would have done, it sliced through the side of her abs, and leaving a thin trail of blood as she spun around it.


    Then, did the creature teleport behind her.


    "Tiron."


    Keiko was so shocked, she knew for a fact she wouldn''t have been able to do what Haruna did then.


    She turned, raised her sword, and threw it in at the Zayama Mage, like a javelin.


    As the mage maybe hadn''t anticipated this, it quickly tried to cast another teleportation spell.


    "Ti-"


    But it was too slow, and Haruna''s blade stabbed through its ethereal head, making the armor collapse. The enemy was defeated, and Haruna fell to her knees. Keiko quickly ran to her side, while Haruna had already begun to heal herself.


    "Okay," Haruna said, hissing as the wound in her side stung. "That thing is tricky."


    "Are you alright?" Keiko asked.


    "I''m fine, it didn''t cut too deep. But," she said, "you''ll have to wait before you can try to take it on. And, with its mobility, I don''t think us fighting it at once is a good idea."


    "Uhm, what do I do then?" Keiko asked.


    "I think, ah, shallow cuts like this are a b... I think," she continued, "you need to stand and watch for a bit. Just see what it can do. You have the stats to fight it as you are, we just need more information before you can step up."


    Keiko nodded.


    ... I had told Kaori I''d be back in a few days or so, it seems like I won''t be able to keep my promise, considering we still have the 4th and 5th floors to get through.

 Chapter 72 - Vol. 2 - 37

    Kasumi


    Upon returning to Jade, after witnessing that... curious moment between Kaori and the half-demon, Kasumi decided that she needed a nap. That was an unfortunate choice because as she sank into the realm of dreams, she found herself on the same mountain she''d been at before.


    Fuck.  She thought.  So, it wasn''t enough to take Nozomi from me, now you have to take my favorite pastime too?


    She waited then, for Alkoth to show up, as she guessed that he would. Sure enough, he arrived with a chorus of lightning, appearing before her as large as a pillar. And yet, in Kasumi''s eyes, neither the lightning nor its size did anything to make her any less resentful.


    What the hell do you want?  She asked in her mind.


    Alkoth did not respond, instead, the god simply narrowed his eyes at her, drawing closer. Kasumi tried to glare, though she did not possess a physical body. Eventually, Alkoth stood so close that Kasumi nearly had to tilt her head all the way up to look at his face.


    However, then, he got on one knee. He placed a hand on Kasumi''s shoulder, and her eyes widened.


    She could feel a sense of peace entering her body.


    One she did not agree with.


    So, she stepped back. The god''s hand almost flinched, like it hadn''t expected such a response. Kasumi wanted to curl her lips with disgust.


    How dare you?  She thought.  Coming to me like this just because it''s convenient for you. Cause you need me? Fuck that. If you cared, you would have talked to me when I left on that mission all those years ago. You would have told me to stay home so I could protect my daughter, instead of letting her get eaten alive by some fucking demons! No, you were pretty fucking silent back then, right? Now, NOW, you''re here, and, well, you know what? No. You and the rest of the world can fuck off for all I care. Like I told the blonde, you''re better off finding someone else. You''re wasting your time with me.


    Alkoth looked down for a moment, then his eyes met hers, and he nodded.


    Just like that, Kasumi was waking up again.


    ---


    It was still nighttime. Reaching up to touch her forehead, she noticed she was sweating. She sat up, coughing twice before groaning.  Just leave me alone. Everyone. She thought.  I''m so done.


    The last thing she wanted to do was go back to sleep. So, she stood up and put on a nightgown. Walking outside in the dead of the night felt slightly strange. She could faintly hear snores coming from some of the rooms downstairs because everything was so quiet.


    Making her way to the front door, she kept her eyes low, trying to rub her eyes and wake herself up some more. What she saw when she walked out served that purpose well enough though.


    The half-demon was sitting at a bench, wearing white shorts and a longsleeved shirt, her legs crossed as she looked up at the night sky. As Kasumi stood there, she watched the demon hunch over and sigh, shaking her head as she rubbed her temples.


    Kasumi started to walk the street, heading the opposite direction from where the half-demon was. However, it seemed she had other ideas because she called out to Kasumi before she could take two steps.


    "Hey," the half-demon said. Kasumi turned towards her with a bored look. Then, she walked just a bit closer.


    "What?" Kasumi asked.


    "... Walking around at this hour is just looking for trouble," the girl muttered. "Even if you''re a Savior, you''d probably want to avoid bullshit, right?"


    "And you know this because...?"


    "Because I got shit on plenty of times at this hour," she responded. "You don''t have to listen to me, by all means, go ahead if you want to. Don''t say I didn''t warn you though."


    "... A demon giving tips to people? How kind..." Kasumi glared at her.


    "Oh my... Fine, fuck off. Go ahead. Why do I even...?"


    However, preferring not to deal with any reckless idiots that might come out at this time, Kasumi took her advice. She turned around, went back inside, and started to walk back to her bedroom.


    Whatever, I''ll just...


    However, as she moved through the hallway, one door opened, someone came out, and she crashed into them. They nearly fell, but Kasumi was fast enough to hold the person by the back and steady both herself and them.


    It was Kaori. The blonde yelped, then she stepped back.


    "What the...?" Kasumi asked as she saw the girl look up at her and blush.


    "I-I-I wasn''t, I mean, I just, it''s not like I was going anywhere or..." Then, the blonde retreated into her room.


    Kasumi put two and two together and rolled her eyes. Wordlessly, she walked back upstairs. All the while, her thoughts remained on the half-demon, whose violet eyes challenged her own so intensely.


    ---


    Ash


    Earlier, thanks to some impromptu hand training, she got her Lust back down to 2. That said, she didn''t feel any better. The reason she was even out here was because tonight, it was particularly hard for her to go to sleep.


    So, she sat outside, feeling the cold air hug her skin as time passed. Eventually, she decided she had to try again if anything so she wouldn''t be too miserable by the time the next day came. So, she walked back into the house.


    As she returned to the room she, Kaori, and Keiko shared, she found the blonde awake, sitting up. She looked up at her as she arrived and Kaori smiled shyly.


    Ash felt her heart start pounding as her Lust took hold of her mind, but at the same time, she was immensely tired, which served to distract her a little.


    "Uh, I... noticed you weren''t here so..."


    Ash nodded.


    The hybrid walked over to the bed and gestured for some space. Kaori scooted to the left, while Ash laid down on the right. She looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Kaori was laying on her side. She wore a loose pink shirt and soft-looking pants that reached just below her knees. Ash could feel her eyes on her.


    "I was having trouble sleeping," Ash said, putting her hands behind her head.


    Kaori got closer and put her right hand on top of Ash''s abs.


    "You okay?" Kaori asked.


    "Mhm," Ash breathed in. "Just... Yeah."


    Kaori nodded.


    "You know," she suddenly said, "I... I was thinking of going to visit my parents tomorrow... I''d like it if you came with me."


    Ash raised a brow.


    "You sure?" She asked. "Sounds a little, uh, private."


    "It''s alright," Kaori replied. "If you don''t want to come though, that''s fine, I was just..."


    "I''ll go," Ash responded. "I''m just saying."


    "Awesome," Kaori smiled. "I''m glad."


    Then, she felt a pair of delicate lips press against her forehead, just under one of her horns. She turned to the right and saw Kaori just inches apart. Her heart sped up, a slight degree of... something, be it nervousness or excitement, bubbling inside of her. But, she couldn''t turn away.


    Well, here was one way to get her mind off of what had happened earlier.


    Even now, I''m kind of not used to this.  Ash thought. Well, honestly, we started doing this not too long ago... And now,  she thought as Kaori smiled,  I just wonder what this even means.


    "At first," Ash suddenly said, "we started doing this because of my Lust." There was a timid edge to her voice that surprised even herself. "Is that still true?"


    "What do you mean?" Kaori asked.


    "I... What are we doing?" Ash asked. "I don''t know, I just... Ignore me, I''m fucking sleepy and..."


    She started to turn away, but Kaori lightly placed her hand on Ash''s cheek. Then, she pulled her face towards her. Kaori leaned in and gave Ash a lasting kiss on the lips.


    "I think I get what you''re saying," Kaori replied, "and... I mean, well, I... I think..." Kaori sighed. "There''s a lot going on, you know? I can definitely say this, at least. That, if we weren''t Saviors and we''d met on the street or back at school, at the very least you''d probably be my favorite FWB."


    "Uh... FWB?" Ash asked.


    "You know, friends with benefits?" Kaori replied.


    "I... Nah, I haven''t heard about that," Ash said.


    "Uh, friends who have sex, pretty much."


    "Is that a thing?"


    "Yeah, I''ve had a few." Kaori nodded.


    "Oh... So," Ash felt a little braver, "how do I stack up?"


    "Well, none of them did anything to me with a tail, so..." Kaori blushed but she still got the line out. Ash chuckled. Then, she leaned in and kissed Kaori herself.


    "... I wish I weren''t as tired as I am," Ash stated. "If I weren''t I''d definitely be willing to try more tail action."


    Kaori laughed.


    "It''s fine, you need the rest. Goodnight," Kaori said, putting her head on Ash''s chest. Ash wrapped an arm around her and closed her eyes.


    "Goodnight."


    Her night would be a little bit longer though than she thought it would be. Only, in a different way.


    She ended up in that dark room once more, one that she was familiar with at this point.  Hm?  She wondered.  What now?  Of course, as she''d recognized the situation when Magia began to materialize in front of her, she wasn''t too shocked.


    Her expression did surprise Ash though. She seemed strangely displeased, a far cry from the usual, sultry half-lidded eyes and plump lips smirking at her. A part of her wanted to ask about what she''d seen in that vision before, but since Magia couldn''t speak in this location, that conversation wouldn''t go anywhere.


    What do you want?  She asked.


    A map of the world appeared behind her and Ash waited.


    Another site of power?


    At that, Magia nodded.


    However, she didn''t point at one location, but at three.


    Above her, words appeared and Ash read them out.


    "As soon as you wake up, look for a real map to mark these locations. So you don''t forget."


    And then, she showed her the places. Each one was far away from the other, with one location being close to the northern city of Sapphire, one being by Onyx, and finally, one just a ways south of Jade.


    Hm. I can probably get the Jade one soon. The others will have to wait though.


    Magia nodded and then the map faded, as Ash tried to memorize the places she''d pointed out. The goddess took a few steps closer to Ash and looked into her eyes.


    Not in a seductive way like she usually did, but with something Ash could only call contemplation.


    The last thing Ash saw before she woke up were these words, appearing above Magia.


    "I hope you''ll appreciate what I''m going to do for you."


    Ash didn''t get to ask what she meant by that. Instead, she woke up after that, the sun coming in through a window to her right.


    Kaori was still asleep, her head on Ash''s chest.  Okay, not that comfortable,  she noted as she gently took Kaori off her body.


    Shit. Three sites of power?  Ash thought. Well, okay.


    Then, the blonde next to her woke up. She yawned cutely, then sat up and stretched. Ash saw her, feeling like she didn''t sleep enough.  I might just go back to sleep, shit.


    "Hey," Kaori said, tiredness lacing her tone. "Uh, I had another Lumina dream."


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow. "What did she say?"


    "Uh, she told me to find these sites of power. We can handle that later though."


    "Oh? How many?" Ash asked.


    "Three."


    When the half-demon heard that, she froze.


    "What?"


    "Yeah, these three sites. Uh, one was by Sapphire," with her right hand, Kaori listed them with her fingers, "one was by Onyx and another was south."


    Ash gawked at her.


    ... What?


    ---


    Satsuhiro


    It had been an early start to the day for the Savior. At around 6am, he was called to the Palace.


    Admittedly, the girls weren''t the only ones who needed a break. Satsuhiro had just started to enjoy being back at Jade when a courier had come with the annoying news. Now, he was sitting in the Royal Council''s usual meeting room, waiting to be told what was up.


    Soon, Talo walked into the room, their hands behind their back as they moved up to Satsuhiro with a casual smile.


    "Greetings," Talo said. "How goes your morning?"


    "Shitty, what''s happening?" Satsuhiro asked. Talo laughed.


    "Ah. Well then, in that case, we suppose it would be good to get to the point. We will make this short then. Here."


    "Thanks," Satsuhiro said as Talo passed him a paper.


    Hm?  News?  Why...


    And then, his eyes fell on the article on the paper that was likely why he''d been called.


    Oh. Shit.


    On the paper, the following article was displayed on the front page.


    "PORTAL APPEARS JUST OUTSIDE OF SAPPHIRE!"

 Chapter 73 - Vol. 2 - 38

    Ash


    That morning, Ash was eating breakfast with Kaori, while Metsumi cleaned some of the rooms the other Saviors had stayed in. The meal consisted of scrambled eggs with some bacon. They were currently also waiting for Satsuhiro to come back. Apparently, the older Savior had been called by the Royal Council, something that annoyed Ash.


    I swear, if this is another fucking mission...


    "So, what did you want to say?" Kaori asked. "Earlier, I mean."


    "Oh, right." Pushing her thoughts about the Council out of her mind, Ash focused. "So, Magia visited me too last night."


    "What?" Kaori asked, surprised. "What did she say?"


    "Same thing Lumina told you," Ash replied. "Literally. She told me to go to the same sites of power Lumina told you to go to."


    "S-Seriously?" Kaori asked and Ash nodded.


    "Mhm. Same places. Near Onyx, near Sapphire, south of Jade. I mean, unless they''re separate and they just happen to be close or whatever the fuck."


    "But... Why?"


    "I don''t know," Ash shrugged. "But, we can get that south one done soon, I think.  Then, because I''m sure they''re gonna have something for us, we can do whatever the Council asks us for."


    "Okay... Once we''re done, wanna head out?" Kaori asked.


    "..." Ash thought about it. "Yeah." She said.


    Regarding the Council, admittedly, although she didn''t want to be sent on another mission, she was also curious. She wanted to know the degree to which she should be pissed off for the lack of a break that this would lead to. As Ash thought about that, Metsumi walked into the living room.


    "Ah, I''m excited! You didn''t really get to meet them last time, right?"


    "Uh, no," Ash shook her head.


    Of course, when Kaori''s parents had visited Satsuhiro''s Farm, it was after everything that happened with Varcon. Thanks to that, their time had mostly been spent consoling the blonde. So, no one else really got to talk to them.


    Hm.  As she thought about it, a fleeting thought came to her. I wonder how my parents would react if I saw them again.


    She snorted, almost chuckling.


    Yeah, that would be... Awkward, to say the least.


    "Alright!" Kaori gulped down a few bites and stood up, a bright grin on her face. "I''m good to go!"


    "Hold on, hold on," Ash said. She tried to stuff some eggs into her mouth and set her utensils down. "Mmeym, am dmm..."


    "Talking with your mouth full is not befitting a young lady," Metsumi told her with a forced posh tone as she went to pick up the silverware.


    Ash swallowed her food and said:


    "Well, I''m lucky I''m not one then," she looked over at Kaori. "Let''s go."


    "See ya later, Metsumi!"


    "Have fun, stay safe," the older woman called out after them as they walked out of the house.


    Ash had to shield her eyes. It was such a bright day that she felt like her long-sleeved shirt was going to leave her sweating later.


    "Wow, such a gorgeous day!" Kaori walked ahead of Ash. "Come on, let''s get- Oh! Wait, sorry, be right back," Kaori suddenly went back inside. Ash raised a brow but waited for a bit.


    She came back out a few minutes later with her hair tied into a ponytail and a large brown hat.


    "Uh..." Ash said. "Not that you don''t like, look good or whatever but...?"


    "It''s so people don''t recognize me, you know, because of the whole ''killed the archpriest'' thing." Ash could sense that Kaori was trying to be lighthearted about it but she still saw the hint of sadness that flashed through the other girl''s face. Still, Kaori shook it off and turned, extending a hand towards Ash. "Come on!"


    Some anxiety sprouted within Ash.  I mean, I''m me. I''m a half-demon, if they know about me, wouldn''t they know about you? Maybe not though, I don''t know.


    "Coming," Ash walked over to her side and Kaori snaked her right arm around Ash''s left and gave her a bright grin.


    "To the town!"


    "Uh, yeah."


    Side-by-side, they started moving through the streets of Jade''s Spirit Garden''s District. Around them, people wearing expensive jis passed them by. Ash both wanted to keep her head low and pull Kaori closer just to show off.  Just to tell everyone around her that, despite their best efforts throughout the years, she was doing okay. It was a moment that made the melancholy she''d been feeling lately fade somewhat.


    "So," Ash started, "anything I should know?"


    "Nah, my family is pretty cool," a fond expression came to Kaori, "I love them. Always have, always will."


    I wish I could say the same,  Ash thought, nodding.


    "Okay."


    After some time, they arrived at a street Ash understood to be squarely in the middle-class part of the city. She barely ever walked through here though, as she''d chosen to spend most of her time growing up either near businesses or trying to catch the richer citizens as they walked out of their homes. So, in a way, this place was new to her. Kaori took her to a quaint brown home nestled between a few others. Ash noticed how she looked around, probably knowing that if anyone would recognize her, it would be her neighbors.


    They knocked on the door twice and it opened in no time at all, revealing a woman standing there who Ash recognized as Kaori''s mother. She had longer hair than Kaori''s, a slightly darker shade of blonde, and a few wrinkles on her face denoted her age.


    She locked eyes with her daughter and Ash saw Kaori smile.


    "Hi mom..."


    Almost before Kaori could even finish, her mother was embracing her. Ash took a step back, feeling a little awkward as she witnessed the reunion.


    "S-Sweetie, you''re okay!"


    "Uh, yeah," Kaori hugged her back with her right arm.


    "We heard about what happened over at Pearl and... Well, we figured you''d be there and..." Her mother sniffled, Ash saw her eyes watering.


    "It wasn''t that bad," Kaori replied.


    Then, her father arrived. A large man, with a strong frame walked up. He had the same reaction as Kaori''s mother, hugging his daughter as soon as he saw her, only his eyes fell on Kaori''s missing left arm.


    "You... What...?" He stammered for a moment. "What happened?"


    At that moment, Ash  really  felt like she was intruding.


    Do I actually need to be here?  She wondered, but then Kaori moved things along.


    "Can we come inside?" Kaori asked.


    Only then did they both notice Ash was there. Their eyes widened a little and Ash was afraid for a second that they''d reject the idea, but they both nodded, and soon, they were led inside.


    It was as basic a house as Ash had ever seen, though she hadn''t seen many. The furniture, the unlit candles on the countertops, the fruits and vegetables, she had to look closely to find any hints of them actually making more money than the average person.


    She did find them though. A few decorations that seemed expensive, a painting by the back, some exotic-looking plants. They were there.


    Kaori''s parents took them to a table where they all sat down. Of course, Ash chose to sit next to Kaori.


    "Gosh, I... What happened?" Kaori''s mother asked with a concerned look and Ash found herself endeared by just how ''Kaori-like'' the woman sounded. She could see where her friend got her personality from.


    "Um, well..." Kaori raised her left stump. Under the table, she reached for Ash''s left hand with her right. It surprised the half-demon, but as their fingers interlocked she saw Kaori gain some confidence. "We were fighting the demons and something happened, I... I got sloppy," she chuckled. "Yeah, could have been worse but, in the end, I made it out okay."


    Well, that''s just not true.  Ash thought. I was the one who fucked up. Kaori''s arm would still be there if I hadn''t.


    "I... Are you okay though, dear?" Kaori''s mother asked. Kaori''s father crossed his arms as Kaori nodded.


    "Yeah. Just need to be ready for the next fight. So, how have you been?" Kaori asked.


    Then, her parents went on to thoroughly explain what they''d been doing since the two girls had last seen them. After everything that happened with Varcon, Kaori''s family had unfortunately been subject to some harassment. Kaori''s father found himself getting mobbed by crowds on a few occasions when he went to go buy groceries and such.


    As for Kaori''s mother, she lost a few friends due to gossip, as of course, some people believed them to be as "evil" as Kaori is.


    Kaori listened with an expressionless face, but under the table, the way she tightly gripped Ash''s hand let the hybrid know how she was actually feeling.


    Eventually, the topic shifted however to Ash herself.


    "As for you," Kaori''s father said, "we didn''t really get to know you last time. What''s your story?"


    Ash answered honestly.


    "I don''t have one," she shrugged. "I... I was homeless for like six years, I got chosen to be a Savior, and then I met Kaori. Now I''m here."


    "Can''t be that simple," Kaori''s mother said.


    "It is," Ash sighed. "And, honestly, I like it that way. I just want to do my job and... I don''t know, maybe go somewhere far away once I''m done." Ash stated.


    "What about your parents?" Kaori''s father suddenly asked.


    Ash raised a brow.


    "They stopped being in the picture once they couldn''t stomach me being the product of a, you know, anymore."


    It was no secret how half-demons came to be, after all, so Kaori''s parents understood what she meant.


    "But, you never tried to find them?" Kaori''s father asked.


    "Why?" Ash replied. "I don''t see a point in that."


    The looks on their faces, including the one on Kaori, let Ash know everyone around her disagreed, but she shrugged.


    "It is what it is," Ash muttered. "Finding them again won''t change the last six years."


    Her words marinated in everyone''s mind for a few seconds. Then, Kaori''s dad nodded.


    "... You''re a tough girl," Kaori''s father said. "Hopefully, you can keep taking care of our little Kaori over here."


    "What?" Kaori chuckled.


    "I mean, she brought you here for some reason, and it sure isn''t because you''re a good conversationalist," Kaori''s father said with a smirk and Kaori blushed. Ash laughed.


    "Yeah, I... I guess so."


    ---


    It would be a couple of hours before they left. In that time, Ash learned a lot about Kaori, specifically her childhood. The friends she had, where she worked, the things she used to participate in. Her parents couldn''t stop talking about her.


    On one hand, it let Ash know more about one of the two women who had become so important to her. On the other, it allowed Ash to internalize just how much Kaori had lost, on a social level, thanks to the earlier events.


    Kaori waved at her parents as the two came out onto the street.


    "Bye! Maybe I''ll come back tomorrow!" Kaori said.


    "Bye..." Ash awkwardly raised a hand.


    "Take care, sweetie," Kaori''s mom said and her father bowed a little.


    With that, it was done.


    "Okay, we should probably head back, I think..." Ash was cut off. Before she could finish speaking, Kaori kissed her softly. Then, she remained as close as she was and hugged the hybrid.


    Ash blinked a couple of times and shook her head.


    "Huh?"


    "Thanks for coming," Kaori said with a dimpled smile. "Gosh, I needed this."


    Ash cleared her throat.


    "Yeah. Come on, let''s head back. Satsu might be back by now."


    Kaori nodded.


    "Alright."


    A few hours later, they returned home, and, indeed, the Savior was sitting at a couch, with Kasumi opposite him. As Ash''s eyes landed on the crimson-haired Savior, she raised a brow.


    Ah. Fuck. It''s probably serious, isn''t it?


    "Kaori, Ash. Good," Satsuhiro nodded to himself. He stood up and walked over to them, handing over a paper. Ash passed it to Kaori, and the blonde read out:


    "... A portal''s opened."


    "You''ve got to be fucking kidding me," Ash muttered. "Can''t I take a break for like two days?"


    "In Sapphire."


    "Wait, what?" Ash asked as Kaori read that. "What do you mean?"


    "It means," Satsuhiro stepped in. "It seems another city is about to be attacked."


    At that moment, Ash understood that the rest she sought would likely not come anytime soon.

 Chapter 74 - Vol. 2 - 39

    Keiko


    Spectating her master''s battles with the Zayama Mage had allowed Keiko to understand its capabilities, albeit at the cost of Haruna having to sustain a few surprise injuries that were promptly healed away later. For one, the Zayama Mage had three main offensive tools at its disposal.


    Those were, a type of wind-based weapon it could produce, and a bolt of lightning that it could launch. As for its defensive capabilities, it could produce the same wind-based wall that the Zayama Warrior made at the first floor, and it could teleport. Although these tools may have initially seemed like a small amount to Keiko, there were two things that made them feel downright oppressive.


    Firstly, their seemingly low mana costs, with each ability only costing 10 and 15 mana, and second, their short one-word incantations. It allowed the Zayama Mage to spam its abilities a way regular mages simply couldn''t do.


    As Haruna attempted to maneuver around it, the creature was able to cast three to four spells consistently before any openings presented themselves.  It''s certainly a difficult target to pin down... But, as long as I use my Spirit Eye, I should be able to take it down eventually.


    That was how the latest fights were going, between her teacher and the creature. As Haruna got better at reading its fighting patterns, she struggled less and started landing more hits, leading to cleaner kills.


    "So," Haruna turned to her. "Are you ready?"


    "I won''t know unless I try, right?" Keiko asked.


    Haruna nodded, and then closed her eyes as she went over the facts.


    "The lightning spell, the wall, the weapon spell, the teleportation spell. These are the tools your opponent will look to use against you. Remember, even when fighting a mage, reading your enemy is possible. These creatures," she gestured at the pieces of armor at the center of the room, resting until the next combatant approached, "are shells of former warriors. Those people had tendencies, habits, and fight philosophies, all of which present themselves in these creatures. The more you fight, honestly, the more it feels like you''re getting to know the person who this creature is based on."


    "Seriously?"


    "Mhm. As far as I can tell, this was a very cautious individual, who preferred to do everything it could to keep an enemy at range, but did not lack the ability to fight up close. Must have been a particularly reliable warrior in their youth. Anyway, when you start, keep your wits about you and trust your instincts. You''ll need a bit of prediction, on top of what your Spirit Eye tells you, in order to win against this."


    As her teacher said that, Keiko felt her heart begin to bit a little faster. Her hands felt cold, and her sword felt heavier at her waist than it normally did. But, she nodded and walked forwards.


    The only way I''ll progress is if I tackle this challenge head-on. Better to try and see what happens.


    So, she drew her sword and waited for the message to pop up above.


    Begin?


    [Yes] [No]


    With her mind, she tapped the  Yes and of course, the armor was brought back to life.


    Level 25


    MP: 200/200


    Without a weapon, as it materialized into its humanoid form, the creature quickly jumped back and lifted a hand, aiming it at Keiko.


    "Shiron." It muttered, pulling a hand back and pushing it forwards, propelling lightning out of its gauntlet''s palm, in Keiko''s direction.


    "Iridos!"


    Unlike before, Keiko couldn''t wait to test the creature herself before activating her Spirit Eye. Besides the 3 level gap between them, it was just a fact that spells moved faster than material weapons, and so, she needed every warning her Spirit Eye gave her.


    She barely managed to get her head out of the way in time, leaving the bolt of lightning to crash into the grey wooden wall behind her. Keiko''s hands shook as the girl was frightened by the attack, but she couldn''t stop now. At this range, it would only invite the enemy to-


    "Shiron."


    As she expected, it launched another bolt. She ducked under this one and charged forwards, looking to close the gap completely.


    "Tiron."


    And yet, as soon as she got within range to strike, it teleported away from her. Keiko took a deep breath, turning quickly to face it, as she understood that although she could no longer strike it, the same could not be said for her opponent.


    I feel like this is going to be annoying,  Keiko narrowed her eyes at it. The creature got into a fighting stance but wasn''t casting a spell just yet.  I''m not as fast as my master, so this thing has more room to work with than it did against her. Keiko tightened her grip on her sword as the creature pulled a hand back.


    I need to give this everything I''ve got if I''m going to win against it!


    "Shiron."


    The creature cast its lightning, but Keiko''s Spirit Eye let her know that wasn''t all it had in mind. In her 2 second vision, she saw the creature then teleport to her left, materialize a wind weapon, and strike her.


    When the vision was over, Keiko''s eyes widened as she stepped to the right side. narrowly avoiding a slash from a wind sword.


    It happened so fast, she hadn''t even heard the incantation for that spell. Then, the creature teleported back to where it had been originally.


    Wow,  Keiko gulped,  that was too close. It actually surprised me, it knew I needed to strategize and looked for a kill in that moment. Whoever this was, they were very smart.


    It''s mana hadn''t even gone down that far.


    Level 25


    MP: 145/200


    Hm. At this rate, it would take a few more exchanges like that for its mana to go down all the way, but it''ll likely kill me before that happens.  Keiko thought.  I need to change my strategy. It''s clear what I''m doing isn''t working, but...


    "Shiron."


    Another lightning bolt was sent her way. Again, Keiko dodged it, but she didn''t move up to attack. Instead, she waited. She had to think of a way to catch it off guard. Unlike her teacher, she was too slow to just walk in and kill it, normally, at least.


    I just need to try harder. Keiko thought. Next charge, give it 100%.


    So, as the creature raised a hand, Keiko leaned forwards.


    "Shiron."


    And, as the bolt of lightning was sent her way, Keiko willed her legs to run up with as much power as she could muster, ducking out of the way of the attack feeling heat pass by the side of her face as she narrowly dodged the spell.


    "Ahhh!" She ran up and pulled her sword back, ready to strike.


    "Tiron."


    The creature teleported, but Keiko''s Spirit Eye let her know where it would go.  Behind me!


    She spun and ran again. This time, pushing herself even harder.


    And yet, it wasn''t enough. It teleported again and this time, Keiko had put so much momentum into her sprint that she wasn''t able to dodge in time. I... I can''t...!


    "Shi-"


    But the creature didn''t get to finish its incantation. Instead, Haruna threw her sword in much the same way she had during her first fight, and killed the Zayama Mage, before it could harm Keiko.


    It collapsed, and an EXP message appeared above Keiko, as she had gained some of the EXP for the kill by fighting the creature.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 90/240


    Keiko dropped her sword and fell to her knees, tired.


    That was,  she breathed heavily,  exhausting.


    "You did well," Haruna walked over to her. "The creature was too fast this time, but as you get used to its patterns, you will be able to catch it eventually."


    Everything she said went in one ear and out the other.


    I lost. Keiko thought, lowering her head.


    "I guess I''m not ready."


    "Not at this moment, but it''s not about beating it on the first try. Just keep at it."


    Keiko sighed, then nodded.


    "I guess."


    She stood up with the help of her teacher and the two left the room, sitting on the stairs that led up to it.


    "Breathe," Haruna told her. "Calm down."


    As Keiko replayed the battle in her mind, a question came to her. She hadn''t thought of this before, but now that she lost, and she was mad, she did.


    "Where did it get its spells from?" She asked. "Those don''t seem like normal spells to me."


    "You''re right, they aren''t," Haruna crossed her arms and told her. "They''re Zayama-specific spells. Much like the Spirit Eye, actually."


    "What?"


    "Let me explain," Haruna said, "at the Compound, in Jade, magic is generally looked down upon. Something I agree with," Haruna said. "Personally, I think the use of magic is cowardly. So, we don''t teach about it. However, outsiders have long since discovered other spells that come from our bloodline. The spells the creature was using were of that nature."


    "I... What?" Keiko asked. She was baffled.


    "I hadn''t expected to run into this kind of person," Haruna said. "Zayama mages are a scarce group. There are barely any, and they''re very secretive, as they know no one back home particularly likes them. If anything though," Haruna said with a careless shrug, "this fight proves what I suspected. Cowards. It''s no wonder they''re shunned."


    Keiko though, couldn''t agree with that sentiment.


    Maybe... She thought. Maybe I should try to find more information on this. Though, she looked over at her teacher, it looks like that information wouldn''t come from her. So, who else could teach me about Zayama magic?

 Chapter 75 - Vol. 2 - 40

    Ash


    "When are we heading out?" Ash asked. "Keiko still hasn''t come back."


    "It''s looking like we''ll have to leave without her," Satsuhiro said. "Sapphire is a larger city than Pearl, so although it will take more time, it is still just a week and a half or so that I expect for us to have before the demons attack. Just a week and a half to prepare."


    "... Shit," Ash hunched over. "Can''t we go get her or something?"


    "Going from Jade to Onyx, then to Sapphire would sacrifice way too much time and, let''s be honest, although I like Keiko, she''s not a combatant here. She''s not essential."


    "Didn''t she help fight off demons the last time!?" Ash asked.


    "With the assistance of many other soldiers, and even then she only took down a few enemies who were far away from the portal. Ash," Satsuhiro said, "you need to put the job over your friend on this one. We''ll let Keiko know we went to Sapphire, but she''ll have to make her own way."


    And with that, Ash looked away. Kaori, who was watching from beside Ash, put a hand on Ash''s shoulder.


    "She''ll show up," Kaori said. "She''s probably almost done with the whole castle thing. And, well... We do need to go see about that site of power south before we head up."


    "Right, so," Satsuhiro interjected, "run that by me again?"


    "Yeah," Kaori turned toward him, "Lumina and Magia told us to head to these three sites of power, where, like, if we go there, we increase their strength, you know?"


    "Yes, I understand that part."


    "Well, the closest one is just south of Jade. Seems like a couple of hours'' walk maybe. We can do that one and then go up to Sapphire."


    "If it is as close as you say, then that should be fine," Satsuhiro said. "Get ready, we''ll be leaving soon."


    "Already?" Ash asked.


    "Yes. Now that we know what we''re up against, preparations will have to be made. And," Satsuhiro added, "since you can close portals, we might try something before they attack. In any case, we need to be there to discuss things with Sapphire''s count. A plan will need to be made."


    Shit... Sorry, Keiko.  Ash nodded.


    "Fine, let''s go."


    As the conversation ended, everyone began preparing to leave Jade. Kasumi left on her own shortly after Satsuhiro had informed Ash of the portal. The other Saviors, according to him, were informed as well and would be traveling soon.


    After a couple dozen minutes, Ash was holding a backpack filled with fresh clothes, trailing behind Satsuhiro, Metsumi, and their daughter, with Kaori next to her.


    Kaori nudged Ash''s elbow.


    "You never did tell me how things went in the portal," Kaori said. "So, you closed it?"


    Ash nodded, remembering the fights that had led to that.


    "Mhm."


    "Wow, that''s awesome! Between that and the sites of power, feels like we''re on the right track!"


    Ash raised a brow.


    "Are we?"


    "Of course!" As they began to walk through the streets of Jade, the citizens looking at them, some glaring at Kaori, some showing a small amount of fear at the sight of Ash, the half-demon kept her eyes ahead. The sun hugged her skin as Kaori continued, "I mean, think about it. We have literal gods on our side, along with stat buffs, good equipment, and, on top of that, I think we make a pretty good team too. Personally, I think we''ll be fine."


    Ash''s eyes briefly went to Kaori''s missing arm.


    Sure about that?  She thought.  You don''t have many more arms to give. Hm. I don''t know, maybe I''m just being, like, jaded or whatever, but... We''re a long way from being ready to win, it feels like.


    Satsuhiro pulled out a map from his bag.


    "Where was it?"


    "Shit, I forgot," Ash said.


    "I remember, right here." Kaori walked up and tapped the paper at a spot below the capital. She also marked the other spots, the one near Sapphire and the one near Onyx.


    "Seems close enough. Alright, let''s get moving then."


    ---


    Forty minutes of walking later, they came across an inconspicuous abandoned building. It was a run-down church, with a dried-up well outside and empty stables. Grass had overgrown and spread so much, it nearly hid the building up ahead.


    "Well, now what?" Satsuhiro asked.


    Ash, feeling the pull already, said:


    "Should be as simple as walking in and touching the altar."


    "Alright, we''ll keep watch to make sure no monsters show up. Go ahead." Satsuhiro said.


    Ash nodded and turned to walk into the church.


    It was small, as minute a building as the living room at the Savior House. Just a few rotten wooden benches were spread out, all facing an altar that nearly looked untouched by the passage of time. Ash looked over at Kaori and the blonde nodded, then both of them walked forwards.


    Before they could reach the altar, they both fell down, unconscious.


    When Ash opened her eyes again, she was in a black room. Only, this time, instead of the usual swirl of colors, one half of the room was white, and the other was gold.


    "What the...?" Ash said, looking down at herself and seeing that she still had her corporeal body.


    She looked to her right and found Kaori, who was also surprised.


    What''s going on?


    Then, as questions continued to bubble up in her mind, two women materialized out of nowhere.


    The first was the one Ash was familiar with, Magia. Her flame-like eyes, golden mist hair, and voluptuous body stepped forwards from thin air, a scowl on her face. The other, Ash hadn''t seen. Like Magia, her hair was almost made of smoke, but hers was colored white and was far shorter. She had a thinner body, and like Kaori, she was missing an arm.


    Who... Lumina?  Ash thought.


    "Welcome," Lumina said, gesturing at them with her hand. Magia remained silent," to one of the three original altars." She continued. "We thank you for coming."


    Behind them, a bolt of lightning struck the ethereal floor and a man appeared. He carried a trident, had the armor of a knight and a large shield.  Alkoth?


    "We... had hoped all three champions would be here, though, Alkoth has informed us of the difficulties, regarding the third Savior. In any case, we can make do with just the two of you for now."


    What do you mean?  Ash asked in her mind.


    "Allow me to explain," Lumina said. "Saviors are not just chosen arbitrarily," Lumina walked between them, pacing. "In order to choose one, we must gift them portions of our power. This is why we cannot simply make every citizen in the world a Savior, because just choosing one diminishes our strength. However, in the event that we find a person we particularly like, we can grant them  more  power."


    "Like you did with me back at Pearl?"


    Kaori asked that without opening her mouth, and yet, Ash heard her.


    "Exactly," Lumina said. "It''s best to see it as an investment. We sacrifice ourselves to strengthen you. Of course, upon hearing this, one might ask, ''what are the limits of this gifting process?'' And, that is what we are here to discuss with you today."


    Ash crossed her arms, raising a brow.


    Uh, okay.


    "Half," Lumina said, looking down at her missing arm. "Half of our power is the maximum amount of strength that we can give to a mortal. Any more than that, and we''d incur the wrath of the Higher Powers, but you don''t need to concern yourselves with that. Rather, can you imagine it?" Lumina walked up to Ash. "You know what Magia has done over the years, yes? She, the goddess of Lust, Creation, and Passion, built your entire world from the ground up. Every single tree, hill, and rock is there because of her. Imagine what half of her power could do for you, champion."


    ... What kind of scam is this? Ash asked, recalling many times merchants had approached her with blatant lies on the streets.


    "Now, of course, you wouldn''t be able to create anything or stuff like that, but, well, I''ll put it this way. You know that 100% EXP boost you have on you at this moment?" Lumina asked. "That can go even further. That effect is directly linked to the amount of power Magia poured into you, the amount I poured into my lovely Kaori," Lumina continued. "And we can provide more.... at a personal cost," she shared a glance with Magia, who looked away, annoyed.


    "What do you...?" Before Ash could finish her question, Lumina continued.


    "But, at this point, that is a cost we are willing to pay. See, this situation with the war has gotten out of hand. At this point, desperate measures must be taken, otherwise, humanity will be lost."


    "Why do you care?" Ash asked quickly.


    "Simple. Because although we are immortal and are at no real harm, our power is fueled by you. Your love, your order, your lust, it''s what gives us our strength," Lumina gestured at the other gods. "Without you around, well, it''s like this. Imagine starving for an eternity, but being unable to die from it. That''s how it would be for us."


    "Regardless," Magia finally spoke up, without looking their way. Almost like she wanted to keep her eyes as far from Lumina as she could. "The point is this. There are three Original Sites of Power, both of you are in one right now. Go to all three, empower them, and we''ll be able to gift you much more power than what you have already. This is called the Bonding Ritual."


    "Once you leave here, touch the altar and you will receive your first third of this power," Lumina said. "It would be best if you did this  before  Niven kills everyone in the world. Understood?"


    Both girls nodded.


    And, at that moment, Ash remembered the vision she had. She walked around Lumina, moving over to where Magia was sitting. The goddess glanced at her with half-lidded, tired-looking eyes.


    Behind her, she saw Lumina walk up to Kaori and hug her tightly, an embrace that Kaori returned.


    "You''re doing wonderfully, my dear," Lumina said. "Keep up the good work!"


    Ash looked back at Magia, who smirked.


    "Something to say, darling~?"


    "... Who''s the boy you were talking to?"


    "Hm?" Magia narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"


    "I saw this vision where, I mean, I think it was you, you were walking with some kid. Anything to tell me about that?" Ash asked.


    For a moment, Magia didn''t say anything.


    "And what would telling you of the past do exactly? The present is all that matters," Magia shrugged. "You have a war to win. Stay alive until the end and maybe we''ll have this conversation."


    And just like that, both Ash and Kaori disappeared.


    When Ash awoke, she was on the floor of the old church. She stood up, helping Kaori get to her feet as well.


    "Hm, that wasn''t sketchy at all," Ash muttered.


    "So, we need to go to the others," Kaori said. "Let''s touch the altar."


    "Yeah."


    Both girls walked up and placed their hands on the white stone.


    Instantly, it began to glow, and words appeared above them.


    Updated Trait: Quick Learner


    Old Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 100%


    New Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 200%


    Ash gawked.


    "I... I''m not good at math, but that seems important."


    However, she noticed something else. Even though she was right in front of the altar, the pull she felt from Magia was noticeably weaker now.

 Chapter 76 - Vol. 2 - 41

    Keiko


    The Zayama''s feet slid along the wooden floor, trying to keep up with her opponent. The Zayama Mage remained as elusive as he had been earlier, even now, on her fifth try at this fight. At the moment, Keiko was running up to her opponent as it prepared to teleport again. She then used her Spirit Eye to determine where it would go, and once she had the spot in her mind, she turned towards it.


    "Tiron."


    The creature materialized behind her, and Keiko was already turning to face it. However, try as hard as she might, she simply wasn''t fast enough.


    "Shiron."


    "AGH!" The Zayama Mage sent out a bolt of lightning her way that collided with Keiko''s sword, knocking it out of her hands.


    Her hands trembled, as the impact of the spell felt like they''d been struck by a hammer. She fell back. The Zayama Mage pulled back a hand, about to cast another spell. Before it could do that, Haruna charged in and slashed across its misty neck, killing the creature.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 240/240


    Level Up!


    And yet, the words above her did nothing to console Keiko as she let her head hit the wood and sighed. I just can''t do it!  She yelled at herself internally. Haruna was at her side quickly, extending a hand to help her up.


    "Good try," Haruna said. Keiko didn''t respond. Haruna shook her head and, with a soft tone, said, "listen, as I said, you need some anticipation in this fight that doesn''t come from your Spirit Eye. You need to be fast, predict where it might go, and start moving before even using your ability. That''s how you beat this thing."


    "I''m not fast enough!" Keiko lamented as she placed both of her points into her Dexterity, leaving her status like this:


    Level 23


    MP: 100/100


    EXP: 0/250


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 40


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    "Patience, you''ll get it with enough practice."


    "No, I won''t!" Keiko felt herself getting angry. It was a sentiment she wasn''t used to, but soon, she was yelling at her teacher. "I''m just not fast enough! I''m... Agh!"


    And so, sheathing her sword, Keiko stormed out of the room. Haruna sighed behind her, quickly moving to follow Keiko as she walked down, all the way to the first floor and out into the woods. Here, Keiko paced back and forth a few times.


    Eventually, she ended up sitting on the dirt below, putting her knees up to her chest and resting her head in her arms.


    Beating this castle at this level, with just a 7 on my sword proficiency.  Keiko thought. I''m so stupid! Why did I think this would work!?


    A hand fell on her shoulder and Keiko almost shook it off.


    "Calm yourself," Haruna urged. "Just breathe for a bit. Let your frustration in, and then let it out."


    She glared at Haruna, but then Keiko closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She did this once, twice, until her skin didn''t feel quite as hot as before.


    "Good. Listen, it''s okay to be mad. That''s the feeling that drives us all to improve, after all. But, I won''t have you thinking you''re a subpar fighter. You''re not. You just need more practice, that''s all."


    Keiko shook her head.


    "... I need a break," she then muttered. In truth, they''d been doing nothing but fighting since they got here. It was only when she said this that she realized how sore she was. Her arms, her legs, her abs, every part of her ached for some rest. And, now that she was aware of these sensations, they stood out all the more.


    I feel like I''ve been running up and down a mountain for weeks.  She thought.


    "Okay," Haruna nodded. "That''s fine. In fact," Haruna reached down for her to stand up. Keiko did so. "We needed to take a break anyway. We''ve run out of food after all."


    "Oh," Keiko muttered. "So, we''re gonna go hunt?"


    "No." Haruna shook her head. "I figured we''d take a day off and head over to Onyx. Stock up on supplies there, see the sights a little and come back. Would you like to do that?"


    Keiko looked down at her own hands for a moment. Even curling her fingers ached.


    "Fine."


    ---


    Some minutes later, she and Haruna were walking on the dirt road to Onyx, and Keiko saw the city in the distance, just a short walk away. It looked like a collection of grey buildings, with smoke rising up to the sky from various parts.


    Eventually, they were near the gate, which was made of iron as opposed to the wood that Keiko knew from Jade. At the sides were horses tied up and ropes that connected to the gate''s handles. As they drew closer, a guard walked up to them.


    "Identification?"


    "Is the city closed off?" Haruna asked, as though just asking this question was unusual. Indeed, Keiko never remembered being asked for identification at Jade, but she assumed that was because she was traveling with Saviors. Or, because the gates were open to any and all who wanted to enter or leave.


    "No," the guard shook his head, as Haruna handed him a card of some sort. He was dressed in black leather. "It''s just that recently we have had bandits coming into the city, stealing from stores and running out. It''s been happening so frequently that now, we have to check to see if people are registered before they come in."


    "Why?" Haruna asked.


    "Because, with what happened to Pearl," the guard explained, "some, uh, less optimistic people are assuming every city will go down like they did. They''re trying to get as many resources as they can before that happens. Paranoid people, basically. Okay," he turned towards someone on top of the walls. "Let them in!" He called out.


    And so, with some mechanism pulling the gates open, their way was cleared.


    The card was given back to Haruna and the two Zayamas walked forwards.


    It took just a few more steps before Keiko ran into various things that shocked her. On the sides, there were horses. Except, these were not like the ones outside. These were covered with metal armor, weapons locked in place at their sides.


    She hadn''t noticed it before, but as she looked at the guards flanking her now as she walked in, she noticed they weren''t carrying swords. Instead, they had oversized steel crossbows, with equally large metal arrows.


    Atop a pole to her right, there was a silver orb, glowing blue. From that orb, a voice emerged and Keiko flinched.


    "Ladies and gentlemen who come from other cities, remember to head to the Citizen''s Office and create an ID. It will be needed to reenter Onyx during these trying times."


    It wasn''t just the technology that was on her mind right now either.


    Being here, surrounded by people who were all dressed in clean, elegant-looking clothes, made Keiko realize she hadn''t taken a bath in a few days.


    Oh, no. I must smell horrible!  She didn''t even want to lean towards her pits to check.


    "Uhm, where are we going?" Keiko asked. "I... Kind of need to..."


    "A shower?" Haruna asked, laughing. "Yes, yes. I know. We''ll rent a room out and get our supplies after that. Come. There should be an inn close by."


    Indeed, it didn''t take long at all to find a place, mainly because the words "NEW AGE INN" were displayed on large, glowing, floating letters outside of one of the buildings.


    What the heck is all of this?  Keiko wondered, keeping her hands close together shyly as she walked in, following Haruna.


    Inside, it took just three seconds for them to be approached by people.


    Two workers walked up to them. A man and a woman, both looking like they were around Keiko''s own age. When Keiko saw how they were dressed, she blushed.


    The girl had on the strangest outfit Keiko had ever seen. With her black hair tied into a long ponytail, it was like she''d been wearing a fully black outfit and decided to have the sleeves and pants cut off, save for some long black gloves she was wearing. Her legs were completely exposed, with black heels at her feet, and her chest was pushed together by her clothing, making her breasts pop out.


    The man, on the other hand, was completely shirtless, showing off a thin, but toned physique. He had black bracelets and a black bowtie at his neck, with a black hat on top of his head, almost hiding blonde hair. He wore slim, black business shoes.


    Seeing them both, Keiko turned away, feeling embarrassed.


    "Hello loves, welcome to the New Age Inn!" The girl energetically said.


    "Do you know what you will be ordering first or do you need time to think it over?" The man asked. "Do remember, we do offer  extra," he said with a heavy emphasis, "services if you would prefer those, but only at night, of course."


    "We need a room," Haruna said kindly, gesturing at herself and her student. "With a shower, preferably."


    "Ah, understood, right this way." The man led them to a counter.


    Haruna did most of the talking as she set things up for them. Keiko, mostly, was trying her hardest not to blush harder as she took in more of the sights around her. There were a lot of regular paintings on the walls, depicting landscapes and such, but a few of them were fairly lewd, showing naked men and women doing various things Keiko hadn''t been ready to see. At the back, there was an open door that led to a dimly lit room. Music was playing from it, mixing in with festive-sounding people.


    Keiko felt cold, and then she noticed that at the corners of the room were jars containing what looked like flowers made of ice. From them, mist emerged, covering the room.


    "Done, come on, Keiko." Haruna said.


    "R-Right."


    And so, she walked upstairs with her teacher, to the first room on the left.


    It was fairly large, with two beds and another, smaller room on the right side. There was also a dresser in front of the bed, and a large mirror.


    "What was all that?" Keiko couldn''t help but ask.


    "Heh," Haruna chuckled. "Onyx is a strange place. I''ve heard their love for business and industry has slowly come to be matched by their love for other things. Personally, I don''t like it, but I do find it funny. Just ignore them, they''ll get the message. Anyway, here, come."


    Keiko walked with her to the smaller room.


    "This is called a ''shower''. You flip this knob," she showed Keiko, "and water comes out of there, into this drain below."


    Keiko flinched when that happened, seeing a spurt of water aimed in a very concentrated way.


    "You can close these curtains for some privacy. Well, would you like to go first?"


    "Y-Yes, please."


    "Very well."


    Even taking a bath was strange in this city. Keiko stood there, naked, feeling the water hit her as she ran some soap over her body, and then she was surprised to find the water getting hotter.


    It was admittedly refreshing though, and she walked out feeling like she''d washed ages worth of dirt off of herself.


    Haruna did the same, and soon, they were both sitting on the bed, getting dressed in some of the clothes that were already in the room. Keiko ended up with a long-sleeved, v-neck white shirt and long, baggy, black pants, with some white socks and black shoes that felt like slippers.


    "Okay, well, this room is ours for the next week," Haruna told her. "I realize you may be far more tired than I am. Do you want to stay here for a bit?" Haruna asked. "I''ll get some stuff for us to pack and you can rest up. How does that sound?"


    "Um... Sure." Keiko shrugged.


    "Alright then, I''ll be right back."


    With those words, her teacher left the room.


    Keiko lowered her head, running her hands over the sheets of the bed, finding that this was the softest surface she''d been on in a while.


    ... Everything I''d heard about Onyx had led me to believe they were a business-like people. So far, it feels like that was a lie.  Keiko thought.  Hm. Maybe I shouldn''t be too quick to judge though. I don''t know.


    Then, someone knocked on the door. She stood up and walked over to it. Opening the door, she found the girl from earlier, holding up a plate in front of her. On it were some strange things that looked like pastries.


    "Hi again, love!" She said, with an energy that reminded Keiko of Kaori. "Some biscuits, for ya." She spoke with an accent that Keiko found almost humorous.


    "Uh, I, um, I mean, I d-didn''t order..." Keiko trailed off, clearing her throat.


    "Ah, methinks ya misunderstand, these are on the house! Comes with the room!" Before Keiko could reply, she put the plate in Keiko''s hands and stepped back. "Ya clean up nicely, by the way. Name''s Caroline, if ya need anything else, don''t hesitate to ask!"


    Shocked, Keiko stood there as the door closed, holding the plate full of "biscuits" in her hands.


    I... What just happened?

 Chapter 77 - Vol. 2 - 42

    Ash


    After visiting the site, the group began to head north for Sapphire. It would be a day''s walk or so, according to Satsuhiro, and they were already a couple of hours into it. They had told him about the buff they received from the site they visited and Satsuhiro said that if they encountered any creatures on the way to the northern city, they''d take the time to eliminate them to secure some easy EXP.


    "So, what''s Sapphire like?" Kaori asked. "I''ve read about it in books a few times but I don''t really know any specifics."


    "Cold," Satsuhiro responded plainly.


    "They call it the City of Ice for a reason," Metsumi said, with Opah riding on her shoulders. "People usually just stay indoors most of the time. Honestly, I couldn''t stand it. I came here one time on a family vacation and we lasted about three days before we were heading straight back to Jade."


    Hm. If even Metsumi doesn''t like this place, I feel like I''m sure as hell gonna hate it there. Ash thought.


    "The monsters around the city are particularly dangerous," Satsuhiro added. "Almost all of them use Ice magic. One wrong move against them and you end up a block of ice waiting to be broken."


    "What kind of monsters are they?" Kaori asked.


    "Wraiths, ice snakes, double-headed bears, ice reavers. Those are probably the most dangerous. You see a reaver, you run."


    "And what''s a reaver?" Ash asked.


    "A humanoid creature with teeth sharper than most knives you''ll ever see. They''re not the biggest creatures out there, but they''re surprisingly quick, and what they don''t have in size, they make up for with tenacity and speed. They''re tough to take down too, so usually, it''s just better to avoid them than try to fight one."


    Ash nodded.


    "Got it. Don''t fight reavers."


    "Mhm. We''re making good progress, with any luck, we''ll be there by tomorrow morning," Satsuhiro said.


    Kaori walked up to Ash.


    "An ice city, huh?"


    "Seems like it."


    "Ah, I''m so excited! You know, I''ve never seen snow before. I''ve always wanted to."


    "Snow... Oh, right." The only reference Ash had for that was the few time she heard about it in school when she still went.


    "I bet we''ll see all sorts of new stuff. Apparently, at night, you can see colors in the sky! Oh, and I heard that, well, for some reason, spirits just walk around freely at night. Is that true?" Kaori turned to ask Satsuhiro.


    "Hm?"


    "That spirits walk around at night."


    "People say that, but I don''t know. There aren''t many instances of that being reported."


    "Not many?" Ash caught. "So, it has happened?"


    "Well, yeah," Satsuhiro replied. "But, spirits show up sometimes in any place you go to. There''s not much that says Sapphire is special in that regard."


    That was how most of the walk was spent. Satsuhiro and Metsumi would occasionally give a fun fact or two regarding the place they were headed for. They didn''t find any creatures on the way. Things seemed strangely vacant for the most part. The most exciting thing that happened while they were walking the long road was when a dragon flew over them.


    It was just before sundown, the group was walking down a small hill when Kaori saw it.


    "L-LOOK!" She had pointed up to the sky.


    And then, Ash heard it. A piercing roar, unlike anything she''d heard before. Wings flapping made the trees around them shake. A shadow cast over them and Ash looked up.


    Even from below, she could tell it was an enormous monster. A creature so large it could block out the sun as it traveled through the air. It didn''t pay them any mind, instead, just flew towards the east.


    "Holy shit," even Ash felt impressed by the sight.


    "Burn that into your memory," Satsuhiro said. "You probably, well, hopefully, won''t see one again for a long time. If you do, pray that it''s not anywhere near you."


    ---


    At night, once they were closer, they set up a small camp, with the city clear to see in the distance. It had already started snowing softly. It had icy bright blue walls, that almost seemed like they were glowing in the darkness. One large tower at the back held a blue orb so bright it was almost its own star.


    Ash was sitting alone, looking towards it. In her hands, she had a sandwich she''d prepared, equipped with ham, cheese, and lettuce.


    As she watched the city, Kaori moved to join her.


    "It''s beautiful," Kaori said. "Seriously, that looks like it''s from a dream."


    For a moment, Ash didn''t say anything. Niven''s words faintly passed through her thoughts. More demon than human.


    "... In a few days," Ash muttered, "we''ll be fighting to keep it from being destroyed. And," she continued, "no one will even thank us for it. Well, no one''s going to thank me."


    "I will," Kaori smiled brightly at her.


    "Hm, well, yeah, but..."


    "Besides, it doesn''t matter what the people who live there do. All that matters is that we stop those demons. That''s what we''re here for. That''s all our job is."


    Ash looked away.


    ... Sure, but is some appreciation too much to ask for? She thought, taking a bite out of her sandwich.


    "And, honestly," Kaori kept going, "the best part about this job doesn''t have anything to do with them. And that''s everyone we''ve got here, you, me, Metsumi, Satsu, Opah, and Keiko. I could care less if they thank us for what we do."


    Ash paused.


    "Yeah," Ash looked back at her. "I''m not doing this for them anyway. You''re right."


    "... That said, if you or I get one more dirty look from people we''re working to save, I swear, I''m gonna go crazy," Kaori said, stretching. Then, she shifted, turning and laying down so she could rest her head on Ash''s lap.


    Ash chuckled at that, shaking her head with a smile.


    Yeah... I just need to calm down. She thought, taking a deep breath. Can''t let Niven or whoever else get to me. Just stay focused.


    ---


    As Satsuhiro predicted, they arrived just a couple of hours after the sun had risen. It was already colder than Ash had prepared for. These clothes weren''t made for this weather. The front gate was open. A long white bridge led to it, with a few guards stationed at its center. The group walked up to them and they held out strange spears with curved blades at the top.


    "H-, ah, Saviors?" One guard said, recognizing Satsuhiro who was wearing his armor specifically so that they wouldn''t waste time being hassled by guards. "Right this way."


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "There''s a meeting currently underway. The portal hasn''t grown, but Lord Ayn wants to move quickly with preparations," the guard pointed to the east. There it was, a large diamond-shaped portal, with demons already outside, looking around. Of course, since Ash wasn''t being affected by Niven''s Blessing, she assumed it hadn''t spread its influence much at all. "Another Savior has already arrived."


    "Which one?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Vermia."


    There was a moment of silence following that statement.


    "... Shit," Satsuhiro muttered.


    "Who''s that?" Ash asked.


    "She''s... Whatever, you''ll see. Lead us there." And then, as Satsuhiro and the others followed the guards, he mumbled, "out of all the top Saviors, she shows up?"


    Ash heard that and narrowed her brows, but figured it wasn''t too big a deal.


    They were guided into the city, and Kaori gave an impressed "wow" as soon as they stepped foot inside. Most of the buildings were normal and made of stone, but a few were built with logs and had open windows, letting Ash see small fires inside.


    There were so many people outside, it was hard for them to move. Of course, as soon as they laid eyes on the half-demon, they all glared at her. Ash disregarded them.


    They weren''t able to see too much, as they were taken to the western side of the city, through some alleys where they ended up at one of the bigger buildings in Sapphire, as far as Ash could tell.


    Here, they were led to a room up several flights of stairs, at the very top of the building. The guards bowed to them, leaving them here and Satsuhiro was the first to walk inside, followed by Ash. Metsumi went with the guards, as she wanted to go with Opah to a warmer place than this.


    And then, as they entered, Ash saw looked around.


    There were just two people inside, along with one glowing orange orb in the middle. Ash immediately noticed this place was far less cold than the path leading up here was. Of the two people here, one was a man dressed like a noble, sitting at the table at the center of the room, and the other was a woman. That woman was standing at the back, by an open window that likely let her see most of Sapphire from this height. She was wearing a short dress composed entirely of black feathers and had a crown of black vines on her head. Her hair was a long, almost dirty grey, and her limbs were thin as though she hadn''t eaten properly in a long time.


    She heard the group enter and turned around, revealing a pair of pupilless white eyes.


    This... This is the Savior?


    Ash checked her level.


    Level 60


    MP: 800/800


    She had a sharp face, with small, colorless lips that curled into a little smile when she saw Satsuhiro.


    Ash raised a brow.  Then, she looked at Ash.


    But, instead of the glare the citizens gave her when she saw the half-demon, Ash saw her tilt her head and her eyes widen just a little.


    "Welcome, we were just getting started," she said slowly, with as soft a voice as Ash had ever heard. She then took a few steps closer to Ash and Satsuhiro.


    She was a couple of inches shorter than Ash. She bowed and when she rose, her eyes narrowed slightly.


    "My name''s Vermia. It''s a pleasure to meet you. And," she turned to Satsuhiro, "it''s a pleasure to see you again, my apprentice."


    Ash''s lips split.


    Her what?

 Chapter 78 - Vol. 2 - 43

    Keiko


    As strange as the food seemed, the "biscuits" were delicious, though she left a few of them for Haruna. Keiko took the time after that to rest. Eventually, though, the door to the room opened and Keiko looked back to find her teacher walking in with a few bags.


    She placed them on the ground by the bed and sat down on it. Keiko took the plate of biscuits and offered it to Haruna.


    "Ah, thanks," Haruna took the plate. "Well, I bought a bunch of food. We can honestly go right back there as soon as you''re done resting, but, if you want to look around, I mean, you might not come back to Onyx after this for a long time, right?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "Uh, sure. I''d like to walk around."


    "Alright. Let me have a bite of this first though, I''m starving." Haruna dug into the biscuits before speaking again, a bit of food still in her mouth. "We should also go to the Citizen''s Office to get you an ID. They''re restricting travel in and out of the city pretty harshly with all the robberies recently."


    "Okay."


    Then, someone knocked on the door. Haruna was standing up but Keiko stopped her.


    "I can get it, you''re eating," Keiko said.


    "Mm." Haruna hummed and sat back down on the bed.


    Keiko walked over to the door and opened it. Caroline was there, holding a pitcher full of some blue juice and two cups. She smiled and said:


    "Hello, love. Just something to wash those down with, psst," she leaned in conspiratorially. "This ain''t on the house, this one''s on me," she winked. Keiko nodded and bowed.


    "Thank you."


    "Aw, it''s no trouble, uh..." She waited.


    Keiko then realized she was waiting for her name.


    "O-Oh, uh, Keiko."


    "Keiko! Right, well, anyway, gotta get back to work. Enjoy!"


    "Thank you." Keiko bowed again and Caroline closed the door. Keiko took the pitcher and the cups inside and put them on the dresser with the mirror. Haruna raised a brow.


    "Well, she wastes no time."


    "Hm?" Keiko asked.


    "She''s trying to make a good impression on you. Probably for a tip, I''d guess."


    "Oh. I see."


    "Anyway, I think that''s lisonberry juice. It''s a fruit native to the area, tastes pretty good. Give it a sip."


    Nodding, Keiko poured some of the blue liquid into a cup and brought it up to her lips. It was sweet, but a bit too tangy for her taste. Still, as it was what Caroline had brought, she decided it wouldn''t be polite to not drink it.


    A few minutes later, the pair finished the juice and the biscuits together, and Haruna stood up, walking over to the door.


    "Time to get to know the city a little, come on."


    "Right."


    Keiko followed her then as they walked out.


    Once again, they were back on the streets of Onyx. Keiko''s first impressions were simple. Compared to Jade, this place just seemed kind of dirty. Although there were things like the armored horses, the strange crossbows the guards were carrying, and the flashy architecture on some of the buildings, everything just seemed so grey.


    The citizens who walked by them were dressed plainly, all wearing some shade of white or black. She didn''t see too many people her age either, most were either very old or very young. At first, because of the New Age Inn, she''d thought this place would be different from what little she''d heard of it, but, the farther she and Haruna got, the more it seemed like the serious, dreary location she''d heard about.


    "This street," Haruna gestured from where they''d come to the north, "this is where most of the businesses are. Then the streets on the right are mostly houses, and the rest are governmental, I think."


    "So... where''s the smoke coming from?"


    "This way."


    Haruna ended up taking her to a larger building unlike any Keiko had seen before. There were men with soot stains on their shirts, hauling black rocks from one place to another, pulling all manner of strange objects around.


    "This is what they call a ''factory''. I''ll be honest, I don''t really know what they''re doing but, yes. This is where the smoke''s coming from."


    The smell was horrible. Even though Keiko had her Spirit Eye, her other senses, though slightly lessened, were still better than the average person''s. So, when the fumes hit her nostrils, Keiko coughed and took several steps back.


    As Keiko watched people working, she noticed that on occasion, there''d be a wagon that would come in and replace some of the workers with other fresher ones.  Seems like quite the process.


    "I was thinking," Haruna suddenly turned to Keiko and said, "I could buy you a spear."


    "Hm?" Keiko tilted her head.


    "For the fight against the mage," Haruna explained. "Even though you''re better with a sword, I was thinking that we can mitigate the issue of your speed by giving you extra range so that when you go in, you can hopefully take the mage down before they have a chance to teleport."


    Keiko thought about it, keeping her eyes on the workers for a moment.


    "That makes sense, I suppose. Though..." Keiko sighed. "I don''t think it''ll be enough."


    Metallic clangs and banging ensued as they spoke.


    "Nonsense," Haruna said. "We won''t know until we give it a try. And, in any case, if that strategy doesn''t work, we''ll find another. You don''t have to beat yourself up over failures, Keiko. It''s normal."


    "B-But if I can''t beat that thing after years of training..."


    "How long do you think that mage spent training? Do you genuinely believe you''ve trained for longer?" Haruna interrupted her and Keiko stopped.


    "Well, no, but..."


    "Then, in that case, the fact that you''re so close is a testament to your talent and effort. And that''s all you should be thinking about."


    Internally, a small part of Keiko understood Haruna was making some amount of sense, but she still couldn''t get over it. Still, she nodded and didn''t respond as the two made their way to a nearby armory.


    However, before they could enter the shop, a couple of men jumped straight through a window, crashing outside onto the street. Both Zayamas stopped, watching as they desperately tried to get up and run away, carrying weapons on them.


    Thieves? Keiko thought.


    Someone else on a horse came by, trying to pick one of them up. Then, a second horse grabbed the other thief and Keiko watched as they ran ahead. They didn''t get far though. A couple of guards, armed with those crossbows placed themselves between the thieves and the gate they were heading towards.


    And then, they fired.


    The metal bolts sailed through the air, reaching the people on the horses. Keiko gasped as the bolts pierced through them, leaving the horses unharmed, but with four people skewered. Then, she saw that there were black lines attached to the bolts. The guards pressed a button, and the line started rolling back, pulling the bodies all the way to them, a stain of blood marking the path.


    Keiko was speechless.


    "Damned thugs," one guard said as he removed the bolt from the dying criminals. "Nothing but scum."


    "Keiko," Haruna tapped her shoulder. Keiko didn''t respond for a moment.


    They just killed them,  she thought.  Cause they stole a few weapons?


    As the guards inspected their bodies, Haruna tapped her shoulder again.


    "Come on, let''s keep moving."


    "D-Did you see that!?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes."


    "T-They..."


    "This is how Onyx''s guards deal with things around here, it''s of no concern to us. We''re pretty far from home, Keiko. Just stay focused, we''ll buy that spear, rest up, and head back out in no time."


    Haruna all but dragged her away pretty much. Keiko looked down as she walked into the same armory that had just been robbed.


    Haruna did all of the talking, ignoring the broken window nearby, while Keiko just stood there.


    Afterward, Haruna took her to the Citizen''s Office, but at this point, Keiko may as well have been a backpack she was carrying, as she barely spoke at all. The Citizen''s Office was full of citizens dressed in muted colors, all waiting with no emotion on their faces to be given their identification.


    Keiko and Haruna reached the front of the line an hour later, and yet, to Keiko, whose thoughts continued to playback that moment where the bolts pierced the thieves, it passed in the blink of an eye.


    She was asked for some basic information and soon when it was done, she was handed a card with all of that information on it.


    Sometime later, they were back at their room at the inn, with Haruna holding the spear she''d bought for Keiko, one made of red wood, with a long blade at the end. She twirled it and said:


    "It''s a well-enough made weapon, should be serviceable. Of course, since you''re slightly less proficient with this, you''ll need to make up for that with more thought put into your attacks. Calculate your offense in such a way that..." Haruna trailed off as she noticed Keiko wasn''t really listening.


    She sighed, let the spear rest against the wall, and sat down next to Keiko.


    "Still thinking about it?"


    "Yes, I..." Keiko cleared her throat. "I''m not too used to seeing people die like that."


    The only comparable moment was when she and the citizens of Pearl were attacked by the demons, and even then, she''d been so focused on her Spirit Eye, both trying to unlock it and eventually being successful with it that she didn''t concern herself too much with the carnage going on around her.


    This time, that was all she could focus on.

 Chapter 79 - Vol. 2 - 44

    Ash


    "Wait, so," Kaori leaned close to Satsuhiro as she asked, "she trained you?"


    "She was one of the people who trained me, yes," he crossed his arms.


    The Savior in front of them made an amused face. She smirked a little and said:


    "A part of me certainly expected to see you at some point, you always were quite the boy scout." Vermia tilted her head, "What I did not expect though was for you to have found friends, so, dear, care to introduce me?"


    Her blank eyes fell on Ash, and the half-demon raised a brow.


    "... These Saviors are Ash and Kaori, Ash and Kaori, this is Vermia."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Vermia stretched out a hand and, instinctively, Ash went to shake it. However, before their hands could touch, Satsuhiro stopped her, grabbing her lightly by the wrist.  Hm?  Ash looked at him and then back at Vermia.


    "Still so suspicious? I wasn''t going to do anything to her, especially when she seems so interesting."


    "... And what exactly could you have done?" Ash asked.


    "Wouldn''t you like to know~?" Vermia replied and then, the man dressed like a noble stood up.


    "Greetings, Saviors," he said. "My name''s Anders, Lord of Sapphire."


    Unlike Nathan, where the Lord of Pearl was a man who appeared as though he''d be more suited towards being a soldier than a noble, Anders was a thinner and much younger-looking, white-haired man. He smiled at the group and bowed.


    "I do wish we were meeting under different circumstances, when I heard the tale of the ''half-demon Savior'', well, I was fairly excited. I wanted to know your story, but it seems I will have to settle for knowing your skills in battle." He put his hands behind his back and paced around the room. "With the portal outside of the city, things are going to be lively here in the next few days. So, first question. How long do we have to prepare?"


    "Around a week and a half," Satsuhiro said.


    "No exact time?" Lord Anders asked.


    "I don''t believe there is, but knowing that Sapphire is bigger than Pearl, it will take more time than it did there for the portal''s influence to cover the city. We''ve likely got just a couple of days extra."


    "In that case," Anders said, "it would be best to begin preparations immediately. So, according to the reports, all of you were at the battle for Pearl. What do you suggest?"


    "Well... Unless you''ve got some more level 60s, I''ll tell you the same thing I said to the lord of Pearl," Ash started. "Just evacuate the city. These things are way too strong. The portal buffs their stats to where they''re pretty much all level 50."


    "Yes, we heard about this, though we did not know the particulars. Hence, we''ve already started to think about what we can do to overcome this statistical gap."


    "Oh?" Satsuhiro voiced some interest.


    "Indeed," Anders replied. "Stats are important of course, but they will not allow you to cheat death itself. These demons may be strong, but well-laid traps will work just as well on them as they would on any level 1 creatures."


    Ash sighed.


    Forget it. These kinds of people just won''t listen.


    "The key is simple, the bridge," Anders stated. "You walked over it when you came in. Any and all enemies will have to do the same. We," he gestured at Vermia, "were planning to use it in the coming fight."


    "Nope," Ash said. "They''ve got demons that can fly so, uh, yeah that won''t work."


    "Heh, we''ve seen them," Anders said, waving her off. "We''re also thinking of options to deal with them as well. Do not misunderstand, we know what we''re getting ourselves into. Overconfidence is likely what caused the battle at Pearl to go so poorly, and it is not a mistake we will make. I promise you that."


    To me, I''d say it''s a mistake you''re already making, but sure.


    "I''d like to ask, what sorts of strategies do the demons use?"


    "Not many," Satsuhiro said, "it''s mostly due to their overwhelming strength and numbers that they were able to take Pearl. However, it''s safe to say that we will have to prepare to deal with ranged attackers while the siege is happening. And that the Lust Demons will try to attack from above at the same time."


    "So, it''s an endurance fight?" Anders asked.


    "Overall, mostly. Also," Satsuhiro continued, "the farther they are from the portal, the weaker they become."


    "Hm. Then, of course, most of our forces will be positioned at the rear of the city. Assuming we don''t lose too many of our forces before then, we should be able to hold them off near the Snow Garden."


    "The... Snow Garden?" Ash asked.


    "It''s a part of the city, you''ll see it later."


    "Hm..." Anders tapped his chin. "Further preparations will need to be made, but, for now, I can make do with this information. I will need to send quite a few letters to bring the ideas I''ve got to life. All that said though, we''ve already prepared a space for Saviors to stay in. Vermia will take you to it. Settle in, and we will speak once more tomorrow to continue planning."


    "Very well then. Follow me."


    "Uh, it was nice meeting you!" Kaori said to Anders and the lord nodded.


    Vermia stepped past them, walking out of the room first.


    She didn''t say a word as she led them back out to the cold air that filled the city of Sapphire.


    "The space we''ll be sharing is a pleasant little building. I think you''ll enjoy it," Vermia said. "I for one look forward to the time we''ll be spending together. I''d love to catch up, Satsuhiro." Vermia said.


    Ash looked at her teacher, only to find that he had no intention of responding.


    "Ah, still hung up on... Well, I''m sure we can grow past that," Vermia said. "As for the both of you, would you like to go for some drinks with me later? I''d love to hear about how you got here."


    Ash raised a brow. Before she could ask if she was really that intrigued, Kaori responded instead.


    "Sure," the blonde smiled and nodded eagerly.


    Ash looked back and forth between the two of them.


    "... Okay."


    "Wonderful."


    "You might want to think about that again, she''s..." Satsuhiro started, but Vermia cut him off.


    "Satsuhiro," Vermia spoke with an entirely different tone. One that was like she was scolding a child. "I will tell them myself about my... interests, when the time is appropriate. I''d rather you not soil my image as a result of your own prejudice."


    Ash had expected Satsuhiro''s response to be a stern "fuck off". However, instead, Satsuhiro simply looked away. Ash''s brows went up to the sky thanks to that.  What?


    "As I was saying, this way. We''ve got a pleasant little place to stay at. You''ll both love it there."


    ---


    Ultimately, Sapphire was, at best, moderately uncomfortable. At worst, Ash found herself missing the warmth of Jade dearly. Everyone she saw, most of them strangely having white hair much like her own, walked around with what looked like at least a couple of layers of clothing, all of them trying valiantly to stave off the frosty air.


    Every now and then, Ash would find people selling orange orb-like objects to citizens. She nudged Satsuhiro and gestured at one.


    "Heat itself is a resource in this city," Satsuhiro clarified. "Those orbs heat up rooms. They''re worth a fair bit."


    Hm.  Ash noted that.  How do they work?


    "Ah, here we are."


    Vermia gestured at a wooden building up ahead.


    "This was a bathhouse up until I got here, now it''s our home for the next week or so."


    What does that mean?  She asked.  Did she straight up kick people out?


    "This means we''ve got all of these facilities to ourselves."


    "Facilities?" Kaori asked.


    "Yes," Vermia said, "this place has hot springs!"


    "W-What?" Kaori, who seemingly knew what that was, looked shocked as Vermia nodded.


    "Plus, it comes with some of the softest and warmest beds in the city. Surely, you will be enjoying your stay, I promise."


    "Did you hear that!?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Hot springs! They''re like super comfortable, warm baths!"


    "Oh."  Well, I guess that''s good. At least I won''t be freezing my ass off all the time.


    They walked into the building and the first thing Ash saw was a skeleton.


    A walking skeleton. One that was standing in the middle of what she guessed was the living room. Instinctively, she transformed Lust into a sword and aimed it at the creature.


    "An enemy!?" She asked, stunned.


    And then, Vermia stopped her, placing a pale hand on her shoulder.


    "Huh?" Ash looked at her. She was smirking.


    "Calm yourself, that is no enemy."


    "What?"


    Only then did Ash notice the broom the skeleton was carrying. It was sweeping the floor. Vermia walked up to it, giving it a kiss on the skull and turning back to the group.


    "Voila, I suppose it would be better to let you know at this moment, just to avoid any awkward realizations later on. Ahem, I," she smiled sweetly, "am a necromancer."


    Ash, who hadn''t heard that word before, made a confused face, but she looked over at Kaori and saw her face paling.


    "W-What?" Kaori stammered.


    "Indeed," Vermia said, looking back at her, grinning. "I hope you don''t mind."

 Chapter 80 - Vol. 2 - 45

    Keiko


    It was already nighttime. The event from earlier was still lingering in Keiko''s mind, but for the most part, she was able to set it aside. She and Haruna spoke in their room, while Keiko''s teacher laid down on the bed and closed her eyes.


    "We won''t stay here for long," Haruna said, "I''d say as soon as tomorrow morning comes around, we should get moving. So, do whatever you want to do before then. Alright?"


    "Yeah, sounds good," Keiko replied.


    "Okay. I''m gonna take a bit of a nap, wake me up if you need anything. If you want to go outside, try to be careful. Robbers are getting desperate."


    "Sure. Good night."


    "Mhm."


    With that, Keiko stood up and decided she''d do exactly what her master had alluded to. She saw some amount of Onyx already, but she wanted to see more.


    So, grabbing her sword, she walked out of the room, hearing festive sounds coming from the inn''s main room. As she walked down the stairs, she looked towards it and saw many citizens, far more than when she''d first come, enjoying alcohol and listening to what looked like employees playing energetic music.


    Keiko quietly tried to walk to the front door, but before she was able to reach it, a glass cup was held in front of her, that she almost ran straight into. Keiko looked and found Caroline, grinning at her.


    "Hello!" Caroline said.


    "Uh... What''s going on?" Keiko asked.


    "Just a bit of a party the management''s been wanting to put on," Caroline explained. It was hard for Keiko to get used to her accent. "Tensions have been running a little high in Onyx lately. Don''t worry, just have fun."


    "I-I, sure, later, just..." She pointed at the door, trying to hint that she wanted to leave.


    "Oh, you''re walking out? At this time, love?" Caroline asked. "Are, uh, you sure about that?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "The streets can be dangerous at night, not just here, but, anywhere, really. Especially in Onyx though," Caroline told her.


    "Is that so?" Keiko asked.


    "And, well, we have to lock up after a bit," Caroline stated. "With the robberies and all, we can''t afford to leave the door open."


    Hm. I''ll have to come back quickly then.  I still want to see the city for myself though.


    Keiko nodded, and then, she highlighted the sword at her waist.


    "I''ll be okay, thank you for the warning."


    Caroline clearly hadn''t expected that response. In fact, it looked like she hadn''t even noticed Keiko''s sword up until now.


    Keiko felt Caroline''s concerned eyes on her as she went out the door. Still, she walked out with some confidence.


    The streets of Onyx were illuminated by blue orbs on tall poles, giving everything around her the feeling of being drowned in moonlight. During the day, the greyness of the buildings had made everything seem metallic, but now, it felt like she''d stepped into another dimension.


    It''s cold tonight. Or, is it like this every night here?


    Keiko began her walk illuminated by the sapphire colors, wondering if people were already well within their dreams. She couldn''t see too many people, aside from the occasional guard walking around, crossbows in their hands.


    A few of them asked her for an ID, but most just let her walk by. A few of them though, she felt keep their eyes on her for just a bit longer than she was comfortable with. She wasn''t given too much trouble though.  What time is it? 8?


    A few stores were still open. A restaurant, a general goods shop, among others. However, one that caught her eye was what looked like a library.


    Keiko, of course, due to the blindness she''d had all her life, hadn''t gotten to experience any books that weren''t in Braille. So, out of curiosity, she decided to head inside and see what they were like. It was a cozy little place with candles placed around the room. There were four bookshelves, each one with different labels.


    Keiko walked over to one and placed a hand on a book, letting her eyes take in its appearance. Before she could get too analytical though, a voice called out to her.


    "Looking for anything in particular?" An elderly man asked.


    Keiko hadn''t noticed him. He was standing behind the counter, wearing a pair of glasses and holding his hands behind his back.


    "Uh, not really," Keiko said.


    "Hm. Coming to a bookstore for the sake of it, then?" He asked, with a bit of humor in his tone.


    "Uh..."


    Only upon hearing that question did Keiko realize how weird that would be. Which, made responding very difficult because that was exactly why she was here.


    So, she tried to think of something. Anything she could mention to give herself a reason for being here. The answer came almost instantly.


    "Magic."


    "Hm?" He asked. "What do you mean?"


    "D-Do you have anything on Zayama magic?"


    Keiko recalled her fight against the Zayama Mage. She hadn''t intended to do this when she left the inn, but if she could learn more about her opponent before returning to the castle tomorrow, she figured it would be good to do so. Plus, it gave her a purpose for coming beyond just "I wanted to look at your books."


    "Hm... The Zayamas. Come to think of it, miss," he said, "your eyes, are you...?"


    Right. Unlocking the Spirit Eye didn''t take away the brightness in my eyes.


    "Yes," she nodded. "I am."


    "Ah. Well, this is quite the pleasant surprise." He said. "I''ve heard about your clan. You are quite popular here."


    "W-We are?"


    "Yes," he smiled. "As a matter of fact, a few writers have taken it upon themselves to tell the stories of your clan to our citizens. The Fall of Hiroshi Mishina is a particularly popular story here. There was a play made around it that has sold the most tickets out of any, in history."


    "W-Wow..."


    It was a story that most Zayamas knew, but not one that Keiko held in high regard. Essentially, it was about a fight that took place around a hundred years ago, where a man named Hiroshi Mishina single-handedly held off fifty demons while a group of civilians was escaping from an attack.


    The reason Keiko didn''t care for it too much about it wasn''t that the deed wasn''t impressive, but because of how others told the story. Mainly, because everyone who told the story consistently chose to highlight his fighting skills, whereas Keiko believed the notable part of the tale was the fact that 50 people were saved that day.


    "That''s interesting," Keiko said, chuckling.


    "Hiroshi Mishina lived for quite a long time here at Onyx before that happened, so, a lot of our citizens tend to treat him as one of our own. Anyway, now, as to your question," the old man continued, "unfortunately, I''m not too familiar with ''Zayama magic''. Hm... However..."


    "Yes?" Keiko asked, curious.


    "Supposedly, there''s a Zayama who lives in the mountains near the city. I''ve never seen her, but I have a few merchant friends who travel from city to city, and I''ve multiple people run into her."


    "Uh, where?" Keiko asked.


    "North. Just next to the city. Apparently, she comes to Onyx every now and then for supplies but lives in the wilderness. I wouldn''t suggest going looking for her though," he continued. "The area is level 30. Too many dangerous creatures. The fact that she manages to survive out there is probably a testament to her power."


    "I see..." Keiko shook her head. She couldn''t even consider going looking for this Zayama woman, she didn''t have the time. She and Haruna would be heading back to the castle tomorrow morning. "You really don''t have anything on Zayama magic?"


    "I''m afraid I don''t, I apologize."


    "No, it''s fine, I... Thank you." She bowed out of reflex. The man smiled.


    And with that, Keiko found no reason to remain. So, she left the building.


    Outside, she sighed.  I suppose if he just happened to have the answers I''m looking for, it would be too easy. However, I need to keep looking. Even if I don''t learn anything before I fight the Mage again, once I head back to Jade, I will certainly research the topic.


    So, she started walking the streets again.


    She lost track of time, after a while.


    The longer she remained outside, the fewer places she saw open. Eventually, it got to the point where every building was closed, leaving her feeling lonely. There were no guards either. It was just her and the bright blue lights above.


    I should head back,  Keiko thought.  Nothing else to see.


    She began the short journey back to the inn, but before she was even halfway back, she noticed something.


    Someone was following her.


    A regular person wouldn''t have noted the subtle breathing several meters away, the light footsteps tapping against the stone, but Keiko did.  Thieves?  She thought.  Am I going to get robbed.


    Her hand hovered her sword''s hilt. She took a deep breath as more footsteps came.  More than one.  She realized.


    "Iridos." She whispered the incantation and used it to see into the future. The vision she received showed no violence, just her own body continuing to walk. Nothing yet.


    Every couple of seconds, she would reactivate her Spirit Eye and look into the future, but nothing would change.  Are they just watching me?


    She was beginning to get close to the inn. To the point where, if she were attacked, the commotion would likely alert the people there. A few minutes later, she was just outside of it. However, the door was locked.


    Hm?  Keiko tried to open it a few times, to no avail. She could hear the festivities from earlier continuing inside.


    Right... I messed up.  She thought, remembering what Caroline had said.


    Come to think of it, where are the guards?  She wondered.


    And then, upon activating her Spirit Eye again, she saw a dagger piercing the back of her head, her lifeless body flopping onto the cold stone beneath.


    She turned, unsheathing her blade and deflecting the projectile in one fluid motion. The dagger stabbed into the wall next to her, sticking there as Keiko looked to find the attackers.


    And then, she saw them. Four in total. Three men, one woman. Three were dressed like peasants, and one of them, a man holding a spear, was clearly a guard. Oh. He threw the dagger? She understood the situation instantly.  So... the desperation from the demon attacks has also been affecting the guards, huh?


    "I''m not carrying anything you would want," Keiko said aloud to them. "Back off."


    She checked their levels.


    Level 9


    MP: 10/10


    Level 10


    MP: 10/10


    Level 10


    MP: 10/10


    And the guard, who would of course be the most experienced, had this level:


    Level 15


    MP: 10/10


    They''re amateurs. Well, compared to me, at least. Keiko thought. She stood up straight, narrowing her eyes at them.  They''ve killed a few things, maybe a few people, but they''re not real warriors.


    "You don''t stand a chance," she tried to make her voice soft. Persuasive. She even sheathed her blade. "Check my level and you''ll see."


    "I... She''s got a point," one boy said, tapping the guard''s shoulder. "L-Look at it, bro..."


    "Doesn''t matter," the guard said, taking a step forward. "If we rush her, all at once, there''s no way she takes us all out."


    "I don''t know," the girl said next, "this seems..."


    "Do you want to leave the city or not!?" The guard yelled. "We need the money! And, look at her, look at the sword she''s carrying. With that curved design, there''s no question. She''s a Zayama, she''s definitely loaded."


    Keiko genuinely felt sorry for them.


    "... I don''t want to hurt you," Keiko said. "Please, don''t do this."


    Wordlessly, the guard began to walk up. His friends followed him, and Keiko shook her head.


    She unsheathed her blade again, keeping it by her side.


    Then, they started running towards her.


    Keiko waited.  They''re slow.  She thought, comparing their speed to that of the Zayama Warrior and the Zayama Mage from the castle.


    The guard reached her first. He pulled his spear back. Keiko didn''t even need to use her Spirit Eye for this.


    She dodged to the side, raised a leg, and kicked the spear down, pinning it to the ground with her foot.


    "Agh!?"


    Then, Keiko raised her sword, and brought it down, slashing through the man''s chest, trying her hardest not to let the blade slide too deeply into the man''s body. The other three halted as soon as they saw that.


    "B-Brother!" One shouted as the man fell back, a line of blood stretching from his body to Keiko''s sword.


    He ran up, but stopped as he looked at Keiko. The Zayama took a few steps back, sheathing her sword.


    Seeing that, he continued and knelt by the guard''s side. The other two joined him shortly after.


    If they heal him, he should be fine. Most people know the basic healing spells, even if they don''t, they shouldn''t have too much trouble finding someone who does.  Keiko thought.


    The door to the inn opened. Caroline and the other worker, whose name Keiko hadn''t heard yet, came out.


    "W-What...?" Caroline said, then, her eyes went from Keiko to the injured guard. Understanding dawned on her face and she shook her head. "Come in," she urged. "Quick."


    "Right," Keiko went inside the inn and Caroline closed the door.


    She looked down at Keiko''s sword and then up, locking eyes with the Zayama. Keiko couldn''t quite tell what sentiment was flickering through Caroline''s face. It seemed to be a mix between being impressed and being scared.


    Keiko turned away and started to head up the stairs, feeling that an explanation wasn''t necessary.


    Judging by the lack of shock on either Caroline or the boy''s faces, this was normal. And that was more frightening than the attack could ever have been.


    So, she went into the room she was sharing with her teacher, put her sword on top of the dresser, and got in the bed. Looking up at the ceiling, she sighed.


    So... There are consequences to these demon attacks I haven''t considered.  She thought. How many people have lost their lives as a result of the increasing crime rate? How many innocents have become criminals as well? She closed her eyes.


    The sooner we deal with them, the better.

 Chapter 81 - Vol. 2 - 46

    Ash


    "Uh, and what the fuck is a necromancer?" Ash asked.


    "It''s someone who uses Dark magic to resurrect the dead," Satsuhiro clarified, barely hiding the disgust in his tone. "And uses them as their own personal slaves."


    "That''s a rather cynical way of putting it," Vermia said, "I prefer to see it as allowing them to be useful one last time."


    Ash raised a brow, but she didn''t feel too different after knowing that.  Uh, okay, so she brings skeletons back to life? Is... Is that, like, bad somehow?


    Her confusion reached its peak when she saw that even Kaori, who up to this point Ash would have to award with the mark of "friendliest person she''d met", was looking at Vermia with a mixture of apprehension and scorn.


    Vermia shrugged.


    "Oh well, I''d hoped I''d have a few more friends to share this hobby of mine with, but, it seems that the times have not changed the perception of my work. Anyway, let''s go to those hot springs, shall we?"


    Ash, who still didn''t really see what was wrong with her, followed Vermia as she moved to the back of the building, where a sliding wooden door took them behind the structure. The others, however, remained inside. The hot springs were right there, three separate natural baths, the likes of which Ash had only ever seen from a distance whenever she passed by Jade''s bathhouses.


    Even then, she wasn''t focused on the baths themselves. Something else came to her mind.


    Wait, her eyes widened.  Satsuhiro said she uses Dark magic,  Ash turned to Vermia, and found that the woman''s eyes had been on her the whole time.


    "Well, what do you think?" Vermia asked, gesturing at the baths in front of them.


    "You use Dark magic?" Ash asked. A pleased look dawned on Vermia.


    "I don''t just use it, I''m damn good at it," she replied, chuckling. "Why do you ask?"


    "Because I have an affinity for it, and I''ve been looking for a teacher."


    At that, Vermia grinned.


    One of the most perplexing things about her was that, for such a small woman, she carried an extremely large presence. Just standing close to her made Ash feel strange.


    "That... Sure," Vermia turned towards her, looking up at Ash who stood a few inches taller. "I''d love to teach you what I know, if you''ll have me."


    Ash nodded.


    Well, there''s one thing out of the way.


    ---


    Later, Kaori and Ash were getting settled. There were several rooms in this house, and the two of them picked out one that was upstairs and that had a large enough bed to accommodate not just the two of them, but Keiko as well should she make it to Sapphire somehow before the fight begins in a week''s time or so.


    Vermia, unlike the rest, said that she was going to be staying in the building''s basement. They were free to use whichever facilities they wanted at will, the hot springs, the kitchen (which, surprisingly was fully stocked with ingredients), and a small training room downstairs.


    As Kaori was checking the drawers to see which clothes fit her, Ash crossed her arms and sat down on the bed next to her.


    "Hey, so what was up back there?" Ash asked. "Why were you and Satsu so creeped out?"


    Kaori raised a brow as she looked over at Ash.


    "Are you- oh, right." Possibly remembering Ash''s situation for the last several years, Kaori nodded. "Necromancy is evil... That''s pretty much it."


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Well, to raise someone from the dead, even if it is, like, as a skeleton or whatever, you have to manipulate their soul. It rips people away from the afterlife and disturbs their rest, usually just for the sake of making them fight." Kaori was getting agitated, but she soon took a deep breath and waved her hand back and forth. "It feels wrong."


    Ash looked away, narrowing her brows. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if Kaori was wrong.


    As a half-demon, Ash had been in a position most of her life where people never gave her the time of day. No one tried to get to know her, no one bothered to wonder if  she  had actually been evil or not, they just assumed as much and kept going.


    So, now, hearing about this, she couldn''t help but feel like there was something similar going on here.


    How do you know she''s evil?  Ash thought.  Aren''t you guys just assuming she is?


    Shaking her head, Ash decided that she wouldn''t just make her mind up one way or the other yet.


    She''d talk to Vermia herself, listen, and then decide what she thought about her. As much as she liked Satsuhiro and Kaori, she knew how people were. How people could be presumptuous about this sort of thing. She wasn''t about to make the same mistake.


    "Found anything?" Ash asked, trying to lighten the mood a little after that conversation.


    "Yep, look at this," she pulled out a small bright blue dress of some sort. "Gosh, a sundress like this would cost so many crowns back at Jade. Oh, I wish we could keep these!"


    "I don''t see why we can''t," Ash said.


    "Huh?"


    "I mean, the least they could do for us after all this is upgrade our closet and shit," Ash shrugged. "I''d say, we can take as much of this as we want to."


    "Uh, I... Isn''t that...?"


    "It''s a dress, I don''t think anyone''s going to cry over this."


    And with those words, Kaori looked back down at the dress in her hand and nodded.


    Curious, Ash asked:


    "So, do you have anything like that back at Jade? I''d love to see you in something like this."


    The latter sentence came out from her lips before she could stop it.


    Kaori blushed as Ash realized what she said.


    "I..."


    "Yeah," Kaori replied lightly. "I''ve, uhm, got a few things like this... I mostly just wore them whenever I''d go on dates or whatever."


    Ash cleared her throat, trying desperately to push the mental picture out of her head. Her skin was getting warmer and she could feel her heart beating a little faster.


    "Is that so?"


    "... Tell you what, if we come out of this in good shape, maybe I''ll show you when we get back," Kaori said with a shy smile.


    "I mean, you could just put it on right now."  Mostly just so I can tear it off right after, but, yeah.


    "I could, but then I wouldn''t be making you work for it, would I?" Kaori said. Ash shook her head, chuckling.


    "... Sure, deal."


    ---


    Later, at night, Satsuhiro, who had gone out to go get his wife and daughter from wherever those guards had led them to, returned with his family in tow. Kaori and Ash were both at the bathhouse''s main room when they came in.


    Metsumi was wearing a fluffy coat with white fur that, honestly, made her seem even larger than she already was. She grinned at them and held up some bags she was carrying.


    "I brought you stuff!" She announced.


    "Ooh, awesome." Kaori stood up and went to go see what she had.


    "Some Sapphire tea, guaranteed to warm you all up, and a few souvenirs."


    "Souvenirs?" Ash asked.


    "Yep. You''ll love them, they''re pieces of monsters!"


    As Metsumi emptied out the bags, they ended up with three lidded cups of tea, a long horn of some sort, and a blue, almost transparent, tooth.


    "What are these?" Ash asked.


    "Well, the horn belongs to a hornshark, no points for guessing why they''re called that, which is this animal that''s found in the icy lakes nearby. The tooth belonged to an ice wraith. They''re like piranhas made of ice, but instead of swimming in water, they fly through the air!" Metsumi explained.


    "Sounds intense," Ash muttered as she took the tooth, feeling it in her hands.


    Opah, who had some other bag in her small hands, jogged over to a fur-covered couch in the center of the room, hopping up on it and pulling out some toys she''d gotten. They looked like knights, and one toy resembled a goblin. Ash chuckled a little.


    "Anyway," Satsuhiro stepped in, "so, here''s what I was thinking," he crossed his arms, "tomorrow, we head out for the site of power. On the way, we can look for creatures to farm, to put that EXP boost you two got to use. How does that sound?"


    Ash nodded.


    "Yeah, sounds good."


    "Yup," Kaori said as well.


    "Alright then."


    With that, the group knew what they were going to be doing and they all decided to rest up.


    ---


    A few hours later, it was just past midnight. Ash, who had been sleeping with one arm wrapped around Kaori''s waist, suddenly woke up.


    Hm?  She blinked a few times, feeling groggy.  Shit, what time is it?


    Shaking her head, she sat up. Kaori was still asleep.


    She yawned, and then, she heard it. A sort of crackling sound.  Was that what woke me up?


    It came again, and Ash got out of the bed. In the darkness, she moved out of the room to see where the sound was coming from. It got slightly louder and Ash noticed it was coming from downstairs. So, she walked towards it.


    Eventually, she realized it was coming from the hot springs area.


    Walking out, she found Vermia standing there, casting some spell.


    Her hand was outstretched, a symbol painted on the ground. Black lightning emerged from her fingertips and went to the symbol. However, then, it backfired and the lightning ran up her arm.


    "Agh..." She hissed. Then, she noticed Ash standing behind her, and she let her hand drop.


    "Did I wake you?" She asked. "My apologies."


    "What are you doing?"


    Then, Vermia looked down at the symbol and back up at Ash.


    Without a word, she turned and walked back into the building, right past Ash.


    Uh, did I see something I shouldn''t have?

 Chapter 82 - Vol. 2 - 47

    Keiko


    The next day, many of the citizens who came to the New Age Inn were talking about the altercation that happened outside. Not that anyone knew the details, outside of the fact that a guard had been hurt, but occasionally, Keiko would hear someone say something like "hey, did you see the blood outside?"


    In addition, a few guards came into the inn and were currently asking Caroline what happened. The reason Keiko knew this was because she and Haruna were having breakfast in the main room.


    "So, you don''t know what happened?" A guard asked.


    "Nope, didn''t see anything," Caroline shrugged.


    "Seriously?" The guard asked. This conversation had been going on for a few minutes. Of course, with the blood they''d found right outside of the inn, naturally, they questioned some of the workers.


    "Mhm," Caroline nodded, crossing her arms. "I told you what happened, love. We heard someone cry out, I ran outside and by the time I came out, there was no one there."


    By the look on the guard''s face, Keiko could tell he was buying exactly none of this.


    "Someone next door may have seen what happened. You should check with them."


    "Hm..." The guard stared at her for a second before sighing. "Noted. Thank you for your time."


    The guard left the building and Caroline walked over to Keiko.


    "Thank you," Keiko said, bowing a little. "I appreciate it, but, why?"


    "If I''m being honest," Caroline whispered, "I don''t really care for the guards." She gestured at the rest of the inn. "You remember the guy who was next to me when you first came?" She pointed at him. The shirtless boy wearing the black hat.


    "Uhm, yes?"


    "He''s my best friend. His name''s Tye. We started this place together after his dad passed away. Built this place up from nothing. But," Caroline smiled, as if the memories were passing right in front of her face, "we wanted to do it our way. There are other inns in the city, but we wanted to be special. So, we made it a hangout spot too. Set up some musicians to come through every weekend, a separate room for, well,  special offers. And, you can imagine, a lot of people hated us."


    "Why?" Keiko asked.


    "Because, in a place where everyone''s focused on work every day, it''s not normal to stand out like that. Slowly but surely though, we started getting customers. Mostly traveling merchants and nomads. Some of the businesses around us saw the people we were attracting and changed to match, using the same kinds of signs, bright colors, and stuff like that." Caroline chuckled. "A looooot of people hated us though. And the guards were among them. A few times, we nearly came to blows. So, yeah, I''m not too fond of guards."


    Keiko looked away for a moment.


    Standing out in the worst way, huh?  Her time back at the compound, before she''d unlocked her Spirit Eye, passed through her mind.  I can understand why that''s not optimal.


    "Eh, I figured it was going to be a busy morning, but still. You..." She leaned over the table. "Who are you? Are you a soldier or something?"


    Keiko shook her head. She didn''t add anything to that though. Mostly, because she didn''t feel like talking much today.


    "Hm, well you got to that level somehow," Caroline said. "But, alright, keep your secrets."


    With that, Caroline went to attend someone else who had just arrived. Keiko, who had finished her breakfast, looked down at her own hands.


    "Feeling better?" She asked. Considering the guard who had tried to rob her and the thieves she''d seen get executed, Keiko gave a follow-up question.


    "In what sense?" Keiko asked.


    "Your body."


    "Oh." Keiko nodded. "Y-Yes, I''m still a little sore, but I can fight."


    "Okay. Are you ready to go then? Or, is there anything else you want to do here?"


    Keiko mulled it over, crossing her legs. She doubted she''d find anything about Zayama magic here, and she wasn''t particularly interested in roaming the streets the same way she had the day prior. So, she shook her head, wanting to get back to proper work.


    "Then, we''ll go back to the castle as soon as we''re done here," Haruna said. "We''ll try again a few times and see if we can find a new strategy for you."


    "Alright."


    Later, the two of them stood up and began to walk out of the building. Caroline walked over to Keiko before they could leave though.


    "Leaving already?" She asked.


    "Mhm."


    "Aw," Caroline put her hands on her hips. "That''s disappointing. But," she winked, "if you come to Onyx again, feel free to hang out here. We didn''t get to show you everything we offer."


    Keiko raised a brow.


    "Uh, okay."


    Hm. I don''t think I will. Keiko thought.  Nothing against the inn, but I don''t think I like Onyx. At all, actually.


    And with that, they were out of the inn.


    ---


    Keiko felt the spear Haruna had bought for her as she twirled it in her hands, trying to get used to it. The two of them were walking through the woods, nearing the Zayama Castle in the distance.


    "So," Haruna started, "what happened last night?" She asked.


    "... Nothing much."


    "You sure? If you want to talk about it, I''m willing to listen."


    Keiko sighed.


    "Nothing to talk about, really. A guard and his friends tried to rob me."


    "Oh... Are these people still with us?" She asked.


    "Yes, I didn''t kill any of them. At least, as far as I know."


    She had assumed that they healed the guard after that, but of course, she didn''t know for certain.


    Haruna nodded, not saying anything in response, and that was the end of that.


    As they arrived at the Zayama Castle for a second time, Keiko felt almost none of the eagerness and excitement she''d felt the first time. Mostly, she just wanted to get this done.


    It was childish, but more than anything, she just wanted to go back to Jade and lay down for a few days. However, she forced herself to keep walking alongside her teacher.


    Strategy-wise,  she thought,  I guess I''ll try the same thing. At first, anyway. But, if that fails, what else can I do?  She wondered.


    They walked in, heading past the Zayama Warrior on the first level, and the two enemies of the second, moving straight to the third. Here, the Zayama Mage''s armor remained on the floor, waiting to be roused.


    Keiko stepped forwards.


    "... Are you sure you want to go first?" Haruna asked.


    "Yeah," Keiko thought. "Is that okay?"


    "If you want to, I''d advise you to let me go first though, so you can remember what the enemy does."


    "It''s alright," Keiko thought. "I remember. The teleportation, the bolt of lightning, the wind weapon. I know what to expect."


    "Hm... Okay," Haruna said. "Go ahead then."


    Keiko nodded.


    With that, she walked forward.


    Begin?


    [Yes] [No]


    She tapped the Yes option and saw the creature''s armor floating up. Unsheathing her sword, Keiko waited. She didn''t want to try the spear yet.


    In truth, she had no expectation of winning this fight on this attempt.


    But, she was still going to try it because, now that she was rested, she had a new strategy. That was, to brute force her way to the next floor.


    Not because it was a particularly smart strategy, but because she wanted to move on already.


    The armor in front of her slowly became the mage she had to fight. Its legs, its arms, then its torso and its head. Blue smoke linking it all together.


    Level 25


    MP: 200/200


    Keiko took a deep breath, holding her sword in front of her.


    "Iridos." She said.


    The Zayama Mage separated its feet, placing them shoulder length apart. And then, the fight began.


    "Shiron."  The Zayama Mage pulled a hand back and pushed it forwards, sending lightning towards her. Keiko dodged to the side and charged towards it. "Tiron."


    It teleported. Using her Spirit Eye, Keiko saw that it would move to her right, and she slid to a halt, changing directions and running towards where it now was.


    Then, something happened. Keiko reached it.


    "Caron." The creature materialized a short blade made of wind and as Keiko went to slash it, their weapons connected.


    I... I reached it.


    Keiko attacked twice. She slashed two times and the creature deflected both strikes. Keiko was then kicked back. She fell to the floor and rolled, as the creature began to prepare another spell.


    "Shi-" Before it could finish though, Haruna ran in and stabbed it.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 30/250


    Keiko, however, wasn''t even angry about the outcome. That phrase went through her mind over and over again.  I reached it!


    "Well, that was a good try. Now, if you want, take a moment and let me go so you can..."


    "No!" Keiko said, standing up. She took a few breaths and shook her head. "I''m going to try again."


    Haruna gave her a strange look. She was almost impressed.


    "I can feel it," Keiko added. "I''m getting closer. Just... Let me try again."


    Haruna heard her and then shrugged.


    "Alright. Go ahead."

 Chapter 83 - Vol. 2 - 48

    Ash


    The next day, during the cold morning, while everyone was getting ready to leave to go to the next Site of Power, Vermia approached Ash. The half-demon was finishing up her breakfast as the necromancer walked over to her. Kaori was next to Ash, who the hybrid noticed immediately looked away.


    "Ash," Vermia said. "Regarding what we discussed, we could start now."


    Satsuhiro was nearby, and Ash saw him raise a brow, but she nodded.


    "Sure."


    "Great, come."


    Disregarding the looks everyone gave her, Ash walked with Vermia towards the hot springs area.


    "How much Dark magic has our dear Satsuhiro taught you?" Vermia asked.


    "Uh, not much. Perish, Decimating Touch, Dark Sphere."


    "Hm. I see," she nodded. "Well, how about I show you a spell that''s a little more... Special?"


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Simple," Vermia leaned forwards conspiratorially. "I made this one."


    "You made a spell?" Ash asked.


    "Mhm." Vermia put her hands on her hips, smiling. It looked like she was fairly proud of this fact.


    "Does this spell have to do with the whole necromancy thing?"


    Hearing that, Vermia tilted her head.


    "No, but..." She shrugged, "if you want me to teach you some of  those  kinds of spells, I can. You need just say the word. But, unless you ask me to, I will only teach you more conventional Dark magic." Vermia said.


    "Uh, okay." Ash nodded.


    "Wonderful. So, ready to start?"


    "Sure."


    And then, the room got even colder. Vermia closed her eyes and Ash saw magical black tendrils manifest on her arms, which began to pass to Ash. And, as had happened with the spells Satsuhiro had gifted her back when she first started, suddenly, the half-demon knew the spell that was being given.


    "I call this spell Spirit Siphon. What it does is simple," Vermia explained, "if you have received any wounds, upon laying your hands on an enemy and casting this spell, your wound will be healed and Dark magic will damage the enemy."


    "I... So, basically," Ash raised a brow, "if I get hurt, I can deal damage and heal myself at the same time?"


    "Precisely."


    "Oh, shit..." Ash looked away. "That does sound useful, I guess."


    The spell''s information floated above her.


    Spell: Spirit Siphon


    Upon using this spell while touching an enemy, it will heal the user''s wounds while damaging the opponent. (Damage scales off of INT)


    Mana Cost: 20


    "So, how did you make a spell? How does anyone do that?"


    "Through persistence and a lot of trial and error," Vermia answered, somewhat vaguely. Then, the door leading to the baths opened behind Ash and she turned to see Satsuhiro coming out. With his arms crossed, he looked at Ash, disregarding the necromancer entirely.


    "We''ll be heading out in a couple of minutes, wrap this up."


    "Aw, how cold. Wouldn''t you allow an old woman some time to get to know her student''s friends?" Vermia asked but Satsuhiro walked back inside without a word.


    "Old?" Ash asked. "You barely look 30."


    "You flatter me, dear, but in actuality, I''m 45-years-old."


    Ash''s jaw just about went through the ground when she heard that.


    "I just happen to have a very good skincare routine," Vermia shrugged. Then, she said, "it seems we will not get to speak too much. Best you go with the others. You need the training, don''t you?"


    "Yeah, thanks, by the way," Ash said. Vermia waved at her.


    ... Pretty useful spell she gave me, I should try it out in a fight and see what happens.


    When she came back to the bathhouse''s main room, Kaori quickly walked over to her.


    "Are you okay?" She asked.


    "Yeah," Ash replied, slightly confused.


    "She didn''t, like, torture you or anything?" Kaori asked.


    Ash chuckled and shook her head.


    "No, why would she?" Ash asked.


    "She''s a necromancer!" Kaori replied in a whisper. "She can''t be trusted!"


    "Kaori," Ash rolled her eyes, "I don''t want to look at her and just be like ''you know, you''ve done nothing wrong, but I can''t treat you normally because you''re a necromancer'' or whatever. I don''t know, I think that''s pretty fucked up."


    "Ash, trust me, I''ve heard so many stories of what these people do," Kaori was about to elaborate on that but Ash stopped her.


    "And I know that people have made up stories about what I''ve done," Ash countered. "People talk shit about things they don''t get. That''s how they are. Listen," she continued, "I''m not saying I''m giving Vermia my full trust from the start here, I''m just saying, I want to give her a chance. That''s all."


    They looked into each other''s eyes for a brief moment before Kaori sighed. Then, she nodded.


    "Fine, but be careful."


    "I will."


    And with that, the matter was settled...


    For now.


    ---


    As they walked out of Sapphire to go to the next Site of Power, the group saw various guards forming some barricades on the bridge that led to the city.  This must be that defense the Lord was talking about.  Ash thought as she saw wooden spikes, walls, and barrels being placed all around them.  What are they even going to do with all of this?


    She looked to the side and found that there was a frozen lake underneath the bridge, a line of dark blue stretching all around the city. As they walked past the obstacles, which of course, were not yet placed in such a way that they would not allow anyone to cross the bridge, Ash looked at the portal outside the city.


    It was slightly bigger from when they''d arrived.  A week and a half, at best.  She reminded herself.


    Satsuhiro was leading them, keeping his eyes on the map.


    "It''s not that far from here, just about an hour''s walk southwest. We should be able to find it and come back before nightfall."


    "Fuck, it''s so cold..." Ash hugged herself a little.


    "As advertised," Satsuhiro replied. "Now, keep your eyes peeled. This area is level 15 to 20, and it''s packed with some of the toughest monsters in the world. Ice wraiths, frost orbs, snow trolls, and snow goblins. I''ll step in if things get too messy, but be on your guard."


    He then went on to give tips with regards to how to deal with these creatures and general information about them.


    Snow goblins were almost exactly like regular goblins, but they were much tougher, as they lived in higher-level areas, and used Ice magic almost exclusively. Frost orbs were, apparently, giant balls of ice that attacked anyone who drew too close. The area around them, according to Satsuhiro, was so cold that most people chose to deal with them by way of magic.


    Snow trolls were humanoid creatures who stood almost 4 meters tall and could overpower most other living beings through sheer strength alone, though, apparently, they could also use some minor Illusion magic. Finally, ice wraiths were like floating fish with razor-sharp teeth. On their own, they weren''t too much of an issue, but the problem with them was that they travel in groups.


    It didn''t take long at all to come across their first enemy.


    Ahead, beyond some snow-covered trees, there was what Ash could only see as a giant, furry man, hunched over, devouring the corpse of a horse, fresh blood spreading all around it. It had long claws that were currently ripping into the dead animal''s flesh, and Ash could see two large tusks protruding from its mouth.


    Ash checked its level.


    Level 21


    MP: 30/30


    "Okay, a snow troll," Satsuhiro nodded. "Go ahead then. Whichever of you wants to go first."


    "Let me," Ash told Kaori.  I need to try that spell out.


    "Hold on," Kaori said. Then, the blonde closed her eyes and for two seconds, Ash''s skin glowed white. "I probably should have done this as soon as we left, but, there. Go ahead."


    "Hm? Is this one of those spells you got from Lumina?"


    "Yeah, I marked you. The longer the day goes, the higher my stats get."


    "Gotcha," Ash nodded.


    "Good luck," Kaori said with a smile.


    Ash took a deep breath and transformed her Lust into a bow.  No need to get up close and personal with that just yet,  she figured.  Might be able to take it out with one or two arrows. It''s worth a try.


    And then, she remembered something.


    Wait, I still have my points, right?


    She checked her status.


    She hadn''t allocated her points yet, from when she''d fought the Nightmares with Satsuhiro at the portal.


    Level 17


    MP: 80/80


    ---


    Attribute Points: 8


    STR: 12


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 8


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/200


    Holy shit, right, I got 8 points from that.  Ash looked up with awe for a moment before shaking her head.


    Then, she thought about where she wanted to place them.


    Most of those should go to my Strength, probably. But, on the other hand, now that I have a Dark magic teacher, I''ll probably be using spells more often. So...


    With that in consideration, she placed 6 points into her Strength, and 2 into her Wisdom, raising her mana cap and increasing the damage she dealt.


    Level 17


    MP: 100/100


    STR: 18


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/200


    Nodding to herself, she got ready.


    Satsuhiro and Kaori both took a step back. Ash set up the golden arrow that appeared out of thin air and pulled it back on her bow, letting it loose. It soared through the air, striking the creature''s back, and Ash saw that the impact pushed the monster forward slightly.


    Oh, shit.  She thought.  That felt like a pretty strong...


    However, then, a low growl came from the level 21 snow troll. It turned slowly, four large blue eyes all focusing on Ash as its growl intensified.


    Then, it fully turned towards her, stretched up, and roared. Ash could see that standing with its back straight, it had to be the tallest thing she''d seen, surpassing even a Nightmare in height.


    Its roar then took a piercing tone, high pitched in such a way that made Ash fall to her knees, dropping her bow and covering her ears.


    She felt chills go up her back as she trembled.


    What... the fuck!?


    "What''s going on!?" Kaori asked from afar.


    "That would be the Fear spell," Satsuhiro explained. "Kasumi uses something similar often."


    Right. Illusion magic.  Ash remembered.  Snap out of it!


    Gritting her teeth, Ash watched the creature start running towards her. She grabbed her bow, transformed it into a sword, and saw the snow troll leap into the air, arms raised and hands clenched into fists as it went to crush her from above.


    Ash rolled forwards, the creature landed behind her.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    A black sphere came from her free hand and struck the troll''s back. It turned quickly and roared a second time. Again, Ash felt her very being recoil, but she didn''t drop her sword this time.


    You piece of... The creature growled, and Ash gave her own snarl to match it. The troll began running towards her and Ash waited.  Same thing. Just move out of the way and-


    She failed to do so.


    The creature charged towards her, faster than Ash had anticipated, and tackled her, sending her flying towards a tree behind her. The wind was knocked out of her lungs and Ash fell to the ground, feeling her back aching.


    The creature gave a more victorious sounding roar this time as Ash struggled to get up.  Holy fucking shit,  she thought as she felt like her back was on fire.  That thing hits hard.


    Then, the troll advanced again.


    Ash transformed her sword into a bow again, and before the creature could reach her, she launched one arrow into its shoulder.


    She hadn''t expected the shot to kill the monster and, of course, it didn''t. However, what it did do, was stop it momentarily. Another arrow appeared and Ash let a second shot loose, catching the troll on its other arm.


    Then, a third and a fourth, both of these projectiles stabbed into its abdomen. Finally, she decided that it was hurt enough. Ash narrowed her eyes.


    Good a time as any to try it,  she thought. Then, with an absurd amount of pain in her back, she ran forwards and placed her hand on its chest. For a second, she remarked in her mind that it felt like touching stone, but she shook her head and said the incantation that she''d memorized when Vermia gifted her the spell:


    "Lesser being, give me your life."


    And then, Ash saw black lightning surge from the creature''s body and move into her own.


    She gasped. The pain that had been on her back instantly switched into the soothing sensation she usually got from Light magic, only much stronger. At the same time, Ash switched her bow into a sword, ready to end the fight.


    But, the creature wasn''t about to just stand there and be killed. It kicked her away, sending her back to the same tree, cracking it.


    This time however, Ash''s thoughts weren''t on the pain from the blow, but all she could think about was how much she wanted to feel that sensation again. She shook her head, trying to focus on the fight as the creature ran up.


    It raised its arms up, about to slam her. Ash did what she thought was the last thing the monster would expect.


    She ran up to it. It stopped running, about to do some other attack, but by now, Ash was already where she wanted to be. With her sword, she reached up and stabbed straight through its head.


    It died instantly.


    EXP Gained: 250


    EXP: 200/200


    Level Up!


    Ash''s thoughts weren''t on the fact that she won the fight, or Kaori''s cheers at the side, or Satsuhiro''s glare which was blatantly aimed at her, no.


    Instead, she thought:


    I need to try that again.

 Chapter 84 - Vol. 2 - 49

    Keiko


    It was shocking how big a difference the simple act of not being tired could make. Even as Keiko sat by, watching her teacher face the Zayama Mage, she felt like she was seeing more than she had before.


    For one, the Zayama Mage may be a spellcaster, but whoever this was before becoming a part of the tests, they certainly had a love for battle. One that compelled the Zayama Mage to, on occasion, forego its teleportation plan and engage Haruna in melee combat with its wind weapon. Taking advantage of that sort of pride was one way Keiko figured she could win.


    Besides that, the creature was clearly susceptible to creative moves. Such things as when Haruna threw her sword like a spear, or if its teleportation spot was successfully predicted. Keiko couldn''t tell whether this was because the person behind the armor had that problem in their lives, or if it was that the armor itself couldn''t adapt.


    Regardless, victory seemed possible now.


    As her teacher''s feet slid along the floor in an attempt to catch the Zayama Mage, Keiko leaned back against the wall.  I''m really starting to miss Metsumi''s cooking, Keiko thought. On its own, her mind began to think about her friends and she smiled.  I wonder how Kaori and Ash will react when they see my levels. They''ll probably be so impressed,  she grinned.  I can''t wait to show them!


    Then, metal fell to the floor and Keiko looked ahead to find that her teacher had won yet again.


    "Time to give it a try?" Haruna asked.


    "Yep," Keiko said, standing up. This time though, instead of reaching for her sword, she went with the spear her teacher had bought for her.


    "Same strategies," Haruna put a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly, and said. "The fact that it''s a different weapon you''re holding doesn''t change that."


    "Right." Keiko nodded, stepping forwards.


    Although Keiko wasn''t quite as good with a spear as she was with a sword, the plan was still the same. She needed to get close, catch it off-guard, and land a hit before it teleported away.


    Keiko spun the spear in her hands a few times, getting a feel for the weapon.  Breathe,  she reminded herself.  Stay calm. You''re rested, you''re focused. It''ll be fine.


    She waited for the usual words to pop up over her.


    Begin?


    [Yes ] [No]


    And, when she tapped the "yes" option, the armor began floating up into the air, constructing the Zayama Mage''s body. Keiko took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. She needed to keep all of her attention on this fight.


    So, she pushed away the anticipation of victory, the faces of the friends she was missing, and simply breathed as the Zayama Mage''s body was fully constructed.


    Narrowing her eyes, Keiko got into her fighting stance. Her legs far apart, her spear slightly lowered, waiting to be used.


    "Iridos."  She muttered, activating her Spirit Eye.


    Finally, when the mage''s body was done, she charged.


    "Shiron," the Zayama Mage said, casting its lightning spell at her. Keiko barely dodged in time.


    Level 25


    MP: 185/200


    It didn''t go unnoticed that the mage cast its spell far quicker than it usually did.  Is it compensating for my spear?  She wondered.  In that case, it knows that I have more range on me this time, and it''s making decisions faster in response.


    Keiko''s feet slid to a halt and she got back in position.


    That means the mage should have a higher chance of messing up,  she theorized.


    Her Spirit Eye told her that two bolts of lightning would be sent her way and Keiko rolled to the left, dodging out of the way and moving up once more.


    Level 25


    MP: 155/200


    This time, she reached the creature before it could move again. Instead of teleporting, it created its short wind blade, around half the size of Keiko''s sword.


    "Caron."


    Level 25


    MP: 140/200


    And then, the two warriors exchanged blows. Keiko thrust her spear, but the mage dodged to the right and stepped forwards. She was nearly stabbed, but Keiko stepped back, with the roles switched as now she was the one trying to put distance between them. Eventually, she dodged a slash at her abdomen and retaliated with a kick that sent the mage back.


    Keiko took a couple of deep breaths as she realized she had created a new problem. Although when using a spear she could reach the creature sooner and had more range, this came with a drawback. The fact that she was worse with this weapon meant that if the mage used its wind blade, Keiko had to retreat, as she was clearly outmatched in that regard, without her sword.


    Now, with the mage standing ahead of her, she had to make slight changes to her plan of attack.


    So, I need to fight in bursts,  she thought. I can''t stay in front of it for extended periods of time, or it''ll definitely wound me.  At the same time though...  She glanced down and looked at her sword at her waist.  I can switch weapons at any time.


    Making a mental note of that, she waited until her Spirit Eye told her that the enemy would attack once more.


    "Shiron."


    Another bolt of lightning, one that Keiko sidestepped.


    However, what the mage did next surprised her.


    "Tiron. Caron."


    Using two spells in quick succession, the mage teleported to her left, with a wind blade at its hand.  What?  Keiko blocked the incoming flurry of attacks as quickly as she could, using the spear''s wooden shaft to do so.


    The Zayama Mage raised its blade up and Keiko held her spear above her head horizontally to defend herself.


    But its wind blade broke through her spear, slicing it in half.


    Keiko''s eyes widened as she saw the enemy''s weapon coming towards her. Instinctively, she moved her head to the side and leaned, and it was this action that saved her from being cut down the middle.


    However, her chest still received a minor cut as she backed away. The pieces of her spear fell to the ground and Keiko reached for her sword, pulling it out.


    The mage stood up straight, its shortsword disappearing into the air, and for a second, Keiko couldn''t think of anything. Her mind was blank for a while, until she shook her head, focusing again.


    What just happened?  She asked herself, briefly playing back the last couple of moments.  It came towards me with its own sword, and... Did it recognize that I was worse with my spear? Keiko thought.


    Then, she checked its mana.


    Level 25


    MP: 100/200


    Keiko needed time. There was so much happening that she wanted to take stock of, but her Spirit Eye told her she wouldn''t have that time.


    "Shiron, shiron, shiron."


    Instead, the Zayama Mage sent out three bolts of lightning that Keiko tried to evade, but she couldn''t dodge them all. The last one struck her stomach, and Keiko felt an intense pain spread all throughout her body.


    "Keiko!" Haruna yelled.


    "Agh!" She crashed into the wooden wall behind her, electricity causing her body to tremble. Then, her Spirit Eye told her the mage would teleport in front of her, wind blade in its hand, trying to finish the fight.


    Seeing this, Keiko quickly stood. Haruna was about to run in, but something in Keiko''s spirit told her to raise a hand, prompting Haruna to stop in her tracks, even as Keiko gritted her teeth in pain.


    "Tiron. Caron."


    What Keiko did next, she did by forcing her body to act despite the overwhelming burn from the lightning that had hit her. She deflected two slashes from the wind weapon and kicked it back again.


    The Zayama Mage, perhaps sensing that it could finish the fight here, tried to run up to Keiko.


    The fundamentals! Keiko thought, almost like her soul was calling to her from within.  Remember the basics. Defense wins fights.


    The creature reached her and went for a slash at Keiko''s neck.


    Seeing that, Keiko placed her sword vertically, and pushed its shortsword back, parrying the blow.


    The creature''s arms were raised, leaving it open for a slash at its stomach.


    Keiko lowered her sword, pulled it back, and stabbed through the blue mist connecting its torso to its legs, and the Zayama Mage froze. Keiko stared at its body for a moment. Its arms were still raised over its head.


    Then, the wind blade disappeared, the armor fell to the ground, floating back to the middle of the room.


    And an EXP message appeared over Keiko''s head.


    EXP Gained: 90


    EXP: 90/250


    Keiko couldn''t believe it. Her arms were still outstretched, her blade perfectly still where she had stabbed it.


    However, as time passed, and she heard footsteps approaching her, she realized.


    I won.


    A laugh escaped her lips.


    I won!!!


    And then, the pain from the lightning spell reemerged and she held back a groan. Haruna placed a hand covered in a white aura on her stomach, where the attack had hit her.


    "I... I won."


    "You did," Haruna said. "Good job."


    After a while, the pain subsided. Keiko looked at the armor in the middle of the room, with disbelief in her eyes.


    "Take a moment to rest," Haruna said.


    "I actually did it."


    "Mhm," Haruna nodded. "Now though, it''s a matter of whether or not you can do it again."

 Chapter 85 - Vol. 2 - 50

    Ash


    After the fight against the snow troll, Ash placed both of her points into her Int stat, as she knew she''d be learning more spells soon and she wanted them to pack a heavier punch.


    Level 18


    MP: 100/100


    STR: 18


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 12


    WIS: 10


    L: 100


    EXP: 50/200


    The walk to the Site of Power was quiet, on Satsuhiro''s end. Ash noticed that, understanding that if it weren''t for Kaori''s occasional remarks of, "oh, look at that weird glowing tree", or "oh, check this weird spear-shaped fruit out", things would be painfully silent.


    Kaori tripped next to her and quickly, Ash helped her get up to her feet.


    "You okay?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah," Kaori smiled. "Walking through snow feels so weird."


    "Honestly, I don''t think I''m a fan of this place."


    "Eh, I kinda like it," Kaori stated.


    "Really?"


    "Mhm. After all, I can do this."


    And then, Kaori reached up with her hand and mushed a pile of snow onto Ash''s face. The half-demon snorted, swatting her hand away.


    "Pfft. What the fuck?" Ash asked, between chuckles. Kaori shrugged and the two caught up to Satsuhiro, continuing the walk.


    Still, Ash noticed that he seemed off.


    What''s up with him? Ash thought.  All I did was use a spell.


    "So..." Ash said, trying to see if she could get Satsuhiro to say more than three words. "How close are we?"


    "We''ll be there soon."


    Uh... I guess that''s a success?


    "Satsu," Ash started.


    "Mhm?" Satsuhiro hummed as he looked down at the map.


    "What''s up with you and Vermia?" Ash asked.  I mean, shit. If just me using a spell from her was enough to give me the death stare, something had to have happened.


    At that, Satsuhiro''s eyes narrowed slightly. He was silent for a brief moment before answering.


    "Vermia is a necromancer," he said.


    "Well, no shit, I''m asking..."


    "That means," he continued, cutting her off, "that she is someone who rips souls away from the afterlife to serve as her personal slaves. Evil or good, man or woman, recently diseased or long-dead, no soul is sacred. Not even that of other Saviors."


    At that, Ash raised a brow.


    "Other Saviors?"


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Yes. So, don''t trust her. In all likelihood, if a demon is about to stab you in the back when a fight comes, she''ll probably let it happen."


    Seriously?


    In that moment, the group heard a piercing, shrill screech coming from up ahead. Ash turned to face the sound, her eyes set between a set of trees covered in snow. It was an animalistic sound the likes of which Ash hadn''t heard before.


    "Uh, that''s kind of scary," Kaori said. "What was that?"


    "... From that sound, I''d guess that was a reaver."


    "Oh... That, uh, monster you were talking about earlier?" Kaori asked.


    "Yep," Satsuhiro looked down at the map, and then looked up. "Shit."


    Just by that mumbled curse, Ash could tell what he was thinking.


    So... The reaver is probably in the direction of the Site of Power, isn''t it?


    "Okay, listen up." Satsuhiro turned to face them, with a serious expression on his face. "It looks like we''ll have to go through a reaver to get to the Site of Power. A young one, I think. The thing about them is these creatures are relentless. One reaver is enough to wipe out a squad of soldiers of equal level. The young ones differ from the older reavers in that they''re about twice the size of a person, whereas a fully grown reaver is almost as big as a drake."


    "How do we fight one?" Ash asked.


    "You have to keep your guard up at all times, a reaver can close the distance and cut your head off with its claws in an instant. Keep your distance, outlast it."


    "What can it do?" Kaori added.


    "Rip into you with its claws, and that''s the only option it needs, trust me."


    As he said this, the wind picked up and another screech sounded off.  Well, I''ll give it this. That''s one terrifying roar.  Ash thought.  Whatever though. We need this buff.


    "Ready?" Ash asked Kaori.


    "... Doesn''t really matter, right? We need to go through there anyway."


    "I guess."


    "Then, yeah," Kaori nodded. "Let''s go."


    However, Ash thought of one of the blessings she''d learned and held a hand up.


    "For Light of grace to reach those in need, Lumina, allow our faith to dictate the power of our words. Let no prayer we utter be left unheard. To this end, show yourself in our actions and let your brilliance be seen."


    She recited the incantation for  Empowered Light, the spell which heightened the effects of Light magic. Ash checked her mana.


    Level 18


    MP: 60/100


    That''s a costly spell,  she thought,  but I don''t think I want to risk losing it against this kind of enemy, so I''ll mostly just be using Light magic anyway. It''s probably worth it.


    "Just in case," she said. "Okay," she looked at Satsuhiro. "We''re ready."


    ---


    Silently, they made their way through the trees until later, they found a stone building up ahead. Abandoned and run-down, the snow almost hid it from sight. Ash could just barely make out a statue in front of it, depicting Magia and Lumina.


    What the...?


    The statue featured the both of them, holding each other in a way that Ash could only describe as romantic.


    Her attention was taken away from the statue quickly though when she saw the source of the earlier screeching. And, it was every bit as frightening as the sound hinted at it to be. The monster was a humanoid creature with no eyes, a round head with a large mouth full of long, sharp teeth. It was hunched over, but Ash could tell it was probably somewhere between two and three meters tall. Its legs and arms were bulky, both ending with long claws. From its elbows and its knees, its bones protruded, clear to see. Finally, it had two small brown wings at its back.


    Ash could hear a faint clicking sound coming from it.


    Level 20


    MP: 10/10


    No spells needed, huh?  Ash thought as she saw its mana. It continued clicking as it stalked the grounds in front of the building.


    Satsuhiro glanced at Kaori and Ash, whispering:


    "Whenever you''re ready." He stepped aside, to give them space to fight.


    Ash looked over at Kaori. The blonde nodded. Ash did the same, and she stood up.


    Transforming her Lust into a bow, she decided she didn''t need to change strategies that had some merit to them. If starting off fights with a few arrows continued yielding some slightly positive results, then she''d keep doing it. So, she prepped one arrow, pulled it back, and let it loose.


    And the reaver dodged it.


    Though the reaver had its back turned, the creature actually ducked under the projectile, hissing and turning around so quickly that Ash flinched.


    "What?" She asked aloud and instantly, with a screech, the creature was charging towards her.


    "Ash!" Kaori, who had transformed her Savior''s Weapon into a swordstaff, stepped between Ash and the monster and the reaver tackled her, launching her back and making her collide with Ash.


    The two fell back. When Ash got her bearings, she found the reaver already over them.


    And then, a ball of flames collided with its back, searing it. The monster gave a pained screech and turned around instantly, only to find a second sphere hitting it. Kaori rolled off of Ash and tried to stand up to fight the creature, but a third fire attack finished the reaver off.


    Its head was disintegrated, and its body fell lifelessly in front of the two girls.


    Satsuhiro walked up, staring down at the reaver.


    "T-That was level 20!?" Kaori asked. Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Some creatures, reavers being one of them, are stronger than their levels would indicate. Their behaviors, their perception, their ruthlessness. It all contributes to form an enemy far stronger than its level should have it be."


    He helped Ash stand up and gestured at the Site of Power.


    "Come on, let''s get this done."


    "Yeah."


    Ash snuck a glance at the reaver''s corpse.  That was... Holy shit,  she thought.  It caught me off-guard. Can''t let that happen again, she noted.


    As Ash looked back ahead, she found Kaori was also staring at the monster.


    "That was... Something."


    Kaori nodded.


    "I hadn''t expected that kind of aggression," Kaori replied. "We''ll, uh, we''ll be ready though. Next time."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Sure."


    As the three Saviors all walked up to the Site of Power, Ash and Kaori were both surprised by the fact that they didn''t pass out immediately.


    The gods must not be feeling talkative today, I guess. She thought.


    The inside of the building was just as desolate as the outside, if not more. Ash saw old crumbled barrels and benches, sticking out of small hills of snow that had seeped in through the broken ceiling as they walked forwards.


    Ash felt Magia''s pull get stronger with every step, which was a good sign, she figured. When she reached the altar, she placed her hands on it. Kaori did the same. Then, the altar began to glow white and a pair of messages appeared above both of them, as Ash felt divine power flood the area.


    Updated Trait: Quick Learner


    Old Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 200%


    New Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 300%


    Nodding, Satsuhiro said:


    "With this, we can make even faster progress for the both of you. However, I suggest you make a choice."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Remember, the EXP system works on a benchmark basis. This means that as you reach different heights, it''ll get harder to raise your attributes through leveling, which is the easiest way to increase your stats. Even with this massive buff, there will come a point where you''re struggling to get to the next level, be it now, or be it when you reach level 60. By then, the attributes you''ve assigned will inherently lock you into a certain style. At least, if you want to be good at something, instead of just being  decent  at everything. Understand?"


    "Not really." Ash shook her head.


    "I''m saying that, once you''re at the higher levels, you might look back on the points you''ve assigned and think, ''oh, I would have rather had this''. For instance, Ash, you''ve been using magic more and more lately, right? What if you end up only relying on spells, but you wasted 10 attribute points on your Strength? That won''t feel good, will it? You may end up regretting what you''ve assigned. Up until now," he continued, "I have pretty much just let you level up whatever you want. This is done so that you can get a feel for every style available to you, but now that you''ll soon be approaching the mid-levels thanks to this buff, level 30 or so, you should commit to something."


    He shrugged.


    "At least, that''s what I think. I''ve never really seen someone try to level everything at once and have that work out for them. If you two think you''ll be the first ones to do so, then, by all means, go ahead. But, I''d say, you should think about what it is that has gotten you the best results, what you think you could do to be useful in the future, and focus on that."


    He turned around, starting to head out of the church.


    "You don''t have to choose right now, right this moment, but think about it."


    And with those words marinating in their minds, the two followed him out.

 Chapter 86 - Vol. 2 - 51

    Kasumi


    Every step that Kasumi took towards Sapphire left her hoping the demons would just get things over with already. It was bad enough when she was wallowing in self-pity at Pearl, but now, she was so cold, she couldn''t even focus on being sad.


    As she went from the forests of Jade to the endless sheet of white that stretched ahead of her, all she could do was shiver.


    I hate this already, Kasumi thought as she kept her eyes on the road.  Hopefully, this will be done soon though.


    She wondered how many of the other Saviors had given up. She also wondered why she hadn''t done the same. It was perplexing to her, but something in her body kept her legs moving towards Sapphire.


    It didn''t take long at all for her to lose track of time after she''d left the city. She wondered if she might arrive at Sapphire midway through the upcoming fight.  Who knows, I might be the first Savior to get fired.  She chuckled.


    As she thought of that though, she heard a low rumbling coming from behind her. The crimson-haired Savior turned and found a coach being pulled by two horses. Kasumi gave it a brief glance and turned her gaze back ahead, disregarding the vehicle. However, that plan was ruined when the coach slowed down and one of the people inside asked her:


    "Heading to Sapphire?"


    Kasumi turned and found a middle-aged man looking back at her.


    "Yes."


    "Come in then, we''re headed the same way."


    Kasumi raised a brow. Then, although she hadn''t noticed it before, she realized how tired her legs were. The woman looked back at the man and she paused. The man told the coachmen to stop the horses and Kasumi put her hands on her hips, inspecting the vehicle.


    Hm... Fine. Fuck it.


    She nodded and the man did the same, moving quickly to open up one of the side doors on the wooden structure. Kasumi put a foot on one of the wheels and pulled herself up, entering the coach.


    When she entered, she took stock of everyone inside.  There was, after all, the chance that this vehicle belonged to a bunch of bandits and that she had just volunteered to be robbed. However, upon laying her eyes on the people within the coach, she quickly decided that wasn''t the case.


    There were five people in total, without including her. Three on one cushioned bench in front of her, and two on the one she was sitting on. One was an old man, seemingly in his 80s, if Kasumi had to guess. Another was a little girl, maybe twelve, eleven years old. There was a teenage boy who looked like he couldn''t possibly be any more bored than he was, and finally, a middle-aged couple. Next to her were the old man and the teenage boy, on the opposite bench were the couple and the little girl.


    "Lucky we found you, aye?" The man asked with a pleasant smile. "The walk up to Sapphire is a long one."


    Kasumi simply nodded and rested her head against the wood.


    "With all this demon business though, the length of the trip ain''t the biggest concern, I imagine," he added.


    A snore came to her ears and Kasumi realized the old man was sleeping, his eyes closed and his head swaying every time the vehicle rumbled on the road.


    "You seen one?" The teen asked her. "A-A demon, I mean."


    Kasumi sighed and nodded.


    "Wow... Seriously?"


    "Ah, shouldn''t have said that. Now you''ve got him going." The woman Kasumi assumed was his mother said. "The boy''s got a fascination with demons, don''t know how the heck it happened, but, it''s there."


    "What are they like!?" He asked excitedly. "I''ve heard they''re, they''re super smart, and that they can talk and that they only appear on full moons, is that true???"


    "Pfft." Kasumi scoffed. "They''re just monsters. That''s all you need to know about them, kid. Nothing ''deep'' about them."


    "Well, there''s your answer, Ben." The mother said with an amused face and the kid looked seriously disappointed.


    The father laughed, crossing his arms.


    "So, what got you to try walking all the way to Sapphire?" He asked.


    "Business," Kasumi quickly responded. "My job needed me there."


    Do they know about the portal?  Part of Kasumi wanted to ask them that, but she was afraid that if the answer was "no", the instant they learned about it, they''d turn around and she would be forced to keep walking.


    As shitty as it was, she decided it couldn''t hurt to have them finish the trip. Especially since they were this close already. Then, they''d find out about the portal, leave and she could go on with her duties.


    "What do you work in?" The man asked. "Someone with your levels... Are you a soldier?"


    "Yes," Kasumi didn''t want to deal with people fawning over a Savior, so she simply lied about that. "And you?" Kasumi asked, hoping that if she got them talking about themselves it would mean fewer questions would be directed at her.


    "Well, this one," the woman gestured at the teen, "got himself accepted into Frostfall Academy." Kasumi''s eyebrows went up. The teen blushed a little, clearing his throat. The Savior had heard of the place in passing, apparently, it was one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Very few people attended it, due in no small part of course to the fact that it was located in one of the coldest places out there. Still, it had a fairly large amount of respect.


    "So, we''re making the journey," the father said. "Name''s Tol, by the way. That there''s Ben, this is my wife, Jess, my father, Stephen, and over here," he picked up the little girl and put her on his lap, "is Jessie."


    Kasumi nodded.


    For an instant, as her eyes remained on Jessie, the youngest, she thought back to Nozomi. pain briefly flickered in her heart but she shook it off.


    "I''m Kasumi. It''s a pleasure to meet you all."


    After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Kasumi found her eyelids wanting to close. Was I that tired?  She asked herself.


    Yawning, she shook her head, trying to keep herself awake. She certainly didn''t trust anyone here, and falling asleep next to strangers was a very good way to wake up on the side of the road with none of her belongings. However, the more she tried to resist it, the more tired she felt.


    It was such a strange sensation that Kasumi had only one hypothesis for what was happening.


    Is this... magic?


    She looked around, scanning the levels of everyone in the cart.


    All were level 1, all had an MP of 10/10.


    None of them have cast any spells. So, what''s...


    She didn''t get to finish that train of thought, as her head pressed against the right side of the vehicle and her eyes closed.


    ...


    As she reawakened, she found herself on top of a mountain. The sky was covered in grey, thunder cracking above her.  Shit. As she recognized her surroundings, she sighed.  This again?


    Sure enough, lighting twisted in a spire that eventually crashed into the ground in front of her. The lightning subsequently formed the figure of a large man, dressed in armor, wielding a trident and a shield.


    Kasumi instantly glared at him.


    I thought I made myself clear.  She spoke in her mind.


    Alkoth waved his trident and an image appeared next to him. It was one of a vehicle being pulled by horses, surrounded by snow, and heading towards a brilliant white city in the distance.


    That''s... Kasumi tried to raise a brow as she realized she was seeing her own location. Then, the image moved forwards.


    It revealed multiple demons, hidden beneath snowy hills, just a small ways above the same road.


    Kasumi''s eyes widened.


    We''re going to be attacked.


    Alkoth nodded.


    Suddenly, Kasumi woke up.


    The rumbling of the vehicle was subtle as Tol leaned forwards.


    "You alright?" He asked. "Sounds like ya had a bad dream."


    "Stop this thing," Kasumi said. "Now!"


    "What, wh-..."


    "Excuse me, sir," the coachman said as the vehicle slowed. "You''re in our way, could you please step to the side?" He asked as the horses freaked out.


    Kasumi leaned out of one window, looking ahead.


    Oh, shit.


    "Everyone, out." She said. "Get out!"


    "What are you freaking out about?"


    "Demons!" She yelled.


    "What?" Jess paled and as Tol saw how serious Kasumi was, he began to help his family exit the vehicle.


    "Come on, do as the soldier says," he told them.


    Kasumi jumped out onto the road and looked ahead. There was a naked man standing there, one with white hair and black arms.


    Options, options...


    Kasumi looked at the city. Sapphire was just a relatively short walk away. It was their best choice if they wanted to get help.


    Jade was too far away to turn around, and going into the wilderness, away from the road, would only lead towards potentially more dangerous monsters. Kasumi gauged that their best bet was to make a run straight for Sapphire.


    Now, how do we get there?


    She looked at the demon''s level, as the coachman, who apparently still believed he was talking to a human, kept yelling.


    Level 20


    MP: 40/40


    Lower than mine. My illusions should work.


    And then, she heard a scream. It came from her right. On the opposite side of the coach, where the family was.


    "JESS!" Tol yelled.


    Shit.


    She circled it and saw that two demons had already begun attacking. Tol''s wife, Jess, had a hand piercing through her abdomen, a grinning demon holding her up in the air. Tol walked up, trying to fight it off, but was quickly swatted away.


    From her belt, Kasumi pulled out a dagger and she ran up. Stabbing the demon in the neck, it dropped Jess, but the woman was clearly already doomed.


    "AGH!"


    The old man cried out. The other demon had bitten into his neck.


    Before Kasumi tried to save him, as hopeless as that was, she looked around and saw multiple demons swarming their position.


    I need to get them out of here.


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage."  She placed an invisibility spell on herself, Jessie, Tol, and Ben. The woman and her father-in-law, would not be saved though.


    Even while invisible, the two children screamed for their family members, but Kasumi dragged them away.


    "Tol!" She whispered as the demons began devouring the two bodies, along with the coachman who was promptly attacked as well. "Come on!"


    He stared at his wife''s body for a moment, before turning his gaze up at her. Kasumi pulled him to his feet.


    "We need to move, my spell won''t last forever!"


    Through shaking teeth, the man nodded and they started running, the sounds of flesh being torn and eaten fading into the back.


    ...


    An hour later, they reached Sapphire.


    The family''s faces were collectively covered in tears and snot as they cried every step of the way. Kasumi simply walked ahead of them, her brows narrowed as she took deep breaths. Nozomi''s image passed through her mind more than a few times, but she forced it out whenever it did.


    Guards in front of the white bridge ran up to them.


    "Get them somewhere safe, they were attacked," Kasumi muttered. One guard gasped as he saw blood on their clothes.


    The family was pulled away, wordlessly, as Kasumi shook her head.


    Then, she told one guard:


    "I''m a Savior. Where do I go from here?"

 Chapter 87 - Vol. 2 - 52

    Keiko


    Now that Keiko had found her first proper victory against the Zayama Mage, the question was simple.


    How do I do it again?  She asked herself, watching her teacher fight the Mage. By now, Haruna was having no trouble in beating the enemy. Keiko watched her teacher work with her legs crossed and her hands clasped together.


    Haruna was faster than Keiko, there was no denying that and, of course, it was to be expected. However, it showed up in her footwork in a beautiful way. The way Haruna moved was decisive but still elegant. There was a certain grace to every step she took that Keiko felt she was missing.


    Is this even something I can fix through leveling, or do I simply need to train more?  She thought as Haruna leaped back while the Zayama Mage was teleporting. Her teacher landed behind the spot where the mage manifested and with one slash, this fight Keiko had been watching was over.


    Outside, Keiko looked and saw rose-colored petals falling, cloaked in sunlight as the day was starting to come to a close. The sunlight shone through small square holes in the wall, landing on her crossed legs as she looked down at her hands.


    Trained hands. Hands that knew how to do battle, despite very little real experience compared to others. And yet, she was still far away from where she needed to be.


    Haruna sat next to Keiko. A bead of sweat, evidence of the effort she was putting in, rolled down her cheeks, falling from her jaw.


    Keiko wondered if this was how Haruna looked whenever the two of them would train before Keiko gained her eyesight. She wondered if she ever managed to push Haruna that far. The answer was most likely "no", but she could dream.


    "Try not to think quite that hard," Haruna suddenly said. "Your mind is a muscle, one that can be exhausted and one that needs rest just like every other part of your body. This is, in part, why we meditate."


    "Right," Keiko nodded.


    "So, will you be giving it another try?"


    "Yes, in a second. I was... well, as you said, I was just thinking a little."


    "About?" Haruna asked.


    "Our time training," Keiko replied. "I was wondering how much you were holding back. I don''t think I could ever get to where you are."


    "Hahaha," Haruna chuckled. "Quite a bit. You were, after all, an amateur. Still," Haruna held a nostalgic glint in her eyes. "The effort you put in was truly endearing, Keiko. And, in truth, if you keep walking this path, I have no doubt you will surpass me one day."


    Will I?  Keiko asked in her mind.  I can''t really imagine what that would look like.


    "Well, the sun is going down," Haruna said. "If you don''t want to fight in the dark, now would be a good time to start."


    "Right."


    So, Keiko stood up and went to grab her sword, which had been resting on the wall next to her. She took a few steps towards the lifeless armor in the middle of the room, and of course, words appeared above it.


    Begin?


    [Yes] [No]


    Keiko unsheathed her blade and tapped the "Yes" option in her mind, and the Zayama Mage quickly began taking shape.


    Now that she''d fought a few times, and was rested, she felt that a new strategy could be made. As she''d watched her teacher face the creature, she had begun calculating a new approach to the fight, based off of what happened last time.


    The mage was close to running out of mana,  Keiko remembered. It hadn''t come to her because she had tunneled into the mentality that she needed to defeat the warrior through brute force and speed, but having seen her enemy''s moves, she realized something. As a matter of fact, the creature did not have a means of attacking Keiko, safely, at least, without expending mana to do so.


    Whether it was by teleportation, a bolt of lightning, or its wind-made weapon, every time that the creature tried to attack her was an investment. One that usually paid off because Keiko played into its hands, but, a new idea came to her.


    Defense wins fights,  she thought.  Do I truly believe that?  She wondered.  Is that really true? Well, it''s time to test it.


    She would wait. She would allow the creature to attack her, over and over again, without a single answer from her, until it was forced to come to her to continue its offense.


    So, as the armor pieced together a warrior that Keiko was sure had to be great in their time, the Zayama held her sword by her waist, its tip pointed down.


    Her back straightened, her eyes fixed on her opponent, she waited for it to fully manifest.


    Level 25


    MP: 200/200


    And, once it did, she got ready.


    "Iridos."  She muttered, activating her Spirit Eye.


    The Zayama Mage raised a hand and Keiko prepared to move.


    "Shiron."


    With her Spirit Eye, she dodged a bolt of lightning sent her way.


    And thus, the dance began.


    Keiko waited. The Zayama Mage, unaware of her idea, continued to launch one bolt after another, but Keiko would either sidestep or roll away, without charging in to retaliate. It cast a few spells, and then, it stopped.


    The mage put its hands behind its back and simply watched her.  It knows.  Keiko understood, nodding.  If it sees that I''m not trying to attack it, it''ll just stand there until I do something. Well, if it just kept casting spells until its mana ran out, this would be too easy.  Keiko took a deep breath and raised her blade. The Zayama Mage unclasped its hands, bringing them to its sides.


    I''ll have to keep it engaged.


    Keiko ran forwards.


    With her blade by her side, she got within two meters of the enemy before it teleported.


    "Tiron."


    Level 25


    MP: 130/200


    It''s already almost half,  Keiko noted. The creature ended up behind her and Keiko slashed, forcing it to step back before it launched another bolt at her. This one, which would have struck Keiko''s head, was dodged with a single tilt, as Keiko saw it coming. The magic almost burned her hair, but Keiko remained focused.


    Calm.  She thought.  Stay calm.


    The Zayama Mage cast another bolt, and this one nearly struck Keiko''s arms. She only barely managed to dodge it and then, she ran up.  Don''t overcommit!  She reminded herself.  You''re only trying to keep it fighting!


    She leaped forwards and slashed horizontally. The mage ducked, instead of teleporting.  It''s trying to conserve mana? Well, I''ll force you to use it then!


    Keiko landed behind it and quickly spun with an attack, her blade clashing with a shortsword made of wind.


    Level 25


    MP: 85/200


    Their weapons clanged against each other, over and over again, letting metallic dings sound off, filling the air.


    Keiko smirked confidently.


    This is my territory, mage.  She thought, as she parried a blow and leaned back to dodge a slash that the mage tried to give in response.


    In a battle like this, I can match you!


    The mage, perhaps realizing this, jumped backward.


    "Shiron."  It said, in midair, aiming a bolt of lightning down at Keiko''s legs.


    The Zayama rolled forwards to dodge, ending up crouched. The mage ran up to her while she was in this position and slashed at her legs again. This time, Keiko kicked her feet up into the air, briefly letting go of her sword.


    Pulling off a handstand, she pushed herself off the ground and backflipped onto her feet, her blade still where she''d left it. She dodged another lightning bolt and quickly slid forwards, retrieving her weapon.


    For a moment, both combatants remained still. Keiko was breathing heavily, but she was also trembling with excitement.


    Over the course of this fight, something started to change within her. She slowly began to lose her fear of death. The more she fought this mage, the more fun it felt. The more she began to enjoy herself.


    She nearly laughed, when she remembered her strategy. Then, she checked her opponent''s mana.


    Level 25


    MP: 55/200


    Almost down to 0. What are you going to do?  She asked in her thoughts, holding her blade up.


    Keiko didn''t realize this was happening, but all around her, a golden aura began to come from her body. Haruna did see it, and her eyes widened as she continued watching the fight. She understood that something was happening, but was so shocked to see it that she almost didn''t believe it.


    It was common, but it usually required far more time than what she guessed Keiko had put in. And yet, it was happening to her student, right in front of her.


    Keiko charged forwards, the Zayama Mage created its wind weapon.


    "Caron."


    Level 25


    MP: 40/200


    The mage went up to her, Keiko prepared herself to begin another exchange, but the creature stopped.


    "Shiron."


    Just a meter in front of her, it pulled a hand back and pushed it forwards.


    Had it not been for Keiko''s Spirit Eye, telling her this would happen, she would have been struck at point-blank range. Instead, she spun out of the way, the mage''s hand going right past her.


    Then, she saw an opening.


    Keiko slashed straight through its neck. The cut would have cleanly decapitated any living, flesh and blood, creature that received it.


    The mage remained frozen for a moment and Keiko waited.


    Then, its armor fell to pieces and a message appeared over her head.


    EXP Gained: 90


    EXP: 210/250


    Taking multiple deep breaths, Keiko stared at it.


    Keiko looked down at herself, confused. Only then did she notice that her body had been radiating a golden aura this entire time.


    "Good job!" Haruna was applauding her, as she stepped forwards. "That was beautiful to watch," she said, as the golden aura disappeared.


    "What...?" Keiko looked down at her body. "What happened?"


    "You were close to gaining a trait," Haruna explained. "I''ve seen it happen before, it''s quite special."


    "Huh?"


    "There''s no real, definitive answer regarding how traits work, luck is certainly involved to some extent, but, as far as I know, the more you do something, the higher your chance of gaining a trait pertaining to that action. It seems there''s a trait you were going to gain at this moment, but it didn''t quite happen."


    "I see," Keiko replied.  So, I nearly got an ability or something? Related to fighting? But... I haven''t really fought that much. Well, not real fights anyway. Does training count?


    "For now, come. It''s time to see the next floor."


    Nodding, Keiko followed her teacher upstairs, to floor #4.


    It led them to a darker room, one with two more sets of armor laying on the ground.


    Another fight with multiple enemies. Keiko thought.  Well... based on those rules we discussed, it looks like we''ll be heading up to the fifth floor sooner than I thought.

 Chapter 88 - Vol. 2 - 53

    Kaori


    Admittedly, Kaori had mixed feelings with regard to Ash''s new abilities.


    Necromancers weren''t something too often talked about back at Jade, but Kaori had heard enough about them. How they stole the souls of the dead, that they would lay with corpses in the night and drink the blood of innocent people. Even if half of what she''d heard was just rumors, Vermia''s mere presence presented a risk.


    For now though, she had to focus, as she and Ash were in the middle of battle.


    "Let it make the first move, it''ll leave itself exposed," Satsuhiro told the pair as they stared down another snow troll.


    Kaori held her swordstaff at her side, but admittedly, her eyes were mostly on Ash. Moreso than looking to deal damage to the large monster ahead, she wanted to make sure she protected the half-demon. So, when the creature started running towards Ash, Kaori got ready to intercept it.


    Ash, however, dodged the incoming beast and planted her hand on its abdomen, using that strange new spell that Vermia had apparently gifted her. Something which rubbed Kaori the wrong way.


    The snow troll had its back fully turned to Kaori. It gave an almost pained roar as Ash''s spell affected it, and then the troll kicked Ash back.


    "Kaori!" Satsuhiro yelled. "Go!"


    "R-Right!"


    The Savior ran forwards and gripped her swordstaff tightly, pulling it back and sticking it into the center of the snow troll''s wide back. It arched, the injury earning a squeal before it tried to turn around and find whoever had done this.


    Kaori pulled her weapon off and the snow troll looked back at her, roaring.


    Then, an arrow landed right on the back of the snow troll''s head, pushing its head forwards.


    "Aooogh..." A breath escaped its lips as the troll fell forwards, falling onto the snow in front of Kaori.


    EXP Gained: 250


    EXP: 260/260


    Level Up!


    The blonde ignored the EXP message that appeared and quickly jogged up to Ash, dragging her feet.


    "You okay?" She asked.


    "Mhm. Fuck, that thing hits hard though," Ash said. "Well, everything does in this place, as far as I can see."


    Kaori transformed her swordstaff into a cube, put it back on her belt, and extended a hand. Ash took it and Kaori helped her up.


    Ash''s eyes went down to her own hands, which Kaori noticed.


    "Uh," Kaori started, "remember not to overdo the whole Dark magic thing," she suggested.


    "Hm?"


    "You know, since it can have bad effects on you and all."


    "Don''t worry," Ash quickly replied. "I know what I''m doing."


    "Alright."


    Then, Ash turned her eyes up, presumably to check her status. Kaori did the same.


    They had been fighting for a while, and with those buffs they''d received, it meant that the two were leveling up at a rapid rate.


    Especially since now that they were deeper into the area, the level of the creatures went up. Now they were encountering enemies who were level 20 to 25.


    Kaori had gone up several levels already but still felt like she didn''t really know what to do with herself.


    Not to mention she still had some of the attribute points from when she and the other Saviors had gone out to farm EXP. So, she''d decided to save up on new attribute points and left her status like this.


    Level 25


    MP: 60/60


    Attribute Points: 16


    STR: 18


    DEX: 18


    CON: 11


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    EXP: 20/270


    "So, ready for the next one?" Ash asked, seeming surprisingly eager to continue.


    "Sure."


    "One more," Satsuhiro stepped in. "Just one more and we go home."


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Sun''s going down," Satsuhiro noted. "The enemies in this area get stronger at night. Some monsters, way more dangerous than what you''ve encountered so far, only come out at night too."


    "Can''t be that hard," Ash said. "So far, the only thing that''s really been an issue has been those reavers."


    "And they aren''t the strongest thing out here, so yeah," Satsuhiro responded. "One more, and we go back to the city."


    "Fine, fine." Ash shrugged.


    Kaori walked by her side as they looked for their next target.


    "That was a really good shot, by the way," Kaori complimented her.


    "You think so?"


    "Mhm. Clean headshot. Honestly, super cool."


    "Meh, it''s easy when the target''s not moving."


    "I''ve seen you hit a few shots like that today when they were moving, come on, give yourself some credit." Kaori smiled.


    "Heh, fine. If you want to boost my ego that badly, I''ll let you."


    The group continued until eventually, they came across an encampment of sorts. Satsuhiro held a hand up and they all stopped. There were thin, sickly-looking trees up ahead and Kaori could hear some animalistic snarling.


    Hm? They hid behind a partially snow-covered boulder and looked ahead. Kaori saw four grey-skinned, short creatures, huddled around a small fire. One was holding a bow on its back, another a sword, one had a club, and one was empty-handed.


    Level 21


    MP: 10/10


    Level 23


    MP: 10/10


    Level 24


    MP: 40/40


    Level 20


    MP: 10/10


    "Snow goblins," Satsuhiro pointed out. "Relentless little assholes, but roughly the same as regular goblins. Just stronger. Plan something out and move in, then, once you''re done, we''ll head back home."


    Kaori nodded.


    "I can try to take one out from here," Ash said. "Then, we go in."


    "The one without any weapons is probably a mage, right?" Kaori looked at Satsuhiro for confirmation. He nodded. "We should probably take it out first."


    "Yeah," Ash agreed. "I''ll shoot it too."


    "So... You stay here, and, uh, I go in?" Kaori asked.


    "I don''t play on staying here the entire time, but, at the start, yeah. Seems like a good plan. What do you think?"


    ''Uhm..." Kaori hesitantly nodded.


    Kind of scary but... sure.


    "Okay then," Ash replied. "Let''s do this."


    The two transformed their cubes and Kaori stepped out from the boulder. Ash had her bow and arrow ready. Kaori nodded at her and started walking up towards the camp while Ash prepared to fire.


    As she approached, she saw an arrow fly through the air and strike a goblin''s neck. Blood spurted out and it fell forwards, dead. Kaori gripped her swordstaff tighter.


    The goblins screeched as they saw their comrade fall. Then, their eyes fell on Kaori and they started to run towards her. One, however, remained back, starting to mutter something. Kaori waited.


    One of the two goblins running up to her raised a club and Kaori tried to block the attack with her swordstaff, but found that she had barely enough strength to keep the blow from crushing her regardless. Then, the other goblin ran up to her side and tried to plant its sword into her torso.


    The blade only slightly pierced through her Savior''s Armor, enough to create a shallow stab wound.


    "Agh!"


    Kaori pushed the club away with her blade and wildly tried to slash both of them. However, the snow made it difficult to maintain her balance. She nearly lost her footing as the sword-wielding goblin pulled its blade out and tried to stab her again.


    However, instead of shooting an arrow at the mage goblin, Ash''s next arrow went to the one trying to stab Kaori.


    The arrow went through one ear and out the other. The goblin fell back.


    The club-wielding goblin went for another swing, but Kaori stabbed it before it could finish.


    EXP Gained: 250


    EXP: 270/270


    Level Up!


    In that moment, a bolt of lightning surged through the air, striking Kaori''s torso.


    "AGH!" She cried out, holding her chest where the spell hit her.


    "Shit," she heard Ash say.


    Then, two more arrows. One found the mage goblin''s shoulder, another found its chest. One last arrow struck its chest a second time, and the mage went down.


    Ash was by her side almost before the goblin even hit the snow.


    Her hands glowed white and she pressed them against Kaori''s armor.


    "You okay?" Ash asked.


    "Y-Yeah, it just hurt... a lot," Kaori said.


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro walked towards them. "It was a decent enough plan, but, Kaori, what were you going to do once the fight started?"


    "I... Hit them?"


    He shook his head.


    "You lack the speed to kill both before they kill you, and you lack the strength to stand your ground. This is why I''m saying you both need to find something to specialize in. Think about it."


    As Ash continued to heal her, Kaori kept his words in her mind.


    But... What can I even do though?


    ---


    Later, the group was walking along the white bridge once again. More of the preparations had been placed already, and they saw a line of spikes, wooden barricades, and weapons stretching all the way to the gate. They''re really moving fast. Good on them.  Kaori noted.


    As they entered the city though, they noticed there was a crowd up ahead. People, dressed in furry coats, were gathered around something.


    As they drew closer, they realized it wasn''t something, but someone.


    A man was laughing boisterously, so loudly they could all hear him from here.


    Then, as they drew closer, they saw the source of the commotion.


    He had to have been the single largest man Kaori had ever seen. A man dressed in golden shining armor, with short red hair slicked back and a wide grin on his face. On his back was a shield, almost as big as he was, and on his waist was a mace.


    He turned, looked at them, and raised a fist.


    "Ah! Satsuhiro! How are you, my friend?"

 Chapter 89 - Vol. 2 - 54

    "I''m good," Satsuhiro stated blankly.


    Next to Kaori, Satsuhiro sighed as the large man approached them, cutting through the crowd. He stood in front of them, towering over every person there, grinning. He wore his golden armor, but without the sleeves, showing off arms that looked like they were cut from stone.


    "I haven''t seen you in ages!" His voice boomed, a deep sound that seemed to come from his very soul. "You''re still as skinny as I remember, I thought Metsumi was gonna put some meat on those bones!"


    Satsuhiro crossed his arms as Kaori chuckled.


    "Didn''t expect to see you here, Ren," Satsuhiro said. "Didn''t you say you hated the cold?"


    "Ah," Ren waved his hand dismissingly, "I got over it."


    "Just like that?"


    "Given the circumstances," he said, a bit of seriousness creeping into his tone, "yes. Just like that."


    "Good," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Come, everyone," he looked behind Satsuhiro, at Kaori and Ash. His eyes lingered on the half-demon for a moment. "Let''s talk in a more comfortable location."


    He guided the group through the city''s streets, leading them to a smaller building on the western side. Following him, they entered a tavern. A few wooden tables stood between the door they''d just come in from and the counter at the back where two workers polished black bottles.


    "Greetings!" The man said to the employees.


    "What''ll you all have?" A boy asked.


    "How about some drinks, eh?" Ren looked back at them and asked. "On me, of course. To celebrate our reunion!"


    "Sure, Ash, Kaori?" Satsuhiro asked.


    Ash shrugged. Kaori smiled and nodded. She wasn''t one to turn down free drinks.


    "Alright then," Ren turned back to the workers. "Brown ale, four mugs."


    Ren paid up and everyone else walked over to a nearby table. Satsuhiro ended up sitting next to Ash, while Kaori sat next to Ren.


    "Is anyone else coming?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Not that I know of, but that doesn''t matter." He shrugged. "With you, me, and the black witch, we should be enough to repel these enemies."


    His smile faded as he said this.


    "Ah... So, you know she''s here then?"


    "I was told, yes." Ren nodded, chugging half the mug in one go. "I''m not exactly happy to see her, but help is help and given what happened at Pearl, I can put my thoughts towards her aside for now. You were there, right?" He asked.


    "Yes, along with them," he gestured at the other two Saviors. "Ren, this is Ash and Kaori."


    "Ah, nice to meet you two!" His smile returned briefly as he extended a hand. Kaori reached forwards and shook it. Her arm was nearly pulled off its socket. He''s strong!


    "Hm. When I heard that Pearl fell though, it was quite saddening to hear," Ren told them. "I grew up there. Spent most of my life in that lively place, before I was chosen. It was actually where I met Satsuhiro, remember?"


    Satsuhiro nodded and took a sip from the ale.


    "Yes."


    "You were vacationing with the wife, right? How''s Metsumi doing, by the way? Still built like a warrior goddess?"


    "She''s doing well."


    "Good to hear," he chugged the rest of the ale, wiping away some of the liquid that slid down from his lips as a result. "Admittedly, being alone in this part of the world feels... Dreary, but we have a duty to perform, so I''ll bear it. As for you two," he gestured at Kaori and Ash. "How has your training progressed?"


    Instead of responding to the question, Ash lifted her mug and drank down some of the liquid, staring at it before shaking her head.


    So, Kaori replied for both of them.


    "Good! Uh, good."


    "Ah, so what do the two of you do?" He asked. "Are you mages? That is what Satsuhiro knows best, I wouldn''t be surprised if that''s all he taught you."


    "Um, well, no." Kaori shook her head. "Ash does a little bit of everything and I... Uh, I..."


    He raised a brow.


    "Haven''t found yourself yet?" Ren asked.


    "Huh?"


    "An answer you aren''t sure about isn''t one worth giving. You can respond another day. That said, is it that you haven''t found anything that you like or...?" His eyes fell on her missing arm and Kaori sighed.


    "Partly, that,  I guess. I... It happened at Pearl," Kaori stated. "I don''t know what I should do now."


    "Hmph. One good arm is enough to make a warrior out of you. If I were training you, you''d be using that arm to break apart enemies ten at a time!" He said proudly. "How about it?"


    "Huh!?"


    Ren grinned.


    "We have time before the fight for the city begins, do we not? In a few days, I can definitely turn you into a proper Savior. Not that Satsuhiro''s done a bad job, of course," he said when the other Savior raised a brow, "but if you''re having trouble finding your footing, perhaps I can help. It can''t hurt, right?"


    "Uh... Sure."


    "Perfect, tomorrow, though." He gestured at the blood on Kaori and Ash''s respective armors. "I''m guessing you were out training?" Kaori nodded. "Figured. Training is great, but it''s better to be fresh when you do it. For now, let''s enjoy our drinks!"


    ---


    Keiko


    Unlike the previous multiple-enemy fight on the second floor, this one featured one mage and one warrior. The idea, as far as Keiko could tell, was that the Zayama being tested was supposed to be able to deal with a warrior while being attacked from afar by a mage.


    However, as they had agreed to skip floors like this, it meant that they only fought the enemies once before checking out the final floor, the 5th.


    Haruna let Keiko deal with the Zayama Warrior while she focused on the Mage.


    These enemies, like the mage on the previous floor, were level 25.


    Fighting an enemy with two levels on her was tough, but Keiko managed. While her teacher dealt with the elusive mage in the background, Keiko traded blows with the Warrior, until she found a moment where she could parry into a slash that cut straight through her opponent.


    EXP Gained: 80


    EXP: 250/250


    Level Up!


    Done.  Keiko breathed as Haruna managed to catch the mage. With both pieces of armor falling to the floor, the path to the next floor was open. She allocated her two points to Dexterity and walked up to her teacher.


    Level 24


    MP: 100/100


    EXP: 40/250


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 42


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    "Alright, then," Haruna said. "This is it. I''ll admit," she chuckled. "I''m fairly excited."


    I just want to get this over with so I can get back to Jade already,  Keiko disagreed in her thoughts.  As fun as fighting can be, I''ve had more than enough of this place.


    "Ready to head up?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "Let''s go."


    "Right."


    And so, both Zayamas left the crumpled-up armor behind on the floor, as they walked to the final test the Zayama Castle had to offer. Instead of leading to the fifth floor directly, it led them to a bridge.


    A wooden bridge with windows that allowed them to look out into the beautiful forest around them. Violet petals were strewn all around the floor as they walked towards the closed doors ahead.


    When they arrived, Haruna placed her hands on the door, but then, she stopped.


    "Wait, something''s written here."


    "Hm?" Keiko asked.


    "On the wood. It''s in Braille, Keiko, can you read it?"


    As Keiko only had her eyesight for a short time, she was still used to reading in that code anyway. So, she nodded and stepped forwards. She read the words aloud as she passed a finger over the raised dots on the wood.


    Good Zayama,


    The trial that awaits you is the culmination of years of training, meditation, and battle experience. One warrior that reflects the will and dreams of all Zayamas who have come and gone.


    Do not take the following challenge lightly, for success does mean the acquisition of knowledge and power, but failure means your spirit will be laid to rest in the Castle, a memory of bravery that ultimately did not succeed in the end.


    Proceed with caution, warrior.


    "Hm," Haruna nodded. "Let''s check this out. We don''t have to fight whatever awaits behind the door if we don''t want to, of course. Remember that."


    "Yes," Keiko nodded and took a deep breath. Haruna put a hand next to hers on the door.


    Together, they opened the wooden doors and walked in.


    Keiko''s first impression was that the room was like a dojo. It was an open space, with only a wooden railing keeping them back from the outside world. There were no walls beyond where the door was, and at the center of the open space, was a suit of golden armor.


    Wait,  Keiko thought.  I''ve seen that before.


    Kaori and Ash both wore something similar. As she saw that, her eyes widened. The suit of armor, already infused with a spirit, began to stand up. It walked forwards, its suit clanking as the creature moved.


    Haruna gasped, and then knelt.


    As Keiko''s realization marinated in her thoughts, she did the same, instinctively.


    This warrior... She looked up and saw its level.


    Level 50


    MP: 500/500


    The armor, just from a glance, even though Keiko had never laid eyes on it properly before, was instantly recognizable, based on the legends she''d heard as a child. This man was Musano Hasashi, the greatest Zayama fighter who has ever lived. Keiko remembered how, before she was selected to help Ash train, she would walk into the Zayama Memorial often, occasionally feeling the helmet he was said to have once worn.


    And now, his spirit was walking towards her. It looked down at the two of them, Keiko and her teacher, and it drew its sword, a black katana.


    "... Which of you is here to prove herself?" It asked, with an ethereal, old and tired voice.


    Keiko nearly fainted.

 Chapter 90 - Vol. 2 - 55

    Keiko could barely breathe. Her chest felt constricted, her throat so tight that she nearly struggled to inhale. The mere presence of the being in front of her was enough to do this to her.


    Musano Hasashi.  She thought.  He... This is him.  Shaking, she glanced up at his spiritual figure once more. Despite his head holding no eyes, she felt him staring into her being.


    Some of the stories of the man''s life passed through her mind in brief flashes. One where he singlehandedly defeated three Zayama masters of similar levels through skill alone. It was said that he reached Sword Proficiency 10 while training under a waterfall, after isolation for a month. And, of course, the same story that Keiko found out was being sold in Onyx was one she''d heard. How he held off 50 demons while helping citizens escape an attack.


    And of course, those were just some of the feats she could remember at this time. The list of accomplishments he held was enough to fill multiple pages of the largest books in the world. So, one question came to her as she knelt in front of him.


    How is anyone supposed to beat this?


    She looked at his level again.


    Level 50


    MP: 500/500


    The numbers mocked her. Her existence was akin to an ant compared to his. However, she knew for a fact she wasn''t alone in this. Generally speaking, as far as she knew, the way levels worked once you reached 20, you were considered an experienced warrior, having seen some amount of death in your time. Level 30+ was what others generally considered "high level". Even Satsuhiro, a Savior who had served the realm for multiple years and then retired, was level 35 by the time his duties came to a close.


    Simply put, people whose levels reached this height were no longer considered human.


    They were more akin to angels watching over the gods'' lands, in Keiko''s mind.


    How is this a test that anyone can beat?  She thought.


    "I ask again," Musano started, "which of you is here to prove herself?"


    "Both of us, siya," Haruna replied. Keiko usually only ever heard her use that word, ''siya'', when addressing her grandmother.


    "Hm. At once?" Musano asked.


    "N-No, one at a time. However," Haruna''s voice was close to quivering, "we... We may wish to step away from the test."


    "Hm? And why is that?" Musano asked.


    "Your strength... Neither of us could hope to match it." Haruna explained.


    "No one could hope to match it," he replied, emotionlessly. There was no arrogance in his voice, nor scorn. He simply spoke a matter-of-fact tone, his eyesockets still aimed at Keiko, specifically. "The power I acquired was given to me as a gift by Alkoth, the day he chose me. Do not lament the fact that your feet do not tread grass in my realm, for few do."


    And then, the spirit himself knelt in front of them. He did not bow, rather, he placed his hands on his thighs and kept his back straight as he continued.


    "This test is one of life or death, but not of the body," he said, "but of your spirit. Your ambitions."


    Keiko slowly raised herself.


    "What do you mean?" She asked softly.


    "Although Alkoth gave me the means to attain power, my legs moved to acquire it through my own will. No one pushed me, dragged me, or held my hand as I gained the experience I needed to get to where my journey concluded. I had to do it for myself. What I am here to test is whether you have that will within you, as well." He stated.


    "This... is a test of willpower?" Haruna asked.


    "Yes. Do not misunderstand, I will fight you, and if you are not prepared, you could very well die. However, the path that led you to this floor has already tested your skills in combat sufficiently to know that you are a cut above the rest."


    He raised a gauntleted finger.


    "Kazuha Zayama," he said, "the Whirlwind of Amber. A soldier who won many battles and was defeated in only a handful, he was the person you fought at the first floor. "Irina and Irino, the Enlightened Ones, warriors who would only ever fight together and were a devastating duo for it, they were at the second floor. Jun Zayama, the Witch of Wind and Thunder, held a limited arsenal but mastered it to such a degree to where not many could beat her in her prime. She was on the third floor, and on the fourth, finally, you faced the Twin Dragons."


    And, as soon as Keiko heard that, her mind went blank.


    What?


    "Iriko and Keina Zayama. The lovers whose passion for battle was only matched by their adoration of each other," she almost heard a chuckle come from him, "they were the challenge you met at the fourth floor."


    Her parents. It had been her own parents that Keiko fought so dismissively to get here. The floor she and Haruna cheated through to reach this point was a piece of this castle dedicated to her own family.


    And she''d completely disregarded it.


    This was, by far, the most dishonorable she''d ever felt.


    She nearly teared up as Musano finished.


    "Your skills are not in question. However, I ask, do you possess the spirit necessary to progress beyond this point? I will be the judge of this. Now, I ask again, will the two of you prove yourselves?"


    Keiko, still reeling from the revelation, failed to respond for a moment. Haruna however, did.


    "I will not, siya," Haruna said. "Thank you for the opportunity."


    Musano did not reply to her. Instead, Haruna stood and began to walk away.


    Wait, what? Keiko stood up and followed. Haruna stopped when she was a few meters away from the room, standing at the center of the wooden bridge that led to it.


    "Haruna," Keiko started. "What...?"


    Her teacher shook her head.


    "The path to power is not one I need to tread," Haruna stated. "I am here on your behalf, Keiko. Should you choose to continue, that is your choice, your journey. As for me, getting to see these trials and helping you through them was enough. I have no interest, at all, in what glory awaits past Musano Hasashi."


    "But, we''ve come this far, are you really going to just throw the progress away?"


    "Not yours," Haruna said, "seiyo, the rest of this is your trial. Your task to complete. As for me, I will be here to congratulate you should you succeed, and console you should you fail, but, as I said," Haruna shook her head, "The acquisition of power is not something I care for. I am a teacher, it is as simple as that. When we leave this place, I will go back to Jade and I will teach. That is all. I am not interested in whatever the rewards are for beating the fifth floor. Besides, some of it is likely to be magic, and you know I don''t care for that at all." She shrugged. "My job is done."


    "I... I see..." Keiko looked away.


    "That is not your situation though, right?" Haruna said. "You need more power so that you can help your friends? Stand by them as you face the dangers of this world together, no?" Haruna put a hand on her shoulder. "Your journey does take you through this room. So, go ahead. See it done."


    "..." Keiko turned towards the room. "So, I''ll do it alone?"


    "Yes." Haruna nodded. "You want to prove that you''re capable, right? That is something one can only accomplish alone. I don''t know what Musano Hasashi''s spirit has in mind for this test," Haruna added, "but if this is a willpower test then the question is simple, do you seriously wish to assist your friends?"


    "Of course," Keiko replied quickly.


    "Then you will pass. It is that simple. I''ll be back in a moment, I need some fresh air after... meeting that man like this."


    Haruna continued down the wooden bridge and disappeared behind the door at the end.


    Keiko was alone. Ahead, the door where Haruna had just gone through, behind her, the door leading to the final trial. She took a deep breath and nodded to herself.  Ash... Kaori...  She thought.  Saviors. I need this. I need to prove that I can stand with them, without dragging them back.


    She turned back towards the final room.


    I will come back a better version of myself. Them, my parents, my family, I''ll make them all proud.


    And so, Keiko walked back in. Musano Hasashi''s spirit was still there, his legs crossed as he remained in the center of the room. Keiko stepped forwards.


    "... You returned?" He asked. "So, you will take the test?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "I will."


    "Hm... How long has it been since I''ve drawn my sword?" He asked himself, a nostalgic tone in his voice. "So many times has the sun rose and fell since then, surely the last Zayama to see my blade has turned to dust. This is your test, but I thank you for this opportunity, child of the Twin Dragons."


    Keiko''s eyes widened.


    "You... What?"


    "Their spirits are attached to this place," Musano said. "As we speak, I hear them reaching out to you, saying your name. They have not done so for anyone else, it makes guessing what you mean to them fairly easy."


    "I..." Keiko shook her head. "When does the test start?" Changing topics.


    "Good. Focus on the task at hand, it begins now." Musano nodded.


    He drew his sword, a black katana almost as long as Keiko was tall.


    "Prepare yourself."

 Chapter 91 - Vol. 2 - 56

    "Draw your blade," Musano said. Keiko did so in a hurry.


    She didn''t even notice that her hands were trembling in front of her.


    "Here are the rules," Musano said, "if you land a hit on me, you win."


    "Is... that all?" Keiko asked. Musano nodded.


    "The hit does not have to be clean, or lethal. If your blade touches my body, then you win."


    Nodding, Keiko closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Easier than I thought,  she told herself.  Calm down. This will be...


    Then, she heard a  whoosh sound. When she opened her eyes, Musano''s blade was at her neck. The edge of it was hovering just a few centimeters over her skin. Musano looked at her and scoffed.


    "What kind of warrior closes their eyes in front of an enemy?" He asked.


    "I... I wasn''t..."


    "Prepared?" He walked away before retaking the position he had. "You should have been prepared the instant you walked through that door. Now, focus."


    Shaking her head, Keiko took the same fighting stance and nodded.


    "Iridos," Keiko said, activating her Spirit Eye. Musano noticed that and chuckled lowly. He did not say anything though, instead, he hunched his back and charged towards her.


    He went for a horizontal slash across Keiko''s abdomen. The girl lowered her blade, blocking the hit. Her wrists nearly broke from the force behind the attack. As Musano turned this attack into three more slashes aimed at different parts of her body, her legs, her head, and her chest, each one left Keiko wanting to drop her sword and hold herself.


    He''s... So strong.


    Musano pushed away Keiko''s sword with his own weapon, easily, and placed his sword right back where it had been previously. This time, he pressed it into her skin slightly, and Keiko felt a sting on top of her throat.


    "Are you still not prepared?" He asked. "The battle has started, Zayama."


    "I... I''m sorry."


    "Why are you apologizing to an enemy?" He asked. "Respond with your blade, not with words!"


    Keiko, with wide eyes and her heart drumming in her ears, nodded feverishly. Musano raised his blade. He brought it down in a vertical slash and Keiko blocked, but his blade pushed all the way down to her shoulder.


    She was convinced that if he had wanted to, he could have slashed her in two with ease at that moment.


    He''s humiliating me.


    Then, he switched to a horizontal attack, followed by two quick swipes. Keiko blocked every attack, but her arms felt like they were burning. He stopped after the third attack, letting Keiko catch her breath.


    Her mind went blank. As Musano took a step back and positioned himself again, the Zayama girl nearly dropped her sword.


    This is impossible,  she thought.


    "So, it seems then that if I take the initiative, you''ll never be able to succeed. As pathetic as that is, I''ll let you try it on your own then. Come! Attack me!"


    Once again, Keiko nodded and tried to focus.


    I came this far, she told herself,  I can''t just give up now.


    Trying to light a fire in her heart, Keiko willed her legs to move forward. Every step was incredibly hard to take, but she found herself moving closer to Musano. Then, she raised her blade, and, with one lazy outstretched arm, Musano blocked her attack.


    "... Is that supposed to be an attack?" He asked. "Again."


    Keiko froze up.


    "Did you not hear me? I said, again!"


    All of a sudden, Keiko felt like she was back at the Zayama Compound, the eyes of her grandmother watching her as she failed to produce her Spirit Eye. She thought she''d forgotten, but no. At this moment, those memories flashed in front of her eyes.


    ---


    "Of course, she can''t do it." Her grandmother sighed. "Try again."


    The sheer amount of disappointment coming from her side of the room was enough to make Keiko want to shrink.


    "Once more," Haruna nodded.


    Keiko tried again.


    ---


    The Zayama ran forwards, towards Musano. She swung her sword two times. Both times, Musano barely needed to move to deflect her attacks. Her sword bounced off of his as though she had hit a wall.


    She stopped for a moment and stared.  How can I...?


    He stared back at her, disappointment clear to see in his eyes. Then, with an incantation, he slashed at the wind.


    "Koro."


    A gust of air hit Keiko and sent her flying back. She landed a few meters away, shocked.


    "Is this how the daughter of the Twin Dragons fights? Did you train at all before coming here?" He asked.


    Keiko tried again. With legs that beckoned her to turn around and walk out of the room, she ran up and slashed twice once more. Musano blocked both attacks in one motion, holding her blade up with his.


    "An amateur stands before me," he said, "wishing to learn the secrets of the Zayama clan, without having to work for them. Is that it? Did you come here expecting me to hand you power in exchange for nothing?"


    Keiko spun, slashing at his neck, and once again, her attack was blocked.


    In truth, she wasn''t even using any techniques. She couldn''t think properly at the moment. Shame, embarrassment, and guilt mixed in her mind to form an unfocused mess of a fighter.


    ---


    Keiko deflected an attack from Haruna and countered with a slash of her own. Haruna dodged and Keiko heard her grandmother click her tongue.


    "Even the most basic of techniques are lost on her, a talentless child through and through."


    ---


    Several minutes passed.


    Keiko held her sword in front of her, tears beginning to form in her eyes.


    "Turn around and walk away, little girl," Musano said. "You are not ready."


    Instead, she ran up again. Her body moved, motivated by need.


    I can''t stop here,  she thought.  Ash, Kaori, everyone, they''re depending on me. I can''t come back to them as a failure.


    So, she tried her same attacks once more. Failing miserably to produce anything notable. Musano would swat away her blade like it was a child''s toy. At the end of this exchange, he kicked her back and Keiko had the wind knocked out of her lungs.


    Struggling to catch her breath, Musano walked up.


    "If you will not stop of your own volition, then I will make you cease."


    Then, the Spirit Eye told Keiko that Musano would attempt multiple slashes, and yet, she was far too slow to stop any of them.


    Her shoulders, her thighs, her waist, and her biceps, each of these parts received a superficial cut. She nearly dropped her sword. Instead, she fell to her knees.


    "Now, get out before I take your head off," Musano muttered in a threatening tone.


    Instead, Keiko stood up. Taking deep breaths and ignoring the aching parts of her body that had been cut, she stared ahead, holding her weapon up.


    ---


    Keiko was told that behind the training area at the Compound, was a bright garden with flowers that glowed in the dark.


    She couldn''t see them, but sometimes, she felt like just being around them made her warmer. So, every now and then, she''d walk here, sit down on the stair''s steps and hold her hands on her lap.


    A hand fell on her shoulder.


    "Hey," A voice she recognized said, "mind if I sit with you?"


    "No," Keiko replied. Honoka, one of the few people in the Compound she could call a friend, sat beside her.


    They remained in silence for a while, until Honoka spoke up again.


    "How''s your day been?"


    Keiko recalled the insults her grandmother had lobbed at her, but smiled and said:


    "It''s been good. And yours?"


    With that, the same conversation ensued that they usually had. As meaningless as their words basically were, Keiko still appreciated it.


    Maybe it was these moments that gave her the energy to try again the next day.


    ---


    Musano slammed his blade against hers multiple times. Keiko blocked the attacks but, especially now since she was hurt, it was difficult. Every single time, she swore his blade would go right through her.


    It never did, but she felt like he could kill her at any moment. That his patience was the only thing keeping her alive, and that it was running out.


    However, taking deep breaths, Keiko held her sword up.


    "... I saw you," he said suddenly, "as you made your way up the Castle."


    Keiko''s eyes widened.


    "These floors are linked. I watched every battle. Your master, she got you to this point, right?" Even though he had no eyes, his stare almost burned holes through Keiko''s eyes. "A cheater and an amateur. How can you bear to stand in front of me?" He asked. "Someone with even a grain of honor would be plunging their sword into their heart right now."


    A tear fell down Keiko''s face. However, she remained standing in front of him.


    I can''t give up. I''m sorry.


    She charged forwards.


    Multiple exchanges proceeded that. None ended differently. For what had to be around ten, maybe twenty minutes, with drops of blood flying through the air every time Keiko made a move, she clashed with Musano.


    Deflections, parries, blocks, none of the fundamentals she prided herself on made a difference. She was, at least, in front of him, an amateur. And yet, Keiko didn''t relent.


    "What a sad thing to see," Musano said. "Like a leaf struggling against the wind, you keep holding on to an imaginary hope. Here, I''ll make it simple for you."


    After several more moments of battle, Musano raised his sword. Keiko held hers in front of her face, scared to death. He brought it down on her and she blocked the attack.


    But his sword went straight through her blade, breaking it. His weapon ended just a hair above Keiko''s face, between her eyes.


    "Leave, before I change my mind." He said.


    Keiko stared at the sword.


    Wordlessly, she took a step back.


    "Finally," Musano said. "Disgrace..."


    But Keiko did not leave. Instead, she remained standing there and held her broken sword up.


    Musano watched her and for a few seconds, they remained in silence.


    Keiko shook her head. Her hands were shaking, her stance was unsure and off-balance, but she remained in front of him.


    Musano didn''t say a word either. They both watched each other. Then, Keiko took a step forwards.


    She had meant to run, but she was so tired she was only capable of a slow walk towards him. With her broken sword, she got closer.


    Musano watched her take every step until she was standing in front of him.


    She tried to push her arms up, but her shoulders wouldn''t let her, so Keiko instead tried a stabbing motion.


    Of course, Musano would block it, but Keiko didn''t care. She couldn''t turn around and go back to Jade without results. She would see this through to the end.


    Clank.


    Keiko blinked.


    Somewhat dizzy, she had trouble focusing on what she was seeing. Everything was a little blurry.


    However, when her eyes focused, she saw her broken sword, tapping against Musano''s armor. The man stood in front of her, staring down at Keiko.


    She looked up at his face and then back down at her hands.


    What?


    "You are an utter fool," Musano shook his head.


    "I..."


    "But," he cut her off, "it is clear that you possess the will to continue. I cannot fail you, no matter how much I might want to."


    Hearing those words, Keiko fainted.


    ---


    Later, her eyes opened again. Haruna was sitting next to her. Ahead, Musano was sitting at the center of the room, his back turned to Keiko.


    "She''s awake?" Musano said.


    "Y-Yes," Haruna answered, clearly surprised.


    "Good. Leave us, seiyo." Musano said.


    Haruna stood up and bowed. Glancing at Keiko, the young Zayama saw an emotion flicker through her eyes that she couldn''t quite read. Then, Haruna walked out of the room.


    Keiko sat up. She looked down at her own body and saw that her wounds had been healed. At the corners of the room, candles burned away.


    "Sit in front of me," Musano said.


    Keiko, realizing where she was, quickly crawled over and did so.


    "Y-Yes, siya," she bowed.


    "... When I first saw what you and your teacher were doing," Musano started, "I was so enraged I yearned for the opportunity to cut your head off for it," Musano spoke with a low voice, that of an old man who had seen more in one year than Keiko had in her entire life. "You are not the first to try it, but it had been some time since the last idiot who came and did that. However, unlike them, when you reached me, you remained. I showed you the difference in power between us, I let you know how foolish this plan was, and yet, where the other person fled, you stayed here."


    Keiko listened, her back straight as Musano paused briefly.


    "That was when my anger began to change into curiosity," Musano said. "I began to wonder what it was that had you here, what compelled you to continue. That said, I was sure it wouldn''t last, and then, the test began." He held three ethereal fingers up. "Willpower is tested in three ways, the mind, the spirit, and the body."


    Keiko nodded.


    "The mind, the easiest one to break. Your logic. You knew you had no chance of beating me. Usually, when a person is faced with such an obstacle, their response is to leave and come back when they''re actually strong enough. Most of the time though, they don''t come back at all. You, however, are a special kind of idiot. So, you stayed."


    Keiko scratched the back of her head.


    "The second, your spirit. No matter how confident one might be, when faced with an insurmountable task, if one has their ego beaten down like I was doing to you, they would surely break and run away. A person''s ego is something most people strive to protect, and yet, you treated it like it was worth nothing."


    Keiko looked away.


    "Finally, your body. Even if you''re foolish enough to believe you can win, upon being torn apart, even the dumbest of warriors would scurry off. And yet, hands trembling, you walked up to me. It was at that moment I realized, whether you cheated or not, my test was designed to measure your willpower."


    "So..."


    "It means that, even if you didn''t deserve to get past the first four floors, you did deserve to get past the fifth. This one, you beat on your own merits. Because of that, it is now my duty to allow you to the sixth floor."


    "What?" Keiko narrowed her brows. "There''s another floor?"


    Musano nodded.


    "That one, however, does not hold any challenges but instead holds the rewards that await you."


    Musano stood up. As he turned and walked to the back of the open room, Keiko felt as though he was subtly telling her to follow. So, she went with him. The railing had a small gate that Keiko hadn''t noticed before. He opened it and moved it aside.


    Now, there was nothing separating them from the land outside the castle. The forest below was just one suicidal step away. However, then, Musano stepped forwards and didn''t fall. Keiko gasped, as he walked up invisible stairs.


    "Ah-...." Following the man, Keiko felt like she was in a dream. Just a few short steps later, Musano brandished his black katana.


    "Koro."


    He slashed at the air and revealed another floor, that had previously been cloaked.


    He walked in, and Keiko went in with him. Then, she gasped for a second time, as she saw what was inside.


    It was like a vault. Suits of armor, swords, spears, books, even a garden of flowers at the back, the room they walked into was something Keiko couldn''t have imagined.


    "I will need to give you a weapon to replace the one you lost," Musano noted. He searched amongst the weapons present and picked one out. Then, he walked back towards Keiko and handed her a katana, slightly longer than the one she had before.


    "What...?"


    She unsheathed it, and her lips parted.


    "The Golden Blade of Iriko Zayama. Your father''s weapon."


    Keiko''s hands almost gave out as she held it.


    "Each of the warriors whose spirits are kept within this castle has their armor and weapons stored here. You are his daughter. I see no reason for you not to have it."


    "B-But, I thought this was kept back at the Compound..."


    "Whatever they have there is a fake, this is the real thing," Musano stated. "Now, as for the techniques."


    "Huh?"


    "What, did you think you would just walk in and take everything?" Musano chuckled. "No, I pick your rewards for you."


    "O-Oh..."


    That''s... Slightly disappointing.


    Still in shock though, she stared down at what was her father''s sword. It was beautiful, an elegant weapon that looked fit to belong to a legend.


    "Show me your stats," Musano said.


    "R-Right."


    Level 24


    MP: 100/100


    EXP: 40/250


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 42


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    "Hm. Very well then, I will give you these two books."


    Musano returned holding two tomes. One was colored white and depicted a man meditating, another was black and had no design on the cover.


    "The Art of the Blade Dancer, and the Zayama Wind Style. Both of these will turn you into a force to be feared on the battlefield, however, note this," Musano put a hand on her shoulder. "You still have a ways to go, seiyo. Continue your training. That willpower you showed me, pour as much of it as you can into honing your body. Then, you will become a legend as I, and your parents, are."


    "Thank you, siya!" Keiko bowed. She saw the books re-materialize behind Musano, copies being created right in front of her eyes.


    "... Now, go. You''ve proven yourself. Your time at this castle is over."


    ---


    As Keiko walked back to the first floor, she couldn''t help but sneak a peek at what was in the books.


    The Zayama Wind Style book was dedicated to spells, while the Art of the Blade Dancer held weapon techniques. Both of which had a restriction placed on them by the world''s System that meant they could only be used by whoever Musano chose.


    Even if she wanted to give them to Haruna, they''d do nothing for her.


    Her teacher stood outside the castle, and a smile came to her when she saw Keiko.


    "So, you did it," Haruna said.


    Keiko nodded. She looked back, glancing at the castle. The fourth floor briefly passed through her mind.  Maybe someday...


    However, she turned back to Haruna and said:


    "I''m done."


    "Then, let''s go back home."

 Chapter 92 - Vol. 2 - 57

    Ash


    The night was underway at the bathhouse. After those drinks with Ren, the group returned to their temporary home to relax for the rest of the day.


    Currently, that took the form of Ash sitting in the kitchen with the others as Satsuhiro and Metsumi prepared some dinner for everyone. Ash leaned back, the aroma filling the air with a scent that made Ash even more hungry than she was.


    In front of her, Opah was showing off some toys Metsumi had bought for her to Kaori.


    "Ohhh, nice!" Kaori said as Opah turned a figure of a knight around in her hands. Opah giggled a little, proceeding to push another doll in front of the blonde''s face. Kaori took the next toy in stride and laughed a little, as Opah waited for her reaction to that one.


    "So, who''s this?" Kaori asked.


    "That''s Tom..." Opah replied quietly, hugging her other toys to her chest.


    "What does Tom do?"


    "He fights monsters..."


    "How?"


    "... With fire powers..."


    "Oh, cool!" Kaori grinned and the process continued.


    The sight made Ash feel a little warmer inside. Then, a finger tapped her right shoulder.


    She turned and saw Vermia there.


    She wore something different on this night. Instead of being covered in black feathers like she had been when Ash had met her, she wore a black robe with white flowers painted onto it.


    Silently, the necromancer gestured for Ash to come with her. She nodded and slipped out of the table, unnoticed by everyone except Kaori, whose eyes briefly flickered back and forth between her and the other woman.


    Vermia led her out to the baths. Here, she sat on the edge of one and crossed her legs.


    "Have you tried out the little gift I gave you?" Vermia asked.


    "Uh, yeah." Remembering the earlier fight, Ash looked away. "I... had a question I wanted to ask."


    "Go ahead, that is of course, natural when you''re introduced to something new," Vermia''s tone was laced with a sort of allure that Ash didn''t comprehend. It was like every syllable she gave was covered in honey.


    "When I used that ability, it gave me a different feeling than what Dark magic usually gives. Normally, I feel mad. Enraged." Ash paced side to side a few times. "But, when I used the one you gave me, I felt... good."


    Vermia chuckled.


    "I suppose you haven''t given the matter much pondering, but have you thought of why it is that Dark magic fuels such negative emotions within us?" Vermia asked.


    "Uh, not really."


    "It''s because Dark magic is a unique category in that it relies on the darkness within our souls to power itself. That anger, that rage, is why Dark magic is so lethal. However," she raised a hand and a black aura covered her fingertips. "I''ve always wondered... Rage can''t possibly be the only negative emotion we have. So, what if that fuel the Dark magic needs was substituted for something else?"


    Ash tried to piece together what Vermia was getting at as she spoke, but she was a bit too slow to do so.


    "When it came time to design my spells, I wondered about that, and I put an effort into searching for another emotion that could do that job. And..."


    She stood up.


    "I found it. Bloodlust."


    Taking a few steps closer to Ash, Vermia''s eyes half-lidded as she smiled.


    "Now, every time I use one of the two spells I''ve created, I don''t feel that barbaric anger that floods the senses with a conventional Dark spell, but instead... I feel pure elation. My experiments, therefore, have been nothing but a success. Well, I should ask at least, do you agree?"


    Ash looked down at her hands, remembering what it was like to suck the life out of the troll she''d used the spell on.


    "I don''t know."  It was scary, after all.  She added in her thoughts.  It felt good but... It reminds me of how I felt when I ate that Nightmare, in my Demon Form. It was the kind of "good" that''s hard to keep control of.


    That answer displeased Vermia. Her smile faded.


    "Wait," Ash continued. "So, you made another spell?"


    Then, it came back just as quickly.


    "Ah, yes. The second is... less suitable for battle. Still, I am not unwilling to teach it to you but... I just wonder, how far does your open-mindedness go?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, darling, it''s clear you don''t dislike me just by virtue of me being a necromancer. So, I have to ask, could that mean you wish to learn a thing or two?"


    "You don''t really hold back, huh?" Ash asked, surprised at how direct she was.


    "On the contrary," Vermia stood up. She walked closer to Ash, her hands behind her back. Ash had to look down to meet her eyes as the woman was so short. "I''ve been holding back for so long that it hurts. I suppose a part of me wants to let a little loose now that I''ve met someone like you."


    As Ash heard her, she then remembered what Satsuhiro had said about her, and took a step back.


    "So, what happened between you and the Saviors?" Ash asked. Again, whatever lightheartedness had been on Vermia''s face faded when she heard that question.


    However, as Vermia began speaking again, she smirked.


    "Necromancy is the practice of... recycling souls, using them to create creatures more loyal than any soldier," suddenly, with a wave of her hand and a muttered incantation, a skeleton materialized in front of her. "It is different to summoning magic though, in that necromancy allows for more... permanent creations."


    After a few seconds, the skeleton she''d summoned turned into ashes.


    "Every soul is different and holds a different amount of power. However, they are all the same after death. Mindless, wandering spirits looking for a new home. And, me, I like to provide them with such a thing. Regardless of who they may be."


    She took her eyes off of Ash and started walking around the baths, momentarily dipping a hand into the waters of one.


    "A few years ago, some Saviors and I had to do battle against a group of demons. Basic work that I was still doing back then, though, I''ve since moved on from such mundane things. Anyway, two Saviors, this gorgeous lady, her name''s Silvia, and her friend, Barlon, a bard, both fell in that fight. Seeing this, well, what was I to do except offer their souls a place with me? So, I gave them a new home."


    She snapped her fingers, and suddenly, two figures appeared in front of Ash. Both were dressed in golden armor which looked slightly different from the one Ash owned. One was a man with black hair tied into a ponytail and the other was a pale woman wielding two maces. Both had blank eyes.


    "And now, their souls don''t have to walk through the world by their lonesome... As I once had to." Vermia said.


    Both figures then disappeared and Vermia walked closer to Ash.


    "This is why Satsuhiro has some issues with me," she scoffed, "because he doesn''t understand that the afterlife that I have provided them is far better than any that the gods could give. They are happy to be with me, they love me, they..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "As for you though," she continued. "You need Dark magic lessons, do you not?"


    "..." Ash was so stunned she had to take a moment to get back into the conversation. "Yeah."


    "I will teach you a few things. I would only ask for one gift in return."


    "Uh, yeah?"


    "If you happen to die in the future, please, do so near me, if you would be so kind."


    ---


    At night, Ash was in bed, alone. The moon poured in through the windows, as she kept her eyes open, on the ceiling. Vermia''s words were circling in her mind as she breathed in and out.


    As creepy as that was,  Ash thought,  I still need a Dark magic teacher, so...


    She would have to put up with it, at least, for now. However, by now, she was convinced that, at the very least, she wasn''t the pure evil people made her out to be. Was she the weirdest person she''d encountered in a long time? Sure, but that was different from being  evil.


    The door leading to the room opened and Kaori walked in, her body wrapped in a towel. Her blonde hair, wet from the shower she''d taken, clung to her skin as she dried herself off. Ash turned her eyes back to the ceiling.


    "So, what did she want?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm?" Ash hummed.


    "Vermia. She kinda dragged you out, no?"


    "She just wanted to explain a few things," Ash replied.


    "Oh... okay," Kaori nodded. "Just be careful."


    "Hm?" Ash turned to look at her. She was putting on that same nightgown Metsumi had pretty loaned her back at the farm, which for all intents and purposes pretty much belonged to Kaori now.


    "I''m just saying, be careful. She''s..."


    "A necromancer, I know," Ash replied.  One that apparently wants me to die or some shit. Pleasant.


    "It doesn''t feel like you''re taking that all that seriously," Kaori replied. Ash, slightly annoyed, responded.


    "I''m not going to judge her on anything but what she''s like," Ash shrugged. "And so far, she''s just... kinda weird. That''s pretty much it."


    "Well, I don''t expect her to just tell you upfront that she plans to turn you into a skeleton within the first couple of days of meeting you."


    Well, she did say the whole, "die next to me" thing just now, but, yeah.


    "Look, I get it," Ash said, "but, seriously, haven''t you considered that rumors are just rumors?"


    Kaori hopped into the bed, nearly falling right on top of Ash.


    "Rumors tend to be exaggerated, sure, but when we got here we literally saw skeletons moving around the house like it was nothing. Skeletons that belonged to people."


    "It was just one skeleton."


    "Whatever," Kaori waved her hand, "the point is, I can''t see too many ways you can exaggerate about someone who brings corpses back to life."


    "Same way you''d exaggerate about a half-demon," Ash muttered.


    The conversation died there, with Kaori turning her back to Ash and the half-demon closing her eyes.


    Is she creepy? Yes. Is she weird? Yes. But, there''s a difference between all of that being outright a bad person...

 Chapter 93 - Vol. 2 - 58

    Kaori


    The next morning, Kaori stirred in bed as a hand poked her right shoulder.


    "Nom yem..." She mumbled as the hand poked her again. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw a woman with white hair and a couple of horns looking back at her. Blinking a few times, the blurry vision came into focus.


    "Ash?" Kaori asked with a slightly raspy voice.


    The half-demon''s face was close, her eyes seemed so big at this short distance. Her chest rose and fall with a couple of breaths. Then, Ash shook her head and cleared her throat.


    "Come on," Ash said. "We''ve got to get to work."


    "Oh?" Kaori sat up and stretched. "What are we doing?"


    "Ren''s here," Ash told her, "he wants to help train you or something."


    "Already?" Indeed, that had been what the two of them had agreed on, but she assumed it wouldn''t be this early in the morning.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. Kaori saw her putting on a pair of black gloves and black shorts. She hadn''t noticed it until now, but the half-demon had been naked. Upon realizing that, she turned away, a blush appearing on her face. "Satsuhiro and I will be going with you, and once you''re done we''ll go back outside to kill some more monsters."


    "Hm... Okay," Kaori nodded. "Give me a few seconds to get ready?"


    She turned again and found Ash with her back turned to Kaori as she pulled her shorts up. With everything that had been going on lately, Kaori hadn''t gotten much time to fully appreciate the half-demon. Her back muscles were almost carved into her body in such a way that each one moved distinctly as Ash rolled her shoulders. She turned around, noticing Kaori''s gaze, and raised a brow.


    Kaori looked away.


    "You''re welcome to look, you know." She could practically hear the smirk on her face.


    "Y-Yeah, I know, I just..."


    Ash walked up and when Kaori turned again, the half-demon''s chest was right in front of her. Kaori''s words got caught in her throat. Ash put her hands on her hips.


    "Mhm?"


    "Uh..." Kaori gulped. Ash''s smirk grew as Kaori''s face got redder.


    Then, the white-haired girl leaned down, placing her lips on Kaori''s, her violet eyes looking into Kaori''s blues. The kiss only lasted a second though.


    She pushed herself away though just as quickly as she''d done that, and Kaori saw her balling her hands up into fists as she took deep breaths. Considering Ash''s literal supernatural horniness, it was a testament to her restraint.


    "We''ll be downstairs," Ash said, with a voice just as raspy as Kaori''s, only she hadn''t just woken up.


    With that, Kaori was left alone.


    ... Jeez, get some water, Kaori. You''re thirsty. She thought as she got off the bed.


    ---


    Later, the group was at a dark building in the middle of the city.


    "This is the place they showed me," Ren said. He gestured at an open space where the only lighting came by way of the floating orange orbs in the room, which doubled not just providing light but magical heat as well. A few people were here already, lifting weights and grunting loudly.


    Satsuhiro pointed at a strange machine up ahead.


    "You can use that to get your Strength up," he stated.


    "Gotcha," Ash walked over to it, along with Satsuhiro who showed her how to use it.


    "It''ll do. As for you," he turned to Kaori. "What would you say you''re good at?"


    "Uhm... Not much," Kaori shrugged.


    "Ah, come on, there has to be something."


    Kaori thought about it for a little and then she sighed.


    "I... used to be kind of good with my swordstaff, but..." She looked over at her missing arm.


    "Hm, I see. Well then," Ren grinned. "If there are no skills to reinforce, that just means we have to give you new skills!"


    "Uh... Okay," Kaori was trying to be optimistic about this, so she smiled and nodded.


    "Let me see your stats," Ren said.


    And, Kaori showed them.


    Level 25


    MP: 60/60


    Attribute Points: 16


    STR: 18


    DEX: 18


    CON: 11


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    EXP: 20/270


    Immediately, Ren''s eyes popped out of his head.


    "16 ATTRIBUTE POINTS!? ARE YOU A HOARDER OR SOMETHING!?" Ren asked calmly.


    "I-I was..."


    "Hahaha!" Ren shook his head. "No, no. It''s alright, it just surprised me is all. It''s good actually," he said. "This means whatever you decide to do, you''ll be able to build towards it instantly."


    Kaori nodded.


    "So, what do you suggest?"


    "Hm... Well, I don''t want to force you into anything," Ren said, "so I''ll ask. What do you want to be?"


    "I already told you, I don''t know."


    "No, no. Not specifically," he replied. "I mean as far as what you do on the battlefield."


    "Huh?"


    "Basically, do you want to kill more monsters than anyone else? Do you want to be the type of person who can kill three creatures with one arrow? Do you want to be able to break a Nightmare''s skull with your bare fists?" He asked, flexing his giant arms. "See what I mean?"


    "Oh..." Kaori scratched her head. "Can I think about it for a sec?"


    "Of course," Ren nodded. Kaori looked around, as though the answer was somewhere in the building with her.


    Let''s see...  She thought.  I mean, I... I don''t really care about being some big demon killer. I just want to help people. That sort of mentality... it doesn''t really have a place in a battlefield though, right?  As she looked around, her eyes fell on Ash.


    The half-demon was currently sitting on one of those machines, pushing and pulling her hands while glaring at Satsuhiro. Every time she pushed, some weights behind the seat would rise and fall with her hands'' motions.


    "No, no, you''re doing it wrong," Satsuhiro said.


    "Motherfucker, I''m doing what you said!" She barked.


    "Not like that!" Satsuhiro yelled back. "Keep your arms straight! Like this," Satsuhiro mimicked the motion in the air.


    "I swear, I''m going to break this thing!"


    As the two continued to argue, Kaori giggled at the sight. Ren looked at the blonde, and then looked over at the pair over by the machine.


    He scratched his chin and said:


    "... A half-demon Savior. I''ll be honest, when the news first got to me of that, I laughed. The idea seemed impossible."


    "Yeah, it caught me off-guard too..." Kaori replied. Those days when they''d first met, though technically recent, felt like a distant memory. "I guess..."


    "Hm?" Ren looked back at her.


    "If I had to say," Kaori sighed, "something I want to be... I just want to protect people. Her, the citizens, my friends, my family. Everyone. As long as I can keep the people I love from being hurt," Kaori said, "I''m okay with that."


    A hand fell on her shoulder. She looked over at Ren and found him grinning.


    "Then, we''re more alike than I initially thought."


    "Huh?"


    "Haha, let me tell you a little about myself," He crossed his arms. "I used to be quite scrawny."


    Kaori scoffed.


    "Yeah, right."


    "No, seriously," Ren said, "I was nothing more than a toothpick. Then... Ah, when was it?" He looked away as if the memory was playing in front of his eyes, "Maybe twenty years ago? Eighteen? I was chosen."


    "By who?"


    "Alkoth," Ren quickly replied. "God of fairness, justice, and order. He wanted me to be a Savior," Ren gave a low chuckle. "I didn''t understand it at first. I trained, but I did so reluctantly. I mean, I thought I was being sent out to die." He shrugged. "I did what I had to do, just passing the time. Until..."


    He closed his eyes.


    "My first mission. I was sent out to deal with a demon nest, just clear out a couple and report back to the Council. But, when I got there, I found a kid that had been taken by them. Ren looked back at Kaori, and it was like all of his experience was there to see in his pupils. "His family was lying beside him, half-eaten. They had been killed right next to him. He, however, was still alive. I ran in, took out my sword, and cut those demons up one by one, but then, I realized that now, I had to get this kid to safety. Amber, or, rather, the lands around Amber, are dangerous. A perilous stretch of territory that will destroy you if you aren''t ready for it. And, I had to take him with me, all the way back to Jade where the Council would know what to do with him." A smile grew on Ren''s face. "That was when I understood what my purpose was. Why Alkoth chose me. I was meant to give power to the powerless," he reached back.


    Ren pulled his shield and raised it up.


    "I was meant to be the wall that stands between the innocent and the demons. And ever since that day, I''ve worked to reach that goal. Well, not really." He suddenly said. "I had retired some time ago, but... After hearing about Pearl''s fall, well, I decided to come out of retirement. And, it would seem that decision brought me to meet you. And now I''m convinced of another thing. I am meant to show you how to be a shield."


    "Huh?"


    "Exactly as I said, where others can''t defend themselves, Kaori, train with me and you''ll be there to save them! Where others lack the strength to pick up the rubble keeping them from standing, you''ll bear that weight! What do you say?" He asked, a proud grin on his face.


    "... Give me a second."


    "Heh?"


    Kaori turned away and walked towards Satsuhiro.


    "Uh, alright... That kind of ruins the moment but, okay." Ren mumbled.


    At the machine, Ash was working up a sweat as she used the strange contraption.


    "Keep it up," Satsuhiro said.


    "Yeah."


    "You''ve got it."


    "Mhm."


    "You can do it."


    "Satsu, I know you''re trying to be all motivational and shit, but dude, I got it. Stop."


    Satsuhiro sighed and turned towards Kaori.


    "What is it?"


    "I... So, Ren said that he can train me to protect people. Is that a thing?"


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro scratched his chin. "Well, yes."


    "Seriously?"


    "I never told you about this route because, well, in a battle you and Ash would be pulling most of the weight, but yes. He can train you to be what''s called a ''tank''. Someone who takes damage on others'' behalf."


    Hearing that, Kaori remembered that she had a spell,  Loving Sacrifice,  which literally embodied that notion.


    Wait... Right, that works.


    "But, if you focus on that, your ability to kill enemies will suffer, as you stop putting points into your Strength and Dexterity. Most of your points would go into just one stat. Your Constitution. Are you sure that''s what you want?"


    Kaori nodded without hesitation.


    "Thanks!" She ran back to Ren. "Alright, I''ve decided... I''m going to do it."


    "Good! Today, you take your first step towards being a proper meat shield!"

 Chapter 94 - Vol. 2 - 59

    "Uh, okay," Kaori said, "how do I meat shield?"


    "First, take all 16 of those points and DROP ''EM INTO CON!"


    Ren said this, with a thumbs-up and a grin. Kaori raised a brow.


    "Uh... All of them?"


    "Mhm."


    "Like... All 16?"


    "Exactly."


    "I... Are you sure?" Kaori asked.


    16 points into one stat felt like quite the investment. She wondered if it was really worth it. Ren laughed and nodded.


    "Ah. Maybe a demonstration then?" He moved to stand in front of her. "How about this. You have your Savior''s Weapon?" He looked and saw Kaori''s cube at her waist. "Good. Turn it into a sword."


    "What?"


    "Go ahead."


    Confused, Kaori did so and transformed her  Love into a basic sword. Holding it in her hand, she waited for the next instruction.


    "Now, stab me."


    ...


    "What?"


    "Stab me." He reiterated. "Go ahead."


    "I... Are you trying to get me arrested?"


    "Trust me!" He cackled as Kaori breathed in.


    Uh... Okay. Just, do it, Kaori.  She told herself and then pulled the sword back and pushed it into his abdomen.


    "AGH!" Ren cried out. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?"


    Kaori let go of the sword and it remained embedded in Ren''s body.


    "YOU TOLD ME TO!" Kaori put her hand up to her head and watched as Ren bent over in pain, getting on his knees.


    "I''m..." Ren struggled. "I''m... I''m fine!"


    And then, he stood up, grinning.


    The sword stuck out, still stabbing into him.


    "What?" Kaori shook her head. "H-How!?"


    "Ah, but that''s the thing, Kaori. Here, check my stats."


    He allowed Kaori to see them fully.


    Level 45


    MP: 100/100


    STR: 25


    DEX: 10


    CON: 45


    INT: 5


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    Con at 45?  Kaori noted.


    "Constitution affects your physical resistances," Ren said, pulling the sword out of his body. Upon examination, Kaori saw that only an inch or two had actually passed into his body. "Do you understand what Constitution 45 means?"


    "I think I do..." Kaori''s eyes widened with awe. "You''re so thick!"


    "Exactly!"


    Ren flexed in front of her.


    "It means that only the strongest of attacks will ever get past me!" He cackled again. "This, Kaori, is the very essence of being a protector! The shield you represent must be unbreakable! Now, PUT THOSE POINTS IN, LADY!"


    "R-Right," Kaori went to her status and, as she''d seen what Constitution could do, proceeded to drop all 16 points into the stat.


    She couldn''t deny though that it did hurt a little in her heart to do so.


    But, when she was done, her stats looked like this.


    Level 25


    MP: 60/60


    STR: 18


    DEX: 18


    CON: 27


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    EXP: 20/270


    "Now, I''m going to punch you in the face, are you ready?"


    "W-What!? No, wait!"


    "Kidding, I''m kidding!" Ren laughed as Kaori breathed a sigh of relief. He patted her on the shoulder and gave another thumbs-up. "Now, we need to discuss your weapon of choice. Which one are you good with?"


    "Uh, mostly just this one..." She transformed her  Love into a swordstaff. As he saw it, Ren raised a brow, and his smile slightly disappeared.


    "Oh... How''d you end up with that kind of weapon?" He asked, curious.


    Kaori scratched her chin for a second, wondering how much she could say.  Well, there''s no way he doesn''t know about what happened with Varcon... Maybe he''s willing to give me a chance? But, I still don''t want to bring him up though...


    "My, uh, trainer recommended it to me."


    "And who was that?"


    In actuality, she didn''t remember much about the man. Varcon had said he was some sort of mercenary, so that''s what Kaori told Ren.


    "A mercenary."


    "And... how exactly do you know this mercenary?"


    Hearing that, Kaori raised a brow.


    "What''s up? Why are you asking me that?"


    Ren sighed.


    "The swordstaff is a weapon that a particular group of mercenaries likes to use, the Red Ravens," he explained. "I''ve had... a few altercations with them, in the past. So, anything I should know about?"


    "N-No," Kaori quickly said. "I didn''t know the guy, someone else recommended him."


    "Is that so?" Ren asked. Kaori nodded. He looked into Kaori''s eyes for a moment before his smile finally returned. "Alright then. Well, listen." He started, "a swordstaff could work for you if you mainly use it to defend yourself and not to actually kill anything, but you might want to consider switching to something more, eh, multi-purpose, if you will."


    "Is there anywhere I can find more options?" Kaori asked.


    "I''d say this place probably doesn''t have anything too creative. Nah, if you really want out-of-the-box stuff, you''d be better off going to Onyx, after this is all done." He replied.


    "I can''t turn my cube into a shield?" She asked.


    "It only turns into weapons. That''s why I carry this thing on my back," he said, reaching over and smacking the giant shield on him. "Maybe they have something that fits the bill, but Sapphire sure as shit doesn''t. This place is pretty standard when it comes to equipment."


    Hm.  Kaori looked away briefly.  Onyx... That''s along where Keiko headed. Gosh, I hope she''s doing okay.


    "Well, next question. Not that I make much use of this, but I suppose I should ask, what kind of magic do you use? If any."


    "Uh, I have a Fire affinity."


    "Fire, eh..." He looked over at Satsuhiro, who was still with Ash at the workout machines. "Well, I can''t say I know more about that field than your teacher does, so I don''t know that there are any spells that could help you tank as a Fire mage, but... Well, maybe you could find a way. Can''t help you there though."


    Kaori nodded.


    "So, how do I train my Constitution?"


    "It''s simple. You get hit."


    "What?"


    "A lot."


    Kaori blinked.


    I... I guess I should have seen that coming.


    "We can get started right this moment if you want."


    "Wait, wait," Kaori said, "if we''re going to train me right now, why would I dump all my points in  before  we train?"


    "Because," Ren said, "you need to get used to getting hit. And if we trained before dumping the points, well, the progress would just be too easy, wouldn''t it!? Ha ha ha!"


    ... Is this man okay?


    ---


    Keiko


    Halfway through the journey back home, it was nighttime and Haruna decided that, after everything they went through, they''d be taking the night off. That meant, of course, that they wouldn''t get back home until the next day at least.


    Currently, it was almost midnight. Haruna had told Keiko that they''d take turns keeping watch. Keiko would handle the first five hours, and then, once the moon was directly above them, she would wake Haruna up and it would be her teacher''s turn to keep watch until the sun came out.


    So, to pass the time, Keiko decided it would be as good a moment as any to start learning these new techniques.


    She began with the Art of the Blade Dancer book.


    A bar appeared over her head as her eyes scanned over the first page.


    An image of a woman in a rose-colored robe, holding a katana, was drawn on top. She had on a white mask with a flower painted on it.


    The following are a collection of ancient techniques, usable with various different kinds of weapons, passed down from one Zayama to another. It is said these abilities were created by the Utsurashi, and eventually adapted into the training regimen of most ancient Zayama soldiers, though they were lost over time as new abilities replaced them.


    The Utsurashi were women of the night in the early times of the Jewel Empire, though it is rumored that they do still exist, but operate in secret.


    Renowned for their beauty, they were often called upon by powerful men and women from all corners of the known world. Although this gave them great wealth, it also meant that they were often in danger, as they moved far from home.


    As a result, one woman, whose name has been lost over the ages, had the idea of creating martial arts techniques they could use in the case that things ever got violent.


    The "Blade Dancer" name comes from the statements of spectators, people who would watch and would commonly come to the conclusion that their moves often resembled a refined dance.


    These are those techniques. Note that, although they cost mana and are technically magical, they are gated by your Dexterity attribute and require only one word as an incantation.


    As she checked through the pages, Keiko found that there were multiple categories dedicated to using these techniques with different weapons. Katanas, spears, naginatas, daggers, even a blade-and-whip.


    Keiko stood up as she got to the first technique and drew her father''s golden sword. In theory, it was just a sword, but drawing the weapon felt alien to Keiko''s hands.


    Blade Dancer Arts


    1. Rose Blossom (Sword) -


    Keep one leg firmly on the ground, spin, and slash with your katana. Roses will emerge from your blade that will widen the arc of your attack, slicing multiple enemies around you.


    Dex Required: 20


    Mana Cost: 10


    Incantation: Zansae


    Nodding to herself, Keiko had to wait until the bar filled, several minutes later. Then, finally, she felt knowledge pour into her.


    She understood what she had to do. So, she put the book down and stood a distance away from Haruna, to make sure she didn''t get hurt and planted her foot on the ground. Breathing in, she spun.


    "Zansae!"


    Slashing at the air as she moved, suddenly, she was surrounded by flowers. Then, a flash of roses covered a circle around her, and a tree three meters away suffered a deep cut.


    That''s... Incredible!

 Chapter 95 - Vol. 2 - 60

    Ash


    Taking deep breaths, Ash had eventually picked up the method behind this strange machine. At least, if the soreness in her arms was anything to go by. Beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks and fell to her lap as she continued, taking steady breaths and maintaining a rhythmic pace.


    Still, it was hard to focus, as just up ahead, Ren stood in front of Kaori, a hand clenched into a fist. Kaori''s hand was held behind her head as she flexed her abs. She was shirtless, a concerned expression on her face as Ren pulled his hand back.


    "Ready?" Ren asked.


    "U-Uh, yeah," Kaori answered, bracing herself.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Well, no, actually, give me a- AGH!"


    Ren punched her in the gut and Kaori fell to her knees.


    "... Frick..." Kaori muttered.


    "Ha ha! Walk it off, we''ve got more to go through if we want to get your Con to 30 before the day''s over!"


    That was the point, as far as Ash could tell. As unreachable a goal as that was.


    Somehow, Kaori had come to the conclusion that she wanted to be someone who could take a lot of damage, as opposed to dishing it out, and this was the result. As for Ash though, well, she was working towards her own goal.


    Right now, all she knew was that she wanted her spells and her attacks to pack a punch, even if neither struck often. She also understood that with her Light affinity, she would be spending a lot of her time in battles healing people. So, she wanted those to be effective as well.


    In the end, it meant she decided to focus on three stats equally. Her Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom.


    After the fights with the troll and the goblins from before, Ash had ended up leveling several times over thanks to the utterly insane EXP buffs that she and Kaori had received. Now, she was currently working to get her Strength to 30 over the course of the week. So, her status looked like this.


    Level 24


    MP: 140/140


    STR: 26


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 16


    WIS: 14


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/260


    Of course, since her Attribute EXP was also affected by the Quick Learner trait, it made training this way more efficient than it would have been otherwise.


    Satsuhiro was standing next to Ash with a raised brow directed at Kaori and Ren ahead. According to him, if Ash were training without her Quick Learner trait getting just a single point into Strength would take a week.


    However, thanks to the trait, as she continued, a message appeared above.


    Strength Increased!


    Strength: 27


    "Okay, I''m done," Ash said, letting go of the ropes she had been pulling and allowing the metallic weights at the back of the machine to fall, clanking against each other loudly. "Fuck."


    "Good work," Satsuhiro said. "You should be at Strength 30 in around four or five days."


    Ash nodded.


    "How long till the portal fully covers the city?"


    "Estimations say a week," Satsuhiro replied. "We''ll need to do as much as we can to prepare.


    Nodding again, Ash stretched her arms and hissed, due to how sore they were. She wanted to get used to the feeling though, as wounds inflicted in battle would likely be far worse.


    "Aw, this is going to bruise so badly..." Kaori lamented some distance away.


    "Wear it like a badge of honor!" Ren replied.


    Chuckling a little, Ash shook her head. She leaned back, letting her head rest against the machine. As she stared up at the ceiling, a certain Zayama''s image flickered in front of her eyes.


    "Anything on your mind?" Satsuhiro asked, his arms crossed.


    "Nah, just..." Ash took a deep breath. "Wondering how Keiko''s doing, is all."


    "Probably just fine," Satsuhiro quickly said.


    "Really?" Ash asked. "How are you so sure?"


    "She''s capable," Satsuhiro answered. "Quick to act, and determined. Not to mention more skilled with a blade than most actual soldiers. She''s probably doing alright."


    "... Yeah, you''re right," Ash closed her eyes. "You''re right."


    ---


    Kasumi


    After having arrived at Sapphire with the family she''d rescued, the first thing Kasumi had done was be led to the Lord of the city, where she''d discuss her role in the preparations to come, and what she was expected to do.


    Thankfully, he hadn''t had much for her, so, she was allowed to rest at an inn until the battle came. Her plan was simple, to sleep the days away as much as she could. Then, when the fight started, whatever happened would happen, and either that would be it for her, or she''d be forced to drag her legs to the next city hat needed to be defended.


    She was currently in that process, lying on her back and staring up at the ceiling in the bedroom she''d been assigned.


    Sadly though, a knock on her door interrupted that.


    "Ugh," she said, forcing herself to sit up and walking up to the door. When she opened it, a man was standing outside. One she''d seen not too long ago.


    "Kasumi," Tol said. The widower was standing with his hands in his pockets, his look solemn. Kasumi raised a brow and waited for him to continue.


    "How did you find me?" Kasumi asked.


    "I asked at the palace, after they, ehm, checked up on us..." He scratched his head. "I just wanted to thank you, again... I..." He took a deep breath, clearly struggling to get out the words he wanted to say. Then, when tears popped up at the corners of his eyes, he wiped them away. "I''m sorry, I thought I''d cried enough already. I was wrong, heh."


    Kasumi closed her own eyes, sighing.


    "You''re welcome," she said. "And, I''m sorry about..." She couldn''t finish the sentence.


    "No, no. Wait, I want to get this out," he cleared his throat and kept going. "If it weren''t for you... Well, my entire family, along with myself would have all been lost. I wanted to let you know, I appreciate what you did for us... That''s all."


    Hearing that, Kasumi paused. Then, she turned around, looked for one of her coin pouches, and brought it with her as she walked back to him.


    "Here," she gave him two white crowns. "I know this isn''t going to bring anyone back, but... If you need to buy anything, a Heat Orb or whatever, I hope this helps..."


    "Thank you, Savior." Tol bowed. "I... With you, that word means more than just your job to me and my family. Again, thank you."


    Nodding, Kasumi closed the door and she heard footsteps heading away from the room.


    Suddenly, she lacked the energy to even walk back to her bed. She slumped against the wall next to her and slid all the way to the ground, bringing her knees up to her chest. Here, she closed her eyes, and all manner of memories she really didn''t need to be seeing came to her.


    ---


    Several Years Ago


    Pearl was a city known for many things, its loose way of life and naturalistic views chief among them, but another was the festivals and parties that would be held on occasion. Particularly, one businessman from Onyx had once said, "I have seen and done things in this city that would make everyone at my hometown faint out of disbelief, and I love that."


    Kasumi had never really been a fan of these things. But, looking at her daughter dancing with other kids in the middle of the street with loud music playing around them as their parents watched, it was clear to see that her daughter enjoyed this place more than she did. And it made her happy to see that.


    Other parents were eagerly cheering their children on as they twirled in their flower-ridden dresses and robes, but Kasumi simply sat on a bench, humming along to the music with a smile on her face.


    "Here, I brought a little something," her then-husband Jonoko said, passing her a drink. "It''s from Amber. Got it off a tourist."


    Kasumi took a sip of the liquid and shrugged.


    "I guess it''s okay." And so, she got back to watching her daughter.


    "Nozomi really could just keep going all night, huh?" Jonoko said. Kasumi chuckled and nodded.


    "I don''t know where she gets that energy from. I''d be gasping for air after the third spin."


    "Maybe she''s making up for our lack of it," Jonoko replied. "Weird way for the gods to bless us, but I''ll take it."


    Placing her head on Jonoko''s right shoulder, she figured she couldn''t agree more.


    However, the gods'' blessings wouldn''t last forever.


    ---


    A Few Years Later


    Sometimes, the city felt cramped to Kasumi and her family. It was great, but ultimately, there simply wasn''t enough space for all of the energetic and colorful people inside. So, occasionally, they''d go to a small cabin in the woods that Jonoko''s father had made.


    Here, they''d been staying for about a week when Kasumi was informed of a mission she needed to go on. A kid''s family, staying in a similar cabin some distance away, had been attacked. Kasumi had agreed and succeeded in helping the child, the only survivor of the attack, escape.


    She''d let her daughter stay with a friend of hers who had volunteered to watch over Nozomi. However, upon returning, the first indications she''d received that something had gone wrong, were animalistic grunts and snarls in the distance.


    "What?" She hustled, moving a little faster as she jogged back home. She was still in her Savior''s Armor, her equipment covered in the violet blood of demons she''d killed while helping the boy escape.


    Above, the sun was just starting to disappear beyond the horizon. And ahead, only these sounds, all too familiar, interrupted the silence of the forest. She started running, and when she reached the cabin, she stopped.


    In front of her, was her friend''s body. A trail of blood stretched from her to the cabin. She wasn''t alone. Two demons were currently ripping her corpse apart. They weren''t even eating it, they were just maiming the body.


    Kasumi, balling her hands up into fists, quickly cast her Invisibility spell and walked up to them.


    Then, she took out her Savior''s Weapon, turned it into a dagger, and stabbed them both in their necks in quick succession.


    That had been her friend and she liked her quite a bit, but she didn''t stop for a second to check on her. That was because she understood what this could mean. So, feeling chills running up her spine and with her heart pounding in her ears, she cautiously walked into the cabin.


    Here, she found Nozomi on the floor in a pool of blood, her body twisted and ripped in much the same way the demons had been doing to her friend.


    Kasumi fell to her knees and stared. For how long, she didn''t know. But, she was frozen in that spot for what had to be dozens of minutes before she finally crawled over, while her tears-


    ---


    Another knock on the door. Startled, Kasumi flinched. She turned to it and stood up.


    Opening it, she expected to see Tol again. Maybe he''d forgotten something.


    Instead, there was a guard.


    He passed along a paper and Kasumi grabbed it.


    "What is it?" She asked.


    "Another portal appeared," he said. "North of the city."


    "What?" She asked. "A second one?"


    "Yes. The Lord is asking for your help to deal with it."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I don''t know the details, ma''am. But, apparently, Ash, the half-demon, can close portals. The Lord wants the two of you to go there and close that one."


    Hearing that only increased her confusion.


    "What? Me and... the half-demon?"

 Chapter 96 - Vol. 2 - 61

    Ash


    That night, Ash was so tired that upon entering the bathhouse, she slumped on a wooden chair and felt like she''d never get back up again.


    Holy shit, sitting down has never felt so good.  She thought as Kaori did the same at a chair next to her.


    "I feel like I got stabbed," Kaori whined.


    "My arms are going to fall off," Ash added.


    "Heh," Kaori chuckled, smiling over at Ash. "I, uh, hope whatever happens in our next fight will be worth getting punched in the gut over and over again."


    Satsuhiro had entered last. Metsumi was reading something at the kitchen table, and Satsuhiro joined her. Ash saw the two of them look in hers and Kaori''s direction, smirking.


    "Worked them to the bone today, huh?" Metsumi asked.


    "Yes, Ren helped."


    "Oh, right! Ren, ran into him again?" Metsumi asked.


    "He''s helping Kaori out, so it looks like he''ll be training alongside us for a while."


    "Nice! Ah, I gotta catch up with the guy. He still owes me some arm wrestling," she flexed.


    "I''ll let him know," Satsuhiro said, showing a rare smile.


    ---


    Later into the night, as the others had gone to sleep, Ash walked out to the baths and found that this time, they were being used. Emerging into the open area, her skin was covered in moonlight as she took a few steps towards a bath to her left, where Vermia was.


    Her arms were resting on the edges, the necromancer''s head tilted back and her eyes closed. Ash noticed black lines running up from her chest that faded at the start of her neck. As the half-demon took a few steps closer, Vermia''s eyes opened and she grinned.


    "Some people dream of this sort of thing," she chuckled.


    "Huh?" Ash raised a brow.


    "A woman joining them in the night like this," then, her eyes lowered, as though a memory was playing in front of them. "But they don''t realize that the woman''s intention may not always be the best..."


    She shook her head.


    "So, here to learn more?" She asked.


    "... Yeah," Ash replied.  Depending on what the hell "learning more" means... She added.


    "Wonderful. Join me." She gestured at the bath.


    Ash hesitated.


    "If we''re going to do business we may as well be comfortable, no?" Vermia asked. "Go ahead."


    Ash leaned over the edge of the bath and looked into the water.


    "Hm?" Vermia hummed. "Looking for something?"


    "This one time..." Ash muttered, remembering what had happened to Kaori. Then, she shook her head and shrugged. "Fine."


    Taking her clothes off, the half-demon took a deep breath and threw a leg over into the bath, testing the water. It was warm, pleasant enough, so Ash got in completely. Seeing this, Vermia went back to her original position, keeping her head leaned back and her arms on the edge.


    "So, have you given it some thought?" She asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, you''re speaking to a necromancer right now..." Vermia told her. "If you wish to learn the craft, I am willing to teach you. Of course, if you do not, I will teach you other spells that don''t have anything to do with necromancy or summoning. I''d like to think that I take rejection well, so be honest."


    Ash looked away.


    "... I''ll take the second option."  For now,  she added in her mind.  If it feels like I really need more skills or whatever, I''ll consider it.


    "Hm. Pity." Vermia shrugged. "Very well then. Now, let''s see... Ah! This would be useful for you, I''m sure, what with that friend of yours. I''m sure you wish to keep her safe, right?"


    "Kaori?" Ash quickly asked.


    Vermia nodded.


    "Considering how she looked at me when I met her... I can tell she is quite protective of you. Well, in good faith, here''s a spell that will help keep her alive."


    "What is it?"


    "Living Vortex," Vermia said. "You place a mark on someone. That person will regenerate their wounds based on the damage dealt to others around them. Both allies and enemies. It''s a spell I use on my minions. Put in simpler terms, every time someone around this person is hurt, the bearer of the mark is healed."


    "So... It''s like the other spell you gave me, but on someone else?"


    "Essentially, yes. That said, there''s a catch," Vermia said. "The more this person heals, the more it will exhaust you. Not just that, but of course, the wounds of others will be intensified until you take the mark off. Basically," she said, tilting her head, "what I''m trying to tell you is that you shouldn''t keep that mark on her forever. You will also want to use this spell when it''s mostly enemies around her, so you don''t hurt allies. Understood?"


    "Sure." Ash nodded. "So, the spell?"


    "Here you go," black tendrils suddenly emerged from her fingertips and flowed into Ash, just as had happened before.


    Spell: Living Vortex


    Mark an ally. When wounded, that person will worsen the wounds of those close to them, healing them in turn.


    Mana Cost: 20


    Ash nodded.


    "Okay..." She looked into Vermia''s cold eyes. "Thank you."


    "My pleasure, however," Vermia shrugged, "that''s it for the spells I have mastered that aren''t necromancy-related. As in, the ones I can just pass to you effortlessly. So, you''re going to have to put in the time to learn the others by reading. Unless... of course, you want me to teach you necromancy." Her tone sounded slightly hopeful, but Ash shook her head.


    "I see," Vermia replied quietly.


    "... How did you learn any of this?" Ash suddenly asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Necromancy," Ash elaborated. "Who taught you? It doesn''t sound like the kind of thing you can find in a random store."


    Vermia looked away and smiled.


    "A foolish, but ambitious man."


    ---


    Vermia


    25 Years Ago


    The sun was always harsh to the city of Amber. Because of this, most people who walked through its sand-covered streets would do so with their heads covered and wearing loose-fitting clothes as they conducted their business.


    "Come around, come around! Water! Get your water here!"


    Mages would sell gallons of purified water to travelers, locals, and the wealthy alike. And mostly, all Vermia could do was watch. She had no money to her name, no family to fall back on. However, starved and thirsty as she was, she simply couldn''t die.


    It was because of this that the people who knew her called her the "Ghost of the Sands," because, with her pale skin and thin body, she was more reminiscent of a spirit than a human. Occasionally, she''d hear people talk about how they expected her to be nothing more than a corpse by the next day''s morning.


    And every time, she''d be there, her knees curled up to her chest, still alive.


    Everyone wondered how she did it, but no one could figure it out.


    "Nighttime..." She would tell herself. "Just wait until the night. Wait until they''re all asleep..."


    The days would pass uneventfully. No one would even harass her, out of fear that she was actually a cursed being and that if they harmed her, her curse would move to them.


    Instead, she would sit there, breathing, not saying a single word as her eyes would remain fixed on the birds across the street. All she would do, all day, was watch them.


    Eventually, though, she''d move.


    When the brightness above was replaced by a sheet of black, only then would Vermia''s thin legs move her through the street. She spotted a pigeon, eating some leftover bread. Vermia grabbed a piece and walked towards it. The pigeon turned around and saw her. Vermia crouched, placing the bread in front of her. The pigeon approached, poking at it.


    Vermia slowly placed her hands on it, hoping it wouldn''t fly away.


    When it didn''t, she smiled.


    "Lesser being, give me your life." She muttered.


    Black lightning surged from its body and flowed into her. The creature instantly started trying to fight to fly away, but Vermia kept it in her hands.


    She gasped, feeling satisfaction swarming her, and kept the spell up until the pigeon stopped fighting.


    Only then did she let go. Sitting beside it, she paid no attention to the animal and waited until another bird appeared.


    However, before she could go to that one, someone spoke up.


    "That was quite the spell," a boy said. She turned towards him, flinching. He raised his hands. "Don''t be scared, I''m an admirer."


    His voice was charming, laced with confidence. He took a few steps closer and put a hand in his pocket.


    "Where''d you learn that?" He asked. "It was fairly impressive."


    "..."


    Vermia didn''t respond. Not just because she didn''t want to, but because it had been a very long time since she spoke to anyone. She had nearly forgotten how to.


    "I''ve seen you a few times," he suddenly stated. "I wanted to talk to you, because, well, I happen to be a practitioner of similar arts."


    "Huh?" Vermia tilted her head.


    Then, wordlessly, he pulled a hand back and pushed it out towards the same bird Vermia had been looking at just before he arrived. A black sphere emerged and crashed into it, the bird tipped over, lifeless.


    Vermia looked back up at him and he smirked.


    "That seems easier though than the whole ''baiting them in'' trick. I can show you how to do it if you want," he shrugged.


    "... Who... Who are you?" Vermia asked.


    "Just a boy looking for friends. That''s all. And something tells me you''re in the same spot, right?"


    ---


    Ash


    "Of course," Vermia continued, "what that meant was that he liked to take corpses and bring them back to life. A technique he taught me. And... well, we were friends for a very long time."


    "What happened?" Ash asked.


    "I realized something. This power of ours," Vermia crawled through the bath slowly, until she was next to Ash. She leaned on the edge, looking up at Ash with half-lidded eyes. "It comes at a price."


    Ash tilted her head at that.


    "Did Satsuhiro explain what Dark magic actually is?" Vermia asked.


    Ash remembered the first days of the lessons she took. She nodded.


    "Yeah."


    "Tell me."


    "He said that, uh, Dark magic aims to hurt your soul or something."


    "Yes, that is true. It is the exact opposite to Light magic," she continued, leaning closer to Ash, "Dark magic destroys, corrupts, and manipulates life itself. As much as I love it, I can''t pretend like that isn''t what it does. Because, well, that means something."


    "What?" Ash asked.


    Then, Vermia stood up in front of her, inches away, and Ash saw it fully.


    From where her heart was, black lines stretched all throughout her body, fading at her limbs and her neck.


    Basically, it looked like if Ash poked her, Vermia''s body would turn to dust.


    Vermia smiled, a hint of sadness in it.


    "If you have a Dark affinity, Dark magic reduces your lifespan," she said, and Ash''s lips parted with surprise. "My master died at age 51, because of this. You may have noticed something," she sat down in front of Ash and put one hand on the half-demon''s left thigh, looking into her eyes.


    Then, she placed her right index finger over Ash''s heart.


    "Every time you use Dark magic, you become angrier, no? When you use my spells, bloodlust takes hold of you. I never told Satsuhiro this, because the information wasn''t relevant to him, but, to us with affinities, these feelings are not just mere emotions," Vermia shook her head, and pulled back, moving away from Ash. "They are the representation of the effect that the spell is having on your body."


    Ash looked down.


    "So... Whenever I feel angry after a Dark spell or something," she said, "that''s... You''re saying that''s my body telling me that I''m, like, slowly killing it?"


    "Exactly," Vermia said. "As you can imagine, it is because of this that there aren''t many of us Dark magic masters out there. And, sure enough, my time is sure to come soon. So, after so much killing and resurrecting, I wanted to do a little bit of good for this world," she told her.


    Ash caught a piece of that though.


    "Killing?" Ash asked.


    Vermia nodded, not a hint of remorse on her face.


    "You mean... killing ordinary people?"


    "No," Vermia replied quickly. "Nor were they innocent. Well, at least to me they weren''t. Others might think they were." She shrugged. "Anyway, there is one way to extend our lifetimes by a couple of years."


    Ash raised a brow.


    "That is, to absorb the souls of the dead into yourself," she said. "However, it is as draining a process as it is rewarding. Remember when you caught me out here?"


    Ash nodded.


    "I was scanning the area for souls to consume, but there were none." She lamented. "Alas, I was out of luck on that day. Still, I have since come to terms with my fate, and... This is my way of departing."


    She stood up and snapped her fingers. Skeletons emerged and brought to her some clothes.


    She walked out of the bath and took a deep breath.


    "I will work alongside you and the others, Ash," she stated. "Maybe as a reward, you can make these final times of mine fun for me, hehe."


    ---


    The next day, that revelation weighed heavily on Ash''s mind. The Dark magic she''d been relying on so much, it would kill her over time. As she and the others ate breakfast, she was silent, contemplating this matter.


    Someone knocked on the door then, and Satsuhiro stood up to answer it. Ash kept her eyes low, on her food.


    Satsuhiro walked back to the table and ripped open a letter. Then, his eyes scanned over the contents of a piece of paper inside and he raised a brow.


    "Ah, shit." He muttered.


    "What is it?" Kaori asked.


    "Another portal appeared north of the city."


    Ash raised her head.


    "What?"


    "Mhm," Satsuhiro replied. "A smaller one, apparently. And they want you and Kasumi, of all people, to go and close it."

 Chapter 97 - Vol. 2 - 62

    Kasumi


    It was currently morning time, just around six days before the giant portal''s influence was expected to fully cover Sapphire. Kasumi was sitting at the designated meeting room in the Palace, waiting for the other Savior to arrive, the one who would be working with her. Ahead, Lord Anders was pacing back and forth slowly, his hands held behind his back.


    Then, the door opened and a guard held it that way so the person behind him could step in. Kasumi''s crimson eyes went to her, and she couldn''t help the narrowing of her brows. Ash, the half-demon, walked in. She was wearing a black cloak and a leather outfit, looking like a sort of shrouded ranger.


    Anders smiled when his eyes went to her, and with a soft voice he said:


    "Thank you for joining us. Has your day been agreeable?"


    "What do you want?" Ash asked, sitting down opposite Kasumi.


    "Straight to business? I see," Anders walked forwards.


    On the table separating Ash and Kasumi was a map of the area. A violet pin was stabbed into its southern part, denoting the giant portal beyond the white bridge. However, just above the city, another piece was planted. He tapped his right index finger against it.


    "As you have both been told, a second portal recently appeared just north of Sapphire. This one is far smaller, which we assume means that it will not be able to affect as large of an area as the other, however, it presents a strategic problem."


    He started pacing again.


    "See, the idea is to have the demons tire themselves and their numbers out getting through the obstacles we will set for them so that when they inevitably reach the back of the city, we will fight them on a more even field. As opposed to what our friends at Pearl did, our idea is to allow them to move through the city until they are well out of range of the portal''s influence. Or, enough to allow us to fight them. However, with this other portal," he explained, "if its area of influence spreads towards the south, then..."


    "They''ll be buffed no matter where they are in the city?" Ash asked, finishing his sentence."


    "Precisely, Savior," Anders smiled. "Effectively, this portal interferes with our strategy in a fairly catastrophic manner, haha."


    He chuckled as if he wasn''t talking about something that could potentially mean the death of all his citizens. It was in moments like these, Kasumi thought, that his youth really stood out.


    She had heard that Anders was the youngest out of all the rulers of the Empire, but how young exactly, she didn''t know.


    "However, of course," he looked at Ash, "we were informed of your ability to close these portals by Satsuhiro, and, well, it would be quite helpful if you were to deal with this matter. However," he added, "we do not wish for you to fight your way to whichever objects you must destroy in order to accomplish this. That, of course, carries the chance of having you be seriously injured or maimed in such a way that would interfere with your future battle. So, we asked for Kasumi to help you," he gestured at the crimson-haired woman.


    Ah. I get it,  she thought.


    "The idea is simple," he continued, "the two of you are to make your way there, use Kasumi''s Illusion magic to make your way to those strange objects, destroy them, and the situation will be effectively dealt with. What are your thoughts?"


    "What is the area''s level?" She asked, wanting to know what she could expect out of the demons.


    "If you''re wondering about the demon''s levels, surely Ash will be able to let you know, right?"


    Oh, yeah.  Kasumi looked over at her briefly.  I forgot. She can see them.


    "Why do you bring this up?" Anders asked though.


    "The effectiveness of Illusion magic is based on the levels of the people whose senses are being altered," Kasumi explained with an already-tired voice. "If the demon''s levels are too high, nothing I do will work, they''ll see right through me... I''ll just be setting myself up to get killed."


    "Well, the area is level 30 to 35, therefore the demons should be around the same level. Does that work for you?"


    "... It''s pushing it, but sure," Kasumi replied. "My Illusions will probably work on anything that''s around level 30, but anything higher than 35, and, well..."


    Then, Kasumi thought of something else.


    "Wait," she said, "if she can close these things, why don''t we just go to the bigger one and close that one?"


    "That''s where most of them are going to be," Ash said. "I don''t really feel like fighting or sneaking by a thousand demons. So, we have to get in and get out?"


    "Yes," Anders nodded.


    "Fine. When are we heading out?" Kasumi raised a brow. The half-demon seemed strangely eager to go.


    "As soon as you are both ready," Anders shrugged. "Some guards will be stationed north of the city. When you wish, report to them and they will take you to the portal."


    Ash nodded, then, wordlessly, she stood and walked out of the room.


    "... A bit hasty, that one," Anders chuckled again.


    Kasumi slowly got up, intending to do the same, but Anders stopped her:


    "By the way," he said. "I heard about... what happened to you. I appreciate you coming to help. I wanted to let you know that."


    Kasumi looked back and nodded. Then, she left.  Let''s just get this over with.


    ---


    A few hours later, she was standing by a black wooden gate, three young guards, two male, one female, stood by her, holding spears. They were chatting as Kasumi kept her head low and her hands held tightly wrapped around her bag, a small pouch containing some food and water. She didn''t know how long this would take, after all. Come on, already...  She thought.


    Before she could continue complaining though, she heard boots clanking to her right and looked. Ash was walking towards her, now dressed in Savior''s Armor, carrying a similar bag, with Kaori and Satsuhiro at her sides. Once she reached the gate, she turned to them and Kaori hugged her.


    "Good luck!" The blonde said and Ash returned the embrace.


    "Pick smart fights," Satsuhiro said, with his arms crossed. "Anders is right, the ideal scenario is to just get in, and get out. Try not to be too aggressive."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "I know."


    "Alright then."


    Nodding, Satsuhiro turned away. Kaori soon went with him, leaving Ash with the guards and Kasumi.


    "So, let''s get moving." Ash put her hands on her hips as she said this to everyone there.


    The three guards shared a look and soon, the woman nodded.


    "Yes, Savior."


    And so, the group departed. Kasumi had thought the land was hell before, but above Sapphire, things were even worse. Nothing but snow, for miles and miles as far as her eyes could see.


    The only thing that wasn''t snow was the violet dot on top of a small hill up ahead.  The portal?


    "S-So, uh, you see it?" One guard said.


    "Yeah," Ash replied.


    "Uh, okay, awesome."


    Before Kasumi could blink twice the three of them practically vanished. Sighing, she started walking towards it. Ash did the same, and the two moved quietly.


    One, five, ten minutes passed, and they reached the portal, all without saying a word. Kasumi didn''t mind, in fact, she was slightly appreciative. She had no intentions of engaging in small talk with this person.


    Even if she wasn''t evil, Kasumi couldn''t deny that just seeing those horns on her head made her recall things she wanted to keep buried in her mind. So, she walked through the portal first and heard Ash''s footsteps following her in.


    When they emerged on the other side, the first thing Kasumi noticed was a massive body of red water in front of them. Trees, taller than any she''d ever seen, hugged the lake, and far, far ahead were two violet beams shooting up into the sky of the same color.


    I''m guessing that''s where we''re headed,  Kasumi thought. Hm. If I had to guess, based on this lake... This is probably far south of Onyx.


    She remembered seeing a stretch of water similar to this on a map once. There was also one strange red lake she''d heard about as a child. If this was in fact the lake she had in mind, there was one easy way to check. So, she walked over to the shore and knelt down, reaching in and cupping her hand. She pulled up some of the water and took a sip.


    Yep. She nodded. Blood.


    The Sanguine River.


    Long ago, before even the battles against demons began, Jade had been undergoing its conquests. The empire was beginning its campaigns towards what is now known as Amber, and of course, had many battles in the process. One, however, was particularly destructive, and it is said that tens of thousands died in a single fight.


    Legend had it that these warriors'' blood filled what was a dry canal on that day and that Lumina, the goddess of peace, empathy, and love, seeing this, cursed the area so that the blood would never dry. Serving as a reminder of what war could result in.


    Not that it stopped Jade''s expansion, but it resulted in this eerie landmark.


    She looked to her side and saw Ash staring down at her own arms, taking a deep breath.


    Raising a brow, Kasumi said:


    "Ready?"


    Ash looked over at her and nodded.


    "Then, come on."

 Chapter 98 - Vol. 2 - 63

    Keiko


    Finally, Keiko and her teacher arrived back at Jade.


    And with that arrival, their time together came to an end, for now.


    Keiko hopped off of the horse first, but Haruna remained on it. The Zayama adjusted her bag and looked back at her teacher, who was smiling proudly at her. She almost felt embarrassed, but she was ecstatic over it all.


    The trip to the castle had been a veritable success.  That said... She thought.  I do need to go back and challenge my parents'' floor someday. Make things right.


    "Thank you, siya," Keiko bowed. "I... I couldn''t have done any of this without you."


    "No need to thank me, seiyo. You had it in you to succeed, all I did was push the process forward a bit."


    "... What will you do now?" Keiko asked.


    "What else? Teach," Haruna shrugged. "I''m sure they miss me dearly back at the Compound."


    Hearing that made Keiko remember her grandmother''s face. She found herself fighting back a scowl.


    "Someone''s got to whip those kids into shape, and, well, I''ve always enjoyed it. And you?" Haruna asked. "You have this newfound strength, your techniques, what will you do?"


    Keiko grinned.


    "I have to let my friends know, of course. After that, I''ll decide where to go from here."


    "I see, by the way," Haruna added, "when you can, take a trip to the Compound and show that book to your grandmother."


    "Hm? Why?" Keiko asked.


    "People who beat the Zayama Castle are given a special title and mark. Something that sets you apart from the average Zayama, in status. Even..." Haruna sighed. "Even if she dislikes you, your grandmother cannot deny it to you. If you head back and tell her of your success, she will have to grant it to you."


    "I... understand," Keiko took a deep breath and nodded.


    "Good, well then, goodbye, Keiko. It was a pleasure and an honor to help you."


    Keiko bowed and with that, the two parted ways.


    For a moment, Keiko''s heart was slightly torn. She''d gotten a bit used to her master''s familiar presence over the course of this last week, but it was time to get back to work.


    And her duty, her responsibility was to be by Ash and Kaori''s side. Her own growth meant nothing if she couldn''t translate it into a valuable experience for the Saviors to learn from. So, she walked up to a guard.


    "Excuse me, could you take me to the Spirit Garden''s District?"


    ---


    A few minutes later, she was walking up to the Savior House. She stood in front of it, alone, the sun warming her body under her black and gold outfit as she nodded to herself.


    Walking up, a smile on her face, she knocked on the door. The guard who led her here was still behind her, raising a brow, confused.


    No one responded.


    She waited a bit and tried again.


    Still, no response.


    Huh?  Keiko tilted her head. Did they go somewhere?


    "Uh, lady?" The guard said. "The Saviors aren''t here."


    "What?" Keiko turned and asked. "What do you mean?"


    "Another portal appeared up north. By Sapphire." He explained. "If you''re looking for the Saviors, they''re probably all there."


    Hearing that, Keiko nearly dropped all of her items.


    "A... Another portal?"


    "Mhm, terrifying, how quickly these things appear." The guard shrugged. "Sorry."


    With that, he almost walked away.


    "W-Wait," she called out. "Do you have a key? S-So I can drop my things, I mean."


    At that, he recoiled, blinking twice.


    "Ma''am, I''m not going to open that place just so you can go in and rob it. What kind of idiot do you think I am?"


    "No, no, I''m a Zayama, I was staying here, training the Saviors!" Then, she got an idea and reached into her bag, pulling out the ID she''d gotten at Onyx.


    She showed him the card.


    "Hm..." He looked at it, sighing. "Come with me to the palace, if you are their trainer or whatever, you can get a key yourself."


    "Alright."


    ---


    It took more running around the city than she would have liked, but eventually, she was approved and given a key to the Savior House. Once she had it, she went back and entered, her bags weighing heavily on her now.


    As she dropped them, she saw that the building was indeed desolate.  So... they went up to Sapphire.  Keiko thought, moving her things in and dropping them on a couch. She sat down on a chair and lowered her head.


    "They left without me..." Keiko muttered.


    Remaining still for a moment, she shook her head.


    No,  she told herself,  don''t start. It''s their job, Keiko. It doesn''t mean they don''t like you.


    She looked at her bags.


    The answer isn''t to get mad, she thought. You have to go up there! They might need you!


    "R-Right!" She got up. "I, the portal, I need to be there for the fight!"


    She was still registering that a portal had even been made, but she understood that she had to move quickly.  What do I need? What do I...?


    Pieces of a plan started to mold together in her mind and she paced around the living room, her hands on her head.


    I can... Right...


    Nodding to herself, she took her bags to her room. Here, she dropped off anything she didn''t need to carry to Sapphire, assuming she''d find the others and they''d give her some clothing for the future. So, she ended up with just her books, as all of the food she''d packed was already gone.


    The kitchen had ingredients, but nothing she could pack, really, so she needed to buy some snacks and meals as well. When she headed out of the building, she was carrying her father''s sword and her bags, much lighter though this time.


    With them, she began to make a beeline for the Compound, the only part of the city she vaguely remembered how to get to.


    She didn''t know how she looked, really, but something must have changed in her, as every citizen she passed would look at her for at least a few seconds before turning away. Keiko disregarded them.


    She glared her way through the streets. In her mind, she was trying to steel herself for the coming conversation. She needed to ask someone for something, and she knew it wouldn''t be pretty.


    But, right now, she didn''t care. Chances were that she''d change her mind on that once she was face to face with her, but still. At this moment, a burning determination was all Keiko felt.


    She reached the Compound''s gates and a few guards stood by, quickly opening the way when they looked into her eyes and saw their color. Keiko didn''t say a word to them.


    In the open halls of the Compound, she saw Zayamas, most without blindfolds but a few who had them on, walking around. She moved past them, heading straight for her grandmother''s office.


    And once she reached the door, she froze. A few guards stood next to it, who recognized her, stepping aside.


    Here, she finally felt the weight of what she was going to say.


    Over the course of her life, not once had Keiko asked her grandmother for help.


    Not because she didn''t need it, but because she knew she wouldn''t get it.


    So, anytime she was hungry, anytime she was confused as to a technique she was learning, anytime she was feeling sad, she never went to her grandmother. However, this time, that was something she''d have to do.


    If she wanted to get to Sapphire relatively quickly, she''d need a horse. And, well, right now she had no money to her name. So, she needed her family''s assistance in order to get herself to her friends in time.


    She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.


    "Come in," a firm voice said, on the other side, and Keiko fought off the urge to walk away. Instead, she pushed the door and walked inside.


    The office was a small place, with just two bookshelves at the sides as decorations, a carpet leading from the door to a chair in front of her grandmother''s desk. There was a weapons rack next to her as well.


    Here, Keiko saw two swords, one of which, she recognized. It was a model similar to the one she was carrying on her person right now.


    Keiko took a few steps closer and her grandmother looked up at her.


    The instant she saw her, she glared.


    Usually, even when she was blindfolded, Keiko could feel her grandmother''s stare. During these moments, she''d shrink, trying to become as small as she could, cowering.


    This time, she returned it, narrowing her brows at her as she balled her hands into fists.


    "Siya," Keiko muttered.


    "..." Her grandmother stared at her. Then, she let go of the pen she''d been writing with and leaned back. "What do you want?"


    "I''m happy to see you too," Keiko replied, "grandmother."


    "If you are here for no other reason than to waste my time, I suggest you walk away. I have no need for it."


    "I will gladly leave. I need something first. Some crowns," she said. "I need to buy weapons and a horse. That''s all I''m here for."


    To say her grandmother looked disgusted would be an understatement. She looked as though Keiko had offered to slap her.


    "And what exactly have you done to deserve any of that?" Her grandmother asked.


    "You mean, aside from working with the Saviors against the demons?" Keiko asked. "Maybe this will let you know."


    She reached into her bag and pulled out the two books she''d been given. Placing them on her grandmother''s desk, she saw the older woman make no attempt to look at them.


    Instead, her eyes remained locked with Keiko''s, the entire time.


    "Hmph." Her grandmother huffed and looked away. "And what exactly is that supposed to prove?"


    "That I went through the Ancient Zayama Castle, cleared out each floor, and was rewarded for it. So?" Keiko crossed her arms. "Are you going to help me or not? And, of course," she said, remembering what Haruna had said, "I''ll be taking my mark."


    Her grandmother listened for a few seconds and then put her hands on her chair''s armrests. She stood up, and Keiko had to turn her eyes up, as she was taller than her.


    Her grandmother took a few steps closer to Keiko and stood in front of her.


    Then, she raised a hand and slapped Keiko in the face.


    ...


    Keiko was stunned. She barely registered it. Her lips parted and she looked at her grandmother in disbelief.


    "You truly are everything your mother and father were not," she spoke with a low tone, "no talent, no promise, I had thought you possessed at least some amount of respect, but you walk in here and you ask, no, demand these things of me as though I were some lowly servant. You fool," her grandmother said, "born into a family of legends when you should have been birthed amongst the rats. By the time your parents were your age, they were already wandering the land, making our family proud! And you..."


    She was shouting at this point.


    "You are a stain on our legacy. You... You have relied on nothing but sheer luck to get as far as you have. And you won''t be getting any farther, I suspect. So, sure," she chuckled, "I will give you your crowns. Buy your weapons. Hell, I will gift you a horse to travel with. Maybe wherever you go, the world will finally rid me of you."


    She reached into a small compartment on her desk and then pulled a few things out. She tossed a couple of white crowns at Keiko, along with some sort of silver badge. She made no effort to catch them, letting them drop to the wooden floor.


    Instead, she stared at her grandmother, in disbelief still.


    Her grandmother turned.


    "Now, go back to being a glorified tutor, where you won''t sadden your parents'' spirits any more than you have."


    Keiko''s bottom lip trembled.


    Then, she narrowed her eyes and charged forwards.


    She tackled her.


    "Agh!" Her grandmother cried out.


    Pinning her grandmother to the ground, Keiko mounted her, flipped her over, and raised a fist.  Then, she brought it down, punching her grandmother in the jaw as she held her with her other arm.


    The guards outside were there before Keiko could get a second hit in.


    They pulled her off. Keiko kicked and screamed at her grandmother as they did.


    Her grandmother slowly stood up.


    "Let me go!" Keiko yelled. "Let me fucking... AGH!" She tried to shake the guards off but was unsuccessful.


    Her grandmother reached up and touched her jaw, her eyes reduced to slivers due to the intensity in her scowl. Keiko felt a fire in her heart engulfing her entire being. All she wanted right now was nothing more than to punch her grandmother at least once for every insult she''d ever received.


    She was nearly snarling at her as her grandmother casually picked up the coins and the badge. She picked up Keiko''s books as well.


    She walked up to Keiko, searched her body for a pocket, and when she found one, dropped the coins in there, and put the books in Keiko''s bag, all without a word.


    Then, she reached up and wrapped her hands around Keiko''s neck.


    She leaned in, her eyes locked with Keiko''s.


    "Take your coins, your badge, your horse, and leave."


    Waving her guards away, they dragged Keiko outside and dropped her, as her grandmother closed the door and locked it.


    As soon as she was let go, Keiko stormed off.


    That... I''ve fought monsters, but she''s more demonic than any of them!


    She was practically growling as she walked through the halls.


    However, the rational part of her mind guided her. She had two places to go to, and then she could leave. Hopefully, never to come back to this place.


    The Zayama''s had their own blacksmiths, ones who didn''t just craft weapons but sold some pre-made ones as well. Keiko went to one of them first. He was a burly man, dressed in a black robe as he smacked away at an anvil.


    Still, angry, Keiko''s voice was firm as she said:


    "Blacksmith, a naginata, and two neviries."


    He looked up with a scowl.


    "And who exactly are you to..." When he saw her, he stopped.


    Keiko leaned in as close as she could. His hand clenched around his hammer, but she didn''t care.


    The next words she spoke she said through gritted teeth, and she hissed them so lowly, they almost came in a whisper.


    "The Elder''s fucking granddaughter, now, give me what I asked for."


    She said, planting the coins on a counter next to him. He stared at her for a bit and nodded.


    "Aye."


    ---


    Next up was the horse.


    Keiko couldn''t buy too many weapons, so she went with ones she thought could cover for her sword''s weaknesses. The naginata for enemies that were too fast for her, and the two neviries for long-range and quick short-range trades.


    The Neviry was a blade-and-whip, comprised of a small, kunai-like blade attached to a rope. She had asked for two, as the techniques in the book, required the use of two of these, simultaneously, in order to perform.


    Once she had them, she walked to the stables. Here, a few women tended to the majestic beasts the Compound was known for having. Black horses with gold manes, who were said to be the strongest and most hardy in all the land.


    She walked up to the oldest, who recognized her with a glance. Everyone did.


    "I need a horse," Keiko said, looking straight into her eyes, challenging her to deny the request. "My grandmother has gifted me one."


    "..." She opened her mouth to speak but Keiko glared harder. "Right away,  siya." The woman bowed.


    That was the first time in her life that Keiko had ever been called that.


    "Do you have a preference?" She asked.


    Keiko took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She was still feeling testy off of what happened earlier.


    "Which do you recommend?" She asked, cooling her head.


    "These three are fairly powerful creatures," she gestured at some of the animals. "Trained well and tested. They would each serve you well."


    Among them, Keiko saw another with the exact opposite colors. A dark-golden body and black mane. She noticed another thing, it was missing an eye. Keiko walked towards it.


    "What''s this one''s name?"


    "Ilyrum. She''s... Well, she''s had a hard life. She''s not one that we raised," the groom admitted, "she belonged to some mage mercenaries from Amber. Suffered a few injuries in her time with them. But, she''s tough. That much, I can promise you."


    Keiko reached towards it and the horse started smelling her hand. Then, Keiko slowly placed it over Ilyrum''s head. The horse looked at her through her good eye and Keiko nodded.


    "... I''ll take her then."


    "Alright."


    "By the way," Keiko said, "do you, ehm, happen to have a map?"


    ---


    Several embarrassing minutes later, where Keiko was refreshed on the bare minimum fundamentals of horseback riding, Keiko led Ilyrum out of the city.


    As a child, she''d been given a few lessons, as even blind Zayamas needed to learn how to ride horses. She''d never been good at it though, and she hadn''t really taken the lessons to heart.


    Now though, she was pretty glad to have received those.


    She didn''t want to ride her just yet though, instead, she wanted to give the horse at least an hour or so to get used to her presence.


    With her naginata at her back, her neviries, and her sword at her waist, Keiko looked at the road ahead, then looked at her map, and nodded.


    Okay, I think I get it.


    "Come on, girl." She said to Ilyrum softly and led her forwards.


    I''m on my way.

 Chapter 99 - Vol. 2 - 64

    Note: Ash and Kasumi see some fairly messed-up stuff here. Just saying.


    ---


    Kasumi


    The half-demon pointed at the violet beams as Kasumi nearly held a hand up to cover her nose. The scent of blood coming from the river was almost too much for her.


    "That''s where we''re headed," she stated. "If this is going to be anything like the last time I did this, there are going to be demons at the end we''ll need to get through. Let''s go."


    Wordlessly, Kasumi started to walk towards them, moving along the Sanguine River, Ash trailed behind her.


    Of course, neither said a word for the longest time. Both kept their eyes on the beams, making their way closer. The half-demon was the one to break the silence, clearing her throat and saying:


    "Let me know if you see any enemies."


    "Mhm," Kasumi hummed.


    "Use those Illusion spells too. Don''t forget."


    "Obviously," Kasumi rolled her eyes. "It''s why I''m here, what sort of fool do you take me for?"


    "I''m just saying," Ash sighed. "In case you get scared or something."


    Kasumi narrowed her eyes at her.


    And of course, you wouldn''t, right?  She thought.  Not like your own kind could scare you.


    "I will be fine."


    "Well, good," Ash shrugged.


    "Great."


    "... Cool?" Ash stopped, raising a brow at her.


    Kasumi narrowed her eyes at her for a brief moment before turning away.


    "... Okay," Ash muttered before following.


    Just move faster,  Kasumi told herself, walking with her eyes closed. The sooner you''re done with this, the be-


    "Look out!" Ash called out.


    Then, a hand grabbed her right leg. She opened her eyes and looked down, finding that some corpse had launched itself out of the water and was holding onto her.


    "AH!" She shrieked and fell back. The monster was still grabbing her.


    Level ?


    I can''t see its level?  Kasumi thought.  A demon coming from the water!?


    It growled at her, blood gurgling in its mouth before a sword went straight through its head. A small splatter of its violet blood fell on Kasumi''s face. She continued to stare at it as Ash removed her sword and the monster fell limp.


    "Easy," Ash muttered. Then, she walked over to Kasumi and held a hand out.


    Shaking her head, regaining her senses, Kasumi ignored it and stood up on her own.


    "Whatever," Ash said, turning away.


    "..." Kasumi kept her mouth closed, glancing back at the water.


    Ash pointed at the trees to their left.


    "We should probably go through these woods," she said. "Avoid the demons in the water."


    Kasumi started walking towards the forest before Ash did.


    Feeling a small percentage more annoyed than she already was, she led the way through the woods while Ash remained behind her.  Get your act together.  Kasumi rolled her neck.  Just move as fast as you can, get to those beams, and...


    Something mechanical snapped. Kasumi looked down.


    That''s...


    She blinked, looking at the contraption that had just ensnared her. She didn''t even feel it.


    Yet.


    A bear trap on my...


    "AAGHmmmm!" She closed her mouth mid-scream, trying to keep herself from alerting nearby demons. She fell, and Ash was next to her almost instantly, prying the machine off.


    However, from behind a pair of trees up ahead, two thin demons emerged, grinning at Kasumi. Their eyes were fixed on her, even with Ash next to her, helping remove the bear trap.


    They ran forwards.


    "Demons!" Kasumi warned and Ash turned towards them.


    With her sword, the half-demon stood up straight.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    A black sphere emerged from her left palm and flew through the air, striking one of the demons and propelling it back. The other demon changed targets, running towards Ash. The half-demon dodged a bite at her neck and raised her sword.


    With it, she stabbed through the side of the enemy''s head, skewering it, violet blood falling on Ash''s chest and shoulders. The other demon who had been hit by the Dark spell squirmed on the ground before trying to stand up in a frenzy. It growled and then charged at Ash. The half-demon stepped into it, reaching up and grabbing the creature by the neck. Then, she used her sword to stab through its abdomen, and the demon fell to the floor, lifeless.


    All the while, Kasumi looked down at her right leg. The spot above her angle was practically ruined and the Savior was taking deep breaths to keep herself from crying about it.


    Ash walked over to her quickly, some strange anger clear to see in her eyes as she cast a Light spell, and placed her hands over Kasumi''s injured leg.


    The wound healed within seconds, relief flooding Kasumi''s body as Ash''s spell worked.


    "I haven''t seen anything like that," Ash said, after taking a deep breath. Kasumi could see her making an effort to calm herself down, for some reason. "Didn''t even know those things existed."


    Kasumi didn''t respond.


    "Guess we need to be careful then," Ash stated, standing up.


    Again, she extended a hand at Kasumi, who was on the ground.


    Although the wound was healed, the thing about Light magic and injuries was that it wasn''t uncommon for the injured spot to feel uncomfortable, even after being healed. People called these "ghost wounds", and Kasumi was feeling this at the moment.


    So, as much as she didn''t want to, she accepted the demon''s help and stood up with her assistance.


    Ash turned around wordlessly and started moving forwards again, however, now she had her eyes turned down to spot any traps.


    Kasumi sighed.


    I swear,  she thought.  If this is Alkoth''s way of trying to teach me a lesson, I''m going to slap that god the next time I see him.


    Following behind Ash, the two continued towards the beams in the distance.


    With this being a mirror world, there were certain questions with regard to its mechanics that Kasumi had no answers to, but one was soon given to her. Apparently, these pocket dimensions did have weather. She knew this because as she and the half-demon continued to walk, it started to rain. A part of Kasumi wondered if that was happening because the real-world version of this place was experiencing rain as well, but there was no way of knowing that right now.


    The dirt beneath their boots started to turn muddy and Ash stopped. Holding a hand up, she looked up at the sky, the rain falling on her body and washing the blood off of her. It was almost a storm, picking up so intensely that Kasumi nearly struggled to remain balanced. Ash, however, didn''t seem to mind it too much, casually continuing to walk forwards.


    Kasumi kept her eyes low and followed, feeling shame and embarrassment thanks to these recent moments swirling together in her mind. Automatically, as she usually did whenever she felt sad, she started to recall memories of better times.


    She pictured herself back at her old home, carrying a sleepy Nozomi to her bed. Here, she would place a white sheet over her and smile down at her daughter before turning around to walk out of the room.


    "Mom?" Nozomi said. Kasumi stopped.


    "Yes?" She asked.


    "... Can you stay?"


    Kasumi''s heart just about melted hearing that.


    "Sure," she walked back up and grabbed a small chair, placing it next to the equally minute bed. She crossed her legs and looked for a book to read. She kept a few around for nights like these.


    "Can you, *yawn*, sing?" She mumbled.


    Kasumi blinked and chuckled.


    "Aw, sweetie, of course!" Kasumi put the book away and cleared her throat.


    Now, walking behind Ash, as the two of them continued on the path, she hummed the song to herself behind the half-demon. It helped the time pass as she quickly lost herself in that memory, her eyes absent-mindedly roaming the ground. However, eventually, she nearly ran into Ash, who had stopped in front of her.


    "Hm?" Kasumi went beside Ash, seeing the half-demon with her mouth gaping, her jaw practically on the floor.


    What''s...?


    When she looked ahead to see what had caused Ash to halt, her expression became virtually the same one.


    The only way she could describe it was a mosaic of utter chaos, caused by a legion of demons that stood in front of them. The forest had cleared out and ahead was almost a desert, with several hundreds of demons intertwined. Lust demons having sex, gluttony demons devouring their own allies, wrath demons fighting to the death and ripping each other to shreds in between it all. Shrieks of pain, pleasured moans, enraged roars and growls filled the area.


    The experience was enough to render Kasumi speechless.


    Ash looked to the left and then to the right. The horde of demons stretched endlessly in both directions.


    "Can''t walk around them... I, uh..." Ash scratched her head, "I think this would be a good time to test out those Illusion spells."


    Kasumi took a deep breath.


    "What levels are they?" She asked with a somewhat raspy voice.


    "I... I can''t really tell," Ash said, "they''re all kind of too close to each other, but... I think I see a few level 30s, a few level 31s."


    "Then, we should be fine..." Kasumi nodded. Then, she closed her eyes. "I can keep up my invisibility spell for about two minutes, so we need to move through these things fast."


    "Right."


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage."


    Invisibility cloaks were placed over her and Ash, and they began to move forwards.


    The sounds grew louder as they got closer. The sights were more detailed and now, Kasumi''s heart was turning cold as she tried her hardest to keep herself from glancing at what was happening around her, but she couldn''t tear her eyes away. To her left, she saw a female Lust demon and a male Wrath demon having sex, the Lust demon riding on top of him, when suddenly the Wrath demon stabbed its right arm straight through her chest. With its left arm, it slashed across her gut, and the Lust demon''s entrails fell on top of him. To her right, she saw a Gluttony demon that had two other demons pinned underneath its body. Casually, it ripped their heads off and swallowed them both in one gulp.


    Kasumi nearly vomited. Ash, however, had her eyes steeled as she moved in front of Kasumi. The crimson-haired Savior tried to focus on the half-demon, using her confident image to keep herself grounded.  Just stay behind her...  Kasumi told herself.


    In between every image her mind captured of what was happening around her, Nozomi''s face, her torn body, would flash in front of Kasumi''s eyes.


    She didn''t even realize she''d been doing this, but eventually, she ended up grabbing Ash''s arm, using her to keep herself moving. Ash glanced back but didn''t say a word, of course, as they continued to slice through the demons.


    Two demons crashed into them and the girls fell to the ground. Next to them, two Wrath demons were clawing at each other wildly. Kasumi gasped but Ash was quick to put her hand over the Savior''s mouth.


    One of the Wrath demons raised a hand, brought it down, and dug its clawed thumbs into the other demon''s eyes, killing it. The two Saviors stood up and now, Kasumi was holding on even more tightly than before.


    Ahead was one Gluttony demon that was breaking apart a Wrath demon''s corpse to eat it in smaller pieces, but Kasumi saw that it raised its head at them.


    Ash stopped. Kasumi stopped as well.


    "What is it?" Kasumi whispered.


    "Level 34," Ash whispered back.


    Shit.  Kasumi thought.


    "We''re almost through," Ash said as the Gluttony demon stood up. "I think we make a run for it."


    "Yes," Kasumi replied. "Most of them will be too distracted, and we can outrun this thing, I think."


    "Okay. Then, get ready."


    Kasumi took a deep breath and then tapped Ash''s shoulder twice. Ash nodded.


    "Go."


    With that, they began to sprint.


    Instantly, the Gluttony demon''s tongue shot out from its mouth to wrap itself around Kasumi''s right leg, but the half-demon was quick to slash it in half with her sword.


    "Keep going!" Ash said, keeping her sword outstretched, aimed at the Gluttony demon, who was starting to approach.


    Kasumi ran forwards. She ran as fast as she could, as far as her legs would take her. The demons cleared out and soon, she was running alone in a field of dirt and rocks. She only stopped once she was too tired to continue. Her invisibility spell faded and Kasumi went to sit by a boulder.


    Putting her hands on her head, she coughed once and took short, quick breaths. She looked to her left, towards the beams.  They''re not even close.  She noted.  This is way too fucked.


    Someone walked closer and Kasumi flinched.


    "It''s me," Ash quickly said, raising her hands, "it''s just me. That thing couldn''t run for shit," the half-demon stated. "Come on, let''s keep going."


    "Hold on," Kasumi said between breaths. "I need a moment."


    Ash looked at her and then, she transformed her sword back into a cube.


    "Alright."


    The half-demon sat down next to her as Kasumi closed her eyes. She reached into the bag she''d brought with her and pulled out a flask containing water. Taking desperate sips, her breathing slowed and she started to calm her nerves.


    "If it weren''t for that one Gluttony demon," Ash suddenly said. "This would have been pretty clean. If we find more demons around level 30, we should be fine."


    "Mhm..." Kasumi nodded and hummed, not saying anything else.


    Instinctively, she started humming the same song from before. Ash noticed that.


    "What song is that?"


    "Why do you ask?" Kasumi replied quietly.


    "It''s the same one you were humming, I figure it must mean something, I dunno." She shrugged.


    Kasumi scoffed, turning to look at her. There was no real kindness in the half-demon''s eyes, just curiosity. Kasumi turned away.


    "... Something I used to sing to my daughter."


    "You have a daughter?" Ash asked.


    "Had." Kasumi quickly corrected her and Ash raised a brow.


    "Oh."


    And just like that, the conversation died. Kasumi stood up.


    "I''m good, let''s keep moving."


    Ash nodded and did the same. Then, wordlessly, they continued on their way to the violet beams.


    ---


    An hour passed where the two of them saw nothing but dirt and skeletons belonging to long-dead humans and demons. They encountered a few enemies here and there, but nothing they couldn''t sneak through.


    The beams were fairly close now.  With any luck,  Kasumi thought,  we''ll be done in a bit.


    "Hey," Ash said.


    "Hm?" Kasumi looked over at her.


    "Where''s your Savior''s Weapon?" She asked.


    "Collecting dust in a bag back at Sapphire," Kasumi quickly replied.


    "... What?" Ash stopped.


    "Hm?" Kasumi stopped too, equally confused.


    "You... you didn''t even bring it?" Ash raised a brow.


    "I didn''t," Kasumi confirmed with a nod.


    "Okay, why?" Ash asked, stupefied.


    "... Because I don''t care to use the weapons the gods have given us," Kasumi shrugged. "I don''t need them," she tapped the daggers at her sides.


    "But... that makes no sense, I don''t think any of the gods care about whether you use their weapons or not."


    "Yeah, I doubt they care about anything. But, I care," Kasumi replied. "And I refuse to use that thing. If I''m being honest with you, half-demon," Kasumi continued, "I don''t really care what happens to me, you, or anyone else. I''m only here because I know the Council will hound me if I refuse to help. But really, whether we win or we lose is of no concern to me." Kasumi muttered. "And, whether I live or die, I''d rather do so with my own weapons. My own tools. I bought these daggers before I ever became a Savior, and I learned Illusion magic before then too. So, they''re what I use. If I did use my Savior''s Weapon," Kasumi concluded, "I''d be sponsoring the same gods that let my daughter get killed by bloodthirsty demons. I''d rather not."


    "..." Ash put her hands on her hips. "I don''t think you understand how the gods work."


    "Oh?" Kasumi chuckled, stopping. "Enlighten me then."


    The beams were closer now, probably only a few minutes away as Ash and Kasumi both halted.


    "They can''t really do much," Ash said. "At least, right now. Apparently, Niven, who''s controlling the demons, removed their power or some shit. All they can do is influence, but even then, they can''t force anyone or anything to do whatever they want."


    "And how exactly do you know that?" Kasumi asked.


    "Because I''ve talked to them," Ash replied casually.


    "... So, you''ve had those dreams too, then?" Kasumi turned back towards the beams and started walking to them.


    "You too?" Ash asked. "And, yeah, I have."


    "And you know that they''re ''limited'', apparently, because that''s what they said?"


    "Yeah."


    "Well, simple, they''re probably lying."


    "Why would they lie about that?" Ash asked.


    "I don''t know, and I don''t care," Kasumi replied harshly. "My mind was made up when I saw my daughter''s lifeless body."


    Ash sighed, but she didn''t respond. Instead, they continued until they were standing at a hill that overlooked a vast field of ruins. There were broken buildings and isolated, random walls of stone. Here, they could see three pyramids ahead, with just one demon standing between them.


    "A single Nightmare?" Ash said.


    "Is that a surprise?" Kasumi asked.


    "Last time I did this there were three," Ash explained. "I can''t really see its level from here."


    "Let''s get closer then."


    The pair walked up, moving behind the random ruined walls. The Nightmare ahead slowly started to come into view. It was a tall Wrath demon, carrying what looked like two whips in its hands. Its eyes were aimed at the ground in front of it. Once they were close enough to get a read, Ash sighed.


    "Shit."


    "What?"


    "Level 35," Ash stated. "Your Illusion spells won''t work on it, right?"


    "Definitely not," Kasumi replied.


    "And... That thing''s got 11 levels on me, it''s a bit much," Ash lamented.


    "What do we do then?" Kasumi asked. "If you can''t fight it and I can''t use my spells, then..."


    Ash looked down.


    As she did so, Kasumi looked around, trying to find some sort of option, but there was nothing around them but dirt and stone.


    "Well..." Ash started, "we''re going to have to get creative. And... I have an idea, but you''re not gonna like it."


    At that, Kasumi raised a brow.


    "And that idea is...?"


    "If you can''t use Illusions to distract it, maybe we''ll need something a little more real... And by that, I mean  you."


    Kasumi blinked. She started to understand what Ash meant and she scowled.


    "You can''t be serious."


    "I don''t really see another way to get to those things," Ash stated. "And, listen, once they''re destroyed, we''ll be sent back out to our world, so..." she shrugged. "I think it''s the best idea we''ve got."


    "You want me to stand in front of a Nightmare, and let it chase me down while you sneak behind it and try to take out the pyramids before it kills me?"


    "Basically," Ash replied.


    Kasumi looked at her, and then back at the pyramids.


    Shit. We don''t really have another choice, do we?


    "Fine."


    "Okay. Then..." Ash said. "Whenever you''re ready."


    Kasumi glanced at the Nightmare and nodded.


    "No sense in stalling."


    So, Kasumi stood up from where they were crouched and walked forwards.


    All that talk about living or dying,  she thought.  I guess it''s time to put my money where my mouth is.


    Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and paced forwards. Eventually, the Nightmare saw her. Its blank eyes seemed to raise to meet her and Kasumi stopped. Ash was already sneaking to the left.


    Kasumi took a deep breath and yelled out:


    "HEY, ASSHOLE!" The Nightmare instantly started to walk towards her, its whips dragging behind on the dirt.  Okay, there we go. Attention secured, I guess.


    Ideally, all she needed was to distract it for at most, a minute. If destroying these things was a simple matter, as soon as Ash had the space to work, then this was effectively over.


    However, as the Nightmare raised a hand, holding a whip, and pulled it back, Kasumi still doubted she''d make it through this.


    And then, when the whip cracked and only missed her head because Kasumi stepped aside at the last moment, that feeling was reinforced.


    Kasumi turned around and started running away. She glanced back, to see if an attack was coming her way.


    There wasn''t any. In fact, the Nightmare itself wasn''t there. Instead, Kasumi raised her head and saw it descending upon her from the sky. She fell back and the creature landed in front of her, stomping the ground and producing a web of cracks where it had landed.


    Eyes widened, Kasumi watched as it pulled back both of its whips. Then, rolling to the side, she just narrowly managed to avoid a strike that broke through the part of the ground where she''d just been. Quickly, it went to do the same thing again.


    But she was far too slow to dodge this time.


    It pulled back its whips and yanked its hands towards her, however, instead of colliding with her body like it had with the ground, the whips wrapped themselves around her left arm and her right leg.


    And then, the creature spun, and Kasumi was lifted into the air. 2 times, 3 times, the creature continued to spin, building up speed, and then, the whips unwrapped themselves, launching Kasumi into a wall of stone. Her back cracked and Kasumi fell to the ground, coughing up blood immediately.


    The impact was so harsh, she felt like her entire body was broken.


    Blood... In my lungs...  She thought, reaching up to clutch her chest and coughing up more of that red liquid.  I can''t breathe. My body is broken.


    The Nightmare started running towards her.


    Kasumi didn''t even have the strength to raise a hand. It jumped up, with the intent of crashing onto her.


    And then, suddenly, the world changed in the blink of an eye. Instead of hot dirt, she was now laying in cold snow, still coughing up blood. No Nightmare, no violet sky, no stone walls.


    Ash was by her side a few seconds later.


    "Hold on, I''ve got you," Ash said.


    Kasumi''s response was to throw up more blood from her mouth.


    "For Light of grace to reach those in need, Lumina, allow our faith to dictate the power of our words. Let no prayer we utter be left unheard. To this end, show yourself in our actions and let your brilliance be seen."


    The half-demon said the incantation so quickly that if Kasumi hadn''t been in the process of dying, she would have been impressed. Instead of being healed though, a white aura covered Kasumi''s body. Then, Ash nodded to herself.


    "Okay, now," Ash said and started to mutter an incantation that Kasumi tuned out.


    Mainly, because she was now passing out, a freezing feeling all around her.


    Finally, was her last thought before the world went black.


    ---


    Her eyes opened, and everything around her changed a second time. Now, instead of the cold snow, she was on an exceptionally soft bed. Candles were lit around her, and she tried to sit up, but a hand stopped her.


    "Whoa, whoa, easy. You still need to warm up. You only just got here."


    It was a voice she didn''t recognize. She looked around from where she was.


    "Is..." Her voice was scratchy, like that of a smoker. "Is this an inn?"


    "Aye," the girl beside her, someone dressed in a white and brown outfit, said. "Seriously, don''t move. Take your time, you''re probably disoriented. It happens when people get really close to dying and then someone heals them back up to full health out of nowhere, at least, that''s what a nurse once told me."


    Is that what happened?


    "Your... ehm, friend, the half-demon," the girl said, a little bashfully, "is outside, downstairs. She paid for the room, so you don''t have to worry about that either."


    Ash?


    The door to the room opened.


    "Is she...?" The very person they''d been talking about walked in. She looked over at Kasumi and gave a sigh of relief.


    "Yes, she''ll be fine. It''s just, her body needs time to process that she got healed, is all."


    "Uh... Okay."


    "Oh, I''ll bring her some water, excuse me," the girl said, walking out. Ash moved to a chair beside the bed and sat down.


    "Well, that was close," Ash told her. "Even as fast as I tried to move, I couldn''t stop the Nightmare from getting a nasty hit in."


    Kasumi stared at her for a moment and didn''t respond. Instead, she looked up at the ceiling.


    "Uh... Yeah, listen, I''m going to go tell the Lord that we closed the portal. You''ve got the room to yourself for a day, so, uh, enjoy it."


    Again, Kasumi said nothing.


    Ash nodded to herself and stood up.


    "Alright. See you. Uh, by the way," Ash continued, "I didn''t know about your kid. That''s really shitty. I''m sorry that happened to you."


    There wasn''t really too much emotion behind her words. She let them sit for a moment and then Kasumi heard footsteps drawing away from her.


    "... Thank you," Kasumi suddenly said.


    Ash stopped.


    "Hm?" She turned around.


    "Just that. Thank you."


    Kasumi then turned away from the half-demon, forcing herself not to see her reaction to that.


    "Yeah, you''re welcome," Ash muttered, and with that, she left the room.


    And with that exchange, Kasumi closed her eyes, fighting off the images of her daughter that came to her mind. All she wanted right now was some peace.

 Chapter 100 - Vol. 2 - 65

    Ash


    "We heard that the portal disappeared," Anders said. "So, the mission was a success?"


    "Mhm," Ash nodded, with crossed arms.


    "Good!" Anders chuckled, "that''s one less thing to worry about, at least. Our original plan should be good once again. Thank you for your efforts, Savior. Here, I trust this is enough compensation for such dangerous work?"


    The Lord of Sapphire walked up to her and placed a coin pouch in Ash''s hands. She opened it and spotted, at the very least, 5 white crowns. He smiled at her as her eyes remained fixed on the coins.


    "Rest, Savior. We may yet need your assistance."


    Ash turned around and walked out of the room.


    It was strange. This entire journey started because she wanted as much money as she could get before inevitably falling to a demon. Now though, the coin pouch in her hands made her feel no different.


    Instead, her mind went to the broken body of Kasumi that she saw after running up to her when she broke the pyramids down.


    ---


    "HEY, ASSHOLE!" Kasumi shouted.


    Okay,  Ash told herself,  that''s my cue.


    Ash understood that, even without the buff, Kasumi stood no chance. Adding Niven''s Blessing on top of that made it so that a single hit from the Nightmare would certainly kill Kasumi. So, she had to move as fast as she could, because there was a very real possibility that she only had a few seconds to work with.


    So, as she heard whips cracking behind her, Ash sprinted for the pyramid closest to her. She stabbed a sword through it, and the structure crumbled, releasing demonic energy that had no effect on her. It was why she was here, after all.


    She went to the next one and heard stone crumbling. She didn''t dare look back at Kasumi, just in case that simple act wasted valuable milliseconds. So, she raised her sword and stabbed through the second.


    She heard a cracking sound and ran to the third. Finally, she raised her sword and stabbed through this one as well. The world faded and transformed back into the snowy field that she and Kasumi had been in before entering the portal.


    Then, Ash turned towards the sound and saw Kasumi''s body, mangled, blood all around her.


    "Shit."


    ---


    A Few Minutes Later


    Ash walked into Sapphire, carrying Kasumi''s unconscious body on her shoulders. Citizens, of course, stared at her, as she was covered in the woman''s blood, but she didn''t stop for anyone. Not the gawking civilians, not the guards raising a hand and asking if she was okay.


    Instead, she went into the first place she saw that looked like an inn.


    She kicked the door open, nearly breaking it down. A few of the customers and workers inside were startled. Ash moved in and placed Kasumi on a table, right in front of someone who had been having breakfast.


    That man puked dangerously close to Kasumi. Ash turned to the others in the establishment.


    "Hey," she quickly called out, "I healed her but she''s still unconscious, uh, what''s happening?"


    Everyone froze up.


    "Well!?"


    One of them, the youngest of the workers, a girl with pigtails and a black and white outfit, jogged up to Kasumi.


    "O-Oh, don''t worry, this is normal," she said.


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked. "Her wounds are gone but..."


    "She''s just in shock," she replied. "I have a friend who''s a healer, she told me about this. Sometimes this happens. She just needs to lie down for a while."


    ---


    Shaking her head, Ash sighed and walked back towards the bathhouse.


    Once there, she opened the door and walked in.


    As soon as she did so, the loud noises of a party came into her ears.


    Ren was here, and he''d brought some strange, drum-like instrument. He and Metsumi were singing a song (terribly, but with a lot of effort) while Satsuhiro and Opah clapped along to the beat. Kaori was cheering them on, waving her hand back and forth.


    The blast of sound was so harsh, Ash almost felt a headache appear.


    Uh... What?


    "Ha! Ash! Join us!" Ren called out.


    Ash held her arms up, showing them covered in blood. Metsumi stood between Ash and Opah, trying to subtly shield her daughter''s eyes from the sight. Ash walked straight past everyone and went to the restroom in the hall. Here, the first thing she did was remove everything she was wearing, throwing her Savior''s Weapon and her bag aside as well, before quickly setting up a bath.


    It wouldn''t be until an hour later that Ash was finally fresh, her hair humid as she walked back out into the main room wearing just a white shirt and black shorts. By then, the party had stopped and now, everyone was just talking. Metsumi and Satsuhiro were sitting together, with the woman basically draped over him. On the other end of the couch they occupied, Opah was reading a small book. Opposite them, Kaori and Ren were on a bench.


    Ren saw her and once again, grinned.


    "Ah, are you finished washing away the stains of battle?"


    "That''s one way to put it," Ash replied, scoffing. "Yeah. I closed the damned thing." Ash sat at a chair, between everyone.


    "And Kasumi?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "She... Nearly didn''t make it," Ash replied. "But, she got through it too."


    "Good work," Satsuhiro nodded. "Training wise?"


    "I leveled up a couple of times, haven''t assigned any points yet though," she replied, showing her status above her head.


    Level 26


    MP: 140/140


    Attribute Points: 4


    STR: 27


    DEX: 14


    CON: 10


    INT: 16


    WIS: 14


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/260


    "That portal being up would have ruined virtually any chance we had at victory," Ren said, turning slightly more serious. "It is a great blessing that the gods have bestowed upon us by bringing you into our ranks. I for one, am thankful."


    Ash wondered what Kasumi would say if she were here, listening to that. Now that Ash knew just a little more about her, she just seemed sad in Ash''s eyes.


    And, at that moment, something happened that Ash hadn''t been expecting. At least, not yet.


    Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing


    While in Niven''s site of power, all of a demon''s attributes are increased


    Taking a deep breath, Ash said:


    "The portal''s effect just reached this place."


    "What?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "I just got the buff," Ash explained. "And we''re, what, a little past the center of the city? So, that means..."


    "It''s probably going to cover the city a little sooner than expected," Satsuhiro nodded. "Still, I believe we''re preparing well. Tomorrow," Satsuhiro announced, "we''ll go ahead and practice what we''re picking up. Maybe after that, we can focus on individual attributes again, and rinse and repeat for the next few days. Until the fight starts."


    "Sounds good!" Kaori said.


    Ash looked down and sighed.


    I really hope Anders has some tricks up his sleeve that he hasn''t shown us. Because if he doesn''t, I don''t see how this will be any different from what happened at Pearl. Ash thought.


    At that moment, a woman clothed in black feathers walked out of the building. She passed by Ash and the half-demon saw everyone''s eyes in front of her trailing along with the woman.


    Ash looked to her left and saw Vermia about to leave.


    She walked after her.


    Vermia stopped outside, snow falling just in front of her as she half-turned towards Ash.


    "So, uh, not gonna teach me anything tonight?" Ash asked.


    Vermia shook her head.


    "I''m afraid not. Duty calls tonight."


    "What do you have to do?"


    "... You will see once the invasion begins," Vermia replied. "Enjoy your night, Ash."


    With those words, the slender woman turned away and walked off, Ash''s view of her slightly obscured by the snow falling between them. Ash remained standing there for a few moments before heading back into the building.


    Ren recommended that they have a feast to celebrate Ash''s victory and so, Satsuhiro went out and ordered some dinner to be brought to the bathhouse from a nearby restaurant.


    It culminated with everyone eating in the main room.


    "AH! IS THIS NOT THE MOST DELICIOUS-LOOKING THING YOU''VE SEEN!?" Ren asked the group, pointing a fork at a plate full of meat belonging to some animal Ash had never heard of, called a ''silverwing''. Apparently, they were native to Amber''s territory. How this ended up here was beyond Ash.


    Next to her, Kaori was basically drooling, a sight that made Ash chuckle. On her plate was a pastry of some sort with salads on the side. Ash had some basic chicken and bread, while the others had strange combinations of potatoes, eggs, and that silverwing meat. The scent in the air reminded Ash of whenever she''d walk past establishments that she could only dream of entering. Sometimes, it felt like there were places where she''d start burning if she only set foot in them.


    However, now, she was eating the products of such a place.


    Indeed, as she took a bite, she sighed with satisfaction. Whoever those cooks were, they knew what they were doing.


    She saw Kaori struggling to tear off a piece of the meat on her plate with a fork, and Ash lightly grabbed the plate and used her own knife to cut the meat for her.


    "Thanks!" Kaori said.


    "No problem," Ash replied.


    "Enjoy yourselves!" Ren said. "And let''s keep working hard!"


    Shit, why couldn''t I get rewards like these for working hard from the start?


    In her life, Ash couldn''t remember anything like this. This kind of dinner, surrounded by people who didn''t hate her, was unimaginable to her a month ago. It left her looking around at the people at the table, Ren, who seemed like an alright enough guy, Satsuhiro, who had guided her along this path, Metsumi, who provided a strong pillar to fall back on, Opah, who was just adorable and, of course, Kaori, who just the sight of made her heart feel warmer.


    What the hell is happening to me?  Ash thought with a slight smile.  This is just too weird.


    Still, she did her best to set aside the disbelieving thoughts as the feast continued and eventually ended.

 Chapter 101 - Vol. 2 - 66

    Kaori


    Two Days Later


    "Okay, is everyone ready!?" Ren asked as the group gathered at Sapphire''s southern gate, just past the bridge. In the distance, the portal gave off demonic energy, so much so that Kaori could almost feel it, but it was hard to focus on it with Ren''s wide grin aimed at everyone.


    "Sure," Ash shrugged.


    "Let''s get moving, we''ll want to get as much done as possible," Satsuhiro stated and everyone followed behind him as he walked towards the west.


    Ren was tagging along as he wanted to show Kaori what exactly she was meant to do as a tank. Yesterday, the group had headed to a Level 20 - 25 area, where they fought creatures who were so much weaker than them, that their levels only went up by 1, by the time they got back. Today, they were doing the same thing, heading to a different place that had the same level range, as the point wasn''t so much to level up but to focus on honing their new roles.


    Ash would be in the back, only coming into a fight when Kaori was in serious trouble, while Kaori would keep most of the enemies focused on her. Ren called it, "taking aggro", which Kaori thought was a neat phrase.


    At the start of the day, around 6am, Kaori used  Mark of Love  on Ash, and with it, over the course of the last six hours, her stats all went up by one, every hour.


    Leaving her at this status:


    Level 26


    MP: 120/120


    STR: 24


    DEX: 24


    CON: 35


    INT: 12


    WIS: 12


    L: 100


    EXP: 10/275


    It was only now, looking at the massive increase in her attributes, that Kaori understood the full power of the spell that Lumina had given her.  So,  she thought,  that means, that at the last of the 24 hours, my stats will all be increased by 23!?!?


    Because of this, she decided to take a closer look at those other spells she''d received. Maybe she''d missed more opportunities than she thought.


    Encourage - 30mp-  Syphon your own stats into a marked ally for 2 minutes. You determine how much of your power you wish to give.


    Loving Sacrifice - No cost - Upon activation, any incoming damage to a marked ally is instead redirected to the Protector. Needs no incantation.


    Hm.  Kaori looked at  Encourage. She tapped her chin.  So... What if I just dump everything except my Con onto Ash?  She glanced at the half-demon.


    "Okay, so, the next time you use your Dark magic, what are you going to do?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Take deep breaths, and calm down," Ash replied.


    "Say it again?"


    "Take deep breaths and calm down."


    "One more time?"


    "Fuck you."


    "Okay."


    As the two went over Ash''s unfortunate tendency to go crazy in the middle of fights, Kaori thought about it.  With the portal buff on top of these stats... She''d be pretty strong, right?


    Just to experiment with it, she decided to give her all 6 Str, Dex, Int, and Wis stats that she received, leaving only her 6 Con for herself.


    Okay, so, the words were...?


    It was strange. Although this was her first time using this ability, and it had been a long time since it had been given to her, she still knew it by heart. She figured maybe it was because Lumina passed the knowledge to her.


    "Our power is one and the same, take mine and wield it as your own."


    "... I know, listen, I''m not just going to flip my shit next time, I''m going to try to- wait, what?"


    Ash stopped walking as she looked up and saw the following message appear.


    Stats Siphoned:


    6 Dexterity


    6 Strength


    6 Intelligence


    6 Wisdom


    "What the hell?" Ash asked.


    "All me," Kaori said, walking up to her. "So, how are you feeling?"


    "Uh, strong, but, how did you do that?" Ash asked.


    "One of the spells Lumina gave me," Kaori smiled. "I''ll be sure to use it in the next big fight. It''ll wear off after two minutes, but I wanted to see how it worked."


    "Hm. Well, this boost just about guarantees the monsters we''ll fight won''t be a problem for you." Satsuhiro noted.


    "Still," Ren walked up, putting a hand on Kaori''s shoulder. "Let Kaori here take some hits. It would do her good to get used to it."


    "Agreed," Satsuhiro replied.


    With that, they continued along the path. The area they went to this time though, was completely different from the last time. Here, there was a crystalline bright blue floor, surrounded by a crescent moon of ice, glaciers that rounded the blue surface. On it, Kaori could see a reptilian creature with white skin and long bony limbs. It had spikes on its back and blue eyes.


    Level 20


    MP: 40/40


    "Uh... What is this place? And what is that thing?"


    "A snow lizard."


    "... Snow lizard?"


    "Mhm," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "That''s... straightforward, I guess."


    "And, about this place, it''s a frozen lake, a popular spot for some monsters since they can break a hole in the ice and yank out some of the fish in the waters beneath. Then, the ice gets solid again, since it''s so cold, and they repeat the process," Satsuhiro explained. "Bait that thing to come closer and try to take it on. Careful, it''ll probably have a couple of Ice spells it can use."


    "Huh. Okay, so..." Kaori looked over at Ash.


    "Go ahead. You need to learn to take hits, right?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah. You''re right."


    "Keep yourself steady," Ren told her. "You''d be surprised how much of a fight comes down to your confidence. Your numbers prevent the creature from hurting you, but unsure legs can be taken down easily, no matter how high your Constitution is, understand?"


    "So, stay firm?"


    "Exactly. Trust in your Constitution. It''s hard to imagine just standing there and letting things attack you, but that stat is one like any other. It''ll do what it has to do."


    Kaori breathed in and out. Then, she walked forwards. She transformed her Love into a swordstaff, and ahead, the snow lizard locked eyes with her. Kaori held her weapon by her side and waited.  I guess I should let it come to me.


    The snow lizard hissed and lowered its body, almost touching the ice beneath it. Kaori held its gaze until finally, it started speeding towards her. The lizard moved so fast that Kaori flinched when it reached her, almost instantly after it had started its charge. Her first instinct was to move away, but she stopped herself.


    Let it hit you,  she told herself,  let it hit you, let it hit you, let it-


    "AGH!"


    The lizard jumped, spun, and slammed its tail into her abdomen. Some spit came flying out of Kaori''s mouth as she was sent to the ground and the lizard immediately bit her arm.


    She saw Ash about to run out to help her, but Ren stopped the half-demon, holding a hand in front of her.


    The lizard''s bite wasn''t penetrating Kaori''s armor, so it felt more like a weight had been pressed on her arm. Realizing this, she bent a leg back and kicked the lizard off of her, pushing it back. Standing up as quickly as she could, she nearly dropped her swordstaff to soothe her abs.


    That hurt... That really hurt, but...  She took a deep breath.  I''m not too seriously wounded or anything. I can keep going.


    A blue orb appeared over the lizard''s head. Kaori squinted at it and then, a spike of ice was launched at her. It crashed into her chest, breaking into pieces but knocking Kaori back at the same time.


    This time, she did drop her weapon.


    "Hsss, ahhh!" She hissed as the lizard ran up again.


    Okay, just take another hit. Just one more.


    The monster went to pull off the same move it had before, leaping up and spinning, attacking with its tail. Kaori allowed it, and the tail caught the side of her head.


    Kaori was struck back several feet, landing in the snow. The world was spinning and for a moment, Kaori could see double. The lizard didn''t stop there, instead, it ran up, looking like it wanted to finish her off.


    It flipped, spinning in the air as it gathered momentum for its tail to deliver the final blow.


    Then, someone caught it.


    Ash. She caught the lizard by its neck, in mid-air. The lizard squirmed in her grip, and Ash raised it up and slammed it into the ground, head-first.


    Once, twice, then, on the third smash, Kaori heard a  crack and the lizard''s body stopped moving.


    EXP Gained: 100


    EXP: 100/270


    Still groggy, Kaori went to stand up. The world was still spinning.


    Oh, gosh, I''m going to-


    She gagged, holding herself back from vomiting.


    A pair of hands held her steady and slowly, the world started to focus again around the woman in front of her. Ash, with concerned eyes, had her arms outstretched, on Kaori''s shoulders, looking back at her.


    "You okay?"


    "Uh, yeah, yeah," Kaori reached up to check if she was bleeding, and found no blood. "That hit just had me dizzy, is all."


    "Ha! Such wimpy strikes will be no concern to you, after a while, Kaori," Ren said, approaching. "You showed some courage there, tanking those blows like that, but next time, protect your head. It''s one thing to take blows to the body," he patted his own abs, "but a strike to the head can leave you disoriented and open for a deadlier attack. Got it?"


    "Y-Yeah. Got it."


    "Good! Ash, can you heal her?"


    "On it."


    "Once you''re done, it''s onto the next one!"


    ---


    Several Hours Later


    By the time they were finished, Kaori was seriously starting to regret choosing this path. She had a knot on her head the size of a small fist and her body was sorer than it ever had been after working out, but she and Ash both leveled up. That left them at these statuses:


    Ash


    Level 28


    MP: 150/150


    STR: 29


    DEX: 13


    CON: 10


    INT: 18


    WIS: 15


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/280


    ---


    Kaori


    Level 27


    MP: 60/60


    STR: 18


    DEX: 18


    CON: 31


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/275


    Currently, they were in a public square, on the northwest side of the city. Here, there was a particularly large heat orb keeping the area warm, thanks to that, the snow that fell around them would melt away quickly after landing.


    "I''d say that was productive," Satsuhiro said with crossed arms. "We''ll probably be doing the same tomorrow."


    "Ugh," Kaori bent over, placing her head on the table in front of them. "I guessed being a tank would hurt, but I didn''t think it would hurt  this much."


    "Every moment of pain means someone''s life was saved! The more you hurt, the more of a hero you are. You have to see it that way, Kaori."


    Sighing, Kaori looked over at Ash.


    "At least you''re getting pretty strong though," she tried to smile for her.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked. "I don''t know. Most of the time, I don''t feel that different. I mean, I can tell I''m getting stronger but..."


    "Your enemies feel the difference, trust me," Satsuhiro replied. "That lizard definitely felt it, I''ll tell you that much."


    Ash smirked.


    "Guess so."


    As they continued to go over the day, a guard walked up to them.


    "Sir," he addressed Satsuhiro.


    "Yes?"


    "Someone is at the southern gate, she says she knows you. All of you."


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow.


    "Alright, let''s go then."


    The group stood and walked through the streets to see what this was about. They saw a few citizens looking back at the gate as well, trying to catch a glimpse of someone. When they got closer, Kaori was the first to recognize her.


    She wore a black coat, black pants, and black gloves, all lined with golden stripes. On her back was a weird staff-like weapon Kaori had never seen, and on her belt were two dagger-looking things and a katana. Kaori noticed some small badge on her chest as well. She was speaking to a guard while they took her horse somewhere else.


    Kaori grinned and started running towards her.


    "KEIKO!"


    "Huh?" The Zayama turned towards her and when her eyes fell on Kaori, the way her expression bloomed into utter excitement as soon as she saw her made Kaori''s elation even stronger. She reached her and wrapped her right arm around the shorter girl''s body, feeling an embrace come to her in return.


    "Kaori!" Keiko said, muffled by Kaori''s armor.


    The blonde giggled as she buried her face into the Zayama''s hair, and the others walked up to her, seeing their friend arrive.

 Chapter 102 - Vol. 2 - 67

    Keiko


    It''s them!  The Zayama thought as she saw Kaori running towards her, kicking snow up into the air with every step.  It''s actually them! I made it! Naturally, Keiko ran after her too.


    "Kaori!" She yelled into the woman''s armor, ignoring the coldness of it pressing against her cheek as she grinned. "I missed you so much!"


    "Hahaha, me too!" Kaori hugged her tighter and, well, now her armor was actually starting to hurt a little, so Keiko pulled back. Then, she saw Ash standing by Satsuhiro and a particularly large man that she didn''t know.


    She walked up to Ash and found the half-demon holding back a smile. Her arms were crossed as Keiko went up to her. Knowing what she was like, Keiko didn''t expect a hug back from her, so she wrapped her own arms around the hybrid fully thinking her embrace would go unreturned.


    However, a pair of strong arms soon, almost bashfully, came around her back. Keiko looked up, still in Ash''s space. The half-demon''s cheeks held a hint of red that made Keiko chuckle.


    "I was wondering when you''d show up," Ash told her.


    "A few things held me up, oof," she was pushed forwards slightly as Kaori came and joined the hug. "But, I''m here."


    "I''m so glad! Well, I mean, kinda," Kaori said. "We are going to be fighting soon, after all, but uh, we''re here now, at least!" Kaori grinned and looked back between Ash and Keiko.


    Ash nodded and walked back as the man Keiko didn''t know walked up. He extended a hand and Keiko quickly shook it.


    "A Zayama?" He asked.


    "Y-Yes, sir," Keiko bowed when she noticed that his armor. although it had a slightly more bared design, was still that of a Savior.


    "Ah, then we are in good company. Name''s Ren."


    "K-Keiko."


    "I haven''t met many from your clan, but the few I have left me in awe with their prowess."


    "I''m, uh, not..." Keiko scratched behind her head.


    "This place though," he cut her off, "is not the best for the reunion the three of you seem to be having. How about we all go for some drinks, on me, of course!"


    Keiko looked back at the other two.


    "Um... If you want to, I suppose."


    "Sure," Ash shrugged.


    "That would be great!" Kaori nodded eagerly.


    "Alright then, come on!" Ren waved for them to follow.


    Keiko''s first impression of Sapphire was that it was a cold, gentle place. As opposed to the crowded Jade or Onyx where everyone seemed to move frantically from one grey building to another, here, while there were far fewer people around, Keiko saw that there was also a stronger sense of community. There were no loners, everyone was either chatting or laughing with someone. The buildings were also smaller, but from what Keiko could see of the parts that weren''t covered in snow, they also had a lot of personality drawn into the signs outside that labeled them. This one inn to the right showed the image of a couple of maids attending a thin traveler, what looked like a bank at the center of the city carried multiple symbols of different coins.


    Little things like that were on almost every building. It made each one feel at least mostly distinct.


    The group ended up at a tavern where, as soon as Ren walked in, he stretched his arms out and said:


    "GREETINGS, WE HAVE COME FOR YOUR DIVINE BEVERAGES!" Two barkeeps chuckled as Ren walked over to them, while the others found two tables to the left. Satsuhiro pulled back two chairs on the one to the right while the other three girls sat at the one to the left.


    "I''ll be back in a moment, I want to order some food," Satsuhiro said. He then walked towards the bar where Ren was laughing so loudly about something, the entire tavern could hear him.


    Finally, Keiko set her weapons aside and put her hands on her lap.


    This feels... It''s only been a week or two and yet, I feel so relieved seeing everyone again.


    "So," Ash said, leaning on the table and putting a hand on her chin, "how''d your thing go?"


    "Uhm... It went well."


    There were so many emotions swirling in Keiko''s chest that it made it hard to speak.


    "The castle had the spirits of recent legendary warriors from my clan. I had to fight them through five floors, and at the end, I," Keiko''s throat was slightly tight due to her excitement, "I ended up fighting a man named Musano Hasashi, who was a Savior and... I passed the tests."


    She ignored the brief flicker of pain she felt when she thought of her parents'' floor.


    "Damn," Ash smiled. "Sounds cool. What did you get at the end?"


    "Techniques. Uh, p-powers too, and stuff... Haha, sorry, I just..." Keiko took a deep breath, "it''s kind of surreal seeing you, both of you, again after a while."


    "We still need training and all that so we were never going to stay apart for too long..." Ash muttered.


    "Can you show us any of those techniques!?" Kaori asked, leaning forwards.


    "Uh, maybe later? This... this place isn''t exactly open enough, haha."


    As Ren and Satsuhiro returned with drinks in their hands, they were given a few different mugs and Keiko looked down at a cup filled with black liquid that was placed in front of her. She tentatively lifted it up to her lips and took a sip, then poked her tongue out to wipe it across what remained on her upper lip.


    She caught Ash staring at her the entire time and tilted her head.


    "Ash? Is, um, something up?"


    "Hm? No, I was just thinking that you seem even hotter now," Ash said, blankly.


    Keiko blinked.


    Then, her cheeks slowly got redder and redder as Ash realized what she said.


    "Oh. Sorry, I was kind of thinking out loud there."


    ---


    An Hour Later


    Keiko wasn''t much of a drinker, so she mostly just took a few sips of the slightly sour, but also sweet, drink that she''d been given. The others though were different. Kaori and Ren gulped their drinks down enthusiastically, eventually ending up with red hues on their cheeks, while Satsuhiro and Ash both emptied their own mugs casually, seeming entirely unaffected at the same time.


    As Satsuhiro and Ren discussed some old memories, Kaori let go of her drink and stood up, walking to where Keiko was sitting, wrapping an arm around her back, and sitting next to her.


    "Ah! I''m so glad!" Kaori said between drunken giggles. "It sort of felt like a little piece was missing but you''re here now!"


    "Uh, yeah," Keiko replied shyly.


    "But... I don''t know, you kind of need to learn some manners, Keiko." Kaori said, fairly cheekily. Keiko''s eyes widened.


    "What!?"


    Then, Kaori got closer, whispering into her ear.


    "You haven''t even given us a kiss yet, where''s the love?"


    And then, before Keiko could respond, Kaori lightly pulled her in and took the kiss she''d asked for. Keiko could barely process what was happening. Her mind was blank as Kaori then pulled away, a thin strand of saliva connecting them as she started cackling.


    "Moments like these, I kind of wish I could get drunk," Keiko heard Ash mutter.


    "You can be drunk on more than just alcohol, Ash," Kaori told her. "Love, life, friendship! You can be drunk on whatever you want to be!"


    "I think you have a really loose definition of what being drunk is, but okay."


    Kaori shrugged as Keiko shrunk a little, smiling.


    I really did miss them.


    By the time the festivities were over, it was already nighttime. The cold city had turned downright freezing and so, the group had to go back home. Keiko didn''t know what that "home" was, but she walked by their side happily, with Kaori snaking an arm around her waist the whole way until they reached a fairly large bathhouse.


    Walking in, Keiko''s eyes landed on a woman who was standing at the center of the main room.  Huh?  She was thin, to the point of looking sickly, with pale skin and dry black hair that ran down her back over a suit of black feathers.


    In front of her was a skeleton holding up a bottle of something.


    "Hm... No, a different one. There has to be something worth drinking in this place."


    The skeleton nodded and its bones clinked against each other as it walked over to the kitchen. The woman turned around and saw them all entering.


    "Ah... I suppose it''s time for me to retire," Ren said. "I''ll see you all tomorrow!"


    Before Keiko even turned around, he was gone.


    The woman ahead grinned at them.


    "Ah. You reek of the exact thing I was looking for. No worries though, I''ll get out of your way."


    No one addressed her. The woman simply called her skeleton over and walked off to some other room to the left side of the building, without anyone speaking to her.  Who was that?


    "U-Uwah!" She was then harshly pulled aside by Kaori. The blonde all but dragged her to one of the rooms to the right side of the building. She was taken to a large grey bed which Kaori gently pushed her onto. "W-What''s...?"


    But, once Keiko saw Kaori''s face, she understood.


    Oh.  She said, seeing the woman grinning with her face fully flushed.  She''s beyond drunk.


    "Did I mention that I kind of missed you?" Kaori asked. "Because I did."


    "I-I can tell..."


    "So..." She leaned in. "You want me to show you how much?"

 Chapter 103 - Vol. 2 - 68

    Note: Again, I included a warning in the last chapter but I''ll write one here. *Very* explicit chapter, incoming. If you want to skip it, make sure you read the end though.


    ---


    Kaori drew so close to Keiko that she could feel her warm breath on her neck. In the dark of the room, she could just faintly see the blonde''s eyes roaming her body. Her heart was thudding in her ears. Her skin was getting progressively hotter while Kaori placed her hand on Keiko''s left thigh.


    "W-Wait..." Keiko''s voice sounded strained even to her own ears.


    "Hm?"


    "U-Um, are you sure we should be...? I mean, I only just arrived and I''m still not really settled in and everyone is outside and they can probably tell what we''re doing and..."


    Kaori''s teeth hovered over the side of the Zayama''s neck before she closed the gap and lightly bit down on her. Keiko flinched.


    "Agh..." Keiko breathed a little heavier as Kaori then dragged her tongue all the way up to her jaw.


    Behind her, the door opened and Keiko saw Ash walking in, her eyebrows raised as she saw what was happening in front of her.


    "Well, shit," Ash muttered. "Am I invited?"


    Chuckling, a drunken Kaori turned towards her and gestured for Ash to come closer. The half-demon did so, putting a hand on her hip as Kaori then drew closer and half-hugged Keiko.


    "I think," she said, with a much more sensual voice than Keiko had ever heard her speak with, "we should give our trainer the warm welcome she deserves."


    "... How?" Ash asked.


    "I''ll show you~" Kaori said, "come over here."


    Keiko only felt even smaller as suddenly, there were two strong, gorgeous women in front of her. As their eyes laid into her, she looked away, feeling embarrassed under the pressure of their combined gazes.


    However, Kaori pulled her back, and once again, the two''s lips were locked together. This kiss lasted far longer than the last one though, and thanks to that Keiko felt herself melting into the Savior in front of her. Kaori''s lips moved against hers at a far faster pace than Keiko had expected them to, tasting like the ale she''d been drinking earlier. She struggled to keep up with every tug, every little bite and pull that Kaori performed. Am I doing this right? She wondered, opening her eyes for a moment.


    Besides them, she could see Ash focusing intently on what was happening, while Kaori on the other hand had her eyes closed, her hand squeezing slightly harshly on Keiko''s thigh, as she fully committed herself to the little dance going on.


    When they finally separated, Keiko put a little bit of distance between them, trying to catch her breath.


    "Ash," Kaori said. "Come here."


    The half-demon wordlessly got closer. Keiko almost felt like the subject of an experiment the two were conducting. Kaori was about to say something, but she stopped herself and instead, whispered it into Ash''s ear.


    "Okay..." Ash nodded.


    "Good."


    Then, Kaori''s half-lidded eyes fell on Keiko again and she grinned.


    "Just relax," Kaori said. "We''ll take care of you."


    "That''s... sort of hard to do with both of you looking at me like this..."


    "Like what?" Kaori asked innocently.


    "I don''t know. Like you''re going to eat me."


    At that, Kaori chuckled.


    "That is part of the plan, so..."


    "O-Oh."


    Giggling, Kaori went to the side of her head, and then, Keiko felt her tongue slide up the edge of her right ear. Oh my...  Her focus had been so set on Kaori though, that she didn''t notice Ash was sitting next to her until she felt another tongue on her other ear.


    Kaori''s hand landed on her chest. Keiko wondered if she could feel her heart pounding against it. Kaori lightly bit her earlobe and Keiko gave a whimpering noise. Ash was as focused on her task as she would be on training, treating this almost like it was a mechanical, practiced act. Kaori''s hand slid down, from her chest to her abdomen, then to her inner thighs.


    "Let''s get these off," Kaori whispered to Keiko before she knelt in front of her, between her legs, and used her hand to take her pants off.


    "I, uhm, are-"


    Before Keiko could ask whatever she had in her mind, Ash pulled her into a kiss that shut her up. Maybe it was because of how quickly one came after the other, but Keiko felt a stark contrast. Whereas Kaori''s lips felt well-trained and soft, Ash felt like she was going off of pure desire. It was nearly overwhelming.


    Between the lips on hers, and Kaori''s mouth now hovering over Keiko''s core, she was starting to lose her grip on what was happening. Then, as she felt Kaori''s tongue touch her labia, Keiko''s back arched and she moaned into Ash''s mouth.


    The half-demon pulled away for a moment, her violet eyes locking with Keiko''s as Kaori traced a line up and down Keiko''s pussy. She was breathing heavily now, while Ash just watched her with some amazement in her eyes.  I must look so inappropriate... Keiko thought, feeling herself blushing intensely as Ash then pulled her closer, peppering little pecks on Keiko''s cheeks.


    The tongue between her legs was then replaced by a pair of thin fingers. Keiko looked down and saw Kaori playing with her as Keiko''s back arched a second time. This was a side of Kaori that Keiko couldn''t remember seeing, at least not this intensely. She looked like a wolf with her eyes set on defenseless prey as she leaned closer and put her mouth on Keiko again so that now her hand and her tongue were working in unison.


    Keiko tried her hardest to keep her sounds muffled. She imagined that if she was too loud, the others outside would surely hear her and that was a conversation she had no interest in having. Still, it was hard to do that when Kaori was beginning to pick up speed, her tongue moving up and down as her index and middle finger worked in circles. A lewd scent was starting to fill the air.


    From the corner of her eyes, Keiko saw Ash slip a hand into her own pants as she saw this unfold. If it weren''t for Ash''s right hand, which had now moved to Keiko''s back, the Zayama felt like she would have fallen onto the bed by now. Her body felt like it was turning into a puddle. Whoever taught Kaori to do this had taught her well because the longer she went the more Keiko started to feel something building up inside of her.


    Kaori stopped using her tongue though and instead, her two fingers came dangerously close to slipping inside of Keiko.


    "Stick your tongue out," Kaori ordered and Keiko shyly did so. Then, Kaori''s own touched it and Keiko tasted herself on its tip. "Ash," Kaori said, gesturing for the half-demon again. "Here, Keiko, lay down."


    "A-Alright..."


    "Ash, get on top of her."


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow, confused.


    "Trust me," Kaori told her.


    They ended up in a strange position that saw Ash upside down, above Keiko, her knees at the sides of Keiko''s head.


    "Now what?" Ash asked as Keiko nearly closed her eyes. The sight above her was far too alluring.


    "What do you think?" Kaori cheekily asked.


    Well, in all honesty, I don''t- OH MAGIA!


    Keiko''s thoughts were derailed when she felt Ash''s tongue on her.


    "Keiko, return the favor, would you?" Kaori asked and now, the Zayama understood. Reaching out with her own tongue, she lightly raised her head just enough to meet Ash''s lower lips and found that what she was tasting was like nothing she''d ever experienced. The closest thing she could think of was the taste of a coin as she ran her tongue on it.  Am I doing this right?  She wondered.


    "Psst, Ash," Kaori said, "see this thing right here? Suck on it a little."


    "Hm?" Keiko asked, stopping. "What do you- AH!"


    It was at this moment that a small part of Keiko''s mind decided that surely, there were people who were professionals in whatever art they were partaking in and that Kaori had learned from them. Because as Ash started to integrate a little biting and pulling into her licks, Keiko could no longer focus on her own task, closing her eyes to enjoy the sensation.


    Instead, her moans escaped her lips, no matter how hard she tried to pull them back in.


    Ash must have taken that as motivation because she started going even faster. Wrapping her arms around Ash''s body, Keiko tried to keep herself grounded as she opened her eyes, but now, she saw something. Some sort of tail had begun sprouting out from Ash''s lower back.


    "What the...?" Keiko mumbled though she was still too distracted to stop and ask about it.


    The tail was still at first, a long purple-black thing that had a heart-shaped tip at the end. She could ignore this, but she heard a sort of cracking and saw a pair of black wings appear.


    "Uh... Ash..." Kaori said, sounding like she sobered up a little.


    Since she was so close, below her, Keiko could see that Ash''s body in its entirety was changing. It grew thicker, her curves became more noticeable, her muscles more pronounced.


    Ash stopped and sat up straight, her butt pressing on Keiko''s chest. From above, she looked back and down, locking eyes with Keiko.


    Her pupils were shaped like hearts, the same as the tip of her tail. Not just that, but her eyes were glowing, a violet haze covering the room.


    "Who told you to stop?" Ash asked, with a slightly altered voice. The only way Keiko could think to describe it was  distorted.  She crawled back a little, then reached back with her hands and pulled Keiko''s head up, pressing Keiko''s lips against her pussy.


    The taste had changed. Before it was slightly coppery, now, it was like licking vanilla. A taste that Keiko could tell the instant she got it was utterly addicting.


    Keiko, undeniably, was a little scared now, but her body didn''t seem to care about this development.


    Ash chuckled lowly as Keiko started up again, and then she turned to Kaori.


    "Last time was just a taste," she told the blonde. "Tonight, I''m going to devour you."


    Their resumed act didn''t last long. Eventually, Ash got off of Keiko, and the Zayama was surprised at how she almost instantly missed the taste.


    "Before I get to you though..." Ash said to Kaori, before shifting and getting on top of Keiko. "How about you and I get a little closer?"


    Keiko gulped.


    Ash''s hands, transformed and resembling the stone-like, animalistic hands of a demon, were placed on the sides of Keiko''s face. She got closer and parted her lips. Keiko''s eyes were wide and Ash seemed to chuckle at the sight of her.


    "Open your mouth," Ash instructed and Keiko did so.


    From Ash''s mouth, a strange violet tongue came out. She lowered her head and the half-demon''s tongue slipped between Keiko''s lips, sliding deeper into her mouth. Keiko expected it to stop then, but it kept going. As her tongue nearly went into her throat, Keiko''s eyes bulged out of their sockets.


    Only then did Ash pull out, and Keiko coughed. Behind them, Kaori was touching herself, just spectating.


    She didn''t have enough time to figure out what was on Ash''s mind though, as Keiko felt something prodding between her legs.


    "Huh?" She looked down and found Ash''s tail searching. Ash grinned and placed her hands on Keiko''s cheeks again. Keiko kept her eyes low as Ash''s heart-shaped tip sought an opening and found it.


    Finally, her tail pushed in and Keiko nearly screamed.


    Any sound that came out of her mouth was muffled though when Ash wrapped her lips around it.


    It was a feeling of pain mixed with pleasure.


    "Mmm!" Keiko moaned into Ash''s mouth, but the half-demon kept her steady, not allowing the sounds to escape. Then her tail slid back and went back in. Pain surged through her again, but this time, there was more pleasure than hurt. On the third and fourth pushes, Keiko was officially lost.


    Her eyes closed as Ash''s tail went in and out as it pleased. Her mind went blank.


    "Ohhh~, I can feel it!" Ash moaned into Keiko''s ears. She sat up straight briefly, hugging her own body. "This is... Amazing!"


    Then, Ash''s hands went to Keiko''s chest. With her tongue, she drew circles around Keiko''s nipples, earning more whimpers from her.


    All Keiko could do was watch as the white-haired woman played with her chest as she fucked her. She lost track of time and seconds turned into minutes. Sometime later, that sensation that had been building up inside of Keiko, when Kaori was licking her down there, was back and even stronger.


    She took deep breaths as Ash continued to stroke into her with her tail, and then, the feeling flooded her.


    "I-!"


    She arched her back, her toes curling as she felt an orgasm come over her. The strongest in her entire life, easily. It came in waves, receding with each one, until finally, she fell back, panting.


    Ash kept going for a few minutes until suddenly, her body was shaking in the same way Keiko''s had been. However, something changed.


    "Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, shit!" Ash cursed loudly. "I''m... AH!"


    Her wings spread even further. Her horns grew and her tail grew thicker.


    "W-What?" Keiko asked as she felt a warm liquid flooding her insides from Ash''s tail.


    Thanks to the glow from Ash''s eyes, she saw the final transformation.


    Ash''s skin turned from white to a dark violet, black lines emerging from her chest and spreading throughout her body.


    "Hahahahaha," Ash cackled. "Oh shit."


    "Ash?" Keiko asked. The half-demon looked down at her.


    "Hm?" She looked at her own hands, continuing to laugh, ignoring Keiko. "My... My form... It''s not going away."


    "What?"


    "Last time..." Ash said. "Oh."


    "What is it?" Keiko asked, increasingly worried.


    "My Lust," Ash smirked, holding back the laughter. "It didn''t go down. It went up. All the way to 4."

 Chapter 104 - Vol. 2 - 69

    Kaori


    They waited for hours, even after Ash turned to Kaori and got to work on her, but her form never faded. Currently, Ash was on her knees while Kaori sat on the bed, her strange tongue sliding between Kaori''s lower lips.


    "Oh, gosh, sh- agh,"  Kaori moaned as Ash grinned and continued.


    This went on for so long, Kaori pretty much passed out by the time she came. Ash didn''t do the same thing to her that she''d done to Keiko though, instead, Ash simply stood by after Kaori orgasmed.


    The black wings, the violet skin, the enlarged horns, and that wide grin on her face all remained throughout that time. Eventually, Kaori felt tired enough to sleep and the group decided that maybe it would fade with some more time, so, Kaori and Keiko went to sleep while Ash waited for her form to go away.


    It would be morning time when Kaori awoke again. Her eyes slowly opened as she felt something between her legs. It felt good, but strange, clashing with the headache she had, likely from a hangover. Hm? What''s going on?  She thought as she yawned, trying to sit up.


    When she saw Ash, still in this weird demon form, licking her with a calm expression on her face, Kaori was startled.


    The blonde had no pants on, and Ash was currently eating her out, just as she had before she went to sleep.


    "Ash..." She said.


    "Oh, you''re awake," Ash smiled. "Sorry. I couldn''t help myself."


    "W-What are you doing?" Kaori asked. Of course, now that the alcohol had gone away and she was realizing Ash hadn''t changed back, her confidence was far shakier.


    "Having breakfast," Ash replied casually. Now that it was daytime, the glow in her eyes wasn''t as prominent, but it was still slightly noticeable. As Kaori''s body started to register what was happening, the feeling of Ash''s tongue lapping away at her lower lips became much more intense.


    Uh... Maybe this could help her change back to normal?  Kaori thought and so, she let herself fall back to the bed and allowed Ash to continue down there. Keiko slept peacefully next to Kaori as she started taking shorter, quicker breaths in response to Ash''s efforts.


    "Mm. Such a sweet meal..." Ash muttered as Kaori put a pillow over her own face to hide her embarrassment.


    As Ash persisted, Kaori found herself having an orgasm just a few minutes later.


    Ash stopped. Kaori put some effort into sitting back up after she''d calmed down. Ash was still the same. The half-demon yawned, staring down at her own demonic hands as Kaori searched for her pants.


    "Um... Any difference?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm?" Ash turned to look at her with calm, unconcerned eyes. "No. It''s fine though. I don''t feel any different... Haha."


    She chuckled a little, stretching. As she did, Kaori''s eyes took in her image. Now that it was daytime, she could see her just a little bit better. Her body was still as toned as it had been before, but she was just generally  bigger in almost every way. Her arms, her legs, her breasts, her shoulders, her waist, her hips, her thighs. The half-demon stood up and while she had already been tall before, now she stood two, maybe even three heads taller than Kaori did. While she had been well-endowed before, now, she was possibly the largest in that regard out of everyone Kaori knew.


    Her ears sharpened out, her lips became a little thinner and wider. All of these changes produced what Kaori had only seen once before, at the Battle of Pearl. She looked like a simple Lust Demon.


    "Like what you see?" Ash asked.


    "Huh?"


    "You''re staring so much... I was wondering."


    "O-Oh, no, I was just..."


    Again, Ash looked down at herself. Kaori took a deep breath through her nose and that was when she noticed the scent. Ash had a certain smell now, like fresh chocolate, that was almost pulling Kaori towards her.


    That was no exaggeration. Kaori actively had to hold herself back from trying to get closer to bask in it.


    "Has any message appeared or anything?" Kaori asked, trying to focus on the matter at hand.


    "Hm? Oh, I guess one did. Didn''t notice," Ash muttered. "Demon Form, Lust."


    "Is that it?"


    "Mhm," Ash replied. Then, she casually walked up to the bed and put a knee down on it. Kaori instinctively crawled back when she noticed that scent get stronger.


    "Uh... What are you doing?"


    "What do you mean?" Ash smirked. "We have time, don''t we? We can sacrifice an hour or two... Pick up where we left off..." Ash''s tone got lower with every syllable.


    However, Kaori practically leaped away from her.


    "Maybe we should check with someone else, see if anyone can tell us what''s happening to you?"


    Ash rolled her eyes.


    "Fine, be boring," Ash said, starting to walk towards the door.


    "Wait!" Kaori said and Ash stopped.


    "Oh? You changed your mind?"


    "No, but you''re naked."


    Ash blinked.


    "So?"


    "W-What do you mean ''so''??? We need to put something on you!"


    Ash narrowed her eyes at her for a moment. Then, she smiled and nodded.


    "Okay, go ahead."


    And so, Kaori started to look for something to clothe the woman in. However, they ran into a very quick issue. Nothing here fit her. Her armor, her casual clothing, Kaori was confident that if Ash tried to put any of it on, she''d tear it all.


    Hm... Maybe... Kaori thought as she looked at the sheet that she and Keiko had been using. We can probably find another one,  she thought as she snatched it off the bed, leaving Keiko exposed.  Sorry.


    Then, she walked over to her Savior''s Weapon, turned it into a sword, cut a small hole in the sheet, and walked over to Ash. She only realized now that Ash had been watching her with an amused expression the entire time.


    "Done?" Ash asked.


    "Well, let''s see. Uh, lower your head for me."


    "As you wish," Ash said and bent over slightly.


    It took some effort but Kaori managed to slip the sheet over her head and pull it down. The end result was that now, Ash looked like a strange monk of some sort, with her head exposed but the rest of her body covered by the sheet that just barely didn''t touch the floor.


    "Well... that should work for-"


    Suddenly, she was pulled. Ash''s lips found hers, the half-demon''s arm snaked behind her and held her tightly.


    It was over as soon as it started though, as Ash let her go, leaving Kaori looking back at her, dazed.


    "Your lips taste so sweet," Ash said. Kaori could say the same.


    Shaking her head as she blushed, Kaori turned away.


    "... We need to find some answers and fast."


    Then, Keiko stirred on the bed. It was then that Kaori turned to look at her, and she gasped.


    In the daytime, she could see that Keiko''s side of the bed was entirely stained with violet.


    "O-Oh... Right... Ash had..."


    Kaori shook her head. Focus. Just focus on this, uh... Thing that''s happening.


    ---


    It was breakfast time, as in, actual breakfast, not what Ash had in mind, a few hours later. The group was sitting in the bathhouse''s kitchen, eating some eggs that Metsumi had prepared. Satsuhiro was at the right end of the table, his eyes closed as he ate from his dish. Metsumi was next to him, sneaking looks to the left. Opah was next to her and she hadn''t even touched her plate, instead, she was staring at the person sitting at the left end.


    Keiko was hunched over, practically shrinking under the weight of someone''s eyes. Kaori was opposite her, and finally, Ash was at the far left chair, smiling coyly as she ate her breakfast, all the while staring holes into the side of Keiko''s head.


    "So... Explain it again for me?" Satsuhiro said.


    "W-We were hanging out," Keiko replied, "and, uhm... suddenly, she just sort of turned into this..."


    "And now, she can''t turn back?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yeah," Kaori nodded. Ash, who was the subject of the conversation, didn''t appear too interested. "Is there, uh, anyone we can ask for help or something?"


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro put his cutlery down. Crossing his arms, he thought about it. "Uhm... Maybe, well, you two can talk to the gods, can''t you?"


    "Not on-demand, but, if we go to a site of power then yeah," Kaori responded.


    "We''ll have to take a trip again to the one nearby. This doesn''t really seem like something anyone but Magia can explain to us."


    "But... Ash," Metsumi leaned forwards, "are you feeling alright? You''re not in any pain or anything, are you?"


    At that moment, it felt like Ash returned to her normal self for a brief flash. Her seductive smile faded and she looked away.


    "... I''m okay," Ash plainly stated. "I''m fine."


    "Okay, but if anything feels off, let us know, okay?"


    "Yeah."


    Satsuhiro threw a few more cautious glances Ash''s way, and then said:


    "Maybe if we handle this, we can even get some more training in. We only have an estimated three to four days left before the siege starts."


    ---


    Ash


    All in all, the half-demon had never felt better.


    As she walked through the cold streets of Sapphire, every step she took felt so much more assured. Whereas before, she''d simply ignore the scornful gazes of those around her, now, she went out of her way to smile and wave at every person whose eyes fell on her. On top of all that, her Demon Form buff was active, giving her +5 to all of her physical stats.


    "Actually..." Ash mumbled, stopping.


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro stopped as well.


    Then, Ash looked back at her wings and tried flapping them. She succeeded.


    "I should give these a test, shouldn''t I?" Ash asked.


    "Hm... Sure, but you don''t know the way to the Site of Power, right?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Well, yeah, but... I''m not saying I should go there on my own, I''m just saying I can fly for a bit. Get used to it."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "In that case, go ahead."


    "Awesome," Ash replied.


    Then, with multiple people looking at her, she breathed in. Flapping her wings once, then twice, she got used to the feeling until finally, she lifted herself off the ground.


    Holy shit,  she thought.  Holy shit!


    Citizens all around them gawked and gave startled noises as Ash floated higher. She started laughing, feeling nothing but ecstasy go through her veins as she tried moving up, down, and to the sides.


    This feels so natural...  She thought.  It''s like I''ve always had this form.


    Then, she looked down at her group and saw the three of them looking up at her, with some worry but largely as amazed as she was.


    Ash''s eyes locked with Kaori, and the half-demon lowered back to the ground. Once here, she walked up to Kaori.


    The blonde took a step back.


    "W-Wait," Kaori said as Ash got closer.


    "Hm?" Ash smirked.


    "Wait."


    "What? I''m not gonna do anything."


    "Hold on, I don''t- AH!"


    And then, Ash grabbed her by the waist and flew up into the air. Instantly, Kaori tried her hardest to grab onto Ash, but the half-demon was holding her tightly enough already. She flew above the buildings in the city and looked down at Kaori''s face.


    "Kaori," Ash said.


    "P-Put me down!"


    "Look," Ash said.


    "No!"


    "Trust me," Ash laughed, "just open your eyes."


    She could feel Kaori taking deep breaths due to how close they were. After a moment of silence, Kaori''s eyes slowly opened.


    When she saw what Ash was looking at, her fear slowly melted, becoming astonishment.


    The land was cold and harsh from below, but up here, it was beautiful. A sheet of white covered everything nearby, save for the portal south of the city. Ahead, the land eventually changed, turning green and brown as the snow faded. Behind them, north of the city was nothing but ice and a deep blue body of water.


    "See?" Ash asked. "Worth it, right?"


    Kaori''s arm relaxed a little and the blonde looked up at Ash, but there was still concern on her face. Ash was slightly annoyed at that.


    "... I guess, but... You''re sure you''re okay?" Kaori asked. "I-I mean, I don''t know, you feel different."


    ... We''re up here, dozens of meters high above the streets, and she wants to ask me how I''m doing? Ash nearly scowled at her.


    "I''m fine."


    Heading back down, Ash lightly placed Kaori back where she was. A few guards had their hands on their weapons as Ash did so.


    "I''ll follow from up there," Ash told the group. "I want to get used to flying. It might turn out to be useful."


    ---


    It took a couple of hours, but eventually, they were back at the Site where the girls had gone before. Where they''d received their last buff from the deities watching over them. Ash approached from the sky, lowering her altitude until she sank her bare feet into the snow, just ahead of the group.


    "Okay, I''m going in," Ash said.


    "We''ll wait out here, then," Satsuhiro replied.


    Nodding, Ash walked forwards, towards the desolate ruin that was her destination. Strangely enough, the pull she felt towards the place was stronger this time, like a call from a loved one, yearning for her to walk closer. And, as she walked inside, it only took until she sat down on an old, dust-covered bench for her to pass out.


    Quickly, she was taken to a room of swirling colors. She was familiar with it enough, so, she didn''t think much of it.


    What was notable though, was how it made her feel. There was a raw desire in her chest that burned hotter with every second that passed.


    What is...?  She thought as the colors began to mesh together. Soon, they swirled until they formed the figure of Magia. And, as Ash''s eyes fell on her goddess, she nearly started salivating.


    "Ah," Magia said. "My champion... I see you''ve reached your full potential."


    Ash took a few steps closer, and every question she''d wanted to ask had turned to dust in her thoughts. She ran up and wrapped her arms around Magia, feeling like she wanted nothing more than to be closer to her.


    The goddess chuckled and Ash tried to calm down.


    What''s going on?  She thought.


    "Simple," Magia replied. "This is the full expression of your demon self," Magia answered. "Honestly, it took far longer than I thought it would, but I didn''t say anything as I wanted you to find out on your own. Ash," she took the girl''s cheeks with her hands, "you''re half Lust Demon. You do understand that by now, right?"


    Ash nodded.


    "Because of that, you''re born with a certain condition. That condition being your strange relationship with sex. The short of it is this," Magia explained. "Sex, to you, is an expression of your demonic side. However, the way in which you express it is what dictates the effect."


    "What does that... I can''t even think straight right now," Ash interrupted herself.


    "Yes, because at this level, Ash, you''re feeling  my  lust."


    "What?"


    "Exactly what I just said. At this moment, the lust you feel is the same I feel. Remember? I said I made you by giving you a piece of myself. Well, this is the result. Of course, for you, it''s harder to control because I''ve had millennia to learn restraint. You''ve only just picked this up yesterday, right?"


    Magia laughed. Then, casually, she turned Ash around and slipped a hand down to Ash''s pussy. Here, Ash just watched as the goddess started to toy with her.


    "More about how this works for you," Magia continued, "it''s simple. If you get yourself off, alone, meaning by masturbating, your Lust rating will go down. If you get yourself off however by having sex with someone else, your Lust rating will go up all the way to 4, turning you into the beautiful creature you currently are."


    "What?" Ash asked, panting as Magia continued. "But, I had sex with Kaori before and this didn''t happen..."


    "Because you didn''t get off inside of her like you did with your other friend," Magia explained. "Remember? You filled that other girl up quite nicely," she chuckled. "That is what ''having sex'' means for you. The mechanic is centered around your orgasms. If you just start and stop, the way you did with the blonde, then nothing happens. Your Lust will be entirely unaffected."


    "You mean... I can''t actually have sex with anyone without becoming this?"


    "Hm? Ash, you seem... Resentful? I think you''re misunderstanding," Magia raised a brow at her. "The point is the opposite," Magia said. "The point is to encourage  you to have sex with people. Ash, make no mistake, this is your strongest form," she told the half-demon, "a Demon Form that doesn''t go away when a fight ends. A Demon Form that doesn''t require you to be hurt in order to activate it. You can remain in this form all week, all month, all year, if you so wish. Understand? That +5 to your physical attributes becomes permanent. This is meant to make you want to have sex, not to dissuade you from it."


    "But... When I''m like this, I mean, I can''t think straight."


    "So?" Magia asked, genuinely confused. "What''s not to like about feeling lust towards your fellow human beings?"


    "Because," Ash said, through gritted teeth, unable to take her eyes off of the goddess''s hand, "I don''t always want to fuck. I mean, I shouldn''t always want to fuck either."


    "Ugh, fine," Magia stopped. "I had hoped you''d be a little more grateful, but even if you share a part of me, you are not literally me, sadly. Fine. Listen," she turned Ash around. "If you want to go back to your regular form, all you need to do is simple."


    "O-Okay?"


    "Just masturbate once and you''ll be your old self again," Magia shrugged. "Or, you can alternatively have someone else get you off, but... Well," she smirked, "if you get that far I don''t think you''ll want to leave it at just a casual session if you know what I mean. Additionally, I should let you know, getting yourself off alone, while in this form, is  far harder than it usually is, but yes. That''s all you need to do. Got it?"


    "... That''s it?" Ash asked as Magia walked away.


    "Yes, if you don''t want to involve anyone else, go find a corner in some tavern and enjoy yourself. I''m bored now. Good luck, have a nice day."


    And with those words, Magia snapped her fingers and the room dissipated.


    Ash woke up, still in this form, with nothing but ruined seats around her.


    So... All I need to do is...


    She quickly looked down at herself.


    Her hand hovered between her legs.


    I should just...


    However, then, she took it away. Standing up, stretching her wings, she took a deep breath.


    No. I should get used to this form.  Ash told herself.  She''s right. It''s too useful not to use.

 Chapter 105 - Vol. 2 - 70

    As Ash emerged from the Site of Power, the others were surprised to see her still in this form. She wanted to have a serious talk about what Magia said, but the moment her eyes fell on Keiko and Kaori, all thoughts of that left her head. She smirked, walking up to the group.


    "So?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "It''ll go away on its own," Ash shrugged.


    "... Is that so? Well, alright then," Satsuhiro nodded. If he didn''t believe Ash, it didn''t seem like he was going to press her on this. "Let''s head north, there''s a level 25 - 30 area. We can get a bit of EXP before we head back into the city. Do you want to fly up again? Maybe you can see them before we do."


    "Eh, sure," Ash nodded, and, tearing her eyes away from the two girls, she took to the skies.


    The group traveled to a place where coniferous trees stood taller than a lot of buildings Ash had seen before. To their left, was a large body of water that curved to the east. At first, the half-demon didn''t see any signs of life, but after a bit of searching, she found a few lone monsters roaming around, either resting or looking for prey.


    It was when she saw an ice reaver that was closer than the rest that Ash''s eyes widened. Fury overtook her and she flew towards it, leaving her group behind. Landing just ahead of it, she didn''t even take out her Savior''s Weapon.


    "Mmh, mgh, ROOOAAAH!" The reaver turned towards her and began to roar. Ash snarled. Then, she hissed, hunching over, spreading her legs narrowing her eyes.


    She didn''t even check its level. It was like something completely overtook her mind.


    The reaver stood straighter, increasing its height in an attempt to scare her. Ash did not react. Instead, the growl at the back of her throat grew louder.


    Finally, the reaver started to run towards her. Ash flew at it, her clawed hands ready at her side. The two creatures clashed and Ash toppled it. The reaver was quick to punch her in the gut but Ash was too busy slashing its chest to care. The reaver opened its mouth, moving to bite her. Ash dodged out of the way and punched it.


    The reaver reared its legs and kicked Ash into the air, off of it. Using her wings, Ash didn''t fall back to the ground. She remained in the air, watching the reaver. The creature quickly got back on its feet.


    "Aagh!" Ash flew back towards it. She charged into the monster, crashing into its chest and essentially tackling it. She dragged it through snow, the monster swiping at her face and neck the entire time. Eventually, she turned it around and wrapped her arm around its neck, trying to choke the monster, however, she was punched in the face and pushed back.


    The reaver was so quick, it turned around instantly and pounced on her. Now, it was her turn to be on the bottom. Ash was pinned to the snowy ground. The reaver raised its own claws and moved to slash through Ash''s chest.


    However, she caught its wrist. Then, grinning at it, she said:


    "Lesser being, give me your life,"  Ash said and black lightning came out of the creature, siphoning into Ash.


    At first, the reaver only slightly struggled, but as the spell continued, it began screaming. Ash grinned. The reaver started to lose strength and Ash flipped it around, ending up on top of it. Pinning back both of the reaver''s arms, Ash''s eyes honed in on its neck.


    She licked her fangs and moved in to bite.


    "AAOOOGH!" The reaver screamed under her as she ripped out a piece of its neck with her teeth. Cackling, Ash kept going until she was fully devouring the creature, a pool of red spreading onto the snow underneath. Ripping and tearing, the half-demon continued until the reaver''s sounds stopped.


    EXP Gained: 400


    EXP: 280/280


    Level Up!


    She heard footsteps approaching behind her and snapped her head in their direction.


    Her group had arrived. A piece of the reaver''s meat fell from her lips as she stood up. Cracking her neck, she wiped blood off of her face as she walked back towards them.


    "Sorry," Ash said with a smirk, "I just wanted to get a head start."


    Disregarding the looks in her friends'' eyes, she took to the skies again.


    ---


    By the time they returned to the city, Ash was covered in the blood of multiple enemies. The others found a few creatures, Ash heard that Kaori gained a level, but Ash benefited the most, getting all the way to level 31. She put 2 points into her STR, 2 points into her INT, and 2 points into her WIS.


    Level 31


    MP: 170/170


    STR: 31


    DEX: 13


    CON: 10


    INT: 20


    WIS: 17


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/310


    Multiple times as they walked through the streets, guards would approach them with weapons drawn, but Satsuhiro explained that Ash was the half-demon Savior. Still, it was easy to see that their distrust went up dramatically thanks to this new appearance.


    When they returned to the bathhouse, Ash walked in first. Opah was there with Metsumi in the main room. She took one look at Ash and ran away. Metsumi chased after her as Ash and the others walked in.


    "Good job..." Satsuhiro said, passing them. "Ash, can you feel the portal here? The buff, is it on you right now?"


    "Hm?" Ash asked. "Yes, why?"


    "... The invasion will probably happen tomorrow then," Satsuhiro sighed. "Everyone, get some rest. You''ll need it."


    Ash walked out to the baths and sank into one, looking to wash the blood off. Keiko and Kaori, with concerned expressions, walked towards her.


    "So... It''s gonna fade?" Kaori asked, referring to her form.


    "Yeah, in a bit," Ash shrugged.  I''ll handle it,  she thought. "Want to join me?"


    "Um..." Kaori looked over at Keiko, who shied away. "Maybe we should just go to sleep? I think we''ll, uhm, want to be alert, you know?"


    "Awww, come on!" Ash said. "Like a warm bath isn''t relaxing enough."


    The two of them looked at each other, unconvinced.


    "We''ll... uh, save some space for you on the bed," Kaori said and the two walked away, leaving Ash alone.


    Hm.  Ash closed her eyes.  So, they''re no fun. But... Shit,  she thought as she took a deep breath.  I''m still so fucking horny though... So...


    She chuckled a little.


    This is how Magia always feels? How the fuck does she live with herself?


    As the blood fully washed away, she found herself rising out of the bath.  May as well stretch my wings a little.


    Walking out of the bathhouse, she relished the cold air hugging her skin and flapped her wings, hovering a few meters over the streets until she flew just high enough to see the city from above. In the distance, the sky was turning violet and Ash could see a few demons scouting the area by the portal.  Satsuhiro''s probably right,  she noted apathetically.  Whatever. The city will fall, we''ll go back to Jade and go onto the next one.


    Now, she turned her eyes to the streets themselves. Flying a little, she saw guards patrolling but there were a few alleys that had barely anyone in them.


    Hm?


    She saw one person going through a particularly dark area.


    Oh. That''s a woman.  She realized, hovering a little closer.  And she''s kind of hot, actually.


    She grinned, flying above the buildings where she was passing through. She was dressed in a sort of white coat, with a purse and heels that thudded against the stone alley.


    As she kept her eyes on the figure, that burning need surged in her again.


    Well... Couldn''t hurt to say hello, right?


    Ash descended, landing in front of her. The woman yelped and fell back.


    "W-What...?" She appeared to be in utter disbelief.


    Ash smiled.


    "Hey..." The half-demon said, walking up to her.


    The woman stood up and was about to run away, obviously, but then, she stopped. She stood up straighter and turned back towards Ash. When the half-demon looked into her eyes, she saw heart-shaped symbols in them.


    Passive Discovered!


    Passive Effect: Aura of the Temptress


    While in  Demon Form: Lust (4/4), the bearer exudes a scent that allures, functioning as an Illusion spell and Charming any receptive individuals nearby. While charmed, an individual will follow most orders. If the individual''s level is too high, this spell will fail.


    Ash could not care less about that message right now. She placed her hands on the woman''s cheeks and gazed into those brown eyes.


    May as well...


    And then, she stopped.


    Tearing her hands away from the woman, the lady simply blinked and watched as Ash took a few painful steps back.


    No.  She thought.  Don''t you fucking dare, Ash. Don''t.  It was like there was another voice in her, telling her to put as much distance between them as she could. However, it was hard.


    Every bone in her body was telling her to take the woman for herself.


    "Lady,  run." She said. "Now! Go!"


    Wordlessly, the woman started casually jogging in the opposite direction. When she was out of sight, only then did Ash feel that pull fade.


    And, as soon as she was sane again, her eyes widened as she looked down at herself.


    "What... I almost..." She muttered, looking down at her own demonic hands. The situation played back in her mind, and as the implications of what she had been about to do surfaced, she clenched her hands into fists.


    In an instant, she spread her wings and was flying back to the bathhouse. She landed inside, crashing through the front door.


    Here, she walked straight to the baths. They were empty. She entered one and looked down at herself. Then, she sunk a hand into the water and went between her legs.


    Just do it.  She told herself. She honestly wasn''t even feeling it at this point, but as Magia had said, if she did this, the form would go away.


    Just...


    But, she stopped.


    The fight is tomorrow, one side of her mind told her.  Are you really going to throw away this permanent Demon Form just so you can have a little more self-control?


    Just do it,  another voice said.  You can''t be trusted like this. You could genuinely put people in danger.


    No, you stopped yourself. Sure, you were about to do something bad, but you didn''t. You have the restraint to manage your own Lust, so, just hold onto the form for now. It''ll be fine.


    You stopped yourself this time, but what about next time?


    So long as you stay away from anyone you think looks good, there won''t even be a next time. In any case, just fight the demons off, and if you still want to, you can go masturbate after. But, without this Demon Form, you could be risking the lives of every citizen in the city. They need your strength, you''re going to throw it away because you feel bad?


    Ash huddled her knees up to her chin, lowering her head.


    "What the fuck do I do?" She muttered.


    "Ash?"


    The half-demon''s head snapped up and she saw Satsuhiro and Metsumi standing there.


    "What the hell happened?" He asked, not angry, but concerned. Behind him, Ash could see the broken-down door.


    Ash looked away, feeling as ashamed as ever.


    Metsumi put her hands on her hips and turned to her husband.


    "Uhm... Give me a sec with her?" She whispered though it was so quiet out here that Ash heard her clearly.


    "Hm?"


    "Just a bit, okay?" Metsumi smiled reassuringly at him.


    "... Alright."


    And so, Satsuhiro walked away, leaving just the two of them there. Metsumi walked up a few steps and sat on the edge of the bath. Ash turned to the opposite direction.


    "So, you want to talk about anything?"


    "... No," Ash said. "Just... Leave me alone for a bit, I''ll be fine."


    "I mean, I would, but... You know," she pointed back at where the door laid in pieces. "The door disagrees."


    Ash sighed.


    "Sorry."


    "Don''t apologize to me, apologize to the people who are lending us this place," Metsumi chuckled. "But... Ash, are you okay?"


    "Yeah... yeah..." Ash nodded.


    "Hm. By the way, uh, this new form of yours looks pretty cool... I like the horns, honestly, you look even more like a demon like this."


    As she said that, Ash bit the inside of her cheeks, narrowing her eyes down at herself.


    "Oh, so that''s it?" Metsumi asked. "You don''t like this new thing you got?"


    "No, I''m telling you, I''m good."


    Metsumi slid a little closer.


    "Sweetie, tomorrow you''re going to be in a pretty big fight... you know, I just want to make sure..." as she spoke, she went to put a hand on Ash''s shoulder.


    Ash flinched, shifting away from her. Metsumi blinked.


    "D-Don''t..." Ash said.


    "What?" Metsumi looked a little hurt.


    "I... I can''t..." She struggled to say it. Her throat felt too tight all of a sudden. "I can''t control myself."


    As Metsumi heard that, she got closer. Ash wanted to move away, but Metsumi managed to place a hand on her shoulder before she could. Ash looked away.


    "You seem okay to me," Metsumi muttered.


    "Because I''m not... into you like that." Ash clarified.


    "Oh. Is that how it works?" Metsumi asked.


    "Mhm... I nearly..." Taking a shaky breath, she couldn''t finish the sentence.


    "... Just now?" Metsumi asked. "Before you came in, uhm, you saw someone and nearly..." she did a vague gesture with her hands and Ash nodded. Not that she knew what the hand gestures meant, but she guessed Metsumi was on the right track. "Oh. But... you didn''t, right?"


    "I didn''t," Ash was quick to point out.


    "So, you can control yourself then?" Metsumi asked.


    "What? I just told you, I..."


    "But, you didn''t," Metsumi interrupted her. "I mean, maybe this could change down the line or something, we don''t know much about this side of you, but Ash, I don''t think you''re the type of person to give into your instincts like that."


    "It''s not me though, it''s the trait, I just..."


    "I know, what I''m saying is, I don''t think you''ve given anyone reason not to trust you. If you stopped yourself, even now... I think your willpower is better than you''re giving it credit for, you know?"


    Ash sighed.


    "It''s not that simple... It fucking hurts... I just, I mean, I want to..."


    "I understand, but you can''t beat yourself up over something you didn''t do, right? Just take it easy. Breathe for a bit," Metsumi told her.


    Looking up at the woman, Ash nodded lightly. Then, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    "I''m scared," Ash said.


    "I can imagine," Metsumi told her. "Just, try to calm down a little."


    "... How come you''re so calm?" Ash asked.


    "Hm?"


    "I mean, I just told you I nearly, you know... And you''re just being so calm about it."


    Metsumi chuckled.


    "Cause I know you''re a good person," she said, simply. "I trust you. It''s pretty much just that."


    As Ash took those words in, she nodded.


    "So, is there a way to make this form go away?" Metsumi asked. "I mean, if it''s the form that''s putting you in this state, I think that''s reasonable."


    "Uh, yeah, I can do something but... What about the fight?" Ash asked. "This form could be useful in it..."


    "... That''s true," Metsumi replied. "So, is that where you''re at right now? You want to take the form away, but you feel like you need it for the fight?"


    "Yeah."


    "Hm..." Metsumi tapped her chin. "It is just one day. Do you feel like you can hold yourself back for that long?"


    Ash sighed.


    "Yeah... I think. It just... It hurts. You''re human, so I don''t know how to put it in a way you''ll understand," Ash told her.


    "So are you though, half at least," Metsumi said, chuckling.


    "... Sorry for being vulgar or whatever, but, basically, in this form right now, wanting to fuck someone and not doing it... It''s like not being able to breathe."


    "... What if you aren''t around anyone?" Metsumi asked. "Do you think you''d still have issues then?"


    "Uh, no," Ash replied. "It doesn''t affect me when I''m alone. Just when I''m near someone I''m attracted to."


    "Then, here''s an idea," Metsumi said, "maybe you could spend tomorrow alone. Until the fight''s over. Then, you do whatever it is that takes the form away, and you come back to us. Sounds good, right?"


    Ash looked up at her.


    I... I guess I could do that.


    "Yeah."


    "Then we have a plan. See?" Metsumi chuckled. Extending a hand towards her. Ash took it, and stood up, getting out of the bath. In this form, she stood just an inch or two taller than Metsumi. It was a weird feeling.


    "You have to talk to people, Ash. You keep trying to figure things out on your own, but you don''t have to." She said, enveloping her in a hug. "Me, Satsuhiro, the girls. You have friends here who want to watch your back. Don''t be afraid to open up a little."


    Ash sighed, returning the hug.


    "... I guess."


    With that, the plan was set. Metsumi went back to her room and, the next day, when everyone went to have breakfast, Ash wasn''t there.


    Instead, she sat at the top of Sapphire''s palace, where she''d wait until the fight started. Only then, would she come back down.

 Chapter 106 - Vol. 2 - 71

    Keiko


    During the night, Keiko had stirred and woken up once or twice. The first time was just normal, but the second was because she heard Kaori speaking next to her, to someone.


    "Just do it."


    "But, where are you going?" Kaori replied to the woman.  Wait, is that...?  Keiko yawned, opening her eyes.  Ash?


    "I''ll be around, but... I can''t really be near you like this."


    "... Are you sure?"


    "Yeah... Do it." Ash said. "You won''t get another chance."


    Keiko looked over and saw Kaori casting a spell. Then, almost as soon as Keiko''s eyes fell on her, she was walking out of the room.


    "Uh..." Keiko said. "What was that about?"


    "Nothing," Kaori replied. "Just... go back to sleep."


    Keiko raised a brow, but she was too tired to argue. So, she closed her eyes and drifted away.


    When the sun rose on the next day, Keiko was the first to wake up. Last night, she and Kaori had gone to bed alone, without the half-demon who had stayed outside at the baths. The two girls had expected Ash to remain out there, let the form fade away, and then join them when it was done.


    However, as she rubbed her eyes and yawned, she looked to her left and realized that she and Kaori were still the only two on the bed. Huh?  She got off and took a few steps towards the door.  What time is it?


    Walking out into the hallway, Keiko found Satsuhiro and Metsumi preparing breakfast, with Opah swinging her legs, sitting at the table to the left.


    "Good morning," Keiko mumbled, rubbing her eyes again.


    "Morning," Satsuhiro said. "Feel alright?"


    "Yeah. Smells good," she said, gesturing at the pots.


    "Making some oatmeal, you''re gonna love it. It''s one of my best dishes," Metsumi said with a hint of pride.


    Keiko sat next to Opah, who looked up at her.


    "Hey, morning," Keiko said to the little girl, patting her on the head, who giggled a little.


    Soon, Keiko heard footsteps coming from her left and saw Kaori walking into the kitchen. The woman stretched cutely, muttering something Keiko couldn''t quite hear. After some greetings were exchanged, Keiko said:


    "So, uh... Where''s Ash?"


    She had asked Kaori this question, but Metsumi answered.


    "She''s..." Metsumi started. "She''s staying away for a bit."


    "What?" Keiko asked, confused.


    "That new form of her messes with her mind. She needs some distance."


    "You didn''t tell her to discuss that with us?" Satsuhiro asked. "We need her for strategizing."


    "Wouldn''t have helped," Metsumi replied quickly. "Trust me, she needs this. Besides, Ash can be reckless sometimes, but she''s not outright dumb. She''ll know how to help."


    Satsuhiro sighed.


    "If you say so, as for you two though, once we''re done with breakfast we will need to go over your tactics. Ash is strong enough on her own, but you two are still human. You need to have a plan ready and stick to it."


    "Of course," Kaori said. "I hope she''s not feeling lonely though."


    Keiko looked down at her own hands.


    She wanted Ash to be with them too, but for entirely different reasons. It was what had made standing next to the half-demon yesterday difficult. Even now, remembering how she felt made her heart race.


    The feeling she got from her and Ash''s time together was still very vivid in her mind, and it was a feeling she wanted again, desperately. She could see it right now if she closed her eyes long enough. Ash, in that form, mounting her, her tail pumping into Keiko. Even now, as she sat next to Kaori, with everyone else in the room, she reached up and placed her hand over her chest, feeling her heart pounding against it.


    Yesterday, she couldn''t think straight with Ash next to her. It made the traveling that they''d done so much harder.  What did she do to me?  Keiko wondered.  This doesn''t feel normal. I''ve always been attracted to her, but this isn''t the same. I feel like I need her.


    Someone knocked on the door. Keiko felt excited, eager to see the half-demon on the other side, but she was disappointed when Satsuhiro walked over and opened it to reveal an ordinary guard.


    "Good morning, sir," the man bowed.


    "What''s up?" Satsuhiro asked, crossing his arms.


    "Just delivering this notice, all civilians are to hold themselves up in the plaza, unless they want to volunteer to fight."


    He handed Satsuhiro a paper and bowed again. Then, he left and Satsuhiro sat down near the girls.


    "Soldiers and volunteers are to report to the Iceheart Inn, located at the center of the city. Civilians are to report to the plaza at the north."


    As Satsuhiro read that, Metsumi put everyone''s plates on the table and walked over to him.


    "Guess I''ll take Opah there once we''re done," Metsumi said.


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Last time the demons circled Pearl and attacked from the back. Stay alert."


    "Yeah, yeah," Metsumi smirked, placing a kiss on Satsuhiro''s cheek. "We''ll be alright."


    "As for the rest of us, we can go meet Ren at the palace and see if we can squeeze in any last-minute training and planning. And then... We hope for the best."


    "I mean," Kaori said, "if anything happens we can just run, so, we should be fine."


    "Not quite," Satsuhiro replied. "Sapphire is surrounded by snow and icy lakes. If we get pushed out of the city, we can''t move anywhere near as fast as we did back at Pearl. Everyone will be slowed down enough to give the demons plenty of time to catch up and wipe us out."


    "O-Oh..." Kaori said.


    "Yeah. This fight is ''do or die'' on our end."


    ---


    Kaori


    Several minutes later, Kaori and the others were at the street where the Iceheart Inn was located. At first, Kaori had wondered why this place was chosen, but after coming here, she slightly understood. The street was intersectional, with two branching paths that led to other parts of the city, however, what this meant was that the area was far more open than others, providing a good battlefield.


    The rest of the city, however, was to be sacrificed as this was where the demons'' buff was determined to start running low. The demons would still be enhanced, but not to the overwhelming extent that they would be if they fought closer to the southern part of Sapphire.


    Cannons, mages, and infantry were all being placed in rows, where they''d wait until the fight starts.


    "So, we''re just gonna let them get to us here?" Kaori asked Satsuhiro, who was standing next to her.


    "Apparently not," Satsuhiro replied, "the Lord has a plan for the bridge, but he hasn''t told me what it is. Just said that it would be instrumental to the plan."


    "Kaori!" Suddenly, Ren called out. Kaori turned towards him and the man extended a hand. "How are you feeling!?"


    "Uh, g-good, I guess?"


    "Good!" He shook her hand firmly. "Today, we do our duty. Ah, I haven''t been part of a battle of this scale in years. The nostalgia is hitting hard at the moment."


    "Any tips?" Kaori asked, smiling shyly.


    "Haha, not too many. We''re this army''s shields, Kaori. Our job is simple. Keep everyone who matters alive."


    Kaori noticed an odd part in that sentence and looked back at him.


    "Everyone... who matters?"


    At that, Ren''s smile faded a little.


    "Yes. Do not misunderstand, every single soldier here serves a purpose. They all have families, loved ones, people who are hoping and praying that they''ll make it back. You might not know their names or their stories, but that does not mean they don''t have them. However," Ren put a hand on Kaori''s right shoulder. "As much as I wish they were, not all warriors are equal. Keiko, over here," he gestured at the Zayama who was sitting on a wooden crate nearby. She was talking to a guard about something that Kaori couldn''t hear. "That woman counts for ten of the normal soldiers," Ren muttered lowly. "If the decision pops up to choose between saving her, or saving five soldiers being attacked by a Wrath demon, you choose her and it''s not even close."


    It made sense to Kaori, but that fact in and of itself saddened her more.


    It''s just a fact of the world we live in,  she thought.  Levels, traits, it all makes it so that he''s right. Some people are just worth more.


    "Still, it''s good to keep their spirits up."


    With that, Ren walked over to some of the soldiers and started talking to them.


    She shook her head. After hearing that, she walked over to Keiko.


    "Uh, what was that about?" She asked.


    "I was just checking on what they were going to do with the horses," Keiko said. "I bought one that I took here. Her name''s Ilyrum," Keiko smiled a little. "Just wanted to make sure she''d be alright. They''re going to keep most of the horses at the back."


    "Hey, Zayama," Ren approached as well, with a few young men and women behind him. "How about you show us a little of that flashiness you''re all known for?"


    "Huh?" Keiko asked.


    "Just a technique or two, what do you say?" Ren asked.


    "Um... Sure. I, uh, I think I have something I can show..." Keiko said, standing up.  Oh, I actually want to see this too.  Kaori thought.


    Keiko walked to the middle of the street with her those strange dagger-like weapons in her hands, tied to ropes. Then, she took a deep breath and started spinning them. She looked over at a cart nearby.


    Narrowing her eyes, Keiko stared at it and then, in the blink of an eye, propelled both daggers to it.


    "Seizen!" She called out and upon impact, the cart was obliterated.


    Then, she pulled on the ropes and the daggers went right back to her hands.


    Everyone applauded.


    Wow... That was pretty hot.  Kaori thought.


    "Holy shit!" One soldier said.


    "Good stuff, Keiko!" Ren cheered. "See?" He looked back at the others. "With soldiers like her, Sapphire is in good hands."


    They all excitedly grinned at each other, their spirits propped up now. Kaori however, felt a little displeased as she realized that what they just saw was basically just the reasoning for why they would most likely be allowed to die in a few hours.


    Maybe I can do something to help them though... With my Constitution up so much.


    Last night, when Ash visited her in her room, Kaori marked her with the  Mark of Love. However, it only worked when Ash was near. Because of that, her stats hadn''t gone up. When the fight started though, it would go up with each hour the battle went on for.


    I wonder...  She thought.  Does the increase happen based solely on time? Because, if it does, it means that as soon as Ash comes close to me, I''ll get all of the stats I''m missing out on.


    Currently, this was where she was at:


    Level 28


    MP: 60/60


    STR: 18


    DEX: 18


    CON: 33


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/280


    She looked up at the rooftops.


    Ash... Hope you''re doing okay.


    Ahead, a commotion started. Kaori feared the worst immediately, standing up and putting her hand on her Savior''s Weapon. However, it didn''t seem to be the demons. Instead, the soldiers were getting excited.


    What?


    Then, as they started to clear out, Kaori saw them. Soldiers. Not many, just thirty, maybe forty. What made her eyes widen however was their armor. She''d seen it a few times when she was walking the streets of Jade, growing up.


    Zayama warriors.


    She recognized one of them, their leader.


    "Ioko!" Keiko said next to her and the Zayama walked up a little.


    The Sapphire soldiers whispered to each other as the Zayamas moved up through the streets. Ioko walked up to the Saviors first but then noticed Keiko.


    "Greetings, we meet again."


    ---


    Keiko


    "W-What are you doing here?" Keiko asked.


    "You sound happy to see us," Ioko laughed. "We received word about the portal about a week ago. We were patrolling Jade''s perimeter, but once we were done about three days ago, we started making our way up here. Glad to know we arrived before things got scary, but..." Ioko said. "Keiko, may I speak with you in a bit?"


    Oh.  Keiko remembered what she''d done.  I... I punched the Elder in the face. He''s going to arrest me, isn''t he?


    "Your levels!" Ioko suddenly said, "you''ve been working hard. I''m glad to see it."


    "Uh, yeah..."


    "I had hoped that would be the case. You have a very high ceiling, but that''s not surprising considering your lineage."


    Keiko nodded.


    Then, Ioko turned to the others and explained to them how they were going to help. They''d be placed at the back, to help with the final battle once the demons inevitably got to the north.


    The whole time Ioko was speaking with Satsuhiro and the others, she worried about where she''d be taken, as she''d assumed she would be locked up after this.


    Eventually, Ioko walked back up to her.


    "Come, please," Ioko said, not in a threatening way, but firmly.


    Keiko nodded and followed him as he led her to an alley. Once here, he smiled.


    "The badge, eh?" He said, looking at her neck where she held it pinned. "So, it''s true, you faced the trials of the Ancient Zayama Castle and won?"


    Hearing that, Keiko was surprised.


    "Where did you hear about that?"


    "Your grandmother told me about it in a letter," he smiled. "That''s impressive. Most Zayamas unlock their Spirit Eyes, but most will never even think of challenging that place."


    "S-Seriously?"


    "Yes," Ioko told her. "It''s not something many do, yet, you did. That is why I needed to speak to you."


    "U-Uh, okay?"


    "See, your accomplishment gives you a specific status. Not just amongst Zayamas, but among all cities. Remember, our family is revered all across the land. Not just in Jade. You are now what is known as a  Zayama Xhunin. I believe this word translates to, ''captain''."


    "Huh?"


    "It means that firstly, you have access to any and all resources that the Zayama clan can provide, as long as your requests are approved by the Elder first, of course. Second, you are now my siya," Ioko laughed, "congratulations. You now outrank most people in our clan. Including me. That means, if you wish to give me or anyone else who is not another Xhunin or the Elder, an order, we are honor-bound to follow it."


    "W-What!?" Keiko yelped.


    Ioko took a step closer, bowing.


    "Keiko, I simply wish for you to understand the gravity of this honor you''ve been given. Firstly, the armory. I''m sure you know right now, but the Zayama compound is home to many excellent weapons that you can take at will. Second, we command a small army of our own, and you can give that army orders now, provided they do not clash with others of equal or higher standing."


    "But..."


    "What I''m trying to say is that even if you do not want to be one," Ioko elaborated, "you are now capable of being a leader. And you need to understand how to do that well, in case someday you need to be one. So, come," he waved for her to follow. "Let''s go boss some people around."


    ---


    Ash


    Staying away from the group was the hardest thing Ash had done in a long time. Not just because it was boring, but because she felt a physical pull towards them every couple of minutes.


    Still, hour after hour passed and Ash remained atop the palace. She was determined to remain here until it was time to fight. One matter though was that it was difficult to pass the time, as she had literally nothing to do but think.


    And so, think she did.


    She remembered her times with Kairo, the monk back at Jade who would occasionally give her some money and take her out to eat. She wondered what he''d say if he saw her now, so long after she started her journey. She had hated him back then, just as she had everyone else, but now... A part of her wished to know how he was doing.


    Varcon appeared in her mind as well. Specifically, what the church was doing without him. It was hard to believe that they''d all just calmly resumed business since everything went down, especially since it had seemed at the time like everyone supported his actions, but, at least so far, that was what she was led to believe they did. Was he the only crazy one there?  She wondered.  I doubt it.


    Finally, she wondered what exactly happened between Niven and the other gods. Everything she''d heard led her to think that there had to be more to this divine falling out that occurred.


    From this distance, the buff was affecting her, though only marginally so. She guessed that once she got down to the streets, it would get stronger.


    Level 31


    MP: 190/190


    STR: 35


    DEX: 18


    CON: 13


    INT: 22


    WIS: 19


    L: 100


    EXP: 0/310


    "Fuck, can we just start killing each other already?" Ash asked herself.


    Above, the sky was turning darker and darker with every second. Eventually, she heard something below.


    "Hm?"


    She stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. Once here, she looked down and saw them.


    A massive army of demons filing out of the portal.


    Oh.  She thought. Breathing in, she nodded to herself.  It''s time.

 Chapter 107 - Vol. 2 - 72

    Kasumi


    The inn she''d been staying at was silent today. Of course, she knew why. A guard had come earlier and explained what was going on to her. The fight was starting soon. Everyone who worked at the inn along with those who had been staying here was taken away, led to a place where they could hide until everything blew over.


    Or, until they''d have to run away from the city. Kasumi was betting on that latter being the most likely scenario. Still, this time, she planned to do her part. Based on her walk with Ash through the portal realm, she guessed that at least a few demons that attacked the city would be vulnerable to her Illusion magic. So, she had no excuse to sit the fight out like she did last time.


    She didn''t bother putting on armor, as generally speaking if an enemy got close enough to attack her, she was likely dead anyway. She decided it would be better to be able to move around. As for her weapons, she had her daggers at her waist. Right now, she was putting on a pair of leather gloves, strapping them tighter.


    She walked out into the inn and found it empty. Stepping down the stairs, she went to the bar and smirked. Might be my last drink. Why not? She thought as she uncorked a bottle of wine and poured its contents into a glass cup. Drinking as much of it as she could, she sighed.


    Okay. Now I''m in the right state of mind.


    When she got out into the city''s streets, she was nearly run over by a group of soldiers who were carrying some strange catapult. I guess they''re heading in the direction of the fight. Kasumi thought, following them. Citizens around her were being escorted back, north of the city. The crimson-haired Savior was currently heading towards the south, where the portal was. The closer she got to the bridge that gave access to Sapphire, the fewer civilians she saw and instead, the more soldiers that covered the area. Kasumi held a glare the entire way to the front, where she saw Lord Anders speaking with a few generals.


    She walked up to him.


    "Everything''s in place?" Anders asked.


    "Yes, your majesty."


    "Good."


    "So," Kasumi interrupted, "where do you want me?"


    Anders waved the other men away and turned towards the bridge.


    "The fight won''t last long in this area."


    "Hm?" Kasumi hummed, crossing her arms. "What''s the plan then?"


    "You''ll see when they arrive," Anders smiled. "Once they do, try to use your spells to keep them at bay. But, and this is important," he said, "the instant they cross the bridge, retreat."


    "To where?"


    "The Iceheart Inn. Based on the reports of soldiers who fought at Pearl, we calculate that at that point, their buff, while still active, will be at a weak enough point for us to make a stand."


    "And, if they take that place?"


    "We run away," Anders smiled again.


    "What?"


    "There is no other place where we can make an effective stand," Anders said. "Sapphire was not built to fight demons. If we were fighting humans, every part of the city would be an effective battlefield, but these are monsters enhanced by magic, are capable of flight and on top of all of that, they are relentless. Our soldiers would grow cramped in the tight alleys of the northern side of the city, their demons wouldn''t care. We would die all too easily. We will fight in front of the inn. Whatever happens then, happens."


    "¡­ You''re taking the possible takeover of your city pretty well," Kasumi noted.


    "Haha," Anders chuckled. "That is because I am confident that we can pull this off. After all," he noted, "I only said that we don''t have much room to work with. Not that our options were entirely limited."


    At that moment, the sky darkened. It gradually turned violet, lightning, and thunder cracking above them. Ahead, the growls and snarls of monsters became audible.


    "Well," Anders said, calmly. "It''s starting. Good luck, Kasumi. Remember what I said, the instant they pass through the bridge, you run away."


    Kasumi nodded.


    "You don''t have to tell me twice."


    "Good."


    And with that, the youthful lord walked away. Kasumi moved forwards. The demons were starting to emerge from the portal. From here, she could see the bridge. This bridge was just about 150 meters long, with icy cold water flowing underneath it. At the walls of the city, Kasumi saw archers and mages, as she could tell by their white cloaks, standing by. Behind the walls were cannons, with other mages standing by those. Satsuhiro was standing by the bridge, alone. Kasumi walked over to him.


    "You''re that eager to get taken out?" She asked as the demons started marching towards the bridge. It would take just a couple of minutes for them to reach. Satsuhiro didn''t even glance back at her.


    "I have a role to play here. Once I''m done, I leave."


    Kasumi nodded.


    "Where are your rookies?"


    "Waiting by the inn. We don''t expect to be here for too long."


    "¡­ So, what exactly is the plan?"


    Satsuhiro looked back at her and then took a few steps forwards.


    "This."


    The demons reached the bridge. The mages standing by the cannons cast some fire spells and lit the boulders that were loaded onto them on fire. Atop the walls, those mages began aiming spells at the enemies as well, while the archers began shooting arrows into the air that fell like rain onto the enemy. As for Satsuhiro, well, Kasumi hadn''t noticed the lines of oil tracing the path just in front of Satsuhiro, leading to the enemies.


    "Blaze the field and set our enemies alight," Satsuhiro spoke aloud and aimed his hands at the oil. Then, flame siphoned into the black lines of oil, lighting them. Ahead, those lines became puddles, and those puddles erupted in fire under the demons'' feet.


    It was, admittedly, an impressive sight. However, it was massively ineffective. The demons casually continued walking through the flames. That was when the catapults began being used, and flaming rocks like meteors flying through the sky were propelled at the enemy. Again,


    "Blaze the field and set our enemies alight," Satsuhiro said once more, however, this time, the flames from his hands surged out towards the enemies. Kasumi could see the effort he was putting into the spell, as sweat rolled down his forehead and his veins popped out, but the effect was noticeably better. Finally, the mages atop the walls began concentrating fire onto the demons, and now, their combined efforts were being rewarded.


    "They might have enhanced Constitution, but they aren''t invulnerable, they can be slowed down," Satsuhiro muttered. "Kasumi, now would be a good time to use those spells of yours. See if you can keep them from crossing for as long as possible."


    "Right, if their levels are low enough, anyway."


    Although they were taking damage, the demons were still strong enough to continue walking through the bridge. Kasumi waited until they got in range, and only then did she speak her incantation.


    "Fear becomes a weapon, courage becomes a distant dream, petrify!" Above her, a red and black face appeared, one of a dark monster. Half of the demons reacted, slipping and scurrying back. The other half continued, only slowed down by the spells they were receiving. So... Some of them are affected. Could it be that their levels are similar to the ones we saw in the portal realm?


    Then, she heard a screech come from above. What?


    She looked up at the sky and Lust demons were flying out of the portal, straight towards the city, dancing through the arrows and spells. Oh. Right.


    "Uh¡­ The spells and stuff don''t seem to be working. Any other plan for those?" Kasumi asked.


    As though in response to her question, a Lust demon came from the city and attacked one of the enemy Lust demons. Wait¡­ What?


    Kasumi squinted. It took her quite a while, but then she realized.


    "I-Is¡­ Is that Ash?"


    The half-demon was currently engaging two enemies in the skies. She crashed into one, clawing through her neck and then turning to the other Lust demon, grabbing it and bringing it all the way down to the street, where she crushed it on impact.


    Quickly, she went back to the skies and continued fighting other Lust demons that got close to the city.


    I¡­ How¡­? Then, as she saw more demons walking through the bridge, Kasumi shook her head. I''m not even going to ask. She cast the same spell and more demons were scared off, while others trudged through the flames and rocks sent their way.


    However, they didn''t make too much progress. The combination of attacks was working to slow the enemies down. Their pace was not halted, but it was slowed significantly enough to, at least, weaken the humans'' opponents.


    If we keep this up, by the time the fight actually starts, we should be in a good spot. Kasumi thought as the onslaught continued. However, then, she just barely saw them. Coming from the portal were demons who were substantially larger than the others. Kasumi''s eyes widened. The Nightmares.


    Of course they''d come, but I didn''t think they''d come this soon. Maybe they know what we''re doing and want to break through as fast as possible. Kasumi took a deep breath. This is probably when we retreat. I can''t imagine any of this stuff stopping those things.


    Anders appeared to agree.


    "Soldiers, prepare to retreat!" His voice rang out through the streets, cutting through the chaos.


    "Heard that?" Kasumi asked Satsuhiro.


    "Another round of spells," he said. "Then we''ll¡­"


    Something distracted him. He stopped casting his spell, even. Kasumi looked at him and saw the man staring at something ahead. What? Then, she searched for whatever had taken Satsuhiro''s attention. When she found it, she had the same reaction he did.


    It was one of the Nightmares. A bald man with a thick white beard, wearing a white robe. He did not carry any weapons, instead, walking through the groups of burning demons bare-handed. What shocked Kasumi was that she recognized him.


    It was Takomaro. The senior Savior who had been lost at Pearl''s battle. The Savior turned Nightmare walked towards the city and Kasumi saw him healing demons as he passed them.


    Kasumi shook her head.


    "Satsuhiro, focus!" She called out. The man took a deep breath, nodding.


    "Right¡­ Right." The Fire mage cast one more spell, engulfing the field ahead, and turned back. Kasumi did the same. As the other soldiers saw the Saviors running, they too dropped what they were doing and ran. It was as chaotic as one could imagine, but it needed to happen, as they were simply far too close to the portal at this point.


    The sounds of animalistic demons followed the humans as they moved all the way back to the north of the city. Eventually, Kasumi found the inn. Easily over a thousand soldiers were waiting, lined up through each of the nearby streets, ready to fight. When the retreating soldiers arrived, those who were on stand-by walked up.


    The demons were right on their tail. The soldiers met them up ahead. Both forces met, and, here, the battle began properly. Kasumi tried her hardest to stand back, seeing the soldiers attempt to fight back the demons.


    It didn''t take too long for it to become clear that they were outmatched. For every demon that the soldiers killed, three humans perished. Although Ash was still fighting Lust demons up above, there were simply too many for her to take on at once. Some of them flew down to the streets and attacked some of the soldiers from above. Kasumi was hesitant to use her spells, as she feared they would accidentally affect the humans as well.


    A demon ran up to her from her right.


    Kasumi looked at it but was slow to react. It had already closed the gap between them. She raised her hands in a feeble attempt at self-defense but she knew what was coming.


    Then, the demon''s head was lopped off its body.


    What?


    Then, a blur passed by Kasumi. She turned to her left and found a girl rushing from one demon to another, like a flash in the battlefield, killing off enemies left and right. She paused for just a moment, holding her weapon at her side and looking around for more demons. That was when Kasumi recognized her.


    That¡­ The one blindfolded girl, from Pearl! Kasumi realized.


    Shaking her head, she breathed in. Focus. I need to help.


    The fight has just truly begun.

 Chapter 108 - Vol. 2 - 73

    Keiko


    Ahead of her, Ioko gave a few soldiers their orders. He had told her to pay attention to how he spoke, the combination of authority and respect in his voice.


    "Fight with the buildings to your sides, you''ll want to limit the number of places from which you can taken by¡­" However, as they heard the sounds of battle suddenly intensify, he stopped. Keiko heard the same thing. The demons and humans intermingled cries and grunts were getting louder. "Well then. It seems our dance is about to start. Everyone, get ready."


    What? Is it time already? Keiko wondered. To her right, Kaori and Ren both stood up from where they''d been sitting. One by one, each of the waiting soldiers began to get up, brandishing their weapons. Nodding to herself, Keiko replayed each of the three techniques she''d learned over the last couple of days.


    "Iridos," she said, activating her Spirit Eye. The sounds grew louder and louder. The soldiers began to form lines. Keiko stood at the back of them, near Kaori. She saw humans falling back in large numbers, terror in their eyes as they ran into the waiting soldiers. The fear in their eyes was matched by the fear of the soldiers who were now about to join this fight.


    Alright, Keiko. The Zayama told herself. Her father''s sword weighed heavily on her waist as she narrowed her eyes at the incoming demons. Time to show them what you can do.


    The first weapon she planned to use was her naginata. Taking it out, she waited until the battle started properly. Kasumi, the crimson-haired Savior that Keiko had met back at Pearl, was in trouble, being chased by a few demons. Keiko honed in on that spot, focusing on it amidst the incoming chaos, and ran forwards.


    Soldiers and demons clashed, pained cries and demonic screeches instantly sounded off. Keiko tried her hardest to block it out and focus on Kasumi''s position. Here, she''d use her naginata technique.


    Blade Dancer Arts


    Burst of Beauty (Naginata)


    Trigger this spell after slashing at least five times. The last five cuts you make will explode with roses that tear the opponent(s) apart from the inside.


    Dex Required: 30


    Mana Cost: 20


    Incantation: Suezan


    Keiko saw an opponent to Kasumi''s right and ran up to it. She slashed through its neck, not killing the creature, but leaving a wound in it. One. She went up to another demon, dodging its swipe and spinning, slashing through its stomach. Two. Her Spirit Eye warned her that an enemy was about to come from the left, and she backstepped, dodging an attack and ramming her naginata''s blade into its chest. Three. Running away, she encountered a Gluttony demon, ducking under the tongue that went to grab her and slashing its neck. Four. Finally, she helped a soldier fight off a Lust demon that was trying to grab it by slashing down the demon''s back. Five.


    Keiko breathed in.


    "Suezan!"


    Suddenly, all around her, from the wounds she''d caused, roses exploded into the air, along with spurts of violet blood that surged up from the wounds she''d created. The demons whose necks she''d slashed through died when their wounds exploded. The others, however, were able to keep fighting. Keiko helped soldiers finish these creatures off and with that, five demons died around her.


    No time to celebrate, Keiko thought. You''re on an open battlefield. Focus.


    Suddenly, Keiko was surrounded by demons. She took a step back as they started to close in. Using her Spirit Eye, Keiko saw their attacks coming. First, a swing from a demon to her left that she managed to avoid by crouching. Then, one demon tried to tackle her. Keiko jumped up, landing behind it. The third demon unleashed a Dark spell that nearly struck Keiko, but she leaned to the side and watched the black sphere go by her head. Before she could even respond, other soldiers saw her ongoing fight and went to help, taking the demons on and Keiko stood back, watching them collide.


    Okay... At least it seems like we can do damage. Maybe this is winnable. She had no real experience with large-scale fights like these, but although the demons were killing humans in large quantities, Keiko could still see the bodies of her enemies and allies alike piling up as the fight went on. We just need a little more help¡­ Keiko thought. Hopefully, there''s some sort of a plan here¡­ I can''t imagine that we''d win if we just fight until one side dies.


    Due to her pondering though, a demon took her by surprise.


    "Auah!" Keiko was taken down to the ground. She was pinned and the demon mounted her, raising up clawed hands. Her naginata had been tossed away in the struggle. In one fluid motion, Keiko reached down, grabbed her kunai, and when the demon went to claw her eyes out, she stabbed it in the arm, violet blood falling on her cheeks. She certainly wasn''t strong enough to push it off, so she continued stabbing it from below until the demon weakened enough and fell to the side.


    Keiko stood up, covered in the demon''s blood, holding the kunai. She didn''t think, she didn''t hesitate. Instead, as soon as her eyes fell on a demon, she went to attack it. She ran up to one from behind and stabbed it in the back of the head. She looked back and saw one biting through a young soldier''s collarbone. Keiko threw one of her kunai at the demon, watching it stab through the creature''s head, and then pulled the rope, bringing the blade out and back to her hands.


    She didn''t notice this, but as Keiko continued to slice through one enemy after another, using the chaos of battle to create opportunities, avoiding straight-up fights, and opting to take enemies by surprise, she began to glow. Her skin took a golden aura, one that trailed behind her with her movements. To others, she looked like a star bursting through one body after another.


    Taking deep breaths, Keiko felt her arms straining, but she tightened her grip around her kunai and shook her head.


    Don''t stop. She told herself. Keep going.


    She saw a demon up ahead that had just finished killing a pair of soldiers and began spinning her kunai in her hands.


    Blade Dancer Arts


    Thorned Impact (kunai) -


    Spin your kunai and focus on a target. Then, unleash your kunai in the opponent''s direction, and on impact, an explosion of roses will occur that deals damage proportional to your Dex skill.


    Dex Required: 40


    Mana Cost: 10


    Incantation: Seizen


    It was the same technique Keiko had shown Kaori yesterday. She wound up her kunai and then launched them both at the demon in the distance. The kunai stabbed into its chest.


    "Seizen!" As Keiko said the incantation, roses erupted from the demon''s body, and the monster exploded.


    Words appeared above Keiko''s head.


    Trait Discovered!


    Battle Trance


    In fights, the user is decisive and precise. Dexterity receives a permanent increase of 5, and after successfully performing a technique (an ability gated by a Dexterity req.) that increase is temporarily raised by another 5.


    Of course, Keiko completely ignored the message.


    However, it was not because she was killing enemies.


    Around her, she saw Ioko, leader of the Zayama squad, taking down multiple demons, but just to her left, there was something else. Feet thudded against the stone. She paused, all around her the struggle still ongoing while Keiko searched for the source of the sound. Her head snapping back and forth between locations frantically, when she found it.


    It happened as a man was launched back, a spray of red following him in the air. He had been hit by a spiked mace and landed just a couple of meters in front of Keiko, his body utterly ruined. Keiko''s eyes slowly dragged up and she saw it.


    A Nightmare approached. It was larger than any other demon, holding a mace in its right hand. It had stone-like legs, with blank eyes that Keiko could feel on her. Its body was best summed up as a mass of muscle, clumped together by demonic energy.


    Keiko took a step back. The Nightmare slowly walked towards her. Keiko searched for Ioko, but he and his squad had moved up the street, too far away from Keiko for her voice to reach him.


    Keiko wasn''t about to run away. She didn''t know if she could win, but she would at least try. However, if she was going to fight this, she needed to be at her best. So, she put away the kunai and brought out her father''s sword. Its golden blade shimmered, and Keiko held it out between her and the demon.


    Then, the enemy raised its mace up and Keiko''s Spirit Eye told her that instead of bringing it down directly, it would do a sideways swing from this position. The mace began to descend, much faster than Keiko had anticipated. She leaped up into the air and held her sword out.


    "Agh!"


    The Nightmare spun and with its free hand slapped her away. Keiko crashed into a building, falling atop a dead soldier.


    She tried to stand, and her ribs burned. Ah¡­ It broke something¡­ She realized. That wasn''t even a punch. It just slapped me away and did that much damage¡­ She took deep breaths. Push through the pain. Go!


    Gritting her teeth, Keiko stood up and held her sword out again. It''s faster than I thought it would be. I need to be even faster to beat it.


    The Nightmare ran up to her and pulled its mace back. Keiko saw that this time, the attack was going to be much more direct. She ran to its side, successfully reaching the Nightmare, and stabbed it.


    Just as quickly, she pulled her sword out and backed away, narrowly avoiding a swing from its hand. Good!


    Her ribcage flared up and Keiko nearly dropped her sword.


    She was waiting for the Nightmare to attack again, but instead, her Spirit Eye told her that a second demon was about to attack. She dodged a tongue that had tried to wrap itself around her neck, seeing a Gluttony demon ahead. The Nightmare started jogging towards her and Keiko''s eyes widened. I don''t have time to-


    Before the Nightmare could crush her with its mace though, a pair of warriors in golden suits of armor stood between it and Keiko. One held out a shield, the mace slammed into it so strongly that the ding that resulted echoed in the street, but the person holding the shield was not pushed back. They held their ground and Keiko''s lips parted.


    What¡­?


    And then, as she focused, she recognized them.


    Kaori and Ren had come to stand between her and the enemy, protecting the Zayama.


    ---


    Kaori


    "It''s about saving lives, Kaori, remember that!" Ren had told her as the battle started. Indeed, she knew her role. She simply wondered if she was ready to fulfill it. She''d discover the answer soon enough though.


    The demons had arrived. The soldiers got ready, and among them were Kaori and Ren. However, the blonde noticed that someone was missing.


    "Where''s Vermia?" She asked. "She''s a Savior too, right? She should be here."


    "I don''t know," Ren answered. "But, as you said, she is a Savior. I¡­ Have some firm disagreements, let''s say, but I trust that she will not abandon the city. As for us, focus, Kaori! You have people to protect!"


    "R-Right!"


    For the first time in a long time, Kaori''s armor weighed heavily on her. Ever since Pearl, this was the first time in a while that she had to be a real Savior. And because of that, she was, of course, feeling nervous. Her hand shook at her side, holding her swordstaff loosely. It was hard to breathe as well, and although last time she had Ash in front of her, who she trusted to help her pull through the battle, this time Ash was in the skies, fighting off Lust demons one at a time, nowhere near her.


    She had nothing but her own merits to fall back on today, and that terrified her. But, as soldiers began to charge forwards towards the demons, Kaori had to play her part. So, she followed Ren into battle, only hesitating for a moment to make a mental note of Keiko''s location.


    Ren''s earlier words were still fresh in her mind. One Keiko was worth ten soldiers, and Kaori would certainly be there if the Zayama needed help.


    The first exchange happened when Ren pulled a demon off of a soldier it had been biting, slamming his shield into it, and crushing its head with his mace.


    "Ah," Ren said, "their Constitution makes them quite sturdy, but we''re far enough away from the portal! We can fight!" His voice boomed throughout the street, the sort of quality that Kaori understood you just had to be born with. The only other person Kaori had ever met who had this natural-born commanding voice was Varcon. She was glad that this time, it was on someone she could respect.


    To Kaori''s left, a young, short-haired woman was trying desperately to hold back a demon but wasn''t able to. Kaori ran over. The demon gaped its mouth about to bite down on the woman''s neck. Kaori stabbed right through its head before it was able to.


    "Are you okay!?" Kaori asked.


    "Y-Yes!" The woman replied.


    "Uh, good! Stay that way!"


    And so, Kaori went on to the next exchange. She found a group of soldiers and demons clashing against each other and ran to the center of it. Once here, the demons targeted her, slamming clawed hands into her armor and scratching her face, but her actions had the desired effect. She gave the soldiers enough room to fight back and take the demons out.


    They thanked her, but Kaori was already out, looking for more people to help before they could finish speaking. This would be way easier with a shield, I need to look into getting one. There has to be a way! Kaori thought as she used her arm to push away a demon that had been tearing a soldier apart.


    "Healers!" Kaori called out, "healers!"


    One man in a white robe ran towards her and saw the injured soldier.


    "Thank you," Kaori said, and she stood by him as he worked to bring the man up to fighting conditions.


    As much trouble as she was having to try to keep up with everything, Ren was the exact opposite. She could hear him laughing, borderline cackling boisterously as he swung his mace like a toy. However, as careless as he seemed, in the brief seconds that Kaori spent watching him work, she could tell he was effective. Any time someone nearby was in danger, he''d put his shield between the human and the demon and fight the enemy back, then resuming his joyous carnage.


    At one point, Kaori saw him use some strange technique.


    "Tisen!"  He yelled out and multiple soldiers were covered in a white barrier. Demons tried to break through with attacks, but they simply couldn''t. The spell didn''t last too long, but it kept many people alive for more precious seconds.


    I¡­ I don''t think I can live up to that. Kaori noted in her mind. Then, she heard a scream for help and went to go assist another human.


    Kaori took many hits for the sake of others in the minutes that followed, but her body held up. Scratches, claws, bites, punches, slaps, swings, she tanked them all in the hopes that other soldiers wouldn''t have to, and although she knew she''d wake up tomorrow with nasty bruises and at least a few broken bones, she was still standing.


    That was when the Nightmares came. Not just one, but three Nightmares entered the area. One was dressed like a healer, wearing a white robe stained in violet. He seemed familiar to Kaori, though she didn''t quite recognize him. Another feminine figure with no eyes and carrying a single black whip at her side, and finally, one holding a mace. Two of the Nightmares began hunting down humans around them, casually wiping out different soldiers. The one holding the mace instead was looking down at one lone warrior ahead of it.


    More shocking than that though was the person standing in front of the mace-wielder. Kaori saw Keiko with her sword held out, about to take the Nightmare on.


    Are you crazy!? Kaori thought as the two started fighting.


    I need to get over there!


    Kaori began trying to weave through the fighting forces, but by now everything was so chaotic that she couldn''t go a few steps without running into people. She tried to get closer and ended up tripping over a corpse.


    Ugh, come on, I just need to¡­


    Looking to her right, she found Ren, his armor covered in violet, smashing a demon into the ground.


    "REN!" She called out. The man looked at her instantly. Kaori stood up and pointed at Keiko, who was just moments away from being destroyed. Ren moved quickly. He charged forwards, barreling past anyone in his way, demon, and human alike.


    Just before the Nightmare could kill Keiko, Ren stood between them.


    Yes!


    Kaori joined immediately, looking back at Keiko who was staring up, shocked.


    "There are some healers that way," she gestured to her left. "Go, get yourself healed!"


    "I¡­ I can''t waste time like¡­"


    "Keiko, just go!" Kaori said, helping her up to her feet. The Zayama watched her for a second before nodding. Then, she left.


    "Ah haha!" Ren laughed as he pushed the Nightmare back. "Come, demon, let me show you the light!"


    Around them, demons began to notice the battle and started moving towards the two of them, surrounding the Saviors. Before they could do anything though, fire sprayed out over each one.


    "What?" Kaori audibly asked and looked to her right, where she found Satsuhiro casting spells at a rapid rate. It was an impressive sight. The man looked like a demon all on his own, covering anything he looked at in fire that burned whatever it touched to crisps.


    However, he failed to notice the Nightmare watching him from a distance. The woman-like demon with the whip pulled it back and cracked it at him.


    "Satsu!" Kaori cried out and instantly used her Living Sacrifice spell. The whip struck Satsuhiro''s back. He noticed it, but the blow did not hurt him. Instead, the force was sent to Kaori.


    Her armor cracked and Kaori felt the wind being knocked out of her, but she was not hurt. Satsuhiro turned towards the demon and launched orbs of flame at it, and the two began fighting in earnest. The mage moved quickly, dodging the whip as it attacked him while the demon effortlessly avoided his spells.


    As Kaori caught her breath, she focused up and ran forwards. I need to distract that thing so Satsuhiro can get a shot in!


    Kaori ran straight into the Nightmare, who clearly hadn''t been expecting her. She pushed it to the ground and placed her forearm over the creature''s neck, dropping her swordstaff.


    "Satsu, do it!"


    Satsuhiro saw what was happening and looked to pause for just a second before nodding.


    The Nightmare thrashed at Kaori from below. Kaori tried to press her forearm in even harder, but the Nightmare was stronger. It was only a matter of time before she was forced off. She needed Satsuhiro to attack now.


    The Nightmare reached up and clawed a line straight down Kaori''s face, from her forehead to the spot between her brows, to her cheeks. The blonde screamed but kept her forearm pressed on its neck. She was committed. This enemy needed to die, and Kaori was prepared to sacrifice whatever it took to see to that. So, as it continued to struggle under her like a rabid beast trying to get free from a trap, Kaori held it down.


    "Dragons of the golden era," Satsuhiro muttered, "roar for the memories of those who''ve challenged you. Soar for the spirits of those who''ve worshipped you. And breathe for the sake of those who still defy you. Surge!"


    From his palms, a dragon made of flame emerged that shot straight towards both Kaori and the Nightmare. Only then did Kaori get off, falling back. The Nightmare almost instantly got to its feet, but the dragon reached it before the monster could react. Kaori watched as the fires engulfed it, the Nightmare letting off an ear-piercing screech as the flaming dragon disintegrated its skin slowly until the monster was nothing but ashes.


    Satsuhiro fell to his knees. Kaori wiped away some blood that was getting in her eyes and ran up to him.


    "That¡­ took a lot out of me," he said. "I''m almost out of mana."


    "Uh, alright, head back, we''ve¡­"


    "AGH!" When Kaori heard that voice, she turned around.


    Her eyes widened.


    The mace-wielding Nightmare had just slammed its weapon into Ren''s midsection. The demon pulled the weapon back and Kaori saw blood on its edges. She was running towards him before she even knew what she was doing.


    Ren''s shield was on the ground. The Nightmare was holding its mace over Ren''s head. Ren smiled defiantly at it.


    Kaori reached the shield, picked it up, and ran towards them. She managed to get to the Savior and held her shield up, and the mace crashed into it. Kaori was forced to one knee. She cried out, the blow powerful enough to the point where she knew it had fractured some bones in her arm.


    Then, Ren pushed her out of the way and slammed his own mace into the Nightmare''s body. The monster stepped back, a wound on its torso that mirrored the one Ren received.


    From Kaori''s right, she saw Satsuhiro aiming his hands at the Nightmare. He was about to cast a spell, but then, the Nightmare did something none of them expected. It reached back with its mace and threw it at Satsuhiro.


    Kaori saw it too late. She was going to cast  Living Sacrifice,  but the mace struck Satsuhiro''s right leg before she could.


    It tore his leg clean off.


    Kaori''s words caught in her throat as she saw Satsuhiro fall forwards.


    Then, Ren ran up and slammed his mace into the creature''s head, forcing it back. The creature was severely stunned. Ren fell to one knee, but Kaori ran towards Satsuhiro first.


    "S-SATSU!"


    "Agh... Shit..." Satsuhiro tried to sit up. His right leg had been torn off just above the knee.


    "BACK OFF!" A pair of healers suddenly arrived and took Satsuhiro away. Kaori nearly ran after them.


    "It got me good," Ren said, chuckling, but Kaori''s eyes stayed on Satsuhiro. Only when he disappeared from sight, as the healers turned a corner, did Kaori look at Ren. "That thing is damned strong."


    "L-L-Let''s get you to a healer..." Kaori''s teeth were trembling against each other. Her arm was shaking as well.


    "Ah¡­ that won''t work."


    "W-What!?" Kaori asked.


    Then, Ren showed his status. Kaori saw the message that appeared and she nearly stopped breathing.


    "It cursed me," Ren nodded. "Healing magic won''t do anything right now. Not to worry though," he said as the Nightmare began to walk forwards, "thank you for your help, Kaori, you''re a true Savior. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I need to fight this thing."


    With those words, he took his shield back and the two large beings clashed again.


    Ren''s¡­ cursed? Kaori thought, but then she shook her head.  And... Satsuhiro...  Kaori fell to her knees.


    However, as more demons approached, she looked over at them.


    They were going to reach her. She couldn''t move to stop them. However, then, someone landed in front of her.


    Ash. The half-demon crashed on top of one enemy, and then flew towards the demons and taking one of their heads off with one swing of her clawed right hand.


    Kaori saw this and her stats went up, thanks to the mark she''d placed on Ash earlier. Using the newfound strength, she pushed away several of the demons nearby before turning towards the hybrid.


    ---


    Ash


    When the battle started


    "Shit¡­" Ash muttered as she saw Lust demons flying up from below.


    Level 25


    MP: 40/40


    Level 26


    MP: 50/50


    These levels are just around mine¡­ So, I should be able to kill these things. She noted. My spells are going to make the difference. I need to use them at the right times.


    "I may as well do something about those right now though¡­ Just hope those archers don''t hit me too."


    And so, the half-demon flew towards her enemies. She flew over the bridge, feeling her strength at an all-time high, and relishing in it.


    Come on, come get a taste¡­ Ash smirked as a Lust demon saw her and flew towards her.


    Then, Ash flew at it first and with her claws, slashed straight through its neck. The Lust demon, surprisingly though, was still alive. It took two more swings from Ash to take it out.


    She ignored the EXP message that popped up and planned to do that throughout the battle.


    The second Lust demon reached her and tried to swing at her head. Ash held her by the arm, pulled her in, and bit down on her neck. She chewed on it until she felt the demon go limp and then let it go, watching it fall out of the sky.


    Then, an arrow struck her left thigh. She hissed, but pulled it out and found she was barely hurt.  Still, she nearly looked down and cursed the archers out.


    Easy. Easy, just keep it up.


    Her time over the bridge wouldn''t last for too long though. After a volley of spells and rocks, the Nightmares began to come out of the portals and that meant that the bridge was finally compromised. With their help, the demons pushed through, and the humans began retreating. That''s my cue to fly back too.


    With every second that passed, her thoughts went back to Keiko and Kaori, but she had to force them out of her mind. You''ll be more of a burden to them than an aid if you go to where they are. Stay up here and stay focused. Ash told herself. The next stage of the fight started then.


    The fight in the streets began properly, and Ash checked her status.


    Level 28


    MP: 200/200


    STR: 35


    DEX: 20


    CON: 15


    INT: 25


    WIS: 20


    L: 100


    The buff is active, but we''re far enough away for it to not make too much of a difference. Ash noted. Those soldiers need to fight their hearts out, but they can make it if they fight smart.


    More Lust demons came for her, several. Now, Ash started to use her spells. As one drew close enough, she aimed a hand at it.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    A black sphere was propelled from her palm and it collided with the creature, earning a screech and killing it. Anger flowered through her veins, but it slowly turned into a burning desire for more action. Wow¡­ This magic feels about as good as I thought it would, Ash noted, smirking. Guess there''s one good thing about this form, at least.


    Two more Dark spells were launched out at other opponents, and each one produced the same effect. Below, she saw some soldiers being taken out and she hovered just low enough to see them all.


    "This is a place of piety, let our faith be rewarded and our wounds become old memories, soon forgotten!"


    She used her AOE healing spell, Land of Grace, and brought as many of the soldiers up to full health as she could. Checking her mana, Ash stopped for a second.


    Level 28


    MP: 100/200


    Shit¡­ Half already? Ash thought. Maybe I need to put more points into that Wisdom stat.


    However, thanks to her efforts, a few soldiers were able to win the fights they were in the middle of losing. Acknowledging that, Ash searched for more targets, and then, her eyes fell on one of her friends.


    Keiko was tearing through multiple demons at a time. It was a sight to behold, but Ash tore her eyes away.


    You''ll see them once this is all done. She told herself. Just keep doing your job.


    There was, however, something she was wondering about. By now, she''d seen almost all of the Saviors, except for one.


    "Vermia, where the hell are you?" Ash muttered to herself. She was attacked again before she could continue pondering that question.


    A Lust demon collided with her in midair, and the two of them crashed into a building, breaking through it. They ended up in an empty bedroom where the Lust demon was trying to claw at Ash''s face, but the half-demon turned her around, mounting the enemy. Then, she placed her hands over the Lust demon''s neck. She had intended to choke her, but she applied so much strength that she heard a crack and the Lust demon just died.


    Disregarding that, she looked back out.


    Shit¡­ Ash thought as she saw them. The Nightmares.


    She saw Kaori, Ren, and Satsuhiro taking them on. At the back, Kasumi was casting her illusions, but they didn''t affect many of the demons. Whenever it did though, soldiers were able to get killing shots in.


    I''ll¡­ If they need me, I''ll be there, but for now, just focus on everything else.


    So, Ash turned towards the regular soldiers and cast two different spells.


    First, she cast the AOE healing spell again, then, she cast Sacred Ground.


    "Make this field unbearable to those who commit sin freely, let Lumina''s judgment purge their consciousness."


    The Turning spell irritated the demons, while the healing spell secured the soldiers enough for them to turn the tides of their respective fights.


    However, all of this spell usage was beginning to wear on Ash. Shit¡­ I need to¡­


    Something caught her attention from the corner of her eyes. Kaori. The Savior was surrounded by demons. She was clearly beaten up, and Ash''s spell hadn''t affected her, as she had aimed it in the opposite direction.


    She didn''t even have to think about it. She flew towards Kaori and landed on top of a demon, crushing its head under her feet.


    From here, Ash then flew towards another demon and decapitated it with her claws.


    When it looked safe enough, she walked back to Kaori and cast a basic healing spell.


    "Ren!" Kaori suddenly said. "Help him!"


    Ash turned towards where Kaori was looking and saw the Savior in a struggle with a Nightmare. Both of them were wounded, but the Nightmare was winning. Ash narrowed her eyes and flapped her wings, flying towards the creature. Once here, she punched it in the head, hitting it with enough force to bring it off-balance.


    Ren saw this and took advantage of the moment, following up with a blow from his mace that caved the Nightmare''s head in.


    "Ah, thank you for the assistance, Savior," Ren said, taking strained breaths. Ash turned towards him and saw the man on one knee, coughing up blood. She went to heal him, but the man raised a hand and stopped her. "I''m cursed." He stated.


    "¡­ Shit¡­" Ash muttered.


    "Wait, Ash, you can remove curses though, right!?" Kaori asked, running up to them.


    "Takes too long," Ash replied. "The spell takes like, eight hours to work and puts Ren to sleep."


    "Ah¡­ Then, no." Ren stood up. "No need. I have a job to do. I will see it done."


    "But, Ren, you''re¡­ You''re hurt!" Kaori tried to stop him.


    Ren put a hand on her shoulder.


    "This is our duty, Kaori. Do not worry about me. Worry about the lives of those around you. We can win this fight. Their numbers are not infinite. We need to keep going."


    Ash saw Kaori''s eyes watering up, but she nodded.


    "R-Right¡­"


    Ash turned back towards the other demons. One more Nightmare left¡­


    She saw him ahead, healing the demons around him.


    Takomaro.


    The Savior-turned-Nightmare was winning multiple fights for the demons nearby, healing up wounded monsters and crushing soldiers at the same time. Something that couldn''t be allowed to continue. Their eyes met. Ash prepared herself. She didn''t know what offensive capabilities Takomaro had before he turned. She didn''t know what to expect.


    Takomaro focused on Ash, perhaps sensing that she was the most powerful of the opponents nearby. He raised a palm, aimed at her. What? Then, he spoke a few words that Ash couldn''t quite hear.


    Suddenly, violet lightning came out of his hands, aimed straight at Ash.


    The half-demon didn''t react in time. The magic caught her and her body burned. Ash screamed.


    "AAAAGH!"


    She fell back as the lightning continued uninterrupted. Finally, someone stepped between them.


    "Tenso!" Ren yelled out.


    Ash quickly cast a healing spell on herself and looked up. Ren was standing there, his shield placed between him and Takomaro, glowing white. Takomaro''s spell was being siphoned into it.


    "Ash, get up!" He said. "This magic is far too strong for me to hold on for too long."


    "Yea¡­" Ash nodded and stood. Then, she narrowed her eyes.


    That''s... Way too strong. Ash thought.  He never did anything like that as a Savior. Doesn''t he have a Light affinity? That''s insane.


    Standing back up, Ash glared at the blank-eyed Nightmare as it continued casting the spell at Ren''s shield.


    For a moment, she wondered if there was a way to change anyone back from a Nightmare to a human again, but, she doubted it.


    For now, she simply had to focus on what she could do, and that was to kill the enemy ahead of her.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    She launched a Dark spell of her own and it struck Takomaro in the chest, causing him to drop the spell he''d been casting. This allowed Ren to put his shield down.


    She stepped past Ren and nodded at him.


    "Thanks, I''ve got this though," Ash told the older Savior.


    "Have at it, young blood," he said with a smile.


    Through all of the carnage, Ash flew up into the air. Takomaro''s eyes followed her the entire way up. Ash waited. Then, he stuck out his right palm and Ash focused in. When a bolt of lightning came out that threatened to strike her right out of the air, she dodged it. It was easier to do in the air than on the ground.


    Thanks to that, she had a free path towards him.


    Ash flew into the man and tackled him, the Nightmare practically allowing it to happen.


    Ash was about to claw his eyes out, but Takomaro reached up and grabbed her by the wrist from below.


    "Huh!?"


    Then, she heard him speak.


    "Make this field unbearable to those who commit sin freely, let Lumina''s judgment purge their consciousness."


    It was the Turning spell. He used it on her, and Ash felt like her skin had been set on fire.


    "AAAH!" She screamed but gritted her teeth. Then, she raised up a hand and slashed through Takomaro''s chest. Sensing that Ash wouldn''t be as weakened as he must have wanted her to be, Takomaro punched Ash off of his body.


    Ash was quick though. She rolled to a halt and then ran back up with a fleetness that stunned Takomaro. Then, she picked him up, and flew into a building, slamming through the walls. Stone fell around them as Ash went to claw at him again, but Lust demons followed her in and bit her shoulders and her arms, trying to save the Nightmare.


    "Get off of me!" Ash muttered, trying to fight them off.


    Takomaro stood up. Then, he extended a palm towards Ash, and the next thing she knew, both she and the Lust demons who had come to help the Nightmare were being covered in lightning.


    She was propelled back by the force of the attack, sent back down to the street.


    Ash actually whimpered from the pain of the spell, but she tried to stand back up.


    "Ha... Ha..." She took deep breaths, and then, she growled as Takomaro jumped down to the street.


    How much mana do I have?


    She checked her status.


    Level 28


    MP: 70/200


    I should have enough to finish this asshole...  Ash thought. Takomaro extended a hand as he walked over a corpse, and Ash got ready to move out of the way.


    Takomaro didn''t get the chance though.


    "Zansae!"


    A voice Ash knew screamed out an incantation, and suddenly, an arc of roses slashed not only Takomaro but multiple demons around him.


    What?


    Ash looked to her right and found Keiko, covered in both red and violet blood, her sword held out.


    "Go!" Keiko called out.


    Ash looked back at Takomaro and flew towards him almost instantly. She grabbed him by the neck.


    Both he and Ash began to mutter an incantation at once, but Takomaro''s finished his first. And, from point-blank range, he cast his lightning spell. Ash flinched.


    But, she felt no pain. Instead, she heard a scream from her left.


    "AAAGH!" Kaori writhed on the ground.  She''s...


    As Ash realized what was happening, she looked back at Takomaro. With her hand still on his neck and the Nightmare''s confused eyes looking back at her, Ash said:


    "Lesser being, give me your life!"


    Now, black lightning came from Takomaro''s body and started surging into Ash.


    However, this time, the feeling was unlike any other time Ash had performed this spell.


    W-What!?


    Ash felt power entering her body. Takomaro intensified his lightning, and then clawed at Ash''s face, through her left eye, which made Kaori''s screams that much more shrill, but Ash was unaffected, so she kept going. A violet aura covered her and Ash felt herself growing stronger and stronger. Several seconds passed and finally, Ash checked her own stats.


    Level 28


    MP: 300/300


    STR: 50


    DEX: 40


    CON: 30


    INT: 30


    WIS: 30


    L: 100


    Smiling, Ash dug her other hand into Takomaro''s neck.


    One slash decapitated him.


    The lightning spell stopped, Kaori''s screams ceased, and Ash let his body drop.


    However, she didn''t stop there.


    Almost immediately, the power started slipping away. Ash flew over to Kaori, and looked around, seeing many wounded demons and humans around them.  She''s in bad shape. It''s probably a good idea to try this now.


    Ash decided to use the  Living Vortex  spell that Vermia had gifted her on Kaori at this time.


    The incantation came to her as though Vermia had burned it into her memory.


    "For one who is surrounded by the impure, let them be the one to rise." The demons around her started crying out in agony and Ash saw Kaori''s body healing rapidly. Done.


    Trying to make use of this surge in power, she began flying from one demon to another, ripping them apart.


    Her Strength was so high that one hit from her was enough to kill most enemies she touched.


    This is amazing!  She thought as she single-handedly cleared out a couple of groups of demons before the power finally faded. It reminded her of when the Nightmare back at Jade had tried to turn her into a demon, the feeling was similar but much stronger.


    But, the demons didn''t stop, and as her power left her, Ash realized how tired she was. She could see that another wave had entered the city. The humans'' numbers were dwindling.


    How many of us are actually left?  Ash wondered, looking through the streets. As she did, her eyes fell on one woman.  I might just take Kaori, Keiko, and Satsuhiro and just fly... However, her thoughts trailed off as she saw someone she recognized. Someone she hadn''t seen throughout the entirety of the fight.


    A woman as pale as snow and covered in black feathers.


    Vermia... What the hell, why did you only just show up!?


    She had half a mind to slap her. Vermia looked around and smirked.


    Then, she sat down, crossing her legs and closing her eyes.


    What is she doing?


    The necromancer began muttering something.


    White lines started to glow, lines that had been painted all throughout the city.  What?  She hadn''t noticed them there before, but there were lines stretching throughout the streets.  W-What...?


    Vermia continued, a few demons looked at her and Ash quickly flew over, stopping them from interrupting the process. The lines'' glow grew in intensity. Soon, Ash could feel Dark magic so intense that it almost repelled her. Some of the human soldiers who weren''t currently fighting were also starting to stare at Vermia.


    How long is this incantation!?


    She spoke for almost a full minute before she finally raised her hands up.


    Her eyes opened. They were glowing black.


    "Rise," Vermia said, and then, Ash heard them.


    ... You''re joking.  She thought as she realized what was happening. There''s no way.


    She flew up to the sky to see if her assumption was true.


    It was.


    It was at this moment that Ash understood those nighttime preparations Vermia had been getting up to. This entire part of the city had been painted with those white lines. And, because of this, when Vermia activated her spell, almost half of all of the humans who had fallen were resurrected as thralls.


    But that wasn''t it. By now, the demons had stopped coming in from the portal, as of course, their numbers weren''t infinite. All of them were in the city, and from the bridge, Ash saw a few skeletons, stronger than the thralls though by a few levels, rising from the water, entering the city from the same spot the demons had, cornering them. With so many numbers suddenly added to the human side, the demons were finally on the defensive.


    All of a sudden, they were the ones who were outnumbered. Ash looked back at Vermia and found her bleeding from her eyes, but smiling.


    The half-demon had no words to describe the act she''d just seen.


    Thanks to this, the demons were promptly slaughtered. These undead thralls were unlike regular humans in a few crucial ways. Firstly, they did not care for their own wellbeing, and second, they did not tire. So, even as demons bit and tore them apart, they continued attacking.


    Ash watched as the undead piled onto the demons nearby, and slowly, but surely, the demons were eradicated. The thralls and the skeletons promptly turned to dust as the enemies were taken out.


    We...  Ash saw as the last of the demons were killed by the undead.  We... We won...


    She couldn''t believe what she was saying.


    We actually won.


    ---


    The first thing Ash did was look for everyone she knew and saw if they needed healing. Kaori had been in pretty bad shape, but Ash helped her out. Keiko had suffered only a few injuries. The two who were in the worst condition were Ren and Vermia.


    Vermia had collapsed just after the move she''d pulled, while Ren was still cursed, and therefore, still wounded.


    They were taken to the palace, away from the battlefield. The Saviors, General Ioko, and Keiko were the only ones allowed in along with Lord Anders. At the palace, healers watched over them.


    This was where Ash finally found Satsuhiro, who was missing a leg.


    "..." Ash gaped, her eyes not quite comprehending what they were seeing. Satsuhiro was resting at a bed, his eyes closed, but he was apparently alright, according to the healers who attended him. They explained to Ash that healing bringing back lost limbs was a tier of Light magic that was well beyond anyone  in Sapphire. That such a thing didn''t require a high INT stat or raw power, but a specific spell in order to accomplish.


    The last person on record as having known that spell, sadly, was Takomaro.


    The half-demon stayed by Satsuhiro''s side, as the other Saviors were being attended to.


    Ash saw that already, a few had started the process of removing Ren''s curse, but the issue was that he couldn''t be healed at the same time as the curse was being removed.


    "Ah, get away from me," Ren said, waving the healers off, "you''re taking up my air."


    Next to him, Vermia was on a bed, unconscious. Kaori ran up to Ren.


    "D-Don''t, just let them help you."


    Ash stood up and walked over to him. She looked at the wounds Ren had suffered. Some cuts were so deep, she could see his bones. Ren smirked.


    "Kaori... I think it''s fairly obvious that''s not an option." Ren looked over at her.  "Some of us are born lucky, others aren''t. Either that or the gods decided that today was my day, either way, Kaori, I... ah..." he hissed, clenching a fist, "I am alright with this outcome. We won. Hahahaha!" He laughed loudly. "We won, Kaori. Celebrate that."


    As Kaori shed a tear, Ren looked up at the ceiling, a smile on his face.


    "If you''re going to cry, let them be tears of joy, not sadness. I am a Savior. I was born to be one, and I will die as one. Precisely as I wished. You, though, half-demon," Ren said through tight breaths. "Come."


    Ash hadn''t expected that. She walked forwards.


    "I see now that humanity owes up somewhat of an apology," he said. "The way you fight. The ferocity you showed on behalf of us made me damn ashamed to have any prejudices against you. I just wanted to let you know that."


    Hearing that made Ash nod.


    "Now, leave me with Kaori," he said, and Ash noticed his eyes briefly going to Kaori''s Savior Weapon. "There''s something I need to tell her, for her ears alone, before I... well..."


    "Of course, sir," Lord Anders, the lord of Sapphire himself, bowed. "Thank you for what you have done for us."


    "Aye."


    With that, everyone except Kaori left the room. Kasumi, who had been watching this all, had her eyes linger on Ash, but then walked away without a word.


    Outside, Anders turned to Ash.


    "Have you any insight as to what''s happening to Vermia?"


    "Dark magic..." Ash muttered, looking away. "She said it takes away from our life energy. A spell like that..."


    "... Ah. I see," Anders replied. "It was her idea, you know."


    "Hm?"


    "That day, when you arrived and you found us speaking. That was when she pitched the suggestion to me. Originally, I hadn''t wanted to fight. I was going to organize a retreat, allowing as many people as possible to escape the city safely. Vermia had another plan. She wanted to purposefully allow soldiers to die so that she could then bring them all back at once. I asked how such a thing was possible and she simply said, ''with enough persistence, anything is possible''. That is... Maybe was, the kind of woman we were dealing with here, haha." Anders chuckled.


    Ash had no problem believing she''d go that far, considering how she''d grown up.


    "But, Ash, rest, but do not misunderstand, the battle isn''t over."


    "What?"


    "The portal is still up," he told her. "That is the final step. You need to go in and close it. Unfortunately... from the looks of things, you''ll be going alone. But, if you do this, then, Ash," Anders put a hand on her shoulder, "you will have granted humanity its first true victory against the demons. This is a frightening task, I''m sure, but one of equal significance. When you are ready, you must go. I will let you decide when that moment is. Understood?"


    "Yes."


    Ash nodded.


    "Yeah. I understand."


    "Good... Now, maybe your friend has finished. I will leave you to it, best of luck, Savior."


    With that, Anders turned around and walked away. Ash looked over at the door next to her and opened it slowly.


    Kaori looked over at her. Ash looked back at Ren and found him unmoving. When she walked up, she found Kaori''s Savior''s Weapon, turned into a dagger, in Ren''s chest.


    "W-What?"


    "He..." Kaori said, saddened. "He asked me to kill him."


    Ash looked over at Kaori in disbelief.


    "So that I would get the, uh, points for it..." Kaori explained, choking up.


    Ren''s face held a small, peaceful smile, his eyes closed and his hands limp by his sides.

 Chapter 109 - Vol. 2 - 74

    Ash only spent a few minutes looking through the city on her way to the portal. The bodies of demons and humans alike, some of them reduced to ashes thanks to Vermia''s mass resurrection, littered the stone and snow. The smell was the worst part. The scent of death was so intense Ash swore it would be here long after they cleaned everything up.


    There was too much going through her mind. Satsuhiro''s injury, the look on Kaori''s face when Ash had re-entered the room and found her with Ren''s dead body, Vermia''s unconscious body on the bed next to it. Ash shook her head, trying her hardest to focus.


    Technically, until this portal closed, the battle was still ongoing. She flew through the air, over the burnt bridge, and towards the giant diamond-like rift. Outside of it, Ash saw a few lone demons staggering through the area, aimless and wounded. She flew towards them and with a few quick slashes from her claws, the three demons were dead.


    Let''s just get it over with,  Ash said, walking into the portal.


    She ended up in a flooded wilderness. Grey water reached her ankles while strange thin trees grew out of it, their overgrown roots rising out of the water as well. She looked around.  No demons in sight... But when I went with Kasumi to the other one, a few were hiding in the water, so...


    She kept her eyes low, just in case. Ahead, three violet beams shot up to the sky and Ash nodded to herself.  There they are. The half-demon began making her way through this strange area, but just a few steps into it, she heard something.


    "Hm? And why should we do that?"


    Huh?  Ash thought, searching for the voice.  That sounds like...


    She turned her head to the left and her guess was confirmed. It was Magia, speaking to a little boy that she remembered to be a form of Niven.


    "Duties. The youngest of us wants to speak about responsibilities?"


    Ash raised a brow, but looked away and continued forwards.


    Just a few minutes later, she heard another voice. Lumina''s.


    "Y-Yes, I see,"  Lumina said as Ash looked to her right. Again, she was speaking to Niven.  "However... I love them. If I can prevent any harm from coming to these people I would. I apologize."


    Again, Ash walked past the vision. The last one came when Ash was, she guessed, halfway to the beams.


    "They have not broken the laws of the Higher Powers directly. I will not aid you until they do."


    Alkoth said this to Niven as Ash sighed.


    I really don''t care.  She thought as the vision faded away.


    No demons intercepted her on the way to the beams. Ash, of course, thought this to be strange, but no matter where she looked there were simply no signs of life. She reached the pyramids sometime later. This shallow river Ash had been walking on extended all the way to them, and in the water, Ash could see three pyramids poking out.


    However, there was something else there.


    Not a demon, not a Nightmare, not a human. Instead, it was Niven, standing there with his arms behind his back. His childlike form turned around as Ash approached, and the half-demon scowled when she saw his eyeless face pointed at her.


    The god smiled.


    "I will be honest..." Ash heard his voice in her thoughts. "I did not think you would win. I suppose overconfidence is just part of being a god."


    Ash waited, trying to see if Niven would somehow look to fight her. However, he simply stood there, an eerie smile aimed at her. Eventually, Ash looked away, towards one of the pyramids.


    She walked towards it and, after looking back at Niven briefly, she punched straight through it. One of the beams was gone and she looked at the god again, but he did not move. Niven simply kept his head and his smile aimed at her as she walked to the next one.


    "Using the bodies of the humans I killed was a fairly clever move. That necromancer should be proud of herself. I would be honored to have her in my ranks."


    Ash didn''t respond to Niven''s statement. Instead, she reared her fist back and smashed through the second.


    "... Not many people would walk past a god willing to speak to them with such nonchalance," Niven said as Ash walked to the third.


    Ash glared at him but didn''t say anything. Instead, she walked up to the third.


    "... Especially someone who knows the other gods they''ve spoken to haven''t been entirely honest."


    Just as Ash was about to break through the last pyramid, he said this. Ash stopped.


    She held her fist in the air, his words circling in her thoughts.


    Then, she sighed, dropping her hand.


    "What are you talking about?"


    "... If I''m being honest, I''m only guessing, but it seems my guess was at least a little accurate. The others haven''t told you the full story, right?" Niven asked.


    Ash scowled.


    "All I need to know is that dealing with you and your demons will get me paid... That''s all."


    "And yet, if that were true, you would have already broken that structure, right? So... Clearly, you must be at least somewhat curious." Then, he raised his hands. "Do not misunderstand, I do not believe for a second that you will side with me after this conversation... But I would seek to enlighten you a little if you would allow it."


    Ash turned away.


    "I don''t need..."


    "You will never hear this information from the others," Niven interrupted her. "This is your only chance to know what''s really going on. Are you so certain you are okay with not knowing?"


    Ash closed her eyes. Her conversations with Magia were mostly still fresh in her thoughts, and, especially after what happened with her Lust form, Ash couldn''t say she trusted her completely.


    So, she opened her eyes and looked over at Niven.


    "I swear, if this is just some dumb pitch to switch sides..."


    "Hehe... No," Niven shook his head. "I simply wish for you to understand me. See, at first, I had thought of you as an abomination. Those words I told you before, I meant them... But... Now, I see that I was wrong."


    "Oh, yeah?" Ash raised a skeptic brow.


    "You are not an abomination," Niven continued, "you are the attempt of the gods to do away with their mistakes. You, half-demon, are playing that role all on your own. And, if you''re going to right wrongs, you should at least know what those wrongs are."


    He stopped for a little and then his smile faded.


    "Has Magia told you how the gods function?"


    "... The Sites of Power," Ash replied. "That''s what gives you all your strength."


    "Hm. Not quite," Niven replied. "Sites of Power are... Manifestations of our strength, not the creators of it. No, our power comes from  you. Humanity."


    Ash crossed her arms.


    "Your expressions, to be more specific. Not your belief, no, you could all cease to think us real and we would be unaffected. No, it''s your emotions, your decisions, and your actions that fuel us. You do know our domains, right?"


    "Magia, lust, Lumina, love, Alkoth, justice or order or whatever, and you..."


    "Death," Niven said. "Yes, these are some of our domains. Every time a human acts on their lust, a person falls in love, a government executes a criminal, every time one of you dies, we receive power. See," Niven explained, "these things mean that we are carrying out our purpose. We were placed here by the Higher Powers, entities you could never even comprehend, to make sure that humanity functions as a society."


    He turned around and waved a hand. Suddenly, images flickered in front of him. People dancing, dying, fucking. Niven watched it all apathetically.


    "We influence your thoughts so that these things happen. And that is how we stay alive."


    Ash pulled back upon hearing that, but Niven was quick to correct himself.


    "Well, we''re immortal, by alive I mean... Living. You know this better than anyone, right?" Niven asked with a kind smile. "Given what has happened to you. I can see some of your memories every time you walk into one of these portals."


    Niven waved a hand and then, Ash saw herself sitting alone, on a scalding street in Jade, her knees huddled up to her chest.


    "Just because you''re alive doesn''t mean you''re... you know,  alive," Niven told her.


    As much as she hated to admit it, she knew what he was talking about.


    "When our domains aren''t produced by you, that," he pointed back at Ash''s image in the vision, "is what happens to us. Lumina needs human beings to love each other. Magia needs the consummation of that love, Alkoth needs the order that humans naturally produce in society, and... Well," Niven said, "I need you to die. Old, young, it does not matter. I simply need human lives to perish."


    He put his hands behind his back again.


    "However... Almost... what is it... Two thousand years ago?" Niven tapped his chin. "I do not know the exact time, but the other gods, well, they had an idea. See, they thought that, naturally, as it was beneficial to them, they needed humanity to produce as much as possible. So, what did they do, Ash?"


    "Fuck if I know," Ash muttered.


    "It''s simple," he smiled. "They started keeping humans alive."


    He walked up to her.


    "See, long ago, when all of the Sites of Power were active, our role in society was far more... involved. We could grant blessings and curses directly. I believe it was Magia who had the idea, before anyone else. She started preventing humans from dying."


    Niven shrugged as Ash gave a disbelieving look.


    "No, it is that simple. She prevented humans from killing each other, contracting diseases, even aging, just so that they could feed her for longer. When Lumina saw this and saw Magia''s power overflowing thanks to it, she started doing the same. With humans loving and fucking each other for centuries and centuries, their powers were overcharged. However, as I said, I need humans to die." Niven said. "I gain no pleasure from it. I simply need this the same way you need to breathe. So, what happened when hundreds of years went by and human beings never saw an end to their days? I turned into this."


    He gestured at his own body.


    "It''s not exactly noticeable, but, Ash, I was already the weakest of all gods, but when they came up with that little scheme, I was reduced to nothing. I asked, I begged them to allow you to die so that I could continue existing, but... Well, you heard her," Niven said. "Magia is a hard-headed person. She rejected my request and for so long, all I could do was starve..."


    He took a deep breath and waved a hand. Then, Ash saw the face of a demon.


    "Until this," Niven said, looking back at it. "Given your newfound strength, I assume the gods have begun to sacrifice parts of themselves to aid you, right?" He asked. Ash nodded.


    "Hmph. They don''t know what sacrifice is," Niven hissed. "When I was at my lowest point, I did this. I poured all of myself into a random human being and this was the result. The first demon. With its help, I tore down their Sites of Power, created more demons, and finally, finally, Ash," he grinned, "people were dying. It can be compared to spending years without eating and then tasting bread for the briefest of moments."


    "And they didn''t stop you?" Ash asked. "Sounds... unlikely."


    "... Ash, understand something," Niven said. "I am the weakest of us. If all of the gods united and tried to fight me, truly, this would not be a war. I would simply lose. But, that would require them to do something that none of the three were willing to do, until now. Can you guess what that is?"


    Given how Ash got her buff, she knew what he meant.


    "Sacrifice," he voiced her thoughts. "They can beat me easily, but in order to do so, they need to give. You think Magia, that proud woman, would harm herself just to prevent me from killing a few humans?" Niven asked. "You think Lumina, who loves herself as much as she loves every other living being would sacrifice as much as I did?"


    "And Alkoth?" Ash asked.


    "... Sadly, when it comes to him, I do not have an answer for you. Many times, he and I clashed, but that god is the most isolated and mysterious of us all. I doubt any entity outside of the Higher Powers knows what is going through his mind. All I know is, he didn''t either. None of them were willing to sacrifice as much as it would take to defeat me in this war. To truly end it in their favor."


    "Until now," Ash said.


    "Yes. Until now," Niven replied.


    "So, what are you going to do?" Ash crossed her arms. "Are you giving up?"


    "Oh, of course not," Niven chuckled. "I understand that, if they truly have learned some semblance of humility, I am now most likely going to lose. However... Once they win," he said, and Ash noticed he said once  and not  if.  "I will be punished. Once they win, human beings will likely go back to living for centuries and centuries as the gods protect them."


    "How?"


    "Well, that''s what you''re trying to accomplish, no?" Niven asked. "You will activate their Sites of Power, granting them the strength they once had over this world. But..."


    Niven shook his head.


    "I refuse to allow myself to starve again without putting up a fight. So, Ash, I look forwards to our next battle," Niven stated. "Before this is over, I will kill as many humans as I can. Once they are in power again... I will live in our realm, knowing I did my duty."


    With those words, Niven''s form disintegrated and Ash took a deep breath. She turned towards the third pyramid and destroyed it.


    The portal disappeared and Ash was now outside of Sapphire, her feet planted in snow instead of water.


    Niven''s words rang in her skull, but she shook them away.


    "Don''t want to go back to Sapphire like this..." Ash sighed. "I need to get rid of this form first."


    So, she went to find a quiet enough spot to do so.


    ---


    Keiko


    Outside of the palace, the Zayama watched as wounded men and women were cared for. Ahead of her, Ioko was speaking to his group of Zayama warriors. He noticed Keiko watching and went up to her.


    "It appears we won," Ioko laughed, some joy in his tone. "This is my first victory fighting along your side. I owe you a drink. It''s tradition."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, though I don''t believe you need tradition to justify wanting to drink after something like this," he said, looking at the others. "What of your friends?"


    "Hm?"


    "Are they alright? Did they make it?"


    "Uh... yeah," Keiko answered.


    "Then the victory is that much sweeter. You did not get to do much in the form of leading," Ioko acknowledged, "but hopefully we can work on that down the line. If you wish it, of course."


    "... I don''t think I do."


    "If that changes, let me know, siya~" he made a show out of using that last word and Keiko blushed. "Hahaha! Ah, it was good seeing you again, Keiko. Me and my squad will be moving on soon though. More places need help, the battle is won here, but there are more to fight. I wish you luck, and I hope we see each other again."


    "... Thanks, uh, seiyo."


    With that, Ioko turned back towards his soldiers.


    Keiko sighed. Then, she heard the door to the palace open. Walking out was Kaori, with Satsuhiro at her side. The man was walking using a crutch. Keiko could see anger in his eyes, aimed at his own body.


    She walked up to them.


    "So... Now what?" Keiko asked.


    It took Satsuhiro a moment to respond.


    "... Same as ever. Just get ready for the next fight."


    However, his voice was low and dreary. It hurt to hear. His usual determination was nowhere to be found.


    His eyes went up though, past Keiko. Keiko turned around and saw Ash walking up to them.


    The half-demon was in her normal form though, naked from the waist up and covered in both demon and human blood. Her white hair was drenched as well, a few drops slid down from her horns.


    Keiko didn''t feel the same pull from before, which she took to mean that it was a result of her other form.


    "We''re going?" Ash asked curtly.


    "Yeah," Satsuhiro replied. "We''ll head back to Jade on a caravan."


    "Uh, can you tell them to bring my horse?" Keiko asked. "Her name''s Ilyrum. She should be in the stables nearby."


    "Sure," Satsuhiro said. "Kaori, wanna help me out?"


    "Of course," Kaori said with a smile.


    "... Thank you. Just keep an eye out in case I fall down."


    Together, the two of them walked away, leaving Ash and Keiko standing there. Keiko looked over at the half-demon with some concern. She didn''t look happy.


    "So... we won," Keiko said, but Ash didn''t respond.


    At first, Keiko was afraid that she was angry at her for some reason, but then she understood that Ash was so distracted, she hadn''t actually heard her.


    "Um, Ash?" Keiko leaned in closer and now, Ash looked at her.


    "Hm?"


    "I, uh, nothing..."


    They remained in silence until the door to the palace opened again. This time, Vermia came out.


    The necromancer walked out with grace, taking light steps towards Ash.


    "You''re okay?" Ash asked.


    "No," Vermia smiled, "but for now, I am alive, to the chagrin of some, I did in fact. Of course, that little stunt has just about doomed me. I believe I have, well," she coughed and blocked her mouth with her hand. When she lowered it, Keiko saw blood. "Maybe I have a week at the most left."


    "Can''t you pick up the souls of the dead army or something? I mean... There are probably a lot."


    "Diminishing returns," Vermia said. "That method, though useful, becomes less viable the more you do it. Even if I did go through the effort of gathering them all, I''d likely just get another two weeks out of it. I''d rather not delay the inevitable any longer."


    "... Sorry," Ash said and Vermia waved her off.


    "I am a Savior. At some point, it was going to be time for me to take responsibility. But, this does mean that, unfortunately, I do not believe I will live to the next large battle. It will be up to you to win it. I do wish I could have shown you a little more in the way of Dark magic, but it seems our lessons will be cut short. My final gift to you is this," Vermia gave Ash a black key.


    "What is it?"


    "I used to own a home in Jade. Ask the Royal Council, they will let you know where it is. In there, I''m sure I have a few spellbooks. Make use of them."


    "... And where will you go?" Ash asked.


    "Amber. It was my home for a long time and I believe it is the best place for a murderer such as myself to wait to die. Maybe if they give me a grave, you can visit it someday."


    Ash and Keiko were stunned to hear the murderer part, but Vermia shrugged their surprise away.


    "I did what I had to, to survive. I hope you will do the same for the sake of humanity, Savior."


    With those words, the necromancer walked past them, and again, they were alone.


    They didn''t really talk at all for quite a while. Eventually, Ash turned towards her.


    "By the way... I''m sorry."


    "Hm?" Keiko asked.


    "When I was in my... form and all that... I don''t know if I took things too far or if I did anything you didn''t want... Did I?"


    Asking that, Ash looked as vulnerable as Keiko had ever seen her.


    "No. No," Keiko quickly replied. "If you''re talking about our, ehm, night together... I liked it."


    "... Okay," Ash took a deep breath. "Well, I dunno, I wanna apologize anyway."


    After a few minutes, Satsuhiro and Kaori returned.


    "Alright," Satsuhiro said, "your horse is being added to the caravan. Now," Satsuhiro sighed, "let''s get Metsumi, Opah, and get the hell out of Sapphire."


    "Agreed," Ash said. "This place is way too fucking cold."


    "I''d say the fact that you''re naked doesn''t help, Ash," Keiko said with a smile.


    "I don''t know, it''s definitely making me a little warmer," Kaori shyly stated.


    "Save this flirting for when you''re alone, seriously," Satsuhiro said and the girls laughed. With that, they went to go get Metsumi and Opah.


    And, once that was done, they''d soon depart the snow-capped city of Sapphire.

 Chapter 110 - Vol. 2 - 75

    When it was all said and done, Keiko, Kaori, and Ash all leveled up multiple times. Keiko saw the least progress of course since she didn''t have the same buff the Saviors had during the fight, but even she leveled up four times.


    Keiko:


    Level 28


    MP: 150/150


    EXP: 0/275


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 50


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 15


    L: 5


    Kaori leveled up as well, though not as much as Ash did since most of her focus was on keeping demons away from people, not killing them herself. In fact, most of the experience she gained came from granting Ren''s dying wish. She went up six levels.


    Kaori:


    Level 34


    MP: 60/60


    EXP: 0/330


    ---


    STR: 20


    DEX: 19


    CON: 42


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    The person who saw the most growth, by far, was Ash. The half-demon spent most of the battle killing off demons left and right and thanks to the buff the gods gave her, that meant she leveled up a total of 12 times and had 24 attribute points to show for it.


    Ash:


    Level 40


    MP: 150/150


    Attribute Points: 24


    EXP: 0/400


    ---


    STR: 29


    DEX: 13


    CON: 10


    INT: 18


    WIS: 15


    L: 100


    However, Ash held off on assigning them just yet. Similar to what had happened with Kaori before, she felt that where she assigned these points was going to dictate what kind of fighter she was, probably for the rest of this war.


    Currently, it was the night after the battle, just a bit past 6. Although they''d wanted to leave immediately, they were all so exhausted that the group had gotten together and rested for a few hours, convincing the caravan to wait up for them, before deciding to go.


    Right now, Ash wore a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and leather pants and was packing her things up in her bedroom at the bathhouse, alone. The door was open and she could hear the others outside, talking about something. As Ash finished up and exited the room, throwing the bag over her shoulder.


    In the main room, she saw Satsuhiro sitting on a couch and his daughter, Opah next to him, staring at where his right leg used to be.


    Someone knocked on the door and Metsumi went to open it. A guard stood outside.


    "Good evening," he said, "the funeral for the Savior, Ren, will be held in a few minutes by the Iceheart Inn."


    "Thanks, soldier," Metsumi said. The man bowed and walked away.


    The woman turned around and addressed the group.


    "So... Are we making a stop before we go?" Metsumi asked.


    "Uh..." A sad expression overtook Kaori''s face. The blonde nodded. "I''d like to go, just for a little bit anyway."


    "Yeah," Satsuhiro sighed. "We can go. We''ll pay our respects and we''ll leave after that. We should probably get moving right now, actually," he added. "Caravan won''t wait too long."


    He glanced over at his wife and she walked up.


    "Alright, come on, honey," Metsumi said, helping him up. Kaori brought him his crutch and Satsuhiro shook his head, some melancholy in his eyes.


    "Let''s go."


    ---


    They arrived at the Iceheart Inn shortly after that. To Ash''s surprise, the bodies had been cleared out, at least in this area. In their place, countless civilians packed the streets. A few poles holding orange orbs illuminated the city, allowing Ash to see Lord Anders up ahead, speaking to a few soldiers.


    As they got closer, the civilians gave them space to walk past. Part of that, of course, was because of Ash. Most of them gave one look at her horns and automatically took a step back. Most of them were dressed for the weather, but a few were here wearing close to nothing, their breath visible as they exhaled.


    They approached the Lord of Sapphire and he noticed them, smiling politely.


    "Ah, Saviors," he said, his hands behind his back. "I do wish the circumstances were... more pleasant," he looked to the left. On stacked logs was Ren''s body, covered from the neck-down with a white-blue sheet. "Though, one could make the argument that having won the battle for the city is enough to call this as much, but... Hm. Maybe that''s debatable."


    "Was his family notified?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yes, a letter was sent to his parents at Onyx. Apparently, he had a significant other but we couldn''t find out anything about them. Maybe his family will let them know."


    Ash looked to her right and saw Kaori looking at the Savior''s body with a saddened expression. As Satsuhiro and Anders continued talking, she went up to the blonde. To her surprise, Keiko was in the middle of doing the same thing, as they both arrived at her sides.


    Kaori noticed them and waved her hand.


    "I... I''ll be honest," Kaori breathed in, "I really thought Ren would make it."


    "Yeah," Ash agreed. She turned towards him. He still had the same expression from before, a minute smile on his portrait. The same smile she saw when she walked in and found Kaori''s weapon in his chest.


    "It, sorry, never mind..." Kaori shook her head.


    "What is it?" Keiko asked. Ash raised a brow at Kaori as she looked down.


    "Nothing, just... I''m wondering who else is out there at this point. Ren was one of the strongest, and with him passing away... I don''t know, it feels like we don''t have much to fall back on now."


    Ash looked away.


    "... You have me though."


    The words escaped her lips before she could hold them back.


    "What?" Kaori looked over at her.


    Now that she''d said it, she wasn''t about to take it back.


    "You have me," Ash said. She got closer to Kaori and Keiko, looking around and noticing that a few of the citizens'' eyes were on them. With a slightly more hushed tone, Ash continued. "Both of you... If I can help it, I am going to get us all through this."


    Kaori smiled.


    "That''s nice, but we have a job to do. That comes first."


    Not to me.  Ash thought.


    Still, Ash suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder and a vanilla-like scent flowing into her space. Kaori had rested her head on her, while she held Keiko''s hand at the same time.


    Ash shook her head as she took the closeness in.


    Still feels weird but... I don''t dislike it.


    "Citizens of Sapphire," Lord Anders suddenly said, taking a step forwards, towards Ren''s body. "We stand today as living testaments to the efforts made by everyone who fought for this city. The veteran soldiers, the recruits, the low-level peasants who took up a sword just in hopes that they could get one good shot in on a demon. We all stand here today, alive, because of them."


    Although the Lord was one of the youngest people there, the way he walked back and forth as he spoke, his elevated voice, his gestures, it all gave him one of the biggest auras.


    "However, although many made an effort to protect us, and they are all appreciated, some carried heavier weights than others. The Saviors," he declared, "those chosen by the good gods themselves to protect us in these dire times. We have a few of them in our presence," Anders gestured at Ash and her group. "Satsuhiro, Kaori, Ash, each of these individuals were given unique talents to help them keep all of us safe. Without them, we would not be here today. And yet, even then, one Savior made the ultimate sacrifice in his efforts. One Savior was cut, beaten and broken so that others wouldn''t have to suffer those same wounds. Blows that would have decimated lesser men, this man took with a smile. That..."


    He turned towards the Savior''s body.


    "... was Ren. A Savior whose dedication was only matched by the joy with which he experienced life. A great many lessons could be taken from this man, but more than anything else, it is important to note that not once, did he doubt himself or his allies before the fight. Not once did he allow fear to control his actions. He threw himself in front of every challenge with a vigor that surely made every demon that was slain on these streets tremble in his presence. Do not be saddened that he passed, everyone. Be happy that he traded his life for that of ours, as was his intention."


    Anders looked over at Satsuhiro and gestured for him to come.


    "I''d rather you do it," Anders said, low enough for only Ash''s group to hear.


    "Sure..."


    "Wait!" Kaori suddenly said, snapping up to attention.


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro turned towards her.


    "... Can I do it?" Kaori asked.


    Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "Really? You want to?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Uhm... yeah," Kaori nodded shyly. "I do."


    Satsuhiro looked away for a moment before doing the same.


    "Well, you were his apprentice for a bit. Sure. Go ahead."


    "..." Kaori hesitated, but then breathed in and started to approach the body.


    The Savior walked up. Everyone''s eyes followed her as she moved towards Ren. Once she was close enough, Ash saw her eyes fall on Ren''s face for a few seconds before she closed them and extended her hand.


    The blonde muttered something Ash couldn''t hear and fire sprayed out from her palm, covering the logs.


    With that, she took a few steps back.


    The city watched as one of their heroes faded to ash in front of their eyes.


    ---


    3 Days Later


    The caravan consisted of three carts. Ash and her group took up the last one. Here, Ash had her head resting against the back wall, asleep as the wooden vehicles moved on the way to the capital. She was currently sandwiched between Kaori and Keiko, who both had their heads on her shoulders.


    In her dreams, Ash found herself at a familiar place. A black room that began to swirl with colors until a woman manifested in front of Ash.


    She grinned when she saw the half-demon, but as Ash looked back at her, she scowled. Remembering the conversation she had with Niven, Ash understood that if what he had said was the truth, this entire was was simply a result of Magia''s own ego.


    The goddess must have sensed her thoughts because the same scowl Ash wore replicated itself on her face. However, as they were not at a Site of Power, Ash couldn''t hear her. Instead, Magia simply walked up to Ash and put her hands on her own hips.


    They stared at each other for a few seconds before Magia soundlessly scoffed and turned away. A throne made of white roses appeared behind her and Magia sat down on it, shrugging.


    Hm. Well, that probably tells me everything I need to know.


    As the caravan took a particularly nasty bump, Ash''s eyes opened, and Magia''s image was no longer in front of her.


    As the caravan arrived at Jade later, Ash and the others quickly made their way to the Spirit Garden''s District. Here, they returned to the Savior House.


    Satsuhiro opened the door and the others walked in after him.


    Holy shit,  Ash said as she looked around at the furniture, most of which was exactly as they''d left it.  We were gone for like a week or two, and it still feels like it''s been ages since we left. Fuck, this feels weird.


    "Rest up," Satsuhiro said.


    "When are we training again?"


    "I..." Satsuhiro paused. "I think we need a break."


    Ash raised a brow at that.


    "We need some rest. So, yeah, just get settled for now. We won''t be doing anything for a while."


    And so, the journey of the Savior initiates was momentarily paused, as everyone needed some time to internalize what they had been through. As for the rest of the world, well, Ash couldn''t care less if they didn''t like that.


    As far as she was concerned, they''d earned their time off.

 Chapter 111 - Vol. 2 - Epilogue

    Kasumi


    Following the battle of Sapphire, Kasumi departed from the cold city as soon as she could. She found no reason to stick around, after all. However, that quickly presented her with a problem.


    Simply put, now what?


    Without a battle to focus on, her mind went right back to thinking about what she usually pondered. Her daughter''s fate.


    But that wasn''t something she was interested in doing. So, when Kasumi returned to Jade, she decided that until the next fight came, she''d do what she knew worked best to distract her.


    Drink her ass off.


    "... Are you sure?" A bartender asked. "This is your eighth drink, I..."


    "Did I stutter?" Kasumi asked, glaring at him as he shrugged and poured more into her cup. Around her, other strangers laughed and celebrated amongst each other. Drinking, after all, was one of those magical activities that could be enjoyed in a wide range of contexts. As for the Savior, she couldn''t remember the last time she drank for any other reason than to escape for a few seconds.


    Hm. Okay... This might be enough.  Kasumi said, crossing her arms and resting her head on the counter.


    Actually... This might have been a bit more than enough. Shit.


    As she sulked, a few people started dancing around her and Kasumi groaned, standing up to walk away from that unpleasant situation. She took three steps before the world started to twist and she found herself falling to the side.


    Ugh...


    A few people went to help her out, but by now, Kasumi was blacking out. Every couple of seconds, the world would go dark, and then she''d come back, seeing herself in a completely different place, before the world went dark again. She understood that she was walking towards somewhere, but had no idea where she was going.


    Eventually, she realized she had ended up in someone''s house.


    Wait, where am I?


    Recognizing that this could potentially be a pretty bad situation, Kasumi made an effort to take stock of where she was and what was happening.  Okay... I''m in a house that looks a little familiar... Someone is holding me up, who is it?  She asked herself.


    Her right arm was wrapped around a woman''s upper back, a white-haired girl with two horns on her head.


    Huh? Who the... Wait...


    Kasumi drew as close as she could to get a good look at the woman''s face. That, apparently, was too close because the white-haired woman recoiled and said, "what the hell?"


    Oh.  She nodded to herself.  That''s Ash...


    "Hm? What about me?" Ash asked.


    Did I say that out loud?  Kasumi thought.


    "Yes. You did."


    She blacked out again and all of a sudden, she was in a bed. A sheet was thrown over her and to her right were two girls now. Ash and someone else.


    "Are you feeling alright?" The new girl, some blonde with one arm, asked.


    "No," Kasumi replied. That said, now that she was on a bed, the world stopped spinning just a little.


    "Uhm... Okay..."


    As the blonde responded, Kasumi closed her eyes, and the world blacked out for the last time that night.


    ---


    When she next opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was the intense headache she had.  Oh, fuck, this feels awful. What happened to me? Kasumi asked herself.  Did I seriously drink that much last night?


    She tried to sit up, but her head completely disagreed with that decision and Kasumi let herself fall back on the bed.  Oh... This is terrible. She stayed like that for a while, taking deep breaths and trying her hardest to wait the headache out, until someone opened the door.


    Kasumi turned to look and found someone she knew walking in.


    "Wait... Kaori, right?" Kasumi asked.


    The blonde was carrying a plate of eggs and bacon while hugging a glass cup filled with icy water. She didn''t respond, focused entirely on delivering the breakfast.


    "Here you go... hope I don''t drop anything...~" Kaori sang as she awkwardly placed everything on the bed. Kasumi, with great effort, sat up and reached for the water immediately.


    "Thanks."


    "You''re welcome!" Kaori replied with a bright smile. Then, she sat down by the bed as Kasumi picked up the plate, the fork, and the knife and started eating.


    Between bites, Kasumi said:


    "How did you find me?"


    "Oh, uh, we were sort of notified by some guards," Kaori explained as Kasumi savored the eggs. This dish was excellently made. "They recognized you as a Savior and saw you, like, stumbling through the streets... One of them came here and told us to come to get you. Said that ''it wasn''t a good look for us''. So, we did."


    Nodding, Kasumi sighed.


    "So, where are we?"


    "The Savior House," Kaori responded with a little flourish of her hand. "Technically, this place belongs to you too, so feel free to stay until you feel better."


    "... Okay."


    Another person entered the room then and both girls turned to see them. It was Ash.


    "Oh, she''s up."


    "Yeah," Kaori replied and Kasumi didn''t miss the way her face naturally brightened just at the sight of the half-demon. She nearly rolled her eyes.  Could you be a little less obvious?  She thought as Ash walked towards the bed.


    "Everything alright?" Ash asked, her arms crossed.


    Kasumi stopped herself from countering with a "why do you care?", and instead, nodded.


    "We let the Royal Council know that we''re all taking some time off," Ash informed her, "you may as well do the same."


    "I planned to," Kasumi replied.


    Kaori then noticed that the glass cup was empty and grabbed it.


    "Let me fill this up for you again."


    The blonde then left the two of them alone. Ash''s eyes looked down at Kasumi with a mix between concern and curiosity.


    "So... What had you drinking yourself to death last night?"


    Kasumi glared at her.


    "That''s a heavy question, don''t you think?"


    "I mean... I kind of feel like I already know the answer," As responded.


    "Then why ask?"


    "Because," Ash sighed, and then she sat down next to her. "I was wondering if you wanted to talk about it."


    At that, Kasumi raised a brow.


    "That''s... strangely thoughtful of you."


    The door was wide open, and Kasumi could hear that Kaori had started talking to someone else outside. Ash shrugged.


    "What you said before... Okay, listen," Ash cleared her throat and stood back up. "I''ve always operated under the assumption that everyone was always going to hate me, but... lately, I''ve understood that with some people, it doesn''t have to be that way. And, with what happened to your daughter, I get that. It''s tough," Ash stated.


    "Tough" is certainly one way to put it... Kasumi thought.


    "And I can understand how that could get you to distrust me and all that shit. The same way that the shit I''ve been through has gotten me to distrust everyone around me too. I understand. Now," Ash said, looking into her eyes, "I''m just wondering if it has to be that way. I mean, I don''t think you want to be like this for the rest of your life, right?"


    "What are you getting at?" Kasumi asked.


    "I''m just saying that maybe, I don''t know, maybe there''s something here we can work on," Ash said. "I don''t know about you, but I''m tired. I''m really, really tired of having to deal with people''s bullshit. And, considering how you ended up here, I''m guessing you''re tired of your own shit too. I..."


    Ash paused, her eyes going half-lidded for a moment.


    "I talked to someone a bit ago and she said that I had to start talking to people. Maybe you should start doing that too."


    There was no kindness in her tone. She was simply speaking with a direct honesty that Kasumi thought was rare to see.


    "... This sounds so fucking stupid," Ash muttered, "but maybe we could start doing that together."


    "... It''s too late," Kasumi responded. "I''m in too deep."


    "We wouldn''t know for sure unless we tried, right?" Ash asked.


    Kasumi heard those words and leaned back against her pillow. She stared up at the ceiling. Her daughter''s face ran in front of her eyes but this time, she didn''t fight it off. She simply took a deep breath and when she exhaled, she realized how right Ash was.


    Kasumi truly was tired. The grief, the self-hatred, the depression. She''d had enough of it.


    She doubted she would ever truly forget what happened to Nozomi, but Ash had let the crimson-haired woman know something about herself that only just realized. Kasumi was emotionally exhausted.


    "You''re right," Kasumi said softly.


    "Yeah?"


    Kasumi nodded.


    "... As shitty as it feels to get lectured by someone like, eight years younger than me or whatever, you''re right. I need help," Kasumi muttered.


    Just saying those words felt like a weight had been lifted off of her chest.


    "... Maybe the first step is to take a bath," Ash said. "You smell like shit."


    At that, Kasumi laughed. It was the first time she laughed in who knows how long.


    "Yeah. Maybe so. Fuck, I''m sweaty."


    Kasumi stood up, getting off the bed. She looked to her left and saw some drawers.  I can probably change clothes at least for a little bit before I go take that bath.  Kasumi thought and, right then, with Ash behind her, she lifted her shirt up and took it off.


    "Ohhh~ That feels good..." Kasumi sighed with relief, as the cold morning air kissed her skin. She felt Ash staring at her and looked at the half-demon.


    Then, Kasumi saw something strange and raised a brow.


    Ash''s pupils turned heart-shaped for a moment, before going back to their normal violet.


    What?  Kasumi thought but didn''t say anything. I don''t know, maybe that''s just a demon thing.


    ---


    Ash


    After the talk with Kasumi, the morning went on normally. Kasumi remained holed up in her room, but the half-demon left feeling just a little bit hopeful that things between them would work out for the better.


    And, she had one person to thank for that.


    She walked to the living room and saw Metsumi sitting next to Satsuhiro, her hand on Satsuhiro''s right thigh, just above where his leg had been torn off. The Savior had a depressed look while Metsumi whispered things to him with a soft tone.


    Ash walked up.


    "Metsumi," she said. "Can... Can I talk to you?"


    "Hm? Of course," Metsumi smiled and stood up.


    Ash walked over to a nearby hallway where the two of them would be unseen.


    "What''s up?" Metsumi asked, putting her hands on her hips.


    Then, Ash took a deep breath, walked up, and wrapped her arms around the larger woman, her throat suddenly feeling tighter.


    "Hahaha, Ash?" Metsumi asked, chuckling as she returned the hybrid''s clumsy hug.


    "Thanks... Just... Just wanted to say that."


    "... I don''t know what I did, but no problem, Ash. I''ll always be here if you need me."

 Chapter 112 - Interlude 1 - Kaori, The Half-Demon, Part 1

    Note: This is the first of a few non-canon chapters. Basically, the premise of these is just exploring the characters in other timelines, universes, and contexts. The point being, you don''t have to read these, you can just skip straight to Vol. 3 if you aren''t interested, but I thought they''d be fun to do.


    ---


    Kaori


    The first day of a new university semester was not something Kaori ever really looked forward to, but this one was different. Mainly, because it was Kaori''s last semester. As Kaori slipped on her shoes, she sighed. I''m almost done.  Nodding to herself, Kaori tried her hardest to force some excitement into her system.


    She walked over to where a mirror was and looked at herself for a second or two. She was wearing a long-sleeved black scholar''s ji that contrasted with the white hair that came from... the other side of her genetics. Saddened a little, Kaori looked into her own violet eyes and pushed back a strand of hair past her horns.


    You''ll see...  Kaori told herself. Everything''s going to be awesome! Just trust... trust in Lumina!


    Nodding, Kaori walked out of the room. The smell of coffee quickly slipped into her nostrils and Kaori was drawn towards it, finding her mother filling a few ceramic mugs.


    Unnoticed, Kaori walked up behind her and wrapped her up in a hug. Her mom was startled, but she soon chuckled and eased up.


    "You came out of there a bit late," her mother noted. "Butterflies getting the better of you?"


    "... A bit. Nothing some coffee can''t help out though."


    "Coffee does tend to make everything about 20% better. Here you go," she handed Kaori the cup, and the white-haired girl half-bowed.


    "Thanks, mom. Dad already left for work?" Kaori asked.


    "Yes," her mother replied. "You did take a long time to come down, after all."


    "Aw... Well," taking quick sips, Kaori finished the coffee and placed the mug back down on the counter. "I''m off."


    Her mother briefly let go of what she had in her hands and walked over to Kaori, hugging her tightly.


    "Good luck out there."


    ---


    By now, one would think that Kaori would have gotten used to the strange, dirty looks that she often received, but she hadn''t. She looked to her right, just because she felt a pair of eyes on her and she saw two girls whispering to each other, as they stared straight at her.


    Well, they were whispering, but Kaori could still hear them.


    "Oh, shit, it''s her," one said and Kaori sighed. "The demon..."


    "I heard she goes out at night and attacks people, like, sucking their blood, you know?"


    "Holy shit..."


    Yeah? I don''t think blood tastes good if I''m being honest.


    How did she know that? Because of one specific event that happened in her life, just four years ago, when she was 14. See, usually, Kaori was good at avoiding interactions that were overly negative. Sure, people would occasionally spit at her or try to trip her as she passed, but that was normally the extent of the public''s distaste for her.


    One night though, as she had been walking home from university, some thugs went way too far.


    She could still remember that night. It had left, no pun intended, a bitter taste in her mouth.


    The sky was as black as ever with two twin purple-ish moons hovering at the center. Kaori''s legs were a bit tired but she had enough energy to get back home without having to drag herself. The half-demon kept her head low, her hands in her pockets. The air was colder than usual, entering her lungs like icy daggers every time she breathed in.


    She snuck a quick glance at her surroundings and realized that there were barely any people around. Not even any guards. No, instead, there were just three grown men standing under the torchposts that cast a dim light over the streets.


    Kaori took a nervous breath and hurried her pace, moving to pass them by. However, one noticed her.


    "Ey, get a load of this..." She heard someone whisper as she was about to walk by the small group.


    "Hey, demon," someone called out to her and Kaori closed her eyes.


    "Just keep walking," she told herself. "Just keep..."


    She heard some footsteps coming closer. Kaori was about to turn to look back.


    And then, the world briefly went white. She felt stone pressing against her cheek. Everything was sideways and blurry. It took her a moment to realize someone had just hit her, and that she was now on the ground.


    "Look at it," one of them said. "Just walking through the city like it doesn''t have two horns on its cursed fucking head."


    Kaori tried to stand up, but someone put a foot on her back and pressed her back to the stone sidewalk.


    "W-Wait..." Kaori said. "Please..."


    "Oh, it can beg," another one said. "Must have gotten pretty good at pretending to be human. It''s honestly a little scary."


    "Yeah... Make no mistake though, lads," the first who had talked said, "this is the same monster that took my wife from me."


    "Look at those horns," she was kicked in the gut and Kaori spat out, coughing. "Nothing human about ''er."


    "... How about we give the world some justice?" One asked the other two.


    And suddenly, Kaori was being taken to a pitch-black alley. Here, she was kicked again, only this time the hit was followed up on by a few more. And then, a lot more. Until Kaori was covering up her head in an effort to just stay alive.


    They didn''t stop. Even as one of their kicks produced an audible crack in Kaori''s left arm, even as blood started to roll down her forehead.


    Even as a violet aura began to encapsulate Kaori''s body.


    What happened next is the only part of this that is actually a blur in Kaori''s mind. One moment, she was being beaten, the next, she had pinned one of them to the ground, holding him by the shoulders.


    Then, she bit down on his neck and ripped out as much of it as she could.


    Kaori felt like there was meat and blood in her teeth for weeks after that.


    Walking past golden gates, Kaori entered her university. This was normally the hardest part of her day-to-day routine, as more eyes were on her here than at any other point.


    Just keep moving, just keep moving, just...


    "Uwah!" Kaori ran into someone.


    She fell on top of the person she''d smashed into. Whoever they were yelped and Kaori quickly sat up.


    "S-Sorry! Sor..."


    But, when her eyes fell on the person under her, the words she''d wanted to say failed to come out.


    Oh. She''s gorgeous.


    The girl had long, almost spiky black hair, a slender face, and crystalline blue eyes that were aimed up at her in a glare.


    "..." Their eyes locked and Kaori remained frozen.


    Right up until the woman said:


    "You mind getting the fuck off of me?"


    "U-Uh, YES, YOU''RE HOT, I MEAN, S-SORRY!"


    The way Kaori scrambled away could only be compared to how a cockroach skitters off at blinding speed after one fails to hit it. The girl stood up, dusted herself off, and as Kaori did the same, she realized how tall she was. She almost stood a full head taller.


    The girl walked up to Kaori and the half-demon fully expected to get slapped.


    Instead, she dusted off Kaori''s left shoulder. Then, she leaned in close and said:


    "Watch. Where. You''re. Going."


    "Y-Yes, ma''am..." Kaori said, assuming she was just a really young teacher of some sort.


    With that, the black-haired beauty walked away and Kaori let out a relieved sigh.


    Not the best start...


    Later, Kaori walked through the halls of the university and went straight to her first classroom. Here, she''d wait until the professor, the students arrived, and then she''d lower her head, plant it against her chair''s desk, and nap until the class was over.


    Other students weren''t allowed to do that, but no one ever bothered to tell her not to. Most people seemed content to keep away from her at all times.


    You know what... Maybe I should just get started on that nap right away.


    A small part of her was concerned that someone would steal her bag, but overall she was confident no one would. After all, many of the students were afraid to simply get too close for fear that they would be "corrupted" somehow.


    So, Kaori closed her eyes and let herself drift away.


    She only got around ten minutes of napping in when someone tapped her right shoulder.


    "Awaha... What?" Kaori said, snapping up.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw the same girl from before, standing in front of her with her arms crossed.


    "So, you actually were asleep?" The girl asked. Kaori noted how unique her voice was. It was like a mixture between the authoritative tone of someone who had been teaching for the last twenty years and was tired of it, and the "can''t be asked" attitude of a teenage brat.


    "Um... Sorry... I... Uh..."


    "Whatever, listen," she said, "we''re working on a group project together. We have to figure that shit out."


    "What?" Kaori asked and then, she looked around. All of the other students were paired up, with their chairs huddled closer together. "You..."


    She was about to ask "you wanted to work with me?" but, she then quickly realized that it had probably been a teacher that assigned them to work together.


    Right. Like anyone would want to.


    The girl dragged a chair over, its legs scratching against the ground, and then she sat down in front of Kaori, leaning back.


    "Wait," Kaori said, "so... You aren''t a teacher?"


    At that, the girl raised a brow.


    "No. Now, listen sweetheart," the girl said, kicking her legs up and putting her feet on a chair nearby.


    Wow... She has long legs.


    "We can talk about this project here, but honestly, I wanted to catch some sleep too, so I thought maybe we can talk about this outside."


    "... Outside?" Kaori asked. "As in, outside of the academy?"


    "What other outside is there, genius?" The girl asked with a roll of her eyes.


    "R-Right... Sorry..."


    "Anyway, listen. Name''s Ash," the girl said. "Now, if you don''t mind, I''m gonna knock myself out for a few seconds."


    And then, she reached into her bag, pulled out some shirt, and draped it over her head.


    Kaori couldn''t help but chuckle a little at the sight.


    Uh... Okay... What the heck is going on?

 Chapter 113 - Interlude 1 - Kaori, The Half-Demon, Part 2

    Kaori was so nervous, her arms felt cold even as she walked under the overwhelming midday sun. Suddenly, her skirt felt too short as Kaori tugged it down every couple of minutes. Just calm down,  she told herself.  Nothing''s gonna happen. We''re just going to work on stuff, I''ll stay as quiet as I can, and, um... That''ll be it.


    As much as she wanted to tell herself that though, she felt like people were staring at her already, as she made her way to the restaurant that Ash had specified. That was of course because they were staring at her, but Kaori felt like they were judging her for even daring to go speak to someone in a casual setting.


    "Uh... Is this it?" She muttered to herself, standing outside a small place that held a sign that read "Orno''s Broth". Tentatively, Kaori put a hand on the front door''s handle. She took a deep breath and walked in.


    Immediately, she saw Ash sitting on a stool with her back turned to Kaori. She was speaking to an old man behind the counter in front of her. The raven-haired girl was wearing a black leather jacket, blue jeans, and black boots which contrasted heavily with the old man''s traditional business ji. Kaori looked around. There were a few other stools lined up beside Ash, two tables to the right by glass windows, and a bookshelf to the left. At most, this place could only hold ten, maybe twenty people at a time.


    "Don''t say anything weird..." Ash told the man. As he heard that, the man looked over at Kaori and smiled.


    "Ah. You must be Kaori then?" As he said that, Ash looked back, her eyes meeting Kaori''s briefly, and then she went back to the soup she was having.


    Kaori walked up.


    Oh... Oh my... She thought when she realized Ash didn''t have a shirt underneath that black jacket, which was unbuttoned and open. Instinctively, Kaori almost leaned forwards to see how much of Ash''s body she could glimpse before she caught herself.


    NOPE! Stop that!  Kaori shook her head.  Don''t let your horniness stop you from making a friend... but, gosh, my virginity feels so heavy right now.


    Arguably, one of the worst parts of being a bisexual half-Lust demon was that Kaori was particularly drawn to the people around her, but had no one willing to ease those worries. It sucked.


    "Um... You are Kaori, right?" The old man said and Kaori was startled.


    Kaori nodded, her hands held together in front of her. She bowed and tried to smile.


    "Good afternoon," she muttered.


    "Welcome," the man said. "Please, sit. Are you hungry?"


    "Uh... n-no..."


    "That did not sound like a very secure answer," he said with a smirk. "My name''s Kairo. Let me know if you change your mind. I make a mean spikefrog soup."


    "Oh, uh, okay..." Kaori nodded.  Well, I''m not being cursed out of the building so... So far so good?


    Ash then took her bowl, stood up, and walked over to one of the tables on the right, gesturing for Kaori to follow. Kaori bowed to the old man one more time and then joined her.


    Ash continued her meal as she occasionally glanced up at Kaori, who was just watching her, feeling uneasy.  Just don''t say anything weird, or scary, or unusual...  Kaori told herself.  Just act normal.


    She straightened her back and tried to make effective eye contact.


    After all, eye contact was important according to the  Young Woman''s Guide to Making Friends,  a book that Kaori read religiously.


    Eye contact!  She thought, focusing hard on Ash''s blues,  the first step to forming any strong human connection!


    Kaori narrowed her eyes, making sure that her pupils never strayed from Ash''s own. The girl continued her meal, only glancing up a few times before she eventually put her spoon down.


    "Is there something on my face?"


    "Huh? Uh... No."


    "Then, why are you staring at me?" Ash asked.


    Kaori blinked.


    WAIT!  She thought.  This is an opportunity! The second step, compliments!


    "I-I just thought your eyes were really pretty..."


    Ash raised a brow and looked back down at her soup, without responding.


    Uh... Did I do this right? Probably, the Guide to Making Friends wouldn''t lie, after all. Point one for me!  She gave herself a mental thumbs-up as Ash finished up.


    Ash shifted in her seat, leaning back a little. Then, she stretched her arms and arched her back, and her jacket separated enough to give Kaori a view that made her blush. Kaori''s eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of a few too many things at once. Ash''s sculpted abs and half of the woman''s breasts, all of which rose and fell with Ash''s breathing.


    Kaori gulped.


    Calm. Down.  She told herself.  Be. Normal.


    But she didn''t stop staring. Something that quickly became a mistake when Ash looked back at her and scoffed, noticing where Kaori''s eyes were.


    AH!  Kaori looked down at the table quickly but if Ash''s half-lidded "really?" eyes were anything to go by, the damage was done.


    "So, the project?" Ash asked with some mirth.


    "R-Right... What do we have to do again?"


    "Basically..."


    The rest of the conversation was thankfully more boring. Kaori couldn''t handle more excitement than what she got, so she was quite happy to focus on work for a while. They went over a few things they had to do. Apparently, they were to give an oral report on the Church of Magia and its leader, some man named Varcon. As a proud Lumina follower though, Kaori had no idea who that was.


    They talked for a little over two hours. In that time, customers came in and out of the small joint, conversations between them and Kairo serving as background noise as the two of them talked.


    "So... do you want to go there?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm?"


    "To the church. We could ask around for some information..."


    "No." Ash was quick to respond. "Last thing I need is more old men trying to tell me what I should and shouldn''t be doing," she said, sneaking a look at Kairo. "Besides, I''m pretty sure they''d just throw you out the moment you tried to walk in."


    Oh... Right.


    Kaori looked down, saddened to hear that. With this conversation, she''d been allowed to escape reality for a while, but that reminded her that at the end of the day, she was not human.


    "... Are you hungry?" Ash suddenly asked.


    "W-What?"


    "Are. You. Hungry?" Ash asked again.


    "Uh... Kind of. D-Don''t worry though, I''ll eat when I get home."


    "May as well get yourself something here," Ash shrugged.


    "I... I didn''t bring any money..." Kaori told her.


    "I''ll pay for it," Ash replied and Kaori raised a brow.


    "What? No, no, you don''t have to, I..."


    Ash ignored her and passed her a menu that was laying on the side of the table.


    "Pick something."


    Kaori looked down at it and then up at Ash. The woman had a bored look in her eyes as she watched Kaori hesitate. Then, Kaori dragged the menu over to herself.


    "T-Thank you."


    "No problem."


    Twenty minutes later, the two of them were walking out of the restaurant, side by side. Kaori felt so small next to her. She kept her hands shyly clutched together as Ash stopped.


    "Headed home?" Ash asked.


    "Yes. Thanks again for the meal."


    Ash looked away.


    "I''ll walk you."


    "Hm? Uh, don''t worry, it''s okay, I can..."


    "The streets can be rough at this hour," Ash told her. "Are you sure?"


    Kaori knew that all too well. As much as she didn''t want to bother Ash, she also knew that the likelihood that people would try to mess with her would be drastically lowered if she had someone with her. Especially if Ash was someone the citizens around here knew.


    So, she nodded.


    "I-If you don''t mind..."


    "I don''t," Ash quickly replied. "Where to?"


    With that, they started to walk to Kaori''s house. The sun had started to go down as the two of them walked, mostly in silence. Ash kept her eyes ahead, every once in a while she would look over at Kaori who would turn away, embarrassed.


    Eventually, they were passing two middle-aged men. Kaori, who had forgotten who she was for a little bit, forgot what could happen if she passed by people too closely like this.


    One of them tripped her. Kaori yelped and fell forwards, landing fortunately with her hands on the ground, though her left knee was scraped.


    "Ahhh..." She hissed, clutching it.


    The two guys laughed. Ash saw them and walked over to them.


    Wait, what?  Kaori thought as she saw the woman march over to them.


    "Hey," she said to the one who''d tripped Kaori.


    "Wh-"


    Before the guy could finish responding, Ash put her right leg behind his, and then shoved him back, pushing him to the ground.


    "What the fuck!?" The guy yelled, his back hitting the stone ground.


    Ash placed a boot on his chest and scowled at him.


    "Maybe don''t do that to people who are just minding their own business," she whispered as the guy''s friend watched with fear in his eyes.


    "W-, you''re standing up for a demon!?" He asked, under her foot.


    "A person," Ash corrected him. "Now, fuck off."


    With that, the guy stood up and Ash put her hands in her pockets, standing in front of him. She practically dared him to do something, but the guy just muttered something and walked away.


    Ash turned back around and walked over to Kaori, extending a hand for her to get up.


    She did so but nearly fell back down as her left leg gave out.


    "Ahh... sorry, that was a bad fall," Kaori said, holding onto Ash as the woman helped her remain up.


    "You don''t have anything to apologize for," Ash muttered, "come on. Sit down."


    "What?"


    Ash led her to a nearby wooden crate. Here, Kaori sat down and Ash got on her knees. She held her leg up with her left hand, under Kaori''s calf, and hovered her right hand over Kaori''s scraped knee.


    Then, it started to glow white. Kaori''s eyes widened.


    "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach," Ash said and Kaori''s wound started to heal.


    "What? Y-You''re a mage?"


    "Just a spell I picked up a while ago," Ash shrugged. "Give it a second and you''ll be fine."


    Kaori blushed. Even though the situation wasn''t romantic at all, Ash was still fairly close to her. Ash must have noticed because she chuckled as she looked down at her knee.


    "You get flustered easily, don''t you?" Ash asked.


    "Sorry..."


    "Not something you have to apologize for," Ash shrugged. "Just saying. It''s cute."


    That did nothing to help with her nerves.


    After that, the two walked to Kaori''s house. Once they were standing outside of it, Kaori turned towards Ash.


    "Uh, we''re here. Thanks for everything."


    "No problem," Ash crossed her arms. "Actually, my house is pretty close by."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. Listen," Ash said, "tomorrow, how about we meet up again?"


    "What?"


    "Same thing. What do you say?"


    Kaori felt so much excitement bubble up inside of her that she found herself nodding before her mind caught up to what her body was doing.


    "Y-Yes! Uh, yeah. Sure."


    "Cool. See ya."


    Just like that, Ash walked away. Kaori took a deep breath.


    I... I made a friend?  She wondered.  I did! The Guide didn''t lie! The eye contact and the compliments worked!!!


    With that realization, the first thing she did when she got back into her house was re-read the entirety of that book once more.


    Figuring that surely, it was a gift given to her by the gods.

 Chapter 114 - Interlude 1 - Kaori, The Half-Demon, Part 3

    A Few Weeks Later


    Kaori stared at herself in the mirror, her heart beating in her ears. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt and a skirt of the same color, along with thigh-high stockings and black boots. This is good, right?  She asked herself for the fifth time.  Uh... Maybe the stockings are a bit much but...


    She shook her head and pouted.  No! You look good, it''s fine.


    As she continued to pick apart what she wore, she heard someone knock on the front door. Kaori exited the room, but her mother was already on her way to answer. The older woman opened the door and from behind, Kaori saw Ash standing there, her hands in her pockets.


    "Oh, Ash!" Kaori''s mom said brightly. "Good morning!"


    "Morning," Ash half-bowed. Kaori''s parents had met Ash just a couple of days ago, as she''d shown up to walk her to the restaurant so they could keep working on the project. "Is Kaori...?"


    However, when she saw the half-demon, her words trailed off. As for Kaori, her eyes went up and down Ash''s figure and she had to keep herself from biting her lip.  She is... Genuinely, unfairly attractive.  Kaori thought as she saw that the woman was dressed in a white tank top that showed off her arms, and a pair of black shorts that showed far too much of those endless legs of hers.


    "Yes, she''s here, uhm, would you like anything to drink before you go?" Her mother asked.


    "No, no, I ate on my way here," Ash replied. "Thanks, though."


    "Very well then," Kaori''s mom turned to her and walked up, hugging her daughter with a smile. "Have fun!"


    "Y-Yeah..." Kaori replied, returning the hug. Her mom walked back into the living room while Ash simply stood outside with a little smirk.


    "Ready?"


    "Mhm."


    "Let''s get moving then."


    With that, the two of them went out, on their way to Ash''s house. Last week, as they''d been finishing up the project, the two of them had been sitting in that quaint restaurant chatting together when Ash had dropped an unexpected question on her out of nowhere.


    She had asked if Kaori wanted to hang out at her house.


    "A-Are you sure!?" Kaori had asked.


    Ash laughed a little and nodded.


    "Mhm. If you want to come, you''re invited. I don''t have much, but we can find something to do, I''m sure."


    "I... But, really? I mean..." Kaori had looked down at the table, nervous. "I''m... You know, uh... a..."


    "I''m aware," Ash responded with a roll of her eyes. "So?"


    "Uhm, sure. Yeah, sure."


    And with that, the two of them were now walking towards Ash''s home. Although Kaori understood that this was normal for others, she couldn''t help but feel strange. She hadn''t ever thought that this sort of thing would be in the cards for her. But, indeed, she was really here. Ash was actually next to her, and the two of them were as a matter of fact, on their way to hang out.


    She had to keep herself from grinning, she was so excited.


    "We''re here," Ash said, and Kaori looked ahead. What they stood in front of was a quaint house that probably didn''t stand out to anyone else, but as for Kaori, she was excited to go in. Ash opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Kaori to pass through.


    It honestly appeared even smaller from the inside. There were just two rooms, one bathroom at the back, and then in front of the door was a bed with a shirt or two tossed onto it, a small table, and what looked like a makeshift oven right by it.


    "W-Wow..."


    "Yeah, sorry, it''s not much," Ash shrugged.


    "No, no, it''s nice," Kaori chuckled. "Seems pretty cozy."


    "You could say that, I guess."


    "But, well, not to pry but, do your parents share this place with you?"


    "Hell no," Ash scoffed. "Nah, they barely ever come here, and when they do they don''t stay the night."


    "Oh?" Kaori tilted her head as Ash pulled a chair back and gestured for her to sit, which she did. "Where are they? If you don''t mind me asking."


    "They''re traveling merchants, so they move around a lot from one city to another. They left me here so I could get an education though."


    "Oh. I see."


    "Yeah," Ash took off her boots and kicked her feet up on the bed, which was, of course, right next to the table.


    "Do you miss them?" Kaori asked.


    "From time to time," Ash leaned her head against the wall to her left. "They send letters often though, so I still talk to them."


    "Hm... I don''t think I could stand to be too far from my parents," Kaori said.


    "Gotta walk on your own at some point, I just started earlier than most," Ash shrugged.


    "Is that so?" Kaori asked.  Well. I suppose she''s right, but... without their support, I do wonder what would happen to me. No one else seems to like me very much, after all.


    "Yeah," Ash continued. "I mean, isn''t there some shit you''d like to do without them around?"


    "Like what?"


    "Get drunk," she started listing off, "sleepover at someone else''s house," she gestured to her bed.


    Then, she smiled a little.


    "Sleep  with someone."


    Hearing that, Kaori''s face quickly reddened and Ash started cackling.


    She really does just want to embarrass me, huh?  Kaori thought.


    "Kaori, I have a question," she asked, and Kaori felt her tone dropping a little in pitch. It was suddenly akin to a person''s voice after they''ve just woken up in the morning.


    "Mhm?"


    "Are you, like, into me or something?" Ash asked.


    "..." Kaori''s throat tightened so much she failed to squeeze any words through it for a bit.


    "I, well, we, uhm... We only just met a few weeks ago."


    "No, I mean physically," Ash elaborated with a smirk and a wave of her hand.


    "Oh."


    Hearing that, Kaori looked away.


    "N... No..." She lied. Even now, she had to actively keep her eyes from moving to the other girl''s toned arms, or her soft-looking lips stretched up in a grin.


    Ash stood up and walked over to where Kaori was. Then, she crouched in front of her.


    "Come again?" She asked gently. "I couldn''t hear you."


    "Uh..." Kaori looked at Ash, while white-knuckle gripping the sides of her chair. "I''m sorry, but... yes..."


    She wasn''t about to try to lie again to her face like that. If she was going to be kicked out of this house, she would at least do so while being honest.


    "You really do have a habit of apologizing for things you don''t have to apologize for," Ash replied, crossing her arms on the table and putting her head on them as she continued looking into Kaori''s violet eyes. "It''s okay to like someone like that."


    "Not to some people," Kaori quickly mumbled.


    "Hm?"


    A certain memory then played in front of Kaori''s eyes.


    A fourteen-year-old Kaori waited in the yard just outside of her secondary school. Here, she held a small letter with a heart drawn on it behind her back. A few minutes passed after she''d arrived and Kaori finally saw a girl walk out, moving towards her. She had friends behind her, who were giggling to themselves about something.


    The girl went up to Kaori and crossed her arms.


    "So, what did you want?" She asked.


    "I... I just wanted to give this over to you."


    She had asked her mother for tips regarding this on the day prior, and this was what she''d suggested. A love letter. She had told Kaori that so long as she was honest and poured her feelings into it, it would surely reach the recipient.


    Oh, how wrong she was.


    "Are you serious?" The girl asked with a cruel smirk as she held the envelope.


    "Y-Yeah, I just..."


    Her friends joined and the girl tore the thing open, starting to read its contents out loud. They started to laugh at her and Kaori was seriously considering running as far away as she could. She probably should have, because what happened next was that she was shoved to the ground and the same girl she''d given the letter to spilled water from a bottle over her head.


    "Get fucking real," she said then as she and her friends walked away.


    That was the day Kaori learned that anything she felt for another person, whether love or lust, was something she needed to keep to herself.


    And yet, somehow, although she thought she knew that, she''d ended up here.


    Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes as she waited for Ash''s response.


    "Well, I''m not some people, and I for one, think you''re pretty fucking adorable, so..."


    Then, Ash stood up straight and took her shirt off.


    Kaori had the worst case of emotional whiplash in years. From feeling sad, her face flushed and she waved her hands back and forth.


    "W-W-W-W-WAIT!" Kaori said. As Ash put her hands proudly on her hips, smiling down at her, the white-haired girl covered her eyes.


    "Hahahahaha," Ash laughed and Kaori was convinced this was some sick joke. "Come on, do you seriously still think I''m just messing with you?"


    "I... There''s no way you''re serious... We just... We haven''t even..."


    And then, Ash lightly pulled Kaori''s hands away from her eyes and placed them over her chest.


    Oh Lumina, they''re soft.


    "Serious enough for you?" Ash asked. "Listen, listen," she said and Kaori nodded.


    "O-Okay?"


    "If you don''t want to do anything, that''s fine. Maybe I misread you, but, I think you''re, you know, a little backed-up down there, and I''m down to help you let loose for a bit. That''s all this is. Really. It doesn''t have to be a big deal if you don''t want it to be."


    Taking a deep breath, Kaori let those words marinate, and then she nodded.


    "Can... Can we take it slow?" Kaori asked.


    "In what sense?"


    "Uh... Go on a date or something?" Kaori asked. "I... I''ve always thought..." She sighed. "This sounds dumb, I know, but, I don''t want my first time to be... not special, I don''t know if you understand."


    "Ah. You''re a romantic? No, I get you," Ash nodded and she put her tank top back on. "Understood. So, a date then?"


    "You want to go on one?" Kaori asked, and she couldn''t stop herself from sounding a little bit hopeful.


    "Yeah. Sounds fun," Ash shrugged. "Been a while too, so I may as well polish up on my skills."


    "Skills?"


    "Mhm," Ash told her. "Showing a girl a good time requires plenty of skills."


    Kaori gulped, trying her hardest not to let those words lead her mind to dirty thoughts as Ash laughed a little at her reaction.

 Chapter 115 - Interlude 1 - Kaori, The Half-Demon, Part 4

    Two Days Later


    "Okay, how do I look?" Kaori asked her parents as she showed off a black dress and black heels.


    "Beautiful," her mom said.


    "Stunning." Her father added.


    Kaori nodded and then she went to get her next outfit.


    "Okay... What about now?" She asked, wearing a white v-neck with a frilly white skirt.


    "Gorgeous," her mom said.


    "Jaw-dropping," her father added.


    Kaori nodded and swapped outfits again.


    "... Alright. And now?" She asked, wearing a type of ji she heard was meant to look casual, with long sleeves and tight-fitting black pants.


    "Sickeningly cute," her mother said.


    "Heart-stopping," her father added.


    "Ugh, you guys are no help," Kaori huffed, crossing her arms.


    "Hahaha," her mom stood up and walked over to Kaori, putting her hands on her shoulders. "You''re beautiful anyway, it doesn''t matter what you wear."


    "Okay, that''s just not true."


    "Well, maybe it matters a little bit, but trust me, if anything is going to win Ash over, it''s your heart."


    I don''t think it''s my heart that Ash wants to do it with but okay. Kaori thought, sighing.


    In the end, Kaori picked the first outfit. She figured the black dress went well enough with her hair.  Hm...  She thought as she looked at herself in the mirror.  Maybe I can...


    She put her hair up in a ponytail and gave herself one last look before she decided if she took any longer, she''d be late.  I hope I look alright.


    "Oh, Kaori!" Her mother called out and the half-demon walked out of the bathroom.


    "Hm?"


    "Here," she said, holding a flower in her hands. It was white with rose-colored edges. "It''s good luck to have this in your hair on a first date."


    "Seriously? Why?"


    "Yep! They call this thing a  mira. It''s supposedly the very flower that Lumina presented to Magia before the two of them bonded their souls together. Or, so the legend goes."


    Her mother slipped the flower just above Kaori''s right ear. Behind her, Kaori''s father stood with a proud look on his face and his arms crossed. Then, her mom gave Kaori a kiss on the forehead between her horns and pulled her in for a hug.


    "I''m so happy for you," she said, the glee palpable in her tone. "Go have fun, sweetie."


    "Okay," she nodded, taking a deep breath. "Love you," she told her parents before she finally left.


    Outside, the sun had retired and two moons had already risen up to replace it. The cold air covered Kaori''s bare arms and legs. The half-demon hugged herself a little before she started walking towards the place she and Ash had agreed on.


    It was supposed to be some big tourist trap, according to Ash, but Kaori had never been there. It was located south of the Spirit Gardens District, a place that Kaori always made sure to avoid for fear that guards would throw her out for some reason. Apparently, it was a "cabaret", whatever that meant.


    Kaori kept her eyes low as she walked, only looking up a few times to make sure she wasn''t moving past anyone too shady-looking. Kaori rubbed her palms together as she took a shaky breath.  Gosh, is it normal to be this nervous for a date? Kaori wondered as she kept going.


    Eventually, she arrived at the place to find that Ash was already standing outside. The black-haired woman was standing with her back to a wall, her eyes up, fixed on the twin moons in the sky. As Kaori got closer, Ash''s blue eyes, nearly glimmering in the nighttime, turned towards her and she smiled a little.


    "Hey," Ash said, pushing herself off the wall and taking a few steps towards her.


    "H-..." Kaori cleared her throat. "Hi."


    Ash stopped just in front of her and her eyes ran up and down Kaori''s body. The half-demon blushed a little.


    "You look great. The flower is a nice touch," Ash told her and Kaori thanked her mother in her mind.


    "Thanks... You too."


    As for Ash, she was wearing a black vest, pants of the same color, and brown boots that reached up to her knees. Most of her hair was swept to one side, falling over her right shoulder, nearly covering a silver necklace she was wearing.


    "So, what is this place?" Kaori asked.


    "Like I said before," Ash told her, turning towards the building. "It''s a cabaret. Basically, that just means it''s a place where we can eat and drink while people play music and stuff. A friend showed it to me a couple of years ago."


    "Oh... Was this someone you...?" Kaori asked but immediately regretted her words, feeling like she was prying.


    "Hm? Oh, no," Ash shook her head. "Nah. Her family... Well, let''s just say they''re a lot stricter than yours. They''d never allow it."


    "I didn''t think you''d be the type that cared whether someone''s parents allowed it or not." Kaori smiled light-heartedly.


    "You''re right, I didn''t care but she did, so we never tried anything. Anyway, wanna head inside?"


    Nodding, Kaori could hear the muffled music coming from inside the building.


    "Alright," Ash said, before snaking an arm behind Kaori''s back and pulling her close.


    "W-WAH...?"


    "Heh, don''t get me wrong," Ash told her, her lips dangerously close to Kaori''s left ear. "I like having you this close, but I''m doing this so they don''t kick you out or anything on account of..." She said, gesturing at her horns.


    "Oh... Right... Right..." Kaori nodded, surprisingly a little disappointed.


    And with that, Ash paid someone at the front a couple of white crowns and they were allowed inside.


    Instantly, a barrage of sound struck Kaori''s senses. It was like a horse made of music had just run her over. Different instruments, some violin, some drums, and others she hadn''t heard before, all coalesced to form an absolute onslaught of melodies.


    Indeed, as Ash had predicted, a few guards and some of the regular customers gave Kaori a few dirty looks but she only pulled her closer and they seemed to get the message that the two were together. While that made it so they weren''t kicked out, the sudden intimacy of their position was... distracting. Kaori could feel Ash''s warm body, toned and firm, pressed against hers.


    She tried to focus on everything around her just to make sure she didn''t lose it here. There was a bar to the right and a buffet-like "all you can eat" area to the left, with tables spread out ahead, in front of a stage where sapphire-colored lights illuminated the space the musicians took.


    "I''m not really too hungry, so I''m just gonna go for drinks. What do you want though?" Ash asked.


    "Uh, same..." Kaori replied. Admittedly, she was running on an empty stomach but she was also afraid that eating too much would make her bloat up a bit.


    Ash nodded and looked around, searching for an appropriate table for them.


    "Right here," she said, pulling two chairs back at a table to the far left. This area was particularly dark, with the candles lit across the room not quite reaching this spot. "Any preference? For your drink, I mean."


    "Not really."


    "Okay. Be right back then."


    Ash left to go to the bar and Kaori took a deep breath, nearly grinning to herself.  I can''t believe we''re doing this!"  She only hoped that she wouldn''t scare Ash away somehow. Even now, she thought she was probably overly excited.  Just relax! It''s... It''ll be alright!


    "One for me," Ash suddenly said, as she returned and Kaori flinched, "and one for... Did I scare you?" Ash asked, smirking. "Sorry about that."


    "N-No, it''s alright..."  That''s not very relaxed of you, Kaori,  she scolded herself.  Chill. Calm down.


    "So, I got us this drink from Pearl called ''Magia Tears''." Ash informed her.


    "Um... Okay. What is it like?"


    "Well," Ash said, her pitch dropping. She slid a cup across the table in front of Kaori and she grinned. "Take a sip."


    "Uh..." Kaori looked down at the liquid. It was rosy, and even though Kaori was no mage, she could feel the magic coming from the cup. "Alright."


    Then, she lifted the cup and took a small sip. The drink was the sweetest thing Kaori''d had in a very long time, and the instant it reached her stomach, Kaori felt her entire body flare up. It was like suddenly she could feel the air more, the table she was sitting on, even the music was a little louder.


    "Wow," Kaori noted, blinking. "It tastes good."


    "It heightens the senses," Ash explained. "Makes things more... Visceral, you could say. Taste, touch, smell. All that stuff. Though, you can''t drink it more than a couple of times a week, because you get desensitized to the effect."


    "Oh. And why is that useful?"


    At that, Ash grinned.


    "I wonder. Think about it, how many things could someone do that would be, I don''t know, a little more entertaining if they could feel it better?"


    As she said this, Kaori understood, and the half-demon took a deep breath.


    "Oh."


    "Yeah. Oh." Ash echoed.


    Kaori took a deep breath.


    Wow... So it''s really happening.  Kaori thought, looking down at her own hands.  I... I can''t believe...


    "Hm? Hey," Ash started, a little worried suddenly, "if you don''t want to drink it I can get you something else, I just thought..."


    "No, no," Kaori quickly waved her hands. "I just... This feels like a dream."


    At that, Ash smiled sweetly.


    "If that''s the case... I''m glad I can take you away from this world for just a little while, at least."


    Then, she effortlessly chugged the contents of her own cup, which made Kaori''s eyes bulge out of their sockets.


    "Oh shit, that''s nice. Well, how about we see how far this dream goes?"


    What proceeded after that was enlightening, to say the least. Ash and Kaori settled together, dragging their chairs to be as close as they could, as the music ahead played and soon, a few sorcerers joined the other performers. Illusionists who created different monsters in front of the crowd, sent flames circling the building and made the room itself turn into a watery paradise. Each little trick earned cheers and "oohs" from the crowd, though Kaori found herself more and more focused on the girl next to her.


    It had started with just an occasional hand that roaming over Kaori''s right thigh, then Kaori found herself wrapping an arm around Ash''s, and as the two would react to the performances, she noticed that their faces would end up closer and closer.


    It was when a slower ballad started playing that Kaori found that her attention had been fully captured by the girl next to her. She scanned the features of Ash''s face, her slender jawline, her confident eyes, her lips which then went up in a smile as she noticed Kaori looking at her.


    A part of the half-demon told her to look away, but the hand that Ash had over hers made that fairly difficult. Ash''s smile was slowly replaced by a smirk and her eyes looked back into Kaori''s. It was like gravity itself had slowly started pulling them together until their lips were nearly touching and at that moment, Kaori closed her eyes.


    When they finally touched, she didn''t know if it was the drink or if this was just was kissing was like, but "magical" was the only way she could describe it. It just felt right to her.


    One second became two, two became ten, and ten became a minute before they finally pulled away from each other.


    "... Wow," Kaori said. "That was... Um... Wow."


    "Very expressive, I like it," Ash chuckled. Kaori giggled right back and looked down at herself.


    "I... It''s hard to find words, I just..."


    "Well, we could talk or we could just keep making out. I don''t know about you, but I''d prefer the second option."


    "Y-Yes, right, of course... I... Do I go in now, or," she leaned in and then pulled back. "Or, you should... Oh, gosh... This is so awkward now. Sorry, I just..."


    Ash pulled her in and connected their lips once again.


    With that, every word in her lungs faded away.


    And, for just a while, Kaori allowed herself to forget about the color of her eyes and the two horns on her head.


    And that made the kiss so much sweeter.

 Chapter 116 - Interlude 1 - Kaori, The Half-Demon, Finale

    Of course, the night didn''t stop with just kisses. Especially not with that strange drink flowing through them. The two of them continued the dance between their lips under the dim candlelights, music playing on the stage, though Kaori was so focused on what she was feeling that it faded into the background. Ash reached back and pulled her closer, and the two of them were somewhat pressed together.


    Kaori wondered if the other woman could feel the way her heart was pounding against her chest. Or, if maybe, like the half-demon herself, she was too focused on the sweet taste of the other''s tongue to care.


    This is...  Kaori thought as the two briefly separated.  I can''t even... There are no words!


    Ash stopped, grinned, and flipped her hair back.


    "I''d say," she half-yelled so she could talk over the music, "we''re probably done here, right?"


    "You... want to go home already?" Kaori asked.


    "With you by my side, yeah. I''d like that."


    Hearing that, Kaori took a deep breath and looked down at herself.  Oh. Well. I guess this is happening now.  She was both excited and terrified. In all honesty, Kaori knew close to nothing about sex. She was, however, based on a small selection of lewd books she''d come across and conversations she''d overheard in her university''s halls, certain that there were right and wrong ways to go about this.


    I''m about to embarrass myself, aren''t I?


    She was going to voice her concerns, but when she turned towards Ash and saw the unrestrained desire in her eyes, Kaori simply nodded.


    "Okay," she softly replied. "Let''s go."


    "... Sorry, couldn''t hear shit, but I assume you said yes, right?" Ash yelled.


    Giggling, Kaori nodded.


    ---


    Walking to Ash''s house was a small journey. Between the drinks and the fact that the two of them couldn''t keep their lips parted and their hands away from each other for more than a couple of minutes at a time, what was probably, in reality, a 20-minute walk ended up taking almost double that time.


    The longer this went though, the less Kaori cared about how she "performed". As Ash pressed her against her front door, Kaori found herself too wrapped up in what she was feeling to care. In a blur, they went from being outside, holding each other in the street to Ash pushing Kaori down to her bed. The furniture was way too hard, which briefly made Kaori worry that Ash was going to develop back problems down the line, but those concerns faded when the black-haired girl slipped a hand up Kaori''s dress.


    "Oh... Gosh..." Kaori gulped as Ash grinned down at her. Kaori crawled back and spread her legs as Ash kneeled down in front of her. Kaori looked around and grabbed a nearby pillow, squeezing it tightly over her chest.


    Before Ash went any further, she hovered over Kaori and said:


    "Hey, if I do anything you don''t like or whatever, let me know, alright?" Ash asked. "I know this is all new to you so, as drunk off my fucking ass as I am, I wanna make sure you have a good time."


    "Y-Yeah... Thanks," Kaori squeezed out through a tight throat. With that, Ash gave her a warm smile and she bent down, placing a kiss on Kaori''s navel. Those lips created a path that trailed down until Ash popped her head up and said, "oh... you''re seriously wet."


    Hearing that was so embarrassing Kaori groaned into her pillow.


    "Hahaha, come on, it''s fine. I mean, it''s a compliment, right?"


    With that, Ash went down and dragged her tongue up Kaori''s lower lips, and the half-demon was convinced she was going to faint. This was too much. Maybe it was the drinks, maybe it was the fact that this was her first time, maybe it was her demon side, maybe it was all of that put together, but her body was being overloaded.


    What came next was a pair of fingers that drew circles over the same spot Ash licked and Kaori felt shivers go up her spine. She pressed her pillow even tighter to her chest and her breathing quickened. She tried her hardest to keep her sounds held back, which Ash noticed.


    "Kaori, it''s okay to moan," Ash chuckled a little.


    "But..."


    "It''s fine, trust me," the raven-haired girl told her and Kaori nodded. It took a few deep breaths but eventually, a small amount of sound escaped Kaori''s lips, which, as Ash''s speed intensified, grew into loud moans of pleasure.


    Again, Ash stopped, giggling as she saw Kaori choking the life out of that pillow. She crawled up, took the pillow away, and threw it against a wall. Then, she took Kaori''s hands and placed them on her own head.


    Kaori was confused but as Ash went back to what she''d been doing, she understood. Instinctively, she tried to pull Ash''s head even deeper. By now, Ash had discarded her fingers and was just using her lips and her tongues simultaneously, until...


    "AHH!" Kaori half-screamed as she felt a wave of sensations wash over her. She was trembling, with every pulse shaking her foundations.


    "Well, how did...?" However, Ash didn''t finish that sentence. Instead, her eyes widened at Kaori.


    As for the half-demon, she couldn''t tell what made Ash pause, but as she recovered from the heights she''d been brought to, she had one thought.  I need that. Again.


    So, she crawled over to Ash, not noticing that her hands had turned clawed, that her body was covered in a violet aura or that her horns had grown. Instead, she simply went up to Ash and hugged her tightly.


    "Please, please, please," Kaori whimpered. "I want that... Again, please."


    "Uh, sure, but... Are you good?" Ash asked, worried.


    "Huh? Yeah," Kaori waved her concern away. "I''m fine, I just... AGH!"


    It was only when her wings spread at her back that Kaori realized what was happening with her.


    "What?" She looked down at herself. "What''s hap...?"


    "Oh, oh fuck," Ash blinked a few times, covering her nose. "Holy shit that smell..."


    "Huh? Oh, no, is it bad?" Kaori asked, keeping her arms down.


    "No, no... It''s the opposite... it''s driving me crazy..." Ash laughed nervously. "Hey, uh, maybe we should pause for a bit?"


    Kaori could not have been more disappointed. However, looking down at herself, she understood how Ash could be a little frightened at this.


    "I''m... Sorry," Kaori said. "I''m sorry, I... I''m a freak."


    "No, no, no, no no no," Ash was quick to move in and hug her, as her wings slowly receded into her back and her hands went back to normal. "It''s not like that... I just... This is kind of shocking, I just need a second or two to process this. Next time, I''ll know that it''s supposed to happen, right?"


    Looking down at her hands, Kaori nodded.


    "... Wait," Kaori shook her head. "Did you say...?"


    "Next time, yeah," Ash said. "Listen, I want to be clear, I''m not saying I''m like scared, necessarily, just... This is territory neither of us knows, right?" She asked and Kaori nodded. "It''s probably worth doing a little bit of testing, in, you know, different ways to make sure this is all normal. That''s all."


    "... So..." Kaori hated how hopeful she sounded, but she couldn''t help it. "There... There will be a next time? You''re not done with me? I mean... I didn''t gross you out or..."


    "Hell no," Ash said before gently pressing a kiss against her lips. "And, uh, about the future, listen, trust me. I don''t know where we''re headed after everything we''ve done tonight, everything we  will do, but, whether we really start dating, whether we just keep fucking casually or something, I''m not just gonna leave you alone. I was just surprised. That''s all. Promise."


    Kaori took a deep breath, calming herself down.


    "Okay... I understand."


    "Alright. Sorry, I kinda ruined the mood there," Ash laughed, "let me make it up to you?"


    Kaori nodded, looking away as Ash crawled up the bed and kissed her cheek.


    "Thanks, beautiful," the other girl said, and then, she clapped her hands together. "Now, where were we? Right, eating you out."


    And so, Ash did exactly that.


    ---


    The next morning, Kaori woke up, wrapped in Ash''s arms.


    Things had picked up in unexpected ways after everything last night, but Ash, true to her word, was never scared away. As for Kaori though, maybe it was due to the drinks, but she couldn''t remember much beyond when Ash started licking her for the second time. As the sun poured in through a window, Kaori basked in the feeling of all of this. Ash''s strong arms around her, the woman''s scent filling the air. If there was one word for it, it would be  comfortable.


    And, if there was one word to describe how Kaori felt right now, it would be  grateful.


    Ash''s eyes blinked open, and she smiled when she saw Kaori looking up at her.


    "Morning," Ash said, with a raspy voice that was deeper than usual.


    "Morning."


    "... Hell of a night, huh?" Ash asked, laughing as she turned around and stood up. She stretched and Kaori didn''t complain about being treated to the sight of her toned, naked body bathed in sunlight.


    "Yeah."


    "Hope you had fun, Kaori," Ash said. "I... You know, I feel like saying some really deep, meaningful shit but, I am so fucking hungry right now, I can''t even think of anything."


    Kaori chuckled at that and stood up as well.


    "Uh... Did you have fun?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm? Yeah. The tail was... A bit much," Ash said, wiping her eyes, "but yeah."


    "Tail?"


    "What, you don''t remember?" Ash asked. "You know what? Maybe that''s a good thing. Fuck, that was embarrassing."


    At that, Kaori smirked a little and walked around the bed, moving closer to Ash.


    "I thought you said it was fine to be embarrassed. Where''s all that confidence gone?" She asked smugly, putting her hands on her hips.


    "... Shit what have I created?" Ash asked, laughing as she wrapped Kaori up in a hug. "Alright, come on, let''s get dressed. Your parents probably want you back soon."


    "I''m surprised you care that much," Kaori stated and Ash raised a brow. "Not in a bad way, I mean, like, you come across as... You know, a troublemaker type."


    Ash shook her head, chuckling.


    "I know. And, yeah, I do care. After all," She threw on a shirt and pressed a kiss between Kaori''s horns, on her forehead. "If you''ll have me, I''d like to make something out of... all of this," she gestured between them. "So, gotta keep the parents happy. Come on."


    At that, Kaori smiled, thinking this was the best morning she''d had in years.


    "Right behind you."

 Chapter 117 - Interlude 2 - Keiko, The Savior, Part 1

    Keiko could never have seen this coming.


    The young Zayama had spent most of her life as an utter failure. Her inability to unlock her Spirit Eye had brought enough shame to her family to justify her grandmother''s disgust for her. It would also justify the inevitable day where Keiko would be labeled a Zayo, becoming a servant, solidifying her disgrace.


    And yet, this happened. Something that, if Haruna or any other Zayama had told her about beforehand, she would have laughed them out of the room. It occurred as she was sitting in her usual training room, her legs crossed and her back straight as she attempted to do what she''d failed to do for several years now.


    She heard the door slide open behind her and she half-turned in that direction. Standing up, she waited for them to speak so that she could see if she recognized the voice. However, the man who spoke was not someone she''d heard before. It seemed to belong to an old man.


    "Ah... The crystal does point to her. She is the one."


    "What?" This voice, however, she did know. It was that of her grandmother. "Impossible, this girl... she''s nothing but a failure."


    "The gods do not make mistakes, Elder. We will be needing her assistance in the battles to come. Are you refusing to give it?" The man asked.


    Keiko heard her grandmother hesitate before she muttered, "fine", and then she heard her walking away.


    "What''s going on?" Keiko asked.


    "Your time has come to serve your realm. You have been chosen as a Savior."


    And that was how her new life began.


    ---


    She was given the rundown later, at the Church of Magia. Being led everywhere by one of the deacons, she was given a cube and a set of armor that felt slightly too heavy for her.


    "Hold the cube to your chest," someone instructed and Keiko did as they directed. "This will bring up some option that will allow you to bond the item to your soul. We do this so that if this should fall into the wrong hands, others will not be able to use it."


    Nodding, words appeared in her mind.


    Discovered Passive Trait:


    Chosen:


    Selected as a representative of Alkoth. Gain multiple traits.


    New unidentified traits!


    ?


    Okay... Keiko thought.  So, what now?


    Beginning fusion


    Note: The fused cube will become a unique named item, with its name being your defining characteristic as determined by the System.


    Begin?


    Yes    No


    With her thoughts, she picked the "Yes" option, and Keiko felt a surge of magic flowing into her body. Another word soon appeared in her mind.


    Perseverance.


    With that process out of the way, Keiko was dressed in this unfamiliar feeling outfit, holding that cube at her waist. Now, she was being led to a part of the city called the Valley of Lanterns, which gave a path to the west, where apparently, she would be training.


    Currently, she was in a cart, confused.


    "Wait... So, I will be assigned under a mage?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes," the priest who''d introduced her to this sudden new journey, a man called Varcon, responded.


    "But... I am no mage," Keiko replied.


    She was well aware of the fact that magic was generally looked down upon in her clan. She didn''t want to disgrace herself further.


    "You will need to be," Varcon replied. "Even if you choose not to specialize in such a thing, the realm will need you to be capable of multiple different things. If you truly have such negative feelings towards magic, feel free not to use what you learn. But you should learn it."


    Sighing, Keiko tilted her head down.


    This is too much.  She thought.  Everything is changing so suddenly.


    The rest of the trip was spent in silence, with Keiko contemplating her new circumstances.


    ---


    Eventually, they arrived at what Varcon described as a farm.


    "This place used to belong to another Savior before the new one took ownership of it," he explained. "You will train here until she determines that you''re done. Once you are, you will be assigned to another Savior."


    "... Understood," Keiko nodded and a deacon took her hand, guiding her out of the cart. Her feet fell on dirt, a bit of grass reaching her exposed ankles.  It will take some time to get used to this place, memorizing its layout. I will start as soon as I can.


    She was led to the farm''s front door and the deacon next to her knocked twice.


    Almost instantly, the door was opened.


    "Good morning, Savior. We have brought you the apprentice we spoke of in the letter. Get to work as soon as you are able to."


    Just like that, she heard the priests leave. She was going to say hello as well, but she was beaten to the punch.


    "HI!"


    The voice that greeted her was so energetic, Keiko recoiled.


    "U-Uhm... Hello?" Keiko raised a brow as the voice continued.


    "Hahaha, hey!" The woman reiterated.


    Because she couldn''t see the people she spoke with, Keiko would try to judge people based on their voices. She didn''t pretend like it was an accurate means of gauging people, but it was the best she had. And, to put it simply, this voice was... Surprising.


    "Come in, come in! Oh, sorry, I should probably..." A soft hand lightly took Keiko''s left and she was led in. Suddenly, the smell of the outdoors and the grass was replaced by the smell of oatmeal. "I just started cooking something, are you hungry?"


    "No, thank you."


    "Suit yourself, alright," the woman briefly let go of Keiko and clapped.  "Welcome to my humble abode! I have a room you can stay in and you can train out in the fields. Anything you need right now though?"


    It took Keiko a second to internalize everything that had just been said.


    "I just need to know the layout of the building," Keiko explained. "Once I have it memorized I can get around on my own."


    "Sounds good! Oh, sorry, I should probably have introduced myself a little earlier," she said. "Name''s Kaori, I''m a Fire mage, I''ll be your teacher for a little while. Hope you''ll enjoy your stay!"


    ---


    Her first impression of the woman she was going to be training under was that she was, firstly, absurdly young for her position, and secondly, exhausting to be around.


    "You''re... a Savior?" Keiko asked as she kept her hand on a wall as she walked through the hallway, back and forth, trying to remember every door and how long it was. Beside her, as she could feel by the sheer warmth that this lady exuded, was Kaori.


    "Yep!"


    "But... You..."  Actually, is this rude?  She wondered, stopping herself before she finished the question.


    "Oh, don''t be like that, you can ask me whatever you want to. Go ahead, spit it out!" Kaori said.


    "You''re... You seem fairly young..." Keiko replied. I mean, she seems my age.


    "Oh, haha, well yeah," Kaori giggled a little. "I''m 20. I''ve only been a Savior for about two years now."


    "Hm?" Keiko tilted her head.  She''s only two years older than me. Is that really enough to be a qualified teacher?


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry, I know what I''m doing, besides I''m not gonna show you ALL of the ropes, just a bit of what we do, how to get stronger, the good stuff like that," Kaori told her and Keiko nodded, not knowing if the woman saw the gesture or not.


    As she kept taking in her surroundings, Keiko noticed something. There were four rooms, but so far, she''d only seen Kaori here. One bedroom, one bathroom, I''m guessing... So what are those other two rooms for?


    A question came to her and she figured she could ask.


    "Excuse me," Keiko started.


    "Yeah?"


    "Um... Do you live alone?" Keiko asked.


    "Oh... Uh... Yeah..."


    Suddenly, that previous excitement in Kaori''s voice died for just a moment. It returned just as quickly as it had left through.


    "Be right back, I''m going to go serve myself that oatmeal!"


    And so, she walked away.


    Well... That was strange.  Keiko thought, but she quickly went back to what she was doing. After a while, she felt like she had, at least, a slightly decent grasp of where she was. This farm was smaller than she''d expected, with just those four rooms in the back hallway, a living room, and a kitchen.


    This was to be her new home, at least until Kaori, this surprisingly young and bubbly Savior, decided she was ready to move on. Even then, she wouldn''t be returning to the Zayama Compound, she''d instead go on to be taught by someone else. This felt so surreal to Keiko.


    I guess she finally got what she wanted,  Keiko thought as she sat on a couch in the living room, picturing her grandmother''s smug face. I won''t be coming back to the Compound in a long while.


    Then, Keiko heard Kaori start humming a song to herself, and she tilted her head. From humming, to outright singing, Kaori''s voice grew slightly louder.


    "Flower so bright in a vast sea of darkness,


    make us turn to light in our fated moments.


    May Magia lead us,


    Flower so bright in a world of reluctance,


    make us face the dawn with Lumina''s fortune,


    And grant us the morning..."


    Keiko sighed.


    I''m already tired.  She thought.  But... Don''t think about it. You''re here because you have a job to do. You''re here... because you''re a failure.  Keiko told herself. At least make sure you don''t mess this up too.

 Chapter 118 - Interlude 2 - Keiko, The Savior, Part 2

    The first day there, Keiko did literally nothing. Not through lack of trying, mind you.


    "No, no!" Her teacher, Kaori, had said. "You need to get used to my farm! Tomorrow, we''ll start with all the business stuff, but for now, just sit back and relax!"


    That was a problem though because Keiko had no idea how to do that. Her entire life, she''d never "relaxed". All she knew was to keep bashing her head against a wall she knew would never break. So, sitting around was extremely foreign to her as Kaori moved things around, saying she wanted to make sure she wouldn''t have to move anything again so that Keiko could properly learn where everything was.


    The good part of that though was that it didn''t take long before Keiko felt that she understood her new home, though it came with a few peculiarities. For one, Keiko felt like if she heard Kaori continue to sing her lungs out, she''d go crazy. Not that the girl had a bad singing voice, but she did it so energetically that the past few hours had been harsher on Keiko''s ears than anything at the Compound had been in a long time. Still, if she had to pick between this singing or her grandmother barking insults at her as she failed to produce results, the choice was an easy one.


    The second thing she noticed was that anytime Keiko drew close to one particular room, the last one on the right side of the hall at the back, Kaori would get strangely silent. She noticed this early on enough to where she didn''t try to open the door to that room, but she did make a mental note of that.


    Um... Could she be a serial killer or something? Is there a body in there? Keiko worried, but she convinced herself she was being dramatic.


    At night, when it came time to rest, Kaori went up to her.


    "By the way, you can sleep at my bed if you want to."


    "O-Oh, no, sorry, I could not do such a thing..." Keiko replied.


    "Nonsense. You''re a guest! When I inherited this farm, it came with a few rules, and one of them is ''no cute girls shall sleep on couches or floors!'' SO, by all means, take mine!"


    "... Well, alright then." Keiko bowed. "Thank you, siya."


    "Siya? What does that mean?"


    "Teacher, basically." Superior, is more like it, but yes.


    "Ah, gotcha. Welp! Go ahead, my room is the first one on the left. Just walk in a straight line and you''ll hit the bed. Goodnight!"


    Nodding, Keiko stood up and walked over there.


    Here, she ran into another problem.


    This... Will not do. This will not do at all.


    That woman''s scent covered the entire room, and it was entirely overwhelming. She had noticed it whenever Kaori drew close enough, but it wasn''t strong enough for her to regard it. Here though, she couldn''t escape it. See, Kaori smelled like chocolate, and thanks to Keiko''s enhanced senses due to her years of blindness, that scent was waging war on her nostrils at the moment.


    "... I''m going to go dizzy," she took a deep breath. "Though... It''s not a bad smell, I suppose."


    ---


    Kaori


    As her new apprentice went to sleep in her room, Kaori took a deep breath and walked out of her farm. It was pretty clear that Keiko was feeling apprehensive about this, but she wasn''t the only one.


    Kaori had hoped she''d done a good job of masking her nerves, but she didn''t know for sure if she had. So, before any of the actual teachings could start, she needed to let her worries go. And she went to do that the only way she knew how. Behind her house was a spot that Kaori had laid out, a small garden of lilies and roses, just as she used to like them.


    Feeling the cold of the night on her shoulders as she took steps towards it, between the flowerbeds she saw it. The tombstone she''d be talking to tonight. With every centimeter that she drew closer to it, it felt like it was getting harder to breathe. Still, Kaori made her way there and finally sat down in front of it, keeping her hands on her lap.


    "I... This feels so weird, I don''t know if I''m ready for this," Kaori muttered. "It... It hasn''t even been that long since... Though, maybe someone else would have moved on in a year."


    Shaking her head, Kaori looked up at the twin moons and gave a sad smile.


    "You used to love nights like these so much. Gosh, I wish I could still share them with you. I feel so lost without you here. I don''t know, I wish you were still around to be her teacher. You were always better at that sort of thing, even if people thought you came across as mean," Kaori chuckled. "I... I don''t know what I''m doing."


    Her eyes roamed over the stone and briefly, her pupils landed on the name carved into it.


    Here lies, Ash. A proud Savior, servant of the realm, and a doting wife.


    I will always love you.


    Kaori looked away for a brief moment and scratched her head.


    Maybe you''re watching me right now, she wondered.  If that''s the case, hopefully, you''re cheering me on.


    Kaori stood up, walked closer to the stone, and placed a hand over it, imagining for just a moment that the rock she felt was actually her late wife.


    Well... I have to do my best. Wish me luck, my love.


    With that, Kaori turned away and walked back into the farm.


    ---


    Keiko


    For her first lesson, Kaori decided that Keiko needed to learn how to fight. Not that she didn''t know how to wield a sword, she was, after all, perhaps even more experienced in that regard than even her teacher. But rather, that she needed to learn what a life-or-death situation was like.


    So, Kaori held her hand and brought her to a forest of some sort. The smell of nature was unlike anything she knew back at Jade. Beyond that, the sounds of birds chirping filled the air above, and Keiko found herself startling every now and then, whenever one such creature would start.


    Eventually, Kaori stopped her.


    "Okay!" Kaori said. "There''s a goblin right in front of you. Mess it up."


    "Wait, what?" Keiko asked, as she heard a monster growling. "Right in front of me?"


    "Mhm. It''s walking this way too. Looks pretty mad."


    "... And you''re not gonna give me any tips or..."


    "Well, it''s just a goblin. Just do what you can."


    ... I already miss Haruna.


    Still, Keiko nodded.


    "Sword," with a word, her  Perseverance  transformed. Keiko took a deep breath and waited as the animalistic sounds got louder. "So, what is it using?"


    "A club, a big long piece of wood, pretty much."


    "Okay..."


    Its strength is probably somewhat high. Maybe, I don''t know.


    "There''s nothing around me?"


    "Uh, nope."


    Finally, as the goblin drew close enough, Keiko focused on what she could hear. She listened to the goblin''s snarling, its feet landing on leaves underneath, and Keiko charged towards its position.


    When she figured she was close enough, she slashed horizontally. She felt her blade slice through flesh so smoothly, it was like cutting through a veil and she was rewarded with a squeal, and a flop, and just like that, her opponent was dead.


    Oh. Well... That was easy.


    "HEEEY! GOOD JOB!" Kaori cheered her on and Keiko transformed the Savior''s Weapon back into a cube.


    "Uhm... Thanks?" Keiko replied. "I don''t know, that felt pretty easy."


    "Well, of course. You''re already pretty good at combat, right? This should all come naturally to you. Now, come on!" Kaori said. "Let''s get you some more practice!"


    ---


    By the time they were done, Keiko had gone up a few levels and found that she hadn''t suffered a single scratch. The goblins were as slow as they were predictable, and that meant that Keiko could land killing blows from the very beginning of each fight.


    Kaori seemed to think this was a good enough achievement to merit a small celebration.


    "HERE!", she said, handing Keiko a cup. "TO YOUR FIRST, AND VERY SUCCESSFUL, DAY AS A SAVIOR! YAAAAAY!"


    Kaori applauded and Keiko felt like the gesture was a bit awkward given the silence of the house, but, at the same time, she felt... strangely warm.


    This was the first bit of positive reinforcement she''d received in a very long time.


    Wow. Is my life actually that sad?  Keiko sighed as she drank from the cup.


    Instantly, she regretted it, feeling fire flowing down her throat. Kaori must have seen her reaction and found it funny as she started laughing.


    "Not much of a drinker? Sorry, sorry. I should have asked," Kaori said as Keiko coughed.


    "I really hope I wasn''t put to train under an alcoholic," Keiko said, hoping she wasn''t being too rude. Kaori didn''t seem like the people back at the Compound. Keiko didn''t think she''d care too much.


    Indeed, Kaori snorted.


    "Hmph. Well, I think that maybe an alcoholic is exactly what we need to get that stick out of your ass!"


    Kaori laughed as she said that and Keiko sighed dramatically.


    This. Woman. Is. Exhausting.

 Chapter 119 - Interlude 2 - Keiko, The Savior, Part 3

    2 Days Later


    "Okay!" Kaori clapped her hands. "Time to pick up some spells!"


    Keiko sighed.


    This was the next step in her time here. She knew it would come at some point, and a part of her wanted to just get this over with, but another, her more honorable side, felt like she was insulting her family just by listening to this. Still, she remained silent as Kaori began to explain things.


    "So, basically, listen, first thing we''re gonna do is test you for any affinities. I''ll give you a basic Fire spell and then, once we see how your body reacts, we''ll go from there."


    Unsurprisingly, Keiko had none. That meant that she could learn spells from all categories, but that all of this would be at base power, as they wouldn''t be enhanced by affinity. Keiko was fine with that, as she had no plans to use magic anyways.


    Kaori ended up gifting her a very basic Fire spell called Fireball.


    "Is that it?" Keiko asked, after performing the spell a few times.


    "Yeah, I''ll just give you a few spellbooks. Don''t worry, I can tell you don''t really want to learn much of this, so most of what we''ll be doing together will be focused around the field," Kaori told her.


    "Oh... Thank you," Keiko bowed. That was a pleasant surprise. At least she and her teacher appeared to be on the same page.


    "For now though, come on," Kaori said, taking her by the hand. Keiko was still trying to get used to it. "I''ll cook you up some lunch!"


    With that, the two of them headed back into the house where Keiko sat down at the kitchen table while Kaori went to work. She''d expected them to enjoy a nice, quiet meal together, but that was not the case.


    Kaori didn''t do "nice and quiet", after all.


    "So," Kaori said as she worked on their lunch, "you haven''t really told me much about yourself."


    "... Do I have to?" Keiko asked.


    "Not if you don''t want to, but, I just figured, well, you know, we''re gonna be together for a while," Kaori explained. "We may as well get to know each other, I think."


    It made sense, and yet Keiko still didn''t want to do it. As work-focused as she was, making friends was something she''d tried before, and it had never turned out well. Still, maybe it was because of the fact that she knew Kaori would soon break that barrier down, but Keiko found herself reluctantly nodding.


    "... What do you want to know?" Keiko asked.


    "Well, now you''re making it sound like a job interview," Kaori giggled and Keiko heard her take a few steps towards Keiko''s table. She placed a couple of plates down on the wood and Keiko smelled bread of some sort in front of her. "I''m not gonna grade your responses or anything, sheesh, lighten up."


    "That''s not something I''m used to doing."


    Keiko regretted saying those words as soon as they escaped her lips, as she knew they''d plant a seed of curiosity in Kaori''s mind.


    "Oh?" Thankfully though, Kaori went in a different direction. "So, uhm, how does it feel? Being a Savior and all."


    Keiko lowered her head as she ran a hand over the sandwich on her plate.


    "I... I would say this feels no different."


    "Seriously?" Kaori asked, some surprise in her tone.


    "Is that a strange answer?" Keiko asked.


    "Well, yeah! I mean, most people dream about this sort of thing. Back when before I got chosen, my classmates used to talk about Saviors all the time. They''re heroes, you know? Well, they''re considered heroes. We literally are Saviors, after all. I don''t want to sound like I''m bragging."


    "No, I understand, it''s just," Keiko paused. "It''s just a duty we must perform. I see it no differently than any job I would be assigned."


    That''s not true.  Keiko thought.  There is a difference. Other jobs would have me back home, this one meant that my grandmother could get rid of me.


    "We have instructions. We have a mission. Isn''t that what matters at the end of the day?" Keiko asked.


    "... You''re really mature, aren''t you?" Kaori asked with some fondness and Keiko blushed, thinking wow, I must sound older than she is. I need to spend less time around Haruna. "It''s not a bad thing, I don''t mean to embarrass you. Just saying, I''ve met plenty of Saviors and a lot of them let this whole thing get to their heads."


    Kaori took a bite out of her meal and spoke with food in her mouth. Moments like these, Keiko was glad she couldn''t see that.


    "It''s understandable though, I mean, we''re  literally  chosen by gods, and  literally  just statistically better at learning and performing than most people. Still... Your answer was pretty refreshing to hear."


    "I... Thank you?" Keiko responded and Kaori chuckled.


    "Oh, crap, almost choked," Kaori said, gulping her bites down.


    The rest of the meal went by fairly nicely and, all in all, the talk the two of them had wasn''t as awkward as Keiko had thought it would be. Mostly though, Keiko felt like she was learning things about the world she would have never been told about back at her home.


    "So..." Keiko had said, responding to something Kaori had let her know, "what you''re saying is..."


    "Yep! You seriously didn''t know about escorts?"


    "I-I, I''d heard about them," Keiko muttered, "I just... Well, we don''t have those in the Compound. I... I guess I doubted they were real."


    "Oh, they''re very real," Kaori said, a strangely suggestive tone slipping into her words, "Pearl is the best place for that sort of stuff. They''re more accepting of intimacy than other cities. Ah! You need to check it out someday, everyone there is sooo beautiful!"


    "I will take your word for it," Keiko muttered, doubting that she would ever participate in any such activity, but Kaori took her words a different way.


    "U-UH, SORRY! Right, sorry, you can''t... Sorry."


    Realizing the misunderstanding, Keiko genuinely found herself laughing. It was a strange sensation, one she didn''t get to experience often.


    "No, no," Keiko said, between breaths, waving her hands back and forth. "I did not mean it like that... I just meant that... Although these things are fascinating to hear about, I do not think escorts and the like are for me."


    "OH! Oh, okay, sorry, I... I thought I messed up there..." Kaori chuckled.


    "You''re okay," Keiko let her know, a little smile setting on her face.


    This...  She thought.  This isn''t as bad as I thought it would be.


    "So..." Keiko paused before asking, hoping this wasn''t too rude or forward of her, "intimacy, you''re...?"


    "Hm? Oh, yeah, I used to sleep around a lot," Kaori brazenly admitted and Keiko recoiled. Back at the Compound, any talk of sex was usually done in hushed whispers and met with shock and awe. "So when I went to Pearl and I heard about the escorts and stuff, well, yeah, I had to try it out."


    Keiko''s face reddened a second time.


    "Oh, I see." One thing that did not escape Keiko though was the fact that Kaori said, "used to." Well, she thought,  there''s no doubt the isolation of this farm has interrupted her... uh... nighttime affairs. Keiko reasoned.  Why would someone like this live here though? Kaori certainly does sound like the type that would love to live in a proper city.


    "What about you?" Kaori asked. Keiko shook her head, focusing back on the conversation.


    "Hm?"


    "I mean, you''re seriously cute," Kaori let her know, "I''d think someone like you would be pretty popular... Did you ever...?"


    "Oh. No." Keiko shook her head firmly. "I''m a virgin."


    "Seriously!?" Kaori asked, shocked.


    Is it that surprising?  Keiko thought.


    "Yes."


    "Wow. So, what is it, are you just not that into anything sexual or what? It''s fine if you aren''t, I''m just curious, is all."


    "I just..." Keiko took a deep breath. "Training and improving has taken up most of my time. Plus, well, it seems you believe that I''m... good-looking," Keiko mumbled, "but others back home would disagree."


    "Then they need to get out more or something because trust me, Keiko, you''re stunning."


    "..."


    Keiko did not respond to that. She didn''t know how to. All she knew was that hearing that compliment, said by someone who had as pretty a voice as Kaori''s was, it made her heart race.


    She scolded herself for that reaction though.


    No, no, Keiko. She thought. She doesn''t mean anything by it. Maybe this is normal. She told herself. Maybe people give each other compliments like this all the time. I shouldn''t assume anything.


    That last interaction aside, Keiko found herself feeling better about all of this. If her teacher had been someone else, someone less sociable, someone less agreeable, then Keiko would have likely hated her time here. However, Kaori was proving to be, at the very least, a fine person to be around.


    Because of that, Keiko allowed herself to feel better about this situation.


    ---


    Kaori


    At night, the blonde Savior did the same thing she''d done since Keiko had gotten here. Once she saw the blindfolded girl go to her bed and rest for the night, Kaori got up and walked to Ash''s grave.


    This time though, there was a small amount of optimism in her voice.


    "Hey..." She greeted the tombstone, sitting down on the dirt in front of it. Sighing, Kaori huddled her knees up to her chest. "Today went well, I think. I... Keiko is fun to talk to, in her own way, so that made things a little more bearable."


    Kaori looked up at the stars, hugging herself.


    "I still feel like I''m not cut out for this though." She paused and then looked down at the tombstone. A memory appeared in her mind and she chuckled. "Remember when Satsuhiro took us to Amber and the first thing we saw as soon as we entered the city were those drunk mages fighting on the street? How Satsuhiro knocked them both out with a fire spell because they were getting out of control and we nearly got arrested?" Kaori chuckled. "All that stuff feels like it was so long ago, but I can still remember how Satsu and Metsumi helped lead us everywhere. Helped us learn everything we needed. I didn''t really think anything about it at the time, but now, looking back, I realize how talented they were. Guidance is a talent, I think, and now... I''m just wondering if I have it."


    Another pause and Kaori closed her eyes.


    "Keiko needs me to be that for her, but I don''t know if I have it in me. Maybe I should drop her off with Mizaki or Takomaro, or whoever... But, if I can''t be a good teacher," Kaori smiled, "I''ve at least decided, I''m going to be a good friend. It seems like she needs that just as much."


    Suddenly, a voice spoke behind her.


    "Kaori?"


    Her eyes opened and Kaori was on her feet instantly, her fists aimed back, ready to unleash a Fire spell, but instead of an enemy, what she saw was Keiko, waddling towards her. Her hands were outstretched, probably trying not to collide with anything.


    "Is that you?" Keiko asked.


    Kaori went up to her and took her hands lightly, trying to help ground her.


    "Yeah, yeah. Why did you come out here?" Kaori asked. Her hands were cold to the touch and Kaori noticed she was shaking a little. Right, Zayama''s senses are better than most people''s. She''s probably feeling the cold air even worse than I am.


    "I heard the door open and I feared there was an intruder of some sort. Then, I heard your voice and I came over here. Are you alright?" Keiko asked.


    There was so much genuine concern on her face, that Kaori thought it was adorable.


    "My hero~" Kaori couldn''t help but tease and Keiko''s pale face flushed. It was quickly becoming one of Kaori''s favorite things to see.


    "I''m serious..." Keiko muttered.


    She laughed, patted Keiko on the head, and said:


    "Silly, I''m your teacher. If something were getting the better of me, what would you do?"


    "O-Oh... I suppose you''re correct."


    "Not that I don''t appreciate it, Savior," Kaori quickly added. "Come on, it''s way too cold out. Let''s go back inside."


    Suddenly, Keiko was becoming a very endearing figure to the blonde.


    I''ll try to guide you, and if I can''t do that, then maybe we can at least have some fun before our time together is up. I can at least do that for you.


    "By the way, who were you talking to?" Keiko asked.


    "Oh... No one, I was talking to myself," Kaori replied, and the two went back into Kaori''s house.

 Chapter 120 - Interlude 2 - Keiko, The Savior, Part 4

    Keiko


    A Week Later


    "Stay calm!" Kaori shouted at her.


    That''s a lot easier said than done.  Keiko thought as she dodged out of the way of a claw that was aimed at her neck. The Zayama spun in place and slashed, feeling nothing but air.  Wow, these things are fast. She heard her opponent snarling some meters away and put her sword between them, trying to calm her nerves.


    Keiko was currently fighting her first demon.


    Kaori had been sent a letter explaining that a few demons had been spotted nearby, which meant that she needed to go clear them out. Keiko''s teacher, however, figured this would be a good opportunity for Keiko to test her skills against the Savior''s main enemies.


    So far, Keiko understood why these creatures were so feared, why humanity had yet to win their war against them. It proved this point when Keiko heard its feet leave the ground, meaning it had leaped up. Keiko rolled to her right, but she stumbled in the process. She nearly fell, but she managed to balance herself and heard the demon fall back down where she had just been.


    Predicting that it was in a crouched position of some sort thanks to its little stunt, Keiko performed a downward slash and caught its body somewhere, earning a squeal. But, instead of retreating after being wounded like most regular creatures would, the demon seemed invigorated by the pain, swiping towards her. Keiko stepped back and felt a gust of wind on her forehead, meaning she had just dodged an attack that could have killed her.


    Again, predicting its position, Keiko stepped forwards and stabbed. Her sword slashed through her opponent''s flesh, and Keiko quickly kicked it away and walked back, getting into a fighting position again.


    However, the fight was done at this point.


    "WOO! You did it!" Kaori cheered from the side and Keiko took a few deep breaths, nodding.


    "I guess," Keiko muttered as she reverted her weapon.


    "I''m honestly pretty surprised," Kaori said, her voice growing slightly louder which meant she was getting closer. "Back when I first fought these things, I was scared out of my mind."


    "I didn''t say I wasn''t scared," Keiko replied.


    "Could have fooled me, you handled yourself like a pro," Kaori said, and Keiko could hear the smile in her proud tone. "Just remember, for next time, understand that a demon won''t stop trying to kill you, no matter how wounded it is. They don''t run, they just attack. It''s what they''re designed to do."


    "Right," Keiko nodded.


    "Okay then," Kaori clapped her hands, "I think that''s good enough for now."


    "What? I only fought one."


    "It''s dangerous to fight demons for too long. Remember, I have a Fire affinity. I literally can''t heal you if you get hurt out here. So, one demon a day seems alright to me. So, let''s go back."


    "But..." Keiko hesitated. "I... Shouldn''t we be trying to get as much done as possible?" What Kaori was saying went against everything she''d been taught.


    "At the risk of dying?" Kaori chuckled. "Keiko, It''s not being ''lazy'' to want to avoid getting hurt. Plus, we have all the time in the world to get you where you need to be. Calm down a bit."


    ---


    Because of that, Keiko was right back where she usually was these days. Waiting for the day to pass while Kaori would occasionally speak to her. She heard her teacher put a cup down on the table in front of her and the smell of tea reached her nostrils. Keiko mumbled a "thanks" and she heard her teacher sit next to her.


    However, almost as soon as she did, someone knocked on the front door.


    "I''ll get it," Kaori said, needlessly, since Keiko didn''t plan to get up anyway. It wasn''t her house after all.


    Her teacher took a few steps away from her and then gasped loudly.


    "Hm?" Keiko hummed when she heard Kaori exclaim like that. Then, she greeted someone.


    "KASUMI!" Kaori said loudly and another voice joined hers, laughing.


    "Hahaha, hello," this new woman replied.


    Uhm... Who is this supposed to be?  Keiko asked herself.


    ---


    Kaori


    Seeing her old friend in front of her brought more joy to Kaori than she would have expected.


    However, seeing her daughter come out from behind her and tackle Kaori with a hug was even better.


    "Nozomi! Oh my gosh, you''re so much taller!"


    Kaori wasn''t kidding. The last time she''d seen this girl, a year ago, she had stood at around 60 centimeters tall, now she was closer to 90. The little girl really did look like a younger reflection of her mother, with dark cinnamon skin and crimson-colored short hair. Kasumi watched them hug it out with a smile on her face.


    Once they separated, Kaori did the same with the older woman, embracing Kasumi. By the time they were done, Kaori''s cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling.


    "Come in, come in!" She said, excited and she stepped aside.


    "Thank you, come on, Nozo," Kasumi held her daughter''s hand as the two went in.


    Seeing her brought a flood of memories back to Kaori''s mind and the blonde suddenly felt like she was right back at pearl, two years ago, when she and the others had gone to help out with some demon-related issues. Of course, this also reminded her of when her wife was still alive, but Kaori did her best to push those thoughts away for a bit.


    The older Savior walked in and her eyes fell on the blindfolded girl sitting at the kitchen table.


    Kaori walked over and gestured at her.


    "This is Keiko," she said, and the Zayama pushed her chair back and stood up. "Keiko, this is Kasumi. An old friend of mine, and um, another Savior."


    "Hello," Keiko bowed, her hands held together.


    "A pleasure to meet you," Kasumi replied.


    Keiko then said:


    "Can I go train for a little bit? Outside, I mean."


    "Of course," Kaori replied and the blindfolded girl walked out of the house on her own.


    "So," Kasumi said, as she watched Keiko exit, "you''ve been assigned an apprentice?"


    "Yeah!" Kaori replied. "Oh, wait, are you hungry? I can whip something up for you."


    "Some water would be nice, and you, Nozo?"


    "Some water..." Nozomi echoed what her mother said and Kaori''s heart melted upon hearing her voice.


    "Coming right up!"


    After getting a few drinks for everyone, the three of them sat at the table and Kaori couldn''t keep herself from grinning as they chatted.


    "Wow, I haven''t seen you in so long!" Kaori exclaimed. "How have you been?"


    "Everything''s been good, thankfully," Kasumi said. Her voice always had this gentle tone to it that Kaori consistently found relaxing whenever she heard the woman speak. It was like she could put someone to sleep just by telling them the weather. "The Royal Council wanted to speak to me about something, so Jonoko, Nozo, and I came to Jade. I wanted to see you on the way, though," Kasumi explained. "Catch up, you know?"


    Kaori nodded eagerly.


    "Oh, well," Kaori smiled somewhat nervously, "I don''t really have much to say o my end, but about a week or two ago, I started training Keiko. That''s been fun."


    "Really?" Kasumi asked, putting a hand under her chin.


    "Yeah! Keiko is, well, she''s a serious one. The super responsible and proper type, but it''s been nice having someone around the house..." She didn''t finish that sentence. She had meant to add "considering how lonely I''ve been".


    "Gosh, I, what have you been doing lately?" Kaori asked then, wanting Kasumi to take her away from where her train of thoughts was taking her.


    "Well... Nozo," Kasumi smirked and looked over at her daughter. "Wanna show her?"


    Her daughter nodded and grinned as she raised a hand.


    "Sever the... Wait, what was it?" Nozomi spoke softly. "Oh.  Sever the line between what is real and what isn''t."


    Suddenly, a flower appeared on Kaori''s table.


    "OOOH!" Kaori applauded her as the flower quickly faded away. Kasumi did the same, chuckling proudly.


    "I taught her a couple of spells," Kasumi said and Kaori could see so much love and adoration in her eyes as she looked at Nozomi. "She''s really into it. I think I''ve got quite the little illusionist in my hands," she added, stroking her daughter''s hair.


    "That''s so cool," Kaori replied. "I mean, she''s learning from the best so, I''m sure she''ll be awesome at it."


    "Heh, thank you, I guess being outstanding just runs in our veins," Kasumi shrugged.


    However, then, her look turned slightly more serious.


    "Kaori, I..." She started. "I wanted to check in on you though. I mean, after... After everything that happened with Ash, I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright. Have you been well?"


    Kaori''s throat felt tighter as she heard that, but she nodded.


    "... As good as anyone could be after their wife passes away. Especially in the way that she did," Kaori responded. "But, don''t worry," she was quick to continue, "I''ve been holding myself up. Promise. I''m just... Taking things slowly. But... But I know that, whichever afterlife Ash is in now, Magia''s, Lumina''s, or Alkoth''s, she wouldn''t want me to just be sad all the time. I understand that."


    Kasumi nodded.


    "Don''t forget to reach out to people though. Satsuhiro told me he might just take this place back if you don''t go out every now and then."


    Kaori rolled her eyes light-heartedly.


    "He''s welcome to come by anytime he wants to. I haven''t seen him and Metsumi in so long either. It... It feels like only yesterday we were all drinking together, laughing it up in a tavern. I''d like to do something like that again."


    "I''ll be sure to let them know once I''m in the city."


    ---


    Keiko


    She could faintly hear the conversation going on inside, but she tried her hardest to block their voices out. She needed to focus.


    Relax.  Keiko told herself.  Relax. Pretend you''re alone. That no one else is around for miles.


    Then, she took a deep breath, feeling her shoulders loosening up just a little.


    Now, try it again.


    "Iridos."


    However, she didn''t succeed. Instead, lighting surged through her body and Keiko gritted her teeth, bearing the pain as the ability failed.


    Earlier, Kaori had said she needed to slow down. That they had all the time in the world, but Keiko disagreed. She had expectations, she had a family she needed to please. She had a role she had to play.


    She couldn''t afford to just sit back and let the world pass her by. She needed this.


    So, although it hurt more and more with each attempt, Keiko tried again, and again, and again, hoping that someday her persistence alone would let her stop being such a failure.

 Chapter 121 - Interlude 2 - Keiko, The Savior, Part 5

    No matter how hard Keiko tried, her Spirit Eye wouldn''t activate. This was expected, and yet Keiko still felt disappointed, every single time she tried. Back inside the house, she could hear Kaori and Kasumi laughing as they conversed.


    "Seriously, you haven''t... in such a long time!" Kasumi said. Keiko could barely hear their words.


    "Kasumi, I don''t... It would be..."


    "You have to move..." Kasumi argued about something. "You need to dust off down there!"


    "Hahahaha!" Kaori cackled. "Stop!"


    Keiko sighed and stood up, rolling her shoulders.


    "..." For a moment, she tried to picture herself in a similar situation. Surrounded by friends, a smile tugging at her lips, their joyous voices coalescing with her own, but she couldn''t. Such a fantasy just felt wrong. Like it didn''t belong to her. No matter how much she might have wanted to experience that, she simply had to understand that her path was different.


    Her path was marked with expectations and the responsibility to meet them. And she thought she was okay with that.


    The screen door leading outside opened behind her. Keiko turned her head.


    "Hm?"


    "Keiko!" Kaori said, and Keiko immediately noticed how her voice was... different. "Come in, share a few drinks with us. Take a break!" It was still the same positive, bubbly personality from before, but she felt it was slightly more... real? Something about how she sounded felt more genuine, at least to Keiko''s ears.


    She must be having fun then. Good for her. Keiko assumed and she turned around.


    "I.... don''t..." Keiko started.


    "I''m not saying we''re going to get hammered, Keiko," Kaori was quick to add. "Just a bit to get the blood flowing, you know?"


    "..." Keiko took a deep breath. Her blindfold and the cube tied to her belt suddenly felt so much heavier. Do I... One part of her mind, a part that sounded a lot like her grandmother, told her to tell Kaori ''no'' and sit back down, to keep trying. Another part, one that was slightly higher pitched and more energetic, was whispering for Keiko to put her things down and relax for a little bit.


    That concept, resting, was foreign to her, but its prospect sounded so sweet that Keiko felt her guard drop in real-time. So, she replied:


    "Sure."


    Kaori then walked over and took her hand. By now, Keiko could safely say she recognized her touch. Her palm was calloused, probably from years of fighting, but her fingers still felt soft. Keiko was led back into the house, where Kasumi''s voice then addressed her.


    "Oh, Keiko, right?" Kasumi asked.


    "Yes," Keiko replied as she was led to the table, where she sat down. She heard Kaori sit down next to her.


    "Haven''t gotten to talk to you much, I was wondering if I was gonna leave without knowing anything about this cute girl who''s currently staying with my friend."


    Keiko blushed, trying to straighten out her back and raise her chin to fight her embarrassment.


    "So, when did you get chosen?" Kasumi asked.


    "Um... About two weeks ago," Keiko replied.


    "Okay. Did you have a job or anything like that? Is there a boyfriend, a girlfriend or something waiting back home?"


    "Kasumi, you don''t have to interrogate her," Kaori said, chuckling and Keiko was glad she stepped in.


    She hadn''t noticed it until now, but there was a small separation building between Keiko and her life back home. She wanted to keep it that way. Thinking about the Compound and the people there would only bring her melancholy.


    "Alright, alright, just wondering," Kasumi responded. Then, she tapped her finger against the table a couple of times. "So, ready?"


    "Yeah, what did you bring?" Kaori asked.


    "Nothing terribly special, unfortunately," Kasumi lamented. "But, it''s some good wine from Amber.


    "What about me?" Nozomi innocently asked.


    "Nope. You get water. Nice, cold, water though," Kasumi replied. "Just as good."


    There was a bit of silence as Kaori and Kasumi set things up, pouring the drinks onto three glass cups. Then, Keiko felt a tap on her right shoulder.


    "Hey," Nozomi whispered.


    "Hm?" Keiko tilted her head towards her voice.


    "Why do you wear that?"


    Then, Nozomi poked her right eye, over the blindfold. Thankfully, Keiko had them closed but she still backed off a little.


    "Uh... I just wear this to let everyone know that I haven''t gained eyesight yet," Keiko replied, squirming a little.


    "Hm?" Nozomi made a curious sound. "Eye... You can''t see?" She slowly asked.


    "No, I cannot," Keiko replied and the little girl paused before saying:


    "... Maybe it''s because of the blindfold."


    ...


    ....


    Keiko burst out laughing. She had to hold herself back but a low cackle still escaped her lips.


    "Maybe, maybe..." Keiko replied.


    Soon, Kaori and Kasumi were done. Nozomi was apparently given some water while the others had their drinks raised.


    "Keiko, push your cup a little forward," Kaori indicated and the Zayama did so. She felt her glass cup clank against two others. "Cheers! Go ahead," Kaori said.


    "Um... Okay."


    Keiko hadn''t drunk anything like this before, so she was nervous. Still, those nerves were matched by a sense of curiosity, heightened by the risque nature of this. She knew that if the others back home heard about this, she''d be the subject of hushed whispers for several weeks. It was honestly almost exciting.


    She ran her thumbs up and down the glass cup for a bit, before finally lifting it up to her lips.


    What she drank was the strangest thing. A mixture of a sweet taste with a fire-like spice though as it slid down her throat. She coughed twice as the spicy sensation continued.


    "It feels like my throat is burning, is this normal?" Keiko asked.


    "Yep, that''s alcohol for ya," Kasumi replied. "You get used to it, don''t worry."


    I don''t plan on doing this again once I return to the Compound, so I doubt I will.  Keiko replied in her thoughts.


    "Oh, gosh, I really needed this~" Kaori said beside Keiko.


    "I''m glad I could help then," Kasumi responded. Keiko took another sip and the feeling was still just as strong as the first time, but now that she knew what to expect she prepared her body more appropriately for it.


    Keiko didn''t talk much after that though. Mostly, Kasumi and Kaori spoke amongst each other, going over shared memories while Keiko slowly downed the contents of her glass cup. It was interesting to hear though, but what they talked about sounded like the stuff of fairytales.


    "Remember when we ran into that one half-demon? Back at Amber?"


    "Ohh... I forgot her name... or maybe I''m just too drunk," Kasumi chuckled. "She really had a soft spot for Ash, didn''t she?"


    "Yeah!" Kaori''s tone was so enthusiastic that her voice filled the entire house. "She nearly kissed her one time."


    "Wait, wait, I never heard about this," Kasumi replied.


    "I was sooo jealous," Kaori laughed heartily. "Oh gosh... It feels like such a long time ago."


    They were silent for a brief moment before Kasumi cleared her throat.


    "... Keiko," Kasumi suddenly said.


    "Hm?"


    "You never answered. Do you have a special someone waiting for you back home?"


    Keiko shook her head.


    "No, I do not."


    "Oh, that''s surprising..." There was something strange about how she said that like she was insinuating something. Keiko didn''t quite understand though.


    "Kasumi, stop it," Kaori said, and now Keiko was certain there was something she wasn''t picking up on. She didn''t care too much though. Instead, she finished her drink and leaned back against the chair.


    "So, Keiko, when was the last time you got laid?"


    "KASUMI!" Kaori yelped.


    "... Got laid?" Keiko asked. This wasn''t a phrase she could say she''d ever heard before.


    "You know, when''s the last time you had sex."


    "Oh. Never."


    Keiko answered that as simply as she could. It was the truth, after all.


    "Really? What''s the farthest you''ve gotten though?"


    "Um, what do you mean?" Keiko asked.


    "This is ridiculous..." Kaori muttered. Kasumi kept going though.


    "Like, kissing, groping, licking, you know? What have you done?"


    "Um, none?" Keiko shrugged.


    "Seriously?" Now, Kasumi really sounded shocked.


    "Wait, actually?" Kaori joined in.


    "Is this really that surprising?" Keiko asked. "I... I haven''t done anything of the sort before."


    "... Well... This was informative, I''d say."


    Thankfully, the questions stopped after that.


    ---


    Kasumi and Nozomi left about an hour later, as the night had settled in.


    "Are you sure you want to go? You''re more than welcome to stay over, it''s dangerous out there." Kaori said.


    "Thank you, but I do have somewhere to be in the morning, so I''d rather get going. But, promise, I will visit again soon," Kasumi told her. "As for you, Keiko, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you enjoy your time here."


    "Thank you. Safe travels."


    "Take care," Kaori added.


    With that, Kasumi and her daughter promptly left. Keiko heard a horse galloping away from the farm. Kaori then held her hand.


    "So, where do you want to go?"


    "I''d... like to sit down for a little bit," Keiko responded. "I feel strange."


    "You''re probably tipsy, come on. I''ll get you some water too, it helps."


    "Thank you."


    Keiko bowed and was led to a couch. A moment later, Kaori sat next to her and handed her a cup. Keiko drank from it and her throat felt better.


    The two sat in silence for a while. Keiko steadied her breathing, feeling calmness overtake her as Kaori spoke up again later.


    "So, you really haven''t even kissed someone?"


    "I haven''t," Keiko confirmed.


    "Wow. I..." Kaori chuckled. "I didn''t see that coming. I mean, you''d said you were a virgin, but I didn''t know you were that inexperienced."


    "It doesn''t matter," Keiko quickly said, and it was almost like the drinks were speaking for her right now. "It''s not like anyone would want to do anything like that with me. I have my work to focus on. I will be fine."


    Another silence. This one stretched for so long that Keiko worried that what she said sound  that pathetic.


    "Do you want to try it?" Kaori asked.


    "... What?" Keiko asked.


    "You know, do you want to try it?" She reiterated casually. It took Keiko some time to respond.


    "But, how? With who?"


    "With me," Kaori quickly answered.


    Keiko was so confused. She felt some butterflies in her stomach, shifting in her seat and straightening her posture.


    "Do you... Do you want to...?" Keiko couldn''t even finish the question.


    "Yeah, it would be fun," Kaori answered. "Besides, it''s just a kiss. Trust me, it isn''t that big a deal."


    "It isn''t?" Keiko asked.


    "Yeah... Only if you want to though. What do you say?"


    With that question, Keiko was left pondering the matter for a few seconds.  I... I suppose I would like to know what it feels like.


    Just thinking about what it could be like, to feel someone else so close to her, made her heart race.


    "I..." Keiko said. "Um... Okay."

 Chapter 122 - Interlude 2 - Keiko, The Savior, Finale

    Kaori


    Earlier


    Seeing Kasumi again, or rather any friend at all, really, was something Kaori hadn''t known she needed as badly as she did. Since she had been living in isolation for a while, she had done a fantastic job of convincing herself that she was fine. That she was healing all on her own. But, as soon as she started having a regular conversation with someone she considered an old friend, she realized how wrong she was.


    Kasumi sat across from her, a sympathetic look on her face as the two talked.


    "I... I think I''ve moved on," Kaori stated, "at least, I stopped crying myself to sleep a while ago."


    "One step at a time is fine, but," Kasumi replied, "I think the only real way you''re going to get past all of this is by doing things, Kaori."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Living life!" Kasumi explained. "Right now, I think, your mind is still stuck on ''how am I supposed to do anything without Ash around?'' And, while that''s an understandable sentiment, it''s something you need to deal with."


    "How?"


    "There are plenty of things you could do," Kasumi said, crossing her arms. "Go back to Jade for a bit and get hammered, find a new hobby, or, I don''t know, find someone to..." She glanced at Nozomi who was listening at the side, and Kasumi cleared her throat. "You know."


    "I... What!?" Kaori yelped. "Kasumi, come on, I-I couldn''t..."


    "Oh come on, seriously, you haven''t done it in such a long time! Right?"


    "Kasumi, I don''t think it would be appropriate... I mean, wouldn''t..." Kaori sighed. "Wouldn''t it be disrespectful?"


    "Not at all. Kaori, you have to move around a little," Kasumi urged, with a kind smile but some clear worry in her tone as well, "the carpet needs a little cleaning, Kaori! You need to dust off down there!"


    At that, Kaori couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Stop!" Kaori said between cackles.


    "Sorry, sorry," Kasumi held her hands up defensively, "I''m just saying. Don''t you think Ash would want you to be happy? Knowing her, she''d want you to live your own life instead of... You know..."


    "... Yeah," Kaori sighed.


    This had been it. This had been the conversation that planted the seed in Kaori''s mind. A small bubble of thought that, when paired with copious amounts of wine, would bring Kaori to take one of her first real steps in letting go. And it came in the form of showing an inexperienced girl how to kiss.


    ---


    Keiko


    In life, there are certain experiences that one has where, the instant they do it, they realize that something inside of them has fundamentally changed as a result. This can be the first time someone tries alcohol, or when a person discovers their new favorite pastime. An experience where, once it''s done, the person who had it understands that now, something about them and the way that they perceive the world will never be the same. Keiko was fairly certain that, as she felt Kaori''s soft lips just barely grazing her own, she was in the middle of one of those moments.


    Kaori had said that this wouldn''t be "that big a deal." That it was "just a kiss."


    Kaori was a damn liar.


    This was absolutely a big deal, to say the least. Nothing that Keiko had done in her life had ever made her feel this warm, this... vulnerable, but in a good way. Keiko had never done anything that made her feel this way before. Nothing that produced the heart-melting sense of excitement or the electric nerves in her stomach that she currently had.


    She could have lived her entire life not knowing what this sort of thing was like, but now, thanks to her teacher, she knew.


    And, now that she knew, how was she supposed to forget this once it was over? Act like she wasn''t feeling the way that she was. Still, she tried to push that thought away and instead, focused on the present, instead of the near future.


    Kaori''s left hand was placed over Keiko''s right, in a reassuring way. In a similar way to how Kaori would take it when she led Keiko through the farm. Her lips, so soft, danced somewhat awkwardly with Keiko''s own, as she didn''t really have much of a clue of what she was doing.


    Still, although she was new to this, her mind was still functioning well. Until Kaori slipped her tongue past Keiko''s lips.


    At that point, the Zayama nearly fainted.


    She pulled back and Kaori made a confused noise.


    "Hm?"


    "W-... Sorry, you caught me by surprise..." Keiko said, coughing twice. "I didn''t... I mean..."


    "Do you want to stop?" Kaori quickly asked.


    "Uh... Give me a second," Keiko took a few deep breaths.  This is far too intense.  She thought.  I... Well, now I feel stupid for it, but I thought this would be, I don''t know, more innocent?


    "Take your time," Kaori told her and Keiko did exactly that.


    Kaori lifted her hand off of Keiko''s, but the Zayama spoke up as she did.


    "Um... Can you keep it there?" Keiko asked. "I... It helps me feel grounded if that makes sense."


    "Okay," Kaori said, and her hand went back over Keiko''s. "So... What are you thinking?"


    "Well..." At that moment, Keiko did what she usually did. She took up a professional posture, straightening her back and keeping her chin raised, hoping it would inject some fake confidence into her so that she could speak more clearly. "I... I''m enjoying this, I''m just wondering..."


    "Wondering what?"


    Keiko chuckled self-deprecatingly.


    "Wondering if it''s always supposed to feel this... Mind-melting."


    At that, Kaori paused. Then, Keiko heard her inhale deeply and she said:


    "It always has, for me."


    "Is that so?" Keiko asked.


    "Mhm... With some people more than others," Keiko didn''t know what that meant, but Kaori was quick to elaborate.


    "Like, with past lovers?" Keiko asked.


    "... With my wife, mostly."


    At that, Keiko''s jaw planted itself against the ground.


    "... Your wife?" Keiko asked, baffled.


    "Hm? Yeah."


    Oh, by Alkoth, I''m with an adulterer. That''s it. Whatever respect I had with my family is ruined. I will be known as the Zayama Mistress and books will be written about me and in all of them I''m going to be portrayed as some villain and everyone who reads it is going to hate my character and I''m going to grow up sad and alone in both the book and in real life, and, people will teach their children all about me and tell them not to grow up to be like Keiko and...


    "She''s passed away though."


    Keiko''s train of thought stopped.


    "Oh."


    "Yeah. About a year and a half ago, I think."


    "I''m sorry to hear that," Keiko responded.


    "It sucked, it still sucks," Kaori added, "but... Yeah, we were married so, we used to do this all the time. I remember," Kaori continued, "I''d wake up in the morning find her cooking up breakfast or something and every time, it was like her lips would tell me that my day would be good, just by touching mine."


    "Hm..." Keiko nodded. "I can''t say I''ve felt that sort of thing before."


    "There''s a good side to that," Kaori told her, "at least you can''t know what it''s like to have it taken away. But, that''s beside the point," Kaori kept going though Keiko could hear the way her voice strained, "doing this with you, now... Gosh," Kaori chuckled nervously.


    "Yes?"


    "It brings back... Not memories, exactly, but, old feelings. I guess what I''m trying to say is, this felt a little better than I thought it would. And, I don''t know whether to be happy or ashamed about that."


    Keiko nodded, and then the two of them didn''t say anything for a moment.


    "So... What do we do then?" Keiko asked. The hand that was over hers squeezed a little.


    "I don''t know," Kaori replied. "It''s up to you."


    Then, Keiko felt a hand brush some of her hair behind her right ear.


    "I''m your teacher, aren''t I? Whatever you want to do, that''s what matters."


    "But... I would like to know what you want to do," Keiko said. "I don''t want to be selfish."


    "... Maybe being selfish every now and then isn''t a bad thing. So," Keiko felt her body draw closer. "What is it that you want?"


    Keiko breathed in and responded:


    "I guess I''d like to do that again. But... warn me if you''re gonna do that... You know, tongue thing, again, okay?"


    "Okay."


    And with those words, their lips met again shortly after. As casual as Kaori had promised this would be, ultimately, something had changed in both of them, and Keiko felt like they both could tell. Where this would take them was hard to say, of course, but wherever it did, it was clear that both of them would be going through changes.


    Still, at least, as far as Keiko was concerned, this woman had consistently surprised her. Keiko still had her guard up and yet, here she was, having slipped right past it, one hand over hers, letting her know that the two of them were embarking on some strange journey.


    As scary as such a thing was, Keiko felt like they both needed it. So, in Keiko''s case, it was due to the expectations of her family, and in Kaori''s case, it was as a result of the grief of losing a loved one, but they both were now walking the same path.


    The path of letting go, and it all started with Kaori''s tongue once again slipping past Keiko''s lips.


    "Y-You didn''t warn me!" Keiko said as Kaori laughed.


    "Sorry, sorry... Again?"


    Keiko sighed.


    "... Fine."

 Chapter 123 - Interlude 3 - Ash, The Bounty Hunter, Part 1

    Note: Admittedly, I''m cheating a little here. This one takes place in Amber, a city that we have heard about, but have yet to visit in the story. In a way, you could see this more as a sneak peek into what we have to look forward to in the far future, rather than a different version of the past. I hope you like it!


    ---


    Although each of the cities that form a part of the Jewel Empire is dangerous in its own ways, one stands out as being particularly treacherous.


    It''s not Onyx, with its dangerous wildlife and mysterious bamboo forests. It is not Sapphire, with its snow-capped wastelands and freezing temperatures. It is not Jade or Pearl either. No, this was Amber. The Arcane Valley, they call this region, and it is a nickname that fits because it highlights the two most recognizable parts of the south. Firstly, the prominence of magic. Not just in the people who live here, but in everything. The trees, the animals, some of the elderly hold the belief that even the wind can cast spells on a bad day.


    The second aspect of this land that needs to be understood is that Amber, specifically, is located just beside a canyon, where the dirt and rocks scald the feet of those who walk over them, and dropping your guard could mean being another to fall to the likes of a sand reaver.


    Still, many who do not have the funds to make the trip up north, or who would rather remain away from the eyes of the empire''s officers, call this region their home. It is a place for outcasts, truly. Even then, there are still those who are shunned among these outcasts.


    One of them rode into the city by way of a golden-colored horse. She wore a black duster coat, black boots, and a mask that covered her pale lips. Her violet eyes scanned the area around her, looking to see if she could find anyone who would do her harm. All she saw were some posters, depicting the face of a pale, raven-haired woman. Still, she didn''t let that stop her from being cautious. One could never be too careful in these parts.


    Her name was Ash, and she was a half-demon. Even amongst necromancers, conjurers, illusionists, thieves, and corrupt officials, she was still the subject of dirty leers that had been thrown her way since she was born. Still, this city had a way of sheltering those who were hated, not necessarily treating them well, but giving them a home, so, Ash had spent all 18 years of her life here, just trying to survive.


    That path had led her to who she was now, a woman riding towards a chubby man in the distance, with slick black hair and a handlebar mustache, who was dressed in a golden Jade-themed ji. The head of a known criminal was tied to her horse.


    And she was absolutely sick of this. Thankfully, all of her struggles would be over once she received the reward for this last mission. Finally, she would be able to flip everyone off and ride into the sun.


    As she got closer, she got off and took the head, walking towards him.


    "Done," she said curtly, showing it off.


    "You never disappoint," he replied, nodding. "Here you go. One white royal crown."


    At that, Ash raised a brow and took a step forwards. The man raised his hands, and a few guards he had nearby put their hands on their weapons.


    "You promised me 5, Jacob," she told him, in a low voice. "Do I have to take the other 4 off of your cold body?"


    "Now, now," the man raised his hands, "I did, but... Something happened."


    Ash almost snarled. White bangs fell in front of her eyes and she pushed them back as she sighed.


    "... Explain."


    He smiled.


    "Thank you, Ash. So," he put his hands behind his back. "Simply put, we... Someone came around and robbed us."


    "... And they took my reward money?" Ash asked.


    "Yes. Unfortunately. Truly a tragedy."


    "Who are they, where are they, and what''s their level?" Ash already decided she would go chase after them. She needed these coins. She was so close. She wasn''t about to let this happen.


    "Yes, yes," he cleared his throat. "The woman you''re looking for is named Vermia, she''s a necromancer, she''s never been the type to stir up trouble but recently..."


    Ash put a hand up.


    "Motherfucker, I don''t need the full backstory. Where is she and what''s her level?" Ash stated and the man sighed.


    "She''s at an abandoned fortress three days to the northwest, just beyond the Mist Realm. She''s level 30."


    Ash instantly turned around to go find her already, but the man stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder.


    Ash looked back, daggers in her violet eyes as she stared at him.


    "Don''t. Touch. Me," she muttered and the man instantly let go.


    "One last thing," he said. If he had been frightened by her, he didn''t show any signs of it. "She kidnapped someone," Jacob said, taking a piece of paper out of his pockets. "She kidnapped a lot of people, but you only need to concern yourself with one. Her name''s Keiko Arphilia."


    Upon hearing that, Ash actually felt surprised.


    "The... The Arcane''s daughter?" She asked.


    "Yes," Jacob confirmed, and even he had a serious look on his face.


    "... Isn''t this pretty serious then?" Ash asked. "Why aren''t the Arcane''s forces looking for her?"


    "They are, but... Vermia is powerful. Her Dark magic is something not easily dealt with. The Arcane''s soldiers are simply outmatched. However," he added, a little smirk appearing on his face, "you should be capable of beating her, no? With that Demon Form of yours."


    She guessed that he was right. Ash was currently level 25, but with her Demon Form, she could use the added stats to try to best the necromancer. Still, she wasn''t entirely sure she could win.


    "In any case, you don''t have to kill Vermia, you need only rescue Keiko. If you do," Jacob explained, "I''ve heard the Arcane is willing to give 15 white royal crowns as a reward."


    Ash''s heart just about stopped upon hearing that.


    15 white royal crowns. That was enough to be set for at least the next 10 years, not in Amber, but in Jade. In a proper society, away from the reavers and mages of Amber. That sort of reward blew what Ash had in mind out of the water.


    She looked down at her own hands and then closed her eyes.


    "I don''t need to kill her, right? I only need to rescue the girl?"


    "Yes. Do that, bring her back to Amber, and you will be a rich woman."


    "... Why are you telling me this?" Ash asked, narrowing her brows. "You could have just had me bring her back to you, taken the reward for yourself."


    He shook his head.


    "If I didn''t tell you, someone else, the posters on the walls, the girl herself, anyone and anything would have let you know. Besides, you''ve heard of her beauty, right?" Jacob asked. "Upon seeing her, you would have known she was the Arcane''s daughter. There was no real way to trick you in this situation. Believe me, I tried to find one."


    He was right about the girl though. Her beauty was the stuff of legends. It was rumored that she was around Ash''s age, with cascading rose-colored hair that glowed in the nighttime, and crystal clear eyes that could purify the soul with a single glance. Ash wasn''t sure she believed those rumors, but if they had any basis in reality, she certainly would have known what she had in her hands upon running into her.


    However, she didn''t buy for a second that there wasn''t a catch to all of this. No one would pass up 15 white royal crowns like that. So, she made a mental note to stay alert, looking away from him.


    "... I see." Ash nodded. "I''m going."


    So, Ash left to go get supplies.


    Twirling her singular white royal crown in her hands, Ash went to the only person she knew who could adequately equip her for this little trip.


    Ash had no friends in this city, but she had some people who tolerated her. People who would, at least, wear a fake smile whenever she went up to them. One such person was who she was visiting now.


    She walked up to a small wooden building, the words "The Food Vault" on a sign at its front. This restaurant, although small and unassuming, held one a highly-respected individual inside, who happened to be the person Ash was going to meet. Entering the place, Ash quickly spotted the woman she was looking for. She was the owner of this place, even though she was just a year older than Ash.


    A short-haired blonde, blue-eyed woman by the name of Kaori. Right now, she was wearing a white skirt and brown vest, all stained a little with dirt, as everyone''s clothes were. She was currently cleaning up the joint, sweeping the floor with her right, and only, arm.


    All Ash knew about that whole situation was that, at some point, a customer had tried to force himself onto Kaori. They fought, and she ended up without an arm. He, however, ended up dead. Ash thought that was why most people in the city respected the woman. To live in Amber, one had to be strong of will, but even then, Kaori was stronger than most.


    Upon hearing the door open, she turned towards Ash and grinned.


    "Ash! Welcome darlin''!"


    The half-demon nearly rolled her eyes at what she was sure was a forced greeting, but she walked in, her boots leaving dirty imprints where she stepped. Kaori, on the other hand, walked up to her and hugged the half-demon.


    Ash froze. Anger, confusion, and surprise all flooding her in that moment, but Kaori retreated before she could express any of it.


    Ash closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    "I apologize for the floor," Ash muttered.


    "Oh, don''t worry about that." Kaori dropped her broom by a table and waved her concerns away. She spoke with a strange accent that Ash found slightly endearing. "How ya been? I ain''t seen ya in a bit."


    "... I''m doing well," Ash replied. She wasn''t sure why she entertained the small talk that Kaori liked to engage in, but she did.


    "Good to hear! You''re looking different these days too, ya know? Last time I saw ya, and today too, you''ve got this... I don''t know, a little glint in your eyes. Something good happen?" She asked, suggestively.


    No,  Ash thought.  It''s more about what will happen. I''m finally leaving.


    "No."


    "Aw. How about I whip ya up something nice to make up for that?"


    Ash sighed.


    "I''m not looking to have dinner, I need to prepare for a journey."


    "Ohhh. Where ya goin''?"


    "Another job."


    "This quick? I reckon ya only just came back, right?" Kaori asked putting her hand on her hip. "Wait..." Kaori said. "Ya mean, that Arcane job?" Ash nodded. "Are ya sure? I heard about it and... sounds fairly dangerous."


    "I have to," Ash shrugged. She almost said "sorry",  for some reason.


    "Well, alright then," Kaori replied. "Ya better not be overworkin'' yourself though. Still, I''ll set ya up for it, real good." Kaori promised, flexing her arm''s bicep.


    Ash nodded and waited.


    The food was nothing special, taste-wise, but the reason this place was called "The Food Vault" was that Kaori tended to produce an ungodly amount of dishes very quickly. Before Ash even knew it, she had already prepared several days'' worth of rations for her.


    "Here," Ash said, passing her the white royal crown but Kaori pushed her hand away.


    "Nah, it''s on the house, darlin''," she said.


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "What I just said, it''s free of charge."


    "... Why?" Ash asked, baffled.


    "Cause I know you''ve got it rougher than most," Kaori said. "And I know ya could use the help. So, there ya go."


    "But... This is a lot..."


    "Listen ''ere, are ya gonna take this gift or am I gonna have to pound the message into your head with my broom?" Kaori asked.


    Even though she was level 2, and Ash was level 25. The half-demon nearly laughed, hating how her heart warmed up a little at that.


    "... Thank you."


    "No trouble at all," Kaori said, and then suddenly, she walked up and kissed her on the cheek, over her black mask. "Go get ''em."


    ---


    3 Days Later


    That was how Ash ended up riding through the dirt and rocks, on her way to the abandoned fortress that apparently Vermia was hiding in. She knew of this place, only because of its proximity to the Mist Realm.


    Ash had never been to the Mist Realm, but anyone who lived in Amber knew what it was. A place that stretched for miles and miles, where reality itself was bent and twisted, and the high-level enemies lived within who could tear apart a living being from the inside. She could see it now, a sea of violet lightning-covered fog in the distance. Just past it was the fortress.


    Ash rounded the Mist Realm and reached the fortress. She got off her horse and tied it to a tree out front.


    "Anything happens, you rip that rope off and run, got it?" She told the horse, running a hand over its head a few times. Then, she breathed in. "Alright. Probably should be stealthy about this. No real reason to get into a fight if I don''t have to."


    With those words, Ash walked in, through the broken-down doors at the front.

 Chapter 124 - Interlude 3 - Ash, The Bounty Hunter, Part 2

    The fortress itself was dilapidated, the smell of dust rot and stagnation in the air, so intense that Ash worried she might contract some status effect or disease just from being in this area.


    This is... Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the grossest places I''ve been in.  Ash noted.


    Still, she walked past ruined wooden racks and tables, old unlit sconces and candles, and through various stone halls. She could barely see, but the darkness wouldn''t last for too long though. As she continued, eventually she reached a door. Every couple of seconds, flashes of white and violet would come from the cracks around the door, indicating something creating light behind it.


    I''m going to take a wild guess and say that the necromancer''s there...  Ash thought as she cautiously opened it and peered inside. Immediately, she spotted two figures standing at the room''s center. One belonged to an exceptionally pale woman dressed in a suit of black feathers. The other was that of a short woman who, although Ash could only see her from a distance right now, appeared to fit the bill.


    Indeed, she had hair that was a white-rose color, so long it covered most of her thin body. Her eyes, a clear pink, were slightly glowing in a way that reminded Ash of her own. She shook her head though.


    Focus.  Ash thought. All she needed to do was get this girl out of this place and Ash would spend the rest of her days lounging in Jade. That little dream of hers was necessary because as she looked around and saw different skeletons standing by, she noticed their levels.


    Fuck... They''re all around level 20.  Ash cursed.  Okay... All of a sudden, that whole "you don''t need to fight her" part is sounding pretty fortunate.


    Even with her Demon Form, Ash wasn''t confident she could take out multiple level 20 skeletons, all while contending with a level 30 necromancer at the same time. So, she needed to come up with a strategy. Something that would allow her to escape this place with the girl, without fighting the necromancer directly.


    The best scheme that came to her mind was to make use of one of the items she usually carried, and hope for the best. Ash crouched and reached into her bag. Here, she had almost half of the food that Kaori had made for her and a few tools. Most were basic things, knives, ropes, satchels, a map, basic utility. One, however, was something she used in situations like these. An invention of Onyx called a "smoke bomb".


    Once she had it in her hands, she briefly plotted an escape route.  Okay... So, I''ll take her, carry her out here, jump over the table, run out the building. Should be easy enough.


    The smoke bomb itself wasn''t enough to guarantee success, but that was where another of Ash''s tools came into play. During her time in Amber, another person aside from Kaori who tolerated her presence was an illusionist by the name of Kasumi. The two were not friends, but for a small fee, Kasumi taught Ash a few spells.


    Five level difference... Either it''ll just barely affect her, or it won''t affect her at all. Still have to try though.  Ash thought.


    Taking a couple of deep breaths, Ash nodded to herself. It was time to put these ideas to work. First, she threw the smoke bomb into the room, landing it at the center. It exploded, covering the room in a grey fog.


    "An intruder!? Find them!" Vermia yelled at her skeletons.


    Ash then closed her eyes.


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage."


    And when she reopened them, she saw her body turn transparent.


    Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  She told herself and as the skeletons opened the door to look for the threat, she slipped into the room behind them.


    Almost instantly, a bolt of black lightning struck the wall right next to her.


    "Camouflaging?" Vermia asked. "An amateur''s trick, that won''t save you!"


    "YEAH? WELL, IT SURE LOOKS LIKE YOU MISSED TO ME, BITCH!" Ash yelled back and the woman launched more lightning at her, which also failed to hit.


    Ash did her best to stay calm.


    She can just barely see me. The skeletons can''t see me at all. I can do this.


    So, she sprinted forwards, towards the girl. A few undead were standing between them. Ash pulled out her daggers from her belt and planted one right in a skeleton''s skull. Another went to stab her, but Ash easily dodged and tripped it, crushing its head under her foot afterward.


    The necromancer scowled and raised a hand. Ash''s eyes widened.


    Vermia launched multiple bolts of dark lightning towards her, each one barely missing and cracking the very ground she stood on.


    Ash continued moving, trying her hardest to reach Keiko. This was the point where fighting was not really an option anymore.


    "W-WAIT!" The girl yelled but Ash was moving too fast. She ran into something that made her freeze.


    What!?  Ash looked down and saw a glowing symbol painted around her left foot.


    "HA! YOU''VE ACTIVATED MY TRAP RUNE!" Vermia yelled.


    Dammit! How could I be so careless!?


    "I figured a few heroes would come to save her. Precautions were, of course, taken."


    Ash heard the skeletons start to return to the room. Vermia was raising a hand, about to launch a spell at her that would surely hit.


    Oh. I''m fucked. Ash realized.


    She tried to move but was unable to. Sighing, she waited for Vermia''s spell to end her.


    It was worth a try.


    However, before Vermia was able to do so, a ball of rose-colored flames struck her head.


    Did... Did Keiko do that?  Ash asked herself.  Holy shit.


    Vermia cried out, but the attack didn''t do any real damage. Ash, however, took this as an opportunity. She took one of her daggers and lifted it up.


    She aimed it, holding her breath.


    Then, she threw it straight at the necromancer, and it stabbed right in her throat.


    "Aghg!" Blood came out of Vermia''s lips and the spell that was trapping Ash released.


    Ash wasted no time though. She took Keiko by the forearm as Vermia fell to the ground, clutching her throat, and the half-demon ran out of the room.


    "Blanket of reality, cover our visage." Ash cast the same spell, this time placing it over herself and Keiko. The skeletons ignored her, walking right past her and into the room. Ash smirked.


    Holy shit. I did it.


    ---


    "Oh my goodness, you did it!" The girl said.


    The two of them stood outside of the fortress, Ash was tying her bag to her horse as Keiko spoke behind her.


    "You actually killed her!" Keiko said.


    "No," Ash replied. "She probably lived."


    "... What?" Keiko asked. "But, how...?"


    "She''s a necromancer," Ash explained. "The instant one of those skeletons reentered the room, she probably drained it of whatever life it had left to heal herself. Which means," she picked the girl up, earning a yelp, and placed her on the horse, "we need to go."


    And so, Ash spurred her horse to move as fast as it could, and the two promptly escaped. She took a dirt road that would eventually lead back to Amber, and she allowed herself to calm down when she noticed that Vermia wasn''t chasing after her.


    Ash would then take Keiko back to Amber, where the Arcane would reward her with all of the crowns she deserved for such a dangerous task, and Ash would go on to finally leave Amber. She could finally leave the dangerous lands of the south behind and Ash would live the rest of her life in pleasant isolation.


    Or, that''s what would have happened. If a group of riders hadn''t intercepted Ash on the road.


    "What the...?" Ash muttered as she saw a few men and women dressed like Amber officers, wearing brown coats with violet emblems on their chests. Ash narrowed her eyes.  What the fuck is this?


    One horse among them moved towards her, and that was when Ash noticed Jacob.  What is... Oh.


    She realized what was happening as the man smiled at her.  I see.


    "Ash! Old friend," Jacob said. "What? You aren''t happy to see me?"


    Ash replied with a deep glare.


    "I see your exploits have been fruitful," Jacob said, gesturing at Keiko.


    "What do you want, Jacob?" Ash asked, though she already had an idea.


    Mostly, she just wanted him to start talking so she could figure out a way to escape.


    "Oh, come on," Jacob said. "You didn''t seriously believe I would let 15 white royal crowns slip out of my grasp so easily, did you?"


    "So, what''s your big idea?" Ash asked, again, already knowing the answer.


    "You know, I see now that your ruthlessness and persistence is simply compensating for a lack of intelligence, isn''t it? Ash! It''s obvious!" Jacob laughed.


    Yeah, yeah, go ahead, get your monologue out of the way. Ash thought as she snuck a few glances at her surroundings.


    The land to the left is too open. Even if I tried to cast an illusion spell, there''s too high a chance his archers could kill me.


    "The Arcane is willing to pay all of those crowns to whoever returns his daughter. Who rescued her doesn''t really matter, does it?" He cackled. "Ultimately, it''s a simple matter, really. That money... Who would make better use of it? A half-demon like you who would take it and do nothing but laze around all day? Occasionally toss a few coins onto whatever whore would keep you company? Or me, a businessman who can improve the lives of others? I''ll let you choose, Ash." He said.


    To my right... Ash looked beyond the trees, knowing what remained at the other side of this small patch of land.


    The idea that came to her was almost suicide, but it was starting to seem like the only viable choice.


    "Come on, Ash. Do the right thing," Jacob told her. "There will be other jobs. You can just take other missions. Give us the girl, and we''ll let you walk away. I don''t dislike you, Ash. I really don''t. I''d rather not have to kill you."


    Ash thought about it. In part, he was right. If they really wanted her dead, they would have just shot her as soon as they saw her. And, if Ash gave the girl up and came back, there would be other jobs and she''d go right back to saving money up slowly.


    But, she didn''t want to do that. She was too tired. She had no intention of living like this for much longer. So, Ash rolled her shoulders.


    Someone then came to her mind. The girl who this situation was all about. Ash looked back at her and saw that she wasn''t even looking at them. Her arms had been half-heartedly held around Ash''s waist. Her eyes were half-closed and she looked like she was almost going to faint.


    Ash muttered:


    "Sorry."


    The girl raised her head.


    "Hm?" She hummed. "What do you...?"


    "Sorry," Ash said again. "For what I''m about to do. I don''t think you''re gonna like this."


    And then, Ash spurred her horse and with it, went to the right, between the sickly trees. She heard Jacob issue an order and soon, arrows were flying out towards her, but they only hit the trees she used as cover.


    Ash''s horse cleared so much ground so quickly, leaping over roots and winding between trees, that her pursuers struggled to keep up.


    And eventually, they let her go altogether.


    Why? Probably because they realized what Ash''s plan was.


    She decided to take Keiko and herself into the Mist Realm.

 Chapter 125 - Interlude 3 - Ash, The Bounty Hunter, Part 3

    Looking back, this might not have been the smartest decision.


    This was what went through Ash''s mind as she and Keiko got off her horse, and the half-demon looked around and saw magical tendrils flowing through the air like lines of multi-colored light, swirling around everything. The trees, their bodies, everything around them was covered in these things.


    It was around this point that Ash realized the gravity of what she did. The Mist Realm was feared and avoided for one very simple reason:


    No one knew what the hell was in here, really. Some could guess, some had seen monsters in the distance, but no one had a concrete idea of what to expect.


    "Okay," Ash turned around to face the girl she''d, for all intents and purposes, re-kidnapped, "again, sorry."


    The woman Ash rescued then looked up at her, as Ash stood about a head taller. Briefly, Ash''s eyes ran over her form confirming the rumors she''d heard before. This girl was, indeed, as beautiful as they all said, with white-pink hair so long it reached her feet. She had a thin body clothed in a white dress and was wearing a necklace made of Miststones. Rocks from this very place that Ash knew to be worth a fortune. Finally, she had strange rose-colored eyes.


    As she looked into them, Ash noticed they were glaring rather harshly at her.


    Oh. She''s pissed, huh?


    "Well, from being abducted by a necromancer to being taken by an utter fool into the most dangerous part of the south, I suppose today is simply not my day," Keiko said, crossing her arms.


    "Doesn''t seem like it," Ash said, putting her hands on her hips and turning around to inspect the area. "Okay, so, here''s the deal. We''re going to walk through this place, come out the other side and I''ll take you to your parents. You get back home, I get my money, and we both live happily ever after."


    "Of course," Keiko scoffed. "I guess I am little more than an object... And what makes you believe I will not simply tell my father to have you arrested as soon as we arrive!? You have trapped me in the Mist Realm! Why would I allow you to get any money from this???"


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow. "Is that your plan?"


    "Absolutely," Keiko replied, crossing her arms and pouting.


    "Oh. Well, bye then."


    Ash walked away.


    "W-WAIT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"


    Ash stopped and threw a confused look at the girl.


    "Why would I help you get back to Amber if you''re just gonna have me arrested?"


    Keiko blinked.


    "You cannot just leave me here!"


    "Why can''t I?" Ash asked, crossing her arms.


    "Because it''s not right!"


    At that, Ash laughed. She walked up to the girl and lowered her black mask so that she could see the smirk on her face. Keiko pulled back.


    "I''m a half-demon bounty hunter. What makes you think I care at all about what''s right?" Ash pulled her mask back up. "All I want is to make my money and retire someplace far away. If you''re gonna get in the way of that, yeah, I''m not gonna hesitate to leave you here."


    Keiko seemed stunned.


    "You... You complete degenerate!" Keiko yelled. "Of course, you would be a money-driven parasite. You all are..." Keiko said, sitting down on a rock and huffing. "Just like all the others..."


    "Like all the...? Lady," Ash went up to her, "maybe if your family cared a little more about the people living in your city I''d be more inclined to help you. But, as it stands, you''re the ones who''ve made people be like this. Something, something bed, something something, sleeping in it, right?"


    "Do not include me in your pettiness," Keiko barked. "I don''t make the choices. I have nothing to do with your struggles."


    "Your father then, whoever, okay, whatever, listen, the point is," Ash sighed, "what''s it gonna be? If you''re gonna have me arrested, I have no reason to help you. Does that still stand?" Ash asked.


    "... Fine."


    "Give me that necklace then," Ash suddenly said.


    "What?"


    "Well, I can''t just trust that you won''t have me arrested. Your word isn''t worth anything to me. So, here''s the deal. You give me that necklace, I bring you back to Amber and leave the city as soon as I drop you off. Then, I can sell that thing off."


    Keiko seemed so hurt that Ash wondered if any of her words even registered. She reached up and clutched her necklace tightly.


    "... I cannot."


    "Tough shit then," Ash went to leave but Keiko walked in front of her.


    "Please! Listen, I, I will give you something else, my hair or something, but... please, I cannot give you my necklace."


    "... Why would I want your hair?" Ash asked.


    "It is magical," Keiko replied. "My hair glows in the dark. Just look at it, you''re seeing it right now," Keiko pointed out.  "You could sell it, I''m certain. Just..." Keiko gulped. "Please, don''t take my necklace from me."


    Ash narrowed her eyes, considering it.


    "... Okay," she replied. "Fine. Once we''re out, I''ll cut some off."


    Keiko breathed a sigh of relief and Ash nodded.


    "Now..." Ash went up to her horse. she patted its head a few times and looked back at the place they were in. Even right now, she could hear monsters in the distance. "Yeah... You might not make it here. Go ahead, boy." She told the horse she''d had for the last five years. "Run home."


    It took some effort, but soon, it appeared her steed got the message. It hurt, honestly, but Ash couldn''t show the pain in her heart right now, as she had to appear at least to Keiko as if she was in control. Still, it stung harshly to see her horse trotting away.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash collected herself.


    "Okay, now. Let''s move."


    "Well, the journey will be even longer now," Keiko said, "why did you do that?"


    "I don''t want him to get hurt, now, listen, some ground rules," Ash said. "First, do what I say, when I say it. If you don''t, we''ll both die. Second, don''t talk to me. It''s distracting and it could alert nearby creatures. Third, let me know if you see or hear anything. Any questions?"


    "Are other bounty hunters this pleasant?" Keiko basically hissed with a posh tone.


    "Yeah, we''re lovely. Come on."


    Just like that, a new, hopefully short, journey began. The Mist Realm was a large place, but thankfully, they did not need to cross its entirety or move towards its center. Rather, Ash''s plan was to round its edges, which would lead to Amber.


    She estimated it would take a total of two or three days just to get out of the Mist Realm, and then several more days to reach Amber, without her horse. Strangely, Ash was more concerned with her horse than she was for herself or this girl.


    "Everything is so... soggy," Keiko said, as she was barefoot walking through what felt like mud but looked like ashes.


    "What was that rule about not talking again? Oh, yeah, I think it went something like, ''don''t talk to me''," Ash responded.


    "Ugh, you cannot just expect me to remain in silence forever."


    "Tragically," Ash replied. "But, make an effort at least?"


    "You are so rude! Do you even know who you are speaking with?"


    "Yeah, and I really don''t care."


    "That is certainly a lie," Keiko scoffed. "You care too much, if anything. It''s why we''re here to begin with."


    Ash stopped walking and instead, turned around to face Keiko. The girl''s eyes looked up into hers, and though she took a step back, she maintained eye contact.


    "You''re right, maybe I should have just left you with that creepy necromancer. Would that have been better for you, my princess?"


    "It is true that you saved me from her, but what is that worth when you then create an arguably bigger problem?"


    "What is it worth? About 15 white royal crowns, there you go."


    "Ah, yes, crowns... The main cause of- oof"


    She was interrupted when Ash put a hand over her lips.


    She hummed against it, furious, but her anger subsided when she saw worry on the bounty hunter''s face. Ash put a hand behind her and pulled her towards a white tree.


    She held Keiko tightly as she peeked around, inspecting the area to see if she actually had heard something, as she thought she did.


    Indeed, when she looked, she found a strange, spider-like creature with eight glowing legs, walking through the area. Ash''s eyes widened and she held Keiko just a little tighter.


    Level 35


    MP: 100/100


    The two of them stared at the spider as it continued to move, eventually moving out of the area and away from them. When she was sure it was gone, Ash breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Holy shit," she muttered. She let go of Keiko, but the girl didn''t immediately back off. She remained so close that the demon could feel the warmth of her body. Ash looked down and saw tears at the corners of her eyes.


    It was then that she realized just how out of her element this girl must have been. Ash had been in dangerous lands before, this one was just particularly dangerous, but she was used to this sort of thing. For Keiko, being in life-or-death situations like these wasn''t normal.


    Still, there was nothing Ash could do for her. She''d have to bear it until they left.


    "Come on," Ash said, not noticing how her own tone had softened a little, "let''s go."


    "... Yes," Keiko nodded.


    And the two began to venture through the Mist Realm, hoping they''d make it out the other side.

 Chapter 126 - Interlude 3 - Ash, The Bounty Hunter, Part 4

    Keiko


    They had spent almost a full day walking at this point, mostly in silence.


    As angry as this situation made her, more than anything else Keiko felt sad and anxious. From going on a trip to Jade to being attacked by a necromancer on her way back, to then being taken by this unpleasant and rude bounty hunter, Keiko was not exactly enjoying herself. When she wasn''t being frightened by the possibility of encountering any monsters, she was having to deal with the rudeness of the woman in front of her.


    Ugh, everything is so mushy,  she said, her toes digging into the soil as she walked.  Gross.


    Ahead, that bounty hunter walked silently, keeping her eyes peeled. She was noticeably taller than Keiko, and although she was fully clothed, Keiko could tell she had a soldier-like body, with strong arms and wide shoulders. She carried herself like one as well, always keeping her posture straight and her chin raised.


    There were too many things about this situation, and the woman leading her through it, that brought up questions. So, she decided to try to have at least one or two of them be answered.


    "What is your name?" Keiko asked.


    Ahead, the bounty hunter stopped.


    "I think I heard it when you spoke with the man from before, but I do not remember it."


    "..." She did not respond for a while. Then, she looked away and said, "Ash."


    Hm. Ash. Her hair does resemble ashes, with its pale grey color. I suppose it is appropriate.


    Keiko continued.


    "... Have you ever been in the Mist Realm before?" Keiko asked. Ash sighed.


    "I''m guessing you have no intention of being quiet, huh?" Ash looked back and Keiko shrugged.


    Even if your company is so unagreeable,  she thought,  I''d rather focus on it than focus on this dark place.


    Ash looked to the front once more and responded:


    "No. I haven''t."


    "Hm?" Keiko was slightly surprised. "You seem so confident though."


    "I''m not," Ash quickly clarified. "If I''m being honest, I think the likelihood that we''re going to get fucked out here is pretty high. But what use is it to get panicked?"


    Ash continued as she walked through a few trees into a land that held a narrow river. Its water glowed with white and rose-colored sparkles, the same tints as Keiko''s own hair. She thought that was curious, but Ash continued and Keiko focused on what she said.


    "Something I learned pretty quickly, there''s no point in letting yourself get- AGH FUCK!"


    Ash cursed as she was tripped up by something. She unsheathed a dagger as she fell to the ground and looked back only to find an overgrown root. Keiko saw her and couldn''t help but laugh a little.


    "You were saying~?"


    "Fuck you, princess," Ash said, standing up and turning away quickly.


    Keiko tucked away this little moment in a mental pocket, just to use if Ash''s ego got too inflated anytime soon.


    There was something very surreal about this whole experience though, something that cut through all of the fear in Keiko''s heart. As she paced behind the bounty hunter, she tried to narrow them down. For one, it didn''t seem Ash cared much about the fact that she was the Arcane''s daughter. Well, besides for the reward she''d get for bringing her back to Amber. However, in terms of her status, her title, Ash didn''t care about those at all.


    That was entirely new. All throughout Keiko''s life, she''d either been pampered, avoided, or held in awe thanks to her birthright. Ash though, looked at her with complete indifference.


    As much as she disliked her, that was one aspect of all of this that she did appreciate.


    "Ash," Keiko said.


    "Mhm?"


    "How long have you been a bounty hunter for?" Keiko asked.


    "Hm?" Ash turned around, raising a brow at her. "What does that matter?"


    "I am simply curious."


    Hearing that, Ash took a deep breath and muttered:


    "Since I was 13."


    "... What?" Keiko asked, stunned. "Are you... Are you being serious?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied.


    "Wh-, how does one even complete missions at that age? Were you fighting grown adult criminals at 13?"


    "Basically. I think, it was a while ago, so I barely remember but, I think I started with thieves. I''d hear about them on the streets and I''d ambush them in their sleep. Couple of years later, I started going out and hunting to get my levels up so I could take on bigger targets." Ash''s tone changed. Keiko could feel her going through her memories as she spoke. "I started going after murderers when I was 15."


    "... Was it dangerous?" Keiko asked.


    "No shit," Ash replied. "But, I still did it." Ash stopped. "There was this one guy who nearly killed me. He was this noble who killed his wife and tried to run away to the north. I found him in a camp and we started fighting."


    Ash raised her shirt and showed several things to Keiko at once. A toned body, more slender than Keiko had expected but she supposed the outfit made her seem thicker, covered in scars.


    "See this?" She pointed at one brown line in particular that ran across her waist. "The motherfucker stabbed me. I think that was the first time I used my Demon Form," Ash continued. Keiko had no idea what that was, but it didn''t seem like Ash was going to explain.


    "I don''t remember much. Whenever I use my Demon Form, I black out a little, but after it triggered, his neck was all torn up, the sand under his body was covered in blood and I was standing over him." Keiko gagged at the mental image and Ash chuckled. "Weren''t you curious? I thought you''d want the details."


    Keiko ignored that and instead, asked:


    "But, how come you have scars? Did you not use healing magic?"


    "Didn''t know any spells back then," Ash explained. "So, all my wounds healed naturally. Okay," Ash said, "enough. Let''s just keep moving."


    "Right."


    Keiko said that, but something caught her eye to the right. By the river, she swore she heard a voice.


    "Did you hear that?" She asked.


    "Hm? No," Ash responded.


    "..."


    Keiko stared at the water as Ash turned back around and kept going. However, Keiko remained standing. Her eyes were fixed on the white and rose-colored waters. She saw steam of the same color rise up from it, even though she didn''t feel any heat at all coming from the river.


    So curious...


    She got closer.


    That was when one voice became multiple, and as she got close enough, she started seeing images.  Oh. Oh my goodness...  Keiko''s lips parted as she looked in, careful not to touch it though in case there was anything inside, under the surface. She saw images of people.  What magic is this?  There were bodies and faces she didn''t recognize. One featured a woman with golden eyes and raven hair, being accompanied by another girl that appeared to be made of water. Another showed a woman whose face resembled Keiko''s own, but she had black hair and a blindfold over her eyes. She thought she saw Ash, but far skinnier and crouched in between two buildings, wearing dirty clothes as an old man walked up to her.


    A hand fell on Keiko''s shoulder and she was startled. It was just the bounty hunter though.


    "What are you doing?" Ash asked.


    "D-Do you not see?" Keiko pointed at the water. "There are things in there!"


    "Yeah... I had heard about something like this," Ash replied. "Not a river, but that the Mist Realm could alter reality itself. Or show you different realities," Ash shrugged. "It''s not important though. Come on, we have to keep going."


    "... Right."


    With that, the pair continued moving through the ethereal fog.


    Something happened eventually though that, admittedly, Keiko should have seen coming. However, with everything around them being so strange, she had forgotten about certain things that were more on the normal side. Mainly, that nighttime would eventually come.


    They kept walking until things got so dark that the river, and Keiko''s hair, became the only sources of light. Finally, Ash stopped and Keiko nearly collapsed.


    My legs!  She thought, crouching.  I have not walked like this in... Ever, actually!


    "We should make a camp," Ash said. "It''s dangerous enough out here, no point in walking in the dark."


    Have we not been doing exactly that though?


    "So... What do we do?" Keiko asked. She''d never had to "make a camp" before.


    "Well, if we were somewhere else we''d make a fire, find something we could sleep on but..." Ash looked around. "I think here, it basically comes down to laying down and going to sleep."


    "..." Keiko looked down. "On this?"


    "Mhm," Ash replied, and then, nonchalantly, she lied down and took her mask off, placing it over her eyes.


    "Wait, just like that?" Keiko asked.


    Ash removed the mask to look at her.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Will you not say a prayer or, even a ''goodnight''? Are you just going to sleep?"


    Ash stared at her for a bit and groaned.


    "Goodnight, princess," she started, "I hope the next day will treat you just as kindly as the last."


    "But, this day was awful."


    "Exactly."


    Keiko scowled.


    What an unpleasant person.


    Still, without something else to do, Keiko laid down and tried her hardest to do what Ash was doing. She closed her eyes, hating how she knew mud was getting into her hair which she went through great lengths to keep in pristine condition. However, she quickly ran into the next problem.


    Ash was dressed in so many layers, she likely wasn''t experiencing this. As for Keiko though, she only had on a white dress and nothing else underneath.


    ... It is far too cold,  she thought, as she felt shivers.


    "Ash," she said.


    The bounty hunter groaned again.


    "Princess, please," Ash said but Keiko continued.


    "I am cold."


    "What a tragedy."


    "I am serious," Keiko muttered. "I cannot sleep like this."


    Ash turned towards her and glared. She didn''t say anything for a while and Keiko took that as a hint that she simply did not care. So, she huffed and turned away.


    She was complaining about the bounty hunter in her mind again when she heard Ash stand up.


    "Hm?"


    And then, Ash laid down next to her.


    "W-W-What are you...!?"


    Ash wrapped an arm around her and said:


    "Don''t make it weird. You''re cold, right?"


    Although Keiko could feel her heart pounding against her chest, she looked away and took a deep breath.


    Right, right. This is... Just for warmth.


    And, indeed, her entire body felt like it was on fire now.

 Chapter 127 - Interlude 3 - Ash, The Bounty Hunter, Finale

    "You are paying attention, are you not?" Keiko''s uncle asked.


    "Yes," she nodded.


    "Tell me what I just said, then."


    "The Spirit Gardens District is a part of Jade composed of a giant tree surrounded by white stone buildings. It is one of the oldest parts of Jade and it is known for the spirits which float around the building throughout the day."


    Of course, Keiko had been paying attention. She didn''t want to be berated like she usually was.


    Her uncle nodded and crossed his arms.


    "Very well. Remember, we will be staying for just a week or two. During that time, do not walk out of your room unless I tell you to. During the few meetings you will attend, do not speak unless spoken to." Keiko nodded absent-mindedly.


    The carriage they were in rumbled as it was pulled along the road. Keiko heard a gate open and figured they were finally entering the city. She had a mild curiosity to see what Jade was like, but it was tempered by the fact that she knew she''d never be allowed to roam the streets by herself.


    She wasn''t told why they were here, what they wanted, what the meeting with the Royal Council was about. Only that it was important and that the future of Amber could be decided by these little talks they''d be having.


    And Keiko would sit through it all, in the "comfort" of her own room.


    ---


    Her eyes opened when a shiver went up her spine.


    Oh my...  She trembled.  I am so cold. She didn''t remember being like this last night though. No, last night she distinctly remembered strong arms around her body providing enough heat to at least go to sleep half-comfortably. Those arms were currently missing.


    She sat up and looked around, finding that the mist this area was known for had not dissipated at all, leaving everything feeling just as stuffy. She checked and found that her necklace was still there and that the bounty hunter had not run away with it in the night. She didn''t know what she''d do without it. It was too precious for her. She had expected that, of course, but had hoped that some miracle would make the air a little clearer.


    To her left, Ash was crouched on the ground. In front of her, a small fire burned and the bounty hunter was cooking something over it.


    "What is that?" Keiko asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning.


    "Some meat," Ash replied. "I went out to look for food. Didn''t expect to find anything, but there were some creatures I recognized."


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes," Ash said, and then she handed Keiko what she had in her hands.


    She wanted to be polite and reject the offer, but just as she was going to, her stomach grumbled and Keiko blushed.


    "... Thank you."


    "Yeah."


    Keiko lifted the meat to her lips and took a bite.


    "Oh... This taste is rather strange."


    "It''s just frog meat," Ash replied. "Found one pretty close by. Listen," Ash said, "we only have a day of walking left, if the map is to be believed. So, we''ll be out of this place in a little while."


    Ash glanced at Keiko, who was just about finished with the meat she''d been given.


    "You won''t forget our deal, right?" Ash asked and Keiko could hear a hint of a threat in that question. She was offended.


    "Do you think me a liar?" Keiko asked.


    "Don''t know you," Ash shrugged. "Doesn''t help that most nobles like you are liars too."


    Keiko sighed.


    "Yes, because of course, that is all I am. Just another noble."


    "Like I said, don''t know you."


    "Then, how can you even trust that I am being truthful when I confirm..."


    She stopped herself as she saw Ash raise a brow at her. Almost like she was saying, "you''re right. I can''t."


    Keiko sighed and curled up her knees to her chest.


    "Yes, I will give you part of my hair. Just tell me when we have to start walking," Keiko muttered.


    "Sure," Ash nodded and took her map out of her bag. "So, we walk straight for a few hours and then we turn to the right a bit, just in case Jacob is patrolling the perimeter of the Mist Realm, once we''re close enough to Amber, we can..."


    Ash stopped.


    Keiko looked up at her. The bounty hunter suddenly had a curious look on her face. She was searching the area, her eyes narrowed at the mist.


    "Is anything...?"


    Ash held up a hand, prompting her to stop talking. Now, Keiko was worried. She tried to do the same but didn''t see anything. Ash''s eyes were peeled as she stood up and walked forwards.


    "I feel like..." Ash started, and then, something tackled her.


    It had come out of the mist, from her left. Keiko flinched, it happened so fast that she didn''t catch what had done this. She only saw it once the creature was already standing over the half-demon.


    It was a similar spider to the one they''d seen before. Giant, feral, and screeching, it had Ash pinned down.


    "Ash!" Keiko yelled as she saw the bounty hunter reach for her daggers. The spider-like creature had mandibles that were currently attempting to tear into Ash''s face. She moved her head out of the way and stabbed the creature from underneath, but it didn''t budge.


    I need to help!  Keiko thought and so, she raised her hands, ready to use one of the few spells she''d been taught.


    "Winds of flame, spiral towards the enemy!"


    With that incantation, white, rose-colored flame surged out from her palms, aimed at the spider''s head.


    The spider was level 30, Keiko was level 1.  She didn''t expect it to do any damage at all, and indeed, it didn''t, but the spell managed to irritate the spider into letting up for just a moment. It screeched so loudly, Keiko had to cover her ears, and the spider turned its head to her.


    That was enough of an opening for Ash to stab through its carapace, forcing the spider off of her.


    Ash used the moment to stand up and took up a fighting stance. However, the spider seemed more interested in Keiko now, even though Ash was right in front of it, weapons ready.


    The spider charged towards her.


    It moved so quickly, Keiko had no chance of dodging this attack. Not just that, but with her Constitution at a measly 1, the same tackle that simply pushed Ash to the ground likely would have crushed Keiko''s body.


    However, the spider didn''t reach her. Instead, Ash intercepted it, standing between it and Keiko and kicking the spider back.


    Keiko had never seen a real fight like this before, one between two ruthless creatures bent on killing one another. She fell back and scurried towards a nearby tree, her hands shaking in front of her.


    Now though, the spider was once again focused on Ash. The bounty hunter was breathing heavily, but her weapons, two daggers, were at her side, ready to be used. The spider raised its front legs and tried to jab at her.


    Ash weaved between them suddenly like a bolt of lightning, leaping up to fall on top of the enemy, but she was caught by one of the legs and pinned to the ground with it.


    Keiko saw dark violet splash onto the dirt around Ash and felt chills. Is that her blood?


    The half-demon, however, slashed the leg with her left dagger and managed to cut it off. The spider squealed, stepping back in pain, and Ash was allowed to stand.


    The longer the fight went on for, the more Keiko began to see a violet aura encapsulate the half-demon. The blood flowing freely from her abdomen meshed together with this aura, and after a while, Keiko saw her hands changing.


    The spider attacked again, and Ash dropped her daggers. Finally, claws emerged from her fingertips just as the spider was about to reach her.


    Ash charged forwards and punched straight through its head.


    The spider twitched once, twice, and fell lifeless. Ash removed her hand from its body and Keiko saw it covered in green blood. The half-demon''s body changed back to what it had been before as she saw her target die, and she fell to her knees.


    Clutching her abdomen, Keiko internalized that the fight had ended and ran up.


    "You are hurt," Keiko said, putting a hand on Ash''s shoulder.


    "No shit," Ash spat out some violet blood.


    Keiko looked at her body, the blood both Ash and the spider had let out covering it, and she gulped, trying not to vomit.


    "Lumina''s light, reach Amber''s darkest places,"  Keiko said, and put she put her hands on Ash''s abs. They began to glow pink.


    "What are you doing?" Ash asked.


    "What does it look like?" Keiko asked. "I am healing you."


    "... Why?" Ash asked.


    Keiko raised a brow.


    "Maybe that spider bashed your head too many times, but I am trying to help you, you idiot," Keiko replied.


    Ash simply stared at her before her head fell back and she let out a breath.


    Neither said anything as Keiko worked. She didn''t have much mana, so it took around ten minutes for the wound to fully heal as Keiko had to stop and start a few times.


    When she was done, Ash stood up and took off her shirt, looking down at where the spider had stabbed her.


    "..."


    "What is it?" Keiko asked her hands on her hips.


    "It feels strange," Ash replied. "Knowing there won''t be a scar there."


    "... You sound almost sad about that," Keiko noted.


    "I used to tell myself," Ash said as she put her shirt back on, "that scars were just trophies. They meant that I lived through the fight and my opponent didn''t. Kind of feels like there should be one there."


    "Yes?" Keiko asked. "Well, let me get one of those daggers and I will make one for you."


    At that, Ash laughed. It was a strange sound coming from her, but pleasant to Keiko''s ears.


    "Don''t think I will, princess."


    ---


    Keiko couldn''t really explain it, but it had felt like after that, the tension between them had eased a little. Ash was no longer looking at Keiko like she was an object to be traded in at the local pawn shop, and Keiko didn''t feel as scared as she did before.


    That form of Ash''s was terrifying, of course, but the half-demon explained that it only came out whenever Ash was in a particularly bad fight. That Keiko didn''t have to worry about it at all.


    The land never really changed as they walked. Everywhere they went, there was the same mist, the same stuffy feeling in the air, the same monstrous growls in the distance.


    Eventually though, as twin moons took up the sky during the night, they finally emerged out of the Mist Realm.


    The instant they left it, Keiko took a deep breath and nearly cried when she breathed fresh air for the first time in three days.


    Ahead, Ash put her hands on her hips.


    "So," Ash said. "Your hair."


    "... Right," Keiko nodded. "Could... Could I ask that you don''t take too much?"


    "Sure."


    Ash unsheathed a dagger and Keiko turned around. Then, she felt Ash lift her hair up and a quick slicing sound, and just like that, it was done. The half-demon put the hair in a bag. Keiko reached back and tried to see how much she''d cut, finding that now, her hair only reached her waist whereas before, it reached just above her ankles.


    "Done."


    Keiko nodded and Ash turned away.


    And so, the two continued walking.


    According to Ash, now, the long journey began, as it would take at least a week''s worth of walking to reach Amber.


    That was a week under the unforgiving sun, walking over the scalding land.  Keiko was sure that by now, the skin on her feet had to have peeled at least a little, but anytime she thought about that, she''d focus on something else. Like, the hunger and thirst, or the weariness she felt with every step. If she was really desperate to distract herself, she''d focus on the sounds of roars in the distance, which even Ash was quick to point out belonged to creatures she likely could not defeat in a fight.


    The two of them walked through most of the land in silence, only taking the occasional break. Ash would go out to hunt and look for water every now and then, usually coming back with just barely enough to get by.


    Three days. For three more days, they walked before something happened.


    Six men on horses saw them in the distance.


    "Oh, shit..." Ash muttered.


    "They look like..." Keiko squinted.


    "Guards," Ash completed.


    Of course. Most likely, they had been sent by Keiko''s family to look for her. Considering that they were here, whoever it had been that Ash had run from likely led them to this spot. Judging by how Ash paled upon seeing them, that was probably her same thought.


    The guards reached them and Ash sighed.


    Keiko looked over at her and saw nothing but defeat on the bounty hunter''s face. It took Keiko a moment to understand why that was the case.


    Oh.  Keiko realized.  She believes I will turn her in for taking me into the Mist Realm.


    Indeed, that was why Ash had taken her hair, to begin with. So that she could ride away from Amber after dropping Keiko off, without ever interacting with the law. But, as they''d been found, this was a perfect opportunity for Keiko to betray her and have her tossed into a dungeon.


    How foolish,  Keiko thought, shaking her head as one man, with his eyes fixed on Ash, spoke up.


    "Your majesty," he spoke to Keiko, "are you alright?"


    "Yes. Are you here to take me back to Amber?"


    "Yes," the guard bowed from on top of his horse. Then, he looked at Ash. "Men, tie her up."


    Considering how Ash made no effort to run or fight, she had resigned herself. However, Keiko spoke up.


    "That will not be necessary," she said.


    "What?" The man asked and all eyes, the half-demon''s included, turned to her. "But... We were told she took you against your will."


    "You heard wrong," Keiko quickly stated, trying her hardest to inject authority into her words. Something she wasn''t used to doing. "She saved me. She is to be given a comfortable ride back to Amber, a bath, and the reward that had been placed on my rescue," Keiko instructed. "I believe it was 15 white royal crowns?"


    Keiko could feel Ash''s eyes on her, wide and shocked.


    She loved it. She smirked a little as the guard took in her words and nodded.


    "Very well," he gestured and someone came with a horse, picking her up. The same man allowed Ash to ride behind him and just like that, a trip that would have taken four more days at least, was cut to just one.


    ---


    They returned to Amber the next day. The guards dropped them off at the entrance to the city, where citizens and merchants stared at the pair in horror at their dirty sight. The entire time, Keiko felt Ash looking at her with questions she couldn''t answer just yet. Not in these people''s presence.


    They were taken to the Desert Aegis, also known as Amber''s palace. It was a place composed of dirt-covered golden buildings. They only had to reach its courtyard though. Here, Keiko relayed the events that had unfolded to the proper authorities, and soon, a dirty, beaten-up Ash was being given 15 white royal crowns.


    She stared at Keiko in disbelief the entire time.


    "Leave me," Keiko said to those around her, the guards and soldiers. "I wish to speak to my savior."


    Finally, they were left alone for the first time since yesterday, and the two were able to speak.


    Keiko chuckled.


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Why what?" Keiko asked as if she didn''t know.


    "Why did you do that?" Ash walked up to her and Keiko looked up to meet her violet eyes. "You... You could have just..."


    "As unpleasant as you can be," Keiko told her, "I had no intention of stabbing you in the back. There was no reason to. You did save me after all, even if it was in such a crude way." Then, Keiko looked down. "I suppose this is it for our time together though. I... I feel like I have learned some things. Maybe, you could say my perspective is a little wider. I thank you for that."


    Ash looked down at the coins she''d been given.


    "I guess so..." Ash muttered.


    "Thanks again, bounty hunter," Keiko said. "Farewell."


    With that, the two separated. Keiko''s hands briefly went to her necklace as they parted ways.


    Keiko went back to her world and Ash went back to hers. Their time together was enlightening for the Arcane''s daughter, but it couldn''t last. She had her role to play in life after all, and Ash''s had hers.


    Still, as for Keiko, these last few days would be ones she remembered for a very long time.


    ---


    Ash


    Holding the reward felt surreal. She could have put it in her bag, but she felt like if she took her hands off of this pouch, it would disappear. She still couldn''t believe she had it.


    But, with it, she could finally call it a career. She had enough money to pay for transportation to Jade, buy herself a home, and live comfortably, at least for enough time to figure out what she''d do next.


    She was no optimist. Ash knew that at Jade, she''d likely face the same sort of opposition. People who hated bounty hunters, people who hated half-demons. And, she''d meet them with the same resentment she did at Amber. However, now, there was one person who she''d scratched off that list of people she disliked. The list of people she was wary of.


    A girl by the name of Keiko Arphilia. She''d earned that much, at least.


    In her place, someone else took her spot.


    Jacob, Ash thought, glaring down at the earth.


    And she promised to herself, one day, be it tomorrow, be it in ten years, she''d kill that man.


    But, for now, she had a trip to schedule. A new life to plan out.

 Chapter 128 - Vol. 3 - 1

    Satsuhiro


    Three long weeks had passed since the battle for Sapphire. Three weeks of much-needed resting for Satsuhiro''s group. There''s a certain way that the mind allows itself to distract from the weight of responsibility. Allows itself to persist through weariness when action is needed. Some such human trait is what Satsuhiro attributed to the way he quickly realized that he had been far more exhausted than he''d believed himself to be when the rest began.


    It showed up in small ways. How he''d give Opah tired glances whenever she asked her father to read to him, or how he''d let out a deep sigh whenever he sat down at one of the Savior House''s couches. These little expressions were his body''s way of telling him how much he''d been stressing for these past two months.


    Currently, he found himself stressing in similar ways, but for different reasons.


    "By Lumina," Satsuhiro muttered as Metsumi washed some dishes in the kitchen. Satsuhiro rubbed his eyes and yawned. The cold air of the nighttime hit his shoulders like a blanket being draped over him. "They''ve been staying out like this for the last week."


    "Satsu," Metsumi laughed, "calm down, they''re just having a little fun."


    "Okay, but what if some psycho tries to start something? Or if they run into some church fanatics who want revenge for what Kaori did?"


    "Then they''ll handle it like the adults they are," Metsumi chuckled as she brought Satsuhiro a glass cup filled with wine. Satsuhiro took a sip as Metsumi sat down next to him, casting an affectionate glance in his direction.


    Satsuhiro, instead, kept his eyes on the liquid in the cup.


    "You sure do seem a lot more worried about those girls than you usually do," Metsumi said. Some of Satsuhiro''s dark hair had fallen over his eyes and Metsumi casually swept it aside. "Is something troubling you?"


    Satsuhiro sighed.


    "... Nothing specific," he replied, leaning his head back on the couch. He stared up at the ceiling as a few candles burned around the room, providing a dim light. "I don''t know, I just..."


    "Yes?" Metsumi asked.


    "I just don''t want them to get hurt."


    "I don''t think there are many people in the city who could hurt them, really," Metsumi replied but Satsuhiro shook his head.


    "I don''t mean physically, I mean in general." Metsumi raised a brow and Satsuhiro instinctively went to stand up but stopped himself. His body still hadn''t adjusted to having one less limb. Shaking his head, he went back to what he was saying.


    "Think about it," he told her, "everything they''ve been going through. From the start, what happened with Varcon, the portals, the destruction of Pearl, and now, losing two Saviors who could have been their teachers for years to come," Satsuhiro explained. "I just worry about how they''re taking all of this."


    Satsuhiro couldn''t imagine that these events hadn''t had some effect on his students. The death of Varcon had turned what was already a hostile city to the group even more so. Even now, whenever Satsuhiro went with them out into the streets, on occasion citizens would still lob insults and accusations at Kaori.


    The destruction of Pearl was particularly a sore spot for Satsuhiro himself. That was the battle that let everyone know just how powerful humanity''s enemy was, and with Takomaro''s death during it, had left Satsuhiro as a senior Savior.


    Now, with Vermia and Ren having made the ultimate sacrifice in Sapphire''s defense, their responsibilities fell squarely on the girls'' shoulders, and their legacies would be defined by what Ash and Kaori did in the coming fights.


    Satsuhiro worried that all of this, coupled with whatever it was that was happening with the girls on a personal level, would be too much for them to handle.


    For some reason, Metsumi started laughing. Satsuhiro raised a brow at her.


    "So, what you''re saying is, you''re starting to care and it''s scary?" Metsumi asked with a bit of a smirk.


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro hummed. "What do you mean?"


    "Starting to care about them. The girls."


    "Honey, they''re my students," Satsuhiro responded. "I''ve always cared about them and their success. It''s what makes a good teacher."


    "Not like this, you haven''t," Metsumi countered. "Or at least, not as much as now. You''re worried about them, but not as Saviors. As people," his wife continued. "You''re worried about how they''re feeling, you know? How they''re doing as human beings. Personally, I think that''s sweet."


    As Satsuhiro took those words in, someone knocked on the front door. He went to stand up and, again, realized he couldn''t do so on his own.  Shit.


    A hand was in front of him before his mind could dwell on that for too long, and Metsumi helped him up, handing him the crutch he''d been using.


    "Thanks, I''ve got it," he said curtly and Metsumi nodded.


    Satsuhiro went to the front door and opened it. The person standing on the other side, a man dressed in a white and gold ji, with strangely blank eyes, raised a hand in greeting.


    "Good evening, Savior," Talo said.


    "Hmph," Satsuhiro stepped aside, allowing the Royal Council''s vessel to walk in. They had their hands behind their back, bowing to Metsumi and turning back to face Satsuhiro.


    "We hope all has been going well," they said.


    "Sure," Satsuhiro leaned against the nearby wall. "What''s the matter?"


    "Always so direct," Talo chuckled. They turned away and looked at the living room for a moment. "So, are our new, honored rookies home?"


    "No," Satsuhiro didn''t elaborate further. Talking to the Royal Council was tedious enough, with having to maneuver past fifty pleasantries before they got to the point. Satsuhiro didn''t want to add to that.


    "Would you like some water?" Metsumi asked.


    "Yes, thank you," Talo replied before turning to Satsuhiro. "So, onto business then?"


    They then pulled out an envelope from a pocket in their ji. Satsuhiro opened it and quickly scanned through the paper''s contents as Metsumi brought a cup of cold water to Talo.


    "Onyx... demons..." Satsuhiro mumbled. "No portals?"


    "No, no portals," Talo replied. "None close enough to the city to believe a siege will be happening soon, at least. No, we simply ask that your group goes and deals with these stray enemies swiftly. Even a few lone demons, left unattended, could serve to ruin the lives of many civilians. We cannot have that, can we?" Talo asked.


    "When?" Satsuhiro asked. The girls were still picking themselves up after everything that had happened. He knew well that if he brought them this news, they''d drop all of their rest in a moment''s notice and head out, but he wanted to give them time.


    "That is up to you," Talo shrugged. They sipped from the cup and continued, "This is less a mission and more a request, after all. We will still pay you all, of course, but what you do and when you do it, is up to you. We will let the authorities in Onyx know you are coming and you go whenever you wish. Oh, also," Talo added, "as Onyx is a place of many technological marvels, you will find that going there should pose a considerable improvement to your equipment. Specifically, we''ve been looking into Kaori''s situation and we''ve contacted a blacksmith who appears to have something that could suit her."


    "Really?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yes, so, when you go, it will be made worth your while. Finally, we also wanted to say, Satsuhiro," Talo bowed to him suddenly, "your retirement has been finalized. As in, you will no longer be asked to fight."


    Hearing that made the strangest feeling pass over Satsuhiro''s heart. He couldn''t quite identify it.


    Ironically, this whole journey started with Varcon forcing Satsuhiro out of retirement to train Ash. Hearing that he was being allowed to retire fully again, was strange.


    "We appreciate the sacrifices you have made during these trying times, even though you were officially retired already," they placed a pouch full of coins in Satsuhiro''s hands. The Savior raised a brow. "Once again, thank you. We hope you enjoy your retirement to the fullest extent."


    Satsuhiro didn''t respond to that. There were too many things going through his mind. He wouldn''t fight anymore, next time a city was attacked, he''d be sitting with Metsumi and the other civilians in hiding. It was... Unnerving.


    "Well, that is all we wanted to say. Thank you for the water," they told Metsumi. "Goodnight."


    With those words, they left the Savior House and Satsuhiro closed the door behind them. He used his crutch to walk back to the couch he''d been at and sat down again, letting out a deep sigh.


    Metsumi was next to him at a moment''s notice, resting her head on his left shoulder.


    "So, I''m done."


    Saying those words damn near hurt. He''d said them before, the first time he retired, but back then, they''d brought relief. Now, they brought anxiety.


    "Yes," Metsumi said, reaching up with her lips to kiss his cheek.


    Satsuhiro shook his head.


    "Got any more wine?"


    Metsumi laughed and quickly stood up.


    "Right, right. Want to celebrate?"


    More like I want to avoid thinking about it,  Satsuhiro answered in his mind, but he nodded.


    "Alright, alright. Luckily~" Metsumi said as she poured some more drinks, "Opah is asleep and the girls are out, so you and I have this whole night to ourselves."


    If for a little while, Satsuhiro figured he''d allow himself to pack up his concerns. Just for tonight, at least.

 Chapter 129 - Vol. 3 - 2

    Ash


    The half-demon had no idea what time it was. Kaori, Keiko, and Ash had gone out of the Savior House at around 5, and now, the twin moons were directly over their heads as the three sat side by side. They were currently at the roof of one building where there was an open bar. This place was normally reserved for parties, but no such festivity was ongoing, so the group was able to secure a small spot for themselves.


    It was just the three of them, the cold midnight air, and a few cups of alcohol on a glass table in front of them. Ash had been staring up at those two moons for a while now. Every time she allowed herself to drift off in thought, her mind ended up in a few usual places. So often, that she hated it by now.


    Whether it was Magia''s glare as Ash exited her realm the last time she saw the goddess or Ren''s lifeless body on a bed in front of Kaori, his face still holding a smile, or the demons that Ash ripped apart as she helped defend Sapphire. These sights flooded her mind''s eye anytime her thoughts weren''t occupied.


    She was getting pretty damn tired of it.


    "Ah! This is the best~" Kaori said, as she downed her third drink in a row.


    "Is it?" Ash asked, watching her with an arched brow.


    "Heck yeah!" Kaori giggled. She sighed happily and then spoke with some nostalgia in her tone. "I used to do this sort of thing all the time."


    "Really?" Keiko asked somewhat surprised. "Actually, I can somewhat see that..."


    "Well, when you put it like that you make me sound like some sort of drunk."


    "You aren''t?" Ash teased and Kaori pouted at her.


    "I''m not! I drink... a little responsibly," Kaori blushed as she responded.


    "Hey, I''m not judging, I''d be the biggest alcoholic there had ever been if getting drunk was something I could do," Ash shrugged.


    "In that case," Kaori said, reaching over and snatching Ash''s cup out of her hands, "I''ll make up for both of us."


    Ash and Keiko just laughed.


    Ash hadn''t felt like this in a very long time. Maybe ever, honestly. These past couple of weeks, being with Kaori, Keiko, and the others, without having to worry about demons, Nightmares, and warring deities, was comfortable.


    Comfortable. A word Ash couldn''t use to describe many moments in her life. In all honesty, it felt like this was all some sort of illusion. Like any moment now, Kaori and Keiko would both fade into the air, Ash would open her eyes and she''d find herself back on that scalding street, where Varcon had first approached her.


    "HEY!" Kaori knocked on Ash''s head, literally, as if her skull was a door. "Stop thinking!"


    "Hm?" Ash hummed.


    "You''ve got that face on," Kaori leaned forwards, so close that Ash could smell the alcohol in her breath, "you''ve got that ''brooding Ash'' look."


    "Brooding Ash?" The half-demon reiterated with a chuckle.


    "Yes. Eyes all low, a frown, your eyebrows all narrowed and stuff. Right, Keiko?" Kaori leaned across Ash''s chest. "The ''brooding Ash'' look!"


    "I... suppose?" Keiko chuckled.


    "See! She agrees!" Kaori put on a posh tone. "I must say, it''s one of my least favorite Ash faces."


    "Kaori, what the fuck are you talking about?" Ash asked as she laughed a little.


    "Your face!" Kaori put her drink down on the table and put her hand on Ash''s cheek. "That beautiful, brooding face!"


    "... Thanks, I guess," Ash replied and Kaori leaned a little closer and gave her a peck. The alcohol she''d been drinking burned a little on Ash''s lips.


    "You''re welcome!"


    ---


    By the time they left that place, Ash was carrying Kaori on her back. The blonde had fallen asleep at some point, and so Ash had her arms under Kaori''s legs, the blonde''s arm wrapped around Ash''s neck.


    The half-demon was trying her hardest not to focus on the warmth of Kaori''s body on hers, the way her soft chest pressed against her. She didn''t need the kinds of thoughts that feeling was bringing. Not right now, at least.


    Keiko walked next to her. Ash looked up and saw that the sun was no closer to coming out.


    "Kaori can be a bit intense sometimes, huh?" Keiko asked and Ash nodded.


    "Yeah," Ash replied. "I do wonder what you''d look like if you drank as much as she did though."


    "Oh, uh, no," Keiko replied with a nervous laugh. "I don''t believe my stomach could handle that. You though..." Keiko said, contemplating. "I believe you would be an interesting drinker."


    "In what way?"


    "W-Well," Keiko cleared her throat. "I suppose it depends."


    "On?"


    "Your Lust levels, for one," Keiko quickly replied and Ash raised a brow, smirking.


    "Oh, was that where your head was at?" Ash asked and Keiko waved her hands.


    "N-No!" Keiko said. "I was just... explaining the facts."


    "Understood," Ash nodded.


    "... Did you ever get to experience it?" Keiko asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Being drunk, I mean," Keiko continued. "Before you developed that trait, did you ever get drunk?"


    "Hm," Ash stopped, closing her eyes to think. Kaori, still asleep, mumbled something about demons in her right ear. "Not that I can remember. But, I got my Iron Stomach trait a while ago, so, I think I never did."


    "I see," Keiko replied. "Do you ever think about it?"


    "I''m thinking about it right now, does that count?"


    "No," Keiko shook her head. "I mean, does it ever make you sad that you haven''t had that experience."


    Ash gave the question a serious moment of thought. Her eyes half-closed and she took a deep breath.


    "I don''t think so," Ash replied. "I mean, if I got sad over every single thing humans got to do that I never did, I think I''d spend most of my time depressed."


    You could probably make the argument that I did,  Ash added in her thoughts.  Before I met you two.


    "... Hm, I believe I see it."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "The ''brooding Ash'' face Kaori talked about," Keiko chuckled. "I think I saw it."


    Ash laughed a little.


    "Fuck off."


    ---


    Eventually, they reached the Spirit Gardens District. Just outside the Savior House, the tree that gave the district its name was covered in white embers, the spirits of fallen citizens dancing around its bark and lighting up the area almost as well as the light posts were. Ash and Keiko walked up to the door and the Zayama unlocked it.


    The inside of the house was quiet. A few plates and cups were left on the kitchen table, unwashed. Ash saw a pair of shirts on the couch and determined that they belonged to Satsuhiro and Metsumi.


    ... Okay.  She ignored them and walked with Keiko to the room they''d taken. Once here, Ash gently dropped Kaori on the bed. Ash laid next to her and Keiko laid down as well.


    For a while, Ash simply stared up at the ceiling, but she turned her face towards Keiko when she felt her looking her way. The Zayama had been watching her, and cutely turned away when Ash looked back. The half-demon smirked and turned fully towards her.


    "Something on your mind?" Ash whispered, trying not to wake Kaori, though she doubted she would.


    At that, Keiko looked back at her.


    "This feels like a dream," Keiko responded.


    Hm. Shit.  Ash sighed. She didn''t need Keiko to elaborate. She knew exactly what she meant.


    "I keep expecting it," Keiko continued. "Some letter from my family saying that I need to return, or the Royal Council informing us that a new portal appeared. This feels so... temporary."


    Ash wished she had something meaningful to say, but she didn''t. Keiko was going through the same thing Ash was. She hadn''t figured it out yet for herself, she couldn''t do so for Keiko.


    "Just try not to think about it," Ash replied, raising the sheets and covering herself and both girls with them.  "Just enjoy it while it lasts."


    "... I suppose."


    Just like that, the night was over.


    ---


    Kaori


    For Ash and Keiko, at least.


    Kaori was standing in the middle of Sapphire''s snow-covered streets, her armor weighing heavily on her while the battle raged. Ahead, a Lust demon had used its tail to stab through a man''s chest. To her left, a Wrath demon bit down on a soldier''s neck and ripped his throat out, blood spraying into the air. Behind her, a Glutonny demon was swallowing civilians whole, one at a time. Kaori watched it all in horror.


    Then, she heard Ren''s voice, but no relief came with it. Instead, beyond a few groups of battling soldiers and demons, she saw Ren battling a Nightmare. A demon that stabbed a sword straight through his gut. She screamed, trying to run towards him to help, but her legs wouldn''t move.


    She was frozen in place. She heard another voice. Keiko. Kaori searched for her and to her right, saw the girl trading sword slashes with a pair of demons. One tackled her, and stomped on her head, crushing it. Kaori''s voice wouldn''t come out. She wanted to cry, call out, yell, but her voice produced nothing.


    Finally, she heard Ash. Above, Ash was fighting off multiple Lust demons in the air. It had seemed like she was doing well at first, but the one grabbed her right arm, another grabbed her left, and both pulled. The half-demon''s body was ripped apart and her violet blood fell like rain on top of Kaori.


    And she saw it all with wide eyes and a choked throat.


    Her eyes opened. The sun was pouring in through a window. Kaori felt liquid slide down her cheeks and reached up, finding that she''d been crying.


    More images then came to her, but they weren''t from the dream. They were from what she''d actually seen. Satsuhiro''s leg being ripped off, the hundreds of soldiers who died around her, the ones she''d failed to protect. Her hand started shaking.


    To her right, Ash slept soundly, and to the half-demon''s right, so did Keiko. Kaori turned towards them and, trying her hardest not to wake them up, scooted closer. She put her head on Ash''s left shoulder and took a deep breath.


    She hadn''t told anyone about this, but these nightmares and these mental images had been popping up every other night, throughout the last three weeks.


    ...  Maybe they''ll go away on their own.  Kaori nodded to herself, holding onto Ash tightly.


    Yeah. Yeah. Just... Just wait.

 Chapter 130 - Vol. 3 - 3

    Ash


    Upon waking up, the first thing Ash noticed was that the bed she''d gone to sleep in was empty. She yawned, stretching and shielding her eyes from the sun coming in from her left.  Everyone''s up already?  She wondered. Fuck, what time is it?


    The half-demon walked out and heard Kaori, Keiko, Satsuhiro, and the others talking in the living room. She walked to it, groggy and still a little sleepy.


    "Rise and shine," Metsumi said. Everyone was having breakfast at the kitchen table. Ash saw Keiko and Kaori sitting next to each other on the right, Opah, Satsuhiro, and Metsumi all on the left. Ash sat between them all, at the center. "Want coffee?"


    "Sure," Ash replied. The Iron Stomach trait only prevented negative effects from eating, so she was still going to feel the buzz from the coffee. She figured she could use it.


    Satsuhiro passed her a sheet of paper.


    "What''s this?"


    "Our next stop," Satsuhiro replied. "Onyx."


    And just like that, Ash understood that their break would be coming to an end soon.


    "What''s happening there?" Ash asked, not bothering to read it.


    "A few stray demons have been causing trouble. Council wants us, or rather, you, to go clear any out. Along the way," Satsuhiro added, "we may as well get that last Site of Power activated."


    "Right," Ash nodded. "When are we leaving?"


    "That''s up to you," he looked over at Kaori and Keiko. "I know you''re all still recovering, so, as soon as you''re willing and able, we go."


    "Could..." Kaori said. "Could we keep the break going for just a little longer?"


    "Sure," Satsuhiro shrugged. Ash looked over at her and saw relief wash over her face.


    "Something you wanna do?" Ash asked, curious.


    "Yeah," Kaori nodded. "I wanted to go visit my parents again. Check on them again before we head out. There''s no telling when we''ll come back, right?"


    "Ideally, we''d only be there a few days. Maybe a week at the most, but yeah," Satsuhiro said. "You''re right. Anything could happen."


    "Okay," Ash took a mug full of coffee that Metsumi passed her. Taking a sip, she found it to be a bit sweet but good all around. "In that case..." Ash trailed off.


    "Mhm?" Satsuhiro hummed.


    "I think I''ll take a walk around today," she stated. "There''s someone I''d like to see."


    "Oh?" Kaori smirked. "An old girlfriend?"


    "Hmph," Ash scoffed, "come on, you know I never did anything like that before you."


    "Like what?" Opah asked from beside Satsuhiro and Kaori chuckled.


    "Nothing, kid," Ash said. "Anyway, yeah, it''s just... an old friend. So, yeah, I''ll be walking a bit."


    "Alright," Satsuhiro nodded. "A few more days then?" He asked the group. Keiko, Kaori, and Ash all nodded. "Okay."


    ---


    The rest of the morning went by fairly quickly, with everyone taking turns getting bathed and Ash stepping out of the house first. She wore a long-sleeved black shirt with white buttons and black pants as she walked out into the Spirit Garden''s District.


    So...  She thought.  Where would he be?


    The half-demon walked through the streets then, looking for a certain annoying old monk.


    Above her, on the white stone buildings, the golden banners of Jade rippled with the wind. For a second, Ash stopped to look up at them. It felt so strange, knowing she was now a representative of this city, of the realm, essentially, as a Savior. Those golden banners were her own, and, whether she liked the city or not, her actions were helping to keep her surroundings as pristine as they were.


    But, she knew it all to be half of the experience. One type of the lives that Jade''s citizens could lead. The other was the one she had. Hot, burning streets, starvation, dirty looks, casual assaults, people spitting on her. That was the other side of Jade, the less pretty side.


    Looking around, she saw a few homeless citizens. People she''d known about. Not exactly individuals she ever called her friends, but others who shared her struggles. And now, here she was, a league above them.


    She stared hard at one, a sickly old man asleep on the sidewalk, covered in nothing but tattered clothes. That would have been her if she hadn''t started this journey. However, as she later passed by the mausoleum where the bodies of Saviors long-dead were kept, the one the same monk she was looking for had shown her last time they saw each other, she saw that place as what she still could be.


    Nothing more than a soldier who died for a world she didn''t even believe in.


    Shaking her head, she tried to focus again on what she was doing. This was a gamble, honestly. Ash had no reason to believe the old man wouldn''t be asleep or meditating in some small building. She was simply hoping that he wasn''t. However, she did have one place in mind where there was some likelihood he could be. The place where he would often take her out to eat.


    She walked to the Public Square. A few of the guards must have recognized her as a Savior because they glanced at her with awed expressions. Ash wished she could appreciate those, but the times where they''d literally kick her away from the nicer streets in the city were still too fresh in her mind for that. Ash ignored everyone around her, and instead looked for one little stall. One selling paper-wrapped salads.


    Here, she saw an old man sitting on a stool. He wore a brown robe and some slippers, and Ash swore that he looked even older now than he used to. Now that she saw him, so many memories came to her that Ash felt some small amount of regret.


    She hadn''t understood it then, but looking back, this might have been the first one to treat Ash like an actual person and not a demon. Kairo felt her glance and turned to look at her.


    Shit, I was so stupid back then,  Ash thought, taking a deep breath as she approached him. She didn''t even know what to say.


    Kairo, who had been enjoying some soup, put his bowl down and smiled.


    "The wayward soul has found her way back to the city? Albeit temporarily, I assume."


    "... Yeah," Ash nodded.


    "Well. Care to join an old man for a quick meal?" He asked.


    Ash nodded.


    "Mhm."


    "..." Kairo watched her take a seat next to him and he suddenly started laughing.


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow.


    "You are... you seem like a completely different person to the half-demon I spoke to before," Kairo said.


    "I just got here, give me a few minutes, I''ll still annoy the shit out of you," Ash responded.


    "Don''t need to," Kairo laughed again. "This version of you contrasts with your past so heavily, your aura is almost blinding to witness."


    "Well, I do dress a little nicer now, I guess."


    "No. You could be dressed in the same urine-soaked clothes you used to wear, and the differences would still show," Kairo shook his head. "It''s in your posture, how your back is slightly straighter, prouder. It''s in your brows. Before, they used to spend all their time together, furrowed, angry. Now, your entire face is loose. It''s in your hands," he continued, not even looking at her at this point. "They stay by your side, calm. Before, they were almost always clenched, asking for a fight. See?" Kairo asked. "But, yes. I suppose not being covered in urine would also make someone seem a little different."


    Ash shook her head, chuckling.


    "Fuck... This feels nostalgic."


    "I see that colorful language hasn''t changed," he chuckled. "So then, Savior, what brings you here?"


    "Ugh, don''t call me that," Ash muttered. "To everyone out there I''m either the half-demon or the Savior. You know my name."


    "Alright then. Ash," he corrected. "What brings you here?"


    Ash looked away.


    "Just... Felt like I should apologize," Ash said.


    "Hm?"


    "I don''t know, for treating you like shit. I uh... I realize, fuck, this is embarrassing," Ash cleared her throat. "I realize you were just... Trying to help and all. So, yeah, sorry."


    "Eloquent."


    "Fuck you," Ash scoffed and Kairo laughed.


    "There''s no need for an apology, Ash. Your personality especially is not something you should ever apologize for. It''s what makes you, well, you. Though, I guess I would appreciate it if you covered for me," he said, gesturing at the cook in front of them. Ash nodded, chuckling.


    "Yeah, I got you."


    "Once you''re done paying, could you accompany me somewhere?"


    "Sure," Ash didn''t even bother asking where. She had come to see him, after all.


    ---


    He ended up taking her to a small church, belonging to Lumina. The building itself was barely as big as the houses that neighbored it. They walked in and Ash saw a 76cm tall statue of the goddess. In front of it were two rows of benches and a carpeted floor. Kairo walked forwards first and Ash walked after him.


    "So, uh," Ash started, "don''t get me wrong, I did come to apologize and all, but I''m not looking to be converted."


    "Ha! No, no," Kairo shook his head as he sat down at one of the benches. "I only took you here because this place is calm. I figured it would allow us to talk more comfortably."


    "Alright," Ash sat next to him.


    "In truth," Kairo said, "there is... something I believe I should tell you."


    "Well, go ahead."


    "... Do you remember how we met?" Kairo asked.


    "Mhm," Ash nodded. She still hadn''t forgotten. "I was begging, and you walked up and spouted some philosophical bs at me."


    "Hmph," Kairo snorted. "Very true. Well, if I''m being honest," he started. "That wasn''t the first time I saw you."


    "... Yeah," Ash nodded. "You told me you''d seen me begging before, right?"


    "Well, yes, but that''s not what I mean," Kairo sighed. "I mean that many years ago, this church used to be home to many Lumina followers in the city. As the Church of Magia gained more and more prominence under Varcon''s leadership though, Lumina''s followers found themselves seeking other cities where their worship was more popular. Most found their place in Pearl, but that''s beside the point. The point is, one family that used to come was your own."


    At that, Ash''s lips parted and her eyes widened.


    "That was how I first came to know of you. Through your parents."

 Chapter 131 - Vol. 3 - 4

    Okay. Calm down.  Ash told herself, taking a deep breath. Kairo waited for her response. She looked away from him and sighed.


    "Why didn''t you tell me before?"


    "The healing process hadn''t started," Kairo responded. "If I had, what do you think your reaction would have been? Certainly not a positive one."


    ... He''s right about that,  Ash acknowledged.  I probably would have just told him to fuck off.


    "But, now... I feel you might be in a more open space, mentally. I saw fit to let you know."


    "But, what''s your point?" Ash asked. "Why are you even telling me this?"


    "Because, Ash," Kairo continued, "the healing process will never conclude for you until you address the core of the issue. You''re trying to grow, extend your branches, but your roots are still poisoned. Until the roots are cleansed, you will not see true growth."


    Ash breathed steadily, trying to hold back the questions bubbling in her mind from throwing her into a fit. She stopped, kept looking down at the ground, and responded:


    "So... What are you saying?" Ash asked. "What should I do?"


    "That''s for you to decide. But, the resentment you still hold in your heart. Eventually, you''ll have to do something about it. Whether it''s to accept it as a part of yourself that will never fade away, or let go of it, something needs to be done."


    "... Alone?" Ash asked.


    "Not necessarily, but I do have one option to present to you. Last I heard, your parents left the city shortly after you were abandoned. Where exactly they went, I am not certain, but with Pearl''s destruction and the battle of Sapphire causing many to flee, I would guess that there are two possibilities."


    "Onyx or Amber?"


    "Precisely. You decide what to do with that information."


    ---


    Shortly after that, the two of them parted ways. All in all, Ash was glad to have seen Kairo after such a long time and hoped they''d meet again soon, but the monk had brought a question to her mind that she wasn''t sure she was ready to handle.


    Her family. Specifically, the hate that she still felt for them for abandoning her the way that they did. What was she supposed to do about it? In all honesty, she wasn''t sure she wanted to do something about it. She couldn''t quite remember what her parents looked like, but any time their vague faces appeared in her mind, all she wanted to do was slap them.


    Ah... This sucks.  Ash thought as she walked back to the Spirit Gardens District. She reached the Savior House and found that someone was here who she hadn''t seen in about a week.


    Kasumi was sitting awkwardly on a couch in the living room. To her left, Metsumi spoke to her and the two women looked at Ash when she entered.


    ... Fuck it,  Ash told herself,  I''ll talk to Metsumi about this later.


    "Oh, Ash, hello," Metsumi smiled and waved at her. Ash walked up, looking around.


    "Hm. Are Keiko and Kaori out?" Ash asked.


    "Yes, they left shortly after you did. I believe Kaori wanted to take Keiko to see her old school."


    "Oh, shit," Ash noted with raised brows.  I think I would have liked to join them. Hope they have fun though.


    "Got anything to drink?" Ash asked.


    "I thought you couldn''t get drunk," Metsumi asked, crossing her arms.


    "I can''t, but... Sometimes that burning feeling from the alcohol going down your throat can be distracting. Which is sort of what I need right now."


    "Oh. Well, we don''t have anything but I''ll go buy a bit."


    "I mean, shit, if there''s nothing here, it''s fine, just..."


    "Nonsense," Metsumi walked up and put her hands on Ash''s shoulders. "It''s no trouble. There''s a shop pretty close. Just sit tight till I come back."


    "... Thank you."


    "You''re welcome. Oh, sorry, Kasumi. We can keep talking once I come back if you still feel like it."


    The crimson-haired Savior shrugged. Nodding, Metsumi walked out of the house, leaving Kasumi and Ash in the living room, alone.


    Ash sat down next to her and crossed her legs.


    "So, how have you been doing?" Ash asked. After that heart-to-heart, she and the Savior had, Kasumi had spent quite a bit of time outside of the house. Ash only really saw her whenever the woman went to take a bath or as she came back to the house in the middle of the night.


    "Well, now that I''ve renounced sleeping as a pastime, I''ve suddenly discovered something," Kasumi said, her eyes a little tired. "This city is exhausting."


    "I can agree with that," Ash replied, remembering her time here.


    "Hmph. But, I''ve been thinking of things I could do to... well, be more of a normal person. Still, whatever I do, I think I''ll probably go back to sleeping my days away at some point."


    Ash nodded, taking her words in before asking:


    "... Will you come with us to Onyx?"


    "Hm?" Kasumi raised a brow. "What do you mean?"


    "We heard there were some demons there. The council wants me and Kaori to go fight them."


    "Another portal?" Kasumi asked, paling a little, but Ash quickly shook her head.


    "No, no. Just a few demons."


    "Oh," at that, Kasumi turned away. "I don''t know. Do you need me?" Kasumi asked.


    "I wouldn''t say so, but," she leaned against the couch''s back, "it might be good. You know, a little more stress relief is never a bad thing and all that."


    "I''d say anything involving demons is less of a stress reliever and more of a stress amplifier."


    "Maybe," Ash shrugged. "Still, you could use it to stretch your legs a little. Plus, uh, there''s a place we need you to check out."


    Ash said this, remembering that Kasumi was one of the three the gods wanted for the Sites of Power.


    "Hm. Why''s that?" Kasumi asked.


    "We found out a way to earn buffs, long story short, it''ll make you stronger. And, if anything serious happens with the demons, maybe you''ll want that."


    "..." Kasumi stared at her for a moment. "To be honest, if I lived the rest of my life without ever fighting again, I''d be happy with that."


    Ash couldn''t say she didn''t understand, because she did. All too well.


    "I was thinking of letting the Council know, actually, that I was done. And that if they didn''t like that, I''d sooner get tossed into a dungeon than go fight those rabid beasts again," Kasumi said. "I had a whole speech planned out too. Something something, daughter, something something, dangerous, something something, fuck you."


    Ash chuckled and Kasumi smirked a little.


    "So... I''ll be honest, I don''t really want to go with you, but," Kasumi took a deep breath, "I will if you think it''s serious enough. Is it?"


    "I''d say so," Ash replied. "I mean, I''m not asking you to come to fight anything with us. You go, get the buff, and then you can come back and tell the Council all of that shit. I just think you should have it."


    Kasumi nodded slowly.


    "This is embarrassing," she suddenly said.


    "Hm? Why?"


    "Between this and the talk we had a few weeks ago, having someone so much younger be the one to guide me, it feels strange."


    "I wouldn''t say I''m guiding you," Ash smirked. "We''re just talking, aren''t we?"


    "Just talking can be enlightening enough, don''t sell yourself short," Kasumi replied. "Anyway," Kasumi stood up, "I do feel like I need to catch up on my naps."


    "Oh. ''Night."


    "Goodnight, Ash," Kasumi looked at her, and Ash could almost see warmth in her eyes, "and thanks again."


    With that, Kasumi walked away, and almost as soon as she did, Metsumi entered the house. She was holding a few bottles of wine.


    "Got you some stuff."


    "And the timing couldn''t be better," Ash said, walking over to her. "Thanks."


    "Don''t worry about it. So," Metsumi placed the bottles on the nearby kitchen table, pulled a seat back, and sat down. "Anything on your mind?"


    ---


    Kaori


    "So, this is where you used to study?" Keiko asked.


    Currently, the two of them were walking through the grounds of the university that Kaori used to go to. It was so surreal to see this place again, that every now and then, Kaori would space out and accidentally miss something Keiko said.


    But, she couldn''t help it. Just two months ago, she had been coming here regularly, with the hopes of meeting people and making something out of herself. Now, she was here as a tourist.


    Maybe when all of this is over, I could... No, that wouldn''t work.  She thought. Besides... She glanced around, seeing many dirty looks being thrown her way.  People here still think of me as a killer.


    "Kaori?"


    "Huh, what?" Kaori shook her head.


    "I asked what you were studying," Keiko said, not angrily or anything, but firmly enough so that Kaori heard her properly.


    "Oh. Honestly, I hadn''t really figured out what I wanted to be, but I had a few things in mind," Kaori replied. "Being a teacher, an assistant, a secretary, a guard even."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah!" Kaori grinned. "I mean, really, I just wanted to help people. Anything that put me in a position to do that, that''s what I would have gone with."


    "That is very admirable," Keiko smiled a little. Keiko''s genuine smiles were rare enough to where Kaori made sure to treasure each one that she saw.


    However, at that moment, there was a sound to her left. A large banging sound, followed by a few more. Kaori froze. Briefly, the image of Ren fighting off a demon as it banged clawed hands against his shield flashed through her mind. Kaori turned and saw that some construction workers were taking down a small building.


    Kaori felt so much colder all of a sudden.


    "Kaori?" Keiko asked.


    She shook her head.


    "Huh?"


    "Are you alright?" Keiko walked up to her. "You got pale all of a sudden."


    Seeing the Zayama in front of her, Kaori grounded herself, using the image of her concerned face to do so.


    Kaori nodded, forcing a smile.


    "I''m alright."

 Chapter 132 - Vol. 3 - 5

    Ash


    That night, Ash sat in the living room with a glass of wine in her hands. Keiko and Kaori were still out. Opah was asleep in another room, and next to Ash were Metsumi and Satsuhiro.


    "What was it you wanted to talk about?" Metsumi asked.


    Ash looked away.


    "My family," she stated. Satsuhiro and Metsumi shared a glance as Ash continued. "There''s a chance I might see them in Onyx. And... yeah, that''s fucking with my head a little."


    "Hm? Isn''t that good?" Metsumi asked. Ash shook her head.


    "Last time I saw them they were kicking me into the streets of Jade before disappearing for the last 6 years. No, it isn''t good."


    "... Do you have to go talk to them?" Satsuhiro asked. Ash shook her head again. "Then what''s the issue?"


    "I mean," Ash stood up, pacing back and forth. "What if I run into them? What if I see my dad or my mom in the middle of the street?"


    "Indeed, what if you see them?" Satsuhiro asked, shrugging.


    "I''ll probably fucking lose it, I don''t know." Ash sat back down. "I just..." She took a deep breath. "I don''t know if I''m ready for that. I don''t know if I''m ready to see them again. It''s..." She put a hand on her forehead, under her horns. "It''s been so fucking long."


    At that, Metsumi got closer. She put a hand on Ash''s shoulder and said:


    "So, is it fair to say there''s a bit of unresolved anger there?"


    "To say the least, yeah," Ash scoffed.


    "Then," Metsumi''s tone softened. "Maybe it''s for the best that you run into them. Don''t you think? If just the possibility of seeing them has you feeling like this, then, you''d probably want to deal with that before things get more serious."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You''re a Savior, in the middle of a war, Ash," Metsumi said, and the half-demon was slightly surprised to hear her bring that up. "Obviously, to us, you''re more than that, but that is the role you''re playing right now. If a battle comes, and your mind''s not in it, terrible things could happen."


    "..." Ash hunched over. "So, you''re saying I should go curse them out?"


    "I never said that but if that''s what you want to do," Metsumi shrugged. "If you need to get that off your chest, then by all means. But, if anything, I''d say you should look for them. This sounds like you need to see them more than you think you do."


    "... I''ll think about it, I guess."


    "Good," Metsumi smiled. "Anything else comes to mind, you let me know, alright?"


    "Yeah," Ash said and Metsumi gave her a hug. "How the hell are you so good at this?"


    "What do you mean?" Metsumi asked, leaning back, with her arms still around Ash.


    "Like, I don''t know, good at... talking?"


    "I learned words at a very early age."


    "Okay, piss off," Ash said and Metsumi cackled.


    The door then opened and Ash looked back, seeing Kaori and Keiko walking in.


    She felt something in her chest as she watched them and took a deep breath.


    Shit.


    She still wasn''t used to it. The raw happiness that just seeing them arrive brought to her. It was honestly scared her how much she liked them. Still, she tried to put that aside and, as Kaori jogged up to her, she simply stood up and returned the hug she knew would come.


    "How did it go?" Ash asked.


    "Good!" Kaori replied, giving her a quick kiss and grinning at her with those heart-melting big blue eyes of hers aimed directly at Ash.


    "It was fairly enlightening," Keiko added from behind, standing some small distance away. Of course, she wasn''t nearly as physical as Kaori was. "And you, Ash? Did you get to see the person you went to meet?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded, trying not to think about what she and Kairo had discussed. "It was cool. Actually, it sort of reminded me that there are a few places I wanted to show you before we leave for Onyx."


    "Hm?" Keiko tilted her head curiously.


    "Nah, just some old food joints the guy used to take me to. They''re just special to me, is all."


    "Ah. I''d love to accompany you," Keiko nodded.


    "Same!" Kaori pitched in.


    "Alright. How long till we go to Onyx then?" Ash turned to Satsuhiro and Metsumi, including them in this.


    "Sooner we get it over with the better, but what matters is that you''re all ready," Satsuhiro replied. "I would like us to run a few fighting drills though," Satsuhiro suddenly stated. "Just to get used to combat again before we head out."


    "Hm," Keiko hummed. "I haven''t gotten the chance to properly train either of you in a while. We could take a few sessions to get your proficiencies up a little."


    "Sounds good," Ash nodded.


    "So..." Kaori said, and Ash looked her way. She almost sounded a bit nervous, though Ash couldn''t pinpoint why. "A bit longer then?"


    "Mhm," Ash replied.


    "Okay..." Kaori said, relief easy to identify in her voice.


    ---


    Keiko


    Throughout the three weeks, they''d spent resting, Keiko understood that she was supposed to be taking time off, but she simply couldn''t bring herself to fully let loose. It wasn''t in her nature. So, she''d gotten used to doing something in the night.


    At least, on nights where she and the others didn''t go drink and come back by the time the sun was rising.


    It was midnight. She was laying in the large bed she, Ash, and Kaori had been using. Kaori was completely asleep with her arm wrapped around Keiko, who was between her and Ash. She couldn''t see Ash''s face, but she guessed the demon was also asleep.


    She lifted Kaori''s hand off of her and tried to slide down, off the bed. In her sleep, Kaori whined a little.


    Sorry,  she thought, holding back a chuckle.


    Keiko then looked for her bag where she kept the books she''d gotten from the Ancient Zayama Castle. She held them in one arm and carried her sword in the other. With these items, she walked out of the house.


    Outside, the Spirit Gardens District''s tree lit the entire area up with a dim white. Spirits floated around it, just ahead of the bench Keiko sat down at. Here, she took a deep breath, inhaling the cold fresh air as she opened the  Zayama Wind Style  book.


    The difference between this and the Art of the Blade Dancer book was that this one was simply magic. It was the same category of magic that the Zayama Mages had used to teleport and cast lightning during Keiko''s battles with them.


    Considering the fact that Keiko had never heard about this book until she''d received it, probably meant that her clan at the Compound were not terribly fond of it. Keiko, however, didn''t share that sentiment.


    So, she''d been reading this for a while and picked up two spells from it. She performed the first right now.


    Zayama Wind Style


    Windswept


    Identify a place near you (within 5 meters), using any of your five senses, or through another person''s vision using the Spirit Eye. Recite the incantation and you will be teleported there.


    Dex Required: 30


    Mana Cost: 10


    Incantation: Tiron


    "Tiron."


    As Keiko spoke the word aloud, she was teleported forwards, just a couple of meters. Nodding to herself, she returned to the bench where she went to the other spell that she''d picked up.


    Zayama Wind Style


    Wind Forge


    Speak the incantation and in your hands, a weapon made of wind will appear. This weapon can be one of three: ninjato, kunai, or bow and arrow.


    Dex Required: 30


    Mana Cost: 15


    Incantation: Caron


    For this bit of practice, Keiko decided to go with the ninjato, which was essentially a shorter katana with no curvature. Keiko closed her eyes, breathed in, and spoke.


    "Caron." In her hands, a ninjato manifested. Transparent and rippling with wind, it was weightless, but as Keiko slashed the air, she felt its cutting potential.


    She swung it back and forth a few times, testing it out and getting used to it. Then, she spun and stopped herself just before her blade would have struck the person who had been standing behind her.


    Ash was there, slightly surprised and looking down at Keiko''s blade, which was right on her hip.


    "O-OH!" Keiko quickly let the blade dissipate and put her hands on Ash''s torso. "I DIDN''T CUT YOU, DID I?"


    "Nah, you stopped just short."


    "W-What are you doing out here!?" Keiko asked, shocked as she realized her practice was being spectated.


    "You slipped out the bed so stealthily, I dunno, I got curious."


    "You were awake!?"


    "Mhm. Had a bit of trouble sleeping," Ash stated, rounding the nearby bench and sitting down. Keiko did the same. "So," she crossed her arms. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m just practicing..." Keiko replied, putting her hands behind her back.


    "Can I watch?" Ash asked, a slightly cheeky smile on her face.


    "Why?"


    "I don''t know, might learn something maybe."


    ... Why does this feel so embarrassing all of a sudden?


    A bit flustered, Keiko nodded and Ash crossed her legs as Keiko brought out her sword.  Just calm down. She''s just watching you train. You''ve done things like this before. It''s fine.


    Keiko took a few steps away from the half-demon and swung her father''s blade, its gold glimmering in the night. Keiko raised the blade and brought it down with force, wind striking the ground from where it stopped. She spun and slashed again with one hand, before spinning the opposite way, jumping and bringing her sword down.


    If her movements were purposely a bit flashier, and her back was a little straighter, it was purely a coincidence, surely.


    She slashed twice, sheathed her blade, muttered "Caron,"  and a ninjato appeared in her hands, made of wind. Here, she stopped, allowing it to fade just as quickly as it had arrived.


    She turned towards Ash and put her hands together.


    The half-demon stood up and walked towards her.


    "That was hot as fuck."


    Keiko''s face reddened and she pouted a little.


    "It''s just training..."


    "And your training is a beautiful sight."


    "Ash!" Flustered, Keiko half-whispered, half-yelled. "It''s the middle of the night... Come on, we should be getting some..."


    She went to pass the half-demon by but didn''t finish her sentence as Ash reached over and snagged her by the waist. Pressed close together, Keiko''s breath caught in her throat as her own crystal clear eyes looked back at Ash''s violets.


    "We really shouldn''t... So late..." Keiko muttered though she reached up and wrapped her arms behind Ash''s neck.


    "I know," Ash replied. Her voice was softer than normal. "Looks like we''ve got some big days ahead of us."


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "Hopefully, our time in Onyx won''t last too..."


    Ash kissed her mid-sentence.


    It lasted just a few seconds, and yet, Keiko''s heart nearly burst through her chest.


    "Yeah," the half-demon said, backing off. "Hopefully. Honestly, though, I''ve... I''ve really enjoyed these last few weeks. Just spending time with you two, not having to worry about getting killed by some monster. I hope we can go back to that soon."


    Keiko rested her head on Ash''s chest, closing her eyes.


    "Agreed."


    ---


    Niven


    In the western lands of Nova, Pearl still remained, a crumbled and ruined city that fell to the God of Death''s army. Currently, it was one of his trophies. In his child-like form, the god was currently walking the streets of that very city.


    The portal that had allowed the invasion to happen remained open outside, its influence turning the sky violet as the god moved through groups of demons. They hadn''t stopped here though, with Pearl in his possession, this entire part of the world was now his. Which meant that many travelers and rangers had fallen victim to his forces.


    To his left, a pack of demons devoured a family of rich men who had been traveling north. To his right, a few Wrath demons fought each other to the death. Niven paid them no mind. Instead, one woman, with white hair and scornful eyes took up his thoughts.


    Ash.  He thought, smiling.


    One way or another, it would seem you will be the end of this little scheme of mine.


    Niven chuckled before sitting on a pile of skeletons belonging to the soldiers who had died defending this city.


    Before that happens though, I''ll take as much away from this world as I can.


    Then, he issued an order and three Nightmares were brought to him. One Lust demon, one Gluttony demon, and one Wrath demon.


    "You three..."


    Level 80


    MP: 1000/1000


    Level 72


    MP: 100/100


    Level 90


    MP: 900/900


    He grinned.


    "My strongest. Here," he conjured up the image of Ash in front of him, appearing in a screen that tore through reality. The Lust demon snarled at it, the Gluttony demon stuck its tongue out, the Wrath demon did not react at all. "See this woman? I want her head. The next time you see her, she takes precedence over all other priorities."


    The three demons knelt and Niven chuckled.


    Well, Ash. It would seem you have some fun to look forward to.

 Chapter 133 - Vol. 3 - 6

    Keiko


    The following day, Keiko, Kaori, and Ash made their way to a training spot belonging to Jade''s army, located near the Spirit Gardens District. Satsuhiro had let them know about it. It was a dojo-like, two-floor building, the kind Keiko associated with her clan. Inside, a few soldiers were currently occupying the first floor. The soldiers gave them strange looks as the group moved to a nearby staircase. Keiko and her group headed for the second one, which was empty.


    On the sides of the room were a few weapon racks and suits of armor decoratively placed. Keiko had brought her sword but anticipated that there would be a spear or two that she could use to help the Saviors.


    Of course, Kaori, who was still searching for an option she could use over her swordstaff, would still be using this weapon until she did.


    I must admit, Keiko thought,  there are many aspects of my life back at the Compound that I hated. Things I did simply because I had to. But, this...  she looked around and placed her hand on her sword''s hilt,  this, I enjoyed.


    "O-Oh, um, leave your shoes over there," Keiko instructed.


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Just common courtesy for these sorts of spaces," Keiko replied. Admittedly, she didn''t know if this was a courtesy in army spots, rather, it was the familiarity of the place that had Keiko talking like this.


    "Sure," Ash shrugged.


    "Now," Keiko said, unsheathing her father''s blade. From her right, sunlight poured in that reflected off her sword. "Who wants to start?"


    "You mean, which of us wants to get our asses handed to us?" Ash asked with a smirk.


    Keiko smiled and shrugged.


    "Being a teacher does come with its perks, I suppose."


    "You go ahead," Kaori quickly said. "I''ll go after."


    Ash nodded and transformed her Savior''s Weapon into a sword.


    "We should check your proficiencies again, by the way."


    "Alright. It''s... Wait, what?" Ash was surprised. "It went down. I remember it was like 4 or 5, it''s at 3."


    "Seriously?" Kaori asked. Then, she checked her own. "Wait, mine did too!"


    Keiko nodded to herself.


    "I had suspected that this would happen."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Do you remember what I told you when we first trained?" Keiko lifted her blade and held it out horizontally. "Your proficiency," she swung it to the side, "is a measurement of how you stack up against other users of the same weapon. It stands to reason that if you don''t train, your proficiency will reduce, as it shows you are letting your training slip away."


    "Shit," Ash muttered. "So, what, are we supposed to train every day?"


    "No, no. But, three weeks, nearly an entire month off, that was bound to make your proficiency go down one or two points."


    "Well," Kaori smiled, "we''re here to catch up on our skills, aren''t we? This is just extra motivation."


    "I guess," Ash replied.


    "Very well then," seeing Kaori''s attitude made a smile appear on Keiko''s own portrait. "Let''s begin."


    What followed was a couple of hours of weapons ringing out as they clashed. Their sounds echoed, paired with the sliding of their feet along the floor, and their rapid breathing.


    Keiko charged forwards and Ash struggled to block a quick succession of slashes from her. Up, down, left, Keiko made sure to attack any opening that Ash gave her, while of course, moving slowly enough for Ash to cover herself.


    "Parry!" Keiko instructed, raising her sword up. As she brought it down on top of Ash''s head, the half-demon pushed against it and knocked Keiko''s sword out of her hands.


    "Eh!?" Keiko yelped as the sword fell behind her.


    "Shit, sorry," Ash said.


    "No, no, I just..." Keiko chuckled. "You''re far stronger than when we had first started." She retrieved her blade. "So, how does training again feel?"


    "Hmph," Ash looked down at her sword. "After using my claws so much, this feels so fucking weird."


    "These lessons will likely be more meaningful for Kaori," Keiko said, approaching the blonde, "since you have that Demon Form to rely on. Kaori? How is it going for you?"


    Momentarily, a brief expression of sadness overtook Kaori, but just as quickly, she replaced it with a grin.


    "It''s going great!" Kaori chuckled. "I like training with you, you always seem so much more, like, in your element when we do this."


    "Because I am," Keiko acknowledged with a smile. "This is all I''ve done for the past ten years or so. This is what I know."


    "Plus, it also helps that I have a pretty hot teacher," Kaori whispered, "just saying."


    Keiko blushed and cleared her throat.


    "You two are bad for my heart," Keiko muttered and the Saviors laughed. With that, they got back to work.


    They were there for only a few hours before deciding that they wanted to wash off the sweat they''d built up.


    Keiko helped Ash get her sword proficiency up to 5, Kaori''s swordstaff proficiency up to 4, and both their spear proficiencies up to 2. They decided not to do any bow and arrow work though, as Kaori of course couldn''t use the weapon and Ash had her spells to rely on.


    When they left, the sun was directly over their heads.


    "Uh, hey," Kaori said, "I... I want to go see my parents for a bit."


    "Oh," Keiko nodded. "Do you want us to accompany you?"


    "No, no," Kaori took a deep breath. "I... I feel like I just need to talk to them alone for a bit."


    "Gotcha," Ash said. "Alright. We''ll let the others know."


    "Yeah, uh, thanks," Kaori chuckled nervously. "See you later."


    ---


    Kaori


    It had happened again last night.


    The last nightmare had left Kaori tired. Tired to the point where today, although Kaori had done her best to hide it, she had to keep herself from falling asleep during training. Even now, her body felt so much heavier than it usually did.


    She was too tired. Too tired to even acknowledge the dirty glances thrown her way by those few who recognized her as the "Murderer Savior" that some in Jade knew of her as. She absent-mindedly paced all the way to her parents'' home, where she knocked a few times and waited.


    The door opened and her mother was on the other side, a shocked expression on her face.


    "Kaori!" She noted, smiling. Kaori returned the same grin, albeit an exhausted one.


    "Can I come in?" She asked.


    "Haha, of course!"


    Her mother led her to the living room where Kaori immediately laid down on the couch.


    "K-Kaori?" Her mother asked, surprised.


    "Sorry, I''m sort of tired."


    "Oh. Were you exercising?"


    "Yeah."  Do I smell that bad?  Kaori nearly laughed.


    "Okay, how about this, you go take a bath, I''ll make you some tea and you can lay down after. How does that sound?" Her mother said, placing a soothing hand on her forehead. Kaori nodded against it.


    "Help me up?"


    "Sure."


    A few minutes later, Kaori was drying herself off in the bathroom, a candle lit on the top of the toilet as she looked at herself in the mirror. She noticed a few things about herself, as she stood topless.


    Her short blonde hair had grown a little, reaching further past her shoulders. Her body was thinner, and she was beginning to be able to see her own ribcage. Indeed, all Kaori had eaten these past three weeks was whatever Metsumi would make for her.


    Sighing, she left once she''d thrown on a shirt and waddled into the living room where, again, she faceplanted onto the couch. Her mother was there with some tea in seconds. She sat up and took a few sips.


    "Dad''s working?"


    "Yes," her mother replied. "Will you be home for long?"


    "I don''t think so," Kaori replied. "We''re leaving Jade again, tomorrow, I think. I have to get ready. I wanted to see you both before then, but you can tell dad I came by. I''ll leave him a little letter."


    "Okay," her mother took a comforting tone, which was all Kaori needed to understand that she knew something was up.


    "I..." Kaori took a deep breath. "It''s been rough... This past month."


    "Aw, sweetie," her mother ran her hand down Kaori''s hair. "Do you need a break?"


    "This is my break," Kaori chuckled. "We took the last few weeks off, we''ll be getting back to work soon. I just..."


    A few of the images that haunted Kaori resurfaced. The blood-covered streets, the gore the demons were capable of. The humans who perished fighting them. Kaori wanted to close her eyes, but that would only make the images all the more visceral.


    "It''s hard," Kaori said. "I''ve... I''ve seen a lot of terrible stuff and I don''t know how to handle it." Her voice choked up towards the end.


    Quickly, her mother gave her a hug.


    "Maybe you need a longer break?" Her mother asked.


    Kaori shook her head as she wrapped her arm around her.


    "The demons aren''t going to wait for me to get my stuff together. People need me," Kaori sighed. "It''s just hard to deal with is all."


    "You''re a human being first though, Kaori," her mother stated. "All that Savior stuff comes second. You need to make sure you''re alright before you can help anyone else."


    "Yeah, but if I wait to get my head straight, people are gonna die before that happens. They might be dying right now," Kaori stated. "I can''t ask them to wait."


    "Just... Just make sure you''re taking at least a few moments for yourself, every now and then, alright?" Her mother asked. "At least do that. I like that you''re helping people, but I don''t think anyone wants it to ruin you in the process."


    Hearing that last part made Kaori tear up. She nodded.


    "I''ll try."


    And that was it. Kaori couldn''t bring herself to tell her mother more, no matter how much she trusted her.


    She never told her about what she''d seen in Sapphire, or the nightmares she was going through, but by the time Kaori was exiting her home, and mentally preparing herself to leave Jade again, she thought this helped if only a little.


    ---


    The Next Day


    "They''re here," Satsuhiro said as the group, which surprisingly included Kasumi, sat down just outside Jade''s eastern gate. A carriage then rolled up to them, pulled by two brown horses.


    Her mother''s words were still fresh in Kaori''s mind.  Take some time for yourself, huh?  She asked.  I''ve been doing that for three weeks and it hasn''t helped.


    Metsumi helped Satsuhiro stand, handing him his crutch.


    "Everyone ready?" He asked.


    Kaori kept looking down at the cube tied to her belt. Her Savior''s Weapon, which served as a reminder of her responsibilities, what she was supposed to do. She felt she needed to focus on that.


    "Kaori?"


    "Hm?" Kaori looked to the side and saw that everyone was gathered by the carriage already. "O-Oh, coming."


    And with that, the group departed, a few stray demons waiting for them at Onyx.

 Chapter 134 - Vol. 3 - 7

    Ash


    The trip, which was made on a cart as opposed to the usual faster horseback riding, took a little over five days to complete, but at the end, Ash looked out the open cart sides and saw a city in the distance.


    She decided this was probably the best time to decide what she was going to do with all of the attribute points that she''d received from the battle of Sapphire.


    Level 38


    MP: 150/150


    Attribute Points: 20


    EXP: 0/380


    ---


    STR: 29


    DEX: 13


    CON: 10


    INT: 18


    WIS: 15


    L: 100


    Okay, so, let''s break this down.  Ash thought, closing her eyes.  So, as much as I like training with Keiko, she was right when she said I wouldn''t be making much use of my training since I have my Demon Form to fall back on. So, putting points into Dex is probably a waste. Same with Strength, right? It''s pretty much what my Demon Form is meant to boost. So, that leaves three things. My Con, my Int, and Wis. I have 20 points, so which of these is the most important?


    Ash breathed in as she pondered the question.


    Thanks to my traits, my spells are already strong enough, really. It''s more about how many of them I can cast before I have to stop. And, right now, one of my biggest issues is that I can''t take hits.


    She looked over at Kaori, to her left. The blonde noticed her and smiled. Ash put aside the warmth she felt in her heart and instead, focused on the matter at hand.


    The weaker I am, the more pain Kaori will bear to help me.


    She was reminded of when Takomaro held her and Kaori absorbed the lightning he''d sent to her. It hurt to think about.


    So... For her sake, it''s probably for the best that I get my Con up at least a little. So, 20 points, how about...


    And so, she decided on 8 points for her Constitution, 8 for her Wisdom, 2 for her Strength, and 2 for her Intelligence, leaving her Dexterity untouched.


    Level 38


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 0/380


    ---


    STR: 31


    DEX: 13


    CON: 18


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    It''s a bit all over the place, but that''s the kind of fighter I am. Whatever.


    "We''re just about there," Satsuhiro noted.


    "Finally," Ash muttered. She had not enjoyed the nights of camping that the group had done during the journey. "So, what are we going to do first?"


    "The Council said that they got someone to give us some new equipment. Specifically, something Kaori could use, which is good. We can go look for them first. After that, we''ll go to the Grey Chamber and talk to the Lord of Onyx. They''ll give us the info we need on the demons."


    "Grey Chamber?" Ash asked.


    "It''s what they call the palace here. You''ll get it once you see it."


    "Okay..." Ash nodded. She sat opposite Satsuhiro, with Keiko and Kaori next to her. Satsuhiro was next to Metsumi, who had Opah asleep on her lap, with Kasumi to the left. The cart rumbled along the road as the horses slowly pulled it along. Kaori yawned next to her. She''d been having trouble sleeping but assured everyone she''d pull through when the fights came.


    "Actually," Satsuhiro said, rubbing his chin. "I could pay a visit to that alchemist."


    "The one who helped with my Red Tear stuff?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro said. "They live nearby. Just a bit south. The opposite direction of the Site of Power, unfortunately. Speaking of which, it''s not too far away. Just outside the walls, so we can get that out of the way right now."


    "Sounds good," Ash replied. "So, Site of Power first, then we go visit this alchemist, and then we talk to the Lord?"


    "I''d say so."


    With that, their plan was decided.


    "So, Keiko," Kaori said. She yawned and gave a tired smile. "Did you go into the city when you came out here?"


    Right. The castle Keiko went to was close by.


    "Yes," Keiko replied.


    "What was it like?"


    "I... My opinion of this city is not a positive one," Keiko stated.


    "Oh. Damn," Ash said, "did anyone piss you off or something?"


    "You could say that. I... I should probably mention this, just so you all know," Keiko took a deep breath, looking down. "A guard tried to rob me, while I was here. He and a few friends, I believe."


    "Seriously?" Ash raised a brow.


    "Yes," Keiko replied. "And I injured him while I was defending myself."


    "Is this guard still with us?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "I believe he''s alive, yes."


    "Hm. That might be a problem," Satsuhiro noted. "But, we''ll have to wait and see what our reception is like. They don''t know you''re with us after all."


    "I see."


    The cart rolled up to the walls where a couple of guards walked over. They saw Satsuhiro, who wore his Savior''s Armor specifically so that they''d understand, and the group was allowed passage into the city.


    "No ID required?" Keiko asked.


    "Savior privilege," Satsuhiro replied. "We''re risking our lives for this job, we may as well make use of that when we can. Metsumi," he turned to his wife. "Help me out?"


    "Of course," Metsumi replied and, after a while, they were all standing out of the cart.


    "I hope they take care of my horse," Keiko muttered. Ash looked over at her. "Ilyrum. I left her back at Jade."


    "Okay," Satsuhiro said. "Let''s get moving."


    After telling the guards to let the Lord know they arrived, they went to the forest just beside the city. It was strange though, instead of the thick bark that Ash was used to seeing, these trees were tall and thin, like wooden poles.


    "So..." Kasumi walked up to Ash. "What exactly are we doing?"


    "We''re heading for this old church," Ash explained casually.


    "... A church?" Kasumi asked, stopping in her tracks.


    "Mhm," Ash, who didn''t see any issue here, nodded. "Basically, we sort of activate it and we get the buff. It''s easy enough."


    Kasumi just stared at her for a moment. Ash put her hands on her hips.


    "You okay?"


    "No," Kasumi shook her head. "No, I''m not. So, what is this just us asking the gods for help?"


    She spoke those words with so much bitterness that it surprised Ash.


    "No," Ash chuckled, "trust me, this whole situation... It''s more like them asking us for help fixing their fuck-ups."


    "In that case, I feel even less inclined to go now," Kasumi crossed her arms.


    "Huh?" Ash raised a brow.


    "So, what, we''re supposed to help the gods when they''ve barely helped us? When every time a tragedy happens in our lives they look the other way? Is that what you''re saying? What sort of crap is that?"


    Ash sighed. The others had noticed that Ash and Kasumi were speaking and stopped a bit ahead to give them time.


    "Look, I don''t like this at all either, as far as I''m concerned, this whole war is something I was forced to fight in. I don''t care for the gods, I don''t care about humanity, I don''t give a single shit about either of them. But," she walked up to Kasumi, "let''s think practically. If we get this buff, the war becomes easier to win, and we can be done with this sooner. If we don''t, the fights will stay just as hard as they have been, and I know you said you don''t care if the Council throws you in a dungeon, but wouldn''t you rather just be done with this in general? Without having to go to prison for that to happen?"


    "Yes, but if this means working with the gods then..."


    "That''s not what''s happening though, we''re just getting this buff and then you won''t have to see or hear from them again," she hoped. She couldn''t guarantee that after all, but she wanted Kasumi to get this buff. "You think I like the fact that I''m fighting on behalf of the same people who spit and shit on me throughout my whole life? No, but I''m doing it so that someday, I can turn around and buy some house in the middle of the mountains and never have to see any of them again. That''s it. So, Kasumi," Ash said, trying to sound reasonable, "just get this fucking buff and we''ll be done with this faster. Okay?"


    "... This is all I''m doing," Kasumi stated, walking ahead. "But once we''re done here I''m heading straight back to Jade."


    "Okay, that''s fair," Ash said.


    Later, the group was walking up to a large, abandoned-looking building.


    "This looks like a Compound building," Keiko noted, looking at the strange architecture of it.


    "Come on, let''s..."


    It was "abandoned-looking" and not simply abandoned though because as they got close to it, a woman emerged.


    "What the...?" Ash muttered. She moved slowly, walking down the wooden steps that led inside almost like she was floating.


    She was wearing a fox mask with a smile and was clothed in pink robes. Ash saw a katana at her waist, similar to the one Keiko had.


    She stood a few meters away from the group, her left hand on her sword''s hilt.


    "Greetings, marauders," she bowed, speaking with a soft, delicate voice. "Prepare yourselves."


    Level 40


    MP: 100/100


    Wait, isn''t she kind of strong?


    "So, I''d hate to sound dumber than I normally do, but what does ''marauder'' mean?" She whispered to Satsuhiro.


    "She thinks we''re raiders."


    "Oh... Wait, so she''s going to-"


    Before Ash finished that sentence, the woman disappeared. It was when Ash heard a clash of blades that she realized she hadn''t actually disappeared, she''d simply charged towards them so quickly that it looked like she had.


    "Hm?"


    The girl with the fox mask made a confused sound as Ash saw her eyes behind her mask move to where her sword was locked with someone else''s.


    Keiko had intercepted her.


    "K-Keiko!" Metsumi called out, and Opah hid behind her.


    Then, Keiko kicked her back and put her sword in front of her. The girl with the fox mask backed up, staring at Keiko.


    "Hm? These eyes of yours..." She tilted her head. "Are you family?"


    Hearing that, Keiko''s posture softened.


    And that was when the girl attacked again. She moved so quickly, no one could react. Her blade was at Keiko''s neck in an instant, but she didn''t slash through it. Instead, she simply kept it there.


    Then, she retrieved it and sheathed her sword.


    Keiko was frozen in front of her, and the girl reached up and poked her on the forehead.


    "You must never let your guard down, dear," with that, she laughed a little. "However, if you are with them, then perhaps you are not marauders. In that case, I must ask, why are you here?"

 Chapter 135 - Vol. 3 - 8

    The group was still reeling from the agility the woman had put on display. She tilted her head, her bright clear eyes looking from one member to another, behind her mask.


    Satsuhiro was the first to regain his composure, walking forwards and saying:


    "We''re here on Savior business. We simply need to visit this church for a moment."


    "The shrine?" The woman asked. "Why is that?"


    Satsuhiro glanced at Ash and the half-demon stepped up, sighing.


    "We were sent here by the gods to ''activate'' it, sorta."


    "... The penalty for blasphemous words is a heavy one." She stated, with a voice that was almost as though she were teasing rather than threatening. "Have you any proof of this?"


    "Well, if you let us in, you''ll see."


    The woman was silent. She looked at each of them, her eyes scanning over every member of the group. However, there were two who she looked at for longer than the rest. She gazed for a few seconds at Keiko, who had her hands wrapped around her sword''s hilt, and then she looked at Opah, who was tightly clutching Metsumi''s right leg, scared.


    Then, she nodded.


    "Very well, though, should you cause any harm to this shrine, though it will likely cost me my own life, I will take some of you with me, mark my words."


    With that, she turned around and walked in, presumably allowing them to follow. The group did so, though they were still feeling slightly tense. However, when they entered the building, what they found was surprising. The "shrine" as the woman had called it was composed of a single altar, surrounded by small statues belonging to each of the four gods. Alkoth, Lumina, Magia, and Niven, in that order. Ahead was a slab of stone with a few scented candles lit on it and a carpet ahead of that. The floor was made of wood, and it was spotless. A few decorative suits of armor were placed around the room, and the woman passed them by, ending up at the altar, which had a pair of doors behind it.


    "Very well," she said. "Go ahead."


    Ash nodded and walked forwards. Kaori did so as well, and then, reluctantly, Kasumi did too.


    Ash placed a hand on the altar. Kaori and Kasumi did the same, and suddenly, it began to glow white.


    The woman began to unsheathe her blade, and Ash saw Keiko instinctively do the same, but the effect was over as soon as it had started.


    Kaori, Ash, and Kasumi''s bodies all glowed for just a moment, and then, the light faded.


    Suddenly, Ash, and Ash alone, fell unconscious. She heard a bit of a commotion happen before she was placed in a black room, her corporeal body still intact.


    She looked around, a swirling of colors manifesting out of nowhere.


    Here again, huh?  She thought.


    Sure enough, Magia appeared in front of her.


    Above Ash, words appeared.


    Updated Trait: Quick Learner


    Old Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 300%


    New Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 400%


    However, there was something else.


    It wasn''t brought to her by the system though, but rather, Ash felt it inside of her. She could feel that something within her had changed. Magia, smiling, walked up to her.


    "You''ve done it!" Magia applauded. "All three of the original Sites of Power have been activated."


    Yeah, but what does that mean?


    "Glad you asked," Magia replied, reading her thoughts. "It means that now, we the deities may help you a tad more directly."


    ... And what does THAT mean?


    "It means, my love, that should you wish it... Well, I''ll let the world explain it for me." She snapped her hands, and words, once again, appeared over Ash''s head.


    New Spell Gained


    Champion of Magia


    For one minute, become a representation of Magia. (This ability can only be activated once per day)


    Mana Cost: 0


    Incantation: None. Ability is activated by way of thought.


    Look, you''ve given me like three explanations in a row, and I''m still confused. What does this do?


    "I will simplify it. For one minute per day, you can gain my powers, as per my domains."


    ... Your domains? Okay, but unless there''s a way to fuck demons to death, I don''t think that''s useful.


    "Ash, by now you should know! Lust is but one of my domains, as is Passion and Creation! And, make no mistake, but Lust is a useful trick... Are some of the demons at Niven''s disposal not Lust demons?" She rounded Ash, whispering her words seductively. "If you can control their Lust, you can control  them."


    ... Okay, and what about the Creation domain?


    "It is simple!" Magia clapped her hands. "How''s this? Activate the ability and we''ll try it out."


    What, now?


    "Yes, now!"


    What if I need it later?


    "Oh, it''ll be fine," Magia waved a hand, "the demons you were sent to eradicate are busy tearing apart a group of travelers. You won''t be fighting soon unless you look for a fight, that is."


    Ash blinked.


    ...  Alright, fine.


    As the ability described, all it took was thought and the power activated. Suddenly, golden light burst from Ash''s body. The instant that it did, Ash felt an intense heat all around her body.


    W-What...?  She clutched herself only to find that the mere touch of her own hands to her body nearly made her collapse with pleasure.  What''s happening?


    "Okay! We only have a minute! Deal with the sensations, listen to me!"


    That was a lot easier said than done. Ash was currently undergoing several different feelings at once, none of which mixed well, but she tried to focus on the sound of Magia''s voice to ground her.


    "Think of a sword. A giant sword! Oh, I''ve got it, think of a giant sword hitting me!"


    Ash closed her eyes, and hugged herself, trying her hardest to picture that.


    Suddenly, a longsword fell from the sky, larger than Ash''s own body.


    Ash saw it but was unable to focus on the feat she''d just performed. Instead, she writhed on the ground, feeling complete sensorial overload.


    The only thing she could compare it to was when she''d transformed into a full Lust demon. That same desire was in her now but heightened tenfold.


    "There you go! Now, um... How about... Oh, a strap-on!" Magia exclaimed. "You humans can get so inventive when it comes to the bedroom. It''s one of my favorite little things you''ve conceived."


    Drowning her voice out, Ash tried her hardest to think of one, though she''d only ever seen one and it was while she''d been walking the streets of Jade and ended up in a particularly shady place.


    One appeared wrapped around her, but it faded as soon as it arrived, as did the sensations that Ash had been feeling. She gasped, taking a deep breath as though she''d been suffocating.


    What... What. Was. That!?  Ash yelled in her mind.


    "Hahaha! Well, I''d say the experiment was a success." Magia conjured a soft-looking couch and sat both herself and Ash on it. "What just happened was that, for a minute, you essentially became me. Congratulations."


    Ash reached up and massaged her forehead.


    What?


    "Yes," Magia nodded. "Think of it as your Lust Demon form, but far stronger. It only lasts a minute and you can only use it once per day, but you saw what you did, right? Think of how much you could do in a fight if you could manifest hundreds of swords at once and have them fall onto your enemies from the sky! Or, if you''re fighting one particularly tough person, if you could create the strongest, thickest shield to defend yourself. That is what you''ve gained from me."


    Ash breathed for a bit.


    And then, Magia hugged her, and although the half-demon didn''t particularly like or trust Magia, she couldn''t deny that she wanted to be held right now. She needed help settling down. So, she wrapped her own arms around Magia as well.


    "... Recently," Magia said to her, "Niven told you a little about me. About my... failings," she said, as though the word sickened her, "he is right. I did do exactly what he said I did," Magia told her and Ash looked up into those ethereal eyes. "I will not apologize for it, but I will acknowledge that I was wrong to do what I did. I am sure if you ask Lumina, she would agree."


    Then, she smiled a little.


    "But do not misunderstand. Though I may have committed mistakes in the past, and I will admit, I do not particularly care about humanity beyond the Lust they create, as far as you are concerned, I do truly love you."


    Magia took her face by her cheeks.


    "I mean this. I designed you, after all, to be my favorite creation of all. Now, part of your charm, of course, is that you are your own person and my status as a goddess is not something you care for, nor do you trust in me as my followers do, but I am saying this simply so you know, that I am on your side. And, now that the Sites of Power are activated, that support will be all the more powerful."


    With those words, Ash was taken away from that world, and reemerged, back at the shrine.


    ---


    Keiko


    The woman took a deep breath as she watched Ash and Kaori come to. The two of them had fallen unconscious, Kaori shortly after Ash. Kasumi, who had also put her hands on the altar, never did though.


    The half-demon woke up first, putting a hand on her head and shaking it.


    "Fuck."


    "Oh my," the woman said, "such language from a chosen champion."


    "Fuck off. Oh shit, I''m dizzy, I need to sit down," Ash said, stumbling towards the nearest bench.


    Kaori awoke with tears in her eyes, but unlike Ash, she simply remained eerily quiet.


    "Is it done?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Mhm," Ash nodded, hunched over. "Give me a second... It was a lot."


    "... It would seem you were telling the truth. I sincerely apologize," she bowed. "It... It has been a long time since I saw the face of someone without ill intentions."


    Keiko ignored her though, and walked towards Kaori, putting her hands on her shoulders.


    "Kaori?" Keiko said, at her with some worry. "Are you okay?"


    The blonde looked back at her and smiled. Then, slowly she gave Keiko a brief kiss on the lips, which flustered the Zayama considering that they were literally in front of an entire group of people, and said:


    "Yeah. Yeah, I just need a sec."


    Kaori stood up and Keiko turned towards the masked woman as she spoke again.


    "We should celebrate. I''ll introduce myself first though," she said, her hands clutched together, "my name is Yumi Zayama, and I am a shrine maiden. A caretaker of this place."


    Her voice was as soft as a morning breeze and just as gentle to the ears.


    "Come, everyone. Well," she chuckled, looking at Ash, "once you are able to. I will prepare a meal for you all and we will rejoice in what the gods have given."


    Ash scoffed upon hearing that, but Kaori nodded eagerly.


    With that, the group went deeper into the shrine, to the room behind the altar.

 Chapter 136 - Vol. 3 - 9

    The room behind the altar was a far cry from what the rest of the building was like. It was almost homely, with a table, a small fire pit, and a rolled-out mat, which Keiko guessed that Yumi slept in. At the back was a door that led out into a balcony of sorts, with the bamboo trees of the surrounding forest visible from here.


    Yumi set up some plates across the table and placed some bread on them all, along with some salads that she had stored away.


    "It is our tradition that us Zayamas eat alone though," Yumi said, "is that okay with you?"


    What?  Keiko thought.  Seriously?


    But she nodded, figuring that the woman didn''t seem like she had bad intentions.


    "Thank you."


    The group sat down around the table, beginning their meal while Yumi and Keiko went out to the balcony with their own plates. This place was just as clean as the rest. Yumi sat down on a staircase that led out into the bamboo forest, and Keiko sat next to her.


    "Is..." Keiko started, "sorry, but is it actually tradition that we eat together?"


    "No, but I wanted to talk to you, so I made that up," Yumi replied, chuckling sweetly.


    "O-Oh."


    "I apologize if that makes you uncomfortable, but, you must understand, it has been so long since I''ve seen another person like myself. I wanted to take advantage of the situation," Yumi said. Keiko took a bite out of the bread and found it to be slightly stiff, but sweet.


    Yumi reached up and removed her mask, setting it down beside her. She took a deep breath, as though she''d just let go of a ton of weight on her shoulders.


    Keiko tried her hardest not to stare, but the woman was genuinely stunning. She had an elegant, slender face with thin brows and a slightly pointed, small nose. Her lips were a straight line, currently curling up a little at the ends with a minute smile. She had the same clear, nearly-white eyes that Keiko had. She sat straight, her posture immaculate as she turned towards Keiko.


    "Where are you from, dear?"


    "Jade," Keiko quickly answered. She almost felt like she was about to be tested. Yumi must have picked up on that, because she started chuckling.


    "Please, do calm yourself. I do not wish for you to be unsettled."


    "..." Keiko paused for a bit.


    "I thought you said never to let my guard down," Keiko responded and Yumi smirked.


    "A quick learner. You are doing our family proud. Don''t worry though, there are no enemies around you at this moment. I... It has been a very long time since I''ve seen someone else. Anyone else, whom I could speak to like this. Admittedly," Yumi looked away, "before this moment, I had a great many things that I planned to ask, but now... All I could think of was ''where are you from?'' Is that pathetic of me?" She asked.


    In that moment, Keiko smiled, thinking that was kind of cute of her.


    "No, I think I understand," Keiko replied. "You can ask me whatever you want, but... how long has it been?"


    "Since I''ve spoken to anyone?"


    "Yes."


    "Hm... Maybe fifteen years?" The woman nonchalantly guessed and Keiko''s jaw hit the wooden floor.


    "What?" Keiko gasped. "But... how old are you?"


    If Keiko had to guess, she''d say Yumi was around her age, maybe 20 or 22. Admittedly, her Spirit Eye hadn''t been unlocked until so recently that she didn''t have too many references for how age changed people''s appearance, but the woman''s skin was remarkable, with no wrinkles or blemishes that would suggest old age.


    "I do not know," Yumi replied.


    Now, Keiko was beyond confused.  Is she lying again?


    "How come you don''t know?"


    "I... I stopped celebrating my birthday after the twenty-seventh," Yumi responded. "Ah! Here, let me know, what year is it? I do remember when I was born, at least."


    "Uhm, it''s the year of Magia, 1878," Keiko stated.


    "Oh. Then, I am..." She paused, looking like she was doing math in her head. "37 years old."


    "..." Keiko blinked.


    "What?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes, I believe my math is correct. I was born in the year 1841, is... Did I make a mistake?" Yumi asked.


    "But, how?" Keiko asked. "You look like you could be my sister."


    "Ah, I see where your confusion is coming from. I had believed you already knew, I apologize," Yumi said, picking up her mask and setting aside her plate. She shifted, turning towards Keiko and placing the mask on Keiko''s lap.


    "My mask," she started, "was assigned to me after I began my time as a shrine maiden. There were, I believe, five such shrines, scattered throughout the world and I was assigned to this one. I was here to protect it, pray over it, and keep it functioning," Yumi said. "Though... I suppose that much was a failure if your friends'' presence here is anything to go by."


    She paused.


    "The first few years of a shrine maiden''s time at her altar are a test," Yumi stated. "Our family sees how you handle adversity and makes the decision to keep you or not based on that. If they do though, they give you this mask. It has a few magical properties that make it invaluable to a maiden like myself. For one, it slows aging dramatically, so long as the user stays near the shrine. Second, it allows you to speak to others who are wearing the mask, all across the world, in our thoughts."


    Keiko was absolutely impressed. Just one of these magical effects would be revolutionary, but both in one item? That was something else.


    "But...  some years ago," Yumi became slightly saddened. "I lost contact with my fellow maidens. And, my handlers stopped coming.  Since then, I have not had a proper opportunity to speak to anyone. Eventually, though, I am not certain when it started, some raiders would come seeking fortunes. They did not provide much in the form of conversation before falling to my weapons."


    Yumi turned her mask up. She looked down at it with some melancholy.


    "At first, I would take their attacks as personal exams. Quizzes, so to speak, to ensure that my skills were still on point. I would use spears, naginatas, katanas, kunai, each of the weapons I was given, but it became abundantly clear that those who resort to marauding are not particularly skilled. At least, most of the time. Dispatching my enemies became easy, over the years. Now, I fear my skills have deteriorated because of this."


    She shook her head.


    "Were all of them bandits?" Keiko asked. "Not one was a civilian?"


    "Maybe a handful, I believe there were two guards or so who came, a few years ago, but, generally speaking, not many." Yumi looked back at her. "And, now you''re here. That''s the gist of it. I have spent quite a long time at this shrine, and now, with you here, I would hope that you honor me with some conversation. Will you?" Yumi asked.


    "I... This is a lot to take in," Keiko responded.


    "It is understandable that you would be apprehensive," Yumi stated. "Please, take your time. As eager as I am to exchange knowledge with you, I would like it if you were not unsettled by me."


    Keiko nodded, taking a deep breath.


    "So..."  If you''re being truthful, she thought, "you''ve been here for 15 years?"


    "I believe so," Yumi responded.


    "... But, why?" Keiko asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Why haven''t you left?" Keiko asked.


    "Why haven''t I...?" Yumi looked at her, confused. "I have a duty to perform. I am to keep this place secured. Operating, though it seems to have deactivated under my nose, but it had been my intention to at least keep this from being an abandoned, web-covered mess. I must perform my task."


    This entire situation seemed strange to her. It felt like something was off. Assuming Yumi was being completely honest, why would her superiors simply leave her here and never come back? She couldn''t believe anyone would be that irresponsible.


    Keiko sighed.


    "But... what if these, what did you call them, ''handlers'', never come back?"


    "..." Yumi gave her a look as though she''d never even considered that possibility. She didn''t respond, remaining silent as she looked away.


    "Sorry, sorry," Keiko quickly added, trying to keep her from getting as sad as she was. "But... Will your duties ever be completed?"


    "It had been told to me," Yumi started, "that my tasks would be done within 10 years, but..." She shrugged.  "I suppose things changed?"


    Keiko shook her head.


    I... Whatever happened, I don''t like where this is going.


    If Keiko''s guess, what came to her mind upon hearing Yumi out, was true, then the shrine maiden had been wasting her time here for years. She didn''t know if it was true or not though.


    But... Maybe...


    Keiko stood up, setting her plate aside.


    "We should go back in," she stated.


    "B-But," Yumi said, "our conversation?"


    She sounded so disappointed that it genuinely hurt Keiko to hear.


    "We''ll talk later, I think we''ll be here for a little while longer," Keiko reassured her, "I just need to ask my friends something."


    "... I see," Yumi nodded. "Let us return then."


    The shrine maiden put her mask back on and Keiko nodded.  There has to be a way to see what happened. Maybe I should send someone a letter or something.

 Chapter 137 - Vol. 3 - 10

    Kaori


    Earlier


    As the two Saviors had approached the altar, the eyes of that concerned guardian placed cautiously upon them, Ash had fallen unconscious. The guardian had startled, and just as Kaori was about to offer some sort of explanation, the same happened to her.


    Kaori then awoke in a pitch-black room, her arms covered in black ink.


    A few words appeared above her.


    Updated Trait: Quick Learner


    Old Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 300%


    New Description: Proficiency, attunement, and attribute EXP increased by 400%


    This room she knew belonged to her goddess. This fact was proven correct when suddenly, the cold feeling hugging her skin faded and the room turned a blinding white. Lumina then, slowly, appeared in front of her, manifesting into her glorious form.


    The sight was inspiring to see. So much so that Kaori didn''t pay attention to the way the black ink stretched from her arms and moved to cover the rest of her body. Lumina walked up to her and with a touch, just a soft caress of Kaori''s cheek, the ink stopped and quickly receded, disappearing.


    A few seconds passed where all Kaori could do was look up at her. The goddess she worshiped, the one she adored. She stood in front of Kaori with a kind smile, but that expression became concerned when Kaori looked away.


    "Savior..." Lumina whispered. "I see that your duties weigh heavily on you. More than I had believed them to, initially."


    Hearing that made Kaori''s heart go cold. She took it to mean that Lumina was beginning to change her mind as to whether or not she was worthy of this title.


    I''m doing okay...  Kaori tried to tell her in her mind.


    Lumina laughed. Not a callous, mean-spirited sound, but simply a subtle denial of what Kaori said.


    "If you''re going to claim that, at least do so while looking into my eyes," Lumina told her.


    Kaori instinctively went to do so, but when she tried, her eyes quickly went back down. The instant she had made eye contact, she felt like she was undeserving of it.


    "See?" Lumina said and Kaori choked up, but the goddess quickly went to give her a warm hug. Kaori was tense at first, but the goddess''s presence was overwhelming. She quickly let herself melt into it.


    "There is no shame in feeling the effects of such a perilous journey," Lumina said to her. "The horror, guilt, fear, and reluctance that swirl in your heart right now is all part of what makes you human. You should not feel sorry for the mere presence of these in your mind."


    I... I can''t deal with these things though...  Kaori thought.  I''m a hero, aren''t I? I have to be better than that.


    "Heroes aren''t allowed to feel scared?" Lumina asked as if she was talking to a child. "Is that what you believe?"


    ... I guess.


    Lumina sighed.


    "A hero is only a hero because of what they do, Kaori. Not what they feel," she stated.


    Abruptly, the room changed. In the blink of an eye, the two of them were standing in a grassy field with lilies blooming around them. A table was set up just behind Lumina, which she led Kaori to. Here, they sat down. On it was some clear liquid that Lumina served to Kaori with a pitcher and a glass cup.


    "I, as a goddess of peace," Lumina started, taking a sip, "can grant you peace of mind and enough resolve to continue. And, I will do so. Especially now that the Sites of Power are activated, I have that capability. However..." she continued, a slightly sad expression on her face. "I believe this would only be a temporary measure. I do not have enough power to permanently change your mind, nor would I ever wish to do that. I wouldn''t want to take away from who you are, even if it would benefit me. I simply cannot allow myself to do so," Lumina expressed.


    Kaori listened intently. She wanted to be rid of this, the nightmares, the way her body shivered at the mere mention of demons.


    "At some point, the same fear that nearly consumed you when you came here would return."


    Hearing that, Kaori looked down at the cup in front of her. She drank from it and found its taste to be perfectly sweet.


    So... What do I do? She asked in her mind.


    "The only thing you can do," Lumina stated. "You need to speak to your friends. Your family. Your second family, if you will. It is only with their help that you will be able to pull yourself out of this hole you''ve found yourself in."


    Kaori listened to that and tried to picture it. She tried to imagine herself going up to Ash or Keiko and letting them know what she was feeling. All she could think was that they''d scorn her. Turn their backs on the coward she was.


    "Hmph," Lumina scoffed and Kaori looked up. "You should give your friends more credit than that."


    What?


    "I can read your thoughts in this place," Lumina reminded her. "If you genuinely believe your friends would act that way, then perhaps you don''t know them as well as you think you do."


    Above Lumina''s head, their images appeared. Ash and Keiko, still shots of them looking back at Kaori.


    "You believe Keiko, who has had to deal with the expectations of greatness since her very birth, and lived for 18 years knowing that if she never unlocked her Spirit Eye, she would end up as little more than a servant, doesn''t know fear?" Lumina asked. "You believe Ash, who has had to fight the demon army more ferociously than anyone, on behalf of people she does not care for, doesn''t know fear?"


    When put that way, Kaori felt ashamed.


    "If you go to them, they will help you. Not just them, but all who love and appreciate you. So," she smiled, "try it. If it fails, come back here and feel free to vent as many of those tears you keep holding back as you can. I will be here for you, should everyone else fail."


    Hearing those words come from the goddess, Kaori was stunned. She nodded, and Lumina set her cup aside.


    "Now, finally. Before you go, here. Your gift, as a reward for re-activating all three Sites of Power."


    Words appeared above Kaori.


    New Spell Gained


    Champion of Lumina


    For one minute, become a representation of Lumina. (This ability can only be activated once per day)


    Mana Cost: 0


    Incantation: None. Ability is activated by way of thought.


    Um... What does that do?  Kaori asked.


    "Try it," Lumina instructed. "Activate the ability and you will see."


    Uh, okay.  The blonde agreed and, with a thought, her body was encased in a golden light.


    The effect was immediate. Kaori felt a peace that she had never felt before. It was a certain complete and utter stillness of the mind, all of her negative thoughts, her concerns, worries, and other such things were cast out. In their place, all that remained was adoration. Adoration for what was around her, the field she and the goddess were in, and Lumina herself.


    She felt compelled to go over to Lumina, to hug her and bask in this sensation. Lumina laughed.


    "How does it feel?"


    I...  Kaori took a deep breath.  I feel lighter. It''s like everything that''s been on my mind just faded.


    "Steel yourself," Lumina said, "because once the ability runs out, those things will return."


    But... Is this it?  Kaori asked.  Is this just a mental power or can I do anything?


    "Of course, allow me to explain," Lumina said. "I am the goddess of peace, love, and empathy. Peace is the one that matters for the purposes of this power. See, if you can make an enemy feel at peace, they will not resist as you thrust your blade into their necks. I believe there is something similar to this effect in the Illusion category, so perhaps you can ask Kasumi about it. It''s called  Pacify,  if I''m not mistaken."


    I''m having trouble imagining it.  Kaori said. Then, the form faded, and Kaori''s heart went back to being just as heavy as it was before.


    "Speak to her, and keep in mind that this effect would be that, but tenfold. I believe she will clarify."


    With that, Lumina smiled.


    "I believe that is all," Lumina stated. Kaori smiled as well.


    Thank you.


    "No problem," Lumina told her. "I... It is in my nature and yet it seems childish to me, but I have grown quite attached to you. Our experiences..." She glanced at Kaori''s missing arm and then at her own, the one the goddess had given up to buff Kaori before the battle for Pearl. "Have been similar in more ways than you could imagine. So, should you seek my aid, I will always give it. You need only visit one of these Sites and we''ll... What do you call it, ''hang out''? How does that sound?"


    I''d love that.


    ---


    Kaori woke up with Keiko looking down at her, concerned. Ash was already up, scowling and sighing behind Keiko, where the rest of the group was. The Zayama''s clear, beautiful eyes were set on her, worried.


    Kaori sat up and felt that she had tears in her eyes.


    "Is it done?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Mhm," Ash replied. Kaori, however simply took a deep breath.


    Keiko put her hands on her shoulders. Kaori looked up at her.


    "Kaori?" Keiko asked. "Are you okay?"


    Remembering what Lumina said, she smiled. She slowly gave Keiko a soft kiss and nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah. I just need a sec."


    And then, Kaori stood up.


    Just tell them,  Kaori thought.  They''ll... They''ll get it. But, later though.


    Kaori resolved to do so, her eyes still affectionately cast on Keiko.


    For now... We''ve got Savior stuff to do, still.

 Chapter 138 - Vol. 3 - 11

    Keiko


    When the two of them returned to the backroom, the eyes of the group quickly fell on them with curiosity.


    "How was the food?" Yumi asked, seeing that everyone had finished eating.


    "Bland as all hell," Ash stated and Metsumi smacked her shoulder. "Ow, what? She asked, I answered."


    "Be polite," Metsumi said.


    "Or she could just learn to make better shit," Ash shrugged.


    "I... see," Yumi chuckled. "Forgive me, I haven''t had others taste my food in a long time. To me, I had assumed it tasted bland because it''s all I''ve been eating for such a long time."


    Yumi sat down with the others and Keiko did the same, sitting next to her.


    Satsuhiro cleared his throat and crossed his arms.


    "So, you haven''t explained yourself yet. Why were you so hostile to us when we arrived?"


    Briefly, Yumi glanced at Keiko but then she replied:


    "It has been a very long time since I''ve seen anyone who hasn''t been a raider of some sort. I assumed you were the same. Again, I apologize."


    "You really couldn''t tell we were different?" Satsuhiro asked, tapping his golden Savior''s Armor.


    "... To me, you just seemed like very flashy bandits," Yumi shrugged. "Regardless, clearly you were different because you managed to restore this place, which had apparently been, as you put it, ''deactivated'', under my very nose. For that, I thank you. I must ask, how did you accomplish this?"


    At that, Ash sighed.


    "The gods, they gave us the ability to do that."


    "Truly?" Yumi asked, looking down. "Then... The gods really haven''t abandoned us. I had assumed that they''d turned their eyes away from this shrine, for some reason."


    "Speaking of," Satsuhiro started, "who is this shrine dedicated to? I haven''t seen too many like this one."


    "That is because not many exist," Yumi chuckled, "these shrines are dedicated to all of the gods. All four of them. We do not have a preference."


    "All four?" Kaori asked, with a raised brow. "Even... Even the god of death?"


    "Of course," Yumi nodded.


    "Why''s that?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "... It is wrong, I believe, to view the deities as spontaneous, transient, individual beings. They aren''t. I believe it''s more accurate to call them guards or guides. Each one served and continues to serve a role in the world. Magia created it, Lumina helped it grow, Alkoth kept it balanced, and Niven will take the ashes of that which expires. Then, the cycle starts again. That is how the world works and all four of the deities are required for this. Therefore, they are all worthy of praise."


    "Is that so?" Ash asked, putting a hand under her chin and narrowing her eyes skeptically at Yumi. "So, what''s your take on the demons then? You haven''t really made that big a deal out of my presence," she noted. "Why''s that?"


    "Demons are part of the cycle. They simply... Accelerate the process. That is what I believe, at least. Therefore, though if I encountered one which was hostile I would not hesitate to kill it, I do not scorn them either."


    As heavy as the conversation was getting, there was something Keiko wanted to speak to Satsuhiro about. So, she spoke up.


    "Uhm, Satsuhiro."


    "Mhm?" The Savior replied.


    "So, I talked to Yumi and she told me a few things, did you know anything about these shrines?"


    "No," Satsuhiro shook his head. "I had heard there were many abandoned churches out in the wild, places that either deteriorated over time or fell to demons, but nothing like this one. Why do you ask?"


    "Ahem," Yumi cleared her throat. "I suppose I should explain myself."


    With that, she went on to relay most of what she''d told Keiko. Her role as a shrine maiden, her mask''s magical properties, and the amount of time she''d spent here. The group listened intently and, with each new detail that Yumi threw at them, became more and more curious.


    "So," Ash said. "Is this shit possible or is she just lying her ass off?"


    "Excuse me?" Yumi asked, offended. Ash just shrugged.


    "I haven''t heard of anything outside of Illusions that can do that," Kasumi shrugged.


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro stroked his chin. "Well, there is definitely magic out there that actually slows aging. Necromancy, mainly, does deal in that, hence why Vermia looked so young. I can believe that part. I have to ask though, so, no one but raiders came by? Not one traveler, not one explorer? No other Zayamas?"


    "A few innocents, here and there," Yumi replied. "But none stayed long enough to have the sort of conversation you and I are having right now."


    "You think it might have anything to do with you taking your sword out as soon as you saw them?" Ash asked.


    "I..." Yumi looked down. "I suppose that may have had an effect. But, by now, I have simply grown used to the attacks of raiders. So..." She shrugged.


    Satsuhiro sighed and closed his eyes.


    "I see what you''re concerned about," he told Keiko. "But, I need to check with the Council. If anyone can tell us what happened here, it would probably be them."


    "Or the Compound," Keiko added.


    "Wait, I don''t get it, what do you mean?" Ash interrupted.


    "Well, if she''s telling the truth then she''s been wasting away here for no reason, because clearly, whoever was in charge of her is either gone or doesn''t care about this place anymore," Satsuhiro explained.


    "... Impossible," Yumi muttered, sounding hurt. "I... The shrines were an important piece of our clan''s culture," she gestured at Keiko. "There is no way that..."


    "I hadn''t heard about these shrines up until I came here either," Keiko said softly. "Sorry."


    "Whatever the case is," Satsuhiro said, "we''ll figure it out. For now..." He paused. "Maybe you should consider leaving."


    At that, Yumi didn''t respond. She simply lowered her head and remained silent.  This is a lot to think about at once,  Keiko thought.  Maybe it would be best to get her mind off of this?


    She placed a hand on Yumi''s wrist and the masked woman looked over at her.


    "Um, Yumi, how did you reach your level?" Keiko asked.


    "Actually, yeah. How the hell did you reach level 40 fighting bandits?" Ash also inquired. At that, Yumi straightened up a little.


    "Ah, well, mostly, my levels weren''t gained from the bandits themselves, but from monsters. Monsters I''d hunt for food, and monsters the bandits bring with them," she stated.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I think I can answer this," Satsuhiro said. "So, basically, one thing bandits like to do is kidnap reavers or goblins and train them to fight on their behalf. A lot of the time, those monsters will be slightly higher level than the bandits themselves. They don''t always do this, but enough to where it''s a thing to consider. It was probably through killing them that Yumi got this strong."


    "How do you train a monster?"


    "Well, we call them monsters but they''re animals like any other, right? Starvation, abuse, incentive, there are many methods. It''s just that it goes wrong just as often as it goes right, so not many people are stupid enough to try."


    "So," Keiko stepped in, trying to put on a polite smile, "could you teach us anything? I mean, since you are so strong."  Compliments should be distracting enough, right?


    "Heh," Yumi chuckled, leaning closer to Keiko. Into her ear, she whispered: "flattery is like telling a good secret. It is best done when it is subtle, dear." The maiden said and Keiko blushed.


    "But, yes." She backed off. "I could teach you a thing or two. I... I might be a glorified recluse but I do believe I''ve grown to be fairly good with weapons. Of course," she paused, "I would like to know your names first."


    "Right, haven''t introduced ourselves," Satsuhiro nodded. "I''m Satsuhiro, that''s Ash, Kaori, Keiko, Metsumi, Kasumi, and Opah." He went one by one, pointing at each of them.


    Yumi nodded.


    "I see. Very well, come. We will practice in the front.


    She led them to the entrance, where a few weapons were placed against the walls next to the door. Here, Yumi took a naginata and twirled it a few times in her hands.


    "Keiko," she said, "what are your proficiencies?"


    "Oh, um, my highest is my sword. It is at a 7."


    "7?" Yumi sounded surprised. "That''s fairly impressive. You are a hard worker."


    "And yours?"


    "... 9."


    Hearing that, Keiko''s jaw dropped. So did Ash and Kaori''s.


    "9???" Ash asked. "Seriously?"


    "Mhm," Yumi replied.


    "With what weapons?" Keiko followed up.


    "Naginata, sword, spear, bow and arrow, and kunai."


    "You''re at a 9 with all of them!?"


    "Yes," Yumi replied nonchalantly.


    Ash tapped Keiko''s shoulder.


    "What were the ratings like again?" Ash asked.


    "U-Uh, 1 designates an amateur, 5, someone who is experienced, and 10 is the single best user of that weapon in the entire world."


    "So, if she has a 9 with all of those weapons..."


    "It means," Yumi stepped in, "I have the experience of someone who has done nothing but train, every day, for the last 15 years."


    Now, as Keiko looked at the woman, standing in the middle of the dirt road that led up to the shrine with her naginata at her side, her clear eyes cast at the group, she felt an imposing aura around her.


    "So, who would like to start?"


    And, Keiko felt like that was exactly what she needed.


    "Me!"

 Chapter 139 - Vol. 3 - 12

    Ash


    The two Zayamas had been fighting for the past ten minutes, and Kaori and Ash simply watched them go.


    Seeing high-level combat was absolutely fascinating.


    Ash and Kaori both stood back in awe as Yumi''s naginata clanged against Keiko''s sword. Metsumi, Opah, Satsuhiro, and Kasumi had all walked out too, watching the two Zayamas face off.


    Holy shit,  Ash thought as she spectated the fight. They''re doing everything so fast. I feel like I''d get my tits cut off in two seconds fighting them.


    Yumi did an excellent job of keeping Keiko at bay, forcing her back any time she got too close while Keiko was trying her best to run up. It almost felt like there was a barrier around Yumi with how well she kept that from happening though.


    Keiko dashed forwards. Yumi blocked a few slashes, her eyes narrowed as the two traded blows. Keiko looked determined, focused. Yumi spun, one leg planted into the dirt, and her naginata slashed in a wide arc. Keiko stepped back instead of blocking and Yumi stopped, stabbing the shaft of her weapon into the ground and looking back at Keiko with a smirk.


    "You have good instincts," Yumi stated. "However, your improvisation skills need work."


    "What do you mean?" Keiko asked as Kaori and Ash felt it was okay to walk up.


    "Your plan throughout that fight was to get close, cut the gap between us. I understood that and planned accordingly," Yumi explained. "At that point, you need to understand that, unless you have a stats advantage over your opponent, your initial plan will no longer work."


    "So, what could she have done?" Kaori asked.


    "Bait me into over-extending," Yumi began to list off, "attack from the sides instead of trying to move straight, if you were carrying another weapon, you could also change what you''re fighting with. Thinking outside the box like this will win you more fights," Yumi stated.


    "Thank you," Keiko bowed.


    "I must admit..." Yumi said. "It has been a while since I''ve fought anyone with real skill. It felt... invigorating."


    Ash watched as Keiko looked down, slightly concerned. Then, she said:


    "Maybe..." Keiko paused. "Maybe you should head into Onyx with us?"


    Ash''s brows raised as she heard that and Yumi took a step back, leaning against her naginata.


    "..." Ash saw her eyes look away from behind her mask. "I thank you for the offer, but... the shrine needs me."


    "Hm?" Ash crossed her arms. "We activated it. Unless some demons come by and tear the place down, it''ll probably stay like that. I don''t know that you have to worry about it."


    "You are not certain though, right?" Yumi asked. "Someone could come and harm this place. Because of this, I must remain here."


    "But," Keiko stepped forwards, "you''ve spent so much time here, don''t you think you''ve done your job?"


    Yumi turned towards the shrine. She looked upon it, her eyes steady. She carried an aura of someone who was both tired and determined to continue working. She turned back towards Keiko and bowed a little.


    "... How about this," Yumi said. "If you can find anyone who will take care of this place once I''m gone, then... I''ll go. Just, any form of guarantee that the shrine will not fall into disrepair. You don''t have to," Yumi was quick to point out, "but if you do, then I will..." the words sounded like Yumi herself couldn''t believe what she was saying, "I will leave."


    "I''ll try," Keiko nodded.


    "Well then," Satsuhiro said behind them. "I think it''s about time we get out of here. We have plenty of stuff to do still."


    "Right," Keiko nodded. Ash and the others walked out however, Yumi said:


    "Wait, wait," Yumi called out. "I want to give you something."


    The Zayama went back into the shrine and emerged about a minute later with a book in her hands. She walked up to Keiko and placed it in her hands. Ash saw a bit of endearment in her eyes.


    "This book contains a few of my favorite skills. I didn''t get to show you any of them, but I believe you''ll find it suitable."


    "You don''t need it anymore?"


    "I''ve been here for a very long time, Keiko." Yumi sighed. "I know every skill in that thing. Take care."


    They said their goodbyes, and with that, the group departed the shrine.


    Yumi stood out in front of the building, watching them for a while before turning around and walking back in. Ash saw Keiko looking back, remorse in her eyes.


    "We''ll figure something out," Kaori said, putting a hand on Keiko''s shoulder.


    "For now," Satsuhiro said, "we should probably head into the city. I had wanted to go see the alchemist beforehand, but those demons might be getting out of control. And, if they have a Nightmare running with them, they might end up turning some unfortunate people."


    Considering what Magia had told her, he was probably right.


    "So, the plan is," Satsuhiro told everyone, "we''ll head for the Grey Chamber, see that equipment the Council had talked about, and then we''ll head out to fight the demons. Maybe after that, we can go see the alchemist."


    With that plan out of the way, the group moved through the bamboo forests, on their way to Onyx. It didn''t take too long, since the shrine was fairly close, which meant that soon, Ash was looking ahead at nearby grey gates with smoke rising into the sky behind them.


    "What''s that?" Ash asked. "Where''s that smoke coming from?"


    "The factories," Satsuhiro and Keiko said, simultaneously. Keiko''s face reddened, embarrassed.


    "What''s a factory?"


    "It''s this place where machines produce stuff," Satsuhiro told her. "That''s about as simple as I can put it."


    Ash stared up at the plumes of smoke as soldiers walked up to them. They, unlike Yumi, recognized the Savior''s Armor they were all wearing and quickly gave them passage into the city. A few of them were holding the weirdest crossbows Ash had ever seen, while on the right side, a few horses dressed in armor were tied to posts.


    As the gates split open, the group walked into Onyx. Ash''s immediate first impression was that she''d finally found a place more dreary than Jade''s slums.


    This place...  Ash looked around.


    "Well," Ash said. "This looks about as shitty as anywhere I''ve been in."


    "Say it louder, why don''t you?" Satsuhiro told her.


    Everyone was dressed similarly, the buildings stood tall, just as grey as the smoke in the distance. Outside of a few shops with flashy signs, it was like someone had drained all of the colors out of the world.


    "There are a few inns nearby. Which do you want to stay at?" Satsuhiro asked Metsumi, who turned and looked at one called the New Age Inn.


    "How about that one?"


    "Sounds good," Satsuhiro nodded. "We''ll be back in a little bit."


    "I think I''ll come with you," Kasumi told Metsumi. "I''m just about done."


    It''s a miracle she even agreed to get the buff,  Ash acknowledged.  I''ll take it.


    And so, Kasumi, Metsumi, and Opah all went into the inn. Ash, Keiko, Kaori, and Satsuhiro walked deeper into the city, on their way to the Grey Chamber. As the Saviors moved through the streets, Ash was surprised to see that no one really paid them much mind.


    Instead, everyone carried the look of someone who had too many things stressing them out to focus on the great heroes walking past them. A few of the stores they passed by had broken windows, as though people had attempted to break into them. Ash didn''t know what to make of that.


    There was fresh blood as well, coating some of the stone and drying under the unforgiving sun. No one seemed to care about it.


    What the hell is going on in this city? Ash asked herself.


    "This is..." Kaori said, looking around. "Kind of depressing."


    "Paranoia has been spreading throughout the world," Satsuhiro said, "thanks to the portals. Crime''s been going up in Onyx specifically as a result, according to the Council. Try not to be out too late at night."


    Around an hour later, the streets led them to one of the strangest buildings Ash had ever seen. It was like someone had placed a giant grey box in the middle of the city. It looked indistinguishable from the "factories" that the group had walked past on the way here.


    Every soldier nearby carried a weapon that Ash had never seen before. From those weird crossbows to strange lances with rotating spikes at their tips, to gauntlets with claws on them. Ash had no idea what she was running into.


    They were led inside and the half-demon found that this place was just as dreary as the rest of the city. There were a few statues depicting soldiers, but they were made out of a strange platinum-colored material.


    Stairs led them up to where Ash saw a woman in a grey dress standing in front of a throne, looking down at it with her hands clutched behind her back. She heard their boots clanking against the floor and turned around.


    Ash narrowed her brows when she noticed that her eyes were clear, just like Keiko''s.


    What?


    "Greetings," the woman said, her eyes steeled and her expression serious. "My name is Eliza. I am the lord of this city."

 Chapter 140 - Vol. 3 - 13

    Ash stood by the others as Eliza, the lord of Onyx, took a few elegant steps towards her. From what the half-demon could tell, she might have been middle-aged, her portrait covered in a layer of fine makeup, her brows thin and well-styled, her lips a deep crimson red. She had dark sapphire-colored hair tied into a short ponytail and a grey dress, with metallic silver gloves covering her hands.


    Satsuhiro tapped his crutch against the ground, taking a few steps forwards.


    "Greetings," Satsuhiro started, "we''re here for..."


    But, the woman ignored him. She walked right past him and instead, went up to Ash. Her eyes were narrowed, staring down the Savior analytically. Ash held her gaze, raising a brow.


    "So, you''re the half-demon who''s been roped into playing hero?" She asked. Her hands were clutched together. Ash had to look down a bit as the lady was a few inches shorter.


    "Hero?" Ash crossed her arms. "All I''m doing is getting paid for a job."


    "The occupation being acting on behalf of humanity''s armies," Eliza stated. Her tone was cold and firm. Ash could hear the authority in her voice, not that she cared about it. "I do not believe the people you''ve saved care much about your reasoning. They''re just glad you exist, don''t you think?"


    "Sure?" Ash shrugged. "What are you trying to say?"


    "..." Eliza paused. "I suppose I am in the process of making an assessment." She turned towards Satsuhiro and snapped her fingers. A soldier who''d been standing by walked up. "Here," she passed him a piece of paper. "This is all of the information pertaining to the demons that need hunting. As for the equipment you''ve been promised, head to the smithy''s shop outside, it is just two streets away. He''s already been sent your items."


    Satsuhiro listened to all of that, visibly stunned.


    "Well? Off you go," she basically shooed him, Kaori, and Keiko away. Ash started to walk with them and Eliza called out. "You, half-demon."


    Ash turned around.


    "Hm?"


    "I would like to speak to you," Eliza told her.


    "Eh. I don''t think I''d like to talk to you though. You seem annoying as shit," Ash stated and a few soldiers gasped. Satsuhiro sighed and Ash saw Kaori and Keiko get nervous.


    She just shrugged.


    "It would not take long," Eliza said. "I merely wish to ask for advice."


    "Advice?" Ash asked, in disbelief. "From me?"


    "Yes, from you," Eliza said, determined. As if Ash hadn''t basically just rejected her already. She had to hand it to her, she definitely had the confidence of a lord.


    In all honesty, Ash had no desire to speak to this woman. She had more than enough of nobles growing up, and these last couple of months hadn''t made her opinion of them much better.


    She looked back at Satsuhiro.


    "We''ll wait outside, just do it," he told her.


    Ash nodded, turning back towards Eliza.


    "Fine."


    "Thank you," Eliza bowed and turned around, marching away.  So, I''m guessing she wants me to follow her?  Ash assumed and walked behind the woman, heading for a set of nearby stairs.


    ---


    Kaori


    Hm.  As the three of them walked out of the Grey Chamber, Kaori glanced back.  What did she want with Ash?


    To her right, Satsuhiro was speaking to a guard. He nodded and the guard walked away.


    "Okay," Satsuhiro said. "So, the smithy''s over there. We can head over, grab the new gear and walk back here."


    "Is Ash gonna be alright?" Kaori asked. "That woman is... kinda scary."


    "She''ll be fine," Satsuhiro responded. "Eliza''s probably the most, uh, forward of all the lords, but she''s not that bad. At least, in my limited experience dealing with her."


    Hearing that made Kaori feel a little better. The group walked towards the place Eliza had designated and they arrived at a surprisingly small open establishment. A man was resting against a wall, his eyes closed and two crates next to him on a wooden table. There was a distinct burning smell in the air.


    "Excuse me," Satsuhiro opened. The man''s eyes blinked. "Are you the blacksmith?"


    "Aye, name''s Blaine," he replied with a tired voice. Sliding a hand past his slick grey hair, he gestured at the crates. He took one look at Kaori and said, "I''m guessing you''re the one the arm is for."


    "Hm?" Kaori tilted her head, confused.


    "Okay, here you go."


    He opened both crates and started pulling out some objects. They were strange things, but they seemed vaguely like weapons. One was like a brace with two spikes protruding from it. Another was a large metal bar, with what looked like joints connecting different portions of it.


    "Alright, so here''s the breakdown," Blaine said. "The Raven wanted you to have these," he passed Keiko a belt with several small star-like objects tied to it.


    "Oh, shurikens," Keiko noted, though Kaori had no idea what those were.


    "Yes," Blaine nodded. "Don''t lose ''em. Pick them up after throwing them out. They''re well-made and will cut through most things."


    "Thank you," Keiko bowed. "But, ehm, who''s the Raven?"


    Blaine made a confused face while Satsuhiro explained.


    "It''s what they call Eliza. I don''t know why, so don''t ask me."


    If Blaine knew why he didn''t seem inclined to respond.


    The Raven...  Kaori thought. That''s a pretty weird nickname.


    Then he gestured at Kaori.


    "Get over here for a second."


    "Um..." Kaori was a little nervous but she did. The man took that metal bar and held it against her left stump, where her arm had been.


    "You get the big gift though," he began unscrewing the top of the bar. "Okay, listen. So, this thing here," he tapped it, "is a new arm."


    "What?" Kaori looked down at it, confused. "What do you mean?"


    "Exactly what I said. I''m going to attach this thing to your left shoulder, and you''ll be able to use this as an arm."


    "... How does that work?" Kaori asked.


    "You''ll see, just close your eyes and try not to scream. This is going to hurt a little," he said, walking up to her. Kaori quickly did so, and then, something stabbed into her shoulder.


    Or, rather, tried to. It didn''t penetrate her skin.


    Oh, right. My Con.


    "Wow. You''re one tough bitch ain''t ya?" He said, impressed. "Actually... You''ve got one of those Savior cube thingies right?"


    "Um, yes," Kaori responded.


    "Good. Can you turn it into this?" He asked.


    "I... can only transform it into weapons."


    "This is one," he replied. "This is a lot of things, again, you''ll see."


    Kaori nodded and picked up Love  from her waist.  Um... Arm?


    She spoke in her mind, and the cube began to change.


    Piece by piece, it altered itself until it manifested a full arm. A wrist first, then an elbow, then finally, a literal arm made of metal.


    ... What am I looking at?  Kaori asked herself.


    "Okay, this is made of stronger stuff, right? This should be able to cut into you."


    "..." There was too much going on at once for Kaori to process, but as the man picked the arm up and grabbed a nearby bandage, Kaori closed her eyes.


    And, when he stuck this thing into her left shoulder, Kaori tried her hardest not to scream (and failed).


    ---


    Ash


    Eliza led her to a balcony behind this strange castle where the sun freely bathed them as they sat at a white table. There were some cups filled with wine in front of them, from which the lord sipped calmly. Ash, however, couldn''t share in that comfortable feeling.


    Mainly because of the three young women behind her, all wielding different weapons and giving Ash hard glares.


    She turned around and looked at one, and the girl, dressed like a maid, simply gripped her weapon more tightly.


    Eliza sighed.


    "Girls," she said, "it''s okay. The half-demon is a Savior. Nothing will happen. Please, get back to work."


    "But..." One of them muttered.


    "It''s okay. Promise." Eliza stated and, slowly, the girls left the room.


    Ash looked back at the lord in front of her, who suddenly seemed very tired.


    "What was that about?"


    "..." Eliza paused, looking down into her cup. "Would you like to know a few facts?" Though, she didn''t wait for Ash to respond before continuing. "In the past month alone there have been 78 instances of robbery, 3 assaults and 8 instances of vandalism, and 3 separate assassination attempts against me."


    Hearing that, Ash understood why those maids were so worried.


    "Can you guess why?" Eliza asked.


    "Because people are crazy?" Ash shrugged. At that, Eliza raised a brow.


    "Crazy?" She asked. "To say a group of people are ''crazy'' would imply that there is no logic behind their actions. No reasoning. I don''t believe that to be the case in this situation though. No, their actions seem all too reasonable, given their beliefs and what we know will happen soon."


    She shifted back in her seat and crossed her legs.


    "Simply put, they don''t trust me," Eliza stated. "They have no faith in me to keep them safe. Pair that with the fact that we  know  at some point this city will be attacked in much the same way Sapphire and Pearl were, and, no. The logic in what the citizens of Onyx are doing becomes all too clear."


    Damn...  Ash thought.  Can''t say I blame them.


    "That is why I wished to speak to you. I require your advice in terms of how to deal with the demon threat. The inevitable attack against my city in the future. You have been there for both battles, according to the Council. You were there to watch Pearl fall and you helped with Sapphire''s victory. It is that experience that I wish to learn from so that I can help these fools get through these times."

 Chapter 141 - Vol. 3 - 14

    Kaori


    "Alright, listen up," Blaine said, clapping his hands. "This thing''s got three modes and you can switch through them by pressing this button on the wrist." Kaori looked down at it, still trying to comprehend this strange thing that had been attached to her body. It was uncomfortably heavy and looked a little bulkier than her other actual arm. "The first is just a hand mode, try moving your fingers."


    "Uh, okay..." Kaori took a deep breath and tried doing that. She intended to move her index finger, but instead, her hand clenched into a fist.  Oh, that''s not right.  She loosened up and tried again, but instead, she stuck out her middle finger. "S-Sorry, I didn''t mean to...."


    "This thing works like any other weapon," Blaine cut her off, "which means it has a proficiency rating. You''re going to feel uncomfortable until you get that up a bit. Now, press the button. The second mode is a bladed shield mode."


    "Bladed shield?"


    "Just press it, you''ll see."


    She nodded and reached over. Tapping the button once, the arm''s hand suddenly began to disintegrate, grey particles manifesting in its place and quickly forming a small, disk-like object. It was fairly small, barely large enough to cover Kaori''s head, and its edge was clearly sharp.


    Making a surprised face, Kaori stared at it.  Whoa.


    "And the third is a serrated blade," Blaine said. "Try that one."


    She tapped the button again and the same thing happened, the shield disintegrated and was promptly replaced by a small knife the size of a dagger, with a serrated edge.


    "That''s it, any questions?" Blaine asked.


    Hearing that, Kaori quickly spoke up.


    "Do you have anything like this for Satsuhiro?" That was the first thing that had come to her mind. Satsuhiro shrugged, but Blaine replied anyway.


    "The Council only paid for this thing, and even then, it took a pretty long time to make, plus it cost a small fortune. You''d have to ask them if you want another one."


    "No, no," Satsuhiro replied, sighing. "It''s fine. Is that all?"


    "One last thing, these two."


    Blaine put a pair of gauntlets on the table, each one holding a long blade.


    "Not sure who this is for, but yeah. The Council thought one of you could make use of this."


    "Must be for Ash," Satsuhiro noted.


    "That''s all though," Blaine concluded.


    "Then, thank you," Satsuhiro said and the three of them quickly left, heading back to the entrance of the Grey Chamber, where they''d wait for Ash.


    On the way, Kaori looked down at the new arm she''d been given. Her  Love  was transformed into this thing, so instead of the usual weight of the cube on her waist, she was feeling the weight of this arm, having to put a bit of effort into keeping herself steady.


    "This is so strange," Kaori muttered.


    "Should be useful though, right? Especially for you, since you''ve been wanting to protect people. Having the option to use that shield should be suitable enough for that."


    "I didn''t even know Onyx was capable of this kind of thing."


    "Onyx is the technological center of the world for a reason," Satsuhiro replied. "Even when Jade was expanding and forming the empire we know today, Onyx took a long time to fully conquer because of this. They''ve always been a step ahead in this regard."


    "How does it feel?" Keiko asked, putting a hand on Kaori''s flesh and bone arm.


    "Uh, weird," Kaori responded. "I''m mostly just in shock that this even happened."


    She tapped the button on her wrist and her arm changed back into the initial hand mode. As they reached the gates of Onyx''s palace, Keiko stood in front of Kaori.


    "Can I touch it?" She asked.


    "Sure..." Kaori nodded and Keiko looked down at the golden hand. She took it with her own, running a finger over the metal hand''s palm.


    "This feels unlike anything I''ve touched before," Keiko acknowledged.


    "Once you go fight those demons," Satsuhiro said, "you''ll get to try it out in actual combat."


    Kaori nodded, some of the same fear she''d felt before slipping into her heart, turning her body cold.


    "Yeah, looking forward to it," she forced out.


    ---


    Ash


    "Hm..." Eliza tilted her head. "You''re saying Anders willingly let the demons enter the city, so that he could attack them from behind with Vermia''s undead?"


    Ash nodded. The two of them had been speaking for a while now, and although Ash''s initial fear had been that Eliza would prove to be annoying, instead, this had been simply boring.


    We''ve been over this like three times, can''t I just go at this point?  Ash asked herself.


    "What about traps, do those work?"


    "Yeah," Ash responded, putting her hands behind her head and leaning back in her chair. "Although they get buffed, they can still be hurt."  I can still be hurt,  she finished in her thoughts.  "So, traps can slow them down. Keep them from getting through to the city for a while. Still, the Lust Demons can just fly over whatever you put in the streets, so yeah."


    "Oh, I doubt those will be a problem," Eliza waved them away. "Those crossbows you''ve surely seen on the way here aren''t just for show."


    "Gotcha," Ash nodded. "So... Anything else?"


    "Yes," Eliza quickly replied. "Do they have any particular magical weakness?"


    "Not that I''ve seen," Ash responded. She recalled how Satsuhiro performed during Sapphire''s battle and added, "well, Fire looks sort of useful, at least, even if it doesn''t completely hurt it''ll annoy them."


    Ash took a deep breath, looking away from Eliza and up at the ceiling. In her mind, she was watching the various battles she''d been involved in play out. Pearl, the portal with Satsuhiro, Sapphire. She narrowed her eyes.


    "Mostly," she started, her voice a little quieter. "You just need to understand that demons don''t let up. Right up until they''ve bled out on the street, they''ll keep fighting. I think that''s what might catch your soldiers off-guard, I''d say."


    Eliza nodded. Then, she stood up and gestured for the door.


    "Thank you for your time, Savior."


    "I can go? Holy shit, I thought I''d never see the day."


    At that, Eliza chuckled and shook her head.


    "You''re an intriguing person, Ash. I might call upon you again to speak to you in much the same way. If I do, I hope you will entertain my request."


    Ash made no promises. Instead, as she was led out of the balcony they were at, she walked all the way to the front of the building where a guard pushed open a pair of large doors and allowed the half-demon to exit the Grey Chamber.


    Outside were Satsuhiro, Keiko, and Kaori. And, immediately, Ash''s eyes fell on something strange.


    She walked up to Kaori, staring at the golden arm attached to her.


    "What the fuck?" Ash muttered.


    "This," Satsuhiro said, "is the ''new gear'' the Council had alluded to. Apparently, they hired someone to make an entirely new arm for her. They also got something for you, by the way."


    Satsuhiro gestured at Kaori and the blonde stood up, presenting the strange objects to Ash.


    "What are these things?" She asked, picking one up. They were like braces meant to be put on her wrists, but with a long knife attached to the top.


    "Blade Gauntlets, I think they''re called," Satsuhiro said. "Try them on."


    Keiko helped her strap them on. They were slightly heavy, but not too uncomfortable.


    "I''m guessing this is for when you transform," Satsuhiro speculated. "The adjustable straps make it even with your growth in size, you shouldn''t lose them."


    "This is... so weird," Ash noted, moving her hands around trying to get a feel for how exactly you were supposed to fight with these things.


    "We''ll experiment with them later, but for now, come on," Satsuhiro pushed himself up, putting his weight on the crutch, "you have demons to hunt."


    Ash nodded, her eyes still fixed on the objects.


    "Right."


    ---


    Metsumi


    After having arrived at the inn with Opah, the woman''s first move was to secure a couple of rooms. She, Satsuhiro, and Opah could all make use of one, while Kaori, Keiko, and Ash could all use the other.


    Unsurprisingly, the journey here had left Opah tired, so Metsumi carried her over to one of the rooms and laid her down on the bed, so she could sleep in peace. This left Metsumi with plenty of time to relax on her own, which she didn''t mind. Even if, admittedly, she''d rather do so with her husband by her side.


    She walked over to the bar on the first floor of the inn. The employees here wore way  too little for her liking, but at the same time, this establishment reminded her of Pearl, which was a welcome feeling.


    In all honesty, the fact that Pearl, one of her favorite locations to visit and stay in whenever she wasn''t at home, was completely destroyed and gone, still hadn''t quite sunk in. Even after all this time.


    "Hey," she greeted the bartender, a young man with slick black hair, with a smile. "What kind of wine you got here?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.


    "Oh, if I were you, I''d try the dragon grape wine."


    That response didn''t come from the young man, but instead, a woman to Metsumi''s right.


    Metsumi glanced over at her. She was thin and seemed to be around Metsumi''s own age if just a little older. She had long black hair and baggy eyes, like someone who was used to sleepless nights. She was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and a gold-colored dress.


    Is she from Jade?  Metsumi wondered.


    "Why''s that?" Metsumi asked.


    "It''s the best they''ve got," she answered with a chuckle. "Trust me, I''ve tried them all."


    "Oh?" Metsumi sat down next to her. "Are you a fellow expert?" She asked with a kind smile.


    "You could certainly say so," the woman replied. "I learned most of what I know about drinks from my husband though."


    "Really? I wish I had the same luck," Metsumi laughed. "I''m the main drinker in my family."


    Though, with Kaori, that might be changing.  Metsumi noted.


    "Name''s Metsumi, by the way," she extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you."


    "The pleasure is mine," the woman responded, taking Metsumi''s hand gently.


    She smiled a little and said:


    "My name is Ayami."

 Chapter 142 - Vol. 3 - 15

    Metsumi had spent a few minutes with this woman. Currently, there was a glass cup of dragon grape wine in front of her, that Metsumi was taking leisurely sips of. Beside her, the woman finished her own glass, the two of them still chatting.


    "Oh?" Metsumi asked. "You''re from Jade?"


    "Yes," Ayami replied, nodding with a pleasant smile. "Though, I''ve spent so much time outside of the capital that I feel like I barely remember any of it."


    "Maybe you could tell me a little," Metsumi suggested. "I''ve been stuck in Jade for a while, I''d love to hear about the other cities."


    "Well, where do I start?" Ayami asked.


    "Have you ever been to Amber?"


    "A few times," Ayami replied, leaning back in her chair. She looked away, as though she was recalling her times there right in front of Metsumi. "The last time was several years ago though. Even so, I still remember most of it."


    "What was it like?"


    Of course, Metsumi already knew, since Satsuhiro had been there before. She was just making conversation though. Although this woman''s energy was fairly low, she seemed pleasant enough to be around.


    "I could tell you hundreds of things I saw, and yet, I don''t think it would do it justice," Ayami chuckled. "Strange creatures, magic, and even stranger people. I feel like Amber is the sort of place you can''t have described to you. You need to be there."


    Around them, the others at the inn were starting to get rowdier as the day went on. Metsumi snuck a few glances around, thinking this was strange for the business-focused city that Onyx was.


    She figured nighttime had to be arriving, as more and more people were coming to the inn, but heading into the backrooms.


    "So, you arrived here recently?" Ayami asked.


    "Today, actually," Metsumi answered. "Seems the city''s changed a bit though since I last came, I don''t remember seeing any place like this."


    "It''s relatively new," Ayami explained. "Though, it seems like a lot of things are changing these days." She sounded apprehensive about that fact.


    "Hm. I''d say," she grabbed a bottle she''d purchased and poured some of its contents into Ayami''s glass. "Instead of being scared of that, we''d be better off celebrating."


    "Is that so?" Ayami asked.


    "Sure. Change can be scary but as long as you change with your surroundings, I think it can mark the start of something wonderful."


    "Heh. I wish I''d heard that when I first moved out of Jade." Ayami kept her hands on her lap, smiling at Metsumi.


    Metsumi winked.


    "Maybe the gods put me here because you needed to hear it now," Metsumi stated and Ayami laughed.


    "Oh my, you should be careful, such a sentence can be interpreted a number of ways. A few of them not very appropriate for two married women, no?" Ayami asked, but she didn''t seem angry.


    "Sorry," Metsumi raised her hands defensively, with a smile. "Force of habit."


    "... You''re fairly good with words though," Ayami noted. "Are you a poet?"


    "No, I''m just someone who likes talking to people," Metsumi shrugged.


    "I see."


    At that moment, Metsumi heard someone speak from behind.


    "Mom?" She heard her daughter''s voice and turned around, finding a sleepy Opah standing just a few meters away, her eyes half-closed.


    "Oh, sweetie," Metsumi quickly picked her up and placed her on her lap. "What happened?"


    "A night..." she mumbled the rest of that word but, Metsumi understood.


    "Aw," Metsumi hugged her close and Opah wrapped her arms around her.


    She then noticed that Ayami was looking at her strangely. Wide-eyed, somewhat blankly. The woman seemed shaken by Opah''s sudden appearance.


    "This is my daughter," Metsumi stated. "Opah. Opah, this is Ayami, say hi."


    "... Hi." Opah tiredly replied and Metsumi smiled up at the woman.


    "..." Ayami shook her head, and then gave a smile in return.


    "Hello."


    ---


    Ash


    "So, how does that thing work?" Ash asked Kaori as the group walked through the busy streets.


    "I can turn it into a few different things," Kaori replied. "A shield, a hand, a blade. I sure wish it was a little lighter though."


    "Wait, and they gave you that shit for free?" Ash asked.


    "The Council paid for it," Satsuhiro stepped in, "apparently."


    "They actually did something!?" Ash was stunned.


    "Well, throwing money at things doesn''t require much effort," Satsuhiro shrugged.


    Ash looked back at Kaori who was still looking at the arm she''d received. It was bulky and awkward looking, but Ash could tell that Kaori was surprised to have received such a thing.


    "So," Ash said. "What now?"


    "Now," Satsuhiro responded, "we go deal with those demons, and then we can figure out our next steps. Maybe handle Yumi''s whole situation, or pay a visit to that alchemist and see if they''ve got anything we can use. After that, we''ll see."


    "And where are the demons?"


    "Apparently, they''ve holed up in a small fort just beside the road. They''ve been attacking citizens who come to and from the city. It should be quick, but be cautious. Small, cramped spaces like the one you''re headed for tend to produce mistakes fairly easily."


    Ash nodded and looked back at Kaori. The blonde was still looking down at that new arm of hers.


    "Hey," Ash said, drawing closer. "You okay?"


    "Mhm," Kaori nodded. "I''m alright. I''m just... surprised is all. I hadn''t gotten used to life with one arm but, now, I feel like whatever progress I''d made has gone out the window."


    "Can you take it off?"


    "I''d rather not try," Kaori answered with a chuckle. "Gosh, it''s so weird though."


    Ash took a moment. Then, she smirked.


    "Hey, think about it this way. At least now you can finger two people at once again."


    Kaori snort-laughed at that, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth.


    "Right," Kaori said. "Should have guessed that was where your mind was at."


    ---


    The group exited the city sometime later, looking for the demons on the road. Ash didn''t miss how, every now and then, a few guards would give them strange looks. Most of them focused on Keiko, strangely enough.


    An hour went by before they arrived at the fort. It was as only as big as the Savior House back at Jade, so Ash kept what Satsuhiro said about cramped spaces in mind as they walked towards it. Eventually, the group was standing outside an old military fort, where screams and animalistic growls were coming from.


    "Some people are still alive in there!" Kaori noted.


    "Yeah, now listen. Sadly," Satsuhiro said, sighing, "I can''t be of much use in these sorts of things anymore. So, this is going to be on you three."


    Ash nodded.


    "So, just get the demons and get out?"


    "Yes."


    "Come on!" Kaori suddenly said. "It sounds like people need help!"


    And then, she ran inside.


    "W-Wait," Keiko replied, unsheathing her blade and following Kaori in. Ash took a deep breath and nodded to herself.


    Here goes nothing.


    And she walked in.


    Immediately, the sounds of blades slashing through flesh came to her ears. It was dark, so she couldn''t see much. All she could make out were the walls, a few tables, and the demons that Kaori and Keiko were currently fighting.


    Sword.


    Ash transformed her Savior''s Weapon as she saw Kaori get pinned against a wall. She was using the shield on her new arm to keep herself from being bitten in the neck.


    Level 25


    MP: 50/50


    Hm.  Ash thought, walking up to it.  Seems easy enough.


    She pulled back her sword and thrust it through the back of the demon''s head, the blade coming out the other end. Then, she pulled it off of Kaori.


    EXP Gained: 50


    "Thanks," Kaori said, panting. Behind Ash, she heard a demon squeal and she turned around, finding Keiko tearing through a few of them. Her skill was even more stunning to witness in real combat than it had been when she was training with Yumi.


    "HELP!" One civilian yelled as a demon was about to try to rip into them, and Ash ran towards it. She grabbed it by the head, threw it back, and stabbed it through its chest with her sword.


    EXP Gained: 50


    Damn.  Ash thought.  The level gap is so big that even with the EXP buff, I''m not getting much from these.


    It didn''t take much effort to dispatch the remaining demons. All in all, there were just a little over 10 of them in this place, and Keiko cleared most of them out before Kaori and Ash could even do anything. By the time the fighting was done, her golden blade was covered in violet blood, which Keiko cleared off before sheathing it.


    "Please, get us out!"


    Us?  Ash asked herself, looking back at the civilians they''d seemingly saved. There were four of them. A full family, it looked like, restrained and pressed up against a bloodied wall. Kaori went over and helped untie them as Keiko and Ash made sure the demons were done.


    "Oh my... It''s her!" One of the civilians yelled.


    Hm?


    Ash turned towards them and found all four of the members of this family were looking at her, wide-eyed.  What the fuck is going on?


    "You''re the half-demon!"


    "What?" Ash asked. "How the hell do you know who I am?"


    "We heard about you, you helped fight against the demons at Sapphire, right? Thank you! Thank you, Savior!" One of them nearly tackled her with a hug. She wrapped her arms around Ash like she was going to fall if she didn''t.


    Ash was so confused, she froze on the spot.


    "I knew it," one woman said, "I knew Alkoth would send someone to us."


    "How could we ever repay you, Savior?" One of them asked.


    ".... By getting the fuck off me," Ash replied.

 Chapter 143 - Vol. 3 - 16

    "Wait, wait," Ash waved her hands in the air. "Back up. How do you know me again?"


    By now, the civilians had been escorted out of the fort and were coming along with the group back to Onyx. Along the way, they continued to offer their thanks to the girls, but one thing had remained on Ash''s mind.


    "Your defense of Sapphire!" One woman stated. "The story has spread like wildfire."


    "She''s right," a middle-aged man replied. "The demon who fought off the demons. We heard about it in the papers. We... I, at least, didn''t think it was true, but to see this with my own eyes... I''m amazed."


    Ash was surprised. She hadn''t thought anyone would talk much about her, let alone spread the tales of her feats across the cities. Apparently, though, that had been exactly what happened. These gazes, the reverence in the eyes of these people they''d just saved, it was strange.


    I liked it better when they looked at me like they hated me, this shit just makes me uncomfortable.  Ash thought.


    "We owe you our lives, de-... Savior..."


    Ash sighed.  Just... Just stay quiet or something. Fuck, this is weird.


    Disregarding them for a second though, Ash turned towards Kaori. She caught the blonde looking down at her arm, gold and metallic, her Savior''s Weapon remained attached to her body.


    "So," Ash got a little closer, "how did it feel? Fighting with that thing, I mean."


    "Strange," Kaori admitted. "It''s... Imagine having an arm that you can only barely control. That''s sort of what this feels like. It''s very stiff."


    "I think you just need some practice," Keiko said, from Kaori''s right. "I can help you out with that."


    "Yeah," Kaori nodded. "Guess so."


    "Alright, so," Satsuhiro said, "as soon as we drop them off, we could go pay the alchemist a visit. If you''re tired though, we can put that off for tomorrow. So, what do you think?"


    "..." Ash thought about that for a second, but Keiko answered first.


    "It would be good to get that out of the way, right? We do need to talk to Eliza about Yumi''s whole situation and head back there to see if we can get any training in. Especially since Kaori''s got this new arm."


    "Yeah," Ash agreed. "Makes sense to me."


    "Same," Kaori added.


    "Alright. We''ll take these people to the city, then we''ll head for the alchemist, come back and call it a day."


    With that, the group continued on the road back to Onyx, the praises of the civilians they''d saved trailing Ash the whole way there.


    When they reached the gates, a few guards took the citizens and one woman turned towards Ash.


    "We''ll tell everyone about this!" She called out. "Thank you!"


    Please, please don''t. Ash sighed.


    The guards led them somewhere else and Satsuhiro pointed at the bamboo to the south.


    "We''ll have to go off the road for this. I might need a bit of help getting through the dirt at a few points, because, well," he tapped his crutch against the ground.


    "I''ve got you," Kaori said with a smile.


    "Thanks. Let''s get moving."


    It was in the exact opposite direction from the shrine. South of the city, past a collection of bamboo trees that stood in front of them like a maze made of tall green statues. Satsuhiro stumbled a few times but Kaori was there to help him out every time. After a while, the sun was starting to fall beyond the horizon when the group came across a section of the forest that was carved out.


    A small dirt road from this point led to a hut of sorts, where smoke was currently coming from one of the windows. The group approached it and Satsuhiro cleared his throat as he walked up to knock on the wooden door.


    Before he reached it though, it opened.


    The person who walked out was strange, to say the least. She had short green hair and her eyes were covered in a black shadow. She seemed fairly young, with a small frame and thin, nearly malnourished-looking body. She was shorter than Ash by quite a bit as well, almost two heads so.


    Beyond that, she was naked. Well, mostly naked. she had a line of strung-together leaves covering her groin and waist, but nothing else. Her skin was covered in a mix of sweat and dirt, with a mark of some sort on her chest, depicting a circle with a cross in it.


    Ash looked at her level.


    Level 20


    MP: 300/300


    "Satsuhiro?" She asked, and her voice was the raspiest Ash had ever heard. She''d heard old, long-time, smokers on the streets of Jade with clearer voices than this. "This is quite the surprise."


    "Vyl," Satsuhiro bowed. "Sorry to interrupt, but we were in the area and I figured we''d stop by."


    "Hm..." She looked down at where his missing leg was. Then she looked back up, and at the girls behind him. Ash crossed her arms, Kaori greeted her with a smile and a wave, while Keiko simply bowed as Satsuhiro had. "I welcome the company, though I do wonder if you''re here to add more work to my to-do list."


    "No, no. Just visiting." Satsuhiro sounded different. There was a certain respect in his tone as he spoke to Vyl that Ash hadn''t really heard from him before.


    "I see. The war has kept me rather busy, unfortunately. Do come in though," she said, swinging the door wide open and walking into the hut. Satsuhiro gestured back and they all went in.


    The first thing Ash noticed was the smell. There were so many different scents in the air, vanilla, raw meat left out on a table, something like soup and honey. Three different large pots were boiling at once, and on a counter to the right side, there was a strange mechanism of sorts. It seemed like a bunch of bottles melted together.


    Vyl walked over to one of the pots and extended a hand towards it.


    "Let the cold soothe your heart."  She said, and a spray of blue mist came out from her hand, putting out the fire.


    "Girls," Satsuhiro said, turning towards them. "This is Vyl. She''s a freelance alchemist, works for whoever pays her which, generally, means she spends most of her time making potions for the different armies. Vyl, these two are Kaori and Ash, Saviors, and that''s Keiko, their weapons trainer."


    Vyl turned towards them, casting an analytical look over each one, but her eyes remained on Kaori. She walked towards the blonde, humming something to herself as she looked into her eyes.


    "You''re the one who ingested the Red Tear, right?" She asked.


    "What?" Kaori asked. "H-How do you know?"


    "After the fact, I read up on the event. A blonde, rookie, kind-eyed Savior who was manipulated by the head of Jade''s biggest church and then later went on to kill him. It isn''t hard to put two and two together. And you," Vyl turned towards Ash, with the same scanning expression. "The half-demon Savior. Satsuhiro," she turned towards him, "what the hell did you get yourself into?"


    "I wouldn''t say I got myself into this," Satsuhiro replied, "it''s more like this whole thing was thrown on my lap. But, I think we''ve made the best of it."


    Vyl looked at his missing leg and Kaori''s metallic arm.


    "Evidently," she muttered. Then, she sighed and put a hand on top of Satsuhiro''s head. The man turned his eyes down as Vyl looked at him. "Keep yourself safe. After what happened with Maggie, Takomaro, and Ren... I''d hate for this war to claim another friend of mine."


    "I know," Satsuhiro responded. "I''m retired now though, so you don''t have to worry about me."


    "You were retired before, dumbass. By now, you should know that doesn''t mean anything," Vyl said and Ash found herself chuckling at that.


    That laugh made Vyl''s eyes go back to her.


    "... Level 38 already?" Vyl asked. "I see you''ve been hard at work. Tell me, is that my friend''s influence or is there something else motivating you?"


    Ash raised a brow and thought about how to respond to that question. She briefly snuck a glance at Kaori and Keiko and was going to say something about wanting to retire and enjoy life with a house full of "fuck you" money, but Vyl spoke before she could do that.


    "I see," Vyl tilted her head. "Your group has a way of saying a million words with just a few looks. It''s something I normally see in people far older. It is surprising."


    Vyl walked over to a table where she grabbed a wooden cup and brought it over to Satsuhiro. The man took it and sipped from it without a word.


    "It''s bitter."


    "Good," Vyl replied. "That means it''s well made. Keep drinking, it calms the nerves."


    Ash shook her head.


    "Wait, so, how do you know each other?" Ash asked. They sounded far closer than she''d expected.


    "I met Vyl when I was just starting out. We worked together many different times."


    "Hmph," Vyl huffed. "Back when you were being tutored by that insufferable hag. Yes," Vyl walked back and handed out similar cups to each of the girls. "At first, it was mostly just exchanging letters anytime Satsuhiro needed a potion. I believe it was when Satsuhiro finally changed teachers that he came here to meet me in person."


    "How long have you been living here for?" Kaori asked.


    "Long enough, and yet I will continue to do so," Vyl replied vaguely. "I am not someone who enjoys the walls and streets of the cities. I''d rather just stay out here."


    In a way, she was living exactly the life Ash wanted, and yet, looking around, Ash felt strange about it.  Hopefully, wherever I end up smells a little nicer, I don''t know.


    Vyl turned around then, and Ash noticed something she hadn''t before. Across her back were a few different, long and thin scars drawn over her body. Her mouth opened to ask about it, but Satsuhiro stopped her.


    "Maybe wait a little," he whispered. "You only just got here."


    Then, Vyl turned towards them and said:


    "On account of you being trained under my dear friend, I will honor any requests you make on this day. Let me know if there''s anything you need."


    ---


    Metsumi


    After a while, the woman had gotten up from her seat. It was getting late, and by now, the inn had taken a completely different atmosphere from what it had when Metsumi had arrived earlier. With Opah fast asleep on her lap, Metsumi smiled at Ayami as the woman bowed.


    "I believe it might be time for me to go. I apologize, I really enjoyed meeting you."


    "Are you staying here?" Metsumi asked.


    "Yes, are you?" Ayami asked in return.


    "Mhm. Maybe we''ll talk again then?"


    "I hope so," Ayami chuckled. "Have a wonderful night." Then, the woman walked away and Metsumi turned back towards the bar. Opah stirred in her arms and mumbled something.


    "No... Daddy... don''t fight..." She spoke in her sleep and Metsumi took a shaky breath.


    "Don''t worry sweetie," Metsumi whispered as she took a final sip of the wine she''d purchased. "He''s done.. Thank the gods, he''s done."

 Chapter 144 - Vol. 3 - 17

    Kaori


    Upon hearing what Vyl said, Kaori felt like she''d come across a great treasure. Truthfully, this drink she''d been given was working better than she''d expected but was already starting to fade, its effects brief.


    Vyl was stirring a pot to the left and Satsuhiro cleared his throat.


    "Anything we could do to help while we''re here?" He asked.


    "Hm. Not particularly," Vyl replied. "If a portal appears outside the city, that might change. I''m afraid my workload might be seeing a considerable increase in the near future. Rather, I should ask, is there anything you want? A few potions shouldn''t take me too long to make for you."


    "Uhm, what can you make?" Kaori asked, somewhat nervously.


    "Well, with the ingredients that I have at this moment," Vyl went to check a nearby counter, "I could make a couple of healing potions. Maybe a Strength potion or two. Anything else, such as a Dexterity potion or a Haste potion, I''d need to take a moment to gather the necessary ingredients. I could send it to you after a day or two though."


    "I think I can tell what those first two are, but what''s a Haste potion?"


    "It speeds up your body, slowing your perception of the world around you. Essentially, to you, it would look like everyone slowed down, to everyone else, you would seem faster."


    "On you," Satsuhiro said to Keiko, "that sounds like it could be useful."


    "Agreed," Keiko nodded.


    "Very well. I''ll gather the ingredients for a Haste potion and after I make one, I''ll send it to you. What else?"


    Kaori felt like her opportunity might have been slipping away, so she tried to muster up a bit of courage.


    "Do you have anything else that helps with... calming down?"


    "Hm?" Vyl raised a brow. "I suppose. It would take me only a night or two to gather the ingredients necessary. Sure."


    "Thank you," Kaori bowed her head.


    Vyl looked out a window, crossing her arms and sighing.


    "It''s getting rather late. You might want to get going."


    "Noted," Satsuhiro said, standing up. "Again, sorry to drop in like this."


    "Again, it''s no problem. Just take good care of yourself. Let me know if you want any other potions and I''ll send them to you."


    Kaori noticed that a few questions were on Ash''s mind, as she was hunched over, looking like she was holding back something she wanted to say, but the words never left her lips. Instead, Vyl handed each of them a couple of potions, most of them healing but she gave Ash one Strength potion and the group stood up, one by one, and left the hut as the twin moons rose above them.


    With these substances in their hands, they walked back to Onyx where they''d rest for the remainder of the night.


    ---


    Ash


    They arrived at the inn Metsumi had chosen for them. Keiko stopped, gazing at the bright, flashy sign outside.


    "Wait, I''ve been here before," Keiko muttered and Ash raised a brow.


    "When you came for that whole castle thing?"


    "Yes." Keiko tilted her head. "Has Metsumi been here before?"


    "Not that I know of," Satsuhiro replied. "Why?"


    "It''s... A little intense... Never mind." Keiko shook her head. "It just surprised me, is all."


    "Seriously?" Ash asked, placing a hand on the front door''s knob. "It''s just an inn, what could..."


    As she opened the door though, her jaw hit the stone ground of the sidewalk.


    Inside, it was a party the likes of which Ash had only known of from hearing the sounds of festivities raging indoors while she tried to find sleep on the streets of Jade. There was loud music being played at the back, next to an unmarked door. On the tables were several drunks laughing out loud, and at a few of them, naked men and women, who she guessed were workers based on their uniforms, were giving a few of the visitors some lap dances as they drank and threw crowns around them. At another table, one such worker was making out with a lady that she then pulled into that unmarked room.


    What the fuck am I looking at?  Ash asked herself when one of the workers, one who had been performing pretty eagerly, looked over at them and grinned, her eyes shocked to see someone.


    "Keiko!" She yelled, getting off of the patron she''d been dancing on and running up to the door. She nearly pushed Ash aside so she could give Keiko a hug. "Wow, it''s been like a month, how have you been?" She then looked at each of the members of the group. She was startled a little when she saw the horns on Ash''s head.


    "Um, I''ve been alright," Keiko said, smiling nervously.


    "Come in, come in, the night''s just getting started."


    She gestured for each of them to follow her inside, her eyes lingering on Ash for a few seconds.


    "So, who are your friends?"


    "Oh, uh, Caroline, this is Kaori, Ash, and Satsuhiro."


    "I''m going to guess Metsumi already found a room. Were a couple of them rented out already by a muscular, orange-haired woman earlier?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Wait, Metsumi..." Caroline muttered. "Oh! Big, dark-skinned buff chick, right?" Caroline asked and Satsuhiro nodded. "Yeah, she already got you all a couple of rooms. The first and second rooms on the left, just up the steps here. Here''s your key for the second," she said, handing it over to Ash. "Your wife''s already in the first one, you can just knock on it."


    "Alright, I''m done for the day," Satsuhiro, very quickly, stated and walked away, towards the nearby set of stairs.


    "Uh, yeah," Keiko continued, "anyway, this is Caroline. She co-owns this place, right?"


    "Mhm," Caroline said, smiling brightly, "so, what''ll it be? Are you here to join the fun or what?"


    "Nah," Ash quickly stepped in. "I''m good. I''m just gonna lie down for a bit. Long day."


    "Same, actually," Kaori added. Keiko was about to echo that sentiment when Caroline wrapped an arm around her.


    "How about we catch up?" Caroline asked.


    "I''m not looking to, um..." She glanced at the drunks in the building and Caroline laughed.


    "No, no, not like that. Just sit back, have a couple of drinks. Yo, help me out here," Caroline whispered loudly to Kaori and Ash. The half-demon snorted and waved a tired hand.


    "See you later," she told Keiko as she turned around and walked away.


    "B-But..." Ash was already gone though.


    She walked up the steps and heard Satsuhiro''s voice coming from the first room to the left. She took the key she''d been given and opened up the second room, walking in. There was one, solitary, large bed at the center, with a wooden drawer to the right and a single candle providing a dim light to the room. Ash sat down on the bed as Kaori walked into the room behind her.


    Ash kicked her boots off and sighed, putting her bag down beside the bed and placing her hands on its edge. Kaori sat down next to her, doing the same with her own bag.


    Then, Kaori placed her head on Ash''s right shoulder.


    "Lots happened today, huh?" Kaori said and Ash could feel some exhaustion in her voice.


    "Mostly just walking around though."


    "Feels like it''ll be even more than that soon. Those portals..." Kaori sounded a little nervous. "Eventually, they''ll come here. Could be pretty soon too."


    Ash looked over and saw Kaori looking up at her. She took a deep breath and hugged Kaori closely. It was slowly becoming a familiar feeling. She liked that, scary as it was.


    "Yeah. We''ll deal with it when it comes."


    "I guess," Kaori mumbled. "Um, actually, could... Could we talk for a bit?"


    "Sure. What''s up?" Ash asked and Kaori looked away.


    "I''ve um... Well, lately..." She took a deep breath. Then, Kaori shook her head. "Actually, never mind, could we talk tomorrow?"


    "Why?"


    "I... I kind of just want to enjoy this right now." She smiled. "If we''re going to be working hard soon, it might be better to relax a little."


    As Kaori leaned in and placed a kiss on Ash''s chin, the half-demon responded:


    "Okay. So what do you have in mind?"


    Then, Kaori gently pushed her down.


    "I can think of a few things..." Kaori said with a smile.


    ---


    Vyl


    Seeing Satsuhiro again had been a pleasant surprise. Now that he was gone though, she had to get back to work. It was just another night for the alchemist, working from sunrise till sundown, focusing on the different tasks she had to perform. A few health potions for Onyx, a few more for Amber and Jade, all of which would be sent by the end of the week and then she''d repeat that process.


    Some would call it dull, but for her, as she felt the cold air of the night hit the scars on her back, she thought it was preferable to what she''d lived through before.


    However, this night would not be so boring.


    As she worked, a faint scent began to flow in from outside. One that made her hands freeze over the pot she''d been using.


    Her eyes narrowed. Vyl let go of her tools and walked over to the window. As the scent became stronger, she felt her heartbeat quicken.


    It was the same scent that the half-demon had carried.  Did she and Satsuhiro come back?  She wondered though another thought crept into her mind.


    Then, she saw it. In the distance, behind a few bamboo trees, a tall woman was approaching her hut. At first, she was sure it was the half-demon again, but then, more of her features began to show. Black wings, a grin on her face, violet skin, and monstrous legs and hands.


    The last thing Vyl saw before she understood what was going on was a barbed whip dragging against the dirt.


    Vyl turned, her eyes darting from one drawer to another.


    Where are they? Where are they?... Right!


    Vyl ran towards one, opened it, and pulled out two small vials. One with clear blue liquid inside, and another with a violet liquid. She drank them entirely and then placed the vials back in the drawer.


    She felt her own eyes burn, which meant the violet liquid was working.


    Her body became transparent, which meant the blue liquid worked, and Vyl crouched next to the mat she called her bed. She huddled her knees close to her chest and put a hand over her mouth, trying to steady her breathing.


    That was when the door slowly opened. One step, two steps, the Lust Demon''s light feet almost hovered over the floor she walked on. Vyl saw her and her heart sank as the violet liquid she''d drank allowed her to see the demon''s level.


    Level 80


    MP: 1000/1000


    What is this?  Vyl asked herself, trying her hardest not to tremble.


    The demon nonchalantly, with a grin plastered onto her face, scanned the room. Its eyes were covered by a black cloth, and yet it turned its head from one place to another, searching.


    Vyl continued taking steady, slow, quiet breaths. She waited, seeing that the demon was beginning to turn and walk out of the hut.


    Then, a bubble from the pot she''d been working on popped. In an instant, the Lust Demon turned, cracked her barbed whip at it and the pot exploded. A shard of clay stabbed into the wall, right next to Vyl''s head. She saw all of this, frozen in fear.


    The Lust Demon chuckled. Then, with swaying hips and those threatening light footsteps, it walked away.


    Vyl''s eyes, shocked and wide, looked down.


    What...?  She couldn''t comprehend what had just happened.


    All she knew was that the Saviors in the nearby city needed to know about this.

 Chapter 145 - Vol. 3 - 18

    Note: Lewdness coming in hot.


    Side Note: I know most people like/are literally here for the lewdness, but I still like giving these little warnings out just in case people are not in the mood or the place to read such stuff, ya know?


    ---


    Keiko


    Caroline had dragged Keiko to a table by the left side of the inn. All around them, the drunks were getting rowdier. She grabbed a random bottle from the nearby bar, along with two glass mugs, and poured some drinks for them.


    "I didn''t expect to see you again, love, honestly," Caroline stated.


    "Really?" Keiko asked as she took a sip of the drink.  Wow. That tastes terrible. She put it back down with no intention to take another sip.


    "Mhm," Caroline nodded. "Given... that little thing that happened last time you were here, I really didn''t think you would come back."


    "... It wasn''t really my choice," Keiko said. "I, uhm, have work to do here."


    "Ahh... Shit," Caroline sipped from the mug. "You should be careful though. After that, a few guards came by our place here asking questions for like a whole week. The guard you fought survived, and I think he''s still working. If he or his friends see you again, they could cause some trouble."


    Keiko sighed.


    However, she then remembered something.


    Hold on. I''m traveling with two Saviors. They absolutely outrank those guards.


    "If they try to start anything, I should be fine," Keiko muttered.


    "Alright, just saying," Caroline nodded. "So, those friends of yours... They were wearing some pretty cool gear... Kinda looked like Savior armor."


    "I... Yes," Keiko felt like it wasn''t worth it to even try to deny it. "They are Saviors, yes."


    "Holy shit," Caroline said. "Damn. I think I''ve only seen like two Saviors in my entire life, and you''re just running around with some of them? How did that happen?" Caroline asked, putting a hand under her chin.


    "I''m just helping them out for a little bit. It''s not a big deal."


    "Says you," Caroline chuckled. "One of ''em um, was kinda hot. The blonde chick, what''s her name?"


    "Kaori," Keiko replied.


    "Kaori, yeah, holy shit, she was something else," Caroline laughed. "I had to keep myself from staring at her. Is she single?"


    "No," Keiko very quickly replied. In all honesty, she didn''t even know if what they were doing was exclusive or not, but hearing Caroline talk like that, she couldn''t help but feel a little annoyed about it.


    "Aw. Tragic," Caroline leaned back and put her hands behind her head, looking to where the party was currently ongoing. "So, if we''ve got Saviors in Onyx... It''s safe to assume there have been more demons in the area then?"


    At that, Keiko nodded.


    "... Crap," Caroline shook her head. "The more I hear about stuff like that, the more I feel like we''re just putting on an act here."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Look," Caroline pointed at the others in the building. Keiko saw many men and women of varying sizes and ages laughing and drinking. "How many of them might die in the future if those demons choose to attack Onyx next?"


    There was a strange edge to Caroline''s voice.


    "At the same time though," Caroline sighed. "Isn''t it kind of my job to help them out like this? Give them a distraction to keep their mind on until those demons come knocking?"


    "Um..."


    "Sorry," Caroline said, raising her mug and smiling a little. "Drinks have me thinking a bit much, love. Hey! You haven''t even touched your beer!"


    Oh? Is that what it is?


    "Uh, yes, it''s..."


    "Come on! Can''t leave me drinking alone, right?"


    At that, Keiko sighed.  I''m already tired.


    ---


    By the time she was done and Caroline gracefully let her go, Keiko was just about to pass out on the stairs. She was walking up, feeling slightly dizzy from the drinks she''d been given, and was currently trying her hardest to drag her legs to the second room on the left.


    I need a warm bed so badly,  Keiko thought as she found the right room and tried to open it, finding that it was locked.  Hm.  She knocked on it twice, hearing strange sounds coming from within.  What the...?


    Focusing a little harder, she tried to discern them. Someone was moaning.  Huh?  Keiko shook her head, waking herself up a little.


    She knocked again, and thudding footsteps approached the door. It opened and Keiko''s eyes widened. Ash was standing in front of her, in her full Lust Demon form, black wings on her back and a black leathery tail with a heart-shaped tip. Behind her, Keiko saw Kaori, her legs spread and aimed at the door, with a hand between her legs.


    ... What?


    Keiko failed to register what she was seeing for a moment.


    "I..." Keiko started to say and then, Ash pulled her close. That was the trigger. As soon as she felt Ash''s demon body close enough to her own, Keiko began to feel drawn to her.  Wait,  she thought.  Right. That weird effect...


    Before she could take note of what was happening, Ash pulled her into the room.


    "Had fun?" Ash asked, her voice strangely altered.


    "Uh..." Ash sat Keiko down next to Kaori. The blonde quickly leaned against Keiko, and the Zayama felt like her body was so hot it was burning.


    "Um..." Keiko looked back and forth between Kaori and Ash. "I..." She couldn''t force out more than one word at a time though, between the tiredness in her body and the magnetism that Ash was causing right now.


    Instinctively, as Ash approached her, Keiko found herself spreading her own legs.


    "You want this, don''t you?" Ash asked with a low voice, her tail snaking up Keiko''s right thigh.


    I need it.  Keiko clarified in her mind.  I feel like I''d fight ten demons right now to get it.


    Ash licked her left ear and Keiko shuddered, taking a deep breath.


    But...  Keiko thought.  Last time... She, uh, flooded me with... something. What was that?  Keiko asked herself as Ash''s tail teased her clit. And, the most important question, she thought as Ash pulled her tail away and instead, knelt down in front of Keiko.


    Do I care? All I know is I want more of it.


    "What are you going to...?" Keiko mumbled as Ash put her demonic hands on her legs.


    "It would be a shame to start off with fucking you. I have to lube it up a little first."


    "Um, but what does that me- oh, Magia..." Keiko sighed as Ash stuck her tongue out and dragged it over Keiko''s lower lips. Beside her, Kaori kept her head on Keiko''s shoulder as she took Keiko''s left hand, their fingers intertwining.


    "You taste so good," Ash said and Keiko blushed. "And, you know, there is one advantage to having a longer tongue when I''m in this form," Ash giggled in a way that was completely uncharacteristic for her. "It''s that I can do this."


    And then, Ash stuck that long tongue inside Keiko. Keiko''s eyes widened and she leaned her head back, trying her hardest to keep herself from screaming at the sensation.


    "MMM!" She hummed, her mouth shut tight. Kaori laughed upon hearing that.


    Ash pushed and pulled her tongue and Keiko''s toes curled. She very nearly came, but Ash pulled her tongue out before she could do that. Keiko breathed heavily. The room felt like it was spinning.


    "Ready?" Ash asked and Keiko nodded eagerly. "Adorable."


    Then, she pushed Keiko down and the Zayama felt both incredibly excited and slightly anxious at the thought of having that tail in her again. A small seed of logic was still in her mind telling her that maybe they should stop until they could have Ash ask what that  stuff  that she poured into Keiko, and was about to pour into Keiko, actually was and did.


    Instead, as Ash mounted Keiko, her tail poking Keiko''s lower entrance, the Zayama simply stated:


    "Please..."


    "Please what?" Ash asked, pulling her tail away.


    "Y-You know..."


    "No, I don''t," Ash replied. "Actually, I feel like I''m forgetting what I''m even doing. I might just get off you, walk away, and go to sleep or something if you don''t remind me."


    "... You''re evil," Keiko mumbled, looking away with a red face.


    "So?" Ash smiled down at her. "What do you want me to do?"


    "Um... P-Push that thing in..."


    "Push what in?"


    "Your tail."


    "Push it in where?"


    "My..."


    "Your...?"


    "I hate you," Keiko responded and Ash laughed out loud.


    "Alright, alright," Ash conceded. "I''ll stop torturing you... Even though it''s so fun."


    And then, with no warning, she slipped it in.


    Keiko arched her back, gasping.


    "There," Ash said. "Enjoy."


    Doing the same thing that she''d done with her tongue, pushing and pulling, Keiko looked around and found a pillow. She placed it over her face and moaned into it. And then, Ash removed it.


    "Oh no," Ash said. "I want to see you."


    She continued after that, her tail working hard at screwing Keiko. Ash pulled her up easily and embraced her tightly, Keiko wrapped her arms around her in response.


    "You two are so hot," Kaori said from Keiko''s left. She couldn''t respond. She was too busy trying not to lose her mind.


    "I''m already so close..." Ash muttered into Keiko''s ear. Keiko''s response was to hold on more tightly. With her legs locked behind Ash, that tail action went on for a few more minutes, and then, Ash''s hands clutched Keiko so tightly it hurt.


    "Mmh!" Keiko used Ash''s shoulder to muffle herself as she reached an orgasm, just as Ash flooded her insides with... Whatever that was.


    And instantly, she felt five times more tired than she had been before.


    She let go of Ash and laid down on the bed, trying not to hit Kaori as she swung her legs.


    "Are you okay?" Ash asked suddenly, sounding a little more like herself.


    "Mhm. I''m just... I''m tired."


    "Oh, okay," Ash replied, relieved. "I..." She stood up. "I should take care of this. Be right back."


    With that, she walked over to a corner in the room, and Keiko tried her hardest not to get up and follow her.


    As she was about to close her eyes and try to catch some sleep, she felt that warm liquid inside of her and hoped that it wouldn''t be a big deal.  It''s probably nothing.


    ---


    The next morning, everyone was getting breakfast downstairs. Ash, Keiko, and Kaori, all had their hair ruffled, which drew a few curious glances from Caroline, who served them their food. Satsuhiro was writing something on a piece of paper.


    "So," Ash said, her voice slightly gravely, "what do we do today?"


    "Yumi," Keiko quickly stated. "We should look to get some training in with her. Those skills of hers, she''s too good at fighting to pass up on."  I also need to look through that book she gave me.


    "Agreed," Satsuhiro nodded. "That kind of talent is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You''ll want to take advantage of it."


    "Satsuhiro?" Keiko asked. "What are you writing?"


    "A letter to the Council. Just so they check out Vermia''s house and bring us any spellbooks she left behind. Though..." He paused. "If I know her, she''ll definitely have some secrets they won''t be able to find. So, Ash, you''ll probably want to see that place for yourself anyway."


    "Gotcha."


    And, at that moment, someone knocked on the front door. Caroline went to open it and the party turned around.


    Vyl was standing there.


    "Oh shit," Caroline said, seeing that Vyl was literally naked, but the alchemist simply walked past her.


    "I need to tell you something," Vyl said to the group.

 Chapter 146 - Vol. 3 - 19

    Ash


    Seeing Vyl here, a desperate look on her face as she stood in front of the group, was surprising and somewhat concerning. The alchemist crossed her arms, taking a deep breath as she walked closer to the group.


    "What''s going on?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Last night," Vyl wasted no time, "a demon gave me a visit."


    The group heard that and remained in silence for a moment.


    "What the hell does that mean?" Ash couldn''t help but ask.


    "Exactly what I just said. Last night, as I was making my potions, a demon arrived at my hut in an attempt to kill me. I evaded it, however," Vyl pulled a nearby chair and sat down at the same table as the others, "given that I have been living here for years, I have to assume that I was not the target. Do you see where I''m going with this?" She asked.


    So... It was looking for one of us.  Ash sighed.  Which probably means it was looking for me.


    "Can you tell us anything more about it?" Satsuhiro asked. "What was the demon like?"


    "For it to have just been one," Keiko muttered, "it must have been fairly powerful."


    "It was level 80."


    Vyl stated that in a very matter-of-fact way, which made the group pause.


    "How do you know?" Ash asked.


    "I developed a prototype some time ago that allows the user to, quite briefly, see the levels of demons," Vyl replied. "I used it when I felt the demon drawing closer. That is how I saw that. It was a Lust Demon, and it was, without a doubt," Vyl continued, "the strongest demon I''ve ever seen."


    ... Holy shit,  Ash looked down.  What the hell is going on?


    "So," Kaori leaned a little bit closer to Ash, worried. "What do your think this is about?"


    "..." Ash shook her head. "If I had to guess," the group''s eyes went to her, "this was probably Niven trying to sneak in a kill on me, I dunno."


    Satsuhiro''s eyes dropped, his brows narrowed.


    "Well, this is a problem," he stated. "If that''s the case, then it likely means traveling isn''t really in the cards for you. Niven might be thinking about catching you unaware on the road or something."


    "Why wouldn''t he attack here?" Keiko shrugged. "With a Level 80 demon, wouldn''t it be easy for it to complete its mission?"


    "Even if the demon is that strong," Satsuhiro began to argue, "it''s not invulnerable. Multiple arrows to the head would kill most things, level 80 or not. Attacking Ash within a city by itself would be suicide."


    "Wait, what the fuck are you saying? I''m stuck here?" Ash asked with a raised brow.


    "... Maybe," Satsuhiro shrugged.


    ...  Shit. Well, I guess it''s not that bad. I mean, I wasn''t gonna go anywhere anytime soon.


    "So... What about Yumi?" Keiko asked.


    Oh, right.


    "Can we still go train with her?"


    "Without putting her in danger..." Satsuhiro scratched his head. "It might be best to get her to come here."


    "... Which means we''d need to go get someone to stay at the shrine and watch over it. That was her condition for leaving, right?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes," Satsuhiro nodded.


    So, that''s where we''re at?  Ash asked herself.  This is already fucking tiring.


    An idea, however,  quickly came to Ash upon hearing that.


    "Eliza," she muttered. "I could try talking to her about it. Maybe, in return for more advice or something."


    "You could try," Satsuhiro nodded. "But... also, I think if a demon really did come this close to Onyx, that also confirms another thing we had in mind..."


    "That Onyx will be attacked soon," Kaori stated with a tight throat. A clear sign which Ash caught that meant she was scared.


    "... Looks like we''ll be pretty busy these days," Satsuhiro nodded. "Vyl, thanks for letting us know about this."


    "My warning does nothing if you don''t prepare yourselves appropriately," Vyl replied. "On my end, I believe it might be alright to go back home now that the demon knows your group isn''t there. I''ll need to get to work on making more potions, yours included, of course."


    "Are you sure?" Kaori asked. "What if the demon''s just waiting to see if anyone goes back?"


    "It wouldn''t have let me leave in the first place if that was the case," Vyl shrugged. "Besides. At my home, making potions, is the only way in which I can be of use. Of course, it''s dangerous, but I have to try. If it costs me my life, then that''s fine."


    She spoke so nonchalantly that it was shocking to hear.


    "... Still, maybe ask for someone to escort you?" Satsuhiro said.


    Vyl rolled her eyes but acquiesced.


    "I will see if some guards can help me get back home. Fine," Vyl replied. She turned around then, walking to the door and looking back at the group. "I don''t know how you''ve placed this target upon yourselves, but you certainly have done just that. Be careful."


    With those ominous words, she left the building. Caroline and a few of the other workers and patrons of the inn were, of course, listening intently to the Saviors'' conversation. Something Ash knew would definitely spark rumors, but she didn''t really care. It wasn''t her business to be concerned about this sort of thing.


    Beside Metsumi, Ash saw Opah nearly shaking in fear as her mother tried to soothe her, which genuinely made the half-demon feel saddened.


    "Alright," Satsuhiro said. "We should get to work. First things first, warn Eliza and see if she can help us out with Yumi''s situation. Then, it''s just a matter of preparing."


    Satsuhiro pulled himself up by his crutch and the others did the same.


    "Y-You''ve got this handled though, right?" One of the patrons stood up and asked Satsuhiro suddenly. The retired Savior looked back and nodded.


    "Of course," he replied. "Sit down. Everything is going to be fine."


    With those words, he began to walk out of the inn. Ash and the others, with the exception of Metsumi and Opah, followed him.


    Just as she was about to exit the building, through the corner of her eye, Ash caught a glimpse of someone walking down the steps where the bedrooms were. She seemed familiar, in a way that Ash couldn''t quite place but before she could discern who the woman was, she saw the others were already outside and she followed them.


    "Are you sure?" Kaori asked Satsuhiro as Ash walked out.


    "Hm?"


    "About what you told them," she elaborated. "That... everything will be fine."


    "No," Satsuhiro scoffed. "Of course, I''m not sure."


    "But..."


    "But, what good does it do for the citizens of this city to freak out more than they already are?" Satsuhiro asked. "Sometimes, people need to be reassured like that, even when it''s a blatant lie."


    Hearing that brought so much visible disappointment to Kaori that Ash felt concerned about her.


    "Come on," Satsuhiro gestured. "Let''s get moving."


    ---


    They arrived at the Grey Chamber around an hour later. The first thing Ash noticed was that there were more guards moving in and out of the building than there had been when she first came here.  Hm. Guessing something happened.


    They made their way to the throne room, where Eliza was speaking to some heavily armored knight-types.


    "Yes," she said to one. "Reinforcing the inner buildings is probably the best..." She trailed off as she saw Ash''s group. "Hm?"


    With the wave of an elegant hand, she dismissed them. With her clear, curious eyes on them, Eliza walked towards Ash.


    "Saviors, to what do I owe this pleasure?"


    "We need some help," Satsuhiro quickly stated. "Do you know of a shrine nearby? North of Onyx."


    "The old one in the forest?" Eliza tilted her head.


    "So, you know about it?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes, what of it?"


    "Do you know the shrine maiden who lives there?"


    "... I know of her," Eliza turned around and gestured for the group to follow. She walked into a nearby room where a roundtable was placed at the center with many seats surrounding it. Eliza sat down and crossed her legs. "Though, as there is not much reason to care about an abandoned building in the middle of a random forest, no one has made much of an effort to investigate her. I certainly have been far too busy to concern myself with that shrine and its keeper. What I know about her is due to random rangers and scouts who would occasionally pass the place by and see her from a distance. Why do you ask?"


    "Well," Keiko stepped forwards. "She is a very skilled warrior. Someone who could help us all learn more about combat. However," Keiko continued, "she told us she''d only leave that building if we could get someone to watch over the shrine for her."


    "... I see," Eliza looked away. "Done. I''ll organize a small group of trustworthy individuals to relieve her of her duties while she trains you."


    "Just like that?" Ash asked, skeptical.


    "No, obviously," Eliza replied, sighing. "I will require something in return."


    "Okay... What is it?"


    And, in response to that question, Eliza said something Ash hadn''t expected.


    "In return, I need you to capture a high-level demon and bring it here," Eliza stated.


    Ash narrowed her brows.


    "Why?"


    "Because lately, more and more demons have been seen around the city. Attacking travelers and roaming the forests. I need to understand the threat we face so that I may prepare adequately. I could capture any of these demons, yes, but you," she looked at Ash, "can see their levels. That means you could capture one that is of a higher caliber. So, simple.. Just pick one up, preferably above level 30, and bring it here, and I will send that group to relieve this shrine maiden."

 Chapter 147 - Vol. 3 - 20

    "So," Ash said as the group stood outside of the Grey Chamber, "how do we catch a demon?"


    "Considering the reports," Satsuhiro sighed. "That should be easy enough. We can probably just look around the road or ask some guards if they''ve seen any demons nearby. Finding one of a high level might be a little harder, but if we don''t, I''m sure any demon level 25 or higher would suffice."


    "... But what if we run into the one Vyl found?" Ash asked.


    "I suppose that could happen," Satsuhiro acknowledged. "But, we can''t really do anything else without completing this task. It''s something we''ll have to risk."


    "Shit," Ash mumbled.


    She looked back at Keiko and Kaori. The Zayama had a plain expression on her face, but Kaori was looking down, almost scared.


    Just as Ash was about to ask about that, Kaori noticed her looking and her expression changed into a confident smile.


    ... Okay.


    The four of them walked away after that, heading for the gates. Halfway through, as they moved through the sidewalks catching the eyes of workers who were heading to those strange factories, they saw something. A group of citizens was gathered in front of a small stage, where a man and a woman were shouting.


    "Make no mistake!" The man said as Ash turned towards them, stopping in her tracks for a second. "The Raven is not on your side!"


    "She would have us all die within these walls," the woman added as the crowd muttered to themselves. "She doesn''t care about us, as long as she stays closed off in the Grey Chamber she''s fine, right? So, why should we wait for her to let us leave? We need to take matters into our own hands!"


    "Just keep walking," Satsuhiro told the girls and they kept following him. Ash''s eyes lingered on that group for a moment.  Guessing this is what Eliza was talking about, huh.  She hadn''t thought about it before, as she had no reason to concern herself with the worries of nobles, but in times like these, with demons just outside the gates of the city, she could see how it might lead to distrust in these figures.


    Well, fuck ''em.  Ash shrugged.


    They arrived at the gates sometime later. Satsuhiro approached a guard.


    "Greetings," he bowed a little and the guard bowed more. "Have there been any demon sightings lately?"


    "Yes, sir," the guard replied. "North of the city, near this old shrine, a few demons were spotted."


    "Wait, what?" Keiko replied and Ash''s eyes widened. "S-Satsuhiro, that''s..."


    "When?" Satsuhiro quickly asked.


    "About ten minutes ago."


    "Open the gates," Satsuhiro turned back to the girls. "I''ll only slow you down. Yumi could be in danger, go."


    Hearing that, they all nodded and ran out of the city.


    "I remember the way," Keiko said, as she untied her sword and held it in her hands as she jogged. "Follow me!"


    Kaori and Ash did so, heading into the bamboo forest.


    ---


    Yumi


    Seeing those strangers arrive at the shrine was the worst thing that could have happened to Yumi. Now that she''d received that briefest of interruptions in her day-to-day life, she knew what she was doing. She was aware of the stagnation she lived in.


    It was even worse knowing that it could very well be for nothing, as the shrine had been "deactivated" under her very nose anyway. There was a very real chance that Yumi had spent so much time here for genuinely no reason.


    And yet, that possible fact wasn''t nearly as frightening as the possibility of leaving this shrine. As boring as it was, it was familiar. She had a daily routine she did and that was enough to get her through the day. After breakfast, she''d put read some of the old novels on the shelves of the eastern room, or she''d pick up her naginata and twirl it around a bit, practicing moves she''d long since perfected.


    Sometimes, she wished she hadn''t maxed out her Dexterity through her training, only so she could have more to work on. But, alas, this was where her stats were currently:


    Level 40


    MP: 100/100


    ---


    STR: 20


    DEX: 100


    CON: 15


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    Yumi chose to keep training anyway, as though just the feeling of having the dirt under her feet, and her weapon in her hands were enough to keep her soul calm. So, she grabbed her naginata, her favorite weapon, and walked out to the steps leading to the shrine.


    It was a bright and beautiful day out. Birds sang as they flew over the tall trees and Yumi took light steps onto the dirt. She was wearing one of her older ceremonial robes, black and gold, and some sandals.


    With her hands feeling the wooden shaft of her weapon, she took a stance and began rehearsing different moves. A crescent-shape slash, a short frontflip into a downward slash, a spinning, leaping horizontal swipe. It was easy for her.


    It was through this exercise that Yumi would lose herself. Give all of her attention to the swings and attacks she practiced, with no regard for her situation or circumstances, and just focused entirely on the task at hand.


    Another distraction would soon arrive though.


    As Yumi swung her naginata, she started to hear something in the distance, past the small road that led here. She''d heard it many times before. The footsteps of incoming raiders, looking to defile this sacred place. She understood this sound, and yet, it was different. They weren''t the footsteps of a group, but of a single individual. Yumi stopped, standing up straight and looking out onto the road.


    The sun pierced through the nearby trees and highlighted the approaching figure. Yumi tilted her head. It appeared to be a tall woman. As it drew closer though, Yumi understood that this was no human, however.


    Violet skin, black wings, animalistic hands, and feet. It had a wide grin stuck on its face and its eyes were covered by a black cloth.


    ... A demon. Yumi quickly acknowledged as she continued to walk towards her.


    ?


    ?


    Of course, as Yumi couldn''t see its level, she had no way of knowing its strength.


    But.. She thought.  Just one? Does a lone, singular demon walk to my shrine?


    Then, Yumi noticed the whip it was dragging along the ground. Barbed and long, it parted the dirt it touched.


    Though its eyes were covered, Yumi felt as though it was staring at her. Yumi remained calm, her heartbeat and breathing both steady as the demon drew even closer until eventually, it reached her.


    They stood just a few meters apart from each other. Yumi''s hands on her naginata, the demon''s hands by her waist, hanging lazily.


    It tilted its head to the shrine behind Yumi.


    Ah. So, you are trying to enter my home.


    At that, Yumi took up a fighting stance.


    "Human or demon, it does not matter. You are a marauder all the same."


    However, though she said this, she couldn''t deny that the demon held a powerful aura. Maybe it was in its uncaring stance, or something as simple as its height and its covered eyes, but something about it made Yumi think she needed to be careful.


    "Iridos,"  Yumi said, activating her Spirit Eye.


    Then, her eyes widened and she ducked, narrowly avoiding the crack of her whip which she saw destroy her head in her vision.


    Now, her heart quickly sped up.


    That would have killed me.  She noted.  In just one hit, my head would have been made to pieces.


    She jumped back, putting some distance between them. The demon just allowed her to do so.


    "... I will not hold back," Yumi muttered. "If this is the caliber of the enemy I face, I will show you what I can do from the very beginning."


    And then, she charged forwards.


    Every technique she picked up from the books that had been left to her ran through her mind and she picked the first one that seemed useful.


    "Yorino!" She yelled and her body and weapon disappeared, materializing behind the demon. She tried to slash it but the demon spun out the way, and then cracked its whip at her again.


    Yumi''s heart nearly stopped as she saw her entire body being exploded in her Spirit Eye''s vision, but she managed to dodge the attack and she ran forwards again.


    "Inzo, Anzo, Kenzo!"


    Stabbing her naginata into the ground just in front of the demon, lightning struck from above, and yet the demon moved out the way casually. Again, she attacked Yumi and the Zayama was once more subjected to the sight of her own blood and guts gracing the dirt in her vision, but she flipped back and prevented herself from being struck.


    ... If I didn''t have my Spirit Eye,  Yumi realized as she landed,  I would have already died. What is this? Why did such an enemy come here?


    Still, Yumi had more techniques to use. She hadn''t spent so long in this shrine resting on her laurels, even if she guessed this creature''s level was far above her own, she had years of training to fall back on, and she''d put it all on display here.


    So, as the demon giggled and began to wave a heart-shaped black tail in the air, its grin stretching even further, Yumi ran forwards.


    "Shironiza!"


    Her naginata was then encircled by a black dragon, her hands felt faster and stronger. She tried to slash three times and the demon dodged every attack.


    It didn''t counter at all. Instead, it simply allowed Yumi to keep striking it like it was trying to show Yumi how pointless her struggle was.


    "Sumi!" Yumi slashed upwards and a wave was sent from her blade that the demon easily sidestepped.


    With that, the Zayama retreated, breathing heavily and putting some space between them.


    She... She''s just as fast as I am. Yumi thought. Is her Dex maxed out as well?


    And then, her Spirit Eye let her know what was coming next. She saw herself, pinned down by the demon.  What?  Then, the demon flew straight at her.


    Yumi was fast enough to dodge those whip strikes, but this was a different matter entirely. She tried to move to the left, but one of the demon''s hands grabbed her and raised her up into the air. Her naginata slipped out of her hands, falling to the dirt.


    Then, the demon brought her down again, slamming her into the dirt. There was a  crack  sound in the air, and Yumi coughed up blood instantly. She felt like her back was on fire.


    The demon mounted her and raised up a clawed hand.


    ... I failed, Yumi thought, coughing up more blood as the demon''s hand descended on her neck.


    But, it stopped just before it could slash through.


    Hm?  From below, Yumi narrowed her eyes as the demon didn''t finish her off. Its grin still wide on its face, the demon started laughing.


    What''s...?


    Then, the demon instead used the same clawed hand to rip off Yumi''s robes.  What?  She couldn''t comprehend what was happening. Instead of killing her, the demon had ripped her clothes off.  Is it thinking of eating me?


    She wondered this as the demon continued wagging that heart-shaped tail in the air. That tail then went out of sight, behind the demon''s back and Yumi couldn''t see it anymore.


    And just then, she heard someone else yell.


    "Yumi!"


    That voice...  Yumi thought as the demon looked up.


    A black sphere impacted the demon''s body and it was pushed off of Yumi.


    Who...? Is that Keiko?


    The demon screeched. It stood near Yumi, looking at the new assailants. Then, Yumi turned to the naginata just next to her.  I can...


    Forcing herself to move towards it, she picked it up as the demon screeched further at the people who had arrived.


    Then, from the ground, Yumi jumped up onto her feet against the pain surging through her body, and she stabbed her naginata into the demon''s abdomen.


    Or, rather, she tried to. Her naginata just barely pierced its body. This creature, how strong...? But, some damage was clearly done, as the demon backed up with a pained squeal. Multiple black spheres impacted the demon''s body then and it gave Yumi one last look before it used its wings to fly up into the sky.


    Just like that, it was gone.


    Then, Keiko, Ash, and Kaori appeared in front of Yumi as she fell back down. Her vision was starting to get blurry.


    "Ash, heal her!"


    "Right," the half-demon said, beginning to cast a spell and placing her hands on Yumi''s body.


    In the air, the demon was flying away as Yumi blinked.


    What was that?

 Chapter 148 - Vol. 3 - 21

    Ash


    It was unbelievable how oppressive the aura of that creature was, but as the group had walked up to the shrine and found Yumi pinned down by a Lust demon, that was Ash''s first impression. Even as she threw some dark magic in its direction, she worried that the creature would simply charge at her and wipe her entire group out in seconds.


    Perhaps that''s exactly what it would have done if Yumi hadn''t gotten up and stabbed it with her naginata. Upon receiving that injury, Ash saw something change in the demon''s expression and it simply flew away. Yumi immediately collapsed and that was when Ash ran over to heal her.


    "Yeah, she''ll be fine," Ash muttered. "Come on, let''s get her inside."


    She and Kaori half-carried the girl into the building, where they helped her lay down by the altar.


    "What... What was that?" Yumi asked.


    "A level 80 Lust demon," Ash explained. "You''re lucky you''re still alive."


    Yumi looked over at her with confusion. She took a deep breath and let her head fall back against the wooden floor.


    "Why would such a creature come here?" Yumi asked. "Why now? Could..." Yumi looked away. "Could it be because the shrine was reactivated?"


    "Maybe, but..." Ash said as she traded looks with the others. "It might have been looking for me."


    "You? Why?" Yumi asked.


    "Because Niven considers me a threat or something, I don''t know," Ash shrugged.


    "Um, perhaps more importantly," Keiko cut in, "Yumi, I don''t believe that it''s safe here anymore."


    "What?" Yumi gave her a devastated look.


    Ash looked back at the entrance, almost expecting that demon to be there.  How the fuck does someone even beat something that strong?  Ash asked herself.


    "Well," Keiko quickly added. "If the demon wasn''t looking for Ash, then the demon could have been looking to disable this shrine, right? If that''s the case, it might simply come back. And, you, I apologize, but you are not strong enough to fight this."


    At that, Ash saw Yumi''s eyes look away, searching for a solution.


    "Alone, maybe, but with your help, I-I mean, the creature retreated, perhaps together we could..."


    Keiko glanced over at Ash and Kaori, and the half-demon understood, nodding.


    Aside from getting her out of danger, this might be the best chance we''ve got to get Yumi out of this place. Ash thought.  If we could get her to train us back at Onyx, it would be pretty convenient.


    "There''s no way," Ash quickly shot Yumi''s suggestion down. "Kaori just got a new weapon she hasn''t gotten any practice on, Keiko is nowhere near your level and you lost easily, and all I have is a bit of strength," Ash responded.


    "But... If I leave this shrine, who will watch over it?"


    "We''ve already got that covered," Ash said. "We talked to the Lord of Onyx. She told us that if we captured a demon, she''d send a whole squad to guard this place while you stay in Onyx. It''ll be fine."


    "But... Have you captured a demon already?" Yumi asked.


    "No, but there should be some nearby, we can probably just find one in the area."


    Keiko placed a hand on Yumi''s shoulder. She spoke with a compassionate, soft tone. The sort of thing Ash was simply not capable of.


    "The shrine will be okay, even if it''s deactivated, we can simply reactivate it ourselves. But, right now, we need to get you out of harm''s way. Don''t worry," Keiko told her. "Once this blows over, you can simply come back, right?"


    Yumi laid down again, looking up at the ceiling. She seemed defeated. A far cry from the confident, dangerous aura she gave off when the group had first come here. She nodded and sighed.


    "I suppose you are correct," she muttered. "I... What a waste. My first real test and I am bested so easily."


    "Losing to that kind of opponent," Keiko told her. "I don''t think that''s something to be ashamed about."


    "I think it''s a miracle you''re even alive, honestly," Ash added.


    "... Maybe," Yumi said, getting herself up. As she stood, she dusted herself off and looked down. "You still have not procured this demon though, right?"


    "No," Keiko shook her head.


    "Perhaps we should go ahead and do that then, before going to... the city."


    ---


    Keiko


    That was how Yumi ended up traveling with them for the past hour, as the group scoured the bamboo forest in search of demons. The Zayama only brought a few things with her, her fox mask which she was currently wearing, one particularly small book, and a pair of weapons. Her naginata and her sword.


    The book interested Keiko the most. She wondered if it held any special techniques. So, as Yumi kept a bit of distance from the three girls ahead, Keiko met her pace and walked by her side.


    "What is that?" She asked.


    "Hm? This?" Yumi tapped the notebook and Keiko nodded. "Ah... It''s an old diary."


    "Really?"


    "Yes," Yumi muttered. "I''ve had this for a great many years. I believe it was one of the things I brought with me when I was taken to the shrine so long ago."


    "Isn''t it full then? I mean," Keiko responded, "if you''ve been writing in it consistently for that long."


    "Actually, it''s about halfway," Yumi replied, chuckling a little. Keiko was glad she could get that reaction out of her after what she''d just been through. "I wrote in it for a time, when I first arrived, but... well, I began living through a routine so quickly that at a point, there was not much to put in. So, I left this thing alone. I had told myself though," Yumi added, "that if I ever left the shrine, I would dust it off and take it with me. I..."


    She looked away, and Keiko could tell by her voice that she was slightly embarrassed.


    "I''d like to think my perspective on this outside world will be of some interest to someone. That could just be plain narcissism speaking though."


    "Hold up," Ash suddenly said, raising a hand. "I think I hear something."


    Keiko had been distracted due to the conversation, but as she stopped to focus, her enhanced senses allowed her to pick up what Ash was talking about. There were a couple of odd sounds in the distance. Ripping, snarling and sobbing.


    As the group passed by a few more of those tall bamboo trees, they saw the source. There was a pair of demons, one Wrath and one Lust, tearing into the corpse of what looked like a soldier of some sort. To the left, the sobbing noises came from a wounded man who was attempting to crawl away.


    "Oh my..." Yumi muttered beside Keiko. The demons stopped and turned towards them. "This... Such carnage..."


    "I''ve got this," Ash said, stepping forwards. "We only need one, right?"


    "Yes," Keiko replied as Ash transformed her cube into a sword.


    She ran up, faster than Keiko had expected, to the Wrath demon and stabbed straight through its head, catching it by surprise. The Lust demon next to it hissed at her and looked like it was about to fly away in a panic, but Ash caught it by its right leg and pulled it to the ground.


    "So, uh," Ash said as she put its hands behind its back. The Lust demon tried to struggle but Ash seemed to have it handled. "No ropes huh?" Ash asked.


    "No, can you keep it restrained for now?" Keiko asked.


    "Yeah, yeah. It''s just annoying," Ash stated. Then, she looked back. "Oh, right, that guy."


    Ash glanced over at the wounded man.


    "Uh, can one of you hold this thing?" Ash asked.


    After that, Ash healed up the soldier and he gave the group his thanks, all the while looking at the corpse of his friend. He told them he''d find his way back on his own, and the group, while Ash kept the demon held tightly, began to walk towards Onyx.


    The Lust demon struggled for a surprising amount of time, but after a long while, it finally stopped. Instead, it would snarl and almost mumble some strange words every now and then, its eyes fixed on Ash.


    Keiko also noticed that Ash''s own eyes would return that stare on occasion. The Lust demon smirked at one point and Ash looked away, taking a deep breath, which made Keiko raise a brow, but the walk was mostly without incident.


    As they returned to the city, a few guards raised their crossbows and aimed those devices at the group as the Lust demon growled at them.


    "Hey!" Ash called out. "Let us in, we''re taking this thing to the Grey Chamber!"


    One guard walked up to another.


    "She''s right," he said. "Let them through. It''s Lady Eliza''s orders."


    "Hm... Alright, open up! Wait here for a second," the guard said. "We should get a carriage. Dragging a literal demon through the streets won''t do anything good for the city''s morale."


    "Fine," Ash shrugged and so, the group waited.


    Soon, there would be a live demon in the city''s Grey Chamber.  What exactly does Eliza want to see?  Keiko wondered.  Well, it''s largely irrelevant.. As long as we can get the training we need out of this, it''s okay.

 Chapter 149 - Vol. 3 - 22

    Kasumi


    After the visit to the site of power, Kasumi had just about decided she was done for now. Although she''d agreed with Ash that it was better for her to have the buff than not, even if she didn''t plan to help the Council anymore, she''d never agreed to deal with any of those demons. So, thankfully, she was done, as far as she was concerned.


    A caravan was being organized in Onyx. It was meant to give safe passage to those who wished to head to Jade. The caravan would be composed of three carts and would have some high-level soldiers traveling with it to protect them.


    Predictably, the streets were packed with desperate citizens, yelling from outside the vehicles and from inside their homes at the officers surrounding the cart. Each one was angry and jealous of those who were being allowed into it.


    Kasumi was one of them. This was a rare moment where her status as a Savior worked out in her favor. She had walked up to a few guards, said she wanted to get on, showed off her Savior''s Weapon, and the guards had simply let her on thanks to it. Sighing to herself, she wiped away some sweat and pulled back her blood-colored hair from in front of her eyes. Kasumi sat down at the back of the farthest cart and closed her eyes, hoping to catch some sleep.


    Just then, something squishy hit the side of her face.


    A rotten smell emerged and Kasumi internalized the fact that she''d just had a rotten tomato thrown at her. She looked out the window of the cart and searched for the culprit with furious narrowed eyes.


    All she saw was an angry crowd.


    Alright. Then you''ll all pay for that,  she thought as she began an incantation.


    "Fear becomes a weapon, courage becomes a distant dream, petrify!" She spoke and a dark, horrific face appeared above the cart, aimed at the crowd in front of her.


    Each civilian, as their levels were all low, screamed and ran away, terrified.


    Ugh,  Kasumi thought as she wiped away what was left of the tomato on her face.


    "Well," one guard muttered, "that''s one way to empty the streets out."


    "How much longer?" Kasumi asked.


    "Just a few minutes, now that the crowd''s gone it''ll be easier to get everyone in."


    Indeed, in a few seconds, the three carts were filled with nobles. At the back where Kasumi was, they left a vacant spot next to her, where the tomato had landed.


    And with that, Kasumi was on her way out of the city.


    Now... Time to get some sleep.  She thought, closing her eyes.


    Shockingly, her dreams found her faster than she thought they would. Too quickly, actually.


    Kasumi found herself on top of a mountain, with grey clouds covering the sky above.  What?  She narrowed her brows as she looked around.  Why...?  And then, when she realized what was happening, she scowled.  Alkoth.


    Sure enough, a swirl of clouds appeared that spiraled down to her location. It circled until the figure of a knight carrying a shield and a trident was formed, and then the clouds disappeared.


    What the fuck do you want?  Kasumi asked in her thoughts.  I thought I made myself clear.


    Above Alkoth, words appeared.


    You did, those words spelled out.  Which is why I''m here.


    That was new. Kasumi was surprised to see those, but she shook her head and regained her composure.


    I''m not interested,  Kasumi thought in response.  Ask someone else. I want nothing to do with you.


    If that''s the case,  the words said as the man took a few steps closer. He towered above Kasumi, but she didn''t let that frighten her.  Then you''ll be happy to hear what I have in mind.


    Kasumi raised a brow, crossing her arms. She couldn''t deny that the statement made her curious.


    ...  I swear, if you''re lying, I will personally destroy every Alkoth church in Nova.


    No. Alkoth shook his head. I have one task I need you to accomplish. Do this, and you will not hear from me again.  Indeed,  those words said,  there will be no need. Will you listen?


    Kasumi looked away, sighing breathlessly.


    You''re invading my dreams. It''s not like I have a choice.


    ... Very well. Alkoth turned away and a screen of sorts appeared behind him. Allow me to explain a few things then.


    ---


    Ash


    Transporting this demon had been problematic for a few different reasons. Firstly, it wouldn''t stop struggling, second, the stares of those around them as Ash dragged this thing through to the Grey Chamber were annoying, but lastly... Something was happening.


    Ash wondered if it was simply her Lust changing her behavior, even though it was at a 1 right now, but the more time she spent around this demon, the better it smelled. Occasionally, as she pushed her forwards, keeping the demon''s hands tied behind its back, Ash''s eyes would roam to the curvature of the feminine creature''s chest, her violet-black lips, her piercing eyes.


    What the fuck is wrong with me?  Ash had asked herself at a point. The demon must have noticed something as well because at a point, its anger and struggle to escape turned into something else. Ash was having to push this thing harder now because the demon seemingly wanted to press up against her.


    Calm down. It''s... It''s probably just my other side acting up.


    The demon smirked with mirth in its eyes.


    What the fuck are you looking so smug for?  Ash thought, glaring at it as she and the others walked up the steps to the Grey Chamber.  I have half a mind to take you someplace else and...


    Soon, they were walking up to the throne where Eliza was sitting, a frustrated expression on her face as she looked up and saw the group approaching. Her eyes first fell on Yumi, and then on the demon Ash was keeping restrained. There was some clear surprise in her eyes.


    "You did it?" She sounded pleasantly surprised.


    "Mhm," Ash replied. The eyes of the nearby knights displayed a myriad of emotions. Fear, curiosity, anger. More than anything though, like Eliza, they were surprised.


    "... Very well then," Eliza turned towards Yumi. "And I suppose this is that shrine maiden you mentioned?"


    Yumi walked forwards on her own. She bowed with her hands held together.


    "I was told that if a demon was brought to you, you would assign guards to watch over the shrine. Will you keep your word?" Yumi asked.


    Eliza''s eyes went to the demon again. She took a deep breath and nodded.


    "Yes. I will assign them immediately."


    "... Thank you," Yumi breathed a sigh of relief. "Then..." She turned to the group. "I suppose I will be staying in the city for a time."


    Eliza''s heels ticked against the ground as she approached the demon. The Lust demon narrowed its eyes at the Lord, snarling. Ash made sure to tighten her hold in response.


    "What do you want with this thing?" Ash asked.


    "We prepared a room in case your trip was a success, come."


    Ash pushed the demon forwards and followed Eliza deeper into the palace. There were strange tubes passing over her head as she walked through the halls with the Lord in front of her. Eliza gestured at a room to the left and they went inside.


    It was a fairly large, open space with a set of chains attached to a wall at the back.


    Ash pushed the demon up there and it didn''t take long for her to help a few guards restrain the demon. Kaori, Keiko, and Yumi waited by the door as Eliza took a few steps closer.


    "So, what level is it?"


    "35," Ash stated in response.


    "By Magia..." One guard mumbled when he heard that.


    "My, oh my..." Eliza said. "You''ve held up your end of the bargain beautifully then. I would ask you for one more favor though if you are willing."


    Ash was about to quickly reject that, but Eliza continued:


    "With a suitable enough reward, of course."


    Hearing that, Ash sighed.  I''d be stupid to pass this up then.


    "What do you want?"


    "Get yourself some rest for today. Tomorrow, come by later. I would appreciate it if you were the one to help us test this creature."


    "Why me?"


    "You are the most experienced when it comes to dealing with these threats. And, since you captured it, I assume you are powerful enough to subdue this creature should it get out of control. It would be the safest option to have you here. So? What do you say?" She asked with a confident posture.


    Ash shrugged.


    "What''s the reward?"


    "Money and... I will personally commission the smithy to refine that Savior''s Armor you''re wearing. How does that sound?"


    "... Okay," Ash nodded.  "Sounds good."


    Eliza looked to the side, where the Lust demon was being restrained. The creature was staring up at Ash. Anytime someone else looked at it, it would briefly snarl at them, but its eyes would consistently return to the half-demon.


    "Very well then."


    After that, the group left the Grey Chamber, escorted by Eliza and her guards.


    They found themselves standing outside, with the sun on their bodies and a homeless shrine maiden to find a new place for. Yumi stood awkwardly, her hands tied together as she looked around at the bland city. In all honesty, she reminded Ash of how uncomfortable Keiko looked at the beginning of their journey. The Zayama she''d come to be so close with had also maintained this small, anxious exterior until just recently. Every now and then it would come back, and right now, Ash saw it reflected in Yumi.


    "I don''t think we can take her back to the New Age Inn," Kaori said suddenly. "I, uh, feel like it would be a bit much for her."


    "Agreed," Keiko nodded.


    "Shit. So, what, do we look for another inn?"


    "Perhaps I could give her a home here, temporarily," Eliza stated. "It is training that you seek from her, right? We have a few rooms where you could do just that. Simply visit the palace anytime you wish to do so."


    "How does that sound, Yumi?" Keiko asked, approaching the masked girl.


    Yumi nodded.


    "I suppose it is my best option," Yumi turned towards Eliza and bowed to her. "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome. Well then, Saviors. Until tomorrow."


    With that, Eliza walked away, with Yumi following her. The group was left alone, with their task completed. Ash sighed.


    "Finally."


    Keiko gave her a strange look and Ash raised a brow.


    "What''s up?" Ash asked.


    "Was that demon truly level 35? You captured it so easily."


    Ash looked around. There were a few guards up ahead, but they were likely out of earshot.


    "Nah," Ash shook her head.


    "What?" Kaori asked.


    "I lied," Ash shrugged. "It was level 20. But fuck it," she started walking away. "Why the fuck should we go out of our way to get a high-level demon for her? Whatever she wants to ''test'' she can do with that one."


    ---


    Keiko


    They returned to the New Age Inn after that. So much walking around had made them all feel exhausted, though Keiko''s mind was more so on Yumi''s situation as opposed to her own tiredness.


    "Fuuuck," Ash said, walking up the steps to the second floor. "I need a nap."


    "Same," Kaori chuckled, following.


    Keiko was going to do the same, but then, she felt something. It was a sort of churning in her body. A wave of nausea suddenly washed over her and she quickly looked for the nearest worker.


    "Where''s the restroom?" She asked.


    "Uh, over there," he pointed and Keiko sprinted towards that place.


    She opened the door and, as soon as she saw the toilet, she flipped its lid up and puked into it. Whatever escaped her lips was like water, because it offered no resistance as it left her body. When she was done, Keiko coughed a couple of times and wiped her lips.  What...?


    But her confusion was multiplied when she looked down and saw that what she''d just puked was purely violet.


    I.... What is this?

 Chapter 150 - Vol. 3 - 23

    Keiko stood there, staring at what had come out of her body for the last five minutes.


    Um...  She thought.  Is this normal?


    It didn''t even have any particular smell. Eventually, Keiko shook her head, washed her mouth, and stepped out of the bathroom. She took a deep breath, maneuvering past a table where a lucky drunk was receiving a lap dance.


    Keiko took one, two, three steps, and then she nearly fell to the floor. Instead, the room felt like it was spinning as Keiko drifted off to the left, hitting the wall. She reached up and placed a hand on her forehead. I''m... Am I sick or something? Where is this coming from?


    She sat down at a vacant chair nearby. In the distance, Caroline was entertaining a few guests, but Keiko could see some concerned glances thrown her way. Keiko took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  It''s... It''s okay,  she thought. Just calm down.


    She didn''t know how long she remained there, but eventually, the feeling began to subside and Keiko finally stood up. She walked over to the stairs and went to her room. Here, she found Kaori asleep, laying on her side with Ash next to her. The half-demon was staring up at the ceiling, her hands behind her head. She turned a little when she saw Keiko come in, the Zayama placing her things by the bed.


    She took off her shoes and got in the bed, joining by Ash''s left side. The half-demon looked over at her, her brows slightly narrowed.


    "Are you okay?" Ash suddenly asked, slightly hushed, like she didn''t want to wake Kaori up.


    "Yeah," Keiko nodded, somewhat unsure in her own answer.


    "... So you''re doing the Kaori thing then," Ash chuckled.


    "Huh?"


    Ash looked over at the blonde asleep by her side.


    "I feel like she''s had a lot on her mind too, but she doesn''t wanna talk about it. It''s fine, but... I don''t know, I''d like to," Ash said. Keiko caught some affection in her eyes, mixed with worry. "I''m... Fuck, I''m honestly so tired of keeping stuff in. I''ve been doing that my whole life. If you don''t wanna talk about it though, that''s fine, but I''m just saying."


    "I..." Keiko looked down. "Let me ask around about this first. If I hear bad stuff, I''ll talk about it. I feel as though I should stay calm."


    "Okay," Ash shrugged. "Take your time then."


    ---


    The Next Day


    Ash


    The group took to the Grey Chamber with the new equipment they''d acquired. Ash was going to turn her Savior''s Weapon into those strange gauntlets for the purposes of their training, Keiko had those shurikens on her belt, and Kaori, of course, still had that metallic arm attached to her.


    Satsuhiro was accompanying them just so he could speak to Eliza regarding any other demon sightings that had happened. After Ash had told him about the strength of that demon, he had become even more adamant about her needing to stay in the city.


    A knight walked up to the group as they ventured deeper into the Grey Chamber.


    "The Saviors? Eliza is already in the training room. She has asked me to escort you there. Are you ready?"


    "Sure," Ash shrugged. Everyone else agreed.


    "Follow me," the knight replied.


    They were led across the palace to a section to the right, where the laughter and chatters of groups of soldiers could be heard coming from the rooms. Eventually, they arrived at an open space, where Yumi was standing across from Eliza.


    "I will let you know," Eliza was telling Yumi as they arrived.


    "Thank you," Yumi bowed.


    Eliza turned to them as the knight bowed as well and left the room.


    "I hope you had a pleasant rest," Eliza told them as she walked over. "Though... I did not expect to see you here. Aren''t you done as a combatant?" Eliza asked Satsuhiro.


    "Yes, I didn''t come to train. I wanted to ask if your scouts had picked up any more demon sightings. We..." He paused. "We would like to know of them."


    "Hm," Eliza nodded. "Well, yes. Indeed, there have been a few. I''m sure they''re eager to get started on their training though," she gestured at the girls. "Come, we''ll discuss them away from the action."


    Satsuhiro nodded and the two of them walked over to a faraway table. This room was fairly large, with a spectacular view of the eastern lands of Nova, displaying a sheet of bamboo forests that eventually gave way to grassy hills. The sun draped itself over the room, covering everything in an orange haze.


    In all honesty, even to Ash, Yumi looked like something out of a fairytale, standing in the middle of that scene with her naginata by her side and her fox mask on.


    "How was the night here?" Keiko asked her as they walked up.


    "It was... strange," Yumi responded, twirling her naginata absent-mindedly. "It took a long time before my body could even accept that I wasn''t at the shrine anymore. And after that, it took even longer for the butterflies to leave my body at the prospect that I wouldn''t be coming back there for a time. Still, I cannot lie... It was a tad refreshing. Especially given what happened."


    "Good to hear," Keiko smiled.


    "So," Ash stepped in. "What are we doing?"


    "Right," Yumi nodded. "So, I believe you wished to train with me?" She asked.


    "Yes, if you don''t mind, of course," Keiko nodded.


    "No, don''t worry. I would love to. Well, whichever of you wishes to go first need only walk forwards. We will go over some basic fundamentals, make sure you have those refined, but then we can get into more complex things. Though..." Yumi looked over at Keiko. "After that fight with the demon, I''ve realized that all of my training still hasn''t amounted to much. I will need to continue in order to improve. I don''t want to go through anything like that fight again. I would like to train with you, specifically, most of all, since you are closest to my skill level."


    Keiko nodded.


    Hm...  Ash looked back.


    "Kaori?" She said. The blonde had been distracted by something because she shook her head a little and asked:


    "Huh?"


    "How about you go first then?"


    "Um, sure," she said almost automatically. Kaori walked forwards and tapped a button on that metal arm, having it transform into a small serrated blade.


    "Alright then. Do you want me to go easy on you?" Yumi asked.


    "Please," Kaori chuckled as she answered.


    Yumi nodded and took up a fighting stance. Kaori looked over at her arm.


    "Uh, this is kind of my second time ever using this... I don''t really know how to stand properly with this thing."


    "Oh. Well," Yumi walked up. "I haven''t really seen anything like it, but I''d suggest this..."


    She pushed Kaori''s legs apart a little and pulled her metal arm forwards.


    "Having your feet at this distance is generally a good idea, and with this being your weapon, it''s good to have it in front of you."


    After a while, Kaori actually looked like she was ready to fight. Physically, anyway. Her face told a completely different story.


    "Now, let''s trade blows for a little bit. I will hold back considerably, don''t worry, I just want to see how you fight."


    "Um... Okay," Kaori nodded nervously and Yumi got in position.


    "Begin."


    With that, Yumi ran forwards and swung from the left. It was, as Yumi promised, a very telegraphed swing. Kaori, nervous and all, managed to block it though for a second Ash got worried as it looked like Yumi had put more strength into it than Kaori had expected.


    Then, Yumi went in from the opposite direction.


    "Don''t focus on doing anything too complicated, like parrying or deflecting," Yumi told her. "Just block. You need to get used to the feeling of using this... arm, to protect yourself."


    "O-Okay," Kaori nodded, and again, they traded blows. This went on for about ten minutes with Kaori looking uncomfortable, the entire time.


    However, then, Kaori stopped.


    "Hm? What''s the issue?" Yumi asked as Kaori looked up.


    "Uh..." Kaori was looking at something the others couldn''t see. "My proficiency."


    "What about it?" Yumi asked.


    "It just went up to 10."


    "Seriously?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah," Kaori sounded shocked. "I... I don''t get it."


    "I think..." Keiko muttered. "Well, I assume it''s because this is a new creation."


    "Hm?" Kaori turned to her.


    "Remember, proficiency is more of a measurement system, even though it does have an effect on your comfort with the weapon. This weapon was created specifically for  you. So, well, as you are the only user of it, your proficiency is automatically a 10."


    "Uh... So what do I do then?" Kaori asked.


    "Just keep training," Keiko told her. "The number doesn''t matter if you still feel uncomfortable."


    "Agreed," Yumi nodded. "Take your stance up again. Let''s keep going."


    "R-Right."

 Chapter 151 - Vol. 3 - 24

    Okay, these things are kind of uncomfortable... But I think I understand.


    Ash was currently adjusting her gauntlets. She''d transformed her Lust into them and was now adjusting the golden straps onto her wrists. Kaori and Keiko were watching from the back, and Yumi was waiting patiently with her naginata by her side.


    "Those are some interesting weapons," Yumi noted.


    "If by interesting you mean a bit on the nose, then yeah," Ash stated, feeling like she may as well just write "demon" on her forehead between her horns.


    The gauntlets were heavy, but as Ash kept her hands loose by her waist, Yumi took a few steps closer.


    "Hm... See," she pointed out, "with something like this, you will need to be even more precise to block. See this part of the blade?" Yumi held one of Ash''s hands up, so she could illustrate her point. "My naginata could slide right down this and either cut your arm off or cut into your chest."


    "Sounds wonderful."


    "Would you like to begin?"


    "Sure."


    ---


    Satsuhiro


    Considering what Vyl had said about that high-level demon, the group couldn''t afford to be reckless. Satsuhiro wanted to know all about any recent demon sightings, simply so he could tell them where not to go.


    Still, considering the chaotic nature of the recent demon attacks, there was no telling where their duties would take them next.  Hopefully,  Satsuhiro thought as Eliza sat in front of him with crossed legs, going over some papers in her hands that someone else had brought earlier,  they won''t have to go too far. I have a bad feeling about all this stuff going on,  Satsuhiro thought.  They''re definitely in danger, but... Well, all we can do is stay in Onyx for now.


    "These are the events that have been reported recently," Eliza stated, her clear eyes piercing into the Savior. "Just a couple of hours ago, a pack of demons was seen in the hills to the south. Before that, a lone demon was seen walking through the bamboo to the north, and before that, a violet aura was identified permeating through the northwest."


    Hm...  Satsuhiro nodded to her.  That second one is probably the Lust demon. The first is a random pack, the third... No idea what that could be.


    "How does this sound?" Eliza asked. "Is it overly concerning?"


    "... I wouldn''t say so," Satsuhiro crossed his arms and responded. "The escalation of demon activity near the city..." Satsuhiro muttered. "Well, it probably confirms your suspicions."


    Eliza looked away then, to where Ash was sparring with Yumi. Satsuhiro did the same. The half-demon was sweating, trying her hardest to keep up with the masked woman.


    "I wonder," Eliza suddenly said lowly. "An event like a demon invasion... How does that change people?"


    "What do you mean?" Satsuhiro looked back at her.


    "... Everyone in this room, with the only exception being myself, has had rather intense meetings with those creatures. I wonder if such a thing could change a person. Change a community, their worldviews, their prejudices. Would they appreciate what they have a little more after surviving or would they simply go back to how they were, comfortable in the knowledge that they lived?"


    Eliza shook her head.


    "As idiotic as it is to think about right now, the world will go on after the coming invasion. People will be left to pick up the pieces, or they will evacuate to the other cities and tell the tales of the day Onyx burned down. If the former occurs though," Eliza smiled wrily. "I wonder if the citizens of this city will still, ehm, dislike me, as much as they currently do. It''s nothing I should be concerned with at the moment, but I can''t help but wonder about it."


    The clanging of Ash and Yumi''s weapons sounded off in the background. Eliza remained silent for a while before she looked over at Satsuhiro.


    "Have they changed at all?" She asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Your students. I assume you''ve been with them since before these invasions started. Have you seen any such change in them?" Eliza asked.


    "..." Satsuhiro looked away. "It''s not my business to say."


    "And yet that response says enough," Eliza chuckled.


    The training continued for a couple of hours. Eliza and Satsuhiro''s conversation died down after that, and Eliza had temporarily left. She came back, however, just as Keiko and Yumi were finishing up their own session. Yumi was taking long, deep breaths at this point, and Eliza walked over to her.


    "Is it safe to say you''re done for the day?"


    "Heh," Yumi nodded. "Yes."


    "Good. Then," Eliza looked at the three girls, all of which had been given a workout by the masked Zayama. "I believe it might be time to take a look at that demon you captured. I will only be needing her though," Eliza pointed at Ash. "The rest are free to leave."


    "Does that mean I''m *not* free to leave?" Ash quickly asked with a raised brow.


    "You are, but," Eliza put her hands behind her back, "I did offer that armor upgrade. Do you not want it?"


    "Hm. Just checking if this is still a trade and not some fucked up extortion or something," Ash replied.


    "I see. Very well, come."


    "Uh, good luck," Kaori said to Ash.


    "Yeah."


    With that, Ash and Eliza left. Satsuhiro walked over to Keiko and Kaori, tapping his crutch against the stone floor.


    "We can wait outside again," he let them know.


    "Right," Keiko nodded and so, they left the room.


    ---


    Ash


    "What exactly do you want me to do with that thing?" Ash asked as she and Eliza walked through the halls of the Grey Chamber, to the room where Eliza had kept the demon.


    "Fight it," Eliza stated. "I wish to record its abilities, techniques, strategies. See how they think in combat. My hope is that doing so will allow us to prepare just a bit more thoroughly for the future. Our soldiers will never be on even footing with them, but knowing what to expect should help at least a little."


    Ash nodded slowly. It didn''t sound too unreasonable. Her only issue with this plan was that she felt like knowledge regarding the demons and how to fight them wasn''t really something that could be built through study. No, she felt like you had to feel it. See the ravenous beasts in front of you, feel the weight of their power trying to take you down. Only then could someone really get a sense of what they were going up against.


    "We''re here," Eliza said, opening up an old brown door. Inside was the Lust demon that Ash had caught earlier, alone, chained to the wall at the back. It looked up when Ash walked in and smirked.


    I am going to smack that shit off of your face so hard... The half-demon thought.


    "Do you need anything?" Eliza asked. "Or, are you ready to begin at this very moment?"


    "I can start now," Ash replied.


    "Very well," Eliza nodded, taking a couple of steps back. "Go ahead then."


    Then, a few guards who had been walking behind them went up to the demon and cautiously let her loose. They retreated immediately, though the Lust demon made no efforts to move. Instead, for a while, it simply sat there, on the ground, looking up at Ash.


    The half-demon walked up. She wasn''t going to use a weapon here, as the point wasn''t to kill the demon and she was more than confident she didn''t need one anyway. This thing was several levels lower than her, after all, not that Eliza needed to know that.


    As Ash approached, the demon finally stood up. Ash readied herself, expecting the demon to attack, but instead, it strutted over to her, that smirk fixed on its portrait. Ash narrowed her eyes at it as it approached, her fists clenched by her side. Her heart was racing for some reason.


    The demon put its hands on her chest, looking up at her seductively. Oh. Ash thought as she realized what was happening. It wants to fuck.


    And then Eliza spoke up.


    "... Is something wrong?"


    The instant Eliza said that it was like the demons Ash knew and had been fighting for a few months now finally showed up, because the Lust demon turned towards Eliza, snarled, and tried to run past Ash.


    Keyword being "tried". Ash picked the demon up before it could reach the Lord and slammed it to the ground. Ash found herself snarling at the demon as she kept a hand on its neck, keeping it held down.


    The demon tried to squirm but Ash''s hold was too tight.


    And then, casually, it went right back to that earlier strange look, smirking at Ash from below as the half-demon kept it down.


    The demon licked its lips and Ash sighed, standing up.


    "Put it back in its restraints," Ash told the guards standing by the door.


    "Hm? What''s the matter?" Eliza asked.


    "You''ll have to get your soldiers to fight it or something," Ash said as some soldiers grabbed the creature and placed it back where it had been.


    "You can''t fight this thing?" Eliza asked, skeptically.


    "I... It''s more like the thing doesn''t want to fight me, for whatever reason," Ash responded. "Yeah, sorry."


    Ash was about to head out, seeing that she was seemingly done here when Eliza stopped her.


    "...?" Ash raised a brow at her.


    "... There are more ways to test this thing than fighting. If it''s showing strange behavior around you, that''s worth looking at too," Eliza said. "How about after tomorrow''s lesson with the shrine maiden, we give something else a try?"


    "What do you have in mind?" Ash asked.


    "... I''ll let you know later. For now, you''re right. One of my soldiers will have to be the ones to test this."


    And both soldiers looked at each other, scared out of their minds as Ash left the area.

 Chapter 152 - Vol. 3 - 25

    As Ash stepped out of the Grey Chamber, she found her group waiting for her outside. Kaori, who had been sitting on the ground, stood up as soon as she saw the half-demon walk out of the palace. Keiko and Satsuhiro were both standing when Ash emerged. Keiko put her hands together while Kaori walked over to Ash.


    "Uh, everything went well?" Kaori asked.


    "Yeah, yeah," Ash nodded. "Everything''s fine."


    "Did she get what she wanted?" Satsuhiro asked next. Ash shook her head.


    "No, the... there was a bit of an issue."


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro raised a brow and leaned on his crutch a little. "What do you mean?"


    "... The demon wouldn''t attack me," Ash shrugged.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Anyway, Eliza said she''d test it out on her own and that she might have something for me later. So that I can get that armor upgrade, I mean. But, uh, for now, yeah. I''m done."


    "... Alright," Satsuhiro nodded. "Did she say what exactly she had in mind?"


    "Nope," Ash replied as she walked past him. "Whatever it is, if it''s too much, I''ll tell her to fuck off, if not, I''ll get it out of the way. I don''t really care, to be honest."


    "Wonder what her reaction would be to that," Kaori said with a chuckle.


    "We will have to come back though," Keiko added. "To continue training, I mean."


    "Yeah, sure. So," she turned towards them, "are we done or what?"


    "The day''s not over just yet," Satsuhiro responded as he looked up at the sky. Ash did the same and found it to be cloudless, with both of the twin moons out already while the sun was still hanging onto the horizon. "Just in case you feel like doing anything before we head back to the inn."


    "What is there to do?" Ash asked as she looked out at the buildings in the distance. "I don''t really feel like breathing in all that smoke from the factories. Are there any good restaurants or something?"


    "I was thinking more along the lines of looking for any mage shops," Satsuhiro countered. "We might be able to find a stray Dark spellbook or two."


    "There... was a library close to the inn," Keiko mentioned. "I found it when I came here a while ago. The owner of that place might own a Dark spellbook or two."


    "Worth checking out, I''d say," Satsuhiro said and Ash nodded.


    "Kaori?" She asked.


    "Hm?" At some point, the blonde had gotten lost in her own thoughts. She nodded. "Uh, sure."


    "..." Ash just looked at her for a bit and then sighed. "Alright, let''s go then."


    As Keiko had only been here once, her memory did not prove to be too reliable. The group searched the streets for almost an entire hour, passing by melancholic citizens and stoic guards on their way. It took a small amount of asking, but eventually, they did encounter the place Keiko was talking about.


    "I think that''s it," Keiko had stated as the group stood outside of a building nestled between a few others. Some of those others had broken windows, with a few glass shards still laying on the sidewalk. The library was spotless though.


    I guess no one wants to rob a library, Ash thought as she and the others went in. Ash herself hadn''t visited many libraries during her time in Jade. She had been too busy scouting cheap food joints.


    There was an old man behind a counter, looking down at a sheet of paper. He noticed the girls come in and smiled.


    "Welcome," he said.


    "Hello," Keiko walked up to him, bowing, with Satsuhiro trailing behind. Meanwhile, Ash walked with Kaori as the blonde inspected a few books.


    "Monsters of Onyx: A Collection of Dangerous Beasts," Kaori read. "The White Lily Festival, The Mist Realm''s Promises," she snickered a little. "Some of these sound more like novel titles than academic books."


    "Have you ever heard of anything like those things?" Ash asked. "That festival and that Mist whatever."


    "Um, not really. I think those both might be things in Amber. Might be wrong though."


    "Excuse me," Ash heard Satsuhiro say. "Do you happen to sell or rent any spellbooks here?"


    "Spellbooks?" The elderly man replied, scratching his chin. "Hmph. No, I''m afraid we don''t have anything of the sort. Most of the books here are either fiction or historical. If you want spellbooks though, there is a shop down the street that sells a few for cheap."


    "Ah, thank you." Satsuhiro nodded. "Ash, Kaori, did you hear that?"


    "Yeah," Ash let him know as Kaori put one book back where she''d taken it from.


    "Thanks again," Keiko bowed but the man interrupted her.


    "You... You''re that Zayama who came around some time ago, aren''t you?"


    "Haha, uh, yes..." Keiko replied with a smile. The man gave one of his own and chuckled a little.


    "Ah, I could tell by those eyes of yours, young lady. There aren''t too many like them," he nodded. "What were you here for last time? I believe it was... Zayama Magic, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, we do have one thing you might be interested in. It just came in around a week ago," the old man replied walking towards one of the shelves slowly.


    "Really!?" Keiko sounded shocked but the old man quickly shot her excitement down.


    "Don''t misunderstand, it''s not a book about their magic, but rather, their traditions."


    "Oh."


    Ash held back a laugh. The disappointment in Keiko''s tone was so noticeable, it was hilarious.


    "But," the old man continued, "a lot of these traditions were held all around the world. If you could find some of those places mentioned in this, you could ask around about magic there."


    "... I see," Keiko slowly nodded. "Thank you."


    Moments later, the group was walking out of the library with just one book having been attained from the library. Keiko was holding it, keeping it clutched to her chest protectively as the group began to walk back home.


    "It''ll be a while before we can really check any places out," Satsuhiro stated, "with that demon lurking outside the city. But, now that you have that, at least you have more options."


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "Agreed."


    "Though..." Kaori muttered. "If any of those are by Pearl..."


    "Yeah, not an option then," Ash said.


    "We don''t know that they are or that they aren''t," Satsuhiro responded. "Let''s just check the book out first and see."


    With that, the group made their way back to the inn. From outside, they could already hear the laughter and cheering of people indoors. Ash looked up and found that finally, the sun had retreated and the twin moons were shining down onto them.


    "I think I''m just gonna go straight to bed," Ash told the others.


    "I might do the same... Though, I would like to get a drink or two first," Kaori responded as Satsuhiro went to open the door.


    He did so, and as soon as the door swung a barrage of sound struck their ears. Ash hated it as soon as she heard it.  Yeah, no. Not my scene.  She shook her head, quickly walking to the right and up the steps.


    "Um, I''ll join her. Have fun though," Keiko told Kaori and Ash heard her footsteps as she followed behind.


    "Heh, you''re not in the mood to see Kaori go wild? Or, sorry, ''have a drink or two''?" Ash asked with a smile.


    "Well," Keiko smiled in return, a warm expression on her face that suddenly turned a little more serious, "it''s fun, don''t misunderstand, but..."


    "Yeah?" Ash asked, unlocking the door.


    "Maybe we should talk inside," Keiko stated.


    The two of them entered the room and as Ash kept the door open for when Kaori came up later. She laid down on the bed and Keiko sat down at the edge, putting her hands together.


    "So..." Ash started as she stared up at the ceiling, her hands held behind her head. "What''s up?" She asked, and Keiko sighed. She took off her shoes and laid down next to her.


    "I... I''m probably just making a big deal out of nothing, but... Well, I''ve been wondering if maybe there are some possible demon-related diseases out there."


    "Hm?" Ash had expected to hear a few things, maybe something about Yumi or that she was scared  with regards to the whole level 80 demon thing, but this had surprised her. "Why?"


    "I... Well, recently, I had been feeling sick..."


    "Oh. Are you sure it wasn''t anything you ate?" Ash asked.


    "And then I vomited..."


    "Yeah, it was probably..."


    "And it was violet," Keiko said and Ash shut up. "There was no food either. It... It was just some violet liquid."


    "..."


    Ash''s mind momentarily stopped working. She had never heard of anything like this.


    "Uh..."


    "So, I was wondering if maybe you knew about that. Any demon-caused or demon-related illnesses."


    All Ash could do was blink.


    "Yeah, we definitely need to ask someone about this."

 Chapter 153 - Vol. 3 - 26

    Kaori


    As the others had all gone to sleep upstairs, Kaori had been left to enjoy the festivities happening around her by herself. She had briefly gone up, changed out of her armor as Keiko and Ash slept in their room''s bed, and came back down wearing a brown dress she thought went well with her hair. Now, she was ready to relax for a little.


    Still, she planned to drink in moderation though. She understood that things were tense at the moment, with so many different things to keep in mind.


    Of course, that didn''t mean she couldn''t sip a little wine for now. She went to the bar where a girl wearing a black corset, black panties, and nothing else, an outfit that showed off her legs and hips wonderfully, was serving up drinks. Wait, isn''t this Keiko''s friend?  Kaori thought. Something that was confirmed when she saw a glint of recognition in the green-haired woman''s eyes.


    "Hello there, love," the woman greeted her with a smile. "You''re Keiko''s friend, right?"


    "I was about to ask the same thing," Kaori told her with an easygoing expression of her own. "Yeah. Kaori."


    "Caroline," the woman said, briefly letting go of some plate she''d been cleaning so she could shake Kaori''s hand. "A pleasure to meet you. I didn''t know Saviors take time off."


    "We have to rest sometimes," Kaori replied.


    "You''re the only one I''ve seen come around here though. Honestly feels pretty special," Caroline chuckled. "What''ll it be?"


    "Um," she''d intended to ask for some wine, but now that she was here... "What do you recommend?"


    "Oh, well," she grinned as she placed an elbow on the bar''s counter and put a hand under her chin, "for someone as lovely as you, I''d say the dragon grape wine is the best choice~" She told her with an innocently kind expression.


    Kaori blinked. Then, she giggled a little as she slid onto a wooden stool in front of her.


    Oh, so she''s a flirt? Kaori cleared her throat.  Well, even if this won''t be going anywhere, she''s cute enough. I''ll entertain her, she thought.


    "Why''s that?" Kaori asked.


    "It''s got just the right amount of sting paired with a sweet aftertaste that leaves pretty much everyone wanting more. Try it, words cannot do it justice." She had an interesting accent, one Kaori hadn''t heard before. The blonde shrugged.


    "If you believe in it that much then sure, but I''ll hold you to that," Kaori replied.


    "Heh, you''ll see." Caroline turned around and bent down to search one of the drawers for the wine she''d mentioned.


    As in, she popped her ass out directly towards Kaori instead of crouching or squatting. Kaori raised a brow at that. I guess subtlety isn''t something she values,  Kaori thought, holding back a chuckle.


    Caroline came back up with a grey bottle and placed it on the counter. After a bit of dextrous serving, a glass cup was placed in front of Kaori filled with a purple-ish liquid.


    "Go ahead, love."


    Kaori nodded and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the incoming taste. She picked it up and placed it against her lips, leaning back. As the fiery liquid slid down her throat, she opened her eyes with some surprise.


    "Mm, this is good!" She stated and Caroline held a prideful smirk.


    "Told ya."


    Kaori put the glass back down and was about to ask for more. Caroline cut her off.


    "No need, no need, like I said," she poured more of that wine in quickly, "everyone asks for more."


    One glass turned to two, which turned to three. Eventually, though, Kaori was more focused on talking to Caroline than drinking. She felt herself getting tipsy and decided now might be time to stop. So, she crossed her legs and she and the bartender settled into a conversation.


    Every now and then, some other customer would come and Caroline would absent-mindedly serve them before they''d keep talking.


    "Wait, so you own this place?"


    "Co-own it, actually," Caroline responded proudly. "My friend over there, giving that married couple the time of their lives, is the other owner." Kaori turned to where she found a boy dressed like a sexy butler with his arms wrapped around a middle-aged man and woman. "We started a bit ago, but... I think we''ve done a good enough job with this place."


    "I agree," Kaori smiled as she looked around. She had one leg crossed over the other and her hands on the counter. "Honestly, it''s... It''s like a separate world compared to the rest of the city."


    "That was the point," Caroline nodded. "Everything''s so drab and hopeless around here... We wanted to have the sort of place where people could go, let loose," and then, she took Kaori''s right, non-metallic hand in hers, "forget everything for a bit," she said with an enticing smile.


    Wow,  Kaori thought. She''s pretty direct. I can''t say I dislike that in someone though... Kaori noted.


    A few months ago, I''d probably end up waking up next to her in the morning. But...  She smiled nervously as Caroline borderline licked her lips at her.  How far should I let this go before I give her the bad news?


    Before she could come up with an answer, someone called out to her.


    "Kaori?"


    The blonde turned around and saw Metsumi looking over at her. Beside her was someone else, a smaller, dark-haired woman that Kaori hadn''t seen before. She had tired eyes and ruffled hair, wearing a simple white outfit.


    "Metsumi," Kaori turned towards her, as Caroline let go quickly. "Hi!"


    "Hey," Metsumi smiled warmly at her, taking a seat next to her. "Oh, is that dragon grape?" She asked as she looked down at the cup in front of Kaori.


    "Yeah, have you tried it?"


    "It''s great, my friend over here recommended it to me," Metsumi said, gesturing at the brunette. "Kaori, Ayami. Ayami, Kaori."


    "Hello," the woman said with a smile that matched her tired eyes. She looked like she was a couple of steps away from falling asleep on the spot. "Is she another daughter of yours?" She asked Metsumi. The dark-skinned woman shook her head.


    "My husband is, uh, tutoring her," Metsumi replied.


    "Oh, I see. What are you studying?" Ayami asked.


    "Uh, zoology?" Kaori almost asked as her answer and Ayami tilted her head.


    "I don''t think I''ve met such a scholar before. How interesting."


    Yeah I haven''t either. Do they even exist?


    "So, uh, Keiko and Ash, where are they?" Metsumi asked.


    "Oh, they''re upstairs," Kaori casually answered. "They were a little more tired than I was so they called it a day early."


    She''d responded to that normally, or at least she''d felt like she had, but Ayami paled when she heard that. Her lips parted with surprise and Kaori raised a brow quizzically at her.


    "Are you okay?" Kaori asked.


    "I-It couldn''t be..." Ayami looked away as she muttered. "Oh, sorry, no, I... You reminded me of someone, is all," she forced out a laugh, taking a step back. "Um, anyway, I think I''m going to go to sleep for now. Maybe I''ll see you tomorrow?" She asked Metsumi.


    "Sure," Metsumi smiled and waved as Ayami bowed.


    "Nice to meet you, scholar," she told Kaori and then, stiffly, the woman turned around and walked away.


    Metsumi yawned, stretching. She flexed the muscles on her impressive arms before looking over at Kaori.


    "It''s getting a bit late, I think I''ll do the same... Don''t stay up too late," Metsumi said, sneaking a glance at Caroline. "You''ve got stuff to do."


    "Heh, I know, I know," Kaori responded. "Don''t worry. Have a good night."


    "You too, Kaori."


    With that, Metsumi stood up and left as well.


    "Damn," Caroline said as soon as the woman was gone. "I have to say, love. You do hang around with some pretty hot people."


    Kaori laughed at that.


    "I know, it''s one of the perks of my job, I guess."


    "Maybe I chose the wrong career then," Caroline said. "So, done with the drinks or what?"


    "Hm..." Kaori thought about it. She certainly wasn''t drunk yet, and she was sure she wasn''t tipsy either. So, she nodded. "Sure."


    Caroline obliged and went to serve the same drink for her. Kaori casually threw it back. And that was her mistake. The drink ended up pushing her over the tipsy line, and now, the room was half-spinning.


    Shit.  Kaori thought, scolding herself.


    "Actually, could I get some water too? Right, gosh," Kaori shook her head, reaching into her pockets. She snagged a few crowns and tossed them onto the counter. "I forgot, I haven''t paid."


    "Hm... Here," Caroline slid back one of those coins to Kaori''s side of the counter, "a discount. Since you''re so cute and all."


    Blushing, Kaori chuckled.


    "Thank you."


    "Just telling the truth," Caroline''s eyes then turned half-lidded as she leaned forwards a little. Kaori absent-mindedly did the same, resting her elbows on the counter. "In all honesty, I see a pretty face walk in all the time. But, you... I don''t know," Caroline told her with a soft tone. "There''s something special about you. As in, there''s gorgeous, beautiful, and then there are girls like you who need a whole new word to be invented for them. It''s troubling, truly."


    Shaking her head, Kaori laughed. She had to admit, it was strange hearing someone compliment her like this after so long. With Keiko and Ash, their expressions of endearment towards Kaori were a lot more physical. Understandably so, after all, neither Ash nor Keiko had ever been with anyone before, to Kaori''s knowledge, so they still hadn''t quite figured out how to talk a girl up.


    It made her feel a little guilty, but she had missed being on the receiving end of this sort of thing.


    What made her feel even guiltier though was what Caroline did next.


    She leaned forwards like she was going to tell Kaori a secret. So, instinctively, Kaori did the same. Only, the only thing her lips did was meet Kaori''s own above the counter, giving her a light kiss.


    Kaori froze. Her entire body tensed up as she felt the woman''s lips on hers. I... What? She finally realized what was happening when Caroline slipped her tongue into her mouth, and she quickly leaned back, ending it wide-eyed, a thin strand of saliva still connecting them.


    ... Crap.  Kaori thought, reaching up and putting her fingers to her lips.  I messed up. I messed up, I messed up.


    Caroline just chuckled.


    "Did you like that?" She asked.


    "Um..." Kaori took a deep breath. A million thoughts went through her mind in the span of two seconds, but this was what she came up with:


    She felt like it had been her mistake that she''d let Caroline''s advances go this far. She didn''t want to make the woman feel bad for something she''d been responsible for, so now, she was in the process of figuring out a way to run away without making it seem like she was, well, running away.


    "Yeah," Kaori replied. "You... You have soft lips..."


    "Hahaha, thank you. So," she leaned forwards again. "Care to join me for a bit? We have another room you might be interested in, I think. Especially if you''ve had a long day with all that Savior work you do."


    "Uh," Kaori cringed, "No. No, I think... I''m sorry, but I, uh, have a lot to do tomorrow and I can''t skip out on it. Sorry, maybe we can hang out a little though, some other time." She tried to give a polite smile. It must have worked, either that or Caroline was so dense a knife couldn''t penetrate her head, that she nodded.


    "Alright," Caroline shrugged. "Have a wonderful night, love. But," she winked. "I''ll hold you to that."


    "Yeah, right," Kaori responded, and then, she left.


    Upstairs, the door to her room was left slightly open. Kaori gently pushed it in and she saw Keiko, turned away from Ash, with the half-demon''s closed eyes pointed up at the ceiling. Instantly, as she saw the half-demon and the Zayama, a wave of guilt came and battered Kaori''s mind. She sighed, and took her shoes off, walking towards the bed.


    With saddened eyes, she hopped in next to Ash, and for a moment, she just watched her.


    ... I''m sorry,  Kaori thought.  Ugh, I should have said something sooner. So dumb! Kaori punched the bed with her right hand.


    And that made Ash''s eyes slowly open. The half-demon yawned and blinked twice, as Kaori watched her, worried that she''d see the guilt on her face.


    "Kaori?" Ash asked, with that tired, gravelly voice she usually had in the mornings. "Are you okay?"


    That was the first question to come out of her. The same girl who Kaori had, against her will, nearly fought to the death when they first met. The same woman who would sooner kick a cat than hug it, the same woman who would curse out anyone and everyone who got on her nerves, regardless of their social standing or power, or money.


    Her first question to Kaori was,  "are you okay?"


    Kaori let her head fall against the pillow as Ash brushed away some hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.


    "... Yeah," Kaori nodded. "I''m good."


    "Good," Ash pulled her in then, embracing her as she closed her eyes.. Kaori did the same and tried her hardest to calm her heart down, which she swore Ash had to have felt pounding against her chest.

 Chapter 154 - Vol. 3 - 27

    Ash


    Ash woke up the next morning with her arms wrapped around a certain blonde. She yawned, looking down and finding Kaori nestled into her embrace.  Right, she shook her head a little as she sat up. She came to bed later. Well, hope she had fun.


    Keiko was already awake, judging by the empty spot next to the half-demon. Ash stood up and walked out of the room, getting ready to start her day. After a quick bath, she walked downstairs and found her group having breakfast at a table close to the entrance of the inn. Metsumi was sitting next to Opah and Satsuhiro, while Keiko was silently enjoying some eggs opposite them.


    Ash sat down next to her and leaned back in her chair.


    "So, what are we doing today? Just training again?"


    "I''d recommend that," Satsuhiro nodded. "You need to work on those proficiencies after all. But, maybe after that, you could..."


    At that moment, someone opened the door to the inn wildly. Ash raised a brow and looked to her left. It was a man who worked here, judging by that strange revealing outfit, with a desperate look and a pair of frightened eyes.


    "What the...?" Ash muttered.


    "What''s going on?" Caroline asked, quickly walking over to the guy.


    He gulped, looked over at Ash''s table, looked back at Caroline, and said:


    "A portal opened up outside the city!"


    As soon as Ash heard that, she sighed.


    Fuck.


    ---


    Later, at the Grey Chamber


    "How long do we have?" Eliza asked. Satsuhiro, a tired-looking Kaori, a silent Keiko, and an annoyed Ash were sitting with her in a roundtable. A few military officers were standing by, keeping their ears perked up for what the Savior''s had to say.


    "A week, a week and a half, maybe two weeks," Satsuhiro answered, "depends on the size of the portal."


    "Hm..." Eliza nodded. "Not much time, but it should be enough to come up with something suitable."


    "Should we evacuate the citizens, milady?" One of the knights asked.


    "No," Eliza quickly replied.


    "But, what if the city...?"


    "Sapphire held out against them," Eliza pointed out as the knight looked at her with apprehension. "Victory is possible against the demon army. We will not concede the city before the fighting even begins. Prepare an escape route, but make no mistake, we  will  fight them."


    "... I see. I will assemble a group to do so, at once," he replied, bowing. Then, he walked out of the room, his boots thudding against the ground. Eliza sighed and looked over at Ash''s group.


    "What do you recommend we do, Saviors?" Eliza asked. "Preparations were being made for this since before even Sapphire''s battle, and yet... I cannot help but feel as though they are not enough."


    "Nothing is," Ash quickly informed her.


    "Is that so?" Eliza asked.


    Now, everyone in the room had their eyes set on the half-demon. Ash sighed and tapped a finger against the wooden table. She narrowed her eyes down at the map that laid at its center, depicting the city of Onyx in its entirety.


    "Listen," Ash started, "there are a few things you have to accept from the start. Or not, I don''t really give a shit, but I''m just saying."


    "I''m listening," Eliza said and Ash nodded.


    "You''re going to lose half of your soldiers," she nonchalantly said and a few of the knights gasped, paling with fear. "At the very least. Aside from that, a pretty big part of the city is going to be in pieces by the time those things are done with it. Basically, what I''m saying is there''s no way you''re getting through this without a lot of people dying."


    Ash stated and crossed her legs, putting her hands behind her head.


    "But, if you can come up with something, yeah, those things can be beaten because they aren''t infinite or whatever. At some point, Niven will just decide to cut his losses and dip."


    "... You''re speaking fairly casually about the deaths of thousands, Savior..." One knight said with some clear anger in his tone. Ash glared at him.


    "As far as I know, dumbass, my only job is to fight for you. Not to care  about you."


    "You vile piece of..."


    "Enough," Eliza stood up and half-yelled. Ash shrugged and the man turned away. "The Savior is right. All she can do is tell us what she knows and what she recommends. The rest is up to us. That said," she looked over at Ash, "I do hope your feelings towards others will not come to play when you fight for the city."


    "As long as the reward is nice enough,"  and doing this keeps Kaori, Keiko, and the others safe, she added in her mind, "I promise it won''t."


    "Good," Eliza nodded. "Now, as far as what we can do to heighten our chances of success, there are a few different ways to approach this situation. For one," she told some officer, "we will need to distribute more in the form of ranged weaponry to our soldiers. These demons will be stronger than our forces, correct?"


    "Mhm," Ash replied.


    "Then, fighting up-close is the last thing we want. I want to see every soldier in the city with a silver crossbow on their backs, got it?"


    "Yes, milady."


    "You, uh," Kaori raised a hand, "you should probably make sure the civilians have a safe place to be in, while the fighting is happening. Just so no one gets hurt."


    "That will be taken care of as well, thank you," Eliza responded.


    "A week and a half being the most likely time for the fighting to start," Keiko added, "gives plenty of time for aid to come. You should send word to Jade, specifically to our clan as well," Keiko took a deep breath. "I''d like to think that at least a little bit of help would be sent for me."


    "Our clan?" Eliza asked with a raised brow.


    Ash''s group was confused.


    "Uh, yes," Keiko replied. "The Zayamas."


    "... Dear," Eliza chuckled. "I''m not a Zayama."


    What?  Ash narrowed her eyes.


    "But," Keiko started, "your eyes..."


    Eliza shook her head.


    "We need to focus. If you wish to discuss that, I will, after the planning is done, but no. I am not actually a Zayama."


    The rest of the meeting was fairly boring. Ash didn''t have to speak again, which she was partly happy about. They discussed things like possible escape routes, the best areas in the city to fight in, and the kind of formations the soldiers would use. None of which Ash gave a crap about.


    All she knew was that her blades would need to stab as many demons as possible. That was the only "plan" she had and cared about.


    They walked out of that room and Eliza went up to Ash.


    "Savior," she started, "before you begin training, could you please come with me to see the demon? I would like to continue the tests."


    "How long are you gonna hold that thing for?" Ash asked.


    "It''s not every day that a powerful demon is held captive like this, I would like to take advantage of the situation. Is that not understandable?"


    "I guess, but what are you even getting out of this at this point?"


    "Well," she smirked, "if what I''m thinking ends up being true, then you will see. For now, let''s just go and give it a visit."


    The two of them walked through the halls to where the demon was being held. Ash walked into its room and she was surprised. There were no cups or plates nearby, so she assumed they hadn''t been feeding this thing at all, but as Ash''s eyes went up its feminine figure, she found that the demon''s body had barely changed.


    The only noticeable difference was that it seemed calm. A calmness that continued when its eyes met Ash''s, and a smile bloomed on its face.


    "What do you want me to do?" Ash asked.


    "... Interact with it?" Eliza replied. "It seems to be treating you differently. I would like to know why that is."


    Oh, I can tell you why,  Ash thought. That''s definitely easy to answer.


    "How?" Ash asked.


    "For now, maybe... Release it from its restraints. See what it does. If it goes crazy then, well, you can fight it, right?"


    Ash sighed.


    "Sure."


    "I will be outside then, just in case it tries to attack me. Good luck," Eliza said and with that, she left the room, closing the door. Ash''s violet eyes met with the demon''s own again and the creature smirked.


    Ash took a deep breath, which was a mistake because another difference that Ash had only just now noticed was that the demon was emitting a strange, alluring scent. She could only compare it to the heavy perfume she''d sometimes pick up from traveling nobles as they walked in front of her.


    The demon casually spread its legs.


    "Really?" Ash asked lowly, walking up to it with her arms crossed. The demon, which had been sitting down, stood up.


    It laughed a little, licking its lips as Ash got closer.


    "Stop that," Ash told it. "What? You think I''m just gonna start fucking you here because you''re hot and you smell nice? Is that it?"


    Wait... What the fuck did I just say?


    And, as Ash caught herself, and that scent intensified, she took a step back.


    Okay, getting closer was a bad idea. Actually, being in this fucking room to begin with was a bad idea.


    She almost ran out.


    Eliza was standing there, waiting. She was surprised when she saw Ash emerge from the room so quickly.


    "Hm? How did it go?" Eliza asked.


    "Uh," Ash cleared her throat. "Yeah, it went well. Whatever. Listen, I need to get to work." And with that, Ash had been about to leave the area, but a knight ran up and stopped in front of her.


    "What is it?" Eliza asked, from behind Ash.


    "I... Milady, Savior," he said, "I think you need to see this."


    What?


    They were taken to a strange tower at the back of the Grey Chamber. There was a room behind an iron gate, about as small as a kitchen, and Eliza walked into it.


    "Come in," she told Ash and the half-demon walked in as well.


    "Kind of cramped, isn''t it?" Ash asked.


    "It''s an elevator, of course, it''s cramped."


    "A wh-" Suddenly, the room they were in began to ascend. "WHAT!?" Ash pressed her back against a wall, trying to keep herself from falling. "What the fuck?"


    "Calm down," Eliza rolled her eyes, "now," she turned to the soldier who had interrupted them, "what was it?"


    The "elevator" stopped moving when they reached some sort of rooftop. But, as Ash took a step out, she gasped.


    She could see the entire city from here, and most of the land surrounding it.


    Holy shit.  Ash thought as Eliza walked towards the center.


    "Well?"


    "Uhm, those... Milady."


    "What do you-.... Oh. Crap," Eliza said and Ash followed her line of sight.


    And, upon doing so, saw that two other portals had opened up at the city''s sides.


    "Is this normal?" Eliza asked Ash.


    Calming herself down, Ash shook her head.


    "Usually it''s just one."


    Niven''s changing his strategy.  Ash thought as she saw those violet diamond-like shapes crackling in the distance.

 Chapter 155 - Vol. 3 - 28

    As Ash and Eliza returned to the Grey Chamber''s main hall, Keiko, Satsuhiro, and Kaori were waiting. Ash kept her eyes low as Eliza put her hands on her hips and walked towards them.


    "I assume you were informed, right?" Eliza asked and Satsuhiro raised a brow.


    "The portal? Yes, we literally discussed it," Satsuhiro confirmed.


    "Not just one. Three in total," Eliza clarified.


    Satsuhiro sighed.


    "That''s.... Concerning."


    "From what I''ve seen of the reports of the other two attacks, the strategy the demon army used in both instances was a simple front-to-back siege. Now, it appears they''ve changed their mind. For now, though, some more basic preparations will need to be made. Of course, you are free to continue training during this time. Take care."


    "Wait," Keiko walked up. Eliza raised a brow, crossing her arms. "Y-You said you aren''t a Zayama... What do you mean by that?"


    "Ah, right," Eliza nodded. "Well, the truth of the matter is fairly simple. Over the years, not every Zayama has been appreciative of the clan''s unique culture. Due to this, some individuals here and there have left the Compound and went on to build lives of their own across the world. I believe your clan refers to these people by the same name they do those who fail to activate their Spirit Eye..."


    "Zayo?" Keiko asked.


    "Right. Zayo. One of my ancestors was this type of rogue. Thanks to that, I have these eyes," she pointed out. "My children may not however, my grandchildren may not. Because the origin of this ability is so far down the family line, it is a matter of chance whether anyone else in my family receives this."


    Ash noticed a confused expression appearing on Keiko''s face. She didn''t get that, to her, this had been relatively straightforward.


    "Very well, I must continue to see to our preparation. Until next time, Saviors."


    And with that, Eliza retreated back into those other rooms. Ash walked up to Keiko.


    "Are you good?" Ash asked.


    "Y-Yes, I just... I suppose I should have assumed that could have happened," Keiko explained, "but the thought of Zayamas leaving the Compound or disassociating with the clan in general, it never really came to my mind that people could do that."


    "You may as well get some training in," Satsuhiro stated and the girls looked over at him. "There were a lot of factors that came into play in Sapphire that led to their victory. The harsh terrain, the bridge, Vermia''s presence. Onyx itself has some advantages, the technology mainly, but not the same, which means you''ll likely need to be better than you were back then if you want to win here."


    Keiko and Kaori nodded. Ash sighed.


    "Yay, more training. Wonderful," Ash blankly said and Satsuhiro gestured at the entrance.


    "I''ll leave you to it," Satsuhiro said. "You remember the way back to the inn by now, right?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded.


    "Good. Oh, and... I wanted to say," Satsuhiro took a subtle deep breath. "I noticed you three were a lot more assertive with regards to what you know, back at that meeting earlier. It''s good to see. I''m proud."


    Kaori smiled at that. Hearing Satsuhiro say that made Ash feel... strange.


    "Anyway, yeah. Have fun," and with that, Satsuhiro turned away, tapping his crutch against the ground as he left the Grey Chamber.


    ---


    Keiko


    The three of them went back to that open spot. The sun poured in from outside and as the girls entered the training area, Keiko saw Yumi sitting by the table to the right, one leg crossed over the other with her hands held together, looking out towards the distant lands.


    They walked up to her and upon seeing them, Yumi stood up.


    "Greetings," Yumi bowed. "How have you been?"


    "Good," Keiko answered. A question bubbled up in her mind and, before they would start training, Keiko felt like getting it out there. "I... excuse me, could I ask you something?"


    "Of course," Yumi nodded.


    "Did you know about the rogue Zayamas?"


    "Hm?"


    "Um, people who choose to live outside of the Compound."


    Yumi tilted her head.


    "I suppose you could call me one, is that what you''re trying to do?"


    "Oh, uh, no, not like that, I mean, um, like, people who don''t like the clan."


    "... I''m afraid I don''t really understand what you''re getting at, I apologize," Yumi responded and Keiko sighed.


    "It''s fine..." She said.  But... How common of an occurrence is this? Keiko asked herself as Yumi went to grab her naginata.


    "Are you prepared?" She asked the group.


    "Yes," Keiko nodded.


    "Alright, then let''s get started."


    What followed was the usual, but now, of course, their clashes were laced with the extra determination brought by the fact that a large-scale battle was officially on the horizon. Kaori was up first. Keiko and Ash watched from the side while she tried her best to defend herself from Yumi''s naginata. To Keiko''s eyes, she looked a little more comfortable. Her metallic arm would still move awkwardly on occasion, but generally, her motions would look slightly more natural.


    At one point though, Yumi''s weapon slipped past Kaori''s shield, and the blonde was nearly hurt. Both Keiko and Ash took a step forward when this happened, but Yumi stopped herself before Kaori could actually be injured.


    "Hm..." Yumi hummed as they briefly paused. "It might honestly be worth it for you to put a few points into your Dexterity."


    "Why?" Kaori asked.


    "That shield is terribly small," Yumi pointed out. "The strength of the material means that you will be able to block the same kinds of powerful strikes as other shields, but your blocks need to be far more precise than that of a regular shield user. If they aren''t, that could happen again," she informed Kaori. "And an enemy wouldn''t stop like I did, would they?"


    "Right, thanks," Kaori nodded.


    "No problem."


    Next, was Ash.


    The half-demon put those gauntlets on and stood opposite Yumi, with her weapons by her waist. She took a deep breath, nodded, and got into a fighting stance. Then, Ash ran forwards. She took a few lunging swipes at Yumi and to Keiko''s eyes, they looked wild. Yumi had no trouble at all blocking and dodging the half-demon''s attacks.


    Ash went for an overhead strike and Yumi ducked. She extended a leg and tripped Ash, making her fall on her face.


    "There is a lot of power behind your strikes," Yumi said. "But they aren''t precise. Against mindless demons, I assume you''ve had much success, but..." Yumi lowered her head. Her volume lowered a little, and Keiko sensed that she had reminded herself of something scary. "Against an enemy of a higher caliber, you would die in the first exchange."


    "... I can''t really work on my Dex though," Ash replied. "It''s not really my style."


    "You don''t need to," Yumi quickly replied. "How do I say this? The reason your movements are not precise is not because of your body, but rather, your attacks are not planned. Does that make sense? You are essentially fighting one attack at a time, when a true combatant must, at the very least, know what their body will be doing three moves after the next. Your current approach is making you slower than you should be. Here, try this," Yumi said. "Attack me exactly as you were doing before, two times."


    "Uh," Ash nodded awkwardly. Then, she threw two punches with her gauntlets, one aimed at Yumi''s abs and another aimed at her chest. The masked woman dodged both easily.


    "Now," she said. "I want you to pick out two areas of my body before you strike, think about it, think about how you will transition between hits, and try again."


    Nodding again, Ash stopped for a moment. Keiko saw her eyes go to Yumi''s thighs, and then to her head. Then, she hunched over.


    "Ready," Ash said.


    "Go."


    And then, Ash charged forwards. She threw a left jab at Yumi''s left thigh, and when that failed, she went up to Yumi''s head.


    The masked woman dodged both attacks easily, but Keiko saw the improvement. She was just a split second faster.


    "Holy shit," Ash muttered.


    "See?" Yumi asked. "The ability to improvise is a good thing to have, but when it''s not refined, it leads to clumsiness. And clumsiness in the middle of a fight is just going to lead to defeat."


    With Ash''s session out of the way, now, about an hour and a half after they''d started, it was Keiko''s turn. Ash, who was sweating like crazy, walked away and sat down on the floor, putting her knees up to her chest. Kaori sat next to her.


    Keiko unsheathed her sword and Yumi stood ahead of her, waiting. She wasn''t even breathing heavy, which was impressive to see.


    "Keiko, with you," Yumi started, "there''s really only one thing to train."


    "Thinking outside the box?" Keiko asked.


    "Precisely," Yumi nodded. "You have the exact opposite problem that Ash has. You need to try to focus more on capitalizing on the openings I present. If I show you something that doesn''t align with your plan, your plan needs to change. Understood?"


    "Yes," Keiko replied.  I think.


    "Start."


    And with that, they began to trade blows. Keiko tried her hardest to attack from different angles. She never got close to landing a hit onto Yumi, but the two of them did move around the room wildly as a result of this new approach. At a point, Yumi lifted her naginata just a bit too high.  Attack low,  Keiko told herself. She tried that and Yumi used the shaft of her naginata to block.


    "Good!" She pointed out, sounding pleased. Keiko nearly stopped fighting as a smile came to her face.


    Yumi spun in place and swung her blade. Keiko stepped back, dodging, and saw that Yumi''s left side was vulnerable. She did a spin of her own and closed the gap. Yumi blocked with her shaft again, and the two of them ended up face to face, just a few inches separating them.


    "You''re getting better," Yumi highlighted. As Keiko took a step back, she took a deep breath. Bowing, she said:


    "T-Thank you..."


    "You''re welcome."


    ---


    Ash


    After a while, finally, they left. Yumi walked with them to the entrance of the Grey Chamber and stood by as the group walked out the building.


    "We''ll come back tomorrow," Keiko promised. Ash looked down at her own hands as the two Zayamas talked.  Hm. I can''t really see myself fighting in a "controlled" way though. Even with that stuff we did, it''s one thing to do that in training, but... With a demon staring at me, will I be able to remember those lessons?


    "I look forward to it," Yumi replied.


    "Hey, weren''t we going to try to see what happened to her superiors or something?" Kaori asked.


    "Right! We need to do that too," Keiko told Yumi.


    "I..." Yumi started. "As much as I appreciate the thought, I believe it might be better to focus on getting used to this new world," Yumi stated. "This castle alone has been so strange to be in. I still have a ways to go before I can worry about anything other than adjusting. But, again, thank you."


    And with that, the group departed.


    As Keiko had pointed out, she remembered the way back to the inn. They spoke a little about their training as they walked.


    "How did it feel?" Keiko asked. "When you changed strategies."


    "I guess I performed better, but..." Ash looked down. "I don''t know. It feels so weird."


    "You''ll get used to it," Kaori optimistically said.


    "I hope."


    "If not, you do have your Demon Form to rely on," Keiko added.


    "I''d rather not have to depend on that for too much... Outside of the bedroom anyway," Ash said with a smirk. Kaori laughed and Keiko blushed.


    Finally, they reached the inn and walked inside. Immediately, Metsumi, who was sitting at the table in front of the door greeted them. Beside her was Satsuhiro, Opah and...


    Ash froze.


    It took her a second to recognize her, but when her mind saw that face, memories long-buried resurfaced.


    "Hey, how''d the training go?" Metsumi asked.


    "Went well," Keiko replied as she nonchalantly sat down across the woman Ash was staring at right now. Kaori sat next to Keiko, but Ash just stood there.


    She couldn''t move. Her heart had turned cold and her eyes widened. The woman she was looking at, in turn, was also staring at her, and it felt like Ash was almost looking into a mirror. She was giving her the same exact expression she had on right now.


    "We were just about to order some dinner," Metsumi said. "What do you want?"


    "Um, I''ll have..." Kaori responded and finally, Ash''s legs willed her to move up.


    She took a shaky breath, chills crawling up her spine as every sound in the inn faded away. The only one who noticed Ash''s behavior was Satsuhiro. The older Savior raised a brow.


    "Ash? Are you okay?" He asked.


    Ash ignored him. She took one step closer, staring at the brunette woman with bags under her eyes and a shocked, stunned look on her face, who had been sitting casually next to Metsumi when Ash had arrived.


    And, as the woman''s surprised look turned scared, Ash said:


    "Mom?"

 Chapter 156 - Vol. 3 - 29

    As she said that word, the table went silent. Metsumi''s eyes widened, Kaori''s lips parted with surprise, Keiko looked back and forth between the woman at the end of the table and Ash. For several seconds after speaking that word, Ash couldn''t move.


    For years, her parents'' faces, their names, their lives as far as she had seen them, were all blurry. But now, with Ayami in front of her, all of that came back, flooding her thoughts. It was so much that she simply couldn''t operate.


    Her mother was sitting there, a stunned look on her face as she and Ash locked eyes.


    The half-demon had spent so many sleepless nights imagining what she''d say to her parents if she saw them again. She''d rehearsed many different curses and outbursts, all in case a moment like this ever happened, and yet, with her mother here, now, she forgot it all.


    Instead, all she could think of was what she was feeling. And what she felt went from confusion to pure rage..


    She stomped forwards, walking past the others and towards Ayami, then, she picked her up by her shoulders effortlessly, yanking her out of the chair, and pinned her to the nearest wall. Ash''s shocked expression changed to one of fury, and she pulled a clenched fist back.


    "Stop!" Metsumi said as she had stood up and held Ash''s arm back.


    Ash was shaking with anger. The others in the building were so busy partying that barely any of them noticed. Only a few workers, Caroline included, saw what was happening. Caroline marched towards them.


    "Hey, what''s going on here?" She asked, concerned.


    Ash didn''t respond.


    "Nothing," Metsumi told her. "Ash, calm down."


    "Bullshit..." Ash muttered when she heard that. Every fiber of her being was telling her to wrap her hands around her mother''s throat and-


    "Ash," Metsumi entered her field of view. She loosened her grip on Ash''s arm and instead, turned it into a soothing gesture. Ash''s violet eyes went from Ayami to Metsumi, who looked almost scared. "Please, take a second."


    Seeing Metsumi look at her like that almost made Ash want to cry. She looked away, gritted her teeth, and reluctantly let go. Ayami fell to the ground, coughing. Ash hadn''t realized it, but she had actually held her by her neck.


    She took a step back and did the first thing she could think of. She ran out of the inn.


    "Wait!" Metsumi called out, but Ash didn''t stop. She emerged out in the street, drawing the eyes of many citizens as they saw a pissed-off half-demon marching down the sidewalk. She could hear someone following her, most likely Metsumi, but she didn''t turn around to check. She was too angry.


    She walked for a while. Her body was hot with rage as she kept going, only slowing down once she reached a part of the city she didn''t recognize. One with far fewer people. There were some homeless citizens laying in alleys and a horse or two carrying stoic guards, but nothing more than empty-looking buildings.


    As she finally stopped and sat down, she realized Metsumi was still there. Just a bit behind her was Keiko as well. Kaori and Satsuhiro had both stayed back at the inn.


    Ash put her hands on her head and sighed.


    "What... the fuck?" She mumbled.


    Wordlessly, Metsumi sat down next to her. Keiko remained standing, just a few feet away, looking at Ash with compassionate, clear eyes.


    Metsumi didn''t say anything. She just looked up at the sky as Ash instead looked down at the road.


    "Sorry," Ash said, just to break the silence.


    "What are you apologizing for?" Metsumi asked.


    At that, Ash sighed again.


    "For freaking out, I don''t know."


    "I think that''s justified, given your situation," Metsumi replied. "But... Maybe beating her up is a bit..."


    Ash closed her eyes.


    "Sorry."


    "No, it''s okay, just... Try to calm down."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "I''m good. I was just... Surprised is all."


    She said that, but a bit of that fire was still in her chest. Just thinking about her mother''s face made her angry again.


    "That''s okay," Metsumi scooted closer and threw an arm over Ash''s back, pulling her in. Ash let herself fall into the embrace. "That''s fine. Take your time."


    "So, well, I suppose this is obvious but..." Keiko said. "That was your mother?"


    "... Yeah," Ash answered as Metsumi ran her hand up and down Ash''s right shoulder, trying to comfort her.


    "I see..." Keiko responded.


    "At least," Metsumi said, "you handled it... a little better than some would have expected."


    You mean to say you''re surprised I didn''t literally kill her? I guess that''s good.


    "I knew she was either here or in Amber," Ash muttered, "but I didn''t think I''d actually run into her. I don''t know, I guess it just felt like it wouldn''t happen. Now," she sighed, "I''m just... What the fuck am I supposed to do?"


    "Ash," Metsumi said with a soft tone, "we talked about this, didn''t we?"


    "Yeah, but, I didn''t really think I''d run into her. Keeping shit together when she''s right in front of me... it''s easier said than done."


    "I think..." Keiko said, walking up. "Sometimes we need to get things off our chest like that. Last time I was in the Compound, I punched my grandmother in the face," she chuckled. Ash raised her brows at that. "I hadn''t realized how much I needed that."


    "So, you''re saying I should just deck my mom?" Ash asked with a smirk.


    "Um, perhaps I''m a bad example?" Keiko said and Ash chuckled a little.


    She shook her head and rested it on Metsumi''s shoulder. Crossing her legs, Ash took a deep breath.


    "Give me a sec, I''m fine."


    ---


    Kaori


    The last few minutes were so surprising that Kaori was still trying to piece them together in her thoughts. Ash had come in, seen Ayami, declared that she was her mother, and nearly assaulted her. Then, she left without a word, and now, Ayami was curled up, crying.


    "What the hell happened here?" Caroline asked her.


    "Uh, nothing, nothing," Kaori replied.  I should probably get her out of this room, just to prevent the customers from spreading rumors.


    Kaori walked over to Ayami and put a hand on her shoulder. The woman looked up. Looking at her like this, Kaori realized just how much she actually looked like Ash. Save for the violet eyes, horns, and white hair, they were quite a bit alike.


    "Uh, hey, it''s okay, come on," Kaori extended a hand to help her up. "Let''s uh, get you some privacy."


    Ayami sniffled and nodded, taking Kaori''s hand. With that, she helped her upstairs and took Ayami to her room. Ayami just followed absent-mindedly, and the two of them sat down on Kaori''s bed.


    "Do you want some water?" Kaori asked.


    "... Please," Ayami nodded.


    "Got it, be right back."


    Kaori gently closed the door behind her as she walked out into the hall and sighed.  This... feels like a pretty messy situation, but, she smiled,  Ash''ll work it out. I trust her.


    She walked back downstairs and asked Caroline for some water. The owner of the inn seemed on edge still, but she gave Kaori a cold glass. Kaori was heading back to the second floor, but Satsuhiro spoke to her before she could.


    "Are you going to try talking to her?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Uh, yeah."


    "Don''t overload her," Satsuhiro warned. "She just saw her kid for the first time in six years. She''s not exactly in a stable spot. If she wants to talk, good, if she doesn''t, don''t make her."


    "Alright," Kaori nodded and she turned, walking back up.


    She could hear Ayami''s sniffling coming from her room. Kaori walked in with the glass of water and handed it to her, sitting down next to the middle-aged woman. For a while, she didn''t know what to say.


    According to what Ash had told her, this woman and her husband had outright abandoned her for no reason. Thanks to that, Ash grew up with worse conditions than most other people, and she never even got an answer as to why that happened.


    Even Kaori''s kindness had limits. But, she was still willing to give Ayami the benefit of the doubt. Not even Ash knew why they did that, after all.


    "So... You''re Ash''s mom?" Kaori asked, already knowing the answer but she hoped it would start a conversation between them.


    At that, Ayami looked over at her.


    "... Yes," she nodded. "And, ehm, you are her girlfriend?" Ayami asked.


    Honestly, Kaori was slightly flustered to hear that. She looked away, a little embarrassed.


    "... How do you know?"


    "I could tell by how you looked at her when she came in," she smiled a little sadly. "Your face brightened up so much. I... I thought to myself, oh, this must be her... And, that was when I saw Ash."


    Nodding, Kaori adjusted a little in her seat.


    "So... Can I ask you something?" Kaori started.


    "... I imagine there are many things you want to ask me," Ayami chuckled. "Go ahead."


    "Okay... So, why did..."


    Then, someone knocked on the door.


    "Ayami, are you in there?" It was a man.


    "Oh, that''s my husband," Ayami muttered. "Yes, I''m here. Could... Could you open the door for him? I just want him to see that I''m alright."


    "Sure," Kaori nodded. She went to do so and what she found was a man with bright blue eyes and a scraggly beard. He was thin and slightly short, wearing long-sleeved white robes and golden shoes.


    Kaori''s eyes widened. She knew this outfit, she''d seen it a few times in Jade. Simply put, this man was a noble of some sort.


    "Ayami," he basically pushed Kaori out of the way and went to console his wife.


    Kaori sighed.  Guess those answers will have to wait.

 Chapter 157 - Vol. 3 - 30

    Ash


    "Ready to head back?" Metsumi asked.


    "Nah, not just yet..." Ash replied.


    By now, Keiko had also sat down next to her. The three of them were sitting on the warm street, watching people pass by. By now, Ash''s anger had turned into reluctance. The last thing she wanted was to go back to the inn, even though she knew she''d have to at some point.


    "So.... what happened?" Keiko asked.


    "What do you mean?" Ash replied.


    "Well, you''ve said that your parents abandoned you, but, how? And, well, why?"


    Ash looked away. Now that she''d seen her mother again, that period of time in her life, which she''d buried in her thoughts, was now as clear as day. She hated it.


    "I don''t know," Ash muttered. "All I know is one day, some people showed up, I was taken out of the house, and I never saw them again... Up until today, I guess."


    "A group of people took you away?" Keiko asked, confused.


    "Yeah."


    "You said your parents kicked you out though."


    "Well, they didn''t exactly make any efforts to stop them, so I''m guessing they were in on it, right?"


    Keiko shrugged.


    "I suppose," she responded. "It just... I can''t imagine it."


    "Well, it happened, so you don''t have to," Ash replied with some bite in her tone.


    "... Sorry," Keiko said.


    "... Whatever, just... Give me a sec," Ash closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall.


    "Ash," Metsumi started, "what are you going to do once you head back?"


    Ash opened her eyes and looked over at her.


    "..." She knew what answer Metsumi wanted, but she just didn''t feel like she could give it.


    "You''ve needed this for a while, right?" Metsumi reminded her. "I think you need to take advantage of this. I''m not saying you''ll see eye to eye with them or anything, but... Maybe it''s time for some closure."


    "... What the hell do I even say?" Ash asked.


    "Just ask why," Metsumi suggested. "Where did they go, what they''ve been doing for the past six years. Whatever you feel like you want to know. And then, you don''t have to think about them again. Just part ways, knowing what you know."


    Sighing, Ash stood up. She stretched a little, as Keiko and Metsumi did the same.


    "Alright, fine," Ash nodded. "Let''s just get it over with then."


    ---


    Kaori


    As Ayami''s husband sat down next to her, Kaori put her hands on her hips.  I hope Ash is doing alright...  She thought as she walked up to the bed.


    "I... I heard," Ayami''s husband said. "Is it true?"


    "Yes," Ayami nodded. "I... Ash is here."


    Her husband sighed and embraced his wife tenderly. Kaori stood by, waiting. She''d give them a second or two to wrap their heads around what was happening, but Kaori was hoping to get at least a few answers.


    "... I had a feeling this would happen someday," Ayami muttered. "But I never expected I''d see her here."


    "And, when you saw her, uhm," her husband scratched the back of his head, "how did she react?"


    "She..." Ayami coughed.


    "Soooo," Kaori cut her off. "I know hers, but, what''s your name?" She asked the man." He blinked twice as though he hadn''t even registered her presence.


    "Just call me Jino," he told her blankly.


    "Right. Okay, so," Kaori nodded, "I think... a bit of a talk is long overdue, right? I mean, I''ve been spending a while around Ash, and well, the way she talks about you two..." Kaori purposefully tried to make her tone slightly  accusatory. She wanted them to respond, after all. "she made it kind of sound like you two just kicked her out for no reason one day. Did you?"


    The way Kaori was looking at this, there were two possible reactions. If they didn''t, they would respond somewhat angrily. If they did, she''d see some guilt on their faces. However, their reaction was something she hadn''t anticipated. Jino''s face seemed stoic and resolute, while Ayami teared up.


    Hm...  Kaori raised a brow as Jino spoke up.


    "What happened with Ash was a tragic, but necessary moment in all of our lives," he said, with the tone and speech pattern of someone who was used to trying to be diplomatic. It was then that Kaori realized where she''d seen that outfit before.


    Jino''s white ji with golden shoes.


    Oh. He''s a diplomat of some sort.  Kaori realized. Talo, the representative of the Royal Council, wore something similar, but with different colors to distinguish his rank.


    This meant something that Kaori hadn''t anticipated. Whoever Jino was, he was fairly high up in Jade''s social hierarchy.


    "I doubt Ash agrees with that," Kaori told him.


    "Really?" Jino asked. "Isn''t she a Savior? Isn''t she becoming a hero all across the world? Would she have done anything similar to that if things hadn''t happened the way they did?" Jino asked.


    "I can tell you, with like, absolute certainty, she doesn''t care about any of that," Kaori responded.


    "Then she''s ungrateful," Jino said and Ayami stepped in.


    "Enough," Ayami told him. "Just... Let''s just find somewhere else to stay. It''s probably for the best."


    "Wait, what?" Kaori asked, baffled. "You just saw your daughter for the first time in years, and you''re just gonna leave?"


    "... Could anything we say rectify what transpired between us?" Ayami asked. "Please, don''t try to act like that''s possible. Just... We''ll get out of your hair, and you can pretend you never saw us."


    Ayami stood up and Jino did the same.


    Kaori couldn''t believe what she was hearing. They started to walk towards her, as Kaori processed what she was just told.  So, they''re just going to leave? They have a chance to make things right, they can at least offer Ash some, like, clarity as to what happened, and they just want to walk away?


    Jino stood in front of her.


    "Excuse me, step aside please."


    Kaori looked him in the eye.


    "No," she replied.


    Jino raised a brow.


    "What do you mean ''no''?"


    "I mean what I just said, I''m not moving."


    "Please, don''t be foolish," Ayami said, "just... let us go and Ash won''t have to see us again."


    "I said, no. You''re not going anywhere until you actually talk to your daughter."


    "This is such a waste of time, guards!" Jino yelled.


    "Sure, call them," Kaori told him. "I''m a Savior. I outrank most people in this city, don''t I? Let them know. You''re not going anywhere though."


    "Just step- agh!" Jino went to push Kaori out of the way, but Kaori pushed his hand aside and shoved him back. He was launched all the way to the bed. Ayami fell to the side.


    "Y-You''re serious?" Ayami asked.


    "Of course, I am!" Kaori told her. "Listen, I, what the heck is your problem?" Kaori had to keep herself from yelling. "I want to think that you had some reason for what you did, but the way you''re acting... It feels like you just hate her. Is that it? Because if that''s it, you owe it to her at least tell that to her face."


    Ayami heard her and looked away. Then, she took a deep breath and looked back up with a determination that Kaori hadn''t seen in her yet.


    "Do you think it''s easy to see a living, breathing reminder of the worst time in your life?" Ayami asked lowly. "I... It happened 18 years ago, and when I saw her, that was the first thing that went through my mind. Tell me," Ayami stood up and walked towards Kaori. "Do you think it''s reasonable to want to speak to the literal result of my... my..." She took a shaky breath and Kaori saw a pair of tears go down her cheeks. "Do you think that''s easy?"


    "... The way you talk about her," Kaori said, softening up, "I get what happened that, uh, led to you giving birth to her, but... She''s still a person. You don''t think you owe her some respect at least, even if you resent her?"


    Ayami looked down as Jino began to stand back up himself.


    "I tried," she told Kaori. "I am not lying to you when I say I tried. For 12 years, I tried my hardest to be a mother to her. And... For a few of those years, towards the end, I can even say I started to love her, but when I woke up the day after we left Jade, and I knew I wouldn''t have to see her... I felt relieved. And now, you want to take that relief away, you want to bring me back to those dark days, so that Ash can have answers? Is that fair?"


    It didn''t take Kaori long at all to think of her answer.


    "Absolutely," Kaori replied. "She deserves it."


    "..." Ayami sighed. "Fine then."


    ---


    Ayami


    After that, Kaori agreed to at least let the two of them wait for Kaori downstairs, where they could drink some water and sit more comfortably. Kaori whispered to Satsuhiro and the man nodded, presumably being told about what they''d agreed on.


    Jino grasped Ayami''s right hand under the table. It was nice to know at least that she wouldn''t go through these next painful hours alone.


    She had meant what she''d told Kaori before, and because of that, a few of those less terrible memories began to pass in front of her eyes, but those thoughts were cut off when the front door opened.


    Ayami hesitated, but she looked up and saw Ash standing there, looking straight at her, just as had happened earlier.


    Ayami looked away as Ash lightly walked over to her. She looked at her father and then at her mother.


    Ayami nodded.


    "Do... Do you want to talk?" She asked.


    "... Yeah," Ash muttered in response, clearly holding back anger.


    "... Alright," Ayami steeled herself. "Alright."

 Chapter 158 - Vol. 3 - 31

    Ash


    The half-demon and her mother ended up alone, at a table to the back of the inn. Right by a strange room where workers were taking some of the civilians, Caroline had agreed to clear out a little area so that Ash and Ayami could speak to each other. Right now, Ash was sitting opposite her mother, with her arms crossed, and her throat tight. Her group was standing a few meters away, talking amongst themselves and occasionally throwing a glance or two Ash''s way.


    As for her father, he was standing by the table, pacing back and forth slowly. Ayami took a quiet deep breath and looked up at Ash.


    "What do you want to know?" She asked. Ash sighed.


    "Why did you do it?" She muttered. "Why did you leave me alone like that? Why did you kick me out and leave like I wasn''t.... Like I didn''t mean anything to you? I think any of those questions would be kinda nice to get an answer for, ya know?" Ash said.


    Ayami looked away briefly. Now that Ash was this close to her, without the intention of punching her in the face like last time, she was seeing a few details on Ayami''s visage that she hadn''t noticed earlier. Of course, the bags under her eyes were obvious, but there was also her messy hair, her dry lips, the few wrinkles decorating her forehead.


    "After... After what happened..."


    And that was how Ayami started the story.


    ---


    18 Years Ago


    Ayami


    If she closed her eyes, she could still see that thing.


    It had been just a few weeks since she''d been attacked. A few weeks since her father had died in such a terrible way and Ayami had run for her life, only barely making it out. Her story had become somewhat of a trending topic in Jade, unfortunately, and it meant that no matter where she went, Ayami would catch the pitiful glances of everyone around her, like they were throwing coins at a beggar.


    She didn''t really care about that. Those looks didn''t make her situation any better. Those looks wouldn''t bring back her father or her sense of purity. It wouldn''t make her feel any better.


    Currently, Ayami was in her home, laying down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling as her husband was getting ready to go to work in another room. Every now and then, Ayami could feel her body burning a little, centered mostly on her stomach.


    Her husband came out, dressed in his usual ji, and Ayami looked at him.


    He walked over to her and placed a hand over her forehead.


    "Are you okay?" He asked with empathetic eyes. Ayami nodded.


    "I''ll be fine, go to work. It''s okay."


    "..." He paused but then sighed. "I''ll be back a little later than normal. The Royal Council''s been... Tense, lately, so there will be a few more letters to write."


    "Hm?" Ayami raised a brow.


    "Amber," he explained. "Separatist sentiments have been getting stronger down south. So, yeah. I''ll uh," he looked away, "I''ll see you later."


    As he walked away, he muttered a quick "I love you".


    "I love you too..." Ayami mumbled. Then, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was starting to feel so tired, she couldn''t keep her eyelids up.


    For a while, she remained like that, hoping the image of that demon wouldn''t appear in her thoughts. And, this time it didn''t.


    It didn''t because something else completely took her focus away from catching any sleep. She suddenly felt sick, and something surged up her body. Recognizing that she was about to vomit (which was strange because she hadn''t eaten today), she ran to the restroom. Here, let the contents of her stomach out and her eyes just about bulged out of her head when she saw what it was.


    A softly glowing, dark violet liquid.


    What?  Ayami thought, nearly falling on her butt as she stared at it in disbelief.  What!?


    A while later, after her husband had come back, Ayami told him about what had happened and he wasted no time using his resources at the Palace to figure out what was going on with Ayami. They received the news the next day, from a letter written by a medical professional.


    And, as Ayami read those words, she paled, her jaw dropping from disbelief.


    "I''m..." She muttered, staring down at the paper. "I''m pregnant?"


    ---


    Nine Months Later


    "Push!" Her husband yelled, needlessly. Ayami was already trying her hardest after all. She swore something was wrong. Obviously, childbirth was painful, but was it truly  this  painful? As she tried to get the baby out, a few healers remained nearby, ready to cast their magic on her as soon as the process was done.


    That was when one of them confirmed her suspicions.


    "The, uh," she heard him say to a partner, in between Ayami''s own cries, "the baby''s horns are cutting up her walls on the way down, be ready to heal her back up."


    It was like a final insult being delivered to her by this demonic  thing  she was pushing out of her body. It made Ayami angry enough to give her a boost in determination, that she used to get through the last moments of the process until...


    "It''s out!"


    And with that, the healing quickly started, and Ayami fell back onto her bed.


    Finally.


    She''d gotten rather sick of puking that violet... stuff over the last nine months.


    But, unfortunately, this brought a new question. One Ayami and her husband had not found an answer for.


    Now that the child was here, what would they do with it?


    "It''s a girl," one of the healers said. Ayami, breathing heavily, finally looked over at her.


    The horns on its head were almost as big as a finger. No wonder they''d cut her up. The child''s skin was unnaturally pale, and though they were closed, Ayami could tell its eyes were just a bit bigger than a normal baby''s.


    "Do..." The healer started awkwardly. "Do you want to hold it?" He asked.


    Now that it, or she, was here, Ayami couldn''t help but feel curious. She was brought to her, and Ayami looked at it.


    No thoughts crossed her mind as she heard the baby cry. She just stared at it, knowing this would change her life forever.


    ---


    12 Years Ago


    A violet haze covered the sky above. Ayami was sitting in an empty cart, being pulled by nothing as it rumbled along the road. Ayami was alone. Her heart was pounding against her chest. Suddenly, it stopped. She looked out and couldn''t see anything. Then, a clawed hand grasped her shoulder.


    She turned, and a demonic grin was staring back at her.


    And then her eyes opened and she remembered where she was.


    By now, the baby was six years old.


    Ash''s hair grew at a much faster rate than a regular human''s, to the point where after Ayami would give her a haircut, it would be back entirely in just about a couple of weeks. Her hair was the length of her entire body, falling all the way to her tiny feet, a wild white color.


    Her body was also fairly strong, which surprised Ayami as much as everything else. A regular person would need to raise their Strength or Constitution over time to achieve such a look, but even now, Ayami could see the beginnings of a six-pack on Ash''s abdomen. Finally, there were her eyes.


    Those big, bright, violet eyes. You could be in a crowd full of people and you''d be able to spot Ash easily thanks to them. Once you looked into them, it was hard to look away.


    Currently, Ayami was reading something to Ash, hoping this counted as good teaching until they could get a school to take Ash in. At some point, with her husband''s social standing, one of them would cave, which was good, but Ayami still worried Ash would fall behind.


    "... And," Ayami read out, trying to disregard the brief memory that had flashed in front of her eyes, "as the prestigious academy was being built, many travelers from all over the world came to Sapphire, specifically so that... Ash?" Ayami looked over at her daughter.


    She was silent, swinging her feet from the chair she was sitting on.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "... You look sad," Ash said, with some difficulty. "Something wrong."


    Hearing that, Ayami bit the insides of her cheeks and put the book down.


    It would have been easier,  she thought, it would have been easier to hate her if this child had been terrible. If Ash had tried to ruin my life, kill me in my sleep, destroy my home or tear me and my husband apart and we''d had to put her down to save ourselves. But... She''s just...


    Ayami shook her head as Ash hopped off the chair and waddled over to her, looking up at her with big, concerned violet eyes.


    Absent-mindedly, Ayami hugged her and Ash made a confused sound.


    "I''m sorry," she told her. "I''m sorry I''m not a stronger person."


    ---


    Six Years Ago


    By now, Ayami had come close to accepting that this was just her life now. Ash was 12 years old, after all, about to become a teenager, and currently studying in one of Jade''s schools. She was, outside of the fact that none of the other kids liked her, and every single citizen in the city treated her with contempt, a regular daughter.


    The worst part about it all though was that, at some point, Ayami had started to care for her. Care deeply even. She was planning different things that Ash could do to start making money once she was old enough. She thought of getting Ash to become a traveling merchant so that she could see the world or maybe an assistant of some sort so that she could serve under someone important and see what high society was like.


    However, as much as she was beginning to see Ash as being truly her own daughter, something hadn''t changed. Any time she saw the half-demon, she felt like crying. Any time she saw Ash, she felt like she was right back in that field, a demon pinning her down, having its way with her.


    She wondered if that would ever be truly gone from her mind. Her family, her husband, had all suggested therapy but Ayami never got around to it. Besides, she doubted anyone would be able to fix what was fundamentally broken within her.


    So, yes. On one hand, she had become Ash''s mother, finally. On the other, she was still looking for relief. And, these two realities lived together for a while, until finally, a choice was given to her.


    She had been buying some food from the public square and was just now returning home when she arrived at her door and found her husband speaking to someone inside. Ayami raised a brow as she dropped the bags gently nearby. The man was dressed in a similar ji to her husband''s.


    Maybe a work friend?  Ayami speculated. Though, even if that was the case, this person was probably very important.


    Ayami''s husband had climbed up the ranks at the palace over the years. It had happened right under her nose, that sheepish, clumsy man she''d married so long ago had become a respected, tenured member of Jade''s high society. He still didn''t hold any real power, but he was on his way to that end.


    Maybe that was why this happened.


    "Ayami," he greeted her. "Come, this is my superior. Or, rather,  these are my superiors."


    "Greetings," the man said sweetly. "We are Talo. A vessel of the Royal Council."


    At that, Ayami nearly fainted.


    The Royal Council???


    "G-Good afternoon, um, what... I... Huh?"


    Her husband chuckled.


    "They''re here to make us an offer, I believe?" Her husband half-asked, which indicated they hadn''t yet fully stated their purpose. Ayami sat down next to him.


    "Indeed," Talo said. "See, we have been monitoring your progress and, well, it is impressive. At this rate, there is a very real chance that you will be on the Royal Council one day. However..." Talo''s smile faded. "See, if such a thing happens, your life will be scrutinized. Put under a lens by any and every scholar. You will be the subject of much investigation, and, well... There is something that could prove to be a problem."


    Ayami could feel where this was going. She held her breath, almost.


    "Your daughter," Talo said, and Ayami''s head dropped as her concerns were confirmed. "The half-demon."


    "Y-Yes?" Ayami''s husband asked. "What about her?"


    "Well," Talo smiled again, "the war against the demons has been growing in intensity as of late. Because of this, public perception of half-demons has soured considerably as well. To the point where many citizens in the city see them as little more than future traitors, people to be disposed of now so they do not betray us in the future. Regardless of whether or not you agree with this," Talo shrugged, "you have to consider the optics of having a member of the Royal Council also be related to one such creature. Do you understand what we are trying to say?"


    Ash came to Ayami''s mind.


    "What..." Ayami was the one to respond. "What do you have in mind?"


    "Simple," Talo smiled again, "we wish to separate you. Send the child away to a different city, never to return. All connection between the two of you and her would be severed and thus, your reputation would not be in danger anymore. That is it. That is all we wish to do."


    "... But, if we refuse?" Ayami said and her husband gave her a look like she''d spoken out of turn.


    "Nothing happens, but... The ceiling for your career," Talo looked at her husband, "will lower considerably. It simply looks too bad to have someone be part of our ranks while being related to a demon. Or, half-demon, we apologize," Talo chuckled. "There you have it. This is your choice. Send us a letter when you''ve made your decision."


    As they heard that, Talo stood up and walked out of their home. Ayami and her husband looked at each other, wordlessly.


    For all this time, Ash had seemed like something they''d just have to deal with. For Ayami specifically, a reminder she''d simply carry wherever she went. But, now, there was a choice. There was an option.


    And a part of her was elated to hear that.


    ---


    A Few Days Later


    "It''s for the best," her husband told her in a whisper as Talo once again sat in front of them.


    "So," Talo clapped their hands, "you''ve decided?"


    "... Yes," Ayami nodded. "But, we wish to change this to something similar."


    "Hm?" Talo raised a brow.


    "Well... If the point is to salvage our reputation, then staying here is meaningless for us, since everyone here knows who we are. It would be better if... If Ash stayed here, while we left Jade."


    "Hm... We understand," Talo nodded.


    That wasn''t really it though. Ayami had decided that, if Ash was to be left alone, it would be better for her to be in a place she already knows. And, although Ash hadn''t gone out too much apart from heading to school, she had seen a lot of Jade already. She was familiar with this city.


    "Very well, if that is what you want. We will send people over tomorrow then, to collect the half-demon. Once she is out of the home, you will leave as well, and we will close this building down. Does that sound right?"


    "Um," Ayami said, "is there any way you could, uhm, give our daughter a job or a place to stay?"


    "It would be best if she doesn''t have such things," Talo said. "If she grows up to be a person of any importance at all, it would ruin this little endeavor, wouldn''t it?" Talo added with a smile, as though they weren''t condemning someone to homelessness.


    Though, Ayami was doing the same, of course, so she couldn''t judge.


    And with that, the deal was made. Talo left their home for the final time and Ayami gulped down her guilt. Now that it was finalized, she felt regret, pity, and a burning self-hatred, but, she felt she had to do this.


    ---


    Now


    Ash


    Ash listened intently, and patiently, and yet, she was still enraged. She was holding herself, trying to keep herself from slapping this woman across the face.


    "I won''t make excuses," Ayami said. "The decision came down to me and I agreed with the plan."


    "... Why?" Ash asked.


    "Because I was tired," Ayami answered with a shrug. "Seeing you was like seeing my attacker every day. And... When I had the opportunity to be rid of that, I took it. I won''t act like I did the right thing," Ayami looked at Ash straight in the eyes. "I know someone else, someone stronger, would have raised you up right and put all that aside. I know someone else may have come to understand that you were your own person, and those are things I wish I could have done too. But I couldn''t."


    Ayami looked down.


    "So, if you want to punch me, kick me, strangle me, do it. I know I deserve it, but one thing I will say," Ayami looked back up at her. "I''m sorry, Ash, but I needed it. In the end, it didn''t take away the sleepless nights or the feeling of dread whenever I was on the road, but I gained a little bit of peace, and that was worth it. I''m sorry."


    "..." Ash thought about this. What her next move should be. What most people would do in this situation. By now, she just wanted to catch some sleep. She was already tired of this.


    Before she could come up with anything though, Metsumi put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Ash, can I talk to you for a second?" Metsumi asked.


    "Uh, sure," Ash said and she stood up, walking a bit of distance away.


    Metsumi then put her hands on Ash''s shoulders and looked her in deep in her eyes. Ash sighed, knowing that some smart, deep bs was probably on its way. Metsumi was wise like that after all.


    "Ash, she''s right," Metsumi said, just low enough for Ash to hear, and no one else. "No one would judge you if you flipped out right now, but... would that make this better?"


    "Metsumi," Ash looked away, "I don''t know what you''re going to tell me, but listen, I''m not gonna give her a chance or try to see her side of things or, whatever the fuck else you''re going to say, okay? She left me on my own for years just because she couldn''t handle seeing me. And... I get it, okay," Ash breathed in, "I understand why that is, but... I can''t forgive her for that."


    "I don''t think anyone could if they were in your spot, and I''m not saying you should forgive her, at all, but..." Metsumi placed a hand on Ash''s head, right between her horns. "Think about it. Are you ever going to get this chance again? Your family is right here, right in front of you, and you have the choice of leaving things the same way they''d been for the last six years, or getting some closure and really moving on. Not going back to them, or anything like that, but just talking to them, for at least a second, and putting this whole thing to rest. Then, you can part ways, knowing you settled this."


    Ash took a deep breath. She had thought this for a bit, but admitting it now still took some courage on her part. She had been made that cold, after all, by what happened in her life.


    "You''re my family now," she muttered, feeling like a weight was lifted off her soul. "You, Kaori, Keiko, Satsuhiro, Opah. Not them."


    "..." Metsumi paused and then chuckled. "As happy as I am to hear that, as much as I see you in the same way, you have to understand that I wasn''t there to change your diapers when you were a baby. To help you learn to talk and read. To carry you on my shoulders while we walked through the cities. She did that," finally, Metsumi placed a hand on Ash''s cheek. "Don''t you think it would be nice to see that person again? The person who did all of that for you? Because, I can tell you that''s not her," she looked back at Ayami, who was hunched over and melancholic. "At least, not right now. But she could be, for at least a little bit, before you decide you''ve done enough. And, leave things on a good note, you know?"


    "... I really hate this about you sometimes, you know?" Ash muttered. "Saying the right things all the time. Sometimes it hurts to hear."


    "Aw, that''s the good part!" Metsumi told her and Ash raised a brow. "Healing for our soul isn''t like healing for our bodies. There''s no instant relief involved, no soothing feeling. Just the fear of knowing that you''re changing for the better, because, yeah, changing for the better can be scary. If something makes you feel like that, usually, it''s a good thing." She gave Ash two thumbs up.


    Ash couldn''t help it. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Metsumi, in a quick hug that the woman returned.


    "I don''t think that''s something that''ll be easy for me to learn," Ash said.


    "Then, for as long as I am around, I''ll remind you," Metsumi chuckled.


    And, with those words, Ash went back to the table, sighing.


    "So... Uh..." She bit the insides of her cheeks, hating how dumb she sounded. "What did you do in the other cities?"


    Ayami gave her a confused look.


    "I..." Ash said. "I want to know a little. About what I missed out on, I guess..."


    "... Uh," Ayami blinked, "sure."

 Chapter 159 - Vol. 3 - 32

    Keiko


    As Ash and her parents continued to speak to each other, the Zayama and the others had been waiting patiently for them to finish by the table near the front door. Keiko and Kaori would both occasionally sneak glances towards the half-demon, some concern in their eyes. Metsumi however, walked back to their table with a victorious smile on her face.


    Keiko looked over at her and cleared her throat.


    "Did... Did things go well?"


    "I think so," Metsumi shrugged. "About as well as they could have, anyway. It''s a complicated situation they''re in, but, I think Ash will come out of this a little more at peace for it."


    "You think she''ll forgive Ayami?"


    "Oh, absolutely not," Metsumi laughed. "And she shouldn''t. Her parents did something horrible, but, as long as Ash comes out of it venting everything that she wants to say, and Ayami understands how much she really did to Ash, it''ll be alright. I think that''s the best thing either of those two could hope for."


    Indeed, that was all they were hoping for as well. Ash didn''t talk about this circumstance of hers much, but before, when she''d pressed Ayami against a wall and nearly harmed her, she showed just how much she actually cared. Keiko could, unfortunately, relate to this part of Ash''s life fairly well.


    "Regardless," Satsuhiro said, "we''ll need to talk a little about what to do in these next week. The next, uh," he looked over at Opah and hesitated, "event, is going to be here soon and the three of you need to be ready for it."


    Right. With all of this going on, it was easy to forget that it had been officially announced that in just a week and a half or so, there would be a large-scale battle that decided the fate of this entire city. Satsuhiro was right. Even though Ash had this encounter to deal with, and Keiko had that strange sickness distracting her they still needed to prepare adequately. Of course, there was also whatever was keeping Kaori concerned and Yumi''s whole mystery to deal with as well, but everything would need to wait for the battle to be over and done with first.


    "What can we do?" Kaori asked, reasonably.


    "Well, the same we''ve been doing, more power farming, more weapons training."


    "But," Kaori replied, "I mean, if that thing is out there, looking for Ash..."


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro closed his eyes to think. She was right. That was too big a threat to simply hope they didn''t come across it in the outside lands. Keiko looked down at herself to do the same thing. She put her mind to work, trying to come up with something that would allow them at least a little bit of space to train with.


    "... You said it wouldn''t attack a group," Keiko muttered, "earlier, right? Something about how it would be suicide to attack a heavily populated area?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Well... It''s not like we can drag this city with us as we travel, but, could we be able to organize a group of soldiers to accompany us outside? People to help us give the impression of being a larger group than we are?" Keiko suggested.


    "... The issue with that, I think, is that the creature could just take the risk anyway," Satsuhiro said. "If it''s that desperate to get to Ash, I can picture it trying some sort of suicidal charge to eliminate her."


    "... Wait," Kaori said suddenly, "what about Kasumi then?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Kasumi can change people''s appearance. She changed mine, back at Jade, so that we could walk around the city without getting harassed and stuff. We could reach out to her and see if she could cast a spell or two on Ash if she still hasn''t left the city, I mean."


    "No," Satsuhiro shook his head. "If an enemy is a number of levels higher than the caster, they can see through their illusions. That demon is level 80. There''s definitely nothing Kasumi can do that it won''t see through."


    Again, the group was silent. It took a few more seconds before the next idea came, and again, Kaori was the one who put it forwards.


    Apparently, at least, judging by the grin on her face, it was a good one.


    "Our new powers!" Kaori said. Then, she drummed her hands on the table. "Ahh, yeah, it could work!"


    "What do you mean?" Satsuhiro asked. Kaori turned a little smug and said.


    "Soooo, when we finished up the sites, Ash and I got some new abilities, right?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro followed.


    "Well... I think mine at least could work to fight it!"


    "... A level 80 demon?" Satsuhiro raised a brow, skeptically. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes," Kaori nodded. "My ability can turn anything passive for a time. You said it yourself, if enough arrows hit that thing in the head, it''ll die, right?"


    "Well, yeah, but-"


    "Then we can take it down!" Kaori said. "We just need to lure it, spend some time outside, have Ash sit out in a field or something, and when it comes down, I''ll cast my thing on it, and we just walk up and sta-, uh," Kaori glanced at Opah, who was listening curiously, "and eliminate it." What do you think?"


    "... It''s not hard to think of ways this could go wrong," Satsuhiro pointed out. "If the demon just charges at her and kills her instantly, the plan is useless, if the demon ambushes us first instead of Ash, the plan is useless, if the demon can resist your ability, the plan is useless."


    "It can''t," Kaori shook her head. "Lumina told me so. And... I trust her."


    Hearing that, Satsuhiro sighed.


    "It''s obviously risky," Keiko pitched in, "but... It seems that if we do want to get farming, or any training outside the city at all, something needs to be done. We could plan for a little longer, see if we can set up some sort of contingency in case the plan doesn''t work, but I think Kaori''s idea is the best we''ve got."


    Kaori smiled gratefully at her, for backing her up. Keiko shrugged with a smile of her own.


    "I just think it''s a good idea," Keiko muttered.


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Sure, we''ll get Ash''s take on this and think about it a little more, but yes... It doesn''t seem like we have too many choices here." Satsuhiro drank from a cup in front of him and said, "just be ready. That win at Sapphire likely made Niven start taking this war a lot more seriously. Try not to get caught off-guard."


    After concluding this moment in their conversation, they continued waiting for Ash to finish. Metsumi ordered some food and Keiko was about to start eating, but suddenly she felt her body warming up a little. Ugh, that feeling is back. Keiko thought. She took a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself.  Maybe it''s better if I get up and go to the...


    Before she could finish that thought, it just happened.


    The contents of her stomach surged up her body, through her throat, and out onto the table, right over the food that had been brought to her.


    The liquid poured over her own plate specifically. Metsumi got up off her chair, backing away. Opah was startled and Keiko, suddenly feeling sick, fell to one knee.


    "Keiko?" Ash noticed what was happening and quickly stood up, running over to the table. The Zayama felt a pair of hands hold her by her shoulders, keeping her balanced. "Keiko? Are you okay?"


    "Y-Yes, I''m... I made a mess, I apologi-" she coughed.


    "Wait..." Keiko heard Ayami say. "This..." She looked over at the woman who was looking at the liquid, clearly shocked.


    Everyone glanced over at her.


    "She''s pregnant," Ayami stated.


    Keiko and Ash, who were currently just a few inches apart, stared at each other.


    ---


    Eliza


    At the Grey Chamber, Eliza continued to experiment with the Lust demon that Ash had captured. Currently, a level 15 soldier was fighting the creature, and of course, struggling. Eliza wasn''t about to let him die though, so as the man was pinned back and the creature raised a hand over its head, she nodded at a nearby mage.


    The mage cast a basic  Fireball  spell at the demon, and it struck, pushing the demon back. The soldier used that time to escape the room.


    "Hm... The ferocity of the creature is truly something to marvel at," a knight dressed in a full suit of grey armor, who had been watching the fight unfold, said.


    "Focus on what it can do, the point of this is preparation," Eliza stated as the Lust demon backed up, away from the door, hissing. "Do not get distracted by other trivial things."


    "Very well. Now what?" The same knight replied.


    "Hm..." Eliza put a hand to her chin as she stared at the demon through a slit in the door.


    At the same time, she remembered the day she''d begun her stint as the Lord of Onyx. How the crowds looked at her, as young as she was, and saw nothing but a failure waiting to happen. She swore she could still smell the rotten fruits that had been thrown that day on her person.


    She''d been doubted for too long. She''d take action soon, and the city would see that she was just as adequate for this job as any other Lord. Maybe even more so than some of them, considering Pearl''s fate.


    "Somehow, the half-demon Savior got the creature not to fight her. If anything, that proves that these things can be tamed. My question..." She muttered. "Is can they be broken? Can they be made subservient? Do they function like any other animal or monster?"


    "How could we test that?"


    "..." Eliza closed her eyes. "Well, there is one way we could use."


    "Hm?"


    "Animals who are consistently fed by an individual will begin to see that person as a source of comfort, they will get used to receiving good things from them and will refuse to harm them so that this pattern continues. I wonder if this demon functions the same way."


    "What do you have in mind, milady?"


    "Have someone subtly send word to the nearest brothel. In secret, tell them that the Grey Chamber is looking for people willing to have sex with demons. And that, of course, we would pay appropriately for it."


    "... Are you serious?"


    "Yes," Eliza quickly answered. "If this tames the demon, we may be on the verge of a great discovery. A tool to be used against them."


    With that, the knight bowed and walked away, presumably to find someone else to order to do just what Eliza had said.


    She knew it was risky, she knew it would likely reflect poorly on her if anything went incorrectly, but she didn''t care. For decades throughout her life, she had been looked at as an uncaring, incompetent Lord who only received the title due to the previous Lord''s pity.


    This was her chance to prove herself. She would take any gambles she deemed to be worth the risk. She needed to succeed.

 Chapter 160 - Vol. 3 - 33

    A Few Hours Later


    Ash


    How exactly is someone supposed to react to life-changing news?


    Ash had her fair share of moments like these in the past few months, between being chosen to be a Savior, to meeting a literal goddess for the first time, among others, one might think that Ash would be used to such instances by now.


    She wasn''t.


    This particular moment was indicative of that. After the conversation with Ayami ended abruptly with Keiko vomiting some violet liquid, Ash''s mother had made that reality-shaking declaration in front of the entire group and a few customers who would go back home with a crazy story to tell their loved ones.


    Keiko was pregnant. The Zayama who had trained Ash and Kaori, become their lover, their girlfriend, had helped them take down many demons and who had become a vital piece of Ash''s heart, was pregnant.


    Of course, this fact distracted Ash a little from the conversation she''d been having. Just a bit, of course.. She and Ayami agreed though to try to speak to each other again tomorrow, with a similar amount of tension as though they''d agreed to a duel. Right now, Ash was sitting with Kaori and Keiko alone, in their room, as the night had come and the festivities were getting started on the first floor.


    "... What the fuck?" Ash muttered into her hands, for what had to be the seventh time. "What the fuck?"


    Make that eight.


    "..." Keiko remained silent. She had been alternating between staring down at the ground and looking at her own body. Kaori had her arms wrapped around Keiko, trying to comfort her.


    "But like, how?" Ash said, mostly to herself. "I mean, I''m a girl, even if I can turn into a demon too... It''s not like I became a guy or some shit, I..." Ash sighed.


    "Well, evidently," Keiko said, her voice monotone and deadpan, "your sex is not an issue when it comes to reproduction."


    "I... I''ll talk to Magia about this," Ash decided, "I mean, this has to be, like, some weird status effect, I mean, you can''t actually just be..."


    "Ash," Keiko looked over at her, a tired expression in her eyes, "I understand the denial but I believe we should cut that short." She looked away. "We have too much to do. Too much that needs our attention to spend time  not  figuring out ways to handle this."


    Ash took a second, regained her composure, and nodded.


    "Okay, okay... So," she took a deep breath, "what''s on your mind?"


    "... I did not say I had answers," Keiko said and some worry showed on her face, her uncaring expression shaking for a second, "I am simply saying we should funnel our energy into coming up with solutions, instead of coping mechanisms."


    Her voice sounded much more forceful than usual. Gone, at least temporarily, was the meek, soft-voiced Keiko that Ash knew. Right now, she sounded like one wrong word would get her to start yelling.


    "... Okay," Ash nodded again. "So, uh, Kaori," she looked over at her, "can you help us out here?"


    "Yeah," Kaori said gently. "I took a parenting class in school." Ash raised a brow and Kaori quickly elaborated. "They''re mandatory."


    "Oh. What do you think then?"


    "Well," Kaori stretched, taking her arms off of Keiko. "Uh, shoot, what was it again? Right, so, pregnancies are divided into three stages," Kaori began to explain as she looked away like she was recalling her classes then and there. "The first one lasts twelve weeks, and uh, around the eighth one is when the baby gets, like, formed, if I remember it right, you can go through a bunch of symptoms and... Honestly," Kaori stopped. "It... It might be better to ask Ayami about this."


    Ash looked away as soon as she heard that, cursing. Rubbing her forehead, she glared at the air, as though her mother was standing there.  Of course.


    "Shit. I was afraid you were gonna say that," Ash replied.


    "It''s probably the best choice," Kaori responded. "I mean, I took a class, she lived it. So did Metsumi too, you could ask her, but Ayami specifically, well, she had you. So, if there are any differences between having a human kid and a demon kid, she''d know."


    "... I guess."


    Admittedly, going to her mother for help was the last thing she wanted to do. In all honesty, what she wanted out of her future conversation with her was nothing more than the satisfaction of letting Ayami see how she''d persevered through everything that her mother had caused her.


    Instead, there was a chance she''d have to go to her for tips. She hated that.


    "I... This could not have happened at a worse time," Keiko muttered and that might have been the most defeated she''d sounded yet.


    They remained in silence for a second after hearing that.


    "... Yeah," Kaori said, throwing her metal arm over Keiko''s back. "I get where you''re coming from..."


    Ash understood as well. Simply put, this was beyond inconvenient. They were in the middle of a bloody war. One which Keiko had proven to be a valuable piece, and one that Ash would need by her side if she was to have a better chance at coming out of this alive. Ash didn''t know much about pregnancy, really, she''d never been taught about it, but she knew from seeing those ladies out on the streets with a baby growing in their bellies that Keiko would be in no condition to fight. Keiko would be rendered completely ineffective by this.


    "Um, maybe," Kaori added, "there could be something that helps. Maybe something to make the process more, like, bearable? We''d probably be best off talking to a healer and visiting a clinic... Or talking to Vyl," Kaori speculated. "We don''t really know what alchemy can do. Maybe there''s some pregnancy-related potion or something that could help us out."


    "... This is so fucked," Ash said, chuckling lowly.


    "Yeah," Kaori agreed. Keiko remained silent.


    "... Maybe it is best that we hold this off for now, and focus on the coming fight," Keiko finally spoke up again. "You said it takes around eight weeks for the baby to be made, right? The battle will arrive long before that. I will be able to participate in that, at least. I will be ready."


    Ah. Of course, Keiko would be thinking about her role as a combatant. It wasn''t just Ash thinking about that. In fact, if she knew anything about Keiko, her diligent, loyal trainer, she was probably specifically worried, on top of the fact that she was going to have a demon child, that this would somehow cause her to miss an important fight or two.


    The fact that this was evidently on her mind, made Ash shake her head. She felt like she had to say the words that came out of her mouth next. Like Keiko deserved to hear it at least.


    "Uh, shit," Ash sighed. "I''m sorry."


    At that, Keiko turned towards her. She carried a look on her face that seemed almost insulted. Ash worried she''d messed up somehow. Well, beyond the way she messed up that she was thinking about right now, anyway.


    "Hm?"


    "I''m sorry," Ash reiterated. "I, I mean, this is happening because we fucked right?" Ash chuckled humorlessly. "And we wouldn''t do that if I weren''t... You know," she tapped one of her horns. "So, sorry."


    "Ash," Keiko said, narrowing her eyes at her. "Stop it. You know how attracted I am to you, it''s not your fault. If anything, it''s my fault. I should have tried to remain professional before we... Got involved. I failed at that."


    "Shut up," Kaori suddenly said, "both of you. It''s neither of your faults," Kaori stated firmly. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "We couldn''t have predicted that this would have happened. How the heck were we supposed to know that Ash''s tail in that Demon Form functions like a, well, you know," she said, turning around. "I''m gonna go get you both some water. I''ll be back in a second. But, seriously, stop blaming yourselves. It''s not going to help."


    And with that, Kaori walked out of the room. Ash hunched over while Keiko remained upright, frozen.


    "... Look," Ash said, and Keiko turned towards her. "We''ll deal with this together. Whatever happens, happens. Okay?"


    At that, Keiko nodded. Then, Ash felt her hand grasp one of Ash''s own.


    "Yes," Keiko took a shaky breath. "I... I''m only just barely holding it together, but, yes. We''ll deal with this. It''ll be fine."


    Even to Ash''s ears, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself of that, but Ash understood, so, she let it go.


    And, that was it. The rest of the day was spent with the both of them mostly in silence, but with either their hands clutched together or their hands holding each other up, supporting the other.


    Tomorrow, they would need to figure out how to proceed from here.

 Chapter 161 - Vol. 3 - 34

    The next day, Ash woke up to an empty bed. That made sense to her because it had taken multiple hours before her eyes had finally stayed shut and she willed herself to go to sleep. Yesterday''s news was simply too much for her mind not to worry about, it seemed.


    She sat up, sweating a little as she rubbed her eyes.  Shit, what time is it?  She wondered as she got off the bed to get dressed. She took whatever the room''s nearby drawer had to offer and threw it on. She didn''t really care if she looked good or not. That was the last thing on her mind. Walking out, she could smell oatmeal in the air as she went to the first floor.


    Here, she came across a sight that made her narrow her eyes. Keiko and Ayami were sitting at a table, separate from the group. Ayami''s husband was sitting alone at a table behind them, while Satsuhiro, Kaori, Metsumi, and Opah were all enjoying breakfast at the table closest to the front door. Ash sat with them..


    Metsumi saw her sit down and stood up, walking to the bar, which was now functioning as a kitchen.


    "What''s going on over there?" Ash asked, gesturing at Keiko.


    "What do you think?" Satsuhiro asked in turn. "She''s asking for advice."


    That lone rubbed Ash the wrong way, though of course, they''d settled on that the previous day. Still, it made sense. That might have been the most annoying part.


    "What hour is it?" She asked next.


    "Almost noon," Satsuhiro replied again. "I already sent a letter to Vyl, by the way, just in case she has anything that can help Keiko out. There are a lot of little annoyances here and there that she''s going to have to deal with, mood swings, cramps, the weight gain, but... Keiko''s a strong girl," he shrugged. "She''ll be fine when it comes to the normal stuff. The issue is, we don''t know what a demon-related pregnancy specifically can bring to the table. Hence," he nodded towards her, "why she''s sitting over there."


    "Yeah, I know."


    "Good," Satsuhiro nodded. "Now, listen, yesterday we were talking something through that you might be interested in hearing. Kaori?" He gestured for her to be the one to say it.


    "Uh, right, so," Kaori cleared her throat, "we were thinking about that thing that''s out to get you, remember?"


    Right. With all this pregnancy talk, Ash forgot there was a literal level 80 demon hunting her. One that was just waiting for her to walk one step too far out of Onyx to destroy her. Ash sighed.


    "Yeah?"


    "Well, we kinda came up with a decent plan to deal with it. I think, at least."


    "Oh?" Ash raised a brow. "What is it?"


    "We use our new abilities," Kaori explained. "I got something pretty darn good from Lumina, something that I think could honestly let us take it out."


    Ash blinked.


    "But... It''s level 80," she said, hoping Kaori hadn''t hit her head at some point and forgot that fact.


    "I know," she said with a smile. "It''s still possible."


    "What did Lumina give you?"


    "So, basically, I can pacify enemies for a time. Which means we can take it out in that window, easy. The issue is," Kaori said, "we need it to wait a bit."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "As in, we need it to  not  just fly at you and, you know," she glanced at Opah, "take you out instantly."


    "Oh," Ash responded as Metsumi returned and placed a plate full of oatmeal in front of her. "Thanks."


    "No problem," Metsumi replied.


    "Hm..." Ash took a bite and thought about it for a second or two. "Well... I guess I could use my power too and see if that stops it from blowing me the fuck up..." Ash speculated, which made Opah giggle.


    Admittedly, she didn''t know if manipulating a Lust demon into feeling even more lustful would produce exclusively good results, but Kaori was right. They needed some sort of method to prevent the Lust demon from turning Ash into dust.


    "What does it do?" Kaori asked. Ash glanced at Opah and said:


    "It uh, distracts enemies."


    "Oh, sweet," Kaori smiled brightly. "See? It''s all coming together, this will totally work out."


    "Please don''t jinx it," Ash begged. "I just want whatever we do to be quick and easy, I don''t need any more stress."


    "Ah, don''t worry!" Kaori chuckled. "Personally, I trust Lumina. I think that demon won''t stand a chance."


    "You''re making the jinx even worse, stop it," Ash muttered and Kaori laughed.


    As the giggles faded though, someone pulled back the chair next to Ash. The half-demon turned and saw Keiko, sitting down with her. She had a strange look on her face. It was like a weird mix between concern, determination, and anxiety.


    Metsumi stood up and went back to the bar, taking another bowl of oatmeal and bringing it back.


    "I apologize," Keiko opened, "what did I miss?"


    "Just a little bit of plannin''," Kaori said with a slightly sing-song voice. "How did it go over there?"


    "..." Keiko took a deep breath. "It went well."


    And she didn''t say anything else.


    Ash waited, but no. As Metsumi placed that bowl in front of Keiko, she simply muttered a "thank you" and remained quiet.


    ... That''s not the best sign, but okay.  Ash thought.


    Then, the front door opened. A green-haired, half-naked, short woman stood there, a slightly tired look on her face as her eyes fell on the group. She was carrying a bag of some sort in her thin arms, walking into the inn.


    "Vyl, you might wanna put some clothes on when you''re in the city," Satsuhiro said as soon as he saw her.


    "Bite me," Vyl replied as she moved up to the table and gently dropped the bag next to Ash, who was closest to the door. "Alright," she clapped her hands. Listen up. I brought you those potions I promised along with a few extras."


    "Mom," Opah pointed at her. "She''s naked."


    "Just ignore her, sweetie," Metsumi replied.


    "Here''s what I''ve got for you," Vyl continued, "firstly, four healing potions, two Haste potions, one Dexterity potion, one Constitution potion, and one Strength potion. The healing potions will apply a mid-tier healing spell to your entire body over the duration of a minute. Use them wisely, they''re valuable. The attribute potions will each temporarily increase those respective attributes by 10, for five minutes. Again, they''re valuable. As for the two Haste potions, just in case you forgot, they will, quite literally, turn your body faster, and your perception of the world around you will be altered as well."


    "... That sounds similar to the Spirit Eye now that I think about it," Keiko said.


    "Indeed, it won''t literally let you see the future the way those eyes of yours do, but it will feel like it."


    Then, Vyl reached into the bag and pulled out a violet-colored vial. It was so small Ash could wrap her entire hand around it.


    "As for you," she started, "this is... Well, the details of the potion don''t matter, the point is that, as I hope you''ve been made aware of by now, a pregnancy caused by a demon can have... inconvenient effects. This will help you with those. Drink a sip or two from this whenever those strange symptoms start popping up, okay?" Vyl asked. "If you haven''t been informed of them, well, you''ll know when they happen."


    With that, Vyl turned around.


    "Now, I apologize for the brevity of my visit, but with those portals opening up, my workload has increased quite a bit. The Lord of this good city wants me to help her, so I must do my duty as an alchemist. Anything else?" She looked over at the group and asked.


    No one said anything.


    "Hmph. Take care, then."


    "Goodbye," Satsuhiro said as she turned around and left, just as quickly as she''d come. Ash looked over at Keiko and found the girl staring at the vial she''d been given. To anyone else, it might have seemed like a fairly calm look, but as Ash had been living with Keiko for so long now, she noticed the slight hint of worry in her eyes.


    So... She definitely heard something fucked up, I''m guessing.


    "So," Ash took a deep breath, briefly glancing back at her mother, who was eating peacefully with her husband now that he was occupying the chair Keiko had taken. "What do we do now?"


    "..." Satsuhiro put his spoon down, silent for a second. "Without Vermia in this fight, and without Ren," he started, "the chances that the city makes it out of this are terrible. At least, at your current level. You need to go farm," he pointed out, "but, of course, that demon makes that impossible. This means, I think... The best course of action is probably to test Kaori''s plan out right now, and hope for the best because without that demon out of the way, there''s just nothing we can really do to prepare for the coming fight."


    Ash nodded, understanding what he was saying, before she thought of something that worried her.


    "Wait," she started, "can''t Niven hear us right now? I mean, he''s a god and all. What if he just tells the demon to attack me the moment it sees me?"


    "..." Satsuhiro closed his eyes, pondering the matter. Then, he said, "he had sent the demon after Vyl, hadn''t he? And to the shrine as well..."


    "So?" Ash asked.


    "That means that either he can''t see where we are, which is unlikely, or that he can''t directly communicate with those demons when they''re too far from the portal. Regardless of the demon''s level. There''d be no reason for it to send the demon to those locations  after we went to them if that wasn''t the case."


    Hm. So basically, Niven''s probably hearing us right now but might not be able to tell the demon to not fuck around when it sees me. Heh, she snickered. That''s rough for you, buddy.


    "... I shouldn''t go, for obvious reasons," Satsuhiro said, a little dejected. "If anything goes wrong, you''ll need to be able to run away as quickly as possible. Now, the question is where do you go to bait it."


    "... The shrine," Keiko quickly answered. "It showed up there once. If its eyes are on Ash, and it sees her go there, there''s no reason to think it won''t show up again."


    "You''re right," Satsuhiro nodded. "Solid. Then, in that case, finish up and get moving. When it comes to this sort of thing, a coinflip moment like this, it''s better to just get it out of the way instead of stalling. So, as soon as you''re done with your breakfast, I suggest you get moving."


    "Yeah, agreed," Ash said. "Actually, one of those Haste potions might be useful to bring along."


    "Mhm," Kaori nodded. "It might help me get the ability off faster. That''s definitely needed."


    And, on that note, the three of them finished up their breakfast. However, just as they were going to leave, Satsuhiro raised a hand.


    "Wait, actually, Keiko," he said, "you might want to stay."


    The Zayama heard that and Ash swore she''d never seen Keiko look this offended before.


    "What?" Keiko asked.


    "There''s a very real chance this plan goes wrong," Satsuhiro pointed out. "And, if it goes right, they shouldn''t need you. You being there is just a risk, I think you should stay."


    "B-But, I could help clear any enemies who are on the way," Keiko argued.


    "There probably won''t be," Satsuhiro shrugged, "the shrine''s very close. Don''t worry."


    "..." Keiko looked down. Then, she reluctantly sat back down. "Fine."


    Ash and Kaori looked at each other as they saw that exchange, and Ash sighed. She couldn''t blame Keiko for being on edge like this, given everything that was happening, but she hoped that it wouldn''t last.


    For her own sake, mostly.

 Chapter 162 - Vol. 3 - 35

    Kaori


    Kaori and Ash, along with their Haste potion, walked out of the grey city in silence. Things were rarely this awkward around them, but right now, Kaori could tell that Ash simply had too much on her mind. The half-demon walked slightly ahead of her, her eyes cast low on the ground. It wasn''t too hard to guess what she could be thinking about.


    However, on Kaori''s end, although she hadn''t said anything, the mere thought of encountering this demon had her chills running up her spine. She wouldn''t say anything either, of course, so Ash wouldn''t have to worry about her as well, but still, it was wearing on her.


    As the two of them walked into the nearby bamboo forest, Kaori decided she should at least say something, if only to get both of their heads out of this.


    "So... Are you feeling alright?" She asked.. Ash, maybe having not expected the question, looked over at her a little startled. She quickly regained her composure though.


    "... I guess," Ash shrugged.


    "I mean, I don''t blame you for feeling off, you know?" Kaori said. "I... It''s kind of a messed up situation, huh?"


    "Sure," Ash agreed. "I''ll be honest, out of everything I expected to hear these days, Keiko being pregnant with my kid wasn''t on the list. But..." Ash sighed. "We have a job to do. Focus up."


    To Kaori''s ears, it sounded more like Ash was telling that to herself than to her.


    "Yeah. You''re right."


    And they were right back to silence. A few times as they moved between the trees, Kaori heard some rustling behind her and jumped, only to feel stupid when she saw a lizard crawling through the dirt or something like that. As beautiful of a day as it was, with the sky clear and the sun hanging over their heads, Kaori couldn''t shake off the feeling of anxiety.


    The person who jumped down from one of those trees, landing right in front of them, didn''t help either.


    Kaori yelped and Ash instantly changed her Savior''s Weapon into those gauntlets she''d been learning to use, but the person who had (literally) dropped in quickly raised their hands.


    Level 10


    MP: 150/150


    "Halt, Saviors, I apologize," the person said. It sounded like a young girl, dressed in a green leather outfit with a hoodie and a mask on, covering her face. Her hands were bare, covered in a white powder, and on her back, she had a wooden crossbow. "I wished to warn you, there are demons in these parts."


    "Yeah," Ash put her Savior''s Weapon away, sighing, "we know. Who are you?"


    "Again, I am sorry for startling you," she bowed, "my name''s Kuri, I''m a field agent sent by Lord Eliza to protect the nearby shrine, do you know of it?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "That''s where we''re headed actually."


    "Oh, good then, I will trail you from above, to make sure no demons follow," Kuri said and she looked up at the trees she''d just fallen from.


    Kaori cleared her throat.


    "Oh, but how are you gonna get back up there? I mean, you were pretty-"


    Before Kaori could finish her question, Kuri crawled up the bamboo tree in a flash, like an animal. When she reached the top, she leaped off the tree and landed on another one, holding onto it before doing the same two more times. Only then did she stop to look around.


    "..." Kaori blinked.


    "What the fuck did I just see?" Ash asked.


    "I was about to ask the same thing," Kaori chuckled.


    After setting aside their shock and awe, they continued, with that strange girl following them from above. Eventually, they reached the dirt path that led up to the shrine and arrived at the open space just ahead of it. From above, Kuri backflipped off of one tree and landed crouched in front of them.


    Ash and Kaori saw a couple of men dressed in Onyx-style armor, with bulky breastplates and pauldrons. They had been sitting down on the stairs that led into the shrine, playing a card game of some sort.


    "Oh? Kuri," one of them, a boy with slick black hair and green eyes greeted the young girl, grinning at her and then looking back at the two Saviors. "O-Oh, Saviors, dude," he smacked the other guy gently on the shoulder, giving off a  clanking sound.


    The other man, slightly older-looking, was taller and heftier, filling out his armor more.


    "Uh..." He let out as the three women approached.


    "Saviors, this is Yan, and this is Kim. They are the others that were assigned for this day."


    "Oh, uh, I''m Kaori and that''s Ash," the blonde gestured between herself and the half-demon.


    Then, Kaori checked their levels out.


    Level 15


    MP: 10/10


    Level 16


    MP: 10/10


    "Wait. This day?" Ash asked.


    "Yes," Kuri replied. "We alternate with another group. We cover three days in the week, the other group covers four."


    "Uh," Yan, the thin one, started, "do you need anything, Saviors? I-It would be our honor to serve."


    Ash and Kaori glanced at each other. Ash shrugged carelessly and Kaori thought of the best way to approach this.


    "So," she started, "listen, we''re looking for a demon that''s nearby. One that''s pretty powerful. So, it''s probably best if you guys just stay inside while we..."


    However, Ash put a hand on Kaori''s shoulder, stopping her.


    "Yeah, we need you to stay inside, except for you," Ash pointed at Kuri. "Could you scout for us from above? Just see if you find any demons approaching."


    "Yes, of course," Kuri didn''t hesitate. Kaori looked over at Ash, confused. "Are you certain demons will be coming?"


    "Just one," Ash clarified. "So keep your eyes peeled."


    "Of course," Kuri stepped over to a nearby wooden pillar that was part of the shrine''s building. "I will remain on the roof then and inform you if I see anything. Does that sound alright?"


    "Yeah."


    "Understood," Kuri then put her hands, covered in that white powder, on the pillar like she was going to climb up the same way she had before. One of the two soldiers stopped her though.


    "Wait, let me give you some water, it might be a while, right?" Yan asked Ash.


    "Sure."


    "Okay," the boy then reached into a bag and pulled out a flask. Kuri put it in her own bag and nodded.


    "Thanks, Yan."


    And with that, she climbed up to the roof of the shrine effortlessly.


    "Okay, close up."


    "Uh," Kaori quickly added, "if you hear anything, don''t come out. It could be dangerous."


    "U-Understood," Yan replied and the two went into the shrine, closing the door. As soon as they were out of earshot, Kaori turned to Ash.


    "Wait, why did you have Kuri stay out?" She asked in a whisper, hoping the scout wouldn''t hear her. "Won''t that put her in danger?"


    "... Mhm," Ash nodded. "And, my hope is that either," Ash started, "she''ll warn us about the demon way before it has time to get to us and kill us, or..." She didn''t finish the thought.


    And she didn''t have to, because Kaori could do it on her own.


    "So... it''ll go for her instead."


    "No guarantee," Ash replied quickly. "After all, it''s me the demon''s after, but yeah."


    "Why?" Kaori asked.


    "Come on," Ash said, "one of the ways this plan goes wrong is if the demon just runs right into me and kills me before you can get that spell off, right? I''m just trying to help our odds here a little."


    It saddened Kaori to hear that, but Ash did have a point there, so she nodded.


    "... I guess now we just wait then," Ash said, sitting down on the stairs right where the two soldiers had been."


    Kaori sat down next to her and so, the waiting started.


    ---


    Eliza


    At the Grey Chamber, in just a day, a few young prostitutes had already come to the palace, interested in the offer. Eliza wasn''t surprised, really. The offer, after all, was fifteen white royal crowns for having sex with that demon just one time.


    That kind of money is enough to change anyone''s life, and that was what Eliza hoped would work to pull people into this place. Currently, she was sitting on her throne with one such sex worker standing in front of her. She was a young girl with dry black hair and a starved body, which let Eliza know just how much she needed this deal.


    "Have you been informed appropriately of what you''ll be doing?" Eliza asked.


    "Yes, milady," the girl replied.


    "I want it to be clear, just in case. You can turn back at any moment if you feel too scared, even as we''re standing outside its room. I''m looking for volunteers after all,"  not victims, hopefully.  She added in her mind. "You will be allowing a demon to have its way with you. We wish to see how it treats you after the fact if it becomes protective of you or... Well, you can imagine different outcomes," Eliza stated. "Are you sure you wish to proceed?"


    "Yes," she responded and Eliza nodded.


    "Good then, follow me." She stood up and quickly began walking towards its room, with the young sex worker trailing behind. "Now, if the demon does wish to harm you, you need only scream out ''stop'' or ''help'' or something like that, and soldiers will come in to take the creature off of you. The door will remain open so that they can walk in and do so immediately. Do you understand?"


    "Yes."


    "Good, if you feel like you''re about to die, do not hesitate to call out. It''s your safety after all."


    Eliza said this as they arrived and she tapped on the slit that allowed one to see into the room.


    "Look inside. Look at it, take a deep breath, and go in when you''re ready."


    Behind Eliza were a pair of soldiers and a mage. The girl breathed in and nodded.


    Well, here goes nothing.  Eliza thought as she opened the door. The demon quickly looked up and grinned when it saw the girl standing out in the hall.


    And so, the sex worker gulped and walked in. And both she and Eliza hoped for the best.


    ---


    Kaori


    Two hours had passed since they''d arrived. Two hours that Kaori and Ash had largely spent silent, knowing that any moment now that demon could arrive. At first, they remained largely far apart, but as time went on, Kaori reached over and softly held Ash''s hand. The half-demon did the same.


    It was around that point that the danger of the plan made itself real to them. Here they were, waiting for a level 80 demon to just walk up and hopefully not end their respective existences.


    Although Kaori had taken issue with Ash''s treating of Kuri, now that the situation was tangibly dangerous, she was a little less mad about that.


    Ash''s violet eyes remained on the dirt path up north.


    "... I''ll use my ability as soon as I see it," Ash decided. "Just to, like, hopefully, make this as favored for us as possible."


    Kaori nodded.


    "Same."


    I''m not sure what the range on this is, since neither Lumina nor the spell''s description specified that, Kaori thought.  But, it''ll probably reach as long as I can see her, I''m guessing.


    "Footsteps," Kuri announced, suddenly. "Approaching from the north."


    Her senses are that good?  Kaori asked herself. She hadn''t heard anything and yet Kuri said that.


    Ash narrowed her eyes.


    "I don''t see it just yet..."


    Kaori looked out as well.


    The ability activates by thought. And then, once I, like, become a Champion of Lumina or whatever, everything else I do at that point is also activated by thought. So, it should be easy. It should be easy, she told herself again.  Calm down.


    And then, both of them saw it.


    The Lust demon, tall and proud, walking towards them with a black whip dragging behind it. A grin was plastered on its face, its black lips spread wide.


    "So..." Ash muttered. "It''s not exactly flying at us and killing us. So, Satsuhiro was probably right. Even if Niven knows our plan, it can''t just communicate it into the demon''s head instantly."


    That''s good...  Kaori gulped, feeling beads of sweat roll down the back of her neck as she and Ash both stood up. Her heart was pounding against her chest, threatening to break straight through her armor.


    "Alright. Mine lasts one minute."


    "So does mine."


    "Then... Let''s wait for it to get a little closer and I''ll do mine first, you do yours after so we can get more time in. Okay?" Ash asked.


    "Yes."


    "Okay... May as well drink that potion now..." Ash muttered, taking it out of her bag and sipping from it.


    The demon was giggling just a little as it approached, now standing at the center of the open space, where Ash and Kaori had seen Yumi lying down, about to be killed by this very creature before.


    "I''m doing it," Ash announced, putting her bag aside, closing her eyes. "Three... Two... One..."


    And then, something in the air changed. It was subtle, but Kaori swore she felt the area suddenly get warmer.


    "Agh..." Ash fell to her knees next to Kaori.


    Ash?  Kaori asked herself, crouching next to her.


    Then, Ash held Kaori by her neck, pulled her in, and pressed their lips together.


    "Mmm!" Kaori''s eyes bulged out of their sockets as Ash kissed her and the demon continued to walk up. She had to push Ash off of her. "Ash, the demon!"


    "Hahahaha," Ash giggled softly and, as the two were literally right in front of each other, Kaori noticed that her violet eyes held heart-shaped pupils.


    Not that they had flickered, appearing and disappearing, the way they had before, no. They were fixed in place.


    "Right, right, sorry, sorry... Oh, fuck," her hands were between her legs, searching. "Ugh, this fucking armor..."


    "ASH! The..."


    She heard a laugh and she turned to the left.


    The demon was literally standing right in front of them, its head tilted.


    "Right, sorry," Ash nonchalantly said as the demon grinned down at them and raised its whip.


    Kaori couldn''t breathe.


    And then, Ash shook her head.


    "No, drop that thing," she muttered.


    And the demon froze. Kaori watched as it stayed perfectly still.


    Then, it complied. It let go of its whip, tossing it aside.


    Kaori looked back and forth between Ash and the demon.


    "Help me get this off," Ash ordered next and the demon casually knelt in front of her, trying to undo the straps that held the armor together. In an instant, Ash was taking it all off, wearing just a pair of brown shorts underneath.


    "Okay, now..."


    And Kaori could only watch, stunned, as Ash wrapped her arms around the demon''s back and the two began passionately making out in front of her. Kaori sat there, speechless as their tongues danced.


    On their knees in front of each other, Ash''s hands were placed on the demon''s thighs as they continued.


    "Saviors, the demon...!" Kuri yelled as she jumped down from the roof, only to land and stare at what was happening.


    The demon''s tail began to snake up Ash''s legs and only then did Kaori finally shake her head and snap out of this trance that the sight had put her in.


    It''s distracted, right? Kaori thought. I should probably...


    She transformed her hand into the serrated blade form, but she couldn''t will herself to walk up. Her legs, her hands, were shaking too much from the various feelings all swirling within her.


    "Oh fuck, why do demons have to be good kissers? Killing them feels like such a shame now..." Ash muttered as she continued and that reminded Kaori that she needed to get to it.


    But, her legs simply wouldn''t move forwards.


    I''m too nervous...


    It was when that tail found its way into Ash''s body and the half-demon gasped that Kaori closed her eyes. Right! The ability.


    And so, she activated the spell Lumina had given to her.


    Just like that, she felt nothing. Nothing at all. All of that fear and worry had simply faded with a thought like they had never been there, to begin with. She looked at the demon and using this ability, pacified it as Lumina had suggested before. The demon gave off an almost purr-like noise and Kaori assumed that meant her ability had worked.


    Then, casually, Kaori walked over and tried to stab it in the head.


    But, her blade didn''t go through.  Oh.  She thought.  It''s Con is high.  So, she tried again. The demon didn''t even react. It simply kept kissing Ash as if there wasn''t a serrated knife at its skull.


    Kaori tried again, and again, and again, putting more and more strength behind her attack until finally.


    Kreghk.


    Her blade went fully through its skull. The demon''s hands, instantly, fell limp by its sides. Its blood splattered on the left side of Ash''s face as Kaori pulled her blade out. An EXP message appeared over Kaori''s head and the demon fell to the side.


    "Wait, what?" Ash whined. "It''s dead?"


    "Yeah," Kaori nodded.


    "Why?"


    "Because we had to kill it," Kaori said, emotionlessly, shrugging with a little smile on her face. One reminiscent of the one Lumina always had.


    "Oh. Right. Shit," Ash pouted. "Ugh. I wanted to stick its tail in my mouth."


    And then, as the minute passed and Ash''s ability faded, and she returned back to normal, Ash gagged. Ash spat out and cursed.


    "WHAT THE FUCK DID I- why the fuck- what the shit? my fucking... Agh," Ash was close to vomiting and as Kaori was still in her own ability, she just watched.


    "Do you need some water?" Kaori asked, helpfully as the demon started to bleed on the wooden floor.


    "Uh... No," Ash waved her away. "Why didn''t you stop me?"


    "Hm?" Kaori raised a brow.


    "I was literally tongue wrestling with that thing, ugh, gross," Ash shivered.


    "I see," Kaori nodded.


    "... So, it''s dead?" Ash asked.


    "Mhm," Kaori nodded again.


    "Uh, so, shit, how much EXP did you get?"


    "..." Kaori quickly checked.


    EXP Gained: 7500


    EXP: 330/330


    Level Up!


    Oh.  Kaori thought, in this peaceful state. Cool, Kaori thought, as Kuri, stunned and likely traumatized, simply kept looking back and forth between Ash and the demon''s body.

 Chapter 163 - Vol. 3 - 36

    Keiko


    Hours had now passed since Kaori and Ash had left the inn, and Keiko couldn''t be more annoyed at that. It felt wrong, to have to sit back at the inn with the daytime drunks while Ash and Kaori were risking their lives just a few hours away.


    A part of her wanted to run out and sprint over to them.


    She was currently sitting at a table alone. Metsumi and Satsuhiro were taking Opah with them on a walk through the city. They had made the offer for her to come along with them, but she''d refused. Instead, she chose to sulk on her own, with nothing but a cup of ale to keep her company. Even though it tasted terrible to her.


    Or at least, she had been alone up until now. Eventually, Caroline suddenly showed up and sat down across from her, putting her own mug down as well. She took a few big, audible gulps from it and wiped her lips before grinning at Keiko..


    "So... I''ll be honest," Caroline said as she put her hands under her chin and leaned forwards. "I did not expect to hear that bit yesterday, love."


    Keiko sighed.


    "Neither did I," Keiko muttered.


    "But uh, are you alright?" Caroline asked. "I mean, I had to spend quite a bit of time cleaning up that goop you vomited. If you don''t want to talk about it, that''s alright as well, I''m just asking."


    "... I''m fine," Keiko replied.


    "Ah, good, good. I''d been worried. Let me know if you need any potions or medicines, by the way, I know a healer or two, I can get you a discount," she winked.


    "I will come to you if I do then."


    Caroline nodded. She took another sip from her own cup and Keiko did the same. Around them, there were older people drinking and chatting about different things, mostly about those portals that had opened up. Keiko was starting to feel like she''d be better off waiting in her room.


    And, as Caroline smirked, what she said next didn''t help.


    "So," Caroline started. "By the way, I don''t know if you were stretching the truth a bit, love, but that blondie you''d told me about..."


    "Kaori?" Keiko asked, surprised she was being brought up.


    "Mhm, the hot blonde, yes," Caroline grinned. "You told me she was taken. She sure didn''t act like it though."


    At that, Keiko narrowed her eyes.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Oh, I''m just saying... Couple of nights ago, she and I had a bit of a moment."


    "How?" Keiko asked, confused.


    "Well, basically, she had come to the bar after you and that one demon girl went upstairs. I saw that she was kinda brooding a bit so I decided to lighten her mood a little. And... Well," Caroline blushed slightly, "I couldn''t really resist flirting a little, you know? I mean, she''s stunning! They don''t really make them like that over here, everyone kind of looks and dresses the same in Onyx. Well, outside of my friends," she gestured at her coworkers. "Anyway, so, yeah. We were talking and... I was feeling like she was being receptive and all so..." She paused. "I kissed her."


    Keiko blinked twice.


    "... Are you serious?" Keiko asked.


    "Hey, don''t get mad at me," Caroline said, maybe sensing the way Keiko tensed up. "If anything, get mad at her. Like I said, I don''t think she''s anywhere near as ''taken'' as you said she was."


    Keiko''s hands clenched into fists under the table.


    "What?"


    "I mean, she seemed like she kind of liked it," Caroline continued. "She left a little fast after that though, but, eh, I thought it was a pretty good moment. So, I have to say, whoever she''s dating," Caroline said, standing up, "you should tell them to shape up. Honestly, she''s either in need of some loving right now or she''s not as committed as you think she is. Not my business to say though, just letting you know though. You know," she winked. "In case you see her coming up to me later or something."


    And then, Caroline walked away, resuming her work as though she hadn''t just shattered Keiko''s self-esteem.


    So, apparently, Caroline had kissed Kaori and the blonde had liked it and reciprocated.


    ...  How exactly am I supposed to react to this?  Keiko looked down at her drink. She''d never been in any situation like this before. She had no experience. This wasn''t like having someone charge at her with a sword, or having a demon trying to rip her apart. There were no swords involved, no skills she''d honed that would come in handy.


    She''d simply been told that, apparently, she, and Ash, by extension, given their strange three-way relationship, were being bad girlfriends to Kaori, and that Kaori was looking for more elsewhere. And that was it. She just had to deal with this information now.


    Keiko finished her drink and walked away, heading up the stairs.


    As she entered her room, so many different thoughts were swirling in her head that she didn''t hesitate to just flop face-first onto her bed.


    "..." Keiko rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, sadness slowly filling her up as Caroline''s words echoed in her mind.  So,  she thought.  Kaori feels unsatisfied?


    She turned on her side, reaching for a pillow and holding it to her chest. Burying her face in it, her thoughts continued.


    Well... I am a complete amateur at this, and so is Ash, for that matter. It makes sense that we''re just not adequate.  She then, finally, turned up and let out a deep sigh.  Maybe she''d be better off with someone like Caroline... Especially now that I''m-


    Someone opened the door. Keiko sat up instinctively and saw Kaori and Ash walk in, violet blood smeared on Kaori''s armor, but strangely not on Ash''s. Keiko had been so distracted she hadn''t even heard their footsteps as they walked up to the room.


    They both looked like they were deep in thought. Without paying Keiko any mind, they dropped their things near the door, took their armor off, and went straight to the bed, without saying a word.


    Keiko went back to it and cleared her throat.


    "D-Did it go well?" She asked.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "That thing''s dead."


    "Oh, um, good job," Keiko replied.


    "... Yeah," Ash simply laid down at the center of the bed and threw her sheet over herself. Keiko felt like there was an invisible barrier between them of some sort, all of a sudden.  Did something happen?


    "So, where are Satsu and Metsumi?" Kaori asked.


    "They''re walking around the city, they should be back soon."


    "Ah, okay," Kaori nodded. For a while, they remained in this strange silence, with Ash keeping her eyes up at the ceiling and Kaori with her head low.  Um, what am I supposed to do at a time like this?  Keiko wondered.  Is there anything to do? Am I just too incompetent to see it?


    And then, Kaori stood up.


    "I''m gonna go get a drink, do either of you want one?"


    "Nah," Ash replied. Keiko simply shook her head.


    "I''ll be right back," Kaori said and quickly jogged out of the room.


    ... Of course,  Keiko understood. Hunching over, somewhat saddened, she laid down next to Ash.  She wondered if Caroline would do a better job in Keiko''s position. If she would say something witty or funny that would get the two of them to warm up after whatever it was that they''d gone through.


    She assumed that would be the case, and maybe that was why Kaori was leaving them alone right now. It hurt to think like that, but Keiko figured she had to be realistic with herself.


    She just wasn''t made for this. So of course Kaori would look for someone who clearly was.


    "Hey," Ash suddenly said.


    "Huh?" Keiko shook her head, focusing up. "Y-Yes?"


    "Did anything happen while we were gone?" Ash asked, sitting up and moving on the bed to where she was now sitting next to Keiko.


    "Um..."  Aside from being told that I''m a terrible lover?  "No."


    "You didn''t puke your brains out or anything?" Ash asked.


    "Not yet," Keiko answered.


    "Well, that''s good, at least," Ash said, and then suddenly, she was hugging Keiko loosely. Admittedly, Keiko hadn''t been prepared for that so when the half-demon''s arms wrapped around her she gave a little yelp. Ash kissed the side of her head and sighed. "Let me know if you need any, like, healing or whatever. Or if you wanna head out and buy anything to help with this shit. Okay?"


    "Y-Yes..."


    "Okay, just wanted to let you know I''m going to try to help. Even if I have literally no fucking clue what I''m doing."


    At that, Keiko chuckled, allowing herself to lean into the hug a bit.


    "It''s appreciated..."


    Then, Kaori returned, holding a tin cup in her right hand. She smiled when she saw the two of them on the bed, though Keiko''s smile disappeared when Kaori entered the room.


    "So... Yeah," Kaori said. "All things considered, the whole thing with the demon we fought went easier than expected, just... Weird. Now though, we can start doing stuff again outside the city."


    "How fun," Ash muttered.


    "Mhm!" Kaori chuckled.


    She then went on to talk about a few knights she and Ash had encountered at the shrine, but Keiko had a hard time focusing on her words. All she could think about was what Caroline had said and how now, it looked so obvious to her that Kaori was forcing at least some of this positivity she was exuding.


    Do I need to change?  Keiko asked herself.  Maybe I should ask for advice. Yes,  she decided.  Training. Relationship training, as laughable as that sounds, might be what I need. But... Who do I even go to?


    The only option that came to her mind was that same green-haired girl who''d stolen a kiss from Kaori just a couple of nights ago. The same one who, just the thought of her face made Keiko mad.


    Obviously, her first reaction was to spit at the very idea of going to her for help. However, the more she thought about it, the more sense it made, to the point where her logic started winning over the bubbling anger she''d felt just now.


    No, she loosened up, I should swallow my pride, Keiko told herself. You can''t learn something without humility. If she''s better at this sort of thing than I am, then that makes her a good candidate for a teacher, even if I want to punch the smirk off of her face right now.


    And that was something Keiko began to consider, now that her ego had taken such a hit.

 Chapter 164 - Vol. 3 - 37

    Kaori


    Above, Kaori saw nothing but violet. She felt cold. Absurdly cold. Currently, she sat in a field of grass with not a single sign of life around her. The blonde stood up and shook her head.


    She tried to call out for her friends, but no sound would come from her throat. She began taking steps towards the horizon but her feet dragged against her will. It was like an invisible force was holding her back. Kaori continued to search for anyone she knew, desperation bubbling in her heart until she swore she heard someone call out to her. It was faint, but it was coming from ahead.


    Pushing against that force, she began to move towards the sound of her own name being yelled, but whatever was holding her back was getting stronger. Eventually, though, she saw a few silhouettes in the distance and she smiled to herself.. That smile faded away when she saw what was actually there.


    A giant Gluttony demon, a mass of rotten and rippling skin was sitting in front of Keiko and Ash''s bodies. Both of them were seemingly unconscious, unaware of what they were laying next to. Kaori tried to scream at them, but again, nothing came from her lips. The force holding her back had gotten so much stronger that now, Kaori was not making any progress at all. She could only watch as the Gluttony demon picked Keiko up and slowly swallowed her whole. Kaori''s heart was in pain at the sight. Keiko disappeared into its body, and Kaori fell to her knees. Then, the Gluttony demon''s tongue wrapped around Ash''s right leg and Kaori reached towards her, now completely unable to move forwards.


    Kaori saw Ash''s eyes open, looking around her, confused. And, before she could do anything, she was swallowed as well. Kaori''s arm, as she did not have her Savior''s Weapon, fell limp by her side. And then, something started dragging her back. Kaori, startled, looked back and found that this entire time, it had been a tongue wrapped around her right leg that had been keeping her from moving. It belonged to a Gluttony demon even bigger than the last, grinning down at her. It opened its gaping mouth and Kaori froze.


    And finally, Kaori woke up.


    She gasped, the darkness of her room not allowing her to see anything, and for a couple of seconds she actually feared she''d been swallowed. However, as she began to ground herself, she realized she''d simply had a nightmare. Currently, she was next to Ash, who was still asleep, one of her legs thrown over Kaori. Keiko wasn''t there.  Huh?  Kaori raised a brow at that, but then her head turned heavy with exhaustion.


    "... Crap," Kaori muttered as she put a hand to her head. The nightmares had lessened in frequency after the group''s first visit to the shrine, but tonight was evidence that the same fear which constricted her heart was still there. It had simply been buried a little, but, maybe thanks to that level 80 demon, it made a comeback.


    Kaori gently moved Ash away in an effort to stand up. As Kaori slept naked, now, the cold midnight air was hitting her bare skin, almost making her shiver. Ash mumbled something and turned away, which made Kaori chuckle before she put some clothes on.


    ... Maybe I should take a walk or something before I try to go to sleep again,  Kaori thought, and as she finished putting on a pair of sandals, she walked out, wearing white shorts and a long-sleeved white shirt. She looked down at her metallic arm and moved her fingers around. At this point, her new arm felt somewhat comfortable, though Kaori didn''t know if that was just the sleep-deprivation forcing her not to care much about it.


    The New Age Inn never slept it seemed. When Kaori walked out, everyone downstairs was having a party. There was all manner of lewdness happening, with lapdances in multiple tables and one of the employees doing something  under a table for one of the patrons.


    Kaori was so tired, she ignored it all and headed straight for the door. She went to place a hand on the knob to leave, but someone had been in the process of doing the same thing, and so, Kaori''s hand fell over theirs.


    She turned.


    "Oh, s-..." She stopped.


    It was Keiko.


    "Kaori?" The short girl looked up at her, with those beautiful clear eyes that, even though she''d seen on Yumi and on Eliza, she still felt were unique to Keiko. "You''re awake," she noted.


    Kaori smiled.


    "So are you. Are you getting in on the festivities? That''s kinda surprising. Didn''t think this was your sort of thing," Kaori said, pointing at where one of the workers was making out with a customer.


    At that, Keiko blushed.


    "N-N-No, no, I just wanted to pick up some water before I took a walk."


    Keiko raised up a bottle of water and Kaori nodded.


    "Ah, gotcha. So... Can I join you? I was gonna do the same," Kaori told her and, at that, a smile so bright came out of Keiko that Kaori''s heart melted.


    She hadn''t seen such an expression on the woman in a while. Maybe because it was late at night, Keiko''s guard wasn''t up. She nodded.


    "I''d love that," Keiko softly replied.


    ... She really is the cutest,  Kaori giggled a little as she opened the door for her, and both girls walked out.


    Outside, like at Sapphire, there were poles with small orange orbs at the top dimly illuminating the street, along with some sconces on a few building walls here and there. Kaori and Keiko walked side by side, past a few guards whose eyes remained on them for longer than Kaori thought was normal. She noticed Keiko glancing at a few of them as well, but it didn''t seem like that big a deal.


    "Uhm, so..." Keiko started. "You couldn''t sleep?"


    "Mhm," Kaori answered.


    "Why is that?" Keiko asked, slightly concerned. The blonde paused for a bit.


    "Could you?" Kaori deflected.


    "Me neither."


    "Then, you tell me first and I''ll tell you after," she answered. She knew, of course, that at some point she''d have to talk to Ash and Keiko about these nightmares she''d been dealing with and the general fear she''d been feeling, and well, maybe tonight was the best time to do that but even if she talked about it tonight, she wanted to break the ice first.


    Keiko nodded.


    "I... I woke up feeling sick," Keiko sighed. "I went to the restroom and, well, I..." She gestured and Kaori nodded.


    "Okay."


    "And, well, I figured maybe a walk would help my body settle down. At least, I hope it does. So, I bought some water, and now I''m here. And you?" Keiko asked. "A bad dream?"


    "... Yeah," Kaori replied slowly. "I..."


    Come on, just tell her.  Kaori told herself.


    "I see," Keiko answered. "It''s understandable, we do have a battle coming up, after all. I had a few bad dreams too before the Sapphire fight happened. I think I understand."


    No, you really don''t,  Kaori answered in her thoughts.


    "But," Keiko continued, "whatever happens in these dreams... The reality will likely be better, right?"


    She then looked up at Kaori with a slightly hopeful smile. Or, maybe a better way to put it was that it looked like she was begging Kaori to say that she was right.


    "Yeah."


    "Of course," Keiko quickly replied. "I... We do have a tendency to worry for nothing, I suppose."


    At that point, as they walked farther away from the inn, they settled into a comfortable silence. They looked around, noting the differences in the city at this point in the day compared to when they usually walked around. To Kaori, it felt like they were moving through ruins. Some of the vandalized buildings, the lack of anyone except a few guards here and there on the streets, the general emptiness of it all, reminded Kaori of those ruins she and Ash had visited before, where they''d fought those Nightmares together.


    It was a memory Kaori held dear, as it was the first time she truly protected Ash, which was something she took great pride in. When someone was standing behind her, with Kaori acting as their shield, that was when she felt the most like a real hero.


    Even if she didn''t believe herself to actually be one. After all, she''d seen what a real hero had looked like. One had almost become Kaori''s trainer before the battle of Sapphire took him away.


    "Kaori," Keiko said, and Kaori snapped out of her thoughts.


    "Yeah?"


    "..." Keiko looked around. "Can we sit down over there?" She pointed at a bench next to some hitching posts for horses. They were in front of what looked like a bank of some sort.


    "Sure."


    And so, both of them sat down, bathed in the orange light from the nearby poles and sconces. Kaori had her legs crossed while Keiko kept her eyes low. The pause in their conversation stretched for long enough to where Kaori was beginning to think that Keiko had something heavy to say. And that was when she said this:


    "Kaori... Could I... Could I be honest with you for a moment?"


    ---


    A Couple of Hours Earlier


    Keiko


    Keiko had just finished puking her brains out. When she was done, the inn''s restroom was left smelling like demons and Keiko was dragging herself out to the tables at the main room.  I need to sit down.


    She''d awoke just before midnight, her body threatening to spill its contents all over Ash''s face, which she figured the half-demon wouldn''t appreciate, so she had practically sprinted to the nearest toilet. Now, she was sitting down and leaning back, trying to let her body settle down.


    I''m so tired...  Keiko thought as, suddenly, a cup of water with ice was placed in front of her. Caroline gave her a sympathetic look before she walked off to go serve others, as the night was in full swing. Keiko took a sip and felt slightly better, feeling the cold liquid slide down her throat.


    Maybe later...  Keiko thought.  I could ask about...


    "Keiko," a voice said and she turned towards it. Metsumi was there, carrying Opah on her back. Her daughter was asleep and had her legs wrapped around her mother''s torso. It was a pretty cute sight.


    "Metsumi?" Keiko asked. "What..." However, as she spoke, she felt her stomach churn a little and she stopped, trying to calm it down by sheer force of will.


    Metsumi chuckled and said:


    "See those musicians over there?" Metsumi gestured back and Keiko looked. There were a pair of inn employees playing strings. "I wanted to show them to Opah before she went to sleep and the inn turned, you know, less family-friendly. She knocked herself out in the middle of it though," Metsumi laughed. "Guess it wasn''t her style."


    "I''d like to know what is her style, I don''t think I''ve heard Opah gushing over any music," Keiko replied.


    "Nothing''s really impressed her since the last time we went to Pearl, sadly. So, what''s up with you?" Metsumi asked, still smiling but a bit concerned.


    "Oh, I... felt a little sick, so I wanted to sort of, sit down for a while."


    "Ah. I see. Well, how about I put Opah to sleep and I keep you some company."


    "Sounds good," Keiko nodded.


    "Alright. Be right back."


    And so, the large woman walked upstairs, deposited her child in her room, and walked back down by herself. She sat down in front of Keiko and smiled at the Zayama.


    "So, how are you feeling now?"


    "... Better," Keiko replied. "I really hope I don''t have more nights like these though."


    "Give up on that hope right now, cause you definitely will," Metsumi responded and Keiko sighed.


    "Understood then."


    Metsumi chuckled a little and then, she put rested her head on one of her hands, leaning a little to the side.


    "So... Ash planted that seed in you, huh?" Metsumi asked. Keiko nodded, blushing. "Wow. I guessed there would be some differences between Ash and other girls since she''s half-demon and all, but I really didn''t expect her to be capable of that."


    "I didn''t either..." Keiko muttered.


    "... Are you alright though?" Metsumi asked her. "I''m guessing this came as a shock to you."


    At that, Keiko looked down into her cup.


    "... I''m not ready," Keiko simply stated. "That''s... That''s all I can think about this, at the moment. I... I certainly wish it hadn''t happened. N-Not that I blame Ash, of course," Keiko waved her hands, "she didn''t ask for this either. It''s just..." and, she sighed. "There were already a lot of things on my mind and now, between this and Kaori, there''s just so much."


    "Kaori?" Metsumi asked.  Oh.  Keiko thought.  I slipped up. "What happened with her?"


    "... Nothing, it''s..."


    "... Keiko," Metsumi put on her motherly voice, "you two have a lot to do in these coming weeks, if something happened and it might get in the way, it''s best to get it off your chest and try to work on it."


    At that, Keiko sighed.


    ...  Is this something I can discuss with her? She wondered, looking up at her.  It''s embarrassing though... But...


    "I..." Keiko started. "I just..." She sighed.


    I like her, and Ash, I appreciate and adore them both, but I don''t know how to show that to them.  Keiko thought.


    Or, she felt like it was a thought, but she''d actually said this aloud, in a low mumble.


    "Oh..." Metsumi nodded slowly. "So... You''re worried things are getting stale between you, is that it?"


    "I suppose?" Keiko shrugged.  If that''s what would lead her to kiss another woman, then, yes. I suppose that''s true.


    Again, she actually said this.


    "She did what?" Metsumi asked.


    "I mean..." Keiko muttered. "It makes sense... I just... I don''t know what to do. I''ve never done this before. I don''t know how to, ehm, I guess... treat her?"


    "You don''t know how to be a girlfriend?" Metsumi asked and Keiko hung her head, nodding. Now she really felt like a failure, when it was put like that.


    And then, Metsumi laughed.


    "Is that it?" She asked and Keiko raised a brow. "Oh, I thought it was something way more serious. I''m so relieved."


    "What?"


    "Keiko," she chuckled again. "I can see why this is happening already. Tell me, what is Kaori like?" Metsumi asked. "Describe her to me."


    "Um... She''s beautiful," Keiko started but Metsumi cut her off.


    "No, no, her personality."


    "Oh. Uh, she''s... Very outgoing, kind, and... A bit naive. The type that tries to see the best in people... She''s extroverted and open-minded. I think that about sums her up," Keiko concluded.


    "Now, tell me," Metsumi said, "does that sound like someone who wouldn''t help you through this if you asked them to?"


    "... What? But, I can''t just... Lovers," Keiko said, lowering her volume a bit, "aren''t supposed to do that..."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I, well, you can''t just ask someone ''hey, what can I do to make you happy?'' Right?"


    "Why not?" Metsumi shrugged. "How do you think Satsuhiro and I have been together for so long? We come from two completely different worlds and we''re two completely different kinds of people," she told Keiko, "how was he ever supposed to know what I like if he didn''t ask?"


    "... But..."


    "Keiko," Metsumi smiled at her kindly. "The issue here is that you''re treating Kaori like... A prize to be won, rather than a human being that you can talk to, you know? Personally, I think if you just tell her how you''re feeling, she won''t need to look for other women to kiss." Metsumi shrugged. "But, and I''m sorry to say this, if you just keep these things bottled up, you''ll push her away before you ever find the solutions yourself."


    Keiko leaned back, looking up at the ceiling.


    "So... What, I just go up and ask her what she likes?"


    "Sure, why not?" Metsumi asked.


    And that was what led Keiko to this current moment.


    ---


    Kaori


    Keiko had been silent for a few seconds. Kaori had nodded and told her "yes", but Keiko hadn''t spoken to her again. The two were sitting on that bench, moonlight pouring onto them from above, coalescing with the sconces and light poles.


    And then, Keiko turned towards her.


    "Kaori... What... Uhm... What do you like?"


    Kaori blinked.


    "What?"


    "In... In uhm, you know..." Keiko blushed. "In bed," she muttered.


    Kaori recoiled.


    "Wow, that came out of nowhere," she said with a smirk.


    "F-Forget it, I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have asked, I just..." Keiko trailed off.


    "No, no," Kaori raised a hand, chuckling. "You just caught me by surprise, is all. Uh," she looked away. "I guess I like being eaten out a lot..."


    "O-Oh..." Keiko''s face was now fully red, even noticeable in the slight darkness. Kaori giggled at that.


    "Why do you ask?"


    "..." Keiko looked back at her. She paused, her eyes gleaming in the night. They were so close, Kaori could feel her body almost pressing into her right side. "I want to make you happy," Keiko stated.


    And, at that, Kaori pulled back. She hadn''t expected that to come out of Keiko.


    But, now that it was out, Keiko added to it.


    "I know you like me and all but... I can''t help but think that as I am, I''m not good enough to keep your interest. And... I know there are other women out there who could do better for you. so... I guess..." Keiko hunched over. "I guess what I am trying to say is..."


    She looked up at Kaori.


    "I don''t want to lose you."


    And at that, Kaori felt her eyes tear up as she started laughing.


    She couldn''t help it. She hugged Keiko tightly, catching the Zayama by surprise.


    "You don''t need to worry about that," Kaori informed her.


    "But... I''m still learning this," Keiko said. "I''m still learning what a relationship is like and... I know you''d rather be with someone who already knows. Someone..." But Keiko didn''t finish that sentence.


    "I don''t think anyone else is this cute, so I think you''re wrong on that one," Kaori told her. It was something that barely ever showed up, but Keiko, at times like these, was truly just adorable.


    "Seriously," Kaori continued. "I know you''re still learning. And, don''t worry, I''d be happy to show you some tips and tricks," Kaori winked at her and Keiko looked away. "It''ll have to be later though, we have a bunch of stuff to do. Come on," Kaori stood up, stretching a hand towards Keiko. "I think it''s about time we go to sleep."


    Once again, Kaori had missed an opportunity to vent, but given where Keiko''s mind was, she didn''t think this was the right time. Besides, she''d rather have both Ash and Keiko be present for that conversation, rather than tell one and not the other.


    "Right."


    Keiko took Kaori''s hand and the two walked back to the inn, with that nightmare that had awoken Kaori up in the back of her mind for now.


    She hoped she could keep it there, at least until the battle for Onyx was over, but she didn''t know.

 Chapter 165 - Vol. 3 - 38

    Ash


    With the Lust demon out of the way, it was time to get to work.


    As the army of Onyx continued to make their preparations, Ash, Kaori, and Keiko all headed out during the afternoon to farm a few monsters so they could raise their levels to be even higher than they were now. After all, since Vermia and Ren wouldn''t be in this fight, the weight on their shoulders was the heaviest it had ever been.


    "So," Ash said as they all walked through the forest that hugged the shrine. Keiko was moving beside her, holding a map. "What were the monsters again?"


    "In this area, we can find ''spiked boars'', which are apparently like pigs but far larger and deadlier, some giant snakes called ''unholy pythons'', and ''drakes'', which are similar to dragons but generally weaker and smaller," Keiko answered.


    "Lovely," Ash muttered.


    Because this was a much more controlled trip, after all, they''d be fighting creatures that were generally of a lower level than them, Satsuhiro said it was fine for Keiko to come along. That was why she was here with them instead of resting back at the inn, as she had been during the trip to slay the Lust demon..


    The area around them was as verdant as it was cramped. It felt like the bamboo only cleared up at a few different spots, allowing for more space, but for the most part, one wrong turn and a traveler could end up smashing face-first into one of these trees.


    "There''s a river north," Keiko stated, "and apparently the bamboo clears up at that point. That''s where we''ll find the monsters."


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Because of the easy source of water, mostly," Kaori answered. "Plus, since a lot of smaller animals gather up to drink from the river, the monsters hunt them and hunt each other, so they live nearby. Learned that in class," she winked.


    "Wait, so are there any monsters in the water?" Ash asked.


    "Probably," Kaori replied.


    "In any case, you two are of a high enough level to where no creature should be too much of an issue."


    Indeed. Kaori, thanks to the enhanced Quick Learner trait and the disparity in power between the blonde and the demon, had gained a total of 18 levels from killing the Lust demon, which gave her 36 attribute points and left her at this status:


    Kaori:


    Level 51


    MP: 60/60


    EXP: 30/510


    ---


    STR: 22


    DEX: 28


    CON: 65


    INT: 6


    WIS: 6


    L: 100


    Kaori had said before they left that, as per Yumi''s request when they''d been training, she wanted to put at least a few of those points into her Dex, but of course, most of that went to her Con. According to Satsuhiro, she was now resilient enough to survive the type of hit that would kill most seasoned veterans.


    The kind of hit that would kill both Ash and Keiko even, and thus, Kaori''s role as a frontline for her friends and the soldiers around her was now fully in effect. Though, Ash didn''t really understand how she was supposed to keep multiple people alive at once in the middle of a battle, still, apparently, she was able to do that now, more effectively than before.


    "It''s so fucking hot out here," Ash noted. "How much water do we have again?"


    "Enough for a day," Keiko answered, briefly looking through her bag. "We''ll only be fighting till sundown. Then, we head home and do the same tomorrow."


    "Okay, can I get some of that then?"


    "Sure," Keiko said with a smile and passed her one of the flasks. Ash took just a few sips, wanting to be careful with how much she drank and handed it back.


    The river came into view shortly after that moment. It was narrow and stretched in a crescent shape, eventually turning into a sizeable lake. As Keiko had said, the bamboo cleared up and now, Ash could see just how far from civilization they were. There was no sign of human construction as far as her eyes could see.


    And as she was gazing out, Keiko raised a hand.


    "Wait, do you hear that?" She asked.


    "Uh, no," Ash replied. "What is it?"


    "It... It sounds like some heavy footsteps coming from that direction," Keiko replied, pointing ahead, across the river. "Maybe we should follow them, likely to be our first target."


    "Sounds good," Ash nodded and she began walking ahead. At that moment, Ash decided to transform her  Lust  into its gauntlet forms and strapped them onto her wrists.


    After all, combat could happen at any moment.


    Like, right now.


    "W-what? Shit!" Ash fell back, pushing Keiko down as a giant snake rose up from the river they had been about to cross.


    Water fell from its scales as it opened a gaping mouth showing two thin, but exceptionally long fangs and it hissed at them. The creature loomed over them, maybe 20 meters long, from what Ash could see as it looked down upon them. Its body was colored a bright white and its eyes were slit just like Ash''s were, a dark orange color though.


    Level 30


    MP: 50/50


    Okay, it''s big, but it shouldn''t be too dangerous. Agh, don''t let your guard down though,  she told herself. She remembered what happened with that one reaver back at Sapphire, a creature she theoretically should have easily beaten, and yet one that nearly got the better of her.


    Keiko rose up to her feet and quickly unsheathed her sword, dropping her map and her bag.


    "Iridos," Keiko said, activating her Spirit Eye.


    Ash dropped her own bag while Kaori, however, simply stood frozen. Ash noticed that and, without taking her eyes off the snake, said:


    "Kaori, focus up!"


    Kaori shook her head.


    "R-Right," and she dropped her own bag, transforming her metallic arm into its shield form.


    Finally, the snake attacked. It lunged towards Ash, faster than it had any right to at a size like that, and the half-demon sidestepped it and the snake''s head crashed onto the dirt. Then, she landed a slash with her right gauntlet, that let a splatter of green blood fall onto the ground.


    However, before Ash could do so a second time, the snake lifted its head sideways and managed to wrap its mouth around Ash''s body, before throwing her aside with it. Ash rolled several times, eventually crashing into a boulder.


    "Agh, fuck!" She cried out. The impact had been harsh, but she felt like she could still go.


    As she stood up though, she found the creature about to attack Keiko. The Zayama held her sword by her side, ready to respond as the snake went for the same attack it had done to Ash. Just like Ash, she dodged and replied with a stab at its body, but unlike Ash, when the snake followed up the same way it had before, Keiko avoided that as well. Then, she planted her left leg into the ground and spun, dragging her right leg in a circle and slashing at the same time.


    "Zansae!" Keiko called out and Ash saw a burst of roses explode from her sword, inflicting a deep slash on the snake''s body.


    Holy shit,  Ash thought.


    However, Keiko was pushed back when the snake''s response to the injury was to shake and move sporadically, practically squealing as it sprayed its blood into the air.


    "Keiko!" Kaori yelled and she went to stand between the Zayama and the snake, her shield held out in front of her.


    Ash started running towards them. Holding her gauntlets out, she narrowed her eyes, looking to stab the monster with as much strength as she could put behind it.


    "Ash, duck!" Keiko called out though and Ash''s eyes widened. Instinctively, she did as Keiko asked and barely managed to avoid a spray of green mist that came out of the snake''s mouth.


    Sensing that the other girls had somehow come between the monster and its prey, the snake turned its head towards Kaori and Keiko.


    It charged towards them in a flash, and Kaori prepared to hold it back.


    "Wait, what?" Keiko muttered and the snake stopped just in front of Kaori. "U-Uh, dodge!"


    However, even though she said that, both of them were too late. Instead of smashing into Kaori, the snake poured out more of that green mist. Kaori was too slow to react and was engulfed in it. Keiko, who jumped to the right, was also too late.


    Kaori started coughing, but she remained standing as the snake reared back.  Okay, shit, now it''s actually gonna attack.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" Ash said and a black sphere came out of her left hand, striking the snake from the back.


    That earned another squeal and Ash charged forwards. This time, the snake didn''t make a move to stop her, and Ash was able to plant both her blades into it. She wouldn''t stop there though, ripping them out and stabbing into it over and over as the snake writhed in response.


    Like it had with Keiko, the snake''s sporadic movements ended up bashing Ash and throwing her to the side, but the damage was done, and the snake promptly fell as its green blood fell on the dirt in front of Ash.


    And, a few seconds later, Ash stood up and slammed her gauntlets into its head.


    EXP Gained: 200


    EXP: 200/380


    Ash breathed heavily as she watched the life fade from the snake''s body.


    She looked back at Kaori and Keiko and quickly ran over to them. First, she went to Kaori.


    "Are you okay? What the fuck was that?" She asked.


    "I''m fine," Kaori said. "I... It burned a little, but yeah. I''m... Wait, Keiko?" Kaori turned and both she and Ash saw the Zayama laying on the ground, however, the sight made Ash''s eyes bulge out of their sockets.


    Her skin had green splotches riddled on it.


    Ash ran up to her and quickly cast some healing magic, but it didn''t do anything.


    "What?" She asked, retracting her hands. "Why...?"


    "I''m," Keiko started to say, coughing, "I''m poisoned."


    "Huh?" Ash, who had never been poisoned in her life, had no idea what that meant.


    "It''s a status effect," Kaori knelt down by Keiko, putting a hand on her head. "I-I''ve seen it, in Jade, in the clinics. Your healing magic won''t work because there''s a specific spell that''s supposed to remove it."


    "Wait, shit, what do we do then!?" Ash asked, concern starting to rise.


    "I''ll be fine for now," Keiko said, and with Kaori''s help, she stood up. Ash reverted her gauntlets and placed her hands under Keiko''s arms, keeping her steady.


    "Uh, is that true?" Ash asked Kaori. "H-How does this work?"


    "She''s right," Kaori nodded. "Poison hurts over time, but it''s only life-threatening if it''s left unchecked for days."


    "Don''t worry about me," Keiko said. "Let''s just keep going. There should be more monsters ahead."


    "..." Ash watched as Keiko started coughing again, but for now, she nodded and went along with her. "Alright, but if you get worse, we''re running back to the city."


    "That''s fine," Keiko replied. "Let''s just get some more fights in."


    Indeed, they did find more monsters as they went on. The next one they encountered was a drake. It was a strange-looking creature, with similar eyes to the snake they''d just killed and the height of a small cabin. It had been devouring the corpse of a wild deer when they''d found it, and was level 31.


    "You should be the one to kill it," Kaori had told Ash before the fight started.


    "Again?" Ash asked. "I just took the snake down."


    "I''m already level 51," Kaori shrugged. "It''s better if you catch up, right?"


    "I guess," Ash nodded. "Okay, here goes nothing."


    This fight was far more controlled than the first. The drake had only a few attacks to choose from, a bite, a swipe with its wings, and some lightning that it could cast from its mouth, much like that mist the unholy python they''d fought could create. All of these, Ash was able to avoid reliably, and that led to a fight that concluded with Ash raising up her right gauntlet, and stabbing it straight through the drake''s head.


    Still, one thing that Ash noticed was that, even though she was at a higher level, both of these creatures felt tougher than they should have been, and it reminded her of something. Something from the very beginning of her journey.


    "A fight between someone who''s level 50 and someone who''s level 40 will look a hell of a lot closer than a fight between someone who''s level 1 and someone who''s level 5, or something," Ash muttered.


    "Hm? What do you mean?" Kaori asked as Keiko coughed lowly.


    "Nothing, just, something Satsuhiro had told me. He said something about diminishing returns, or whatever it''s called, "Ash explained. "That the higher level you are, and the higher level your competition, the less your stats actually start to matter, I think. I don''t know, I''m fucking stupid."


    Keiko laughed and coughed again.


    "No you aren''t," she replied softly. "And, yes, I was taught something similar when I had been training before. It was something like this, ''the difference in speed and agility between someone who''s at Dexterity 100 and someone who''s at Dexterity 90 is but the twitch of a muscle''. I think it''s sort of what you''re saying."


    "Maybe."


    "... It wasn''t like that for Yumi though, right?" Kaori brought up. "She lost her fight pretty badly..."


    "I mean, I''d be shocked if a fight between a level 40 and a level 80 didn''t look like it did."


    "I guess so," Kaori shrugged.


    They continued on from that point, running into a few more creatures and cleaning them up. The monsters they encountered were as strange as they were dangerous, but between the three of them, none was able to do much to truly harm anyone in the group. However, before long, Ash simply couldn''t bear to see Keiko continuing to struggle through.


    The point where she decided to call it was as the group walked between a few trees and Keiko stumbled.


    "Agh," she fell to the side, holding onto a nearby tree and coughing a few times.


    "Keiko?" Ash was by her side quickly.


    "I''m fine, just... A bit dizzy."


    And that was it. That was all Ash needed to see.


    "Nah, we''re going back."


    Keiko actually looked offended at that.


    "Ash, I''m okay," Keiko replied. "I''m fine. Let''s keep..."


    "No," Ash shook her head. "I don''t know, but this doesn''t look okay to me. It just looks like you''re forcing yourself to keep going for our sake and, yeah, I don''t like that shit at all. Let''s just go, get you healed, and come back tomorrow."


    "... Fine," Keiko conceded. And so, after Ash gained a total of four levels they decided to head back. It all left her status like this:


    Level 42


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 0/420


    ---


    STR: 31


    DEX: 21


    CON: 18


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    With all of her points going into Dex for one simple reason. Her gauntlets didn''t feel comfortable enough. She wanted these weapons to feel more natural and hoped that putting points into Dex would allow that to happen.


    ---


    A Few Hours Later


    "Oh, don''t worry," a healer said to Ash and Kaori. "She''ll be fine in about thirty minutes. Just wait in the lobby."


    "Wait," Ash raised a hand. "Could you teach me that spell? To cure poisons I mean."


    "Oh?" The healer tilted his head. "Are you a Light mage?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded.


    "Then, don''t worry, I have the spell mastered. I''ve been doing this for a while, after all. I''ll just pass the spell over to you."


    "Oh, shit. Thanks," Ash replied, surprised that the man didn''t comment on her half-demon self at all, though, as she had been made aware of her growing reputation, maybe this man simply respected her as a Savior.


    That was just too damn uncomfortable for Ash. She hoped he was just cursing her out in his mind or something. Something she was used to.


    "No problem. Always happy to help a fellow healer."


    And with that, white tendrils flowed between them, and in a matter of seconds, Ash knew the spell.


    "Thanks," Ash muttered.


    "No problem. Remember though, this won''t heal diseases. There''s another separate spell for that one, and unfortunately, I don''t know it. Usually, we just use potions for those. You might want to look into finding a few just in case. Good luck out there," he said and the healer walked away.


    It was already nighttime. The group had asked around and a guard had pointed them to this clinic. Before they came here, they went back to the inn and changed out of their armor and into more comfortable clothes. Outfits that didn''t smell like snake blood, at least. They had arrived later with Keiko''s skin becoming even darker and the healers wasted no time in casting that spell on her.


    Now, Ash was waiting at a fairly comfortable leather chair, with Kaori next to her. The blonde had her head on her left shoulder, looking like she was ready to fall asleep right on top of Ash.


    Eventually, Keiko walked out before that could happen though.


    Her skin was clear again and Ash smiled when she saw her. She and Kaori stood up and Keiko walked over to them, her hands clasped together.


    "All done," the same healer from before said, coming up from beside Keiko. Ash hadn''t even noticed him.


    "How much is it?"


    "Ah, for a Savior, I''ll let you go for free," he shrugged. "Think of it as my way of paying respect."


    So, it was that, huh? He knew me.


    Ash didn''t know how to react to that. So, she nodded, muttered a quick "thanks" and left.


    The three of them came back to the inn early on into the night, but the earlier events had tired them all out considerably. So, all three of them headed upstairs after saying "goodnight" to Satsuhiro, Opah, and Metsumi, and fell asleep together in their bed.


    Only to have a banging on their door wake them up a few hours later.


    "What the...?" Ash mumbled, stirring.


    "Ash," Satsuhiro called out. "Keiko, Kaori. Get up!"


    "Huh?" hearing the urgency in his voice woke Ash up fully and she tossed her covers off, poking Kaori and Keiko both awake as well. Then, she ran over to the door, opening it and seeing a concerned-looking Satsuhiro. "What''s going on?"


    He gave Ash the kind of look that meant he couldn''t believe what he was about to say.


    "Demons poured in from the portals. They''re fighting the guards around the city."


    "Wait, what?" Ash asked. "But... I haven''t received the buff."


    "Yes," Satsuhiro nodded. "They''re fighting at the walls. Not actually invading the city in its entirety," he explained. "It''s a skirmish of some sort."


    That was a word Ash hadn''t heard before, but she guessed it meant that this wasn''t a full-on siege, but something different.


    What the hell is going on?

 Chapter 166 - Vol. 3 - 39

    As the New Age Inn could be found fairly close to the Onyx''s southwestern gates, even in this building Ash could hear the fighting outside as she raced to throw on her armor.  What the fuck? Why now? Hell, just why?  Ash asked herself. Maybe it was due to her lack of experience with this sort of thing, but she couldn''t make sense of this. Kaori finished up next to her, but Keiko was being a tad slow. Ash noticed that and asked:


    "Are you okay?"


    Keiko simply nodded slowly, continuing to put her fighting outfit on, the black and gold set of clothes she''d wear to train with. Eventually, the three of them were done and they walked out, finding Satsuhiro standing outside.


    "So, what the fuck is going on?" Ash asked as citizens screamed in the streets.


    "Three different places are being attacked," Satsuhiro explained. "The nearby gates, the northern wall, and the southern wall. They''re using demon mages to try to break through those walls but apparently, they''re still holding up."


    "Where should we go first?" Kaori asked.


    "The gates, since they''re so close, then make your way to the southern part and then go to the north. Good luck," he told them and with that, the three of them ran down the nearby stairs.


    "What''s happening!?" A customer asked as the Saviors appeared.


    "They''re fighting, it''s the demons!" A lady cried out.


    "We''re doomed!"


    One by one, the employees and customers alike began to go crazy. One of them was barricading the front door. Ash walked over to him.


    "Take that shit off, we''re going out."


    "B-But, the demons..." The man said with trembling lips.


    Then, Keiko spoke up from behind Ash, surprising her.


    "Citizens of Onyx," she said, though her voice sounded a bit raspy. "Do not worry, we''re Saviors. We''re heading out there to fight now, just stay inside, stay in the other rooms and remain calm! We''ve got this under control!"


    Ash blinked.


    Wow. Where the hell did that come from?  She asked herself as she saw Keiko in front of her, standing with her back straight looking like a proper commander.


    "Right!" A woman said. "The Saviors! They''ll save us! That one," she pointed at Ash. "That''s the one who beat them! At Sapphire!"


    "Of course!" Another customer gasped. "You''re right! We''re saved!"


    Slowly, each of the citizens began to agree with her and Keiko nodded to herself turning away from them. The man who had been barricading the inn took the obstacles away and joined the other customers. As the group turned hopeful, Kaori walked over to her and asked:


    "Keiko, really? What was that?"


    "I, well, I just remembered what Satsuhiro said," Keiko muttered. "It doesn''t do anything good for anyone to have a crowd of panicked, volatile people. Right?" She asked.


    Ash remembered as well. The idea was that even if they didn''t know what would happen, having these locals be calm was preferable to having them tearing the place apart.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Let''s go." She sighed. "They don''t pay us enough for this shit."


    The group ran out into the streets, to see people running away from their right.  So, the fight''s not here yet.  Ash thought as she started jogging towards the direction they were running from. Above, the sky was a light shade of violet, but not quite the dark oppressive color that it had turned during the other battles. That was likely an indicator that the portals hadn''t fully spread yet.


    So,  she asked herself,  why does Niven want to fight now?


    Upon passing a few streets, Ash received the usual notification.


    Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing


    However, when she went to check her stats, she was confused.


    Level 42


    MP: 250/250


    EXP: 0/420


    ---


    STR: 34


    DEX: 24


    CON: 22


    INT: 22


    WIS: 25


    L: 100


    "Yeah," Ash said, so the others could hear. "My stats barely went up."


    "Huh?" Kaori replied, jogging next to her. "What do you mean?"


    "I''m saying that the portal''s barely affecting them. So, we''re pretty much fighting base-level demons. Should be easier for us, though I''m not gonna be that strong so, yeah."


    When they finally reached the first scene of battle, Ash narrowed her eyes. Lust demons were coming in from the sky, picking soldiers, guards, and civilians alike up and carrying them into the air, only to let them fall to their deaths. Onyx''s guards, armed with crossbows and spears, battled Wrath demons, many of them falling at the hands of their relentless opponents. Finally, Gluttony mage demons were casting spells and whipping their tongues out at soldiers from a distance.


    It''s a mess,  Ash thought.  They weren''t ready at all.


    Level 35


    MP: 100/100


    Level 33


    MP: 10/10


    Level 33


    MP: 30/30


    "Okay, listen, their levels are in the 30s, this should be fine for us," Ash told Kaori and Keiko, and they both nodded.


    Ash''s eyes remained on Keiko for a few extra seconds. She was worried for her, she seemed a little slower than usual.


    However, now that they were here, it was time for them to do their job. As a crossbow bolt stabbed through a demon''s head to Ash''s left, she transformed her  Lust  into those gauntlets and ran towards one to the right. The Wrath demon hissed at her, and before it could close its mouth Ash ran her right weapon into its face.


    Her attack didn''t kill the creature, but it did wound it heavily as it let out a spray of violet blood. Ash punched its torso twice, stabbing it, and then finished with a stab of her right gauntlet into its neck.


    EXP Gained: 200


    EXP: 200/420


    Okay, they''re a bit harder to finish off, but with our stats, this should be easy enough. Just stay focused, and don''t get caught-


    A demon''s claw scratched her face and briefly, the world went white. Ash closed her eyes, felt herself slipping, and then fell onto the ground. Whatever demon had attacked mounted her.


    She opened her eyes, but could only see a blur looming above her, a claw raised to the sky. And then, the demon''s head was cleaved off by Keiko, its blood falling onto Ash''s chest. She pushed it off and quickly healed herself, and suddenly, she could see again.


    "Thanks," Ash said as Keiko helped her up. However, as this happened, she saw Kaori in the middle of the street, just standing there.


    The blonde was looking ahead with a terrified expression, her hands limp by her sides and her bottom lip quivering.


    "Kaori!?" Ash said, walking over to her. She put her hands on the blonde''s shoulders and it was like she hadn''t even realized Ash was approaching. Kaori shook her head and blinked.


    "W-What?"


    "What are you doing?"


    "I... Sorry," Kaori shook her head, transforming her hand into its shield form. "Sorry, um," and without another word, she ran towards the nearest soldier who was fighting off a demon.


    She pushed the demon off and gave the soldier room to land a crossbow shot at its chest.


    What was that about?  Ash wondered. However, wanting to avoid what had just happened, she focused up and went to the next fight. Surprisingly, the soldiers weren''t doing that bad a job. They were absolutely outmatched as far as stats were concerned, but their positions gave them ample space to land ranged attacks and although the melee fighters stood no chance, they gave Ash, Kaori, and Keiko the room to clean up the battle.


    Ash picked one of the demons up by stabbing both her gauntlets into its stomach and pinned it to a wall, removing one of those gauntlets and stabbing through its head. Keiko was a little sloppier than Ash could remember her being, but she still managed to cut down multiple demons, moving from one side of the street to another. Kaori used her bladed shield both to defend the soldiers and fight off any demons that came to attack her.


    At one point, a tongue wrapped around Ash''s left leg.


    She slipped and a Gluttony demon started dragging her towards its mouth.


    "Shit, shit, help!" Ash called out and Keiko turned towards her.


    "Ash!" Keiko yelled and, in a flash, she charged over to Ash and sliced the tongue in half. Then, she ran up to the Gluttony demon and slashed its rippling stomach multiple times, its entrails spilling out onto the street.


    It was already bloody, and this was just the first "skirmish" of three that the girls would be doing tonight.


    Ash stood up and, out of instinct, hugged Keiko tightly.


    "Thanks," Ash said and she gently pushed Keiko away, running over to the next demon and pouncing on it.


    All around them, many soldiers were losing their lives as they tried to hold back the demon forces. Ash, for the most part, focused on fighting but there were a few things she noticed. For one, the demons didn''t seem interested in running through the street. Instead, they remained in this one spot, fighting here and only here. Second, there were no Nightmares. Every demon around Ash was a basic one, barely buffed up by Niven''s Blessing.


    Suddenly, a drum sounded off in the distance, beyond the walls.


    What?


    One demon heard that, snapped its head up, and began to retreat. Then another, and as the drum continued to ring out, the demon forces retreated in their entirety.


    "What the fuck?" Ash muttered as some of the soldiers fell to their knees, exhausted and wounded.


    She breathed in a few times and then turned to look for Keiko and Kaori. Both girls were dealing with a few stray demons while healers began to run up through the streets. Kaori walked up to her.


    "They... They just left," Kaori noted.


    "Yeah, I don''t get it either."


    "We have to keep moving," Keiko reminded them. "There are two other fights happening right now as well."


    Ash nodded and again, the group began jogging towards the southern portion of the city. Now that the citizens had properly evacuated already, the streets were empty, with only the sounds of soldiers receiving and yelling out orders in the distance to let the girls know where to go.


    They arrived at the southern wall a while later and found that demons were attempting to breach it. Literally, trying to break a hole through the stone. From above, soldiers were alternating between fending off those Lust demons and shooting at the demons trying to break the wall down.


    Ash, Kaori, and Keiko ran up some stairs leading to a wooden platform where they could see outside the city. There were around a hundred demons, all of which had poured in through the diamond-shaped portal just up ahead, using magic, rocks, and boulders to try to bust through the wall.


    Okay, spells then.  Ash thought and she took a deep breath.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" Ash said, casting a Dark sphere at one of the demons that hit its head and caused it to cry out in pain. Ash instantly felt her anger surging thanks to the Dark magic, but she tried to keep herself in check.


    Beside her, Keiko asked a guard:


    "Is there a bow around here? And some arrows?"


    "Y-Yes, that box over there," he pointed to where some weapons were being held. Keiko quickly ran over, grabbed a bow, and began firing off shots at the demons below. Kaori, of course, could do nothing but watch until one demon mage tried to fire a spell at someone nearby.


    "Watch out!" Kaori stepped between the soldier and the spell. The spell struck her and Ash saw her grit her teeth and bear it, but then, the soldier, who had been using a crossbow, accidentally shot Kaori in the back. "Agh, w-what!?"


    "Sorry, sorry!" The soldier lamented and Ash walked over, yanking the bolt out and healing Kaori up.


    Keiko continued firing off shots, but out of nowhere, she started to miss more and more of them, until finally, she stopped and set the bow aside.


    "Keiko?" Ash asked.


    "I need a moment, keep shooting them. Don''t mind me," Keiko said, getting on her knees.


    Fuck... She''s getting sick in the middle of this fight.


    "Do not let up!" A captain yelled. "Do not let them breach the wall!"


    Well, shit, dude,  Ash thought as an orb of flames impacted the very structure he was talking about.  Doesn''t look like the soldiers can do much about it. They really weren''t ready at all.


    And, on that note, one demon managed to break through with a fairly large Ice-based spell.


    And instantly, the demons began retreating. Ash raised a brow as she saw them run back to the portal.  Seriously, what the fuck is this?


    "We..." Keiko started, but then she paused, holding a hand to her mouth. She breathed in and continued, "we should keep going."


    "... Keiko," Ash said, "maybe you should head back to the inn. It doesn''t look like the demons are committing to anything."


    Keiko looked at Ash like she''d just called her worthless.


    "I can fight. Do not worry about me," Keiko said, turning around and running off.


    Ash sighed, looking over at Kaori.


    "Come on, one more to go."


    "Right."


    ---


    Keiko


    This entire time, her body had been fighting a war of its own. Every step Keiko took, every slash of her sword, every sprint towards an enemy, it all made Keiko''s stomach burn and her head feel lighter and lighter until she could barely tell whether she was falling or still running.


    But, she had finally gotten on Ash and Kaori''s level recently. She wasn''t about to fail them now. She had to keep going so that she could continue proving herself to everyone around her. She needed that.


    That was why Ash and Kaori''s concerned eyes and the way the world would start spinning if she put too much effort behind her moves weren''t things Keiko was about to let get in her way. She kept her sword outstretched and ready as she and the others arrived at the northern wall.


    Unlike the southern one though, this one had already been broken down, and the demons were fighting as opposed to just running away. Keiko saw one, a Gluttony demon that was swallowing a female soldier whole, and she stabbed right through it. The demon let the woman go and she scurried away as Keiko finished it off.


    An EXP message appeared above her head, but Keiko ignored it. Instead, she ran up to her next target. The demon saw her and instantly swiped at her. Keiko dodged the attack and nearly slipped, but she kept herself standing and retaliated, but the demon dodged as well.


    They traded slashes, neither one connecting well until Keiko found an opening and she ran in, stabbing it.


    She was breathing heavily at this point, the city around her spinning a little as the demon fell lifeless, on top of her. She let it fall to the side and then, she looked around again.


    Okay, now...  Keiko thought but she took one step and fell to the ground.


    "Agrg," she gagged, but this time, it was too strong. She puked out that violet onto the stone next to her, and instantly, her stomach felt better.


    She remained there, for a while, the liquid getting into her hair as it spread in a puddle, Keiko''s chest rising and falling.


    I...  She tried to stand up, but her arms felt too weak.  I can''t...


    Then, someone picked her up and put her on their shoulders. Keiko''s eyes focused and she saw blonde hair and Savior''s armor. Then, she was placed against a wall and she saw Kaori looking back at her, worried.


    "Just stay here," Kaori told her. Then, she kissed Keiko''s forehead and ran off, defending soldiers and fighting off demons at the same time. And Keiko''s eyes, feeling far too heavy, closed of their own will.


    ...


    When they opened again, it was eerily quiet. There were a few pained moans coming from people around her, but no swords clashing, no demons snarling. Keiko shook her head and quickly felt a headache pounding against her skull.


    Ugh... This... This feels terrible.  She noted as she looked around. It was still nighttime, so she hadn''t been out for too long.


    "Oh, you''re up?" She heard someone say and looked to her right. She hadn''t realized that Ash was sitting right next to her.


    "Ash?"


    "Yeah," the half-demon nodded. "You passed out. Mid-fight."


    "..." Keiko let her head fall back against the wall. "It... It won''t happen again."


    At that Ash gave her a worried look and didn''t say anything.


    Keiko put a hand on her stomach then, sighing.  Why does this have to happen to me now?  She wondered as she saw Kaori walk up to her. The blonde had been talking with some of the soldiers.


    "Oh, she''s up."


    "Yeah. Let''s go," Ash said, standing up.


    "Um... What happened to the demons?"


    "They just left again. You weren''t out for too long," Ash stated. "Come on, let''s head back to the inn."


    Keiko stood up and quickly fell back down. Her eyes widened.


    "M-My legs..."


    "Huh?" Ash knelt down beside her.


    "They feel... Weak."


    "... Okay, don''t worry," Ash said and she picked her up. "Wrap your arms around me. I''ll carry you back."


    Keiko, a tad embarrassed, nodded. Ash held her up and Keiko wrapped her arms around her neck. Sighing into her, Keiko shook her head.


    I am a fighter. I can''t let this keep going. There has to be something I can do about this.


    With that, the girls headed back to the inn, with Ash carrying Keiko on her back the entire way there.

 Chapter 167 - Vol. 3 - 40

    Ash


    The following morning, the New Age Inn was as tense as it had ever been. Ash and the others were having breakfast downstairs, and instead of the cheery early-day conversations and laughs that would be happening at this time, everyone in the building was silent. All Ash could hear was the occasional "can I get you something?" by one of the workers. Even Caroline, who gave Ash the impression of being just as energetic as Kaori, had an anxious look on her face.


    It wasn''t hard to guess what they were all thinking, of course.


    They''re probably wondering how long it''ll be before the demons show up here,  Ash thought.


    "All in all, a total of 131 soldiers were eliminated last night," Satsuhiro said in a low volume, as he finished reading a letter that had arrived for them just a couple of hours ago.


    "Oh...." Kaori said, saddened by that. Ash wasn''t surprised. They''d seen the fighting first-hand, and those soldiers were simply not prepared for what they had to deal with.


    Beside Ash, Keiko was eating some corn-based cereal in silence. Beside her, Kaori hadn''t even touched her noodles. Ash''s eyes alternated between them every couple of seconds.


    "So," Ash spoke up, "what was that about then? What did Niven want to get out of  these fights?"


    "Most likely his goal is to weaken the city''s forces before the real siege happens. Either that or this is how he plans to take the city. One skirmish at a time until all of Onyx has fallen."


    Considering how badly Onyx''s forces had been beaten, Ash didn''t doubt that either of those strategies could work for Niven.


    "By the way," Satsuhiro continued, "Eliza wants us to head over to the Grey Chamber to help with making a plan since she''s expecting Niven to do the same thing tonight."


    ... Could he literally just do this throughout the entire week? Until the portal''s influence covers the whole city?


    Ash sighed. That sounded like far too much work.


    "It''s probably not a good idea to head out and farm for now," Satsuhiro added. "For all we know, Niven might attack again before the night comes."


    "So, what do we do then?"


    "We could train with Yumi," Keiko pitched in. "Taking it easy, of course. Nothing too hard, just enough to stay fresh."


    "You''d be risking tiring yourselves out before the fight but, if you can convince Yumi to go easy on you, then sure. That''s an option. Of course, now that I think about it," Satsuhiro scratched his chin, "considering how Niven isn''t using his full power yet... You could take this as an opportunity to farm too."


    "... Yeah," Ash nodded. "Those demons were a bit tougher at their base levels than the ones in Sapphire, but yeah. I think we could do that."


    "Alright then. A carriage will be here in a bit to take us over there. Collect yourselves before we head out, they''ll probably want to probe your minds a bit."


    The rest of the breakfast was mostly spent in silence as everyone was deep in thought. Even Metsumi seemed like she had a lot on her mind, most likely wondering what she''d do with Opah while this whole situation sorted itself out. As Satsuhiro had said, a vehicle arrived before long, and Ash, Kaori, Keiko, and Satsuhiro all got in it to head over to the Grey Chamber.


    Outside, things were just as Ash had guessed they''d be. People were speaking to each other with panicked eyes, others with stoic acceptance, and some of the peasants looked like they were just waiting for their time to come.


    "Wow..." Kaori said as she looked outside as well. "Where will they all go?"


    "Same as Pearl and Sapphire, the Lord will likely pick a place and keep them all there till the fighting passes. The issue is that this time, the fighting could last an entire week," Satsuhiro replied.


    "So?" Ash asked.


    "That means that, with so many people holed up in one place for that long, there''s plenty of time for the citizens of this city to go crazy. Especially if the fight outside doesn''t turn out well."


    Indeed, Ash imagined that if she hadn''t been "blessed" with these skills and abilities, and she was forced to wait for possible death in some dark room with a bunch of other sweaty, nervous people, she''d probably go crazy too.


    Eventually, the carriage reached the Grey Chamber, where many citizens were standing outside its gates yelling at the guards standing in front of them.  What the hell?  Ash asked herself as she looked around.


    "Get us out!" A civilian yelled.


    "The city is falling, let us out!"


    Cries like that rang out all around them, even as the Saviors got off the wooden vehicle and walked up to the palace. They were allowed in, of course, and led to where Eliza was sitting with a few knights, at a table that had been placed in the middle of the main hall.


    The Saviors sat down and Ash prepared to be bored out of her mind for the next hour or two.


    "So," Eliza opened as they arrived, "the god of death has a different strategy this time around. You were out there, right?" She asked them and the girls nodded, "what do you make of this?"


    Ash thought about that for a second.


    "Whatever plan you had needs to be sped up if you want to have a shot at winning," Ash muttered. "That''s pretty much it."


    "How strong were they? Those demons," a knight asked.


    "Around level 30," Ash replied. "Your soldiers had no idea what they were going up against. Well, hopefully now they know."


    "Level 30..." The knight took a shuddering breath. "Each one is as strong as a veteran soldier."


    "With forces like that, we stand no chance at the edges of the city where our defenses aren''t even properly set up," another one replied. "Milady, I suggest we evacuate the perimeter and instead set up stronger defenses deeper into Onyx."


    "You suggest we hand over a large part of the city?" Eliza asked. "We''d be allowing ourselves to be surrounded. We might gain a slight positional advantage, but the trade-off is too much."


    "The point wouldn''t be the position, so much as just buying time, milady. Our smiths are in the process of creating machines and ranged weaponry we can use to defend ourselves, but they aren''t ready."


    And so, they continued arguing back and forth while Ash started to tune them out while she tried to think of ideas on her own.


    She yawned and thought about the portals.


    I could close one or two, but... If the demons inside them are too strong, neither Kasumi or Satsuhiro can help me. I''d basically have to do it alone. Plus, there''s also the chance that the one level 80 demon might not have been the only one Niven had. And in that case, I might be running straight into another one like that. Still, with three portals up, this fight seems too hard. Getting just one of them closed would be a huge help. But...


    And then, she remembered something.


    "Satsu," she leaned towards the man and said, as the others continued to argue. Keiko noticed and looked towards her as she spoke. "Vyl, she gave us these potions that increase Strength and Dexterity and Constitution, is there a way to make them stronger?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Like, Vyl said they increase your attributes by 10. Could they be made to raise them by like 15 or 20 instead?"


    Satsuhiro raised a brow at her.


    "Ash, if you''re thinking we can just hand out potions like those to every soldier in Onyx or something, I don''t think Vyl has the time or resources to do that."


    "What? No, that''s not it," Ash shook her head.


    "Okay, then what are you thinking?"


    "I can go into one of those portals and close them. But... I need someone to help me. If I go in alone, I''ll probably just get taken out before I can destroy those pyramid things. At the very least, I need someone else to buy space for me. You," she looked down to where his leg was missing, "well, yeah, Keiko''s too low level and no one knows where Kasumi is... But," Ash trailed off, turning around and looking over at Kaori.


    "Kaori jumped to level 51," Satsuhiro noted with a nod. "I see."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded as well. "She could probably keep them off me while I go to work. Those potions could probably help with that. It wouldn''t hurt to have some stronger versions of them." She turned towards the blonde. "Kaori."


    "Uh, yeah?" Kaori asked, blinking.


    "Can you still do that thing where your attributes go up over the course of a day or something?"


    "Y-Yeah. I haven''t done it recently because, well, we never really know when we''re gonna start fighting. But, if we''re going to start fighting at night I should probably just start doing that every day, right?"


    "Sure, but listen," Ash said, "I need you to come with me."


    "Where?"


    "To close one of those portals."


    Ash said that, and the other knights and nobles around her all heard it. They stopped mid-argument and looked at her.


    "What was that?" Eliza asked. "You want to close the portals?"


    "Not all of them," Ash shook her head. "That''s too hard. I want to close one. If we can at least take one of them down, then this whole shitshow becomes a bit easier to handle."


    "... The half-demon''s not wrong," a knight responded. "If one of our flanks were covered, then some of the pressure would certainly be eased up on us."


    "But, what do you need to go do that?" A soldier asked.


    "Whatever it is, we''ll supply it. What do you have in mind?"


    And, at that, Ash looked at Kaori. The blonde appeared nervous, but Ash had made her mind up.


    "I''ve already got what I need. I just hope she agrees," Ash said lowly. Then, all eyes fell on Kaori. She looked back and forth between everyone, her hands shaking under the table. But, eventually, she nodded.


    "Sure... I''ll go with you."


    Ash smiled at that.


    "Thanks."

 Chapter 168 - Vol. 3 - 41

    Kaori


    "Is that it then?" Eliza asked. "You don''t need anything? We could give you a small squadron to help you get through to wherever you need to go."


    "Nah, they''d only slow us down," Ash shook her head. "Which one should we do again?"


    "The southern portal is the most convenient one to close," a commanding officer replied. "With two breached walls, defending them both from a horde of demons isn''t feasible. Having at least one of them not be a factor would certainly help. As for why the southern one specifically, well, that one is the farthest from the Grey Chamber."


    "What does that matter?" Ash asked. Kaori simply sat next to her and took steady breaths, trying her hardest not to panic.


    "Should the battle go poorly, the Grey Chamber is where we will all retreat.. Like with all of the other cities, there is an escape route that goes through the palace in case of a siege. If the fight doesn''t go our way, we''d like to be as close to the palace, and that escape route, as possible." Eliza replied.


    "Gotcha."


    "If that''s it then, you are dismissed. We need to continue our preparations," Eliza said, glancing at her officers.


    "Cool," Ash replied. She, Satsuhiro, Keiko, and Kaori all stood up as the nobles and officers walked away, leaving them alone.


    "So, will you be training then?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yeah, may as well loosen up a bit before we head out there," Ash stated. Kaori''s eyes were kept low. She could see the dark streets of Onyx right now, in front of her eyes as everyone spoke around her. The demons, snarling and growling as they tore soldiers and civilians apart. The ones she''d failed to protect, bleeding out as she watched.


    "Kaori?" Ash asked. She shook her head.


    "Hm?"


    "I asked if that was okay with you," Ash told her.


    "Oh, yeah," Kaori nodded, not knowing what she was asking about. She just didn''t want to disappoint Ash, so she agreed.


    "Alright. We''ll be heading out at night then," Ash told Satsuhiro.


    "Huh?" Kaori tilted her head. "Why?"


    "Hm? I just explained it," Ash said, meaning no offense but simply pointing it out. "The demons are probably going to fight today too. In that case, we could sneak in behind them and go into the portal that way, so that there are fewer demons to deal with on the other side. Plus," Ash continued, "it gives that power of yours time to get going."


    "Oh, right," Kaori nodded.


    Ash was referring of course to Kaori''s  Mark of Love spell, which increased Kaori''s stats over the course of a day as long as she stayed close to the person she''d marked, which was of course the half-demon herself.


    Doing some basic math, it was currently noon, which meant that if they went to the portal at around midnight, which was when the fighting started last night, Kaori''s attributes, every single one except for her Luck, which was unchangeable, would be increased by around 12. Because they were planning out when specifically they''d be fighting, it made using this ability more reliable.


    On top of that, if the two of them met an opponent that neither of them could defeat, Kaori could use her  Encourage power to siphon attribute points into Ash, turning her stronger. She guessed she''d probably need to do this at some point during this trip.


    "If that''s all, then I''m heading back to the inn. The carriage should still be waiting outside. Good luck," Satsuhiro said.


    "Thanks," Ash replied and the three girls parted ways with their teacher.


    With all that planning out of the way, they walked over to Yumi''s training room. On the way, many soldiers passed them by carrying different objects, from boxes labeled "Weapons" to some strange machines that resembled catapults that the soldiers were dragging across the palace. Every now and then, one of them would say something in a hushed whisper about some demons but Kaori couldn''t hear the details.


    She was mostly spaced out, in her own mind, throughout this walk. That didn''t change as they entered the balcony-like room with the open side, where Yumi was standing over the railing, looking out to where Kaori could see that now-familiar beautiful landscape. There was something oddly stunning about Yumi that remained even now as they''d gotten to know her more. As the sun shone down on her, she turned towards them, without her fox mask on and with her hair tied into a ponytail, and tilted her head.


    "It seems the demons won''t be allowing me to get my answers," Yumi said with some disappointment in her tone.


    Right.  Kaori thought.  We never checked what happened to her shrine and her handlers.


    "Tonight," Keiko said, walking up to her. "I''ll ask someone to help me write that letter to the Compound. Hopefully, along with that help, they''ll also have answers. I never got to it because... Well," Keiko''s face flushed red. "Reasons."


    "Hehe," Yumi chuckled, "do not concern yourself too heavily with me..." Yumi looked back out onto the land outside of Onyx. "Being here, so close to the outside world yet so far, has made me realize that there is a lot I have been missing out on. I would like my answers," she said, "but... If I do not get them, I will still attempt to move on."


    She turned back to them.


    "That said, what of your demon situation? I haven''t spent too much time roaming these halls, but I have heard a few concerning things."


    "Oh... So you''ve heard about the invasion?"


    "Indeed. I had wondered how powerful the demons had become after my... encounter with them, but this? It seems like the problem has escalated far beyond what I thought to be possible. If they continue to press against this city though," Yumi said, a frown appearing on her face. "They will find a vengeful shrine maiden waiting for them behind these walls. Regardless, that''s neither here nor there for the moment. You''ve come for training, right?"


    All three of them nodded.


    "Very well. Let''s get to it then."


    And so, they continued attempting to hone their skills with the new weapons they''d gained. Thanks to the buffed Quick Learner, Ash gained proficiency 5 on her gauntlets, which indicated that she was now an experienced user of those weapons. Keiko remained at her 7 with the sword, while all Kaori had to go off of when it came to improvement was her comfort with her arm, as her proficiency was already a 10. And, on that note, she did feel just a little bit better about that large metal thing that had been planted into her torso.


    All in all, the training session lasted until a little after 4 pm. Yumi smiled at them and the group left the Grey Chamber, now waiting until the night came to decide what to do next. If Niven attacked, then it would mean Ash and Kaori would revisit that strange mirror realm, just as they''d done back when a portal appeared outside of Satsuhiro''s farm. If Niven''s forces did not attack, then Kaori could allow her heart to rest for the remainder of the day.


    They settled on heading back to the inn and waiting to see what happened.


    The inn was practically empty when they walked in, with only their group, a few customers, Ayami and Jino, and the employees still there.  Most people have probably left to either go to their families or seek some shelter, Kaori assumed as she and the others had dinner and waited downstairs.


    One hour turned to two and then to three, all the while Kaori could only hope that she and Ash wouldn''t have to go to the portal. Unfortunately, before long, a soldier came into the inn, probably knowing that Saviors were staying there, and announced that more of those demons had arrived at the same points as before.


    Kaori''s heart just about froze at that. Ash, Keiko, and Kaori all stood up and walked outside at that point. Once they were on the street, with the cries of citizens and the sounds of fighting ringing out in the distance, they spoke to one another.


    "I wish I could go with you," Keiko muttered to the both of them.  I don''t. I''d hate to see something happen,  Kaori thought. "Be careful."


    "We''ll be alright," Ash replied. Kaori remained silent as she tried not to let the images in her head of ravenous demons and blood pouring out of their victims'' bodies get to her.


    "I know, I''m just... Well, you know," Keiko replied.


    "Stay safe out there," Ash said while Kaori thought of just how many ways her life could come to an end in the following few hours. "If the fight looks too bad, just leave. Don''t sacrifice yourself for the sake of these people, they aren''t worth it."


    "That''s a callous way to put it, but I understand."


    "Just being honest," Ash responded. Then, she took a deep breath and looked back at Kaori, which meant they were about to go. Kaori nodded, basically saying she was ready and on that note, Ash walked up to Keiko.


    In that slightly awkward but caring way of hers, she put her hands on the shorter girl''s shoulders and leaned down to place a small kiss on her lips. Kaori took a deep breath, walked up, and did the same.


    "Take care," Keiko said and with that, she walked away, towards the nearby gates.


    "Let''s go," Ash said, adjusting her bag which was carrying a bit of what they''d need for this trip. Kaori adjusted her own.


    "... Right behind you," Kaori replied.

 Chapter 169 - Vol. 3 - 42

    Ash


    With the fighting underway in the nearby streets, Ash and Kaori stopped in an alley to take stock of what they''d brought on what would hopefully be a short trip. Admittedly, Ash was nervous. Mostly because it felt like the demons were a little bit stronger this time around, but also because she wondered if Niven had any more enemies like that one level 80 creature around. Still, with Kaori next to her, who was enhanced dramatically at this point by her  Mark of Love ability, Ash felt like they were a force to be reckoned with themselves.


    Last time they fought, Ash leveled up 2 times, and put all 4 of her points into her Strength, which left her at this status:


    Level 44


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 30/440


    ---


    STR: 35


    DEX: 21


    CON: 18


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    "Okay," Ash said. "We''ve got those Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution potions, the last Haste potion, and... a couple of healing potions. We can probably use those to save up a little on mana if we end up taking a lot of injuries or whatever. Besides that, we have..." Ash trailed off though when she saw that Kaori seemed spaced out. "Kaori?"


    "Hm?" She blinked.


    "Are you listening?"


    "Y-Yeah," Kaori nodded quickly. "You were talking about... the potions?" She basically asked. Ash raised a brow at that.


    She knew that Kaori likely had a lot on her mind, she''d picked up on that before after all, but now, Kaori looked like half the time she was in her own world. Ash hoped that wouldn''t get in the way of this task of theirs.


    "Mhm," Ash replied. "I was saying we have some water too that we can drink if this takes too long. We don''t have any food though, so, we definitely want to be at least a little bit fast."  I mean, I could always just eat the bodies of the demons we kill, thanks to my Iron Stomach trait, but Kaori can''t do that. Also, the thought of eating those fucking things grosses me the hell out. So, I''d like to avoid having to do that if I can.


    "Okay," Kaori responded. "How much water?"


    "Six bottles. Three for me, three for you. I''ll carry the potions, and you carry the water," Ash said, pulling some of those bottles out and handing them over.


    With that done, the two of them started to move down the city, striding through the now-empty streets as the sounds of battle raged in the distance. Their plan was simple, make their way through the fight as it happened, and force their way to the portal. The soldiers had all been told about what the two of them were going to do, and that they were to help protect them and create space throughout their efforts. The reason they were heading straight through the demons, as opposed to going around, was because there was no telling how quickly the demons would cease fighting. If all they wanted was to kill a couple hundred soldiers and leave, they could do so before the two of them arrived at the portal, and Ash and Kaori ran the risk of ending up charging straight into an army on the other side of it. Even now, that was a possibility, but less so, as hopefully, most of the demons would be out fighting.


    Eventually, they came across the scene of the fight and Ash stood there for a moment, watching it all. People had already started to be ripped apart. Ash nodded to herself, narrowing her eyes at the enemies. She turned to look at Kaori and found her with her eyes wide.


    "Kaori?" Ash asked.


    "Huh?"


    "Are you good?"


    Kaori looked back at the demons in the distance.


    "Yeah... Just a bit nervous, is all."


    "Take a deep breath then," Ash told her. "Come on, we''ve been through more dangerous shit than this. We''ll be fine."


    At that, Kaori looked back at her, and Ash was almost hurt at the amount of doubt in her eyes.


    "Yeah," she replied though. "Yeah..."


    Ash sighed.  I need to talk to her after this. Something just doesn''t feel right with her.


    And so, the two of them walked forwards, with Ash transforming her Lust into her gauntlets and Kaori switching her hand into her shield form. It took all of two seconds for the first enemy to appear.


    Level 30


    MP: 30/30


    A demon ran up to them and Ash ducked under a swipe pushing it out of the way. The demon tripped over a wooden box and when it came back up, it found another soldier to attack and instead focused on that unlucky individual. Ash kept going.


    Another demon came up and Ash blocked a strike from it before shoving the blades of her gauntlets into its eyes. The demon squealed and Ash kicked it back, violet blood spurting out into the air.


    EXP Gained: 100


    EXP: 130/440


    Damn. Without those EXP buffs, leveling up would probably take ages at this point.


    Another one came and Ash gritted her teeth as she tackled it to the ground, sticking her gauntlets into its stomach. The demon slashed at her face and managed to cut her, earning a yelp from Ash before she raised a gauntlet up and stabbed its neck.


    EXP Gained: 100


    EXP: 230/440


    Ash took steady breaths and looked around.  Okay... Doesn''t look like any others are...


    And then, she saw Kaori. Kaori was holding back a demon that was trying to bite her neck, but she wasn''t killing it. She was just looking at the creature, a terrified look on her face.  What the hell?


    Ash got off the demon''s body and ran towards this one, slashing it from behind and earning another EXP message. Kaori watched it fall before her eyes then went to Ash.


    "Kaori, what are you doing?"


    "I-I, sorry, I just got a little..."


    Now, Ash was really starting to get worried.


    "Stay behind me. Okay?" Ash told her. "Just keep your eyes on me."


    "R-Right."


    And with that, they went through a small clearing that had naturally appeared during the battle. As the soldiers fought the demons back, Ash and Kaori walked between both forces, making their way to the gap in the wall that had been created last night.


    It ended up being easier to get out than they had thought it would be, as no more demons were coming from the portal.


    "Okay, there it is, we go in, we close it, we''re done," Ash said, looking back. Kaori nodded. Since Ash had told her to keep her eyes on her, Kaori looked like she''d focused a little.  Good.  Ash thought, and the two of them walked down the field of grass bathed in moonlight that led up to the portal.


    And, without hesitation, they walked into it.


    ---


    Kaori


    As strong as Kaori was, she didn''t feel strong. There was just something about these enemies, the way they looked at her with no remorse or humanity that deeply unsettled Kaori. Her skin turned cold every time one of them walked up to her.


    However, that feeling from before was nothing compared to the one she had now as she and Ash walked into the portal. Before, when she and the half-demon had done this, they''d ended up in a distorted version of Jade. Now, however, they were in what looked like a snowy mountain.


    "Sapphire..." Ash muttered. She shivered and the girl hissed. "Yep, fuck it''s cold. Out of all the fucking places..."


    Kaori agreed. Although Sapphire was a unique looking place, this temperature was something she could very much do without.


    Ash looked around and eventually, she pointed at something. Kaori turned towards it and she saw two violet beams surging into the sky.


    "That''s where we''re headed. Come on."


    "Right."


    Although this place was meant to mimic Sapphire, there were a few notable differences that made themselves apparent soon enough. For one, the sky above them, as it had been in all the other mirror realms, was a deep violet, but in addition to that, there was a lake in the distance that Kaori could tell, even from here, was made of blood.


    How far away are those... things we''re looking for? Kaori asked herself as she hugged her own body, a cold wind passing over her.  Once we find them, what is Ash going to do? What''s going to be waiting for us?


    At that moment, the two of them heard some growling coming from the north and they stopped. There were too many dead, thin trees in the way to see what was ahead. Kaori and Ash gave each other a look before moving towards them.


    When they reached the source, Kaori felt her breath get caught in her throat.


    Ahead, there were three demons. Two Wrath and one Lust. The Wrath demons were tearing apart the body of a young soldier, the Lust one was moaning to itself as it pushed its tail in and out of another. Neither of them was alive.


    "Well, that''s gross," Ash muttered as she started walking towards them, but Kaori couldn''t will her legs to move. The sight was too disturbing. "They aren''t too high-level so this should be..."


    And, before Ash could finish her sentence, a screech sounded off from the left. Both girls looked over and quickly found that, from the trees, a group of demons, maybe twelve in total, had been waiting and were now charging at them.


    "Shit, run!" Ash yelled. Kaori tried to, but she still couldn''t move. She felt like she had in that dream, where she was watching Ash and Keiko die in front of her while she was simply frozen.


    Ash ran a few steps but noticed Kaori wasn''t behind her and looked back.


    "Come on!" Ash yelled, but she had to run back to grab Kaori by her wrist and drag her along.


    All while the demons were now chasing from behind.


    Kaori''s eyes teared up as Ash pulled her away from them.


    What is wrong with me?

 Chapter 170 - Vol. 3 - 43

    Ash


    As the two continued to run, they could hear the growls of demons trailing behind them. It was hard not to trip in the snow, but apparently harder for the monsters themselves, as Ash saw a few of them falling out of the corners of her eyes. Each one was around level 30, to level 40, all equipped with the Niven''s Blessing buff. Fighting this many of them was simply not an option.


    Where do we go? Where do we go!?


    Ash could see nothing but sheets of white under a violet sky for a while, until finally, she saw a building in the distance. As she got closer, she started to recognize it as a broken-down church.


    "There!" Ash yelled and Kaori nodded next to her. Ash''s hand was still firmly gripping her wrist, pretty much dragging her along to the ruined building. As they reached it, with the demons hot on their trail, Ash walked in through the front door and as Kaori followed her in, she began barricading it with one wooden bench after another.


    "W-Will that hold....?" Kaori started to ask as the demons reached the building and began pounding on the objects Ash had placed. She grabbed Kaori by her wrist again and put her index finger in front of her mouth, indicating she wanted the blonde to remain silent. She found a bedroom to the right. Here, there was a large closet of sorts nearby big enough to hold the two of them and she opened it up and pulled Kaori in with her.


    There was so much dust in it that Kaori immediately sneezed but Ash put her hand over her mouth, trying to keep her from doing that. As soon as they went inside, Ash heard the obstacles she''d placed be destroyed. So, she pressed just a little bit harder on Kaori''s lips to keep them shut, their eyes looking straight into each other while the demons ran into the building.


    Ash took slow, steady breaths in hopes that the demons wouldn''t catch them. Kaori''s breathing was faster, but just as low. As cold as it was, Ash could see some sweat rolling down Kaori''s face. She heard something snarl in the room and figured a demon had just come in, maybe smelling their scent.


    At this point, the gods were nothing special to Ash, but even so, she found herself praying that it wouldn''t check this closet.


    Footsteps paced all throughout the room, and eventually, the snarling disappeared, and along with it, the demons could not be heard anymore.


    Ash nodded at Kaori and slowly opened the closet''s door, peeking out to see if there were any demons desperate to claw her face off. There weren''t any. She walked out of this small bedroom and looked out into the church, and then she peeked out past the broken-down obstacles she''d placed. The demons had left.


    As she returned to the room, Ash breathed a sigh of relief while Kaori immediately started sneezing. The half-demon patted the dust off of herself before turning towards Kaori.


    "Kaori... What the hell is going on with you?"


    "I-I''m fine," Kaori quickly replied with a dry throat, as maybe some of the dust had gotten in her mouth.


    "No, you sure as shit aren''t!" Ash half-yelled and instantly, she caught herself when Kaori flinched. That reaction hurt, but whatever was going on with Kaori needed to be talked about now, before they even took another step through this mirror realm.


    Kaori looked away, pressing her back against the wall next to the closet. For a while, they remained in silence.


    "... I just want to know what''s bothering you," Ash added, with a far softer tone. "I... I want to help."


    "..." Kaori looked up at her, some resignation in her eyes. "I don''t think you can help," she replied, before sliding down and sitting on the floor. Ash went to sit down next to her, as Kaori curled her knees up to her chest.


    "Try me," Ash replied. "Is it really that bad?"


    "... Mhm," Kaori nodded. Ash waited. Kaori''s lips parted and Ash anticipated hearing what she had to say. Then, she started tearing up. Ash continued to wait, and Kaori''s metallic hand clenched into a fist. She opened her mouth to speak, but she choked up and suddenly, tears started falling.


    And, once they did, they didn''t stop for some time. Ash had no idea what was going on. Kaori had simply started sobbing out of nowhere before Ash could get any answers from her.


    ... Maybe those answers can wait a few more seconds though,  Ash thought as she shifted a little closer to Kaori and tried to pull her into a hug. The blonde''s body was trembling as she leaned into Ash, her tears now falling on Ash''s lap.


    "D-Don''t you ever think about it?" Kaori asked.


    "Huh?"


    "The stuff we''ve seen..." Kaori muttered. "The soldiers getting torn in half, getting eaten. Heroes dying or getting maimed right in front of us. So much blood covering the streets. Back at Sapphire, did you look at the stone after the fight? There was so much blood, from both people and demons that it almost covered the snow. Then there''s the stuff that happened that I still haven''t been able to forget about. Varcon, and everything he did. Getting my arm cut off at Pearl. I hope you never get to know what that feels like, having something just taken off of your body like that," Kaori sniffled. "Even though so much has happened, I haven''t... I mean, I thought I''d get used to it, and, I guess in a way I have... I''m not as sad when I see dead bodies anymore but... It''s still so scary. The worst part though," Kaori pushed herself away from Ash for a second so that she could look the half-demon in the eyes. "Now, I''m afraid that something like that will happen to you or Keiko. The thought of that has kept me up so many nights. That you could get swallowed whole by a Gluttony demon, that Keiko could be ripped apart by some Wrath demon, I... If I ever see something like that happen, Ash," Kaori shook her head, "I wouldn''t be able to handle it. I wouldn''t be able to go on after that."


    ...


    Ash heard all of this and was stunned. Admittedly, the answer to Kaori''s question was "no". Ash never thought about the soldiers who died, the people who''d met terrible ends at the hands of their enemies, and of course, she had a reason for that. That being that outside of her group, Ash, Keiko, and Satsuhiro''s family, not many other people had ever shown her much in the form of empathy. So, she simply didn''t have much to spare.


    Were those sights gross? The ones that Kaori had described, the soldiers being ripped in pieces and eaten right in front of them. Yes, they were. But did they inflict some deep terror into Ash? Not at all.


    However, one thing had been made clear to Ash that, really, she should have kept in her mind but it had slipped out at some point, and that was that Kaori was very much a people-person. She was probably the kindest soul Ash had met. Someone like that, Ash realized now, feeling absolutely stupid that it took her this long to understand, would certainly have their heart broken by the sights this war provided.


    Finally, there was that part at the end. The part about how Kaori wouldn''t be able to bear any of this happening to her or Keiko. Ash had no idea what to do with that information, but she now understood that to be something Kaori was fearing.


    Even then though, despite the fact that Ash now understood what was bothering Kaori, she had no answers for her. She tried to find some as she sat next to her, the blonde wiping away her tears as she waited for Ash to speak, but she couldn''t come up with anything.


    So, she didn''t force herself to. Instead, she stood up and extended a hand towards Kaori. Kaori took it and stood up as well, looking back at her, a bit confused.


    Then, as awkward of a hugger as Ash was, she did her best to give Kaori the warmest embrace she could.


    "... Nothing is going to happen to us," Ash told her, taking a deep breath. "Let''s just fight these things like we usually do, finish this up first," Ash said, looking at her in the eyes, "and then we''ll talk about this."


    "..." Kaori nodded, though she clearly looked a little disappointed. Ash placed her hands on Kaori''s face gently, lifting her eyes up to meet her own.


    "We''ll sit down back at the inn, get something warm to eat and something cold to drink," Ash told her, "and we''ll talk. I promise. But, for now, we need to get out of here first. Okay?"


    "Y-Yeah," Kaori nodded.


    "Kaori," Ash said, "thanks for telling me. It means a lot that you trusted me enough to vent like that. But, we''re in the middle of a demon-infested mountain, and it''s cold as fuck out here," Ash chuckled, "I don''t think this is the place or the time to really talk about this, as much as I want to."


    "I understand," Kaori replied. "You''re right."


    "..." Ash hoped Kaori understood that she wasn''t disregarding her feelings. She really wasn''t. This just wasn''t convenient considering where they were and what was around them.


    "Come on," she moved up and kissed Kaori''s forehead. "Let''s do this."

 Chapter 171 - Vol. 3 - 44

    Keiko


    The night was almost done. A few demons were still fighting, but those monsters met their end soon enough when Keiko''s golden sword found their necks. She slashed the head off of one that had been attempting to devour a young soldier and then stabbed another behind her with a reverse grip.


    Giving the area a quick look, Keiko sighed as the fighting stopped. The demons had begun to retreat while the humans who had survived now started to be healed by the mages coming in from nearby streets.


    Keiko turned around, but before walking away, she heard some of the soldiers talking.


    "Did you see her?" A man whispered.


    "Nah, I was too busy keeping demons from clawing my guts out," a girl replied. "What about her?"


    "That''s the Savior, the one with the katana... The half-demon''s friend or something," the soldier whispered and Keiko sighed. Hearing them talk about Ash reminded the girl that both she and Kaori were currently in some other realm, possibly fighting for their lives.


    "Oh, shit, really?" The girl asked.


    "Yeah. She''s amazing with that sword too," the man praised her. Keiko felt nothing but a bit of sickness building up in her stomach.


    Please, not now.  She thought.  At least let me get back home first.


    "I saw her take out two demons with a single swing, and, I swear, flowers came out of her sword."


    "Nah, you''re joking."


    "I''m serious! That whole group, they''re something else..." The man stated as Keiko walked away.


    It''s so cold,  she thought, hugging herself as she made her way back to the inn. Here, she walked in through the front doors and saw that the building was just as empty as before. Understandably, most people were either getting ready to leave the city in its entirety or preparing to hole themselves up somewhere else.


    She saw Caroline making some drinks and when she walked in, the green-haired girl turned to her and smiled.


    "Keiko!" She called out. "Had a good fight?"


    "... Sure," Keiko replied in a low voice. Metsumi, Satsuhiro, and Opah were nowhere to be seen. Ayami and Jino however, were at the back of the inn, speaking to each other. Keiko, with nothing else to do, walked over to Caroline. She sat down at the bar and crossed her legs. "Could I get some water?"


    "Sure thing, love," Caroline replied before serving her a cold glass.


    Keiko took a sip and her stomach felt a little bit relieved. It reminded her of the conversation she''d had with Ash''s mother a few days ago. The one where she was told just how problematic this process would be for her.


    "One of the most important things is to keep yourself hydrated,"  Ayami had told her.  "Otherwise, you''ll be passing out every couple of hours."


    Apparently, the thing inside of her was greedy like that. So, Keiko made sure to down a few glasses every now and then.


    "Caroline," Keiko started, "aren''t you going anywhere?"


    "Do you want me to go somewhere?" Caroline asked with a raised brow.


    "N-No, I mean, with the demons..."


    "Ah, I see," Caroline chuckled. "You''re asking why I haven''t found myself a nice little vault to lock myself up in?"


    "I guess," Keiko replied.


    "Well, others might find a bit of comfort before they get their faces chewed off by those things like that, but I wouldn''t. No," Caroline shook her head, crossing her arms and leaning back against the bar. Her eyes swept over the room, mostly clean with just a few small puddles of what Keiko guessed was alcohol here and there. "I think this is it for me. This right here," she spread her arms, gesturing at the building, "I made this place. Along with my friend, sure, but, I poured everything I''ve got into this. If I could pick where I''d want to die, even if I can''t pick how or when, I''d pick here."


    Just from how she spoke, she could tell that Caroline had already made her mind up on this. She nodded and took another sip from her glass.


    "What about you though?" Caroline asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Are you going to keep fighting? I mean, you''ve got a bun in that oven," Caroline smirked. "Are you sure that''s what you want to do?"


    "Yes," Keiko quickly replied. Her body tensed up a little as she spoke. "I''m a fighter. It''s what I know, and it''s what I''ll continue to do."


    I can''t just back out of this now,  Keiko thought.  Not when everyone needs me. Not when I''ve finally found my calling.


    "Understood, so, how about we do a little relaxin'' then?" Caroline asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I still have the musicians'' instruments back there, I can play a song or two for ya."


    "Really?"


    "Mhm, I''m an entertainer as well as a bartender, in more ways than one, love."


    Keiko thought about it for a second. Given what happened with Kaori, Keiko was still somewhat annoyed at Caroline, though that previous conversation with Kaori had alleviated that a bit. Still, Keiko had nothing to do right now until Kaori and Ash got back. And she knew she wasn''t going to be able to sleep until she saw them safe and unharmed.


    So, she nodded.


    "Sure."


    "Come on then," Caroline gestured for her to follow and she took Keiko to a different part of the inn that Keiko hadn''t been to before.


    ---


    Ash


    The two Saviors were walking side by side, up a snowy hill. The violet beams surging up into the sky were ahead, still some distance away.


    As the two went over the hill though, Ash stopped and sighed.


    Of course.


    Ahead, she saw a white city, with a tower at its center taller than any other building and a bridge giving entry stretching from its gates to just a couple dozen meters ahead of where Ash and Kaori were currently standing.


    The pyramids are in this weird version of Sapphire.


    That wasn''t the only thing she realized though. She noted that now that she and Kaori were closer, she could tell that the three beams were in separate locations, in different parts of the city. Shivering a little thanks to the cold, she looked over at Kaori.


    "We''re almost done, come on, let''s keep going."


    Kaori just nodded.


    She''d been fairly silent since the two had left that ruined church. Ash didn''t know what to make of that. However, before she could think of anything she could say to lighten the mood a little, she stopped as she heard some snarling in the distance. Actually, it was more like a gurgling.


    What the...?  Ash narrowed her eyes and looked towards the bridge, finding the source.


    Oh.


    "A Gluttony demon," Ash noted as she pointed to a sprawling lump of mass that was currently devouring some soldiers'' corpses.


    Level 35


    MP: 100/100


    "It''s level 35, which puts it almost to my power level but, we should be able to deal with it if it''s alone. It''s in the way anyway, so we''ll have to take it out no matter what. Let''s do this." She told Kaori and the blonde looked back at her, nodding again.


    Ash transformed her  Lust  into her gauntlets and ran forwards. The Gluttony demon noticed her and quickly opened its mouth, dropping the pieces of the people it had been eating and it thrust its tongue out at her. Ash dodged to the left and jumped up, falling onto it with a stab.


    Her left gauntlet went through, but there were two problems.


    Firstly, she had dealt almost no damage, and second, her weapon was stuck in its body.


    Wait.  She thought as she tried to yank it out.  Wait, crap.


    The demon looked down at it with big bulging eyes, and its tongue lunged out again, this time wrapping itself around Ash''s right leg.


    Ash looked back.


    "Kaori!"


    The blonde, who had simply been staring at this encounter, shook her head and ran forwards. The Gluttony demon pulled on Ash''s leg, trying to yank her out of its body and into its mouth, but now Kaori had arrived and wrapped her arms around Ash''s body. She held her in a tight grip and pulled against the demon.


    "Thanks, keep pulling!" Ash told her as she started to stomp on the Gluttony demon''s body, trying to get her weapon out.


    As they did that though, Ash heard more growling and saw three Wrath demons coming from further ahead on the bridge, running their way. Okay, come on, come on!


    Ash used her right gauntlet and slashed the demon''s tongue, earning a pained squeal from it.


    Finally, with a satisfying  sliiink  sound, her blade exited the demon''s body and Ash fell back, on top of Kaori. She quickly got back up as did the blonde, just before the Gluttony demon''s bleeding tongue tried to wrap itself around her leg again. This time however, Kaori stood between them. The demon''s tongue wrapped itself around her instead, but Kaori wasn''t moved. Instead, she kept herself steady, immovable as the other demons were approaching.


    Seeing this, Ash knew she had to act. She ran forwards, and this time, targeted the Gluttony demon''s head. She walked up its body, literally running up its bloated stomach, and arrived at its head, using her right gauntlet to stab straight through it. This time, the demon died instantly, and removing her weapon was easy.


    EXP Gained: 300


    EXP: 440/440


    Level Up!


    She ignored the message though, and that allowed her to jump off and fight two of the other demons that had arrived.


    She was pounced on by one, tackling her and bringing her body down. It punched and scratched her face before Ash managed to slash its neck and the first demon fell lifeless on top of her.


    EXP Gained: 250


    EXP: 340/450


    Ash shoved it off and was quickly met with the second demon. This one, as Ash rose up she tackled it and shoved it off the bridge, where the demon fell into the icy waters below.


    I guess that works too.


    Ash looked back as she still heard growling.


    But what she saw, she hadn''t expected. Kaori was holding back the remaining demon, her right hand on its neck while the demon tried to take swings at her that did nothing to the blonde.


    Then, Kaori pulled back her left hand, which was not transformed into any weapon but instead was simply a clenched fist.


    And, Kaori punched the demon in the face. Only, her fist went straight through its head.


    Ash blinked.


    Damn.


    Kaori''s hand retreated and she stared as the demon fell to the ground, dead. Ash walked up to her.


    "Good stuff," Ash said. "We''re hopefully almost done. Let''s... Kaori?" Ash asked.


    She was still staring at the demon''s body. Kaori shook her head.


    "W-What?" She asked.


    "Nothing, just saying we should keep moving."


    "Oh, yeah." Kaori glanced back at the demon she''d just killed. "Right behind you," she muttered.

 Chapter 172 - Vol. 3 - 45

    The city of Sapphire was exactly as cold as Ash remembered it being.


    As she and Kaori entered it, from the white bridge, Ash looked up at the violet sky, trying to make out the directions of each pyramid she''d need to destroy. The three beams seemed to be in a triangle formation, with one ahead, maybe at the back of the city, and two at her sides, directly to her right and her left. Ash nodded to herself.


    The one to the right looks the closest, may as well start there.


    "This way," Ash gestured and Kaori absent-mindedly nodded.


    Before, Sapphire had already seemed a little empty, but this... Right now, it seemed downright abandoned. There were no signs of any life, demonic or human.. The buildings seemed broken-down, almost like people had tried building a replica of what was the real Sapphire and gave up halfway through the job. Well, I guess that''s better than running into a pack of demons,  Ash figured.


    Still, one thing she wasn''t happy about was the silence stretching between herself and Kaori. As the two walked towards the beam to the right, passing by what appeared to be a small school of some sort, Ash felt like she''d appreciate anything that Kaori had to say, but right now, the blonde appeared to be deep in thought, her eyes cast down on the stone under her feet as the two of them walked.


    "So," Ash started, trying to break the ice, "you remember anything about this place? Hasn''t been too long since we left but it still feels like ages ago," Ash told her.


    Kaori appeared to have been surprised by Ash''s question, mostly it seemed like she''d forgotten that Ash was even there, and she paused for a moment to think about it. As she did, Ash felt her heart hurt a little at the sight of this depressed version of her friend. She''d never seen her quite like this before.


    "The street lights," Kaori replied, looking at one pole just ahead of Ash. Ash did the same. The object was moldy and worn out, and the orb at the top was devoid of any light. "They''re different to the ones in Onyx..."


    Okay, some small talk. Progress.


    "Yeah," Ash agreed. "These things kept the city a little warmer, didn''t they?"


    "Mhm," Kaori replied. Then, for some reason, she looked back. To Ash, it looked like she was remembering something, and just like that, she was back in her own world. However, this time, Ash could guess what she was thinking about.


    This was, after all, the site of the second major battle the girls had been through. There were quite a lot of things to remember about this place. The death of Ren, Vermia''s undead army, Keiko''s sudden appearance after being separated from the group for a while. Ash couldn''t blame her for doing some reminiscing here.


    Still, she did wonder what was going through the blonde''s mind. However, she wouldn''t be able to find out just yet, as before she even knew it, an hour had passed and the two of them were walking up to the first of the three pyramids.


    One thing unsettled Ash thought.


    She stopped in the middle of the street. The first pyramid was up ahead, between two broken-down carts. Kaori stopped behind Ash as the half-demon began looking around. Kaori noticed and raised a brow as Ash started searching.


    "Ash?"


    The buildings were still empty. There were no sounds in the air. Ash even looked up to see if there were any Lust demons hovering over them.  What the hell is going on? Ash wondered.


    "Ash?" Kaori asked again. "What is it?"


    At that, Ash turned around and spread her arms, gesturing around them.


    "Where are they?" She asked.


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "The demons," Ash clarified. "Nightmares, a small squad, Niven himself, I mean," she turned again, "where is everything?"


    Aside from that group that had chased the two of them, and the small group they''d fought at the bridge, the pair hadn''t encountered any other demons.


    "Is... this not normal?" Kaori asked.


    "Nah," Ash shook her head. "There should be  something  here to defend these things. But, I don''t get it, it feels like the entire place is just empty."


    "Maybe all of the demons are still out fighting?" Kaori asked.


    "... But,  all  of them? Niven wouldn''t leave at least a couple to defend this place? I mean, did he just not see this coming or what? I... It feels weird," Ash said. "It just doesn''t make sense."


    Kaori didn''t offer another response, but Ash did take one thing she said to heart and that was that the demons could actually be outside, fighting still. Maybe the moment they returned, Niven would send them all to the both of them, but if that was to be the case, Ash wondered how long they had before that happened.  Better move fast, just in case.


    And, without any further hesitation, Ash walked up to the structure.


    "Stay back," she told Kaori. "This thing apparently radiates demonic energy or whatever." Kaori nodded and Ash lifted a leg up and broke the pyramid with a kick. The beam dissipated and now, there were only two left.


    With that, the two went on to the next, quickly.


    The longer they went, though, and the more empty buildings Ash passed, the more this feeling in her gut worsened.  Come on,  she thought.  Stop us. Do something. We''re going to take this entire portal down, you really don''t care?  She asked Niven in her thoughts.


    Still, the two of them were left alone all the way to the second pyramid. Like the last one, this one was in the middle of the street, unguarded. Ash looked around again, this time going as far as to open a few doors and look inside the buildings around her, trying to see if any demons were hiding, watching them. Nothing.


    Sighing, Ash nodded to herself.  Whatever.


    And so, she walked up and destroyed the next one with ease.


    That left one more to be handled. This one was deeper into Sapphire, as its direction was straight down from the bridge. It led them through a few places that Ash recognized, most notably the inn that had served as the witness of the grand battle that took place here, though its sign was so rotten that Ash couldn''t see the name of the place. She could still remember most of this, which only made the absence of life all the more noticeable, compared to how cramped this area had felt back then.


    "So," Kaori said, "once we deal with the last one, then what?"


    "Then nothing," Ash muttered as she kept her eyes peeled for any enemies. "This world fades away and we wake up back outside the portal, where we came in."


    "Oh. Well, at least we won''t have to walk all the way back."


    "Yeah..." Ash borderline ignored her as she continued looking, swearing that maybe a tongue would wrap around her legs soon or a bolt of lightning would be cast at her with the intent of making her head explode, but no such thing happened.


    Instead, as Kaori and Ash continued down the street, they eventually came up the area where Ash had seen Vermia kneel down and raise up her undead army, and it was in that exact spot where the final pyramid was. And, again, there was nothing around to protect it.


    Last time this happened,  Ash told herself,  it was because Niven wanted to talk to me, so he didn''t throw any enemies at me. This time, he hasn''t said a word, so what is this about?


    And, when a possibility finally came to her mind, Ash jogged up to the pyramid.


    "Shit, shit, shit," Ash muttered as Kaori followed behind her.


    "A-Ash? What is it?" Kaori asked as Ash lifted a foot up and smashed it onto the pyramid.


    And, in the blink of an eye, the two of them were out of Sapphire, and back in the nighttime scenery of Onyx''s plains, just outside the city''s walls. However, as Ash looked back at Onyx, she found that her suspicions had been confirmed.


    "W-Whoa, we''re out," Kaori noted as she looked around, "Ash, what is...?" But, she stopped when she saw the same thing Ash was seeing.


    A wall of flames had been erected where the wall had been broken down, acting as a barrier of sorts, preventing Ash and Kaori from returning to the city the same way they''d gone out of it.  What the fuck is this?  Ash asked herself, running up to it. She could hear the sounds of people fighting coming from inside.


    "... We got baited," Ash muttered as Kaori walked up to her. She sighed and shook her head.


    "What do you mean?" Kaori asked.


    "Niven was expecting that I''d try to close one of the portals," Ash replied. "So he probably sent most of his army through the other ones."


    As Kaori heard that, her eyes widened.


    "B-But that means..."


    "It means Onyx is getting fucked, yeah."

 Chapter 173 - Vol. 3 - 46

    A Few Hours Ago


    Keiko


    As Keiko watched Kaori and Ash walk away, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Focus on the task at hand. You have a duty. You are a fighter. She told herself, ignoring the slow churning feeling inside of her. She''d have to ignore this inconvenience as much as she could.


    To Keiko''s surprise, the fighting hadn''t yet begun at the gates the same way that it had at other parts of the city.


    Soldiers were already set up to defend the city, as the forces of Onyx were far more prepared than they had been when the demons launched their first surprise attack. As the demons had broken through the western gates, the army had set up barricades in the form of spiked obstacles to keep the demons from advancing too quickly on their next attack. Still, as Keiko looked around, she wondered how much they''d all be able to do without the help of the two Saviors who were heading for the southern portal.


    Keiko decided to wait by sitting on a nearby wooden crate, watching soldiers drag giant crossbow mechanisms across the street, with commanders issuing orders to the grunts around them every couple of seconds.


    Someone appeared though who Keiko hadn''t expected to see. Someone who made Keiko''s eyes widen and created a smile on her face. She got up and jogged over to the woman in the white and pink robe, who was walking towards her.


    "Yumi!" Keiko called out to the woman in the fox mask. Yumi slowly took the mask off, revealing a kind smile. All she was carrying, aside from her brilliant aura, was her naginata on her back.


    "Keiko, greetings," Yumi bowed. "I had not thought I''d see you here, but I suppose I should have expected it."


    "I could say the same," Keiko chuckled. "Um, were you sent here or something?"


    "No, I came of my own accord," Yumi shook her head. "Eliza let me know that as I was not a soldier or Savior, I had no obligation to defend the city but... Well, after hearing many of the residents of the palace giving each other hushed panicked whispers about how the city would be destroyed soon if the demons weren''t stopped, I could not handle it anymore. So, I came down here to see if I could speak to these creatures."


    "Uh, seriously? I don''t think they''re that interested in talking."


    "Well I am, and I hope my naginata will express how I feel about them adequately," Yumi shrugged. "Actually, Keiko, I do not see your friends," Yumi said as she looked around, checking for them. "Are they not going to fight?"


    "They are, just not here."


    "Ah, right. Multiple sites of battle. I understand. I am glad you are here to join me for this one though," Yumi smiled warmly. "I look forward to fighting side-by-side with someone so skilled, who also happens to share my name."


    "I do too," Keiko nodded, looking away, a little flustered.


    Having Yumi here helped relieve Keiko''s nerves a bit. Obviously, to an extent, Keiko believed in her own skills quite a bit, but she still liked the idea of having an anchor like Yumi nearby. Now that her presence was felt in the streets, Keiko felt like the coming fight might be marginally more manageable.


    But before that feeling could continue for too long, Keiko heard some soldiers getting riled up nearby. She turned towards the gates and saw from where she was standing that the demons were approaching.


    "Mages! Archers!" A commander gestured at them and Keiko saw small groups of soldiers prepare themselves. "On my mark!"


    What?  Keiko asked herself.  Why don''t they just fire immediately?


    The commander waited, watching the demons approaching from ahead. Above, Lust demons were flying towards the city as well. Keiko unsheathed her sword and Yumi walked up a bit, her naginata ready by her side.


    The demons got closer and Keiko started to worry that the army would miss their chance to inflict some early damage before the fighting began. However, as they neared the spiked obstacles, that was when the commander waved his hand forward.


    "Now!"


    And with that order, giant crossbow bolts and spheres of flame and ice began to be shot out in the demons'' direction, as they began to move through the obstacles. That was when Keiko saw the logic in their actions. One of the demons was breaking through the spikes with ease, but when a giant ball of ice fell on top of its head, doing that became much harder. The case was the same for each of the other demons. One was obliterated by a crossbow bolt to the chest as it tried to leap over a wooden barricade, another saw its head burnt to a crisp as it attempted to do the same.  However, these things weren''t enough.


    The Lust demons above were much harder to hit, and so a few of them descended onto the mage squadron by Keiko and lifted a couple of them into the air, carrying them away before letting them fall.


    Keiko gritted her teeth.


    I don''t have a bow with me, I can''t help too much, but maybe...  She waited, hunching over a bit as one Lust demon was going to carry someone just a few meters away. As it got closer, Keiko took a deep breath.  Not yet, not yet.  The poor guy started freaking out so hard he dropped his crossbow and began running, but of course, he wasn''t about to outrun a flying demon.


    When the demon was close enough to him, Keiko ran forwards, only to find that Yumi was already on it. The masked woman flipped up, leaping over Keiko''s head, and then with a spin in mid-air, her naginata found the Lust demon''s neck. The demon was decapitated and its body landed harmlessly on the panicked soldier.


    Yumi landed on her feet and turned towards Keiko.


    "I''m afraid I disgraced myself at the shrine, against that... monstrosity. Maybe now I can make up for that," she said with a smirk before running straight towards the demons ahead.


    And Keiko followed her lead, with both of them activating their Spirit Eyes as the fighting started properly.


    Most of the demons were slowed dramatically by the combination of projectiles and obstacles placed to obstruct them, but a few managed to make it through to the waiting soldiers. These demons were all piled up on by the army, taken down by several men and women at a time. Keiko ran up to one demon and, as some soldiers kept their spears pressed into its gut and chest, Keiko stabbed it in the head.


    An EXP message appeared above her, but another demon nearly bit Keiko''s arm before she could check it. She spun in place and slashed the demon''s chest, then stabbed its gut. The demon kept going though. Keiko, shocked, pulled her sword out only for the demon to catch a crossbow bolt to the head from another soldier, and die in front of her.


    These things are stubborn, Keiko thought.  I can''t afford to be careless.


    Still, the battle appeared to be going far better than Keiko had expected. In fact, one could almost say it was going well for them, as unbelievable as that was. Mostly, this was thanks to the mages. Their spells meant that even if the demons were not outright killed by their attacks, they would at least be halted momentarily.


    However, this did not last for long.


    Because, as the fighting continued, the flood of demons stopped coming in and Keiko saw one, lone demon walking towards the battle. Keiko''s sword slashed through one enemy, killing it before she noticed it and stopped. She narrowed her eyes. The demon was taller than two grown men put together, towering over everything in its vicinity. It had a heavy-looking, muscular frame that reminded Keiko of Ren. The demon had long, flowing white hair like Ash''s, and all it wore were two chains on its wrists that were dragging along the ground.


    All it carried was one giant black sword that looked less like a weapon and more like a slab of raw iron, meant to kill dragons or other such creatures. With both its hands wrapped around its hilt, the demon approached.


    Immediately, Keiko could tell this one was different. There was something about its aura, the sense of power that it gave off, that made Keiko wary. Without Ash, of course, she had no way of knowing its level, but she still decided to be extra cautious of this thing.


    And, as one unfortunate soldier walked up to it, Keiko saw her concerns validated.


    "For Onyx!" One young soldier screamed as he ran up to the demon with a spear ready to stab it. The demon watched him approach with blank, expressionless eyes, and when the soldier was near enough, Keiko saw it do something she thought impossible for a creature of its size.


    The demon flipped up into the air, just like Yumi had done earlier, and came down slamming its greatsword onto the soldier below. A burst of red exploded into the air, and to put it simply, the soldier was not there anymore, a web of cracks forming at the stone where he''d been.


    Keiko''s jaw dropped and, nonchalantly, the demon took up its earlier stance, keeping the sword by its side as it began walking up to the rest of the army.


    Yumi noticed the creature as well and narrowed her eyes at it.


    "That monster," she said next to Keiko, "it gives me the same feeling the Lust demon from before gave me."


    Keiko gulped.


    What do we even do? She asked herself as she watched this thing get closer.

 Chapter 174 - Vol. 3 - 47

    Keiko unconsciously took a step back as the demon got closer. Its violet eyes were set on one soldier in front of it, and the demon took lumbering, slow steps towards the unaware young woman in armor. Keiko wanted to shout to her to move, but as the demon arrived, Keiko couldn''t find the words in her lungs. And so, the soldier noticed the demon too late, when the demon already had its sword raised.


    One second, the girl''s body was fully there, and the next, her torso went missing as the demon swung, a trail of red splashing onto the left.


    Other soldiers began to notice the towering demon and Keiko saw a few of them run away. A commander yelled out orders at some nearby mages, and all of those projectiles which had been focused on the demons pushing through the obstacles were now launched at the demon who was sluggishly walking forwards.


    None of them appeared to hurt it. None of them even managed to slow it down. It dragged its feet through both the ice and flame sent its way. Keiko narrowed her eyes at it.


    "An impressive opponent," Yumi said, walking up to her. "It seems that just this creature''s presence has shifted the minds of the people around us," she said.


    "We need to stop it," Keiko told her. "Can you fight it?"


    "Without seeing its level, it''s hard to say," Yumi sighed. "I''ve already run into one demon who was far above my capacity to kill. There is a chance this one is as well. However," she added, as the demon swept away another small number of soldiers, breaking their bodies in half. "This one might just be slow enough for me to keep it distracted.


    "Are you sure?" Keiko asked.


    "Well... Yes," Yumi took a deep breath, "I am certain that I can run around it for a time, keep it from hitting me for at least a minute or two. But... It seems that if it so much as touches me, I will surely die," she looked over at Keiko. "Would the best option not be to run?"


    Keiko nodded and looked around, trying to find a nearby captain or two. She ran up to one and pointed at the demon.


    "Get your soldiers out of here!" Keiko pleaded. "That thing is too strong!"


    The man heard her and looked ahead, towards where the demon was wiping out any warrior unlucky enough to have been too close to it, or foolish enough to believe they could slow it down by themselves. The captain''s eyes widened and he lifted an arm.


    "RETREAT, RE-"


    And then, a chain landed on his face, exploding his head right in front of Keiko. Bits of his skull fell on her cheeks and Keiko froze. She looked to her left and saw that the demon had launched one of the chains on its arms at the man.


    Keiko turned, grabbed Yumi by the wrist, and started running.


    "We need to go!"


    Whatever thought Keiko had of fighting this thing left at that moment. It was too much. Without Ash or Kaori, hell, maybe even with them here, they stood no chance.


    "S-Should we not stay and...?"


    "We can''t do anything, not against..." Keiko started to say, however, as she ran, the world started to spin. Her stomach burned and Keiko gagged.


    No.  She thought.  No, no, no, no. Why now!?


    She looked back and found that the demon was still back where it was, clearing out whichever soldiers still remained. However, as she looked back ahead, she nearly tripped and Yumi had to keep her steady.


    "Hm? Keiko?" Yumi asked, confused.


    Keiko was about to reply, but as she opened her mouth, all that came out was that violet liquid. She puked it out onto the stone beneath her and coughed twice before taking a deep breath, all while Yumi watched in horror.


    "K-Keep going," Keiko told her, but then she remembered something.


    Wait, the inn!


    This was bad. Keiko realized that the New Age Inn was just a couple of streets away. With the demons tearing through the city like this, there was a real chance they''d reach the inn before the night was over. If they even planned to stop with such a powerful creature out on the battlefield like this.


    Sure enough, as Keiko looked back once again, she found multiple smaller, regular demons running after them. More guards showed up however and started to fire crossbow bolts at them, giving Keiko and Yumi a bit of space.


    "I need to go get some people," Keiko told Yumi as the two continued to jog through the streets. Keiko could see the inn just up ahead. "Can you hold them back?"


    "I believe so, as long as the stronger one does not appear yet, how long will this take you?" Yumi asked.


    "I''ll be quick, just buy me some time."


    At that, Yumi nodded and Keiko thanked her before running into the building.


    The inn was just as empty as before, but as Keiko entered, both demon and human blood covering her person, she saw that everyone was standing, looking somewhat frightened. In the building were just Keiko''s group, Caroline and her friend Tye, who co-owned the inn with her, and Ayami and her husband at the back. It seemed like everyone else had already left.


    "Keiko," Satsuhiro began to ask, "what''s...?"


    "They''re pushing too far," Keiko told him. "They''re probably going to cover the whole street by the end of the night."


    Hearing that, Metsumi''s face turned frightened, Opah looked up at her, confused, while Ayami and Jino in the back paled.


    "Shit..." Caroline muttered as she leaned against the bar to the left.


    "We need to go," Keiko told them.


    "But, wait, you can''t hold them back?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "No, there''s one that came in, out of nowhere, who''s just way stronger than we can handle. I, I don''t even think Ash or Kaori could beat that creature. We need to leave."


    Satsuhiro paused for a moment before nodding.


    "If that''s the case then you''re right. We can''t stay here."


    He glanced over at Metsumi and she nodded as well, crouching down to face Opah.


    "Hey, sweetie, come on up. I''m gonna have to carry you for a bit."


    "Where are we going?" Opah asked.


    "Just need to move somewhere else for a while. It''s okay," Metsumi said in a calm tone. Ayami and Jino both stood from where they were sitting. They hurriedly walked over to the front door and Keiko stepped aside, wordlessly letting them pass.


    The Zayama''s eyes fell on Caroline and Keiko walked over to her.


    "Come on, the demons are right outside, we need to go!"


    At that, Caroline shook her head.


    "No, it''s alright."


    "What?" Keiko shook her head. Admittedly, Keiko was still annoyed at Caroline over what she and Kaori had done, but that didn''t mean she wanted the woman to die here, needlessly. "What are you talking about? Just come on, we can just go."


    "Love, I''m not leaving this place." Caroline sighed as she crossed her arms. "I''m not going to leave my baby here. I have nothing else, Keiko. This is it for me. I can''t just keep going without the inn."


    Keiko heard her and paused. Then, she walked up and, as lightly as she could, slapped Caroline in the face.


    The green-haired girl took the hit and blinked twice. Keiko then put her hands on Caroline''s shoulders.


    "Are you dumb?" Keiko asked. "The inn can be rebuilt, Caroline. After this is all done, you can come back. You can make this place again, you did it the first time, right? You told me about it. I still remember that talk. You had nothing, built this place up from nothing, and still became a success. Why would you throw everything away just because this version of the inn might be getting taken down? You can rebuild! Just come on," she pleaded. "This isn''t the end for the inn. Trust me, just wait for us to win. Please."


    Caroline took those words in with gleaming eyes before chuckling.


    "Wow. I didn''t know you cared that much," Caroline laughed a little more. "Ah, shit... You made some sense though."


    "I... She''s not wrong," Tye said. "But, that''s if Onyx wins the war here."


    "We can," Keiko said, and she absolutely believed that.


    Mainly, because she trusted her friends. Kaori and Ash would find a way. More than any god they had on their side, or the well-equipped army, Keiko trusted them to pull through.


    "And once this is all done, you can make this place just as good as it was, if not better. But, that means you need to live for that to happen, right? So, come on!"


    Hearing that, Caroline took a few seconds to think. Then, she sighed.


    "... Shit, fine," Caroline said and with that, they all walked out of the inn, together.


    Outside, Keiko saw Yumi fighting back a few demons with ease. Indeed, outside of that one abnormality, she was simply too fast for any of these other enemies to deal with.


    "Yumi, come on!"


    She turned around and nodded.


    "Right."


    And, with that, the group began sprinting in the direction of the Grey Chamber, hoping that demon wouldn''t chase them there.

 Chapter 175 - Vol. 3 - 48

    The group arrived at the palace a good half an hour later. The fighting could still be heard from where they now were though, as they stood outside the gates of the Grey Chamber.


    A handful of knights watched them walk up and Keiko ran up to them.


    She was about to tell them that she needed help sheltering the civilians behind her, but instead, they wordlessly allowed her to walk in.


    Huh. Well, that''s con...


    However, when Keiko saw what was behind the door, her jaw dropped. There were so many people here that the Zayama feared she would not be able to take a single step without tripping over someone.


    Did everyone leave their homes already?  Keiko wondered as she and the others maneuvered through the bodies on the ground. Many of them were wrapped up in sheets, asleep as soldiers watched over them from the walls. Ahead, however, they slowly began to clear out, the bodies growing sparse as the group walked up to Eliza, who was on her throne watching over everyone.


    "Thanks for the escort," Caroline told Keiko. "I guess I''ll find a place to lay down. Come on, Tye."


    "Yeah, thanks," the boy replied and the two of them walked away.


    "I should probably find a place for this one too," Metsumi said as she gestured at Opah who was yawning, but with a fearful expression on her face. Keiko felt sorry for her, as the sounds of battle must have been scary.


    "Right," Keiko replied and thus, as Yumi and Satsuhiro also walked away, she was the only one who walked up to Eliza.


    The Lord of the city was holding a cup of wine, her eyes closed. She took a sip and opened them when she heard Keiko drawing closer.


    "Uh, may I ask-"


    "Of course," Eliza interrupted her. "Ask away. You and your group have done enough to prove yourselves, not just here but around the world. I will hear what you have to say. Just speak."


    "... Okay," Keiko nodded. "What''s the status of the other fights around the city? The one at the gates was lost."


    She raised a brow at that.


    "... Hm, I had hoped my general was exaggerating. He had received reports from other soldiers at that place a few minutes ago about a monster that had torn everyone apart single-handedly," Eliza explained. "I see that he wasn''t."


    Keiko nodded.


    "The monster is... incredibly powerful, from what we could see. Without Ash, who hasn''t come back yet, we can''t see its level, but yes. What we know for sure is no one here can fight it."


    "... With a creature like that, it''ll be interesting to see where Niven stops tonight''s siege," Eliza said. "The creature may be powerful, but if the god of death leaves it out on the field for too long, someone is bound to land a lucky crossbow shot. Unfortunately, though, that seems to be all we can hope for. We prepared for a siege, but not for this. Not for a single enemy to be this strong."


    "But, what are you going to do?"


    "Well, currently, reinforcements are coming in from Jade which should help quite a bit. However, for now, we''ll have to wait and see how the half-demon''s journey went. Once we know the status of the southern portal, we can adjust accordingly. For now, feel free to make use of the guest bedrooms, since you''re not part of the common rabble and all. The masked girl knows where they are, just ask her."


    With that, Keiko took a deep breath and looked back out onto the hall full of people who would likely all have nightmares tonight given what they''d seen and heard, wondering how long it would be before these people saw their homes again.


    ---


    Ash


    Standing outside the city, just past the barrier of flames, Ash and Kaori could hear the sounds of soldiers screaming beyond the walls.


    "How strong is this thing though?" Ash asked aloud. Kaori walked up to it and then, hesitantly, placed her non-metallic hand in.


    "Ah," Kaori hissed lowly as she pulled it back. "I-It hurts, but I think we should be able to go through."


    "... Alright," Ash nodded. "There''s no telling what''ll be waiting for us on the other side though, so, be ready."


    "Yeah."


    The two of them glanced at each other, and then looked back at the fire. With a deep breath that almost felt like it burned her lungs, Ash ran forwards. She passed straight through the fire and her eyes bulged as she gritted her teeth and pain flashed throughout her body.


    "Shit!" She cursed as she fell to her knees, her skin burning. Kaori, however, was mostly fine.


    "Oh... wow..." Kaori mumbled as Ash was still feeling the fire. She tried to calm herself down and slowly got back up to her feet.


    "What are you tal...?" When Ash looked up though, she understood.


    There had to have been more than a hundred bodies, belonging to both soldiers and demons, laid out across the street. Dead men, women, and monsters, all either ripped apart or with a crossbow bolt in their chests in the case of the demons, were sprawling in front of them. The smell was what got Ash though. She covered her nose and grumbled as she turned to Kaori.


    "Come on, we need to check the inn. Those things might have gotten there already."


    "R-Right..." Kaori said, but she couldn''t look away from the scene in front of them. Ash, however, was more focused on trying not to trip.


    It was a moment that reminded her of the talk they''d just had. And, in this particular moment, the difference between herself and Kaori showed up as the two walked deeper into the city. However, not everyone and not everything was dead, as soon, they came across an ongoing battle where a few soldiers were still holding off the invading demons.


    Ash transformed her  Lust into her gauntlets, and as she saw a demon tackle a man, she ran forwards.


    The demon opened its mouth to bite through the guy''s neck but instead, its head was sliced off by a swing of Ash''s weapon. The human watched it fall in front of him and, with disbelief in his eyes, looked up to find Ash looking back at him.


    "Go. You''re done," Ash told the guy as she walked away, towards more demons.


    The two Saviors were able to help a few extra soldiers, but Ash really just wanted to clear a path to the inn. She hoped, with all of her heart, that Keiko, Metsumi, Satsuhiro, and Opah were still okay. If anything happened to them... Well, Kaori''s fears were becoming more and more understandable by the second.


    She didn''t waste time fighting. Instead, as the two ran to the western gates, Ash only killed any demons she had to. Kaori wasn''t fighting much at all, outside of holding demons back from finishing off wounded soldiers. Eventually, the two of them arrived at the inn, finally, which had its door swung wide open. This made the concern in Ash''s gut bubble as she ran in.


    It was empty.


    There were, however, a couple of demons roaming the main room mindlessly. Ash tackled one of them and stabbed both her gauntlets into its chest, then, as the other noticed her and came running towards her, Kaori grabbed it and held it in place. This allowed Ash to stab it as well, and both demons were promptly dead.


    Okay, now, where the hell...?


    Ash walked up the nearby stairs and found the bedrooms'' doors open, but no one was inside. Walking back down, she wondered if maybe people were in the backroom. So, she walked over to it, opened the door, and looked inside.


    "What the fuck?" She muttered as she saw an assortment of different things she had no clue would be waiting here. There were a few metal poles that went from the ground all the way up to the ceiling, with some furniture around them. There were some strange-looking rubber toys on a table to the right, and there were three beds with veils that looked like they could be pulled down to hide the people in the bed.


    Ash blinked and quickly walked away.


    "No sign of anyone," she said to Kaori.


    "Hm... Maybe they already left?" Kaori asked.


    "Probably," Ash nodded.  That''s the best thing they could have done, so, good.


    "Let''s head back to the palace then. We''ll tell Eliza the portal''s closed and, yeah, we''ll wait to see what else they want to do."


    "Alright," Kaori agreed and the two exited the room, emerging back onto the chaotic streets. Ash walked a few steps to the left, looking ahead and taking a deep breath. It sounded like there were demons close by, to their right, but Ash figured they were far enough away to where they could discuss their next move.


    "Okay, so, let''s..." However, Ash was cut off when she heard a demon approaching from behind and she turned towards it.  Huh?


    When she saw it, Ash froze.


    "Where do we go now?" Kaori asked her, but Ash was too busy looking ahead at the demon.


    Kaori raised a brow and then turned to where Ash was looking.


    "Oh... Is... Is that a Nightmare?" Kaori asked, some concern in her voice.


    That wasn''t what made Ash freeze like this though.


    The demon towered over every other creature next to it, with the kind of build that would have put Ren to shame. It was dragging with it a greatsword bigger than Ash''s own body and had a pair of chains wrapped around its wrists. Its violet eyes were fixed on Ash, and it was approaching her slowly.


    But, as frightening as it appeared, what made Ash freeze were the numbers above its head.


    Level 90


    MP: 900/900


    What.... What am I looking at?  Ash wondered as the demon slowly walked towards her.

 Chapter 176 - Vol. 3 - 49

    Ash stared at it for so long, Kaori had to shake her to get her to react.


    "Uh, it''s getting closer," Kaori told her, "w-what do we do?"


    Ash looked back at her, blinked, and grabbed her by the wrist.


    "RUN!" Ash told her and Kaori yelped as she forcefully pulled her along. She had no clue where they were running to, but Ash only knew that she and Kaori needed to get the hell out of there.


    Level. Fucking. 90.  Ash thought.  LEVEL. FUCKING. 90. What, how, where did Niven even find that thing!?!


    The two of them circled a blood-covered corner as sounds of fighting seemed to surround them. No matter where they went, there were soldiers facing off against the demons, which pretty much confirmed to Ash that Niven intended to take a much larger portion of the city tonight.


    Ash looked back and was relieved to see that the demon wasn''t there. However, now that the two of them had made a sizeable gap between themselves and that horrid creature, that brought a new problem.


    Where do we go?


    ---


    Onyx Battlefield Moments, 1: The Librarian


    ---


    Kaori


    As the two ran away from the level 90 demon, they eventually decided that it would be best to involve themselves in the fighting once again. As long as they steered clear of whatever that thing had been. Ash identified a few demons nearby and ran up to them, helping a few soldiers fight them back. Kaori, however, stood and watched for a moment.


    Since that talk she and Ash had at the portal realm, many things had been passing through her mind, but no answers had come to her yet regarding what she needed to do to ease these troubles. When she''d punched through that demon''s head earlier, she felt like that was something along the lines of what she needed, that the answer may be violent in nature, but she had yet to discover it. So, for now, she just settled for trying to help Ash and the others whenever possible.


    Because of that, she had been about to walk up and assist the half-demon, but then she heard something. There was a sound like pained moaning coming from her left. Kaori looked away from where Ash was fighting and searched for it, finding a small building that looked like it had been broken down by random spells that had unfortunately landed there. As she got closer, she became sure that the sounds were coming from here.


    Kaori approached the rubble and gasped when she saw an old man pinned down by some rocks. He was bleeding from his forehead, but his entire body had likely been broken by the stones on top of him.


    "A-Ash!" Kaori called, as she realized this man desperately needed some healing.


    "... Are you an angel?" The old man asked as his eyes met Kaori''s.


    "Ash!" Kaori called again. "I think he''s delusional!"


    The old man looked away.


    "... Never did I think my little bookstore would suffer such a fate," the man muttered as Kaori turned around, wondering what was keeping Ash from coming. "So many years, so much of my life..." He coughed, "only for it to end like this."


    "Sir, please, don''t talk, save your strength," Kaori said to him before she got up and searched for the half-demon. She found Ash killing off a nearby Gluttony demon and ran up to her. The half-demon''s eyes were narrowed, flickering back and forth from one possible target to another, something that halted when Kaori walked in front of her.


    "Ash," Kaori said.


    "Yeah?" Ash shook her head. "What''s up?"


    "There''s an injured civilian over here, come!"


    Kaori took her back to the broken-down bookstore. She spotted the man under the rubble and turned back to Ash.


    "He''s been there for a while, it seems like. He needs help," Kaori told her. Ash nodded and Kaori started to look around for anyone else who might need assistance.


    "Wait... Kaori..." Ash said as she crouched beside him. Kaori wasn''t looking.


    "There are probably a bunch of other people like this," Kaori muttered as she felt a bit colder. "Some people who might have not been prepared."


    "Kaori..." Ash said again.


    "I don''t hear anyone else though, so... Maybe we should look for people somewhere else. After that though, what would we..."


    "Kaori!" Ash said and Kaori was startled.


    "Yeah?"


    "He''s dead."


    "... Oh."


    ---


    Onyx Battlefield Moments, 2: The Orphan


    ---


    Ash


    Ash lost count of how many demons she''d taken out at this point. The fighting continued and didn''t seem like it was going to stop anytime soon.  How far is Niven planning on going? The buff already ran out,  Ash noted.  Then again, that demon is level 90 without it. Can anyone take it out?


    "Savior!" Suddenly, someone called to her from the side.


    Ash turned towards them, raising a brow.


    "Yeah?"


    "We suspect there might still be people in these buildings, people who didn''t evacuate in time."


    "... Damn."


    That was all Ash said. She turned away from the soldier and continued looking for targets.


    "Uh, Savior? They are probably trapped there thanks to the demons on the streets."


    "Sucks for them?" Ash said, shrugging.  Now, who do I fuck up next?  Ash thought as the soldier cleared his throat.


    "Don''t. You. Think. You. Should. Help. Them???" He asked.


    Ash looked back at him and scowled.


    "If it''ll get you to stop annoying me, fine, I''ll look for some people. Now, fuck off."


    The man blinked twice before walking away.


    Ash had half a mind to just go back to fighting as she was left alone, but as she looked around, she heard a demon growling from inside a house to her left.  It''s probably safer to fight inside there, where people can''t get you from behind,  Ash thought as she walked in.


    The sounds of battle outside muffled slightly as she stepped into the building. It smelled like a bad combination of dust and blood. Ash looked around, trying to feel out where the enemies were. She heard a few sounds coming from a room to the right and began walking slowly towards it. An open door held the source of the sound behind it and Ash slowly opened it before a claw instantly swung in her direction.


    Ash backed up, gritting her teeth. The demon growled at her as it swiped again and this time, slashed her face, clipping her. Ash pushed through the pain though and stabbed its gut, lifting it up into the air with the amount of force she put into it. She ripped her gauntlet out, and with it violet blood poured all over her, covering Ash''s body.


    The demon fell lifeless to the ground and Ash sighed.


    Alright, time to head back out...


    However, she heard something that made her pause. Someone sniffled. The sound came from the room she''d just been about to investigate before the fight. Ash narrowed her eyes at it as she heard a soft sob come from the same room.  Is that a monster or...?


    Ash started walking back in. She pushed the door open again, and this time no demonic hand came out to slash her. Instead, the sound of a soft cry came out again, from a nearby closet. Slowly, Ash moved towards it. As silly as it might have been, she honestly felt a little nervous. There was a small chance that there was a demon hiding behind the closet trying out some new strategy to catch people off-guard and that was why Ash had her gauntlets out, just in case.


    Either that, or she was just paranoid. That was a possibility.


    Regardless, Ash walked over to it and slowly opened the closet up. Someone cried out "no", and Ash yanked the door open.


    There was, however, no enemy there. Instead, there was a little girl, curled up and crying.


    Oh, okay, bit of a waste of time but...  Ash thought, but she stopped when she noticed a few details.


    For one, this girl had two short horns on her forehead, white hair and although her eyes were closed, Ash guessed they were violet. She was crying, her little fists raised in self-defense as she had no idea what had just opened the closet up.


    Ash sighed.


    Shit.


    She de-transformed her weapons, crouched, and tapped the girl''s shoulder. She trembled, shivering as she whimpered a little.


    "Kid, open your eyes," Ash told her. "If I were a demon you''d be getting eaten by now."


    Hearing that, the child slowly opened her eyes and as Ash had guessed, eyes just like her own looked back at her.


    "I... What?" The girl mumbled, her tears still falling as she looked over at Ash.


    A small part of Ash felt like she was looking into a mirror. Something she absolutely had not needed on this night. She shook her head, ignoring the part of her heart that hurt just a little at the sight of this girl, and she extended a hand towards the girl.


    "Come on, or are you just gonna stay there till something else finds you?"

 Chapter 177 - Vol. 3 - 50

    Ash led the little half-demon girl out of the abandoned house, checking the street to make sure that they weren''t walking into an ambush. Instead, Ash saw that the only living being still standing in this area was Kaori. The blonde stood over a fallen soldier''s body, looking down with a grim expression. However, she brightened up just a little when Ash walked up to her and she saw the little girl by her side.


    "Oh!" Kaori crouched, putting on a smile. "Who''s this?"


    Ash hadn''t actually gotten her name yet. Ash looked down at her and found the little girl looking around, her nervous eyes moving from one body to another.


    Hmph. Not the best thing to see as soon as you leave your cover.


    Ash wanted to say something, but before she could, Kaori beat her to it.


    The blonde gently put her armored hands on the little girl''s cheeks so that she was looking straight at her instead of at the horrible things around them.


    "A cute girl like you has to have a cute name, I''d like to know it!" Kaori said with a kind smile.


    "Uhm... L-Luvine," she replied and at that, Kaori grinned.


    "I knew it! You do have a cute name! Okay, Luvine," Kaori gestured up at Ash. "Listen, the two of us are guards, okay? We''re going to protect you. So, don''t worry if you see any big scary monsters. If we run into any of them, just hide and we''ll handle it. Alright?"


    In all honesty, Ash was beyond impressed with how quickly Kaori managed to handle this situation. Especially since Ash knew she was going through her own problems right now. That fact, that Kaori was doing this despite the terror in her own heart, made Ash respect her all the more.


    "O-Okay..." Luvine nodded and Kaori chuckled, patting her on the head.


    "Come on, kid," Kaori said, and then she stood up straight, looking at Ash. "Where are we headed?"


    Ash paused, taking a deep breath. She concentrated, trying her hardest to determine what the best course of action would be, but the sounds of spells exploding, people crying out and demons screeching made that difficult.


    "... Let''s go deeper into the city then," Ash muttered. "I think all we can do at this point is see how far Niven is willing to go tonight."


    "Right!" Kaori agreed.


    With that settled, the three of them started to walk down the street.


    Ash kept her eyes peeled for any enemies, while Kaori proceeded to ask Luvine a few questions.


    "So, is there anyone else you want us to look for?" Kaori asked. "Anyone who, uh, might need a little saving?"


    "... No," Luvine replied, shaking her head, and Kaori nodded.


    "Wait, so, was that your house or someone else''s that you ended up in?" Ash asked.


    "It... Uh, the second one..." Luvine answered.


    "Hm... Okay," Ash replied.


    And with that, they moved through multiple streets. Kaori did her best to keep the girl''s thoughts focused on literally anything that wasn''t the broken bodies scattered across the area, but Ash doubted that was something she''d do too successfully. However, on the bright side, it did seem like Niven was done for the night.


    The three of them weren''t encountering any demons. The sounds of battle were still in the air, but it seemed to Ash at least like they were centered somewhere to the far north, away from the heart of the city.


    "Okay, it looks like we''re out of it," Ash said. "Now, I think it''s probably best if we..."


    And, as soon as she said that, a group of soldiers began sprinting towards them from the left.  What the...?


    Behind them, several demons were chasing after the small group, and Ash rolled her eyes.


    The world wants me to be wrong so badly it literally made these idiots bring demons to me. I love it.


    ---


    Onyx Battlefield Moments, 3: The Rookies


    ---


    Three young soldiers tripped over themselves as they ran towards Ash and Kaori. The blonde gently pulled Luvine behind her as they approached. Ash narrowed her eyes at the demons chasing them.


    There are only two though. Even if you guys are a little weaker, you should still be able to win with your numbers. What the hell are these people doing?  Ash asked in her mind before she walked up, transforming her  Lust  into gauntlets.


    So, how strong are these things?


    Ash checked the levels of both the demons and the soldiers in that moment. The demons were basically what she expected.


    Level 31


    MP: 100


    Level 30


    MP: 10/10


    Level 30


    MP: 20/20


    However, the soldiers were the ones who truly stunned her.


    Level 4


    MP: 10/10


    Level 3


    MP: 10/10


    Level 1


    MP: 10/10


    Ash''s jaw dropped.


    What the fuck?


    As one of the soldiers fell forwards and a demon mounted them, Ash ran up and stabbed the demon through the neck, decapitating it. The other two monsters noticed her and must have figured she was a bigger threat as they instantly turned their attention away from the stumbling "warriors" and moved towards her.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"  Ash threw a Dark sphere into a demon''s face and as it recoiled from the pain, she ran up and stabbed it twice. However, the other one approached just a little too quickly. It pulled Ash down to the stone and got on top of her.


    "Agh, shit," Ash gritted her teeth but before she could even respond, Kaori pulled the demon back. Ash got up awkwardly, thanks to her gauntlets, and with those same objects stabbed the creature through the head, killing it.


    So now, it was just Ash, Kaori, Luvine hiding behind a box in the distance, and these three unfortunate "soldiers".


    The three of them looked up at Ash with reverence.


    "S-SAVIORS!?"


    "WE''RE SAVED!" Two of them said and Ash sighed.


    "What the hell are you people doing out here?" Ash asked.


    One of them, a slender-faced young boy, cleared his throat.


    "W-We''re volunteers, Savior! We, uh, signed up last night."


    ...


    Ash was in disbelief. These people signed up to fight in a full-scale demon battle, having probably only ever killed animals during hunts. Maybe, with luck, a couple of them had some form of actual experience, but there was just no other way to say it. This was practically suicide.


    "B-But don''t worry!" A girl with cheeks full of freckles said to Ash. "We''re going to fight, we''re brave and w-we want to help the city!"


    "..." Ash shook her head. She turned towards Kaori. "Come on, let''s keep going."


    "Yeah," Kaori replied and she called over Luvine. The three of them began moving away from the group of amateurs, but they had other ideas. They muttered something to each other.


    And then, the rookies began following them. Ash turned around with a raised brow.


    "Savior, we figured maybe it would be better if we could help you out and learn a little."


    "You might learn how to get yourself killed," Ash muttered.


    "We... We understand we aren''t the strongest, but we still want to-"


    Suddenly, a Lust demon flew down onto that kid from above. He cried out as the Lust demon mounted him and raised up a clawed hand, slashing down at his chest, through his black armor.


    "Agh!" The boy cried out as Ash walked up and casually stabbed the monster in the back of the head.


    ... Easy EXP, I guess.  Ash thought as the demon fell back, lifeless.


    Below however, the boy wasn''t doing too good. His chest was bleeding and he was petrified with fear as he looked down at himself.


    "Rick, you''re hurt!" The girl told him, as if he didn''t know that already.


    "I... I''m gonna die!" Rick replied and Ash looked around, searching for any other demons that could come in and attack. The boy started crying as he writhed in pain. The girl and the other guy both got down on their knees next to him, taking off their helms.


    Kaori walked up to Ash.


    "Um, you could just heal him, no?" Kaori whispered.


    "I have half a mind to leave him there, what kind of idiot says, ''yeah, I''m just gonna go fight a bunch of demons at level 3''?" Ash whispered back, crossing her arms.


    "Well, yeah, they''re not bright but... Come on, they could use the help, no?"


    Ash sighed.


    "Sure."


    "I''m going to die!" Rick announced to the world. The girl started crying too.


    "Rick, please, no! Lumina, don''t do this to us!"


    "Ugh, I-I feel it, I''m slipping," Rick said. "Angela, there''s something I have to tell you."


    "Um, Ash," Kaori whispered. "Couldn''t you... You know... Just..."


    "Nah, I''m enjoying this," Ash smirked. "I''ll do it in a bit, don''t worry."


    "Oh, okay," Kaori nodded.


    "Rick, what is it?" Angela asked, her tears slipping down the side of her face as she placed her hands on his face, looking down into his eyes with sorrow.


    "I... Angela," Rick coughed. "I''ve always loved you."


    "R-Rick, but, I''m married!"


    "I know."


    "To your brother!"


    "I know," Rick nodded. "But I still love you. I... Please, tell my brother that... I''m sorry."


    "No, Rick, no! Stay with me, please!"


    "Ash..." Kaori said.


    "Fine, fine." Ash chuckled. And so, she walked up to the boy. Ash crouched down and hovered her hand over his chest. Here, she cast Lumina''s Presence on him. "Bring peace to those in need."


    And quickly, the wound began to close. Ash smiled a little as Rick''s eyes popped out of his head.


    "Y-You can heal?"


    "Mhm," Ash replied.


    "Why didn''t you say anything?" Rick looked up at her.


    "I dunno. You never asked.." Ash shrugged.

 Chapter 178 - Vol. 3 - 51

    Sometime later, as the sun was beginning to come up only to be suppressed by a violet sky, Ash, Kaori, and the rest of that group were walking into the Grey Chamber. The rookies had been fairly silent after those... revelations that were made. Ash was still holding back her laughter from that. However, as she walked into the palace, she turned slightly more serious upon seeing the citizens here though, sprawled across the floor. It was a reminder that the city had lost most of the fights that had happened over the course of the night.


    A reminder that Kaori and Ash had been baited into that portal.


    Still, Ash couldn''t do anything about that now.


    "Uh, Saviors," Rick said. He scratched the back of his head, coughing twice. "Thank you for helping us. We''ll... We''ll find our own way now."


    "Good luck," Kaori said. Ash remained silent and the three rookies walked away.


    With them gone, Ash looked down at Luvine. The half-demon girl was looking away. As Ash crouched in front of her she looked back at her and seemed almost hopeful. Ash sighed.


    "Kid, do you have anyone we can, like, look for around here?"


    "... No..." Luvine replied, shaking her head. Ash narrowed her eyes at her.


    "So, what were you doing before the fighting started? Who were you with?" She asked as a few civilians and guards looked over at them.


    "... I was alone."


    "I get that but, what do you mean? Like, were you out on the streets?"


    At that, the girl nodded.


    Ash looked away briefly. Seeing this girl was starting to become too much like looking into a mirror, except, whereas Ash had grown resentful of everything around her, she was just scared.


    "We''ll find a place for you then," Ash told her. "Just... Stay still for a bit, we need to talk to someone."


    Hearing that, the girl nodded and Ash did the same over to Kaori, as the two separated from Luvine and went deeper into the palace.


    She and Kaori walked past everyone, ignoring the eyes of those who were waking up and those who never went to sleep. Among the latter was probably the woman sitting on the throne, who looked up at the two of them as they approached.


    Eliza looked like someone who was incredibly stressed but trying to hold it together. Ash figured that once she told her what was out there, she might actually snap.


    "Saviors, my scouts tell me the portal was closed. Good," Eliza stated with a low voice.


    "... And the city?" Ash asked.


    At that, Eliza smirked.


    "It seems we needed you more than we thought. We lost half of the city in one night."


    "Oh no," Kaori gasped. Ash had expected that to be the case.


    "Are the demons retreating?"


    "Yes, they stopped almost instantly when they reached the center. It would seem they have designated portions of the cities that they are trying to take. In that case, tomorrow, I''d guess we could expect them to attempt to take the next quarter, and then finally the city as a whole sometime after. My question regards one particular demon though," Eliza said. "Apparently, one of them was far stronger than the rest. This one wiped out over a hundred of my soldiers by itself. I ask, did you see it?"


    At that, Ash took a deep breath.


    "Yeah, pretty sure we did."


    "Very well. What can you tell me about it?"


    "..." Ash breathed in again. "It''s level 90."


    Eliza paused. For a few seconds, she simply stared at Ash, her clear eyes looking deep into Ash''s own, searching for any lies.


    "... Truly?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied. "It''s level 90. I saw it," she told her again.


    Eliza hung her head and paused, staying quiet for a few seconds.


    "Now, how exactly are we supposed to fight that?" She muttered though it sounded like she was talking to herself.


    "That might not be an option," Kaori stepped in. "Um, I... I think it might be time to start considering an escape."


    When she heard that, Eliza lifted her eyes to look at Kaori, again, expressionless. Eventually, she looked away.


    "Your friends are in the nearby bedrooms," Eliza suddenly said. "They arrived earlier tonight. You should check in on them."


    Ash got the message. This was basically a kind way of telling them, "I''m done talking to you."


    "About that," Ash added, "we picked someone else off the streets while we were coming here, can they use one of those?"


    "Sure," Eliza shrugged. Ash nodded.


    "Gotcha," and with that, she turned around, walking back to where Luvine was. As she did, she could hear a few of the civilians near her talking to each other.


    "I''m telling you," one of them whispered loudly, "isn''t it strange how she survived and so many others didn''t? How do we know she isn''t some spy for their side?"


    As Ash walked up, she made sure to toss a glare at that person before she knelt down in front of Luvine.


    "Hey," Ash said, "I''ve got you a place to stay, come."


    "What?" She asked, looking up.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Or do you want to go to sleep on the floor here?" Ash asked. The girl shook her head fervently. "Then get moving."


    "O-Okay," the girl replied and the two of them began to head for those rooms by the back of the Grey Chamber. Ash hadn''t known just how eager she''d been to make sure everyone was alright until she was walking in their direction, her every step was determined and hurried. Luvine had a bit of trouble keeping up but Ash figured that, in and of itself, was a lesson. As a half-demon in this world, she needed to be self-reliant.


    Eventually, Ash arrived at a set of doors that held yawning soldiers exiting them as she walked through the halls. One of them was open and Ash looked into the room. Here, she found her group, and her heart melted with relief.


    Keiko and Opah were occupying one of the beds, with Keiko''s arms protectively wrapped around the girl, while Satsuhiro and Metsumi occupied the other. As Ash walked in, she almost felt a smile appear on her face as she saw Keiko resting. She walked over to her bed, sat down by the edge, and took a deep breath as Kaori did the same. Luvine remained standing nearby, watching with confusion in her eyes.


    The movement of the bed as the two of them sat down must have been significant, because Keiko''s eyes slowly blinked open. Ash looked over at her as Keiko yawned.


    "Ash? Kaori?" Keiko asked with a gravelly voice.


    "Yeah. Sorry for waking you," Ash replied. At that moment it was like all of Ash''s tiredness hit her at once. She gave a yawn of her own and her body felt so much heavier than it had before. "We''ll find another place to sleep in, I just... I just wanted to see you."


    Keiko nodded, and, as Ash placed a hand on her head, she closed her eyes again, clearly still very tired. Kaori was standing nearby, giving a little smile of her own. Ash stood up and walked out, towards Luvine.


    "Alright, come on. Should be an empty room or two nearby," Ash said and Luvine nodded, following sheepishly behind her.


    Indeed, as the three of them searched for just a little bit, it didn''t take too long before they found a suitable enough room. There were two small beds, but Ash felt like she and Kaori fit just fine by themselves. Ash took off her armor, Kaori did the same and the three of them walked over to it. Ash stopped before she got in though and crouched down in front of Luvine.


    "Listen, I''d like to say that you''re out of this shit already but the fact is you might not be. The fighting is still going and... Yeah, even this place might not be safe soon. So, stay alert. Don''t get too comfortable because we might be leaving soon anyway, okay? I... I''ll try to get you to safety no matter what, but you need to keep your guard up. Alright?"


    "Mhm," Luvine replied. "T-Thank you..." She mumbled and Ash sighed.


    "You''re welcome, kid."


    With that, the three of them laid down and called it a day. Ash pulled her sheet up as she and Kaori got in bed together, but the blonde didn''t immediately close her eyes. Instead, she asked something.


    "So... You seem kinda invested in that girl," Kaori whispered. Ash raised a brow.


    "Is that a problem?"


    "No, just wondering why is all."


    "..." Ash looked up at the ceiling for a second. "I... I don''t know. I went through so much time where no one was around to help... I guess I just don''t want the same to happen to her." Ash replied, looking over at Kaori and the blonde nodded.


    "I can understand that," Kaori said.


    Ash''s eyes were begging for her to close them by now so, Ash leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on Kaori''s lips.


    "Goodnight," Ash said.


    "Goodnight," Kaori replied and with that, the day was finally over.

 Chapter 179 - Vol. 3 - 52

    The next morning, most of the high-ranking officials were gathered along with the Saviors to discuss exactly what they''d be doing about the demon forces. Thankfully, they''d paused their siege, but whatever they did tonight could be the end of Onyx entirely.


    Ash, who was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open, sat across from Eliza, with Kaori and Keiko by her sides, as the three of them heard a commander go over a report of the previous night.


    "Approximately sixty percent of the city was lost to the demons," the commander stated with a grim tone. "The demons pushed all the way to the factories, where the defenses managed to push them back. The Anomaly was halted by a barrage of crossbow bolts, but it was still largely unhurt. We... We expect that tonight, too much of the city could be lost to recover from. Even if we somehow won the battle, the damages would be irreparable."


    "The Anomaly," by the way, was what they were calling the level 90 demon. That was, of course, the biggest problem they''d have to deal with. No one in this city, maybe no one in the entire world, was powerful enough to kill that thing single-handedly. Even with Ash and Kaori''s powers, the two of them worried that the demon''s Con stat would be so high they wouldn''t be able to kill it in time.


    That was why everyone was here now. Something needed to be done about that demon and ideas were currently being thrown out.


    "Did someone see which portal the demon went through when it left the city?" A knight asked. "If we know, we could organize some sort of trap for when the demons leave the portal."


    "That information wasn''t recorded," another knight replied.


    "... Maybe it''s time to consider escaping as our main plan?" Another one asked and the room fell silent for a time. Eliza didn''t respond for a while.


    "The only issue is this demon, right?" Eliza asked. "So long as we make an adequate plan to deal with it, the city will be fine. Keep thinking of an answer."


    With that response, the meeting continued. Kaori and Ash barely spoke as the commanders passed around ideas. However, as they continued to discuss what to do, Ash remembered something that Kaori had told her a while back.


    She looked over at the blonde and leaned in a little to whisper.


    "Hey, what were the powers you got before?"


    "What do you mean?" Kaori asked.


    "The ones before the Pearl fight."


    "Oh," Kaori nodded. "Uh... The Mark of Love power, the Sacrifice power, and the Siphoning power."


    "That one," Ash pointed out, "the last one. So, you can give me stats?"


    "Yeah," Kaori nodded.


    "And you can do this one at the same time as the Mark power?"


    "I guess," Kaori replied.


    "... Maybe that''s it then," Ash said. Admittedly, this was a pretty big moment considering the implications of this plan she was coming up with, but Ash was so tired she didn''t even care.


    Eliza caught the two of them whispering and spoke up.


    "Saviors? Something to add?"


    "... I might be able to fight it," Ash stated, much to everyone''s confusion.


    "... How?" A knight quickly adds.


    "So, and listen, I''m sleepy as shit so this could make literally no sense, but what I''m thinking is that Kaori activates her Mark on me right now, gets a bunch of stats from it, and then tonight she siphons them into me and I take that demon on. How does that sound?" Ash asked.


    "... Is that something she can do?" A knight asked.


    "Uh, yeah," Kaori nodded. "I think I should be able to. Though, I haven''t used that siphoning power much so I don''t really know the rules behind it. But it sounds like it makes sense."


    The people at the table paused. Keiko spoke up next.


    "That might not be as good an idea as you think it is," she told Ash aloud. "I saw this creature fight. It''s powerful, but it seems to be just as skilled as it is strong. Even if you can match it in terms of raw strength, there''s a chance you could fail on a technical level as well."


    Hearing Keiko say that woke Ash up a little.


    "Hm..." Ash looked away for a second. "In that case, I could spend the rest of the day training. The fight wouldn''t be happening until way later, right? I could squeeze in enough proficiency to at least not trip over myself in the middle of it."


    "I suppose," Keiko nodded.


    "... This seems like the best idea we''ve gotten so far," Eliza expressed with a sigh. "As much as I don''t want to put our most valuable individual soldier at risk like this, if you carry this plan out the way you describe it, it seems to be viable."


    "Don''t get me wrong," Ash told her, "I''d rather you people just swallow your pride and leave the city, but if you don''t, I could try that. I''ll warn you though," Ash narrowed her eyes at them. "I''m not going to die for any of you. If I see that I can''t win the fight, I''m running the fuck away," she shrugged. "So, if I were you, I''d make an escape plan anyway, just in case."


    "Hmph. Noted," Eliza replied, and then she stood up. "Well then, it seems that''s the best course of action we''ve got. Everyone, continue preparing your defenses, Savior, get to training, and let''s hope for the best tonight. Good luck."


    Finally, the meeting was over. Beside her, Ash saw Kaori activate her Mark and as the soldiers walked away, the three of them were the only ones left at the table.


    "... That''s a dangerous idea, Ash," Keiko said. "I understand that these last powers you got made you far more powerful, but are you sure you can pull this off?"


    "No," Ash quickly answered. "But we have to try."


    "Why?" Keiko asked.


    "Because even if we escape this city, that demon is still going to be there, waiting for us somewhere else. If we don''t handle this today, that thing could hurt one of you later and, I can''t let that happen. I care about you two way too much."


    Normally, such an admission would have been difficult for Ash to say, but right now, she didn''t care. It was how she felt and now that she''d accepted it, it had gotten easier to tell them.


    "... I see," Keiko nodded. "In that case, let''s go see Yumi. We need to get you ready for that fight."


    "Before that, actually," Ash said, "I have to go see someone for a second. You guys make your way over there though, I''ll be there in a sec."


    "Okay, we''ll be waiting for you then," Keiko said and the three of them parted ways.


    Kaori and Keiko went deeper into the palace while Ash walked out to the main hall, where the civilians were currently having lunch in the form of some strange canned foods. Ash looked around and eventually found the kid she was looking for, hiding behind a pillar.


    Luvine had her knees curled up to her chest and her head resting on them. Ash walked up to her and tapped her armored hand against the pillar. The half-demon''s head snapped up and she looked at Ash with wide eyes.


    "A-Ash!" Luvine said. "H-Hi..."


    Ash knelt down in front of her, noticing that she didn''t have any of that food on her like the other citizens did.


    "Have you eaten yet?" Ash asked.


    "..." At that, Luvine looked away sadly. Before she could answer, her stomach grumbled.


    "Well, have you?"


    "No," Luvine shook her head.


    "Why?"


    "I..." Luvine briefly met Ash''s eyes, but she looked away again. That annoyed Ash. She reached over and tilted the kid''s head up.


    "No one''s gonna respect you unless you make them," Ash told her. "You can start with just looking people in their eyes when they talk to you. Now, why aren''t you eating?"


    "... The guards wouldn''t give me anything," Luvine answered, tearing up a little. "I-It''s okay... I don''t need to eat."


    But before she even finished saying that, Ash walked away and marched over to the nearest soldier.


    "Uh, S-Savior!" The soldier saluted her and Ash scowled.


    "Who''s in charge of handing out the food?" Ash asked.


    "Huh? Uh, them," the soldier pointed at a trio of people who were standing by a pillar on the opposite side of the room. A table with a few cans of food still left on it was right behind them. Ash narrowed her eyes and began walking over to them. They were laughing about something but that ceased as soon as they saw Ash approaching.


    Ash stood straight and crossed her arms as they all saluted her.


    "So, those last cans. Who are they for?" Ash asked.


    They gave each other nervous looks before one of them, a young girl, answered.


    "Uh... All of the civilians have been fed, so we figured we could... Hold onto them in case anyone wasn''t accounted for."


    "Really? Funny you should say that. There''s a half-demon over there," she pointed at the pillar behind her. "She didn''t get any. Can you go bring some to her?"


    At that, the girl''s eyes widened and he chuckled nervously.


    "N-No, I''m pretty sure we gave her her food already."


    "Really? So, her stomach growling was just a demon thing? She wasn''t hungry at all?" Ash asked.


    "M-Maybe I''m misremembering..."


    "That might just be the case," Ash smirked at her. "Now, come on. Bring one of those cans."


    "Right," she nodded and followed Ash back to where Luvine was sitting. The half-demon looked up with surprise as Ash returned with the soldier.


    "Now, give her the food, and how about you tell her how terribly sorry you are?"


    "... I''m sorry," she said as she handed the can over to Luvine with trembling hands. Luvine looked beyond shocked to see this happen.


    "Good job. Go," Ash said, literally shooing her away, and the girl immediately scurried off.


    "W-Why... You helped me..." Luvine noted.


    "Yeah."


    "Why?" She asked.


    "Cause I felt like it," Ash shrugged.. "Now, eat, before you starve to death."

 Chapter 180 - Vol. 3 - 53

    Now that it was actually time to prepare for the next fight, Ash realized just how much she was risking. As she put her gauntlets on, Ash took a deep breath, remembering the creature she was now about to begin training to defeat.


    Keiko and Kaori both sat at a bench to the back. Yumi stood nearby, waiting for her to indicate that she was ready.


    "A creature like that, one which holds supreme power and surprising speed, must be beaten with precision and timing," Yumi told her. "From what I''ve seen during our training sessions, you rely on a sort of wild instinct to guide you through your fights. Such a thing will not only not work here, but this kind of attitude will actively hurt you against this foe. If you wish to defeat this demon, your every move will need to be planned out beforehand. Your every step and swing of your gauntlets must be calculated. If you make even a single move which you did not mean to make, you could find yourself being crushed under its sword."


    So,  Ash thought,  what you''re saying is that this guy pretty much counters me completely?


    As much as she wished she could be the cold and calculating type in battle, from the very start of this journey that just hadn''t been her style.


    Hope it''s not too late to learn, I guess.


    "Okay, so how do we do this? Are there some fucking manuals I need to be reading or what?"


    "Hehe, no. We''re just going to do some simple exercises like we did the last time. I''m going to attack you, but I''m going to do it somewhat slowly, so you can plan ahead. That''s all you need to focus on here. You don''t need to think too far ahead, just make sure that your next move isn''t entirely improvised. If you can do that, you will stand a better chance against this demon. Are you ready to begin?" Yumi asked.


    Ash nodded and with that, the training session began properly.


    True to her word, Yumi used her naginata with long, drawn-out movements. Attacks that always gave Ash just enough time to think of possible counters. Still, it was hard for her. This had never been Ash''s way of fighting and doing this now simply felt awkward. Thankfully, due to their previous sessions, this wasn''t her first time ever trying to fight this way, but she still felt like she was out of her comfort zone.


    "Do not think in terms of bursts, think in terms of sequences, Ash!" Yumi advised her as she brought her naginata up and looked to slam it down on Ash''s head.


    Sequences huh?  Ash thought as she saw her blade approaching.  Okay...  So, Ash made a small plan. She''d dodge to the left and then go for a stab at Yumi''s midsection. Ash sidestepped and then, lunged forwards. Yumi smirked and then, she allowed Ash''s gauntlet to pass through the space between Yumi''s arms, and then went behind Ash and restrained her with the wooden shaft of her naginata.


    "What will you do now?" Yumi asked in her ears as she pulled back harshly on her naginata, pressing them into Ash''s abs.


    What do I...?


    The only thing that came to Ash''s mind did not involve her gauntlets. She leaned forwards and thrust her head back, nearly smashing it into Yumi''s own.


    "Good!" Yumi said as she broke the hold and retreated. "You could have followed up on that though. Sequences, Ash. Sequences!"


    Ash nodded.  Right. Think combos, combos.


    Her next move, Ash ran up to go for a swipe at Yumi''s head but the woman anticipated that and swept her naginata across the floor. Ash ended up having to jump to prevent herself from being tripped. Hovering in midair, about to land just in front of Yumi, Ash tried to think of something.


    One attack came to her mind, but Ash wondered if she had the Dexterity to pull it off. Still, it was all she thought of so she tried it. She rolled forwards, and went for a stab.  Yumi noticed this and moved to block, which was what Ash had anticipated.


    So, mid-swing, Ash changed and instead said:


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" And aimed a Dark spell at Yumi''s chest. Yumi''s eyes widened, but even though Ash was so close, she still managed to dodge in time.


    However, after she spun away from the sphere, she looked back at Ash with a smile.


    "You''re a quick learner. That was very good. Had my stats been lower, I would have been caught by that." Yumi told her and Ash chuckled.


    "Hahaha, holy shit, thanks."


    Being complimented like this, Ash really felt like she was taking the right steps towards where she needed to be to win later. Still, she knew the odds weren''t in her favor.


    If all else fails, I''ve still got that Magia power. I think this thing is a Wrath demon, so it probably won''t fall for the whole "hey, let''s fuck, not fight" thing, but I can probably summon a bunch of huge swords and try to drop them on the thing''s head. Even then, will that actually kill it?


    Ash asked herself that as Yumi allowed her to take a small break.


    The demon''s level 90... That means, assuming that demons don''t train at all or that they trained before but stop training once they become demons, this thing might have at least two stats that are at around 100. Which ones though? When I saw it, I didn''t get to see it fight much, but as bulky as the thing looks, one of them has to be Strength. Which would the other one be though? Con? Dex? It had a lot of mana too, though I don''t remember how much exactly, but that means its Wisdom has to be pretty high, which means it can also use spells.


    Ash sighed to herself.


    Give me a fucking break. What kind of fighter is that thing? Who the hell even was that Savior and how did they end up getting turned into a Nightmare?


    "Let me know when you are ready to proceed, Ash," Yumi interrupted her thoughts. "We have all day for this. Take your time."


    "... I''m ready," Ash nodded. "Let''s keep going."


    With that, their training continued, and so too did Ash''s worries mount on top of each other.


    ---


    Eliza


    Many people had ways of dealing with stress. Some chose to eat, others chose to drink, some would visit a brothel for a night and wake up with a hangover, and some regrets. Eliza though, had a fairly simple routine that she was about to perform now.


    After ensuring that the civilians at the Grey Chamber were being taken care of adequately, the Lord of Onyx went back to her chambers, a pristine room with exquisite furniture and gaudy decorations placed all over, and here, she searched for a blank book near her bed. There was a chair in front of it where Eliza sat down. Along with the book, there was also a pen. She picked it up and began to jot down what had been happening.


    "The demons have made too much progress in too little time,"  Eliza wrote.  "The sad part is that with how effective some of our machinery has been against them, our crossbows and barricades specifically, I can confidently say that if we had more time, we would have been able to hold out rather easily. Instead, we are being pressured as I write this, and tonight... The demons could very well arrive at the Grey Chamber itself."


    Eliza took a deep breath, as a maid came into the room, holding a bottle of expensive wine.


    "Milady," the maid said and Eliza took the bottle.


    "Thank you," Eliza muttered, placing it on the desk before she continued.


    "However, there is one factor that we have been preparing which could prove to be of use. The Lust demons. Lust demons, plural, of course, because we did manage to capture a couple in the last two nights. These demons were essentially handed over the sex workers we commissioned earlier and, well, the results have been... Interesting."


    Eliza recalled something she''d seen during the experiments and her heart rate sped up a little. She gulped down some saliva that she hadn''t noticed was starting to build up in her mouth and she crossed her legs.


    "Thanks to the experiments, I am now convinced that the mere presence of Lust demons contain mind-altering properties. As I... Have felt urgers upon seeing them engage with the sex workers that I attribute entirely to their demonic nature."


    She wrote this, trying her hardest not to put a hand between her legs and instead, continue writing.


    "As interesting as this might be from a scientific perspective though, when it comes to the practical combat-related results, we have identified that what we assumed would happen did occur... Or maybe, half-occurred. See," Eliza wrote, "The demons do become protective of those they have sex with, but  *only* those they have sex with. They will not fight for our entire army, but individuals within that army. Further testing though has shown that if the person they had intercourse with is threatened," she wrote, remembering one moment where they had a random soldier try to stab one of the prostitutes and see how the demon would react, "the monsters will not hesitate to step forwards, on behalf of the one they have become attached to. This means that, if we put these subjects out in the city, during the battle, the chances that the Lust demons will fight to protect them are, we assume, high. Which is good... But we would need many more Lust demons for it to make a difference."


    Eliza briefly put her pen down and stretched, cracking her back before continuing.


    "So, that is why one of the... hidden directives I have given my soldiers for tonight is, that should we win the battle, or at least hold the demons off from the Grey Chamber, they must attempt to capture as many of these Lust demons as possible. We will see what happens later, I suppose. If we survive though, I will continue to write the results of these experiments as I see them. May Alkoth, and Magia, I suppose, bless us."


    With that, Eliza put her pen down for good and poured herself some of that wine, hoping it dull her mind for at least a little while.

 Chapter 181 - Vol. 3 - 54

    As Ash''s training continued, she felt like she was picking up this new way of fighting, more and more. As the sun was starting to descend, and Ash''s clothes, under her armor, were drenched in sweat, Yumi stood across from her with her naginata by her side.


    Ash narrowed her eyes and waited. Yumi nodded and instantly charged forwards.


    ... Spin into a stab, Ash thought as she waited for Yumi to get close enough. As soon as she was, she turned on her heel and stepped out of the way, before lunging forwards with a thrust of her gauntlet. Yumi ducked under it though, which Ash hadn''t seen coming. Crap!


    In a desperate, split-second decision, Ash hopped over Yumi''s back. She ended up behind her and quickly, tried her hardest to turn around into an attack. Yumi dodged it easily, and Ash''s arm ended up outstretched in front of her. Yumi grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her over her back, slamming her onto the ground, all with one hand.


    "Agh!" Ash cried out as her back hit the floor.


    Ash looked up to see Yumi lightly place a foot on her chest.


    "A valiant effort, Savior," Yumi chuckled. "But it seems I got the better of you, yet again, though you are improving."


    "..." As Yumi walked away, Ash stood up a bit awkwardly. "Did I actually get better? Because every single one of these little fights has ended with me eating shit."


    "Improvement is a marathon, not a sprint, Ash," Keiko suddenly said, walking forwards. She had a bottle of water in her hands, along with a small towel. She handed over the bottle and reached up to wipe the sweat off of Ash''s forehead with the towel.


    "What the fuck is a marathon?" Ash asked, between gulps of that water.


    "Uh, it''s like a race. Anyway, the point is that improvement happens slowly," Keiko responded.


    "Gotcha."


    Ash looked to her right and noticed that Kaori was being awfully quiet, sitting at a nearby table, alone. Ash walked up to her and sat down next to her. Yumi and Keiko followed.


    "So, since you''re siphoning your stats into me, will you be fighting at all?" Ash asked.


    "Hm?" Kaori looked up at her. "Uh... I still need to be near you, so that the Mark of Love buff stays, but... I''m going to try to stay out of trouble."


    "Good," Ash nodded. She took a deep breath and looked down for a second. "I haven''t forgotten, by the way." Kaori raised a brow as Ash told her that. "You know, what I said in the portal. Once this is done, we''ll talk shit out. Just saying."


    Kaori nodded at that.


    "Thanks."


    ---


    Luvine


    The streets of Onyx were so chaotic, Luvine had felt like she was in a nightmare. The violet sky above, the blood running down the stone under her tiny feet, the screams of people being ripped apart around her. It all made her think she should have been asleep right now.


    But, no matter how hard she tried, she simply wouldn''t wake up. Luvine had been asleep in the shade of an alley when she''d first been woken up by the fighting. Her eyes had slowly opened and the first thing she saw was a soldier, trying to drag himself away from something. His blood, pouring from a wound in his neck, left a trail of red coming from the street.


    "W-What?" Luvine mumbled as she looked to her right and saw soldiers clashing blades with demons. Actual, real demons.


    It was Luvine''s first time seeing them. She''d always been spat on, told she was one, told she''d bring them here or that she''d turn people into them, but seeing them now, she wondered how anyone could confuse her for them. These weren''t people, they were animals.


    Luvine stood up, her thin legs trembling.


    "W-What do I do?" Luvine asked herself, flinching when she saw a soldier have his head ripped off by a demon''s claws in front of her. The soldier''s head rolled down the street, all the way to her feet. His petrified, wide eyes looked up at Luvine as she stood over it.


    Luvine fell back, her legs'' strength disappearing. She couldn''t say anything. She could barely even breathe. Eventually, though, something else appeared in front of her. A demon.


    It resembled a man with the strong build of a warrior, but with animalistic, stone-like legs and hands, and horns much larger than Luvine''s own. Its violet eyes were wild and centered fully on Luvine as soon as the demon saw her. It took a step towards her and Luvine whimpered in fear.


    Just as an arrow struck the demon''s head and fell to the side, lifeless.


    That moment though gave Luvine the shock she needed to get up and run. She sprinted out of the alley and looked around. Nowhere seemed safe. Everywhere she looked, there were people and demons trying to kill each other. However, there had been one person that Luvine remembered at this moment. Someone who had been kind enough to her that she wondered if he would help her now.


    An old man who ran a tiny bookstore nearby. Luvine had run into him a few times and every time she had, he''d been nice to her. So, instinctively, Luvine found herself running towards it. Her size allowed her to move undetected, for the most part. No one, not the soldiers, not the demons, looked at her small body as she ran between the fighting parties.


    Eventually, Luvine reached the street where the bookstore was located, but she couldn''t see it.


    "B-But... It was here..." She told herself.


    Eventually, though, she found it. The building the old man had owned was reduced to rubble. Nothing but a bunch of rocks piled on top of each other.


    "N-No!" Luvine teared up at the sight of it, running up to the building to see if the old man was anywhere to be found. Before she could see him though, two fighters got too close to her and Luvine backed away.


    As she realized she was in the middle of too much fighting, Luvine backed away from the crumbled bookstore.


    "I... I need to run."


    With that, Luvine started running away as far as she could go. No matter where she went, people were dying, and demons were winning. So, eventually, she saw a building that had an open door and an idea came to her.


    "I-I can hide!"


    She ran in and looked around, trying to see if she could find any space where she could remain until all of this passed.


    She went into a room then saw an empty closet. She didn''t really think about where these people could be or what happened to them. Instead, she just walked right into that dusty old closet, closed it, and crouched.


    Her plan was simple. Wait here until the demons left the city, and everything would be okay.


    She was still so scared though that she couldn''t keep herself from whimpering and sobbing as the things she''d seen reappeared in her mind. She didn''t know how long she was there. It felt like hours passed, but that could have just as well been minutes.


    Eventually, though, she heard footsteps outside her closet. She froze. Shivers went up her back. Her arms couldn''t stop shaking. And then, the closet was opened.


    "No!" She cried out as she closed her eyes and raised her hands defensively.


    As if that would do anything to stop one of those monsters.


    However, a few seconds passed and eventually, she heard:


    "Kid, open your eyes. If I were a demon, you''d be getting eaten right now."


    It was a woman''s voice. Luvine was shocked, almost immediately opening her eyes to check, but her made her take a while to do that. What she saw was a woman standing there, dressed in brilliant golden armor, with long, wild white hair, much like her own, falling down her shoulders. She was looking back at Luvine with eyes that were the same as hers, and horns just as short.


    ""Come on, or are you just gonna stay there till something else finds you?"


    ---


    "Hi!" A voice called out to Luvine. She opened her eyes, her reminiscing stopping for the moment. She couldn''t tell where the voice had come from, so Luvine had to look around as she sat at that pillar where Ash had given her the food previously.


    Right in front of her, there was a little girl with short reddish-orange hair and slightly dark skin who was looking back at Luvine with a smile.


    "W-What?" Luvine asked.


    She looked to be right around her own age. The little girl was holding a cup of water. She extended her hands towards Luvine and grinned.


    "Water," the girl said simply. Luvine looked down at the cup and then back at her.


    "F-For me?"


    "Mhm," the girl nodded eagerly. "Mom told me it''s good to share."


    "..." Luvine looked back at the cup and reached towards it. "Thanks."


    She grabbed it and took a sip.


    "My name''s Opah," the little girl told her. "What''s yours?"


    "... Luvine."


    "Ohhh. Hi Luvine!" Opah waved at her and Luvine basically gave her a look of awe.


    Almost immediately though, the girl ran away and Luvine''s eyes followed her to where she was given something else by an incredibly strong-looking woman with a strikingly similar appearance. Then, she returned to Luvine''s spot with a can of something.


    "Here. Some food," Opah said.


    "Uh... I ate..." Luvine told her.


    "Oh. Okay," Opah replied and she ran off again, coming back with a book this time. "Let''s read!" She said, pushing a book with a bunch of drawings right in front of Luvine''s face.


    "I... I can''t read," Luvine replied.


    "I can! I''ll read for you." Opah responded and with that, she started reading from the book right in front of her.


    Luvine blinked as the girl kept going.


    .... What''s happening?

 Chapter 182 - Vol. 3 - 55

    Kasumi


    I swear, walking through this fucking snow again better be worth it.


    Kasumi grumbled this as she trekked through the land near the city of Sapphire, to its left. This was, apparently, the spot where the other girls had gone to acquire their buffs from the gods. After Kasumi had been visited in her dreams by Alkoth, she was heading to the same place, but not for the same reason.


    Ugh, I''ve got so much snow in my boots... It''s so cold. Why the fuck did I agree with this?  She asked herself, though she knew the answer already. She was basically just complaining for the sake of complaining, honestly.


    Eventually, she saw something in the distance. Beyond a few dead, snow-covered trees, she saw what looked like a broken-down church. I''m guessing that''s it. Kasumi started to walk up to that place, sighing as she acknowledged that this new, short journey of hers was two-thirds of the way done.


    She had already visited the shrine again, now she was here at the Sapphire site, so she was only missing the Jade site and she was done.


    After that, the rest would be in Ash, Kaori, and the gods'' hands.


    Her work would be done, however. Still, as she walked into the church, the thought of sitting the rest of this out, leaving the girls to do their own thing after Ash had convinced her to look into rebuilding her life, felt wrong.


    Even if Ash and Kaori had deceived her into heading into the shrine the first time, she still, reluctantly, acknowledged that the two of them had a good reason for that. Still, it annoyed her. Putting that aside for now though, Kasumi walked into the church, dusting the snow off of her clothes, and moving up past the old pews to the altar at the back.


    Once she was there, she sat down nearby and breathed in.


    Right, what was the incantation again?  She asked herself and then, as she remembered it, she started to mutter the words.


    This spell had been given to her by Alkoth, and she''d already used it once at the shrine next to Onyx.


    "Transgressions have been made, boundaries overstepped, duties neglected. The balance of power has been skewed and now, the regulators of the world need to be regulated. Thus, by decree of the Higher Powers, it is time for a reset."


    As she finished speaking, allowing her mana to flow through her veins, the altar in front of her glowed a brilliant white for a few seconds. Kasumi was already shielding her eyes pre-emptively. The first time she did this, she''d nearly been blinded.


    Eventually, it ceased, and Kasumi nodded to herself.


    Okay. One more to go... Maybe I''ll take a nap first though, fuck the snow.


    ---


    Ash


    The nighttime had just about settled in, and with the chill in the air came the unease of a battle''s eve. Ash was currently in her room, putting on her armor after she''d taken it off and washed it after her training. It was still slightly damp but Ash didn''t care, she just didn''t want the smell of her sweat to distract her in the middle of a fight.


    Admittedly, she was stalling. When she''d first pitched the plan they''d be acting on now, Ash hadn''t cared all too much about what she''d suggested. As a few hours had passed, she''d realized what she''d done and been slightly concerned by it. But, now, with soldiers preparing themselves and setting up defenses all around the Grey Chamber, Ash felt outright  scared.


    It was a level 90 demon, after all. Even if Kaori would be siphoning her stats into her, even if the two of them had those abilities given to them by Magia and Lumina, Ash still felt like this was an almost insurmountable challenge. Standing by the door was Keiko.


    "... Don''t make me stay here," Keiko muttered.


    "I told you already," Ash replied, sighing. "I''m not saying you should stay because you can''t fight or anything, you know I don''t think that."


    "Then why would you say that I shouldn''t go out and help!?" Keiko asked, raising her voice.


    Ash stood up and slowly walked over to her. The shorter girl was looking up into her eyes with a fiery determination. One that Ash, unfortunately, had to put out.


    "Because there''s no guarantee that I''m going to win," Ash said, putting her hands on Keiko''s shoulders. "If I lose, that pretty much means Kaori dies too. Let''s be real here, okay? If that happens, I''m counting on you to get everyone we... Everyone who''s special to us out of here. Does that make sense?"


    At that, the firmness in Keiko''s eyes flickered for a moment, being replaced by fear for a second, but as Ash recognized that, she pulled Keiko in and tried to give her a kiss that gave some semblance of reassurance.


    "... I..." Keiko muttered as their lips parted, "I just don''t want to think to myself that I could have done something about this if something happens to you."


    Ash chuckled at that.


    "What are you even talking about?" She asked with a smile. "What would you do? If something happens to me, I don''t want you to watch it happen. So, yeah..."


    Now, it was Keiko''s turn to pull Ash in for a kiss. This one stretched on for far longer, almost like they were hoping that standing there, together, would make the demon army outside disappear. It didn''t though, so Ash pulled away on her own, feeling her heart break when she saw Keiko''s crystalline, beautiful  eyes practically begging for her not to go.


    "Okay, time to get shit done," Ash nodded to herself, trying to force herself to focus. "Let''s go."


    With that, she stepped out of the room and saw Kaori standing on her own, outside. Ash nodded at her and the girl nodded back.


    "Have they started fighting yet?" Ash asked.


    "Nah," Kaori shook her head. "Eliza wants to discuss something with you though, she told me. I dunno what," Kaori shrugged.


    "Okay," Ash nodded and Kaori walked past her, towards Keiko. Ash looked back and saw the two of them embrace and kiss. Looking away, Ash took a deep breath.


    She laughed.


    Fuck, I actually feel nervous. I don''t think I was ever actually nervous for the other fights. Why is this happening now?  Ash wondered as Kaori and Keiko finished.


    "Stay safe," Kaori told her.


    "... You too," Keiko replied softly, and the three of them left the area. Keiko walked towards Metsumi, Opah, Satsuhiro, and Luvine, while Kaori and Ash walked towards Eliza, who was standing by the entrance of the Grey Chamber.


    Yumi was standing beside Eliza, the masked woman''s hands behind her own back as the pair looked out towards the city. Soldiers were marching from their sides, towards the streets. As Ash and Kaori approached, they turned around.


    "Ah, are you prepared?" Yumi asked.


    "Yeah, we''re ready. Kaori, how are those stats?" Ash asked.


    "Here," Kaori said, showing her status. "I leveled up once from the demons we fought a night ago."


    Kaori:


    Level 52


    MP: 140/140


    EXP: 0/520


    ---


    STR: 30


    DEX: 36


    CON: 73


    INT: 14


    WIS: 14


    L: 100


    Apparently, all of her stats went up by 8 thanks to the Mark of Love buff, as 8 hours had passed since she activated the mark. Depending on how long this night stretched out, it could rise much higher than that.


    As for Ash''s own stats, they were as follows:


    Level 46


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 0/460


    ---


    STR: 39


    DEX: 21


    CON: 18


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    Ash nodded.


    "Okay, so how much do you want to give me?" Ash asked.


    "How much do you think I need to not, you know...?"


    "Uh, well, how does this even work?" Ash asked, chuckling.


    "Right. Uh, let me do some experimenting..." Kaori said, closing her eyes. Then, her body briefly flashed with gold, and it disappeared. Then, she did the same again. "Okay, so, I think I can pour as much as I want to into any of your stats, from any of mine. That means that I can take all of my stats and, like, dump them into your Con, if that makes sense. You understand?"


    "I think so. Okay," Ash thought about it. "So... According to the reports, this thing is supposed to be a Strength-based monster, but one that can move really fast. So, I''m pretty sure I want as much in my Con as I can get, plus a bit into my Dex."


    "Not your Strength?" Kaori asked.


    "There''s no shot that I''m going to be stronger than this thing, that''s just not happening," Ash shook her head, "but... Maybe with a bit of that training Yumi gave me," she gave the masked woman an appreciative look, "I can avoid its attacks."


    "A reasonable assessment," Yumi stated. "However, not increasing your Strength too much will mean that you, of course, will need to land far more hits than your opponent in order to win. The only problem is that while your half-demon nature allows you to see their levels, I do not believe it allows you to see the demon''s proficiency, right?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded.


    "Then even if you know how powerful it is, there''s no way of knowing how  skilled the demon is."


    "I get it," Ash nodded. "I''ll try to poke it down then, or whatever. When should I head out?" Ash asked, looking over at Eliza.


    Eliza, however, didn''t respond. Ash raised a brow when she noticed that her eyes were roaming over Ash''s body, looking up and down at her.  What the fuck?


    "Eliza?" Ash asked.


    The Lord of Onyx blinked.


    "Right," she cleared her throat. Her voice sounded raspy. "The demon has not been sighted yet. You may remain here until it is. There''s no need to have you face unnecessary danger."


    "Okay," Ash replied, turning back towards Kaori. "Does the siphoning have a time limit?"


    "Yeah, two minutes," Kaori nodded. "Then I get my stats back, and I have to cast it again."


    "... Okay, then may as well do it now to see if this can actually make me strong enough."


    Kaori nodded, and so, her body flashed gold once again as she closed her eyes. Ash waited for a second and then checked her stats.


    Level 46


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 0/460


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 50


    CON: 90


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    "I pretty much gave you everything I had to get you that far," Kaori said, with a shivering breath.


    "Good," Yumi noted as Ash showed her status. "Attributes are capped at 100, that means that you and that demon should have comparable Constitution. However, again, I cannot stress this enough, that demon will hit you far harder than you strike it. So, make sure you land as many hits as possible. It''s not about quality, here, it''s about quantity, in this fight. You need to wear it down over time."


    "Okay..."


    Ash turned towards the streets. Kaori, Keiko, Metsumi, Satsuhiro, Opah, even Kairo, Kasumi, and Luvine''s faces all came to her mind then. She nodded to herself.


    "I''m ready."

 Chapter 183 - Vol. 3 - 56

    As she stood now, ready to walk out into the city, Ash inspected her status fully, trying to take stock of every option she had available to her.


    Level 46


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 0/460


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 50


    CON: 90


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    ---


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach


    Chosen


    Moonlight Nature (all Light and Dark spells are enhanced, though the bearer can only use Light and Dark)


    Quick Learner


    Demon Inside (Access to Demon Form, while in Demon Form all physical attributes are increased by 5)


    Moonlight Demon (While in Demon Form, all Light and Dark spells are further enhanced)


    ---


    Spells:


    Light:


    Heal 10mp (the basic Light spell)


    Lumina''s Presence 10mp (slower, gradual heal on one target)


    Lumina''s Spirit 15mp (energy boost)


    Barrier 15mp (projects a white wall that blocks spells)


    Empowered Light 40mp (the effects of Light magic are enhanced on multiple targets)


    Curse Removal 100mp


    Land of Grace 50mp (AOE heal)


    Sacred Ground 20mp (AOE Turn Dark)


    Flash of Brilliance 40mp (Blinding)


    Dark:


    Dark Sphere 10mp (the basic Dark spell)


    Perish 15mp (mid-range slightly stronger Dark projectile),


    Decimating Touch 15mp (touch-based Dark attack)


    Living Vortex 20mp (grants a target lifesteal from wounded bodies around them)


    Spirit Siphon 20mp (touch-based lifesteal spell)


    Divine:


    Champion of Magia 0mp


    ---


    Weapon Proficiencies:


    Bladed Gauntlets = 5 of 10 (Average)


    Sword = 4 of 10 (Average)


    Bow = 2 of 10 (Beginner)


    Spear = 1 of 10 (Complete Amateur)


    ---


    Current Status Effects:


    Niven''s Blessing, Encouraged (Kaori)


    In all honesty, she barely remembered some of these spells, as she''d gotten used to relying on mostly the basic Heal and Dark Sphere spells, but now, as the situation demanded it, she would likely have to make use of most, if not all, of these tools.


    My weapon proficiencies went down... crap, she sighed.  Hope those gauntlets carry me through this.


    Eventually, her stats faded.


    "Right, so, two minutes," Kaori pointed out as Ash''s stats returned back to normal.


    "Activate the spell when we see that thing then," Ash told her.


    "You should take some time to warm up by going after lesser enemies," Yumi advised her. "So that by the time you get into the fight against the main demon, you''re already loose."


    "Makes sense," Ash nodded. "Anything else I need to know?"


    "The reinforcements from Jade should be arriving tonight. If you can hold the demons off until they get to us, then the tide of battle should almost certainly swing in our favor," Eliza stated. "That is all. Good luck, Savior."


    Ash nodded and gestured for Kaori to follow.


    "Then, we''re off."


    And so, the two of them, with nervous hearts and heavy responsibilities weighing on their shoulders, walked forwards. Ahead, Ash could already hear screams, orders being yelled frantically, and demons mauling their enemies. She transformed her weapons into her gauntlets and started jogging towards the demon noises that sounded the closest. Rounding a street corner, she saw a small group of soldiers being pinned down by a mix of Wrath and Gluttony demons. Ash narrowed her eyes at them.


    "What do you want me to do?" Kaori asked.


    "I don''t know, whatever you feel is right, I guess," Ash replied, and Kaori nodded, staying back.


    Let''s do this.


    She ran up to a Gluttony demon on her right.


    Level 30


    MP: 100/100


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"  Ash said and a black sphere flew from her right palm to the enemy. It groaned and as it recoiled from the hit, Ash stabbed her right gauntlet into its side.


    Then, feeling the anger surge inside of her from the spell she''d cast, she dragged the blade to the left, slicing the creature wide open until its entrails were spilling out onto the stone beneath her feet.


    EXP Gained: 200


    EXP: 200/460


    It occurred to her then that, if she fought for enough time before meeting the demon, she might level up a bit more before the encounter.


    If I do get some more points, she thought,  I may as well put them into my Con. If I level up five times, that''s 10 points I can dump in there, and when Kaori does her thing with her stats, I can have 100 Con.


    She set that as one of her goals for the night, hoping to get that done before she met the level 90 creature.


    Ahead, a Wrath demon had just taken a chunk of someone''s neck out with its teeth. Ash saw that and sprinted towards it. Another demon noticed her and growled, looking like it would interfere before she would be able to stop it.


    Yumi''s lessons came to her mind then, and Ash took a deep breath, just as she was about to strike.


    Combos. Sequences.  She looked at one and then at the other.  Stab this fucker''s face in, then hop over the body, block that thing''s attack and stab it in the gut with my left.


    When she arrived, she did exactly that. Ash ran up, pulled her right arm back and punched the demon in the face with her gauntlets, stabbing through its head. Then, after kicking that demon away, she leaped over the body of the wounded soldier, and as anticipated, the other demon attacked. It tried to bite her and Ash dodged out of the way, leaning back before moving back in. She gave it a knee to the stomach, tripped it, and then finished it off with a blow to its throat from her left gauntlet.


    Both demons died quickly.


    EXP Gained: 210


    EXP: 410/460


    EXP Gained: 190


    EXP: 460/460


    Level Up!


    Ash looked back at the kid who''d been injured and found that Kaori had dragged him away from the fighting in the brief time she''d been dealing with the last of the two demons. Ash jogged over and crouched beside him.


    "Looks like this is your lucky day," Ash muttered before casting a quick healing spell on him. "Go. Get the fuck out of here."


    He spat out blood that had accumulated in his mouth and took a gasping breath.


    "T-Thank... Thank you!" He forced out.


    "Yeah, yeah, whatever, go," Ash said and the boy stood up, walking away.


    Kaori saw him run off and then turned towards Ash.


    "That was nice of you," she noted.


    "... If we lose here, that guy''s going to be there with Keiko, helping defend the palace," Ash stated. "I need to make sure as many of these assholes survive as possible, in case I don''t make it."


    "... So, you really think you''re going to lose?" Kaori asked.


    "I didn''t say that, I just want to make sure Keiko''s odds are as good as possible, that''s all. Besides," Ash smirked, "like I told those dumbasses at the meeting. If we lose this, I''m gonna try my best to pick you and everyone else up and run the fuck away. So, don''t go talking about how nice I am just yet..."


    Ash didn''t get it, but something in what she''d said made Kaori smile.


    "Understood," Kaori nodded.


    With that, the two continued on to the next fight.


    ---


    Keiko


    "We''re all going to die, we''re all going to die, we''re all going to-" an old man chanted over and over again before he was interrupted by someone younger.


    "Shut the hell up! You''re making me wish the demons would just get here already..."


    Keiko sighed as she started to feel her stomach turning. Beside her were Metsumi, Satsuhiro, Opah, and Luvine.


    As she took a deep breath to steady herself, Metsumi placed a hand on her upper back, soothingly.


    "Are you okay? You paled a little." She asked.


    "Yeah... Just... A little weary," Keiko said. She looked around and saw many of the soldiers standing by, ready for any potential interruptions.  If demons do make it here... What can I even do in this state?


    It was like the more she thought about this, the sicker she got. From just her stomach feeling off to her head getting heavy and the world starting to spin. Keiko worried she was about to throw up.


    "Um... I need to go to a restroom," Keiko said.


    "Okay, let''s go then. I think I remember where they were at." Metsumi said, helping her up. "We''ll be back in a little bit!" She told the others.


    The two of them started to walk through the palace, Keiko''s eyes mostly closed throughout this, allowing Metsumi to guide her. She felt like if she opened her eyes for another second all of the contents of her stomach would soon spill out.


    "Do you have a fever or... anything?" Metsumi asked, and at that point, Keiko briefly remembered the abnormalities that Ash''s mother told her she''d go through during this process.


    She hadn''t told anyone about them but, considering how... Inconvenient they were, she hoped those wouldn''t start today.


    "I''m okay, I just... I just need a moment," Keiko replied as they reached the bathrooms.


    "Alright, take your time."


    With that, Keiko walked inside and nearly ran to the toilet, where she opened the lid, knelt down, and soon found that violet liquid exiting her body.


    "Aghh... Aghg..." She puked a couple of times, coughing.


    ... I can''t fight like this. Keiko thought.  If Ash loses...


    Her thoughts were interrupted though by another session of vomiting.

 Chapter 184 - Vol. 3 - 57

    Ash


    Following the few skirmishes Ash participated in, she thought she was starting to feel at least a little more prepared. Currently, she was standing in front of a Gluttony demon that had its eyes set on two old soldiers who were injured in front of it. The demon''s tongue launched out and snaked around one of their legs, but Ash was already moving.


    She leaped up and, as the demon''s tongue was retracting, she stabbed through its head. The lump of mass groaned and fell back, its tongue loosening its hold over the soldier it had grabbed.


    "T-Thank you, Savior!" One of them yelled out, and ash ignored him.


    All of her thoughts were on one thing. The demon she''d be fighting later.


    What happens if it''s still faster than me, even with Kaori''s stats? Ash asked herself as she looked around for more demons to fight. There were none.  If none of my attacks hurt it. If Magia''s ability doesn''t do enough. What do I do then?


    "Looks like, uh, this street is clear..." Kaori said softly behind her. Ash nearly didn''t even hear her.


    "Yeah, let''s keep going," Ash said.


    "Wait..." Kaori called out. Ash stopped.


    "Yeah?"


    "... Are you sure it''s good to just walk over to this thing?" Kaori asked. "I mean, maybe it''s better to let it come to us? We could at least see it coming then."


    "Yeah, but that would put less distance between it and the palace," Ash replied. "I want them to have at least a little bit of time to prepare if things don''t go well for us..."


    "O-Oh," Kaori replied. "I... Okay."


    "... Besides," Ash chuckled, "I just wanna get it over with already. My head already hurts, I swear."


    "... Our abilities," Kaori said. "When should we use them?"


    Ash paused.


    "... If we use them at the same time, we''ll probably wipe that one demon out, but we run the risk of wasting them. Even though it''s one demon we''re looking for, there''s still a whole army of those things to deal with, and no Vermia or Ren to help us this time. I''ll use mine first," Ash told her. "If that doesn''t work, we use yours. Or, if mine does work, we use yours to wipe out the rest. If nothing works, we haul ass out of there."


    "... Okay. Okay. I understand."


    After that, the two of them continued walking down the street, drawing closer to where it sounded like the bulk of the fight was. Even now, many soldiers were hustling, running towards the battle. Some were reinforcements coming from the palace, some were soldiers that had already been fighting, were healed, and were now running in for a second round. Ahead, spheres of fire flew through the air, barely missing Lust demons as Onyx''s mages tried their hardest to put them down from below.


    Those sounds became deafening as Ash and Kaori arrived at a checkpoint, a section just in front of a factory, where dozens of soldiers were holding off the demon forces. And, here, Ash finally saw it.


    A single demon that stood taller than all the others. Its long, flowing white hair was stained with red blood as it swung its greatsword from one person to another, rendering whoever it struck into a puff of crimson mist. Ash narrowed her eyes at the level 90 creature.


    "T-There it is..." Kaori whispered. Ash nodded.


    "Okay... Here I go."


    She had made up a small plan before arriving here. In order to give herself the best odds of succeeding, she needed every single soldier here to fight their hearts out. And she had the tools to facilitate that.


    So, she started by casting the incantation for  Empowered Light, the spell that enhanced the effects of Light magic on whoever was affected by it.


    "For Light of grace to reach those in need, Lumina, allow our faith to dictate the power of our words. Let no prayer we utter be left unheard. To this end, show yourself in our actions and let your brilliance be seen."


    Satsuhiro had once told her that Blessings, which this spell was one of, were made stronger by a person''s connection to Magia. For once, Ash was hoping the thread that tied her to that goddess would show itself here.


    Every soldier in the street found their bodies glowing white. Most of them were too distracted by their fighting to notice it, but the few who weren''t looked down at themselves with confusion in their eyes.


    Next, it was time to top them all up. So, she cast the spell  Land of Grace, which healed everyone around her.


    "This is a place of piety, let our faith be rewarded and our wounds become old memories, soon forgotten!"


    All around her, many of the soldiers who had been fighting for far longer than Ash had tonight saw their accumulated injuries fade away, as the combined strength of Ash''s affinity with Light magic, and the Empowered Light spell proved itself at this moment.


    "Push them back!" One reinvigorated soldier yelled and, suddenly, the humans began fighting with a renewed ferocity.


    Ash checked her mana.


    Level 48


    MP: 140/230


    She chuckled nervously.


    Shit, almost halfway already. Well, I''m not done yet.


    She needed these soldiers to perform, but they couldn''t do that if they were all exhausted, even with their closed wounds. So, next up, Ash cast the spell Lumina''s Spirit on one soldier at a time, quickly, restoring the energy of the highest-level warriors she saw.


    "May our vigor never fade, find our spirits emboldened."


    She cast the spell a total of five times, which brought her mana to 65.


    Ash wiped her forehead. She was already sweating from the mana exertion.  Can''t stop yet. I have one more spell to cast, she thought, but by now, the demons in the area had all figured out that she was the one enhancing the humans. A few Lust demons flew her away, and Ash tried to speak this last incantation as quickly as she could.


    "Make this field unbearable to those who commit sin freely, let Lumina''s judgment purge their consciousness."


    The spell  Sacred Ground quickly irritated every single demon around her, and with that, Ash was done.


    "Kaori, the spell!"


    "Huh? You''re going to fight it now!?" Kaori asked.


    "Yeah, do it!" Ash said.


    She had a reason for this. That was, that although fighting it in the middle of all this chaos meant that a second demon could come and interrupt her at any moment, the same could happen to the Nightmare. Another soldier could come and land a clean enough shot, and if it did, Ash could take that moment to finish it.


    Kaori closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and Ash''s body glowed.


    Okay asshole, let''s do this!  Ash thought as she ran forwards. The level 90 Nightmare was standing behind a small wall of demons and humans who were still fighting. Ash had planned to jump over them, but the Nightmare had other ideas.


    With one swing, it slashed forwards, clearing out all of the bodies and killing every human and demon that was caught in its attack.


    ... Guess it has the same idea in mind,  Ash noted, and, finally, she arrived in front of it, and their fight began.


    ---


    Eliza


    "Are the citizens safe?" The Lord asked one of her generals.


    "For the time being, yes," he replied as Eliza watched the city burn in front of her.


    None of the reports had given her any good news so far. Every skirmish ended the exact same way. For every demon the humans killed, 3 soldiers would die.  It may be considered a miracle that we''ve held out this far, considering how unprepared we were.


    "Milady!" A scout arrived at her location, taking long, heaving breaths. She coughed twice before standing straight.


    "Speak."


    "The reinforcements, from Jade," the scout said. "I saw them coming down the road. They''re close."


    "How close?"


    "Maybe half an hour away, milady," the scout replied.


    Hm... Is that good enough? Half an hour is more than enough time to defeat a wounded, unprepared army. Unless... Unless they receive assistance.


    With that, Eliza nodded to herself.  It is very likely that tonight, everything will be decided for us. In that case, nothing must be held back.


    She turned towards her trusted general.


    "Organize a small squad, take the restrained Lust demons and their hosts, and send them out into the streets. It''s time to put our special forces to work," Eliza stated.


    "A-Aye..." He bowed.


    "Lust demons?" The scout asked. Of course, not many knew about this plan.


    Eliza smirked at her.


    "Tonight will be remembered for a long time to come, in a few possible ways, but I would prefer it if it is remembered as the night the Lord of Onyx did everything she could to win."


    ---


    Ash


    It had taken all of two swings of the demon''s giant sword for Ash to understand how in over her own head she''d been. Simply put, even with the stats Kaori gave her, her fears had been confirmed.


    The demon was just too fast.


    "Watch out!" Kaori yelled as Ash dodged under a swing that would have ripped her torso off, and then tried to run in and stab the thing. She succeeded, actually, but her gauntlet didn''t penetrate far into the creature at all. In fact, it barely appeared hurt.  Just like Yumi said... I can barely touch this thing.


    Ash''s eyes widened when the creature raised its sword and, narrowly, she dodged out of the way of a vertical slash that would have split her down the middle. That was how this fight had gone so far. Ash''s attacks tickled this thing, while on the other hand, even with her 90 Con, Ash feared that taking a hit from this creature meant her death.


    She did notice something though, as the creature continued to fight.


    Level 90


    MP: 800/900


    It hasn''t used any spells,  Ash thought.  But its mana is going down... Why?


    Ash put some distance between the two of them, hopping back several times. She was breathing heavily.


    "Ash!"


    "Yeah?" She replied.


    "My spell... I think you''ve only got another minute before I need to recast it!"


    Yeah, Ash thought.  And then there''s that. There''s a pretty big fucking chance that as soon as the stats go away, this thing is going to crush me.


    It was strange. Ash gulped down some saliva that was building up in her mouth, and at the same time, her mouth felt dry. She hadn''t noticed it yet, but her hands were shaking.


    Maybe... Maybe when the stats go away, that''s when I should-


    The demon flipped high up into the air. Ash watched it with awe as it turned its blade down, intent on slamming its tip straight through her. Ash rolled forwards and looked back.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" She cast a Dark Sphere at it, but her spell had no effect at all. Instead, the demon spun around and outstretched its arms, looking to decapitate her with this swing. Ash ducked and ran up again. This time, she aimed her gauntlets at its legs.


    Once more, she pretty much only scratched it before she had to back off again.


    Level 90


    MP: 750/900


    As its mana went down, the demon stood still, taking up its stance again as it held its blade close to its waist. Ash breathed in.


    What do I do? What do I do???


    And then, her body flashed white.


    Shit.


    She looked over at Kaori.


    "D-Don''t worry, I''ll-"


    Before Kaori could finish her sentence the demon had spun and, in an instant, swung its sword at her.


    "KAORI!" Ash screamed as she saw its blade strike her in the gut. The blonde was propelled back, landing on a building''s wall. The force of the hit was so much that Kaori was pushed straight through it, stone crumbling around her. Ash was frozen.


    Casually, the demon turned back towards her.


    It raised its sword up and Ash ran forwards, but she didn''t move to attack. Instead, as she dodged out of the way of a slash, she went into the building Kaori had fallen through.


    The blonde was laying there, her armor shattered, and blood spilled out onto the ground.


    Instinctively, Ash quickly cast the basic  Heal  spell on her.


    "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach,"  she spoke and her hands glowed white as they hovered over Kaori. Soon, Kaori coughed out some blood but her wound began repairing. "Kaori, are you okay?"


    "T-That..." She coughed out more blood. "It nearly killed me. M-My armor... It''s broken..."


    Ash hugged her tightly.


    I fucked up. I fucked up, I fucked up, I fucked up! She thought.  I can''t let her get hurt.


    Massive footsteps were drawing closer to the building, and Ash looked towards the hole in the wall with furious eyes.


    "Kaori, cast your stats spell, I''m going back in," she told her.


    "R-Right..." As Kaori''s wound healed, she closed her eyes and Ash''s body glowed. Then, Ash leaned down and kissed the girl gently. "I''m sorry, I''m not fighting well enough out here. I need to do better."


    With that, as her healing spell finished, she stood back up and ran out of the building.


    The demon was right there to greet her. It raised its sword, but Ash didn''t dodge. Instead, she ran straight in and went for a stab at its gut. She managed to pierce its body, just as she had before, but her back was caught by the demon''s blade, forcing her to her knees.


    She wasn''t crushed though. She wasn''t maimed to the point of not being able to fight, she was only hurt, which earned a cry from her, but she remained standing. And that was one thing she''d discovered with Kaori''s injury just now.


    When Kaori got hit,  Ash noted as she looked up at the demon, who appeared confused as to how Ash hadn''t been reduced to dust, with a smirk.  Her Con was only at like 50, and she didn''t die in one hit. If I have almost double that, I can sure as fuck take a hit from you.


    This meant that, although she still had to avoid being struck, she wasn''t quite as scared as before. At least, during the 2 minutes that she had Kaori''s stats in her. So, Ash ran away, trying to draw the creature to follow her.


    "Come on!" She spread her arms out as she nearly tripped over the bodies of a few fallen creatures. Demons or soldiers, she didn''t know which. "I''m right here!"


    The demon watched her for a moment before slowly following, taking the bait.


    Level 90


    MP: 600/900


    It keeps going down, why?  Ash thought briefly before it raised its sword again and, faster than she could react, slammed it into her side.


    Ash spat out some blood as she was launched to the left, but she quickly got back up to her feet.


    "Guard my soul against the Dark''s reach," she muttered, healing herself.  Okay... I''m starting to get pretty pissed, but... I need to stay focused.


    However, by now, her body was beginning to glow violet, which meant that her Demon Form was coming. On one hand, this was good, as her physical stats being increased by 5 meant her Con would nearly be maxed out, but it also meant that Ash''s decision-making was about to take a serious hit, and she knew it.


    Still, she couldn''t stop it. She deactivated her Savior''s Weapon, as her hands became real claws, and her legs turned demonic as well. Fangs grew in her mouth and Ash narrowed her eyes at the creature.


    Finally, she charged at it again. This time, with her small boost in speed from her Demon Form, Ash managed to reach it and used her claws to tear its chest. She only scratched it, but the wound she inflicted was deeper than what her gauntlets could do.


    The demon swung its sword quickly, almost too quickly for Ash to dodge, but she managed to duck before running in and slashing it again.


    She managed to get three more good hits in before her body glowed white and Kaori''s stats faded. Before the Nightmare could attack her though, Kaori, who was standing by, cast her spell and Ash had her stats again soon enough.


    She didn''t say anything. Instead, Ash ran right up to the Nightmare again.


    This little song and dance continued until Ash lost her stats a third time, and nearly got killed for it. Her Con disappeared just as the demon had been about to strike. Ash jumped back and the demon''s swing left a ripple in the air, as she quickly gained her stats back.


    Behind her though, demons were beginning to swarm the area as they gradually overtook the soldiers. Ash nearly gasped.


    "Kaori, hide! I''ve got this!"


    "B-But..."


    "Trust me, I''m going to do my thing out here. Trust me!"


    "R-Right!" Kaori ran back into the building. With the demons pouring into the streets, Ash smirked.


    Okay, fuck this. Ash thought.  It''s time.


    With that thought, she decided to use her Champion of Magia ability.


    One minute of that ability, two more minutes of Kaori''s stats. I need to get this done in that time. That''s all I''ve got left... If I can''t do it, then all we can do is run.


    And, with a thought, the ability activated.


    Instantly, Ash felt a wave of heat run over her body, but now that she''d done this two times already, she was prepared for it. It also helped that the only creature nearby she had any desire to fuck was Kaori, who was out of sight right now.


    As the minute began, Ash''s creations started. Over her head, there was a glint in the sky. That glint became a falling sword that landed straight on the Nightmare''s body.


    "AAGH!" The demon roared as its left arm was ripped off.


    Ash''s eyes widened.


    YES!  Ash thought.


    So, seeing that the attack had succeeded, Ash allowed another sword to fall. This time though, the demon was looking up, anticipating the attack. It dodged out of the way of the next one, and Ash growled.


    Stand still, asshole!


    She created ten more in an instant as the demons approached from behind her. Each one larger than the last, the swords all fell one after another on top of it and its incoming friends. The lesser creatures exploded as the swords crushed them, but, the Nightmare showed an impressive speed, moving out of the way of most. Only the last one caught it, slashing its right shoulder. Still, it didn''t rip its arm off the way it had with its left, maybe because it had braced itself for the hit.


    How many of these can you dodge though, huh?


    Ash asked with a smirk as she created forty different blades and dropped them all at once. The demons who had been interrupting the fight had just about died, along with a few unfortunate soldiers who''d been caught in the crossfire.


    However, then, she noticed something.


    Level 90


    MP: 50/900


    Its mana... It all went down out of nowhere.  Ash thought as, suddenly, the demon moved faster than she could see.


    What!?


    It dodged one, then another, and eventually, all Ash saw were swords falling onto the battlefield, crushing corpses that had been spread out across the area, but never striking the Nightmare itself.


    It dodged most of the forty swords, but a few of them found their mark. Still, none of them killed the creature. One pieced its back, stabbing through its torso. Another stabbed through its left thigh. But, none had the dramatic effect of the first.


    Ash finally understood what the mana reduction was.


    Is... Is it buffing itself somehow?  Ash wondered.  Is it using some spell to make itself stronger? Is that why its mana keeps going down?


    As Ash looked at it though, she noticed the sheer amount of blood pouring from its open wounds.


    I need to finish this thing off.


    Ash ran up and in her right hand, as her time was coming up, she created one golden spear. It hovered over her palm, floating in the air. It was giant, larger than the demon''s own body.


    And with it, Ash launched it at the creature. Her attack ripped through the demon''s gut.


    Even then, it was still alive.


    Ash''s Champion of Magia spell ran out then, the swords dissipating into the air, but she could taste victory. She was close. It was all she could think about. Just one more clean hit and Ash had this thing!


    So, she ran up, her claws out and ready to kill this thing.


    Level 90


    MP: 1/900


    In an instant, the creature leaped towards Ash.


    What?  Ash couldn''t react in time. She hadn''t expected this. The creature lunched at her, ignoring its wounds, and grabbed Ash by her waist with its massive right hand, raising her up into the air.


    "Wah!?" Ash exclaimed as the demon threw her across the street.


    Ash rolled to a stop, just a few meters away, and tried to stand up.


    The demon was already on top of her. It had its hand raised up, ready to slam it down on top of her.


    Ash couldn''t react in time, but she didn''t need to.


    Kaori appeared, running between them. She used her shield and stopped the Nightmare''s attack in its tracks. She was dropped to one knee under the force of its hit, but Kaori stayed strong.


    Ash was relieved when she saw her but was still concerned.


    She noticed her stats had faded, as Kaori had taken them back, and without them, exhaustion fell over her. I... Shit, I''m so tired,  she thought as Kaori held the demon back. Without its sword, it was pushing down on Kaori with nothing but its raw strength.


    Ash looked up. Kaori was looking down at her with the corner of her eyes.


    "I..." Kaori muttered through gritted teeth. "I won''t let you down!"


    As Kaori fought back, Ash thought about this.


    I used mine... But Kaori hasn''t used hers... She''s been hiding in that building for a while...


    "... Use..." Ash coughed. "Use your..."


    Before she could finish her sentence though, the demon stopped pushing Kaori''s shield and instead, grabbed her by the head.


    It raised Kaori up into the air.


    "KAORI!" Ash screamed. "USE YOUR ABILITY!"


    Then, Ash watched as a violet aura began to surge into Kaori from the demon.  What?  Kaori began to scream, as the aura siphoned into her from the demon''s body.


    "KAORI!" Ash cried out and finally, Kaori''s body flashed with white. But, the violet from the demon was still entering her.


    Find some strength, Ash, find some. She needs you,  Ash thought to herself as Kaori wouldn''t stop screaming. Whatever was happening to her, it wasn''t good. Ash stood up. She was still in her Demon Form, so her claws were still out. She walked up and moved over to the demon.


    Her eyes located one of the wounds that the swords she created had caused, and Ash pulled an arm back. With a grunt, she thrust her hand into the creature''s body.


    It groaned, and Ash tried to locate its heart to rip it out. But, before Ash could do that, the creature dropped Kaori, and suddenly turned around.


    What?


    Then, desperately, it started running away.


    "H-Hey, get back here!" Ash yelled at it, but the demon seemed intent on escaping. Walking over its own allies, crushing anyone in its path, the Nightmare simply ran away.


    With how hurt it was... There''s no way it makes it to wherever it''s trying to go, right?  Ash thought.


    Then, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Kaori, laying on the ground next to her.


    "Heh, it was close, but we got it to run away, at least," Ash said as she crouched down, next to Kaori. "I think... I think we just head back to the palace at this point." Ash knelt down beside her and turned her face up.


    Her brows narrowed with confusion at what she saw.


    Kaori had two small horns growing out of her forehead.  What the...?  Her lips had turned black, and her hair was still blonde, but several shades whiter. Ash looked down and saw that one of her hands had grown claws. Ash''s confusion escalated as Kaori''s eyes slowly blinked open and Ash saw that one of them was violet.


    Then, Kaori growled and attacked her.


    Snarling like an animal, Kaori pinned Ash down to the stone and started swiping at her with her clawed hand, hissing and glaring at her. Ash couldn''t even think. She was too stunned.


    Kaori nearly slashed off Ash''s left eye before Ash finally did something.


    "K-Kaori, stop!" Ash yelled as she spun Kaori around and mounted her, pulling the blonde to the ground. She was still snarling.


    Every now and then, her body would flicker with white, but that flicker would be countered by a violet light.


    Kaori tried desperately to get Ash off of her so she could get back to slashing her, but Ash held her down.


    "... Kaori..." Ash muttered as the blonde continued to snarl at her from below like an animal.


    Then, as Ash realized what had happened, her eyes began to tear up. One drop fell on Kaori''s cheeks, then another.


    Kaori...  Ash thought as Kaori tried to bite her wrists with a pair of fangs that hadn''t been there before.  I... What do I...? She looked away.


    More tears fell from Ash''s eyes before suddenly, Kaori stopped.


    ...


    "... Ash."


    Kaori spoke. Ash looked back down.


    "W-What''s happening to me?" Kaori asked with a trembling voice.


    Ash could barely breathe, let alone speak.


    "I-I''m scared... Ash... Please..." Kaori continued. "Help me."


    "I..." Ash tried to speak but she had no words to say.


    "I can feel something..." Kaori was crying now. "I... I don''t know what... What''s HAPPENING TO ME!?" Kaori screamed and her body flashed with intense violet, and white.


    Both colors clashed, flickering back and forth, nearly blinding Ash, but the half-demon couldn''t look away.


    It intensified to the point of burning her eyes before finally, it ceased.


    And Kaori''s eyes closed, and she went limp under Ash''s touch.


    "K-Kaori, Kaori!?" Ash yelled. The first thing she did was check her pulse.


    Kaori''s heart was still beating. Ash pressed her hands against Kaori''s chest. She was still breathing.. But, her eyes had closed and Kaori wasn''t moving.

 Chapter 185 - Vol. 3 - 58

    Ash lost track of how much time she spent there, waiting for Kaori to wake up. Her Demon Form faded as Ash continued to watch. Kaori''s eyes never opened. Even as demons began to pour into the street, eliminating the few remaining soldiers around her, Ash kept her eyes on Kaori, hoping she''d be back in a second or two.


    It was when a demon tried to claw her head off that she realized she couldn''t stay here. A monster approached from behind, Ash turned around and dodged out of the way of a quick swipe. With gritted teeth, Ash transformed her gauntlets and tripped the demon backwards.


    Mounting it, she stabbed through its head and quickly went back to Kaori''s side.


    ... We can''t stay here,  Ash thought, and she placed her hands under Kaori''s legs and her back, and lifted her up.


    With that done, she started running straight back to the palace. Her heartbeat thumping in her ears, Ash didn''t pay any mind to the fresh blood running down the street, or the cries of wounded people nearby. She looked ahead and hoped that Kaori had just been briefly rendered unconscious by something. And that when she woke up, she''d be herself as well.


    "W-What is that? Are those the Saviors?" A soldier asked as he saw her walking by. "Do you need help!?" He yelled from the other side of the street.


    Ash completely ignored him. Instead, her response was to move faster.


    A few wounded soldiers were laying on the stone to her right. Ash was jogging past them when they noticed her.


    "W-Wait, I saw her before, she can heal! Savior, please, help us!" One of them yelled. Ash didn''t even glance in their direction.


    In her arms, Kaori''s body flashed with violet and Ash briefly worried she''d wake up and go feral. However, the light disappeared, and Kaori remained unconscious.  What the hell is happening?  Ash wondered.


    She went through that moment in her mind again. Kaori had been picked up by the Nightmare, the demon presumably tried to turn her into a demon, and then Kaori activated her Champion of Lumina ability.


    Something happened at that moment, and it left Kaori unconscious.


    She''ll wake up in a bit,  Ash thought.  It just... Put her to sleep or something.


    Her eyes subtly went to Kaori''s horns, and her demonic hand. Ash pulled her eyes away and focused on the path back to the palace.


    "It''ll be fine, it''ll be..." She muttered to herself.


    ... Please, just be alright,  she borderline prayed in her thoughts.


    Soon after this though, she came across a squad of soldiers. Knights and guards alike, each equipped with those insanely large crossbows, on their way to the fight that Ash had just left. One of their commanders pointed ahead and urged the soldiers to continue, but they stopped when they saw Ash.


    "Savior... Is she...?" The commander said.


    "No, she''s fine," Ash replied curtly.


    "Ah, I see. Well, you can likely head back and rest now," the commander told her.


    "Why?"


    "The reinforcements have arrived. They''re entering the city from the southern side, through the area with the portal that you closed."


    Oh, shit.  Ash thought. That was smart of them. Instead of taking on the enemies where they''d be the most buffed thanks to Niven, they chose the southern portion of the city where the demons had sieged earlier.


    "The tide of battle should turn in our favor... so long as the strongest of their demons has been dealt with. Has it?" He asked.


    Ash nodded. In truth, she didn''t know if the demon survived its injuries or not. Last she saw, the demon was running away. However, she doubted that even if it did, it wouldn''t return to combat so soon.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "It''s dealt with."


    "Then, in that case," the commander turned back towards his soldiers. "Forward, men! To battle!"


    And, with a few battle cries, the soldiers went on their way. As for Ash, all she wanted was to put Kaori down on a warm bed and wait for her eyes to open. So, she kept going until she eventually reached the Grey Chamber.


    Eliza was sitting outside, on a wooden chair with two knights next to her. From here, she was watching the fighting below, and saw Ash as she approached the gates.


    "..." Eliza looked down at Kaori''s body and raised a brow.


    "We won," Ash stated simply and quickly, moving past her as quickly as she could.


    As the gates were opened for her, Ash heard Eliza mutter:


    "Is that all you have to report?"


    "Yes," Ash said, entering the building and leaving Eliza there.


    ---


    Keiko


    So far, the night had stretched almost endlessly, and yet, Keiko hadn''t had to raise her blade. She figured that was a good sign. However, Ash, Kaori, and Yumi, all of which went out to do battle, hadn''t come back yet. It made her anxious.


    She''d spent most of the night laying in bed resting with her sword by her side. In the event that the demons reached this palace, she''d stand up, hope her sickness would subside for at least a few minutes, and fight.


    However, that hadn''t happened yet. Metsumi was in the room as well, sitting on a chair with her head leaned back against the wall, singing something that Keiko could barely listen to thanks to her thoughts running wildly in her mind.


    Her stomach burned and for a moment, she feared she''d vomit again, but it went away as quickly as it came.


    Is this just going to be my life for the next nine months?  Keiko wondered.  It can''t be... There has to be something I can do about this. I can''t just sit out for so long.


    Suddenly, the door opened. Keiko, startled, flinched and raised a hand. Metsumi did the same, but both of them relaxed a little when they saw who was there. It was Ash, and she was carrying Kaori in her arms. She had a bad cut over her left eye, and both of them were just about covered in blood.


    "What?" Keiko muttered as Metsumi quickly stood up and jogged over to her.


    "Is she hurt?" Metsumi asked. Ash shook her head.


    The half-demon took a deep breath as she walked in and placed Kaori next to Keiko. The blonde smelled like blood, both human and demonic.


    "She... I..." Ash started, but she couldn''t get any other words out. As Keiko looked over at Kaori though, she noticed something.


    "Wait, what?" Keiko said with disbelief lacing each syllable as she saw a pair of black horns on Kaori''s head. She reached over, touching them to see if she was just imagining those things. Then, she saw that Kaori''s right hand had been turned into that of a demon, and all she could do was look up at Ash for answers.


    "I... We fought the demon and... I couldn''t finish it in time before..." Ash''s voice broke and she paused. "The demon tried to turn her but... I don''t know. Something happened and now Kaori won''t wake up."


    "... Let''s give it a while then," Metsumi quickly advised. "She''s probably fine. Whatever it was just drained her energy, probably."


    Ash raised a skeptical brow at her, but she nodded. The half-demon sat down nearby and put her head in her hands.


    "... She went crazy," Ash said lowly. "She attacked me and... But then, she was her again and... I don''t know. I don''t know what''s going on."


    Keiko glanced over at Kaori again. Her face seemed peaceful, but Keiko wondered if she''d see a pair of violet eyes looking back at her when she woke up.  Is Kaori gone?


    "All we can do is wait, it sounds like," Metsumi stated, though Keiko could see her hands trembling as she crossed them. "For now, just let her rest here. Get yourself cleaned up," Metsumi told Ash. "The night''s done, right?"


    "... Yeah."


    "Then, yes, go ahead, take a shower, and maybe we can find a mage or two to talk about this with. Or something like that, but... Thinking of a plan right now is going to be hard since you only just came back. Calm yourself down, and maybe an idea or two will pop up."


    "Okay."


    With that, Ash stood up, walked over to the door, and gave Kaori one last look before leaving the room.


    "... If she was turned though," Metsumi said when Ash left, "we''ll need to tie her up."


    "Huh?" Keiko asked.


    "If she''s..." Metsumi breathed in, "if she''s become a demon... She could be dangerous. I''m gonna go look for some rope or something. I''ll be right back."


    And so, Keiko was left there, with Kaori''s unconscious body next to her.


    Keiko hesitated before reaching over and touching the horns on Kaori''s head. No... they''re very real.  She thought. Gently, she turned Kaori''s face towards her, something that left her hand stained with violet as Kaori''s body was still drenched.


    .... There''s no way she''s not okay, right?

 Chapter 186 - Vol. 3 - 59

    Half an Hour Earlier


    Yumi


    After Ash and Kaori departed the Grey Chamber, it soon came time for Yumi to do the same. The masked woman stood just ahead of the gates, with Eliza by her side. The Lord of Onyx was watching ahead, looking out to the streets impatiently, almost like she genuinely believed that any moment now, she''d see demons.


    "Where do you want me to go?" Yumi asked.


    "... You''re a shrine maiden, are you not?" Eliza suddenly asked her.


    "Hm? Yes." Yumi replied.


    "And yet, you speak to the lord of this city as though she were just another soldier," Eliza said with a raised brow. "You''ve done so since you arrived here."


    "I apologize," Yumi bowed slightly. "I... I simply have no knowledge of how I am supposed to speak to someone like you."


    "Is that so?" Eliza paused. "Do not get too nervous, I was merely just curious about it. Go to the northern side of the city. With the Saviors tackling the demon to the west, our northern sectors will need you."


    "Understood."


    With that, Yumi bowed and, taking her naginata with her, began to walk the streets of Onyx. She''d barely done so, since arriving at this city, so in all honesty, she didn''t know where she was going. However, she heard the sounds of battle coming from ahead and figured that likely meant there were enemies in that direction.


    The smell of fire permeated her mask. Yumi could faintly hear people crying out for help and wished she could tell them that she was on her way. However, her memories of her fight with that abnormal Lust demon were still fresh in her mind.


    Why wouldn''t they be? She hadn''t suffered a defeat like that in well over a decade. She hoped she wouldn''t have the same thing happen to her now.


    Finally, as she walked in front of a building with a sign on it that said  Meager''s Grey Glass,  she spotted two demons devouring the corpse of a freshly deceased soldier. They turned towards her, the warrior''s meat dripping from their teeth and falling onto the ground.


    "Time to get started then,  Iridos." She said, and she ran forwards, beginning her time in battle.


    Thankfully, the shrine maiden didn''t encounter anything too abnormal. Even after she quickly disposed of those two opponents and moved on to find a far more active battlefield, filled with hordes of demons and soldiers trying to hold them back, nothing she fought was as strong as what she found that day.


    Currently, Yumi was dancing in the bloody street, fighting one enemy at a time and swinging her naginata with the precision and speed that her training had allowed her to hone.


    To her left, a pair of soldiers were watching her move. One was injured and the other was in the process of healing him.


    "W-Who is that?" The injured one asked as Yumi sidestepped a Gluttony demon''s tongue and then quickly disemboweled it.


    "I... I don''t know, but I''ve seen her walking around the palace. Didn''t know she could fight like this."


    "She''s amazing..."


    Their words brought her no joy though. The one time she needed her skills, they failed her.


    Several minutes passed and, thanks to her arrival, the demons were finally halted. They were still coming in from the streets ahead, where they''d broken in from the open portal beyond the city''s walls, but Yumi''s presence allowed the human forces to keep them from passing any further.


    However, soon, the strangest thing occurred.


    As Yumi was dealing with one enemy, she turned around and saw what looked like a civilian. There was a young girl, dressed in only an oversized white shirt, walking through the streets with a petrified look on her face.


    Raising a brow behind her mask, Yumi ripped her naginata out of the demon''s body and turned towards her.


    "Are you lost?" Yumi asked. "These streets are not safe, you should..." And then, a Lust demon descended between them.


    Yumi flinched, instantly tightening the grip on her naginata as the Lust demon bared its teeth at her, but then the civilian reached for the demon''s left wrist.


    "Uh, c-come!" The civilian said.


    As in, she said this to the demon. And, most shocking of all, the demon appeared to listen. It didn''t attack Yumi, instead, as the girl dragged it along, the demon simply hissed at her, but followed the civilian. Almost like a damned pet.


    Yumi watched this, frozen.


    What?  She thought, blinking twice. I... I must have been stuck inside for too long. Surely, I''ve turned delusional.


    ---


    Ash


    At one of the palace''s showers, Ash stood naked, allowing the cold water to hit her body. Though it did a good job of wiping the blood, dirt, and sweat off of her skin, it couldn''t wipe away the worry.


    She could still see it perfectly in her mind. Kaori''s eyes, purely feral, turned on her with evil intent. It was a look she hadn''t expected to ever come out from her, and one she didn''t want to see again.


    "... Fuck."


    Ash sat down on the floor, stretching her legs. She noticed that there was still violet blood sinking down the drain and then she realized her sight was blurry. She thought it was due to the water, but when she reached up and felt her right eye, she hissed.


    "Agh, shit."


    Right. Kaori had hurt her. Ash quickly healed the wound away and scoffed.


    "... Please, be alright," she whispered to herself. "I... Agh!" She punched the floor beside her thighs, a crack appearing in it. "If that thing fucking lived... I swear I''m going to hunt that shit down."


    As her anger subsided though, she looked down at her own hands.


    "... I wasn''t enough." She sighed. "Maybe if I''d been a little stronger... Worked a little harder I..."


    After a while, once her hair was no longer stained with two different kinds of blood, she figured she was done. She had some clothes sitting on the lid of a nearby sink, and she dried herself off with a towel she''d brought in, getting dressed in a white shirt and short black pants.


    She exited the bathroom and walked back to her room, where she found Satsuhiro, Luvine, Opah, and Metsumi outside. Keiko, presumably, was still in there with Kaori. Opah was looking up at Ash with worried eyes, while Luvine was just confused.


    "... What happened?" Satsuhiro asked, with crossed arms.


    "I..." Ash took a deep breath. "The Nightmare tried to turn Kaori into a demon. Kaori activated her ability, the one she got from Lumina, and... I don''t know, I think it just half-worked or something."


    "What do you mean?"


    "When I went over to her, Kaori... She attacked me," Ash explained. "I held her down, and... Then she went back to normal. For a little bit, anyway, until she started... Like, flashing a bunch of colors and then, she just fell asleep or something. She hasn''t woken up since."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Look, aren''t there any mages we can ask about this!?" Ash asked. "Someone has to have gone through some shit like this before."


    "Come on, Ash," Satsuhiro shook his head. "By now, you should know that stuff like this doesn''t happen to anyone but you and Kaori," Satsuhiro told her. "No one else has your connections to the deities."


    "Then... What do we do?" Ash asked. "I... Maybe I could take her to the shrine then!" Ash said. "Bring her to the site of power, talk to Magia about it."


    "That could work," Satsuhiro agreed, "but how are you gonna get there? The shrine is locked right between the two remaining portals. That whole area is probably going to be infested with demons."


    "I don''t care!" Ash practically yelled, and a silence fell over them as Satsuhiro seemed surprised. Luvine actually flinched. "This... This happened because of me. I have to make things right. Maybe I could close one of them," Ash muttered. "And then, I''ll head for the shrine. See what Magia has to say."


    "..." Satsuhiro sighed. "I know you want to help her, and it makes sense that this could work, but don''t let your desperation pull you into doing anything stupid."


    "... I''ll be fine," Ash replied. "I just... I just need to try to fix this. It''ll be fine."


    Satsuhiro nodded, and that was that.


    "Listen, it looks like the city''s going to see the next day. Rest, and tackle this tomorrow. You should probably stay in there with her, for the night," Satsuhiro added, changing the subject. "If she wakes up and she''s not... herself, then you''re probably the only one strong enough to actually stop her."


    Nodding, Ash sighed.


    "Gotcha..." She muttered as she ignored everyone''s worried eyes and walked into the room.


    ---


    Eliza


    She had been in this exact spot for almost two hours now.


    Eliza''s eyes remained on the distant street, hoping she wouldn''t see anything monstrous come out of there. Instead, what she saw were soldiers dressed in a different kind of armor than the one Onyx''s warriors wore. No, this armor was gold and white, exuding an aura of holiness, almost.


    "Jade''s reinforcements," Eliza mumbled with some relief as she stood up to welcome them. She walked over to what looked like the general of the squadron.


    Each of the soldiers looked to be around level 25, the mark of true veterans. Even that might not be enough though. Still, she put on a smile for them.


    "Thank you for your assistance, I hope your journey here was without trouble."


    "Just tell us where you need us, milady. We know things are desperate," the general replied after bowing.


    Eliza smiled and told them exactly where they''d need to go. Once they left, she felt like she could breathe a little easier. However, there was still no guarantee the soldiers would win.


    "Well... It is time I take my leave then," Eliza said to one of her knights. "Guard the gates, alert me should they be in danger of being breached."


    "Understood, milady."


    Eliza walked back into the Grey Chamber, feeling marginally less worried, but she couldn''t help it. By now, she could see it in the eyes of the civilians as they watched her. The eyes of the soldiers themselves. Tensions were as high as ever and for good reason. Especially after Ash, the half-demon had come into the palace with her Savior friend in her arms like she had. That didn''t do anything good for the morale of the city''s people.


    Eliza''s thoughts weren''t on them though. No, her mind was on the half-demon. The way she''d come in, soaked in the blood that denoted a job well-done for a warrior, her strong arms as she carried her friend. To others, Ash looked like just another demon, but to her, she looked like a genuine symbol of a reliable guardian.


    Just the sort of thing Eliza needed right now. But, as Ash didn''t appear to care about her that much, the question remained, where could Eliza find something like that? Something more than human that could guard her when her enemies, be they demonic or not, came for her.


    The only answer she could think of was resting in this palace''s dungeons, just a few halls, and a few discreet steps away.


    "... No," Eliza muttered to herself. "What are you even thinking?"


    She said that, and yet, the instant that seed appeared in her mind, it was already growing.

 Chapter 187 - Vol. 3 - 60

    Ash


    With the city seemingly going to survive the night, thanks to the reinforcements that arrived soon after Ash herself had reached the palace, the half-demon found herself going to sleep a while after her talk with Satsuhiro.


    She''d wanted desperately to go to the shrine that very night, but she was just too tired. Plus, heading out with Kaori on her back into an area swarming with demons didn''t feel like a recipe for anything good.


    Currently, Ash was sitting at the edge of her bed, where Kaori had been laid down. Eliza had a few maids come in, remove the girl''s armor and clean both her and the bed up. By the time they left, Kaori looked less like a wounded soldier and more like a normal citizen who was merely asleep.


    "... She''ll probably wake up before we do," Keiko said with a hopeful smile, sitting down next to Ash, by Kaori''s feet. Ash was silent for a second.


    "That might not be a good thing."


    "... Right..." Keiko replied, and that smile slowly faded. "Well, uhm, whatever happened, it''s probably a good sign that she didn''t just turn into a demon entirely. Even if she''s... changed, like she has."


    "Sure, I guess," Ash sighed. "I... We''ll see." Ash stood up and walked over to the side of the bed, where she gently pulled Kaori towards her. "I''ll sleep between you two, just in case."


    "Okay. You''ll see," Keiko turned that smile up at her again. "Tomorrow, she''ll wake up and just... Be Kaori."


    Let''s hope, Ash thought, and with that, the night came to a close.


    Predictably, Ash''s dreams were filled with images of Kaori. Endlessly, so many times that Ash felt herself going crazy in her own sleep, she replayed that moment where Kaori was lifted by her head and altered, right in front of her.


    Wait, Kaori!  She cried out in her mind, seeing that moment yet again.  Wait, w...


    She woke up. It was still nighttime as the sun had not yet poured in through the nearby window. She had hoped to see Kaori''s eyes open in the darkness, but they weren''t. Kaori''s face was still in that peaceful, resting state.


    The next time she woke up though, the sun was fully present. Ash''s eyes slowly blinked open and she felt a little cold.  Agh... wait... That''s... That''s not me.  Ash thought as she realized this freezing temperature wasn''t coming from her, or the room as a whole. There was something behind her that was causing her to feel that cold.


    Kaori was still in front of her, so she hadn''t done anything.  What is it then?


    Ash turned around and looked over at Keiko. When she saw her, Ash narrowed her eyes.


    "What the fuck?" Ash asked as she saw that Keiko had violet tendrils running up her body, under her skin. She reached over and touched her, and Keiko was so cold that Ash flinched. As Ash''s fingers brushed against Keiko''s skin though, the girl stirred.


    "Uh, Keiko?" Ash said to her.


    "Hm?" Keiko yawned. "I-Is it morning already?"


    "... Mhm," Ash watched as Keiko''s eyes opened and the girl sat up.


    "What time is it?" Keiko asked.


    "I don''t know... Listen," Ash said, "do... Are you alright?"


    "Hm? Y-Yeah," Keiko nodded.


    "Are you sure? Cause you sure as shit don''t seem alright."


    "What do you m...? Huh?" Keiko trailed off as she looked down at herself. "M-My hands, what!?"


    "Not just your hands..." Ash muttered as Keiko threw her sheets off. When she did, both she and Ash saw the full extent of this strange thing that had happened to her. From her toes all the way to her head, violet lines were running up her body, like dark, visible veins under her skin. She was so cold as well that Ash could see her breath.


    "This... Ugh..." Keiko suddenly looked like she had a realization.


    "Yeah?"


    Keiko paused.


    "... This is something Ayami said would happen."


    At that, Ash raised a brow.  Seriously? This is one of the symptoms or whatever of a demon pregnancy?


    "Do you need anything?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah, one of the potions Vyl brought. It, uhm, it should remove this. Let me get it, it''s over..." She reached towards a nearby drawer. "I''ll just... Agh!" As she tried to move, Keiko made a sound like she''d hurt herself.


    "What is it?" Ash asked.


    "I... My legs hurt."


    "I''ll get it," Ash told her.


    At this point, she honestly just wanted to help, in whatever way that she could.


    She walked over, opened the drawer, and saw a few of the potions they still had that Vyl had given them. Ash picked out the strangest-looking one and held it up.


    "Is this it?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded and Ash brought it over. Keiko took a sip from it and Ash watched as quickly, those tendrils became far lighter. They were still there, but Ash could barely see them.


    "... Okay," Ash nodded. "How are you feeling now?"


    "Better... But, my legs still feel like, well, kind of like I have needles stuck in some spots. Ugh," Keiko gave a frustrated groan as she dropped her head back. "I wanted to go with you to the shrine, but I don''t think I''ll be able to. If there are any demons nearby... I..."


    "I understand," Ash nodded. "Just sit tight. I''ll get us something to eat, we''ll have breakfast, and then... I''ll go see what''s up with Kaori. I''ll be back before you know it."


    Keiko sighed. Ash could see nothing but raw disappointment in her face as she looked down at herself. Ash reached over and squeezed one of her hands gently.


    "Don''t sweat it," Ash told her. "We''ll be back to fighting together in no time."


    "... Right."


    ---


    A Few Hours Later


    Walking through the city in the daytime felt strange. After being in the palace for the last couple of nights, and only seeing the city during times of battle, the ways in which it had changed made themselves far more apparent to Ash''s eyes.


    Several buildings had crumbled. There were leftover spikes of ice, presumably from spells the human mages had cast, still erect and solid, slowly melting away. The blood, both from the humans and demons, had dried and right now, the only people still walking these streets were soldiers and workers who were gathering up corpses, likely to be burned later. A lot of the taller, highly technological, buildings now looked like the scenes of various murders. The city smelled and looked awful, but Ash cared very little about any of that.


    With Kaori on her back, she almost wished she was in her full Lust demon form so she could fly straight to the shrine. Instead, though, she had to carry her all the way there. No one else came with her.


    "How many is that?" A man asked as he loaded up the body of a soldier onto a stretcher. Ash walked by him as his friend replied.


    "Eh, almost a hundred. Even though we won last night, the body count was still too fuckin'' high."


    "I hear ya. I hope last night wasn''t a fluke, is all."


    Indeed, Ash echoed that statement. If the level 90 demon had been healed up and chose to return tonight, then the city was probably lost. Ash could hold it back with her ability, whittle it down, but even then, without Kaori''s stats to help her, she probably wouldn''t be able to kill it.


    The farther Ash got from the palace, the fewer people there were. The fewer signs of life in general, but the more bodies there were. Of course, with the portal still open just beyond the gates, Ash received Niven''s Blessing, but there were thankfully no demons outside.


    That might not be the case the entire day, I should move fast.  Ash thought, pushing Kaori''s body up a little.


    Eventually, Ash reached the bamboo forest. Unlike the other times she''d passed through here, there were no birds, no insects, lizards, nothing. A deafening silence was all that remained. Ash kept herself focused though as she made her way to the shrine.


    When she arrived, Ash smelled fresh blood and she gently placed Kaori on the dirt, in preparation for a fight. Transforming her Lust  into gauntlets, she walked forwards and entered the shrine. She didn''t find any enemies though.


    Instead, there were soldiers laying on the ground, dead. Ash looked down at them and sighed.


    Yeah... With those portals nearby, it''s not hard to imagine what happened.


    Ripped and torn apart, considering the terrible injuries that had been inflicted on them, Ash guessed this had been the work of some Wrath demons. At first, Ash thought this was Kuri''s group, but as she turned them over to see their faces, she figured this must have been the second squad that had been assigned to the shrine, as she didn''t recognize them.


    Ash checked the rest of the shrine out, finding no demons, and afterward, she brought Kaori inside. Finally, she sat down with her legs crossed in front of the altar and waited.


    Come on... You must have something to tell me after all this shit. Just knock me out and get it over with.


    Soon, she got her wish. Ash fell to the side, unconscious, and she appeared in a white room.


    There was a white wooden table in front of her, and two chairs set up. Sitting on one of them was not Magia however, who Ash had expected to see.


    Instead, Lumina was there, one leg crossed over the other, taking a sip from a crystal clear cup. She looked over at Ash and gave her a warm smile. Ash narrowed her eyes as she walked over.


    "Please," Lumina said with a silky smooth voice. "Sit. We.... We have quite a bit to discuss."

 Chapter 188 - Vol. 3 - 61

    Ash''s eyes inspected the woman''s demeanor skeptically.  Uh, maybe this is a good sign? She seems pretty fucking calm, given the circumstances. Despite her strange behavior, Ash sat down in front of her.


    She didn''t waste any time.


    "What''s happening with Kaori, and how do I fix it?" Ash asked in her thoughts, as she guessed that Lumina could hear them in this place.


    "... Two fairly simple-sounding questions, but ones that require some context in order to fully answer," Lumina looked down into her cup. "Has Magia ever explained in detail where we are at the moment?"


    "Look," Ash sighed without any air. Lumina raised a brow. "No offense, you seem nicer than Magia, at least, but I really just want to get to the part where we go and save Kaori. So, can we skip the backstory here?"


    Lumina chuckled.


    "If you know of a way to skip months'' worth of preparation that will need to be done, then, by all means, let me know now so I can feel more at ease, Champion of Magia."


    When Ash heard that, she went pale. Ash paused, looking away for a moment.


    "... What?"


    "Yes," Lumina nodded, her smile disappearing for a moment. "Months. As much as both of us would like for Kaori to be returned to her regular self today, that will not be possible, given her current state. Now, could you allow me to explain why that is? I would like for you to receive all of the information necessary before Niven sends demons to this shrine or anything of the sort."


    Reluctantly, Ash nodded.


    "Go ahead..."


    "Good. As I was saying," Lumina looked around and the area they were in suddenly became a beautiful mountain, full of lush flowers and colorful trees. "This place where we are in currently is a separate realm of existence to the one your ordinary world consists of. In essence, it is one of the multiple different levels of reality. There''s your world, our world, which is this one, and then there are dimensions that only the Higher Powers can perceive."


    With a flick of her only hand, Lumina transformed the area around them to a beach where a storm was raging. Lightning was falling in the distance, thunder cracked in the sky. The rain hitting Ash''s body though felt real.


    "This world is made possible by the Sites of Power that belong to us, each of which serves as consolidated foundations of our power. ''Us'' being the gods, of course. That said," Lumina tilted her head, "Niven''s Sites work differently compared to the rest of us. Because of the presence that his demons allow him to have on your world, what is supposed to be a balanced distribution between these Sites has become skewed in his favor."


    "... I am way too dumb for this," Ash thought and Lumina giggled at that in a way that reminded Ash of Kaori.


    "What I am trying to say is that, due to the war and its current state, whereas I or Magia or Alkoth would be able to enter Niven''s Sites of Power and influence them directly, should we attempt to do so, he will have the upper hand over us because he simply has more divine power as of this time. This is why, given where Kaori is, I cannot handle this matter myself. This is why I need your help."


    As she said that, Ash caught onto the last portion of her statement and focused on that.


    "Where is she?" Ash asked.


    "Well, she is trapped. Her soul is currently caught in this realm," Lumina gestured at the area around them. "Not your world, but ours."


    "... How did that happen?" Ash asked. "I don''t get it."


    "When that high-level demon attempted to turn Kaori into a Nightmare, Kaori''s reaction was to use the ability that I had given her, which momentarily infused her with almost all of my divine power. This move saved her, but only temporarily. To put it in a metaphor," Lumina continued to explain, "when that demon tried to turn her, it was as though Niven had tied a rope to her left arm and tried to yank her away. When Kaori used the ability I''d gifted her, it was like she allowed me to place another rope on her right arm and pull against Niven, forcing a... What do you call it? A tug-of-war, if you will. Do you see? She is caught between our forces because of this decision she made."


    "... So, she''s here?" Ash asked, confused, looking around.


    "Yes, and no," Lumina told her. "She is both here, in my realm, and she is in Niven''s realm. Niven''s Other World. Her soul is caught between us, and until either Niven manages to pull her completely or I do, she will not wake."


    Ash took a deep breath.


    "And, since you said this would take months, I''m guessing it''s gonna take a lot for you to do that?"


    "No. It will take a lot for  you," she said, "to do that. See, as it stands, I cannot win against Niven in this matter."


    "What? Why?"


    "Niven holds more power in your world," Lumina said calmly. "Remember, each of the portals that he opens acts as a Site of Power for him. Whereas, on our end, most of ours have been deactivated over time. If all were equal, I would naturally hold more power than him, but that is simply not the case. However," Lumina added, "I do hold enough power to prevent him from taking Kaori''s soul for a time. But," she leaned a little bit forward, "if we are to truly save Kaori, I need your assistance."


    "... So, what do I need to do?"


    Lumina nodded with a smile.


    "Take mental notes, Ash. You have many things you need to do if you are to rescue Kaori. You can tackle each of these steps in the order you choose. Keep that in mind."


    Lumina made a gesture with her hand and again, the area around them changed. In an instant, they were sitting right outside a portal, with the violet sky above them and demons lurking nearby.


    "Very well, firstly, the portals. Niven''s Sites of Power outnumber our own. The ones that have been used to invade cities are not the only ones in existence, Ash. Many minor ones have been set up in the wilderness, where humanity is scarce. Close some of these portals and Niven''s divine power will be reduced."


    She changed the area again and now, they were sitting on a cliff. Below, Ash could see a desert. She''d never seen anything like this before. So much sand that she wondered when the water was supposed to start, as this clearly had to be a giant beach of some kind.


    Then, a dragon flew over their heads, giving a mighty roar that almost deafened Ash. She watched it with awe.


    "Second, you need to become stronger," Lumina said. "And, so do I."


    A second passed and now, the two of them were sitting in an abandoned church.


    "Finally, restore more Sites. Specifically, the Sites of Power that belong to me, since the ones that belong to all of us have been activated already. Niven is far stronger than I am when it comes to divine power right now, you need to balance those scales, as I cannot journey into your world myself."


    Ash, taking that information in, nodded.


    "So... Close more portals," she lifted a finger, "activate more old churches," she lifted another, "and level up?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay... Why though? What are we going to do?"


    "We will be venturing into a place between Niven''s realm and mine. A place between his demonic world and this one," she gestured around them, "intertwine. There, you will find Kaori''s soul and, with his power, he will be able to conjure the strongest of enemies to face you and keep you away from it. You will need to dispatch them."


    "Wait, why don''t you two fight it out? This is between you, right?"


    Lumina shook her head.


    "We cannot interfere too much, directly, in your affairs. The Higher Powers won''t allow it. I suspect they only allow Niven to even conduct this war because of Magia''s transgressions long ago. If Niven tries to stop you personally though, surely they''d see it as crossing the line. The same goes for if I try to assist you too much. That means that, when the time comes, I will likely be allowed to empower you, and Niven will be allowed to place obstacles in your path, but neither of us will be allowed to directly manipulate the outcome of your attempt."


    "... So what you''re saying is that it''s all going to be on me?" Ash asked quietly.


    "Yes," Lumina said, leaving no room for doubt. "I will assist you as much as I possibly can. I am sure if you ask Magia she will do the same, maybe Alkoth will as well, though he works in mysterious ways so that might not even be true. However, in the end, it will all come down to you, Ash. You, and you alone, can prevent Kaori from turning into one of the strongest Nightmares Niven could have at his disposal."


    At that moment, Ash realized something. Although she''d only seen this as her losing someone she held dear, there was also that factor. If they didn''t get her back, Kaori wouldn''t just be lost, she''d become an enemy.


    Honestly, that hurt even more than the thought of Kaori dying did.


    "... How long do you think you can hold out?" Ash asked.


    "Well, that is why I said months. I estimate that I could, at most, last three months at my current level of divine power before Niven rips Kaori away from me and she fully transforms into a Nightmare."


    "Three months... Three months before I have to give Kaori''s soul back to her myself?" Ash asked.


    "That is the gist of it, yes."


    "Three months. Three months before I even have the fucking possibility of seeing one of the two girls who have changed my entire life. Three months before she could ever wake up. Okay... Okay. I understand."


    With that, Ash stood up.


    A determination suddenly sparked in her heart, burning as fervently as Ash had ever felt. Now that she knew what she needed to do, the chills of concern and fear were gone, and all that remained was concentration.


    "I''ll do it. How strong do I need to get?" Ash asked.


    "As strong as you possibly can. Well then. That is all. You understand the situation now. Prepare yourself adequately. And, of course, good luck, Champion of Magia. Please, for both our sakes, bring Kaori back."


    The room changed one last time, and suddenly, there was a map in front of Ash, highlighting a spot just to the east of Onyx, close to the palace. The half-demon understood what this was. One of Lumina''s Sites of Power. One of many they''d need to even the odds.


    And, with that, the realm around them dissipated and Ash found herself waking up back at the shrine, with Kaori''s body in front of her.


    She took a deep breath and nodded to herself.


    Close more portals, restore Lumina''s churches, farm as many levels as I can. And then, we get Kaori back.


    Ash turned her eyes down at the blonde, whose eyes were still closed and she now knew wouldn''t open any time soon.


    Just you wait, Kaori.. I''ve got this.

 Chapter 189 - Vol. 3 - 62

    Keiko


    It was a long time before Keiko felt strong enough to get out of bed, but once she did, she immediately dragged herself out of it. Her body was covered in a layer of sweat. She had a mild headache, and she felt off-balance, but she wanted to move. She''d been staying in bed for too long.


    So, Keiko walked out into the halls of the palace, where she nearly crashed into a passing soldier.


    "O-Oh, excuse me," she said, but the soldier ignored her. Sighing, Keiko kept walking, making her way to the main hall.


    It seemed just as busy as it had the previous day, but Keiko did notice that there appeared to be fewer citizens. At least, there was more space between the two sides of the hall, where soldiers were walking through.


    "Hey," a voice called out to her and Keiko turned. Metsumi was walking towards her, and behind her, Keiko saw Satsuhiro, Opah, and that Luvine girl that Ash had saved.


    Keiko hadn''t seen Caroline in a bit. She wondered if the girl was handling the change of space well. She couldn''t imagine how it must feel to go from living in your own building to sleeping every night away in a crowd.


    "Hello," Keiko greeted her softly.


    "Glad to see you walking," Metsumi told her. "Feeling alright?"


    "Yes. A little better, anyway."


    "Good, good. Let me know if you want anything to drink, we''ve got a few bottles of cold water that the Lord gave us. She''s uh... Been treating us pretty well, for some reason."


    "... Hm."


    Keiko turned towards the other civilians.


    "Hey," Keiko started. "Does it seem like there are fewer people here?"


    "Yeah," Metsumi nodded. "You''re right."


    "Why?"


    "A lot of them left the city," Metsumi informed her with a shrug. "They were escorted out by a small squad. Considering how last night went, and with Kaori being taken out of commission, I think Eliza''s starting to feel like we might not win this."


    "... I see," Keiko noted.


    "In any case, just..."


    At that moment, the gates opened. Both women looked towards the doors, which they could see from here. Keiko''s eyes widened. Walking in was Ash, moving with a focused stride, but she was still carrying Kaori on her back, with the blonde''s arms wrapped around her.


    Oh no... The gods didn''t help?  Keiko wondered.


    Ash saw the two of them and walked all the way up, ignoring the looks that the people were giving her. When she reached them, Keiko saw a rare warm smile appear on the half-demon''s face, aimed at her.


    Keiko got mixed messages from this. On one hand, Ash seemed a lot less panicked than she had been, but on the other, Kaori wasn''t awake.


    "W-What happened?" Keiko asked, and Ash''s smile disappeared, as her face turned more serious.


    "Uh..." Ash paused, looking away. "I''m just gonna say it. Long story short, Kaori won''t be waking up anytime soon," she stated and Keiko just about gasped.


    "No..." Keiko muttered.


    "But," Ash quickly followed up. As Ash spoke, Satsuhiro, Opah, and Luvine all came walking to them. Now, the entire group was standing here, in the middle of the hall, just in front of the throne. "We can help her. Just... Not right now. Look, basically, Kaori is stuck somewhere. And, I can go get her from that place, but I''m not strong enough to do that."


    "Is that so?" Satsuhiro looked away, and Keiko could see the gears in his mind turning. "What do you need then, for us to help her?"


    "It''s complicated," Ash shook her head, adjusting Kaori, who was slipping a little. "But, Lumina told me that I need to close a bunch of portals and restore a bunch of her Sites. If I do that, apparently, we''ll be good to go. Give me a second, let me lay Kaori down, and I''ll tell you everything she told me."


    "Mm," Satsuhiro nodded. "We should probably head to some other room anyway. Too many worried ears could catch what we say here."


    With that, the group briefly split again as Ash went to put Kaori back down in their bedroom. Keiko followed her though, walking with the half-demon as she went over there and walked into the room.


    Keiko watched as she gently put Kaori down. She threw a white sheet over her, and then placed a hand on Kaori''s head, lightly caressing it. Then, Ash sighed and walked out. Satsuhiro and the others were walking towards them, but Ash said something to Keiko.


    "Hey, can we talk later?" Ash asked. "If you''re feeling alright, I mean."


    "Of course," Keiko answered.


    "Good... Just... I need to get a bit off my fucking chest," Ash mumbled before she turned towards Satsuhiro.


    "I got that room for us," Satsuhiro said. "Ready?"


    "Yeah, let''s go."


    ---


    Ash


    The walk back to Onyx from the shrine had let Ash think about a lot of different things. Among them was her time with Kaori at the portal, their relationship, but most importantly the point where things had started to go wrong. Maybe she was blaming herself too harshly, but Ash felt like what happened last night was entirely preventable, and that it was the result of her own failures.


    Firstly, she never talked to Kaori like she promised she would. Sure, they had a lot going on, but if Ash had just pulled Kaori aside and allowed her to vent like she clearly had needed to, maybe the blonde would have been a little more decisive that night. If she''d activated her ability just a second faster, she might have still been here, conscious, walking next to Ash with a smile.


    Second, Ash had not been taking her role as seriously as she should have. Not that she suddenly cared about humanity and wanted to be role model of a Savior or whatever, but rather that Ash wanted to protect her friends. Keiko, Kaori, Satsuhiro, Opah, Metsumi. Everyone she cared about, and she needed to be stronger to do that. She should have farmed more, looked for more spells; maybe if she had researched more Dark and Light topics, she would have easily killed the level 90 demon. Instead, she went into that fight as a half-assed excuse of a fighter.


    Finally, Ash needed to start learning from her mistakes. Or, put differently, she needed to be better. She needed to be a better fighter so she could protect the ones she cared for, she needed to be a better girlfriend to Keiko and Kaori so that the two of them wouldn''t be walking around with so much unnecessary weight on their shoulders. She needed to be a better Savior so that when threats came, she could easily deal with them. Especially since Niven had put a target on her back.


    It was as she''d entered the Grey Chamber that the thought had come to her.


    I won''t let this happen again, Kaori.  She told the girl in her mind, hoping her soul could feel her determination.  I... Shit, I failed you, and I''m sorry. It won''t happen again.


    Now, as she walked with Keiko and the others, the fire burning in her heart was still blazing, especially as they sat down to discuss what they needed to do next. Ash was ready to tackle this.


    For Kaori''s sake.


    "Okay," Ash took a deep breath as Metsumi passed her a bottle of water. "Thanks. So, basically, uh, we need to find out which churches belonged to Lumina. Old Sites of Power that I could reactivate. I''m guessing Lumina will let me know about a few if I go back to the shrine, but it wouldn''t hurt to know a few ourselves. Also," Ash continued, "we need to close portals. Lumina told me that doing that would weaken Niven, at least a little. Once he''s weak enough, and I''m strong enough, I can go do...  something, because Lumina didn''t really explain that part too well, but I can do something to get Kaori back."


    "Hm... Did she recommend anything else?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yeah, at a point," Ash said, recalling the conversation, "she showed me this place with a bunch of sand. I dunno, I haven''t seen it before. A dragon flew over our heads too."


    "A dragon!?" Opah asked, making an awed face. Ash chuckled.


    "Yeah."


    "Wait, sand? As in, the entire land was covered in it?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yeah," Ash was then reminded of something, "oh, right, kinda like that portal you and I went into, a while back. Remember?"


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Amber," he said with a sigh. "She''s saying you should go to Amber."


    "Why?"


    "Because the strongest monsters in the world live in that region. If she told you to go there, then, yeah," Satsuhiro said. "She''s definitely serious about you getting stronger."


    "Strong... monsters?" Luvine muttered, confused. Ash couldn''t explain to her what was going on right now.


    "..." Ash closed her eyes, nodding at Satsuhiro. "Alright, I''ll go there then."


    "Don''t take it so lightly, Ash. I''m serious," Satsuhiro responded. "Amber is a strange, dangerous place. From its monsters to its people, it''s especially easy for people to die there."


    "Have to do it," Ash shrugged. "Only way to help Kaori."


    "... Fair enough, but before that," Satsuhiro continued, "if Lumina wants you to close more portals, then, well, you''ve got two good candidates for that just outside the city."


    "Yeah, that''s probably a good place to start. Question is, how do I do it?" Ash asked. "I haven''t gone into one of those things alone yet. Well, outside of the Sapphire one, but the demon army was pretty much fucked at that point. If I try that here, I''ll probably run into hundreds of those things alone."


    "Hm... I''d say there are two possibilities," Satsuhiro started. "Either, you take a bunch of soldiers with you and... As terrible as it is, use them as fodder so that you can get to the end of both portals in one piece, or," he added, "you get stronger and you go in alone."


    "What does ''fodder'' mean?" Ash heard Opah ask her mother.


    "... I could farm, I guess."


    "You still have Vyl''s potions, right? I''m pretty sure she''s made a few more too, since last we saw her. We can send word over to her to restock and you can use those to buff yourself before heading in and... well, hope for the best."


    "Maybe Yumi could help you," Keiko pitched in and Ash glanced over at her. "With those potions and her own stats, she should be powerful enough."


    ... Outside, maybe, but with that Niven''s Blessing buff... Actually, since she''s got her Dex at 100, she might still be strong enough. If anything, just to keep a few demons off me while I kill them.


    "That could work. That... Yeah, that''s probably it," Ash slowly nodded as the idea made more and more sense to her. "Get more potions, ask Yumi to come with me, and if she agrees then... Yeah. We can do it tonight, even."


    "Make sure you''re rested, at least. Last night was eventful, after all."


    "Don''t worry about me," Ash huffed. "I''m fine. We just need to get this out of the way so we can get to helping Kaori out."


    That was the end of this meeting. With that plan, they walked out of the room and out into the halls again. However, as the others walked ahead, Ash gently reached out for Keiko''s wrist.


    "Hey," she gestured for them to stay back.


    "Right," Keiko nodded. "Um... What did you want to say?"


    And at that, Ash breathed in, calming herself down.


    "I..."  I''m sorry,  is what she wanted to say.  Actually, this is all kind of on me, and if I were better, Kaori would be here. If I were a regular fucking person who could actually read people''s emotions and knew how to deal with them, Kaori might not be in this mess, but I''m not. I suck, so, we''re here.


    Instead, she said:


    "I just wanted to let you know that... If you want to talk, if you need anything, if you feel shitty and you just wanna cuss for a while to get it off your chest, anything like that... I''m always willing to listen. Just... Thought I should say that."


    "Is that all you wanted to say?" Keiko asked. "It sounded like you, uh, wanted to confess something."


    Only that I care about you and Kaori. Like, a lot. Ash thought.


    "Yeah. That''s it. Sorry, I''m.... Just had a lot on my mind earlier."

 Chapter 190 - Vol. 3 - 63

    Later That Night


    "I must admit," Yumi said, "the prospect of charging headfirst into a portal filled with demons is becoming more frightening by the minute."


    "Eh, you get used to it," Ash replied.


    After the minor meeting that Ash and the group had regarding Kaori''s situation, the half-demon had approached Yumi and asked her if she''d help close at least one of the portals tonight. To ash''s surprise, the masked woman said "yes", as she recognized the need for this, and now, the two of them were getting ready in Ash''s room.


    Putting her armor on again was strange. It almost felt heavier, though, that might have just been the fact that Ash was exhausted.  Can''t rest yet,  Ash thought. Too much shit needs doing.


    "I hope I never do," Yumi replied. "Such a thing would mean that demons become a common part of my life."


    "You mean, you don''t want to spend all your time fighting them? But it''s so fun!" Ash said, sarcastically, as she strapped on her boots. Her golden armor was clean, shining under the nearby torch burning dimly.


    "Hehe," Yumi chuckled. "No... I... I''ve been doing quite a bit of thinking lately and, well," she sighed. "I''ve been locked up in that shrine for too long. I would very much like to explore a little, after all of this."


    "Hm. I don''t know, take it from someone who''s been in four different cities in under four months, I''d say it''s overrated."


    "I will find that out for myself, thank you very much," Yumi replied light-heartedly. "Are you prepared?"


    "Yeah, just one last thing. Head out though, wait for me by the gates. I''ll be out in a sec."


    "Very well," Yumi replied.


    With that, Ash was left alone with no one but Kaori, asleep and peaceful, to keep her company. Sighing, Ash sat down by the bed and took her Savior''s Weapon, looking down at the golden cube. The symbol of her occupation. She closed her eyes.


    "Tonight, we take the first steps in helping you out," Ash muttered.


    She looked over at Kaori, wondering if she could hear her from wherever she currently was. Or, if she was just asleep and her mind was currently filled with dreams, without any clue as to what her soul was going through.


    Nah, stop it,  Ash told herself.  That''s too complicated.


    "Rest up, we''ll have you back with us in no time," Ash promised and so, she tied her  Lust  to her waist and walked out.


    With the nighttime having fallen upon the city of Onyx, the city''s soldiers were mobilizing, finishing up their preparations as they anticipated another siege. The biggest question on everyone''s mind though was regarding the level 90 demon. Would it make an appearance? If it returned, they were frankly screwed.


    She went into the main hall and spotted her friends sitting by the right side, on their own. She walked up to them, and Luvine quickly stood up when she saw Ash approaching.


    Ash noticed that Keiko wasn''t there, and she raised a brow at that.


    "Uh, where''s Keiko?" Ash asked.


    "She''s with Yumi, by the palace gates," Metsumi replied. "Probably asking Yumi to take care of you, if I had to guess," she said with a chuckle.


    "Yeah? Hmph. I don''t think either of us needs taking care of... Anyway, though, I''m heading out," Ash told them. "I wanna get this over with already. Hopefully we don''t run into a mob of those fuckers."


    "Mom... She said a bad word..." Opah whispered to Metsumi, who held back a laugh.


    "Good luck out there," Satsuhiro nodded. "Keep yourself calm, Ash. Panicking has never helped you."


    "Yeah, yeah," Ash replied. "I''m aware. I''ll do my best."


    "Ash..." Luvine walked up.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash knelt down in front of her.


    "Hey, Lu. You ate already?"


    "Uh, yeah... But... w-why leave?" Luvine asked, with an honest pair of eyes that were intensely worried for her. "It''s dangerous..."


    "... Yeah, no shit," Ash mumbled, feeling her heart beating just a little faster. Luvine was right to be concerned for her. "It''s my job though. Plus, some... someone I really really care about is relying on me, so, I''m shit outta luck. See ya kid," Ash said, patting her head. From the corner of her eye, she saw Metsumi watching on with a smile. "Stay strong."


    "Um..." Luvine looked on as Ash stood up and began to walk away. "G-Good luck!" Luvine said and Ash raised a thumbs-up behind her.


    Moving past the crowd, a few of the civilians tapped their friends and family, pointing at Ash as she walked by. Now that it had been properly cleaned, Ash was reminded of how flashy this armor was.


    ... I really need to tell them to paint this shit black or something, I hate it.  Ash thought as she saw Yumi and Keiko in the distance.


    "... And, the Gluttony demons," Keiko was telling Yumi, "um, well, you''ve fought them already, I''m sure, but remember, they can be deceptively fast."


    "Thank you for the tips, Keiko," Yumi replied placing a hand on her shoulder as Ash reached them. "I will burn them into my memory."


    "I''m all set," Ash stated. Keiko looked over at her. "Keiko, still feeling alright?" Ash asked.


    "You''ve asked me that about fifty times today alone," Keiko said, with a little giggle.


    "... Can''t help it," Ash shrugged. "I... Nothing," she looked away. "Just... Make sure you''re drinking water and all that other bullshit I said the other 49 times."


    "Understood," Keiko responded before she gave Ash a kiss on her cheek and a hug. "Stay safe."


    "Will do," Ash told her as she hugged the shorter girl back. Breathing in her scent, Ash wished she could just stay like this for the rest of the night. However, she had a mission and she intended to see it done, so, she separated herself from Keiko and nodded at Yumi. "Let''s go."


    "Very well," Yumi replied, putting on her mask.


    And, with that, the two of them began to walk towards the heart of the city. Ash felt Keiko''s eyes on her, watching from the palace''s gates, for a little while before the Zayama finally turned and walked inside.


    "I have not seen the Lord lately," Yumi said. "Is she fighting?"


    Ash scoffed.


    "I''d pay everything I have to see that," Ash said. "No, I''m guessing she isn''t. Anyway," she pointed ahead, "we''re heading for the western one since that one''s blocking the main road to Jade. That''s what those big-brain scholars suggested anyway. Apparently, since Jade''s reinforcements got here last night too, we should have it a little bit easier for us heading into this."


    "How much will we be fighting with Onyx''s forces?" Yumi asked.


    "Not much. Just enough to clear a way to the portal. Once we''re inside, we don''t even really need to fight at all. Just make a straight run for the beams in the sky, you''ll see them, and there will be these weird things at the base of them. We break those, the portal closes and spits us right out."


    "... Hopefully, these things you''ve just said will make a little more sense once we are in there," Yumi chuckled.


    "Yeah, just follow my lead," Ash told her. "It shouldn''t take more than a few hours."


    "By all means, lead the way."


    And so, the two of them continued on their path down the street, and it didn''t take too long at all for the sounds of combat to enter their ears. They drew closer to them, intentionally making their way to the fighting and when they reached it, Ash looked around.


    Between the soldiers and demons, she made a quick search for the level 90 creature.


    Level 34


    MP: 140/140


    Level 30


    MP: 100/100


    Nah, doesn''t look like it''s here. Might run into it at the portal though. Need to keep my guard up.  Ash thought as she changed her  Lust  into her gauntlets, and as Yumi charged towards a nearby demon with her naginata, the two of them entered the fight.


    "This is a place of piety, let our faith be rewarded and our wounds become old memories, soon forgotten!" Ash spoke the incantation for  Land of Grace, healing every nearby soldier.


    "A-A Savior!" One of them noticed her and exclaimed, and as Ash ran up to a demon and stabbed through its head with her gauntlets, earning an EXP message, the soldiers began to rally, their morales apparently raised by her presence.


    EXP Gained: 140


    EXP: 140/500


    Ash had leveled up two times after all the previous fighting, bringing her up to this status (unaltered by Niven''s Blessing):


    Level 50


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 140/500


    ---


    STR: 41


    DEX: 21


    CON: 20


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    With Niven''s Blessing, most of her stats were only increased by around 10 as this entire battle was fighting outside of the portal''s influence. That was, after all, the part of this plan that had surprised Onyx''s army. The fact that he hadn''t even waited until the portals had fully covered the city to attack.


    As for Ash, Now that Kaori was... out of commission, she understood that she''d need to be able to take more hits in fights since she didn''t have the blonde there to protect her. So, Ash had made a mental note of investing at least a few points into her Con.


    "Drive them back!" Another soldier cried out and slowly, the tide of the battle began to turn. Next to Ash, she saw a soldier pinned down on the ground with a demon biting into his neck. She ran up, kicked the demon off, and mounted it herself. Then, with repeated punches to the face, with her gauntlets'' blades, of course, she killed it. The soldier quickly stood back up.


    "Thank you!" He said.


    "Hm? Uh, yeah, whatever," Ash replied, ignoring the guy as she casually looked around for more easy kills.


    That''s what this was to her, after all. An opportunity to steal away some EXP. She needed to get stronger, after all. This was one way of doing that. So, she continued searching until she found another soldier who was in the process of being swallowed whole by a Gluttony demon. Ash ran up and stabbed it several times in its bloated gut, as quickly as she could. The demon spat the soldier out as its violet blood filled the street and Ash walked away before the soldier even thanked her.


    By the time it was all said and done, Ash had leveled up again.


    Level 51


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 90/510


    ---


    STR: 41


    DEX: 21


    CON: 24


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    Keep ''em coming, Ash thought, as she narrowed her eyes at the nearby demons..  I''m not taking this shit easy anymore.

 Chapter 191 - Vol. 3 - 64

    Ash''s new strategy proved to be immediately effective. In choosing to allow the soldiers around her to fight for themselves, only interfering when she saw the opportunity to land a killing blow, Ash gained an abundance of EXP.


    "H-HELP ME!" A soldier cried out as he was about to be slain, just before Ash rushed in behind the demon attacking him, and stabbed through its back with her right hand.


    EXP Gained: 120


    EXP: 120/540


    I''m getting a lot less now, even with Quick Learner. I need stronger enemies, Ash thought as the demon fell to the floor. The soldier she''d saved looked up at her like he was seeing a god in person. Ash pulled him up to his feet.


    "I didn''t help you so you could sit there like an idiot, keep fighting!" She told him.


    And, as she pushed him towards a nearby enemy, he did just that, maybe out of instinct.


    Looking around, Ash saw that a large portion of the human forces had sustained grave wounds. Ash nodded to herself and breathed in.


    "This is a place of piety, let our faith be rewarded and our wounds become old memories, soon forgotten!" She cast  Land of Grace,  healing back a portion of the soldiers, though she noted that a couple hadn''t been healed by her magic.


    Cursed,  Ash thought, nodding to herself.  Unlucky.


    But with the soldiers back up to a fresh condition, once more the forces of humanity fought back with vigor.


    A few of the demons, seeing that Ash had done this, targeted her and some Lust demons flew straight towards the Savior. Ash waited until one got close enough and she ducked under a swing of its hand, grabbing it by the right leg. Then, putting as much strength into it as she could, Ash pulled the demon down and slammed it into the stone.


    "Akgh!" The demon choked out as its head bounced off the street before Ash finished the job by giving it one powerful stomp on its neck, earning a cracking sound.


    EXP Gained: 110


    EXP: 230/540


    To the right, Yumi was fighting a level 32 Wrath demon. She sidestepped one of its swipes, leaned out of the way of a bite, and then pushed her naginata into its chest, impaling it, and then kicking it off of her weapon.


    This is going well enough, I''d say,  Ash thought.  Well, from a survival perspective anyway. The real question is how the hell are we going to make it to the portal?


    Even though they were resisting the demonic siege, they also weren''t making any progress in terms of cutting their way through to the two portals just outside the city. Every time they killed five demons, five more would either run or fly in to take their place.


    On one hand, this meant that if they did make it, there would likely not be enough forces to stop Ash from reaching the pyramids and shattering them. On the other, it meant that Ash had been stuck here for almost half an hour.


    "Yumi!" She called out to her partner. The masked woman turned towards her. "We need to get through them!" She pointed ahead. "If we let them keep us here, we''ll never make it to the portals!"


    "I see," Yumi replied. "Between the two of us though, there''s only so much we can do."


    Ash immediately understood what she meant by that. If the two of them ran up, charging through these enemies like animals, it was a very easy way of putting targets on their backs. They''d need the soldiers around them to help if they wanted to remain safe throughout this.


    So, Ash gritted her teeth and took a deep breath as she looked around for anything she could stand on.  Come on, a crate, a barrel, something!


    She found no such thing. Instead, Ash saw a Gluttony demon, so large it could almost be mistaken for a Nightmare, dead and laying on its back. Ash nearly gagged at the thought of touching this thing, but it was the only thing that could reasonably serve as a platform. So, she ran up and jumped on top of its body.


    Once here, she cast  Land of Grace  again, covering every nearby soldier in a white aura. A few of them glanced at her, and that was all Ash needed.


    "HEY ASSHOLES, HELP ME DRIVE THEM BACK!" She yelled from the top of her lungs, hoping at least a few of them would hear her. "I NEED TO REACH THE GATES!"


    "The gates?" A soldier who wasn''t currently fighting asked behind her.


    A commanding officer, dressed in heavy metallic grey armor then stepped forwards. And, with a booming voice that was far more adequate for this sort of thing than Ash''s, he yelled:


    "You heard the Savior! Push them back to the gates!"


    One by one, suddenly given purpose, Ash saw the faces of the men and women fighting on behalf of Onyx suddenly turn focused. Granted, this new determination wouldn''t make up for the raw power disparity between forces, but it did mean that as Ash now turned her attention on taking out as many demons as she could individually, the ground was being covered.


    Still, Ash thought.  We''re basically in the middle of the city. It''s gonna take a while.


    And it did. This was the beginning of a long, drawn-out attempt to drive the demons far enough to where Yumi and Ash would have the opening they needed to enter the portals. With one short fight after another, Ash held back on using her Dark magic to damage her enemies, as she needed to save her mana to heal up the soldiers around her.


    Even then, despite her best efforts to keep these soldiers healthy, it would happen far too often that one of them would be caught by some unprecedented attack and die spontaneously, too quickly for Ash to do anything about it.


    To her left, one soldier was fighting a Wrath demon when a Gluttony demon suddenly wrapped its tongue around him and pulled the soldier to it, swallowing the man whole. To her right, a girl was fighting a Lust demon when another one then landed behind her, picked her up by her waist, and flew away, before Ash could react.


    Even though she could heal them all, she couldn''t stop these sorts of things from happening. All she could do was focus on maintaining the health of those who were just a little bit luckier than the rest.


    Having Yumi there was a factor that Ash knew would help, but she hadn''t anticipated the masked fighter to be this integral to their success. The woman sliced through the demons, one at a time, with an elegance that only matched by her relentlessness in cutting off the heads of her enemies.


    That 100 Dexterity is no joke, huh?  Ash remarked as she saw Yumi, at one point, killing two demons with a single swing of her naginata.


    It served as a reminder that of course, as her Quick Learner trait did affect her ability to learn different weapons and raise her attributes individually, Ash had more routes towards improvement than just killing hordes of monsters.


    I''ll have to think about it later... Whether it''s worth it to focus on raising up a stat individually and getting my other weapon proficiencies back up to match my gauntlet or not. I... She paused in between fights.  I mean, if I could have transformed my gauntlets into bows or spears or whatever when I was fighting that level 90 freak, would that have changed something?


    It was like now that she had something to truly work towards, saving Kaori, she was seeing just how much potential she''d wasted by being somewhat lazy.


    Focus up.  She told herself though, shaking her head.  Leave those questions for when you''re back at the palace, making out with Keiko or some shit.


    One skirmish after another, eventually, the forces of Onyx reached Caroline''s inn, which let Ash know that they were probably close.


    Ash gained a couple of levels from the fights leading up to this, putting her at this status, as she continued to focus on raising her Con and Strength, for now:


    Level 56


    MP: 230/230


    EXP: 100/560


    ---


    STR: 47


    DEX: 21


    CON: 26


    INT: 20


    WIS: 23


    L: 100


    However, another problem soon came to her mind. Even if they reached the western portal, who was to say that there wouldn''t be fifty demons waiting behind it, to kill Ash as soon as she entered? If she were Niven, seeing Ash right now carving a path towards that place, that would be the obvious thing to do.


    Ash thought about it in-between moments where she stuck her bladed gauntlets in Wrath demons'' necks. As far as she could tell, there was only one real answer to this dilemma, but she''d need these soldiers to be just a little braver for it.


    She quickly looked around, trying to locate the same officer who had helped her motivate the soldiers earlier. He was still going, slamming a giant mace into a Gluttony demon in front of him, who barely took any damage from the hit.


    That was, of course, because as they were standing right outside the portal, Niven''s Blessing was on the demons now, in full force.


    Ash''s own stats benefited from it, but she understood that it meant the soldiers were beyond outmatched at this point.


    Level 56


    MP: 200/330


    EXP: 250/560


    ---


    STR: 67


    DEX: 41


    CON: 46


    INT: 30


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Yeah, there''s no way this amount of soldiers is going to deal with demons this strong. I... Crap, I need to get there though.


    In the heat of the moment, Ash thought of a plan on the spot.


    One that involved her taking off everything she was currently wearing. So, she ran to an alley and reverted her Lust back into a cube.


    "Come on, come on, Ash, do it fast!" She muttered as she pulled off her armor, piece by piece.


    Eventually, she was only wearing black gloves, a black cut-off top, and black shorts. The reason she did this was simple, her armor was too heavy and too flashy for what she had in mind.


    Then, she ran over to the officer, helped him finish the Gluttony demon, stabbing it in the back as the man''s mace then delivered a killing blow on its head, and she spoke to him. The man nearly raised his weapon against her, as he didn''t recognize her immediately without her armor on. Ash ignored that.


    "Tell some of your soldiers to follow me," Ash said loudly, talking over the sounds of swords clanking and people screaming. "I need some of them to come with me into the portal. The rest of you, retreat. You''re done here."


    Ash knew that whoever the man sent to help her was effectively being sent to their deaths, but she didn''t care. She needed the help to take the portals down.


    "Alright, Savior," he turned towards others with no questions asked, trusting that Ash had a valuable plan in mind. "The bravest among you, follow the Savior into the portal, the rest, retreat!"


    He called out to everyone around them with authority. A few of the soldiers instantly began running away, but others didn''t. Some stood their ground, a few of them dying immediately as a result, but others ran up to Ash.


    "We''ll fight with you, Savior!"


    And you''ll probably die because of it, nameless dudes, but thanks, Ash thought as she nodded to a small group of them.  We need this.


    Yumi then approached from the side.


    "We should move now," the masked woman said. "Go in while we have the chance."


    She said this, moving up towards the portal, but Ash put a hand on her elbow and stopped her.


    "No," Ash shook her head. "I need you to help the others fall back. They''ll probably be attacked on the way."


    "What?" Yumi asked, baffled. "B-But, none of these fighters are of any quality, Ash, you know this. I am worth ten of these warriors."


    I know that. Ash thought.  Which is why I''m not about to risk having you die on me.


    Instead of telling her this though, Ash shoved her towards the other soldiers.


    "We don''t have time to argue, Yumi, go! The rest of you, follow me!"


    So, looking away from the masked woman who stood there, dumbfounded at what Ash was doing, Ash sprinted towards the portal with the other soldiers, and after clashing with a few of these demons, made it in.


    Inside, Ash arrived at a swamp-like area, with a terrible smell and gasses visibly popping out of bubbles formed around her.  What the fuck is this?  She asked as she and the soldiers ran straight into an incoming group of demons who had been just about to move out the portal.


    This, of course, was exactly what she''d suspected would happen.


    "FIGHT!"  She yelled out to the soldiers, right before she ran the hell away.


    As soon as they started fighting, Ash went to the right, ignoring them. None of the demons noticed her, thanks to the fact that she wasn''t wearing that bulky golden mess, and as Ash hid behind a giant, black tree, she took slow breaths.


    Okay, now, the beams and then-


    However, her thoughts were interrupted when Yumi arrived next to her, sitting down by her spot casually.


    Ash blinked twice.


    "W-What? Yumi!?" Ash asked in a hushed, confused whisper. "What the fuck are you doing here? I told you to go!" She said as the soldiers were being picked off in the back.


    "Your plan is outright idiotic," Yumi replied in an equally low whisper, "if you die, the city is lost anyway. Plus, the soldiers you brought have already been defeated. There are bound to be more demons ahead and you cannot possibly handle them alone. See? You need me. Now, stop being foolish and tell me what the next step is."


    Ash sighed, letting her head fall against the tree behind her.


    Of all the times that she could have chosen to be stubborn... Dammit.


    "Fine, but if you get killed, it''s on you."


    "I''m aware of that," Yumi replied, nodding. "Now, let''s get moving, shall we?"

 Chapter 192 - Vol. 3 - 65

    As the party of soldiers who came into the portal with Ash was being ripped apart, the Savior and the masked woman slipped away. Leaving their cries in the background, Ash looked around to see where she could spot the beams. Yumi tapped her shoulder and pointed to the right.


    Sure enough, she saw three violet beams surging into the sky.


    "Yeah," she nodded, "that''s where we''re headed."


    "... Hm," Yumi stared ahead at them. "If these things are what you use to locate the objects that need to be destroyed, it is curious that they don''t put them indoors, or somewhere where those beams can''t be seen."


    "My guess is that the beams touching the sky are what keep the portal open, or something. Anyway, let''s get moving. We have another one to close after this."


    With that, the two of them began to drag their feet through the disgusting black muck they were currently in.


    Ugh, it smells so fucking awful here,  Ash grimaced as a bubble popped nearby and released a gas into the air, and Ash inhaled it.


    Coughing, she nearly puked.


    "Not gonna lie," Ash gagged, "I''m actually getting dizzy from this."


    "We likely shouldn''t speak too much," Yumi told Ash. "The demons are still close. If they hear us, I don''t believe a fight in this area would go in our favor. This... liquid is restricting my movement," Yumi told her. Ash nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah, you''re..."


    And then, a status effect popped up over her head.


    Status Effect Gained: Poisoned


    Ash raised a brow.


    "What?" She asked, looking up. Yumi turned towards her and saw the words over her head.


    Poisoned


    [Health and certain stats will deteriorate based on the intensity of the factor that caused the poison. Remaining poisoned will cause these effects to worsen.]


    "What the fuck?" Ash asked, as the same status then appeared over Yumi''s head.


    "Ah," Yumi said, "this could be a problem."


    Ash then checked her stats.


    Level 56


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 250/560


    ---


    STR: 67 (-10) (Poisoned)


    DEX: 41


    CON: 46 (-10) (Poisoned)


    INT: 30


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    ... Crap.


    Ash sighed as Yumi showed her own stats.


    Level 44


    MP: 100/100


    EXP: 50/440


    ---


    STR: 24 (-10) (Poisoned)


    DEX: 100


    CON: 19 (-10) (Poisoned)


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    "We need to get out of here," Ash told her.


    "Is there any way that we can deal with this? A potion you brought, maybe?" Yumi asked.


    "Yeah, I know a spell to cure poisons, but using it here, we''ll just get poisoned again anyway.


    "Ah, I see. Then, in that case, the best option would be-"


    Yumi was cut off when a Wrath demon suddenly jumped out of the black water in front of her. Ash''s eyes widened, but Yumi reacted quickly, swiping her naginata across its body. Although her attack landed, slashing its skin and releasing a spray of violet, the demon continued to press against her. It grabbed Yumi by her shoulders and pushed her down, submerging her into the water.


    Shit, shit,  Ash said as she clumsily tried to drag her legs over, but the thick liquid she was in made that hard. She wasn''t too far though, so she reached the demon in a few seconds and transformed her  Lust  into her gauntlets, raising her left hand up and stabbing through its chest with it.


    The demon let go of Yumi with a screech and the woman quickly rose up, gasping for air. Ash gritted her teeth and tried again to end the creature''s life as the demon screeched loudly.


    She pushed up closer and pulled back her right arm, and then stabbed it through its gut. Not stopping there, Ash pulled it back out and stabbed it again. Only then did the demon finally fall into the muck, dead.


    EXP Gained: 100


    EXP: 350/560


    From behind her though, she heard a series of concerning sounds. Turning around, Ash saw multiple demons sprinting towards them from a distance, only slowing down once they began trudging through the same filth they were currently in.


    "Fuck. Yumi, we have to move!" Ash let her know as the woman removed her mask and coughed out some of that water.


    "R-Right," she said with a raspy voice, and so, the two of them began running away. Of course, thanks to the water, they didn''t make progress too quickly, but neither did their pursuers.


    As they ran though, Ash started to feel like her head was turning a little heavier. Every now and then, her heart would begin to hurt and Ash soon feared she was going to pass out before they could get away from the incoming monsters, or out of this poisonous water. However, as they continued to run for a few minutes, Ash saw the land rise, and actual dirt appeared between black trees, albeit humid and just as dark. However, as soon as they reached it, she guessed they could run at full speed again.


    "Yumi, get ready!" She said, pointing ahead at it.


    Yumi wordlessly nodded as the two of them put a little more effort into their strides. Behind them, the demons continued chasing all the way to the land, where Yumi was the first to arrive.


    However, she didn''t run. instead, Yumi turned around, facing Ash and the approaching demons.


    "What are you doing!?" Ash asked. Yumi didn''t respond. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    "Inzo, Anzo, Kenzo!"  Yumi yelled out and, as Ash reached the dirt, she stabbed her naginata into the ground in front of her.


    Ash looked back and her eyes widened as she saw lightning suddenly fall from the sky, onto the water. It electrified the liquid and the demons screeched as electricity coursed through their bodies.


    ... Holy shit.


    "Now, go!" Yumi said.


    "R-Right." Ash nodded and with that brief interruption, the two of them managed to retreat, away from them.


    Eventually, when they could no longer see their enemies, they took some time to catch their breath. Ash, although she felt dizzy, couldn''t help but take a second to ask:


    "What was that?"


    "A simple technique," Yumi replied. "I try not to rely on them too much as I fear that doing so will lead to the deterioration of my skills with my weapons, but I figured we needed it here."


    "... So, you can do more cool shit like that?"


    "The blood of a Zayama is a pathway to many abilities," Yumi told her with a proud smirk that Ash could see since she wasn''t wearing her mask. "I suppose you could consider them cool, though I''ve grown used to them."


    "Gotcha. Well," Ash stood up straight. "Let me take this poison off of us."


    And so, she cast the  Cure Poison  spell that she''d received from the healer when Keiko had been poisoned before. Considering how Keiko''s state had differed slightly from Ash and Yumi''s just now, it made the half-demon wonder if there were different kinds of poisons with different effects.


    "That was dangerous for me though," Yumi said with a low voice. "While poisoned, my Con drops to almost nothing. Though my Dexterity is unaffected so I can still move just as quickly."


    "... If we find any more of this stuff," she gestured back at the muck they''d just left, "we should probably stay away from it. Anyway, come on, sooner we''re done with this the sooner I can take a shower."


    "Yes," Yumi chuckled, "this liquid is... slipping into places I''d rather it not be in."


    "Yeah, I thought I''d gotten used to the feeling of blood and guts on my tits. This is extra gross though."


    "That... is certainly an interesting statement," Yumi replied.


    The pair continued walking forwards, with the hill continuing to rise. The beams in the sky pointed them to where they needed to go. They couldn''t see much of the area around them though, as the black trees blocked sight of most of this strange place.


    So, if these portals are supposed to send us to weird versions of real places, Ash thought,  I wonder where the hell we even are. This doesn''t look like Amber, and it doesn''t look like Sapphire either... Is this around Pearl? Or maybe around Onyx? I can''t imagine either of those, honestly.


    Her thoughts were interrupted though when the two of them finally began reaching the top of this hill.


    "Okay," Ash said as she walked up to it, "let''s think of a path and..."


    However, when she saw what lies ahead, she froze.


    They had unknowingly found an oasis of sorts, as this hill was surrounded by that black liquid. Ahead, to the west and the east, and behind them, all Ash could see was that disgusting substance. Demons were sluggishly moving through it ahead, a few of them carrying the bodies of soldiers, some dead, some screaming for help.


    Over their heads, Lust demons were circling the beams they were moving toward. Most concerning of all though was that there was so much fog in the distance, that Ash knew there was no real way they could safely reach the pyramids.


    She nodded to herself and sat down. Yumi saw her and, albeit with some questions in her eyes, sat down as well, putting her naginata aside.


    "Well, shit."

 Chapter 193 - Vol. 3 - 66

    As the two of them sat on this hill, Ash looked back, to make sure no demons were still chasing them. All the while, the pair continued to think of a plan.


    "In short," Ash said, "we''re kind of fucked."


    "I see."


    "There''s no chance we get through this without being poisoned again," Ash said as she searched the land for any dry spots. "And those demons are buffed, so neither of us can take them down as easily as normal. On the bright side though," she pointed ahead, "it shouldn''t take too long to reach those things. So, if we figure out a way there that isn''t too bad, we''ll be fine."


    "What do you suggest then?" Yumi asked. "I... I never experienced a problem like this at the shrine. I heard of poisonous swamps in this book I used to read, that my handlers left for me, Souls of Darkness, but I never thought I''d actually be in one."


    "I don''t know," Ash muttered. "We have a few problems. First, there are way too many demons around," she pointed at a few of them. "I can see some over there, to the left. I can hear a few to the right. I imagine there will be more up ahead. Wherever we go, we can expect a fight. Second, the poison. You have almost no Con in that water, and the poison weakens me enough to close the gap between the demons and I."


    "Ah, I see. The Strength reduction means you can''t brute force your way through them?"


    "Yeah, and that means that their numbers advantage starts to matter a hell of a lot more."


    "... But," Yumi said as she put a hand to her chin, "are they immune to this poison? I see no reason why they should be. I had speculated for a moment that demons are immune to such things, but, well..."


    "Yeah, I''m half of one and it still affects me," she finished Yumi''s statement. "Well, yeah. If they aren''t immune to this, then they''d be poisoned too."


    "And that would mean the power gap between you still exists. Additionally, it would make killing them slightly easier for me, since their physical stats would also be lower, but my Dexterity has remained unaffected."


    Nodding, Ash continued to search around them.


    "So, it sounds like we have a pretty good shot at fighting them... If we can find a dry spot, and if they aren''t immune to the poison which, well, why would they be?" She shrugged.


    "Precisely," Yumi agreed. "And, of course, there is also the chance that we could be terribly wrong and rush into our deaths."


    "... Yeah, that''s definitely something that could happen," Ash chuckled. "Doesn''t feel like we''ve got too many choices here though."


    Well,  she thought, there is my Demon Form. But, I can''t activate that myself, I''d need to fight some of these things and let them activate it for me. Unless I... I mean, yeah, if Yumi and I fucked then I''d go into my Lust Demon Form, but...


    She snuck a glance at the other woman.


    Yeah, no. I''m not about to say, "hey, Yumi, I know we''re in the middle of the grossest place either of us has been to, surrounded by a bunch of terrifying demons, but how about you eat me out real quick? I really could use some tongue action right now." I refuse.


    However, the more she thought about it, the more sense it began to make from a strategic point of view.


    I mean... I guess if I were in my Lust Demon Form I could just fly us through this mess. Unless Niven sent his own Lust demons to fight me but, we could probably do something about it, since my spells would be enhanced too... Plus, the Demon Form buff would at least make the Poison effect be a little less damaging.


    As Ash continued to ponder this, Yumi stood up.


    "Hm? What''s...?"


    Ash stopped when she saw Yumi take her shirt off. She froze as the Zayama casually sat back down, folding her shirt up neatly and setting it beside her.


    Ash was stunned. It also didn''t help that Yumi wasn''t wearing anything underneath.


    "Oh, my apologies," Yumi said, "wearing that wet shirt felt awful. I suppose I''ll put it back on when we get moving but, ugh, I needed a moment without it."


    Ash gulped.


    "So, listen," she opened, "I have this power..."


    ---


    Eliza


    Scientific and security purposes.


    That was all.


    What Eliza had just done had been purely for scientific and security purposes. Never mind the way her legs were trembling, the way her heart was beating quickly even now, ten minutes after she''d walked out of the palace''s dungeon area, the way her body could still remember the creature''s cold touch. Logic and reason were all that had prompted her to take a visit there.


    And, the only reason she was sitting here, on her bed, her hands clutching its edge with a white-knuckle grip, was because she needed a moment after so much time spent planning the defense of her city. The time she spent conversing with the officers from Jade, informing them of what was happening in the city and where their forces would be best used.


    It was a lot for one woman to handle. So, clearly, she needed a break.


    ... You did it, it''s done, just move on,  Eliza told herself.  Now, in the event that these demons should manage to break through the Grey Chamber''s gates, you will be protected by one of them. That''s it.


    The door opened and Eliza flinched. One of her handmaids walked in holding a glass of water and some bread, looking ashamed of herself.


    "O-Oh, sorry, milady, I forgot to knock..."


    Eliza took a deep breath.


    "Do not worry," she raised a hand as she stood up. "I could definitely use some water right now, thank you."


    And a shower, probably.


    "Uh..." The handmaid sniffed the air. "Milady, you... I mean no offense, but you smell strange."


    "... Thank you for the water and bread, my dear, but I need a moment to myself."


    "O-Oh, of course, I apologize, enjoy."


    As the maid walked out, Eliza crossed her legs and took a sip from the glass she''d been given. She sat in silence for a second.


    "... Fuck this, I need wine," she muttered, standing up and walking out of her chambers.


    ---


    Ash


    Yumi had been staring at Ash like was crazy for the past five minutes. Ash stared right back, determined.


    "... Are you serious?"


    "For the third time, yes," Ash nodded firmly. "I''m not lying, joking, or just trying to get you to have sex with me. Well, I am, but, you know what I mean."


    "..." Yumi blinked. "Tell me if I am understanding this correctly," Yumi took a deep breath, "what you are telling me is that if you and I... Well, you know," she blushed a little, "you will take on a more powerful form? And, there''s no other way for you to take this form?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Like I said, I''m half-Lust demon. When I have sex with someone, I transform into a full Lust demon. And, with that, my stats get increased and my spells get stronger. Not just that, but, I can fly, which would be pretty convenient here."


    Even to her own ears, Ash sounded like the sort of shady merchant who she''d occasionally run into in Jade, trying to sell her random rocks as "priceless enchanted artifacts". But, she wasn''t lying, and it really would make a lot of this easier to do.


    "I... I suppose that makes sense but..." Yumi looked away. "Is that truly needed to take on this new form? Is there no other way?"


    "The only other way is to fight, and have the fight last long enough to make the transformation happen on its own. But, that version of the Demon Form can''t fly, which is kind of the point of what I want to do. I want to fly us to the beams," she gestured at them, "and once we''re there we can just take the portal down and leave."


    "... When you put it that way it sounds so simple," Yumi laughed.


    "It is," Ash said, "we just fuck, fly, and leave. Easy, right? It doesn''t even have to be a big deal or anything, it''s just magic at work, you know?"


    Nodding, Yumi remained silent.


    "... I will be honest," she said, "sex had never really been a prominent part of my thoughts. A decade of isolation will do that to you. But now, hearing you say this, I can''t help but be slightly caught off-guard."


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it, it was just a suggestion anyway, I''m not saying that''s what we should do, just-"


    "But, you''re right," Yumi took a deep breath. "If... If this form of yours works as you said it does, then that would be the most intelligent route to victory."


    Ash stopped.


    "So... Does that mean...?"


    "..." Yumi silently took the rest of her clothes off right in front of Ash. Then, without saying a word, she turned towards her and spread her legs in front of the half-demon.


    Ash took a sharp breath.


    "I suppose," Yumi mumbled, "in this matter, I am the student. How do we do this?"

 Chapter 194 - Vol. 3 - 67

    Note: So, yeah, if the last chapter was any indication you know what to expect here, but still, as always, some lewdness ahead.


    ----


    Ash


    Ash was conflicted.


    On one hand, the lust in her nature made it so that she was eager to get this going. On the other, she had underestimated how awkward this would be to do with someone who she hadn''t seen in a sexual light until about four minutes ago.


    It was especially jarring to be doing anything like this with Yumi, despite the fact that she was beautiful because up until now Ash had spent far more time being impressed by her rather than being turned on.


    "So," Ash said as the two of them remained sitting on that hill, demons moving through the waters in the distance, "what do you want me to do?"


    "I have no idea how any of this works," Yumi replied with a shrug.


    "Right. Well, uh, shit, I guess I could finger you or something, get over here," Ash said, wiping her hands on the few clean spots on her clothes to clean them up.


    With some awkward shuffling, Ash directed Yumi to where she was sitting in front of her, but with her back to Ash''s chest. If they were going to do this, Ash didn''t want to stare into a pair of nervous eyes the entire time.


    "... No offense, but you smell terrible," Ash muttered.


    "Yes, and you, on the other hand, smell like lilies and sunshine," Yumi mumbled sarcastically as Ash parted her legs lightly.


    "Fair enough, fair enough," Ash took a deep breath as she felt Yumi''s back press against her chest. "Okay, so, listen, I''m going to start, let me know if you don''t like it, you don''t feel comfortable, you change your mind or whatever."


    "How long does this take?" Yumi asked, turning her head towards her.


    "Uh... Honestly, I don''t know, I''m usually too busy being horny to really measure the time."


    "I see..."


    "So, just lean back against me, close your eyes, relax, and yeah, with any luck in the middle of all this awkward shit you''ll at least cum."


    "I will what?"


    "Nothing."


    Finally, after so much stalling, Ash nodded to herself and tried to steel her nerves as she reached between Yumi''s legs. She placed her other hand on Yumi''s breasts and felt the woman flinch when she touched her.


    She was practically trembling. Admittedly, there definitely was something alluring about the thought of seeing a woman like Yumi, who was usually so serious and confident, be completely out of her element like this.


    In a word, it was cute.


    Particularly, the way Yumi shivered a little when Ash''s right hand reached her lower lips and her fingers brushed against them was adorable. It made Ash want to tease her a little just to see what other reactions she could get.


    It was slightly concerning how quickly she managed to forget that they were in the middle of a poisonous swamp with bloodthirsty demons all around them.


    She drew circles on top of Yumi and the Zayama took a sharp breath. Then, after Ash lifted her hand to her lips and lubed up her fingers with her own saliva, she went back to that spot and let her digits push in just a little, her other hand massaging Yumi''s chest.


    At that, Yumi gave a slight gasp and Ash chuckled lowly.


    "... Kinda sounds like you''re enjoying this more than I thought you would. Is this good?" She asked.


    "... Just ge-" she cut herself off when Ash touched her clit, taking a deep breath and staring down at Ash''s hand. "Just get on with it," she said with a flushed face.


    "Hahaha," Ash laughed. "Got it, got it."


    ---


    Keiko


    At this point, Keiko was getting restless. Now that her condition had become slightly better and she was feeling far less sick than before, the boredom and anxiety of sitting around in the Grey Chamber were really setting in.


    As she sat by Metsumi and the others, watching soldiers walking in and out of the palace, some covered in blood, some fresh and about to fight, she felt some anger bubbling under her skin.


    I should be out there with them,  she thought. At least now that I''m not as sick, I should be taking advantage of this moment. Instead...  She sighed.  I''m stuck in here.


    She wondered which of the deities influenced this outcome. If her pregnancy had simply been a prank done unto Ash from any of the gods. Still, she knew that if she were to tell the others that she wanted to go out and fight, she''d probably be tied down to the same bed Kaori was currently on.


    So, all she could do was wish she could be out there, helping the soldiers defend the city, or maybe helping Ash as she closed one of the portals with Yumi.


    Hm... I wonder how that''s going,  she thought.  I hope they aren''t having too much trouble.


    "Um..." A voice suddenly said beside her and at first, Keiko didn''t think she was being addressed. However, as a small hand tugged on her left sleeve, Keiko turned towards it.


    Luvine was standing there, a nervous look in her eyes as she quickly put her hands behind her back when Keiko turned toward her.


    As Keiko hadn''t expected this, she was a bit surprised.


    "Yes?" Keiko asked.


    "I... I wanted to ask you something..." She mumbled.


    "Oh. Uh, sure, go ahead."


    Keiko hadn''t spoken too much to this girl, as Ash had clearly made herself responsible for her for the time being. However, while Keiko was waiting for her to continue, she really felt like she was looking at a much younger version of her friend, only shy and scared of her surroundings.


    "H-How did you meet Ash?" Luvine asked meekly. Keiko blinked.


    "Why do you want to know?"


    "Um... You''re nice to her. Even though she''s like me..." Luvine muttered and Keiko slowly realized what was going on.


    Luvine, an ostracized half-demon, probably didn''t understand how Ash had gotten where she currently was. Her friends, her status, it was all likely baffling to Luvine. Of course, she''d want to know about Ash''s life. As Keiko got where Luvine was coming from, she chuckled a little and then nodded.


    "Okay. Sit down, I''ll tell you a little."


    ---


    Ash


    One thing had turned into another and after a short session of "hand training", as Ash liked to call it sometimes, she had now knelt down in front of Yumi, using her tongue.


    Yumi was fully laid down as Ash dove between her legs, closing her eyes and trying her hardest not to focus on the awful smell of the dirt beneath them. On the bright side though, having eaten three girls out by now, Ash had decided it was one of her favorite things to do. She liked Yumi''s taste and, if they weren''t in this swamp, she figured her scent would be nice as well. Most of all though, she liked the reactions she got from her.


    As a violet aura had started coming out of Ash, she grinned when Yumi gave a muffled moan, her lips tightly shut as Ash dragged her tongue over her.


    "Almost there," Ash whispered as she looked down at her own body. Soon enough, she felt herself changing. Normally, she was so distracted by this point that she would completely miss these moments, but as the whole purpose of this was to get her in her Lust Demon Form, Ash was aware of what was happening.


    She felt her hands change, then a pair of wings sprout at her back, and then, of course, her tail sprouted out from her lower back. Yumi looked down at her with some surprise and Ash smiled.


    "See?" Ash chuckled. "This wasn''t just an excuse to fuck you, you know."


    "I-I see..." Yumi took quick breaths as she replied. "Are we done?"


    "Not yet," Ash responded. Remembering her past trysts, she elaborated, "if I don''t get off, I''ll just revert back to normal."


    "Oh. So, what must we do?" Yumi asked.


    "Well," a bit of seriousness slipped into Ash''s tone, "shit..."


    At that moment, Ash remembered the talk she had with Magia almost a month ago regarding this very form.  So, she said that it''s based on my orgasms, if I remember correctly. That, if I don''t get off, I''ll turn back, but if I do get off, while in this form, I''ll go all the way up to Lust 4. But... She paused.  If I remember this right... I have to cum inside of her for this to work. Crap.


    This obviously mattered because Ash already had gotten one girl pregnant thanks to this form. She didn''t like the idea of having the same thing happen to Yumi.


    Still, it seemed like the only answer. Without this, they really didn''t have a chance at getting through to the beams. So, cursing her own condition, Ash looked up at her.


    "I need to put this in you," she said, gesturing at her tail. "Then... Yeah, after a while, it''ll be done."


    "Uhm... Will it hurt?"


    "A little, but Keiko said she liked it after the initial pain."


    "Keiko!?" Yumi asked, shocked. "You did this with her?"


    "... We''ve done a lot together, anyway, yeah, if you don''t want to stop here, I''m going in."


    "I... Sure," Yumi laid back down and closed her eyes. "Go ahead."


    "... Alright."


    And so, with that, the last step began. Ash gently pushed her tail inside of Yumi and the Zayama clearly held back a whimper, but Ash kept going. It felt amazing, the walls surrounding her tail were warm and tight to a point where Ash herself was breathing heavy.


    "Oh my..." Yumi muttered as Ash continued.


    And, at that point, as Ash''s desire for her grew exponentially, so too did the rate at which she pushed her tail into her until finally Ash''s abs clenched and she felt something pour out of her tail, and into Yumi.


    And with that, as she retreated, she was locked into her Lust Demon Form, as she''d wanted.


    Yumi took heavy breaths. Ash did the same, reaching down and extending a hand. Yumi took it, and both of them stood up.


    "There..." Ash laughed, feeling demonic energy surging inside of her.. "Done."

 Chapter 195 - Vol. 3 - 68

    "Oh, fuck," Ash laughed as she scanned her own body. "I forgot how good this feels~"


    In front of her, Yumi was panting. She was looking down at herself, particularly at the wetness between her legs, breathing heavily. Eventually, though, she stood and picked her clothes back up.


    "N-Now what?" Yumi asked as she put her shirt on with trembling hands.


    "Hm? Oh, right," Ash nodded as she remembered why they''d even done this. She walked up to Yumi and wrapped an arm around her waist, gesturing over at the beams. "Now, we go and break some shit, and then we leave. Ready?"


    "... Yes," Yumi took a deep breath, seemingly calming herself down. "Yes, yes. We... Yes."


    "Gotcha."


    And, without a warning, Ash put her other hand under Yumi''s legs and swept her, taking her into a bridal carry. Yumi yelped.


    "W-Wait, my naginata!" Yumi yelled out.


    "Right. Pick it up!" Ash said, crouching so that Yumi could grab it.


    And, with that, Ash grinned as she looked ahead, flapping her wings a couple of times before finally taking off into the air.


    Almost immediately, a few Lust demons spotted them. Ash watched as pursuers began to follow them through the air. Below, other demons noticed them flying over their heads and started dragging themselves through the muck, in their direction.


    "Well, looks like we''re gonna have a party as soon as we reach that place," Ash muttered with a smirk.


    For a brief moment, she had enough sense to tell Yumi something fairly important.


    "Listen," she said, forcing herself to stop grinning, "one time, I did this with Satsuhiro, and he tried to get close to the things I''m going to be breaking. It didn''t work out though because those objects give off demonic energy or something. So, what I''m trying to say is that you should keep your sweet ass away from those things. Got it?"


    "I..." Yumi said as she looked around with wide eyes. She didn''t say anything else, instead, her lips parted and closed and repeated that process for a few seconds.


    Oh, right. Ash thought.


    Flying was normal to her at this point, but to Yumi, this was her first time being lifted up into the air like this.


    "I''m gonna take that as a ''yes''," Ash replied as she spotted the sources of those beams up ahead.


    Aw. Crap.


    The pyramids appeared to be nestled between bundles of giant, black, trees with intertwining roots, their violet rays bursting through the branches. The worst part though was that the poisonous waters did reach this area, which meant that as Ash would need to drop Yumi off, the Zayama would see her movement impaired while Ash went from one pyramid to another.


    I need to be fast as fuck here.


    "Okay, Yumi, I just need ten seconds," Ash told her. "We have Lust demons behind us and a bunch of other demons that''ll be here a little later. Just hold off a couple of them if you can, and I''ll take care of these things."


    Yumi nodded and Ash took a deep breath as she descended.


    "Okay... Now!"


    In a split second, she dropped Yumi and launched herself headfirst towards the nearest pyramid.


    "WUAH!?" Yumi yelled out behind her, followed by some gurgling sounds.


    What the fuck?


    Ash raised a brow, stopping in midair to turn around and see what had happened.


    Yumi wasn''t there. Or, at least, she wasn''t there in her entirety. Instead, her arms were flailing above the surface, but the rest of her body was submerged. As quickly as she could, Ash flew towards her, just as the incoming Lust demons were arriving.  Fuck, fuck.


    She grabbed Yumi by her wrists and pulled her out of the water, flying with her high up into the air. Yumi coughed out some of the filthy water she''d apparently inhaled as she''d nearly drowned.


    "What the fuck happened?"


    "The..." She coughed. "It''s not as shallow as the other parts were..."


    "Well," Ash looked back at the demons chasing them through the air, "I have to drop you off somewhere, I can''t deal with these things with you in my arms, as much as I wish that I could."


    "Uh, you can put me back in, I had just... not expected it. I''ll be fine now, don''t worry."


    "Can you stand, at least?"


    "The water reaches up to my neck, I think," Yumi took steady breaths, "you need to break those weird objects, correct? We do not have a choice, I believe."


    "... Fine. I''m heading back in. Get ready."


    "Right."


    Flying in a circle, Ash had intended to move back towards the earlier spot, but as she tried to, something struck her back.


    "AGH, FUCK!" She felt a sharp, cold pain. Instinctively, she moved to the left and a ball made of ice flew right her.


    "The demons," Yumi said, peeking over her shoulder, "they''re casting spells at us!" To prove her point, as Ash flew left and right to avoid them, more spells barely missed her.


    "... Well this just got way more annoying," Ash said through gritted teeth. "Okay, change of plans. I''m dropping you right now."


    "What?"


    Just as Yumi responded, Ash let go of her.


    The Zayama all but screeched as she fell into the black water.  Sorry,  Ash thought as she turned towards her enemies in the air.  But I need to deal with these things before I can do anything else.


    ... Well, that, and that spell made me really fucking angry. That shit hurt.


    There were three Lust demons in total, with two of them still approaching and the one farthest to the back having halted, casting ice spells at her. The distance, though, made it easy to avoid them.


    Level 29


    MP: 80/100


    Level 30


    MP: 40/50


    Level 30


    MP: 120/130


    Ash narrowed her eyes at them as she pulled back a hand.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" She said and a black sphere formed in the palm of her right hand. She launched it towards the nearest demon and managed to catch its head. It moaned out in pain, recoiling.


    The second one went to attack her, but Ash flew away and instead moved straight towards the one she''d hit.


    Flying up behind it, she wrapped an arm around her neck. It tried to bite her, but Ash acted too quickly for it to do so. She cranked back, pulling with as much force as she could muster, earning a  crack for her efforts, and the demon''s arms went limp.


    Ash ignored the EXP message that appeared and let go of the creature, letting it fall into the black waters beneath her.


    Without hesitating, she cast the same spell at the demon she''d avoided, but this time, her attack didn''t land. She didn''t need it to though, as all she wanted was some space.


    Okay, now!  With both demons giving her room to work, Ash flew towards the pyramids.


    She heard thunder cracking nearby and figured Yumi was using that ability again. As the demons realized what she was going for, both of them chased after her, but by now, she was too far ahead. She broke through the first one with a firm stomp, flying towards the next one. A few spheres of ice splashed into the water below as Ash dodged them, moving up to the second and punching straight through it.


    Okay, last one, where...


    Before she could find it though, demons screeching to her right. Glancing over, she saw that the monsters were getting dangerously close to Yumi, who was trying to move away from them.


    Yeah, I need to hurry-


    Something tackled her from behind. Ash was pushed into the waters and all she could see was darkness, with a pair of demonic hands trying to keep her under.  Because she''d been caught by surprise, Ash accidentally breathed in a little bit of water and coughed, trying her hardest not to take another breath.


    Status Effect Gained: Poisoned


    As the demon''s hands tried to snuff the life out of her, Ash used her own to claw down its wrists. The demon let go of her and Ash flailed her limbs, trying to find the ground so she could stand up. It took a moment, but once she did, she stood up and got her head out of the water.


    "F- *cough* FUCK!"


    The demon in front of her raised a hand but Ash grabbed it before she could be attacked. Gritting her teeth, Ash swept the demon''s legs out from under it and pushed it under the water herself. Only, she didn''t stop there. She pushed it further and raised up a leg, pinning it to the ground with her foot.


    You like that!? You made me taste this shit, ugh!  Ash thought as soon, the demon stopped struggling against her.


    With that out of the way, Ash looked ahead and saw the last pyramid. She moved towards it, raising up a fist as other Lust demons were flying in towards her. Then, with a filth-covered fist, she punched straight through it.


    And, suddenly, the swamp disappeared and both Ash and Yumi popped back out, in front of Onyx, crashing onto the road.


    Covered in black water, Ash coughed a few more times and then grinned over at her partner, who was laying down on the dirt, staring up at the violet sky.


    "Well," Ash said, laughing, "Between the fucking and the action, you can''t say I didn''t show you a good time~"

 Chapter 196 - Vol. 3 - 69

    Inhaling fresh air after having left the dump that was the portal realm, Ash grinned, spreading her arms so she could further feel the cold night air. Beside her, Yumi was trying to wipe off some of that black water from her face.


    "We... We were successful, now what?"


    Ash turned towards her and ran a demonic hand down her hair.


    "Maybe we could celebrate a little..."


    "...?" Yumi tilted her head. "Ash, control yourself. We are on an active battlefield."


    "So? I don''t see any demons around us right now."


    Yumi''s response was to narrow her eyes at her, looking at the demon as though she was disgusted.


    "Ugh, fine, fine. Sheesh, you''re no fun," Ash said, giggling as she looked back towards the city. "Well, I''d say we''re done for the night.


    "Oh? Is that so? There is still another portal." Yumi reminded her.


    "Yeah, but we were only able to get into the portal because that other group of poor unfortunate dudes got swept for us. Unless we can find a few volunteers again, then yeah, we''re pretty much done here. So..." Ash extended a hand to Yumi. "How about I fly us back to the palace."


    "... I believe I have had enough of the sky for one day, no thank you."


    "Come onnn~" Ash smiled sweetly at her. "Your legs have to be tired after all that! Right? I just wanna thank you, you know? For all the help you gave me tonight."


    She moved closer, taking one of her hands lightly. As Yumi didn''t move away, she took that as a good sign.


    "You... You are rather different when you''re like this..." Yumi muttered.


    "Mhm," Ash nodded in agreement, "and I''ll probably regret everything I do during this form as soon as it''s gone, but, for now," she swept Yumi off her feet, literally, picking the woman up as she yelped and nearly dropped her naginata, "I''m just gonna enjoy it."


    And, with a slightly flustered Yumi in her arms, Ash flapped her wings and began flying back to the palace.


    Below them, Ash could see groups of injured soldiers and mages walking back to the Grey Chamber as well. She could barely see any demons though, which was curious.  Huh? Where did they all go? Was I right about them defending the other portal then?  Hm. So, in that case, what options do we have?


    It didn''t take too long for them to arrive, and when they did, as Ash descended unto the road leading up to the massive grey building, a pair of knights flashed their weapons, holding them out as she landed in front of them. They looked shocked, but once they saw Yumi, who Ash placed down gently, they seemed to recognize them.


    "Is that the Savior?" One of them asked.


    "Yep, it''s me," Ash replied, flipping her white hair back. "Let me in, I gotta go talk to your boss."


    With that out of the way, the gates opened and Ash walked in, quickly drawing the eyes of every citizen who was holed up inside.


    Hm... How different do I look? Ash asked before she looked down at herself. Her body''s muscles had grown slightly, making her arms, shoulders, thighs, and her abs far more prominent, but also pushing her chest and butt out enough to stretch her clothes enough to where Ash worried her top would snap any moment now.


    I mean...  Ash smiled at herself.  Aside from the black stains from that gross shit I just came out of, I do look pretty fucking hot right now.


    Groups of men and women gasped and muttered amongst themselves as Ash moved with a smile on her face, walking through the Grey Chamber as if she owned it. Eventually, she reached the throne at the back where Eliza was currently sitting.


    And, quickly, she saw the Lord''s eyes widen as Ash approached. The half-demon couldn''t deny that it was fun eliciting that reaction from people. As she got closer though, she saw something. Eliza''s eyes briefly showed a pair of hearts.  Wait, what?  Ash thought, stopping for a second.


    Why did that...?


    Then, almost as a reminder, a message popped up for Ash''s eyes to see.


    Passive Effect: Aura of the Temptress


    While in Demon Form: Lust (4/4), the bearer exudes a scent that allures, functioning as an Illusion spell and Charming any receptive individuals nearby. While charmed, an individual will follow most orders. If the individual''s level is too high, this spell will fail.


    Ash blinked.


    Oh. She looked back at Eliza.  Oh... So...


    Ash nearly laughed, but she put that thought away for now.


    Eliza, though, breathed in and cleared her throat, closing her eyes as Ash reached her. Ash stood in front of her, looking down at the woman with a smirk. Eliza crossed her arms, apparently refusing to open her eyes again.


    "Savior... You seem... different."


    "Really? How?" Ash asked innocently.


    "... You smell awful."


    At that, Ash chuckled. I guess she''s got some restraint. Good for her.


    "Well, the portal ended up throwing us into a swamp. We closed it though, so that''s another one gone," Ash stated. "You''ll have to come up with something for the next portal though."


    "Why is that?"


    "I didn''t see any demons in the streets. I''m assuming they all went back to the other portal, and that they''re probably just going to protect it from the inside, where they''re strongest. So yeah, I don''t like our chances with that one, but I''m sure you''ll figure something out," Ash shrugged.


    "I see. Well, good. Good work, Savior," Eliza replied with a slightly raspy voice.


    "Thanks. Now, if you don''t mind, I need a shower. Oh, and," she bent down a little, winking at her. "I expect a reward for all of this, remember that."


    "... I could give you a small one right now," Eliza said to her.


    "Hm? What''s that?"


    "Use my personal shower," Eliza suggested. "It''s much nicer than the guests''."


    "Really? Hm... Sure, I''ll take you up on that."


    "Good... Come with me."


    And so, Eliza stood and began walking ahead of Ash. Then, Ash looked back and found her group, talking amongst themselves behind a pillar. For a second, the Lust-ridden fog in her mind caused by this form dispersed, and Ash''s smile faded, as she turned serious.


    Hm... I should check in on them, once I''m done.  Ash thought.  Make sure Keiko and the others are alright. I should probably make sure Kaori''s still in a comfortable position too. I wonder if she''s gonna be tossing and turning or if she''s gonna be still during her time asleep. Yeah, I''ll do that after this.


    However, as soon as she turned away from them, that grin came back.


    Now... Eliza. Where were we? She smirked as she followed the Lord through a door to the back, far behind the throne.


    They moved in silence throughout most of this. A few soldiers passed them by and each of them reacted the same way to the sight of Ash in her Lust Demon Form. They would reach for their weapon quickly and then calm down when they saw her Savior''s Weapon tied to her waist.


    By the time they''d reached the Lord''s chambers, Ash figured she must have scared the life out of at least ten different soldiers.


    "My shower is in there," Eliza gestured at one of the nearby doors. "I believe you''ll be surprised at how pristine the space is," Eliza boasted. "Feel free to take as long as you want. I will remain here... just so that no one walks in on you."


    "Aw, my hero~" Ash teased her as she walked in. She quickly found that the door had a lock on it and she chuckled.


    Yeah. She''s just hoping for something to happen, isn''t she? Ash thought as she walked into the shower, finding that it was as clean and gorgeous as the Lord had promised, with a polished sink and toilet next to a large space where the shower was. Well, why not give her what she wants then?


    It didn''t matter to her that outside of this form, she had never really found Eliza to be sexy. Right now, in this form, she felt like she could fuck any woman around her if they just asked nicely. So, as she took off her clothes and then washed off the black stains on her skin, she waited for a while, until she was at least mostly clean, and walked back towards the door.


    She opened it and Eliza turned towards her.


    "Oh? Done alr-"


    Before she could finish, Ash pulled her into the room.


    Eliza yelped and Ash closed the door, pinning her to it, putting a hand right next to her head, and leaning in.


    "S-Savior...? What is the meaning of this?"


    "Oh, you know what this is about," Ash told her, and Eliza''s breathing sped up. Her face turned slightly red, but she couldn''t tear her eyes away from Ash''s own. Ash didn''t say anything for a while. Instead, she simply smiled at the other woman, who then finally looked away.


    "... How did you know?" She asked, as meekly as Ash had ever heard her speak.


    It was almost jarring how quickly Eliza let the veil slip, but Ash was fine with that.


    "The way you were looking at me out there, I felt like you were going to burn holes through my tits," Ash chuckled. "But, don''t worry, I''m down to entertain you for a little while.. Just as long as you can handle all of this," she said as she waved her tail in the air behind her.

 Chapter 197 - Vol. 3 - 70

    Niven


    Beyond the last gate, the body of a young boy walked between the golden trees found west of Jade, and just a bit north of Pearl. This was where the portal would send the forces of Onyx if they came to destroy this object.


    How amusing,  Niven thought, smiling as all around him were his demons. Having sex, eating each other alive, fighting. When they weren''t in the middle of a battle, this was what they did all day. That Magia''s champion would resort to such tricks to win the day was certainly fun to watch.


    As Niven paced through this beautiful forest, near the three pyramids that were keeping this portal up, he took a deep breath, his hands held behind his back.


    A notification pinged in his mind and suddenly, a message appeared in front of him.


    Communication Request: Magia


    Accept?


    [Yes] [No]


    Hm. Does she seek to boast?  Niven asked himself. Curious, he pinged the [Yes] option and in front of him, a hologram of Magia slowly appeared into view.


    A very long time ago, Magia would have simply appeared in front of him herself, with her actual body, the moment he accepted the request. However, after Niven''s fight with Alkoth which resulted in the latter god''s true body being scarred, the Higher Powers placed a restriction on such a thing, and now that wasn''t possible anymore.


    Magia''s figure materialized in front of her, and already she had a grin on her face.


    "She truly is everything I wanted her to be," Magia said with a smirk.


    "Sacrificing the lives of those soldiers was definitely an interesting move," Niven replied calmly. "That disdain for human life that she has... I''ll certainly take it into account next time."


    "Ugh," Magia rolled her eyes, "how long do you intend to keep this up for?"


    "What could you possibly mean?"


    "The tide of the war is changing," Magia told him. "With every day, Ash grows stronger and, even though we lost Lumina''s champion for the time being, with Ash''s EXP rate buffed so high, she will surely become stronger than any of your demons could hope to match. It may not happen this week, or this month, or this year, but eventually, she will become unstoppable."


    "Meh," Niven shrugged. "The humans have a saying I''ve grown rather fond of over the years. ''Everything worth trying is difficult''. What you say may be true, but that won''t stop me from trying to take her down."


    "Fine, waste your time then, when we both already know how this is going to end," Magia said with a glare. "Quite sad, actually. Here I was considering allowing you to keep a couple of demons once I regain my old strength. If you don''t concede though, well, I guess I''ll remind you of what it''s like to starve."


    "Hahaha," Niven laughed when he heard that. "Your tongue has always been good for two things. Licking your priests'' dicks and tossing out threats. Never change, Magia."


    And, with that, he severed the connection between their respective realms, before Magia could get another word in, and the goddess faded away. That, of course, was calculated.


    He knew quite well that such a thing would leave Magia punching the air.


    Chuckling lowly, Niven smiled as he looked back and saw a Wrath demon tear the head off of a Lust demon.  Vicious, indeed, he acknowledged,  but... Magia is right. The half-demon continues to grow stronger and... Perhaps it is time to exercise patience.


    He snapped his fingers and, from the trees to the left, a Nightmare emerged. His footsteps thudded loudly, the demon''s size so prominent he made every demon around him seem like mere lizards, crawling from one place to another.


    It was the level 90 Wrath Nightmare that Ash had nearly killed, its battle wounds healed at this point, though its missing arm couldn''t be restored. Beside him, was the high-level Gluttony Nightmare that he had kept out of the fights so far. Both of them walked up to him, with Niven smirking as he saw them approach.


    With time, Ash will truly become an unbeatable force. However, that does not mean that I cannot accumulate strength of my own. Perhaps I need to reevaluate my strategy. Evolution of the mind can only occur when you take stock of what hasn''t worked and discard it from your arsenal. So, some analysis is in order, it would seem.


    He turned towards the crowd of demons behind him. The first step seemed clear enough, at least.


    Gesturing at them, Niven snapped his fingers again and the Nightmares began slowly moving towards the horde.


    Fair enough then,  Niven shrugged.  Congratulations, Ash. You win. For now, anyway.


    And then, the Gluttony Nightmare''s tongue lashed out and wrapped around a lower-level Wrath demon, picking it up and swallowing it whole. The Wrath Nightmare raised a leg and slammed it down onto a nearby Lust demon, crushing it effortlessly.


    You may have a higher ceiling than my soldiers, but you aren''t the only one who can grow stronger, he thought, as both Nightmares wiped out the remaining nearby demons.


    Turning towards the pyramids, Niven walked up to them and broke them himself, closing the portal.


    What a fun time this war has been. Hopefully, I can keep it from ending for just a little while longer.


    ---


    Ash


    With one hand gripping Eliza''s ass, another on her lower back, and their tongues dancing together, Ash felt the lust inside of her burning. It was a make-out session with no love or romance behind it, fueled by Ash''s Demon Form on her end, and Eliza''s raw desire on her end. It made a flame that grew steadily in Ash''s heart as the two pulled back for a moment.


    "You''re really into this, how long have you wanted me for?" Ash asked.


    "... Do not speak. This is simply the satisfaction of a need. There is no need to chat."


    "Less talking, more fucking. I can respect that," Ash shrugged.


    Then, she leaned to the right and traced a line up Eliza''s neck with her tongue. As gently as she could, she bit down on it and Eliza hissed.


    Because this was far less... passionate than what Ash had done previously, her tail was already searching between Eliza''s legs, eager to just get on with this. At the same time though, there was a slightly more rational part of her mind telling her to, at least, avoid doing that. She had already risked getting Yumi pregnant, she didn''t need to risk the same with the literal Lord of this city.


    However, her tail moved like it had a mind of its own. Eliza still hadn''t removed her clothes though, so, sadly, she couldn''t do anything with it just yet.


    "I''d love to fuck you through your clothes, but I don''t think you want to walk out of here with a hole in the back of your pants, do you?"


    "..." Wordlessly, Eliza gestured for Ash to move back, and then, she started to disrobe.


    To her credit, she kept herself in good shape. She wasn''t exactly an athletic role model or anything, but her skin seemed soft and her body was mostly toned enough for Ash to find her marginally more attractive.


    That mattered of course because the shame she''d surely feel after this, once she was back to normal, was hopefully going to be lessened a little by the fact that, at least, she had a hot body.


    "Well..." Ash said as Eliza stood in front of her, fully naked. "How about I treat you like the Lord you are?"


    And so, Ash knelt down in front of her. Right when someone knocked on the door.


    "Uhm," a young woman''s voice spoke, "milady, are you inside?"


    "Hm? Yes, I will be out in- agh!"


    As Eliza has begun to respond, Ash''s tongue touched her clit. Instantly, Eliza''s body clenched and she cut herself off. Ash didn''t stop.


    "Um, what was that?"


    "I... I will be out in a moment!" Eliza responded as Ash lifted her tongue up, dragging it over her lips.


    "Would you like me to prepare anything for you, milady?"


    "N-No, it''s fine."


    "Oh, understood."


    With that, the person walked away as Ash held onto Eliza''s thighs.


    "You could have just waited until I was done..." Eliza muttered with annoyance.


    "Sorry," Ash replied, "I had a good meal in front of me. Couldn''t wait."


    Ash continued. She used her tongue like a paintbrush, gliding it on the woman''s lips over and over again until eventually, far sooner than Ash had expected, Eliza was holding onto the back of her head and keeping her mouth closed to prevent moans from getting out. She came almost immediately, on Ash''s tongue as it was still buried there.


    Breathing heavily, Eliza let go of her.


    A few moments later, even though Ash''s pussy was still needy and her tail was practically begging for Eliza not to leave, the woman put her clothes back on and Ash resigned herself to just rubbing one out here, so she could get out of this form.


    "I-I see..." Eliza said. "I... You... You had a good performance." She turned towards the door and went to open it. Ash stopped her, putting her own demonic hand over Eliza''s.


    "Now, I expect twice the reward," Ash whispered into her ear. "You know, for being so nice to you, and all."


    "... You will get something suitable, for... Your services."


    With that, Ash let her go.


    ...  Okay, now, gotta take care of this, and then, well.... We''ll see.

 Chapter 198 - Vol. 3 - 71

    Eliza


    "... Why did I do that?" The Lord asked herself as she sat down in her chamber''s bed, having just walked out of the showers she and Ash had been in earlier.


    Regret was starting to hit her, of course, as what she''d done wasn''t befitting a Lord at all. At the same time, however, the mere thought of what she''d been feeling earlier made her skin heat up.


    The taste of the half-demon''s tongue was still fresh in her mouth. Her body could still remember her touch as it had happened so recently. And of course, her entire lower body was still aflame with the remnants of an intense orgasm still coursing through her.


    Before, it had been a simple attraction, but now, she couldn''t even picture Ash''s face without her hand beginning to roam. Something inside of her had fundamentally changed thanks to this.


    A knock on her door interrupted these thoughts, though.


    "Milady," a man''s voice called. She recognized him as one of her commanding officers. "May I have a moment?"


    "Of course," she replied from inside. "It''s not locked. Come in." She welcomed the distraction.


    A man dressed in black armor entered and he bowed in front of her, as Eliza remained on her bed.


    "I had wanted to deliver to you a report of our army''s performance," he stated.


    "Oh? Anything of note?"


    "Well, yes... About our," he coughed, "special forces if you will."


    Right,  Eliza thought.  She hadn''t heard too much about the Lust demons she''d "employed". She had half-assumed they''d simply perished in their entirety. Well, aside from the ones she still had in the dungeons.


    "What about them?"


    "Well," he said, "there''s a lot to say. Firstly, although most of them died, the few who didn''t vastly outperformed our soldiers. One Lust demon recorded a total of 17 kills in one night. Another recorded 10."


    "Seems good," Eliza responded. "I am glad the experiment was..."


    "With all due respect," he said, "I wasn''t completely finished, milady. See... Most of them also registered some of our own forces as threats and killed Onyx soldiers. It is because of this that I must ask that the ''program'' be terminated. I believe these demons are too dangerous to continue being used in this manner."


    "..." Eliza looked away. "The battle rages on. Maybe we should have this discussion once the fighting ends."


    "I believe that time may come closer than we think, milady. The half-demon Savior made sure of that."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, I believe she''ll talk about it in the meeting later. But, if you wish, we can save this discussion for later. I understand."


    "Very well," Eliza nodded. "Thank you for your report."


    ---


    Ash


    "What the fuck is wrong with me?"


    As soon as Ash pushed her Lust Demon Form away with the aid of her two trusty fingers, that shame she knew would arrive crashed down onto her like a giant boulder. Currently, she was sitting in her bedroom, sitting next to Kaori''s sleeping body with her head in her hands.


    "Why did I do that? Why did I... Ugh," she groaned as shivers went up her spine at the thought of Eliza''s tongue in her mouth, as it had been just a couple of dozen minutes ago.


    Just...  She sighed.  Just move on. Just ignore it, and move on. The important thing is that you took down another portal. Now, you just need to think about how you''re gonna take down the next one.


    As she sat on the edge of the bed, she glanced back at Kaori and wondered if the blonde could see her right now, in what she considered to be... not one of her finest moments.


    "Well... At least we''ll have a lot to talk about when you get back," she said, standing up. "Sleep well."


    So, putting on a fresh change of clothes that consisted of a long-sleeved black shirt and brown leggings, she walked out into the palace''s halls. Although she''d cured the poison from earlier, she felt the hint of a headache starting up. Taking a deep breath though, she forced herself to focus.


    At least, for long enough to get through the next part of her day.


    ---


    A Few Minutes Later


    Keiko, Eliza, a few commanding officers, a general, and Ash were all sitting around a grey table, in that same meeting room that they''d used a few times by now. The only difference, of course, was that Kaori wasn''t here.


    Currently, Ash was reporting what had happened to them.


    "So, yeah," Ash sighed as she kept her right elbow on the table and her hand under her chin, "we went in, a few soldiers got killed, nothing we could do about it, and we took the portal down."


    "Do you believe they have enough forces to attack again tonight?" An officer asked.


    "I don''t know, I mean, I''d say they don''t, but Niven could always pull a few more demons out of his ass so..." She shrugged.


    There weren''t as many demons as I thought there''d be when we went in. So, yeah, maybe this fight''s been taking a toll on him.


    "Well," the general cleared his throat. "Our Savior here made sure we wouldn''t have to worry about that. Go ahead, continue your report."


    At that, Ash raised her brow.


    "Uh, no, dude, I''m done," Ash replied. "That''s all I have to say."


    "Ah, going the humble route then, I see. I''ll announce it then," the general said, nodding. "Tonight, the Savior didn''t just close one portal, she closed the second as well."


    Ash blinked.  What?


    "The demons have no other nearby portals, so, congratulations, everyone. The fight is over."


    Wait, wait, hold on, what?


    "What do you mean the portal got closed?" Ash asked.


    "You need not continue to be modest, we should show recognition for this accomplishment. Good work, Savior."


    But... I didn''t do that.


    "I-Is that so?" Eliza asked. She seemed just as surprised as Ash herself was. "You... You clearly did a better job than I had thought you did."


    As looks of praise began to surround her, even from Keiko, who was looking at her proudly from the side, Ash sighed.


    "Sure, sure, I did it. Yay me."


    With that revelation though, it meant that the war preparation could officially conclude, and that, at least, for now, Onyx had been saved. It took a few more skirmishes to clean up the leftover demons, but before the next day even arrived, that job was done, as the demons no longer had Niven''s Blessing on them.


    The announcement for the citizens of Onyx came just a while later, with the same general that had informed Ash earlier standing in between two groups of clumped-up civilians, all eagerly waiting to hear what he had to say. As for Ash, she stood behind him with Eliza by her side.


    "Proud citizens of Onyx, these past weeks have been tough, but as resilient as we are, we have triumphed..." He started.


    As Ash stood with her arms crossed, she could just barely see her group watching from ahead.  So, now what?  Ash wondered. With this battle done, it meant that she was now free to continue her training. Which, of course, also meant she could keep accumulating power to help Kaori in the near future.


    "Savior," Eliza said lowly, as the man kept going, "I cannot thank you enough for what you''ve done for us."


    "I can definitely think of a few ways," Ash muttered in response. "You never gave me that armor upgrade, for one."


    "Yes, and you will receive all of that and more," Eliza made clear. "I simply wished to let you know how much I appreciated your efforts."


    ... Ash couldn''t help herself. Shame aside, Eliza made it too easy.


    She smirked and said:


    "You already let me know a little while ago."


    "... I see," Eliza replied and the two went silent.


    "However," the man continued as Ash focused back on him, "it was not I nor any of my soldiers who are to be praised for this outcome. One person''s efforts far surpassed any contributions we could make. Therefore, I believe it may be best for our Savior to speak."


    And with that, he turned towards her and all eyes fell on Ash. From the nobles to the homeless men and women who''d been taken in by the Grey Chamber, each one looked at her with wonder and awe.


    "Do I have to?" Ash muttered.


    "No, but I''m sure they would appreciate hearing from you. A speech here would likely cement your position as one of Onyx''s heroes for centuries to come." Eliza told her.


    Yeah? Well... I can think of something.


    Ash walked up.


    Moving past the man who''d been speaking, she took a deep breath.


    "I''ll be leaving soon. I really need money. If you want to thank me, pay me. That is all."


    ...


    That was all she said.


    ---


    Eliza


    With that "speech" out of the way, the citizens were allowed to return to their homes. Of course, those whose homes were destroyed would need to wait until they were rebuilt, but already, the Grey Chamber was far emptier than it had been just a day ago. It felt surreal.


    There was a lot of work Eliza would need to do now, but before that, she had to sort one last thing out. Now, she had multiple cells filled with Lust demons, who all would need to be dealt with somehow.


    Currently, she was in the dungeon, pacing through it, looking at each of the creatures and wondering what she''d do. She couldn''t release them into the wilderness, of course. They''d simply attack innocents on the roads. She couldn''t keep them either though, as now criminals would soon take these cells back.


    However, she didn''t want to get rid of absolutely  all  of them. She could spare one or two.


    So, she made a mental note of writing an order to have most of them executed, but she stopped in front of the cell of one particular Lust demon. The one she''d had a tryst with earlier.


    Here, she stood for a moment, and Ash came to her mind.


    She''d probably never experience her touch again, as she said it herself, she''d soon leave. With that thought in her mind, Eliza made sure that the door leading to the dungeon had been locked and she opened the Lust demon''s cell.


    The monster looked up at her and grinned, and Eliza took a deep breath.


    "... I... I''ll only do this every now and then. A woman has her needs, after all," She muttered as she walked up to it. The Lust demon watched her walk towards it.. It extended a hand towards her and Eliza hated how her skin tingled as soon as she felt it.

 Chapter 199 - Vol. 3 - 72

    Ash


    After that announcement, the next day, the group finally left the Grey Chamber.


    Ash''s armor, which was currently packed up in "luggage" (some strange container Onyx had invented for traveling) had been upgraded, as Elisa had promised. According to the soldier who had given it to her, the adjustments would make it easier for her to move around in the armor, and, of course, the armor could take a few more hits now.


    Aside from that, Ash was given a grand total of 15 royal white crowns for her efforts. An amount of money that any ordinary citizen would go crazy for, but that Ash received with an apathetic "thanks" when it had been handed to her.


    At this moment, Ash was carrying Kaori on her back while they stood in front of the palace, about to walk through the streets of Onyx, watching the rebuilding process begin immediately. All around them, people were gathering up rubble and placing it on metal wagons and bringing them into buildings around the palace, cleaning the blood off the sidewalks with Water magic and throwing the dirty water into a strange sewer system that Ash hadn''t noticed before. It was weird seeing people effectively working harder together now than they had even during the fighting. Though, maybe the prospect of returning to normalcy was just that seductive to them.


    "So," Ash started, "now what?"


    "Well, Lumina was fairly clear, considering what you said," Satsuhiro tapped his cane against the ground as they all moved forwards, "we need to get you to Amber. Find stronger monsters for you to take on and level you up."


    "But..." She turned around. "Keiko," Ash said to the Zayama who was standing behind her. "Are you coming with us?"


    "Why wouldn''t I?" She asked, confused.


    "Well, I mean, you know," Ash told her and Keiko narrowed her eyes at her.


    "My... current condition shouldn''t prevent me from being able to teach you," Keiko replied with annoyance. "I-It just means that I can''t fight alongside you... But I''m not going to sit back and not do anything for nine months until this problem is dealt with. I refuse."


    Ash could see Satsuhiro and Metsumi backing up, as though indicating they didn''t plan to step in. Opah was looking at them with confusion in her eyes.


    "What if you get attacked? Remember what happened at the farm? What if Niven opens up a portal right next to us like that, again?"


    "... Then, I will have to rely on you to protect me. I suppose I cannot do anything else. But that is a better fate than sitting back and being useless."


    Ash sighed.


    She''s just not going to listen to reason, huh?


    She was going to say something in response, but before she could, she looked behind Keiko and saw someone''s head peeking out from behind a wall.


    As more civilians left the palace slowly, Ash saw one she recognized. Luvine was hiding behind a nearby building, for some reason.


    "Hold on," Ash muttered, "give me a sec. Metsumi, can you take her for a moment?"


    "Sure thing," Metsumi replied and Ash placed Kaori in her arms.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash walked over to that spot and found Luvine crouched. The half-demon girl yelped and fell back, nervous.


    "What are you doing, Lu?" Ash asked.


    "I... Just... You were..." Luvine started.


    "Yeah?"


    "Y-You..." She curled her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them. "You were... leaving..."


    ... Crap.  Ash thought as she looked at the girl.


    "Yeah... I kind of have to go," Ash told her. "I have stuff that needs doing. I can''t stay in Onyx."


    "Mm..." Luvine hummed in response, waiting for a few seconds and then nodding.


    Ash sighed.


    "Look, kid, I know it sucks, but... I told you. You have to be strong. No one''s going to be strong for you. You''ve got it in you to make a life for yourself, but you have to make people respect you. Understand?"


    Then, Luvine sniffled, before nodding.


    ... Dammit.  Ash looked away for a moment. She put her hands on her hips, tilting her head up. As much as I want to keep helping her, I can''t just stay here. Now that the fighting''s over, she should be-


    A pair of small, thin arms wrapped themselves around her legs. Ash blinked, her thoughts pausing as she looked back and found Luvine holding onto her.


    Feeling something stirring inside of her, Ash gritted her teeth.


    "Lu, I''m serious, I..."


    "... Don''t go."


    Hearing that, Ash put a hand to her forehead.


    What the fuck am I supposed to do?


    However, almost instantly as she had that thought, an idea came to her mind. One that was tempting, but dangerous.  I mean...  She thought. Having Keiko with us is bad enough. If she got hurt too...


    But, as she saw tears roll down Luvine''s face, her resolve began to break. Until eventually, she took a deep breath and took one of Luvine''s hands. Then, she pulled her back to the group.


    "Hey," Ash said, gaining their attention, "look. I know this is dangerous, I know this is probably a bad idea, but... I just don''t feel right leaving Luvine here where she doesn''t have anything or anyone that she can rely on. So, uh, I just wanna ask, can we take her with us?"


    "... I don''t see why not," Satsuhiro shrugged. "But, if you''re bringing her along, Ash, you''re responsible for her. You understand that?"


    "Yeah, yeah..." Ash nodded as Luvine brightened up beside her. "I get it."


    "Then, as long as you know you''re the one who has to take care of her, sure. I''m fine with it."


    "Yeah," Metsumi nodded. "Just make sure you know what you''re doing, Ash."


    I don''t, but that won''t stop me at this point.


    "Mhm."


    "Then, in that case, it''s fine."


    With that, Opah made a bunch of incoherent excited noises and then ran up to hug Luvine tightly. Ash, seeing this, couldn''t help but smile a little, though she worried she may have just doomed Luvine to something terrible.


    I''ll try not to let anything happen though,  she thought. I need to be there for her. She can''t grow up the same way I did.


    ---


    Sometime later, they were now nearing the western gates. Opah had been talking to Luvine about random things the entire way, Ash was now carrying Kaori again, while Keiko, every now and then, would make a concerning face. Ash hoped she wasn''t too sick all of a sudden.


    They passed by the New Age Inn and found Caroline standing outside, looking up at it with a smile. The group walked up to her.


    "Oi, loves," Caroline greeted them. "Been a while."


    Keiko walked up to her.


    "How are you holding up?" Keiko asked.


    "Oh, about as well as anyone could after being held up in a cramped palace for a few days, but... I''ll be honest," she looked back at her inn, "I hadn''t expected to be back here. Ever. I thought it would just be gone, or something, I dunno. It''s... Strange. Thank you, by the way, for convincing me not to let my neck get bitten off. That was nice of you."


    Keiko chuckled.


    "How long do you think it''ll take before the inn''s up and ready again?"


    "Not too long actually," Caroline replied. "Some demons did go in and tear a few poor folks up, gonna need to clean the blood off from that, but because of all the fighting, some people won''t have anywhere to stay. We might actually have some more business, actually. Still, it''ll be a process, definitely. We did it before, though, it''ll be no problem building this place up again. Feel free to give us a visit sometime."


    "Uh... I''ll give that a ''maybe'', but, stay safe, Caroline," Keiko replied. "Hope it goes well."


    "Thanks, love."


    Soon, they were moving up to the western gates.


    Here, though, multiple people were waiting, who Ash recognized. Yumi and Eliza were standing to the right, talking with each other. And, to the left, Ash saw people she wished she hadn''t noticed.


    Her parents, Ayami and Jino, both sitting at a bench, seemingly waiting for their transportation to arrive.


    Ugh,  Ash thought as soon as she saw them,  sooner I get out of here the better.


    "Ash," a woman said and Ash looked up, seeing Eliza and Yumi walking up to her.


    Ash cleared her throat and nodded at them.


    "Hey."


    "I rented out a high-quality carriage to take you back to Jade," Eliza informed her. "It will be yours for two weeks, so you can also take it elsewhere if you so wish."


    "Thanks," Ash replied.


    "It should be here in a few minutes. I wished to let you know. Once again," Eliza bowed. "Thank you, Savior, for your service. Here, this is for you."


    And so, Eliza handed her a small badge.


    "Hm? What is this?"


    "It''s a badge I give to my generals. Obviously, you are not a military officer, but having that on you gives you an authority in Onyx second only to mine," Eliza stated. "For all your service, you will always be welcome here. Do visit, sometimes," she told her. "I would very much like to converse with our city''s hero someday, once again."


    "... Sure," Ash replied, putting the badge in a pocket.


    "Well, that is all. I must return to the Grey Chamber. Good luck on your journey," she stated, and then, taking a few knights with her, she left.


    Yumi walked up next.


    "It was... A rather interesting time that we shared, Ash. But, I am proud of what we accomplished together."


    "What are you going to do?" Keiko asked, stepping up.


    "I... I do not know," Yumi chuckled.


    "What?" Keiko asked.


    "With the battle done, my purpose has seemingly concluded with it. I do not know where I will go from here... But... I suppose that is something I will need to figure out for myself. Hehe, wish me luck," Yumi stated.


    "Oh..." Keiko said.


    However, soon, it was Satsuhiro''s turn to speak up.


    "I can think of something," he told her. "With Keiko in the state that she''s in, Ash needs a trainer."


    As soon as he said that, Keiko''s eyes widened.


    "Y-You''re right..." Keiko replied. "Yumi! How about you come with us?"


    "What?" Yumi asked. "I... What? Excuse me, this is so sudden," she laughed. "Are you certain?"


    "It would help," Satsuhiro pitched in. "You''re as skilled with our weaponry as anyone else could be in the world. We would certainly appreciate it."


    "I..." Yumi''s eyes briefly flickered to Ash. A blush came onto her face that made Ash sigh.


    Yeah... Doubt either of us is gonna forget what happened in that portal anytime soon.


    "I... I suppose I could. If only for a time. I do, after all, wish to explore on my own at some point. But, if you need me, it would be remiss for me not to accompany you."


    At that, Keiko grinned.


    "Thanks, it''ll be fun! Just you wait," Keiko said and at that moment, she was as adorable as ever.


    With that settled, the group waited, and eventually, the carriage arrived. Ash glanced over at Ayami and Jino. She looked away, and Metsumi nudged her.


    "Anything you want to say to them? Now would be the time."


    "... No," Ash replied. "I''m good. I would go over there, but all I''d do is lose my shit. And," she let her shoulders drop a little, adjusting Kaori, "at this point... I''m just tired. I saw them, they told me why they left me, that''s it. That was all I needed."


    Ash looked down. Briefly, she looked over at Luvine and then at Yumi and Keiko, who were talking to each other.


    "At this point... I''m tired of the past. I have my future right in front of me," she told Metsumi, "and on my back. I''m good."


    Something about what she said made Metsumi give her a proud smile.


    "Understood," the older woman replied.


    And with that, as the carriage arrived, the group boarded it. Ash placed Kaori down next to her, pulling a sheet out of her luggage to drape over her body.


    Satsuhiro was writing something out on a piece of paper.


    "Who''s that for?"


    "Vyl," Satsuhiro said. "Just letting her know we''re going."


    When he was done, he spoke some quick incantation and the paper turned into a flaming bird, flying out of the open carriage and presumably over to Vyl.


    As the carriage began to move, a few citizens noticed them.


    "T-The Savior!"


    "That''s the woman that saved us!" A homeless man yelled out. "Thank you!"


    "Right, the Savior, thank you!" Another civilian yelled and soon, the street descended into a series of spread-out cheers and celebratory calls, aimed at Ash.


    Ash, closed her eyes and leaned back against her seat.  What a bother.


    However, she did hope that this meant half-demons like herself, half-demons like Luvine would be looked at with just a little less contempt. If that happened, then she supposed she could put up with this weird moment.


    A small hand landed on hers and Ash looked to her right, seeing Luvine holding onto her.


    Luvine leaned against her, hugging her a little with a smile.


    Ash looked away.


    "Is it normal for people to start screaming praises like this?" Yumi asked.


    "It looks like it might become normal for Ash, soon," Satsuhiro said with a smirk, "if she keeps this up."


    "Ugh," Ash replied. "Don''t even joke about that."


    And on that note, with two new additions to the group, the carriage rolled out of Onyx.


    And their time in the grey city was over.

 Chapter 200 - Vol. 3 - Epilogue

    Three Days Later


    Recently, the group had arrived back at Jade, and the difference in vibe and ambiance was so noticeable that Ash recoiled as she reentered it. As Ash had spent so much of her life here, she''d gotten used to it, but after her time in Onyx, everything here was so bright and vibrant that it felt blinding just walking through these streets.


    However, she had to, as she had a place she needed to inspect before they went to head for Amber.


    "So, is this it?" She asked. Satsuhiro stepped up. The two of them were standing outside of a small house in the Spirit Gardens District. At first glance, no one would really believe this to be the home of a Savior, but apparently, it had belonged to Vermia.


    "Supposedly," Satsuhiro shrugged. "I don''t expect we''ll find anything life-changing in here, but let''s see."


    "Anything we find helps," Ash said with a focused expression. "Let''s see what''s inside."


    "Alright then," Satsuhiro replied and with that, Ash walked up and unlocked the door, with the key Vermia had given to her. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the necromancer''s house.


    And immediately, she began coughing.


    "Shit," Ash said, "no open windows or what? The air in here is so... stagnant."


    "Well, sooner we find anything of use, the sooner we can get out," Satsuhiro told her as he cast a fire spell and kept a small flame in the palm of his right hand. Ash nodded.


    Initially, it seemed like a regular place, but as Ash''s eyes scanned the area, she quickly found a few leftover black books on a kitchen table.  Well, that screams "dark magic" to me.  So, she walked over and found three dust-covered tomes laying there. She wiped the dirt off of one to reveal a cover that read,  The Mysteries of Life and Death.


    "Okay," Ash nodded to herself, "looks like I''ve got something here."


    At the same time, Satsuhiro was searching the nearby cupboards. He didn''t find anything of use and then he said:


    "I''m gonna go search her room. She''s probably got something in her drawers."


    "Her drawers?" Ash asked with a smirk. "Looking for any old panties to sniff or something? Didn''t think you''d be into that sort of shit."


    "Shut up," Satsuhiro replied as Ash barked out a laugh. As Satsuhiro walked away, her eyes went back to the book in front of her.  Okay, so what do we have here?


    As she opened the first of the books up, her eyes fell on a few bulky, intimidating paragraphs that she had no intention of trying to decipher. Instead, she waited until eventually, she landed on a page that made a bar appear over her head.


    Okay, so this is a spell. Which one though?


    So, she looked to the book to read about what she was currently learning.


    Pain Amplification


    Harm yourself with any nearby weapon as you speak the incantation for this spell. Upon completion, all Dark magic will be enhanced, strengthening them for 30 seconds (stacks with other enhancements). The more dire the wound, the stronger the enhancement.


    INT Required: 30


    Mana Cost: 50


    Incantation: May the blood I allow to fall be cursed, staining this world and marking it with my hatred.


    Ash blinked.


    Whoa.


    As she read through it again though, she focused specifically on the "stacks with other enhancements" part.


    So, this makes my spells even stronger? My Dark ones anyway... Well, it''s a good thing that those are the ones I''m looking to learn.


    "Ash, I found something, come over here," Satsuhiro called out.


    "What is it?" Ash replied from the other room as she closed the book and walked over to him. She entered what appeared to be Vermia''s bedroom. However, what she didn''t expect to see was that Satsuhiro had apparently pulled some lever and revealed a hidden room of some sort, as a closet had shifted forwards and given way to it.


    "What the hell?" Ash asked.


    "Yeah... I came here once, several years ago," Satsuhiro said. "She would always go into this room but she''d tell me not to follow, so I wouldn''t."


    "You never got curious?" Ash asked with a raised brow.


    "She was my teacher at the time," he shrugged. "I wasn''t about to piss her off, and I developed a taste for Fire magic pretty early into my career. I didn''t really care about what secrets she was keeping here. But," he stopped, "before we go in here, Ash, remember. This woman casually killed people for the sake of her research. Some evil, some not, some innocent, some not. If it weren''t for her being a Savior, the Council would have placed a bounty on her head ages ago. What I''m trying to say here is to be ready. We might see some literal locked up skeletons."


    "Yeah, I get you," Ash nodded. "Let''s check."


    "Alright."


    With that, the two of them entered the hidden space and, immediately, they came across some things. Three skeletons, long-dead, with their wrists chained to a wall. In front of them was a runic drawing of some sort, and to the left, there was a small altar with a book on it.


    "Well, sucks for whoever they were," Ash muttered as she walked over to the nearby book.


    "Vermia, Vermia," Satsuhiro shook his head. "Good riddance."


    As Ash went to inspect the nearby book, she narrowed her brows.


    "Wait," she muttered.


    "What is it?"


    "This book... It''s blank."


    "Really?" Satsuhiro''s cane tapped against the floor as he walked over to see. "Ah..."


    "So, what''s that about?"


    "This was probably where she invented her spells," Satsuhiro told her.


    Right. She''d said something about that before.


    "How did she do it?"


    "Well, as far as I know, there are two ways to create a spell. One is naturally, through your own living body, due to a time of great need, the other is like this," he gestured at the room around them. "Artificially, or ''forcing'' a spell to be made. I don''t know the details of it myself, as I''ve never concerned myself with spell creation, but yeah, that''s likely what this room was for."


    "Hm... Anywhere we could learn about that?"


    "Amber," Satsuhiro replied. "It''s where all the greatest mages live and have lived. It''s known as the realm of the arcane for a reason. Once we get there, you should probably expect for your magical capabilities to be greatly increased."


    "Hm. Gotcha," Ash nodded. "Well, shit, looks like that''s all we''ve got here. She didn''t leave much behind, huh?"


    "No, there are a few other spellbooks in her bedroom, I just thought we should check this out first. Oh, and this, come here," he said, turning around and walking out of this section.


    Ash followed him and he took some clothes from a nearby closet. It was a black dress of some sort, covered in golden embroidery. It looked like something an edgy noble would wear, which fit Vermia well.


    "Hmph. Dresses aren''t really my thing," Ash said.


    "This one should be," he replied. "It''s enchanted."


    "Enchanted? What do you mean?"


    "Once a mage really hones their craft, they can apply enchantments of their preferred school of magic onto different items. The Council had once given me some enchanted gear, to help with my Fire magic, but I had to give it back to them when I retired. Well, when I first retired, I mean. Anyway, I''m not sure what this dress does, but I can tell it has some effect. Why don''t we clean it up when we get back home and you put it on? See what it does, and all."


    "Sure," Ash shrugged. "Can''t imagine fighting in this though, but whatever."


    By the time everything was said and done, they walked out of Vermia''s house carrying five different spellbooks and that strange black dress.


    As Ash walked through the streets with Satsuhiro, she took a deep breath.


    "When are we leaving?"


    "Tonight," he responded.


    "Okay... In that case, can I go somewhere real quick? Before we go."


    "Sure," Satsuhiro nodded.


    On that note, as Ash dropped these things off back at the Savior House, she tried to leave the place as quickly as she could, just in case the person she had in mind was going to go to sleep or something, as old people tended to do.


    Before she could though, she was walking back out onto the streets, just outside, when a voice called out to her.


    "Ash?"


    Hearing Luvine''s voice, Ash turned around and saw the half-demon girl standing by the door. She was wearing an oversized grey shirt and some black shoes that looked almost like boots.


    "Yeah?" She walked back.


    "Where are you going?" She asked curiously before jogging up to her. In her hands, she was holding a stuffed doll that belonged to Opah, that the other girl had shared with her.


    Ash crouched in front of her.


    "Just uh... I wanted to go visit someone. Before we go. I''ll be back in a bit."


    "Oh..." She looked down for a second. "C-Can I come with you?"


    "Yeah?" Ash asked with a little smile. "Why''s that?"


    "I... wanna see the city."


    "... Gotcha," Ash said standing back up. "Come on then. But if you run off you''re going right back to the house. Stay next to me."


    "Okay!" Luvine replied nodding eagerly, and the two started walking down the street.


    It took a while, especially since Ash didn''t quite remember the way, but eventually, after Luvine finished gazing at the elegant architecture of the city around them, they arrived at an old church. Ash checked and found the door to be unlocked.


    Opening it, Luvine followed her in as she walked through.


    She found an old man, a little smaller than she remembered him looking, knelt by an altar to the back. Ash took a deep breath and walked up to him, with Luvine by her side.


    Kairo heard them and stood, turning around to face her and Ash swore he looked just a little older.


    "Ash," he said with a smile, "back already?"


    "... Yeah," Ash nodded. "For a little bit, anyway."


    Then, she heard a small sniffle sound and looked down to see Luvine tearing up.


    "Hm? What happened? Dust got in your eyes?"


    "Uhm... No, he reminded me of someone..." Luvine muttered.


    "Okay. How about you sit down for a bit?" Ash asked. "I''ll, uh, get you something to read, I dunno."


    She nodded and did as Ash said, while Ash walked over to Kairo.


    "How did your trip go?"


    "... It went. That''s about all I can fucking say," she shrugged. "Just figured I''d see you again before I come back one day to a clump of dust or something. I''ll be leaving soon, too, so yeah."


    "I see. Well," he turned towards Luvine, "this place is far too boring for a child. How about we go to get something to eat?"


    At that, Ash smirked.


    "All this time''s passed and you''re still just trying to get me to eat. Seriously?"


    "I''m trying to get you to pay for my dinner, this is different," Kairo replied and at that, Ash laughed loudly.


    "Fine, fine. Come on, Luvine. Let''s go."


    "R-Right," Luvine said, hopping off the bench and running up to her.


    "And who''s this little treasure?" Kairo asked.


    "Just... just someone who needed a friend," Ash replied. "About as much as I did."


    "It''s nice to meet you," Luvine said, bowing.


    "Hahaha, how polite," Kairo chuckled. "It''s a pleasure, little one. My name is Kairo."


    "Okay, okay," Ash said, "enough. Now that you brought up food, I''m fucking hungry. Let''s go."


    And so, as Kairo told Luvine to not curse as much as Ash did and the little girl nodded that she wouldn''t, the small group left the church behind.


    And, even though it was Kairo who had told her of where her parents could be before she got to Onyx, they were the last thing on her mind right now.

 Chapter 201 - Sneak Peek For Another Story

    Note: Before we go on to Vol. 4, I just wanted to share some other stuff that I have written, for pretty much no reason at all except for fun.


    Anyway, volume 4 starts tomorrow! I won''t be doing an interlude this time, we''ll be heading straight to it and I''ll probably leave the continuations of the interludes for the time between Vol. 4 and 5.


    Again, if you aren''t interested to see this, you can just ignore this one and come back tomorrow!


    ALSO: For anyone who was reading the Adventurer''s Academy, the rewrite is just about done, and I''ll be posting chapters regularly for that story again soon.


    For anyone who is interested in this though, here you go:


    ---


    Alter-X


    ---


    Miko yawned as she sat up on her bed, stretching. The sun was peeking in through the curtains, landing on her eyes. Her bra, which she''d taken off before sleeping, was on the floor, next to her jeans. An empty bottle of wine was in her drawer. As in, her only, singular, individual drawer.


    [Ugh, what time is it?] She thought, looking to her right to check her alarm clock. It read 10:20 am. [Huh. Fine. I guess I''ll get up.]


    She walked to her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her short raven hair was messily falling over her eyes. Her eyes moved down to her body, which was so bony, she tried to remember whether she''d had breakfast the previous day. Or, any days before that. Shaking her head, she continued with her morning casually, as this sort of thing was normal.


    A dozen minutes later, she was tying her hair up into a small bun, walking into her living room. The tv at the back was still on. [Oh, I forgot to turn it off.] Instead of proceeding to do just that though, she walked into the kitchen and made herself some coffee. Then, she looked at some bread she''d bought a few days ago and sighed.


    [Ugh... Do I even want to eat though? I''m not hungry.] She thought and so, she walked over to her couch with just her coffee.


    As she sat down, the morning news played out on a local New York channel.


    At 18-years-old, Miko was convinced she was destined to live the rest of her life as a shut-in with no friends. Early on into her childhood, her parents had passed away in a car accident. Miko was sent to live with her grandparents, who she''d lived for most of her life. She got a job at 16, and after saving up, rented out a small apartment just a few months ago.


    And now, she was a perpetually lonely mess. Still, this was the life fate had wanted for her.


    Her phone rang, startling her.


    "U-Uh, h-hello?" Miko asked, her voice so low she worried the person at the other end of the line wouldn''t hear her.


    "Miko?"


    "O-Oh." It was her boss. "Good morning."


    "Morning. Listen, could you come in a little earlier today? Mary''s sick, so she can''t make it."


    "Um¡­ what time?"


    "5:00 pm."


    "U-Uh¡­ y-yeah. N-No problem." Miko replied, struggling to even get simple words out due to the two unfortunate facts that she was:


    1. Painfully shy.


    2. Not used to human interaction.


    "Perfect. See you later."


    "Y-Yeah."


    As her boss hung up, Miko groaned and flopped onto her back. [Why am I like this?]


    By the time she found the energy to keep her day going, it was already noon. She stood up and walked over to her room, where she found a few sheets of paper thrown carelessly around her floor. They were drawings she''d made recently, none of which she''d been so happy about. One featured a man with the kind of physique that would put Zeus to shame, pulling back an arrow made of lightning, about to launch it. Another was of a female knight with a sword made of flames. Well, these were the ideas.


    In actuality, they looked like kindergartener doodles.


    [Why do I even try?] She thought, crumbling up one of the papers and throwing it across the room.


    With nothing to do, for now, she opened up her laptop and emptied her mind, watching one video after another to pass the time.


    And so, hours went by as Miko laid down on her bed. She nearly fell asleep a few times, but at 4:00 pm, she got up and got dressed, putting on her black McRonald''s uniform. She barely looked composed, but people at her workplace didn''t care so long as she made her fries at the speed that she usually did.


    So, forgetting to turn the tv off again, she walked out of her apartment, locked the door behind her, and exited into the streets of her hometown.


    It was a thirty-minute walk to McRonald''s, one that she usually spent just daydreaming. She would think about what she''d draw next, or a post she''d seen that got her heart racing. Regardless, her mind was normally empty at this time.


    This day, of all days though, something unexpected happened. As she turned a corner, she looked ahead and found someone walking towards her, her arm linked with someone else''s. The woman had red hair, blue eyes, and a dazzling smile that was on full display.


    Miko''s heart froze as she saw her.


    Her. The girl who''d taken Miko''s heart and cut it into little pieces.


    [Fuck.] She kept her eyes low and lowered her McRonald''s cap. [No, no, no, no¡­]


    The two girls passed Miko by, and she thought she was in the clear.


    She *thought*.


    "Miko?" She heard a kind voice ask behind her.


    Sighing, she turned around, hoping she didn''t look as awkward as she felt.


    "Uh¡­ Hi, Nat."


    "Huh?" The other woman asked. "Nat, who''s this?"


    "My ex." Natalie clarified. "Miko, it''s good to see you."


    "Y-You too."


    As Nat''s eyes scrutinized Miko''s body, the raven-haired girl felt herself blushing. Nat looked disappointed.


    "Miko? Are you okay?"


    "Uh, y-yeah, I''m... I''m g-good." Miko looked away.


    "Are you sure? I mean, you look..."


    "Naaat~" The woman next to Miko''s ex-girlfriend started, "come on. I''m hungry."


    "¡­ Right." Natalie smiled back at her. Then, she looked back at Miko and gave her a smaller smile. "Take care of yourself, Miko."


    "¡­ Y-Yeah."


    And so, the interaction ended. Miko breathed a giant sigh of relief she hadn''t known she''d been holding. Shaking her head, she kept moving. The relationship with Natalie had lasted a little over a year. And, well, if Miko had, to be honest, it was the best year she''d ever had. However, towards the end of the relationship, Natalie grew concerned that Miko wasn''t taking care of herself, and Miko was growing more and more distant until, eventually, Natalie told her it would be best if they went their separate ways.


    In truth, Miko wasn''t sure she''d fully recovered from losing that pillar of support. Of course, she hadn''t truly appreciated it until the breakup happened.


    [Whatever.] She closed her eyes as she walked. [Just¡­ just take it a day at a time, I guess.]


    Continuing on her path, something knocked her out of her daydreaming. [What the¡­?] She looked ahead and found a crowd of people, surrounding a building. [What are they doing there?] She asked herself, and almost instantly, she received her answer.


    An explosion happened that shook the ground and made her fall down.


    [WHAT!?] She thought, watching a charred desk fly out of a window and land in front of her.


    She could hear sirens in the distance.


    "W-What''s happening?" She asked someone standing by.


    "I don''t know," the man replied, "but there are still people in that building!"


    "Seriously?" Miko tried to look through the windows from a distance. She couldn''t see anyone, but she could certainly hear people crying for help inside.


    [I hope the firefighters get here soon.] She thought. [Sure would be a shame if people died here needlessly.]


    Another explosion happened.


    Another object was sent out into the air.


    Miko squinted. It was a large metallic chair.


    She didn''t register that it was coming straight to her until it struck her right on the head.


    And so, Miko died.


    --


    The world faded to black. She couldn''t feel, hear, or see anything. She tried to open her eyes, but couldn''t do so. [Uh, where am I?] The space she was in felt somewhat cold. [Am I dead?]


    However, soon, before she could get any more confused, words appeared in front of her.


    {¡­.}


    {Your case has been analyzed by members #7 and #6 of the Overseers Organization}


    {You have been offered a chance to be a part of the Second Chance Program}


    {Do you want a second chance?}


    {Yes} {No}


    Regardless of where she was, Miko still had her memories.


    She could still see herself, as she had been. The phone never buzzed because no one would send her any messages. The mailbox that only ever received work or school-related letters. The holidays she spent alone because she had no one to talk to and had lost the one opportunity she''d had for a longtime friend in Natalie.


    Seeing all of this flash in front of her, the answer was simple.


    She thought of hitting the {yes} button, and suddenly, everything around her flashed white.


    And a blank body with no features materialized in front of her.

 Chapter 202 - Vol. 4 - 1

    Two Weeks Later


    Hina


    "Shit," a woman dressed in a black and white maid outfit muttered under her breath. "If it''s not the sun, it''s a fucking storm."


    On cue, thunder cracked outside of her restaurant. Currently, the building was nearly empty, with only the woman in the maid outfit and her father inside.


    Considering the fact that it was so late, and that this restaurant was located in The Outskirts, a ring of spread-out establishments and homes, disconnected from each other, just outside of Amber, Hina figured this meant that business was just about done for the day.


    The positioning of this restaurant might have seemed strange to a traveler, but its placement meant that anyone who was looking to get to Amber from Jade would inevitably pass through this area. Which, of course, meant guaranteed business.


    It also meant guaranteed trouble with bandits and the like, but Amber''s soldiers were usually quick to respond to calls for help.


    "Looks like no one''s coming," her father said. "We might want to just close up for today."


    "... I guess the storm caught some people out," Hina replied, sitting down at a nearby stool and crossing her legs. "Ugh, I''m soooo not looking forward to walking through mud though. Dammit."


    "A little dirt on your boots ain''t nothin'' new, Hina," her father replied. "Anyway, I may as well clean things up in the kitchen. Once I''m done, we head home."


    "Alright," Hina nodded before reaching back and taking off the band keeping her raven hair up. Letting it drop over her shoulders, she took a deep breath. Working here for so long, she wondered if this would ever get fun.


    Between the bounty hunters, the merchants, the Arcane Knights, and everyone else who came here, it had been cool at first but now she was bored of it. Still, her father paid her a sum for her troubles, which was nice.


    Hopefully, someday, she''d take that money and travel up north to Jade, or Onyx, or anywhere that wasn''t this dirt-covered place.


    "Alright, done!" Her father called out and Hina got off her stool. "Ah, I hope your mother''s prepared some tea already. I could use it after...."


    However, he didn''t finish his sentence, as someone entered the establishment.


    What?  Hina thought as the front door opened to reveal a tall woman walking in like she owned the place.


    Hina blinked as she took in her features, and she felt chills go up her spine. Long, smooth white hair, a pair of black horns at her forehead, violet eyes that were focused squarely on her, narrowed.


    She was wearing a short black dress embroidered with gold that just reached her knees. Strangely though, she was wearing metal leggings, metal boots, and a pair of sleek gauntlets. At her waist, there was a golden cube tied to her belt.


    Hina gulped.


    Who the hell is this?  Some assassin?


    "W-Welcome..." Her father stepped past Hina.


    "Do you sell food here?" The woman asked with an impatient tone as she looked for a nearby chair and sat down.


    Hina had trouble placing her age. Her face was youthful, almost suggesting that she was just a little older than Hina was, who was 16, but her body was that of a fully-grown woman.


    "Y-Yes," Hina''s father answered. "Would you like some?"


    What?


    "Dad?" Hina raised a brow. "What are you doing? Excuse me," she turned towards the woman, "sorry, but... we''re closing."


    "Huh?" The woman raised a brow, looking pissed. "But your dad just-"


    "Yes!" Her father interrupted. "I-I''ll get you something, whatever you want!"


    "What? But, dad," Hina started to complain but her father pulled her aside.


    He pulled her behind the counter and whispered to her.


    "What did I tell you about strangers?"


    "Uh..." Hina couldn''t remember.


    "Always, always, check their levels before you start talking to ''em. I''m guessing you forgot, didn''t you?"


    Blinking, Hina nodded.


    "Okay, subtly then," he told her. "Check."


    So, trying her hardest not to be noticed, Hina threw a glance back at the woman, whose violet eyes were planted squarely on the two of them.


    And, finally, she saw why her father was being so subservient.


    Level 70


    MP: 330/330


    Hina nearly had a heart attack. Her soul just about left her body.


    "Are you going to give me something to eat or not?" The woman asked, suddenly, and Hina''s father bowed furiously.


    "Yes! Yes, what would you like?" He asked with a merchant''s smile, gesturing at the old menu to his right.


    There weren''t many options written on it, so each one was written in big, bold letters. Which made the woman''s next statement seem even stranger.


    "... What does that say?" She asked.


    "Hm?" Her father hummed.


    "I don''t get it. What does it say?" The woman asked.


    "Um... Well, the first option..."


    He listed off the different items they were selling, mostly dishes composed of different meats and vegetables until eventually, the woman heard something she thought sounded interesting.


    "What the fuck is ''raptor soup''?"


    "Soup made with raptor meat... Think of it like chicken," he explained.


    "Sure, that." She said, waving him off.


    "Coming right up!"


    With that declaration, Hina''s father retreated into the kitchen.


    Hina, unfortunately, was left alone with this woman. However, something did come to her mind that she felt was curious.


    Raptors... Raptors are super common. Who wouldn''t know what those are? Is she a foreigner?  Hina wondered, looking at the woman.


    The half-demon then caught her eyes and Hina nearly yelped, looking away.


    "Hmph," the woman huffed, crossing her legs.


    Eventually, the question burned so intensely in her thoughts that Hina took a deep breath and walked up to her. Admittedly, this lady, being level 70, could probably wipe her out with one strong slap, but well...


    As bored as she was, the danger was part of the fun right now.


    "Excuse me," Hina said, putting on a smile.


    "Hm?" The half-demon raised a brow at her.


    "... Are you from Amber?"


    "... What if I''m not?" The woman asked with a challenging tone, turning towards her.


    "N-No, I was just wondering, it''s no problem."


    "That so?" The woman smirked. "No. I''m not from here."


    "... Oh. I see. Thank you."


    "Heh, for what?" The half-demon asked.


    "For... answering?" Hina shrugged.


    At that, the girl chuckled.


    "Gotcha. You''re welcome, then."


    With that, the two of them settled into silence, as many more questions came to Hina''s mind, but she was afraid of testing her patience too heavily. Eventually, Hina''s father returned with the finished soup in his hands.


    "Here you go! Raptor soup, enjoy!"


    The woman simply nodded as he put the bowl in front of her. She picked up a nearby spoon and silently started eating away. It was fairly awkward, as Hina and her father made no conversation while the woman ate.


    Soon though, Hina''s father got curious as well, and he too asked some questions.


    "Are you an Arcane Knight of some sort?" He asked her.


    "Hm? No, what''s that?" She asked.


    Wow. She''s REALLY a foreigner,  Hina thought.


    "Ah... Well, the Arcane Knights are the Arcane''s personal guard," her father stated.


    The Arcane, of course, being the Lord of Amber. However, unlike the other cities where Lords were elected, to Hina''s knowledge, here, the role of the Arcane belonged to a specific family. The Sylphia family, who were said to be the strongest mages in the world. Hence, why they were the only ones deemed worthy by the gods to manage and rule Amber. Or, at least, that''s what the legends about them said.


    "Mhm? I see."


    That was all she said. She seemed completely uninterested in them, which, again, was surprising.


    "So... Where are you from, traveler?"


    "... Jade," the woman replied.


    Yeah, I would have guessed that. Maybe Pearl, if that place hadn''t been destroyed.


    As she continued eating from the soup, something happened though that cut off whatever conversation would continue from this point. Outside, a shrill roar pierced the air, one that Hina knew well.


    Keeping their business where it was, there were always possibilities of monster attacks. Most of the time, they were out of the building by the time those could happen, but thanks to this traveler''s late arrival, they remained here, and now, they had this problem to deal with.


    "Uh..." She said. "That sounded fairly close, dad."


    "Yes," he nodded. "Sounds a bit  too  close."


    "What is it?" The woman asked casually. She didn''t even stop eating, she asked that in between bites.


    Right. Level 70.


    "U- I-It''s, uh, a Raptor."


    "Oh, like what I''m eating here?" She asked.


    "Y-Yes..."


    Raptors. Distant cousins of dragons, they were far smaller in size, but what they lacked in that department, they had in speed and ferocity. Their fire breath, as well, was unlike that of a dragon in that it was poisonous.


    "Hm... Actually," the woman started, putting her spoon down, "I got a question. Can I make some food out of a ''raptor'' or whatever with just some water and a campfire?"


    "What? Yes, yes, indeed, you can," Hina''s father replied.


    "Could you show me how?"


    "Well... Provided we make it out of here, sure."


    "Hm. Alright."


    Then, without another word, the woman stood up and dusted off her black dress. Then, she turned away, walking out the front door.


    And, in that instant, all Hina could think was:


    I need to see this!


    She ran out after her and nearly hit the woman as she had stopped. Ahead, in the distance, was the raptor. It was one individual creature, about as large as a wooden cart.


    Level 56


    MP: 10/10


    ...  Yeah,  Hina thought.  This would have killed us if it had tried to come into the restaurant somehow. Maybe bust in through a window or something.


    However, the white-haired woman was undaunted. She walked up and took that golden cube from her waist, taking a deep breath.


    "Spear."


    With that word, the cube changed in front of Hina, turning into a golden, elegant spear.


    And so, the woman charged forwards. She ran straight up to the raptor and the monster tried to bite her, but she dodged and stabbed its body, earning a pained screech. Then, she stepped back and the raptor leaned its head back, about to shoot out its flames.


    "What?" The woman though hadn''t anticipated this. So, its attack connected onto her left arm, as she tried to dodge but was still caught.


    No!  Hina thought, almost about to run after her, but her father held her back.


    "It''s dangerous," he said. "Let her fight."


    As the woman borderline growled, she ran up to the creature''s side.


    It tried to bite her again, but this time, she ducked under it and the woman stabbed through its head.


    And the creature was dead, just like that.


    "Mother... fucker!" The woman said as she ripped her spear out. "Ugh, still not used to this thing..." She mumbled, looking down at her weapon.


    Hina saw the raptor''s body fall over, limp, and this time, her father allowed her to move, so she started running over to check if the woman was okay.


    This lady was like something out of a fairy tale. Hina was absolutely in awe.


    However, before she could reach her, something struck her side.


    She was launched to the left, rolling along the dirt multiple times as her body burned with pain from the hit. The wind had been knocked out of her.


    "Hina!" Her father cried out.


    What... What happened?  Hina thought.  My arm''s broken.


    Then, the culprit screeched. It was a second raptor that had been hiding behind the building. These monsters were smart like that, unfortunately.


    The raptor ran up to her, ignoring both of the other people nearby, trying to finish her off.


    And, all it got for that was a spear through its head, just like its friend.


    The raptor fell, landing near Hina''s body, blood pouring out of its head. Hina blinked as the woman walked up to her.


    "You... Are not too lucky, are you?" She asked Hina as she turned her over.


    "Ow..." Hina whimpered as her broken arm moved.


    Then, with a hushed incantation, the lady''s hands began glowing and she placed them over Hina''s body. And, within seconds, she felt fine.


    "H-Huh?"


    "Or, maybe you are lucky, I don''t fucking know," the girl said as Hina stood up.


    "You''re a healer?"


    "No shit," the girl muttered before turning towards Hina''s father. The man was frozen, watching Hina like he''d seen a ghost. The hit she took must have terrified him. "So, old man, ready to show me how to make that soup or whatever?"


    "R-Right, sure, come!"


    "Wait!" Hina called out.


    "Hm?" The lady turned around.


    She couldn''t help herself. This woman was amazing.


    "What... What''s your name?"


    "Ash," she replied nonchalantly, and with that, the two of them turned away and Hina was left there before she finally stood up and followed them in.

 Chapter 203 - Vol. 4 - 2

    Ash


    Once she felt like she had the process of cooking raptor soup down, Ash left the restaurant and began heading back to where Keiko and the others currently were, carrying chunks of those raptors'' meat in a couple of bags she was given by the restaurant''s owner.


    In all honesty, Ash could tell she wasn''t going to enjoy her time here. The unshielded sun, the dirt that surrounded her, the annoying monsters. She was thoroughly displeased with the fact that she had to be here.


    However, that didn''t mean that she wasn''t taking advantage of it. Since she''d arrived, she''d spent most of her time farming monsters, which wasn''t too hard to do since they were everywhere. No matter where she went if she just walked in a straight line for a few seconds, she was bound to encounter some deadly creature.


    And that meant that her levels had gotten to this point:


    Level 70


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 100/700


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 32


    INT: 20


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    ---


    Lust: 1/4


    ---


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach


    Chosen


    Moonlight Nature (all Light and Dark spells are enhanced, though the bearer can only use Light and Dark)


    Quick Learner


    Demon Inside


    Moonlight Demon (While in Demon Form, all Light and Dark spells are further enhanced)


    ---


    Passive:


    Aura of the Temptress (During Demon Form: Lust 4/4)


    ---


    Spells:


    Light:


    Heal 10mp (the basic Light spell)


    Lumina''s Presence 10mp (slower, gradual heal on one target)


    Lumina''s Spirit 15mp (energy boost)


    Barrier 15mp (projects a white wall that blocks spells)


    Empowered Light 40mp (the effects of Light magic are enhanced on multiple targets)


    Curse Removal 100mp


    Land of Grace 50mp (AOE heal)


    Sacred Ground 20mp (AOE Turn Dark)


    Flash of Brilliance 40mp (Blinding)


    Cure Poison 10mp


    Dark:


    Dark Sphere 10mp (the basic Dark spell)


    Perish 15mp (mid-range slightly stronger Dark projectile),


    Decimating Touch 15mp (touch-based Dark attack)


    Living Vortex 20mp (grants a target lifesteal from wounded bodies around them)


    Spirit Siphon 20mp (touch-based lifesteal spell)


    Pain Amplification 50mp (Dark magic buff)


    Weakening Grasp 50mp (Lower target''s resistance to Dark magic)


    Soul Tear 200mp (Killing an opponent with this temporarily enhances the user)


    Divine:


    Champion of Magia 0mp


    ---


    Weapon Proficiencies:


    Bladed Gauntlets = 6 of 10


    Sword = 4 of 10


    Bow = 4 of 10


    Spear = 3 of 10


    Naginata = 3 of 10


    Ash''s day mostly consisted of the following routine:


    First, she''d wake up and have some of the breakfast that Metsumi would cook for everyone. Then, she''d train with Yumi, using different weapons. After that, she''d go look for monsters to fight, by herself, of course. Finally, she''d come back, and if it wasn''t too late, she and Yumi would continue their training.


    All of this would take place on The Outskirts, just outside of Amber, as was Satsuhiro''s request.


    As she saw her group''s tents set up in the distance, she sighed, adjusting the raptor meat she was carrying.


    Metsumi was playing a little song on a four-string instrument she''d brought with her, from Jade, while Satsuhiro was reading something next to her. Yumi was meditating by her lonesome, a few meters away. Opah and Luvine were playing with some dolls Satsuhiro and Metsumi had bought, while Keiko was simply resting, as she sat down with her back to a rock.


    Of course, in a tent just to the left of Ash''s own was Kaori, still unconscious.


    Ash could just barely see a bump start to form in Keiko''s belly, which made her feel strange every time she thought about it.


    As Ash arrived, all eyes went to her.


    "So, tell me again why we''re in the middle of fucking nowhere instead of renting out a place in the city?" Ash asked.


    "I already told you," Satsuhiro sighed. "We are, quite literally, traveling with a pregnant woman and a woman in a coma. It would be extremely easy for anyone to take advantage of us right now."


    "I''m level 70. I''m pretty confident I could keep someone from hurting us."


    "If they attacked you from the front, like an idiot, yes. But, what if they slip a drug into your morning coffee? Or a high-level illusionist puts you to sleep? We have too big of a target on our backs," Satsuhiro explained. "This is the safest option for us."


    "Ugh," Ash rolled her eyes as she dropped the raptor meat on a black sheet. "So, how exactly are we supposed to find new magic for me to learn if we never go into the damn city?"


    "I''m still working that out," Satsuhiro told her. Ash just groaned.


    "... Anyway, here, brought something."


    "OH," Metsumi stopped playing her music, standing up to go inspect it. "Wow. Things took a turn over there?"


    "Yeah. Nothing I couldn''t handle though."


    Still, it was nice to sit in an actual building again.  Ash thought.  I needed that.


    "Good job, then," Metsumi said as she walked over to Ash and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, half-hugging her. "You''ve come a long way. I''m proud of you."


    Ash lightly shrugged her off though.


    "Not far enough..." She muttered as she looked over to where Kaori was laying.


    Metsumi gave her a reassuring smile though.


    "You''ll get her back, kid. I believe in you."


    Ash nodded.


    "What was the place like?" Keiko suddenly asked from the side, and Ash turned towards her.


    "Meh," she shrugged. "Same as every other random building I''ve found out here. Covered in dirt, inside and out."


    "Really?" Keiko asked with a smile. "I''d like to see one of these with you, at some point."


    "Yeah? You''re always welcome to come with me," Ash let her know. "By the way, want me to show you something I learned?"


    "Hm?" Keiko tilted her head. "Of course, what is it?"


    "Sure," Metsumi added, smiling as she was surprised.


    "Okay. Boil some water for me, can you?" She asked Metsumi and the strong woman nodded.


    And so, Ash proceeded to cook that night''s dinner. It took a lot of effort, but after ten or so minutes, she was handing out something that resembled food to everyone there, in small bowls they''d brought with them.


    Ash walked over to Yumi with her food and the woman''s eyes opened.


    "Here you go... Made it myself," Ash told her.


    "Thank you," Yumi bowed and accepted it. And, as the silence stretched between them, Ash walked away.


    They hadn''t talked at all about what they''d done together a couple of weeks ago. Ash felt it was best to leave it at that, anyway. It was just something they had needed to do to close the portal. That was it.


    So, why the fuck do I feel so strange around her?  Ash wondered, but she pushed the thought away as she walked around and handed out bowls of raptor soup to everyone else.


    Metsumi was the first to start eating and...


    "Well... For your first time cooking, this is... Not terrible."


    "That bad, huh?" Ash asked.


    "You''ll get better!"


    "Great," Ash said as she sat down next to Keiko. Now, she was hesitant to taste her own food, but she forced herself to do it. And, as soon as she took a bite, she gagged.


    Oh. Wow. This is awful.


    In front of her, both Opah and Luvine took a sip from her dinner, and Ash laughed when she saw expressions of pure disgust appear on their faces.


    "Eh, I''ve eaten worse," Ash mumbled to herself as she took another bite.


    ...


    A while later, after Ash forced herself to gulp down the sludge she''d made, she looked up at the sky and saw the sun just barely hanging onto the horizon.


    "... Still a bit of time left in the day," Ash said, standing up.


    Keiko, who was still in the same place, stood up all of a sudden as well. Ash raised a brow at her.


    "In that case," Keiko said, "can we take a walk? I haven''t moved my legs in a long time."


    Ash nodded.


    "Sure."


    "First sign of trouble, you double back over here," Satsuhiro said, "don''t risk her getting caught by any stray spells or anything."


    "I can still fight," Keiko muttered. "I... I''m not that far down the process."


    Ash figured she was right, Keiko probably could trade a few blows still, but even then, she was inclined to agree with Satsuhiro on this. Regardless, she kept quiet and waited for Keiko to stretch a little before she slipped on some shoes. And, thus, the two of them started walking away.


    "W-Where are they going?" Ash heard Luvine ask.


    "They''ll be back in a bit," Metsumi told her. "Don''t worry about them."


    Eventually, the group faded into the background as Ash and Keiko wandered over to the east.


    And, in just a matter of minutes, they were able to see the canyon that Amber was built around. A city divided into two halves, constructed around both sides of this dirt structure, joined together by a series of small bridges. Ash looked over at it with determined eyes.


    "... I''d be surprised if the people there are as bad as Satsuhiro says they are," Keiko stated. "The way he talks about this place, it''s as if there''s not one redeemable soul there."


    "Vermia was from here, so," Ash countered, "if she''s any indication..."


    "Even then, there have to be some good people here. Maybe even a teacher or two that we can find for you," Keiko told her. "You know, for your magic."


    "... Maybe."


    As Ash said that though, she looked over at Keiko. The woman was standing there, her hands held together in front of her, with a little smile that moved to Ash as she noticed the half-demon watching her.


    It struck her, at this moment, how different she looked, compared to when Ash had met her. She''d been a serious, stoic, statue of a person back then, but now... Now she seemed like an angel.


    One who could still slice her in half with a sword if they were even in levels, of course, but an angel nonetheless.


    "Are you doing alright?" Ash asked her.


    "Huh?" Keiko replied.


    "Just asking," Ash crossed her arms and turned away. "We... I don''t know, it''s been a while since we''ve been alone together like this. And..." She chuckled. "I''m not too sure what I''m supposed to do."


    "Oh."


    Keiko looked away as well, seemingly thinking about it for a second as well.


    "... I suppose, something has been on my mind."


    "Yeah?"


    "... I wonder, you know, this is the realm of magic," Keiko said as she looked at the city in the distance. "A strange place where reality itself shifts and morphs, according to Satsuhiro. Do... Do you think they have any spells or potions that can..."


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    Keiko went silent.


    "Nothing," Keiko waved a hand in the air. "I was just thinking out loud."


    "Wouldn''t now be the time for that?" Ash asked. "We are by ourselves out here, after all."


    "... No, I''d rather take this time to do this," Keiko said.


    And then, she put a hand on Ash''s shoulder, turned the half-demon towards her, got on the tips of her toes, and placed a gentle kiss on Ash''s lips.


    Keiko''s cheeks were slightly reddened.


    "It''s... Been a while since we... ehm..."


    "Since we what?"


    "Well, you know..." Keiko said in a low tone, quiet and embarrassed. Almost ashamed. "And... I don''t know. I''m feeling needy, I guess."


    Keiko turned away and Ash smirked a little.


    "We could fuck right here and I could try my hardest not to get sand on your clit."


    "ASH!?"


    "Eh, you asked," Ash said, laughing as Keiko blushed furiously and looked away.


    They remained in silence for a little while longer. The sun lowered and now, they were covered in a dim, orange haze. Neither of them said anything for a while until Keiko finally spoke up again.


    "... Could we?" Keiko suddenly asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Uh... Could you try that? Um, not getting sand on my..."


    Ash took a deep breath then and nodded.


    "Yeah.. I could give it a shot."

 Chapter 204 - Vol. 4 - 3

    Keiko


    By the time they were done, the night had already come.


    That wasn''t the only thing that came, of course. Keiko''s legs could barely hold her at this point. So, instead of heading back, for a few moments, she and Ash simply sat on the same boulder that the half-demon had just spent a while eating her out on. Ash had nearly transformed, but as she hadn''t had an orgasm herself though, she didn''t.


    Right now, Keiko and Ash were sitting together, looking up at the night sky. Keiko''s head was resting on Ash''s left shoulder, their hands held together.


    "... We should probably head back soon," Keiko said.


    "Yeah. Probably."


    Despite that though, neither of them made an effort to move.


    Instead, Ash continued.


    "... I need to do more," Ash muttered suddenly and Keiko raised a brow at her.


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "... I''m training, and I''m leveling, but, by now, I could have learned a ton of different spells. Instead, the only ones I''ve picked up are the ones we got from Vermia''s house. I don''t know, it sort of feels like I''m wasting my time."


    "Are you worried about Kaori?" Keiko asked and Ash nodded. "Don''t worry. Lumina said you could take a few months to prepare for whatever she''s got in mind, right?"


    "... Yeah, but..." Ash muttered. "I dunno. I still feel like I''m just..." She trailed off and hunched over a bit, her frustration so visible that Keiko basically recoiled.


    Seeing her down like this was rare, so Keiko had no real clue what she needed to do in moments like these. However, as the area around them got just a little colder, Keiko went with her gut and simply gave the half-demon a soft embrace.


    "We''ve got plenty of time. Don''t worry about it," Keiko told her and Ash sighed.


    "Yeah... I guess."


    With that moment done, finally, they began heading back to the camp. Ash kept her eyes peeled for any potential creatures scurrying towards them from the darkness, but their walk was ultimately an uninterrupted one. When they arrived back where their group was, Ash saw that most of them had already gone to sleep.


    Yumi was the only one awake as she was still meditating with her legs crossed. Satsuhiro and Metsumi were in their tent, and Luvine and Opah were sharing a mat.


    "Damn..." Ash muttered. "Guess we were gone for longer than I thought."


    Keiko felt as tired as ever, so, while Ash walked over to Yumi and sat down next to her, she went to the same tent where Kaori was. Here, she laid down next to her and sighed, looking up.


    And, as she heard Ash and Yumi start talking to each other, her thoughts drifted.


    There has to be a way,  Keiko thought.  I mean... With magic being capable of so much, surely there''s some sort of option that can help me get rid of this.


    She hadn''t told Ash, but admittedly, she was feeling a very similar way to the half-demon.


    While the Savior was out there, fighting and training, Keiko had spent the last three or so weeks doing nothing but "resting", or as she liked to call it, "wasting away".


    I am a fighter. Maybe, someday, I could be something else, but that is not who I am today. She thought as she closed her eyes, her resolve strengthening inside of her.


    One way or another, she hoped she''d find a way to get her life back.


    ---


    Ash


    The next morning, Ash was up early, training with her teacher. Currently, Yumi was teaching her how to use the naginata. Ash''s proficiency on the weapon was at a 3, and, sadly, that meant that it was simply an uncomfortable tool to wield.


    As their blades crossed, Yumi''s regular naginata against Ash''s golden, divine one, they stopped.


    "Remember," Yumi explained, "the naginata''s strength lies in its adaptability."


    She raised her own as she stepped back, holding it by the end of the wooden shaft.


    "In one fluid moment, you can turn it from a long-range, distance-controlling weapon, to a short range one," she said as she let it drop and then held the weapon again close to the blade. "This game of handling can win you fights if you master it."


    "Yeah, gotcha."


    Ash had the Dexterity to do these precise movements with ease, but her weapon proficiency made it feel unnatural. That was eased however as, in the very next exchange, Ash''s proficiency went up to 4.


    The number appeared over her head and Ash stopped, catching her breath. Yumi stopped to look at that as well.


    "..." Yumi chuckled. "It is rather disturbing to see you progress this quickly, I must say."


    "Really?" Ash asked. "Thought you''d be happy about it, since you said you wanted to fight people on your own level, way back."


    "... Perhaps disturbing is the wrong word. Regardless, let''s continue."


    And so, they fought for a little while longer, until Opah and Luvine woke up and Metsumi proceeded to make breakfast for everyone. By that time, Ash was sweating intensely, but she was still slightly annoyed that she''d be stopping her training, even momentarily.


    As everyone sat down around the burnt-out campfire from last night, Ash spoke up.


    "So, Satsu, figured out how we''re gonna head into the city? I need to try to find more spells there."


    "... I''ve thought of something," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Alright, shoot."


    "It might not be too dangerous if we go in small groups. Take turns, basically, going with you. "You go in with Keiko, one day, then you go in with Yumi, then with Metsumi, so on so forth."


    "... I guess," Ash shrugged. "But, I''m telling you, I really don''t think anyone there could cause us real problems as a group."


    "Maybe, maybe not. Better safe than sorry."


    "Oh, in that case," Metsumi said, "how about I go first then? I could use the time to shop for some more supplies for us."


    "Makes sense," Satsuhiro nodded. "Just..."


    "I know, I know," Metsumi laughed, cutting him off. "Don''t talk to anyone shady, don''t buy anything weird. Satsu, this isn''t my first time walking around dangerous places, you know?"


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked, curious.


    "Well, before the portals started opening up, every city had its fair share of good and bad spots. Jade, most of all. I''m sure you know about them. Now though, well, most people are too busy worrying about whether their city''s going to get sacked tomorrow to really care about robbing people in the night and stuff. Not in Amber, apparently, but I''ll be fine. I''m capable," she said, flexing her arms and Satsuhiro sighed.


    "I know, dear, I know."


    "So, when can we head out?" Ash asked.


    "Whenever you want to," Satsuhiro shrugged. "Let Metsumi do the talking though, she''s better with people."


    As blunt as that was, Ash agreed.


    "So, it''s settled then," Metsumi clapped her hands together. "May as well get ready, Ash. No reason to wait around."


    "Yeah."


    So, Ash walked away with a spare change of clothes and took off her black dress, as it was already quite messy from all the dirt she''d been walking through since they''d arrived. Putting on a regular long-sleeved white shirt and some baggy black pants, Ash returned to the group to find Metsumi crouched in front of Opah and Luvine, explaining to them why they couldn''t go.


    "There are some mean people out there," Metsumi told them. "You could get hurt, okay? So, stay here for us, and wait till we get back."


    "But I wanna go with you!" Opah said, while Luvine simply looked over at Ash with worry, but remained silent.


    "Sorry, sweetie," Metsumi hugged Opah tightly. "I''ll take you in one of these days, don''t you worry."


    Grumpy, Opah huffed and walked away, over to her mat where she took her sheet and wrapped herself up. Luvine, seeing this, jogged over to her, remaining by her side.


    Ash looked over at Yumi and Keiko, who were standing nearby.


    "So, anything you want me to look for?" She asked.


    Interestingly, Keiko''s lips parted like she was going to ask for something, but then she closed her mouth and simply smiled.


    "No, no. Have fun."


    "Hm..." Yumi tilted her head. "I suppose it would be fun to find new weapons. Maybe you could bring something back for me?"


    "Alright, I''ll keep an eye out then. See you later," Ash said, waving her hand at them but Keiko walked over and stopped her.


    "Hahaha," she laughed. "That''s a little cold, don''t you think?"


    "What do you-" Ash didn''t get to finish her question though as Keiko kissed her, her soft lips pressing against Ash''s own lightly.


    "... Oh," Ash said, blinking.


    Keiko laughed again, as Ash put two fingers up to her own lips.  Right. This sort of thing is normal, isn''t it?  She wondered. She didn''t have too many references for relationships, after all, besides for Satsuhiro and Metsumi.


    "Eh, don''t worry about it... I just figured..." Keiko said, but now Ash cut her off.


    Ash took Keiko by the waist and pulled her in, locking their lips in a far more passionate moment than what had just happened. When they separated, Ash took a deep breath.


    "I..." Ash looked away. "I don''t know how much is too much, when it comes to this sort of thing, if that makes sense."


    "... How about you test your limits and I''ll let you know?" Keiko told her with a smile and Ash had to look away to prevent her heart from getting melted.


    "Sure."


    And, with that, Ash finally began to head into the city, with Metsumi as her only bit of company.

 Chapter 205 - Vol. 4 - 4

    To Ash''s eyes though, it was a city in name only. There were no tall buildings or gates like what she was used to. Instead, it looked like there was a collection of small cabins in the distance.  How many people even live there?  She wondered.


    The overbearing sun was harsh on Ash''s skin and she already found herself sweating, wiping some of that salty liquid off of her forehead with her right wrist.


    "The city of magic," Metsumi said with a dreamy tone. "The forgotten city, the city of the sands. So many names and it earns all of them."


    "Yeah? Well, let''s hope the ''city of magic'' won''t let us down..." Ash muttered in response as the two continued until, eventually, the canyon made itself evident. And, Ash couldn''t help but take a look down the trench.


    "Careful," Metsumi told her. "I''m guessing that if you fall in, you''ll die no matter what level you are."


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m just taking a..." however, Ash trailed off when she saw what justified calling Amber a city.


    It wasn''t just one or two small bridges connecting both sides, but rather, on the dirt walls that made up the canyon were hundreds and hundreds of small homes built into the natural structure, leading all the way down to the base of the canyon where Ash could see people walking around like ants.


    "What the hell?" Ash asked herself as she looked on in awe. This hadn''t been what she expected at all.


    "The buildings atop the canyon are mostly businesses and governmental offices. Those places are where the people live," Metsumi informed her.


    "It''s... So weird," Ash replied and Metsumi chuckled.


    "But it''s also a good way to keep themselves out of the eyes of monsters," Metsumi countered. "So many terrifying creatures live around here, after all. One dragon, Ash, could come here and wipe this entire city out in one minute if it wished to. This is how they lay low."


    Acknowledging that, Ash set her surprise aside as they neared a wooden structure. It was almost like a set of stairs leading up to a second floor that had its walls ripped off, with two guards standing atop it, holding no weapons.


    One of them looked down at Ash and whistled, before hopping down, off of the platform and landing in front of her. He, and the other guard, were dressed in a strange outfit made of leather, but with a white cloth wrapped around his head and goggles protecting his eyes.


    Level 35


    MP: 400/400


    Damn,  Ash thought.  This random guard''s got one of the highest levels I''ve seen a non-Savior have. Is everyone like that here?


    "Half-demon," he said, ignoring Metsumi entirely. "I''d ask if you''re a traveler of sorts but I reckon that level of yours is a bit too high for a merchant or a simple tourist. And, with those clothes, you''re definitely no local. What are you doing here?"


    "Excuse me, we''re just here to-" Metsumi started before she was cut off.


    "No, you excuse me," he said, "I don''t think I asked you shit, lady. I suggest you keep your mouth shut while I talk to your friend here."


    Hearing that, Ash narrowed her eyes at him.


    "And I suggest you start talking to us with a little more respect before I put a sword through your neck," she replied.


    "Oh?" He laughed. "Is that a threat?"


    "Yes," Ash said firmly.


    "A-Ash," Metsumi put a hand on Ash''s left shoulder, but Ash didn''t take her eyes off of the man. Behind him, Ash could see the other guard watching them with his hands by his waist, and Ash guessed that meant he was getting ready to cast a spell of sorts.


    Remembering Yumi''s lessons, she was already trying to figure out how she''d fight this if these two chose to do anything stupid.


    I can use Dark Sphere on this guy, switch to my Bow, and shoot a couple of arrows at his friend. Then...


    However, the guy standing in front of her backed off.


    "Well, no need to get too agitated," he said, raising his hands. "I just wanted to know if you were someone important, is all."


    "No," Ash replied. "We''re nobodies."


    As much as she wanted to brag to this idiot about being a Savior, she did recall what Satsuhiro said about not putting a target on their backs. Although, she felt like her level was already doing that, but, still, she figured she may as well try things Satsuhiro''s way.


    For now.


    "Then, in that case, welcome to Amber, please... Enjoy your stay," he said, stepping aside. Ash watched him for a little while longer before Metsumi gently pulled her along.


    And, like that, the two entered the city, with the eyes of those two guards following them the entire way.


    "Ash," Metsumi said, "you can''t just lose your cool like that."


    "What was I supposed to do? He treated you like shit within, like, two seconds of us getting there," Ash responded. "I''m not gonna let anyone walk over you like that."


    Metsumi sighed, and then laughed a little.


    "... I appreciate the thought, Ash, but, please, try not to escalate things like that."


    "That''s up to them," Ash shrugged. "Not me."


    With that being said, Ash finally began to look around and analyze the place around her. The buildings definitely looked a lot bigger up close, but there was still nothing here that reminded her of Jade. Dusty, wooden construction was mostly all there was to see, with a dirt road cutting through the street. Most people were dressed just like that guard was, with some cloth wrapped around their bodies and goggles protecting their eyes.


    Even though they were wearing these protective pieces, the tilting of their heads towards her let Ash know that pretty much everyone she passed was keeping an eye on her.


    Guards, specifically, were watching her with great interest and caution.


    A man was pulling a strange beast tied to a rope. This creature was slightly like the image of dragons that Ash had in her mind, but this thing had spikes on its head and long, almost human-like hands. Apparently, such a beast was no strange sight, as everyone merely ignored it.


    Taverns, general goods shops, bars, inns, and even a whorehouse were all around Ash, but in the distance, one building was taller and wider than all the others.


    She pointed at it subtly and leaned closer to Metsumi.


    "What is that place?"


    "If I''m not mistaken, that''s the Arcane''s home. It''s... Probably best not to go anywhere near that place, unless we have to."


    "Why?"


    "Well, you saw how on-edge the guards were back there. They''re even worse the closer you get to the Arcane. I don''t really know why, but it''s worth noting."


    "Gotcha," Ash nodded. "So, what do we do now?"


    "I''ll be over there," Metsumi quickly pointed at a nearby general goods store. "I want to buy some stuff so I can keep making us actual, decent, meals. Monster meat tends to not taste very well, you know? As for you... Well, you could try that alchemist''s shop over there," she pointed to where there was a sign depicting a mortar and pestle. "Not quite a mage''s shop, but maybe they can point you in the direction of one."


    "Okay."


    "Don''t stray too far though," Metsumi told her. "I''ll be out in a bit. We don''t want to get split up."


    "Right."


    On that note, Metsumi walked into the general goods store nearby and Ash went to the alchemist''s shop. It was smaller than any of the other buildings nearby, almost like it was hiding in plain sight. As Ash walked in through an old door that seemed like it was just about to fall apart, she coughed when a rotten scent came to her nose.


    "What the fuck?" She asked as she looked around. There were flasks of different shapes and sizes all around her, on many shelves spread across the room. At the back, she saw a boy with short blueish hair stirring a giant pot.


    "Oh, crap, sorry missus," he said, in a strange accent, before quickly covering the pot up. Like everyone outside, he was wearing goggles too.


    The boy was exceptionally thin, wearing a set of white clothes that reminded Ash of a monk.


    "What are you doing?" Ash asked.


    "Trainin''," he laughed. "I''m guessin'' you''re here to buy potions? Jus'' hold on a second. My teacher''s the one who runs this place. I''m jus'' her apprentice, is all."


    He tapped on a door that blended in with the wall behind him so well, that Ash hadn''t noticed it.


    "Madam, madam! We got a customer," he said.


    "What? Why!?"


    Why?  Ash echoed.  You''re a store owner, what the hell kind of a question is "why"?


    "I dunno. She seems to not be leavin'' though."


    Then, Ash heard something that sounded like metal pieces and gears falling onto the ground before the door swung open wildly. And, out emerged a small woman, maybe two whole heads shorter than Ash was.


    She looked quite a bit like Vyl, actually.


    "What the hell does she want?" The woman asked the boy.


    "I dunno."


    "You didn''t ask?"


    "No."


    "Why?"


    "I dunno," he shrugged.


    "Ugh!" The woman groaned as she walked over to Ash, stomping her feet against the ground before putting two small hands on her hips and looking up at Ash with a glare.


    Actually, now that she was looking at her this closely, the woman  really  resembled Vyl. All the way from the green hair to the same sorts of tattoos on her body. The only differences between the women, in Ash''s mind, were the clothes they were wearing.


    And, of course, like everyone else, she too was wearing goggles.


    Level 30


    MP: 600/600


    So, yeah, everyone''s pretty high-level, it seems.  Ash thought.


    "What is it?" She asked. "Are you here to buy potions?"


    "Well, no, I was wondering," Ash started, but she cut her off.


    "Then why the hell would you come to an alchemist''s shop!?"


    "Because-"


    "Martin!" She turned towards the boy. "Always ask these people what it is that they want! I am in the middle of important research and I cannot be asked to pause for the sake of bumbling..."


    However, as she looked back at Ash, she stopped mid-sentence.


    "Oh," the woman said lowly. "Level 70, are you?" She took a step back.


    Her eyes ran over Ash''s body, up and down a couple of times.


    "Well-built, strong body, half-demon, incredibly high-level," she spoke very quickly before sighing.. Then, she crossed her arms. "Tell me, Ash, what is a Savior doing in my little alchemy shop?"

 Chapter 206 - Vol. 4 - 5

    For a solid three seconds, Ash just stood there.


    "Well?" The alchemist asked, waiting for an answer.


    "Wait, back up, back up. How do you know who I am?" Ash asked. "Who are you?"


    "Pfft. You and those two other Saviors handed the demon army their first big loss in years!" She exclaimed, spreading her arms to illustrate her point. "Everyone knows you. Right, Martin?"


    "Uh, no, I don''t know her," the boy at the back replied.


    "What? How come!?"


    "I... dunno," he shrugged. "Never heard of her."


    "Ignore him," she said, turning back towards her. "Everyone knows you. Trust me."


    "... Okay," Ash sighed.


    Wait,  she thought,  so... Those guards. Did they know me?


    "With that being said, I ask you again, what are you doing here?" The green-haired lady asked.


    "... I''m looking for a mage store or something," Ash told her.


    "A mage store? What are you doing in an alchemist shop then!?" She asked, baffled.


    "Cause I wanted to see if you could point me to..." Again, Ash was cut off.


    "What, you think just cause I make potions I sell spells too? You think we''re the same thing? No. Those idiots," she moved away, gesturing around her as if there were other people in the store. "All they have to do is read a little book, fill up a little bar above their head, and boom, they have spells. Not me! I''m an alchemist. Al-che-mist. I make potions, I have to grind my ingredients myself, find everything myself, and then taste everything myself. My art form is superior to a mage in every way, you hear me!?"


    Ash blinked as the lady finished her short speech. Then, she nodded, turned around, and walked out of the store.


    What the fuck is wrong with her? Ash asked herself as she moved out onto the street, but the lady followed her out.


    "Hey! I wasn''t done!"


    "Really?" Ash asked, turning around. "How many more minutes do you need?"


    "Pfft. Rude. Anyway, I was merely going to say that if you do want to inspect such... lower forms of magic there is a spellbook store down the street, to the right, and past the bar."


    Ash, shocked, pulled back a little.


    "Oh. Well, shit, thanks."


    "But," she raised a hand, interrupting her, "if you wish to experiment with the objectively better art form, by all means, return to my little shop, Savior. Oh, and get yourself some damned goggles! What are you thinking!?"


    "... What?" Ash hadn''t been this confused by an individual person in a long, long time. "Why?"


    "People can throw things into your eyes, kid! Listen, last little bit of advice, you should assume that every single person you see is a thief. Okay? Because chances are, they..."


    She trailed off though when a commotion started to the right. Ash turned towards the direction she was looking at and quickly, she saw what was happening.


    A teenage boy was being pursued by some guards. In his hands, he was carrying a pouch full of what Ash assumed to be coins of some sort.


    "Stop!" One guard yelled as he pulled a hand back, muttered something, and then launched a ball of flames at his back.


    The boy was quickly approaching Ash''s position. Just before he reached her, he dodged out of the way of the projectile and then said something so quickly, that Ash didn''t comprehend it, but it resulted in a gust of wind appearing under his feet that he then used to propel himself up into the air, jumping atop the nearby alchemy store in one leap.


    Oh, shit.


    "Agh, dammit!" A guard said and then, he performed the same spell, launching himself up into the air to pursue the kid. The other guards followed.


    "Get used to that," the alchemist told Ash, "that''s a common occurrence here. Keep your valuables close to your chest, Savior."


    Then, in an instant, she walked back into her shop and slammed the door closed.


    "... I''m already tired of this place," Ash muttered as she tried to recall the directions she''d just received.


    Just a few seconds later, she was standing in front of an unassuming shop with no label, only a drawing of a thick book at the front. Nodding to herself, Ash walked in. There was no one inside.


    Hm?  Ash looked around, finding nothing but shelves of books and empty wooden tables. Before too long though, someone walked out from a room to the right.


    Ash raised a brow.


    A man with short white hair, and two black horns on his head. He was wearing a black coat covered in feathers, similar to the outfit Vermia used to wear. He was just as tall as Ash was, and in his hands, he was carrying a black book.


    A half-demon...


    He looked over at Ash and made an expression that mirrored her own.


    "Hm? What can I do for you?" He asked, and Ash walked over to a nearby chair, preparing herself to explain what she was here for.


    ---


    Keiko


    It had been a few hours since Metsumi and Ash had left to visit Amber, and Keiko was so bored, she felt like time had halted. Around her, Satsuhiro had been reading stories to Opah and Luvine all day, while Yumi was practicing with her naginata.


    So, Keiko stood up.


    "Hey," she walked over to the other Zayama, with a bit of a hopeful little smile on her face. "Can I practice with you?"


    Yumi tilted her head, as she stopped swinging her weapon.


    "Are you certain that you want to? Do you feel well enough?"


    "I think so," Keiko nodded. "Besides... It''s been a while since I''ve swung my sword. I''m probably rusty."


    "Hm..." Yumi thought about it for a moment, before she nodded.


    "Thank you," Keiko chuckled. "At least you aren''t treating me like I''m suddenly made of glass."


    "Well, perhaps I should," Yumi shrugged. "But... I''ll admit, I do have a soft spot for you."


    Admittedly, Keiko felt the same way. Perhaps it was just the fact that they were both members of the Zayama clan, or maybe the fact that Keiko knew Yumi had gone through the same arduous training she had, but even worse as she''d spent the last decade training in isolation.


    "Grab your sword, let''s spar a little. We''ll take things slowly, though, just in case you get sick."


    "Yeah, hold on."


    And so, Keiko went to grab her father''s sword, which was wrapped up in her bag. She took it out, holding it in her hands again for the first time in so long. It still felt comfortable in her hands. When her fingers wrapped around it, Keiko felt a euphoria course through her that nearly was enough to reduce her to tears.


    However, she made her way back to Yumi and nodded as she unsheathed the blade.


    "Take it easy on me," Keiko said. "It''s been a while."


    "Of course," Yumi replied.


    The two of them stood opposite each other, a bit of distance away from the others, so as to avoid hurting them accidentally. Keiko took a deep breath and placed her blade in front of her, taking up her old stance. Yumi held her naginata by her side.


    Then, Yumi attacked. She charged forwards, just quickly enough for Keiko''s eyes to see where she was going, without her Spirit Eye. She slashed at Keiko from below, and the sword-user barely deflected her blade before raising her sword up and bringing it down. Yumi easily sidestepped her and spun, sweeping the ground with her naginata.


    Keiko jumped up, a move she regretted instantly as it made her stomach churn a little, but she didn''t lose focus. as she came back down to the ground, she stabbed forwards and Yumi parried the strike with the shaft of her weapon, pushing Keiko''s sword away.


    The speed at which they were going was exhilarating. Of course, in a real fight, Yumi could easily overwhelm Keiko, but right now, she seemed to be trying her hardest to give Keiko a challenge, while not just outright dominating her, and Keiko appreciated every second of it.


    However, before they could continue engaging with each other for much longer, Keiko''s arms froze up and she dropped her sword. Yumi stopped as soon as she saw that, and Keiko fell to her knees.


    Then, she felt something rise up from her stomach and violet liquid spilled out onto the dirt beneath her. Her veins turned violet as well, and Keiko felt cold.


    "Are you alright? Do you need water?" Yumi asked as she crouched beside her.


    Wordlessly, Keiko coughed, pointing at her bag. Yumi quickly brought it over and Keiko pulled out the special potion Vyl had given her, which lessened the symptoms of her current condition.


    She took two sips from it eagerly and quickly, her veins turned back to normal and she felt marginally better.


    However, she was still beyond frustrated.


    "Agh!" She slammed a fist into the dirt. "W-Why, why!?" She tried her hardest not to yell as Yumi watched her.


    "I apologize, Keiko," Yumi stood up. "I took things too far."


    "No... You''re fine, Yumi, please... It''s..."


    Defeated, Keiko shook her head.


    There has to be a way, there has to be!  She thought as Yumi continued to watch her, concerned.

 Chapter 207 - Vol. 4 - 6

    Ash


    She didn''t know how much time she spent standing there, looking at the man who had just walked into the room, but she couldn''t help it.


    Level 21


    MP: 150/150


    A half-demon who owned a store. It was hard for her to believe, but it was real.


    "Excuse me?" He asked, crossing his legs as he sat down behind a nearby desk. "Can I help you with something?"


    As he asked that, Ash shook her head, focusing up again.


    "Right, yeah, uh, I was wondering if you sold any Dark or Light spells. Strong ones. Advanced or intermediate or whatever," Ash said as she got a little closer, almost as though she wanted to get a better look at him.


    The man appeared to be in good health, somewhat older than she was. The store they were currently in didn''t seem like anything special, but then again, Ash didn''t know if this place, perhaps, was considered special in any way by Amber''s standards. The more she looked at him, the more questions came to her mind.


    "Dark or Light spells..." The man internalized her question. "Well, I''ve got a few of those, but if you''re looking for anything of significant power... Which, going off that level of yours, I''m sure you''re looking for the best, you''ll have to go somewhere else for that."


    "Where?"


    "Let''s see... You could head to the Arcane''s Manor and ask for help there. I doubt the Arcane himself would come out to speak to you, but with some luck, maybe you could get a scholar or two to assist you. Aside from that," he gestured vaguely, "There is this one lady who''d come here some time ago. Vermia, I believe her name was. She was the one I got the idea for this little outfit from. She was a Dark mage, but I believe she passed away recently. Still, again, the Arcane probably had people sort out her things, all the more reason to head over there and check. As for Light though, well, not many Light mages in Amber."


    "Why?"


    "Most people just learn some basic healing spells and move on to more practical abilities," he shrugged, "things that would prevent your family from getting devoured by a sand reaver, for instance. So, yes, unfortunately, I don''t know where you could go for that. Still, I''ve got a couple of Light spellbooks lying around here. You could see if there are any you like."


    He pointed at the shelf just next to her and Ash nodded.


    "... Okay, thanks," she muttered as she moved over to it and tried to find the Light spellbooks he was talking about. However, she couldn''t keep her thoughts on the current task, as every couple of seconds, she''d find herself glancing back at the man, her curiosity getting the better of her.


    She took one book, opened it up to see some spell called  Projected Healing  but before she could read what it did, she turned back towards him.


    "Actually, can I ask you something?"


    "Hm? Of course, customer," he said. "What do you need?"


    "... Who are you?" She asked.


    "Oh? Why do you wish to know that?" He asked. Ash closed the book she was holding and took a few steps closer to him.


    "I mean, I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but we''re both half-demons..."


    "Yes, I suppose we are."


    "And, well, I don''t know how things work around here, but up in Jade, I never saw any half-demon living this comfortably. So... Yeah, I just... I have questions."


    "... I see. Are half-demons particularly mistreated in Jade?"


    "That''s understating it," Ash told him. "If you don''t get five people spitting on you in the span of 24 hours then that''s called a ''good day''. And, as far as I could tell, it''s the same in every other city. So, yeah. I-I guess I''m just wondering... Are you an exception, or are things different here?"


    He took these words in and nodded. Then, he leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk and sighing deeply.


    "I''d say so," he told her. "But, not in some... rose-colored fantasy land kind of way, I guess. I mean in that, here, well, I''ve never been up north so I can''t really compare it but listening to what you told me, no. People didn''t really spit on me, it was more like a general mistrust."


    "What does that mean?" Ash asked.


    "Simple. It means that whenever I''d walk into school, back when I was a kid, every other kid would give me the side-eye, you know?" He chuckled. "But... That was mostly as far as they took it. They''d call me ''half-demon'', instead of my name, they''d start sweating a little anytime I was nearby, but that was it. I can''t say I or, any other half-demon I''ve met had things any worse than that."


    Hearing that, Ash nodded, but the man hadn''t quite finished.


    "See, people are too busy trying not to die to a terrible, ravenous monster, or trying not to get robbed every time they walk out of their homes to worry about stuff like that, down here. Everyone''s mostly the same in Amber, well..."


    He glanced up at her.


    "... So long as your level isn''t that much higher than anyone else''s."


    ... Well, shit.


    Hearing that, Ash raised a brow, and quickly, she felt conflicted.


    So, apparently, she had stumbled into the one city in the world where half-demons weren''t treated like absolute crap. However, on the other hand, because of her level, she was still an outsider.


    Figures,  she scoffed.


    "Can I buy one or two of these?"


    "You got the crowns to pay for ''em?"


    "Yeah."


    "Then you can buy however many you want."


    With that out of the way, Ash checked out all of the shelves, looking for as many useful Light and Dark spells as she could find. There weren''t many, but she did find three solid-looking spellbooks and went with those.


    Within them were the spells:  Projected Healing, which placed a white orb in a small area, healing anything that walked into it, Languish, which launched a black beam that weakened whatever it hit for a very short time, and finally, a Blessing called Lumina''s Gaze, which boosted the physical stats of nearby people.


    Projected Healing - MP Cost: 30


    Languish - MP Cost: 50


    Lumina''s Gaze - MP Cost: 150 (Scales based on connection with deities)


    By the time Ash had decided on these, she tossed over a single royal white crown at the man and turned around.


    "W-Wait, your change," he called out.


    "... Keep it," Ash said, sighing as she moved out of the store before he could get another word in.


    But, just as she did that, she nearly ran over a pair of individuals who had been about to enter the shop.


    For the second time in the last ten minutes, Ash was frozen. Standing in front of her was a woman with chestnut-colored, short hair and a cute face, but next to her was a short boy with white hair, just like Ash''s, and a pair of black horns on his head.


    It didn''t take much time for Ash to put two and two together.


    The woman cleared her throat.


    "Um... Excuse me," she said meekly, bowing her head a little.


    Ash blinked and then stepped aside.


    "Right... Sorry."


    She said as they walked in, but her eyes followed them until the door closed on its own. Ash stood there, feeling something in her heart that she couldn''t quite understand. She even turned around, putting her hand on the doorknob, as though she wanted to walk in and ask the man, and his family, other questions, but what would she say?


    In the end, she simply stood there, breathing slowly as her heart ached a little before she finally walked away.


    She went into the store that Metsumi had previously gone into, and she found the strong woman sitting at a bench inside of it, with multiple bags by her sides. The store was spacious, filled with all sorts of things, but what Metsumi had bought was mostly just food and ingredients.


    Ash walked over to her and Metsumi noticed, smiling and standing up.


    "Oh, how did it go?" She asked.


    Ash just raised her one bag, showing off the books she''d bought wordlessly.


    "Nice. Well, we should probably go get these things back to everyone," Metsumi said as she bent over to pick one of the bags up, but Ash stopped her.


    "Nah, I''ll get it," Ash said, taking every one of the bags Metsumi had and carrying them easily.


    "Oh. Thanks," Metsumi said gratefully and Ash nodded, looking away.


    With that, the two of them walked out and went into the street, hurrying a little to move all the way back to the camp, especially since it had been made so clear to Ash that they could get robbed at any moment.


    "Hey... Did anything happen?" Metsumi suddenly asked.


    "Hm?" What do you mean?"


    "You seem... Off."


    "... Nah, I''m fine, I just... I wanna get out-"


    Before she could finish that sentence, two kids ran up to her and tried to take a couple of her bags.


    "W-What the-!?" Metsumi yelped, flinching.


    However, Ash was having none of that. She yanked her hands back, ripping the bags away from them, and, as she''d put more strength into that than she''d expected, she launched one of those kids a few meters up into the air. He ended up falling just a bit ahead, and his friend, a little girl, ran up to him.


    "You okay!?" She asked.


    "Y-Yeah... hurt my leg though," he responded.


    Ash took a sharp breath. The boy was just a teenage-looking kid who was missing a tooth and seemed like he hadn''t showered in weeks. The girl, though, was a half-demon, wearing sandals and ripped-up clothes.


    The way she was helping him up, checking on him, they seemed like good friends. The type she never had, at this age.


    A couple of the nearby guards saw this happen, of course.


    "You two, stop!" One of them said and both kids quickly got up and started running away.


    All the while, the citizens around them were watching Ash with great interest, almost like they wanted to see what her reaction would be. Maybe they expected her to drop those bags and chase after the kids too.


    Instead, she lowered her gaze and kept walking, with Metsumi following closely behind her.

 Chapter 208 - Vol. 4 - 7

    Sometime later, by the time the night had come, Metsumi and Ash walked back up to the camp. Ash''s hands were full with the things the older woman had bought, but she didn''t mind it at all. The entire time they were heading out of the city, Ash felt like she had eyes on her.


    But, now that they were here, that feeling had passed.


    "I brought us some goodies, everyone!" Metsumi let them know as Ash carefully let the bags down. "Fish, eggs, milk, even bought some wine for one of these nights, in case we''re here for longer than we think we''ll be."


    "Well... That definitely sounds like it''ll taste better than what we''ve been eating so far," Satsuhiro responded.


    "Shut your mouth, everything I make is golden."


    As Metsumi took everything out, Ash sat down next to Keiko, near the fire. She didn''t say anything though, as, in her mind, she was still seeing that half-demon she''d met earlier, that woman and their child.


    The image that came to her mind made Ash sigh, hunching over a little.


    "How''d it go?" Keiko asked her.


    "It was fine..." Ash mumbled. "Just... got in, got some stuff, got out."


    "No one gave you any trouble?" Keiko asked.


    "A bit, but nothing serious," Ash shrugged. She looked up at Satsuhiro though. "By the way, the whole, ''laying low'' thing isn''t gonna work. One look at my level and everyone there knew who I was."


    "... Crap," Satsuhiro said. "Well, at least we tried that for a little while."


    "So, change of plans?"


    "If everyone knows who you are then there''s no reason to play it so safe. In that case, we may as well try the other option."


    "And, that is...?"


    "Taking full advantage of our Savior status," Satsuhiro replied. "We head for the Arcane''s manor, and we see if he''ll let us stay there for a while, at least, until you''re ready to do whatever it is Lumina wants to do."


    "Is that any safer than being out here?" Ash asked.


    "Of course. These people are opportunists, but none of them will mess with the Arcane. That''s basically the unspoken rule of Amber, last I checked. Everyone is fair game except for him. He''s the only mark that''s off-limits."


    "Hm... Alright," Ash nodded. "So, tomorrow then?"


    "That works. For now, let''s just get some rest though. After we eat whatever my dear wife''s got planned, of course."


    "You won''t be disappointed, hun," Metsumi laughed as she organized her things.


    However, while she prepared that night''s dinner, Ash''s mind wouldn''t stop wandering. She wondered how things would have turned out if she''d been born here, instead of back at Jade. She wondered what kind of family she would have had if the woman who''d birthed her had been from Amber. Things might have been the same, but the questions still circulated in Ash''s mind.


    At least, until Keiko put her head on Ash''s shoulder and for a brief moment, the half-demons mind went blank.


    "Is it weird that I was kind of getting used to sleeping out here?" Keiko asked. "The crickets, the moonlight and all. I might not be able to sleep well again for a bit without them."


    "Did you get used to the terrible monsters too?" Ash asked.


    "No, but..." Keiko said lowly. "That''s what I''ve got you here for, right?"


    "... So," Ash smirked, "I''m just a good fuck and a monster hunter, is that all I am to you?"


    "Ugh, you..." Keiko smacked Ash''s shoulder lightly. "I believe we were having a moment, Ash."


    "We still are," Ash shrugged. "I don''t mind if that''s what you want me to be."


    "No! You know you mean more to me than that..."


    "I was joking, I was joking, I know," Ash said, feeling her chest almost tighten a little as the words came out.


    They remained like that for a long time, afterward. Eventually, they all had dinner and before long, Satsuhiro said that it would be a good idea if they all went to sleep, so they could wake up early the next morning and head out to the city.


    It was fairly convenient as well since that half-demon had given Ash the tip to go to the Arcane''s Manor anyway and check if she could learn anything about magic there. All in all, it seemed like things were heading in the right direction.


    However, as the group began to settle and Yumi decided to keep watch first tonight, Ash made a small choice. She got out of the tent she, Kaori, and Keiko were sharing and she walked out, getting her armor.


    Right in front of the Zayama, Ash took her clothes off and geared up.


    "Hm?" Yumi asked as she watched her, her cheeks a little red. "Is something wrong?"


    "Nah," Ash shook her head. "I just... Figured I''d do a little hunting," Ash replied. "Before we leave."


    "I see... Are you sure you shouldn''t be taking this time to sleep?"


    "I''ve gone through plenty of sleepless nights," Ash shrugged. "I''ll be fine."


    "Very well, go ahead then."


    "Okay."


    With that, she stealthily exited the camp and began walking straight ahead, to where she saw a small mountain, glowing like a beacon in the distance. This spot had quickly become one of her favorites for hunting monsters, as she felt like she could find some relatively quickly.


    She moved through the dirt and sand, arriving at the mountain maybe an hour later. Here, the land changed just a little, containing more vegetation than just about anywhere else, with large glowing blue grass, spread all around her. The leaves on the trees, the bushes, everything else also helped illuminate the area.


    Which, of course, meant monsters were attracted to this place, just like Ash was.


    It didn''t take long to find her first target. She crouched down behind a bush as she heard a clicking noise up ahead.


    She didn''t know what these things were called, but she''d seen a couple of them before. They had no eyes, a smooth, long body, and had two thin, almost branch-like arms with claws at the end. As thin as they looked though, Ash had taken a couple of hits from them and knew they hurt like hell.


    They reminded her of the reavers she fought at Sapphire, but far less ferocious, and far smaller.


    Level 48


    MP: 100/100


    "Bow," Ash muttered and her Savior''s Weapon transformed, a golden arrow already nocked onto it.


    One arrow wouldn''t kill this creature, but Ash could finish it off soon after.


    So, she pulled the arrow back, and let it go, striking through its smooth torso. The creature screeched. Multiple birds flew away, alerted. Ash quickly changed her weapon.


    "Spear," she said, already running towards it. The creature leaped up into the air, above her. Ash wasn''t about to wait for it to come back down. "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    She propelled a black sphere, invisible in the night, towards it and it struck the monster''s body. This threw it off balance, and it fell gracelessly onto the floor behind Ash.


    Instantly, Ash raised her spear, its blade aimed at the monster''s eyeless head, and with as much strength as she could put into it, she pushed it down, stabbing through the monster.


    EXP Gained: 80


    EXP: 180/700


    And then, something tried to slash her from behind.


    Ash gasped, feeling her armor being scratched, and she looked back and saw that there''d been another of these things that she hadn''t noticed.  Fuck, fuck!


    The creature realized its attack had been ineffective and it tackled Ash, mounting her. Ash dropped her spear, as it was still embedded in the other creature, so she had nothing but her bare hands.


    Still, she could make that work.


    The creature tried to scratch her face multiple times, rapidly. It managed to do so, but eventually, Ash caught its hands, squeezing them so hard, she felt them break under her grip.


    That wasn''t her goal though.


    "Lesser being, give me your life!"


    Black tendrils emerged from the creature and began pouring into Ash as she siphoned its life force into herself, using the spell Vermia had taught her. The creature tried as hard as it could to remove itself, but Ash wouldn''t let go.


    Eventually, screeching, it pulled itself back so harshly that its arms were ripped off and it fell back. A spurt of its blood fell on Ash''s face and chest, and even in her mouth.


    "Agh," she spat it out as she stood up.


    Then, she walked over to it and stomped down on its head, twice, earning an EXP message.


    EXP Gained: 90


    EXP: 270/700


    Ash''s spine shivered as she felt the blood slide down her body.


    Nope, break, break. She called as she began taking her armor off.  I need to get this shit off my tits, fuck, this is gross, Ash thought as she began cleaning herself up.


    ---


    Multiple hours later, Ash was walking back to the camp with even more blood on her than before. At a point, she''d given up and just let the blood accumulate on her skin.


    But, on the bright side, she got a level for it and put both points into her Con.


    Level 71


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 40/710


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 20


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Yumi saw her approaching and stood up, reaching for her weapon, only to sigh when she realized it was Ash.


    "... You certainly had an exciting time," Yumi said as Ash wiped away some blood from her face.


    "Kinda."


    With that being their only exchange, Ash took everything off and ventured out again, this time, to bathe in a nearby lake.


    The body of water was not too sizeable, but it was more than enough for a few people to freshen themselves up in. Of course, this spot would serve as a lure for monsters as well, so Ash brought her Savior''s Weapon with her.


    As she descended into the ice-cold waters, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.


    ... Why the fuck are things so awkward between us?  Ash wondered as she thought back to Yumi''s face, looking at her with half-lidded eyes as she had changed into her armor.  I mean,  she understands that we were just doing a job... Right?


    Ash stretched her arms and spread her legs just a little bit, to get comfortable. Her body, from the neck down, was submerged.


    She began to wipe the stains off of her skin then, spending some time swiping away at her chest, which had the unfortunate side-effect of making her heart beat just a little faster. Her thighs, her calves, her ankles, as she made sure all the blood had been wiped off of her, Ash felt her thoughts wandering again.


    She remembered what that moment had been like when she and Yumi had been sitting in that small oasis in the middle of a horrid, poisonous swamp. However, even though the place they were in was so terrible, Ash couldn''t deny that Yumi''s beauty still shined through.


    Something had changed at that moment. Before, she was just a good-looking woman like any other, but when she gave herself up to Ash like that, the half-demon felt like something had clicked inside of her and now, just the memory of her bashful look as Ash''s tongue tasted her was enough to make her hand roam now.


    ... Well, if any monster tries to kill me right now, I''m just about fucked, aren''t I?


    Ash thought as she put one hand up to her breasts and the other between her legs. She closed her eyes and breathed in as she figured she''d let herself enjoy this for a moment.


    And then, a voice spoke.


    It said something so quietly that Ash would have missed it if her thoughts hadn''t been empty at this moment.


    "Oh my gosh, Ash..."


    The half-demon''s eyes opened and she quickly stood up, turning to look for whatever was there.


    But, there was nothing nearby. Absolutely nothing. No one.


    "I... What?" Ash scratched her head as the water dripped down from her body. "I swear..."


    The strangest thing wasn''t even that Ash had heard someone, it was that she swore she felt like she recognized the voice.


    Taking deep breaths though, Ash calmed down. She made sure to check multiple times, but no. There was no one around.


    Then, casually, she went right back to what she''d been doing.


    Just get it over with, go back, and... whatever.


    ---


    "Ash? Are you okay?" Keiko asked as the sun shined down on the group''s camp.


    "Never better," Ash said, yawning.


    She had been in the pond for far longer than she''d planned to be.


    "Are you ready?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yep," Ash said, picking Kaori up and placing her on her back, her arms wrapped around her neck. "I''m good."


    "Alright then, everyone," Satsuhiro called out. "Let''s hope for the best then."


    And, with that, after packing everything up, the group began walking towards Amber.

 Chapter 209 - Vol. 4 - 8

    If Ash had eyes on her before, having Kaori on her back meant that right now, everyone in the street was sneaking glances her way. Having seen the citizens of this city in action, Ash knew that meant that at least a few of them had to be considering running up and taking something from her.


    With every step she took, she made sure to give anyone whose eyes met her own a look that meant, quite simply: "come close and you''ll lose an arm, at the very least."


    However, this didn''t last for too long, fortunately, as Satsuhiro walked up to one of the guards and said:


    "Greetings. We''re Saviors. We require an escort to the Arcane''s Manor. Can you provide that to us?"


    "Of course, sir," the guard said as she looked back at Ash, who was wearing her Savior''s Armor. "Men, flank them," she instructed a couple of soldiers, and Ash had to restrain herself from running away. She''d been on the receiving end of orders like these from officers too many times. "Make sure none of these people try anything sketchy."


    "Thank you," Satsuhiro replied and with that, they were now surrounded by soldiers wearing those baggy, cloth-covered outfits, who were watching the citizens with great caution.


    "So," Ash said to Satsuhiro, "what''s the place like?"


    "It''s been a long, long, time since I''ve been there," Satsuhiro replied. "It''s probably changed a lot. We''ll just have to see it for ourselves."


    "Hopefully they''ll have some guest rooms ready," Metsumi added.


    "Probably," Satsuhiro responded to her. "Regardless, we''ll need to get there first before we can really make up a plan of any kind for the coming weeks."


    "Eh," Ash shrugged, "the plan''s pretty simple though, isn''t it? I learn magic, I fight monsters. All I need is a place to sleep in between all that."


    "Don''t take a good bed for granted, Ash. We''ve been getting spoiled lately, with the Lords of Onyx and Sapphire being so hospitable. We don''t know what the Arcane will do though."


    "We''re Saviors though, why wouldn''t he let us stay there?"


    "I''m not saying he won''t, I''m just saying you should manage your expectations. Remember, Saviors have authority but Lords still outrank us. Understand?"


    "Yeah, yeah."


    This time, Ash walked through a far larger portion of the city than she had before, but it didn''t seem to change too much. The buildings were all the same dirt-covered spots as they had been before. None of the stores seemed too flashy. Rather, the difference she noted came in the form of the sheer amount of gates leading to the canyon''s dip, with bridges and stairs that connected them.


    She couldn''t see where they led to, from this position, but she wondered just how much more of the city was contained in that crevice.


    Eventually, they arrived at the Arcane''s Manor. It was a lavish mansion-type of area, with a sprawling, beautiful garden in front of it and several white, porcelain statues spread out across the area, all leading up to a massive building lined with what looked like platinum that was just slightly smaller than the Grey Chamber was, back in Onyx.


    "Whoahh..." Luvine let out as she and Opah both jogged up just a bit, to look around.


    "Holy shit..." Ash muttered as she looked around, finding that this was, by far, the cleanest location she''d seen in Amber. There was no trace, anywhere she looked, of the dirt that covered the rest of the city. Instead, bright green grass and bushes, along with stone paths were all she could see outside.


    There were two knights standing outside, as Ash could tell by their black armor, but neither of them was carrying weapons.


    Level 29


    MP: 400/400


    Level 30


    MP: 350/350


    Mages?  Ash wondered.  Are they that strong?


    "Thank you, soldiers," Satsuhiro told the group that had escorted them here and they bowed, walking away as Ash and the others faced the knights. "We wish to meet with the Arcane," Satsuhiro stated firmly, and shortly.


    "The Arcane is busy, at the moment, however, the Arcane''s Senate is likely available. Give me a moment, I will let them know you came," one of the knights responded.


    "... Alright then," Satsuhiro said with a raised brow.


    As the knight turned around and walked into the manor.


    "Hm. The Arcane isn''t available?" Satsuhiro asked himself. "That''s a little inconvenient, I guess."


    Ash looked around as they waited.


    "Wow," Keiko said from her right, "this is all so pretty..."


    "Be it the desert or the forest, a Lord''s home is always gonna look like this," Satsuhiro shrugged.


    This is different though,  Ash thought.  It''s not like it''s just a cool-looking castle, like in Onyx or in Pearl, or a palace like in Jade, this is more like one huge house. I guess that''s why it''s called a "manor", I guess.


    "Damn..." Metsumi said, and Ash noted that she sounded different. "This reminds me of Pearl," she sighed. "What I would do to just... walk through those streets again."


    "This is different to anything I saw in Onyx," Yumi stated from Ash''s left. "Onyx felt like civilization just dropped into the middle of a forest. This feels like a perfect combination of both sides."


    "... Sure, until you remember the dirt we just walked through to get here," Ash muttered.


    To her, this was nothing but nobles showing off, and she''d seen that enough in her life.


    However, as the group talked, above, Ash saw a balcony. Something caught her eye when there was just a bit of movement that she noticed. She looked up and found what looked like a woman, looking down from that place. Ash couldn''t see too much of her from here, but she was wearing a white dress and her hair was a strange, bright rose color.


    She looked back at Ash, the half-demon could tell that much at least, and then she ran away, back into the manor.


    Hm?


    Before Ash could think too hard about that though, the same knight from earlier walked out of the building, followed by a man in a white robe, with his hands behind his back. He had tan skin and a thick black beard. His eyes were kind, but not really in a natural way. More like in the same way that the Royal Council''s representative, Talo''s eyes were.


    Satsuhiro''s expression surprised Ash though. He seemed to be confused, as though he didn''t recognize the man.


    "Welcome, Saviors," he bowed to them. "My name is Zafir, I am a member of the Arcane''s Senate," he said, eyeing each of them carefully. "You must have traveled a long way, given the recent news of the demonic portals in Onyx, but I am confused, as we have not had any issues with demons in this area for quite some time. Is something else the matter?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro tapped his cane on the stone as he walked forwards, "my name''s Satsuhiro. I, and the half-demon, are Saviors. Her name is Ash," he pointed back at her, "and she needs to train, and it was decided that Amber would be the best place for her to do that in. We also are looking for any high-level Dark or Light magic that could be taught to her, as well as a place in which we could rest for the duration of our time here."


    "I see..." Zafir nodded slowly. "I suppose, there are resources we can give you. Come, I will show you to them."


    "Thank you," Satsuhiro replied and with that, the group was led into the Arcane''s Manor. Inside it was just as elegant as the garden outside, with lush gold and exquisite leather furniture as far as anyone could see. The walls displayed various paintings depicting different kinds of people, all wearing the same outfit Zafir was wearing right now.


    "Who are they?" Keiko asked, pointing at them.


    "Old members of the Senate," Zafir replied. "Some of these paintings are decades old, but the work ethics of the people depicted in them will never be forgotten."


    A few halls lead to other passages that Ash could just barely see, with many closed doors that made Ash wonder what was behind them. They went up a set of stairs and were led even deeper into the manor, where the rooms began to grow scarce. Eventually, they arrived at an open door, leading into a library of sorts.


    "This," Zafir said, gesturing forwards, "is the home of our Senate Magician, the Arcane''s Right Hand. While none are more powerful than the Arcane himself, I believe we can trust this man to lead young Ash to greater heights in her magical studies."


    Inside was but just one individual. A tall man with silky black hair and a thin beard was looking back at the library with contemplation in his eyes. When he heard Ash and her group enter the library, he looked over at them and raised a brow.


    "Greetings..." He said, with a smooth, low voice as the group walked in.


    "Sorcerer Alys," Zafir bowed, "I bring to you, Savior Ash," he gestured at the half-demon.


    Alys bowed to her, but he looked up with questions in his eyes. He didn''t say anything though, instead, he just waited for Zafir to continue.


    "Well," Zafir cleared his throat after that awkward silence, "she requires some training in the realm of Dark and Light magic, was that right?" He asked, looking back at Ash, and she nodded. "Are your duties keeping you occupied or are you able to train her in these coming days?"


    "... Not today," Alys shook his head. "Tomorrow."


    "I see," Zafir replied. Alys didn''t even wait for that though, instead, the mage just walked away, looking back at the library. "I apologize for his curtness, but Alys is not one for conversation. He is a, what you would call, ''action over words'', kind of person."


    That''s fine,  Ash thought.  Hell, that''s probably for the best.


    "However, tomorrow, you have yourself a teacher," Zafir stated. "Now, I believe you were looking for a place to stay in?"


    "Yes," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Very well, we have a few guest rooms you can use. Right this way, please."


    They were taken to a different, smaller part of the manor where six doors in total lined a hall to the right. Zafir opened one of the doors and Ash saw a fairly barebones bedroom. There was a bed, some drawers, and a mirror.


    "There are bathrooms at the end of the hall. Feel free to take up however many of these bedrooms you want to, though. Finally," Zafir said, "as for your combat training, there is a path behind the manor that leads out into the region. You can surely find monsters to fight if you head out through there. Also, feel free to bring whatever food you buy into the manor and dine at our tables, you are more than welcome to. Does that cover all of your needs?"


    "... Yes," Satsuhiro nodded. "If anything comes up, we''ll let you know."


    "Good, good. We will let the guards know you are allowed to come in and out of the manor at will. That said, if you wish to speak to a member of the Senate, please, ask one of the knights to contact us first. Also..."


    He cleared his throat.


    "Excuse me, if you see the Arcane''s daughter, please, do not pester her. She is in the middle of important studies and must not be interrupted. The same can be said for the Arcane himself. If you need anything, we will provide it. Thank you, and please, enjoy your stay."


    With those words, Zafir walked away and the group was left alone.


    "Well," Ash said, adjusting Kaori, who was slipping a little, "that was... quick."


    "Yeah," Satsuhiro said, looking like he was wondering about something.


    "Anything on your mind?" Ash asked as she saw that.


    "... Nothing serious, I just... I didn''t recognize him. Senate members tend to be in place for a long time," Satsuhiro shrugged. "I guess Zafir''s new.. Anyway, get yourselves settled in, and, Ash, you can keep training whenever you want to."

 Chapter 210 - Vol. 4 - 9

    Kasumi


    Ever since she cast that spell on the three shared Sites of Power, like Alkoth had told her to, Kasumi had gone right back to doing what she did best.


    Sleeping the day away.


    Only, of course, since Pearl had been destroyed, she was forced to switch from the flowery, colorful surroundings of her home city to the white and gold walls of Jade. Wanting nothing to do with the Saviors or their nonsense, she had purchased a home with what was left of her money and was currently resting in a small, one-bedroom house.


    Before, she''d been plagued by the memories she''d shared with her daughter, Nozomi. Now, her situation was the same, only that every now and then, she''d also be reminded of the few talks she had with Ash.


    The heart-to-heart they shared just before heading for Onyx was still on her mind, even though it happened almost a full month ago at this point. She and the half-demon had come to the agreement of working on improving their lives, together.


    But...


    It''s just not that easy, Kasumi thought as she yawned, waking up late in the day.


    Still, she had to eat, unfortunately, so she made herself a bath, got ready, and several minutes later, she was about to walk out of her home wearing a brown cloak, a white shirt, and leather pants, all of which were the first things she saw in her drawers and were picked indiscriminately.


    However, as she opened her door, instead of a white street being bathed by the sun above, she was met with the smiling face of the Royal Council''s representative, standing there, with their hands behind their back.


    "Hello!" Talo eagerly said.


    "Fuck you," Kasumi quickly replied. "Go away."


    "Hahaha, do not worry, Savior, we believe this will interest you."


    "Nope, no. Get someone else to do whatever it is you''re thinking of. I''m done," Kasumi replied, firmly shaking her head at them.


    "Ah, our apologies, are you having a bad day, Savior?"


    "Not particularly, but seeing you leave will definitely make it better."


    "Hm. Well, it is as we predicted then. We will not waste your time, Savior. We will get straight to the point."


    "There''s no need," Kasumi replied. "I''m telling you, I''m not planning on-"


    "We want to take back Pearl," Talo cut her off.


    And, Kasumi went silent. At first, she wondered if she heard them correctly. The smile on Talo''s face faded and they became ever so slightly more serious.


    "What the hell do you mean?" Kasumi asked.


    "Exactly what we just said."


    "But, how? That city was reduced to nothing but burning rubble. What is there to take back?"


    "Anything that was made by men can be rebuilt," Talo shrugged. "That much is no issue. Rather, the only problem was that, when the battle for Pearl happened, the demon army was, quite simply, unstoppable. We lacked the strength and information to put up any meaningful fight. Since then, however, things have changed."


    Talo lifted a finger up, as Kasumi took a deep breath.


    "Firstly, Ash. As she is able to close these demonic rifts, her existence has given us our first real weapon to use against the demonic armies, or, to at least, extend the amount of time we have before they overrun us completely. Second, the recent battle at Onyx. See, the demonic army''s numbers grow every day as their Nightmares turn more humans into demons, however, they do not possess infinite soldiers. And, due to the battles of Sapphire and Onyx, we believe that their numbers are as low today as they''ve ever been. And so, if we ever planned on taking back Pearl, now would be the time."


    Kasumi looked away for a moment.


    "What the hell does any of that have to do with me though?" She replied quietly, as the information she''d been given ran through her mind.


    "Well, there is one issue which we could certainly use your help with, at the moment, and it pertains to our half-demon friend, Ash. Simply put," Talo shrugged uncaringly, "we have no clue where she is or what she''s doing."


    Kasumi raised a brow at that.


    "She and her group came here a few weeks ago, but left just as quickly as they arrived before we were able to speak with them, and they did not say where they would be going. We have one solid guess, but, even if our guess turns out to be true, she would likely not be persuaded by us to return here. So," Talo gestured at her, "that is where you come in."


    "... Let me get this straight, you want me to find Ash and tell her to stop whatever the hell she''s doing so she can come here and help you retake a ruined city?"


    "That''s fairly accurate, yes," Talo nodded.


    "..." Kasumi breathed in, trying to calm her nerves. Admittedly, she was curious as to what the half-demon was doing, if only because Alkoth had made it clear that, once Kasumi''s mission was done, as it was, the rest would be in Ash''s hands.


    "Where is she?" Kasumi asked.


    "We believe she is currently staying in Amber. Does this mean you''ll consider it then? Splendid, we will-"


    Before they could finish, Kasumi slammed the door shut.


    Of course, they knocked twice but Kasumi simply turned around and walked back to her bedroom.


    I fucking swear, if it''s not Alkoth it''s them.


    As for the deity, thankfully, after Kasumi had fulfilled his wishes, he''d upheld his end of the bargain, and had not contacted her at all since. However, the Royal Council, unfortunately, seemed to not quite understand that Kasumi wanted nothing more to do with the war against Niven.


    Still, she couldn''t deny that a part of her was curious about this.


    Could we really take Pearl back?  She wondered. Before long though, Kasumi dropped the clothes she''d put on and covered herself back up in her bed.


    Eh, eating is overrated anyway,  she thought, closing her eyes.


    ---


    Ash


    After Zafir had left the group to figure out their next step for themselves, they''d quickly settled in and now, Ash was standing at the back of the manor, overlooking a vast, nearly empty land ahead.


    Everyone else had headed back into the city to look around for a while. Of course, they made sure to carry no valuables, just in case anyone got any ideas.


    Ash put her hands down on the white stone railing that separated the manor from that territory, and with narrowed eyes, she wondered what would be the best move right now.


    "This is kind of lavish, isn''t it?" Keiko told her as she walked up and stood next to her.


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow. "You''re not gonna go into the city with everyone else?"


    "I... No, I''d rather just stay with you for a while," Keiko replied.


    "Oh. Uh, shit, sure," Ash cleared her throat as she looked away.


    "This place is beautiful," Keiko stated. "Feels like we got lucky, doesn''t it?"


    "... Doesn''t really matter if I don''t take advantage of this," Ash muttered.


    "Of course, but... It''s okay to enjoy some higher-living for a little bit. After all the work you''ve put in, the work we''ve all put in, leading up to today, maybe a bit of rest and relaxation is needed."


    "I''d say, I''ve had way too much of that already," Ash sighed. "Remember those weeks we took off after Sapphire?"


    "Yes."


    "Maybe... I dunno, I keep thinking back to those days, and other days like that and I wonder, you know, how much would have changed if I''d just put in more work."


    "You didn''t really have a reason to, back then. Kaori was fine, I was fine. You can''t blame yourself for that," Keiko said as she placed a gentle hand on Ash''s shoulder, which prompted the half-demon to look over at her.


    "Maybe," Ash replied before she changed the topic. "So, what are you going to be doing? While I''m out there fighting, I mean."


    At that, Keiko looked away.


    "Well... I''ve been thinking, and..."


    "Yeah?"


    Keiko paused for a moment, looking back at Ash. Their eyes met, but just a second passed before Keiko looked away.


    "I think I''d like to talk to that mage, uh, what was his name? Alys? I... I have a couple of questions for him. But, that can wait till I''m a little more settled."


    "Hm. Shit, is there anything I can do to make this place feel more like home?" Ash asked and Keiko blushed a bit.


    "Maybe after you come back from your training," she chuckled shyly. "I guess I could help you relax a bit..."


    "Sure, but I wonder if you''re still gonna be into me when I''m trying to kiss you while I''m covered in monster guts."


    "Don''t worry about that, you always smell like blood and guts of some sort. I''m used to it by now."


    At that, the two of them laughed a bit and Ash felt her worries easing up a little. In truth, just having Keiko near her was comforting. At that moment though, something came to Ash''s mind and she took her hands off the stone railing.


    "Actually," she said, "I can probably get a little training in before I head out. It''s still early. You know where Yumi''s at?"


    "Oh? On my way here, I think I saw Yumi in her room, she might still be there."


    Really? Guess she didn''t feel like looking at the city either,  Ash thought.


    As Luvine and Opah were sharing one room, Metsumi and Satsuhiro another, and, of course, Kaori, Keiko, and Ash would all be staying in the same as well, the only person left with a room all to herself was Yumi.


    "You can go on ahead," Keiko told her, "I walked a lot to get here... My legs are a bit tired."


    "Okay," Ash nodded, "I''ll be right back."


    As soon as Ash walked away from Keiko, it almost felt like a piece of her was missing, but she''d return to that spot just after getting an answer from Yumi, so, she walked with purpose, returning to the Manor.


    Inside, she passed by a few servants on her way back to the rooms everyone was using, who all looked at her with curious, but almost anxious eyes. Ash ignored them and made a beeline for the hall they were staying at.


    Here, she found that every door was closed, save for one, which was just slightly open.


    Gotta be Yumi''s room then... Let''s see if...


    "Ohhh~ Ahh~"


    Ash froze on the spot when she heard that.


    What?  She thought as, suddenly, her heartbeat was far louder than it had been just a second ago.


    It sounded like someone in that room was moaning, and breathing heavily. Ash gulped as she took a light step closer, rounding the door.


    Then, with a trembling hand, she pushed the door open, just a little.


    She only stopped when she saw Yumi on her bed, naked. The woman was on her knees, her face down, and pressed into the sheets. Her ass was up, and from where Ash was standing, she could Yumi''s right hand playing with herself. Her other arm was wrapped around a pillow that she was currently using to muffle her sounds, although that earlier moan had escaped.


    She was taking deep breaths, her back arched as she was lost in what she was doing. And, as much as Ash wanted to look away, she simply couldn''t. If it weren''t for the armor she was currently wearing, the half-demon knew she''d probably be doing the same thing Yumi was at this point.


    However, since she had it on, all she could do was stand there, enthralled by the sight. Until Yumi said:


    "... Ash, Ash..."


    That was when the half-demon took a sharp breath that made Yumi''s eyes open.


    And, of course, their eyes met. Yumi, still where she was, and Ash, at the door frozen still.


    Then Yumi said her name again but in an entirely different way.


    "ASH!" Yumi freaked out, trying her hardest to get up out of that position as fast as she could.


    Ash closed the door hard, slamming it shut.


    I... Didn''t see anything. Yep, I didn''t-


    However, Yumi opened it a moment later.


    "Ash!" She said as her scent entered Ash''s nostrils and the half-demon damn near growled. "S-Sorry, I was just..."


    Before she could even start though, Ash stopped her. She put her hand over Yumi''s mouth and said:


    "... Look," Ash took a deep breath. "Just... It was a mistake, okay? On my part, I shouldn''t have opened the door, I''m sorry, I''m just gonna walk away and we''re gonna pretend this-"


    But she stopped talking when Yumi got closer.


    "... Ever since what we did at the portal, I... I feel like..."


    Yumi didn''t finish her sentence, instead, she looked up at Ash with the most lustful eyes she''d seen in a *very* long time.


    Ash couldn''t find anything to say for a while, which proved to be a problem since she was watching Yumi''s restraint disintegrate in front of her, as the Zayama wrapped her arms around Ash and kissed her neck, pretty much asking her to cancel every plan she''d made up for today.


    But, before that could happen, Ash, as gently as she could, pushed Yumi away.


    "Nope, no..." Ash bit down on the insides of her cheeks. "Believe me, I would absolutely do this but... there is a part of my mind that''s screaming at me to talk to Keiko first. So, yeah."


    For a second time, she closed the door and walked away.

 Chapter 211 - Vol. 4 - 10

    Honestly, Ash was thankful that this had just happened. Or, at least, she was trying to convince herself that she was.


    Mainly, though, because it allowed her to realize that inside of her heart, right now, were two opposing forces of completely different natures.


    First, there was the side of her that wanted to explore the relationship she and Keiko, and Kaori, when she woke up, were creating for themselves. The side that felt like more and more, those two women were both becoming a part of her life that she couldn''t do without.


    And then there was the side of her that wanted to run back into Yumi''s room, pin her to a wall, and tail-fuck her until both of them passed out.


    Even right now, with her Lust stacks only at a 1 out of 4, that side of her was there, whispering in her ear that it wasn''t too late to go back and give Yumi the satisfaction she was looking for.


    But, Ash''s legs were pretty much walking automatically at this point, passing by the servants around her hurriedly as she returned to where Keiko was standing, outside and behind the Manor. When she saw the other Zayama, that lust she''d just been feeling turned into guilt as her intentions soured in her thoughts.


    Still, she forced herself to return, earning a bright smile from Keiko, who turned around when she heard Ash approaching.


    "What did she say?" Keiko asked.


    Oh, right, I was going to ask about training,  Ash remembered.


    "... Well," Ash took a deep breath, "she was a bit too busy to answer."


    "Really? What''s she doing? Honestly, was kind of hoping Yumi would find stuff to do, after being locked up in that shrine for so long."


    Yeah, she definitely found a way to entertain herself, alright.


    "... Can I tell you something?" Ash''s shoulders dropped as she looked away from Keiko and instead, rested on the railing, putting her elbows down on it and allowing her weight to fall entirely on the stone underneath.


    "Hm? Uh, sure," Keiko said, tilting her head.


    "So..." Ash paused, trying to think of the best way to ask about this matter. "What would you say if I told you that I wanted to fuck Yumi?"


    ...


    Hm.  Ash thought as Keiko''s brows shot up to the sky. She blinked twice as she stared back at Ash.


    Did I fuck up? I think I fucked up.


    Keiko gulped and looked away. She had a slightly saddened expression that ripped her heart in half. Causing this kind of reaction had definitely not been her intention.


    "Wait, wait," Ash raised her hands, "let''s back up. I''m just saying this because..."


    "No, no, I... I understand," Keiko said.


    Ash was surprised.


    "You do?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded.


    "Oh. Well, shit, so..."


    "I am... rather boring, of course... I can imagine."


    At that, Ash stopped.


    "What?"


    "That''s it, right?" Keiko looked back at her with a self-pitying expression. "I talked about this with Kaori before what happened to her. I''m not good at this. Being a, you know, a lover, I mean. I''m sure Yumi is... somehow better at that. Right?"


    "Wh- no, no, Keiko, what the fuck?" Ash asked. "That''s not what I mean, like, at all."


    "... What do you mean then?" Keiko asked, with a look that clearly meant that she didn''t believe her.


    "I''m saying that, well, listen, first, there''s my whole Lust thing which makes it so that any girl I think looks half-decent I''m going to want to... Yeah, second, the only way for me to trigger that Lust Demon Form is to have sex with someone, and then..." She paused. "I don''t really know what the limits of this relationship are. I haven''t done anything like this before, and I know that you haven''t either, so, that''s why I''m here," Ash finished with a deep breath.


    "I just want us to figure this out together," Ash told her solemnly. "That''s it. If the answer''s no, just tell me and I''ll do my best to avoid doing anything with anyone who isn''t you or Kaori. Promise," Ash continued, "I just feel like we should talk this out."


    As Keiko listened intently, she calmed down just a little, even though she still appeared disappointed. That was probably the best Ash could have hoped for, honestly, so in her mind, this conversation was already playing out a lot better than it could have."


    "... Hahaha," Keiko chuckled suddenly. "Ugh," she sighed, "jealousy is something I am well-acquainted with, having unlocked my Spirit Eye at such a late age, and now, I''m feeling it again. I hate it," she muttered.


    Before Ash could respond to that though, Keiko continued.


    "But, I understand where you''re coming from. Even if it, well, it makes me feel like I''m not enough, I understand."


    "Keiko, I''m telling you, I swear-"


    "No, no, it''s not your fault... I just," she sighed, "I wish I was more experienced when it comes to this sort of thing but, I''m not. Still, I can''t really give you an answer on that, at the moment."


    That, Ash hadn''t expected to hear.


    "I''m conflicted. Mainly," Keiko said with a little smile, "because I have great respect for Yumi, and, I... I think she and I are a lot alike. Not just in terms of our last names, either. So, if she feels the same way, and she''s equally attracted to you... Well, I want the best for her."


    Keiko chuckled a little then. Something that made Ash realize how ridiculous this all was. Such a short time ago, this sort of problem wasn''t something she could even conceive of as she struggled to survive in Jade''s streets.


    "Kaori had something similar happen, actually," Keiko then added.


    "What?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "She and Caroline had kissed. And, well, I felt a similar way then. Well, aside from the fact that I respect Yumi far more than I do Caroline, but, you understand?"


    Indeed. Hell, just hearing that Kaori had made out with Caroline made Ash recoil.


    "Give me a night. Just... I want to sleep on this."


    "Seriously though," Ash told her, "if the answer''s no, I''ll be fine with that, I just want to know how you feel about it."


    "I understand," Keiko responded as she walked forwards and wrapped her arms around Ash. "And... I''m thankful that you let me know. Honestly."


    As Ash returned the embrace, she couldn''t help but be grateful as well.


    Then, a thought came to her and she found herself smiling.


    "I wonder what Kaori would have said if I had asked her."


    "Hehe," Keiko laughed lightly with her lips by Ash''s neck, "she was more experienced than either of us at this sort of thing. I would have loved to hear what she had to say."


    A realization then sunk in and Ash found herself slumping a little.


    "Fuck... I miss her."


    That, also, was a completely new experience to the half-demon.


    ---


    The conversation came to a close after that. Like Keiko said, she was going to take the night to think about this on her own, and, maybe, Ash would receive an answer tomorrow. However, with that talk done, Ash had to get back to work.


    Even if her thoughts were filled with the image of Yumi''s long legs and naked body, even if she still felt guilt eating away at her heart because of those images, even a part of her wanted to run back to the Manor and tell Keiko how much she appreciated her for being so reasonable, she still had to get stronger.


    For Kaori''s sake.


    Ash walked out of the Manor through the set of stairs at the back, which Zafir had mentioned before. She told Keiko to let the group know that she was out hunting, in case they all came back and she hadn''t yet returned.


    That was likely to happen too since Ash wanted to stay out as long as she could tonight.


    She began walking through the plains as the sun was struggling to hold onto the horizon, seeing mountains in the distance that she guessed contained strong-enough creatures for her to farm.


    Carrying nothing but one small bag with some water inside of it, the armor she was wearing, and her Lust on her waist, she tried to focus up as she moved through the mixture of dirt and short grass.


    And then, something roared above her.


    It was a mighty, deep, commanding cry that Ash felt in her bones, sending a shiver up her spine.


    Her first instinct was to duck. She reached for her Lust as a shadow passed over her, but she didn''t transform it just yet. Instead, she tilted her head up to see what the source of that sound was.


    When she saw what it was, her breath caught in her throat.


    She blinked a few times, trying to make sure she wasn''t imagining things the same way she''d imagined that woman''s voice a night ago, but, no. It was certainly there if her eyes were to be believed.


    A dragon was flying over her, heading in the same direction that Ash had been walking.


    For a few seconds, Ash couldn''t think of anything to do, but then, she realized:


    My level has to be high enough to fight that thing... She thought, taking a deep breath.  There''s no way that monster is any higher than I am. There can''t be.


    So, feeling slightly greedy, Ash narrowed her eyes and walked forwards, following its path.

 Chapter 212 - Vol. 4 - 11

    Keiko


    It was hard not to feel like, on some level, Keiko had failed as a partner to both Ash and Kaori, despite what the latter had told her back at Onyx, and what Ash had said just a few minutes ago. In between moments of blaming herself for this though, the Zayama also believed she knew the solution, and that now, her only choice was to act on it.


    That was why right now, after Ash had departed to hunt for some EXP for the remainder of the day, Keiko was heading straight for that library Zafir had shown them.


    But, just as she went back into the Manor, she ran into Yumi.


    The other Zayama''s face was flushed, with a red tinge on her cheeks and an embarrassed expression was stuck to her portrait. She was fairly distracted, as was made evident when she nearly ran Keiko over, but she managed to stop herself just before crashing into her.


    "Oh... Keiko," Yumi looked surprised. She took a deep breath, clearly trying to calm herself down from whatever it had been that she was doing, and said: "how are you?"


    "... Good..."


    Keiko looked away though. Small embers of anger were burning under Keiko''s skin being in this woman''s presence, but, soon, her guilt swallowed those embers whole.


    ... It''s not her fault, Keiko reminded herself. It''s, she sighed. It''s no one''s fault.


    That was the most unfortunate part of this situation, to her, because handling these emotions would be so much easier if she had someone to blame.


    "Are you feeling well? You seem perturbed," Yumi told her.


    "Yeah, I''m just busy, right now," Keiko replied without meeting Yumi''s eyes. A look of understanding flickered through Yumi''s face, and she looked down.


    "..." Then, Yumi sighed. "I assume Ash spoke with you then, right?" She asked.


    Keiko hadn''t expected Yumi to bring that up. Again, she had to force herself not to feel angry at her.


    She nodded though, as Yumi waited for her answer. When Yumi got it, her shoulders slumped and raw shame washed over her.


    "That... was not my proudest moment. I apologize," Yumi said, bowing.


    And that reaction confused her.


    "What do you mean?" Keiko asked, tilting her head.


    Yumi blinked.


    "I, uh, what did Ash tell you, exactly?"


    "She said that she was... attracted to you and, I''m guessing you''re attracted to her, right?"


    Yumi seemed surprised by that. Instead of answering her question, she replied:


    "Truly? Is that all she told you?"


    "Uh, did anything else happen?"


    "No, no," Yumi shook her head firmly. "We... Yes, we just talked and that was it."


    At this moment, Keiko learned that Yumi was, in fact, a terrible liar. But, at the same time, she figured that whatever happened between her and Ash was irrelevant, given that Ash had come clean to her already.


    "Well, yeah, Ash talked to me. Uh, but, don''t worry, I''m not mad at you, or anything. I mean, this sort of thing happens, after all," Keiko put her hands behind her back a little meekly.


    "Keiko, I just want it to be clear that I understand I''m overstepping and, it is unacceptable, of me. I don''t plan to act on these... strange feelings I''ve amassed. I promise."


    "No, no, don''t worry, it''s okay, I swear," Keiko replied. "I just..."


    Yumi then looked back at her with remorseful eyes and Keiko sighed.


    Honestly, this would be a lot easier if Yumi or Ash were just malicious idiots, Keiko shook her head a little.  At least then, I could just yell at one of them, and feel a little better with that. But...


    Keiko scanned Yumi''s face. The guilt in her eyes was so evident that Keiko nearly chuckled.


    With people as honest as these, that would feel so wrong. So, what do I even do?  Keiko asked herself.


    ... No, I''ll figure it out later. Right now, I have something else to investigate.


    "Yumi," Keiko said.


    "Yes?"


    "Sorry, I have to go, but, we can talk again later. I''m still trying to figure things out."


    "I-I see," Yumi nodded.


    "Okay then," Keiko took a deep breath. "I''ll see you later then, Yumi."


    "... Right."


    With that, Keiko left Yumi standing there, continuing on her way to the library. It didn''t take too long to reach it, and she found that the door was open, allowing her to see that the library was empty.


    Save for that mage, who was sitting behind a desk.


    What was his name again? Alys? Keiko thought as she walked up to him.


    He looked to be a thin man in his early 30s, and right now, he had a face like he wasn''t paying attention to anything around him. In fact, Keiko had to wave her hand in front of him to get his attention.


    When he saw her, the man straightened up.


    "Yes?" He asked, with a very low voice.


    "... Excuse me," Keiko started off as she tried her hardest to steel her nerves. "I wanted to know if there was any magic of some sort that could... well, eliminate a pregnancy."


    If her query made him feel any type of way, he certainly didn''t show it. Instead, he looked up as though he was trying to recall some sort of answer.


    "Yes," he said after a while. His voice sounded completely uninterested in the conversation. "I believe there is something."


    And, when Keiko heard that, she couldn''t help but brighten up.


    "Really!? U-Uh, what is it? Is it a spell that you can cast?"


    "No," he quickly replied and Keiko calmed down. "I believe what you''re looking for is an elixir of sorts. You''ll want to speak to an alchemist."


    "O-Oh. Uh, are there any you know of?" Keiko asked.


    "Yes," he nodded. "There''s a woman called Madam Tyl. She runs an alchemy shop in the city. You can probably ask her for more information."


    Just like that, there was now a chance.


    ---


    Ash


    By the time the half-demon reached the distant mountains, the twin moons of the night had come up and replaced the sun. The temperature around her went from a heat that had her covered in a layer of sweat, to a chill that was threatening to freeze every drop of that liquid on her body.


    However, having seen that incredible creature, Ash was still walking at a determined pace. By now though, she was getting a little hungry from walking around so much.  Hm... Is there anything...?  She looked around and eventually, in a glowing red bush, found bright blue berries. She snatched them and ate them without a care, as she continued to search the area.


    Hm. That thing might have just kept going, now that I think about it,  Ash noted.  Even then though, I need to try. It''s too good of an opportunity to pass up.


    There was not a single sound in the air, other than that of her own breathing. No crickets, no nocturnal birds in the distance. Even to someone who had walked deep into demonic mirror realms and had fought multiple Nightmares by this point, it was unsettling.


    Where is everything?  Ash wondered as she continued looking around. She could only barely see past the nearby vegetation, as the glow from these plants blocked her vision of what was hiding behind them.


    However, she was confident in her stats. So, she pressed forwards, hoping she''d run into something eventually.


    It took another five minutes before she finally heard something that sounded like it was alive. There was something that almost sounded like a metal scrape of some sort, coming from the east. As soon as Ash noticed it, she walked faster, heading in that direction.


    Hm...


    "Gauntlets," Ash muttered, transforming her Savior''s Weapon in advance. She didn''t know what she was running into, after all.


    The vegetation cleared up after a while and Ash ended up reaching the top of the mountain.


    Okay, now, what...


    However, what she saw made Ash stop.


    Ahead, there was what looked like a dragon, only it was either dead or dying. Its eyes were half-closed, and standing in front of it was a woman with long, spiky black hair that reached all the way to the dirt underneath her.


    In Ash''s life, she hadn''t met many people who were taller than she was. Ash towered over most people, with the only exceptions being the occasional soldier she saw on the streets, Metsumi, and Ren.


    This woman though, as Ash drew closer to her, was easily a full head taller than she was. She had strong, toned arms that matched Metsumi''s, and an overall sculpted body, covered in scars.


    She had a hand placed on the dragon''s head, and, at least, as far as Ash could see from this distance, it looked like she was half-naked, wearing only a short brown shirt and a loincloth of some sort.


    Just as Ash was wondering if this was a person or a monster of some sort, a leaf broke under her left foot and the woman turned around.


    At that moment, two yellow, slitted eyes looked back at Ash''s own, narrowing as soon as they found her.


    The woman turned towards her and Ash saw that her hands almost resembled her own, when Ash was in her Demon Form, only hers were as black as charred wood, which matched the few scales covering her abdomen and her knees.


    Level 60


    MP: 500/500


    Ash took a deep breath.


    Well, this doesn''t look human to me,  she thought as the dragon-like woman started growling at her.

 Chapter 213 - Vol. 4 - 12

    At level 71, Ash felt like this should be relatively easy.


    Level 71


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 40/710


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 20


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    As the dragon-like woman began calmly walking towards her, clenched fists at her side and ready to swing, Ash assessed the situation.


    Assuming this thing doesn''t train, which monsters tend not to do, she should have at least 20 attribute points less than I do. That''ll show up somewhere, be it her Dex or her Strength or whatever, she thought as she took a deep breath and prepared herself. I just need to-


    Suddenly, the monster disappeared.


    Ash''s eyes widened when the creature reappeared next to her and planted a fist in her abdomen. Spit shot out from Ash''s mouth as she was launched backward, hitting a tree behind her.


    What the fuck was that!? Ash thought as she fell to the ground. Gritting her teeth, she saw the dragon-like woman charge towards her. As quickly as she could, Ash stood up and slashed out with her gauntlets, narrowly missing her target as the monster leaned back at the last second. Then, Ash pushed her back with a kick.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" Ash said, sending out a black sphere that struck her chest.


    And the attack had no effect, as far as Ash could tell.


    What?


    Before Ash could internalize what had just happened, she charged towards her again, this time, leaping up into the air and spinning into a kick aimed at Ash''s head. The half-demon dodged out of the way and the kick split the tree behind her, breaking it in half.


    Ash stood up, punching out with her gauntlets. The dragon-like monster dodged out of the way of all of her attacks, though Ash could tell she was only barely missing.


    Then, she caught Ash by the wrists and pulled her back, flipping her and slamming her into the ground where she then tried to stomp down on Ash''s neck. However, before she could do that, Ash slashed her legs, catching her right calf, and some red blood came out, splashing over Ash''s face as the monster retreated.


    She hopped back several steps, clutching her leg in pain while Ash stood up.


    Okay, her Con doesn''t seem that high, Ash thought, assessing the situation. Given that her mana is at 500, I''m guessing most of her stats are in her Wis, Strength, and Dex.


    Taking deep breaths, Ash watched as the woman hunched over, looking like she was going to attack.  Okay, how''s this then?


    "Bow."


    Ash transformed her Savior''s Weapon and quickly shot an arrow out, aimed at her head. It missed and instead, struck the body of the dead dragon behind her.


    Suddenly, the woman''s body became fire and shot out in Ash''s direction. Ash rolled to the side and the woman''s body materialized, but she didn''t hesitate to throw out a kick. Ash dodged it and stepped back.


    "Spear," she said and her Lust transformed. Ash tried to stab her, but the woman dodged each of her thrusts before closing the gap and punching Ash in the gut. Ash''s armor absorbed the majority of the hit, but Ash still felt some pain at the impact.


    "Gauntlets," she muttered and her weapon transformed again, and Ash tried to swipe at the woman, just barely managing to nick her left shoulder before the woman spun and hit Ash with a kick she didn''t even see. The hit landed squarely on Ash''s jaw, and for a second, the world turned white.


    How the hell is this thing so strong!?  Ash thought as she slashed out and the woman backed off, avoiding her slashes.  I might actually have to use my Champion ability if I don''t find an opening.


    Suddenly, the woman''s arms were covered in flames. Thinking that she was going to do the same strange attack from before, Ash prepared herself to dodge, but instead, she put her hands together and flame surged out in Ash''s direction. Ash ran to the left, but the woman''s hands followed her movements, causing the fire to do the same.


    I''m getting really fucking tired of this!  Ash thought, and, at that moment, she decided defense was overrated and ran straight at the woman instead.


    This caught the dragon-like woman off-guard, which Ash used to her advantage.


    With her gauntlets, she tried to stab her in the gut, but the woman grabbed her by the wrists, just barely managing to prevent that from happening. Then, she did something that Ash simply didn''t see coming.


    She pulled on Ash''s wrists so harshly that her gauntlets came off and fell to the dirt.


    ... Shit,  Ash said, before she was headbutted, right between her horns.


    "AGH!"


    Then, the woman hit her with a knee to the gut, and the wind was knocked out of her.


    Then another, then another, until a violet aura began covering Ash''s body.


    The dragon woman tried to do it a fourth time, but Ash stopped it with her hands, looking up at the woman with pure rage in her eyes.


    Okay, she growled,  let''s do this.


    The dragon woman growled back at her and what followed held no skill, no technique, or finesse. Instead, Ash punched the woman in the face, and received a punch in return, before the two of them started exchanging wild blows.


    At these heights, the +5 increase to Ash''s physical stats from her Demon Form didn''t make much of a difference, but it did make it so that Ash couldn''t think about anything but ripping into her enemy, as her hands transformed into claws.


    The woman pushed Ash back and tackled her, throwing her to the ground. Ash kicked her from underneath before punching her in the face, tearing a cut above her right eye. The woman punched Ash a couple of times before Ash flipped her and mounted her, returning to her the same treatment she''d just received.


    However, at a point, Ash started using her claws, and with them, she began slashing at the woman''s face and chest. She let out a few pained sounds as she flailed, trying to throw Ash off of her, but the half-demon didn''t stop.


    She was only interrupted when the woman''s arms turned into flames and a surge of fire was thrust into Ash''s chest at point-blank range.


    The armor did nothing to stop this from hurting beyond anything else the woman had done to her so far. The pain was so unbearable that Ash fell back, struggling to breathe as she swiped at her chest, trying to snuff the flames that remained. The dragon woman stood up slowly, blood dripping from her scratched cheeks as she glared at Ash.


    Yeah, there''s more where that-


    Her thoughts were cut off by a punch to the face.


    Ash returned that gift in kind with a punch of her own. Blood came out from the woman''s mouth, which she spat out onto the dirt.


    Then, the woman grabbed Ash by the shoulders and headbutted her a second time, her red blood staining Ash''s forehead as Ash felt the world start to spin.


    Ash responded with a punch to the gut, and the woman reacted by headbutting her again. The same thing happened again, and then a second time, until a full minute passed, where they did nothing but trade hits back and forth.


    Something caught Ash''s eye though, as the woman reared back to do that again. Somehow, the two of them had landed right next to Ash''s gauntlets.


    "Sword," Ash muttered and her gauntlets united, becoming one blade.


    And, as the woman was about to headbutt her again, Ash leaned to the side, dodging it. She grabbed the sword off the ground then and stabbed her through the stomach.


    Ash sank the blade in deeper, as she could feel the woman''s strength slipping.


    How do you like that!?  Ash grinned victoriously as the woman struggled to keep herself upright.


    Then, someone spoke from behind Ash.


    "Sinneah..." A deep, guttural voice said, and Ash turned towards it.


    What?  She asked herself as she saw that the dragon, the one she thought had been dead, had one eye open now and was looking right at them.


    Then, another voice came out. One that was raspy, and belonged to someone who was struggling to breathe, likely as a result of the blade in her stomach.


    "Gurron..." The dragon woman said and Ash''s eyes widened. "Gather your strength. I cannot hold this demon back. Escape..."


    She can talk!?  Ash thought as the dragon behind her tried to move, though its wounds, from a previous battle, seemed to be too much for it.


    "Go," the dragon woman said, as she wrapped her arms around Ash. "I will hold this thing for as long as I can..."


    Ash just watched all of this, shocked.


    Watching all of this happen, Ash''s Demon Form faded as the will to fight left her. And, looking into the dragon woman''s eyes, she asked:


    "You can talk?"


    The woman did a double-take at her, as though she couldn''t believe what she had just heard either.


    The two of them simply stared at each other, mutually stunned at what they had just discovered. Then, the woman spat out blood, all over Ash''s chest, and hunched over as she seemed to begin losing her strength.


    She''s... Isn''t she a monster? How...?


    Many questions quickly began to circle in Ash''s mind as she saw the woman''s eyes half-close.


    If she isn''t...  Ash thought, a realization coming to her as she then removed her sword.


    "Agh!"


    "Yeah... Sorry," Ash said before she then cast the basic Healing spell, pressing her free hand against the woman''s wound. Her hand glowed white and the wound began closing slowly.


    Shocked, the dragon woman looked up at Ash, with nothing but confusion in her eyes.


    "You... What? But, you are a demon..."


    "No. I''m not," Ash replied. "I thought you were a monster."


    "... I am," she coughed out blood, "I am not."


    "Hm," Ash noted as they both looked into each other''s eyes.


    Well. Looks like there was a bit of a misunderstanding here.. Shit,  Ash thought as the woman slumped over and let her head fall on Ash''s left shoulder from sheer exhaustion.

 Chapter 214 - Vol. 4 - 13

    Keiko


    Earlier


    As the Zayama stood outside of a building with a sign depicting a mortar and pestle, she wiped away some sweat off her forehead as she looked up at it.


    Is this it?  She wondered as citizens passed behind her on the street, not paying Keiko any mind. Here goes nothing.


    She opened the door and quickly brought a hand up to her nose, as a foul odor reached her nostrils almost instantly.


    Spread out throughout the room were several shelves carrying flasks filled with different colored liquids, all of different shapes and sizes. At the back of the room was a boy, stirring a giant black pot while casually reading a book at the same time. He seemed young, and kind of air-headed, from what Keiko could tell.


    He looked up and blinked when he saw her as Keiko walked forwards. She cleared her throat and tried her hardest to ignore the terrible smell as she approached him.


    "Hello, is there a Madam Tyl here?" She asked politely.


    For a couple of seconds, the boy just looked at her with wide eyes.


    "Excuse me?" Keiko raised a brow.


    "O-Oh, uh, madam!" He called out, blushing a little. "Madam!"


    "What is it!?" A short, green-haired woman walked from a door at the back.


    "Uh, we''ve got a customer," he muttered, going back to his book, though Keiko could tell he was sneaking glances at her.


    "Yeah, well, what is it?" The woman huffed as she walked up to Keiko, with her hands on her hips.


    Keiko opened her mouth to speak but was immediately interrupted.


    "Speak up!" She said. "I haven''t got all day. Gods damn it all, between the dragon sightings and the concerns over potential demon invasions, I''ve got orders now! I''m busy, so what do you want?"


    "... Well, sorry, but-"


    "Sorry? Sorry!? Apologizing just takes more time away! Get to it already!" She spoke quickly, without even taking a breath.


    Getting the message, Keiko nodded.


    "I would like to know if there''s anything that can be done about... pregnancy."


    At that, the boy''s eyebrows shot up and the woman whistled as she paused for a second.


    "Hm..." She finally slowed down a bit. "I see. No. The answer''s no. Have a good day."


    She said, before turning around and walking back into the room where she''d come from before, all in an instant. Keiko blinked.


    "U-Um, excuse me!" She called out. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, now go away," the woman answered from the other side of the door, although, her tone didn''t sound particularly honest to Keiko''s ears. It sounded more like she wanted to be left alone.


    So, Keiko balled up her hands into fists and walked up.


    "Please, don''t bother the-," the boy said before Keiko knocked hard on the door, twice.


    "Excuse me!" Keiko called out. "But, I''m not going away!"


    At that, the door opened and the woman emerged again.


    "What part of ''the answer''s no'' did you not get? It''s not possible, move on!"


    Keiko narrowed her eyes at the alchemist.


    "I was told by the court sorcerer at the Arcane''s manor that it was."


    At that, the woman stopped. She stared hard at Keiko, with eyes that let the Zayama know she wasn''t happy to hear that.


    "Alys, eh?" She sighed. "Shit. Listen, it''s more trouble than it''s worth, don''t bother."


    "At least tell me about it so that I understand," Keiko said.


    "... Fine. Come in here," she gestured for Keiko to follow as she walked back into her room. Steeling her nerves, Keiko did just that.


    The backroom the two of them went into was small but absolutely packed with a variety of different strange mechanisms, and almost as many of those flasks as there was outside. Tyl walked over to a desk and sat down behind it. Here, she quickly pulled a book out from a drawer and searched through its pages until she found what she was looking for, all while Keiko looked around at the strange things on the shelves.


    "This," Tyl said, as she tapped her index finger against a drawing of a glass bottle filled with a blue liquid. "This is what Alys is talking about. It''s a potion called ''Mist Eye'', that terminates pregnancies. I won''t get into the bitter details of how it works, but simply put, you drink this, you take a piss, you fight through the pain, you go to sleep, you wake up the next day, and the pregnancy is gone, and dealt with. However," she closed the book, "the ingredients that you need are simply too difficult to acquire."


    "What are they?" Keiko asked.


    "Three things, in addition to some more common ingredients that I''ve got here in the store. First, you need a dragon''s eye, second, you need a sand reaver''s claw, and finally, you need a mistborn flower," she said, as she looked at Keiko expectantly. "Now, do you get it? It''s impossible!"


    "... Well, I know what a dragon is, but... What about the other two? I''ve never heard of those things before."


    "... You''re an outsider?" Tyl asked. "No wonder you''re still sitting here. Well, listen, a sand reaver is a kind of monster, a creature bigger than this building that lives in the desert south of the city. They''re massive and can swallow up entire carts in one gulp after they''ve shredded everything in sight first with their claws. And, then, you have the mistborn flower. As its name implies, you''d need to get one of these from a place called the Mist Realm, do you at least know what that is?"


    Keiko shook her head.


    "Okay, listen, the Mist Realm is a place west of the city where reality itself is distorted and some of the strongest creatures in the entire world can be found there. There is never a good reason to head into that place unless you just want to die, of course, and this flower of yours can only be found smack-dab in the middle of it. So, get it?" Tyl asked.


    Keiko looked down, internalizing all of this information she''d received while Tyl continued.


    "It''s not possible. Even if you could find one of these, finding all three would take a lifetime to do! Dragons are extremely rare, sand reavers are extremely dangerous, and I can count on one hand the number of people I''ve met who have gone into the Mist Realm and survived. So, let it go, kid. It''s more trouble than it''s worth."


    After hearing all of that, Keiko walked out of the shop with her shoulders slumped. She hadn''t expected the acquisition of this potion to be easy, but Tyl was right. This seemed like suicide to even attempt to get.


    However, if anyone could do it, it was her, and her group. She knew that much, at least. Ash, herself, was stronger at this point than most things in the whole world were. So, she decided to let her know as soon as she came back from her trip, and settled on that as she walked back to the Arcane''s Manor.


    ----


    Ash


    "So, what happened?" Ash asked as she and the dragon-like woman sat down across from each other. The woman was sitting on a boulder next to the wounded dragon, while Ash was sitting on the ground.


    It had been a few minutes since the two of them had fought, and right now, Sinneah was caring for the wounded dragon, who still had a divine arrow sticking out of it from when Ash had shot it before, accidentally. By now, Ash had explained to them that she was only half a demon, and they had accepted that answer, as strange as it was, hence why they weren''t fighting anymore.


    "Who are you? Why are you here?" Ash asked. She still hadn''t understood what she''d walked in on.


    The dragon breathed out slowly, as the woman kept a hand placed on its head. She looked over at Ash and then looked back at the dragon as she began speaking.


    "Gurron and I were resting, north of the Grey Place. In the night, a swarm of demons attacked us. Normally," she said as she continued to look down at her dragon friend with worry, "we can deal with them easily, but... That time, they injured Gurron and we had to run. We flew until Gurron lost his strength, and we had to land. Then, you came, and we fought."


    "... Forgive Sinneah for her assumptions," the dragon said then, without moving its mouth, and yet Ash could hear him clearly. "She did not know you were human. Neither did I, for that matter."


    Ash shook her head, as she failed to understand this.


    "But, what is this? What am I looking at right now? How did you two meet? How are you friends with a dragon?" Ash asked her.


    "I do not understand what you ask," Sinneah replied. "All I know is I have been with Gurron all my life. Now, please, cease your questions," the woman said. "Gurron needs to rest in silence."


    "Haha," the dragon chuckled. "Do not be concerned. My wounds will heal soon, and we will take to the skies again in no time."


    Ash thought of something and stood up, walking over to them.


    "I could just heal him up right now, you know? Like I did with you," Ash shrugged.


    "I appreciate the sentiment," Gurron said, "but it would not be effective."


    "Why?"


    "Magic has no effect on dragons," Sinneah replied for him. "Your healing magic would simply be wasted."


    "Conserve your energy, half-demon," Gurron told her, "I will be fine. I just need rest."


    "... But, okay," Ash shook her head, "dragons can talk? Why haven''t I, or anyone, heard of this before?"


    "Half-demon, do not annoy-"


    "It is fine, child," Gurron interrupted her, "these are valid things to be curious about," the dragon said before turning his eyes onto her. "Not all of us can. Most of us, in fact, cannot. There is your answer."


    "... So how did you learn to talk?"


    "Hm... How long ago was it?" The dragon pondered. "I had met someone. Someone who wore armor just as bright as yours, half-demon. We had fought, and both nearly killed each other... but in me, she saw something, and she let me live. This was before I had any-" he coughed, a bit of blood slipping down onto the ground from his snout, "-any knowledge of humans. She saw something in me though and refused to end my life. From that moment on, she and I were inseparable. She taught me about you, your species, the gods who created this world, and how to speak your language. I''ve been roaming the world ever since then, wondering if I would ever meet anyone else like that."


    "..." Ash looked down.  What kind of weird mess did I just walk into?  Seriously, this is all like something I''d hear some old delusional homeless guys back at Jade talk about at night. But, it''s real.


    "Do you feel better?" Sinneah asked the dragon as she caringly ran her hand over its scales.


    "... Yes, child. Maybe, it would be best if you got yourself some rest though. Do not be concerned with..."


    As he spoke, however, Ash heard something.


    It sounded like a faint, rapid series of clicks. She''d heard something like this before, at night, when she and her group had been camping out in the open, but she''d never thought much of it.


    Sinneah replied to him while Ash stood up, and looked out into the glowing trees from where she''d walked in originally.


    ... Something''s here.  She thought as the sounds got closer, and the dragon woman noticed her, looking toward the trees as well.


    "Do you hear that?" Ash asked.


    "..." Sinneah growled as she walked forwards. "Enemies."


    And just as Sinneah muttered that word, three figures emerged from the trees.


    They had onyx-black, smooth skin and long, branch-thin limbs with no hands or feet, instead, ending in sharp edges. Their heads were spherical, with dim blue orbs at the center of their skulls. If it weren''t for the glowing bushes around them, Ash felt like she wouldn''t even be able to see them, as they were more like shadows than real beings. Their mouths looked like those of insects, and it was from their mandibles that they were producing those clicking sounds.


    Level 50


    MP: 90/100


    Level 51


    MP: 80/90


    Level 51


    MP: 70/80


    .... What the fuck?  Ash asked herself as the creatures ran forward.

 Chapter 215 - Vol. 4 - 14

    Ash transformed her  Lust  into a bow and shot an arrow through one of the creature''s heads. The arrow pierced its blue orb and the crystalline sphere shattered as the creature fell, lifeless.


    EXP Gained: 50


    EXP: 90/710


    Okay, should be easy enough, Ash thought, however, before she even finished speaking those words in her mind, one of the monsters leaped up into the air. It turned sideways and spun so fast that Ash could barely see its movements anymore before it crashed down on top of her.


    Its spinning body slashed her armor but didn''t manage to break through it, though its force still knocked Ash to the ground.


    "Agh, fuck," Ash muttered as she tried to nock an arrow from the ground, and was successful, launching one into the creature''s thin body.


    Or, rather, she tried to do that, however, the arrow slipped right past the enemy''s torso.


    Wait, what?  Ash asked herself.  I swear, I hit my shot. How...?


    Sinneah''s fists then were covered in fire and she punched right through that enemy''s blue sphere, killing it as well.


    Ash was ready to shoot an arrow at the last one, but instead of attacking, it backed away, retreating past the glowing vegetation behind it. As Ash stood up, she could still hear those clicking sounds all around them.


    "Do not let your guard down..." Gurron said, sounding like he was struggling to even speak at this point. "I sense them all around us."


    Yeah, I think he''s right about that... Ash thought as she stood up, stretching.  Well, I came out here to fight, so this works out just fine for me.


    Two more of those creatures appeared before them, suddenly. They fell to the ground, as though they''d been sitting at the top of the nearby trees.


    Level 49


    MP: 70/80


    Level 50


    MP: 70/80


    At least their levels seem manageable, Ash thought as she and Sinneah, the same dragon-like woman who she''d been fighting less than an hour ago, stood side by side, ready to defend themselves against the strange creatures who had come and interrupted their talk.


    "Have you seen these things before?" Ash asked as she then proceeded to nock another arrow.


    "I have not," Sinneah replied, narrowing her eyes at the two newcomers. "Gurron and I had only just arrived here. We know not what kind of strange creatures live in this land."


    Hm. That''s unlucky. It doesn''t seem like these things are too strong though, so-


    "Look out!"


    Suddenly, Sinneah pushed Ash out of the way of a thin beam that had been launched out from one of those strange blue orbs the creatures had in their heads. Ash fell back, quickly standing up as Sinneah charged forward.


    Right. Stay focused. Even if their levels are lower, I still gotta fight before I can relax like that.


    Sinneah ran up to one of them. She tried to punch its gut, but her fist, which Ash saw clearly should have connected, slid right off its body. Then, with its right arm, the creature pierced through her abdomen, its arm coming out the other side of Sinneah''s body.


    ... Well, that''s not good.


    Ash quickly shot two more arrows, using the Dexterity she''d been leveling over the last month to land two quick headshots as Sinneah fell to her knees.


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP: 130/710


    EXP Gained: 50


    EXP: 180/710


    She ran up to Sinneah and quickly cast a healing spell, placing her hands on the woman''s body.


    "T-Thank you," Sinneah said, coughing out some blood.


    "Yeah, yeah. Try not to get stabbed again though," Ash said as she heard more of that clicking noise around them. "It sounds like there''s more of them nearby."


    Sinneah nodded as Ash looked around while her magic did its work on her.


    So, between that arrow, the one I''d tried to shoot at the one earlier, and that punch Sinneah went for, it''s clear there''s definitely something weird going on with their bodies. Why can''t we hit them?


    She shook her head as more arrived. A total of four this time.


    "I''m well enough," Sinneah stood up, wiping the blood away from her lips. "More enemies."


    "Fucking lovely," Ash muttered.  But, hey,  she thought,  at least they''re pretty much bringing me some monsters to farm. I''ll take it.


    Sinneah ran forwards again, her fists catching flame once more before she punched through one''s head. Another ran up to her and tried to stab through her own head with its right arm, but Sinneah dodged and proceeded to grab this one by its blue orb. Then she raised it up and slammed it down on the dirt, crushing it.


    Ash smirked.


    ... Kinda hardcore, but nice, Ash thought as she loaded two arrows, back to back, and quickly shot the remaining two monsters.


    She ignored the EXP messages that came up promptly afterward because she had a feeling these four wouldn''t be the last.


    Sinneah looked back at her.


    Ash waited for her to say something, but the dragon-like woman didn''t. She just looked at her with analytical draconic eyes.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "... Nothing," Sinneah said, turning away.


    ...  Okay, sure.  Ash shrugged.


    Before too long, more arrived, and it was around this point that Ash began wondering what the hell was going on.  So... Something has to be up, right? How many of these things are there?


    Sinneah didn''t appear to be too concerned over these questions Ash was thinking of. Instead, she ran up to the first one she saw and punched through its blue orb in a flash but was then attacked by an enemy to her right. The creature slashed her waist, but Sinneah was quick to return the blow with a kick that saw her foot coming out the other side of its head.


    Ash, all the while, simply stood back and shot as many arrows as she could into whichever creatures she saw appear, but, this time, there were no breaks. Instead, with every creature they''d kill, two more would come running up the mountain, with seemingly no goal but to kill them.


    ... Okay,  Ash nodded to herself,  I''m starting to think it might be safer to just run the hell away.


    "Sinneah," she called out, however, the dragon woman didn''t hear her. She was too busy fighting the multiple enemies around her.


    Hm... I might want to just run away on my own. She looked back. Gurron, the wounded dragon, was still there, looking upon them. No enemies were coming up from his side of the mountain.


    "ARGH!" Sinneah cried out and Ash turned back towards her. She''d been stabbed again, as one of those monsters pinned her to the ground with its arm still piercing through her abs, but this time, she was about to be swarmed by many others.


    "Half-demon," Gurron then called out to her, "pull her back to me!"


    Instinctively, figuring that the dragon had some sort of an idea, Ash ran forwards, transforming her bow mid-sprint into her gauntlets. When she got to Sinneah, she killed two of these creatures in rapid succession before reverting her Savior''s Weapon so that she could place her hands around Sinneah''s waist, lifting her up and running back to Gurron.


    "I-I will repay this kindness..." Sinneah told her, but Ash didn''t respond as she simply laid the draconic woman down in front of Gurron.


    "Now what!?" Ash asked.


    And, then, just as the monsters ran towards them, almost ten in total, Ash saw Guron make an effort to get on his legs and arms.


    Only enough to where he could turn his head towards them.


    And then, he opened his mouth, and flame erupted.


    Though, it was like no flame Ash had ever seen. Instead, it was a bright, rose-colored fire that spewed out from his mouth, covering every enemy that had been running towards them. Ash swore she saw flowers, ethereal and magical, also emerging from the dragon''s mouth, and that particular detail reminded Ash of something.


    Keiko...  Ash thought.  One of her sword techniques made flowers come out, just like those.


    As the rose-colored flame seared the bodies of those monsters, each one perished soundlessly, twitching and trembling as they fell to the ground.


    And, as Gurron noticed the result of his efforts, he stopped and fell, making the ground thud as his body hit the dirt.


    Ash looked back at him with wonder.


    "What was that?" Ash asked. "That fire... What the hell?"


    Gurron coughed, taking breaths that sounded more and more languished.


    "Hehe," he chuckled. "This was... my own invention. Created just a short time after..." he trailed off, without finishing what he was saying.


    "So... What, you made that ability or spell or whatever?"


    "Precisely. Now, if you could tend to Sinneah, I would appreciate that."


    At that moment, Sinneah coughed up blood, and Ash was reminded that she''d just been stabbed again a few seconds ago.


    "You know," Ash told her, "you''re good at offense, but your defense needs some work," Ash told her, having to suppress a chuckle.  Yeah, cause I''m one to talk,  she thought.


    At that, Sinneah looked at her again, with that same strange gaze from earlier while Ash quickly tried to heal her back up.


    "Gurron, how are you feeling?" Sinneah asked as Ash kept her hands on her.


    "... I will be fine, child. Stay alert. I fear those creatures may yet surround this oasis of ours."


    Hearing that, Ash nodded to herself.


    Good,  she thought..  I need as much easy EXP as I can get.

 Chapter 216 - Vol. 4 - 15

    Kasumi


    Admittedly, the thought of taking Pearl back had become stronger in Kasumi''s mind. Even right now, as the moonlight poured in from her nearby windows while she laid on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, Kasumi couldn''t help but wonder.


    How would that even work?


    Obviously, she understood that Ash would close the portal that had been made to siege the city, but after that, what would they do? How long would it take? And, most importantly, was there a chance that Kasumi could have her home back?


    Sighing, she closed her eyes, hoping her dreams would take her soon enough.


    Indeed, they did.


    ---


    "What are these?" Nozomi asked as Kasumi walked ahead of her.


    The two of them were currently taking a stroll through the woods near Pearl. It was a beautiful day, and Kasumi was smiling widely as Nozomi pointed at a bush filled with sapphire-colored berries. She walked up and crouched down beside her.


    "Moonberries," Kasumi replied as Nozomi made an awed face. "They''re pretty tasty, you want one?" She asked, and Nozomi nodded. Chuckling at the sight, Kasumi carefully plucked a few out and handed them over.


    "They''re sour at first, but they''ll turn sweet in your mouth. Give ''em a try," Kasumi told Nozomi, who nodded before throwing one of them between her lips.


    "MMMM!" Nozomi hummed as Kasumi laughed at the face she made.


    "Told you!" Kasumi extended a hand towards her. "Come on, let''s keep going."


    As the two of them continued deeper into the forest, Kasumi eventually heard something. Pausing, she placed a hand on Nozomi''s shoulder.


    "Wait one second," she told her. "I think there might be something up ahead."


    Nozomi nodded and sat down on the dirt. Kasumi then started walking towards the noise she''d heard. She came across a small opening where, up ahead, there were animalistic sounds in the air. Passing through a few trees, Kasumi eventually saw the source.


    It was a demon. Long white hair, horns on its head, monstrous limbs. It was devouring some poor animal. Kasumi gulped and reached for her Savior''s Weapon.


    "Huh?" She asked when she couldn''t feel it. She looked down at her waist and found that it was missing.


    Then, she looked up ahead and saw that the animal the demon had been devouring had been replaced. It was no longer a beast, but Nozomi herself. The demon bit into her torso relentlessly, all while Nozomi''s empty eyes looked back at Kasumi, as though wondering how she allowed this to happen.


    "..." She tried to call out but had no voice to do so.


    Then, the demon looked back at her and grinned as Nozomi''s blood trickled down onto the ground from its lips.


    ---


    And Kasumi woke up, with the sun hitting her eyes the next day.


    However, something was different this time, as opposed to her usual daughter-related nightmares. Specifically, the fact that Kasumi wasn''t crying. Instead, she just felt tired.


    A part of her felt like a failure as a mother, due to the fact that, apparently, she couldn''t even spare a few tears for her daughter today. But, it was out of her control. Instead of the usual sadness, she just felt like there was an invisible weight on her shoulders, trying to hold her down as she stood up.


    "Ugh, a headache, this early?" She whined as she got out of bed.


    Getting ready for the day was a particularly slow process this morning. Every two seconds, Kasumi would pause, sigh, and keep going reluctantly. However, she hadn''t eaten since breakfast yesterday, so, she had to go get some food, unfortunately.


    That meant that a while later, Kasumi was walking out onto the streets, wearing a brown coat over a white shirt and black pants. With bags under her eyes, she yawned as she absent-mindedly walked towards a nearby restaurant. It was a small place with a few stools outside where people could sit down and eat what they bought.


    She got some food, simple chicken soup, and did just that as the world seemed to pass her by. It was like she was locked in her own little space, with no sounds entering that territory and nothing else to focus on but her food.


    Until she heard something behind her.


    "All aboard, all aboard!" A man called out and Kasumi turned around.


    There was a caravan formed of around three different carts, with wealthy-looking people boarding them. What? Kasumi raised a brow.


    "It''s something else, isn''t it?" The restaurant''s owner asked and Kasumi turned towards him.


    "Hm?" She asked. "What do you mean?"


    "Eh, if I''m not mistaken, those folks are getting up to leave for Sapphire."


    "... Why?" Kasumi asked.


    "Everyone''s scared Jade''s going to be the next place that gets attacked, of course," he stated. "Pearl, Onyx, Sapphire, and none of them have been attacked twice in a row or anything. So, the rumor is that Jade is up next, and Amber will follow after that."


    Kasumi turned around.


    So, that''s why they''re leaving? Hm. Guess it makes sense.


    For a second, Kasumi wondered where she''d go if she was to try the same thing. She couldn''t really come up with an answer. It was all the same to her. As long as the Council stopped bothering her and the demons never came near her again, that was all she needed.


    "What about Pearl?" She asked.


    The words escaped from her lips by themselves. Kasumi didn''t even catch herself asking that until they were out and floating into the restaurant owner''s ears.


    "Pearl? What about it?" He asked. "That place is nothing but a pile of rubble, isn''t it? It''s strange to think about, but... That city''s just lost. It''s best to forget about it and move on."


    She chuckled.


    If only forgetting things was as easy as you make it out to be, old man. She thought as she shrugged and went back to her breakfast.


    ---


    Ash


    Earlier, Before the Morning


    After a few more waves of enemies, the monsters had stopped attacking.


    Ash''s hands were tired from how much fighting she''d done tonight, but she forced herself to keep going. Long after Sinneah had clearly become exhausted.


    The draconic woman was hunched over, breathing heavily, looking up at her with a bit of wonder, while Ash kept her eyes on the trees in the distance, waiting for her next opponents to arrive.


    "You... You do not tire?" Sinneah asked.


    "Hm?" Ash asked, looking over at her.


    "You have been fighting for so long, but you seem unfazed..."


    Ash just shrugged in response.


    "I''m used to it. It helps that my Con''s pretty good too. I guess," she muttered as she kept her ears perked up for any strange clicking noises that might hint at another attack.


    Sinneah wiped away some sweat and walked over to Gurron.


    "Are you feeling well?" She asked with an amount of genuine softness and concern that Ash felt was strange to hear, coming from a woman her size.


    "I will be fine, child," the dragon replied, but even Ash could tell his tone had changed, like every second that passed, he was getting weaker.


    "How long will it take for you to regain your strength?"


    "... Not much longer, I assume. Do not pay me any mind," he said. "Actually... I believe you may be able to help your new ally in a way. Child, go and scout the area. See if you can find the enemies before they find you."


    "... I will," Sinneah nodded and as Ash turned around to see what she did, she leaped up into the air, over a tree, and grabbed onto it. It reminded Ash of what Kuri had done, back at Onyx. Then, nimbly, she moved from one tree to another.


    "... It''s a bit dark out here for her to be ''scouting'' or whatever, isn''t it?" Ash asked, absent-mindedly. "Those things are basically invisible to me."


    "Us dragons..." Gurron said before pausing to take a breath, "can see in the dark. Sinneah may not be completely one of us, not yet, but she has progressed enough to develop night vision at least."


    "... Not yet?" Ash caught on as she walked over to Gurron. "What does that mean?"


    However, instead of answering that question, the dragon changed the topic.


    "... Sinneah may be gone for some time. Half-demon, what was your name, again?"


    "Ash," she replied.


    "Ash... I would speak to you if you''d allow it," he coughed. "Before my time expires."


    "What?" Ash raised a brow and crouched beside him.


    "I have been reluctant to let Sinneah know the truth but... I am afraid I will not be recovering, as I''ve told her. To put it simply," he said, "I am dying."


    Ash could have guessed that much.


    Damn. That''s rough, she thought as she looked back for a moment to see if she could spot anything.


    "We do not know each other well," he told her, "we are not friends, we are not family, or whatever other human denotations of relationships exist that I am not aware of. However, I would ask you for... What do you call it? Yes, a ''favor'', if you will."


    "... Depends," Ash shrugged. "Like you said. We aren''t friends or whatever. I''m not gonna go out of my way to risk my own neck for you."


    "You will not need to do any such thing, I believe. Do you know of the nearby city?" He asked. "I saw it from the skies while Sinneah and I were roaming over this region."


    "... Amber, yeah," Ash replied. "I came from there, to get to this place."


    "Good," he answered. "I would ask of you just one thing. Can you take Sinneah there?"


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "Because ever since her birth, Sinneah has lacked a place to call her home. As a dragon, the realm itself is my home, and I traveled it at will throughout my whole life. However, she cannot say the same. I would ask that you show her human civilization and allow her the choice to pick a home for herself. Should she wish to remain out here, in nature''s embrace, then that is fine. However, I would want her to choose her own path. It is to be my last wish, and I would appreciate it," he coughed, "if you could grant it to me, by showing her the way."


    "..." Ash paused, looking down at the dragon for a moment. Her demonic eyes locked with his own as she considered this.


    ... I''m gonna have to go back to Amber anyway,  she thought.  If all he wants is for me to bring her along...


    "Sure," she replied.


    "Thank you, then, Ash."


    At that moment, an idea came to Ash''s mind.


    Come to think of it, I never did check his level.


    So, she looked over at Gurron and checked.


    Level 75


    MP: 900/900


    Ash paused. She thought about it for a moment, and then looked back at him.


    "Gurron, right? That''s your name?" Ash asked.


    "Yes."


    ".... Can I ask for a favor of my own then?"

 Chapter 217 - Vol. 4 - 16

    Gurron


    "So, that''s a ''no'' then?" The half-demon asked as Gurron nearly chuckled.


    He hadn''t been angry to hear her request. It was a sensible one, after all, considering his current state. However, he still rejected it.


    "I am afraid so," he replied weakly. "If anyone is to do such a thing, I would rather it be my daughter."


    Even now, Gurron was contemplating what exactly Sinneah would do once he was gone. He had been a constant factor in her life from the moment she was born. If she was a true dragon, he knew she would move on in no time, maybe even be eager to begin a life of travel on her own.


    However, as she was part human, he couldn''t predict how she would react.


    "Daughter?" Ash asked looking at him, confused. "What do you mean?"


    "I may be mistaken, but is that not what you call a woman you''ve raised since birth?" Gurron asked. "At least, that was the word I was taught."


    "... No, you''re right, I guess," Ash shrugged, looking away. "I''m just having a hard time imagining how that happened."


    They paused for a second, as silence settled between them. Gurron took a few slow, dragging breaths while Ash glanced at him every couple of seconds.


    "Would you like to know, then?" He asked. "How this came to be."


    "... Sure," Ash shrugged.


    And Gurron closed his eyes, as he searched his memories.


    ---


    Almost Thirty Years Ago


    Solitude was normal for a dragon.


    Whether it was humanity, the various beasts that roamed the lands, those wretched demons, or their own kind, dragons often avoided them and kept to themselves. Many dragons, Gurron included, didn''t even have families as these creatures were so territorial, they were often abandoned a year or two after their birth, and left to fend for themselves. Some chose to do so by hiding at the top of mountains, or finding old, abandoned human ruins and making a home out of them.


    For Gurron though, his favorite place to live in was the sky itself. The dragon spent most of his time in the air, soaring from one place to another. It was something he considered to be as integral to his being as the flame that would come from his core when he needed to exterminate an enemy.


    Looking down at the world from above was how he chose to spend most of his days, however, every now and then, he''d still need to go down for a meal. Dragons could live for a very long time without food, but starving was something no creature enjoyed doing.


    It was on one such occasion when the emptiness of his stomach made him descend just a short distance north of that grey land, where square mountains and hills were packed so closely together. Gurron had once approached it, curious, only for a metallic beam to be shot through his body, which took him a month to fully recover from.


    That had been his first encounter with that species known as "humanity" and this was his second.


    Gurron flew down into the forest, landing near a body of water, where multiple animals were drinking from. Hunting, like flying, was something he enjoyed practicing, and he intended to do so right now. As soon as he reached the ground, the animals panicked and Gurron let fire surge out of his body, aimed at one of them. With his hands, he yanked one, grabbing it in his right hand and slamming it down to the ground.


    Two quick, easy kills, which meant a meager meal, but he could get more later.


    That was when she appeared, walking through the trees ahead. Gurron looked up when he saw her.


    A human stood past the body of water, on the other side, looking back at him, fearlessly.


    He didn''t know too much about them, back then. Not even what they were called, only a little of what they were like. Small, tiny creatures, but crafty, surprisingly powerful at times, and clever.


    His eyes focused on this human. A female with short golden hair and crystal-clear eyes. She was wearing a strange white armor that Gurron had not seen before, though he had no idea what was considered normal for these things. She approached him, then, walking through the water which reached up to her knees.


    He understood this to be a challenge of sorts.


    There was something strange about this. The way she walked towards him, the way her eyes never strayed from his. Normally, Gurron would not hesitate to cover her in flames right at this very moment, but he paused.


    He took a deep breath and let out a roar that shook the forest, sending the birds around him flying away. Still, she stood in front of him, her expression unchanged.


    Finally, he initiated the battle that occurred.


    He raised his right hand and tried to crush this insolent creature, but the woman dodged out of the way nimbly, and then ran up to him. Gurron was so surprised by this that he failed to react as, suddenly, a sword made of light appeared in her hands.


    And she slashed under his chin with it, sending a sharp pain ringing out through Gurron''s body. He roared again and leaned back, sending out fire from his snout in an effort to disintegrate her. The flame covered her, and Gurron assumed she had perished.


    But, when he stopped, he found that she was standing in front of him, entirely unfazed.


    He was as confused as he''d been in his entire life, and anger overtook him and he fell into a rage, swiping at her with his claws, trying to bite down on the woman, and leaning his head back again to send out more fire. The flame still had no effect, his claws and his bite were dodged easily, and then, that sword of light reemerged and she used it to stab into his body.


    Gurron responded with a swipe of his hand, pushing through the pain, that finally caught the woman and sent her crashing into a nearby tree. He heard her cry out and knew that finally, he''d damaged her.


    As annoyed as he was at her defiance, there was a part of him that was also excited. He hadn''t experienced anything like this, a real fight, in a very long time. So, he charged towards her, pushing himself forward with his legs and hands, until he tried to bite down on the spot where she was.


    And, she stopped him. Not with a weapon, or one of those metal plates some humans wore on their wrists, but with her own hands.


    It was like he was trying to push against the ground itself with how firmly she held him. He wondered how she could do this, his eyes widening with shock.


    And, what followed, he would never forget. It was a sight that he could still remember to this day if he just closed his eyes and thought hard enough about it.


    The woman pushed him away, and then with that sword, she spun into an attack, and rose-colored flowers emerged from her blade. The area around them was covered in a rosy haze, and she muttered a few words before sending out a slash towards Gurron that was as beautiful as it was lethal.


    The cut pierced his body and slashed deeply, but Gurron was too stunned to even notice.


    As his body''s strength gave out from under him, he watched as the woman, who was breathing heavily, walked over to him.


    Her eyes remained fixed on him, all while the attack played back in his mind multiple times. He had no clue what he''d just witnessed  as she suddenly walked up to him.


    The sword made of light returned, and Gurron understood what she was going to end him here. As was deserved, of course. He had lost and she had won. Such was the way of nature.


    Still, if Gurron was to die, he figured he would not die so laughably. So, he narrowed his eyes at her and tried his hardest to stand up.


    His legs and arms trembled as he did, but he managed it, all while she watched.


    Then, he aimed his head up and gave the mightiest roar he could, knowing it would be his last. It lasted for only a few seconds and did nothing to deter the human in front of him, but it was a worthy conclusion to his life, he felt.


    When it was done, he fell back to the ground and watched her, wanting to see the exact moment she ended his life.


    But, she wouldn''t do it for some reason. The woman stared at him, her eyes narrowed. At this distance, Gurron could notice more details about her appearance that he couldn''t before. She had pale, nearly colorless lips, and was covered in what he assumed to be scars.


    Then, the sword disappeared, and instead, she placed a hand over his head.


    Her hand glowed, and, strangely, Gurron felt his body begin to recover.


    He wondered what was happening, as he had no idea. As dragons were immune to the magical forces of this world, he understood that this had to be something different. Whatever it was though, it worked wonders.


    His strength slowly returned and he stood up on his arms and legs, looking down at her.


    Then, she started saying something.


    It sounded like "meeh, meeh," as she tapped herself on the chest.


    And, as funny as it sounded to him, Gurron attempted to mimic the sound.


    "... Me," he spoke, and the woman smiled.


    ---


    Twenty-One Years Ago


    The woman did not leave after that, and, as curious as Gurron was, all he did was watch her as she walked around and said words he did not understand.


    For ten long years though, he learned. It was a slow process, but eventually, he had started to understand some of the things that she was saying.


    For one, humans had "names" for things, and hers was Tomoe.


    It had taken a long time before he could say the word himself, but once that barrier was broken, she taught her all sorts of words. Now, he knew the things around him were called trees, the liquid he would drink from was called water, the puffs of mist he''d fly through were called clouds.


    This knowledge became addicting to him, and Tomoe was happy to indulge him in this regard.


    Some concepts were harder to grasp than others though. Hatred, fear, jealousy. Love, particularly, had taken him a long time to understand but learn them he did.


    In return, of course, he gave her gifts of his own. He showed her what flying was like, taking her on his back as he would soar through the skies. He showed her different places, all of which she told him she''d never seen before. While he learned what life was like for a human, she learned what it was like for him.


    Until, eventually, a sense of mutual adoration had formed. This enemy had turned into the first thing that Gurron could call, as she''d taught him, a "friend".


    Twenty-one years ago though, something happened. The two of them found a new area to explore, one that neither of them had been to.


    It was covered in mist, and from above, Gurron could see that it glowed in multiple colors, with lightning coming from a cloudless sky above occasionally falling down on it.


    They journeyed there and encountered experiences that were new to both of them. But one day, something happened neither of them could have predicted.


    While they rested here, Tomoe had begun to grow sick. Gurron had wondered if they should leave, but she felt this place was so gorgeous, she didn''t want to go.


    Her condition worsened with each passing day though.


    And, as much as Gurron asked for them to leave, she wouldn''t do so. Until, one day, as the two of them were asleep, something happened.


    Gurron awoke when something bright caught his attention. He opened his eyes and saw that, between him and Tomoe, white ethereal lines were coming out from their bodies. These lines intertwined, swirling together and merging in the air, until, slowly, they began filling out the form of a human.


    Slowly, her body was filled out. Scales, hands, legs, a head, and sharp teeth. Gurron saw it all with awe, urging Tomoe to wake up and see what was happening.


    She didn''t respond though. Instead, he watched this process on his own, and it was only after it was done that he looked over at Tomoe.


    Her body was perfectly still, her eyes closed.


    And her eyes never opened again.

 Chapter 218 - Vol. 4 - 17

    "After that," Gurron explained, "I was left with a strange child and a body to bury."


    As Gurron finished his story, Ash nodded. Sinneah still hadn''t returned, so Ash had a few minutes to contemplate the things he''d said. It all sounded like something out of a fever dream, but as amazing as it all sounded, it had clearly happened, considering his presence here and Sinneah''s.


    However, one thing drew Ash''s attention more than anything else. Tomoe.


    "... A sword made of light," Ash muttered. "You mean, like, she picked something up and it transformed into a sword?"


    "No," Gurron replied. "The sword manifested out of thin air."


    Damn, Ash thought. What kind of magic does that?


    And, on that note, something else came to her mind.


    "Wait, back up, you said, she cut you, and then she healed you?"


    "Yes."


    "How?" Ash asked. "You''re immune to that."


    "To this day I do not know, she never explained that to me, and I had no desire of knowing. Enjoying my time with her was enough for me."


    Ash couldn''t say the same though. She absolutely wanted to know, just in case she ever met another dragon in the future and could find a way to use magic on it. So, she put her brain to work for a moment and thought about the different possibilities.


    Eventually, something came to her mind, and Ash''s eyes widened.


    "... Wait a second," Ash said, extending a hand towards Gurron.


    "Hm?"


    "Hold on," Ash told him.


    What was the incantation again?  She wondered before it came back to her, slowly.


    "For Light of grace to reach those in need, Lumina, allow our faith to dictate the power of our words. Let no prayer we utter be left unheard. To this end, show yourself in our actions and let your brilliance be seen."


    It was the incantation for the Empowered Light spell.


    As Ash recited its words, Gurron was encapsulated in a field of white, and Ash''s eyes widened.


    "... So that''s it," she muttered.


    "What did you do?"


    "I cast a Blessing on you," Ash stated, turning her attention back on the distant trees.


    "Blessing? I am not familiar with this term."


    "It''s sort of like Light magic, but different," Ash began explaining. "Regular Light and Dark magic work normally, scaling off your Int and whatever. But, there are two categories that are special, I think," she lifted two fingers, remembering the lessons Takomaro had given her before the battle for Pearl, "Blessings and Curses. What makes these categories special, is that their effectiveness depends on your connection with the gods. And, from what I can tell, the Blessing I cast worked."


    "Ah... So you say, this is how she healed me?"


    "I think so," Ash shrugged. "If that''s the case, then it means Blessings and Curses probably work on dragons, but none of the other forms of magic do."


    "Hm... Fascinating. Could you do the same?"


    "... I don''t know any Blessings that heal. Sorry."


    "... No matter."


    In Ash''s mind though, that prompted another question.


    That means Tomoe had a connection to the gods or something. Was she a Savior? Or a priest? Ash wondered as suddenly, a figure appeared.


    She narrowed her eyes but calmed down when she saw that it was Sinneah, approaching from the trees.


    The draconic woman walked forward, her eyes steady as she moved over to where Gurron and Ash were.


    "Ah... What did you see?" Gurron asked.


    "There are many of them, still remaining, though they are hiding," Sinneah said. She was looking down at Gurron with a mixture of worry and confusion, as though she didn''t understand why he hadn''t gotten better yet. "Are you feeling better?"


    "..." Ash saw Gurron look at the woman, and she stepped away, feeling the atmosphere begin to change. "About that, child," he stated, "I am afraid there is something I need to say."


    "What is it?" Sinneah asked quickly, crouching beside him. Then, he paused before replying with:


    "I will not be leaving this mountain with you."


    Ash saw a look of surprise come over Sinneah, though she maintained that firm look on her face, almost a scowl of sorts.


    "... Why?" Sinneah asked.


    "My age has caught up to me," Gurron explained. "My body is not healing itself the way it used to. At this point, I believe it is," he coughed, which closely resembled a growl, "I believe it is inevitable."


    Sinneah just looked at him for a second. Even when it came to regular people, Ash was terrible at reading others'' emotions, but with Sinneah, it was particularly difficult. Her body was frozen, her hands clutched into fists at her sides, while she stared down at Gurron, unblinking.


    She was taking slow, deep breaths, while Gurron waited for her response.


    "Are you c..." Her voice broke. "Are you certain?"


    "Yes," Gurron replied. "I will be passing soon. This much is a fact."


    ... Fucking hell,  Ash thought as she watched Sinneah''s hands begin to tremble.


    "... Can I truly do nothing for you?" Sinneah asked.


    "Yes," Gurron replied. "There is one thing."


    "What is it!?" Sinneah asked, kneeling beside him instantly. "Is there a chance!?"


    "... That was not what I meant," Gurron chuckled, and now, it blatantly sounded pained. But, Sinneah remained by his side. "The half-demon brought to me an interesting idea. She had asked if I would allow her to kill me so that she could take the Experience from it."


    As soon as Sinneah heard this, she shot a look at Ash that, if it could kill, would have had Ash disintegrated.


    You really couldn''t leave that part out?  Ash asked in her thoughts as she shook her head.


    "I rejected this, but, that did give me an idea. Sinneah," he took a breath, "I wish for you to do it."


    "... What?" Sinneah stood up, taking a step back.


    "I will say it clearly," Gurron said, and Ash then saw as he tried to stand, his legs and arms shaking under his weight, as he only managed to turn himself just a little in Sinneah''s direction before falling to the ground once more, all while Sinneah looked at him, horrified. "Strike me down, and allow me to make you more powerful as my final act in this world."


    "... I cannot," Sinneah shook her head. "I am not strong enough."


    "If you do not then my death will be a waste. Is that preferable?" Gurron asked her and Sinneah looked up, as tears came out from her eyes.


    That was when Ash decided to turn away, thinking she''d seen enough. Without saying anything, Ash walked over to a nearby tree stump and sat on it with her back turned to them.


    Taking a deep breath, she kept her eyes peeled just in case anything came out and attacked her. They were, after all, still in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by monsters.


    What she saw made her wonder if she could do it though. If someone like Kaori or Keiko asked her to do that, would she have it in her?


    She doubted it. She realized then that she''d sooner jump off a tall cliff than do that to one of them.


    As she contemplated this though, she heard a few things behind her.


    Some words she couldn''t quite catch, a spark of fire, and then, something breaking.


    It was a while before she heard anything else. She was about to turn around to check what had happened when Sinneah walked over to her.


    It took one look to understand. Sinneah''s face, still as firm as ever, had tear marks running down to her chin and her right hand was balled into a fist, with blood covering it.


    "... Ash," Sinneah said, with a trembling voice.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "... Gurron told me that you came to some sort of agreement?"


    "Oh. Right," Ash said, as she stood up. Just to confirm what she was guessing from her appearance, she glanced over at Gurron. Sure enough, there was a fist-sized hole in his body.


    I''m guessing that''s where his heart was or something,  Ash thought.  That''s rough.


    "So, listen," Ash started, "your, uh, dad or whatever, asked me for something. He asked me to take you with me back to Amber, a human city that''s just a couple hours'' walk away."


    Ash walked past her and gestured down the mountain.


    "I''m heading back there now anyway. You can come and follow me if you want to. What do you say?"


    Hearing that, Sinneah wiped away her tears and looked up at Ash with a bit of confusion. But, as she thought more about it, she then looked back at Gurron.


    "He did?" She asked.


    "Yeah, said he wanted you to pick a new home for yourself, or something," Ash shrugged. "So, what''ll it be?"


    "..." Sinneah continued to gaze upon the dragon''s body for a moment before she turned toward Ash. "Yes. If that is what he wanted then... I will do it," she said, with a soft voice.


    Hearing such a strong-looking person speak so meekly was jarring to Ash, though she understood why that was. Still, she nodded and started walking.


    Behind her, Sinneah took one last look at Gurron before following her.


    ---


    {Sinneah}


    "So," Ash said, ahead of her while Sinneah tried her hardest to stop crying.  Cease this weakness,  she told herself.  You are a dragon. Though your body is different you are still his daughter and you need to be strong. "It''ll be about two hours before we get there. Keep an eye out and tell me if you see anything, since your eyes are better than mine, apparently."


    Though Sinneah had no idea what an ''hour'' was, she nodded. She figured it was a way of measuring time, but all she had ever needed to do that was to look up at the sky.


    "Yes. I will."


    As she replied though, Sinneah looked down at what she was carrying in her hands. These were the last pieces of Gurron that she would ever physically see, surely, and they weighed so much heavier on her because of that.


    One fact about dragons that, apparently, not many humans knew, according to her father, was that just above their eyes, dragons held two smaller eyes. Their larger eyes were the size of Sinneah''s head, while their smaller eyes were barely bigger than her own, and so, most people missed them.


    However, when Ash turned away, Gurron had asked her to do something strange.


    "Sinneah," he''d said. "Once I am dead... Remove my eyes from my body, and hold onto them. Let no human find them."


    "Why?" Sinneah had asked.


    "... Your mother told me that they are valuable. Should you ever need to, I would want you to use them to create a place for yourself in the human world. Keep them on your person, and let no one else know that you have them. One day, they may serve of some use to you."


    "Hey, did you hear me?" Ash suddenly asked while Sinneah was thinking about that. She looked up.


    "What?"


    "I said, look," Ash pointed ahead, and from here, Sinneah saw it.


    A place that was glowing in the night, not unlike this mountain. Another beacon just like it, but wider and with many smaller lights spread throughout it.


    "That''s Amber. That''s where we''re headed."


    "... I see," Sinneah nodded.. "I see."

 Chapter 219 - Vol. 4 - 18

    The walk back to Amber had been spent in silence, so far. Ash was mostly focused on trying to keep an eye out for any monsters, specifically the ones who had been attacking earlier, while Sinneah appeared distracted, for obvious reasons. Still, as they moved through a field of sand and dirt that stretched almost endlessly, it was only a matter of time before one of them spoke up.


    And, Ash was the one who did so first.


    "... Gurron told me a little about Tomoe," Ash said.


    "My mother?" Sinneah raised a brow.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Who was she?" The half-demon asked, still curious as to whether she was some sort of old Savior.


    "I was never told much about her, as a person," Sinneah shrugged. "Only that she was an incredible warrior and an outcast. A human without a place to call home. That is all."


    Is that it? Someone like her has to have made a name for herself. Maybe I should ask around.


    Soon, though, she saw a few blue dots in the distance, and she stopped.


    "Focus up," Ash said. "It looks like there are a few more of those things over there."


    Looking over at Sinneah, the draconic woman simply narrowed her eyes in their direction and balled her hands up.


    Ash took a step back then, figuring she and the dragon-woman had already developed a sort of strategy, in their short time working together. Ash transformed her  Lust  into a bow and shot a couple of arrows at the incoming enemies.


    One of them missed, but the other struck one of their blue spheres, and a creature fell.


    EXP Gained: 50


    EXP: 60/720


    Ash had leveled up once, after all the fighting at the mountain, and she assigned both of her points to her INT, so she could soon reach the requirement for the  Pain Amplification  spell, which was 30.


    Level 72


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 60/720


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 22


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Ahead, the creatures reached them and Ash prepared more arrows as she counted them.


    Three... Four, five.  She thought as Sinneah ran up, her hands covered in flames. The dragon-woman wasted no time in punching straight through one of their heads. Then, she spun and threw a kick that broke another, launching it in the opposite direction, while Ash finished off the remaining three with one arrow after another.


    Weirdly enough, Sinneah did all of this while keeping one hand held out away from them, but, although it looked a little strange, Ash ignored it.


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP Gained: 45


    EXP: 185/720


    Okay, no problems so far...  Ash thought as she glanced over at Sinneah, who in turn was looking down at one of the creatures she''d killed.


    ... Actually, how much stronger did she get from the kill, before?  Ash wondered, and she checked her level.


    Level 65


    MP: 500/500


    Oh, shit,  Ash thought.  That''s pretty good, but, yeah. Gurron had like fifteen levels on her, so, I guess it makes sense.


    "So, how many others do you see?" Ash asked. Sinneah blinked and turned towards her.


    "What?"


    "How many others do you see around us?" Ash asked, gesturing at the area.


    "... None. Most are heading for the mountain," Sinneah replied absent-mindedly.


    Really?  Ash asked, looking back at it.  So, they weren''t necessarily after us, they were trying to get to that place? What about these? Were we just in the way?  She wondered. However, soon, she shrugged and pushed those thoughts out of her mind as the two continued on their way.


    They reached Amber just an hour later, and, of course, drew the attention of every single guard present at the walls.


    "Hold on there, lady," one guard said, approaching, "you-"


    "Dumbass, let her through," another one said, pulling the guy back. "Couldn''t you tell? That''s the Savior."


    "... My mistake," the guard nodded and stepped aside.


    Good, Ash said as she gestured for Sinneah to keep following her. Hopefully, things will stay like that, moving forward.


    At this time, there was barely anyone out in the streets. A few broken-down carts, lit torches, and sleeping dogs were all that welcomed the two of them, as they walked through the city. It took a while before Ash saw anyone who wasn''t a guard, and that came in the form of a few shady individuals dressed in black cloaks, talking to each other under the light of a perched-up sconce.


    "Hey, stay close," Ash told Sinneah.


    "Why?"


    "People might look for a problem," Ash said. "Not that we wouldn''t be able to handle it, but, still, I''d rather avoid the headache."


    "..." Sinneah remained largely silent as she scanned the areas around them.


    Ash looked ahead, thinking about what she was going to do with her.


    So, I guess I''ll just drop her off at the Arcane''s Manor, tell them about her situation, and see if they can find a place for her while she sorts her shit out. Might take her some time to figure out what she wants to do, but, I don''t know, I think that''s the best idea.


    "... What is all of this?" Sinneah asked quietly, but Ash caught her words and turned around. "I had seen these places from afar but... Being up close, it feels so strange."


    "Hmph. I could have said the same for the woods and the forests a little while ago," Ash shrugged.  Before I became a Savior, all I knew was stone.


    It took a little longer before they reached the Manor, but eventually, they were walking up to that giant, mansion-like space that contrasted so heavily with the rest of Amber. Here, a couple of knights welcomed Ash, making space for her to move, and Ash brought Sinneah into the place with her.


    The two of them entered the manor, and Ash saw the woman''s eyes gleam as she beheld the lavish decorations and strange lighting that was in the building. A giant chandelier, the paintings, and the other decorations, all appeared to mesmerize Sinneah.


    Before she looked over at Ash though, and her eyes remained on her as she asked:


    "What now?"


    "Now, I find some nobles, tell them about you and... Hopefully, they''ll set you up here," she shrugged. "It''ll take you a while, but you''ll be able to find something to do, I think."


    "Without you?" Sinneah asked.


    "... Yeah," Ash raised a brow. "I''m gonna be staying here too, but I''ve got my own things to do, so..."


    "... I refuse."


    ...


    What?


    "Sorry, what was that?"


    "I said, I refuse."


    "... Okay, I thought I heard that right, but why?"


    At that, Sinneah, her hands balled up into fists as they usually were, walked up to her.


    "You saved me many times during our fight with those creatures... Before... What happened with my father," Sinneah explained. "I wish to repay you."


    "It''s fine, you don''t need to," Ash responded.


    "I must," Sinneah said, shaking her head. "It is as my father taught me. Acts of kindness must always be repaid."


    Ash narrowed her eyes at the woman, looking up at her.


    "Look, I''m glad you want to do that, but I don''t really need much help right now. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is to try to learn about this place, ask for people to teach you, find something to do. But, yeah, there''s no need for you to help me in any way right now."


    "..." Sinneah listened to her say this and looked down. "Is there truly nothing I can do for you?"


    "... I can''t think of anything," Ash shrugged.


    "Well, when we fought, I nearly beat you a few times, can I not help you train and practice?" Sinneah asked.


    "Okay, but that''s only because my Dark magic didn''t work on you, it''s not..."


    "And, over the course of all our fights, I noticed that your defense was just as lacking as mine was. Are you saying we cannot improve in this regard together somehow?"


    "It doesn''t matter that- look, I win most of my fights anyway, defense isn''t going to..."


    "What if you run into other creatures that your magic cannot affect? Would you not rather have me to-"


    "Stop," Ash held up a hand. "Stop, stop, stop. Look, I get your point, but... What would we even do? What can you teach me?"


    "I can teach you the Tomoe''s Divine Arts," Sinneah replied.


    She did so in such a way as if to suggest that Ash should have known that already. The half-demon paused, looking up at her. Admittedly, she was now curious.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Tomoe''s Divine Arts, my mother''s fighting techniques," Sinneah said, all while looking down at Ash. "It was what I used to fight you, and I would say I performed well. Even though I am technically weaker."


    "..."


    Admittedly, Gurron''s story about that Tomoe lady had sparked some intrigue in Ash. The things she did sounded outrageous, mostly because Ash hadn''t encountered any magic like that yet.


    Both of these stubborn individuals looked at each other, their eyes connected as Ash asked:


    "But, what exactly are ''Tomoe''s Divine Arts''? Is that like, Light magic?"


    "... I do not know the specifics, and... Unfortunately, my nature prevents me from exploring this fully, so I-I do not know the limitations of it. But maybe," Sinneah replied.


    "What do you mean your ''nature''?"


    "All dragons, even myself, innately have a Fire affinity," Sinneah explained. "So, I was never able to learn some sections of the Divine Arts, but maybe you can."


    "..." Ash groaned. "If you''re lying or something, I swear I will kick the shit out of you."


    "I promise, I am being truthful. On my mother''s memory and... And my father''s, I am being honest."


    "..." Ash looked down. Then, she sighed and nodded. "Fine, fine. I''ll find you a bed near my room or something, I dunno."


    At that, Sinneah smiled for the first time since Ash had met her. It wasn''t too wide of one, but her lips briefly curled up nonetheless, and her dragon-like tail moved from side to side behind her.


    "Thank you. I am glad I will be able to repay your kindness. You shall not regret this."


    I definitely hope not, Ash thought.


    "Now," Sinneah added, "what is a bed?"

 Chapter 220 - Vol. 4 - 19

    Yumi


    Yumi was conflicted. On one hand, Amber, and everything surrounding it, was so different from what Yumi had seen in the confines of her shrine that even a casual glance in a random direction was enough to provide a wondrous, new glimpse into the world. On the other hand, Yumi was too busy dealing with brand-new emotions to fully admire them.


    She was simply too focused on either lusting over the half-demon or wanting to retreat into a private corner to alleviate that lust, to actually do what she''d set out to do, which was learn about things.


    She wondered what the cause could be, as, from seeing how Keiko interacted with Ash, she figured her current status was not common. Was it her isolation? It had been so long since Yumi had even spoken to someone in a serious, extended manner that perhaps going from that to... what she and Ash did at the portal, caused some bonds to form between them, in Yumi''s heart. Or, could it that her body had secretly been longing for another person''s touch this whole time?


    Yumi was, after all, 37 years old. Even though the mask she''d worn, and still had in her possession, had halted her body''s aging during her time at the shrine, to the point where she still looked just 22, internally, Yumi had felt every second of that time.  Maybe this was natural. Maybe she was merely pent-up.


    Regardless of what the answer was, Yumi still had her duties. That much, hadn''t changed from moving away from the shrine and joining Ash''s group. She had to get up and get her day started, though she had little idea how she would do that in this strange manor.


    Still, Yumi, who woke up alone, in her dark room, got up. She yawned, stretching her arms as she took a deep breath.


    "... I suppose I should try to find breakfast," Yumi muttered. Every now and then, she would wonder how the protagonists of the novels she''d read during her time at the shrine would handle her situations.


    That was, of course, how Yumi had entertained herself for upwards of 15 years. By reading. She read the same hundred or so books, over and over again, to the point where she knew what happened in them by heart.


    She got up, off of her bed, and walked over to the door. She was dressed in a simple white nightgown, one of the few things she''d brought with her from the shrine after she left it.


    She unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped outside.


    "... Hm?"


    Someone hummed as Yumi walked out, and her eyes went up.


    When she saw what, or who, was standing in front of her room, Yumi paused. In front of her, was, undeniably, the tallest woman Yumi had ever met. She stood two heads above her and had sharp, yellow, slitted eyes, aimed right at her. She had black hair, just like Yumi''s own, only hers reached all the way down to the floor. Her skin was brown but slightly lighter than Metsumi''s. Her arms, legs, and abs, all visible due to her lack of clothing, were all toned and firm, as though her body had been carved out of stone. A black tail went from her back down to her legs, resting on the ground. She had scales as well, which resembled images Yumi had seen in paintings of dragons, on her elbows, her knees, and her waist.


    When she saw Yumi, she raised a brow, and her eyes never left Yumi''s own.


    "..." Yumi blinked twice before clearing her throat. "Hello."


    "Are you the half-demon''s ally?" She spoke with a voice that, ironically, reminded her of the girl she''d just mentioned. Firm, and that straight-to-the-point tone that Yumi had become familiar with.


    "... Yes?"


    "I was supposed to enter this place," she gestured at the room Yumi had just walked out of. "But you placed a barrier on it."


    "A ba... You mean I locked it?"


    "... I guess," the woman shrugged.


    Yumi shook her head, trying to shake off the surprise of the situation. From what she could gather, Ash had met this woman and told her to share Yumi''s room, without asking her, and the woman had been unable to because the door was locked.


    "... I''m sorry?" Yumi said, shrugging.


    "Hm? For what?" The woman asked.


    "Well, for not letting you-, I mean, I believe I should have been asked first regardless, but, for not letting you in."


    "Oh. Do not be," the woman shook her head. "This strange floor was rather comfortable."


    "I-I see..." Yumi half-wondered if this was a dream, and she was actually still in her bed. Then again, why would she dream of tall, strong, half-human, half-dragon women?


    ... Actually, she knew exactly why she''d have that kind of dream, but, pushing that aside, she asked:


    "Why are you here?"


    "Hm?" The woman tilted her head. "I just explained it. I was unable to enter."


    "N-No, I mean, why did Ash bring you along?"


    "Oh," she nodded. "To help train her."


    "Train her?"


    "Yes," she nodded again. "To train her."


    "O-Oh... Are you a warrior?"


    In all honesty, she felt stupid asking her that. In what world would a woman who looks like that not be a warrior?


    "Yes."


    "What do you fight with?" Yumi asked, feeling slightly more comfortable now that they were speaking in a realm that she understood. After all, she''d spent all of those years at the shrine honing her skills. Maybe this was a realm where she and this stranger could connect.


    "My hands."


    And just like that, Yumi was confused again. Yumi had known that hand-to-hand combat was a thing that existed, but from the moment she''d started her career, it was laughed away as an unviable option. Simply put, it was expected that, under no circumstances, would Yumi ever be separated from her weapons. Therefore, she need not train in that, and instead, she practiced her blade techniques.


    "I, truly?"


    "Yes," she replied.


    "I... I see."


    The dragon-like woman stopped suddenly.


    She sniffed the air twice and narrowed her eyes at Yumi. And then, she asked:


    "Why do you smell so good?"


    "..." Yumi paused.


    Am I the strange one for getting flustered? This never happened in my novels. I do not have the social skills to engage in this kind of conversation if this is what reality is like. She thought as the woman waited for an answer.


    "I-I wash myself. Often."


    "... I see," the woman replied, nodding.


    Then, her eyes drifted down to Yumi''s chest, and they remained there for an uncomfortable amount of time. Yumi couldn''t help but blush at that as a door opened, and thankfully, it was Ash who walked out into the hall.


    "Oh, fuck," Ash said, yawning. "Huh?" She looked at Yumi and the other woman. "You two are up already?"


    "Uhm, Ash," Yumi said as she walked up to the half-demon. "Who is this?"


    "Huh? Uh, this is Sinneah," Ash said. "Sin, you didn''t introduce yourself? I told you to tell her who you were."


    "... I tried, but a spell was cast on the door. I believe she called it ''locked''."


    "... Oh," Ash blinked. "Yeah, I should have checked. Sorry," she turned toward Yumi. "I was a bit more tired than I thought I''d be. So, I just went straight to bed. Anyway," she gestured from Yumi to the woman, "this is Sinneah. Sinneah, this is Yumi."


    "... Yumi," Sinneah nodded. "Understood."


    "I suppose that''s one mystery out of the way, but, Ash, she said she''s going to train you. What is that about?"


    "Oh, yeah. So, there''s this person I heard about from her, her name''s Tomoe. Apparently, she could do some really sick shit and Sinneah learned how to fight from her, or something. I wanted to see if she could teach me a thing or two."


    "... Tomoe?"


    As soon as Yumi heard that name, it had seemed familiar to her, though she couldn''t quite tell where she''d heard it from.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "So, we''re gonna train together. You''re welcome to join in, I dunno," Ash shrugged. "If you want to."


    "I-I suppose it... may be interesting."


    "Cool. So, first things first then," she turned toward Sinneah, "I''m gonna take you to the bathroom and you''re going to take a bath. After that, we''ll get something to eat, and we''ll get started as soon as we''re done. We can train right outside of this place. How does that sound?"


    "Good. But, what is a bathroom?"


    "I''ll show you, come on."


    With that, like a passing storm, Ash dragged the girl away while Yumi stood there, frozen.


    ... Maybe it is a good thing to have strange mornings like these,  Yumi thought, sighing.  It will keep me on my toes.


    ---


    A while later, Sinneah, who was nearly shining from having bathed, was standing across from Yumi outside. Ash was sitting by a bench, watching them. Before they really got any training done, Ash wanted to watch them fight and, admittedly, Yumi also wanted to test Sinneah''s skills for herself.


    So, as Yumi picked up her naginata, Sinneah cracked her knuckles.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll heal you," Ash told them from the side, "just don''t kill each other and you''re good."


    "Right."


    And, with a deep breath, Yumi charged toward her.

 Chapter 221 - Vol. 4 - 20

    Sinneah dodged out of the way of Yumi''s naginata, and then, with a surprising speed, she lifted a foot off the ground and tried to kick Yumi''s head from the side. Yumi saw it coming though and ducked, before sweeping the floor with her blade. Sinneah jumped back, avoiding the attack before putting one fist in front of her.


    The entire time, she was keeping one hand tucked away. Yumi noticed this and wondered if she was particularly strong with it for some reason, and was looking for an opening. Regardless, she ran up again and this time, went for a vertical slash.


    Sinneah sidestepped, and then went for a punch with her left hand that Yumi dodged easily.


    Still, the large woman moved with a quickness that did catch Yumi off-guard.


    I wonder what her Dex is...  Yumi thought.  I wouldn''t have expected someone like this to have a high stat in that category, but she is surprisingly agile.


    The thought brought a smile to Yumi''s face.


    In that case... Let us make this more entertaining for each other, she thought. She''d been holding back, of course, not knowing how much speed Sinneah could handle.


    She took her naginata by the center, with both hands, and held it up in the air, as Sinneah watched her. Then, she started twirling it, spinning the weapon as she walked up to the dragon-like woman. Sinneah''s eyes widened when she saw Yumi approaching her that way. Then, the Zayama smirked before she leaped forward, the tip of her blade aimed at Sinneah''s chest.


    Sinneah''s left hand turned into flame then, and it was Yumi''s turn to be stunned. Sinneah moved to the side and then lunged into the hit, trying to counter with a fist aimed at Yumi''s face.


    The disparity between their speed was still enough to get out of the way easily, but Yumi was pleasantly surprised.


    She found herself smiling as she stepped back, putting space between them and holding her naginata by her side.


    Due to her bubbling curiosity, Yumi couldn''t but ask:


    "What is your Dexterity at?"


    "Hm?" Sinneah raised a brow, getting out of her fighting stance. "70."


    Oh.  Yumi nodded.  That would explain it.


    "It shows, you are very quick to react," Yumi praised her.


    "Thank you..." Sinneah replied, looking away for a moment. "Your own speed surprised me as well."


    Yumi chuckled at that.


    "I would hope so, I have been training for a long time."


    "Truly?" Sinneah asked. "I see, I am impressed."


    "Hey," Ash called out, "less flirting, more fighting."


    At that, Yumi blushed intensely and nodded.


    She put her naginata out before her and waited for Sinneah to be in position to fight as well. Again, Sinneah tucked her right hand by her waist and put her left hand forward. It was like she was holding something in her right and wanted to keep it out of harm''s way.


    Disregarding that though, Yumi ran up and went for a series of short stabs, all of which Sinneah dodged. However, Yumi added more speed to her attacks, little by little, in an effort to see just how much Sinneah could handle.


    Soon, she went for one stab at Sinneah''s shoulder, and her naginata managed to graze it.


    "Agh," Sinneah hissed as she backed off.


    "Push yourself," Yumi told her. "I wish to see what you can do."


    "..." Wordlessly, Sinneah nodded and breathed in.


    ... I should be careful though, no need for either of us to get too hurt,  Yumi thought as she then activated her Spirit Eye.


    "Iridos," she muttered as Sinneah ran up, and her Spirit Eye told her she''d be attacked with a spinning kick to the gut. So, Yumi blocked the attack with the shaft of her naginata.


    Only for her weapon to break in half.


    "A-AGH!?" Yumi stopped, looking down at her weapon, shocked. Sinneah, however, kept going and punched Yumi in the jaw.


    Yumi fell to her knees while Sinneah stopped herself.


    "Hm? What happened?" Sinneah asked aloud, as Ash stood up and ran over.


    She cast a healing spell put a hand on Yumi''s face, but Yumi''s eyes never left her broken weapon.


    My naginata...  She thought, feeling like her heart had been torn in half.


    "You okay?" Ash asked.


    "It broke..." Yumi muttered as she looked down at it.


    "Uh, yeah, seems like it," Ash replied.


    After a while, Yumi sighed and stood up.


    "I... I suppose this was my fault. I did not think you would be that strong."


    "I do not understand, is something wrong?" Sinneah asked. Ash, however, ignored her.


    "Uh, can''t we just get it fixed?"


    "Can we?" Yumi asked. "This hasn''t happened to me before."


    "Seriously? Not once?"


    "I took great care of the things I owned at the shrine," Yumi replied. "It was part of my job."


    "Gotcha... But, yeah, it''s just the shaft. I''m sure there''s a blacksmith or someone in town who can make a new one for you. We can just head into town later."


    "... I hope so," Yumi replied.


    They remained in silence for a moment, before Sinneah spoke up.


    "I apologize," she said. "I am not sure I understand what has saddened you, but, if it was my fault, then I am sorry."


    "N-No," Yumi shook her head, trying to calm down. "Don''t worry. It''s no one''s fault, just, caught me off-guard is all."


    ---


    {Ash}


    With that settled, the sparring session was over and it was time for Sinneah to show what she had to offer, in terms of actually teaching Ash.


    "Okay," Ash started as Sinneah stood in front of her, while Yumi sat down next to Ash as well. Her mood had certainly taken a hit from what happened with her favorite weapon, but she was still curious to see what Sinneah could show them. "So, Tomoe''s Divine Arts. What is that?"


    "A series of forms and techniques," Sinneah began to explain. "There are three branches to it, each one with dedicated proficiencies. Because I have a Fire affinity, I can only use one, but those three are as follows: Light, Flame, and Lightning."


    Ash nodded to herself.


    So, Tomoe did use Light magic, then? She also used Blessings. How did she get her connection to the gods? And which god, specifically?


    "For the Light magic variant, one takes this stance," Sinneah said, showing it. "Placing your left foot far in front of the right and doing the same with your hands, maintaining an open palm with the left. The focus of this set is flexibility and adaptability. Using this version, you can create weapons for a brief time, which can pierce through any material, and use various other forms of offensive Light magic. Of course... I cannot, though."


    Offensive Light magic does sound good. Everything I''ve been able to use so far has just been healing stuff.


    Sinneah then reset.


    "The second version, the Fire version, is much tighter and focused on aggression. One puts their feet at shoulder-length, and their fists close together as well, making sure every move has significant force behind it. Finally, the Lightning version."


    She put her fists down. In fact, to Ash''s eyes, it looked like she was just standing there.


    "... So, what''s the stance?"


    "This is the stance," she shrugged. "The Lightning form is the encapsulation of power. It is a representation of dominance and confidence over an enemy. Speed and power that is unmatchable. But, I cannot use it, and, ironically, Tomoe herself never fully mastered it."


    "Uhuh... Quick question," Ash asked, "did Gurron teach all of this to you?"


    "No."


    "Then, how do you know any of this?"


    "... I do not know," Sinneah replied. "I have simply known these techniques all my life. I was born with them. The same way I was born with my scales and tail. They are a part of me."


    ... Yeah, that sounds cool and all, but that can''t be how this works, right?  Ash thought.


    "Do you want to begin now?" Sinneah asked. "I... I have not ever taught anything to anyone, so I do not know how to do this."


    "Even if you can''t use the Light version, you still know it, right?" Ash asked.


    "Yes."


    "Just show me what to do then," Ash replied. "And, I dunno, maybe something will happen."


    "Understood. Take up the stance," Sinneah directed, and Ash did so. "Now, the first step is to focus on your connection to the deity you worship. It will guide you through each punch, and each kick you throw."


    ... If I have to get Magia involved in this at all, that''s going to suck,  Ash thought as she nodded.


    How exactly do I "feel" a connection to her? Am I supposed to try to get horny or something?


    Before that question could be answered though, a message popped up over her head.


    Wait, what?


    Tomoe''s Divine Arts Proficiency: 0 of 10


    Proficiency?  Ash asked herself.  Like a weapon?


    She had expected the process of learning this to be more akin to learning a spell. Instead, she got this.


    "Is something wrong?"


    "... Nah," Ash shook her head.. "Let''s start."

 Chapter 222 - Vol. 4 - 21

    Keiko


    Waking up next to Kaori''s still sleeping body, disappointed that she hadn''t magically come back, was something Keiko had gotten used to, over the last couple of weeks. Another thing she''d grown accustomed to was the stomach pain that would sometimes follow.


    "Agh..." She moaned softly as she sat up on her bed, looking down at her hands. Her skin was covered in violet lines. Sighing, Keiko looked around.


    The thing, the... thing, where is it?  She wondered as she looked for the potion Vyl had given her, to combat these symptoms. She''d need more of it soon, so she made a mental note to remind herself to tell Satsuhiro about it. Hopefully, he could send another letter to her.


    Keiko got up, out of bed, after gulping down a couple of sips of that potion, and she watched the violet lines fade. Looking back at Kaori, Keiko briefly spoke to the girl in her thoughts.


    Wish me luck today, Kaori,  Keiko thought as she walked over to her and placed ran a hand through her hair. I need to talk to Ash about... yeah.


    After a quick bath and a change of clothes, Keiko was walking out into the halls dressed in a white shirt and a skirt of the same color, with no shoes. As cold as she felt, she wanted to feel the warmth of the earth under her. She moved past a few rooms, walking by some quiet servants who mostly ignored her, though a few did give her a few sideways glances, but Keiko didn''t mind that too much.


    She saw a couple of men walking together, who wore white robes like Zafir had when the group had first arrived here. She couldn''t quite hear what they were talking about, though she did catch them mentioning Jade, for some reason but she disregarded it.


    So... Where''s Ash?  Keiko wondered, continuing to walk around the Arcane''s Manor. She exited out the front door, only to be met with nothing more than a pair of guards, and then, she tried the opposite strategy, walking all the way to the back.


    Only once she walked out onto the large space behind the Manor, where she and Ash had talked earlier about Yumi, did she find them.


    Ash was standing in the middle of the area, punching the air, for some reason. Behind her was standing Yumi and...


    Keiko tilted her head.


    Who is that?  She wondered as she looked at an exceptionally tall, and almost naked, woman with black scales around her body and a tail, watching Ash intently.


    "So, is this literally all I do?" Ash asked.


    "Yes," the woman replied. "As you continue training, you will naturally unlock more parts of the Divine Arts. The first of which comes once you reach proficiency 2. You will understand."


    Keiko walked up as she heard that. A message then popped up over Ash''s head, but Ash looked over at her, instead of reading it, as she noticed Keiko approaching.


    "Oh, hey," she stopped, taking a deep breath and walking over to her. Keiko smiled as the half-demon got closer. The kiss she went for, standing on the tips of her toes so that her lips could reach Ash''s, felt natural.


    "Hm?" The strange woman said behind them. "What technique was that? I haven''t seen it before," she told Yumi and the Zayama sighed.


    Ash''s violet eyes fell on hers warmly as Keiko cleared her throat.


    "I... see you''ve been hard at work," Keiko said.


    "Yeah," Ash shrugged. "While I was away after... You know," she paused awkwardly, "stuff happened and I ended up running into her," Ash said, as she pointed at the woman Keiko didn''t know. "Her name''s Sinneah. Long story short, we came to a little agreement and she''s going to be teaching me some stuff for a bit."


    "Oh?" Keiko put her hands together as she spoke. "What stuff?"


    "Well, right when you got here I picked something up. So, uh, let me see if I can show you."


    Ash then took a step back. She took a couple of seconds to read the message that had appeared for her and nodded to herself. Then, she stepped back and held up a hand.


    Suddenly, a beam of light formed in her hands, and both she and Keiko gasped.


    "Holy shit," Ash muttered before she threw the beam forwards, and it was like a spear had shot out from her palm, crashing into a stone railing up ahead, just as some servants were coming around the corner. The beam exploded, breaking the stone and making the servants scream as they clutched each other out of fright.


    "... What was that?" Keiko asked.


    "I... don''t really understand all of it myself just yet," Ash shrugged, as she looked down at her hands. "But, it''s something like Light magic, so it''s useful for me."


    "Good work," Sinneah said, walking up to them, as did Yumi.


    "It''s weird, but I think I''m starting to get how this works, even if it''s still confusing as shit," Ash said before gesturing at Keiko. "Anyway, this is Keiko."


    "... Hello," Sinneah said with a firm, borderline deadpan expression.


    "... Hi," Keiko replied as she bowed to her. Looks meant nothing in a world like this, but Keiko was still fairly put off by how she looked like she could break her in half with one hand.


    Actually, how strong...


    She checked Sinneah''s level then.


    Level 65


    MP: 500/500


    ...  Oh.


    "Hm. She also smells good," Sinneah told Yumi and Ash raised a brow.


    "I let you stay with us so you could train me, not so you can go around smelling people. Stop it."


    "I will do with my nose whatever I please," Sinneah replied, and Ash rolled her eyes.


    "Whatever. Anyway, yeah, that''s what I''m doing for a bit. What about you?" Ash asked. "Have been you been feeling okay?"


    "Yeah, yeah, I just... Can I talk to you for a second?" Keiko asked.


    "Sure," Ash said walking over to the stone railing so that they could be relatively alone. Yumi stayed with Sinneah, by the backdoors of the Manor. Even though Keiko hadn''t even gotten any breakfast yet, she wanted to get this out of the way.


    Still, being here, with Ash standing right next to her, she didn''t really know how to start.


    Thankfully, Ash pushed her a little to do so.


    "So, what''s up?" Ash asked. "Is... Is this about the Yumi thing?"


    "N-No, not exactly."


    "Oh?" She sounded surprised. "So, what is it then?"


    Keiko took a deep breath, looking away.


    "... Well, since we came here," she started, "I''ve been thinking about something." Keiko''s heart went cold then, as she tried to force as much temporary confidence as she could into herself, just to get through this. "The longer I''ve gone in this... state, the more I''ve come to understand that I don''t want it."


    She took slow breaths, calming herself down.


    "I''m not ready for this. I''m not ready at all. I only just left my family''s clutches and, this happened. So," she turned toward Ash, "I asked around."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I asked around for a way to... end this," she gestured at her body. "I wanted to see if it was even an option. Just, anything, at all, that could allow me to go back to the fighter I was. That''s what I would like to do, after all. Fight alongside you, both against the demons, and for Kaori''s sake, whenever that happens," Keiko explained.


    Ash didn''t appear to be mad, only confused. Keiko took it as a good sign, so she kept going.


    "I first asked the sorcerer, the one you''ll be learning from, and he mentioned an alchemist in town who could help. So, I went to her shop and I found out that there actually is such a method. Something that could do away with this," again, she gestured at herself.


    "Oh. Damn," Ash looked away. "So... What is it?"


    "Well," feeling a little more courageous, she continued, "I need only get her three different ingredients. And, if I get them, then she can make the potion and... I''ll be done with this."


    "... Okay, what are they?" Ash asked.


    "Uh," Keiko stopped to remember them. "A sand reaver''s claw, a dragon''s eye, and a flower from a place called the Mist Realm, if I''m not mistaken."


    Ash nodded, looking away momentarily.


    "So, yes, if I get those things, I can do this." Keiko let out a deep breath that had both some relief and anxiety in it. Ash looked like she was taking this well so far, but still, she was also very bad at communicating her emotions. Something that Keiko knew well, so she waited.


    "W-What do you think?" Keiko asked.


    "... Uh, I dunno," Ash shrugged. "I guess I never even stopped to think if this was possible. But, yeah, I mean... It''s up to you. If you want to do that, then, sure, we can try," Ash said.


    And Keiko nearly shed a tear when she heard that.


    "R-Really?"


    "... Sure," Ash shrugged. "I mean, this whole thing didn''t exactly happen intentionally... If there''s a way out then, yeah. Let''s go for it."


    To Keiko''s ears, Ash''s tone wasn''t as firm as one would expect, considering the words that came out of her mouth, and she wasn''t looking at Keiko as she said that, but still, Keiko couldn''t be more relieved to hear this. She hugged Ash tightly, catching the half-demon off-guard.


    "... Thank you."


    "Yeah," Ash muttered. "It''s okay."


    Keiko was almost certain there was more on Ash''s mind, but for now, she was fine with this.

 Chapter 223 - Vol. 4 - 22

    {Ash}


    She had been so surprised by what Keiko told her, she could barely focus on the conversation that came after that.


    "So... What did you need, again?" Ash asked.


    "A dragon''s eye, a sand reaver''s claw, and a flower from the Mist Realm. You, uh, don''t have to do any of this immediately for my sake," Keiko told her, "just... I would appreciate it if you did."


    "Okay," Ash nodded. "I''ve got it."


    "... Well, okay then," Keiko took a deep breath and it looked like she couldn''t stop smiling from how relieved she was. "What are you going to do now?" She asked.


    Trying to get her thoughts in order, Ash looked away.


    "Well... I guess I can train a little more, but then I have to go see what the sorcerer can teach me. After that, maybe I''ll go out hunting."


    "... Okay," Keiko replied, nodding. Then, suddenly, she hugged Ash again, only this time, it was a much softer, long embrace. One Ash returned easily.


    When it was over, the two of them walked back over to where Sinneah and Yumi were. And, they discovered that everyone else had woken up and had also walked out to the back of the Manor.


    Satsuhiro, tapping his cane against the ground, yawned as he looked out at them, with Metsumi by his side. Luvine and Opah went around them, and when the latter saw Sinneah, she ran up to the draconic woman with an awed expression.


    "..." Opah stared up at Sinneah with wondrous eyes as Sinneah looked back at her.


    "Ash?" Satsuhiro said, approaching them. "Who is this?"


    "Everyone," Ash said, pushing the talk with Keiko out of her mind for a second, "this is Sinneah. Sinneah, that''s Luvine, Opah, Metsumi, and Satsuhiro."


    "Do I perform the same greeting you taught me earlier?" Sinneah asked her.


    "Mhm."


    "I see," Sinneah said, nodding and turning toward them. "Hello."


    Ash then proceeded to explain the circumstances that had led to the two of them traveling together, from the moment Ash saw Gurron flying toward the mountain, to when she arrived and the two of them fought, to when she realized Sinneah was more human than she thought she was.


    Everyone listened intently while Ash told the story. Everyone except for Opah, who was too busy staring at Sinneah''s tail.


    "... Can I touch it?" She asked, looking up at Sinneah.


    "... My tail?" Sinneah asked and Opah nodded. "Yes. I do not see why not."


    And so, Opah ended up with her little arms wrapped around it throughout the majority of this talk, with Luvine next to her, clearly wanting to do the same thing but hesitating.


    "Ash," Satsuhiro said. "What exactly do you intend to do?"


    "Just have Sinneah teach me some stuff," Ash replied. "So, yeah, is it cool if she stays with us for a bit?"


    "... I don''t mind," Satsuhiro shook his head.


    Ash turned toward the oldest Zayama and said:


    "And you, Yumi? It''s your room she''d have to share."


    "... No, I do not mind either," Yumi shook her head. "I would like to learn a little from her as well."


    "Then, in that case, it all sounds pretty straightforward," Metsumi said as she walked up to Sinneah and lightly slapped her shoulder. "Welcome to the team!"


    Team?  Ash asked herself.


    As Sinneah raised a brow at what Metsumi said, Ash looked around. Seeing Opah strangling the dragon woman''s tail while Luvine merely gave it a couple of pats here and there, seeing Yumi and Keiko standing next to each other, a lot left unsaid between them, and seeing Metsumi grinning at Sinneah as she welcomed her aboard, Ash sighed.


    ... I guess this group is starting to get pretty big. She thought.


    Even then, there was one person who couldn''t be there with them. One person who Ash knew would have loved to meet Sinneah, or learn her Fire techniques, or explore Amber with them. Someone who was currently asleep just a few rooms away, on a cold bed in a dark room.


    Right.  Ash took a deep breath.  Stop wasting time. Everything you''re doing right now, you''re doing for Kaori. You have to make the most of it.


    "Sinneah," Ash said, "can we keep going?"


    At that, Sinneah nodded.


    "Certainly."


    They then picked up where they''d left off, only with a little audience sitting on the benches nearby, as everyone sat down to watch.


    From the moment Ash had used that first ability, named [Divine Spear], she knew what she was learning would help her become much stronger than she currently was. She''d realized when she used the ability that, like Blessings and Curses, this magic was somehow tied to her connection to the deities. Only, she didn''t quite know how intrinsically it was intertwined with that factor. She could, however, tell that her connection to Magia, as annoying as it made things for her sometimes, worked to her benefit here.


    With that being the case, she wondered what the rest of this strange category of magic had in store for her.


    "So, I''m at Proficiency 2 now," Ash said. "What do we do?"


    "In order to improve, you''re going to have to learn the next set of techniques, and the next abilities will come naturally."


    "What? So, you can''t just give me the spells or whatever and leave it at that?"


    "No."


    "... Fine," Ash shrugged. "Show me."


    What followed was a series of motions and movements that almost made Ash feel like she was dancing, which was beyond embarrassing to do with everyone watching her so closely from the sides. Still, she did her best, as, of course, she wanted to squeeze as much value as she could from all of this.


    However, before long, the sun was centered above them, and Ash had to bring a stop to this session, for today.


    "Wait, wait," Ash said.


    "Hm? What is it?" Sinneah asked.


    "I have some other stuff I needed to learn," Ash told her, without getting too specific, just to save time, "we can keep going later."


    "You''re going to go see the sorcerer?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded.  Honestly, I''ve been looking forward to having a real Dark and Light teacher. Hopefully, this won''t disappoint.


    She turned away then, however, before she could leave the area, she remembered something.


    "Oh, right," Ash went back to them, "Satsu."


    "Yes?"


    "Is there a blacksmith or something in town?"


    "Mhm. What do you need?"


    "Not me," Ash responded. "Yumi. Her naginata broke. She needs a new shaft for it."


    Satsuhiro nodded, but Metsumi spoke up before he could continue.


    "Actually, Sinneah," she looked over at her, "how about you come with us?" She asked, with a kind smile.


    "Hm? Why?"


    "Because we could take the time to get to know you a little better," Metsumi shrugged. "We''ll show you around a bit too. You came from afar, right? So, you haven''t seen much of the city?"


    At that, Sinneah nodded.


    "Then, come with us. It''ll be fun! Yumi, you can come too, so, in case any other weapons break, you can just go to the blacksmith whenever you like."


    "... I see," Yumi said, straightening up.


    Sinneah looked over at Ash and asked:


    "Would you recommend I go with them?"


    "Yeah, I don''t see why not," Ash shrugged.


    "Then, in that case, sure."


    "Great," Metsumi said, and knowing what they''d be doing soon, she turned away and headed back into the Manor.


    Now, it was time to learn high-level magic. Hopefully, anyway.  I fucking swear, if this is a waste of my time I am going to be so mad.


    She walked past multiple servants who all stepped aside respectfully went they saw her. Such a thing was still new to Ash, but, considering how some people treated her back at Onyx, she was slowly getting used to it. And, that was scary in and of itself.


    She went back to where she remembered the library was and saw the door open. She walked in, looking around and trying to find Sorcerer Alys, who was to be her instructor. It didn''t take too long to do that, as the man was sitting at a table, just in front of the door.


    He had his arms crossed and his head resting on them, face-down. Ash walked over to him, narrowing his eyes at the man.


    "Hey."


    "Yes?" He asked, without moving, his voice slightly muffled.


    "... We''re supposed to start the whole magic training stuff today, remember?" Ash asked.


    "... Yes," he replied and sat up. His eyes, strangely enough, reminded him of someone Ash hadn''t thought about in a while. Kasumi.


    Just like the Savior, his eyes too told Ash that he would rather do anything else at all than teach her right now. Still, he stood up and looked back at her.


    "What do you want to learn about?"


    "Dark and Light magic. Advanced stuff," Ash specified, "I''ve been relying on low-level magic for way too long."


    "... Alright, sit down and let me go get a few books.. We''ll start in just a moment."

 Chapter 224 - Vol. 4 - 23

    Ash waited at the table while Alys went and gathered his books. Putting a hand under her chin, she waited for him to return while she looked around. As someone who, unfortunately, had the reading skills of a literal child, it felt strange being surrounded by this many books. Shelves of them, entire rows dedicated to random information that Ash could not have less interest in. Still, if a place like this existed, she figured someone would be, and yet, she and Alys were the only two people in this library right now.


    It wasn''t too hard to think of the kind of people who would love to be here. Ash had seen quite a few scholarly types walking the streets of Jade, barely holding on to the notebooks in their hands, while she sat down on the sidewalk under the searing sun and just watched them pass. There had to be people like that at Amber, so why was this place so empty?


    She noticed though that there was a set of stairs leading to a second-floor at the right-hand back corner. Maybe everyone was upstairs. Or, maybe people were too concerned with making sure they had food on their plates at the end of the day to really get much reading in.


    "Here," Alys said, completely disinterested, as he put down a pair of books in front of Ash. She looked back at him, leaning forward to see what he''d gotten. "One Light and one Dark. These should serve you well enough."


    "... So, can I take these back to my room or what?"


    "I would rather you didn''t," Alys replied. "But with your level, if you chose to there wouldn''t be much I could do to stop you."


    As he replied, the man sat down on the opposite end of the table and, as he had before, he crossed his arms and rested his head on them, face-down. Ash raised a brow, but then she chose to just ignore him and open one of the books up.


    Indeed, if there was something to a particular spell that she didn''t understand, she''d need to ask him anyway, so she chose to stay here for now.


    The book she opened first was called "Miracles of Lumina," and it wasn''t too hard to guess that this was the Light magic book.


    She flipped it open and ran through a few pages before she found the first spell.


    Spell: Burst Heal


    Recite the incantation and provide fast, albeit mana-consuming healing.


    Int Required: 25


    Mana Cost: 50


    Incantation: Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten.


    Okay, okay,  Ash nodded to herself.  Useful. Definitely the sort of upgrade I was looking for.


    She kept going, flipping through a few more pages to see what else she could find.


    Spell: Calculated Healing


    Recite the incantation and mark up to three targets. Upon doing so, you will be able to recite the last part of this incantation and activate those marks, providing healing to everyone marked.


    Int Required: 25


    Mana Cost: 20 (per mark)


    Incantation:  Opportunity is not just a blessing, but a result of faith maintained. (To set marks)


    Incantation: Activate. (To begin healing)


    At this, Ash nodded, a little slowly.


    ... Okay,  she thought.  More healing. Can I get something else though?


    She went almost halfway through the book and landed on a random spell. Reading this one, Ash sighed.


    Spell: Beacon of Healing


    Recite the incantation and place a mark on yourself that heals everyone nearby. The mark travels with you as you move.


    Int Required: 25


    Mana Cost: 25


    Incantation:  I am a symbol of Lumina''s grace, therefore, allow me to be a safe haven to all of her believers.


    "Hey,"  Ash called out to Alys.


    "Hm?"


    "So, are there any Light spells here that don''t heal?" Ash asked.


    "It''s Light magic," Alys said, looking up at her, confused. It was, honestly, the most emotion she''d seen out of him so far. "What do you mean, ''that doesn''t heal''? That''s what the category is about."


    "Well that''s not true," Ash replied. "What about the, uh, Barrier spell? Or that one spell that increases your energy?"


    "These are exceptions, and exceptions that are only found in the beginner stages of Light magic," he explained. "You asked for more advanced Light magic though. Advanced Light magic is all mostly healing spells."


    "... Seriously?" Ash asked. "Well, that sucks."


    He shrugged.


    "If you want spells that aren''t like that, you''ll have to make them," he said, casually, as he put his head down again.


    But, as soon as Ash heard that, she paused.


    "..." She thought about it for a second and said, "then how do I do that?"


    "Hm?" Alys looked up again, a bit of his silky hair falling messily in front of his eyes.


    The more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Vermia, after all, had outright told Ash she created her own Dark spells, and, as much as she obviously understood the importance and use of healing magic, she wanted something more...


    ... Active, if you will.


    So, she crossed her arms and said:


    "How do I make a spell?"


    At that, Alys actually sat back in his chair. He crossed his arms the same way and narrowed his eyes at Ash, as though what he said had actually caught his interest.


    "... There are a handful of ways to create a spell," Alys muttered. "The most standard though requires you to have a deep connection to the category you want the spell to belong to. And, it requires you to have quite a bit of willpower. The latter, I suppose, as a Savior, you have it, but the former, do you have that?"


    "Light magic is built upon faith, right?" Ash asked.


    "Yes."


    "Well, I''m sort of past the whole ''faith'' part. I''ve seen the gods with my own eyes," Ash explained. "Every time I go to sleep there''s a chance I''ll see one. So, yeah, I''d say I''m fine in that regard."


    "... Is that so?" Alys asked. "Then... Alright, you might not be wasting your time."


    ---


    Yumi


    After Ash went off to get her magic lessons, the group made a trip out of going to have Yumi''s naginata fixed. Luvine and Opah were walking by Satsuhiro and Metsumi''s side, as the married couple wanted to be able to keep an eye on them in case something happened, which left Keiko, Sinneah, and Yumi at the back of the group.


    While they walked through the streets, Yumi looked around, praising the strange nature of the architecture of Amber.


    This is nothing like what I saw of Onyx... Or anything that was described in my stories. We have only been walking for a few minutes, and I already feel like I have sand on my face. Not just that, but, everyone keeps giving us these peculiar looks. What a strange location this is.


    "Sinneah..." Keiko said.


    "Hm?" The woman turned her slitted eyes toward Keiko, which almost made Yumi laugh since the height difference between them was enough to where Sinneah almost had to tilt her head all the way down to meet Keiko''s eyes.


    "So... You are half-dragon, is that right?"


    The way Keiko spoke reinforced something that Yumi had learned about her, while they were back at Onyx. Whenever Keiko spoke to someone she respected, or someone she wasn''t too familiar with, her tone and vocabulary would change just a little. She sounded a little like Yumi herself, actually.


    She didn''t know what to make of that. Despite the situation with Ash, Yumi still felt like she wanted to be close with Keiko. She hadn''t been able to befriend any other Zayamas ever since the ones she would speak with through her mask mysteriously vanished, along with her handlers.


    "Yes. Why?" Sinneah asked.


    "Well... I was wondering if..." Keiko said, but then she paused. "Actually, never mind."


    Sinneah didn''t reply to that. Instead, as the group arrived at a small shop with a dirt-covered tent over it, they heard metallic clanging which let Yumi know this was likely some form of a blacksmith. Not that she''d been to one, but she''d read about this sort of thing in her novels.


    It made her feel like she was currently in one of those, which was honestly pretty surreal.


    Satsuhiro and Metsumi did all of the talking, as they approached the young man working over the anvil in front of them, and told him about Yumi''s naginata.


    While, behind them, Keiko tugged on Yumi''s right sleeve, getting her attention.


    Yumi looked over at her and saw the girl smiling politely, her hands clutched together in front of her, which Yumi had also noticed she tended to do when she was nervous.


    "Uh, Amber''s a pretty weird place, huh?"


    Hearing that, Yumi chuckled.


    "I suppose..." Yumi shrugged.


    "Y-Yeah."


    And, with that, their conversation nearly ended as soon as it had begun. Keiko looked away, a little embarrassed, while Yumi smiled to herself, shaking her head.


    What an adorable person, she held back a chuckle.


    I... I just hope I do not cause her any sadness. If I do, it is certainly not because I wish to.


    As she thought about that, she caught Sinneah sneaking a look at her. Yumi turned toward her and raised a brow.


    "Yes?" She asked.


    "Hm?" Sinneah replied.


    "You... Wanted to tell me something?"


    "No," Sinneah replied, shaking her head.


    "But, you were looking my way," Yumi said.


    "Yes."


    Yumi paused, looked at her, and asked:


    "Why?"


    "... Because I felt like it," Sinneah stated. "Is that not normal?"


    "I... don''t think so?" Yumi replied, realizing that, if Ash''s story was to be believed, both she and this woman had no clue how people worked.


    "Okay," Metsumi said, clapping her hands together. "Well, that''s done. The blacksmith said he''ll have your naginata remade in a couple of days."


    "Oh, so, what now?" Keiko asked, stepping forward.


    "Well, how about we see what the rest of this city has to offer?" Metsumi asked.


    "That''s fine," Satsuhiro replied, "but we stay on the surface. I don''t want any of us to go anywhere near the deeper layers without Ash. Understood?"


    "Yeah, yeah, hun, we know," Metsumi said, wrapping an arm around his back. "So? How does that sound?"


    And, with no objections, they went along with Metsumi''s idea, scouting out the rest of Amber.


    The surface, at least.

 Chapter 225 - Vol. 4 - 24

    "Judging by the categories you are looking into," Alys said, "is it fair to assume you are a Moonlight Mage?" He asked.


    "Yeah," Ash replied, leaning closer to listen to what he had to say.


    "Ah..." Alys nodded, before leaning back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling. "How long ago did you attune these magical elements?"


    "A few months."


    "So, you remember what it was like?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied. "I got Dark spells shot at me all day, every day, pretty much."


    "Hmph," he snorted. "The first of the spell creation processes falls along those lines. We won''t concern ourselves with the others though, as those are far less predictable. Simply put, there are three steps. First, you need to develop a strong connection to your chosen element. No, actually, strong is an understatement," he cut himself off, "you need to make it so that this element, let''s say, Light or Dark, becomes a fundamental piece of who you are. For some, this takes years, but, for you, someone who has such a connection with Lumina already, you may have already made short work of this step."


    Well, my connection''s stronger with Magia than it is with Lumina, but... I still have talked to her, I dunno.


    "So, it''ll be easy, then?"


    "Much easier for you than it is for anyone else, but even then, no," he shook his head. "After you''ve got that out of the way, you will need to have at least one spell mastered. A spell from any category, actually. The reason is that upon mastering a spell, your mana becomes... different. It is something you only notice when you study the effects intently, but, yes, your magic, in general, becomes more, ehm, focused. Anyway, I had guessed you already did this, but, well, considering you attuned your elements a few months ago, you haven''t yet, right?"


    "Yeah, I..."


    However, she stopped to think about it. Satsuhiro had explained this idea to her so long ago, that the words he''d said were barely in her memories, but to an extent, she remembered them. He''d told her that after someone used a spell a few hundreds of times, they would reach a point where they wouldn''t need to use an incantation to cast that spell. They could just do so with a thought.


    And, Ash had exactly such an ability.


    "Hey, so... What counts as a mastered spell?"


    "Any which you do not need an incantation to cast," she replied. "Of course, martial arts techniques, which are gained through increasing proficiency, do not technically count as ''spells'' in this case. So, I''m sorry if you know any of those, but..."


    "No, that''s not it," Ash shook her head. "I have one. I... It''s not a martial arts ability or whatever, so I think it should count."


    "Oh? Even though you started so late?" He asked, surprised.


    "The spell was gifted to me," Ash answered.


    "Even then, you still need-"


    "It was gifted to me by Magia," Ash sighed, interrupting him again. "And, from the start, I didn''t need an incantation to use it. I just sort of... turn it on."


    "... Oh. I see," he scratched his chin. "Yours is an interesting case. I... am afraid I do not know if it will count or not. You will have to discover that yourself."


    "Okay. Got it. What''s next?"


    "Well, after that, come the more practical sides to this process. First, you will need to surround yourself with that element, and then, you need to deplete your mana entirely. Upon doing so, you will pass out. And, when you pass out, in your unconscious state, the spell creation process occurs."


    ...


    Ash waited for him to continue. He didn''t. He remained silent as she made a confused expression.


    "... And what do I do then?" Ash asked.


    "I do not know," he shrugged. "I have not created a spell myself. But, I do know that everyone who has created a spell, in this way, at least, reports this as the last step in the process."


    "But, how will I know if I''m doing something wrong or not?"


    "I don''t know, I''m telling you, this is the one magical venture I have not taken in my career. Actually, I never thought I''d see someone take this path right in front of me either. At that point, you will know as much about the process as I do."


    "Well... That blows," she muttered, but, on the other hand, she was glad she''d seemingly skipped half the steps already.


    "Diving into these steps in detail, I must ask, is your connection to Lumina in particular strong?" He asked.


    "... Not as strong as my connection to Magia."


    "Then, you may have to work on this. I would recommend you visit any of the old churches that surround Amber. Almost all of them belonged to poor Lumina worshippers, so, they will likely all have her energy residing in them. Spend some time there and feel her power."


    Ash had gotten distracted halfway through hearing that because she thought:


    RIGHT! The Sites of Power!


    It had been one of the steps Lumina had laid out for her. She''d been so focused on gaining levels and fighting that she''d forgotten to visit and activate Lumina''s Sites.


    "... In doing so," Alys continued. "You will discover for yourself whether you''re ready to begin the next step."


    ... Strangely enough, Ash noticed that Alys sounded far more intrigued now than he had at the start. At the beginning of the conversation, he sounded like he was one sentence away from falling asleep.


    Still, what he enjoyed and didn''t enjoy working on wasn''t any of her business, so, she rolled with it.


    "So, for Dark," she added, "is it the same thing?"


    "Yes, but, well... Considering what the Dark equivalent to this process is, I''d say creating Dark magic isn''t really worth the trouble."


    "..." If Ash was understanding what he meant by this, then the issue was that surrounding herself in Dark meant entering a world of pain and death. She recalled what Vermia had told her, about how she''d created her spell while she was dying of starvation. Ash had no interest in going back to that kind of state anytime soon.


    "So, what about these other ways of creating spells? I''d like to know about them, at least."


    "Like I said, they''re random. You can''t rely on them. For example, one of them is to throw yourself head-first into the element you''re trying to create magic in, and hope for the best. No, I''m not joking," he said when a look of skepticism came over Ash. "The most famous instance of this was one time, where a man was being burned alive by Alkoth worshippers for committing adultery almost a hundred years ago. During that, he created the spell  Fire Aegis,  a Fire spell that, ironically, protects you from fire. He hadn''t planned for this though, understand? It just, well, it just happened."


    Nodding, Ash looked down at the books he''d brought earlier.


    "... Give me a second, I''m gonna check out the Dark spells."


    And so, the half-demon did just that.


    ---


    Keiko


    Keiko wasn''t made for this sort of thing. That much was becoming clearer with every cheer the audience behind her gave, as she threw darts at a board in front of her.


    She, and the group, were currently in a large bar of sorts that they had found, where Metsumi had pitched the idea that they should celebrate their good health and drink a little.


    Somehow, someway, they''d ended up with Keiko and Yumi, standing next to each other, as they threw darts while a crowd had formed behind them.


    Keiko threw her third and landed just a few centimeters away from the bullseye. Yumi threw her tenth and landed her tenth bullseye in a row.


    "I-I think I''m done..." Keiko said as Yumi looked over at her and smiled, the sounds of the audience that had gathered faded into the background.


    "All that training led me to this moment, it would seem," Yumi chuckled. "Winning a game of darts in one of those low-end bars I always read about. What a strange road."


    The two of them left the area and a few drunks quickly replaced them. They walked over to their group''s table, where Luvine was sitting next to Sinneah, and Metsumi, Opah, and Satsuhiro sat across from them. Keiko and Yumi sat next to Luvine.


    "... This place is loud," Sinneah stated as she kept her hands on her laps, her back straight. "It is annoying."


    "Just give it some time, it gets charming after a while," Metsumi told her. "In its best days, Pearl was like this no matter where you went," she chuckled.


    They waited then for their drinks, or for their water, in the case of the younger ones sitting here. Opah was singing a little song to herself, clearly making an effort to keep herself entertained. Next to Keiko, Luvine looked a little sad.


    "Hey, is something wrong?" Keiko asked her.


    "Uh... N-No..." Luvine shook her head.


    "Aw, come on, you can tell me," Keiko smiled warmly at her. Luvine''s violet eyes looked at her for a moment, before looking away.


    "I... I just feel weird..." she mumbled. "Without Ash here."


    At that, Keiko gave the girl a half-hug.


    "She''s working really hard right now," Keiko told her. "But, once she''s done she''ll be with us more often, promise."


    Yumi then leaned forward a little, looking over at SInneah.


    "Sinneah."


    "Yes?"


    "You''ve been holding something in your hands since we met," Yumi told her, and Keiko looked over at the woman. "Is there something you need to put away?"


    "... No."


    Sinneah said this so firmly that Yumi shrugged and pulled back. Clearly, Sinneah didn''t want to leave any room to argue.


    Then, it was Satsuhiro''s turn to speak up. The Savior was sitting with his arms crossed, looking like he was deep in thought.


    "... You know, if anyone could teach Ash the top-level magic she wants to learn, it would be the Arcane... Maybe I should check if he''s still busy," Satsuhiro said. "It feels strange that we haven''t seen him at all."


    "Sounds like a good idea," Metsumi replied as their drinks finally arrived.


    In Keiko''s heart though, she was only concerned about a few things right now.. For one, she hoped that she and Ash could begin the process of collecting those ingredients soon, and second, she was still keeping Kaori in the back of her mind, hoping that wherever she was, she was doing alright.

 Chapter 226 - Vol. 4 - 25

    Sinneah


    Ten Years Ago


    "It is not enough to feel the flame, you must embody it," Gurron told her.


    They were currently on a cliff, overlooking a vast landscape. In the distance, Sinneah could see one of those strange human-made places that Gurron had told her about. However, what she was meant to see here was not that, but the sun, which was rising over the horizon.


    Sitting with her legs crossed, a young Sinneah was listening to Gurron as she took deep breaths, trying to get a sense of the fire that was supposedly inside of her. They had been trying this for some time now.


    "Once you have taken hold of it, let it rise and surge out."


    ... But, is that possible for me?  Sinneah asked herself.  I am not like you, after all.


    She''d seen them, a few times. Those humans walking through the trees. Sometimes, Sinneah wondered why she resembled them so closely if she was a dragon-like Gurron. According to him, her mother, Tomoe, had been one of those humans, but Sinneah never met her.


    Still, she remembered things. Memories that were not her own. Things she could see from her own eyes, that she knew she''d never experienced. She could see herself sitting in front of a dead human, her own tears falling over them. She could see herself in some strange building, with people all around her, a crown placed over her head.


    However, beyond that, nothing more. Sometimes she wondered why those memories were in her mind, why she felt like she couldn''t forget them even if she wanted to. Regardless though, none of them were helping her at this moment.


    Look for the flame,  she told herself.  Feel it within yourself.


    She thought she had it. It was a strange, low, burning sensation, inside of her heart. If she focused on it too hard, it nearly hurt, but she guessed that this was what she was looking for.


    "Have you found it?"


    "... I believe so," Sinneah muttered, staring ahead.


    "Prove it then. Let me see it."


    Nodding, Sinneah took a deep breath. If she had indeed found it, then the next step was supposed to be easy. Breathing steadily, she put her hands together, her tail curled around her. That feeling of something simmering within was intensifying.


    Bring this fire out. You are a dragon,  she told herself.  It should be easy.


    Once she felt the fire was strong enough, she clenched her fists and opened her mouth.


    "... Aaaag-"


    And she started coughing as all that came out was a bit of smoke, and her throat felt dry.


    "Agh!" She punched the ground, coughing a little more.


    "Unfortunate," Gurron said next to her.


    "Why can I not do this!?" Sinneah yelled out.


    "With time, it will come. You were born of a dragon, after all. You are as much a dragon as I am, after all."


    ---


    Now


    "Sinneah," Metsumi asked, and Sinneah raised her head.


    "Yes?"


    "You haven''t touched your drink!"


    Looking down, she saw one of those strange objects filled with a black liquid. She nodded wordlessly, picked it up, and put it to her lips. What slid down her throat was something that felt like fire, but Sinneah forced herself to bear it. She liked this feeling, it packed a punch.


    "What is this?"


    "Liquor," Metsumi replied.


    "I see..." Sinneah looked down at it and drank more. Beside her, Yumi was doing the same, though she was coughing often as a result.


    So far, human civilization had done a good job of distracting Sinneah from her father''s death. Still, like right now, sometimes she''d recall that moment and she''d have to fight the tears away. How her father asked her to end his life, how she''d agreed and the moment just before her fist pierced his body.


    She needed that reminder though, she understood. Although it hurt, it let her know that now, she was truly alone, and needed to learn to fend for herself. That said, what exactly was she supposed to do? A part of her felt like leaving this place right this moment and running out to face the world on her own. Another was so scared that she hoped she''d never be out there again, without Gurron.


    In her left hand, her father''s eyes, as solid as stone, were still there.  What am I meant to do with them? She asked herself, but Gurron himself had explained this to her. In reality, she was considering whether to part with these eyes at all, as they were the last piece of Gurron she had.


    "Let''s not drink too much," Satsuhiro muttered. "One lapse in judgment could mean we get robbed, or worse."


    "Oh, come on, Satsu," Metsumi told him, "let everyone live a little! Things have been so heavy lately, we''re due some relaxation."


    "And relaxation can only come in the form of being drunk?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "No, but it sure is one of the best ways to relax, at least for me. Kaori would definitely..." She trailed off. "Sorry about that."


    The atmosphere changed so quickly that even Sinneah noticed it, though she had no idea why.


    "S-Sure," Metsumi said, clearing her throat. "How about we all go back to the Manor now, then?"


    "Fine by me," Satsuhiro shrugged, and everyone else agreed. One by one, they got out of their table and walked out of the building.


    Moving along the dirt road, Sinneah remained behind everyone. By her sides were Keiko and Yumi. The shorter one tapped her wrist gently and as Sinneah looked over at her, she was smiling.


    "If you do not understand anything, don''t hesitate to ask any questions," Keiko let her know.


    "... Okay," Sinneah said. "Why are all these humans looking at us?"


    Keiko blinked, tilting her head. She looked around, confused.


    "I don''t see anyone looking at us."


    "No, they certainly are," Sinneah said. "I can feel it."


    She''d noticed it since before they had arrived at the restaurant. It was one of the things she''d learned from living in the wilderness with Gurron. Sometimes, she''d go out to hunt on her own, and during these trips, she would have to be sensitive about this sort of thing, or risk getting attacked by surprise. She had developed the intuition to know if a pair of eyes as a matter of survival, so being here, she knew she wasn''t wrong.


    "The ones with weapons," Sinneah added. "Those are the ones looking at us."


    "What?" Satsuhiro asked from the front, pausing. He turned toward her.


    "Yes," Sinneah turned as well, pointing to the nearest one. "That one, that one over there, and that one."


    All of the men and women she''d pointed at looked away as she did.


    "They were watching us. Is this normal?"


    "... Well, they are guards," Satsuhiro shrugged. "I suppose it''s their job."


    "... I see."


    It was something she''d have to get used to then. Still, she couldn''t help but feel shivers whenever one of those guards'' eyes landed on them.


    ---


    Ash


    All in all, her time with Alys was well-spent, she felt. She started learning a few new Dark spells and a couple of Light spells, but more importantly, she''d learned how to create Light magic, and was reminded of the Sites of Power that she hadn''t yet visited.


    As she walked out of the library, her thoughts drifted to Kaori, and she took a deep breath.


    "Fuck, I miss you... But I''ll be getting you back as soon as I can," she said, out loud.


    Now, though, she was left with nothing to do. So, she walked out of the Manor, into that garden of sorts where she''d been training with Sinneah in the Divine Arts. Here, she sat down at a bench, crossing her legs as she looked up at the sky.


    So... Now what?


    She had several options. She could try to learn some of those spells, she could go hunting, she could go over what Sinneah had taught her. It was a little overwhelming, actually.


    As she considered her next move, she noticed something out of the corner of her eyes. She looked to her right and saw that same girl from when she and her group had arrived at the Manor. A white dress, bright, rose-colored hair, and clear eyes. She was walking around carrying a broom in her hands, like a few of the servants were. She actually ran into two of them, and they bowed to each other.


    "... Wait," the servant asked the other one next to her, "when did she start working here?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe she''s new," the servant shrugged.


    "Ah. Probably."


    The rose-haired girl just waved at them as she walked away. Raising a brow, Ash watched as she basically skipped along the flowers, until she ended up right in front of her.


    Their eyes met and the rose-haired girl stood still, looking at her with great curiosity.


    Ash narrowed her eyes at the girl and she then performed a small curtsy, just like Ash had seen the other servants do. Ash, nonchalantly, asked something that was on her mind.


    "Why is your hair so weird? Did you paint it like that or something?"


    "..." At that, the girl''s lips parted. She stared at Ash with wide eyes.


    "So?" Ash asked. "I mean, if you don''t want to tell me, don''t, I''m just wondering."


    Instead of answering, the girl just turned around and borderline sprinted away from her.


    "... Okay.. It was just a question," Ash shrugged. "Now, what the hell do I do?"

 Chapter 227 - Vol. 4 - 26

    In the end, she decided to spend some time learning a couple of spells before she headed out again. She returned to the library where she asked Alys for those books from before, and she exited the room carrying three books in total, all of which she would return the next day.


    The spells she chose to learn were:  Burst Heal, for obvious reasons, as it was the upgraded version of her usual healing spell,  Beacon of Healing, as it made sense due to the fact that Ash tended to fight alongside soldiers on active battlefields, and finally, one dark spell called  Energy Siphon.


    Spell: Energy Siphon


    With a touch, drain an opponent''s stamina.


    Int Required: 20


    Mana Cost: 30


    Incantation: Let your pain act as my fuel.


    Taking these three spells with her, back to her room, Ash carried them in her arms. She reached her door and opened it, seeing Kaori alone in the darkness, her eyes closed and her body covered by a sheet.


    Ash sat down by the bed, sparing the blonde a short glance before she figured she should get to work.


    She started with the  Burst Heal spell, opening up the book for it and making a bar appear over her head. She wanted to get through this one tonight, and hopefully finish the other two tomorrow. Then, she would start working toward further increasing her levels and creating her own spells.


    A few minutes passed though, and soon, the door opened. Ash looked up and saw Keiko walking in, alone.


    "Hey," Ash called out to her, stopping for a moment as Keiko walked over to the bed. She kicked off her shoes and sat down next to Ash. "How did it go out there? Did Sinneah give you too much trouble?"


    "No," Keiko said, stretching and yawning. "It was a little tiring though."


    "Well, that''s not too bad," Ash muttered. "I think the last thing we want is for anything exciting to happen right now."


    "That''s a weird way to view it, but I think I understand," Keiko replied as she put her head on Ash''s left shoulder, leaning fully on her. The half-demon took a deep breath as the two of them were in silence for a moment.


    "... There''s so much to do," Ash muttered. "I wonder if I have time for it all."


    "I''m sure you do. You''ve been making the best out of every day so far."


    "Even then, though, there''s still been stuff I''ve forgotten. And, if Niven starts trying something here, then..."


    Keiko chuckled then, wrapping her arms around Ash.


    "Calm down, it''s all going to be fine. Amber''s been nicer than Satsuhiro made it out to be, the monsters nearby aren''t too hard for you to beat, and... Well, when you have the time, we can hopefully get to work on those ingredients. Everything is going to be okay, I can feel it!"


    ... Right, I forgot about that too.  Ash thought.


    "Yeah, I''ll try to believe that," Ash said.


    ---


    Kaori


    A Few Weeks Ago


    "KAORI, USE YOUR ABILITY!"


    As the Nightmare held Kaori by her head, squeezing down on it as it pushed something into her body that Kaori felt corrupting her very being, Ash''s voice just barely managed to pierce through the chaos unfolding.


    Hearing what she said, Kaori activated her  Champion of Lumina  ability with a thought.


    She heard Ash yell out for her, as she waited to feel the peace that had come before when she''d used this ability, but it didn''t. Instead, that serenity clashed with a deep fear, and a deep hatred that was being instilled into her by the Nightmare.


    And, she could feel herself losing. She could feel her body weakening, as the Light struggled to fight back against the Dark. All, until a voice entered her mind. One she knew well by this point.


    Kaori, rely on me, Lumina said. Push back against it with all of your strength, and I will assist you.


    She couldn''t even tell if Lumina was actually there, or if she''d gone crazy. Regardless, she tried. She tried so hard, her soul nearly broke as her body became warmer and hotter until finally, something caused the Nightmare to drop her. She fell on the ground and her vision flashed both white and violet, alternating between those colors.


    "H-Hey, get back here!" Kaori heard Ash yell as she remained on the floor.


    Her head ached as she felt her body changing. Something grew out of her forehead and one of her hands was morphing into something different.


    Then, when she saw Ash, all she felt was a deep rage. She attacked her instinctively, thinking of nothing else but murdering the half-demon right here, and right now. She could hear herself hissing and snarling at her as she tried to slash at the other woman''s face, and not once did she think about why she was doing this. It was just natural, at that moment.


    "Kaori, stop!"


    Ash cried out before she pushed Kaori off of her and mounted the blonde. All the while, Kaori continued to behave like some sort of animal.


    It was only when she saw the half-demon, usually the most firm and strong one out of everyone in Kaori''s group, tearing up that Kaori paused. That sight stirred something inside of Kaori, and she felt herself regaining control of her body, if only for a moment.


    "... Ash?" She asked.


    When the half-demon looked back at her, Kaori felt herself about to break down. Her soul was still being torn in half, and she was the most scared she''d ever been. She wanted some promise of safety, some consolation that this would pass.


    "W-What''s happening to me?" She asked, her throat tight and shaking. "I-I''m scared... Ash... Please... Help me."


    Ash just looked down at her, not knowing what to do as the intensity of the struggle inside of Kaori''s body continued to escalate.


    "I can feel something... I... I don''t know what... What''s HAPPENING TO ME!?" She screamed out as she could see lights coming out from her body, reflecting on Ash''s sweat and blood-covered skin.


    It continued and that conflict rose until suddenly, it stopped.


    And Kaori''s world went black.


    ---


    The next time Kaori''s eyes opened, she was in a black room. She could see herself. Her body was exactly as it had been in those last moments, only she was naked and there was no blood on her from the enemies she and Ash had been fighting. Instead, it was just her, with those horns on her forehead, and her one demonic hand.


    Where...?  Kaori asked herself, and then she remembered what had been happening just before this.


    "A-Ash!?" She asked, looking around. There was nothing. No one around her, nothing to see.


    "Did... Did I die?" She asked herself, collapsing to her knees.


    It was the only thing that made sense. In her last moments, she could feel herself slipping as a result of the demonic force the Nightmare had given her, and now, she was here.


    She accepted it almost instantly. She''d failed.


    I... I died...  She thought as she felt like crying, but no tears would come out. Kaori accepted, then and there, that she''d tried to live the life of a Savior, of a hero, and had failed.


    Because she was too much of a coward.


    Some time passed, and Kaori was in that position for a while. She would look around on occasion, waiting for something to happen, some afterlife, heaven, or hell, to be sent to her. If she''d listened closely enough to her religious lessons back at Jade, what was supposed to happen now was that her soul would be assigned to one of the afterlives belonging to the gods, depending on how she lived her life.


    And, to her, that meant that she was hell-bound, as Lumina surely wouldn''t want to let a failure like her anywhere near her heaven.


    Eventually, though, a white dot appeared in front of Kaori, and she stopped. She felt some apprehension, thinking that this was it. That now, she would be thrown into some field of chaos and death where war never stopped and all she could do was die in battle repeatedly.


    However, a message appeared along with it.


    Initializing...


    Please, hold...


    Kaori read it out, confused as the dot began to change. It stretched, pulling itself in multiple different directions, and soon, a body was formed. This body resembled that of a young man, with a thin frame and a friendly smile.


    "Hello, Kaori Okada."


    The man spoke with a polite tone. He had his legs crossed and looked back at Kaori, waiting for her to respond.


    Of course, Kaori asked the first thing that came to her mind.


    "Am I dead?"


    "Not at all," he replied. "You are very much alive, in fact. If you had died, the problem that is currently being solved would not exist, actually."


    Kaori was shocked to hear that.


    "... Then, what happened? Why am I here?"


    "Well, let us see here..." He said, as he made a gesture with his wrist and a screen appeared in front of him. "Ah, yes, yes. Ownership Dispute Number 3. In your last moments, Operators Niven and Lumina both tried to take possession of your soul. You are being held here until that matter is settled between them."


    "What, I... What?" Kaori asked, raising a brow.


    "I, of course, have been assigned as an assistant of sorts to you, until that happens."


    "W-Who are you?"


    At that, he smiled.


    "My name is Yx. I am a representative of the Higher Powers.. It is a pleasure to meet you, human."

 Chapter 228 - Vol. 4 - 27

    Kaori was beyond confused.


    "The... Higher Powers?" She asked.


    "Yes."


    "Uh, I may have forgotten who those were. Could you remind me?"


    "Of course," Yx replied, that polite smile never leaving his face. "The Higher Powers are those who watch over the universe. They oversee the events that unfold under them, mostly for the purpose of regulating those who were placed in charge of your world, and others. To put this in a way you may understand better, they are like the gods to your gods, I suppose you could say."


    "... Oh."


    So,  Kaori thought,  what am I doing here?


    "Well, as I said before," Yx said, and Kaori realized he read her thoughts, "there is currently an ongoing dispute over your soul between Operators: Niven and Lumina. Once this matter is resolved, one of them will take possession of you, and your spirit will be returned to the ''real world'', you could say. Oh, by the way," he added, "if you do not like me reading your thoughts, you need only say so and I will stop."


    "Uh, okay... Don''t do it."


    "Very well. That function has been paused," he bowed.


    "... So," Kaori brought her knees forward, putting her forehead down on them. "I''m stuck here?"


    "Effectively, yes Though, on the bright side, the concept of ''here'' can be whatever you wish it to be. From a visual standpoint, anyway."


    "Great," she said, slumping over.


    So... What do I do?


    Yx continued to watch her, as she looked around.


    They couldn''t have picked a better place to put me in?


    Eventually, she looked ahead at Yx, and some curiosity bubbled inside of her.


    "And, why are you here?"


    "Well, as I said, I am to be your assistant until the matter is settled."


    "But, what does that mean?"


    "Multiple things," he replied. "I can alter this space according to your wishes. I can allow you to view any part of the ''real'' world you wish to see. And, if you have any questions, I will answer them."


    Immediately, two people came to her mind.


    "Uh, can you show me where my friends are?" She asked, leaning forward. "Ash, and Keiko!"


    "Yes," Yx replied. "One second."


    With that, the room around them began to change. So many colors appeared to swirl around her, forcing Kaori to bring a hand up to shield her eyes. Just as it started, though, it was over.


    She was, suddenly, in that small room that she, Keiko, and Ash had been staying in, at the Grey Chamber. On the bed, she saw herself, and next to the bed, she saw Ash looking down at her.


    That''s...  She thought as she looked down at her own body. Ash looked like she was holding back tears, while Keiko was standing aside, equally saddened.


    "... How long is this going to take?" Kaori asked Yx as she watched.


    "You may remain here as long as you''d like."


    "No, I mean, me being here."


    "Ah, that depends on Lumina and Niven. Whichever way they choose to resolve this issue, is between them."


    "You don''t know what they''re thinking?"


    "If I may share some truth with you," Yx responded, "the first would be this: there is no such thing as true omniscience. Outside of realms like these, no one can read thoughts or predict actions with absolute certainty. The Higher Powers can, to some extent, maintain control over the Operators of your world, but they keep their own free will, so long as they act within certain bounds."


    What Kaori understood from all of that was a simple, "no."


    "Okay," she took a deep breath. She was getting uncomfortable now though, as she wanted to reach out and let the two girls know she was alright, but, she couldn''t. "Can we get out of here?"


    "Where would you like to go?"


    "Uh, anywhere."


    "Hm... Sure."


    As he said that, they changed locations again, and Kaori felt surprised as they ended up atop clouds in the sky. Still, in her mind, she couldn''t push those images away. Herself, laying on the bed as Ash struggled not to keep herself composed, and Keiko couldn''t find a way to offer comfort.


    If she could just wake up, she''d do it. Instead, she was stuck here. An idea did come to her mind though, and Kaori looked up at Yx again.


    "Can I talk to Lumina?"


    "Hm... It depends on the Higher Powers. I could send them a request. Do you want me to?"


    "Yes," Kaori nodded eagerly. "That would be great, yes."


    "Very well."


    He paused for two seconds.


    "Your request has been denied."


    Kaori blinked.


    "A-Already!?"


    "Yes," Yx nodded. "However, you are welcome to try again."


    "... Why? Will the answer change?"


    "That depends on them," Yx shrugged. "The Higher Powers are just as capable of changing opinions as any sentient beings are."


    "Got it, got it..." Kaori nodded. "I''ll wait a bit, I guess."


    "Of course," Yx added, "should you feel like you want time to pass, I am able to put you to sleep. You need only request it."


    "Really?" Kaori asked. "Is there no chance that Lumina and Niven resolve this whole thing soon?"


    "I can say the likelihood of that is low. I wouldn''t say there is no chance, but it is very unlikely."


    As Kaori took that information in, she sighed.


    "Okay... Sure, then."


    "Very well. How long do you want me to wait before I wake you?"


    "Uh, a week? Maybe two?"


    "I will wake you in seven days then."


    "... Sure."


    With that, Kaori''s eyes closed of their own accord, and she fell to the side, asleep.


    When Kaori''s eyes next reopened, she was still on those clouds. Below her, she could see all of Nova, as she rubbed her eyes. Yx was sitting in front of her, his legs crossed and that polite smile still fixed on his face.


    "Uh, how long was I...?"


    "A week," Yx replied. "Exactly seven days have passed since you requested to be given your rest."


    "Oh. Okay."


    To Kaori, it felt like she''d had her eyes closed for minutes. It was hard to internalize this information. She took a deep breath and laid down on the invisible floor. Above were an endless amount of stars, all of which felt just as far as they would from the ground below.


    ... Now what?  She asked herself, before quickly thinking of something.


    "Yx," she said.


    "Yes?"


    "Can you find my parents?"


    "Right away."


    In an instant, the room changed and Kaori was back at her old home. She and Yx were in the living room, sitting on the floor, while ahead, in the kitchen, were Kaori''s parents. They were in silence, just washing some dishes.


    Kaori looked away as her heart suddenly felt torn.


    I...  She thought.  I almost wish I had never accepted the offer to do this.


    "Would you like to leave?" Yx asked.


    "... Yeah, I just wanted to make sure they were alright," she replied and Yx nodded.


    "Of course."


    And, the next second, they were back up in the skies.


    It hadn''t taken too long at all for loneliness to set in, though she figured it would be worse if she didn''t have Yx here. Still, she missed her friends, her family, everyone she''d known.


    If Lumina failed in whatever it was that she was going to do with Niven, the last thing anyone was going to remember about her was how much of a coward she was. Not the hero she''d envisioned herself being when she''d first been chosen, not the hero everyone believed she could be when she didn''t. Not the apprentice Ren had briefly seen her as, before the battle for Onyx. Hell, she couldn''t even be a decent enough girlfriend to Ash and Keiko before having her soul sucked out of her, or whatever.


    I''m just a failure,  Kaori told herself.  In every way.


    "Is there anything else you wish to see?" Yx asked.


    "No... Just put me back to sleep," Kaori said as she laid down.


    "Until?"


    "... Another week, I guess."


    "Right away."


    ---


    Ash


    Now


    Putting on Vermia''s black dress, which she still genuinely had not figured out the enchanted effect of, Ash stretched as she prepared herself for the day. With her golden armored boots and gloves, she looked back as Keiko stood at the doorway.


    "What are you going to do?"


    "I... I''m still thinking about it," Ash let her know. "Before I go out again though, I''m definitely going to go ask the alchemist where I can go find those ingredients... Though I already have an idea where I can find one of them. After that, though, yeah, I don''t know. I might go hunt, I might look for some Sites of Power. I dunno."


    "... I wish I could head out to fight with you," Keiko admitted with a sigh. "But, maybe... soon?"


    At that moment, Ash realized that she''d inadvertently gotten Keiko''s hopes up. That wasn''t a bad thing, of course, as she planned on helping her, but...


    Something inside of Ash still felt weird when she thought about this, though she couldn''t really pinpoint what that was.


    "Maybe," Ash told her.. "Wish me luck."

 Chapter 229 - Vol. 4 - 28

    Before she could activate the Sites of Power, she needed to know where they were. So, she had to ask around, and she figured the best option for that was Zafir if she could catch him.


    Ash searched the halls of the Manor, looking for the man in question. For a while, she couldn''t find him, but as she went to the back, where a staircase led to another floor she hadn''t explored yet, she found Zafir walking down the steps, with Sorcerer Alys next to him.


    "Of course it''s necessary," Zafir was telling Alys. "If not now then when?"


    "I simply wonder..." Alys muttered before he paused as he found Ash standing in front of them.


    "Hey," she called out.


    "Hm? Ah, Savior, what can I do for you?" Zafir asked.


    "I heard there were some old churches around here," Ash explained. "I need to find them."


    "Oh? For what reason?"


    "It''s a long story," Ash shrugged. Nodding, Zafir said:


    "I suppose I could find someone to mark them down on a map for you. Is that what you seek?"


    "Yeah, thanks."


    Alys walked away on his own after that, as Zafir pulled someone aside and asked them to look for a map.


    As the two of them waited for the servant to come back, Ash crossed her arms. Neither said anything. While Zafir maintained a polite smile, Ash just tapped her foot against the ground, waiting.


    When the servant returned, Zafir was handed a pencil of sorts and he marked the locations down himself.


    "You know them by heart?" Ash asked.


    "Of course," Zafir replied. "Any decent Senator must know the region well. Will this suffice?"


    "Mhm. Thanks again," Ash quickly walked away.


    With that done, Ash exited the Manor with the map in her hands and her mind feeling clouded. It was incredibly hard to focus on any one thing right now. Everything that was going on felt like it was pulling her in multiple different directions.


    Keiko, the spells she wanted to learn, the spells she could make, her levels, whatever it was that would lead to Kaori''s return to this world. Just thinking about it right now nearly made her head ache.


    Ugh, focus, she told herself. One thing at a time. First... go ask the alchemist about the ingredients. Then, go over to some of those churches and then do some hunting. I''ll start trying to make spells later.


    Deciding on that, with her Lust tied to her waist, she moved onto the dirt streets. As per usual, all eyes landed on her as Ash made a beeline for the alchemist''s shop. The only people whose stares she returned were the guards, as even after all this time and work that she''d put in, she still hadn''t forgotten how the ones at Jade treated her.


    By the time she arrived, the sun was nearly at the center of the sky above, and Ash could hear the alchemist arguing with that apprentice of hers. She entered the store and interrupted that conversation.


    "I put in three teaspoons!" Martin said.


    "Well, clearly you didn''t because if you had it would be blue and not green!"


    "I''m not lying to you, I swear, I-" Martin stopped when he saw Ash, as did the alchemist.


    She gawked at her and then walked over to the woman with a confident swing in her steps.


    "Well, well, finally realized that alchemy''s where it''s at?"


    "No." Ash quickly replied and the alchemist scowled.


    "Oh. Well, why the hell are you here then?"


    "I need to know where I can find some ingredients," Ash quickly stated. She wanted to get out as soon as possible, so as to not waste any time in her day.


    "Sure, what do you need?"


    "A dragon''s eye, a sand reaver''s claw, and a mistborn flower." Of course, as far as the dragon''s eye was concerned, she already had it in her mind to go back to where Gurron had died and pry his out of his body. However, she needed to know where the other two ingredients were.


    When she heard that, the alchemist pulled back. She was silent for a few seconds and Ash narrowed her eyes at her impatiently.


    "So?" Ash asked. "Where can I find them?"


    "... I take it that girl that came around before knew you, then?" She sighed. "Oh, goodness."


    "I just want to know where I can find them."


    "I understand," she nodded. "And, well, I''ll tell you like I told the other girl. That''s a suicide mission you''re setting yourself up for."


    "I don''t need the lecture," Ash stated.


    "... Fine. As for the dragon''s eye, well, dragons are unpredictable by nature. All I can tell you is that they tend to rest atop mountains, but outside of that, it''s pure luck whether you run into one of those or not."


    "And the others?"


    "Eh..." She looked away like she was trying to recall the information. "Sand reavers are pretty common in the Sea of Sand, east of Amber. Less than a day''s walk away, you''ll know you''re there because there will be these strange plants with water inside of ''em. I''ll advise you though, even with your level, sand reavers are dangerous creatures. They''re deceptively fast and incredibly large. Show caution when you get there."


    "Okay, and the flower?"


    "For that one, just head for the Mist Realm. Take any flower from there, at all, and bring one back to me. You can find the Mist Realm northwest of Amber, a day and a half away."


    "Okay, thanks."


    Just like that, Ash turned around and was about to exit the store, when the alchemist called out to her.


    "Hey!"


    "Yes?" Ash turned.


    "You''re going to go get these things for that pregnant girl, are you?"


    "Yes."


    "... Wait one moment then," she said. The alchemist walked into the back room and came out with a small black flask. "This thing, it''s a potion that keeps your mind from wandering when you''re in the Mist Realm."


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "The Mist Realm distorts reality, kid. But not just that, it can mess with your senses too. Make you see things that aren''t there. This thing will keep that from happening."


    "... Okay, thanks."


    Once that was done, Ash re-emerged back out, and at this point, the streets were particularly crowded. There were civilians walking around with their heads down, and a magician selling books on by a stall marked "Fire Spells On Sale!".


    Ash absent-mindedly walked through it all. That was until someone bumped into her. A kid, so short her head only reached Ash''s waist, collided with her.


    "Hm?" Ash hummed as the kid fell back.


    "U-Uh, sorry!"


    "... Whatever," Ash replied as the kid got up and walked away. Ash''s eyes followed him for a moment, and, she shrugged.  What the fuck''s got him in such a hurry?


    She walked away then, however, she took around ten steps before something told her to stop. Looking back at him, she narrowed her eyes as she could just barely see something glowing in his hands, as he made more and more distance between them.


    What the...?  She looked down at her own waist and found that her  Lust was missing.


    "Oh, motherfucker!"


    As she realized what had happened, Ash ran after the kid, but he''d already moved off of the streets. He ran to the right, between some buildings, and Ash pursued the kid, earning some yelps from citizens she nearly ran over. She followed him until he rounded a corner and suddenly disappeared from sight. When Ash reached that point, she understood why.


    ...  Crap.  She thought as she reached the cliff that separated the two halves of Amber. Below, she could see the bridges leading down to the different levels of the city, with houses stuck to the dirt walls. Where...?


    After a few seconds, she saw the kid, hopping from one bridge to another, with the confidence of someone who had been doing this for a while.


    Okay. Fuck it.


    Ash took two steps back.


    And then, she jumped off.


    The wind pushed against her face as she fell through the air, landing on one bridge with a thud. Ahead, she saw the kid continuing to make his way down.


    Okay, okay, one at a time... Then, I''ll get my  Lust back, and I''ll kick that kid''s ass. Easy.


    She said that to herself, but as the bridges began to be just a little farther from each other, she felt a hint of nervousness in her gut. Her levels weren''t gonna stop her from falling to her death, after all.


    Still, she needed to recover her Savior''s Weapon. So, she jumped from one bridge to another, nearly slipping off, and paused.  Okay. Again.


    One by one, Ash followed behind the little thief as he made his way to the ground level. Once he did, Ash did as well just a moment later.


    Okay, now...


    However, she stopped.


    She had arrived at a place that was unlike anywhere she''d been to. In front of her, all she could see were people. People who were covered from head to toe, trading items with each other that she hadn''t seen before. Behind them were pathways leading to what looked like cramped, natural alleys. There were doors leading into places built into the dirt walls, and Ash hoped the kid hadn''t gone into any of these yet.


    This was one time though where her height ended up working in her favor, as she looked over many of these people''s heads and saw the kid trying to subtly make his way through the crowd.


    Glaring, Ash tried her hardest to push through these people, shoving anyone who threatened to stop her momentum out of the way. She tailed him until finally, he entered through one double-door up ahead.


    Ash walked in after him, pushing the doors open, and stopping in her tracks.


    Now, where...


    But, for the second time, Ash was too shocked to move.


    What... The... Fuck?


    She had ended up in a bar of sorts. There was music playing at the back, some drunkards playing some game on a green table to the right, and everywhere Ash could see were two kinds of people.


    Humans and half-demons, talking to each other casually.


    Level 21


    MP: 400/400


    Level 19


    MP: 200/200


    Level 4


    MP: 20/20


    Their levels varied wildly, with the highest belonging to the person farthest away from Ash.


    The kid who''d taken her Savior''s Weapon ran up to that person, at the back, who also shared Ash''s horns and white hair. The man looked down at the kid, confused as he saw what he had in his hands.


    "Bo, what''s this?" The man asked as Ash took a deep breath and started walking up, eyes moving toward her.


    "I took this off''a someone!" The kid said proudly, and the man''s eyes went up to Ash.


    "Well, you really didn''t have to do that," he muttered as Ash stopped in front of him.


    Level 34


    MP: 500/500


    Okay.  Ash thought.


    She dusted the dirt off of her dress and said:


    "That thing''s mine," Ash said firmly, and simply.


    ".... Yeah, I just about guessed that," the half-demon replied.

 Chapter 230 - Vol. 4 - 29

    "Bo, please, give the kind lady her toy back," the man told the child, pushing him gently toward Ash. The Savior kept her eyes narrowed on the other half-demon, even as the kid approached her. This place felt like it was entirely out of a dream.


    "... Uh," Bo looked back at the man for confirmation, to which he nodded in return. Then, he lifted the cube up toward Ash, and the Savior grabbed it, quickly tying it to her waist again.


    Back at Jade, Ash hadn''t grown up a true thief, mostly because she was terrible at that sort of thing, but she had seen a few other random strangers on the streets who had. And, this kid in front of her seemed like he was on that very path, only apparently he was being sponsored by someone at the same time.


    Ash turned around without a word as she received her  Lust. The others in this weird bar were still chatting, though her presence here had made the volume of their conversations lessen noticeably, as a few eyes strayed toward her. She was about to walk away, but just as she reached the door, she stopped.


    She was just too curious.


    She turned around and walked right back over to the man, stopping in front of him. Bo ran off somewhere else as she approached, in a clumsy way that highlighted how young the boy was.


    "What is this place? Who are you?" Ash asked.


    Those questions made the conversations around her even quieter. Ash could feel a sort of tension building up in the air.


    "Officer," the half-demon she was speaking to said, "I assure you, nothing of concern is happening in this building. Ask around, the other guards will vouch for us."


    He spoke with easy confidence, but Ash could tell that he was performing some basic threat assessment. His eyes were periodically scanning her body, likely trying to find any weapon she may have had on her person.


    That one word he used to describe her stuck out in her mind though, and Ash raised a brow.


    "I''m no guard," she told him. "You don''t know me?"


    "... I''m afraid not," he shrugged. "We don''t really concern ourselves with everything that happens on the surface, I''m afraid."


    ... He could be lying, of course, but that doesn''t sound unreasonable, she thought.


    "I''m... A mercenary," she shrugged. "I''m just new to town. So, I was wondering what this was all about. Looked interesting, is all."


    "Ah..." Ash could tell he didn''t buy a word of that, but he played along. "In that case, welcome to Bin''s Bar," he smiled at her. "I own this little joint. Feel free to grab a drink for yourself."


    "... Nah, I''m good," Ash shook her head. Turning around, she decided her curiosity wasn''t worth wasting time here. "Thanks again."


    "By the way!" Bin called out. "Mercs are always welcome here. Feel free to come back anytime, friend."


    He laid that last word on so thick, the message was impossible to misinterpret.


    He doesn''t want any trouble,  she thought.  Hm. Still not used to having any actual respect.


    "Yeah?" Ash turned toward him. "Well, in that case, friend, how about you come over here and help me out."


    He tilted his head, surprised to hear that, but he stood up and walked over to her. A few of the men around the bar gestured like they were going to get up as well, but Bin raised a hand and they remained at their seats.


    "Sure thing!" He smiled again. "What do you need?"


    "Just need to know how the hell I''m supposed to get back up to the surface," Ash shrugged. "Like I said. I''m new in town."


    "... Okay," he nodded. "See that narrow alley right there? Take a left when you get the chance and there''ll be a staircase that goes all the way up. There''s also a manned elevator, in case you want that."


    "Thanks," Ash said. Of course, if he was sending her to some back alley murderer, she was going to come back and stick a spear up his ass, but she figured she''d try it.


    "That said," Bin added, "that offer for a drink still stands if you wanna stick around."


    "Nah, I''ve got shit to do," Ash shook her head.


    However, she did manage to get one more question in.


    "How did you end up here?"


    "Hm?" Bin raised a brow, and for the first time, he looked genuinely confused.


    "You''re a half-demon," she said. "How did this," she gestured at him and then at the bar, "happen?"


    "... I, haha," he chuckled, "I''m not entirely sure what you mean, friend. I don''t see what my being a half-demon has to do with anything, other than my mother not being too fond of me. Regardless, see you around, merc."


    With that, he turned around and walked away.


    And all Ash could do was stand there with her shoulders slumped, wondering how she''d been so unlucky as to not be born here instead of Jade.


    ---


    Yumi


    Standing across Sinneah, Yumi prepared herself. Keiko was sitting at a bench nearby, watching the two of them. It had been a while since Yumi had used a sword, as her time with the others had meant she wasn''t practicing nearly as often, but she tried to get a feel for it. Sinneah took up a fighting stance, and Yumi nodded.


    Then, the two of them charged at each other. Fighting with this weapon was different from fighting with a naginata in a few obvious ways. Most notably, her range was significantly reduced. So, that meant Yumi had to get far closer to her opponent. She slashed twice, flicking her sword from one side to another, and Sinneah dodged by spinning out of the way and closing the gap quickly. Yumi ducked under her punch and landed a sharp elbow at Sinneah''s gut, and the woman let out a cough as she stumbled back.


    ... That''s for hogging the sheets so much. Yumi thought, blushing a little as she remembered how she and Sinneah had shared the same bed last night.


    Sinneah, however, transitioned into a kick as she moved away and Yumi dodged, going for another slash, that Sinneah avoided. To Yumi''s left, the door leading to this garden opened and Metsumi walked out, along with Opah and Luvine. Yumi raised a hand, signaling for Sinneah to stop, and the draconic woman paused.


    "Hey there, getting some training done?" Metsumi asked as they approached. Opah and Luvine''s eyes remained on Sinneah, still looking at her with some wonder.


    Yumi nodded.


    "I felt like this was a good opportunity to refresh my sword skills," Yumi shrugged. "Sinneah agreed to be a training partner, as well. She is almost as good at this as she is at snoring..." Yumi muttered.


    For some reason, that made Metsumi chuckle.


    "Seems like you two had fun last night. Sin, how did it feel to sleep on an actual bed?"


    "The bed was incredibly soft," Sinneah replied, the corners of her lips slightly curled in a smile. "I felt like I was floating."


    "I am glad one of us had an enjoyable experience," Yumi told her as she looked away, toward Keiko.


    When she saw her, Yumi felt something tugging at her heartstrings. Keiko had her head lowered, her legs crossed as she looked like she was intensely bored. Knowing why that was, Yumi felt sorry for her. She walked over to the girl and sat down next to her.


    Keiko noticed that, and looked up at her, though she remained silent.


    "... It is a beautiful day out, wouldn''t you say?" Yumi asked.


    "Yes," Keiko politely replied. "It''s great."


    Yumi leaned forward a little, to get a closer look at the girl. At this distance, it was even easier to see the melancholy showing itself on her face.  Hm...  Yumi looked away for a moment, trying to think of something.


    "Keiko," she said.


    "Yes?"


    "Would you like to try some sparring?"


    What Yumi had in her mind definitely ran the risk of making Keiko''s day worse, but she couldn''t help herself. Seeing her like this made Yumi want to try something. Anything, really.


    "What?" Keiko gave her a puzzled expression.


    "As I asked," Yumi held out the sword Keiko had lent her. "Would you like to?"


    "... But, I can''t," Keiko replied. "It makes me sick."


    "Maybe last time we tried this we fought at too high a pace," Yumi said. "Come. Try this with me."


    Keiko paused for a moment. Then, her clear, silver eyes connected with Yumi''s own and Keiko sighed.


    "... Okay." Keiko stood up. "What do you have in mind?"


    "Simple, just slash at me," Yumi replied, standing as well. Ahead, she could see Opah trying to climb Sinneah''s back while the draconic woman watched her, baffled.


    "What weapon will you use?"


    "None."


    She walked back a few steps.


    "But, I don''t want to hurt you."


    "No faith in my Dexterity, Keiko?" Yumi asked with a smirk. "Trust me. But, please, do try to slow things down. There''s no need to get too, ehm, worked up, alright?"


    "... Okay," the other Zayama replied, holding her sword out. "When you''re ready."


    "Go."


    With that, Keiko hesitantly took a step forward and attacked.


    ---


    Satsuhiro


    Ever since arriving in this city, Satsuhiro felt like things were... strange. He couldn''t quite put his finger on it, but even though this had always been a place shrouded in mystery and danger, it still felt to him like something was off. That feeling had started when he met Zafir, and it continued to needle away at his mind as he realized that he hadn''t heard from the Royal Council in some time. Or how there were little to no tourists. But, most notably, the fact that the group hadn''t run into the Arcane once since they''d arrived here.


    At the same time, that could just be his own paranoia, wanting to keep everyone safe. Still, he couldn''t help but wonder.


    The older Savior walked out into the garden to see where everyone else was. When he emerged outside, he found Keiko throwing out slow swings at Yumi, which the older Zayama dodged with little effort. Everyone else, Metsumi, Sinneah, Opah, and Luvine were watching nearby.


    "Hello dear~" Metsumi greeted him as she saw him. He nodded.


    "... What is everyone doing?"


    "Nothing much, just playing around, I think," Metsumi shrugged. "So, any plans for today?"


    At that, Satsuhiro looked down.


    "... I''m going to write a letter."


    "Hm?"


    "To the Royal Council. I just want to know how things have been going in the other cities," he replied.  I may as well ask about the Arcane at first.. See what he''s doing that''s keeping him so busy.

 Chapter 231 - Vol. 4 - 30

    Ash


    Fortunately, Bin had not lied to her, and the path he''d told her about eventually led Ash back to the top of Amber. Here, with her  Lust on her waist, Ash walked north, to leave the city and put her time to good use. This little interruption in her day was already too wasteful to her. She needed to make every hour count.


    She exited the city about a dozen minutes later, with the eyes of the strangely-armored guards always on her. Ignoring them, she unfolded the map in her hands and looked in it to see where the churches were.


    Okay. So, where do we start?  She asked herself.  So... the alchemist had said that the sand reavers would be the easiest thing to find, and they were out east. There''s one church right around there, so... Maybe I should go ahead and make the trip.


    Figuring that this was a good enough plan, she began heading east.


    It took a while before any real differences started showing up in the landscape, but soon, she noticed how the dirt began taking a clearer, brighter color and the vegetation was growing scarcer. The ground she was walking on became far less firm, and ahead, there were barely any buildings save for one small cube-like structure in the distance, and a lot of broken-down walls and ruins poking out of the sand.


    Guessing that''s one of the old churches I''m looking for.


    Ash took a step and nearly slipped, cursing the sand she was walking on as she started heading toward it.


    Mm... Fuck. I forgot to bring some water, the half-demon thought as she felt her mouth dry up a little.


    She surprised herself when that thought popped up in her mind. Before she''d become a Savior, she would routinely go entire days without eating or drinking anything. Now, though, she had gotten so used to having full meals every day that these sorts of thoughts came naturally. It was unsettling.


    Am I getting soft?  She wondered, glaring at nothing in particular.  Whatever. Just focus.


    Still, now that she had that realization, she couldn''t push it out of her skull. She tried her hardest though, as she got closer to that distant building, and when she arrived, she found a place with so many holes in its walls, that Ash wondered how the building was still standing. Entering the place, it was so old and dusty inside that she coughed twice before spotting the altar at the back. Seeing it, Ash walked up.


    So... Is the process for activating these the same as before? With Magia''s? Since Lumina told me to do this, I''m guessing I can activate them... Let''s give it a shot.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash knelt in front of the altar, put her map down beside her, and placed her hands on it. Waiting, she felt her chest burn for a second, almost painfully, and the altar then started glowing. Just as soon as it had it stopped and Ash was done, backing up as the glow faded.


    Okay, Lumina. There you go,  Ash thought as she picked her map back up, turned around, and started to walk out of the building. But, as soon as she did, she saw something up ahead.


    What the hell?  Ash narrowed her eyes, as the sand in the air made it harder to see what that was. However, after a while, she realized those were people.


    And, they were running away from something. Something huge, following right behind them.


    Hm. Wait, is that...?


    Ash dropped her map on the ground and started running forward. She got her hopes up, wondering if that was a sand reaver that was chasing them. Putting aside all of her strange feelings regarding what Keiko wanted to do, feelings she didn''t quite understand, she moved as quickly as she could.


    The sand made it harder, of course, as her footsteps sunk a little just like they had at Sapphire with the snow, but still, Ash moved fast.


    The people running saw her approaching and ran toward her, hoping she represented their salvation. The monster became clearer. As soon as she saw it, she guessed this wasn''t what she was looking for, provided that "sand" reavers were supposed to look anything like the regular reavers she''d fought at Sapphire.


    No, this creature resembled a giant snake, swimming through the ground itself with a wide grin on its face as it chased after the group of people.


    ... Dammit,  Ash said, stopping just in front of them.  Still, maybe some easy EXP, I guess.


    "Spear," Ash said, transforming her  Lust. Her weapon, a gold, and black polearm took form in her hands and Ash got in position, as the civilians ran behind her.


    Level 48


    MP: 400/400


    Hm... Don''t underestimate it though, Ash told herself, as she recalled her fight with Sinneah, which was far harder than it should have been. Granted, she felt like part of that was because she still wasn''t used to fighting intelligent beings, but still. She''d learned her lesson.


    Her own status currently looked like this:


    Level 72


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 185/720


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 22


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Even with that 20 level gap, Ash wasn''t about to get caught off-guard again.


    ... May as well see how my new tricks do against this thing. Let''s do this.


    And so, Ash put her spear aside with her left hand, leaving her right hand free, as she remembered what she''d seen when she first learned the  Divine Spear ability she''d picked up recently.


    Tomoe''s Divine Arts


    1. Divine Spear (Light)


    Compressing the connection between yourself and your chosen deities, and turning it into a physical object, raise a hand and allow this sign of faith to appear in your palm. This ability''s power is directly proportional to your connection to your chosen deities.


    Mana Cost: 0


    Incantation: None


    (None of Tomoe''s Divine Arts require mana or incantations, but overusing them will wear you out, regardless of your Constitution.)


    She closed her eyes as the snake-like creature approached, taking a deep breath. She raised her right hand up, narrowing her eyes at the snake as it widened its mouth, aiming itself at her.


    A beam of blinding white light formed in Ash''s hand, and she threw it forward. Her  Divine Spear flew through the air, landing in the snake''s mouth and exploding, sending out blood spurting out into the air.


    It screamed a terrible sound as Ash ran toward it. With her spear, she stabbed through its body and the snake began flailing, nearly hitting Ash as it writhed. The half-demon''s response was to pull her spear out, take a step back, and raise her right hand again.


    Taking a deep breath, she felt her heart racing as she allowed another spear to form in her hand, and she threw it forward a second time. This time, the spear struck the snake''s body, and she saw a chunk of it be destroyed in the resulting explosion.


    Performing this technique was easy for her. Almost natural. She wondered if this was because of her specific connection to Magia, or if any Savior would have this much ease with this ability.


    At the same time though, she could feel that her body had gotten much heavier.  Shit... Using that spell twice is enough to make me feel like this?  She wondered.


    Remembering how Sinneah fought her, her respect for her rose a little. She had used her own techniques from Tomoe''s Divine Arts frequently in that fight and every fight with the monsters after that. If she was feeling like this throughout all of it then that woman was simply a workhorse.


    The snake was still alive though, and Ash had to finish it off.


    She ran up with her spear, willing her body to move forward, and stabbed through it with as much strength as she could put into the blow.


    The result was that, despite the snake''s thick, wide, body, Ash''s spear pierced it and came out the other side. Ripping it out quickly, Ash hopped back a few steps as the snake let out another scream and finally fell to the ground, where Ash then walked up to its head and ended its life.


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP: 225/720


    Yeah,  Ash told herself, gonna take plenty of more fights like that to level up a bunch.


    "Y-You killed it!" A man stated behind her as Ash reverted her spear.


    "We''re saved!" A woman cried out after that and Ash sighed, turning toward them.  Okay, now I go back to the church, grab the map, and...


    However, she stopped when she got a good look at them.


    Three individuals. A mother, a father, and a baby in the man''s hands. Only, the woman had two horns on her head and the same violet eyes that Ash had. Her hair, a little shorter than Ash''s, was also the same exact shade of white.


    Ash froze.


    The kid in the man''s hands wouldn''t stop crying as he rocked it back and forth. The woman walked up to Ash and hugged her, even as Ash remained still. She couldn''t think. Her mind went blank as she saw this scene in front of her.


    "How can we repay you?" The woman asked. Ash just stared at her. Her eyes darted back and forth between her, the man, and the child. "We don''t have much, but, maybe you''d like some water?"


    "I..." Ash said, opening her mouth and feeling her heart ache a little. She caught herself tearing up, and Ash looked down at herself, confused.


    What the fuck is wrong with me?


    "Y-Yeah. That.... That would be fine," she finally answered, with a quiet voice.

 Chapter 232 - Vol. 4 - 31

    Yumi


    "Good!" Yumi said, dodging as Keiko slashed at her. It was a meager swing, one without too much effort, but that was exactly how Keiko had to move. Any further exertion would result in her throwing up.


    "Ah," Keiko said, breathing heavily. "Uh, give me a moment," she said, walking over to the nearest bench and sitting down.


    "Still feel alright?" Yumi asked as she sat next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "I''m just tired."


    That was understandable, as they''d been at this for several hours. Not to say that they''d spent every single second of those hours fighting, but rather, Keiko would swing her sword a little, the two would take a long break once she tired herself out. Then, later, once she''d feel ready, they''d go at it again.


    Metsumi, Satsuhiro, and the kids had gone somewhere else after Satsuhiro had sent out some strange letter in the form of a flaming bird out in the air. The only other person there was the exceptionally tall woman sitting to Yumi''s right.


    Sinneah had remained silent throughout most of this, keeping her head low, her tail on her lap, and her eyes on the ground. It seemed to Yumi like she was deep in thought, but the Zayama had no reason to question her about it just yet.


    "I..." Keiko said, and Yumi''s eyes went back to her. "I just wanted to say, thank you, for... this. I really appreciate it."


    "It is no problem, Keiko. I am more than happy to help you keep your skills honed."


    At that, Keiko paused.


    "... About, uh, everything that happened earlier," she suddenly said and Yumi''s brows shot up at the mention of this, "I also wanted to say that, I think I figured out what was happening with me."


    "Hm?" Yumi tilted her head.


    "Well, because of this," she gestured at her stomach, "whole thing, I''ve been... Sort of feeling a little bit down and, well, I let it get to me, a bit. But, now, I''ve been thinking about stuff for a little bit and... I think it''s okay."


    "I... do not follow," Yumi stated.


    "... I think it''s okay," Keiko spoke slowly, almost as though she was forcing herself to continue. "If you and Ash, well, you know..."


    "Keiko, do not worry about that," Yumi waved a hand. "I... I was just feeling a certain way, a couple of days ago. It''s passed. I won''t do anything with her."


    "No, no," Keiko shook her head. "I mean, you say that now, but... You had sex with her already, right?" Keiko asked, and Yumi nodded, though she didn''t know where she was going with this. "Yeah, it''s going to happen again, then."


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s, uh, how that works, I''m pretty sure. After I did it with Ash for the first time," Keiko took a deep breath, and now her words were coming out a little more fluidly, though she still wasn''t looking Yumi in the eyes, "every now and then, I''d just get the urge to... Well, do it again with her. Even nowadays. I''m sure half of it is natural, but I''m also pretty sure it has to do with her whole Demon side. So, yeah. I''m pretty certain those ''urges'' are going to pop up in the future. And, when they do, I don''t want you to have to keep yourself restrained on my account."


    "... I..." Yumi started but then went silent. She didn''t know what to say to any of this.


    "It''s hard for me," she continued as she chuckled awkwardly. "There''s absolutely a part of me that wishes I could have Ash all to myself... And Kaori, but, yeah. Still, I feel like that''s too selfish of me. I mean," she said, and finally, she looked up at Yumi. Her clear-silver eyes were looking back at Yumi''s, as though searching for confirmation or agreement. "Just because she does... stuff, with you, doesn''t mean she likes me any less, right?"


    "..." Yumi had no answer for that.


    "I''d like to think so, anyway," she looked away again. "So, yeah. If you want to do anything with her... Go for it. I won''t act like I''m not jealous, but I still support it."


    "Keiko, I... This is..."


    "I mean, it could have been worse," Keiko continued. "It makes it easier to do this since you''re someone I like, you know? I mean," Keiko blushed, "not in that kind of way, I mean, it''s just I like you in a different way! Not that you aren''t beautiful, because, well, you are, but, it''s, uh... I''m... just... gonna... stop... talking... now."


    Yumi blinked. By the time Keiko was done, she started cackling, pulling her in for a hug.


    What an adorable person,  Yumi thought as Keiko let out a deep breath.


    "Thank you. I''ll, ehm, I will think about it," Yumi said.


    "... It is amazing how, even though my father taught me many words in human language, I understood almost none of what the two of you just spoke of," Sinneah suddenly said from Yumi''s right and the Zayama flinched, having forgotten she was there. "Truly, I have much to learn."


    "Anyway," Yumi said, looking back at Keiko. "Would you like to continue?"


    "Uh, no, I''m starving," Keiko said. "Could we..." However, Keiko stopped in the middle of her question. Suddenly, violet lines appeared all over her body, and she gasped, falling over to the left. Her hands, clutching at her own chest.


    "K-Keiko!?" Yumi asked as the other Zayama hit the ground.


    "Hm? What is happening to her?" Sinneah asked, far more confused than alerted.


    She looked like she was struggling to breathe. Keiko, however, pointed at the door ahead and managed to squeeze out the words:


    "P-Potion... in my room... table..."


    Yumi ran into the manor. Knowing where Keiko and Ash were sleeping, she found their room quickly and almost broke the door with how quickly she opened it. Inside, she saw a few drawers, Kaori sleeping in the center of a large bed, and besides that bit of furniture, she saw a nightstand with a small flask on it. She grabbed it and ran back outside, quickly kneeling in front of Keiko.


    The other Zayama snatched the potion out of her hands, drank from it, and slowly, those violet lines disappeared.


    Her breathing went back to normal, and Keiko lifted herself up, sitting back down on the bench.


    She teared up, and slammed a fist into the stone bench, as Yumi and Sinneah just watched.


    "... I hate this," Keiko said in a low, angry, voice, after a moment. "I hate this so much."


    ---


    Ash


    After the fight with the snake, Ash brought that family back to the church she''d just exited. Here, she picked her map back up, and the two parents she''d rescued, along with their baby, sat down on some of the old chairs. The father took out a glass bottle of water and passed it over to Ash. The half-demon drank from it greedily as they told her how thankful they were. All while Ash''s mind felt clouded.


    "The gods were on our side today," the man laughed. "That snake would have devoured us easily if you hadn''t come along."


    "..." Ash nodded as her eyes naturally drifted to the half-demon to her right, the baby''s mother. "Who the hell are you people, anyway? What were you doing out here?"


    "O-Oh, our apologies, warrior, we didn''t introduce ourselves. I''m Lane, and he''s Carl. We''re explorers!" The mother said, smiling widely at Ash. "This one," she gestured at the baby, "is Trin."


    "Wait, wait, explorers? What does that mean?" Ash asked.


    "Uh, we go around and we explore," Lane shrugged. "We walk to random places, see what the world has to offer."


    "... For fun?" Ash asked, raising a brow.


    "Yes," Carl replied in front of her. "Of course, we take things from the places we find and sell them. Have to put food on our plates like everyone else, after all."


    "Still, we were not well-informed of this place''s dangers," the mother added. "We just arrived in Amber, after all."


    "... And you''re running around, in the wild, alone, for fun?" Ash asked.


    "Well, when you put it like that it sounds questionable," the man chuckled. "But, it''s fulfilling! The world has so much to offer, it''s a waste not to taste it."


    Shaking her head, Ash took another sip from that bottle. She glanced over at the half-demon woman again, and couldn''t resist asking about her.


    "How did you two meet?" Ash asked, quietly. "How did this," she gestured between them, "happen?"


    "It is a long story," Lane said, "but... We met in Sapphire, as children. Carl, he grew up quite impoverished and I... Well, sister," she told Ash, pointing at her horns, "things were not easy for me. But, as soon as we met... I just knew that he was ''the one'', you know?"


    "Aw, honey~" Carl said and the two leaned in for a kiss. Ash just rolled her eyes as the story sunk into her thoughts.


    She had lived the same way as Lane had, from the looks of it. Yet, no. She couldn''t say she had ever just ''met the one'', like that. She wasn''t even sure what that meant, honestly.


    ... Doesn''t matter, Ash shook her head, as she handed Carl the bottle back and turned around. I need to keep going.


    "T-Thanks again, warrior!" Lane called out.


    "We will keep you in our prayers, kind one," Carl added.


    And Ash just ignored them as she walked away from that church then, heading northeast to where the sand reaver supposedly could be found.


    Still, a question did pop up in her mind, as she pictured the three of them there, smiling and laughing with each other.


    ... Could I ever have something like that?


    But, just as quickly as the question appeared, she laughed it off.


    Nah... I wouldn''t be good at it, anyway. All I''m good for is cutting heads off of demons.. That''s probably all I''ll ever be good for.

 Chapter 233 - Vol. 4 - 32

    The longer Ash remained out here, the more annoyed she grew. This was due to a myriad of different things which all combined then and there to make her day worse. The sand, which threatened to get into her eyes with every gust of wind that blew over her. The sweat, which coated her skin, letting that same sand stick to it. But, most of all, the fact that she couldn''t get that earlier image out of her head, as much as she tried to.


    The picture of that family, smiling and laughing with each other as Ash just stood there. It almost felt like she was being mocked.


    Ugh, just don''t think about it, Ash told herself. Sand reavers. Where the hell are these things supposed to be? I''ve been walking around here for a while.


    The Sea of Sand, this area where the monster in question could be found, proved to be exactly that. She hadn''t encountered any plants with water in them, like the ones that the alchemist had mentioned yet, but all around her, all she could see was a cinnamon-colored ground stretching endlessly, in every direction.


    Actually... What if I get lost here? Everything looks the same. She thought. Hm... Nah. As long as I have this map, I probably won''t-


    At that point, a particularly strong gust of wind blew her map out of her hands, and Ash blinked as it floated away to the right.


    "...."


    Shit, shit, shit!


    She ran after it, nearly slipping and falling a few times. The map moved and danced in the air, as Ash desperately reached for it. She chased it for several meters, trying and failing to snatch it out of the wind until, finally, the wind stopped and the map descended onto the ground, just in front of her.


    "GOTCHA!" Ash said as she grabbed it out of the air, nearly ripping it apart from how much force she put into it.  Okay... That was annoying. Don''t let that happen again.


    Ash dusted herself off and breathed in, about to resume her searching when she looked up and saw something strange. It was a plant with five large leaves popping out from a bulky green center.


    Oh?


    Ash quickly transformed her  Lust into a sword and stabbed it into the plant. Water poured out from the hole she made, and that confirmed what Ash was guessing.


    Okay... So, I''m here, then.  She thought as she looked around.  Now, where are these things?


    Now that she was sure she''d arrived, Ash searched the area. If the sand reavers were truly as big as the alchemist had made them out to be, then finding them would be easy, surely. Still, she couldn''t see much of anything until she turned to the right and saw a bird fly down to take a bite out of another plant like the one she''d just discovered. The bird was as big as Ash herself, pecking down at the plant a few times as Ash watched.


    That''s weird, but it''s not what I... However, Ash paused. Beyond the strange creature, there was something sticking out of the sand, moving towards the bird. It was like a small curved stump, and it was gliding along the ground.


    From the sand, then, just ahead of the bird, something erupted. Ash''s jaw hit the ground. A monster with no eyes, a sleek dark-green body, the size of a small house, shot out into the air with hands as big as Ash herself. Its mouth opened during this and the bird it was aiming for tried to fly away, only to be caught just before it could do so.


    The creature bit down on it and devoured the bird right in front of Ash.


    ... No eyes. That weird, smooth body.  Okay, I guess this is the sand reaver.


    With that thought, Ash folded her map up, tucking it into a pocket, and transformed her  Lust into a bow, as the creature turned toward her.


    Level 54


    MP: 250/300


    Ash nodded to herself, narrowing her eyes at it as she prepared herself to start fighting.


    Shoot a few arrows, use that Divine Spear once or twice, and I should be...


    Before she could finish that statement, a red orb appeared over the sand reaver''s head, and Ash paused.


    "What the fu-"


    A beam shot out from the orb and Ash''s eyes widened as she jumped to her left. The sand that she had just been standing on exploded into the air, and Ash rolled to a halt. Without hesitation, she pulled back a golden arrow and fired it out, striking the creature''s massive head. The arrow didn''t pierce all the way through, however, and the monster screamed an almost human sound that nearly made Ash''s ears bleed.


    "Agh!" She forced herself to ignore it though, and as another arrow appeared nocked on her bow, she pulled it back and fired a second.


    The monster, however, dodged out of the way. Even as large as it was, it moved to the right quickly, and then buried itself in the sand, leaving only its stump sticking out.


    Okay... I know where this is going.


    And so, Ash closed her eyes and raised her right hand in the air. Searching within herself for her connection to the gods, she allowed it to manifest a beam of white light in her palm. Opening her eyes, she waited as the creature got closer, and closer until it launched out of the ground and into the air.


    At that moment, Ash threw her  Divine Spear forward and the beam shot into the creature''s wide-open mouth, causing an explosion that sent red blood splashing out onto the sand.


    Gotcha,  Ash thought with a smirk that faded quickly.


    The monster was still in the air, falling toward her.


    Wait, wait, shit, shit, sh-


    And the monster''s body landed on top of her, thrashing around as it was clearly still alive and in pain.


    Ash was nearly crushed under its weight.


    The creature''s mass fell on Ash, covering her entirely. Ash put her hands on its body, reflexively trying to keep it away. Lifting by sheer instinct, she stopped it, and, so far, it seemed like her arms wouldn''t break just yet.


    "Aaa...! Ffff... argh," she let out as she tried her hardest to push against it.


    Come on,  she thought, gritting her teeth.  I''ve been grinding out my Strength for so long, this fucking 50 has to be worth something, come on!


    One thing came to her mind then, however. Spirit Siphon, the lifesteal spell that Vermia had taught her.


    "Lesser being, give me your life," she squeezed out through her strained lungs and her hands took up a shadowy glow. Her pain was soothed slightly, but it still wasn''t enough to get this thing off of her.


    She remained in that position, with the Dark spell active, for a while. The monster was still flailing around, which made keeping it from smashing into her body even harder.


    However, as Ash put everything she had into this, she felt the monster''s body lifting up.


    "... AAAGH!" Just as quickly, her arms lowered though, as her muscles began to fail her, and then, the monster simply moved away from her, rolling to the side of its own will, and the weight was lifted from her body.


    My arms, holy fuck. Ash thought as she dry-heaved, looking down at herself. She felt like her elbows were going to snap any moment now. The monster next to her roared, and Ash quickly turned her eyes back onto it.


    Her bow was on the dirt, just in front of her. She picked it up and an arrow appeared, which Ash pulled back and shot out. It pierced through the reaver''s body, but Ash didn''t stop there.


    It was weird how, after lifting something incredibly heavy, one''s arms tended to feel like they could lift anything, but that was how Ash was feeling as she loaded up a second, and then a third. The reaver, however, wouldn''t die.


    It spun then, faster than Ash could register. Its tail, which Ash hadn''t even noticed that it had, smacked into her body and Ash was launched to the left, flying through the air as she dropped the bow again.


    She spat out some blood and punched the ground as she looked back up at the reaver, furious. She could feel Dark energy coursing through her, as a result of the prolonged use of Spirit Siphon.


    At this point, she wasn''t thinking. She raised both her hands and closed her eyes. In each of them, beams of light manifested and Ash shot them forth, watching them explode on the reaver''s body. It screeched, but the half-demon didn''t stop there, even as her body instantly felt tired from the use of those abilities.


    She raised one last hand up and created a final  Divine Spear,  which she shot at the reaver''s head. It connected, and a portion of the creature''s head exploded, covering the area, and Ash herself, in its blood, which rained down onto the sand.


    Ash fell to the ground, on her back, immediately.


    ... Can''t move,  she thought as her body simply wouldn''t respond to her desire to stand up. A little bit of blood came out from her lips, which reminded her that she was hurt off of the spinning attack the reaver had done.


    "Come on..." She muttered as she tried with almost as much effort as it had taken to lift the reaver, to lift her hand up to her chest. "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach."


    Her hand then began glowing white as she started to heal.


    A few seconds later, she noticed the pop-up message over her own head.


    EXP Gained: 60


    EXP: 285/720


    ...  All that, for 60 EXP?


    "..." She blinked.


    What an awful fucking day.. Ash thought as she passed out.

 Chapter 234 - Vol. 4 - 33

    "... Ash?"


    What the...?


    She heard a sigh.


    Her eyes half-opened.


    Who...?


    She opened her eyes fully and swore for a second that she could see a woman with short golden hair looking down at her. However, as she blinked a few times, what she ended up seeing was a strange deer-like creature licking her face. Behind the animal''s head, she could see the sky had taken a dark, purple-orange tone. As she blinked a few times, the deer proceeded to lick her again.


    "... What?" She said in a low voice as she tried to lift herself up. The animal that had been next to her started walking away, as Ash looked around.  Yeah, it''s almost nighttime.


    Without the city in the distance to guide her, like when she was coming down from the mountain with Sinneah, Ash didn''t want to be out here for much longer.


    A few meters away, the massive body of the reaver remained. Some sand had blown over it, and the creature''s blood had long since dried on its corpse and the sand. First, Ash checked her person to make sure that she still had everything. Her map was tucked in a small pocket, and her  Lust was just a short distance away, on the ground, nearly covered in the sand but still glinting as the sun reflected off of it, and sticking out as it had still been in its bow form when Ash dropped it.


    She grabbed it, transformed it into a sword, and then walked over to the reaver.


    "One sand reaver claw," she told herself. "Just grab the thing and head back."


    The monster''s arms were thick and grand, but its hands split into multiple long fingers that ended in claws that were each just as big as her head. Seeing it, now she understood why that kid was stirring such a huge pot back at the shop if ingredients were all of this size. She cut it off with only a little effort and reverted her  Lust into a cube, so she could tie it around herself. Then, she took out her map, unfolded it with a flick of one hand, and looked down at it.


    Hm...  Looking around, she saw a dot-like structure in the distance. Is that the church I had been to? If so, then, yeah. I came from that direction.


    Without wasting another second, she started her short journey back.


    ---


    A Few Hours Later


    She''d half-noticed it before when she walked through here with Sinneah, but at night Amber truly felt empty. There was no one outside their homes, even less so than in the other cities. There were fewer lights and torches illuminating the streets, which allowed some guards on the rooftops to remain largely in the darkness.


    Ash felt their eyes on her every step of the way as she paced through the street, and she made sure to glare back at anyone she noticed. One lone civilian walked by her, his eyes lowering to the sand reaver''s claw that Ash was carrying and she stopped in her tracks, keeping her eyes on him as he walked away.


    ... I am not in the fucking mood, she thought.


    Eventually, Ash made it back to the Manor where a couple of guards standing outside by the gate let her in. The half-demon went into the Manor and found no one there.


    No one. At all. No servants, no guards outside of the two she had just seen. Her boots, covered in dirt and sand, thudded against the ground, producing an echo as she raised a brow.


    Hm? Where is everyone? She asked herself. Normally, at least, from what she''d seen during her short stay here, there would be at least a couple of servants cleaning things up.


    A couple of guards then passed by the stairs leading to the second floor. They looked over at her and bowed, before continuing on their patrol. At that moment, Ash heard something from the north.


    It sounded like small explosions.


    ... What?


    A little bit concerned, she jogged in the direction of the sounds as a couple more of those explosions rang out. She walked past the halls where she and her group were staying, past a few others she hadn''t been to yet, and then came out through another door that led out to that garden area she usually trained at.


    And, here, she stopped. What she saw made her lips part and she blinked a few times, wondering what this all was.


    Ahead, she saw almost all of the servants and guards who had been missing from inside the Manor, out here and her own group standing behind them, by the door she''d just walked out of. A few mages were standing at the corners of the area, shooting up Fire spells into the air that exploded, casting strange lights above them, before falling harmlessly afterward.


    Keiko, conveniently, was right next to her and Ash went up to her.


    Keiko''s eyes bulged out of their sockets as they landed on the reaver''s claw in Ash''s hands.


    "Is that...?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied, making an effort to push all of her earlier thoughts out of her head. Keiko needed this and that was all that mattered. "This is the reaver''s claw."


    "... I see..."


    The smile that appeared on Keiko''s face when she heard that, so naturally, made Ash''s heart both melt and hurt a little.


    "One down," Ash muttered. "So, what''s all this?" She asked, gesturing at the people ahead.


    "Oh," Keiko turned toward them, and as she did, Ash saw Zafir standing ahead. "It''s a ceremony of some kind."


    "A ceremony? For what?"


    "... To mark the passing of the Arcane," Keiko replied.


    ... Wait, wait, the guy died?  Ash asked herself as she saw Zafir walking forward.


    Everyone was positioned in a kind of circle, surrounding a coffin that was laid out in the middle of the garden. Here, there was a body, covered head to toe in a black sheet. Standing a little bit behind Zafir, was that one strange girl that Ash had encountered before, crying. Standing behind her, were the other Senate members, looking on solemnly.


    Ash looked to her right, and, beside Keiko, she saw Satsuhiro with his eyes narrowed and inquisitive, aimed directly at Zafir. She didn''t need to ask him what he felt about this. Considering his expression, he was just as weirded out as she was.


    Ash herself noticed something off.


    When I first arrived here, I heard about some people called "Arcane Knights". The Arcane''s personal guard. I haven''t seen anyone who fits that sorta description here, though.


    Still, as strange as everything felt, no one of them walked up and interrupted. Instead, Zafir held his hands together as he approached the crowd, with a sorrowful expression.


    "Friends," he stated, "we are gathered here to commemorate the memory of a great leader. The Arcane, Oryn Sylphia. The most powerful mage in the world, leader of Amber for almost two decades, and a doting father. When I first joined the Senate, two years ago, I spoke to him briefly, and within minutes, I could see why he was such an important figure for Amber, as it was."


    He paused, letting his words sink in.


    "However, now, we must carry his teachings, and his values with us, as we look toward what Amber will be. The world is changing, everyone," his volume grew, "the demon army grows stronger, even now. And, although, thanks to the efforts of some..." He gestured at Ash, drawing eyes toward her, "our burdens have been lessened, we still need to adapt. Amber needs to come together, now, more than ever. Both the surface and the deeper city must unite as the Arcane would have wanted. Only then, will we be able to take the next steps."


    With that said, Zafir turned toward the other members of the Senate, nodded to them, and walked back over to them, standing next to that strange girl. The Senators extended their hands toward the Arcane''s body, and flame shot out from their palms, engulfing the corpse of Oryn Sylphia.


    As she saw this, she noticed someone else standing off to the side. She hadn''t seen him because he was wearing a completely black outfit and blended into the darkness, somewhat. Alys, the sorcerer, watched on from a distance, looking conflicted for some reason.


    Whatever was happening here though, was of no concern to Ash. As long as she grew in strength, the people of this city could do whatever they wanted. So, all she did then was turn around and walk back in, so she could hopefully wash the sand and dirt off of herself.


    Sometime later, she was sitting at the edge of her bed, with Kaori, of course, sleeping behind her. Ash was shirtless, wearing soft black pants, holding her head in her hands.


    Okay...  She thought.  So, I got the reaver''s claw, though, it literally took my entire day. So, tomorrow, maybe...


    However, her planning was interrupted by more visions of that family, laughing as she watched. She sighed, laying down and putting her hands behind her head, as she stared up at the ceiling.


    Images of every other half-demon she''d encountered in Amber then followed, and Ash felt some anger bubbling up inside of her, though she had little idea why.

 Chapter 235 - Vol. 4 - 34

    Kasumi


    ... I''m going to regret this, aren''t I?


    Kasumi was packing up her clothes. Outside, a drizzle of rain fell on her windows, casting a chill over the air as she continued to do this absent-mindedly. She didn''t want to think about this too hard, otherwise, she''d quickly change her mind. She was running on only a minuscule amount of willpower as it was. Every bone in her body was begging her to remain at her home, but, she wanted to at least let Ash know what she''d heard.


    She still wasn''t convinced that Pearl could be recovered, that the city could be rebuilt after what the demons had done to it, but she wanted to, at least, pass the idea by the half-demon. If she declined, then Kasumi would return to her home and do exactly what she''d been doing all this time. Her bed would always be there for her, after all.


    She finished up and walked out of her home with a nervous shaking in her legs. Right now, there were barely any planned trips to Amber, given the state of the roads and the ferocious demon army''s constant attacks, but she''d managed to secure one such trip recently and was heading to the southern part of Jade now, to make the journey.


    How long it would take to get there depended on the weather and the pace the people planning the trip were intending on traveling at, but she believed they''d arrive within a few days, if not a little more.


    All she carried with her were a few different outfits, enough food to have two solid meals a day, and, just in case Amber''s guards gave her any trouble, she was reluctantly carrying her Savior''s Weapon with her, though she planned on never using it in battle. She still hadn''t changed her mind on that.


    Ahead, she saw the passengers she''d be sharing this trip with. Some elderly men and women, a few kids, one young man with clear silver eyes, which Kasumi took to mean that he was a Zayama, and...


    Wait...


    There was one short, dark-skinned girl with big, optimistic, eyes standing just a bit to the left who was carrying a massive hammer on her back, that looked funny on her. She was humming a song to herself as she sat on a bench, seemingly waiting for everyone else to get on board the caravan first before she''d do the same. Kasumi approached her.


    "... Mizaki?" She asked.


    "KASUMI!" The younger woman saw Kasumi, stood up, and tackled her with a hug.


    This was the younger Savior that Kasumi had helped train, back when she lived in Pearl. She was also, of course, one of the other Saviors who were present when Magnolia died, during their venture inside Pearl''s portal. Kasumi had many bitter memories that surrounded this girl.


    Still, she was shocked to see her, and her confusion overpowered whatever negativity she felt.


    "I haven''t seen you in, wow, forever!"


    "... Yes," Kasumi nodded as the girl smiled up at her. "What are you doing here?"


    "Huh? Oh, I''m heading back home!"


    Right.  Kasumi had forgotten that, unlike her, Mizaki wasn''t from Pearl. She''d traveled there from Amber shortly after becoming a Savior.


    "I see."


    "And you? Are you heading to Amber too?" Mizaki asked.


    "... Yes," Kasumi nodded. "I... I needed to go speak with someone there."


    "Ohhhh. Well, cool! We can be travel buddies!" Mizaki giggled and Kasumi sighed, sitting down on the bench she''d just been on. Mizaki sat down next to her, a radiant grin aimed at Kasumi. "Wow, this takes me back! I mean, we never did much traveling but when we used to train together, it was so fun!"


    "Really?" Kasumi asked, keeping her eyes away from Mizaki''s brilliant smile and instead focusing on the apathetic citizens filing into the caravan.


    "I remember everyone at the barracks would always laugh when they saw us together," Mizaki continued. "You used to be so... Well," she laughed awkwardly. "Things... Things have changed, I guess."


    Hearing that, Kasumi turned her eyes over to the girl.


    "Did the Royal Council tell you to go to Amber?" Kasumi asked, curious.


    "What? No, no..." At that, Mizaki looked away. Kasumi was stunned to see genuine sadness come over her. "Uh, I don''t think they''ll be talking to me much anymore."


    "What? Why?"


    "... I quit," Mizaki said, looking back at Kasumi and chuckling.


    "..." Kasumi was baffled. That was something she hadn''t expected to hear. Indeed, she should have, considering how none of the Saviors from before had shown up to Sapphire or, to her knowledge, to Onyx after that, but still. Hearing it said like this was shocking.


    "Yeah... Me and Akiven both, actually. I don''t know what happened to the others, Akiven''s the only one I''ve spoken with lately, but, yeah, I''m guessing they all did the same. When everything went down at Pearl, and then at Sapphire, yeah, a lot of us realized we were a bit in over our heads."


    "But..." Kasumi muttered. It was hard to process this. Not the part about them quitting, she and Satsuhiro had both tried to do the same, after all. No, what confused her was that the Royal Council hadn''t pushed them to keep going at all, apparently.


    "I tried though," Mizaki continued. "But... Yeah, I''m just not strong enough for this. So, I''m heading back to Amber!" She brightened up again. "I can''t wait to see my family again, it''s been years. And, I''m glad you''ll be coming along too. I always liked you, you know?" Mizaki told her. "I know what happened with your daughter was... rough, but I''ve always looked up to you. Even now!"


    It was too much. Kasumi just nodded as she looked up and saw the last of the civilians getting on board.


    "... Come on, let''s get in."


    "Right," Mizaki answered and, with that, the two of them boarded the caravan.


    ---


    Sinneah


    "Father, can I ask you something?"


    The dragon turned its eyes onto her. Sinneah looked down at the city below the cliffs. "Onyx", Gurron had called it.


    "Yes?"


    "... What was my mother like?"


    "She was an excellent warrior."


    "... Yes, but, what was  she  like?" Sinneah asked. She''d heard this response before, many times, in fact, from her father. She''d grown tired of it.


    "Hm... This type of discussion is, even after all these years, still difficult for me," Gurron replied. "Our kind were not designed to think in... such abstract terms. All I can say is that she was... a bright spot in the world. That is the best way for me to explain it."


    Sinneah''s eyes opened. The room was a bit dark, but she could still see thanks to her draconic eyesight and the fact that the door to her room was open, for some reason, despite the fact that Yumi had said many times that she wanted to remain closed.


    She could see the strange objects scattered around, including the one where she''d placed her father''s eyes, to store them so she wouldn''t have to carry them around all day. She could see the clothes that Metsumi had given to her so that she wouldn''t be running around naked all day. And, besides her, she could see Yumi, curled up.


    The black-haired woman was facing away from Sinneah, her body fully uncovered and with one hand tucked between her legs as Sinneah turned toward her.


    "Ah~" Yumi let out a soft sound.


    What is she doing? Sinneah wondered as she heard a little schlick. Sinneah sniffed the air as she heard Yumi taking deep breaths.


    Hm... What a strange scent.


    She only just now noticed this, but her own tail was wrapped around one of Yumi''s legs. Oh? Did I do that in my sleep?


    She saw Yumi''s body tremble, her arm shaking as she gasped, and then, Yumi let out a relieved breath. Afterward, she covered herself up with the sheet that was laying by the bottom of the bed, and finally, Sinneah spoke up.


    "Yumi?"


    She saw the woman freeze, not even turning to face her.


    "Y-Yes?"


    "..." Sinneah sat up, took back her tail, and got out of the bed. "That was quite interesting. Do humans normally do that? I would appreciate it if you taught it to me. I still have a lot to learn."


    Yumi did not respond. So, Sinneah got up, shrugged, and walked out of her room.


    Outside, there was a servant passing through the hall who yelped when Sinneah walked out. She hurried away and Sinneah just watched her go.


    ... Confusing.  She thought as she looked around. One of the doors leading into the other rooms was open, just like hers had been, but the rest were closed. Nodding to herself, Sinneah walked out of the Manor and went into the "garden". This was the only place she was familiar with in this city, so she wanted to wait here until Ash came out to train with her again.


    However, as she walked out into the open, colorful, and bright area, she saw one more thing that was all too strange to her. Ash and Keiko were already sitting at one of the stone benches, but they were performing that weird technique that they''d done earlier. Leaning toward each other, their lips intertwined, as Sinneah just stood there.


    ... I can''t tell who''s winning.  She thought as she walked closer. When she got close enough, she put her hands on her hips.


    "How goes the fight?"


    "AH!" Keiko pulled away, as though she''d been burned. Beside her, Ash, who was almost covered in a purple aura, just looked down and breathed in slowly.


    Oh.. Maybe she lost.

 Chapter 236 - Vol. 4 - 35

    Note: Not the lewdest chapter we''ve had but, I feel this is still spicy enough to have a warning up here.


    ---


    Ash


    Moments Earlier


    "... Fuck."


    The morning air felt chilly on Ash''s bare shoulders. Sitting outside, in the garden, with the sun rising in the distance, she''d walked out here as soon as she woke up, wearing only a sleeveless shirt and some random shorts.


    Right now, she was holding her head in her hands as she wondered what the hell she was going to do.


    "What the hell am I going to do?"


    She had a few different ideas but different thoughts kept interfering and preventing her from settling on anything. She had other churches marked out on her map, so that was one option. She could ask around and see where she could find stronger enemies to kill for some EXP. She could take the day off and rest up, learning those spells she''d received.


    In between considering each of these options, her mind would conjure up images that weren''t useful at all in this matter. That family, Keiko''s bright smile as she heard that Ash was going to handle the acquisition of the ingredients for her, the picture of Zafir walking up as he declared that the leader of this entire city had suddenly died.


    "..." Ash sighed. "This is all just too fucking much for me."


    As she felt a headache building up, she heard a door open and she looked up. Keiko was there, walking up to her with a concerned look on her face and her hands held tightly.


    Ash looked away. That expression almost hurt to see.


    "Ash?" Keiko asked as she sat down next to her. The half-demon took a deep breath, lowering her head. "Are you okay?"


    "... Define ''okay''," Ash replied. "My head feels like it''s in fifty different places at once right now."


    "O-Oh..." Keiko replied. "Why?"


    "I just... I don''t know what I''m supposed to do. Between Kaori''s situation, all of the fuckin'' weirdness going on here, and..." She briefly glanced over at Keiko before looking away again. "Yeah. I don''t know."


    "... Well," Keiko leaned closer, her voice taking a softer tone. "Uh, you know, Ash... It''s okay if you need to take a day off."


    "Nah," as confused as she was, that much Ash knew she didn''t want to do. She couldn''t afford to waste more time than she had already. She wanted Kaori back as soon as possible, after all. "I just... I need a second. Yeah," she straightened up, "I just need a moment. Give me an hour or two and I''ll be back out there again."


    The concern on Keiko''s face grew a little, and she reached over and took Ash''s left hand, grasping it. Even with the callouses on Keiko''s palms built up from years of handling dangerous weaponry, it felt soft and warm.


    "Sure... But keep that in mind, please," Keiko chuckled. "We talked about this before, remember? When everything happened at Sapphire? Everyone burns out every now and then... It''s okay to rest."


    As Ash internalized that statement, Keiko got closer. She gave Ash a kiss on the cheek and pulled her face toward her gently.


    "I think it''s sweet that you''re trying so hard, but... Yeah. You should let yourself calm down a little too."


    "..." Nodding, Ash wasn''t sure if she believed that, but at the same time, she didn''t want Keiko to be so worried about her.


    One thing was made clear to her though. Through the anxiety and confusion, one statement came out from Ash''s lips naturally.


    "I really don''t deserve you," Ash muttered.


    "What?" Keiko asked. "Where did that come from?"


    "I dunno," Ash shrugged. "It just... sort of came to me, I guess. You''re something else."


    "Yes," Keiko shook her head with a laugh, "the Savior who''s single-handedly done more for the world in the span of multiple months than entire armies have done in decades doesn''t deserve me? A failure of a Zayama? You can be rather funny sometimes."


    "Okay don''t you start that bullshit with me," Ash said with a growing smile. "If you want to trade compliments for a few hours I''m down."


    Keiko shrugged with a grin.


    Her hand caressed Ash''s own as she said:


    "If I had to tell you every nice thing I think of you, a few hours wouldn''t suffice."


    Ash laughed, but Keiko kept going.


    "I''m serious. I... Considering what''s happening with me, a part of me had worried you wouldn''t care, or that you''d throw me aside."


    "What?" Ash asked. "Keiko, I wouldn''t do that."


    "I know, but... I was still worried. You didn''t though. You''ve shown me an entirely new side of yourself that I hadn''t seen before. One that I feel I can rely on and that means the world to me. You mean the world to me."


    Ash looked away, pausing. For a moment, she just took that in.


    "That''s just unfair," Ash replied as she could feel her face warming up a little. "You can''t do shit like that and expect me to talk you up the same way. I''m not that good with words."


    "You don''t have to be," Keiko leaned a little closer, planting another, longer kiss on Ash''s cheek. "You''ve always been better with actions than with words."


    Everything she was hearing was making her heart race.


    "You know..." Keiko muttered as she kept her lips hovering next to Ash''s left ear. She all but wrapped herself around Ash''s arm and her warmth almost burned the half-demon. "I''ve been doing some thinking and... I wanted to pay you back for all of this kindness you''ve shown me. But... I only know a few ways I could do that."


    It was honestly getting a little harder to breathe as Ash felt her chest get tighter.


    "Are you sure?" Ash asked, without turning toward her. If she did, she wouldn''t be able to stop herself. "Just saying, are you in the mood or are you just-"


    Keiko then grabbed her hand and held it up. She kissed her knuckles and Ash raised her brows as then, Keiko stuck her tongue out and dragged it over Ash''s index finger. She licked around it once, then twice, before finally sucking on it briefly before letting it go again.


    "Does that answer your question?"


    Next thing Ash knew, they were locked in a passionate kiss. Ash brought her right hand up to Keiko''s cheeks, holding her as their lips danced together. Their tongues came out and touched as well, pushing against each other as Ash placed her left hand on Keiko''s thigh, squeezing down on it.


    They were like that for a while before the garden door opened.


    Keiko flinched, and both of them stopped, glancing over to see who had come out.


    Yumi was there, blinking. Her hair was ruffled, which Ash took as a sign that she''d just woken up.


    "O-" Ash was gonna say something, but Keiko turned her face back toward her and resumed their kiss as though no one was there. The fire that was in Ash''s chest right now as a result of all of this burned even more strongly, and she was amazed by how quickly she stopped caring.


    The door closed, and, well, they kept going. For just a little bit, Ash felt like she could allow herself this. Like she could, as Keiko had put it, rest up and let this woman calm her nerves.


    However, with how the pace of their kiss intensified, if this kept going for any longer, she was going to do a lot more than calm herself. She pushed against Keiko, pressing their chests together as Ash snaked a hand around her waist, and she felt her body''s temperature rising even further.


    But then, again, they were interrupted.


    "How goes the fight?"


    And this time, Keiko outright yelped.


    "AH!" Keiko pulled away from Ash, and the half-demon resisted the urge to pull her back in the same way she''d done, as she looked to the right and saw Sinneah. The dragon-woman was standing there with her hands on her hips and an emotionless expression on her face.


    Ash looked down at herself and saw her body covered in a violet aura. Knowing what that meant, she took a deep breath, trying to slow her rapid heart rate.


    ... Yeah,  she closed her eyes and continued breathing. I really was about to fuck her brains out.


    ---


    After that, a few hours later, Ash was training with Sinneah. Continuing to work on Tomoe''s Divine Arts, her improved  Quick Learner  trait allowed her to increase her proficiency all the way to 3, in just a couple of days since she''d started training. She expected her improvements to slow down, but moments like these let her know how significant the buffed trait was.


    The progress brought forth some increased comfort with the fighting style, and now, Ash felt like she was getting better at fighting without a weapon. She still preferred having a sword or her gauntlets in her hands, but it felt good to know that if for whatever reason, these weapons were knocked away, she''d have options.


    Her group was watching from the side, mostly speaking amongst each other although Keiko and Yumi were both silent. Keiko was blushing the entire time, probably due to post-horniness clarity, while Yumi was being fairly quiet as well.


    Ash traded a few punches with Sinneah, trying to learn the movements of this martial arts tree before Sinneah stopped for a second.


    "You are improving quickly," Sinneah noted, as stoic as ever.


    "You could tell?"


    She nodded.


    Ash did the same and turned toward the others.


    "You know, you could teach them a bit of this too."


    "Is that so?" Sinneah asked, looking over at Yumi and Keiko. "Excuse me, does either of you want to learn with us?"


    Both Yumi and Keiko waved their hands back and forth.


    "N-No, I really shouldn''t," Keiko said.


    "I couldn''t, I''m..." Yumi forced a cough. "I''m feeling sick today. Really."


    "... It doesn''t seem like they want to," Sinneah told Ash and the half-demon raised a brow.


    "Okay, whatever."

 Chapter 237 - Vol. 4 - 36

    That moment between Keiko and Ash helped the half-demon, but those troubling thoughts were still there. Although the Zayama convinced her to rest for the day, her mind would drift, wanting to push her to leave and go crack a few monster''s skulls. Still, as she''d agreed, she settled on a type of compromise and instead, focused her energy on learning the spells she''d been given.


    First up, for obvious reasons, was  Burst Heal. Taking her affinity and her Demon Form into account, considering how effective her base healing spell already was, she wondered how much better she could be if she adapted this into her toolkit. She could take far more damage, and be fresh again before things took any desperate turns. The prospect of that was very enticing.


    That was why Ash found herself laying in her bed, by Kaori''s sleeping body, as she let her eyes roam a page full of words that she could barely understand, while the bar over her head let her know the process was working.


    On occasion, the progress she was making would halt, however, as her eyes would move to Kaori''s dormant portrait.


    One would think that Ash would have gotten used to this, but seeing Kaori in this state continued to feel so strange. Despite the turn that Kaori''s mood had taken after the events of Sapphire, Ash''s mental image of her was still that of a girl so bubbly that she''d never spend too much time staying still of her own volition.


    The bar over her head was about halfway done when Ash closed the book and turned towards Kaori. A bit of the blonde''s hair had fallen over her face, between the two horns that had appeared as an indication of her near-transformation. Ash pulled the strands back and gave her a regretful look.


    ... We really didn''t handle anything too well, didn''t we?


    As this came to her mind, the door to the room opened and Ash turned around. Keiko walked in and sat down near her, as Ash pulled her legs away to make space.


    Just like her, Ash noticed Keiko''s eyes passing over Kaori briefly, before she spoke.


    "How, ehm, how goes the learning?" Keiko asked.


    "Hmph," Ash huffed, "staring at a piece of paper for a few hours is just as boring as you think it would be... Glad you''re here now, though."


    Keiko giggled a little and shifted her position on the bed closer to where Ash was. She leaned down then, placing her head on Ash''s chest in a way that made the Savior feel much warmer all of a sudden, while she looked up at her.


    "... So, I guess reading''s done for now," Ash muttered as she put the book away. As sweet as she looked at the moment, Ash couldn''t resist teasing her a little though.


    "By the way," she started, "are you into being watched? Or was what happened out there with Yumi just a one-time thing?"


    As soon as Keiko heard that, her face went red.


    "... That..." She looked away. "That was an impulsive action that I shall not repeat in the future, and I apologize."


    "I wasn''t being serious, Keiko," Ash replied as a grin appeared on her face. "Besides, I liked seeing you like that. It kinda brought me back, actually."


    "Hm?" Keiko tilted her head. "What do you mean?"


    "Well, remember when we first started doing this?" Ash asked. "After I''d come clean about my whole  Lust  situation?"


    "O-Oh... Please, do not remind me," Keiko sighed. "I was... Quite pushy, for a while."


    "Well, I didn''t really mind it too much back then and I don''t mind it much now. I like seeing you get all, what''s the word, assistive?"


    "Assertive."


    "Yeah, that."


    When Keiko heard that, she turned her eyes back up to Ash. Again, she moved up, and this time, she gave the half-demon a soft peck on her lips.


    "After..." Keiko said, her lips hovering over Ash''s own, "after ''this'' is done, do you think we could get back to training together?"


    Hearing about that made Ash freeze for a couple of seconds, but as Keiko waited for an answer, she nodded.


    "Y-Yeah. Of course. You don''t even need to ask."


    "Well, I was asking in case you got used to Yumi''s style of training... Which, actually, leads me to something I wanted to tell you."


    "Hm?" Ash tilted her head a little as she placed her hands on Keiko''s back.


    "... I spoke with Yumi, about... what you''d said earlier."


    Oh.


    Ash had just about forgotten that, but now that she heard it, it was like another problem had been tossed into her open skull.


    "No, uh, you can just ignore..."


    Keiko cut her off.


    "I told her that I am okay with it," Keiko informed her, and Ash stopped.


    That hadn''t been what she expected to hear at all.


    "What?"


    "Like I said," she nodded, looking deep into Ash''s eyes. There was a certain vulnerability in them right now, that did not go unnoticed. At the same time, there was a resolve in her voice that clashed with it, and Keiko continued. "After thinking about it... I decided that, um, whatever the two of you do in bed wouldn''t take away from the relationship we''ve built. So, if you wish to spend a night with her, I am alright with it."


    Too many things went through Ash at once when she heard that.


    One part of her, the one that had been wanted to screw Yumi again ever since what happened at the portal, was absolutely buzzing. Another felt like she was doing an injustice to Keiko, and another felt guilty for a different reason. She felt greedy like she was taking too much and giving nothing in return.


    "I''m not..." Ash started, but, Keiko stopped her with a simple shaking of her head. Then, she smiled brightly at her and added:


    "Ash," Keiko said, her voice low and sweet, "I appreciate this restraint you are showing. Admittedly, I was worried you would begin cheering as soon as I told you this, but... I have decided already. Will I be jealous? Of course," Keiko breathed in. "But..."


    She stopped.


    "I l-..." She cut herself off. "I treasure you greatly. If these desires are just a natural part of you, then I will not stand in the way of them."


    To say that Ash was stunned to hear this would be an understatement. She''d fully expected this matter to go completely ignored, and she was ready to have to punch herself in the gut any time she caught herself being lustful towards the older Zayama. She wondered if she''d gone to sleep in the middle of her reading and was now purely imagining this.


    "Keiko..."


    Her face must have been funny or something because Keiko giggled before placing a small kiss on the tip of her nose.


    "Don''t act that surprised! Were you thinking I was going to berate you?"


    "... I kind of feel like I deserve it," Ash replied.


    "I happen to disagree, then."


    She placed another kiss on Ash''s lips. The two spent a few seconds there, embracing each other before Keiko got up and walked over to the door.


    "I''ll let you keep studying then," Keiko chuckled. "Maybe later, we can do something together."


    "I''ll be honest, I''m totally down to call off studying entirely," Ash told her.


    "Hence why I have to leave," Keiko winked at her. "I''d like to think that I know you, at this point, Savior~"


    And, on that note, she walked out and closed the door behind her. Ash stared up at the ceiling for a while. She reached up and touched her own lips, wishing she could continue feeling Keiko''s on hers.


    So... Now that she was alone, she internalized what she''d told her.  It''s funny. She just told me she''s okay with me fucking Yumi, but right now, she''s all I can think about, she thought as she  shook her head with a little smirk.


    Her eyes naturally fell on Kaori, to her left.


    "... We fell for someone kind of amazing, didn''t we?" She asked Kaori, imagining that she was agreeing with her.


    ---


    Satsuhiro


    "I like this for them," Metsumi told the Savior, as the two of them sat outside, watching Yumi teach the girls some fighting techniques.


    "Okay," Yumi said, in front of them. "You are going to want to put your back into it. A blade must flow like a steady stream, smoothly and confidently."


    Luvine, who was holding a small sword nervously while Opah cheered her on in the back, then ran up and tried to thrust her sword forward. Yumi easily dodged the attack.


    "Again, put more force behind it!" Yumi directed as Luvine swung her blade clumsily.


    Metsumi watched them with a smile, clapping anytime Luvine did something half-well, while Satsuhiro''s mind was somewhere else. His wife noticed that and asked:


    "What is it, dear?"


    "... The Arcane," Satsuhiro muttered. "Nothing about this seems right.. Hopefully, the Royal Council will respond soon."

 Chapter 238 - Vol. 4 - 37

    "Sinneah, can I talk to you?"


    "Hm? Sure."


    It was the morning after Ash had taken the day off, and in that time she managed to learn the  Burst Heal spell and was beginning to learn Energy Siphon. However, now that she''d allowed herself some rest, it was time to get back to work.


    And, what Ash had in mind was another of the ingredients needed for Keiko''s potion. The dragon eyes. She and the others were in a high-class restaurant, as Metsumi wanted to eat some breakfast in the city and everyone went along with that idea. After they''d ordered for themselves, Ash asked Sinneah to come with her, away from the rest of them.


    Now, as some local nobles snuck glances at them on occasion, Ash talked to the draconic woman.


    "Okay, listen," Ash clapped her hands, as she began to explain, "do you know where I can find more dragons?"


    She''d received the tip before that they could be found at the peaks of mountains, but if Sinneah had any useful guidance to offer, then Ash wanted to be aware of it.


    "... No," Sinneah shook her head. "My father explained to me many times that dragons tend to live in isolation. Throughout my life, I have only come across a few of them. Why do you ask?"


    "Ah, gotcha," Ash sighed. "Nothing, I just needed something."


    "What do you need?"


    Ash looked back at her.  Hm. If I tell her I need a dragon''s eyes, would that make her uncomfortable or something? It would pretty much be the same as saying, "well, I want to kill one". Then again, if they lived in isolation, they probably don''t care much about each other... Right? Eh, it probably would be best to just leave out the whole part about killing them.


    On that note, Ash decided to just tell her.


    "I need to find one."


    "I am sorry," Sinneah replied. "I do not know how to help with that."


    "Nah, it''s alright," Ash replied.  Just means I need to go look around on my own.


    With that short talk done, the two of them returned to the table where the others were, and Ash sat down next to Keiko as she took a bite out of her breakfast.


    "Ash, these eggs taste fantastic!" Keiko told her. "Try some!"


    "Sure," Ash replied, piecing together her plan as she got started with her own plate, which she''d left sitting there as she spoke to Sinneah.


    As they ate, surrounded by clean and golden decorations that looked nothing like the usual dirt-covered messes that could be found all over this city, Ash overheard a few ongoing conversations at the other tables. She tuned out the voices of her own group to focus just a little on those nearby civilians.


    "Did you hear?" One middle-aged woman asked another. "About the Arcane."


    "Everyone has," her friend replied. "In the middle of the strangest and most dire times in the world, the Arcane passes away. What a tragedy."


    "It feels so sudden," the first girl stated. "Why it''s been at least a few years since the Arcane has left his home, and now, suddenly, he dies and all the city hears about it comes from random criers on the street? Ugh, the lunacy of it all!"


    "I''d say they have just a few days to tell the city where we''re going now before things fall into absolute chaos. Part of me wants to leave while we still have the chance."


    Hm.  Ash thought as she stopped eavesdropping.  So, everyone''s pretty much catching onto how weird this is.


    Admittedly though, Ash''s interest in the matter didn''t run any deeper than just an acknowledgment of how strange the event was. As long as no one tried to create problems for her and the others, whatever happened in Amber happened. It was of no concern to her.


    She and the others finished up after that, walking out of the restaurant and beginning to head back for the Manor. The streets were buzzing, with so many people out and walking that Ash almost felt like she was in a different place. Still, most of them kept their heads low, only raising their eyes on occasion to look up at Ash''s group.


    But, as soon as Ash would return a glare onto them, they''d cease, and she''d calm down.


    ... Maybe I''m going crazy, but I feel like more people are looking at us now than before.


    She thought about this as she felt their gazes sliding on and off their group, the entire way back to the Manor.


    Once they arrived, Ash quickly got to work piecing together what she''d be doing next. She went back to her room, spread her map out on her drawer, and put her brain to work.


    Okay,  she thought, while Keiko and the others talked to each other outside,  let''s see. First, the smartest thing would probably be to go back to Gurron''s body and take one of his eyes out. Definitely won''t tell Sin about that, but, yeah, if I can do that, it would save me a lot of time. The only issue would be that, well, the chances that a monster has already found his body and already ate him could be pretty big. Aside from that, I don''t know if that alchemist needs a fresh dragon eye or if one that''s damn near rotten can work. I guess I''ll have to ask.


    So, she organized these things in her mind, and eventually, she came up with the following plan:


    First, she''d go back to the alchemist''s shop and see if an eye from a currently decaying corpse could work. Then, she''d take a trip west, where one of those old churches was marked, and after that, she''d go back to the mountain northwest, where she''d met Sinneah, and where Gurron hopefully still was.


    Her hope was that she could get through all of this in just one day, which she''d save for tomorrow. The rest of this day, though, would be spent trying to learn that  Energy Siphon  spell, and continuing to clear her head, as best she could.


    "Okay," she said aloud. "Seems good enough. All I''ve got to do now is do it, I guess."


    With that plan made, she put her map down and went outside her room. As soon as she walked out the door though, she nearly ran someone over.


    "Oof," she stopped herself, grabbing onto the woman''s wrists to prevent her from falling back. "Sorry, I-"


    "..." As she and the woman looked at each other, Ash paused.


    Yumi''s silver eyes were looking back at her, as the two stood so close that Ash could nearly see herself in Yumi''s pupils. Neither of them said anything. Instead, Yumi''s eyes went down, to Ash''s hands, which were still gripping her arms, and Ash''s eyes did the same. Realizing this, she let go.


    "... Sorry," Ash replied.


    "You have nothing to apologize for," Yumi muttered. "It was clearly an accident."


    One thing Ash learned about her attraction to Yumi, and maybe this could be said for anyone she felt attracted to, due to her natural lust, was that her desire for the woman lurked just underneath the surface of Ash''s thoughts.


    Simply put, she could ignore it most of the time. Sometimes, she''d even forget she was genuinely attracted to her altogether. But, then, something like this would happen, where all Ash could do was focus on the woman''s fair portrait, confident eyes, and elegant frame, and that desire would instantly come out to remind her that it was still there, lurking in the back of her mind.


    "... Yeah, sorry," Ash said, turning away but then Yumi caught her arm, wrapping her hand around Ash''s biceps.


    "Did Keiko speak with you?" Yumi asked.


    And, of course, the half-demon quickly knew what she meant.


    "... Yes," Ash said firmly. "She did."


    Yumi nodded. Almost reluctantly, she let go of Ash''s arm and took a shuddering breath.


    "I-I see."


    Whatever they were going to do about this though, Ash was definitely not ready yet. So, she walked away from the Zayama then, heading out to tell the rest of the group what she''d be doing tomorrow.


    ---


    Kasumi


    "Okay, everyone," one officer at the front of the caravan said to the people in the first cart, before indicating to other officers that they were going to need to spread the message. "We''re hopping off for a bit, letting the horses rest and all. Stretch your legs, everyone. Grab a bite of whatever food you brought, and enjoy the sights!"


    The trip was around one-third of the way done, as the combined lack of harsh weather and the calmness of the roads had allowed for moderately quick travel. It was speculated that, if things stayed the same, they''d arrive in around two or three days. Of course, the food the passengers had brought wouldn''t last till then, but that was why a few hunters quickly got off the carts and went out, looking to gather some meat to bring back for everyone.


    Kasumi had spent the majority of this trip in her own little world, with the only interruptions in that coming in the form of Mizaki, usually saying something to shake her out of her daydreaming.


    Like right now, for example.


    "You can already see how different everything is!" She told Kasumi, who then opened her eyes and glanced over at Mizaki.


    "What?"


    "Look!" She pointed out the cart. "Enough sand to make you think you were on a beach down south. Giant, sprawling trees and barren wastelands everywhere else. Even if you don''t like it, you have to admit it''s unique!"


    Kasumi blinked as she analyzed the landscape. It certainly was a lot drier, but it also had a certain aesthetic to it that was hard to pin down. Still, it reminded her of the tourists who would often come to Pearl, wearing clothes that often featured these very colors, as if they were wearing their land on their bodies.


    As she watched it, a statement came to her mind, so naturally that she didn''t pause before letting it slip out from her lips.


    "Nozomi might have liked this."


    Mizaki visibly winced when she heard this, but Kasumi''s face remained the same.


    Hm?  She surprised herself. The statement didn''t bring the usual tears that would come with the mere mention of her daughter. It was just a simple acknowledgment.


    "Is that so?" Mizaki asked as she laughed awkwardly.


    As she remained quiet, Kasumi took that as a sign that she could go back to her daydreaming, and so, she closed her eyes and let her mind drift away.

 Chapter 239 - Vol. 4 - 38

    Ash


    "You''re going, then?" Keiko asked as Ash finished putting on her armor. She was the black dress over her armored arms and legs, as she''d been doing for some time now. She thought she looked ridiculous, but she did want to find out what this dress''s enchantment actually did.


    Hm... Though, if Vermia just left it sitting in her house instead of taking it with her, maybe it''s not that useful. Ignoring that, however, she took stock of everything she''d bring.  Got my map, got my Lust, and got some water,  she thought, throwing a bag containing a few bottles over her shoulder.


    "Yeah," Ash answered. "I''ll try to be back before the nighttime, but... I dunno, shit happens."


    Keiko walked up to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.


    "Good luck out there," Keiko flashed a brilliant smile at her and Ash felt her heart warming up.


    "... Thanks," she muttered and the two parted ways as Ash left the Manor.


    The half-demon walked out onto Amber''s dirt streets, trying to focus on the multiple tasks ahead of her. First, she had to go ask the alchemist if a dragon eye that had partially decayed would work for the potion, then she''d go to the church west of the city, and after that, she''d head back to the mountain where Gurron died. All in all, she guessed it would take only a few hours, so long as she didn''t run into too much trouble.


    She spoke to the alchemist a few minutes later and the woman told her that as long as the dragon eye was still whole, it would work. If it had any bits pecked out of it by birds though in the time that the dragon had died, then it wouldn''t.


    Ash thought it was pretty unlikely that the dragon''s body would be left completely unharmed, but she needed to check Gurron''s body as it was the only option that didn''t involve heading to random mountains and hoping for dragons to arrive.


    So, with the eyes of the guards on her as they always were, she walked out of Amber and began heading for the church.


    Now, let''s see...  She thought, pulling out her map.  I just need to...


    Almost as soon as she started though, something happened that surprised her.


    One drop, two, then three and suddenly, it was full-on raining.


    Hm?  Ash thought as she looked up and raindrops fell on her face.  Hasn''t rained since I got here and now, when I''m going to be walking through dirt for several hours, it does?  She thought, shaking her head.


    A little bit of water wasn''t about to deter her though, and after folding her map up and throwing it in her bag, Ash started walking as the dirt under her boots slowly turned into mud. Above, some thunder cracked in the grey sky, but Ash kept her eyes forward, determined.


    For now, those doubts and feelings that had invaded her mind when she came across Bin, at the bottom layer of Amber, and the half-demon woman with her family over by the church weren''t here. She wanted to act on this motivation for as long as she could before those feelings inevitably returned.


    An hour passed before Ash arrived at her second of the three destinations she had in mind for today. Completely soaked, with her hair stuck to her face and her boots squishing into the ground uncomfortably, Ash approached the church.


    Well... At least I haven''t run into any monsters yet, she thought.


    It was as empty and as ruined as the other church was, with holes in the ceiling where the rain was currently pouring in from. The dirt on the ground, mixed with the water, formed a smell so foul that it made Ash want to activate this place and leave as soon as she could. So, she walked up to the altar, placed her hands on it, and closed her eyes.


    Okay, Lumina, do your thing, she thought and then, her hands glowed. After a while, they stopped, and she assumed her job was done here.


    At that point, Ash turned around and was about to walk out of the church, but what she saw made her freeze.


    ... What?  Ash thought, as her eyes widened. Ash''s heart rate sped up and she wondered if she''d finally gone crazy.


    But, the image was there, and it wasn''t fading away.


    A blonde woman with short hair, bright, kind eyes, and a thin, well-kept body was walking towards her. Kaori, naked and very much awake, was slowly approaching Ash.


    The half-demon subconsciously took a step back, but the image persisted and continued to approach her, with a wide grin on her face.


    "K-Kaori?" Ash''s throat felt so tight that she just barely managed to squeeze the word out. "Wh... What is...? You''re..." Her eyes roamed up and down Kaori''s body a couple more times, and Ash felt such a pure and honest elation forming in her heart that she teared up.


    Kaori was getting closer now, however, and that was when Ash noticed something particularly strange. Her arm, the one she''d lost during the battle for Pearl, was there. As she picked up on that, she noticed another strange fact, and that was the one that made her feel that something was up.


    Although it was still pouring outside, the woman did not have any water on her skin.


    "... Kaori?" Ash asked again, a tear rolling down her cheek as she narrowed her eyes at the woman. "Say something!"


    Kaori''s face remained unchanged. That wide grin was still aimed at Ash and only became a little wider as Kaori raised a hand and reached out for Ash.


    The half-demon, however, moved away from her.


    ... Something''s wrong.  Ash thought.


    "Gauntlets," she muttered, transforming her  Lust.


    Something is absolutely wrong.  She thought, feeling shivers run up her spine as Kaori finally reached her personal space.


    Then, from one second to another, Kaori''s image disappeared.


    What replaced it was that of a woman-like monster with dozens of long fangs, who then tried to bite down on Ash''s neck.


    Dodging out of the way, Ash kicked it back and now, the creature''s real image fully appeared. It had smooth black hair and sickly grey skin. Its top half was that of a regular woman, save for the monstrous teeth in its mouth, but its bottom half was that of a giant centipede.


    Level 64


    MP: 300/500


    "Keh... keh... keh... keh..." A high-pitched voice came out of the monster, laughing.


    And, at that moment, the shock that Ash had experienced when she saw Kaori''s image could only be matched by the raw anger that erupted from her when she realized she''d been tricked.


    Ash gritted her teeth.


    No strategy came to her mind. No well-thought-out plan of attack. All she knew was that she was going to try as hard as she could to slaughter this thing.


    The creature then opened its mouth and a ball of flame formed, shooting out at Ash. She side-stepped it and ran forward, holding her gauntlet forward. The monster backed away then, exiting the church and moving under the rain before it turned back toward Ash, raising its head a second time.


    Ash let go of her bag, throwing it on a ruined bench to her right, and then, she charged toward it. Midway through, however, the creature screamed. When it did, Ash''s body completely froze.


    What?  She remained there, in that position with one gauntlet outstretched and one foot far in front of the other as the creature then formed another ball of flames in front of its mouth.


    It shot out at her, and just before it could strike Ash, the half-demon regained control of her body and she ducked, the sphere soaring over her head.


    What the hell did it do? That ability made Ash pause. As angry as she was, she hadn''t run into something like that before, and if that creature landed the ability at a bad time, it could mean her death.


    If she didn''t kill the creature first, that was. Realizing that, Ash switched weapons.


    "Sword," she thought, transforming her gauntlets so that she could free up her right hand, and then, she raised it up.


    Quickly, now that she''d gotten used to this, her  Divine Spear  formed in her palm and she threw it out, aimed at the creature''s human torso.


    However, using its centipede half to bend out of the way, the creature dodged, and the beam of light struck the dirt behind it, exploding and sending mud into the air.


    ... It''s quick.  Ash thought as she put her sword in front of her.  What should I...?


    Then, the monster opened its mouth again.


    Wait, Barrier!


    It was an ability that she''d learned a very long time ago and hadn''t had a real reason to use since then, but here, it was what her instincts thought of.


    "Protect me from the evils of this world!" She said, just barely managing to get the last syllable out before the monster screeched.


    A white shield formed in front of her, from the same hand she''d used to launch her spear, and she saw some green spell ripple in front of her.


    Okay, now!


    Ash charged forward again. This time, she managed to reach it and, as the creature saw her, it reacted by slashing at Ash''s abdomen. The half-demon made no effort to prevent that from happening, and as the monster slashed both her body and her dress, Ash stabbed through its chest.


    The monster shrieked, falling back as its blood and Ash''s own mixed in the air, while the half-demon put her weight behind her sword and pushed the monster back. She pinned it to the ground and the monster''s cry intensified as Ash''s earlier anger surged back into her.


    Because of that, she let go of her sword, raised her right foot, and proceeded to stomp down on its head. Once, twice, as its face broke under her heel, Kaori''s image flashed in front of her eyes and it served to encourage Ash further.


    Eventually, a message popped up.


    EXP Gained: 200


    EXP: 485/720


    By the time she was done kicking it, all that was left were several red pieces of what had once been a head, sinking into the mud.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash tried to calm herself down and pulled her sword out of its body, as her own violet blood poured down her body from the gash the monster had made. She looked down at herself, seeing that her dress had been torn, and cast the basic healing spell on herself.


    ".... I need to get my fucking map," Ash finally muttered as she turned away from the monster''s broken body.

 Chapter 240 - Vol. 4 - 39

    Okay, let''s see if there''s anything left of him, Ash thought, as she reached the mountain where Gurron had died.


    It was still raining, and the tear in her dress made walking around feel slightly uncomfortable as the cold air snuck into her clothing through the cut, but Ash was nearly done, and, really, it wasn''t soon enough.


    Pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, Ash looked ahead at the mountain.


    Come on... Please, just be totally not eaten.


    Of course, she was also keeping an eye out for those strange, creatures with the blue orbs in their heads. She hadn''t seen much of anything, actually, since she arrived, which meant that the biggest obstacle on her way up to the clearing she was looking for was the mud her feet continued to drag through.


    Once she reached the top, she looked ahead and let out a disappointed sigh.


    "Of course," Ash mumbled as she saw that Gurron''s body had been pecked to the bones. She walked up, knowing that she may as well be turning around and leaving by now, but she still wanted to see just to make sure they were gone. Indeed, as she walked up and unfortunately inhaled the terrible-smelling corpse in front of her, she saw that all that was left of Gurron''s head was his skull.


    Fuck me.  Ash thought.


    "So," she muttered, "I guess I have to go hunting for dragons now."


    ---


    Luvine


    The rain had cleared up a bit ago, and the group wanted to take advantage of that, not knowing if the rain would come back soon.


    "Mom, mom!" Opah called out to Metsumi.


    "Yes, sweetie?" Metsumi replied, patting her head.


    "Look!" She said before she tried to show off some punches that she''d seen Sinneah do, all while Luvine watched from the side.


    "Oh, wow, nice! You''re gonna be quite the warrior," Metsumi grinned at her daughter.


    "Last thing I want is for that to happen," Satsuhiro said to Metsumi''s left, though his comment went ignored.


    Luvine looked at them. She saw Metsumi cheering for her daughter, and she saw Satsuhiro wrapping an arm around Metsumi''s back.


    As that scene played out in front of her, she felt something stirring in her heart, and she had a random thought.


    Why am I sad?


    Without an answer to that question, she took a bite out of the small sandwich she''d been given. Currently, she was sitting on one of the stone benches, as Yumi and Sinneah fought in front of her.


    Luvine barely tasted the sandwich in her mouth. She''d learned not to focus on anything''s flavor too much, and to just appreciate whatever she''d been given. Food was often scarce that way.


    Still, even though her stomach was filling up, and this place wasn''t as uncomfortable as Onyx was, Luvine felt depressed, for some reason.


    "You''re going to have to be faster than that!" Yumi said with a grin, in front of her, and Luvine looked up. She and Sinneah were fighting. The sounds from their battle, the grunts, the sliding of their feet along the stone floor, and Yumi''s golden sword occasionally slamming against the ground, all reminded Luvine too much of the fighting at Onyx.


    As she sulked, Opah jogged up to where she was and sat down next to her.


    "La la la la la," Opah sang as she swung her feet back and forth. "Ohh, can I? Can I!?" Opah asked as she looked down at Luvine''s sandwich.


    "Hm? Y-Yeah," Luvine replied and Opah didn''t hesitate to take a bite. In the middle of chewing, she smiled widely at Luvine, showing off the food in her teeth.


    Luvine chuckled a little when she saw that and continued to watch the women in front of her.


    "Good, good," Yumi said as Sinneah threw a kick at her and she leaned to her left, moving out of the way. "But, try not to be so reactive. As we fight, you''ll get used to me and my tactics. Let that happen, alright?"


    "I see," Sinneah nodded and the two continued as Keiko walked out from a door up ahead.


    She was carrying a few bottles of water in her arms, as she walked out toward where Luvine was.


    "Whoa," she said as Yumi and Sinneah briefly stopped fighting. "Let me pass, you workhorses," she chuckled, holding out two bottles for them.


    "Thank you, Keiko," Yumi told her while Sinneah just gave her a firm "hm".


    Once she''d handed those out, Keiko sat down by Luvine''s right, and now, she was sandwiched between her and Opah.


    "Do you want any?" Keiko asked, holding out a bottle.


    "N-No..." Luvine shook her head.


    "Are you sure? It''s good to wash your meal down," Keiko told her with a kind smile.


    "... Uh..." Luvine looked away, furrowing her brows. "Okay."


    "There you go!" Keiko said happily as she passed her a bottle.


    Luvine took it as Keiko offered Opah the last one she had in her hands, and the half-demon took a sip from it as she continued watching Yumi and Sinneah train.


    Above, the sun was beginning to fall out of sight. The night would soon settle in, highlighted by the twin moons, which were already visible.


    Luvine had a lot right now, that she had normally found herself wanting at Onyx. She had food, water, shelter, clothes. But, for some reason, she still felt down.


    That emotion, however, was suddenly interrupted when the door ahead opened again, and this time, it was another half-demon that walked out.


    "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Ash muttered as she marched towards them.


    "Mooom, language!" Opah told Metsumi, pointing at the approaching half-demon.


    "Exactly! Don''t talk like her," Metsumi said and Opah gave her a solemn nod.


    "How did it go?" Keiko asked beside Luvine, and she seemed curious.


    "Well," Ash said, as she kicked her boots off, "I just learned that mud is the absolute worst thing in the world. Aside from that, I''m cold, and, right, I couldn''t find any dragons."


    Keiko was visibly saddened to hear that.


    "Sorry," Ash told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I''ll try again tomorrow."


    "No, no, don''t worry," Keiko said, smiling. "We have plenty of time."


    Then, for the first time since she''d arrived, Ash''s gaze fell on Luvine.


    And, as soon as her violet eyes connected with Luvine''s own, she felt a little better.


    "Luvine?" Ash said, putting her hands on her hips. "Are you okay?"


    "Hm? Y-Yeah," Luvine nodded.


    "You sure? You seem weird," Ash crouched in front of her. She poked the sandwich she had in her hands. "Hm, your food''s gone cold."


    "Oh," Luvine said.


    "Yeah, oh," Ash echoed. "Come on, let''s get you something fresh," Ash told her, gesturing for Luvine to follow.


    "Okay," Luvine quickly agreed. She hopped off the bench and looked up at Ash. The woman stood so much taller than her, that she had to turn her head all the way up to meet her eyes.


    "We''ll be back in a bit," Ash told the others. "There''s gotta be a chef around here somewhere."


    "Okay," Keiko replied.


    "Be careful," Satsuhiro called out.


    "Yeah, yeah. I know."


    With that, the two of them left the area. They walked around the Manor, catching the eyes of everyone who looked at them. They found one cook who Ash all but ordered to make them some scrambled eggs, and after that, the two of them were about to walk back, when Ash stopped.


    "Hm..." Ash hummed.


    "Huh?" Luvine looked up at her, holding her plate of scrambled eggs. Ash looked back down at her, before nodding to herself.


    "Come over here," Ash suddenly said, and they strayed away from the path back to the others.


    Instead, they walked out the Manor''s front door, where the garden created a path leading to those two big knights who always stood outside, guarding the place. From here, they could see a bit of Amber, in front of them.


    Suddenly, Ash just sat down on the ground, sprawling her bare feet in front of her as she took a bite from her eggs.


    "Hm?" Luvine looked at her, confused.


    "Well?" Ash said. "What are you waiting for? Sit down."


    "O-Oh." As the door closed behind them Luvine sat down next to Ash, and the two started eating their eggs.


    It was a while before either of them said anything, but Luvine felt... alright. The sadness from earlier was fading, and now, all she could focus on were the eggs on her plate.


    "Sorry," Ash said, and she looked over at her. "But, sometimes... I don''t know, I used to like looking for places where I could just be alone for a bit. You looked like you could use the same, back there."


    "..." Luvine looked down at her eggs, silently.


    "Have you been liking Amber?" Ash asked.


    "I... I don''t know."


    "Yeah, I feel ya," Ash nodded. "You know... I..." Ash sighed then, as she continued. "A part of me almost misses Jade. Oh, right, sorry," she chuckled. "We''ve been together for a while now, so I forgot you don''t know. I wasn''t from Onyx, Lu. You know the last place we went to? The one with all those spotless white buildings? Yeah, I was from that place. I hated it. Still hate it, actually, but... After seeing all the other cities, I can definitely say it had its perks. At least there was way less mud, that''s a plus."


    Luvine barely understood a word she said.


    However, one thought popped up as Ash spoke.


    I like hearing her talk,  Luvine thought as she continued to listen.


    When they were done, they left their plates laying on the ground and walked back inside.


    And, the sense of melancholy Luvine had been carrying had just about evaporated by now.

 Chapter 241 - Vol. 4 - 40

    The Passing Festival, Part 1: Keiko


    Watching Sinneah and Yumi, unfortunately, did make Keiko jealous.


    Sure, Yumi had gone out of her way to help her move around, without getting too sick from exertion, but, the way they were fighting right now, pushing each other, reminded Keiko of what she''d lost thanks to this. She didn''t miss the irony that when she''d first started this whole thing, she''d looked at training Ash as a duty or a chore. Now, however, all she wanted to do was pick up a sword and start swinging.


    All she could do was hope that Ash would make more progress with the ingredients soon, and sit back and try not to hate herself too much as she watched the girls train.


    As they did though, something distracted her. Her ears perked up and Keiko looked to her left, furrowing her brows as she heard something.


    Something that sounded like music.


    "Huh?" Keiko muttered.


    The others hadn''t noticed, which let Keiko know that her senses were still refined from so many years spent without eyesight. However, as the volume went up, and the sounds of trumpets and drums filled the air, they noticed.


    "Do you hear that?" Keiko asked.


    "Yeah, what is it?" Metsumi turned toward Satsuhiro, just as curious.


    "I... don''t really know," Satsuhiro, for once, was at a loss. Everyone looked in the direction of the music, as Yumi and Sinneah also stopped.


    "Hm... Sounds like it''s coming from the city. Come on, let''s go check it out!" Metsumi suggested with a wide smile on her face. Keiko, however, hesitated.


    Before she could say anything, however, Metsumi was already on her way to it, with Opah riding on her shoulders. Satsuhiro sighed and stood up, pushing himself onto his cane as Yumi and Sinneah walked over to them.


    "Here, thank you," Yumi said, passing Keiko her father''s sword back as she wiped away some sweat.


    "Don''t mention it..." Keiko mumbled as she took her sword.


    "Well," Satsuhiro said, "let''s make sure they don''t get into any trouble, at least."


    "We should probably go get Ash, right?" Keiko asked. "In case anything happens?"


    "Sure," Satsuhiro nodded. "Go ahead."


    "Alright," Keiko replied and she turned away, walking into the Manor. She could immediately tell that the servants inside were buzzing over the very thing that Keiko''s group was confused about. Still, none of them gave any specific details as to what was going on, so Keiko just kept going, looking around to see if she could find the half-demon.


    It didn''t take her too long, as she eventually found Ash showing Luvine some of those spellbooks she''d brought from the library.


    "So, this one heals," Ash was explaining, "which would probably be nice for you to learn someday when you start getting more stats... Keiko?" Ash looked up.


    "Ash," the Zayama approached her, "there''s, ehm, something happening."


    "Is anything wrong?" Ash asked, standing up.


    "No, no, but, still... Just in case. Could you come with me, or are you too busy?"


    "Nah, come on, Lu," Ash told the little girl. "I''ll keep showing you later."


    The other half-demon gave a silent nod as she waddled up to Ash''s side. She didn''t talk much, so it was hard for Keiko to get a read on her, but she also never really caused any trouble.


    Having heard what Keiko said though, Ash and Luvine followed her out of the Manor, where, as soon as they walked out the front door, they were met with what almost felt like an entirely different city.


    Instruments as large as the biggest weapons Keiko had seen, confetti flying through the air, colorful banners hanging from the roofs of buildings. Most surprising of all, people, festive and joyous, were marching down the street.


    At the gates of the Manor were some of the senators, including Zafir, and next to them were Satsuhiro, Yumi, and Sinneah.


    Ahead, Keiko could just barely see Metsumi dancing with Opah.


    "What... The... Fuck?" Ash asked as she took everything in.


    Keiko looked down and found that even Luvine was surprised.


    They walked forward and found Satsuhiro talking to the newest of the senators. Zafir had his hands behind his back as he watched the festivities unfold. It sounded like he''d just started explaining what was happening.


    "Luckily," Zafir told Satsuhiro as Ash, Luvine, and Keiko approached. "The Passing Festival hasn''t been needed in some time, but, unfortunately, as the Arcane has tragically passed away, now, it is time to mark the end of one leader and the beginning of another."


    "So," Satsuhiro started, "will the Arcane''s daughter be taking up her father''s position."


    "Yes, when she is of age, she will take up her family''s birthright. Until then, however, the Senate will act as stewards. Please," he gestured at the people ahead, "enjoy the activities. Amber can be... a rough city, at times, but the Passing Festival is a time of friendship and camaraderie. Make the best of it, everyone."


    Having said that, Zafir walked away before anyone could ask him any further questions. Seeing him leave, the other senators did the same, and Keiko and her group were left there, alone.


    "Well, this place keeps getting weirder and weirder," Ash said, with her hands on her hips.


    "... Focus on ourselves," Satsuhiro said. "All we can do is inform the Royal Council that things are suspicious, and leave peacefully once we''re done in this region."


    "Yeah, I know."


    Keiko watched the people ahead for a while. She hadn''t gotten to experience much like this in her life, which had, of course, been spent mostly with wooden weapons in her hands, training at her old Zayama home. She didn''t know what she was supposed to do, where she was supposed to go, and it looked like most of her group were in the same position.


    However, before long, Metsumi walked over to her and grabbed her by the hands.


    "Uoeh, huh?" Keiko was startled as she pulled her towards one of the musicians.


    "Dance with me!" Metsumi told her with a smile.


    "W-What!? B-But, I don''t," Keiko started to respond, but Metsumi just shrugged.


    "You don''t have to know anything complicated, just move your body back and forth! Come on," the larger woman told her as she began stepping from side to side.


    Keiko looked back at her group, almost as if asking for help, and only found them watching with mild amusement.


    Okay... Just... Just imitate her,  Keiko told herself, you''ve done things like this before, in training. That''s it! This is just a bit of training, in... a very embarrassing way.


    However, as she stood in front of Metsumi, she started to move like her, slowly. To her right, Opah was doing movements that Keiko was fairly certain counted more as flailing than dancing, but she looked like she was having fun.


    "I-I might get sick," Keiko told Metsumi.


    At that, without stopping her side-to-side steps, Metsumi put her hands gently on Keiko''s shoulders.


    "No worries, we''ll take things slow. Just try to get the blood flowing!"


    Hearing that, Keiko took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. The loud music, crowds, and general chaos around her made that difficult, but she tried to steady herself and she nodded.


    "Uh, okay," she muttered as Metsumi took her hands off her and resumed her moves.


    She wasn''t doing anything too special, just walking side to side, clapping, and then repeating that, but even then, Keiko felt nervous. Still, she said she would try, and so, she would.


    She walked from one side to another, feeling incredibly stiff and awkward, but Metsumi''s smile encouraged her to keep going.


    "Good, good," Metsumi said. "Keep it up!"


    "Okay," Keiko continued. She snuck a glance back, to see if the others were watching, and she found that the only one whose eyes were still on her was Ash. The others were scanning the area for more things to look at, but Ash was watching her with a little smile. Keiko felt herself blushing a bit as she continued mimicking Metsumi.


    "Okay, now, do this," Metsumi said before she did a simple spin and clapped again. "There, can you?"


    ... If I end up vomiting here, I will not come out of my room for a week,  she promised to herself but, taking a deep breath, she did as Metsumi suggested.


    She gave a little spin and, as Metsumi watched, she cheered for her.


    "Good job!"


    In all honesty, she almost felt like a child right now. However, in matters like these, it was easy to forget that she hadn''t had a normal childhood like other members of Jade. Zayamas, especially those who were late to awaken their Spirit Eyes like she was, spent most of their time indoors, and hard at work.


    That feeling, however, began to bloom into something that made the corners of Keiko''s lips pull up a little. She found herself smiling as she kept going, and her movements, though they were still slow and measured so as to not get sick, were becoming a little more confident.


    "There you go, see? Nothing to it," Metsumi told her.


    And, as she heard that, she tried her hardest to let herself feel like a regular person.


    If only for a little bit.

 Chapter 242 - Vol. 4 - 41

    The Passing Festival, Part 2: Sinneah


    This is all very loud,  Sinneah thought, scowling as the noises surrounding her just wouldn''t cease.


    Strangely enough, it looked like she was the only one being annoyed by all of this. The humans all around her looked happy, and Sinneah wondered if this was just something she couldn''t understand due to her half-dragon nature.


    Well, she thought she was the only one. There was one other person who didn''t have a smile on her face, and it was Yumi, who was standing to Sinneah''s right. The draconic woman spoke up, making Yumi flinch as she was startled by Sinneah''s voice.


    "Do you not enjoy this?" Sinneah asked.


    "Hm? No, no, it''s just... Different from what I read about."


    "What do you mean?" Sinneah asked.


    "In the stories, parties like these were often done after something great. Something good, like the death of a great demon. But, these people seem to be celebrating someone''s death with loud music and wild dances. I do not understand it," Yumi stated as she looked around with an analytical expression.


    There was a lot Yumi had just said that Sinneah had no knowledge of. The ideas of "celebration", "music", and "dancing", were all foreign to her. The first of those words, however, sounded pretty to her ears, and she asked about it.


    "What is a ''story''?"


    When she heard that, Yumi turned toward her.


    "Hm... Well, it''s something like an invention, but, of the mind," Yumi explained as she looked away from her. "You sort of... make something up that didn''t actually happen."


    "Can you show me?" Sinneah asked and, at that, Yumi smiled.


    "Certainly. Let''s say... Once upon a time, I was walking down this street, and I ran into a half-dragon woman, just like you, and we fought, and I lost."


    "Really!?" Sinneah asked, shocked to hear that.


    "No," Yumi laughed. "Sinneah, like I said, it didn''t actually happen. That''s what a story is. Well, a fictional one, anyway."


    "... Oh," Sinneah replied, and something about how she said that must have been funny because Yumi laughed even harder.


    However, the woman then gestured at the large building behind them.


    "Would you like me to show you a few? I have a couple of books if you''d like to learn more."


    Before answering, Sinneah gave one last look at the humans around her, all laughing and jumping around joyously.


    ... There is nothing for me here.


    "Sure," she said, turning toward Yumi.


    "Very well, then."


    As she said that, the two of them walked back into the Manor, side-by-side. As per usual, some of the workers Sinneah passed by looked up at her with surprise and fear, but she had gotten accustomed to it. Yumi led her down a hall to the right where she entered their shared room, and here, she walked up to one of the drawers.


    Specifically, she walked up to the one that Sinneah had stored her father''s eyes in.


    Sinneah''s eyes widened and she ran forwards, grabbing Yumi by the wrist and stopping her.


    At that, shocked, Yumi looked up at her.


    For some reason, the expression she wore made Sinneah let go instantly.


    "Sinneah?" Yumi asked. "What was that about?"


    "... I..." She remembered her father''s words but she wanted to disregard them. She didn''t feel like this woman would take them, though she didn''t really know her too well yet, either. With conflicting feelings, she simply stood aside and clenched her hands into fists.


    Wordlessly, she let Yumi continue.


    I... I will see her reaction first. Then, I will react accordingly.  She told herself.


    Still looking at her, but with an arched brow, Yumi pulled the drawers open and looked into them.


    "Well, let me see, I have... Huh?" When Yumi''s gaze fell on Gurron''s eyes, Sinneah tensed up. "What are these things? They look like rocks. I didn''t bring them with me."


    "... They are mine," Sinneah replied.


    "Oh?" Yumi looked over at her. "And, what are they?"


    "..." Sinneah didn''t want to say. Her father had told her to be careful with them, after all. Maybe because Yumi didn''t know what they were, she wouldn''t steal them.


    "... Uh, I suppose it is irrelevant," Yumi shrugged, putting them back in and then taking out two books. "Here, sit with me. I''ll show you."


    "Yes," Sinneah replied and the two went to the bed, where they sat by the edge, next to each other.


    Honestly, Sinneah didn''t like spending too much time in this place. Mainly, because Yumi''s scent always filled it, and it had a way of clouding her mind. Whenever it reached her nose, she couldn''t really think straight.


    She was feeling that way right now, actually, being this close to Yumi.


    "So," Yumi crossed one leg over the other, "this one is about- oh, lean in a little, so you can see the pretty pictures," Yumi told her and Sinneah nodded, doing so.


    It didn''t make her situation any better.


    "Like I was saying, this one is about a knight, or, a fighter, who was enlisted to save this girl in a demon-infested castle. And..."


    As she spoke though, Sinneah found her eyes looking away from the book. Instead, they fell on the woman''s crossed legs, under the book. She didn''t know why they trapped her eyes so effortlessly, but the woman''s thick legs, made visible by the tightness of the pants she had on, felt good to look at.


    Her eyes ran up Yumi''s body to her narrow, elegant face. As Yumi said things that Sinneah didn''t hear, due to how distracted she currently was, Sinneah watched her silver eyes moving back and forth as they scanned the pages in front of her. She had a little smile, as well, as though she really enjoyed talking about this.


    Mmm... Sinneah thought.  Is there a word to describe this? My father didn''t teach me any that fit...


    "... and, when he got there, he was told that actually, the princess was in a different castle entirely, and- Sinneah?"


    Yumi turned toward her, her brows raised.


    "Hm?"


    "What are you doing?" Yumi asked, blushing.


    "What do you...?" However, as Sinneah spoke, she caught something out of the corner of her eyes. Her own left hand had come up and was currently massaging her chest. Her nipples felt far more sensitive than usual but in a good way.


    Hm? When did I start doing that?


    Yumi''s face increasingly grew redder. They remained in awkward silence for a moment, before Yumi cleared her throat and looked away.


    "Please, focus," she said, before sneaking a glance toward Sinneah''s chest that the half-dragon caught. "I''m explaining something."


    "Sorry," Sinneah replied. "Can you start over?"


    "Yes, it''s okay, just pay attention. Now, from the top, there was once this fighter who..."


    As Sinneah actually started to listen to what was being said, she found herself interested. Granted, every couple of sentences Yumi would have to pause and explain different concepts so that Sinneah could keep up. But, anytime she was understanding what was being said, she found herself enthralled.


    "What''s this?" She asked, tapping one drawing.


    "Oh, that''s the princess!" Yumi began to explain. "She is the daughter of the royal family and a very important figure. This is who the knight is trying to rescue, understand?"


    "Ohh, I see," Sinneah nodded.


    "Yes! It''s funny though," Yumi chuckled, "I had expected the lord of Onyx to be just as beautiful as the women in these stories, but, she ended up being rather plain-looking."


    One of those words made Sinneah pause. She narrowed her brows.


    "What does that mean?"


    "Which word?" Yumi asked, turning toward her.


    "Beautiful," Sinneah replied.


    "Oh, well, it''s like... Something that is very appealing, aesthetically. How do I say this...? Um, like something you enjoy looking at!" Yumi told her.


    And, as soon as she heard that, it was like things clicked in her mind, finally.


    "Ah, like you, then?" Sinneah asked. A natural smile came to her as she finally had a word to attach to this sensation she was feeling. She felt like she''d solved some sort of problem.


    "... I''m sorry?" Yumi asked, her face flushed.


    "You said that something ''beautiful'' is something I enjoy looking at. So, something like you?" Sinneah asked again.


    For the second time, a type of silence settled between them.


    "I... Sinneah," Yumi chuckled as she put a hand on her shoulder. "I... You should probably not say such things so casually."


    "Hm?" Sinneah was confused.


    "Your words... They can have an effect on people," Yumi said, taking a deep breath. "They can be taken in ways you did not mean for them to be expressed in. In that sense, words can be dangerous, sometimes. Other times, they can enhance experiences and make things better, as well, but you have to be careful and... Consider the time and place."


    "I do not understand at all," Sinneah shook her head.


    Yumi rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.


    "... Neither do I, mostly," Yumi replied. "Most of the social skills I have I got from books like these. I''ll admit that in real life, it''s all very confusing."


    She paused then, closing the book momentarily. Looking up, at nothing in particular, she said:


    "I would like to see some of these things, someday. The things I read about. I''ve seen a few. Some have been disappointing, others have lived up to my expectations, though. Eh," she waved a hand. "Don''t listen to me, I''m rambling."


    "... I enjoy it," Sinneah shrugged.


    "What?" Yumi looked over at her.


    "Listening to you like this," Sinneah added. "I feel as though I''m learning."


    At that, Yumi looked back down at her book. Then, after a moment, she looked back up at her.


    "Did you mean that?" Yumi asked.


    "Did I mean what?"


    "... The part about how you, eh, enjoy looking at me, I suppose."


    "Yes," Sinneah nodded firmly.


    "... Okay," Yumi looked away.. "I see."

 Chapter 243 - Vol. 4 - 42

    The Passing Festival, Part 3: Satsuhiro


    Seeing everyone like this was surreal.


    Just a few months ago, Satsuhiro had believed that what he''d signed up for, or rather, what Varcon had dropped on his lap, was the task of training Ash up to have some knowledge of magic and sorcery and that after that, she''d be sent off to some other Savior and he wouldn''t have to see her again. That Keiko would simply be a part of that Savior training squad, and that Kaori would be some well-remembered hero for years to come.


    Now, however, due to the various circumstances that had led to them sticking together like this, as Ash cheered Keiko on while the Zayama danced up ahead, Satsuhiro realized that they were all just as much a part of his life at this point as anyone he''d met before.


    Now, whenever he saw Ash, and how confident and powerful the woman had become, and whenever he saw Keiko, and how determined she was to assist those she cared about, he felt proud of them.


    But, when his thoughts circled back to Kaori, who was currently unconscious and missing out on all of this, he felt a slight jab of pain in his heart.


    Even then, his job was over. Ever since that Nightmare had taken his leg from him, all Satsuhiro could realistically do was watch from the sidelines and offer up information whenever he could.


    It was funny, though, how when this all started, Satsuhiro had hated Ash, the Royal Council, and everyone else who''d taken his retirement away. Now, however, he wished he could stand beside them when the next fight against the demons inevitably came.


    "O-Okay, that''s enough for me," Keiko said, and Satsuhiro snapped out of his thoughts.


    "Hm? Alright. Good job, though!" Metsumi told her.


    "Thank you."


    With that, Keiko walked back to where the rest of them were, while Metsumi and Opah continued dancing ahead.


    "Well," Keiko said. "I think I''ve made enough of a fool of myself for today."


    "Eh, at least it was fun to watch, though," Ash shrugged.


    Then, Keiko looked up at Satsuhiro.


    "Did Metsumi ever make you do anything like this?" She asked with a little smile and Satsuhiro turned toward her.


    "Hm..." One memory quickly came to his mind, and Satsuhiro sighed. "Yes."


    "Really? I can''t imagine it," Keiko responded. "What was it like?"


    "... It was at our wedding," Satsuhiro thought. "I think that''s the last time I danced, actually."


    "Oh, how did that happen?" Keiko asked.


    "I''m guessing you haven''t been to a wedding, then?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Nah, Zayama''s tend to have theirs outside the compound. Outside the city, actually, and I''ve spent most of my life back there."


    "I see," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Actually, I''m kinda curious," Ash asked, leaking back against the metal gate of the Manor. "What did you and Metsumi do?"


    "Hm... It was right before we had Opah, actually," Satsuhiro sighed, and he looked up at the sky. "I remember it all too well."


    ---


    Nine Years Ago


    Satsuhiro had known Metsumi for just 1 year, and in that time, she''d changed his life just as much as the crystal that had chosen him to become a Savior had done. The two had met in the middle of his training, fell in love, and when the couple found out that Metsumi was pregnant, Satsuhiro took some time out of his early training then to solidify his relationship with the strong woman, and that had led him to where he was today.


    Drinking in a small bar at Jade, dressed in a black suit, and with a cold anxiety in his stomach. At his waist, his Savior''s Weapon was hanging from his belt, as was evident by the bartender''s eyes wandering to it every few seconds.


    "Another one, sir?" The bartender asked him and Satsuhiro nodded.


    Just one more,  the Savior thought.  Enough to get me through this mess, anyway.


    Social gatherings like these had never been something Satsuhiro enjoyed. He was far more accustomed to sitting around in a dark library and keeping his eyes glued to pages full of dense text. Laughing, singing, and chatting wasn''t something he was good at, and even though he loved Metsumi, that wasn''t going to change.


    So, he downed a second shot and wiped his lips before standing up and stretching.


    "Thank you," he threw a few crowns on the counter and the bartender bowed.


    When the Savior walked out of the bar, he saw the streets of Jade heavily illuminated in the nighttime by bright lanterns and torches, all placed there as a part of his wedding. He hadn''t even asked for this, rather, Varcon had used this moment in his life as a way to raise the morale of the citizens, and wanted to make a huge event out of it.


    Even though he hadn''t planned for this, Metsumi was more than happy with the idea, hence why they didn''t refuse.


    The streets were mostly empty since everyone was gathered at the Public Square, where the wedding was being held. Satsuhiro appreciated this, however, as it allowed him a moment to breathe before he was going to be drowned in the praises and singing of strangers.


    He could only stall for so long, though, and soon, he rounded a corner and was met with a packed crowd and loud music forcing its way into his ears. Scowling a little, he cut through them, looking for the woman that he was set to marry. A few statues of Lumina were placed around the area, looking down at everyone. Satsuhiro continued walking around until, after a moment, he found the woman he was looking for.


    "WOOO!" Metsumi cheered a few maidens on as they chugged down drinks from glass mugs.


    The sight brought an amused smirk to the Savior''s face. People stepped aside as he walked over to where she was and as soon as Metsumi found him, she grinned. Metsumi, who was wearing a brilliant crimson dress, walked up to him and snaked her hands around one of his arms, pulling him away.


    "Hm?" Satsuhiro gave her a confused look. "Where are we going?"


    "Somewhere more private~" Metsumi told him as she dragged him over to an empty alley. Everyone was so distracted with their ongoing festivities, that no one caught them as they escaped the scene.


    They walked a little further until the only thing they could hear was the music in the distance. Once they were here, Metsumi turned toward him and held out a hand.


    "Oh," Satsuhiro realized what was going on and asked, "so, this is why you took me out here?"


    "Yes," Metsumi said with a smile and a nod. "I know how much you hate embarrassing yourself out there. But, I really would like a dance with you tonight. So, if you''d entertain me a little, I''d appreciate it."


    "..." Satsuhiro looked away. The sounds of fast-paced instruments could be heard just a small distance away, lending their moment a bit of background music. Metsumi walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and, honestly, that was all it took. "Sure. But, don''t misunderstand, you''re going to be very disappointed."


    "As long as you don''t run off, trust me, there''s no way that''ll happen."


    ---


    The Present Day


    "Yeah... That was the last time I danced."


    "Whoa," Ash replied to his story. It gave him a strange feeling, thinking about something that had happened so long ago. In a lot of ways, he had changed, and yet, in many others, he was still the same man who moved awkwardly to the rhythm of the distant songs.


    Ahead, Metsumi was still as lively as ever, though the streets had now been filled by small wooden vehicles carrying people wearing strange masks. Satsuhiro guessed they had some symbolic meaning, but he didn''t know it.


    "... Alright," Satsuhiro said. "I''ve just about had enough. I''m heading back inside."


    Without another word, the retired Savior turned and walked back into the Manor. He''d seen enough already, and reminiscing like that had put him in a strange mood. Tapping his cane along the clean floor, Satsuhiro went all the way to the garden behind the Manor, where he sat down at a bench and looked up at the sky.


    What he did next, well, maybe he just wanted to feel a bit of that power he''d worked so hard on growing, before his retirement.


    Satsuhiro closed his eyes and tried to remember the incantation to what had been his favorite, and most powerful, spell during his duties.


    "Dragons of the golden era, roar for the memories of those who''ve challenged you. Soar


    for the spirits of those who''ve worshipped you. And breathe for the sake of


    those who still defy you. Surge!"


    As he finished the incantation, his arms were covered in fire, and he aimed them up. Then, a dragon made of flames materialized and began flying up, surging out of his palms. His hands shook briefly, almost as though his body was surprised that he could still do that, and he watched the flaming dragon dissipate into nothing above him.


    Letting out a long breath, he hunched forward and looked down at his hands, as he heard someone speak to him.


    "Satsu?" Metsumi asked as he looked up. "Are you alright, hun?"


    "Yes, yes," Satsuhiro replied. "Go with the others, I''m fine."


    "I could use a break," she told him, sitting next to him. "Ah, I don''t have quite the same amount of energy in me that I used to, though I''d like to think being in my early 30s doesn''t make me that old."


    "I''d definitely like to think so too, considering I''m in the same spot," Satsuhiro replied.


    "Eh, well, if we''re old, then, at least we''re old together."


    "..." Satsuhiro smiled a little when he heard that.


    "Sometimes, I almost forget you can do that," Metsumi told him with one of her own.


    "What?"


    "Whatever," Metsumi shrugged, as she leaned on him a little.


    Satsuhiro, for some reason, a question came to his mind.


    "... Did I do enough?" He asked quietly.


    "Hm?"


    "When I was a Savior, I mean. I definitely helped a few people, but, I don''t know. Maybe I retired too early.


    "Where''s this coming from?"


    "Just... Thinking a lot, I guess. Sitting around, doing absolutely nothing, especially in these times, has gotten me wearier than when Ash was just starting.


    "I see... Well," Metsumi chuckled. "Considering how I literally can''t go a few steps in any neighborhood we used to live in, back at Jade, without people talking about how awesome you are, I''d say you did you enough."


    Satsuhiro laughed a little when he heard that.


    "People talk about me?"


    "You''re a damn Savior, of course, they talk about you."


    When he heard that, Satsuhiro felt a little better.


    "Hmph. Well, now I''ve only got one job left. And, that''s to help Ash get to that same point."


    "I, for one, think she''s already well on her way," Metsumi replied, and the two of them sat there for a little bit, in a peaceful, comfortable silence.

 Chapter 244 - Vol. 4 - 43

    The Passing Festival, Part 4: Ash


    Okay... This shit is starting to get old, pretty fast.


    The music and the festivities had been going on for a while by now. Certain things had definitely impressed Ash, like the flashy Ice and Fire spells that different mages shot up into the air at various points or the dancers who went down the street, swinging their hips in a way that made Ash wonder if her Lust  would start acting up. However, soon, this had started to feel like a massive waste of time.


    Sinneah and Yumi walked out of the Manor then. The two of them walked up to the group and Ash noticed that Yumi had a hint of a smile on her face. Sinneah, however, looked as steel-eyed as ever.


    "It''s still going?" Yumi asked as she looked out onto the partying streets.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Actually... I''m gonna take a walk, I''ll be right back."


    "Hm? Is something wrong?" Keiko asked and Ash shook her head.


    "Nah, I just... Felt like stretching my legs a little."


    "Oh, okay then," Keiko replied and, with that, Ash stood up.


    "Be right back."


    The half-demon turned around then and walked back into the Manor. She had something in mind, which was to get a few of those spellbooks and bring them outside, so she could at least put some progress into learning her new spells during the festival. Of course, the inside of the Manor was completely empty, which allowed Ash to have a bit of a breather. Considering how much she had on her mind these days, any time she could sit in a bit of silence and get her head straight, she welcomed it.


    "Let''s see," she muttered as she walked into her room. She had one spell in mind, which was  Energy Siphon, the Dark spell she''d gotten recently that she was fairly close to learning. Giving Kaori''s sleeping body a quick glance, Ash adjusted the sheet that was covering her before grabbing the spellbook and walking out.


    And, immediately as she exited the room, she tripped on someone and pushed them down inadvertently.


    "Eh?" Ash looked down. "What the...?"


    And, when she saw the person she''d collided with, her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat.


    It was that girl she''d seen from the first day she and the others arrived, and the same one she''d come across when she was sitting outside. Seeing her at this distance, and focusing on her intently, Ash noticed a few things about her. She had long, rose-colored hair and strange, colorful eyes. She looked like she was a couple of years younger than Ash, and was exceptionally thin. Strangely so, actually, to the point where it looked like she wasn''t eating at all.


    "..." She opened her mouth and made a pained expression, as though she was groaning, but no sound came out.


    Ash watched her with narrowed eyes, as the girl''s eyes blinked open and she looked up, seeing Ash.


    "You''re that weirdo from before," Ash said, and the girl blinked twice.


    The two of them just stared at each other for a while. She opened her mouth again, but, like before, no sound came out. Ash got tired of this fairly quickly and, with the girl''s eyes still on her, she turned away.


    However, as soon as she started walking, she felt a pair of hands wrap around her right elbow. Ash stopped and turned toward the girl with one arched brow, and the girl removed her hands as though she''d been scalded.


    "... Okay, is there something you want to say?" Ash asked. "Who even are you, anyway?"


    When she heard that, the girl visibly gulped. Then, she did something Ash hadn''t expected.


    She made her status appear over her head. All of her attributes, specifically, that was, and when Ash saw it, her jaw hit the ground.


    Level 1


    MP: 100/100


    ---


    STR: 1


    DEX: 1


    CON: 1


    INT: 75


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    Traits:


    Sylphia''s Providence


    (Gain 75 INT from birth, at the cost of the user''s voice)


    Ash blinked a few times and then turned her eyes back down to the girl. She looked up at Ash with a mixture of hope and anxiety in her eyes, and at that moment, a few things became clear.


    Oh, shit.


    Firstly, this was, of course, the Arcane''s daughter. Second, considering how she was looking at Ash, there was clearly something she needed help with. And, third, just seeing this girl was probably going to involve Ash in something she really,  really, didn''t want to be a part of.


    So, again, she turned away from her and tried to exit the Manor. A second time, the girl''s hands went to Ash''s elbow, and the half-demon took a deep breath.


    "Look," Ash said, "I don''t know what you want, but I''m almost one-hundred percent sure it''s gonna give me nothing but headaches. So, yeah, find someone else."


    The girl tried, however, to pull Ash back with all of her strength. Of course, as that Strength was a literal 1, she was completely unable to even make the half-demon budge, but Ash stopped.


    "..." Ash looked over at her and saw nothing short of desperation on her face. The girl let go, then, and got on her knees, pleading at Ash''s feet for help with something. Ash narrowed her eyes at her. She didn''t care about this girl much at all, but the sheer desperation with which she was doing this did make Ash pause.


    It reminded her of herself, early on in her life, before her dignity and sense of shame had slowly whittled away with every day that she spent on Jade''s streets. So, taking a step back, she said:


    "What the hell do you even want?"


    When she heard that, the girl looked up, hopeful. Ash was tempted to leave right then and there, but she couldn''t deny that she was a little curious.


    Then, once more, the girl made her status appear over her own head. However, this time, she pointed up at the words, specifically, the part where it said  Sylphia.


    "Sylphia... Sylphia... Your family name?" Ash asked, and the girl nodded. "So... Your dad?"


    When she heard that, the girl grinned and nodded eagerly.


    ... Oh.


    Ash sighed at that moment. She''d never been good with words, and she''d never been one to sugarcoat things, so, she just told her what she knew.


    "Sorry to tell you this, but your dad''s dead," Ash said, and, when she heard that, the girl''s arms went limp, falling to her sides. The shock on her face was so clear that Ash felt like she had to follow that statement up with something, anything, to make it more tangible for her. "Yeah, there was a funeral and everything, just a day ago. Sorry," Ash added.


    Ash spoke simply, and directly, telling her what she felt she needed to know, and the girl fell to her knees. She stared up at Ash, with her lips quivering, almost as if she was hoping Ash would tell her that she was joking or something. Instead, Ash turned away from her for the last time.


    ... Well, tough shit,  Ash thought.  But, I really don''t need any more trouble than I already have. Good luck to her, I guess.


    As Ash walked out of the Manor, holding her spellbooks in her hands, she could vividly see the girl''s pained eyes looking up at her in her mind. She wondered if she''d ever looked at anyone else that way, and that if she had, how had they reacted? Most likely, it had ended up getting some dirt kicked into her eyes.


    She emerged outside and instantly, the music of the festival re-entered her ears. Ash walked back to where her group was, finding them all relaxing while everything happened ahead. Ash went over to where Keiko was, and naturally, she sat down next to her, on the dirt ground.


    Keiko gave her a smile when she saw her, and Ash returned it easily, as she then opened her spellbook up and a bar appeared over her head.


    And, as she, unfortunately, continued to remember that rose-haired girl''s sad look, the bar disappeared, as Ash lost focus.


    A question then came to her mind, and as Keiko leaned on her shoulder, Ash spoke up.


    "Hey," Ash started, "did Zafir ever say what the Arcane died of? Did I miss that part?"


    "Hm?" Keiko turned her eyes up at her. "Yes, I believe Zafir said the Arcane was deathly sick of something."


    "... Yeah?" Ash asked.


    ... And, what, we were never told about it until after the guy died? They had no healers? When that one healer gifted me the Cure Poison spell, he said something else about a Cure Disease spell too. No healer in the entire city knew that one?


    However, as soon as these questions appeared in her mind, Ash sighed and looked back at her book.


    No, nope. Don''t think about it, don''t ask about it, just... Whatever is going on here has nothing to do with me. All I need to do is focus on my training. Then, maybe, just maybe, I can leave this place before anything goes down.


    .... Hopefully, anyway.

 Chapter 245 - Vol. 4 - 44

    The Next Day


    "Keep track of your own movements," Sinneah said. "You want to keep yourself under control."


    I still haven''t gotten better at that?  Ash wondered.  Or... Am I just too distracted?


    She and Sinneah were continuing to practice Tomoe''s Divine Arts. To Ash''s right, everyone else was sitting at the nearby benches. Yumi was reading from one of her books, Keiko and Luvine were watching the half-demon, Metsumi and Satsuhiro were talking with each other, and Opah was playing with some doll. With the festival out of the way and no other strange interruptions from the Arcane''s Daughter, Ash was allowed to continue her work. With Keiko''s help, she''d made a bit of a schedule for herself.


    She decided she would spend all morning working on this with Sinneah, then she''d leave and head to the south, to turn on the next Site of Power for Lumina. Ash had no clue how much more she needed to do for the deity, but until she was told otherwise, she would just keep activating them, all the while searching for monsters to hunt and get her level higher.


    As for Keiko''s potion, she''d changed her plan a little. Instead of trying to get a dragon''s eyes, now that she knew she couldn''t use Gurron''s, she figured she could get the flower from the Mist Realm first, since those were guaranteed to be there, and she could focus on the dragon eyes last.


    Once she was done with the Sites of Power, Keiko suggested that she go to Tyl''s shop and ask for any advice she could receive before heading to the Mist Realm. After that, it would be up to her luck to let her find some dragons or not.


    As she trained with Sinneah, Ash lunged forward and went for a punch, in the style that the woman had taught her, and Sinneah dodged it easily, spinning into a kick that nearly connected with Ash''s jaw. The half-demon dashed forward, looking to hit Sinneah with a punch to her gut, but in the middle of that, a message appeared over her head, letting her know her proficiency had increased to 4.


    Oh, ni-


    And, Sinneah landed a knee on her chin that had Ash falling on her face.


    "A-Ash?" Keiko asked, as the half-demon quickly raised a hand.


    "I''m fine," she said as Sinneah backed up. "I just... Fuck me."


    "Your proficiency increased?" Sinneah asked, looking up. "Then, you might be ready for the next ability.


    "Oh, shit, really?" Ash asked, standing up with her chin feeling like it was on fire.


    "Yes. As with before, even though I know the ability, I cannot perform it myself, so all I can tell you is what you are supposed to do. Understand?"


    "Mhm."


    "Good. The next ability is a defensive one. Hold your hand up, letting your palm face the direction of incoming magic. Then, you activate the ability, and if you do so just as the magic strikes your hand, the spell you touch will be canceled."


    "Huh? How does that work? That sounds like a worse version of the  Barrier  spell," Ash said. Satsuhiro spoke up then.


    "... No," he shook his head. "If I''m understanding this right, this would eliminate the spell entirely. The  Barrier  spell you know can stop something from hitting you, but, firstly, it has limits, and second, it can''t cancel out magic. It just prevents you, specifically, from being struck."


    "What do you mean it has ''limits''?" Ash asked.


    "If an opponent''s INT is much higher than yours, their spell will break through your  Barrier. If this ability doesn''t work like that, then it''s outright better."


    "However," Sinneah stepped in, "if you mistime it, all that will happen is that the spell will hit you as though you''d done nothing at all."


    "A high-risk, high-reward defensive move, it sounds like," Satsuhiro added when he heard that.


    "Hm... Okay," Ash shrugged. "I''ll give it a shot then."


    On that note, Ash got ready. She took a few steps back from Sinneah and closed her eyes. Searching for her connection to Magia was usually something that felt weird in that it was always there, just hiding under the surface, and all Ash had to do was look for it to feel it. When she found it, she raised her right palm and took in the message that popped up next.


    Tomoe''s Divine Arts


    2. Divine Rejection (Light)


    Mana Cost: 0


    Incantation: None


    (None of Tomoe''s Divine Arts require mana or incantations, but overusing


    them will wear you out, regardless of your Constitution.)


    Okay,  Ash thought. Now, I...


    She exhaled softly then. Lifting her right hand, Ash activated the ability with a thought, as she centered her mind around that connection. She opened her eyes, and for just a second, she saw her hand radiating a white aura.


    But, it was gone as soon as it had appeared.


    "One second, I think," Satsuhiro said. "In that time frame, any magic that hits you will be canceled."


    "How useful do you think that is?"


    "Incredibly," Satsuhiro quickly replied. "As long as you get it right, of course."


    Nodding, Ash noticed how she felt her body turn a little heavier.


    Right, the exhaustion thing, she thought.


    "Okay, I think I''m done for now," Ash announced, turning toward the group. Keiko stood up and walked over to her.


    "Are you going to head out?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied. "I want to see if I can get a little bit done... I won''t head for the Mist Realm today though, just the churches."


    "Of course," Keiko nodded. "I''ll see you off, then."


    "Alright, come on."


    With that said, the two of them walked back into the Manor. They went to their room, where Ash already had her travel bag ready with some packed-up bread and bottles of water. She walked inside, grabbed it, threw it over her shoulder, and turned around.


    Only for Keiko to put her hands on Ash''s chest and push her back.


    "W-"


    Before Ash could ask what was happening, Keiko pressed their lips together and Ash''s question was snuffed out. She took a sharp breath, closing her eyes and putting her hands on Keiko''s arms as the two kissed before Keiko broke the kiss a few seconds later.


    "Where did that come from?" Ash asked with a chuckle. "Are you actually...?"


    She had been about to ask, "are you actually in the mood right now?" But, all it took was one look into Keiko''s eyes and she received the answer to that. Half-lidded and lust-ridden, Keiko leaned forward and rested her head on Ash''s chest.


    "... It''s been a while," Keiko muttered.


    "Really?" Ash asked, looking down at her. Keiko nodded against her body.


    "I-I''ve been holding back, but... You know..." Keiko told her, and, Ash bit her bottom lip before responding.


    "When I get back," Ash said. "I''ll help you out with that. But," Ash said, kissing Keiko''s forehead and forcing herself not to do a hell of a lot more than that, "if we do anything right now... I''m not going to want to leave."


    It honestly surprised her how good she''d gotten at restraining herself. Though, she did wonder if part of that was because her Lust hadn''t gone further than 2 stacks in a very long time. She was certain, however, that she''d gotten at least a little bit used to the lust she always felt.


    "... Right," Keiko replied, stepping away from her. "I understand, I just... Ignore me," she waved a hand. "I lost control for a second."


    "No, no," Ash told her, pulling her in for a quick hug. "I encourage that. It''s hot as fuck. Literally, this exact same shit, but in like 5 hours, would be perfect."


    Keiko smiled.


    "I will keep that in mind, then."


    ---


    Later, Ash was walking into Amber, with her Savior''s Weapon by her side. She''d gotten used to keeping her hand over it, just in case anyone tried to steal it again. She made a beeline for Tyl''s shop, ignoring the lingering gazes of everyone around her, and when she arrived, she opened the door and found the alchemist actually sitting in front for a change. Martin was nowhere to be seen.


    "Hey," Ash called out, and the woman, who had been reading something, looked up.


    "Ah. Savior, what can I do for ya?" She asked.


    "That other kid isn''t around?" Ash asked today, a little curious.


    "Gave him the day off. Things have been hectic lately. Because of what happened to the Arcane, everyone''s been buying antidote potions, potions that cure poisons," she clarified, "because they all feel like they''re going to get assassinated this week or something."


    "... Damn."


    "Riveting response. So, what do you need?"


    "I''m gonna be heading to the Mist Realm, next. I was wondering if you had any tips, or whatever."


    "Next?" She asked.


    "Yeah, I got the sand reaver''s claw already. One down, two to go."


    "Ah... You''re actually going to do it? That''s surprising. Well," she shrugged, "there isn''t too much to say about the Mist Realm. It''s a very unpredictable place by nature. Reality itself bends and shifts in that area. All I can say is, don''t stay in there for too long, otherwise... Well, weird shit might start happenin''." She told Ash and the half-demon nodded.


    "So, what, I go in, look for the flower for a few hours, and if I don''t find it, I walk back out?"


    "Exactly," Tyl nodded. "That would be wise."


    "Okay, thanks," Ash replied, turning away from her.


    "No problem."


    Ash was about to exit the store, when, suddenly, she thought of another question.


    "Hey, so," she turned back toward Tyl, "about those dragon eyes..."


    "Dragon''s eye," Tyl quickly interjected. "Just one is enough."


    "Okay, about the dragon''s eye," Ash corrected herself. Those things are massive, will everything fit in this pot?" She asked, gesturing at the pot Martin was usually working over. At that, Tyl raised a brow.


    "What?"


    "Hm?" Ash was confused at her confusion.


    "What do you mean they''re massive?"


    "Well, yeah, I saw a dragon a little while ago, and just one eye was as big as that whole pot. How are you gonna work with it?"


    "... OH!" Tyl snapped her fingers and then waved her hands. "No, no, no, no, no, no. No. Nono, nonono, nononononono."


    Ash crossed her arms.


    "You looked at the wrong eyes," Tyl suddenly said. Ash blinked.


    "What?"


    "... Ah, fuck. I hadn''t told you this because I assumed you knew already, what with you being a Savior, and all. A dragon has two pairs of eyes."


    "... I''m sorry?" Ash asked, baffled. "I didn''t see..."


    "The two big ones," Tyl interrupted her, "those are the ones you saw. However, just above those, there are two much, much, smaller ones. Small enough to where both can fit in your hands. Those are the ones you''re looking for."


    "Seriously?"


    "Yes, seriously!" Tyl added. "Those are the valuable ones because, upon a dragon''s death, they turn hard as stone, and when melted, they can act as a catalyst for a potion. I didn''t want to get into the details of alchemy, but, here, I''ll explain. See, when it comes to making a potion, there are two kinds of ingredients. Catalysts, and agents. Agents are the ones that create the effect, catalysts are the ones that make the agents activate, and both have a unique relationship with each other. The dragon''s eye, one of those stone-like ones, is the catalyst for the potion you want."


    "... So, I wasted my time, then?"


    "Oh? What, did you have a dragon corpse available?" She asked, and Ash nodded. "And, you didn''t check for those smaller eyes?" Again, Ash nodded. "Yeh, pretty much."


    Hearing that, Ash felt defeated. She tried to think back, however, because when she''d checked Gurron''s corpse, she had gotten close enough to where she believed she would have noticed such an eye, even if it was that small. However, she was fairly certain she hadn''t seen any.


    ... Still, it might be worth it to go back there.. Fuck me.

 Chapter 246 - Vol. 4 - 45

    Keiko


    "Do let me know if you feel sick, at any point," Yumi told her.


    "Yes, yes," Keiko nodded. "I will."


    "Then, let''s start."


    Without Ash around, the day played out in the Manor in a fairly boring way. However, when Keiko decided that if she sat around any longer she was going to go crazy, she approached Yumi and the two decided to resume that makeshift training that the other Zayama had been providing her with. It made for what Keiko could consider the most fun she could have nowadays, when Ash wasn''t nearby, anyway.


    "Good, good," Yumi told her as Keiko swung her sword. "I''m surprised your attacks are still so precise, Keiko, good job."


    At that, Keiko chuckled, a little embarrassed.


    "Thank you."


    The two of them went at it for a while, as Satsuhiro began muttering something to himself nearby.


    "... They should have gotten back to me already," Satsuhiro stated, and Keiko briefly paused. Yumi saw her and got out of her fighting stance as well, as Keiko walked over to Satsuhiro.


    "Is something wrong?" She asked.


    "Maybe," Satsuhiro replied. "The Royal Council still hasn''t responded to my letter."


    "We are pretty far away from Jade," Keiko argued. "Is it not normal to take this long?"


    "Not at all. Remember, mages don''t send letters like regular people do," Satsuhiro smirked a little. "I would say, they should have gotten back to me almost immediately after I sent my letter out."


    "Could they simply be ignoring you?" Yumi asked as she stood by Keiko''s side. "I do not know how these things work."


    "Eh, it''s unlikely," Satsuhiro said. "I don''t like the Council and I''m pretty sure they only view me as a glorified employee, but they''ve never been late to respond to simple questions from me."


    "What should we do, then?" Keiko asked.


    "I guess I''ll send them another one tonight. If they don''t respond to that one either, then, something probably went wrong."


    Hearing that, Yumi gently placed a hand on Keiko''s shoulder and said:


    "Do you want to keep going?"


    "Uh, no, maybe it would be good to take a break."


    "Understood," Yumi nodded.


    "Thank you, though, again, for keeping me moving and all."


    "It is my pleasure."


    ---


    Ash


    Okay, so, this place should be right around... There.


    In the distance, southwest of Amber, Ash saw her next Site of Power that needed activating. Given how many of these there are around here, how much stronger is Lumina getting?  Ash wondered. Seeing her target so close, Ash''s pace picked up a little as she walked toward it.


    Originally, she had considered going to check out Gurron''s body again, but midway through, she decided against it. Mainly, because she was fairly certain she hadn''t seen anything that looked like what Tyl had described.


    So, now her plan was simple. She was going to activate this church, then, as she learned her next spell, she''d prepare for the Mist Realm trip, and, hopefully, the next day, she''d head over there and get that flower. Then, she could start worrying about the dragon''s eye that she needed.


    She walked into the church, which was the same as all the others. Run-down, in ruins, and smelling of stagnation. Ash ignored all of that, however, and walked to the back of the building where she found a white altar, covered in a thin layer of dust.


    [Alright,] she clapped her hands, [let''s get this done, go back, and get onto the next...]


    As she placed her hands on the altar, however, her eyes began to close on their own. And, before she even realized it, she passed out.


    When her eyes opened again, she was in a dark room, that changed into a field of grass so quickly that it was jarring for the half-demon. Ahead of her, she saw a woman with short hair, missing one arm, sitting at a wooden table. Ash approached her, feeling a deep sense of serenity invade her spirit.


    "You''ve been doing well, Champion," Lumina stated. She had an agreeable smile on her face that Ash felt was familiar somehow. "You are making progress far quicker than I had expected. I thank you for your efforts."


    "It''s not you that I''m doing any of this for. No offense," Ash muttered as a chair manifested in front of her, and she sat down.


    "Of course. I am sure Kaori will also be very thankful when we recover her soul."


    Hearing that was an easy reminder of what Ash''s goal actually was. Not that she needed it, but it did fill her heart with some amount of determination to hear that.


    "Yeah, about that, how much longer will it take?"


    "You tell me," Lumina tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Ash a little. "Do you feel prepared to take Niven''s strongest forces, all at once, by yourself?"


    "..."


    "Thought so," Lumina smiled. "Continue your work. Believe me, Champion, we both want Kaori back, but patience prevents mistakes more often than not."


    "... Right. Wait, what do you mean, ''all by yourself''? Aren''t you going to help me?"


    "I cannot interfere directly. When the time comes, I will assist you through minor buffs, and, when we visit the location where these trials will be held, I will be there to offer some guidance," she answered. "More than that, however, I will not be able to do. Niven, however, will also not be able to do any more than that for his own forces. Ultimately, it will be up to you to defeat his demons, and if you do, we win, if you do not, we lose."


    "Okay, what are those trials going to be, then?"


    "As I said before, his forces and mine, which, unfortunately, just means you, will face each other. Whoever wins gets to keep Kaori''s soul. However," Lumina said. "It seems there''s one step you''ve forgotten about."


    When she heard that, Ash was even more confused. She''d repeated the general steps in this process to herself many times, almost every night, as she continued to work toward this. Level up, activate Sites of Power for Lumina and improve her skills. What could I be missing?


    "I will tell you," Lumina said, reading Ash''s thoughts. "You have to close some of Niven''s own Sites of Power, remember?"


    At that, Ash''s eyes widened.


    Shit, right!  She recalled what she''d been told a few times now. Niven''s portals acted as Sites of Power for him. Even if Ash increased Lumina''s own power through these old churches, Niven''s power remained just as high as it had been before, if not higher, if he''s been opening more portals around the world.


    She sighed, hunching over, as she realized she had even more to do than she originally thought.


    "Calm yourself," Lumina said. "I am merely reminding you. There is no need to panic."


    "But... How much longer do we have? Is there a straight-up number you can give me?"


    "After consulting with the Higher Powers, a deadline has been agreed on. This is why I have brought you here, actually," Lumina said, taking a deep breath.


    "Okay, what is it?"


    "One month," Lumina announced. "In one month, from today, you will be taken out of this realm and brought to fight for Kaori''s soul. That is how long you have to prepare before action must be taken."


    Hearing that, Ash was conflicted. Her first reaction was that a month was a long time, maybe enough to make real progress, but at the same time, she had already spent a couple of weeks here at Amber, and now, leveling was starting to get harder. Between that, the traveling she''d have to do to close Niven''s portals, and, of course, the searching for the dragon eye that she was going to do for Keiko''s sake, she wondered if 30 days were going to be enough.


    "I have faith in you," Lumina told her. "You have been nothing short of capable, so far."


    Ash rubbed her temples for a second, trying to listen to her. She stopped, however, when something else came to her mind.


    "Wait, wait, wait!" Ash said, "look, you can see the world from here, right?" She asked.


    "Yes?" Lumina asked, but the look on her face made it seem like she had some clue of what Ash was going to ask.


    "... Okay, listen. I need to find a dragon. Can you tell me where any are?"


    "Certainly," Lumina answered and a genuine grin came to Ash''s face.


    Yes, yes, holy fuck!


    "Please, refrain from saying such a thing in front of me," Lumina muttered as she waved a hand, and a screen appeared behind her.


    Ash looked up at it and found a black dragon circling a mountain. In the distance, she could see what looked like a city.


    "I believe this is the nearest dragon. You can find it southeast of Amber. However, there is something you may be interested in knowing."


    "Okay, what is it?"


    But, what Lumina showed her next made Ash''s brows narrow. Sinneah, appeared on the screen, alone, in the room she and Yumi shared.


    "Hm? I don''t get it, wait, are you suggesting I take her eyes out or something?"


    "No. Keep looking," Lumina said.


    And, as Ash did, she saw exactly what Lumina was referring to. Sinneah reached into one of the drawers and pulled out what looked like a small stone.. She looked at it with a bit of sadness, before putting it back in the drawer and closing it.

 Chapter 247 - Vol. 4 - 46

    After that, Ash''s consciousness was returned to the church, and yet, she still felt like her mind was in a different place. She had spent several days now with Sinneah, and yet, she hadn''t noticed that the woman had Gurron''s eyes in her possession.


    Well, shit, Ash thought.  I guess I should just ask her for one of those. I get an eye from her and then I can focus on the Mist Realm.


    Ash was filled with determination.


    Now that she had a good sequence of events to follow, she left the church, noticing that the day had turned to night, and began the trip back to Amber. On the way, she wondered how she''d go about asking Sinneah for one of those. It helped that she didn''t need both, just one, but she didn''t quite understand why the woman had them to begin with. Still, because it was so convenient, Ash had all but eliminated the thought of looking for any other dragons already.


    Of course, she did still have the dragon Lumina had told her about as an option, if things went poorly with Sinneah, for whatever reason. However, she had some hope that Sinneah would listen. The air progressively got colder as she walked, and eventually, Ash was approaching the city, with the twin moons covering the dark sands in dim blue light.


    Holy shit, how long was I gone for? Can''t be too late, can it? Ash wondered, looking up briefly before she walked into the city. Behind her, she felt a couple of guard''s eyes remain on her as she entered. On the street, she could see some confetti, some broken bottles, some bits of food everywhere that hinted at the festivities that had taken place earlier.


    As lonely as these streets were, Ash still felt hopeful for the future. She had a clear goal, deadline, and a way to reach it. As long as she put in the work that was necessary, she had a chance.


    She arrived at the Manor a little while later, and the two knights guarding the gates stepped aside to grant her entry. She walked in and found no one in the gardens at the front. As she walked in, she quickly saw a couple of servants grimace as they saw the dirt on her boots fall out onto the recently cleaned floors. Ignoring them, she walked back to her room so she could change out of these clothes, and, here, she saw Keiko laying on the bed next to Kaori. She was still awake, just looking up at the ceiling with her hands on her stomach. When Ash walked in, she turned toward her.


    "Ash," Keiko said, and a smile gradually appeared on her face, though she seemed tired. "Hi."


    "Hey," Ash said, quickly taking her boots off. Stripping herself, one piece of clothing at a time, she eventually ended up almost naked with no bra and only some underwear covering her up. After being in the heat for so long, however, this felt incredibly refreshing.


    She let out a satisfied sigh as the chilly air kissed her skin, and Keiko scooted a little to the left to give her space. Ash laid down next to her and closed her eyes.


    "How did your trip go?" Keiko asked.


    "Decent enough," Ash muttered. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"


    "No... I got sick for a little while, but, I got over it soon enough," Keiko told her. At that, Ash turned toward her and nearly felt entranced by the silver eyes looking back at her, shining in the darkness.


    "Sorry to hear that," Ash said softly but Keiko just chuckled.


    "It''s fine," Keiko replied, and indeed, her voice sounded a little worn-out. "Though... Yes, I-I don''t think we should... You know. There is a fairly high chance I would end up vomiting all over you."


    "Meh, I''ve had sex while covered in swamp muck and blood. I think I''m fine with a little bit of puke."


    "Gross."


    The two of them grinned at each other for a little bit then. A comfortable silence fell between them, as Ash just admired the raven-haired girl''s beauty. She saw this same sight every night and still hadn''t gotten used to it.


    "... I want to do something," Keiko said, as she leaned in and let her head rest on Ash''s chest.


    "Hm? Didn''t you just say-"


    "No, I mean," Keiko quickly interrupted her, "I don''t know, I want to go somewhere with you. It feels like we rarely do anything nowadays, with everything going on. Remember, when Kaori took us to those taverns at Jade? After we''d come back from Sapphire?"


    Talking about the girl like she wasn''t literally on the same bed as them right now always made Ash feel strange, though, she supposed that, in truth, that was the case.


    "Yeah?"


    "I would like to do such a thing again. Maybe I''m just getting a little silly these days but..." She reached up and placed her hand on Ash''s cheek. It was like her warmth spread all throughout Ash''s body as she touched her. "I would like to, well, hang out, if that makes sense."


    "I understand, at least, I think I do, but..." Ash sighed, as she wrapped an arm around her. "There''s just a lot going on right now."


    "Y-Yes," Keiko nodded against her chest. Their legs intertwined as she kept going. "I mean, after some of the work is done, maybe we could do something? Or go somewhere?"


    "Yeah," hearing that, Ash nodded. "I don''t see why not."


    The conversation did bring something to Ash''s mind that she hadn''t thought too hard about yet. That was:


    What the hell am I going to do after all of this?  She asked herself.


    The way she saw it, the most likely thing to happen was that one day, she would take on an enemy that was simply too powerful for her and that she''d end up with a demon''s claws tearing through her body. If that didn''t happen, however, what exactly was going to become of her life?


    She didn''t have any sort of a real idea of what she would do, other than that, whatever it was, she hoped Kaori and Keiko would be by her side.


    After a few minutes, Ash muttered:


    "Hm... I guess I''d like to eat at another of those super nice restaurants back at Jade. But, after that, I don''t want to walk through any city''s streets for a long, long time."


    She shook her head.


    "Sorry, I''m just thinking out..."


    However, when she looked down, she saw that Keiko had fallen asleep on top of her. Ash held back a laugh, grinning a little as she closed her own eyes.


    Yeah, alright. Goodnight.


    ---


    When the morning arrived, all Ash had on her mind was the situation with Sinneah. As she trained outside with her, continuing to work on Tomoe''s Divine Arts while the others sat nearby, she wondered,  how do I bring this up? Do I just ask, "hey, can you give me one of those eyes?" Maybe after that, I could be like, "oh, sorry, I lost it. My bad."


    Although the thought made her smirk, she felt that maybe this was the wrong way of going about it. Honesty? Deceit? Persuasion? She wasn''t good at dealing with people in general, how the hell was she supposed to ask a dragon-woman for one of her dead dad''s eyes?


    Eh,  she thought as she dodged one of Sinneah''s kicks.  Maybe I''m just overthinking it.


    As she worked, two people walked out to the garden. A couple of servants approached Ash, and the half-demon stopped.


    What?


    "E-Excuse me, Savior," one of the servants gave a deep bow to her as Ash raised a brow. She hadn''t been addressed directly like this by many people here.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "A-Another Savior is here to see you."


    As she heard that, she blinked.


    "Seriously?"


    Satsuhiro heard this as well, and stood up, walking over to where she was.


    "Hm... Figured they all just called it a career and went back home," Satsuhiro muttered.


    "Same... So, what do we do?" Ash asked.


    "Well, if they''re here to help, there''s no reason not to take them up on that offer. May as well go see them."


    "Okay," Ash nodded. "Sin. Let''s stop here for a sec."


    "Sure."


    With that, the two of them walked back into the Manor and followed the servants to the front where soon, they came out of the other side of the building. Ash wondered who it could be, but as soon as her eyes found the Savior in question, she stopped.


    Ahead, there was a woman with blood-red hair speaking to a guard. She had eyes of the same color, and brown skin, with a tired expression on her face that changed to one of surprise as her eyes met Ash''s own.


    Ash walked forward, heading for the gate and exiting the Manor. She and the other woman looked at each other for a bit before Ash spoke.


    "Kasumi?"

 Chapter 248 - Vol. 4 - 47

    Kasumi


    Earlier


    "Welcome to Amber!" Mizaki announced, spreading her arms after she hopped off the wooden vehicle as the caravan stopped. Kasumi jumped off as well and looked ahead at the place they''d arrived at. What stood in front of her was as though Magia had crafted a city in the middle of a barren wasteland.


    Finally,  Kasumi thought, rolling her shoulders. Mizaki gestured toward Amber, as she walked over to where Kasumi was.


    "Come on, I''ll show you around!"


    A few guards glanced at them as they passed by, but Kasumi didn''t make much of it as she and Mizaki entered the dirt path that made up Amber''s main street.


    "Look around! You''ll find all sorts of things here if you look hard enough. Mage shops, general stores, places to gamble, places to eat, places to sleep. They''re all packed up, right on top of each other."


    "Sounds highly uncomfortable," Kasumi muttered.


    "Yep! It''s part of the place''s charm though," Mizaki replied. "Aaaah! I haven''t been here in so long, ugh, I missed it so much! The dry air, the unbearable sun, the thieves sizing you up in broad daylight! No place like home!"


    A few citizens looked away as they heard her. Kasumi sighed.


    "I guess people can get homesick over any old place, huh?" The Savior muttered to herself as she looked around.


    Indeed, however, this was all different from anything she''d seen before. Buildings made of wood looked to be common, and almost everyone she saw had a thin layer of sand over their skin thanks to the dirt getting scooped up by gusts of wind occasionally.


    Kasumi didn''t care much for any of it, though. She was here for one reason, and one reason only. So, she walked up to the nearest guard, crossed her arms, and spoke with a firm tone, as Mizaki stood behind her.


    "Has a Savior arrived in town lately?"


    "..." The guard, a young girl with short black hair, paused briefly. "Yes."


    "Okay, where is she?"


    "Last I heard, she was staying over at the Arcane''s Manor. Need an escort?"


    "Eh, don''t worry!" Mizaki said, snagging Kasumi away as she wrapped an arm around her waist.


    "M-Mizaki?" Kasumi asked, confused.


    "The chance of getting robbed is part of the fun! We don''t need any escorts, it''s okay!"


    Kasumi gave her a baffled expression as she saw Mizaki grinning back at her. Then, Mizaki started dragging her down the street.


    Luckily, nothing happened, though Kasumi was looking over her shoulder the entire time.


    "Over there!" Mizaki pointed ahead. "That''s the place that guard was talking about."


    What Kasumi found as she looked forward was a large, white building that looked nothing like anything around it. It even had some fancy metal gates at the front and well-kept decorative plants gracing its front yard.


    "Go ahead, but once you talk to Ash, feel free to reach out to me. I''d love to show you around or give you some tips if you want ''em."


    "Okay... Where will you be?" Kasumi asked her.


    "At my house," she pointed to the west. "It''s just down the street from here. Look for a blacksmith''s forge. I live right next door to it. Ah~ I can''t wait to see my family again!" Mizaki said, and with a rushed, "goodbye," she all but sprinted away.


    Kasumi was left alone, already feeling exhausted.


    Let''s just get this over with.


    She walked up to the two knights posted by the gates, and they held out their weapons over the metal bars, preventing her passage.


    "I''m here to see a Savior, her name''s Ash."


    "Yeah?" One of them asked. "And, who are you?"


    "Savior Kasumi," she replied, and then, she showed them her bag. Inside, her Savior''s Weapon was resting, having been left unused.


    "Hm... Wait here," one of the knights said, and he entered the Manor.


    Kasumi raised a brow, wondering why they weren''t just letting her through, but she obliged, so as to not turn this into a problem. A while later, the guard returned and he told her:


    "The Savior will be out in a moment. Please, wait here."


    Kasumi decided it was at least worth asking, then.


    "Why?"


    "Access to the Manor is restricted, at the moment. Due to... recent events."


    "So? I''m a Savior," Kasumi shrugged.


    "Well, yes, but, there''s always a chance that the people inside could be put in danger if we do not properly vet those who seek entry, or consult with the Senate first."


    "Are you calling me a threat?" Kasumi asked. There was no real bite behind her tone, she was mostly just amused.


    "No, my apologies, Savior. I did not mean to imply that," the knight responded.


    "Hm... This is a weird way of treating special guests," Kasumi muttered.


    "Once again, I apologize," the knight bowed. "It is simply the protocol that the Senate has put in place. I am merely following their rules."


    Hmph. The Senate?  Kasumi narrowed her brows at that.


    Before she could spend too much time thinking about that, however, the door behind the knights opened as she had started to ask about something.


    "So, where''s the...?"


    However, she trailed off as she saw the white-haired Savior she''d come so far to speak with. Kasumi''s eyes widened as the half-demon walked toward her.


    In all honesty, Kasumi felt strange as she saw Ash come closer. The two of them hadn''t exactly been friends when last she saw her, but there was a sort of understanding that the two had of each other. That bizarre sensation of knowing you weren''t exactly close with someone, but you still knew them like the back of your hand, was what Kasumi felt toward her.


    Mostly because, as the two had talked about in the past, they did have some similarities. However, the half-demon who approached Kasumi then didn''t look as distraught and distant as Kasumi remembered her being. No, this woman was standing with her back straight, and a pair of confident violet eyes looking back at Kasumi.


    She barely noticed Satsuhiro, because Ash''s presence, the way she carried herself, was just that commanding.


    When she was close enough, Ash spoke up first.


    "Kasumi?" She said, and the Savior''s name hung in the air for a few seconds. "What are you doing here?"


    "..." Kasumi cleared her throat as she regained her composure. "I needed to speak with you."


    "Oh. So, what are you doing outside? Come in," Ash told her, opening up the gates.


    One of the knights moved to stop Ash.


    "We should wait for..."


    However, the glare the half-demon gave to the knight, a look that challenged the knight to keep speaking, made him shut up, and he retracted his hand.


    "My apologies," he muttered.


    "Thought so," Ash replied, opening the gates up. "Come on."


    "Right," Kasumi said, and, walking by Ash''s side, she entered the Manor''s premises.


    "Is it anything urgent?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "It''s... mostly just an offer, I guess."


    That was where Kasumi left it, as she was led into the building.


    About ten minutes later, she was sitting at a garden, in a stone chair, next to Satsuhiro''s family, who Kasumi knew, and a few women that she didn''t. Of course, she recognized Metsumi, the giant bundle of positivity that Kasumi used to be able to hear from her room as she tried to catch sleep back at the Savior House at Jade. She recognized Opah, her and Satsuhiro''s daughter. Keiko was also familiar, though Kasumi hadn''t quite interacted much with the girl.


    On the other hand, there were three women here that Kasumi did not recognize. Firstly, there was the silver-eyed Zayama who was standing a little distance away, on her own. She looked a lot like Keiko herself, but with a more mature air to her. Wait, is that the same woman we met at the shrine? She thought but shrugged it off. Then, there was a girl with slitted yellow eyes, black scales at various points in her body, and an animalistic tail. Kasumi had no idea what was up with her. And, lastly, there was another half-demon, just a bit older than Opah, who was standing by Ash''s side, subtly trying to keep the other half-demon in front of her.


    Okay, clearly, there''s a lot I missed, Kasumi thought.  Hm... Actually, where''s Kaori?  She wondered as she looked around. Kaori, Keiko, and Ash had been inseparable during the time Kasumi had spent with them.  Maybe she''s in the city or something.


    "So, what''s up?" Ash asked, crossing her arms.


    "Right," Kasumi nodded, getting ready to deliver the news. "The Royal Council thinks that, because of your recent victory against the demons, humanity is in a position now to fight back against the demon army."


    "... What does that mean?" Satsuhiro moved forward.


    "Well," Kasumi shrugged. "They want Ash''s help with something. They..." She decided it was best to just come out and say it. "They want her to help take back Pearl."


    When Kasumi said that, a few different reactions became noticeable in the group. Metsumi''s eyes widened. Satsuhiro gave her a skeptical look, and Ash, however, looked relieved.


    Then, without hesitation, Ash responded:


    "Okay, I''ll do it."


    ".... What?" Kasumi blinked. "Seriously?"

 Chapter 249 - Vol. 4 - 48

    Ash


    As soon as Ash heard what Kasumi had to offer, she decided it was a no-brainer. After her talk with Lumina she knew that, somehow, someway, she needed to squeeze in some portal closing into her schedule. However, Satsuhiro was quick to raise his hands up.


    "Hold on, hold on," he said. "Ash, you''ve got a lot on your plate right now, don''t you?"


    "Yeah, but..."


    "Take care of business first, then," Satsuhiro told her. "Something like this, it would take a lot longer than you might be thinking."


    "I think at some point I should do it, though," Ash shrugged.


    "Sure, if you think it''s the right move, then go ahead, but get all of your other priorities out of the way first."


    Listening to what he said, Ash toned down her excitement a little.


    Right,  she thought,  I need to finish up Keiko''s potion too. I can... probably finish that before I head up there.


    As Ash said that to herself, she glanced over at Sinneah, who was watching this all apathetically. She still hadn''t talked to her about those eyes.


    "Anyway, Kasumi," Satsuhiro said, stepping forward, "has the Council been doing anything important lately?"


    "Not that I know of," Kasumi responded. "To be fair, I don''t really keep track of anything... I just came here to tell you about Pearl because... Well, I don''t know," she trailed off.


    "I see," Satsuhiro nodded.


    "So," Kasumi looked back over at Ash, "you''ll do it?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied. "Not right now, though. Satsu''s right, there''s some shit I have to take care of first, but, once that''s done... I''m gonna have to help with that."


    "Have to?" Kasumi asked, crossing her legs. "Why''s that?"


    "It''s a long story."


    "Anyway," Metsumi walked up. "How about we get you settled into one of the rooms before we do any more talking? Let you slip into something comfier. How''s that sound?"


    "... Sure," Kasumi replied. "Thanks."


    As that was said, they tried to find someplace for her to stay. Kasumi was briefly taken somewhere else by one of the servants, while Ash tried to internalize the information she''d received. She went outside, while the others remained indoors, and tried to put her mind to work.


    So,  she started,  taking back Pearl, huh? Holy shit. I guess what we''d be able to do depends on whether the demons in the area have stayed as weak as they were. If the monsters'' levels still depend on their area, which they should, then... Yeah, it would probably be easy for me, at this point, to help the army take the place back. But, then again... Keiko''s potion, she took a deep breath.  I need to finish that up. No matter how weird it feels.


    The Manor''s backdoor opened behind her, and Ash turned toward it. The person who emerged was Kasumi, who had changed into a white shirt and a black skirt, still wearing the same boots as before. The two locked eyes and Kasumi walked toward her.


    Seeing her, alone, as the surprise had faded, Ash remembered one unfortunate fact. As her eyes drifted toward her chest of their own accord, she remembered that Kasumi was one of the individuals who could trigger Ash''s  Lust.


    "... It''s been a while," Kasumi said, as she walked up to the half-demon.


    Nodding, Ash crossed her arms.


    "How have you been?"


    "Fine, I guess," Kasumi walked over to the same railing Ash was on and put her elbows down on it. "Same as ever. You, on the other hand, damn," she turned toward Ash with an impressed look. "You''ve been working, huh?"


    "I''ve had reason to," Ash replied. "I never would have expected you to come out this far for this Pearl thing. What''s the deal with that?"


    "It''s nothing, I just..." Kasumi paused, looking away. "I don''t know, honestly. I guess I got tired of sulking all day."


    "Okay, now I know you''re not actually Kasumi, who the hell is this?" She asked and Kasumi scoffed.


    "Shut the fuck up," Kasumi muttered as a smirk appeared on her face.


    Ash smiled a little, and the two remained in silence for a little while. Kasumi glanced over at Ash, then, however, and said:


    "... Do you remember what we talked about? Like, a month ago."


    "Hm?" Ash turned toward her. "Can you remind me? A lot''s happened since then."


    Kasumi paused, and an embarrassed expression almost came over her.


    "Eh, forget it," Kasumi turned away.


    "Nah, come on, what are you talking about?"


    The crimson-haired woman hesitated for a second before she elaborated.


    "We had talked about, well, moving on from shit. You know?" She looked away from Ash, mumbling a little, which the half-demon found strangely cute. "Something about letting go, moving on, talking to each other?"


    Slowly, Ash started to vaguely recall something like that.


    "Yeah, yeah, I think I remember."


    "I dunno, I just..." Kasumi sighed, letting her head fall on the railing. "I think about that, every now and then."


    "Aw, that''s sweet," Ash said and Kasumi rolled her eyes light-heartedly.


    "Bitch, I''m venting. At least, wait for me to finish my sob story before you make fun of me."


    "My bad, my bad," Ash told her with a cheeky grin. "Seriously, though, have you made any progress on that?"


    "None," Kasumi replied. "I suck. Anyway," she changed the topic, "who were those women in there? I saw a few new faces."


    "One of them ain''t so new," Ash said. "Yumi, the shrine maiden from before, ended up coming with us to help us train. The little girl, half-demon like me, her name''s Luvine. Kaori and I found her while shit was going down in Onyx. And, last but not least, the dragon girl."


    "Dragon girl?" Kasumi asked, bewildered.


    "Yep. I, uh, just sorta ran into her. She ended up helping us train though, like Yumi."


    "Understood... Actually, where''s the blonde?" Kasumi asked, and Ash froze. The other woman didn''t notice, however, and kept going. "I was thinking your group was a little quieter than normal. I''d like to think I''m not that depressing to look at, so, where is she?"


    "She..." Ash took a deep breath. "Something happened..."


    At that, Kasumi''s eyes widened.


    "Oh. She didn''t...?"


    "No, no," Ash shook her head, knowing where Kasumi''s mind had gone. "She''s still alive, it''s just... it''s weird. Long story."


    "... Well," Kasumi got a little closer. "I traveled all the way here and, personally, I''m not really looking forward to being on the road again anytime soon, so... I''ve got some time if you wanna tell me."


    It didn''t take much convincing to make Ash nod to that.


    "... Okay."


    And so, Ash promptly gave her the run-down on everything that had happened after Kasumi had split up from the group after they''d activated the Site of Power near Onyx. She told her everything then, from the fighting that had happened to the absurdly powerful Nightmare, to Kaori''s coma, and what Lumina had advised her to do. By the time she was done, Kasumi''s brows were just about touching the sky.


    "Damn," Kasumi said as she took everything in. "So, that''s why you''re working like this. Now it makes a little sense."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded solemnly. "Just... doing my best to get her back."


    "If it''s worth anything," Kasumi shrugged. "I noticed almost immediately, so, yeah, I''d say you''re doing well."


    "... Maybe," Ash replied.


    Then, the door leading to the garden opened, and Ash''s group walked out. Metsumi and Satsuhiro were the first, then Keiko, then Opah and Luvine, and finally, Sinneah and Yumi were at the back.


    "Hey! Kasumi, you sort of got away from us," Metsumi said with a smile.


    "I tried my best," Kasumi shrugged.


    "Aw, don''t be like that! Here, I wanted to introduce you to some of the new faces."


    "You don''t really have to, Ash-"


    "This one here," Metsumi said, ignoring her, "is Luvine, over here is Yumi, and that is Sinneah. Any of you want to say ''hi''?"


    None of the three women said anything.


    I could have guessed it would be like that. Ash smiled a little.


    "Come on! Be polite to your guest."


    "Metsumi," Kasumi said, holding her hands up. "It''s alright. Hey, hi, nice to meet you. There, done."


    With that, everyone went about their business. Opah started playing with her dolls in front of Luvine, while the half-demon mostly just watched with great interest. Keiko Yumi borrow her sword so she could pass the time sparring with Sinneah. Satsuhiro started asking Kasumi about how things were back at Jade.


    Ash, however, stood up and walked inside the Manor. She took a second to stretch, closing the door behind her before she went over to her room. Here, she stood by the doorway, glancing over at Kaori.


    "Give me a little more time," she sighed. "One month and you''ll be back with us."


    Then, the same door she''d just taken opened, and Kasumi walked inside. Ash gave her a questioning look as she walked over to Ash.


    "... Had enough of Satsuhiro''s questions already?" Ash asked.


    "Yes, I think he''s severely underestimating how much of a recluse I''ve been," Kasumi said as she walked over to Ash. Then, she looked into the same room, and she saw Kaori.


    "Damn," she said.


    "Mhm... Sucks, but it can be fixed," Ash told her. "That''s all that matters."


    When she heard that, Kasumi turned toward her, crossing her arms and smirking a little.


    "You''ve turned into quite the inspiring sight, though," Kasumi told her. "I almost feel ashamed of myself, honestly."


    "... I''m still the same dumbass from before," Ash replied. "Just a dumbass with a plan now, I guess."


    "That''s more than I can say," Kasumi countered. "So, how exactly do people pass the time down here?"


    "Nothing much to do but get robbed and train a little," Ash responded.


    "Hm... Can''t remember when the last time was that I really worked on anything. Maybe the fight for Sapphire, if you count that as ''training''."


    Hearing that, Ash said:


    "I''ve got a lot to do, nowadays, but, maybe in between, we can work on stuff. Sounds good?"


    "Nope, but it''s better than getting interrogated by a grouchy, retired Savior, so, I might take you up on that."

 Chapter 250 - Vol. 4 - 49

    That night, some planning took place. Having to account for Kasumi''s arrival, with the help of her friends, Ash came up with some ideas. First, she wanted to finally get Keiko''s potion out of the way, and once that was settled, then, she could focus on training up again. Finally, when she was done here, she''d head up to Jade and organize whatever it was that the Royal Council wanted to do with Pearl. She wasn''t too interested in the prospect of taking the city back, but if she could close a couple of portals and squeeze in more EXP, she''d be happy with whatever they suggested.


    The first step in all of this was a simple one, but one that Ash had hesitated to do ever since Lumina had told her that it was an option. That was, of course, collecting the dragon eye from Sinneah.


    At this moment, the group had gathered together for the first dinner that Kasumi was going to be a part of since rejoining them. They had gathered at one unique room at the Manor, where a single table stretched from one end to the other under a hanging candelabra. Here, they had an exquisite meal brought to them that consisted of some roasted chicken, bacon, and venison, along with peas, lettuce, and beans, all to be washed down with red wine.


    "On behalf of the Senate,"  one servant informed them, "to show their gratitude for helping keep the realm safe."


    Apparently, not safe enough,  Ash thought as the group began to dig into the meal.


    "Mmm!" Keiko borderline moaned. "This is amazing!"


    "Agreed," Metsumi said. "The Manor''s chef sure knows what he''s doing."


    "Well, we can assume he''s trying to help sweeten some sort of deal," Satsuhiro muttered.


    "Hmph. No deal needs to be made in the first place," Ash replied as she took a bite out of the bacon on her plate. "I plan on minding my own business, after all."


    "I know," Satsuhiro replied. "I''m just saying."


    "I think you''re forgetting I just got here," Kasumi interrupted. "What are you people talking about?"


    Ash broke the news to her then, abruptly, in between more bites.


    "The Arcane died," she stated, plainly and simply. To her right, Luvine and Opah continued eating like they hadn''t heard anything too dramatic, and for a second, Ash wondered whether hearing about death had become normal to them.  Can''t imagine that''s healthy, but, oh well, Ash thought.


    "What?" Kasumi raised a brow. "How? When?"


    "First question, he got sick, apparently. Second question, a few days ago."


    Kasumi was certainly stunned by that bit of news, but, like everyone else in the group, it didn''t seem like she cared too much.


    "What has the Council said about this?" She asked.


    "Well, that''s the thing," Satsuhiro stepped in. "I tried to reach out to them, but I haven''t heard anything back."


    Every word they said made it more and more suspicious, but, as Ash had made clear, she had no intention of investigating this further.


    Instead, they went on with their dinner. When everyone finished up, Ash was quick to go up to Sinneah and put a hand on her wrist. The draconic woman turned toward her.


    "Hm?" She looked back at Ash.


    "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"


    "Sure."


    As the others went someplace else, Ash and Sinneah remained at the same room they''d just had dinner in.


    Okay, fuck. Now, how do I ask her?  Ash thought as Sinneah waited.


    "So..." Ash opened, trying to sound casual. "I..."


    No, don''t just say "I found some eyes in your drawers," what the fuck?  She thought. At the same time, however, she wondered how she was supposed to convey information that she''d gotten from a literal goddess to Sinneah.


    As the woman looked at her, puzzled, Ash understood she had to say something though. So, she just came out with it.


    "I know about Gurron''s eyes, that you''re keeping."


    As soon as Sinneah heard that, she narrowed her eyes and took a step back.


    Shit. Too threatening.


    "Don''t worry," she quickly brought her hands up.


    "H-How did you realize...?" Sinneah asked.


    "I saw them," Ash told her. "It was, uh, obvious."


    "..." Sinneah looked away. "Why are you asking about them?"


    Okay, she hasn''t run out the door. Good. Just... Be soft about it.  She told herself.


    "I need one."


    "No."


    Fuck.


    Right then, Sinneah walked out of the room but Ash caught up to her in the hallway.


    "Wait, wait," Ash told her, and Sinneah turned back toward her. "Look... I only need one of them."


    "My father... He told me that I needed to keep them. Both of them. To use them to make a place for myself among you humans. I... I intend to try to do that."


    "I''m not- look," Ash got closer to her. "Listen, listen... Keiko is pregnant."


    "What does that mean?" Sinneah asked.


    "I-It means, fucking hell, it means that there is a human that''s going to grow inside of her, understand?"


    Sinneah gave her a horrified look when she heard that.


    "Now, there''s a way to stop that from happening, but in order to do it, I need one of those eyes. Just one, Sin. Just one," Ash told her.


    Sinneah didn''t look too convinced, and Ash persisted.


    "If this goes through, Sin, Keiko is going to go through a lot of pain, a-and, her whole life is going to be fucked up. You can understand that much, right?"


    Thankfully, it looked like she could. Sinneah took that information in and looked a little more understanding, but she wasn''t saying anything. So, the half-demon threw one last thing in.


    "I''m guessing Gurron wanted you to sell those eyes off," Ash told her. "I have money, already. I can give it to you, help you with the whole... make a place for yourself shit. I just... I need one of them. Not for me, for Keiko."


    "..." Sinneah paused. "Give me time. I would like to think about this."


    Okay, Ash nodded.  I guess that''s better than a flat-out no...


    "Alright, take your time."


    With that conversation done, they went back to the group. The others were spread out, around the garden. Luvine and Opah were running around the whole Manor. Kasumi was standing by the doorway, looking back at Ash and Sinneah as they approached. Satsuhiro and Metsumi were sitting at a bench while Keiko was looking out at the landscape, by the railing. Yumi was holding Keiko''s sword, taking swings in the air, and Sinneah quickly walked over to her, stepping past Kasumi.


    Ash stopped by the redhead''s side as Sinneah went directly over to Yumi, and the two shared a few words before they got into fighting stances.


    As they started practicing, Kasumi spoke up.


    "So, what are you going to do tomorrow?"


    "Not too sure, just figuring things out. Why?" Ash asked.


    "... I suppose I was wondering if you could show me around," Kasumi told her. Ash raised a brow at the woman.


    "Yeah?"


    "Yes. I don''t know either of those two," she gestured at Sinneah and Yumi, "I know Keiko, but I haven''t spoken to her much at all. Metsumi would just talk me right out of the city and I don''t think Satsuhiro cares to play tour guide. So, yes, that leaves you."


    "You make it sound like you''re pretty disappointed about that."


    "I didn''t mean it like that," Kasumi rolled her eyes. "Actually, I tolerate you more than anyone else around here."


    "Aw, what a compliment. Shit, I might blush."


    "You should, I don''t give those often."


    "Gotcha," Ash replied with a smirk. "Well... I''ll let you know tomorrow, once I get shit sorted out. I''m not too sure where I''m headed."


    "That''s fine. I''ve got nothing but time," Kasumi shrugged. "It... It feels really strange."


    "What does?"


    "Moving around. Not being completely miserable for more than an hour at a time."


    Of course, as Ash knew why this was often the case for her, she felt a little for her.


    "Good to hear that."


    "... But, I might not be miserable, but I am definitely tired though. I''m heading back to my room, see you."


    Just like that, she walked away.


    "Yeah, see you tomorrow."


    As Ash was left alone, she watched Yumi and Sinneah fight for a little bit. Sinneah, in particular, looked like she was barely focusing on the punches she was throwing, which Ash could certainly guess why that was. Eventually, she saw that Keiko was still alone, by the railing, and she walked over to her.


    She stood right next to her, looking out as well. Keiko turned toward her, and she gave Ash an easy smile.


    "I''m glad to see Kasumi''s been doing well," Keiko stated. "Though, seeing her did make me think of others."


    "Who?" Ash asked.


    "My old teacher," Keiko quickly answered. "General Ioko. I was wondering what they would say if they could see me today. Well... If I wasn''t like this, and they saw me today, I suppose."


    Those words pierced Ash''s heart.


    "You won''t be for much longer," Ash promised. She''d all but packed up those strange feelings by now. Or, maybe, she''d gotten better at not focusing on them. Keiko nodded, and then, randomly, she hugged Ash.


    The girl''s warm arms wrapped around her, and Ash just about melted into the embrace.


    "Thank you," Keiko said.


    "Yeah.... Don''t mention it."

 Chapter 251 - Vol. 4 - 50

    The Next Day


    With Sinneah making it clear that she couldn''t give an answer to Ash just yet, the half-demon figured it was best to move on to the next step today.


    "Don''t let your guard down," Satsuhiro told her as Ash finished packing up some essentials for her trip, at the Manor''s front yard. "Anything can happen in that place."


    "I know," Ash replied. "What kind of monsters can I expect to find there?"


    "Here," Satsuhiro said before passing a sheet of paper over to her. "I asked around and wrote down some of the possible enemies."


    "Their levels?"


    "That''s another thing," Satsuhiro sighed. "The Mist Realm is one of the few places in the world that isn''t level-locked."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It means you''re just as likely to encounter an enemy that''s level 1, as you are a monster that''s level 60. There are many, many reasons people avoid that place, Ash."


    "Hm. Gotcha," Ash nodded. "Anything else I should know?"


    "I think that''s all."


    "Okay," Ash replied as she threw her backpack over her shoulders. She was wearing Vermia''s dress, her gauntlets, and her boots. To her right, Keiko was standing a short distance away, with sunlight draped over her as she watched Ash finish getting ready. "I''m going, then."


    "Good luck," Satsuhiro told her before he turned around and went back inside, leaving Keiko and Ash standing at the highly decorated front of the Manor alone.


    Keiko walked forward and gave Ash a long-lasting embrace. Just before they separated, she planted a small kiss on Ash''s lips, and as the two of them looked into each other''s eyes, the half-demon hesitated to turn away from her.


    "Stay safe out there," Keiko told her.


    "Yeah, I won''t do anything stupid, don''t worry."


    She wasn''t too sure she believed her own words there, but she tried to ease Keiko''s worries a bit. Finally, she couldn''t stall any longer, and so, she turned around and, determined and focused, she began walking out of Amber.


    Seeing Keiko''s hopeful eyes looking back at her always served as a good reminder as to why she was doing this. It made her understand that, at this point, a huge part of what she wanted was just to see Keiko be happy. She didn''t know where things were going, what problems the two of them would encounter down the line, but whatever happened, she knew she''d be there whenever the Zayama needed her.


    In her backpack, she held some food, water, her map, and the paper Satsuhiro had passed. She expected to be done with this today, but the Mist Realm was a little farther away than any of the places Ash had gone to so far. At worst, she thought she''d be finished at around midnight, and maybe she''d return early next morning.


    With a hand hovering over her  Lust, just in case anyone got any ideas, she exited the city and soon began the long walk toward her destination.


    ---


    Kasumi


    With Ash having decided to go and get her little trip out of the way today, Kasumi didn''t really think she had much to do. So, she decided to spend her morning laying in bed, half-naked, as she usually did.


    Some knocks on her door interrupted that, though.


    ... Seriously?  She groaned.


    Reluctantly, the redhead got up and walked over to the door, where, as soon as she opened it, she was met with a terribly bright smile, and she narrowed her eyes a little.


    Sure, Kasumi was going to make an effort to better herself these days, but that didn''t mean her introverted nature had just faded away from one day to another.


    "What is it?" She asked Metsumi, who was standing there with her hands on her hips.


    "Let''s head into the city!" Metsumi told her and Kasumi instantly hung her head.


    Oh, please, fuck, this was exactly what I was afraid of.


    "I-I don''t think I..." She muttered but struggled to find a good excuse. "I mean, I''m a little tired after all the... stuff."


    "Eh, don''t worry," Metsumi waved a hand. "A bit of walking and you''ll be just as energized as I am!"


    "I don''t think that could ever happen unless some serious magic is involved, but, look," she said, but she was cut off.


    "We aren''t going to do a whole tour, or whatever, don''t worry, but I think it would be worth it to get a feel for things. You know?" Metsumi argued and Kasumi paused.


    "..."


    She''s just gonna keep insisting, isn''t she?  Kasumi thought.  Fine, fine. Let''s just get it out of the way then.


    "Alright, sure," Kasumi sighed. "Let me get dressed."


    "Great!" Metsumi grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "See you in a bit."


    "Yeah."


    Then, she closed the door and stretched her arms.  Hm, well, considering that whole Arcane business, I guess it would be good to try to learn this Amber''s layout at least. Just in case I need to sprint out of here.


    Having reached that conclusion, she put on some proper clothes. Nothing special, just a long-sleeved white shirt and tight brown pants, and once she was done, she walked out of her room and dragged herself out to the garden. Here, she found Ash''s group all standing around, seemingly waiting for her.


    "Hey," she greeted them.


    "Oh, she''s here!" Metsumi clapped her hands together. "Okay, everyone, let''s go!"


    "... Hmph." Wordlessly, Kasumi walked behind everyone, largely looking to remain in the back throughout this little thing Metsumi wanted to do.


    "First things first," Metsumi began listing off, "let''s get Yumi''s naginata from that blacksmith, then, we can go around and shop a little, and after that, well, we can just do whatever comes to mind."


    "Keep your eyes on your pockets," Satsuhiro warned them all. "Lots of thieves in Amber."


    As Kasumi stood at the back of the group, she kept her arms crossed and waited for them to get going. However, she felt someone''s eyes on her. Beside her, Keiko had been looking at her, and Kasumi returned the gaze with a raised brow.


    "Hm?"


    "S-Sorry," Keiko said, shaking her head with an awkward smile. "I was just... remembering."


    "What do you mean?" Kasumi asked as Metsumi decided they were ready and the group started moving out of the Manor.


    "Ehm, back at Pearl..." Keiko muttered. "You were there when I first unlocked my Spirit Eye. We fought together against the demons."


    Hm... Oh.  Kasumi quickly recalled what she meant. She and Keiko had been held up at the back of the city, with all of the civilians, as the demons had been attacking. Out of nowhere, the place they were in had been breached, though, and Kasumi helped repel the incoming demons.


    "Guess so," Kasumi shrugged.


    "It was a moment I treasure," Keiko smiled at her. "You did very well that night, too."


    "Thanks," Kasumi replied. "I guess."


    However, as that was brought up, it did make Kasumi wonder about something.


    "Actually... Come to think of it, why didn''t you go out to help Ash?" She asked.


    "Huh?"


    "Isn''t she going to go fight some monsters or whatever?" Kasumi asked. "You''re pretty good at that sort of thing, from what I''ve seen. You weren''t feeling up to it or something?"


    "Uhm, no, I..." Keiko looked away. "Well... The monsters there," she quickly said, clearing her throat, "they''ve far too strong for me. I couldn''t last long against them."


    "Aren''t you and Ash around the same level?" Kasumi asked. "Even if she''s been getting some work done, you''re probably still pretty strong, right?"


    "..." Keiko blinked. Then, she smirked a little. "Kasumi, have... Have you not checked Ash''s level yet?"


    "Hm? Nah," Kasumi shook her head. "I don''t really care to know that sort of thing."


    "Ah. Well," Keiko chuckled. "When Ash returns, be sure to do so."


    "Uh, sure," Kasumi replied then, as the group continued, heading for the Manor''s entrance.


    However, before they even walked out the gates, they found a small crowd up ahead. Many civilians, most of them wearing ragged, dirty clothes, were chanting yelling at the two knights guarding the gate. Kasumi could see a few people wearing white robes, trying to calm the group of citizens down as she and the others approached.


    Hm?  Kasumi looked around as she and the others hesitated.


    "Uh, is this normal?" Kasumi asked.


    "No... What''s going on?" Metsumi asked, about to walk up to one of the knights.


    "Let me ask," Satsuhiro said, moving up to one of the men in the robes.


    "Savior," one of them turned around, acknowledging him, "please, remain inside, we have this all under control."


    "Senator, what''s happening?" Satsuhiro asked, from behind the metal gates.


    "Nothing serious. The roads have been exceptionally dangerous as of late, therefore," the man responded, "public travel outside of the city is temporarily being paused. You, of course, can come and go as you please, however."


    "..." Kasumi raised a brow. "Wait, you''re saying the road''s being blocked?"


    "Yes, for the time being," the senator replied. "Again, it will be sorted out in a few days, do not worry."


    "Can we leave the Manor, though?" Satsuhiro asked, with a raised brow.


    "Of course, of course," the senator replied.


    However, Kasumi found a piece of that information to be strange.


    ... Then, why would they let me and the others in? Is the road only blocked for people who are leaving? Besides, we came here all the way from Jade and we didn''t run into many monsters at all. What the hell do they mean, ''the roads have been dangerous''? Says who?


    "Alright then," Satsuhiro replied. "Thank you. Everyone, come on. Let''s go."


    And so, ignoring this, the group continued on their way, as the yells of angry civilians rang out behind them.

 Chapter 252 - Vol. 4 - 51

    Ash


    The half-demon spent some time traversing the barren, hot, landscape, mostly focused on her one goal. Her mind was thankfully less clouded than when she''d left on her last few excursions, save for the occasional moment spent remembering Keiko''s hopeful smile, which spurred her on to get this done even sooner.


    The sun on her skin made a few beads of sweat roll down her cheeks, but that only served to make Ash''s pace quicken. She spotted a few strange monsters on her way to her destination. One had been a snake-like creature with branch-like thin legs, and she''d spotted a camp of Sand Goblins, all of which she dispatched easily, as their levels were low enough to allow for that. These fights resulted in her gaining one level, bringing her to this status, as she put both her attribute points into her Int:


    Level 73


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 10/730


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 24


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Nothing posed too much of a threat to her which boosted her confidence a small amount. Eventually, some hours later, as she walked over a small hill of sand and rocks, she spotted a place that looked nothing like any other part of this region that she''d seen so far.


    Grey, dreadful trees with dark green leaves and a sea of violet mist stretching between them. Every now and then, she felt like she could see flashes of electricity freely surging through the air.


    Guess that''s it,  she thought. Grab that flower, maybe kill a couple of monsters on the way, and head back.  She thought.


    At the same time, she recalled the tips she''d received. Tyl had mentioned that it was unwise to spend too much time inside the place and that she should take breaks, exiting the Mist Realm momentarily because otherwise, as she put it, "weird shit" could happen. Satsuhiro had mentioned that the area wasn''t level-locked, and, of course, it had been made clear that the Mist Realm could alter reality itself, though Ash didn''t quite understand what that meant.


    Taking all of this into account, she breathed in the warm evening air and walked forward.


    "Let''s get this over with," she muttered to herself as she approached the place.


    The closer she got, the more she felt something strange inside of her. It was like her entire body had started tingling, low enough to where it didn''t worry her, but still noticeable. The air itself had picked up a scent that resembled vanilla, one that immediately made Ash think of Kaori.


    Even as she stood just a few meters away from the forest-like area, she couldn''t see through the mist.


    If it''s always going to be this dense, looking for that flower''s going to suck.  Ash thought as she stood just outside the violet fog.


    One last thing she remembered was that it had been made clear that any flower would do. There wasn''t a specific one she was looking for, according to Tyl. The only requirement was that it needed to be native to this place. So, with that in her mind, Ash figured this would be easy.


    And, finally, she stepped into the mist.


    Something amazing happened then, however. As soon as she walked into the fog, the air cleared up.


    What the hell?


    Ash narrowed her brows as she looked forward and found that she could see almost everything around her, and everything that was ahead. Those dark trees had turned a vibrant green and purple, and she could hear some strange sounds ahead, like running water. The sun felt like it had turned even brighter, as all of the nearby plants were covered in a brilliant orange glow.


    Then, Ash turned around and noticed that now, the edge of the forest, the one she''d just walked through, was covered in that violet mist, and she couldn''t see the place she''d just come from.


    "... Whatever," Ash said, and, forcing herself to focus, she pressed on, as she saw no flowers around her.


    It was all fairly stunning, however. Everything around her looked more alive and colorful than even Pearl''s wilderness. To the point where the vibrant sights around her were almost blinding.


    One screech pierced through the air, however, and Ash quickly remembered that there could be monsters hiding behind every bush.


    "Sword," she said, and her  Lust  transformed promptly.  Okay, now,  she thought,  flower, flower... Where are these things supposed to be?


    As she looked around, all she found was regular-looking vegetation. Nothing jumped out to her eyes as being something she could take out of the ground and return to Amber with. She kept her head low, mostly just trying to see if she could run into anything she needed.


    Eventually, she found something that looked promising. A plant with some purple petals on it, stretching so far out of the ground that it stood at a similar height to Ash herself.


    Okay, easy.  She thought.  I''m guessing this...


    But, as she went to touch it, her hand passed straight through it. Ash froze, and the plant suddenly disintegrated, right in front of her eyes. It became a collection of violet embers that then flew through the air and scattered, vanishing without a trace.


    ...


    Ash blinked.


    What the fuck just happened?


    Putting that aside, she continued her search. Several minutes passed and the half-demon made no progress, only managing to walk forward aimlessly with no findings of any kind. She stopped later when she saw a bird fly down in front of her, landing atop a small boulder.


    At first, she paid it no mind, but when she got a good look at it, she found it to be a little strange.


    It had a colorful blue body with violet stripes running through it and was small enough to fit in Ash''s hands. Most notably, however, was that it had a pair of glowing sapphire eyes looking back at her.


    Ash raised a brow as she stared back at it.


    What is this thing supposed to-


    Just as she was asking herself that, something struck her from behind. A flash of pain ran through her body as it felt like a hammer had slammed her back, and Ash instantly turned around, facing whatever was there. What she saw was a creature that looked like a person with no eyes, stone-like thin arms, and body so smooth it may as well have been made of metal, as it stood on two legs and looked back at her.


    The first thing Ash did was try to scan for its level, but nothing appeared.


    Then, it ran up to try to hit her again, and Ash ducked under its punch. With her sword, she stabbed through it, and the monster made no noise as it dissipated in almost the same way that plant had earlier, becoming a collection of violet embers that scatted in the air.


    No EXP message appeared over Ash''s head. Nothing happened for a short time, until, after a while, those embers returned, and formed the exact same creature, piece by piece, in front of her.


    ...  Wait a second. Ash narrowed her brows and turned away from it, looking back at the bird that had flown down onto the boulder before.


    It hadn''t moved at all. Instead, its glowing eyes remained fixed on Ash, as the half-demon checked its level.


    Level 34


    MP: 400/500


    Ash glared at it. Then, without a word, she lifted her right hand up and closed her eyes. She could hear the monster behind her walking up to her, but she ignored it as she focused on her connection to Magia, and a beam of light took shape in her hand.


    Then, she threw it forward, aimed directly at the bird, and it exploded, crumbling the rock it was standing on, leaving nothing behind but a few feathers and a massive red stain to show it had been there before.


    EXP Gained: 30


    EXP: 40/730


    The monster behind her faded away, permanently this time.


    As she looked back at where the bird had been, she sighed, as all hopes that this would be a quick and easy flower extraction disappeared from her heart.


    This is going to be annoying as fuck, won''t it?  She hung her head as she paused for just a moment before continuing her search.


    It''s just a flower,  she told herself.  There''s no way this takes me more than an hour or two.


    With that brief, strange, fight out of the way, the half-demon continued forward. The path she was on, one made naturally out of the spaces between the trees, led her to a small clearing, and up ahead, in the distance, she could see what looked like a person.


    Hm?  Ash tilted her head.


    As she got closer, Ash found that she could make out a few details. It looked like a little girl, one with white hair so long that it touched the ground, dressed only in an oversized, ripped, and a stained, shirt that had, at some point, been as white as her hair.


    Ash approached the girl, figuring that this was, very likely, another weird illusion like the ones she''d just seen, but that it would lead her to a monster she could kill for some easy EXP.


    As she got close enough, however, the girl, who was just standing there, looking bored, turned toward her, with a glare.


    And, Ash stopped.


    When she saw the girl''s face, Ash felt chills go up her arms and her back.


    They stared at each other for a few seconds. Ash looked back at what she quickly realized was, quite literally, just a younger version of herself.


    "... Nope,"  Ash then said, walking away.  "Fuck that."


    But, the girl followed behind her.

 Chapter 253 - Vol. 4 - 52

    Sinneah


    Sinneah was at a loss. At no point had she expected Ash to say what she had to her, but she did, and that created the woman''s present struggle.


    ... What do I do?  She wondered as she recalled the desperation present on Ash''s face as she''d told her the situation she was facing.


    She glanced over at Keiko, remembering what Ash had said.


    What a nightmare that must be, she thought, as Keiko looked over at her and smiled, waving a hand shyly at her.  How brave.


    Still, despite the dramatic nature of their circumstances, the simple fact was that Sinneah didn''t want to part with a single one of those eyes. For the sole reason that they were all, she had left of her father.


    If she gave one to Ash, and then somehow lost the other, that would be it. Sinneah would have nothing left of him but her memories, and just the possibility of that hurt to think about.


    "How does it feel to have your favorite weapon back?" Keiko asked Yumi. The group was currently in the middle of a very cramped, crowded space where humans who lived in this city were walking in and out, aimlessly to Sinneah''s eyes. The area was loud with the chatters of everyone around them and so hot that Sinneah found herself sweating.


    "Good," Yumi replied with a smile, and Sinneah''s eyes naturally went to her. "I appreciate you letting me borrow your sword, and I must say, it is certainly well-crafted, but... Yes," Yumi looked at her polearm. "The naginata was the first weapon I learned how to use, and the one I''ve spent most of my time perfecting my skills with. I am glad to have it back."


    "I''m happy for you," Keiko told her. "Maybe we can practice a little later with them."


    "If you feel up to it, I wouldn''t mind showing off a little. I do so enjoy how you used to look up at me with such wonder, remember?"


    "W-What?" Keiko asked, blushing a little.


    "Don''t think I didn''t notice, dear," Yumi winked at her. "Every time I so much as swung this thing you''d watch in awe. It was quite an ego boost, honestly."


    "I-I just..."


    Yumi just grinned a bit as Keiko struggled to respond.


    Sinneah didn''t quite understand what they were talking about, but if she got frustrated every time that happened out here, she''d never stop. At a point, she''d simply decided that she''d either learn things at her own pace or that someday, she''d return to the mountains and live on the grass, as she had been doing before.


    And yet, she knew that it wouldn''t be the same as, no matter what, she''d never get to sleep on her father''s scales again or see the skies the way he''d let her.


    Sinneah was a dragon, but, apparently, not enough of one for that.


    At a point, someone held a strange pink flask in front of her, and Sinneah looked up. Keiko was holding something out, looking at her with a kind smile.


    "Hm?" Sinneah raised a brow.


    "Want some water?" Keiko asked.


    "There is water in this?" Sinneah asked, looking down into it.


    "Yeah!" Keiko nodded. "It''s a flavored bottle or something. You put water in it and it makes it taste like juice."


    "What strange magic."


    "Apparently it isn''t magic," Keiko chuckled. "Want some?"


    Curious, Sinnneah nodded and sipped some of the liquid inside.


    Mm... Sweet.  With that thought, she took another sip, and Keiko giggled.


    "Sorry, you just looked like you had a lot on your mind," Keiko told her.


    "I did?"


    "Yeah," Keiko nodded. "You know," she said, "it''s good to ask questions if you''re curious about anything. I''m pretty sure we''d all help you if you let us know you needed something."


    "... Hm."


    Sinneah wasn''t sure how to take that.  Is it that simple?  She wondered, looking around.  Are all humans like this?  She wondered as she caught several people giving her, and really, her entire group looks that she wouldn''t call kind, even with her limited knowledge.


    Still, if Keiko was being truthful, she felt that maybe it would be smart to take her up on that. She was, after all, new to all of this. Maybe Keiko would have an enlightening perspective to share.


    "Can I speak with you then?" Sinneah asked.


    "Huh? Yeah, yeah, come on, let''s go somewhere quieter," Keiko answered, looking like she hadn''t expected that, but it seemed she was still willing to speak with Sinneah. The two of them left that place and walked out onto the street, standing at a corner that only had a few guards nearby. Here, Keiko tilted her head.


    "So, what''s up?" Keiko asked.


    Sinneah took a deep breath.


    "Ash said something to me before she left," Sinneah stated. "She said that you were..."


    It grossed her out just thinking about it.


    "... Going through something terrible, and that... Well..." Even bringing up the eyes she was holding in those drawers felt like betraying Gurron''s memory. "She told me she needed something I have."


    "Hm?" Keiko looked at her questioningly. "Um, I can''t imagine what she asked for, but..." Keiko shrugged. "At the end of the day, if it''s yours, it''s your choice to give it to her or not. No one can force you, so, yes. Do you feel like you could give it to her?"


    "..." Sinneah looked away. "I don''t know."


    "Ohhh... Well..." And, then, Keiko froze.


    "... Hm?" Sinneah looked at her with confusion. "Keiko?"


    "O-Oh, no, Ash didn''t ask you for... No, no, no!" Keiko waved her hands back and forth. "Don''t listen to her, it''s okay!"


    "... What?" Sinneah asked.


    "She asked you to tear your eyes out, didn''t she!?" Keiko looked back at her with tears springing up in her eyes. "I-It''s okay! You don''t have to do that just cause you''re a dragon, we''ll find another way, alright?"


    "..." Sinneah blinked. She stared at the shorter girl for a bit. "No, she didn''t ask for that at all."


    "H-Huh?" Keiko sniffled. "Oh. Uhm... Then, anyway, uh, I-I dunno... If you want to give that stuff to her then, go ahead, or don''t. It''s your choice."


    Sinneah sighed then, as the two began walking back where they were.


    Well, I know it is my choice. I would like to know what the right choice to make is.


    ---


    Ash


    As soon as Ash saw that reflection of herself, she knew she wanted no part of that.


    It''s probably an Illusion spell, where''s the motherfucker doing that, huh!?  She looked around.  Come on, bird, thing, or whatever, just fly down here so I can kill you already!


    "Scared of a little girl, huh?" A voice asked behind her, and Ash stopped.


    "..." With wide eyes, Ash slowly turned around.


    That younger version of her was standing there, looking at her apathetically.


    "What a pussy," the little girl said.


    "..." Ash blinked. Then, wordlessly, she raised her sword and tried to slash through the girl''s body.


    Her sword passed straight through her though, and Ash was left with a little girl smirking back at her as her weapon did nothing.


    "Wooow," she said. "Is that all you''ve got after training for so long?"


    Again, without speaking at all, Ash raised her right hand. Closing her eyes, she let her connection to Magia form a spear of light in her palm. Then, she opened her eyes and threw it forward at her.


    The beam of light passed through the girl and landed on the ground, causing it to explode and sending dirt flying through the air.


    Some of which got in Ash''s eyes.


    "Agh, fuck!" She cried out.


    "All those levels and still pathetic as fuuuuuck~"


    "Shut up already!" Ash hissed through gritted teeth as the little girl shrugged in front of her. "Hey!" She turned around and shouted into the air. "Whoever is casting this weird fucking spell, just come out!"


    "Yeah!" Little-Ash ran up beside her, yelling into the trees. "Show yourself you creep!"


    "..." In a very, very short amount of time, this girl had made Ash so angry that her knuckles cracked as she clenched her left hand around her sword''s hilt.


    "What? I''m just trying to help."


    "Fuck off."


    Disregarding her, Ash continued walking forward.


    Flower, flower, flower, where the hell are you?  She wondered, wanting to find the damned thing and leave as soon as she could.


    However, soon, she remembered what Tyl had said.  Right!  She thought.  If you spend too much time in this place, it fucks with your senses. Maybe I should...


    When she turned around to leave and take a break, however, she ran into a problem she should have anticipated but hadn''t thought about. Mostly because she''d underestimated how confusing the Mist Realm was going to be.


    "... How the hell do I get back outside?" She muttered.


    "I dunno," the little girl replied, shrugging.


    She could, of course, see a few trees that looked vaguely familiar, but as she walked back over to them, she found that the path back looked nothing like it had leading up to this place. Whereas before, it had been somewhat like a natural corridor, now, all she could see were strange bushes blocking the way.


    Yeah, that''s wonderful.


    Putting that aside, however, Ash decided that, if she couldn''t find a way back, the least she could do was make sure she had one of those flowers in her possession before she tried to make a real effort out of leaving this place.


    One thing at a time,  she told herself. Just... Take it one step at a time.


    She turned around then and flinched when she nearly ran into herself. Little-Ash laughed when she saw her reaction.


    "Stop that."


    "Stop what?" She asked.


    "That."


    "That what?"


    "I swear I am going to-"


    But, then, she heard something else and stopped.


    It sounded like a kind of low clicking noise, but just loud enough to be noticeable. It was coming from the east, and Ash took a deep breath as it began growing louder, echoing from beyond the trees.


    Okay, calm down. Ash thought.  Probably nothing but a low-level monster. Let''s kill it, and keep walking through this place to try to find that flower, and once I''m done, maybe, I can...


    But, when she saw the creature that was approaching, Ash''s jaw hit the ground.


    "Crcrcrcrcr," a pair of mandibles clicked against each other. The monster was a giant, grasshopper-like creature with the hands of a lizard, and glowing blue eyes just like the bird from before, looking straight at Ash.


    Level 80


    MP: 500/500


    "..." Ash nodded to herself.


    Alright.. Fine.

 Chapter 254 - Vol. 4 - 53

    Keiko


    A few hours passed, and Keiko stood in the garden, looking up to see the twin moons hovering over her head as the nighttime chill stuck to her skin like a layer of sweat.


    Keiko took a deep breath and wondered:


    Where''s Ash?


    The half-demon hadn''t returned yet. The Mist realm was a few hours away, but almost twelve hours had gone by since she''d left, and the Savior was still out there.


    I hope nothing''s happened to her,  Keiko thought, sighing as she heard someone walk up to her. She looked back and found Yumi, with a concerned expression on her face.


    "Are you coming in?" Yumi asked. "The others are going to have dinner in just a moment."


    "Uh, give me a second," Keiko replied, expecting the woman to turn and leave, but instead, she walked up beside her and placed her hands over the stone railing. Leaning a little over it, she looked out toward the dark landscape ahead of them as Keiko watched her curiously.


    "It''s a beautiful night, isn''t it?" Yumi asked.


    "... Yeah."


    Both remained quiet for a moment. The wind whistled past Keiko''s ears before Yumi spoke up again.


    "Worried?" She asked.


    "A little," Keiko replied, turning away from her, and keeping her eyes on the stretch of sand and rocks in front of her. "I didn''t think things would take her this long."


    "Chances are the Mist Realm has proven slightly difficult, but, Ash is quite likely the most powerful person in the world at the moment. At least, I would bet on that. I don''t believe she even  can run into anything that could give her that much trouble."


    "I-I know, I just..." Keiko sighed. "I worry for her. I wish I could just... be out there, helping. You know, she''s doing this for my sake," Keiko continued, her volume elevating a little. "I-If something happened because of this... I..."


    Then, Yumi started chuckling, for some reason and Keiko glared a little at her.


    "I''m serious!"


    "I know," Yumi quickly answered, with a smile on her face, but with sympathetic eyes looking back at her. "But, Keiko, if you were out there with her, what would you do?"


    "I''d fight," Keiko shrugged. "I have my abilities, I can still..."


    "Any enemy you could defeat, Keiko," Yumi told her, "she could handle easily. So, what would happen if an enemy arrives that she couldn''t just brush aside? What would happen if you were both there and you encountered an enemy that could even give her trouble?"


    When she heard that, Keiko paused. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.


    "You could serve as a distraction, maybe, but... You want to know what I think?" Yumi told her. "I think all you would do is give Ash the same amount of worry that you feel right now. Is that something you wish to do?"


    "..." Keiko looked away. She searched for an answer, but as she didn''t find any, she felt herself tearing up.  She''s right,  she thought.  She''s right, I''d be-


    "Please, don''t misunderstand," Yumi said, placing a hand on Keiko''s cheek so that she looked back up at her. "What I am attempting to say is that maybe after she recovers these ingredients and helps you get rid of this issue, you can train up to a level where you can stand by her side. But, that possible version of you is not the one that exists today."


    It hurt to hear that. Keiko''s shoulders slumped as Yumi smiled a little wider.


    "However, maybe in the future, we can make that version a reality. And, when it comes time to do that, I will be here to help you train, and work right alongside you. I want to be useful too, you know," she said with a wink.


    Hearing that, Keiko''s lips quivered and she nearly shed a tear as she launched herself at Yumi and hugged her tightly. Yumi laughed.


    ".... Thank you," Keiko sighed into her shoulder.


    "Do not worry," Yumi replied. "Back at the shrine, I read all sorts of sappy romance novels. I''ve seen all of this before!"


    Hearing that, Keiko laughed, pulling away from her. The two looked into each other''s eyes with a pair of mirrored grins.


    "Well, hungry yet? We should probably get back in there before they wonder if we''ve jumped the railing to go look for her."


    "R-Right, that, uh... Hadn''t crossed my mind at all, obviously."


    And so, with Keiko''s spirits lifted, she walked back into the Manor. However, as she did so, she looked up at Yumi and found admiration blooming inside of her.


    ... If only others in my family were so understanding,  Keiko thought as she walked back inside.


    ---


    Ash


    Earlier


    "Whoa, that thing''s big!" Little-Ash said, next to her.


    "Shut up."


    Ash prepared herself. Firstly, she decided maybe it would be better to switch weapons. Then, as she had no idea what this thing could really do, she came up with a quick, easy plan to try to get a kill before she could be hurt.


    Go for its eyes,  she thought.  That''s probably its weakness. But, considering how big this thing is, maybe I could go for its legs first. Disable it, leave it open for an attack. Question is, with what?


    Quickly, an answer came to her.


    Okay, Yumi. Let''s see if your favorite weapon''s worth anything.


    "Naginata," she whispered, and her  Lust transformed into a golden reflection of the very weapon Yumi used most often as she set her bag aside. She figured it would be good here for two reasons.


    First, its reach. Ash wanted to be able to hit this thing without having to get too close. Second, she wanted to slash those legs off, which was why she hadn''t switched to a spear instead.


    With her proficiency for this weapon at a 4, Ash was barely comfortable with it, but she believed she could get some decent hits in.


    Okay, now-


    One of the creature''s lizard-like arms snapped forward and punched Ash in the chest.


    "Agh!"


    The half-demon was launched back, crashing into a tree as violet blood came out from her mouth.


    Holy fuck, my tits just got flattened,  she thought, coughing as she quickly got back up into a fighting stance. Focusing up again, she ignored the words her smaller self was saying and gritted her teeth.


    Right. This thing is higher level than I am.


    She hadn''t fought anything that was actually stronger than she was in a while. She''d forgotten what it felt like.


    As the creature began running up toward her, a certain girl''s voice rang in her skull.


    Remember,  she heard Keiko''s voice say,  defense wins fights.


    "Right," she hissed, as the creature drew close enough. Then, it lifted one of its hands up again and Ash ran under it, avoiding the straight punch that came.


    She slashed at one of its grasshopper-like legs, managing to make a deep gash before she stepped away from it.


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten."


    Ash got those words out in a hurry and then pressed her right hand down on her chest, and her body was healed quickly as the monster turned around.


    Above her own head, Ash looked up at her mana.


    Level 73


    MP: 280/330


    These spells are starting to cost more, she realized.  Good. Means they''re better.


    Then, the creature lifted its head and its mandibles began to click again.


    "Rcrcrcrcrcrc!"


    Dark blue spheres shot out of its mouth then, as Ash watched. Her eyes widened and she quickly rolled to the side, avoiding the projectiles before running up again. She went to do the same as before, but as the creature saw it coming, it backed up while launching out more of those projectiles at her, and Ash had to stop her momentum to avoid them.


    Eventually, both of them halted, and both opponents just looked at each other.


    Ash checked its mana.


    Level 80


    MP: 450/500


    Wait, seriously?  She narrowed her eyes.  All of that only cost 50 mana? Those were like, at least thirty different little orb things that it shot out. How the hell!?


    As she tried to wrap her mind around that, the creature did the same thing again.


    Ash was too far away to get close to it as she had before, so instead...


    "Bow!"


    Swapping weapons, she ran to the left and shot a few arrows mid-sprint. They just barely missed the enemy, as it ducked under them, and Ash swapped weapons again.


    "Naginata, corruption spread, corruption launch! Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    Using her weakest Dark spell, she hadn''t intended to do damage with it. She only wanted to annoy the creature just enough to, hopefully, present an opening. Yumi had taught her to fight in terms of sequences, after all. This was her putting that advice into practice.


    That said, however, anger coursed through her body as she threw out two of those Dark orbs at the monster.


    One of them caught its head, and the monster let out a low screech.


    There!


    Ash ran forward. With a spinning slash, she took advantage of this brief window of opportunity, and her naginata connected with one of this creature''s four grasshopper-like legs, as the two limbs at its front were its lizard-like hands.


    With that dextrous move, she sliced off the creature''s limb, and green blood sprayed all over her as a reward.


    Yes, now-


    And the creature punched her again. This time, in the head.


    One second, Ash had been smirking as a result of her successful attack. The next, she was in the air, and after that, she was face-down on a mound of grass and fallen leaves.


    She noticed she was bleeding from her mouth and touched her teeth with her tongue.


    Oh. It knocked one of my front teeth out.  She realized as she made an effort to stand up.


    "May our vigor never fade, find our spirits emboldened," Ash muttered, and she cast the spell  Lumina''s Spirit,  injecting her body with a small amount of stamina.


    It was just enough strength to get back on her feet, and she wiped the blood off of her chin as she scowled at the monster.


    Okay... This thing hits harder than I do. I don''t think I can take many more of those punches. So...


    In that short amount of time, she tried to think of something. However, the creature moved before she did. This time, it leaped into the air, blocking out the sunlight as Ash''s mouth gaped below it. Shaking her head, she rolled forward, narrowly avoiding having her body be crushed by this thing.


    Instantly, she turned around, closed her eyes, and raised her right hand.


    Without a thought, Ash launched out a spear of divine power that surged through the air and struck the monster from behind.


    A part of its back exploded, and more green blood came out into the air.


    This time, Ash didn''t celebrate. She was too focused. The monster turned toward her, and before its eyes had even landed on Ash, it started clicking its mandibles, sending out many of those dark orbs in her direction.


    What Ash did next, she did out of instinct.


    With her connection to Magia still firmly in her mind, she reached toward the enemy and held her hand out, as the orbs flew toward her.


    It happened so quickly, that Ash could only guess when the right time was. But as she saw the orbs get close enough, she activated the  Divine Rejection  ability Sinneah had taught her, and one of those orbs touched her hand just as it glowed white.


    And the entire stream of orbs faded out of existence.


    Ash''s eyes widened. The creature appeared confused, as though wondering why its attack had stopped on its own.


    The half-demon ran forward. She held out her naginata, moving as quickly as she could and running straight for one of its legs on the opposite side of its body, from where she''d cut it before. The creature moved to punch her, but it did so too slowly, and Ash dodged the attack before twirling her naginata much like Yumi always did, and slashing another of the monster''s legs off.


    It cried out, stepping back a few meters as more green blood fell on Ash''s body.


    But, again, she was too focused. She didn''t notice the blood, nor did she notice the violet aura that had begun to cover her body, or how her hands changed into that of a demon''s. Instead, her eyes remained on her target as the monster began clicking its mandibles again.


    And, as Ash''s horns grew in size, she raised a demonic hand up to the sky.


    Just as the creature used its spell again, Ash created another spear of light, and this time, the bolt shot out through the air and hit the monster''s head.


    And the grasshopper-like creature''s head exploded into bits, just a short distance ahead of Ash. Green blood rained down all around Ash, the monster hit the ground, and an EXP message appeared over Ash''s head.


    EXP Gained: 1500


    EXP: 730/730


    Level Up!


    And, as Ash read those words out, she fell forward, and her eyes closed on their own.


    ---


    Huh?


    Suddenly, Ash was in a black room.


    What? Where...?


    As confusion bubbled up inside of her, colors then fell around the half-demon. A brilliant rainbow swirled around her, before promptly coalescing in front of her, and, slowly, the form of a woman with eyes like flame and hair made of golden smoke appeared in front of her.


    "Ah, Ash!" Magia said, stretching her arms out.. She strutted over to her and gave her a firm kiss on the lips. "Did you miss me?"

 Chapter 255 - Vol. 4 - 54

    "Magia?"


    "Mhm, is it not obvious who I am? Do I need to make it clearer?" The goddess replied before she created glowing letters above herself spelling out "MAGIA."


    Ash blinked a few times as the goddess smiled in front of her.  What the...? So many questions passed through her skull at that instant that forming a coherent thought became difficult.


    One of them made its way out Ash''s lips and the half-demon asked:


    "Wait, wait, how can I even hear you right now? We aren''t even at a Site of Power."


    "Oh ho, but that''s where you''re wrong," Magia said, wagging a finger back and forth. "You are currently planted face-down in the middle of the Mist Realm. And, you wanna know something?"


    She leaned in closely and Ash felt her lips so close to her left ear that it tickled.


    "I was born here~" She stated, before pulling away dramatically. "The Bed of Creation, I call it! And, your journey has brought you all the way to this place. Personally, I think that''s rather poetic."


    "... So, is that why everything is so weird around here?" Ash asked. "Cause of you?"


    "Hm? Oh, yes, precisely. Aside from the fact that this was where I came to be when I first began my stint as the Goddess of Creation, I... Well," Magia made an uncharacteristically awkward face. "I was rather loose, to put it that way. I didn''t limit my powers, and it ended up affecting this place rather dramatically."


    The goddess then floated toward her and took Ash''s hands with hers, smiling back at the woman.


    "Never mind that," she waved a hand, smirking. "You. You''ve been rather busy lately. Care to let me know what you''ve been doing all this time?"


    "... What?" Ash didn''t bother to keep her questions to herself since Magia could read her thoughts here. "You don''t know?"


    "No, unfortunately, I do not. Don''t misunderstand, a goddess such as myself can obviously piece together that you have been trying to help Lumina''s champion in some way, and that little friend of yours with the silver eyes, but, the details have eluded me. So, Ash, as you''d put it, ''what''s up''?"


    "..." Ash paused, narrowing her eyes at the woman. ''Why do you wanna know so badly?"


    "Hm? Ash, do you still not understand? I L O V E, you!" She said, spelling the words out in the air with glittery letters at the same time. "What kind of lover would I be if I weren''t interested in your affairs? Especially since I haven''t been a part of them in so long..."


    With that, she flew over in front of her and Ash took a step back. However, she froze when Magia gently ran a golden hand down the middle of her chest.


    "So, how about we reconnect a little?"


    "..."


    Everything this bitch says sounds suspicious,  Ash thought, and Magia scoffed.


    "Ha!" The goddess barked out a laugh as she pushed Ash back and created a giant bed behind her. She laid down on it sideways and beckoned for Ash to come closer. Reluctantly, the half-demon did. "Well, if you want me to be honest, frankly, I was feeling a little bit jealous. After all, you haven''t spoken to me in so long and, instead, you''ve been purposefully increasing that other goddess''s power... Can you blame me? It all seems rather strange when you look at it from my point of view, doesn''t it?"


    Raising a brow, Ash replied.


    "Alright, sure, I''ll tell you everything Lumina''s told me."


    "Ohhh, I''m sensing there''s a condition," Magia said with a smile.


    "Yeah. A couple. First, tell me where the hell I can find the flower I''m looking for, and second, stop putting illusions on me. It''s annoying."


    "Hm..." At that, Magia shrugged. "The first one is easy. Here," she flicked her right hand and a screen appeared to Ash''s left. What she saw was a pond in the darkness of the night with luminous glowing, blue water.


    And, all around it were large purple and black flowers.


    Finally!


    "When you wake up," Magia told her, "turn left and head straight. Walk for an hour or two, and you''ll come across this place."


    "Oka- wait, an hour?" She asked.


    "Yes, an hour. Flowers are rare in this place. However, now that you know where to go, I trust your trip shall be cut short. The second thing you asked for, however," Magia shrugged. "I, unfortunately, cannot do."


    "... What?" Ash tilted her head. "What do you mean?"


    "The reality-bending magic present in this area, although it originated from me, and it empowers me, is completely disconnected to myself in terms of actions. In other words, you told me to stop with the illusions earlier, but I cannot do that because I am not doing anything to you. The area and the monsters here themselves are doing that, all on their own."


    Ash blinked.


    "Well, shit."


    "Now, a deal''s a deal," Magia said, sitting up. She pulled Ash in by the waist and her lips touched Ash''s abs, making the girl hiss as shivers went up her spine. "Just tell me what you and Lumina have discussed. And, who knows, after our little chat is done, maybe we can share a moment on this neat little bed I made."


    The goddess looked up at Ash with a smirk.


    "You''ve been holding yourself back so much lately. That Lust stack of yours hasn''t gone past two in weeks. Why is that? Don''t you like having your tail in beautiful women? Spectating you can be very confusing at times."


    "... I can''t just fuck everything that moves," Ash said under her breath as Magia traced two fingers down her thighs.


    "Why''s that? You absolutely could. As a matter of fact, you were designed to. You could fuck every woman in Amber and they''d all thank you for it, doesn''t that sound nice?"


    Ash paused, staring back into the woman''s flame-like eyes. She tried to ignore how her heart was pounding against her chest at the thought of that.


    "Didn''t you want to hear about what I told Lumina?" Ash asked, changing the topic.


    "Hmph. Yes. Go ahead."


    Letting out a sigh of relief as Magia pulled away from her, Ash nodded.


    "Okay..."


    Then, she relayed everything she and Lumina had talked about to her. She didn''t really have any reason to lie, she figured. She doubted Magia would, or even could, get in her way somehow, and the sooner she could get back to looking for the flower, the sooner she could get out of the Mist Realm, which was already high on her list of least favorite places.


    Magia listened to everything intently, and gradually, her smile faded as she took on a more analytical expression. Eventually, Ash finished up, and Magia crossed her legs as she replied:


    "I see... Well, as long as your interests align, I suppose there''s no issue with this."


    It''s definitely less frustrating working with her than working with you,  Ash thought, and Magia grinned.


    "That may very well be the case, but make no mistake, Ash," Magia said. "No one understands you like I do. Which is why, since we''re here, I''m doing this," she said, before snapping her fingers.


    In an instant, Ash fell to her knees.


    "Ahhh!" She arched her back as a Lust so intense it burned surged through her body.


    It only lasted a few seconds, but it was enough time for Ash to remember what it was like activating the  Champion of Magia  ability, which she hadn''t used since she''d fought that Nightmare at Onyx.


    Then, a few words appeared over her head.


    Trait Discovered!


    The Power of Passion


    Gain a flat increase in the Strength and Intelligence attributes with every Lust stack.


    Lust 1 - 0 STR and INT


    Lust 2 - 5 STR and INT


    Lust 3 - 10 STR and INT


    Lust 4 - 20 STR and INT


    Ash clenched her fists as she looked up at them.


    "See," Magia lifted Ash''s face up by her chin. "As much as I love and adore you, you can be very, very frustrating sometimes. For example, for some reason, you seem to restrain yourself. That woman with the black hair, Yumi, you should have ravaged her by now. You should have pounded her so hard that she couldn''t think about anyone else but you, regardless of what that short-stack thought, but you didn''t. Like a little puppy, you waited till the shortie gave you permission before taking what was yours. So, since we are at one of my Sites of Power, I figured, why not give you some incentive to express yourself more? You''re welcome."


    In a flash, the world began to gain color, as Magia chuckled a little.


    "Until next time, Ash."


    ---


    Ash''s eyes opened.


    She felt cold. In the distance, she could hear crickets as she stood up and dusted the dirt off of herself. Taking a deep breath, she checked her status to make sure that she hadn''t just dreamed all of this.


    Level 75


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 50/750


    Attribute Points: 4


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 24


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    ---


    Traits:


    Iron Stomach


    Chosen


    Demon Inside


    Quick Learner


    Moonlight Nature


    Moonlight Demon


    The Power of Passion


    "..." Ash sighed.  I can''t just fuck whatever I want to without telling Keiko about it. She''ll get mad at me. It doesn''t just work like that, you divine slut, Ash cursed in her mind as she felt her body suddenly sting a little.


    She''d forgotten, thanks to this conversation, that she''d just been through a dangerous battle.


    Wait, right,  she looked to her left, as Magia had told her to do.  That direction. Okay. Let''s keep moving.


    Picking her stuff back up, she took a couple of steps before she remembered something else.


    Looking around, she couldn''t find her.


    "... Where the hell did that illusion go?" Ash mumbled. "Eh? Whatever. Good riddance."


    Without another word, she began walking forward under the cover of the moonlight, hoping she''d been done with this place soon.

 Chapter 256 - Vol. 4 - 55

    For some time, as Ash moved toward the pond Magia had pointed out to her, she wondered how she could use that trait the goddess had just bestowed upon her. Not in a general sense, of course. The trait''s use was very blunt, after all. It was simply a reward for fucking more often.


    Rather, she wondered how she could go about increasing her Lust stacks on a regular basis and if she even wanted to use it regularly or if she would keep this trait locked up and in the darkness until emergencies occurred.


    The main reason was that at Lust 4, and even at Lust 3 to an extent, Ash could barely control herself. Sure, chances are that if she remained at Lust 4 as she did her farming around Amber, she would make short work of an entire region''s worth of monsters, but she''d also probably do many other, different, things that she wouldn''t be quite nearly as proud of.


    She was almost a different person when her Lust got that high, and she hated that feeling. Whenever she lowered her Lust after getting it up there, it always felt like someone else had been walking in her shoes throughout her Lust Demon Form''s duration.


    And yet, she couldn''t deny how useful this trait was. Even now, her Strength and Intelligence had been increased by 5 thanks to her 2 Lust stacks.


    Whatever,  she said to herself eventually,  focus. It''s been about ten minutes. Fifty more minutes to go before I can get that flower and walk the hell out of here. Before that, though, I should probably spend those attribute points.


    She did just that, putting all four points into her Intelligence, as she wanted to be able to use the  Pain Amplification spell, which brought her stats up to this point.


    Level 75


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 50/750


    ---


    STR: 50 (+5)


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 28 (+5)


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Alright. Seems good. Ash told herself as she looked up at those numbers, as more crickets sounded off in the cold nighttime air.


    With that out of the way, the half-demon continued on her way, trekking past several iridescent plants and trees, and keeping her eyes peeled for any incoming attackers. It didn''t take too long for something to appear.


    Hm?  Ash turned around as she thought she''d heard something scurry off to the side. Narrowing her eyes into her gloomy surroundings, she muttered:


    "Sword."


    Her Savior''s Weapon transformed, and Ash kept it close to her waist as she proceeded down the path.


    She had already grown sick of this place, but the strange sounds and oppressive atmosphere made her turn outright resentful of it. Luckily, however, it seemed like the fight against the previous monster she''d encountered had been the last one for the day, as she walked over a hill and could clearly see a pool of water glowing in the distance.


    Seeing it made her legs quicken just a little. She looked back every now and then, distrustful of the path which had gotten strangely quiet with every step. As she drew closer to that goal, which remained in the distance, almost taunting her, Ash kept herself focused.


    Right up until the ground trembled.


    Ash almost fell to her knees.


    What the fuck!?


    Looking around, with her sword in front of her, she could hear giant, thudding footsteps that appeared to intimidate the very earth around her. Ash took a few sharp breaths, her eyes wide as she tried to remain ready to defend herself. The lumbering footsteps felt like they were surrounding her, and Ash couldn''t tell from which direction the creature was approaching.


    Turning frantically from one side to another, Ash wished the creature would just show itself already so that she could engage it. And, indeed, it did.


    In front of her, far ahead, a pair of violet eyes glowed in the distance.


    Ash froze. She raised her sword instinctively, as the creature that walked forward was illuminated by the plants around it. It was massive, doubling Ash''s height and width, with swollen muscles stacked under tattered clothes. It had long white hair, a pair of horns, rattling chains wrapped around its wrists, and was carrying a black greatsword in its right hand like it weighed nothing.


    Level 100


    MP: 2000/2000


    She recognized it immediately. How could she not? This had been the same creature she and Kaori had fought a month ago. Only, apparently, it had gotten far stronger in the time that they hadn''t seen each other.


    Ash''s hands began to shake. For the first time in what felt like ages, she was scared. Her first instinct was to run, of course, but her legs wouldn''t move. Instead, she remained there, standing still with her sword in front of her, as the Nightmare drew even closer. Its beady, emotionless, violet eyes remained fixed on Ash, all the way up until it was standing in front of her.


    It raised its sword, and Ash did nothing but watch until it swung its blade down on her.


    And the weapon passed straight through her body, harmlessly. As soon as it did, the creature slowly dissipated into thin air, and Ash''s fear quickly turned into confusion as the Nightmare ceased to be.


    Then, her hands began to shake again, only this time as a result of that confusion turning into anger.


    ... I am so done with this fucking place.


    She was so angry that even that thought came out as a hiss.


    She continued walking to those glowing waters, stomping out a path to it as her fists remained clenched so hard that her fingernails dug into her palms.


    "Auagh!" A strange-looking goblin suddenly yelled out, jumping out from a bush to the right. It was small, and holding a wooden club in its right hand, trying to make an intimidating face at Ash.


    The half-demon didn''t hesitate. She didn''t even check its level, actually. She instantly grabbed it by the face, shoved it to the ground, mounted it, and then squeezed as hard as she could as she said:


    "Lesser being, give me your life!"


    She even earned a crack from its skull as her hand clutched its head so fiercely.


    "Awawa!" The goblin cried out incoherently.


    Violet tendrils came out from its body, siphoning into Ash even though she was completely unhurt. But, after a couple dozen minutes of non-stop life force suctioning, the goblin went limp.


    EXP Gained: 100


    EXP: 150/750


    Ash raised its head up and, even though it was already dead, made sure to smash it into the ground twice before she got up and kept walking, as though nothing had happened.


    Finally, a short while later, she arrived at the pond. All around her, it was as if the flowers she hadn''t been able to find before had been dropped here, just to spite her. She could easily see over fifty, each one with brilliant glowing petals and covering the area in a rainbow-like haze, as they all showed their colors so brilliantly.


    Ash quickly tore one out, noting that it maintained its glow even as she''d taken it, and then, she turned to leave.


    However, an idea came to her, and she decided to pause for just a minute.


    She still had that grasshopper monster''s blood in her hair and on her clothes, and she was still furious over the illusion she''d witnessed and she figured she could use a second or two to cool off, just in case she happened to run into a monster that wasn''t as weak as the goblin she''d just slaughtered.


    So, sat down by the water and picked some of it up with her hands, throwing it onto her face.


    At first, she was afraid it was going to be acidic or something but, no. It was literally just regular water.


    Ash washed her hair out, and then entered the pool entirely, leaving her travel bag aside where she''d put that flower in and, for a while, she just sat there.


    Wet and exhausted, staring up at the night sky.


    ... What I would give for a way to teleport right now, she thought as she internalized the fact that she was going to have to walk all the way back to Amber now. Of course, she had no idea where she was, but the Mist Realm wasn''t endless. So, Ash had a simple plan. She was going to walk in a straight line until the Mist Realm stopped.


    Easy.


    All she was doing right now was preparing herself mentally for that journey, which would surely take her the rest of the night to complete.


    It was with that knowledge that she soaked herself in the pond right now, trying to take in the cold and let her body grow more comfortable before she walked out.


    This dress is going to be so ruined by the time I get back,  she thought with a snicker.


    For a while, it was nothing but peace and relative silence as she could still hear crickets in the distance.


    And, then, a woman sat down next to her.


    Ash sighed as she saw her out of the corner of her eye. She didn''t even turn to look at her, as she knew it was either some monster who apparently wanted to have a casual chat before they killed each other, or an illusion of some sort that was only going to serve to annoy her.


    Can''t this place just leave me alone for a few seconds, for fuck''s sake?  She asked herself, as she finally decided to get it over with and see what had just approached her.


    For a moment, her eyes widened, and Ash hated that she''d fallen for the illusion for even just a second.


    Kaori was there, sitting right next to her. She was naked and it looked as though her hair had gotten longer, and she was a little thinner than before, which made her look downright sickly now.


    Seriously, Mist Realm?  Ash asked in her thoughts.  You couldn''t have at least made her look hot or something? Is every illusion in this place designed to mess with me? Why can''t you make an illusion of some hot girl eating me out or something? Is that too much to ask for?


    As she sulked, Ash muttered.


    "Just go away already."


    "... What?" The Kaori illusion next to her asked, blinking twice, and Ash turned toward her.


    "I said," she narrowed her brows, "go away!"


    And then, Ash swung a hand through her. Unfortunately, however, although the other illusions had been quickly dispelled by her doing this, this time, her hand did go through Kaori''s body, but the illusion didn''t fade.


    Okay, some advanced shit? Whatever,  Ash shook her head.


    "W-Wait..." Kaori''s fake voice said, "you can see me?"


    Ash rolled her eyes.


    "Of course, I can, that''s the whole point of these illusions isn''t it?" She mumbled angrily.


    Deciding quickly that she''d had enough of this, Ash stood up and went to grab her bag. The fake Kaori ran over to her and stood in front of her then, and Ash flinched.


    "You can see me!?" Fake Kaori asked dramatically, and Ash simply didn''t respond as she walked straight through her body.


    ... This is a low blow, Mist Realm,  she scorned the location in her thoughts.. I swear, if you had a face I''d tear it off.

 Chapter 257 - Vol. 4 - 56

    Okay, now, where the fuck do I go?  Ash wondered.


    "Ash," the illusion behind her said.


    Hm. Is there some way I could figure out where I am based on this map? The half-demon asked herself, as she looked down at the piece of paper in her hands. On it was the Mist Realm, clearly represented by a grey blob located northwest of Amber, but it didn''t have much of anything else other than that, which made knowing which was the right way to go almost impossible.


    "Aaash!"


    Nah,  the half-demon told herself. Although, there does look like there''s some sort of fortress north of here. And, below, there are some small mountains, that I think I''ve been to already. In that case, yeah, I could keep walking straight, leave this place, and whatever I see when I get out would tell me where I am!


    "Ash!"


    Ash turned toward the illusion angrily, gritting her teeth as she was about to throw a few curses at it. The Kaori-like image flinched, and that brief flash of anger quickly faded as Ash just let out a bitter sigh and turned away.


    Just ignore this thing,  she told herself.  It''ll go away on its own eventually.


    Quickly, not wanting to waste a second, Ash began her stride forward. She made an effort not to deviate, which was difficult as there was, of course, no real path to follow. However, as she passed over fallen branches and glowing leaves, Ash kept her focus ahead, even as the fake Kaori behind her continued pestering the girl.


    "Stop ignoring me! I''m real!"


    You''re about as real as Magia''s sense of shame, Ash countered in her mind, rolling her eyes.


    And, that brief moment of distraction allowed for a strange, slimy green projectile to land on her chest.


    "Ugh, what the fuck?" Ash asked as she felt her chest burning. She threw her bag down quickly and then gracelessly tore the top of her dress off, casting it aside as well, just to prevent this acidic substance from hurting her any further.


    Brushing away any remnants of the green slime from her skin, she looked ahead to see what had attacked her and found a pair of small red eyes looking in her direction, from behind a large bush. She couldn''t see the creature itself though, only its glowing pupils.


    "Bow,"  Ash quickly said and her  Lust transformed. She shot out a pair of arrows quickly at whatever it was that had attacked, and the creature scurried away. Ash waited, but it showed no signs of returning.


    "What was that thing?" The illusion asked beside her, and, once again, Ash ignored her, though she couldn''t have answered that even if she wanted to.


    Looking down, she saw the piece of the dress she''d taken off stop burning, just as Ash crouched to take it and throw it in her bag, picking the thing back up again.


    That was dangerous, actually,  Ash thought.  Whatever that was, it was definitely strong enough to hurt me. Gotta be careful.


    "Ash, please," Kaori''s image crouched down in front of her, and suddenly, her eyes were right in front of Ash, and she couldn''t turn away. "I swear to you, I''m not some illusion."


    However, Ash wasn''t about to let that get to her. Mainly, because she knew that if she did, it was going to hurt more than it already did when the illusion faded.


    A part of her wanted to indulge in this. Treat this illusion like it was the real thing, even if she knew it wasn''t. Think of things she may have wanted to tell Kaori that she never got the chance to before that coma happened. However, again, all of that would only make the inevitable moment where the illusion disappeared hurt even more.


    She wasn''t about to do that to herself. Especially not in a place this dangerous.


    The half-demon continued walking forward, this time, keeping her eyes peeled for whatever monster it was that had attacked her. Eventually, and thankfully, the illusion grew silent, and Ash was allowed some peace and quiet, though she wondered why the thing didn''t just disappear if it wasn''t going to bother her.


    Unless it''s tied to the creature that just attacked me. Could it have been stalking me for that long? Ash wondered.


    Suddenly, another glob of green was slung at her, but this time, Ash heard it whistling through the air before it could land. She ducked. The projectile sailed over her head as her eyes scanned for the attacker. Again, she saw the same red eyes staring at her from the north.


    Gotcha, she thought, and Ash sprinted forward.


    Her dexterity made catching up relatively easy, and she finally identified the monster as it turned and tried to run away.


    It was almost like a goblin, except with a much rounder body, equipped with long, thin arms and a mouth that was far too wide for its head. Most importantly, however, Ash got to see its level.


    Level 41


    MP: 300/400


    Okay, motherfucker, come on, you asked for this!  Ash thought as she caught up to it and tripped the creature, making it fall forward, on its face. As she dropped her bag, Ash transformed her  Lust into a sword, and raised it up, about to let it descend on the creature''s head.


    Then, suddenly, another pair of red eyes appeared just in front of her. Ash looked up, noticed them, and this was what allowed her to duck under the next glob of green slime that shot out toward her head.


    What? This thing''s got a friend? Ash asked herself as she sank her blade into the monster underneath her, killing it quickly so that she could focus on the other.


    It wasn''t just one, however. Another pair of eyes appeared, then another, and from one moment to another, Ash was looking back at five other potential enemies.


    Level 42


    Level 41


    Level 41


    Level 40


    Level 40


    ...  Okay,  Ash thought, taking a deep breath.  Friends. Great.


    Backing up slowly from the corpse of the creature she''d had just killed, Ash muttered:


    "Gauntlets," figuring that this wasn''t going to be pretty.


    Don''t underestimate them,  Ash told herself. If they can all do that acid spit thing, then, yeah, they could probably take me down.


    One by one, they emerged from the bushes holding wooden spears in their hands, and rambling angrily at her. Ash narrowed her eyes at them, before charging at the closest one. Predictably, it instantly shot out some acid at her, and Ash leaned down, avoiding it as she then went to stab the creature. She managed to do so, and this creature fell to the ground with a screech.


    Still, she turned away and focused on the others, just in time to run off to the side, avoiding multiple globs of acidic spit.


    "Bow."


    Mid-sprint, Ash switched weapons, crouched, and shot out two arrows that landed as perfect headshots, killing her targets easily, before the other two reacted by running at her, now that they knew she could play this ranged game too.


    They were surprisingly quick, but not quick enough. Ash didn''t even block their attacks. Instead, she struck their spears away with her gauntlets and then slashed their girthy necks in a couple of fluid swings of her fists.


    And, both of those strange monsters fell as Kaori''s illusion cried out.


    "Ash, watch out!"


    But, she heard that too late. A glob of acidic spit struck her right in her waist.


    "Agk!" Her midsection burned as the creature shot out another one. Ash leaned away, dodging it, and then, bearing the pain with gritted teeth, she raised up her right hand, formed a  Divine Spear in it, and shot the bolt of light out at the enemy.


    The monster''s body exploded, and Ash hissed as she looked down at herself. The acid burned for a few extra seconds, and Ash could almost see her muscles under her skin when it was done.


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten."


    Casting  Burst Heal,  however, the pain quickly went away, and Ash fell on her back, taking a few deep breaths.


    Over her head, the total amount of EXP she''d gotten showed up.


    EXP Gained: 150


    EXP: 300/750


    Ash nodded to herself, deciding to take a second and calm down before she kept going.


    At least, that had been her intention, until Kaori''s illusion crouched by her side, looking down at her with eyes that were just so kind it hurt to think about. Because they reminded her of the actual Kaori.


    "..." Ash stared back at the illusion, unwilling to move. Kaori''s illusion appeared saddened, but she said:


    "That was really good stuff," Kaori''s illusion said, with what looked like a forced smile. "You''ve gotten better."


    "..." Again, Ash remained silent.


    She paused for a while. Nothing came out of her as she simply stared up at Kaori''s fake face.


    But then, a thought appeared in her mind, like an unimportant gust of wind during the day.


    Tyl had said that... She''d said that the Mist Realm would distort the senses. My senses. It can change reality, Magia said that too, but as far as illusions go, it can''t actually do more than mess with my senses.


    Ash''s brows narrowed.


    ... I didn''t notice that acid coming at me, Ash thought. Hell, I didn''t even realize that monster was still alive. So, how did an illusion that''s supposed to be based on my senses tell me something that I had no idea about?


    ...


    Ash blinked.


    She sat up. With shocked, cautious eyes, she looked at the illusion in front of her.


    "..." Ash''s lips parted, as she started to wonder. Her eyes looked straight into the illusion''s own, wondering if this really be happening.


    "Ash?" The image of Kaori noticed how her look had changed.


    The half-demon looked away.


    ... Test. I need to do a test, she told herself repeatedly, trying to think of something, and then, she got it.


    "You," she pointed at the illusion, with a trembling hand. Her heart rate began to speed up as she said, "I''m going to stand up, and walk backward," Ash said, trying to speak with a clear voice, though it was hard to do so, due to how tight her throat was getting. "You... You keep me from running into anything. Got it?"


    When she heard that, the illusion''s eyes widened, and she nodded eagerly.


    "Y-Yes! I understand!"


    "..." Her excited response sent shivers down Ash''s body.


    There''s no way,  she thought.  There''s no way, there''s no way.


    To make this even harder for herself, Ash closed her eyes entirely.


    "Ready?" She asked.


    "Yeah," Kaori''s illusion replied.


    Then, Ash took a step back. Then another, and another, feeling nothing but dirt and leaves under her boots.


    "There''s a bush behind you, walk to your left a little."


    And, she did so. Again, she kept going, and then, Kaori said:


    "A tree, uh, walk to your right."


    Taking a gulp, Ash did as the illusion said, and she expected to run right into something, but it never happened. Instead, Kaori''s illusion said:


    "Uh, you can''t really keep walking anymore. There''s a line of big plants here."


    Ash opened her eyes and looked around.


    Everything the illusion told her had been true.


    And, Ash had no idea what to think.


    Her legs gave out from under her, and Ash fell to her knees as she struggled to breathe. In the darkness, she kept her eyes on the dirt until she saw a pair of pale legs crouch in front of her. She looked up and saw Kaori looking back at her with hopeful, but scared eyes.


    "... Kaori?" Ash asked, and her voice broke.


    Ash saw a tear slide down the girl''s face before she replied:


    "Yeah, it''s me."

 Chapter 258 - Vol. 4 - 57

    Kaori


    Sometime Ago


    Upon waking again, Kaori was unsure of what to do. A couple of weeks had passed since she had checked in on her parents, and currently, the blonde was standing in the middle of the sky, with Yx still sitting next to her. She''d kept her eyes mostly on her family and her old group, though, on occasion she did wonder about a few other individuals from her past, long before she''d met Ash and Keiko.


    She looked in on an old girlfriend of hers, finding that the girl was studying overnight for what looked like a test of some sort at one of Jade''s few universities. One of her old classmates had traveled north to Sapphire and had enlisted for the city''s army, as she could tell by the fact that he was training with their soldiers. A lot of the individuals she looked at, however, looked like they couldn''t care less about everything demon-related that was happening outside of Jade''s walls.


    On one hand, she felt like at least, she''d tried to make a difference for some people. On the other, the more she checked in on people, the more lonely she felt. Sure, she had Yx here, but the man apparently wasn''t fond of simple conversations. Not that she even knew what they''d talk about if he was.


    "Can you show me what my friends are doing?" Kaori asked.


    "Which ones?"


    "Uh, Ash and Keiko."


    "Right away," Yx replied with that polite smile on his face, and, in the blink of an eye, Kaori was now sitting in the middle of a desert.


    Huh?  She looked around, seeing nothing but dirt and rocks for a while.  Where...?


    "Yeah?" She heard, up ahead. She tried to find the source of the sound and saw Keiko and Ash sitting together atop a giant rock. Seeing them together like this made Kaori''s heart melt, but at the same time, she instantly felt jealous.


    "..." Kaori looked down sadly, walking closer to them.


    "Nothing," Keiko waved a hand in the air. "I was just thinking out loud."


    Kaori stood by their side. She tried to sit down with them, but she fell straight through the rock, landing on her butt, and she let out a disappointed sigh.


    "My apologies, would you like to feel collision?" Yx walked up to her and asked.


    "Collision?"


    "Be able to feel things," Yx explained. "You wouldn''t be able to move anything, however. Only feel their texture, and use them as regular surfaces."


    "Oh... Uh, sure," Kaori shrugged.


    "Done," Yx replied.


    Already? Uh, okay,  Kaori thought as she then reached down and touched the boulder her friends were sitting on. She nearly gasped when she found that she could actually touch it now, along with the dirt under her feet as well. Feeling some excitement bubbling up inside of her, she sat down next to Keiko.


    Just this was enough to make Kaori feel a little better after multiple weeks of being little more than a ghost. She looked over at them, though she wasn''t really listening to what they were saying, and Kaori sighed.


    "... If you two could hear me right now," suddenly, she said, "what would I tell you?"


    Then, before she could come up with an answer, she heard this:


    "We could fuck right here and I could try my hardest not to get sand on your


    clit."


    Huh? Kaori looked over at her friends and found Keiko blushing intensely. Ash, what the heck?  Kaori thought, giggling as she watched them interact in front of her.


    "ASH!?" Keiko yelled out and, at that, Kaori burst out laughing.


    You can''t just say it like that! Kaori thought, shaking her head. Apparently, Ash knew how sudden that was, as she too was chuckling a little.


    Kaori looked away, feeling a little happier instantly.


    It''s almost... It''s almost like I''m here. She thought, however, she knew she was just trying to convince herself of that.


    "Could we?" Keiko asked, and Kaori looked over at them.


    "Hm?"


    "Uh... Could you try that? Um, not getting sand on my..." Keiko said, and Kaori blinked.


    What the...?


    "Yeah, I could give it a shot," Ash replied, and Keiko nodded. The Zayama began taking her pants off then, as Kaori gulped and Ash went and knelt down between her legs.


    Uh, should I be seeing this? Is this okay?  She wondered.


    ...


    But she didn''t look away.


    ---


    A while after that, it was nighttime, and Ash was coming back to the camp after having fought some monsters, covered in blood. Everyone was asleep except for Yumi, who was keeping watch for the night.


    She hated this, but, in all honesty, Kaori almost resented Yumi''s presence there, as it almost felt like she''d been replaced. She knew that hadn''t been the intention behind the Zayama''s addition to their "team", but, still. She felt that way.


    "... You certainly had an exciting time," Yumi said. Ash wiped some blood off of her face.


    "Kinda."


    Then, Ash went and took off her clothes, and walked away from the camp, naked, carrying nothing but her Savior''s Weapon.


    Confused, Kaori went and followed her. Eventually, they both arrived at a small pond, and here, Ash dipped into the water.


    Kaori did the same, as Yx had allowed her to feel these things around her. She felt the chill in the air, and the cold water on her skin, just like Ash was.


    The entire time, however, she couldn''t keep her eyes off the half-demon.


    Ugh, I wish I could tell you how beautiful you look right now. Even with all the blood on you, screw it, you''re stunning, Kaori thought, chuckling to herself.


    But, soon, Ash began doing something under the surface of the water.


    Hm?


    What she was doing didn''t quite sink in until Kaori saw her playing with her breasts with one hand and sinking the other between her legs.


    Oh.


    "O-Oh, my gosh, Ash..." She couldn''t help but mutter out loud.


    The half-demon stopped.


    She stood up in a hurry, looking around, the water dripping from her body. Her eyes looked panicked, and then, confused. Kaori was frozen, as she sat just a short distance away.


    "I... What?" Ash scratched her head. "I swear..."


    "A-Ash!?" Kaori asked, standing up and facing her, but the woman didn''t respond this time.


    ... Did she notice me?  Kaori asked herself.  Did something happen?


    "Yx!" She quickly called out to him, but, this time, the man did not appear before her, and those questions remained on her mind as eventually, Ash left.


    ---


    After that, Kaori decided she''d spend more time with her group. She could, of course, let Yx put her to sleep until whatever struggle was happening between the gods was settled, but Kaori wanted to know what was happening to those she cared about. The thought of waking up and hearing, "by the way, someone you love died while you were asleep," was not exactly appealing to her.


    So, while Ash, Keiko, and the others all moved into the city, later on, Kaori moved in right alongside them.


    At one point, as Metsumi took the group out while Ash was looking for something outside the city, Kaori went with them and scanned the city with great curiosity.


    Wow, the books didn''t do this place justice,  Kaori thought as she looked around at the dirt-covered wooden buildings, and the ominous guards standing around the corners and sitting on the rooftops. Kaori wondered about a few different things. What was a party here like? What kind of alcohol could she get her hands on? What sort of music did they like here?


    Another question popped up in her head, but this was one she figured she could get an answer on.


    "Yx," Kaori called out, and the man appeared next to her.


    "Yes?"


    "How has Amber dealt with the demons so far?"


    "Ah, well, although Niven''s opened up a few portals nearby, he''s yet to attack Amber recently, as he has with the other cities. His activity in this region has been restricted largely to assaulting various travelers as they make the journey from this region to another."


    "Why?" Kaori asked.


    "Ah," Yx said, "forgive me, but I cannot disclose Niven''s motivations."


    "What? How come?"


    "Because," Yx smiled, "doing so could potentially influence the outcome of the ongoing struggles in Nova."


    "How? I''m a ghost, or whatever," Kaori argued.


    "For now, you are," Yx answered. "However, your fate is still being decided, remember? If you were to be brought back to the land of the living, on Lumina''s side, too much information learned from me would result in direct manipulation of the odds of victory. Something the Higher Powers are mostly against."


    "... Mostly?"


    "Yes," Yx answered. "There are exceptions to every rule, after all. Nothing is certain in this existence of ours."


    As Kaori heard that, she nodded.


    "Take me over to Ash," she all but ordered and Yx did just that.


    ---


    Ash


    Now


    She was here, on her knees in front of Kaori, with the blonde looking right back at her as tears rolled down both their cheeks and yet, she couldn''t believe this.


    "I-I... How...?" Ash asked herself, and she could feel her skull spinning in circles over this.


    "I don''t know," Kaori replied. "I tried to ask... someone, but he won''t answer. I just... You can see me," Kaori said, and Ash could hear her voice break. "You can actually see me!"


    Even now, after she''d confirmed that this was no illusion thanks to that dumb little test they''d done, she still felt like any second now, this image of Kaori would lift her middle fingers up and fade away right before her eyes.


    But, no. Instead, a pair of loving, sympathetic eyes remained fixed on her.


    "..." Ash tried to calm herself down. "W-Where have you been? What have you been doing?"


    "I, it''s a bit of a tough thing to answer, but... I''ve been around you, mostly," Kaori said, looking down. "You, Keiko, everyone. I''ve been trying to keep up with what you''re doing here and... Holy f..." Kaori said. "I miss being with you all so much."


    Ash hesitantly tried to reach for her, but she couldn''t feel Kaori''s body. Her hand passed right through Kaori''s shoulder, which sucked because all she wanted was to give her the tightest hug possible right now.


    "... How long do we have together?" Ash asked.


    "I don''t know," Kaori shrugged. "This wasn''t arranged or anything. It just... happened."


    Nodding, Ash tried to take that information in. So many things were running through her thoughts, and she had no clue how long she had till she could say them to her.


    "O-Oh, wait!" Kaori said. "I think I can help you, uh, you''re trying to get back to the city, right?"


    "Yeah," Ash answered.


    "Alright, give me a moment."


    One second passed. Ash watched Kaori close her eyes, and then, she opened them again and pointed to Ash''s left.


    "That way!" Kaori let her know, and Ash stood up. She wiped her tears away and picked her things back up.


    Then, Ash thought back to what she had just heard.


    "... You''ve been around me?"


    "Most of the last few weeks," Kaori said, as her shoulders dropped a little. "I saw you and Keiko discussing her whole pregnancy. I saw all that awkward sexual tension between you and Yumi. The fight with Sinneah. All of it. All of it, wishing I could help just once. Even if it was just to offer advice or whatever, cause, gosh, seeing you get so close to losing your mind broke my heart."


    Again, her voice broke and Ash took that information in. This entire time, she thought the woman was just a husk laying in the same bed as her every night. Hearing this damn near broke her.


    "... But, can I ask you for something?" Kaori asked. "I-I wish we could make this moment count a little more, but..."


    "Yeah, of course," Ash said, walking up to her. "What is it?"


    "... Maybe, later, when you get back to the Manor..."


    Ash heard her request carefully, nodding slowly. It didn''t make too much sense to her, but Kaori wanted that, so, she accepted.


    "Okay, you''ve got it," Ash replied.


    I just hope Keiko doesn''t freak out if she catches me doing this,  Ash thought.


    "Thank you," Kaori smiled widely. "I-It''s funny, I spent all this time wishing I could say some stuff to you, but, now, it''s hard to get the words out. And it sucks because I don''t know how long I have before this whole thing just... poofs away, you know?"


    "I-If it''s the Mist Realm that''s doing this, maybe we have until I leave this place?" Ash asked.


    "Maybe," Kaori replied with a smile. "Well, come on, Savior, you have a girl to save with that flower," Kaori told her, and Ash looked down at her bag.


    "... Right," she nodded. "Right."


    With that, the two of them began walking away from that body of water, side-by-side.

 Chapter 259 - Vol. 4 - 58

    It had been a while now since Kaori had explained everything to Ash.


    Whereas before, Ash had done everything in her power to ignore Kaori, now, it felt like she couldn''t take her eyes away for a second, otherwise, she''d fade away into nothing.


    "And, yeah," Kaori explained. "He said that all I could do was wait until this thing gets resolved."


    "... One month," Ash said in a low voice. "That''s how long Lumina said I had before we do the whole trial stuff."


    "Heh," Kaori chuckled a little next to her, "I guess waiting one more month isn''t so bad." Then, she looked down, and her smile turned slightly sadder. "I was scared I''d never come back. I really thought I had died, when I woke up in that place. That the last thing you''d see of me was me being an absolute failure."


    "What?" Ash asked. She shook her head. "Kaori, everything that happened with us, it was my fault," she stated. "I noticed you weren''t feeling alright but I just... ignored you. I should have talked to you, and maybe..."


    "No," Kaori replied. "I should have spoken with you. It was my issues, and I needed to air them out, but I never did."


    "We didn''t give you a chance to," Ash said. "With everything that was happening, you..."


    "Okay, it was both our faults then," Kaori interrupted her and, at that, Ash chuckled.


    I was scared I wouldn''t get the chance to rescue you,  Ash added in her thoughts. She didn''t know what would have happened to her mind if Lumina had outright told her that Kaori had been lost.


    She might have actually thrown down her Savior gear and spent the rest of her life in the woods if she''d heard that. Thankfully, however, there was a chance, and this moment right now was serving to motivate Ash even more than she already was.


    "..." Kaori looked like she was hesitating to ask about something. Ash stopped to look at her.


    "Yeah?" She asked, putting a hand on her hip. "If there''s anything you want to know, feel free to ask. I mean, we don''t know how long you..."


    It hurt to even allude to it, but, of course, eventually, whether it was because Ash was going to leave the Mist Realm or because whatever spell or effect that was causing this to happen is going to run out, they would be separated once again, inevitably.


    "So..." Kaori trialed off. "You and Yumi, huh?"


    "Uh..." Ash blinked. "We haven''t really done anything yet."


    "Yet," Kaori highlighted with a chuckle and Ash scoffed.


    "It''s just a Lust thing."


    "Yeah, I bet it is."


    "Pfft, fuck you," Ash laughed a little, and Kaori did the same.


    As the two continued to move forward, the half-demon felt sorry for whatever monster was going to come out of the bushes to attack her next. Quick, and cleanly, was how she planned to deal with it, as it would hopefully mean she would get a little more time with the blonde.


    "Do you know what this reminds me of?" Kaori asked, looking up at the sky.


    "Yeah? What?"


    "... The first time," Kaori said, keeping her eyes on the twin moons bathing them in their light. Her eyes were glinting as the two of them stopped briefly. "Remember? After we went to the ruins. When we fought that Nightmare, and Satsuhiro and Keiko had to come running over to help us?" She said, smiling widely at her. Ash was absolutely entranced. "We made it back, and we got right back to work, but, in the middle of it..."


    She walked a couple of steps closer.


    "And, yeah, you pinned me to the side of that farm and you showed me that tail, and what it could do, didn''t you? That was... Yeah, that was special."


    "It was my first time," Ash mumbled. "I know it wasn''t yours, but..."


    "It may as well have been," Kaori replied. "No one ever made me feel quite like that."


    "Oh, come, on that''s a damn lie," Ash replied, feeling a little embarrassed.


    "No, seriously. I was equal parts horny and scared. That was crazy!" Kaori stated, and Ash rolled her eyes light-heartedly.


    For a second, neither of them said anything.


    "... I really wish I could touch you right now," Ash said and Kaori giggled at that.


    "One month, right?" She asked.


    "Right," Ash confirmed.


    I''m going to get my shit together,  Ash resolved in her mind then.  Handle this thing with Keiko, go deal with the portal over at Pearl, and, after that... I don''t know.


    This moment brought something to her mind that she hadn''t considered.


    How exactly was this war with Niven supposed to end? Neither side had infinite numbers, of course. All of the demons in the world could be rendered extinct, as could humanity. However, the likelihood of that was low on both sides, if things stayed the way they were. Niven''s goal wasn''t really to take over or annex any of humanity''s territories either. He just wanted to spread death. That was it.


    So, how exactly could either side win? If it was about killing off every demon in the world, then, simply put, Ash was sure she wouldn''t see the end of this war in her lifetime. Even if she was level 100 and could kill any demon with a flick of her wrist, there were simply too many of them, and Niven could keep them all in his pocket realms, away from the Savior, until she either died or stopped fighting for whatever reason.


    Maybe this was just going to keep going, and everything that was happening to Ash and her friends was just one moment in a long series of disconnected events. If that was the case, however, all she hoped was that her part would end with her and the others, living on their own, in peace.


    "Just a few minutes," Kaori said. "Yx told me."


    "... Fuck."


    Ash wasn''t ready. The two had barely just started talking, and already, Ash was about to make her leave. If she could, she''d rip Kaori away from this place and carry her all the way back to Amber. Instead, her mind ran frantically, trying to think of whatever she could.


    There was something, she felt. Something she wanted to get off her chest and let Kaori know, but there were so many different things she''d never to say before Kaori had gone unconscious.


    "Ash," Kaori said.


    "Uh, hold on," the half-demon raised a hand, "I..."


    "... Ash?" Kaori walked up to her.


    "Wait, wait, I''m just trying to think..."


    Come on, what do I say?  Ash pressed herself.


    This woman, who had been with her through some of the strangest, worst, and greatest, moments of her entire life so far, Ash wanted to show her appreciation for, but she didn''t know how to put it into words. She''d never had to, before. She''d taught herself how to curse people out many times, but, this? Some things were still new to her.


    "I wanna tell you something, could you tell it to Keiko too?" Kaori asked.


    "Huh?" Ash finally looked up at her. "Yeah. Yeah, what is it?"


    "I love you."


    ...


    ...


    Ash blinked.


    "I-..." Ash choked up. "What?"


    "Yeah," Kaori shrugged, with a satisfied smile on her face. "Both of you. I realized," she explained, "even though I felt that way for a while, I never got to really... You know, put it out there? Uh, so, yeah. I love you."


    Ash just stared at her for a while.


    Her body wouldn''t move. Her eyes wouldn''t move. Her bottom lip quivered as her lungs took in air through a tightened throat. It was a set of words that Ash, outright, had never heard before.


    Well, she''d never heard them said to her. She''d read them in books, she''d heard people say it to each other in Jade''s streets as she sat down in a dirty alley, but those words had never been directed at her, personally.


    And, she had no idea how to respond.


    She looked down, took a deep breath, and said:


    "Y-Yeah, I..."


    But, when she looked back up, she couldn''t see Kaori anymore.


    Ash went silent.


    Due to what she''d been told by Kaori herself, she was still here, just... Invisible. So, Ash took a deep breath as she took that in, and nodded.


    "Yeah. I''ll tell her..." She whispered, hoping Kaori could hear her as she turned around and walked away.


    ---


    Keiko


    The sound of her door opening made the Zayama''s eyes open, and she inhaled sharply. Judging by how cold it was, she could quickly guess that it was morning as she looked in front of her, and saw someone walking into her room.


    Rubbing her eyes, she realized it was Ash.


    Oh, she''s back,  Keiko thought, and the girl sighed with relief.


    When she looked up at the woman''s face, it was clear to tell, from how the hallway''s lighting was hitting her face, that she''d been crying.


    "Good morning. Sun''s out already," Ash stated.


    "A-Are you okay?" Keiko asked, quickly sitting up. Ash sat down next to her.


    Wordlessly, Ash reached into her bag and pulled out a black flower. When Keiko saw it, she nearly gasped. As soon as she showed it to her though, Ash put it back in the bag and gently pushed it away.


    "You did it," Keiko stated.


    "Well, you needed me to," Ash shrugged, speaking with a strangely quiet voice. "That made it easy."


    "..." Keiko nodded, smiling a little when she heard that. "Just one more thing to go, huh?"


    "Mhm," Ash nodded. "Uh... Keiko," she said, suddenly, turning toward her.


    Everything about this felt strange. Ash looked like she had a lot on her mind right now.


    "Yes?"


    However, Ash still took a while to speak up. She looked back at Kaori''s body, briefly, for just a moment, before turning back toward Keiko.


    "... Something happened. While I was over there, I mean."


    She said, and Keiko prepared herself.

 Chapter 260 - Vol. 4 - 59

    Ash


    "Um... Okay? What happened?" Keiko asked.


    Ash remained silent.


    She had spent several hours walking back to the city ever since she and Kaori had been separated again, seeing the sun rising over the horizon in the process. The morning sun felt hot on her skin, partially due to the fact that she was basically topless due to her dress getting ripped in that fight earlier.


    Thanks to her and Kaori''s previous conversation, she knew that the woman was likely walking right next to her unless she was viewing someone else at that moment. which was the strangest feeling she''d had in a while. Those hours went by like minutes though, as Kaori''s words went through her mind over, and over and over again.


    The mere thought of them was enough to bring Ash to tears, as embarrassing as that felt. She caught several curious glances from the different guards, and a few of the servants when she entered the Manor, but she ignored them all. Instead, with a clouded mind, she walked back to her room, hoping that Keiko was already awake.


    And, now, after waking Keiko when she walked in, the half-demon was sitting at the edge of the bed, wondering how exactly she was supposed to make this make sense for her. Maybe there was a right way to put it. Something she could say to ease Keiko into the conversation.


    However, Ash had never been good with words, and that wasn''t about to start now.


    "I talked to Kaori," Ash stated, suddenly and firmly, with a quiet voice. Next to her, Keiko didn''t say anything for a few seconds.


    "What?" Keiko asked, reasonably confused.


    "... The Mist Realm can change reality," Ash explained slowly. "And, the Mist Realm made it so that I could see her, and talk to her. So, yeah, I talked to Kaori."


    Keiko paused for a while. Ash didn''t look over at her. Instead, she kept her eyes on the ground until Keiko said:


    "A-Are you sure?"


    "Mostly," Ash sighed. "There''s always a chance this was all some really elaborate fever dream, but... I''d say I''m certain enough it happened."


    "I," Keiko laughed awkwardly. "I, h-how was she?" Keiko asked.


    "... She wanted me to tell you," Ash said, ignoring her question, and finally, she turned toward her. "She, em, she wanted me to say..."


    Come on, Ash, just fucking say it already,  she told herself.


    It was hard, though. Mostly because she''d never really been in a position where she truly wanted to say it. As she looked into Keiko''s silver eyes though, she realized at that very moment that, at some point, down the line, this fact had changed.


    Just a second ago, it was painfully difficult. But, now, looking right at Keiko, it came out easily.


    "I love you," Ash stated.


    "..." Keiko blinked. "W-What?"


    "She, uh," Ash cleared her throat, "Kaori... She wanted to tell you that she loves you. A-And, uh, me too."


    Again, Keiko hesitated.


    "Are you saying that you... That you love me as well, or that Kaori told you too?"


    "The se-, no, the... Both, I don''t fucking kn..." Ash trailed off, taking a shuddering breath. "Both."


    "... Oh."


    Considering the way Ash''s shoulders shook then, she figured this morning was particularly cold. Or, it was the fact that she was currently naked from the chest-up due to her dress having been ripped.


    ... Or maybe I''m just fucking nervous,  she thought as she put her head in her hands, while Keiko took a while to continue speaking to her.


    Something was getting to her. Ash could identify that much, but she couldn''t tell what. All she knew was that saying those three words, even if she was conveying a message from someone else during that moment, made her feel incredibly vulnerable. Even now, after everything that had happened, that wasn''t a position she liked to find herself in.


    "I love you too," Keiko stated suddenly, and Ash''s head snapped up when she heard that. "B-Both of you, I mean."


    Taking a deep breath, Ash nodded.


    "Okay, now what? Is this the part where we fuck like rabbits?"


    At that, Keiko scoffed.


    "I''m just saying," Ash muttered, "at least it would be something I understand."


    "... Is there something you don''t understand about this? Right now?" Keiko asked.


    "Mhm. A lot, actually."


    "Like what?"


    Ash looked away, taking a second as some random people walked through the hall outside, their footsteps echoing as they grew farther and farther away.


    "Well, let''s see," Ash began, "I''ve had chills running down my back for the last five minutes. I''m pretty sure that if I weren''t holding onto this thing," she said, looking down at the bed''s edge, "my hands would be shaking. My heart is beating a lot faster than it usually is, and, uh, yeah, I feel like my nipples are gonna fall off any second now from how fucking hard they are, though that''s probably the cold air''s fault."


    "... I see."


    "Yeah."


    "Um," Keiko said. "For what it''s worth, I''m not confused at all."


    "Really?" Ash looked over at her.


    "Hehe, yes," Keiko suddenly giggled a little. "I mean... I never had anyone until I had the two of you in my life," Keiko stated clearly. "Even though I didn''t say as much until now, I feel like I''ve known I felt this way for a while. Those make-outs of ours aren''t completely fueled by lust. At least, on my end."


    "... Gotcha," Ash replied.


    "What about you?" Keiko asked, leaning closer.


    "Hm? What, the make-outs thing?"


    "N-No," Keiko chuckled. "I mean, how do you feel?"


    "... I just said how."


    "Well, explain," she shrugged. "Maybe there''s something you wanna get off your chest."


    "Oh. Sure."


    The question was, how was she supposed to do that? It took her a while, minutes spent largely in a cold silence until she finally spoke up as something came to her mind.


    "Look," Ash started, "you know me. You know where I come from, the bullshit I''ve been through, all of that. I''m not gonna go through all of that again, I''m just gonna say, yeah. I agree. I love you. I..." her voice broke, "holy fuck, I love you. Uh, both of you."


    She threw that in there at the end, just so that Kaori would know if she was listening.


    "I''m happy to hear that," Keiko replied with a little smile. "Wanna say it again? Maybe it gets easier."


    "Well, that might be true, but I don''t want to start crying again, so no," Ash stated, standing up and taking her stuff off. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I need to go take a bath."


    "... So," Keiko said, though it sounded like she was saying it to herself. "Kaori..." She added, but Ash didn''t say anything.


    Instead, the half-demon began to exit the room, without even bothering to grab a towel or anything of the sort.


    "Oh, Ash," Keiko called out to her just before she left.


    "Yeah?" Ash answered from the doorway.


    "I love you," Keiko told her. Ash threw a slightly confused look at her, and Keiko shrugged. "I just felt like saying it again."


    "... Yeah I l... you too," Ash replied at a volume that was barely above a whisper, closing the door.


    ---


    A Few Hours Later


    With the mistborn flower acquired, there was just one more ingredient left on the list for Keiko''s potion. One more little thing that Ash needed.


    Which was why she and Sinneah were standing across from each other, in the middle of the garden behind the Manor. The draconic woman had her arms crossed, as Ash was leaning over the railing, her eyes aimed out at the landscape as though she could see the Mist Realm from here, which was still fresh on her mind.


    "Okay, what''ll it take?" Ash asked.


    "I... I do not know," Sinneah answered.


    "Come on," Ash pressed her a little, turning toward her. "I only need one. Gurron wanted you to sell it anyway, whatever it''s worth, I will pay you. Understand?"


    Sinneah let out a deep sigh, and Ash turned away from her, frustrated.


    ... I might just steal those fucking things, I swear.


    "If I don''t give them to you," Sinneah said, and Ash looked over at her. "What other choice do you have?"


    "..." Ash remained silent. She had to hold herself back from saying what had just popped up in her mind. Behind her, she could hear Opah and Luvine running around, while Keiko and Yumi''s weapons bounced off of each other as they trained.


    "There''s a dragon," Ash finally stated, remembering what she had learned. "It''s on top of a mountain. Southeast of the city, or something. If you don''t give these things to me, I''ll probably just go fight it."


    "..." At that, Sinneah gawked at her. "What?"


    "Hm? You didn''t hear me?" Ash asked. "I said, there''s a dragon on one of the mountains, I..."


    "Where!?" Sinneah asked, walking closer to Ash.


    "W-Whoa," Ash put her hands up, "calm down. It''s somewhere west."


    "..." Sinneah stared at her for a few seconds. Then, she looked away, and Ash could see the wheel of her mind turning as she formulated something in her thoughts.


    Finally, she turned toward Ash with a resolute expression, and the half-demon raised a brow.


    "Take me to it."


    "... What?"


    Sinneah repeated herself.


    "Take me to it," she said, "and I will give you the eye that you want."

 Chapter 261 - Vol. 4 - 60

    Okay... My map, some water, some bread, my Lust. I gave the dress over to Metsumi. Did I miss anything?


    "Ash?" Keiko asked from the door. "Are you heading out now?"


    "Yeah," Ash said, without turning toward her. "I''d rather we get this done before the day''s over. I want to be able to focus on everything else I''ve got to do."


    Keiko nodded, taking those words in as Ash gave her bag another look, and then looked up at herself, in the mirror.


    Because Vermia''s dress had practically been torn in half, Ash was wearing her regular Savior''s Armor, though, she was considering getting a replacement made. This set just felt too tight, especially given how much Ash had to make quick movements during fights, due to how fast her opponents were getting. Her armor had only truly mattered a handful of times. Most of the time, Ash would rather be able to move flexibly than be this restrained for the sake of safety.


    "You''re sure you don''t want to take a nap or something?" Keiko asked, walking closer, and, again, Ash kept her eyes away from her.


    The reason was simple. Thanks to her transformation during that fight against the grasshopper monster in the Mist Realm, Ash''s Lust stacks were currently at 2.


    Her Lust had gotten up to this point recently of course, but Ash had made a point out of masturbating that lust away whenever she had the chance. This had been how she was keeping her Lust at 1 throughout these weeks. However, thanks to her extended night out, she hadn''t been able to find any time to do that.


    This meant that Keiko''s presence beside her, with the girl''s big silver eyes aimed right at her, felt mind-numbing at the moment.


    This train of thought did remind her of something, though. She glanced over at Kaori''s body and nodded to herself.


    Um... Maybe I''ll do it if Keiko''s out in the city or something when I come back,  Ash sighed, wondering if Kaori was actually getting anything out of what she asked for.


    Then again, she did insist on it, so, Ash wasn''t about to reject her.


    She had been distracted throughout all of this, just looking back and forth between the bag on the drawers in front of her, and the mirror, when a pair of delicate lips pressed against her cheek.


    She turned, surprised, to find Keiko standing close to her with an appreciative smile.


    "Just wanted to wish you good luck out there," Keiko stated quietly, as she looked up at Ash.


    The half-demon inhaled sharply, which was a mistake because that meant she took Keiko''s sweet scent in.


    Balling her hands up into fists, she stopped herself from taking the girl and pinning her to the wall.


    "... Yeah," she said, and even to her own ears, her voice sounded raspy. "Thanks."


    "No," Keiko shook her head. "Thank you, Ash. For everything."


    With that said, Ash threw her bag over her shoulders and walked out of the room. She went into the garden, where she saw Sinneah and Yumi sparring, and she spoke up to the dragon girl from the door.


    "Hey," Ash called out. "Are you ready?"


    Yumi stopped just as she was about to swing her naginata at her sparring partner, giving Sinneah a moment to respond.


    "Yes."


    "Then, come on, let''s get this over with."


    Sinneah nodded, turning toward Yumi.


    "Thank you for the practice."


    "Heh, you are very welcome," Yumi replied. "Good luck, both of you," she said, turning toward Ash. The half-demon''s eyes lingered on her for a second, before she tore her gaze away.


    ... Fuck,  Ash thought.  This is getting to me.


    Before, she''d gotten used to just having to deal with the lust being there, and that had been how she had built up the willpower to carry a lust rating of 4 and not fuck Keiko or Kaori in the middle of Onyx. Now that she''d made a habit out of lowering those stacks as soon as she could, her resistance to these lust-prompted urges had unfortunately diminished.


    It''ll be fine as soon as they''re out of sight,  Ash thought.  Then, when I come back, I''ll handle it. Easy.


    Satsuhiro approached her, and Ash looked around.


    "Where''s Kasumi?" She asked.


    "Still asleep. Old habits die hard," he shrugged. "Stay calm out there," Satsuhiro suddenly told her. "Dragons are no joke. There''s no shame in running if you feel like you can''t win."


    "Yeah, I know," Ash nodded.  I don''t care what Sinneah says, if we go fight this thing and we lose I''m taking one of those eyes. I want to be done with this already.


    One specific concern that quickly came up in Ash''s mind was the fact that dragons were immune to magic. Granted, they were not immune to Tomoe''s Divine Arts, but Ash could only launch out three  Divine Spears  at a time, currently, before she passed out from overexertion. This meant that, unlike with all of her other, regular battles, she couldn''t rely on Dark spell spamming to get the job done.


    I can still use my Light magic to heal myself up, and Sin, if anything happens to her, but that''s about it.


    "Good luck!" Metsumi called out to them, as Sinneah joined Ash''s side.


    When Opah saw her mother saying this, she started waving her hands at Ash as a goodbye, and Luvine, seeing this, awkwardly tried to do the same. It gave Ash a brief chuckle before she and Sinneah finally began to walk away from the Manor, on what was, hopefully, Ash''s last pregnancy potion-related trip before she could focus all of her attention on the Kaori situation.


    Now that she''d seen her, and listened to Kaori herself explain her situation, she was particularly motivated to do so.


    "Where are we going?" Sinneah asked, as the two of them walked out the metal gates of the Manor, and moved onto the dirt streets of the city.


    "Mountains, southeast," Ash said, looking down at her map, where she''d marked the location Lumina had specified. "Tell me again, why the hell do you want to fight this thing?"


    "For one," Sinneah explained, "if we can get the eyes from it, then I do not have to give you my father''s eyes... However," she added, "I wish to see it, more than anything."


    "... Okay, why?"


    Sinneah paused, and to Ash''s eyes, she seemed sorrowful.


    "Because I wish to know if I could be a dragon one day."


    When Ash heard that, she paused.


    "Huh?" She raised a brow. "What, you mean like, transform or something?" She asked, using the way that she could become a strange version of a Lust demon at Lust 4 as a reference in her mind to try to understand that statement.


    "Maybe," Sinneah replied. As she and Ash moved down the dirt road, Ash kept her bag close to her body, just in case any of these citizens got any ideas. "When I was younger, my father would say that, maybe one day, I could be a dragon like him. He believed that was my destiny."


    "Permanently?" Ash asked, even more confused.


    "Maybe," Sinneah said again, shrugging. "And... I had always wanted to become one. But, no matter what, although I have this tail, and these scales, there are many things dragons can do that I will never do, it seems."


    "Hm... So, what are you hoping to get out of this then?"


    "My father was not a regular dragon," Sinneah then stated. "Tomoe civilized him. Even if at one point he was just as feral as the rest, that was not the dragon I knew. No, I want to see a dragon in its natural state," Sinneah told her. "I want to see a wild dragon. A dragon with no rules, no cares, nothing but its instincts. Maybe then, I will learn something about what a dragon is like, at its core."


    "Hm... You understand though, that we''re not going there to talk to this thing, right?" Ash wanted to make it clear. "We''re heading over there to kill it. And, chances are, it''s going to try to kill us before we can do that. I''m just saying."


    "Yes" Sinneah responded, and when their eyes connected, Ash saw a firmness in her expression that seemed fairly appropriate for a dragon. "I too will do my best to end its life. And, when that happens, maybe through battle I will learn something about its nature."


    "I don''t think that''s how things work," Ash shrugged. "I think you''ll be too caught up trying to survive for that to happen."


    "That is not true," Sinneah replied, shaking her head.


    "Oh? How do you know?"


    "Because," Sinneah stopped. "When we fought, I learned a lot about you, as well."


    "..." Ash narrowed her eyes at her, as Sinneah continued.


    "You are a determined, passionate person. You have no trace of cowardice in you, and even though you have understood humanity more than I have, I can tell there is some semblance of the wilderness in you."


    "You''re wrong about one of those things," Ash muttered, continuing to walk. Sinneah followed, just a step behind, and asked:


    "What do you mean?"


    And, when she heard that, two images came up in Ash''s mind.


    One was of the Nightmare that had almost turned Kaori into a demon, and the other was of herself, sitting alone in a busy Jade street, with her knees curled up to her chest.


    "There are plenty of things I''m scared of," Ash admitted then.

 Chapter 262 - Vol. 4 - 61

    Keiko


    "Pace yourself," Yumi told her, as she held her naginata in front of her. Keiko''s hands felt frail from how long she''d spent without any serious training. Raising her father''s sword, Keiko nodded.


    "Let''s go again," she said.


    "Sure. Let me know if you are feeling unwell, though," Yumi responded.


    "I will. Don''t worry, I can take this much, at least."


    With that, Yumi swung her polearm horizontally, and Keiko blocked the attack. She deflected a couple of quick strikes, taking sharp breaths as she exerted herself. Yumi spun, turning into an easily telegraphed swing that Keiko knocked away, feeling her sword reverberating in her palms.


    ... My sword feels less comfortable,  Keiko noticed, scowling down at her own hands. She never thought she''d say such a thing.


    And, then, she felt her stomach churn just a little.


    She raised a hand up and instantly, Yumi paused. The other Zayama walked up to her with concern easy to see on her face, but Keiko smiled at her.


    "Like I said," Keiko quickly stated, trying to calm her body down through nothing but willpower. "I know my limits."


    "Good," Yumi said, and the woman took a hand off of her naginata, and placed it atop Keiko''s head. "We can do more of this later if you wish."


    "More of what?" A woman asked, and Keiko turned to her right, looking at the door. She hadn''t noticed Kasumi walk through. The crimson-haired Savior stretched her arms, and rubbed her eyes, blinking twice as she looked ahead at them.


    "We were training," Yumi said, politely. "Would you like to participate?"


    "No, I''m good," Kasumi quickly replied, walking past them.


    "Oh."


    Yumi looked down at her weapon, disappointed. Keiko stifled a chuckle when she saw her expression. Clearly, she''d wanted to go on for a little longer, but with Sinneah, the woman who was practically her official sparring partner, gone on that trip with Keiko''s lover, it seemed like she''d have to stop for now.


    Kasumi dragged her feet through the garden, nearly running into Opah was chasing Luvine across the Manor, and Keiko watched as she stood by the railing to the back.


    She turned toward Yumi.


    "We can keep going later."


    "If you are capable," Yumi replied, and Keiko walked over to where Kasumi was. She stood next to her, and the crimson-haired woman turned toward her and raised a brow, expectingly.


    "So," Keiko said, smiling at her. "How have you been?"


    "..." For a moment, Kasumi appeared a little surprised that the Zayama seemingly wanted to have a casual chat. She soon answered, "fine. Mostly."


    "Good, have you been settling in well?"


    "I guess," Kasumi shrugged. "At the end of the day, though, as long as I have a place where I can eat, sleep, and shit, I don''t really care where I am."


    "I-Is that so?" Keiko laughed awkwardly.


    Then, Kasumi looked around a little. She searched for something, and when she didn''t find it, she asked:


    "Ash isn''t around today either? Was that trip of hers supposed to take this long?"


    "Oh, uh, no," Keiko shook her head, caught slightly by surprise at the sudden mention of her girlfriend. "She got held up and... came back early in the morning. But, she left again, to go... get something."


    She gave her the short version, just so she didn''t have to say, "she''s fighting a dragon so she can get its eyes because I don''t want to be pregnant anymore," which would have taken slightly more oxygen to do.


    Saying that made her remember everything that Ash had said when she returned. All that talk about Kaori and what happened at the Mist Realm mostly just confused her. Keiko wasn''t sure that she believed that Ash had genuinely seen Kaori, either. That wasn''t to say that Keiko believed Ash to be a liar, but she wondered if maybe it had, in fact, been some sort of high-level illusion that the Savior had fallen victim to. What she did know, however, was that this morning, her feelings toward the half-demon were made clear.


    As she said, she loved her. Simply and purely. Whatever happened today, in the future, between them, she could figure out as she went along. All she knew for sure was that this realization had brought some strange comfort to her. Like a lingering question had finally been answered somehow.


    "Oh, alright," Kasumi said, and Keiko found it funny that she sounded slightly disappointed to hear that.


    "Guess you''re stuck with us for today," Keiko said with a little smirk.


    "I could always just go back to sleep, don''t tempt me."


    Her words were slightly harsh, but the way she smirked let Keiko know she wasn''t being serious.


    At that moment, again, Opah and Luvine ran in front of them, and Kasumi''s gaze was pulled as she saw them.


    "... Hmph," Kasumi said.


    "Something on your mind?" Keiko asked.


    "Nothing," Kasumi said, waving her off. "Just a whole bunch of wounds that haven''t healed yet."


    ---


    Ash


    In the distance, Ash could see the mountain she and Sinneah were heading for. Even as far as it was, it felt imposing, like a man-made statue in the center of a sandy wasteland, looking like something she''d seen in a dream.


    She could almost hear a dragon roaring in the distance, though she may have simply been nervous enough to hallucinate that.


    "We''ll be there in a few minutes," Ash said in a low voice. Beside her, Sinneah stood with an expression of pure determination. The look on her face reminded Ash of when they''d met. She had looked back at Ash with those same eyes, right before they nearly fought to the death.


    "Have you fought a dragon before?" Sinneah suddenly asked.


    "No..." Ash shook her head. "Got any tips? You know, since you spent so much time with Gurron and all."


    "That time was not spent wondering how to kill him," Sinneah replied.


    "Oh. Right."


    "..." Sinneah paused. "Well," the draconic woman paused. "All I can say is that dragons seem to be weaker at their underside. As far as weaknesses may be concerned, that might be the only one."


    ... So, all I can do is hope to get under it. And, hope the fucking thing doesn''t crush me to death in the process. Gotcha.


    In a heavy silence, the two of them continued to cut a path through the dirt as they moved toward the mountain in the distance, like assassins on their way to deal with a man who''d taken a loan from the wrong person.


    They arrived at the base of the mountain shortly afterward. The lack of monsters on their way made things feel even tenser, as Ash wasn''t going to get any chance to warm up. With a bit of time to prepare, Ash looked at her status.


    Level 75


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 300/750


    ---


    STR: 50 (+5)


    DEX: 30


    CON: 34


    INT: 28 (+5)


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Hm...  Ash didn''t like what she was seeing. Outside of my Strength, my stats are a bit all over the place. Normally, that doesn''t matter, but, dragons are immune to magic. So, basically, all I''ve really got is my Strength, Dex, and Con. How much is that in terms of levels that I''m losing out on?


    She realized then that if she didn''t have Tomoe''s techniques that Sinneah had taught her, she''d be in for a lot of trouble right now. Even then, considering the limited number of uses those techniques had currently, she wasn''t sure she could do this.


    However, as the two of them began going up the mountain, and that looming fight drew closer, Ash knew she had to try. Even now, she could see Keiko''s elated eyes looking back at her if she succeeded, and she longed to make that a reality.


    Ignoring, of course, the faint voice in her mind asking if that was what  she  wanted to do.


    Eventually, the two walked over enough fallen leaves and branches and arrived at a clearing.


    And, here, Ash saw it.


    The ground trembled as soon as her eyes connected with the creature, as though the fact that the half-demon could see it had been what alerted the monster. Right in front of her, was a giant beast of a creature that Ash had only seen up close like this once.


    Only, this time, the dragon wasn''t injured at all. A dragon with black scales and large, amber-colored eyes looked back at Rin, letting out a huff of sorts as the two of them approached it. Looking over at Sinneah, Ash found the woman with a somewhat apprehensive expression. One that quickly faded away when the dragon snarled, and Sinneah took up a fighting stance.


    "... Okay," Ash nodded to herself, pulling out her Savior''s Weapon and dropping her bag to the side.  How strong is this thing?


    With that thought, the half-demon checked its level.


    Level 80


    MP: 500/500


    "... Sin," Ash said.


    "Yes?"


    "You see that thing''s level?"


    "Yes." Sinneah nodded. "Between the two of us, we should be able to fight it."


    "Agreed," Ash stated. "Still, be careful. I''m level 75, but that''s more like 60 or something if you remove my magic. So," she took a sharp breath, "we''re pretty much heading into this at around the same power level."


    "I see."


    Sinneah didn''t say much else.


    Focused.  Ash noted.  Yeah. Time to stop talking. Let''s do this.


    "Bow,"  Ash whispered, and she transformed her Savior''s Weapon.

 Chapter 263 - Vol. 4 - 62

    The dragon opened its gaping maw and released a quick stream of flames. Instinctively, Ash raised her right hand up as Sinneah dashed away from it.


    "Protect me from the evils of this world!"  Ash cast  Barrier. A gleaming white wall appeared between Ash and the flames, but, the flames passed straight through it, and still covered her.


    "AAAGH!" Ash''s body burned.


    However, just as soon as the flames had reached her, she was tackled away from it, dropping her Savior''s Weapon in the process. Sinneah pinned her to the ground as Ash screamed through gritted teeth. The dragon closed its mouth, and as soon as Ash felt like she could breathe, she muttered:


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten, fffu..."


    Her body was healed back up promptly, though Ash almost felt like the flame was still covering her. Sinneah pulled her up to her feet harshly then, as the dragon opened its mouth a second time.


    Both of them dodged the incoming attack, and Ash glared at it as she realized she had dropped her bow.


    She didn''t know what to do, but Sinneah, apparently, wasn''t in the same position. Sinneah dashed straight to the monster and punched it in its draconic jaw.


    From what Ash could see, the dragon was unfazed. Instead, it lunged forward and tried to bite Sinneah''s body, but the woman stepped back, sliding to a halt. Ash spotted her bow and ran toward it. She picked it up as the dragon tried to claw Sinneah''s body into the ground with one talon.


    Sinneah dodged away, and Ash shot an arrow straight at its head. The shot pierced through its neck, and the creature let out a low screech.


    Noticing this moment, Ash raised her right hand.


    Closing her eyes for just a second, she opened them again as a beam of light appeared in her palm. Then, with a thrust of her arm, she launched it straight at the dragon''s head, and the  Divine Spear exploded.


    The dragon was clearly hurt, if its ear-rending shriek was anything to go by, but only a small amount of its blood fell on the dirt under its feet.


    Ash caught her breath then, trying to calm herself down.


    Okay, so, the Divine Spear works, but it won''t win us the fight in one shot. Barrier doesn''t work at all unless its Int stat is just high enough to break through it. But... I can''t tell how much damage we''re doing to this thing.


    Ahead, the dragon shook its head and then raised it, turning its eyes onto Ash.


    "Fuck."


    It opened its mouth and instantly, Ash ran to the right. She narrowly managed to avoid the fire, but the dragon turned its head, following her.  Shit, shit, shit!


    At that moment, she saw Sinneah leap up. Her feet were covered in a fire that blazed as brilliantly as the dragon''s own, and she spun in midair, kicking the beast in the side of the head.


    This strike, Ash noticed, visibly stunned the great creature. It stumbled to the side, its fire interrupting itself. Sinneah landed in front of it, readying herself as soon as she did.


    Good shit!  Ash cheered in her mind.


    Then, quicker than either Sinneah or Ash could react, the dragon swung one of its front legs towards Sinneah, and caught her. The smile Ash had just a second ago, from seeing her ally land that kick, faded away as Sinneah was thrown halfway through the makeshift battlefield of theirs.


    As she rolled to a halt, Ash saw that she wasn''t moving, and the dragon was opening its mouth again.


    Crap.


    Ash charged towards Sinneah as quickly as she could.


    The fire surged out of the dragon''s mouth, while the woman remained on the ground. Off of pure reflex, when Ash reached her, and the fire was about to surround them, she stretched her hand out toward it.


    With a thought, she triggered the  Divine Rejection ability, and the dragon''s flames ceased in an instant. The monster itself appeared confused, as Ash quickly turned toward Sinneah.


    At the same time, she felt her body suddenly weigh a lot more than before.


    Fuck...


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten," she spoke rapidly, healing Sinneah up in a moment.


    The woman''s eyes opened and Ash helped her up.


    How much mana do I have left?  Ash wondered, looking up.


    Level 75


    MP: 190/330


    "My apologies," Sinneah muttered as she stared straight ahead at their shared enemy.


    However, as Ash looked back at her ally, she noticed something that made her raise a brow.


    Sinneah was borderline grinning.


    ... Okay,  Ash thought as she looked back at the dragon.  Glad one of us is enjoying ourselves.


    At that moment, the dragon opened its mouth, and the two of them ran in opposite directions. The monster chose to follow Sinneah this time, spewing fire toward her, and Ash took that as an opportunity to land a closer shot.


    "Spear," Ash said, transforming her  Lust before she ran straight toward it.


    The dragon saw her out of the corner of its eyes, and turned toward her, while its flames were still shooting out of its mouth.


    Wait, shit, I''m too close!


    Right as the flames were about to reach her, Sinneah dashed in, landing the same kick as before onto the side of the dragon''s neck. Ash saw its flames falter, and although she''d stopped, she started running again, determined to pierce this thing. It swiped at her then wildly, and Ash half-blocked the attack with her spear''s shaft as she was launched back, crashing into a tree.


    This time, however, although her body was tired and in pain, when Ash fell to the ground, she quickly got back up.


    Keep trying,  she told herself. One of us is going to distract it, and we''ll be able to land a hit. Just keep at it!


    Charging forward again, Sinneah stood in front of the dragon, dodging out of the way of a bit as Ash approached. When she reached it, Ash raised her spear.


    "AGH-"


    In a motion so quick that Ash could never have seen it coming, the dragon swung its tail forward, and it caught Ash up her head.


    And, Ash was knocked out.


    ---


    Sinneah


    Sinneah gawked as she saw Ash get sent flying, landing a few steps away as a result of being struck by the dragon''s tail. And, then, her eyes widened as she saw the dragon turn toward her.


    However, Sinneah didn''t feel scared at all. Instead, she felt rather excited as she saw the flame coming to her. She ran away from it, avoiding the fire and circling her enemy until she saw an opening and took it. Sinneah ran straight toward it, triggering Tomoe''s Divine Arts, the Fire version, as she did.


    And her body was covered, from her head to her toes, in fire.


    Unlike Ash''s techniques, the rate of exhaustion for Sinneah''s Fire techniques was dictated by how much of her body she affected at any given point, and for how long.


    Because of that, Sinneah preferred to keep herself from using too much of this, but at this moment, she felt fairly focused.


    It was the only one she could think of to describe the single-minded determination she was feeling right now.


    Charging at the dragon, her body covered in fire, Sinneah went under it in a flash, and punched up, under its head.


    The dragon let out a pained, mighty roar. It reared its head back as Sinneah''s punch landed, recoiling from the force of her hit, enhanced by Tomoe''s technique.


    Then, its tail swung too quickly for her to see it, and it struck her body from the top, planting her into the ground.


    And, Sinneah spat out some blood as soon as she hit it.


    Quickly, however, she got back up, though, now, she was shaken.


    Sinneah wasn''t thinking much at this point. All she wanted was to land as many solid hits as she could, and see what happened.


    However, the dragon prevented her from doing that when it opened its mouth, looked down at her, and threatened to cover her in its own flames.


    Stopping in her tracks, Sinneah froze in front of it.


    Her eyes widened.


    And Sinneah, at that moment, all of that focus, all of that determination, appeared to dissipate.


    And, Sinneah understood something.


    ---


    Ash


    "... Ohhh... Fuck. Me."


    Ash''s eyes blinked open. She looked around and quickly found that she was at the bottom of the mountain, having taken a few seconds to writhe in pain before she healed herself back up.


    Although her wounds had been removed, at this point, the half-demon was utterly exhausted.


    Come on, get up.  She told herself.  Sinneah''s in trouble.


    She took a few seconds and finally, she started walking up the mountain, but, as soon as she started, she saw Sinneah standing beside her.


    "What the... Sinneah?"


    Sinneah, who had been sitting stoically on a rock, stopped, saw her, and walked over to her. She was carrying Ash''s stuff, her bag, and her Savior''s Weapon, in her hands.


    "Holy shit, what happened? Did you beat it?"


    "... Yes," Sinneah answered. "Here."


    Sinneah then took out one dragon eye from her pockets. The side of her clothes looked burnt. She handed everything over to Ash.


    "Thank you, Ash," Sinneah said, and her throat sounded tight. "For indulging me."


    "... Okay," Ash stared down at everything she''d been given. Specifically, of course, the eye she needed for the potion.


    Wordlessly, Sinneah walked away.


    Ash did a double-take, looking at the eye and then back at Sinneah.


    Wait, hold on, how much EXP did she get?


    So, she checked the woman''s level.


    Level 65


    Wait...  Ash tilted her head.  Isn''t it... the same it''s always been?


    But, as bad as Ash was at reading social cues, something about the way the woman was walking let her know she didn''t want to be asked anything. Still, she couldn''t help but wonder.


    .... What the fuck happened up there?

 Chapter 264 - Vol. 4 - 63

    Although they hadn''t killed the dragon, Ash had succeeded. As she walked back to Amber, she felt a sense of relief building inside of her as she looked down at the dragon eye in her hand. One that clashed with some other feeling, one that she refused to focus on.


    Some curiosity did bubble up as she looked over at Sinneah and saw the woman''s eyes low and melancholic. She hadn''t talked at all about what happened back there, though Ash could piece together that at some point she''d picked her and her stuff up and left. Still, Sinneah had appeared fairly determined up until Ash had gone unconscious. She wondered if losing her as an ally during the fight had been enough to shake her confidence.


    They remained in silence the entire time, even as they walked into Amber as the sun was beginning to retreat behind the horizon, and Ash clutched the eye tightly, making sure no one around her got any ideas. Eventually, they arrived at the Manor, and Sinneah just walked straight indoors, scaring a couple of maids who had been heading out as soon as she appeared in front of them.


    "..."


    Ash looked down at the eye in her hand.


    It''s done.


    She went to the garden first, intent on telling Keiko that she''d succeeded, but the group wasn''t there.


    ... Guess they went somewhere.


    Disregarding that, she decided she was better off heading straight for Tyl''s shop and giving her the ingredients. The Savior hurriedly walked into the Manor, through the back, and went for her door.


    As she walked in, she gazed upon Kaori''s body and stopped.


    "No," she let out a deep breath, speaking aloud in case Kaori was next to her right now. It was weird that this was even possible, but, apparently, there was a chance that Kaori was standing right there. "Let me do this first."


    She grabbed the sand reaver''s claw, the mistborn flower, and put the dragon''s eye into her bag with it all, before turning around to leave.


    However, as she was about to go into the main corridor, she passed by Sinneah and Yumi''s room, where she saw that the woman''s door was open. Peeking inside, she found Sinneah sitting at the edge of her bed, her head hanging low with her hair covering her face.


    Ash sighed, before turning around.


    I''ll ask later,  she decided.


    Exiting the manor, she tried her absolute hardest to keep her mind empty as she made a beeline straight for Tyl''s store. And, once she was standing in front of it, the half-demon had to will her legs to move forward, and her hand to open the door.


    "I told ya to add TWO cups, not THREE!" She heard Tyl yell at Martin as soon as she went in.


    "I did!"


    "Are you stupid? Don''t answer that, I know the answer. LEARN TO-"


    They both stopped this little interaction halfway and turned to look at Ash. When Tyl saw the huge bag she was carrying, her eyes widened.


    "... You''re joking," she said.


    Ash took a deep breath as she walked forward.


    "No, I''m not." She kept that wide-eyed look as Ash went up to her and dropped the bag in front of her.  "It''s all there."


    "B-But..." Tyl stuttered as she opened the bag up and searched for all three ingredients. She pulled out the flower, the eye, and kept the reaver''s claw in the bag, before looking up at Ash with wonder. "How the fuck...?"


    "Does it matter?" Ash asked, feeling tired. "I don''t really want to go through the whole backstory for all of these things. Can you make the potion now?"


    "Of course," Tyl laughed, continuing to stare down at those things. "Martin, stop working for a second. We''re doing something special!"


    Her student got out of the seat and Tyl took the giant pot to the backroom and tossed the contents out somewhere that Ash didn''t see. She came back out with an empty pot that she proceeded to fill up with water.


    "How long is this going to take?" Ash asked.


    "Ehm... Maybe a little over an hour," Tyl replied. "Most of that time will just be the mixture setting."


    "Maybe?" Ash raised a brow.


    "Yes, maybe," Tyl scoffed. "It ain''t every day that I make this potion! Forgive me for not being clear on how long this actually takes to do."


    "... Whatever," Ash shook her head and sat down, a short distance away.


    I''ll just wait it out then, I guess.


    With that being said, Tyl got to work in the background. Ash sat in much the same position that she''d caught Sinneah in earlier, only she was lifting her head every couple of minutes because she caught Martin looking her way. She stared at him during one of these moments, but the boy would just blush and turn away from her, and Ash would go right back to looking down.


    Half an hour passed, and a sweet smell began to fill the room as the pot boiled.


    "Okay!" Tyl said. "Just let it sit for another half an hour and I''ll give you a flask. Ready to pay up?"


    "How much?" Ash asked.


    "A hundr-"


    Before she even finished, Ash took a couple of white royal crowns from her bag and tossed them at her. Just one was enough to cover whatever cost she was about to say.


    "W-What!?" She asked as she caught them both.


    "Keep the change," Ash muttered, as she got back to her sulking.


    The worst part was that although she was feeling this way, she had no idea why. All she knew was that as the pot boiled, her heart gradually felt heavier. Closing her eyes was the biggest mistake she made because, at that moment, her mind was filled with images of those two half-demon families she''d run into before.


    Ah... Annoying,  she thought, as she rubbed her temples. Time flew after that, and soon, a flask filled with a blue liquid was held out in front of her.


    Tyl was there, holding it with a proud smile.


    "Here you go."


    Ash took it and stared at the potion for a few seconds.


    "How does it work again?"


    "Just have the girl drink it, and let her take the rest of the day off. When she wakes up the next day, it''ll be finished."


    Ash nodded, taking a deep breath and standing up.


    "Thanks."


    "Well, shit, Savior, if you get in the mood to help me find some other rare ingredients, let me know! We could make a lot of money together!"


    "We?"


    "Of course," she grinned. "If we partner up, you''d get half the cut. How does that sound?"


    "Yeah, sure, I''ll think about it."


    With that done, Ash took her bag and walked out, still holding the flask in her hand.


    I did it,  she thought, as she started walking back to the manor.  It''s... It''s just done.


    ---


    Ash spent a large portion of the evening just sitting in the garden, with the potion by her side, waiting for Keiko to come back. She didn''t think about much at that point. All she did was sit there, let her head rest against the railing, and stare up into the sky.


    Her mind was simultaneously so loud that she couldn''t hear anything around her, and so quiet that she couldn''t come up with any cohesive thoughts. Every now and then, she''d just let out a soft sigh, until, eventually, a group of people walked into the garden from the right.


    "That was fun!" Metsumi said.


    "Sure. I''m going to bed," Kasumi replied, walking ahead of everyone as she went into the Manor. She gave Ash a passing glance and a bit of a nod, but that was it.


    "I will admit, I may be developing a taste for wine," Yumi said to Metsumi. "Thank you for introducing me like this."


    "It was my pleasure. Now, if only Satsu can stop worrying so much, maybe he''d join in on the fun!"


    "Someone has to keep us from getting robbed," Satsuhiro replied.


    Keiko, who was with them, remained quiet though. Instead, her eyes met Ash''s, and it seemed like she understood that something important had happened. When she saw the potion by Ash''s side, Keiko''s eyes widened.


    That sight, at least, did bring some satisfaction to Ash, as she took the flask and stood up.


    "Ash," Satsuhiro approached her, as did everyone else. "How did it go?"


    "..." Ash just held up the potion. "It''s over."


    "I see," Satsuhiro said. "Good work."


    Ash didn''t respond to that. Instead, Metsumi looked back at everyone else and said:


    "H-How about we go in and have dinner?"


    "We already ate," Opah said.


    "We can have dessert!"


    "Ohhhh!" Opah replied and she ran in. Seeing that, Luvine ran in after her. Metsumi placed a hand on Keiko''s shoulder then, smiling back at her, before they all gave the two of them some space.


    Keiko approached Ash then. Her eyes went to the potion for a few seconds, but soon, she turned her eyes up at the half-demon and kept them there.


    "You did it," Keiko said.


    "Yeah. Here you go," she said, and she held out the flask.


    Keiko took it hesitantly, as though worried that if she grabbed it too quickly it would disappear. But, no. Instead, she just held onto it, looking back up at her.


    "Thank you."


    "... No problem."


    Neither of them said anything for a few seconds.


    "So, I just drink it?"


    "Yeah."


    Nodding, Keiko opened the flask up. Then, as Ash watched, she drank the contents down, and when she was finished, she let out a long breath, before giving Ash the warmest smile she''d seen on Keiko''s face.


    The woman threw herself on top of Ash, wrapping her arms around her.


    "Thank you," she said again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."


    Ash returned the hug, firmly.


    "You''re welcome."


    When Keiko separated, that smile was still on her face.


    Only for a second, however, because soon, it disappeared, and a look of worry came over her.


    "Ash?" Keiko asked.


    "Yeah?" The half-demon replied.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Mhm," Ash replied. "Why do you..."


    But then, she felt it.


    A single tear slid down her cheek and dripped onto the cold stone under her feet.


    Huh?  Ash narrowed her eyes down at herself, confused.


    That tear was followed by another, and then those two became multiple, all while Ash felt stunned.


    Why...?


    Keiko looked back at her sadly.


    "... Ash..."


    "I''m fine," Ash said then, quickly. "I-It''s... I''m..."


    She balled her hands up into fists.


    The tears didn''t stop.


    Keiko hugged her again, but this time, it was an embrace meant to soothe her. And, Ash''s tears kept falling, getting Keiko''s shoulder wet as Ash remained standing there, frozen.


    And the entire time, she had no clue why.

 Chapter 265 - Vol. 4 - 64

    Yumi


    The group, save for Keiko and Ash who were still talking elsewhere, was having a small amount of dessert the chef had cooked up for them. In front of Yumi was a plate of chocolate pudding. She took a bite and had to keep herself from moaning at the taste.


    However, there was someone missing, that Yumi hadn''t seen yet.


    Where did Sinneah go?  Yumi wondered as she took another bite.


    It got to the point where she was too curious to keep eating.


    "I will be back in a moment," Yumi told the others, taking her plate with her as she stood up and walked out of the room.


    The tapping of her shoes against the floor echoed throughout the halls as she walked back to her room, wanting to see if she would find Sinneah here. Indeed, she did. She opened the door and found Sinneah laying down on their bed and looking up into the ceiling. Tilting her head, Yumi stepped inside.


    The woman''s eyes went to her for a second, before turning back up.


    Yumi held out the plate of chocolate pudding.


    "Are you hungry?" She asked. "I brought you some leftovers."


    "I... No," Sinneah replied.


    "Is that so?"


    Yumi placed the dish down on the drawers next to the bed. Putting her hands on her hips, she looked Sinneah up and down. Parts of her clothes were burnt.


    "Sinneah, are you alright?"


    Yumi sat down beside her. The draconic woman let out a deep sigh before she returned Yumi''s gaze, keeping her eyes on her.


    "... I do not know," Sinneah replied.


    "Okay, well, why is that?" Yumi asked. "Did the fight against the dragon go poorly?"


    "Yes."


    That was all Sinneah responded with. Nodding, Yumi took off her shoes and laid down next to her, looking up at the ceiling as well.


    Sinneah raised a brow, appearing to be confused, while Yumi just stayed there.


    "What are you doing?" Sinneah asked.


    "Hm?" Yumi looked back at her and shrugged. "You seem like you''re in need of some company. If you want to talk about it, I am open to listening."


    At that, Sinneah looked away again, as did Yumi.


    It took a while before she said anything. All Yumi could hear were the sounds of their breathing, almost synchronized as she waited to see if Sinneah would budge. And, eventually, she did.


    "... The fight was going well," Sinneah stated. "When we arrived, Ash''s strange weapons managed to hurt the creature, as did my fists and kicks. It seemed to me like we could match it, but then... Ash was struck, and she did not get back up."


    Sinneah told the story with a low, quiet voice. This was certainly the quietest Yumi had heard her be, so far. With one hand resting on her stomach and the other behind her head, Sinneah continued, all the while she kept her eyes away from Yumi.


    "The dragon was mighty, but... At that point, I believed I could handle this. I had landed enough good strikes to stay focused, so, even when Ash was tossed aside, I kept my hands up, trying to see if I could best it. I..." She took a deep breath. "I felt like I was beginning to understand it. Like as the fight went on, a strange... um, what is the word? Vigor? Energy? Something was running through my body, as I took the dragon on. That was what I had wanted when I asked Ash if we could do this together. But, then, i-it, it breathed fire. Fire that nearly covered me, had I not run to the side, but it didn''t stop. I avoided it, but while I was running from one side of the field to another, something else started to appear inside of me. A different feeling, one that made my hands shake. One that made my body feel weak. So," she sighed again, "by that point... My body moved on its own, and I ran toward Ash, and her things, picked them up, and left."


    Finally, when she was done letting Yumi know what had happened, she looked over at her. Sinneah''s slitted eyes remained on Yumi this time, however. Almost as if she was hoping Yumi had an answer for her.


    "The feeling I got," Sinneah said to her. "I... I haven''t experienced it in years. No," she corrected herself. "I did feel it once, recently."


    "When?" Yumi asked softly.


    "When I met Ash, and she stabbed me," Sinneah stated. "That time, I felt something similar."


    Hearing that, Yumi put her mind to work, while Sinneah waited to hear what she had to say.


    Hm...  Doubts,  Yumi thought.  Concern...


    Another word appeared in her mind quickly, however, and she said:


    "Fear?" She asked.


    "... Hm?"


    "You felt scared?"


    "I-..." Sinneah was going to respond to that with something, but then, she stopped. Yumi saw her eyes look down then, as though searching for an answer before she lifted them back up.


    "... Yes," Sinneah stated, and her volume was just barely above that of a whisper. "I felt... scared."


    At that, Yumi paused.


    "Is that it?" She asked.


    "What?"


    "Is that what has you feeling like this?" Yumi asked, genuinely curious.


    "Well, yes," Sinneah replied, and finally, her volume picked up.


    "Why?"


    "What?" Sinneah gave her a confused expression. "What do you mean? Isn''t it obvious?"


    "No, I don''t think it is."


    "Being scared is a sign of weakness," Sinneah declared in front of her then. "I cannot allow that of myself. Whether out there," Sinneah said, sitting up. Seeing this, Yumi did the same. "Whether I am fighting a demon or a dragon, I cannot allow myself to feel that way."


    "Heh," Yumi scoffed then.


    "Hm?" Sinneah gave her an annoyed look.


    "If only it was that easy," Yumi responded. "Sinneah, being frightened is normal. It''s just a part of who we are, whether you''re a human, a dragon, a half-dragon, whatever. It''s natural."


    "But that does not mean it is something I should give into so... pathetically."


    "What would be the alternative then?" Yumi asked, raising a brow and laying on her side, propping her head up with her hand as she put her elbow down on the bed. "Would you rather you remained confident back there and gotten burned to a crisp?"


    "Maybe if I had felt stronger, less afraid, I could have won."


    "How?"


    "I do not know!" Sinneah replied then, and this time, she yelled her answer. The frustration she was feeling now was clear to see. "But, at least then, I would have been... I would have been..."


    "Yes?" Yumi asked.


    And, all that anger just dissipated, as Sinneah fell on her back, laying down again, and looking up at the ceiling.


    "I would have been more like a dragon."


    Thus, silence enveloped the room. Sinneah didn''t say anything else for a while, and Yumi just let those words sink in, as she tried to think of a response. She had an immediate one, but even a recluse like her who had been kept up in a random shrine for over a decade had the tact not to say it.


    So, she tried to find a way to get around to the same point that would, hopefully, be less aggravating.


    Mostly because she felt Sinneah probably needed to hear it.


    She could only think of one thing to ask, however, and she doubted that it wouldn''t produce the same effect. Since it was all she had though, she went with it anyway.


    "... Is being more like a dragon truly that important to you?" Yumi asked.


    Sinneah''s eyes then fell back onto her, annoyed once again, but her lips didn''t move. She remained quiet, and Yumi took this as a sign that she was allowing her to elaborate.


    "Is it something you''d really put your entire life down for? Because, from what you told me if you did have the supposed pride of a dragon at that moment, both you and Ash would be dead. The fear you felt was what let you get out with your life today. Is that truly so bad?"


    "Yes," Sinneah responded, though it barely sounded like she believed it. It sounded much more like she just wanted to challenge Yumi''s words.


    "Why?" Yumi asked then. "Why would it matter that much?"


    Then, Sinneah took a deep breath, keeping her slitted eyes on Yumi''s.


    "If I am not a dragon... Then, what am I?"


    That last part sounded so vulnerable to Yumi''s ears that it may as well have come from an entirely different woman.


    "All my life," Sinneah took a deep breath, "I have had images stuck in my mind of a woman I never met. A human. But," Sinneah said, shifting closer to Yumi. "that woman was not there. She did not watch me fight off my first wolves, she did not sleep in the grass with me in the forests. It was left to a dragon to do this. Someone who I shared this tail with," she said, lifting it up, "someone I share the same scales as. My eyes, even... But..."


    Her head fell on the pillow underneath.


    "I am not like him either," Sinneah stated. "So... If I am not a dragon, and I am not a human, what is my place in this world?"


    "..." Yumi remained silent. Then, she sat up and reached for the chocolate pudding.


    "I have no answers for you," Yumi told her, pushing the plate toward her. "But, what I can offer you is some very sweet dessert to drown out the existential thoughts. Would you like some?"


    "... I have no appetite," Sinneah replied, but, she immediately contradicted that when she reached out for it and grabbed the chocolate with one of those draconic hands.


    "The truth is," Yumi said, as Sinneah put the chocolate in her mouth. "I have no answers for you because, well," she smiled, "I too haven''t found my place either."


    "Really?" Sinneah asked.


    "Yes."


    "Where''s your tail then?" Sinneah asked, looking down at Yumi''s body. "Or, are you half of something else?"


    "Oh, no," Yumi laughed, "I''m very, painfully, human. I mean that I thought I had one, and I believed it for years, but then, I was informed that my mission had been accomplished, or had been canceled, maybe, a very long time ago. Now, I am in the same position as you. And, you know what I say?"


    "... What?"


    "I say that," Yumi stated before taking one of Sinneah''s hands and licking a bit of chocolate off of it that had been left. "I think it could be better for me to try some more of these sweets before I worry much about that. Maybe someday I will find my answers, as you will yours, but... Until that day comes, well, I can do nothing else but swing my naginata around, and hope that day arrives sooner rather than later."


    "... But I do not have a naginata," Sinneah replied.


    Yumi stifled a laugh.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll let you borrow mine from time to time."

 Chapter 266 - Vol. 4 - 65

    Ash


    Two Days Later


    The half-demon''s eyes blinked open, and she guessed that it was still very early into the morning, based on the severe cold in the air. For the past few days, every time Ash woke up, there was a small amount of determination burning under her skin.


    Today, however, for the first time in a while, Ash''s body felt so heavy she was reluctant to even get out of bed.


    ... Fuck.


    Closing her eyes again, Ash took a few seconds to just breathe, before she felt something across her stomach and looked down.


    Keiko had a hand over Ash''s body. The Zayama was to her left, and as Ash looked over at her, she saw that the woman was still asleep. Facing her, Ash placed a hand on her cheek.


    "..."


    Looking at her now, she wasn''t sure if she was imagining it, but this was the most peaceful face Ash had seen her with in a while. And, honestly, she was happy for her. At the same time, though, those tears she had shed before let her know that something inside of her didn''t quite feel right.


    Yawning, the half-demon turned away and got out of bed, throwing on a white shirt and some shorts as she exited the room. There was no one outside, and Ash walked through the halls mindlessly for a while, before coming out to the garden.


    Here, she saw one person she hadn''t seen much of lately.


    Zafir was standing by the railing with some other senator, both looking out at Amber''s landscape. Ash had been about to turn around and walk back inside but Zafir caught her just before she did so, and called out to her.


    "Ah, Savior," he said, and Ash stopped.


    "Yeah?"


    "I had been meaning to speak with you. Do you have a moment?"


    Ugh.  Ash nearly rolled her eyes as she walked over to him. Putting her hands on her hips, she asked:


    "What is it?"


    "Good morning to you as well," he laughed. "I won''t take up much of your time. I simply wished to inform you that there is one more church to the south of the city, that you may not have inspected yet."


    "Seriously?" Ash asked.


    "Yes," Zafir nodded. "I too had wondered how this one escaped my attention, however, after a bit of inspection I discovered that although this one started off as a church, it later became a standard house belonging to a family that wished to surround themselves with nature. I do not know if it fits your specific criteria," he shrugged. "But I felt it may be good to bring it to your attention."


    "... Where is it?"


    "You can see it from here," Zafir stated, pointing over the railing. "Do you see that place in the distance? Looks almost like an old barn."


    "Uh, yeah," she replied, narrowing her eyes at the object.


    "That is it," Zafir said. "Apparently, it used to be a church. It is just half an hour''s walk away. Unless a dragon decides to swoop in on you during your brief journey, you likely won''t even run into any monsters."


    Hey, careful, with my luck, that might actually happen.


    "Thanks," Ash said quickly, cutting the conversation short. Apparently, Zafir disagreed with that.


    "It is no problem... Actually," Zafir added, "do you have a moment later? I would like to speak with you about something."


    "Probably not," Ash quickly replied, turning around and walking away.


    She wasn''t sure what he was going to ask her about, but Ash''s danger senses were firing off as soon as he said that, and as she''d established a few times already, she wanted nothing to do with it. However, her mind then pondered that church for a few seconds while Ash stood in the center of the empty manor.


    Hm, honestly, it might not be a bad idea to check that place out. If only just to get my mind off of things,  Ash thought.  Who knows? Maybe I''ll find a couple of monsters to break in half and take my... whatever the fuck I''m feeling, out on.


    Nodding to herself, she quickly decided that this would be how she began her day.


    She walked back into her room and quickly devoured the remainder of whatever bread was left in her bag, before she took her Savior''s Weapon and put on some leather pants. She didn''t bother putting on all of her armor, half because it was annoying and half because she wanted to get walking as soon as possible.


    In all honesty, this was just an excuse to try to walk her stress off. Even if this place had been a church, Ash doubted it was an actual Site of Power. Still, she welcomed the distraction right now.


    Just as she was about to exit the door, Keiko spoke up.


    "Ash?" She asked, and the half-demon froze.


    "... Yeah?" Ash turned toward her and saw the girl''s eyes blinking open, in a pretty adorable way. Keiko propped herself up on one arm and went to sit up, though, Ash stopped her.


    Ash walked over and lightly put her hands on the girl''s shoulders.


    "You don''t have to," Ash said. "It''s still pretty early."


    "... Aaaah," Keiko yawned. "Is it?" She asked, her silver eyes looking up at Ash, still tired. "Are you going somewhere?"


    "Yeah, I''ve got to take a short trip, but I''ll be back before the hour''s done, probably."


    "Oh. Alright," Keiko said, looking down, before quickly looking back up again. "Are you sure?"


    Hm?  Ash raised a brow.


    "What do you mean?"


    "S-Sorry, it''s just... These past couple of days, that potion had me knocked out for most of the time. I haven''t gotten to do anything with you in a bit."


    As Keiko just said, although Tyl had mentioned that she''d have to take the rest of the day off after downing the flask''s contents, instead, for two whole days Keiko had been all but locked up in their room, as the potion''s side-effects had been stronger than they''d anticipated.


    To Ash''s eyes, however, it looked like the effects had finally subsided. It was strange to think about after several weeks, but, finally, Keiko was back to her old self.


    "Don''t worry," Ash said, before pressing a kiss against the girl''s forehead. "I won''t be walking through Amber the rest of the day, or whatever. Zafir, apparently, found some other church. He suggested I go check it out, and I figured it would be a good idea. That''s all."


    "Oh, I see," Keiko nodded, rubbing her eyes. As she did so, Ash gave her a little smile and softly pushed her back down.


    "Rest up," Ash said. "I''ll be back in a bit."


    "... Okay," Keiko said. "I love you."


    It really is getting easier for her to say that, huh?  Ash thought, hiding a smirk.


    "Yeah... I... I love you too."


    ---


    With all of that said, half an hour later, Ash was walking up to a place that reminded her of Satsuhiro''s farm. Only, this place showed all the signs of a building that had been up for a century and was due to fall to pieces every second now to the first strong gust of wind that hit it. All she needed, however, was an altar, if she was to turn this into a source of strength for Lumina.


    So, Ash stood outside its doors, hoping this was actually, somehow, a Site of Power.


    Here goes nothing,  she thought, as she placed a hand on one door and pushed it open.


    "Hm... Okay," Ash said, as she looked inside and, initially, she found nothing but a few tables and a room with enough dust inside of it to make Ash worry she was going to develop problems with breathing one of these days. "Well, it''s definitely as old as all those other churches, holy shit."


    Walking in, she quickly began searching for any altars, but alas, her search was fruitless. One room after another, it became clear that this "church" had indeed turned into something else entirely if it had ever been a church, to begin with, and just around ten minutes after she''d walked in, Ash came right back out.


    However, to her surprise, whereas before she''d been alone when she exited, there were people here.


    She actually flinched when she saw them, her hand quickly moving to her Savior''s Weapon. Instead, however, when she saw that it was just Zafir and two other men, who looked like mages, They''d come here in a cart being pulled by two horses.


    Ash calmed down a little.


    "... Not gonna lie," Ash spoke up, "it''s pretty fucking creepy that you just showed up like this. Got anything to say?"


    "Yes. Like I said earlier, I wished to speak with you," Zafir told her.


    "Is that a nice way of saying you wanted to kill me out here where no one would see?" Ash asked. "Because I''d rather we just get to the fighting already if that''s the case."


    "No, no, no," Zafir shook his head. "I am being genuine. I did wish to talk. However, considering the people who could overhear, I figured it would be better to do this away from Amber''s ears."


    "Really?" Ash tilted her head, smirking. "You want to talk? That''s it? Go ahead, what do you want to say?"


    She asked, her hand still hovering over her  Lust.


    "Ahem, simple," Zafir said, before taking a deep breath. "Savior, I will ask this very clearly. What would you say if I told you that Amber''s future was not one that it would spend in the shadow of Jade?"


    Ash blinked.


    "I''d say I really don''t give a shit, and that means nothing to me."


    "... Is that so?" Zafir asked. "Hmph. From what I''ve heard, after researching you, I do believe this. In that case, we''re done here."


    Just like that, Zafir and his mages hopped right back onto the cart.


    "Would you like a ride back to the Manor?" Zafir asked.


    Ash just stood there, stunned.


    "Uh, no. I''m good."


    "Suit yourself," Zafir replied and, just like that, the cart began rolling away.


    ....  I think this would have been a lot less confusing if we just fought, if I''m being honest,  Ash thought, before promptly beginning to walk in the same direction they''d gone.

 Chapter 267 - Vol. 4 - 66

    Although Zafir''s strange question had worked to distract Ash for a little while, as the half-demon returned to Amber, heading in through the gates behind the Manor, halfway through, her mind wandered to the same thing she''d been trying to focus away from.


    With the sun a little higher and the air a little warmer, Ash returned to the Manor. Her eyes were cast low, and she swore she could feel the gazes of the guards on her throughout her walk, but she didn''t mind that.


    Seriously, if anyone wants to fight, that would probably do me some good right now,  Ash thought, hoping one of them would just jump on her already.


    Alas, none did, and Ash went all the way back to her room without any trouble. However, when she came back, she didn''t find Keiko there.


    Hm? Is she having breakfast somewhere?


    Absent-mindedly, Ash went to what pretty much become her group''s official hangout spot, walking through the backdoor to reach the garden.


    Immediately, the sounds of swords clashing came to her ears. Ash''s eyes widened when she looked ahead, and she found Yumi and Keiko training, while a sleepy Satsuhiro and a cheerful Metsumi watched from the stone benches behind the two women.


    Keiko, though, was moving at a pace that Ash hadn''t seen in a long time.


    The sight caught her off-guard. Keiko held a fierce expression in her eyes, looking determined as she glided from one side of the gardens to another, slashing at Yumi''s naginata while the woman parried and deflected every attack. Ash could see drops of sweat flying off her body every time she pulled back and dashed forward, all while keeping her eyes narrowed and firm.


    That expression melted away as soon as Keiko caught Ash from the corner of her eyes, and she stopped.


    Ash saw a smile bloom on her face and when those silver eyes fell completely on her, she knew that, despite how she was feeling right now, she''d made the right choice.


    Now, she just needed to deal with it. Though, she still didn''t know how.


    Keiko jogged up to her and nearly tackled the half-demon with a hug. Ash felt her shirt getting damp from the girl''s sweaty head pressed against her chest, but she didn''t mind too much.


    "I..." Keiko whispered. "I could say ''thank you'' five-hundred times and I feel like it wouldn''t express how grateful I am to you."


    "I''m just glad you feel better," Ash replied just as quietly.


    Keiko pulled away, with a few strands of hair stuck to her cheeks.


    "I will feel even better once I get to spar with you again. It''s been too long. But, for now, I have a distant cousin to beat," Keiko stated before jogging back to where Yumi was.


    And, just like that, the two of them got right back to it. Ash walked around them, going over to the bench and sitting by Satsuhiro''s side.


    "Opah and Luvine aren''t up yet?"


    "No," Satsuhiro replied. "Maybe they stayed up late or something."


    "Hm. Hey," Ash said, leaning back against the railing. "Zafir told me something pretty weird today. I figured I should let you know."


    "Yes?" Satsuhiro raised a brow at her. "What is it?"


    "So... Pretty much," Ash said, putting her hands behind her head as she watched Keiko and Yumi fight it out ahead. "He said something like, ''Amber''s future wouldn''t be in Jade''s shadow''. Don''t ask me what it means cause I have no idea."


    Satsuhiro heard that and scratched his chin, as he looked back at her.


    "Amber''s future... Oh," he suddenly said, "if that means what I think it means, then, we''ll probably want to finish up our business here soon."


    "What are you thinking?" Ash asked.


    "He probably means that he wants Amber to be independent," Satsuhiro stated. "Actually, if we assume that''s his personal goal, then... It all makes sense. The Arcane passing away out of nowhere, the fact that my letters aren''t getting to Jade, the people who aren''t being allowed to leave. Yeah, he''s trying to cut ties with Jade."


    "... Okay," Ash replied. "What does independent mean?" Ash asked.


    "It means Zafir doesn''t want Amber to be under Jade''s control. Doesn''t want it to be part of the Empire anymore. Which, if that''s true, then, as soon as the Royal Council catches word of that, things could get violent here pretty quick."


    "Oh. Well, hmph," Ash scoffed, "if they end up hoping I''ll fight for them, they have another thing coming because I could not care less."


    Satsuhiro stared at her then, for a little, before looking away.


    "I suppose I understand," he replied, though, to Ash''s eyes, he sounded unsatisfied.


    One question then came to the half-demon''s mind, and she asked it before she could stop herself.


    "So, what''ll happen to the Arcane''s daughter, then?"


    "Hm? Oh, she''ll probably be killed, if she hasn''t been already. Assuming, of course, that the Arcane was killed on Zafir''s orders, and it wasn''t actually some freak sickness that just came out of nowhere, then, yeah, her days are numbered if she''s even still around."


    As Ash heard that, she recalled the desperate look in the girl''s eyes, the last time she encountered her. She had no particular connection to her, but it did feel weird that she may have been one of the last people to see her alive if she had been killed already.


    Still, Ash had her own problems to deal with at the time, and she still did. With Keiko''s potion finished, it was finally time to put all of her focus into Kaori''s situation once again. With almost a week having passed since Ash spoke with Lumina, there were likely only three weeks remaining before that divine trial would be had. Ash needed to be ready.


    I need to head up to Pearl, to take advantage of everything that''s happening over there, and close down that portal. Then, after that, I think I might ask the Royal Council to help me find more if they aren''t too busy dealing with whatever Zafir''s going to do. And, after that, yeah... Just hope for the best.


    The Manor door opened and Kasumi appeared, yawning as she stepped outside. As her eyes fell on Ash, she walked over and raised a hand.


    "Morning," she greeted them. Keiko and Yumi got dangerously close to her as she made her way over to them.


    "Good morning!" Metsumi said. Satsuhiro simply nodded at her.


    "Hey," Ash greeted the woman as she sat down by her side, at the edge of the stone bench.


    "Ho-ly fuck," Kasumi let out, leaning back like Ash was and pushing her chest out as she watched the two Zayamas fighting. "Never thought I''d say this, but I might just end up joining them."


    "Yeah? Why''s that?" Ash asked.


    "Cause I''m bored," Kasumi replied.


    Suddenly, Ash felt her eyes get pulled down to the woman''s tits and she had to yank them back up, just as Kasumi looked over at her.


    Right,  Ash remembered.  My Lust is at 2 right now.


    As per usual, due to the highly emotional situations going on, her Lust stacks hadn''t been affecting her, But, as the sadness slowly reduced to a low melancholy, that side of her was slowly coming back, as Ash noticed as soon as she saw that Kasumi''s massive boobs were especially pronounced in this tight brown shirt she was wearing.


    However, as Kasumi looked at her, she tried her hardest not to look like she''d just been checking her out.


    "There''s nothing to do in this city. I almost feel like picking up a sword and heading out to fight monsters would be more entertaining than this place."


    When Ash heard that, she stopped.


    "Then, why don''t we do that?" She asked.


    "Hm?" Kasumi raised a brow at her.


    "Actually, come to think of, it, you''re going to go fight for Pearl too, right?" Ash asked.


    "... Maybe," Kasumi said after a sigh. "I think... I don''t know, part of me wants to, part of me doesn''t."


    "Hm. In that case, maybe you just need to get into some real fights again before the answer gets clear. So, how about we do that?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I''m going to be heading out to hunt for monsters and get some levels. Why don''t you come with me?"


    "Are you sure that''s wise?" Satsuhiro asked, from Ash''s left. "The beasts in this area are far higher level than she is."


    "But I''m higher level than they are, so I can keep her safe while she gets some last-hits and easy EXP. Actually," Ash turned back toward Kasumi, "you have the same buffed Quick Learner trait that I do. You''d probably catch up to me in no time."


    Crossing her legs, Ash rested her head on the palm of her right hand.


    "So, how about it? Are you bored enough to do some grinding?" Ash asked.


    When Kasumi heard that, she went silent for a few seconds. Ash could only hear the clashing of Yumi and Keiko''s weapons as she pondered the question, but then those ceased too. Keiko skipped over to her and said:


    "C-Can I come too?"


    "What?" Ash asked, raising a brow. "But, you... Oh," she stopped, realizing. "Right."


    She''d just been about to say that she didn''t want the girl to overexert herself. She''d gotten used to taking care of her in this way, but, with the potion done and consumed, that wasn''t something she had to worry about anymore.


    "It''s..." Keiko said, catching her breath as she was clearly working out quite intensely. "It''s been a long time since I''ve been in a real fight. I''d it''s okay with you, I''d like to go too."


    As she heard that, Ash nodded.


    "Then, yeah, of course. You can come too."


    "In that case, I may as well do the same," Yumi then added. "Although I''ve been out here for so long, I have yet to fight a single creature. I fear my senses may be getting dulled."


    "U-Uh..." Ash said, caught off-guard. "Yeah, you too. Sure, I guess."


    "Thank you. Wait a moment, I''m going to ask Sinneah. If she''s awake, of course."


    "..." Ash watched her go into the Manor, speechless. Keiko giggled a little when she saw the look on Ash''s face.. "Well, okay then."

 Chapter 268 - Vol. 4 - 67

    "When was the last time we fought together?" Yumi asked. With the sun on Ash''s skin for the second time that day, she felt a bit of sweat roll down the back of her neck.


    "Uhm, against monsters?" Keiko replied.


    "Yes."


    "I can''t remember," Keiko answered. "If we ever did, it was a long time ago."


    "Possibly. In any case, I''m excited to share a dance or two with you," Yumi replied. Ash watched as Keiko blushed a little.


    "I''d rather you didn''t watch me, honestly," Keiko said. "I''m probably going to be a little rusty."


    "I''m sure you''ll do just fine," Yumi shrugged. "But, if it matters that much, do let me know and I will try my best to look away. I can''t promise anything, though."


    It was just half an hour after Ash''s group had walked out of Amber. The five of them, as Sinneah had agreed to come along, were currently chatting a little as they waited to run into monsters, while they walked with no particular destination in mind.


    Knowing that Ash was going to have to protect them if anything too strong appeared, the half-demon asked:


    "Hey, everyone," she called out, interrupting a couple of conversations. "Can you show me your statuses?"


    "Hm? Sure," Kasumi replied as the others all did the same, and soon, they all appeared over their heads.


    Keiko:


    Level 29


    MP: 150/150


    EXP: 10/290


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 50


    CON: 10


    INT: 10


    WIS: 15


    L: 5


    ---


    Kasumi:


    Level 27


    MP: 340/340


    EXP: 0/270


    ---


    STR: 9


    DEX: 13


    CON: 10


    INT: 30


    WIS: 34


    L: 100


    ---


    Yumi:


    Level 44


    MP: 100/100


    EXP: 200/440


    ---


    STR: 24


    DEX: 100


    CON: 19


    INT: 10


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    ---


    Sinneah:


    Level 65


    MP: 500/500


    EXP: 400/650


    ---


    STR: 40


    DEX: 70


    CON: 20


    INT: 20


    WIS: 50


    L: 5


    Taking all of this information in, Ash nodded to herself.


    Sinneah doesn''t need any help, from what I can see. I''m pretty sure her overall stats pretty much match mine. Same goes for Yumi. That level 44 of hers is a lie considering how much she trained her Dex for. So, us three, we''re pretty much around the same level of power. Keiko and Kasumi, though,  Ash thought, as she gave them both a couple of quick glances,  yeah, if I see anything too tough, I definitely need to keep an eye on them to make sure they don''t get hurt.


    Ahead, Ash caught Sinneah staring down at Kasumi. The dragon-girl stood a full head taller than everyone except for Ash herself. Kasumi looked up at her, slightly uncomfortable.


    "Yes?" Kasumi asked.


    Sinneah paused.


    "Your chest is massive."


    "... Thank you?"


    Kasumi raised a brow at her, as Sinneah just turned away casually, looking down at herself and cupping her own boobs, before looking back at Kasumi again. With that said, the redhead looked back, spotting Ash, and moving over to join her side.


    "So," Kasumi said, "where are we headed?"


    As Ash heard that, she looked over at the woman, and her eyes were tugged down automatically. She pulled them back up, cursing her  Lust  in her mind.  Yeah,  she thought.  I need to deal with that as soon as I get back to the Manor.


    "I didn''t really have any place in mind," Ash admitted. "You normally just look around for long enough and something will come out to try to kill you. But, if we don''t find anything," she said, reaching for her bag and pulling that map of hers out. By now, it was severely worn out and wrinkly from having been thrown around so much. "We can just head to some mountain, and there are normally more monsters around those parts."


    "I see..." Kasumi took a deep breath. "Between the heat here and the cold of Sapphire, I think I''d prefer the north. I feel like my skin is melting off."


    "I can agree with that," Ash replied. "So, what weapon did you bring with you?"


    "Just a dagger."


    "That''s it?" Ash asked, confused. "Where''s your Savior''s Weapon?"


    "Collecting dust, as it should be," Kasumi shrugged. "I don''t really care to receive any help from the gods. I''m good."


    Don''t you still have your Quick Learner trait? I''d say that counts,  Ash replied in her mind, but she didn''t say it out loud.


    "Actually," Yumi told Keiko, and Ash looked over at them. "Now, that you aren''t pregnant anymore, we can pick back up where we left off with the Zayama techniques I had wanted to teach you."


    "Ohhh, you''re right!" Keiko replied, smiling widely as her excitement made itself clear to see. Ash felt a little better when she saw that.


    Kasumi, however, asked:


    "She was pregnant?"


    At that, everyone turned toward her.


    "I-I''ll explain," Ash said to the other three women before pulling Kasumi away.


    "Wait, she  was pregnant? As in, she isn''t anymore? What the hell?" Kasumi asked, lowering her voice.


    Okay, how the fuck do I explain this? Eh, fuck it. She doesn''t need to know every single detail.


    "After you left Onyx," Ash explained. "Yeah, we found out that Keiko was... yeah."


    "... Hm. I''m not gonna lie," Kasumi replied, "I didn''t really take her as the cheating type. Sorry."


    "..." Ash was initially confused, but then she got what the woman meant. "Oh. Uh, no... She didn''t cheat."


    At that, Kasumi narrowed her eyes at her.


    "What?"


    "I got her pregnant," Ash stated. She figured it was best to just come out and say it, since everything she said was just going to wind its way down to that.


    "You?" Kasumi asked, and instantly, her eyes went between Ash''s legs, and then she snapped them back up. "You, uh, have a..."


    "No," Ash answered firmly. "It''s complicated."


    "I can tell," Kasumi answered, scoffing. "And, since we are speaking in past-tense, did she, well..." A sad look came over her face. "Did she miscarry?"


    "... No," Ash said, taking a deep breath. "We found out that there was this potion and, long story short, no. She chose to, uh, not be pregnant anymore."


    At that, Kasumi stopped.


    She gave Ash a weird look, before sighing and looking away.


    "It''s none of my business, I suppose," she said, and she didn''t add anything else to that.


    Thank fuck you aren''t the curious type, Ash thought as they continued their walk.


    Eventually, they all stood still, as no monsters approached and Ash finally gave up on finding them out in the open, deciding to look for any nearby mountains. One was clearly in view, just a short walk west, from the looks of it, so, Ash pointed toward it.


    "Let''s head there. Maybe we''ll find something, I dunno."


    "Was everything always this empty?" Sinneah asked her.


    "... Not really," Ash replied.


    "Mm. They are probably hiding then," Sinneah stated. "When I would roam through forests with my father, monsters would always clear out when they saw him. It is likely our group is causing the same sort of effect."


    "I can see that," Ash nodded. "If it''s like that, then, what we could do," she pointed ahead again, "is that, when we get to the mountain, we go in two at a time or something. The others can stay back while two of us grind out some levels, and then we switch."


    "Sounds good," Kasumi shrugged. "Who would go with who, though?"


    Ash looked away.


    "... Yumi and Sinneah can pair up, Keiko can come with me. And, either Sin or I can go with you," she told Kasumi.


    The crimson-haired woman eyed Sinneah up and down for a second, before turning toward Ash.


    "I''ll head in with you, then, when it''s my turn."


    "Alright."


    With that said, they soon arrived at the mountain in question. It was fairly sizable, holding many tall trees that obscured the group''s vision of what hid inside. Here, at the base, Ash turned toward them.


    "How long do we want to be here for?"


    "We should probably head back once the night comes," Yumi pitched in. "I imagine accidents could happen in the darkness."


    "Okay. We''ll see how much we can get done in that time. Keiko," Ash looked over at her girlfriend. "How about we start?"


    When the short girl heard that, she smiled and Ash saw her eyes gleam before she nodded firmly.


    Keiko jogged over to her side, with her sword by her waist. Ash dropped her things there and looked back at the others.


    "Be right back, I guess."


    With that, the two of them walked into the mountain, with Ash trying her hardest to remain focused. Keiko''s wide grin, however, prevented that from happening.


    "Keep an eye out. Everything around here can be pretty quick to jump on top of..." She stopped when she noticed Keiko smiling at her. "Hm?" Ash asked. "Do I have something on my face?"


    "Nope," Keiko grinned at her, before walking in front and taking up most of her vision. "I''m just very excited. Very happy. And, I just really, really love you."


    "You, Keiko, you keep catching me off-guard with that," Ash said, looking away.


    "I know," Keiko answered. "I quite enjoy it," Keiko smirked. "But... Seriously, I understand that doing this for me messed you up. But, to me, I think, I-I believe this is the start of something beautiful. And I want to share that with you. Maybe one of these days, I will get the chance to show you how much you mean to me. Not just because of this, but, just, in general, because you''re you."


    Then, she walked ahead a few steps, as Ash stood there, stunned.


    "Now, we have some monsters to fight, don''t we?"

 Chapter 269 - Vol. 4 - 68

    Keiko


    With her hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of her father''s sword, Keiko pushed away a smile as she and Ash walked deeper into the mountain. The sounds of birds in the distance served as a bit of background music as the two women kept their eyes peeled for any potential enemies.


    At the same time, Keiko was trying to remember past techniques.


    Oh my goodness, what was the Rose Blossom technique like?  She wondered.  Uh, with one leg on the ground, I do a spinning slash, right? What was the incantation though? Zansa? Saesa? Ugh!


    She was half-frustrated, half-excited. The excitement slowly overtook the frustration, however, as she heard what sounded like a branch cracking up ahead, and she nearly pulled her sword out.


    "What''s up?" Ash asked. "You heard something?"


    "Yes," Keiko nodded. "From ahead."


    "... Well, your senses are still better than mine. Let''s see what''s up there."


    The two of them jogged up to a small bush, and when they looked behind it, a squirrel popped out. It looked at them for a couple of seconds, and as Keiko let out a disappointed sigh, it ran away.


    "Hey," Ash said, smiling a little, "you''re gonna get a chance to fight, don''t worry."


    "I-I know," Keiko replied. "I''m just... I wanna get to it already."


    "Trust me, I get that. But, I do have to say," Ash spoke up, "you''re pretty under-leveled for this place, so, be careful. In terms of your Dex," the half-demon said, as she looked away, her eyes scanning their surroundings, "you''re pretty much as fast as I am. The problem is, you''re nowhere near as strong, and you can''t take any hits. But, I think you can make up for that with your speed and your skills, so, yeah."


    "I am glad to hear you have so much faith in me," Keiko said, genuinely.


    "For good reason," she shrugged. "But, yeah, be careful."


    "Of course," Keiko replied. "The last thing I want to do is embarrass myself in front of you. Actually, I should probably activate my Spirit Eye already."


    "That would be a good idea, yeah."


    Nodding, Keiko took a deep breath.


    "Iridos."


    With that said, the two of them continued. Keiko''s heightened senses made it so that she flinched a couple of times, as she thought she heard things in the distance.


    The actual threats, however, would make themselves known far less subtly than that.


    As Keiko looked to her left, seeing some birds fly away from the north. Then, some animalistic grunting sounds came from up ahead, and she narrowed her eyes in that direction.


    "Hear anything?"


    "Yeah," Keiko replied. She took out her sword, fairly certain that, at the very least, they were dealing with a large creature of some sort.


    As she and Ash rounded a large tree, they saw it.


    A hunched, muscular back was turned toward them, belonging to a creature with the head of a lizard, but a body that was similar to that of an ape. From its back, red spikes grew out, and its hands almost looked too big for its body.


    As soon as Keiko and Ash walked up, the creature turned toward them, and a pair of bulging eyes stared back at them.


    Uh, okay, gross,  Keiko thought, as she put her sword in front of her.  But, what matters is how strong it is. Let me check...


    Level 48


    MP: 150/150


    Okay, nearly double my levels. I definitely can''t fight it alone, Keiko thought, glancing at Ash.


    "Sword," Ash said, transforming her Savior''s Weapon.


    I guess she agrees,  Keiko nodded to herself.  Like she said, I should be almost as fast as this thing, but nowhere near as strong. That''s okay,  she thought, taking a deep breath.  I just want to move around again. Let''s see what happens.


    Ash was the first to run forward, which was fairly nostalgic in and of itself. The half-demon sprinted and Keiko was surprised by the burst of speed she witnessed.


    She''s really gotten more powerful,  Keiko thought, before she did the same.


    The monster ahead opened its mouth and a blue sphere shot out at Ash, which the half-demon dodged.


    Then, Ash went for a slash, and the monster flipped to the side, jumping out of the way of her swing.


    Keiko''s Spirit Eye let her know that the creature was going to turn its back to her, and that meant she had an opening.


    She charged into it, sword outstretched as the creature put its arms up, as though it was going to toss something at Ash.


    Keiko stabbed it in the back before it cast its spell, however.


    Only, her sword didn''t seem to cut too deeply.


    What?


    The monster screeched and, in a blink, it swung at Keiko''s head. She only managed to avoid the attack with the help of her Spirit Eye, ducking out of the way, and hopping back to put distance between them.


    Well, she let out a shaky breath.  There''s that Strength I''m missing out on.


    The monster twirled in the air then, in a way that made Keiko''s jaw hit the floor. Her Spirit Eye showed her taking a magical projectile to the face that was going to kill her instantly, and Keiko dipped to the left, moving out of the way.


    Ash caught it mid-air then, stabbing it with her own sword.


    "Aaaagh!" The monster screamed and Ash called to her.


    "Keiko!" She yelled. "Come on, stab it!"


    "R-Right!"


    Understanding that Ash wanted her to get the EXP from the kill, Keiko lunged forward and stabbed her sword straight through the creature''s head.


    As soon as she did, the monster''s sounds stopped, and a message appeared over Keiko''s head.


    EXP Gained: 400


    EXP: 290/290


    Level Up!


    As Ash also saw it, she dropped the monster to the side.


    There was a pause. While blood poured out from the wound Keiko had created, she and the half-demon gazed at each other. Keiko saw Ash smile proudly.


    "I... I..." Keiko looked down at her hands. A sense of elation bubbled up inside of her, and Ash reverted her Savior''s Weapon to a cube, before walking over and hugging Keiko tightly.


    "There you go..." She said as the two held each other. "Welcome back."


    Laughing into her shoulder, Keiko felt like she could cry right now.


    Instead, she leaned back and quickly leaned forward again, giving Ash a warm kiss.


    Of course, she meant it in a "wow, this is really happening", sort of way. But, as she swore she briefly saw heart-shaped pupils appear in Ash''s eyes, she worried Ash may have taken that a different way.


    "... I''m happy for you," Ash stated then, though Keiko could tell she was holding something back.


    "I''ve said it a lot already, but, once again," Keiko said. "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome."


    ---


    Ash


    This is getting unbearable.


    Ash hadn''t had to restrain herself like this in a very, very long time.


    The two of them found a couple of other monsters after that, some goblins and a snake-like creature of sorts. Those moments allowed Ash to be distracted, for just a little bit.


    Every other second, however, Ash spent with her mind becoming increasingly clouded as Keiko''s presence took up more and more of her mental space.


    I swear,  she thought.  As soon as I get back to the Manor, I''m going to lock myself in our room and who knows when I''m going to come back out.


    "Should we start heading back?" Keiko then asked. "We''ve been here for about an hour already."


    "... Yeah," Ash nodded. "We may as well."


    On that note, the two of them turned around and began retracing their steps.


    "How many levels did you get?"


    "All in all, three," Keiko replied, showing her status over her head.


    Level 32


    MP: 150/150


    EXP: 20/320


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 50


    CON: 16


    INT: 10


    WIS: 15


    L: 5


    "I decided I''ll put everything into my Con," Keiko added. "At least, until I feel like I won''t die in one hit from any random monster here."


    "Yeah, sounds smart."


    "Ah, I want to get back to it already, though!" Keiko said, sounding happy. "The feeling of a weapon in my hands, and an enemy to defeat, after so long... It''s like nothing else!"


    "Uh, okay, glad you like it that much," Ash chuckled. "Anyway, don''t worry, as soon as the others get their turns, we''ll be in and, yeah."


    Keiko then gave Ash a lingering gaze. One that made Ash raise a brow.


    "Maybe later," Keiko said, "you can show me how strong you''ve gotten in other ways."


    "... What?" Ash stopped.


    "Hehe," Keiko winked at her. "I''m feeling a little energetic today. I don''t know."


    ... Holy shit, Ash thought. I am going to tear my pussy apart tonight.


    As she replied with that, the two got back to the group.


    "And then, the narrator said, ''war, war never changes,'' as the book finishes," Yumi told Sinneah.


    "... Is that it?" Sinneah asked. "That one was fairly short."


    "I believe so," Yumi shrugged. "I think there were sequels but I did not have any of them at the shrine."


    "Ash!" Kasumi stood up and jogged over at Ash, as Keiko went and sat down beside Yumi. "Please, please, take me away from here."


    "What? What''s going on?"


    "I''ve been sitting through Yumi reciting entire novels to the dragon girl for the last hour, and I swear to you, I am one more chapter away from walking right back to the city."


    "Uh, okay," Ash shrugged. "Sure."


    "Thank fuck!" Kasumi said, as she quickly walked in the direction that Ash had just come from.


    "... Well," Ash said to the others.. "I guess I''ll see you in a bit."

 Chapter 270 - Vol. 4 - 69

    This time, as Ash walked up the mountain she was joined by a different woman. One with a considerably annoyed look on her face, as she let her eyes roam over her surroundings, and a certain thickness to her body that made just looking at her feel dangerous.


    Don''t worry,  Ash told herself.  You''ll be back at the Manor with Keiko soon enough. Just... For now, keep that lust in check, and everything will be fine.


    "What sort of monsters are we likely to run into?" Kasumi asked, and Ash forced herself to focus up.


    "I don''t really know," she replied. "There''s a lot more, eh, variety, you could say. Shit''s weirder here, pretty much.


    "Wonderful," Kasumi said, as she crouched down by a large, purple fruit of some sort. "I''ve never been a fan of surprises, but maybe a couple of bloodthirsty nightmarish ghouls will help that change today."


    "You sound optimistic."


    "I was being sarcastic."


    "So was I."


    At that, Kasumi laughed, and the two continued on their way as Ash tried to make sure nothing was going to jump them anytime soon. After a brief silence, Kasumi soon spoke up again.


    "... So, Keiko was pregnant, huh?"


    Ash took a sharp breath when she heard that, looking over at Kasumi with slightly narrowed eyes.


    "Y-Yeah."


    The sudden change of topic caught her off-guard, but she kept her eyes on Kasumi as the woman went to elaborate.


    "Hm. For someone so small, she''s definitely stronger than she looks if she''s handling things this well."


    "She is," Ash agreed, recalling the many days Keiko had spent with a sad look stuck to her face in between hearing the news back at Onyx and arriving here at Amber. Regardless of how it made Ash feel, the half-demon firmly believed Keiko deserved the happiness she was experiencing now.


    However, with Kasumi next to her now, Ash saw an opportunity of sorts. Without even really thinking about it, the words slipped out from her lips.


    "Hey..."


    "Yeah?" Kasumi stopped, turning toward her.


    "Listen. When... When it happened, and Keiko wasn''t pregnant anymore, I..."


    She couldn''t find the right way to say it. Taking a strained breath, feeling like there was a container full of emotions she''d put a lid on, threatening to burst, she forced herself to keep going.


    "When that happened, I broke down," she admitted with a soft voice. "But, I don''t know why it happened. I just... One second, I was fine, the next second, I was crying my fucking eyes out. I, I dunno why I''m even telling you, I just, I figured maybe you could let me know why, because you were a mom, and all," she finished, her volume reducing with every syllable until she was speaking barely over a whisper.


    Kasumi heard her, keeping a firm expression right up until the end.


    She crossed her arms and shrugged before saying:


    "Seems simple enough to me."


    "Yeah? Well, can you help me out here? Because I''m clueless when it comes to this sort of shit."


    "It sounds to me like you wanted to have the kid," Kasumi suddenly announced to her, and when Ash heard that, her brows were lifted to the sky as she pulled back.


    "W-What?" Ash asked. "I-I didn''t, I mean, there''s no way," she scoffed. "I''ve barely been able to take care of myself, I''m gonna take care of someone else?"


    "Hey, I''m just calling it how I see it," Kasumi replied, turning away and walking forward. "Besides, I used to think the same thing before... Before I had Nozomi. It''s normal. So, yeah, I think you just need to ask yourself whether-"


    Before she could finish, she stopped herself, crouching and signaling for Ash to do the same.


    Snapping back into focus, Ash quickly transformed her  Lust, into a sword as Kasumi hid behind a tree. She moved up to where she was, and then, she saw them.


    "Aghh," One, lone goblin made a guttural sound as it dragged an animal''s carcass behind it. It was carrying a club on its back and looked much bigger than any of the goblins near Jade.


    Level 55


    MP: 200/200


    "... Let me handle this," Ash told Kasumi, moving up. "Then, you can sneak in the last shot."


    "Got it."


    With that said, Ash ran up, trying to catch it off-guard.


    "Uagh?" The goblin turned toward her, but it was too late to see her coming as Ash rammed the tip of her sword into its chest. It let out a squeal, and Ash pushed it all the way down to the ground, mounting it and pulling her blade up before bringing it down again, hoping she hadn''t killed it yet.


    "Kasumi!"


    The woman quickly ran up, kneeling beside the dying creature. Then, she took her own knife and stabbed it into the goblin''s skull, which finally made it stop moving.


    "Okay, how much EXP did you get for that?" Ash asked, and the EXP message soon appeared over Kasumi''s head.


    EXP Gained: 1800


    EXP: 270/270


    "..." Ash blinked. "Well, shit."


    ---


    The two of them repeated that strategy a few times over, while Ash remained somewhat silent as Kasumi''s earlier words circled in her mind. They ran into a few other monsters, and in just an hour, Kasumi was quickly closing the gap between herself and Ash, thanks to her buffed Quick Learner trait.


    Eventually, however, Ash decided that it would be good for Yumi and Sinneah to have their turn soon, so she stopped and said:


    "Let''s head back."


    "Already?" Kasumi replied.


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "I wanna get back before nighttime. Looks like we only have a few hours left till then."


    "Okay, I have to say though, I definitely need to get used to stabbing stuff again."


    "We''ll probably be doing a lot of that these days, so, yeah. That''s no problem."


    They went all the way back to the base of the mountain after that, walking over to their group.


    "Yes," Yumi nodded, as she spoke to Sinneah, who was sitting across from her, also on the ground. "Then, the captain told the mercenary, ''no, I am your father''."


    "Impossible," Sinneah replied.


    "That''s what the mercenary said!" Yumi replied.


    At the same time, however, Ash''s eyes roamed down and widened.


    Keiko was currently laying on Yumi''s lap, between her legs.


    The Zayama was listening with a calm smile as Yumi''s hands remained on her stomach. The sight made Ash pause.


    Holy shit, when was the last time we did anything like that?  Ash thought. She felt like, outside of small bursts of affection here and there, the situations affecting them had caused some scarcity to run between them in that department.


    "Uh," Ash interrupted, "yo, we''ve only got a couple of hours left. So, if you wanna go in and do your thing, now''s the time."


    "Hm? Very well, then," Yumi said, as Keiko rolled off to give her space to get up. She dusted herself off and Sinneah stood up too.


    "Yumi," Ash said, "try to remember the way you came. Last thing we need is the two of you getting lost."


    "Understood, understood," Yumi nodded, twirling her naginata, as though to get a feel for it. "Well, Sinneah, shall we?"


    The draconic woman nodded and Yumi waved at the group, as she and her partner for the day walked away from them.


    ---


    Yumi


    The silence was comfortable, for her. Having spent so long on her own, Yumi was used to keeping her lips tightly shut, as she had no one to talk to. Still, a part of her wanted to change that a little, so she tried to open up.


    "The forests by Onyx were nothing like this," Yumi said. "How curious."


    "Onyx is that, ehm, big grey place, right? I think my father told me about it once."


    "Mhm."


    "Then, yes," Sinneah nodded, "I remember them well."


    "Oh? What was your time in the area like?"


    "It was mostly my father and I resting, hunting and moving before he would fly us both from one place to another."


    "Sounds exciting."


    "It was just... normal," Sinneah shrugged.


    "Well, on my end-"


    "Look out!"


    Sinneah suddenly yelled as, from the corner of her eye, Yumi saw a spear-shaped object try to stab her.


    Sinneah was by her side in an instant, however, stopping the attacker before they had the chance to skewer her. It was a lizard-like creature with hands like long, sharpened spears. Just before one of those spears could plunge into Yumi''s torso, Sinneah caught it with her bare hands.


    Yumi saw blood drip onto the dirt from her palm, as she noticed the spears were barbed.


    Sinneah then pulled the creature closer, and punched straight through its body, green guts exploding out from the other side.


    She removed her fist, and the creature slumped to the ground.


    "... Oh my," Yumi said, after taking a deep breath.


    Then, she went next to Sinneah and held her hand up. although her fist was covered in a dense green liquid, her palm was still red from having gripped that spear-like arm.


    "Sorry about that," Yumi told her. "I was a little distracted."


    "It is okay," Sinneah replied nonchalantly.


    "Hold on a moment, I will heal you. What was the incantation again?" Yumi wondered, trying to remember the basic healing spell. She hadn''t used any magic, outside of her Zayama techniques, in a very long time.


    "I am fine," Sinneah reiterated.


    "Don''t be silly," Yumi waved that statement away. "This will only take a moment."


    Once it came back to her mind, Yumi cast the spell on Sinneah''s hand and wiped the blood away with her shirt. When she saw the wound was gone, she was satisfied.


    However, Sinneah was giving her a strange look, so, Yumi asked:


    "Yes?"


    "..." Sinneah paused, looking away. "Showing me this sort of kindness, I fear it will make me weak."


    "Hm.. I''d argue having a wounded hand will make you weaker than healing you ever could, but, that''s just me," Yumi shrugged before the two of them went on with the rest of their session.

 Chapter 271 - Vol. 4 - 70

    Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net


    Note: Ahoy! Here, there be lewdness!


    ---


    Keiko


    When it was all said and done, and it was time to head back to Amber, everyone got a few levels. The most sizeable improvement, however, came from Kasumi, who possessed the same Quick Learner trait Ash did. Everyone else earned anywhere between three to four levels, and as they returned to the city, they agreed they''d do something similar tomorrow.


    As they returned to the Manor, ignoring the typical stares from the locals, Kasumi spoke up.


    "I barely did anything, and yet my hands feel sore from stabbing those things. Holy shit, I am out of shape."


    "Nothing a bit of training can''t fix," Yumi replied. "You are more than welcome to join Sinneah and I''s sessions if you''d like."


    "..." Kasumi gave a long sigh, before looking away and answering, "sure, I guess."


    "Wonderful."


    Behind them, Keiko was walking by Ash''s side, though the half-demon had been awfully quiet the entire way through. The only way she''d interacted with anyone was the occasional nod whenever a question was directed at her, like when Kasumi asked if every monster was as strong as the ones they''d faced, or when Sinneah asked if she wanted to continue training in those Tomoe arts she''d been teaching her.


    The silence on Ash''s behalf was punctuated even more by how her eyes would linger on Keiko, every now and then. It took a while, but as the group arrived at their temporary home, the Zayama began to feel like she understood what was happening.


    "So," Kasumi said, turning around and facing everyone as they stood in front of the Manor''s doors. "Same thing tomorrow, or what?"


    "I''d say it would be good to get more training in, first," Yumi replied. "Although we can certainly brute force our way up to a more powerful state, enough skills with our weapons can help close the gap between our power levels and that of the monsters we encounter. Additionally, it would likely be wise to raise our attributes up ourselves, before, uh, as Ash put it, ''grinding'' for levels. That way, we''ll all get more value out of the eventual EXP we gain through kills."


    "Agreed," Keiko said. "I think raising individual attributes for a while could do us some good."


    "Okay," Kasumi turned around, "I''m gonna get some rest. See ya."


    As the moon rose up in the sky, Yumi turned to face Sinneah.


    "We still have a few more hours left in the day, would you like to spar?"


    "Mhm," Sinneah nodded, and, just like that, Keiko and Ash were left alone.


    "Well!" Keiko said, with a smile, "that was pretty f- UWAH!"


    Before she could finish, Ash put one arm under her legs, and the other on her back, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her into the Manor. Keiko held onto her tightly as the woman maneuvered from one hall to another, all while servants gasped at the sight of them.


    "Ash!" Keiko called out, though she was still smiling. "B-Be careful!"


    A couple of seconds later, they were all but crashing into their room, as Ash quickly deposited Keiko on their bed, all without saying a word. Keiko laughed a little as she bounced on the soft surface, but her giggles slowly went away when she saw the look in Ash''s eyes.


    "... Um, Ash?" Keiko asked, shifting back a little.


    The woman''s violet eyes were cast on her with a narrowed, focused expression. She put a knee on the bed and loomed over Keiko, her eyes scanning her body up and down in a way that made the girl feel somewhat smaller.


    "Sorry," Ash quickly let out. "I just..."


    "N-No," Keiko told her. "It''s okay. You just caught me off-guard, a little."


    "... I''ll try to take things slow, but, I have to be honest with you, I wish I had my tail already."


    At that, some of the tension in the air left as Keiko chuckled, and she put her hands up, placing them behind Ash''s shoulders. Pulling her in, their lips met and Keiko wrapped her arms entirely around the other woman, as much as the armor the half-demon was wearing would allow for.


    They paused for just a couple of seconds, looking into each other''s eyes.


    "Let me take this shit off," Ash muttered then, getting off of Keiko and hurrying to remove all of her armor, with her back turned to the Zayama. At the same time, Keiko slipped off her pants, and her shirt, letting her father''s sword rest against the wall before she looked back at Ash and found her coming back to the bed, naked.


    Keiko hadn''t seen her this way in a while. She noticed that, although Ash''s body had been fairly defined before, she''d gotten even stronger recently. Her biceps had more of a curve to them, her shoulders were rounder, and even her legs looked bigger than they used to.


    [Goodness, I just want her to hold me for a while,] Keiko thought as Ash kissed her once again. This time, however, as her armor wasn''t in the way, Ash flipped Keiko around to where she was laying on top of Ash now, as the two of them made out.


    Their tongues stuck out, reaching for each other desperately as Ash''s hands roamed over Keiko''s back, then to her thighs, and giving her ass a firm squeeze once. Keiko flinched when she felt that, and then she felt shivers when Ash followed that up by letting her lips trail down Keiko''s neck.


    "Aahhh~" Keiko let out a small hiss as Ash lightly bit down on one of her nipples, hugging her head tightly, to the point where she felt Ash''s horns poking her collarbone.


    Then, Ash pushed Keiko up by her thighs.


    "Eek!" Keiko yelped as Ash shifted under her, and she looked down to see that Ash was positioning her mouth right under her pussy.


    With her hands behind her legs, Ash pulled Keiko down, quickly letting her tongue come out and caress her.


    The Zayama put her arms on the wall, resting her head against it as Ash''s tongue kissed her lower lips.


    "You taste so fucking sweet," Ash stated as Keiko took a few short breaths.


    "Oh... my..." Keiko let out as Ash kept going. She and Ash had taken a couple of moments out of the last few weeks to do this sort of thing, but this time felt different. After everything they''d been through lately, Keiko felt like she needed this.


    To her, Ash tongue-fucking her to an orgasm was an effective way to mark the beginning of a new phase in her life.


    However, from the violet aura that soon began encapsulating Ash, it looked like she had other ideas. Keiko was grinding on Ash''s face for a little, moving her hips back and forth as she felt better and better, but, soon, Ash pulled away from underneath her, and Keiko nearly let out a whimper as her lover''s tongue left her.


    When she looked back, however, she quickly guessed what Ash actually wanted, as she saw her horns growing, a pair of black wings sprouting from her back, and a tail with a heart-shaped tip appearing behind her, swaying from side to side in the air.


    With her eyes giving off a dim glow in the darkness, Keiko gulped.


    "Um..." Keiko laughed awkwardly. "Don''t get me wrong, I definitely want you to do your thing, but... Be careful," she said. "I don''t think you want to go get all of those ingredients again, do you?"


    "I know," Ash quickly replied, as she put her hands down on Keiko''s hips. "I know. I have something in mind, by the way," she said, before pulling Keiko down a little. Then, she moved by Keiko''s side and, strangely, she aligned herself over her, upside-down, to where her knees were by Keiko''s side, and her head was between the girl''s legs.


    All of the questions in Keiko''s mind quickly faded when Ash''s tongue reintroduced itself with her, and Keiko felt like she had to hold onto those knees just to ground herself. As she looked up though, she had a thought.


    [Ash''s... it''s close enough for me to...]


    Sticking her own tongue out, she gave Ash the same treatment she was currently receiving. It was hard for her to focus on her own task though when Ash was drawing circles over her clit right now. Still, she did her best, and soon she heard Ash let out a low moan that let her know she was doing something right, at least.


    Then, a demonic hand slipped inside of Keiko, at the same time that Ash kept eating her out, and, at that point, it was too hard to keep going herself.


    "Oh my goodness!" Keiko moaned out as she looked up and saw Ash''s tail moving in the air. "Oh, I-"


    Her words were kept inside of her, however, as the tip of Ash''s tail then plunged into her mouth.


    "Mmmm!" Keiko''s eyes widened as Ash all but cried out.


    "Fuck!" Ash said, as her tail moved up and down Keiko''s tongue before Ash went back to licking her pussy simultaneously.


    Her tail had a faintly sweet taste and an almost chewy texture to it, like biting into gum. It tried harder and harder to push deeper into Keiko''s throat, and she felt like she was experiencing too many things at the same time. There were too many sensations to focus on.


    One eventually overtook the rest, though, and soon, Keiko felt her body clenching up as she sensed she was getting close. Ash, apparently, was in the same spot, as her tail pushed up and down on her tongue faster. Keiko closed her eyes then, raising her hips to bring her pussy closer to Ash''s mouth, and from one minute to another, her body tightened up and she almost bit Ash''s tail off as came.


    "Mm-"


    At the same time, though, the very tip of Ash''s tail suddenly opened up and filled Keiko''s mouth with a liquid that tasted so sweet it prompted her to pull Ash''s tail deeper in, just in hopes of getting more of it out.


    Once Ash''s tail was done letting all of that out, Keiko coughed, as she felt something slide down her cheeks while Ash got out of that position. Ash laid on top of her then, still in that form, and she kissed Keiko deeply.


    She was still in her demon form, though she hadn''t gone into her other, stronger, demon form.


    In the middle of their make-out, Ash stopped, lifting her head.


    Ash looked at her for a few seconds, opened her mouth, and closed it again, before hugging Keiko.


    "... I love you," Ash told her. "And I''m not just saying that because you let me fuck your mouth with my tail just now."


    Keiko was going to laugh, but the remaining liquid in her throat made her cough instead.


    "Thank you," she replied with a strained voice.. "I love you too."


    You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net

 Chapter 272 - Vol. 4 - 71

    Luvine


    "..."


    Luvine blinked as she stared up at the night sky. The stone floor felt cold, as she laid on it with her arms spread out. Opah was doing the same next to her, as the two of them just rested there, silent. They''d been running around for a while, but right now, they were just relaxing.


    "... ''M bored," Opah announced next to her.


    As for Luvine, however, she was perfectly fine with this. Even though every now and then, when she closed her eyes, she could see herself sitting on Onyx''s scalding hot streets, by now, she''d largely gotten used to these new surroundings. Running around with Opah all day, spending some time with the other half-demon in the group whenever she could, she liked this. She liked this a lot.


    So, as Opah huffed a bit, breathing in and out loudly and dramatically to illustrate how bored she was, Luvine just laid there.


    After a few minutes, Opah sat up, looking down at Luvine.


    "I''m gonna go to bed," Opah stated, and just like that, she got up and left. Luvine was left there, alone, as she continued staring up at the moon. She heard a couple of people walk behind her, and soon, she lost track of time.


    A little while later, however, she heard the door to the Manor open behind her, and a pair of footsteps walking up to where she was.


    Then, a woman with the same sort of white hair and violet eyes that she had appeared in view, looking down at her.


    "... A bit late, isn''t it?" Ash asked.


    Luvine shrugged.


    "You aren''t feeling tired at all or...?"


    Luvine just blinked at her, wordlessly.


    "Okay then, fair enough."


    As Ash then sat down next to her, Luvine kept her eyes on the older woman, while she put her hands behind her head and looked up at the sky.


    Ash caught her staring and smirked at her.


    "What, am I not allowed to chill here?"  At that, Luvine just shifted to lay a little closer to her. "Ah, gotcha."


    After that, for a while, neither of them said anything. Before too long, however, Ash said:


    "So, Lu, how have you been these days?"


    Again, the little girl looked up at Ash and shrugged.


    "Hm. I haven''t gotten to check in on you too much lately. Sorry about that," Ash stated. "At least you and Opah haven''t gotten into any trouble around here, thankfully."


    The older half-demon was all but talking to herself. Luvine just listened, but that was fun enough for her.


    "Actually, what the hell do you and Opah do all day?"


    "... We play," Luvine answered.


    "Is that it?" Ash asked, turning on her side and resting her head on her elbow.


    "Mhm," Luvine replied.


    "Well, at least you''ve been having fun."


    When she heard that, Luvine turned toward Ash. Then, she crawled up and planted her chin on Ash''s abs, remaining there, as Ash chuckled. She hadn''t gotten to see much of Ash lately, due to a bunch of stuff that she didn''t understand. So, to her, she was just glad the other half-demon was here right now.


    "... Maybe we could train a little, together," Ash offered suddenly. "Would you like that?"


    Luvine nodded.


    "What would you like to train in?" Ash asked. "Does magic seem cool to you? Or, do you want to do swing a sword around like Keiko does?"


    "Um... I dunno."


    "Really? I mean, you''ve seen me practicing with the others a few times. Didn''t I ever do something you thought seemed cool?"


    As Luvine heard that, she paused, feeling Ash''s lungs rise and fall under her chin.


    "Everything."


    "Everything?" Ash laughed, "I guess that''s an answer. Sure. You want me to teach you?"


    "Yeah," Luvine replied.


    "Okay, I''ll try, then. Look, I wish I could do regular stuff with you, but, I don''t really know how, so, sorry about that."


    "It''s fine,"


    "... Actually," Ash looked down at her. "Sorry if this is a hard question to answer but, what happened with you? I mean, at Onyx, how did you end up like that? You''ve never really talked at all about your parents or whatever."


    If Luvine was understanding the question correctly, she, unfortunately, did not have a good answer for her.


    "I dunno."


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "I don''t remember," Luvine elaborated.


    "Seriously?" Ash raised a brow.


    "Mhm... Old guy helped a lot. Don''t remember anythin'' else," Luvine continued.


    She wasn''t lying. As far as Luvine could remember, it was like she''d just appeared one day on Onyx''s streets, with no memories of what had led to that moment. She spent every day nearly starving to death before some people would throw crumbs of food at her out of pity. The city''s thieves didn''t even harass her much because they pitied her too badly.


    Luvine, if she even remembered her own birthday correctly, was eleven, and yet, it felt like her life had begun just a couple of years ago.


    "Well, fuck, I wish I was in that spot. I remember my family all too well," Ash put her hands behind her head, as the two fell into a comfortable silence.


    Luvine was fine like this. In this position, with the other half-demon next to her, Luvine was the most comfortable she could be.


    So comfortable, in fact, that she yawned, as she felt herself getting sleepy.


    "Oh? And here, I thought you said you weren''t feeling tired," Ash smirked down at her.


    Luvine shrugged.


    "... Okay, come on, let''s get you to bed, kid."


    Then, Ash stood up, carrying Luvine in her arms. She walked into the Manor, holding Luvine as she went to the little girl''s room, and here, she placed her down on her bed, next to Opah who was already asleep.


    Ash crouched by the bed, as Luvine''s suddenly tired eyes looked back at her.


    "Goodnight, Lu."


    "Mm."


    With that, Ash turned away, and left Luvine there, closing the door behind herself. Luvine closed her eyes then, hoping she''d get to spend time with Ash like this again tomorrow.


    ---


    Ash


    After depositing Luvine in her room, the half-demon came back out to the garden. After the passionate session she had with Keiko, she felt like walking a bit. Keiko was inside, asleep as most of the group was, but Ash still had some energy.


    Seeing Luvine out here had been a positive little moment, but although it had put Luvine to sleep, it hadn''t done that for her, so now, she was leaning over the railing letting her mind go blank as she tried to take stock of everything she''d be doing soon.


    And, just a few minutes into it, she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye.


    When she turned to look at what had appeared, she let out a deep sigh.


    "... So, you''re still alive," Ash mumbled, as she saw the Arcane''s daughter, approaching her.


    The girl was wearing the same white dress that she had been before, and her bright pink hair glowed a little in the dark. Ash was tempted to walk away, but, after learning a little about her circumstances, she just couldn''t will her legs to move away.


    She hadn''t experienced this before, or, at least not quite in this way, but she genuinely pitied this girl.


    "What do you want?" Ash asked.


    The girl was carrying a notebook in her hands. She held it up in front of Ash, and wrote in it:


    "I need help."


    "I''m not about to start a war with these people for your sake," Ash replied. "Sorry."


    Hastily, the girl began writing in her notebook again.


    "I do not need much," she scribbled.


    "Yeah? What''s that supposed to mean?"


    One more time, the girl began to write in her notebook. However, this time, it wasn''t a short sentence. She kept going, writing out an entire paragraph for Ash to read, and the half-demon was tempted to tell her to keep that thing to herself.


    However, as the young girl finished it up, she passed the notebook to Ash, and the half-demon tried to see what was up.


    "Firstly," the girl''s writing began, "I understand that you do not want to fight the Senate. I have no hopes of that. I am not asking for your assistance in retaking the city, or in joining my father''s side and fighting for his beliefs. I only want one thing. I wish for you to help me escape Amber."


    Her writing continued:


    "That is it. You do not need to fight anyone. All I wish is for the opportunity to survive, because, soon, that opportunity will be gone."


    "Yeah? Speaking of," Ash replied, "how are you still alive? Why haven''t they killed you?"


    Although the girl flinched when she heard that, she did write down an answer for her.


    "Because," Ash read from the notebook, "they want something from me. They seek something I would give to you as a reward if you save me."


    "And, that is?" Ash asked.


    "The Arcane''s Spells," she replied. "Spells created by the first Arcane passed down from one family member to another. I know them, as I learned them from my father. They wanted to learn them from my father, but he would not give them up, and so... They just killed him. Every day since then, they have tortured me relentlessly, but I have kept the spells to myself."


    "You look fine to me," Ash replied.


    "The things they''ve done to me," she wrote down, with trembling hands as a sad expression appeared on her face, "they do not show on my skin, unfortunately. Through my Illusion magic," she added, "I''ve been able to escape for brief moments like I am right now. Eventually, however, I will break, and they will get me to teach these spells to them. If you help me," she wrote down, "I will give them to you."


    ... Fuck.  Ash thought.


    The worst possible thing had just happened, and she knew it.


    The opportunist in her just became interested.


    "... Do you have any Dark or Light spells?"


    "Yes," she quickly wrote down. "I can explain this to you in more detail if you wish, but the point is, the first Arcane created the single most powerful spells known for each category. That includes Dark and Light.. If you aid me, I will teach them to you."

 Chapter 273 - Vol. 4 - 72

    "Ash?" Satsuhiro asked. "Did you hear me?"


    The half-demon''s eyes looked up at him, and she pushed the previous night''s conversation out of her mind.


    "Yeah," she answered, and Satsuhiro gave her a skeptical look.


    And, he was right to do that, because ever since she spoke with the Arcane''s daughter, her mind had been ruminating on one thing, and one thing only. Was it the right decision to help that girl? The positive side was easy to see. She had promised powerful magic as a reward, magic that not only she could learn, but magic her friends could also learn. Specifically, she was curious to see the kind of Light magic the girl was offering. Was there something that didn''t revolve around simply healing things? If there was, she wanted it.


    On the other hand, the potential negative side was also easy to understand. If Zafir caught her, the Senate here in Amber would surely start some problems for her, at the very least, and maybe they''d try to kill her, or her friends, at worst. Sure, she was confident she could beat most humans in a fight right now, that she knew of anyway, but she still would rather avoid conflicts like that if she could.


    What prompted her to accept the girl''s proposal, however, at the end of their conversation was one simple thought.


    All she wanted was to be taken out of Amber. Such a thing could be accomplished in a single, well-planned out, night. At the most, Ash guessed this little "mission" would take up to an hour. That fact made giving the girl her answer something easy.


    However, she knew it was probably a good idea to let her group know, just in case anything happened.


    Right now, she was just trying to pick the right time.


    "Okay, well, since I know you weren''t listening, I''ll explain again," Satsuhiro said. Right now, everyone was gathered up in one of the rooms at the Manor, where they usually had dinner and breakfast. Ash was sitting between Keiko and Kasumi. To Keiko''s left was Yumi, to her left was Sinneah. Satsuhiro sat opposite Ash on the table, and on the right side of the table were Metsumi, Luvine, and Opah.


    Satsuhiro sighed before he kept talking.


    "If Lumina said you''ve got a month, that was, of course, almost a week ago, so, that''s approximately three to four weeks from now. I''d say, we probably want to stay here for just another week, then, we get you up to Pearl, and handle things there. Then, after that, you do what you have to do for Kaori, and, yeah. What do you think?"


    "Sounds good to me," Ash replied.


    "How many levels could we gain in this time?" Kasumi asked.


    "With your buff, it''s hard to say exactly," Satsuhiro replied. "As for Yumi and Keiko, I''d say you can probably get something like 10 levels in that time. Obviously, it depends on how many monsters you fight."


    "We should get to work then," Yumi pitched in. "Make the most out of our remaining time here. As long as we get to work with as few distractions as possible, we should get considerably stronger."


    ...


    Ash hesitated.


    Well,  she thought, this feels like as good a time as any, I guess.


    "About that," Ash spoke up, "there''s one distraction we should probably take care of first."


    At that, everyone''s eyes went to her, curiously. Satsuhiro leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table.


    "Yes?" He asked.


    "... Last night," Ash started, "I ran into the Arcane''s daughter."


    As she made that statement, everyone, aside from Sinneah, Luvine, and Opah, all of which didn''t quite understand or care about the significance of that, visibly paused.


    "Okay," Satsuhiro nodded slowly. "And, what happened?"


    "I... I talked to her," Ash began to explain. "Look, long story short, Zafir wants her dead. But, before that, he wants to learn some high-level spells from her. So, she told me that if I take her out of Amber, and I save her, then she''ll give me those spells instead. And," Ash took a deep breath, "I agreed. I told her I would help."


    "..." Satsuhiro looked away, before raking a hand through his hair. "Well, in that case, we''ll have to get that done soon. When are you going to take her out of here?"


    Ash was surprised he accepted the plan so quickly.


    "That''s it?" Ash raised a brow. "No other questions?"


    "What else would I ask?" He shrugged. "Obviously I''m surprised, but, it does seem straightforward. I''d rather begin talking about possible solutions immediately."


    "Well, shit. Okay," Ash nodded. "Anyway, we didn''t come to any sort of agreement, but I''d guess that one of these nights, either tonight or tomorrow, we''ll probably do it. I can handle it alone," Ash quickly made clear. "But, yeah, if you guys can all help somehow, I''d appreciate it."


    "Hm..." Satsuhiro then turned to make sure the door was closed, just in case any of the sounds of their sudden conspiring escaped into the hall. "Something like this, it''s probably best to handle it alone anyway. Having a large group with you would only make your whole thing all the more noticeable. But, the issue is, how do we get her out of here? Out of the region, to be specific."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, you saw that crowd before. The Senate isn''t allowing any regular civilian caravans out of Amber right now. And, of course, you want to get some more farm before you leave, so you can''t just leave with her. So, it''s not enough to just get her out of the city. We''d have to get her at least halfway through to Jade before she could really be considered ''saved'', you know?"


    "I think I understand," Ash answered.


    "There''s also the issue of, if they notice that she went missing just as you go missing," Satsuhiro added, "it won''t be hard for them to realize who it was who helped the girl escape."


    "And," Ash finished his train of thought, "then they''d start problems for us before I even come back, maybe."


    "Exactly."


    Hm... What a pain,  Ash thought.  So, how do we get around this?


    "I can help with a couple of those," Kasumi stated.


    Everyone turned to look at her.


    "What?" Ash asked.


    "I''m an illusionist," Kasumi shrugged. "I can put a disguise on this girl. And, I can put a disguise on someone here, to make it look like you''re still around. I doubt they''d think much of it if someone like Keiko went missing, right? We can make it look like she''s the one who isn''t around."


    "... Oh," Ash replied, blinking.


    "You can make it look like Ash never left," Satsuhiro nodded along. "I get it."


    "Now, how do we get her out of the region?" Ash asked.


    "..." Satsuhiro paused. "Maybe... Amber has to have a black market of some sort. Chances are, there are already people working on smuggling citizens out. We''d only need to find them."


    Immediately, Ash perked up when she heard that.


    "Bin," she said.


    "What?"


    "A guy I met a little while ago," she explained. "A half-demon in the underside of Amber. It was a pretty shady place. If we''re looking for a black market, I''d start there."


    "If that''s true, then, that sounds like a good option. Like you said, we might be doing this tonight or tomorrow. You might wanna get on that soon then."


    "Fuck it, I''ll head over there right now," Ash stood up.


    "Uh, sure, if you want to," Satsuhiro shrugged. "Just, try not to get too much attention on yourself. If the guards feel like you''re acting weird, chances are they''ll alert the Senate."


    "Got it," she nodded.


    With that being said, suddenly, a plan was nearly in place. As everyone walked out of the room into the empty hall outside, Keiko put a hand on Ash''s sleeve. The half-demon turned toward her, raising a brow.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "Want me to come with you?" Keiko asked. "I-I know there''s still a huge distance between our levels, but I can still offer some backup."


    "..." Ash paused. "Okay, if you want to. But, be careful, alright? Someone random thug could always sneak in a lucky shot."


    "I understand, Keiko quickly replied. "Come on, let''s get ready."


    On that note, both girls went to their room. They didn''t take their armor, instead, only they only took their weapons with them as they intended to keep a half-low profile, even though of course, everyone would know who they were as soon as they saw their levels. Ash hoped that the lack of their armor would at least make the guards feel like they weren''t looking for trouble.


    Tying her  Lust  to her belt, Keiko did the same with her father''s sword, and the two of them soon exited the room.


    Running straight into Zafir.


    Ash flinched when she saw him. The senator was standing there with his hands behind his back and a polite smile on his face.


    "Greetings, Savior," he said. "How goes your day?"


    "... Fine," Ash replied, crossing her arms. "What''s up?"


    "I was... merely thinking about our last interaction. I feel as though I may have given you the wrong impression. So, I was wondering if you would allow me a chance to explain to you where Amber is heading. Would you lend me that chance?"


    "Dude, I told you, I really don''t care," Ash replied.


    "I understand. Still, I''d like for you to know. Maybe, later, we could speak for a few minutes?" Zafir insisted, and Ash briefly narrowed her eyes at him.


    "Yeah, sure," she answered, hoping he''d just leave them alone.


    "Wonderful. Thank you for your time," Zafir bowed, before promptly walking away. Ash''s eyes remained on him for a while, until she couldn''t see him anymore. Keiko put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah," Ash replied quickly. "Just a little weirded out.. Let''s go."

 Chapter 274 - Vol. 4 - 73

    "Wow," Keiko said. "That looks pretty steep."


    "Yeah, last time I did this, I just jumped down off instinct. Looking at it now, yeah," she nodded, "it does look scary."


    After deciding on their plan, Keiko and Ash walked out into the city, dressed casually with the exception of their weapons. They hoped no one would keep too steady an eye on them as they made their way to the center of the city where, currently, they were looking over the chasm that provided a glimpse into the bottom side of Amber.


    The bridges that marked the path leading down seemed a lot smaller now that Ash wasn''t desperate to follow some thieving kid.


    "But," she said, letting out a sigh. "We have to do it. Come on, let''s get started."


    "... You know," Keiko gulped, "suddenly, I find myself wishing I had Yumi''s Dexterity."


    "Oh, just wait till you''re actually on those things," Ash muttered, taking her lightly by the hand. "But, if we fall to our deaths, we''ll do it together."


    "Ash, that''s so depressing."


    "Is it? My bad, I''m not good at the whole, uh, consoling thing. Anyway, come on, let''s get it over with."


    On that note, they began walking down the collection of bridges, one unsteady step at a time, on their way to meet someone that reminded Ash of some of the shadier people she''d met during her time at Jade. However, given their situation, they needed this.


    Below them, as the bridges creaked and gently swayed, people were walking through the cramped space, which almost resembled a narrow hallway made of dirt and rock. When the two of them reached the bottom, Ash quickly pointed ahead, as Keiko looked like she was trying not to puke.


    "There," she told Keiko, pointing ahead at double doors that were barely visible from here. "It''s like a bar or something. The guy we''re looking for is in that place. Keep your hand on your weapon, just in case."


    "Right."


    And so, the two of them moved forward. Cutting through the crowd of locals, they reached the doors ahead, and Ash briefly paused.


    "Okay, so, fair warning," Ash told her, "this place is fucking weird. So, try not to-"


    The door swung open and struck Ash''s head.


    She flinched, but it didn''t quite hurt at all. It was more annoying than anything. Some music blared out from inside, and the sounds of ongoing festivities reached Ash''s ears.


    "What the-" a kid asked, confused as to why the door didn''t open all the way. He poked his head out the door, trying to get a peek at what had caused this. When he saw Ash, and the half-demon looked back at him, his eyes widened.


    "Uahh!?" He yelped, closing the door in a hurry.


    Oh, Ash thought.  That''s the kid who stole my Savior''s Weapon.


    "... What was that about?" Keiko asked.


    "Nothing, let''s just head inside," Ash replied.


    As she opened the door, that muffled music returned in full force, and she and Keiko entered the bar. As soon as they went in, Ash saw the same strange sights from before. Several humans and half-demons, all packed together in this room. Games being played on green tables at the corners. There was music playing loudly, some of it created by the customers of the bar themselves.


    Keiko looked from one side of the place to another, in shock. As for Ash, however, she couldn''t care less. Instead, her eyes remained fixed on the half-demon sitting at the back. And, of course, as soon as he saw her, his eyes stayed on her as well.


    Bin was wearing an open jacket and some loose pants, smoking something as he spread his arms out, while Ash walked over to him.


    "Ahh, you''re that ''merc''," he greeted her, making quotation signs in the air. "I''ll be honest, I didn''t expect to see you again."


    "Yeah, same here," Ash said, as she looked around and found some people sizing her up.


    He glanced over at Keiko, who had activated her Spirit Eye and was keeping her hand over her sword as Ash had suggested.


    "So... I trust you''re not here to cause trouble?" He asked. "Did any of my boys upset you again?"


    "Nah," Ash crossed her arms. "I''m here to ask for some help."


    When he heard that, his eyes widened, and a smile appeared on his face.


    "Is that so? In that case, it''s nice to see you again," he grinned. "That said, before we talk business, I mean, I still don''t even know your name. Or, names," he added, looking at Keiko.


    "I''m Ayami, that''s Vermia," she stated quickly, pointing at herself and Keiko.


    "A pleasure to formally meet you," Bin said, standing up. "Follow me."


    He gestured at a nearby room, and Ash gave Keiko a glance, trying to tell her to keep her guard up as they went with him. He led them to a fairly standard, office-looking space, with one desk and a couple of chairs placed in front of it.


    "Now, what do you need?" Bin asked, sitting behind the desk.


    "Listen, I''m going to ask this because I''m guessing this isn''t just an innocent little bar," Ash explained. "Especially with your level being 34, and all. This request of mine is under the table, is what I''m trying to get at."


    "I understand," Bin nodded.


    "Okay. We''re looking to get someone out of the city," Ash told him. "Have you heard about the restrictions on travel?" Ash asked.


    "Indeed I have," Bin nodded. "Things have, apparently, been pretty exciting up there. Not that I care all that much. I mean, they haven''t cared about us down here in years, so," he shrugged, "but, still, the news has been entertaining to read about."


    "Well, the point is that we need to get someone to Jade. That''s it."


    "Okay," Bin nodded, before raising a hand and listing a few things off with his fingers. "Who and when? I don''t need to know why, I''m not going to ask questions beyond just the logistics, but I do need to know the ''how much''. As in, ''how much will you pay us?"


    "Who," Ash began, "someone random. No one of too much importance, just someone I care about, who I don''t want to see get caught up in everything that''s going on."


    Keiko gave her a weird look, but Ash ignored her.


    "When, tomorrow," she added.


    Probably,  she thought.


    "And, how much..."


    She reached into her pockets and pulled out a single white crown. She had barely spent any of the money the Council had given to her for her actions at Sapphire and Onyx. Throwing it on the desk, Bin narrowed his eyes at it.


    "Another one," he said. "And, it''s a deal."


    "Why?" Ash asked.


    "The Senate is serious about this travel ban," he explained. "A few merchants up above have found out the hard way. If we''re going to go against their wishes like this, it should be for some good money. I think that''s understandable."


    "... Fine," Ash replied, taking another one out. "But, I''ll give you this one after the job''s done."


    "No trust?" He asked, with a pout.


    "No."


    "Fair enough. Come back tomorrow morning. I''ll try to have everything planned out by then."


    "Okay," Ash nodded. "Just like that?"


    "I can''t guarantee it''ll be a good plan," he shrugged. "But, I''ll have a plan."


    "..." Ash paused. "If I find out you ratted me out or something, I''ll take your head off. Just letting you know."


    "Sister, please," he laughed, "I understand that very well. You don''t look like the type that would let a betrayal slide. I''ll come through, promise."


    ---


    Keiko


    Keiko hadn''t gotten to see too much of that bar, but it had been a weird sight for her. Keiko hadn''t run into many half-demons before she met Ash, so seeing so many of them in one place was definitely a curious sight. Aside from that, though, the ambiance inside the bar had been unlike any other building at the surface level of Amber. It almost felt like they''d been in an entirely different place.


    However, they had only gone down there to make that request. So, their time there concluded quickly.


    "It''s done," Ash told her, as the two of them emerged at the street. "Now what?"


    "I would say we should probably take a moment and train our attributes. How does that sound?" Keiko asked her, as the two of them stood in an alley.


    "I guess we could," Ash shrugged.


    "... By the way," Keiko''s curiosity got the better of her, "why did you do all of that?"


    "Hm?" Ash turned toward her.


    "You gave him fake names, and you didn''t let him know it was the Arcane''s daughter we were going to smuggle. Why?"


    "... I dunno," Ash shrugged. "Just didn''t feel right giving that guy all that info on us. And, if he knew it was the Arcane''s daughter we were going to get out of here, he might sell us out to the Senate for more money than I could give him. I didn''t want anything like that to happen."


    "Hm, I guess that makes sense. But, what if something happens?" Keiko asked. "They could end up getting into trouble they never signed up for."


    "... If that happens, then that sucks," Ash replied.. "Just have to try to make sure it doesn''t."

 Chapter 275 - Vol. 4 - 74

    Ash


    With that deal made, all the half-demon could do was wait till nighttime. Then, hopefully, she would run into the Arcane''s daughter and inform her of the arrangement. If she did, maybe this could all go by smoothly.


    "What a strange place," Keiko said as they made their way back to the Manor. "It''s strange to think that there''s such a large part of Amber we can''t even see from up here."


    "Guess so," Ash agreed.


    "Now that that''s out of the way, though," Keiko said, "what do we do now?"


    "Well, we can get started on those attributes, at least until we..."


    Ash trailed off as the door ahead, leading into the Manor, opened. Zafir walked out, smiling when he saw Ash arriving. The half-demon stopped for a moment, she and Keiko both remaining silent for a few seconds, before the senator walked up to them.


    "Savior, how are you today?" He asked.


    Ash crossed her arms.


    "What do you want?"


    "Ah, cold as always. I was wondering if I could have that talk with you. Just to explain some things to you. I''m hoping that maybe we''ll see a little more eye to eye afterward. So, what do you say?"


    "How long is this gonna take?" Ash asked.


    "Just a few minutes," he told her.


    Ash paused.


    Meh, if it''ll get this asshole to stop bothering me, then sure.


    "Fine."


    "Wonderful. Please, follow me," he said, turning around and walking back into the building. Ash, however, put a hand on his shoulder before he could leave.


    "She''s coming with me, though," Ash stated, nodding toward Keiko.


    At that, Zafir''s smile faded.


    "Why''s that? If I''m not mistaken, she isn''t a Savior."


    Keiko appeared to be just as confused.


    "I''d feel more comfortable with her there," Ash shrugged. "Is that a problem?"


    "No," he quickly answered. "I was merely curious. If you wish for her to join us, she can."


    Then, he continued walking inside.


    "You want me there?" Keiko asked in a low voice.


    "Mhm," Ash nodded. "Put your Spirit Eye on. If anything happens, if they try to catch me by surprise or something, you''d be able to see it coming before I could."


    "Oh, I see," Keiko nodded. "I understand.  Iridos."


    And, if he tries anything,  Ash thought as she followed him,  it''s going to be a short talk.


    With her eyes narrowed, she walked in after the senator and followed him as they moved through the halls. Zafir began speaking to her on the way.


    "Do you know how long it''s been since the Royal Council last visited Amber personally?" He asked, suddenly.


    "No."


    "Neither do I," Zafir answered with a smile. "I have not seen them once since I started my stint as a senator. Isn''t that curious?"


    He gestured at a room to the left and both girls turned the corner, moving down the hall until they arrived at a set of brown double doors. Here, just before they walked in, Ash gave Keiko a glance, just to see if anything was about to happen, but the Zayama let her know with a look that it was okay.


    So, she entered the room.


    Ash didn''t know what she''d been expecting, but there was nothing here except a large table and a couple of torches lit at the corners. She walked in and sat down by the end of the table. Keiko sat right next to her.


    Zafir sat at the opposite side and put his hands together.


    "Well... Where do I start?" He said, more to himself than to the girls. "I remember, when I first started my job here, all I heard was that the empire was in dire straits and that we were included in that. I found that strange, however, throughout my entire life, demons have been dangerous, yes, but no more so than any other monsters. Still, because of those dire straits, Jade continued to take from us. For decades, centuries, maybe even millennia. One day, I asked myself, ''why?'' And, that simple question has remained on my mind ever since. Can you tell me a reason, Ash? Why we should give them our goods, our money, our soldiers, and get nothing in return when we''re perfectly self-sustaining on our own?"


    "Not really, but like I said," Ash shrugged, putting her feet up on the table. "I don''t really give a shit."


    "Yes," Zafir chuckled. "I am aware. Which is why I hope you will remain as nonchalant when I tell you that the Arcane and I... We disagreed. See," he leaned forward. "Soon after I joined the Senate I asked him what we were still doing hiding under Jade''s boot and, do you know what he said? He said that it was how things had always been. That was it. The best reasoning he could give me was one of tradition. One I did not care for. I began to speak with my peers, one by one, I convinced them, and eventually, we decided tradition was meaningless. This city," he stood up all of a sudden. "It needs change. Prosperity is lurking just beyond the horizon, waiting for us to allow it to come closer. And, I wanted to let that happen. So," he paused, "I killed the Arcane."


    "... I think just about everyone guessed that much," Ash muttered.


    "Is that so?" Zafir asked. "I suppose it is understandable. Regardless, doing so has made it so that, now, we have walked well past the point of no return. Now, it is only a matter of time before Jade takes some of those forces they''ve got fighting the demons and diverts them south to fight us. All I ask, all I am speaking to you for, is that I hope you will remain neutral when that happens. Whatever price on my head they put," he said, "I can match it on theirs. You need only let me know."


    "Okay." Ash nodded. "Is that it?"


    "Yes, yes," Zafir nodded with an easy smile. "I am glad to hear you are so reasonable."


    "Absolutely," Ash replied, standing up and walking out of the door when she sensed that the conversation was over. Keiko followed her out, but Zafir remained inside.


    As the two of them walked away from that room, Ash sighed.


    "So," she looked down at Keiko, "where were we?"


    "Training."


    "Right."


    ---


    Arianna


    Deep breaths...  The rose-haired girl thought.  Deep breaths. Deep... A couple of tears fell down her cheeks as she thought that.


    "..." Next to her, to her left, a mage stood by her side, with a solemn expression, looking down at her, as though he was tired. To her right, a couple of people, one man, one woman, waited to see if she would finally break.


    "Again," one of them said, and the mage nodded.


    "Creature of a pathetic existence, rejoice for death is soon to embrace you," Sorcerer Alys said, before placing a hand on her shoulder, wrapped in a black shadow.  And, just a second later, Arianna felt her soul being torn apart as he cast a Dark spell on her.


    If she had a voice to scream with, she was sure it would be echoing throughout the halls of the Manor right now.


    "I believe if I do this again, she might die. It may be a good idea to leave her alone for the rest of the day," Alys said to the two at Arianna''s right.


    "Hm..." The woman looked down, thinking it over, before nodding. "We will cease for today, then. Thank you, sorcerer."


    "Of course," Alys bowed.


    Then, the door opened.


    Zafir, the leader of the senators, walked inside, and Arianna scowled hard at her.


    "Any progress?" He quickly asked, his hands held behind his back.


    "No, sir," Alys replied. "But, we will get those answers soon enough. I can sense her endurance breaking."


    "Good," Zafir nodded, as he walked over to her.  A disgusted expression looked back at Arianna, as he stood in front of her. "Never would I have imagined that someone would be so determined to stand in the way of progress. And yet, here you are. How distasteful."


    "..." Arianna mouthed a quick, "fuck you" to the man.


    "Hmph. Come," he extended a hand at the woman next to her. "Let''s have dinner. I believe the chef is cooking up some shrimp today. How long has it been since you had a proper meal?" He asked Arianna. "Maybe if you give us one of those spells we''ll bring you some."


    "You might want to consider doing that already," the woman holding Zafir''s hand told her. "All this resistance is doing is making your death slower."


    With that being said, everyone soon walked out of the room. Alys was the last one out. As he usually did, he gave her a long look before slowly closing the door.


    And, if the pattern held true, that meant that as per usual, he didn''t lock it.


    At first, Arianna had wondered if she''d gotten lucky enough for him to forget. But, as the days went on, she realized he was likely doing it on purpose. For what reason, she couldn''t tell. But, after her conversation with the half-demon, she was glad.


    Remembering that moment lessened the pain she was feeling right now, just a little. Even if Alys left the door open like this, she doubted she''d be able to walk out of Amber on her own. However, after running into that woman she had a chance.


    Taking a deep breath, Arianna tried to calm herself down. The stinging sensation from the Dark spell she''d just received was still in her chest, circling her heart.


    Considering what she''d learned about Dark magic from her father, and from Alys himself when she was younger, she understood that receiving these Dark spells was likely reducing her lifespan. She wondered how many years of her life had already been taken away as a result of all of this.


    Still, she had to remain strong. At least, for a few more days.


    Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for her.. Until she found out, she needed to keep those spells locked up in her mind.

 Chapter 276 - Vol. 4 - 75

    When Arianna felt like a few hours had passed, she picked up a notebook, a pencil, and decided it was time to see if her potential savior had thought of anything.


    When Arianna first met that girl, she''d been too shocked by the fact that she could see through her illusion to really do anything. Upon seeing her the previous night, however, she understood that maybe Alkoth or Lumina had given her a chance, and she wasn''t about to hesitate in taking advantage of it.


    Thus, she quickly mouthed the words to the Illusion spell she''d been using. With the image of a simple maid in her mind, Arianna''s clothes and body changed, visually, to that of what she had thought of. When she confirmed that, she took a deep breath and walked out.


    Now, it was a matter of making her way to the garden, while making as little noise as possible. On the way, she ran into many slightly confused workers, all of which she had to resist the desire to scowl at.


    When she''d first been placed under this arrest of hers, as she had been left unrestrained due to her level being so low, she''d banged on the door for hours, until her hand hurt too much to continue, and no one ever responded. She could only guess that everyone she was passing by right now had simply tried their hardest to ignore her.


    Much like the half-demon had, only, as she remained persistent, in her case, she managed to break through to her.


    Don''t get your hopes up,  she told herself. Things could still turn badly.


    And, if they did, she still had that one plan in the back of her mind. If this half-demon left her alone like everyone else did, she decided she would rather go to the garden and jump from the railing rather than take any more Dark magic like that.


    That had been what she intended to do, just last night. With every memory of her and her recently assassinated parents, when life was normal, making her head spin, and with the pain that she''d been made to endure, she simply couldn''t take it anymore. But, then, she ran into the half-demon, and now, a glimmer of hope was right in front of her.


    In her disguise, she went down the halls until she eventually exited the building, emerging at the garden. She moved as fast as she could, knowing that some of the people here like the half-demon had, would be able to see through her illusion. She wasn''t entirely sure who could and who couldn''t, but she didn''t intend on finding out.


    Night hadn''t quite fallen yet, as she could tell by the way the sun clung onto the horizon, but the twin moons were already in the sky.


    Hearing weapons clanging, Arianna looked ahead and breathed a small sigh of relief when she found the woman she was looking for, training with someone else from her group. She walked forward then, approaching her, and the half-demon stopped, seeing her out of the corner of her eyes.


    ---


    Ash


    Just a Couple of Minutes Earlier


    "Try again," Ash told Kasumi, standing across from her.


    "Fuck, this feels weird," the crimson-haired woman replied, holding a bow as most of the group watched them. Yumi and Sinneah, however, were busy sparring just a few meters away. Ash raised up a small shield that had a bullseye painted onto it.


    "That''s the whole point, isn''t it?"


    Before long, the woman pulled back an arrow and let it fly. Seeing it coming, with the help of the Dex she was training as well, Ash blocked the shot, and quickly pulled the arrow out.


    This way, both of them were training their Dexterity simultaneously.


    As for Ash''s Dex, in the past few hours she''d raised it up a handful of points, to where her status looked like this:


    Level 75


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 300/750


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 34


    CON: 34


    INT: 28


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Of course, thanks to the much-needed night she''d shared with Keiko, and the quick masturbation session she had afterward, her Lust was currently sitting at a 1, which meant she was getting no bonus stats.


    Her current goal, was to get that Dex to around 50 by the end of the month, though she had no idea how realistic that was.


    "Agh, my arms are tired," Kasumi complained.


    "How''s your Dex looking?" Ash asked from afar.


    "Eh, here, check it out."


    Level 38


    MP: 340/340


    EXP: 0/380


    ---


    STR: 9


    DEX: 20


    CON: 22


    INT: 40


    WIS: 34


    L: 100


    "Damn," Ash said. "You''re making progress fast."


    "I''m guessing that as soon as I hit 30, it''ll slow down dramatically. Even with the buff," Kasumi shrugged. "Anyway, I''m gonna take a quick break. My arms can''t handle this shit."


    Eh, alright, cool, Ash thought, throwing the shield away.


    As warmed up as she was, however, she was still in the mood to keep going. So, she walked over to Keiko and extended a hand toward the girl.


    "Wanna trade blows for a bit?"


    "It would be my pleasure," Keiko replied, taking her hand and standing up. "I must warn you, however, I can feel that I''m starting to get comfortable with my sword again. Might just be too much for you to handle," she winked.


    "Yeah? Show me," Ash smirked a bit as she reached for her  Lust.  Transforming it into a naginata, she decided she''d take this time to practice with that weapon. "Go."


    Just like that, the two of them began swinging their weapons at each other. It produced a certain nostalgic feeling inside of Ash, as she remembered their first sessions together at the farm. Now, though, they were both so much stronger.


    She wondered what life would have been like if she''d been at this level of power throughout at least a portion of her time at Jade. If, maybe, a level 100 monster had flown down in front of her, kneeled and asked her to end its life, and she gained all that EXP from it.


    She guessed there was a very large number of people who would have ended up with their heads cracked open if that was somehow the case.


    A few collisions here, a clash there, and the two of them danced along the gardens until Ash saw someone to her right that made her pause.


    Keiko held her sword when she saw Ash''s reaction.


    When Ash turned to look, she sighed.


    "Already?" She muttered as she saw the Arcane''s daughter exiting the Manor.


    In her hands, she was holding a notebook, and in her eyes, Ash saw some determination.


    Guess this is what I''m doing now,  Ash thought, reverting her Savior''s Weapon, as Keiko sheathed her sword. Upon doing that, the Arcane''s daughter jogged over to her. The shorter girl all but disregarded everyone else in the area, as she ran over and held up her notebook, writing hastily on it.


    "Have you thought of something?" She wrote.


    "Yeah, come over here, and I''ll explain," Ash told her as she went to the nearby bench. She sat down, the girl did the same to her right, and Keiko sat to her left. "So, we talked to this guy and he said he might be able to come up with a plan to get you out of there by tomorrow evening. You''ll have to wait another day," Ash shrugged, "but, it''s possible."


    Upon hearing that, the girl''s eyes glimmered. Satsuhiro, Metsumi, and Kasumi all leaned closer, and Ash heard the man''s voice come out slightly above a whisper.


    "The Arcane''s daughter..."


    "Yeah, don''t go announcing it to the whole Manor though," Ash replied quietly. "Anyway," she turned back toward her, "how does that sound?"


    "..." She paused, wiping away a couple of tears that had been building up in her eyes before writing something else in the notebook.


    "Thank you."


    "Yeah, no problem."


    She had expected the girl to get up and walk away then. However, she remained sitting for just another moment, as she wrote down more words.


    "Could you give me somewhere to stay?" She asked. "I do not know if I can bear another day of this treatment."


    "Sorry," Ash replied quickly. "Even if I had an answer, I don''t think that''s a good idea. Putting Zafir on edge by having you go missing right before you actually plan to go missing is the last thing we need. It sucks, but I think you need to tough it out for one more day."


    "..." She paused and nodded.


    Then, she stood up, and just as quickly as she''d arrived, she was gone, as she jogged back into the building.


    "That was her, then?" Kasumi asked. "Shit, she looked so young. Poor thing."


    "As long as Bin comes through, and we do our jobs well, whatever''s happening with her shouldn''t be happening for much longer. So, yeah," Ash shrugged. "It is what it is. We just have to wait another day. Anyway, Keiko, wanna get back to practice?"


    "Sure," the Zayama nodded, and both of them stood up, pulling out their weapons again.

 Chapter 277 - Vol. 4 - 76

    By the time the night rolled in, Ash managed to increase her Dexterity just a couple more times.


    Level 75


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 300/750


    ---


    STR: 50


    DEX: 36


    CON: 34


    INT: 28


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    Everyone trained till late. It was soon going to be time to pack things up and go to sleep.


    For now, however, Ash and Keiko continued to trade blows.


    Ash swung her naginata from one side to another, as Keiko either dodged the attacks or deflected them. The Zayama moved with a grace that, although clearly a little rusty, was reminiscent of the mastery that Keiko had once shown. Ash was glad to see it.


    Keiko bent over backward, avoiding a horizontal swing, and then brought her feet up, flipping back. Then she ran forward and Ash was genuinely caught off-guard, as she put her sword right next to Ash''s neck.


    The half-demon froze, seeing Keiko smirk a little as she leaned up close.


    "I haven''t lost a step," Keiko bragged, retracting her sword as she kept her lips inches away from Ash''s ears.


    "Yeah," the half-demon replied, breathlessly.


    Holy shit, Ash smiled.  Why was that so hot just now?


    "Well then," Keiko wiped away a bit of sweat. "Do you want to take the rest of the day off? I think we''ll be... quite active tomorrow."


    "Sure. Sleep in, maybe at around noon or so we can head down to the underside and see what''s up. Then, well, whatever happens, happens."


    "Yes," Keiko sheathed her sword. "I think we''ll be alright."


    "I don''t know," Ash shrugged. Depends on the plan."


    After that, both of them called it a day. Everyone in the group sat down by the gardens then, for just a few minutes as they discussed what was to come.


    "So, uh," Kasumi said, standing in front of everyone. "Real quick, I just want to ask. If we get caught," she crossed her arms, "there''s no way we''re staying here, right?"


    "Why?" Ash asked. "Even if we get caught, what are they gonna do?"


    "That''s a valid question in your case, Ash, as strong as you are right now," Kasumi replied. "But, as far as everyone else is concerned, yeah, we," she gestured at herself, Satsuhiro, Metsumi, Luvine, and Opah, "are at danger."


    "..." Ash admittedly hadn''t considered that.


    Now that she was, though, it did present an unfortunate situation. All it took was for Zafir to take someone hostage, and she wouldn''t be able to take his head off in the event that he became hostile toward them.


    "You''re right," Ash quickly nodded.


    "Hm, well, yeah," Kasumi shrugged. "If we get caught doing this, I think the best choice is probably to hightail it out of here right next to that girl."


    "Right back to living on the dirt," Metsumi chuckled. "Well, if that happens, it was good while it lasted."


    "In the event that you don''t get caught," Satsuhiro added, "we''ve only got a couple more weeks before we have to head up to Pearl. By now, actually," Satsuhiro looked away, "if the Council''s been sending letters here and receiving no responses, then they''ve probably already noticed something''s off. Meaning, if I were a betting man, which I''m not, but if I were, I''d wager there''s a high likelihood that things are going to get insane here regardless of what happens to us."


    That''s true too,  Ash thought.


    "Especially if they hear about the Arcane somehow," she muttered.


    "Yes," Satsuhiro agreed. "I can imagine they''d send an army immediately. Anyway, the point is, I''d argue we shouldn''t spend much more time here regardless of how tomorrow works out."


    "... No point in overthinking it now, though, right?" Ash asked, standing up. "I''m heading to bed. See you all tomorrow."


    Keiko stood up after her, and one by one, everyone went back inside the Manor.


    ---


    The next morning, Ash woke up with her arms wrapped around Keiko''s waist. The girl was turned away from her and the two were spooning. Which, although she was almost used to it by now, was consistently a great start to her day.


    Burying her face in Keiko''s hair for a moment, she let out a low groan.


    What time is it?  She wondered.


    "Ash? Are you awake?"


    Keiko''s voice surprised her.


    "Yeah," Ash replied, with a slightly raspy tone. "You?"


    "Evidently," she giggled. "I''ve been up for a few minutes now."


    "Huh?" Ash took her hands off of her and sat up, stretching. After a yawn, she asked, "and, you''re still in bed?"


    "Indeed," Keiko nodded, looking a bit smug.


    "Why?"


    "I was too comfortable," she shrugged. "You were holding me just the right way. I didn''t have the willpower to pull your hands off."


    Ash chuckled.


    "Alright, alright, come on," she helped her sit up. "We''ve got shit to do."


    "Unfortunately."


    A while later, after they got ready and got dressed, the two of them were on their way back to Bin''s bar. Again, they were dressed casually, trying not to stand out. The bridges leading down to the underside weren''t quite as nerve-wracking this time. Soon, the two of them were walking inside that place again, and this time, the establishment was almost empty.


    Bin was at the back of the bar, sitting at a table, with a large paper spread out on it.


    "Hey!" He greeted them. "Come in, come in. How are my favorite smugglers doing?"


    "What?"


    "That''s what we''re doing, isn''t it?" Bin shrugged. "Anyway, I set something up for you. Just finished laying the plan out. Here you go."


    He presented Ash with what looked like a bunch of incoherent lines, drawn with colored pencils, that Ash could not understand.


    "What the hell am I looking at?"


    "This is a sketch of Amber, isn''t that obvious?" He asked. "Anyway, listen. I found a guy who''s taking some civilians up to Jade tonight, at midnight, when the guards will hopefully be too tired to do their jobs correctly. Your person," he gestured at Ash, "is going to be squeezed in with them. However, the guy isn''t going to wait for longer than ten minutes. There''s a lot at stake here. If those people get caught, chances are they won''t be seeing the sun again for a long time, if you know what I mean. Still, this is the best I could do for you. How does this sound?"


    "..." Ash thought about it for a while, looking down at the drawings. "Seems fine."


    "Fine?" He asked. "This is much better than fine, for being on such short notice."


    "I guess," she shrugged.


    "Hard woman to please," he shook his head, light-heartedly. "Anyway, where''s that second crown?"


    "Told you," Ash said. "Once the job''s done, I''ll come down here and hand it over."


    "Hm. Alright."


    "So, what are the details? Where is this guy going to be?" I doubt he''s just gonna set this trip up right outside the walls."


    "The caravan is going to be right down here," Bin said. "By the front entrance of the underside."


    "This place has a front entrance? What the hell do we use those bridges for, then?"


    "People use those because the front entrance is dangerous. There are monsters in these canyons, and if it rains, then the water goes up and you can outright by those parts. Hell, if it''s a particularly bad storm, we all have to go up to the upper side and wait it out. Those days are especially fun, for all involved," he stated, with a tone carrying some heavy sarcasm.


    "So, how do we get there?"


    "Remember that path I showed you the first time you came here?"


    "Yeah."


    "Keep heading down that path, then take a left, and head straight until you''re out of the canyon."


    "Okay. We do that," Ash looked over at Keiko, "until we come out of the canyon, then, we keep heading straight until we find a caravan?"


    "Exactly. Then, you come back down here and we''ll share a few drinks to celebrate this little business transaction. Sounds good?"


    "... Sure," Ash replied.


    Both girls turned around then and walked out without another word.


    Hm. Guess the plan''s simple enough. Now, I just have to see it through.


    ---


    The night came so much sooner than Ash had anticipated. But, after half a day, the twin moons looked enormous in the sky, as Ash and Kasumi waited in the garden.


    "Ah, fuck," Kasumi yawned. "Think she''s coming tonight?"


    "Maybe," Ash replied, keeping an eye out. She wasn''t just checking for the Arcane''s daughter, she was also trying to make sure there weren''t any guards or servants listening in.


    "She might have gotten held up."


    Or,  Ash thought,  her luck might have run out.


    Thankfully, however, that concern was soon gone, as she noticed something moving out of the corner of her eye, and when she looked to her right, she found the rose-haired girl jogging toward them. She slowed down as she got closer, looking around, nervous.


    Finally,  Ash thought, standing up.


    "Let''s do this."

 Chapter 278 - Vol. 4 - 77

    "Let a visage of imagination harden into a mask before me," Kasumi said, as she placed her illusion spell onto the Arcane''s daughter. To Ash''s eyes, the girl still looked the same, but Kasumi''s nod let her know the spell was working. Then, she cast the same spell onto Ash, and the two of them were ready.


    "At what level do you think people will start to be able to see us?"


    "Hm, hard to say," Kasumi replied. "The actual ''equation'', so to speak, depends on a combination of your Int and your level. So, maybe 48? I think if you see any guards around that level, you should hide."


    "Got it. If anything happens, and we need to haul ass out of here, I''ll try to get back to the Manor as soon as I can," Ash stated.


    "Alright. It''s gonna be hard to go to sleep knowing while worrying about whether something goes wrong or not, so, yeah. I''m probably going to stay up. At least, for a little while."


    "Okay. See you later then," Ash told the woman.


    "Good luck," Kasumi replied, and with that, both of them got moving.


    Ash wasn''t sure what time it was exactly, but she did know that it was late enough to where just being on the street was going to draw some eyes. They would have to do their best to stay out of sight, even with the disguises on.


    "Okay," Ash whispered to the girl. "Stay close to me. You do what I say, got it?" Wordlessly, she nodded. "By the way, what''s your name again?"


    The girl scribbled a word onto her notebook and raised it up for Ash to see. It was a little difficult in the dark, but she could just barely make out the name she''d written.


    "Arianna. Okay, like I said, just do what I say, and we''ll get through this. When I get you to that caravan, you give me the spells. Alright?"


    Again, she nodded, and Ash paused for just a second as they came out to the front of the Manor. The only sources of light were the moons above and the torches perched up on a few sconces. At the front gate, Ash saw the Arcane''s Knights.


    Come to think of it, they did a pretty shitty job, being the guy''s knights and all.


    "Hm... Is there...?" Ash tried to look around for somewhere else where they could enter from.


    Actually,  she thought,  the wall looks short enough to jump on top of. Just have to be careful not to make too much noise.


    She wasn''t used to this sort of thing, but that felt like a good enough idea. With Arianna behind her, the two of them quietly went up to a spot along the wall that was cloaked in shadows. Here, Ash jumped up, reaching the top of the wall easily. Then, trying to prevent her  Lust  from clanking against the stone, she reached down and gestured for the girl to raise a hand up. When she did, Ash pulled her up and the two were promptly on the other side.


    The knights never noticed them.


    First step, done.


    With that, they went into the city.


    Hugging the left side of the street, moving behind the different buildings, Ash kept her eyes low, trying to see when the canyon part of the city started. As soon as it did, it would be time to head down into the underside.


    Hm? She narrowed her brows.


    She noticed some movement and when she turned to look, she saw someone walking on the rooftops. The person was smoking something, clearly not taking their job too seriously, which gave Ash enough time to take Arianna by the hand and pull her in between buildings, in a damp alleyway.


    She hugged the girl tight in an attempt to get her not to move, looking up to see if the guy had spotted them. His footsteps tapped above their heads, and then he jumped from one building to the other, before walking away.


    ... This is nerve-wracking. I''m not built for this quiet shit,  Ash sighed.


    She looked down at Arianna then, as the girl was so close she could faintly feel her heart beating rapidly against her chest. Her hand, which was clutching Ash''s own tightly, was trembling.


    "Let''s keep going," Ash said in a low voice, and the girl took a step back, nodding.


    From there, with the cold night air wrapping itself around their bodies, they continued until, eventually, they found the spot where the canyon started.


    As soon as they did, though, Ash saw the glow of a torch up ahead.


    Again, she took Arianna and pulled her aside, and the two of them waited in an alley as Ash tried to focus.


    Footsteps, footsteps...  She waited, and then, she heard them.  Yeah, someone''s heading our way.


    "Hm..." Ash let her head rest against the wall for a second. "What do we...?"


    Well, it''s probably not against the law to be outside. Yet, anyway, considering how things are going. So, maybe we can just pretend we''re doing something here?


    With that thought going through her head, Ash pulled Arianna close and put a hand up to her face, by her lips. Leaning in a little, the girl''s eyes widened as Ash''s horns were touching the girl''s forehead.


    "Close your eyes," Ash whispered.


    After a quick blink, Arianna did so, and Ash did the same.


    Those footsteps drew closer, and closer until Ash was sure this person was walking by them.


    "Hey!" She heard, and she gritted her teeth as she took her hand off of Arianna''s face and opened her eyes. Indeed, it was a guard. "Lip-locking at this hour, out in the open like this, ain''t gonna end well. Best head home."


    "Right," Ash quickly replied, nonchalantly putting her hands on Arianna''s lower back. "We couldn''t help ourselves."


    "... The nerve of some people," the guy muttered to himself, turning away and walking off.


    Ash breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Okay, got through that. Come..." When her eyes met the girl''s, she found Arianna staring at her with an intense blush. "Caught you off-guard? Sorry," Ash shrugged. "It was all I could think of. Come on, let''s keep moving."


    A moment later, they were leaning over the canyon, looking down into the underside of Amber. What Ash saw, however, was enough to make her stop.


    "What the...?"


    Unlike the overside, which was quiet and empty, the underside was absolutely lit up, and there were just as many, if not more, people walking around from one place to another. Green lanterns filled the area, covering it in a strange light and highlighting the bridges that marked the way down.


    Ash pointed at one where they could start.


    "You ever been to the underside before?"


    She shook her head.


    "Well, listen, we''re going to go down these bridges, take a left turn over there, and then, well, just follow me. Point is, we have to get down there. If you''re afraid of heights just let me know right now, cause I''d say even if you aren''t afraid of heights, this is intense."


    Her response was to subtly take Ash''s left hand.


    "Okay. Don''t worry," Ash told her. "It''s less dangerous than it looks."


    Those words did nothing to prevent the girl from getting nervous, though. The two of them began their short journey down the bridges at the top, with the next one, at the other side of the canyon wall, in sight. One by one, they made their way down, mostly without incident.


    Until, of course, Arianna slipped and nearly fell off one of the bridges. Ash pulled on her arm harshly, and the girl opened her mouth as though to let out a shriek, but no sound exited her lips.


    She stood behind Ash then, regaining her balance, and her eyes got teary as she looked at her right shoulder.


    "Messed you up?" She asked, before quickly speaking the incantation for the basic healing spell.


    "Guard my soul against the dark''s reach," she said, and her hand glowed white on the girl''s shoulder until she was moving her arm around as if testing it. "You''re good?"


    She nodded.


    "We''re only a couple of bridges away. Come on."


    Just like that, another minute was all it took before they finally reached the underside, and the sound of the crowd truly reached their ears. There were so many people talking, joking, and laughing, that it was almost disorienting.


    Ash reached back and took Arianna''s hand.


    "Hold on, we don''t wanna get separated."


    They started to cut a path between everyone. Ash gently shoved some people out of the way whenever things got too cramped, and all she got in return were some scornful looks that she was sure to give right back. At the same time, she was making sure to check her Lust every now and then. She wasn''t about to have it stolen again. She''d learned her lesson after the first time, and wanted to keep that as the only time.


    Soon, the two of them reached the doors that led into Bin''s bar, where the half-demon could hear the same joyous noises turned up even higher.


    When they got to that point, she stood outside the bar, remembering the directions Bin had given to her.


    "We''re about halfway through," Ash told her. "So far, so good. How are you feeling?"


    She wrote down a word in her notebook and held it up.


    "Nervous."


    "Don''t be," Ash''s response came quick. "Seems like this is gonna be pretty easy.. I think the worst is probably out of the way."

 Chapter 279 - Vol. 4 - 78

    Arianna


    "... Okay," the half-demon said in front of her, "this is kind of starting to get a little cramped. Are we at the right place?" She asked, but Arianna figured she was talking to herself as she, of course, had no idea.


    A short while after the two of them had been in front of Bin''s bar, they took a couple of turns, and now, they were walking upon a narrow valley, where the walls were much closer to each other than Arianna thought they''d be. Ahead, she could faintly see a green glow, coming from the valley itself. The ground itself was slightly rising as well, hinting that they were going up to the top of the canyon again.


    She had been nervous throughout this entire journey so far, but now, she was feeling anxious enough to where the beating of her heart was almost all she could focus on.


    That, and Ash''s words as she told her to keep going.


    Still, they''d gotten far enough to where now, the thought of what would come after she''d managed to escape Amber was beginning to creep into her mind.


    What is there for me?  She wondered. Will I be able to form a life for myself outside of my city?


    Throughout the entirety of the sixteen years of her life, not once had she left Amber, even on a short trip or a vacation. Amber, and, more specifically, the Manor, was all she knew.


    What is the world even like out there? She wondered. Small beads of hope were starting to form in her chest. Ones that she knew were foolish to have this early, but, they were there nonetheless.


    "... bit, as long as nothing jumps out."


    Arianna heard that and looked up at Ash, confused.


    "Were you listening?" Ash asked. Arianna shook her head. "I just said we''ll be there in a bit. We just need to keep an eye out."


    She made an, "oh" expression, nodding.


    "Alright then," Ash put her hands on her hips. "Let''s get this over with."


    On that note, they continued along the path.


    Soon, that green glow was surrounding them as they ventured deeper down the valley. A strange sensation began to fill Arianna''s lungs, and it began to feel harder to breathe.


    "... Oh, great," Ash said, ahead of her, and Arianna was confused.


    Until words appeared over her head, and she understood the source of Ash''s concern.


    Poisoned


    [Health and certain stats will deteriorate based on the intensity of the factor


    that caused the poison. Remaining poisoned will cause these effects to


    worsen.]


    What?  Arianna was confused. Then, she checked her stats.


    Level 1


    MP: 100/100


    ---


    STR: 1 (-10)


    DEX: 1


    CON: 1 (-10)


    INT: 75


    WIS: 10


    L: 5


    It... I suppose it doesn''t make much of a difference for me.


    "Hold on a second, I''ll get rid of this," Ash told her. "Sickness is but a stain on the graces of Lumina. Let those stains wash away."


    Ash recited an incantation, and the status effect went away. They kept walking, but just a couple of seconds later, the same message appeared.


    Poisoned


    "Shit," Ash hissed out as she looked over her own head. "Okay, change of plan. We''ll just have to deal with it until we get to the other side."


    Arianna tugged on Ash''s sleeve, before writing in her notebook.


    "How bad is this? Did the other people go through this too?" She wrote.


    "Probably, so, if they did, it can''t be too rough in here. We just need to be quick, and careful."


    Hearing that, Arianna let out a relieved sigh and the two kept going. A lot of that earlier hope and optimism was slowly fading as she saw animal bones scattered around the area. There were weird glowing plants letting out green fumes, and she guessed those things were the source of the poison.


    A few distant clicking noises and what sounded like snarling made every step feel just a little bit worse. Ash, however, maintained a steel-eyed look, right up until she saw a strange, humanoid creature eating what appeared to be a human body.


    Arianna paled when she saw it ripping pieces of the corpse out and stuffing it into its gaping mouth. This was like something out of a nightmare.


    "... Guess the smugglers had a little bit of trouble," Ash said, as she took her cube from her waist. "Let''s hope that plan is still on the table."


    Then, her cube transformed into a sword, and Ash ran forward.


    What level is it?  She wondered, and she checked at the creature stood up, and spread its arms, showing off a long wingspan and blade-like fingers.


    Level 39


    MP: 100/100


    Ash should win easily then, right? Arianna thought as the woman ran up to it.


    The half-demon got up close to it.


    The creature breathed in, just as Ash was pulling her sword back to let loose a wide swing. Then, the monster let out an ear-piercing screech, and Ash froze, mid-charge.


    Ash stopped moving.


    What?


    As though Ash had been turned into a block of ice, she fell over, her pose kept exactly the same as it was when the creature screeched. She still wasn''t moving.


    Uhm... What is happening?


    Then, the monster raised one of its blade-like hands, and brought it down on Ash''s midsection, stabbing into her body. The half-demon''s violet blood spurted out onto the ground. When Arianna saw that, her eyes widened. The creature stabbed Ash again, as Ash''s body appeared difficult to cut through, and Arianna shook her head.


    I need to do something!


    So, she employed the use of one of the Primordial Spells her father had taught to her, throwing her notebook and pencil to the ground.


    The Fire variant,  Blaze of Divinity.


    "Flame of truth, gift of Magia," she mouthed the words, "unleash ambition upon this plane!"


    And so, she stretched her right palm toward the monster, which was too distracted to even notice her.


    And, a pair of dragons made of flames shot out from her hand. The dragons spiraled, dancing with each other in the air as they flew out toward the monster. When they reached it, they covered the entire creature, and the monster promptly disintegrated.


    "Eeeaaaaagh!" It screeched before it turned into ashes in front of her.


    EXP Gained: 2300


    EXP: 10/10


    Level Up!


    Arianna, however, ignored the message as she ran over to where Ash had fallen. The half-demon was bleeding from her midsection.


    How much mana do I have?


    She wondered, looking up.


    Level 23


    MP: 1/100


    Dang it,  she thought.  What do I do? Ehm, wait, what do I get for leveling up?


    Then, as she checked her status, she saw the 46 attribute points she''d just gained from that kill. Wait! I can put it all into my mana, and I''ll have enough to heal her!


    Doing just that, bringing her Wis to 56, she took a deep breath.


    Now, she used the Primordial Light spell,  Total Healing.


    "Lumina''s caress, for those in need, let them feel the touch of pure kindness," she mouthed, and she placed her hands on Ash''s body.


    Even though she was bleeding out and still frozen, Arianna saw an annoyed expression on her face. However, soon, both the wounds and this strange condition of hers went away, as Arianna''s entire body glowed white, and Ash''s did as well.


    Then, the half-demon took a deep breath and quickly sat up, looking down at her own body.


    "I... Holy shit," Ash said. "What did you do?"


    Arianna just shrugged. She walked back over to her notebook, picked it up along with her pencil, and scribbled down:


    "I guess you could consider that a peek into the rewards I offer."


    "Yeah?" Ash chuckled. "Well, I''m glad I''m doing this shit then. That was really good."


    Hearing that praise, Arianna beamed at her.


    "Let''s not sit around here for longer than we need to. If you''re ready, let''s keep going."


    Nodding along, the half-demon stood up and they continued on their path.


    On the way to the other side of this valley, they saw a few other bodies like the one the monster had been devouring earlier. Additionally, they saw some dead creatures, looking like they''d been torn apart by a mix of arrows and swords. Eventually, though, they saw the green mist clear up ahead, and the ground began to balance out as they made it to the top of the canyon.


    "We''re done," Ash quickly declared, hurrying a little, and Arianna followed her, quickening her pace as well. Just a few seconds later, they came out into an open area, and ahead, they could see three carts stationed just a short walk away. They were being protected by some people dressed in armor. Inside the carts, were dozens of regular-looking individuals.


    "Pretty sure that''s them," Ash said. "We made it. Let me get this poison off of us."


    Seeing the vehicles like this, just a short walk away, made Arianna tear up. She turned toward Ash, writing down:


    "Thank you."


    "Yeah, no problem," Ash replied before casting that same poison-curing spell from earlier. And, with that out of the way, both of them had made it out safe, and secure.


    Their illusions faded soon after that, as they made their way to these carts.


    ... Father, mother,  Arianna thought. I know your prayers and spirits protected me today. Thank you.


    As they arrived at the caravan, one guy said:


    "You''re the girl Bin talked to?"


    "Yeah," Ash answered.


    "Okay," the guy pounded his fist against the cart. "Last one''s here! Get ready!"


    "Hold on, hold on," Ash said. "I need something first. Okay," she turned toward Arianna. "Pass me those spells."


    Nodding, Arianna ripped out a page of her notebook.


    She held out a hand over it and performed the same ritual that her father had performed to teach these spells to her.


    Her hand glowed with multiple colors at once, circling her arm, before embedding themselves in the page.


    The first one she gave Ash was the Fire spell.


    She ripped out another, and did the same process, giving Ash the Light spell. A couple of pages later, she had done the same for the Dark spell, and the Illusion spell.


    There''s still the Ice, Wind, Earth, and Water spells,  Arianna thought, tearing out another page. She got started on the Wind spell, as Ash suddenly turned to her left.


    "... What the fuck?" Ash asked, and Arianna went to look at the thing she was staring at.


    In the distance, she saw a carriage drawing closer. It was being pulled by a pair of golden-decorated horses, and at the coach''s seat, Arianna saw someone dressed in a white robe.


    "Shit, shit!" The armored guy said. "Go, go!"


    "No, leave one! You, stay!" Ash told one of the drivers. "The rest of you can go. We aren''t done yet!"


    "A-Are you sure?" He asked.


    "Yeah, I''m sure." Ash nodded. "Arianna, just keep passing over those spells."


    Taking a nervous breath, she tried to do just that. Two of the carts quickly departed, but one remained, with each of the people inside looking on nervously.


    With trembling hands, Arianna did as Ash asked.


    How did they know?  Arianna asked herself. Then, as she had a thought, she looked up at Ash.  Did... Did she betray me?


    As the incoming vehicle then reached them, Arianna saw exactly the man she hadn''t wanted to see.


    Zafir hopped off the cart, with some knights by his side, as Ash took her cube off of her belt, and held it in her hand.


    "Ash.... How disappointing."

 Chapter 280 - Vol. 4 - 79

    Ash


    "How did you know we were coming here?"


    The first thing that came to Ash''s mind was that Bin had ratted them out. If that was the case, one thing was for certain, that bar was about to see a storm show up on its doorstep in the near future. However, Zafir shook his head.


    "I didn''t," he replied. "No, rather, I went to check in on Arianna, and I couldn''t find her in her room. That was, of course, seemed like rather strange timing to me, considering that, just a few hours ago, I received a tip from a reliable source that some civilians were going to attempt to leave. I hurried over here, with a speech prepared in my mind that I had wanted to give each of these proud Amber citizens," he gestured at the cart. "But, imagine my shock when I found that, not only was Arianna here, you were here as well. Imagine my shock and my disappointment."


    ... Okay,  Ash looked behind the senator. His soldiers were dressed in brilliant white armor. Four knights, total. What are their levels?


    Level 36


    MP: 200/200


    Level 35


    MP: 150/150


    Level 40


    MP: 250/250


    Level 31


    MP: 180/180


    Noting that, she stepped in front of the Arcane''s daughter.  I can definitely take them all out, that''s for sure. The problem is, what happens at the Manor if I do?  Did he set anything up before coming here? He couldn''t have if he didn''t expect to see me here.


    "Okay, so, you''re disappointed," Ash shrugged. "What happens now?"


    "That depends, Savior," Zafir walked forward. His knights followed. "If you hand Arianna over to me, I will overlook this entire affair. I will return to the Manor, you, of course, will be free to do so as well, if you wish, and we will go back to the same working relationship we''ve had since you arrived at my city. However, if you do not... Things will certainly get more complicated."


    "Oh, yeah? How so?" Ash challenged.


    "My knights, over here," he gestured at them, "will unleash all manner of spells onto you. We will try to recover Arianna alive, but if she proves too hard to catch, we will settle for killing her here and now. You may be as high-level as you are," Zafir argued, "but, I wonder if four well-trained knights at a respectable level would be enough to overwhelm you. I doubt you want to test that, do you?"


    As he presented this question to the half-demon, it was time for her to make a choice.


    On one hand, she really wanted the rest of those spells. She wouldn''t be able to use all of them herself, of course, but Keiko could. If Keiko was going to train up again, to fight alongside Ash on the battlefield, the Savior wanted her to be as strong as she could be. At the same time, even though Ash had just met this girl, she was painfully aware that leaving her now was a death sentence.


    And, although she couldn''t explain it, it just felt wrong to let that happen.


    On the other hand, however, if she did try to defend Arianna here, that would be the end of her time in Amber. She and the others could live out in the land like they had been earlier, but they wouldn''t have access to the city''s resources. Of course, she had a lot of authority as a Savior, but the senate was still above her. Doing anything to Zafir here would, at best, leave her exiled.


    "..." Ash took a deep breath, never taking her eyes off of Zafir.


    "I urge you," Zafir said, smiling politely. "Make the rational choice. You said it yourself, right? You don''t care about the state of Amber. You don''t care how things end up here. That girl is merely a part of the process. If it''s the Primordial Spells that you want," Zafir said, and Ash raised a brow, "I will gladly hand them to you after we get them out of her. She''s resisted our methods so far, but, a fragile girl like her, I doubt she''d handle a few more days of pain. You''d get those spells. I am certain of it."


    He said that, and, although he was right in that this was what Ash wanted, as soon as she was reminded of what the girl''s fate would be, it only made her hesitation grow.


    Arianna placed a hand on her wrist then, and Ash turned toward her. The girl''s eyes looked up at her with such fear, that it made Ash''s heart sting.


    And then, a thought came to her.


    Years of loneliness passed through her mind. Days where she would spend her time laying on the side of Jade''s scalding-hot streets, starving and dirty, and no one would help her. Every cold night, where the only thing she had to cover herself with was her ruined clothes, flashed in front of her eyes, and she looked back at the girl.


    ... All those years,  she thought. Only one person was ever there for me, Kairo. I didn''t realize what that meant until later, but, yeah. Sometimes, one person who wants to help is all you need.


    She looked into Arianna''s eyes.


    And, right now, that''s what she needs.


    "Fuck me, I really have gotten soft," Ash muttered. "Can you give me those pages?"


    Arianna mouthed her name, then.


    "Ash?"


    "Just do it," the half-demon replied. With tears in her eyes, she did that, reluctantly.


    Okay.  Ash put those pages away in her pockets.


    Then, she inhaled and said:


    "Sword."


    Transforming her  Lust,  she pushed Arianna away and charged forward.


    "No!" Zafir cried out, falling back and his knights instantly moved in front of him.


    Ash formed a basic strategy in the span of that quick lunge. And, she put it into practice when she lifted her right hand and grabbed one knight by his armor, moving far faster than the guy had expected her to.


    She lifted her right hand, felt her connection to Magia, and then manifested a beam of light that she sent flying straight at her opponent.


    And, his head exploded.


    Ash ignored the EXP message because as soon as he fell, the other knights promptly began casting spells at her. Speaking several incantations at once, Ash saw rocks appear in the air, and they all began shooting out at her, rapidly. Spikes of ice and spheres of flame followed, and she dodged to the left, dragging her sword behind her as she avoided the incoming projectiles.


    Come on, give me an opening, she thought, gritting her teeth. Eventually, the spells ceased, and Ash sprinted forward.


    Swinging her sword from one side to another, the knights took out their own weapons, and their blades clashed.


    However, they may have been well-trained, but the difference in their stats showed through as soon as this occurred. One guy tried to block an overhead attack from Ash, but his sword was knocked out of his hands in the process and Ash stabbed him in the neck.


    Two down.


    Then, she moved away from another knight who was swinging wildly at her.


    Like Keiko always said, remember the fundamentals,  Ash reminded herself.


    Deflecting a couple of incoming blows, the other knight muttered an incantation to himself, and the knight Ash was facing began to glow white.


    What?


    It felt like suddenly, her opponent had sped up.


    It gave her more trouble, but Ash still felt faster, and stronger. Something she was thankful for as the other knight joined the fight. Having to block both enemy''s strikes at once, Ash was going through significantly more trouble now, backing up and feeling unsteady.


    Shit, shit, shit,  she thought, before she went around one of them.


    Then, a second, time, she took one hand off her sword, raised it up, and manifested another beam of light. This one was sent at the knight closest to her, but the enemy managed to move out of the way.


    That didn''t matter, though, as he left himself wide open. Ash, in a burst of speed, moved in and her sword found one of the guy''s eyes. He cried out, in pain, as Ash pushed him down and focused on the last enemy.


    With the other three out of the way, this was easy.


    The knight created a mist of dirt, suddenly, but Ash just ran straight through it. When she reached the mage, she started swinging. One powerful blow after another, the knight managed to block five of them, before Ash disarmed him and promptly took his head off with one last slash.


    And, with that, they were all dead.


    Realizing this, Ash looked around.


    Okay, done.  She continued, searching for Zafir and Arianna. The cart full of civilians had long since left, during the fight. She couldn''t see anyone, for a while.


    But... Where...?


    Eventually, though, her eyes widened.


    Shit.


    In the distance, she could see two small figures, with magic erupting between them. One was spewing flame out at the other, while the other hid behind a white barrier. That barrier was broken, but soon, the mage cast the same spell again, and the barrier returned, protecting him.


    I need to get there, now.


    And so, Ash ran forward. Sprinting, she watched as Zafir was trying to get closer to Arianna, as the girl launched that same Fire spell from before at him. He would block it with a barrier, Arianna would break through it, and Zafir would move to the side, dodging the flames, before casting another one.


    Faster, faster!  Ash thought, willing her legs to be quicker.


    Before she could arrive, though, Zafir reached Arianna and grabbed her, moving behind her.


    Then, just as Ash arrived, he held a knife up to her neck and turned toward the half-demon.


    "Stop!" He called out, and Ash froze. "Stop, or I will end her right now."


    "..." Ash paused.  Fuck. Fuck, fuck, this is bad.


    Zafir dragged Arianna back, taking several steps, putting distance between them and Ash.


    "Very impressive, Savior," Zafir said. "You are clearly deserving of that title."


    Ash didn''t move.


    That knife was pressed right up on Arianna''s throat.


    Even as fast as she was, she doubted she could reach him in time to save the girl.


    Maybe, maybe she can use her spells,  Ash thought, but as she checked Arianna''s mana, she saw that was clearly not possible.


    Level 23


    MP: 60/560


    What do I do?  Ash couldn''t remember ever being in a situation like this. She had no clue how to proceed. I could turn my Lust into a bow and shoot him, but she''d definitely die before the arrow hits his head. I could activate my Champion ability, but even then, I don''t know if his mind would be fully under my control the way a Lust Demon would be. So, what do I...?


    "... Come on," Ash said. "Isn''t it about time you give up?"


    "Give up?" Zafir asked, taking more steps away. The man held a desperate look in his eyes. "Why would I do that? What I''m fighting for means far too much. I am aiming to change the lives of Amber''s citizens forever. Such a goal is too important not to work toward, even if it means my death."


    "That goal can still happen, right? Without her," Ash argued. "Your senators buy into it. I''m sure at least a few people in Amber would buy into it if you told them. You don''t need her."


    "No, we do," Zafir replied. "When Amber attempts to become independent, the first thing that will happen is that Jade will quickly send an army to keep that from happening. Without those spells, we can''t hope to fight them off. Ultimatums can be distasteful," he said, adjusting his knife. "But, ultimately, either I get these spells, here and now, or my dream isn''t possible anyway. I have to try."


    ... Nah,  Ash thought.  This guy''s the stubborn type. There''s no getting through to him.


    Ash narrowed her eyes.


    All I can do is try to kill him before he kills her.  The question is, how?


    "Ah, that look on your face," he laughed. "You understand, then? We''re at an impasse," he stated. "The chances we both leave here, alive, are very low. Unless, you let me go with her, right now."


    "..."


    I''m sorry,  she quickly apologized to Arianna in her mind. But, I can''t think of another way to handle this. I''m going to have to gamble.


    Arianna''s eyes looked back at her, pleading for help, but Ash was afraid she wouldn''t be able to. Still, she had to try.


    So, Ash prepared herself.


    "..." Zafir raised a brow at her. "Are you-"


    As he started talking, Ash charged up to him.


    His words caught in his throat, and Ash saw him press the knife fully against Arianna''s neck.


    Ash moved so quickly, she closed the gap in less than two seconds. However, that time was still enough for Zafir to slit the girl''s throat.


    "Agh!" Ash cried out, tackling the man. Arianna fell to the side, as Ash landed on top of Zafir.


    No!


    She looked over at her.


    I need to-


    From below, Zafir cast a Fire spell, right at Ash''s eyes.


    "Aaaagh!" Ash screamed, reaching up to block the fire. Then, the senator''s knife found her chest.


    It stabbed straight through, and Ash spat out violet blood.


    Just before she raised a hand, and, without a weapon, brought it down on Zafir''s face. She heard a crack, and then lifted the same hand, bringing it down on him again, with the knife still in her chest. As the senator''s teeth fell on the dirt, Ash ripped the knife out, hissing, and quickly mouthed:


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten."


    Her hands glowed white on her own body, and eyes, as she cast Burst Heal.


    Her wound was repaired, and Ash looked back down at the senator. His face was already a mess, after just two strikes. But, after that, now, Ash was angry.


    So, Ash smashed her hand onto his face again. Punching him with everything she had, once, twice, three times, his skull caved in as Ash kept going.


    "You f-..." Ash hissed, as she finally stopped when she saw that her hand was covered in red.


    Wait,  she froze, feeling chills go up her spine as she saw the Arcane''s daughter out of the corner of her eye.  Arianna.


    As quickly as she could, she ran toward her, falling onto her knees by the girl''s side.


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten," she quickly said, placing her hands on the gaping wound in Arianna''s neck.


    But, her spell did nothing.


    "Arianna?" Ash asked. "What?  Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten,"  she cast the spell again.


    Nothing changed.


    Instead, Arianna''s lifeless eyes looked back at her, and Ash slowly realized that, as confident as she''d been going into this, she''d failed.

 Chapter 281 - Vol. 4 - 80

    For a while, Ash just sat there. Around her, the chill in the air picked up and grew even colder, as she looked out at Arianna''s body in front of her. Her chest felt so tight that she put a hand up to it, trying to breathe.


    ... So, this is what happens when I actually try to be someone''s hero for once, Ash thought, letting out a deep breath.  I''m just so fucking...


    With her hands clenched into fists, Ash let out a deep sigh as she went to pick Arianna''s body up.


    I... Can''t just leave her here. She thought, as she began to walk back to the valley, the same way she''d gotten here. The carriage that Zafir had come in had left already, just like the citizens'' cart had before it.


    As for Zafir himself, his ruined body was left alone there in the middle of this vast emptiness, where Ash felt it deserved to be.


    With the girl''s body in her arms, she began retracing her steps. It was a long trip back, and the poison effect she had to endure again made it especially annoying, but some time later, she was moving through the underside, where many of Amber''s locals were still perusing the strange marketplace.


    By now, of course, the illusions Kasumi had placed on her and Arianna had long since faded, so their eyes fell on both Ash and the girl she was carrying, in their true forms. But, she couldn''t care less about their gasps and stares right now. Her mind only produced the same handful of thoughts over, and over again.


    If I''d just been a little bit faster...


    Among those statements, another thought also crept in.


    If Bin was the "source" Zafir was talking about,  she glared,  someone else is going to end up having to take care of that bar of his.


    "H-Hey!" A guard called out as Ash walked up the bridges and reached the topside of the city. She began walking behind the buildings, on her way back to the Manor, when the guy stopped her. She halted, looking over at the guard who was jogging her way. Arianna''s blood, by now, had slid from the wound in her neck down to Ash''s body already.


    "Eh," the guard stopped in front of her, his eyes darting from the body in Ash''s arms to her, and back to Arianna. "Who, what, why-?"


    "..." Ash ignored him, continuing to walk past the guy.  Just leave me alone.


    "I''m talking to you!" The guy said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What-"


    "If you don''t get out of my way, right now, I am going to fucking slaughter you!" Ash yelled out, in a flash of anger that made her body feel warmer. The guard stopped.


    Again, Ash turned away from him and kept going.


    Just... I don''t know,  Ash thought.  I don''t know, I... I just want to give her over to someone and be done with all of this.


    When she reached the Manor''s gates, she hopped over the wall, like she had before, landing on the other side without alerting the guards stationed at the metal doors. Here, she around the building, heading to the garden with the intention of going straight to their rooms.


    Uh, Satsuhiro,  Ash thought.  Metsumi. One of them will know what to do with her.


    However, as she reached the spot where she and the other girls usually trained, where the flowers were almost glowing in the nighttime, she saw someone. Kasumi was still sitting right where she''d been when she cast the illusion spell onto Ash and Arianna that started this whole "mission".


    Seeing her, Ash''s legs quickly took her to the woman.


    Kasumi yawned and then turned toward her when she noticed Ash out of the corner of her eyes. As soon as she did, those eyes widened with surprise, and she stood up.


    "Ash?" She asked. "What the hell happened?"


    "I..." Ash looked down at Arianna. "Zafir came and... I was too slow to... I just... I failed."


    Each phrase took so much effort to say that when she was done, Ash finally felt all of the exhaustion that had been building up tonight land on her shoulders.


    "What do I do with her?" She asked that question weakly to Kasumi, hoping for any sort of answer.


    "I mean, I don''t know, I think," Kasumi paused. "Maybe this place has a crypt?"


    As soon as she heard that, Ash turned away and walked indoors. She ignored the way Kasumi called out after her.


    Right,  Ash thought.  Just, a place where she can be buried or something. Makes sense.


    But, as soon as she walked inside, a handful of servants saw her, and aside from gasping, they ran over and asked:


    "Is she alright?" A male servant, dressed like a butler, stood in front of her.


    "She needs healing!" A maid to Ash''s right said.


    "N-No, she''s... She''s dead," Ash let them know. They paled when they heard that. "Where can I put her body?"


    "Uh, maybe just leave her in her room, for now. The senate can choose after."


    "..." As soon as Ash heard that, she scowled at them.


    The senate is going to have a hard time choosing anything, in a little while, if I get my hands on them.


    Rejecting their idea, Ash walked back and went into Satsuhiro''s room. As soon as she did, the Savior woke up, sitting up to see who had come in so hastily.


    "Ash? What the fuck?" He asked, as his eyes fell on both her and Arianna. In a second, he was reaching for his cane and standing up.


    "Zafir," Ash explained, once again. Satsuhiro walked out into the hall, and Kasumi walked into the building. "He..." She looked down at Arianna, hoping he''d understand.


    Satsuhiro shook his head as if trying to wake himself up.


    "Shit..." He said, remaining silent for a while. Behind Ash, the servants gasped, as if shocked to learn the senator was involved, but she didn''t care. "Is the senator still with us?" He asked, in a hushed tone.


    "No."


    "... Then, in that case," Satsuhiro looked over at the servants, who were still there. "You two, wrap her up in something, and leave her in her room."


    "R-Right!" One said, and both of them quickly came and took Arianna''s body out of her hands, leaving the half-demon with nothing but her ruined clothes, stained with both red and violet blood.


    As soon as they did, Satsuhiro put a hand on Ash''s shoulder.


    "Are there any witnesses left? Anyone who can say you were involved?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "Uh, one guy," Ash replied, remembering the driver who took Zafir to where she''d been.


    "In that case, we need to wake everyone up. We should probably leave the city as soon as possible."


    "Why?" Ash asked, in a low, dangerous voice. "It''s not like any of these guards can do anything to me."


    "If you feel like fighting everyone in Amber just to prove a point, you''re welcome to. Everyone else, though, is in danger right now. Understand?"


    Hearing that, Ash loosened up a little.


    "... Right, sorry," she said with an equally low voice, but one that was softer.


    With that, she turned and went into her own room. Keiko was peacefully asleep, and Ash sat down on the edge of the bed, in front of her. It hurt to disturb the girl, but Ash did so anyway. Satsuhiro was right, after all.


    She nudged Keiko''s shoulder and the girl''s eyes blinked open a while later.


    "Ash?"


    "... Yeah," the girl nodded.


    "What time is it?" Keiko asked.


    "Still nighttime. Get ready though," Ash said. "We''re leaving."


    ---


    Sometime later, the group was walking out of the city. Guards, of course, stepped up to ask questions, some of them even pulled their weapons out, but a few threatening glances from the half-demon and Sinneah was all it took to get most of them to lay off.


    Ash was walking at the front. Now, instead of Arianna, she was carrying Kaori, along with her backpack, which had all of her stuff inside. She still hadn''t even sorted out the EXP she''d gotten from all of her kills. She figured she''d do that later.


    Behind her, Luvine and Opah were dragging their sleepy selves by the others'' sides. Sinneah was expressionless as usual. Yumi was talking to Keiko, asking about what happened as she sensed that Ash wasn''t going to give her any detailed explanation, though Keiko didn''t have one to offer either.


    Metsumi and Satsuhiro were silent, a few steps behind Ash. The only one walking by her side right now was Kasumi.


    "Sorry that things turned out like this. It really sucks," Kasumi told Ash.


    "Yeah," Ash replied. "I just feel like, I dunno, maybe I made the wrong call. Maybe I should have tried something else but, yeah. I can''t take anything back now."


    From behind, as they walked out into the vast lands and began putting distance between themselves and Amber, Satsuhiro asked:


    "Did you get those spells?"


    As Ash heard that, she nodded.


    "Most of them," Ash replied. "She didn''t get to finish before everything went down, though."


    "... At least it wasn''t a total waste."


    For some reason, hearing that didn''t make her feel any better.


    "Well, what''s done is done," Kasumi said. "Now, what do we do?"


    "I can send a letter to the Council and have them send someone to pick us up," Satsuhiro stated. "If Zafir and his guards were the ones preventing letters from exiting the city, it should work. It''ll take a few days, though."


    With that new plan settled, a silence fell over everyone. Ash thought of something then and asked:


    "Kasumi, can you put another illusion on me?" Ash quickly asked. "Tomorrow morning."


    "Yes, why?"


    "I want to go get some potions from Tyl," Ash replied. "I mean, if we aren''t heading back into Amber ever again, I think it''s a good idea."


    "Sounds good," Satsuhiro told her, and Ash was glad to hear that.


    Mainly because that wasn''t all she intended to do.


    "By the way," Metsumi walked up over to her. She placed a hand on Ash''s shoulder, comfortingly. "Don''t beat yourself up. Doesn''t matter how high your level is, you''re not gonna be able to succeed at every single thing you try to do."


    "Yeah, I know," Ash replied, nodding.


    Suddenly, a little hand tugged on Ash''s shirt, by her left. She looked down and saw Luvine looking up at her.


    "... Are you okay?" She asked, in a quiet little voice as she looked up at Ash with worried eyes.


    "Yeah," Ash replied, trying to smile at her. Luvine didn''t look convinced.


    Or...  She thought.  I will be.. After tomorrow.

 Chapter 282 - Vol. 4 - 81

    Keiko


    "Guess what''s on the menu?" Metsumi asked as the group gathered in a circle the next morning, in the middle of nowhere. "Raptor meat!"


    Opah was practically cheering as she ran over to where her mother was. Everyone else was almost too tired to move.


    No one had gotten much sleep last night. Keiko was one of them, as she spent the last couple of seconds yawning and trying to blink herself awake. Least of all, though, was Ash.


    The half-demon was laid down by her lonesome, away from the group, looking up at the sky.


    As far as Keiko knew, Ash hadn''t slept a single second yet.


    ... Hm. I should speak with her,  Keiko thought, and she''d been about to stand before Metsumi walked in front of her and handed her some water.


    "O-Oh, thank you," Keiko said.


    "No problem," Metsumi replied. "So," she turned toward Satsuhiro, "did you send the letter to the Council already?"


    "Yes," he replied.


    "And, how exactly do we know that they aren''t just gonna come to arrest Ash as we arrive at Jade?"


    "Because," Satsuhiro added, "I made sure to tell them all about Zafir''s plan. Chances are, if he really convinced the entirety of the senate, they''re still going to go through with it. Besides, people still aren''t going to be allowed to exit Amber, and the senate likely hasn''t communicated with the Council in a long time, so, it probably won''t be too hard for them to verify my story."


    "Hm, I guess that makes sense," Metsumi shrugged, as Keiko''s eyes went back to Ash.


    ... Okay, now, I should-


    "Hey, Keiko," Yumi walked up to her.


    "Y-Yes?"


    "Would you like to train in a little while?" Yumi asked. "I''m feeling fairly tired, I think it would be a good way to give myself some energy."


    "Um, sure," Keiko nodded. "In a moment."


    "Great."


    Well, good, now-


    "... Hey," Luvine walked up to her, and it took everything Keiko had not to let out a frustrated groan.


    "Yeah?" She asked the little girl.


    Then, Luvine''s eyes went to Ash.


    "I don''t think she''s okay," Luvine whispered, as though she was telling Keiko a grave secret. Keiko smiled at that.


    Never mind, I guess we were on the same page.


    "I think so too," Keiko whispered back.


    "... What..." Luvine looked down. "What do we do?"


    "Don''t you worry," Keiko stood up from where she''d been sitting on the ground. "I''ll go speak with her right now. She''ll be okay."


    Hearing that, Luvine nodded hesitantly, and Keiko patted her head before she walked over to where Ash was.


    The half-demon looked over at her as she approached, before turning her eyes back to the sky.


    "Do I look that shitty?" Ash asked.


    "What?" Keiko asked, confused.


    "You were making a face like I''d just spent the last hour showering in crap. So, do I?"


    "... A little," Keiko chuckled, sitting down next to her. "How''s it going?"


    "I''m fine," Ash quickly stated. "I''m just... tired."


    Keiko tilted her head.


    Is that all?


    After a brief moment of silence between them, Keiko laid down next to her. Again, Ash turned to look at her, confused, before turning her eyes back up to the sky.


    The group''s discussions, just a bit of distance away, served as a bit of background noise as neither of them said anything. Until, however, Ash fully turned to face Keiko.


    "I''m alright, seriously," Ash told her. "I just wanna relax for a bit."


    "Great," Keiko replied, staying exactly as she was. "Maybe I want to relax a little alongside you."


    "..." At that, Ash''s face became a little softer. "Sorry."


    "For what?"


    "I don''t know, being annoying sometimes, I guess."


    "You are very rarely annoying," Keiko was quick to say.


    "Really?" Ash asked.


    "Yes, really. I would use a lot of words to describe you, but annoying has never really been one of them."


    "..." At that, Ash looked away.


    Then, Satsuhiro called them.


    "Ash."


    "Yeah?" Ash asked, sitting up.


    "We haven''t gotten to take a look at those spells yet, wanna show them off?"


    Hearing that, the look that had been on Ash''s face just before Keiko had arrived momentarily came back. One of contemplation. It faded away again, though, as she stood up.


    "Sure."


    Wanting to see them herself, Keiko stood up and followed her over to where the rest of the group was.


    Here, Ash pulled out a bunch of folded-up paper from her pockets and separated it into five different sheets.


    "Wind, Fire, Dark, Light, and Illusion," Ash stated. "Those were the categories of the spells she gave me. She didn''t manage to get to the Ice, Water, and Earth ones before... Yeah."


    Satsuhiro nodded.


    "Hm. So, what do they do?" He asked.


    "I haven''t checked. Give me a second," Ash replied, as Keiko joined her. The half-demon then began to read out the contents of each page, one by one.


    First up was the Fire spell.


    Spell: Blaze of Divinity


    Unleash a stream of fire that becomes far more powerful than other Fire abilities as the user''s INT attribute becomes higher.


    Int Required: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    Incantation: Flame of truth, gift of Magia, unleash ambition upon this plane.


    Then, the Dark spell.


    Spell: The Cost of Power


    Sacrifice your own lifespan directly to momentarily boost all abilities. The amount of physical health taken away depends on the boost the user desires.


    Int Requied: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    Incantation: If I am to be cursed, then allow for my enemy to perish with me, so that we may both see oblivion together.


    The Wind spell came next, and this one, in particular, interested Keiko, as the Zayamas back at the testing grounds she''d visited used Wind-based magic.


    Spell: Stage of Finality


    Create a circle of impenetrable wind around yourself and an enemy, for one minute. While in this field, all of your attributes are increased by 5.


    Int Required: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    Incantation: Insae.


    As short as the incantation was, Keiko had no doubt that this spell likely was some sort of ancestor of the magic that she''d encountered on her own.


    Then, there was the Illusion spell.


    Spell: Blanket of Fear


    Trap a target in a mental realm with their worst fears. The amount of time depends on the disparity between levels, and Intelligence of the user and the target.


    Int Required: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    Incantation: Facing fears is a necessary step. For this one, it is time.


    Finally, there was the Light spell.


    Spell: Total Healing


    Place your hands upon a target, and heal them completely. All of their diseases and poisons will be cured, and any missing limbs will be restored. After being healed, the person will receive a short buff, that amplifies future healing on them.


    Int Required: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    "Incantation," Ash read out, as a silence passed over the group. "Lumina''s caress, for those in need, let them feel the touch of pure kindness."


    When she finished, she looked up, and her eyes fell on Satsuhiro, who was standing right in front of her.


    Everyone else''s eyes went to the older Savior as well, and Satsuhiro himself looked like he was in shock.


    "... It can restore limbs?" He asked.


    At that, Ash stood up and promptly walked over to him. Satsuhiro just watched as Ash stretched out a hand and placed it on his shoulder.


    "Lumina''s caress, for those in need, let them feel the touch of pure kindness."


    As Ash said those words, her entire body glowed, as did Satsuhiro''s.


    When it happened, Keiko outright gasped.


    As Satsuhiro was wearing shorts, everyone watched as his leg, appearing like a mold of light, stretched out and took shape. As Satsuhiro saw it form, he dropped his cane and stood on it, and when the light faded away, Satsuhiro stood there, on his own two legs, with no assistance.


    "I..." Satsuhiro took a deep breath, as no other words escaped him. Even Sinneah looked absolutely stunned.


    "Well," Ash said. "There you go. Congrats."


    Metsumi nearly tackled Satsuhiro with a hug, but using that newly acquired leg, he was able to keep himself standing.


    ---


    Several Hours Later


    Keiko had a lot of sleep to catch up on, but just like last night, even though they were all far away from the city, her sleep was interrupted once again.


    "Hm?" As she heard some metal clanking, Keiko stirred, and she sat up.


    What she saw was strange. Sinneah had been designated as tonight''s lookout, but Ash was also standing. Even stranger, she was covered in her armor.


    What?  Keiko asked herself, as she heard Ash say something to Sinneah before the half-demon began to walk somewhere, holding a map in her hand, and her Lust at her belt.


    Instinctively, Keiko stood up and walked after her.


    She didn''t get too many steps in before Ash noticed. The Savior turned around and raised a brow at her.


    "Keiko?"


    "Ash," the girl stopped in front of her. "What''s going on?"


    "N-Nothing," Ash told her. "I wanted to get some extra training in. Before tomorrow."


    That wasn''t too far-fetched an excuse, Keiko figured. Though, it seemed weird that she wanted to do it so suddenly.


    Because of that, Keiko walked up and held her by the hand.


    "Uh... Okay," Keiko replied. "Be careful, though."


    "Definitely," Ash smiled at her. "I''ll be back in no time."


    At that, Keiko nodded.


    Hm. Alright,  she turned away, as Ash kept walking.  Still... Is she okay?


    A part of her wanted to run after the girl. However, as sad as it was that Ash had failed to protect Arianna, she couldn''t imagine her being too upset over it. So, she guessed that Ash was going to be alright.


    She just needed to cool off. Maybe this was how she wanted to do that. If that was the case, Keiko would give her the space she wanted.


    Even though it did make her worry a little.


    So, Keiko went back to sleep soon after. She had a dreamless night, and the next time she woke up, the sun was in her eyes.


    "Mm?" As soon as she awoke, with the last night''s conversation fresh in her mind, she sat up and looked for Ash.


    She didn''t have to look far, though, as the half-demon was sitting right next to her.


    As Keiko stretched her arms, Ash smiled down at her.


    "Morning," Ash said.


    "Good morning."


    As Keiko looked back at her, Ash ate from some bread she had in her hands. She looked alright, finally. Genuinely, as Keiko looked at her, Ash''s face wasn''t quite as bothered as it had been.


    I guess she worked it off,  Keiko thought with a smile.


    Though, she did notice something strange.


    She sniffed the air, and, with her heightened senses, she detected some blood. As she searched though, she saw that it was coming from Ash''s armor. The half-demon had thrown it off and dropped it just a bit away.


    Keiko could see some stains of red blood on her breastplate, and her gauntlets.


    Raising a brow, she turned toward Ash.


    "So, did everything go well? Last night, I mean."


    "Yeah," Ash quickly replied. "I''m good. Sorry for worrying you."


    "No, no," Keiko shook her head. "As long as you''re alright."


    With that, the day continued on normally, as the group waited for the Royal Council to send someone to them.


    And, that would be how their time at Amber would come to a close.

 Chapter 283 - Vol. 4 - Epilogue

    Note: Ash does some messed-up stuff here. Not super-gory, or anything, but still, just in case.


    ---


    Earlier


    Hina


    "Ugh, come on, dad! We''re going to miss the sale!"


    "Hold on, hold on a moment," Hina''s father replied. "I''ve nearly finished my coffee."


    Once again, it looked like the two of them were going to be late. After the events that had taken place with the Arcane, which many people, Hina''s family included, believed was an assassination plot caused by some people at the Manor, some stores were making an effort to leave the city. As such, they were clearing out and dropping their prices, hoping people would buy everything they had soon.


    As for Hina and her family, they were going to stay at Amber, but the ongoing sales presented a great option for them. Due to this, on one random cold morning, they were scrambling to get ready for the oncoming day, just as the sun had begun to rise outside their restaurant.


    The Outskirts were still as harsh as ever, after all, and they''d need to hurry to avoid any stray monsters.


    "Ohohoho," her father said, his eyes glinting. "It''s finished!"


    "Finally," Hina rolled her eyes. "And, here I thought you were go-..."


    She paused, however, when the door to their restaurant opened.


    This was, of course, rare, as they never got customers at this time. This was why they were heading into the city, to begin with, as they could reasonably expect all of the real business to start much later. However, as Hina turned toward the front door to see who had arrived, she gasped.


    A woman with dirty white hair, bags under her eyes, a pair of small horns, and golden armor covered in blood entered the building.


    As she did, she raised up a hand and smiled, and Hina swore she saw bits of meat and blood in her teeth.


    "Yo," the half-demon greeted them. "Got anything to drink? I had some food earlier, but I sort of wanna wash this down."


    ---


    Even Earlier


    Ash


    "Agh!?" A random knight at the front of the Manor croaked out one last breath as Ash held her up by her neck.


    Behind her, locals were running frantically from one place to another, screaming, as they had no idea what was happening or why.


    With her right hand, clad in her golden gauntlet, she stabbed through the guard''s gut, and soon, the guard ceased moving.


    A couple of other guards were watching, but as they saw Ash take out some of their allies effortlessly, they ran away just like the rest of the locals had.


    Okay. The way should be clear, now.  Ash tossed the guard aside and walked in through the gates at the front. As soon as she entered the building, she found a few servants who all looked at her tensely, as their eyes fell to the blood on her body.


    "Leave," Ash told them. "If you stay, I''ll assume it''s cause you want to fight."


    As soon as one girl heard that, she threw away the broom she''d been using to sweep the floor, and sprinted in the opposite direction. The other maids and butlers soon followed her example, leaving the halls empty as Ash started walking forward.


    "Sword," she said, transforming her Savior''s Weapon. She aimed the tip down and dragged it along the floor, producing an eerie scratching sound.


    Looking from one side of the building to another, she tried to make sure she didn''t miss anyone dressed in a white suit running away.


    Hm. Maybe they''re eating?


    With that thought, Ash walked toward the room where she and her group would normally have their breakfast. Arriving at the door, she opened it and found a man dressed in a white robe eating by his lonesome.


    Oh. A senator.


    The man saw her and quickly stood up.


    "W-What? What is...?"


    He walked back, pressing his body against the wall at the opposite end of the room. Casually, Ash made her way over to him.


    Hm... Actually, Ash thought, looking down at her sword.  I could use this thing, but... That would be a little boring. And, it doesn''t really make up for what they did to Arianna and her dad.


    Ash stroked her chin with her free hand.


    I need to find a servant. Maybe one of them is still around.  As for this dude, though.


    She reverted her  Lust back into a cube and grabbed the guy by his head, and his neck. With a simple pull, she ripped his head off and tossed his torso aside.


    One down,  she thought, walking out.


    Thankfully, a servant ran straight into her then, colliding with her body.


    "Oof-" she said, falling back as though she''d run into a wall. Ash looked down at her. The girl opened her eyes and, with a nervous expression, it looked like she was about to try to escape.


    "Don''t run!" Ash said, helping her up to her feet. "I need your help."


    "W-What?" The girl asked, her hands shaking.


    "Yeah, calm down. I''m not gonna hurt you." Ash pulled her away from the corridor then. "Dagger."


    Seeing Ash transform her cube made the girl pale, but, instead of whatever it was she had on her mind, Ash handed it to her.


    The girl looked up at her, confused. Ash took a deep breath.


    "Okay, stab me."


    "... What?" The girl asked.


    "Stab me," Ash replied. "Right here," she tapped her waist, in an open spot between her greaves and her breastplate.


    "W-Why?"


    "Just do it."


    "Uh, okay... You''re not gonna get mad?"


    "Oh, I will," Ash nodded. "Just, not at you."


    "..." She looked confused, but then, she promptly stuck the blade inside of Ash. The pain was sharp, accentuated by the fact that getting the knife into Ash''s body gave the girl some trouble, but she managed it.


    "Agh," Ash hissed. "Okay, pull it out."


    Then, she did that, and some violet blood came out of Ash. Then, she healed herself.


    "Alright. Do it again."


    This went on for several stabbings.


    A couple of minutes later, Ash''s horns grew longer, and her fingers turned into claws. As she felt herself changing, Ash held herself back from tearing the girl in half.


    "Thanks. Leave," Ash told the girl and she left the dagger in Ash''s hands, before sprinting away.


    As Ash was in her Demon Form.


    Taking a deep breath, Ash licked her fangs.


    Yeah. This is better.


    Reverting her dagger into a cube, the woman went back into the same corridor. Moving down the hall, she checked one door after another, without finding many people.


    Hm... If they aren''t out here, they''re probably in that one meeting room,  Ash snarled.  Where was that place?


    A couple of turns later, and, finally, Ash arrived there.


    She opened the door, which was left unlocked, and entered the room.


    "Where is he!?" A woman was yelling at a senator.


    "Zafir has yet to return, we still do not know..." He paused, as Ash appeared in front of them.


    "S-Savior..." one guy said.


    Ash closed the door then, locking it behind her.


    Then, she got started. The first thing she did was bite into the closest senator''s neck. Tearing out as much of it as she could, a spray of blood showered her as the guy fell down. The woman ahead screamed.


    The senators began launching spells at her then, but Ash moved too quickly. Dodging out of the way of each projectile, she stuck her hand straight through a man''s chest. Then, she grabbed another senator by the head and pulled him down, delivering a crushing knee.


    One by one, she made her way through the room, until the only person left was the woman who''d been shrieking before. Ash approached her, curious.


    "Who are you?" She asked, resisting the urge to kill her momentarily.


    "..." She didn''t answer. She was too horrified.


    "Eh, whatever," she muttered, before showing off her claws.


    "I-I am Zafir''s wife!" She yelled, then. "I am Zafir''s wife!" Ash''s eyes widened. "When... When my husband returns, you are going to be hung in the middle of the city, for everyone to see!"


    Ash glared at her.


    "Really?" Ash tilted her head. "Does the name, ''Arianna'' mean anything to you? Oh, along with the word, ''torture'', too."


    The girl''s eyes widened.


    "I-I knew, I knew that Jade trash like you would be nothing but trouble for us!" She yelled out, looking as though she was getting confident in her insults. "We''d all be better off without you!"


    "... You wanna know something?" Ash asked then, walking closer to her. She scurried back, and Ash followed. "When I first turned into this," she looked down at her hands, "I tasted blood for the first time. I was so grossed out with myself that day because I felt like I''d turned into an animal. Like I''d turned into a demon. But, now, I''ve realized something."


    Ash grinned at her.


    "Maybe, that''s not such a bad thing sometimes."


    Then, with her fangs ready, she pounced on her.


    ---


    A Short While Later


    Hina


    The woman hadn''t left.


    Covered in blood from the neck down, she sat in the middle of the restaurant, drinking some water.


    "Oh, fuck, that''s good," Ash said.  "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome..." Hina replied as she realized why she looked so familiar. "Um... Sorry, but, are you the woman I ran into earlier this month?"


    "Yeah," the half-demon said. "The food here was nice. Figured I''d come back before I left town."


    "Oh... Uh, thanks."


    "Are you in a hurry?" She asked, tilting her head at Hina. "You look like you want me to leave."


    "S-Sorry!" Hina raised her hands. "I''m just... We were going to head into the city, soon." She gestured at herself and her father.


    "Ah. My bad, then," the woman replied. She stood up then, downing the rest of her water in a couple of sips, and then leaving the cup on the table. "I''ll get out of your hair."


    "Um... I really don''t want to seem like I''m kicking you out," Hina jogged over to her. The woman paused. "It''s just... Uh, yeah," Hina gestured at her armor.


    "I understand, don''t worry," she shrugged. "Hope your trip goes well. You won''t find any monsters on the way, it''s all good."


    "W-Wait," Hina said. "What was your name, again?"


    The half-demon turned toward her.


    And, although she looked painfully tired, she smiled, and Hina didn''t see any meat in her teeth anymore.


    "Ash.. I''m a Savior."

 Chapter 284 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 1

    Note: Hello! Hope you''re all having a great day. Anyway, as I said in the epilogue, I''m going to continue one of the interludes from before, but I want you all to pick which one. So, to give some time for that to happen, we will be doing this interlude for now.


    This interlude is also an option. If you feel like you want me to just focus on this interlude, and do more chapters for it, you can also tell me that.


    As with the others, these interludes are not canon, and they have nothing to do with the main story, outside of possibly showing off the world a little. As such, if you are reading this in the future, feel free to skip these entirely if you are not interested.


    With that out of the way, enjoy!


    ---


    Kaori


    The Valley of Lanterns was surprisingly busy this afternoon. As many different citizens moved through the street, buying and selling things, greeting each other as some went to other parts of Jade and some hopped on top of different carts standing by, Kaori tried her hardest to keep herself from squeaking with how excited she was.


    "Aaaah!" She couldn''t help but let out, drumming on her thighs as she sat next to her acting troupe, on a random bench in the shade, waiting for their ride to arrive.


    "Hehe, calm yourself," her mentor said, from her side. Kaori turned to her left, and Yumi''s bright silver eyes kindly looked back at her. "We''ll be in Pearl in no time."


    When Kaori first realized that this was what she''d wanted to do with her life, she had trouble finding people to partner up with. The first person she found, however, who accepted her proposal to start a troupe was Yumi. It had been strange to her, how a Zayama could ditch the life of a warrior and trade it in for the life of an actress, but she was glad the woman did. Yumi, and her disgustingly large sack of crowns, had single-handedly carried them through the first year of this journey.


    "I can''t wait!" Kaori replied, standing up and stretching out her arms. "Pearl''s like the art center of the world! We''re finally going to do a play there, this is amazing!"


    "The coordinating is going to be a nightmare, though," Sinneah, one of the group''s main actresses added. The strong, well-built woman was sitting with her legs crossed and her tan-skinned arms behind her head, as she rested it on the wall behind the bench. Due to her large frame and slightly deep voice, oftentimes Sinneah would take the role of male characters when they performed, usually portraying knights and mercenaries.


    "Isn''t it done already?" Kaori asked.


    "Sure, but different groups always try to claim the Lily Theatre at the last minute. We''re probably going to have to fight a few of them off."


    "Well," Kaori leaned down in front of her. "With you by our side, that should be easy."


    Because what audiences loved more than anything was a good romance story, and Kaori herself often played the protagonist in these, the two of them had shared more than a few passionate kisses in front of small crowds at this point. They were quite comfortable with each other, by now.


    "Ugh, you can save the flirting for when we get there," Vermia, the last member of the troupe, stated. "The scenery might actually fit."


    When the troupe was first formed, it consisted of just Kaori, Sinneah, and Yumi, however, they quickly ran into a problem. Although Yumi could sometimes play the role of the villain, there was a natural kindness to her that made it difficult for the audiences to buy into her performance. So, a short while after they''d gotten started, they put out a job opening here in Jade for an actress who looked mean.


    Vermia was the first person who showed up, and Kaori instantly knew she was the one.


    "Wasn''t the carriage supposed to arrive already?" Vermia asked. "Did you get the date wrong?" Vermia asked Yumi.


    "No, I did not," Yumi sighed, and Kaori just hoped the two wouldn''t start bickering like they usually did. "November 20, 1:00pm, the Valley of Lanterns. That was the time and place I and the coachman agreed upon."


    "Then you should have hired someone more competent."


    "Yes, I''m sure you would have been able to find someone far more responsible."


    "I would have," Vermia asserted. "And if they didn''t show up, I''d track them down and flay them alive."


    "Careful, you say that often enough that I might start believing you."


    As the two of them (thankfully) settled down, Kaori too started inspecting the nearby alleys, and the corners of the streets to her right and left. It was almost halfway to 2 at this point.


    Just when she was beginning to grow worried that they''d been pranked or something, she heard wheels rolling along the left, and as she turned to find the source, her grin returned.


    A carriage being pulled by four horses, with enough seats to fit maybe 12 people inside, slowly rolled up to the gate.


    "Alright, he''s arrived, finally," Yumi stated, standing up. "Come on, everyone. It''ll be a couple of days before we get to Pearl, we don''t want to make that time any longer."


    "Right," Kaori quickly moved after her, but her pace slowed when she saw the guards sitting inside the carriage. Two of them, in particular, stood out from the rest.


    Two women, wearing golden armor and carrying cubes of the same color on their belts, followed the other guards out of the carriage as the actresses walked up. Kaori felt like she''d seen people dressed like this maybe a handful of times in the entirety of the 20 years she''d been alive.


    One of them was a girl with violet eyes, a pair of horns, white hair, and a scowl that was seemingly stuck to her face, the other was a dark-skinned woman with crimson hair and a kind smile.


    "... seriously couldn''t have let us know in advance?" The half-demon asked.


    "Just be glad we''re getting to travel a bit. It''s been a while since we''ve been outside the barracks," the crimson-haired woman replied. "Oh, you must be the actresses!"


    With a smile, she all but dragged the other woman with her, as they stood in front of Kaori and her troupe. Yumi walked up and bowed.


    "Are you to be our guards for the occasion?" Yumi tilted her head. "I''m sorry, but I only paid for-"


    "Don''t worry," the woman quickly cut her off. "The Council''s paying for our involvement. You''re okay."


    "The Council?" Kaori echoed, walking forward. "As in, the Royal Council?"


    Who are these people?  Kaori asked herself, as she went to check their levels.


    She saw "Level 21, MP: 200/200" displayed over the white-haired girl''s head, and "Level 30, MP: 400/400" displayed over the other girl."


    When she noticed that, she gawked.


    "Yes," the woman replied. "My name''s Kasumi, and this is Ash. We''re Saviors."


    "Saviors?" Yumi asked, stepping forward.


    Kaori, however, was still reeling from that realization. These two, who at least to her eyes looked fairly young, had the levels of experienced veterans.


    "Why were Saviors assigned to us?" Vermia stepped forward as well. "Is something wrong?"


    "Uh, I suppose it depends on how you look at it, but, to put it simply, the Council suspects that there are demons on the road. After your coachman registered your trip with them, we were assigned to keep you safe, as a mission.


    Right, Kaori thought. Saviors go on missions, and stuff. Killing demons all over the world!


    She was as impressed by them, as she was scared of what Kasumi had just said.


    Apparently, there were demons on the way to Pearl. That alone was reason enough to reconsider this journey.


    "Um, should we just stay here?" Kaori asked, looking over at Yumi.


    "Pfft. What, you don''t think we''re up for the job?"


    The girl who''d spoken was the half-demon. She''d been very quiet so far, so Kaori hadn''t seen it coming, but she had spoken directly to her, aiming a smirk her way.


    "N-No," Kaori waved her hands. "I''m just..."


    "Ehm, I suppose that if we have a pair of professional demon killers with us, this won''t be a problem?" Yumi asked Kasumi.


    "We will do our very best, ma''am. You have our word on that."


    "Then, in that case, I vote we just go with them," Yumi said, turning toward the other girls. "This would be the biggest play we''ve ever done. And, if there are demons on the road, they might not clear up anytime soon. It''s a great opportunity that we have here, to go with these fine women," she smiled back at them politely.


    "Hm... I guess," Vermia shrugged. "As long as they keep demons from tearing my neck out with their teeth, I''m fine with it."


    "Mhm," Sinneah crossed her arms. "I think the faster we get through this, the better."


    "Ah, then it''s settled?" Kasumi asked, glancing at Kaori.


    That smirk on the half-demon hadn''t faded. As she was asked this question, Kaori looked back at those violet eyes. They were fairly captivating.


    "Sure," she smiled. "Thank you."


    "No problem, it''s our job. Okay, everyone," Kasumi gestured at the guards waiting in the background.. Kaori had forgotten they were there. "Let''s get going!"

 Chapter 285 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 2

    Just a short while later, everyone was getting into the carriage, one person at a time. The Saviors, with their augmented Strength, thanks to all of those levels, helped everyone in, a process that left Kaori feeling strange.


    By the time that it had been her turn, she was the last one, and that half-demon girl had been the one to help her. She casually extended a hand toward Kaori, and the blonde took it with a polite smile before the half-demon pulled her up and into the carriage.


    But, because destiny just couldn''t help itself, apparently, Kaori tripped on her own feet and fell on top of the armored girl.


    "Ueh!?" An embarrassing sound came out of her as she flailed, only to be held up by two strong, golden hands.


    Blushing intensely, she looked up and found a smirk aimed down at her, as Ash looked amused.


    Yeah, great first impression, Kaori,  she told herself as she regained her balance and then went to the back of the carriage, where the rest of her troupe was. The regular guards sat at the front, leaving some space in the middle. She ended up sitting next to Yumi, by the edge of the vehicle, as the coachman spurred the horses forward.


    "Are you alright?" Yumi asked though she seemed a bit amused.


    "Y-Yeah," Kaori replied quickly. "I just... Slipped, is all. So," she said, in an effort to change the topic, "how long will it be, again?"


    "Two days, though," Yumi crossed her legs, "if the Saviors want to move in a hurry, and we don''t take many breaks, I suppose that time could be cut a little."


    "We''ll see," Kasumi, who had heard that and was walking over to them, said. "If the roads are looking safe enough, we''ll pace ourselves. If things really get dangerous though, then, yeah, we''ll want to be getting there in as little as possible."


    She and the other Savior sat down right in front of Kaori, with their backs hugging the right-hand wall edge of the cart. Naturally, Kaori''s eyes fell on the woman who''d caught her earlier, just to see if she was sneaking a chuckle at her or something.


    Instead, as soon as the half-demon sat down, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, as though intending to go to sleep.


    "What are you all going to do once you get to Pearl? Are you one of those improvising acts?" Kasumi then asked, putting a hand under her chin.


    "Oh, we were going to adapt this one story into a play, it''s called  The Taste of Snow,  have you heard of it?" Yumi asked.


    "Mm, no," Kasumi shook her head.


    "It was written by a great novelist named Kairo. It''s a short little piece of work, but one that captivated all of our hearts as soon as we discovered it."


    "What''s it about?"


    When Kaori heard that question, she was the one who answered it. It excited her to no end, after all.


    "It''s a story about love and duty!" She declared, somewhat loudly.


    "Uh... Okay, but what happens in it?"


    "I... Don''t remember, actually," Kaori replied, giving an awkward smile.


    "Kaori''s a sucker for themes more than anything else," Yumi half-whispered to the woman, even though they were all literally within an arms reach of one another.


    "Ohhh, a romantic? Hehe, I can appreciate that."


    "Well, anyway, essentially, there''s this soldier who''s coming home from a long time away from her family, and..."


    As Yumi began explaining the finer details of the play''s beginning, middle, and end, Kaori''s eyes rose up. Just behind Kasumi, she saw the half-demon with her arms crossed, and her eyes still closed.


    Kaori raised a brow at that.


    Is she that tired?  She wondered.  We only just got in this thing. Though, I imagine the life of a warrior would be exhausting.


    As that thought slipped through her mind, her eyes lowered a little, to the woman''s arms. She couldn''t see her physique well enough to gauge anything about her, due to her armor, but she wondered what would be there if the half-demon was to take some of those pieces off. Kaori had always had a soft spot for toned arms, in particular. It made those kiss scenes with Sinneah all the more enjoyable, though she didn''t tell the other actresses that for fear of being teased to death.


    "So, what do you do if you forget your lines?"


    A question was suddenly directed at her.


    "Hm?"


    "Forgive me if I''m assuming too much, but it doesn''t seem to me like you have the story memorized too well. What happens if you get on stage and forget?"


    "Oh," Kaori replied. "I wing it."


    Her answer came quickly and easily, mainly because it had happened before.


    "What?" Kasumi tilted her head.


    "Yeah. Personally," she smiled a little, "even if I don''t remember my lines specifically, I just... I try to think of what the character would do," she shrugged. "It helps that I''m usually a couple of drinks deep before every performance."


    "She''s an alcoholic," Vermia muttered.


    "N-No I''m not! I just... I enjoy a little bit of alcohol, every now and then..." Kaori pouted, looking away.


    At that, Kasumi turned toward the other Savior.


    "Hey, Ash, did you hear that?" Kasumi asked, with a cheeky little smile. "Looks like you found a kindred spirit here."


    "Hm?" Ash''s eyes slowly blinked open. "Wha...?"


    Was she almost asleep already?  Kaori asked herself, shocked.


    "She''s a heavy drinker too," Kasumi pointed at her. "Guess you''ve got a little in common."


    "..." Ash''s eyes then met hers, and they narrowed just slightly. "...ess so."


    She mumbled that so lowly that Kaori barely heard her. Then, just like that, she closed her eyes again and leaned her head back against the wall.


    "Not very sociable, is she?" Yumi said, with a light-hearted tone.


    "Eh, she''s definitely no people person, but she''s dependable. Hopefully, you won''t have to find..."


    The carriage stopped. The horses ahead, neighing wildly, appeared to be disturbed by something. Vermia, nervous, leaned forward.


    "What is happening?" She asked.


    "Let me check," Kasumi told everyone, standing up and quickly exiting the vehicle, as the guards ahead kept their hands on their weapons. Just then, Kaori heard a screech in the air, and Ash''s eyes popped open.


    Just as quickly as Kasumi, she exited the cart. Due to the roof of the carriage, Kaori couldn''t see what had arrived in front of them. So, with curiosity bubbling up inside of her, she moved up. One of the guards tried to hold her back, but Kaori got far enough to where she could see it.


    And, when she did, her jaw hit the ground.


    Another ear-rending screech came out of a creature that looked like a cross between a giant hawk and a lizard. The creature had a pair of thick brown wings, a scaly-looking body, and a pair of thin eyes aimed straight at the Savior currently walking toward it.


    "It''s all yours," Kasumi told the half-demon, taking a step back.


    "Gotcha," Ash replied, rolling her shoulders. "Spear."


    The cube the woman had on her belt then transformed into a brilliant golden polearm, with a thin blade at the front.


    From the creature''s beak, lightning shot out at the woman. She dashed to the right and held her spear out in front of her.


    "Mists of the north, wrap yourselves around my target!" She said, and the woman stretched a hand out toward the bird-like creature.


    A stream of icy winds surged out from her palm, unleashing themselves upon the monster ahead, and as they reached it, the creature shrieked in pain. That pain was negligible, though, compared to what it would soon go through.


    Ash all but disappeared as she charged forward. Running in front of the monster, she pulled her spear back, jumped up, and planted it in the monster''s body. All while Kaori watched, in absolute awe.


    She felt like she was watching a scene from a book play out in front of her. She hadn''t ever witnessed people moving like this or any fighting between high-leveled creatures.


    More than anything, however, that half-demon looked like she was completely in her element. And, that was something that Kaori had always loved seeing in people.


    And, well, it was also really, really hot.


    Kaori had been in many relationships over the course of her life, not all of them good, not all of them bad,  some of them with men, some of them with women, but the one thing her partners had in common was simple. Each one was a determined, passionate individual. It was a trait that Kaori appreciated greatly, knowing that the person she was with had something driving them. Something pushing them to work harder every day.


    Seeing how methodically, and how surgically, Ash was approaching this battle, she felt like she was seeing it now.


    Gosh,  she chuckled, smiling a little, as the half-demon stepped back, twirling her spear.  I didn''t know fighting could be so beautiful!


    What happened next, though, wasn''t quite as visually appealing.


    Ash ran forward. She dodged out of the way of another lightning attack. Then, she stepped under the bird and thrust her spear into the monster''s neck.


    And, blood spilled out from the monster''s body, completely covering the half-demon from head to toe.


    Kaori''s smile faded, and a grimace replaced it.


    Oh... Gross.


    "Ugh!" Ahead, Ash spat out, gagging as the monster fell to the side, dead. "It''s in my mouth, it''s in my mouth. Motherfucker!"


    Hearing that, Kaori chuckled.


    The Savior, drenched in the monster''s blood, walked right past Kasumi, on her way to the carriage, and Kaori quickly ran back to her seat.


    Trying her hardest to pretend that she hadn''t been watching, she looked away and whistled a little song to herself as Ash went back to her seat.


    As Kasumi hadn''t yet returned, the half-demon was in clear view, as she gave out the deepest sigh Kaori had ever heard, and let her head rest against the edge of the cart.


    "Pft..." Kaori tried to hold back a laugh but momentarily failed.


    "..." Ash opened her eyes and turned toward Kaori, glaring. "Hey, blue-eyes, come closer."


    "W-What?" Kaori pulled back. "Me?"


    Ash shifted closer to her.


    "Yes, you. Come ''ere," she said, leaning toward Kaori. "I wanna tell you something."


    Um... Please, don''t punch me. I''ll cry.


    Kaori gulped and leaned forward.


    And then, covered in bird blood, she gave Kaori a tight hug.


    "U-Ugh, get off," Kaori replied, trying to push her away.


    "Aw, come on. I just took that thing down, don''t I get a reward? I just want a hug!"


    "Leave the girl alone, Ash," Kasumi told her, and the half-demon quickly let go of her.


    "Fine, fine," Ash replied, a smirk stuck to her face as she shifted away from the actress.


    Ugh. I take it back, Kaori thought, trying her hardest to get the blood off of herself.. You are definitely not hot at all.

 Chapter 286 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 3

    For the next few hours, Kaori had a pout permanently fixed on her face. At the same time, the half-demon Savior would occasionally sneak a smug look aimed at her, that would make Kaori''s scowl intensify. The blood that had fallen on top of the half-demon, and that she''d so graciously shared with Kaori in that hug, had dried a while ago and still smelled awful. And yet, she looked like she didn''t have a care in the world as she kept her hands behind her head and her eyes closed, while most others in the carriage grimaced.


    "Okay!" The coachman yelled from the front, as his vehicle moved over a bridge. "We''re makin'' a stop! If ya wanna do your business, feel free to head out and do it."


    Hearing that, Kaori looked around to see where she was.


    Oh, wow...  Her eyes widened.  This... Is this what Pearl''s region is like?


    Around her was a verdant, gorgeous forest with vibrant trees. The lush vegetation was enough to lift her mood up, so much so that she grinned as she looked out at it.


    "Hm, hey, Sin," Vermia said, as she turned toward the woman. "Didn''t you used to spend a lot of time out in the forests like this?"


    "Yeah," Sinneah nodded. "That''s how I got these," she added, flexing her arms.


    "Indeed. Personally, that outrageous size of yours makes you a suitable travel partner. If I ever get stuck out here with you, I''ll just eat you."


    "You can eat me right now, if you''d like," Sinneah countered, and Vermia''s smirk went away as she rolled her eyes.


    "How vulgar."


    Kaori was too distracted to listen to any more of the exchange. Especially as she spotted something important. Under the bridge, stretching almost endlessly was a sparkling river, and as soon as Kaori spotted it, she stood up.


    Thank the gods! I need to wash this off of me, she thought, before racing out of the carriage.


    Desperate to get out of these stained clothes, Kaori undressed one step at a time, ignoring the eyes she felt on her back from the guards traveling with them.


    Naked and feeling a little refreshed already, she went to dip into the water, but a hand on her wrist stopped her.


    "W-Wha-?" She asked, looking to her left, and finding the half-demon there, holding her.


    How did she reach me so fast? Actually, never mind that, what the heck is she doing? Why did she stop me?


    "Hold on," Ash said, with a serious expression.


    "I-I just want to clean up," Kaori replied.


    "I could guess that. Just let me check the water first."


    "... Oh."


    The thought that there could be some sort of dangerous creature in the river hadn''t even crossed her mind. To be fair, she normally didn''t spend much time thinking of dangerous monsters. She would rather think about the next play her troupe would perform, or where she could go to have a fun night if she was feeling bored. The way the Savior was acting though, it seemed like this was a normal everyday thing to her.


    Ash walked forward, transforming that weird cube on her belt into a sword, and then reaching in and poking the water. When she noted a lack of a reaction, she did something Kaori would have never expected.


    She started taking her armor off.


    There were many things Kaori was sure of, in terms of her own identity. One of them was that she wasn''t a prude. And yet, as the half-demon stripped off piece of gold after piece of gold in front of her, Kaori felt herself blushing.


    It might have had something to do with the fact that now, covered in blood as she was, she could actually see that physique she''d been wondering about. This woman didn''t look real, to Kaori''s eyes. Muscles that alluded to a life spent mostly in training, curves that nearly matched Kaori''s own, and most prominently, a back so sculpted it looked like if Kaori tried to poke it, her finger wouldn''t even sink an inch.


    "What are you doing?" Kaori couldn''t help but ask.


    "What, do you think I like the smell of monster blood or something? I''m going in the water."


    "Is there some form of blood you do like?" Kaori lifted a brow.


    "What the- where did that come from?" Ash did the same.


    "You specified ''monster'' blood," Kaori replied, crossing her arms under her boobs. "So?"


    Ash paused, narrowing her eyes at Kaori, with that infuriating smirk of hers. Then, she said:


    "... Actually, yeah, there is. Human blood is personally super appealing to me. Especially young, blue-eyed actress blood."


    "... That''s not funny."


    "Eh, I got a kick out of it."


    With that being said, Kaori tried to ignore the woman and she went into the river, sitting on some small rocks, with the water reaching her chest. She thought Ash would go somewhere else, but instead, the Savior sat down right next to her. She bent down, plunged her head into the water, and snapped it back up in a motion that sent water flying everywhere.


    Once both of them were settled, they started to remove the blood off of themselves.


    "By the way, I didn''t know your show was going to start so early."


    "What?"


    Ash just shrugged though, refusing to elaborate.


    "I... What do you mean?"


    "The way you took your clothes off in front of all those guys back there," she gestured at the carriage. "You definitely gave them a show, didn''t you?"


    "Oh," Kaori looked away, as she realized what the Savior meant. "Meh."


    That was all she had to say. She didn''t really think it was a big deal. And, yet, as Ash continued to look at her, she got the sense that the other woman disagreed, so, she explained herself a little.


    "It''s not like I''m ashamed of my body," Kaori said, as she began trying to scrub the stains off of herself. "And... I don''t know, it is a little bit of an ego boost to know I can have that effect on people," she smiled to herself. "So, yeah. I don''t really care."


    "..." Ash took a pensive expression when she heard that.


    "I don''t know why you''re so confused," Kaori added, "you probably get those kinds of looks all the time. And, you don''t even have to take your clothes off to get them."


    Ash scoffed.


    "The only looks I get are like the one you gave me a little while ago. Scared."


    When Kaori heard that, she turned to look at the woman, and that smug expression had given way to something far less confident. She was smiling, still, but the way her eyes were half-closed, low, and unfocused, she looked like she pitied herself.


    "Well, in my defense," Kaori mumbled, "I thought you were going to hit me."


    "You were laughing at me, so I can''t say the thought didn''t cross my mind."


    "I wasn''t laughing, I was just... chuckling."


    "That''s just laughing, but quieter."


    "Yeah, so it''s not as bad."


    "Yeah?" Ash briefly looked her way. "I''d rather you didn''t laugh at all."


    When she heard that, Kaori knew her response had a very large chance of making Ash very unhappy, but she couldn''t help it. She was always the type that talked before she thought about what she was going to say.


    "That just wasn''t an option," Kaori shrugged. "You looked too funny."


    The silence from the woman next to her made the actress quickly wonder if she''d stepped over the line.


    "H-Hey, if you punch me, I''ll start sobbing. I''m serious. I hate fighting," Kaori let her know, before turning to look at her.


    Instead of scorn, though, what she found was just a sort of puzzled amusement.


    "I looked funny?" Ash asked, then.


    "... Yeah."


    "Heh. Noted," Ash looked away. "That''s a first."


    "What do you mean?" Kaori asked.


    "I..." She shook her head. "I''ve been doing this job for a few months. I''ve been to a few different cities already, just cause Kasumi thought it would be good to train in different atmospheres and cause the Royal Council doesn''t really care whether they send me halfway across the world or not. And... Not once has someone told me I ''looked funny''. That''s the first time I''ve heard that."


    As Ash finished saying that, neither of them spoke for a while. Kaori paused altogether. Her first thought was, "don''t your friends ever tell you that?" but, she stopped herself just in time, as she realized the answer was no. Likely, because of a reason that she could glean from the two horns on the girl''s head.


    She hadn''t thought about that much at all, mostly because she didn''t really care. Kaori hadn''t exactly been friends with any half-demons in the past, but she''d always felt like she was a decent judge of character, and she didn''t get the sense that this woman was some man-eating beast.


    "Eh," Kaori shrugged after a minute passed. "It''s not that big a deal," she muttered. "You know, in this little gig we''ve got together, the other girls and I have been running around Jade for a long time now, and not once has anyone ever told me I look smart. Most people just assume I''m an airhead. Probably because I am one, but still."


    "I would never have guessed, blue-eyes," Ash said, with a dramatic tone befitting an elementary actress.


    "I have a name, you know."


    "Oh, I know you do, but every time I call you blue-eyes you get this funny look on your face, and I like seeing it."


    "Hmph. See if I ever try to empathize with you again," she resumed her pouting.


    "... So," suddenly, Ash changed the topic. "This acting stuff. How did you get into it?"


    Her question came so suddenly that Kaori pulled back. She hadn''t been ready for it.


    "Ehm," Kaori tilted her head. "You really wanna know? I didn''t think you''d care about that sort of thing."


    "I don''t. You can call it a mild curiosity, I guess," the half-demon shrugged.


    As she heard that, Kaori ran through her memories in her mind, trying to identify the starting point for this little dream of hers.


    "... It started when I was a teenager," she smiled. "I had this girlfriend, a long time ago. She was the one who introduced me to this whole thing. She took me out on plays often, and, yeah, I loved her a lot, and the love that I had for her sort of... spread to the art form, you know?"


    "Used to? What happened?" Ash asked.


    "Her parents moved out of Jade, and we couldn''t see each other anymore," Kaori took a sad little smile on her face as she said that. "I don''t know where they went, but even though we kept in touch through letters, we ended it on the day she left. I''ve been in a ton of relationships," she admitted, feeling no shame at all, "but, that one was the longest. And, absolutely, the best. So far, anyway."


    "Hm..." Ash hummed to herself, as Kaori kept going, caught up in her own mind now.


    She remembered her old girlfriend then. Her beautiful, silky black hair. Her thin, adorable frame. The way she treated everything Kaori did like it was just as important to her as it was to the blonde herself.


    "Y-Yeah," Kaori laughed awkwardly.. "It was great."

 Chapter 287 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 4

    The rest of the day felt like it passed somewhat uneventfully. Hours went by in a flash, as Kaori started to feel like she was getting tired. Although everyone in the carriage had tried making conversation for a long time, eventually, everyone settled into a comfortable silence, as it seemed like the tiredness Kaori was experiencing was shared by the others.


    It was as the sun was beginning to descend past the horizon that the carriage finally stopped.


    As it did, Kaori, who had been about to fall asleep on Yumi''s shoulder, opened her eyes and looked around.


    "Huh?" She asked. "Is anything happening?"


    "We''re making camp for the night," Yumi informed her.


    Ahead, the guards were exiting the vehicle. The two Saviors had already done so, and soon, all of the actresses were the only ones left.


    "Thank the gods, I need to stretch my legs," Vermia stated as she stood up and quickly stepped outside.


    "Wait up," Yumi called out. "I''ll join you," she told the other woman as she followed after her, and Sinneah took that chance to speak to Kaori.


    "By the way, are you alright?"


    "Hm? Why do you ask?"


    "I saw you alone with that Savior," Sinneah said, and those firm eyes of hers were looking back at Kaori with a hint of concern. "She didn''t threaten you or anything, did she?"


    "No, no," Kaori shook her head quickly. "We just... talked."


    Even though she was the one saying it, even though she had lived it, she knew it was a little hard to believe. Saviors were, after all, this higher tier of existence in the world. Why would one of them choose to waste time speaking with her?


    Still, it had happened.


    "Wow," Sinneah replied. "So, is she cool, or what?"


    At that, Kaori looked away for a second.


    "Yeah... I guess I''d say so," she shrugged. "From what I could tell, at least."


    "Awesome," Sinneah replied. "So, when are you gonna hit on her?"


    "... What?" Kaori blinked. "Uh, never."


    She was so caught off-guard that her answer sounded like a question. Sinneah smirked a little.


    "Really?"


    "Why are you so surprised?"


    "It''s not every day you get the chance to fuck in the middle of a forest. You''re not gonna take advantage of it?"


    "Sin," Kaori chuckled, "just cause she didn''t curse me out or whatever doesn''t mean she likes me."


    "Bullshit. Everyone likes you."


    Rolling her eyes, Kaori stood up.


    "Nah, you''re just projecting," Kaori replied.


    "Really?" Sinneah asked, amused. "How are you so sure?"


    "Mm. Considering the amount of times you''ve stuck your tongue down my throat in the middle of a kiss scene? Yeah, I''m fairly certain."


    "I just give audiences what they want to see. The fact that I''m making out with one of the hottest women I''ve ever met while I do it is just a bonus."


    On that note, as Kaori grinned a little, both of them got off of the vehicle.


    The Saviors, and the guards, built up a decent camp for the night, making a small fire near the carriage that everyone gathered around. Vermia was laid down, asleep, behind everyone. Near her, Sinneah was resting with her back pressed against a tree, looking up at the stars.


    Yumi and Kaori were at the front, by the fire, dancing together as the guards sang something, clapping their hands in a rhythm.


    "Till the dawn comes, till the sunrise, make the morn'' long, make the gums dry!"


    Everyone watched on with some joyous smiles as Kaori held Yumi''s hands and spun her around a couple of times. In the middle of it though, she spotted the Saviors, and her steps were briefly interrupted. They were sitting next to each other, with some serious expressions on their faces. Kaori was a little far, but from what she saw, it almost looked like Ash was being scolded.


    Hm. Are they alright?  Kaori wondered for a while, before, soon, an idea came to her mind.


    Before she ever considered whether it was a good idea or not, Kaori jogged over to where the two of them were, as Yumi continued dancing on her own, and she moved up in front of Ash. Both of them paused, looking up at her. Ash tilted her head, as Kaori extended a hand toward her.


    "..." Ash looked down at her hand, then up at Kaori, and then back down at her hand. "What?"


    "Let''s dance!" She proposed, and Ash looked at her as though she''d actually just grown a second head.


    "... What?" Ash asked again, and Kasumi chuckled a little.


    "Hey," Kasumi put a hand on Ash''s shoulder. "Go ahead."


    "Huh? But, the-"


    "We can keep talking later," Kasumi waved her off. "Enjoy yourself."


    "..." Ash looked like she was trying to think of something to say, but couldn''t.


    "Come on! It''ll be fun!" Kaori promised, before reaching down and trying to pull the girl up to her feet. She failed miserably, but Ash stood up on her own, as she looked down at Kaori, completely baffled.


    Kaori then tried to pull her closer to the campfire, without getting so close to where the guard''s eyes would move to them, but close enough to where they could hear them singing in the background. She then took the Savior''s hands and tried to move in some simple patterns, mostly just swinging her hips from side to side. All the while, Ash seemed stunned. It made Kaori giggle a little, as she kept going.


    "Not much of a dancer?" Kaori asked her, in the middle of it all.


    "... No."


    "Well, it''s never too late to learn," Kaori pitched. "Do you wanna~?"


    "..." Going back to nothing but silence, Ash blinked as Kaori pretty much began moving around her, singing along in a low volume. Getting a little closer to the half-demon, Kaori nearly stopped when she looked into the other woman''s eyes and saw a confusion so pure that she wondered if Ash had ever even danced before.


    Before long, she stopped and giggled a little.


    "Okay, okay, you win," Kaori said. "Sorry for springing this onto you like that. It just seemed, uh, seemed like you weren''t having much fun. Are you alright?"


    As she heard that, the surprise slowly faded from Ash''s face. The confusion, however, remained.


    "Yeah, we were going over some training stuff. I..." Ash narrowed her eyes a little. "Why do you care?"


    "... Uh, what?" Kaori tilted her head. "I dunno, you looked a little weird. Wanted to see if I could help."


    "Okay, but why?"


    That almost made Kaori''s confusion rival the Savior''s.


    "Because I could?" She shrugged. "I mean, do I need any more reason than that?"


    When she heard that, Ash looked away.


    "Guess not."


    Once the singing died down, and everyone began to fully settle into a sort of resting mode, the only sound in the air was that of the fire crackling away. Everyone was sectioned off into their own little subgroups. Kaori and her troupe were all inside the carriage so that, in the case of a sudden attack, they could hide there. The guards were farthest from the carriage. And, finally, beside the girls, the Saviors were sitting by the fire.


    Kaori was sitting on the right-hand side, but, for some reason, she just couldn''t sleep yet. That tiredness she''d been feeling before had pretty much faded. So, she sat up, turning to look around at everyone, to see if anyone else shared her sentiment.


    Sinneah was on her own, at the back of the carriage, fully asleep. Vermia and Yumi were laid down next to each other, as though they''d gone to sleep in the middle of a conversation.


    Hm. Guess not.  Kaori thought, as she stood up and quickly hopped out of the carriage.


    By the fire, the two Saviors were speaking to each other. Ash glanced over at the blonde but quickly went back to her talk. As for the guards, some had fallen asleep but the rest were still up, looking out toward the trees as if checking to make sure everything was alright. Kaori noted all of this and moved by the back of the carriage, stretching her arms and staring out into the road.


    I''ll just stay out here until I feel a little more tired, I guess.


    Thus, keeping her eyes out on the bridge, she did just that.


    For a while, her mind was blank, but soon some thoughts here and there began to circle in her brain. She wondered what performing in Pearl would be like. What the stage would be like, as she hadn''t seen it before. She wondered if she''d get to meet any other artists or actors like her. For now, though, all she could do was look forward to it.


    After a few minutes out here though, she noticed something.


    ... Hm?


    Above, the sky was subtly changing colors. A shade of violet seemed like it was beginning to cover it.


    Does that happen a lot in this region?  She asked herself, putting her hands on her hips.


    Then, she saw something in the distance, above.


    Wait, that''s not a bird... That''s a woman?  She asked herself, as she saw what looked like a woman with wings. Then, another one popped up, and soon, she was walking over to where the Saviors were.


    "... can''t handle it," Kasumi was telling Ash as she arrived. "As soon as we''re done with this, you''ll see her again."


    "I know, but..." Ash replied before she paused, looking up at Kaori. "Is something wrong?"


    "Yeah, uh, are those things normal?" She asked, pointing toward the winged women.


    As soon as Ash and Kasumi saw them, their eyes all but bulged out of their sockets, and quickly, they stood up.


    "Hide," Kasumi quickly told Kaori.


    "W-What?"


    "Hide! Go!" She yelled, pointing at the carriage. "Guards!" She alerted them.


    "What''s going on?" Kaori asked.


    And, Ash answered.


    "Demons."

 Chapter 288 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 5

    It took Kaori a moment to internalize what she''d just heard.


    ... What?


    "What level are they? Can you tell from here?" Kasumi asked Ash.


    "Uh, level 15, level 16, around there," Ash replied.


    "Alright. Get ready."


    Ash then ran over to Kaori and harshly dragged her by the wrist back to the carriage. At the same time, Kaori realized this was actually happening. The horses, which had been asleep, started freaking out. The guards, some of which had been asleep, were scrambling to prepare themselves. And, as Kaori entered the carriage, Kasumi went over to her with a serious expression on her face.


    "Listen," she said. "A lot more than just those two are about to be here. If anything happens, you run away. Got it?"


    Kaori tried to respond, but no words would come out of her throat.


    "Do you understand?" Kasumi asked again, louder.


    "Y-Yeah." She said, after a moment of hesitation. However, that was all Kasumi wanted to hear, apparently, as she then woke up the coachman, told him the same things she''d told Kaori, and then ran off in the direction that the blonde had seen those winged creatures appear.


    Suddenly, she could hear them. Ominous animalistic screeches. The sounds of demons, apparently.


    She saw Vermia stirring on her own, her eyes blinking open most likely due to Kasumi''s loud question.


    "Vermia, wake Sin up," she told her.


    "What?"


    "Something''s happening, just do it."


    As she sensed the urgency in Kaori''s tone, she nodded and did as the blonde had asked. She turned toward the Zayama, then, crouching in front of her.


    "Yumi," she said, putting a hand on the woman''s shoulder and shaking her a little. "Yumi!"


    "Huh? Kaori?" The woman asked, as she slowly awoke. "Goodness, what time is it?"


    "Still night, just get up, we''re under attack."


    When the woman heard that, she sat up so quickly that she nearly struck Kaori with her shoulder, as Kaori had been hunched over her just a little. Her eyes looked concerned as they searched around the carriage, through the open spaces between the roof and the seats.


    With perfect timing, a man screamed, and those animalistic noises Kaori had heard earlier reached the campsite. When they did, grunts, roars, slicing, and tearing sounds began to fill the air in an explosion of sheer chaos.


    Sinneah was awake, and she too was looking around, as nervous as everyone else was.


    "Stay down!" She said, pulling the girl to the floor of the carriage. Yumi and Vermia crouched on their own when they saw that.


    Trying to remain as hidden as they could, each of the women backed up into the corners of the carriage, with Yumi and Vermia on one side, and Sinneah and Kaori on the other. As terrified as she was, Kaori couldn''t help but wrap her arms around the larger woman for some support, and Sinneah held onto her tightly.


    All around them, the sounds of battle continued to rage. Honestly, Kaori wondered if she was going to wake up anytime soon. This felt like a bad dream. It was the sort of thing where, a person would hear about it happening to others, but go through their whole lives without ever thinking that it could happen to them.


    Kaori was just an actress, after all. Getting slaughtered by a demon had never been too high on her list of concerns, but this night made it a possibility.


    One that grew even more likely when she looked to her left, peaking over the carriage seat, and saw a demon devouring the remains of one of the guards.


    By... By Lumina...  Kaori thought, feeling her heart pound against her chest as she saw the demon''s teeth rip some flesh off of the guard''s dead body.


    And, then, the demon''s head snapped up, and its violet eyes met Kaori''s own.


    The sounds of the ensuing combat were so loud that she couldn''t hear the snarl the creature visibly made as it let go of the corpse in its hands.


    Then, it lunged toward Kaori, and she felt Sinneah pull her back.


    However, before the demon could reach it, a golden arrow shot through its head.


    Instantly, the demon was dead. Kaori''s eyes remained fixed on it for a time, before she went to search for whoever had just saved her, and probably the rest of her friends. Up ahead, Ash had a golden, shining bow in her hands that then transformed into a spear, as she turned her eyes away from Kaori''s area.


    One steady breath after another, Kaori kept watching the dead demon. Then, looking up, she continued to watch the half-demon Savior as she fought off the other demons around her. She moved with a ferocity that spelled certain death for any enemy nearby. An impressive display that Kaori could feel burning itself into her memories.


    Just as quickly as they''d come, soon, the sounds of battle began to fade. That strange violet haze in the sky disappeared. And, the only things left that even indicated that a battle had just taken place were the corpses on the bridge and the terrible smell in the air.


    ---


    When it was all said and done, around half of the guards had died. The Saviors were both left unscathed, as were the actresses since they''d been largely ignored by the attacking demon forces. Kasumi called it a successful defense and wore a wide smile on her face the next morning.


    As for Kaori, however, that demon''s face was there long after the fight had concluded. She knew, she just knew, that she would be seeing that moment for several nights. The demon''s eyes were on her, the dead guard under its chin, whose blood was dripping down from the monster''s face.


    I''m going to have a lot of trouble sleeping, aren''t I?  She asked herself, as she rested her head on Sinneah''s shoulder while the carriage continued on its journey.


    Although Kasumi had been proud of the results last night, there was no friendly conversation this morning. Ash kept her arms crossed, Kaori kept her eyes low, Yumi and Vermia were both silent, and the only indication that Kaori even had that Sinneah was awake was how she would comfortingly stroke her hair every couple of seconds.


    Understandably, this kept going for several hours, until everyone decided it would be a good idea to stop to have some food.


    So, with just half a day left in their journey, the carriage halted its progress once again. The remaining guards walked out of it, stretching and speaking to each other with far less eager tones than before, as this time they stopped at a clearing in the middle of the forest.


    As for Kaori, she remained in the carriage while everyone else went outside. She told the others that she wanted to see if she could manage to start a small nap after she ate some bread she''d brought, and they were fine with that. Yumi offered to stay, but Kaori politely declined.


    Because of that, she was currently on her own, with her knees curled up to her chest, as she tried to put her mind at ease.


    Just think about the play,  she told herself.  Don''t focus on that horrifying face you saw last night or the dead body. Just focus on...


    That thought was interrupted, though, when Ash walked up, into the carriage. Kaori''s eyes widened a little, as she hadn''t expected this to happen at all.


    "How are you holding up?" Ash asked, sitting down next to her.


    Looking away, Kaori shrugged.


    "Fine, I guess," she took a shaky breath. "Oh, uh, thank you, by the way. For stepping in when the demon was about to try to bite my face off and all."


    Ash''s response was a simple nod, as she crossed her arms and leaned back.


    For a moment, neither one said anything. However, a question appeared in Kaori''s mind, and she couldn''t help but ask about it.


    "By the way... What was it like for you?" Kaori asked, and Ash turned toward her.


    "Hm?"


    "Your first time seeing a demon. What was it like?"


    "... I was scared shitless."


    Kaori was a little surprised to hear that. Ash looked like the type of person who wasn''t scared of anything. Though, she could have said the same for Sinneah until last night happened.


    "It was in the middle of a mission I had with Kasumi," Ash explained then, continuing to speak as Kaori turned to face her, listening. "The Council wanted me to investigate some random estate near Jade that belonged to a rich guy, that hadn''t contacted anyone in a while."


    Ash waved a hand, as though the mission was unimportant.


    "I went there with Kasumi, and with my little sister, though."


    "Oh? You have a sister?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm? Yeah, her name''s Luvine," Ash answered.


    "Cute name," Kaori replied.


    "Yeah, anyway, at that point and time, I was taking Luvine everywhere. When I first got this job, the reason I even took it was because I thought it would be a good chance to take Luvine out of Jade and help her see the world. So, I took her with me to this place. Point is," she elaborated. "Guess what? What had happened was that everyone in the estate had been killed. And, to make matters worse, by demons. A lot of them, actually. I was pretty low-level at the time, so even though I helped Kasumi fight them off, I struggled. I remember, this one demon charged right at me and tackled me out of the building, right through the front doors. That was where Luvine was waiting."


    A slightly sad smile appeared on Ash''s face.


    "And... Honestly, seeing a demon for the first time was scary, but the worst part was seeing Luvine''s face when she saw me fighting it. We ended up winning out in the end, but... Yeah. I still remember that moment perfectly, to this day. It''s why I don''t take her out on missions anymore."


    "Wow..." Kaori replied. She had nothing else to say. She was just stunned to hear that.


    "Yeah, that day sucked. But, it could have sucked a lot worse. Just like last night could have sucked a lot worse for you. So, hey, I think I deserve some thanks for that."


    "I already said thanks," Kaori replied with a smile.


    "Eh, I could stand to hear it again," Ash shrugged. At that, Kaori chuckled and gave the woman a warm little smile.


    Alright, how''s this for some gratitude?


    Kaori scooted closer to her then. Ash froze up, but Kaori didn''t let that stop her as she kissed the woman on the cheek and said:


    "Thank you, you are truly my Savior. How''s that?"


    Ash blinked. She took a sharp breath and looked away as she replied:


    ".... Fine."

 Chapter 289 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 6

    Thankfully, the rest of the trip was without much incident. They ran into a couple of monsters here and there, but overall, nothing the guards and the Saviors couldn''t handle. The lush forest that hugged the road they were on never darkened the way it did before.


    Thus, during a morning so bright and comfortable that even as tired as Kaori felt from not getting as much sleep as she usually did, she grinned out at the gates ahead, when she realized they had arrived.


    Wow...  She thought.  Pearl. We''re here!


    "We made it!" Kaori pointed ahead, looking at the others.


    "In the end, we didn''t get our flesh bitten off by some monstrous, ravenous beasts. Hooray," Vermia said with barely any emotion as she got out of the carriage. Kaori, however, interpreted that as some genuine relief on her part.


    One by one, the guards and the actresses all jumped off the carriage, but Kaori''s eyes remained on the vehicle as she waited to see if the Saviors were departing. Specifically, she wanted to know if her time with Ash had already come to an end.


    She was curious about her. Putting aside how she saved her life, it felt like Ash had an interesting story to tell. One that Kaori would love to listen to. Thankfully, though, the Saviors both jumped off the carriage as well and quickly walked over to Kaori and her friends.


    "Well, here you are," Kasumi gestured ahead. "Safe and sound."


    "Thank you," Kaori bowed to her. The woman gave her a polite smile and waved her off.


    "You''re welcome. So, do you already have a place to stay at, or what?"


    "Uh..." Kaori turned toward Yumi. She was, after all, the one who did most of the planning for their group.


    "No," Yumi shrugged. "We were actually just going to ask around for any potential inns to stay at."


    "Oh. In that case, I''ve got a few to recommend."


    "I suppose that if you''re saying this then the answer is ''yes'', but have you been here before?"


    "I live here," Kasumi replied quickly. "Well, when I''m not training her," she pointed at Ash.


    That made Kaori notice that Ash had been looking at her before Kaori caught that and her eyes moved onto Yumi.


    Considering what Kaori had on her mind about wanting to get to know her a little better, she hoped this was a good sign that Ash felt the same way.


    Who knows? She thought.  I feel like I might be in the process of making a pretty good friend. A hot friend too, which is never a bad thing either. Can''t have too many of those.


    "Anyway," Kasumi continued, "how about it?"


    "I''d like that if it''s alright with everyone," Yumi turned to gauge everyone''s reaction. It was a subtle hint at her considerate nature that was part of why Kaori had connected so well with her in the first place.


    The troupe didn''t have an official "leader" exactly. Everyone contributed in their own way. However, moments like these made it feel like Yumi was very much their unofficial leader. She was the most organized, and the one who always put together their schedule, but she always made sure everyone was in agreement with what she had in mind.


    "Yeah, sounds good," Kaori replied. Vermia and Sinneah both reacted the same way, and before long, Kasumi was taking the lead.


    "Alright, follow me."


    And, coincidentally, Ash and Kaori had ended up alone, at the back of the group as everyone else walked ahead, toward the open gates.


    Neither of them said anything for a couple of seconds, but Kaori didn''t keep quiet for too long.


    "I''m really glad we''ll get to talk a little bit more!" She proudly stated as Ash turned toward her. She had said that loudly enough to where some people gave her a strange look, but she didn''t care about that. "I was, eh, kinda worried we wouldn''t get the chance."


    As Kaori let her know that, Ash gave her a skeptical look.


    "Why do you wanna talk to me?" She asked, and the question came out so suddenly, that Kaori pulled back.


    "Cause you seem cool?" She shrugged.


    "Is that it?" She asked again.


    "Uh, yeah..." Kaori replied, confused. She couldn''t tell why Ash was acting so strangely all of a sudden. "Do you not want to? S-Sorry if I''m being pushy, or whatever, I just..." She trailed off.


    "Nah, it''s alright," Ash sighed. "I''m just not used to that."


    "Huh? Not used to what?"


    Ash looked back at her then. She didn''t say anything for a couple of seconds, as though she was gauging whether she should make the following admission, but in the end, she did.


    "People wanting to talk to me. I... Whatever, just, yeah," she said, exhibiting a sudden vulnerability that Kaori hadn''t seen coming, as she looked away.


    "How about," Kaori told her, "later tonight, we head to a tavern and we have some drinks together. How does that sound?"


    "Fine."


    "Awesome," Kaori told her, smiling widely. "I''m looking forward to it."


    Soon, they caught up to the others, and as Kaori''s attention went from the half-demon to the city they''d just entered, she felt like she''d walked into a dream world. The differences between this place and Jade were so clear, it made the feeling of being spirited away all the more powerful. Vibrant, gorgeous architecture, large trees planted in the middle of the street, colorful flowers lining the sidewalks, and people with friendly smiles on their faces as they talked to each other, which gave the area a spirit of friendliness that was right up Kaori''s alley.


    "This is amazing!" Kaori all but yelled, and Vermia, who had been to her right, flinched when she heard her.


    "Goodness, woman, calm down," Vermia said. "It''s just a city."


    "A colorful city, though!"


    "And that''s enough to impress you?"


    "Absolutely!" Kaori replied. "Have you seen the buildings in Jade? They''re so stale compared to this!"


    "The enthusiasm is cute, but uh, you might wanna lower that volume a little bit. Don''t want people thinking a bunch of weirdoes just came into the city," Kasumi advised her.


    "And what''s wrong with being a weirdo?" Kaori asked, putting her hands on her hips. "I, for one, take pride in my strangeness. A friend once told me that the expression of lunacy is what makes for compelling acting," she declared proudly, putting on a sage-like tone.


    "I guess I can''t argue with that... Mostly cause I have no idea whether that''s true or not, but anyway, come on, I''ll show you to the place."


    Kasumi did just that. A while later, they were arriving at a quaint little building at the center of the city, by a round park where a few different stores and restaurants were found. On a sign outside, Kaori saw the words "Sleeping Dragon Inn". Here, Kasumi led them into the inn she had in mind, and, as they walked inside, Kaori understood why she recommended it.


    The place just instantly filled her with a cozy sensation. There was a fireplace, currently unlit by the back of the room, a counter to the left where Kaori saw some plates waiting to be used, and a small staircase to the right, that she guessed led up to the rentable rooms.


    Gesturing for them to continue following her, Kasumi took them to the counter where a large man with a thick beard, wearing an apron that said "world''s best dad-chef", placed his hands down and raised a brow at them.


    "Good morning, ladies, what can I do for you?" He asked, with a very polite tone.


    Immediately, Kaori noticed his silver eyes. She''d seen them before, on two different people, most notably. One was Yumi, of course, and the other person who''d held this same shade, well, Kaori tried to push the girl out of her thoughts for fear of falling into melancholy over her.


    It had been years but that wound in her heart, although healed, could very well reopen again if prodded enough.


    "Good morning," Kasumi replied. "They want to rent some rooms here. I was just showing them to this place. Goodbye!" She said, waving at everyone.


    When she heard that, Kaori quickly said:


    "U-Uh, where are you going, though?"


    As Kasumi gave her a weird look, she elaborated.


    "I mean, just in case we need more help, you know? Not to bother you or anything..."


    "Oh. We''re going to be staying over at my house," Kasumi told her. "it''s just down the street, the grey house on the right. You can''t miss it."


    "Alright, ehm, bye..." Kaori said, a little embarrassed to have reacted like that.


    Ash, however, had an amused smile on her face.


    "See ya," Ash told her in a low voice before the two Saviors left.


    "... Well, anyway," the man continued. "You wanted to rent some rooms?"


    "Yes," Yumi stepped up. "How much will it be?"


    "Ten crowns per night, per room," he said.


    I... I guess that''s not too bad,  Kaori shrugged, as Yumi turned to look at her for approval.


    "We don''t know how long we''ll be here," Vermia spoke up. "We should probably just play it smart and rent out a single one."


    "Really?" Yumi asked, surprised.


    "Yes. Depending on the size of the bed, we can just take turns choosing who gets to sleep in it," she added. "I think it''s a fine idea."


    Yumi looked toward Kaori and Sinneah.


    "I''m fine with it," Kaori chuckled.


    I''ve swapped spit with Sinneah too many times to count, and I''m comfortable around both Yumi and Vermia, even if Vermia can get on my nerves sometimes. Sharing a bed with any of them is nothing.


    "Agreed," Sinneah said as well.


    "Okay," Yumi then reached into her purse and pulled out the ten crowns. "One room, then."


    "Right. Here you go. First room on the left," he said, before pulling out a drawer from the counter. He then went through a bunch of keys, but his brows furrowed as it looked like he couldn''t find the one he wanted.


    "Ah, curses," he sighed. "I forgot where I put it."


    Then, he called out for someone.


    "Keiko! Do you know where I left the keys for the rooms?"


    And, as soon as Kaori heard that name, she froze.


    ... What?


    "Yeah!" A voice answered from behind an open door that Kaori hadn''t noticed, just beside the man in front of her. A voice she knew well. "Got it."


    A few light footsteps thudded against the ground then, heading toward the room as Kaori felt her heart beating faster.


    And then, the owner of that voice came out.


    A short, thin, black-haired girl, with silky black hair and a pair of big silver eyes, holding a keyring in her hands that she passed along to the man.


    "Here you go," Keiko told him, before turning to see the customers.


    Of course, when she saw Kaori, her expression immediately changed to one of shock.


    "... Kaori?" The blonde heard, and she took a deep breath.


    By Lumina''s grace...  Kaori thought, as she took a step forward.


    "Keiko?"

 Chapter 290 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 7

    Note: Just in case you''re wondering, this interlude is only going to go on for about another five parts. We''ll get back to the main story soon!


    ---


    Ash


    "Ah, here we are. It''s been a while, hasn''t it?" Kasumi asked Ash as the two of them arrived at her house. With some of the locals passing by and gawking at them, in their golden attire, Ash couldn''t help but think about that woman again. They had just separated, a few minutes ago, and yet Ash''s mind instantly went back to her. Short blonde hair, bright green eyes, a smile worth all the crowns in the world.


    To the half-demon, it felt like she wasn''t real.


    "Ash?" Kasumi asked, and the Savior snapped out of it.


    "Yeah?"


    "Come in," Kasumi gestured at the open door, leading into her home. "Let''s get settled before those actresses come knocking."


    Ash raised a brow when she heard that.


    "What makes you think they will?"


    "Oh, they absolutely will, if this is their first time visiting Pearl. This city can be hard to navigate on your own. If they don''t come here, I''d be very surprised."


    As soon as the two of them walked inside, Ash saw a couple of people in the living room, both of which she hadn''t seen in a bit. One was the maid that Kasumi had hired to watch over her home while she was away, the other was the little girl who hopped off the couch and ran straight into Kasumi''s arms.


    "Mom!" Nozomi said, hugging the woman tightly.


    "Hi! How have you been sweetie?" Kasumi kissed her daughter on the cheek and grinned down at her. "You didn''t give Marie too much trouble?"


    "She''s wonderful," the maid quickly answered. "No trouble at all."


    "Good to hear," Kasumi replied.


    "How was the trip?" Marie asked as Ash walked in and went straight to the kitchen. She found a pitcher full of water and poured some of it into a glass cup, lifting it to her lips as she watched the conversation unfold nearby.


    "Jade is the same it''s always been," Kasumi replied as she sat down on the couch. "Tall buildings, elegant outfits, cold gazes over happy smiles, the usual."


    "Hm. You make it sound so dreary."


    "At times, it can be like that. Every place has its bright spots though," Kasumi replied as Marie sat next to her. "Did my brother come asking for me?"


    "Of course," Marie replied. "You know he worries for you."


    "Unfortunately."


    As the two of them talked, Ash tried to make a subtle escape. She headed for the nearby hall and went to what had basically been declared as "her room", at this point. Here, she stepped inside and quickly threw off her armor, feeling refreshed as its weight was taken off her body.


    Standing there, with only the wrappings around her body covering her, she took a deep breath. Again, those bright green eyes made their way into her mind, and Ash sighed. Laying down on the bed, she put her hands behind her head and remembered that one moment after the battle had happened.


    That soft kiss that Kaori had planted on her cheek. One so warm that it made Ash feel like she was burning up when it happened.


    ... Fuck me,  she thought.  What was all of that even about?


    Thus, closing her eyes, she tried her hardest not to think about it anymore.


    And she failed miserably.


    ---


    Kaori


    This can''t be real,  Kaori thought, as she sat down across from the black-haired girl from her past. The one that had appeared in front of her so suddenly.  This... How?  She wondered.


    "How have you been?" Keiko asked, with a smile. If she was as nervous or as shocked as Kaori was right now, she was hiding it exceptionally well.


    "I-I, I mean," Kaori laughed incredulously. "Good! Good, but... Keiko, I haven''t seen you in so long, how have YOU been?" Kaori asked.


    Her ex-girlfriend gave her a smile then, which made a dozen memories flash in front of Kaori''s eyes. She honestly looked almost the exact same. She''d gotten a couple of inches taller and, her body had certainly grown in a few areas, as a brief glance down to the girl''s chest let Kaori know, but in every other way, this was still the same woman she''d loved so passionately.


    "I''ve been fine," Keiko replied.


    As she said that, a silence was cast over the table as both of them just looked at each other for a bit before a grin broke out on Kaori''s face.


    "Ahhh, I can''t believe this!" Kaori squeaked. "This is so crazy! You never told me your family owned an inn!"


    "That is because we didn''t," Keiko replied. "My parents bought this place a few years ago, about a year after I left Jade. My dad said it had always been a dream of his to own a nice little place like this and settle down here. So, yes," Keiko shrugged. "They did that, and I''ve been helping out around here ever since."


    "Gosh, that''s awesome!" Kaori replied. "I''m so happy for you."


    "Thank you," Keiko bowed. "And, you? What have you been doing?"


    When she heard that question, Kaori honestly felt a tad bit nervous. It wasn''t that she was ashamed of her troupe or anything, but acting wasn''t really considered a viable career path unless you were famous back in Jade. In art forms in general, anyone could say they were something, but how many people actually made those things work?


    Still, she swallowed that bit of nervousness down and said:


    "I... You remember those plays we used to watch? At the Moonlight Theatre?" Kaori asked.


    Keiko tilted her head, looking slightly confused.


    "Yes."


    "Well, I was in a couple of them, recently," Kaori shrugged with a cautious smile. "I''ve been acting."


    The look on Keiko''s face certainly proved that was the last thing she expected to hear. Kaori was almost proud that she''d managed to produce that effect on her.


    "Really!?" Keiko asked, leaning forward on the table.


    "Yeah," Kaori nodded eagerly. "Those women you saw me with, they''re part of my group. We''re going to be performing here, actually," she added. "That''s why we came to Pearl. Why we''re staying here for a few days."


    "Oh my goodness!" Keiko sounded so impressed, it nearly made Kaori tear up. That''s amazing, I didn''t know you had that in you! I-I mean," Keiko quickly corrected, "not to say I didn''t think you were talented or anything but, well, acting is very specific and you never expressed an interest in it like that. Not to say that you should have or that I couldn''t have asked, but I just thought that... maybe... I''ll... just... stop. Sorry."


    ... She''s still just as cute as she was before,  Kaori smiled widely at her.  Wow. I... This had to have been fate, Lumina herself must have-


    A woman then appeared.


    She had silky green hair, tied into a ponytail. Her face was slender and she had a pair of thin eyes, which looked down at Keiko as she walked up to her.


    "Hey, I''m done with my shift, are we leaving soon?"


    "Oh, right," Keiko turned her eyes up to her, as Kaori watched, confused. "Yeah, we''ll go in a bit."


    ... What? Kaori blinked, as she saw this.  Where did she come from?


    Then, the woman turned her eyes to Kaori.


    "Oh? Who''s this?" She asked.


    I could ask the same thing.


    "Ah, this is Kaori," Keiko said, with a smile. "She''s... an old friend. Kaori," she said, "this is Caroline. My girlfriend."


    "..." Kaori blinked again.


    Oh.


    "Hey," Caroline greeted her. "Wow. You''re really hot."


    "Thank you," Kaori replied, blankly.


    "Anyway, yeah, let me know when we''re headed out," Caroline said to Keiko, leaving like a passing storm that had come in and wrecked whatever hopes Kaori had been building up over the last couple of minutes.


    Keiko turned toward Kaori, and, from the saddened smile she had on her face, Kaori could tell that she knew exactly what she''d been thinking.


    "Uh... Sorry," Keiko said.


    "No, no, no no no no," Kaori quickly waved her hands. "It''s okay! I mean, we broke up when you moved away, and all. You can date whoever you want to."


    "... Well," Keiko said, "this feels slightly awkward now. However, um, I really would like to catch up. I hope this doesn''t mean we can''t do that, can we?"


    The way she asked that, with those big silver eyes looking back at her, Kaori couldn''t say "no" even if she wanted to.


    "Of course, it doesn''t," Kaori told her. "Let''s talk later. Whenever you have the chance."


    "Thank you."


    As Keiko replied, Kaori turned around to see if she could catch another glimpse of that woman. She''d come in and had left so quickly, that Kaori hadn''t gotten the opportunity to get a good look at her.


    "How did you two meet?" Kaori asked as she was turned away.


    "It''s a bit of a long story," Keiko replied.. "Maybe, later, I can tell you all about it."

 Chapter 291 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 8

    The next day, the group took a moment out of the morning to go through the screenplay they''d be adapting. The four of them were sitting in their room, holding their respective scripts in their hands as they read their lines aloud.


    "Ah, but, my dear Lucy, how is Lydia meant to see the truth with tainted eyes? Surely, a cleansing is needed first?" Vermia asked, sitting at the edge of the bed with her legs crossed and her back straight, in a fairly proud position.


    Yumi, who was playing Lucy, and was sitting next to her, replied:


    "I disagree that they''re tainted in the first place. If anything, your poison-covered words are what I grow concerned over."


    "Poison? I promise you, my darling if my words could heal both your souls I would have them do so in an instant."


    "Lydia, please, tell this insufferable woman that her presence is not needed."


    Yumi addressed Kaori then, as the woman was playing Lydia, but, unfortunately, the blonde''s mind was elsewhere at the moment. Keiko''s slightly guilty expression, Caroline''s disinterested look, and really, that entire situation played out several times in her mind.


    I really am this unlucky?  Kaori thought.  I find the girl who I once believed to be the love of my life and she''s with someone else? I can''t be mad at her, but... It still sucks.


    In the middle of it, other memories surrounding that same girl played out as well. The kisses they''d shared, the times Kaori visited her home, though it seemed like her parents forgot all about her though. The times Kaori and Keiko would spend their nights laying down and looking up at the stars, as Kaori genuinely wondered if their relationship would last for much, much longer than it actually did.


    She felt stupid, thinking about it now.


    "Kaori."


    Someone tugged on her sleeve, and Kaori was pulled back to the present.


    "Hm?"


    "Kaori," Yumi said. "Are you okay?"


    "Y-Yeah," Kaori smiled back at her. "Sorry, where were we?"


    Their session continued after that, without another daydream from the blonde. However, as they hammered home their lines and mostly committed them to memory, other parts of the process began to rear their heads into the conversation.


    "We need to get some props," Vermia told them all, in between sessions. "Nothing too extravagant, but just enough for the audience to visualize what is happening."


    "Carry a bunch of stuff?" Sinneah asked, grinning. "That''s what I was made for. I''ll do that."


    "Well, you''ll need to buy everything first, can''t forget about that part of the process or you''ll get us thrown in the dungeons," Vermia replied.


    "I know, I know. But, I''ll handle it."


    "Agreed. You can get that done soon," Yumi waved a hand. "I would say that the more important thing is solidifying a date for our play. I will need to speak to the theatre''s owners themselves about that. You are welcome to accompany me, should you wish. I''m sure you could scare them into getting us in early."


    "Pfft," Vermia scoffed, though she smiled when she heard that. "Is that all I am to you? Just a frightful face?"


    "It is a memorable trait to have, my dear," Yumi replied.


    "I suppose so."


    "Anyway, in addition, we will likely also need to do some promotion. Just put some fliers up around town."


    "I guess I''ll do it," Kaori pitched in. "But, where would I go?"


    "I don''t know where to buy the props either," Sinneah interjected.


    "Then, I suppose we''ll have to take up the Saviors on their offer, earlier," Vermia replied.


    Hearing that, Kaori''s eyes widened a little. And, for just a second, she allowed herself to get distracted.


    "I''ll do it," she suggested. "I can head over to their house right now, and ask."


    "That eager, are you?" Vermia crossed her arms and Kaori narrowed her eyes a little.


    "It''s just to ask for some directions, right? It''ll be quick."


    "Oh, I bet."


    "What are you implying?"


    "Do I sound like I am implying something? If so, I do apologize."


    Rolling her eyes, Kaori stood up and walked over to the door.


    "So," she turned toward Yumi. "We wanna know where we can buy some props and where we can put up fliers?"


    "Yes," Yumi nodded. "Thank you."


    "Alright, I''ll be right back!" Kaori replied, skipping out through the door then. As she made her way down the stairs, she saw both Keiko and Caroline to her right, at the end of the room. The two of them were just working, but that sight alone was enough to make Kaori turn away quickly.


    Just focus, it happened, get it out of your head.


    And, on that note, she walked out of the inn, pacing through the beautiful streets of Pearl, on her way to Kasumi''s house. During the short trip, she did her best to push the thoughts of her ex-girlfriend out of her mind and focused only on this current little mission of hers.


    It started to work, only just a tad though, as she eventually reached one home that looked noticeably larger than the others around it.


    This must be it,  she thought, as she stood outside. Taking a deep breath, she nodded to herself and walked forward. Then, tapping her knuckles against the wooden door, she straightened up and waited outside.


    "Ash, can you get it?" She heard Kasumi ask from behind.


    "Yeah," she heard the half-demon reply, and Kaori inhaled sharply, as she paused. Then, the door opened, and the half-demon appeared on the other side.


    Only, this time, she wasn''t wearing her armor. Instead, she had on a sleeveless black shirt that showed off her strong arms, some black gloves, and black pants. Her hair looked slightly humid, and the skin on her arms had a bit of a shine to it, as though she''d just finished taking a bath.


    She smelled wonderful too, holding a scent akin to lavender that made focusing on her task difficult.


    Still, Kaori smiled and bowed a little.


    "Hi."


    "You again," Ash replied, and Kaori smirked a little.


    "Are you disappointed to see me? I didn''t think I made that bad of an impression," Kaori said, and the half-demon blinked a bit.


    "No, I was just surprised. What''s up?" Ash asked.


    "Well," Kaori put her hands on her hips, pushing her chest out in a show of confidence. "I wanted to see if you could show me around, a bit."


    "What?"


    What?  Kaori asked herself.  Where did that come from? You just need to ask where the stores are and where you can put up those fliers.


    Pushing that dumb, rational part of herself out of her brain, she continued.


    "Well? Didn''t Kasumi say you could show me what the city''s like? I wanted to take you up on that offer. See the sights, get to know the stores and stuff. What do you think?"


    ... Well, depending on her answer, I might not be coming back anywhere near as soon as I said I would. Sorry, everyone,  she apologized to her troupe in her thoughts.


    Ash looked away, trying to consider this.


    Before she could, however, Kasumi walked up. Placing a hand on Ash''s shoulder, the half-demon flinched a little as she asked:


    "Oh, Kaori. What can we do for you?"


    "I was just asking Ash if she could show me around town."


    "Oh. Cool. Go ahead," Kasumi told the half-demon, and she pushed her forward.


    Ash stumbled, nearly falling on top of Kaori before she turned around, with a strangely flushed face.


    "Kasumi!?"


    "Have fun!" The other woman replied before hastily closing the door.


    "Ugh," Ash said, turning around. When she did, both of them realized that little shove had left them quite close.


    At this distance, Ash''s violet eyes felt like they were pulling Kaori in. She had to force herself to look away, just to try not to be too obvious. Ash, however, just looked at her openly, and plainly, as she said:


    "Sorry about that, Kasumi can be... Pushy."


    "Pfft," Kaori chuckled, snorting as Ash raised a brow. "What? That wasn''t intentional?"


    "Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    "Pushy. You know, cause she shoved you. I didn''t take you to be a fan of puns, Ash."


    "I''m not," the half-demon plainly replied.


    "Whatever you say. Now, I know though," Kaori shrugged. Sighing, Ash ignored that and asked:


    "Are we doing this now?"


    "Yes," Kaori replied with a smile. "Unless there''s something else you want to do with me?"


    "..." Ash pulled back.


    Wait...  Kaori thought.  I totally did not mean for that to sound like it did.


    "I mean," she tried to clarify, "if you, I don''t know, wanna go have a meal together, or something. You know?"


    "... Right," Ash replied. "Whatever. I guess we''re doing this now. Come on. I''ll take you around this place."


    "Okay," Kaori said, as she couldn''t help but grin a bit.. "Right behind you," Kaori replied, smiling up at her.

 Chapter 292 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 9

    Note: In case you''re wondering how long this interlude will be, we''ve only got a few more parts left. Don''t worry, this isn''t some 30 part volume or whatever.


    ---


    Kaori felt strangely excited. Walking alongside the half-demon, ignoring the curious eyes of the locals around them, she tried to put everything Keiko-related behind her, and focus on the here and now.


    The "here and now" in question was the stunning Savior next to her, who was asking more questions than even Kaori had so far.


    "Is there any place you want to go to specifically?" Ash asked.


    "I''d appreciate it if you showed me where I can put up some fliers. Just stuff for people to pass by and look at."


    "Why?"


    "To promote the play! We have to get butts in seats somehow," Kaori shrugged.


    "Hm... What''s a flier?"


    "A piece of paper with some info on it and, sometimes, a pretty little drawing."


    "I don''t see any paper on you, though. Where are they?"


    "They are non-existent. We''re gonna make the drawings later," Kaori chuckled. "I just wanna know, ahead of time, where we can put them."


    "Hm..." After Ash''s short barrage of inquiries, she seemed satisfied and her body noticeably eased up. Kaori wondered why she looked so relieved. She hoped, however, that it would help make this morning they''d be spending together a little more fun.


    Of course, if she could contribute a little to that on her own, there was no reason not to. Still, one thing needed to be known before Kaori did anything... risky. That situation with Keiko served as a reminder for it. So, she asked:


    "So... Is any place around here special?" Kaori asked, with an innocent smile. "Is there someplace you like taking your boyfriend or girlfriend to or whatever?"


    As she made that question, Ash stopped in her tracks and just gawked at her for a couple of seconds.


    Um... Was I too obvious?


    Then, as Kaori raised a brow back at her, the Savior burst out laughing. It was a boisterous, loud sound, much larger than any Kaori had heard from her before. She kept that laugh going for a few more seconds before eventually, she shook her head and said:


    "Yeah, right."


    She packed so much sarcasm into those two words, that Kaori almost recoiled.


    "Huh?"


    "Anyway," the half-demon deflected, in a way that caught Kaori off-guard, "if you want people to see your fliers, you can just put them up on the front of these stores over here. The owners will probably take them down, though. Or not, maybe they don''t care. Who knows?" Ash shrugged.


    "Got it," Kaori replied. "Thanks."


    "No problem," Ash replied. "So... You''re just hoping people see those things and go?"


    As the Savior asked that, the two of them reached a point where there was a massive tree in the middle of the area and a bunch of grass and benches laid out around it. It reminded Kaori of Jade''s Spirit Garden District.


    "Kinda," Kaori replied.


    "Oh. So, what if no one shows up?"


    "Then, it''ll be just like all the other times no one showed up," Kaori shrugged, chuckling a little. "We''ll use the time for practice, hug each other for a while, tell each other that there will be more people next time, and keep going."


    Kaori''s response didn''t come from nowhere. This had, in fact, happened many, many times. Especially when they all first started and not a soul in Jade knew who they were. However, one play after another, slowly, but surely, some people in the city grew curious. Then, a handful of viewers turned into ten, those ten turned into fifty, and now, at Jade, they could normally get around eighty people to come and spectate them on a good day.


    Having come to a different city where no one knew anything about them, the group had figured no one would show up anyway. But, after tasting success at Jade, they understood that they shouldn''t lose heart.


    As she glanced back at her Savior companion, she smiled a little.


    "But, even if no one else comes, at least I''ll have one guaranteed viewer, won''t I?"


    "Really? Who?" Ash asked, completely clueless.


    "You!" Kaori replied, walking up and wrapping her hands around Ash''s right arm. The sheer confusion that appeared on her portrait was so sweet to see. And, well, the muscles she got to feel (and subtly squeeze) were nice too.


    "What?"


    "Aw, you''re telling me you aren''t going to go see your cute new friend''s special play?" Kaori asked, putting on a silly voice as she drew closer to her. "And, here I was so excited to see you there!"


    Kaori was, of course, just messing around, but the look on Ash''s face didn''t seem like she understood that.  It worried Kaori for a little bit before the woman looked away and said:


    "... Fine."


    "Huh?" Kaori tilted her head.


    "I''ll go."


    "U-Um, Ash, I was just kidding, you know, you don''t have to-"


    "Nah, I''ll do it," the half-demon looked back at her. "I''m curious anyway." When she saw Kaori''s sudden anxiety, she smirked. "What? Am I not invited anymore?"


    When Kaori heard that, she shook her head.


    "No, you''re still invited."


    "Good. I''ll see you there, then."


    ---


    A few hours later, Kaori and the half-demon had parted ways. Now, Kaori was with her group, at the theatre in which they were going to perform. Yumi, who had taken Vermia along with her just to make the negotiations a little easier, had settled things with the owner and secured them a spot just two days from now.


    Sinneah had bought the props, and Kaori had scouted out the different spots for the fliers. In addition, the owners of the theatre decided to help with the promotion, so they would be making those fliers themselves, which was nice. With all of that out of the way, right now, they were mapping out the different scenes they''d be doing, figuring out how best to make things flow.


    However, Kaori just couldn''t focus. Instead, every time she closed her eyes, she swore she could see a beautiful pair of violet eyes looking back at her. She found herself thinking about her often, now, the Savior she''d befriended.


    What''s she doing?  Kaori asked herself, as she sat next to Sinneah, hoping she looked like she was going through her lines.  Is she training? What''s Savior training like? Or, maybe she''s in the palace or something. Saviors are important people, after all.


    "...ri."


    Her lips looked... thin, but still kinda soft,  Kaori thought, smiling to herself.  I wonder what it would be like to-


    "Kaori," she heard Yumi call out, and, blinking multiple times, she looked up.


    "Y-Yeah?"


    "I was asking if you wanted to rehearse. Are you ready?" Yumi asked.


    "Yeah! Yeah, hold on, let me just..."


    "Don''t interrupt her, Yumi, couldn''t you see she was busy?" Vermia said.


    "Busy with what?" Yumi asked.


    "With that little smile on her lips, those half-closed eyes, that little giggle every now and then, what else could it be? Someone has snatched our dear Kaori''s heart."


    "I was just thinking about the script," Kaori quickly interrupted her. "Stop it. Come on, let''s go over the scene."


    Vermia shrugged.


    Yumi cleared her throat.


    "Um, alright then. Let''s begin."


    ---


    Ash


    The sun had descended past the horizon a while ago. The twin moons were now in the air and the night had come. Ash was spending this night with Kasumi''s family, as always, doing what they normally did when they all came back from a fight, or a mission, or whatever.


    They were playing board games.


    "And, there! Pay up!" Kasumi said, with a grin.


    "This game is stupid," Ash told her, as she handed over a few fake crowns as Kasumi moved her little ship piece over a spot that said "bank".


    "Ah, that''s what every loser says," Kasumi told her. Behind her, Kasumi''s maid was reading a story to Nozomi, on the couch. "Until they start winning. That''s when the game gets addicting."


    As the two of them continued to play, Ash''s mind did what it had been doing for the past several hours. Looking down at the board, it was like if she closed her eyes, she could still feel Kaori''s warm hands wrapped around her arm.


    Not once in Ash''s life had a girl really shown much interest in her, before. She, of course, was fine with that. Between having to care for her little sister and, now, figuring out life as a Savior, she had enough to focus on to where she never thought about it much.


    But, that moment, unfortunately, let her know just how touch-starved she was.


    "By the way," Ash spoke up. "I... I told Kaori I was going to watch that play of hers. Is that okay?"


    "Hm? Of course," Kasumi replied. "Actually, maybe I can go with you."


    "What? Really?"


    "I don''t see why not. As long as nothing is too explicit, I could take Nozomi too, maybe. Oh, sorry," Kasumi smirked warmly at her. "Were you hoping you could go alone, for some reason?"


    At that, Ash looked away.


    "Let''s just get back to the game."


    "Sure. Where was I? Oh, right, kicking your ass."

 Chapter 293 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 10

    "Just a few more," Yumi said, spurring Kaori to continue.


    How did we make so many of these?  Kaori asked herself, as she pasted another flier up onto the front of a random post in the middle of Pearl. It was several hours after her talk with Ash, late into the evening as the two of them tried to get this done.


    Some people watched them with weird looks, but Kaori didn''t care too much. She just wanted to get through this. Making these things had been fairly entertaining, but actually putting the things up was a little boring. Even though she was out and surrounded by the beautiful architecture, she didn''t get to see it since all she was doing was getting a faceful of building walls.


    "How. Many. More!?" Kaori asked, putting on a dramatic tone. Yumi laughed, walking up to her side and leaning her head against the wall as she passed Yumi another flier.


    "Just a couple," she held them out in front of Kaori, and the blonde got a sudden boost of energy.


    YES!


    Applying the glue to them before pasting them wildly onto the same building, she stretched her arms out and said:


    "Victory!"


    Yumi grinned at her, rolling her eyes light-heartedly before they finally walked away.


    "Well, we''re done. Now what?" Yumi asked.


    "You''re asking me? You''re usually the planner."


    "I wasn''t expecting we''d be done so soon. Eh, maybe I''ll take Vermia out on a walk."


    "You say that like she''s a dog. Though, I guess she is kind of a-"


    "Stop," Yumi said. "And, yes, she is, which is why this is the perfect opportunity to get her to stretch her legs a little so she does not vent any of that negative energy onto us."


    "Awesome."


    "What will you do?" Yumi asked.


    "Hm... I don''t know, actually," Kaori replied, putting her hands on her hips. "I''ll come up with something, though."


    After that, the two of them returned to the inn, where they hurriedly walked up the stairs to let the other girls know they were done. Sinneah, surprisingly, wasn''t around, as she apparently had gone out to look at the town on her own earlier. So, Yumi just relayed the information to Vermia before the two of them then walked out of the building, together, while Kaori remained back in the room.


    She laid down on the bed, letting out a deep sigh as she stared up at the ceiling, feeling like all of the day''s activities had suddenly started weighing on her body.


    Holy... She thought. Too much walking for one evening. But, she smiled, at least we got stuff done! Ah, I can''t wait for the play to get here already!


    She rested for a few minutes until someone knocked on the door.


    Oh? Did Yumi forget something?  She wondered, standing up, pulling her hair back, and walking up to it.


    Instead of Yumi, though, when she opened the door, there was a short, black-haired girl with big silver eyes looking back at her.


    "Hello," Keiko said, waving one hand as she held out a plate full of cookies with her other one. "Would you like a peace offering?"


    "... What?" Kaori asked, baffled. She chuckled, then, looking down at the cookies. "Peace of- what do you mean?"


    "I, ehm," Keiko looked away, "I''m sorry if I assumed incorrectly, but I thought learning about my current relationship status had, you know, been a bit troubling. So, I made these," she said, holding the plate up.


    "You made them?"


    "Yes, myself," Keiko smiled. "For you."


    "... Why?"


    "I just said why," Keiko raised a brow.


    "N-No, I mean, why, as in... why do you feel the need?"


    "Uhm, I''m not sure I understand, but, I guess the answer is because I''d very much like us to be friends," Keiko shrugged. "We might not be together anymore, but you are still very important to me. I wouldn''t want to lose you just because I have a girlfriend."


    Hearing that was surprising, but not as surprising as the sweet scent that lifted itself to her nostrils when she inhaled.


    "Gosh," Kaori whispered.


    "I''m quite proud of this batch," Keiko said, smiling. "I suppose that''s another reason I''d be sad if you turned them down."


    "..." Hearing that Kaori''s answer was already determined as Keiko tugged on the strings of her heart. "Sure."


    "Great, thank you," Keiko gave a little bow. "Come down, we''ll eat at a proper table."


    "Okay."


    A while later, the two of them were doing just that. Around them, other customers of the inn, maybe some folks who were renting the other rooms out, maybe some who had just come for a quick meal, were having dinner as Kaori took small bites out of the chocolate cookies she held.


    ... This is bad.  She thought.  I might have an orgasm. These are too good. This is really bad.


    As she bit down on one, she had to keep herself from moaning as the flavor proceeded to fill her mouth.


    "I... Are they alright?" Keiko asked, worried. "You keep making this troubled face."


    "Y-Yeah..." Kaori nodded. "They''re good."


    "Oh, thank you. Anyway, is it true, by the way? What I heard."


    "What did you hear?"


    "The... very large woman in your group told me that you were all escorted here by Saviors. Is that true?" Keiko asked, and on her face, Kaori could see great interest.


    Maybe this was petty of her, but she felt like this was a good opportunity to brag a little. And, well, given the circumstances, maybe a little bragging could do her some good.


    "Yep," she said, popping out the "p" in that response. "They were kind of amazing."


    "Did you see them fight?" Keiko asked, leaning a little closer. "All those years ago, when my family and I still lived at the Compound, I''d heard stories about them."


    "I don''t know what sort of stories you heard, but yeah, they''re no joke," Kaori replied. "In the middle of our trip here, actually, we were attacked by demons."


    Keiko gasped.


    "No way! Did everyone make it out alright?" Keiko asked. "You didn''t get hurt, did you?"


    "No, no," Kaori waved her hands back and forth. "We were fine. A few guards got... taken out, shall we say, but yeah. The Saviors got us out. One of them..." Kaori paused, as the half-demon''s face flickered past her mind. "One of them saved us directly, actually. A demon was going to attack us and she nailed it with an arrow."


    "Wow... I guess those stories weren''t lying," Keiko replied, smiling. "I''m a little jealous. I would have loved to see them in action."


    Really?  Kaori thought.  I don''t know. I think I was too busy being scared out of my mind at the moment to really appreciate the handiwork. But, that''s just me.


    "You haven''t had any of the cookies in a while, by the way. Eat ''em while they''re fresh!" Keiko said with a smile.


    "Right, sorry."


    She picked one up and put it in her mouth.


    MMMH!


    ---


    The meal with Keiko lasted just an hour longer after that. All in all, she was glad she''d agreed to it. The two of them caught up with each other, properly, going through everything that had happened while they''d been away. Kaori learned of how Keiko''s family had come across this building and how the plan to turn it into an inn had really begun, and Keiko told her about how she''d met Caroline.


    Thankfully, it didn''t make her heart sting as much anymore, which meant that Kaori was able to respond with her own little details as she explained how she met Yumi, and how they''d built up the troupe after that. Keiko seemed so curious to know about everything that had happened to Kaori that the blonde almost felt bad for even considering avoiding her earlier.


    The conversation hadn''t removed all of the jealousy in Kaori''s heart, but it had helped. Now, though, she felt like it was on her to work on it herself. So, she quickly started trying to think of how she could do that.


    And, she could really only think of one way to do so.


    I need to get laid.  She stated firmly in her mind, as she laid back down in her bedroom.  Yeah, that would help.


    As she came up with that plan on the spot, though, she promptly realized something.


    She wasn''t really interested in sleeping with any random people right now. She sat up, narrowing her eyes in confusion as she realized this. This wasn''t normal for her.  Why...?  She asked herself before the answer appeared rather quickly.


    It came as she tried to envision someone hot. She tried to come up with a random image of an attractive person, literally just to get her body in the mood to try to go out and find someone that fit the bill.


    However, all she could think of was a woman with clear white hair, violet eyes, and a strong body.


    Oh...  Kaori sighed.  Well, that''s probably never gonna happen, so it''s better to get it out of my mind now.


    ...


    She paused.


    ...


    Or... Maybe...?


    A few minutes later, she was walking out of the inn with a determined stride. She kept her head up the whole way, committing to what she was doing.


    That was how she ended up knocking on Kasumi''s door, feeling nervous, and a little excited.


    Kasumi opened the door, looking at her curiously.


    "Oh, Kaori, what can I do for you?"


    "Hi, uh, could I talk to Ash for a second?"


    "Yeah."


    Kasumi half-closed the door then and walked back in. She called Ash, and when the door opened it was the half-demon who was looking back at her.


    "Kaori?" Ash asked.


    "Hey!" Kaori said. "Wanna go out?"

 Chapter 294 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 11

    The half-demon remained silent for a few seconds. Kaori wondered if she''d heard her or not, but Ash''s late response answered that question for her.


    "What?" Ash asked, sounding so confused that Kaori nearly laughed. Instead, she smiled and reiterated:


    "Do you want to go out with me? Tonight."


    For the purposes of this moment, Kaori turned her charm up to a hundred. At least, she hoped she was doing so. The look on Ash''s face, an expression of hesitance, made Kaori worry, though.


    "..." Ash opened her mouth, as if she was going to say something, but then closed it again.


    I... I guess I''m pushing it.


    Realizing that, Kaori went to give the woman an out.


    "If you want to," she quickly added. "I know this is sudden, and all, I just... You seem really cool. I figured maybe it would be fun, you know? But if you don''t want to, it''s alright."


    "I just..." Ash replied, and her voice was a little soft. "I don''t get it."


    "What do you mean?"


    "... Nothing," she suddenly replied, shaking her head. "Sure. Where do you want to go?"


    As she heard that, Kaori grinned widely.


    "Well, I don''t know," she said with a giggle. "I just got here. Don''t you know more about this place than I do?"


    "Mostly, I just stay indoors, training," Ash shrugged. "Though, I guess I can ask Kasumi."


    "Okay! Well, we''re pretty close by. How about I go and get dressed, you do the same, not that you look bad or anything, and I come back here in a few minutes?"


    "Sure," Ash nodded.


    "See you later, then."


    "Yeah," Ash replied, looking away. "Bye."


    Somewhat curtly, Ash closed the door then. That did nothing to prevent a smile from blooming on Kaori''s face, though, as she walked away feeling much happier than when she''d arrived.


    She actually said "yes",  Kaori thought.  I... Gotta be honest, I didn''t think I''d get this far. Did I even bring anything good enough to go on a date in? Although...  She paused, standing still in the street as locals passed her by and the twin moons bathed her in their light.  This isn''t really a date, she added in her mind.  Eh, maybe it is. It''s up to Ash. I''d love to have a date right now.


    The blonde returned to the inn a short while later and went to race up the stairs, before halting mid-sprint as she realized that her friends were all having dinner downstairs.


    I may as well let them know. I might not be out too late, I don''t think I''ll be getting lucky, after all, but eh, stuff could happen. Maybe.


    "Hey!" Kaori greeted them as she waved at the table. "I''m gonna go out for a bit, I''ll be back later!"


    "Don''t come back too late," Yumi told her. "We''re gonna do a lot of practice tomorrow."


    "Noted!" Kaori quickly replied before resuming her charge up the stairs.


    Barging into her and the others'' room, Kaori quickly went through all of her things, trying to search for something decent.  Hm... No. Too flowery,  she thought, throwing a skirt aside.  Too revealing... Not revealing enough... Aha!


    She grinned, pulling up a crop top white shirt and some slightly baggy silk pants of the same color.


    This looks alright! But... Is there anything else that I could add to this? It''s a bit plain otherwise.


    The answer to that question came just a few minutes later, not as she searched through her own things, but as she searched through some of the props Sinneah had bought. One of them was a thin crown of flowers, probably intended for Kaori herself to wear during the play.


    "... Perfect," Kaori stated with a smile, having decided on everything she''d wear.


    ---


    The look on Ash''s face was all Kaori needed to see to know she''d made the right choice, as she walked up to Kasumi''s house and found the Savior standing outside. She''d been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, sporting a contemplative expression right up until she saw Kaori get there. Then, her eyes widened and Kaori saw her take a sharp breath. She stared at Kaori for a while, and then, as Kaori waved at her when she got closer, Ash looked away quickly, as if realizing she''d been caught.


    Seeing that, Kaori held a smirk on her face as she walked up to the Savior. One that turned into a full look of awe when she saw the woman wearing some sort of sleeveless black tunic-type thing and black leather pants.


    "Hey there, Savior," Kaori said, putting her hands behind her back. "Did Kasumi suggest anywhere fun?"


    "... She said we could go to some tavern down the street," Ash muttered in response.


    "Okay, I like the sound of that."


    Kaori got even closer then, as Ash looked away. It seemed like Ash was trying her hardest not to stare at her, but Kaori, who very much wanted to be stared at right now, disagreed with that notion. So, she walked up as close as she could without looking like she was going in for a kiss or something, and smiled.


    "You''re looking great, by the way," Kaori stated. "I''ll be honest, I''d been pretty curious to see what you looked like outside of your armor, back when we were on the road. You didn''t disappoint."


    With every word she said, she hoped she wasn''t coming on too strongly, but Ash just looked back at her and her eyes flickered up and down Kaori''s body.


    "Thanks," she said, so quietly that Kaori almost didn''t hear her. "Are we going?"


    "I''m good to go if you are," Kaori shrugged.


    "Okay. Let''s go then."


    Doing just that, they made their way down to the tavern. It was so close that the walk took a little over five minutes before soon, they were walking into a place that was buzzing with activity. Some bard was singing in the middle of the building. There were many wooden tables spread out across the room with groups of people sitting around and laughing as they drank. And, finally, there were workers moving hurriedly from one part of the tavern to another, delivering mugs of ale to different customers.


    "Looks like we picked a good time!" Kaori said, wrapping her hands around Ash''s left arm. "Things are so lively!"


    "Loud is more like it," Ash muttered, but Kaori just dragged her over to the bar, sitting on a stool and putting up two fingers to the person behind the counter.


    "Whatever your strongest liquor is, I''ll take two cups."


    The man raised his brows subtly, before nodding and pouring some black liquid out from a random bottle into two glass cups.


    "How much?" Kaori asked as Ash sat down on the stool next to hers.


    "Five crowns."


    "Here," Kaori said, before paying up and taking her cups with a grin.


    ---


    Ash


    When Ash had heard the woman ask for the strongest liquor at this tavern, she''d guessed that it was because she was able to hold her own liquor well.


    That was disproved fairly soon, as Kaori''s cheeks became flushed and she wouldn''t stop smiling from ear to ear.


    "You know," Kaori said, shifting her stool closer to Ash''s. "I asked you out because I wanted to get to know you a little, why don''t you talk to me a bit?"


    "..." Ash had no idea how she was supposed to handle this. "I don''t have much to say."


    "Really?" Kaori rested her head on the palm of her right hand, planting her elbow on the counter. "I doubt that. You look like you''ve seen a bunch of stuff."


    "... Sure," Ash replied, "but not much of it good, though."


    "Eh, I don''t mind hearing a sad story or two," Kaori shrugged.


    "Is that how you''re supposed to make friends nowadays?" Ash raised a brow.


    "If you want them to be good friends, maybe," Kaori countered. "I can tell you one if you want."


    "... Okay, whatever, sure."


    "As soon as we arrived here," Kaori began a short tale, "I ran into an ex-girlfriend."


    "Uh... Uh, alright?" Ash asked. "How''s that a sad story?"


    "Because I... never mind," Kaori waved a hand. "Point is, yeah, I was sad. But, then, I saw you, when you showed me those places to put the fliers in, and those hot violet eyes of yours, and I felt a little better."


    See? Shit like this, Ash thought. What am I supposed to say to that?


    "Thanks, I guess," Ash replied.


    "... By the way," Kaori suddenly added, "are you into girls?"


    The question came so abruptly that Ash nearly fell off her stool.


    "I don''t remember if you gave me a solid answer on that. Or, if I even asked."


    "... Yeah," Ash answered then, looking away. "I am. Not that anything''s ever come of it."


    "Why not?"


    All Ash did to respond to that was quickly point to the horns on her head.


    Kaori shook her head.


    "Do you want something to come of it?"


    "... What?" Ash asked.


    Then, Kaori shrugged.


    "I asked, do you want anything to come of it?"


    "What does that mean?" Ash asked.


    "Heh, I''ll clarify," Kaori replied, leaning in closer. "If I said that I wanted to kiss you right now, what would you say?"


    "..." At that, Ash felt her heart begin to beat a lot faster. "I''d say that I don''t want my first kiss to be in a tavern full of drunks. You being one of them, no offense."


    "Oh, sorry," Kaori pulled back so fast that Ash knew she should clear up what she meant.


    "If you asked me outside of here, though..." She added, after a pause. "Then... Maybe."


    The shift from random lust to embarrassment and then to hope on Kaori''s face was definitely a sight Ash felt she''d remember for a while. It was pretty funny to see.


    "... Can we compromise?"


    "Hm?" Ash raised a brow at her.


    "I don''t think I can get un-drunk anytime soon.... But, we can step outside and I can ask you out in the street. How does that sound?"

 Chapter 295 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Part 12

    Kaori''s eyes blinked open slowly. The closed windows were made of thick, cloudy glass, which meant that the sun didn''t pour into the room too strongly, and yet Kaori could tell it was morning already. Almost as soon as she woke up, she felt a headache pound against her skull, and she almost whimpered.


    "Crap, I need some water."


    Rolling out of bed, Kaori walked out of her and the others'' room before moving down the stairs and into the main room. She saw her troupe gathered at a table, as the inn''s workers attended to other customers around them. Kaori cut between everyone and pulled a chair back. Her eyes fell on Sinneah''s glass cup, saw that it was filled with water, and she asked:


    "Please, I''m dying."


    "Bad night yesterday?" Sinneah asked, passing her the cup quickly. Kaori took the water with gratitude easy to see on her face and gulped down the contents of the cup greedily.


    As soon as she did, she opened her mouth to respond to the larger woman''s question. However, as soon as she was going to, she realized a small problem.


    "I... I don''t know."


    "What?" Sinneah asked.


    "I don''t remember much of it," Kaori muttered, looking away. "I, uh... I remember asking for some strong liquor and... Yeah. This was how that ended up," she gestured at herself.


    "I''m glad it did result in this," Vermia said, smiling at her. "The view we got to see was a treat."


    "... What?" Kaori asked, raising a brow. "What are you talking about?"


    At that, the girls at the table each gave each other some knowing glances. Kaori''s concern grew in the few seconds that they remained silent.


    Uh... What did I do?  She asked herself.


    "Was it that bad?" Kaori asked.


    "Oh, it wasn''t anything bad," Yumi quickly clarified. "Just a bit funny."


    "When you arrived here," Vermia began to explain. "You didn''t do so on your own two feet, dear. The half-demon Savior carried you."


    ... What?


    "In quite the knightly fashion, actually," Vermia added, with a bit of a smirk. "I felt my heart beating a little faster when I saw that."


    "Wait..." Kaori looked away, but she finished the question in her thoughts.  She had to carry me back here? What happened?


    "All of that aside, however," Yumi thankfully changed the topic, "we need to start practicing."


    "Oh, the play''s tomorrow, right?"


    "Yes," Yumi nodded. "If you want to do anything today, get it out of the way early so we can dedicate the rest of the day to the rehearsals."


    "Sure," Kaori replied, before walking over to where Keiko''s father was, behind the counter to her left.


    She bought some eggs, bacon, and coffee for herself, returning to the table with her breakfast in hand. Here, her mind continued to wander as she ate.


    Hm... I should probably go make sure that I didn''t embarrass myself too badly. I hope I didn''t do anything too tragic.


    Deciding on that, as soon as she finished her food, she stood up and let everyone else know she would be back in a few minutes.


    Walking quickly out the door, she hurried down the street as she tried hard to remember what had happened.


    I went to that tavern with her, I asked for the strongest stuff they had like an absolute dumbass, and... yeah. I''m blank after that. What the heck did I do?


    In a few minutes, she was arriving at the Kasumi''s house with a couple of different apologies ready to be given depending on how badly she''d messed up. As soon as she got there she was tapping her knuckles against the door, holding an apprehensive look on her face. When the door opened, Kaori bowed, expecting to see Kasumi.


    It was, instead, the half-demon herself who had opened the door. That caught Kaori off-guard, so, she stood there for a few seconds with her mouth open and her eyes looking back into Ash''s own, without knowing how to start this.


    Okay, calm down!  Kaori thought.  First things first, does she seem angry? If she does, just apologize and...


    As she saw the woman''s expression, however, she paused.


    Ash didn''t seem angry at all, as far as she could tell. If anything, she looked...


    She looks as embarrassed as I feel,  Kaori realized.  What did we do?


    "Hi," Kaori waved a hand, greeting her, and putting on a little smile.


    Ash didn''t respond. She just kept her eyes settled on Kaori, as her slightly embarrassed expression gave way to one that was more tired than anything else. Kaori cleared her throat and said:


    "So, uh... Last night, huh?"


    "..." Again, Ash didn''t say anything.


    "I-I just... I wanted to make sure I didn''t do anything too bad yesterday," Kaori finally said. "I got slightly drunker than I intended to."


    When the woman heard her, she finally spoke back.


    "You don''t remember? Is that how being drunk works?"


    "De-, what?" Kaori raised a brow. "What do you mean?"


    "I can''t get drunk," Ash stated. "Because of this trait that I picked up as a kid. So, yeah, is that a thing that happens when you''re drunk?"


    "Oh. Uh, it depends on how drunk you get," Kaori said, laughing a little nervously. "And, well, last night I went a few steps over my line, so, yeah."


    As the half-demon heard that, some understanding finally appeared on her face.


    "So, do I have anything to apologize for?"


    "... No," Ash replied, shaking her head after hesitating for a short couple of seconds. "You''re fine."


    "Oh, thank the gods," Kaori chuckled. "And, here I was worried I''d thrown up in your lap or something. You''d tell me if I did, right?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Don''t worry. You''re fine," she said, once again.


    ---


    Hours Later


    "The road ahead is dark, but together, maybe we can push through these struggles," Kaori read out her lines as everyone gathered in their room.


    "Through these trifles, happiness may yet be found on the other side. Perhaps the doors that gate it must be given but a gentle push," Sinneah read. "So that our way might be lit through the fervor of our faith."


    As she finished that up, Kaori let out a deep breath and stretched her arms.


    "Okay," Yumi clapped her hands. "Let''s start again, from the top. After that, we can start going over the blocking and how we''re going to be moving around the stage, and we can take a break."


    "Awesome," Kaori replied.


    "By the way," Yumi said, smiling over at the blonde. "Good job. You''ve been taking to this script more than the others we''ve done. I''m surprised."


    "The story''s neat," Kaori shrugged with a smile. I just hope we''ll get enough people to really appreciate it."


    "Don''t focus on that," Yumi quickly replied. "You know there won''t be many if any, people there tomorrow. It''s our first play here. We need to establish a presence first before we can ever start worrying about audiences."


    "Right, right," Kaori replied, but Yumi''s statement did nothing to lower Kaori''s expectations. She''d gotten too used to having at least a hundred people watching. She knew that wasn''t going to happen, but she still had some hope they''d get a couple dozen viewers.


    "I''m surprised you two aren''t taking the opportunity to rehearse the kiss scene for the rest of the day," Vermia told Sinneah and Yumi. "Good show of restraint. I''m proud of you."


    "I''m sure you''d love to see that practice, but it''s the audience tomorrow that we''ll be giving a show to, not you," Sinneah replied, smirking at her.


    Vermia''s jab had prodded at something in Kaori''s mind, though. That word made her think for a moment.


    Hm... A kiss. Didn''t I...


    Narrowing her eyes, she felt like she''d landed on something important.


    Right... Hadn''t I said something to Ash about that?  Kaori asked herself.  It was right after I started drinking. We were talking and...


    Suddenly, the images her mind had locked off came rushing into her mind, fully unleashed, and Kaori''s jaw dropped as she remembered what had happened.


    She remembered how she and the half-demon had walked outside. How Kaori had tilted her head up and planted her lips on the other woman''s, just outside the tavern. She remembered feeling the cold night air wrap itself around her and seeking warmth from the Savior''s body by embracing it as their tongues danced. She remembered the adorable face Ash had made after that happened, and how she thought she wanted to see that face again in the future.


    Finally, she remembered that it hadn''t been that she passed out. No, she''d  asked  for Ash to carry her back to her room herself.


    "Kaori?" Yumi asked. "We''re going to start again in a couple of seconds. Are you good to go?"


    Kaori blinked.


    "Yeah, yeah..." She looked down at her script, gulping. Her hands shook a little as her eyes went over it.


    That...  Kaori took a deep breath. In her mind, she saw that face Ash had made when Kaori had arrived at her house.


    I should probably talk to her, shouldn''t I?

 Chapter 296 - Interlude 4 - Kaori, The Actress, Finale

    The Next Day


    Kaori and her group were getting ready. Currently, Kaori was sitting on a wooden chair, backstage at the theatre, reaching up and adjusting her flower crown with trembling, unsteady hands. Normally, before any and all performances she was calm and ready.


    However, this time, she wasn''t. She was as nervous as she''d ever been for this sort of thing. The reason why was simple. All she had to do was peek by the door leading to the stage to see it.


    The building was absolutely packed. Over a dozen rows of chairs surrounded the circular stage, and for some reason, only a few were empty. As Kaori looked and saw that once again, she gulped.


    What the heck happened!?  Kaori asked herself.  Why are all these people here?


    She was caught between being surprised, being concerned, being shocked, and being nervous, all at once. A soft hand fell on her shoulder, and Kaori turned toward its owner. Yumi stood there, with a smile on her face dressed in scholarly robes as she said:


    "Lots of people here, huh?"


    "You''re telling me," Kaori sighed. "Where did they all come from?"


    "I have no idea. I saw them coming in earlier, one by one, and I couldn''t figure out what had brought them here. Out fliers weren''t that good, were they?"


    At that, Kaori chuckled, keeping her eyes out on them for another moment before she shied away.


    "Hey," Yumi added, "don''t worry. We''ve performed in front of bigger audiences than this, haven''t we?"


    "Yeah, but, I dunno, it''s just unexpected."


    "Aren''t you the type that likes improvising?" Yumi raised a brow at her. "This should be right up your alley, right?"


    As Kaori heard that challenge, she smiled back at her.


    "We''ll see."


    On that note, the final steps of the preparation was concluded. Kaori, Sinneah, Yumi, and Vermia all stood in front of each other.


    "Good luck, everyone," Kaori said, putting on a brave grin as they got ready to walk out.


    "As always, as long as we put our hearts in it, and, well, remember our lines, this will go greatly," Yumi stated.


    "Let''s get this show going then," Vermia said.


    "Right, let''s show them what we''ve got," Sinneah added. And, finally, Yumi walked out, to deliver a short narration that was part of the play.


    Kaori peeked from behind the nearby wall, trying to get a feel for the audience. How excited they were, how they were dressed, who exactly had come to watch them. Her eyes scanned from one side to another, until they fell on one specific pair that was sitting at the front.


    "..." Kaori blinked. "Seriously?"


    Her eyes spotted two women seated in the front row who all stood out from the rest of the viewers. One had clear, long white hair, the other a dark shade of crimson. One was excited, chatting joyously with the other, while the white-haired one was resting her head on her palm, looking like she was waiting for the play to start.


    They actually came? Kaori thought as she looked at them.


    If she wasn''t feeling some amount of pressure before, she was definitely feeling it now.


    Still, underneath that concern was a bubbling sense of elation. She hadn''t expected them to care about this at all. She hadn''t expected Ash to be able to be dragged here for a play. She didn''t look like the type who would ever be caught at one of these places. And yet, there she was.


    The sight of her made that concern Kaori was feeling evolve into something different. A call to action of sorts. Suddenly, she felt fired up. She wanted to show the two of them, Ash and her teacher, that coming here wasn''t a waste of time.


    So, as Yumi finished her narration and it was time for Kaori to go to work, she straightened her back and closed her eyes, as she walked out toward the stage, while Yumi walked back.


    With that, the play began in earnest. Finally, Kaori and her troupe got to give a performance at the artistic central of Pearl, and show the locals here what they were made of.


    And, that was all Kaori had asked for.


    Though, now, something else had been added to that list.


    ---


    Later


    "Woo!" Kaori yelled, raising a cup in the air that spilled a little bit of alcohol as she jerked it up so quickly. "That was awesome!" Kaori declared as she and the others sat down at the bar portion of the same tavern that she and Ash had visited before.


    The day had given way to the night, and this time it was not just Ash and Kaori, but Kasumi and the rest of the troupe had come as well to celebrate the occasion.


    The play came and went in a flash, beginning with tense nerves and ending in satisfied applause from an audience who seemed pleasantly surprised. Kaori would have preferred for them to be shaken to their core and their entire grip on reality to be challenged by their performance, but this was okay too.


    Now, it was time to move on to the next project, as Yumi counted the money they made, all of which came as tips from those who went to watch them.


    "Wow..." Yumi let out, as she looked through every crown. "The people of Pearl are definitely not frugal."


    "When they can afford not to be," Kasumi clarified. "You deserve every bit of that, though. It was a great performance."


    "Of course," Vermia said, crossing her legs with a smug look. "We knew what we were doing, the quality was never in question. What was in question was the potential pay and that, at least, was not disappointing."


    To Kaori''s left, Ash was largely silent, but Kaori could feel her eyes on her every now and then.


    ... Right,  Kaori thought.  We still haven''t talked, haven''t we?


    They''d never gotten the chance to before, as Kaori and her troupe had spent every minute between their last meeting and now preparing for the play. And, while that time had definitely paid off, it meant that, currently, they were on some shaky ground, after what they''d done.


    For Kaori, of course, it was normal. But, she understood that for Ash, it was new territory that they''d treaded on.


    Knowing that was what made her turn toward the woman and smile widely, as she said:


    "Hey."


    "... Hey," Ash replied, crossing her arms.


    "Did you enjoy the play?" Kaori asked.


    "I think so," Ash muttered, shrugging. She kept her eyes on Kaori, as though waiting to see what she did.


    "You think?" Kaori asked, giving her a bit of a teasing smile.


    "... Yeah, I mean, I dunno," Ash replied, looking away. She didn''t say anything else. As she remained silent, Kaori made a choice right on the spot.


    "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" Kaori asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Away from everyone else, I mean."


    "Oh. Sure."


    They left the tavern then, unnoticed as Vermia continued to brag about how good their performance had been to the listeners nearby. Exiting out into the cold nighttime Pearl streets, Kaori took the lead, putting her hands behind her back as Ash followed her.


    Well, here goes nothing,  Kaori thought, before taking a deep breath and turning to face the woman.


    "So... I remembered what we did," Kaori said, with a shy smile. At that, Ash took a deep breath.


    "... Sorry."


    Kaori didn''t know what she''d been expecting, but that word surely wasn''t it.


    "What?"


    "I''m sorry," Ash reiterated.


    "For what?" Kaori asked, dumbfounded.


    "I... I took advantage of you," Ash explained. "You were drunk, right? I should have pushed you away or something but..."


    "No, Ash," Kaori waved her hands, trying to put on a relieving smile. "That''s not true at all. I mean, I was drunk but I knew what I was doing... To some extent anyway. Point is, I''m not trying to scold you. I wasn''t looking for an apology."


    "... What were you looking for, then?" Ash asked.


    "I dunno," Kaori shrugged. "I pulled you out here cause, well, maybe we should both be asking ourselves that question. I mean, did you like the kiss we shared?" She asked, feeling hopeful for a "yes".


    "... Maybe." As Ash looked away, her expression changed to one that was far more vulnerable. Her eyes couldn''t meet Kaori''s, and her posture wasn''t as firm as it normally was.


    "I know I did," Kaori smiled at her. "A lot, actually. You were good, for it being your first time and all."


    Ash gave a long sigh.


    "I''m so not used to this."


    That made Kaori laugh. She stepped forward.


    "That''s okay. Whatever''s going on here," Kaori gestured between them. "Whether it''s just a fling or... Whatever, I''m down to take it at your pace. Whatever you want to do, I''m fine with. I just... I like you."


    "Why?"


    "Eh, I don''t know, I think you''re neat," Kaori replied, chuckling. "And... That''s enough for me to know that I don''t want us to just part ways after tonight. Again, I don''t know what you want to do, but I''m good with whichever direction you want this little adventure of ours to take."


    "And, if I suck at all of this?" Ash asked, softly.


    "It''ll be the same as when I fail my performances sometimes," Kaori shrugged. "At the very least, it''ll be very funny for both of us. I can promise you that."


    "So, you''ll laugh at me?"


    "No, I''ll laugh with you! You know," she said, wrapping her arms around Ash''s upper back, and looking into her violet eyes with as much warmth as she could muster. "In between all the making out and all."


    That last sentence must have been what did it.


    "Fine."


    And so, their lips met once again.


    Only, this time, without the taste of alcohol lingering in Kaori''s mouth.

 Chapter 297 - Vol. 5 -

    Ethan


    "Grandmother, they aren''t going to wait for us forever, please hurry."


    "Ah, shut up, I''m comin''."


    On a random cold Tuesday morning, two regular citizens of Jade moved through the streets. One of them, Ethan, the younger of the two, tried to maintain a hurried pace as he worried the caravan they were set to be a part of would depart before they had the chance to arrive. The other, his grandmother Mina, walked at the same pace that she usually did.


    It doesn''t help that all of this is so heavy,  Ethan thought, as he adjusted the bags full of their belongings that he was carrying.


    "They''ve probably already left by now," he muttered.


    "Ah, of course not," his grandmother waved a hand. "Even in times like these, no one would dare be so callous."


    "Maybe, but I''d rather not find out."


    "Try to walk so quickly when you reach eighty, Ethan," she chuckled, as she walked hunched over, tapping her cane against the ground. "Though, maybe by then, you will have finally learned patience."


    Rolling his eyes, Ethan spotted a bench up ahead. On it was a single woman with long white hair, dressed in some plain garbs, with her legs crossed and a contemplative look on her face. Ethan didn''t mind her too much though. he was just glad to have found a place to put his stuff down.


    He walked over to the bench, placing the heavy bags at the opposite end. She only gave him a passing glance before looking away. He did the same, as his grandmother made her way over to him.


    "Oh, thank you, I needed a break."


    She sat down between him and that white-haired lady, With a sigh of relief, Mina smiled up at the sky.


    "It''s been a long time since we''ve been back home," she stated. "I wonder if anything''s changed."


    "I can''t think of many ways Sapphire could have changed," Ethan replied, "unless it''s gotten even colder."


    "Hmph. If that''s the case, then you are lacking imagination just as much as patience. It''s been almost a decade, Ethan! It could be an entirely different world up there! Ah, I remember how the auroras swam across the sky when I was just a child back then. I''m eager to see those again."


    Ethan leaned back for a moment, closing his eyes. He wasn''t looking forward to the moment where he''d inevitably have to pick everything back up. However, what he was looking forward to was getting out of the city.


    Although there hadn''t been many large-scale demon attacks lately, everyone in Jade felt like it was only a matter of time. Maybe a day, maybe two, before a giant diamond-shaped portal would appear outside their walls and all of this beauty would come crashing down. Many citizens had decided that they wouldn''t be here when that day inevitably came. Ethan and his grandmother were two of them.


    He was sure that was part of why Jade felt so empty these days. As for him, considering how miserable his time had been at Sapphire, he would be in no rush to get back there, were it not for the possibility that they''d be left here by the caravan.


    Just as he was thinking about what exactly he''d do at Sapphire if he''d be able to find a job, or maybe find himself a wife, he heard:


    "Excuse me," his grandmother said, and Ethan opened his eyes as she added, "could you please help my grandson carry these bags? He''s been struggling quite a bit with them."


    "You don''t have to."


    Ethan leaned forward to tell that to the white-haired woman. She looked back at both of them with apathy making itself obvious on her face.


    However, her response was:


    "Sure."


    "Ah, thank you. It seems some young people still remember what little kindnesses can do for everyone. We should get back to it, then," Mina said, standing up with a grunt of exertion before Ethan did the same.


    They had three bags in total, so, Ethan took two of them, allowing the half-demon woman to take the remaining one.


    "What''s your name, dear?" Mina asked the woman.


    "Ash," she replied quickly.


    "Ah, it is a pleasure to meet you. Are you from Jade, by the way?"


    "Yes," she nodded.


    "And, have you been to Sapphire?"


    "Once."


    "Hehe," Mina chuckled, "you felt the cold air and never came back? I can''t say I blame you."


    At that, the woman gave a wry smile.


    "The air was the least of my problems."


    Hearing that, Ethan decided to step in.


    "Grandmother, don''t pester her. It''s bad enough we have her carrying one of our bags."


    Mina scoffed.


    "A little bit of conversation never heard anyone. But, dear, do let me know if I''m bothering you."


    "You''re good," the woman replied quickly.


    She seemed to Ethan like the silent type. As their walk to the northern gates of Jade continued, she didn''t really say much. The conversation between her and Mina mostly consisted of his grandmother rambling about something and the woman nodding or shaking her head emotionlessly.


    "Once, my father took me out to the pastures west, by the Rose Cliffs near Pearl, and on that day I understood just how big the world really was. Have you been to Pearl?"


    "Mhm," she answered.


    "Beautiful place, wasn''t it?"


    "I guess."


    "No other quite like it. Damn shame, what happened there. Maybe one day, many, many years into the future, the world will see another city like Pearl."


    As they continued to speak, Ethan began to feel the weight of the bags he carried begin to wear on him again. Of course, he was a low-level kind of guy, as he''d never been much of a fighter or had any interest in dangerous professions. Because of this, the only Strength he had came in the form of his occasional workouts, which boosted his attribute to 3. And yet, he still felt uncomfortable right now.


    On the other hand, however, that woman showed no signs at all of struggle. Her face was the same as it had been at the bench. Her hand was still clutching the bag tightly, and her breathing seemed calm and steady.


    I mean...  Ethan thought, raising a brow at her.  It''s only one bag, but they''re all pretty heavy. Props to her, I guess.


    Still, it did make him curious to know whether this was an ordinary person or not. Appearances could be deceiving, after all. So, subtly, he checked her level.


    Level 80


    MP: 330/330


    "..."


    Ethan blinked. He was rendered completely speechless.


    "Oh, oh!" Mina said as she continued to speak to this... thing. "Did you ever get to try the gold honey-glazed apples?"


    "I don''t think so," the woman responded.


    "Ah, you missed out! They were the best! I may have lost a tooth because of sweets like those, but it was worth it," Mina laughed as they kept going.


    As for Ethan, all he was trying to do at this point was figure out who the hell this was exactly. He''d never seen something quite like this. A level of this magnitude was something unimaginable. Ordinarily, even someone with a level of 20, or 25 was considered exceptionally strong. Here she was, with several times that number.


    Then, he remembered something. He''d heard about it in the morning papers the couriers gave out at the square to the west. A certain pair of female Saviors that been chosen a while back, one of which was a half-demon. It had been the talk of the city for a while, especially after they were implicated in the death of the grand priest of the Church of Magia, Varcon.


    But, after that, well, they''d largely fallen out of the news. Most people had just assumed they''d either perished or had been sent to jail. There were rumors of a half-demon Savior who had been fighting for the various cities around the world, but Ethan had been sure such talk was just legend. Myths being made during troubling times.


    However seeing this, he wondered if he had run into something otherworldly.


    Before he could wonder about that for too long, however, they were arriving at the northern gates, and the caravan, which had thankfully not left, was still in sight.


    "Ah, there it is," Mina announced happily. "Could you help my grandson load everything up into the cart, please?"


    "Yeah."


    Although that level over her head told the story of someone so powerful that she could kill people like Ethan with a flick of her finger, the look on her face said something else entirely. Now that Ethan really focused, he thought she looked exhausted.


    Still, she helped with their bags and when it was done, Mina stood in front of her with a proud smile.


    "Thank you for everything, dear. Ethan, could you please give her a crown or two?"


    "That won''t be necessary," the woman replied, raising a hand up.


    "Hm? I would like to pay you back, though. These things were heavy, after all, if Ethan''s whining was any indication."


    "Nah," she shook her head. "I''m fine."


    Just like that, she gave both of them a small bow and walked away, before Mina could continue arguing over how to pay her.


    "... Grandmother, did you see her level?" Ethan asked, as soon as she was out of earshot.


    "Of course, I did," she chuckled.


    "Really? You made no sign of it."


    "That''s because it does not matter," she shrugged. "Out there, in the wilderness, with the monsters and demons, that is where levels matter. In here, within the walls of civilization, I care far more about human decency than anything else, and she had it. That''s enough for me."


    "..." Ethan remained silent then, looking into the direction she walked.


    "The problem is, however, that as decent as she was, she isn''t one of us."


    "Huh? What do you mean?" Ethan asked. "Because she''s a half-demon?"


    I mean, I agree, but, still, that kind of came out of nowhere.


    "No. Because of her duties," she explained. "Someone like her," Mina continued, "she likely has responsibilities the likes of which we can''t imagine. As such, it''s best for us to go our separate ways like this. Little moments like these, however, are what serve to let her kind know why they do what they do, and our kind know to be thankful for the safety we enjoy, as it is because of their ilk that we have it."


    As someone announced that the caravan was going to depart, Ethan helped his grandmother up onto the cart.


    "Don''t forget that, Ethan. Be thankful for the comfort you have, for however long you have it.. You never know when your city will become the next Pearl."

 Chapter 298 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    "It seems like every time we get to speak, you have to leave immediately afterward," Kairo laughed. "Will this trend continue onto the future?"


    "I hope not," Ash replied, crossing her legs as the two of them sat down in a small restaurant to the south of Jade. Every now and then, people would glance in her direction but by now Ash had become fairly desensitized to them, able to tune them out in just a couple of seconds.


    No, the only real issue lately was how antsy she felt in moments like these. The day of Kaori''s trial grew closer and closer, now only two weeks away, and although Ash had been training for a while, she couldn''t help but worry if she''d be powerful enough by the time the trial arrived.


    "Regardless, you must not forget to stop and smell the roses every now and then. Otherwise, whatever tension builds up within you will continue to do so, well into your training, and when you arrive at the day of battle, you will be in no condition to fight."


    "Maybe," Ash responded. "But, there''s too much I have to do. Too much I have to prepare for. I have to give it everything I''ve got."


    "That''s understandable, but rest is a key factor in determining people''s physical condition."


    "Ah, so that''s why you spend every hour of the day at that church?"


    "Partly," he shrugged with a smile.


    "Noted. Maybe I''ll become a monk after everything''s said and done. For now, though, I should get going. I need to make sure everything''s ready before we leave."


    "I see. Good luck out there, Ash. Make sure you take care of yourself."


    As their conversation ended, Ash began to walk back over to the barracks near the Royal Council''s palace, where she and the others had been training. With every step, her mind would drift and she''d think back to some of the more powerful enemies she''d encountered during her journey. Ash''s nature and her raw stats accumulated through a relatively short time training as a Savior had let her win many of her fights, but how useful would any of that be now?


    She wondered how exactly she''d go about doing that as she arrived, with soldiers eyeing her brazenly as she moved past them.


    News had, of course, arrived at Jade regarding the slaughter of the Senate down at Amber, and the assassination that the same group had done once migration began after their deaths. What Ash didn''t know was how her involvement had been made public. She couldn''t imagine many people even knew she''d been at Amber, especially since she spent most of her time at the Arcane''s Manor, and yet, she received strange, fearful looks every now and then.


    At the same time, it could be simple paranoia attributing those looks to what she''d done. For all she knew, they could be the result of those horns on her head or the level she carried. Either way, they were annoying.


    A moment later, she was walking into a wide-open space with a few tables at the left side where people were snacking on some bread in between sessions, and racks of weapons on the right for the trainees to choose from. Metallic clangs were ringing out as two women traded blows in the center of the room. A few soldiers who were either standing or sitting around them watched with stunned faces.


    Ash, however, watched with a proud smile, as she saw Keiko moving around so quickly, Ash knew she''d even give her some trouble.


    The young Zayama was well on her way to regaining her former prowess, and Yumi was currently helping along with that.


    Ash walked up just close enough for them to hear her but not to get her head chopped off and asked:


    "So, when am I getting my turn?"


    Immediately, Yumi''s naginata stopped moving and Keiko hopped back, putting some space between them. Then, Keiko looked back toward Ash with a grin so wide and warm that it nearly melted the half-demon''s heart.


    "Whenever you want to," Keiko replied, as she wiped off many beads of sweat rolling down her face.


    "Yeah? I could go for a few rounds. Just wanted to check in on you before I head back to our house."


    "Sure!" Keiko replied, pointing her sword at Ash. "Whenever you''re ready."


    Hearing that, Ash nodded and went to pick a standard longsword up from one of the nearby racks.


    On the way, though, she saw how Yumi looked at her, and she took a deep breath.


    The taller Zayama walked over to the same rack and asked:


    "Did everything go well with your friend?"


    "Mhm..."


    "Ah. I am glad."


    Their tones were hushed, coming out barely above a whisper. Not the kind of voices that people would use regularly for such casual interaction, however, Ash guessed the reason for this was what they''d done a short while ago.


    In between Amber and Jade, on the long road leading back to the white-gold city, their relationship had changed.


    Changed in such a way that Ash had to hold herself back from pulling this woman to a nearby hallway and tearing her clothes off.


    Even though Keiko had given them her blessing to do whatever they wanted, it still felt strange. And, the weirdest part was that this strange feeling made it all the more attractive to her.


    Ignoring it for now, though, she walked back to where Keiko was, longsword in hand. As her eyes met the other woman''s, her mood changed right back to where it was when she entered this place. Feeling the hand of lust unwrap itself from her heart, she nodded at Keiko, and the woman charged toward her.


    Currently, Ash had progressed to level 80 after killing many different monsters on the way back to Jade, leaving her status at this point:


    Level 80


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 100/800


    ---


    STR: 65


    DEX: 35


    CON: 38


    INT: 34


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    A lot of those attributes had been raised through the levels she received, but many had been the result of her own personal solitary training, as Satsuhiro had suggested that they work on them individually for a bit.


    The part that Ash was most proud of, however, was her proficiencies.


    Tomoe''s Divine Arts Proficiency: 6 of 10


    Sword: 7 of 10


    Gauntlets: 7 of 10


    Naginata: 6 of 10


    Bow: 6 of 10


    Spear: 5 of 10


    Having worked on her weapon skills more, especially as Keiko could now aid her more directly thanks to Ash''s actions, her skills with the different weapons had gone up. As such, she felt like she had more options than before, and that was a fact that was reflected in this current training session.


    As Keiko moved from one place to another, Ash felt like she understood what she was seeing. Whereas before, all she could do was use her Dexterity to outpace her opponents, now, she truly felt like she had some knowledge of the patterns being shown to her in these fights. The openings she could exploit in real combat.


    For now, however, all she did was block one slash after another, surprised at how fast Keiko had gotten herself.


    Ash was intent on mostly focusing on her Strength and magic, at this point. Keiko, however, had spent almost every hour of every day working on her Dexterity and Ash felt like it was showing.


    "Holy shit," she said.


    "Hm? What happened?" Keiko asked, stopping.


    "Nothing, you''re just really good at this," Ash chuckled. "It''s kinda cool."


    At that, Keiko backed up and giggled.


    "I''m glad I can still impress you sometimes."


    "Sometimes?" Ash raised a brow. She walked forward then. "You impress me in many, many ways. Just saying."


    Keiko blushed a bit and sighed.


    "Careful," she muttered. "There are many random strangers around us. I''d rather not give them a peek into our private lives."


    "Eh, I don''t mind if they see me eat you out for a bit."


    "A-Ash!"


    "But, we should probably head back. We haven''t finished packing, right?"


    "... Right," Keiko mumbled, pouting as she looked away.


    With a smile on her face, Ash gestured for Yumi to come with her, and as Keiko followed behind, the three women walked out.


    Tomorrow, they''d be heading out for Pearl, intent on using the low-level monsters there as a source of EXP. Everyone was getting in on it, not just the Saviors.


    Ash, though, had no clue what was going to happen. She wondered if those low-level demons would even give enough EXP for her to level. Or if maybe, when they arrived, the group would find that the city had been cleared out and those monsters they sought to kill had long since left.


    One way or another, however, they were returning to the west of Nova, where a city was waiting to be retaken.


    That would come later, though. For now, Ash all Ash could think about was how hot Keiko looked when she just finished training, with her muscles evidently tense and her chest heaving up and down at short intervals.


    Of course, she smelled terrible, but whatever.. It was a low price to pay for the good view, to someone who used to eat literal trash just a few years ago.

 Chapter 299 - Vol. 5 -

    As the three of them returned to the Savior House, Ash noticed the door was wide open and walked inside. There were several bags and small boxes littered around the area, and she could hear Opah and Metsumi speaking at some other part of the building.


    Then, Ash heard a voice she hadn''t wanted to hear anytime soon, at all.


    "Yes, in terms of the preparations being made, we have full confidence that the goal in mind will be achieved," Talo said, walking alongside Metsumi as they came out from the nearby hall. They ran into Ash, who was now standing in the middle of the living room with her arms crossed, and Talo smiled. "Ah, we were just talking about you."


    "Yeah?"


    "Metsumi was curious to know what we had in mind for your expedition in the near future. I was just letting her know, but, I suppose we can reiterate the information just a little. Sit with us?" Talo gestured toward the couch and Ash made no effort to walk over there. With a shrug, Talo took a seat themselves and began to say: "After having some rangers do a bit of scouting, we have come to understand that the demons remain almost as active as when the battle was had."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked.


    ''Many of them still remain inside the city''s walls, while others walk in and out the open portal at random moments throughout the day. A few Nightmares were spotted as well, though we estimate that even their ilk should not pose too much of a threat for you."


    At that, Ash narrowed her eyes at them.


    I wouldn''t put it past Niven to find some way to make his forces stronger just to screw me over. At the same time, though, the demons have been level-locked in the different places I''ve seen them at, so, it might not be any different from when the battle first happened. No matter what happens, though, I''ll be ready.


    "So, what''s this plan of yours?"


    "It is rather simple though we expect it to be effective," Talo replied. "We will be using a sort of pincer tactic to funnel the creatures deeper into the city. You will take the point, of course, while mages and archers flank the enemy, throwing projectiles at them from a relatively safe distance away. The Lust demons will still pose a threat, however, so some of your group will need to remain with them so that they do not get swarmed while you go ahead and move the plan forward."


    Talo''s face changed as they began to describe the strategy they had in mind, as the many voices of the Royal Council echoed in the background as they spoke.


    "At the same time, we will set up heavy artillery, fire mages, and cannons, to continuously attack any demons coming out of the portal from behind you so that you do not get surrounded yourselves. While this is happening, another barricade will also be formed at the city''s walls, and then, well, little by little, Pearl will be retaken."


    "Did you come up with all of this yourselves?" Yumi asked, looking impressed.


    "Ah, no. One of our generals, who will be joining you on the expedition, did. We are merely relaying the information."


    "Is that all?" Ash asked, and the vessel of the Royal Council put on a stricken, sad face.


    "Ah, Ash, always so cold with everyone," they said, before chuckling. "Yes, that is all we have in mind. Tomorrow, your caravan will depart just before noon. Please, try not to be late. Goodbye."


    Just like that, Talo stood up, bowed, and walked out of the house, as everyone else remained inside.


    "So, where''s Sin and Kasumi?"


    "Strangely enough, Sinneah asked to be shown around the city and Kasumi actually agreed to do it. I just hope our little dragon girl isn''t testing her patience too much."


    "There''s nothing little about her," Ash muttered. Metsumi chuckled a bit before her eyes looked away.


    "... It''s so weird that this is actually happening," Metsumi said with a smile.


    "Hm?" Ash looked over at her.


    "Taking back Pearl. I mean, it feels surreal. I never thought I''d get to see the place again."


    "Don''t celebrate just yet," Ash told her. "I have to go and win before that can happen."


    "And, you think I don''t have full confidence in you?" Metsumi asked easily and Ash sighed.


    I''m not sure you should have that kind of confidence in me, but I''ll try.  She thought before exiting the room through the nearby hall and heading back to her room to change out of her clothes.


    Behind her, Keiko shuffled up into the restrooms, probably to take a bath considering her intense training earlier, and Ash sat down at her bed, where Kaori''s body lay just behind her.


    Ash snuck a glance back at her, wondering if Kaori was with her right now, before continuing the process of changing.


    Then, the door opened and just by the lightness of the footsteps that approached, she knew who it was.


    "That was... Informative," Yumi said, standing by the door. "I haven''t heard much of anything about Pearl. I''m looking forward to heading up there."


    "... Did you come here to tell me that?" Ash asked, smiling a bit.


    At that, Yumi let out a short sigh.


    "Do you think it more appropriate for me to just throw myself at you with no word or warning beforehand?"


    "No, but it could be funny, at least," Ash shrugged as she turned toward the woman.


    As she''d been caught in the middle of getting out of her clothes, all Ash was wearing when she turned to look at her were the undergarments covering her privates. A light blush fell over Yumi''s cheeks and Ash narrowed her eyes at her.


    Is it just a Zayama thing that you people have to be so fucking adorable? Keiko''s definitely cuter, but, shit, you''re both just too much.


    That thought came at the same time that Ash walked toward Yumi, grabbing her by the hands and pulling her into the room, closing the door behind her. She dragged the woman over to the bed and pulled her to where Yumi was now straddling her lap, looking down at her with some embarrassment on her face, though she wasn''t acknowledging Kaori''s body there at all. Maybe she was too horny to care.


    "I... We aren''t going to be able to really do anything," Yumi stated. "Unless Keiko truly takes her time at that bath."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "So, yeah, how about we stop here, you just get out of my room, and we do nothing. Does that sound good?"


    "..." Yumi glared at her a little. "I didn''t say we should do that."


    "Okay, then what do you want to do?"


    "I don''t know, just, when I see you now," Yumi replied, "ever since this," she gestured between them, "started I feel a pull towards you that is just unbearable. I just want to be able to sleep tonight without having to touch myself behind Sinneah''s back for the fifteenth time."


    "Okay, then tell me how I can help you."


    "You don''t have any ideas?"


    "Of course, I do," Ash laughed. "I just like hearing you say them for me."


    "... You''re a sadist," Yumi muttered.


    "Maybe," Ash shrugged. "You know, half-demon and all that."


    Sighing, Yumi then nodded as she audibly gulped and said:


    "Could you... Use your tongue, maybe?"


    "Now we''re talking," Ash smiled. "Where?"


    "... What the hell do you mean, ''where''?" Yumi asked.


    "I don''t know. Back when I was in the streets, I heard some people like it up the ass. Are you one of them?"


    "A-Ash," Yumi pulled back a bit.


    "Just asking. Come on, lay down then."


    After Yumi took her clothes off and one short switching of their positions later, Yumi was now with her back to the bed by the place where Ash had been sitting. The half-demon herself was on her knees, looking down at a pair of lips so wet she wondered how strong that pull that Yumi mentioned actually was. More than that, however, she was eager to lap that up and get a taste for her again.


    Her tongue reached the other woman and Yumi let out a quick moan, as Ash got started.


    And then, the door opened.


    Keiko, wrapped in a towel, walked in and yelped.


    "S-Sorry!" Keiko said as Ash flinched and Yumi made a noise that was fairly similar to Keiko''s. Then, as Keiko slammed the door closed, Ash chuckled.


    ... Fuck.


    "Well," Ash thought, standing back up. "That sucks."


    Yumi silently did the same and quickly put on the clothes she''d so eagerly discarded, before making a beeline out the room with a face so red, Ash wondered how hot her skin would be if she pressed her hand against her forehead.


    Unfortunate.


    She heard Keiko and Yumi exchange a word outside, before Keiko walked in, still wrapped in that towel. Ash''s earlier statement held true then, as Keiko herself looked like a genuine angel.


    "... Uh... I... Well... Uhm..." Keiko said, her face just as red as Yumi''s was, before then giving up on speaking altogether and just putting some clothes on.


    "... So, you want me to eat you out instead?"


    "Ash!?"


    "Just asking, just asking."

 Chapter 300 - Vol. 5 -

    Keiko


    After that... awfully embarrassing encounter, the group continued their preparations. Before long, most of what they had was tightly wrapped up in bags of varying sizes. Yumi and Keiko herself both remained largely silent, but as Satsuhiro told them about their trip, Keiko pouted a bit, seeing how Ash looked entirely unaffected.


    "I think that strategy of theirs sounds fine," Satsuhiro shrugged. "In my case, considering how long I''ve been out of practice for, I definitely appreciate getting to sit behind everyone in this plan till I get my bearings again."


    "I''d say we don''t want them to be too weak, though," Ash muttered. "For me, the whole point is to try to get stronger. Getting the city back is..." She glanced at Metsumi, "cool, I guess, but I''m trying to get stronger."


    "You''ll have to be greedy," Satsuhiro advised her. "Same goes for you, Keiko. Training is great, but if we''re both going to get back into fighting shape, we have to do a lot of actual fighting."


    "Agreed," Keiko nodded.


    At that point, there was a knock at the front door. Metsumi stood up to go open it and see who was there, and the person who stood on the other side was a young man, wearing a black training ji, like the kind Keiko used to wear often.


    "Greetings," he bowed, and as Keiko looked over at him a little more, she noticed he had a pair of silver eyes.


    "Good evening," Metsumi replied politely.


    "A letter for Keiko Zayama, from her grandmother," he suddenly stated, handing over an envelope as Keiko raised a brow.


    "... What?" She asked herself, standing up and walking over to them. The man left before she even arrived at the door, and Metsumi quickly gave her the letter.


    "Did you reach out to her?" Metsumi asked.


    "No," Keiko answered. "I... I can''t imagine what she could want."


    It''s not like we left on good terms or anything,  Keiko thought bitterly as she remembered their last couple of interactions. She vividly remembered what it had been like to slap that woman in the face, which was great because she did enjoy it.


    However, in her hands was a letter sent by that very woman.  What could this be about?  She asked herself, curious as she ripped the envelope open.


    Shuffling back to the couch, she sat down next to Ash, who quickly wrapped an arm around her back as Keiko pulled out a sheet of paper.


    And, she read the thing in a low mumble.


    "Keiko," she started. "Recently, the Royal Council contacted the Zayama Compound with regards to the mission that will be happening soon, to retake Pearl. They asked for some soldiers and, of course, I obliged, selecting a handful of them to aid Jade''s efforts. However, these soldiers are woefully inexperienced. They are in need of guidance..."


    Where the hell is she going with this?  Keiko thought.


    "Now, make no mistake, to say I do not think fondly of you is an understatement. However, due to your various accomplishments, I cannot deny that you are at least more experienced than these amateurs. And, of course, as I know the half-demon Savior is headed up there, I assume you are as well if you''re still traveling with her. Therefore, I would ask of you that you watch over them. That is all."


    The letter ended as abruptly as it had been given, leaving Keiko with one brow raised to the ceiling and her jaw on the ground.


    "Seriously?" She asked aloud.


    "What is it?" Ash asked next to her.


    "Apparently, some rookies are going to be sent up to Pearl with us, from the Compound. My grandmother wants me to watch over them."


    "Oh? So, what are you going to do?" Ash asked.


    "I''m going to ignore her, of course," Keiko quickly answered. "The last thing I want is to follow any of her wishes anymore."


    However, Satsuhiro put a hand on his chin as he spoke up.


    "It might not be a bad idea, honestly."


    "What?" Keiko asked, turning toward her.


    "Zayama warriors come with one of the most powerful abilities in the world. Having a few more Spirit Eyes on our side couldn''t hurt our chances," he shrugged.


    "Ehm, well, we have Ash on our side," Keiko replied. "I don''t think our chances are bad, to begin with."


    "Ash might be a disgustingly high level," Satsuhiro admitted, "but numbers alone can overwhelm any creature. And, the Royal Council themselves told us the demons remain active in the area. If there are too many for us to handle, then, yes, we would appreciate any strong warriors wherever we can find them."


    "... You want me to take time out of my day to, what, train a couple of rookies?" Keiko asked, feeling more and more indignant as the conversation went on.


    "No," Satsuhiro quickly responded. "But, if you can make sure they don''t get taken out too early into everything, I think that would make our chances better."


    Crossing her arms, Keiko narrowed her eyes at him.


    "I..." She had been about to reject the idea point-blank, but she tried to calm herself down before delivering her response. "If I see them in need of assistance, sure, I''ll help them. I''ll help any soldiers I see that I can save. But, I''m not going to go out of my way for the sake of some random soldiers my grandmother saw fit to send to their deaths."


    "That''s fair," Satsuhiro replied, and the conversation ended there.


    That last part that Keiko had mentioned was one of the things that made this all the more annoying. She asked herself why her grandmother would even bother sending rookies like this. Why not send something like Ioko? She couldn''t come up with an answer.


    However, as that was decided, it was time to finally finish up their preparations.


    ---


    Ash


    Got my armor... Got my cube... Got all my other shit. I''m ready.


    Ash was the last one to walk out of the Savior House, as she wasn''t just packing her bags, after all. She placed her bags on the ground, looked over at Kaori''s body, and picked her up. Then, with the blonde on her back, she crouched down, picked up her bags, and started to walk out of the house.


    Outside, Yumi and Sinneah were talking on the right, sitting by the giant tree in the middle of the district. On the left, Opah was wrestling with Luvine, their hands locked as they tried to push each other. Opah was making a face like she was having the battle of a lifetime while Luvine looked as emotionless as ever.


    Finally, right by the door, Keiko was standing on her own, her eyes cast down to the ground, while Metsumi and Satsuhiro were waiting ahead.


    "I''m done," Ash stated. "Where''s Kasumi?"


    "She went ahead already," Satsuhiro replied.


    "She wanted to take a nap on the cart before we leave," Metsumi added.


    "Oh, gotcha."


    "On the way," Satsuhiro continued, "we can keep learning some spells on the way. Those Primordial Spells from Arianna were good, but having more options is never a bad thing."


    At that moment, a carriage came into the district. It slowly rolled over to them, being pulled by a couple of horses. A man jumped out and jogged over to them.


    "Ash?" He asked. "The Savior."


    "Yeah," she nodded. "What is it?"


    "Ah, the armor you''d put in a request for," he answered.


    "Oh, shit, really?" She replied.


    Earlier, almost immediately after they''d arrived at Jade, Ash had asked the Royal Council for a different kind of armor, with Satsuhiro''s help in composing the letter. Her design had been simple, but she still doubted that the Royal Council would deliver on it. Apparently, however, they had.


    The man took out a box and dropped it off in front of them before the carriage promptly went away.


    Ash placed Kaori''s body on a nearby bench, then went back and opened it up, peeking inside.


    ... Okay, this seems pretty much like what I had in mind,  Ash thought.


    After everything that happened in Amber, Ash had decided she wanted to fight in something much, much lighter, and more comfortable to wear. Considering how often she was fighting monsters who could tear through her armor like it was butter, or pound it so hard that her body could be crushed underneath it, she''d begun to value movement above all else. So, her design was as follows:


    She asked for a simple golden chest piece, small pauldrons at the shoulders, thin gauntlets, and greaves, all of the same color. Her elbows, abdomen, lower back, and neck would remain exposed, however, just seeing this, she could already tell it would be easier to move in this.


    Okay, not too bad, she thought.  As sketchy as the Council is, at least they got this right.


    "Sinneah''s not carrying anything, right?" Ash asked.


    "I don''t think so," Satsuhiro replied.


    "Okay," Ash said, before taking the box and walking over to her. "Hey, Sin."


    The draconic woman looked up at her.


    "Yes?"


    "Can you carry this for me?"


    "Sure," she answered without hesitation and took it into her arms.


    "Is everyone ready?" Satsuhiro then asked the group at large. Keiko looked up and nodded. Ash picked Kaori up again and did the same. Everyone else soon gathered in front of him. "Okay.. Let''s go."

 Chapter 301 - Vol. 5 -

    At Jade''s western gates, Ash arrived with the others to find that there were more vehicles than she''d expected. She didn''t know how many she thought there would b exactly, but this felt surprising. Twenty carts, each one with some horses and groups of nobles or soldiers on them, all ready to leave for Pearl, and with more empty carts waiting on the side. She''d known this would be a massive undertaking, but seeing all of this made it feel more real.


    Eh,  she calmed down.  At the end of the day, to me, it''s all about fighting a few monsters. Just another day on the job.


    One of the carts featured three individuals wearing black training outfits like Keiko''s own, which let Ash know those were probably the people her grandmother had told Keiko to watch over. Looking to her side, Keiko was eyeing them up analytically, before a couple of guards moved over to them.


    "Saviors, this way," he said, before giving them a short bow.


    The group went with him and were taken to one cart that stood out from the others, as its wood held golden decorations and even the horses had some elegant armor on them. Here, Ash peeked inside and found Kasumi laid down and in a deep sleep.


    When she caught that sight, she chuckled.


    You call that a nap? She looks like she''s not gonna wake up for years.


    At that moment, she placed Kaori down next to the Savior, before turning back toward the man who''d addressed them.


    "When are we leaving?" She heard Satsuhiro ask.


    "Just a few minutes. Everyone''s finishing up their preparations," he replied. You can go ahead and sit down, even. Your coachman will be here soon, and we''ll ride out immediately."


    Satsuhiro nodded and the man walked away.


    "Well, shit," Ash said, putting her hands on her hips as she looked around. "How many people are supposed to do this with us?"


    "Many more than the amount you see here," Satsuhiro replied. "It''s sad for them, but if there are too many demons for you to hold back on your own, many of these people will be dead before the first week ends."


    "... Hm," Ash turned to look at them. "Did they sign up for this themselves?"


    "Who knows?" Satsuhiro shrugged. "As for us, we should just concern ourselves with our own matters. Come on, let''s get in."


    They did just that and, soon, the group was all settled and ready to go, waiting for the others outside the cart to get ready themselves. Keiko was sitting next to Ash, and she yawned, as apparently, the day''s training had tired her out.


    "If you want to take a nap too," Ash gestured at Kasumi, who was still laid out, "now would be the time."


    Keiko smiled at her a bit, before gently resting her head on her shoulder.


    Sometime later, Ash heard the coachman getting up on their carriage, and finally, everyone got moving. As their vehicle was slowly pulled along, it was as though a sudden injection of tiredness had hit Ash as well, and soon, she found herself struggling to keep her eyes open.


    The others were just fine, though, so Ash figured she may as well take a break. Allowing her eyes to close, she leaned back and allowed herself to drift away.


    ---


    The trip to Pearl took a little over three days, as the caravan was in no hurry to arrive.


    Honestly, Ash grew anxious as each individual day dragged out. Those two weeks they had before Kaori''s trial had been reduced to one week and four days, which all of a sudden had Ash feeling like she really needed to step things up.


    In the middle of the journey, in between breaks, at the camps the groups made, and even as she ate her snacks on occasion, Ash focused on learning new spells. She picked up a spell called  Holy Ground,  which cost 20mp and was an upgraded version of Sacred Ground  and consisted of Light magic that repulsed Dark creatures such as demons. In addition, she learned another Dark spell called  Volley of Hate, which cost 40mp, and launched a barrage of dark, magical arrows into the air, poisoning whatever they hit.


    Even then, however, as she learned these spells, and as she continued her training with Yumi and Keiko, she still felt like she wasn''t doing enough. That feeling continued all the way up until the sky began to turn a dark shade of violet and the land around the carriage grew more and more familiar to the half-demon, as she saw their destination in the distance.


    Outside, she could also see the diamond-shaped portal, as giant and alive as it had been when Ash first came here, still active while some stray demons walked around it mindlessly.


    Around the portal were also dead demon bodies, and given what Ash had seen of them so far, it was easy to assume that they''d probably spent the last few months killing each other, just as much as they killed whatever wildlife they could find around them.


    "We''ll be setting up camp on that hill over there!" The coachman yelled out for them to know.


    "Sounds good," Satsuhiro replied before each of the carts was then pulled up to the spot the coachman had stated.


    It was a wide-open field of short grass, that rolled down into a collection of large trees by the paved road where they were now coming from.


    The first thing Ash did upon arriving was ensure that Kaori had a nice, comfortable spot to rest in while everyone else got set up. So, she spotted one of the trees and wrapped Kaori''s body up in a little sheet, with her head sticking out almost comically before letting her back fall onto the tree''s trunk. Now that Kaori was in a decent place, she went back to help everyone unload their things.


    As Ash carried bags and crates off of each of the nearby carts, as some soldiers asked her for help, she noticed their impressed and awed looks and wondered if she was going to have to deal with those here too, and not just at Jade. On the bright side, though, she''d finally started to grow used to this weird admiration, which made ignoring it far easier.


    The others were getting ready in their own ways, from what she could see. Keiko and Yumi consistently traded blows and even Kasumi got it on it a couple of times, while Satsuhiro was going through old Fire spellbooks, trying to either refresh his memory or learn new spells altogether. As for Sinneah, she helped Ash reach Tomoe''s Divine Arts proficiency 8, and a new ability was unlocked for the half-demon, as she approached the final level of that technique.


    Tomoe''s Divine Arts


    Divine Fire


    Stretching your hand out toward a target, allow a spray of holy white flame to surge out from your palms. The scope of the attack can be altered with a thought, but the wider the attack, the less powerful it grows. On the other hand, the more narrow the attack, the more powerful it will be.


    Mana Cost: 0


    Incantation: None


    In the middle of all the preparation, Ash was pulled by Satsuhiro to a small tent the soldiers had set up earlier. Here, they were going to plan out their first few days on this mission, and how exactly they''d go about re-taking this city.


    Ash sat down with her legs crossed as the soldiers got started, leaning back on her chair with a bored look on her face.


    "Following the Royal Council''s initial plan is the best idea. We will need to come in through the front," a female commander said. "Surround the portal, set up a barricade of sorts immediately, and then attack the demons where they are strongest!"


    "No," a male general replied, "after seeing the current state of this place, I believe we need to go in through the palace and clear the way toward the portal."


    "If we allow them to push reinforcements into the city, we could effectively get cut off from this camp, and give them a positional advantage that would make it far harder for anything to get done!" The commander replied.


    "... Hm. Savior," the general looked over at Ash. "What would you recommend? Should we follow the Royal Council''s plan or head in through the palace?"


    Huh, what?  Ash, who had been falling asleep, shook herself awake as she was addressed.


    When she processed the question, she replied honestly to it.


    "I really don''t give a shit," Ash sighed. "As long as their levels are low enough, I can kill off most of them. I just want to get started already."


    Hearing her, the soldiers around them had mixed reactions. Some seemed impressed, others seemed annoyed at her disregard for this planning, but as for her, she just closed her eyes again and relaxed.


    "I... I suppose if she can deal with them so efficiently then, yes, we should try the Royal Council''s idea," that general from earlier replied.


    "If anything goes wrong, we will do things your way, sir," she added.. "For now, however, let''s stick to the plan."

 Chapter 302 - Vol. 5 -

    Later, as Ash was putting on her armor, Sinneah walked up to her.


    "What are we going to do?" The draconic woman asked, earning the curious gazes of soldiers all around them. Most of their eyes, of course, centered on her thick tail.


    "So, apparently, the dudes in armor over there want us to go take on a couple of those demons to see how strong they are," Ash replied.


    "Hm? How will we do that?"


    "I can see their levels," Ash explained as she strapped her gauntlets tighter, and tied her  Lust to her waist. "I just need to get up close to a few of them and we''ll see where they''re at."


    "Ah. So, why did you ask me to come with you?" Sinneah then asked.


    "Because, out of everyone else on our group, you''re the least likely to get hurt. If they''re weak enough, I''ll bring Keiko or Kasumi next time, since they could use the practice."


    "Oh no, by all means, take every demon out yourselves," Kasumi said, walking up to them as she heard that. "I wouldn''t want to deprive you of your special fighting time."


    "Oh, I know you wouldn''t," Ash smirked, "but if I don''t drag you down there you''ll go right back to sleep for the next month."


    "Of course, I would, considering the alternative," Kasumi stated. "I doubt anyone is actually looking forward to fighting here."


    "I am," Ash corrected her. "I need the levels. And, don''t you?"


    "Yes, but I''d much rather get my experience fighting random beasts as opposed to... those things," she said, looking down the hill toward the portal. Their overall objective, the great diamond-shaped rift still open outside the city walls, remained there like a personal taunt on behalf of Niven. And, Ash intended on responding in kind.


    Before any more resentment toward the death god could build up, someone called out to her.


    "Savior," the general from earlier said.


    "Yeah?"


    "I organized the squad that will be accompanying you," he said, gesturing at three knights who then stepped up. They all looked fairly nervous. "Knights Sirrin, Nieve, and Rickon. Levels 24, 19, and 25."


    At that, Ash raised a brow.


    "That''s way too low for a fight down at the portal," she said. "They''re going to be buffed."


    "These are some of the highest levels here, Savior," he replied. "Not all of us are blessed."


    "... Okay," Ash looked back down at her own body. She put a foot atop a crate and tightened her greaves with some leather straps built into them.


    "After discussing it more," he continued, "we believe it may be better to head through the back during this scouting mission. You do not intend to fight much, do you?" He asked.


    "It depends on how strong they are," she shrugged as she answered.


    "Ah. Well, you should try to eliminate any demons that see you. Otherwise, they might run back to their portal to reinforce it."


    "Gotcha," Ash nodded.


    "That is all, then. Good luck," the man finally said with a bow, before walking away.


    As he left, the other soldiers he''d brought walked forward. Ash got a better look at them, now that she wasn''t talking. They were all dressed in the typical plate armor of Jade, painted in white and gold. One had black pigtails and held a smile on her face as she approached, another was a boy with sharp green eyes and wild brown hair, and the last was a woman with a scar on her cheeks, brown eyes, and short trimmed black hair. In the order in which Ash saw them, their levels were 19, 24, and 25 respectively.


    "Greetings, Savior," the girl with the pigtails bowed to her. "I''m Nieve, that''s Rickon, and she''s Sirrin. We''re honored to fight alongside you."


    "Let''s just get moving already," Ash said, cutting these introductions off as she turned around and hurriedly walked behind the trees. The others caught up quickly, jogging to her position and walking with her down the hill, as Ash tried to form her plan in her mind.


    Alright, so how are we gonna do this? Ash asked herself as the others caught up.  I''d love to just run in and wipe some motherfuckers out, but...  She looked back briefly.  Yeah, they probably wouldn''t last long at all under that plan. I mean, I don''t really care much about them but if these people are supposed to be some of the highest level soldiers, it would be best to keep them alive.


    As she turned back toward the rolling path, she walked closer to Sinneah to speak to her for a moment.


    "Hey, if you see any demons flying away or running away or whatever, let me know. We don''t want to warn their friends. Also, uh, don''t go running into any place without me. We''re only trying to see how strong they are. The real fighting hasn''t started yet.


    "Understood," Sinneah replied. Then, her eyes fell on the area around them, and Ash raised a brow.


    "Something on your mind?"


    "... This area is bright," Sinneah replied, keeping a stoic face as she analyzed her surroundings. "It reminds me of old memories."


    "Yeah?"


    "My father and I used to take rests in places like these," she stated. "Being in such forests felt like a dream."


    "Hm. I don''t know, to me, it''s all the same."


    "It largely is," Sinneah replied.


    Behind them, the soldiers began speaking to each other as well, in a hushed voice, but Ash could hear them clearly.


    "We''re really fighting demons again, aren''t we?" Nieve said. "This is a little nerve-wracking."


    "Just be careful. It''s just a scouting mission," Sirrin replied. "We''ll get through this in no time."


    "If anything goes wrong, we''ll always have the Savior to fall back on," Rickon added.


    At that, Ash scoffed.


    You guys are lucky I''m at this level. If I wasn''t, at the first sign of trouble I''d run the hell away.


    "And... That lady," Nieve added. "She has a tail!"


    "Hm?" Sinneah stopped, turning around. "I do, yes."


    "Eeh!? S-Sorry," Nieve bowed to her immediately and Ash chuckled to herself as Sinneah just looked on, confused.


    "Do you want to touch it?" Sinneah asked. "People seem to enjoy that, for some reason."


    "What!? Uh, sure," Nieve quickly replied, jogging over to Sinneah. The draconic woman raised it up and the girl placed her hands on it.


    The others watched from behind. Rickon sighed and then walked forward.


    "I''m way too curious," he muttered before moving up to do the same.


    "Eh, fine," Sirrin, the last of the three, said before walking up as well.


    Hm. That''s one way to ease their nerves before the fight,  Ash acknowledged as they each rubbed Sinneah''s tail up and down, while the woman just stood there, her face showing comical levels of indifference.


    "Where are you from?" Nieve asked. "I''ve never seen anyone like you!"


    "From a forest," Sinneah answered.


    "Uh, yeah, sounds about right," Nieve chuckled.


    "What does that mean?" Sinneah asked, tilting her head.


    "I-I didn''t mean anything by it!"


    "..." As Sinneah''s puzzled expression didn''t fade, Ash decided it was time to end this little interaction.


    "Come on, stay focused," she told everyone. "Even if it''s not a full assault, we will be fighting in a bit."


    "Right, I apologize," Nieve bowed to her then.


    "You''re fine, let''s just go."


    "Okay!"


    With all of that strangeness out of the way, the group continued down the path, leading to the eastern side of the city.


    Soon, Ash saw this appear above her.


    Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing


    Beyond the portal, they walked behind it, unseen as far as Ash could tell, on their way to the palace''s escape route, which they''d taken to retreat during the battle when last they''d been here.


    As they arrived at the place, Ash could see old scars from the fight on the city itself. Buildings that had been broken, patches of grass that had been burned away as a result of the mages'' spells, and old corpses that had been left to decay out in the open.


    If she closed her eyes right now, she could remember some of the moments. When she and Kaori had gone to the Site of Power where Kaori''d received her boost when she saw Takomaro be taken by a Nightmare when she fought alongside Keiko and the others to leave just after the Zayama had discovered the Spirit Eye.


    Remembering all of this, she truly felt like she''d come a long way. But, there was a chance that it still wasn''t enough, given the task she had on the horizon.


    Please, please, please,  she thought.  Once I get Kaori back, Niven, take a break or something. Let me just enjoy a couple of days with her before we get back to trying to kill each other.


    They moved through the palace, then, a dark and damp area that hadn''t seen a live human''s touch in ages. Then, finally, they arrived at the keep leading up to it. Here, the civilians had been kept just before the retreat was conducted. And, here, Ash saw her first targets.


    Four stray Lust demons were gathered around a few corpses, grinding on their bodies in an effort to satisfy themselves. Grimacing, Ash looked up at their levels.


    Level 18


    MP: 100/100


    Level 15


    MP: 120/120


    Level 20


    MP: 140/140


    Level 21


    MP: 100/100


    Okay,  Ash nodded to herself. Good.. Let''s do this.

 Chapter 303 - Vol. 5 -

    As soon as one of them noticed her, Ash transformed her  Lust.


    "Bow."


    "Eehh-" The Lust demon began a low hiss that was cut off when Ash sent an arrow straight through its mouth. Its friends, the other Lust demons whose heads snapped up at the sound, noticed what had happened and almost looked offended that someone had interrupted their session.


    Ash didn''t stop. Quickly, she shot out a couple more arrows at her enemies, taking two demons out in quick succession before Sinneah killed off the last one by punching a hole straight through its chest.


    The three rookie soldiers just watched from behind, in awe.


    EXP Gained: 50


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP Gained: 45


    EXP: 235/800


    "Hm," Ash nodded to herself as she looked up at the EXP she''d gained. "We''re done."


    Shaking her head and pushing away the surprise from what had just happened, Nieve jogged up to Ash.


    "That''s it?" She asked. "We don''t have to do anything else?"


    "We were just here to see how strong they are," Ash reminded her. "If it were up to me, I''d go in the city and clear out as many of them as I could, but I''d rather just wait till the eggheads back at the camp have a good plan."


    In all honesty, all she wanted was, in fact, to head in and kill every single demon here right now. But, as it had been made clear to her, one lucky shot from one of these things was all it would take to kill her, even at her current level. So, going against that voice in her head telling her to stay, she began walking back toward the path where they''d come from.


    "... That was incredible," Nieve continued, as she remained by Ash''s side. "How many demons have you killed?"


    "A lot," Ash answered quickly. She reverted her  Lust into its cube shape and kept her eyes on their surroundings, making sure nothing was going to take them by surprise.


    "How long did it take to get this strong?"


    "A few months, but," Ash quickly added, "it''s mostly because of some weird stuff that happened."


    "Do you think we could ever get that strong?" She asked, and now, Ash stopped.


    She turned toward her, as the barrage of questions made it clear that this girl wasn''t going to leave her alone anytime soon.


    Nieve had a hopeful and bright expression on her face. One that likely hinted at the sort of hardworking optimist she was. It was a quality that reminded Ash of a certain someone, so as soon as she noticed that about her, she looked away and kept going so as to avoid having her heart hurt any further.


    She never answered that question, but Nieve seemed satisfied all the same. Ash guessed that probably meant she took it as a "yes".


    Whatever,  Ash thought, as they retreated beyond the trees and back up to the camp. On the way, though, they noticed something off about the portal and the city below. It seemed like there were fewer demons now than before surrounding the diamond-shaped structure.


    If Niven knows we''re here, which, I mean, he probably does, he''s likely going to get started on fortifying the city''s defenses,  Ash thought.  He probably won''t attack us out here, but I''ll still sleep with one eye open, just in case.


    The group walked back to where the commanding officers were located to let them know how things had gone. They remained at one of the tents, speaking over a table that had a map of the city laid out on it. Satsuhiro was standing by as Ash walked up.


    "Ah, Savior," the general greeted her. "How did the scouting go?"


    "Their levels are the same as before," Ash noted. "They''re still affected by the portal''s buff too, though. So, it might say that their level is 20, or whatever, but when they''re close to the portal, it''s basically more like 40 or even 50."


    Her words made the faces of the soldiers there stiffen up. One of them, however, asked something.


    "The buff affects you, right?"


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "I get the same stats. I''ll still be way stronger than them on my own, but you guys need to figure out how you''re going to avoid getting your faces clawed off."


    With that, Ash walked away before she could be told anything else. Her job was done for now, as far as she was concerned, and now she just wanted to keep training before the actual battle arrived.


    In order to do that, though, she needed to see where the others were. With Sinneah behind her, as she also didn''t care at all for whatever the general and the other soldiers were going to do, she tried to search for them. She found Metsumi, Luvine, and Opah fairly easily, as both kids were running around while Metsumi spectated, making sure they didn''t go too far, but Ash still couldn''t see the others. It took looking through a couple of tents before she then found theirs.


    Once she did, she stopped at the front of it as she saw what they were doing.


    Yumi and Keiko were discussing one of the former''s books, while, behind them, Kasumi was laid down on a mat.


    Ash''s eyes, though, failed to move away from the crimson-haired woman when she really got a good look at her. Kasumi was wearing a tank top that was, simply put, way too baggy, and nothing underneath to the point where it left very little to the imagination.


    Have those things always been so big?  Ash asked herself, closing her eyes and taking a sharp breath.  Holy fuck, they''re massive.


    "Oh," Keiko noticed her arrival. "How did it go?"


    Trying her hardest to ignore the view that was practically pulling her eyes toward it, Ash sat down next to Keiko.


    "Fine. The demons are pretty much just as strong as they were before. So, this should be pretty easy."


    "Great," Keiko replied. "A part of me is feeling pretty nervous though, honestly. I-I know we''re a lot stronger now than we were back then, but, still. Anything could happen."


    "Just stay behind me," Ash shrugged, as Sinneah sat down next to Yumi.


    Keiko then gave her a smile full of gratitude.


    "I''ll do my best."


    "Oh, Ash?" A voice came out and Ash looked toward it. That was a mistake.  Kasumi had woken up and was now sitting up and stretching, something that her tank top fundamentally disagreed with as it showed off what Ash couldn''t see prior. Kasumi''s nipples, out in the open, felt like they were whispering in Ash''s ears. "What happened?"


    "I... I went to check out the city," Ash responded with a throat that felt a lot drier than it had just been.


    "Ohhh. How was it?"


    "Fine."


    "Hm," As Kasumi rubbed her eyes, Ash couldn''t stop staring. "You know, if we want to get ready before everything kicks off, we could go around looking for monsters. Though, the demons might have killed them all."


    "We could do that," Ash replied.


    "Awesome. Be right back, I need to take a piss."


    With that, Kasumi walked out of the tent.


    As she did, Ash turned back toward Keiko.


    "So, how about some tail action to end the day?"


    "A-Ash!?" Yumi and Keiko both said, simultaneously.


    ---


    Yumi


    The night arrived a lot sooner than the Zayama had been expecting, though it felt like that happened often these days. Having gone from quiet, stagnant, endless days back at the shrine to a life of constant moving and speaking, it really felt like time was flying to her.


    The only moments when time tended to slow down, was when Yumi was allowed to remain in her own, private little world for a few minutes, normally before she went asleep. Here, though, that privilege was amplified by the fact that all it took was a minute''s walk and she could go out to the trees, to remain completely on her lonesome for as long as she wanted.


    And, of course, when she had this opportunity, she would use it mostly to do one thing. One thing that was on her mind as she got up and looked around to see if Sinneah had gone to sleep already. Indeed, she had, and Yumi let out a sigh of relief.


    ... It''s been getting worse lately,  Yumi thought.  Maybe all I need is to relieve myself enough to push these thoughts out, though.


    And so, she went to do just that.


    The Zayama walked out from the tent and made a beeline for the forest beside it, with her footsteps as light as they could be. She only gave the rest of the camp a casual glance, as she figured that anyone who saw her would only assume she was going to go do her business.


    She walked for a while, making sure there was enough distance so that she could be sure she''d be alone before she heard something.


    Hm? Her ears perked up at the sound.


    It came from the west. A sharp, almost pained, moan.


    Does someone need help?  Yumi wondered, before quickly walking in that direction.


    What she found, however, did not reflect any sort of emergency. Instead, as soon as her eyes found the source, she hid behind a tree and took a deep breath.


    Ash and Keiko were there, just a small distance ahead, with Ash in her transformed state, and Keiko laid down on the grass underneath her.


    Already, Yumi''s heart was beating rapidly against her chest.


    Oh my... When did... What...?


    Of course, what she felt she should have done at this point was just walk away.


    Instead, though, she peeked out from behind the tree to get another look. Holding one hand up to her chest, she watched as she could just barely see the outline of Ash''s black tail, shining under the moonlight, pushing into the girl under her.


    And, as Yumi''s silver eyes remained on the scene ahead, she slipped a hand into her pants.


    ... I am terrible for this, she thought, but one thing was certain.


    She hadn''t stopped before, when this had happened at the Manor, and she wasn''t about to stop now.

 Chapter 304 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    The next day, preparations for the proper battle began to be finalized.


    "With the level of the enemies being determined, I believe the best course of action for our first steps would be to create a diversion," the general said, as Ash sat down nearby, waiting for the meeting to be over.


    Whatever plan they decided on, at the end of the day, her role would be the same. That fact made it so that she was currently struggling to stay awake.


    Especially after the late-night excursion she''d gone on with Keiko, but the constant yawning and heavy eyelids were both worth it, in her opinion. She''d have to check with Keiko to see if she disagreed, but she was somewhere else right now. No, the only other person here with Ash was Satsuhiro, who was listening to the meeting intently.


    As Ash dozed off, the man tapped her shoulder.


    "Pay attention," he said.


    "Why? It''s not like any of this changes anything."


    "You''ll want to know what the others are doing so you can help them. Remember, you''re the main reason this is even possible. But, it can''t happen if every single soldier dies cause you''re too busy killing enemies a hundred meters away."


    Ash rolled her eyes but went silent.


    As if I''ve ever been good at protecting things,  she thought, and for a second, what happened to Arianna floated through her mind. What she''d done at Amber helped her move on from that, but that wound was, unfortunately, still fresh.


    "... mindless," a soldier replied, as Ash''s eyes went back to the conversation unfolding in front of her. "These creatures will take any bait as long as it is tempting enough. With that in mind, we might not be able to empty the entire city, but we can at least get some of these demons to vacate it, making entering Pearl slightly easier, as we''ll be met with less resistance."


    "As soon as we''re settled into the city, we''ll be reliving the Battle of Pearl if measures aren''t taken to fortify our defenses the moment we arrive."


    "Measures that simply cannot be taken with this amount of soldiers," the general replied to his commander. "Relative to the number of enemies, anyway."


    "Exactly."


    "Ah... Which means we arrive at the same conclusion as we did previously."


    "And what''s that?" Satsuhiro asked from the side. The general and his commander looked at each other, nodding, before responding to the Savior.


    "We need the portal to be closed before anything can truly be done," he declared. "Any and all reinforcements we receive will arrive from Jade in days. Niven can use his portal to call for reinforcements in hours. As long as he maintains this advantage, we cannot win."


    "So, you want me to go in and close it before we kick things off?" Ash asked, her eyes narrowed.


    "Yes, if that is a possibility," he added. "It is the best option available to us at the moment."


    Ash, however, quickly narrowed her eyes when she heard that.


    The immediate issue she took with this was simple. She didn''t want the number of demons to be finite. The entire reason she was here was to hunt down as many of them as was possible.


    At the same time, though, one thought snuck in.


    The more of these things there are, and the longer this goes on for, the higher the chances are that something will happen to Keiko, or anyone else in our group.


    It was a realization that made her pause as she opened her mouth to respond.


    "Well, Savior?" He asked. "Are you able to close the portal?"


    As Ash heard that and raised her eyes up to meet the general''s, she nodded.


    "Yeah, I''ll do it."


    The meeting concluded shortly after that. The general tried to suggest to her that a few more soldiers come with her, but Ash rejected the idea. She wanted to do this alone. The last thing she needed was more people to protect. As long as she could focus on just killing her enemies, that was what she would do. So, it was settled.


    As soon as Ash indicated that she''d do it, Kasumi and some of the other mages would set up a distraction to pull away some of the demonic forces from the portal. Then, Ash would go down there and do what she''d done a few times before.


    They''d suggested waiting till nightfall, but, honestly, Ash just wanted to get it over with. So, with Kasumi, Satsuhiro, and a couple of other Fire mages behind her, Ash began the walk down the hill, for the second day in a row.


    "Don''t let your guard down," Satsuhiro advised her. "Remember, just a single moment of carelessness can mean your death. Don''t let that happen."


    "Yeah, I know," Ash replied. "So, what now? Do I just wait here till you guys do what you''re going to do?"


    "Yes. The other mages and I will pull them away and once we do, you sneak in from behind them. Are you ready?"  Satsuhiro asked the others. Each one nodded, as Kasumi put her hands behind her head.


    "Sooner we get this done, the sooner I can go back to sleep," Kasumi replied. "I''m ready."


    "Well, alright then. Ash, head down to those trees over there and keep an eye out. As soon as you see them move, you rush in."


    "Got it."


    "Good luck," Satsuhiro added at the end, and both parties split. Ash, on her own, made her way to the east, where the buff soon made itself known.


    Status Effect Gained: Niven''s Blessing


    The power that began flowing through her veins was nostalgic. It reminded her of a time when she didn''t have things quite as figured out as she did today. Granted, the number of things she truly understood had not grown too substantially, but she knew she''d progressed far beyond what she had been before.


    Now, if only she could figure out a way to ask Kasumi to let her grab her tits for just a couple of seconds next time they-


    "No," she muttered, "get that shit out of your head. Focus."


    Soon, Ash was crouched down behind the treeline, her eyes set on the demons in the distance, mindlessly patrolling the area surrounding the portal. It took a while, but after some minutes a giant sphere of flames was sent out into the air. A sphere that came crashing down onto a few demons, searing their flesh, and prompting some confused sounds that Ash could hear from where she was. This, of course, made the demons run straight toward the direction where the sphere had come from, and as Ash saw that the way to the portal was mostly clear, she began walking toward it.


    As she did, the imposing rift felt like it was growing. However, that phenomenon ceased when Ash arrived at the base of it. Once here, she quickly went inside the structure and came out into a forest, just like the one she''d just been in.


    Well,  she thought. Violet sky, terrible smell, heavy air.  Yeah, I definitely didn''t miss being inside these things.


    In the distance, she could see three violet beams piercing the sky, and of course, that meant she had her target.


    "Bow," she muttered, transforming her  Lust just in case any stray demons appeared in front of her.


    And, of course, a few did eventually.


    To her left, she heard some ripping and tearing sounds, and when she went to investigate, she found a pair of Wrath demons ripping apart a Gluttony demon that they''d seemingly killed.


    Automatically, Ash nocked two arrows as she watched.


    I guess that''s probably one of the downsides of having a demon army,  she thought. If nothing happens for long enough, then they just start killing each other.


    "Indeed, which is why I am glad you''re here," a voice responded to her thoughts, and Ash sighed.


    Get out of my head.


    "Why would I do that?"  Niven asked.  "We haven''t seen each other in quite some time. Don''t you want to catch up?"


    No.


    The half-demon hurried a little. The last thing she wanted was to hear the ramblings of this genocidal deity, but Niven apparently didn''t quite catch that.


    "You have grown in power quite a bit since last we fought. I congratulate you."


    Really? Oh, thanks. You just made my day,  Ash replied as she tried to keep her eyes on her surroundings.


    "Of course. I can feel the chances of my victory slipping away even now. How will I ever hold you back? I am done!"


    Look, can you-


    Before she could finish that thought, an arrow flew straight over her head. Some of her white hair came falling to the dirt as a result.


    It had come just a couple of centimeters away from ending her life then and there.


    Ash instantly looked toward the direction the arrow had come from and sent out three of her own toward it. Her arrows passed through a bush, and the body of a Wrath demon fell through it.


    You were trying to distract me,  Ash thought.


    "Hmph,"  Niven scoffed.  "And it nearly worked. That''s rather disappointing. I thought you''d be more of an adversary than that."


    Biting down on the insides of her cheeks, Ash kept her mind quiet as she continued down toward the beams of light in the air.

 Chapter 305 - Vol. 5 -

    Before, Ash had considered the option of taking her time here and dispatching any and all demons she saw on her path. Now, with Niven in her ears, she was all but powerwalking toward the beams in the distance.


    "Ah, but of course, it stands to reason that someone like yourself, even with all of your levels, would be found lacking in the end. I suppose all of the attribute points in the world wouldn''t be able to provide you with the sort of meaningful experiences necessary to become a true hero."


    Can you just shut the fuck up already?  Ash thought although she looked around to make sure he wasn''t just setting her up to get sniped from afar by some random demon with a bow.


    "It is just an unfortunate fact of your upbringing, is it not? The fact that so many others would take these gifts my colleague has bestowed upon you and would have already ended this war by now."


    Ash continued to ignore him. Trying as hard as she could, she kept her eyes fixed on the beams ahead.


    Until his next quip.


    "I wonder how your friend feels,"  Niven said. "Knowing, after all, that her fate lies entirely in your undertrained and unprepared hands."


    That one got a response out of her.


    Level 80 is unprepared to you?  She asked, scowling toward the front, as though he was standing ahead of her.


    "I know that if I were in her position, I would feel so scared the Higher Powers themselves wouldn''t be able to calm my nerves. Putting aside my status and thinking like a human, even as a mere mortal, I wouldn''t envy her position. Having to depend on you is surely something you could only get from, how do you say it, scraping the bottom of the barrel for brave warriors?"


    Who said I was trying to be a brave warrior? Ash thought. All I want is to kick your ass and save Kaori. As long as I do that, I''m fine.


    "Right, I apologize for insinuating that bravery is something your ilk is capable of."


    What the fuck does that mean?


    "Your kind,"  Niven chuckled. "I would know. I created demonkind, after all. It is something I''ve noticed in the battles we''ve engaged in. As the tide of battle turns, my forces'' loyalty normally begins to falter. Have you seen it? Sure, some are too busy engaged in a battle to do so, but the average demon would rather live to see another day than be courageous and potentially die doing so. You may only be half of a demon, but that same self-preservation is in your blood. You know this," he said. "You''ve lived it."


    You don''t know shit about me.


    "I''ve been fighting you for months. I''d beg to differ!"  Niven said with a laugh.  "You fight generally well, and your demonic bloodlust aids in keeping you alive, but I''ve seen you. You don''t go out of your way to help any humans in need, even when they''re right next to you unless it constitutes some easy experience. I''d like to think I know a demon trait when I see one, and I see my creations in you. I wonder if that''ll show when Kaori''s trial arrives."


    That''s cause I don''t give a shit about random soldiers dying across the street in a battle. But, Kaori? I''d do anything to save her.


    "Would you?"  Niven asked.  "Have you been doing so? Is her current state the result of that attitude? In your time together, that woman has lost an arm, lost her emotional stability, lost all hope of survival, and lost her own body. Do these seem like results attained by someone giving everything they''ve got to protect a loved one?"


    "..."


    As Ash bit down on the insides of her cheeks, she hurried even further.


    Shut the fuck up already.


    ---


    Keiko


    About half an hour had passed since Ash and the others left. Keiko was standing in the middle of the forest, with Yumi just a small walk away, to give her space for what she wanted to do.


    Holding her father''s sword in front of her, Keiko took a deep breath. Then, she put some space between her feet and said:


    "Zansae!" Then, with one leg planted into the ground, she spun in a circle and slashed at the air. A ring of flowers appeared around her, slicing deep into the trees nearby.


    Satisfied, Keiko looked down at her blade.


    That was good. Still have other techniques to go through, though.


    "Wow," Yumi said, walking up, clapping. "That was beautiful."


    "Thank you," Keiko replied with a giggle. "I still have many other techniques to refresh my mind on."


    "How did you learn them?"


    "I got them from a book," she said, waving a hand. "I''ll show it to you when we get back to the camp. You can pick something up from it too, probably. I think there are a couple of naginata techniques in there."


    "Really? Maybe I''ll take a look, then."


    "You should!" Keiko chuckled, walking over to Yumi and smiling up at her. "It would be such a waste otherwise, given your talent."


    The taller woman blushed a little, smiling back at her.


    "You''re too kind."


    As Keiko continued to practice, she felt like she was steadily improving. She was a long way from being the fighter she once was, but she was on her way.


    Both Zayamas returned to the camp shortly after, as half of the group returned to the camp, however, ahead, Keiko could see many of the soldiers lined up atop the hill, looking down toward where Pearl was.


    Hm? Is something happening?


    Keiko and Yumi walked over to them, taking a spot near Satsuhiro, who was watching with crossed arms.


    "How did it go?"


    "Fine," Satsuhiro replied. "We managed to clear a path for Ash, but now, well, just look."


    Keiko did just that. What she saw were dozens of Lust demons flying over Pearl and many demons outside. However, the interesting thing wasn''t that they were all heading into the rift to try to stop Ash, no, they were all walking from the portal into the city.


    "What are they doing?"


    "If I had to guess, I''d say they''re fortifying Pearl to prepare to defend it from us."


    "If that''s the case," one of the high-ranking soldiers added, "then, it''s possible Niven doesn''t even want to try to stop the Savior from closing it. He doesn''t care. He''s using this as a means to prepare his own..."


    He trailed off, then, as he turned toward the city.


    "Is something wrong?" Satsuhiro asked.


    "... Those Lust demons," he continued. "They''re getting closer."


    As Keiko turned back toward Pearl, she noticed what he meant. Three Lust demons were seemingly patrolling the area and as their eyes fell on the hill all of them were on, they were flying toward their location.


    "Archers!" Satsuhiro called out, and several of the soldiers there pulled out their bows.


    At that moment, the demons stopped, mid-flight, and dodged a quick barrage of arrows sent out from the soldiers.


    The demons didn''t attack, though. Instead, their violet eyes lay on the encampment for a few seconds, and then, they flew away.


    "Hmph," Satsuhiro huffed as he shook his head. "They definitely know we''re here now. And, if I was Niven, with Ash being in the portal right now, I''d..."


    He stopped talking though, as everyone looked ahead and spotted the same thing.


    The demons who had been filing into the city turned around and, instead, began marching toward their mountains.


    ... What?  Keiko thought as she watched the demons run toward them. They''re already attacking? So soon?


    "Great," Satsuhiro muttered.


    "What do you recommend, Savior?" The general asked. "It seems like we''ve got a fight coming."


    "... We can fight this," Satsuhiro replied. "At this distance, they won''t be affected by the portal''s buff. Ash let us know that. Everyone, get ready! The Lust demons will work to distract us from above, while the Wrath and Gluttony demons come in from our flank. Don''t let yourselves get too caught up in what the Lust demons are doing, but don''t let them catch you off-guard either."


    The general soon began shouting orders then, giving his soldiers spots to settle into. Yumi walked over to her tent to grab her naginata, while Sinneah just waited with crossed arms, and Kasumi stood by, a pair of daggers in her hands.


    Opah and Luvine both walked toward the group, trailed by Metsumi when they saw this sudden action.


    "What''s going on?" Opah asked, tugging on her father''s pants. Satsuhiro noticed she was there and crouched down.


    "Go back to the tent for a second, okay? I''ll be right there in a moment." Satsuhiro asked, patting her on the head before gently pushing her away. He looked up at Metsumi, then. "The demons saw us and they''re coming in for a skirmish. Don''t let the girls get out of the tent."


    "Right," Metsumi said, before walking up and kissing Satsuhiro on the cheek. "Good luck."


    Satsuhiro took a deep breath, as Keiko watched the demons run up toward them.


    "What should we do?" Keiko asked.


    "Well, as for me, it''s simple," Satsuhiro replied, looking at the demons. "I need to slow them down a little."


    Then, a brief incantation came out in a whisper from his lips, and he lifted his hands, aiming them at the incoming forces.


    A giant ball of flame surged out from his palms and shot out at the demons. Other mages gathered next to him then and began to do the same.


    Okay,  Keiko thought.  Well, you wanted a second chance at being a warrior.. Don''t let it go to waste.

 Chapter 306 - Vol. 5 -

    Everyone at the camp prepared themselves for the unexpected fight. Metsumi, Opah, and Luvine hid in the farthest tent from the forest, archers and mages positioned themselves near them to attack the coming forces from a distance, and Keiko, along with the other soldiers, held her weapon out as she tried to calm her nerves.


    After Keiko''s training sessions at Amber, she''d managed to increase her level up to this point:


    Level 36


    MP: 150/150


    EXP: 10/360


    ---


    STR: 25


    DEX: 60


    CON: 25


    INT: 10


    WIS: 15


    L: 5


    As much as she knew she was stronger than she had been in the past, she simply didn''t feel that way, though. Her lack of practice over the months, thanks to that untimely pregnancy, had made even holding her sword feel just a tad bit awkward. It had gotten better recently, of course, given how much she trained with Yumi and Ash, but she felt like she still had a long way to go.


    Above them, Lust demons circled the camp, and the general raised his hand at the archers and mages.


    And, with that gesture, a flurry of arrows and flaming spheres were launched at them. Most of the demons managed to avoid the attacks easily, but a few were caught. One had an arrow pierce through its skull and came crashing down. Another had one of those orbs of fire collide with its chest and exploded right out of the sky. Still, Keiko tried to focus on the treeline ahead, knowing that those demons could arrive at any moment.


    "What level did Ash say they were?" Yumi asked, beside her.


    "Around level 20," Keiko replied.


    "Remember," Satsuhiro said. "From this distance, the portal shouldn''t affect them. It''s okay to be cautious, but don''t be scared. We can win this, easily."


    The vote of confidence from the older man injected Keiko with a small amount of confidence, but that couldn''t be compared with the unease in her veins.


    "...  Iridos,"  she muttered, turning on her Spirit Eye then, as Yumi did the same.


    Then, the demons appeared. Mostly just Wrath demons at first, many of them charged forth with bloodlust on their faces. A couple of Gluttony demons followed behind them, and then, Keiko thought she saw something much more ominous waiting in the distance.


    However, she couldn''t focus on that, as she had more immediate problems. Like the Wrath demon that ran up to her and tried to claw through her neck. Keiko read its attack easily enough and pulled back before taking a step forward and stabbing it through the chest.


    "Agh!" The demon gurgled out as it fell back, and Keiko didn''t even have time to see how much EXP she''d gotten for that before she was attacked again.


    That was when the battle began in earnest. With arrows, Lust demons, and fire orbs dancing in the air as the other combatants engaged each other below. With her Spirit Eye, however, seeing through the chaos wasn''t too difficult. One demon ran up to her and tried to bite her shoulder, and Keiko rewarded it with an elbow to its nose before spinning in place and slashing it across its stomach, watching its entrails slip out onto the grass. Another demon approached from her right and lifted its arm, as though to make some sort of an attack aimed at the back of Keiko''s head, but before it could even attempt it, Keiko had sliced both arms off and kicked it away.


    Across the battlefield, the others were having similar success. Yumi and her naginata looked like an elegant wind of death, moving through one enemy after another with grace. Kasumi was working to create terrifying illusions that made enemies pause for just long enough for the other soldiers to come in and finish them. Sinneah and her fists easily broke through the demon''s skulls, and Satsuhiro looked like he hadn''t lost a step in regard to his magical talents.


    All in all, it seemed like they had things under control.


    But, as the fight went on, another demon came closer. One far ahead, that Keiko saw walking out from between a pair of tall trees, that looked a lot bigger than any of the others.


    ... I might not have seen many of them,  Keiko thought,  but I''d like to think I know a Nightmare when I see one, and that''s no ordinary demon.


    The creature was thin and lanky, not nearly as bulky as the Nightmare Keiko had seen at Sapphire, or the one Ash and Kaori fought at Onyx. It had a blindfold over its eyes and a slim body that was encased in black-violet armor.


    Keiko looked around and saw most of the others engaged in a fight already, save for Yumi, who noticed the same enemy. Yumi took a couple of steps toward Keiko, then, as the creature revealed two swords it had been carrying on its back.


    Two curved swords, specifically, just like the one Keiko was holding.


    "Ominous-looking thing," Yumi muttered.


    "These demon''s levels shouldn''t be too high. Still, that thing gives me the creeps," Keiko replied.


    "I will hold it off, for now," Yumi told her. "See if you can help the others, and give them space to come here. Just in case this ends up being stronger than I think it is."


    "Right."


    As she received that instruction, Keiko looked around. With multiple smaller fights occurring within the larger battle, it was hard to pick out where she should start, but she decided to go with whoever was closest. With that in mind, as a man was picked up by a Lust demon threatening to carry him someplace else and do gods-know-what to him, Keiko leaped up and decapitated it with a horizontal slash in mid-air. As she landed, she found a pair of demons ravaging the corpse of a young female soldier, and quickly moved up to stab them both in the back of the head in quick succession.


    As she continued searching for people to assist, she found the same three Zayama warriors that her grandmother had told her to help. She hadn''t noticed it, but the three of them had positioned fairly close to her. Either that or they''d ended up here by sheer coincidence. Still, putting aside her problems with her family for a moment, Keiko narrowed her eyes and raced toward them, to clear the enemies they were fighting.


    One, two, three quick slashes, and the Zayama warriors were given space to breathe.


    "T-Thank you, siya!" One of them bowed, before quickly moving onto the next fight.


    Keiko hadn''t heard that honorific in so long, that it made her pause for a couple of long seconds. Shaking her head, she tried to refocus, looking around once more to see who needed aid.


    And, in doing so, her eyes fell on Yumi.


    She was still fighting the Nightmare from earlier, which was surprising given how high her level was. By all accounts, she felt that this creature should have been dead already. Instead, Yumi was holding her naginata out in front of her, as the Nightmare kept its swords by its side, seemingly with both of them at a standstill.


    ... I should go and push the odds,  Keiko thought.  No point in letting it have a fair fight. But, why hasn''t Yumi won already?


    Pushing that question aside, she began moving toward it. Yumi twirled her naginata, going for a slash at its chest. However, what Keiko saw with her Spirit Eye made her take a sharp breath. The creature caught her blade with its swords, forming an "X" shape as it pushed the weapon up, and, faster than Keiko could see, it slashed through Yumi''s waist.


    At the last second, Yumi had made an attempt to dodge, but still, she''d been struck. She fell back, dropping her weapon as she held the area that had been cut.


    No!  Keiko sprinted as quickly as she could.


    The creature, in two fluid motions, raised its swords up and held them in a reverse grip, looking to stab the downed warrior.


    I can''t get there in time.


    Planting a foot into the ground, she did know she was in range for this move, however, and her instincts told her to do it.


    "Zansae!" Keiko called out as she slashed in a circle, and an arc of flowers threatened to cut the Nightmare in half.


    However, the Nightmare reacted. Pulling its hands away, it flipped back twice before landing in as elegant a position as Keiko had ever seen, before dropping its hands by its side again. Even though it had a blindfold on, Keiko could feel its stare on her.


    "Healer!" Keiko called out.


    One of the Zayama warriors, of the three she''d saved earlier, responded quickly. Again, they''d been nearby, which now Keiko was sure was no stroke of luck.


    "Here, siya!" The woman replied. "I know some healing magic!"


    "Take care of her," Keiko replied, pointing down at Yumi. "Quickly!"


    "Right!"


    Then, the Nightmare dropped both of its swords, and Keiko''s eyes bulged out of their sockets as her Spirit Eye told her what would happen next. Faster than she could blink, it pulled out a pair of knives from its back and launched them at the Zayama girl Keiko had just spoken to.


    In a move so quick it made her arms feel strained, however, Keiko deflected both knives in the air, and the girl was allowed to drag Yumi away.


    "I don''t think so," Keiko hissed, glaring hard at her enemy.


    However, confident was not how she felt right now.


    Yumi''s Dex is a 100,  she thought.  If she couldn''t beat this thing, what chance do I have?


    Still, as the Nightmare casually picked its swords back up, Keiko dug her feet into the ground, intent on facing this creature head-on.

 Chapter 307 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    As the beams of light in the distance grew closer and closer, Ash was just a couple of annoying quips away from outright sprinting toward the objectives in the distance. However, as much as Niven continued trying to bait her into letting her guard down to shoot a couple of arrows at her, the half-demon noticed something that was concerning.


    Throughout her walk, she hadn''t encountered many demons, at all. Of course, assuming the demons weren''t all in the city, this meant something was wrong. However, she couldn''t figure out what exactly that could be.


    And, unfortunately, Niven''s quips made it a lot harder to think straight too.


    "I find it rather curious that your skill has yet to grow, actually," Niven told her, as Ash tried her hardest to keep her mouth shut so as to avoid entertaining the god, but as she had no way of pushing him out of her skull, she had no choice but to listen. "In fact, I can think of many Saviors far more impressive-looking than you. Several hundreds of years ago, for example, there was one Savior named Read Lentear who reached level 60 before the crystal ever chose him. That man came into the job a hardened fighter already, and as such, he killed off many of my Nightmares before I finally took him down. You''re already level 80 and you''ve killed far fewer Nightmares than he has. How strange."


    Ash was close to groaning in pain at this point.


    However, soon, she finally arrived at a ruined building where she found the three beams. All three sat in front of her, surging into the sky with radiant demonic energy, completely unguarded.


    ... Okay,  Ash finally spoke up in her mind.  What the hell is going on?


    "Is something on your mind?"  Niven asked. "You can ask me if you''d like. I won''t answer, of course, but you can ask."


    Ignoring him, Ash kept an arrow ready just in case something popped out from behind a wall, but no matter where she looked, she couldn''t find any enemies who would prevent her from breaking the pyramids ahead.


    "Ah, by the way, did you enjoy that little tryst you shared with my Nightmare before?"


    Where the hell is everything?  Ash asked, continuing to ignore him.


    "I suppose I should not have been surprised at the compatibility you displayed with my demons. Though, that might have more to do with Magia than anything else. So, you can thank her for that."


    ...


    That comment made Ash pause.


    What are you talking about?


    She could almost feel Niven smiling somewhere.


    "Oh, did she not tell you? You''d think her own champion would be a confidant of hers."


    Whatever.


    "Fine, fine,"  he chuckled. "I''ll tell you. You understand, right, that there are three kinds of demons? Wrath, Gluttony, and Lust. Well, it just so happens that, although I can exert control over all of these types, I only made one of them. The Wrath demons. The creation of the others, however, had nothing to do with me. I''d say that''s probably why you had such a grand time with that one Nightmare. Because, just as Magia had a hand in creating you, so to did she have a hand in creating Lust demons."


    Ash paused, stopping to think about that for a moment.


    "...  Honestly," Niven chuckled. "If I were you, I''d let Kaori turn into a demon on purpose. It''s clear you have a strong connection to them. You would gain a lifelong, unconditional partner, far more powerful than they ever-"


    Ash quickly walked up to each of the three pyramids and broke them, one by one, as she tried her hardest to tune Niven''s voice out.


    As she did, she heard Niven laughing in the background, until she finished and she was suddenly thrust back out into the Pearl region, where it had recently started raining. Taking deep breaths, Ash had to continue pushing Niven''s words out.


    Mostly, because he had managed to touch onto something that Ash had certainly felt.


    She couldn''t deny that it was true that Ash did feel some pull towards the Lust demons, to the point that being reminded of the last time she was able to tongue wrestle with one of them made her heart speed up.


    And, that was something she didn''t need to be thinking about in the middle of a battlefield.


    So, setting that aside, she thought back to what she''d been concerned about earlier.


    "... Where the hell is everything?" She asked herself, as she looked toward the city. "Why are there no...?"


    Then, as she focused, various noises began to enter her ears. Cutting through the sound of the rain, she heard animalistic roars and screeches, in addition to battle cries coming from humans.


    This let her know what was actually happening. Because of that, Ash sprinted back to the camp as fast as she could.


    ---


    Keiko


    Earlier


    The lanky Nightmare in front of her was seemingly waiting for Keiko to make a move, but the fearsome skill it had put on display against Yumi made the Zayama hesitant to do so.


    It might be faster than me,  Keiko thought,  but, the Spirit Eye should still help me make the difference. Even then, I don''t need to beat this thing, I just need to buy time for someone like Sinneah to come in and fight it with me.


    Taking a defensive stance, holding her sword in a horizontal blocking position, she took a deep breath.


    Just drag this out. Make it-


    The Nightmare disappeared.


    No, that wasn''t accurate. Keiko''s Spirit Eye let her know what was actually happening. The Nightmare charged toward her, faster than Keiko could register, and she saw herself getting cut in half by one smooth swing. With her eyes bulging out of their sockets with surprise, she barely managed to put her sword in front of her before she could be bisected, but as soon as she was blocking, she was being attacked again from the left, and her Spirit Eye let her know she was going to get her head cut off. The demon''s blade went over her head by a few centimeters, cutting off a few strands of Keiko''s hair, as she tried to back off and put some space between them. However, before she could even take a step back, both of the Nightmare''s swords were swinging away at her, and even with the guidance that her Spirit Eye gave her, all Keiko could do was keep herself out of their range.


    Eventually, the Nightmare paused, and stood up straight again, laying its weapons by its side, as Keiko''s hands trembled while they held her sword out.


    I''m outmatched.


    It was so easy to see that Keiko''s plan changed instantly. She was no longer even considering trying to stall. Now, all she wanted was for Sinneah, who was busy fighting off a few Wrath demons in the distance, to notice her fight so she could get away from this enemy.


    Regardless of whether that happened or not, however, one thing was certain. Keiko was feeling a type of fear she hadn''t encountered since Onyx. It was something she hadn''t anticipated as she''d dreamed of resuming her time as a warrior. That being, the fear of losing.


    However, it wasn''t the first time she''d encountered that fear. So, she tried to calm herself down, and even though her hands wouldn''t stop shaking, she kept her feet where they were and stopped herself from running away.


    Just hold out,  Keiko thought.  Just...


    The Nightmare sprinted toward her, and Keiko saw a golden glow encapsulate its body. Keiko''s Spirit Eye told her what was going to happen, so she quickly moved to prevent it. She saw herself getting decapitated again, so she raised her sword to stop that.


    However, something different occurred.


    Her Spirit Eye was incorrect.


    What?


    Keiko''s eyes widened. Instead of aiming for her head, the Nightmare went for a pair of stabs at her gut. Keiko was too slow to react.


    Because of this, both of the Nightmare''s swords impaled Keiko, with one at her stomach, and the other at her chest.


    It all happened so quickly, that Keiko froze, and she nearly didn''t even feel the swords inside of her body right now. Right up until the Nightmare pulled them out, Keiko fell back, and the Nightmare turned away, as though deciding it was done with her.


    Almost as soon as Keiko''s back hit the grass, it started raining. It was so hard to breathe all of a sudden, that a strained noise came out of Keiko''s mouth whenever she tried to inhale.


    Even as she lay there, though, bleeding out, Keiko couldn''t keep her mind from moving to one specific thing.


    ... It cheated my Spirit Eye. How?


    At that moment, that same girl from before rushed over to her and said an incantation that Keiko couldn''t hear as she felt herself about to pass out.


    "Don''t worry, siya, I''ve got you!" The girl yelled out as some small amount of relief quickly began seeping into Keiko''s body.


    However, even as her body was repaired, her mind remained on that moment.


    Right up until she was being dragged away and she saw Sinneah, who had finally seen what was happening, approach the Nightmare.

 Chapter 308 - Vol. 5 -

    Sinneah


    It had been a while since Sinneah was in a proper fight. Life with Yumi and the others made her feel strangely out of place in that the longer she stayed with them, the antsier she felt. In that sense, she was happy that this was happening. Getting to punch through the heads of the attacking demons gave her a sense of normalcy for a few minutes.


    This was why she put all of her focus into the fight, blocking out anything that wasn''t a demon. It made her feel right at home. When the demons had arrived at their little encampment, Sinneah had begun by punching straight through one''s head.


    A Gluttony demon shot out its tongue and wrapped it around her right leg, in an effort to pull Sinneah towards it. She, however, pulled on its tongue and yanked the creature over to her instead. As soon as the Gluttony Demon was close enough, Sinneah launched a punch that skewered the creature and covered her right arm in its violet blood.


    These demons are weaker than the others I''ve faced... Or, maybe I''ve gotten stronger,  she thought, as the Gluttony demon fell to the side.


    That could be a possibility, as in the past couple of weeks Sinneah had managed to gain a few levels, reaching this status:


    Level 68


    MP: 500/500


    EXP: 100/680


    ---


    STR: 45


    DEX: 74


    CON: 22


    INT: 20


    WIS: 50


    L: 5


    Another set of demons approached, and all of them met the same fate, as Sinneah wondered what was even going on. She didn''t know much about organized battle strategies, but with the enemies being this weak, it felt strange for them to be actively engaging Sinneah and the humans.


    Is there something I don''t understand?  Sinneah wondered, as Lust demon flew down towards her and one arching kick split the demon in half.


    A while into the fighting, it had started to rain, and Sinneah dug her feet into the ground as her body felt colder.


    A few more short-lived fights later, she noticed something. She hadn''t seen Yumi in a while. As soon as Sinneah noticed her absence, she grew worried. Behind her, she saw Keiko fighting one demon that looked stranger than all of the others, but Yumi was nowhere to be found.


    Hm... I hope she is alright,  Sinneah thought, right before Keiko was stabbed in the gut by the demon''s two curved swords.


    It took Sinneah a moment to process what she was seeing, as she had thought that Keiko was a formidable fighter up until this point. Once she internalized it, however, she walked over to the creature. Someone else dragged Keiko away, and Sinneah approached the strange-looking demon, with narrowed eyes and a curious expression.


    This one looks different, Sinneah admitted to herself.  But, if it is only as powerful as the demons around it, this should not be too hard. Perhaps Keiko miscalculated on an attack and paid for it,  she thought, getting into position to fight.


    The lanky demon didn''t do the same. It held its swords by its waist, letting them rest as it remained perfectly still.


    Until the monster lunged forward, and Sinneah reacted just in time to dodge the sword it thrust out.


    Fast.


    The demon followed up with a pair of spinning slashes that Sinneah avoided before trying to counter with a punch of her own. Just as she was about to throw it, however, the demon spun around and slashed up at her wrist, forcing Sinneah to stop herself or lose a hand.


    As the demon took a step back, its body wrapped in a golden glow, it let its swords rest by its side again, and Sinneah took a deep breath.


    It is quick, she thought.  Faster than I am. But, is it stronger?


    Sinneah''s own fight with the dragon sometime ago, when she and Ash had ventured into that mountain at Amber, was still fresh in her mind. Speed was great, but raw power could often make up for that. It was a lesson she''d learned in her loss, and one she''d apply to this situation now.


    So, using Tomoe''s Divine Arts, the Fire tree, with a thought, she allowed her fists to be shrouded in flames, putting them back up into position. The demon waited, as the rain fell around them and steam rose into the air from the drops colliding with Sinneah''s fire. The sounds of the soldiers and lesser demons fighting around them became nonexistent to Sinneah, as she then moved forward on her own.


    The demon went for a short series of slashes that Sinneah deflected with the scales around her elbows. She didn''t block them head-on, as her scales weren''t strong enough to allow for that, but she could use them to move the blades away from herself. In doing so, she pushed in further, forcing the demon to stumble back, before she went for a punch aimed at its head with her left hand.


    "...  Tiron."


    A voice came out of the creature''s faded violet lips, and it disappeared, right in front of her.


    What?


    Then, as Sinneah heard something behind her, she saw the demon reappear from her flank and tried to dodge out of the way, but with her left hand still outstretched, she was too slow to avoid the attack.


    Her left hand was cut off, its fire fading quickly and flopping onto the ground as Sinneah fell to the grass.


    "Ahh..."  Sinneah hissed, as she looked down at it.


    What was that? What did it just do?


    The demon moved forward again, this time clearly with the intent of ending Sinneah''s life then and there. However, the draconic woman wasn''t done yet. With her tail, she struck the demon''s leg, and it hadn''t anticipated the hit, as her blow struck and the demon fell to the ground.


    Sinneah stood and quickly leaped into the air in one motion, As the demon was recovering, she managed to land on top of it and went for a punch that should have burst straight through its chest.


    Instead, however, her fist did hit the demon, but the blow only managed to crack its body, instead of piercing it.


    The durability of this enemy shocked Sinneah, just before she was forced to take a step back as the demon tried to slash her. The two of them stood for a second, as blood poured from Sinneah''s open wound, onto the grass under her.


    Sinneah smirked, feeling excited all of a sudden.


    This is tougher than I thought,  she acknowledged.  Where did this enemy come from?


    As she had that thought, however, the demon stabbed one of its swords into the ground. Sinneah raised a brow, but didn''t move forward just in case she was being baited.


    The demon then lifted one of its hands and moved it to the cloth wrapped over its eyes.


    Slowly, it lifted the blindfold off of its head and threw it aside, looking back at Sinneah and when the woman saw those eyes, she felt frozen.


    One was the violet eye that ordinarily belonged to these demons, the other, however, was a clear silver color that Sinneah saw often these days.


    Before she could figure out what she was seeing, though, the demon ran forward. Sinneah prepared herself, and the demon went to stab her in the head. She lifted her left elbow, intent on using her scales to deflect as she had before, but the demon went down with its slash instead.


    And, just as Sinneah had seen before, she ended up in the same position as Keiko, with a sword stabbed through her stomach.


    Unlike what happened with Keiko, though, someone else was here to help her as soon as she was hit.


    A sphere of violet launched out at the demon, and it jumped back to avoid the projectile, as Sinneah was still standing. She held herself, looking down at the wound that had been inflicted onto her, as Ash arrived.


    "Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten," Ash said, and the wound that had just been created in her faded away as though it had never been there, to begin with. And yet, Sinneah''s eyes couldn''t move away from that spot.


    She hadn''t been beaten so definitively in a while.


    "I''ll get you that hand back once we leave,"  Ash muttered, placing herself between Sinneah and her enemy.


    Shaking her head, the draconic woman refocused.


    "This demon is fast," she stated. "As fast as anyone I''ve faced."


    Maybe only Yumi is faster than her, but where is she?  Sinneah asked herself.


    "Yeah, I saw," Ash told her. "Are you still good to fight?"


    "Yes," Sinneah answered. She couldn''t let herself remain beaten like this. She needed to rectify that moment.


    "Alright. Between the two of us, we should be able to beat this thing," Ash told her.


    "Be careful," Sinneah said, as she walked over to stand beside the woman. "It is skilled. Far more skilled than I thought it would be."


    "Okay, let''s see what we can do then."


    As Ash said this, however, the demon looked to have other plans. As its eyes fell on the half-demon, the creature muttered something and disappeared again.


    Except, this time, it didn''t reappear anywhere near them. As it seemingly left, the demons all around the two women instantly stopped fighting and did the same, with the Gluttony demons trying their hardest to run to the trees, the Lust demons flying away, and the Wrath demons running as well.


    Ash and Sinneah watched it happen, confused until Ash scoffed, as the fight just ended out of nowhere.


    "Now that I''m here you want to call it off?" She muttered, so low that Sinneah nearly didn''t hear her.. "Fucking asshole."

 Chapter 309 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    Almost as soon as the half-demon had arrived back at the encampment, the attacking demon forces retreated. Ash didn''t get much of a chance to help anyone, beyond a couple of demons she managed to kill before she reached Sinneah. Because of that, as she looked around, she saw so many human bodies scattered around that she wondered how many soldiers they even had left.


    "Lumina''s caress, for those in need, let them feel the touch of pure kindness," Ash muttered, placing her hands on Sinneah as she looked around and searched for everyone else.


    Shit. Yeah, there''s no way around it, I got tricked. Fuck, she thought, as she saw some of the soldiers helping each other up and healing one another.


    All around them were bodies and bloody patches of grass, indicators of how she hadn''t arrived soon enough.


    In one of the tents, she could just barely see Keiko standing around a few soldiers, with Yumi next to her.


    "Are you okay?" Ash asked the draconic woman.


    "Yes," Sinneah replied, though she kept her eyes low.


    "Alright, I''ll be back in a bit, then," Ash told her, before walking over to that tent.


    As she arrived there, she found Yumi and Keiko with similar downcast looks to the one Sinneah had. Satsuhiro was speaking to the general with crossed arms and an annoyed expression. It wasn''t hard to tell that the fight hadn''t exactly gone their way. It was especially depressing though to see Keiko look up at her and give her a short smile, as she seemed to push through the pain she''d been dealt.


    "What happened?" Ash asked.


    Satsuhiro heard her and turned to respond.


    "I think it should be pretty obvious," he said. "Niven noticed you had gone into the portal and took the opportunity to attack the camp."


    "Yeah, I can put two and two together on that, what I mean is how did we lose this badly?" Ash asked as she got closer. "Most of those demons were around level 20. The only one who was any higher was the Nightmare, but even that one was only level 60. How did it beat us like this?"


    That had been the most surprising thing, for Ash. To see Sinneah with one hand cut off, beaten by a creature she should have had the advantage against. That, she couldn''t make sense of.


    "That Nightmare kept some of our strongest, Keiko, Yumi, and Sinneah, distracted while the other demons fought the soldiers," Satsuhiro said. "As for how it won against them, I really don''t know either," Satsuhiro shrugged. "My attention was on helping the soldiers, and even then, most of them got wiped."


    "It didn''t overpower me," Yumi quickly interrupted. Everyone''s eyes went to her, as the woman relayed what happened. "It was not faster than me either. I..."


    She sighed, sounding so defeated that Ash was taken aback by her tone.


    "I do not know. We were fighting, and, at one point, my Spirit Eye showed me something that ended up being incorrect. That was how it cut me."


    "The same thing happened to me," Keiko added. "Though, in my case, it was definitely a lot faster than I was."


    "So, this Nightmare can bypass the Spirit Eye?" Satsuhiro asked, raising a brow.


    "I would say so, yeah," Keiko nodded. "Though, I have no idea how it did it."


    "It had the same eyes as you," Sinneah told them, as she arrived at the tent, walking in from behind Ash. "At a point, during our fight, it took its blindfold off and showed them. I noticed that before I lost."


    At that, the group remained in silence for a few seconds.


    "A Zayama Nightmare?" Keiko asked in a quiet voice. It was a fairly chilling thing to come across. Even to Ash, a Nightmare that could use the Spirit Eye wasn''t something she took lightly.


    However, as they made note of that, the general stepped in.


    "We can go over the specifics later, but, for now, we need to face a few important facts," he stated. "The retaking of the city is going to have to be postponed, at the very least. We lost over half of our regular army."


    "... So, what now?" Ash asked.


    "We wait for reinforcements to come in," Satsuhiro pitched. "We let the Royal Council know about this new Nightmare as well. If this Nightmare was once some Zayama Savior, maybe they could give us some insight into its weaknesses."


    At the mention of the Royal Council, the general took a sharp breath and looked her way. Something that Ash noticed but didn''t make a big deal of.


    "How long will that take?" Ash asked the general who''d just glanced at her.


    "A week or two," he told her. "Once more soldiers get here, with the portal closed, we can begin the siege properly. Doing so now, however, would be too risky. Especially if there''s a Nightmare on the loose who can even give our strongest some trouble."


    "If I find that thing, I''m pretty sure I could take it out," Ash shrugged. "That''s probably why Niven made them back off once I got here."


    "In that case, all Niven would have to do is keep that Nightmare as far away from you as possible, and it could still destroy our whole army," Satsuhiro informed her. "With how fast it is too, it doesn''t sound like it would be too hard for it either."


    As they spoke about the creature, Yumi had a glare on her face that only got stronger with every word.


    "So, it''s settled, then," the general said. "We send out some letters, ask for more soldiers, and maintain this position until we get them. You''ll probably have to remain with us too," he told Ash, "as it was your absence that made him attack."


    "... Are you saying this is my fault?" Ash asked in a low voice. "You guys were the ones who wanted the portal down, to begin with."


    "I meant no accusation by it," he replied quickly. "I apologize, Savior. I was just pointing out a fact."


    "... Sure," Ash replied, letting out a deep sigh.


    "Well, I should go back to the soldiers and see how they are. Let me know if you want to discuss anything," he told the group, before bowing and walking out of the large tent.


    As soon as he was out, Yumi clenched her hands into fists and said:


    "I swear, if I get another chance at it, I could beat that demon. I just... I was surprised."


    "It''s okay," Keiko replied, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We didn''t know it could do that before. Now, we know."


    "..." Yumi nodded. "I... I''m going to walk."


    With those words, she gently shrugged off Keiko''s hand and left. Sinneah followed after her, almost as soon as she departed, while Ash turned to look at Satsuhiro.


    "Where''s everyone else? Opah, Luvine, Metsumi, Kasumi."


    "I suppose they''re all at the same tent as before. I checked in on them earlier," Satsuhiro said. "As soon as the fighting stopped. We should probably make sure they''re alright."


    "Yeah."


    Keiko stood up and followed, as the three of them went to a different tent. Here, they found Metsumi with both Opah and Luvine at her sides, hugging them close as some of the healers tended to a few wounded soldiers.


    Initially, Ash worried that it might not be okay to show the girls the gruesome injuries some of these men and women had sustained, but then she remembered how bad things looked outside and figured this was probably the better alternative.


    Of course, she walked over to where Luvine was before anything else and crouched down in front of her. Kasumi was also here, standing to Ash''s right, though the half-demon hadn''t noticed her.


    "Doing good?" Ash asked the younger half-demon. Luvine nodded.


    She didn''t look too scared, actually. She didn''t look frightened or as horrified as one would expect a girl of her age to look when surrounded by the effects of a deadly battle against monstrous creatures.


    Even as her eyes drifted to the soldiers being tended to, she didn''t seem scared, instead, she just looked tired.


    "Okay," Ash sighed. "So, how did things go on your end?" She asked Kasumi.


    "As well as they could," the woman shrugged. "Though, one thing this did let me know is that I need some upgrades to my Illusion magic. The spells I''ve been using up until now are fine, but they''re lacking a bit of power."


    "Did you use the Primordial Spell?" Ash asked.


    "That spell is a single-target ability," Kasumi replied, shaking her head. "There was no point in a situation like this."


    "Gotcha."


    As that was said, everyone fell quiet. Around them, the hums of healing magic and the groans of wounded combatants filled the air, along with the stench of blood, both human and demonic.


    ... I can''t be so careless,  Ash thought, as she looked around at everyone.  But, I could have never seen this kind of shit coming. It''s way too... I dunno, mental, for me. Even with all of my levels, if Niven keeps using strategies like these, I''ll lose all the same. We need to deal with that. But, how? And, who?


    Her mind was blank for a few seconds then until she found an answer.


    And, on that note, she spoke to Satsuhiro.


    "Satsu," she said.


    "Hm?" He looked up at her, after having said a word to Opah.


    "... Look," she started, with a self-pitying look. "I''m dumb as shit. Niven took full advantage of that here, and if someone doesn''t try to think about this kind of stuff before we make moves, we''ll keep getting beaten. I''m just saying this cause, well, you''re the smartest guy I know," Ash shrugged. "There''s a whole other side to this stuff that I am never gonna be good at. I need you to come through for us on that front. Can you?"


    Satsuhiro, ordinarily a man who didn''t show much emotion, looked stunned to hear that. Keiko gave Ash a strange look that she noticed out of the corner of her eyes, but Ash kept those eyes on the other Savior. For just a second, he smiled a little, but that curl of his lips went away as soon as it had come.


    "I understand," he nodded.. "I''ll try my best."

 Chapter 310 - Vol. 5 -

    Keiko


    What kind of person could do that? Keiko asked herself, as she watched the soldiers take the corpses off the camp. They were going to pile them up a far distance away, where Satsuhiro, and other mages, would use their Fire magic to burn them all.


    As she sat there, however, alone and with some time to think, the fight she''d gone through played back in her mind. Over the course of her life, she had never heard of an ability that could circumvent the Spirit Eye. She hadn''t heard about such a thing at the Compound, nor at the castle where she''d had her tests.


    Is that even an ability you could learn from the Compound? Who even was that Nightmare when they were human? It couldn''t have been Musano,  she thought.  Musano was the only Zayama to be chosen as a Savior, and his spirit is still at the Zayama castle. It doesn''t make sense,  Keiko groaned, as Yumi sat down next to her.


    "Some water?" Yumi asked and Keiko accepted the flask she gave her.


    "How are you doing?" Keiko asked gently, knowing how frustrated she''d been.


    "I am better, just..." Yumi replied, seeming completely disheartened. "I''m still thinking. I know, I know, I am a better warrior than that creature. This is not the same as when I fought the Nightmare at the shrine. I swear, I can beat it if given another chance. But, one moment of surprise was all it took for it to be defeated."


    "We didn''t know what it could do," Keiko said, placing a hand on the woman''s shoulder comfortingly. "Next time, we''ll be ready."


    "Yes," Yumi nodded. "I promise as much."


    In the middle of their conversation, Keiko noticed a few people looking over in her direction. She had a guess as to who they were, and when she turned to check, that guess was confirmed.


    The three Zayamas had made it through the battle, mostly unharmed. Keiko was mostly indifferent to this outcome, but there was one person among them she felt she had to thank. Albeit reluctantly, of course, but she felt she had to do it nonetheless.


    The three of them looked her way as she approached, and Keiko cleared her throat.


    "Can I have a word?" She asked. The nervousness that came over the girl''s face was amusing to see.


    "Of course, siya," she replied, however, and she stood, walking with Keiko to a little spot where the sounds of the conversations in the area were firmly in the background. Even though she was clearly concerned, the girl Keiko had pulled away put her hands behind her back, and kept her posture straight, as Keiko went to speak to her.


    "Thank you," Keiko said. "For earlier. If you hadn''t helped Yumi and I out, one of us probably would have died. Again, thanks for that."


    "I was just doing my job," she replied, bowing her head. She was a girl with the same silver eyes as Keiko, but with her black hair tied into a ponytail, and a streak of gold going through it on the side. "I... I only wish I could have helped more of the soldiers."


    ... I guess she has an admirable attitude,  Keiko thought.


    "What''s your name?" Keiko asked. That question looked like it surprised the girl, as her eyes widened just a little.


    "... Hinata," she replied after a short moment.


    "Okay," Keiko nodded. "Hinata. Thank you, again."


    With that, Keiko walked away.


    ---


    Ash


    "Based on recent events," Satsuhiro said, as Ash sat with some of the others, hearing him out, "it''s clear to see Niven doesn''t believe he can beat Ash in a straight-up fight. Not yet, anyway. He could still be amassing the strength needed to do that. In any case, whatever we do, we need to make sure we move as a unit. With Ash there, every time."


    "So, going out to kill demons on my own is off the table?" Ash asked, with her hands behind her head. Beside her, Kasumi was sitting with her legs crossed. Ahead, the general and a couple of his commanders also sat, listening.


    "Yes. Unfortunately, any EXP you gain is going to come from the siege itself," Satsuhiro stated. "It''s the best way to ensure the rest of us don''t get exposed to any danger. Anyway, have you gotten any word back from the Council?" Satsuhiro asked the general.


    "The reinforcements are already on their way. Mostly more of Jade''s forces, but Sapphire is sending some people along as well."


    "Good. We''ll wait for them to get here before we do anything."


    "So, are we just gonna sit around until they do?" Ash asked.


    "You can still train your attributes individually, if you want to keep getting stronger," Satsuhiro stated. "But, yes, as far as anything large-scale is concerned, we''re better off not even trying anything yet."


    "Sounds reasonable to me," the general shrugged. "Savior, thoughts?"


    "... Yeah," Ash nodded. "Feels bad, but I guess we don''t have a choice."


    "Then... Yeah. For now, that''s it," Satsuhiro said.


    Everyone left that tent at that point, save for the general who went over to Ash and asked:


    "Is it true you gained an ability that restores limbs?"


    "Mhm," she nodded. "Why do you ask?"


    "A few of the surviving soldiers received grave injuries. They could use that, if you could help, of course."


    "Hm... Sure," Ash replied. "Where are they?"


    "This way."


    Ash followed the general out of the tent and the two of them walked through the encampment. Now that the bodies had been cleared out, the space looked far less cramped than before. But, with so many soldiers dead, it also looked far emptier. The general took Ash to another tent where many soldiers were laid on beds, as their bodies had been healed back up but, she guessed, they were still tired. Most of them were missing a leg or a hand.


    Hm. I only have enough mana for three of them at a time, and then I have to wait. Okay, let''s get to it then.


    Without warning, she walked up to one of them. The soldiers, who had been in the middle of a conversation, quieted down when she got there. She hovered her hands over the guy''s missing arm and said:


    "Lumina''s caress, for those in need, let them feel the touch of pure kindness."


    A white glow then wrapped itself around both her body and the soldier''s. Some of the others in the tent gasped and looked in awe, as when the glow faded the man''s missing limb was there, restored.


    "Holy shit," one of them muttered.


    Okay, next one.


    She performed the same task on a woman who had lost a leg, and then on one who had lost her eyes before she was out of mana.


    "Give me a second, my mana has to recharge," she told them before she walked out of the tent to wait in peace for it to do so.


    As she went to do that, however, she found Luvine, peeking from outside the tent.


    Hm?  She walked out and the little girl looked up at her, a strangely impressed expression on her face.


    "Need anything?" Ash asked, getting down on one knee as the soldiers around them moved from one place to another.


    Luvine simply looked around and shrugged, watching everything happening around them with a pair of analytical violet eyes.


    "... Smells bad," she muttered.


    "Pfft. Yeah, it does. Come on, let''s walk for a bit," she told the girl and she nodded, following behind her.


    Ash didn''t say much as she walked to the edge of the camp, where the treeline started and sat down with her legs crossed. As Luvine sat next to her, neither did she. Instead, both half-demons just watched the people at the camp move around, in quiet.


    Every now and then, Luvine would look up at her and as Ash noticed that, she said:


    "Got anything on your mind, Lu? You can just ask," Ash stated. "Not like we''ll be doing anything, anyway. We''ve got time to talk."


    At that, Luvine looked down for a second.


    "... What were you doing?" She asked.


    "Hm? When?"


    Luvine''s response was to point ahead at the tent they''d been in.


    "With your hands," she added.


    "You mean my healing?" Ash asked.


    "I think so."


    "Oh. I was just helping them get their limbs back," Ash shrugged. "Not like it costs me anything or whatever, so, yeah. Figured I''d get it out of the way."


    "... How?" She asked.


    As Ash looked over at her again, she noticed that Luvine looked strangely interested. This was the most intrigued Ash had seen the girl in a while. Upon thinking about it for a bit, she wondered something.


    "Lu, do you want to know how to heal things?" She asked.


    Luvine nodded.


    "I... I saw you do it," Luvine said with a little voice. "I liked it."


    "..." At that, Ash nodded. "Okay. I''ll teach you.. We''ve got time, anyway."

 Chapter 311 - Vol. 5 -

    A Few Days Later


    One week. One week was all that remained before Ash had to undergo the trial, and she''d gotten little progress done since the attack on the camp. Because she had no demons to fight, she had to settle for raising her attributes individually, which was what she was in the middle of now.


    With multiple targets set up ahead, Ash prepared a few arrows before letting them all fly. Each one was a bullseye, landing squarely in the center of every target. At that moment, the half-demon saw her Dexterity go up, and she checked her status.


    Level 81


    MP: 330/330


    EXP: 0/810


    ---


    STR: 65


    DEX: 41


    CON: 40


    INT: 34


    WIS: 33


    L: 100


    ... This isn''t enough,  Ash thought.  What else can I do, though? I can''t leave this camp to go farm because otherwise they''ll all get wiped out, and until those reinforcements get here, I can''t study any new spells either. So, what do I even do?


    "You''re getting much more precise," Yumi said, as she, Keiko, and Sinneah stood behind her.


    "It''s not that hard to hit things that aren''t running to claw my face off."


    "That is certainly true, but still, I can see the improvement," Yumi added.


    "..." Somehow, that didn''t make Ash feel any better.


    As they stood around there, though, Ash walked back and let the others have their turns shooting some arrows, as they two needed to get their stats up. She moved a bit of distance away, sitting down on the grass as she watched Yumi pick up a bow of her own that one of the soldiers had let her borrow and began going through the same routine Ash had done.


    In the middle of it though, Ash heard some soldiers speaking behind her.


    "Did you get a look at those Lust demons?" One soldier asked another.


    "Yeah. Damn shame we didn''t get to capture any. Honestly, I''m starting to understand why everyone in Onyx is going crazy over these things," the other replied, and Ash narrowed her brows, turning around.


    What?


    "Yeah, I haven''t seen tits like that in, well, ever. Almost made me feel bad for stabbing them."


    "Maybe one of these days we''ll get to keep one of them, who knows?"


    "Don''t they try to get you pregnant or some shit though?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "One of those things got Lady Elisa pregnant. I''m pretty sure I heard that a while ago. Listen, I''m not interested in having a tail poking me in the ass."


    As their conversation went on, Ash eventually just shook her head and walked back over to the others. She already had a lot on her mind, she didn''t need to be thinking about what Elisa was doing with her Lust demons back at Onyx.


    She walked over to where Keiko was, and as the shorter girl watched Yumi shoot some arrows, Ash let out a sigh and embraced the girl from behind, letting her chin rest atop Keiko''s head. Even now, standing amidst the subtle remnants of what had been a brutal battle just a little while ago, the flowery scent that somehow, Keiko had managed to keep through all of it made being in her presence a numbing experience.


    "Ash?" Keiko asked.


    "I''m nervous." The half-demon replied quickly. "What the hell am I gonna do about Kaori''s thing?"


    "Oh? I think you''ll be fine," Keiko told her, with no hesitation.


    "I''m not doing anything, though," Ash replied, as Sinneah looked over at them. She held a curious expression before turning her eyes back over to Yumi. "What if every enemy I fight in that thing is like, level 100 or something? What do I do?"


    "Well, remember what Satsuhiro said?" Keiko asked, placing her hands on Ash''s arms, crossed over her. "Even if they''re higher level than you, the fights will still be doable because of how leveling works. Levels make less of a difference the higher you go."


    "I guess," Ash shrugged. "But... I don''t know. It''s no ordinary fight. If I fail..."


    "You won''t," Keiko quickly cut her off. "I trust you to win. And, I''m sure Kaori does too."


    ... I don''t know. I have to figure something out cause this just feels like it isn''t enough.


    Before she could ponder the matter for too long, however, sounds began to make themselves heard. It sounded like that of horses pulling wagons along, and Ash''s ears perked up, just as the others nearby noticed the sounds as well. A few of them grew suspicious, though Ash waited to see who or what was coming along.


    It took a few seconds for the owners of those sounds to appear, but when they did, everyone at the camp stood up to get a good luck at them. Another caravan had come. One that had every wagon packed full with people in them. Some were dressed in the typical white and gold armor of Jade, but others were suited in black and blue.


    As far as Ash was concerned, however, all she cared about was that, maybe, they could finally get moving again. She was close to just yanking all of these soldiers out of their carts right now and pushing them down the hill to start the fight.


    Instead, as Satsuhiro walked over to her and the others, she watched as they arrived.


    "Well, this is fortunate timing," Satsuhiro stated.


    "How long will it be before we start fighting?" Ash asked.


    "Hm. Calm down," Satsuhiro told her. "Just cause they got here doesn''t mean we can skip out on the prep that needs to be done. A plan will need to be made, and the new soldiers will have to get settled in before we kick things off."


    "Why? We can just walk down there right now? If we''re going to be taking the city back they can just wait till we''re done and go back to their old houses or some shit."


    "Ash, calm down," Satsuhiro reiterated. "You still have some time before the trial. Just wait for them to do their thing. It''s fine."


    Ash rolled her eyes with a sigh, but she nodded and Satsuhiro walked over to the wagon at the front, to speak with the soldiers.


    ... So, who did they send?  Ash asked, following behind him. Are these people gonna be of any actual use? What are their levels like?


    Her violet eyes inspected each of the new arrivals, and what she saw left a lot to be desired.


    Level 21, level 17, level 15, level 15 again, really? Well, at least the portal won''t be buffing those things anymore. The fight should be more even on their front. As for me, though, it''s that one Nightmare I need to be cautious of.


    As the soldiers jumped off the wagon, the others who were already here greeted them as they spread throughout the encampment. One of them, however, stood out from the rest.


    A woman with silver eyes and golden hair tied into a ponytail, wearing a suit of what looked like black steel, carrying the biggest bow on her back that Ash had ever seen.


    She saw Satsuhiro, and then noticed Ash behind him, and went straight over to them.


    She had a stern look on her face, one that didn''t change as she approached and bowed to them.


    "Blessings of Alkoth, Saviors. My name is Ichigo. I am here to aid you in this venture."


    Keiko walked up then, though she didn''t get any closer than standing a few steps behind Ash.


    Okay, let''s see...


    Level 30


    MP: 300/300


    ... Wait,  Ash thought.  She''s actually fairly strong. Damn.


    "Hm... I didn''t think the Compound would send someone of such a high level."


    "With all due respect to my distant cousins," Ichigo said, "the Compound did not send me. I am here of my own volition."


    "Really?" Satsuhiro sounded just as surprised as Ash felt.


    "Yes," she nodded. "On behalf of the Church of Alkoth in Sapphire," she added. "I, and some others, heard Pearl was to be retaken. And so, we came to assist you."


    "So, you''re not from the Compound?" Keiko asked, walking up to her.


    "Hm? No, in case I did not make it clear enough," she chuckled. "Goodness. I can''t remember the last time I stepped foot in the Compound. Regardless, however, what sort of preparation will we be conducting?"


    "Don''t you want to find someplace to sleep first? I imagine it was a long trip," Satsuhiro replied.


    "I do not have any particular preferences. If there is any space for me, I will accept it, but I do not mind sleeping in the wagons if I have to," she shrugged. "I would like to know, though, if you-"


    She stopped speaking, however, when her eyes fell on someone behind Ash. Ash turned to see who she was looking at.


    Yumi was still shooting her arrows at the targets they''d set up earlier, though she had some soldiers watching her train now. A few of the new arrivals though were looking at Sinneah''s tail more than Yumi.


    "I heard... That woman, she is part of your group, right?" Ichigo asked.


    "Uh, yeah, how do you know?" Ash raised a brow.


    "What is her name?"


    "Yumi," Keiko replied.


    "Ah... Yumi," Ichigo said. "I see. I had heard about her," she stated. "I didn''t think I''d actually get to see her in person."


    "What are you talking about?" Ash asked.


    "A few soldiers I know from Onyx told me about her. Many soldiers, actually, reported seeing her cleaving through countless demons like they were barely any threats at all. She... I had hoped to see  her one day."


    She shook her head.


    "I apologize. Where were we?"


    "Well," Satsuhiro said, "with everyone here, we should start preparing for whatever it is we''re going to do."


    "Right.. Lead the way."

 Chapter 312 - Vol. 5 -

    Kasumi


    A commotion outside caused Kasumi''s eyes to open, and her nap was cut short.


    Ugh, again?  Kasumi thought to herself as she sat up in her tent and stretched her arms. For a moment, she considered closing her eyes and returning to her attempted slumber, but the yelling outside soon made it clear that wouldn''t happen. Reluctantly, and of course, mumbling some bitter words under her breath, she got up.


    Mm... ''m hungry.


    On that note, with a yawn, Kasumi walked outside. The sun was so bright she quickly had to shield her eyes as she looked around. Many of the soldiers, most of which had arrived a day ago, were moving from one area of the camp to another like they owned the place. In the middle of it all, they''d set up a table where one of them had some meat and bread laid out. Kasumi walked over to it.


    "Greetings!" A bubbly girl wearing a suit of armor said.


    "... Hello," Kasumi forced out as the girl then ripped out a bit of bread and some of the meat, before handing it over to her.


    "Here''s your breakfast ma''am. May Lumina''s grace guide you."


    "Uh... Thanks."


    Upon receiving those scraps of food, she turned away and walked over to a nearby spot where she felt like she could eat in peace. However, that notion was challenged quickly as everywhere she went it felt like there were dozens of soldiers going from one place to another, all chatting loudly with each other as Kasumi maneuvered between them.


    She nearly ran into some people a few times, and on each occasion, they''d give her a glare, but then turn away the moment that, presumably, they looked at her level.


    Good. If power-leveling is what I have to do for some peace and quiet, I''ll gladly go out and fight. Or not, but still. I''d consider it.


    Eventually, she went right back to the tent she''d slept at and began to eat her breakfast there. It was mostly a fine start to her day, though some questions did come up in her mind.


    Haven''t seen Ash, or anyone else in her group for that matter, she thought as she bit down on her bread.  They must be busy planning stuff.


    Unfortunately, as soon as she had that realization a little voice called "responsibility" told her that she, as a Savior, or at least a part-time one until after this is done, should probably be there as well.


    Hmm...  She sighed then, as she finished up her food and stood up.  Okay. Fine. Let''s see if we can find them.


    She walked over to the first tent she saw.


    This was a mistake, as, as soon as she walked in, she found two soldiers on top of each other, in the middle of a passionate make-out session.


    Uh...  She grimaced, as she turned away.  Wrong one.


    The sight did manage to sprout a small thought in her mind, however.


    When was the last time I...? Never mind. I am way, way past that stuff.


    Trying her hardest to remove her thoughts from what she''d just come across, she went into a different tent. One that was bigger and generally looked more like some Saviors and soldiers would be discussing war plans in it. She entered, her hands pushing the opening apart as she peeked inside.


    Indeed, everyone else was there, along with some people she hadn''t met yet. Ash and Keiko were standing next to each other, near a table with a map laid out on it. Behind them, Yumi and Sinneah stood and listened as Satsuhiro, an unknown woman, and the general spoke ahead.


    "We are certain then that there are no other nearby portals?" The general asked.


    "Closest one is a couple of hours'' walk away. I can''t imagine Niven relying on it for reinforcements," Satsuhiro replied.


    "In that case, then we can treat the forces inside the city as the entirety of the opposition," the general nodded. "Even if Niven can feed them orders, as you say he can, these are animals at heart and will react like animals should they be tackled as such. With that in mind, I believe some simple mind games could serve us well here."


    "What do you have in mind?"


    "We could cause some form of a distraction. Take the eyes of the demons off of the main force for a moment, so that the rest of us can attack them unawares."


    As they noticed Kasumi''s arrival, Satsuhiro gestured towards her.


    "We have an illusionist with us. That wouldn''t be too hard."


    "Indeed," the general said, as Kasumi put her hands on her hips and the man spoke directly to her. "Greetings, Savior. We were just discussing the initial stages of the siege."


    "I could guess as much," Kasumi replied. "So, what do you want me to do?"


    "That depends," he shrugged. "What is the extent of your magical abilities? If you could form multiple illusions at once, that would be precisely what we need."


    "... I could try," she answered. "I haven''t done that in a while, but maybe. I don''t know."


    "Hm. Then, in that case, I would suggest we conjure up the image of an army ahead, and then sneak our actual forces in from the palace. You verified that the route is still open, right?" He asked,, looking over at Ash. The half-demon nodded. "Then, yes, I believe this to be the best way to engage them."


    "It wouldn''t hurt to leave a formation of archers outside, however, from where the illusory forces would be," Satsuhiro pitched. "If we do that, we can attack them from both sides once the trap is sprung."


    "Take the ladders we brought, have the archers climb up the walls once the fight starts, and quickly, pincer the demon forces before they have a chance to react," the general nodded.


    "All of this would go horribly if Niven spots us at any point, by the way," Ash reminded them. "He can dish out orders to all of them through their thoughts in an instant."


    "We will have to be careful, in that case."


    Kasumi gradually went into her own head then, as they spoke. This side of combat had never been something she was too interested in, even when she was an active Savior. Besides, her role had already been given to her. So, now, she figured she could let her mind wander for a bit.


    And, strangely enough, her thoughts went back to the sight she''d come across earlier. But, more specifically, to the times in her own life when she was engaging in those kinds of acts. When she was a happily married woman, with a loving family, and a promising career ahead of her.


    Now, though, she felt like a walking husk of a human. However, the thought did bring some people to her mind.


    ...  My brother,  she thought.  How is he? I haven''t talked to him in so long.


    After Nozomi''s tragic passing, he had tried the hardest out of anyone to get Kasumi out of her house. Now, though, that she was actually trying to recover, he wasn''t there to watch her.


    And, it was with that in mind that an idea came naturally to her.


    I should write him a letter.  She thought.  I wonder where he went after everything happened. Hm... I could probably reach out to Jonoko too, make sure he''s alright as well.


    "... formations," the general said. "Your soldiers, what are their skills?"


    "Good archers and swordsmen," the unknown woman replied. "Not much in the form of magical prowess, however."


    "Understood. Of course, Ash will be leading the main force," he added. "The battle shouldn''t take more than a day to be decided. All we should decide is when we want to have it."


    That question lingered in the air until Ash eventually spoke up.


    "We have six days," she said. "I have something I need to do at that point, and I need levels for it. So, we need to do this before then."


    "Some quicker preparation would be needed to pull that off," the general said. "I''m not sure we have the time for it."


    "Why wouldn''t we?" Satsuhiro asked. "We''ll be fighting demons, after all. The way forward is simpler than it would be otherwise. All we need to do, really, is act on it."


    "... I suppose," the general replied. "You Saviors know more about these demon-related matters than I do. Whenever you decide we are ready, that is when we will be ready."


    "Are we done, then?" Ash asked.


    "Yes. Satsuhiro, sir," the general addressed him. "I would like to iron out the details of this assault with you. Whenever you are available, of course."


    "Sure."


    As that was said, everyone left the tent and went about their own way. Kasumi, however, stopped Satsuhiro for a moment, walking up to him.


    Again, her brother passed through her mind, and with that image in front of her, she asked:


    "Hey, do you have any spare paper? I want to send a letter."


    "Yes," he replied.


    "Thank you."

 Chapter 313 - Vol. 5 -

    Yumi


    Many conversations happened around Yumi all at once over the course of the next couple of days, but, admittedly, she didn''t quite understand everything she heard. All she comprehended was that when the time to fight arrived she would be on the front lines, standing side by side with Ash, Keiko, Satsuhiro, and of course, Sinneah.


    Knowing this, she tried to put all of her energy into continuing to refine her proficiencies, putting most of her time into her naginata and the longbow she was given. In doing so, it happened often that she would attract the eyes of the soldiers around her, and Yumi was slowly growing used to that.


    However, as she landed her fifteenth consecutive bullseye on the targets set up ahead, one of those looks stood out a little more than the others. There was a woman with silver eyes like her own standing a bit of distance away, with crossed arms and a stern expression, watching with great interest.


    Hm... Does she wish to train with me?  Yumi asked in her thoughts, without looking back at her.  If she does, she need only ask.


    "How the hell is she so accurate?" Yumi heard a soldier whisper. Though she''d unlocked her Spirit Eye a long time ago, her senses were still keen enough to pick up on that.


    "I don''t know, but it''s scary," a woman replied. "She looks like she''s not even trying."


    In a way, Yumi wasn''t. She''d done this so many times that the motions were automatic to her. However, getting to this point required quite a bit of effort indeed.


    And yet, she wondered if she was putting these skills to use in the best way. She''d left the shrine all that time ago with the intention of traveling and seeing the world, but a couple of looks at that burnt city down the hill had already made her grow tired of this place. Already, she was wondering where else she could go. She heard the soldiers talk about Sapphire, for example, and although she''d never seen it before, she was beginning to form a mental picture of what snow was like. She hoped to actually see it someday though.


    Sinnneah approached all of a sudden, and a few of the soldiers inhaled sharply as their eyes fell on her. The draconic woman, of course, ignored them all, and instead went up to Yumi and said:


    "You are still training?"


    "Yes," Yumi replied, as she aimed her next arrow. "Do you need something?"


    Sinneah didn''t respond, though. Instead, she watched as Yumi closed her eyes, let the arrow fly, and opened them again when she heard it impact the target ahead, striking the next bullseye. Smiling proudly, she turned toward Sinneah.


    "Well?"


    "..." At that, Sinneah paused. Without a word, she shrugged, and Yumi chuckled a little.


    I suppose she just wants a moment to ourselves?  Yumi wondered.


    "Last one," Yumi told her. Then, she took aim and let one last arrow fly before putting her bow away on her back as she walked over to Sinneah. "We can go for a walk if you''d like."


    "Mm." Sinneah nodded and the two of them left the area.


    They cut through the camp, which had suddenly grown crowded, and walked out into the forest where their voices could be heard above those of their fellow soldiers. Once there, they sat down with their backs pressed against one particularly big tree, and Yumi allowed herself to relax.


    It was a tall order, given what happened with the Nightmare and how she already felt like she wanted to head somewhere else, but, for now, she pushed that out of her mind.


    Instead, she focused on the present moment, as Sinneah sat down next to her and Yumi allowed herself to lean on the woman a little. She felt better already. Sinneah''s eyes were cast low, as Yumi looked around, just to make sure she wasn''t about to relive what had happened in these woods earlier.


    Even though a small part of her wanted that to happen, but she pushed that side of her down.


    "How are you doing?" She asked Sinneah, smiling up at her. "It feels as though lately we haven''t gotten to do much besides train."


    "I..." Sinneah paused, waiting a second before she spoke again. "The soldiers'' words. Sometimes, I listen to them and I can''t understand what they''re talking about."


    "Neither can I," Yumi giggled.


    "They talk about things like vacations," Sinneah added, and Yumi listened as it seemed she was serious. "Things like husbands and wives and girlfriends. Houses, pets, grandparents, and schools," she explained. "It makes me wonder whether we truly are from the same world or not because half the time I cannot comprehend what they are saying."


    "... Well, I can explain a few of those," Yumi offered. At that, Sinneah looked over at her and raised a brow. "Pets are like animals that you raise yourself. I used to have one before I became a shrine maiden, though I suppose I would have to explain that concept as well," Yumi said. "Schools are places of learning, grandparents are your parents'' parents. And, husbands, wives, girlfriends..." She took a deep breath. "These are people you love. Or, well, if the stories I read are any indication, they are people you would ideally love."


    "Hm."  Sinneah looked away for a moment. "How do you know that you do?"


    "I don''t think it''s quite as easy as checking a list of requirements," Yumi replied with a smile. "But, I''d like to think that if you do, you''ll just know."


    "I see."


    Behind them, someone walked up.


    "Hey," Kasumi said, as she approached. Yumi had been so focused on her conversation that she flinched. "They''re having a meeting. Just saying, in case you wanna hear what they have to say."


    "Thank you," Yumi bowed her head a little, and the woman left.


    Hm... Do I?  She wondered.  I know my role already. That''s good enough for me.


    She looked over at Sinneah and found the woman''s dark-yellow slitted eyes on her. She had been about to open her mouth and ask if Sinneah wanted to go, but upon seeing the woman her answer felt like it would be obvious.


    Heh, no.  She thought, wrapping a hand around Sinneah''s right arm, which earned a slightly confused look from her.  I''d much rather stay here.


    ---


    Keiko


    The next meeting was far more focused than the previous one, and thus, much shorter. The day of the attack was decided. They would move to siege the city on the following night, under the cover of the twin moons as their opponents would hopefully be more susceptible to the trickery they had planned.


    All that was left was to figure out the details.


    "Kasumi will activate her illusions approximately ten minutes after we''ve split off from her group," the general said. "Once she casts her spells, we enter the city from the escape route, with Ash taking point."


    "A few mages, myself included, can take the ladders up the walls then and set ourselves up for the fight as soon as those ladders are available," Satsuhiro stated. "Some of the archers can go up behind us, and the rest of the main force will storm the enemy from behind at that point. The mages outside the city can begin casting their own spells, though you''ll want to focus your projectiles on the area just in front of the gates, so as to avoid accidentally landing your spells on us."


    "We need to find that Nightmare as soon as possible, by the way," Keiko reminded them. "That thing is dangerous. If left unchecked, it will cut through our numbers."


    "Ash, Yumi, and Sinneah are probably the only ones capable of beating it," Satsuhiro noted. "As soon as you see the thing, bring their attention to that creature if they haven''t seen it themselves."


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if there were more Nightmares that Niven hasn''t shown us," Ash added.


    "Right. He did allow us to take the portal down, after all, with minimal resistance," Satsuhiro nodded. "Either, he doesn''t value the city much or he''s confident in the forces he has protecting it."


    Then, that other Zayama walked forward. Ichigo, the stoic lady who Keiko had yet to see in battle, crossed her arms.


    "What is this Nightmare you mentioned like?"


    "It used to be a Zayama Savior," Keiko replied. "It can cheat the Spirit Eye, and it is extremely skilled and quick. I don''t think any of us can beat it easily."


    "I see..." Ichigo nodded. "If things take a turn for the worse, I can create a wall of wind to separate that creature from the rest of us. Though, that means anyone stuck with that Nightmare will likely perish."


    Her words carried a bit of weight to them that made everyone pause, but Keiko''s ears noticed something.


    She''s a magic user?  She thought. Considering what she''d heard about her clan from her teacher back during her tests, Zayama''s who used magic were exceedingly rare and often ostracized. Who is she, exactly?


    "If we need to retreat, we can simply leave the way we came in, through the escape route," the general said. "With that being said, I believe this meeting is over."


    Everyone soon left the tent, but Keiko couldn''t help herself. She walked over to Ichigo and asked:


    "E-Excuse me," she said, and Ichigo looked over at her. "Where did you learn magic?"


    "... Why do you wish to know that?" She asked.


    "I... I haven''t met many of our family members who are also mages, I was curious."


    "Isn''t it dishonorable to indulge your curiosities in this regard? Are you sure that''s something you want to do?"


    "Yes," Keiko answered quickly. "I just want to know more."


    The woman seemed surprised to hear that. She smiled a little and nodded.


    "Come, then.. I''ll tell you a little about me."

 Chapter 314 - Vol. 5 -

    As Keiko followed Ichigo out of the tent, she had a little smile on her face. Meeting another likeminded Zayama was always a pleasure, as rare as it was. The main thing that had Keiko curiously trailing after this woman, however, was her outsider status. Like Yumi, she probably spent a long time out of the compound, and as such, this presented an opportunity to learn quite a lot.


    "I learned my Wind magic from my father," Ichigo told her, as the two of them made their way through the camp. "Father had always been a bit of a mercenary when it came to our clan," she stated. "He would take odd jobs here and there from the clan''s leaders, but he wouldn''t rest a day in the compound. Instead, we would travel from one place to another, living mostly off the land."


    "Was Wind magic all he knew?"


    "Yes. He, like many of us, had an affinity for it. Are you one such case?"


    "No, I''m just interested in magic in general," Keiko shook her head.


    "Ah, I see. Well, as far as he was concerned, Wind magic was all he could learn, therefore, it was all he taught me. He taught me a teleportation spell, a screen spell, and a few others, but I was always busy working on my archery. It took quite a few years to get my proficiency to 9, where it is today, but being able to take the heads off of monsters from a distance has proven to be worth it."


    "I see," Keiko nodded. She wished she had a book with which to take notes, though she wasn''t particularly good at writing, of course.


    "Along the way, I kept honing my skills and learning a couple of spells whenever I felt like it. Life was pretty good. However..." Ichigo continued. "Something happened... and Sapphire became our home. And, all my little adventuring ceased, until now."


    "What happened?"


    "..." Ichigo paused. Then, she looked up at Keiko and gave her a sad smile. "I was chosen to be a Savior."


    To say Keiko was stunned to hear that would have been an understatement. However, her eyes didn''t allow her to believe what she''d just heard. Mainly because there was a distinct lack of golden armor or transforming cube on her person when Keiko''s eyes roamed over her. The confusion on her face must have been obvious, considering how Ichigo laughed.


    "You''re joking, right?"


    "No," Ichigo shook her head. "I''m not. It happened several years ago when I was about 17," she explained. "I''m 26 now, so, yeah. At the time," she added, "we had been staying here, in Pearl, actually, when a few priests of Lumina came knocking at our door and telling us that I had been chosen by the gods."


    "But... I''m sorry if this sounds disrespectful, but I haven''t heard of any other Zayama Saviors in a long time. What happened?"


    Ichigo''s response came quickly, and casually.


    "I ran away," she stated with a light-hearted shrug.


    "What?"


    "Yes, I ran away like a coward."  The way she spoke almost sounded like she was daring Keiko to challenge her decision. "I looked down at myself, decided I wasn''t going to risk my own neck to help the armies of the Jewel Empire die against rabid demons, and I ran away, heading up to Sapphire where I could live in relative peace."


    It was hard for Keiko to accept that as a choice someone had made, not because she cared particularly about the honor of the act, but because she and her group had grown used to reluctantly trudging along with the duties of Saviors. Hearing someone be so frank about deserting them was downright shocking.


    "Do you still think me worthy of a conversation?" Ichigo asked, with a smirk that Keiko understood was self-deprecating.


    "I... Of course," she replied. "I''m just surprised, is all."


    "Hm... Well," she looked away, "you shouldn''t be. I''m hardly the first case. It''s not like everyone wants to be out there, fighting demons tooth and nail, even when they have power thrown on their laps. There have been Saviors like me, who never took the job, to begin with, and Saviors who quit in the middle of the job, retiring in disgrace. I figured I''d skip forward a bit."


    "I understand," Keiko replied. "So, why did you come here, then?"


    "... Heh," she chuckled, "It''s a bit of a long story."


    "I''d love to know," Keiko smiled.


    "... Sure, then. Well, it was because, then, as much as I tried to run away from those demons, they were soon brought to me."


    ---


    Ichigo


    The Battle of Sapphire


    Trying to put together travel bags had been something Ichigo had grown accustomed to, over the course of her life. However, doing so with hands that shook as much as Ichigo''s were right now was not.


    "D-Dad!" She called out, taking her bow and throwing it over her shoulder. "Are you done?"


    "Yes, yes," Akiro replied, walking down the stairs with his own bag thrown over his back. He was wearing a thick sweater, as was Ichigo, as they both needed to due to their plans.


    Will we make it?  Ichigo couldn''t help but wonder.  What if we run into them?


    On this day, she''d been level 18 and was sorely out of practice from not having used her bow in months. That was something she regretted more and more with every second that passed as the realization came that she would need to put what little skills she had to use.


    Realistically, however, all she could hope for, even had she trained consistently, was that they wouldn''t run into any enemies on their way out.


    It was a desperate plan, but one that needed to work.


    Alkoth, please, please, please,  she thought, as she finally finished preparing.  Bless us with safety on this day.


    "Are you ready?" Akiro asked, and Ichigo nodded.


    "With any luck, we''ll at least make it halfway to Jade before we need to stop."


    "Everyone''s Luck is the same, Ichigo. Luck''s got nothing to do with it," her father replied in a grumble, as he kept his hand over his sword, as though getting reacquainted with it. "If the gods wish for us to make it, we will. If they don''t, we will not."


    "Let''s hope they''re feeling generous today, then," Ichigo mumbled, and soon, the pair were walking out of their home.


    In the streets, there was already nothing but soldiers, and no civilians, which made Ichigo worry that they''d been too late.


    Crap, crap,  she thought, as she walked up to the nearest one and asked:


    "E-Excuse me, is there any transportation out of the city?"


    "Huh? Where have you been these past couple of days?" The guy replied with a smirk. "The road''s closed off already. The portal''s taken up most of the way. We''re stuck until the battle ends."


    Ichigo''s eyes widened, and she felt her body go cold when she heard that.


    "N-N-No, there has to be something we can..."


    "I think you should probably go ahead and get yourself to the plaza where the rest of the civilians are," he told her. "Staying out here is only gonna lead you to-"


    Then, monstrous screeching sounded off above them, and Ichigo''s body trembled.


    The sky had turned into a mix of dark grey and violet. Past the tall-reaching buildings, Ichigo could already see some winged, feminine demons circling in the air.


    We... We''re done for,  Ichigo thought.  We...


    Then, spells and arrows began to fly out to meet them, as the soldiers Ichigo had been speaking to quickly left the conversation and hustled up the streets, to meet the incoming enemies. As for Ichigo, she took this as a very simple indication that she needed to make herself scarce. So, she turned around with the intent to run to where the soldier had said the other civilians were, but she stopped.


    Her father wasn''t coming along with her.


    "D-Dad," she said, squeezing her voice through a tight throat. "We need to go, t-the demons..."


    But, when her father turned to look at her, Ichigo knew what he had in mind.


    "No." She tried to speak with authority. "Dad, don''t be an idiot, we need to-"


    "I''ve spent a long time living off the kindness of the world," her father said, with finality. "It''s high time I give back to it." And so, he turned his back on his daughter, pulling out the curved sword that was one of the few remnants of their clan that he carried, along with his silver eyes. "Run along, Ichigo. I''ll see you later."


    With the heroic aura of a man making his last stand surrounding him, her father began walking forward, towards the sounds of battle.


    Of course, Ichigo resumed her job, trying to ignore the sudden tears rolling down her cheeks, but then, her feet stopped.


    She looked back at her father and clenched her hands into fists.


    I... I can''t just let him go like this.


    With trembling hands, she pulled her bow off of her back and ran in the same direction as him.


    Thus began the single worst experience of her life. The amount of death and chaos that she witnessed on that day had left scars on her mind that would likely never heal, but throughout it, she did her best to keep her father safe. He probably didn''t even know she was there, but as the battle began to rage properly, she stood just a few paces behind him, shooting arrows on occasion at enemies who looked like they were going to target him.


    These creatures came in all sorts of disgusting, terrifying shapes and sizes. Some were almost gelatinous blobs swallowing soldiers whole, others resembled feral men and women who had lost all sense and had been devolved into an animalistic state. In the middle of it all, however, Ichigo kept her eyes on her father.


    That was until, at one point, she was tackled by one such demon. As she had been trying to shoot the demons closest to her father, one picked her up and rammed her into a wall, and Ichigo swore she felt her back break.


    She closed her eyes from the pain, and when she opened them, a monstrous face of fangs and hateful violet eyes looked back at her, and Ichigo thought she was already dead. However, someone prevented that.


    A woman with long black hair, silver eyes, and a curved sword, just like the one her father used, ran past them and slashed the demon''s head off, so quickly and easily that the demon itself looked surprised as its head fell off its body.


    "...!" Ichigo''s mouth was open, her face expressing pure shock, as she saw the demon slump over, dead.


    ... What?


    She looked toward the woman, and what she found was more of a whirlwind of blades than a person. Someone was cutting through one enemy after another with the kind of determination and skill that Ichigo had rarely ever seen, assisting soldiers from one side of the street to another, as she cut a path through the demon forces.


    She... A Zayama?  Ichigo thought, but then, she saw her father stumble back after being slashed across the abdomen by a demon''s hand.


    Quickly, she picked her bow back up and shot an arrow between the demon''s eyes, and then she ran over and helped her father up.


    "Ichigo?" He looked at her, stunned.


    "D-Dad, come on. I''ll heal you in a bit, but we need to go, we''ve helped enough."


    "... Hehehe," he laughed. "I suppose so. These old bones can still dance, though. The rest is up to them."


    With that said, she put her father''s arm over her back and began escorting him away, but not before giving one last look over her shoulder to the woman who''d saved her.


    She could never forget that image if she tried. A warrior with her sword by her side, wearing the typical Zayama training outfit that even Ichigo''s father still owned, standing in the middle of a street full of cut-down demons, looking like something out of a legend.


    And, Ichigo knew that on that day, Alkoth had sent her a message.


    ---


    Keiko


    "I''ve lost count of how many times I''ve told that story!" Ichigo chuckled. "Heh, but, yes. That woman saved me and my father, at Sapphire, and after that, I turned my life around. I quickly became a soldier, trying my hardest to help out wherever I could. My Quick Learner trait, and my skills, of course, allowed me to climb the ranks very quickly, but I never forgot about her."


    "..." Keiko had no response to give. Her words wouldn''t come out.


    "A while later, though, I heard about the battle of Onyx, and another black-haired woman with silver eyes who was cutting through demons like butter," Ichigo smiled, looking away. "I figured it had to be the same one, and the name Yumi came up a few times. A little later," she continued, "and Sapphire was looking for volunteers to come here for this mission. I was already going to agree to it, but my decision was truly cemented when I heard that this Yumi would be here, with the half-demon Savior, on this same mission. I had to see her for myself, again," Ichigo said. "And... well, now I''m here. Hopefully," she gave a little smile, "I''ll be able to thank her myself. Later, anyway," she laughed. "Once I stop feeling so nervous around her."


    "..." Again, Keiko was at a loss for words.


    "Well, I should get back to work," Ichigo told her. "The soldiers who came with me are probably feeling nervous. I should probably talk some sense into them before the fighting starts. Thanks for this, by the way," she said. "You seem like a nice person, cousin. I''d love to speak with you again."


    Just like that, Ichigo walked away, and Keiko was left with her jaw touching the dirt as she watched.

 Chapter 315 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    The day of the siege had a strangely peaceful beginning.


    The half-demon''s eyes slowly blinked open as Ash stirred in her mat. Behind her, Kaori''s body rested peacefully, and in front of her, taking up most of her view, was Keiko as she sat there, turned away from Ash, with her legs crossed.


    Hm...


    Ash sat up, yawned, and stretched her arms before leaning her head over Keiko''s right shoulder. The raven-haired girl briefly turned to look at her, smiled, and then went back to her book.


    "Hey," Ash said.


    "Good morning!" Keiko happily greeted her which caused the corners of Ash''s lips to curl up as she hugged the girl from behind.


    "What are you doing?" She mumbled quietly, as she was tempted to go back to sleep.


    "I asked some of the new soldiers if they had any magic I could study," she replied. "One of them had a spellbook on them that sounded pretty good."


    "What does the spell do?"


    "It''s a momentary speed boost. A slight one," she quickly added, as Ash gave her an impressed look, "but still, it sounds useful to me."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "How far are you into it?"


    "I just - ahhh..."


    She flinched as Ash pressed her lips against the girl''s neck. Smirking a little, Ash asked.


    "Yeah?"


    "I... I just started," Keiko replied with a little smile, her voice sounding a little drier now.


    In all honesty, she wished she could remain in this position for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, however, she understood that later this comfort would be traded for a chaotic battlefield. However, for the sleeping woman behind her, Ash would need to go through that.


    So, as her stomach growled and Keiko giggled in her arms, Ash took the first step towards abandoning that comfort briefly.


    "I''m gonna go get something to eat," she told Keiko.


    "They''re already serving the breakfast, go ahead."


    And so, Ash stood up and walked away.


    Outside the tent, it was a tense morning. There was a noticeable contrast in the atmosphere when comparing the camp to how it had been the previous day. Whereas before, Ash could barely hear herself think due to the constant chattering around her, Now, though, the sound of her own feet treading over grass was clear, as everyone around her was eerily quiet.


    Setting that aside, she went over to where that same lady from before was handing out the food for everyone. However, as she arrived there she noticed something odd. Unlike everyone else around her who looked like a nervous wreck, that woman had a wide smile on her face as she passed some meat and bread into her hands.


    "Have a nice morning!" She said, happily.


    "Uh... Thanks," Ash raised a brow at her. She was about to turn away, but curiosity got to her. "So, you''re not feeling nervous at all?"


    It was easy to see that the woman hadn''t expected that question. She looked up at Ash and shook her head.


    "Of course, I am, ma''am," she replied with a nervous chuckle. As the confusion didn''t leave the half-demon''s face, she added to that. "But... I''m the first thing a lot of these soldiers are going to see this morning," she stated. "I have to put on a smile for their sake. If I don''t, then, well, the morale is just going to be that much worse, right?"


    "Hm..." That wasn''t something Ash had considered. Looking around, though, it wasn''t hard to think about how these soldiers could falter when the actual time to fight arrived later. Then again, Ash couldn''t think of anything she could do about that, so she just pushed it out of her mind.


    With breakfast in her hands, she walked back thinking, maybe Keiko will let me  eat her out before the day really starts, and returned to her tent.


    ---


    A few hours later, Ash, and her group, were gathered around a wooden table with the general and his commanders behind him. The difference between this meeting and the others they''d had was that this time, they were out in the open and most of the soldiers were gathered around them.


    "We will enter through the palace''s escape route!" The general reminded them. "A small group will travel with Kasumi, the Illusionist Savior, to prepare a distraction that grants us the space to move in and swiftly enter the city. After that, we will attack the demons from the rear and take the city in one short burst! Without a portal to retreat to, the demons will fight like cornered wolves. Do not underestimate them, and do not hesitate when the time comes to skewer them, as they will not hesitate to do the same to you!"


    As he continued his speech, Ash let her eyes roam over the nearby soldiers. She wondered how many of them would be left after tonight. However, in the middle of her analysis, someone put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Hm?" She turned and found Satsuhiro, gesturing for her to follow him.


    The two of them walked away from the group then, with a few of the soldiers'' eyes moving with them, asking where they were going. They stopped just a few short steps away and Satsuhiro crossed his arms.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "I wanted to tell you to keep an eye behind you when we go into the city," Satsuhiro said. "There''s always a chance that the plan is going to go wrong somehow. If it does, you''ll be the factor that swings things back in our favor. Understand?"


    "Think so," Ash replied, as, again, she looked out toward the soldiers. "So, what are our chances here?"


    "Victory should be expected," Satsuhiro replied. "If that Nightmare you saw earlier is their highest-leveled demon, then they shouldn''t be able to overwhelm us the way they want to. At the same time, though, Niven probably doesn''t care about the city all that much."


    Well, if what he''s told me in the past is true, all he really cares about is that as many of us die as possible.  Ash thought.  Who''s in control of what territory doesn''t really mean anything to him, in the end.


    "In any case, just keep an eye out,"  Satsuhiro added. "Just because our group''s gotten a little stronger doesn''t mean we can''t lose."


    With that being said, Satsuhiro walked back to where everyone was gathered, but Ash remained standing there for a little while longer.


    ... I know that,  she thought, as Arianna''s face briefly came back up in her mind, and as she remembered Sinneah being decisively beaten by that Nightmare.


    How much leveling do I need to do before I can stop worrying about everything?  She wondered.  How strong do I need to get before Niven finally gives up?


    With no answers to those questions, however, all she could do was come back to the circle, and continue listening to the general''s speech.


    ---


    Hinata


    "Remember," the silver-eyed healer told her friends, "we''re here to learn from our siya. That can''t happen if she dies. So, if you see her in any trouble, you drop whatever you''re doing and you go help her. Understand?"


    As the other soldiers finished their preparations, while the sun was quickly descending below the horizon, the three Zayama warriors who had been sent here by the Elder herself, took stock of their weapons and made sure to be as prepared as they could be before the incoming battle. As for Hinata herself, she had a kunai with a rope attached to it on her waist, a pair of daggers on sheathes at her calves, a shortsword on her back, and a bow right next to it. The others were carrying the same weapons, along with some weary expressions on their faces.


    "What can we even learn from her?" One of the boys said. He had bright blue hair and a sharp, pretty face. "She went down so quickly when the demons came earlier. If it wasn''t for you, she''d be dead right now."


    "Yes, that is how being a healer works," Hinata replied with a glare. "It doesn''t mean she''s a bad warrior, it means I did a good job. Now, stop doubting her skills, Hiro, and make sure you''re prepared."


    "I was ready several hours ago," Hiro replied with a roll of his eyes. The other boy there, Kan, a quiet man with a much larger frame than Hiro, just gave Hinata a thumbs-up.


    Nodding, she stood and took a deep breath as she remembered what the Elder had told her personally.


    "My granddaughter is a fool,"  she had said, as Hinata attempted not to tremble in her presence.  "But..." She paused, as though the words hurt to say. "She''s a gifted fool if these reports I keep hearing are anything to believe. As such, if you are to take the next step in your own journey, then you will need to see what she''s doing well, and what she''s doing incorrectly. In doing so, perhaps you will take the next steps in your own journey."


    "Understood, siya,"  Hinata replied with a bow.


    From what she''d heard about Keiko, she''d expected a warrior goddess. Someone who looked like they were strong enough to stand by the half-demon Savior''s side, or who looked rebellious enough to slap the Elder in the face as she had, and as everyone had heard about.


    Instead, when she arrived here and looked at her now from a distance, what she found was a girl who Hinata would expect to be a painter, or a musician rather than a fighter.


    She''s almost shorter than I am,  Hinata thought, as her eyes refused to leave Keiko. There was something... alluring about her. Something that demanded Hinata''s attention, aside from the respect she obviously held for her.


    However, that stare worked against her when Keiko noticed and walked over to her.


    Eh!? I messed up,  Hinata scolded herself before nervously looking away.


    Keiko stood in front of her, though, and said:


    "Are you prepared?"


    "Yes, siya," Hinata hurriedly replied with a bow.


    "... You don''t have to call me that," Keiko replied. "And, I''m glad to hear it. Good luck out there," she stated, before walking away as quickly as she''d come.


    "..." Hinata let out a deep breath.. "Thank you, siya," she muttered as Keiko left.

 Chapter 316 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    "Keep an eye out," The general told everyone, as Ash had instructed him to do while they began walking through the trees. Above, the sun had hidden itself and the twin moons had arisen to replace it. "If even a single demon sees us, Niven will realize what''s happening."


    That was the most dangerous part of this, of course. All it took was a single glance from a stray demon, and the element of surprise would be lost. The general had sent a few scouts in every direction, to ensure that they wouldn''t run into anyone on this trip. One of them returned to the group a few minutes after they''d started their slow march.


    "What is it?" The general asked the scout, a girl wearing a green hood with a longbow on her back, who pointed behind her.


    Don''t tell me it''s already gone bad,  Ash thought.


    "I found two demons up ahead. One was in the trees," she stated. "I killed them, but it''s safe to assume Niven has placed a few spies in this forest, to catch any movement on our behalf."


    Ash nearly groaned. It already sounded like this was going to be a very annoying start to the coming battle.


    "How hidden are they? Can you spot them?" He asked.


    "I can," she replied. "Stealth is certainly not their strong suit. However, I recommend we slow down a little. Give the other scouts time to do the same."


    "I see. Carry on."


    "Understood."


    With that, the scout turned around and jogged forward as the general nodded to himself. He resumed his walk, albeit at a slower pace now, and the soldiers behind him matched it. All the while, Ash couldn''t shake the feeling that this was going to go wrong somehow.


    We''re going up against a god,  she thought.  Is a plan this simple really going to work?


    Shaking her head, however, she tried to get her mind off of that. This was the plan that they''d decided on and overthinking it would do nothing. So, she instead looked to the people around her for a distraction. She saw Ichigo, that new Zayama warrior who''d arrived with the reinforcements, eyeing up Yumi, trying to do it as subtly as possible. Keiko had a hand wrapped around her sword''s hilt, and she clearly looked like she was nervous. Yumi and Sinneah were walking side by side, and even Sinneah looked a little more serious than normal. Metsumi was with Opah and Luvine, at the back, along with a few other soldiers who were going to set up a smaller camp where they''d stay until the fighting was over. On Metsumi''s back was Kaori, as well. Satsuhiro was ahead of Ash, his eyes low and his brows pulled together as he seemed to be deep in thought.


    As she looked around, though, she noticed that right behind her was one of the knights she''d gone on that initial trip into the city with. That one bubbly girl who had done most of the talking before.


    What was her name, again?  Ash thought.


    "Uh, Nieve, right?" Ash asked, looking over at her.


    She hadn''t noticed it, but all that excited energy the girl had been carrying when they had their short venture together was gone. Instead, she looked downright melancholic until Ash''s words got her attention.


    "Y-Yes," she replied. "Do you need something?"


    "No." Ash shook her head before she looked around.  Who were the other two who came with us?  She thought before she decided she couldn''t find them. "Where are your friends?"


    "They died," Nieve replied with a sad look. "During the, ehm, battle in the camp."


    "... Oh," Ash replied, looking away.


    Well, shit,  she thought.  I knew a bunch of the soldiers had died but I didn''t think...  She shook her head.  Whatever. Just focus.


    ---


    Kasumi


    "Is everyone ready?" Kasumi asked, looking behind her at a few of the soldiers who had been assigned to her. They all carried anxious looks, but at the same time, they all nodded while Kasumi decided she was prepared. "Alright, let''s go."


    Her force''s path was, of course, different from the main force. She and these soldiers would be making a trek down the western side of the hill, down in front of the city, where their plan was simply to pose dramatically until the demons decided to attack them.


    There was one potential issue with this plan, though. Well, one that was far more probable than the rest. That was, if Kasumi did too good a job drawing the demons'' attention, they''d get swarmed and wiped out in a matter of minutes.


    So, as soon as the demons looked like they were going to be attacking them, Kasumi had instructed the others to go ahead and run away, just as she planned to do. Then, once the main force attacked, they''d be in the clear to return to the fight.


    No one said a word during their walk down the hill. It only made the journey feel even more tense, and made the beating of Kasumi''s heart even more prominent to her own ears.


    There were a million ways in which this could go wrong, though, which was what had Kasumi reconsidering every step she was taking down the path. If a couple of demons saw them from a distance, noticed that their numbers were few, and then when they arrived at the city they suddenly had a massive army, then the demons would realize something was off. Or, if Kasumi simply ran out of mana before she could make a convincing enough army. Kasumi''s personal favorite way in which this could all get fucked up though was that there was always the chance the demons who saw the illusions would be too high-level, and she''d end up standing outside the city with no mana and no illusions that were worth anything.


    Still, her legs dragged themselves down the dirt, no matter how much a small part of her mind told her to turn around and walk back up to the camp.


    Who knows?  Kasumi thought.  Maybe, before I evens start casting there some demon archer will put an arrow through my ne...


    She stopped and raised a hand. By the quick reactions of the other soldiers, it was clear she hadn''t been the only one who heard that.


    There were some strange, guttural noises coming from up ahead. Kasumi couldn''t remember the last time she heard anything like this, so, she quickly decided to play it safe and hide behind the nearest tree. The others did the same, and now, they were waiting for whatever it was that had made those sounds to show itself.


    They wouldn''t have to wait long. Soon, it appeared, moving at a slow pace past them. It was a single Gluttony demon, slowly waddling through the forest, between each of the now-hidden soldiers. Kasumi made eye contact with one and the soldier raised a bow. Seeing that, Kasumi nodded back at him, and the soldier quickly shot an arrow that pierced straight through the Gluttony demon''s small head.


    "Eeergh..." It groaned before falling to the ground, dead.


    And, Kasumi let out a deep sigh of relief.


    ... Is that what this entire walk is going to be like? Fuck, I hate it already.


    ---


    Keiko


    In truth, Keiko almost wished someone could distract her for a moment. Having nothing to focus on but the dark trees around her and the metallic clanging of the soldiers'' boots against the dirt made the gravity of their mission much more intense than it felt like it should have been. At the same time, however, Keiko understood that quite possibly the only person who had a high chance of living was Ash. Everyone else, in the face of that high-level Nightmare, was putting themselves at risk, and the rest of the half-demon''s group was no exception.


    Still, her hand was ready, and when the battle came, Keiko was sure she''d perform to the best of her ability, especially as it would be easier to focus once she was slashing through demonic flesh. She just wished she could get rid of this anxiety that came beforehand.


    A quick glance thrown around at the other soldiers in the army let her know she wasn''t the only one, but she saw three amateurs walking nearby that looked more nervous than any others.


    They tried to hide it, but Keiko could see through the act all the same. So, she slowed down a little, until those amateurs were walking next to her.


    Hinata, the one who appeared to be the leader of the three rookies, looked up at her and straightened her posture a little.


    "Y-Yes, siya?"


    Didn''t I tell her she didn''t have to call me that?  Keiko rolled her eyes.


    "Relax," she told her, and the other two heard her as well. "Fighting demons is... It''s just like fighting any monsters. They''re not particularly special."


    She didn''t believe her own words, honestly, but she hoped it would calm them down, a little.


    Hinata''s face softened up a bit as she looked away, and Keiko could visibly see her letting her guard down.


    "We..." Hinata said. "This is the first time we''ve been out of the Compound, siya. We don''t have much experience with monsters in general."


    Grandmother,  Keiko thought, their first time out of the Compound and you make them do this?


    This exchange let Keiko know she''d been mistaken earlier. She''d made a point of ignoring them out of spite when she''d learned about their presence on this mission, but, now, she understood that taking her frustrations out on them was meaningless.


    So, with a change in her attitude, Keiko said:


    "Don''t worry," she tried to reassure them. "You''ll do fine. If you had the skill to survive that last fight, you''ll survive this one."


    "... Thank you, siya."


    And as those words remained in the air, the army soon saw Pearl in the distance, and their fates hidden in its walls.

 Chapter 317 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    Quiet footsteps approached the castle. Under a sheet of mist, dozens of men and women cut through the darkness as they made their way into what had once been an escape route. There had been no demons yet, instead, as Ash kept her eyes peeled for anything that even flinched, she remained ahead of the group, leading these soldiers into Pearl.


    To her right, the general and Satsuhiro walked with her. Behind her, Keiko, those three Zayama rookies, and Ichigo were all there, and she guessed Yumi and Sinneah were at the back.


    "...  Bow."


    As they entered a pitch-black hall, there was a brief flash as Ash transformed her  Lust.


    Okay, just stay calm, and if you see anything, snipe the motherfuckers as soon as possible.


    As Ash traveled deeper into the escape route than she had with the smaller group before, she soon lifted a hand off of her bow and put it up to her nose.


    "Ugh, what the shit?" She whispered as she looked around, trying to get a glimpse as to what was putting up the horrible smell in the air.


    It reeked of death in this place, which made sense of course given its recent history, however, it felt like the smell was a little more intense than what Ash remembered.


    Where is it even com-


    As she rounded a corner, she froze. Ahead, she could see a couple of demons slowly walking from one side of the hall to another, almost as if they were on patrol.


    Can''t let them see me,  she thought, as a golden arrow appeared. If I take them down as quickly as possible, Niven shouldn''t know that an entire army is coming up here. Even if he does send some demons to investigate or something.


    With that thought, she pulled back an arrow and let it fly through the dark hall toward the pair of glowing violet eyes ahead.


    "Uagh!" A demon choked up as the arrow embedded itself in its neck.


    Another arrow appeared in Ash''s hands as the other demon looked like it hadn''t noticed anything. Before it could turn and see the body, Ash did the same to it, and two demonic bodies were laid out on the ground, violet blood seeping from their wounds, as the army continued their movement into the city.


    Soon, they reached the keep where the civilians had been put during the first battle, and here, they paused their advance.


    "Okay," Satsuhiro said, "now we have to wait for Kasumi to do her thing."


    Even his voice sounded a little more concerned than normal. With hundreds of people held up here, this grand space felt cramped. Ash, however, kept her eyes on the gate ahead, where they''d burst through once the illusions were made.


    This should be easy,  Ash thought.  But, given what that Nightmare managed to do earlier... I need to keep an eye on Keiko, Yumi, and even Sin, she told herself as she looked back at them. If I don''t...


    ---


    Kasumi


    Continuing through the dark forest, the illusionist kept looking from one side of the area to another, hoping her eyes wouldn''t fall on any demons anytime soon. Until, eventually, they finally exited the maze of trees and could once again see Pearl, just up ahead.


    Okay, we''re here.


    As per her instructions, she had to cast her illusion as soon as she arrived, while the main forces would likely already be there before Kasumi and her squad reached this point. Knowing this, she took a deep breath and prepared herself.


    "Okay, let''s get this out of the way," she muttered to herself.


    Outstretching her hands, Kasumi ran through her memories in search of the spell she''d need for this occasion.


    I need to learn more spells after this,  she thought.  I feel like my moveset is pretty limited.


    "Visions of deceit lie at my feet. Let them be seen, here and now."


    As she said this, she closed her eyes and pictured a soldier just like the one curiously watching her from the right.


    When her eyes opened, an image of that soldier was standing in front of her. If anything touched it, it would see through the illusion in an instant, as it was merely visual, but it would get the job done here.


    "Gonna have to make a lot more than that, though," Kasumi acknowledged before she got to work.


    By the time she was done, her mana was fully spent, but she had enough pictures of soldiers by her to make it look like there was a believable, small, force about to commit suicide by storming the city from the front.


    "Okay, everyone," she turned around and looked at each of the soldiers behind her. To say they looked nervous would be an understatement. "We''re going in. Stay behind the illusions, and wait until the demons start fighting the real forces before we actually engage them ourselves. Are we clear?"


    "Y-Yes," one guy responded and Kasumi sighed.


    "Then... Let''s get started."


    And, on that note, she commanded the illusions to move forward, as the real soldiers walked behind them.


    ---


    Luvine


    Cold nights had become normal these past few weeks, but this one, in particular, felt much, much colder. It could be because they were currently in the middle of nowhere with no fire, or the fact that the night being underway meant that a chilly air was sliding through the trees, but it could also be because Luvine was worried.


    That concern she felt right now was probably at least part of why her legs wouldn''t stop shaking and her eyes were turned low, as images of ravenous demons plagued her mind.


    "So..." Metsumi said, as she sat down by one of the soldiers who had been assigned to watch over them. "Do we have any food here? For the girls, I mean."


    "No, ma''am," the soldier replied, shaking her head. "I apologize."


    "Eh, no worries, no worries," Metsumi replied, as Luvine looked down at her own hands. Beside her, Opah was looking up at the stars, and nearby, a couple of soldiers were looking out toward the trees.


    Once again, she, Opah, and Metsumi were here, alone, while the woman she looked up to was somewhere else, fighting. It was something that Luvine had come to accept as being normal, even if she didn''t understand it all in truth, but the sight of the bodies leftover after the previous fight had made Luvine wonder if Ash would someday turn out to be one of them.


    She''d seen it firsthand, after all. The terrifying devastation that those beasts Ash fought could wreak.


    "Hey," Metsumi said, as she sat down next to Luvine. "Are you okay? Are you feeling cold at all?"


    "Mm." She shook her head.


    "Good," Metsumi replied, before casually pulling her in for a half-hug.


    All that did, however, was make it easier to imagine what was happening. She could picture Ash swinging a sword around as she fought multiple monsters at once. She could picture the woman walking through a battlefield, covered in violet blood as Luvine had seen her many times before. And, of course, it wasn''t hard to picture ways in which she could be beaten.


    All of these thoughts circled Luvine''s heart, prodding at it with a needle that made her skin feel cold.


    But, after so much time spent thinking that she couldn''t do anything about it, Luvine ran into something that changed that outlook. It wasn''t the first time she''d seen the art, but this was the first time she''d felt its benefits, and she wanted it.


    She had seen soldiers being healed after the last battle. As Metsumi had escorted them away and they were separated from the dead bodies littering the field of grass, in the middle of it, Luvine had seen a woman''s hands glowing white as she placed them over an injured soldier''s body, and when her mind saw that, she finally put two and two together.


    Maybe, just maybe, if she learned how to do that, she could help Ash. Then, she''d never have to worry about her getting hurt again.


    It was a simple and perfect plan.


    The only question was, who could she learn that healing from? Ash herself knew how to heal, as she''d told Luvine, but she was always out fighting. Metsumi didn''t look like she knew, and Opah also didn''t, so, how could she pick up these skills she''d need to protect the woman protecting her?


    ... I wanna know.  She thought.  I need to learn.


    "Bop!" Opah said, before flicking Luvine''s head with her finger.


    "Ow," Luvine turned toward her, and all thoughts of that plan were briefly taken out of her mind.


    "Can''t catch me!" Opah said before attempting to run away, but, contrary to what she''d just declared, Metsumi caught her.


    "Whoa, whoa, no running," she told her. Opah made a sad face.


    "Why!?"


    "It''s dangerous out there, tonight," she said, pulling Opah in and adding her to the hug with her other arm. "We need to stay put. Your big sisters are out there fighting, understand?" Metsumi asked. "If you go away, they''ll worry about you."


    "..." Opah pouted and looked away, clearly unsatisfied, as Luvine continued to ruminate upon her master plan.


    I''ll be the best at it,  Luvine promised.  And, once I can heal, I''ll stay by her side.. And, she''ll never get hurt.

 Chapter 318 - Vol. 5 -

    Ash


    The beginning of the battle properly came with a few startled grunts from demons up ahead, and the clanking of the soldiers'' boots against the ground as they roused.


    Kasumi''s doing it,  Ash thought, looking out toward Pearl.


    A couple of wrath demons who had been busy tearing each other apart looked away from the keep and ran off to see what had come. A Gluttony demon who had been in the process of swallowing a seemingly dead Lust demon whole stopped, with the demon still in its gaping mouth, and began waddling in the same direction.


    Ash inhaled slowly, as the dark city became illuminated by orbs of flame that shot out into the air. She looked back at the general and the man nodded.


    "Their backs are turned," he let everyone in the keep know. "Now. Charge!"


    Unsheathing his sword and raising it up into the air, he ran forward as did Ash, and with that, the battle began as the demons were taken by surprise.


    Ash, however, didn''t move with the main force just yet. She wanted to see if she could clear some of the enemies out first before she really got started. With her bow, Ash ran to the side, hustling up a staircase, and then jumping onto the rooftops of the buildings by the keep.


    Here, she got a good look at what was to be the battlefield, as magical spheres of flame exploded in the air.


    There was a giant tree up ahead that seemed to mark the center of the city, dead and burnt. Many of the buildings ahead were broken down, reduced to rubble. There were skeletons littering the streets that the soldiers were running past right now. The street itself winded down a wide, rippling path that eventually gave way to the gates in the far, far distance. Amongst it all, of course, were hundreds, maybe even more, demons, each confused and alarmed, letting their animalistic sounds be heard as mages attacked from all sides.


    As she''d scouted the area out, now, it was time to act.


    As the soldiers collided with the demons, an arrow appeared in her right hand and she aimed at the closest enemy.


    It''s so hard to see from here,  she thought, narrowing her eyes.  I''ll definitely need to go down there myself in a bit. For now, though, let''s see how many of them I can kill from here.


    On that note, her first arrow flew out from her position and struck a Gluttony demon in the neck. Another soldier stole the kill though, pushing a spear through its body and ending the creature''s life. Clicking her tongue, Ash manifested another arrow and did the same again, this time, aiming her bow at a Wrath demon that tackled one of the soldiers to the ground. Trying to be as careful as she could with her aim, she waited until just before the demon went to bite into the soldier''s neck, and her arrow passed straight through the top of its head, killing the creature in an instant.


    EXP Gained: 40


    EXP: 40/810


    Need to get a ton of kills to really make progress, she acknowledged.


    Ahead, she could see Keiko, Yumi, and Sinneah engaging enemies on their own. Satsuhiro remained behind everyone, with some of the other mages, casting Fire spells from afar.


    If anything happens to them... She thought.  No. That''s what you''re here for. Show them they can rely on you.


    Focusing up again, she shot out a couple more arrows and secured two more quick kills, getting her EXP up to 120. However, as she saw that the demons were managing to overwhelm the soldiers at a faster pace than she was able to dispatch them from afar, she nodded to herself and jumped off the roof. Falling to the ground a second later, Ash ran forward.


    "Naginata," she said, and her bow transformed in her hands before she quickly stabbed another enemy in the head. With one strong, wide-arching slash after another, Ash helped cleave a path through the demons for the soldiers around her.


    Easy enough,  she thought.  But, where the hell is the Nightmare?


    No matter where she looked, there was no sign of its presence. Something that confused Ash, but she tried to keep her mind fixed on the demons in her immediate vicinity. Even now, however, as she cut through one beast after another, some of the soldiers still found themselves being outmatched. Lust demons were picking up soldiers and taking them up into the air, only to drop them from the skies. The ferocity of the Wrath demons was on full display as, even when harmed, they would push as hard as they could against the weapons of the humans. And, of course, every now and then, Ash would find a Gluttony demon''s tongue shooting out, wrapping itself around a soldier''s foot or arm and pulling them into their mouths.


    Thankfully, though, even if the regular soldiers continued to struggle, the higher-leveled warriors amongst the army were standing their ground. Yumi twirled her naginata in such a way that every spin roughly equaled one dead demon. Ichigo had her bow out and was taking demons out from afar, shooting several Lust demons out of the sky. Keiko hurriedly went from one demon to another, stabbing through her enemies with precision. And, in the dark battlefield, it was easy to see Sinneah defeating any demon that went up to her, with her arms wrapped in flames.


    Keep it up,  Ash thought.  No matter where that Nightmare is if we take enough of them out before the Nightmare reaches us, we''ll still be winning.


    "Gauntlets," Ash thought, as the area around her grew a bit too tight. With those blades on her arms, she slashed through a few more demons before, finally, she caught a glimpse of the real enemy.


    She saw it up ahead, standing atop the roof of a building, just like she''d been a moment before, watching the fight happen. Its blades were low, remaining by its side as Ash looked at it from here. It was wearing a blindfold over its eyes, and it didn''t look interested in joining the battle just yet.


    "... What the hell is it doing?" Ash muttered before a demon ran up to her trying to claw her face. One quick spin and a slash later, the demon was dead, and as Ash went to look at it again, she found that the Nightmare had disappeared.


    Narrowing her eyes, she tried to focus on everything around her, but clearly, Niven had some trick up his sleeve, and that made Ash uncomfortable. Still, she kept fighting, because in her mind there was nothing else she could do right now.


    "Ash!" Keiko called out, and Ash''s quickly turned toward her voice, fearing she''d been hurt or something. Instead, though, the Zayama ran up to her, covered in violet blood but unscathed.


    "Yeah?" Ash asked.


    "I haven''t seen that thing from before," she said. "Have you?"


    "Mhm," Ash nodded, as she took a second to stab another demon before continuing the conversation. "I saw it just up ahead. Keep an eye out. I don''t know where it went."


    "R-Right," Keiko replied, before going back to her side of the battlefield and fighting the demons there. Taking stock of where everyone was, Yumi, Sinneah, and Satsuhiro hadn''t been hurt at all yet either.


    With that Nightmare here, however, that could change soon. Knowing that, Ash tried her hardest to keep her eyes sweeping from one spot to another, so as to prevent herself from being caught by surprise.


    It did not take long at all for the Nightmare to reappear, however.


    And, when it did it wasn''t alone.


    At its flanks were two other demons large enough to clearly be deemed Nightmares, but one of them was a Nightmare that Ash recognized. One she knew well.


    "... No," she muttered, watching it approach.


    It was the same demon she and Kaori had fought at Onyx. The same beast that had scurried away just before Ash could finish it off. It only had one arm, a reminder of the battle they''d shared, and it carried the same greatsword as before, dragging it along the ground as it slowly approached the soldiers.


    Ash checked its level, then, and took a deep breath.


    Level 92


    MP: 900/900


    The other one, the one Ash hadn''t seen yet, had this level:


    Level 55


    MP: 500/500


    As they got closer, her response wasn''t to run or to call for a retreat. Instead, she walked forward. Walking between battling demons and humans, she disregarded them all as she moved toward those enemies.


    We aren''t losing here,  Ash thought, gritting her teeth as she turned her  Lust  into a sword. As scared as she felt, the rage in her heart was enough to match it.


    Even now, all she had to do was think of Kaori''s sleeping visage and she''d be reminded that her failure on that day meant she''d lost a friend. Temporarily, if she succeeded in those trials to come, but lost her all the same.


    You want to take me on today, then go ahead,  she thought..  I''m ready.

 Chapter 319 - Vol. 5 -

    Keiko


    Earlier


    For the first time since Keiko had picked up her sword once again, she felt herself getting lost in the battle. The city was already covered in fire, just as it had been before during the demon''s siege, but this time, none of the human warriors had any intention of running away. As the chaos unfolded around her, Keiko had stumbled at first. However, it did not take long at all for her to acclimate this time. And, that meant that she had quickly turned into a storm on the field with her sword.


    Currently, she was in a position that would make many lesser warriors drop to their knees and beg for mercy. Surrounded by many different demons, with the screams of the more unfortunate soldiers trickling into her ears, Keiko dashed toward them. Her blade cut straight through a Wrath demon''s neck to her right before she charged toward the next enemy after that and stabbed her sword into its gut, before sliding it up and allowing the demon''s entrails to get acquainted with Pearl''s cold ground. She ignored the EXP messages that would frequently appear over her head and instead kept her focus on the fight.


    Don''t stop,  she told herself.  Maintain this aggression. The army expects a lot out of you. Deliver.


    On that note, as a Lust demon flew down at her and tried to slam her to the ground, Keiko retaliated by turning her sword vertically.


    "Zansae!" She muttered, and in a move she improvised then and there, she planted her heels into the floor, spun in place but slashed up, arching her sword diagonally.  A flash of roses exploded from the arc of her swing and the demon who''d been on a collision course with her split into two halves before it could touch her. Both halves of its body fell around Keiko, harmlessly.


    Keiko took a deep breath. Her body felt so loose, she may as well have been a gust of wind, the way she went from one demon to another after that.


    Her attacks were only interrupted when she caught sight of Ash, up ahead, looking around confusedly.


    Hm... I should check in on her,  Keiko thought, running up to the half-demon.


    As Ash turned toward her, Keiko caught a brief glimpse of a wild look in the woman''s violet eyes. One that faded as they fell on her.


    "Ash!" Keiko called out as she got closer.


    "Yeah?"


    Her voice sounded low and concerned, but as she inspected Keiko''s body, she visibly relaxed a little.


    "I haven''t seen that thing from before," Keiko told her, but really, she just wanted to make sure she was alright. "Have you?"


    "Mhm," Ash nodded before a demon charged at her. Ash casually impaled it, letting it fall to the ground as blood spurted into the air from the wound she''d made. "I saw it just up ahead," she let Keiko know and the Zayama blinked.


    What?


    She hadn''t been expecting that at all. Her heart went cold for a few seconds as she remembered her fight with it back at the campsite.


    I figured it would be here, but, this early?


    "Keep an eye out," Ash told her.


    "R-Right," Keiko nodded before she turned away from Ash and went back to where she''d been.


    Now, though, she wasn''t in that same flow state from before. Hearing about the demon''s presence, although expected, had taken her out of the moment just a little. She needed to get back into a rhythm.


    Knowing this, she started with a Gluttony demon to her left. Keiko planted her sword into its gut and dragged it to the right, and everything that was inside that demon came out, sprawling onto the ground. After that, she kicked a demon off of a young soldier and a quick flurry of slashes rendered that demon into a collection of severed limbs.


    Keiko turned to look around and find more targets, but instead, she found people who needed help. One of the soldiers was having his throat torn out by a Lust demon that, at the same time, had a tail planted firmly in his body. Aside from that unfortunate individual was a Gluttony demon that was in the middle of devouring a female soldier''s body after having torn off her arms and legs.


    The horrors of what she witnessed momentarily made Keiko freeze, but soon, anger pushed her to act. She ran up and stabbed the Lust demon right between its eyes, before then moving to the Gluttony demon and decapitating it in one smooth slash.


    "Agh!" A woman cried out and Keiko quickly turned toward the voice, finding Hinata pinned down with a Wrath demon on top of her. She had one arm separating them, and the Wrath demon''s fangs were buried in her wrist.


    Keiko moved quickly, dashing toward them and embedding the tip of her blade in the demon''s neck before it could make any real progress on biting off Hinata''s hand. The girl pushed the demon off of her and stood up, with Keiko helping her.


    "Kei... Siya," Hinata said, flinching as she touched her wrist. "T-Thank you."


    "No problem, heal yourself, seiyo," Keiko replied automatically, placing a hand on the girl''s shoulder. "The fight''s only getting started."


    Hinata nodded eagerly before Keiko went away, moving toward her next engagement. Almost as soon as she''d spoken with her, she found Ichigo in a similar position, as multiple demons closed in on her position while she hurriedly shot one arrow after another into them.


    Keiko ran toward the woman and quickly cleared out the demons in front of her, prompting a grateful grin to appear on Ichigo''s face.


    "Thank you!" She called out, continuing to shoot out more arrows at the enemies around them. However, Keiko noticed she had a wound in her gut.


    "What happened? Is there no healer nearby?"


    Ichigo shook her head.


    "I got Cursed," she told Keiko, and the shorter girl''s eye widened.


    It hadn''t happened in so long that she''d genuinely forgotten that was one of the many risks of fighting demons. Something that separated them from the average monster.


    "I wrapped some cloth around the wound, though. It should hold up until the battle ends. Do not worry about me," Ichigo told her.


    "O-Okay..."


    "Again, thanks. Now, go help the others!"


    "R-Right," Keiko replied, as she turned around, in an effort to find the next person to help. Instead, though, as she turned and looked, what she found was Ash, walking away from the main site of the battle.


    What?  Keiko asked, tilting her head until she saw what Ash was walking toward.


    Up ahead, there were three figures. One was the Nightmare she''d fought before, a sight that made Keiko''s heart speed up, but the others were Nightmares that, if she''d ever seen them before, she didn''t recognize.


    Putting that aside though, she got angry at Ash as she saw her walk forward.


    "What are you doing?" Keiko asked under her breath. "Don''t fight them alone!"


    She looked around, eventually finding Yumi and Sinneah, fighting side-by-side and eviscerating the demons around them with ease. Nodding to herself, Keiko ran over to them.


    "Yumi, Sinneah!" She called out. Yumi was the first to respond, quickly identifying Keiko and running up to her. The robes she was wearing were covered in violet blood, and as Keiko approached her, her boots came down on small puddles of that same liquid.


    "Yes?" Yumi asked. "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah, yeah, but we need to help Ash!" She pointed at her with her sword. "The Nightmares!"


    Yumi looked over at them and when her eyes fell on those powerful demons, a glare came over her face.


    "I see," Yumi nodded. "Sinneah, come!"


    Without a word, Sinneah followed that order, and the three of them quickly ran toward the place where Ash was, just in front of the dead, giant tree, with the twin moons letting their light pour down onto the winding street.


    "Hm?" Ash asked, as she looked back and found them approaching. "Keiko? Huh?"


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Keiko asked, annoyed as she walked up to her. "With enemies like these, you weren''t even going to think of asking for help?"


    "... If you get hurt," Ash began to respond as she turned her eyes back toward the approaching Nightmares.


    "The alternative would be to sit back and watch you fight them on your own, and that''s not about to happen," Keiko told her. "Now, are we going to fight? Or not?"


    "... Sorry," Ash replied before nodding. "You''re right. I just..."


    "I know, I know," Keiko told her. "What are their levels?"


    As she asked that, Ash shook her head and Keiko saw a far calmer look appear on her face. It was a relief to see that expression.


    "The Nightmare you fought is still the same level as before," Ash said. "Level 60. The one on the left is level 55, I haven''t seen that one before. I don''t know what it does. The one in the middle, though, leave that one to me."


    "What level is it?"


    "... Level 92," Ash told her, and Keiko felt like she''d just been hit in the gut.


    "What?" She asked quietly.


    "If you even get close to it, you''re committing suicide," Ash let her know. "So, stay as far away from that one as you can. The other ones, though, well..." She briefly looked over at Keiko, Yumi, and Sinneah. "I believe in you," she told all of them, though her eyes lingered for a moment on Keiko.


    Taking a deep breath, Keiko nodded.


    "I understand."


    "I''ve been waiting for this," Yumi said as she made a flourish with her naginata, walking forward. "Remember, Keiko, it can deceive your Spirit Eye somehow. Do not rely on it."


    "I guess I''ll take on the one to the left," Sinneah nodded to herself.


    That Nightmare was... peculiar. It had the bloated body of a Gluttony demon, but its arms were covered in muscles. It was carrying two flails, and at its head were not two eyes, but one large violet eye, wide and threatening.


    With their targets selected, the girls walked forward.


    Keiko''s hand tightened around her hilt.


    I can do this,  she thought.. I can do this.

 Chapter 320 - Vol. 5 -

    Hinata


    Fighting here, in this decrepit, ruined city, was entirely different from fighting in the camp. Whereas in the hills, even as the demons poured in from the trees, Hinata had never felt so closed in. Here, she felt downright trapped though. Everywhere she looked, there was either a human or a demon dying. She couldn''t take a single step without nearly tripping over a corpse or something that was in the process of becoming a corpse.


    Throughout it all, though, she tried her hardest to keep her silver eyes fixed on her siya. As a healer, it was her duty to take care of anyone she could, but, of course, she couldn''t help but prioritize the woman whose skill was so evident.


    Her focus was only torn away from Keiko in a few specific moments. One of these occurred when a Gluttony demon wrapped its tongue around Hiro, her friend, and Hinata jumped into action. She pulled out her shortsword from her back and cut the tongue in half, allowing Hiro to fall to the ground, unharmed.


    "Thanks," Hiro told her.


    Hinata didn''t respond. Instead, her eyes roamed her surroundings, looking for anything that needed her attention.


    I am a healer,  but...  Hinata thought.  Most of these people will be dead before I can even get to them. Not just that, but those who are still alive might be cursed, making my healing magic meaningless. What use am I here?


    As she thought about that, a demon went to bite her and Hinata only reacted in time thanks to the Spirit Eye that she''d activated a while back. She dodged out of the way, spun around the creature, and stabbed it in the back with that same shortsword.


    Immediately, up ahead, she noticed Kan, her other friend, holding two demons back with his greatsword. Off instinct alone, Hinata ran over and kicked one of them in the back of its right knee, bringing it down. Kan instantly pulled his greatsword up and with one wide cleave that made Hinata take a step back, he chopped both their heads off.


    "Good job," Hinata let him know, and he nodded wordlessly.


    And already, they went right back to fighting. In between short skirmishes, Hinata tried to help some of the soldiers around her, but everyone she found died before she could use her magic on them.


    On top of all that, though, there was also the issue that she wasn''t an experienced fighter. Even though she, and every Zayama, worked out often, here she was, feeling her legs tiring. Her body, as a whole, felt like it was getting heavier, and her breathing was slowly becoming more labored. Every slash of her shortsword added onto that feeling, to the point where she soon felt like she was going to pass out.


    I can''t stop yet,  Hinata thought as she found a wounded man beside her, who''d been clawed in the gut, and she healed him up.  I still...


    As her eyes scanned the battlefield, though, she paused.


    ... Siya?  Hinata thought as she saw Keiko, along with those other high-level warriors, moving toward some very scary-looking demons.  I...  Hinata gulped.  I don''t have a good feeling about that.


    So, she took her bow out and hopped between several different groups, making her way over to them. Whatever they were doing, she wasn''t going to join the fight, but if her siya got in trouble, she wanted to be there to help.


    ---


    Keiko


    As their targets had been called out earlier, Keiko, Yumi, Ash, and Sinneah aligned themselves with their targets. On the left side, Keiko held her curved sword out and Yumi brandished her naginata, both aimed at the dual-wielding demon whose blades resembled Keiko''s own.


    Ash was at the middle, staring down the supposed level 92 demon, and to the right, Sinneah was walking up to the strangely bulky Gluttony demon.


    For a moment, both parties looked at each other, with neither making the first move.


    As they stood there, Keiko deactivated her Spirit Eye.


    If this demon can cheat it, there''s no point,  she thought, taking a shuddering breath. Without it, she felt naked. Vulnerable. Not having her Spirit Eye almost felt like walking into a fight with only the hilt of her sword and no edge to cut with.


    Still, she tried to calm her nerves, as she remembered that Yumi was standing beside her. Even if Keiko''s own skills were lacking, she could trust Yumi''s. Or, at least, she hoped she could.


    After all, Yumi had also been defeated by this thing.


    No,  she thought.  Don''t focus on that. Just focus on the here, and now. You''re standing across from this opponent, she told herself, lifting her sword.  You have to perform.


    Yumi, however, seemed to be far less contemplative than Keiko.


    She was the first to move, as the demons approached them. Dashing forward, Yumi blazed a path through the street that left a trail of footsteps in the rubble on the ground.


    Go!  Keiko thought, running after her, and their battle began with the clash of Yumi''s naginata against both of the Nightmare''s swords as it raised its own up to defend itself. Before Keiko arrived, Yumi deflected a pair of attacks that seemed so fast, Keiko barely saw them. However, as she arrived, the Nightmare kicked Yumi back, giving the other Zayama some space to attack.


    Instead, though, she found herself on the defensive just two slashes after she arrived. Her attacks were blocked and the Nightmare retaliated so quickly that Keiko stumbled back.


    "Huh!?" She nearly fell as the Nightmare then struck her hands with the hilt of one of its swords, pushing them up, and then it spun slashing Keiko across her stomach.


    She managed to step back at the last second, but the sword still managed to nick her abdomen, and as Yumi re-engaged the Nightmare, Keiko put her hand down where she''d been struck, feeling an intense sting.


    It''s...  Keiko took deep breaths.  It''s so much faster than me.


    She''d known this already, but she hoped that having some idea of what she was getting herself into would even the odds a little. Knowing the challenge ahead had little effect, though. Now, Keiko''s right hand, covered in blood, was trembling as she put it back on her hilt.


    Looking up to the front, she saw Yumi and the Nightmare fighting at a pace that she couldn''t hope to match. However, if she could squeeze in a single good hit, Yumi could finish the Nightmare off easily, and thus, that was all she felt she had to do.


    Running up again, she could hear Ash and Sinneah fighting their own enemies, but she tried to force them out of her mind right now. In Ash''s case, specifically, as much as she loved her and wanted to protect her, there was a very real chance she wouldn''t be able to protect herself in this fight. She had to focus.


    Meeting the Nightmare again, just as it and Yumi were crossing blades, Keiko swung her blade from afar, in a vertical arc, aimed at the demon.


    "Zansae!"  She called out and using her Rose Blossom technique in this way, she aimed it so that the resulting arch of roses wouldn''t strike Yumi. The Nightmare turned its eyes toward her, one violet and one silver, both wide as it saw the technique being realized and it put its swords in front of its body to shield itself.


    Yumi saw this as an opening and the woman went in with fury on her face, and Keiko moved back a bit, waiting for another opening. That one didn''t pan out, but as long as I''m persistent, it''ll probably fail to dodge or block one of these attacks soon. Just need to find the right opening.


    Yumi moved her naginata like an expert, and as Keiko watched a short distance away, she understood what Yumi had been saying before. The source of her frustration.


    As fast as the Nightmare was, Yumi was faster. And, as skilled as the Nightmare was, Yumi''s prowess with her naginata appeared unmatched.


    But, this raised an obvious question.


    How did the Nightmare beat her? Keiko asked herself.  Was it just that the Nightmare caught her by surprise?


    Whatever the answer was, it didn''t seem like Yumi intended to allow it to happen again.


    "Inzo, Anzo, Kenzo!" Yumi shouted then, and she leaped back before planting her naginata into the ground.


    Lightning then appeared from above, crashing down on the Nightmare who failed to dodge in time, and saw itself hit by a bolt that created a gaping hole in its left shoulder.


    She landed a hit! Keiko acknowledged though she noticed something else, as well.


    As soon as the Nightmare was hit, both of its eyes changed colors. Instead of the heterochromatic violet and silver, now, both were a stunning blue.


    Yumi wasn''t done here, though.


    "Yorino!" She yelled out and suddenly, she disappeared, reappearing behind the Nightmare as Keiko watched with awe. She slashed with her naginata twice, but the Nightmare, even now, wounded as it was, managed to block both attacks.


    "Shironiza!" Yumi yelled, and a black dragon appeared, wrapping itself around the blade of her naginata. Her movements suddenly became even faster than they were already.


    The Nightmare made an effort to block these strikes that Keiko could only describe as valiant, ironically enough, before Yumi slammed the back of her weapon into its gut.


    It bent over and Yumi twirled her naginata in her hands, bringing it down before speaking one last incantation.


    "Sumi!"


    And her naginata sent out a wave that cut a deep gash into the Nightmare''s chest, and the creature fell back, onto the dirty street.


    Is... Is it dead?  Keiko wondered as she saw the Nightmare stop moving. Did she do it!?


    Yumi stared at it, breathing heavily. She didn''t move a muscle, and from over here, Keiko could tell that burst had exhausted her.


    She ran over, as Yumi lifted her naginata up, with the intent of making sure that the Nightmare was dead.


    And, then, it happened. It occurred before Keiko could reach them.


    The Nightmare''s eyes turned back to their regular colors, and at the same time, every wound in its body regenerated. It was as though Yumi had never hit the creature.


    "What?" Yumi asked, her hands frozen as the Nightmare then jumped up from its prone position and lunged toward her.


    If this had been Keiko, she surely would have been cut in half. Yumi, however, reacted in time and managed to block one of the blades, but not the other. It slashed through her waist and Yumi hopped away a couple of steps, before holding the spot the Nightmare had cut.


    "Agh!" She let out in a hiss as Keiko ran over and stood between her and the Nightmare.


    "YumI! Are you okay?" Keiko asked, as the Nightmare nonchalantly took up its regular position, holding its swords by its sides. "Yumi?"


    "I''m fine," Yumi told her. "What did it just do? All of my hits just... disappeared from its body."


    "I don''t know," Keiko replied, "but, there''s probably a healer nearby. We..."


    "No need," Yumi replied. "Let''s just focus on the fight."


    "Uh... Okay," Keiko replied. "Well.... Now what?"

 Chapter 321 - Vol. 5 -

    Wait,  Keiko thought, narrowing her eyes as she looked ahead.  No. One of its wounds is still there.


    She hadn''t noticed it before due to the surprise of most of the creature''s injuries fading before her very eyes. However, as she took a closer look, she found that the first hit Yumi had landed, where the lightning bolt had struck its shoulder, was still fresh.


    So, what happened with the others?  Keiko wondered as Yumi held her naginata out, preparing to engage the creature again.


    "That took a lot out of me," Yumi admitted quietly, "but I can still fight."


    "Be careful," Keiko said. "It healed, somehow. It might do that again."


    ''''I understand," Yumi nodded. "I can''t just sit here, though."


    And, on that note, the woman charged forward as Keiko spectated from behind. Her naginata clashed with the demon''s swords again, but this time, the demon was maintaining a slightly better pace, though its injured arm barely moved.


    Yumi got tired off of that,  Keiko thought.  I need to help!


    Willing hr legs to move up, Keiko tried to join the fight, and the Nightmare saw it coming. It tried to defend itself against both attackers, parrying both Keiko''s sword and Yumi''s naginata at once, but with its injured arm, it was easier for Keiko to remain in front of it. The Nightmare leaned out of the way of a couple of thrusting strikes from Yumi, and Keiko went in trying to slash its abdomen. Dancing away, however, the Nightmare spun until it remained in that same first position it often took, with its swords by its side, and violet blood dripping onto the ground from its left arm.


    If Yumi was still at her peak, Keiko believed this Nightmare would be dead already, but with her in this state, the Nightmare managed to survive for a little while longer.


    If we stay persistent it''ll falter eventually,  Keiko thought, adjusting her grip on her sword.  We only need to find the right opportunity.


    The Nightmare''s eyes searched back and forth between them, first landing on Yumi and then remaining on Keiko. It gave her the creeps, the way this creature managed to remain so composed after what was already a fairly exhausting fight on all sides.


    Still, they did the only thing they could do and went in again.


    Keiko attacked from the right, Yumi attacked from the left. The Nightmare blocked two attacks simultaneously, lifting its swords in opposite directions. However, Yumi forced herself to move a little faster than before, and she spun into a slash at its feet. The Nightmare tried to retreat again, but Keiko saw it coming and wasn''t about to let it happen.


    "Yumi, duck!" She called out and her friend did so without question. "Zansae!"


    Using  Rose Blossom,  Keiko slashed horizontally, planting her right leg in the ground and spinning in place to create a swing that created a ring of flowers around her. A ring that stretched to where the Nightmare was.


    Its eyes widened and it attempted to block the strike, but it barely managed to lift its blades in time. A deep gash appeared on its chest and Keiko celebrated.


    Another hit!


    Yumi wasn''t satisfied with just one hit, though. No, it seemed clear she felt this was an opportunity to end the creature''s life here and now. So, she raced toward it, and once again, the creature''s eyes changed colors.


    This is what it did before, Keiko thought as Yumi approached. What is it...?


    Yumi wasn''t concerned with that. Instead, desperate to conclude this fight, she went to impale the demon with her naginata.


    And, in a move that sent chills up Keiko''s spine, the Nightmare simply allowed her to do it. Offering no resistance at all, the Nightmare opened its arms as Yumi stabbed it, and then quickly brought them down, with its swords in its hands.


    Wait.


    Keiko couldn''t move in time, though. She was too far away.


    Yumi saw what was happening and tried to twist out of the Nightmare''s hold, avoiding one of the swords, but the other managed to stab through Yumi''s core, and Keiko only reached them as she saw the blade come out the other side of Yumi''s body.


    With a cry, she slashed the Nightmare''s neck and her sword landed at its throat, but again, the Nightmare didn''t seem too concerned. It moved away, and when it put enough distance between them, its eyes went back to normal, and just like before, those wounds healed, aside from the initial one that Keiko had caused.


    Yumi fell to one knee, using her naginata to hold herself up.


    "Yumi!"


    "I-I''m fine," the woman quickly told her. "Don''t take your eyes off the enemy."


    "Ash, we need her to heal you," Keiko stated. "Ash!" Keiko shouted, turning to look for the half-demon but just as her eyes met Ash''s, who was still locked in battle with her own Nightmare, Yumi pulled her back down.


    Then, Yumi looked up at her.


    "... That''s not possible," Yumi muttered.


    "What?"


    And, closing her eyes briefly, breathing heavily, Yumi let her know.


    "The Nightmare cursed me, earlier," Yumi said, and Keiko felt a cold wind move past her heart. "That little slash it had made at my waist. It happened then. Healing magic will do nothing."


    There''s... There''s no way.  Keiko thought.


    "N-No, we''ll..."


    "Keiko," Yumi said, "Unless Ash can cure this curse in a matter of seconds, there''s nothing to be done right now. The best we can hope for is- watch out!"


    Yumi pushed Keiko away as the Nightmare lunged toward them. Yumi herself fell to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. The Nightmare raised its swords in the air, then, with the intent to kill the biggest threat once and for all.


    Keiko couldn''t allow that.


    It happened off instinct. She hadn''t calculated it. It wasn''t a conscious choice. No. Instead, Keiko extended her hand toward the Nightmare and, in a desperate attempt to save her friend, Her mind searched for something to do, and it came up with one answer.


    The spell Ash had received from Arianna before. Keiko had learned it and recited the incantation now.


    "Insae!"


    And suddenly, Yumi disappeared.


    The city itself disappeared as well. In fact, nothing but Keiko, and that Nightmare remained. The two of them had suddenly been placed within a giant ring of sorts. It looked like a barrier of sand was keeping them contained here.


    Noticing that, Keiko remembered the spell''s description as the Nightmare looked around, looking confused as to how it had ended up here.


    Spell: Stage of Finality


    Create a circle of impenetrable wind around yourself and an enemy, for one


    minute. While in this field, all of your attributes are increased by 5.


    Int Required: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    Incantation: Insae.


    ... One minute,  Keiko thought, as her hands gripped the hilt of her father''s golden sword just a little bit tighter. As a result of the attribute increase, Keiko felt some newfound power in her arms as she felt her weapon. One minute. Ash saw us. She saw what was happening. All I need is for her to save Yumi before this spell runs out. If that happens, then we''ll be okay.


    As the Nightmare turned toward her, Keiko nervously put her sword up.


    "..." She took a deep breath. Willing her hands to stop shaking, Keiko gritted her teeth. "I have no aspirations of beating you... But, maybe I can prevent you from beating me. So, come. Face me!"


    The Nightmare listened to these words and then its eyes narrowed. Then, without ceremony, it launched itself at Keiko, and the human prepared herself.


    ---


    Ash


    Earlier


    I can do this, Ash thought.  No. It''s more like, I have to do this. Because, if I don''t, who will?


    Far to her left, Yumi and Keiko had already kicked off their fight against the Nightmare from earlier. A little closer, to her right, Sinneah still hadn''t engaged the Gluttony demon, as it seemed like they were sizing each other up.


    Ash had no intention of doing the same.


    Fuck it.


    "Bow," Ash transformed her  Lust  and quickly shot out a couple of arrows at the Nightmare. It might have been delusional, but a small part of her hoped she was going to land a headshot and end the fight then and there. Instead, the Nightmare dodged both arrows easily and began running toward her, greatsword in hand.


    Scowling, Ash quickly transformed her bow into a sword, and after the Nightmare raised its weapon into the air, Ash watched as it then tried to bring it down on top of her head. She moved out of the way and ran in intending to slash its ribcage from the side. Her blow connected but did little damage.


    ... Okay, still as resis-


    Some fleshy rope wrapped itself around her right leg and pulled her back, bringing Ash to the floor, face-first as she was then dragged backward.


    What the fuck!?


    Turning around mid-slide, she saw the Gluttony Nightmare trying to drag her to its mouth, but that attempt was stopped by Sinneah, who went in and punched a hole through the Nightmare''s bloated stomach. It let go of Ash''s leg, pulling its tongue back as it then tried to defend itself from Sinneah''s incoming attacks, but Ash was still on the ground as her own opponent leaped into the air in an attempt to crush her.


    She rolled out of the way, stood up, and glared. Looking to her right, she saw the Gluttony Nightmare back away from Sinneah, before standing behind the level 92 Wrath Nightmare, and Sinneah wisely paused, staying away instead of chasing it.


    "... They''re working as a team?" Ash wondered lowly, before calling out to her ally. "Sin, come over here.. We''re gonna have to do this together."

 Chapter 322 - Vol. 5 -

    With Sinneah by her side, Ash rushed in. Her hands gripping her sword tightly, she gritted her teeth and charged forward. The Wrath Nightmare saw her approaching and swung its greatsword in a massive horizontal arc. Ash''s momentum was such that dodging the attack would be impossible, so, she braced herself and raised her sword vertically.


    Their weapons clashed and the impact sent ripples all throughout Ash''s body, but her arms held steady.


    Come on, keep going!  She tried to tell herself. She continued her advance before the Nightmare could adjust its position, and looked to slash through the enemy''s only remaining arm. Before she could, though, that Gluttony demon''s tongue made an unwelcome return and it lashed the back of Ash''s torso, stinging her before Sinneah went in between them. She kicked the Gluttony demon away, and both parties put distance between each other, waiting once more.


    "Well... That just about confirms it," Ash muttered. "It''s trying to protect the Wrath Nightmare."


    Understanding that they were going to have to approach this battle as a duo, Ash readied herself for the coming fight.


    She only had this one exchange with the high-level Nightmare so far, but already she noticed a difference between today and the day she engaged it in Onyx.


    Last time I fought this thing, I couldn''t even block without feeling like my arms were going to break,  Ash thought.  This time, it still hurt, but I managed to do it.


    "What do you suggest?" Sinneah asked.


    "We go in at the same time," Ash replied. "If you can keep that other Nightmare from interrupting me, we''ll see what I can do."


    Ash waited for a response but didn''t get one. She glanced over at Sinneah and found a concentrated, but distant expression on the draconic woman''s face.


    "Sin?" Ash asked.


    "Yes, I heard you," Sinneah replied with a nod, never taking her eyes off of the Nightmares ahead.


    "Alright."


    So, taking a deep breath, Ash prepared herself for the next exchange.


    This is the single strongest enemy I''ve ever encountered,  she thought.  I can''t fuck around here. I need to pull out every stop. Use every spell and weapon I have. Even then, it might not be enough.


    By now, the spells she had in her arsenal had reached a high enough number to where Ash needed to sort out a plan. She wanted to be efficient in terms of what she did, so, she went through the abilities at her disposal and began with  Pain Amplification. Now that she''d gotten her INT over 30, she finally had access to this ability.


    "Dagger," she whispered, changing her  Lust  as the Nightmare began slowly approaching her, dragging its greatsword on the ground. Then, she tried to recall the incantation.


    Spell: Pain Amplification


    Harm yourself with any nearby weapon as you speak the incantation for this


    spell. Upon completion, all Dark magic will be enhanced, strengthening them


    for 30 seconds (stacks with other enhancements). The more dire the wound,


    the stronger the enhancement.


    INT Required: 30


    Mana Cost: 50


    Incantation: May the blood I allow to fall be cursed, staining this world and


    marking it with my hatred.


    Ash took a deep breath and spoke it aloud, as she plunged her dagger into her left wrist.


    "May the blood I allow to fall be cursed, staining this world and marking it with my hatred," she hissed, and suddenly, a violet aura began to overtake her body.


    Ash checked her mana.


    Level 81


    MP: 200/330


    Even though my spells have gotten better, they cost more. I need to keep that in mind.


    The Nightmare, seeing that Ash was transforming in front of it, hurried its pace, and soon, it was running toward her. Ash responded by turning toward her ally.


    "Sin, go!"


    If that thing keeps interrupting me, I can''t win,  Ash thought.


    "Hm." Sinneah nodded, and the woman ran straight into the Gluttony demon to the right. As they began their own fight, with Sinneah punching the creature''s body but seemingly doing very little damage, Ash and the Wrath Nightmare finally got to fight on their own.


    And, Ash began the encounter with the basic Dark spell that had served her so well throughout her journey.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!"


    A black sphere shot out from her palms, but Ash noticed that the projectile had doubled in size from what it normally was. It launched out and struck the Nightmare''s chest, but the enemy seemed completely unfazed by the attack and responded by lifting its greatsword over its head with the intent of splitting Ash in half. The half-demon moved to the left, walking up and lifting her right hand into the air, as though beckoning for the sky''s power.


    With a thought, a beam made of divine light manifested in her right hand, and at point-blank range, she launched it into the Nightmare''s body, The blow pushed the creature back, but it countered quickly with a swing of its greatsword that struck Ash''s right side. The half-demon was pushed away, a deep gash in her torso, but her own ability appeared to have damaged the Nightmare.


    One spent,  Ash thought as she quickly muttered the incantation for  Burst Heal  and wiped the wound away.  I can do two more of those before I''m too tired to fight. I can also use the Primordial Dark spell, The Cost of Power.


    Spell: The Cost of Power


    Sacrifice your own lifespan directly to momentarily boost all abilities. The


    amount of physical health taken away depends on the boost the user desires.


    Int Required: 0


    Mana Cost: 100


    Incantation: If I am to be cursed, then allow for my enemy to perish with me, so that we may both see oblivion together.


    I mean, she thought, If I''m going to die anyway, there''s no reason not to use it. If all else fails, I can use Magia''s Champion ability, but, because I can only use it for a minute a day, if Niven has any other tricks up his sleeve and I waste it here, I''ll probably lose later. It''s my last resort.


    On that note, she moved up again, and the battle continued.


    Ash quickly realized that her strength and speed were still far below that of the enemy, as before she''d only been able to fight the creature with the boost Kaori provided to her. But what she didn''t have in raw power, she was making up for in versatility.


    The Nightmare swung its greatsword with the recklessness of a person who had long since lost their wits, while Ash made an effort to avoid its swings whenever she could, but she could only dodge for so long. The Nightmare swung at her diagonally and its greatsword entered her body again, this time from her right shoulder, nearly chopping off her right arm entirely.


    Ash screamed, but as the blade was buried in her body and Ash cried out, she placed her left hand on the creature''s chest.


    "Lesser being, give me your life," she said, and as the creature took its greatsword out of her body, Ash found herself being healed back up quickly.


    "Corruption spread, corruption launch!" Ash said, feeling rage bubbling up inside of her as she sent out a black sphere aimed at the Nightmare''s head. Again, it barely had any effect, but it distracted the creature just long enough for Ash to move in with her  Lust. "Spear!"


    With her transformed Savior''s Weapon, she plunged the blade of her polearm deep into the Nightmare''s abdomen. Before Ash could celebrate the hit, It struck her in the head with the pommel of its sword in a back-handed swing, and the world went white for a moment as she was forced back.


    Her spear was still embedded in the monster, and the Nightmare disregarded that completely as it dashed toward her.


    Ash ran in, ducked under a horizontal slash, pulled her spear out of its abs, and transformed it.


    "Gauntlets!"  With these weapons, she got three slashes in before the Nightmare spun around with an attack, and Ash was forced back.


    She had no intentions of pausing, though.


    "Make this field unbearable to those who commit sin freely, let Lumina''s


    judgment purge their consciousness."


    Using the spell  Sacred Ground,  Ash held her hands out and the area underneath the Nightmare flashed with brilliant divine light. The Nightmare gave out a pained groan as it searched under itself for whatever was causing this damage. Soon, it realized it needed to move away and it jumped somewhere else.


    "Bow!"


    Taking the distance the Nightmare had created in kind, Ash shot as many arrows as she could toward it. A couple of them landed, striking the creature''s chest, but before Ash could continue a tongue wrapped itself around her leg. This time, however, she kept firm and pulled against the Gluttony demon that was trying to distract her, with anger fueling her strength.


    Sinneah was on the ground, apparently having been knocked down at some point and as Ash looked at her, she realized the woman had lost an arm.


    ... What?  Ash wondered.


    The answer as to how that had happened came quickly. The Gluttony demon retreated its tongue, letting go of Ash, aimed its mouth up, and spat out a glob of green goo. Ash dodged the liquid and watched as the ground where the projectile landed began to sizzle and melt.


    Shaking her head, Ash shot a few arrows at the Gluttony demon, which was simply too big to avoid any of them, and as it was pushed back, Ash ran over to Sinneah.


    "This is the second time I''m having to do this, Sin, what the fuck is going on? Are you getting sloppy? This isn''t the same Sinneah I fought back at that mountain," Ash muttered before casting Total Healing.  "Lumina''s caress, for those in need, let them feel the touch of pure kindness."


    As Sinneah was brought back up to perfect health, Ash checked her mana.


    Level 81


    MP: 40/330


    ... Crap,  Ash sighed.


    "I''m sorry,"  Sinneah replied. "I was... Never mind."


    "Whatever," Ash muttered as both Nightmares approached. She pulled Sinneah up to her feet and took long, lumbering breaths.


    ... I''m already getting tired from using so much mana, Ash thought.  Shit, shit, shit.


    As she cursed in her mind, that violet aura around her was enhanced further, and Ash''s horns began to grow longer.


    As both parties stood in front of each other, waiting for the other to make a move, Ash''s eyes narrowed and her hands transformed into that of her enemies.


    Growling, Ash felt colder as she looked out at them.  I need to do something. That other Nightmare is being way too annoying, and it looks like Sin can''t take it out.


    Nodding to herself, Ash took a deep breath.


    ... Fuck it.


    With that in mind, she ran toward the Gluttony demon as fast as she could.


    "Naginata!" Ash said, and her Savior''s Weapon transformed mid-stride. The Wrath Nightmare moved toward her, but the Savior disregarded it. Before she could do anything to that one, she needed this Gluttony demon dead.


    Trying as hard as she could, she leaped into the air and went to stab straight through its head.


    The Gluttony Nightmare aimed its mouth up at her and, although Ash knew what was coming, she couldn''t avoid it.


    The glob of acidic spit that came out struck her in the stomach, but Ash made her attack before it could stop her. And so, her naginata''s blade slashed straight through the Gluttony Nightmare, right as the Wrath NIghtmare reached her.


    Sinneah came through here, though, and kicked the Nightmare in the head before it could take Ash out. The blow didn''t damage the creature much at all, but it gave Ash enough space to scream in pain on her lonesome.


    The screech that came out of Ash hurt her throat almost as much as the acid that hit her body hurt.


    "G-Guard... my soul against the dark''s reach,"  Ash muttered with trembling lips as she put her hands to her melting abdomen. Her body was quickly healed back up, but the pain still lingered.


    Sinneah moved away from the Nightmare and Ash stood up, trying to regain her bearings.


    Okay...  She tried to calm herself down and ignore the searing pain in her body.  It''s just that one now. It''s just...


    Suddenly, the Wrath Nightmare charged toward her again.


    This time, Sinneah was too far to step between them. Ash tried to react, but her position was too compromised.


    But, before the Nightmare could do what it wanted to do, a dragon made of flames hit it from the side. Ash''s eyes widened and she looked toward where it had come from.


    Satsuhiro stood there, with his hands outstretched and a calm expression on his face.


    Satsu!  Ash thought, her eyes widening.  No, focus. Take the opportunity he just gave you!  She stood and picked her Naginata back up, with the intent of slashing through her opponent, but the Nightmare retreated as it took in a new threat.


    Ash walked over to where Satsuhiro and Sinneah were, breathing heavily.


    Okay, okay,  she thought.  With him here, we can...


    "ASH!" She heard Keiko cry out, and, confused, Ash looked toward her.


    She had completely pushed that side of the fight out of her mind, but looking at it now, she could tell Keiko and Yumi were struggling as well. Yumi was severely injured if the bloodstains on her clothes were anything to go by, while Keiko barely had time to yell out for her before she had to fight her opponent again.


    And, still, Ash had not fallen to despair just yet.


    We can do this,  she thought, as the heat of anger burned well within her.  We can do this! Stay focused. Go!


    With that going through her mind, she said:


    "Distract it!" And then, she ran for Yumi. As she did, Keiko and the Nightmare suddenly disappeared, but with Yumi in such a bad position, she tried to ignore that.


    Satsuhiro shot out another Fire spell at the Wrath Nightmare as Sinneah ran up to it, and between the two of them, they gave Ash time to operate.


    I don''t have much mana left, but I can at least...


    "Don''t bother," Yumi told her as she approached.


    "What? I''ll do it fast, just..."


    "I''m cursed," Yumi let her know and Ash froze. "Just focus on... Ah..." Yumi shook her head, as though she''d suddenly gotten tired. "Just focus on your own fight."


    ... What?  Ash thought.  She''s cursed?


    That knowledge, coupled with the severe wound in Yumi''s body, made things much worse.


    There was too much for the half-demon to keep track of.


    What do I do?  She asked herself.  This Nightmare is too strong. My mana''s spent. Yumi''s cursed. What do I...?


    And, as these questions piled up on top of each other, one answer came to Ash''s mind.


    Okay, now''s the time,  she realized.


    So, with a thought, she activated Magia''s Champion ability.


    The ensuing transformation was exactly as it always was. The sudden pour of raw lust into Ash''s mind was almost enough to break her, but she tried as hard as she could to stay focused.


    "Yumi," she said, with a hoarse voice. "Stay still."


    With trembling hands that didn''t care at all that Yumi was injured, Ash forced herself to remain sane enough to do what she thought of now.


    The Curse Removal Blessing should be made stronger by this. Maybe it can take the curse away faster.


    Blessing: Curse Removal


    Apply to a Cursed individual to remove the "Cursed" status effect. Effectiveness of all Blessings scales with connection to deities.


    MP Cost: 100


    Incantation: Oh, divinity that watches over us. Let your power surge through the veins of the faithful. Let our piety become the flame that burns so brightly, all watch in awe. And when our time comes, let our strength become legend, for our belief brought us victory.


    By now, her mana had nearly regenerated to where she could almost cast the ability.


    Level 81


    MP: 80/330


    "Yumi," she said, looking away from her. "I need you to hold out for a few seconds. Then, I can take that curse off of you."


    "I see... Understood," Yumi replied with a weak voice.


    "Now..." Ash took a deep breath as power made itself felt inside of her.. "I have one minute. How do I do this?"

 Chapter 323 - Vol. 5 -

    Keiko


    As Keiko stood in front of the Nightmare, sword outstretched, she decided that if she wanted to have any chance at survival, she needed to do this perfectly. There was no ambiguity in this fight. Keiko was much slower than her opponent, and, although she knew she was somewhat skilled with her sword, the Nightmare was certainly better.


    That meant that victory was just not a possibility. All she aimed for was to give Ash enough time to heal Yumi. All she could do was hope that, if she was still alive by the time the ability expired, Yumi would be back in fighting shape.


    Of course, she also couldn''t use her Spirit Eye as a crutch either, as this Nightmare was somehow able to cheat it. Therefore, without her Spirit Eye, without the same level of skills, without much mana either as she''d used the majority of it to cast this ability, Keiko had to survive.


    Level 36


    MP: 20/150


    As Keiko checked her mana, the Nightmare lunged toward her.


    Seeing her own death running at her like this sent chills running up her spine, but Keiko tried to postpone that demise for a few more seconds. She stepped back, slapping away the Nightmare''s swords as they slashed at her.


    I need to keep as much distance between us as possible,  Keiko thought. One wrong move and I''m done.


    With that in mind, she put some of her focus on her footwork. Keeping her steps light, she dashed back and then to the side as the Nightmare followed. All Keiko could do was push the demon''s weapons away, as not a single time did she see an opening to counterattack. Even then, however, it was too hard to do that.


    The Nightmare leaped into the air, and Keiko readied herself, preparing to block the incoming downward slash. She managed to do so, but as soon as the Nightmare reached the ground it spun and attacked Keiko''s midsection. Again, she tried to move away, but she was too slow, and one of the Nightmare''s blades caught her stomach.


    "Ahh," Keiko hissed, as a red line was drawn over her.


    The Nightmare didn''t stop there. It chased after her again, almost as though it knew that its opponent was outmatched and all Keiko wanted to do was stall. It slammed down its swords on top of her, with so much ferocity and strength in each attack that Keiko felt her bones shaking.


    The brief exchange ended when the Nightmare pushed Keiko''s sword up with one of its own, and then tried to stab the girl in the gut, only for Keiko to move out of the way, but not before the demon''s sword nicked her waist.


    Again, another red line was drawn on her, quickly earning drops of blood sliding down from the cut.


    Despite how much these cuts stung her, Keiko still held her sword out.


    You have to stay focused,  she thought, as the Nightmare straightened up and looked at her with empty, vacant eyes.  Yumi''s depending on you. If you go down now, you''re taking her down with you.


    Knowing this, Keiko''s sweaty palms held her sword''s hilt even tighter, with a white-knuckle grip as the swordswoman tried to force her elbows to stop shaking.


    "Is that all?" Keiko asked lowly, taking slow breaths. "Aren''t you a Zayama? You should be ashamed that I''m still standing!"


    The Nightmare''s only response was a blank stare, as it held its swords by its sides.


    In Keiko''s mind, she remembered the years she''d spent training in the Compound. So many hours with Haruna in front of her, tempering her skills as her grandmother watched with disapproving eyes. Keiko knew she''d need to rely on all of those moments to stay alive today.


    Remember your fundamentals,  she told herself.  All you need to do is defend yourself. That''s-


    The Nightmare dashed toward her again. Eyes widening, Keiko moved her head out of the way of a stab aimed straight between her eyes. A few strands of her hair fell to the ground as she separated herself from the incoming Nightmare. Its blades danced around her, and Keiko put so much effort into deflecting every attack that her arms were getting sore mid-fight. The clanging of their swords rang out loudly, with Keiko''s grunts thrown in between.


    Eventually, the flurry stopped and both fighters paused. Then, Keiko realized how many hits had been landed on her in the middle of this exchange.


    One cut above her left eye, that clouded her vision as blood flowed down from it. One slash at her left shoulder that made the shaking of that arm resume after Keiko had temporarily stopped it. Another cut over her right thigh, and another over her right cheek, that let blood slip into the corner of her lips.


    And still, Keiko held firm. Despite the trembling of her limbs with fear, despite the clear gap in skill and speed, Keiko kept her eyes on the Nightmare and remained in position to continue fighting.


    How much time do I still have?  She wondered.  Did Ash heal Yumi already?


    The Nightmare, in the first show of emotion that Keiko had seen from it since first laying her eyes on this creature, tilted its head with a subtle confusion as it looked at her. For a moment, it didn''t look like a demon, but rather a dumbfounded warrior looking at an opponent that refused to surrender.


    "Come on," Keiko said. "We''re not done yet!"


    ---


    Ash


    One minute,  the half-demon thought, as she felt Magia''s divine power filling her body. Let''s make it count.


    Extending a hand toward the Wrath demon, she did not hesitate to give the same attack she had before, on the day Kaori had nearly been turned.


    Giant swords fell from the sky as Sinneah backed away from the monster, but this time, as they landed on its bulky frame, they did not do as much damage as they had back then. They still hurt, if its massive groans were anything to go by, but the Nightmare took a few of those swords in stride.


    I can do this for a while,  Ash smirked,  what about-


    Before she could finish that question, in between the falling of two swords, the Nightmare charged toward her.


    It roared a loud, powerful sound, and Ash''s eyes narrowed as she created a sword in front of her that shot out, aiming to catch the opponent''s chest. This forced the Nightmare to change course, jumping to the side before reaching Ash with its greatsword raised in the air.


    And then, a dragon covered in flames reached it. Satsuhiro cast a spell from behind the Savior that pushed the Nightmare back, searing its flesh, though it was hard to tell how much that was really worth.


    By Ash''s side, Yumi watched on, and the half-demon briefly looked at her.


    Where''s my mana?


    Level 81


    MP: 90/330


    "Just a little more," Ash told her. "Hold out for me."


    "Right," Yumi said, and even to Ash''s ears, as distracted as she was by her enemy ahead of her, and the influx of raw desire in her system, she could tell she was getting weaker.


    "I can corner it," Satsuhiro said, moving to where Ash was. "Give you room to finish it off with... whatever the hell you''re doing."


    "Yeah," Ash nodded. "Sounds good."


    "Does she need help?" A voice asked from behind. One Ash didn''t fully recognize. A girl stood there, wearing a similar outfit to the one Keiko often wore back in the day, with short black hair and silver eyes, looking worriedly at Yumi.


    "You can''t help her," Ash replied, turning toward the Nightmare. "Just stay back."


    Then, she walked forward as Satsuhiro moved up and began casting his Fire spells again. More of those flaming dragons encircled the Nightmare, while Ash spawned more giant swords from above.


    One of the swords reached the Nightmare''s chest, stabbing into its massive body. Another nearly cut off its only remaining arm, and one landed at its left knee, as it was clear the demon would soon die.


    Good,  Ash thought.  Good, good, now, just...


    However, before she could spawn the next sword needed to finish it off, she saw something approaching from ahead.


    ... What?  She wondered, as the image of a little boy calmly walked toward them.


    Ash squinted, unsure of what she was seeing.


    Niven?


    He stayed far behind the Nightmare, but Ash was certain he was there.


    The others soon began to notice him.


    "What... Who is that?" Yumi asked quietly.


    "Is that...?" Satsuhiro mumbled to himself, squinting as though he didn''t quite believe it.


    What is this?  She thought.  What is he doing? Wait, is he even allowed?  Ash wondered.  The gods aren''t supposed to be doing this kind of shit.


    Shaking her head, she turned her eyes back on the dying Nightmare.


    Focus. Who knows how much time you''ve wasted. Finish it off.


    And so, raising both her hands, Ash closed her eyes and spawned fifteen giant swords in the air, all at once. She wasn''t about to take any chances. She needed this enemy dead, here and now.


    Lowering her hands, the swords began to descend upon the target. Satsuhiro kept it in place by launching a Fire spell behind it as it tried to retreat, and get out of the way. It was clear that the swords would reach it now, and the creature would be killed.


    Which was probably why Niven raised a hand, and a violet barrier appeared over the Nightmare''s head, stopping those swords from doing that.


    "What are you doing!?" Ash yelled at him. "The Higher Powers can''t allow this!"


    If the unsatisfied look on Niven''s face was anything to go by, it seemed he was aware of that.


    Her frustration only grew as she created more swords aimed at the Nightmare, though, and he stopped all of them.


    They have to be seeing this, right? What the fuck is-


    "Indeed."


    A voice answered in her mind, and Ash stopped. It was like everything around her went quiet. Temporarily, the confusion faded, the sounds of her friends around her asking questions as though she was supposed to have any of the answers to them also disappeared. Ash looked away, her throat tightened as she stepped back. Unlike that of the girl who had spoken up earlier, this one was one she knew well.


    What?


    "My dear Niven has made an infraction,"  Magia told her, and Ash dropped her hands. "It seems that, in knowing he is about to lose his greatest asset, he decided to step in and stop it personally. What a mess."


    So, what are the Higher Powers going to do?  Ash asked.  This can''t be allowed.


    "Simple,"  Magia stated. "It falls on me to take Niven away from the battlefield. And, I intend to do that... However,"  she added,  "this infraction has also granted me a certain opportunity. So, Ash, I ask, what if I could make you an offer?"


    "... What do you mean?" This time, Ash answered aloud.


    "Yumi, the girl with the wonderful hips over there,"  Magia said, and Ash''s eyes were pulled toward her. "She''s dying."


    I know... But,  Ash thought, as she checked her mana. It had just reached 100, meaning she could cast  Curse Removal. I''m going to-


    "Even in this form,"  Magia cut her off, "your power is not enough to take the Curse away quickly. It would still take hours. Make no mistake, she is dying, right in front of you."


    As Ash heard that, Yumi''s eyes reached hers, and as they connected, Ash understood that Yumi herself knew she was doomed.


    So, she gulped and thought:


    What do you want?


    "Ah, well, darling, I can take that curse away, but my only duty is to remove Niven from the battlefield. I don''t truly have any incentive to help you with this... Unless you fulfill a very specific wish of mine."


    What is it?


    "One simple desire," Magia told her..  "Allow me to step in that body of yours, and I will see to it that your friend does not die."