I fired one fireball after another, but Zubu kept slicing through them reducing each orange nova into smoky waves of heat. Within the spells their kinetic energy was being displaced sending the momentum of my embers to opposite sides and away from Zubu’s path.

The Issue was how focused the energy in her plasma sword was and how low powered my fireballs were. If I wanted one to land, I would need to put more power behind my spells, or wait for an opening. Either way her plasma was a higher tier than my fire making it much stronger by default.

She closed the gap between us and went for a horizontal cut. I ducked under it feeling a tingly sensation over my hair as the static of her blade attracted the strands on the back of my scalp. I went for my own strike with my orange glowing sword.

The molten Iron like energy lashed out almost in a whip like motion, as I had gone for reach instead of power. If I could only knock her out of her flow, I could take the offensive instead of being stuck on defense.

My iron whip almost struck her leg, only for a pulse of plasma powered Qi to erupt under her feet. Sending her body up into the air. My aura was pelted by dust and rocks as a result.

I went after her jumping and adding the thrust of a Qi pulse to my momentum. My sword swung in a big arc as I sent another fireball flying at her.

She quickly cut my spell down, but at the cost of her defense. My molten iron sword bit down on her shoulder cutting through several layers of her aura, sending her crashing down.

The momentum of my downward strike carried forward. Causing my body to rotate. I was now up-side-down in the air. Quickly, I created a wind platform. Then activated my caterpillar aura to stick to the bottom of it.

Before pin-balling my way towards Zubu for a follow up attack, I positioned my sword over my head, holding it with both hands. Then turned the molten steel of my swords aura into the shape and density of a war hammer. With a powerful swing of my hammer and a reverberating pulse of Qi under my feet. I bounced off my platform both obliterating it and launching myself back down.

I flipped through the air putting all my momentum into my sword hammer. Aiming its dense molten aura at Zubu. Who was only just now getting to her feet.

She fired off several shots of plasma, pelting my steel shell. Each hit stripped 2 to 3 layers off my aura. Before my spinning hammer could strike her. She jumped back avoiding my downward strike. The ground exploded on impact sending a huge amount of dust into the air and creating a small crater.

Unwilling to let my weakened aura reform, she dashed towards me. Then with a swift flick of her wrist. She cut through the final 15 layers and opened up my chest cavity. Just as I felt her blade enter the radius of my aura, I had jumped back in hopes of avoiding her attack.

Even though I had retreated, she still managed to cut me wide open. The smell of cooked flesh filled my nose as a horrible burning pain filled my chest.

With my aura broken, my aspects began to scatter. I didn’t want to lose them all, so I focused on keeping them in my orbit. The worst part was that without apathy the pain nearly caused me to blackout.

Lucky for me it quickly vanished a moment later as the wound closed up. Even my shirt was mended, along with the messed up ground.

Once I was healed, Zubu closed the distance stepping on a hidden magic circle I’d left behind. It erupted in an explosion of kinetic force. The spell construct was just a bunch of kinetic runes awkwardly stitched together, but it did… something.

Instead of acting like a landmine, like I originally was hoping for. It was more like a weak launch pad that not only threw you into the air, but also blasted you with rocks and dirt.

The spell wasn't completely useless. I knew it wouldn’t do a lot of damage. I intended for the spell to create openings, or buy me time to recover. Still, the damage was annoying at best. Maybe Loire could tell me what I did wrong later.

With Zubu up in the air, I gathered up the heat, wind, and momentum aspects from the scattered remains of my Paradoxical aura. Then formed two orange glowing magic circles.

Twin stars grew quickly. Once they were the size of basketballs I fired them. Both of which slammed into her. They erupted in an explosion of black smoke and orange embers. Completely engulfing her body.

The force of the explosion only seemed to push her higher as a ball of smoldering smoke was sent out of the impact sight. As the smoke cleared I was able to see her falling. The only damage she took was the loss of her left arm.

Instead of allowing her entire aura to be broken apart she sacrificed her arm by using it like a shield. This Zubu was different. Instead of acting like an out of control angry berserker, she was calm and calculating.

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I used this chance to reform my aura. The layers came back within a few seconds, but the aspects I’d gathered was greatly diminished. Slowly I began the process of drawing them back in.

In an attempt at an aerial recovery, Zubu performed a number of summersaults. Even with the loss of a limb, the pain did not slow her down as she flipped through the air, landing on her wooden sandals like they were running shoes. She held up her newly formed arm and unleashed a powerful and dense stream of plasma from her growing aura.

Seeing the real danger before me, my eyes went wide. I quickly formed another platform in a vertical orientation and used it like a shield to block the blast. My spell was consumed by pink flames a second after casting. It was just enough for me to move out of the way.

The burst of energy hit the ground melting a small patch of dirt as if all the heat had been focused on a single point. “Zubu that’s dangerous!” I cried.

“Don’t be a baby! The Lore keepers barrier is up!” She retorted.

“But Zubu! If you vaporize me! There won’t be anything left to heal!” I whined.

She thought it over. Scratching her cheek. “Yeah… good point… my bad.”

That’s when Lorie decided to chime in. “As long as your soul is still around and there’s a leg or arm you’ll be fine. Of course in you’re case Isaac. You can just be re-summoned.”

This comment caused Zubu to smile in a sadistic manner. “You see piss baby. Lets just cut off a finger each and let the lore keeper hold on to them. That way she can bring us back whenever we die.” Said Zubu a bit too gleefully.

Was she trying to pay me back for putting her in the ground? Total dismemberment was an option now, but it sounded so brutal for a simple training exercise. My legs were shaking again. Like when Mr. Brutus threw me around.

Zubu started to swing her sword at me in a playful manner, while I flinched, holding my sword up and trembled. “Stop it!” I cried.

“Come on you little shit! Get your ass in gear! You’re the one that wanted to do this!” She yelled.

“Waaaah! I wanna take a break! We’ve been going all afternoon and I’m getting kind of hungry!” I whined.

“Okay.” Said Zubu smiling. This time her smile was more of the “kind” variety. Dropping her sword she got a little closer. Then began ruffling up my hair as a tear ran down my face.

Wait… what was going on? What was this! She was really abusive a second ago! Why is she all cuddly all of a sudden?! Was she trying to get me to quit this whole time!? Why would she do that!? She’s a bully I tell you!

“I’ll go fix up some sandwiches.” Said Lorie as she rose up from her seat setting Snowball back down.

Zubu - against my will - guided me over to sit under one of the flower trees. There was a nice patch of grass growing under it, thanks to the abundance of life aspects in the area.

She sat down first. I parked my sore butt next to her on the grass, only for her to pat her lap. “Come on, take a little nap. I’ll be your pillow.”

A lap pillow from a beautiful- wait, no. This was a trap. Zubu was still a bully. Besides, she wasn’t a very comfortable person. Actually, sharing a bed was kind of nice. No, it’s still a trap. She might do something mean like put a bug in my ear.

I did say I trusted her now, but I was sleep deprived then and she’s been pretty mean to me while training. Her lap does look soft though.

Her face quickly twisted in annoyance. “I’m offering a lap pillow you asshole! Even if you’re lacking a manhood there is still nothing more appealing than laying on the lap of a beautiful and lovely young maiden. Do you think I offer this to just anyone?”

“You’re like twenty-something. There’s no way you’re still a maiden.” I argued.

“What was that you little shit!” She wrapped my head in a headlock. “How dare you imply I’m un-pure! I’m a virgin I’ll have you know!”

“Okay! I’m sorry!” I cried as I pushed against her arms trying to slip out of her hold.

She released me a moment later when she heard me start to cry. “You’re such a cry baby.” She complained. “Come on then. The offer still stands.” She patted her lap again.

I was still hesitant. “Your not going to trick me or something?” I asked tearfully.

“No, Isaac. I promise. Rest is just as important as training. Losing your mind is no way to start a fight with a demon. You need to be strong not just in you’re body but your brain too.” She responded.

Should I really? I am married, but would it really matter if I add one more nail to my coffin. I’ve already shared a bed with this teen shaped woman. Compared to that, a lap pillow seemed trivial.

Alice was going to stab me either way. Might as well get my money’s worth. Besides it’s just Zubu. She doesn’t even count as a girl. Not when I’ve heard her fart and watched her pick her nose. Or like when she forgot to flush the toilet. Girls don’t poop. Only guys can do that. Also wives… and adopted daughters.

While I was distracted Aku went ahead and laid our head down on Zubu’s lap. It was too late to withdraw now. Zubu had soft spongy legs. She began stroking my hair. The things she was doing with her fingers was divine.

I could feel them circling my ear and push hair around. I was like a puppy in her hands. If I had a tail it would be going crazy right about now.

“You have really soft hair. When’s the last time you cleaned your ears? They’re filthy.” She said.

“In this body? Never.” I answered honestly.

“Why did I even ask. You spent most of your time on Chikyū, out in the forest.” To my disappointment she got up putting my head down on the much less comfy grass “Wait right here.” She ran off going inside.

Chikyū? Was that the name of the monastery or the world? I thought they used letters and numbers to name worlds. Unless.. this world isn’t connected to Cosmo.

I looked to the statue in the middle of the courtyard. This place had to belong to Amaterasu. Why else would there be a statue of her in the middle of the courtyard? I doubt Cosmo would be cool with sharing followers, so it made sense to me that this world belonged to someone else.

I Also couldn’t forget how Lorie didn’t feel the same way Mr. Brutus and I did. She was completely calm around Cosmo, so to me it seemed like she wasn’t put together by her.

I’m also pretty sure she follows Amaterasu. She uses her name all the time. Zubu does that too, but when she does it. It comes off as unnatural. Almost like she’s forcing herself to say it.

My crazy powers of sympathy and intuition aside. This whole situation was pretty insane. It wasn’t that long ago that I was working a dead end job and playing video games on my PC.

It was almost maddening to find out how large and dangerous reality really was. At times I just wanted to go back to being a chicken and laying eggs for my owner.

That was impossible now. Once you see how the sausage is made. There was no going back. A better way to put it would be. You can break an egg and try to piece it back together, but it will never be the same.