The next morning, I woke up under a heavy burden... and I didn't just mean the physical feeling of being under rocks half the night. No, it was the invisible weight on my shoulders that seemed to get bigger with each passing day. My training would finally start today, and despite my determination to get stronger, I couldn't help but be haunted by skepticism. Would I really manage it? Did I even have the skills to become a warrior, strong enough to protect the people I love? Why were these thoughts buzzing in my head again? I rubbed my eyelids while dragging myself out of bed. It was still early, the first sunrays gently illuminating the small room where I stayed overnight. It was simply furnished, very different from the other rooms in this magnificent mansion, where we ended up yesterday, but I didn't care much about it, since I didn't need luxury and personally asked for it. It was a quiet place to retreat, or at least it should have been.
”Papa... Papa...” A soft, synchronized whisper reached my ear, I felt two small figures clinging on me. Of course. The dragon twins. I was probably not the only one who had had a bad sleep. They snuck into my room during the night and clung onto me like two little koala bears. Despite their petite stature, they had an amazing ability to stop me from moving. Sleep? Forget it.
“Morning...” I mumbled, carefully trying to free myself from their grip. They were still sleeping soundly, so I hoped I wouldn't wake them up. But as soon as I had thought of it, they opened their big, shiny eyes at the same time and looked at me with that innocent curiosity that flustered me again.
“Good morning, Papa,” they said in unison. Their voices sounded soft and innocent, but in my head, it sounded like a severe shock. Papa... Still Papa, I thought in agony. I wasn't used of being called like that, honestly, I don't know if I will ever be.
"Morning." I replied, trying not to sound too exhausted. After all, I had to be fit for today's training. Damn, I thought. What if Elaine sees me like this?
I stretched and straightened up, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my limbs. The twins followed every step I took, as usual, as I made my way towards the training ground. I could hear their footsteps behind me, the soft tap-tap of their little shoes, given to them by villagers, tapping across the ground. Speaking of clothes, I don't know how this is possible, but... when they hatched from the egg, they already had clothes on. They were wearing this straight white dress even now, with their thin arms and legs peeking out of its hem.
When I reached the training ground, I was greeted by a sight that made my heart race a little faster. It was a large field that looked like an ancient arena or ruin that had been pieced together.
Toppled pillars, broken stones and a dusty area that was clearly used as a fighting area. In the center, Elaine held her sword in its sheath at her hip, like it was an extension of her body. Her expression was sharp and focused, and I immediately felt tiny and out of place.
“Good morning.” I said softly as I yawned and rubbed my tired eyes.
“Elaine looked at me, raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Good morning. What's wrong with you? You look terrible." she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.
I glanced at myself and could understand her reaction only too well. My clothes were half rumpled, my hair was a disheveled disaster, and my dark circles could compete with a zombie. Well, I thought, that's exactly how my head feels.
"Those two..." I mumbled, pointing at the twins hiding behind me, "they snuck into my room last night and were clinging on me. I couldn't sleep at all."
“Oh dear.”
Elaine bowed down towards the twins, a gentle smile on her lips. "You guys really like your dad, right?" Her voice was soft, the twins nodding eagerly as they looked at me with wide, shining eyes.
Papa... The title seemed to wrap around me like an invisible cloak, heavy and frightening. I am sixteen. Sixteen! How can I be the father of two little dragon girls? These thoughts circled in my head again. I felt out of place, like being forced into a role I wasn't prepared for.
"That reminds me," Elaine suddenly said, snapping me out of my thoughts, " Have you given these girls a name yet?"
I stared at her like she just said something completely outrageous. “Um... no.” I stammered, scratching my head in embarrassment. “I'm not very good at giving names.” The truth was, I'd never really thought about such a thing before. My name 'Kaito ', was something I came up with, out of necessity, when Monika asked me for my name.
Elaine laughed softly. “Don't worry, take your time to think about beautiful names. They're special girls, so they should have special names, don't you think?”
Special girls... I looked at the two dragon twins who were still clinging onto me and looking at me with their curious eyes. They were truly unique, nobody could deny it. Their silver and light blue hair, the shining eyes and the little horns on their heads, they looked like creatures from a fairy tale.
"Yeah, I'll think about it." I said eventually, even though the thought of coming up with two names, somehow stressed me out.
"Oh, by the way, speaking of girls. Where are Monika and Anna anyway?" I asked, suddenly realizing that they weren't here. "Are they late?"
Elaine straightened up again, “Oh, they're already training with Alicia and Dorilla. They started earlier than us today.”
“What, they're already practicing?” I suddenly felt like I'd missed something. “Why are we training separately?”
Elaine crossed her arms and looked at me thoughtfully. “You and I... We're doing some special training today, Kaito. Something, to prepare you what's upcoming."
“Special training?” I looked at her questioningly. “Why?”
“You'll see soon.” she replied without answering my question as a mischievous smile flitted across her face. " Enough talking. We're here to practice today!"
"Uh, w-wait a minute..." I said hastily, but Elaine already made up her mind. Her eyes sparkled and the atmosphere around us changed abruptly. A moment ago, we were chatting casually, but now she seemed to be filled with an almost uncanny ambition. Her posture tightened after she took a little decency from me, her hand slid calmly and routinely to the hilt of her sword, the friendly, almost teasing Elaine from a minute ago suddenly disappeared. "Show me all your skills!" she shouted as she drew her sword from its sheath as quick as a lightning bolt.
I froze for a moment. Her sudden appearance and the unmistakable willingness to fight in her eyes choked me. It was like I was awakening a wild animal, a beast ready to strike. My hand trembled slightly as I summoned my wavy longsword. Before the sword, Demon Tears, could fully materialize, there was Elaine, rushing towards me like an unstoppable wave. Her movements were incredibly fast, precise, almost fluid. My heart was racing. As my sword appeared and I managed to get a grip on it, I yanked it up in a frantic movement to intercept her attack. The impact came so quickly that I barely had time to focus. Our blades met with a metallic clash and the moment our swords collided, I felt the raw power Elaine had put into her attack. My whole body felt like it was being pierced by an invisible thrust.
"Kgh...!" I groaned, under the weight of her immense strength. My arms trembled as I desperately tried to withstand the pressure, but it felt like, fighting against a primal force. Her silvery blade pushed mine back like my sword was nothing more than a toy. I could feel my muscles burning, my grip loosening and my knees giving in. "Aghhh!" I yelled as I lost control after all. The resistance in my arms collapsed and a shockwave hit me with such force that I fell backwards off my feet. The force of her attack threw me high into the air like I was nothing more than a leaf in the wind. My body spun as I followed through the air, everything around me becoming a wild swirl of colors and blurred impressions.
"You've gotta be kidding meeeeee!!!" I screamed as I saw the ground beneath me approaching rapidly. I no longer had any control over my flight and could only hope that the impact wouldn't be too painful.
I landed in a bush covered with a hard thud, rolled over on the ground, flipped over several times until I stopped, gasping with pain. The dust swirled around me and for a moment everything was silent, except for my heavy breathing and the throbbing pain in my body. “Ha... ha... ha..." I tried to catch my breath as I pulled myself slowly straight up. Three kilometers. Elaine actually threw me three kilometers through the air. My head was still spinning, every muscle in my body aching from the impact. “Three kilometers...” I repeated, stunned. That was impossible. How could someone has so much strength? I shook my head in disbelief and tried to organize my thoughts.
"Elaine is incredibly fast and amazingly strong." I muttered to myself as I tried to pull myself back to my feet. "No surprise that she's a hero." But that kind of strength was on a completely different level. How could I ever hope to keep up with her? How had she managed to become so strong? Was it down to relentless training? Or did she have special powers given to her as a hero?
"Sorry." she apologized after I walked all the way back. Elaine was relaxed like nothing happened, giggling, "I really thought you could withstand the attack."
“No way!” I shouted indignantly. "Who the hell could withstand that attack?" My whole body throbbed with pain, I was still completely out of breath. The thought that she had seriously believed I could block such a force, was almost laughable.
"All right." the warrior said grinning smugly. "Let's give it one more try." And before I could say anything else, she started moving again in her rattling armor. Her feet barely touched the ground as she charged at me again, her sword ready for another attack. I couldn't believe this was really happening. “W-wait!” I shouted desperately, but it was already too late. She threw herself at me again with such speed that I barely had time to collect myself. I raised my sword in a desperate attempt to block her slash, but it was no good. Once again, the impact of her attack hit me like a thunderbolt and I was hurled through the air again, feeling that I had nothing learned from the first time.
“Ha... ha...” This time I landed less spectacularly, but that didn't make the pain any less bad. It was like being smacked again and again by an invisible hammer, and each time it left more pain and exhaustion marks.
“You're doing this on purpose!” I shouted angrily. “Are you having fun throwing me around?”
Elaine shook her head and smiled in apology. “No, no, not at all.” she said, although I wasn't sure I should believe her. "I may have overdone it a bit, at the beginning. Let's start with the basics instead.”
Finally, I thought. I was hoping she would say that. Elaine grabbed something behind her and pulled out a wooden sword, which she casually tossed over towards me.
“Here, catch.”
I caught the sword and looked at it briefly. It was surprisingly light, probably made of oak. But why a wooden sword? And why hadn't she started with it in the first place? My head was still spinning from the previous strikes, but I tried to refocus. This time I had to try harder.
I went into the starting position.
I put my left leg forward and my right leg behind. I held the wooden sword firmly with both hands, the blade tilted slightly downwards. My heartbeat slowly calmed down while I controlled my breathing and focused on Elaine. She was facing me, calm and focused.
“Let's go!” she shouted before starting to move again. This time it wasn't an overpowering attack, but a precise, clean vertical slash from top right to bottom left. I recognized the movement early and deftly turned aside to avoid her attack. At the same time, I delivered my own slash, horizontally from left to right, aiming for her side. Elaine parried my attack effortlessly and immediately attacked again. Our swords crossed again and again, with each strike and parry I felt my body getting used to the movement. It was like a dance, gliding back and forth, every step, every swing perfectly coordinated. Elaine watched me carefully and corrected my posture whenever I tensed up.
“Loosen your shoulders.” she told me while we kept fighting. "Try to avoid landing too hard on your feet, it will only slow you down."
I did as she said and immediately noticed how my movements became more fluid. Elaine smiled with satisfaction when she noticed my progress. "Right, like that." she said proudly.
The fight against Elaine continued, although my arms were starting to get tired, I felt a spark of pride glowing inside me. Every strike, every parry became more fluid, I began to read her movements, if only in fractions of a second. Elaine was superior to me in every way, that was obvious. But she was playing with me, testing me, while watching me with a smile that was both challenging and supportive.
"Hyaaa!" she shouted again as she came at me with a fast, sidelong slash of her sword. But this time I was ready. My legs were firmer, my footing secure. I avoided her slash cleverly, dropped back slightly and countered with another attack of mine, aiming for her open side. But before I could even get close to her armor, she turned her foot in an instant and blocked my wooden sword with a speed that took my breath away.
“Not bad, Kaito.” she said, her eyes flashing. "But you're still too slow!”
I gritted my teeth. Slow? She was moving so fast I could barely notice her! It was like trying to catch the shadow of a bird gliding across the sky.
Elaine continued her attacks, her blade dancing through the air, always moving. Each slash was precise, each cut perfectly timed to the next. I could hear her breathing, calm and steady, while mine grew heavier and heavier. Sweat trickled down my forehead and pooled in my eyes, stinging as it ran down there. But I couldn't stop, couldn't give up.
My muscles were burning, my hands felt sore, like they would open up any minute and drop the sword. But I pushed myself to keep going. Every parry I managed to make felt like a small victory, with each additional hit I was able to block, my confidence grew a little bit.
"You're getting better." Elaine suddenly said when our blades clashed again. "Your reflexes are getting faster. You're starting to understand my movements.”
“You... you really think I can keep up with you someday?" I asked, panting while trying to get my breathing under control. My chest was rising and falling rapidly, but there was a small spark of hope in my words.
Elaine took a step back and looked at me, her eyes intense. “With enough training, yes. You have talent, Kaito, I can see that. But it takes more than talent. It takes patience, agility and stamina." She raised her sword again and let it circle loosely in her hand, pretending it was nothing more than an extension of her arm. “Now let's see if you have all that.”
At that point, I knew I wouldn't get a break. Elaine would continue pushing me to my limits until I either collapsed entirely or actually started to improve.
I got myself into position again. My legs were heavy by now, my arms shaking slightly, but I focused my attention to her.
With a fast strike, I moved towards her, swinging my wooden sword from right to left with a powerful sweep. Elaine dodged my attack with ease, but I didn't hesitate. I twisted on my heels and immediately delivered another slash from top to bottom. Again, she blocked, but I was ready this time. I used the recoil force of our colliding blades to seamlessly transition my movement into a sidelong slash.
Elaine smiled slightly. "Good, but do it faster! You need to make your movements more fluid.”
"Heh... Easier said than done!" I gasped as we continued fighting.
The fight continued until the sunset enveloped us. The sky turned into a warm orange and purple, the sun casting long shadows over the training ground. The children, meanwhile, leaned against one of the fallen pillars and slept soundly, hand in hand.
Sweat was pouring down my body and I could barely stand. But the feeling that I was getting better, that I had taken at least a small step towards strength, gave me new energy.
“We'll call it a day,” Elaine finally said, lowering her sword. “Good work, Kaito.”
I exhaled in relief, my lungs burning with exertion, but a smile crossed my face. “Thank you... for the training.” I managed to say, bowing slightly to her.
"You are getting stronger, Kaito. So strong that you'll be equal to us heroes. No, I even believe that you can become even stronger.” Her words struck me unexpectedly deeply. It wasn't just the compliment, but the firm conviction she was speaking with.
"Two months, Kaito." she said softly while taking one of the sleeping twin girls in her arms. “In two months, you could be as strong as Dorilla. Keep doing your best.”
I just nodded, unable to say anything else. Two months... that wasn't long, but if Elaine believed in me, then maybe I could do it. As we walked slowly back to the mansion, the other twin girl in my arms, I let her words echo in my head. Two months... To get strong enough to overcome my past and face the bastards I might expect to meet in Pezowa.
The common room that Number Six stumbled into had a bright, calm atmosphere that contrasted with the mess that was just created. The walls were painted in a warm beige that made the room seem larger and more inviting. The daylight coming in through the large windows made the room feel friendly and open. White soft curtains framed the windows and blew gently with the breeze, while outside the wind blew gently through the trees. Along the walls, high bookshelves reached up to the ceiling, filled with books of all kinds. Some of the old tomes were covered in worn leather, while other books were shiny and looked almost untouched. Amongst them there were loose scrolls stuffed untidily into the shelves, like somebody was working in a hurry. On the floor was a soft carpet in warm earth tones, which gave the room a cozy feel. In the middle of the room was a seating area consisting of a wide sofa and deep armchairs arranged around a low wooden table. On this sofa was a man sitting, tall and broad, with a book in his hand. His expression was focused as he lifted his eyes from the pages and looked with a slight sigh at Number Six, who had just stumbled in and was now lying on the floor.
“Hey, hey. Don't break the door!” he said in a low voice and lowered the book onto his lap.
Leaning against the back of the sofa was a young boy who looked relaxed, he seemed used to this scene. He had just smiled broadly, looking at Number Six. "Don't be so hard on him, he's already suffered plenty from our boss," he said in a young, almost laughing voice.
The man on the sofa snorted snidely and shook his head. "I wouldn't mind giving him another lecture." He sounded serious.
The boy raised his hands defensively, to ease the tension. "Take it easy, we don't want to hurt each other. Hehe.”
"If you disturb my reading any longer, I'll give you more than just a lecture!" The man's voice grew louder, and his eyes narrowed in warning.
Number Six and the boy exchanged glances, before they both jumped up at the same time. “Iek!” They instinctively clung to each other when the man on the sofa put his book aside and stood up.
A woman, who had been standing quietly at the window, looked over her shoulder before speaking to the others. She was an imposing figure, with a calm yet penetrating gaze that didn't seem to miss any details. Her narrow eyes now rested on the green-haired Number Six, who slowly stood up from the floor. "Now tell me what you've done this time." she said, slightly annoyed.
Number Six seemed to hold his breath for a moment before he cleared his throat and hurriedly began to tell her. “Y-Your beauty! The thing is..." With frantic gestures and wide-open eyes, he recounted his encounter with the heroes and everything that had happened to him.
The boy sat down on the dark brown armchair, leaned back and frowned. “Ahhh. So, you met the heroes.” he said thoughtfully as he mentally replayed the situation.
The woman at the window nodded, her red lips curling into a faint smile. "And someone got reborn again." she said softly.
“Right... He had white hair and was a half-wolf." added Number Six.
There was a soft clacking sound when the man on the sofa shut his book and put it down on the side table. Standing up, his large footsteps echoed softly on the wooden floor as he walked towards the door. The other people in the room watched him as he walked quietly towards the door.
"Where are you going?" the woman asked, turning away from the window, her eyes narrowed with curiosity.
The man stopped without looking back. A dark, almost menacing smile crossed his face. “I'm going to have a look at this new reborn guy. If the heroes were there, then the boy was surely healed by using the ability
The sun's rays broke through the leafy cover of the trees at the edge of the training ground, casting a shimmering play of light and shadow on the ground, on the standing and fallen pillars, which were very worn. Small stones and scratches were scattered all over the ground.
Today was the second day of my training, Elaine and I were facing each other with our wooden swords. The gentle breeze carried the scent of the forest behind me, but there was also the tension of the upcoming training session in the air. Elaine, the golden lioness, looked at me. She was a little shorter than me, about 1.74 cm, but she had an athletic figure and wore her silver armor and her long hair loose, flowing in the air.
“Are you ready, Kaito?” she asked as she swung her sword with a seemingly effortless motion. Her voice was calm, almost casual.
“Ready... As ready as I can be.” I mumbled, but my voice didn't sound very convincing.
We began our training, with slow, controlled slashes. Today was not about defeating the opponent, but about refining the technique, adopting the right stance, controlling the power. But this never went on for long, because Elaine quickly lost interest in slow exercises and increased her speed as soon as she realized that I could keep up somehow. Her movements were precise and powerful. Every hit, every step was perfectly coordinated. But as hard as I tried to fend off her attacks, it didn't take long for her superiority to show, with her incredible stamina, unlike me, she showed no signs of exhaustion, not even yesterday.
“You're getting better.” she praised me when our swords collided. But no sooner did she say it, she continued. A quick, hard hit that I just managed to block, followed by another, even more powerful attack. I felt a strange vibration throughout the wooden sword, at first I thought it would break any second. But then it happened...
Out of nowhere, I felt an unstoppable pressure, an invisible wave that caught me, again.
The ground disappeared beneath my feet, I was literally hurled through the air, again.
“You can't be seriouuuuus!!!” I screamed flying helplessly into the sky, unable to gain back control over my body. Elaine did it again, her shockwave completely knocking me off my feet, just like the day before.
“And there he flies again.” she said while watching me fly further towards the horizon than yesterday.
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After looking down, I saw myself crossing the city wall below me and flew through the branches of the trees, breaking off a few twigs that hit me as if they were taunting me too. Finally, I plummeted towards the ground of the forest and landed... in a lake.
The water was freezing cold and immediately enveloped me the second I went under. I lost my orientation for a moment until I managed to fight my way up and return to the surface, gasping. “Oh man... The same thing over and over.” I muttered while swimming to the shore. My clothes were soaking wet, even my wolf's tail, which is in a specially integrated space inside the black coat, got soaked. My whole body felt heavy. “Elaine and her damn shockwaves.... Even my tail is all wet.” I reached for the white-silver tail that was once fluffy but now hung limp from the water. I mumbled slightly annoyed “Ugh... feels funny when it... is... wet..."
My eyes widened when I realized that I wasn't alone. In front of me, right on the shore, sat a woman whose smooth, soft skin shimmered from the reflected water, which made me realize... that she was completely exposed.
“A-Ahhh...” I stammered. My face turned as red as a tomato and I could feel the blood running out of my nose. Before I could fight back, everything around me went black, I lost consciousness and fell back into the water.
When I finally regained consciousness, I was lying on the ground, surrounded by a soft light emanating from a nearby campfire. My head was heavy, my whole body felt strangely cold.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and blinked to focus on the environment around me. What was happening?
“W- What's going on?” I mumbled while straightening up and looking at my hand. Suddenly, I realized that I was undressed. “W-why am I not wearing my clothes?” I exclaimed in panic, looking around frantically.
“Oh, you're awake. How nice.” A woman's voice sounded in my ear and I turned towards her, startled. In front of me sat a woman with fiery red hair, glowing slightly in the light of the campfire, in front of us. Her eyes were remarkable, one was green and the other yellow. She wore an elegant white blouse and a long, fluid red skirt.
“A-Ahhh!” I groaned again realizing I was still squatting in front of her unclothed. I quickly jumped up and took cover behind a nearby, very large, rock.
She laughed softly, a meledic, almost mocking laugh. “You're a very shy boy, aren't you?” she said, without losing her composure.
Shy? What does that mean?? I thought, hiding my face behind my hands in shame. It's completely normal to feel like this.
“Your clothes aren't completely dry yet,” she explained, holding out a green cloak to me. “But you can wear this for a while.”
Without hesitation, I took the cloak and put it on.
When we were both sitting around the campfire, she prepared a cup of tea. The flames cast long shadows and made the scene seem almost cozy. “So... What brings you here?” she asked me as she handed me a steaming cup of tea.
I took the tea carefully and felt the warmth spreading pleasantly through my cold fingers. “Thank you,” I murmured and took a small sip. The tea was surprisingly good, slightly sweet, with a hint of herbs that I couldn't quite place, but it felt good to feel it flow down my throat.
“So... What brings you here then?” she repeated her question.
She seemed friendly, but there was something in her eyes that made me suspicious. I took another sip and briefly considered how to answer.
“Uh, well... let's just say the wind caught me,” I replied with a weak smile. That wasn't technically wrong, but the truth was that I had, once again, been hurled through the air by one of Elaine's uncontrollable shockwaves, farther today than yesterday. “Hehehe...” I added to cover the embarrassment, but she only raised an eyebrow slightly and tilted her head as if she didn't quite understand the meaning of my words.
“Huh?” Her questioning look remained unchanged, and I could literally feel myself blushing. Why did I have to get into such a situation in front of a woman like her?
I sighed and put my cup down next to me. “To be honest... I don't know what to do. I want to get stronger, that's all. I'm training hard, I really am, but I'm stuck at this point. No matter how hard I try, I always fail. Even my teacher, she kicks me around like I'm a rookie, every time.” I admitted staring into the fire. The glow of the flames reflected in my eyes, I felt the frustration that had been building up over the last few days. “It feels like I'm treading water. Everyone around me is getting stronger, but I...”
The woman looked at me attentively and listened patiently without saying a word. But then she asked me, “So you want to get stronger?”
“Yes!” I blurted out without thinking about it. “As quick as possible!” I sighed “If there only was something, a potion, a spell, something that would instantly give me more strength. But there probably isn't anything like that.” My eyes wandered back to the fire, my head drooping.
“There is.” she suddenly said in a calm voice.
I jerked my head up and looked at her.
“There is indeed something.” she continued. “It's not a potion, but... a flower.”
A flower? A flower that gives you strength? That sounded almost too good to be true. “What kind of flower is it?” I asked curiously, leaning forward slightly to find out more.
She tilted her head aside. “It is said that this flower holds a power comparable to that of the demon. According to ancient legends, it will give you incredible strength, more than you could ever dream of.”
My eyes widened at her words.
The power of a devil...? I swallowed. “And where can I find this flower?”
“Around here.”, she replied, looking into the darkness of the forest behind me. “The flower is very rare, but they say it grows in this forest. You just have to look for a purple-colored flower. As soon as you find it... Eat it.”
“That's it?” I asked incredulously.
I thought I might have to defeat some fearsome monsters or something, but... that sounds easy! The thought that I might have finally found a shortcut to my longed-for strength made my heart pound faster with excitement.
The woman smiled gently and nodded. “But... it is hard to find. It could take you hours or even days to discover it... Where did he go??” As soon as I heard her words, I jumped up. “Thanks for your help!” I grabbed my still soaked clothes and hurriedly put them on. Then, without further ado, I ran back into the forest.
“Wait! Where are you going?” she called after me. Her words faded into the distance as I ran deeper into the forest.
A soft smile remained on her lips, which slowly turned into an evil smile.
The forest seemed endless, I must have been walking around for half an hour searching around the ground. “Where could it be?” I asked myself aloud, staring at the grass and flowers around me. White flowers, yellow flowers, everywhere... But no sign of a purple flower.
“Never trust a woman with giant milk-bags!” the childish voice with red hair, Loli, spoke to me slightly angry, in my head. It's unusual that she is talking to me just now, I thought she would have interrupted me during the previous conversation.
“Do you think she was lying?” I asked her, just in case.
“Of course! Why would you tell a complete stranger about a random flower that gives you devil-like powers?”
“You've got a point. If such a flower really exists, there should be more people wandering around this area looking for it. That's odd...” I whispered thoughtfully.
“Urgh... This is frustrating!” I exclaimed in frustration, but suddenly I heard a rustling near me. Curious, I looked in the direction where the sound was coming from and saw a group of wild animals gathering around something.
“What's going on?” wondered Loli.
I cautiously approached the animals, and then I saw it...
In the midst of the animals, shimmering slightly in the sunlight, shining through the treetops, was a single purple-colored flower.
“There it is...”
“...a purple-colored flower! I can't believe it! That milk-bag lady was right?”
Without hesitation, I reached for the flower and picked it carefully. Its petals felt soft. “I just need to eat it to get stronger, right?” I asked myself.
What should happen, I thought involuntarily and lifted the flower to my mouth.
“Wait! Don't do that!” the childish voice in my head suddenly shouted. But I ignored this warning and took a bite.
The taste of the flower was surprisingly sweet, almost like honey, but as soon as I swallowed it, I was overcome by an overwhelming feeling. My eyes widened, it felt like my whole body was burning from the inside, a wave of pure energy bursting through me. “What... is that?” I gasped and fell on my knees. My heart began to beat frantically and the world around me seemed to blur. An uncontrollable tremor gripped my body, and a piercing pain raced through my muscles.
The words
“A-aaaaaahhh!” I screamed.
A thunderous roar filled my ears, like the roar of a huge storm, and then... Silence. Suddenly the pain faded and, magically, I was fine again. Like nothing happened.
“Eh? The pain is gone. I thought it would be more spectacular in some way.”
“It's great that you're feeling better again, but... how could you be such an airhead, eating that devil flower?”
“Sorry, couldn't stop myself. Hehehe.” I laughed quietly, reservedly.
I wondered what level I was now, after suffering this pain, a transparent blue screen lit up with the information that my level has increased.
Out of curiosity I opened my status window, to open it I didn't need to make any hand movements or use a special item, I just had to focus on the window with my personal information itself in my head. A chime sounded in my ears and a floating, blue-transparent square appeared in front of me. As it opened, I paid no attention to the unreadable parameters or the jobs I had. My eyes went straight to the line under my name. But I couldn't believe what my red-colored eyes saw...
Eh?
Ehhhh???
“Loli look at this!” I shouted, frantically going through the information mentally.
Name: Kaito
Level: 57
Job: Adventurer, Swordsman, Salamander Conqueror, Master of the Demon Sword
HP: None
MP: None
ATK: None
DEF: None
CRIT: None
ITEMS
SKILLS
“Huh? Ehhh??? Level 57??” Loli's small body fluttered frantically in my head, her eyes widened in disbelief. “How can it be! This is... this is impossible! A single flower did this?”
That's right, it wasn't possible, at least not under normal circumstances. A few minutes ago I was still at the 20th level, and now...? This was completely crazy! Something like this couldn't just happen, could it?
I stared at my hands in disbelief, but I didn't feel anything unusual, I felt normal, like before. But in the back of my mind I thought that I might have used a cheat, like in a game, but that was the least of my problems.
“What we see here, are just numbers. Let's try out a skill, I've surely got some new ones.” I tapped the skill button with my index finger and another display appeared, in shape of a narrow rectangle, listing several lines.
Compared to the previous day, there were now probably twenty or twenty-five more skills. Unbelievable, I thought amazed. I scrolled through the list with my finger, looking for a suitable skill to use as a trial test.
Let's see...
“That looks interesting.” I muttered.
“Be careful, whatever that flower did to you, you don't know what you're playing with.” Loli warned me worriedly.
“Oh, come on, you're curious about that power yourself, aren't you? Why are you acting like this now?” I said to her humorously, so this seriousness would relax. Loli remained silent for the time being, she began to growl slightly and then shouted “Okay, okay, you're right! I'm really excited! But only because I never saw anything like that, not even 400 years ago, are you happy now?”
I wanted to start laughing, but I held it back. Loli then added, “Now show me one of these new skills! I can't wait any longer!”
I started at Loli's request.
I took a few steps back, clenched my fists and concentrated. Flames began to appear around me, at first they were faint, then they grew stronger and stronger. I held my arms up, both hands open, and the flames gathered in them, forming several huge fireballs.
It was... indescribable. This power... It felt like I could set this forest on fire with my bare hands.
“Explosion!” I shouted and hurled the fireballs into the air with my mind, where they would combine to create a great inferno falling to the ground.
The earth shook when a massive explosion echoed through the forest. Birds flew up in panic and a huge column of smoke rose into the sky. But then I noticed something unusual...
That noise and plume of smoke was coming from the town. “Oh no. Was that... me?” My heart skips a beat, I quickly looked above me to see where I unleashed my skill, technically.
The created fireballs were still floating in the air, but they weren't combining like they were supposed to. Instead, they slowly dissipated and disappeared.
“Wait a minute, my skill hasn't activated? What's going on here? If this explosion wasn't caused by my skill... Then what is...” Before I could finish my sentence, I turned around to face the northeast, where the explosion came from, and ran as fast as I could.
Damn it! The town is under attack!!!
At midday, the shopping street of Almone was filled with vibrant voices, colors and smells that spread across the street in the warm sun. Vendors loudly touted their goods, exotic spices, fresh fruit and grilled meat on wooden skewers that glistened in the sun and exuded the scent of smoke and spices. The ground was covered with uneven cobblestones that crunched under the heavy boots of the townspeople with every step. Children ran giggling between the stalls, older couples pushed their way carefully past the densely packed crowd. There was a constant confusion of voices, laughs and shouts that covered the entire street like a cloud of sound.
Anna moved light-footedly through the crowd and smiled with joy, like a little child, even though she was already in her twenties. Her eyes sparkled at every single stall, she could hardly resist the sweet temptations and delicious smells of the market stalls.
“Monika! Come here, hurry!” she called out loudly.
Monika, who was carrying a basket with some food she had already bought, stopped abruptly and looked at Anna.
The twins clung on Monika's shirt, each on one side, so that they didn't run away. Unlike other days, today they were not with Kaito, but with Monika and Anna, who were visiting the city today and doing a little shopping for lunch later. They wanted to do today's shopping as gratitude for staying overnight with the heroes. The servants, of course, were against it because it was their job to do the shopping and not their guests. But Monika and Anna insisted.
“What's the matter this time?” she asked sighing, her brow furrowed, and her arms crossed.
Anna held a wooden skewer in each hand and chewed delightfully on a juicy piece of chicken. A satisfied, almost dreamy munching sound escaped her as she savored the spicy, tender meat. “This gentleman here sells really good food! It's so delicious, I just had to eat it!” Her eyes shone with joy as her mouth was stuffed full.
Monika snorted, crossed her arms again and rolled her eyes. “Stop shoveling food into your mouth constantly! We're here to do the groceries and head back, got it? We don't have time to dawdle around here forever.”
But Anna wasn't so easily dissuaded and held out a wooden skewer with chicken meat to each of the dragon twins. “Here for you!” she crouched down in front of them, then as she straightened up again she spoke to Monika.
“There's no harm in relaxing a little and enjoying your time, is there?” She smiled innocently and looked at Monika with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
Monika shook her head and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “I told you to hurry up! Why don't you concentrate on what's important?” But Anna just grinned and looked down at the twins, who were staring at the chicken, waiting to be allowed to eat. Meanwhile, Monika merely sighed at Anna's words.
The twins had waited enough, they wanted to eat the juicy-looking, grilled meat in their hands. Their eyes were sparkling, their mouths were already drooling. They opened their mouths wide at the same time and approached the meat on the wooden skewer bit by bit to take a bite. But then it happened...
A deafening explosion interrupted the harmonious sounds of the shopping street. A loud explosion reverberated through the air, followed by a thick cloud of smoke that rose into the sky above the marketplace. The happy, peaceful atmosphere turned into chaotic confusion within an eye blink. People screamed, scrambled in all directions and panicked, trying to get to safety.
“An explosion?!” Monika shouted and turned into the direction of the bang. Her eyes hardened and her posture changed abruptly.
“It came from the marketplace...” muttered Anna, her hands clenching.
Monika took a deep breath and made a decision. “I'm going to see who is behind this.” she declared, ready to run. “Take the children and get somewhere safe!”
Anna shook her head and stepped in Monika's way. “Not without me! I am the second-born princess of the Salamanders! It's my duty not to abandon my comrades!”
Monika looked at her, her expression was serious. “Anna... please. Run away. Kaito would say the same thing.” The words echoed in the silence between them.
Anna gritted her teeth, her eyes filling with tears of anger and despair. Finally, she nodded, albeit reluctantly, her shoulders slumped slightly. “All right... But come back safe, no matter what!”
Monika nodded curtly, “I promise.”
Without further ado, Anna grabbed the small, delicate hands of the dragon twins, who, despite the chaos, were surprisingly very calm, hardly shocked or anything.
Monika now ran towards the scene of the accident, past the shocked people to the marketplace.
Almone's marketplace was in ruins. It was hard to believe how quickly the once lively and peaceful area had turned into a place of destruction. Over half of the stalls had collapsed, wooden planks and broken glass scattered everywhere, a thick smoke hung over the scene like an ominous veil. The air smelled of burning wood and something heavy and metallic. Here and there you could hear the soft whimpering of people trapped under the rubble.
When Monika entered the place, she stayed motionless for a moment and looked at the situation. The city guards of Almone had positioned themselves in a semi-circle around a single figure standing in the middle of the ruins, looking menacing.
This person was surrounded by the remains of the stalls, like they had torn them down with sheer force. Monika blinked to get the dust out of her eyes and tried to identify the person.
“Who the hell are you? And what are you doing here?” shouted the leader of the small troop.
The figure took a step forward, the dust that partially covered them slowly settling. “I'm looking for someone,” said the stranger in a deep, raspy voice that was so calm that it seemed eerie. His words seemed to hang in the air as the guards involuntarily tensed even more.
One muttering guard, who probably thought he knew the answer, whispered nervously. “Who is this someone supposed to be? The count? The mayor?”
Monika could now clearly see the stranger's face.
A bulky, muscular man with dark brown hair interspersed with scattered white strands. A black eyepatch covered his right eye and there was a slight, almost mocking grin around his mouth. His clothing was just as striking, a black cloak with golden embellishments, a white tank top, long black trousers and sturdy brown boots. But most striking of all was the huge two-handed sword he carried on his back, which was almost as wide as he was.
“What am I supposed to do with those fools?” the man said mockingly, his eye gliding boredly over the guards. “If the person I'm looking for doesn't show up right away, this town will no longer exist.”
“We won't let that happen! Everyone, charge!” The leader's order cut sharply through the tense air and the men charged in unison. But before any of them could get close to the stranger, he drew his huge sword with frightening speed and struck a mighty slash.
“Oryaaa!!!” he roared while the sword whizzed through the air in one mighty swing. Monika held her breath in shock as she saw the slash throw most of the guards to the ground, some motionless, others badly injured, while the ground beneath them sank into a thick pool of blood. A few of those who had escaped the first attack looked in shock at the corpses of their comrades. The man advanced with slow, unwavering steps, his gaze cold and merciless. He seemed to enjoy the way the remaining guards backed away from him, the fear reflected in their eyes.
“Now it's your turn!” he shouted, raising his sword again for another strike.
“Ahhhh!!!” screamed the remaining soldiers, but the moment the sword swung down again, a slender figure with two shortswords intervened and blocked the attack with a surprisingly quick counterattack.
It was Monika.
“Hurry, run away!” she shouted to the remaining guards, who obeyed without hesitation and, as they left the battlefield, they performed their duties and rescued some injured civilians they could take with them.
Monika stopped, the blades of her shortswords glinting in the sun as she focused on the Man, who was now looking down at her intently.
But then she faltered. Her face stiffened, pale fear spread across her expression. A memory that could not be suppressed, came to her and for a moment she seemed to be lost in thought.
Impossible, Monika thought, her heart pounding in her throat. This man, what is he doing here?
The stranger smirked contemptuously when he noticed Monika's expression. Well, if it isn't the little greenhorn! I didn't think I'd see you here, but whatever.” A diabolical smile spread across his lips. “You got in my way... you'll be punished for that!”
Without warning, he raised his sword and launched a devastating slash from top right to bottom left. Monika, still caught in her stupor, let her short swords slip away and tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
Suddenly, even before the blade hit her, a hot, intense wave of heat flared up and a shield of blazing flames appeared between her and her opponent. The man stopped in surprise, and Monika was also startled out of her mental stupor when she recognized the familiar black coat.
A young man with silver-white hair and sharp red eyes stepped out of the shadows and protected Monika.
I arrived just in time. As I erected the flame shield called
The market was destroyed and silent, no laughter, no action, just burnt wood and debris. I could hardly believe that Almone had been turned into a battlefield so quickly.
Monika was standing right behind me, her eyes full of shock and, even worse, fear. She, who was always so imperturbable and brave, was now trembling so much in front of this man, which made me uneasy. Who was this guy, making even Monika react like she was frozen? His look, dark and full of arrogance, now rested on me.
“Well, who do we have here?” His smile widened, almost provocative. “So the little puppy has shown himself after all.” His voice dripped with scorn, every muscle in my body tensed. Whoever this man was, his intention was clear... And deadly!
“Who are you and why are you destroying this town?” I tried to contain the rage inside me, wanting to sound calm and controlled, but I knew my eyes showed nothing but contempt. Monika had pulled back a little, her palms trembling slightly.
“They call me Number Three.” the stranger said, his words as casual as if he were telling me about a trivial nickname. “I'm here...” a cold, gloomy smirk flitted across his face...
“...because of you.”
Because of me? Why would someone like him be looking for me? The question made me flinch involuntarily and yet I didn't want to take my eyes off him. Whatever the reason was, it was no coincidence that he appeared right here, in Almone.
He swung his sword once in a single, quick motion and charged at me, his murderous grin unchanged. “I'm here to send you to your grave!” he roared.
I quickly summoned my weapon. The first hit was so powerful that I almost stumbled under the impact. Each subsequent hit was like an earthquake that threatened to overwhelm me. His movements were precise, his handling of the sword merciless. It felt like I was fighting against an unstoppable force of nature, against someone who had carefully considered every move. I jumped back to put distance between us, but he was immediately at my side again, his two-handed sword flashing in the sun as he struck again. There was nothing I could do but continue to block and dodge his attacks.
Every muscle in me ached, my breathing was shallow, I knew I couldn't keep going for long.
Why is he so strong?
My mind raced, desperately searching for a strategy, a way to confront this guy. And then I saw it...
A symbol, tattooed on his neck. The last time I saw this symbol was a few days ago when I was fighting this Number Six guy. I realized the danger that meant, fighting with one of them, this realization upset me more than it helped me.
“Watch out!” A loud scream tore me from my thoughts, before I could react I felt a sharp pain at my side. His blade had struck me in the torso, throwing me hard against the rubble. The world was spinning and for a moment the air seemed to escape me.
Damn it, how could I be so careless?
I struggled onto my knees, feeling the pain pulsing through my side, and pressed my hand against the wound to stop the blood.
Number Three grinned widely as he looked up at me. “What's wrong? Did you really think a little shit like you could beat me?” He laughed loudly, a vicious, cruel laugh that echoed in my ears.
Dramatically, he stretched his right arm high above his head, fingers splayed, while his left hand held out the huge two-handed sword, point forward. His upper body is bent backwards, and he balances on one leg, the other slightly raised, swaying with his foot. His face is turned towards me, a broad, smug grin on it. Then he laughed again.
“Guwahahah... I'm going to teach you a lesson!”
My mind raced, suddenly a disturbing realization popped into my head. That cocky, ridiculous pose, his whole impression... was it really possible? No! That would be too insane. And yet, my heart tightened as I recognized something in his eyes, a memory I had long buried deep inside me.
“What's wrong with you?” he mocked, while I had probably taken a little too long to focus myself. “You're suddenly very pale. Huhehe.”
“Why...?” my voice rang out softly, my eyes turned to the floor.
I gritted my teeth, my hands clenched into fists, my heart racing. Why is he here? Why here of all places? In this world? Suddenly there was no doubt, no uncertainty, just an unbearable, gnawing question that burst out of my throat, louder than I intended.
“Why are you here?! Tell me! ...Father!!!”