Just as Noelle started to feel that something was off and looked around cautiously, all the animals that were watching turned into a cloud of black smoke... as if they were never there to begin with.

******

Waking up feeling refreshed, mainly due to sleeping on Umbra's soft body, Kai got up and walked to the stream. He was thirsty and wanted to wash his face. He missed the shower that was back in the white room, but the stream did its job dutifully. It's only after he started to get close that he a purple and gray bodysuit discarded on discarded on the grass.

Oh... Noelle must be washing herself. Kai thought to himself as he yawnef, an idea popped into his head mid yawn... When else would he ever get to see the beautiful olive skinned woman like this, the answer entered his mind nearly instantly.

Never

So what does Kai do?

He walked back to camp and activated his telepathic link with Umbra until Noelle comes back, he's not a massive pervert after all

...maybe only a little perverted though.

He could have just gone further upstream or downstream, but he had no idea what dangers could have been there. This section of the stream was safe, so Kai just decided to be patient.

Sitting down beside his wolf familiar and softly stroking her fur, he spoke through the connection "So Umbra, any idea how old you are?"

Umbra continued to lick her paws, cleaning them. "I am 236 corpses old"

Kai flinches and accidently stopped petting his familiar. After clearing his throat, he continued stroking her fur and asks "Uh... care to explain?"

"There has been 236 more siblings that have been born after me, meaning me is 236 corpses old" Umbra stopped cleaning her coat and instead enjoyed the attention Kai was paying her, she let her head rest on the ground and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of being pet.

She really was just an oversized dog.

"I... I see" Kai sighed and stops petting the pitch black wolf. Standing up, he looked back towards the direction the stream was and saw that Noelle still wasn't back.

Sighing again, Kai made his way to where he saw the armour last and stood beside it, he then turned his back to the stream and started to shout:

"Noelle! How much longer-"

Something slapped him on the back of the head, and that something was accompanied by a voice.

"Don't shout out loud you idiot, gods, we don't even know what's out here" Noelle scowled as she slapped the back of his head again for good measure.

"Ow... sorry" Kai grumbles as he rubbed his head. Just as he was about to turn Noelle slapped his head for a third time.

"Don't turn around, pervert. How exactly am I meant to get dressed if you're standing beside my clothes?"

Blushing slightly, Kai stopped himself from turning and took a few steps away from Noelle, lest he get slapped again.

"Alright, alright... I'm sorry" Kai complained as he continued to look forward. "Damn, how high is your strength stat? Its like being hit by a rock". He then added under his breath "All muscle no..."

Feeling a pair of eyes bore into the back of his skull, he inwardly stopped himself from finishing that sentence just as Noelle asked:

"If you want me to show you how high it is, why don't you tell me your Constitution?"

Frowning slightly, Kai wondered to himself why she would want to know that...

Oh... Constitution is HP...

Promptly leaving the scary woman behind, Kai scurried back to camp, hoping Noelle wasn't actually going to hurt him... she wasn't... right?

A few minutes pass and Noelle finally got back to camp, her hair still damp as it's not likes there's any towels in a forest... You could use leaves though...

Watching her movements intently incase he had to run, Kai straightened his posture and took a deep breath. Noelle walked into camp, looked at Umbra, scoffed and... sat down on a rock and started wiping her scimitar clean with the sleeve of her bodysuit.

What else did I expect? Kai sighed as he slouched slightly, he then-

*Crack*

Jumping slightly, Kai turnrd to the part of the forest where the noise came from and saw... nothing but shadows and tree branches.

Feeling that something was off, Kai walked over to Noelle, who looked up with her iconic scowl.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"What?"

She asked, and just as Kai was about to answer... Two men walk out of the bushes...

One of the men has shaggy blond hair and an insane body, the dude was ripped beyond belief' An even worse part of the dudes kit was the massive greatsword on his back.

Looking over to the other guy, Kai frowned slightly, something felt... off about him.

Only after Kai realised this, he slightly turned his head to look at Noelle and saw that her eyes seemed zoned out, he also saw... beads of sweat on her forehead?

What... what's happening? Kai started to panic slightly. It must be the creepy dude... but what?

After some panic, Kai finally realised what the problem is.

An incredibly faint cold feeling gnawing at the back of his mind, a feeling he hadn't felt since he first met Noelle.

A mind attack... Feeling himself calm down, thanks to the mixed effects of relief that the mind attack didn't affect him and that Nonchalance probably kicked in.

Kai notices the creepy guy whisper something into the beefy guys ear, who then nodded and looks right at... Kai?

"Hey there buddy" The blond grins and crosses his arms, the creepy guy beside him shifting slightly. "That's a nice piece you got there, mind sharing her?"

Kai frowned slightly. What? At first Kai, thought that they were being sarcastic about his dagger, like everyone in this forest is. But the mans eyes werent on his dagger, they were focused on something to his right. Swallowing, he realised they were on about Noelle.

They must think I'm the stronger one of us since I resisted the mind attack...

Clearing his throat, Kai tried to act tough and said "Why should I share, why don't you go bother someone else?"

Something about the ripped guys stance changed, as if he seemed... disappointed?

"I see... Well that's a shame, I would rather not kill another person."

Yes... walk away- huh?! Kai took a step back instinctively. What did that guy just say? He's killed someone?

Fear started to overwhelm Kai, but something to the side caught his eye. Glancing to the side, he spotted Umbra still under a tree.

What are you doing Umbra, they see you! Just as panic was about to take over once again, Nonchalance kicked in, rationalising his thoughts and making Kai remember one of Umbras skills.

Coat of the night (uncommon)] Matching the colour of darkness, allows Umbra to stick to the shadows, remaining undetected unless spotted by someone with a will stat 10× their own

Grinning inwardly at his companions smart thinking, Kai realised he doesn't have long as he watched the buff dude reach behind his back... for the handle of his greatsword.

Quickly thinking of the best possible way to get out of this, Kai was left with only one option

"Noelle, wake up!" Kai screamed into the telepathic connection he set up, three mana dissapearing instantly. He knew that it would be impossible for him to beat the greatsword guy in a fight, but Noelle should be able to.

... Right?

The blond took another step forward

"Noelle! Snap out of it!"

The greatsword in the ripped man's grasp was finally free from its confines. The menacing blade has a lustruous shine in the darkness. Just as Kai was about to engage the man with his noble dagger and heroic... ah who is he kidding, he wasn't..

An idea pops into his head, a last ditch effort, but he has no idea if it would work. Still, if the alternative is being stabbed by a blade nearly the same size as him, he knew what option he would pick.

Infusing his voice in the telepathic connection with Will of the Kaiser, Kai screamed one last time "Noelle! Snap out of it!"

Noelle's eyes returned to normal, the glaze that plagued them slowly disspating. But then he noticed her frown, and following that frown came recognition... recognition that whatever she just experienced was because of the two before her.

The blond paused and turned back to the creepy guy, as if contemplating. After a nod from the creepy guy the blond turned back to Noelle and Kai, grinned, and said:

"Hello there missy, your pal there said we weren't allowed to have our share of you, would you kindly tell him to play nice? Sharing is caring after all"

Just as Kai expected Noelle to fly off her rocker at the comment and absolutely bully the buff man, she does the exact opposite.

"Kaiser, who are these people?" Noelle squeaked as she positioned herself behind him, as if he could shield her from the two men. The action looking almost comedic, a fairly taller woman with much more muscle positioning herself behind a scrawny teenager.

Well, not as scrawny as before... but what the hell is she doing?! She beat me up a bunch of times, why can't she do it to them?

What Kai expected to happen clearly didnt, and judging by his expression, the blond with the greatsword can't hold in his laughter.

"Oh don't worry sweetheart, I'm sure we can make it fun... and pleasurable"

The tension in the air was cut by a feeling of disgust that was almost palpable, and Kai knew the source.

Almost feeling Noelle's disgust at the man's words penetrate his back, Kai realised she must have a plan... right?

He then felt something moving behind his back. Frowning slightly, he looked down to his side, to Noelle's hip specifically, and saw... no scabbard?

That's when Kai realised why she is hiding behind him. She's pulling out her scimitar.

Feeling slightly relieved, Kai continues to act scared as the man approaches. It's only after he takes another few steps that Noelle made her move.

Quickly dashing out from behind Kai, Noelle struck at the man's beefy neck. Kai grinned slightly as he watches Noelles muscles surge and grow slightly

She must've used her some of her unnasigned stat points. He realised, proud of her smart move.

Unable to react, the beefcake can only widen his eyes in horror as the blade reaches his neck... and cleanly cuts right through, decapitating him.

Kai's jaw dropped. His blood ran cold as the head hit the ground. Did... did she really just... Before Kai can even begin to register what Noelle had just done, a black cloud of smoke shimmered where the man's body previously was.

Noelle's, whose expression was just one of pride that her scheme worked, expression changed. Kai started to feel uneasy, and that uneasy feeling was only multiplied when the blonds head popped out of the smoke.

"Boo!" The man chuckled as one of his legs thrust out of the smoke, kicking Noelle in the stomach and sending her rolling across the ground.

Watching Noelle groan as she struggled to stand up, Kai quickly pulled out his dagger and whipped his head around to face the muscle man. He then decided to do something he should have done move earlier in the fight.

Lesser identify

Level: 13

Using Lesser identify on his opponent, Kai felt a wave of unease at the man's level.

What the hell, no way he's level thirteen! Both me and Noelle are only level ten, how?

But his unease is only further amplified when the used the skill on the creepy parter of the blond, who was still watching from the sidelines.

Level: 15