“Hey Boss! How you doing? I heard that you had a duel to the death or something with that Goblin guy you captured… Why do you smell like pork?”

“I’m fine, Sam. And yeah, I killed him… Also, please don’t mention pork right now. Maybe I should have taken a quick shower…”

“Lain got herself lit on fire and burned away most of the skin on her arms and face. She gave him a chance to fight back instead of just killing him instantly.” Nathaniel says as he joins us outside, a big LMG with a large box mag held in his hands like it is just a regular rifle.

“Why the hell would you do that?”

“Honor. What, do you think it was dumb of me?”

Sam just gives a shrug, while Nathaniel says, “I understand why you did it, and I think it was nice of you… but, I didn’t particularly like seeing you get your face burned off. As your friend, I would have rather you made it quick and painless, rather than hurt yourself.”

“Well… Thank you, Nathaniel, but I couldn’t do that. I respected him and wanted to honor his resolve. Plus, if I had just executed a prisoner, even if he was our enemy, I don’t think I would have been able to handle that. A fight to the death, is… it just felt better. Less dirty.”

“Mhm… Still, I don’t like it. I don’t like seeing you hurt yourself…”

I can’t really bring myself to say anything to that, so just give him a little smile and try to move on.

Of course, Sam has to be herself…

“So, wait. You actually did get lit on fire and get your face burned off?! Damn Boss, hahahaha! And here I thought that was just people talking out their ass earlier. I wish I was there to see it. Did it hurt?”

“Like a bitch… I don’t recommend.”

“Damn.” She walks over and cups my face in her hands, and I let her turn my head as she looks me over.

“It sure doesn’t look like it though. You still got that cute face of yours. Being able to heal like this is crazy… If that Goblin ruined your good looks, I would have brought him back, just to kill him again.” She says as she mushes and squeezes my cheeks together.

“Thwanks ffor ze comp-e-ment… Now leh meh go.”

As Sam is having fun squishing my face, Frank walks up and asks, “Now, were not going to be making a habit of capturing the Goblins, are we? It will be rather difficult for us to keep any prisoners during our mission.” His tone carrying some worry as he looks towards me.

Pulling my face away from a pouting Sam, I say, “Don’t worry. We aren’t taking prisoners. I already learned what I can from those two, and he even chose death over surrender. We’ll kill our enemy, no prisoners. We stick to the mission and find the Nuke Dropper.”

Frank gives a silent nod before turning to go and retrieve his stuff from atop a nearby crate.

Looking at everyone, I see that they have their gear ready to go and their weapons loaded. Sam has her rifle and a grenade launcher on her with a pack full of explosives. Frank has a big pump action shotgun loaded with some of the thickest shells I have ever seen; apparently, it would be a war crime to use it against another person or something. Though that might just be a joke, I honestly can’t tell. I’m not a gun nerd. Besides the shotty, he also has a pair of beefy reinforced metal gauntlet with some scary looking knuckles that the army threw together for him on request. They are permanently welded into basically being fists and are strapped to his thighs until he needs them.

Aside from the deadly weapons, Frank also has one of the radio packs strapped to his back, which is the backup incase Xander’s breaks.

Xander himself, my introverted Demon with short blond hair, baby blue eyes, and curly horns. He is carrying an LMG just like Nathaniel is along with an SMG strapped to his thigh. All of which is normal enough, aside from the freaking sword that he has sheathed on his hip.

Where the heck did he get a sword anyways? Actual, I’ll just ask…

“Hey Xander, where did you get the sword from? Did the army make it for you, or did you find it somewhere?”

“Hm? Oh, uh, no. This is mine. Used to belong to my grandfather. He brought it home with him as a war souvenir.”

“Oh, nice. You’re not worried about breaking it though?”

“I’m not planning on using it to cut metal or anything crazy like that. But it shouldn’t have any trouble going through Goblins.”

“What kind of sword is it? Like a long sword or something?”

“Bastard sword. Grandpa got it off of a German officer that had heritage to old nobility or something, it was a family heirloom. Crazy bastard used it in a last stand after running out of ammo and refused to surrender down to the last man. He managed to cut a few of our guys pretty bad before grandpa put a bullet in his head and took the sword as a trophy.” He tells me with a smile and a nostalgic look, probably thinking about his grandpa. I don’t bother asking if his grandpa is still around. Most old folks didn’t even survive the first day because of how the pulse affected their bodies.

Nowadays, you would be lucky to find a person older than fifty-five that has survived this long…

This has to be the most that Xander has ever willingly talked with me. So exciting! But I should pull back now, he is a skittish introvert, and I don’t want to scare him off.

“That’s really cool Xander. Your grandpa sounds like a badass.”

He shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. “He was crazy, but fun…”

He clams up after that, so I give him some space, glad that I could get him to open up even just a little bit to me.

Note to self: Xander probably likes swords, and his grandpa is something he will talk about. Progress!

Feeling a bit better now, I clap my hands and get everyone’s attention. “Ok Wonder Team, the sun is setting, and it is time for us to get moving. Using the cover of night, we are going to sneak into the city and then find a place to set up camp until HQ contacts us to let us know that they are ready. Once we get word, it is time to break shit. Artillery strikes, planted explosives, and if necessary, an assassination. Everyone ready to get going?”

“Yup.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Yes Boss!”

“Ready.”

“Good! Then let’s get going. We don’t stop for anything and protecting the radios is top priority. Now move it!”

We all burst into motion, sprinting across the tarmac and past the countless dead and shredded corpses of so many Goblins that died under the sustained violence of automatic heavy machine gun fire.

I try to ignore the gore of the frozen over corpses and keep my bare feet wreathed in shadow flames to burn away any filth that I step on, leaving cleared footprints in my path as we run into the burned down forest where the Goblins had arrived from, their destruction making an excellent trail for us to follow.

Before we leave, I spot the corpse of Gov’es’s dog, where it still lays after getting taken out by a sniper, its large body coated in a fresh layer of snow.

I’m sorry this had to happen... If there is an afterlife, I hope that they find each other there and are reunited. Even if these aren’t the dogs we used to know, it seems that they are still man’s best friend…

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

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The Goblins thankfully made our job much easier for us.

Following their trail of destruction, we are able to make quick time as we run north past the burnt-out husks of trees, emptied out monster nests, and partially collapsed homes and businesses. Where Gov’es and his Goblins had traveled, death and destruction followed.

After only half an hour of running, the visages of skyscrapers start to fill the horizon as we get closer to our objective. Already I can see that many of the massive buildings are now in a sorry state. Most have been reduced to a barebones state of metal and concrete, their windows and anything flammable having been violently destroyed and burned away. Some buildings are still barely standing, with one tower in particular, leaning over and looking like it is one strong gust of wind away from falling over. Those towers that are on the furthest edge of the downtown area, that had managed to avoid the blast from the nuke, are still covered in crawling foliage and arching trees that are growing in an eternal quest to seemingly subsume and conquer the massive buildings. The sky above the city here is still one of smoke and ash, the clouds overhead, heavy with greys and blacks.

As we run further and draw closer, the air grows noticeably colder; even to the point that I am feeling it despite my normal immunity to the cold. The very air here flows with a cold mist as layers of ice cover buildings and trees with massive icicles hanging from every overhang and branch.

Sam lets out a curse as she breathes out a puff of white vapor. “By Boss’s amazing ass, I’m freezing my tits off! How did it get so cold all of a sudden?”

“Haaaah… Please don’t talk about my ass, Sam. Thank you for the compliment though, I do have an amazing ass.”

“No problem~ Speaking of your ass though, maybe you could help me keep my hands warm by-“

Frank cuts in quickly and interrupts, “Sam, control yourself. Were in enemy territory. You can flirt and mess around later.”

“Mrh~ Fine, I’ll behave…”

“Thank you, Frank. Also, Sam, only Sky gets to have my ass. You’ll just have to be satisfied with looking at it.”

“My, Boss, I didn’t know that you were into butt play~ Making me even more jealous of your girlfriend now. Do you think she would up for a three-way?”

Frank snaps out, “Sam! Behave yourself before I seal your trap with dirt.”

“Ah, sorry. I honestly couldn’t help myself there. I don’t know what came over me...”

Mh? Wait a minute…

Pushing aside my embarrassment and the involuntary horny thoughts of me getting sandwiched between Sam and Sky, I latch onto what she just said.

She couldn’t help herself? Not to mention, she’s never outright asked me for sex or even to fool around. Worse she’s ever asked me for is a kiss, but suddenly she is asking for a three-way while we are in enemy territory? I know that she is an oddball, but she is still a Marine, she knows when to get serious and focus on the mission…

I stop running and wave for us to get inside of a building. Once we are off the street, I turn to Sam and ask, “Sam, are you horny right now? Tell me what’s going on.”

Frank tries to cut in, “Ma’am, you don’t need to worry about her. I’ll keep her in line.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about Frank. Sam, answer the question.”

“Uhm, yes, I am Boss. Wait, are you offering too-“

“No, now focus. I need you to tell me how you are feeling. This isn’t normal for you right? We’re on a mission right now and I know that you know when it is time to fool around or not. Despite how you act, you’re not an idiot. What’s going on in your head right now?”

“I certainly would like to fool around right now, and most of my thoughts are about you without any clothes on~”

I just stare at her for a while and eventually, she tilts her head, her eyes narrowing as she thinks.

“I… I shouldn’t be thinking about that right now… What the hell? Why am I so horny right now? I shouldn’t be…”

“Well, this is just great…” I say with a tired sigh.

Nathaniel asks, “What’s wrong, what is it?”

“You know how I get overly possessive and rage if someone threaten or tries to take what's mine?”

“Yeah…? Oh… Crap, you don’t mean?

“Yup, at least I think so…”

Sam, looking rather confused, looks between Nathaniel and me and asks, “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

I just move forward and push Sam against the wall, her letting out a little surprised moan as I press against her abdomen, an excited look full of anticipation spreading on her face.

“Shush and stop moaning, I’m trying to focus…”

Getting my face close to her belly, I feel through our connection and observe her with mana sight. As I feel around at her stomach, she lets out a giggle that belongs in the bedroom. “Hmhmhm~ Are you about to go down on me?”

I give her a hard pinch and make her yelp.

“Ack! Sorry, sorry, couldn’t help myself… What is happening?”

…

“Boss?”

“Lain, what is going on? We need to know.”

…

“Tch…” I click my tongue as I finally find what I am looking for.

“What is it?” Sam nervously asks.

“You’re Mana Core is waking up. If I am right about how this works, and if you are anything like me, then getting closer to being able to use your magic also means developing your trigger. Or hells, maybe I should just call them Sins, considering our whole Demon theme we’ve got going on… My possessiveness could be considered Greed. I probably have some Pride in me too…”

“So, wait, because I am horny all of a sudden, that means what? I’m a Lust Demon or something? I mean, sure, I enjoy having some fun, but I doubt that I am any hornier that most people… Why is this suddenly happening out of nowhere.”

“Hmm. Have you always been one for wanting to kiss someone and continuing to ask for kisses even after they have repeatedly rejected you?”

“Uhm, no? I just really like you.”

I try not to blush at this.

I am a happy little lesbian with a beautiful girlfriend. Though, getting confessed to is nice…

I clear my throat, “Mhhrm… Still, I don’t think that this is just coming out of nowhere. After I turned into a Demon, I flew into a rage over a shirt getting torn up. Might have also contributed to me going a bit too far with punishing a certain thief that tried to steel my bag…”

Thinking back on it, the reason that I flew into a rage and killed that bear… It might have been because Sky was MY responsibility, MY little friend. It was threatening what was mine, and my instincts pushed back to hard, driving me into a rampage… Going to have to be careful with Sam’s Sin…

“Really? I figured that I just got a crush on you because you gave me my eye back and gave me this amazing body. I didn’t even think that it was weird…”

“You asked me to make your body like this…”

Nathaniel looks surprised at this. “Wait, you actually have a crush on Lain? I figured you were just playing around and messing with her.”

“Of course I do, if she let me, I would totally bury my face between her legs right now and- Oh! Ok… Yeah, I shouldn’t be saying that. I normally wouldn’t say that! What the hell!?”

“This is what I warned you guys about when I changed you. That something like this was bound to happen… Why it had to happen now of all times… just great.”

Nathaniel gets my attention as I finally pull away from Sam’s belly. She lets out a sad noise as I stop touching her.

“Why is it that she is having this happen first and not me? I have a couple weeks on everyone else, you would think that I would have shown signs first.”

“I…” I tilt my head in confusion. “I have no idea. I mean, I didn’t get magic and start really going crazy until months after my change, not counting the shadow coat that I had from the start. Hmm…”

And it’s not like they aren’t all already using magic. They all have my crazy night vison, which Dr. Doe has already helped me to confirm isn’t entirely biological. They are using magic to see in the dark and I wouldn’t be surprised if their bodies are using magic in other ways under the hood.

Sam clears her throat and gets my attention next, a blush on her face as she looks at me with her heterochromatic eyes. “Uhm, I have an idea?”

“What is it?”

“Well… Because Boss always eats it, I’ve been having monster meat with every meal ever since I changed. I’m not sure about everyone else though.”

I turn to Nathaniel and the others, but they simply shake their heads.

“I’m still not entirely comfortable with eating that stuff…”

“Yeah, aside from what they had us eat while I was changing, I just eat normal food.”

Xanders shrugs, “I’ve considered doing it…”

Really? Monster meat? Again? Why does everything keep going back around to monster meat!?

…

“Ok… So, running theory right now is that eating monster meat will help you guys unlock your magic faster, but unlocking your magic will also mean making your Sin much more prevalent… Great… This is just great…”

Sam nervously raises her hand, “Uhm, what should I do?”

“Uhhh.” I run my hand through my hair and consider her problem.

“We need to figure out your shit. What is setting you off, right now? Again, for me, it is if someone tries to take something that I consider as mine. I doubt that yours is just Horny. What is setting you off?”

“Well, right now, you~”

“I’m saying this flat out, right now, and making this very clear for everyone. I am not going to cheat on Sky.”

“And I don’t expect you too! Although it would be fun~ Ahch… Sorry…”

“Haah, this isn’t really the environment for figuring this shit out... I’m the only other girl here, so it could be girls, wait, no, you’re bi, right? So, boys could be it to, but you don’t seem to be wanting to jump Nathaniel right now despite him be a walking sex magnet... It could be me, or it could be stress from the mission, or something else… the cold maybe? It did suddenly get worse just as it started getting colder... Would have to test during summer or in a heated building. Regardless, the horny is just a byproduct of your Sin, like my rage is for mine… For now, you need to get yourself under control. When we get back to base, we can figure this out properly and I can introduce you to a good therapist.”

“When you say to get myself under control…?”

“Three options. Deal with it, meditate, or go find a private corner and get it out of your system. I am really sorry; I know this isn’t the best of situations for this right now, but we have a job to do.”

“Ehh, I’ve never been one for sitting still and meditating…” Sam says as she looks down at an empty hallway. She looks down at me, a blush on her cheeks and her breath coming out hot.

“Boss~ You could help me~”

“I’m not going to cheat.”

“Ach, yes, sorry sorry… Mmm~ I’ll… I’ll be right back!” She says as goes and runs off down the hall in a hurry.

…

We all stand around awkwardly as she leaves, Xander asking, “What about the mission?”

“Haaah… Just, give her some time and privacy. This isn’t her fault…”

But why did it have to be Lust? I was prepared for my Demons to have anger issues, maybe throw a tantrum and break some stuff, but this? I wasn’t prepared for this… Why did my weird powers have to do this to her? What the hell is it going to do to the others? This is why I didn’t want anyone to volunteer…